Chinese premier meets delegation of Japan's ruling coalition Xinhua) 08:04, January 16, 2025 Chinese Premier Li Qiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with a delegation of Japan's ruling coalition, led by Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama of the Liberal Democratic Party and Secretary-General Makoto Nishida of the Komeito Party, in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Haitao) BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with a delegation of Japan's ruling coalition, led by Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama of the Liberal Democratic Party and Secretary-General Makoto Nishida of the Komeito Party, in Beijing on Wednesday. Noting that China-Japan relations are at a crucial stage of improvement and development, Li, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said the resumption of the ruling party exchange mechanism after nearly seven years is an important move in implementing the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries. It is hoped that China and Japan will continue working together to enhance mutual trust, deepen cooperation, manage differences, and promote the sound and steady development of bilateral relations that will bring more benefits to the two peoples, Li said. He noted that ruling parties of the two countries should focus on safeguarding the long-term fundamental interests of the two countries and adopt a responsible attitude towards the people and history. More efforts should be made to promote cooperation and common development, explore more new growth points of economic cooperation in such areas as sci-tech innovation, digital economy and green development, step up people-to-people and sub-national exchanges, and cement a social foundation for bilateral relations, Li said. The Japanese side expressed their willingness to improve Japan-China relations and their commitment to adhering to the principles set out in the four political documents, including the Japan-China Joint Statement. The delegation said the ruling party exchange mechanism between the two countries is of far-reaching significance, and Japan looks forward to carrying out exchanges at all levels in 2025. The Japanese side added that they look forward to strengthening exchanges and understanding between the younger generations of the two countries. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Major foreign theme park projects advance in China, highlighting confidence in nation's consumer market Global Times) 10:15, January 16, 2025 International theme park operators are making significant strides in China, with key projects hitting major milestones as they tap into the country's vast consumer market, a development that a Chinese expert said underscores foreign investors' continued optimism toward China. Legoland Shanghai Resort is set to open this summer, with the project progressing smoothly, the Global Times learned from the company on Wednesday. As of now, most of the rides for the resort are locally delivered and have transitioned smoothly into the installation phase, per the company. The Shanghai municipal government pledged support for the park's opening and operation, the mayor Gong Zheng said on Wednesday, vowing to expedite major construction projects and optimize urban development. The upcoming resort, situated in Shanghai's Jinshan district, marks China's first Legoland and the 11th one worldwide, serving as a theme park and hotel destination for families. The development of Legoland in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong Province, is progressing steadily. The company told the Global Times on Wednesday that civil engineering of the park's themed zones is nearing completion. Looking into 2025, the Shenzhen resort is on track for completion. With strong support from the local government, significant development is underway for surrounding transportation networks and infrastructure, supported by a total investment of 30 billion yuan ($4.1 billion), per the company. In another development, the expansion of the Shanghai Disney Resort is reaching another milestone in the development of its third-themed hotel. With the installation of the final primary steel beam, the major structure of this newest themed hotel was complete, laying important groundwork for the upcoming interior development, the Global Times learned from the company on Wednesday. The resort's current expansion projects also include a Spider-Man-themed coaster, which will be the first major Marvel attraction at Shanghai Disneyland and began initial construction preparation in early 2024, according to the company. Furthermore, both a Harry Potter and a Peppa Pig theme park are likely to open in Shanghai in the future, Shanghai-based media outlet the Paper reported on Tuesday, citing an official from the Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism. These new attractions are set to boost Shanghai's status as a global cultural and tourism hub, enhancing its long-term appeal and international charm, according to the official. Expanding domestic demand and boosting consumption are top priorities for China's economy this year, with local governments focusing heavily on cultural and tourism projects sectors that have shown the fastest recovery in recent months, said Li Changan, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies at the University of International Business and Economics. "Foreign firms' increased investments in major projects further underscore their confidence in China's consumer market and broader economic prospects, bolstered by the government's steadfast commitment to opening its door wider," Li told the Global Times. China aims to position the cultural and tourism industry as a key economic pillar, as outlined in an action plan released by the State Council, the country's cabinet, on Monday, featuring 18 measures to promote growth in cultural and tourism consumption. Despite challenges in the broader consumer market, the development of flagship projects can help catalyze growth by not only stimulating consumer spending but also boosting confidence in future consumption, Li added. Beyond the theme park field, foreign investments across other industries are also demonstrating steady confidence in the Chinese market. "Despite facing intense market competition in the Chinese market, we remain focused on long-term goals and are committed to maintaining our investments in the country," according to a statement sent by Volkswagen Group to the Global Times. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) The Toyota logo on a vehicle at a show room in Tokyo. The Japanese automakers Hino division has agreed to pay U.S. regulators more than $1.6 billion and plead guilty for submitting false and fraudulent data and smuggling of engines into the United States. Eugene Hoshiko/Associated Press file photo A Toyota Motor Corp. division that manufactures trucks will pay more than $1.6 billion to U.S. agencies and plead guilty to violations related to submission of false and fraudulent engine emissions and fuel consumption data and smuggling its heavy-duty diesel engines into the United States. Hino Motors, a subsidiary of Toyota, first acknowledged in 2022 it had systematically falsified emissions data dating back as far as 2003. It was part of a broader scandal involving emissions tests that ensnared other automakers as well. The Justice Department said Thursday that Hinos unlawful conduct allowed it to improperly secure approvals to import and sell more than 110,000 diesel engines in the U.S. from 2010 to 2022. The engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks made and sold by Hino nationwide. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division said in a statement. Hinos actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nations environmental, consumer protection and import laws. Toyota, which builds the full-size Tundra pickup and Sequoia SUV at its plant on San Antonios South Side, said in November that third-quarter profits were dented by testing scandals that sank sales in the first half of 2024. Hino Motors Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multiyear criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, requires the company to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has made into the U.S. and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Hino also has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of about $1.1 billion. As part of the plea deal, Hinos future payments toward its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited toward its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, FBI, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Transportations Office of Inspector General, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the state of California reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions with Japanese Hino, which are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the state of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million. Hino, as part of its plea agreement, admitted to submitting and causing to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals between 2010 and 2019. The company also admitted that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data. Hino said in a statement Thursday that its agreements resolve all of the companys outstanding legal issues in the U.S. related to its legacy emissions issues. Advertisement Article continues below this ad 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: Half of American adults under the age of 50 self-report using TikTok. Credit: Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University Where will TikTok refugees go if the social media platform is banned? Can a new platform replace the app? Northeastern University experts say the answers lie in one thingwho has the best algorithm. TikTok's unparalleled success lies in its unique recommendation system, says John Wihbey, professor of media innovation and technology at Northeastern. "The secret sauce with TikTok is the algorithm," he says. "The algorithm just seems to be able to hack into our brains in a way that is super effective." Platforms like YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels and Snapchat offer similar short video formats, but they lack the defining feature that makes TikTok so effective, Wihbey says. TikTok's algorithm distinguishes itself by focusing on a content graph rather than a social graph, he says. Traditionally, social media platforms prioritized connections between users to deliver content, but TikTok revolutionized this approach by exclusively analyzing user interests and behaviorwhat people watch, like and share, as well as how much time they spend on each video. This enabled TikTok to deliver a highly personalized feed, seamlessly blending predictability with novelty. According to Wihbey's data, half of American adults under the age of 50 self-report using TikTok. Pew Research Center studies reveal that a third of all U.S. adults and 59% of adults under the age of 30 use the app, while 57% of those ages 13 to 17 use it daily. "It's a remarkable degree of usage," Wihbey says. "It's just clearly 'sticky." You might also say it's addictive." Before TikTok, no platform had fully tapped into the idiosyncrasies of human interests, Wihbey says. "We all have a crazy jumble of things that we are interested in," he says. "They sort of figured out that human psychology has these idiosyncratic but in some ways predictable patterns and how to surface content that nobody has ever heard of, but you think is awesome." The algorithm's ability to uncover these patterns has made TikTok more than just a social media appit's an engine capable of delivering obscure content that feels deeply relevant. As the U.S. considers banning TikTok, questions arise about the future of its algorithm. If TikTok is sold to a new owner, its algorithm may lose its effectiveness, says David Choffnes, executive director of Northeastern's Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute. The algorithm's complexity, driven by advanced AI, functions as a kind of black boxits inner workings are not easily understood, even by those who maintain it. Choffnes cautions that any buyer inheriting TikTok may face challenges in keeping the algorithm running at its current level of sophistication. "I can imagine a sort of slow rot of the algorithm," he says, "maybe [it] not working as well over time, if it's not maintained." Even if TikTok were to be banned, Wihbey believes its algorithm sets a high bar for any new or existing platform attempting to fill the void. "They'll become the primary focus for influencers and advertisers and everybody trying to do [short video] content," Wihbey says of rivals like Meta and Google. However, without TikTok's "secret sauce" these platforms remain a step behind. Choffnes adds that the intricacy of recommendation systems means they are not simple formulas for success. "Essentially whoever buys that gets the whole package, but is it a list of instructions for how to succeed at any social media app? The answer is no," he says. This story is republished courtesy of Northeastern Global News news.northeastern.edu. 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: CC0 Public Domain A federal court judge has thrown out expert testimony from a Stanford University artificial intelligence and misinformation professor, saying his submission of fake information made up by an AI chatbot "shatters" his credibility. In her written decision Friday, Minnesota district court Judge Laura Provinzino cited "the irony" of professor Jeff Hancock's mistake. "Professor Hancock, a credentialed expert on the dangers of AI and misinformation, has fallen victim to the siren call of relying too heavily on AIin a case that revolves around the dangers of AI, no less," the judge wrote. More irony: Hancock, a professor of communications, has studied irony extensively. Hancock, founding director of the Stanford Social Media Lab, was hired by the Minnesota Attorney General's office to produce a sworn expert declaration to defend the state's law criminalizing election-related, AI-generated "deepfake" photos from a lawsuit by a state legislator and a satirist YouTuber. California approved a similar law last fall. YouTuber Christopher Kohls, who sued Minnesota, also suedalongside Elon Musk's X social media companyCalifornia Attorney General Rob Bonta over California's law, and a judge temporarily blocked it in October. Provinzino last week declined to issue a similar block requested by Kohls and the Minnesota lawmaker. In November, lawyers for Kohls and legislator told the Minnesota court that Hancock's 12-page declaration cited "a study that does not exist," authored by "Huang, Zhang, Wang" and likely "generated by an AI large language model like ChatGPT." In December, Hancock admitted in a court filing he had used ChatGPT, blamed the bot for that error and two other AI "hallucinations" he had subsequently discovered in his submission, and apologized to the court. He had used ChatGPT 4.0 to help find and summarize articles for his submission, but the errors likely occurred because he inserted the word "cite" into the text he gave the chatbot, to remind himself to add academic citations to points he was making, he wrote. The bot apparently took "cite" as an instruction and fabricated citations, Hancock wrote, adding that the bot also made up four incorrect authors for research he had cited. Hancock, a prolific, high-profile researcher whose work has received some $20 million in grant support from Stanford, the U.S. National Science Foundation and others, over the past two decades, charged $600 an hour to prepare the testimony the judge tossed, according to court filings. Judge Provinzino noted that Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison was seeking to introduce in court a version of Hancock's testimony with the errors removed, and she said she did not dispute Ellison's assertion that the professor was qualified to present expert opinions about AI and deepfakes. However, the judge wrote, "Hancock's citation to fake, AI-generated sources in his declarationeven with his helpful, thorough, and plausible explanationshatters his credibility with this Court." At minimum, Provinzino wrote, "expert testimony is supposed to be reliable." Such errors cause "many harms" including wasting the opposing party's time and money, the judge wrote. The Minnesota Attorney General's office did not respond to questions, including how much Hancock billed and whether the office would seek a refund. Hancock did not respond to questions. At Stanford, students can be suspended and ordered to do community service for using an AI chatbot to "substantially complete an assignment or exam" without instructor permission. The school has repeatedly declined to respond to questions, as recently as Wednesday, about whether Hancock would face disciplinary measures. The professor's legal smackdown highlights a common problem with generative AI, a technology that has taken the world by storm since San Francisco's OpenAI released its ChatGPT bot in November 2022. Chatbots and AI image generators often "hallucinate," which in text can involve creating false information, and in images, absurdities like six-fingered hands Hancock is not alone in submitting a court filing containing AI-generated errors. In 2023, lawyers Steven A. Schwartz and Peter LoDuca were fined $5,000 each in federal court in New York for submitting a personal-injury lawsuit filing citing fake past court cases invented by ChatGPT. With chatbot use fast spreading in many fields, including the legal profession, Provinzino in her ruling sought to turn Hancock's imbroglio into a teachable moment. "The Court does not fault Professor Hancock for using AI for research purposes. AI, in many ways, has the potential to revolutionize legal practice for the better," the judge wrote. "But when attorneys and experts abdicate their independent judgment and critical thinking skills in favor of ready-made, AI-generated answers, the quality of our legal profession and the Court's decisional process suffer. "The Court thus adds its voice to a growing chorus of courts around the country declaring the same message: verify AI-generated content in legal submissions." 2025 MediaNews Group, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A rendering shows a 166-room hotel that Oxbow Development Group plans to build across the San Antonio River from Pearl. Don B. McDonald Architects Renderings submitted to the city show the Broadway East development. Fulcrum Development, GrayStreet Partners, KPF, Ford Powell & Carson and DWG Renderings submitted to the city show the Broadway East development. Fulcrum Development, GrayStreet Partners, KPF, Ford Powell & Carson and DWG Renderings submitted to the city show the Broadway East development. Fulcrum Development, GrayStreet Partners, KPF, Ford Powell & Carson and DWG Renderings submitted to the city show the Broadway East development. Fulcrum Development, GrayStreet Partners, KPF, Ford Powell & Carson and DWG Renderings submitted to the city show the Broadway East development. Fulcrum Development, GrayStreet Partners, KPF, Ford Powell & Carson and DWG A city panel gave the go-ahead to two projects near Pearl, which has sparked a wave of development in the surrounding Tobin Hill and Government Hill neighborhoods. The Historic and Design Review Commission granted initial approval to Fulcrum Development and GrayStreet Partners plans for the first phase of Broadway East, a development that will offer a mix of restaurants, stores, housing, hotel rooms and parking thats slated to rise on about 15 acres across Broadway from Pearl. The firms want to build six two- and three-story buildings for restaurants and stores between Broadway, Casa Blanca Street, North Alamo Street and the 1800 Broadway apartment complex and extend Pearl Parkway east through the property to intersect with North Alamo. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Fulcrum and GrayStreet plan to move a historic house at 1611 N. Alamo St. to another location in Government Hill and raze an adjacent house at 1613 N. Alamo, which was damaged by a fire in April, according to documents submitted to the city. Commissioners asked whether architects at Ford, Powell & Carson explored keeping the house at 1613 N. Alamo and making it part of development. Adam Reed, a principal at the firm, said retaining it would affect access into some of the shops. The developers plan to incorporate another house at 1606 N. Alamo across the street into Broadway East, Reed said. They also would keep a historic building facade that faces Broadway, next to the 1800 Broadway apartment complex, the documents indicate. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A website for Broadway East states that the first phase will encompass 170,000 square feet, with future phases of the project stretching east past North Alamo to include a hotel and housing. It describes the development as the premier shopping destination in core San Antonio, with an expected completion date of mid-2027. Fulcrum and GrayStreet will have to return to the commission for the final green light. Oxbow Development Group, the real estate arm of Pearl owner Silver Ventures, received final approval for designs for a nine-story hotel, which will replace a parking lot at 1210 E. Elmira St. across the San Antonio River from the redeveloped brewery. The hotel will have 166 guest rooms and about 7,500 square feet of meeting space. Oxbow Development executives have said the hotel will offer fewer services and be less pricey than the 143-room Hotel Emma, which is among San Antonios toniest lodging options. Advertisement Article continues below this ad One person suffered fatal injuries and 11 other people were injured when a section of bleachers collapsed at the Kendall County Fairgrounds on Aug. 31, 2024. Jeff B. Flinn, Boerne Star The nonprofit that operates the Kendall County Fair is facing multiple lawsuits over the collapse of a section of bleachers that killed one person and injured 11 others during last year's fair. At least three lawsuits have been filed against the Kendall County Fair Association, the nonprofit that owns the fairgrounds and operate the event. One of the suits was filed by the family of Vera Smith, the 79-year-old woman who died from injuries suffered during the collapse. Another was filed by man who says he suffered a "serious ankle break" in the accident and a third was filed by members of a Uvalde family who were attending the event. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The collapse of the bleachers stunned attendees at the fair, a popular Boerne event that draws thousands of people each year. About 100 people were on a section of bleachers at a rodeo arena on the fairgrounds when it collapsed at about 9:15 p.m. on Aug. 31, officials have said, sending six adults and two children to local hospitals. The bleachers that collapsed were built without proper city permits and were not inspected by the Boerne Fire Marshals Office before the event, city officials said on Sept. 5. The Kendall County Fair Association applied only for a carnivals and fairs permit, which requires a general grounds inspection of the fairgrounds by the fire marshals office, the city said. That process does not include inspections of structures, such as the newly constructed addition to the bleachers on the rodeo grounds which would have occurred with a building permit, the city said. The bleachers were an old structure that was salvaged, and the new structure was made to house eight VIP sections, the bar and a common walkway. Additionally, welding work on the bleacher structure was still occurring up to the day before the event, the city said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Lawsuits allege negligence The three lawsuits against the Kendall County Fair Association were filed in October and November. They were consolidated into a single action after a motion by the defense in December, according to public records. One lawsuit was filed on behalf of Smith's estate and her sons, Forrest Smith and Dwayne Smith. It accuses the Kendall County Fair Association of gross negligence. Failing to acquire a permit and supervise the construction of the bleachers "involved an extreme degree of risk with conscious indifference to others," the lawsuit says. The Smiths, residents of Kendall County, are seeking monetary damages for the loss of their mother and for the "care. maintenance, support... and reasonable contributions of pecuniary value" they would have received had she lived. They also seek to be compensated for medical and funerary expenses, as well as more than $1 million in relief. Attorney Brian Dennis is representing Vera Smiths daughter Patti McCreless. She plans to join the suit separately from her brothers, he said. She is also a resident of Kendall County. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Boerne resident Brian Verdekel, another plaintiff, claims he suffered a broken ankle in the bleacher collapse, which he says has limited "his ability to do normal activities of daily living." He is seeking coverage for past and future medical expenses and damages of up to $1 million. Uvalde residents Caesar Jimenez and Crystal Alejandro sued the association on Oct. 3. Their suit is also on behalf of minor children. The family was on the bleachers when they collapsed, their suit alleges. Alejandro caught her son during the fall, according to the suit, but her daughter was "pinned between metal purlins." The family was taken to a hospital after the collapse, but the nature of any injuries they suffered is not specified in the suit. Their suit also alleges gross negligence by the fair association and asks for damages covering medical expenses, lost wages and mental anguish. Attorney Donald Crook Jr., who represents the Smith brothers, told Express-News it was likely an additional plaintiff would join the suit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Punitive relief recovered from a lawsuit against a charitable organization is capped at $500,000 per person and $1 million per suit, according to the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Association denies allegations In responses filed with the court, the Kendall County Fair Association denied the allegations made against it and claimed that punitive damages are "essentially criminal in nature" and would constitute a "criminal penalty" for the association. David Jewett, who represents the Kendall County Fair Association in the suit, told the Express-News hes waiting for direction from the association before commenting on the lawsuits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Boerne Police Department has concluded its investigation into the collapse and has turned its findings over to the Kendall County District Attorney's Office, according to the city. Kendall County District Attorney Nicole Bishop said her office is reviewing the case. 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. Annasofia Scheve covers trending news for the Express-News. She can be reached at Annasofia.Scheve@express-news.net. Annasofia has bachelor's degrees in journalism and political science from the University of Missouri. She is an Ohio native, and wrote for Cincinnati Magazine and the Cincinnati Enquirer before joining the Express-News in 2023. San Antonio's annual march honoring the late Martin Luther King Jr. began in 1987, five years before Texas designated a day specifically to honor the inspirational civil rights leader. Pat Sullivan/San Antonio Express-News file photo At one point during San Antonio's first official Martin Luther King Jr. March in 1987, the Rev. Raymond Callies turned to his 27-year-old son and said, Arlington, look behind you. The father and son stood near an East Side railroad underpass on what once was Nebraska Street. Just a decade prior it had been renamed Martin Luther King Drive in honor of the slain civil rights leader. The Callies had marched through the area in King's name since at least the late 1960s. Only those processions focused more on the need for traffic lights and other infrastructure improvements to the East Side and drew maybe two or three dozen people. Rosa Parks is shown at the MLK March in San Antonio on Jan. 19, 1987. Parks, a Black seamstress, refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery, Ala. city bus on Dec. 1, 1955. Parks was arrested, sparking a yearlong boycott of the buses by Blacks. Pat Sullivan/San Antonio Express-News file photo Participants take part Jan. 16, 2017, in San Antonio's annual MLK March on the city's East Side. John Davenport/San Antonio Express-News file photo In this 2012 photo, Martin Luther King III, the second oldest child of Martin Luther King Jr., speaks to the crowd gathered at Pittman-Sullivan Park on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. His wife, activist Arndrea Waters King, will be the commemorative speaker at this year's celebration. John Davenport/San Antonio Express-News file photo But on that fair Jan. 19, 1987, Arlington Callies turned around to see thousands of men, women and children, Black, brown and white, linked arm-in-arm to celebrate Kings birthday and legacy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I would say the atmosphere was electric, said Arlington Callies, who runs a real estate brokerage in San Antonio with his wife, Pamela. There was a sense of togetherness, bonding if I may say, and people just excited to be a part of it. That excitement returns Monday with the 38th Martin Luther King Jr. March and Celebration. The march begins at 10 a.m. at Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, 3501 Martin Luther King Drive, and concludes 3 miles down the road at Pittman-Sullivan Park, 1110 Iowa St. People fill the street along Martin Luther King Drive as they take part in the 2023 Martin Luther King Jr. March in San Antonio on Monday, Jan. 16, 2023. Kin Man Hui/San Antonio Express-News file photo Considered the largest MLK March in the nation, the San Antonio procession draws more than 300,000 participants. The diverse throng blankets the East Side route with boots and sneakers on the ground and signs and songs raised to the skies. This year's march theme is "We are the dream... It takes all of us." Advertisement Article continues below this ad And with last years march postponed due to severe weather, attendees no doubt are extra excited to take such solidarity back to the streets in King's name. Callies has honored his late father's role in that civic spectacle with his 2020 self-published book, "The Man Behind the March: The Life and Legacy of Rev. Dr. R.A. Callies, Sr." And if Callies gets his wish, that story will reach an even bigger audience on the big screen. He noted an adaptation called "March" is in development with filmmaker and San Antonio native Shanna Byrd. Arlington Callies poses at Martin Luther King Plaza with his book about his father, "The Man Behind the March: The Life and Legacy of Rev. Dr. R.A. Callies, Sr." The late Rev. Callies was instrumental in launching San Antonio's official MLK march, now considered the largest in the nation. Rene Guzman/Staff Of course, every march begins with a first step. Here are some enlightening facts about how San Antonios MLK March got its start and how it continues to set the pace for honoring King's dream. Marchers make their way to Martin Luther King Plaza during the city's first official MLK March on Jan. 19, 1987. Joe Barrera Jr./San Antonio Express-News file photo The Rev. Callies led MLK marches long before 1987. The Rev. Callies, who died in 2011 from cancer at age 82, was a San Antonio teacher and pastor who often took to the streets to advocate for the East Side. That advocacy dovetailed with championing King's message of civil rights and equality, especially after King's assassination April 4, 1968. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Rev. R.A. Callies, shown in November 1987 at Martin Luther King Plaza, was instrumental in launching the city's first MLK March earlier that year. The longtime East Side advocate died in 2011. Al Guzman/San Antonio Express-News file photo Just two days after King's death, Callies led what many consider the first MLK March in San Antonio. He and a group of around a dozen people walked down East Commerce Street to HemisFair Plaza and laid a wreath in remembrance of King. This on the same day the 1968 World's Fair opened and put San Antonio on a global stage. The next year, Callies led around two dozen people from behind the wheel of a red Ford pickup that blasted King's "I Have A Dream" speech from giant speakers. Arlington later drove that pickup as his father continued his MLK marches well into 1970s and '80s. Callies helped codify King's name throughout the route of the San Antonio march. In the early years after King's assassination, the Rev. Callies petitioned the city to rename an East Side street after King, as well as erect a statue of King and establish a plaza for its home. Those efforts led to the 1971 opening of MLK Park, which once was a starting point for the march. In 1973, the intersection of East Houston Street and North New Braunfels Avenue was deemed Martin Luther King Plaza, the original endpoint of the march. And Martin Luther King Drive, the main artery of the march, got its name in 1977. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As for the King statue, Callies and several young members of his Youth Leadership for Community Progress took five years to raise the necessary funds to complete the project by taking donations at MLK Plaza with red coffee cans. The statue's 1982 unveiling drew around 5,000 well-wishers, a harbinger of the crowds to come. 'THE DREAM MUST CONTINUE': SAISD to overhaul school named after MLK on the East Side "Thank God for Mayor Henry Cisneros." In 1983, the third Monday in January was designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but it wasn't officially observed until 1986. That same year, then-Mayor Henry Cisneros attended the MLK Day festivities in Atlanta, King's birthplace and final resting place. He also joined Callies for one of his MLK marches in San Antonio. The events inspired Cisneros to form the San Antonio Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission, better known as the MLK Commission, and make the march an official city event starting in 1987. "I'll tell you, thank God for Mayor Henry Cisneros," Callies said. "He was impressed with my dad's passion. And when he [established the MLK Commission] it took the march to a whole different level." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mayor Henry Cisneros links arms with fellow marchers at the city's first official MLK March on Jan. 19, 1987. Pat Sullivan/San Antonio Express-News file photo Cisneros would once again join Rev. Callies for that first official march in King's honor, this time with first-time MLK Commission chair Aaronetta Pierce, now a Witte Museum trustee and advocate for African American art and culture, and several members of City Council near the head of the procession. Though it wasn't nearly as big as it is today. San Antonio's first official MLK March drew 10,000 people. Even Arlington Callies was shocked to hear only 10,000 people attended the first official MLK March, and he was there. Nevertheless, the Express-News and San Antonio Light reported 5,000 people actually marched from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School to Martin Luther King Plaza, where another 5,000 joined them. The front page of the San Antonio Light on Jan. 20, 1987, the day after the city's first official MLK March. The first march drew around 10,000 people. Today, its crowds top 300,000. San Antonio Express-News archives Nevertheless, those 10,000 strong celebrated King's birthday with an equally inspiring figure. Rosa Parks helped launch a San Antonio tradition. The civil rights icon attended the city's inaugural MLK March in poignant style, seated at the front of a restored 1950s bus provided by what's now VIA Metropolitan Transit. Parks sparked the civil rights movement on such a bus Dec. 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man in Montgomery, Ala. Then-San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros shared the stage with Rosa Parks during the city's 1987 celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. San Antonio Express-News file photo Pierce came up with the idea to invite Parks during one of several committees in the lead-up to the march. "My mind just went off and I said, 'Of course, you realize Rosa Parks is still alive,' " Pierce recalled. "And I think that was important, that people could see somebody [like] a simple lady that had the courage and indignation to use her voice. And I think thats an empowering vision for everyone. So that was the power of having her here, I believe." Aaronetta Hamilton Pierce, shown in 2024 at the Jo Long Theatre for Performing Arts at the Carver Community Cultural Center, fought for equality in the 1960s and was the founding chair for the first MLK March in San Antonio in 1987. Josie Norris/San Antonio Express-News An Olympic gold medalist was there, too. Track and field legend Carl Lewis also attended the city's debut MLK March. "Dr. King touched my family personally," Lewis said in a Jan. 14, 1987, Express-News article. "My parents were in some of those walks and were arrested with Dr. King. And my brothers were baptized by Dr. King.... It goes far beyond the surface. It's something very personal." Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis (center, right) alongside San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros (center, left) at the city's debut MLK March in 1987. Pat Sullivan/San Antonio Express-News file photo The significance of a garbage truck. The MLK March features a garbage truck as a symbol of Kings fight for the garbage workers in Memphis, Tenn., when he was assassinated. An aerial view of the city's MLK March on Jan. 20, 2003. The march is led by a garbage truck because King was in Memphis to support garbage workers when he was assassinated. Robert McLeroy/San Antonio Express-News file photo A look at the future of the MLK March. Current MLK Commission chair Dwayne Robinson has participated in the annual event since the early 1990s and has been involved with the commission since the same decade. He's seen the march grow beyond MLK Plaza to Pittman-Sullivan Park, and has welcomed notable names in civil rights history such as the late congressman John Lewis and King's elder son, Martin Luther King III. MLK Commission chair Dwayne Robinson, shown in 2024, has been involved with the city's MLK March since the 1990s. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Robinson noted this year's commemorative speaker will be global activist Arndrea Waters King, the wife of King III. She will sign copies of her and her husband's new book, "What is My Legacy?" The MLK March also will introduce QR codes that participants can scan to share photos and videos of the march, contribute to the MLK Scholarship Fund and learn more about the city's new Learn to Work program. And marchers are in store for two colorful new murals at the North New Braunfels overpass by San Antonio artist Kat Cadena and San Antonio art teacher Sonya Castro. MORE MARCH IMAGERY: Fort Sam Houston ISD middle schooler wins poster contest for San Antonio's MLK Day march Robinson said he still gets asked why San Antonio has such a large MLK March compared to King celebrations in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. His answer sounds like something the late Rev. Callies would have said to Arlington or anyone else seeing the city's enormous celebration for the first time. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code Mason Lubitz (left) and his defense attorneys Jason Goss (center) and Patrick Ballantyne (right) listen as audio recordings of 911 calls are played for the jury. Lubitz is on trial for the murder of his neighbor on Christmas Day in 2021. Clint Datchuk Mason Lubitz (center) listens as his defense attorney Jason Goss (left) speaks to a witness during the first day of Lubitz's murder trial on Tuesday. Clint Datchuk Prosecutors Kristien Lowry (left) and Jordan Brown (right) confer with one another during the first day of Mason Lubitz's murder trial. Clint Datchuk A San Antonio police officer testified that the man accused of fatally gunning down his neighbor on Christmas Day appeared 'scared' for his life the day of the shooting. The testimony seems to line up with the narrative of defense attorneys, who said Mason Sayer Lubitz, 31, killed Trevor James Beeman, 24, at the North Side apartment where they lived because he acted in self defense. Defense attorney Jason Goss said Beeman entered Lubitz's apartment on Dec. 25, 2021 and threatened to assault Lubitz, resulting in Lubitz firing an assault rifle at Beeman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beeman was pronounced dead at the scene. If found guilty of first-degree murder, Lubitz faces a punishment of five to 99 years in prison. Officer Tomas Picasso, a San Antonio Police Department detective who responded to the scene, said Lubitz was "belligerent" when police responded to the apartment. The jury watched Picasso's officer body-worn camera footage showing Lubitz yelling at officers from his second floor balcony. Lubitz was wearing only underwear briefs. As officers asked Lubitz what was going on, he replied, "I killed somebody." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Picasso said at one point, Lubitz asked officers to help him off the balcony because he was afraid and intimidated by people at the apartment complex. While being placed in the patrol car, Lubitz can be heard on the camera footage yelling at officers and telling them to hurry so that he could leave the apartment. The jury also saw camera footage of Beeman's lifeless body on the floor in front of Lubitz's front door as well as autopsy photos taken the day after the shooting. Beeman was shot multiple times in the neck and chest. Beeman had just finished walking his dog when he was shot, witnesses told police. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Prosecutors said Beeman was walking up the stairs when Lubitz opened the door to his apartment and screamed, You ruined my life. I hate you. At the time, Beeman and several of his family members were in the apartment celebrating Christmas. Prosecutors said Beeman knocked on Lubitzs door and Lubitz shot him through the doorway with an assault rifle, police said. They said Beeman was on the ground, and Lubitz shot him again before going back inside his apartment. After Lubitz's arrest, investigators found an AR-15 style rifle on a bed in one of the rooms. Beeman's father, James Beeman, said on the witness stand that he heard Lubitz yelling at his son before the shooting and that he initially thought it was a joke. Advertisement Article continues below this ad James Beeman said Lubitz then directed his attention toward him, which is why he believes his son confronted Lubitz. After the shots were fired, James Beeman said he instructed his family to go to the backroom of his son's apartment, fearing that Lubitz would come inside. Goss pressed James Beeman on statements he made to officers immediately after the shooting that suggested he believed his son had stepped through the door frame of Lubitz's apartment before the shots were fired. On the witness stand, James Beeman changed his story, saying his son never stepped through the door frame. Beeman was high on cocaine and had consumed alcohol before his death, Goss said this was confirmed by the medical examiner who conducted the autopsy. James Beeman said he did not know his son was using cocaine. Advertisement Article continues below this ad On the witness stand, a former resident of the apartment below Lubitzs apartment testified that footage captured by a Ring camera showed a man believed to be Lubitz walking outside the apartment. The man was holding an assault rifle. Goss said Lubitz was in the process of moving out of the apartment because he was terrified of Beeman, Goss said. The recent proposal to amend the Zimbabwean Constitution to extend the term of President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other political office holders has sparked intense debate and controversy. On the one hand, proponents argue that such amendments are necessary to allow for continued economic development and stability, while on the other hand, critics decry the move as an effort to entrench political power at the expense of the countrys democratic processes. Energy Mutodi, the Zanu-PF parliamentarian who confirmed the efforts to amend the constitution, has positioned himself as a key advocate for this change. However, his personal history adds a layer of controversy to his public stance. Mutodi, widely known for his serial womanizing and the scandal involving his forced marriages to both his wife and her sister, seems a polarizing figure within Zimbabwean politics. His endorsement of this constitutional amendment only heightens suspicions of a broader agenda within the ruling party to preserve its power indefinitely. The supporters of the draft motion argue that extending the presidents term will allow for uninterrupted progress on the countrys development path, a claim that is heavily contested by Zimbabweans who feel the current leadership has failed to address pressing issues like unemployment, economic mismanagement, and crumbling infrastructure. The comparison to other failed states, such as Syria and Somalia, is an uncomfortable one for Zimbabweans, who point to the worsening economic and social conditions under Mnangagwas administration. Critics like constitutional expert Lovemore Madhuku and opposition figures have strongly opposed the motion, urging the public to resist any attempts to modify the constitution to prolong Mnangagwas term. The push for such amendments, they argue, reflects the entrenched desire for a political elite to hold on to power rather than genuinely address the countrys challenges. The fact that some members of the opposition CCC, particularly from the faction led by Welshman Ncube, are allegedly supporting these amendments further complicates the situation and raises questions about the true nature of the opposition in Zimbabwe. The leaked draft motion, despite the denials from some opposition figures like Charles Moyo, appears to be gaining traction within the corridors of power, with 22 CCC parliamentarians and numerous Zanu-PF lawmakers backing it. This suggests that a significant section of the political establishment is aligned with this push for an extended rule. However, as commentators have noted, constitutional amendments of this nature could face significant opposition in a national referendum, particularly in light of the widespread dissatisfaction with the current leadership. - Advertisement - The potential for a split within the ruling party, as highlighted by some of the responses, could indeed play a crucial role in shaping the 2028 elections. Zanu-PFs historical struggle to handle its electoral victories, particularly in years ending in 3 and 8, could be exacerbated by internal divisions over the 2030 agenda. A failure to secure the necessary public support for these constitutional changes might create a fertile ground for the opposition to capitalize on the governments vulnerability. In conclusion, while the argument for constitutional amendments to extend presidential terms is framed as a means of ensuring stability and continued progress, the broader context of Zimbabwes political landscape paints a picture of a ruling elite desperately clinging to power. With a population disillusioned by the economic challenges they face and an opposition increasingly vocal about their discontent, this move could have the opposite effect, provoking public resistance and deepening political divisions. Zimbabwes future will hinge on whether the countrys leaders can recognize the importance of peaceful political transitions and address the underlying issues that continue to hinder the nations development. Like this: Like Loading... (TBTCO) - So Giao dich Chung khoan TP. Ho Chi Minh (HoSE) a ban hanh quy tac moi cho bo chi so HOSE-Index, gioi han ty trong von hoa mot nhom nganh khong qua 40%, co hieu luc tu 30/12/2024. Cung voi trien vong nang hang thi truong chung khoan Viet Nam, nhung ieu chinh nay co the tac ong tich cuc en thanh khoan va vi the cua co phieu MSN cua Tap oan Masan. Investors in Dubai real estate notched up record profits of almost AED60 billion ($16.34 billion) from the re-sale market last year, according to a report. The report by fam Properties showed the secondary market generated capital gains of AED59.7 billion in 2024, representing 32 per cent of Dubais all-time high total re-sale value of AED188.1 billion last year. Underling the soaring value of investment in Dubai real estate and its global appeal, total re-sale profits last year were 34 per cent up on 2023, completing a dramatic 1300 per cent leap over the last five years. Data from DXBinteract covering 136 areas across the emirate revealed that the highest amount of capital gain, AED6.48 billion, was achieved on Palm Jumeirah, the report said. Prominent residential areas like Dubai Marina, Dubai Hills Estate, Downtown Dubai and Business Bay also featured in the top ten for annual capital gain. So did Jumeirah Village Circle, which was also the top-performing area for ready property developer sales in 2024, and placed second after Dubai Marina in total re-sale transactions. Firas Al Msaddi, CEO of fam Properties, said: The substantial capital gains realised by investors underscores the markets dynamism and the effectiveness of our regulatory framework, managed by an astute government. Our expectation is that these profits will encourage reinvestment and attract new capital, as investors recognize the long-term resilience and potential of our market. We commend the Dubai Land Department for its transformative measures last year, and look forward to further advancements in 2025, enhancing Dubais global real estate standing. Record total re-sale figures for 2024, up 21 per cent in value and rising 14 per cent in volume to 61,100 transactions YoY, reflected buyers shifting to ready homes, investors attracted by high rental yields, and infrastructure upgrades increasing the appeal of properties. It was a record-breaking year all-round for Dubai real estate, with annual growth in each property segment, topped by a 42% YoY rise in the overall volume of apartment sales, with 141,168 transactions adding up to AED260.6 billion, the report said. Villa sales increased by 21.1 per cent to 30,938 units worth AED164.1 billion, commercial property transactions were up 10.1 per cent in volume to 4,304 units at AED9.7 billion, while 4,352 plots sold for AED86.5 billion, a 2.6 per cent increase. TradeArabia News Service Elie Younes, CDO of Radisson Hotels Group at the recent signing ceremony of Radisson Red Marjan Island with Sanosar Beglaryan from BB Holding Stirling Hospitality Advisors has signed Radisson RED as the brand for an upscale lifestyle hotel project on Marjan Island, set to open in Summer 2027. The project will be the first franchised Radisson RED property in the UAE, estimated to cost AED 215 million ($58 million). The upscale lifestyle hotel will offer approximately 280 keys and an array of amenities, including four F&B outlets, an all-day dining restaurant, a lounge bar, a specialty restaurant, and a poolside bar. It will also feature premium facilities such as an outdoor pool, a fully equipped gym, a Spa, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) facilities, indoor and outdoor kid's facilities. The upscale lifestyle property will introduce a refreshed design concept for Radisson RED in the Middle East, incorporating natural materials and muted tones perfectly suited to the ambiance of Marjan Island. SSH International Consultants has been appointed as the Lead Design Consultant, with Stirlings expert team acting as owner representative on behalf of BB Holding. Stirling will provide comprehensive support under its Development Advisory Vertical, including overseeing the design and construction phase of the lifestyle hotel project, managing stakeholder coordination, ensuring seamless design execution, and overseeing a smooth pre-opening phase. BB Holding, a diversified business group with notable ventures in Armenia, is marking its UAE debut with this project. The upcoming lifestyle project will be the first franchise Radisson RED Hotel in the region, operated by a professional third party under a franchise agreement with Radisson. This marks the fourth Radisson RED hotel in the region, joining the properties in Dubai, Riyadh, and Amman in operation and under development, which are not franchised. Radisson RED Marjan Island is poised to redefine hospitality in Ras Al Khaimah, blending innovative design with exceptional service to create a lifestyle destination for global travellers. Stirling Hospitality Advisors currently asset manages over 3,500 hotel rooms in three countries and is responsible for a hotel and resort portfolio valued at over $1.25 billion. -TradeArabia News Service Opteam, an innovative AI-driven construction management software, has announced that it has successfully closed its pre-seed round for an undisclosed amount from Plus VC, a leading venture capital firm in MENA. Other strategic investors who participated in the round are Dar Ventures, the VC arm of Dar, SIAC Ventures, the VC arm of SIAC Construction, and Oraseya Capital, the VC fund of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority. Established in 2020, Opteam was founded by Dr Tarek Hegazy, a professor and researcher with 20 years of experience in advanced computational project management for construction, and his son Ahmed Hegazy, a software sales executive. Opteam is a first-of-its-kind solution, designed to improve how construction companies manage their data and reduce the time it takes to strategise from weeks to minutes. The software combines advanced data analytics, mobile progress tracking, and automation to support construction teams in optimising resources, reducing delays, and managing complex schedules. Opteams goal is to use this technology to reduce the amount of resources needed for infrastructure by 30 per cent. With a focus on real-time insights and data-driven decision-making, Opteam enables construction teams to automate a large amount of manual tasks, monitor the site with accurate updates, give real-time reporting and intelligently recover project delays, the company said. The new capital will be deployed to deepen Opteams AI capabilities, expand its team and establish its market presence in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, the company said. Opteams strategy is to develop AI software that is extremely easy to use to take advantage of the construction industrys need to adopt technology that is simple and non-intrusive, it said. "We are thrilled to partner with Plus VC. Having them on board rounds off our extremely strategic group of investors, spanning key players in the construction industry in the MENA region, and the startup ecosystem, said Ahmed Hegazy. Plus VC has a strong reputation in the startup world, known for backing and investing in disruptive companies, and we are proud to be one of them. They will be a key player in our mission to penetrate this massive industry and change how companies approach project management. Our strategy is to accelerate our growth as the sole platform for generative scheduling in construction. We are very excited to ramp up our activities and make something truly special. Dr Hegazy said: Opteam is a tool that will finally automate so many of the manual tasks in construction. The Middle East suffers from the highest amount of time and cost overruns than anywhere else globally and is desperate for a solution. We believe that Opteam is perfectly suited to take on this challenge because we are intimately aware of the processes in construction and of the adoption challenges of technology. Hasan Haider, Managing Partner at Plus VC, said: Opteam is breaking new ground in construction technology, addressing some of the industrys most persistent challenges with innovative solutions. Its a transformative tool for the construction industry, setting new benchmarks for unmatched efficiency and profitability. We are excited to collaborate with Ahmed and his team as they scale and establish themselves as pioneers in the construction tech space. Faysal Shair, Co-Founder and Director of Dar Ventures, said: For nearly 70 years, Dar has been part of the architecture, engineering, and construction industry. Opteam has developed a strong business case by disrupting project management on construction sites, to facilitate progress and deliver better outcomes. We truly believe in Opteam's disruptive and pioneering technology and its ability to successfully manage complex schedules and resources during the construction phase of projects. TradeArabia News Service Arab Health 2025, the Middle Easts largest and most influential healthcare event and congress which marks its 50th anniversary this year, has launched four new conferences, forming part of the Arab Health Congress 2025. The conferences are: EmpowHer: Women in Healthcare, Digital Health & AI, and Healthcare Investment Summit, underscoring Arab Healths commitment to innovation, sustainability and inclusivity within the healthcare sector. Arab Health 2025 runs from January 27 to 30 at Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai. The EmpowHer Forum, taking place on January 28 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, will explore key themes such as women's leadership in AI & Digital Health transformation, sustainable healthcare and ESG initiatives, and the growth of female entrepreneurship in the sector while showcasing inspiring examples of women thriving in healthcare. According to McKinseys Women in the Workplace 2024 report, womens representation has increased at every level of corporate management. However, parity is almost 50 years away, underscoring the need for investment in womens leadership development. Confirmed participants at the forum include Mubaraka Mubarak Ibrahim UAE; Dr Salome Maswime South Africa; Noha Hachach- Lebanon, Franciscka Lucien USA; Dr Tarang Gianchandani India, amongst others. Cynthia Makarutse, Conference Director, Informa Markets, commented: This year's emphasis on diversity is a testament to Arab Healths dedication to amplifying womens voices in the industry. Women are championing advancements in patient care, fostering inclusive workplaces, and driving innovative solutions across the sector from senior leadership roles. EmpowHer celebrates these achievements and creates opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and leadership development. Also taking place on January 28, the Healthcare Investment Summit will bring together investors, strategists, and policymakers under the theme Investing in Impact: Redefining healthcare through innovation and collaboration. The forum will explore global investment trends, public-private partnerships, and the potential of MedTech advancements transforming the healthcare landscape. Key speakers include Dr Mussaad M Al Razouki of Deerfield Management, Seema Kumar, CEO of New York-based The Cure, and Dr. Mohamed Adel Ghanem, Head of Healthcare, the Qatar Investment Authority. Attendees will gain insights into high-impact investment opportunities and strategies for navigating emerging markets. As part of the Digital Health & AI Forum, taking place on January 27, the focus will centre on the transformative role of technology in healthcare under the theme Connected Health Solutions: Unlocking AI and Digital Health Potential. The forum will explore how AI and digital technologies can enhance patient care, streamline healthcare delivery, and overcome regulatory barriers. Discussions will cover cutting-edge topics like integrating AI into smart healthcare systems, precision medicine, and the ethical implications of emerging digital health solutions. One of the opening keynote addresses will be delivered by Dr David Rhew, Global Chief Medical Officer & VP of Healthcare at Microsoft, who will discuss transformative AI in healthcare. Rounding out the new conferences is the CME-accredited Healthcare Leadership: Samson Global Leadership Academy, also taking place on January 27. Led by James Stoller, MD, MS, Chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Education Institute, the conference will examine leadership competencies, teamwork and teambuilding in health organisational culture and strategy, leading change, and managing conflict in healthcare. These new conferences underscore our commitment to provide a platform to discuss the latest trends and develop groundbreaking ideas shaping the future of healthcare, concluded Makarutse. The Arab Health Congress, held under the patronage of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, features a total of nine continuing medical education (CME) conferences, including Total Radiology, Obs & Gyne, Quality Management & Patient Safety, General Surgery, Emergency Medicine & Critical Care, Infection Control, Decontamination & Sterilisation, and Public Health and the Healthcare Leadership: Samson Global Leadership Academy. Plus, the three non-CME conferences EmpowHER: Women in Healthcare, Digital Health and AI, and the Healthcare Investment Summit. Arab Health 2025 will be supported by various government entities, including the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Dubai Health Authority, the Department of Health, and the Dubai Healthcare City Authority. TradeArabia News Service Israel and Palestinian group Hamas have agreed a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal following 15 months of war, according to mediators Qatar and the US. Qatar Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announced that the joint mediation efforts of Qatar, Egypt and the US had secured the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israel. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday, he said the deal will take effect on Sunday (Jan 19). According to this deal, Hamas will release 33 hostages, in exchange of Palestinian prisoners, with both negotiating parties agreeing to continue working to complete the implementation details, said a Qatar News Agnecy report. US President Joe Biden said it would "halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed-humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families". Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal's final details were still being worked on, but he thanked Biden for "promoting" it. Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya said it was the result of Palestinian "resilience". Many Palestinians and Israeli hostages' families celebrated the news, but there was no let up in the war on the ground in Gaza. Sheikh Mohammed explained that the Gaza ceasefire deal stipulates the exchange of prisoners and hostages and the restoration of sustainable calm, ultimately achieving a permanent ceasefire between the two parties. The deal also includes intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, the rehabilitation of hospitals, health centers, and bakeries, as well as the entry of civil defense supplies and fuel, and bringing in shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war. He noted that, under this deal, Hamas will release 33 Israeli detainees in the first phase, including civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians. In exchange, a number of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons and detention centres will be released. He added that the details of the second and third phases will be finalised during the implementation of the first phase. Qatar stressed the necessity for both parties to fully adhere to the terms of the agreement across its three phases, in order to safeguard civilian lives, spare the region from the consequences of this conflict, and lay the groundwork for a just and lasting peace, Sheikh Mohammed said. He affirmed that Qatar will continue to support the Palestinian people with direct care and close follow-up from HH the Amir. He expressed relief at the deal achieved today and hoped it would mark the end of the war. He also emphasised his hope that all parties would fully commit to implementing the provisions of the agreement and continue the necessary procedures as stipulated. Masdar, the UAE's clean energy leader, has entered the Philippines market by signing agreements with the government to develop 1 gigawatt (GW) of clean energy projects to strengthen its portfolio in Southeast Asia. The Implementation Agreement with the Department of Energy and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Board of Investments of the Republic of the Philippines covers the development of solar, wind and battery energy storage systems (BESS) with a total capacity of up to 1GW by 2030. The signing ceremony of both agreements was witnessed by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar and Raphael Lotilla, Secretary of Energy of the Republic of the Philippines. The Implementation Agreement was signed by Undersecretary Dr Rowena Guevara, Republic of the Philippines Department of Energy, and Masdars Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Al Ramahi, with the MoU exchanged between the Ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to the UAE, Alfonso Ferdinand Ver, and Masdars CEO. The agreement, which will support the Philippines Energy Transition Program to achieve 35 percent renewable energy in power generation by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040, operationalises the MoU on Energy Transition Cooperation signed in November 2024 between the Philippines and the UAE during the working visit of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to the country, which identified renewable energy as an area of collaboration. Al Jaber, said: This partnership marks a new chapter in the longstanding relationship between the UAE and the Philippines. By leveraging the UAEs world-class expertise in renewable energy and the Philippines abundant natural resources, this agreement will create jobs, drive low-carbon socio-economic progress and expand global renewable energy capacity in line with the UAE Consensus. Lotilla, commented: Building on the longstanding ties between our nations and the recent Energy Transition Cooperation agreement, we welcome Masdars proven leadership and expertise in delivering utility-scale renewable energy solutions. This collaboration will significantly advance our goal of achieving 35 percent renewable energy in power generation by 2030. Secretary Lotilla further emphasised that the landmark partnership underscores the Philippines commitment to a clean energy future.By integrating renewable energy into the countrys energy mix on an unprecedented scale, the Administration of President Marcos is enhancing energy security while laying a strong foundation for sustainable economic growth and environmental stewardship. With Masdars support, the Philippines is setting a new benchmark for energy transition in the region. Ceferino Rodolfo, Undersecretary at the Philippines Department of Trade and Industry, and Board of Investments Managing Head, commented: It is inspiring to witness the strengthening of the bilateral relations between our countries, following the visit of Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos to UAE last year and a series of reciprocal ministerial missions thereafter. The partnership with Masdar is a testament to our mutual commitment to fostering a dynamic and sustainable economic future, and our shared vision for economic sustainability and prosperity. This aligns seamlessly with the Philippine strategy to position ourselves as a smart and sustainable hub for manufacturing and services in Southeast Asia. The Philippines is making significant strides in the renewable energy sector. Masdars own planned renewables projects will contribute to accelerating sustainable economic growth in the different regions in the Philippines, and will especially complement our infrastructure development initiatives within the Luzon Economic Corridor (LEC) Subic Bay, Clark, Manila, and Batangas which is being developed as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and logistics. The Department of Trade and Industry, through the Board of Investments, will be Masdars staunch partner. Together with Masdar, we give our unwavering commitment to fostering a greener and more resilient future for the Philippines. Al Ramahi, said: We welcome this announcement as a significant expansion of Masdars activities in Southeast Asia, a key strategic market in our ongoing efforts to achieve a renewable energy capacity of 100GW by 2030. With our proven success in implementing large-scale renewable energy projects in the region and worldwide, we look forward to utilising our expertise and experience to support the Philippines in meeting its ambitious renewable energy goals. -TradeArabia News Service The Sustainable Agricultural Rural Development Programme, Reef Saudi, has announced the launch of the Our Winter is Rural initiative during the Rural Village Agricultural Fair Ghee and Honey event at the Ministrys headquarters in Riyadh from January 6 to 10, 2025. Reef Saudi is a programme under the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, aimed at fostering sustainable development, reported Saudigazette. Our Winter is Rural initiative seeks to showcase the natural beauty and cultural diversity of Saudi Arabia while positioning the countrys rural regions as tourist destinations that reflect the richness of local heritage and economic development opportunities. It also highlights local products, such as ghee and honey, supported by the programme, which are integral to the identity of Saudi rural life and contribute to the national economy. Ghassan Bakri, Secretary General of the Reef Saudi Programme, stated: Our Winter is Rural is an opportunity to present the exceptional tourism experiences Saudi rural areas offer, blending natural beauty with vibrant local culture. The initiative aims to empower rural communities and strengthen their role in achieving sustainable development goals in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. He added that the Rural Village Agricultural Fair Ghee and Honey event allows visitors to explore success stories from Saudi rural communities, discover distinctive local products, and experience authentic and innovative rural tourism. Saudi Arabia has emerged as a global destination for rural tourism, offering diverse climates and landscapes that cater to visitors and tourists seeking experiences. Official statistics indicate growing international interest in Saudi rural regions due to their unique features, making them a key highlight on the global tourism map. The Reef Saudi Programme has been recognised by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) as the largest global development programme in its field. To date, it has supported over 77,000 agricultural projects, achieving more than 65 per cent of its targets and significantly contributing to job creation in rural communities. New Animal Care Service Director Jonathan Gary walks through city dog kennels while meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News New Animal Care Service Director Jonathan Gary walks through city dog kennels while meeting with reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News New Animal Care Service Director Jonathan Gary meets with reporters on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News Jonathan Gary has taken the reins at San Antonios troubled Animal Care Services, which struggles to respond to calls for help and has taken heat over a recent spike in dog attacks. But the new ACS director, an Oklahoman, said he isnt planning to overhaul the department. Im not coming in here to turn it upside down and change everything, Gary, 47, told reporters on Wednesday. Im here to really help the staff whos already been doing such great work, give them resources, use my experience Ive been doing this a long time and just try to advise them and help them along the way to continue this great work. We know there is a lot of work to do. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gary, a 25-year veteran of Oklahoma Citys Animal Welfare Division, spent the last eight years as its director. City Manager Erik Walsh hired him as ACS director from more than 100 applicants. Public concern about dangerous dogs roaming San Antonio streets soared in 2023 after a string of attacks that killed or seriously injured several people. On Feb. 24, 2023, Air Force veteran Ramon Najera Jr., 81, of Leon Valley, was killed by two pit bulls that escaped their yard in the 2800 block of Depla Street on the West Side. His wife was injured. The Najeras were attacked while visiting the home of a friend who lived next door to the dogs. Christian Alexander Moreno and Abilene Schnieder, the husband and wife whose pit bulls killed Najera, were sentenced in September to 18 years and 15 years in prison, respectively, for what the judge called an unspeakable horror. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In September 2023, Paul Anthony Striegl Jr., 47, was attacked by a dog that escaped from his next-door neighbors yard in a trailer park on the Northeast Side. Striegl was rushed to Brooke Army Medical Center, where he died weeks later of complications from the attack. Gary, who has been on the job for two weeks, said those maulings werent the fault of ACS staff. Our job is to respond to those incidents, but thats the owner thats the owner that didnt do the right thing. Thats the owner that didnt take care of the pet, that didnt keep the pet confined, he said. And I think its important our community understands that. Nothing that happens here is the fault of our staff. We do the best that we can with the resources that we have. Were going to always try to improve, he said. But owners have to be responsible, and they have to be the ones to keep their pets confined and prevent those things. READ MORE: Four open City Council seats means City Hall is in for a shakeup come June Advertisement Article continues below this ad The city logged 305 severe dog bites defined as those that break skin or bones across the city in fiscal year 2024, which ended Sept. 30. Victims reported 297 bites the previous year, which marked a 58% jump from 2022. Gary said more San Antonians should spay or neuter their pets to reduce the number of dogs roaming the street, take proper care of their animals and even volunteer at the ACS shelter. It is a community problem, and its going to take a community solution, he said. The City Council approved big budget increases for ACS in the last two years after learning that the department responded to only 44% of the critical calls it received. Critical calls are defined as those about aggressive dogs, animal neglect or cruelty, injured or sick animals, and trapped or confined animals. The department estimates it will have the capacity to answer all calls by 2026. And officials claim they are ahead of schedule the city thought it would reach a 76% response rate in December but landed at nearly 83%. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gary said it was too early to say if he thinks the city is improving its critical-call response rate at a fast enough pace. Im going to be evaluating that, he said. Last month, the City Council approved tougher penalties for people whose dogs are caught roaming. Offenders now face higher fines and forced pet sterilization. Gary oversees a department of 245 employees with a budget of $32.3 million far larger than the 70 workers he was in charge of in Oklahoma. He said some ACS programs have room for improvement, and that he plans to spend the next several weeks learning more about department operations and determining how its performance can be improved. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ultimately, Id like to see us be more proactive, Gary said. How do we be more proactive to prevent those calls from coming in, to prevent those things from happening? His predecessor as ACS director, Shannon Sims, announced in November 2023 that he would step down in June. Sims said he was leaving for personal reasons, not because of the backlash the department had faced over the rise in dogs attacks or its low call response rate. But Sims left early in May and under a cloud days after he called animal welfare activists social media terrorists in a farewell speech to the ACS Advisory Board. Though Gary said he didnt initially see himself ever leaving Oklahoma, he was drawn to San Antonio because it was a place that wanted to change animal welfare and the way it was perceived in the community. I saw that right away here, and you can see it in the way the city is investing in animal care services, he said. Emirates has officially debuted a new uniform designed for its Premium & VIP Passenger Services team, who are responsible for the seamless transfer of Premium & VIP personnel through Dubai International Airport (DXB). The new uniform has echoes of Emirates cabin crew look, however, exclusively represents Emirates elite unit that caters to high profile customers. Emirates Premium & VIP Passenger Services in Dubai are a busy and in-demand team, with Dubai being lauded as the premier destination for high-net-worth individuals and a central hub for world class meetings, incentives, conferences and events. The sophisticated uniform introduced at Emirates hub reflects the elevated service and attention to detail offered to Premium & VIP customers, as they arrive to Dubai or transit through. Designed in-house by Emirates uniform standards team, there are 3 different variations of the uniform a stylish A-line skirt suit for ladies, a chic pant suit for ladies, and a tailored 3-piece suit for gentlemen. Just like the cabin crew uniform, the VIP Passenger Services uniform is designed in the shade of warm sand, symbolising the desert dunes of the UAE, with a subtle red collar and matching cuffs for ladies. The suit is accented by the iconic Emirates red hat with a gold pin showcasing the Emirates logo, and an elegantly draped cream-coloured chiffon scarf, representing the local culture. The look is completed with red leather shoes and matching handbags where Ambassadors can carry iPads and essential documents for their clientele. In the VIP Passenger Services ladies uniform fans will notice a red pleat in the A-line skirt, allowing the busy Ambassadors to walk comfortably around the vast airport, and a red leather belt at the waist adding a stylish touch. The menswear is tailored to perfection and made to measure for each Ambassador, featuring a jacket, pants and waistcoat, accented with a red pocket square and muted tie. -TradeArabia News Service Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the ultra-low-fare national airline of the UAE, has announced its operational results for 2024. The joint venture established between ADQ and Wizz Air achieved more than 20 per cent growth year-on-year in both seat capacity and the number of passengers carried. The national airline operated more than 19,000 flights at a completion rate of 99.8 per cent, unlocking more than 4.4 million ultra-low-seats, and carrying more than 3.5 million point-to-point passengers, contributing to Zayed International Airports point-to-point traffic by 25 per cent. Wizz Air carried more than 1.2 million international visitors to Abu Dhabi in 2024, playing a pivotal role in reinforcing the Emirate as a world-class destination and supporting the sustainable growth of its culture and tourism sectors through efficient, reliable and ultra-low-cost travel. The airline is an important contributor to Abu Dhabis Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to position the Emirate as one of the fastest growing global destinations for international visitors. The strategy seeks to boost visitor numbers to 39.3 million and increase the sector's GDP contribution to AED 90 billion ($24 billion) by 2030. The airline is also supporting the development of the UAEs tourism sector, in alignment with the UAE Tourism Strategy 2031, further solidifying the nations position as a global tourism hub. In the first half of 2024, hotels in Abu Dhabi welcomed over 2.87 million guests, generating AED 3.6 billion which represents a 19.5 percent year-on-year growth. Additionally, in 2024, Wiz Air Abu Dhabi introduced the regions first flight subscription models, the Wizz MultiPass and All You Can Fly, which sold out twice within 48 hours, underscoring its unwavering commitment to affordability and accessibility. The airline also optimised its network by increasing its capacity by 40 per cent on its most popular destinations, ensuring a more flexible, reliable, and affordable travel experience for its customers. Johan Eidhagen, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said: This year was another record breaker with incredible growth. We are very proud of our achievements and remain committed to delivering more convenient and affordable travel options for everyone. In 2024, we connected people to create great memories, accelerating the growth of the emirate of Abu Dhabi as a global tourism hub. Our exciting memberships, such as the one-of-a-kind All You Can Fly, provide efficient and seamless opportunities for visiting incredible destinations, enabling affordable travel throughout the region. We would like to thank our partners and all our passengers that travelled across our ever-expanding network. We look forward to welcoming you on board for a well-deserved trip soon. Wizz Air currently connects the UAE capital to more than 30 destinations, flying to must-visit vibrant cities and hidden-gems across the Middle East, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The airline is expanding convenient and affordable travel for everyone and allowing for convenient, self-connecting travel across the wider Wizz Air network via Abu Dhabi, with an enhanced winter schedule providing 40 percent more seat capacity to explore culturally rich destinations. The new schedule provides more flexibility, convenience, and savings, making it easier than ever to travel. The incredible All You Can Fly membership enables unlimited adventures for the whole year, with no blackout periods and the first booked flight complimentary. All You Can Fly members can book up to three segments per day within a 12-month period, as early as 72 hours before departure, a truly worthwhile option for flexible and frequent adventurous travellers. To enhance convenience for travellers, Wizz Air expanded payment options on its mobile application and introduced Apple Pay and Google Pay for a quick, secure and easy mobile payment solution. The integration of popular digital payment tools provides more flexible payment options, adapting to the evolving needs of its customers, making travel planning as smooth and efficient as possible, especially useful to the last-minute customers who need to complete the booking quickly to catch a good deal. This year, the national airline expanded the boundaries of WIZZ MultiPass, an innovative and unprecedented flight membership service that allows frequent travellers to fly to or from the UAE every month and explore multiple destinations while saving more. WIZZ MultiPass enables passengers to lock in a fixed price for tickets and baggage, unaffected by seasonality, for an entire year. Travellers can save up to 40 per cent on tickets to the most popular destinations by choosing the ticket-only fare. Passengers can enjoy greater flexibility and a peace of mind with WIZZ Flex. This service allows passengers to change their flight up to three hours before departure without any fee and receive 100 per cent of the fare immediately reimbursed in airline credit. Based strategically in the UAE capital, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offers ultra-low fares to a wide range of destinations, including Alexandria (Egypt), Almaty (Kazakhstan), Amman (Jordan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Belgrade (Serbia), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Cairo (Egypt), Cluj (Romania) and Dammam (Saudi Arabia). As well as routes to Kutaisi (Georgia), Larnaca (Cyprus), Male (Maldives), Madinah (Saudi Arabia), Nur Sultan (Kazakhstan), Samarkand (Uzbekistan), Sarajevo (Bosnia), Sohag (Egypt), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Turkistan (Kazakhstan), Tirana (Albania), now available Varna (Bulgaria) and Yerevan (Armenia) among others. -TradeArabia News Service Country United States of America US Virgin Islands United States Minor Outlying Islands Canada Mexico, United Mexican States Bahamas, Commonwealth of the Cuba, Republic of Dominican Republic Haiti, Republic of Jamaica Afghanistan Albania, People's Socialist Republic of Algeria, People's Democratic Republic of American Samoa Andorra, Principality of Angola, Republic of Anguilla Antarctica (the territory South of 60 deg S) Antigua and Barbuda Argentina, Argentine Republic Armenia Aruba Australia, Commonwealth of Austria, Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Bahrain, Kingdom of Bangladesh, People's Republic of Barbados Belarus Belgium, Kingdom of Belize Benin, People's Republic of Bermuda Bhutan, Kingdom of Bolivia, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana, Republic of Bouvet Island (Bouvetoya) Brazil, Federative Republic of British Indian Ocean Territory (Chagos Archipelago) British Virgin Islands Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria, People's Republic of Burkina Faso Burundi, Republic of Cambodia, Kingdom of Cameroon, United Republic of Cape Verde, Republic of Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad, Republic of Chile, Republic of China, People's Republic of Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia, Republic of Comoros, Union of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, People's Republic of Cook Islands Costa Rica, Republic of Cote D'Ivoire, Ivory Coast, Republic of the Cyprus, Republic of Czech Republic Denmark, Kingdom of Djibouti, Republic of Dominica, Commonwealth of Ecuador, Republic of Egypt, Arab Republic of El Salvador, Republic of Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Faeroe Islands Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Fiji, Republic of the Fiji Islands Finland, Republic of France, French Republic French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon, Gabonese Republic Gambia, Republic of the Georgia Germany Ghana, Republic of Gibraltar Greece, Hellenic Republic Greenland Grenada Guadaloupe Guam Guatemala, Republic of Guinea, Revolutionary People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and 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 AN unused piece of equipment intended for NiQuan Energy Trinidad Ltds operations is among several assets now up for sale by the receiver, just after the seventh anniversary of the gas-to-liquid plants grand opening. The unused FT Max Catalyst-T 2811, weighing 231,000 pounds and used in gas-to-liquids (GTL) processes, is being sold by receiver manager Varune Mungal. Chinese localities roll out 2025 plans, with new quality productive forces in focus to fuel economic growth 10:27, January 16, 2025 By Chi Jingyi ( Global Times Chinese provinces and cities, especially economic powerhouses, have rolled out their economic work plans for 2025, with new quality productive forces, as well as scientific and technological innovation, in focus to boost high-quality growth. Shanghai, which delivered its Government Work Report on Wednesday, said it will strengthen scientific and technological innovation capabilities in frontier fields such as cell and gene therapy, brain-computer interfaces, 6G, quantum computing, and fusion energy. Meanwhile, Shanghai will strengthen the deep integration of industry, academia, and research led by enterprises; support enterprises in leading major scientific and technological projects, and establish and improve new mechanisms for tackling key core technologies. The city will also develop incubators, focusing on nurturing technology enterprises. The 2025 plan is based on Shanghai's existing foundation of high-tech hubs. Shanghai's Government Work Report revealed that the scale of the municipality's three leading industries - integrated circuits (ICs), biomedicine, and artificial intelligence (AI) - reached 1.8 trillion yuan ($245.6 billion) in 2024. Expenditure on research and development accounted for 4.4 percent of the city's GDP, and the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people increased to 57.9. South China's Guangdong Province, another economic powerhouse, on Wednesday released its 2025 Government Work Plan, focusing on 12 major tasks. These include the consolidation and enhancement of Guangdong's leading position in manufacturing, the building of a modern industrial system, and the development of new quality productive forces, in accordance with local conditions. According to the Government Work Plan, Guangdong will accelerate the development of emerging and future industries, as well as the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. It will also vigorously develop the productive services industry. Efforts will be put into emerging industries such as ICs, new-energy vehicles (NEVs), AI, the low-altitude economy, new materials, and biopharmaceuticals. Guangdong will cultivate future industries such as bio-manufacturing, quantum technology, embodied intelligence, and 6G. The province also vowed to advance the construction of pilot cities for intelligent connected vehicles, while improving the systems for low-altitude smart logistics, urban air transportation, and emergency air rescue. Guangdong's leading position in manufacturing is evident from signs of progress in 2024. The added value of advanced manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing accounted for 56.7 percent and 31.6 percent, respectively, of the industrial output of enterprises above a designated size. The production of NEVs grew by 43 percent, that of industrial robots by 31.2 percent and that of ICs by 21 percent, according to Guangdong's Government Work Report. Beijing on Tuesday rolled out its 2025 work plan, clearly proposing to focus on developing and expanding high-tech industries, which will be the engines for developing new quality productive forces. To achieve this goal, Beijing will accelerate the construction of a global benchmark city for the digital economy, promote deep coverage of 5G networks, and establish a comprehensive pilot zone for the market-oriented allocation reform of data elements. China is strengthening policy support in promoting the development of high-tech industries and increasing investment in sci-tech innovation to generate new industries, new models and new drivers of growth, which is the core factor for developing new quality productivity forces, Pan Helin, a veteran economist, told the Global Times, noting that high-quality development will be promoted in this way. In December, the Central Economic Work Conference set priorities for the nation's economic work in 2025, including the use of scientific and technological innovation to lead the development of new quality productive forces and build a modern industrial system, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Enterprises are inspired by the national-level deployment of the development of new quality productive forces with scientific and technological innovation, which aims to build a modern industrial system, Qi Xiangdong, a vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, also chairman of Qi An Xin Technology Group, told the Global Times. China's emphasis on high-quality development aligns with its vision of achieving sustainable, inclusive growth while positioning itself as a global leader in advanced technologies and industries, Jack Perry Jr, chairman of 48 Group Club, a London-based private company dedicated to promoting China-UK trade, told the Global Times in December, noting that "the priorities set for 2025 underscore China's determination to foster sustainable, innovation-driven growth." (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) A 33-year-old man was shot and killed after being confronted for allegedly stealing packages from an apartment complex on San Antonio's Southeast Side. Dave Thompson - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images A man accused of stealing packages from Southeast apartment complex doorsteps was shot and killed by a man who confronted him. San Antonio police responded to a burglary at around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at an apartment complex in the 2500 block of Goliad Road. As officers arrived, they heard a gunshot and located a 33-year-old burglar with a gunshot wound, according to a preliminary police report. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The alleged shooter, 44, was located with the firearm, standing near the alleged burglar. The wounded burglar was taken to the hospital. He was later pronounced dead, police said. The alleged shooter was detained. ALSO READ: San Antonio police arrest youth mentor accused of sexual assault of teen girl Police determined that the alleged burglar was stealing packages from the apartment complex when the alleged shooter confronted him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The burglar assaulted the man and then took off on foot. When the alleged shooter confronted the suspect, the alleged burglar assaulted him. Then, the alleged burglar fled on foot and the alleged shooter began to chase him. During the foot chase, the alleged burglar pulled out a knife and a Taser, threatening the alleged shooter, police said. At some point, the alleged shooter pulled out a firearm and fired one round, striking the alleged burglar, according to the report. The Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office has not released the alleged burglar's name. His cause and manner of death are unknown. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. San Antonio City Hall is pictured on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Sam Owens, Staff Photographer / San Antonio Express-News City Hall outsiders looking to shake up the mayors office brought in far more campaign cash in the last six months of 2024 than the current and former City Council members also running to replace Mayor Ron Nirenberg. Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos is the fundraising leader in a crowded field of mayoral contenders but barely. He raised close to $153,000 from July 1 through Dec. 31, according to campaign finance reports due Wednesday. That total includes $110 he donated to his campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Former Air Force Undersecretary Gina Ortiz Jones, who announced her campaign in early December, took in around $139,000 but that comes with a caveat: just under $6,800 of that was transferred over from her most recent congressional campaign account, according to a campaign spokesperson. Ortiz Jones was closely followed by tech entrepreneur Beto Altamirano, who raised close to $133,000. Loading... None of the three candidates Pablos, Ortiz Jones or Altamirano have ever won election to a public office. Council Member Manny Pel?ez Courtesy Manny Pel?ez San Antonio mayoral candidate Beto Altamirano. J0SH HUSKIN/Courtesy of the Beto Altamirano Former Texas Secretary of State Rolando Pablos talks about his plan to run for mayor on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News Gina Ortiz Jones, who was narrowly defeated in 2018 by incumbent Will Hurd in the U.S. Representative Texas 23rd Congressional District race, speaks at El Rodeo de Jalisco Mexican Restaurant on Saturday, May 11, 2019. Billy Calzada/Staff photographer Advertisement Article continues below this ad The mayoral contenders who have run winning campaigns for council seats posted mediocre fundraising results for the May 3 election. District 8 Councilman Manny Pelaez came closest to matching the outsiders, raising nearly $64,000, followed by District 4 Councilwoman Adriana Rocha Garcia and then District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda, who raised around $23,000 and $20,000, respectively. Former District 10 Councilman Clayton Perry took in just $2,200 during the recent fundraising cycle. Pelaez announced his campaign in April, followed by Altamirano in early June. Rocha Garcia and Pablos launched their campaigns in August and Perry in September. Cabello Havrda and Ortiz Jones announced their campaigns on Dec. 4. The mayors seat is open because, under San Antonios term limits, Nirenberg cant seek reelection in the upcoming election. At this stage in the race, political consultant James Aldrete, who worked on Nirenbergs 2021 and 2023 reelection campaigns, said the candidates have sorted themselves into two tiers. The council members are relying on their existing bases of support, and the outsiders have shown theyre able to raise the money itll take to communicate their messages citywide. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A big chunk of the outsiders money came from donors outside San Antonio from El Paso, Austin, McAllen, Washington, D.C., and elsewhere who wont be able to vote in the municipal election. Its still too early to count out any of the council members, Aldrete said. I think the campaign has only started, he added. Theres plenty of time for candidates to close the fundraising gap ahead of the early voting period, which begins April 22. The next fundraising period, which covers Jan. 1 through March 24, will be critical. Thats when candidates will need to raise enough money to be able to get their message out to voters, through mailers and advertisements, ahead of, during and after early voting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Aldrete said it will take up to $500,000 to be one of the two candidates to advance to the June 7 runoff. (A runoff is all but guaranteed given the lengthy list of candidates vying for the open mayors seat.) READ MORE: Real estate developer Robert Melvin joins long list of mayoral hopefuls looking to replace Ron Nirenberg As of last month, Ortiz Jones had the most money in her bank account, reporting close to $137,000 in cash on hand not surprising given her limited spending in the last few weeks of the year. Loading... Altamirano, on the other hand, spent more than $143,000 over the past six months. Thats almost double the amount the second biggest spender poured into their campaign. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Altamirano has staffed a campaign team complete with a campaign manager, communications manager, organizing director and videographer since the summer. Hes been able to sustain that level of spending partly with the thousands of dollars he has loaned his campaign. In the most recent contribution cycle, he loaned himself $84,500. Thats on top of the $50,000 he loaned the campaign last spring, and the $20,000 he donated to himself. PHOENIX Gov. Katie Hobbs will ask legislators for $7 million to speed up the repatriation of Native American human remains and artifacts. In an address to tribal leaders Wednesday, Hobbs said the Arizona State Museums collection has continued to grow and repatriation is hampered because of no significant financial investment from the state. It is time for that to change, she said. It is time for the state to take repatriation seriously. Stephen Roe Lewis, governor of the Gila River Indian Community, said he is glad Hobbs is asking the Legislature to help finance the effort. But the problem is not strictly financial, Lewis told Capitol Media Services. From what Im hearing from certain tribal repatriation specialists a lot of these institutions are not wanting to, or are dragging their feet to be in accordance with the federal law, he said. This shines a light on it. Lewis emphasized that the money should help. Hobbs focus will make sure that this pushes these institutions along, that theyre under the microscope, at least in the state of Arizona, he said. Hobbs request drew support from Jim Watson, acting director of the Arizona State Museum at the University of Arizona. He said the museum has about 4,000 human remains that have yet to be repatriated and maybe 800,000 objects. Were an old, large museum and theres a lot of material here, Watson said, with some of the items going back to the 1920s. He said money will help. The building is 100 years old with limited space, and that has hindered staffers ability to do the necessary research, Watson said. He said the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act requires institutions that receive federal money to facilitate the return of human remains and eligible other items. But to do that, Watson said, remains and artifacts must be brought out of storage, put together in appropriate housing, and either brought to the affected tribes or provided to tribal officials who come to the museum to take the remains. He said a request for funding was made directly to the Arizona Board of Regents last year to at least pay for some of the maintenance that has not been done over the years. They tabled it, Watson said, with board members saying this is something that should be funded by the Legislature. And, so far, there has been no money forthcoming from the Capitol even though the facility was closed in August for anticipated maintenance. Weve sort of been in limbo, he said. Watson said Hobbs announcement Wednesday she will seek more money came as a welcome surprise. But even if the museum had more up-to-date space, he said that, by itself, wont solve the problem. It takes awhile to pore through the archives and the objects and, in some cases, human remains to be able to identify all of repatriation-eligible items and individuals that we have, Watson said. That, too, he said, is a function of not having enough money to hire more staff. Museum at UA has returned 50% Still, Watson said the work has continued. We have been actively repatriating, he said, saying the museum already gave about 50% of its collection back to tribes. He said that began even before the federal law was passed in 1990. That leaves the question posed by Lewis of whether there has been some dragging of feet by institutions that have built up collections of Native American artifacts. I would say that that thinking was probably when NAGPRA (the federal law) was first passed ... and people did intentionally drag their feet, Watson said. Within the past couple of years, I would argue there are a very few institutions that still have that approach. He said new federal regulations were approved a year ago that were specifically designed to force institutions to stop dragging their feet and remove some of the excuses they had often used to prevent repatriation from occurring. Some excuses offered, he said, included issues of time, money and the intricacies of doing the research. There is also the question of culturally unaffiliated remains. He said some museums argued that if they cannot identify to which tribe remains are related, they should keep them. Watson said the way the Arizona State Museum is working to deal with that issue is through an advisory board made up of representatives of all recognized tribes in Arizona. They have found ways to reduce the number of these items by half, he said. Whats left, Watson said, are those remains for which there is no context to suggest which tribe they belong to other than we think they came from Arizona. He suspects the advisory board will come up with a plan to have tribal representatives or a single tribe facilitate a single reburial because we dont have a good sense of where theyre coming from. ASU disputes findings It isnt just the Arizona State Museum that deals with tribal remains and antiquities. So does Arizona State University. An investigation last year by Cronkite News and the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at ASU found that ASU had returned fewer than 2% of the remains it had to tribes. Jay Thorne, an associate vice president at ASU, said the school takes issue with the report and disputes the 2% figure, though he did not immediately have a different figure. He said all of this needs to be examined in context. Its a complicated process, he said, of categorizing and repatriating returns. The school works closely with tribes, Thorne said. The progress should not be measured strictly by the time involved, he said. Everybody wants it done. But doing it fast isnt necessarily the appropriate way of doing it. Other Hobbs goals for tribal needs Hobbs request for the funds came as she gave lawmakers a revised version of the State of the State speech she gave Monday. Aside from unveiling her $7 million ask, she added other comments specifically designed for the ears of the tribal leaders: Directing the Department of Public Safety to set up a version of the Amber alert program designed to provide public notice of missing or kidnapped children specifically for missing tribal members. She said more than 188,000 individuals went missing in 2023, including tribal members, who did not meet the criteria for the existing program. Asking lawmakers to expand the services provided by the states Medicaid program to include traditional healing services so that Indigenous people in this state can receive the health care they want. Cesar Renderos faces a charge of sexual assault of a child after allegedly having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl for several months. Raul Trey Lopez A man who works as a youth mentor is accused of having a sexual relationship with a child. Cesar Ulises Renderos, 24, faces a sexual assault of a child charge. The teen's parents made the report to the San Antonio Police Department. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Renderos, who was arrested Wednesday, was in the sexual relationship for several months, Camelia Juarez, SAPD Public Information Officer, said. Investigators obtained evidence of their sexual relationship. It is unclear how the two met, Juarez said. Investigators said Renderos works for a nonprofit, however he and the teenage girl did not meet through the nonprofit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Renderos also faces more serious charges. "The evidence that we have...is strong enough to be federal (charges)," Juarez said. Juarez emphasized that parents need to monitor their children's online presence. "We want to remind parents to be aware of what your child is doing online, as well as who they are hanging out with in person," Juarez said. Dutch Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Daniel Stork has expressed his compassion toward fostering a connection between Vietnam and the Netherlands, as well as his hope for the southern Vietnamese city to preserve its heritage and dream of roads with more bicycles. Stork recently had an exclusive interview with Tuoi Tre News ahead of the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, which is due on January 29. When were you requested to go to Vietnam? What were your initial thoughts about our country? I had a list of where I would like to go, and Vietnam was in my top four. When I found out I would be traveling here, I was very happy. I have an emotional reason/attachment because my father worked here in the late 1960s, at what was then the Dutch Embassy. In 2016, on my first visit, Vietnam gave me the feeling of a tropical place, reminding me of my childhood in Cuba. My father passed away in 2017, so I couldn't talk to him about what he did here. But in his bookcase, there were many books on the history and the culture of Vietnam because of his time here. I love trying new things and staying curious about the world. Vietnam is definitely one of those places that will always hold a special place in my heart. There's something about the warmth and joy of the Vietnamese people, the way they embrace life. From the vibrant selfie culture to singing together at karaoke, or enjoying meals in large, lively groups, there's a strong sense of community here. And then there's the natural beauty of the country, with its diverse landscapes and stunning nature. I see it there within the Dutch people who live here, my community. People came here and thought that they were going to stay for a few years, but then it became 15, 20, 25 years. I think it's that kind of place that you really grow attached to. Like me, I just ride around on my electric bike or my bicycle and absorb the city. I look at the city, I look at the people, I look at how people are making their living in this city, and how they interact. There's so little aggression in Vietnamese society, at least from what I see. You have completely opened the city to the rest of the world, and that makes it so attractive now. The Indians, French, Chinese, South Koreans, etc. are comfortable living here, and all of them are so happy to come to this place. I find Vietnamese very open. I think that your religious traditions and your cultural traditions are not closed. Those are the appealing things, but I think the number one word, the keyword is energy in Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City. What are you most proud of in terms of contributions to the relationship between the two countries? I think in the end it's all about people and bringing them together. And I think I've been doing that every single day: introducing people to each other as well as connecting my Dutch fellow citizens, companies, culture, and institutions to the Vietnamese partners. Every time I see something blossoming out of these relations, that's what I feel proud of. Because I see these people are developing a relationship and then working on something together. There are Dutch companies that employ many Vietnamese people here, and Vietnamese investors who are investing in the Netherlands. The cultural exchanges we've done and the exhibitions we've done are the things I'm proud of. The events I do in my own residence where we bring many different people together and the intermingling which happens in those events can be considered the mixing of energies. It's mixing Dutch energy with Vietnamese energy and seeing what comes out of it. That's great to see. There are many Vietnamese-Dutch couples, which is what makes me happy to see this connection. Do you have any heartfelt advice after living and working in Vietnam, or Ho Chi Minh City? You feel an incredible energy in Vietnam. You feel it even stronger in Ho Chi Minh City. People want to work, want to study, and want to do the best they can to make their lives better. So you really have that feeling of optimism in Vietnam, which is very attractive. I think it also attracts many Europeans to come. I think maybe the opening of Vietnam started a bit later than other countries, in the 1990s, but it is quickly catching up. It also means it's quite an exciting phase now because it's that phase where even if you look at the city, as I'm looking out of the window of the Dutch General Consulate, I see this building, which has been built since I first came here, but I also still see the old colonial villa, which is right there. You see the mix of buildings, some old and some just beginning construction. What I always say to the People's Committee here is that I think it's very important not to completely lose what makes the city itself. For example, you should not get rid of all your architectural heritage from previous centuries because those are the things that also make it special. Many Asian cities may have glass towers, but not all cities have this old architectural heritage and nature. I think about the trees of Ho Chi Minh City. I was in the house of my French colleague who lives on Le Duan Street, the French residence. They have trees that are 200 years old. Those trees are like monuments in themselves. All around are monuments. People grow very attached to buildings and trees. The big towers, of course, it's great when you see The Landmark 81, but when you stand next to that building, it's less nice, and you don't feel the intimacy. In the Netherlands, in Amsterdam, or in older Dutch cities, we keep the city center. It's not a coincidence that a city like Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities in the world, maybe for many reasons, but one of them is because of that historic city center. Removing the history from a city like Ho Chi Minh City would strip it of its unique identity, making it less appealing to foreigners. One of the aspects I truly appreciate about Ho Chi Minh City is its rich historical backdrop, which sets it apart from cities like Bangkok, where modern development has somewhat overshadowed its history. How do you assess the 50-year history of the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship? What are your wishes for the future? First of all, it's not only 50 years, it's 400-plus years. We, the Dutch, were some of the first traders in the early 17th century. So there's always been contact. This highlights what we have in common -- a trading nature. We are both important trade nations that depend very much on global trade and on the trade routes that pass through our countries. In terms of what we produce, agriculture is a main area of similarity. The Netherlands is the second-largest agricultural exporter in the world. Vietnam has had an incredible boom over the past 30 years and wants to position itself at the top of the list. We have it with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement and we are very happy with it. We, as the Netherlands, will also keep pushing for this connection between our countries because doing business is how you also create understanding and links with each other. I was also very proud that on the 50th anniversary, we did a bicycle tour in Ho Chi Minh City. People who cycle are often happier. I hope we will see more people switching from polluting motorbikes to electric bikes, and maybe sometimes back to bicycles or even electric bicycles. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Dutch government on Wednesday said it would expand its export controls on advanced semiconductor equipment from April 1, which chip equipment company ASML said it did not expect to impact its business. Dutch national export licence requirements for semiconductor equipment were first introduced in 2023 under pressure from the U.S. to limit shipments to China, and they have since been expanded several times. The latest measures will require companies to seek export licences for a "very limited" number of technologies such as measuring and inspection equipment, the Dutch trade ministry said in a statement announcing the changes. ASML said in response it did not see them having any additional impact on the guidance the company issued in December, when the U.S. government announced new restrictions on semiconductor exports to China affecting chip equipment firms. Details of the rule changes published in the country's state legal newspaper on Wednesday showed the licensing requirements now include technologies used to find tiny defects in wafers, and systems that improve measurements after deposition and etching - steps that are repeated frequently in the chipmaking process. A spokesperson for the country's trade ministry said minor changes to the rules due to technical developments will happen occasionally. FORSMARK, Sweden -- Sweden started building a final storage facility for spent nuclear fuel on Wednesday, only the second such site in the world, where highly radioactive waste will be stored for 100,000 years. How to store deadly radioactive waste until it is safe is a question that has dogged the nuclear industry since commercial reactors began operating in the 1950s. Finland is the only country close to completing a permanent storage site. "It is hard to exaggerate the significance for Sweden and for the climate transition of the fact that the building of the final repository is under way," Environment Minister Romina Pourmokhtari said. "They said it wouldn't work, but it does." The World Nuclear Association reckons there are around 300,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel globally in need of disposal. Most of it is stored in cooling ponds near the reactors that produced it. In addition to the spent fuel already produced, a number of countries in Europe and around the world are planning to build new reactors to provide electricity to power the transition away from fossil fuels. The Forsmark final repository, about 150 kilometres north of Stockholm on Sweden's east coast, will consist of 60 km of tunnels buried 500 metres down in 1.9 billion year old bedrock. It will be the final home for 12,000 tons of spent nuclear fuel, encased in 5 metre long, corrosion-resistent copper capsules that will be packed in clay and buried. The facility will take its first waste in the late 2030s but will not be completed until around 2080 when the tunnels will be backfilled and closed, Sweden's Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) said. The process, however, could still be delayed. MKG, a Swedish non-governmental organisation working on nuclear waste, has lodged an appeal with a Swedish court calling for further safety checks. It said research from Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology showed the copper capsules could corrode and leak radioactive elements into the ground water. "We have room to wait ten years to make a decision, given this is something that has to be safe for 100,000 years," Linda Birkedal, chair of MKG said. A collage of a picture and rendered image shows how Sweden's final depositor for spent nuclear fuel in Forsmark will look when it is completed in the 2070s or 2080s. Sweden is only the second country in the world to build a final storage facility for highly radioactive spent nuclear fuel. Photo: Reuters The Forsmark repository will cost around 12 billion crowns($1.08 billion) and be paid for by the nuclear industry, SKB said. It will have room to hold all the waste produced by Sweden's nuclear power plants. However, it will not hold fuel from future reactors. Sweden plans to build 10 more reactors by 2045. ($1 = 11.1561 Swedish crowns) Catch up on the news in Vietnam today: Politics -- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse, and a delegation of Vietnam arrived in Warsaw on Wednesday evening (local time), commencing an official visit to Poland through Saturday at the invitation of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. -- Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam on Wednesday held phone talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and President of China Xi Jinping on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties. During their talks, both leaders affirmed commitments to prioritizing the enhancement of relations between the two countries. -- State President Luong Cuong hosted a reception in Hanoi on Wednesday for Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin and a delegation of Russia. Society -- Hanoi has been blanketed by polluted air over the past few days, with the West Lake area identified as the citys most contaminated place. -- Several provinces in the Mekong Delta region have warned of a surge in water demand for daily use, which may result in shortages during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday. Residents are urged to save water and take measures to store it. -- Over 80 people were instructed to evacuate on Wednesday night after the third floor of an apartment building in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City caught fire. Business -- Malaysias YTL Corporation revealed on Wednesday that after five years of investing in the cement sector in the Vietnamese market, it is planning to tap other fields such as energy and water and power supply in the country. -- The Vietnamese government issued a resolution on Wednesday on visa waivers under the tourism stimulus program for 2025 for citizens of Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland. The visa exemption policy will be in effect from March 1 until December 31. Sports -- The Vietnamese womens futsal team on Wednesday night defeated hosts Myanmar 5-1 in their qualifying match for the 2025 AFC Womens Futsal Asian Cup. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese dairy producer Nutifood has proposed April 26, 2025 as the date for the groundbreaking ceremony for a pedestrian bridge spanning the Saigon River, with a price tag of nearly VND997 billion (US$39 million). The proposal was already submitted to the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, the People's Committee, and the Department of Transport. The project, initiated and fully funded by Nutifood, is set to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Vietnams reunification on April 30, 2025. Over the past months, Nutifood has completed critical steps, including feasibility studies, construction design approvals, permits, and contractor selection, to ensure the project aligns with directives from city authorities. This river-crossing footbridge will connect Bach Dang Wharf Park in District 1 to a riverside park near Nguyen Thien Thanh Street in the Thu Thiem New Urban Area in Thu Duc City. The bridge is about 261 meters long, including its cable-stayed main span stretching 187 meters long, and has a steel girder design. Inspired by the shape of a floating nipa palm leaf, the bridge represents a blend of modern design and cultural heritage, providing a friendly, safe, and accessible public space for residents and visitors. The bridge is meant to complement the citys transportation network, supporting socio-economic development. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! After being abandoned for seven years, Phung Khoang Lake Park in Hanoi opened its doors to the public on Wednesday following a directive of the chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee. The park, located in Nam Tu Liem District, was set to be put into use before the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday (Tet), which is due on January 29, to serve residents and tourists. Several parts of the park, exclusive of the lake, are ready for public use. The investors of the project, including Hanoi Housing Development and Investment Corporation, and Investment and Urban Construction JSC, are responsible for completing the remaining components in line with the approved design and ensuring the quality of the project. Additionally, they will also finalize quality management documentation and legal paperwork, and conduct frequent maintenance at the park, as well as ensure the safety, security, and cleanliness of the park. Local authorities in Nam Tu Liem District will work closely with the investors to maintain order, security, and safety during the parks operation. After the establishment of a municipal steering committee for wastefulness prevention, Hanoi chairman Tran Sy Thanh chaired a meeting on November 20 last year to address the long-stalled Phung Khoang Lake Park project to avoid wastefulness. The chairman ordered drastic action, emphasizing the need to open the park before the Lunar New Year holiday. He assigned Hanoi deputy chairman Duong Duc Tuan to oversee the site clearance process to ensure the cleared site set for the project could be handed over to the investors prior to December 15, 2024 so that the remaining components could proceed without delay. The chairman also hinted at organizing a fireworks display at the park during the upcoming Tet celebrations so that local residents could enjoy both the park and the festive atmosphere. Phung Khoang Lake Park, situated on To Huu Street in Trung Van Ward, Nam Tu Liem District, was designed to span over 11.8 hectares. The project was delayed for seven years, with many of its facilities having already deteriorated and becoming overgrown as previously reported by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The lake in Phung Khoang Lake Park was murky, covered in green moss, and emitted a foul odor. Initiated in 2016 with an original anticipated completion in 2017, the project was envisioned to become a daily destination for relaxation and exercise. However, over seven years since its inception, the park remains unfinished due to persistent delays. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! The administration of Hanoi has announced a traffic management plan for 2025, focusing on public transport improvements, congestion reduction, and accident prevention. As per the plan, the Vietnamese capital will strive to increase the use of public transport to 20 percent; reduce road traffic incidents, fatalities, and injuries by five percent compared to 2024; resolve 8-10 major traffic congestion hotspots; and prevent jams lasting over 30 minutes. The municipal Department of Transport has been tasked with collaborating with various agencies and local authorities to organize traffic flow, enhance infrastructure, and implement stricter enforcement of traffic laws. Special attention will be paid to high-risk areas prone to accidents or congestion. Hanois police will oversee traffic management and enforce safety in high-density areas. Violations by public employees, students, and other groups will be reported to their respective organizations and the municipal Department of Home Affairs for disciplinary action. Similarly, underage drivers and those who entrust them with vehicles will face strict penalties, with notifications sent to families, schools, and the Department of Education and Training. These measures are intended to instill accountability and reinforce safe driving habits. Police will also coordinate with national traffic authorities to monitor major expressways passing through Hanoi, ensuring smooth transit during peak periods, including the upcoming Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year). Earlier, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highlighted traffic congestion as one of Hanois pressing issues during a regional conference held in the capital city on Tuesday. He urged the city to mobilize resources to address gridlock, revive polluted rivers, and improve of locals' living conditions. Recent observations by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper revealed that traffic congestion in Hanoi extends beyond peak hours, with major routes such as Lang, Truong Chinh, and Thang Long Boulevard frequently experiencing gridlock. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vehicles travel down the new flyover ramp linking Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 in San Antonio on Dec. 4, 2024. Marvin Pfeiffer/San Antonio Express-News North Side motorists take heed: The Texas Department of Transportation is planning several major closures of Loop 1604 and Interstate 10 as work continues on a long-running highway expansion project. TxDOT will close all westbound lanes of Loop 1604 between the entrance ramp for Stone Oak Parkway and the exit ramp for that same road between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. every night until Friday, Jan. 24, according to a news release from the agency. During those same hours, the agency will also close Loop 1604's northbound and southbound lanes at the crossing of Voigt Drive and Stone Oak Parkway, as well as both of the turnarounds there: the one running from Loop 1604 eastbound to westbound, and the one from westbound to eastbound. Advertisement Article continues below this ad CONSTRUCTION ALERTTUE (1/14) UNTIL FRI (1/24), WEEKNIGHTS 9PM TO 5AM - WB Loop 1604 closed at Stone Oak Pkwy for bridge work. Get all the details here: https://t.co/aAkEE7cx9c Subscribe for updates: https://t.co/mBMT0kw661 pic.twitter.com/etLUoGYuOM TxDOT San Antonio (@TxDOTSanAntonio) January 14, 2025 This weekend, TxDOT plans to close one of the eastbound lanes of I-10 between Loop 1604 and the exit ramp for UTSA Boulevard, according to another news release. The closure will be in effect from 9 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Monday. During that same period, the following other roadways will be closed: The I-10 eastbound frontage road south of Loop 1604. The exit ramp from Loop 1604 eastbound to I-10 eastbound. The exit ramp from Loop 1604 westbound to I-10 westbound. Advertisement Article continues below this ad WEEKEND CONSTRUCTION ALERT9PM FRI (1/17) UNTIL 5AM MON (1/20) - Minor closures at Loop 1604 & I-10 interchange in NW SA. EB Loop 1604 ramp to EB I-10 WB Loop 1604 ramp to WB I-10 Weather permitting Details https://t.co/h3HcbvSpuI Subscribe https://t.co/mBMT0kw661 pic.twitter.com/S2Hml2KqJd TxDOT San Antonio (@TxDOTSanAntonio) January 15, 2025 Doctors at Childrens Hospital 1 in Ho Chi Minh City are performing interventions on 18 children with complex atrial septal defects while transmitting live images of the procedures to both domestic and international specialists. This marks a highlight of the 11th Vietnam Congress of Congenital and Structural Heart Disease, themed 'Atrial Septal Defect from A to Z,' held from Wednesday to Friday in the southern metropolis. The event has attracted around 100 domestic pediatric cardiologists and more than 200 leading experts from countries including the U.S., Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Australia, China, and India. Over the three days, more than 30 patients have undergone cardiovascular interventions at six cardiovascular centers in Vietnam and abroad, including Childrens Hospital 1 and Tam Anh General Hospital in Vietnam; Queen Sirikit Hospital in Thailand; Institut Jantung Negara in Malaysia; National Taiwan University Hospital; and Apollo Hospital, Navi Mumbai in India. At Childrens Hospital 1 alone, doctors have performed interventions on 18 young patients with complex atrial septal defects. Dr. Do Nguyen Tin, president of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, explained that atrial septal defect is one of the most common congenital heart defects, affecting 2.5 out of every 1,000 live births, with 25-30 percent of cases persisting into adulthood. While surgery was once the primary treatment for the defect, many cases are now resolved through less invasive interventions. Thanks to advances in pediatric cardiovascular intervention, atrial septal defects can now be treated much more simply, with significantly lower complication and mortality rates compared to surgery, Dr. Tin said. Dr. Ngo Ngoc Quang Minh, deputy director of Childrens Hospital 1, added that over the past 20 years, the mortality rate for congenital heart disease has dropped to 0.4 percent from eight percent. Cardiovascular interventions now address even the most complex congenital heart conditions, including those in newborns and fetuses. In 2024, Childrens Hospital 1 and Tu Du Hospital collaborated to perform eight fetal cardiac catheterizations, with six cases being successful. Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia to successfully perform this specialized technique. During the congress, Dr. Yen Ho, a leading expert in cardiovascular morphology at Royal Brompton Hospital in the UK, and Dr. Zahid Amin, a renowned expert in congenital heart intervention at Orlando Hospital in the U.S., provided hands-on training and conducted live demonstrations using pig hearts. Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam! Thirteen VTC Digital Television channels, along with VOV TV and Nhan Dan TV, officially stopped broadcasting on Wednesday. VTC announced the complete termination of the production and transmission of programs across all platforms, including FPT Play. The 13 channels include VTC1 HD, VTC2, VTC3 HD, VTC4 HD, VTC5, VTC6 HD, VTC7, VTC8, VTC9 HD, VTC10 HD, VTC11, VTC14 HD, and VTC16 HD. Its functions and responsibilities have been officially transferred to Vietnam Television (VTV). The shutdown of these TV channels is in accordance with the all-powerful Politburos Resolution 18 and the national governments plan 141 regarding the streamlining of the organizational apparatus. A screenshot shows Nhan Dan TVs announcement of its ceasing all broadcasting activities Another channel, National Assembly TV, went off air on January 1. VTC was established on August 19, 2004 with the aim of applying and testing digital broadcasting technology. In 2015, the VTC network was transferred to the Voice of Vietnam for management. Over the past 20 years, VTC effectively fulfilled its mission of propagating the Party's guidelines and the state's policies and laws, becoming a strong brand among Vietnamese media agencies, familiar to millions of domestic and international viewers. Meanwhile, VOV TV was set up in September 2008 and played a significant role in extending VOV's news coverage to a wide audience. Nhan Dan TV was founded in 2015. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! The Vietnamese government has announced a visa exemption policy for Polish, Czech, and Swiss tourists from March 1 through December 31, 2025, with the goal of boosting tourism development. Under Resolution No. 11 issued on January 15, the government will allow citizens of Poland, Czechia, and Switzerland to enter Vietnam without a visa for a temporary stay of up to 45 days. This policy, as part of a tourism promotion program in 2025, applies to travelers entering Vietnam for tourism through programs organized by Vietnamese international travel service companies. The visa exemption is applicable regardless of passport type, provided visitors meet Vietnam's entry requirements. The same day the resolution was announced, Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, accompanied by his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran and a high-ranking delegation, left Hanoi for official visits to Poland and Czechia. The prime minister will also attend the 55th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Poland and Czechia are among Vietnam's leading trade partners in Central and Eastern Europe. In 2024, Vietnam welcomed approximately 50,000 tourists from Poland and 25,000 from Czechia. Switzerland, a key economic partner in Europe, ranks as the sixth-largest European investor in Vietnam, with registered investments totaling around US$2.1 billion. The two nations are expected to explore potential cooperation in fields such as education, science and technology, innovation, sustainable development, culture, and tourism. Currently, Vietnam grants visa exemptions for up to 45 days to citizens of 13 countries, including South Korea, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Belarus. This policy covers all passport types and entry purposes. These countries are among the largest tourist source markets of Vietnam, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to data from the General Statistics Office of Vietnam, the country welcomed 17.6 million international visitors in 2024, marking a nearly-40-percent increase compared to 2023. This figure is equivalent to 98 percent of the pre-pandemic peak in 2019. South Korea remains Vietnams top source market, followed by China, Taiwan, and the U.S.. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha has urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to ensure synchronous data connectivity in key management tools, as well as to boost inspections meant to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. The deputy premier issued the instructions while chairing the 12th meeting of the National Steering Committee for IUU Fishing Prevention and Control in Hanoi on Tuesday. Specifically, within the first quarter of 2025, the ministry must complete data connectivity in the three current control tools, including the national fisheries database (VNFishbase), the fishing vessel monitoring system, and the electronic traceability system to ensure seamless data flow from central to local authorities. Ha also tasked the ministry with issuing procedures and statutes on managing, operating, updating, exploiting, and using fisheries management databases, as well as with developing regulations for management agencies, law enforcement forces, fishing ports, fishermen, and seafood processors and exporters. Other directions given the ministry related to the establishment of interdisciplinary teams in the first quarter of 2025 to inspect the implementation of regulations on the management and updating of fishing vessel data in coastal localities, as well as the compliance with rules meant to combat IUU fishing. We need to strengthen the tools for managing fisheries at sea through setting up fishing planning, fishing seasons, and fishing methods in each fishing ground, the official said. The directives came amid the relentless efforts by Vietnamese agencies to remove the IUU fishing yellow card warning that has been imposed by the European Commission (EC) on Vietnamese seafood since October 2017. The EC has so far sent four teams to Vietnam to carry out inspections of Vietnamese seafood, but the warning has yet to be removed due the inability of some localities to comply with EC requirements. According to the ministry, the country has nearly overcome these shortcomings. Significant progress has been made, with up to 98.9 percent of fishing vessels now registered in the VN-Fishbase and all vessels with lengths of at least 15 meters having been equipped with a fishing vessel monitoring system. Currently, only 888 Vietnamese fishing boats fall into the 'three-nos' category: no inspection, no registration, and no license, but all of them, according to local reports, are currently out of operation. Additionally, the inspection and control of imported seafood have been carried out in accordance with international regulations and the ECs suggestions, according to Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien. So far, localities have prosecuted 39 criminal cases and brought 10 cases to trial for IUU-related crimes, such as organizing illegal exits for others to engage in illicit fishing in foreign waters, equipment tampering, and forgery. The total amount of fines for IUU fishing acts issued in 2024 amounted to VND100 billion (US$3.94 million) for more than 4,000 violations. From August 2024 to present, relevant agencies have recorded 10 cases in which Vietnamese fishermen in Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and Tien Giang Provinces were arrested by foreign authorities for illegal fishing in foreign waters. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! ABC series The Assembly has opened for new autistic student journalists for a second season. No experience is necessary for the series produced by Helium Pictures. We are offering autistic people with an interest in journalism the opportunity to take part in a specially designed introductory journalism program taught by Macquarie University and supported by Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) and Bus Stop Films, a casting notice states. Successful applicants will be mentored by Leigh Sales and take part in interviews with high profile Australians. Applicants must be aged 18 years or over and will need to be available for approximately 4 hours per day for 3 to 4 days a week during 7 April 6 June 2025 in Sydney. Assistance will be provided for travel to the filming location. For applicants who are selected to participate in the Program, there will be payment for the time worked during filming. If you have any questions or need support with this application, please email [email protected] You can apply here. On November 30, 2024, the National Assembly adopted the new Electricity Law with effect on February 1, 2025 comprising 130 articles, seeking to ensure energy security and achieving net zero emissions by 2050 by overcoming investment barriers in the energy sector. Viet Nam News reporter Thu Ngan asked Nguyen Mai Phuong, Counsel of Asia Counsel Vietnam Law Company Limited, about the significant changes to the law and how they will impact foreign investments in the sector. What are the main changes to the Electricity Law and the importance of these changes for the National Power Development Plan VIII (PDP VIII)? The law continues to regulate the rights and responsibilities of various parties involved in and oversee electricity-related activities. It addresses critical issues like the licensing of electricity operations, the functioning of a competitive electricity market and associated business activities within the energy sector. The amendments are a significant aspect of the Governments strategic efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. One of the key changes is a new chapter dedicated to the development of renewable energy and new energy projects. This addition reflects the Governments strong commitment to fulfilling its net zero targets through a framework that promotes sustainable energy initiatives via various mechanisms and incentives, solidifying Viet Nams position in global energy transition. Which amendments do you think will have a strong impact on foreign investors and projects in Viet Nam and how do you see the opportunities in renewable energy for foreign investors after the changes take effect? From the standpoint of foreign investors, two critical changes relate to the regulations governing the development of renewable energy projects and the procedures for selecting investors in power plants. The law articulates fundamental principles that investors must adhere to while pursuing renewable energy projects. Prior to the enactment of this legislation, there was considerable uncertainty surrounding whether investors in non-public-private partnership (non-PPP) renewable energy projects would be selected based on competitive bidding processes and which State agencies approve investment policies for offshore wind projects. The new law clarifies these areas by specifying that the selection of investors for power generation projects will primarily follow land auction procedures as outlined in the Land Law or bidding procedures defined in the Bidding Law, with certain exceptions made for urgent situations and State-invested projects. However, while the new regulatory framework for offshore wind projects is a step forward, it may not be sufficiently appealing to foreign investors. For example, developers are now required to navigate a meticulous two-step selection process for wind surveys and project implementation phases. Furthermore, the conditions, restrictions, and incentives related to investments in offshore wind projects remain unclear, pending additional governmental guidance at the by-law level. This lack of clarity may present challenges for foreign investors seeking to establish a foothold in this emerging sector. Critics say the amendments provide an escape route for renewable power projects. What is your opinion on this? In addition to establishing a fresh chapter centred on renewable energy development, the law also acknowledges several recent mechanisms pertinent to renewable energy projects, most notably direct power purchase agreements (DPPA) and self-production and self-consumption frameworks for rooftop solar power systems (RTS). These mechanisms have been detailed in two recently enacted decrees, signalling a robust pathway for renewable energy project development. The new law indeed provides a viable avenue for renewable power projects, particularly those utility-scale projects that do not qualify for Feed-in Tariffs under the standard 20-year power purchase agreements with Vietnam Electricity. It is crucial for developers and consumers involved in these renewable energy initiatives to comply with specific conditions and follow prescribed procedures to successfully implement either the DPPA or RTS self-consumption models. With the establishment of the DPPA and RTS self-consumption mechanisms, coupled with clearly outlined investor selection requirement under the new Electricity Law, there is substantial potential for an effective "escape route" for both existing and forthcoming renewable energy projects. This development creates a conducive environment for innovation and investment within the sector. What would you tell foreign investors to ensure they are fully prepared before the law comes into effect as well as to grab opportunities for investing in renewable energy? As it pertains to greenfield projects where investor selection is determined through competitive bidding, the Government recently released two pivotal pieces of legislation: Decree No 115/2024/ND-CP and Circular No 27/2024/TT-BCT. They provide a comprehensive outline of the bidding processes and criteria for selecting investors in energy projects. With the new Electricity Law taking effect on February 1, 2025, these guidelines become mandatory for all power generation projects. Prospective investors interested in greenfield projects should familiarise themselves with these key regulations to ensure they are well-prepared for forthcoming bidding opportunities. Compliance with these established procedures will be essential for navigating the competitive landscape effectively. While the recent changes introduced by the new Electricity Law aim to encourage innovation and investment in renewable energy, the existing framework for brownfield project acquisitions will likely remain relatively stable in the short term. Investors and stakeholders in the renewable energy market can expect the legal guidelines governing M&A activities for these projects to largely follow the established principles in the Law on Investment and implementing legislation, which allows for the purchase and sale of assets and stakes in operational projects. However, the uncertainty surrounding potential future regulations poses a noteworthy challenge for investors. It remains unclear if the Government will take steps to introduce additional implementing regulations at the decree level aimed specifically at refining or expanding the M&A processes in the renewable energy sector after the Electricity Law amendments come into effect. For example, will there be any restriction on transfer of ownership in the construction phase of any renewable energy project? Observers in the market are closely monitoring developments in this regard, as these regulations could have significant implications for both domestic and foreign investors seeking to engage in the acquisition of existing renewable energy assets. As such, industry participants are urged to remain vigilant and informed about the evolving legal landscape. The introduction of new guidelines or clarifications could open up new avenues for investment or impose new requirements that would need to be navigated carefully. Investors can benefit by consulting legal and industry experts to better understand how these potential changes could impact their strategies and operations. VNS HA NOI Some of the Governments targets set for the insurance industry by 2025 might have to be adjusted down as it is difficult to meet the targets. The Government aims for 15 per cent of the population to have life insurance, with the average premium as per GDP ratio, at 3.5 per cent by 2025. Previously, the targets were considered to be consistent with the countrys Socio-Economic Development Strategy for the 2021-2030 period and other developmental indicators in the period. However, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Insurance Association, Ngo Trung Dung, said that the number of life insurance contracts in effect in Viet Nam by the end of September only reached about 12 million, down around 11 per cent compared to the same period last year. This number of contracts is relatively low compared to the population of more than 100 million people and is still far from the targets set by the Government. According to Director of ITmedia Vietnam Insurance Services Co., Ltd. ang inh Chinh, in 2025, the insurance market will find it difficult to achieve the target of 15 per cent of the population taking out life insurance. Chinh explained that in 2025, it would even be a struggle to increase the rate of the population joining life insurance by about 1.5-2 per cent (equivalent to 1.5 - 2 million people). The higher rise of 3-4 per cent (equivalent to 3-4 million people) would be too high to be even feasible and would be beyond the capacity of life insurance companies in the whole market. Chinh added that many banks had stopped selling insurance, which had also slowed growth. Agreeing with their forecasts, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Techcom Non-Life Insurance Joint Stock Company, Chung Ba Phuong, said the insurance market would find it difficult to achieve the two major goals set by the Government. In 2024, it was predicted that only 10 per cent of the population would participate in insurance and the penetration rate of total life insurance premiums is estimated to reach only one per cent of GDP. The Vietnamese life insurance market is developing slowly compared to many other markets in the region and in the world. In many countries, the ratio of bank accounts to the number of life insurance contracts may be similar. In Viet Nam, the rate of people having bank accounts is now at more than 87 per cent, but only 12 per cent of the population has some form of life insurance. The main cause for the big gap between the number of people participating in life insurance and the number of bank accounts in Viet Nam is the crisis of confidence in the insurance sector, which has caused the sector to decrease dramatically in the past two years. The crisis occurred after clients complained of vague provisions in life insurance contracts that favoured insurance companies rather than clients. In addition, bancassurance also faced criticism, as clients were reportedly forced to buy insurance packages as a condition of being able to take out bank loans. VNS ALGIERS A meeting was held by the Viet Nam Trade Office in Algeria on Wednesday to discuss trade collaboration with several Algerian organisations and businesses. The meeting reviewed economic and trade co-operation between the two countries last year and discussed measures to boost bilateral co-operation in the future. In attendance were representatives from Algerias National Organisation for Economic Development (ONDE), the Arab-African Centre for Investment and Development (CAAID), the Algerian Forum for Import, Export, International Trade and Investment (AFIETI) and 15 businesses operating in import-export of goods such as agricultural and industrial products, food, timber and more. Speaking at the meeting, Viet Nam Trade Counsellor Hoang uc Nhuan talked about the economic and foreign trade achievements of Viet Nam last year and the current state of co-operation between the two countries. Bilateral trade between Viet Nam and Algeria is estimated to have reached US$220 million in 2024, according to statistics from the General Department of Viet Nam Customs. Key Vietnamese exports to Algeria include raw coffee, pepper, cashew nuts, coconuts, seafood, chemicals and more. The country imports pharmaceuticals, ores, recycled paper, animal feed and chicken feet from Algeria. He also introduced some international trade events that will take place in Viet Nam this year and invited Algerian agencies and businesses to attend. Events include the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in March, the Vietnam Expo in April and December, the Viet Nam International Sourcing Expo 2025 in September and the Viet Nam Food Expo in November. Algerian businesses expressed interest in further fostering imports and exports between the two countries. Some were seeking Vietnamese investors for joint ventures or partnerships in producing footwear, textiles, pharmaceuticals and chemicals for both the domestic market and export to other countries in the region, taking advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). AFIETI Import-Export Advisor Nabil Akriche confirmed that an Algerian delegation will attend the Viet Nam Expo international trade fair in Ha Noi in April. Mahdi Aimane, ONDE head of International Relations, suggested that the two sides establish an electronic platform to connect businesses. Trade Counsellor Hoang uc Nhuan said both sides should continue to improve legal frameworks and co-operation mechanisms, enhance delegation exchanges and encourage businesses to participate in trade fairs and exhibitions in both countries. VNS HA NOI Viet Nam's stock market extended its recovery on Thursday, with the VN-Index once again reaching the 1,240-point level. Liquidity also improved slightly, even as foreign investors recorded net sales of more than VN3 trillion (US$120 million). On the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HoSE), the VN-Index rose by 6.18 points, or 0.5 per cent, to close at 1,242.36 points. Market breadth remained positive, with 185 rising stocks surpassing 99 decliners. Trading liquidity increased slightly to approximately VN13.3 trillion ($523.3 million), with nearly 520 million shares traded. The VN30-Index, which tracks the top 30 largest stocks by market capitalisation on the HoSE, also advanced by 5.61 points, or 0.43 per cent, to end at 1,303.25 points. Within the VN30 basket, 22 stocks posted gains, three declined and five remained unchanged. Leading the market recovery was the Bank for Foreign Trade of Vietnam (VCB), which climbed by 1.42 per cent, contributing nearly 1.8 points to the VN-Index. Other significant gainers included the FPT Corporation (FPT), up 0.69 per cent; the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam (BID), up 0.51 per cent; the Fortune Vietnam Joint Stock Commercial Bank (LPB), up 1.45 per cent; and the Viettel Post Joint Stock Corporation (VTP), which surged 6.97 per cent. On the downside, the Saigon Beer - Alcohol - Beverage Corporation (SAB) fell by 1.82 per cent, SJ Group Joint Stock Company (SJS) declined by 4.32 per cent, and the Viglacera Corporation JSC (VGC) dropped by 1.41 per cent, limiting the broader market gains. Market analysts at the Viet Dragon Securities remarked: The market continued its recovery momentum. Although liquidity improved compared to the previous session, it remains relatively low, indicating cautious cash inflows while supply pressure has yet to intensify. "The current upward signals are helping the market stabilise around the 1,235 to 1,245-point range, which has been a historically contested zone. The market is likely to move further into this range to test supply and demand dynamics. Supply pressure may increase and potentially weigh on the market within this range. Therefore, investors should closely monitor supply and demand dynamics to assess market conditions. Short-term opportunities can still be explored in stocks that are gradually strengthening from support levels. However, portfolio management should remain prudent to avoid overexposure, and profit-taking should be considered during the recovery, the analysts added. On the Ha Noi Stock Exchange (HNX), the HNX-Index also rose by 0.59 per cent to close at 220.84 points, with trading value exceeding VN655 billion and over 40 million shares traded. Foreign investors extended their net-selling streak on Thursday, recording total net sales worth more than VN3 trillion on the HoSE. VNS HCM CITY A programme designed to help businesses measure and implement comprehensive environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices in human resource management to enhance their competitive edge in the global supply chain was launched in HCM City on Thursday. GEARS@VIETNAM, also known as GEARS@VN, is a programme supported by Investing in Women, an initiative by the Australian government aimed at promoting women's economic equality in Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. In Viet Nam, it is implemented by the Centre for Business Studies and Assistance (BSA) and Ha Noi-based social enterprise ECUE. It aims to raise awareness, enhance skills and support businesses in applying the GEARS (Gender Equality Assessment, Results, and Strategy) assessment framework. This advanced assessment tool, designed especially for Southeast Asia, is based on a comprehensive diagnostic prototype developed by Australias Workplace Gender Equality Agency and partners in Southeast Asia, with the support of Investing in Women. Speaking at the event, Vu Kim Hanh, BSA director, said: "As enterprises embark on their integration journey, it is essential to adapt to global sustainability standards. Therefore, in addition to focusing on environmental factors (the 'E' in ESG), BSA has initiated a programme this year to help companies meet the S (social) and G (Governance) criteria. It aims to provide the business community with information and practical solutions to prepare for the rising emphasis on gender equality in the workplace, a critical element of the 'S' in the ESG framework, she said. Major markets worldwide are increasingly enacting legislation around these factors, which will impact partners in the supply chain. By preparing early Vietnamese enterprises can avoid falling behind and instead gain a competitive edge in the global supply chain. Moreover, most importantly, implementing a comprehensive gender equality strategy in the workplace is the key for businesses to attract investment resources in the new competitive landscape. GEARS enables businesses to assess and plan their human resource management and development strategies, with results that can be incorporated into their sustainability reports. GEARS covers 13 aspects related to gender in the workplace and business environment, including recruitment, policies, salaries, promotions, anti-harassment measures, discrimination, and ensuring gender equality in the supply chain. BSA and ECUE will provide training and run workshops on various topics related to gender equality in the workplace and social inclusion, anti-sexual harassment, unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and policy advice. Le Quang Binh, ECUE director, said: Participation in this programme allows enterprises to receive validation and solid evidence of their social responsibility efforts, which supports their ESG reporting. Through the reports and verification provided by the programme, companies could enhance their brand reputation, attract buyers and succeed in the export market, he said. "Furthermore, the programme also helps enterprises improve their standing as employers committed to fostering an equal and inclusive environment for employees, thereby attracting top talent in the market. Maya Juwita, workplace gender equality director at Investing in Women, said: GEARS@VN will strategically address key challenges faced by women in the Viet Nam private sector, including by enhancing career development practices, and ensuring safe and supportive working environments. Replicating the success in other countries such as the Philippines, Indonesia and Myanmar, we will work with businesses and policymakers to drive systemic change and create lasting benefits for all genders. VNS HUE CITY Hue Citys Peoples Committee has decided to expand its current Saola nature reserve by over 4,000ha. The new Saola nature reserve in the central city will be established on an area spanning 9,375.55ha, including the current site of 15,303.39ha, an expansion area of over 4,072.16ha. The new reserve will play an important role in protecting a vast complex of rich biodiversity and endangered species, including the so-called Asian unicorn, while contributing to the restoration of degraded forest area, along with the remaining primary jungle in the Central Annamites. Deputy director of the city's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen ai Anh Tuan said the newly expanded area, while only increasing in overall size by one third, was a critical link. It will serve as a key corridor with Xesap National Protected Area Expansion in Salavan and Sekong provinces (newly promoted to national park status) in Laos, the Quang Nam Saola nature reserve and the Bach Ma National Park. He said the larger protected reserve will create a favourable landscape and natural habitat for the existence and development of flora and fauna populations, and provide stable growing areas for ecological systems in the trans-boundary forest complex. The successful protection of the Saola (Pseudoryx nghetinhensis) the critically endangered species has resulted from endless efforts by local authorities and forest ranger forces with support from the CarBi II (Carbon sinks and biodiversity partnership, phase 2) project under implementation of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Federal Ministry for Environment, Conservation and Reactor safety (BMU) of Germany, through the German Development Bank (KfW). The project director, WWF-Viet Nam, Nguyen Quoc Anh, said: The establishment of the new Saola Nature Reserve proved the effective co-operation among partners during implementation of the project. "The CarBi II project had eventually achieved an important target in providing supports to management and protection activities in the reserve, while expanding protected area in the Central Annamites. Its a progressive move in biodiversity conservation, and a basic platform for copying effective natural conservation management solution in other regions in Viet Nam. According to the WWF, it will continue to support local authorities and partners in protection of the new reserve, improving capability among managers through training courses, forest patrol equipment and devices, legal enforcement and biodiversity protection. Bach Ma National Park has been selected as the site for the worlds only breeding centre for the Saola, the extremely elusive forest-dwelling bovine only found in the forests of Viet Nam and Laos. It is a critically-endangered creature that was the eighth new large mammal species to be discovered in the 20th century. In a report, WWF-Viet Nam said from 2011 to 2021, WWF-Viet Nam and local authorities supported removing close to 120,000 snares from the then Thua Thien Hue Province and Quang Nam Saola Nature Reserves in central Viet Nam. The reserves are home to several rare and threatened species, including large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangenis), Truong Son muntjac (Muntiacus truongsonenis), Owstons civet (Chrotogale owstoni), Annamite Striped Rabbit (Nesolagus timminsi), Annamite Crested Argus (Rheinardia ocellata), red and grey shanked douc langurs (Pygathrix spp) and several gallopheasants (Lophura spp). VNS HA NOI The nostalgia for the sacred beauty of Ha Noi during Tet (Lunar New Year holiday) celebrations from decades past has inspired designer ang Phuong Minh to create a collection of ao dai (Vietnamese traditional dress) and dresses featuring elegant, luxurious colours and unique embroidery. I am a nostalgic person, always remembering the traditional Tet from my childhood. Back then, my family lived in a French-style villa on Nguyen Du Street. The backyard of the villa was always filled with laughter as Tet approached, when we washed dong leaves, and prepared mung beans for making banh chung (square glutinous rice cake), Minh recalled. My fondest memory of Tet is the late afternoon of the last day before Tet. I dressed beautifully and strolled around Thuyen Quang Lake, immersed in the spring atmosphere hazy with mist in Ha Noi, while admiring the warm lights from my home and hearing joyful laughter. I cant forget Ha Noi on the first morning of Tet, with narrow sidewalks lined with remnants of firecrackers after Lunar New Years Eve. Its breathtaking in its brilliance, because spring is coming, yet spring is also passing. Tet days are beautiful but short. Minh has infused the nostalgic beauty of ancient Ha Noi during Tet into her designs for the upcoming Lunar Year of the Snake. Notably, she employs traditional embroidery techniques such as sequin embroidery and raised leaf vein embroidery to create sharp patterns on feminine puff-sleeved dresses and elegant ao dai. The main materials for the collection are velvet and embroidered brocade, creating a look that is both luxurious and vibrant, while evoking a distinctly Hanoian Tet atmosphere. She also prioritises comfort in her designs. For her, Tet is a time to dress beautifully, but it is also the busiest and most stressful period for women. The traditional beauty of Ha Noi women lies in preparing Tet dishes with their own hands, maintaining a warm family reunion spirit, she said. In today's modern era, I believe that if we can balance things wisely and make smart use of contemporary conveniences, we can embrace tradition in a modern way, preserving a joyful and warm household during our traditional Tet while also easing the burden for ourselves and our family members. After all, Tet is meant to be joyful. Therefore, you can see that the designs in the Spring 2025 collection offer flexibility and grace for the wearer, allowing women to feel confident and beautiful in any situation. You can pair them with silver accessories to enhance the elegance, she added. The fashion designer has been renowned for harmoniously blending modern international fashion trends with traditional values in clothing. Her fashion brand, My Lullaby, has consistently impressed customers with its diverse material combinations. VNS HA NOI The unions of Vietnamese Associations and of Vietnamese Women's Associations in Europe on January 15 announced the launch of a project on preserving and promoting the homelands culture in Europe and its associated online competition on Tet (Lunar New Year festival) Viet Nams biggest annual traditional celebration. The project aims to act as a cultural bridge connecting generations of Vietnamese people in Europe, fostering a love for the homeland, national pride, and cultural integration. At its core, the competition is the first online initiative designed to preserve and promote Viet Nam's cultural identity within the community. It seeks to connect generations, especially the youth, to their cultural roots while promoting Viet Nam's image internationally and strengthening ties within the overseas Vietnamese (OV) group. The competition, open to Vietnamese living, studying, and working in Europe, invites entries in the form of photos, paintings, video clips, and literary works. Submissions will be accepted until February 15, with total prizes estimated at 12,000 EUR. Speaking at the launch ceremony, Nguyen Manh ong, Vice Chairman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese (SCOV), said that the community remains an invaluable resource contributing to national development. He highlighted the increasingly close connection between the over 6 million Vietnamese abroad and the 100 million citizens at home. ong affirmed the importance of cultural and human development as a cornerstone of Viet Nam's growth strategy in the new era. Therefore, OVs, particularly younger generations born abroad, are not only beneficiaries but also ambassadors of Vietnamese culture. Expressing his confidence in the success of the project and competition, the official noted that the committee will continue to prioritise the conservation of Vietnamese culture, the promotion of the Vietnamese language, and the expansion of outreach and communication with the diaspora. Nguyen Viet Trieu, a Polish Vietnamese and Chairwoman of the Union of Vietnamese Women's Associations in Europe, acknowledged the strategic vision of Vietnams Party and State, which consistently affirms that OVs are an inseparable part and a resource of the nation, playing an essential role in fostering its cooperative and friendly relations with other countries. In this spirit, the two unions have been actively organising activities to preserve traditional culture and strengthen community bonds, especially among younger generations born and raised abroad, she said. VNA/VNS WARSAW Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse Le Thi Bich Tran, and a delegation of Viet Nam arrived at Frederic Chopin Airport in Warsaw on the evening of Wednesday (local time), beginning an official visit to Poland from January 15 to 18 at the invitation of Prime Minister Donald Tusk. PM Chinh and his entourage were greeted at the airport by Secretary of State at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs Wadysaw Teofil Bartoszewski and other officials of the ministry, along with Vietnamese Ambassador to Poland Ha Hoang Hai, embassy staff, and representatives of the Vietnamese community in the European country. This is the first official visit to Poland by a Vietnamese PM in 15 years. It takes place in the context of the growing traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Viet Nam and Poland, and the two countries celebrating the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. PM Chinh is scheduled to hold talks and meetings with high-ranking leaders of the host country, including President Andrzej Duda, PM Donald Tusk, Speaker of the Sejm (lower house) Szymon Hoownia, and Marshal of the Senate Magorzata Kidawa-Bonska. He will visit and deliver a policy speech at the University of Warsaw, visit the National Research Institute (NASK) under the Ministry of Digital Affairs, attend a Viet Nam-Poland business forum, and receive Polands leading economic groups. The leader will also meet the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and representatives of the Vietnamese community in Poland, attend a New Year programme, and visit the ASG Trade Centre, where many Vietnamese are conducting business. His visit is expected to create a breakthrough and elevate the bilateral ties, thereby strengthening and deepening the relations between Viet Nam and the Central and Eastern Europe. On this occasion, Viet Nam and Poland will look into measures to enhance cooperation in various areas, including politics-diplomacy, defence-security, economy-trade-investment, education-training, culture-sports-tourism, agriculture, environment, health care, information and communication technology, judicial affairs, and labour, as well as exchanges between their localities and citizens. VNS BEN TRE Although Ben Tre Province still faces many difficulties and obstacles, thanks to strong political determination and harnessing the spirit of its 1960 ong Khoi (General Uprising), the province is changing day by day, demonstrating its aspiration to rise up and stand shoulder to shoulder with other provinces in the region and the whole country, Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long said at a meeting held on Wednesday (January 15). The meeting was held to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the establishment of Ben Tre Province (January 1, 1900 - 2025), and the 65th anniversary of Ben Tre ong Khoi Day (January 17, 1960 - 2025). The Prime Minister's recognition of the province's Traditional Day (January 17), and the titles Outstanding ong Khoi Citizen and Honourary ong Khoi Citizen for the fourth time were officially announced at the meeting. Deputy PM Long highly appreciated the achievements of the Party Committee and local people of Ben Tre. These achievements are clear evidence of the provinces ong Khoi Moi (New General Uprising) spirit in socio-economic development, building the Party and a strong political system, he said. On November 27, 2024, the Government issued Decision No. 1478/QD-TTg to designate January 17 every year as the province's Traditional Day. The decision aims to recognise and honour the provinces cultural and historical values, while promoting socio-economic development and enhancing solidarity among local communities. The Traditional Day will be an opportunity for Ben Tre people to review good traditions and be proud of the achievements that the province has achieved through historical periods, thereby continuing to preserve and promote them in the new period, he said. He asked the province to focus on implementing a plan to rearrange and streamline the organisation and apparatus in the political system according to Resolution 18 of the Party Central Committee, and strengthen leadership to achieve and exceed the set goals and targets in 2025. The province should continue to promote its strengths, strategic positions and the 1960 ong Khoi spirit in implementing the ong Khoi Moi emulation movement, he said. He also asked the province to build and form a system of cultural values, contributing to enriching the Vietnamese cultural value system. Ben Tre has effectively implemented the ong Khoi Moi emulation movement, making a significant contribution to its socio-economic development. Its 1960 ong Khoi movement was a milestone in the southern regions resistance war against the US, leading to the liberation of the south and national reunification. Since then, the province has preserved and promoted the spirit and value of ong Khoi to develop its economy and society, improving both the material and spiritual lives of its people. In 2020, it launched the ong Khoi Moi emulation movement for the 2020-25 period with a vision towards 2030. Under this initiative, the provinces localities, organisations and residents have actively carried out numerous initiatives to develop society, culture and the economy, protect the environment, promote digital transformation and administrative reform, build new-style rural areas, and ensure the nations security. Speaking at the meeting, Ho Thi Hoang Yen, Acting Secretary of the provinces Party Committee, said the 125th anniversary of the establishment of the province is an opportunity to review the glorious historical tradition, show gratitude to predecessors, and inspire younger generations to strive to rise up to be worthy of the expectations of generations of fathers and brothers. Preserving that tradition as a basis for us to foster prosperity and sustainable development for both our homeland and the nation, she said. The Government's recognition of the province's Traditional Day (January 17) is a legal recognition, affirming the significance, stature, and historical value of the 1960 ong Khoi movement victory, she added. At the event, the provincial Peoples Committee honoured eight individuals for their contributions to the provinces development last year. Pham Huu Thua, Ly Thi Tiep, and Ca Thi Lam received the title Outstanding ong Khoi Citizen, while Truong My Hoa, Vo Thi Hao, Prof. Shimizu Masaaki, Nguyen Huu Tho and Vu Hong Du were given the title Honourary ong Khoi Citizen. Each person was awarded VN20 million (US$785) in cash. On January 16, the province inaugurated a restoration project of the memorial area for the late female general of the Viet Nam People's Army Nguyen Thi inh in Giong Trom Districts Luong Hoa Commune. Madam Nguyen Thi inh (1920 - 1992), one of Viet Nams most historic female icons, was the countrys first-ever female army general. She was born into a peasant family in Ben Tre Province, and she joined the Viet Minh forces against France when she was 16. Her reputation was associated with the ong Khoi Revolution as the leader of the Long-haired Army - a nickname given to female soldiers due to them having longer hair than the men. During the war, she became a founding member of the National Liberation Front and the first female general of Viet Nam People's Army. After Viet Nam's reunification, General inh continued to hold important positions such as Vice President of Viet Nam State Council and the President of Viet Nam Women's Union. She passed away in 1992 in HCM City while still in office. For her tireless dedication, in 1995, General inh was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces. Now, a special portrait of Madame Nguyen Thi inh is on the walls of Viet Nam Women's Museum, handed over on the 31st anniversary of her death. VNS CAN THO State President Luong Cuong visited, offered Lunar New Year (Tet) greetings and gifts to officers and soldiers of Military Region 9 on January 16, as part of his ongoing working visit to southern provinces. In his speech, President Cuong lauded staff of the Military Region 9 for working closely with local Party committees, authorities and people of southwestern provinces to fulfil assigned tasks. He said although challenges and opportunities in 2024, under the Party and States timely and sound direction, the National Assemblys support, the decisive management of the Government and Prime Minister, the relentless efforts of ministries, sectors, localities and the entire political system, the unity of the people, army and business community, Vietnam achieved comprehensive progress in various areas. He underlined the important contributions of the Central Military Commission and entire army in general and the Party Committee, High Command and staff of Military Region 9 in particular to the countrys pride-worthy achievements. With 2025 poised to be a pivotal year marked by major political events, he called on the Party Committee and High Command of Military Region 9 to further improve their situation awareness, swiftly identify and address emerging issues, and ensure readiness in all scenarios to avoid being caught off guard. The President urged closer coordination with local authorities to drastically combat crime, actively thwart any schemes or tactics by hostile forces. Each officer and soldier was reminded of the importance of seriously following state laws and military discipline, with a particular emphasis on fostering strong relations with civilians to accomplish assigned tasks. Military Region 9 must restructure and reorganise itself into a streamlined, compact and strong model; improve the quality of training to match real combat conditions, particularly in the context of high-tech warfare, he said. Attention should be paid to the preparation and successful hosting of Party congresses at all levels within Military Region 9, in the lead-up to the Party Congress of the Military Region for the 202530 term, the 12th Congress of the Army Party Organisation, and ultimately the 14th National Party Congress, he said, adding that it should also partner with local Party committees and authorities to improve the effectiveness of mass mobilisation, especially in border, island and disadvantaged areas. Earlier, Cuong paid tribute to late Chairman of the Council of Ministers Pham Hung at his memorial site in Long Phuoc Commune, Long Ho District, Vinh Long Province. He also laid flowers and offered incense at another memorial site in Vung Liem District, honouring late Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet for his dedication to the revolutionary cause and national construction and defence. VNA/VNS AN GIANG State President Luong Cuong visited the Mekong Delta province of An Giang on January 16 ahead of the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, during which he reminded local authorities to continue to take practical actions to care for people during the country's biggest traditional festival. Visiting residents of My Hoa Hung Commune of Long Xuyen City, the State leader said that the festival is a chance for local authorities to show their sentiments and responsibilities to residents across the province. He held that the comprehensive achievements that An Giang has gained so far laid a firm foundation for the province to better care for local residents during Tett and contribute to implementing social welfare policies of the Party and State. A report by the provincial Party Committee showed that in 2024, An Giang completed and surpassed 13 out of 15 targets set by the provincial People's Council, with gross regional domestic product (GRDP) growth estimated at 7.16 per cent and per capita income reaching VN66.24 million. Key sectors such as agriculture, trade, and tourism recorded strong growth, while social welfare was improved, and security, national defence, and border sovereignty were maintained. Meanwhile, An Giang has shown strong performance in Party building and rectification as well as streamlining the political system's organisational apparatus. Regarding future tasks, President Cuong asked An Giang to continue to effectively implement the central administration's policies in line with its specific conditions. Highlighting the great development potential of An Giang, he hoped the province will strive to complete all tasks set for 2025, making more contributions to the overall growth of the Mekong Delta region and the whole country. On this occasion, the State President presented Tet gifts to policy beneficiary families and poor households in An Giang. Earlier, President Cuong offered incense in tribute to President Ton uc Thang at the memorial site for the late leader at Ong Ho Islet in My Hoa Hung Commune, and planted a tree at the site. The same day, President Cuong and his entourage visited the family of Vo ai Nhan and Vo Thi Van who are outstanding veteran revolutionaries in Long Xuyen City. The President extended New Year greetings to them and expressed gratitude for their contributions to the nations liberation and development cause. The delegation also visited the family of wounded veteran Bui Van Huan, former member of the Party Central Committee and former Vice Chairman of the General Department of Politics of the Viet Nam People's Army. VNS Texas state Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, addresses the members after being named speaker of the house during opening day of the 89th Texas Legislative Session in Austin, Texas, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Stephen Spillman/AP The Texas House elected Dustin Burrows as its new speaker on Tuesday, elevating an establishment pick from within former Speaker Dade Phelans circle over Rep. David Cook, a Mansfield Republican who consolidated support among far-right Republicans. Burrows is a trial lawyer from Lubbock who runs his own firm focused on construction, agriculture, civil litigation and mediation. The Republican has served in the Texas House since 2015, slowly building his stature and overcoming a scandal in 2019, when he was caught on tape discussing an effort to target 10 Republicans in their upcoming primary races. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Then-Speaker Dennis Bonnen resigned over the incident, and Burrows stepped down as chair of the House GOP Caucus. I will be shocked if either of them survive this, former Republican state Rep. Jonathan Stickland said at the time. But Burrows remained influential in the chamber, later emerging as a top lieutenant to Phelan and establishing himself as the heir apparent when Phelan stepped aside late last year. Heres what to know about the new speakers background and how he could lead. Advertisement Article continues below this ad How long has Burrows been in office? Burrows was first elected in 2014, winning the Republican primary in a safe district in the Lubbock area being vacated by Charles Perry, who ran for state Senate. His first bill aimed to prevent school districts from suspending or terminating teachers for permissible teaching about the Bible. It ultimately failed. During the 2017 session, Burrows authored 42 bills, two of which became law: one regulating certain agricultural contracts and another assisting first responders with workers compensation claims. By 2019 he had emerged as a power broker. Just before the scandal that year, he was elected chairman of the House Republican Caucus and tapped to chair the House Ways and Means Committee, a powerful group that leads tax-writing efforts for the state budget. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Burrows also authored the chambers property tax reform bill that year. In 2023, Burrows joined 59 other Republicans in voting to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton on corruption and abuse of office charges. Paxton was later acquitted by the more conservative Senate, and Burrows didnt play a big public role in the process. What are Burrows legislative priorities? In the 2019 tapes, which were secretly recorded, Burrows and Bonnen also spoke about their desire to rein-in cities and counties. "Any mayor, county judge who's dumbass enough to come meet with me - I told them with great clarity, 'My goal is for this to be the worst session in history of the Legislature for cities and counties,'" Bonnen said on the recording. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "I hope the next session's even worse," Burrows added. Burrows went on to endorse a ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying, which would prevent cities, counties or school districts from using any public funds to advocate at the Legislature. In the 2023 session, he authored the controversial Death Star" bill, which broadly blocked local government ordinances that go further than state law on everything from agriculture to housing. Burrows said at the time the bill was designed to keep cities and counties focused on public safety and road and sewage maintenance, rather than implementing progressive priorities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "What I am starting to see is a different category of ordinances that have emerged, where some of the same advocates that come to the Legislature with their agenda ... have now gone to some of our cities -- maybe our more progressive cities -- and had those adopted there," Burrows said. In 2022, Burrows chaired the Houses investigation into the Robb Elementary School shooting that left 19 students and two teachers dead. He went on to author a school safety bill in 2023 that created a host of new security requirements for schools and set aside more than $1 billion extra dollars. The centerpiece of that bill was a requirement for districts to hire armed guards on each campus, which a Hearst Newspapers analysis found most districts could not comply with due to its high cost and lack of available officers. That same year, Burrows served as chair of the powerful Calendars Committee, which decides what bills receive votes on the House floor. Families of the Uvalde victims visited the Legislature repeatedly to lobby for an increase to the minimum age to purchase an assault-style weapon. When the bill unexpectedly passed out of a Republican-led committee, Burrows did not schedule it for a vote. "Uvalde families didn't fail, Texas politicians did," Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose 10-year-old daughter Lexi died in the shooting, said at the time. "We were up against a brick wall, but the dent we left is notable. We'll be back." Burrows will now oversee a session that could largely center on private school vouchers, water infrastructure and the GOP push to introduce more Christianity into public schools, such as in-school prayer or the display of the Ten Commandments. Burrows voted in favor of Gov. Greg Abbotts voucher plan in 2023. His public statements have emphasized a need for both vouchers and public school funding. In his speech after winning the speakership Tuesday, Burrows named a few priorities for the session, including property tax relief, increased support for public schools, investment in water infrastructure and policies to address the risk of terrorism in the wake of the New Years attack in New Orleans by a Houston man. A ban on taxpayer funded lobbying has also been discussed for this session. Each of you brings unique wisdom, from the districts you serve, from the Panhandle to the Valley, from East Texas to El Paso, our strength lies not in conformity but in how we harmonize these diverse perspectives, Burrows said in his victory speech. Who are Burrows biggest donors? Burrows largest donor throughout his political career has been Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC, a group that lobbies to curb what it sees as frivolous litigation against business. The PAC contributed $116,000 over the years, followed closely by former Speaker Dade Phelan, whose campaign gave just shy of $109,000. Other groups donating substantial amounts include the PACs for the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the Texas Association of Realtors, the Texas Medical Association, a group for Texas correctional officers. Empower Texans, a PAC funded largely by the West Texas billionaire Tim Dunn whose political organizations backed Cook in the speaker race, donated to Burrows twice in 2015. What are lawmakers saying about Burrows? As a conservative Republican with a track record of bills opposed by Democrats, especially the Death Star bill, Burrows appeared an unlikely compromise speakership pick for a bipartisan coalition. But Democrats heaped praise on Burrows during nominating speeches, with 49 ultimately voting for him. When I was having issues, he was the first one to say, what can I do to help? What do we need to do? said Toni Rose, D-Dallas. This is the kind of leader we need, one who will make sure everyone is able to represent their district. I'm supporting Dustin Burrows, not because we agree on everything, but because he understands that this house, this is the people's house, said Mihaela Plesa, D-Plano. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, said Burrows had deftly navigated the Calendars Committee in 2023, noting that the role with the power of deciding winners and losers comes the risk of ruining relationships. You can't have a job like Dustin has had running Calendars without making somebody mad, Geren said during his speech nominating Burrows on Tuesday. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads the Senate, slammed Burrows after the vote for having been "handed the speakership by Democrats, as has happened behind closed doors session after session since 2009." He laid out several of his priority items for next session, including school vouchers, bail reform and banning ownership of Texas land by "foreign adversaries." HA NOI Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang hosted the ministrys annual meeting with foreign diplomatic representative bodies and press agencies bureaus in Viet Nam on Thursday. The event was a chance for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), diplomatic representative bodies of countries and international organisations, and foreign press agencies bureaus to strengthen links, review their coordination last year, and celebrate the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) of Viet Nam. In her remarks, Hang highlighted Viet Nams achievements in socio-economic development in 2024, including an impress growth rate of 7 per cent - one of the highest in ASEAN, many new trade and investment records, along with successes in poverty reduction and improvement of peoples life quality, ensuring that growth attainments reach all people and no one is left behind. With an open foreign policy, Viet Nam has continued to enhance and elevate relations with countries and international organisations. In particular, it has expanded diplomatic ties with 194 countries, upgraded and further intensified the strategic and comprehensive partnerships with 32 countries, and played an increasingly active and responsible role in over 70 regional and international organisations of which it is a member. She attributed the countrys achievements last year partly to the precious cooperation and support from international friends, including diplomatic representative agencies and reporters and assistants of foreign press outlets bureaus, who have served as a bridge helping spread information and images about Viet Nam to the international community in an objective and vivid manner. Pledging the MoFAs timely coordination with and consistent support for the diplomatic representative agencies and foreign press outlets, the Deputy Minister noted 2025 is a pivotal year for Viet Nam to accelerate efforts and make breakthroughs to reach the socio-economic development targets for 2021 - 2025, prepare for the 14th National Party Congress, celebrate many significant anniversaries, and organise important multilateral diplomatic events, including the fourth Partnering for Green Growth and the Global Goals 2030 (P4G) Summit this April. Given this, she expressed her hope for continued support from the diplomatic representative bodies and foreign press agencies bureaus, especially in further disseminating information and images about Viet Nams dynamic development to the world. At the meeting, the official and other participants also wished a new year full of energy, peace, and prosperity for each country and the whole world. VNS WARSAW Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk hosted a welcome ceremony in Warsaw on Thursday for Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, his spouse and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation who are on an official visit to the European country. The Vietnamese and Polish PMs inspected the guard of honour. The ceremony concluded with a military parade by the Polish army. After the ceremony, the two PMs held a private meeting before starting their talks. Over the past 75 years, Viet Nam and Poland have fostered a strong and comprehensive relationship across multiple fields, including politics, economy, culture, science, and education. Poland has been a steadfast supporter of Viet Nam, offering significant assistance during the countrys past struggle for national independence and in its current national development process. Frequent high-level visits and exchanges between the two countries have been maintained, further strengthening their friendship. Additionally, Viet Nam and Poland have cooperated closely in multilateral forums. Viet Nam is now Polands largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, and Poland is Viet Nams leading partner in Central and Eastern Europe. Bilateral trade has grown steadily in recent years, topping US$3.43 billion in 2024. Poland has ratified the EU - Viet Nam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). As of November 2024, Poland had invested in 33 projects in Viet Nam, with total registered capital of $473.82 million. Poland was one of the first EU countries to assist Viet Nam during the COVID-19 pandemic, donating 1.4 million vaccine doses and 8 tonnes of medical supplies valued at $4 million. Cooperation in other fields such as defence, security, education, agriculture, culture, and labour has also continued to progress. Thousands of Vietnamese students and skilled workers have been trained in Poland. The Vietnamese community in Poland, numbering around 25,000, are known for their solidarity, dedication to the homeland, and their valuable contributions to both Poland and bilateral relations. Given the strong foundations over the past 75 years, PM Chinhs official visit to Poland is expected to create a breakthrough in the bilateral relations, thus further enhancing Viet Nams ties with Central and Eastern Europe. Earlier on the day, prior to the welcoming ceremony, PM Chinh, his spouse, and the Vietnamese delegation laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Victory Square in Warsaw, named after Marshal Jozef Pisudski. This memorial honours Polish soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the nations independence. In the memorial guestbook, the Vietnamese leader expressed his admiration for the fallen heroes who dedicated and sacrificed their lives for Poland's independence, sovereignty, freedom, and development. VNS WARSAW Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk agreed that the two sides should consider upgrading relations to a strategic level soon, on the basis of high political trust and positive results of the 75-year traditional friendship. The leaders reached the agreement during their talks in Warsaw on Thursday during PM Chinhs official visit to the country. Their meeting followed an official welcome ceremony for the Vietnamese leader hosted by Polish PM Donald Tusk. Welcoming PM Chinh and the Vietnamese high-ranking delegation, the first high-ranking international delegation to officially visit Poland in 2025, he said the visit marks the beginning of the year celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries (1950-2025). It is expected to create new momentum to bring the friendship and multi-faceted cooperation into depth, substance and effectiveness. PM Tusk affirmed that Viet Nam has always been a close, traditional and long-standing friend of Poland and is currently one of the country's leading partners in Southeast Asia. PM Chinh highly appreciated Poland's important socio-economic achievements, becoming the 20th largest economy in the world and believed that Poland would continue to develop even more strongly. He emphasised that the Vietnamese people always remember the Polands valuable support in the past struggle for national liberation, as well as in the current cause of national construction and development. Poland has trained thousands of Vietnamese engineers, doctors and scientists in various fields. Poland's iconic projects are still operating well in Viet Nam, such as the Viet Nam-Poland Friendship Hospital and the Viet Nam-Poland High School. Poland was one of the first European countries to provide valuable support to Viet Nam in terms of vaccines and medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said. The Vietnamese leader affirmed that Viet Nam always attaches importance to and wishes to further strengthen the traditional friendship with Poland Viet Nam's leading partner in the central and eastern Europe region. He proposed six groups of major orientations to soon consider the bilateral relationship upgrading to a strategic level. He noted that the two countries must strengthen political trust, increase contacts and exchanges of delegations at all levels, and on all channels of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and people-to-people exchanges. The two nations must also make economic cooperation to become an important pillar of bilateral relations and strive to soon bring the two-way trade turnover to US$5 billion. They vowed to foster ties in security defence, transnational crime prevention, cyber security, education and training. They pledged to intensify labour cooperation, which has been said to hold huge potential, especially human resource training in digital transformation, green transformation, the circular economy and chip manufacturing. The two PMs also agreed to enhance people-to-people exchanges and work together on the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. PM Chinh announced that Viet Nam has decided to waive visas for Polish citizens in 2025. They also affirmed their willingness to strengthen coordination and mutual support at regional and international forums such as the United Nations, the ASEAN-EU framework and affirm the readiness to become a bridge between ASEAN and Poland. Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Viet Nam is considered one of Poland's most potential markets in the Asia-Pacific region. More Polish enterprises are interested in expanding their investment and business in Viet Nam. He affirmed that Poland will soon ratify the Viet Nam - EU Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and EU Commission to soon remove the 'yellow card' imposed on Viet Nams fishery exports to the EU market. The two sides agreed to support and act as gateways for each other's goods to enter the ASEAN and EU markets. Discussing regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea), PM Chinh requested Poland support ASEAN's central stance on the East Sea issue. Accordingly, disputes and conflicts in the world need to be resolved by peaceful means, on the basis of the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, contributing to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the regions and the world, for global cooperation and prosperity, Chinh said. PM Chinh invited the Polish PM to visit Viet Nam soon. The two leaders then witnessed the signing of a number of cooperation documents covering diplomacy and labour matters. VNS HUNG YEN Nguyen Thi Tinh, a resident of Hai Yen village in Hung Yen Province's Hai Thang Commune, faced a daunting challenge in 2017. With two children at university, monthly costs of approximately VN10 million (US$393) were a heavy burden for her farming family. Recognising her financial strain, an officer from a branch of the Viet Nam Bank for Social Policies in Tien Lu District approached Tinh, offering her access to a preferential loan as part of a programme designed to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds. With the loan of over VN100 million, Tinh, 45-year-old, was able not only to fund her childrens education but also to establish an integrated farming operation that would improve her family's financial security. She proudly shares how the preferential loan from the bank helped her raise three daughters, two of whom are still in university. The loan was vital during a very challenging time. It stopped my children from having to abandon their studies," Tinh told Tin Tuc (News) newspaper. "When they found out their parents had borrowed money to support them, it motivated them to study even harder. They developed a sense of thrift and were determined to find work after graduation to repay the loan on time. Nguyen Thi Tho, a resident of Lac ao commune in Van Lam District, shares a similar story. When her son was admitted to the University of Electrical Engineering, she and her husband were both thrilled and anxious, uncertain how they would afford the tuition fees. Their worries were alleviated when the local savings and loan group helped them access the student loan programme. This support allowed their son to pursue his studies without the weight of financial concerns. Our income is modest, Tho said. It barely covers our daily living expenses. Without the loan, it would have been very difficult for our son to graduate with a bachelors degree and secure the stable job he has today. By the end of 2024, the branch of the Viet Nam Bank for Social Policies in Hung Yen Province reported that nearly 4,540 students from disadvantaged backgrounds had benefited from the student loan programme. The programme has enabled countless students to continue their education, ensuring that financial hardships do not derail their dreams. Not only has this initiative helped develop a skilled workforce for the country, but many graduates are also dedicated to repaying their loans on time, reflecting the programmes positive impact on credit quality. Beyond education, the banks preferential loans are also driving local economic growth. The banks efforts to support job creation and expand employment opportunities have been particularly beneficial to ex-soldiers returning to their communities, and rural women over 40 - a demographic often overlooked by traditional employers. By early January 2025, more than 20,000 clients in Hung Yen had received loans totalling over VN1.303 trillion. Among them is o Manh iep, a former soldier from Tan Hung village in Hung Cuong Commune. After receiving a loan of VN100 million, iep invested in 12 cows - both breeding and meat cattle - valued at VN370 million. This investment has not only improved his familys income but has also allowed him to open a livestock feed store, responding to the growing demand for animal husbandry in the area. iep, whose resilience and determination reflect the spirit of a former soldier, explains how the loan transformed his farming operations. When I first left the army, I started with just two cows," iep said. "It was a struggle to expand, but with the help of the local veterans association, I was able to access a loan. Now, Ive shifted from small-scale farming to a larger operation, and Im also helping meet the needs of other farmers by selling livestock feed. In Hung Cuong commune alone, 113 veterans like iep have received preferential loans totalling VN6.8 billion, fueling local economic growth. Pham Van Dinh, vice chairman of the communes Veterans Association, notes that all members have used their loans for productive purposes, with annual profits ranging from VN200 to 300 million. This success has created a strong sense of shared ambition to improve lives and build wealth through the Governments preferential loans. Dinh calls on the Government to increase the availability of such loans, which currently meet only 30 per cent of the demand. He said: Our members are eager to create wealth in their hometowns, but the funds available are not enough. If the Government increases the loan amounts, it will create more jobs and income, boosting both household and community economies. The Viet Nam Bank for Social Policies plays a key role in implementing preferential loan programmes that foster both educational and economic development. Vu Hai Chieu, Deputy Director of the bank's branch in Hung Yen Province, affirmed that the preferential loan programme has been well received by the public, with strong support from local authorities. This programme not only ensures social security but also helps create a high-quality workforce for the new era. By maximising access to preferential loans, we are reducing poverty, promoting educational equality, and fostering human resources that will drive the nations growth, he said. Through these loan programmes, the bank is playing an integral part in creating a better future for many families in Hung Yen, empowering individuals to pursue their dreams and contribute to the countrys development. VNS HCM CITY Along with its financial incentive policy for women bearing two children before 35 years old, HCM City is developing more long-term and sustainable policies to address its declining birth rate. The city currently falls within the group of 21 provinces and cities experiencing low and consistently decreasing fertility rates from 1.39 children per woman in 2022 to 1.32 in 2023, a figure significantly below the replacement rate of 2.1. This protracted period of sub-replacement fertility carries substantial long-term negative consequences, including accelerated population aging, labour shortages, and adverse impacts on social security systems. Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen uc Loc, director of the Institute for Social Life Research, said mitigating this trend requires HCM City to formulate adaptable population and labour policies geared toward enhancing citizens quality of life. The city must prioritise investment in healthcare, education, financial assistance for childcare, and the provision of social housing and accommodation for workers, he said. Tackling the low birth rate necessitates a concerted effort from the entire political apparatus, coupled with public consensus and support, Pham Chanh Trung, head of the city's Division of Population and Family Planning, said. Policy coherence across social security, educational support, healthcare provision, living standards, social housing, and personal income tax is essential to reassure couples contemplating parenthood and encourage them to have two children. In late 2024, the municipal Peoples Council ratified a resolution to incentivise and support collectives and individuals demonstrating exemplary performance in population management within the city. The policys core provision is a VN3 million grant (US$118) for women giving birth to two children before their 35th birthday, alongside a VN2 million subsidy ($79) for prenatal and neonatal screenings for pregnant women and newborns from impoverished, near-impoverished, socially vulnerable, and island-dwelling households. The citys Department of Health is currently finalising a draft proposal outlining key interventions aimed at increasing the total fertility rate and enhancing the health of individuals in early life, children, and adolescents within the city until 2025 and beyond. Upon approval, a suite of systemic policies and measures will be implemented to address the citys declining birth rate. Phan Van Mai, chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee, said the low birth rate constitutes a significant challenge with far-reaching implications for the citys socio-economic structure and operations. The city has been concentrating on multi-faceted solutions to address this issue, aiming to adjust the total fertility rate to 1.4 children per woman by 2025, with a target of 1.6 by 2030. The municipal Peoples Committee issued Directive 17 on bolstering population management in the citys new context. This directive encompasses the development and enhancement of a comprehensive population service delivery network, focusing on the scale, structure, quality, and distribution of the population, with particular emphasis on elderly care, adaptation to population aging, and improvements in population health. The municipal Peoples Committee has also tasked the Department of Health with collaborating with the Department of Justice and relevant agencies to review and propose population-related policies to competent authorities, prioritising solutions to address the low birth rate and enhance population health within the city. In addition to housing policies encompassing social housing projects and rental schemes for workers, the city is formulating sustainable policies pertaining to education, healthcare, and improvements in citizens quality of life. The city is researching comprehensive education policies, including tuition waivers and reductions for students from preschool to high school, alongside other forms of support. It is also developing a comprehensive, progressive healthcare programme. It is also preparing to introduce regulations concerning health, psychological well-being, and legal literacy as prerequisites for marriage registration, once appropriate conditions are met. Beyond these initiatives, the city is also prioritising elderly care, improvements to the working environment, enhancement of the quality of life, attraction of skilled labour, and increases in labour productivity, alongside the mobilisation of social resources to ensure social security, thereby implementing a comprehensive strategy to adapt to population aging. The city's government and the health sector have introduced numerous advocacy, support, and incentive measures to encourage couples to have two children. These aim to firmly maintain a replacement-level fertility rate, ensure a stable population growth rate, and keep a balanced working-age population. They include abolishing the disincentives related to having a third child or more and encouraging women to marry before 30 and have two children before 35. The Ministry of Health has also proposed cancelling disciplinary measures for Party members having a third child. Furthermore, localities are researching, piloting, and expanding services such as child transportation, childcare facilities, milk banks, and family doctor programmes, alongside the strategic planning and construction of suitable childcare centres and kindergartens. VNS QUANG NAM Nearly 300 students from three secondary schools in the Que Son district of the central province took part in hands-on activities and real world projects that promoted teamwork, problem solving and self awareness through the new Design for Change framework, part of programmes managed by ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil said it continues to drive positive impact for communities in Viet Nam, contributing a total of US$45,000 in 2024 to support programmes ranging from STEM education to womens empowerment, healthcare and storm relief. ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Vietnam Limited (ExxonMobil Vietnam) donated US$10,000 to Teach For Viet Nam (TFV) for developing extracurricular programmes that focus on key competencies. Additionally, the funding allowed TFV to roll out an upskilling project titled Effective Application of Generative AI in Teaching, which benefited 79 teachers and staff at primary and secondary schools in the district. This initiative was conducted in collaboration with the Que Son Department of Education and Training. These teachers along with TFV's fellows will lead the AI application in teaching for all teachers in the district in the next phase of the project in 2025, according to ExxonMobil. President and General Manager of ExxonMobil Vietnam Cecile Rauline said: In 2024, we also supported a new community investment programme by the VinaCapital Foundation (VCF) named Brighter Path Girls Club with a contribution of $9,000. "This programme has helped ethnic minority girls in four mountainous districts of Quang Nam province including Nam Tra My, Bac Tra My, Hiep uc and Phuoc Son. It equipped them with skills in four areas: sexual and reproductive health, leadership, financial literacy and legal rights. To support those affected by Typhoon Yagi in the northern mountainous Cao Bang Province, ExxonMobile donated $15,000 to VCFs Care and Share programme and worked with Cao Bang Peoples Committee and Fatherland Front to help provide basic needs to 600 households in Bao Lam district. In early October, critical medical supplies, such as oxygen generators, examination lamps, blood pressure monitors and cervical collars, were delivered to medical facilities in Cao Bang in the second phase of the support program. The next phase will focus on supporting the recovery of medical and school facilities and providing free medicine and clean water systems for those affected by the typhoon. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of Operation Smile Vietnam (OSV), the company contributed US$11,000 to support OSVs oral care mission. A total of 2,500 students from three primary schools in Son Tinh district of Quang Ngai province will receive various dental care services including check-ups, treatment medication and dental hygiene education, with aims to help address issues such as dental disease and tooth decay in rural areas of central Viet Nam. Were passionate about our contributions to help address community needs where we operate around the world, said Cecile Rauline. Together with our long-term local partners, including VCF, TFV, and OSV, we have been working for over a decade to serve as an active catalyst for socio-economic development for Vietnamese people in Central area and other regions of the country. ExxonMobil Vietnam has been recognised for its continued contributions to local communities, receiving the Corporate Social Responsibility Recognition Award from the American Chamber of Commerce Hanoi for the ninth time in 2024. ExxonMobil Exploration and Production Vietnam Limited ('ExxonMobil Vietnam'), is an affiliate of Exxon Mobil Corporation, together with partners PetroVietnam and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Corporation Ltd. and is engaged in development activities in several technically and commercially challenging blocks offshore central Viet Nam in the Ca Voi Xanh (Blue Whale) field. Since 2011, ExxonMobil has contributed to programmes equipping healthcare centres in central Viet Nam for improved paediatric care and 'Operation Smile Viet Nam' for screenings and operations for infants born with facial deformities, along with help for underprivileged children and families. VNS HA NOI Japanese Ambassador to Viet Nam Ito Naoki and Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Education and Training Nguyen Van Phuc on Wednesday signed a grant aid agreement for the human resource development scholarship programme with a maximum funding of 722 million yen (US$4.62 million). Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Naoki expressed his pleasure in exchanging documents for the Human Resource Development Scholarship Program project, which aims to provide opportunities for Viet Nam's outstanding young administrative officials to study in Japan. Japan is honoured to contribute to Viet Nam's development as the country enters a new era under the leadership of Party General Secretary To Lam, he said. He expressed his hope that, through the young leaders and the programme's alumni network, the Japan-Viet Nam relationship will be further strengthened. The JDS (Japanese Development Scholarship) programme supports young administrative officials, expected to play key roles in Viet Nam's Government, in pursuing master's and doctoral studies at Japanese universities. This aims to address Viet Nam's developmental challenges and enhance bilateral relations through the programme's alumni network. Since its inception in 2001, the programme has welcomed more than 800 young Vietnamese administrative officials to study in Japan. VNS Tran Thai Binh, Lawyer, LNT & Partners In reference to Decree No.103/2024/ND-CP on land use fees and land rent, effective August 2024, rent is based on the land price table issued by province-level peoples committees. In 2024, most provinces significantly adjusted land prices, resulting in substantial increases in rent. For example, some land prices in Ho Chi Minh City have been adjusted up 12-fold in certain areas. Adjusting land price to align with the market price is necessary to comply with the Law on Land. This should be a normal development to new land leases. However, with previous land leases, Decree 103 does not seem to provide transitional measures or guidelines to help such corporate land tenants to adapt to these sudden changes. A foreign-led company established in 2000, and which signed a land lease with stabilisation of land rent for five years (with any increase capped at 15 per cent of the preceding rent rate as permitted previously), is now questioning whether this capped increase is still pursuant to the agreement, or whether it must comply with the new rate. This situation really poses a difficult question to answer, and there are many such cases. While Article 53 of Decree 103 also regulates a transitional clause allowing the existing land tenants to continue benefiting from the land rental applied to its ongoing stabilisation, it lacks a specific guideline on enforcing the cap agreed upon between the tenant and the province. The Land Law 2024 also establishes a principle that land rent shall be stabilised in five years, then adjusted in accordance with Decree 103 after the five-year period. Several governmental authorities interpret this provision to mean that any previous incentives should end after the stabilisation period, and the new adjusted land rent must be applied. This interpretation is also based on the fact that Decree 103 prevails over any previous provisions on land rents. From the perspective of contract law, the land lease executed between the land tenant and the landlord (a provincial authority) is a legal-document which should be upheld throughout the lease term. As such, this places governmental authorities in a dilemma. Applying a new adjusted rent that exceeds 15 per cent cap stipulated in the agreement may constitute a contractual breach by the landlord, whilst the landlord has to follow the new rent adjustment policy, which leaves no room to such an authority for discretion in determining land rents different with the new land rent policy. From the tenants perspective, although the new land laws impose a cap on the adjustment rate, limiting it to the total annual consumer price index of the entire country over the preceding five years, this rate may not be applied to this transition case. Clearly, the tenant may still face significant costs if the new land price is applied. It is clear that provincial authorities may not be able to resolve this issue effectively. It will likely require submission to higher-level authorities for further guidance and even policy amendment, which can be a lengthy and time-consuming process for enterprises. The policy of capped land rent adjustment had its historical justification. This was introduced as an assurance and incentive to attract foreign projects in the 2000s. Over time, the land price in Vietnam has been increased significantly, making this policy seem outdated, and resulting in losses for the state budget. One could argue that the cap as previously agreed should no longer be applicable or enforceable for the remainder of the lease term. Even so, from an economic perspective, investments in that period contributed significantly to the economy generally and also to the development of the real estate market, which has led to the multiple price adjustments. Therefore, it is hard to say view such outcomes as losses. There is a cornerstone principle under the Law on Investment, allowing investors to continue enjoying existing investment incentives amid law changes. This reflects a commitment by the Vietnamese government to policy stability. Enterprises may rely on this principle to appeal the rent hike with government authorities. By reviewing the rent-hike matter, we also identify the similar challenge potentially affecting many enterprises that are tenants in industrial parks. While the tenants may have completed payments to the industrial park developers, the rent adjustments could have a serious impact on developers and tenants. A useful tip to prospective tenants is to conduct a thorough legal due diligence to confirm whether the landlords have completed rent payments to the state for the industrial area, or at least the specific area to be leased to the tenant, before paying full rent for the entire lease term to the developers. The shortcomings that arise when introducing new policies are all too clear. As such, a thorough economic and social-impact assessment should be conducted in constructing the new policy. Business concerns apparent on land law The business community is still unclear about draft decrees related to land prices and implementation of the new Land Law. Celebrating the magic & colour of Tet at Fusion Resorts & Hotels Fusion Resort & Villas Danang marks Lunar New Year with a series of events from January 27 to February 1. Guests can enjoy a traditional Chung Cake cooking class, captivating lion and dragon performances, and explore the art of calligraphy. The resort will also host a Fusion Night Market, featuring unique shopping and dining experiences. Culinary highlights include a Tet Set Menu and a refined Afternoon Tea. For relaxation, Maia Spa offers soothing treatments and massages. Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion, set amid the serene Truong Son Mountain Range, presents curated experiences to celebrate Tet. The exclusive Xuan An Vui package includes a sumptuous lunch buffet, rejuvenating hot spring access, and a thrilling zipline adventure (priced at $23 per person). Guests can savour a special Lunar New Year menu with Hue-style sour shrimp spring rolls, rosemary-mustard beef, crispy roast pork, and grilled grouper fish with Vietnamese satay ($27 per person). Activities such as a Lion Dance, traditional games, and umbrella making add to the festive atmosphere. At Fusion Resort Cam Ranh, tradition meets relaxation in a vibrant celebration of Lunar New Year. On January 27, guests can participate in a Banh Tet workshop at Fresh restaurant from 11am to 3pm. Festivities continue with Tet Pole Decorating on January 28, followed by Steak Night on January 28 and 30 from 6pm. A lively Tet Poolside BBQ featuring DJ Alex will take place on January 29 at 6pm. Wellness activities such as lip balm-making, yoga, and singing bowl sessions offer a chance to recharge and reconnect Celebrating the magic and colour of Tet at Fusion Resorts & Hotels Sister resorts Maia Quy Nhon and The Ocean Resort Quy Nhon will host an array of events throughout Tet. Guests can enjoy Tet-inspired breakfasts at MIXE, Chefs Table evening dining, and Mediterranean-themed dinners alongside fusion set menus and local specialities at Vi restaurant. Daily activities include lion dances, calligraphy corners, and complimentary visits to Ong Nui Pagoda. Guests can unwind with therapies at Vela Spa or join yoga and sound therapy sessions at the Pavilion. A pool party at Vibe and family-friendly activities like arts and crafts, movie nights, and traditional folk games ensure lasting memories. Fusion Original Saigon Centre invites travellers to experience the vibrant cultural tapestry of Saigon. Conveniently located in the city centre, the hotel offers access to the newly launched metro line. Fusion Suites Saigon will host a Tet breakfast buffet featuring fruit drinks and traditional dishes such as sunflower seeds, pickled vegetables, banh tet, and braised pork. Guests can also join the hotels Wrapping Memories culinary activity, led by experienced chefs. Celebrating the magic and colour of Tet at Fusion Suites Saigon At Fusion Suites Vung Tau, Lunar New Year celebrations include the Fusion for Hope market on January 11, 2025, where guests can shop while supporting those in need. Activities include Tranh Dong Ho painting for children and a cosy New Years Eve Countdown party at the rooftop bar with stunning panoramic views and fireworks. Tickets are priced at $25 per person, including one drink and a light snack. HIIVE by Fusion Binh Duong and HIIVE by Fusion Binh Duong New City hotels welcome Tet with special menus at Zest restaurant from January 25 to February 2. The Chinese Fortune Menu "Van Su May Man" features salmon salad, golden shrimp sauce, and pumpkin crab soup, while the Vietnamese menu "Huong Vi Vuot Thoi Gian" offers familiar flavours such as bitter melon soup, sticky rice cake, and braised pork. Guests can enjoy a 15 per cent discount on pre-orders before January 20, 2025, along with a Li Xi lucky money offer for orders of two menus. Tet is a time to reunite with family, share love and kindness, and create lasting memories. Fusion resorts and hotels ensure a truly festive experience for all. Fast-growing Fusion Hotel Group beefs up leadership team in Vietnam with local talents Fusion Hotel Group has announced several key appointments in Vietnam as the wellness-inspired luxury brand continues to expand its presence in Southeast Asia. Fusion launches GLOW Bangkok Riverside Fusion Hotel Group announced the opening this month of GLOW Bangkok Riverside, a stylish new hotel overlooking the Thai capital's Chaophraya River from its vantage point in the city's historic Dusit district. Fusion unveils memorable Christmas and New year Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang, the newest property in the Fusion portfolio, has unveiled a rejuvenating Christmas Mindfulness Retreatpackage at the resorts flagship Maia Wellness. According to a new report by Momentum Works on January 9, Chinese F&B brands that have established footprints across Southeast Asia over the past few years, with beverage chains such as Mixue, Wedrink and Chagee driving up the outlet numbers. Singapore and Malaysia host the biggest concentration of Chinese F&B brands while Indonesia and Vietnam together account for about two-thirds of all the outlets, especially for the mass market brands. Southeast Asia has emerged as the top destination for Chinese F&B brands seeking to go global. Beyond introducing bold new flavours to the regions rich culinary landscape, these brands are revolutionising the industry with innovative methodologies and cutting-edge expertise across all areas of F&B operations. This influx of knowledge and practices is poised to strengthen Southeast Asias F&B ecosystem, creating lasting benefits for businesses and consumers alike, said Jianggan Li, founder and CEO of Momentum Works. The F&B market in China totalled $748 billion in 2023 and saw more than one million restaurant closures in the first half of 2024 (a 70 per cent jump from 2023), signalling fierce competition and challenging economic conditions. Due to differences in the F&B market maturity and sophistication in Southeast Asia, Chinese F&B players seeking opportunities in the region need to focus on localised strategies, particularly in the areas of operating models, partner selection, supply chain and cost structure considerations for each market. Momentum Works noted Southeast Asias F&B market grew 4.6 per cent this year, reaching $132.9 billion in 2024. Large regional and international brands are profitable in the region, with some actively acquiring other brands. At the same time, local brands have also been gaining traction outside their home turf. Cut-throat competition prompted many Chinese F&B brands to develop competitiveness in all parts of the F&B operations, including supply chain optimisation, operational efficiency, concept design, franchise management and online marketing, discovery and fulfilment. According to experts based in Vietnam, Chinese players have been looking at the Southeast Asia F&B market for a long time, with specific interest in dairy and perhaps tea. Tea is a fast-growing market in Vietnam, so Chinese players wont miss the opportunity to make a market entry. Outside milk tea and snacks, Chinese cultural delicacies have strong potential in Vietnams F&B sector, as they have similar taste profiles and reasonable price points to what the Vietnamese want. Vietnams F&B market exciting for expanding Chinese chains Experts warn that Vietnamese food and beverage businesses may face significant challenges due to the formidable economic power, efficient supply chain management, and trend-setting abilities of Chinese competitors. F&B players remain upbeat about market Despite unexpected store closures showing no sign of stopping, food and beverage (F&B) businesses remain optimistic about the prospects for growth and the future of the market in Vietnam. In this June 23, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump tours a section of the border wall in San Luis, Ariz. Evan Vucci/Associated Press While pledging to carry out the largest mass deportation effort in history, President-elect Donald Trump has pointed to one example from history that he wants to out-do: Dwight D. Eisenhowers often brutal effort to send as many as 1.3 million migrant workers back to Mexico. Under the operation that began in 1954, the Border Patrol, military and state and local police rounded up hundreds of thousands of people nationwide. They were sent across the border by bus, train and boat, in conditions that a congressional investigation later compared to an eighteenth-century slave ship. Eisenhower did it, so we dont have to feel so bad, Trump said when he kicked off his 2024 presidential campaign in Waco. Eisenhower was very, very strong on that. A lot of people dont know that. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Experts say it would be expensive and next to impossible to carry out mass removals under the current immigration system. And neither Trump nor his border czar Tom Homan have offered many details. But heres what to know about the plan Trump is at least basing his effort on: What led up to the mass deportations? Eisenhowers operation followed a major spike in migration by Mexican workers coming to work on farms in Texas and California after World War II at the behest of American business. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Under an agreement between the U.S. and Mexico, immigrants were able to work legally in the U.S. through the Bracero Program, which guaranteed workers a minimum wage of 30 cents an hour (about $3.60 today), as well as adequate food, shelter and sanitation. By some estimates, there were 300,000 Mexican workers coming to the U.S. annually through the 1950s. A historic photograph of "bracero" workers using short-handled hoes as they cultivate a field in Salinas, California, in 1956. They were among the roughly five million Mexicans who toiled in U.S. farm fields and on railroad lines during the 22-year temporary worker project dubbed the "bracero" program. This program became notorious for its abuses of Mexican workers, who were often not paid as promised, slept in cramped huts and left unprotected from chemicals sprayed on the fields. Some former braceros gathered in Chicago this week to tell their stories to the Smithsonian Institute for a history project. EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Leonard Nadel/National Museum of American History/Handout HO/REUTERS But many Texas farmers opted to bypass the federal program and hire undocumented workers they could pay even less. In some cases, they pressured federal immigration authorities to legalize their workers who were not participating in the program. In 1949, the Immigration and Naturalization Service legalized some 80,000 laborers in Texas alone. In one of the higher profile cases, federal authorities opened the border to some 7,000 Mexicans near El Paso, who they then arrested and paroled to work on farms. While farmers along the border were clamoring for workers, the explosive rise in migration led to outcry from the public and officials that mirrored that of the past few years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Gen. Joseph May Swing, the Immigration and Naturalization Service director who led the deportation operation, decried an alarming, ever-increasing, flood tide of migrants that he said constituted an actual invasion of the United States. How were mass deportation carried out? Eisenhowers deportation program began in the summer of 1954, when the Border Patrol, military and state and local authorities fanned out from the lower Rio Grande Valley, according to the Texas State Historical Association. The military-like operation named Operation Wetback after a racial slur used to describe migrants who had crossed the Rio Grande would eventually expand to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago, where many undocumented immigrants had long been settled, according to Impossible Subjects, a book by Mae Ngai, an immigration historian at Columbia University. Officials apprehended 4,800 immigrants on the first day of the operation, according to the historical association. Ngai wrote that 170,000 were apprehended in the first three months. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Immigration and Naturalization Service, which ran the operation, claimed to have removed 1.3 million immigrants during the operation, though historians say that is likely an inflated figure. According to the state historical association, federal officials claimed that most immigrants fled voluntarily, fearing they would be apprehended in the operation. READ MORE: Migrant detention bill before U.S. Senate could give Texas more sway over immigration policy Many of those detained in the operation were initially sent across the border at Presidio and loaded onto trains headed deep for the interior of Mexico in Ojinaga, the city across the border, according to the historical association. Eventually boats became a more preferred method for deportation, because they could carry Mexican workers farther from the border than trucks, buses or trains. More than 25% of those deported were sent on crammed cargo ships running routes from Port Isabel to Vera Cruz, Ngai wrote. A riot broke out on one ship, which a congressional investigation later compared to a penal hell ship, she wrote. According to the state historical association, the boat operation continued until seven deportees drowned after jumping into the water, provoking a mutiny on board and sparking public outcry. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What can Trump do? Trump has said he will focus on deporting violent criminals first, while also vowing to go further than Eisenhower. He has the record for deportation because he could not stand people pouring into the country, Trump said at an October campaign rally in Austin. I think we will break that record. But Trump, who deported fewer people during his first term than his Democratic predecessor, faces an immigration system that is vastly different than it was in the 1950s. Most immigrants who have arrived in recent years are seeking asylum, a status that did not exist in the 1950s that allows immigrants to remain in the U.S. legally while they wait for their claims to be heard. People did have due process rights then, and of course many of those rights were violated by Eisenhower when they just simply picked up people, said Ira Kurzban, an immigration attorney. As we learned later, many of those people were American citizens who they just physically removed because nobody was paying attention to their rights or what their status was. Kurzban said people today are likely much more aware of what their rights are and can turn to the courts for help. Trumps border czar, Tom Homan, has stressed that anyone deported by the administration will have due process and have already gone through removal proceedings and been issued removal orders by judges. South Texas, meanwhile, is likely to be a major staging ground for the operation. Homan has said he intends to use Starr County land offered by the state to house those waiting to be deported. But he has not detailed how the operation will proceed, and Trump has been clear he is prepared to challenge longstanding constitutional rights like birthright citizenship by deporting even American citizen children. Japanese investors are assisting in cost optimisation, boosting green transition, and supplying products, photo Le Toan In late December, Japans Marubeni Corporation commenced a demonstration of its 3.7MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The initiative follows an MoU for cooperation with Vietnam, signed between Marubeni and VinES, a subsidiary of Vingroup, last year. Marubeni will install and operate the BESS at Vinpearl Resort Nha Trang, owned by a Vingroup subsidiary, using a system developed and manufactured by VinFast Auto Ltd. under the VinFast Energy brand, another Vingroup relevant subsidiary. Satoru Harada, COO of Power Division at Marubeni Corporation, said, We are delighted to collaborate with Vingroup through the first undertaking at Vinpearl, utilising the BESS manufactured domestically by VinFast Energy. This will also open new business opportunities for Marubeni in the Vietnamese market by providing BESS services to manufacturing and business facilities, helping customers optimise operational costs while driving the green transition through rooftop solar integration as an integrated solution. In mid-December, Sojitz Corporation launched its $500 million beef processing plant in the northern province of Vinh Phuc, which is the first of its kind in Vietnam to process refrigerated beef. The new processing plant will be equipped to process approximately 30,000 cattle per year with the aim of increasing production of beef products to approximately 10,000 tonnes per year. In March, Sojitz plans to start operating a cattle farm near the processing plant, which will be capable of raising 10,000 heads of cattle. The Japanese corporation aims to provide a stable supply of Vietnamese beef products through an integrated system that spans cattle farming to processing and sales. Specifically, the beef products will be distributed using Sojitzs four-temperature, cold-chain logistics service in Vietnam with plans to conduct sales to mid- to high-end hotels and restaurants in the customer network of DaiTan Viet JSC, which is Sojitz Groups largest commercial food wholesaler. The expansion of Japanese investors takes place amid worries that foreign direct investment may slow due to tariffs. Businesses could be deferring their decisions on concerns that the new US administration will target Vietnam with tariffs, which would diminish the countrys appeal relative to other manufacturing destinations in ASEAN. Matsumoto Nobuyuki, chief representative of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) in Ho Chi Minh City, said as US trade policy towards Vietnam has not yet been publicly announced, it is difficult to evaluate what impact it may have. With regard to the tariffs on China, Canada, and Mexico, it is believed that the three largest exporters into the United States are being targeted. In addition, Vietnam is the third-largest country in terms of trade deficit from the US perspective, so it is likely that the new US administration, which is focused on improving the trade balance, will seek some response from Vietnam. In any case, we will keep a close eye on the situation, said Nobuyuki. According to a JETRO survey for fiscal year 2024, over 55 per cent of Japanese businesses doing business in Vietnam plan to expand their operations in the next year or two, the highest ratio in ASEAN. Almost half of manufacturing and processing firms plot expansion in Vietnam, while 63 per cent of firms in non-manufacturing sectors target expansion. As the global supply chain is restructured from the perspective of economic security, Vietnam is recognised as a very attractive country for Japanese investors due to its abundant and talented human resources and high economic potential. And many Japanese companies have indicated that they will expand their business in the future due to the recent increase in exports and expansion of the domestic market, Nobuyuki said. The survey revealed that the number of firms in the electrical and electronic equipment and transportation industries that will expand increased by more than 20 points on-year. However, Nobuyuki said, continuing risks in the investment environment include complicated administrative procedures, an underdeveloped and opaque legal system, and complicated tax and fiscal procedures. Addressing these issues is important for Vietnam to attract investment not only from Japan but also from other countries and to achieve further economic growth in the future, and immediate improvements should be sought, he said. Rising Japanese interest in major M&A activities promising big ticket deals Japanese companies are starting to accelerate their overseas expansion, with surging value of outbound mergers and acquisitions in the second quarter. Masataka Sam Yoshida, head of the Cross-border Division of RECOF Corporation and CEO of RECOF Vietnam Co., Ltd., talked with VIRs Oanh Van about the trend. JETRO survey finds 57 per cent of Japanese companies plan to expand in Vietnam A total of 56.7 per cent of the Japanese companies currently present in Vietnam plan to expand their operations in the country over the next 1-2 years, according to the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO). On January 14, Kim Long Motor and Changan Automobile held a ceremony to announce construction plans for the Kim Long Changan Vietnam 5-7-seater passenger vehicle manufacturing plant. The event opens up extensive cooperation opportunities and demonstrates the parties' commitment to providing new energy vehicles that meet green mobility demands in Vietnam. The plant will cover 30 hectares within the Kim Long Motor Hue Automotive Complex in Thua Thien Hue province. With a designed capacity of 50,000 vehicles annually, the factory will implement Changan's advanced production technology, aiming for a localisation rate of 40 per cent in the initial phase and 80 per cent by Q2 2026. The plant is scheduled to commence construction in 2025, generating thousands of jobs and contributing to local economic and social development. The strategic cooperation between the two sides will focus on key pillars, including selecting unique product ranges, developing a distribution system that meets brand standards, and systematically investing in the construction of the plant. Kim Long Motor and Changan Automobile will select internationally successful products suitable for the Vietnamese market, starting with the DEEPAL brand. Five models are expected to launch within the next three years to meet Vietnamese consumers' demand for green and smart mobility. In parallel, both parties will jointly plan a network of 80 showrooms across the country offering a consistent global experience. Wang Hui, vice president of Changan Automobile Group, shared, This collaboration with Kim Long Motor Hue marks a crucial step in Changan Automobiles globalisation strategy, and will serve as an important starting point for Changan Automobiles entry into the Vietnamese market. Both parties will engage in extensive cooperation in areas such as product technology, brand marketing, supply chain, OEM partnerships, social responsibilities, and more. Dao Viet Anh, general director of Kim Long Motor, stated, 2024 has witnessed a strong transformation in Vietnams automotive market, particularly the rise of electric and new energy vehicles. This presents tremendous opportunities alongside significant challenges. With over 163 years of experience and superior technological capabilities, Changan Automobile.Kim Long Motor is committed to leveraging all resources, technology, and close cooperation with Changan Automobile to achieve the shared goals, quickly putting the Kim Long Changan Vietnam 5-7-seater passenger car manufacturing plant into operation, and writing a new chapter in Vietnams automotive industry together. Kim Long Motors breaks ground on $260 million factory Vietnam's Kim Long Motors Hue JSC and China's Yuchai JSC started construction of a motor engine manufacturing and assembly plant in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on August 23, with an investment of around $260 million. Chinas Zeekr makes foray into Vietnam's EV market Premium electric vehicle brand Zeekr, a subsidiary of Geely Holding Group, has made its entrance into Vietnam's electric vehicle (EV) market. On January 15, TreeBank organised the Tree Planting Day 2025 event, Sharing a Dream, Colouring Vietnam Green. Tran Nhat Minh, director of the Institute for Research on Development Communication (RED Communication) under the TreeBank said, With the aim of encouraging Vietnamese people worldwide to plant trees together, the organisers have created a map of Vietnamese tree planters at the address map.treebank.vn, so that Vietnamese individuals everywhere can access and pin their tree planting activities. The organisers have designed four projects on tree planting, water conservation, and livelihood creation in poor districts, particularly disadvantaged communes, buffer zones of national parks, and biosphere reserves in Pu Luong in Thanh Hoa, Phong Dien in Thua Thien Hue, Tan Uyen in Lai Chau, and Nui Ba in Tay Ninh. The Tree Planting Day 2025 event will be held on the morning of March 2 at two locations, Pu Luong and Nui Ba, for residents of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to register and participate. Additionally, within the framework of the event, there will be other locations organised by partners and the community. In 2025, the organisers of the Tree Planting Day event have set a goal to mobilise the participation of Vietnamese individuals at 100 locations inside and outside the country, raising VND 6 billion ($250,000) for tree seedlings to allocate to this years tree planting projects in Lai Chau, Thanh Hoa, Thua Thien Hue, and Tay Ninh. The Tree Planting Day is the first Vietnamese initiative contributed by RED Communication, Pencil Group, and OMverse to the community to spread good deeds at the beginning of the year in line with Vietnamese tradition. The year 2025 marks the second year of the programme. In 2024, the scheme raised approximately $41,600 for tree planting activities. Dozens of businesses and communities participated in tree planting events in Ninh Thuan and Son La and many other locations nationwide. TreeBank has evolved from a women-initiated community model in Lam Dong with initial support from the Canadian Embassy in 2021. Every year, TreeBank donates around 100,000 seedlings of various kinds to improve the environment and support the livelihoods of ethnic minority communities, especially women, from contributions from businesses and the community. What are the recent developments in land use policies for commercial residential housing projects in Vietnam? Nguyen Ngoc Phuc, a partner at Nishimura & Asahi At the end of November, the National Assembly passed a pilot for implementing commercial residential housing projects through agreements on acquiring land use rights or having existing land use rights. This pilot, effective from April 1, grants real estate businesses greater flexibility in selecting land types for their commercial residential housing ventures. By introducing a more dynamic and flexible framework, it will create unprecedented opportunities for businesses and investors. For those in the sector, early action and strategic planning will be vital to leveraging these opportunities within the evolving landscape. What are the key challenges with the existing laws that this move aims to address? The primary challenge is the strict requirement for residential land as a prerequisite for commercial residential housing projects. The 2014 Law on Residential Housing mandated that commercial residential housing must involve residential land for approvals. Despite several amendments and even the introduction of the new 2023 Law on Residential Housing, this requirement remained unchanged. In practice, many businesses have acquired non-residential land, such as agricultural land, which aligns with planning requirements for commercial residential housing. However, without residential land, they cannot secure approvals. Acquiring large residential land plots for large-scale commercial residential housing schemes is particularly challenging in densely populated cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, where residential land is scarce and expensive. How does the new programme address these challenges? It introduces much-needed flexibility by removing the mandatory requirement for residential land. Subject to specific conditions and criteria, real estate businesses can now implement commercial residential housing projects by acquiring land use rights through agreements, converting land use purposes for several land types, including agricultural land, either individually or in combination. By allowing real estate businesses to utilise other types of land for commercial residential housing, the pilot eliminates the key bottleneck that has stalled many developments. It also fosters competition and innovation, enabling developers to explore a wider range of land acquisition strategies. Its worth noting that this does not cover cases where commercial residential housing projects are implemented by real estate businesses that acquire residential land use rights, or have existing land use rights for residential land or both residential land, and other land types. What are the key conditions for pilot initiatives under this change? The resolution this programme stems from outlines several criteria for commercial residential housing projects to qualify under the pilot. Notably, the land area must comply with the planning requirements of the state authorities and the approved local residential housing development plan. Additionally, they must be located in urban areas or areas planned for urban development. Furthermore, the total residential land area in pilot projects (including existing residential land and land proposed to be converted to residential land) must not exceed 30 per cent of the additional residential land area in the planning period (compared to the current residential land use status) according to the land allocation and zoning plan in the approved provincial planning for this decade. The land area must also be included in a list of proposed land lots for pilots, as approved by the provincial peoples council following submission by the peoples committee. The pilot is limited to a five-year period, starting from April. What are the implications of this for mergers and acquisitions in the real estate sector? This development has a significant impact on such activities in Vietnams real estate. It facilitates the development of new commercial residential housing ventures and improves the legal status of existing ones, creating more targets for acquisition. This is particularly beneficial for foreign investors, who face restrictions on directly acquiring land use rights from organisations or individuals. Making deals provides a viable entry point for foreign investors to participate in Vietnams real estate market. By making the sector more accessible and transparent, the related resolution lays the groundwork for a surge in foreign investments. The impeachment trial of South Korea's suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol begins Tuesday, with the country's Constitutional Court set to weigh whether to strip him of his presidential duties over a failed martial law bid. Yoon's December 3 power grab plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades, after he directed soldiers to storm parliament in an unsuccessful attempt to stop lawmakers voting down his suspension of civilian rule. He was impeached soon after and suspended from duty, but has gone to ground in his residence since, refusing summonses from investigators probing him on insurrection charges and using his presidential security team to resist arrest. Lawmakers also impeached Yoon's stand-in last month, putting the country in further political instability, and the current acting president has appeared unwilling to wade into the standoff, instead urging all parties to negotiate for a solution. The trial's first of five hearings is slated to begin at 2:00 pm (0500 GMT). The following sessions take place on January 16, 21, 23 and February 4. The court will decide mainly two issues, whether Yoon's martial law declaration was unconstitutional and if it was illegal. "This impeachment case focuses solely on the martial law situation, so the facts are not particularly complex," lawyer Kim Nam-ju told AFP. "Since most of the individuals involved have already been indicted and the facts have been somewhat established, it doesn't seem like it will take a long time." The court has up to 180 days from December 14, when it received the case, to make its ruling on whether Yoon indeed violated the constitution and the martial law act. Yoon's legal team said he would not appear at the first hearing over purported safety concerns, saying he would be willing to appear at a later date if security issues were ironed out. The trial will continue in his absence if he does not appear. Former presidents Roh Moo-hyun and Park Geun-hye did not appear for their impeachment trials in 2004 and 2016-2017, respectively. Yoon's lawyers have argued the court must utilise the full 180 days -- specifically to examine what "led to the declaration of martial law". In a parallel criminal inquiry, a joint team of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) -- which is probing Yoon over insurrection -- and police are preparing a fresh attempt to arrest the president. An earlier attempt failed after Yoon's presidential guards blocked access to investigators. Yoon's chief of staff Chung Jin-suk said his office was "ready to consider all options for investigation or visits" to the sitting leader "at a third location". If the new warrant is executed successfully, Yoon would become the first sitting South Korean president to be arrested. If eventually convicted in that case, Yoon faces prison or even the death penalty. As media speculation rose that the second attempt would take place this week, the police, CIO and Yoon's presidential security service met Tuesday to discuss the arrest warrant, the Yonhap news agency reported. Police are also reportedly preparing 1,000 investigators for the fresh attempt. Yoon's guards have reinforced his Seoul compound with barbed wire installations and bus barricades, while a military unit patrols outside. But the defence ministry said Tuesday that the soldier unit would "focus solely on its primary mission of perimeter security in the vicinity of the official (presidential) residence and will not be mobilised during the execution of the warrant". Yoon's legal team has also sought to put pressure on police to avoid being involved in the arrest attempt, claiming officers would be in "in violation of multiple laws" if they cooperated with investigators. Late Sunday, the CIO sent a letter to the defence ministry and presidential security service saying anyone blocking Yoon's potential arrest "may face criminal charges" for obstruction and abuse of authority. A huge federal probe was under way Tuesday into what caused the deadly Los Angeles wildfires, with millions in the city clamoring for answers. Social media has exploded with theories about what started blazes that tore through the city of Altadena and the upmarket neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, killing at least 24 people and leaving whole communities in ruins. Suggestions include downed power lines, deliberate arson, a stray firework and the reignition of an earlier fire. But Jose Medina of the federal Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which is leading the inquiry, said it was too early to say. "We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers. ATF will give you those answers, but it will be once we complete a thorough investigation," he told reporters. The ATF is working with local law enforcement, as well as the Forest Service and the US Attorney's office, in an operation that will involve around 75 people. Fire investigators, chemists, electrical engineers and sniffer dogs trained to detect accelerant will be doing painstaking fieldwork to find the seats of the two fires, he said. A team will also be deployed to gather clues from the local community and online, conducting interviews with possible witnesses. "We are following all the leads and processing all the physical evidence," Medina said. "ATF is determined to leverage every available resource to deliver a thorough and transparent investigation." Internet users have leapt on a video posted by trail runners that shows them running away from smoke in hills above Pacific Palisades. But one of the men, Beni Oren, told the Los Angeles Times they had nothing to do with the fire, and had actually been fleeing for their lives in the video. "It's definitely kind of infuriating that people are blaming us," he told the paper. "Just knowing as a matter of fact... that we didn't do it but then seeing the amount of people that have different theories is overwhelming." Local media reported that a number of homeowners in the Altadena area have launched a lawsuit against power company Southern California Edison after a video appeared to show flames at the base of an electrical transmission tower. The utility has said it does not believe its equipment was at fault. Public consultation planned for major north Wales solar farm A public consultation is planned for a major solar farm which could be build on land near Bodelwydden and St George, Abergele. Earlier this month, Welsh Government notified Denbighshire Council about plans for an environmental impact assessment for a development of national significance. Island Green Power is now at an early stage of developing plans for a renewable energy scheme consisting of solar and energy storage on the border between Conwy and Denbighshire. The Bodelwyddan Solar and Energy Storage has an export capacity above 10MW, so it is considered a Development of National Significance and so will be determined by the Welsh Ministers. Nick Bowen, senior project development manager at Island Green Power, said: Generating clean energy that reduces carbon emissions is critical to our future, as reflected in Wales net-zero goals. We are therefore hopeful that the local community will attend our public consultation events to learn more about the initial proposals. We value early-stage input from the community, which is vital in shaping the emerging plans. The following community consultation events are taking place: 30pm 7pm on Wednesday 29 January in Bodelwyddan Community Centre, Ronaldsway, Bodelwyddan, LL18 5TE 2pm 6.30pm on Thursday 30 January in Towyn and Kinmel Bay Community Resource Centre, The Square, Off Foryd Road, Kinmel Bay, LL18 5BT A project website has been established at bodelwyddansolar.co.uk By Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter Council WFH set for review at times the balance needs to be a bit more back in the office says Deputy Leader This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 16th, 2025 Councillors look set to debate if work from home policies should be modified to encourage more office based working at the local authority. During a media brief this week the Council Leader had remarked that a housing allocation policy was one that was long overdue, like many, at Wrexham Council. Wrexham.com queried which other policies needed looking and, and was told the list was endless. We invited just two, and before Cllr Pritchard could reply, Deputy Leader Cllr David A Bithell jumped in and offered to be controversial. Cllr Bithell explained, I think one of the top policies that elected members want reviewing is the modern ways of working, to look at how many days people work at home and how many days people work in the office. The guidance came from Welsh Government and some people have taken a really dramatic step change, and we are looking at that and are trying to get a balance right. Elected members do feel at times the balance needs to be a bit more back in the office. Officers might turn around and say that might not be true or, people are working at home and they work in a different way, but I would say thats one of the top policies that we are looking at. The Council Leader said there would be a report coming to the executive board, hopefully in January, on the subject matter, adding, We have to take into account the benefits and the negatives from both sides. It is a difficult one, but probably David has picked the right one as number one at this moment in time. The interim Chief Exec Alwyn Jones was a bit cooler on the topic, I think that the policy in terms of work life balance is really important. Its not just about the location, it is also about the wellbeing of staff, the support that they have, and actually getting that balance correct. We shouldnt make this about in office or out of office, it should be about ongoing support and the balance in terms of being able to deliver the services that we need to do. That is not to say that what were doing now is right or wrong. Its about making sure that we assess it, consider whether it is right. Lets be absolutely clear as well, and the Leader and Deputy Leader wont disagree with me here. We also have to make sure that it actually attracts staff to Wrexham as well in terms of us being able to recruit as well. There is a balance here, in terms of actually getting people being able to spend time with colleagues, being able to get the support they need, being able to deliver the services they need, whilst also the time being able to have a work life balance. So from my perspective, this isnt just a whether someone is in the office or not. It is not that were not on the same page, I think we are, its just getting the balance. We asked the elected representatives if they felt the same about councillors attending meetings, or chairing meetings, that it should be in person rather than on zoom. Cllr Pritchard replied, No. I think its a common sense approach for me. Ill give you an example, the elected member in Glyn Ceiriog, hes going to travel all the way to come to a scrutiny committee for an hour and a half, and he has to travel back, by the way he could claim expenses. So, because of modernisation and because of Team and Zoom, you can come in through that process. Why wouldnt you encourage that? Also, with regards to myself, I used to go on the train and back to Cardiff for a 45 minutes meeting with a Minister. Id travel two hours there and two hours back. Madness. So I do those meetings on Teams. Ive just had a meeting this morning with two Ministers on teams. What I would say is, the difference is that with traveling and elected members and officers and staff, Im all about delivering service. So if working from home has a detrimental impact on the service delivery, I wouldnt support it. That is the debate and conversation we need to have now. This does not affect all our staff, it does not affect the front line in housing, or work on our social housing stock, 99% of the environment department work out of the office. Im addressing this and coming at it from service delivery. We are a public servant. Im not here to facilitate working from home. Im here to facilitate and to push service delivery. I wouldnt expect our Chief Exec to work from home. Its unacceptable. I wouldnt expect our Chief Officers or Heads of Services to work from home. Thats my opinion. No report on working from home or review of modern ways of working has yet appeared, but appears imminent. (Top pic: ASCII art back from when the council banned any form of images coming from the council chamber.) Tres bien! French connection inspires former Wrexham music teacher to pursue solo career This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 16th, 2025 A former music teacher has started writing songs in French after being inspired by tutors on a college languages course. Talented Paul Fisher, from Wrexham, performed some of his new compositions for fellow learners at Coleg Cambria Yale this week. Paul, who spent most of his career teaching at the citys St Christophers School, sang and played classical guitar, including his own tracks, Ou Sont Passes Ces Jours (Where Have Those Days Gone), and Mon Coeur est Ouvert (My Heart is Open). Having played harmonica, keyboard and guitar with local bands over the years he recently returned to his great passion and plans to release solo material this year. Pauls love of languages he is also performing tunes in Italian and Spanish was reinforced on the part-time Conversational French programme at Cambria, which led to him trying something a little different. In working to construct a quality set list which includes some of my own songs, Ive been able to learn and add a number of them in French, Italian and Spanish, he said. Ive also hired local village halls for my practice sessions and worked to develop my vocal skills with professional soprano Jayne Wilson, so it was fantastic to be able to get up in front of students and staff at the college and perform some of my compositions for them. Paul added: The first foreign language song I attempted was in French and recorded at Amp studios in Wrexham, which is where I did my first ever recording many years ago. With only a basic knowledge of the dialect enough to order a baguette and a pain au chocolat I knew my vocals had pronunciation errors so having already signed up for French at Coleg Cambria to prepare for my next vacances en France it was a great opportunity to look for the support I needed to raise my game. The tutor provided the help and encouragement I was looking for and was instrumental in enabling me to begin writing my own songs in French, and I found singing and playing was a really good way to pick up the language. This was a creative development I would not have undertaken if not for this course and the supportive atmosphere at the college, as well as the opportunity to learn and interact with all the other attendees merci to Pam and all the team! Mel Henry, Curriculum Director and Deputy Head at Yale Sixth, said their languages programmes continue to be popular with adult and part-time learners. We have seen more and more people sign up to French and Spanish lessons, as people are attracted to the flexible, supportive nature of these courses, she said. Pauls story is amazing, hes an inspiration himself so for him to be inspired by our brilliant team and his peers is lovely to hear. We really enjoyed his performance and cant wait to hear more from him in different languages! over the coming years. You can watch a video of Pauls performance below. Welsh Governments flagship fuel poverty scheme woefully underfunded This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 16th, 2025 A flagship Welsh Government scheme aimed at tackling fuel poverty would take about 125 years to support every low-income household at the current rate, the Senedd heard. Mark Isherwood, the Conservatives shadow housing secretary, warned the Warm Homes Nest programme has insufficient funding to address the scale of fuel poverty. Pointing to an urgent need to improve the energy efficiency of fuel-poor households, he told the Senedd that the scheme supports about 1,600 homes a year. He said: At the current rate it will take well over a century to improve the energy efficiency of the homes of all our lower income households currently estimated to be in fuel poverty. Mr Isherwood, who represents North Wales, urged Welsh ministers to allocate an estimated 170m from UK Government spending on warm homes for the same purpose in Wales. Woefully short Sian Gwenllian, his Plaid Cymru counterpart, echoed concerns about the pace of change, with more than 200,000 households estimated to be living in fuel poverty. The Arfon Senedd member warned of a lack of clarity on the policy objective, with the Warm Homes programme somehow seeking to balance net zero and fuel poverty. Ms Gwenllian said: In some cases, both things could go hand in hand. But it can also lead to conflict when youre trying to achieve two policy objectives within a single programme. She pointed to the example of uncertainty around the boiler repair scheme beyond March. Her Plaid Cymru colleague Llyr Gruffydd said investment is woefully short of whats required, with Wales having the least energy-efficient housing in western Europe. Drop in the sea The North Wales politician told the Senedd: While there are good things happening, theyre not happening at the pace or the scale required to make an impact. Sioned Williams raised concerns about the Welsh Governments out-dated fuel poverty estimates which pre-date the energy and cost-of-living crisis. That survey is meant to be updated every five years but here we are, eight years on, approaching nine, with no update and no sign of one, said the Plaid Cymru MS. Raising the example of a couple in their late 70s who live off grid in his Newport East constituency, John Griffiths called for support to be tailored to peoples circumstances. Jenny Rathbone, a fellow Labour backbencher, said: In the main two postcodes for my constituency, CF23 and 24, 2019 and 2021 were the bumper years for retrofits. But were talking 105 and 103 in each of these years, which is obviously very welcome for those homes but a drop in the sea compared with the huge need there is in the private sector, which is where all the coldest homes now are. Making a real difference In a statement to the Senedd on January 14, Jayne Bryant set out Welsh Government action aimed at making homes warmer and lowering bills while tackling the climate emergency. The housing secretary, who was appointed in July, said the Welsh Government has invested more than 30m in the revamped Warm Homes Nest scheme. Ms Bryant, who is also responsible for councils, said: Were tackling fuel poverty through a two-pronged strategy: providing expert advice to Welsh households while delivering physical improvements to our least energy efficient homes, which cost more to heat. Our renewed programme, launched in April, is already making a real difference. Ms Bryant encouraged anybody worried about their energy bill or heating their home to call the schemes freephone number, 0808 808 2244. By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter Possible 9.9% council tax rise but Leader says any extra Welsh Government settlement would reduce the sum This article is old - Published: Thursday, Jan 16th, 2025 For every million pounds of additional finding Wrexham can secure from its Welsh Government settlement the authority will reduce planned Council Tax increases by 1%. That pledge came from Wrexham County Borough Council leader Mark Pritchard as he said councils across Wales were fighting for their lives to get a better financial package from Welsh Government. He revealed that through the councils budget-setting processes the chief finance officer calculated that Wrexham Council needed to increase council tax by 9.9% next year. But there are still additional factors to include that could see that number rise further, with Cllr Pritchard warning a Senedd committee last week that the final increase could be 15% per household in Wrexham. Our settlement in Wrexham is an improvement and thats appreciated, he told Members of the Senedd. But it isnt enough money because the demands are outstripping the services. This week he has revealed that every percentage point that council tax goes up is worth 700,000 to the authority and he promised if councils successfully negotiate more money from Welsh Government, Wrexham will reduce its council tax increase by one point for every million pounds of extra funding. Where will the final council tax level end up? Cllr Pritchard said. I dont have a crystal ball so I dont know. Will it need to go to 10%, 11 %, 12% or more? It depends what the pressures are and what our final settlement from Welsh Government is. For every one per cent that we take off the increase, its 700,000 the council has to cut. But if we can secure an improved settlement from Welsh Government that would be passed on directly. For every 1m extra finding we receive from the Welsh Government, we would reduce the council tax increase by one percent because why wouldnt you? Cllr Pritchard said that he was disappointed that councils had to fight for extra money after the Welsh Government received an additional 1.5 billion to fund services. This is not political, this is where we are. We are all fighting for our lives to get a better settlement and the money is there. So what we want is more money going forward to deliver a service. Im disappointed the additional 1.5 billion was allocated and we are still having this debate. Cllr Pritchard also criticised the Welsh Government for finalising the settlement after council budgets have been set. It shouldnt be done this way, he said. We wont know what the Welsh Government Settlement is until after weve set our budget. Theres the National Insurance question. We were told that 100% of the cost of the increase brought in by the UK Government would be covered by Welsh Government. Now Welsh Government are telling us we wont find out for certain until spring. If we set our budget and they decide to only give us 50%, we could end up with a big hole in our finances. Then we would need to look at everything libraries, resource centres, social care. We would have to leave no stone unturned. Cllr Pritchard said that there was growing opposition in the Senedd against the Welsh Governments proposed budget and he was hopeful that would strengthen local authorities case for a better settlement. On a national level the Conservatives have said they wont support the budget, he said. Plaid wont, theres one independent MS who will not work with the Welsh Government on it and Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds, who I think could be very influential in this process. Were all waiting to see what discussions and deals are done to get that budget over the line. He praised council employees for their efforts to maintain services in the face of a decade of budget challenges, but said that unless the settlement improved, the council would have to consider compulsory redundancies. We have a fantastic team here in Wrexham who work hard to deliver our services, said Cllr Pritchard. I think what weve done in the last 10 years to deliver a service standard that is acceptable is quite incredible. But weve got nowhere else to go now. Were at that point. We have already looked at Enhanced Voluntary Redundancy and we just 15 theres no appetite for staff to leave us. Will we have to revisit compulsory redundancies? Yes, if we dont get the right amount of money and we dont set the council tax at the level it should be. I dont like increasing council tax, believe me. But we have to to keep on delivering a service. I tell councillors all the time, if you dont want to set the council tax at that level, you have to support the cuts that will come in the future. By Alec Doyle LDRS Lindley Middle School was placed under lockdown following an incident in which a student used a firearm to harm themselves, triggering a Code Red. Police secured the campus, and one individual was confirmed to be in critical condition. The identity of the student and details of their injuries have not been released. Parents have been asked to reunite with their children at Leland United Methodist Church. Counseling services are being provided to students and staff, and the school community is requested to respect privacy during this challenging time. A spokesperson for the Cobb County School District provided further details, stating, "This afternoon, a student at Lindley Middle School tragically used a firearm to commit self-harm, prompting a Code Red. School administrators, along with a Cobb County School District police officer, responded immediately and secured the weapon." No further details about the circumstances leading to the incident have been provided. It is also unknown how the child was able to bring the gun onto campus. Officer S.A. Barner of the Cobb County Police Department confirmed, "In conjunction with the Cobb County School Police, we responded to an incident at Lindley Middle School following a report of a person shot. The campus was immediately secured, and the school was placed on lockdown to ensure the safety of students and staff. We can confirm there is one victim." This is a developing story. Governor Joe Lombardo presented his state of the state address Wednesday. But before that, Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager has shared that Assembly Member Tracey Brown May is doing well. During the preamble Brown May collapsed and was taken to the hospital to get testing done. Speaker Yeager says she is expected to make a full recovery. After beginning his speech with an appreciation to first responders fighting the wildfires in southern California, Governor Lombardo proceeds to discuss many topics such as education, affordable housing, and future plans in this upcoming legislative session. Lombardo says, "Without hesitation, I can confidently say that after 24 months in office we are running government. Government is not running us." In the beginning of his State of the State Address Governor Joe Lombardo says in two years employee vacancy rates have dropped from 25% to half of that. This comes after working conditions have improved, state employee productivity increased, and more people are back in office. With nearly 1.6 million Nevadans working, this marks the highest in our state's 160-year history. "But in an unusual twist, Nevada's unemployment rate stands at 5.7%, a number that reminds us there is still much work to be done," Lombardo adds. He also says due to smart fiscal decisions and prudent policies, the state managed to raise the Rainy-Day Fund to $1.3 billion after the fund was drained because of the pandemic. He tells us last session over $2 billion was raised for new funding for Nevada students and schools, and he plans to make further improvements. Starting with a $12.7 billion executive budget to provide permanent teacher pay raises. He's also splitting the Department of Health and Human Service to focus on healthcare responsibilities with Nevada Health Authority such as Medicaid, the Health Exchange, employee benefits, and mental health funding. Lombardo says, "Leveraging that power enables us to cut a better deal for taxpayers while offering better insurance options for Medicaid members, those Nevadans enrolled in the exchange, and state employees." He then presents a few acts to help with some common issues such as housing affordability, educational outcomes, public safety, and economic policy. Starting off with Nevada Housing Attainability Act. He states the bill prioritizes state funding that will support $1 billion in new attainable housing units across Nevada along with affordable insurance. "If fires do occur, despite our best efforts, we need to ensure that our homeowners and residents can have adequate insurance in place to help recover from loss and to stay in their homes." He's also pushing for the Nevada Healthcare Access Act that will require all health insurance plans to adopt standardized prior authorization plans to reduce delays for patients and providers by 2028. And to tackle the lack of funding in our education system, Lombardo is supporting the Nevada Accountability in Education Act. This act proposes to advance policies demanding stricter accountability, equity, and excellence across every grade level, expand open enrollment and provide more transportation, and use the Excellence in Education Fund to reward Nevada's highest-performing teachers and administrators. After Lombardo's Address the democratic party responded saying while they do agree with tackling some of these issues, they're a little confused on the actual details in the solution. For example, Medicaid. Steve Yeager says, "All the Medicaid stuff is federal funding so when you're talking about combining federally funded positions with state funded positions, you have all kind of red flags that come up." The state Democratic Party said in a statement that Lombardo has had more than two years to lower costs for Nevadans. While rent costs and food insecurity rise across the state, Joe Lombardo has offered no serious plan to fix these issues while directly obstructing and vetoing Democratic legislation that offered serious solutions to these serious problems," the statement said. Lombardo, the former elected sheriff in Las Vegas, vetoed a record 75 bills during the 2023 legislative session, including bills that would have added protections for renters, reformed Nevada's eviction summary system, provided free lunches at K-12 schools and given insurance stipends to long-term substitute teachers. You can view the entire state of the state address click here. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) For Mary Anderson, the first sign of trouble was a background check. Working at US Bank in Minnesota in 2015, she had access to federal government accounts. So it was important to verify she didnt have any financial problems in her life that she might try to solve with other peoples money. But Mary had nothing to hide. To her surprise, however, the examiners told her theyd found $32,000 in bad credit card debt. Most of it was on a card Mary held jointly with her husband a card she thought had been closed years before. Members only She went home and told David, her husband of 24 years, what had happened. David, a sales manager at an auto dealer, seemed just as confused as she was. It has to be a mistake, he insisted. We have a common last name, she reasoned. But the banks investigators assured her there was no error. They had the right Mary Anderson. Each day she went to work scared to death that she was going to be fired for not revealing this supposed debt. Each night her husband shrugged his shoulders. Finally, about five days later, David caved. Six years earlier, the couple had added a new kitchen and family room to their starter home. Costs had gotten out of control, he told her. Hed put the expenses on joint credit cards but didnt pay the balances. Once Mary explained the situation to her employer, she was able to keep her job. But the experience was humiliating: A woman responsible for guarding against financial hanky-panky at the office was oblivious to a huge money problem at home. For many years he was making more money than I was, so it seemed to make sense for him to handle the money and the bills, Mary says. Unlike her, he was able to come home during the day and intercept any bills in the mail. Shed occasionally see odd notices about their mortgage and unpaid bills, but hed tell her it was all taken care of. I trusted him to handle the finances, she says. A few months later, she tried to withdraw money from a savings account shed long held at a local bank. Instead of the $8,000 she expected to find, the account was empty. David had withdrawn the money. She doesnt remember his response to her questions about where the money had gone. It was tough to pull information out of him, she says. You might think your big expenses in retirement will be greens fees at golf clubs, taking the kids out for avocado toast and spa charges at that resort in Crete. And that may well be true. But some of your biggest expenses might surprise you because you pay them already. The spending most folks rack up during their working years does not suddenly change in retirement. The biggest difference is we have more time to spend money, says Patrice Jenkins, author of What Will I Do All Day? Wisdom to Get You Over Retirement and on With Living! Members only Striking a balance between funding your retirement dreams and covering those everyday expenses is what many retirees find difficult. Lifestyle creep in retirement is a real thing, says Nick Covyeau, founder and owner of Swell Financial in Costa Mesa, California. Planning years in advance to try to cover both exceptional and everyday expenses requires a keen sense of how much youll need to save and how to make those savings last. To help you get there, we asked financial and retirement planners about the obvious and not so obvious things retirees are most likely to spend their money on, and how to best plan for this spending. Here are 10 things that can take a surprisingly big bite out of your retirement nest egg. 1. Health care/wellness Of all the spending categories in retirement, this one, over time, will likely be the big tamale. The average 65-year-old retiring in 2024 will spend $165,000 on health care and medical treatment through the rest of their life, according to an annual Fidelity Investments study. If youre in reasonably good health, these costs typically will be relatively low when you retire but can add up quickly as you age into your 80s and beyond, says Eric Ross, founder and principal at F2 Wealth in Cincinnati. Health care costs are also rising faster than overall inflation up 3.7 percent for the 12 months ending November 2024, compared to 2.7 percent for products and services generally. Craig Toberman, a partner at Toberman Becker Wealth in St. Louis, says that trend is likely to continue. He encourages clients to be mindful of lifestyle spending in their 60s and 70s so theres still money for increasing medical costs in their 80s and 90s. Spending now on fitness and wellness can help retirees save later on medical costs, Toberman adds. He recommends allocating up to 10 percent of total monthly spending to health and wellness, which can include anything from personal trainers to nutritional supplements to home exercise equipment. 2. Home maintenance and modifications If you plan to stay in your home through at least a good chunk of your retirement, expect your maintenance costs to jump considerably, Ross says. Its more likely youll be hiring people to take over tasks you have been doing for years, from housecleaning to window washing to mowing the lawn and cleaning gutters. Something as simple as using a ladder as you age often isnt a good idea, he says. Year of the Snake stamps released at Confucius Institute in Minsk Xinhua) 10:51, January 16, 2025 Staff members show the first-day cover of the postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series in Minsk, Belarus, Jan. 15, 2025. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua) MINSK, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series dedicated to the Lunar New Year were released at the Confucius Institute of the Belarusian State University in Minsk on Wednesday. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. Belarusian Minister of Communications and Informatization Konstantin Shulgan said the stamps' publication illustrates how close the relationship between the two countries remains. Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Zhang Wenchuan said the issuance of Chinese zodiac stamps in Belarus has become a symbolic event for China and Belarus to celebrate the New Year and Spring Festival together, contributing to the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Staff members show the first-day cover of the postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series in Minsk, Belarus, Jan. 15, 2025. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua) The first-day cover of the postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series is pictured in Minsk, Belarus, Jan. 15, 2025. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) More than three quarters of homes listed for sale in the Houston metro area in 2024 were subject to HOA dues, according to a report from Realtor.com. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer As homebuyers contend with high prices and mortgage rates above 7%, a new report finds that homeowners association fees are making affordability concerns worse across the country. That trend is all the more notable in the Houston region, where HOA fees are "nearly unavoidable." Nationwide, homes listed for sale in 2024 were more likely to have an HOA fee than those listed in 2023, according to a Realtor.com analysis released Wednesday. The fees were higher, too, at a median of $125 a month compared to a median of $110 per month in 2023. Houston was among the top 10 cities where buyers were most likely to face such fees. More than three-fourths of homes listed in the Houston metro area 76.8% were subject to HOA dues in 2024, compared to 40.5% of all for-sale listings across the United States. The report looked at the share of listings subject to HOA fees in the nation's metro areas; Edwards, Colo., had the highest share of such listings, at nearly 90%. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "With affordability as the main concern for prospective homebuyers across the country, any additional housing expense needs to be taken into consideration," Joel Berner, senior economist for Realtor.com, said in an email. Houston's median HOA fee, at $67 a month, was significantly lower than the national median. That partly reflects the region's housing supply, which includes more single-family homes than condos. According to data from the Houston Association of Realtors, 7,162 single-family homes were sold in December in the Houston region, compared to 389 condos and townhomes. The latter generally carry significantly higher HOA fees: across the nation, according to Realtor.com's report, condos carried median HOA dues of $375 per month, compared to $58 for a single-family home. In practice, Berner said, homebuyers seem to be sensitive to HOA fees as well as other costs. Homes in homeowners associations sat on the market longer than those without last year; in 2023, when fees were lower, homes in HOAs actually moved faster. Advertisement Article continues below this ad HOA fees generally cover the costs for an association's common areas, including landscaping, roads and gyms, as well as security and some insurance coverage, expenses that can be more affordable when purchased in bulk rather than by individual homeowners. As such, fees are not necessarily a bad thing, Berner said, even if some homeowners associations overstep on fees. "It really depends on how much value the homeowner gets from the communal amenities compared to how much they'd have to pay to receive those elsewhere," Berner said. "The message to home shoppers is to do the value comparison for what they're actually getting out of their potential HOA membership." The tally of rising costs comes as Houston's housing market has softened somewhat after the pandemic-era real estate boom, although not to the degree that many potential homebuyers were hoping to see. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mereenie Development Well WM29 Completed & WM30 Commences Brisbane, Jan 16, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP ) ( C9J:FRA ) ( CNPTF:OTCMKTS ) advises that the first of two Mereenie development wells, WM29, was successfully air-drilled and completed across the Pacoota-3 sandstones. The well is currently suspended and is expected to be tied-in to the gathering system by late January. This is earlier in the quarter than previously anticipated due to the schedule being proactively accelerated in response to gas shortages in the Northern Territory. WM30, the second development well in the 2 well programme, was subsequently spudded on 16 January 2025 at 0800 hrs CST. The Mereenie development wells are expected to return field production capacity back above 30 TJ/d (100% JV) and produce at least 25 PJ of gas (100% JV) over their lifetime. Firm gas from the new wells may be sold into the recently executed NTG GSA which can be expanded by up to 6 TJ/d (100% JV) to generate further cash flow following successful completion of the wells. Further updates will be provided once initial flow rates are known and as the programme progresses. About Central Petroleum Limited Central Petroleum Limited ( ASX:CTP) is an established ASX-listed Australian oil and gas producer (ASX:CTP) with exploration and appraisal permits in the Northern Territory (NT). Central has grown to become the largest onshore gas operator in the NT, supplying residential and industrial customers in the NT and wider Australian east coast market. Central is seeking to become a major domestic energy supplier, in addition to helium and naturally occurring hydrogen, with exploration, appraisal and development plans across 169,112 km2 of tenements the NT, including some of Australia's largest known onshore conventional gas prospects in the Amadeus Basin. Related Companies Progesys Appointed Project Engineering Managers and Sete Appointed for Environmental Impact Assessment at Tiros Titanium and Rare Earths Project Appointment of Tiros Project Managers and EIA Consultants Toronto, Jan 16, 2025 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. ( ASX:RAU ) ( CVE:RSM ) ( 8TX:FRA ) ( RSGOF:OTCMKTS ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Progesys International B Ltda, ("Progesys"), as Project Engineering Managers and Sete Solucoes e Tecnologia Ambiental ("Sete") to complete the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the development of Resouro's Tiros Titanium and Rare Earth Elements Project ("Tiros Project" or "Project") in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Project Engineering Managers Progesys, a Canadian-founded company established nearly 20 years ago, is a multidisciplinary project engineering management organization. It has offices in North America, Latin America (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), Southeast Asia, the UAE, and Oman. Progesys provides industrial project management services to the hydrocarbons, mining, infrastructure, and transportation sectors. Since inception, it has been awarded US$1B in development contracts and managed US$3B transition contracts to operations. Progesys' capability is highly relevant to the Tiros Project, delivering project management services in engineering, quality assurance practices, environmental management, project management, construction management, commissioning, risk management, and operations readiness from a globally recognised engineering company. Visit Progesys https://progesys.com/ Project Manager Ms. Jordana Ferreira, Director of Industrial Projects for Progesys in Latin America, will lead the Company's project development activities including environmental and engineering studies. Ms. Ferreira has a degree in Civil Engineering from The Maua Institute of Technology University (Sao Paulo), a Mining Engineering Degree from the Curtin University Kalgoorlie School of Mines in Australia, and post graduate qualifications in business management and in engineering production. Ms. Ferreira specialises in project management and transition to operations. Before joining Progesys, Jordana spent seven years at Serra Verde (Brazil's only operating rare earths project) as engineering and process manager and brings to Resouro a unique set of skills and experience. Jordana will work from Resouro's Belo Horizonte Project office and will be supported by the Progesys Belo Horizonte Office. The appointment of Ms. Ferreira to direct project development by contract through Progesys, marks a significant step forward, aligning with the progress being made on the Company's ongoing initiatives. It allows the Company to manage a focused, but cost-effective project development schedule while engaging the flexibility of professional personnel and services at Progesys. Environmental Impact Assessment Building on Resouro's current water studies at the Tiros Central Block, Sete has been appointed to complete the EIA. About Sete Founded in 1997, Sete is one of the largest environmental consulting companies in Brazil. Its permanent multidisciplinary technical team operates throughout Brazil and around the world for several international major mining and industrial companies. The studies that Sete will undertake will complement the approvals process for a mining licence for the Tiros Project and the current community engagement programs that Resouro is undertaking. Visit Sete https://sete-sta.com.br/ Alistair Stephens, CEO of Resouro, commented: "The involvement of Progesys and Sete for engineering and environmental studies in the Tiros Titanium and Rare Earth Elements Project is a significant milestone for Resouro. I am confident Progesys are the right team to manage the Project's development, including overseeing the preliminary feasibility and environmental studies produced by Sete, ensuring the project progresses smoothly through to operations. Progesys' proven capabilities, along with Jordana's experience during the development phase at Serra Verde, will be highly valuable in guiding us through the Project's key stages, positioning us for long-term success." Project Development builds on SEDE Partnership As previously announced, Resouro has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding ("MOU") with the Minas Gerais State Economic Development Department ("SEDE") and the Integrated Economic Development Institute ("Invest Minas") (refer to ASX release dated 27th November 2024, TSXV 26th November 2024). The SEDE partnership provides the foundation for the State of Minas Gerais and Invest Minas to assist with the advancement of Resouro's Tiros Project. The partnership will allow the Company to collaborate with Invest Minas to progress the Project's development towards permitting, construction and mining. The appointment of Progesys to manage project development activities supports the Company's commitment to project development, in alignment with the SEDE and Invest Minas MOU. ONGOING WORK and NEXT STEPS Resouro has a number of activities that will develop into near term announcements on work programs. The outcomes of these works are expected to form the basis for significant news flow in the first and second quarter of calendar 2025. Drilling Results and Mineral Resource Update Assays from the 2024 drill program are currently in the SGS Geosol laboratory in Belo Horizonte with assay results due in the near term. These are expected to form the basis of an updated JORC Resource Estimate. Advancing Technical Programs Resouro is making significant progress with metallurgical test-works at laboratories in Brazil and Australia for the separation and recovery for titanium dioxide, rare earths elements and other by-products. These works are being performed at laboratories in Perth, CIT Senai Laboratories in Belo Horizonte and at the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. Initial results from this work should be available in the first quarter of 2025. Demonstration Plant and Scoping Study at Tiros Northern Block In parallel with these programs, the Company is moving forward with planning for a demonstration plant facility at the Tiros Northern Block, building on current metallurgical test work and the development of an optimised metallurgical flowsheet. Further to these technical programs, the Company will commence the highly anticipated first-stage Scoping Study, leading to prefeasibility and definitive feasibility studies. About Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. Resouro Strategic Metals Inc. (ASX:RAU) (CVE:RSM) (OTCMKTS:RSGOF) (FRA:8TX) is a Canadian-based mineral exploration and development company focused on the discovery and advancement of economic mineral projects in Brazil, including the rare earth elements and titanium Tiros Project and the Novo Mundo and Santa Angela gold projects. The Tiros Project, located in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil, is an exploration project focused on rare earth elements and titanium covering an area of approximately 450 km2. The Tiros Project comprises 17 exploration permits, and one exploration permit application held by the Company's Brazilian subsidiary; and 6 exploration permits and one exploration permit application that have been validly assigned to the Company's Brazilian subsidiary and are awaiting ANM approval. The Company holds, via its wholly owned Brazilian subsidiary, a 90% interest in the Tiros Project and the remaining 10% interest in the Tiros Project is held by RBM Consultoria Mineral Eireli (RBM), an unrelated third-party vendor. The Novo Mundo Project is located in the Alta Floresta Gold Province close to the northern border of the state of Mato Grosso, central Brazil. Within the licensed area is the small town of Novo Mundo, which is 30km west from the larger town of Guaranta do Norte. It comprises three exploration permits. The Company also has another interest in an exploration permit, being the Santa Angela Project, which is not considered material to the Company's operations. Interests in the Novo Mundo Project and Santa Angela Project are held via the Company's wholly owned subsidiary. Related Companies FILE - A logo of BP at a gas station in London, on Nov. 1, 2022. Kin Cheung/AP BP has announced it will eliminate a total of 7,700 roles 4,700 internal jobs and 3,000 contractor roles to cut costs, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Associated Press. The British oil and gas company, which employs 90,000 people worldwide, told employees about the cuts on Thursday via an email from CEO Murray Auchincloss that was provided to the AP. BP representatives could not immediately be reached for comment. Advertisement Article continues below this ad BP employs around 4,000 people in Houston, its largest employee base in the world. It was not immediately clear whether Houston roles would be impacted in the cuts. Consultation between employers and employees typically involves discussing any important developments that could affect the people who work for the organization, according to NiDirect, a government website in the UK. The internal job cuts are subject to consultation and local regulations, and 2,600 of the 3,000 contractors affected by the cuts have already left BP, the Wall Street Journal reported. The cuts come as Auchincloss said the company is "focusing resources on our highest-value opportunities," according to the AP. The company has also stopped or paused 30 projects since June and plans to increase the role of artificial intelligence in its engineering and marketing operations, the AP report states. The internal job cuts represent around 5% of BP's workforce, the Wall Street Journal reported. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In April, company leaders said they hoped to reduce cash expenses by at least $2 billion by the end of 2026, and in October they stated they had identified $500 million in savings for 2025, the Journal reported. The oil giant announced in September that it planned to sell its Houston-based U.S. onshore wind energy division, refocusing its local operations on its core oil and gas business and concentrating its renewable ambitions in Europe, according to a previous Chronicle report. The company said it was divesting its wind energy assets because they are not aligned with the companys growth plans for Lightsource BP, its renewables subsidiary that was Europes biggest solar developer as of the end of 2023. Claire Hao contributed to this report. Over a quarter (30%) of Local Government Pensions Scheme (LGPS) pension Funds have come together to urge the Government to re-think their plans to overhaul the LGPS, as laid out in its LGPS: Fit for the future consultation. These include rethinking plans to switch responsibility for determining how LGPS Funds invest their assets from individual Funds to Pools, alongside mandating that funds take their principal advice on their investment strategy from the Pool. In a paper highlighting concerns, 30 co-signatories, comprising LGPS Funds and advisers, including Hymans Robertson claim the Governments plans would put the LGPSs 400bn assets at risk, by introducing a raft of unintended consequences. The Signatories call on the Government to revisit these plans, as they raise the potential for poor investment returns directly impacting local taxpayers. The paper entitled, The future of investment strategy advice in the LGPS, considers the investment strategy proposals in the consultation in detail. It examines the risks within the Governments new proposals and offers an alternative solution that better delivers for Funds, Pools and the Government. This alternative would enhance capacity to develop local investment capabilities an area which could have the greatest impact on growing the UK economy. The alternative model also sees Funds retain the option to procure their own investment strategy advice (including from the Pools), thereby using competition to maintain value for money, high service levels, innovation, and diversification. Commenting on the need for a more nuanced approach to changes to investment in the LGPS, Iain Campbell, Head of LGPS Investment, Hymans Robertson says: While the Governments ambitions are understood, there are other ways to achieve the same, if not better, results without introducing the level of risk to both the LGPS and UK. As the Government acknowledges, investment strategy is by far the most financially impactful investment decision a pension committee makes. The advice in setting an investment strategy is incredibly impactful, and important in aligning decisions to Funds goals and needs. Nearly all of Funds use investment consultancy services for their investment strategy reviews. These operate in an efficient and competitive market, with significant resources. The LGPS performance to date is strong testament to the value added. Therefore, Funds should retain the option of using this tried and tested route and select their advisor. This will minimise risk. Pools can then be included as an option once they have developed the services. To force advice from a single provider, that is then responsible for implementation and performance, introduces conflicts of interest. It also removes competitively driven value for money, high service levels and innovation. Of significant concern is the inability of Funds to change provider if their Pool is not providing an adequate service. If Funds lose access to independent advice, there is an increased risk of creating a democratic deficit and weakening the connection to local accountability. These concerns are why of the 80 LGPS Funds we polled, 95% said they would prefer to retain the autonomy to choose their own advisers. Commenting on the alternative solutions put forward by the paper, Iain adds: Alongside contributing Funds, which represent over 40% of counties, we have carefully designed an alternative to address these risks while ensuring that the LGPS is well-positioned to deliver the Governments overarching goals, and under considerably shorter timescales. This includes facilitation of more efficiency and strategic consistency between Funds which meets the Pools interests, without the need for sinking irrecoverable costs into building their own advisory service in unachievable timescales. In turn, this creates space to allow Pools objectives and focus to shift to building local investment capabilities. This is perhaps the most difficult of services for the Pools to build but has the largest potential for impact on the UK economy and therefore carries the most focus. Commenting on how this will help the Government achieve its priority ambitions, Iain adds: Adjusting the scope and scale of the Pools is a huge undertaking and timescales are hazardously ambitious. The Pools are still developing their capabilities and are immature in asset or fiduciary manager terms, yet their role is being expanded significantly in a very short timeframe. Prioritisation is required to ensure these are well considered and robust and to ensure they have the capacity to continue to manage their Funds assets. Pools should be focussed on catalysing local investment capabilities, which although is likely one of the most challenging services for the Pools to provide, is one of high importance to the UK economy. Pools could play a key role in supporting the LGPS with the capacity to consider these complex investments. Meanwhile, an established, functioning, and competitive market exists for investment strategy advice, that can continue whilst other capabilities are developed. This arrangement should be kept under review as Pools develop, for example every three years under the lens of improving efficiency, good governance and better outcomes. ZEE Studios has appointed Girish Johar as its new Head of Distribution & Revenues. With nearly three decades of expertise, Johar has previously worked with leading companies like UTV, Sony, Balaji, PVR, and Sahara, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge to his new role. Over his career, Johar has been associated with approximately 200 films across multiple languages, including Hindi, English, Marathi, Punjabi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, contributing in various capacities. At ZEE Studios, Johar will focus on acquiring films and maximizing their global monetization across all rights and languages, theatrical & digital, strengthening the studios distribution capabilities and revenue strategies. Adgully has been turning the spotlight on the entrepreneurs who fought against all odds to bring their dreams to fruition in our special series START-UP STARS. We at Adgully wholeheartedly support the Vocal for Local movement and have been featuring numerous local/ homegrown businesses, brands, and Apps in the country launched in the last few years. In this interaction with Adgully, Aman Gupta, Head of Marketing, Farmley, speaks about the brand that blends health and taste with innovative snacks like Makhana Munchies and Date Bites, backed by eco-friendly practices and trusted farmer partnerships. He also highlights how Farmley is redefining healthy snacking for modern lifestyles with a focus on quality, sustainability, and heartfelt connections. Could you elaborate on the vision and mission of Farmley? How do you align your marketing strategies to reflect the brands core values and objectives? At Farmleys core is a commitment to delivering superior, unadulterated dry fruits, nuts, and healthier snacking alternatives. The brand focuses on blending health and taste through continuous innovation and research and development. Recent product launches, including the Makhana Munchies as well as the delightful Date Bites, reflect Farmleys evolution beyond dry fruits, positioning the brand as a leader in offering diverse, healthy snacking options for everyday indulgence. Farmleys marketing strategy combines influencer marketing, and on-ground activations to create direct and meaningful consumer connections. Collaborations with health, food, and Gen Z influencers highlight Farmleys clean, versatile snacks like Date Bites and Makhana Munchies, showcasing them as indulgent yet guilt-free options for modern lifestyles. Eco-friendly practices, such as reusable packaging for products like Panchmeva, as well as going plastic-free for their bestseller Roasted & Flavoured Makhana, reflect the brands commitment to sustainability, resonating with conscious consumers. On-ground activations at college festivals, music events, and retail-heavy locations bring the brand directly to its audience, driving visibility and engagement while building lasting relationships through experiential marketing. Farmleys brand ambassador, Rahul Dravid, also fortifies the brand message through his own personal values. What were some of the biggest challenges Farmley faced during its early stages, and how did you overcome them to establish the brand in the competitive market? Farmleys journey to becoming a leading healthy snacking brand has been marked by significant challenges that required strategic adaptability and perseverance. One of the early challenges was overcoming skepticism from suppliers who were initially hesitant to trust the brands vision. Farmley addressed this by prioritizing transparent communication, building strong relationships, and demonstrating a commitment to fair business practices. A hands-on approach to understanding supply chain dynamics, particularly in regions like Bihar, played a crucial role in establishing credibility and trust with stakeholders. Another significant challenge was operating in an unorganized industry, which required convincing farmers and producers to align with Farmleys vision. This was achieved by sharing success stories and introducing incentives that encouraged quality production and the right quantities. Securing funding for scaling operations was another hurdle, given the complexities of fundraising and financial management in the early stages. Farmley successfully navigated these challenges by crafting a strong, purpose-driven narrative that resonated with investors and stakeholders. The transformation from a wholesale entity to a branded consumer-facing company also required internal alignment. Rather than undertaking drastic organizational changes, Farmley fostered a collaborative culture that encouraged the team members to evolve and adapt their roles to meet the demands of the new brand focus. This collective effort underscored the importance of resilience, adaptability, and a shared commitment to the brands mission. These combined efforts enabled Farmley to establish itself as a trusted name in the competitive market while staying true to its core values of quality, trust, and innovation. Could you discuss the level of access to funding and investment for startups like Farmley in India? How did the company navigate this aspect during its growth journey? The funding landscape for startups in the healthy snacking space in India has become more challenging in recent years, with investments hitting a four-year low. Despite growing consumer demand for healthy options, securing funding has been difficult, with the healthy snacks sector receiving only $4 million in investments in 2024 compared to $11.3 million in 2023, according to Tracxn. Farmley could overcome these challenges by prioritizing organic growth and laying a robust foundation. This included forging direct relationships with farmers, launching innovative products, and streamlining operational efficiencies. The brand also pursued strategic partnerships and engaged investors who aligned with its long-term vision for growth. These efforts allowed Farmley to maintain its growth trajectory, even in a tighter funding environment. Following three successful investment rounds, Farmley firmly believes that companies driven by a commitment to personal and social growth can thrive in achieving their ambitions. Could you share more details about Farmleys plans to expand its operations? What are the strategic goals for this expansion, and how do you plan to achieve them? Farmley has spent the past four to five years building its own processing units, which serve as the backbone of the brand. By sourcing directly from farmers and manufacturing 100% of its products in-house, Farmley ensures quality and consistency across its range. Looking ahead, the brands investments will focus on expanding manufacturing capacity and distribution channels, particularly in the offline segment. This includes hiring sales managers, acquiring automated machinery to enhance efficiency, and ensuring consistent product quality. Farmley is committed to scaling its automated setups and manufacturing facilities, with planned investments in the double-digit crore range. Beyond manufacturing and distribution, Farmley is prioritizing brand-building campaigns to create top-of-mind awareness. These efforts will support the launch of new products and strengthen the brands presence in general trade through the hiring of additional on-ground personnel. As part of its growth strategy, Farmley is deepening its penetration in offline retail via general trade and plans to enter a couple of international markets in 2025. The brand currently exports to the US, which has been its primary export market for the past six to seven months. Other key export destinations include Singapore, Canada, and Dubai. While exports are still at a niche stage and not yet a significant revenue driver, these regions are witnessing rapid growth in the healthy snacking category. Farmley is laying the groundwork for future expansion in these markets, building on the encouraging initial response to its general trade playbook and international market strategies. Through its focused investments in manufacturing, distribution, and brand-building, Farmley is poised for robust growth, both domestically and internationally. What is Farmleys unique selling proposition (USP) in terms of its products, and how does the brand differentiate itself in a competitive marketplace? Adulteration-Free Products: They have established deep back-end linkages with over 5000 trusted farmers & producers, ensuring that our dry fruits & nuts are entirely free from any adulteration. This commitment to quality and purity differentiates Farmley from others, providing customers with the assurance of genuine, unadulterated products. They have established deep back-end linkages with over 5000 trusted farmers & producers, ensuring that our dry fruits & nuts are entirely free from any adulteration. This commitment to quality and purity differentiates Farmley from others, providing customers with the assurance of genuine, unadulterated products. Innovation and R&D: Farmleys focus on creative innovation and extensive research and development allows it to curate unique and innovative products that blend health and taste. The introduction of the worlds 1st pasta made from makhanas, which is 100% maida-free, is a prime example of how they cater to customer needs while maintaining a healthy and delicious offering. munchies Farmleys focus on creative innovation and extensive research and development allows it to curate unique and innovative products that blend health and taste. The introduction of the worlds 1st pasta made from makhanas, which is 100% maida-free, is a prime example of how they cater to customer needs while maintaining a healthy and delicious offering. munchies Extensive Product Range: As a full-stack brand, Farmley takes pride in offering an impressive selection of over 100+ products, covering everything imaginable within the realm of dry fruits and nuts. Their diverse product range caters to a wide variety of tastes and preferences, ensuring there's something for everyone. As a full-stack brand, Farmley takes pride in offering an impressive selection of over 100+ products, covering everything imaginable within the realm of dry fruits and nuts. Their diverse product range caters to a wide variety of tastes and preferences, ensuring there's something for everyone. Organized Supply Chain: By establishing 5 farm-gate processing units closer to the point of sourcing and origin, They have organised an otherwise unorganised sector. This strategic move not only ensures better quality for consumers, but also supports farmers by providing them with improved incomes. We recently saw that Farmley and Harshit Arora delight fans with Tarbooz Date Bites, inspired by Daadus heartwarming wish. What was the inspiration and idea behind this? Farmley believes in creating products that offer more than just taste; they are crafted to foster moments of joy and connection. This philosophy was inspired by a heartfelt exchange between influencer Harshit Arora and his grandfather, Daadu. During a previous collaboration, Daadu playfully wished for watermelon-flavoured Date Bites, and this lighthearted moment resonated deeply with the brand. In response, Farmley decided to bring this playful request to life as a genuine gesture to honour the warmth and love that define such cherished relationships. The initiative was a celebration of these special bonds, reflecting Farmleys appreciation for the trust and connection shared with its community. In showbiz, very few actresses manage to break free from being the heroine in films. However, with their strong characters, impactful performances, and captivating on-screen presence, some have taken the lead in powerful narratives and emerged as forces to be reckoned with. One such force is undoubtedly Yami Gautam Dhar. Ever since making her silver screen debut with the critically and commercially successful film Vicky Donor in 2012, she has showcased her knack for portraying complex, layered characters. With recent successes that hinge completely on her talent, Yami has redefined the narrative of female-led cinema in Bollywood, evolving into what can be aptly described as Yami Gautam 2.0, a new era that totally belongs to her. When it comes to leading strong, narrative-driven films, Yami has never disappointed her fans. Each time she appears on screen, she leaves a lasting impression, proving her versatility and ability to lead films with impactful performances again and again. Throughout her career, she has explored a diverse range of roles, but her rise as a female star has been truly phenomenal. She consistently commands the spotlight, shining brightly in every performance: particularly breaking away from the ornamental presence of a female actor space to owning the film, being the solo factor to its success. If we take a closer look at her filmography, titles such as A Thursday, Uri: The surgical strike , Lost, Chor Nikal Ke Bhaga, OMG 2, and Article 370 stand out. Her groundbreaking turn in A Thursday was a turning point. Playing a school teacher with a dark agenda, Yami delivered a performance so gripping that it kept audiences on the edge of their seats. The success of the film proved her mettle as a solo lead capable of anchoring intense, layered stories. This momentum continued with Lost, where Yami shone as a determined journalist unravelling a mystery against all odds. The success of Article 370, a gripping socio-political drama, further solidified her status as a bankable star and a versatile performer. It is this ability of Yami to drive projects that define this new era. She has been consistently building an impressive collection of films where she takes the central stage. Her choices reflect a commitment to meaningful cinema, making her a favorite among audiences who crave thought-provoking narratives. There is no denying the fact that she has evolved from being cast in ornamental roles to becoming a creative powerhouse capable of delivering films that are both critically acclaimed and commercially successful on her own. With several promising projects in the pipeline, Yami is leading a paradigm shift, proving that female actors can not only draw audiences but also redefine success in Indian cinema. This new chapter in her career is not just her triumphit's a moment of reckoning for the industry at large. Zomato, India's online food ordering and delivery platform, joins forces with Bigg Boss Tamil to celebrate the festivities of Pongal. Zomato faciliated a unique 'Pongal Feast' for the contestants and engaged them in an interactive ordering experience. The contestants participated in a fun, Zomato-themed order process, culminating in a delicious Pongal lunch. This interactive engagement highlights Zomato's commitment to making every occasion special, bringing the joy of ordering and receiving delicious food to the Bigg Boss Tamil house. Israel and Hamas Agree to Ceasefire Amid Mounting Hostage Crisis and Humanitarian Disaster 2 In a dramatic turn of events, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, potentially ending 15 months of the deadliest and most destructive conflict between the two adversaries. Announced on Wednesday, the deal includes the phased release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. The ceasefire, brokered with the involvement of Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, also aims to allow displaced Gazans to return to what remains of their homes and to facilitate the influx of critical humanitarian aid. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatars prime minister, confirmed the ceasefire would commence Sunday, following painstaking negotiations in Doha. US President Joe Biden highlighted the fragile nature of the truce, urging continued talks for a long-term resolution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office stated that final details, including the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released, were still being ironed out. As part of the six-week truce, 33 hostages are expected to be reunited with their families. However, the fate of many captives remains uncertain, and Hamas continues to demand a full Israeli withdrawal from Gazakey conditions for ending the war entirely. The conflict, triggered by Hamass cross-border attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 Israelis and led to 250 hostages being taken, has devastated Gaza. Israels retaliatory military campaign has resulted in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths, with women and children comprising a significant portion of the casualties, according to local officials. The UN estimates 90% of Gazas 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and humanitarian conditions have reached critical levels. While celebrations erupted in Gaza over the ceasefire, questions loom over postwar governance, reconstruction, and whether the deal can lead to lasting peace. Israel faces international scrutiny, including investigations by the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, for alleged war crimes. The ceasefire marks a critical juncture, but with deep-rooted tensions, political instability, and no clear postwar roadmap, the possibility of renewed conflict remains a stark reality. Both sides now face immense pressure to make the truce a stepping stone toward sustainable peaceor risk plunging the region into further chaos. Mumbai's Safety Questioned After Saif Ali Khan Knife Attack, Opposition Targets CM Fadnavis 2 Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, addressing concerns over the recent knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai, defended the citys reputation as Indias safest. Speaking to the media on Thursday, he emphasized that isolated incidents should not define Mumbai as unsafe. Mumbai is the countrys safest city. Some incidents happen, but labeling the city unsafe over one incident would tarnish its image. However, we are taking this matter seriously and probing the motive behind the attack, Fadnavis stated. The chief minister also acknowledged the need for increased safety measures, assuring that efforts are being made to enhance security. His remarks came in response to the violent incident in which Khan was repeatedly stabbed by an intruder at his Bandra apartment early Thursday morning. Doctors reported that Khan, who underwent surgery to remove the knife from his back, is now out of danger. Opposition leaders, however, were quick to criticize the Fadnavis-led government, highlighting lapses in law and order. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar stated, The attack on Saif Ali Khan shows a deteriorating law and order situation in Maharashtra. Incidents like these are alarming and demand serious attention from the government, especially the chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut expressed grave concern, remarking, No one is safe, not even celebrities with private security. This reflects a complete breakdown of law and order. Raut also alleged that the police were more focused on securing politicians, particularly those who switched parties, than addressing public safety. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe echoed similar sentiments, citing the recent killing of a village sarpanch in Beed and the need for celebrities like Salman Khan to install bulletproof windows in their Bandra residences as signs of public distrust in the government. Londhe accused Fadnavis of failing to maintain security in Maharashtra, including his own hometown, Nagpur, which has seen a spate of violent crimes. The attack on Saif Ali Khan follows a series of high-profile crimes in Mumbais Bandra area, including the shooting of former minister Baba Siddique last year. Critics argue these incidents highlight systemic issues in maintaining law and order. Adding to the political backlash, NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule called the attack worrisome, while former home minister Anil Deshmukh demanded strict action from the police and reinforced the governments responsibility to ensure the safety of artists. Meanwhile, celebrations turned somber for Khan, who had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi and attended a special screening of Kangana Ranauts directorial film Emergency before the incident. The attack on the Padma Shri recipient has intensified calls for improved security measures, not only for public figures but for the common citizens of Mumbai. Prashant Kishor Ends 14-Day Hunger Strike, Vows to Continue Fight Against BPSC Irregularities 2 Jan Suraaj Party Chief Prashant Kishor ended his 14-day hunger strike on Thursday, launched in protest against alleged irregularities in the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exam conducted on December 13 last year. However, Kishor emphasized that his campaign for justice for civil service aspirants and his stand against the authoritarian attitude of the state government would continue. Speaking after breaking his fast, Kishor said, The matter seeking the cancellation of the BPSCs 70th Combined Competitive exam is being heard by the Patna High Court today. Its a coincidence that I am ending my fast on the same day. We are hopeful the court will deliver justice for the job aspirants. If not, we will approach the Supreme Court. Kishor had begun his hunger strike on January 2, demanding the cancellation of the controversial examination. Before concluding his protest, he took a ceremonial dip in the Ganga River and offered prayers. His party workers marked the end of the hunger strike by offering him fruit juice at their camp office, set up at LCT Ghat on the banks of the Ganga. Kishors withdrawal of the fast has not dampened his resolve, as he reaffirmed his commitment to continue the Satyagraha for the youth of Bihar, promising to stand by them in their quest for justice. Saif Ali Khan Attacked by Knife-Wielding Intruder at His Mumbai Residence 2 Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was injured during an attempted burglary at his Bandra residence in Mumbai early Thursday morning, officials confirmed. The incident, which occurred at around 2:30 am, left the actor requiring surgery. Khans public relations representative issued a statement, saying, There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in the hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient, as this is a police matter. Updates will be provided as the situation develops. According to preliminary police reports, an unidentified intruder broke into Khans home, leading to a physical altercation between the actor and the attacker. Khan sustained injuries from a knife during the scuffle and was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra. He is reportedly out of danger. Family members were present at the time of the incident but were unharmed, officials added. Authorities have not yet disclosed whether the incident was a robbery attempt, citing an ongoing investigation. Bandra police have launched a probe, with officers present at the scene to gather evidence. Saif Ali Khan, 54, is celebrated for his roles in acclaimed films such as Omkara, Dil Chahta Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Fans and well-wishers await further updates on his recovery. Some Dunkin' stores across the country temporarily ran out of the chains signature item. According to multiple reports, stores in states including Nebraska, New Mexico, and Arizona ran out of doughnuts, posting signs apologizing for a shortage due to a manufacturing error. In an email to USA TODAY on Tuesday, a spokesperson for Dunkin confirmed a single-supplier issue temporarily impacted some locations in a handful of states. Less than 1% of Dunkin locations are currently still impacted, and were actively working to restock those locations, the spokesperson said in the statement. We anticipate that inventory will be replenished soon. USA TODAY reports that as of Tuesday, locations in Nebraska have replenished their doughnut supply. The publication also reached out to Krispy Kreme to see if the North-Carolina-based coffee and doughnut chain had any supply issues. At Krispy Kreme, we make our doughnuts fresh from scratch every day at shops all across the country, Dave Skena, the Chief Growth Officer at Krispy Kreme, told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. We dont rely on other manufacturers for the awesome doughnuts we serve our guests. Nathalie Dupree, dubbed the Queen of Southern Cooking by Southern Living magazine, died Monday in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was 85 years old. Dupree emerged on the national culinary stage in 1985 with her first hardcover cookbook, New Southern Cooking, edited by literary icon Judith Jones, and its companion PBS series. She hosted cooking shows on PBS, the Food Network and the Learning Channel, where she taught audiences to feel at ease in the kitchen, cooking uncomplicated recipes with local and familiar ingredients. Dropping utensils, misordering ingredients, and other absent-minded kitchen quirks endeared her to legions of fans nationwide. Her well-known quips include: Oops, I dropped my diamond after clanging around in the kitchen; Bubba, honey, if I had any ice in my glass Id rattle it as the only proper way for a woman to ask her beau to get her another drink; and Im not always the woman I want to be, to explain away her eccentricities. Born in Hamilton, New Jersey on Dec. 23, 1939, she spent her turbulent childhood under the reign of a strict and abusive father in Alexandria, Virginia. After her parents divorce, she, along with her mother and siblings, were often evicted and scrambled for necessities. Dupree craved her independence and was determined to support herself. High school became a refuge, where she made lifelong friends. She led a politically involved life, from the moment she became the youngest precinct captain for John F. Kennedys presidential campaign when she was only 20, to running for a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in 2010 as a write-in candidate against incumbent Jim DeMint. After what she called a brief starter marriage, and a decade-long marriage to David Dupree (her favorite former husband), she finally found the love of her life in Jack Bass, a historian and author. Their home was often filled with visiting dignitaries, politicos and authors whom shed serve test recipes. Her mother disapproved when Dupree wanted to become a cook saying, Ladies dont cook. Her first experience, as a cook in a co-op house in college, was a disaster. She learned from her mistakes and never stopped learning. After studying at Le Cordon Bleu in London and operating the kitchen in a restaurant in Majorca, Spain, she returned to the U.S. She opened restaurant Nathalies in the back of an antique shop in Covington, Georgia with then-husband David Dupree. There, she applied the French techniques she learned in school using a bounty of fresh southern ingredients. It became a destination for Atlantans. Richs department store soon inaugurated the first participation cooking school in the Southeast at their flagship store in downtown Atlanta where Dupree became the director, teaching more than 10,000 students over 10 years. Guest teachers included Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Paul Prudhomme. She ran a recurring week-long intensive cooking school at the Cloister on Sea Island for several years. Known for mentoring young talent, Dupree was rarely without an apprentice. Fondly referred to as her chickens, many have gone on to have accomplished careers in the culinary world including Virginia Willis and Rebecca Lang. Her love of mentorship led her to founding numerous chapters of Les Dames dEscoffier, an international association dedicated to advancing women in the culinary industry. In 2011, it gave Dupree its highest honor of Grande Dame for her achievements. Nathalies gift was bringing women together to support their communities and each other, the embodiment of the values and mission of Les Dames dEscoffier International, said Kathy Gold, President of Les Dames dEscoffier International Board of Directors. Her pork chop theory one pork chop in a pan goes dry, but two in a pan have the fat to feed each other is the principle that shaped her lifes work. As the author of 15 cookbooks, three of which earned James Beard Foundation awards, she championed the ingredients of her region and led novice cooks in overcoming their fears in the kitchen. Her food writing centered on food and relationships, often with the recurring theme of food as a control issue. In 2015, she was inducted into the Foundations Whos Who of Food & Beverage in America, recognized as an authority on Southern food and a pioneer in the New Southern Cooking movement in the late 1980s. Nathalie Dupree, a cherished member of our extended James Beard family, pushed American gastronomy forward, especially her work in highlighting the beauty and importance of Southern foodways and cuisine, said Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation. She leaves behind an enduring legacy. Always a natural leader, her intellect and wit made her a catalyst for community and connection. In 1978, She was one of the founders of the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) along with Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, and Martin Yan. Nearly 50 years later, the organization still has hundreds of members across the world who continue to reap the benefits of the community they created, said IACP interim executive director Nancy Wall Hopkins. She was the founding chairperson of the Charleston Wine + Food Festival, and a founder and board member of the Southern Foodways Alliance. In 2004, the Southern Foodways Alliance presented her with its Craig Claiborne Lifetime Achievement Award. The Maitre Cuisiniers de France presented Dupree with its 2013 Woman of the Year award. Even with the challenges at the end of her life, she remained grateful for it all, stating gratitude is the great healer. She is survived by her husband Jack Bass and their children Audrey Thiault (Pierre-Henri), Ken Bass (Antoinette), David Bass (Bonnie), and Liz Broadway (Joel), sister Marie Louise Meyer, brother James Gordon Meyer (Nancy June), seven grandchildren, and favorite former-husband David Dupree. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Feb. 22 at Meadows Funeral Home, 760 Highway 11 SE, Monroe, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Atlanta Chapter of Les Dames dEscoffier Scholarship Fund (ldeiatlanta.org) are welcome to further the careers of female culinarians. Remembrances may be left at meadowsfuneralhomeinc.com. 2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Muscogee Creek Nation of Oklahoma took a step towards pursuing its claims for Hickory Ground, the tribes historic town and ceremonial ground in Alabama, which has long been under the control of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians and is now the site of a casino. The desecration of Hickory Ground is not a historical issueit is happening right now, said Principal Chief David Hill in a press release Thursday. Every day that this destruction continues, it further harms our ancestors and our culture. On Wednesday the Muscogee Creek Nation filed a motion to submit a new complaint in the long-running case. The lawsuit demands that the casino be destroyed and that the Poarch return remains of at least 57 ancestors the Muscogee Creek allege were removed to build the casino. A lower court dismissed the suit, but the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals revived it, directing the trial judge this time to consider arguments on a claim by claim basis about whether the Poarch Band of Creek Indians are protected by sovereign immunity in their claims to the land and its artifacts at the site of a casino they operate. Both tribes say they have a historical tie to the Hickory Ground site. The Muscogee Creek claim that the Poarch Creek, distant relatives, are from an area farther South in Atmore, Alabama. Once again, representatives of the Muscogee Nation refuse to let the facts get in the way of a good story, said Kristin Hellmich, a spokesperson for the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, in a statement on Friday. They are now attacking Poarchs sovereignty and pushing legal positions harmful to all of Indian country in an attempt to assert control over our trust land and limit our ability to pursue economic development for ourselves and our neighbors. The amended complaint will pursue accountability against the Poarch, Auburn University and the Federal Government for what the Muscogee argue is a violation of federal laws, according to the tribe. Mary Kathryn Nagle, legal counsel for the Muscogee Creek, said in a statement Thursday that the motion will ask the court to consider updated claims, which reflect not only the historical desecration but also the ongoing harms at Hickory Ground, she said. Updated: This story was updated Friday to include a statement from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians on the new filing. Two form Shelby County daycare workers have been indicted on charges of abuse of at least one child in their care. The indictments by a Shelby County grand jury against Tanya Teresa Lapsley, 57, and Wanda Hearn Henderson, 64, were made public Thursday. The six-count indictment against Lapsley, of Marion, includes charges of aggravated child abuse and willful child abuse. Henderson, of Pleasant Gove, is charged with six counts of willful child abuse. The victim or victims names are redacted in the indictments so its unclear whether there was more than one victim for which they are charged. Both women were initially arrested in April 2024. At the time, they were employed at Milestone Academy & Childcare in Montevallo. The initial charges identified a victim only a 2-year-girl with a listed offense date of Feb. 13. Henderson, of Pleasant Grove, forcibly jerked, pulled, snatched, slung the 2-year-old victim around causing bruises and marks while having custody of her inside the daycare facility, according to charging documents. Lapsley, documents state, forcibly pulled, jerked, snatched, and tugged at the victim leaving marks and bruises. This was done while the defendant was caring for the victim inside a daycare. The criminal complaint said the alleged abuse happened on more than one occasion. An arraignment date has not been announced. Three Birmingham officers were injured when a man crashed a stolen SUV into several police cars. The wreck happened just after 10 p.m. Wednesday in the 1500 block of 14th Street S.W. on the citys west side. Officer Truman Fitzgerald said the officers were on an unrelated call when the suspect hit three parked patrol cars. When officers approached the driver of the wrecked vehicle, the suspect - a 26-year-old from Homewood - became confrontational. After a brief struggle, officers took him into custody. His name is being withheld pending formal charges. Three Birmingham officers were injured when a man crashed a stolen SUV into several police cars. The wreck happened just after 10 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, on the citys west side.(BPD) Police later learned that the SUV had been stolen during a domestic burglary in east Birmingham earlier in the evening. Two patrol officers were injured in the crash: one officer was seated inside his patrol car, while the other was injured by the suspects vehicle pushing a patrol car forward and colliding with him. A third patrol officer sustained an injury during the struggle with the suspect. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service treated all of those involved. Two officers were taken to the hospital for additional treatment. Fitzgerald said the crash resulted in significant damage to three BPD patrol cars. Alabama state Rep. Susan DuBose, R-Hoover, is working to prefile a bill that would excuse nursing mothers from serving on a jury. DuBose said she was motivated to work on this legislation after hearing the story of Kandace Brown, the most recent of several Alabama mothers who claim they were harassed and threatened by Jefferson County judges for bringing breastfeeding babies with them for jury duty. Brown says she called and turned in forms to be excused prior to reporting to the courthouse but was refused. The judge said that those with children there need to make accommodations for their children to be picked up. (The judge said) they would hate for DHR to be involved, Brown posted on Facebook. Under Alabama law, there are no protections exempting nursing mothers from serving on a jury. Its almost like a loophole in our system that shouldnt have been in there, DuBose told AL.com today. At least 17 other states have already passed this legislation. And its just common sense. You know, we want to protect moms. We want to protect babies. Its a parental rights issue. A mother shouldnt be relying on a subjective, sympathetic judge to determine whether she can feed her baby or not, DuBose continued. And the great news is its a bipartisan issue, because Ive talked to people on both sides of the aisle that are in favor of this legislation. DuBose said government legal teams are currently working to update a 2022 bill sponsored by former state representative and current State Auditor Andrew Sorrell that would exempt nursing mothers from jury duty for up to two years. Sorrell said the bill was previously rejected by the House Committee on Constitution, Campaigns and Elections because representatives did not believe this was an issue impacting women in Alabama. Sorrell said it was assumed any reasonable judge would exempt a nursing mother from jury duty, he said. Well, as we found out...not all judges are reasonable. DuBose is confident the bill will have more success this session. This is not a complex issue, she said. I think its one of these things that we can go ahead and get it dropped. And you know nothing moves super-fast, but hopefully it should. Well be able to get it started as one of the first things that were able to do, I hope. Sen. April Weaver, R-Brierfield, will also be sponsoring a version of the bill in the Alabama Senate, according to DuBose. Weaver did not respond to requests for comment. Rep. Patrick Sellers, D-Pleasant Grove, expressed sympathy for Browns story as a new parent himself, and agreed that legal protections for nursing mothers are something that need to be explored. I have a two-month-old, so were solely breastfeeding, he said. I do understand the particular care for nursing mothers relating to jury duty. An Alabama man received three life sentences by a Dale County judge Thursday for abusing his girlfriends young children, including burning them with a blowtorch, court records showed. Howard Anderson, 54, of Ariton, pleaded guilty last month to three counts of aggravated child abuse and three counts of chemical endangerment of a child, records showed. Anderson and his girlfriend, Ashleigh Ableman, were arrested in 2023 on allegations he abused his Ablemans children, who ranged in age from 4 to 9. The children testified during Andersons trial that Anderson choked them, held their heads under water and burned them with a blowtorch, Fox 10 reported. Dale County Circuit Court Judge William H. Filmore sentenced Anderson to life in prison on the three aggravated child abuse counts and to 20 years in prison on the chemical endangerment counts. Ableman, 28, of Ariton, faced the same charges and pleaded guilty in her case last year. She was sentenced to 20 years in state prison, with 15 of those years suspended, meaning she will serve five years in prison. A far-right northwest Georgia senator was arrested Thursday after he refused to abide by a ban on entering the House chamber made by the speaker last year. State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican and former House member, scuffled with staff and Georgia State Patrol officers for several minutes before officers handcuffed him and escorted him to a police car that was bound for Fulton County Jail. It is unclear what charges Moore will face. House Speaker Jon Burns warned Moore Tuesday that the ban put in place last year is still intact after his vile, disparaging and false comments about the late House Speaker David Ralston until Moore delivers a sincere apology to the family and friends of the chambers longtime former leader, who died in 2022. This is a silly mess, Moore said Thursday as staffers blocked his entry to the House and pushed him back from the door. I represent 200,000 people in northwest Georgia who duly elected me to be here today, and youre hindering that. Moore was attempting to attend a joint session of the House and Senate to hear Gov. Brian Kemp deliver his annual State of the State speech. House staffers including doorkeeper Cory Mulkey and Keith Williams, general counsel for the speaker, blocked Moore from entering and physically pushed him back as he tried to go around them. At one particularly tense moment before officers placed Moore in handcuffs, Williams pushed Moore the floor. The scuffle unfolded under a portrait of Ralston, for whom Williams also worked. Ahead of his attempts to enter the House chamber, Mooretold The Atlanta Journal-Constitution he felt like he was boxer Manny Pacquiao preparing to walk into the ring. I have a constitutional obligation to be there, and if theyre going to arrest me, thats their problem, Moore told the AJC. I told the speaker yesterday in a meeting, I said, Mr. Speaker, I completely respect your authority in telling me that I cant be a part of a House session. Ive never tried to come over in a House session. But this is a joint session of the Senate and the House, and your opinion may not override the resolution passed unanimously by both chambers. The conflict stems from comments Moore made last year as the Senate considered a resolution urging the University of North Georgia to name a new academic facility on its Blue Ridge campus after Ralston, a Blue Ridge native. With Ralstons family watching from the Senate gallery, Moore referred to the former speaker as one of the most corrupt Georgians weve seen in our lives. Burns swiftly announced that Moore would indefinitely be banned from the House. That ban remains in effect, Burns said. Moore has also faced backlash in his own chamber. He was exiled from the Senate Republican caucus in 2023 after berating fellow Republicans for refusing his call for a special session to punish Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Tension between Moore and Ralston began in 2019 when Moore was a member of the House. That year, the AJC published an investigation that found Ralston, who was a defense attorney, appeared to use a policy called legislative leave to perpetually keep his clients cases off the docket, potentially thwarting justice and putting the public at risk. Legislative leave is a more than 120-year-old policy that requires judges and prosecutors to defer to the legislative schedule of any practicing attorney who serves in the General Assembly. Moore was one of a handful of Republican lawmakers who called on Ralston to step down as speaker after the AJC investigation. That put Moore in the crosshairs of the powerful speaker, who targeted him for electoral defeat. Moore did not seek a second House term and ran unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2020. Two years later, he won the seat. He easily defeated a Republican challenger last year who centered her campaign on his history of provocative accusations. Moore is the third lawmaker to be arrested in the Capitol in recent years. In 2021, Georgia state troopers arrested state Rep. Park Cannon as she knocked on Gov. Brian Kemps door, interrupting his livestreamed announcement as signed an elections bill into law. During a 2018 special legislative session, then-state Sen. Nikema Williams was arrested during a protest urging officials to tally all absentee and provisional ballots before declaring Republican Brian Kemp the winner in a close election for governor. The charges were dropped in both cases. 2025 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A day after her Alabama counterpart said Californians dont deserve money for the Los Angeles wildfires unless they show that theyre gonna change their ways, Sen. Katie Britt suggested putting policy conditions on an aid package would be the wrong approach. I think what we need to be doing right now is standing firmly with the people of California, letting them know they have our prayers, they have our support and that we stand ready to be thoughtful about ways that we can help in making sure that they have the resources they need, Britt said in a conversation Tuesday with Politicos Jonathan Martin. In 2011, a tornado nearly took everything from my family & me. Our home was leveled, our vehicles were demolished, and most of our possessions were gone. Now, as countless Californians face the same questions of what to do next, I want to send them a simple message: your nation pic.twitter.com/qc2rTwiTHm Senator Katie Boyd Britt (@SenKatieBritt) January 15, 2025 But Britt said California should not be given unfettered access to federal funds. That being said, obviously, youre not just going to write a blank check, she said. We have to be judicious with our dollars, and I think that we certainly will be. But I think the people of California need to know that America stands with them, and thats certainly the message that I plan to send. Britts stance on aid is a departure from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who on Monday said California doesnt deserve a dime without policy concessions. During an appearance Monday on Newsmax, Tuberville was asked why other states should be bailing out California for choosing the wrong people to lead their state. NEWSMAX: Why should other states be bailing out California for choosing the wrong people to run their state? TUBERVILLE: We shouldn't be ... they don't deserve anything to be honest with you unless they show us they're gonna make some changes. pic.twitter.com/SUvVPRDgKm Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 13, 2025 We shouldnt be, Tuberville said. They got 40 million people in that state and they voting these imbeciles in office, and they continue to do it. And its just a very small part of them in that state thats doing it. If you go to California, you run into a lot of Republicans, a lot of good people, and I hate it for them, the senator continued, But they are just overwhelmed by these inner-city woke policies with the people that vote for them. Tuberville said he does not object to some federal funds being earmarked to help California, on one condition. I dont mind sending them some money, but unless they show that theyre gonna change their ways and get back to building dams and stormwater, doing the maintenance with the brush and the trees everything that everybody else does in the country, and they refuse to do it they dont deserve anything, to be honest with you, unless they show us theyre gonna make some changes, he said. Tubervilles response drew the ire of several critics, including Comedy Centrals Jon Stewart. .@jonstewart on the GOP's conditional disaster relief: We shouldn't just look out for the people who consistently vote for us pic.twitter.com/IQGCOm1NnG The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) January 14, 2025 During a segment on The Daily Show Monday, Stewart expressed anger at Tuberville and other Republicans that are trying to attach their, I told you sos as a condition of funding Californias disaster relief. Stewart responded to the clip of Tubervilles Newsmax interview saying that the senators comments were psychotic and that despite Alabamas horrible educational benchmarks aid would never be conditioned for disaster relief. Really senator from Alabama? Stewart said. The state near the bottom in math, reading and test scores. Next time you get hit by a f****ng hurricane, why dont we have a little parent teacher conference to see that if you got your scores up, you would get the money, or actually, lets not do it, because youll get the money anyway, because were not f****ng psychos. That is psychotic. Theres something wrong with you. Actor Vic Mignogna arrives for the Premiere Of CBS's "Star Trek: Discovery" at The Cinerama Dome on September 19, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Greg Doherty/Patrick McMullan /Getty Images Anime voice actor Vic Mignogna Courtesy Pop Culture Con The organizers of Houston's Pop Culture Con which returns March 15-16 at Cityplace Marriott in Spring and bills itself as "an exciting, family-friendly experience with your favorite celebrities, anime guests, comic creators, voice actors and cosplayers" announced their first guest in their anime track in November: Vic Mignogna, a well-known voice actor who has appeared in such popular titles as "Dragon Ball Z," "Fullmetal Alchemist" and "Bleach." But some local fans are not pleased. Mignogna has also been accused of sexual harassment by coworkers and fans. He has been disinvited from some other pop-culture conventions, including Collect-A-Con in Fort Worth and Anime NYC in New York City. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Ive been in the anime community for a long time, and when I heard about the allegations I was not surprised one bit because from the grapevine from other conventions they hate hosting him because hes problematic, says Nicholetta Maranos, a local cosplayer. Conventions hated hosting him as a guest, but they did it because he was highly requested, and he brought in the money. Mignogna has portrayed some of the most well-known anime characters of all time, including Broly from "Dragon Ball," Ikkaku Madarame in "Bleach," and Edward Elric in "Fullmetal Alchemist," for which he won an American Anime best actor award in 2007. He has also won acclaim for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the fan series "Star Trek Continues." By any measure, he is one of American fandoms biggest names and still draws hundreds of autograph seekers. In 2019, as the #MeToo movement gained steam, many people who interacted with Mignogna claimed he had crossed the line, touching them inappropriately and without consent. That year, Houston anime actress Monica Rial ("Dragon Ball Z") said on Twitter that Mignogna was inappropriate and fellow actress Jamie Marchi ("Witchblade") made the same claim. The accusations soon turned into dozens, leading to what the Dallas Morning News called the first big test of the #MeToo movement in the multimillion-dollar anime industry in America. There was a swift backlash against Mignogna, who lost jobs with Dallas-based studio Funimation and Austin's Rooster Teeth. Several canceled appearances with Mignogna, though he still makes regular appearances on the circuit, including most recently at Houston's Anime Matsuri last August. A cursory look at Pop Culture Cons social media sites makes it clear many fans are excited about him coming to the show. However, accusations about his behavior with fans has some others avoiding events where he is a guest. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When events invite people with such terrible reputations, it lets me know that the event organizers dont care about their attendees, says Langdon Algers, a longtime Houston anime fan and con-goer. I wouldnt take my daughters to any event that would invite Vic. After the allegations came out, Mignogna sued for defamation. But the lawsuit was dismissed in 2022 and they entered the accusations into the public record via sworn affidavit. One story was filed by Elizabeth Yost. It said that Mignogna had invited Elizabeth and her sister Theresa, then 22, into his hotel room during a Memphis convention. There, Yost says he asked them to strip for him and attempted to coax them into sex. When they rebuffed the advances of an engaged man 30 years their senior, the affidavit says he cupped his hands on either side of my face, and forcibly kissed me on the lips, then doing the same to Theresa. Jessamyn De Vos has been an on-and-off member of the local anime scene since she was a teenager. In 2012, she was a model at Anime Matsuri, another popular local convention. Later that year she attended A-Kon in Irving and said she watched Mignognas disturbing behavior. One night, a friend of mine and I decided to go to the hotel bar and chat over drinks, she says. When we walked up, Vic was entertaining a gaggle of (young) con-goers ... They were seated at the bar, and he was buying them drinks. Lots of drinks . . . He seemed to revel in their worship. Which is just gross no matter which way you slice it. I will also add, this was known at the time. It was an open secret that you dont let your daughters around Vic. And you dont find yourself alone with him if you look young. Everyone knew."" Advertisement Article continues below this ad Algers is surprised he is still making the rounds. Youd think after he lost his defamation suit and the Texas Supreme Court refused to hear his appeal, hed quit, and refocus his energy someplace else, but hes been making more and more unhinged rant videos for his fans where he tacitly approves them harassing conventions and other fans, says Algers. Mignogna, did not respond to requests for comment, has not been accused of sexual harassment since 2019. Pop Culture Con defended his attendance in a brief statement: With no police reports, no charges, no trial and no convictions for misconduct or wrongdoing of any kind, we choose not to speculate on what happened with Mr. Mignogna in the past. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since 2019, Mr. Mignogna has participated in 60+ events without a single complaint nor disturbance but has had great turnouts and tremendous success at each event. In addition, Mr. Mignogna continues to have the largest fan base in anime and is one of the most popular talents at conventions. A Talladega woman was killed when her vehicle crashed into a horse on a Coosa County roadway. Alabama State Troopers identified the victim as Janice W. Bullard. She was 63. The wreck happened at 11:40 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. 231, eight miles south of Rockford. ALEA Lt. Jeremy Burkett said Bullard was a passenger in a Chrysler 200 that struck a horse standing in the road. After the initially collision, the Chrysler left the road and hit a large rock. Bullard, Burkett said, was not using a seat belt at the time of the crash and pronounced dead on the scene. The horse also died. The driver of the Chrysler, 47-year-old Angela M. Lackey and another passenger, 67-year-old Nina S. Lackey, both also of Talladega, were taken to UAB Hospital in Birmingham. The severity of their injuries has not been released. The investigation is ongoing by troopers. Donald Trumps out-of-the-blue pledge to rebrand the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America as well as some of his other renaming ideas would likely take more than the stroke of a presidential pen to make good on. During a wide-ranging press conference last week at his Florida resort, the president-elect said a name change for the body of water that touches five southern states would be appropriate. He even appeared to float using a potential name change to pressure Mexican officials to do more to curb the flow of undocumented migrants across the U.S. border. Were going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring, Trump said on Jan. 7. That covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. And its appropriate. And Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country, the incoming president said. Trump has also called for the restoring the original names of the nations tallest peak, Mount Denali in Alaska, and a major military base in North Carolina, Fort Liberty, drawing bipartisan pushback in the process. Several Republican lawmakers have already lined up behind his Gulf of America proposal. I dont have a problem with it. I dont have a problem with anything that hes said, Tennessee Rep. Tim Burchett said Tuesday. Hes a deal-maker. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene immediately pounced on Trumps remarks, voicing support on social media and television and rolling out legislation that has since drawn co-sponsors ranging from Freedom Caucus members Eric Burlison of Missouri and Andy Ogles of Tennessee to swing-district Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. Texas freshman Brandon Gill, another co-sponsor of Greenes bill, told CNN last week that the United States has a clear strategic interest in some of Trumps recent proposals, which include retaking the Panama Canal and acquiring the Danish territory of Greenland. President Trump is bringing us into a golden age of America. This is the new Manifest Destiny, he told the network. If and when Trump dives into his Gulf of America rebranding proposal, he would need to deal with Congress and potentially other entities. On bodies of water, the International Hydrographic Organization is charged with working with its members to ensure that all the worlds seas, oceans and navigable waters are surveyed and charted, thereby supporting safety of navigation and the protection of the marine environment, according to its website. The United States and Mexico are both members of the IHO, which also coordinates the activities of national hydrographic offices and sets standards in order to promote uniformity in nautical charts and documents, the organization states. But that uniformity does not exist across the board. Take the river along the Texas-Mexico border. The United States calls it the Rio Grande. In Mexico, its the Rio Bravo. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum fired back at Trump over his latest pledge, saying her country might start referring to the United States as America Mexicana or Mexican America, The Associated Press reported. That sounds nice, no? Sheinbaum said at a press briefing last week, adding that the Gulf of Mexico had gone by its name since 1607. In Congress, draft text of Greenes legislation, which she shared on social media, states that any reference in a law, map, regulation, document, paper, or other record of the United States to the Gulf of Mexico shall be deemed to be a reference to the Gulf of America. The Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shall oversee the implementation of the renaming, according to the draft. While Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer accused Trump of trying to distract America with crazy ideas with his renaming proposal, he did suggest he might be open to some old-fashioned Washington horse-trading. Id agree to working with Donald Trump on renaming the Gulf of Mexico only if he first agrees to work with us on an actual plan to lower costs for Americans, the New York Democrat said on the Senate floor last week. But Trump would likely need almost every House Republican to vote in favor of Greenes bill should it reach the floor as the chambers top Democrat did not sound ready to get on board. I think that weve got to focus on the issues that matter to the American people: housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, insurance costs are too high, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters last week. Utility costs are too high and child care costs are too high. We have to build an affordable economy for hard-working American taxpayers. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to reverse an effort championed by the Biden administration to rename a military base in North Carolina that previously bore the name of a Confederate general. His pick for Defense secretary, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth, has said that all military bases once named for Confederate officials should have those names restored, according to media appearances reviewed by CNN. That list includes Fort Liberty in the Tar Heel State, formerly known as Fort Bragg. Home to the Armys storied 82nd Airborne Division and the services Special Operations Command, it was for over a century named after Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg, who was a slave owner. The push to rename military bases honoring Confederate veterans gained steam in 2020 after nationwide protests following the killing of George Floyd, a Black man, by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Congressional lawmakers authorized the creation of a naming commission of eight former military leaders to study the issue in the fiscal 2021 defense policy bill. The topic was a political flashpoint in 2020, with Trump vetoing the defense measure, in part because of the naming commission, only to be overridden by Congress. The effort ultimately led to Fort Bragg and eight other U.S. military facilities getting new monikers. On at least one proposed name switch, Trump would likely be able to go solo. He has called for Mount Denali in Alaska the highest peak in North America to revert to its original name honoring William McKinley, the 25th president. They took his name off Mount McKinley, Trump told supporters in Phoenix on Dec. 22 about the name change initiated in 2015 by his predecessor, Barack Obama. He was a great president, Trump said of McKinley, who has been called something of a kindred spirit to the incoming president due to his tariffs and other protectionist economic policies. Thats one of the reasons that were going to bring back the name of Mount McKinley, because I think he deserves it. Trump would not need to send legislation to Congress nor wait for any cumbersome federal process to rename Mount Denali. Obamas Interior secretary issued an order to switch the name, which followed years of lobbying efforts by Alaska officials. _____ (Roll Calls Mark Satter contributed to this report.) ___ 2025 CQ-Roll Call, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Visit cqrollcall.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A Guatemalan woman in the U.S. illegally has been sentenced to federal prison for using fake documentation to vote in at least four elections in Alabama since 2016. Angelica Maria Francisco, 42, most recently of Russellville, pleaded guilty in September to two counts of false claims of citizenship in connection with voting, one count of false statements in application for a U.S. passport, five counts of use of a U.S. passport obtained by false statements, and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Francisco to five years in prison, according to a Thursday announcement by Northern District of Alabama U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona and U.S. State Departments Diplomatic Security Service in Atlanta Resident Agent in Charge Joseph R. Wysowaty. Francisco has been in the U.S. since 2008. She assumed the identity of a woman identified in court documents only as P.J. and used her date of birth, social security number, birth certificate other identifying documents to apply for a U.S. passport on July 12, 2011. She subsequently used the passport to travel to and from her native country of Guatemala in 2012, 2015, and 2018. Using the same false identity, authorities said, Francisco also registered to vote in Alabama in February 2016 and voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary and general elections. In 2021, Francisco used the same false identity to apply for and receive a renewed passport, which she used to travel to and from Guatemala in 2022. This sentence sends a clear message that any attempts by non-U.S. citizens to vote in the Northern District of Alabama are unacceptable and will result in serious consequences, Escalona said. Maintaining the sanctity of the U.S. election system is one of the most important responsibilities of federal law enforcement, Escalona said. The case was investigated by the U.S. State Departments Diplomatic Security Service with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the East Metro Area Crime Center and the Alabama Secretary of States Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich prosecuted. An armed suspect was killed by Florence officers Wednesday night after he threatened to shoot up police headquarters, authorities said. Around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, a male called 911 and said that he was at the police department, said he was going to shoot up the place up, police said. Officers responded and found the armed suspect firing shots. Police did not say where the gunmans shots landed, but officers returned fire, killing the suspect, police said. Florence police said the incident is being investigated by the Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office. Lauderdale County Coroner Kim Jones told AL.com she was en route to the scene around 7:15 p.m. and did not have the gunmans identity. No officers were injured in the incident, police said, and there was no active threat to the community. Further information was unavailable. This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Former President George W. Bush is headed to Huntsville next month as the guest speaker of healthcare and HIV/AIDS prevention nonprofit Thrive Alabama, the organization announced Wednesday. As part of An Exclusive Conversation with George W. Bush, the former president will provide insights into the challenges and triumphs faced during their tenure in office, as well as reflections on the current state of our nation, said Thrive Alabama. Bush will speak at the Von Braun Center South Hall 2 on Feb. 11. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. and close at 6:30 p.m. Thrive Alabama operates healthcare clinics and works to stop the spread of HIV and AIDS in 12 north Alabama counties. Bush was invited to speak due to creating the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, in 2003. PEPFAR created global funding to combat HIV and AIDS among the worlds nations. Tickets, which go for $300 plus fees, can be accessed here. English News Three years on, RCEP sees significant progress in promoting regional open cooperation Alwihda Info | Par peoplesdaily - 16 Janvier 2025 "Since the implementation of the RCEP three years ago, China has made significant progress in facilitating services trade and investment cooperation with ASEAN countries, demonstrating an increasingly higher level of opening up," Tang noted. By Yang Yi, People's Daily The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is the free trade area with the biggest population, the largest trade scale and the greatest potential for development. Since the RCEP came into force in January 2022, it has delivered increasingly prominent institutional dividends such as tariff reductions, simplified customs procedures, and trade and investment facilitation. It has played a crucial role in safeguarding the stability and smooth flow of regional industrial and supply chains, propelling the Asia-Pacific into a new period of high-quality economic development. On the morning of Jan. 2, 2025, a freight train loaded with fresh fruits and vegetables set off from Wangjiaying West Station in Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan province, bound for Laos along the China-Laos Railway. This marked a new milestone for the railway, which has transported over 50 million tons of cargo, including 11.58 million tons of cross-border goods, since its full operation on Dec. 3, 2021. Over the past three years since the RCEP came into force, the China-Laos Railway has emerged as a crucial transport corridor linking China, Thailand, Cambodia, and other countries. With the opening of more shipping routes, goods from Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Japan can now directly reach Xiamen Port and Quanzhou Port in southwest China's Fujian province, as well as ports in east China's Shandong province. According to a study conducted by the Asian Development Bank, the RCEP is expected to add $245 billion annually to regional income and 2.8 million jobs to regional employment. With the continuous improvement of regional connectivity, the RCEP will unleash more trade benefits. Providing tremendous opportunities for regional enterprises Boten town in northern Laos' Luang Namtha province, located only 3 kilometers from the Chinese border town of Mohan in Yunnan, is a crucial border station for transporting goods between China and Laos by land. "Three years ago, there were only about a dozen customs clearance companies in Boten. Now, there are around 150," said Zhang Jianli, head of the freight transfer division at the Boten Station of the China-Laos Railway. Inside the offices of these customs clearance companies, business agents were busy submitting documents, inspecting goods, and paying taxes to ensure timely shipment of goods for their customers. Thanaleng Dry Port, a border checkpoint located between Lao capital Vientiane and border city Nong Khai in northeast Thailand, primarily handles goods that need to transit through Laos before reaching China or Thailand. An official with Thanaleng Dry Port said that with the opening of the China-Laos Railway, the time needed to transport goods by trucks from Vientiane to Boten has reduced from two days to only around four hours, enhancing the logistics efficiency in the region. By implementing tariff commitments, rules of origin, trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and other trade regulations, the RCEP has maximized the integration of 27 trade arrangements and 44 investment agreements of its members in the region. This has effectively advanced the development of the multilateral trading system and helped maintain the stability of industrial and supply chains across the region. An executive from the United Overseas Bank in Singapore said that the RCEP has broken down tariff barriers among its members and simplified trade rules. Singaporean enterprises can enjoy an average of 92 percent tariff reduction in China, which provides them with more favorable conditions for expanding their presence in the Chinese market. Unny Sankar Ravi Sankar, minister of economic affairs of the Malaysian Embassy in China, noted that the RCEP provides abundant opportunities for businesses and investors in the region, contributing significantly to the stable economic development of the Asia-Pacific. Invigorating regional economic integration In December 2024, the RCEP Support Unit (RSU) was officially established in Jakarta with the joint efforts of China, the non-ASEAN rotating chair of the RCEP that year, and the ASEAN chair Indonesia. Kao Kim Hourn, secretary-general of ASEAN, said that the establishment of the RSU was another significant milestone in the development of the RCEP. It will help implement the RCEP in a more comprehensive and high-quality manner and provide support to relevant institutions. Over the past three years, the RCEP has been unleashing benefits in trade, investment, and regional value chains. As the largest economy of the RCEP, China has been an active promoter of high-quality implementation of the agreement. In the first three quarters of 2024, imports and exports between China and other RCEP members totaled 9.63 trillion yuan ($1.31 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 4.5 percent. China's continuous expansion of high-level opening up has injected stability and vitality into the economic development of the Asia-Pacific, providing tremendous opportunities for regional countries to share China's development benefits. Data released at the Boao Forum for Asia Bangkok Roundtable in August 2024 indicated that Cambodia is expected to graduate from LDC (least developed country) status by 2028 due to the development dividends brought by the RCEP. Cambodian Ministry of Commerce's Secretary of State and Spokesperson Penn Sovicheat, said that the RCEP and bilateral free trade agreements that Cambodia signed with countries like China and South Korea greatly boosted Cambodia's trade growth. According to statistics released by the Department of Trade Negotiations under the Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, in the first ten months of 2024, Thailand's trade with other RCEP members reached around $269.7 billion, accounting for 53.13 percent of its total trade, up 2.69 percentage points from a year ago. Tang Zhimin, director of China-ASEAN Studies at the Bangkok-based Panyapiwat Institute of Management, observed that the model of pre-establishment national treatment plus a negative list for foreign investment is one of the most important achievements of the RCEP investment rules. "Since the implementation of the RCEP three years ago, China has made significant progress in facilitating services trade and investment cooperation with ASEAN countries, demonstrating an increasingly higher level of opening up," Tang noted. Dans la meme rubrique : < > Technological cooperation leads to closer China-Africa economic, trade ties China's economic resilience, vitality in four sets of data Virtual anchors and hosts on the rise Pour toute information, contactez-nous au : +(235) 99267667 ; 62883277 ; 66267667 (Bureau N'Djamena) In 2006 the State of California passed the Global Warming Solutions Act mandating an unattainable and massive reduction of greenhouse gasses within the state by 2020. This bill, and mindless near-religious allegiance to the green movement, set in motion the recent catastrophic events in Los Angeles and previously throughout much of California, a state that for the past twenty-five years has been increasingly controlled by a Marxist-inspired Democrat Party. It is not a coincidence that the current environmental or green movement is the driving philosophical force animating the Democrat Party not only in California but on national basis as this movement has its roots in Marxism. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848. The general consensus on the Left is that Marx and Engels were in fact very conscious of and promoted the concept of what is considered to be the modern environmental movement. The current green movement is in reality a major facet of Marxist philosophy. Among those who champion Marxs environmentalism is Professor John Bellamy Foster of the University of Oregon. In 1997 he published The Crisis of the Earth, Marxs Theory of Ecological Sustainability as a Nature-Imposed Necessity for Human Production. Foster wrote, Marxs analysis of the crisis of the earth in the mid-nineteenth century led him to a concept of sustainability that was central to his vision of a communist society. Because this concept of sustainability was rooted in both a critique of capitalism and a vision of a future society, it has a richness and complexity all its own. A close examination of Marxs concept of sustainability therefore offers important insight into the possibilities for the creation of a more just and sustainable world order. Per Raju J. Das of York University, Toronto, Sustainability (or a healthy environment) has to be fought for as part of a larger fight against the logistics of capitalism, such as endless accumulation, and against the system as a whole. Therefore, ecological sustainability is fundamentally a class issue. During the 1980s the global Communist Movement, due to setbacks in Russia and elsewhere, began to exploit and take over the fledging Marxist environmental movements in Europe and the United States. They saw the potential of the movement as a weapon to foment peaceful revolutions in democratic western nations. The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 was not the end of communism but a metamorphosis of the means of revolution as environmentalism became the socialists/communists primary weapon in undermining capitalism and Western societies. This tactic was quickly recognized by those who had suffered under the oppression of communism for decades. In his book Blue Planet in Green Shackles, Vaclav Klaus, the first president of the Czech Republic after the end of nearly four decades of Soviet dictatorship, warned the nations of Europe and the United States, As someone who lived under communism for most of my life, I feel obligated to say that the biggest threat to freedom, democracy, the market economy, and prosperity at the beginning of the 21st century, is not communism or its various softer versions. It was replaced by ambitious environmentalism. One of the great deceptions used by the Soviet Union was the incessant propagandizing of a fictitious hypothesis -- that humans are responsible for any change in the climate and the only means of saving the earth is by adopting Marxian socialism. A scientifically-proven false premise but a tactic fully embraced and exploited by the current environmentalist movement. This propaganda campaign has successfully convinced over 54% of the American citizenry to believe in human-driven climate change and the unquestioned need for drastic action to combat the impact of human activity on the environment. Among the hallmarks of Marxism/Communism is universal disregard for human life as mankind is viewed as a mere cog in a wheel and therefore whatever so-called rights he or she may be granted is solely at the whim of the state. An omnipotent entity that supposedly looks out for the best interest of the people. Yet, as history has amply chronicled, the advocates of communism have had no problem eliminating millions of lives in order to achieve a Marxist utopia. Which neatly dovetails with the primary tenet of the green movement. Human activity causes climate change; therefore, human overpopulation is the cause of virtually all environmental and economic catastrophe. Consequently, any means of reducing the population is therefore acceptable, whether it is a negligently uncontrolled wildfire in Los Angeles, a green-agenda- induced drought or famine, an untested vaccine forcefully administered to untold millions around the globe, or the cataclysmic collapse of societies by accelerating the elimination of fossil fuels. On December 12, 2015, 196 nations signed on to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (or Paris Agreement). This treaty established unworkable global warming goals as it required countries to make massive and profound changes to their economies; thus, potentially precipitating civil and societal strife and a move toward totalitarianism in these same nations. One of the architects of the precursor to the Paris Accords, the Kyoto Protocols (2005), was quoted as saying, Isnt the only hope for the planet that the industrialized civilizations collapse? Isnt it our duty to bring that about? The unspoken solution -- unabashed socialism, communism, or a new global world order. Modern environmentalism also has roots in another of the branches of the Marxist tree, Nazism, as detailed by Rupert Darwall, a former United Kingdom government advisor, in his seminal work on the roots of modern environmentalism entitled Green Tyranny: Exposing the Totalitarian Roots of the Climate Industrial Complex. Darwell was quoted as saying, If you look at what the Nazis were doing in the 1930s, in their environmental policies, virtually every theme you see in the modern environmental movement, the Nazis were doing. Darwell also referenced a quote from Hitler, Im not interested in politics, Im interested in changing peoples lifestyles. Darwell concluded, That is what the modern environmental movement is all about, its about changing peoples lifestyles. A tactic promoted by Hitler and the Nazis whose ultimate goal was to regiment societies into mindless drones to benefit a fascist state. Whether it is Marxism, Communism, Nazism, or Fascism, all have eventuated in unfathomable death and destruction. As revealed in the two-decade mismanagement of California, the circumstances surrounding the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles, and the unquestioned allegiance to Marxist-inspired environmentalism the green movement is also eventuating in death and massive destruction. The chaos in California is a wake-up call for the rest of America. The primary interest of the green movement is to abet the transformation of the United States into an impoverished one-party socialist oligarchy. It is not to save the planet for the benefit of mankind. Image: AT via Magic Studio In Shakespeares retelling, the assassination of Julius Caesar lies squarely at the feet of his friend Brutus, as expressed in the dying Caesars last words Et tu Brute? Though Shakespeare gave us great tragic literature, today it is known to be historically false. It was someone much closer to Caesar, Demicus Junius Brutus Albinus, not Marcus Brutus, who was able to convince Caesar to attend what would be his final senate meeting. Over the decades, I have been involved in or became aware of many instances where a peer was no friend, though not rising to the level that did Caesar in. Physician protecting fellow physician, a white coat of silence, is an exaggeration for public consumption. It began in college pre-med training. Some courses used material from specific books in the librarys reserve collection. Unfortunately, it was common when seeking an answer to find it blackened out, likely by another pre-med student hoping a leg up would improve their chance of admission to medical school. Medical school began with an anatomy dissection lab. It included a cadaver shared among four students. On our first day we were warned that removal of body parts from the lab would result in expulsion. Recreating The Godfather, but with a human head, was frowned upon. There was no formal mechanism to prevent students from turning a dissection into something resembling a crime scene, thus preventing others from recognizing the anatomy during an exam. However, a friend who attended another school got a two-year time out after shoving a fellow students head into a cadavers body when witnessing that student creating anatomical havoc, despite warning of the consequences. Was that student just poor in technique or acting purposefully? After graduating and completing residency, a darker side of medical practice became evident. In medicine, lawyers may write the laws and regulations, but physicians become both their cover and enforcers. This is true at the local (hospital), state (board of medicine), or federal (agencies) levels, often with overlap. At the local level, most physicians have hospital privileges, required to care for hospitalized patients. Medical staff rules, known as bylaws, are enacted, and enforced by a minority of physicians who comprise the Medical Executive Committee (MEC). Whether in medicine or politics, the character of those inhabitants is often quite similar; if you walked in with good intentions, your stay was based on other motivations. The MEC ultimately determines requirements such as whether physicians should get yearly Flu shots, basing it on a claimed safety for hospitalized patients. Can the committees physicians point to Flu outbreaks or closures of hospitals emanating from unvaccinated physicians? The COVID non-vaccinations were treated similarly, despite the dearth of information justifying its use. No shot, no privileges. It comes down to power and control. Hospital boards consist of laypeople with a smattering of politicized physicians. Years ago, at an after-hours meeting, a fellow physician told me that any issue brought before physicians at medical staff meetings relating to hospital business was already a done deal. The presentation to physicians was for show and our opinions were only that. A successful physician friend of mine worked in a private hospital that merged with a university hospital. He rebuffed the universitys offer to become their employee. Shortly thereafter, his care of a hospitalized patient was questioned, triggering peer review, used in theory to ensure quality of care, safe and effective treatment, and professionalism. It can easily turn into a sham review. Removing a doctor from the staff can also remove a competitor. Peer review requires physicians to objectively determine whether the delivered care was appropriate and timely. In my friends case, the peer review committee ruled against him, claiming substandard medical care, patient abandonment and being a disruptive physician. All the peer reviewers were university-employed physicians. The hospital nurses slow-walked his medical orders. Being labelled a disruptive physician meant he hurt their feelings in pointing out that orders are not suggestions. There are many ways for physicians to shiv each other in a peer review. With the loss of hospital privileges, my friend chose to relocate to work with me. That came about due to my own encounter with a group of hostile physicians. Patient referrals to a practice can nosedive if somehow you end up on referring physicians s-list or they find a business opportunity to compete against you. An independent physician group in another specialty decided to branch out into mine, using a local hospital to accomplish what they could not or would not do on their own. Both the hospital board physicians and this physician group saw the potential for financial gain and took it. I am not anti-hospital per se. There is a legitimate role for hospitals. There are times when physicians pretend to support fellow community physicians. A local for-profit hospital decided to entice physicians to increase the use of their facility using a structured physician buy-in. The physicians of one large group followed suit but ended up diverting care of their patients to another hospital. The head of that group told me there was little choice since the other hospital would have hired physicians to compete against the group if patients were not diverted. The losers were the physicians who purchased shares and saw fewer patients. Another friend was a foreign medical school graduate, and upon completion took the required ECFMG exam. After residency, he practiced in Florida for about 15 years. Upon applying for a Pennsylvania medical license, the board manufactured a problem: his ECFMG certificate did not have an expiration date, instead it read indefinite. Can you pass what is essentially an exit exam more than once? My friend received a letter stating, incomplete file, followed by a phone call requesting a meeting so we can read this together. In the end, the board relented. The tendency is to blame office personnel, but they represent the physician member majority of the state medical board, our fellow physicians who could end this nonsense if they chose, but they do not and will not. In Pennsylvania, physicians are required to take an online child abuse course for license renewal. Even if you do not treat children or are retired from active practice, no course, no license. The rationale comes down to this: every licensed physician, 24/7, is responsible for reporting anything remotely suspicious for child abuse. Compare this to court rulings that the police have no duty to protect the life of a civilian while on duty. The lines blur between state and federal physician-on-physician shenanigans. The COVID crisis brought this to the forefront. There were physicians who pointed out the non-scientific basis of many aspects of the COVID narrative or discussed or prescribed medication considered off-label, another manufactured issue. Some ran afoul of state medical boards, again, run by their fellow physicians claiming medical disinformation, misinformation, or malinformation. I have had issues with medical websites, specifically their comment sections, and have been lifetime banned from two of them, one a physician-only site, another for medical personnel only. It is apparent that these sites do not want physicians discussing topics they consider conspiracy theories. Publishing in medical journals appears little different; toe the party line or else. Finally, board certification in medical specialties was once optional and if obtained, was for a lifetime. This changed to retesting at set intervals, requiring many physicians to spend thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours in preparation. Not passing often leads to job loss. It became the foundation of the boards multimillion-dollar business, run by select groups of physicians. Do PhDs redefend their dissertation or state lawyers retake their Bar? Science is never settled, and state laws change. So lives are at risk? Lawyers defend people on death row. Apparently only physicians possess a unique fund of knowledge. Unfortunately, unity among physicians is a mirage and the examples I used only scratch the surface. While media may portray the focus of professional assault as coming from hospitals, attorneys, and medical insurers, too many physicians are involved as well. As in Caesars situation, it is not always easy to distinguish friend from foe. My advice to those entering the profession is to remain vigilant but keep in mind that one day they too will likely ask Et tu, medicus? Image: AT via Magic Studio A recent poll confirming that nearly half of federal government employees plan to resist a second Trump administration should alarm anyone who values the integrity of constitutional governance. For those of us who have served in public office, the data arent surprising. Bureaucratic resistance quiet or overt has long been an entrenched feature of Washingtons political landscape. Yet the scale and brazenness of defiance revealed in this survey highlights a broader threat: a federal bureaucracy that prioritizes its own agenda over the will of the voters. The poll revealed that whereas 89% of Republican government employees plan to support a Trump administration, nearly three quarters of Democrat bureaucrats (73%) plan to resist it. Among federal managers the individuals tasked with implementing presidential directives the divide is particularly stark. Only 26% of managers overall plan to strongly support the administration, while nearly as many (23%) openly admit they will strongly resist it. Worse, when asked how they would respond to a lawful presidential order they consider bad policy, 64% of Democrat managers said they would ignore the directive and do what they thought was best. This is not resistance; it is insubordination. It is not just a rejection of Trump; it is a rejection of the voters who elected him. These bureaucrats elevate their own preferences above the electoral process, openly declaring their intent to resist lawful orders from the duly elected president simply because they disagree with the policy. This behavior strikes at the heart of representative government. Federal employees are not policymakers; they are public servants charged with executing the policies set by elected officials. Yet, as this poll shows, many consider themselves a shadow authority a Deep State unaccountable to the electorate. A Battle Thats Not New, and Escalating The Deep States defiance of Trump is not a new phenomenon. During his first term, deep-seated bureaucrats leaked information, slow-walked directives, and quietly undermined his agenda. But this resistance did not begin in 2017, nor did it end when Trump left office in 2021. For more than eight years, the immutable bureaucracy has worked to obstruct Trumps agenda, and under the Biden administration, its power has only deepened. This isnt just a continuation of an old battle; its an escalation. The resistance that was once covert is now out in the open, with bureaucrats declaring their intent to defy lawful orders. This escalation reflects a broader cultural problem in Washington, where many within the government view themselves not as public servants, but as guardians of their own ideological agenda. Critics often accuse Trump of authoritarian tendencies, pointing to his demand for loyalty from his appointees as evidence. But this accusation misses the mark. The true authoritarians are not those insisting on alignment with an elected presidents vision; they are those within the entrenched bureaucracy who subvert the will of the voters and use their positions to advance their own agenda. There is no clearer example of authoritarianism than unelected officials deciding they have the right to overrule the elected president and the people who put him in office. The Stakes for Trumps Second Term Trumps mandate in 2016 was clear: drain the swamp. That message resonated because Americans saw a federal government bloated with inefficiency, mired in unaccountability, and indifferent to their concerns. But as this poll demonstrates, that mandate is not a stale slogan. Then, as now, the bureaucracy bristled at the idea of reform. Then, as now, it viewed Trump not as its leader, but as its adversary. And then, as now, Americans have chosen Trump to deliver change. The stakes for a second term, however, are higher than ever. For Trump to succeed in fulfilling his renewed mandate, he must take decisive action to neutralize this internal sabotage. This begins with personnel. Trump cannot afford to make the mistakes of his first term, where too many appointees were either complicit in the swamps resistance or unwilling to confront it. Personnel decisions in his second term must reflect a hard earned lesson: loyalty, competence, and ideological alignment are non-negotiable. Trumps appointees must not only share his vision, but also possess the courage to enforce it within agencies riddled with entrenched opposition. This also means rejecting the usual Washington power brokers. Lobbyists, political operatives, and special interest groups will undoubtedly push their own candidates for key roles, but Trump must resist this temptation. These individuals often have divided loyalties, beholden to their patrons rather than the president. Instead, Trump must surround himself with reformers leaders willing to challenge the status quo, impose accountability, and root out inefficiencies. A Nation That Demands Accountability The American people see through the bureaucracys charade. According to the poll, more than half (54%) of Main Street voters believe that bureaucrats who refuse to follow lawful presidential orders should be fired, with even the Elite 1% agreeing at 52%. Republican managers overwhelmingly (74%) support terminating insubordinate federal employees, compared to just 23% of Democrat managers. This divide highlights the stark cultural contrast between those who see public service as a duty to the people and those who see it as a tool for advancing personal or ideological goals. The American publics demand for accountability reflects a deep frustration with a system that has grown unresponsive to their needs. The swamp isnt just a collection of bad actors; its a culture of inertia and entitlement that values its own preservation over the public good. Trumps second term represents an opportunity to disrupt that culture once and for all. The Road Ahead Trumps renewed mandate is a battle for the soul of the republic. The Deep States resistance is not about Trump as an individual; it is about the voters who elected him and the policies they demand. Bureaucratic defiance is an affront to the principles of representative democracy, and it must be confronted with urgency and resolve. For Trump, this means taking bold, decisive action from day one. It means staffing his administration with leaders who are committed to his vision and unafraid to challenge the deep-rooted bureaucracy. It means demanding accountability at every level of government and holding insubordinate employees to the standard the American people expect. The Deep State is ingrained, but it is not invincible. Trumps election first in 2016 and reaffirmed in 2024 reflects the publics determination to wrest control of the government back from unaccountable elites. The American people have given him a renewed opportunity to deliver on the promise of reform. It is a fight worth having, not just for Trumps legacy, but for the integrity of the republic itself. If successful, Trump will reaffirm the principle that government serves the people, not the other way around. That is a legacy worth fighting for. Charlton Allen is an attorney and former chief executive officer and chief judicial officer of the North Carolina Industrial Commission. He is the founder and editor of The American Salient and the host of the Modern Federalist podcast. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Jews seem to generate a lot of negative emotions among non-Jews, and its been going on for a while. However, when one strips away the accusations and obsessive focus on high-profile figures, all that remains is envy. The Romans fought three wars against the Jews, who had been a civilization for over a millennium before the Romans ever touched the sands of the Middle East. The first of those wars, the First Jewish-Roman War (66-73 AD), which ended with the deaths of Masadas defenders, saw Jerusalems destruction, including the Temple, the death of 50,000 Jews, and absolute Roman control over Jerusalem. Nevertheless, Jews tried two more times to throw off the Roman yoke. Those wars would change the Jewish universe dramatically, with the adherents going from a powerful entity (although one subservient to the Romans) in the eastern Mediterranean, with semi-autonomous local control and nominal power over large swaths of land, to a vilified people with virtually no power, no land, and its surviving population either sold into slavery or kicked out of its traditional home and spread out across the region. The reasons people give for hating Jews through the ages are numerous: They were a thorn in the Romans side. They killed Christ. They made matzo with the blood of Christian children (something decided non-kosher). Theyre greedy bankers. Theyre insular, self-dealing, and dislike non-Jews, and their faith puts them above other second-tier peoples and religions. Then there are people who say Jews stole the land from the Arabs, put Palestinians in camps, and Israel was founded by terrorists . Image: A Jewish family from England arriving at Ellis Island (pre 1915). Public domain. In America, too, some of that hate exists. Why? Again, the haters have their answers: Jews control everything. They built and still control Hollywood . Jews control the media . They frequently use finance to perpetrate scams on others (think: Boesky, Epstein, and Madoff). They control Wall Street . They have a huge influence in technology & Silicon Valley . In general business theyre everywhere, founding Home Depot, Carnival, Rocket Mortgage, Levis, Hyatt, Ben & Jerrys, Starbucks, Snapple, and others. Then, of course, there is the place where power is most cancerous: government. Particularly where Democrats are concerned, Jews play a dominant role. In the current administration, Jews helm Homeland Security, Treasury, and State. The Attorney General and the White House Chief of Staff are Jews, as are 10 Senators and 21 Congressmen . And of course, the Rosenbergs , who gave the nuclear secrets to the Soviets, Marc Elias, who helped Joe Biden steal the White House, and George Soros, whos been funding the near collapse of the United States. Almost without exception, these Jews have abandoned, or are actively hostile to, the Torahs precepts. Lastly, there are groups like AIPAC that push America to pour billions of dollars into Israels security. All in all, for someone looking to hate, Jews make a good target. But heres the thing: Most of the Jews who come to dominate in America do so because theyve been successful, not destructive. And most of them, except the politicians, have become successful because they created a business or a service that consumersall consumers, not just Jewswere willing and able to freely exchange their hard-earned money for things they wanted, i.e., they were making peoples lives better. That is very possibly the most noble way for a human being to make money. When someone stops to think of all the Jewish names dominating an industry, one might think that Jews are a huge segment of the population. But theyre not. American Jews number about 7 million, or about 2% of the population. Worldwide, the 16 million Jews represent just .2% of the population. Do you ever wonder why, when we think of Jews, we think of banking and media and not construction or farming? Is it because Jews cant build or farm? No. They built Jerusalem long before the Romans arrived and centuries later created a vibrant farming industry out of what was essentially a 19th-century desert in what would later become Israel. The reason Jews are often associated with banking and media and other such pursuits has to do with the fact that historically they were prohibited from large swaths of the economy. In Europe, under the Romans and Christians, Jews were often excluded from guilds . In Islamic lands they faced Jizya , a tax on non-Muslims. Those exclusions and taxes dovetailed with usury bans on Christians and Muslims to open a significant opportunity for Jews. A key element of their being able to take advantage of that opportunity comes directly from the Jewish faith itself, which requires Jews read the Torah . Literacy and its companion numeracy allowed Jews to become successful bankers. That expertise and success, in turn, provided them with the capital and connections to branch into other areas. So why are there still so few Jews relative to the rest of the population? A few factors. As people become more prosperous, birthrates decline. Additionally, successful Jews often intermarry into Christian families and seem to drift away from the faith. And lastly, as Gad Saad points out in The Parasitic Mind , Judaism demands a great deal of its adherents and even more from those who want to become members. The result is that while Jewish civilization is one of the oldest in human history, its adherents remain a tiny fraction of mankind. That tiny number hides much. With their focus on education handed down over thousands of years, Jews have the highest IQs in the world . While representing just .2% of the worlds population, Jews represent more than 20% of Nobel Prize recipients across disciplines including 41% in Economics, 26% in Medicine, and 25% in Physics. Jews outperform virtually every other group on the planet in terms of success across a wide swath of culture and civilization. Mark Twain observed : [The Jews] are peculiarly and conspicuously the worlds intellectual aristocracy... [Jewish] contributions to the worlds list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are way out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in this world...and has done it with his hands tied behind him. As with members of every other group, there are no doubt Jews who are avaricious, malicious, and mendacious, but I would suggest they, too, are a minority. In reality, the hatred directed at Jews has little to do with anything other than envy. People hate or dislike Jews because, in the aggregate, theyre so successful, and people focus this animus on the keys that empowered Jews: family, community, and education. (I am somewhat dumbfounded why so many of these manifestly smart people vote for Democrats, who are against virtually everything Jews have harnessed to succeed...) The fact that Jews make up such an incredible proportion of successful Americans should not be a reason to hate them but rather should be taken as a roadmap. Tony Robbins may have put it best: If you want to be successful, find someone who has achieved the results you want and copy what they do, and youll achieve the same results. While I doubt I could ever become a chess master, regardless of how much I practiced, the notion of strong families, strong communities, and a focus on education is a proven 3,000-year-old recipe for success. America would be far better off if more people followed it. Follow Vince on X at @ImperfectUSA Dancer Michelle Thompson Sam Aslanian The 2025 Mix-MATCH: A Mixed Arts Festival, a one-day celebration of Houstons diverse arts and creative community, will take place on Saturday, showcasing a striking array of performances and exhibits that highlight multiple genres of creative expression by and for the Houston community. With a focus on collaboration and diversity, 24 artists in various media were chosen to participate in the festival. This years lineup includes visual artists, dancers, musicians, actors, filmmakers, and more. KILLER MIKE LOVES HOUSTON: The Atlanta rapper shows love for H-Town in advance of his performance with Houston Symphony. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "Houston is one of the most diverse cities in the country, and this years festival reflects the rich tapestry of artists and creatives from our community," said Brian Walker, MATCH director of production and festival coordinator. "We created this festival to showcase the talents of Houstons small and mid-sized organizations and independent artists. In one day, you can experience an incredible range of works that truly capture the essence of Houstons artistic diversity." The first Mix-MATCH festival in 2024 featured more than 30 artists. This year the peer-selected participants are focused on innovation, cross-disciplinary creations, and collaboration. Dennis Draper, MATCH's director of patron services, shared that the vision is to make it a cornerstone event for Houstons art scene, and concentrate on the works of local artists and community engagement. Boomtown Brass Band Boomtown Bras Band While the festival is geared primarily to adult audiences, younger viewers will enjoy a premiere called Lost Luggage, an immersive piece for all ages presented by Brave Little Company. The company will be touring through the Young Audiences of Houston, and they received a 2023 National Theatre for Young Audiences/USA Award for Artistic Innovation for their experimentation in theater work for young people. With eight dance performances, seven musical presentations, and five theater shows, the day is rounded out with a comedic sketch, three art/spoken word events, and two film showings, with various collaborations among all of the participants. For example, musician Tonya Burton, ballerina Karina Gonzalez, videographer David Rivera will perform together. The events will be throughout the MATCH venue in one hour slots, and there will be busking musicians and wandering artists as well as a food truck. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For visual art, one participant is Carmenza Perdomo, a Colombian- American contemporary artist, and the founder-director of carmenza_artStudio, located in the Museum District. Her studios purpose is to help promote local contemporary artists by showcasing their work along with Carmenzas at her own venue, free of charge for the participating artists. She describes her style as Expressive Minimalism, combined with certain geometric abstraction reflected in diverse works of art that include, painting, Installations, and Objets dart. The installation called Springtime Fantasy (translation to Spanish: La Bella y Fragil Quimera de la Eterna Primavera) that will be exhibited at the Mix-Match festival, is a collaborative piece with her fellow artist Ruby Fear. Both artists will be in attendance for an art talk at the event. 6 Degrees Dance with Michelle Reyes Pin Lim For dance, participants include Michelle Thompson, a choreographer and a professor at SUNY Purchase in New York. She received her training from the San Francisco Ballet, and danced for 14 years with Ballet Austin, and worked in June 2024 in collaboration with Grammy award winning musician Scott Tixier. Thompson has been selected to be part of the Mix MATCH festival in Houston for her work "Dinner Party," which will premiere in its full form in New York in September 2025. She explained that I am thrilled to share an excerpt of this piece at the Mix-MATCH Festival on Saturday January 18, 2025 at 3:15pm. This piece feels like a cross between a dance and a play where the audience becomes a fly on the wall of some very intimate conversations. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Thompson reflected on how her work fit into this event: One of my main dancers, Caleb Patterson, is a Houston native and I was so grateful to hear about the Mix-MATCH Festival from his mother, Helen Yanez Harris. Its a beautiful thing when people believe in your work and encourage you to apply for opportunities," Thompson said. "After reading the application, I realized it was such a perfect fit. The elements that Mix-MATCH was interested in displaying and sharing resonated deeply with what I was exploring in my work. I applied for this opportunity and was so excited when I was selected. I am also working with Houston dancers to incorporate into this work, which allows me to deepen my community connections to Houston." Dancers with the Silambam Houston dance school Courtesy MATCH Anyone paying attention to the Hunter Biden saga fully expected The Big Guy to pardon his bagman. What was a surprise was that the pardon was a blanket amnesty for any possible crime that may have been committed while Hunter was raking in the dough for the Biden family. Any such blanket amnesty should be an anathema to all fair-minded individuals, which excludes Democrats. For that reason, a blanket amnesty to those currently convicted, in jail, or awaiting trial for actions on Jan 6 will not be granted, as the President has said. But rest assured that pardons or commutations will be forthcoming. Granting pardons and commutations en masse would be politically damaging to the President, as he has recognized. The media has been promoting Trumps comments regarding pardons for the Jan 6ers as being primarily across the board. AP provides an example: Trump said he would issue pardons to rioters on Day 1 of his presidency, which begins Jan. 20. Most likely, Ill do it very quickly those people have suffered long and hard. And there may be some exceptions to it. I have to look. But, you know, if somebody was radical, crazy. The Vice President-elect added clarity to the situation on Fox News Sunday: I think its very simple -- if you protested peacefully on Jan 6 and you had Merrick Garlands Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. And theres a little bit of a grey area there. But were very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law, and there are a lot of people we think in the wake of January 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that. This was touted as being in conflict with President Trump, but it was not: Late last year this was confirmed in an interview on Meet the Press when the President told Kristen Welker: Im going to look at everything. Were going to look at individual cases," If handled correctly, pardons for Jan 6ers could be advantageous to the President while also damaging the false narratives foisted upon the public by those aligned against President Trump. The media will attempt to claim the pardons are for insurrectionists. The media will scream that this only serves to reinforce that Trump instigated the entire event. We must not let that occur. The focus needs to be shifted to the massive deprivation of rights, the abuses of power, and the inhumane treatment of those arrested and imprisoned without bail on trumped-up charges, as JD Vance has indicated. The question then becomes: How is that to be addressed? The plan of action laid out below could accomplish just that: Case by Case Analysis -- According to the DoJ, as of Jan. 6, 2025 there have been 1,583 people charged for actions in the Jan. 6 demonstration and riot. There are many cases still pending. Of those convicted, 782 have been convicted of violent offenses. Each one of these 1600 (or so) cases should be looked at individually, as the President has stated, specifically for civil rights violations, excessive sentencing, mistreatment while imprisoned, denial of medical care, inadequate food, and other abuses. As each case is reviewed with a determination made, a recommendation should be presented to the President regarding a pardon or commutation. Legal Assessments -- Reviewing all 1,600 cases (and counting) will be a monumental task on the part of the lawyers needed to conduct these evaluations. However, resources such as the American Center for Law & Justice are available. Additionally, we have 27 states with Republican governors who could each ask five experienced defense attorneys to review the appropriate files. If this were to be done, the team of 135-plus attorneys would have ten to twelve cases each to review. This number becomes approachable in terms of minimizing the length of time required for completion of the task. Legal Actions -- In those cases where violations have occurred, a class-action lawsuit would need to be filed. One such action involving 100 Jan. 6 victims has already been filed. However, those pardoned in the process described here would most certainly be included in any such legal actions. If a settlement was agreed to, it would need to be agreed to by the incoming Attorney General and President Trump. Such a settlement would be highly likely. Individual culpability -- Those responsible for the abuse of authority, denial of civil rights, and other illegal actions may be pardoned by President Biden. Regardless of any such pardons issued to those who participated in these actions, they would not be absolved from any resultant civil ligation. The civil suit mentioned above and considered here is specifically filed against the DoJ as a whole. If not already known, the pardon review process of all 1600 cases would serve to identify those specific individuals. It is important that President Trump use this opportunity to his advantage by shifting the discussion away from the event itself and onto the post-January 6 civil rights violations and abuses that have occurred. This would not be revenge, but it would be retributive justice against the participants in the largest mass civil rights violations since a Democrat issued Executive Order 9066 on Feb. 19, 1942. Image: Tyler Merbler Apparently, theres still more to be said about the Los Angeles area fires. Turns out, not only did Democrat Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass leave her town after she knew dangerous winds were imminent amidst fire-friendly conditions to attend a wedding party in Ghana, but Brian Williams, the deputy mayor of public safety in Los Angeles who was appointed by Bass, was unavailable during this crisis as well. Why? Because hes been on administrative leave for nearly a month after being implicated in a bomb threat made against the Los Angeles City Hall. Got it? FBI agents raided the deputy mayors home a few days before Christmas, on suspicion that he had called in a bomb threat to L.A.s City Hall back in October. Los Angeles police officers opened an investigation into the threat, subsequently handing it off to federal agents because of the suspects close connection with their department. The LAPD released a statement reading: Our initial investigation revealed that the source of the threat was likely from Brian Williams, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety. Due to the Departments working relationship with Mr. Williams, the investigation was referred to the FBI. The FBI remains the investigating agency. The City of Angelss Deputy Mayor for Public Safety (apparently) called in a bomb threat to the City Hall of the very burg he was paid to protect?! While the mayor was partying in Africa? Good God! This is more than incompetence. It is worse than inaction. You wouldnt think a man charged with keeping a municipality safe would have to be told, first, do no harm or please dont bomb City Hall! Several of us have expressed the opinion here that the elites and authorities currently in power dont much care for the people they are sworn to serve. Many dont want to believe this, for it is a tragic and sobering notion. But, as this tragedy has so clearly illustrated, it is nonetheless true. The rot, the sickness, the depravity must be removed, root and branch. City by city, state by state. Image: Public domain. Was James Carville watching the hearings? I hope that he was because we saw "the preachy females" in full force. In the end, it did not work because the lady senators were obnoxious. This is from Philip Wegmann: A decade of live television sharpened Pete Hegseth so much so that even Senate Democrats acknowledged his ability to mobilize the talking point during a confirmation hearing before the Armed Services Committee, marking another battle in an ongoing culture war. Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal said he would back Hegseth to be the next spokesperson for the Pentagon, assuring President-elect Trumps nominee for secretary of defense, I dont dispute your communication skills. Later, not halfway through the hearing, Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono felt compelled to remind the quick-witted nominee, You are no longer on Fox and Friends. When one of my older brothers was a kid, he and some friends made a shocking discovery in a wooded lot across the street -- an old porn magazine hidden away or thrown aside by a previous owner. One of the more foolish of the hooligans stepped forward and flipped open the magazine. Horrified by what he saw, my brother turned on his heel and hightailed it for the innocence of home. Sadly, for this generation of kids, that sort of innocence is hard to come by. With ever-present smartphones and computers, an ocean of porn is always just a click away. How did we get here? Twenty years ago, the porn industry succeeded in getting a more liberal Supreme Court to strike down a federal law requiring porn sites to keep kids out. Since then, kids have become exposed to hardcore porn online at unprecedented levels. Now, lawmakers across the country are stepping forward to reclaim innocence for our kids. Theyve passed state laws requiring porn websites to verify that users are adults. The porn industry, euphemistically calling themselves the Free Speech Coalition, is at it again, and has sued to enjoin Texass age verification law. They argue that exposing millions of kids to hardcore porn is just the price we pay for free speech. But their real agenda, which has more to do with conduct than speech, is to create lifetime porn addicts -- profit at the expense of childhood innocence. On January 15, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in that case, Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton. Lawmakers from more than 15 states, joined by the American Family Association and AFA Action , submitted an amicus brief urging this Supreme Court to apply a historically sound reading of the First Amendment and uphold these commonsense laws to protect kids. The Founders would have been shocked by the assertion that adults have a First Amendment right to access porn without verifying age, ensuring that porn is readily available to kids. As originally understood, the First Amendment of the Constitution and similar state constitutions free speech clauses did not protect the publication of sexually graphic material. English common law had punished obscenity since at least 1727. Between 1808 and 1824, the high courts of Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New York each upheld common law punishments for publication of indecent or obscene material. Legal treatises of the period also considered sexually graphic material outside the protection of freedom of speech or press. Between 1821 and 1835, three states and Congress passed statutes punishing the publication of sexually graphic material. By the Civil Wars end, 20 states had passed such legislation. The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed this history of consistent constitutional prohibition on sexually graphic publications when it noted in Chaplinsky v. State of New Hampshire (1942) that regulation of the lewd and obscene has never raised a constitutional problem. As late as 1968, in the case of Ginsberg v. State of New York, the Supreme Court likewise held that states could criminally punish the dissemination of indecent material to minors. Prior generations understood that laws keeping kids away from porn do not raise any legitimate free speech concerns. Thus, many of us older adults were blessed to grow up in a country where kids got to be kids. We didnt have to worry about confronting porn 24/7 on our phones, in the classroom and on every desktop. Dont the kids of this generation have that same right under the Constitution? Or does the Constitution put porn industry profits first? We should all know the answer to that question. Its time for the porn industry to leave kids alone. The Supreme Court should uphold Texass age-verification law. Trey Dellinger is a senior legal fellow with AFA Action and chief of staff for former Mississippi Speaker Philip A. Gunn. Prior to his state government service, Trey spent a year in the non-profit public policy sector and more than 20 years in the private practice of law. Trey received his law degree cum laude from the University of Mississippi Law School and his baccalaureate degree in physics magna cum laude from the University of Mississippi. Image: PickPik Three scientists recently resigned from the Honorary Board of the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) after the organization decided to remove and apologize for publishing Jerry Coynes article, Biology Is Not Bigotry. Coynes piece rebutted an earlier post promoting a view that denies biological realities about sex and endorses a transsexual ideology. Although I support the biological basis of Coynes arguments, his critique inadvertently highlights a deeper irony: his stance undermines his mission of keeping religion out of government and social policies. How It Began Kat Grant wrote an article, What is a Woman?, published on the Freethought Now! FFRF blog. The article is a showcase of flawed reasoning. At its core, Grants arguments hinge on the inaccurate assumption that manhood and womanhood can change. Grant tackles paper tiger arguments, such as claiming that if women with hysterectomies cant get pregnant, the ability to conceive should not define womanhood. This is an exception that actually validates the fact that someone with ovaries is indeed a woman; a woman typically has the ability to conceive at some point, but changing that through surgery or other means does not change her womanhood. Grant uses flawed arguments such as this to dismiss biology as an insufficient framework for understanding gender, ultimately concluding that womanhood is detached from biological reality. This conclusion is both unconvincing and unsupported by Grants arguments. Enter Coyne with a rebuttal grounded in biology. A Biological Argument for the Definition of the Sexes Coynes rebuttal presents a clear and compelling case that sex is a biological reality that cannot be changed. His description of gametes aligns well with my Sex Determination Decision Tree, which is available to instruct Grant and others. Coyne rightly asserts that we mammals cannot alter our gamete production mechanisms and therefore cannot change our sex. To identify as the sex that you can never become is the ideology of the imposter. Many who seek to find their true self in this corrupt ideology are actually robbed of their opportunity to embrace their real, unaltered selves. Canceling Biology The real story here in not the Coyne-versus-Grant debate. Theyre operating on entirely different intellectual planes. Instead, the controversy lies in FFRFs reaction to Coynes article. The organization removed the post from its Freethought Now! blog and issued an apology, claiming that it did not reflect FFRFs values and principles. This act of censorship not only silenced Coyne, but also alienated like-minded contributors in their community. Coyne expressed his concern that the FFRF was drifting outside its original mission, such that an organization that ostensibly exists to promote freedom from religion has begun to embrace a religion-like ideology, complete with its own dogma, heretics, and excommunication process. Rather than accept being silenced within his community, Coyne rightly resigned and aired his dissatisfaction with the issues infiltrating the FFRF. Irony in the Mission The irony here is profound. Coynes and FFRFs shared mission, to educate the public about non-theism and keep religion out of government and social policies, suffers from the same issues Coyne criticizes. But here the problem isnt mission drift. The problem is the original mission. Their ideal world would remove religious contexts, doctrines, and moral arguments from schools and government, which also favors the establishment of atheism (or non-theism) as a de facto state religion. Although FFRF-supporters may not view atheism as a religion, I and many others do. I imagine that Kat Grant does not identify her transsexual ideology as a religion, but Coyne is making that analogy, if not that actual argument. Coynes critique of Grants transsexual ideology as a religion-like framework is apt. However, he fails to see the parallel between this critique and the broader implications of FFRFs mission. The term separation of church and state is not found in the Constitution. The establishment clause of the Constitution reads, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. By seeking to exclude religious voices from public service, FFRF violates the principles it claims to uphold. The Fallout Jerry Coyne, Steven Pinker, and Richard Dawkins all prominent voices in the atheist community resigned from FFRFs Honorary Board in protest of this censorship. Their departure underscores a deeper issue: the suppression of free thought within a community that ostensibly champions it. I pray they will also appreciate the irony that their mission results in the silencing of religious individuals in their own communities, just as the FFRF silenced Coyne in his. Dr. Mack Ransom explores overlooked scientific and cultural connections, blending his passion for science, Christian faith, and the pursuit of truth. Additional articles can be found at Dr. Macks Commentary Shack. Image via Picryl. Donald Trump talks about annexing Canada, doing a deal with Greenland, and reasserting US rights in Panama, all to the hilarity of the mainstream media. Will you rule out sanctions or military action? they ask. I wont rule out anything, he replies. Shock. Horror. Their takeaway: Trump lies. See, he will start wars. This is all part of the panoply of political theatre that is currently playing in America. However, lets take seriously Trumps focus on Canada, Greenland, and Panama. First, the obvious points: 1. America wouldnt want wimpy Canada until it proves it isnt a clone of California and has no debt. 2. Greenland can make a choice, and Denmark will probably cooperate...for a fee. 3. Panama is just the reversal of a very bad Democrat decision. There are likely a lot of those coming over the next four years. 4. The Gulf of America? Why not? Public domain images. But lets go further. Imagine a map of the world and ask yourself which nations might like to become part of Greater America, the Land of the Free. Then, look at the same map and ask yourself which nations America might want under its umbrella. The latter is not a NATO-friendly list. But how about those in the first category, the ones who might want to join us? Which could earn the right to become an American state or protectorate, or any of the myriad structural entities fit the bill? So, here are some ideas to play around with: America should offer to the world the chance to be part of Americapart of the winning teambut its not an easy membership. The countries would have to adopt the American Bill of Rights and the United States Constitution as the starting point. There would be other criteria: No or negligible debt, Judeo-Christian sensibilities, probably English speaking (or willing to make it the second language), accepting the US Dollar, and withdrawing from the UN, WHO, EU, and all corrupt world organizations. (The U.S. should do all of these things, too.) A nation would apply for US constitutional status, and the American people would decide. No lobbyists or backroom deals. It would all be out in the open. The status awaiting approval would give the country security and American protection during the process. That is, threats to these nations would be dealt with harshly by America, not necessarily militarily, but not something anyone would want to try. The result would be no NATO or United Nations. Instead, just a group of like-minded nations under the same constitutional philosophy. Some might be states, but most will be like the original concept of the British Commonwealthindependent nations with similar goals working together and giving each other preferred status in everything. Wouldnt it be ironic if, 250 years after 1776, there developed a Commonwealth of America, even as Britain sinks under the oceans that made it great for all those centuries? The baton passes. Samsung will officially launch the Galaxy S25, Galaxy S25 Plus, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra on January 22. So, we are exactly a week away from seeing all three devices, although we know most everything about them, courtesy of tons of leaks. Speaking of leaks, today, the official cases for the Galaxy S25 series popped up online. Now, an Indian tipster has reportedly leaked the on-sale and shipping dates of the Galaxy S25 series. The on-sale and shipping dates of the Galaxy S25 series for India have leaked The latest leak comes via a popular Indian tipster, Ishan Agarwal. In a post on X from yesterday, the tipster claimed that Indian buyers who pre-order any of the three smartphones should receive their devices by around February 3. In a separate post, Agarwal also added that dispatch will start on January 31st. Therefore, its highly likely that buyers will get their devices even earlier. Additionally, the tipster has also claimed that open sales of the Galaxy S25 series will start by February 9. Do note that the dates weve discussed here have to do with buyers in India. Its worth noting that a previous leak hinted that sales in South Korea could start by February 7. Therefore, its safe to assume that dates may differ a bit based on where you live. If you are reading this from the US, UK, or Australia, theres no information about shipping or on-sale dates for your region. Here are the leaked details about the colors and variants The tipster also detailed the colors and configurations of all three models that will be available in India. Speaking of configurations, the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus will be available in two storage variants 256GB and 512GB. The beefier Galaxy S25 Ultra will also be available in an additional third variant with 1TB of storage. Its important to note that a few past leaks pointed at the Galaxy S25s 128GB variant. But, considering Agarwals words, its safe to say that Samsung might not sell that variant in the Indian market. As for colors, the Galaxy S25 Ultra will be available in Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Silver Blue, Titanium Pink Gold, Titanium White Silver, Titanium Jade Green, and Titanium Jet Black. On the other hand, the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus will be available in Blue Black, Silver Shadow, Coral Red, Pink Gold, Mint, and Navy or Icy Blue. Remember, some of the color options might be exclusive to Samsungs online store. If you are a Workspace user who has been using Googles Gemini AI in Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Meet, and more, this news is for you. The company has announced that it is taking back the previous $20 monthly AI add-on fee but with a price increase of $2 per user per month on all Workspace plans. Google is adding AI to all Workspace plans as it increases the subscription price a bit The restructuring of price by Google comes as Microsoft announced free Copilot Chat for its business customers today. In todays Workspace Blog, Google notes that it wants to simplify the prices by adding AI to its existing Workspace plans. According to the new pricing structure, a company that used to pay $32 per user per month for the Business Standard plan with AI add-ons will now pay just $14. The new prices are immediately effective for new customers. The price change will take effect for existing customers starting March 17, 2025, or when they renew their annual/fixed-term plan. Remember, the updated pricing isnt applicable for very small business customers. It surely is an added cost to those who previously didnt opt for the $20 AI add-ons. However, its a great deal for anyone who uses the companys AI-powered tools. The company also assures that it wont use your data to train Gemini models As one would expect, Googles suite of Workspace AI tools boosts the productivity of those using them. For example, Gemini helps with write-ups across apps, automated note-taking in Meet, email summaries in Gmail, and more. Users can also access the AI chatbot, which helps them scour their documents, search for information, and do more. Not to forget, Google is also allowing customers to access its NotebookLM Plus research assistant and Gemini Advanced. With companies offering AI features, theres always a worry among users: what if our data is collected for AI training? Well, it seems Google is aware of this. A part of the Workspace Blog reads, We dont use your data, prompts, or generated responses to train Gemini models outside of your domain without permission. We dont sell your data or use it for ads targeting. The trend of AI companies striking deals with publishers doesnt seem to be ending, at least for now. In this instance, the tech company we are referring to is Google. The company today announced that it is partnering with The Associated Press (AP) to provide Gemini app users with fresh results. Google and The Associated Press partner to provide the Gemini app with real-time information To catch you up, Google has long been working with The Associated Press to help users get up-to-date and accurate information through Google Search. Now, the Mountain View giant is betting on the news agency to deliver a feed of real-time information for results shown in the Gemini app. Google, in the announcement post, notes this will improve the results displayed in the app. Besides, the new feature will be beneficial for users who look for up-to-date information. The APs Senior VP and Chief Revenue Officer, Kristin Heitmann, acknowledged the latest collaboration and stated, We are pleased Google recognizes the value of APs journalism as well as our commitment to nonpartisan reporting in the development of its generative AI products. Google, on the other hand, says that this collaboration is another example of its ongoing effort to support news agencies. The company notes that it has collaborated and partnered with news outlets of all sizes around the world. An example given by Google includes helping publishers grow their audience through YouTube, Google Search, and the Google Gemini app. The company is doing its bit to make journalism better through AI Google is also actively exploring the benefits of AI to empower journalists. It is doing so through tools and initiatives like Pinpoint and the JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, respectively. The company also notes that its currently supporting 35 projects from 22 different countries to strengthen local journalism through AI. Of course, Google is confident about the future of AI, which is why most of its innovation revolves around it. From its smartphones to apps, Gemini AI is everywhere, and its constantly improving. Google keeps moving forward on its goal of deeply integrating artificial intelligence into its products. Currently, hardwaresuch as the Google Pixel phonesand softwaresuch as the Workspace suite and Google Chromefrom the company already use the technology to enable impressive features. In line with that, Google Chrome will receive an AI-powered option that will intelligently manage the intensity of permission notifications. There are websites that, for one reason or another, request certain permissions. Sometimes they are necessary to enable features, although you also have to be careful with malicious sites that only want to steal your dataor worse. These permissions include location, notifications, microphone, and camera, among others. Pop-ups that ask for these kinds of permissions can be annoying or disruptive. That said, Google has come up with an AI-powered solution. This AI feature will learn your browsing habits to send quieter permission notifications in Chrome AI-based developments are mainly based on learning through data collection and processing. So, it stands to reason that these kinds of features are especially suited to detecting and learning use patterns. With that in mind, the Chrome team is working on the PermissionsAI option. PermissionsAI is a feature that analyzes your browsing behaviors or habits to determine how likely you are to grant certain permissions to a particular website. If it detects a low chance of granting a certain permission, the request notification will be silent or much more discreet. This enables a smoother browsing experience by removing disruptive elements that you were going to dismiss anyway. The feature works thanks to the Permission Predictions Service and the Gemini Nano v2 SLM built into Chrome. It needs to have Safe Browsing enabled to protect all your browsing data. Feature still under development with no rollout date yet While PermissionsAI is still in development, you can already test an early version in Chrome Canary. Use the Permission Predictions Service and Gemini Nano v2 to surface permission requests using a quieter UI when the likelihood of the user granting the permission is predicted to be low. Requires safe browsing to be enabled, reads its description. There are no details yet on when the option will arrive in the stable version of Chrome for everyone. Hopefully it wont take too long, as it seems pretty convenient. Nakia Holmes has filed for a divorce from husband Lynn Price. She alleges he abused her and their children in an Instagram post. Steve Gonzales/Staff photographer Nakia Holmes broke her silence in an interview with Essence magazine after her restaurant Turkey Leg Hut closed, following a split with her husband Lyndell Price, a failed health inspection and a bankruptcy filing. Holmes detailed the start of her relationship and the business, all the way to the end and what the future could hold for her. Here are five things we learned from the interview. Divorce to be finalized Holmes said her divorce should be finalized this month. In the interview, she said she had been checked out of the relationship years before actually filing for divorce. Advertisement Article continues below this ad She first announced her split from Price in an Instagram post in November 2023. As a self-described introvert, she said this was difficult for her to do. She said she fired him from the business shortly after. Holmes, who married Price in 2015, alleged that Price was guilty of cruelty toward her in their marriage, according to court records reviewed by the Chronicle. Holmes made an array of allegations in an affidavit seeking a temporary restraining order in June 2023. She alleged that Price had recently "committed family violence," and taken her car keys and cash from the Turkey Leg Hut, according to court records. When asked why she didn't leave him sooner, she said she was wired to stick through tough times. Her parents had been married for more than 47 years and her grandparents 60 years. She told the magazine Price was the funny guy making people laugh at the hair salon. He asked the hair salon owner to pass her his number. Holmes didn't think anything of it but then they kept seeing each other around Almeda. He approached her at a bar, and his "charm was impossible to ignore," she said. Price went to prison in the early years of the business In 2015, Holmes and Price created a hit selling turkey legs outside the Houston rodeo. In December of 2016, Price went to federal prison for his role in an IRS fraud scheme, just months before they were supposed to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The scheme occurred before Holmes knew him, she said. She led the restaurant while he was away. She opened the restaurant in December 2017 on Almeda. She had four partners in the business. She said it worked well, until Price returned home in October 2018. The Turkey Leg Hut sign is photographed Sunday, April 28, 2024 in Houston. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Price created the dress code policy Turkey Leg Hut made headlines in July 2021 when the business posted a new dress code policy on social media. The post banned excessively revealing clothing, house attire, exposed undergarments and swimwear, among other criteria. It was met with backlash and called "anti-Black." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Holmes said the dress code was all Price's idea; he wanted to reinforce a family-friendly atmosphere. The criticism pointed to the restaurants club-like atmosphere with elaborate alcoholic drinks and loud music. Price ran all the marketing and external communications, according to Holmes. She came out with a statement in the aftermath, backing her husband. This became a pattern, she told Essence, in which he would make a unilateral decision that would implode and she'd clean up the mess. How Turkey Leg Hut accumulated debt In 2022, US Foods sued Turkey Leg Hut for $1.2 million in unpaid goods and services. Holmes points to Price for ruining the relationship the business had with the distributor. They had a flexible payment schedule until Price had a heated exchange with a US Foods rep, she said. While the restaurant was booming with business, their debt had been increasing because their on-staff accountant was not paying invoices in full, according to Holmes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A court also ruled Holmes and Price were liable in paying Steve Rogers, a former partner of the restaurant, $931,000, even though Holmes told Essence they paid him $865,000 to buy him out of the business years earlier. The Houston Chronicle previously reported that Holmes owed 19 creditors nearly $5 million in debt. Turkey Leg Hut LLC filed for bankruptcy in March 2024; the building's landlord terminated the lease in November. New business on the horizon Holmes is now focused on the future. She told Essence she is working on some things but didn't want to reveal details just yet. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Finally, after several NintendoNintendo Directs and a ton of leaks, Nintendo finally took the wraps off of its next cash cow. The Nintendo Switch 2 is now official, and it brings some notable changes. The Nintendo Switch 2 is official. Whats new? The company posted the first official trailer, and it did the classic thing where the old device gradually morphs into the new device. In this case, we see a classic Nintendo Switchclassic Nintendo Switch gradually transform into a Switch 2. This is a great way to see what things have changed since the first model. Firstly, the Switch 2 is bigger than the original. Rumor has it that the screen will be 8.2 inches; however, well need to wait for that information. In any case, youre going to have a more immersive viewing experience. Another thing we notice about the chassis is that it might gain a matte texture as opposed to the more glossy plastic we saw on the OG Switch. Next up, the ports on the system seem to be the same but with one exception. We see the USB-C port pop up on the bottom (for docking and charging), but we also see one pop up on top of the system. It looks like this will be for accessories, but we dont know yet. Nintendo fixed one of the biggest gripes that OG Switch users dealt with, that tiny and pitiful kickstand. The kickstand on the Switch 2 now stretches the width of the system, and it looks like it will be sturdier than what we got just seven years ago. Not only that, but its adjustable. You can raise or lower your switch to the proper angle you want. What about the Joy-cons? Just like the system itself, the Joy-Cons have gotten bigger. It seems that Nintendo is going for a sleeker look with the Switch 2. Rather than having colored Joy-Cons, they will be the same matte black as the system, but theyll just have colored accents. For instance, there will be a red/blue ring under the joysticks. Also, the side of the Joy-Cons will have colored plastic. The colored sections on the side of the Joy-Cons will stick out a fair bit, and theyll house some buttons just like the original Switch cons. It looks like detaching them will be a bit easier, as the button to do so might be bigger. Taking the Joy-Cons off of the original Switch was always a pain. Speaking of detaching them, one of the sights we associate most with the Switch is the sight of the Joy-Cons falling into place on the sides of the system. Well, the Joy-Cons on the Switch 2 will attach directly to the console. To detach them, youll just pull outward. Dock, and other details During the second part of the trailer, we see the new Switch dock. This one looks larger to accommodate the larger system. Also, its more rounded at the top. We also got a look at the new Switch 2 controller skeleton. The Joy-Cons will lock into those the same way as they do the console. Moving on, the final screen does confirm backwards compatibility with the original Switch games. Nintendos been good about offering backwards compatibility. Heck, we remember playing GameCube games on our Wii Us back in the day. The Switch 2 will play both physical and digital Switch games. There is a disclaimer saying that some original Switch games wont be compatible with the Switch 2, but we didnt get any information on how many. The company said that details will be shared on the company website at a later date. Lastly, we got a date! April 2nd, 2025. Thats when this system will officially launch. Since Nintendo just gave us a sneak peek of the system, the company would be CRAZY not to give us more information about it during its next Direct. So, well all be waiting at the edge of our seats for this upcoming announcement. Multiple reports from last year suggested that Samsung Foundry has problems increasing yields on its 3nm GAA process. In fact, its one of the reasons why Samsung ditched Eynos on the Galaxy S25 series. Well, there were rumors about Samsung partnering with TSMC to mass-produce its Exynos chips. Thats not happening now, according to a tipster, Jukanlosreve, who claimed that TSMC rejected Samsungs offer to manufacture Exynos chips. TSMC wont be manufacturing Exynos chips as it reportedly rejected Samsungs offer TSMC is the go-to chip manufacturer for some of the big names, like Qualcomm, Apple, and MediaTek. A deal with Samsung would have helped the semiconductor giant to expand on the already long list of partners. Since TSMC has rejected Samsungs offer, many of you must be wondering whats the exact reason behind it. While there isnt much information about the reason, the tipster speculates that TSMC wants to protect its internal workings from Samsung, which is its direct rival in the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Its worth noting that Samsung recently mentioned that its 3nm chip manufacturing is back on track. If the foundry doesnt come across any hiccups this year, youre likely to see the next-gen Exynos 2500 SoC in the upcoming Z series smartphones. TSMC, which detailed its cutting-edge 2nm process late last year, is apparently ahead of Samsung. Several reports suggest that TSMCs 2nm trial production has reached 60 percent. But Samsung has its plans; the company will be focusing on achieving high yield on its 2nm chips. It will be interesting to see how that story unfolds down the line. Samsungs 2026 flagships might see a price hike if it sticks with Qualcomm Speaking of chips, Samsung will ship all three smartphones from the Galaxy S25 lineup with the Snapdragon 8 Elite SoC. In fact, the launch is just around the corner, itll happen on January 22. Its important to note that Qualcomm is also considering hiking the price of its next flagship chip. So, if Samsung sticks with Qualcomm, the companys flagship phones from 2026 might be even pricier. Samsung offers a trade-in program that runs all year long. It allows users to exchange their old smartphones to purchase a new device. Now, the South Korean tech giant has quietly introduced a new trade-in program. We can say that it is an improved version of the regular trade-in program. Samsung has just introduced a new trade-in program Samsungs latest trade-in program allows you to get the value of your old smartphone without even having to purchase a new phone. The PR states that first, Samsung grades the old smartphones into categories: Excellent, good, or recycled. Based on the grade of their device, the consumer then gets an appropriate amount. To find more information, you will have to visit Samsungs trade-in program pages of your respective region. Were excited to launch our brand-new year-round Galaxy Trade-In Program in an effort to enrich the value of Galaxy devices for users and contribute to a circular economy, said Jun Kim, EVP and Head of Galaxy Value Innovation team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. We believe customers can greatly benefit from the value of their devices in the market and the ability to trade-in safely with the support of secure transactions. The new program is currently only live in select regions Its worth mentioning that the companys new trade-in program isnt just live in all regions yet. As of now, the tech giant is running a pilot of the program in select countries including South Korea and France. LikeWize, a US-based company offering insurance, repairs, and other services for consumer tech products, is running this program As of now, the Samsung Galaxy S23, S22, S21, and S20 series smartphones are eligible for this program. You can also trade in the Z Fold5, Fold4, Fold3, Flip5, Flip4, and Flip3 in this program. However, the devices could differ from region to region. The company will start offering the new trade-in program in other countries through 2025. Bernard "Bun B" Freeman and Angela "Queenie" Walls Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Smoked salmon dip from Perseid's grand opening party. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography The scene outside Perseid's grand opening party. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Thomas Cokinos with his traveling baby grand piano during Perseid's grand opening party. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Festive cocktails from Perseid's grand opening party. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Aaron and Victoria Bludorn Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography The charcuterie spread inside Hotel Saint Augustine. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography "Do you wanna see a room?" Victoria Pappas Bludorn whispered with a mischievous smile, waving a key card in one hand. She spent much of Wednesday's grand opening party for Hotel Saint Augustine leading friends and family members across the courtyard and into building no. 2. The evening doubled as a VIP preview for Perseid, the French-meets-Gulf Coast bistro led by her husband, chef Aaron Bludorn. Victoria and Aaron Bludorn Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Down a lacquered yellow corridor, Pappas Bludorn's guided tour of an atelier king suite was down pat. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "These rooms were all inspired Dominique de Menil's own home," she said, gesturing towards a Charles James-inspired floral print sofa. "Houston needed this." The latter sentiment was repeated throughout the night. Tucked one block south of the Menil Drawing Institute in Montrose, Bunkhouse hospitality group's inaugural Houston property helps to fill the city's boutique hotel deficit. Saint Augustine, with its 71 rooms on 2.2 acres, welcomed its first guests in mid-December. The party stretched two buildings. A multi-table charcuterie spread connected the moody, 1970s-esque listening room to the Augustine lounge. Outside, some of the 400-plus guests grabbed drinks from a wine station. One bridge over, foodies enjoyed a first look at Perseid, Bludorn Hospitalitys fourth restaurant in Houston. The Chronicle's restaurant columnist Bao Ong wrote that Bludorn's French training will be front and center with influences from the Texas Gulf Coast woven into the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The champagne tower scene inside Perseid's grand opening party. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography On Wednesday, passed bites and a champagne coupe tower stole the show. Chefs prepared gnocchi samples in the dining room's rear. Near the front banquettes, Bludorn, Pappas Bludorn and restaurant partner Cherif Mbodji kept popping open bottles of bubbly until the sparkles filled 100 or so stacked glasses. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Attendees who ventured upstairs were rewarded with caviar bumps and chilled vodka shots. Others went in search of Saint Augustine's circular pool. And somehow, Thomas Cokinos' piano bar performance could be heard from nearly every corner of the festivities. "Did you know, he's my cousin!" Pappas Bludorn said. Pierce Bush Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Lindsey Brown and Chris Shepherd Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Carson Brown and Demi McCormack Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Janet and Paul Hobby Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Tarek El-Bjeirmi and Ceron Shane Dante Photography Alli Fields and Greggory Burk Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Susie and Sanford Criner Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Lucinda Loya, Estela Cockrell and Libby Watts. Shane Dante/Shane Dante Photography Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has said he is worried about a potential trade war after Donald Trump returns to the White House and stressed that tariffs are paid for by your own people. Mr Trump has signalled he is willing to introduce tariffs on goods coming from Canada and Mexico, two of the USs biggest trading partners, as well as China, in a bid to protect Americas homegrown industries. In recent days, the president-elect has spoken of establishing a new US government agency tasked with collecting revenue from tariffs. Financial markets around the world have started to react to the possibility the trade taxes could be applied more widely, which is believed to have influenced a spike in Government borrowing costs in the UK. Its going to be a challenging time for anyone who is responsible for trade in a big economy because of some of those pledges that were made in the campaign, Mr Reynolds told Sky News of Mr Trumps return. Asked if he was worried about a tariff war, he said: I am, because the UK is a very globally-orientated economy, so the exposure, the danger to the UK is actually greater than even some comparable countries around that. He added: Ultimately, tariffs are paid for by your own people. So, its got real pressures in terms of inflation, in terms of your ability to employ people, to export to other markets. He said the UK had been engaging with the incoming administration and was well prepared with a good argument to make in trade talks, adding he thinks there is a chance to get an even better relationship. Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey, meanwhile, will give a speech calling for the UK to negotiate a new UK-EU customs union to come into force by 2030 rather than tinkering around the edges of the botched deal the Conservatives signed four years ago. Sir Ed will argue that negotiating a new UK-EU customs union is the single biggest thing we can do to turbocharge our economy in the medium and long term. Mr Reynolds said the Lib Dems only ever think about Europe instead of the wider global position. He said: So, the EU is our major export market, about 800 billion worth of trade between the UK and the EU every year. The US is after that of 300 billion. So, you see the importance of the EU. Sir Ed Davey wants a new UK-EU customs union to be agreed (Gareth Fuller/PA) I think that the problem, to be frank, for the Lib Dems is they only ever think about Europe. Of course, its a major market, but this is a Government that wants to improve that relationship with the EU, but also wants to do work with the US, with India, with the Gulf, he told BBC Breakfast. I think the UK could be positioned as the best economy between those major trading blocs. I think what the Lib Dems are saying today its not taking into account that wider global position. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has committed to strengthen ties with the EU and said he wants a better deal for Britain post-Brexit, but has repeatedly ruled out rejoining the single market or customs union. Experts have warned that securing fewer trade barriers will be challenging in any event without the UK Government being prepared to offer its own concessions. A think tank has urged the Government to offer the olive branch of a trade deal to the Trump administration as well as seeking to renew EU trade ties. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) think tank has close links to Sir Keir Starmers Downing Street, with several senior figures at No 10 having joined the Government from it. Marley Morris, associate director at the IPPR, who wrote the report, said a new trade strategy should develop a new programme of export support, rebuild UK-EU trade relations and modernise our approach to trade agreements. The new Trump presidency is particularly delicate for the UK. The Government will need to on the one hand offer an olive branch by signalling appetite for an ambitious trade deal, while at the same time strengthening the UKs trade defences to brace for a potential tariff war, he said. With the right focus on boosting green growth, securing economic resilience and rebuilding vital relationships, the UK can turn the tide and reclaim its place as a leader in global trade. Contestants on The Traitors have banished faithful Alex in Thursdays episode, in which Charlotte was seduced to become a traitor by Minah. At the start of the episode, Charlotte, who has been putting on a Welsh accent despite being from London, could be seen wearing her traitor hood for the first time to join the dark side, as they decided to murder Anna, who had previously raised suspicions about Minah. Speaking about her time on the BBC reality gameshow, after being murdered, Anna said: If I could do one thing differently it would be to not hold back at the roundtables. Charlotte has been seduced to become a traitor (Cody Burridge/BBC/PA) Sometimes I held suspicions of players in, because they were not shared by the rest of the group, and I thought voicing them would put suspicion on me. If I played it again I would make sure to get those suspicions out, regardless of whether people shared them or not. Its always easier in hindsight, though. In Thursdays mission the contestants split into two groups of five, with one travelling to a dolls house in the middle of the woods and the other remaining at the castle. Those in the dolls house were challenged to relay nursery rhymes being sung backwards by the dolls to those in the castle, who then had to interpret them and shout out what they were. One shield was also hidden in the woods in a bear, which was taken by Jake, who decided not to tell his fellow contestants what he had found. The traitors decided to murder Anna in Thursdays show (Cody Burridge/BBC/PA) The group identified three nursery rhymes, worth 2,500 each, netting them 7,500 for the prize pot. At the roundtable, Alex said recently banished traitor Linda had never thrown another traitor under the bus, which raised suspicions among the contestants. Alexs attempts to defend himself drew further suspicion, and Leon was also accused by Leanne and Charlotte over a perceived change in behaviour, after he took part in Wednesdays deathmatch, in which Fozia was murdered in plain sight by the traitors. With eight votes, Alex was banished by the contestants, and told them as he left: I would like to say thank you to everybody in this room. I have had the best time of my life, and met the most amazing and wonderful people, every single one of you is absolutely amazing, and I wish you all the best of luck. I am a faithful. Speaking after leaving the show, Alex said he was disappointed to have not been picked as a traitor, saying he did not want to be a faithful. He added: For me, leaving came exactly at the right time. It was such a bizarre situation. So many things had happened, and I was so aware how guilty people thought I was, that the moment of vindication that I got from being able to stand up in front of everybody and say, Im a faithful, was worth more than any money, and I sincerely mean that, I think. I was so ready to get out of there, and I was so ready to prove my innocence. In the show contestants attempt to identify who among them are faithfuls and who are traitors, with the traitors plotting to murder the faithfuls, and the faithfuls trying to identify and banish the traitors. Finalists have a chance of winning a chunk of the 120,000 prize, but if a traitor survives until the very end, unidentified, they take home the full prize pot, and any faithfuls left go home with nothing. The Traitors returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Friday at 9pm. Yvette Cooper will look at different ways to compel witnesses to speak out about child sexual exploitation, she has said. The Home Secretary faced calls from Rotherham MP Sarah Champion to launch a new statutory inquiry into gangs which sexually exploit children. She did not commit to a new national probe, but instead announced a 10 million package to tackle abuse, with half going towards local inquiries. Sarah Champion said local inquiries into grooming gangs need to have the ability to compel witnesses (UK Parliament/PA) But Ms Champion, a Labour MP, said these local inquiries need the ability to compel witnesses. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham, which covered the period 1997 to 2013 and was led by Professor Alexis Jay, made a conservative estimate that around 1,400 children were sexually exploited over the 16 years. Ms Champion told the Commons on Thursday that a similar inquiry in Telford was victim-focused. She added: What they said they lacked, what Greater Manchester said they lacked, was the ability to compel witnesses, and a big strand of what we need to do is make sure there have been no cover-ups, and its only if its on a statutory footing that we can do that. The Home Secretary replied that the Telford and Rotherham inquiries did manage to uncover truths in different areas. Ms Cooper added: There also need to be other new arrangements on accountability, and that is what we are working with the Cabinet Office and also with mayors and councils to draw up what new accountability arrangements would be, to ensure that there is proper either follow up or as part of those initial inquiries, that you have that proper accountability framework in place and we will link that to the duty of candour as part of the Hillsborough law. A Hillsborough law to compel public servants to tell the truth was in the Labour Partys 2024 manifesto, named after the fatal crowd crush at Hillsborough Stadium in 1989. Dame Karen Bradley, the Commons Home Affairs Committee chairwoman and Conservative MP for Staffordshire Moorlands, asked: Will the local inquiries have the statutory powers to compel witnesses? Yes or no? Deputy Leader of Reform UK Richard Tice (Jacob King/PA) Ms Cooper said in her reply that there are different approaches we can take, adding: We believe that the current system is not strong enough, and that is why we have set out work under way, involving the Cabinet Office and involving local mayors and local councils in order to make sure that we can strengthen the accountability arrangements. The Home Secretary had earlier praised effective local inquiries which can delve into far more local detail and deliver more locally relevant answers than a lengthy nationwide inquiry can provide. She said Tom Crowther, who led the Telford inquiry, has agreed to work with the Government to develop a new framework for victim-centred locally led inquiries where they are needed, and as a first step to work with Oldham Council and up to four other pilot areas. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice later said: Theres much to welcome in the Home Secretarys statement this afternoon but shes resisted six invitations from honourable members to confirm that these Government-supported local inquiries will have statutory powers. He asked: So let me try a different way is the Home Secretary 100% certain that the duty of candour, responsibility, and accountability is equivalent to statutory? Home Secretary Yvette Cooper faced questions on inquiries into grooming gangs (Lucy North/PA) Ms Cooper said: The first stage has to be for the police to have full powers to be able to pursue these crimes and to be able to follow them wherever the evidence takes them in order to be able to put perpetrators behind bars because frankly, that is where they should be in order to protect children and to keep them safe. And we also need to ensure that where things have gone wrong, there are sufficient powers to be able to get to the truth, sufficient ability for local organisations to be able to do that and that no one can hide from accountability no one can run away or obfuscate or use bureaucracy to get away with providing the answers and the justice and the accountability that victims need. The Government would look at how to strengthen the powers available, how you strengthen the accountability available, the Cabinet minister said. Rebecca Smith, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, warned that tight budgets might disincentivise town halls from following up on local inquiry recommendations. She asked: What funding is going to come forward for the interventions that might be recommended following the inquiries because we know local authorities are incredibly cash-strapped? Ms Cooper said: This has to be part of the mainstream work that agencies do, that police forces do, that local councils do as well because tackling child sexual exploitation and abuse cannot just be an add-on. It cant be something that is only done if there is a particular announcement from the Government, its actually got to be done as part of their core responsibilities. Five youths who lured a transgender woman to a roller disco before viciously stabbing and beating her in a revenge attack have been jailed. The then 18-year-old was stabbed nine times, punched, kicked and stamped on while transphobic slurs were shouted at her. She is living with thick scars and still struggles to sleep after the incident. The woman only survived the attack in Harrow, north-west London, because passers-by stepped in to help, the Old Bailey was told. Members of the group later bragged about the February 10 assault and taunted their victim, posting footage of what they had done on social media. His Honour Judge Philip Katz KC said the abhorrent attack had been motivated by a distorted notion of revenge, adding it was at least in part linked to the womans gender identity. Shiloh Hindes, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, who carried out the stabbing, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in youth detention, of which four-and-a-half must be served in custody. Judge Katz told her she is a dangerous offender who poses a risk to the public. A crying woman stormed out of the public gallery as the sentence was delivered, shouting I love you Summer and people get less for murder. Bradley Harris, Camron Osei, and Shiloh Hindes, all 18, were sentenced to three years in youth detention. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, was given a youth rehabilitation order. All members of the group admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, while Betts-Ramsey also admitted possession of a knife. A 17-year-old girl who was not part of the group or the planning joined in with the attack before robbing the womans handbag, the court heard. The mean and callous teenager was handed a supervision order. Bradley Harris, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) Handing down his sentence, Judge Katz said the victim had been viciously assaulted. He said: She was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked and stamped on. Rather than help, all of those involved ran off. She suffered really serious physical and emotional injuries. Kicking and standing on someone when they are on the ground is abhorrent. Each member of the group played a very significant role, the judge said, adding that video footage of the attack was sickening to watch. In January 2024, the woman was with Harris at his house when the pair kissed and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris the woman was a tranny, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She denied it, but when Harris picked up a knife and said: Ill stab you if you lie, she felt intimidated and admitted she was transgender before Harris told her to leave. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, carried out the stabbing (Met Police/PA) When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said. On the day of the attack, the woman left her home, believing she was going to a roller-skating event with the group, the court heard. Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet; Harris, from Harrow; Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey; Hindes, from Southwark; and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and hoods, and were waiting for her at the bus stop. Once at a nearby car park, she was immediately attacked, and she had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, the court was told. As Betts-Ramsey was stabbing her, the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before the group left the scene, the prosecutor said. Members of the public helped the woman and an ambulance was called. The group later bragged about the assault, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said. The 17-year-old boy sent the woman a message which said Ur lookin sweet, the court was told. Camron Osei, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: Stabbing a girl cus shes trans its disgusting, to which Betts-Ramsey replied: IT deserved it. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she still has thick scars as a result of the attack. The woman said she has suffered panic attacks since the incident and has struggled to sleep, adding she fears she might not be able to work as a model because of her injuries. Detective Inspector Nicola Hannant, who led the investigation, said: This was a horrendous and violent assault on a young woman, motivated by the fact she is transgender. Summer Betts-Ramsey and Bradley Harris orchestrated the attack, with Betts-Ramsey repeatedly stabbing the victim, and the other members of the group punching, kicking and stamping on her head. The 17-year-old girl used the opportunity to rob the victim while she lay defenceless and being attacked on the ground. This was a pre-meditated attack where the young people involved lured the victim to the venue, concealed their identities by wearing face coverings, discussed using weapons and, after the attack, made efforts to get rid of any evidence. It was incredibly fortunate for all those involved that the injuries caused were not more serious, as the level of violence used could quite easily have resulted in the death of the victim. I hope that todays sentence allows the victim, who has demonstrated extreme bravery throughout the investigation, to start moving forward with her life. Former Bank of England governor Mark Carney has announced he is running to succeed Justin Trudeau as leader of Canadas Liberal Party. Mr Carney, who headed up Britains central bank between 2013 and 2020, shared an image of himself on X accompanied by the words Im in written in large red font on Thursday. Mr Trudeau resigned as party leader earlier this month after nine years in the role amid a mounting loss of support from both within his party and across Canada. Mr Carney, 59, was the first foreign governor at the UK central bank since it was founded in 1694. He also led efforts to support the UK economy through Brexit and the initial responses to the pandemic before being succeeded by Andrew Bailey. The Canadian is currently chairman of Canadian alternative investment firm Brookfield Asset Management. A statement on Mr Carneys website said: We can build bridges between each other, and we can build the fastest growing economy in the G7. We are a proud nation of builders, now its time to build. A fundraiser to cover the funeral costs of actor and comedian Tony Slattery, whose death was described as sudden and unexpected, has exceeded its 8,000 target. The British star, known for Channel 4s comedy improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway? and comedy shows Just A Minute and Have I Got News For You, died on Tuesday aged 65 following a heart attack, his partner, the actor Mark Michael Hutchinson previously announced. In 2020, Slattery who regularly spoke openly about his bipolar disorder revealed he went bankrupt following a battle with substance abuse and mental health issues. An official crowdfunder for the funeral, which has raised more than 10,000 so far, said it would take a huge weight off Marks shoulders at this miserable time. Thank you so much for all your love and support . We are doing little crowd fund for funeral costs If you can please donate or share https://t.co/owuXYSGjc7 Tony Slattery LIVE (@SlatteryLive) January 15, 2025 And said he and Slattery had been looking forward to celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Tonys death was sudden and unexpected, and sadly he had not made any provisions for his funeral, the fundraiser said. Sadly, in later years mental health issues had diminished Tonys career, but with the unwavering support of his long-term partner, Mark, he made it through the wilderness and was back touring and performing comedy. Life was starting to look rosy again when, to the great shock of all who knew him, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Comedian Tony Slattery at the Orange Prize for Fiction 2000 awards (Yui Mok/PA) Because Tony was only just getting back to work, and because his passing was so unexpected, there wasnt a Plan B in place. Born on November 9 1959, Slattery was the contemporary of Dame Emma Thompson, Sir Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie at the University of Cambridge. He was a former president of the improvisation group Cambridge Footlights, and had recently been touring a comedy show in England and launched a podcast, Tony Slatterys Rambling Club, in October. Outside of stand-up, Slattery appeared in 1980s and 1990s films including crime thriller The Crying Game; Peters Friends with Laurie, Sir Stephen and Dame Emma; and black comedy How To Get Ahead In Advertising with Richard E Grant. He also had prominent roles in the theatre, including receiving a 1995 Olivier Award nomination for best comedy performance for the Tim Firth play Nevilles Island, which was later made into a film starring Timothy Spall, and starring in Second World War-set production Privates On Parade, based on the film of the same name, as ace impersonator Captain Terri Dennis. His West End debut was in the 1930s-style musical Radio Times, and on TV he also played a detective in Tiger Bastable, a gentleman comedy spoof, and the title character in sitcom, Just A Gigolo. In the same year he announced his bankruptcy, Slattery featured in the BBC Two Horizon documentary, Whats The Matter With Tony Slattery? which saw him and Hutchinson visit leading experts on mood disorders and addiction. He had previously appeared in 2006 BBC Two programme The Secret Life Of The Manic Depressive to speak about his condition. Slattery also made appearances in the final Carry On film, Carry On Columbus; Robin Hood; Red Dwarf; The English Harem; Cold Blood; The Royal; and Coronation Street. He won the first Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Fringe along with Sir Stephen and Dame Emma, was one of the original patrons of Leicester Comedy Festival with Norman Wisdom and Sean Hughes, and had been a rector at the University of Dundee. His TV appearances included featuring on the comedy panel shows Just A Minute and Have I Got News For You. The Home Secretary is reportedly set to announce a series of local reviews into grooming gangs after she was threatened with legal action. Maggie Oliver, a former detective who resigned from Greater Manchester Police in 2012, warned Yvette Cooper in a pre-action letter on Wednesday that she would take her to court unless she takes urgent steps to allay widespread public concern over gangs sexually exploiting children. The news emerged just before Ms Cooper is set to make a statement in the Commons on child sexual exploitation and abuse on Thursday afternoon. According to the BBC, Ms Cooper will announce a 10 million plan to launch local inquiries into grooming gangs which will focus on the cultural drivers and ethnicity of the gangs. Ms Cooper is also expected to ask police forces to reopen so-called cold cases relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse, the BBC said. Former detective turned whistleblower Maggie Oliver is threatening legal action (Danny Lawson/PA) It comes as the political debate over the grooming scandal continued to rage in the wake of a slew of attacks online from tech billionaire X-owner Elon Musk aimed at Sir Keir Starmer. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has repeatedly clashed with the Prime Minister over calls for a national inquiry into grooming gangs. Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is among Labour figures supporting the move as well as Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden and Rotherham MP Sarah Champion. The Government has resisted pressure for a fresh review in favour of locally-led probes, saying it is instead focused on implementing recommendations the findings from IICSA after the inquiry led by Professor Alexis Jay published its final report in 2022. Mrs Badenoch said local inquiries were not enough to address the scale of the problem, telling reporters: Oldham has decided not to do the local inquiry and asked for a national inquiry because it knows that local inquiries are limited. They couldnt summon people, only a national inquiry can do that, she added. In a statement from the charity set up in her name, Ms Oliver said she had put Ms Cooper on notice that she would seek a judicial review in the High Court unless the Home Secretary publicly confirms that she will implement all 20 of the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) and publishes a timetable for implementation of those recommendations, and takes urgent steps to allay widespread public concern regarding the grooming and sexual abuse by organised gangs/groups. If Ms Cooper does not agree to these reasonable requests, Ms Oliver added: I will issue an application to the High Court seeking permission to challenge the Secretary of States refusal to take action on urgent issues of child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation. I recognise that there are a range of views on these issues amongst survivors, victims and other interested parties. However, I would ask all persons who are concerned about children to support my request for urgent, tangible and transparent action to combat the epidemic of abuse of children. The King was welcomed by refugees and nursery pupils waving homemade flags as he visited a community food bank. Charles visited The Gate, a community resource in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, which provides support to people facing homelessness and food insecurity. He was greeted by refugees from Turkey and Syria, and was given an enthusiastic hug by the first woman he met on his walkabout on Thursday. He joked about ageing with one volunteer who is of a similar age. Nursery children await the Kings arrival (Jane Barlow/PA) Wearing traditional Scottish dress including a kilt, Charles arrived by helicopter from Dumfries House, East Ayrshire, and was then driven to the community centre, greeted by crowds shouting God save the King, while protesters who were cordoned off from the event shouted: Not my King. He met trustees and volunteers at The Gate, which helped 4,273 people in Clackmannanshire last year and provided 190 food parcels per month, and admired the sponge cakes on offer at the community cafe. Upon meeting volunteer Hugh Grant, secretary of local refugees charity Forth Valley Welcome, the 76-year-old King told him: You are not going to be 75 its bad enough when you get to 76, its slightly alarming. The King received a hug from one well-wisher during his walkabout (Jane Barlow/PA) You dont stop, do you? He later met a Turkish man who told him that his Syrian wife is pregnant. During his walkabout, Charles was greeted by a group of nursery children with homemade crowns and flags, who had been practising curtsies. Emma Hunter, four, said: I made a smiley face for my crown. Weve been on the bus to get here. Iona Trainer, four, said: We made the crowns this morning. Charles surveyed the stock in the food bank (Jane Barlow/PA) Rura Huggan, also four, had been practising the Bonnie Banks Of Loch Lomond in anticipation of the visit, and sang it while waiting for the King. However Cameron McKay, who is also four, said the most exciting part of the day was getting the bus. Nursery manager Jodie McCutcheon said: We have been learning about the royal family and watched videos of the Queen. Part-time cook Elizabeth Agate, 66, presented the King with a scone and a millionaires slice, and told him that she used to see him at the races in her hometown of Ascot. She said Charles replied: Well I never. Ms Agate said: Anyone and everyone comes in, which is lovely. Charles took the time to shake hands with many of those gathered outside The Gate for his visit (Jane Barlow/PA) Charles met representatives from charities which had received a Queens Award for Voluntary Service or a Kings Award for Voluntary Service. Mary Laing, 66, chairwoman of the Alva Development Trust, said: It was so lovely, we are so proud of what we do and we were the first people in Scotland to receive the Kings Award. It is so nice to get appreciated. We are doing the best we can. During the lockdown we were feeding 32,000 people, separate from The Gate. Founders of Tullibody History Group, Chris Calder, 80, and Rita Craig, 79, said it was the first time a King had visited in around a century. Mrs Craig said: Its probably a century at least certainly not in my lifetime. He was very nice when we met him. Charles met charity volunteers and staff (Jane Barlow/PA) The Gate founder Evelyn Paterson said the visit was the best thing thats ever happened to us. The charity provides around 75,000 meals per year and supports four satellite food larders in the region. Mrs Paterson said that of the 90 volunteers, some had come from the client base, and some of the 12 members of staff had progressed from voluntary roles to paid employment. She said: The Kings visit has been the best thing thats ever happened to us. We set up to try and relieve poverty. Theres pockets of deprivation in this area, it used to be a very affluent town. We started with five or six food parcels a week and provided 75,000 meals per year. We cant do what we do without the dedication of the volunteers. Last week was the busiest yet for the health service this winter, with hospitals jam-packed with patients, according to the NHSs clinical director for emergency care. Data from NHS England shows more hospital beds were occupied last week than at any point so far this winter (97,636), with 96% of adult general and acute hospital beds having patients in them. NHS England said almost one in seven occupied hospital beds (13,585) were taken up with patients who were medically fit to be discharged. (PA Graphics) Flu cases have fallen, with data showing an average of 4,929 flu patients in beds each day last week, including 236 in critical care. This is down 9% from 5,408 the previous week, when 256 were in critical care. It comes after a damning report into the state of the NHS found patients are dying in corridors and sometimes going undiscovered for hours, while sick people are being left to soil themselves. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) published new findings into what is going on in hospitals as staff try to manage the number of people needing care. The harrowing report tells of patients sitting for days in chairs so-called chair care because of a lack of beds, patients crowding corridors, delays to treatment and the elderly unable to get help because of no call bells and not enough staff. The RCN called for immediate Government action to end corridor care, which it says has become normalised and is not just occurring in the winter months. (PA Graphics) Its chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said winter pressures must not be used as an excuse for ongoing corridor care, and said the NHS does not have enough staff or beds. Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said on Thursday: Despite NHS staff doing their level best, the experiences of patients this winter are unacceptable. Annual winter pressures, which will always exist, should not automatically lead to an annual winter crisis. We have ended the strikes, so for the first winter in three years staff are on the front line not the picket line, and protected more patients with flu vaccinations than last year, but there is much more to do. It will take time to turn the health service around so patients receive the standards of care they deserve, but it can be done. (PA Graphics) Separate data published on Thursday by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows hospital admissions of patients with flu stood at 9.5 per 100,000 people last week, down from 13.4 the previous week and the lowest level since mid-December. Infections are circulating at medium levels, down from high levels the previous week, with a fall in emergency department attendances for flu-like illness. Dr Conall Watson, UKHSA consultant epidemiologist, said: Flu activity is currently heading in the right direction. One of our key indicators is the percentage of positive flu tests, and this has come down from 28% to 21%. This is promising but we are nowhere near out of flu season yet mixing increases in January as people return to workplaces and schools, which increases the chances for flu viruses to spread. We urge everyone to do their bit to keep us on this downward trend. Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at the Health Foundation, said: Todays figures demonstrate patients and NHS staff are still bearing the brunt of an incredibly difficult winter, with flu and other viruses stretching hospital capacity close its limit, and sometimes beyond. This week the Health and Social Care Secretary rightly suggested corridor care shouldnt be normalised, but this is unfortunately already the grim reality for many patients and staff. (PA Graphics) The root cause of long delays in and outside of A&E departments is that hospitals were already close to gridlock, even before the expected surges in demand from flu and other viruses. Flu may have already cost the NHS nearly 170,000 bed days so far this winter, but more than three times as many were lost to delayed discharges in the same period. This is partly due to problems arranging suitable social care and other community-based services, and highlights the need for action right across the health and care system. Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said corridor care is a last resort but staff and hospitals have little choice. But we cannot underestimate the impact this will have on staff who are subject to the moral injury of being unable to provide the care they would like to, he said. It is too early to say if winter virus levels have peaked, and it is likely that the health service will continue to be under pressure for weeks to come. A man who admitted threatening to kill his MP saying he wanted to lock him in a building and set fire to it has said he wants to change his guilty plea. Benjamin Clarke, 31, appeared at Durham Crown Court where he was due to be sentenced for making threats to kill Bishop Auckland Labour MP Sam Rushworth, and a malicious communications offence, having admitted the charges last month. His barrister Chris Baker said Clarke wanted to vacate those pleas and Recorder Mark Giuliani adjourned the case until next month. Clarke, of Durham Street, Bishop Auckland, was bailed on condition that he did not make any further comments on social media about Mr Rushworth. At a previous hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court, it was said that Clarke contacted his MP in August on social media, saying: I cannot wait for your next public appearance, you will be lucky to leave it in one piece. Mr Rushworth blocked him from contacting him on the social media platform, preventing any further malicious communications offences, prosecutors said at a hearing on December 19. The following month, Clarke told two mental health practitioners that he wanted to find the MP and smash his head off a pavement, to set fire to a building he was in and then lock all the doors so I could hear him screaming, the court heard last month. The magistrates court was told that Clarke added: Im going to do it, its just a matter of time. Mr Giuliani told Clarke his case will next be heard at Teesside Crown Court on February 5. Rocky, the U.S. Marshals Office K-9 shot Jan. 15, 2024, as police searched for a man connected to the deadly shooting of a Brazoria County deputy, is pictured with his handler, who did not wish to be identified. U.S. Marshals Office/Courtesy photo Rocky, the K-9 shot Wednesday as police searched for a man connected to the deadly shooting of a Brazoria County deputy, underwent surgery Thursday at Westbury Animal Hospital and is expected to make a full recovery, said T. Michael O'Connor, the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. Jeff Chalkley, a veterinarian at the animal hospital who treated Rocky, said the K-9 had multiple gunshot wounds. The dog arrived at the hospital after a DPS helicopter landed on South Post Oak, and Rocky's handler carried him to the door. One gunshot wound hit the left side of Rockys nostril, which inhibited his breathing. An entrance and exit wound went through Rockys jawline and shoulders but narrowly missed his spine and vital organs, the veterinarian said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rocky, the U.S. Marshals Office K-9 shot Jan. 15, 2024, as police searched for a man connected to the deadly shooting of a Brazoria County deputy, is pictured in a file photo. U.S. Marshals Office/Courtesy photo "He's the luckiest dog I've seen," Chalkley said. "That bullet could've ended his life instantly. He's a hero." Although Rocky was sluggish from blood loss Thursday, he was up and walking and eating, Chalkley said. "It looks like he will be back. Even if the injuries are bad, these dogs are so well trained, they won't be apprehensive," O'Connor said. Rocky was transported to the animal hospital after police said he discovered Sean Christopher Davis hiding in a dumpster, hours after police allege he fatally shot Deputy Jesus "Jesse" Vargas, a 17-year-veteran of the Brazoria County Sheriff's Office. Davis shot Rocky twice before officers returned fire and killed him, Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad T. Michael O'Connor, U.S. Marshal of the Southern District of Texas, left, gives an update on U.S. Marshal K-9 Rocky at Westbury Animal Hospital, 4917 S. Willow Dr., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Houston. K-9 Rocky, a Belgian Malinois, was wounded in the search for suspect wanted in connection to the shooting death of Brazoria County Sheriffs Deputy Jesus Vargas yesterday. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer While Rocky has received national attention for his heroic efforts, O'Connor encouraged the public to keep the loss of Vargas in mind. Lets not forget we lost a fellow officer in the line of duty, OConnor said. I know Rocky has gone viral, but please understand there is a grieving family. Chalkley said Rocky's handler has not left his side since he came to Westbury Animal Hospital, adding that Rocky saved multiple lives at the shooting Wednesday. Westbury Animal Hospital has since 2019 flown K-9 officers through Memorial Hermann life flights. The flight that brought Rocky to the hospital was a critical part of his survival, Chalkley said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's what you need to know about Rocky, the K-9 unit being hailed as a hero. Rocky, the U.S. Marshals Office K-9 shot Jan. 15, 2024, as police searched for a man connected to the deadly shooting of a Brazoria County deputy, is pictured in a file photo. U.S. Marshals Office/Courtesy photo Who is Rocky the K-9? Rocky is a 1-and-a-half-year-old Belgian Malinois working with the U.S. Marshals Special Operations Group, according to Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman. The U.S. Marshals Tactical Canine Operations trains Malinois dogs in-house, according to the agency's website. The dogs are sent in to locate people in rooms or areas not yet cleared by officers. The K-9s are also able to track, locate and contain people wanted by law enforcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The amazing aspect here, and people have to understand, the K-9 saved lives," Connor said during a news conference late Wednesday. MORE ON VARGAS: What we know about the Brazoria County sheriff's deputy who was killed in southwest Houston Rocky, the U.S. Marshals Office K-9 shot Jan. 15, 2024, as police searched for a man connected to the deadly shooting of a Brazoria County deputy, is pictured with his handler, who did not wish to be identified. U.S. Marshals Office/Courtesy photo Where was Rocky being treated? A witness at the scene said they saw a police officer sprinting toward a helicopter with Rocky in his arms, according to previous Chronicle reporting. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rocky was transported by helicopter from the scene in the 9300 block of Stella Link Road and was being treated at Westbury Animal Hospital. Westbury is an animal hospital in southwest Houston, less than 3 miles from the scene of the manhunt. The hospital is staffed with 10 full-time veterinarians and has a surgery suite equipped to support most major surgical procedures, according to its website. U.S. Marshal of the Southern District of Texas Thomas Michael O'Connor, center, meets with Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, left, and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz, right, at a shopping plaza in the 9300 block of Stella Link Road where suspect Robert Lee Davis was shot and killed Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in Houston. Brazoria County Sheriffs Office Deputy Jesus Jesse Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the office, was shot and killed by Davis while approaching the suspect and serving a warrant with a partner, Sheriff Bo Stallman said. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer What was Rocky doing when he was shot? Around 4:50 p.m. Wednesday, Rocky alerted officers near a dumpster behind a strip mall business where authorities were searching for Davis, Diaz said. Once officers confirmed the alert was accurate, they opened the dumpster and Rocky went inside of it. Diaz said Rocky dug through the trash to find Davis, who then shot the K-9 twice. A Labour frontbencher has defended abruptly dropping the appeal against a High Court ruling that parts of a Troubles-related Act passed by the Conservatives were unlawful. The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 would have blocked compensation for former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams and hundreds of others interned without trial in the 1970s, after a Supreme Court judgment in 2020 paved the way for payouts. Sir Keir Starmer said on Wednesday that the Government would look at every conceivable way to stop these claimants receiving damages. Lord Caine, who was a Northern Ireland Office minister during the passage of the Legacy Act, asked the Government why it dropped the appeal against the Belfast courts ruling that the legislation breached the European Convention on Human Rights. He asked: Yesterday, the Prime Minister promised that the Government would stop Gerry Adams from receiving any compensation. Why then, did the Government in July so abruptly drop the appeal against the High Court judgment on the amendments I made to the Legacy Bill to achieve just that and which Labour supported at the time? Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent responded: The objective was right, which is why my party in Opposition supported you. The method has been found to be unlawful and now we are looking at every option to engage. She noted the comments of the High Court, which she said suggested we would have failed in our appeal. The Labour Party promised to repeal and replace the Legacy Act in its manifesto during the general election last year, and this pledge was also in the Kings Speech in July. Lady Anderson told the House of Lords on Thursday that the Act was unfit, because it gave immunity to terrorists, was not supported by victims groups or any of the parties in Northern Ireland. She added that the Government is working on a remedial order and replacement legislation. The Labour frontbencher said: On 4th December, the Secretary of State laid a proposal for a draft remedial order in Parliament. This is the first step in correcting the mistakes of the previous governments approach and fulfilling the Governments promise to repeal and replace the Legacy Act, as was in our manifesto. The remedial order must sit in both Houses for two periods of 60 days. This allows for proper scrutiny of the draft and for representations to be made. The Joint Committee on Human Rights has a key role in the process and has already launched a call for evidence, which is due to close on Monday. The Secretary of States statement also announced plans for primary legislation when parliamentary time allows. This legislation will include provisions to reinstate legacy inquests halted by the Act and to reform and strengthen the Independent Commission. DUP peer Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown urged the Government to take resolute action to deal with the legacy of the past. He said: Without it, former soldiers will continue to find themselves in court facing vexatious claims while prominent terrorists like Gerry Adams will fill their pockets with British taxpayers money to the horror of innocent victims and to the shame of this Government. Lady Anderson responded: The pain both of those victims and the fear and concern of our military community needs to be established. Its very clear that we need to act to protect veterans. Any veteran who needs to go through legal proceedings will receive welfare and, where appropriate, legal support. And I am pleased that last month the Secretary of State announced the appointment of David Johnstone as the new Northern Ireland veterans commissioner, ensuring that veterans voices across Northern Ireland will continue to have a strong advocate to support them. Mr Adams won his appeal to overturn historical convictions for two attempted prison breaks, after he was interned without trial in 1973 at Long Kesh internment camp, also known as Maze Prison, near Lisburn. The Supreme Court ruled his detention was unlawful because the interim custody order (ICO) used to initially detain him had not been considered personally by then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Willie Whitelaw. At the time of the case, the previous government contended the ICOs were lawful due to a long-standing convention, known as the Carltona principle, where officials and junior ministers routinely act in the name of the Secretary of State. Mr Adams subsequently successfully challenged a decision to deny an application for compensation for his detention and was on track to receive this before the Legacy Act was passed. Nearly 100 migrants were rescued in the English Channel as more than 600 people have arrived in the UK so far this year. The French coastguard was called to help 99 people overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday after reports of multiple migrant boats leaving off the coast of Pas-de-Calais. Some 58 people on board one boat first discovered in the area of La Huchette beach, between Gravelines and Calais, were taken back to Boulogne-sur-Mer. Another 41 people were rescued off the coast of Malo-les-Bains and taken back to land, while others on the dingy continued their journey, the coastguard said. According to provisional Home Office figures, 215 people in four boats arrived in the UK on Wednesday, taking the total for the year so far to 603 people. The data comes as crossings continued on Thursday, and comes just days after the Government confirmed the first death of the year of a migrant trying to reach the UK from the French coast on Saturday. Wanda Wyporska, chief executive at refugee charity Safe Passage International said: Were into yet another year where people fleeing war and persecution have no choice but a dangerous journey to reach protection in the UK. This Government must urgently rethink its approach to people crossing the Channel, starting with opening safe routes for people to come here with a refugee visa. A Home Office spokesperson said they will stop at nothing to dismantle business models of people-smuggling gangs and bring them to justice. A total of 36,816 people made the journey in 2024, a jump of 25% from the 29,437 who arrived in 2023, but a drop of 20% on the record 45,774 arrivals in 2022, according to Home Office data. Apple Airpods are currently sold in the UK with the functionality to test hearing, but not to boost it, but regulation changes mean this is about to change - STEPHEN LAM/GETTY IMAGES Apple AirPods will be able to be used as hearing aids, under new plans. Currently, in the UK, Airpods Pro 2 are sold with the functionality to test hearing, but not to boost it. In other countries, such as the United States, they can also be used as hearing aids. On Thursday ministers announced changes that mean such devices can be used by tens of thousands of people in the UK with mild or moderate hearing loss. Apple said the software update to support it which follows new guidance from the Department of Health and Social Care will be introduced within weeks. Until now, patients with hearing problems have usually only been able to obtain aids if they have a prescription from a doctor, because of confusion over the rules. Pointless regulation The changes will mean that the tests offered by companies such as Apple will be sufficient to use their related software. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, said the change was an example of Britain ripping out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation. Officials said those having problems with their hearing should still seek advice from their GP. The new guidance gives businesses from around the world the green light to sell certain pioneering hearing aids in Britain. This includes earphones with both hearing test and hearing aid software functionalities. The revolutionary products allow someone to take a hearing test at home using their earphones and an app on their phone. If the test indicates mild to moderate hearing loss, the person can then switch on the hearing aid function on the same earphones. Suffocates innovation This should make it easier and more convenient for patients to manage their own health. Combatting hearing loss can also reduce associated risks such as social isolation. Mr Streeting said: Britain can be a powerhouse for medical technology, but only if we rip out pointless regulation that suffocates innovation. Groundbreaking new hearing aid devices have the potential to help tens of thousands of people with hearing loss, helping them to live their life to the full. The action were taking will give businesses the green light to start selling these products to patients across the UK. This is part of the work this government is undertaking in partnership with leading technology companies, to harness the revolution in medical technology, bring our analogue healthcare into the digital age, and make life more convenient for patients. One in three adults in the UK are deaf or experience hearing loss or tinnitus which rises to more than 50 per cent in people over the age of 55. Of these, about 53 per cent use hearing aids. There are lots of possible causes of hearing loss. It may be caused by something treatable or it may be permanent. Patients can also have hearing tests at some pharmacists and opticians. Improve the daily lives of so many A spokesman for Apple said: With the new policy guidance from the UK Department of Health and Social Care, we look forward to bringing the hearing aid feature on Airpods Pro 2 in the coming weeks to help improve the daily lives of so many UK users. Health officials said patient safety will be paramount, and the Government will ensure that all manufacturers comply with the relevant legislation. The NHS advises that if patients have not already undergone a clinical assessment, they should see a GP if: The Palestinian Authoritys president, Mahmoud Abbas, and PAs prime minister, Mohammad Mustafa. Photograph: Palestinian President Office/Reuters Israel and the incoming Trump administration are being urged by Arab states to avoid a dangerous political vacuum in Gaza and allow the Palestinian Authority (PA), in conjunction with the UN Palestinian relief agency Unrwa, to oversee the territorys recovery. The future governance of Gaza is due to be discussed at the start of negotiations on the second stage of the deal 16 days after a ceasefire begins. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has refused to broach the subject since the war began, regarding any discussions on the day after as likely to open destabilising internal political divisions inside his coalition. The Israeli government is also due to end all cooperation with Unrwa on 30 January, raising questions over how the planned post-ceasefire surge in aid could be distributed within Gaza. Arab states, with the support of most European powers, insist there is no alternative organisation with the breadth and organisation of Unrwa that is capable of overseeing the urgent distribution of food and supplies. Related: Gaza ceasefire deal: what we know so far The outgoing Biden administrations view of how Gaza could be administered was finally aired this week in a farewell speech from the secretary of state, Antony Blinken, a delay that has left Arab states frustrated. Blinken said the goal is to allow Israel to fully withdraw from Gaza, prevent Hamas from pulling back in and provide for Gazas governance, security and reconstruction and outlined a plan centred on a UN-mandated interim administration consisting of Palestinians from Gaza and representatives from the PA to run key services such as banking, water, energy and health that would hand over to a fully reformed PA administration as soon as feasible. He also proposed an interim security mission of partner nation security forces and vetted Palestinian personnel to create a secure environment for humanitarian and reconstruction efforts and to ensure border security to prevent smuggling, which could allow Hamas to rebuild its military capacity. Blinken set out no timetable or details of how consultations to appoint PA representatives would be conducted, and in a speech in Norway on Wednesday, Mohammad Mustafa, the prime minister of the PA, which since a split with Hamas in 2007 has been confined to the West Bank, rejected all interim arrangements. He said any attempt to consolidate the separation between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, or to create transitional entities, will be rejected. Blinken added: Gaza after all this pain needs a responsible and capable government to heal the wounds of the Gaza people under one state, one government, one law and one system. Related: A ceasefire deal is here. For Gaza, the Middle East and the world, the future remains unknown Blinkens plan for a security mission may also need a single Palestinian government. Without identifying the likely Arab participants, he said some had expressed their willingness to contribute troops and police, but only if it is agreed that Gaza and the West Bank are reunified under a reformed PA as part of a pathway to an independent Palestinian state. The Israeli Knesset is currently opposed to a Palestinian state, however, meaning such a precondition for a security force is absent. In his speech, Mustafa mapped out a plan for Gaza that he insisted the PA was ready to start implementing immediately. Talks in Cairo in November between Hamas and the PA, however, failed to agree on the composition of a joint Hamas-PA committee to run Gaza. But Arab diplomats believe that Hamas is willing to take a back seat if the PA is given authority to run Gaza, but will start to come back if something it regards as closer to colonial rule is attempted. They also acknowledge that the PA is deeply unpopular in the West Bank. Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations also warned a PA takeover of Gaza will be complicated by the PAs deepening domestic unpopularity, rising financial fragility and growing authoritarianism and that Hamas, while battered, continues to hold a veto over Gazas future. Despite differences with aspects of the Blinken plan, Arab diplomats hope the Trump team will pick up its themes and not overthink things, leading to delays. A key goal of an interim security force, for example, would be to separate the Palestinians from the Israelis, prevent the establishment of an Israeli-occupied buffer zone inside Gaza and prevent infiltration and new cross-border attacks. So far, Trumps incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, has simply said: Gaza has to be fully demilitarised. Hamas has to be destroyed to the point that it cannot reconstitute itself, and Israel has every right to protect itself. Fears that Israel will act on its commitment to end all cooperation with Unrwa, with the support of the Trump team, is one of the most urgent issues given the planned increase in aid from Sunday once the ceasefire starts. As many as 500 aid trucks are due to enter Gaza a day, but parts of Gaza are lawless. Robert Satloff, the director of the influential Washington Institute thinktank, has proposed that if other UN agencies such as the World Food Programme or Unicef refuse to take on Unrwas current tasks they should be threatened with a 40% loss of US funding. Many in the US say Unrwa is infiltrated by Hamas supporters and has an ideological role as an advocate for Palestinian refugees. The Knesset passed bills to in effect end Unrwas work in the Palestinian territories over Israeli allegations that Unrwa staff in Gaza were involved in the 7 October Hamas attacks. The UN launched an investigation into the Israeli claims and fired nine Unrwa staff as a result. Several years before, the first Trump administration suspended US funding for Unrwa in 2018, saying the organisation was irredeemably flawed. Satloff said: There is no way Trumps first major initiative in the Middle East will be to twist Israels arm to save Unrwa. Philippe Lazzarini, the agencys commissioner general, argued that Unrwa is not replaceable and the Badil Resource Center, a Palestinian NGO, has warned that any day after plan that excludes the agency and imposes an international interim administration will be just another face for colonisation and ongoing denial of the Palestinian peoples right to self-determination. Unnamed social media influencer allegedly drugged her child, claiming she was documenting her daughters battle against a terminal illness - Queensland Police An Australian social media influencer has been charged with poisoning a baby girl. She allegedly posted videos of the infant in immense distress to get donations and boost her followers. The 34-year-old mother from Queensland, who has not been named, claimed she was documenting the childs battle against a terminal illness. Police alleged she gave the one-year-old several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medications between August and October last year. The woman disregarded medical advice and went to great lengths to obtain the medications, which included using prescriptions given to another person in the home, police said. She then filmed and published videos of the child in immense distress and pain online, police alleged. Credit: Queensland Police Australian media described the woman as a high-profile influencer and reported that she posted the alleged abuse on TikTok. Doctors raised the alarm on October 15 when the baby was admitted to a Brisbane hospital after suffering a serious medical episode. Queensland Police said it launched an investigation and took immediate action to protect the child. Tests for unauthorised medicines came back positive in January, police said. Following the investigation, the woman was arrested in Logan on Thursday by a child protection unit and charged with torture, five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, making child exploitation material and fraud. A video of the arrest showed the woman, wearing pink underclothes, with her head in her hands before officers led her away in handcuffs. Australian media reported that the infant was the womans baby. [There are] no words for how repulsive [alleged] offences of this nature are, Queensland Police Det Insp Paul Dalton told reporters on Thursday. There is no excuse for harming a child, especially not a one-year-old infant who is reliant on others for care and survival, Mr Dalton said. We are too often faced with the worst offences against children. We will do everything in our power to remove that child from harms way and hold any offender to account. Donors were allegedly swindled out of A$60,000 (30,500) via donation website GoFundMe. The website is attempting to repay the funds, Mr Dalton said. The woman is expected to appear before Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. Avanti West Coast has had a long-running industrial dispute with its staff over rest day working practices. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA Strikes by Avanti West Coast train staff scheduled for the next two Sundays have been suspended to allow for intensive talks, raising hopes that a run of planned disruption every weekend until June could be called off. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said that the next two dates in the series of Sunday strikes by onboard train managers would be called off in the hope of making meaningful progress in negotiations with the intercity rail operator. Related: UK rail firms urged to issue yellow card warnings instead of penalty Train services on Britains biggest intercity line were to be reduced to one an hour between London and cities including Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, with some other direct routes from the capital including those into Wales, Preston and the Lake District cut completely. RMT members have been taking industrial action in a dispute over rest-day working and are still scheduled to continue Sunday strikes until the end of May unless a long-term breakthrough can be found. An RMT spokesperson said: This suspension reflects our goodwill and commitment to finding a resolution to this rest day working dispute. We are responding to overtures from Avanti and hope meaningful progress towards a negotiated settlement can be made during these talks. Avanti had advised customers to avoid travel on Sunday, owing to a reduced timetable and anticipated crowding on remaining trains. Industrial action has continued to plague Avanti despite the resolution of the wider rail strikes by the RMT and the drivers union, Aslef, last year. Union members voted to strike in December over the larger payments made to senior managers who volunteered to cover train crew on rest days. The RMT general secretary, Mick Lynch, who is stepping down in May, said at the time that the union was sending a clear message to management that the current arrangements are unacceptable Our members have had enough and this strike action demonstrates their determination to win a fair deal. The train managers had already called off strikes scheduled for 22, 23 and 29 December while members considered an offer. However, that was rejected, leading to action on New Years Eve and 2 January and the announcement of the run of Sunday strikes. Avanti bosses have described the walkouts as disappointing. The company, a joint venture between FirstGroup and Trenitalia, has struggled with long-term staff shortages and a breakdown in industrial relations. It was given a fresh contract in late 2023, with warnings to improve, but still cancelled almost 8% of its trains in 2024. The NSW government applied to the Fair Work Commission to stop train workers protected industrial action, which has caused severe disruption to the Sydney train network. Photograph: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images New South Wales trains will return to normal scheduling for now after the Fair Work Commission placed an interim pause on its approval for rail unions to undertake industrial action amid a long-running pay dispute with the state government. The decision came after the NSW premier, Chris Minns, announced on Thursday after commuters faced havoc for a second day that the government had made an urgent application to the commission to end the unions protected industrial actions and move to an arbitrated decision. Late on Thursday afternoon, the Fair Work Commission set the hearing date for the dispute to next Wednesday. Given the significant amount of evidence the government planned to present, the court heard the hearing would likely carry into next Thursday. Given this would push the hearing outside the five-day timeframe that the commission is required to hear matters, it issued an interim order to pause the unions protected industrial actions from 6.30pm on Thursday night until the commission delivers its judgment. The government had requested the hearing be conducted on Friday or over the weekend. However, the court heard this timeframe would not be procedurally fair. Meanwhile, the court heard the unions request for a Tuesday hearing was also not practicable due to the bench not being available. On Thursday, prior to the hearing, Minns accused the unions of putting a noose around the public transport system while demanding more and more and more money, and said the government had acted with the union in good faith. We dont take that call lightly. It is a big call for a Labor government to make, he told reporters. The Rail, Tram and Bus Union had labelled the governments application to the commission a desperate attempt to shift the blame for its own failure to negotiate with workers. For 44 days, the government has failed to engage in a single bargaining meeting with the Combined Rail Unions, the union said in a statement. Instead of negotiating, the government is scapegoating rail workers, blaming them for economic disruption they themselves caused. The real cost to the economy isnt the industrial action its the governments refusal to negotiate a fair deal. Related: Wet, late and frustrated, Sydney commuters say they are turning against the unions The governments announcement comes after industrial action by the union as part of the combined rail unions demands for the government to provide for a 32% pay rise over four years saw commuters face 402 train cancellations on Thursday morning after a day of disruption on Wednesday. The government said more than 1,000 trains were expected to be cancelled by the end of Thursday. Significant cancellations and delays were expected for Friday before the interim order pausing industrial action was put in place. The chief executive of Sydney Trains, Matt Longland, said service disruptions may worsen in the afternoon. We do expect that well see that again today, hopefully not to the same extent as yesterday, he said. He said disruptions were worse in the inner west and services that connect through the Blue Mountains and Parramatta. This weeks industrial action came as the combined rail unions considered an improved pay offer from the state government, with the deadline to decide on Thursday. Eight months into negotiations for a new pay deal, and amid proceedings in the Fair Work Commission and federal court, the transport minister, Jo Haylen, announced an offer of an improved 13% pay rise plus 1% efficiency rise and 1% super rise across four years much lower than the combined rail unions demands of 32% over four years. We have put a very fair and reasonable offer on the table However, unfortunately, their commentary in the media and elsewhere has been that they are not supportive of that fair and reasonable offer, Haylen told reporters on Thursday. A reporter asked Minns on Thursday if the dispute is proof the government is not as good at working with unions as you thought, after running on an election platform of public sector pay rises. Every Labor government in NSW has had them, Minns responded. What I did promise in the election campaign is that when they occurred, we would always act on behalf of the interests of people, the people of NSW, and I believe thats what weve done. Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at the premiere of It Ends With Us, the film on which she alleges she was harassed - GETTY IMAGES Justin Baldoni is suing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for attempting to destroy his reputation with claims of sexually inappropriate behaviour. The actor-director filed a $400 million (327 million) lawsuit against the Hollywood power couple on Thursday, after Lively claimed Baldoni sexually harassed her on the romantic drama It Ends With Us, and orchestrated a smear campaign against her. Two weeks ago, Baldoni filed a lawsuit against The New York Times, claiming it had defamed him in an article about Livelys allegations by uncritically accepting a self-serving narrative and threatened to also sue Lively. On Thursday, Bryan Freedman, acting for Baldoni, claimed Lively the star of Gossip Girl had attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through dangerous manipulation of the media. Baldoni and Lively during the filming of It Ends With Us in January 2024 - Jose Perez/GC Images He continued: This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her teams duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media. It is clear based on our own all-out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth. We know the truth, and now the public does too, Mr Freedman continued. Justin and his team have nothing to hide. Documents do not lie. Lively, Reynolds and their publicist Leslie Stone who is also named in the legal action did not respond to a request for comment from People magazine. Lively claimed last month that she had been targeted by Baldoni in an online campaign to bury her reputation after she complained privately of inappropriate sexual behaviour on the set of It Ends With Us. Justin Baldoni directed and starred in It Ends With Us, with Blake Lively - Dia Dipasupil/Getty In court documents, she claimed that Baldoni her co-star and the director of the film along with producer Jamey Heath, had watched her topless in her trailer while she had body makeup removed. Baldoni was also said in the documents to have introduced improvised kissing in some scenes, tried to add unnecessary sex scenes, made sexually inappropriate comments to Lively and openly discussed his sex life on set. The lawsuit added that Baldoni and his studio, Wayfarer, hired a team of PR experts specialising in using social media to drag down celebrity reputations. [Baldoni] wants her to feel like she can be buried, a publicist working with Wayfarer said in a message to Melissa Nathan, a crisis management expert, in August, according to court documents filed on Dec 20. You know we can bury anyone, Ms Nathan is alleged to have written in response. Lively claimed that Baldonis alleged behaviour during the making of It Ends With Us in 2023, and while promoting the film in 2024, left her with grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety. Completely false allegations Baldoni fiercely denied the allegations, which his lawyer characterised as completely false, outrageous and intentionally salacious, and has embarked on a blizzard of litigation. In the lawsuit filed two weeks ago, he is seeking $250 million (204 million) in damages from The New York Times, claiming it selectively used information and deliberately omitted portions of text messages to support Livelys claims. The articles central thesis, encapsulated in a defamatory headline designed to immediately mislead the reader, is that plaintiffs orchestrated a retaliatory public relations campaign against Lively for speaking out about sexual harassment a premise that is categorically false and easily disproven, court documents stated. The New York Times defended its article, which was headlined We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine, as being meticulously and responsibly reported. In addition to claiming defamation by the newspaper, Mr Freedman argued that Lively attempted to wrest control of the film from Baldoni before planting press stories to damage his reputation. A person looks out over the remains of a burned-down neighborhood in the Pacific Palisades in Los Angeles, California, on Wednesday. Photograph: Caroline Brehman/EPA As the battle against the deadly fires in Los Angeles county entered its 10th day, officials warned evacuees against returning to their homes due to the presence of toxic, hazardous waste and exposed power and gas lines. During a Thursday press conference, Yonah Halpern, principal engineer with LA county public works said that toxins such as asbestos, and mercury could be found in fire debris and that the US Environmental Protection Agency and county fire department would be going house to house to assess and remove hazardous materials at no cost to the propertys owner. The extreme winds behind the disastrous fires in Los Angeles were forecast to calm the rest of the week into the weekend, making it easier for firefighters to further efforts to put out the massive Palisades and Eaton fires that have been ablaze for over a week. The National Weather Service said on Thursday that the nine-day wind siege has finally ended and the weekend will bring a significant cooling trend with higher humidity in the region. But it warned that high winds could pick up again early next week. A marine layer was forecast to come into the area on Thursday and Friday bringing with it desperately needed humidity, said James White, the incident meteorologist for the Eaton fire, during a Thursday press conference. As of Thursday morning, crews were still working to fully contain the two largest fires in Los Angeles. The Palisades fire is 22% contained after burning more than 23,700 acres while the Eaton fire is 55% contained after burning roughly 14,100 acres. The containment numbers are expected to rise rapidly in the coming days. The flames are no longer raging but scores of firefighters must scour every inch of the expansive fire footprints to ensure spot fires are extinguished and lines hold. Even after forecasts warned of a particularly dangerous situation wind event on Wednesday, firefighters have been able to keep the fires within their footprints over the last few days. Both fires have proved to be deadly and destructive. Officials said at least 27 people have died from the fires, while a total of 12,000 structures have been destroyed. The tragic toll is expected to climb. Natural disasters of this scale can indirectly cause deaths for decades to come. While officials are still combing through the wreckage to tally and assess the destruction left in the wake of these fires, estimates put the total cost of the fires damage at around $250bn, making it the costliest fire in US history. Acres burned US wildfires are measured in terms of acres. While the size of a wildfire doesnt necessarily correlate to its destructive impact, acreage provides a way to understand a fires footprint and how quickly it has grown. There are 2.47 acres in a hectare, and 640 acres in a square mile, but this can be hard to visualise. Here are some easy comparisons: one acre equates to roughly the size of an American football field. Londons Heathrow airport is about 3,000 acres. Manhattan covers roughly 14,600 acres, while Chicago is roughly 150,000 acres, and Los Angeles is roughly 320,000 acres. Megafire A megafire is defined by the National Interagency Fire Center as a wildfire that has burned more than 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares). Containment level A wildfires containment level indicates how much progress firefighters have made in controlling the fire. Containment is achieved by creating perimeters the fire cant move across. This is done through methods such as putting fire retardants on the ground, digging trenches, or removing brush and other flammable fuels. Containment is measured in terms of the percentage of the fire that has been surrounded by these control lines. A wildfire with a low containment level, such as 0% or 5%, is essentially burning out of control. A fire with a high level of containment, such as 90%, isnt necessarily extinguished but rather has a large protective perimeter and a rate of growth that is under control. Evacuation orders and warnings Evacuation warnings and orders are issued by officials when a wildfire is causing imminent danger to peoples life and property. According to the California office of emergency services, an evacuation warning means that it's a good idea to leave an area or get ready to leave soon. An evacuation order means that you should leave the area immediately. Red flag warning A red flag warning is a type of forecast issued by the National Weather Service that indicates when weather conditions are likely to spark or spread wildfires. These conditions typically include dryness, low humidity, high winds and heat. Prescribed burn A prescribed burn, or a controlled burn, is a fire that is intentionally set under carefully managed conditions in order to improve the health of a landscape. Prescribed burns are carried out by trained experts such as members of the US Forest Service and Indigenous fire practitioners. Prescribed burns help remove flammable vegetation and reduce the risk of larger, more catastrophic blazes, among other benefits. Prescribed burning was once a common tool among Native American tribes who used good fire to improve the land, but was limited for much of the last century by a US government approach based on fire suppression. In recent years, US land managers have returned to embracing the benefits of prescribed burns, and now conduct thousands across the country every year. More than 80,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders, with many anxious to get back to their homes. But officials said it would take time to conduct inspections and remove hazardous debris from neighborhoods. In the aftermath of the firestorms that ravaged communities on all sides of Los Angeles, splintered power poles draped electric wires across roads, and toxic chemicals were released from crumpled homes. Even if the flames are extinguished, many dangers remain within burn scars that can put returning residents at risk. Search and rescue efforts are also still under way, slowing the process of repairing utility infrastructure needed before the repopulation process can proceed, according to Cal Fire. As of Thursday morning, inspections of both fire footprint were just over only halfway done, with no timeline given to residents and to when they will be completed. Cal Fire has released interactive maps of the Eaton fire and Palisades fire, detailing the status of each structure, which will be updated as the work is completed. The LA fire department captain, Erik Scott, said the timeline of people returning home would vary as the damages need to be mapped and recorded. We want people to have realistic expectations, he told the New York Times. The last of the evacuation orders after the Camp fire in Paradise, California, in 2018 were lifted a month after the fire started, according to the Times. Residents of Lahaina, Maui, were allowed to return to their homes two months after a fire in 2023. The California national guard has deployed troops to guard neighborhoods that have been evacuated, preventing residents from re-entering to check on their homes. Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, met with displaced residents on Wednesday and said at a press conference that the city would try to ensure a quick rebuilding process for those who lost homes. People are ready to get started now, she said. If your property burned down and you want to rebuild it exactly as it was before, then you shouldnt have to go through an elaborate, time-consuming permitting process. Palestinians celebrate a ceasefire deal with Israel in Deir al-Balah on Wednesday. The prospects for Gaza, and the countries that have been drawn into the Middle East crisis, remain uncertain despite the ceasefire. Photograph: Ramadan Abed/Reuters There may be no winners in war, but history suggests combatants are often eager to convince the world otherwise. The ending of the 15-month conflict in Gaza may prove an exception. The sacrifice has been so great, the misery so complete, and the ultimate future for Gaza so uncertain that few can claim with certainty that this was all worthwhile, or likely to benefit Israels security in the long term. The damage to Israels reputation may last decades. In their final interviews and speeches as they prepared to leave office, it was noticeable the key foreign policy figures in the Biden administration often looked beyond Gaza, as western diplomats have turned to what could be the momentous consequences of the war for the wider Middle East. Related: The devastating impact of 15 months of war on Gaza Even Jake Sullivan, Joe Bidens outgoing national security adviser, was left uncertain. What is the outcome of all of this? I think it is too early to predict. Even when good things happen, there are bad things around the corner. Thats true across foreign policy. Its especially true in the Middle East, he said. Similarly, Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, argued that often in the Middle East, change is not what it appears. He saw at best a historic window of opportunity. In every country sucked into the Israel-Gaza war Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iran, Iraq and in Israel itself, the balance of forces has been changed by the war, but not irreversibly transformed. That is true of Gaza itself, where even if a full ceasefire holds, the future remains deliberately clouded. Blinken implicitly criticised this in his Atlantic Council speech this week, when he said he recognised the need for Israels war, but could not support what may be its plan for peace. As long ago as May 2024, the Biden administration judged that Israel had secured its main objective in Gaza of ensuring Hamas is incapable of committing another October 7 atrocity, he said challenging the need for the subsequent eight months of further conflict. He underlined the futility of continuing the war by admitting Hamas had been able to recruit almost as many new militants than it had lost, a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war. Security for Israel, he argued, had to include a credible political horizon for the Palestinians, or else Hamas or something equally abhorrent will grow back. He said the country must abandon the myth they can carry out de facto annexation, without cost and consequence to Israels democracy, to its standing, to its security. Yet, he complained, Israels government has systematically undermined the capacity and legitimacy of the only viable alternative to Hamas: the Palestinian Authority. If Israel wanted the prize of greater security, he said, that lay through forging greater integration across the region, specifically through normalisation with Saudi Arabia. He said that was ready to go, but only if Palestinians were allowed to live in a state of their own, and not as a non-people. Trumps return to the White House may have helped pressure Benjamin Netanyahu into a ceasefire, but not to a particular peace. The incoming US president is unlikely to pick up Blinkens plan for a reformed and UN-monitored Palestinian Authority (PA) to oversee governance of a unified Gaza and West Bank. Israel for its part will risk a bigger vacuum by acting on its commitment not to co-operate with Unrwa, the UN agency for the Palestinians, and other NGOs. Related: A stern message: how return of Trump loomed over Gaza ceasefire negotiations Nor is there any certainty that Palestine will have the quality of leadership required to take sole administrative charge of Gaza. The PA, led by the ageing Mahmoud Abbas, is increasingly reviled on the West Bank and has failed to bury its differences with Hamas in talks in Moscow, Beijing and Cairo. It is only if the perspective is broadened away from Gaza that Netanyahu and the Israeli military can claim, by deciding to broaden the war with intensified attacks on Hezbollah and Iranian targets, that they changed its course and character. The chain of events that led to the annihilation of the Hezbollah leadership in Lebanon and then to the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, and so to Irans loss of its crown jewel may be sketchy, but it is clearly discernible. Indeed, the weakening of Iran is probably the biggest regional impact of the war in Gaza. Biden had a point this week in claiming that, all told, Iran is weaker than it has been for decades. He elaborated: Irans air defences are in shambles. Their main proxy, Hezbollah, is badly wounded, and as we tested Irans willingness to revive the nuclear deal, we kept the pressure with sanctions. Now Irans economy is in desperate straits. A 35-year tack to build a defence strategy around a proxy army had been eviscerated in a matter of months. The change has had an accelerator effect on Tehrans foreign-policy elite. Masoud Pezeshkian, the Iranian reformist president, and his strategic adviser, Javad Zarif, are placing numerous olive branches at Trumps feet. The latest came in the form of an interview on NBC in which the English-speaking Pezeshkian said Iran is ready for honest and honourable negotiation with the US. The fissiparous nature of Iranian internal politics makes it hard for Iran to deliver a consistent message to the west, however, and at the moment there are not many diplomats in France, UK or Germany yet convinced by Irans offer to negotiate a new nuclear deal. Iran has a reputation for buying time by offering fruitless talks. Moreover, Trumps top team is deeply hostile to Iran. Voices within Israel may propose the bombing of Irans nuclear sites while its air defences are down. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia disapproves and argues national sovereignty cannot be a principle that the west only espouses on Natos borders. Riyadh, ever more a convening power in the region, also argues that Israel would be mistaken if it thinks it has remade the region in its image. Saudi Arabia has condemned Israel for committing genocide in Gaza and will not normalise relations without a pathway to a Palestinian state. In Lebanon, two years of paralysis have ended and a new, elected leadership will listen to Iran-backed Hezbollah, but not be beholden to it. But the new prime minister, Nawaf Salam, is the former president of the international court of justice and fresh from delivering the landmark legal verdict that Israels occupation of Palestine is illegal and must end within a year. He will be a standing reminder that Israel has unfinished business in front of the international courts. In Yemen, where a 10-year civil war lies unresolved, hatred of Israel is the unifying ideology of the Houthi movement that controls the capital, Sanaa. In Iraq, the sway of the Iranian proxy groups on Shia-led government remains. Syria has a leader with a jihadist past, but also an understanding that the state of his country requires him to put conflict with Israel at the bottom of his to-do list. His first priority is to convince the west he is not establishing a caliphate by stealth. Yet at some point, Syria will turn to the issue of Israels occupation of its territory. If Israel does not seek reconciliation, the friendship offered to Israel by Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain will not be unconditional, Blinken pointed out. Israel may no longer face Irans once-powerful axis of resistance, but it is hardly surrounded by well-wishers. There will also be a profound fallout for the west. Sullivan recalled meeting a voter in Ohio, and talking to him about the liberal democratic order, and the man turned to him and said: I dont like any of these words. Many American voters will follow Trumps reluctance to embroil the US in the Middle East. In the global south, meanwhile, the concept of a liberal democratic order can raise a hollow laugh. It is in part because profound questions about the enforceability of the rules of war, and their selective application, have been raised by the wests support for Israel. For the US Democrats, as the cable news channels finally enter Gaza and document the destruction, the soul searching will only worsen as to why the Biden team tolerated the killing and the restrictions on aid. Labour in the UK will not be immune. The foreign office unit charged with judging whether or not Israels attacks breached international humanitarian law still claims it lacks the detailed real-time information to adopt such a view. There may be a changing of the guard in Washington that in time will weaken Israel. Jack Lew, the strongly pro-Israel outgoing US ambassador to Israel, said: The generational memory doesnt go back to the founding of the state or the six-day war, or the Yom Kippur war, or to the intifada even. It starts with this war, and you cannot ignore the impact of this war on future policymakers. Joe Biden is the last president of his generation whose memories and knowledge and passion to support Israel go back to the founding story. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare speaks during a press conference regarding to suspect Robert Lee Davis was shot and killed Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in Houston. Brazoria County Sheriffs Office Deputy Jesus Jesse Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the office, was shot and killed by Davis while approaching the suspect and serving a warrant with a partner, Sheriff Bo Stallman said. Yi-Chin Lee/Staff photographer Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo shares remarks during a commissioners court meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022, in Houston. Her former chief of staff, Alex Triantaphyllis, appears alongside her. Marie D. De Jesus/Staff photographer Alex Triantaphyllis waits during a hearing about bond conditions in the 174th District Court on Monday, July 18, 2022, at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse at 1201 Franklin St. in Houston. He and two other Harris County aides are charged with steering a controversial COVID-19 vaccine contract to firm operated by a politically-connected vendor. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Wallis Nader leaves after a hearing about her bond conditions in the 174th District Court on Monday, July 18, 2022, at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse at 1201 Franklin St. in Houston. She and two other Harris County aides are charged with steering a controversial COVID-19 vaccine contract to firm operated by a politically-connected vendor. Jon Shapley, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Aaron Dunn appears in court after COVID contract indictments were handed down Tuesday, April 12, 2022 in Houston. Two aides to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo and former aide, all indicted on criminal charges amid an investigation in a since-canceled vaccine outreach contract, appeared in court Tuesday. Dunn, who recently left her office, was indicted on two felony charges of misuse of official information and tampering. Wallis Nader and Alex Triantaphyllis, who work for Hidalgo, were indicted on the same charges. Brett Coomer, Houston Chronicle / Staff photographer Harris District Attorney Kim Ogg speaks during a news conference to announced the Elevate Strategies case is being handed over to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons Office Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer A judge signed off on Harris County prosecutors handing their case against three former employees for County Judge Lina Hidalgo to the Texas attorney general, effectively ridding District Attorney Sean Teares office of the politically fraught charges brought on by his predecessor. Lawyers for the three staffers gathered around the judges bench Thursday with prosecutors from both agencies as no one objected to the move. Kim Ogg, the former district attorney ousted in the 2024 primary, invited the attorney generals prosecutors to take over the 2022 case, saying Teare could not be trusted, but she stopped short of recusing her office outright. Her decision effectively preserved Teares ability to decide the next steps in the cases against the three county workers amid allegations that they steered a COVID-19 vaccine outreach contract to Elevate Strategies, a political consulting firm with Democratic ties. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Harris District Attorney Kim Ogg, left, and Shane Attaway, with the Texas Attorney General Criminal Prosecutions Division, right, are shown during media conference to announce the Elevate Strategies case is being handed over to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxtons Office Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Houston. Melissa Phillip/Staff Photographer The charges accused the three of leaking insider information early and then accepting the companys $11 million bid. Teare campaigned on distancing the Harris County District Attorneys Office from the case as local Democrats accused Ogg of using the investigation to wage a partisan battle against Hidalgo and other members of her party. Teare assumed office Jan. 1 and filed a motion to recuse his office the following day, citing intense political and media scrutiny over the contract investigation and ensuing indictments against Alex Triantaphyllis, Wallis Nader and Aaron Dunn. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The orderly administration of justice requires that there be no perceived bias in the prosecution of these cases, wrote Joshua Reiss, general counsel for Teares office, in their request for a recusal. Judge Hazel Jones approved the motion and quizzed the lawyers on both sides Thursday morning whether an outcome was being discussed. It was, the lawyers said, without elaborating. Dunns lawyer, Derek Hollingsworth, said the recusal should have happened sooner because it wasnt until prosecutors with Attorney General Ken Paxtons office stepped in that he felt his clients case which he deemed a wrongful prosecution received a critical eye. The lawyer believes Paxton prosecutors have made progress in reviewing the case because defense attorneys for the trio have received fresh evidence since they took on the prosecution in April. My understanding is that the attorney general's office is now the first administration to actually look deeply at this case and to investigate it thoroughly, Hollingsworth said. I hope that we're close to a resolution. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Teare shared similar sentiment Thursday after the judge's order. Political influence has undermined this investigation for too long," Teare said in a statement. "Harris County deserves a district attorney who eliminates politics from criminal cases. My hope is that these cases are resolved promptly and justly. Director David Lynch on the set of Mulholland Drive Among the many reasons to cherish David Lynch is that in 2007, he gave perhaps the greatest answer that any filmmaker has ever given in an interview. At his David Lean memorial lecture at Bafta, the famously gnomic director of Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive was discussing his debut feature Eraserhead with host Jason Barlow, when all of a sudden he made the fascinating claim that he considered it to be his most spiritual film. Elaborate on that, Barlow said, possibly sensing some great, revelatory moment was just ahead. To which Lynch replied, with a gentle smile: No. There might be no better way of summing up Lynchs unique power as a filmmaker than with those two letters, which materialise in the minds of anyone foolish enough to try to parse his work along ordinary lines. Where was the Red Room in Twin Peaks, and why did its inhabitants talk backwards? How could the creepy man in Lost Highway be in two places at once? Why does the baby in Eraserhead look like that? The answer, in each and every case, is that there is no answer and if you think about it, probably not a question either. Lynch always declined to put the ideas underpinning his films into words, but less for reasons of integrity than impossibility. After all, as he often noted, if they could be put into words, why bother making the film? To have absolutely no idea what Lynchs films mean is to understand them implicitly. To not get his work is to get it. If you ever sat down with a notepad in front of the Mulholland Drive and tried to join the dots between the plots which I regret I did in my student days, as soon as the VHS was released you just werent engaging with it properly. To attempt to decode a Lynch film is like trying to enjoy a cake by measuring it. Honestly, youd be far better off just eating it. Isabella Rossellini on the set of Blue Velvet - De Laurentiis Entertainment Group/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images His films werent just brilliant, beautiful, terrifying, mad and inscrutable. They were completely impossible to unpick from the medium in which they were made. Lost Highway the novel simply couldnt exist, nor Inland Empire the play, nor Blue Velvet the podcast. He understood the dream texture of cinema better than anyone since Tarkovsky but unlike Tarkovsky he was attached (at least loosely) to Hollywood, the Dream Factory itself, and so in his own work was somehow able to siphon off that factorys out-turn at cask strength, and raid its cellars for forgotten, complex drams. On one level, Mulholland Drive is a noirish mystery about a gifted and beautiful young actress who comes to Los Angeles, meets a glamorous mystery woman with amnesia, and has her dreams of movie-stardom cruelly crushed by the mob. But more fundamentally, its a film about the way in which Hollywood as an entity, or even a belief system, has shaped so many of our dream-lives, where figures like the cowboy, the femme fatale and the gangster hold as much sway over the modern subconscious as Jungian archetypes like the shadow and the trickster. If that sounds like a Pseuds Corner entry in waiting, all I can do is point to Lynchs own comments above: this stuff cant be accurately put into words, and thats the beauty of it. David Lynch as FBI Deputy Director Gordon Cole in Twin Peaks - Suzanne Tenner Twin Peaks, his outrageously improbable mainstream breakthrough in 1990, which he co-created with Mark Frost, was a murder-mystery television series that initially ran for two seasons and 30 episodes. During its initial broadcast, it was a phenomenon. Who killed Laura Palmer? The deeper that FBI special agent Dale Cooper probed, the quicker the answer to that question seemed to slip back into the trees. In the US, the pilot episode was watched by a third of the total TV audience. Ironically, it was the networks determination to make its central mystery solvable (it was tied up halfway through the second season) that caused viewer interest to tail off. It was a valuable lesson for Lynch to learn early. His refusal to dilute his cinema with sense is what made it so extraordinary. TikTok is preparing to shut off the app from US users on Sunday unless the supreme court intervenes, according to the tech news site the Information. Photograph: Dado Ruvic/Reuters Donald Trump is considering suspending a TikTok ban in the US with an executive order when he enters the White House on 20 January, according to a report. The president-elect is exploring an executive order that would postpone enforcement of a sale-or-ban law due to come into force on 19 January, said the Washington Post. The report added, however, that Trumps legal grounds for suspending a law passed by Congress are questionable. Under the terms of the law, the short video apps US operation must be sold by its Chinese owners by Sunday. If a sale does not occur, new users will not be able to download TikTok from app stores. However, TikTok is preparing to shut off the app from US users completely on Sunday unless the supreme court intervenes to block the law, according to the tech news site the Information. Related: How would a Tiktok ban work in the US? Citing unnamed sources familiar with the deliberations, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday that Trump and his team were considering an executive order that would suspend enforcement of the law for 60 to 90 days. The supreme court is also due to rule on whether the law should be allowed to proceed, although a hearing last week indicated it is unlikely to stand in the way of the legislation. Trump said last month that I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok and has asked the supreme court to pause implementing the law so he can pursue a political resolution once he is in office. Congress has voted to ban the app, which is owned by the Beijing-based ByteDance, over concerns that the Chinese state could access data from its 170 million US users. TikTok itself is a fantastic platform, Trumps incoming national security adviser, Mike Waltz, told Fox News on Wednesday. Were going to find a way to preserve it but protect peoples data. Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond in Virginia, said Trump could attempt to extend the deadline for TikTok to complete a transaction. Once Trump becomes president, he could attempt to prevent a ban by seeking an extension of time to consummate a deal that would allow TikTok to operate in the US by implementing a qualified divestiture, he said. The New York Times has also reported that TikToks chief executive, Shou Zi Chew, has been invited to Trumps inauguration and will sit in a position of honour. NBC, the US broadcaster, has reported that the Biden administration has been weighing options to keep the social media platform open beyond Sunday, in an attempt to defer the decision to Trump. Americans shouldnt expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday, an administration official told NBC. Shares in the rival social media site Snap fell by nearly 4% in trading on Thursday, as traders anticipated a potential reprieve for TikTok in the US. A flock of pigeons flies past a public housing tower in Flemington, Melbourne. Photograph: Christopher Hopkins/The Guardian When Ella* was told that the Melbourne public housing tower she lived in was being demolished, she didnt imagine shed have to move into another one facing the same fate. But about a year after the Victorian government announced that her building would be among the first to be torn down as part of a plan to rebuild the states 44 public housing towers, she received a letter asking her to do just that. It was a big shock, says the single mother of two, speaking through a translator to Guardian Australia. Ella says she was given two options: move 40 minutes away, uprooting her familys lives, or to a neighbouring Flemington tower, where she could stay close to her part-time job, her childs school and the local African diaspora community though with no indication of how long she could remain. While Ella chose to accept the Flemington apartment, the uncertainty tenants feel about moving into buildings that could soon be demolished could explain why many others are rejecting such offers. According to responses to questions on notice given to parliaments public accounts and estimates committee by the Department of Fairness, Families and Housing last month, almost half of all public housing offers made for 10 towers in Fitzroy, North Melbourne and Richmond have been turned down. Of 304 offers made in 2023-24, 151 were declined, including the majority at 90 Brunswick Street and at 95 Napier Street in Fitzroy. The remaining 153 were accepted. Although all 10 towers will eventually be demolished, only one 139 Highett Street in Richmond has a rough timeline, with works to be completed by 2032. Ella says not knowing how long she can stay in her new apartment makes it hard to feel settled. Related: Were very fortunate: stargazers to see almost all planets in the night sky at the same time Its really quite worrying, she says. It is in the back of my mind that this is not going to be long-term accommodation, we are not in charge of the plans. Moving from one house to another is a huge challenge, especially when youre a single mother. No one wants to have to move again. The public housing offers data was requested by the Greens, whose housing spokesperson, Gabrielle de Vietri, says the figures raise questions about the governments approach to redevelopment. Why would you move into a home that you know could be demolished at any moment? she says. It also begs the question of whether Labor is intentionally offering unsuitable homes to people to make it easier to steamroll ahead with their plan to demolish the towers. People waiting for public housing wouldnt turn down an affordable home in places like Fitzroy for no reason. Displacement and dislocation According to the departments response, limited accessibility, concerns about location, lack of private green space and the social stigma associated with living in the towers were reasons cited by tenants who declined to move into the towers. It said they had a preference for modern, accessible and energy-efficient homes rather than the older buildings. During committee hearings, the chief executive of Homes Victoria, Simon Newport, said it had become difficult to fill vacancies in the towers. He said it was taking an average of 60 days to fill them, well above the 28-day target. It is not uncommon for us to have multiple offers, Newport said. And without trying to shock the committee too much, we have had an instance where we have had to make over 25 offers on some properties in the towers. Nadia Morales is chief executive of Inner Melbourne Community Legal, a law firm representing tenants of the first three occupied towers to be demolished in a class action against the state government. She says several of the firms clients have been contacted by Homes Victoria, asking them to move to other high-rise towers or to community housing operated by non-profits despite their preference of remaining in state-owned public housing. If tenants decline two offers, Morales says, they are removed from the priority list and can wait years for another offer. Theyre feeling pressure to take up offers, even in circumstances where the accommodation isnt suitable to their needs, because theres simply a lack of public housing and they dont know what the next offer could look like, she says. As of September 2024 there were 53,554 households on Victorias waitlist for public and community housing, including more than 29,000 on the priority list. The average wait time in 2023-24 was 19.8 months for people with priority access, 88% longer than the Victorian governments target of 10.5 months. A number of our clients are also being really forcefully encouraged to take up community housing properties in the absence of there being sufficient public housing stock, knowing that they will have an inferior set of rights, and thats really concerning for them, their families and their futures, Morales says. The approach has caused the displacement and dislocation of entire communities who have lived in the area for generations, Morales said. The oppositions housing spokesperson, Richard Riordan, says the government should have taken a staged approach to the redevelopment of each site. I dont understand why, on most of these sites, there couldnt be a plan to build a new tower first, so people could move in and stay within their communities, and then either refurbish or demolish the existing ones if theyre in as bad a condition as they government says they are, the Liberal MP says. Related: I had steam coming out of my ears: Kokkinakis torment in Draper defeat A Victorian government spokesperson says the towers are nearing the end of their useful life, which is why they are being replaced by with modern, accessible and energy efficient apartments. While the Greens and Liberal party try to block homes from getting built, and spread misinformation and fear, were investing $6.3bn to build thousands more social homes across Victoria. As of 10 January, 74% of residents in the first towers slated for redevelopment have been moved or matched into a new home, with more than half of the buildings now vacant. The government says two in every three relocating renters have moved into homes managed by a community housing provider and are supported throughout the process. The redevelopment of each tower is expected to take between six and eight years with all the work to be completed by 2051. Ella says while she sometimes feels nervous living high in her new building, she believes the apartment is in good condition. But she believes the government must know of a problem with the tower that she is unaware of. If they could fix it without demolishing, they should, she says, calling for clarity about long-term plans for each site. They should tell us when it is going to happen, how long each building is going to take, where the tenants are going to be temporarily and make sure the tenants are going to come back to the properties. *Name has been changed Posters of hostages held in Gaza attached to a fence in Tel Aviv. In the first stage of the deal, 33 Israeli hostages would be released over six weeks. Photograph: Oded Balilty/AP Families of hostages being held in Gaza have said delays to the ceasefire and hostage deal have left them in limbo and agony. Relatives of some of the 98 hostages still believed to be held by Hamas reacted with guarded optimism to the truce announced by Qatar and the US on Wednesday, but a vote by the Israeli cabinet has been delayed by the Israeli prime minister until Friday, saying Hamas must accept all elements of the agreement. Stephen Brisley, whose brother-in-law Eli Sharabi, 52, was taken hostage from the Beeri kibbutz, said the delays had caused further torture for his family. Brisleys sister Lianne Sharabi, a British citizen, and her daughters Noiya and Yahel were killed in Hamass 7 October 2023 attack. I dont really know how to feel because its still quite difficult to process and doesnt feel quite real. Im saying Im cautiously optimistic, but a bit wary at the same time because weve had so many false dawns in the past, he said. Israel carried out fresh airstrikes on Gaza on Thursday and accused Hamas of backtracking on parts of the deal, which is intended to come into effect on Sunday. In the first stage, 33 hostages are set to be released over six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder are to be released in a second phase. The 98 hostages some of whom are believed to be dead include four people taken hostage in 2014 and 2015. Brisley, from Bridgend in Wales, said he had had to temper his optimism due to the uncertainty. The fact that it was officially announced [on Wednesday evening] has been slightly coloured by events today with the cabinet yet to vote on it. Were hearing conflicting stories about whether Hamas have attempted to change things or whether its just politicking, he said. Its the usual sort of conflicting information, but all of it leads to further delay and further torture for us and leaves us in limbo. Im by no means sure that its going to happen and in its current structure, across six weeks, a lot can happen. Guarded optimism is the most Im prepared to allow myself to have at the moment. Adam Maanit, whose cousin Tsachi Idan, 50, was taken hostage from the Nahal Oz kibbutz, shared Brisleys scepticism as he told how he found the staggered nature of the deal agonising and frustrating. He said his family had not been able to grieve properly for Idans 18-year-old daughter, Maayan, who was killed by Hamas during the 7 October attack. Idans clothes were still covered with his daughters blood as he was driven to Gaza, Maanit said. Its been like this in the past where we were lured by the tantalising prospect of a deal imminent and then having it snatched away, having our hopes raised to stratospheric levels and then dashed on the rocks of despair, said the 51-year-old, who lives in Brighton. Ive learned since then to be guarded in my optimism, certainly very cautious and sceptical of various anonymous sources and rumours and news, and only when I see my cousin and the other 97 hostages coming off the transport from crossing back into Israeli territory will I feel satisfied that something concrete has been achieved. Gilad Korngold, 63, said not knowing what had happened to his son Tal Shoham, 39, who was taken from the Beeri kibbutz, had left his family living like zombies for the past 467 days. Its terrible because since 7 October I dont have any idea whats happened to my son, and now I dont have any idea if there will be any deal. I hope. I hope, but Im very tired. It makes us crazy. I with the other families are all worried for our own reasons, he said. Eli Albag, the father of 19-year-old Liri Albag, one of the youngest remaining hostages, said he did not want to comment while there was still uncertainty around the deal. We still dont know whats happening; until now the negotiations havent closed. We dont know nothing. Were still confused, he said. His sentiments were shared by Shaban al-Sayed, whose mentally ill civilian son Hisham al-Sayed, a 36-year-old Israeli Bedouin, has been held by Hamas almost completely incommunicado for the last nine years. We feel sad because we dont know what condition Hisham is in and we dont know if the agreement will be fully implemented. I mean, when all the hostages held by Hamas return, then we can evaluate how we feel, he said. FBI officers The FBI has ditched its diversity and inclusion department ahead of Donald Trumps inauguration. The president-elect vowed to crack down on DEI initiatives during his time in office. A number of corporate organisations have canned their diversity programmes in recent months amid pressure from conservative activists. The agency took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in December, a spokesman told Fox News Digital. It comes after Christopher Wray, the Director of the FBI, faced pressure to explain the law enforcement agencys radical DEI practices following the New Years Day terror attack in New Orleans. In a letter to the agency chief, Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn said DEI initiatives had endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. She added: Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBIs prioritisation of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded. Fortunately, the American people have spoken, and President Trump will soon bring law and order back to our nation. After the first assassination attempt on Mr Trump in July 2024, federal agencies including the secret service, faced criticism for their pursuit of diversity at the expense of pragmatism. Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position as the director of the Secret Service - KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI Republican congressman Tim Burchett pointed the finger at Kimberly Cheatle, the then-Secret Service chief, who wanted more non-white and female agents. The agency has the goal of increasing the number of women to 30 per cent by 2030, but critics claim females make less effective agents than men. Commentators also zeroed in on widely shared online footage of a female agents apparent struggles to holster her weapon after the shooting in Pennsylvania last year. In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024, the agency told Fox News Digital on Thursday. Mr Trumps pick to replace outgoing Christopher Wray is Kash Patel, who has pledged sweeping reforms to reshape the bureau. He has proposed shutting down the FBIs Washington headquarters and advocated cutting the federal governments intelligence community. Mountain lions share the scrubby landscape above Los Angeles with wealthy suburbs, hampering their ability to flee the fires. Photograph: Jason Klassi/Getty Images Beth Pratt has spent her career protecting Los Angeles mountain lions, which roam an area currently engulfed by wildfires. These apex predators, also known as cougars or pumas, share a scrubby landscape with lavish private homes and a dense network of roads. When major fires take out huge areas of open space, their options are limited. This is the LA area these mountain lions cant move into the Kardashians back yard, says Pratt, California executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. My heart is very heavy right now, she says. The chaparral vegetation, which covers about 10% of the state of California, creates one of the most flammable landscapes in the world. It is characterised by grasslands, shrubs and short woody species designed to come back to life after the planets most intense wildfires. In LA, wealthy suburbs sprawl into these habitats, and roads and development block the animals ability to flee elsewhere. If they havent already died in the flames or from smoke inhalation, they may starve over the coming days and weeks, as the land is transformed from a vibrant ecosystem into scorched earth. Areas that did provide food, shelter, habitat, are being taken out of commission, says Pratt. The impact of the wildfires will reverberate throughout all life, she says. Human losses have been devastating, with 88,000 people told to evacuate their homes as the death toll rises to 25, and the effects will also ripple through the non-human world. Worst affected are endangered species with a limited range, and species that cant flee the flames. Biologists are particularly concerned about threatened red-legged frogs, which were reintroduced into some streams in the Santa Monica mountains in 2014. The Woolsey fire in 2018 was followed by mudslides which wiped out much of the habitat, and scientists are waiting to see what the damage will be this time. The habitat of California newts has also been severely affected during these latest fires. Reptiles and snakes are likely to be killed. Mammals might escape, but could struggle to set up elsewhere or find food while the ecosystem recovers. Birds are likely to survive, unless they are nesting or looking after young. Although the landscape looks devastated, within the coming weeks nature should start to re-emerge as fresh shoots start appearing from the soil and wildlife returns. It looks like Armageddon now, says Prof Stefan Doerr from Swansea University, who is co-editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Wildland Fire. However, new life is waiting in the wings. Even in raging fires, life an inch under the surface of the soil can stay relatively cool, so seeds can often survive and later germinate. The chaparral ecosystem in California is actually a fire-adapted ecosystem, thus burning maintains its biodiversity, says Doerr. He says the shrub vegetation will probably take about 10 years to recover, depending on rainfall in the coming years. Grasses could start to sprout within weeks of the first rain. Fire records suggest the landscape is adapted to high-intensity burning every 30 to 100 years. This is one of the most flammable ecosystems on the planet. This may sound very strange, but from a longer-term ecological perspective, as such, these fires may not be particularly damaging, Doerr says. He says that at specific locations the fire may seem extremely damaging to the ecosystem in the short term, but at a large scale, highly destructive fires can rejuvenate this ecosystem. Prof Rory Hadden, chair of fire science at the University of Edinburgh, agrees. The nature part of the story often gets lost in this. Everyone sees these as bad things, but actually, wildfires are necessary in some parts of the world to have healthy, vibrant and diverse ecosystems. Because these fires have been so intense, the area is unlikely to burn in such a way for 20 years or more all the fuel has been used up, Hadden says. They are kind of a reset on the ecosystem. Research shows, however, that Californias ecosystems are increasingly threatened by human population growth, expanding urban areas, warming temperatures and droughts lasting multiple years. In recent times, low-severity fires have been happening more frequently in many California shrub ecosystems, mainly due to human ignitions and severe weather conditions. Some locations have burned up to six times in the past 30 years. This has actually degraded this ecosystem in something that is untypical, says Doerr. From a purely ecological perspective, he says, some people would say that, actually, what weve been lacking is a high-severity fire. Conditions are particularly extreme this time, and this is likely to have been exacerbated by climate swings, says Hadden. Fires grew quickly and there was a lot of vegetation to burn because last year was a wet year, which then dried out during the drought. Officials flagged that the Santa Ana winds were particularly dangerous because there had been no rainfall for months, with high levels of plant material creating a recipe for fire. By Monday, the Palisades fire had burned about 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares), the Eaton fire 14,000 acres, and the Hurst fire 800 acres. The August complex fire in 2020 was more than 25 times bigger. Related: 10 ways the climate crisis and nature loss are linked In the coming weeks, ash from the wildfire should provide protection to the soil and nutrients for plants to regrow. But Imma Oliveras Menor, a researcher in disturbance ecology at the University of Oxford, says that although these ecosystems have strategies to survive after intense wildfires, the severity of this one could inhibit this process. The main danger is that the intensity of the fires has killed the below-ground organs of the plants and thus killed them. Another plausible scenario is that the intensity of the fires has caused severe damage to the soil structure, she says. If landscapes are highly denuded by fire and then there is heavy rainfall or high winds, this can lead to soil erosion, landslides and water contamination. It is impossible to assess the damage while the fires are still raging, she says. When the embers have finished burning, Pratt will be keeping an eye on what wildlife returns to the area, and whether mountain lions will have been able to hold on elsewhere. The habitat will come back, of course, but it may come back differently, she says. China hawks say the free speech laws can stop attempts to stifle criticism of Beijing on campuses - Chris Ison/PA The Government is under fire for shelving plans to crack down on Chinese influence at British universities. Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, announced on Wednesday that Labour will revive the Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Act, in a move first revealed by The Telegraph. The legislation is a flagship Tory policy the Government had scrapped in July that is designed to prevent academics from becoming victims of so-called cancel culture but several key elements are set to be removed. Ms Phillipson said she needed more time to consider whether to implement a new duty on the universities regulator to monitor overseas funding for UK institutions. This would have required the regulator, the Office for Students (OfS), to scrutinise whether any funding received by British universities from overseas sources such as China presented a risk to free speech and academic freedom. China hawks said the move would have helped stamp out attempts to stifle criticism of Beijing on UK campuses through lucrative international partnerships and donations. Ms Phillipson told the Commons: I remain fully committed to tackling cases of interference by overseas governments and the wider measures in this Act will further strengthen our protections. However, I want to ensure that any new reporting requirements for providers add value without being overly burdensome. This is as we work at pace with the sector on the wider implementation of the foreign influence registration scheme. Bridget Phillipson was asked to clarify on the timing of this announcement with the Chancellors trip to China - James Manning/PA The legislation, which was passed into law in 2023, will strengthen free speech protections across British campuses. Under the original Tory scheme, any staff, students, and visiting speakers would have been able to launch a complaint to the OfS if they thought their free speech had been violated. Kowtowing to Chinese influence Laura Trott, the shadow education secretary, asked Ms Phillipson to clarify whether the decision was influenced by a state visit to China last week by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor. Why is the Secretary of State unable to set out a clear decision on overseas funding? Why is six months not enough time? Ms Trott told MPs. Can the Secretary of State spell out the changes they are thinking about making to the overseas funding measure? Can she confirm that none of these were discussed in the Chancellors recent visit to China, and can she confirm that there were no deals done to amend this clause? During her visit last week, Ms Reeves said that increasing trade and investment with an economically important partner like China is crucial for achieving economic growth. But Neil OBrien, a shadow education minister, warned that Labours failure to crack down on foreign interference at universities risked portraying the UK as buckling to Chinese influence. China spied on MPs [and] sanctions MPs (including me) but we are kowtowing to them yet again, he wrote on X. Reeves' visit to China has led to benefits... for China. Bridget Phillipson just announced she is "pausing" the transparency requirements on overseas funding in our Free Speech Act China spied on MPs & sanctions MPs (including me) but we are kowtowing to them yet again :-( Neil O'Brien (@NeilDotObrien) January 15, 2025 Concerns about ties to authoritarian states The Telegraph revealed last year that Labour chose to pause the implementation of the free speech laws in part because universities wanted to protect their operations in authoritarian states such as China. Legal documents revealed that government lawyers had received concerns about the costs of overseas transparency requirements and the consequences for delivering English [higher education] in foreign countries which have restrictions on free speech. British universities participate in over 20 joint institutes and 250 joint programmes in China. Although many are used as a way to attract more international students and boost research partnerships, there are concerns about Chinese Communist Party (CCP) interference. Ms Phillipson also announced on Wednesday that Labour will ditch a compensation mechanism for victims of cancel culture, known in the Act as the statutory tort. The Education Secretary said it risked diverting resources away from students at a time when university finances are already strained. The Government will also pare back the Act to ensure the new free speech protections do not apply to student unions. Ms Phillipson said on Wednesday that the complaints scheme with sanctions for free speech violations will remain in place, but in a stripped back version. It means that Professor Arif Ahmed, who was appointed by former prime minister Rishi Sunak to oversee the complaints scheme, will only consider the most serious cases of potential free speech breaches. Students will also no longer be allowed to participate. Under the new Labour plans, Professor Arif Ahmed will have a stripped back role in considering free speech complaints - Eddie Mulholland Ms Phillipson said she wanted to avoid duplication with the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education, which already reviews student complaints. Even without those elements in place, the Governments decision to resuscitate the free speech laws marks a major climbdown. Ms Phillipson had previously said the legislation was not fit for purpose and that she would consider repealing it entirely, with Labour sources branding it a Tory hate charter. It follows significant backlash from academics over her decision to shelve the Act. The Government is also facing a legal challenge over the move from the Free Speech Union, with the future still unclear of a judicial review scheduled to take place in the High Court next week. Addressing MPs in the Commons on Wednesday, Ms Phillipson said: These fundamental freedoms are more important, much more important, than the wishes of some students not to be offended. These changes protect free speech but avoid implementing excessive and burdensome provisions which could have exposed struggling universities to disproportionate costs. The decisions we are making about the Act demonstrate that we were right to pause commencement and to review its impact before making decisions on its future. Rose Jackson, the NSW minister for mental health, says the state government recognises there is a really legitimate claim for more support for our psychiatrists. Photograph: Jessica Hromas/The Guardian The doctors union is warning that the New South Wales health system will go off a cliff next week if the resignation of more than 200 psychiatrists half the cohort comes into effect. The specialist doctors indicated they would be submitting their resignations in December amid a standoff with the government over concerns about pay and the state of the mental healthcare system. There are 443 psychiatrist positions at NSW Health, but 30% to 40% of those roles were already vacant prior to the standoff. Another 205 are set to resign, the minister for mental health, Rose Jackson, said. As the date of their resignation 21 January looms, appeals from the state and federal governments to withdraw them have become more urgent. Related: Australian mining group promotes nuclear with memes about The Grinch and seasoning steak with sawdust On Monday the federal health minister, Mark Butler, urged the state government and the doctors to resume negotiations to avoid devastating consequences for psychiatric patients and their families in New South Wales. In a statement released Wednesday, the doctors union, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (Asmof), said: Within a week of the mass resignation of psychiatrists, the NSW health system will go off a cliff, such is the magnitude of crisis the Minns government has created and the people of NSW face. What are psychiatrists asking for? Psychiatrists have been in discussions with the NSW government about the workforce crisis for 16 months, amid a staffing shortfall of 140 psychiatrists in the state, with about one in three psychiatrist positions remaining unfilled. As a plan for recruitment, they want to see psychiatrists receive a special levy similar to that which emergency doctors received in 2015, increasing their pay by 25%. The Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (Asmof) said NSW psychiatrists were demanding pay parity with psychiatrists in other states citing a 30% gap to address what the doctors union called the root cause of the states already understaffed mental health service. The acting executive director of Asmof NSW, Ian Lisser, said the psychiatrists did not want to resign but had been left with little choice. The NSW government is happy to pay millions in dollars to locum agencies as a Band-Aid solution but refuse to make a meaningful offer to our dedicated permanent staff. What does the NSW government say in response? Jackson said: We recognise that there is a really legitimate claim for more support for our psychiatrists. But she also cited a 4.5% wage increase for government employees last year and said that the offer of a 10.5% wage increase for all doctors over three years was still on the table. Asmof NSW has already rejected the offer, which was made in April. Dr Pramudie Gunaratne, the chair of the NSW Branch of the peak body for psychiatrists, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), said the 10.5% offer was made to all public sector doctors as part of the unions broader industrial negotiations. It was rejected by union members and is completely separate to this issue. Psychiatrists couldnt have accepted it even if we had wanted to. The NSW health minister, Ryan Park, said the government could not afford the 25% pay increase which would add up to an extra $90,000 on each psychiatrists salary because it would set a precedent other medical specialists would also ask for. Jackson said the government was also willing to discuss better conditions for doctors such as educational opportunities, leave arrangements and other allowances. What do psychiatrists in NSW earn and how does it compare to other states? The minimum base salary for a psychiatrist in NSW is $186,241, but depending on seniority the base salary can go up to $251,618. However, many do not work full-time and are therefore paid less. According to the NSW government, of the 443 positions, 290 are full time. According to the NSW government, by including various allowances, $40,765 in superannuation and annual leave loading, their total package can be worth up to $438,000. According to Asmof, the equivalent salary in Western Australia is 51.66% higher, 44.6% in the Northern Territory, 38.98% higher in South Australia, 28.44% in Queensland, 25.51% in Tasmania and 2% higher in Victoria. However, in Victoria, as most psychiatrists do not work full-time, they are paid an hourly rate which amounts to 31% more than NSW. A first year staff specialist in Victoria, paid 40 hours at an hourly rate of $165, will amount to $662 a week or $345,291 per annum. WA Health said that the minimum base salary of a specialist psychiatrist in Western Australia is $202,725, with a total package, including allowances, of $354,700. The maximum base salary of a doctor in Western Australia is $298,489 with a total package, including allowances, of $450,462. The total package does not include superannuation. Guardian Australia has seen one agency advertising multiple locum consultant psychiatrist roles starting 21 January in metropolitan and regional areas of NSWwith a rate of $3,050 a day. What effect will the resignations have? RANZCP said the resignations will disrupt the care of some of the most vulnerable people in our community with acute and critical mental healthcare needs. RANZCP is concerned those people could find themselves in the judicial system without access to healthcare. Related: Michelle Obama to skip inauguration after absence at Jimmy Carters funeral Lisser said when the resignations come into effect, hospitals will be left without consultant psychiatrists who are necessary to admit patients from the emergency department into the psychiatric ward. As a result, anyone in NSW could be affected if they needed emergency care and beds are taken up by mental health patients waiting to be seen by a psychiatrist that is no longer working in the system. We are also very concerned that the burden of treatment will fall on trainee doctors, nurses or paramedics, Lisser said. What contingency plans will be in place next week? Park said he and Jackson had been working on a range of contingencies with the secretary of NSW Health, Susan Pearce, and the chief psychiatrist, Murray Wright. The NSW government had also been in discussion with the commonwealth and the private sector around additional workforce capacity, Park said. Starting on Monday, a mental health emergency operations centre will be in place to give visibility across the system as to where there are potential gaps and how we fill those gaps, Park said. The government will also increase support for its existing mental health line and work with Health Direct, the call centre that provides general health services, including mental health services. But, Pearce warned, it is very difficult to overnight replace 200 psychiatrists. Lisser warned the governments contingency plan relies on increasing the burden on already overworked staff who will be forced to work beyond their scope of practice which is both unethical and puts everyone, including both patients and staff, at risk. There is one solution to this crisis and that is to retain psychiatrists in the NSW Health system, Lisser said. Jamie Matthiass portrayal of his wife, Kate, has led to the accountant-turned-artist being inundated with requests for similar portraits from those online - Instagram An accountant has been inundated with portrait commissions after a terrible picture he painted of his wife as a wedding gift went viral. Jamie Matthias, 41, and his wife, Kate, 40, shared the painting on social media and it racked up thousands of views and comments within days. Mr Matthias said he has now been inundated with requests from people to create funny versions of their photographs. The father-of-three, from Alsager, in Cheshire, said: I actually dont mean to paint badly and Im doing my best to recreate the photos I get sent but its just the way they turn out. I try and create an alternate universe where proportions have no meaning. Ive painted for years but I had no idea they were so bad until people started telling me. His wife added: Its just the most ridiculous thing youve ever seen. Weve had so much fun laughing at his inability to paint. Jamie Matthias racked up thousands of views and comments within days of posting his art on social media - Terrible Art By Jamie Lee/Instagram Mr Matthias now spends two hours each evening fulfilling commissions after working full-time as an accountant. He already has a five-week waiting list for orders. Weve always painted, its like a family activity, he said. At half-term, wed get the mats and canvasses out and paint something with the kids. Kate was making a comment about how bad mine were, and I said I would paint one for our wedding day, as a joke. It was brought out by the kids during my wedding speech and everyone loved it, it was hysterical. I find painting really relaxing so I did some for the friends and family over Christmas. The reactions were priceless. I thought Id stick one out there and see if anyone wanted one. I made a joke, because of the poor quality of my art, that I might start trying to sell it to make money. A photograph of Jamie Matthiass in-laws served as the muse for one of his recent creations - Instagram Mr Matthias said he and his wife set up a Facebook and Instagram account called Terrible Art by Jamie Lee as a joke, but after posting the picture he had produced as a wedding gift, it just kind of blew up. Weve got orders all over England, Scotland, Wales and even Northern Ireland, people all over the country seem to be really enjoying it. Were at 71 orders now, and we put it up on Jan 2. The artist gifted his parents one of his coveted portraits for Christmas, writing Mum got off pretty lightly compared to Dad - lucky her on his Instagram - Instagram He continued: We joke Kate is head of financial distribution and her bridesmaid Kate is head of marketing. It seems to be getting a lot of noise on social media, weve got just over 1,800 followers. Some of the pictures they ask me to paint are amazing, they clearly get the humour. Its acrylic on canvas and its priced from 25 plus postage, its very cheap. Jamie Matthias is now taking commissions and spends around two hours a night working on his creations - SWNS I keep forgetting to paint noses Mr Matthias paints on 10 x 12 inch canvases at the dining room table. He said: I havent got a space, I dont have a studio. For me, its just about the reactions and people have been loving it. Weve said to people theres a three to five-week waiting list but they all understand. Ill keep forgetting to paint someones nose and have to keep mixing paint and add it later. It adds to the comedy value. Ive been drawing this way since I was a child, if anything, some of the paintings have got a lot worse. This is my standard, theres no risk of it getting better. I am absolutely not an art teacher. We just do it as a family, I actually didnt like art at school. I think everyone has seemed to appreciate them in some way. They are terrible but Kate just said its so much fun, she appreciates it. A billboard in Tehran, Iran, shows Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar of Hamas, and Hashem Safieddine and Hassan Nasrallah of Hezbollah, all killed during the Gaza war, alongside the Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, killed in 2020. Photograph: Majid Asgaripour/Reuters The ceasefire due to come into force on Sunday, barring a major last-minute problem, will cement massive and rapid changes across the Middle East and may seal a significant defeat for the Islamist militant groups that have been powerful actors in the region for years. Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and assorted Shia Muslim militia in Iraq and Syria will all emerge from the conflict considerably weakened. Only the Houthis in Yemen are stronger though this may not last. The Islamic State remains a shadow of its former self. For an organisation like Hamas simply to survive a big conflict is an achievement, and means Israel has failed to achieve one of its primary war aims. But the concessions made by Hamas since coming close to a ceasefire last May underline its enfeebled state. Though no reliable statistics exist and Hamas has undoubtedly recruited many new fighters, its military arm has been badly degraded by the Israeli onslaught, with most senior and middle-ranking commanders killed. The organisation maintains patchy authority in some areas of Gaza but nothing that resembles its full control through the 16 years when it completely controlled local government. Related: Gaza deal should benefit Netanyahu in short term, but he is critically exposed In October, Yahya Sinwar, the hardline Hamas leader and mastermind of the surprise attack in 2023 that triggered the conflict, was killed in a clash with Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza. The then political head of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated by Israel while in Tehran. The organisation is now fundamentally split between a political leadership overseas, who have a more pragmatic approach, and hardliners in Gaza. This may be a problem for the ceasefire along with Israels reluctance to entirely quit Gaza. Sinwars replacement in Gaza, his brother Mohammed, controls the hostages who must be handed over for the deal to hold. The ceasefire is in the hands of Mohammed Sinwar. No one outside can impose anything on him, said Mkhaimar Abusada, a political scientist at Al-Azhar University in Gaza. But Hamas political leaders outside Gaza recognise the losses they have suffered, and that they are being held partly responsible by Palestinians in Gaza for the devastation of the territory, where more than 46,000 mostly civilians have died in the Israeli offensive. This is important for the day after the conflict, and how swiftly Hamas can recover, if it can at all. In Gaza, people are tired of Hamas they would like anything that will bring reconstruction and they know that the international community wont spend a dollar if Hamas is in charge, Abusada said. Though experts point out high levels of support for Hamas in the occupied West Bank, others talk of the organisations legitimacy crisis. One big reason for the ceasefire is a new reality in the Middle East: that many of Hamass strongest allies are no longer in a position to help them. Hezbollah, the keystone of Tehrans axis of resistance, has suffered huge losses in its battle with Israel, losing most of its leadership and arsenal since Israel launched its offensive against the group last October. Almost as important was the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, which has deprived Hezbollah of a major logistics base and supply route from Iran, its vital supporter for more than 40 years. Political defeat has followed the military one. Last week, the Lebanese parliament finally elected a new president who is committed to curtailing Hezbollahs power. Iraq-based, pro-Iranian militants have been unable to inflict any significant damage on Israel throughout the conflict. Hamas hasnt changed, but the international context has, said a source close to the organisation. The proxies that Tehran has carefully cultivated over decades are now well aware of their sponsors recent failures. Iran lost Syria so quickly in just 10 days that many Iranians, Iraqis, Lebanese and others will be asking: how did this happen? It will take time for the members of the axis of resistance to restore their morale, said Arman Mahmoudian, at the Global and National Security Institute in Florida. Related: A ray of light: Palestinian and Jewish leaders in UK respond to ceasefire deal With Hamas and Hezbollah so weakened, the most active among the Iranian coalition of militant groups are the Houthis in Yemen, who continue to fire missiles and rockets at Israel and target global shipping. Recent Israeli airstrikes appear to have had little dissuasive effect, though a ceasefire is likely to end hostilities, experts said. Observers have warned of a wave of radicalisation across much of the Islamic world as a result of the war. This has already resulted in sporadic violence and fears among security officials of more to come. US officials in particular have raised concerns, reinforced by the Islamic State-inspired attack in New Orleans earlier this month. Regional security officials now think that this might begin to subside, though only just in time. Another significant development has been the victorious campaign of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group, in Syria. The group is led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, a former senior commander in both al-Qaida and Islamic State. For years, Sharaa has made efforts to convince Syrians and the international community that he has jettisoned his extremist ideology, reaching out to minorities and downplaying religious agendas. The success of Sharaas pragmatic strategy contrasts with the unchanging approach of the groups he once fought for. This too could further undermine the extremists. A final major shift is the return of the Palestinian issue to the forefront of regional and global politics. If Israels policymakers and generals feel vindicated by any apparent success, this might give pause. Gaza has been a gamechanger for Israel. Its reputation has been badly damaged, there are the international criminal cases [against Israeli leaders], the global moral backlash and the conflict has pushed the Palestinians up the international agenda. There is now a whole new generation of global citizens who believe the Palestinians should be free, said Alia Brahimi, a regional expert at the Atlantic Council. We cant assume that a ceasefire will hold, but if it does, it gives everyone the opportunity to do what they should have done all along. It is an opportunity to move away from war as a tool or a default solution. A definitive end to the conflict in Gaza will help reduce the chaos and violence across the region that extremists of all types can exploit, say experts. If the ceasefire becomes permanent, we will see more stability in the region, said Abusada. HISD is putting an end to one north Houston school's practice of charging parents $1 for each minute they are late to pick their children up at dismissal. Karen Warren/Staff photographer Houston ISD said it had taken "corrective action" to end a policy that charged fees to families for late student pick up at Herrera Elementary School. In forms given to the Chronicle, the north Houston elementary school appeared to charge parents up to $62 for picking up students more than 30 minutes late. The school, which dismisses at 3 p.m., said it charged families $1 per minute after 3:30 p.m., citing its handbook. Failure to pay could affect students' ability to participate in field trips and "school-wide special events," according to the form. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Hector Mireles, who serves as president of Texas Support Personnel Employees Local 1, said he learned about the measure while eating at a restaurant, where the owner said his employee had to leave early because of Herrera's policy. At first Mireles did not believe it, but another customer corroborated the claim. Mireles said he tried to call the district, but they did not return a call. "And you got to understand, this is a Title I school that serves underprivileged students," Mireles said, referring to the school receiving resources to serve a high concentration of low-income families. "So this creates a financial hardship for the struggling families to choose if they want to pay cash fine for their school, or keep the lights on at home, or put food on their table." HISD confirmed that families were charged fees and said the practice had been discontinued as of Wednesday afternoon. "This is not an approved HISD policy," a spokesperson said. "The practice has been discontinued, and the district is taking corrective action." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Herrera parent Lydia Alaniz said she picked up her daughter and nephew late on Sept. 18, resulting in that $62 fine at a $1 per minute per child rate, and on Aug. 20 resulting in $24. She emphasized she endeavors to pick up the children on time and does not want to inconvenience anybody. When her fine paperwork was filed on those days, she noticed a binder full of what appeared to be other paperwork, suggesting many other parents faced fines. "And of course, I don't want... any staff to have to be there past the time that they're scheduled because parents are late," she said. "So, I feel like we need a better solution, because clearly charging parents is not solving the issue." She also noted the school pick-up line often runs past 3:30 p.m., which is when the school starts to fine parents. Alaniz hopes that more accessible solutions can be found for the community, such as making after-school care more affordable for parents. She said parents are not trying to be late without reason. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Nancy Pelosi reportedly turned on Joe Biden, showing the president poll results suggesting he could not beat Donald Trump in the 2024 election - Tierney L. Cross/Bloomberg Jill Biden has publicly turned on Nancy Pelosi, criticising her disappointing move to oust her husband from the presidential race. Ms Pelosi, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, was instrumental in whipping up Democratic opposition to Joe Biden following his dire debate performance against Donald Trump in June. Mrs Biden said the intervention had been on my mind lately, as the first couple prepares to leave the White House following Donald Trumps election victory over Kamala Harris in November. Ive been thinking a lot about relationships we were friends for 50 years, she told The Washington Post. It was disappointing. Elsewhere in the interview, Mrs Biden said she learned a lot about human nature during her time in the White House and was disappointed with how it [her husbands departure from office] unfolded. Nancy Pelosi, pictured with daughter Christine, was friends with Jill Biden for 50 years, according to the First Lady - Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty In July, Ms Pelosi refused to publicly back Mr Bidens re-election bid on his favourite TV programme, Morning Joe, which his aides believe gave the green light to other Democrats and donors to move against him. She is reported to have presented the US president with private polling the same month to convince him that he could not beat Mr Trump in the election. Ahead of polling day, Mr Biden is said to have grudgingly acknowledged that the former speaker did what she had to do in ousting him. However, following Mr Trumps commanding win in November, he has repeatedly said he believes he could have beaten the Republican as he did in the 2020 election. In a series of interviews, he claimed he would have beaten Trump, could have beaten Trump and that polling indicated he would have done so. The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that a rift had opened between Mr Biden and Ms Harris over his contention. The vice president, who proved reluctant to criticise her boss during her 107-day campaign for the White House, is said to have told allies and family members she was disappointed with the claim he would have succeeded where she failed. Figures close to Ms Harris said Mr Bidens assertion showed the one-sided loyalty of their relationship. Jill Biden told the Washington Post she felt disappointed by the actions of Ms Pelosi - Leigh Vogel/UPI/Bloomberg Kirsten Allen, a spokeswoman for Ms Harris, said the pair had developed a close working relationship as governing partners, but they have also built a strong friendship that continues today. Following Mr Trumps election victory in November, Ms Pelosi claimed Mr Biden had hobbled his vice presidents chances by staying in the race too long. If he had gotten out sooner there would have been a primary contest which would either have left Ms Harris in a stronger position or allowed other candidates to come forward, she told a New York Times podcast. In her Washington Post interview, Mrs Biden also revealed details of her conversation with Mr Trump when they met at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral last month. I had a good meeting with your husband in the Oval Office, the Republican said, according to Mrs Biden, adding that his visit to the White House in November lasted for two hours. She is said to have replied: Yes, because youre both talkers. Asked why she appeared to be on friendly terms with Mr Trump, who has repeatedly labelled her husband crooked, she answered: Joe and I respect our institutions, our traditions What would be the point of nastiness? It comes as Mr Biden warned of a new tech oligarchy that threatens our entire democracy on Wednesday evening in his farewell speech before he leaves the White House. Biden is said to have acknowledged Pelosi, pictured centre, did what she had to do to oust him from the presidential race - Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty Speaking from the Oval Office, the outgoing US president criticised social media bosses who are giving up on fact-checking and burying Americans in an avalanche of disinformation and misinformation. His comments were interpreted as a thinly veiled attack on Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire owners of X and Facebook, who have scrapped fact-checkers on their platforms, claiming they hinder free speech. Channelling president Dwight Eisenhower, who spoke in his 1961 farewell address about the rise of a military-industrial complex, Mr Biden warned of the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that threatened to undermine US democracy. Mr Biden said: Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families, and our very democracy from the abuse of power. Yvette Cooper announced the inquiries in the Commons on Thursday - House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA The Governments plans for nationally-backed local inquiries into grooming gangs will fail to root out the truth, it has been warned. Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, said the Government would put up 5 million to support five initial local inquiries modelled on the judge-led one into grooming gangs in Telford. The first will be in Oldham, reversing a Home Office decision not to back such an inquiry a decision that kickstarted the tech billionaire Elon Musks criticisms on X. In a Commons statement on Thursday afternoon, Ms Cooper also announced a rapid three-month national audit, led by Baroness Louise Casey, to establish the current scale of grooming. It will focus on the societal and cultural drivers and ethnicity of the gangs. Baroness Casey will do it before taking up her post solving the social care crisis. The moves were designed to counter calls for a national inquiry from the Conservatives, Reform UK and some Labour MPs into the sexual abuse of girls and young women by gangs in several areas of the country. However, Ms Cooper faced criticism for not giving the local inquiries statutory powers to compel witnesses to appear and give evidence, as demanded by senior Labour politicians including Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester Mayor, and Sarah Champion, the Rotherham MP. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said local inquiries in five towns were wholly inadequate when up to 50 towns were affected. These local inquiries wont have the legal powers under the Inquiry Act 2005 to compel witnesses to attend, take evidence under oath and requisition written evidence, he said. Lack of these powers is why the chairs of the Manchester inquiries are reported to have resigned last year. Victims, the public and even the Labour Mayor Andy Burnham want a full national public inquiry with the powers needed to compel evidence. So do I. Announcing the plans, Ms Cooper said: As we have seen, effective local inquiries can delve into far more local detail and deliver more locally relevant answers and change than a lengthy nationwide inquiry can provide. Ms Champion, one of three Labour MPs to call for a wider inquiry, welcomed the announcement but warned that local inquiries would only make sure there have been no cover-ups if they were placed on a statutory footing with the ability to compel witnesses. Ms Coopers announcement came as it emerged that she was threatened with legal action by Maggie Oliver, the police whistleblower in the Rochdale child grooming scandal, unless she took urgent steps to allay widespread public concern over gangs sexually exploiting children. Ms Oliver said she had put Ms Cooper on notice that she would seek a judicial review in the High Court unless the Home Secretary published a timetable for implementing all 20 recommendations by the Alexis Jay Independent Inquiry into Child Sex Abuse. Challenged on whether the local inquiries would have powers to compel witnesses, Ms Cooper said she intended they would instead use the Governments new duty of candour, which places a legal duty on public servants, including police, to tell the truth. She aimed for this to ensure that those who are complicit in cover-ups or try to resist scrutiny are always robustly held to account and truth and justice are never denied. Tom Crowther, who chaired the successful Telford inquiry, will draw up a national framework for local inquiries, starting with Oldham and four pilot areas. The Home Secretary also asked police forces to review and possibly reopen cold cases relating to historic child sexual exploitation and abuse allegations. She ordered further work by the polices Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce to improve the collection of ethnic data on perpetrators and victims after evidence that allegations of abuse were suppressed to avoid damaging relations with some cultural communities. Official data last week showed that Pakistanis were up to four times more likely to be responsible for child sex grooming offences reported to police than the general population. Victims will also be able to ask a special child abuse panel to independently review their allegations rather than go back to the institutions that decided not to proceed with their cases. The number of undercover operations by police to infiltrate online networks of paedophiles will also be expanded. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said a raft of local reviews into grooming gangs was not sufficient to address the scale of the issue, adding: I welcome any work that [Baroness] Louise Casey is able to do in this area... but I dont think that local inquiries are enough. Oldham has decided not to do the local inquiry and asked for a national inquiry because it knows that local inquiries are limited. They couldnt summon people only a national inquiry can do that. Reposting a Home Office tweet on its action plan, Mr Musk said: I hope this is a proper investigation. The tech billionaire has attacked Sir Keir for failing to bring rape gangs to justice and called Jess Phillips, the Home Office minister, a rape genocide apologist. They have accused him of disinformation. Sheikh Hasina, the ousted former prime minister of Bangladesh, is the aunt of Tulip Siddiq - AFP Labour must cut ties with the party behind Tulip Siddiqs despot aunts regime, the Conservatives have said. In a letter shared with the Telegraph, Conservative Party co-chairman Nigel Huddleston said there are serious concerns about the Labour Partys links with the Bangladeshi former regime that has been accused of corruption and repression. It is clear there is a longstanding relationship between the Labour Party and the Awami League despite the political party facing accusations of embezzlement and for allowing its security forces to kill protestors, he wrote to Labour Party chair Ellie Reeves. Ms Siddiq resigned on Tuesday after Sir Keir Starmers ethics adviser found that she had inadvertently misled the public over a flat she received as a gift from a man with connections to the political party led by her aunt Sheikh Hasina, the ousted former prime minister of Bangladesh. But the Telegraph can reveal that Labours links with the Bangladeshi former regime extend to other senior members of the party. Wes Streeting hosted a reception in parliament for the UK branch of the Awami League six years ago, at a time when the leagues Bangladeshi arm was being accused by human rights organisations of carrying out extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances. Members of the organisation posted photos from the event on social media which show Labour MPs in attendance, including Jo Stevens, who is now Welsh Secretary, Steve Reed, now the environment secretary and Stephen Morgan now an education minister. A Labour source claimed that the UK Awami League is not an affiliate of the Bangladeshi party and that to conflate the views of individuals in the UK with the regime in Bangladesh is wrong. The UK Awami League joint secretary is Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, who was mayor of Sylhet in Bangladesh up until Sheikh Hasina was ousted last year. The organisations Facebook page posts in support of Sheikh Hasina and flyers and banners at the parliament reception prominently displayed her photo. Last week the Telegraph revealed that members of Sheikh Hasinas party campaigned for Keir Starmer in the run up to the 2019 general election. House of Commons records show that Mr Streeting, the MP for Ilford North who is now health secretary, held a reception at parliaments terrace pavilion on behalf of the UK Awami League on 27th March 2019 to mark the independence of Bangladesh. Mr Streeting represents the Ilford North constituency, which has a large Bangladeshi population. One month after being elected as a new MP in 2015 Streeting met Sheikh Hasina at another UK Awami League event at the luxury Sheraton Grand London Park Lane hotel, where she presented him with a bouquet of flowers. Hasina was ousted last year after 15 years in power. During her tenure, opponents were attacked, arrested and secretly imprisoned as the regime carried out extrajudicial killings. A Labour source said that five Conservative prime ministers have also met or hosted Sheikh Hasina. Mr Huddleston called on the prime minister to apologise for continuing to build his relationship with the Awami League, despite repeated warnings from human rights organisations about murder and corruption in Bangladesh. He also questioned how much money has been given to Sir Keir, Ms Siddiq and the Labour Party by the Bangladeshi party. Dr Ashraf Hoque, Associate Professor of Social Anthropology at University College London, said the Awami League shouldnt be assumed to represent Bangladeshis in the UK. He said: The Labour Party is playing to an old playbook, assuming the Awami League best represents the UK Bangladeshi diaspora. This may have once been the case (especially throughout the 70s when Bangladesh was effectively a one-party state) but is no longer. Other Bangladeshi political parties also enjoy support and popularity in the diaspora (such as the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami). The Awami Leagues popularity has actually decreased among the diaspora due to the previous regimes authoritarianism and rampant corruption throughout its 15-year tenure. A Labour spokesperson said: The UK and Bangladesh have longstanding ties on areas of mutual interest such as trade and security. Its perfectly legitimate for politicians to meet others from across the globe, as MPs from all parties do, and five Conservative leaders have met Sheikh Hasina at home and abroad. This doesnt amount to an endorsement of their policies. Yvette Cooper announcing the plans on Thursday. Photograph: House of Commons/Reuters When is a U-turn not officially a U-turn? When it is less a change of direction than one of speed and extent. And on those terms, the announcement of a review into grooming gangs is Keir Starmers second such policy shuffle this week alone. On Tuesday, the Treasury minister, Tulip Siddiq, departed over her links to much-disputed claims of family corruption centred on her aunt, the former president of Bangladesh. Downing Street had insisted for days that the facts must first be established. And in a similar way, after more than a week of government arguments that a second national inquiry into grooming gangs would simply waste time and delay meaningful action, a national audit of the problem has been unveiled albeit one that will last three months rather than some years. Related: Yvette Cooper announces urgent national review on grooming gangs Its common for governments to deflect the reality of a situation before the political pressure becomes overwhelming and a change of tack becomes inevitable. The quirk of Starmers approach is for this to happen as part of an insistence on proper procedure. Thus, as Siddiqs demise was delayed pending an inquiry by Starmers ethics adviser, the concessions on grooming gangs have come as part of a carefully curated series of measures, with luminaries including Louise Casey wheeled out to helm them. Some at the centre of Starmers government had argued that, such is the public worry about grooming gangs and possible cover-ups connected to them, a full national inquiry was inevitable. This has not been done: Caseys review is more of a rapid roundup of the available existing evidence. It will be up to a series of smaller local inquiries, without the power to compel witnesses to give evidence, to look into how and why so many victims were failed by those in authority. Will this be enough? The response in the Commons to the statement by Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, outlining the new plans, suggests probably not. Chris Philp, Coopers Conservative shadow, condemned the plans as wholly inadequate, while MPs from Reform UK, who have campaigned even more loudly on the issue, expressed worry at the lack of statutory powers. Much could depend on a force outside the control of either Cooper or her opponents: Elon Musk. It is a distasteful fact that no one in government will want to acknowledge, but without the billionaires vigorous and often misleading and abusive interventions on the subject via his own X platform, it seems unlikely we would have got so much action, and certainly not as quickly. Much like other well-acknowledged but long-running and knotty scandals such as the infected blood inquiry and the Post Offices Horizon IT fiasco, dealing with grooming gangs was something Cooper and her team would have done and probably more quickly than the last government but not as a priority. With the inauguration of Donald Trump, for whom Musk hopes to serve as a key aide, just days away, his attention could wander. But after Thursdays statement, this may not matter. Cooper seems likely to be dealing with questions about grooming gangs for a long time to come. capitol hill staff Liberal staff on Capitol Hill have demanded a four-day work week, claiming full-time hours are causing burnout. The Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) wrote to party leaders in both houses of Congress on Thursday, arguing that their contracts should be reduced to include 32 hours work per week. Arguing the proposal would improve worker satisfaction and increase staff retention, the group said it could also pave the way for four-day weeks on a national level. Whether by drafting and analysing legislation, meeting with impassioned advocates, communicating with constituents and the media, or smoothly administering office operations, DC staff are often required to manage a cascade of sensitive and challenging projects at any given time, the association said. Staffers routinely work long hours at a level of rigour that regularly leads to burnout. According to a survey by the Congressional Management Foundation nonprofit last year, job satisfaction has plummeted on Capitol Hill, with just one in five staffers reporting that Congress is functioning as a democratic legislature should or is an effective forum for debate. That is despite a significant pay rise of 33 per cent for the average Hill employee between 2019 and 2023, to around $74,000. No impact on productivity The CPSA, which represents liberal staff, said on Thursday that reducing the hours worked to 32 per week would have no impact on productivity, citing a study conducted in the UK that found revenues increase by 35 per cent. The letter, sent to prominent figures Mike Johnson, Hakeem Jeffries, Chuck Schumer and John Thune, said: Working 32 hours, employees have a more substantial reprieve from work and therefore are able to complete the same tasks in less time. If implemented for Congressional staff, members could see the same increase in job satisfaction among their teams, while maintaining or increasing their level of productivity. A national four-day week was previously backed by Bernie Sanders, the Vermont senator, who endorsed the so-called 100-80-100 model. Under that plan, workers would receive 100 per cent of their pay to work 80 per cent of the time, and produce 100 per cent of their work. Mr Sanders Senate bill to create the four-day working week in the US last year did not receive assent from Congress. Luxury goods stocks jumped on Thursday morning following Cartier-owner Richemont's (CFR.SW) surge in sales, prompting hopes of a turnaround for the sector. Richemont's third quarter trading update, published on Thursday, got earnings season off to a strong start for the luxury sector. The company, which also owns jewellery brands Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati, said sales rose 10% to 6.2bn (5.2bn), the highest ever quarterly figure. While Richemont said it still facing "challenging demand" in China, with the country's economic struggles weighing on the sector, the company reported slower decline in Asia Pacific more broadly. Richemont said it had seen double-digit sales growth Japan, as well as in the Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Richemont shares soared more than 16%, sending the share price to a record high of 161.80 Swiss francs (145.80). Read more: How 'Trump trade' stocks are performing ahead of inauguration Mamta Valechha, consumer discretionary analyst at Quilter Cheviot, noted that Richemont's third-quarter 10% sales growth "significantly" beat consensus expectations of 1%. "This has been driven by a marked improvement across all divisions," she said. "The largest and most profitable division, Jewellery Maisons, delivered organic growth of 14%, beating consensus by 10 percentage points, and this too against a very strong comparison." Actor Zoe Saldana wears Cartier jewellery at the Golden Globe Awards on 5 January 2025. (Matt Winkelmeyer via Getty Images) Richemont's update triggered a rally in other luxury stocks, with Paris-listed companies LVMH (MC.PA), Kering (KER.PA) and Hermes (RMS.PA) rising 9%, 8% and nearly 6% respectively. Iconic British brand Burberry (BRBY.L) gained 8%, while the Hong Kong-listed Italian company Prada (1913.HK) ended the session in Asia more than 4% in the green. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell (AJB.L), said that Richemont's update had "put a sparkle on the luxury goods market", as share price rises across the sector suggested that investors were taking this as a "signal that the luxury goods sectors slump was over". Investors were previously caught off guard when they presumed the cost of living crisis would not impact wealthy people and therefore the luxury goods sector would continue to thrive, but this turned out to be incorrect," he said. "Luxury goods companies saw a drop in demand and share prices were shaken across the sector." Mould said that the "bullish nature of the trading update has certainly got investors searching for opportunities across the sector." LVMH, which is behind brands including Louis Vuitton and Dior, is due to report its full-year results on 28 January. (Edward Berthelot via Getty Images) Luxury stocks back in fashion? Companies in the luxury sector have struggled in recent years, with rising cost pressures on consumers forcing them to rein in spending and brands have been particularly impacted by the economic slowdown in China. This has meant that stocks in the sector had fallen out of fashion with investors. However, Deutsche Bank (DBK.DE) suggested in a note in early December that the outlook for the sector could improve this year. One of the companies that Deutsche Bank analysts highlighted as a preferred stock in the sector was Kering the group behind fashion brands Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent which is due to release its full-year results on 11 February. Stocks: Create your watchlist and portfolio "All of the survey and external data we see points to an ongoing high consumer regard for the Gucci brand," the analysts said. "Looking into 2025 we see a picture where the relative sales performance differential between Kering and the wider luxury sector narrows," they added. "With the rising tide in 2H expected to lift all luxury boats our view is that the most outperformance will be delivered from the highest beta names where self help will magnify the outperformance." Burberry, which is due to release its third quarter trading update on 24 January, was another company Deutsche Bank analysts highlighted as a stock to watch in the sector in 2025. The British brand has been particularly impacted by the slowdown in demand for luxury goods, with its struggles seeing the stock booted off the FTSE 100 (^FTSE) in September's quarterly reshuffle, after 15 years on the blue-chip index. However, Burberry unveiled a turnaround plan in November, with recently appointed CEO Joshua Shulman saying that said the company was "acting with urgency to course correct" following underperformance. Investors cheered the news, though the stock is still down 14% over the past year. Deutsche Bank's analysts said that they saw the "Burberry strategy as being more aligned with the luxury consumer over the next 12-24 months." LVMH, which is behind brands including Louis Vuitton and Dior, is due to report its full-year results on 28 January. The stock is trading just 3% in the green on a one-year basis, with shares slumping after the company's third quarter revenue update. LVMH posted revenue of 19.08bn for the third quarter, with organic growth dipping 3% on the same period in 2023. Read more: Stocks to watch in European luxury and retail in 2025, according to Deutsche Bank The company also flagged the continued "uncertain economic and geopolitical environment" in its outlook. Despite this, Barclays (BARC.L) analysts said in a note on 9 January that they maintained an "overweight" rating on the stock. "We expect no further deterioration in Q4 organic growth for LVMH FLG and still expect LVMH to benefit from a small rebound in 2025 after a tough year," they said. Birkin handbag maker Hermes has the bucked the trend of recent downbeat results, driving a 36% gain in the shares over the past year. In the third quarter, Hermes said sales continued to grow, rising 11% to 3.7bn and said that all regions were seeing solid growth by the end of September. Barclays analysts said in a note on 13 January that they had an "overweight" rating on the stock, saying that it benefitted from an "outsized exposure to the high-end cohort". "Hermes remained one of the more resilient brands despite softer demand in China," they said. Italy's Prada, which is due to publish its full-year results on 4 March, is another company that has reported stronger sales growth, with shares are up 51% on a one-year basis. Prada said revenues were up 18% in the nine months to the end of September, climbing to more than 3.8bn, reporting nearly double retail sales growth at Miu Miu. Samir Mehta, senior fund manager at JO Hambro, said that Prada had seen a "reincarnation" over the past five years. Companies in the luxury sector have struggled in recent years but could be looking at a turnaround in 2025. (Jeremy Moeller via Getty Images) He said that the company "decidedly shifting away from wholesale distribution meant initial disruption in sales. Yet once accomplished, brought back complete control on inventory and pricing." Mehta said Prada also revamped its online marketing and influencer engagement. "Millennials and Gen Z, once dismissed as fickle, became the new darlings of luxury retail," he said. "Prada courted them not with florals for spring, but with sustainability initiatives and inclusive marketing." In addition, Mehta said the company "refocused on craftsmanship and heritage. In a world of fast fashion and disposable trends, Prada doubled down on quality." Looking ahead, there has been some concerns that proposed trade tariffs from US president-elect Donald Trump, who returns to office next week, could put some pressure on luxury retailers. Despite these concerns, Jerry Storch, CEO of Storch Advisors, told Yahoo Finance earlier this month that he predicted the tariffs would not have a severe impact on luxury retail. He said that many goods from the luxury retail sector can be characterized as "Veblen goods," wherein demand increases as price increases. "It might even be positive for some retailers in particular ... [these luxury providers] have been very successful in passing along price increases for quite some time," Storch added. At the same time, he noted that uncertainty is high and warned investors not to "jump to any conclusions". Read more: Download the Yahoo Finance app, available for Apple and Android. Navin Ramgoolam has been at the heart of negotiations with the UK over the Chagos Islands - Xinhua/Shutterstock The prime minister of Mauritius is suing authorities to recoup 3.2 million in cash seized by police who raided his safe. Navin Ramgoolam, who has been at the heart of negotiations with the UK over the Chagos Islands, was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of conspiracy and money laundering after his surprise general election loss. Police investigated whether he had asked a businessman to submit a false statement about a burglary that occurred at his beach property in 2011. He was also accused of receiving funds from foreigners seeking citizenship in Mauritius. Mr Ramgoolam, who has been nicknamed London Boy in his home country for his links to the UK, was later released on bail and the charges were dropped. He denied any wrongdoing and said the money was donated by his supporters and had been set aside for campaigning. It comes as Mr Ramgoolams government tries to renegotiate a deal which would hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius, reportedly demanding 800m a year for as long as Britain wants to retain a lease on the Diego Garcia military base. The Mauritian prime minister, 77, said he was suing police over the return of his money as it had been seized as a result of unlawful, unreasonable, and illegal search warrants. Mr Ramgoolam claimed he was a victim of a campaign launched by his political opponents, accusing them of filing fabricated cases against him to prevent him reaching power again after losing in 2014. Officers from Mauritiuss criminal investigation department launched multiple raids at his homes on Desforges Street, Port Louis and River-Walk in 2015, seizing Rs 220 million $4m in cash. In addition to claims of corruption and fraud, Mr Ramgoolam was also accused of financially benefiting from the purchase of six Airbus aircrafts which formed part of the countrys national carrier fleet. These accusations were also later dropped. The Chagos Islands has hosted a joint UKUS military base since the 1970s - Staff Sgt. Hannah Malone/Alamy Following his arrest in 2015, Mr Ramgoolams UK bank accounts were shut down. He was dubbed London Boy by critics given that he worked as a doctor in Britain, where he also trained as a lawyer. The arrest of a former prime minister is considered a rare event in Mauritius, a nation often hailed as one of Africas most stable democracies since gaining independence from Britain in 1968. Shaukat Oozeer, his lawyer, told The Telegraph that the Rs 220 million seized from the home of his client had not been returned to the prime minister. His legal bid had been due to be heard by the countrys Supreme Court on Jan 16 but has been postponed to the middle of February, Mr Oozeer added. It comes as the UK and Mauritius continue negotiations over the future of the Chagos Islands, which has hosted a joint UKUS military base since the 1970s. A deal was agreed by the previous government but Mr Ramgalooms government has attempted to renegotiate aspects of the deal since he returned to power last year. The deal currently on the table would give Mauritius around 91m a year throughout a 99-year-long lease to keep the military base on the Indian Ocean island. Sir Keir Starmers spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the incoming US administration would be given a chance to reconsider the deal, which was originally negotiated under the Biden administration. Donald Trump is said to oppose the deal, which he believes compromises US security. His team are concerned the deal would benefit China, which has expanded its influence in the region and has a trade deal with Mauritius. Barack and Michelle Obama on stage at the Democratic National Convention - the last time the pair made a public appearance together - CHICAGO TRIBUNE/TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE Follow todays inauguration live blog In August, Barack and Michelle Obama appeared together on stage at the Democratic National Convention, launching their biggest intervention against Donald Trump during the presidential race. The couple lapped up applause from delegates as they doled out personal attacks on the Republican nominee, who Mrs Obama accused of ugly, misogynistic, racist lies. Five months and one election loss later, the speech also marks the last time Mr and Mrs Obama have made a public appearance together. After skipping a state funeral for Jimmy Carter in Washington last week, Mrs Obama has confirmed that she will not attend the presidential inauguration on Monday, leaving her husband to face the fanfare alone again. Hillary Clinton and Laura Bush will both join their husbands on Monday. A spokesman gave no reason for her absence, after explaining that she was unable to appear for Carters funeral because of a scheduling conflict. It has since emerged that Mrs Obama was on holiday in Hawaii without her husband. Her withdrawal from political life has been interpreted by some as an attempt to avoid coming face-to-face with Mr Trump, who was pictured laughing and joking with her husband at Carters funeral. Some Democrats criticised Mr Obama for speaking so openly to Mr Trump after his election win noting that Kamala Harris ignored her political rival completely. The seating plan at the funeral, which was attended by every other former first lady, would likely have sat Mrs Obama next to Mr Trump putting her in an awkward position after her words on the campaign trail. Although that posed no issue for Mr Obama, who is well-used to engaging with political rivals in a social setting. Mrs Obama has previously complained about the requirements placed on her by her husbands political career. In Mr Obamas 2020 book, A Promised Land, he wrote that his wife had told him she was frustrated about his long hours as a Illinois senator, telling him: This isnt what I signed up for, Barack. I feel like Im doing it all by myself. Rediscovering their love He said the demands of eight years in the White House had placed a strain on their marriage, but that they had spent time rediscovering their love and replenishing their friendship after he stood down. She has not appeared in public with Mr Obama since the August speech, nor posted about politics on her social media accounts. In October, she posted on Instagram about the couples 32nd anniversary, thanking him for always having my back, being by my side, and finding ways to make me smile. Mrs Obamas convention speech, which saw her abandon the Obama mantra when they go low, we go high, was interpreted as a major victory for Ms Harriss presidential campaign. In the room, the reception from the crowd was even greater than for her husband. But she has firmly rejected calls from Democrats to run for president herself in 2028, despite polling that shows she would be the most popular primary contender on the ticket. A statement from the couple on the day after Mr Trumps election victory said the result was obviously not the outcome we had hoped for, given our profound disagreements with the Republican ticket on a whole host of issues. It did not name Mr Trump specifically. Michelle doesnt do anything because its protocol Mrs Obama has since released a book, Overcoming, which she describes as a workbook designed to help you get through the challenging periods life throws our way. Her absence from the inauguration comes after both Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, declined to attend Joe Bidens swearing-in ceremony in 2021, while denying the result of the election. A source close to Mrs Obama told People magazine that she had decided to skip the ceremony to avoid paying homage to Mr Trumps win. Shes not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocols sake, the source said. Michelle doesnt do anything because its expected or its protocol or its tradition. Kemi Badenoch has said she is willing to consider means-testing the triple lock. The Conservative leader made the comments as she pledged to win back voters trust in the future by telling the British people the truth even when its difficult to hear. The remarks follow a speech in which she said her party had announced crowd-pleasing policies without having a proper plan for how to implement them while in government and made mistakes on immigration and net zero. She said she would consider the change as she promised an upcoming policy review would be radical and no new policies would be announced for two years. The guarantee, which was introduced by Lord Camerons government, ensures that the state pension rises by whichever is highest between inflation, average wage rises or 2.5 per cent and applies to everyone with a state pension. She told an LBC phone-in: Were going to look at means-testing. Means-testing is something we dont do properly here. She added: The triple lock is a policy we supported throughout our 14 years in government but we need to make sure we are growing. Starting with the triple lock is not how to solve the problem...and weve got to give something to the next generation. Kemi Badenoch speaks during an LBC phone-in - James Manning/PA Tory strategists for repeated recent general elections have seen the triple lock as key to the partys appeal to older voters despite warnings from economists that it is unaffordable. In September last year, it was revealed that Mrs Badenoch called for rich pensioners to be stripped of winter fuel payments during her Tory leadership campaign launch in 2022, arguing then that the benefit should be means-tested. The Tories have repeatedly criticised the Labour Government for stripping all but the poorest pensioners of the payments in one of its first acts in No 10. A Tory source warned that Mrs Badenochs historic comments about the triple lock pension would weaken one of the Conservatives best attack lines against the Government, saying: This is terrible. Labours decision to cut the winter fuel payment was our one effective attack on Labour. Theyll seize on these comments. Labour was quick to pounce on the comment. A Treasury source told The Telegraph: Kemi Badenoch finally has her first policy a cut to the state pension. A Labour spokesman said: Kemi Badenoch has put pensioners on notice shes going to cut your state pension. Immigration Earlier on Thursday she said migrants who dont want to integrate into British culture should not be allowed to stay in the UK. The Tory leader said that Britain is our home, not a hotel and the nation needs to have a tough, soul-searching conversation about immigration. She made the remarks in her first major speech of the year, in which she set out how the Conservatives intend to win back voters trust. Mrs Badenoch gives her first major speech of the year at the Institute of Directors, London - Jordan Pettitt/PA Mrs Badenoch admitted the party had made a series of mistakes on border controls, Brexit, and the introduction of net zero while in power. She ruled out a merger with Reform but admitted Nigel Farage has had a headstart on her because of his experience as a leader. The Tory leader warned that we simply cannot take all the millions of people who want to come here from elsewhere. Our country is our home, it is not a hotel, she said. If people arriving dont want to integrate into British culture, they shouldnt be here. It is not controversial to say that, and thats why we need new leadership. Winning back voters trust It comes after Mrs Badenoch used her first major speech as Tory leader just before Christmas to apologise for the partys record on migration. She said that successive Conservative governments had promised to bring down numbers whilst overseeing record levels of new arrivals to Britain. In that address she also warned that the sheer scale of immigration had made it next to impossible to integrate those from radically different cultures. Mrs Badenoch said she would seek to win back voters trust in future by telling the British people the truth even when it is difficult to hear. She said that politicians owe it to the next generation to leave an inheritance for them and not mortgage their future to make our lives more comfortable. That will demand the kind of tough soul-searching conversations were not having right now, including on immigration, she added. Mrs Badenoch used the address to once more distance her leadership from that of the previous Tory government she served in. Too often the Tories had announced crowd-pleasing policies without having a proper plan for how to implement them, she admitted. She also faced questions about the rise of Reform, which has leapfrogged the Tories in some recent polls to take second place behind Labour. Mrs Badenoch rubbished the suggestion, made by some in her own party, that the two Right-wing parties could merge to form the next government. Asked about a possible pact, she said: Nigel Farage says he wants to destroy the Conservative Party. Why on earth would we merge with that? The former business secretary also admitted as she gets used to her new job that she does not yet always have the perfect language or the perfect presentation. She admitted the Reform leader has had a headstart on her because of his past experience leading the UK Independence Party and the Brexit Party. Nigel Farage has been knocking around for 20 plus years, she said. He has been leading all sorts of different parties so he has had a headstart. I have been leading the Conservative Party for 10 weeks. Lets see where we are in a few months and a few years. Mr Farage mocked her speech on social media as she was delivering it, posting: A total of 21 people are currently watching Kemi Badenochs speech on Facebook and her YouTube stream crashed. Its a good job she understands the digital age. In complete denial Responding to the speech Ellie Reeves, the Labour Party Chair, said: Kemi Badenoch is in complete denial. Far from rebuilding trust, Kemi Badenoch still cant bring herself to be honest about the true litany of mistakes the Conservatives made over 14 years of failure in government. The Tories havent listened and they havent learnt and Kemi Badenoch should own up to the damage she and the Conservative Party have done to the country. 03:15 PM GMT That is all for today... Thank you for joining me for this politics live blog. 03:05 PM GMT Telegraph readers react to Badenochs speech Readers in the comments section of todays live blog are busy discussing Kemi Badenochs first major speech of 2025 and whether the Tories will be able to win back voter trust: 02:49 PM GMT Stride praises honest and powerful Badenoch speech Honest and powerful speech from Kemi. We owe it to the next generation to leave an inheritance for them and not to mortgage their future, as this Labour Chancellor is doing. By rebuilding the Conservative Party we are going to deliver. Mel Stride (@MelJStride) January 16, 2025 02:37 PM GMT Lib Dems: Badenoch speech nothing more than a half-hearted apology The Liberal Democrats described Kemi Badenochs speech as a half-hearted apology which will not win back voters. Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems, said: It will take a lot more than this half-hearted apology for the people of this country to forgive or forget the toxic legacy of the Conservative government, in which Badenoch herself so prominently served. Badenoch claimed that Boris Johnsons partygate scandal was overblown, cheered on Liz Trusss mini budget and oversaw botched trade deals that sold out British farmers. As the Conservatives continue to rake over their sorry past, we Liberal Democrats will continue to put forward plans to drive Britains future. 02:28 PM GMT Badenoch stands by Reform UK membership numbers claim Kemi Badenoch said she stood by her claim that Reforms membership numbers were inaccurate. She said: I stand by the tweet I made at the time. I think if you read it very carefully you will see that I was very specific. But I dont think the public are interested in litigating membership numbers. They want tpo know what we are going to do for them. 02:24 PM GMT Farage has head start on me as a party leader, says Badenoch It was suggested to Kemi Badenoch that her speech this afternoon was a bit depressing and joyless. She said: I think that this is a great question. I am speaking based on where the Conservative Party is. We have just suffered our greatest ever defeat. Ever, ever, in hundreds of years. I dont think the public will start trusting us if I turn up looking like I am having a great time and everything is fantastic. I want them to know that we understand why they asked for change... She added: Nigel Farage has been knocking around for 20 plus years. He has been leading all sorts of different parties so he has had a head start. I have been leading the Conservative Party for 10 weeks. Lets see where we are in a few months and a few years. 02:19 PM GMT Badenoch takes aim at Reeves Kemi Badenoch was asked why she had raised Rachel Reeves gender when she claimed earlier that Sir Keir Starmer has a woman problem (see the post below at 14.08). Mrs Badenoch said: You ask what is the relevance of Rachel Reeves gender. Well, when she stood up in her Budget she wanted everyone to know that she was the first female chancellor. I didnt stand up here congratulating myself for being a female leader or being a black leader and that is why when you open the door to those things it means that people can comment on them. Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative Party - Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Europe 02:15 PM GMT Local grooming gang inquiries not enough, says Badenoch Kemi Badenoch repeated her call for a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. Labour announced this afternoon that it will launch nationally-backed local inquiries in an attempt to stem the ongoing backlash. Asked if that was enough, Mrs Badenoch said: I welcome any work that Louise Casey is able to do in this area of the rape gang. But I dont think that local inquries are enough. She said a national inquiry is still needed and insisted it doesnt need to take forever. 02:11 PM GMT Badenoch rubbishes idea of Reform-Tory merger Kemi Badenoch rubbished the idea of the Tories merging with Reform UK. The Tory leader was asked why she had allowed Nigel Farage to emerge as the voice of the Right and if the two parties could merge before the next general election. She said: Nigel Farage says he wants to destroy the Conservative Party. Why on earth would we merge with that? 02:08 PM GMT Badenoch would back Starmer if he sacks Reeves Kemi Badenoch is now taking questions from the media. The Tory leader was asked if she would back Sir Keir Starmer if he was to sack Rachel Reeves. Mrs Badenoch said: Yes I will back Keir Starmer using Brexit opportunities. If he does the right thing with Rachel Reeves I will also support him in that. But his woman problem is not my concern. I have to focus on the Conservative Party and making sure that we rebuild the trust of the British people. 02:05 PM GMT Badenoch: We are going to give you your country back Concluding her speech, Kemi Badenoch said: Together we can make politics work again for the first time in a generation. The Conservative Party is changing. We are under new leadership. We are back in the service of the British people and we are going to give you your country back. Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, delivers an address at the Onward think tank in central London this afternoon - Jordan Pettitt/PA 02:03 PM GMT UKs best days are ahead of us, declares Badenoch Turning to her upbringing and education, Kemi Badenoch said she knows what it is like to feel alone and what it is like having to choose between paying for food and paying for a bus fare. She said that for too many people in the UK politics is just not working as she promised change. We are going to do things differently, she said. Mrs Badenoch said that she wanted children to have a better life than their parents and she believed the nations best days are ahead of us. 02:00 PM GMT Farage mocks Badenoch A total of 21 people are currently watching Kemi Badenoch's speech on Facebook and her YouTube stream crashed. It's a good job she understands the digital age. Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) January 16, 2025 01:56 PM GMT Labour fast losing legitimacy, claims Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said her first priority is to restore trust with voters and the first step in doing that will be for the Tories to be an effective opposition. She claimed that Labour was fast losing their legitimacy in the country because the partys pre-election pledges were not matching its post-election actions. Turning to Sir Keir Starmer, Mrs Badenoch said: He is a lawyer, not a leader. 01:54 PM GMT Labour treating business like a cash machine, says Badenoch Labour treats businesses like a cash machine to fund its spending plans, Kemi Badenoch claimed as she criticised the Governments Budget tax rises. It doesnt have to be like this, she said. The Tory leader said the country is tired of politicians promising the earth but not knowing how to deliver. 01:52 PM GMT UK is not a hotel, says Badenoch as she repeats call for lower immigration Kemi Badenoch said the UK is not a hotel as she called for a reduction in immigration numbers. The Tory leader said: No ifs, no buts, we simply cannot take all the millions of people who want to come here from elsewhere. Our country is our home, it is not a hotel. If people arriving dont want to integrate into British culture, they shouldnt be here. And it is not controversial to say that. 01:50 PM GMT Badenoch criticises Tories handling of Brexit Kemi Badenoch criticised the Tories handling of Brexit. She said that the public will never trust politicians unless we can admit our mistakes and she will acknowledge the Conservative Party made mistakes. She said: We were making announcements without proper plans. We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU. 01:47 PM GMT Badenoch: Starmer is what is wrong with politics Kemi Badenoch said the Conservative Party is under new leadership and from now on the Tories will be telling the truth to voters even when it is difficult to hear. The Tory leader said it is hard not to feel sorry for Labour because the party had walked into some of the same traps as the Tories had. But I dont feel sorry for them, she said as she referred to Sir Keir Starmers criticism of politicians who had called for a national inquiry into the grooming gangs scandal. He is what is wrong with politics, she said. 01:44 PM GMT UK has lost its way, says Badenoch Kemi Badenoch is now on her feet. The Tory leader said that we are all getting poorer and politicians across the board have not been telling the truth, offering quick fixes that often make problems worse. She said the UK is a great country but we have lost our way. 01:42 PM GMT Sir Simon Clarke introduces Kemi Badenoch Sir Simon Clarke, the former Tory Cabinet minister and new chief of the Onward think tank, is introducing Kemi Badenoch. He said that the UK is facing profound challenges and the think tank will work to offer authentically conservative solutions to them. Sir Simon said there was nobody better placed than Mrs Badenoch to renew conservatism and lead the Tories back to power. 01:33 PM GMT Shadow cabinet ministers in audience for Kemi Badenoch speech Numerous members of the shadow cabinet have now arrived at the Onward think tank in central London to listen to Kemi Badenochs big speech. Alex Burghart, the shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Andrew Griffith, the shadow business and trade secretary, are both in attendance. Mrs Badenoch should be on stage imminently. 01:15 PM GMT Labour struggling in power due to lack of plan, Tory leader to claim Labour is experiencing even worse problems than the Tories did in power because it has been announcing policy without a plan, Kemi Badenoch will claim. The Tory leader will say that policies without a plan are not policies, theyre just announcements as she criticises Sir Keir Starmers approach. She is expected to say: Thats why Labour are struggling. Its the old cliche that failing to plan, is planning to fail. Because when you havent worked out what youre going to do in opposition, you will accept whatever youre given in government. Thats why Rachel Reeves announced mad and bad ideas on snatching winter fuel and taxing family farms. 01:04 PM GMT Badenoch to criticise Tories handling of Brexit, Net Zero and immigration Kemi Badenoch will use her speech this afternoon to acknowledge the Conservative Party made mistakes as she attempts to break with some of the actions of her predecessors. She is expected to criticise the Tories handling of Brexit, Net Zero and immigration. We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU, she is expected to say. We made it the law that we would deliver Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. And only then did we start thinking about how we would do that. We announced that we would lower immigration, but immigration kept going up. These mistakes were made because we told people what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later. That is going to stop under my leadership. If we are going to turn our country around, were going to have to say some things that arent easy to hear. 01:02 PM GMT Badenoch to deliver first big speech of 2025 at 1.30pm Kemi Badenoch will deliver her first major speech of 2025 this afternoon as she attempts to kickstart the Tories path back to power. The Tory leader will admit that the Conservative Party made mistakes on numerous issues during its 14 years in government. She will promise a more open approach in an attempt to rebuild trust with voters after the partys general election drubbing in July last year. She is expected to say: For the next four years and beyond we are going to be telling the British people the truth, even when its difficult to hear. You will be able to watch the speech live at the top of this page. Mrs Badenoch is due to start at 1.30pm. A statement from Benjamin Netanyahus office accused Hamas of trying to extort last-minute concessions. Photograph: Ohad Zwigenberg/AP Benjamin Netanyahu has said his cabinet will not meet to vote on the ceasefire deal intended to pause the war in Gaza until Hamas accepts all elements of the agreement, in a move that threatens to derail months of work to end the brutal 15-month conflict. The unexpected delay has sparked fears that last-minute disagreements between Israel and Hamas or hardline opposition could still scuttle the deal, although senior US officials insisted the hard-won ceasefire would go into effect on Sunday as planned. Speaking at a briefing at the state department, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, said he was very confident that the ceasefire would go forward and he fully expects that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday. The announcement from the Israeli prime ministers office on Thursday morning came before a scheduled security cabinet and wider government meeting in which ministers were expected to ratify the deal reached in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Wednesday night. A vote is now expected on Friday morning, Israeli media reported. Netanyahus office said that Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions, adding that the situation had created a last-minute crisis. Senior Hamas official Izzat el-Reshiq said via the groups Telegram channel a few minutes after the Israeli announcement that Hamas was committed to the ceasefire agreement. Israeli media reported on Thursday night, citing anonymous government sources, that the disagreement had been resolved. Without specifying the dispute, Blinken confirmed that there had been a loose end between the sides in the complex negotiations, which have included Israel and Hamas, as well as mediators from the US, Qatar and Egypt. Were tying up that loose end as we speak, he said, adding that he had been on the phone all morning and held direct discussions with senior US envoy Brett McGurk and the Qatari government. John Kirby, a spokesperson for the US National Security Council, said there were some implementing details that still need to be ironed out but the US was confident that were going to be able to start implementing it on Sunday. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Netanyahus hardline national security minister, announced on Thursday evening that he would quit the government if it ratifies the ceasefire deal in Gaza. Calling the ceasefire-for-hostages deal irresponsible and reckless, Ben-Gvir said that accepting it would erase the achievements of the war by releasing Palestinian militants and ceding territory in Gaza. But while the threat is a blow to Netanyahu, Ben-Gvirs departure would not bring down the prime ministers government. In Gaza, fighting has continued despite expectations of a ceasefire, which it is still believed will go into effect on Sunday. The civil defence agency said on Thursday that at least 77 people had been killed and 230 injured by Israeli airstrikes that pounded several areas of the Palestinian territory overnight. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites. Netanyahus office did not initially specify which parts of the deal had hit a roadblock, but said later on Thursday that Hamas had challenged Israels authority to veto the release of a certain number of prisoners classified as mass murderers and seen as symbols of terror. Israels Kan Radio reported on Thursday that the issue was related to the far-right cabinet minister Bezalel Smotrichs opposition to the deal. Smotrich has been highly critical of earlier proposed deals with Hamas, although the agreement was expected to be ratified by a large cabinet majority even without the support of the finance minister or his fellow hardliner, Ben-Gvir. Netanyahu and his defence minister, Israel Katz, met Smotrich on Wednesday after Ben-Gvir had asked him to join forces and pull their parties out of the coalition potentially causing the government to fall if the deal was agreed. According to an Israeli television report, Smotrich presented Netanyahu with a list of conditions for his support, including a pledge that Israel would return to fighting should Hamas manage to retain control of Gaza, and to strictly limit the quantity of humanitarian aid allowed into the territory. On Thursday, Smotrichs Religious Zionism party said in a statement that its condition for remaining in the government would be a return to fighting at the end of the first phase of the deal, in order to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages back. Israeli media widely reported this week that the government was prepared to resume hostilities after the end of the first six-week phase of the truce, during which hostages are supposed to be released. According to Israeli daily Haaretz, Netanyahus chief of staff, Yossi Fuchs, said on Wednesday that the deal includes the option to resume the fighting at the end of phase one if the negotiations over phase two dont develop in a manner that promises the fulfilment of the wars goals: military and civil annihilation of Hamas and a release of all hostages. The deal finalised in Doha by US, Israeli, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators after weeks of talks largely follows the contours of a truce agreement first set out last May. President Joe Biden had presented the deal as a cornerstone achievement of his administration and called it the result of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. In the first stage, which is to last 42 days, Hamas has agreed to release 33 hostages including children, women including female soldiers and those aged over 50. In exchange, Israel would release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female Israeli soldier released by Hamas, and 30 for other hostages. Palestinians displaced from their homes would be allowed to move freely around the Gaza Strip, which Israel has cut into two halves with a military corridor. Wounded people are supposed to be evacuated for treatment abroad, and aid to the territory should increase to 600 trucks a day above the 500 minimum that aid agencies say is needed to contain Gazas devastating humanitarian crisis. In the second phase, the remaining living hostages would be sent back and a corresponding ratio of Palestinian prisoners would be freed, and Israel would completely withdraw from the territory. The specifics are subject to further negotiations, which are due to start 16 days into the first phase. The third phase would address the exchange of bodies of deceased hostages and Hamas members, and a reconstruction plan for Gaza would be launched. Arrangements for future governance of the strip remain hazy. The Biden administration and much of the international community have advocated for the semi-autonomous West Bank-based Palestinian Authority, which lost control of Gaza to Hamas in a brief civil war in 2007, to return to the strip. Israel, however, has repeatedly rejected the suggestion. More than 15 months of war has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians and laid waste to most of Gazas infrastructure. The international court of justice is studying claims that Israel has committed genocide. About 1,200 people in Israel were killed and another 250 taken hostage in the Hamas attack of 7 October 2023 that triggered the war. One hundred of the hostages were freed in exchange for 240 women and children held in Israeli jails as the result of a ceasefire deal struck in November 2023 that collapsed after a week. The Gaza war has drawn in Iran, which is committed to Israels destruction, as well as Tehrans allies in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen, destabilising the region. It has also led to political fallout and mass protests across the world over western support for Israel. Feature: Chinese experts share disease prevention knowledge with students in Tanzania's Zanzibar Xinhua) 11:07, January 16, 2025 DAR ES SALAAM, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- When the bell rang at Simai Secondary School on Tanzania's Zanzibar Pemba Island on Monday, the classroom buzzed with eager anticipation. Chinese experts from the Schistosomiasis prevention project team had arrived to deliver a unique health education session on preventing schistosomiasis, a debilitating parasitic disease. Li Qianghua, consul general of the Chinese consulate general in Zanzibar, attended the class and hailed the long-standing traditional friendship between China and Tanzania, as well as their extensive and in-depth cooperation in the health sector. Li said China has always been committed to working hand in hand with Tanzania and other developing countries in Africa to improve the health and economic level of the people jointly. Through the efforts of the Chinese experts this time, he hoped that more practical and life-oriented health knowledge could be brought to the students of Pemba Island to protect themselves from schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, snail fever, or Katayama fever, caused by flatworms called schistosomes. Dai Yang, leader of the expert group of the schistosomiasis control project in Zanzibar, introduced the life circle, transmission routes, and prevention methods of schistosomiasis to teachers and students present. Taking a simple and easy-to-understand approach, Dai explained the harm of schistosomiasis and how to effectively prevent this disease through scientific methods. Dai emphasized the importance of clean water sources in the prevention and control of schistosomiasis, calling on everyone to use clean water sources, avoid playing in ponds and streams, and bathe, and work together to create a campus environment where "everyone understands schistosomiasis control, and everyone knows how to protect oneself." To give local students a more intuitive and profound understanding of schistosomiasis, the expert group also carefully prepared a popular science video on schistosomiasis that, through vivid animations and real cases, showed the importance of schistosomiasis control. While watching the footage, the students displayed strong curiosity, listening attentively or deep in thought with their heads down. The students gained a basic understanding of the harm of schistosomiasis and also enhanced their awareness of self-protection. To evaluate the actual effect of health education and stimulate students' enthusiasm for participation, the expert group organized a question-and-answer session where the local students actively participated in the question-and-answer session. Li distributed health education supplies, such as colored pens and rulers, to each student who answered the questions, and when the students received the gifts, their faces were filled with joy and pride. Through the efforts of the Chinese experts and the active participation of local teachers and students, it is believed that in the near future, Pemba Island will become a place that has eliminated schistosomiasis and become healthier and better. Salum Hamad, principal of the school, said that this method of health education has fully stimulated students' enthusiasm for knowledge and brought such rich and practical disease prevention knowledge to students on the first day of school. Hamad expressed gratitude to the Chinese experts and hoped for similar activities to be carried out in the school in the future. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Muscovy ducks are shown at a pond in a Cypress neighborhood. Ralph Green A highly contagious disease is killing ducks and other birds across Harris County and Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department warns. Department officials are urging people to put their bird feeders away and keep outdoor cats inside in areas where they have noticed sick, dead or dying birds. Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or HPAI, has been confirmed in multiple ducks across Harris County, said Kelly Norrid, a spokesperson for the department. Much like influenza that impacts humans, Norrid said the avian influenza could be a returning or new strain. Although the department hasnt tested all citizen reports of sick, dead or dying ducks in Harris County, Norrid said the department has received enough positive HPAI test results in Houston, Harris County and across Texas since December to know the disease is spreading. There was one report recently of a sick Bald Eagle in the northwest side of Harris County as well, Norris said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In early January, the department confirmed the influenza in multiple domestic ducks recovered from a pond in Northwest Austin. Officials said theyve found widespread detections of influenza in wild birds in Wharton, El Paso, Potter and Harris County. In Houston and Harris County, the avian influenza is mainly affecting muscovy ducks, which are an invasive species. One on hand, muscovy ducks dying could be good for native species, Norrid said. But, muscovy ducks can spread avian influenza to other bird species, as well as cats and dogs if they have prolonged exposure, Norrid said. If dogs or cats consume or carry around an infected duck, they can become infected with the HPAI, Norrid said. Because of this, officials encourage people who have seen congregations of sickly ducks in their neighborhood to keep cats indoors and dogs away from duck ponds. Not all avian species are susceptible to HPAI, but the disease is highly contagious. Migratory flight routes throughout Houston and the Gulf Coast cause a constant influx of new avian populations, Norrid said. If those populations land in lakes or ponds with sick ducks, those birds can pick up the disease and spread it from place to place, thus keeping it persisting in the environment. While the virus is still a high concern, TPWD is encouraging people in areas with sick ducks to put bird feeders away and dispose of sick, dead or dying birds with precaution. That means wearing rubber gloves and masks and discarding bird carcasses in sealed plastic bags. Advertisement Article continues below this ad At a residence in northwest Harris County where Norrid recently found a duck that tested positive for the virus, he said he found several more ducks in the backyard near a birdfeeder. Benjamin Netanyahu has prioritised unity over politics in Israel to hold together his coalition of the right and far right. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters The nature of Israels febrile coalition politics has long favoured theatrics. The standing and psychology of its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, adds a further element of panic and cynical calculation. All those characteristics were in evidence as Israel and Hamas edged towards a ceasefire deal, particularly in Netanyahus struggle to triangulate his portrayal of an agreement that has the potential to damage him politically. The deal, as many in the Israeli media have not been slow to point out, is essentially identical to the agreement that Netanyahu torpedoed over the summer, leaving more Israeli hostages and soldiers to die in the intervening months. Related: Netanyahu: no vote on Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas accepts all terms Moreover, for Israels right and far right specifically, it is not clear how a negotiated settlement accords with Netanyahus promise of total victory and Hamass complete defeat. Instead, the deal, if it holds, offers the possibility that Hamas will survive, with its wounded going to Egypt to be treated. The reality is that an open-ended war in Gaza has always suited Netanyahu and his supporters more than the interest of Israelis as a whole. It has allowed Netanyahu and his supporters to kick the issue of accountability for the failings associated with Hamass surprise attack on Israel on 7 October 2023 into the long grass. It has also allowed the Israeli prime minister, on trial for corruption charges, to present an image in the dock of a figure preoccupied with his countrys security for whom the proceedings are a distraction. As a wartime leader, he has invoked the longstanding convention in Israel that unity should trump politics to glue together his fractious coalition of the right and far right. The deal exposes Netanyahu on all of those fronts, which explains why he has been uncomfortable with being tied to it. The problem is all politics. Netanyahu can probably win a binding vote in his cabinet, but that could risk his coalition collapsing if the far-right parties walk away, potentially hastening elections that he has no guarantee of winning. On top of all that is the dawning realisation that Donald Trumps interest in Israel, its war, and above all Netanyahu are at best transactional and built on far shakier foundations than the troubled relationship with the Biden administration, which has sucked up the humiliations piled on it by Netanyahu. If there is a conundrum it is that, in the short term, Israeli political analysts see a deal that ensures the release of hostages held in Gaza and a phased end to Israels offensive against Hamas as a widely popular move that would be likely to benefit Netanyahu. Netanyahu is flailing, said the pollster and academic Dahlia Scheindlin, who believes that the Israeli cabinet will ultimately sign off on the deal. Hes famous as being someone who can be paralysed by that pressure. He is going through one of those spells where he cant choose between conflicting loyalties. But he manufactured this situation, starting when he brought in [the far-right ministers] Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, and then prioritising them at every stage over other options. [Nevertheless] he is in a good position for elections because of the perception that he has damaged the Iranian-led axis of resistance in Lebanon and elsewhere. Hes back to where his base was before the war. With 70% of Israelis supporting a deal, he would expect a boost. The big unknown is around Trump and how the incoming presidents relationship with Netanyahu might play out. My feeling is that thats a missing piece, said Scheindlin. What is the substance behind Trumps leverage on Netanyahu [to do a deal]? No one knows. In particular, Netanyahu will be dependent on a Trump White House to shield him from arrest and prosecution at the international criminal court as well as maintaining US military assistance to Israel. The extent of Trumps interest in Israel and Netanyahu beyond his loud insistence that he did not want to inherit the Gaza war remains unclear, as does the way in which Israeli voters will internalise the events of the past 15 months of war when faced with the prospect of elections, early or otherwise. You know whats written [in the agreement] and you know what was written in the previous proposals, the ones that we nearly settled on with Hamas, an Israeli official told the newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, summing up the feelings of many. Its appalling to think that we could have signed this so long ago, said the official. And it cant be avoided coupled with the happiness is the terrible thought that gnaws away at you relentlessly. The result of these converging pressures and uncertainties has been to push Netanyahu into declaring what many suspect is a manufactured crisis over the deal, accusing Hamas of reneging while also trying to suggest that Israel will return to fighting in the deals second phase. This version of the deal, Haaretzs Amir Tibon wrote, appears in statements and briefings published by Netanyahus office and his media loyalists where phase two of the deal is a dead letter, and Israel is hell-bent on renewing the war after the completion of phase one, even at the cost of sacrificing its male hostages [still remaining in Gaza after phase one]. What will have occurred to many observers is that it has been precisely this concern that has been worrying Hamass negotiators, who signed up to the deal all the same. If one thing is clear it is that intentionally or otherwise Netanyahus behaviour bodes ill for a deal that relies on new negotiations to begin during the first phase, ahead of any second phase. There is concern that the phased approach builds in the risk of failure at every subsequent turn. Even if the Israeli cabinet signs off on the deal, it appears it may not be the last word. Dame Melanie Dawes is paid a salary of 357,000 - GETTY Ofcom, the communications watchdog, pays 20 of its staff more than the Prime Ministers salary despite repeated criticism of its performance, new figures show. Dame Melanie Dawes, the chief executive of Ofcom who is paid 357,000, is joined by 19 other senior staff who earn more than Sir Keir Starmers 166,000 pay packet. Seven staff, including Ms Dawes, earn more than 250,000. The number of Ofcom staff out-earning the Prime Minister in 2024 was two more than in 2023. Critics have said that rising salaries do not guarantee rising performance. One Tory MP said that Ofcom was failing and that its executives should not be paid such huge salaries if they cant deliver. Dame Melanies salary increased by 7,000 year on year, while other directors have had pay rises of up to 13,000. A further 10 staff are paid more than 150,000, the threshold above which the regulator must publish individual salary details. In November last year, it emerged that Ofcom had continued to provide a broadcasting licence to Channel One Russia Worldwide, which has been praised by Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, for shaping the global information agenda. A House of Lords report in the same month said Ofcoms rules on media ownership were poorly suited to the rapidly changing landscape of online news sites and urgently needed updating. In December, Ofcom was forced to apologise on behalf of one of its online safety supervision principals who posted a job advert on LinkedIn making a joke about a role policing illegal pornographic material. Ofcom will be given sweeping new powers this year to police the internet under the Online Safety Act, which will enable the regulator to order the removal of content deemed harmful, even if it is not illegal. Some MPs believe that the quango is not fit for the huge task it now faces and its role should be reviewed. Ridiculous salaries Jack Rankin, the Conservative MP for Windsor, said: Executives shouldnt be paid these ridiculous salaries if they cant deliver. Ofcom is failing at a critical moment just as they are about to start policing the internet. They need to get their house in order before someone needs to step in and do it for them. Ofcom, which was established under Sir Tony Blairs government, holds huge power in the UK, regulating everything from postal services to broadband, as well as radio and television. Among those on bumper salaries is Melissa Tatton, Ofcoms corporate director, whose pay went up from 243,350 in 2023 to 256,800 in 2024. Others earning more than the Prime Minister include four legal directors, two online safety policy development directors, an online safety strategy delivery director, a director of policy development, two directors of policy, a director of telecoms and internet security and the chief executive of the digital regulation cooperation forum. A spokesman for Ofcom said: Ofcom regulates some of the biggest and most critical areas of the UK economy. To do our work effectively, we need to recruit and retain highly skilled professionals in a competitive market in areas such as cyber security and online safety, and we are always mindful of value for money. Ed Davey speaking in London on Thursday. He has also called for the UK to seek a new customs union with the EU. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA Britain should offer Donald Trump a state visit only on the condition he agrees to a sit-down summit with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as part of an openly transactional US-UK relationship with the returning president, Ed Davey has said. In a speech in which the Liberal Democrat leader also called for the UK to seek a new customs union with the EU to help insulate itself from the potential impacts of Trumps second presidency, Davey said that while the US leader could not be trusted, he could also very much not be ignored. The reality is, unfortunately, very clear. The incoming Trump administration is a threat to peace and prosperity for the UK, across Europe and around the world, Davey said. For the next four years, the UK cannot depend on the presence of the United States to be a reliable partner on security, defence or the economy. Related: UK should seek new customs union with EU, Lib Dems to say The only way for the UK to deal with Trump, he said, would be from a position of strength, requiring closer links to Europe and, when interacting with the president, to do so with our eyes wider to the kind of man he is. Hes transactional, so lets treat him that way, he said. The good news is we have leverage. We have something Trump desperately wants a state visit, the pageantry of Buckingham Palace, a banquet with the king. We all know he craves it. So I say we give it to him, but only if he delivers what we need first for Britain and Europes defence and security. This would involve Trump agreeing to attend a UK-convened summit with Zelenskyy and other European leaders to secure a future for Ukraine, including discussion of how to use frozen Russian assets to pay for Ukrainian weapons. Elsewhere in the speech, which marked a renewed focus on post-Brexit links and international affairs after a Lib Dem election campaign focused largely on domestic issues, Davey criticised Keir Starmer for what he called a vastly cautious approach to Europe. The prime minister has at least recognised the need to reset our relationship with the EU, he said. So far, Im afraid that only seems to amount to saying no more politely than the Conservatives. As well as calling for talks to begin on a bespoke customs union deal with Brussels, with a plan to complete this by 2030, Davey urged immediate action on a reciprocal youth mobility scheme with EU member states. Related: UK-EU youth mobility scheme key to better EU relations, says top diplomat Such an explicit call for a customs union, under which the UK would sign up to common trade rules and tariffs in exchange for smoother imports and exports, goes further than the partys election manifesto and is intended to appeal to voters frustrated at Labours limited movement over Brexit. The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, said on Thursday that the government was worried about the prospect of Trump imposing widespread tariffs as he had promised. I am [worried], because the UK is a very globally orientated economy, so the exposure, the danger to the UK is actually greater than even some comparable countries around that, he told Sky News. Its going to be a challenging time for anyone who is responsible for trade in a big economy because of some of those pledges that were made in the campaign. Pakistan International Airlines faces an investigation after complaints that an online ad carried imagery evoking the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Photograph: AP Pakistans prime minister has ordered an investigation after the countrys national airline released an advert that drew accusations that it evoked imagery of the 9/11 attacks. The advert was released by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last week to celebrate the resumption of flights to Paris, which had been suspended for four years over safety concerns about its pilots. But the PR campaign, which depicted a plane headed towards the Eiffel Tower with the tagline Paris, were coming today, was soon criticised for an uncomfortable resemblance to the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001, when planes struck the twin towers in New York. Related: Pakistans national airline reassures over dubious pilot licences Pakistans deputy prime minister, Ishaq Dar, called the advert stupidity and confirmed that the prime minister, Shehbaz Sharif, had directed a probe into the scandal. The prime minister has directed [authorities] to investigate who conceived this ad, Dar told a parliamentary session this week. Omar Quraishi, a former political media adviser, said on X that he was truly speechless that the advert had been approved. Did the airline management not vet this? he said. PIA has been approached for comment. The airline has not responded to the controversy since releasing the ads on X on 10 January. Pakistan is not without its links to the September 11 bombings. Osama bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida who carried out the attacks, was found to have been hiding in Pakistan before being killed by US forces in 2011. The advert is just one of several missteps taken by PIA. The airline was banned by the EU regulator for over four years after it emerged that nearly a third of its pilots had cheated in their exams and failed to follow safety procedures. It remains banned by the UK and the United States. In 2017, the company attracted scandal after PIA staff members sacrificed a goat on the tarmac for good luck. This article was amended on 23 January 2025 because an earlier version referred to Ishaq Dars previous role as Pakistans finance minister, rather than his current role of deputy prime minister. Water supplies found to have high levels of PFAS are mixed with clean water to lower the harmful content. Photograph: Ben Hasty/Reading Eagle via Getty Images Raw drinking water sources across England are polluted with toxic forever chemicals, new analysis has revealed, prompting the water sector to demand that ministers ban the substances and polluters pay for the astronomical cleanup costs. The areas covered by Affinity Water and Anglian Water were found to be particularly badly affected, and experts have said they fear we are drastically underestimating the size of the problem. There are more than 10,000 PFAS in use, known as forever chemicals because they do not break down in the environment. Two of the substances, called PFOS and PFOA, are now banned after they were linked to cancers, thyroid disease and immune and fertility problems, and little is known about the toxic effects of the others. PFAS are used in a huge range of consumer products and industrial processes as well as firefighting foams, and pollution is now widespread in air, soils, water, wildlife and even human blood. Related: What are PFAS, how toxic are they and how do you become exposed? In an unprecedented move, the industry body Water UK has said it wants to see PFAS banned and the development of a national plan to remove it from the environment which should be paid for by manufacturers. It described PFAS pollution as a huge global challenge and said: The UKs tap water is rated as the safest in the world, and companies are already taking action to reduce PFAS levels further. In an attempt to tackle the problem, the EU is considering a proposal to regulate all 10,000 or so PFAS together, but the PFAS industry is lobbying against it and the UK has no plans to follow suit. Major sources of PFAS pollution are airports, military sites, chemicals manufacturers, sewage treatment plants, fire stations and fire training facilities, metals companies, pulp and paper mills, leather and textiles manufacturers, energy and industrial facilities, and waste sites, including historic and permitted landfills. It can also get into soil and water from contaminated sewage sludge spread on farmland. A report for the Environment Agency suggested there could be as many as 10,000 hotspots across the country. Analysis of sampling data from water companies, the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI), obtained by the Guardian and Watershed Investigations, shows PFAS are contaminating untreated drinking water sources across the country. In 2023, 199 untreated drinking water samples were found to be above 100 nanograms per litre for individual PFAS, the DWIs maximum acceptable threshold in guidelines for treated tap water. Water is then treated or blended with clean water to ensure it does not reach taps at this level. The samples included 137 of Anglian Waters samples and 54 of Affinity Waters samples. South East Water, Southern Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water all had at least one sample above the threshold. Anglian Water took about 220,000 samples, which was the most of all the water companies, followed by Southern Water with 75,000. Anglian Water supplies parts of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hartlepool, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Rutland and Suffolk. The DWI has flagged that without the preventive action taken by Anglian Water, there is or has been a significant risk of supplying water from its works at Ulceby, Parsonage Street in Halstead, Barrow and Warren Hill, adding that without such action, the water could constitute a potential danger to human health or could be unwholesome. Ulceby and Barrow in Lincolnshire are both close to a large industrial area home to oil refineries and other heavy industry, and Humberside airport is nearby. At Ulceby, a number of PFAS were found at high levels, including one called 6:2 FTS, which is used in firefighting foams and was found at 1,270ng/l. The banned carcinogens PFOS and PFOA were both found above the DWI threshold, and a source at near Barrow reached 332ng/l PFAS last year. A very high concentration of 1,670 ng/l of PFOS was detected at Anglian Waters raw water source at Beck Row, next to RAF Mildenhall in West Suffolk, and up to 211ng/l of PFOS was found at a source close to RAF Marham, Norfolk, although the bases may not be the cause of the pollution. A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said:Ensuring the safety of our staff, personnel and the public is our number one priority and thats why we are complying with the relevant legislation and regulations. As understanding of these chemicals has changed, we have responded accordingly. We have prioritised a programme of investigation of our sites, which has been agreed with the Environment Agency. In 2022, Watershed and the Guardian revealed that Duxford airfield in Cambridge, formerly an RAF base that used PFAS-laden firefighting foams, was probably the cause of PFAS-polluted drinking water supplies for South Cambridgeshire, supplied by Cambridge Water. Now owned by the Imperial War Museum, the site is being investigated by the Environment Agency. Affinity Water supplies parts of Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Surrey and various London boroughs. High concentrations of PFOS have been found in its sources at Letchworth, Baldock and Wheathampstead and a source at Denham has been taken out of service all together. It too has been served with DWI notices relating to five of its treatment works. United Utilities, South West Water, Severn Trent Water, Wessex Water, and South Staffordshire Water have all received similar notices from the DWI. In the US and some countries in Europe, the safety thresholds for PFAS in drinking water are much more restrictive than in the UK. The US has proposed a limit of 4ng/l in drinking water, compared with 100ng/l in the UK. Drinking water is a major source of exposure to PFAS, said Dr Shubhi Sharma from the charity Chem Trust. We must have stringent safety standards for PFAS in drinking water to protect peoples health, but the standards currently in place in the UK are outdated and not protective enough. Stephanie Metzger, a policy adviser at the Royal Society of Chemistry, said the industry has been asked to monitor for a limit of 100ng/l for 48 types of PFAS but said: We shouldnt stop there. No one chooses the water that comes out of their tap, so we want to see statutory PFAS limits for UK drinking water that are clearly and transparently defined and legally enforceable. We need to translate this new guidance into legislation that gives the regulator Ofwat defined criteria and the power to hold water companies to account. The forensic environmental scientist Dr Dave Megson, from Manchester Metropolitan University, says he fears we are currently drastically underestimating the size of the problem because the Environment Agency is not looking for enough types of PFAS. Current PFAS monitoring efforts are predominantly geared towards targeted assessments which involve looking for a specific number of PFAS for drinking water its 47 compounds from 10 classes. Alternative testing methods that use a non-targeted approach are showing that this targeted approach only tells a fraction of the story, said Megson. We recently calculated that only approximately 18% of PFAS contamination at a site in Lancashire would have been detected by relying on targeted methods alone. The Environment Agency said it was undertaking a number of catchment investigations, including at Barrow and Beck Row. It said it works collaboratively with the UK Health Security Agency, Food Standards Agency and DWI. The government said it was assessing levels of PFAS occurring in the environment, their sources and potential risks to inform its future policy and regulatory approaches. This article was amended on 24 January 2025. Owing to information provided, an earlier version said that an analysis of sampling data showed that in 2023, a total of 278 untreated drinking water samples were found to be above 100 nanograms per litre for individual PFAS; and that the samples included 214 from Anglian Water, 54 from Affinity Water, and at least one sample each from Northumbrian Water, South East Water, Southern Water, Severn Trent Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water. The actual total is 199 samples, which includes 137 from Anglian Water, 54 from Affinity Water, and at least one each from South East Water, Southern Water, Thames Water and Wessex Water. parliament Russian diplomats accessed a private area of Parliament in a security breach last December, it has emerged. A small group of officials broke off a public tour just before Christmas to enter a section of the Lords that is out of bounds to visitors. The group was ejected by security but it prompted Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Lord McFall, the Commons and Lords Speakers, to write to MPs and peers on Thursday. The breach, first reported by The Guardian, is the latest in a number of security breaches by hostile states to affect Parliament. A parliamentary source told the newspaper: We suspect they were just wanting to crow to the Kremlin that they had infiltrated the British Parliament. Its not ideal, but they were caught before any damage was done. In their respective letters, Sir Lindsay and Lord McFall noted Russian officials were banned from visiting the parliamentary estate after Vladimir Putins full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. With a number of new members joining the House recently, I would like to take this opportunity to remind colleagues of the ongoing arrangements which have been in place since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they said. As the formally accredited representative of the Russian government, the Russian ambassador should not be welcomed on to the parliamentary estate until further notice. This applies to all other Russian diplomats and officials at the Russian embassy accredited to the UK. It comes after a former parliamentary researcher was charged with carrying out espionage work on behalf of China last year. Christopher Cash, who faces one charge under the Official Secrets Act, was bailed in April on the condition he did not contact any MPs or parliamentarians other than his local MP. Christopher Cash is accused of carrying out espionage work for China - Paul Grover Mr Cash worked with senior Tory MPs including Tom Tugendhat, a former security minister, and Alicia Kearns, a former chairman of the Commons foreign affairs committee. MPs were among the targets of Chinese state-backed hackers who also attacked the Electoral Commission for more than a year from August 2021. In December 2023, the Foreign Office and the National Crime Agency accused the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGBs successor, of sustained attempts to hack politicians, journalists and civil servants. Centre 18, one of Russias intelligence units, was identified as behind the [targeting] of politicians from multiple political parties from at least 2015 to 2023. Russian hackers were also behind a 2018 hack of the Institute of Statecraft, a British think tank whose work includes fighting misinformation, and the hack of UK-US trade documents. A Parliament spokesman said: The safety and security of all those who work and visit in parliament is our top priority. However, we cannot comment on our security measures. Guo Jia founded a club for divorced women in China providing services including parenting support and legal and dating advice. Photograph: Guo Jia The premise of See You Again, a Chinese online reality television series that sends three married couples contemplating divorce away on an 18-day roadtrip, is designed to contrive an emotional spectacle. It is still raw viewing when it delivers. The shows key dynamics are universal: power games, family dramas, division of assets; the empty loss as love devolves into hate. In one scene, the husband breaks down sobbing while behind the steering wheel, during a heated discussion with his wife about custody of their son and daughter. Yet the extent to which See You Again has struck a chord in China has also ignited fierce debate about divorce, which is still widely considered a taboo issue in the country. Related: Chinas kindergarten numbers shrink as policymakers struggle to arrest falling birthrate The show has been a major breakout success, streamed 2.5bn times since the premiere of season four in mid-October. It has spawned more than 100 associated trending topics on Weibo and the latest season is still trending in the new year. Psychologists, sociologists and influencers are invited on each episode as guest observers to provide a running commentary. Several of these commentators have speculated the shows frenzied popularity is due to the emotional challenges explored in the show being so recognisable and familiar to couples across the country. Shen Yifei, one of the guest observers, and an associate professor in sociology at Fudan University, described the challenges faced by show participants as encountering someone who constantly demands emotional reciprocation that we cannot provide. Shen, also an active social media influencer, claims this dynamic is evident in many relationships among Chinese audiences. It is precisely because the situation is so common that it resonates deeply and draws so much emotional investment from everyone, she says on the show. Two of the three couples on See You Again ultimately decided to end their marriages. Outside the show, the divorce rate in China has also been climbing since 2003. It reached a record high of 4.7m divorces in 2019, up 74% from 2010. In response to this growing rate, authorities introduced a 30-day cooling-off period in 2021 before couples could apply for divorce. China is grappling with a falling birthrate and an ageing population, related trends that are causing a headache for policymakers who have tried various measures to encourage people to have more children, with limited success. Wang Pan, associate professor in Chinese and Asian studies at the University of New South Wales, believes the cooling-off period has failed to stop the upward trend of the divorce rate in China. Wang believes the phenomenal popularity of See You Again has, to some extent destigmatised the practice of divorce as they de-privatised and normalised divorce. Despite a lack of official data on the gender of who initiates divorces, Wang is confident that more divorces in China are being initiated by women. With increases to Chinese womens financial and personal independence, as well as the changing gender norms, women have become less tolerant of unhappy or dissatisfied marriages, she said. Guo Jia, a 40-year-old who got divorced four years ago, founded a womens club on social media last year. The club offers events for divorced women, including parenting support for single mothers, basic legal advice, and dating services. Guo said the hardest challenge faced by the women in the club is explaining divorce to their children. Though I cant say that divorce caused no harm to my child, I dont agree with staying in an unhappy marriage just to avoid jeopardising their childrens future. Thats merely an excuse. Researchers from Shandong University have also observed that more divorced young adults in China are taking to digital platforms as a refuge to avoid stigmatisation and discover social support and a sense of community. As society is endowed with ample resources for singles and single lifestyles, Wang said, more and more people rather see divorce as a fresh start of another chapter of life. Beavers were illegally released in Scotland around 20 years ago - Getty Images The SNPs failure to punish the illegal release of beavers in Scotland has encouraged rogue rewilders to do the same with lynx, farmers have warned after four of the animal were captured in the Highlands. Martin Kennedy, NFU Scotlands president, warned that illegal releases will become the norm thanks to the SNP governments decision to allow beavers unlawfully freed in Tayside to remain. In a letter to SNP ministers, he said the lack of any punishment against the culprits had provided a model for environmental groups wanting to bypass due process and clear legal requirements to force rewilding of species. Mr Kennedy said farmers had been predicting for some time the illegal release of lynx after two pairs of the animal were captured in the Highlands last week. Although he welcomed John Swinney, the First Minister, condemning the release of the lynx, he argued that SNP ministers now needed to send a clear message by providing the resources to ensure the culprits were tracked down and prosecuted. One of four lynxes that was captured in the Highlands. One theory is that the animals were released into the wilderness by rewilding campaigners - PA/Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Police investigating last weeks two lynx releases suspect the cases are connected. The first pair were captured on Wednesday last week and the second on Friday, near Kingussie. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland said they showed signs of starvation. One died and the other three were being cared for at Edinburgh Zoo. Rewilding campaigners want to bring them back to Scotland, with the Cairngorms and Argyll previously identified as possible locations for up to 400 lynx. However, they also condemned the illegal release of the four and said it had damaged the case for an authorised release. Credit: RZSS Scotlands beaver population has increased steeply since they first appeared in Perthshire, Tayside and Angus after they were illegally released around 20 years ago. They repeatedly dammed large drainage ditches that have been vital to farming in the area for many decades, felled thousands of trees and their burrows have caused banks to collapse. But SNP ministers started an official reintroduction programme in 2009 in Knapdale Forest, Argyll and they are now a protected native species. In 2021, ministers gave the green light to translocating beavers away from areas where they have caused problems for farmers to other parts of Scotland, including Loch Lomond. Mr Kennedy wrote to Jim Fairlie, the SNP Farming Minister, and Alasdair Allan, the Climate Change Minister, to state the illegal release of the four lynx was a highly irresponsible act, but sadly one our members have been predicting for some time. He said: NFUs members have been increasingly concerned about illegal rewilding releases. The illegal release of beavers in Tayside in 2006 provided a model for environmental groups wanting to bypass due process and clear legal requirements to force re-wilding of species. The lack of sanctions against the individuals who released the beavers in Tayside, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage, has always been a bitter pill for farmers to swallow. Those who perpetrated the crime had clear intentions [but] NatureScot and Scottish Government chose to allow the animals to stay, under the auspices of a trial, allowing the numbers to expand and receive protected status. Mr Kennedy added that landowners had been vilified for trying to protect their farms against damage, while the culprits who released the beavers were never identified or punished. The lack of consequence in this case has led to a spate of beaver bombings in England, where similar illegal releases have taken place, causing concerns from our members that illegal releases will become the norm, he said. The SNP started an official beaver reintroduction programme in 2009 - Beaver Trust The NFU president said the union was extremely grateful for the swift action taken to capture the lynx, but added: The persons responsible must be identified and they must receive sanctions sending a clear message that illegal releases will not be tolerated in Scotland. The illegal release of species onto our rural land is a wildlife crime, therefore those who carry out this act must be justly prosecuted. A Scottish Government spokesman said: Unauthorised releases are illegal and completely unacceptable. Releasing or allowing an animal to escape outwith its native range is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, punishable by up to five years in prison, an unlimited fine, or both. We cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation however we will respond to the letter in due course. The SASs actions in Afghanistan are the subject of an ongoing inquiry The Attorney General is under fresh pressure after he was accused of a conflict of interest over a war crimes inquiry into the SAS. Lord Hermer has already refused to reveal whether he advised the Government on decisions that paved the way for compensation to be paid to Gerry Adams despite having represented the former Sinn Fein leader in the past. On Thursday, a separate conflict of interest issue emerged over Lord Hermers recent representation of families accusing Britains Armed Forces of murder. The allegations of extrajudicial killings by special forces are central to the Afghanistan inquiry, an ongoing statutory investigation that will make recommendations to the Government. In an intervention on Thursday afternoon, Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, called for the Attorney General to publicly recuse himself from any involvement in the inquiry. He also questioned whether Lord Hermers recent legal experience would mean he was significantly constrained in his role, and warned that his position may become untenable. Lord Hermers critics say his past legal work will constrain him in his job as Attorney General - Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images He said: The Attorney General should publicly recuse himself from any involvement in the Afghanistan inquiry, and all other recent matters he pursued as a lawyer. Never before has there been an Attorney General who has previously taken up cases against the British government to such a degree as Lord Hermer. If he is to recuse himself from cases in which hes acted as he should then his ability to provide legal advice to Government will be significantly constrained. Unless he is transparent and explains how he can perform his role without serious conflicts of interests, his position will become untenable. Sir Ashley Fox, the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, who questioned Lord Hermer over his links to Mr Adams during a select committee session on Wednesday, told The Telegraph the Attorney General needed to seriously consider his ability to objectively advise ministers. He said: Its basic practice to declare conflicts of interest in cases such as these, where the Attorney General has previously acted on behalf of clients against the Government. He needs to seriously consider if he is capable of giving the objective advice that is required of his position. A senior Army source said he hoped that Lord Hermer would recuse himself from the Afghan inquiry, if he had not already done so, in order to provide an assurance of process, adding: Id imagine hed have to recuse himself. Government approach awful A second senior defence source added: Lord Hermer should have nothing to do with this inquiry. This Governments approach to veterans and the military is awful. They cancelled the legacy act and are paying out money to Gerry Adams instead. Its repugnant stuff. In his opening statement on behalf of 33 bereaved Afghan families in October 2023, Lord Hermer set out how he would seek to highlight evidence capable of suggesting that members of the SAS were applying a practice of unlawfully killing Afghan civilians. He clarified that this would entail evidence that they were conducting a campaign of murder, not only obviously a crime in domestic law, but a war crime amounting to grave breaches of the Geneva Convention. Lord Hermer also accused Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, a four-star general, of failing to alert the Royal Military Police to potential war crimes when he was a commanding officer of the Special Boat Service. He asked why senior military officers did not disclose a pattern of extrajudicial killings and instead allowed evidence to be buried in a safe for a number of years, meaning that concerns were not acted on and more alleged executions took place. At the time Lord Hermer made those comments, the General was in line to be appointed as national security adviser, one of the most senior aides to the prime minister. When Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister the following year, one of the first decisions he made was to block the appointment. On Thursday, the Attorney Generals Office refused to confirm whether Lord Hermer had advised on that decision, citing the Law Officers Convention. Sir Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary who ordered the public inquiry into claims that Afghan men were killed by special forces between 2010 and 2013, called on Lord Hermer to recuse himself from legislation pertaining to the Troubles because of his links with Gerry Adams. Sir Ben, who said it had been alleged that Lord Hermer had been recused from the SAS inquiry, also defended Gen Sir Gwyn. Speaking to The Telegraph, Sir Ben said: On two occasions I appointed and promoted General Jenkins. He is an outstanding officer of the highest quality, and it is not only disgraceful how he was treated having been fairly appointed national security adviser in an open competition but to now see him denigrated further by smears and innuendos is outrageous. He called on the Defence Secretary to protect [Gen Sir Gwyns] reputation and career from such unwarranted behaviours, including from the likes of the Attorney General, who in his previous role maligned him in front of the court. A senior source within the Ministry of Defence told The Telegraph that Gen Sir Gwyn was respected at the highest level within the organisation. Another senior military chief told The Telegraph: I think it does bring his [Lord Hermers] objectivity into question, specifically as his comments were not based on fact, rather on speculation and hearsay. I think at the very least our Attorney General should adhere to his own professions standards and conventions and law in that a person is innocent until proven guilty. The row over Mr Adams centres on sections of Troubles legislation that would have denied the former Sinn Fein president and some 400 other Republicans taxpayer-funded payouts over their detention in prison in the 1970s for suspected involvement in terrorism. Labour decided to repeal the law last year after the Northern Irish High Court ruled that the Tories legislation was incompatible with human rights laws, and it has laid a draft order in Parliament to do so. On Wednesday, Sir Keir insisted that he wanted to find a way to block Mr Adams and other Republican detainees from claiming compensation despite remaining committed to repealing the Troubles legislation. Downing Street officials declined to say how he might achieve this. It was reported on Thursday night that Lord Hermer was paid 30,000 to represent Mr Adams against IRA bomb victims in 2022 and 2023. The Attorney General received 24,000 for advice and preparing court filings and 6,000 to appear at a hearing, according to The Times. On Wednesday, Lord Hermer defended his right to have represented the former Sinn Fein leader but refused to say how Mr Adams paid him for the case. He told MPs that the law officers convention, enshrined in the ministerial code, precludes any minister from saying whether the law officers have been asked to advise on any given issue, let alone what we have advised. Despite mounting questions, on Thursday Lord Hermers office again refused to confirm whether he had advised ministers on decisions relating to previous clients, including Mr Adams. Lord Hermer is the first Attorney General without parliamentary experience since 1922, which means he was involved in cases right up until his appointment. In another case that could raise a potential conflict of interest for the Attorney General, in 2020 he represented Shamima Begum, the Islamic State bride, when she argued that she should have been allowed to return to the UK to take part in a case against the then home secretary. Sources close to the Governments chief legal adviser said the public could be assured there were rigorous systems in place to ensure that law officers would not be consulted on any cases that could give rise to a conflict of interest. Sir Keir Starmer has warned the West not to lose sight of its goal to ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position this year - Carl Court/PA British peacekeepers could be sent to Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky suggested, as Sir Keir Starmer pledged more military support than ever for the war-torn country. The Ukrainian president confirmed the pair had held discussions over a French proposal which could see Nato troops used to monitor a post-war ceasefire after a meeting in Kyiv on Thursday. But Mr Zelensky told a news conference that it was a bit too early to talk about details of the plan. It came as Sir Keir arrived in Kyiv on a surprise visit to unveil a new 100-year partnership to boost Ukraines maritime security and economic recovery. Gunfire erupted in the capital as air-defence forces attempted to repel a Russian drone attack as the Prime Minister held talks with the president. Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands at a ceremony to commemorate the 100-year partnership between the UK and Ukraine - Carl Court/PA Sir Keir pledged deliveries of 150 artillery barrels made by Sheffield Forgemasters and a new mobile air-defence system on his first trip to the country since becoming Prime Minister. He warned the West not to lose sight of its goal to ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position this year, a hint at the possibility of peace talks. However, the Prime Minister did not explicitly commit to the deployment of British troops. We will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security, he told Mr Zelensky. Those conversations will continue for many months ahead, Sir Keir added. It is the first time in 20 years Sheffield Forgemasters has produced artillery barrels for the AS-90, a self-propelled 155mm howitzer donated by Britain. The Gravehawk air-defence system was jointly designed and funded as part of a project between the UK and Denmark. The Telegraph this week reported that the Prime Minister and Emmanuel Macron, Frances president, had discussed using Western forces to police and enforce any potential peace deal. Mr Macron has previously held similar talks with Donald Tusk, Polands prime minister, who Sir Keir will meet in Warsaw on Friday. The Prime Minister will stop off in Warsaw on Friday to launch talks over a new defence and security pact with Poland on his travels back from Ukraine. The arrangements will cover the mounting threat posed by Vladimir Putins Russia, illegal migration and energy supplies. Before their press conference, Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of Fallen Defenders of Ukraine outside Kyivs St Michaels Golden-domed Monastery. The 100-year partnership signed between the UK and Ukraine builds on a decade-long pact signed under the former conservative government. The latest rendition includes provisions to strengthen military cooperation and bolster security in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It will also cover areas such as energy, critical minerals and green steel production. A new British-led task force will also track grain stolen by Russian forces and sold overseas as part of the deal. An incredible achievement The treaty was signed just days before Donald Trump, who is considered a sceptic of Western support to Ukraine, returns to power in the United States. Sir Keir said: Id actually like to pay tribute to the work that the US has done here, the support that they have put in because its been a vital component of what has been quite an incredible achievement by Ukraine. 03:26 PM GMT Live coverage has ended Todays live coverage of Sir Keir Starmers first visit to Ukraine as Prime Minister has ended. Heres a roundup of what happened: Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, the Ukrainian president said. Britain will provide Ukraine with 150 artillery barrels made by Sheffield Forgemasters, Sir Keir Starmer vowed as he promised to give Kyiv more military support than ever before. Britain will deliver a new mobile air defence system to Ukraine, The Prime Minister pledged. The Prime Minister and Mr Zelensky unveiled a new 100-Year Partnership between Britain and Ukraine. Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv as the Prime Minister visited the city, which Sir Keir said was a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it. 02:09 PM GMT Starmer pays tribute to US efforts in Ukraine Sir Keir Starmer paid tribute to the US role in Ukraine during a join press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. The Prime Minister said: The US role here is vital and we work together every day. Id actually like to pay tribute to the work that the US done here, the support that they have put in because its been a vital component of what has been quite an incredible achievement by Ukraine. If I think about how long this conflict has gone on and the incredible success that Ukraine has had in the face of this aggression from Russia, that is a tribute to Ukraine, Ukrainians and their resolve, but also to all allies whove supported Ukraine, including the US. 01:55 PM GMT Starmer and Zelensky have discussed sending Western peacekeepers to Ukraine Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky have discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, the Ukrainian president said, adding that it was a bit too early to talk about details. The Prime Minister and French president Emmanuel Macron have been discussing sending British and French soldiers to Ukraine as a peacekeeping force after any potential deal to end the war, The Telegraph understands. The French president is championing the idea and has already talked about it with the Ukrainian president and Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister. 01:44 PM GMT Starmer: Ukraine will get artillery barrels made by Sheffield Forgemasters Britain will provide Ukraine with 150 artillery barrels made by Sheffield Forgemasters, Sir Keir Starmer vowed as he promised to give Kyiv more military support than ever before. We have already committed 3 billion for military aid this year and were going further to support the front line, providing a 2.2 billion loan which will be paid back not by Ukraine, but from the interest on frozen Russian assets, the Prime Minister said. Were also galvanising British industry, so today Im pleased to announce that were providing 150 artillery barrels for Ukraine made by Sheffield Forgemasters. He said it is the first time in over 20 years that these barrels were produced in the United Kingdom and they will start arriving in Ukraine in just a few weeks time. Sheffield Forgemasters is a South Yorkshire-based heavy engineering company specialising in complex steel production. 01:31 PM GMT We are with you for 100 years, Starmer tells Ukrainians Sir Keir Starmer has told Ukrainians that Britain is with you not just today or tomorrow, for this year or the next, but for a hundred years, long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again. Lets be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now (Vladimir) Putin shows no sign of wanting peace, the Prime Minister said at a press conference in Kyiv. A drone attack on the Ukrainian capital that occurred while he was visiting (see our post at 1.01pm) was a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it, the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister and Volodymyr Zelenskiy today signed a 100-year partnership agreement to deepen security ties and strengthen relationships between the two countries. 01:16 PM GMT Starmer: We will deliver a new mobile air defence system to Ukraine Britain will deliver a new mobile air defence system to Ukraine, Sir Keir Starmer pledged during a press conference as he visited Kyiv for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The Prime Minister vowed to work with Ukraine on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee their security. These conversations will continue for months ahead, he added. 01:13 PM GMT Pictured: Starmer meets Zelensky before bilateral talks in Kyiv Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky arrive for bilateral talks - Carl Court/REUTERS 01:01 PM GMT Russia launches drone attack on Kyiv during Starmer visit Russia launched a drone attack on Kyiv as Sir Keir Starmer visited the Ukrainian capital for talks with Volodymyr Zelensky. The attack happened minutes after the Prime Minister laid a wreath at the citys memorial wall for fallen soldiers with the Ukrainian president, according to reports. Ukrainian air defences were reported to have shot down the UAV, with debris damaging a car. Vitaliy Klitschko, Kyivs mayor, said the attack happened in the citys Solomyanskyi district and that there were no casualties. Sir Keir Starmer inspects a damaged vehicle reportedly hit by debris from a Russian drone during his visit to Kyiv - Carl Court/Getty Images Europe 11:32 AM GMT Only offer Trump a state visit if he backs Ukraine, says Sir Ed Davey The UK should only offer a state visit to Donald Trump if he delivers on US support for Ukraine, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has said. In a speech in central London this morning, Sir Ed said the president-elect craves a visit, but it should only be granted following a sit-down summit that would examine financial support for Kyiv. Sir Ed said: We have something Trump desperately wants: a state visit. The pageantry at Buckingham Palace. A banquet with the King. We all know he craves it, so I say we give it to him, but only if he delivers what we need first for Britain and Europes defence and security. He said Mr Trump should sit down with president Zelensky and other European leaders in a summit convened by the UK to agree how we collectively use the hundreds of billions of dollars, pounds and euros of frozen Russian assets to pay for the weapons Ukraine needs to win the war and beat Putin. If Trump delivers on that deal, pushing the necessary measures through Congress, then, and only then, do we roll out the red carpet for a state visit, he said. US support for Ukraine is widely expected to shift when Mr Trump moves back into the White House, away from full support for Kyiv and more towards pushing for a peace deal. 11:25 AM GMT Starmer and Zelensky commemorate fallen defenders of Ukraine Mykhailivska Square. Together with the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, @Keir_Starmer, we commemorated the fallen defenders of Ukraine. We honor and remember the heroic deeds of our warriors. May the memory of all those who gave their lives defending Ukraine be eternal. pic.twitter.com/BWLofYozzX Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 16, 2025 11:21 AM GMT Zelensky and Starmer agree 100 Year Partnership Volodymyr Zelensky and Sir Keir Starmer are today agreeing a new 100 Year Partnership between the UK and Ukraine. Downing Street said the deal will broaden and deepen the relationship between the two nations across defence and non-military sectors. It will also promote closer community links. The deal will: Bolster military collaboration on maritime security in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea to deter Russian aggression. Bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships in areas like healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones. Build lifelong friendships through classroom projects. Introduce a new UK-built Grain Verification Scheme to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories. Sir Keir Starmer is briefed by his military assistant on a train bound for Kyiv - Carl Court/AFP Sir Keir said the deal represented a promise to the Ukrainian people that we are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years. The Prime Minister said UK-Ukraine ties would endure long after this war is over. He tweeted: Peace through strength. I'm in Kyiv with a simple message to the people of Ukraine: Our 100 Year Partnership is a promise that we are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years long after this war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again. pic.twitter.com/sd7BghKz28 Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) January 16, 2025 11:11 AM GMT Pictured: Starmer and Zelensky lay flowers at The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine Sir Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky arrive to lay wreaths at The Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen for Ukraine at St Michaels Square, Kyiv - Carl Court/PA 11:03 AM GMT Putins invasion has made Nato bigger and stronger, says Starmer Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine backfired because Nato is now bigger and stronger than ever, Sir Keir Starmer suggested. The Prime Minister said Russias war against Ukraine had been a failure and one of the consequences of this conflict has been to draw Nato more strongly together. Sir Keir Starmer poses for photos with staff members during a visit to a hospital, in Kyiv, Ukraine - Carl Court/Getty Images Its bigger and stronger than it has been, and we must stand behind Ukraine for as long as it takes, he said. But when we say Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position, that cant be just words. And thats why Ive had such intense discussions with President Zelensky over the months that Ive been Prime Minister and will again here in Ukraine. 10:56 AM GMT Ukraine must be put in strongest possible position, says PM Ukraine must be put into the strongest possible position in 2025, Sir Keir Starmer said as he visited Kyiv this morning. The Prime Minister said the West must never let up on its support for Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion. He told broadcasters: Its very important we ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position. Thats something Ive been arguing for since I was Prime Minister. This is my seventh meeting with president [Volodymyr] Zelensky. Im here at the burns unit of one of the Kyiv hospitals, which is a grim reminder of the heavy price Ukraine is paying. Sir Keir Starmer meets with an injured Ukrainian service member being treated by a staff member during a visit to a hospital in Kyiv - Carl Court/AFP So we must give the necessary support, and thats what Im discussing with President Zelensky today. We must never let up on that and weve been leading the way. Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky are today unveiling a new 100 Year Partnership agreement between the UK and Ukraine. The PM said the pact was a real statement of our intent for the long term. So Im here for both those purposes but the main one is to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position during 2025, he said. 10:53 AM GMT Starmer visits Ukraine for first time as PM Sir Keir Starmer is in Kyiv today to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelensky as he undertakes his first visit to Ukraine since becoming Prime Minister in July last year. Sir Keir was greeted at Kyiv railway station early this morning by the UK ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, and Ukraines envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. He later visited wounded Ukrainians at a Kyiv hospital specialising in treating burns. Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, is pictured this morning as ahe arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine - Carl Court /AFP After a private tour of the intensive care unit, he met two patients on a rehabilitation ward that receives support from the British Red Cross. The Prime Minister said the injuries he saw at the hospital were a grim reminder of the heavy price that Ukraine is paying. One patient called Petro, a civilian from Kyiv with burns across both hands and arms, warned Sir Keir: If Ukraine falls, so does Europe. Black Friday shoppers at the Walden Galleria's Macy's in Buffalo, NY., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press Macy's Almeda location will close in March, marking the departure of Almeda Mall's final anchor store and leaving 72 workers unemployed, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter filed Wednesday. The WARN letter, which is a formal notice filed by a company prior to laying off employees or closing a location, indicated that Macy's will close its doors and terminate its remaining employees between March 18 and March 31. Among the 72 terminated employees are sales staff, marketing personnel and management, according to the notice. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The news came days after Macy's announced in a news release that it would be immediately closing 66 stores across the U.S. The retailer described the closures as part of its "Bold New Strategy" plan, which it said would ultimately lead to the closure of 150 stores over a three-year period. Tony Spring, chairman and CEO of Macy's, said in a statement that the company plans to invest in 350 stores it deemed productive. Closing any store is never easy, but as part of our Bold New Chapter strategy, we are closing underproductive Macys stores to allow us to focus our resources and prioritize investments in our goforward stores, where customers are already responding positively to better product offerings and elevated service, Spring said in the release. The decision to close the Almeda Mall location leaves three Macy's stores in the Houston area. Four other Texas locations, including two in the Dallas area, are also slated to close, according to a list published by Macy's. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Spring said the closures would help the struggling retailer improve its brand while speaking at the 2025 Ideas, Commitment, Results Conference in Orlando, Florida. Elianne Andam was stabbed after retrieving a friends bag, the court heard. Photograph: Metropolitan police/PA Media Elianne Andam was known, above all, for her caring nature. During her memorial service, her father recounted an evening when she found six snails flushed out on the pavement due to the rain. She picked up the slimy creatures and moved them out of harms way so they would not die prematurely. Oh, the irony, her father said. On 27 September 2023, Andam stood up for her friend, who had recently broken up with her boyfriend. They met Hassan Sentamu, who was 17 at the time, to exchange items. Her friend handed a bag to Sentamu but he failed to hand over her items, including a teddy bear she wanted back. Andam ran behind him and snatched the bag back. Sentamu chased after her and pulled out a 12cm kitchen knife out from under his hoodie. He stabbed Andam in the neck in front of horrified onlookers, including the 15-year-olds friends, outside the Whitgift shopping centre in Croydon, south London. Related: Teenager guilty of murdering Elianne Andam in Croydon after row over teddy Her friend recounted the horrific scene in court. She said: I just saw Elianne on the floor, like backing up on the floor with her hand out like this, basically saying stop, stop, stop, and Im pretty sure I saw him bend and like try and do something else, like stab her again. Sentamu fled the scene but he was arrested 90 minutes later. The officer who arrested him said he believed what he saw was a smear of blood on his thumb. After the attack Andam was comforted by a bus driver, who held her hand and told her that she would be OK as she slipped out of consciousness. She died at the scene. The violent act was not one enacted in the heat of the moment. Sentamu had recently broken up with Andams friend by text, telling her: Ur energy is dead Im not rdy for a relationship all the best [sic]. The day before the attack, the girls teased and threw water over him in retaliation, which left him feeling disrespected. That evening, Sentamu told his friend: Bro, I cant let this slide. His friend tried to talk him down, messaging back: This is your life. Dont mess the chances in your life. Dont do anything dumb. On the morning of the attack, he wore two pairs of gloves, three layers of clothing and a mask, all of which he discarded along with the knife after fleeing the scene. Before the meeting, his ex-girlfriend said he became angry during an argument over the phone. I just told him never ever speak to me like that ever again, cos I said Ive never been spoken to like that in my life, she said. During his trial, details of his traumatic upbringing in Uganda emerged, where he witnessed domestic violence and was beaten with a metal pole at boarding school. After he arrived in the UK at 11 years old, he was involved in incidents of violent and aggressive behaviour, including taking a knife to school, putting girls in a headlock, and expressing a desire to harm a cat and chop off its tail. Sentamu admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming he lost control of himself because of his autism. This defence was rejected and Sentamu, who is now 18, was found guilty of Andams murder by a majority verdict. Andams death shocked the Croydon community. The spot where she died was soon full of flowers and cuddly toys. Hundreds attended vigils to remember her, with the rapper Stormzy among the mourners. A year after the attack, a painted mural of Andam, who wanted to be a human rights lawyer, was erected by the bus stop where she died. After the verdict, DCI Becky Woodsford, who led the murder investigation, paid tribute to Andam, saying: What has really stuck with me is that Elianne always did what she thought was right and stood up for her friend. Dame Andrea Jenkyns says Tory Party bosses stripped her mother of her membership and would not restore it until she did the training A former Tory MP has said the party forced her mother to undergo diversity training after she liked a social media post about illegal migration. Dame Andrea Jenkyns said Tory HQ had sent her a 10-module course which included questions about different genders and sexualities. The former Tory minister said party bosses had stripped her late mother Valerie, who at the time was almost 80, of her membership and would not restore it until she did the training. The decision happened before Kemi Badenoch was made leader, and a Conservative spokesman said the party was now under new management. Valerie with Dame Andrea and her son Clifford Dame Andrea lost her seat at the election and has defected to Reform UK. She is now standing for Nigel Farages party to become mayor of Greater Lincolnshire. She told The Telegraph that Conservative HQ contacted Valerie in early 2020 about social media posts that she had liked five or six years earlier. The posts are said to have been related to grooming gangs and calls to deport illegal migrants. Dame Andrea said that her mother used a smartphone to scroll through social media sites and frequently liked posts by mistake. She said this had included Valerie accidentally liking messages posted by the Labour candidate in her Morley and Outwood constituency. The Conservatives went woke. When my late Mum was nearly 80, she liked a post on social media about sending illegal migrants back. We fought for two years, and they only let her back in if she took part in a ten module diversity course. Asking questions to my old Mum such as pic.twitter.com/1O2RkUFfYS Dame Andrea Jenkyns (@andreajenkyns) January 15, 2025 Valerie was immediately suspended as a Tory member, meaning she could not attend local association gatherings in support of her daughter. In an email sent to her in February 2021, an official from CCHQ wrote: As you are aware, as part of a sanction you were issued under the partys social media complaints rules, you are required to complete the following training course if you wish to rejoin the party when your suspension has finished. I encourage you to approach the training with an open mind. Dame Andrea said the course included questions on everything to do with diversity you could possibly think of including different genders. Dame Andreas parents on their wedding day and, below, in later life Dame Andrea's parents in later life She said that one question asked what is a pansexual? and added that she had spent two hours filling the answers out on behalf of her mother. I did the course for her because it was a matter of principle for me to get her back into the party with her daughter being an MP, Dame Andrea said. To make a woman in her late 70s do a course like that, its a joke. She was upset because her daughter was a Conservative MP and she couldnt even be in my association to vote for me. Dame Andrea said it took an 18-month battle to get her mothers membership reinstated. Valerie died in December 2022. A Conservative spokesman said: The party is now under new management. We are the only ones holding this dreadful Labour government to account on the issues that really matter. Thomas Kerrs defection marks a blow for the Scottish Tories aiming to earn back voters after last years election - Garry F McHarg The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has said he cant control people defecting to Reform UK after his most senior councillor in the countrys largest local authority joined Nigel Farages party. Russell Findlay refused to rule out other Conservative politicians following Thomas Kerr, who represents the Shettleston ward in the east end of Glasgow. Speaking after First Ministers Questions at Holyrood, Mr Findlay admitted that the defection was disappointing but said: I cant anticipate what other people may or may not decide to do. But Scottish Tory insiders expressed disquiet at the departure of Mr Kerr, who was seen as one of the partys rising stars, with one describing it as a killer blow. One asked: How on earth did we as a party get to the point that someone like Thomas Kerr would jump ship? He is the fifth councillor to defect to Mr Farages party in Scotland. Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, warned against casting a protest vote for Reform earlier this week - Ken Jack/Getty Images Reform described his defection as a major victory for the party as he represents exactly the vision and patriotism it stands for. We are honoured to have him represent us in our fight for real change, it added. After replacing Douglas Ross as Scottish Tory leader in September 2024, Mr Findlay pledged to try and win back voters who defected to Reform in last years general election. But a poll published on Wednesday showed that support in Scotland for Mr Farages party has continued to grow, with Reform on course to win 15 seats. This is the same number predicted for the Scottish Tories, whose tally would more than halve from the 31 they secured in the 2021 Holyrood election. I cant control what happens next Richard Tice, the deputy leader of Reform, told the Telegraph in November 2024 that the partys target was to overtake the Tories and become the third-largest faction in the Scottish Parliament. Mr Kerrs defection could also damage Labours chances of winning seats in Glasgow if he is selected as a Scottish Parliament candidate for Reform in the city. He was elected as a Tory councillor at the age of 20 in 2017 before becoming the partys group leader in 2019. He was the Tories candidate at the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election in October 2023 but he finished a distant third. Responding to Mr Kerrs defection, Mr Findlay said his task was to ensure his Tory colleagues understood the partys direction of travel under his leadership so that they have confidence in the Scottish Conservatives. Pressed on whether there could be more defections, Mr Findlay said: I can only control whats in my gift to do. I cant anticipate what other people may or may not decide to do. Asked if he was concerned that a Tory MSP could switch to Reform, he added: Again... I cant speculate or control what happens next. I cant control what people may or may not decide to do. But this is a hypothetical. Significant moment Announcing his defection, Mr Kerr said: Joining Reform UK is a significant moment for me. My personal experiences with addiction, having lost my father to it and watched my mother recover, have deeply shaped my vision for the future. I am determined to ensure that every person in Scotland who is struggling with addiction has access to the recovery services they need to rebuild their lives. Reform UK represents the change that our communities desperately need, and I am excited to continue working for Shettleston as part of this new and dynamic party. Martyn Greene, the partys Scotland organiser, said: It is especially rewarding to welcome someone as passionate and driven as Thomas to Reform. His commitment to his community is well known, and his personal journey with addiction recovery gives him a unique understanding of the challenges facing many families across Scotland. We are confident that his experience will help shape a future where recovery is at the heart of our policies. A Scottish Tory spokesman said: We wish Thomas well. A home burns during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, California on 8 January 2025. Photograph: Josh Edelson/AFP/Getty Images A week after wildfires tore through the community of Altadena, the smell of destruction still hangs in the air. The acrid smoke seeped into the walls of homes that survived the Eaton fire, which burned 7,000 buildings and killed at least 15 people. On Woodbury Road, where unblemished homes stand in between blackened lots of charred rubble, the devastation overwhelms the senses. The houses that havent completely collapsed offer glimpses of life before disaster arrived pitchers and mugs in a cabinet, all a deep black, a bed still standing, a scorched bicycle and childrens toys. In front of one flattened lot is a nearly untouched lemon tree, and nearby someone has set out cat food. In the distance, flame retardant streaks the hillside. Some of the burned properties have laminated papers with links to GoFundMe pages. Jose Medina has seen fire again and again in the 40 years he has lived off Woodbury Road. But the fire that unfolded around his community last week felt akin to a world war, he said. It was the worst fire I have ever seen in my life, he said in the yard of his still standing home, where his family is operating a donation center for their neighbors. Related: Clothes, toiletries and a free stylist: the LA teen creating a space for peers amid the fires One week on, Medina and others here are only just beginning to reckon with the ways in which their lives and the entirety of Altadena have been forever changed. Large swaths of the community are cordoned off, leaving many still unable to access their properties. Law enforcement and national guards are stationed at the entrances of blocked streets. On Wednesday, displaced residents collected clothes and shoes in front of Medinas home, where his family normally operates a business selling churros. The family began gathering donations from individuals and community groups last week and dozens of their neighbors have come by each day. People have brought donations from all over California, said Jose Velazquez, Medinas nephew. The street was quiet in the morning, save for the sound of demolition workers scraping up debris and vegetation, as people silently sorted through the dozens of shoes, sneakers and tiny baby sandals. Velazquez can tell who lost a home just by the somber looks on peoples faces, he said. People are all so grateful. Some people break down here, and start crying, Velazquez said. When the fire broke out, Velazquez and Medina stayed behind. They watered their roof and lawn for hours as well as the homes of their neighbors. But a huge burning palm tree spewed large embers directly on to the homes on the street. Soon the houses started going up one after another, the fire reducing them to rubble and turning cars into charred metal husks. Related: The convoy of incredible people saving animals from Californias infernal fires I knew right then were screwed. It was just messed up, you know, driving away, seeing your neighbors house on fire, Velazquez said. The garage burned up, and with it Velazquezs business selling Pokemon cards. But the family home made it. They quickly got to work collecting donations, he said. Some of the signs they used for their business have been repurposed to direct residents to resources. The community has always supported them, Velazquez said, and the family wanted to do the same for them. From the moment we started our business to the very end, you know, like theyve been here. Its a very close community. Despite the devastation, hes hopeful Altadena will return. Everybody wants to come back to this community. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife A transgender girl was repeatedly stabbed by a group of masked youths after lying about her gender and then performing a sex act on a boy, a court has heard. The girl, who was 18 at the time, was lured into a car park in Harrow, north-west London after being invited to a roller disco, the Old Bailey was told. The attackers had turned on the girl after a boy was told she was transgender after having a sexual relationship with her, the court heard. Difficult to trust people Other members of the group then set about creating a ruse to beat her up, prosecutors said. The girl told the court she now finds it difficult to trust people, and has thick scars as a result of her injuries. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, Bradley Harris, 18, Camron Osei, 18, Shiloh Hindes, 18, and a 17-year-old boy have admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Additionally, Betts-Ramsey has admitted possession of a knife, and a 17-year-old girl has admitted robbing the girls handbag after the attack, and possession of a class B drug. In January 2024, the girl was with Harris at his house, and while there, a mutual friend called Harris telling him she was trans. Having been attacked in the past because of her transgender identity, she denied it, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told jurors. She and Harris then kissed, and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris that the girl was a tranny, the prosecutor said. Ill stab you if you lie She denied it again, but when Harris picked up a knife and said, Ill stab you if you lie, she felt intimidated and admitted that she was transgender before Harris told her to leave. When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said. The Snapchat group, which the youths were a part of, descended into arguing, and Betts-Ramsey threatened to stab the girl. When the girl asked the group when they would be next meeting, Harris responded: (Im) not your mate... you tranny. Other members of the group encouraged the girl to arrange a fight with Betts-Ramsey, but Ms Heer said it was all a ruse to attack her. Phone evidence revealed that during a call, Betts-Ramsey told someone: I have to go to Harrow to beat up some... a f------ tranny bro. On Feb 10, the girl left her home, believing she was going to a roller-skating event with the group, the court heard. Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet, Harris, from Harrow, Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey, Hindes, from Southwark, and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and hoods, and were waiting at the bus stop. Immediately attacked Once at a nearby car park, she was immediately attacked, and she had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, the court was told. Once she was on the ground, Betts-Ramsey took out a knife and stabbed towards her at least 14 times. As Betts-Ramsey was stabbing her, the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before the group left the scene, the prosecutor said. Members of the public helped the girl, and an ambulance was called. When they arrived, ambulance staff found she had suffered a number of stab wounds and had a weak pulse, and she was taken to hospital, the court heard. Members of the group bragged about the assault later, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said. The 17-year-old boy sent the girl a message which said Ur lookin sweet, the court was told. That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: stabbing a girl cus shes trans... its disgusting, to which Betts-Ramsey replied: IT deserved it. The sentencing continues. Keir Starmer has announced a historic 100-year partnership with Ukraine, saying the UK would support the country beyond this terrible war and into a future where it is free and thriving again. Speaking during his first trip to Kyiv as prime minister, Starmer said the unprecedented agreement reflected the huge affection between our two nations. He added that right now Putin shows no signs of wanting to stop his unrelenting aggression. The point was dramatically underscored by a Russian drone flying over Volodymyr Zelenskyys Mariinskyi Palace in Kyiv while the two leaders were in the middle of talks. Anti-aircraft fire erupted as the drone buzzed overhead. Loud booms were heard as Ukrainian air defences tried to shoot it down. City officials said there had been no casualties, but that falling debris had damaged a car. Starmer said the attack was a reminder of what Ukrainians experienced every day. It makes it real for us, he said. Its an everyday threat Ukraine is facing with incredible resolve and determination. Asked by a Ukrainian reporter about the aerial hello from Moscow, Zelenskyy told a joint press conference: We will say hello to them as well. The century-long partnership agreement comes at a precarious time for Ukraine as Donald Trump is sworn back into office in the US on Monday. He has vowed to end the war quickly and is expected to meet Vladimir Putin early in his presidency. Starmer did not comment directly on how the UK may respond if the new White House abandons military support to Ukraine or forces it into a Moscow-friendly deal. Instead, he paid tribute to Washingtons vital assistance to Kyiv. We will continue to work with the US on this today, tomorrow and into the future, he said. The UK-Ukraine agreement includes 3bn of British support a year, to be continued indefinitely. Starmer said the UK would increase training for Ukrainian soldiers, provide mobile air defence systems and send 150 artillery barrels made by Sheffield Forgemasters the first to be produced in 20 years. Ukraine has been losing territory in recent months at the fastest rate since Russias full-scale 2022 ground invasion. Starmer conceded that the country was not in the strongest position before possible negotiations and that it needed robust security guarantees that would allow it to deter future aggression. Zelenskyy said he was holding discussions with several European countries, including France, Britain and Poland which Starmer will visit on Friday about an international peacekeeping force. But he said it was too early to talk about details before Trumps return to the Oval Office. Starmer told Sky News: Well, Ive been discussing this with a number of allies, including, of course, President Macron, including President Zelenskyy here today, and we will play our full part. We have always been one of the leading countries in relation to the defence of Ukraine. And so you can read into that. But we will be playing our full part. But I dont want to get ahead of ourselves because this has to be enduring. The best security guarantee for Ukraine was membership of Nato, Zelenskyy stressed. He said four countries were opposed to Kyivs accession: the US, Germany, Slovakia and Hungary. Starmer said Ukraine was on an irreversible path to joining the alliance. Earlier the two leaders visited Kyivs golden-domed St Michaels monastery. They laid flowers at a wall remembering the thousands of service personnel killed in the war with Russia next to a display of burned-out enemy tanks. The prime minister also met soldiers at a hospital that specialises in burn injuries, and saw a building where two eminent scientists were killed on 1 January when a drone hit their upper-storey apartment. The building is down the street from the presidents office. Timur Tkachenko, the head of Kyivs military administration, told Starmer: They were sending us a message no one is safe. Before their meeting on Thursday, Starmer described Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine from its closest parters as a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level, he said. The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russias barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future is vital to this governments foundation of security and our plan for change. Zelenskyy conceded in Thurdays press conference that his troops were being pushed back in the east of the country, but said he was optimistic the situation could be stabilised, as it had been on other parts of the frontline. The Russian president has given no sign he is willing to call an end to the fighting. His demands are as maximalist as ever and include the handover of four Ukrainian regions that he annexed in 2022 including territory Moscow does not control; a veto on Kyivs Nato membership; and the replacement of Zelenskyys government with a pro-Kremlin aministration. His apparent calculation is that Trump will swiftly end military assistance to Ukraine, which will enable further gains. Russian troops are closing in for the first time on Dnipropetrovsk oblast, a centre for Ukrainian defence production. Starmer discussed the direction of the conflict after Trumps return with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, at Chequers last week. The two leaders talked about the importance of offering Ukraine security guarantees. The 100-year partnership is also intended to boost economic links in non-military areas such as science, technology and culture. Starmer will announce 40m for economic recovery, which the government said would create opportunities for British companies. A top Ukrainian official expressed frustration with Starmers new government in November and suggested relations with the UK had gone backwards. The supply of British long-range Storm Shadow missiles had stopped, the official said, adding that the prime minister had postponed a trip to Kyiv several times. It isnt happening. Starmer isnt giving us long-range weapons. The situation is not the same as when Rishi Sunak was prime minister. The relationship has got worse, the official told the Guardian. Downing Street reacted to the comments with irritation and declined to comment on operational matters. Ukraine has subsequently used Storm Shadow missiles against high-value targets, including in Kursk province. Ukrainian forces launched a small counter-invasion five months ago into the Russian border area and recently captured two North Korean soldiers. Some new recruits are allegedly turning up on their first day assuming they would be given accommodation - Ian Waldie/Getty Jails are recruiting prison officers from Nigeria and other countries to plug shortages in a move that has seen some camping or sleeping in their cars to save on accommodation. The prison service is for the first time sponsoring skilled worker visas for overseas workers after a change in the rules enabled them to recruit from abroad. Prison governors say many of them have come from Nigeria and include not only skilled workers but also some switching from other visa routes. The Prison Officers Association (POA) has reported cases of overseas recruits turning up on their first day assuming they would be given accommodation along with their job. Mark Fairhurst, the president of the POA, said one foreign recruit was commuting the 70 miles from Huddersfield to Nottingham for work but then decided it was cheaper to sleep in his car outside the prison. He said that at another jail, foreign-recruited prison officers had set up a camp in a wooded area opposite the prison where they were working after discovering that there was no accommodation provided with the job. We have got problems with people who turn up at the gates with cases in tow and with their families saying to the staff: Where is the accommodation?, said Mr Fairhurst. Their recruitment follows a change in the visa rules in October 2023 that included prison officers on the list of skilled workers eligible for sponsorship. Ministry of Justice (MoJ) sources suggested that up to 250 foreign nationals have so far been sponsored to work in the prison service after passing through their Zoom interviews and vetting. Prison governors believe there are significantly more applicants which include those switching from other visas. They claimed that in one month last year two-thirds of the 3,500 would-be recruits were from Africa. Tom Wheatley, the president of the Prison Governors Association (PGA), said the demand appeared to have been fuelled by word of mouth online. Its turned into an approach that has been promoted online by the expat Nigerian community, he said. He said it had created difficulties in some prisons where there were a disproportionate number of foreign prison staff and, in remote rural areas, issues over their integration into the local community. There had also been issues about language and communication, in some jails. A Prison Service spokesman said: In October 2023, changes were made to the skilled worker visa scheme which has allowed the prison service to sponsor visa applications for foreign nationals. All staff regardless of nationality undergo robust assessments and training before they work in prisons. Our strengthened vetting process roots out those who fall below our high standards. Earlier this week, Mr Fairhurst also criticised the prison service policy of hiring officers over Zoom and urged it to return to in-person interviews. He said that frontline prison officers were routinely being recruited without any face-to-face interviews. Recruits were then given only six weeks training which was not enough time to learn how to manage prisoners, he said. He said the process was simply not fit for purpose and that it was not surprising that corrupt and under-qualified officers were being recruited. Last year, a record 165 prison staff were sacked for misconduct, an increase of 34 per cent on the previous year, according to the HM Prison and Probation Service. This month a former HMP Wandsworth prison officer was jailed for 15 months after she was filmed having sex with an inmate. The prison service said: Our prison officers undergo robust assessments and an extended period of training before they work in prisons. We also continuously review our recruitment process to ensure our officers are best suited to their role and have strengthened vetting procedures to root out applicants who fall below our high standards. Rocket Factory Augsburg will complete a test flight of its 30-metre tall RFA ONE rocket - SaxaVord UK/PA Britain is set to be the site of Europes first rocket launch after the UK regulator granted the first licence of its kind for a vertical take-off. Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), a German rocket manufacturer, has become the first company to be given a spaceflight operator licence, also known as a launch licence, by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The licence paves the way for the company to complete a test flight of its 30-metre tall RFA ONE rocket from the SaxaVord spaceport in the Shetland Islands. The company hopes to launch for the first time this year. SaxaVord is a repurposed RAF base and was the first spaceport in the UK to be granted a licence for vertical rocket launches in 2023. But RFA has beaten competitors to be the first to be granted the launch licence needed to permit vertical take-off. The SaxaVord spaceport in the Shetland Islands, which is a repurposed RAF base - SaxaVord/PA The company was founded in 2018 and hopes to become a low-cost option for companies wishing to send payloads of up to 1,300kg into low Earth orbit, such as satellites. The company hopes to send payloads to space weekly but its current licence, granted on Thursday, constrains it to 10 launches a year, with no more than two a month and 24 hours minimum between take-offs. Jorn Spurmann, the co-founder and chief commercial officer of RFA, said: This is a groundbreaking moment for RFA and for Europes space industry. Securing the first-ever launch licence outside ESAs established site in Kourou is not just a regulatory milestone its a powerful endorsement of our technical excellence and a turning point for European space innovation. This licence marks Europes bold step toward independent, competitive, and sustainable space access. By enabling cost-effective and flexible launches from the European mainland, we are laying the foundation for a new era of space exploration and commercialisation, ensuring Europe remains at the forefront of the global space race. Together with the CAA and our partners, we are driving the future of accessible and reliable spaceflight, unlocking opportunities that will shape industries and inspire generations. A rocket engine explodes during test at Shetland spaceport - BBC Rob Bishton, the chief executive of the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said the greenlight launches a new era for aerospace and marks a historic milestone for the nation. Matt Archer, the director of launch at the UK Space Agency, said: This licence approval is a landmark moment, as it signals the start of vertical rocket launches from European soil. The UK hosted horizontal rocket launches when Virgin Orbit took off from a spaceport in Cornwall in January 2023 but this featured a plane carrying a rocket. Vertical launches pose different problems and have a higher risk on the launchpad and necessitate a shutdown of airspace in the area of the launch. Donald Trump has threatened to impose tariffs in an attempt to boost the US economy - Scott Olson/Getty Images North America A potential tariff war with Donald Trump is worrying the Government, the Business Secretary has admitted. Mr Trump is set to be inaugurated on Jan 20 and has vowed to put a 20 per cent tariff on all imported goods, with China facing 60 per cent tariffs. But Jonathan Reynolds insisted the UK is well-prepared if the president-elect does follow through on his threat to impose tariffs in an attempt to boost the US economy. Asked if he was worried about a tariff war with the new US administration, Mr Reynolds told Sky News: I am, because the UK is a very globally-orientated economy, so the exposure, the danger to the UK is actually greater than even some comparable countries around that. So, a lot of our work has been preparing for that, engaging early with the new administration. Jonathan Reynolds insists the UK is well-prepared to weather the storm if tariffs are imposed - Anadolu Mr Reynolds said the UK is well-prepared to weather the storm if Mr Trump does impose tariffs. He said: Free trade is a good thing. Reducing tariffs, whichever partner that is, is important. So look, we are well-prepared for this, we have got a good argument to make and I think there is a chance actually if we play this right to get an even better relationship out of some of these things that have been put forward. But we cant be complacent and there are risks, yes, of a tariff war between friends, allies and other parts of the world. He said Mr Trumps return to the White House would trigger a challenging time for anyone who is responsible for trade in a big economy because of some of those pledges that were made in the campaign. However, he also said he believed there will be opportunities for the UK to seek a closer trading relationship with the US in some areas. Sir Keir Starmer warned Mr Trump against imposing tariffs back in December last year. The Prime Minister said at the time: It wont come as any surprise to you that I am not a fan of tariffs and therefore we have to make sure that we avoid tariffs. Sir Keir is hoping Mr Trump will help him deliver on his pledge to boost economic growth. The Prime Minister told Cabinet ministers on Tuesday this week he wanted to strike a partnership with the US that can advance our economic growth. Sir Keir is hoping to revive the Conservatives years-long ambition of striking a UK-US free trade deal, although Labour is expected to seek a more targeted agreement focusing on the service industry and new technology. UK hopes of reducing trade barriers would be severely undermined if Mr Trump does impose tariffs. It comes after the Prime Minister dropped plans to sign away the Chagos Islands to Mauritius this week, following opposition from Donald Trumps team. Downing Street said on Wednesday a pact to give away the territory would no longer be signed before Mr Trump took office, raising hopes it could eventually be scrapped altogether. The Telegraph understands that Marco Rubio, Mr Trumps incoming secretary of state, was contacted by opponents of the agreement earlier this week. Vanuatu is holding an election a month after a devastating earthquake that displaced thousands of people and killed at least 14. Photograph: Christopher Malili/The Guardian Polls have opened in Vanuatu , a Pacific nation grappling with political instability and the logistics of holding a snap election in the aftermath of a 7.3-magnitude earthquake that killed at least 14 people and displaced thousands. As downtown Port Vila remained shuttered, with multiple buildings earmarked for demolition, some residents lined up in tents from 6.30am to vote. Im looking for someone who has heart, we are facing a disaster, we need someone with integrity and who is going to be stable, student Jeffrey Namu, 24, said. More than 350 police officers joined election officials to oversee the elections, in a country where crime and gender-based violence has been on the increase since the quake on 17 December. It was a challenge for us, its very difficult and we dont want to deprive anyone of the right to vote, principal electoral officer Guilain Malessas said. Polls will close at 4.30pm, and the new parliament must sit within 21 days of the official results being declared. But even as many rebuilt their homes, there was hope especially among Vanuatus youth that the next government could help glue the country together. Vanuatu is more at risk from climate change and we need the government to be stable so that when disaster comes, we can address it, says Laetitia Metsan, 21, an environmental protection student. For a lot of young people, we are sick of it. Related: Fears Vanuatu health system could be overwhelmed as disease risks rise after quake In June 2024, Vanuatu voted for reforms in a referendum called by then-prime minister Charlot Salwai aimed at improving political stability. Vanuatus parliament, known as the Red Roof, has 52 seats. The party with the largest majority in the last election won eight seats. Continual coalition governments have ousted prime ministers on average once a year for the past two decades, with cabinet reshuffles meaning some ministries have seen more than a dozen ministers in two years. Just six months after the referendum, the president, Nikenike Vurobaravu, dissolved parliament after a motion of no confidence in the prime minister. We felt blindsided, Vanuatu politics expert Anna Naupa says. They dont have time to get on with the business of running a country, and people are looking towards a government that can solve our economic and social issues. Now, many say they felt abandoned during the earthquake response. We were lost, says Marie Louise Milne, 35, one of only seven female candidates standing in the elections and also one of the youngest. She had resigned as Port Vila deputy mayor to run for parliament, and said people were asking her for help after the quake. The dissolution happened and then the earthquake came and then people were coming to me and saying where is the recovery? No one came to ask if people were OK, what they needed, water supply, food. She wants improvements in womens health, including cervical and breast cancer detection and treatment and maternity care, and preventing violence against women. Women need to be heard. In Vanuatu, voting is often driven by need rather than ideology, with many islands lacking roads and access to basic healthcare and schooling. Some said they were voting for whoever their chief advised. Others vote based on who could help improve their village. Noella Velvel, from the island of Ambrym, wants solar street lights, an iron roof for her house, and an increase in the price of copra, a byproduct of coconut, of which her family has a plantation. When I voted last time, I didnt see the help coming, she says. Disillusioned with the process Candidates campaigned till midnight on Monday, with convoys of supporters driving through pot-holed streets, waving flags and dancing into the night. Yet many feared the impact of the earthquake and low voter turnout, which dropped below 50% in 2022. Hundreds of Port Vila residents fled to home islands after the quake and are not eligible to vote there, coupled with a new ballot system. Weve been doing a lot of education out in the community, says Transparency International Vanuatu chief executive Dr Willie Tokon. But people are saying we turned up to vote in the last snap election and nothing happened. Others think it could act as an incentive. People are disillusioned with the process, and they want change, says Terence Malapa, Vanuatu Daily Post political reporter. Standing on a campaign to hold MPs accountable for public money, climate advocate Ralph Regenvanu a politician with a global profile and his eye on the top job says he aims to continue holding fossil fuel producing countries to account for their impact on Vanuatu, along with public service reform. For many, this sentiment resonated. There are a lot of unemployed people right now, a lot of businesses closed, a lot of people dont go to school, says Etul Franky, 44. We need a government who will sort it out. A Southwest Airlines jet approaches the runway for a landing at Hobby Airport Thursday, Sep. 26, 2024 in Houston. Kirk Sides/Staff photographer The U.S. Department of Transportation filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines Wednesday alleging the company engaged in deceptive practices by offering flights it knew it could not make on time, according to federal court documents filed in the Northern District of California. The lawsuits characterized the flights as "chronically delayed" a term defined by the Code of Federal Regulations as any domestic flight that is operated at least 10 times per month and is at least 30 minutes late more than 50% of the time and alleged that certain flights, such as one route flown by Southwest between Chicago, Illinois, and Oakland, California, arrived late nearly 80% of the time. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "When an airline knows that a particular flight is consistently late, it is essential that the airline adjusts its schedule," the lawsuit reads. "But on many occasions, Southwest has chosen not to make such adjustments, and instead has continued to market its flights using unrealistic schedules. By doing so, Southwest has caused significant harm to its customers." Southwest also allegedly operated a flight between Baltimore, Maryland and Cleveland, Ohio, that arrived an average of 96 minutes late in 19 out of 29 flights during June 2022, according to the suit. All of the flights referenced in the suit occurred during 2022, which Southwest Airlines said in a statement to the Chronicle it was "disappointed" by. "Southwest is disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago," the Dallas-based company said in a statement to the Chronicle. "Since DOT issued its Chronically Delayed Flight policy in 2009, Southwest has operated more than 20 million flights with no other CDF violations. Any claim that these two flights represent an unrealistic schedule is simply not credible when compared with our performance over the past 15 years." But Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement to the Associated Press that the lawsuit was intended to send a message to other airlines that the U.S. government will uphold consumer standards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad SEATING CHART: Southwest Airlines plans for assigned seating to start in first half of 2026 "Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times, Buttigieg said. "Todays action sends a message to all airlines that the department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections." The Department of Transportation characterized the late flights as not only harming consumers, but competing airlines as well. Offering flight times the airline knew it could not stick to, the lawsuit alleged, constituted an unfair method of competition. According to the suit, Department of Transportation regulations stipulate that any airline that offers chronically delayed flights for more than four consecutive months or otherwise engages in unrealistic flight scheduling is considered to be engaging in unfair competition. Storms, winds and rain on Thursday are expected to be less severe than Wednesdays but people are urged to monitor BoM weather forecasts and to steer clear of danger. Photograph: William West/AFP/Getty Images Persistent rain and strong winds will sweep across New South Wales into the weekend, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts, with parts of Victoria and south-east Queensland also likely to be affected. Angus Hines, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said Sydneys weather could shift from storms to a dreary mix of wind, rain and cloud. It would be persistently windy and quite chilly, he said. While the intense storms that lashed Sydney on Wednesday had developed in Victoria and swept east, a low-pressure system in the Tasman Sea would feed strong winds and rain on to the east coast of NSW, he said. That same weather system was expected to affect parts of eastern Victoria and south-east Queensland. The bureau has warned of damaging winds, hail and heavy rainfall for parts of the Gold Coast. Eastern NSW, particularly the northern rivers region, was at the highest risk for severe thunderstorms on Thursday, Hines said, with more heavy rain, damaging winds and possibly large hail expected. The Hunter and mid-north coast could also expect heavy rainfall and damaging winds over the next 48 hours. On the other side of the country, Western Australia faces the highest risk of a tropical cyclone so far this season, according to Hines. The most likely impact of that would be some heavy rainfall around the Pilbara and northern WA, strong winds particularly near the coast of the Pilbara, he said. Large waves were likely along the northern WA coastline. Related: I had steam coming out of my ears: Kokkinakis torment in Draper defeat Hot weather would continue across north-eastern Queensland, he added. Severe intensity heatwaves were forecast from Bundaberg to north of Cairns. Lots of those areas are between four and eight degrees warmer than usual for this time of year during the day, Hines said. Wednesdays thunderstorms produced 1.2m lightning strikes, damaging wind gusts above 100km/h in many areas, and sharp bursts of rain. It was very dramatic, he said. Pretty much everyone from Melbourne up to Sydney and all areas in between, including across Canberra, would have seen a taste of that as that band of storms swept through. Wind gusts up to 107km/h were recorded at Sydney airport, 109km/h in Newcastle and 120km/h in Williamtown. While most rainfall totals were between 20mm and 40mm, Eurobodalla on the NSW south coast was drenched with 127mm. The weather caused significant damage and widespread power outages. More than 143,000 households and businesses across NSW lost power approximately 90% due to lightning strikes, according to Ausgrid. Northern Sydney, the Hunter and Newcastle regions were hardest hit. Ausgrid said crews had worked through the night to restore power to 50,000 homes and businesses. They were focused on returning power to remaining customers as quickly as possible. The State Emergency Service received more than 2,250 calls and responded to 1,800 incidents. A man in his 80s died at Cowra after a tree fell on his vehicle, the SES said. Parts of Queensland were also in the firing line later on Thursday with severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hailstones cutting a swathe across the states southeast. Areas affected included Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Gympie, with trees uprooted and power cut to thousands of homes on Thursday afternoon. Australias land surface has warmed by 1.5C since 1910, according to the BoM, making heatwaves longer and more intense. The climate crisis was causing the number of extremely hot days to increase. with Australian Associated Press NHS patients dying in corridors and going undiscovered for hours, report says Patients are dying in corridors and sometimes going undiscovered for hours while sick people are being left to soil themselves, according to a damning report into the state of the NHS. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) published new findings into what is going on in Englands hospitals as staff try to manage the number of people needing care. The harrowing report tells of patients sitting for days in chairs so-called chair care due to a lack of beds, patients piling up in corridors, delays to treatment and the elderly unable to get help due to no call bells and not enough staff. The RCN called for immediate Government action to end corridor care, which it says has become normalised and is not just occurring in the winter months. The experiences of more than 5,000 nursing staff across the UK, with more than 4,000 from England, contained within the 460-page report highlight how patients are routinely coming to harm and deaths are happening. Testimonies from nurses in the report include: Patients regularly treated in bathrooms, shower areas, cloakrooms, bereavement rooms and even viewing rooms (where families visit dead relatives). Patients have died on trollies and chairs in the corridor and waiting room. All the fundamentals of care have broken down we are no better than a developing world casualty. The RCN said corridor care had become normalised (PA) Patients sometimes wait in (the) emergency department for over 35 hours to go to a ward, just to be put in the corridor. The system is broken. A nurse in the South East, said: A patient died in the corridor but wasnt discovered for hours. Department overwhelmed, which is a daily occurrenceAt its worse asking someone to go round and make sure people are still alive. No bedside tables, patient unable to reach water and food. No bedside chairs, patients kept in bed at all times. No call bells, patient unable to call for help. Regularly have 25+ patients in a corridor with no privacy or dignity to be examined or have personal care. This inflicts horrendous moral injury in all staff who work in this environment. Elderly patients cared for in very inhumane and third-world conditions. I worked throughout Covid-19 and although (it) was a horrendous experience, this lack of care in the broken system is worse. The last patient we had had to be changed for faeces in the store cupboard. Totally inappropriate, and truly awful for the patient. We have one cubicle space that is for corridor assessment and toileting but is often busy, so delays in toileting resulting in people laying in their own urine/faeces. I am unable to toilet patients appropriately and often some will be incontinent and sit in faeces/urine until there is a space to provide personal care. Not appropriate care for the patient involved people are dying in the back of ambulances in the car parks. For the last two years corridor care is a daily occurrence and we have at least two to four nurses allocated every day for this. Patient died due to lack of safety equipment by bedside (oxygen, suction, etc). The patient choked, desaturated while reconfiguring bays. We have had cardiac arrests in the corridor or in cubicles blocked by patients on trolleys in front of them, delaying lifesaving CPR. Despite these never events, we still are obliged to deliver care in the corridor. Corridor nursing is tiring, exhausting and soul-destroying. It is not nursing. A patient had a cardiac arrest in the corridor by the male toilet and died. Another nurse described cardiac arrests in the corridor with no crash bell, crash trolley, oxygen, defibrillator straddling a patient doing CPR while everyone watches on. We told a patient he was dying as patients were wheeled past and orders shouted across the unit. How is it fair to tell someone they are dying in a corridor? Patients sit in chairs, sometimes for days waiting for a bed. In a media briefing accompanying the report, one nurse, who wished to remain anonymous, said: This is not nursing, this is firefighting. More than nine in 10 NHS nursing staff surveyed said care was unsafe (PA) A survey of NHS nursing staff for the study found 67% said they are delivering care every day in overcrowded or unsuitable places. More than nine in 10 said care is unsafe. One nurse was emotional as she told the briefing there were 30 chairs in their emergency corridor but no extra staff for those patients. She said: The risk of patients dying and not being noticed is very high, everybody is stretched. She also told how staff experienced violence from patients due to long waiting times, adding the experience of working in the NHS makes a hole in your soul. Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN chief executive, told the briefing the report was harrowing, adding staff were leaving because they cannot do it any more. She added: This winter is absolutely no surprise to any of us. Wards, departments were escalated into areas they shouldnt be all through June, July, August, September its become normal to put patients in all sorts of areas that I can promise you, being a chief nurse for nearly 10 years before this job, prior to Covid, would have been seen as abhorrent and totally unacceptable. Thats the real tragedy here, is that care that would have been seen prior to Covid as shocking has been normalised. She said the NHS did not have enough beds or nurses to meet demand and that was occurring throughout the year, adding: I really want to make sure that flu is not used as the excuse for this. Regarding chair care, Prof Ranger said: We talk about fit to sit as the new mantra. Saffron Cordery, interim chief executive, NHS Providers, said the testimonies within the report were harrowing. Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said building a health service fit for the future was a key priority for the NHS and Government (PA) Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told ITVs Good Morning Britain on Thursday: It is harrowing. And Im afraid to say I dont think we needed a report like this to know this. Shadow health secretary Ed Argar said it was down to Wes Streeting to act now to increase capacity in hospitals. Frontline healthcare staff work incredibly hard to care for patients, and it is entirely unacceptable for them to be obliged to deliver care in this way, he said. The Health Secretary told the Commons on Wednesday that he cannot promise that there wont be patients treated in corridors next year. Mr Streeting said the Government would never accept or tolerate people being treated in unsafe, undignified conditions but it would take time to undo the damage done to the NHS by the previous government. The Nintendo Switch 2, the successor to the Japanese gaming giants popular Switch console, will be released this year. The firm published a trailer on its website confirming the release of the console, but has not yet revealed a price or launch date. The original Nintendo Switch has proven hugely popular with gaming fans since it was released in 2017, with its hybrid home and mobile gaming system which allows players to carry the screen and detachable remote controls with them, as well as dock the device in a station at home to use it with a TV. Introducing #NintendoSwitch2, the successor to Nintendo Switch releasing in 2025. Visit website: https://t.co/l2QKPwjxm8 pic.twitter.com/UVZ2i9v7uc Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) January 16, 2025 The trailer for the new console shows a similar design but a larger screen and bigger detachable Joy-Con controllers. Nintendo confirmed the Switch 2 will support backwards compatibility, meaning players will be able to run original Switch console games, as well as those made for the Switch 2, on the new system. However, the company added that some Switch games may not be supported or fully compatible with Nintendo Switch 2 and it will provide more details later. More information about the console will be announced during a livestream event on Wednesday April 2, Nintendo said, and the gaming firm is to run hands-on events with the product in cities around the world in the same month. These will include an event at London Excel between April 11 and 13. Elianne Andams parents have vowed knife crime will not go unanswered as a teenager was found guilty of murdering their 15-year-old daughter in a row over a teddy bear. Hassan Sentamu, 18, had a history of attacking girls and carrying knives before he stabbed the popular schoolgirl in the neck outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, south-east London. He had admitted manslaughter but denied murder on the basis that his autism affected his ability to exercise self-control. Elianne Andam (Metropolitan Police/PA) On Thursday, an Old Bailey jury found Sentamu, from New Addington, near Croydon, guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to two and unanimously guilty of possession of a blade. There were shouts of yes and murderer from the public gallery as the jury gave its verdicts after deliberating for 11 hours and 42 minutes. As Sentamu stood shaking and wiping away tears in the dock, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb adjourned sentencing until March 13. The senior judge told him: I understand you must be very shocked and take time to get used to what has happened. Outside the Old Bailey, Eliannes father Michael Andam described his daughter as a bright, kind and loving soul with hopes and dreams for the future before she was cruelly taken away. In a joint statement with Eliannes mother Dorcas, he said: The verdict today is the first step towards justice for Elianne, but also a message that violence and knife crime, especially towards young women, will not go unanswered. As we begin the long process of healing, we reflect on this verdict not as an end but as a step toward change. Michael Andam, father of Elianne Andam, speaking outside the Old Bailey (Lucy North/PA) We will continue to fight against the violence that took Elianne from us, sharing her story and working toward a world where no family has to endure such heartbreak. The court had heard that Sentamu lashed out in white hot rage and stabbed Elianne with a kitchen knife before school on September 27 2023. About 10 days before, Sentamu had split up with Eliannes friend by text, telling her: Ur energy is dead Im not rdy for a relationshipall the best. The day before the killing, he had seen the girls at the Whitgift Centre where they teased him and his ex-girlfriend threw water on him. Seething at the perceived disrespect, he told a friend he could not let this slide. The next day, he donned a mask and gloves and armed himself with a kitchen knife before a planned meeting to hand over his ex-girlfriends teddy bear in exchange for some of his clothes. Elianne stood up for her friend when Sentamu turned up without the bear and walked off with a bag of his belongings. Elianne Andam on Snapchat moments before she was killed (Metropolitan Police/PA) Sentamus ex-girlfriend told the court: Elianne ran behind him, grabbed the bag and started running and laughing as a joke. It was the type of thing that Elianne would have done. At first I was laughing a bit because it was a joke and then I got scared because then Hassan got mad. Sentamu chased Elianne and repeatedly stabbed her on the ground despite her pleas for him to stop, the court was told. She suffered a fatal 12cm deep stab to the neck and a passing bus driver held her hand and stayed with her as she lay dying in the street. The stabbing was caught on CCTV and in the ensuing chaos, Eliannes traumatised friends told police what happened and described the killer who had fled and dumped the bloody knife. A police officer spotted him on a bus heading towards New Addington and arrested him within an hour and a half of the killing. Rap star Stormzy joined members of the community at a candlit vigil for Elianne who had hoped to become a human rights lawyer. Stormzy (centre) joined a vigil in Croydon (Yui Mok/PA) Uganda-born Sentamu declined to give evidence in his defence but the court was told of his troubled childhood. He was given a police caution at the age of 12 after producing a knife in school. Other abusive and violent behaviour included putting girls in a headlock, and threatening to harm a foster carers cat and chop off its tail. The month after Eliannes death, Sentamu got into a row after a fellow inmate at Oakhill Secure Training Centre in Milton Keynes accused him of killing girls. Sentamu responded: Ill do it again. Ill do it to your mum. Do you want to end up like her, six feet under? After the verdict, Detective Chief Inspector Becky Woodsford, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, praised Eliannes family and friends for their dignity, determination and composure. She said: Eliannes family and friends have waited a long time for this day. Nothing will ease the immeasurable pain they continue to live with, but I know they will be immensely relieved by this outcome. The UK will discuss deploying peacekeeping troops to Ukraine with its allies, Sir Keir Starmer said, as he vowed Britain will play our part in guaranteeing the countrys security following any ceasefire with Russia. The Prime Minister indicated he was speaking to international partners, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, about the prospect of western soldiers monitoring a future deal. Sir Keirs first visit to Kyiv since entering No 10 coincided with a drone attack by Russian President Vladimir Putins forces on the Ukrainian capital. The Prime Minister heard sirens warning Kyivs citizens of the air raid as he met Mr Zelensky, a moment he said highlighted the incredible resolve of the Ukrainian people. Lets be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace, Sir Keir said. The air raid was a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it. In response to the apparent message the Russian attack had sent, Mr Zelensky said: We will say hello to them, too. Asked later on Thursday whether in principle he would agree to send troops to Ukraine to safeguard any peace deal, as Mr Macron has called for, Sir Keir told Sky News: We will be discussing this with a number of allies, including of course President Macron, including President Zelensky here today, and we will play our full part. We have always been one of the leading countries in relation to the defence of Ukraine, and so if you can read into that that we will be playing our full part, but I dont want to get ahead of ourselves. Because this has to be enduring, lasting. Mr Macron has been leading calls for Nato allies to deploy troops to Ukraine to monitor any future ceasefire. Sir Keir added that the UK is fully committed to Nato and were already deploying troops on a number of frontiers. Mr Zelensky said it was a bit too early to talk about details. Sir Keir said: We will work with you and all our allies for steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security, to guarantee any possible peace and deter any future aggression. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is shown a damaged vehicle in Kyiv (Carl Court/PA) He said those conversations will continue for many months ahead, adding: We will play our part when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraines security but we must never lose sight of the absolute need for Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position as we go into 2025. In a social media post after signing a new 100-year pact with Mr Zelensky, which formalises economic and military support provided by Britain to Ukraine, Sir Keir said: The history of the 21st century is being written here and now. Together, our strength will set it on the right path. Slava Ukraini. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the partnership would bolster our security, prosperity and friendship for generations to come. The visit comes just days before Donald Trump enters the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraines war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal. Mr Trumps choice for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, suggested on Wednesday that both Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war. Mr Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to secure peace through strength, and last year Mr Zelensky said that Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength as he urged world leaders to not be cowed by Russia. On Thursday, Sir Keir also made reference to peace through strength in Ukraine, and said that it is strength together that will set history on the right path. You know the phrase peace through strength has come to define the allied approach in Ukraine, he told the press conference. But there is also a warning in that phrase that an absence of strength would not just bring about a worse peace, it would embolden aggressors everywhere, it will bring more war. The history of the 21st century is being written here and now, it is our strength together that will set it on the right path. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Carl Court/PA) Later at the same press conference, Sir Keir also paid tribute to the support that the US has given Kyiv. Id actually like to pay tribute to the work that the US has done here, he said. The support that they have put in, because its been a vital component of what has been quite an incredible achievement by Ukraine. If I think about how long this conflict has gone on and the incredible success that Ukraine has had in the face of this aggression from Russia, that is a tribute to Ukraine, Ukrainians and their resolve, but also to all allies whove supported Ukraine, including the US. The UK has also cemented ties with Ukraine with its 100-year partnership deal, which will set out co-operation between the countries in an agreement that will stretch into the next century. The agreement will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework covering the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Azov Sea, to deter Russian aggression. The partnership, which will take shape through a treaty and a political declaration, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks, and will involve co-operation in areas such as healthcare, agricultural technology and the space industry. Downing Street set out details of a 4.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including air defence systems, drones and equipment support. Sir Keir Starmer during his visit to Ukraine (Carl Court/PA) The UK has committed 3 billion a year for as long as Ukraine needs it, and that will be supplemented with the first 1.5 billion from a 2.26 billion loan, which will be repaid with the profits from frozen Russian assets. The UK-designed and rapidly developed Gravehawk system, funded jointly with Denmark, will be delivered this year. The system is able to retrofit air-to-air missiles for ground-based air defence, meaning it can use existing Ukrainian missiles. Ukrainian officer cadets will also be trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. A 61 million contract will see BAE Systems work with Sheffield Forgemasters to produce artillery barrels for the first time in almost two decades. The City regulator is being urged by Which? to crack down on some practices by insurers. The consumer group raised concerns that some firms could be failing to meet their obligations under the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)s Consumer Duty, which requires firms to focus on customer outcomes by putting themselves in customers shoes and pro-actively take action. It said the impact of poor treatment from insurance firms can be devastating for consumers, many of whom have already had a traumatising experience such as a fire or flooding at their home. A new policy report from Which? called Risky business: Consumer confusion around general insurance said: Given low claims acceptance rates for some products, this suggests some consumers are receiving nasty shocks when their claims are rejected. The report said three common misconceptions had been identified by Which? that may lead consumers to an incorrect assumption about whether they are covered. It said firstly, when they take out cover, consumers have little understanding of any limitations of this cover, (for example) that travel insurance may not cover missed flight connections, or that home insurance only covers specific insured events. Secondly, when a situation is due to events beyond a consumers control, they often assume they will be covered, the report said. And thirdly, while consumers understand that negligence and wear and tear are factors that can limit insurance cover, there is sometimes little understanding of what might constitute negligence or wear and tear, it said. Which? is calling for the FCAs ongoing review of insurers claims-handling arrangements to lead to action to address claims rejection rates for consumers with home and travel insurance. The consumer group said research indicates that a majority of consumers (65%) believe that insurance regulations mean products must meet a minimum level of cover, and more than half (54%) believe the FCA will ensure that all insurance products provide adequate protection. Yonder carried out research on behalf of Which? among 4,000 people across the UK in October 2024. Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: The FCA has the power and responsibility to step in and protect consumers. The regulator must show its teeth and start taking tough enforcement action against insurers that are failing to meet their Consumer Duty obligations, or to comply with FCA insurance rules or wider consumer law. The FCA has been looking into various aspects of insurance and is keeping watch on the market to help ensure consumers get what they expect. It has reviewed how firms are supporting their customers and using communications to support informed decision-making and will publish findings in the months ahead. In the second quarter of 2025, the FCA also aims to release findings into how swiftly the insurance industry responds to claims, including where customers are more likely to show characteristics of vulnerability. It has also highlighted good and poor practice regarding how firms are tracking consumer outcomes and acting on insight from complaints to drive improvements under the Consumer Duty. An FCA spokesperson said: We expect firms to help consumers to make informed decisions to buy insurance products that meet their needs. Weve have intervened directly with firms where weve found poor customer service and claims handling. Currently, were looking at how quickly insurers respond to claims as part of a wider evaluation of the market, with findings set to be published later this year. A spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers said: Insurers appreciate how stressful making a claim can be, and their first priority will always be to support their customers. While the vast majority of claims are accepted and handled quickly, our members continue to work hard to meet their customers needs and regulatory requirements, including the Consumer Duty. The FCA recently published its priorities under the Consumer Duty for the remainder of 2024/25, and we will continue working closely with the regulator, members and stakeholders to explore more effective ways to improve consumer outcomes. As ever, it is vital to read your policys terms and conditions to ensure that the level of cover meets your needs, and you can speak to your insurer if you have any questions. The three-decade long concealment of the truth behind the murder of a gaelic games official should be a source of profound shame and embarrassment for the British state, a court has been told. A barrister for the family of Sean Brown described his 1997 killing, which has been linked to several state agents, as an indelible stain on the body politic of the UK. Des Fahy KC was responding to a Government bid to overturn the decision of a High Court judge last year to order a public inquiry into the murder. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benns challenge against the order was heard in the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Thursday. SDLP leader Claire Hanna (left) and First Minister Michelle ONeill arrive at Belfast High Court (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Benns barrister argued that Mr Justice Humphreys was wrong in law to compel the Government to set up a public inquiry. However, Mr Fahy said the judges decision was unimpeachable, with an inquiry the only legal means left to uncover the facts around the murder. He noted that the appeal case marked the 57th occasion Mr Browns 87-year-old widow, Bridie, had come to a courtroom in her long campaign for justice. The murder of Sean Brown is an indelible stain on the body politic of this state, he told the three Appeal Court judges. The fact that 28 years later no-one has been prosecuted and convicted of this heinous murder is egregious in itself. However, the further fact that 28 years later the truth about what happened to Mr Brown remains resolutely and determinedly hidden from Bridie Brown, his 87-year-old widow, should be a source of profound shame and embarrassment for all of the institutions of the British state. The family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown walk to Belfast High Court on Thursday (Liam McBurney/PA). Earlier, Tony McGleenan KC, representing the Government, said that Mr Justice Humphreys seized the discretion that should have been held by Mr Benn and exercised it himself when he ordered an inquiry. He further described the judges decision as unprecedented, highlighting that there had never been another instance of a court making an order of mandamus, compelling the Government to hold a public inquiry. Theres not a single example anyone will show you of a court doing that, he said. Mr Brown, 61, the chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club in Co Londonderry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Stormont First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill and SDLP leader Claire Hanna were among supporters who accompanied the Brown family to the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Thursday. Last year a coroner halted an inquest into the death, expressing concern that his ability to examine the case had been compromised by the extent of confidential state material being excluded from the proceedings on national security grounds. Preliminary inquest proceedings had already heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Coroner Mr Justice Kinney called on the Government to establish a public inquiry into the loyalist murder. Mr Benn decided against holding an inquiry, saying the case could instead be dealt with by a new Troubles investigatory body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). Bridie Brown, the widow of murdered GAA official Sean Brown, holds a picture of him (Liam McBurney/PA) However, aspects of the legislation that underpins the work of the ICRIR was later found to be incompatible with human rights laws in a different Court of Appeal challenge, separate from the Brown case. Mr Browns widow challenged Mr Benns decision not to order a public inquiry and Mr Justice Humphreys found in her favour in December and ordered the Government to establish one. Northern Irelands Lady Chief Justice, Dame Siobhan Keegan, joined two other Court of Appeal judges, Lord Justice Treacy and Lord Justice Horner, in hearing the case on Thursday. At the conclusion of the hearing she said they would deliver judgment as soon as possible. Mr McGleenan suggested that ordering a public inquiry was premature, as he said Mr Benn remained committed to making the ICRIR compliant with human rights laws, either by legislative changes or by successfully challenging the separate Court of Appeal judgment at the Supreme Court. He said Mr Justice Humphreys should have adjourned Mrs Browns case until the outcome of the appeal over the ICRIRs compliance ran its course. During exchanges in court, Lord Justice Treacy told Mr McGleenan that a judges job was to make a ruling based on the state of the law at the time, and not on what the legal position might look like in the future. He suggested that a public inquiry was the only show in town in terms of a human rights-compliant investigation, as he predicted that Government moves to make the ICRIC compliant could take years. Mr McGleenan said that the ICRIR would be made human rights compliant by hook or by crook and it could then deal with the Brown case faster and cheaper than a public inquiry. He said Mr Justice Humphreys was aware of the Governments commitment to make the ICRIR compliant when he ordered the public inquiry. Noting the familys long wait for justice, the barrister acknowledged that it was not a comfortable position for the Government to be mounting the appeal challenge. But he maintained that Mr Justice Humphreys should not have ordered a public inquiry while the issues of considerable importance around the ICRIRs ability to hold a compliant investigation were still unresolved. Mr McGleenan said: We say, regardless of the emotive facts of this case, and one cant have but sympathy for the Brown family having to come here again to hear these arguments; regardless of that, theres a very important point of principle that is live before the appellate court, and in those circumstances, we say, it was an error for the judge to address the case in the way that he did and make a mandatory order. He said it was Mr Benns constitutional right to make the decision as how best to deal with the Brown case. Mr McGleenan said the Secretary of State made his decision not to hold a public inquiry after weighing up live issues over the status of the ICRIR, and the judge then ruled that Mr Benn was completely wrong. The judge, by taking that approach, completely sidestepped the qualitative analysis of whether or not a public inquiry was warranted or not, he said. He seized the discretion from the hands of the Secretary of State and exercised it himself without having regard to any of those factors. Questioning the barristers contention, Lady Chief Justice Keegan said she did not understand why the Government did not appeal against the judges decision not to adjourn the case at the time, and before he got to the point of delivering his order. Mr McGleenan said his argument about the failure to adjourn the ruling would not be one of the substantive grounds offered by the Government in the appeal court case. Responding on behalf of the Brown family, Mr Fahy said their concern and indignation over the failure to uncover the truth would continue until the circumstances of the murder and state involvement in it are exposed. Sean Browns widow appears in court today for the 57th time to ask a court to ensure that the state adheres to its minimum obligation to ensure an effective investigation of how her husband died and in what circumstances, he added. She knows the prospect of a conviction in a criminal court is now vanishingly small. The killers have in all likelihood escaped accountability for their actions, but the reasons why that was, and is, still can, and must, be examined. He said the only lawful way to do that was through a public inquiry. Mr Fahy said the illegality at the centre of this challenge was the refusal by the Secretary of State to convene a public inquiry. In refusing to do so, he is presiding over a state of illegality, he said. The barrister said the order of a public inquiry was legally sound and had vindicated Mrs Browns human rights entitlements. It also represented the first occasion in 28 years in which the prospect of the spotlight of truth finally being shone on what happened to Sean Brown becoming tangible and real, he added. The case continues. The UK will play our part in guaranteeing Ukraines security following any peace deal, Sir Keir Starmer said. The Prime Minister and Ukraines president Volodymyr Zelensky discussed a proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, but Sir Keir said his current focus was on ensuring Kyivs forces were in the strongest possible position on the battlefield. Sir Keirs first visit to Kyiv since entering No 10 coincided with a drone attack by Vladimir Putins forces on the Ukrainian capital. The Prime Minister is understood to have heard sirens warning Kyivs citizens of the air raid as he met with Mr Zelensky. Lets be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace, Sir Keir said. The air raid on Kyiv while he was visiting was a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it. In response to the apparent message the Russian attack had sent, Mr Zelensky said: We will say hello to them, too. Frances Emmanuel Macron has been leading calls for Nato allies to deploy troops to Ukraine to safeguard any peace deal. Mr Zelensky said it was a bit too early to talk about details. Sir Keir said: We will work with you and all our allies for steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security, to guarantee any possible peace and deter any future aggression. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer inspects a damaged vehicle in Kyiv (Carl Court/PA) He said those conversations will continue for many months ahead, adding: We will play our part when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraines security but we must never lose sight of the absolute need for Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position as we go into 2025. The visit comes just days before Donald Trump enters the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraines war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal. Mr Trumps pick for secretary of state Marco Rubio suggested on Wednesday that both Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war. Mr Trump has repeatedly said that he wants to secure peace through strength and last year Mr Zelensky said that Russia must be forced into real peace, which can only be achieved through strength as he urged world leaders to not be cowed by Russia. Sir Keir made reference to peace through strength in Ukraine, and said that it is strength together that will set history on the right path. You know the phrase peace through strength has come to define the allied approach in Ukraine, he told the press conference. But there is also a warning in that phrase that an absence of strength would not just bring about a worse peace, it would embolden aggressors everywhere, it will bring more war. The history of the 21st century is being written here and now, it is our strength together that will set it on the right path. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Carl Court/PA) Later in the same press conference, Sir Keir also paid tribute to the support that the US has given Kyiv. Id actually like to pay tribute to the work that the US has done here, he said. The support that they have put in because its been a vital component of what has been quite an incredible achievement by Ukraine. If I think about how long this conflict has gone on and the incredible success that Ukraine has had in the face of this aggression from Russia, that is a tribute to Ukraine, Ukrainians and their resolve, but also to all allies whove supported Ukraine, including the US. Sir Keirs desire to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position is an indication that Mr Zelenskys allies want to ensure he goes into any talks on the front foot. The UK has also cemented ties with Ukraine with a new 100-year partnership deal, which will set out co-operation between the countries in an agreement that will stretch into the next century. The agreement will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework covering the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Azov Sea to deter Russian aggression. The partnership which will take shape through a treaty and a political declaration will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks, and will involve co-operation in areas such as healthcare, agricultural technology and the space industry. Downing Street set out details of a 4.5 billion military aid package for Ukraine, including air defence systems, drones and equipment support. The UK has committed 3 billion a year for as long as Ukraine needs it, and that will be supplemented with the first 1.5 billion from a 2.26 billion loan, which will be repaid with the profits from frozen Russian assets. The UK-designed and rapidly developed Gravehawk system, funded jointly with Denmark, will be delivered this year. The system is able to retrofit air-to-air missiles for ground-based air defence, meaning it can use existing Ukrainian missiles. Ukrainian officer cadets will also be trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. A 61 million contract will see BAE Systems work with Sheffield Forgemasters to produce artillery barrels for the first time in almost two decades. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has said he cant control people leaving his party to join Reform UK. Mr Findlay was quizzed by journalists after Thomas Kerr, the leader of the Tories at Glasgow City Council, defected to Nigel Farages party. He is the highest-profile member of the Scottish Tories to join Reform, following defections by councillors in Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire last year. Mr Farage lauded Mr Kerrs defection, writing on social media: I am delighted to welcome the Conservative group leader on Glasgow City Council to Reform UK. We look forward to the Scottish parliamentary elections with increasing anticipation. Mr Findlay described Mr Kerrs departure as very disappointing though did not say whether he had tried to convince him to stay, adding that conversations with colleagues should remain private. He told reporters after First Ministers Questions at Holyrood on Thursday that he understands people feel disillusioned and disconnected. Thomas Kerr is the highest-profile Tory politician in Scotland to defect to Reform (John Linton/PA) Asked if the Scottish Conservatives could see more defections, Mr Findlay said: I can only control whats in my gift to do. I cant anticipate what other people may or may not decide to do. Asked if he is now concerned one of the Tories 31 MSPs could join Reform, he added: Again I cant speculate or control what happens next. I cant control what people may or may not decide to do. But this is a hypothetical. My job is to set out why we are confident in the message that we have and the job weve got to do in bringing forward the Scottish Conservative prospectus to remove this rotten SNP Government. Mr Kerr made headlines in 2017 when he was elected to Glasgows Shettleston ward aged just 20. He later unsuccessfully tried to become an MSP and an MP, including standing as the Tory candidate in last years Rutherglen and Hamilton West Westminster by-election, in which he lost his deposit. Announcing his defection on Thursday, Mr Kerr said: Joining Reform UK is a significant turning point for me. My own experiences with addiction, losing my father and watching my mother recover, have shaped my desire to make real, lasting change. I am committed to ensuring that every person in Scotland who is struggling with addiction has access to the support and recovery services they need to rebuild their lives. Reform UK represents the change our communities desperately need, and Im excited to continue my work for Shettleston with this dynamic new party. Reform said the defection is not just a win for the party, but a significant moment in Scotlands political landscape. The party said in a statement: His decision to join Reform UK is a clear signal of his commitment to true change and practical solutions for Scotland, particularly in the crucial areas of addiction recovery and support for families affected by substance use. It is a privilege to welcome Thomas to Reform UK. Reform UK are delighted to announce that the Scottish Tory leader on Glasgow City Council has today joined Reform UK. We have all the momentum in Scottish politics. Join us https://t.co/GrPM7KQXvi pic.twitter.com/jMd244SBX2 Reform UK (@reformparty_uk) January 16, 2025 Reform said the move represents an exciting chapter for Reform as we continue to build momentum across Scotland. It added: Kerrs joining our party is a sign of the growing demand for real, practical change, change that delivers real solutions for the people of Scotland. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: Even by his own admission, Russell Findlay has lost control of his party. After 14 years of incompetence and sleaze in government its no wonder the Tories are fleeing their sinking ship but Reform doesnt have anything to offer the people of Scotland. Its clear only Scottish Labour can put an end to SNP failure and deliver the new direction Scotland so badly needs. It comes after a poll on Wednesday put the Tories and Reform neck and neck at Holyrood. The Survation poll for the Holyrood Sources podcast and True North Advisors put both parties in joint third place on 15 seats each. The survey put the SNP on 53 seats, ahead of second-placed Labour on 24, while the Liberal Democrats were on 12 and the Greens 10. Reform will face its first major test in Scotland at the next Holyrood election in 2026. Getty Images Although the president-elect is usually the star of Inauguration Day, their outfits typically arent. Instead, its often the first lady, the musical performers, or the other family members and esteemed guests who steal the show with their looks. And despite the typically frigid weather, the inauguration acts as an opportunity for attendees to make a statement with their style, as the introduction of a new presidential term sets the scene for a new era for the countryfor better or for worse. Ahead, we break down 20 of the best Inauguration Day looks of all time, from Lady Gagas subtly patriotic Schiaparelli dress to Jackie Os Halston hat and Oleg Cassini coat. Jill Biden (2021) No one can accuse Jill Biden of not knowing her colors. For her husbands inauguration in January 2021, the first lady chose a teal (blue being the color of the Democratic Party) tweed Markarian coat with velvet lapels, which she layered over a matching dress. Pool - Getty Images Ella Emhoff (2021) At President Bidens inauguration in January 2021, the daughter of the second gentleman, Ella Emhoff, completely stole the show in a tartan Miu Miu coat with a smattering of shoulder gems, which she layered over a maroon Batsheva dress. Win McNamee - Getty Images Lady Gaga (2021) Lady Gaga looked so good at President Bidens inauguration that it was hard to focus on her phenomenal rendition of The Star Spangled Banner. For her performance, the pop superstar arrived in a subtly patriotic dress from Schiaparelli, which featured a ballooning red skirt, navy top, and a large golden brooch in the shape of a dove carrying an olive branch. But where was the white in this red, white, and blue look? It was represented by Gagas silvery locks, of course. Jonathan Ernst - Getty Images Amanda Gorman (2021) While reading her original poem The Hill We Climb" at President Bidens 2021 inauguration, Amanda Gorman was like a ray of sunshine in a bright yellow coat from Prada paired with a thick red statement headband and matching mask. Win McNamee - Getty Images Jennifer Lopez (2021) Jennifer Lopez got in on the swashbuckling with her 2021 inauguration ensemble, which consisted of top-to-bottom Chanel: a single-breasted overcoat, high-waisted pants, and a frilly top with scalloped details around the middle that resembled a jabot. Patrick Semansky - Getty Images Hillary Clinton (2017) Despite having just lost her bid for president, Hillary Clinton showed the world her inimitable class when she arrived to Donald Trumps inauguration in 2017 wearing a cream pantsuit and matching cashmere coat from Ralph Lauren. SAUL LOEB - Getty Images Beyonce (2013) To kick off his second term, Barack Obama invited Beyonce to perform the national anthem at his inauguration, and she brought the house down with a rousing performance, all while wearing a black, velvet-embroidered Pucci dress, which she layered under a voluminous coat from Christian Dior. Bloomberg Michelle Obama (2013) At Barack Obamas second inauguration, Michelle Obama solidified her status as one of the most stylish first ladies by sporting a checkered navy coat dress from Thom Browne, which she paired with matching knee-high boots and plum-colored gloves. AFP - Getty Images Michelle Obama (2009) For her first major appearance as first lady, Michelle Obama made a splash in a sparkly sequined set from Isabel Toledo, which included a coat that tied around the chest with a satin bow. To pair with the look, she added olive-green gloves and jade heels, bringing a few different shades together for a dynamic look. Pool - Getty Images Laura Bush (2005) Laura Bush understood the power of a strong accessory. When her husband, George W. Bush, was sworn in as president for the second time, the former first lady decided to wear a dazzlingly white cashmere coatdress from Oscar de la Renta, which she paired with a matching cashmere scarf and gloves, as well as beige heels. Win McNamee - Getty Images Jessica Simpson (2001) At George W. Bushs inaugural celebration in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., Jessica Simpson went bold and unpredictable with her look, which included a series of neutrals layered underneath a long, blue leather coat with leopard-print fringe decorating the trims. Mark Wilson - Getty Images Hillary Clinton (1997) Before Barbie made pink cool again, Hillary Clinton was doing it at Bill Clintons second inauguration in 1997, where she wore a pleated bubblegum top coat layered over a matching turtleneck dress. She completed the look with nude pumps and matching gloves. Cynthia Johnson - Getty Images Aretha Franklin (1993) While performing at two-day musical event leading up to Bill Clintons swearing in, Aretha Franklin totally stole the show in one of her signature furs, which she layered over an eye-popping red set and paired with a bright red lip to match. Cynthia Johnson - Getty Images Diana Ross (1993) Diana Ross belted out a ballad at Bill Clintons 1993 inauguration while wearing a bright blue ballgown layered under a crimson cropped puffer. She rounded things out with matching red leather gloves and a white choker. Cynthia Johnson - Getty Images Marilyn Quayle (1989) The then-second lady of the United States, Marilyn Quaylemarried the 44th vice president of the United States, Dan Quaylelooked totally sharp in a royal-blue coatdress layered over a white turtleneck. JONATHAN UTZ - Getty Images Donna Summer (1985) At an inaugural event for Ronald Reagan, Donna Summer proved she was still the queen of cool in an inky single-breasted coat that was belted across the center and paired with croc-embossed pants and black booties. Wally McNamee - Getty Images Nancy Reagan (1981) For husband Ronald Reagans first inauguration in 1981, Nancy Reagan wore a tailored Adolfo coatdress with pointed shoulders and a subtly cinched waist, which she paired with a matching knot-like hat up top. With this look, Mrs. Reagan would find the color that would become her staple for many years to come. ABC Photo Archives - Getty Images Lady Bird Johnson (1965) While it can be hard to follow in the footsteps of Jackie Kennedy, Lady Bird Johnson certainly carved her own fashion path as first lady, pulling out a number of showstopping looks like this Inauguration Day fit, which included a red coat with a black bow detail around the neck. Bettmann - Getty Images Jackie Kennedy (1961) Theres a reason Jackie Kennedy is considered a style icon to this day. For her husbands inauguration in 1961, Jackie O sported a beige topcoat from Oleg Cassini that featured giant buttons and front pockets. Meanwhile, she paired the piece with a matching pillbox hat from Halston, as well as white gloves and a fuzzy black muffa look that would influence fashion for decades. Bettmann - Getty Images Eleanor Roosevelt (1941) During her husbands four consecutive terms as president, Eleanor Roosevelt not only became the longest-serving first lady, but she also completely transformed the role, taking more action than any presidential partner before. And as one of the most powerful women in the world, that meant all eyes were on Mrs. Roosevelts style. Perhaps one of her most notable looks was this vermillion dress, which she wore on Franklin D. Roosevelts third swearing into office (the two-term limit had not yet been put in place). The wool piece featured diagonal pinstripe pleats across the middle, and she paired the dress with a matching hat, which featured two birds made from feathers sticking off of the top. Bettmann - Getty Images You Might Also Like Overhead view of the floods from Buffalo Bayou on Memorial Drive and Allen Parkway, as heavy rains continued falling from Hurricane Harvey, Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. Karen Warren/Staff photographer A complaint stemming from the Texas General Land Offices allocation of Harvey disaster recovery funds, which originally awarded no money to Houston or Harris County from a $1 billion distribution, has been escalated to the Civil Rights division of the Department of Justice. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development asked the Justice Department on Wednesday to take action against the GLO after finding that it had violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against Black and Hispanic residents when it designed a competition to allocate the relief money. HUDs review of the GLOs funding process revealed that the state agency had engaged in a pattern of discriminatory actions based on race and national origin, wrote Ayelet Weiss, assistant general counsel for HUDs Office of Fair Housing Enforcement, in a letter to the Justice Department. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In a separate letter sent to state officials, HUD told the GLO that it knowingly denied communities critical funding, and compounded the harm that residents suffered from Hurricane Harvey. The new correspondence affirmed HUD's previous finding of descrimination in 2022 against the GLO. At that time, the Justice Department said it would defer consideration of the matter until HUD wrapped up its fair housing investigation. In a statement, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said "political activists" embedded in HUD by the Biden administration have made false discrimination claims against the GLO for years. The hallway in the home of Joe Fowler , still gutted and with light seeping in from holes to the outdoors as a result of early demolition from Harvey. Homes in Kashmere Gardens are still in need of renovation, almost two years after Harvey on Tuesday, June 18, 2019 in Houston. Many blame the city and county for taking so long to distribute funds. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer "Last time HUD sent this political stunt to the DOJ, the fake claims were rejected for lacking substance in less than 48 hours," Buckingham said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad "The fact is, the HUD-approved plan overwhelmingly benefited minorities and there simply was no discrimination," she added. "No other state has performed as efficiently and effectively as Texas in providing disaster recovery and mitigation funding to communities and residents. Our only goal is to serve those we are supposed to serve and do it well." Former mayor and now U.S. Rep. Sylvester Turner said Wednesday that while he was glad the findings were being sent to the Justice Department, he was frustrated by the amount of time it took to hold the GLO accountable. Houston residents whose lives were devastated by Harvey should have received federal aid years ago, Turner said, and instead the GLO diverted those funds to communities in lesser need. What do you say to these communities in Houston who have gone without the resources that they need to mitigate flooding in their very own communities? Turner said. HUD is doing the right thing in referring this matter to the DOJ, but it just shouldve been done more than two years ago. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mayor John Whitmires office didnt immediately return a request for comment. A flooded vehicle near Crossroads and Walkwood drives during Tropical Storm Harvey Monday, Aug. 28, 2017, in Houston. ( Godofredo A. Vasquez / Houston Chronicle ) Godofredo A. Vasquez/Houston Chronicle Houstons complex history with the GLO After Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston and the surrounding area, HUD sent $4.3 billion in disaster recovery funds to Texas. The GLO then designed a competition for how $1 billion of those funds would be allocated. That competition ranked flood mitigation projects through a series of criteria that seriously disadvantaged populous areas. For example, instead of awarding more points to a project that served more people, it awarded more points to a project that served the highest percentage of people living in the applying entity. That meant that a Harris County project that could benefit 774,000 people more than the population of any other eligible county would receive a minimum score for that category. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In contrast, in a much smaller county, a project could feasibly benefit 100% of the population, ranking it much more highly in GLO's process. THE GLO FIGHT EXPLAINED: The fight over federal flood money in Texas is really complex. We break it down for you. After Houston and Harris County received none of the funds, the Northeast Action Collective, a grassroots group of residents impacted by flooding in Hurricane Harvey, filed the Fair Housing Complaint that has now worked its way up to the Department of Justice. The housing advocacy group Texas Housers was also on the complaint. Na'shoun Clarent, 12, from left, Andrew Barley and Michael Knudsen work move a large piece of concrete to improve drainage on Kellett Street on Saturday, May 18, 2019, in Houston. Clarent lives on the street, and he said his home flooded during Hurricane Harvey. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer The state agency was led at the time by then-Land Commissioner George P. Bush, whose office contended that it wasnt to blame for the county and citys funding snub. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Houston Chronicle analysis, however, found that the federal government relinquished a significant amount of control in how it distributed funds. Another investigation by the newspaper found that the $1 billion the GLO gave away was spread across inland counties that did not receive as much damage from the storm as coastal areas. President-elect Donald Trump has strong support in Texas, and HUD's request was sent days before his new administration will begin overseeing federal agencies such as HUD and the Justice Department. The law enforcement agency did not immediately respond to questions about HUD's letter. Courtesy of All Day Social Yank Sing in San Francisco serves over 100 varieties of dim sum daily Ordering dim sum for the first time can be an exhilarating and overwhelming experience. Some larger restaurants like Yank Sing, a popular dim sum hot spot in San Francisco, offer over 100 rotating dishes every day, from a frenzy of rolling carts. If youre heading to your first dim sum experience or ringing in the year of the snake on Lunar New Year, heres everything to know about the ever-popular meal, plus the dishes you need to try. Related: Dim Sum Is a Way of Life in Cantonese Culture Here's Where to Try It in Hong Kong What is dim sum? Dim sum is a traditional Chinese meal that consists of a variety of small plates and is often served with tea. In China, there are many regional styles of dim sum, but Cantonese-style dim sum is the most well-known globally, especially in the United States. This style includes steamed, baked, and fried dishes like steamed and pan-fried dumplings, rice noodle rolls, and pork buns that are lightly seasoned to highlight the delicate flavors of the ingredients. Dim sum is traditionally enjoyed as a late breakfast or brunch, but because of its popularity, some establishments offer all-day dim sum service. Dim sum translates to touch the heart, which speaks to the philosophy that each dish is meant to be slowly savored not just to fill your appetite, but to bring happiness and joy. Theres no shortage of dishes that follow through on that promise. We always turn to Lo Main Gai (lotus leaf-wrapped rice parcels), Lo Bak Go (turnip cakes), Jian Dui (fried sesame balls), and Cheung Fun (rice noodle rolls that can be filled with shrimp or pork). But if youre a first-timer, these are the dishes you absolutely cant miss out on. Courtesy of All Day Social Har Gow Har gow These steamed shrimp dumplings are the heart and soul of dim sum and an all-time favorite amongst regular patrons. You can find [them] at any dim sum establishment, says Yank Sing owner Vera Chan-Waller. They consist of a minced shrimp filling, seasoned with white pepper and ginger, encased in a nearly translucent dumpling skin. A combination of wheat and tapioca flours gives the skin a a pleasant chew and has earned har gow the the nickname crystal shrimp dumplings. Kick off your feast with an order these arent too filling, thanks to the delicate shrimp flavor and thinner dumpling skin. Related: How to Throw a Dim Sum Party Like A Pro Char siu bao Traditionally stuffed with sweet and savory Chinese barbecue pork, char siu bao falls into two categories: baked or steamed. Baked baos, a southern Chinese speciality, are smooth, round, and golden brown buns that are sweeter than their steamed counterpart thanks to the inclusion of more sugar in the dough. Steamed baos are white, and are either pinched or pleated at the top to seal them. These baos are popular at dim sum restaurants and Chinese bakeries alike, and for good reason. The sweet, rich barbecue flavor and meltingly tender char siu meat are a match made in pork paradise. Baos generally are served in sets of two, so if youre dining with a larger group, youll want to snag more than one order. Courtesy of All Day Social Shumai (center) Shumai Another stellar set of steamed dumplings are shumai. When the dim sum cart rolls around, look out for slightly yellow dumplings (the dough is often enriched with eggs) that are left open at the top to reveal a traditional ground pork and shrimp filling. (They are also often garnished with fish roe, which makes them easy to spot.) These dumplings have a rich pork flavor that is similar to that of a pork potsticker. The unique mouthfeel can be described as Q, a Taiwanese term for a particular texture that strikes a balance between firm and chewy yet still tender, with a good snap. Pair these with Chinese hot mustard, a staple dipping sauce at dim sum restaurants alongside soy sauce and chile oil. The horseradish-like flavor tickles your nose and its heat balances the succulent pork flavor. Related: Pixar 'Bao' Director Domee Shi Gave Us Her Mom's Dumpling Recipe Gai-lan Crisp-tender leafy greens like blanched and sauteed gai-lan, aka Chinese broccoli, are especially welcome in the middle of the meal when you need an interlude between heavier courses. The key is to pace yourself, explains Chan-Waller. There are two options for your order: umami-packed oyster sauce or a clear garlic sauce. You cant go wrong either way. Courtesy of All Day Social Hong Kong egg tarts Hong Kong egg tarts (daan tat) Make sure to save room for these smooth and creamy egg custards that are encased in mildly sweet, buttery, flaky pastry. Similar to Portuguese pasteis de nata and English egg custard tarts, Hong Kong egg tarts are believed to have originated around the 1920s in the port city of Canton (now Guangzhou). Inspired by English custard tarts that were brought over by visiting British chefs, Cantonese bakers created their own version with flaky puff pastry instead of a short crust, and a simple filling of eggs, sugar, milk, and sometimes vanilla extract. After World War II, the egg tarts made their way to Hong Kong, following the migration of wealthy Cantonese people to the city. They exploded in global popularity and today are recognized around the world as Hong Kong egg tarts. Light, flaky, and creamy, these are the perfect one-bite treat to conclude your dim sum experience whether its your first time or your thousandth. Read the original article on Food & Wine Some parents draw baby name inspiration from sources like family history, geography or even their favorite foods and brands. Others look to literature, music and pop culture. Still others get ideas from a more surprising source: weapons. There is a small but noticeable trend of parents using weapons-inspired and, more broadly, aggressive names for their sons, Sophie Kihm, the editor-in-chief at the website Nameberry, told HuffPost. Many of these names first appeared on the baby name charts in the 2000s, including Wesson, Caliber, Shooter and Trigger. Weapon-inspired monikers that parents have chosen in recent years also include Blade and Cannon, as well as brand-related names like Remington, Colt, Ruger and Winchester. Arson, Cutter and Dagger are among the other names with a violent edge in recent data from the Social Security Administration. Most of these names peaked in use relatively recently Wesson in 2021 when it was used 306 times, Caliber in 2018 with 24 uses, Mace in 2022 with 64 uses, Dagger in 2022 with 13 uses, Kihm noted. Its hard to say if these names have truly peaked in use or if some will go on to greater use, but I dont think were past this trend yet! Abby Sandel, the creator of the baby name blog Appellation Mountain, believes the trend will evolve over time. That initial wave of names borrowed from gun manufacturers has probably peaked, but were still hearing plenty of choices in this category, she said. The most popular names now are a little more subtle. Archer once referred to a soldier who fought with a bow, but it sounds preppy and polished in 2025. Likewise, Barrett is a sophisticated surname that also happens to be a firearms manufacturer. Why are parents drawn to these kinds of names? According to the experts, various factors are driving this baby name trend. Theres a certain set of parents that believe weapons-inspired names have a renegade spirit, which has been a rising theme among todays trendy baby names, Kihm noted. Maverick ranks higher than ever, and cowboy-style names like Dutton, Stetson and Boone are climbing the charts. So, many parents may be thinking of weapon names in the same way as cowboy-related ones. Its easy to imagine Boone and Wesson or Shooter and Stetson being brothers, Kihm said. Another potential influence is that many weapon-related names resemble or in fact are surnames as well. Last names as first names are a stylish category for baby names, with English surnames most likely to be adopted as given names, Kihm explained. Popular last names as first names include Carter, Parker and Hunter itself somewhat aggressive which match weapon names like Shooter, Trigger and Dagger, with the two syllables and er endings. Similarly, Wesson sounds a lot like Weston, which has recently ranked among the SSAs top 100 baby names for boys. For some parents, the appeal of such names may also be tied up in conservative values around gender or guns. BabyNames.com founder Jennifer Moss believes some parents are drawn to weapon names for their sons because they feel threatened by recent cultural shifts toward broader acceptance of gender identities and expressions outside the traditional gender binary. Assigning these overly violent names might be a reaction to the fear that their son might have less-than-masculine traits, she said. So these parents assign a dictionary word name that has been traditionally associated with aggression or strength, hoping to instill those characteristics into their male offspring. Weapons-inspired names convey masculinity without being traditional male names, Kihm added. They are at once undeniably masculine and extremely modern. We associate weapons with men and masculinity, so these parents might have more conservative values around gender. She pointed to Nameberrys analysis of The Reddest and Bluest Baby Names, which found that parents living in so-called red states are more likely to choose gun-themed names for their children. In our study, we identified Gunner notably spelled with an er, which differentiates it from the Scandinavian Gunnar as the ninth reddest name for boys in the U.S., Kihm said. Parents in red states are also known to choose names that evoke romanticized imagery of rural life, which can include farming occupations and weaponry. Theres a general interest in names that signal strength and independence as well. Some of the most obvious choices are clearly more popular in red states, Sandel said. Think Maverick or Walker the fictional Texas lawman of television fame. Thats true for weapons-related names, too. Youre more likely to meet a newborn Remington or Gatlin in Texas or Alabama, rather than California or Maryland. What do baby name experts think of this trend? Its rare for me to outright reject a name or name trend, but I cannot get behind weapon-inspired names, Kihm said. They glamorize violence and, particularly in the wake of so much violence in the U.S., feel out of touch. In name consulting, Ive never encountered a parent who wants to use these names, but I would advise any client against it. Moss noted that parents have been using dictionary words as names for their children for centuries, pointing to examples like Faith and Angel, as well as occupation-based picks like Mason and Thatcher. But she emphasized the importance of being cognizant of the meanings of these kinds of names and the public association with them. I find the weapon names particularly alarming because its tying your child to an instrument of destruction or death or at the least a word thats associated with violence, Moss said. Another reason not to use a name with an immediately identifiable meaning is that it can become a joke. Peoples first response might be to laugh at it, or assume that you do belong to a particular culture that favors weaponry or violence. It comes with baggage. Not every weapon-related name carries the exact same meaning or weight, however. Its just like any other category in naming its great to honor what we love and value, but the name has to leave space for our child to become their own person, Sandel said. So, yes to Remington or Archer. A cautious maybe to Gatlin and Gunner. But Beretta? I think that crosses a line. Although distinctive names can be great, she noted that Beretta is both uncommon as a given name and immediately recognizable for its association with weapons, lending it an aggressive feel that might be a burden on a child. Still, Sandel added that the weapon trend is consistent with an overall shift in the baby name sphere. After generations of parents sticking to familiar names for their sons while taking a more daring approach for their daughters, theres finally a little more creativity in the realm of boy names. Weapons-related names are novel, but so are lots of name categories were exploring for boys now, Sandel said. If that means we have a few Remingtons mixed in with boys named Bodhi, Onyx and Ellis, I think thats part of figuring out what it means to name our sons for the 2020s and beyond. However creative you want to be with your childrens names, its important to remember that parents are naming future adults. We recommend that when choosing baby names, check your personal fears and biases before you instill them into your babys name, Moss said. As most parents come to realize, our expectations for our child dont necessarily align with the childs individual identity. Give your child a name that evokes positivity, that will grow with them and they can make their own instead of conforming to your expectations. Related... BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan has refused to renew its cooperation agreement with The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on Thursday, accusing Washington of using USAID to pursue its political agenda. Bayramov, who was speaking at a news conference with his Georgian counterpart, said that Baku had suspended cooperation with USAID in June 2024. USAID was not immediately available for comment. Azerbaijan began criticising USAID in late 2023 after Samantha Power, the agency's head, said that Azerbaijan's military operation to return its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh had "forced more than a hundred thousand people to leave their homes and move into neighbouring Armenia." In response to Power's statement, Hikmet Hajiyev, a foreign policy adviser to President Ilham Aliyev, said that USAID "has no place in Azerbaijan anymore." USAID describes itself as the U.S. government agency which leads international development and humanitarian assistance efforts to partner countries. On its website it says its mission is also to "promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world" in support of American foreign policy. Azerbaijan is not the first country in the post-Soviet space to stop cooperation with USAID. In 2012, the agency's activities were halted in Russia, and in 2023, Abkhazia, a Russia-backed breakaway region of Georgia withdrew from USAID projects. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Editing by Andrew Osborn) President Joe Biden, in his farewell address, reflected on a decadeslong political career but also issued a stark warning to the nation as he prepares to cede power to President-elect Donald Trump. Speaking from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, Biden said he was proud of what his administration accomplished as the country climbed out of the coronavirus pandemic and made investments in the economy, infrastructure, gun safety, climate change and more. "In the past four years, our democracy has held strong and every day I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans for one of the toughest periods in our nation's history," Biden said. He commended Vice President Kamala Harris as a "great partner" as she sat nearby alongside second gentleman Doug Emhoff, first lady Jill Biden and Hunter Biden. PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks during his farewell address at the White House in Washington, D.C., Jan. 15, 2025, as second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Vice President Kamala Harris listen. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) Biden listed several of his key legislative wins, including lowering prescription drug prices, expanding benefits for military veterans exposed to burn pits, investing in domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips and more. The impact of those policies, he noted, may not be fully realized for years to come. He also briefly highlighted the ceasefire and hostage release deal reached by Israel and Hamas earlier Wednesday, a foreign policy goal of Biden's for more than a year that became reality just days before his departure. He touted working with the incoming Trump administration to see through its implementation. "That's how it should be, working together," Biden said. But Biden spent the majority of his remarks on something he said caused him great concern -- what he said was the concentration of power in the hands of a few wealthy individuals. "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," he said. PHOTO: President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House, on Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Mandel Ngan - Pool via Getty Images) PHOTO: (L-R) Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice-President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden listen to President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) He spoke about the threat he said the wealthy posed to efforts to fight the dangers of climate change. "Powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence, to eliminate the steps we've taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interest for power and profit," he said. "We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren, must keep pushing forward and push faster. There's no time to waste." Biden also raised concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence, and the possibilities and dangers advancing technologies posed. He lamented the rise in misinformation online and what he described as a "crumbling" free press that he said were enabling abuses of power. "In his farewell address, President Eisenhower spoke of the dangers of the military industrial complex," he said. "He warned us then about, and I quote, 'the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power' ... six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well." Biden pushed for reforming the tax code so that billionaires pay their "fair share" and for amending the Constitution to make clear that no president is immune from criminal liability -- an apparent slight at Trump, who was previously under federal indictment for his behavior after the 2020 election and is set to be sworn into office in five days. "A president's powers is not unlimited. It's not absolute and it shouldn't be," Biden said. "And in a democracy, there's another danger to the concentration of power and wealth. It erodes the sense of unity and common purpose. It causes distrust and division." "Participating in our democracy becomes exhausting and even disillusioning," he continued. "And people don't feel like they have a fair shot. We have to stay engaged in the process." PHOTO: President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 15, 2025. (Mandel Ngan/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) In closing, Biden reflected on his own rise as a kid from Scranton plagued by a stutter to the nation's highest office -- one that he sought repeatedly during his five decades in politics and is leaving reluctantly after withdrawing from the 2024 campaign amid Democrats' doubts. He described America's promise as a "constant struggle." "A short distance between peril and possibility," he said. "But what I believe is the America of our dreams is always closer than we think. And it's up to us to make our dreams come true." Ultimately, Biden asserted, it will be up to the president, Congress, the courts and the American people to stand up to those with ill-intent. "Now, it's your turn to stand guard," Biden said. "May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America, you love it, too." Biden, in farewell address, warns about dangers of unchecked power in ultra-wealthy originally appeared on abcnews.go.com FILE - Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, left, and Defense Minister Walter Braga Netto attend a ceremony honoring military athletes who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the military's Admiral Adalberto Nunes Physical Education Center in Rio de Janeiro, Sept. 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) SAO PAULO (AP) Brazils Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily restore his passport so that he could attend the inauguration in Washington of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump next week. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who Bolsonaro frequently has called his personal foe, said in the ruling that Bolsonaro currently holds no position that would allow him to represent Brazil at the event and that the former president did not adequately prove to the court that he had been invited. Bolsonaro, under several wide-ranging investigations including over an alleged attempt to stay in office despite his electoral defeat, had his passport seized by federal police last February because he was considered a flight risk. He denies the allegations against him. Bolsonaro responded to the verdict Thursday on X by accusing Brazils judicial system of political persecution against him, comparing his situation to legal cases in the U.S. against Trump. He said that Trump overcame the judicial activism. I too will overcome it. The former Brazilian president had requested permission to leave the country from Jan. 17 to 22 to attend the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 and a Hispanic inaugural ball. Bolsonaro, an outspoken admirer of Trump, said on his social media channels on Jan. 8 that he was very happy with this invitation. Ill be representing the conservative, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people there in the United States, God willing, Bolsonaro said. When de Moraes asked Bolsonaros lawyers for evidence of his invitation on Saturday, they forwarded an invitation letter signed by inauguration committee co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler. Still, de Moraes argued that Bolsonaro had not adequately proven that he was invited to the inauguration. In the ruling, de Moraes followed the recommendation of Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who said Wednesday that Bolsonaro's private interest in the trip did not outweigh the public interest in prohibiting him from traveling abroad. De Moraes said Bolsonaro remains a flight risk and added that the former president has advocated that his supporters who face legal troubles in cases involving their political allegiance should leave the country and seek asylum. Hundreds of Bolsonaro's supporters involved in Jan. 8, 2023 riots in capital Brasilia have left Brazil to avoid prosecution. Brazils President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not attend Trumps inauguration. Federal police seized Bolsonaros passport in Feb. 2024, during a raid related to the investigation into whether he and top aides plotted to ignore the 2022 election results and stage an uprising to keep the defeated right-wing leader in power. Brazils Supreme Court previously has denied a Bolsonaro request to retrieve his passport, in March 2024, following an invitation from Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Last November, federal police formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officers, of attempting a coup. Gonet, the prosecutor-general, will decide whether to charge Bolsonaro or toss the investigation. Legal experts believe Bolsonaro could be charged and stand trial in the second half of 2025 at the Supreme Court for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination status. Analysts also say theres a reasonable chance he stands trial before 2026 over allegedly embezzling jewels gifted by Saudi Arabian authorities. The former president denies that he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his leftist opponent, Lula. The Brazilian ambassador to the U.S., Maria Luiza Viotti, will attend Trumps inauguration, the government told The Associated Press on Thursday. President Lula was not officially invited to the ceremony. Trump has invited some global leaders to his inauguration, including Chinas President Xi Jinping and Argentinas President Javier Milei. Who are the American hostages being released in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal? Marking an end to more than 15 months of deadly conflict, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal on Wednesday that includes the release of captives held by both parties. The agreement was announced in Doha, Qatar, after months of negotiations between Israel and Hamas were mediated by facilitators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar. Among other provisions in the ceasefire, the Hamas delegation agreed to release 33 Israeli hostages being held in Gaza, dead and alive, in exchange for the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. The release of three American-Israeli hostages who are alive will be included in the agreement, though in two different phases, a senior White House official told reporters on Wednesday. PHOTO Illustration: American-Israeli hostages that may be included in the ceasefire-release agreement include Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, Keith Siegel, 65, and Edan Alexander, 20. (Obtained by ABC News | Hostage Families Forum) Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and Keith Siegel, 65, are both expected to be released, with Sigel qualifying for release due to age, and Dekel-Chen qualifying because of injury, according to the official who noted he was shot on Oct. 7, 2023, when the conflict began with a terrorist attack by Hamas in southern Israel. Edan Alexander, 20, will be in the second phase of releases because of his service with the Israel Defense Forces, according to the official. The official noted that he spoke with Alexander's father last night, and that the U.S. remains fully committed to getting him released. "We are committed to getting all Americans, these are American-Israeli citizens, all of them out of Gaza, whether living or remains. That is our commitment," the official said. The first phase of the deal will begin on Sunday, Jan. 19, which will take place over six weeks, and will include the release of the 33 Israeli hostages, as well as an undetermined number of the 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. MORE: Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire and hostage release deal Two more phases would follow to complete the terms of the agreement, according to the Hamas delegation. Israeli officials said their government's cabinet will convene on Thursday to approve the deal. President Joe Biden released a statement following the ceasefire announcement, noting how American citizens held hostage by Hamas will be included in the ceasefire release agreement. "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," Biden said in a statement. Biden said he is determined to bring seven American hostages home, three of whom are believed to be alive, he said. PHOTO: Protesters hug in response to reports of a ceasefire agreement during a protest calling for the release of the hostages in Gaza in Tel Aviv, Jan. 15, 2025. (Avishag Shaar-yashuv/The New York Times/Redux) MORE: Details of what's in the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas The identities of all the hostages being released by Hamas and Israel have yet to be made public. Hostages with American citizenship who have died and whose bodies are believed to remain with Hamas include Itay Chen, 19, Omer Neutra, 22, and married couple Judith Weinstein, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 73. Since the conflict began when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the militant group has taken a total of 251 hostages, according to Israeli officials, with 94 remaining in Gaza. Of the 94, at least 34 are dead, according to officials. ABC News' Molly Nagle and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report. Who are the American hostages being released in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal? originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Scientists have identified vascular health indicators that may help predict stroke risk. Michael Lutz/Getty Images This article originally appeared on Medical News Today Changes in the eye can help predict other health concerns in the body, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. A new study has identified a set of 29 vascular health indicators on the retina, making a fingerprint that can help predict a persons stroke risk. Researchers believe this method provides a less invasive way of testing stroke risk than traditional tests. While some may say the eyes are a window to the soul, for quite a while, doctors have known that the eyes can also offer a view into a persons overall health. The retina is one of the few places in the body where blood vessels can be directly observed non-invasively. Changes in the retinal blood vessels can indicate systemic vascular conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis, Mingguang He, MD, PhD, Chair Professor of Experimental Ophthalmology in the School of Optometry and director of the Research Centre for SHARP Vision at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong told Medical News Today. He is the lead author of a new study recently published in the journal Heart that found a vascular fingerprint on the retina may also be able to predict a persons stroke risk in a less invasive manner than traditional tests. Identifying a vascular fingerprint in the eye For this study, researchers analyzed fundus images of the retinas of more than 45,000 participants of the U.K. Biobank study to look for measurable biomarker indicators in the blood vessels of the retina. Upon analysis, scientists identified a total of 118 measurable retinal vascular indicators, 29 of which were significantly associated with a participants first-time stroke risk, providing a vascular fingerprint. Vascular fingerprint on the retina refers to unique retinal parameters or patterns in an individuals retina, He explained. Analyzing vascular fingerprints on the retina across populations can help identify trends and risk factors associated with stroke. Seventeen of the 29 indicators are density indicators. Researchers found that every change in these indicators was linked to an increased stroke risk of 10-19%. Changes to the three caliber indicators in the fingerprint were correlated to a 10-14% increased stroke risk. Alterations to the complexity and twistedness indicators were associated with a 10.5-19.5% heightened risk of stroke. Potential for less-invasive testing for stroke risk According to researchers, the retina vascular fingerprint even when combined with just age and gender stroke risk factors was as good as the use of traditional risk factors alone for predicting future stroke risk. Traditional ways (blood tests) to predict stroke risk are limited by relatively low accuracy, invasiveness, and high cost, He said. (This) study underscores the potential of retinal vascular fingerprint analysis as a powerful tool for stroke risk prediction and prevention, offering a noninvasive, accessible, and effective method for enhancing current screening practices. The noninvasive nature of retinal analysis paves the way for easier, more accessible stroke risk screening, especially in primary care settings. Mingguang He, MD, PhD We are planning to use the same method to conduct risk prediction for other diseases such as heart disease and dementia, he added. The retina is an extension of the brain MNT spoke with Alexander Solomon, MD, surgical neuro-ophthalmologist and strabismus surgeon of Pacific Neuroscience Institute at Providence Saint Johns Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, about this study. While overall, the findings of this study will be of little surprise to most ophthalmologists, its nice to see a study that formalizes this relationship and starts to really break down some of the metrics of retinal vasculature that reflect higher risk changes associated with increased risk of stroke, Solomon said. The reason the associations between retinal vasculature changes being associated with stroke is of little surprise is that developmentally speaking, the retina is actually an extension of the brain. Accordingly, it is made up of a series of neurons (brain cells) that happen to be sensitive to and process light, so a retinal exam could always be examining a portion of your brain. Alexander Solomon, MD In addition, we know these vessels change in response to a variety of systemic vasculopathic conditions including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, and inflammatory disorders that can all lead to increased stroke risk. Again, having which features are particularly risky is certainly useful and fascinating, Solomon explained. Many of the elements of this fingerprinting are things that can be qualitatively appreciated but not quantitatively measured during your average eye exam. It would likely be both useful and interesting to make the analysis more readily available to allow eye doctors to counsel their patients better and likely help to improve the generalizability mentioned above, he added. Need for noninvasive tests to assess stroke risk MNT also spoke with Christopher Yi, MD, a board-certified vascular surgeon at Memorial Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, about this study. As a physician working with patients who suffer from strokes, this is definitely an exciting and innovative discovery, Yi said. The discovery of a noninvasive method to predict stroke risk through retinal vascular fingerprints is groundbreaking. It not only offers a practical approach to early detection but also has the potential to make stroke risk screening more accessible and less resource-intensive, especially in underserved communities. Christopher Yi, MD Stroke remains a leading cause of disability and death globally, with many cases linked to modifiable risk factors. Current risk prediction models rely heavily on invasive tests like blood draws, ultrasounds, CT scans, and MRIs, which can be costly and less feasible for large-scale screening, Yi said. A retinal-based approach leverages a noninvasive, simple diagnostic tool that could integrate seamlessly into routine eye exams, particularly in primary care settings. By improving early detection, healthcare providers can intervene sooner to manage risk factors and potentially prevent strokes, he continued. This research represents a significant step forward in preventive medicine and offers hope for reducing the global burden of stroke. It underscores the potential of interdisciplinary approaches combining ophthalmology, cardiology, and technology to address complex health challenges, he added. View the original article on Medical News Today Steve Knutson | Unsplash (The Center Square) Leaders in Eau Claire want to know how to deal with western Wisconsin police departments that are dropping homeless people off in the city. Both the city and county wrote a letter to Wisconsins attorney general this week asking for advice. The practice of transporting people experiencing homelessness to Eau Claire, absent a warm hand-off to services, is harmful and not in the best interest of the person facing hardship, the city said in the six-page letter. Eau Claires city attorney and the countys corporation counsel both signed the letter. They are asking Attorney General Josh Kaul for advice on how best to offer the needed services in a manner that is meeting obligations to serve and protect our residents while avoiding civil and criminal liability for law enforcement officers that may attach for action taken outside his or her territorial jurisdiction. City attorney Stephen Nick added in the letter that Eau Claire is seeing a spike in crime because of the homeless drop-offs. Oftentimes these individuals commit crimes immediately after arriving, which victimizes Eau Claire residents, the letter states. Our Police Officers have been injured when the transported person becomes resistive and combative. The letter specifically names the St. Croix County Sheriff's Office, Menomonie Police Department and Durand Police Department. Eau Claires letter also cites three cases dating back to mid-October when out-of-town police departments brought homeless people to Eau Claire. Two of those people, the letter says, had not committed any crimes, but all of them had contact with Eau Claire police after they were dropped-off. "These are not transports to the county jail or a receiving medical or mental health facility but often only to the edge of a sidewalk, Kwik Trip or such location without choice, treatment, care or notice. Those who may soon encounter these individuals in need of care have no background on which to offer assistance or protection, the letter adds. In these cases, it also includes unwitting motel or convenience store clerks, wholly unprepared for the needs of this person who a law enforcement officer sworn to serve and protect just dropped off at their doorstep." Eau Claire and the county are asking for four answers from the AGs office, including whether law enforcement officers have legal authority to make unrequested, non-consensual, custodial transport of unhoused or other individuals who have created no crime to other jurisdictions? And which county is financially responsible for costs incurred when services must be provided. By Nupur Anand NEW YORK -Apple is in talks with Barclays to replace Goldman Sachs as the tech giant's credit card partner, said two sources familiar with the matter, as the Wall Street giant steps back from its consumer finance ambitions. Credit card issuer Synchrony Financial is also in discussions with Apple about the card partnership, the first source said. Both sources declined to be identified discussing private talks. Several financial firms are vying to replace Goldman, which launched the credit card with Apple in 2019, the sources said. While other lenders are tempted by working with Apple, one of the world's most recognizable brands, they also viewed the original deal terms as risky and unprofitable, sources told Reuters in December 2023. Negotiations between Apple and Barclays have been ongoing for several months, but it may still take months to strike a deal, the first source said. JPMorgan Chase has also been in talks with Apple about the business since last year, Reuters reported previously. Representatives for Apple, Goldman, Barclays and JPMorgan declined to comment. Synchrony did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Goldman's credit card deal with Apple lasts until 2030, but the partnership may end sooner than that, Goldman CEO David Solomon told analysts on an earnings call on Wednesday. In 2024, Goldman transferred its General Motors credit card business to Barclays that allows customers to earn and redeem reward points on new Buicks, Cadillacs and other GM cars, including electric vehicles. The deal enabled Barclays to expand its card footprint in the U.S. Goldman entered the consumer business nearly a decade ago, aiming to broaden its revenue beyond its traditional mainstays of trading and investment banking. By late 2022, the Wall Street powerhouse decided to scale down its retail ambitions after setting aside billions of dollars to cover potential losses in the business. (Reporting by Nupur Anand in New York; Additional reporting from Saeed Azhar in New York and Stephen Nellis in San Francisco; Editing by Lananh Nguyen and Jamie Freed) Ryan Corbett (L), George Glezmann (C) and Mahmoud Habibi (R) are the American citizens held hostage by Taliban in Afghanistan (James Foley Foundation) Families of American hostages held by the Taliban in Afghanistan have asked Joe Biden to do the right thing and bring the men home before he leaves office, after months of lobbying the outgoing president to broker a deal with the hardline Islamist regime. Three US citizens George Glezmann, Ryan Corbett and Mahmood Shah Habibi are believed to have been in the Talibans custody since 2022. The Taliban has confirmed it is holding two of the men but consistently denied detaining Mr Habibi. Mr Biden held a call with family members of all three American nationals on Sunday as his administration said it was working on a deal that could bring them home in exchange for Afghan national Muhammad Rahim, a Guantanamo Bay detainee and a close aide of the late al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Mr Biden emphasised his administrations commitment to the cause of bringing home Americans held hostage and wrongfully detained overseas, the White House said. He told the families that his administration would not trade Mr Rahim, labelled a high-value detainee by the Department of Defence, unless the Taliban releases Mr Habibi, family members told The Independent. Mr Rahim has been held at Guantanamo since 2008. During the phone call with Mr Biden, he assured me that he will not finalise the trade unless my brother is included, Mr Habibis brother Ahmad Shah Habibi said, adding that the Taliban wanted the al-Qaeda adviser in return. The US government is asking for three-to-three trade, however they have not reached a conclusion yet. President Biden said negotiations are still going on and he will try to close the deal only if that includes all three Americans including my brother, he said. Mr Rahim is one of the 15 remaining out of nearly 800 men imprisoned at Guantanamo under former president George W Bush. The Taliban had countered the US proposal with an offer to exchange Mr Glezmann and Mr Corbett for Mr Rahim and two others, Reuters reported quoting a source. Once believed to be a direct adviser, courier and operative for Osama bin Laden and other senior al-Qaeda figures, Mr Rahim is considered too dangerous for release by the US authorities. The Talibans chief spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Independent that the matter of a prisoner exchange was currently under negotiation with the US, and without naming Mr Rahim, he confirmed they want certain Afghans to be released. We have our own demands and want certain Afghans held by the Americans to be released; in return, we will release the Americans we are holding. However, there must be an agreement on a mechanism for this exchange, which has not yet been agreed yet, but we remain in communication, he said in a statement to The Independent. However, with only days left until Mr Bidens term ends, one of the hostages family expressed fears that time is running out. If the deal is not finalised, the task of bringing hostages back to America will be handed over to incoming president Donald Trump, who will likely be more focussed on other foreign policy priorities such as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East. "I am crushed that we seem no closer to bringing Ryan home today than we were 886 days ago. I once again call on President Biden to do the right thing and bring Ryan and others home the deal on the table would do that," said Anna Corbett, the wife of Ryan Corbett. The White House noted that Mr Biden has brought home more than 75 Americans unjustly detained around the world, including from Myanmar, China, Gaza, Haiti, Iran, Russia, Rwanda, Venezuela and West Africa. His administration also brought home all Americans detained in Afghanistan before the US military withdrawal, it said. A Senate intelligence committee report called Mr Rahim an al Qaeda facilitator and said he was arrested in Pakistan in June 2007 and rendered to the CIA the following month. He was kept in a secret CIA black site where he was subjected to tough interrogation methods, including extensive sleep deprivation, and then sent to Guantanamo Bay, the report said. Mr Biden last week sent 11 Guantanamo detainees to Oman, reducing the prisoner population at the detention centre in Cuba by nearly half as part of his effort to close the facility as the president prepares to leave office on 20 January. Boxes of music library materials sat in hallways and cluttered rooms at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, as an unannounced renovation that began in June stretches beyond the fall semester. The Montrose campus established in 1947 is rich with history, but in recent years has coped with significant financial challenges and turnover in leadership. Staff illustration; photography by Yi-Chin Lee and Jon Shapley of the Houston Chronicle. Interior photos provided by Brady Knapp. A student walks through campus Tuesday, Sept. 29 2020, at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer Last June, administrators at the University of St. Thomas had maintenance workers dismantle the music library and haul off cardboard boxes with tens of thousands of dollars worth of compositions and equipment. The move arranged without the knowledge of professors and students was part of a larger renovation in the building. The two-room library in Cullen Hall, which housed the music library for 46 years, was to be turned into executive offices for a new arts program. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When professors and students returned to campus, they were met with dozens of uncovered, disorganized boxes stacked in the student lounge and hallways. Since then, they have scrambled to find music books and scores, scouring the internet and digging through those boxes to figure out what materials they had and what had been lost in the unannounced renovation. Every single day, said Brady Knapp, a longtime associate professor in the music department, we teachers look at each other and say Did you happen to salvage ? Its a freaking disaster. Frustrated professors have been asking universitys leaders the same questions since the fall semester began: What is going on? Where is our library? Where are our archives? The music department troubles come as the 4,300-student university struggles with significant financial challenges and turnover in leadership. St. Thomas has posted financial losses for six years in a row, overspending by $33 million during that time, according to public tax records filed from fiscal years 2018 through 2023. And its executive team has undergone major changes this past year with the resignations of university president Richard Ludwick and longtime vice president of academic affairs Chris Evans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Five days after the Houston Chronicle posed questions to St. Thomas administrators about the renovations, interim president the Rev. Dempsey Rosales-Acosta said in a written statement that all the music materials have been located. The library will now be recreated in a different part of the music building. Our Library Sciences team, in collaboration with the Music Department, has developed a comprehensive plan to organize and display these materials, ensuring they are accessible and optimized for use by students, faculty, and staff, Rosales-Acosta said. When that will happen and how long it will take remains unclear. Until then, students will continue to forage for the scores they need for their studies. A cardboard box of reel-to-reel recordings from the music library at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Photo provided by Brady Knapp Professors say theyre still concerned because this renovation shouldnt have happened without their knowledge in the first place. And it could be months before the music library is actually up and running again, Knapp said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The issue is bubbling up as the university seeks to renew its accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. Accreditation is a once-in-a-decade evaluation of the universitys academic programs, faculty, campus facilities and financial status to ensure it is meeting educational standards. If a university fails to secure accreditation, it can affect student scholarships, the ability to transfer credits to another school and job prospects after graduation. The state of the music library is one of many factors that will be evaluated, said Nuria Cuevas, vice president of the accreditation body. If students dont have adequate access to a library, she said, that certainly would be an accreditation-related issue. No one has filed a complaint with SACS, Cuevas said, but people have contacted her about the state of the library and the lack of communication with the music department about the changes. The dismantled library is evidence of the communication breakdown between professors and administrators, said Mohammad Salman, a St. Thomas prep school voice teacher who earned his bachelors and master's degrees in music from the university. He believes that any problems with the school's accreditation would seriously affect his career. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It destroys my background, Salman said. If the music department is weak, and they dont even have a library for the students, it shows that it is not a good school. No contact, no blueprints The University of St. Thomas opened in 1947 in the heart of the Montrose neighborhood in Houston. The 20-square-block, tree-lined school offers 40 undergraduate majors and 30 graduate degrees. Tuition costs almost $35,000 a year, not including on-campus housing, meal plans and other fees. About 85% of freshmen receive scholarships upon enrollment, according to the school. The nearly 80-year-old campus is rich with history. Influential architect Philip Johnson designed the schools academic mall in the late 1950s in a modern, minimalist style with symmetrical buildings now anchored by the gold-domed Chapel of St. Basil and Doherty Library. The Chartres Labyrinth and the Chapel of St. Basil, photographed Tuesday, Sept. 29 2020, at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Jon Shapley/Staff photographer And right next to that library is Cullen Hall. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For decades, the 1970s building housed only the music department. Knapp, who has been with the school for 19 years, has spent much of his time building the program, recruiting, calling in connections to get one-off gigs for students, entertaining donors and leading performances at masses, graduations and galas. Knapp helped build up the music library. Bach. Beethoven. Vivaldi. Handel. He collected books and scores of musical masters from all over the world, including contemporary female musicians and composers of color. The professor also maintained the departments archives, preserving hundreds of vinyl records and reel-to-reel recordings of student recitals as far back as the 1960s. All of that has to be protected, Knapp said. In January 2024, the school announced a partnership with the Allbritton Art Institute. The nonprofit art organization intended to provide lecturers, art faculty, a 4,000-volume library of art books and access to art off campus. Several music professors say they didnt pay attention to the partnership because it didnt appear to affect them. Dominic Aquila, St. Thomass associate division dean of liberal studies-fine arts, is currently listed on the schools website as director of the Allbritton. Previously, Aquila had been the university provost, but stepped down in 2017 after being accused of mishandling a sexual misconduct complaint. Aquila, who did not respond to requests for comment, said in an email to faculty at the time that his decision to step aside had been "long in the making." Aquila never explained the plan to move the music library and use that space for Allbritton offices, said Joan Allouache, who has been a voice professor at the school since 2011. There was no contact. No faculty was invited to talk about this. We saw no blueprints, she said Rosales-Acosta did not say why the department was not notified, but said during the recent renovations, temporary measures were implemented to protect these resources and to create a dedicated space for the music library and catalog. For months, professors say they had no idea where many of the library materials had been stored. Some boxes were put in another room in Cullen Hall, but many others remained in hallways. Those that remained in Cullen were so disorganized that it was impossible to find what the students needed, they said. Some of the materials were not readily available online because they are not yet in the public domain. Music library materials have been boxed up and stored in hallways and a student lounge for months at the University of St. Thomas in Houston. Photo provided by Brady Knapp Professors also had to switch up their lectures last semester, Allouache added. Students couldnt access scores, so our repertoire was limited, she said. Last week, after the Chronicles inquiries to the administration, they learned the archives were kept in Doherty Library. Wall cracks raise more questions The dismantled music library wasnt the only problem seemingly caused by the new construction. When school resumed last fall, students and teachers noticed new floor-to-ceiling cracks in the building: in offices, in music studios and in the auditorium where parents, donors and the general public gather for concerts and recitals. For months, no one has addressed the problem, Knapp said. Rosales-Acosta said the university is dealing with it. We are currently working with a structural engineering team to assess and address the cracks, ensuring the building remains in excellent condition, he said. Music professors say theyll remain skeptical until the promised changes actually happen. We were assured last year that the matter was being investigated and the music library would be restored to working order before students began classes, Knapp said. Professors say they dont understand why the Allbritton was moved into their building in the first place. The problem isnt with the institute itself, they say. Its the lack of communication from the administration that has left them confused about the purpose of Allbritton and what benefit it brings to the music department. Its just chaos, Salman said. I dont see anything else. Rosales-Acosta said the partnership benefits the school. The University of St. Thomas is proud to collaborate with the Allbritton Art Institute, which exemplifies our dedication to promoting excellence in arts education, he said. This partnership enhances our long-standing relationships with renowned institutions like the Glassell School of Art, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and the Menil Collection. Right now, professors say, theyre most concerned with providing students the best education possible. That cant happen until the existing problems are solved, Knapp said: Malaysia is on a roll. The Southeast Asian country, mired in corruption scandals and political instability for much of the past ten years, is now slotting itself into the most vital parts of the global tech sector. The AI boom is driving multi-billion dollar investments from companies like Google in Malaysia-based data centers, while both Western and Chinese chipmakers are moving parts of their supply chains to Malaysias more neutral territory. Last Thursday, Malaysia prime minister Anwar Ibrahim touted the countrys historic and region-leading inflow of foreign investments, particularly in the boomingand strategically-importantsemiconductor and data center industries. In 2024, Malaysia successfully tamed inflation, reduced unemployment and stabilized our currency, Anwar boasted. Independent analysts match Anwar's optimism. Oxford Economics, an economic advisory firm, estimated Malaysias economy grew by 5.6% last year, stronger than what many analysts had forecasted. Several factors like the outperformance of exports, particularly semiconductors, and foreign investments gave the economy a boost last year. Bullishness over Malaysias economic prospects could be due to political stability. After a succession of prime ministers and parliamentary shenanigans, Anwar has managed to lead a coalition government since Nov. 2022. The veteran politician has sought political legitimacy through economic growth. Since Anwar came to power, his priority has been economic development and attracting foreign direct investment. He understood theres a need for economic development for political stability, says Rahman Yaacob, research fellow for the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute, an Australian think tank. The influx of investments reflects the confidence of foreign investors, Yaacob says. Theyre willing to put their money where its worth. Malaysia is now hoping to leverage its position as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the international group representing the regions various national governments, to bolster its global presence. A shifting world economic order, an empowered ASEAN, and a stable Malaysia means we are no longer satisfied with playing the spectator, Anwar said on Jan. 9 at a conference organized by the Malaysian government and Maybank, the countrys biggest bank. We must therefore take up the mantle to chart the path forward, he said. Malaysia hopes the global tech sector and the AI-driven boom in data centers and semiconductors will drive interest to the Southeast Asian nation, with the countrys economic minister promising that a world-leading chip designer will announce new investment by February. I think well excite the market, Minister for Economy Rafizi Ramli said in an interview with Fortune last week. Yet tricky politicsdomestic and internationalcould complicate Anwars ambition to capitalize further on optimism about his country. Leading ASEAN Anwar spoke just two days after Malaysia and Singapore signed an agreement establishing a special economic zone along their shared border. Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (R) and Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (L) attend a press conference at the Prime Minister office in Putrajaya on January 7, 2025. (Photo by Vincent Thian / POOL / AFP) (Photo by VINCENT THIAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) The two governments are working to streamline the movement of people and goods between Singapore and Johor, the Malaysian state that borders the city-state. The governments are positioning the SEZ as an attractive region for businesses and investors who can access Singapore's higher-skilled workforce and more developed resources, and Johor's cheaper resources and land. The agreement is a major example or test of integration for ASEAN, said Rafizi Ramli, Malaysias economic minister, in his interview with Fortune. Malaysia takes over as ASEANs chair this year, and the countrys economic minister said that his government is likely to pursue further integration across the ten-member international bloc. In addition to the SEZ, Rafizi suggested that Malaysia will push for an ASEAN-wide grid and start wiring up the whole region. The project aims to integrate the national power systems of its ten members, but its easier said than done: The ten ASEAN members dont even use the same voltages for their electricity. Tech sector ambitions In his interview with Fortune, Rafizi said that Malaysia is banking on the tech sector to drive growth. The Southeast Asian country already has an established presence in the semiconductor supply chain. Malaysia hosts an array of testing, assembly, and packaging facilities, and supplies about 13% of the worlds chips. Intel and GlobalFoundries have set up chip packaging facilities in the country. Now, Malaysia wants to move up the value chain. Were really serious about building up the capacity for [integrated circuit] design, Rafizi said, adding that the government has wanted domestic design capabilities for a long, long time. He hoped that, one day, data centers will eventually adopt chips designed and manufactured in Malaysia. The government is set to announce a new tech strategy in early February. Rafizi also hinted that Malaysia will announce a new investment from a global chip designer around the same time, barring any last minute changes. Tricky Outlook Yet hinging political legitimacy on economic progress brings its own risks, says Wen Chong Cheah, an analyst covering Asia for the Economist Intelligence Unit. For example, what goes up may eventually come down. The mid-2024 strengthening of the Malaysian ringgit was celebrated as a success, but its decline in late 2024 sparked public criticism, Cheah says. The analyst expects Malaysias economy to grow at a moderately slower rate in 2025, especially after the it beat expectations last year. Export gains from frontloaded inventories due to U.S. tariffs in the first half of 2025 may taper off later, Cheah says. A few other domestic and international risks could end up threatening the Anwar administrations record. Anwar has touted the country as neutral territory as relations between the U.S. and China worsen. Both Western and Chinese companies are investing in Malaysia to help diversify their supply chains. In a 2023 interview with Fortune editor-in-chief Alyson Shontell, Anwar stressed that the U.S. shouldnt see closer relations with China as "a zero-sum game." Yet some foreign governments may second-guess Malaysias self-professed non-alignment when it comes to geopolitics. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Malaysia's Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 31, 2023. (Photo by Rao Aimin/Xinhua via Getty Images) Last year, Malaysia joined BRICS, an intergovernmental organization founded by China, Russia, Brazil and India. Observers increasingly see the group, which is rapidly expanding its membership among the non-Western world, as a way to hedge against the U.S.-dominated international system, particularly in the wake of Washingtons sanctions against Russia after the latters invasion of Ukraine. Rahman notes that Western officials often ask him whether Anwar will abandon the countrys neutral status and instead move closer to Russia and China. Anwar thus needs to ensure that Malaysia maintains an image of not picking a side. Otherwise, Malaysias hope of tapping the global tech sector could be in jeopardy. Rahman points to the outgoing Biden administrations move to ration access to the most advanced chips to most of the world (except for close U.S. allies) as a threat to Malaysias data center ambitions. The U.S. is also considering additional tariffs on solar panels, which several Chinese companies manufacture in Malaysia. Then comes the return of Donald Trump, who is threatening to use tariffs to reduce the U.S. trade deficit. In his interview with Fortune, Rafizi acknowledged more uncertainties this year, particularly given Malaysias trade-reliant economy. We need to double down on being open, on being neutral, and on being competitive. Defending global trade is very important to us as a country, he said. Domestic politics There's also domestic distractions. Former prime minister Najib Razak, implicated in the 1MDB scandal and in jail since 2022, is appealing to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest. The high court, which will have to hear the case, next meets on March 11. A lenient ruling in favor of Najib will tarnish the governments public perception, Cheah says, while stressing that the judiciary and the executive branch are constitutionally independent. Rahman suggests that foreign investors may be watching closely to see whether the country's politics might become unstable again, affecting the economic agenda. Rafizi, the economic minister, knows that there are still concerns over policy continuity, considering the current more stable political climate is a more recent development. But he suggested to Fortune one way to ensure continuity of the economic agenda is to demonstrate a clear value proposition, which means the pressure is on the current administration to get results fast. If these [policies] are all working and you already have investments in this country, its unlikely any new administration will come in and say well close you down,'" he said. "If anything, they would like to ride on that success." This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Nvidias most important supplier is posting record profits thanks to ravenous AI demand. That was the upshot from the latest earnings release from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, or TSMC, which used the occasion to say it doesnt think major customers like Jensen Huangs chipmaking behemoth will be scaling down their spending in 2025. TSMCs stock jumped 5% Thursday after the company revealed net income rose 57% for the final quarter of 2024, while revenue increased 37% to nearly $27 billion. While Nvidias graphic processing units are at the heart of AI trade, it outsources the manufacturing of those chips to TSMC, the king of the so-called foundry business. While Nvidia sells nearly 90% of the worlds GPUs, the Taiwanese company boasts a similar market share for producing the worlds most advanced AI chips, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. While Nvidias stock is up roughly 140% in the past 12 months, TSMC's shares have been close behind, gaining more than 110% over the same period. "We expect AI accelerators to be the strongest driver of our [high performance computing] platform growth and the largest contributor in terms of our overall incremental revenue growth in the next several years," TSMC CEO C.C. Wei said. Nvidias earnings calls, viewed as a bellwether for the entire AI trade, have become a major news event, even inspiring quarterly watch parties among retail investors. While TSMCs reports might not receive quite the same fanfare, their financial results also provide a lens to industry sentiment. Almost every AI innovator is working with TSMC, Wei told analysts last quarter. And so we probably get the deepest and widest look of anyone in this industry. The benchmark semiconductor index, known as SOX, was up 2% as of early Thursday afternoon. Dutch company ASML, which makes essential equipment for the semiconductor industry, saw its shares surge over 5% after the latest blowout earnings from TSMC, which is its biggest client. Nvidias stock spiked in premarket trading before falling more than 1% later in the session. Will the AI spending wave continue in 2025? Americas biggest tech companies, or the so-called Magnificent Seven, are set to face greater scrutiny from investors this year about whether massive investments in AI are starting to generate returns. Asked about whether he thought the spending wave would continue last quarter, Wei expressed confidence it was sustainable. On Thursday, he said the company expects AI-related sales to double this year, even after they tripled in 2024. The business still faces major headwinds, however, as competition between the U.S. and China intensifies. Ahead of Donald Trumps inauguration next week, the outgoing Biden administration proposed new restrictions on AI chip exports. Trump, meanwhile, has alleged Taiwan "stole" U.S. semiconductor manufacturing. TSMCs stock plunged in July after the now president-elect made comments that sparked fresh doubt about Americas commitment to defend the island in the event of a Chinese invasion. Amid these heightened geopolitical tensions, TSMC has invested heavily in diversifying its geographic footprint in places like the U.S., Japan, and Europe, including more than $65 billion spent on the companys three plants in Arizona. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com It's been over a week since devastating fires began to break out around Los Angeles, and it's safe to say that the City of Angels will never be the same again. Thousands of structures have burned to the ground, and millions of people have been evacuated from their homes. Amid the ashes, however, are stories of bravery, hope, and miracles. Heroes of all shapes and sizes are rising to the occasion, including five rescue dogs and their handlers who are leading the search-and-rescue mission. In the aftermath of the deadly fires, these brave souls are sacrificing their own time and safety to locate as many survivors and victims as possible. Not only are these search-and-rescue dogs trained pros, but they're rescue dogs, too! From former shelter dogs to service dog drop-outs, these four-legged heroes are making the most of their second 'leash' on life. View the 5 images of this gallery on the original article These five teams were deployed from three search-and-rescue task forces across the Golden State to assist first responders, survivors, and victims of the Eaton and Palisades fires. All duos completed training and certification with the Search Dog Foundation in Ventura County, though only Jon Munguia and Black Labrador Clifford are Los Angeles County natives. Related: Failed Police Labrador Retriever Becomes Taiwan Earthquake Rescue Hero Josh Davis and Bosco, along with Garreth Miller and Reva, traveled from the Bay Area to assist in the search-and-rescue efforts. Meanwhile, Patrick Easton and Yellow Labrador Linus, as well as Eric Lieuwen and Black Labrador Ridge, traveled all the way from Sacramento to offer their skills. Four of these teams were trained by SDF to locate survivors in the aftermath of disasters, but LA natives Clifford and Jon Munguia have the humbling task of locating victims. Although it's not a joyful task, it can bring much-needed closure to these victims' loved ones. Rescues Rescuing Others The only thing more important than the life-saving jobs these canines are trained to do is the way they got the jobs. Many of the Search Dog Foundation's graduates are rescue dogs, though they each have their own stories to tell. Labrador Retriever Bosco, for example, came to SDF after flunking out of service dog school due to his high energy level. However, that very same quality makes him an excellent search-and-rescue dog. Yellow Lab Linus had a similar story, finding himself dropping out of service dog school after his very first family couldn't care for him. Ridge, on the other hand, was a known escape artist in his hometown before an SDF recruiter spotted his drive and potential. Energetic girl Reva was also surrendered by her original family, while special boy Clifford was donated to the organization when he was just three months old. His early training allowed him to join a pilot program for Human Remains Scent Detection, which he and Jon Munguia have been deployed for four previous times. As these dogs and their handlers scour through the rubble and ashes, their stories are reminders that anybodyhuman or caninecan make an important difference in the face of hard times. Los Angeles will need time to heal, but everyday heroes like these teams are helping Southern California take the first steps. Looking for more PetHelpful updates? Follow us on YouTube for more entertaining videos. Or, share your own adorable pet by submitting a video, and sign up for our newsletter for the latest pet updates and tips. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, speaks during a news conference outside of the U.S. Capitol Building on June 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. Credit - Anna MoneymakerGetty Images This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Pete Hegseths nomination to lead the Pentagon is, at the moment, the most endangered of President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet choices. Hegseths hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesdayamong the first of the incoming Administrationcould offer some clarity on whether the former Fox News host is still on track to lead the nations largest employer. Central to that debate is likely to be Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Illinois Democrat on the committee who happens to be disabled combat veteran who lost both of her legs when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Army Black Hawk helicopter she was piloting in Iraq. Duckworth is among the first women to have flown combat missions. Hegseth says women have no place in combat operations. Im straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasnt made us more effective. Hasnt made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated, Hegseth said in November before he was nominated. That position is among a host of past comments that have come to dog Hegseth's nomination to be Defense Secretaryalong with a raft of allegations about alcohol, women, and mismanagement. He's not qualified for the job, Duckworth told TIME Monday evening ahead of Hegseths confirmation hearing. She points to not only his background, but his positions on issues like women in the military. We could not go to war and keep America safe if we were to keep our female service members out of combat or areas of combat, she says. Below are excerpts from our conversation that have been edited for length and clarity. TIME: Based on what you know at this hour, is Mr. Hegseth qualified? Duckworth: Based on what I know so far, no. I was not afforded the opportunity to meet with him in person, either. I understand there was a scheduling conflict there. Oh, no, there's no scheduling conflict. I have the receipts. I have an email dated Dec. 18 where his team gives me the date of the week of Jan. 19. He was never planning on meeting with the Democrats prior to this. And we've made ourselves more than available. So whatever they're telling you is a fib. I went back through your voting record from the first Trump term. You have not been an automatic rejector of his Cabinet. Why is this nomination different? He's not qualified for the job. The largest organization that this man has led, best I can tell, was a 40-person platoonif that was a fully manned-up platoon. The largest budget that I can tell that he has managed was somewhere around $16 or $18 million. And even that was in financial distress while he was in charge of it. We're talking about a 3 million personnel organization, military and civilian, and a budget this year of $825 billion. The manager of the local Applebee's has managed more people than Mr. Hegseth has. And I would no more want that person in charge of the Pentagon than I would Mr. Hegseth. You've served in combat as a woman. Can you explain what a Secretary Hegseth would mean for folks like yourself? It's not just about me as a woman serving. It's the fact that he's not qualified for the job. The military, what I love about it is that it's a pure meritocracy. Can you do the job? Can you meet the standards? If you can't fly the helicopter, you don't get to be a helicopter pilot. Yet here's a guy who can't meet the standards and is asking for special dispensation to do a job that he's not qualified to do. And so what does that say to the women who've earned their position? What does it say to the team leader, the company commander, or the brigade commander who has earned that position, to look and see there's a guy there who's a weekend talk show host who has no experience, and now he gets to do the job? It undermines the meritocracy and the very foundation on which the military trains and executes its mission. You're a retired member of the military now. You're on the Senate Armed Services Committee. You've seen the effects of DEI programs that Mr. Hegseth has made one of the cornerstones of his candidacy here. Do they hurt national security in the way he says? Not at all. Diversity is one of the greatest strengths of our military. You could just look at things like The Lionesses, right? The Marine Corps's women who formed units after it was found out that they could better get information on enemy actions from Afghan women villagers because they would talk to them. When we were in Iraq, especially in the early days of the war, we were attaching women who were supply clerks or medics to infantry units as they're going to kick down doors looking for insurgents, because then the women were there and they could actually frisk the local women who could not be examined by our male counterparts. Having people within the ranks from all different perspectives and backgrounds with language abilities makes our military more diverse and stronger and more able to defend America. I wish Mr. Hegseth would focus on our adversaries and the needs of the military and less on being a culture warrior. This seems to be all that he's talking about when we don't have enough battleships and the Chinese are building more and more submarines to rival our submarine force. He's worried about renaming a military base for the worst generals in the Confederate war. It's, like, where are you focused, buddy? Those are tangible experiences of women in combat or combat-adjacent roles who actually made the United States safer. Why would there be a downside to that? The nature of modern warfare and the nature of the United States military is one that we could not go to war and keep America safe if we were to keep our female service members out of combat or areas of combat. In Iraq, over 50% of the casualties that we took in Operation Iraqi Freedom happened not when we were kicking down doors. It actually happened during convoy operations. Women have been driving vehicles in the military since the first World War. So if we were to take all of the females out of those convoy operations, they would never have happened. This is not like the Civil War, the Revolutionary War where we have a forward line of troops someplace and everybody stands behind it, and you can keep the women back 30 miles or 50 miles. That's not how war works today. He is completely out of touch with the realities of modern warfare and our military. So what does he want to do? Keep the women from being deployed completely? So that's 20% of the force that can't deploy. Does that mean that the men have to deploy more often? It's going to make our military unable to execute the mission. Is there any way you get to yes on him? Maybe he has hidden talents I don't know about. Maybe he's run a major multinational corporation. Maybe he actually has negotiated a major diplomatic agreement with a foreign military. Maybe he just is being very, very, shy and not telling us about it. Can Democrats stop this, though? I don't know. Unfortunately, if you'd asked me this a month ago, I would've said there are certainly Republican members who care enough about the military and the ability to secure our nation and provide for national security who would step up. But unfortunately, the ones who did speak up with anything other than enthusiastic support from Mr. Hegseth immediately came under extremely volatile attack from everybody from President Trump down to his MAGA base. I know [Sen.] Joni Ernst [of Iowa] certainly faced an onslaught of attacks. My understanding is that many of these attacks were very threatening to her physical security. I don't know what my Republican colleagues are going to do, whether they're going to choose to put country over self, or MAGA over country. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com. By Emma Farge GENEVA(Reuters) - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House next week threatens freedoms at home and abroad, the head of Human Rights Watch said on Thursday, warning that his second term could be more damaging than his first. The remarks from Tirana Hassan, the Executive Director of the New York-based independent rights group, come as it launches its World Report reviewing rights practices in over 100 states. "The Trump administration's first term showed us what they're capable of and particularly showed their lack of commitment to human rights," Hassan told Reuters ahead of the annual report launch. "But Project 2025 and the statements that we've heard from the (incoming) President have already begun to demonstrate that there will be an all-out assault essentially on migrant rights," she said, referring to a set of conservative policy proposals and plans to launch a mass deportation operation for immigrants. Hassan, an Australian lawyer who has represented asylum seekers, added that the tone set by Trump's administration could embolden autocrats around the world to pass repressive policies. Trump's team did not immediately respond to a request to comment on her remarks. Hassan also criticised outgoing President Joe Biden's policies for providing arms to Israel in the Gaza war despite what she called clear evidence they were being used to commit atrocities. A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday. "2024 was not a proud moment for the outgoing administration," she told Reuters, saying its failure to protect civilians in Gaza and provision of arms was a "blight" on Biden's legacy. Israel denies committing atrocities in Gaza. Last month HRW said Israel had committed an act of genocide by depriving Gaza of water, an accusation Israel rejects. Thursday's 546-page HRW report said that conflicts and humanitarian crises had exposed the fraying of international protections over the past year in places such as Sudan, Ukraine and Haiti. In 2024 some authoritarians such as Russia's President Vladimir Putin and leaders across Africa's Sahel have tightened their grip on power, it said, but elsewhere there was resistance to such trends such as in South Korea. "It just shows that it is possible to stand up when there is an all-out assault on human rights," said Hassan. (Reporting by Emma Farge; Editing by Peter Graff) Simply Recipes / Getty Images Jennifer Aniston's "Perfect Salad" combines fresh herbs and fun-to-chew textures for a quick dish you can throw together any day of the week. And, unlike "The Rachel" haircut from "Friends," these flavors are timeless. I was a total fan of the show that made Aniston famous in the '90s, spending the entire series imagining life in a sprawling New York City apartment funded purely by a coffee shop job, which must have sooo easily covered the rent. While Courtney Cox has since copped to eating the same Cobb salad for lunch every day with Aniston and Lisa Kudrow while shooting "Friends," this isn't that salad. This is the one that went viral on Instagram when Aniston posted a salad snap with the vague recipe instructions, "My perfect salad." (What is this, the technical portion of "The Great British Baking Show"?) Luckily, this tabbouleh-adjacent medley is simple to assembleand even easier to eat. Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair How To Make Jennifer Aniston's Perfect Salad You can use leftover quinoa for this salad, but I was making it fresh, so I started on the stove. Hoping to max out the color wheel for my salad, I went for tri-color (or rainbow) quinoa completely based on looks. I also like that each of the colors appears to cook to a different consistency, lending a slightly seedy crunch. Next, I put together the simple lemon, honey, and olive oil dressing. While I have visions of Julia Child merrily whisking emulsions in the French countryside, I love making a vinaigrette in a jar where you pour everything in, screw on the lid, and shake the crap out of it. I first learned this technique from an ex who worked in the food industry, but for the purposes of my future salad memoir, I learned it from Jamie Oliver. For the veg, I halved an English cucumber, then scraped out the seeds with a spoon. Cucumber water is for the spa, not the bottom of my salad bowl. Rinsed chickpeas straight from the can offer the starch to soak up that beautiful dressing. A little creamy feta cheese, toasty roasted pistachios, and pungent red onions make each bite pure bliss. I LOVE the mint, which takes this salad over the top. If you like fresh mint, you could definitely add a little more than suggested. I also didnt incorporate all of the dressing or the full portion of quinoa. Instead, I made up for any missing seasoning by sprinkling in a little extra salt and pepper after I tossed everything together. If you're feeling it, warm, shredded roasted chicken or a handful of leafy greens could easily bulk up the veg or the protein. But this is one satisfying plant-packed salad I'll be making until a "Friends: The One Where They're 'The Golden Girls'" episode comes out. Simply Recipes / Lauren Bair Read the original article on SIMPLYRECIPES A ceasefire deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas, Qatari officials announced Wednesday, pausing more than 15 months of vicious fighting in Gaza, during which time the Middle East has been "fundamentally changed," in the words of President Joe Biden. As talks aimed at ending the Israel-Hamas conflict inched forward in Qatar over the last year, a deal had, at times, appeared close, but each time, one or both sides pulled back from the negotiating table before it could be finalized. There had been disputes in the high-stakes talks over the terms, which have always included the return by Hamas of the remaining hostages, and the military withdrawal by Israel from the Gaza Strip. The deal also follows the high-profile assassinations last year of Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar -- with Sinwar being one of the key architects of the Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack on Israel -- as well as Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Israel has claimed responsibility for their deaths. Throughout it all, the brutal war in Gaza continued in the foreground, its near-daily death toll overshadowing efforts to stop it. PHOTO: People search for their belongings amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City on Jan. 13, 2025, amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (Afp Contributor#afp/AFP via Getty Images) But on Wednesday, officials announced that Israel and Hamas had finally reached a deal mediators hope will scale back and eventually end the war. The agreement will begin on Sunday, with the first, six-week phase seeing the withdrawal of some Israeli forces to allow more aid to get in and the release of 33 hostages in Gaza, starting with women, children and the elderly, according to the Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. A number of Palestinian prisoners will be released, as well, he said. According to the Hamas delegation in Doha, the provisions Hamas agreed to include the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip, including the Philadelphi corridor, in stages, and handing over 33 Israeli prisoners, dead and alive, in exchange for the release of 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Negotiations would be completed in stages for the release of the remaining hostages, according to the Hamas delegation. For more than a year, the two sides have been locked in a fierce and brutal conflict in Gaza, a bloody attritional contest jumpstarted by Hamas' deadly surprise attack in southern Israel. More than 1,200 people were killed and another 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. In over a year of war between Israel and Hamas, more than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza and almost 110,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. However, more than 14,000 children and 8,000 women have been killed, according to the health ministry. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they have killed more than 15,000 combatants throughout the course of the war. After the new year began, there seemed to be a sea change in sentiment. On Monday, President Biden announced mediators had reached "the brink" of a deal. The president and his top diplomats, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, had sought closure during his term in office. They said they wanted the deal to be reached before Jan. 20, when President-elect Donald Trump again takes office. MORE: Biden says Hamas and Israel 'on the brink' of hostage-release, ceasefire deal Biden laid the deal's foundation in May 2024 A source told ABC News in February 2024 that Israeli officials had agreed to the terms of a deal, which would have seen 40 hostages released. Officials from Qatar, Egypt, Israel and the United States had met in Paris to work out the details, which included the release of some Palestinians imprisoned by Israel, the source said at the time. But that effort seemed to stall. By May, the talks were again at a "critical" stage, White House spokesperson John Kirby said at the time. Hamas had been said to agree to a deal but by the next month, the U.S. said the militant group was reluctant to sign an agreement. MORE: Gaza cease-fire talks at 'critical stage,' US says, after Hamas claims it accepted proposal Then in July, talks were stalled when Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, a key facilitator in the talks, was killed in Iran. The group's militant leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed in Gaza in October, throwing fresh uncertainty into the process. Throughout, the talks in Doha had been mediated by the Qataris, including Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Egyptians, with help from the U.S. and others. Biden and the Qatari leader spoke on Sunday, according to a readout from the White House. They both "emphasized the urgent need for a deal" to bring relief to the hostage families. "We remain hopeful that each step brings us closer to bringing everyone home," the Hostage Families' Forum said on Tuesday morning. A deal would also allow for a much-needed "surge" of humanitarian aid into Gaza, Biden had said. The agreement that was finally approaching was based on what Biden had laid out in May 2024, an arrangement that had been endorsed unanimously by the United Nations Security Council at the time, the White House said. "Today we are at a point that is closest to reaching an agreement on Gaza," a spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday. As negotiations continued, sticking points became public Previous humanitarian pauses repeatedly raised hopes of a lasting ceasefire, but the fighting always resumed. In November 2023, a brief ceasefire was reached. During that truce, more than 100 hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks were freed in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. Hamas accused Israel of refusing to extend the ceasefire, but Israel and the U.S. said it was Hamas that brought the pause to a close by firing rockets into the Israeli city of Sderot. Talks aimed at achieving a more lasting peace fell apart but eventually resumed, although Hamas repeatedly claimed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was torpedoing negotiations in a bid to shore up his domestic political position, heading off legal pressure and opposition calls for new elections. The militant group also cited repeated killings of Hamas leaders, as well as Iranian and Hezbollah officials in Lebanon, Iran and Syria. Netanyahu, meanwhile, said the continued deaths of hostages in Hamas captivity indicated the group had no interest in peace. Publicly, the prime minister and most of his top officials remained committed to their goal of "eradicating" Hamas in its entirety. The Biden administration's frustration with its inability to bring the two sides to a deal was often evident, particularly as the death toll in Gaza and elsewhere continued to grow. In September -- shortly after Israel remotely detonated explosives hidden in Hezbollah pagers and walkie-talkies across Lebanon -- Blinken said mediation efforts had been undermined "time and again." Every time talks made progress, Blinken said, "we've seen an event that makes the process more difficult, might derail it." A timeline of the intensifying Israel-Hezbollah-Iran conflict A final push from two administrations Trump's November reelection victory gave fresh impetus to the stalled negotiations, with Trump and his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, making clear the incoming president's desire for a deal before his inauguration on Jan. 20. Trump threatened "all hell will break out in the Middle East" if the remaining Gaza hostages were not freed by the time he returned to office. "It will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good, frankly, for anyone," he said. Witkoff repeatedly traveled to the region in pursuit of a deal, telling reporters that he and Biden's envoy, Brett McGurk, were "collaborative" in their push for an accord. The Biden administration, Blinken said, "very much" hoped to get the agreement "over the finish line in the next two weeks, the time we have remaining." Negotiators returned to Doha in early January, with high-level representatives -- among them Mossad chief David Barnea -- joining talks later as they progressed toward a conclusion. In the closing days of talks, both Israeli and Hamas officials signaled their readiness to make a deal, though far-right elements of Netanyahu's government again threatened to collapse the ruling coalition in protest of a ceasefire. ABC News' Will Gretsky, Joe Simonetti and Shannon K. Kingston contributed to this report. How Israel-Hamas agreement came to be amid false starts, recriminations and deaths of key players originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Israel's Air Force now dominates the skies right up to Iran's border, thanks to advanced aircraft such as the F-35 stealth fighter. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images Israel has used its Air Force to strike its enemies with impunity. Syria's collapse now gives it unprecedented power in the air, right up to Iran's border. "Israel now has open skies to Iran," a Middle East analyst said. The Israeli Air Force has long been regarded as the Middle East's premier aerial fleet, supplied in large part with US-made aircraft and munitions. But in the past year it has gone further, showing its aircraft can strike any of its adversaries with impunity and establishing unprecedented air superiority across wide stretches of the region. It gutted Russian and Iranian-made air defenses in Iran, daring Iranian leaders to strike back with fewer defenses. It destroyed stocks of Hezbollah's missile arsenal in southern Lebanon and killed its top leader with a precision airstrike on his underground headquarters. Documents posted on social media indicated that the Israeli Air Force was considered so formidable in Syria that the Assad government and Russia secretly asked Israel to spare Assad's military. The apparently classified documents, whose authenticity hasn't been independently verified, were said to be found in Syria after the collapse of Assad's regime in December. In the wake of that collapse, Israel seized the opportunity. The Israeli Air Force destroyed the country's vast majority of air defenses and Syrian military stockpiles. Across 15 months of war, instigated by the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks by Hamas into Israel, the IAF has emerged supreme and is basking in its moment. "Fighter pilots, if they wanted, could now merrily fly in pairs, with visible operating systems, at any altitude, to any range, to any spot in Israel's first circle of defense," the Israeli news site Ynet reported in late December. Israel has long possessed the most powerful air force in the Middle East and one of the most powerful and technologically advanced anywhere in the world. It boasts more than 600 aircraft and more than 30,000 active personnel, with no less than 50,000 in reserve. It operates the second-largest fleet of F-16s in the world and is the only regional country that currently flies the F-35 stealth jet. Furthermore, Israel has its own version of that fifth-generation aircraft, a privilege no other country enjoys. The IAF overwhelmingly consists of American-made aircraft that also include Apache and Black Hawk helicopters. Israel also flies a large fleet of F-15s and recently signed a $5.2 billion deal for 25 highly advanced F-15IA variants. The IAF plays a pivotal role in the defense of Israel. It gave the small country a critical qualitative edge over its larger Arab adversaries in historical conflicts, most notably the June 1967 Six-Day War. Israel's Air Force flies numerous US-made aircraft, such as the F-15E Strike Eagle. JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images The IAF's newfound supremacy goes beyond previous wars. For example, it previously destroyed several Soviet-built Syrian surface-to-air missile batteries in Lebanon's Beqaa Valley in a complex operation in 1982 and shot down more than 80 Syrian fighter jets without incurring any losses in return. While December's operation saw the IAF strike all across Syria, the operation wasn't nearly as sophisticated or dangerous as that historical episode; many of the air defenses in the latest operation were abandoned or in low states of readiness. "We know one reason possibly restraining Israel was a recently exposed secret agreement with Russia and Syria in which Israel agreed to refrain from wider targeting of Syria's military," said Sebastien Roblin, a widely published military-aviation journalist. Israel launched an enormous long-range air and drone attack against Iran on the night of October 26, 2024, in retaliation for an Iranian missile barrage against it on October 1. The IAF targeted some Syrian air defenses in the lead-up to the attack. The IAF also used Iraqi airspace that October night and was reported to have targeted early-warning radars and sensors in both Syria and Iraq, which were part of a network Iran established in the region to detect incoming Israeli attacks. While the IAF used standoff munitions, including air-launched ballistic missiles, some Israeli aircraft are believed to have penetrated Iranian airspace. "From what we currently know, some Israeli aircraft did reportedly breach Iranian airspace, though not, from what I've seen, very far," Ryan Bohl, a senior Middle East and North Africa analyst at the risk-intelligence company RANE, told Business Insider. "That was in part a demonstration of capability and in part an operational necessity to effectively hit deep targets," Bohl said. Israel said some aircraft entered Iranian airspace, which were most likely stealthy Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II jets and newly revealed long-range drones. Roblin said it was unclear whether these aircraft released weapons over Iran. They could have been there to help "precisely locate key targets" and guide weapons fired by other aircraft over significant distances, he said. "The strike certainly had the effect of dispelling deterrence benefits of Iran's more advanced air defenses (Russian S-300 systems)," Roblin said. But as in the case with Syria before December, he added, Iran's remaining air defenses "still have some value in compelling use of more expensive standoff munitions and perhaps absorbing a percentage of incoming weapons." Israel's campaign against the remnants of the Syrian military has major implications for Iran. Should Syria's airspace remain permissive to Israeli aircraft, Israel can fly its tanker aircraft closer to Iranian airspace than previously possible. "If medium/high-altitude air defenses were truly fully destroyed, then Israel's ordinarily vulnerable tanker aircraft could indeed theoretically access Syrian airspace and refuel fighters, which could enable higher volume attacks on Iran," Roblin said. Bohl said he believed that with Syrian air defenses eliminated, "Israel now has open skies to Iran." It will probably take years before Syria manages to reestablish significant air defenses. "The one-two-punch of Assad regime's collapse followed by Israeli strikes on surviving equipment mean Syria will require a much longer timeframe to reconstitute an air- and ground-based defense capability through expensive new equipment purchases," Roblin said. "So, Israel's ability to attack targets at will has been improved, though it was already more than adequate." Airpower, of course, has its limits. Israel's aerial bombing has damaged roughly two-thirds of all buildings in Gaza, but it was a foot patrol that found and killed Hamas' hardline leader, who orchestrated the October 7 attacks. With Russia's influence diminishing, Turkey appears destined to become the new Syria's main military backer. Ankara has already offered to help Damascus rebuild the Syrian military. "For now, Israel can ignore Syria as a defensive layer for Iran; it's just geography to fly over now," RANE's Bohl said. "But that is unlikely to be a permanent condition, and eventually, Syria's air defenses will, in some capacity, return." "And should Turkey provide them, (that) might complicate Israel's regional strategy in a new way." Paul Iddon is a freelance journalist and columnist who writes about Middle East developments, military affairs, politics, and history. His articles have appeared in a variety of publications focused on the region. Read the original article on Business Insider A view looking west on 17th St. from Verity Parkway, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Middletown, Ohio. The city is the hometown of Vice President-elect JD Vance. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar) MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) It was a month after her son's election as vice president of the United States and JD Vance 's mother wondered why the city of his birth had yet to recognize him. I just think it would be really nice if we could acknowledge that this is his hometown and put up some signs," Beverly Aikins told the city council in Middletown, Ohio, where she and Vance's sister still live, in early December. "He graduated from Middletown High School, comes back here frequently to visit me and take me to dinner, and I humbly request that. Perhaps in another historical moment, a few signs would seem like a no-brainer, but not this year and not for this person. The council was, instead, divided. Many residents of this Midwest steel town are bursting with pride at their native son's accomplishments. But others feel lingering embarrassment over Vance's unflattering portrayal of Middletown in his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy or trepidation about Donald Trump's second White House term, or both. The debate played out in the city's high-ceilinged council chamber, where subdued backlighting gives the room a Starship Enterprise aura. One council member suggested naming a street for Vance. Another suggested a statue of Vance's beloved Mamaw, the grandmother who raised him. A third tried to slow her colleagues down. Im thinking, whats the rush? Jennifer Carter said. If he gets in office and creates havoc, with him and Trump sending the people out of the country, all of the things that they have said that they wanted to do, if all of this stuff happens, were still saying, Yay!? Im trying to understand. Colleague Steven West offered a counterpoint. To say, hey, theres going to be a city where a young man had a lot of struggles, overcomes all of those and becomes vice president, and the city doesnt recognize it regardless of political party affiliation, you would scratch your head and go, What? Whats going on? he said. "And thats how polarized this country is. City leaders eventually came to the kind of compromise that was either maddeningly bureaucratic or elegantly impartial, depending on one's perspective, but also the kind that has become increasingly rare in the bitter politics of the current moment. They would recognize Vance's important achievement, but be careful not to celebrate it out of respect for residents' varying opinions and the nonpartisan council's goal of political neutrality. The day after the council meeting, Middletown posted a congratulatory note to Vance on its website and he will be featured prominently in the city's next monthly newsletter. City spokesperson Clayton Castle said signs will go up at the city's seven entry points after Vance and Trump are inaugurated Monday. The signs will say: Middletown, Hometown of J.D. Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States of America. At Middletown High School, Vance's alma mater, the energy level is high. At the former Ohio senator 's invitation, the band is scheduled to march in Monday's inaugural parade in Washington The students will leave at 6 a.m. Sunday. He seems really proud that hes from Middletown and he wants to bring other Middletown students to be there, said Leslie Hernandez, a senior who plays clarinet. Which is awesome, you know? The Middletown City School District raised well over the $140,000 needed to underwrite the full cost of the trip for band members, color guard and cheerleaders attending, said spokesperson Dan Wohler. He said enough was left over to buy a banner for the parade, T-shirts and other souvenirs. Besides city and state grants, the total included money raised through a GoFundMe launched by Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, who's positioning for a run for governor next year, and a $10,000 donation from the campaign fund of Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, an outspoken critic of the Biden administration's immigration policies. From the districts standpoint, its pretty exciting to say that a graduate of the high school is going to be the next vice president of the United States," Wohler said. "That's pretty historic. From residents' standpoint, he said sentiments on Vance's election are mixed. Turnout in Middletown ran nearly 9 percentage points behind that of Butler County, where it's situated, according to state figures. Trump and Vance won almost 62% of the vote in city precincts. We're split down the middle, same as the country, Wohler said. I think there's people that like him, I think there's people that don't like him, because of Hillbilly Elegy and all that. In his 2016 book, Vance was not kind to Middletown. He recalled that kids derisively called it Middletucky when he was growing up because of all the Kentucky transplants including his family, which hailed from Jackson. With them came Kentucky's problems, he wrote, which he described as drug addiction, Mountain Dew mouth" and a shortage of virtuous fathers. People have struggled to get out of Jackson for decades; now they struggle to escape Middletown, he wrote. The portrayal created a backlash among Appalachian scholars, reigniting debate over whether a region with a long history of exploitation from out-of-state interests had been misrepresented with victim-blaming stereotypes. Vance began to distance himself from the book, rarely mentioning it during the 2024 campaign. He has spoken fondly about his Appalachian roots, and earlier this week he visited the cemetery in Breathitt County, Kentucky, where five generations of his family are buried. My ancestors who are buried in that cemetery fought tirelessly for the American ideals we will be entrusted to uphold," he said in a statement about the visit. Its both an honor and a privilege that someone with my upbringing can go on to become the Vice President of the United States. In Middletown, not technically part of Appalachia, some residents don't think the book's conclusions rang true. Paul Gomia, a politically active Middletown Democrat who's more than 30 years older than the 40-year-old Vance, said his neighborhood was about four blocks from Vance's. Gomia said he was poor growing up and his family got a lot of government benefits, including food from the health department and college scholarships. He rejects the book's suggestion that such programs breed laziness and generational downward mobility. He said they helped him succeed in life. I don't like his story, when he grew up almost the same as I did," he said. And my concern with what Im seeing locally, as well as nationally, is the loss of possibly those opportunities, you know, grants, the opportunity to go to school with the dissing with the word woke, and claiming that its something evil, coming from the Republican Party. I think that means opportunities, job training, and diversity and equality and inclusion, things that we worked so hard for all these years. Pastor Lamar Ferrell of Middletown's Berachah Church criticized Middletown's lack of recognition for Vance two weeks before the politician's mother visited council chambers. Ferrell called for an end to the nonsense of silence. JD is a Middletonian, he told the council. "Before we debate and dialogue on what Hillbilly Elegy has meant, the reality is that JD has shown us all that we can climb from a place that all of us would want to climb from. Ferrell's church is hosting an inaugural watch party on Monday. ___ Associated Press videojournalist Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos contributed to this report. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem in Washington on Dec. 11. President-elect Donald Trumps pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, is set to go before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing Friday. But even if she is successful at the hearing and is confirmed, as she is expected to be, her role as homeland security secretary is expected to be more limited in scope than her predecessors, sources familiar with the Trump transition told NBC News. If she is confirmed, Noem, the governor of South Dakota, will oversee a workforce of more than 260,000 across a number of agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secret Service and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. But on the issue in her purview that is highest-profile and most important to Trump, immigration, she would be taking marching orders from the White House, specifically from incoming border czar Tom Homan and Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff for policy, four sources familiar with the transition preparations said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about transition discussions. Previous homeland security secretaries have been involved in Cabinet-level discussions about immigration policy and have advised the presidents they served on the realities of carrying out policies on the ground. They have also set the priorities for how to conduct immigration enforcement. Noem is not considered a key player in planning mass deportations, a major campaign promise of Trumps, as that is seen largely to be the focus of Homan and Miller, the sources said. She has not been vocal about the issue, nor has she made national media appearances since Trump announced her as his choice to head DHS shortly after he won the White House in November. But if there are policy questions from Congress, she would be the one to answer them. In response to a query about Noems role in immigration policy, the transition team said in a statement: President Trump was elected to secure Americas borders. As President Trumps choice to be DHS Secretary, Governor Noem will ensure that CBP, ICE, and USCIS, critical immigration agencies under her purview, have whats necessary to protect our borders and keep Americans safe. The transition team also noted that the Border Patrol union endorsed Noem in a letter to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which will hold the confirmation hearing. We are confident that as Secretary, Governor Noem will continue to ensure Border Patrol agents have the resources and manpower that we need to secure our border, the letter said. Noems spokesperson in the governors office did not respond to a request for comment. Corey Lewandowski, Trumps 2016 campaign manager and a longtime Noem ally, is involved in hiring for key positions within the new DHS, even though he is not an official part of the DHS transition, three of the sources said. Two of them said that has been frustrating for people within the Trump transition whose jobs are supposed to be hiring for the department. One of the sources called Lewandowskis role outsized and abnormal, while another called it unusual. Both said Lewandowski used a Gmail account for people to email him if they wanted jobs in DHS. A lawyer for Lewandowski said that he is not handling the hiring process for DHS and that he has a professional relationship with Noem. Though Noems role in immigration policy might be limited, DHS responsibility to secure critical infrastructure, respond to natural disasters, prevent terrorist attacks and protect the president and other dignitaries would ultimately fall to her if she is confirmed. Critics, including Democrats and Native American tribes in her state, as well as some senators, have argued that as governor of South Dakota, a state far from the U.S. southern border with only 5% of the workforce of DHS, Noem lacks the right experience to run DHS. Doug Sombke, a South Dakota farmer and president of the South Dakota Farmers Union, who has been a frequent critic of Noem, said she was not qualified to run DHS. Good God, no, she cant run the state, he said. Noem has come under fire most recently for the state auditors denial of an open records request for her government-issued credit card. The auditor told The Dakota Scout newspaper of Sioux Falls that the records could not be released because it could violate her safety. The newspaper has sued to get the records. Fellow Republicans have also criticized her for spending $13 million in taxpayer money on a shooting range project that the Legislature had rejected. The Legislature objected to the spending, and the governor approved it anyway, Sombke said. Noems backers applaud her tough stance on immigration. She has called for so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with ICE to be punished. And she sent South Dakota National Guard members to the border to address what she has called an immigrant invasion. Kristi has been very strong on Border Security, Trump said in a statement in November announcing her as his choice to run DHS. She will work closely with Border Czar Tom Homan to secure the Border and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries. Other issues likely to come up in Noems hearing before the Senate committee Friday are her revelation in a recently published memoir that she shot and killed her family dog when she considered it untrainable. Another is a 2022 South Dakota state legislative committees finding that Noems daughter Kassidy Peters received special treatment when she was given her real estate appraisal license. A state agency awarded the license in 2020 despite Peters failure to obtain training that was required, the legislative committee found. The committee noted in its legislative minutes that when Noems daughter was initially rejected, she should have waited the required six months and reapplied. Instead, she received her license from the agency that answered to the governor. Noem denied she had ever intervened on her daughters behalf, saying in a video at the time, I never once asked for special treatment for Kassidy. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered flags at full-staff for Trump inauguration, flouting Biden, who lowered the flags to honor the memory of former President Jimmy Carter. dlanier/Getty Images/iStockphoto Flying (not so) high Regarding Texas Gov. Greg Abbott orders flags at full-staff for Trump inauguration, flouting Biden (Jan 13): I am deeply disappointed in Gov. Abbott's decision to raise the Texas and United States flags during President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration, in apparent violation of the U.S. Flag Code. Title 4, Section 7(m) of the Flag Code, which clearly states that the flag must remain at half-staff for 30 days following the death of a sitting or former president. Abbott's decision disregarded these guidelines, undermining the respect owed to our national symbols. The American flag represents unity and shared values, not political allegiance or spectacle. Regardless of political beliefs, all Texans deserve leaders who respect our national traditions and symbols. Decisions such as this one diminish the dignity of the offices and institutions they represent. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I urge the press to persuade Gov. Abbott to publicly address this matter and commit to upholding the standards of the U.S. Flag Code in the future. Texas, and our nation, deserve better. Timothy McClung, Conroe How telling it is that Gov. Abbott chooses to suck up to a man with absolutely no moral compass by ignoring the respect due to former President Jimmy Carter, a man of the highest integrity and honor. Its the clearest statement he can make about the value of politics over honesty. Rebecca Udden, Houston Advertisement Article continues below this ad Apparently, Gov. Abbott (T)* still thinks he has a chance for an appointment to a federal position from Trump. Otherwise, why would he decide to return the flags at the Capitol to full mast after Trump whined about the flags being at half mast during the inauguration? What purpose does it serve to raise the flags on our state buildings? There can be only one reason and that is to impress a certain someone in hopes that he can be rewarded. As for me, I hope Abbott does get a federal job. Perhaps then we could elect a governor who is more interested in working for the good of the whole state instead of the issues his billionaire owners assign to him. Maybe he could take Ken Paxton (T) and Christi Craddick (T) with him. *The (T) refers to the Trump party. These people no longer adhere to the values of the Republican Party. Keith Hoogterp, League City Advertisement Article continues below this ad What it takes to be a good teacher Regarding HISD teachers union launches 'Fair Pay Campaign' against planned pay-for-performance policy (Jan 9): If that doesn't take the cake. A Houston teacher's union fears being paid based on performance evaluations rather than on seniority. I can understand their fear. Just look at the standing of U.S. students in comparison to the students of other nations when it comes to reading, math and science. But that's what happens when someone like Randi Weingarten is the head of the national teacher's union. Mediocrity and excellence have the same status and rewards. J. Jones, La Porte Once again, Houston ISD shows that the leadership has no idea what it takes to be a good teacher. To think that test scores can determine the quality of a teacher is wrong. Test scores are a snapshot; a frozen moment in time. It is not a true story of what a teacher has given each of the students individually and collectively. It is a snapshot of the student at that moment. It doesnt take into account the childs mood, his/her family situation or even the previous nights sleep. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Doctors are not paid based on whether a patient lives or is cured. Even car mechanics arent paid by whether or not they can get a car running indefinitely. Accountants dont give up their fees if taxes have to be paid. Teaching is a profession that involves caring for students, caring for people people who are as varied as the population of our metropolitan city. A good teacher recognizes that each student needs to be recognized and respected if he or she is to be successful. It is that caring, that dedication, that is not measured by any amount of data and is worth a teachers weight in gold! P. Gee, Houston Havent our beleaguered HISD teachers, students and parents had enough damage and drama incurred by Superintendent Mike Miles? It is time to bid him farewell. By the time our citys kids graduate they will be running and screaming to avoid any further education in fear of another horrific experience. I taught in a Spring Branch ISD middle school and after retiring and having two children attend K-12 in that same district, I know a little something about quality schools. Miles is absolutely the worst thing that has ever happened to my beloved citys school system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad I personally know one of Bellaire High Schools English teachers, much loved, respected and a published author in her own right. She resigned and is now at another district. What does it take to rid HISD of this albatross? Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was named in a lawsuit filed by a former longtime employee who said she spoke up about months of egregious misconduct by the chief and another top official and was harassed and fired in retaliation. The suit, filed against the city of Los Angeles, adds to an inferno of controversy over Crowley and other officials leadership amid the most expensive wildfires in California history. Former LAFD Fire Administrator Jenny Park, a civilian employee of more than ten years, claims she got the axe after raising concerns about Crowleys habitual misconduct since she took the top spot in 2022, which included nepotism, bullying, and a refusal to return $37,000 paid to her in error, the court filing alleges. Ex-LAFD administrator Jenny Park (left) claims she was harassed then fired for exposing misconduct. LAFD Photo / Gary Apodaca LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley is accused of favoritism, bullying, and financial misconduct. AP Park also alerted city officials when another high-ranking official, Deputy Chief Orin Saunders allegedly awarded a lucrative contract that carried a conflict of interest. Crowley and Saunders raked in $654,000 and $576,000, respectively, in pay and benefits that year, according to department records provided to Transparent California. The pair allegedly ran the department like their personal clubhouse, handing out promotions that were not based on merit, giving special treatment to people they personally liked and bullying those they didnt. Park alleges Crowley worked to isolate, demean, and humiliate her among her colleagues before firing her. LAFD Photo / Gary Apodaca Park claims she first brought up the issues to Crowley and Saunders directly, then complained to city officials who did nothing to address the problems. Instead, Crowley and Saunders did their best to bully, isolate and intimidate her into silence, smearing her behind her back, excluding her from panels and events, and openly humiliating her in front of her colleagues, the court filing alleges. Crowley finally notified Park of her termination just before Christmas of 2023 ousting the departments highest-ranking woman and Asian-American employee in one stroke. Park (right) also named Orin Saunders (left) in the suit, claiming he retaliated when she called attention to an improperly awarded contract. X / @LAFDwest Chief Crowleys mismanagement, finger-pointing, and refusal to take responsibility are at the heart of the problems within the department right now. Instead of focusing on improving public safety, she has surrounded herself with people who tell her what she wants to hear, while retaliating against those who speak out, said Parks attorney, Shannon H.P. Ward, in a statement. The Los Angeles Fire Department did not immediately respond to The Posts request for comment. Park had joined the fire department as a civilian in 2013 after serving as a deputy attorney for the city. She loved her job, quickly rose through the ranks, and had planned to stay for the rest of her career, Parks attorney Martin Aarons told the Mail. Aarons described Parks firing as a carefully planned scheme that involved months of undermining and character assassination. Parks suit is one of many scandals facing LAFD as the most expensive fires in California history burn on. AFP via Getty Images He said such moves have been part of her standard playbook since taking the top job in 2022 after her predecessor resigned amid his own firestorm of scandal. After Chief Crowley started, over the course of the next 18 months it became clear that if you didnt go along with what she wanted to do then you were all of a sudden persona non grata, Aarons told the Mail. Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, sits in a car as he heads to a detention center in Uiwang, South Korea, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Kim Sung-min/Yonhap via AP) SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Lawyers for impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed in their court effort to secure his release on Thursday, a day after he was detained at his residence for questioning over rebellion allegations linked to his martial law declaration last month. Yoon was sent to a detention center near the countrys capital, Seoul, after undergoing more than 10 hours of questioning on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, during which he exercised his right to remain silent. Yoon refused further questioning by the anti-corruption officials on Thursday as his lawyers maintained that the investigation was illegal. Lawyers had asked the Seoul Central District Court to consider his release, questioning the validity of the detention warrant for Yoon issued by the Seoul Western District Court. But the Central District Court denied their petition late Thursday. Yoon had avoided several requests to appear for questioning before the anti-corruption agency and police carried out a major law enforcement operation involving hundreds of personnel to detain him at his residential compound in Seoul. Investigators are expected to move to place him under arrest in the coming days. The anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and the military over whether Yoons martial law declaration amounted to attempted rebellion, has 48 hours either to request a court order for his formal arrest or to release him. On Thursday, his lawyers formally declared that Wednesdays raid at the presidential residence, which led to the detention of a head of state, was illegal, in complaints filed with prosecutors. Yoon didn't attend a hearing at the Central District Court on Thursday, which was part of the review over his detention warrant, because of security concerns, according to Seok Dong-hyeon, one of the president's lawyers. Hundreds of Yoons supporters rallied for hours in streets near the court and the detention center where Yoon was being held, waving banners and chanting slogans calling for his release. Yoon set off the country's most serious political crisis since its democratization in the late 1980s when he attempted to break through gridlock in legislation by declaring martial law and deploying troops around the National Assembly on Dec. 3. The standoff lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and voted to lift the measure. His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on Dec. 14, accusing him of rebellion. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to formally remove Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him. Yoon and his allies have defied efforts to investigate his role in the chaos of Dec. 3. He ignored requests to appear for questioning for weeks, remaining in his official residence to avoid detention as his lawyers turned away police, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge Yoon himself. They also said that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations. Yoon also resisted one attempt to detain him as the presidential security service barricaded the residence. He was finally brought into custody after hundreds of anti-corruption investigators and police raided the presidential compound for around five hours in a second attempt. In a video message recorded shortly before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented that the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country. He echoed the arguments of his lawyers that the anti-corruption agency doesn't have the authority to investigate his actions, but said that he accepted detention to prevent violence. The Constitutional Court rejected a request by Yoon's lawyers to postpone a hearing on his case scheduled for Thursday. It remains possible for Yoon to exercise his right to attend, even while under detention. If a court grants a warrant for Yoons formal arrest, the anti-corruption investigators can extend his detention to 20 days, during which it will transfer the case to public prosecutors for an indictment. If prosecutors indict Yoon on the possible charges of rebellion and abuse of power, he could remain under arrest until the first court ruling, which is typically made within six months, said Park Sung-bae, an attorney specializing in criminal law. Under South Korean law, the leader of a rebellion can face the death penalty or life imprisonment, if convicted. The scenes of destruction in Los Angeles have brought a sense of deja vu for Steve Crowder. Six years ago, similar images of fires ravaging his community of Paradise, California, were plastered across televisions and social media. It is Paradise revisited, said Crowder, the mayor of Paradise. Sitting here watching the news, these fires in L.A. have hit me the hardest. Now, his town could give an indication of what the road to recovery may look like for those in the Los Angeles area joining the growing list of towns and cities devastated by wildfires. For those communities, recovery has been measured in years, not months. It has required billions of dollars in federal assistance, though federal money doesn't address every need after a disaster. And putting that money to use comes with unexpected challenges that have gone far deeper than the surface-level destruction. My message to any of these towns is, dont let anybody tell you you cant come back, because we are proof you can come back. There is light at the end of the tunnel, Crowder said. The first time you walk through your town youre going to think, Oh, theres no way we can come back from this. Well, there is, even though it looks like youre walking through where a nuclear bomb went off. For those in Los Angeles, where the wildfires have killed at least 25 people and destroyed more than 12,300 structures, officials are beginning to discuss what may come next. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he is already starting to reimagine L.A. 2.0, with a Marshall Plan-style rebuilding effort that could cost tens of billions of dollars. But much of that recovery will depend on federal resources, which could get entangled in wider political fights in Washington. Republicans in Washington have suggested putting conditions on aid to California or linking it to other policy priorities. A home burns during the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on Jan. 8. President Joe Biden has made federal funding available for the next six months to cover temporary housing, emergency assistance to individuals and costs related to immediate public safety threats, like debris cleanup and hazardous materials. But longer-term funding to rebuild public infrastructure, like water systems, roads and schools, will be up to the incoming administration and Congress. Meanwhile, coarsened political rhetoric and public blame-seeking on the part of Trump and others have added to an already uncertain situation for the fire survivors and could be fueling politicization of the disaster, said Jennifer Gray Thompson, whose organization After the Fire has worked since 2017 with communities affected by wildfires. One of the things I love about working in disasters is its nonpartisan, everyone gathers together as Americans and they support each other. But now Im getting messages every day telling me, You deserve it, were so glad this happened to you, Thompson said. There have been parts of America that have always been unkind, but Ive never known us to have this level of cruelty. A long road to recovery Even without the current level of political infighting, the rebuilding process for communities affected by past wildfires has been yearslong and could indicate a long road ahead for those in Los Angeles. It can take weeks before residents are even able to check on their properties and more than a year before all the debris and hazardous materials are removed so homeowners can start rebuilding. It could be several more years before critical infrastructure, like water systems, power lines, roads and schools, is fully rebuilt, with funding fights in Washington potentially delaying that progress further. I hate to say it, but if you lost your house, and even if you have the means to rebuild, you better buckle up, because its going be a ride that youre not going to like, said Pete Gaynor, who served as administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency during the Trump administration. Im sorry to say it that way. Its just the way it is. For those who lost their homes, FEMA provides temporary shelter, typically in hotels. But setting up longer-term temporary housing, like mobile home communities, can take more than a year, in order to find the land for those structures and to build out the road, water and electric infrastructure, Gaynor said. In Paradise, 90% of the town, including 18,000 structures, was destroyed and 85 people were killed. The population went from around 26,000 people, many of them retirees, to as few as 2,000 overnight. Along with losing their homes and businesses, residents lost their jobs, children lost their schools and the city lost nearly all of its tax revenue. Six years later, rebuilding is now well underway. The city is constructing around 500 homes a year and has rebuilt a third of its homes with its population up to 11,000, according to Crowder. Last year, Paradise was the fastest-growing city in California, attracting a mix of returning residents and newcomers, many of whom are families drawn to the town because of its schools and relative affordability, Crowder said. Nearly all of the citys infrastructure was damaged in the fire, including water systems, cell towers, power lines, roads and schools. Officials are still in the process of installing underground power lines and repaving roads. One silver lining of the process has been the ability for the city to rebuild with more modern infrastructure and buildings that will be more resilient to future fires. FEMA has helped fund much of that rebuilding, but the federal process has felt belabored and full of red tape, at times, Crowder said. They operate like a typical big government machine. Although the help was appreciated, it is a little slow sometimes, Crowder said. Its all good intentions, but some of the assistance that is offered is almost impossible to get. It sounds good on paper, but we are still seeing some of that with the housing situation where people are applying for programs but they are so stringent that no one could qualify. Crowder, who was a city council member as the city started to rebuild, has been on the phone with local officials in Los Angeles County, helping guide them through the early stages of their recovery. The most recent California fires have also affected him personally: His daughter lost her home in Altadena last week to the Eaton Fire, which has killed at least 11 residents and destroyed more than 1,900 structures. Federal funding is only part of the equation in fire recovery Crowder lost his home and business in the 2018 fire, and it took him 18 months to be able to rebuild at a cost that far exceeded what his insurance company paid him for his loss. While most fire victims in Paradise had some form of insurance, many didnt receive enough to cover the full cost of rebuilding, because costs skyrocketed following the surge in demand for labor and materials after the disaster. The majority of people that had insurance in Paradise were underinsured and didnt realize it, Crowder said. If one or two houses had burned, we probably wouldnt have been underinsured, because before the fire you could build a house for $150 a square foot. That went overnight to $350 a square foot, and the insurance didnt go that far. The town also had to contend with alleged fraud by contractors, who fire victims said took millions of dollars in insurance payments from them without providing the promised work, Crowder said. For those who have been able to rebuild, finding and affording homeowners insurance has become another struggle. Crowder said the typical policy has gone from around $1,500 a year to $5,000 through the state-backed insurer of last resort. It's an issue that will likely only get worse for Californians following the Los Angeles fires. In Maui, Hawaii, more than 2,000 structures were destroyed in the community of Lahaina and around 12,000 were displaced in a fire that killed at least 100 people in August 2023. Carcasses of cars are seen among the ashes of a burned neighborhood after a wildfire, in Lahaina, Hawaii, in 2023. FEMA and other federal agencies have provided about $3 billion toward Mauis wildfire recovery, with more than $1.3 billion going to direct rebuilding efforts, like removing debris, providing temporary housing, rebuilding a local school and repairing public infrastructure. Much of the first year of the recovery in Maui was spent clearing debris and hazardous material before property owners could begin rebuilding. It also took around a year for the Environmental Protection Agency to complete the process of testing, inspecting and clearing damaged water and sewer infrastructure so local officials could begin repairing and rebuilding those systems. In addition to debris removal, the properties also had to pass soil inspections, since fires can cause toxic materials to leak into the ground, and have erosion control measures put in place following the loss of the vegetation that typically holds the soil in place. Housing has been an especially difficult challenge in Lahaina, where there was already an affordable housing shortage something Los Angeles was struggling with as well before the fires. Many residents were forced to move to other parts of the island or leave altogether, and housing has been a particular challenge for renters, said Jason Economou, president of the Maui United Way. Nearly 15 months after the fire, families began moving into a temporary FEMA housing complex that consists of 169 modular homes. FEMA is also providing mobile homes that people can place on their private properties while they wait to rebuild. But not all residents displaced from their homes were eligible for FEMA housing assistance. That includes people whose homes were badly damaged but didnt burn, as well as undocumented immigrants, said Kimo Carvalho, executive director for HomeAid Hawaii, a nonprofit affordable housing developer. His organization is in the process of moving residents into a state-funded development for those ineligible for FEMA assistance. It received more than 900 applications for 450 manufactured housing units where residents can live for up to five years. The first residents started moving in a year after the fire and the development is expected to be fully occupied by April. Their lives have been on pause for a year. Most have been in three to four different living arrangements, a lot of them werent able to maintain their full-time jobs, so theyve been trying to figure out how to make money, Carvalho said. It wasnt until I started seeing everyone move in that they started stabilizing. Then its almost like all the things that they were dealing with pre-fire are finally starting to come out. Beyond the price and logistics of rebuilding, there has also been the emotional cost. Families have had to frequently move between temporary housing arrangements across the island, and a once tight-knit community has unraveled. Thats left residents feeling isolated and without a support network, compounding the struggles they face with rebuilding their lives after the fire, Economou said. The community is never going to be quite the same, Economou said. When people are forced to move as economic refugees, the makeup of the community changes, the size and the amount of housing thats available changes. Its not just that the old stuff is gone, so were just going to rebuild and pick up where we left off. Thats impossible. The community will never be the same after an event like this. Lindsay Clancy/Lindsay Clancy and her kids The Massachusetts mom charged with strangling her three kids with exercise bands will undergo a psychiatric exam after her lawyers said they are preparing to mount an insanity defense. Plymouth Superior Court Judge William F. Sullivan signed off on a request by prosecutors to have Lindsay Clancy evaluated by experts chosen by the Commonwealth in the case accusing her of killing Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 7 months, inside their Duxbury, Mass., home in 2023. Lindsay Clancy will undergo a psychiatric evaluation after her lawyers said theyd raise the insanity defense. lind.say.969/Facebook Clancys lawyer, Kevin Reddington, last month filed court papers announcing his intention to pursue the defense that Clancy shouldnt be held criminally responsible for the tragedy because she was suffering from crippling postpartum depression and was overmedicated at the time of the murders. In Massachusetts, the defense need only raise the insanity argument and it then becomes the prosecutors burden to prove otherwise, according to a NewsCenter 5 report. Reddington wrote in the Dec. 13 filing that statements of the defendant as to her mental condition will be relied upon by defendants expert witnesses and the defendant does intend to present to the court a defense of lack of criminal responsibility. Clancy, 33, is accused of committing the heinous killings before attempting suicide by jumping out the window of the familys Summer Street home on Jan. 24, 2023. She was left paralyzed and has been committed to Tewksbury State Hospital since May 2023. She had been on leave from her job at Massachusetts General Hospital as a labor and delivery nurse when prosecutors said she sent her husband on an errand for 20 minutes using the time that she was alone with the kids to murder them. Clancy strangled her three kids in 2023 in their Duxbury, Mass., home. Facebook / Lindsay Marie Clancy Clancy tried to commit suicide by throwing herself out a window but survived and became paralyzed. AP Her husband, Patrick Clancy, has said hes not angry with Lindsay and has forgiven her because she was not herself when she allegedly carried out the horrible acts. I wasnt married to a monster, Patrick told the New Yorker in an October interview. I was married to someone who got sick. Lindsays trial had been slated for December 2025 but has since been pushed to January 2026. She faces three counts of first-degree murder and strangulation and has pleaded not guilty. Reddington didnt immediately return a request for comment Thursday. Mazda (MZDAY), despite being the little brother among Japanese auto giants Toyota (TM), Honda (HMC), and Nissan (NSANY), had a great year. The company had a record-breaking 2024 in the US, with sales up nearly 17% to just under 425,000 vehicles sold. Mazda also had its best December ever, powered by sales of its CX90, CX70, and CX50 crossovers. Mazda has a reputation for sporty, enthusiast cars, like the Miata, that wont break the bank and a dedicated following in the US that has resulted in strong sales despite a challenged environment. Affordability itself is one of the significant headwinds facing the entire industry right now, Tom Donnelly, Mazda North America president and CEO, said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. We've had to make some adjustments in terms of [product] mix and our programs and incentives; we've been able to maintain pricing overall, and again, this has led to our most successful year in our 54-year history here in the US market. The 2025 Mazda CX-50 hybrid (credit: Mazda) (Mazda) Donnelly cited the sales success of the CX90 and CX70 models, which offer a plug-in hybrid option too, accounting for 15% to 20% of revenue. The biggest surprise for Mazda has been its CX50 hybrid, which Donnelly said is the fastest turning vehicle on dealer lots it lasts, on average, only 3-4 days in inventory. Its why Mazda took its time with electrification. The company has had only one battery electric vehicle (BEV), and it was only sold in a few states. The vast majority of Mazda buyers want gas-powered and hybrid vehicles, though Donnelly said a fully fledged EV is on the way in 2025. The push for electrification by governments both here and abroad is another headwind facing the industry, Donnelly said, and is a big reason why rivals like Honda and Nissan are merging. The costs are too high, and the unrealistic regulatory environment is pushing automakers to turn to one another to survive. The Mazda 6e mid-size battery electric car on display at the AutoSalon on Jan. 10, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. (Sjoerd van der Wal/Getty Images) (Sjoerd van der Wal via Getty Images) Mazda has said it is counting on its partners Toyota and Panasonic for its electrification needs but a merger isnt on the table. Another headwind is the upcoming Trump administration which is itching to bring tariffs to the auto sector Though Mazda has a factory in Alabama that produces the CX50, it also builds cars in Mexico and its home market Japan. Donnelly and the Mazda team have been game-planning for months now what the tariff effect could be, and the options dont look good so far. Read more: How do tariffs work, and who really pays them? What's clear is no business in any industry can absorb the magnitude of what's being talked about here, Donnelly said on tariffs. Even though Mazda could ramp up output in Alabama, where it produces the CX50, and decrease output in Mexico, these things don't happen overnight. We have a supply chain that allows us to consider those things, but these are decisions that take months to potentially a year time frame in terms of the adjustments you make from a pricing perspective, he said. Those potential speed bumps aside, Mazda contends it has enough going for it to maintain sales momentum throughout the rest of the year. Pras Subramanian is a reporter for Yahoo Finance. You can follow him on X and on Instagram Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocks Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Lebanon County Regional Police Facebook; Lebanon County Regional Police Chazzity Candelario A mother in Pennsylvania has been arrested after reportedly handcuffing her 11-year-old son to an oil tank. On Saturday, Jan. 11 at approximately 9:55 p.m. local time, the Lebanon County Regional Police Department (LCRPD) "was dispatched to 680 East Kercher Avenue" in the city following reports that "an 11-year-old juvenile male" had been "restrained," per a police report. Police identified the woman as Chazzity Candelario, 33, who is now facing charges of endangering the welfare of a child, false imprisonment and unlawful restraint following her arrest on Monday, Jan. 13, per the report. "An investigation revealed the juvenile's mother, Chazzity Candelario, had restrained the juvenile to an oil tank in the basement using handcuffs. Candelario was arrested and charged," police said. Lebanon County Regional Police Chazzity Candelario Per the criminal complaint, Candelario told police "she has a hard time controlling her children while she's away at work," according to local NBC-affiliated station WGAL. Candelario allegedly admitted to officers that she'd handcuffed her son to the oil tank, per the outlet. Related: Mom Arrested After Her Malnourished 4-Year-Old Allegedly Wasnt Given Solid Food for 6 Months LCRPD had initially received a report regarding a child being "chained" to a bed in a home, according to local ABC-affiliated station WHTM. Police said the boy was previously found handcuffed to the railing of a top bunk bed, per the outlet. The station added that the child had been "tied to a post in the basement" by his mom, but was able to free himself before "accidentally" handcuffing himself to the bed. Lebanon County Regional Police Facebook Lebanon County Regional Police Vehicle WHTM reported that the suspect would handcuff the child "to the leg of the fuel tank for up to two hours" at a time in the basement, citing the complaint. 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. Related: Woman Charged with the Murder of Her Young Daughter, Whose Death She Blamed on 'Voices' in Her Head The suspect allegedly "admitted to locking" her children "in a small 38 utility room," as well as attaching them to the oil tank, police said, per the outlet. Candelario is currently being held in Lebanon County Prison and her bail has been set at $100,000, WGAL stated, citing court records. The Lebanon County District Attorneys Office did not immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. The Lebanon County Regional Police Department told PEOPLE that they had no additional information on the case. Read the original article on People Illustration: CSA-Printstock/iStock Should artists have to file paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) just to sell their own creations? Should they be required to warn buyers that art values might fluctuate? Should the SEC get to say if art sales count as an "investment"? Does the SEC have the regulatory authority to police art sales? The SEC seems to think it doesif the art is a nonfungible token (NFT). As a federal lawsuit against the SEC explains, NFTs are digital tokens stored on a blockchain that "can give the owner a wide array of digital and/or physical rights." Think of an NFT as a digital collector's item, designed to be one of a kind. The plaintiffs in that lawsuit, musician Jonathan Mann (known online as songadaymann) and conceptual artist Brian L. Frye, want to continue selling NFTs, but they worry that the SEC under Chairman Gary Gensler will try to stop them. Mann and Frye, who filed their lawsuit last July in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, were alarmed by recent SEC actions against other NFT artists that resulted in punishing settlements. They are seeking an injunction barring the SEC from bringing similar enforcement actions against them, which they argue would exceed the agency's legal authority. Mann and Frye say they "justifiably fear" the SEC will punish them for future NFT sales, declaring them "unregistered securities offerings." Under the Securities Act of 1933, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the 1946 case SEC v. Howey, a "security" includes "a contract, transaction or scheme whereby a person [1] invests his money [2] in a common enterprise and [3] is led to expect profits solely from the efforts of the promoter or a third party." But under the SEC's expansive definition, artists who even hint that their work might become more valuable risk transforming it into a "security," making it subject to SEC regulation. In 2023, the SEC fined two companies, Stoner Cats and Impact Theory, based on that understanding of the law. The cases resulted in settlements totaling $1 million and more than $6 million, respectively. Since those companies were being punished for selling digital artwork to the general public, Mann and Frye argue, the SEC's enforcement actions went beyond its statutory powers. "The NFTs were not shares of a company and did not generate any type of dividend or ongoing commitment to generate profits for the purchasers," their lawsuit notes. Aside from the digital nature of the art, Mann and Frye aver, there is little difference between their work and an Andy Warhol or a Pablo Picassoor, indeed, any other piece of art. While artists often continue to build up their careers or reputations in ways that benefit previous purchasers of their art, the lawsuit argues, that does not mean they have a "contract, transaction, or scheme" to do so, such that the SEC can demand registration and other regulatory hoop jumping. In addition to fining Stoner Cats and Impact Theory, the SEC demanded that they destroy existing NFT art. Two of the SEC's five commissioners questioned whether the agency was in the right, noting that "we do not routinely bring enforcement actions against people that sell watches, paintings, or collectibles along with vague promises to build the brand." The dissenters warned that the SEC's settlements in these cases "create a precarious situation for artists and innovatorswho regularly use the money from sales of their art to monetize new projects, and often publicize their work or take other roles to raise the commercial value of their art." The SEC has not engaged in any formal rulemaking to delineate its asserted authority over NFTs. Mann and Frye just want to know: Can they sell their art without risking an SEC crackdown? They are requesting "federal court intervention to be able to offer and sell their prospective art projects without facing an enormously expensive SEC investigation." The SEC moved to dismiss the case in October. Since the agency so far has not made any demands on Mann and Frye, it said, they do not have standing to sue. The agency also claims that "sovereign immunity" bars the lawsuit because "enforcement actions are within the express discretion of the Commission." The post Does the SEC Have the Authority To Regulate Digital Art? appeared first on Reason.com. By Blake Brittain (Reuters) - Gilead Sciences and the U.S. government have settled a billion-dollar patent dispute over Gilead's HIV prevention drugs Truvada and Descovy, according to a Wednesday filing in Delaware federal court. The settlement follows a victory for Gilead in a 2023 jury trial on the government's patent infringement allegations. Gilead General Counsel Deborah Telman said in a statement that the agreement "allows Gilead to continue to focus its resources on its mission to discover, develop, and deliver innovative therapeutics to people with life-threatening diseases." Spokespeople for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention did not immediately respond to a request for comment and more information about the settlement. Foster City, California-based Gilead collaborated with the CDC in the mid-2000s to test if Gilead's Truvada could prevent transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, in addition to treating it. The federal government said Gilead failed to compensate the CDC for discovering that Truvada can prevent HIV infections. The lawsuit claimed Gilead "exaggerated" its role in developing the drug's HIV-prevention regimen, known as PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, ignored the CDC's contributions and refused to license the CDC's patents. The government said in a pre-trial court filing it was entitled to up to $691 million in damages from Truvada and $311 million from Gilead's related drug Descovy. Gilead earned more than $1.8 billion from U.S. sales of Descovy and Truvada in 2023. A Washington, D.C. federal court determined in a separate lawsuit in 2022 that the government breached research agreements with Gilead by applying for the patents without giving the company sufficient notice. (Reporting by Blake Brittain in Washington; Editing by David Bario and Bill Berkrot) By Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel airstrikes killed at least 70 people in Gaza overnight on Thursday, residents and authorities in the enclave said, hours after a ceasefire and hostage release deal was announced to bring an end to 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas. The complex ceasefire accord emerged on Wednesday after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. to stop the war that has devastated the coastal territory and inflamed the Middle East. The deal, scheduled to be implemented from Sunday, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have been killed. Hostages taken by militant group Hamas, which controls the enclave, would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. Israel's acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the country's security cabinet and government, and a vote was slated for Thursday, an Israeli official said. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of making last-minute demands and going back on agreements. "The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," a statement from Netanyahu's office said. It was unclear what impact the latest delay will have on the deal. Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by mediators on Wednesday, senior group official Izzat el-Reshiq said on Thursday Hardliners in Netanyahu's government were still hoping to stop the deal, though a majority of ministers were still expected to back it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his party would only stay in the government if Israel resumes the war full force until Hamas is defeated. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has also threatened to quit the government if the ceasefire is approved. CALLS FOR FASTER IMPLEMENTATION Some Palestinians called for the deal to be implemented more quickly. "We lose homes every hour. We demand for this joy not to go away, the joy that was drawn on our faces - don't waste it by delaying the implementation of the truce until Sunday," Gazan man Mahmoud Abu Wardeh said. While people celebrated the pact in Gaza and Israel, Israel's military conducted more attacks, the civil emergency service and residents said. Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Emergency Service, said in a statement that 71 Palestinians had been killed and at least 200 others wounded. The Israeli military is looking into the reports, a military spokesperson said. At a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps to implement the agreement. "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," U.S. President Joe Biden said in Washington. His successor, Donald Trump, takes office on Monday and claimed credit for the breakthrough in Gaza. Israelis will find it hard to see Palestinian militants who were serving life sentences for their involvement in deadly attacks in their country, set free. But successive surveys have shown broad support among the public for a deal that would see the hostages released, even at what is seen as a heavy price. "This has to be the only choice that we take in order to continue surviving as a state and as a nation, knowing that we will do anything to save each other," said Jerusalem resident Chava Treitel. Israel secured major gains over Iran and its proxies, mainly Hezbollah, as the Gaza conflict spread. In Gaza, Hamas may have been crippled, but without an alternative administration in place, it has been left standing. If successful, the ceasefire will halt fighting that has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza, killed over 46,000 people, and displaced most of the tiny enclave's pre-war population of 2.3 million, according to Gaza authorities. That in turn could defuse tensions across the wider Middle East, where the war has stoked conflict in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, and raised fears of all-out war between arch regional foes Israel and Iran. With 98 Israeli hostages remaining in Gaza, phase one of the deal entails the release of 33 of them, including all women, children and men over 50. FOOD LINED UP AT GAZA'S BORDERS The agreement calls for a surge in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross said they were preparing to scale up their aid operations. Global reaction to the ceasefire was enthusiastic. Israeli troops invaded Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen burst into Israeli border-area communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Negotiations on implementing the second phase of the deal will begin by the 16th day of phase one, and this stage was expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third stage is to address the return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza's reconstruction supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Jana Choukeir, Clauda Tanios and Nayera Abdallah in Dubai; additional reporting by James Mackenzie and Emily Rose and Howard Goller and Ramadan Abed; Writing by Cynthia Osterman and Michael Georgy; Editing by Stephen Coates and Sharon Singleton) Abby Church is a City Hall reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at abby.church@houstonchronicle.com. Before coming to the Chronicle, Abby covered Tarrant County government at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As an Air Force brat, she spent her childhood everywhere, but she claims Virginia as home. She graduated from James Madison University with a bachelor's degree in journalism and creative writing. By David Lawder WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Wednesday called on U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to stop "secret negotiations" with Mexico, Canada and Colombia that would weaken investor protections in some U.S. free trade deals during the Biden administration's final days. The letter, led by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, a Republican, and the panel's top Democrat, Ron Wyden, said Tai was seeking to reach binding agreements on legal interpretations of investment protections before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Monday. The talks, which the senators said were being held without notifying Congress, would affect how investment disputes would be handled in the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on trade (USMCA), the U.S. Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). "Unfortunately, USTR is pursuing substantive changes to congressionally approved trade agreements on an abbreviated timeline, out of the view of the public, and without meaningful congressional consultation," they wrote. The USTR should conduct such negotiations under "robust consultations with Congress" and seek to use any changes to gain trade concessions with Mexico, Canada and other partners, the senators said. USTR officials could not immediately be reached for comment. The agency's press staff, who are politically appointed, have already left office. A spokesperson for Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. When the U.S. Chamber of Commerce first raised concerns about the USTR discussions in December, the agency denied that there were secret, formal negotiations underway. A person familiar with the matter said USTR's discussions related to investor protection provisions were not taking place at a level that required disclosure to Congress. Since USTR never disclosed the talks, the exact changes that Tai is seeking have not been made public. But Colombia's president, Gustavo Petro, has said he wants to renegotiate the country's U.S. trade deal to end investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) provisions that allow companies to use third-party tribunals to arbitrate investment disputes, which have led to large damage claims against his government. DEMOCRATS ON BOTH SIDES A group of 37 Democratic lawmakers in December urged Tai to eliminate ISDS tribunals, arguing that they give corporations too much power against legitimate government actions and make it easier for them to move American jobs overseas. But since then, a growing number of Republican lawmakers, along with several Democrats, have decried the discussions, arguing that weakening investment protections will undercut American companies. Last week 26 House of Representatives members, including 16 Republicans and 10 Democrats sent Tai a letter, expressing concerns that the talks may end a USMCA provision that allowed U.S. firm Vulcan Materials to pursue claims against Mexico over a new nature preserve that has impaired its limestone quarry and port on the Yucatan peninsula. The Vulcan quarry is a key supplier to infrastructure projects in the southeastern U.S. "What Mexico has done is stepped in and stolen this property. It's expropriated it," Republican Senator Bill Hagerty told Fox News Channel on Sunday, referring to the Vulcan quarry. "And what Biden is doing here at the 11th hour is trying to hand this over to Mexico." (Reporting by David Lawder in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams) A New Jersey elementary school teacher allegedly had a child with one of her former students, 13, who lived with her for several years and was caught when the teens father noticed a similarity between his son and the child on social media. Laura Caron, a fifth-grade teacher, is accused of sexually assaulting her ex-pupil when they lived together in her home between 2016 and 2020, the Cape May County Prosecutors Office revealed Wednesday. Caron, 34, first met her victim when she taught him and his brother in the fifth grade at Middle Township Elementary School in southern New Jersey. Laura Caron was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child on Jan. 15, 2025. Cape May County Correctional Center The boy, born in 2005, and his family remained close with their former teacher and his parents allowed their sons and daughter to sleep over at Carons house a couple nights a week, according to ABC6. The three siblings lived permanently with Caron between 2016 and 2020, sharing a bedroom. During that time, Caron allegedly had inappropriate sexual relations with her former pupil and later became pregnant. She gave birth to the child in 2019. The students father pointed out the uncanny similarity between Carons child, himself and his son on a Facebook post in December 2024. The boys sister told prosecutors that she remembered going to sleep with her brother in the same room, but woke up to find him sleeping in Carons bed, the outlet reported. Caron taught at Middle Township Elementary School Number 2, where she met the student. Facebook/Middle Township Elementary #2 The unidentified girl claimed Caron began sleeping with her brother when he was 11 years old. Investigators found that the teens brother had once seen Caron sexually assaulting his sleeping brother. The unidentified teen victim, who is now between 19 and 20 years old, revealed to investigators the sexual relationship with Caron and that he fathered his former teachers child. The two had remained in contact until his father made the December Facebook post. Police arrested Caron at her home on Wednesday and charged her with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. She is being held at the Cape May County Correctional Facility without bond until her initial court appearance, according to the prosecutors and court records viewed by The Post. This arrest underscores the unwavering commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to protect the children in our community, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffery Sutherland said. Teachers hold a position of great trust, and the allegations in this case represent a deeply troubling breach of that trust. We will work tirelessly to ensure justice is served and to support the victim and their family throughout this process. The Middle Township School District placed Caron on paid administrative leave, CBS Philadelphia reported. The school district is said to be cooperating with investigators, the prosecutors office said. The brief detention of Maria Corina Machado on Jan. 9, 2025, could have easily ended in tragedy. Often called the Iron Lady of Venezuelas opposition, Machado was seized by security forces while leading protests against Nicolas Maduro. Her swift release was a small victory, but her abduction underscored the dangers for Venezuelas democratic leaders. It also marked a pivotal moment for U.S. policy toward Venezuela, showing how far the Biden administration has come in the past eight months from naive diplomacy to a pragmatic, strategic and muscular approach. In his final days in office, Biden has a rare opportunity to leave a lasting legacy in Latin America. His administrations early approach to Venezuela was rooted in wishful thinking. The White House believed partial sanctions relief and dialogue with Maduro could lead to democratic reforms. This approach assumed Maduro could be coaxed into holding free and fair elections. Predictably, Maduro responded by ramping up repression, attacking opposition figures like Machado, and either ignoring or only partially fulfilling agreements such as the Barbados Accord. Washingtons mistakes were clear. Biden offered concessions without securing real commitments and underestimating Maduros brutality. The initial approach allowed Maduro to strengthen his grip on power while mocking U.S. efforts to promote democracy. But something changed eight months ago. After realizing Maduro would not honor diplomatic agreements, the administration pivoted to a more pragmatic strategy. In April 2024, the U.S. allowed a temporary license authorizing oil transactions, except for Chevrons, with Venezuelas state-owned PDVSA to expire after Maduro failed to meet commitments for free and fair elections under the Barbados Agreement. The non-renewal of this license marked a shift toward stricter enforcement and sent a clear message that economic incentives would not be granted without meaningful progress. In his final days in office, Biden has taken steps to impose new sanctions on Maduros inner circle, including key members of the security forces. The Department of the Treasury has sanctioned dozens of individuals for their roles in repression, in addition to the visa restrictions placed on nearly 2,000 Maduro-aligned individuals. The State Department also increased bounties for the arrests of Maduro, Diosdado Cabello and Vladimir Padrino Lopez, offering up to $25 million each for Maduro and Cabello, with a new $15 million reward for Padrino Lopez, signaling that accountability would be pursued aggressively. The administration also prioritized humanitarian relief. The Department of Homeland Security extended Temporary Protected Status for 600,000 Venezuelans through Oct. 2, 2026, allowing eligible nationals to live and work in the U.S. The extension, coupled with automatic renewal of work authorization documents, provided vital protections for those fleeing Maduros repression. This move not only addressed a pressing humanitarian need but also reinforced U.S. support for the Venezuelan people. Bidens policy shift culminated in a meeting between Biden and Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia during a Washington blizzard on Jan. 6. His recognition of Gonzalez as Venezuelas rightful president following his victory in the contested 2024 election demonstrated the administrations renewed commitment to support the oppositions push for a peaceful democratic transition. These measures marked a clear break from earlier naivety and highlighted a deliberate, strategic approach to Venezuela. Gonzalezs safety and ability to assume the presidency will be a critical test of whether Maduros regime continues to act with impunity or whether international pressure can help the opposition crack the dictatorship. Both Maduro and President-elect Trump face dilemmas. Maduro seeks a deal with Trump to ease sanctions and stabilize Venezuelas economy. But imprisoning opposition leaders like Machado or Gonzalez would destroy any chance of engagement. For Trump, Maduros defiance presents an early test of strength. Will he confront a defiant authoritarian in the Americas, or allow Maduro to cling to power, undermining U.S. influence? Trump cannot afford to appear weak, but his broader agenda repatriating millions of undocumented immigrants, reviewing the Panama Canal Treaty, and floating ideas like acquiring Greenland or even turning Canada into the 51st state suggests that Venezuela may not remain a priority. For Biden, the stakes couldnt be clearer. In his final days in office, his pivot toward a more pragmatic, strategic policy has helped to create an opening for democratic change in Venezuela. His efforts to impose stronger sanctions, extend humanitarian protections, and recognize opposition leaders have laid the groundwork for Trump. The situation remains fluid, but Bidens most important legacy may be the credibility he built by proving that U.S. support for Venezuelas democracy was more than symbolic. Carl Meacham, former senior Republican staff member for the Western Hemisphere on the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is an international consultant. 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. With the remarkable overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria by a group of rebels led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, American officials are scrambling for a strategy. The U.S. is rightly reaching out to al-Sharaa, hoping that, despite his jihadist roots, the relatively tolerant mini-state that he recently led in northern Syria augurs well for a future national government that eschews extremism and violence. Some are also already clamoring for early elections as proof that al-Sharaa will be inclusive in his future government style, allowing roles not just for his fellow Sunnis from the north, but also Kurds, Christians, Alawites and others in Syrias complex ethnic and sectarian tapestry. But early elections could be a mistake. Inclusivity and moderation are indeed immediate priorities for Syria, but a big national vote is not. Democracy does not itself guarantee peace in a country so recently riven by autocratic rule and a long civil war. Even more to the point, elections even reasonably free and fair ones do not guarantee democracy. As our own Founding Fathers understood but we often seem to forget, real democracy requires checks and balances on any branch of government or ruling party, together with a strong legal system providing protection for the rights of the individual. Take post-Saddam Hussein Iraq as a case in point. After the Iraqi dictator was overthrown by a U.S.-led coalition in 2003, President George W. Bush asked Ambassador Paul Bremer to act as Iraqs leader for a year, during which time he would oversee creation of a broadly representative Iraqi Governing Council that would provide at least a patina of homegrown rule during the American-led occupation period. Then, the U.S. and partners would turn over power to a temporary Iraqi government in mid-2004. Three rounds of elections would follow in 2005: The first to select an interim Iraqi government, the second to approve a constitution and the third to choose a parliamentary-style government with a four-year term. It all sounded great. Bush was understandably proud and hopeful when he pointed to an Iraqi guest at his State of the Union address in early 2005 whose purple finger evinced recent participation in the first of those Iraqi votes. But it did not work out so well. To be sure, Iraq had many problems besides rushed elections. By early 2005, the country was beset by insurgency, terrorism and civil war. But all the voting made things worse. The problem was that, in the hasty move to elections, Iraqis were left with the dilemma of how to organize themselves and protect their rights in time to make sure that they did not lose out. The prospect of near-term elections produced not just hopefulness but fear of exclusion. That fear was greatest among Sunnis Husseins sectarian group, but a minority in the country who already saw the writing on the wall. They knew that Shiite-dominated groups would likely win future elections, and that some Shiite leaders would likely seek vengeance for years of oppression under Husseins Sunni-dominated Baathist Party. Many Sunnis already felt aggrieved by Bremers earlier decision to exclude most higher-ranking former Baathists from government. Dozens, even hundreds, of political parties emerged in Iraq as the 2005 votes approached. The result was a cacophony of contending voices. Worse than the chaos, though after all, democracy is usually messy, even in places where its well established was the dynamic of worsening sectarian polarization. The main political parties that dominated the elections the PUK and KDP in Kurdistan, the United Iraqi Coalition among several Shiite groups, the Tawafoq Iraqi Front and Hewar National Iraqi Front among Sunnis all had strong and clear sectarian origins and purposes. Iraqi citizens who were fearful of being left out in their countrys future gravitated to these parties, some strongly associated with armed militias, and cast their votes accordingly. Most Sunnis simply boycotted the first round of elections in 2005, but then thought better of disenfranchising themselves in the final vote of the year. Turnout in the December 2005 parliamentary elections was high but rather than reflect underlying enthusiasm about a democratic political process, it probably reflected fear and foreboding. Thus, in 2006, Iraq gained its first fully democratic government in history and the war continued to get worse. Even the June 2006 killing by American forces of al Qaeda leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi failed to reduce the violence. President Bush directed his staff to start working on a new security plan for Iraq that became the highly successful surge of 2007, but things would not improve until then. Only with a radically different and better resourced military strategy under Gen. David Petraeus combined with the equally important efforts by Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker to convince Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki to govern in a more inclusive way (something that Maliki only did temporarily, alas) could the tide be turned. Until then, democracy did more to empower extremist groups and leaders in Iraq than to empower the people. Security forces, as well as Iraqs new court system, were simply too weak to check the cycles of fear, distrust and opportunism. Democracy in Iraqi equaled the tyranny of the majority more than protection of the rights of all, exacerbating paranoia more than providing a channel for nonviolent political competition. None of this is to argue that the new Syria should be an autocracy run by a single individual or party. But the pace of democratization is crucial. Political parties need time to form around ideas and visions for the country, not simply sectarian identity. The security situation needs to be stabilized before voting can, for most people, be about more than ensuring their own survival and that of their families and communities. Taking decades to establish democracy, as with Taiwan and South Korea in the 20th century, is probably too long. But post-World War II Germany and Japan needed a few years; Indonesia needed a couple of decades of gradual transition to democratic rule. Iraq might have made it after a decade, despite Americas mistakes, if we hadnt left abruptly in 2011. Building roadmaps to full democratic rule that take years rather than months is the wiser choice here and the more realistic set of expectations to try to induce new leadership in Syria to embrace. There is no easy way to stabilize a country coming out of dysfunction, dictatorship and civil war. The U.S. under President-elect Donald Trump will have to continue to look for ways, working with regional partners, to incentivize Syrias new leaders to create inclusive governance that protects individual and minority rights. But those goals are much more important than a quick move to a showy election that would likely, at best, provide more symbol than substance for building the new Syria and that at worst could actually help rip the nation apart, just as it stands a chance of coming together. Michael OHanlon is the Phil Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy at the Brookings Institution and author of Military History for the Modern Strategist: Americas Major Wars Since 1861. 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. The Surgeon General's recent warning that alcohol can cause cancer didn't exactly fall on deaf ears, but won't change America's drinking habits either, a USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll suggests. The survey found 86% had no plans to drink less alcohol after U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued an advisory warning that consumption can increase cancer risk. Only about 13% said they planned to drink less following Murthy's pronouncement. The poll of 1,000 registered voters, taken by landline and cellphone from Jan. 7 to 11, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy speaks during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing. Murthy on Jan. 7 2025, released his penned parting prescription to the country preparing his exit as the nation's top doctor. In Northern Californias wine country, Suzanne Clark, a 77-year-old retiree in Sonoma, said she was less likely to consume after the surgeon generals advisory. Im very concerned about health, particularly at this age, said Clark, a Democrat. Still, she has a practice. She measures eight ounces of wine her preference is sauvignon blanc or pinot noir. She then pours the wine into another glass with ice, adding a little bit over the ice, to manage how much she drinks. I think that works for me, she said. Joe Gil, 39, of Tampa, said he tends to have two to three beers once every two weeks. He believes there's a greater health risk from genetically-modified foods than an occasional beer, so Murthy's alcohol warning made no difference to him. "I dont think that would really impact my decision-making related to consuming alcohol," Gil said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Poll: Surgeon General alcohol warning won't change drinking habits Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, has been removed as chair of the House Intelligence Committee. WASHINGTON Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has informed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, that he will no longer be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, according to a GOP leadership source and a Republican lawmaker familiar with the matter. The lawmaker said Turner told him Wednesday that he would not be staying on as head of the critical panel that conducts oversight of the U.S. intelligence community. The House Intelligence Committee chair is also a member of the so-called "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders who receive some of the most sensitive, classified briefings from the intelligence community. Johnson confirmed the news later Wednesday but downplayed the change as he offered praise for Turner. "It's a new Congress. We just need fresh horses in some of these places. But I'm a Mike Turner fan," Johnson told reporters in the Capitol. "He's done a great job. He performed valiantly in a difficult time under difficult circumstances. So I have nothing but positive things to say about my friend and colleague." "This is not a President Trump decision; this is a House decision," the speaker added, referring to speculation that politics may have led to the change. "And this is no slight whatsoever to our ... outgoing chairman." The top post on the Intelligence Committee is one of the few positions directly chosen by the speaker of the House at the start of a new Congress. Johnson said he would make an announcement about Turners replacement on Thursday. In a statement Wednesday night, Turner, a staunch NATO supporter who has aggressively pushed for U.S. aid for Ukraine, said he was "proud" of his time serving on and leading the committee. His office said Turner would only be serving on the Armed Services and Oversight and Government Reform committees in the new Congress, meaning he will no longer have a seat on the Intelligence panel. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations," Turner said. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate for the military and our national defense," he continued. "My work to expand missions and capabilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base continues. Furthermore, I look forward to welcoming the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton in the coming months. House Republican sources said they did not know who Johnson would choose to replace Turner. Some senior Republicans on the panel are Reps. Rick Crawford of Arkansas, Trent Kelly of Mississippi, and Darin LaHood of Illinois. Last year, Johnson raised eyebrows in the intelligence community and around Capitol Hill when he appointed two Donald Trump loyalists, Reps. Scott Perry, R-Pa., and Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, to the Intelligence Committee. The decision to replace Turner stunned lawmakers in both parties given that Turner, a defense hawk, is well-respected on both sides of the aisle. A former mayor of Dayton, Turner belongs to the GOP's Main Street Caucus, which describes its members as "pragmatic." Other lawmakers in the caucus said they were frustrated by Johnson's decision to oust one of their own. One member said the move erodes trust and could complicate Republicans' ability to pass Trump's 2025 agenda given the their paper-thin majority. "A bunch of Main Street Republicans are disappointed," said the member, who was granted anonymity to speak candidly. "This hurts us in the reconciliation process too. Looks like backroom politics and backstabbing." Then-House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., had tapped Turner to serve as the top Republican on the panel starting in January 2022 after the lawmaker who had that job, Rep. Devin Nunes of California, resigned to lead Trump Media & Technology Group. After Republicans took back the majority that fall, McCarthy kept him on as chairman of the Intelligence committee for the 118th Congress, a term that started January 2023. When McCarthy was ousted and Johnson succeeded him as speaker in October 2023, Johnson decided to keep Turner in place as Intelligence chairman. Now, after winning his first full term as speaker earlier this month, Johnson appears to be putting his own mark on this position and others. On Tuesday, Johnson appointed Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., the former Education and Workforce Committee chair, as the new Rules Committee chair. And Johnson is keeping Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., in the role of Administration Committee chair. Democrats on the Intelligence Committee said they did not get any warning that Turner was being removed. "I'm enormously concerned because I think you'd be hard-pressed to find somebody as fair-minded," said Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the Intelligence panel. He added that Turner "and I had our disagreements, but, you know, I had confidence in him." With Trump days away from returning to the White House, Democrats have been sounding the alarm that top intelligence and national security posts are being influenced by presidential politics. Earlier Wednesday, Senate Democrats pressed former Rep. John Ratcliffe, R-Texas, Trump's pick to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, asking him if he would push back against efforts requiring CIA employees to demonstrate "loyalty to a political figure above loyalty to country. Ratcliffe, a former House Intelligence Committee member who served as Trump's director of national intelligence, responded that he would not impose a political litmus test on his employees. If you look at my record and my record as DNI, that never took place. That is never something anyone alleged, he said. Its something that I would never do. WASHINGTON The Supreme Court could announce the fate of TikTok Friday morning, two days before the popular video app could be effectively banned in the U.S. without the court's intervention. Although the justices are not scheduled to take the bench, the court said on its website Thursday it may release an opinion electronically at 10 a.m. EST Friday. The court does not announce in advance which cases its deciding. But the justices are up against a Sunday deadline Congress set last year when passing a law requiring TikTok to cut ties with China. More: TikTok CEO expected to attend Trump inauguration as ban looms TikTok educational influencer Tiffany Cianci livestreams outside the Supreme Court as the court hears oral arguments on whether to overturn or delay a law that could lead to a ban of TikTok in the U.S., on January 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. Unless TikTok divests from ByteDance, its China-based parent company, app stores and internet hosting services can be fined for supporting TikTok. The high court could put the law on hold, could decline to intervene for now or could definitively rule on whether the law is constitutional. The justices seemed likely to uphold the law when it debated the issue for about 2 hours last week. "Are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent is, in fact, subject to doing intelligence work for the Chinese government?" Chief Justice John Roberts asked TikTok's attorney. If the court backs the law, attention will turn to President-elect Donald Trump. More: Who could buy TikTok to avoid app's ban? Newest name being shared: Elon Musk Russell Ellis, who goes by "JollyGoodGinger," speaks to a live stream audience outside the U.S. Supreme Court after the court heard oral arguments on whether to overturn or delay a law that could lead to a ban of TikTok in the U.S., on Jan. 10, 2025 in Washington, DC. Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first administration, has since promised to save the wildly popular platform, though it's unclear how he could do so. The art-of-the-deal president-elect had urged the Supreme Court to pause the ban to give him time to "negotiate a resolution." If the court lets the deadline stand, Trump could direct his attorney general not to enforce the law after he takes office on Monday. But it's uncertain if Apple, Google and any other conduits for the app will feel thats enough protection from the laws stiff penalties. The Justice Department has said Trump should review all the updated national security information since he was last in office before stepping in. The government warned that unless TikTok is divested from ByteDance, China can gather data on Americans or manipulate the content on TikTok to shape U.S. opinion. More: Will TikTok be banned? What to know about SCOTUS decision, user impact, interested buyers "The Chinese government's control of TikTok poses a grave threat to national security," Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar told the court last week. TikTok disputed that China can pull its strings and called the sell-or-be-banned requirement a "massive, unprecedented restriction" on free speech. "One of America's most popular speech platforms will shut down in nine days," Noel Francisco, an attorney for TikTok who served as solicitor general during Trump's first administration, told the justices on Jan. 10. "That shouldn't happen." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When will the supreme court rule on TikTok? Decision may come Friday Tennessee lawmakers The Tennessee House is warning lawmakers and the crowds watching legislative floor sessions that they could be booted from the room if their behavior is deemed out of line. For lawmakers, after multiple infractions they could be removed from the floor a few days at a time and forced to vote remotely. For the public, they could be banned up to two years for particularly bad or frequently disruptive behavior. The tougher punishment options came in a news rules package passed Thursday. Youre on the House floor, and youre expected to have decorum and respect for the institution, Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton told reporters. Same thing in the gallery. After multiple infractions, lawmakers could be removed from the floor for days at a time. AP The stiffer rules mark another instance in the U.S. where state lawmakers are focusing on punishments when they find their peers are misbehaving. The topic returned to the forefront Thursday in Georgia, when state Sen. Colton Moore, who had been previously banned from the House chamber, was arrested after a shoving match with House employees where the right-wing Republican fell to the floor trying to enter the chamber for the governors state of the state. Rowdy crowds have drawn attention in legislatures elsewhere, too. In Rhode Island, the public was blocked from entering the rotunda on Wednesday for hours for Democratic Gov. Dan McKees state of the state speech, including protesters calling for action on homelessness, according to news reports. Tennessee House Republicans have been tinkering with the rules to dissuade disruption from political opponents since 2023. Thats when they expelled two Democratic lawmakers for a protest on the floor calling for gun control after a deadly school shooting. The move backfired politically, putting Tennessee in the national spotlight and elevating the Democratic representatives profile with huge fundraising hauls. Yet Republicans kept the same supermajority after November. Rep. Gloria Johnson, the Democrat who survived the expulsion votes, called the Tennessee House changes the most ridiculous, fascist rules. They are sending members to time out for being out of order, Johnson posted on social media Thursday. Remember that to them, if you mention the word racism, they will call you out of order. Johnson called the Tennessee House changes the most ridiculous, fascist rules. Jamar Coach / The Jackson Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The changes come as Speaker Sexton has become a top target of criticism from left-leaning Capitol visitors. In pushing the changes, House Republicans noted that Congress has strict decorum rules for gallery visitors. While both Tennessee chambers are controlled by Republicans, the House has long attracted the most bombastic conflicts both among lawmakers, but also from the gallery. The Senate has not changed its rules or aimed to quiet lawmakers or visitors. On a few occasions, audience outcry has stalled House action after a contentious bill passed, and state troopers were ordered to clear the stands. Its not uncommon for some to unfurl signs or shout profanities during particularly fiery debates. In response, Republicans have sought to silence protesters they deem too unruly. In 2023, they banned visitors from carrying signs inside the Capitol and in hearing rooms during a brief special session. The rule was later challenged in court and paused by a judge, but lawmakers adjourned before the case was settled. They havent reinstituted the ban. Last year, House GOP officials made half the public gallery require tickets. Each of the 99 House members would get one ticket to give to someone each day of the House session. The ticketed side holds 128 seats. The other has 120 seats and remains first-come, first-serve. The new remote-voting penalty for lawmakers is largely tailored to one of the expelled-and-returned lawmakers. On numerous occasions, Republicans have ruled Rep. Justin Jones comments out-of-order and voted to temporarily silence him previously, at times saying hes talking out of turn, speaking ill of another lawmaker or veering off-topic. Jones has said the House speaker at times has ignored his requests to speak. Jones has also claimed a double standard in which Republicans arent punished for comparable behavior. The changes come as Speaker Sexton has become a top target of criticism from left-leaning Capitol visitors. AP Sexton likened the rule to one in Montana, where Republicans voted in 2023 to temporarily silence and banish Rep. Zooey Zephyr to remote voting. The transgender Democrat said colleagues supporting a ban on gender-affirming care for youths would have blood on their hands. Also under the new rules package, gallery visitors who try to get the attention of someone on the floor, or whose actions are deemed by the House speaker to be detrimental to proceedings, will be removed and banned from returning that day or the next legislative day. If someone shows especially egregious conduct or is repeatedly kicked out, they could be banned longer, up to a full two-year legislative term. Lawmakers, meanwhile, could be removed from the House floor and forced to vote remotely after being ruled out of order enough times on multiple days. TikToks days in the US could be numbered. The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal law that will effectively ban the social media app in the U.S. as of Jan. 19. There are still a few ways TikTok could wriggle out of its do-or-die predicament. The app's parent company ByteDance has appealed to the incoming Trump administration to take some kind of action to save the platform. Trump has already said he'll "save" TikTok, but it's unclear exactly how the president-elect will put the brakes on an act of Congress, that's been upheld by The Supreme Court. There's also uncertainty around just what happens when the clock strikes midnight on Jan. 19. TikTok has said it will go dark, but that's not quite what the law banning it calls for. Instead, it prohibits companies from hosting the service, which means it could still live on in some kind of app purgatory until Trump or Congress finds a way to reverse the ban. But while TikTok's users are waiting with bated breath to see whether their favorite app dies off, the company's Silicon Valley rivals could be staring down a windfall are licking their chops at the prospect of bringing in TikTok's 170 million users and associated advertising dollars. Meta and YouTube take on TikToks lost users The biggest winner would also be one of TikToks long-term critics, Meta (META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In particular, Instagram could see a sizable uptick in advertiser dollars if TikTok bites the dust. In general, its a good thing for Meta, William Blair research analyst Ralph Schackart told Yahoo Finance. We estimate in a note potentially 60% to 70% of TikTok spend could move to Instagram and it monetizes at around 3x the rate of TikTok. Meta has been battling TikTok for years, with Zuckerberg at varying times raising the specter of Chinese technological dominance over the US and threats to free speech. Zuckerberg also rolled out Instagram and Facebooks Reels feature, a short-form video offering similar to TikTok, to combat the rival service and bring users back to his platforms. Hoping that TikTok bites the dust? Mark Zuckerberg speaks during the Meta Connect conference on Sept. 25, 2024, in Menlo Park, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) If TikTok closes up shop, users will undoubtedly flock to Metas apps, increasing the number of people using the services and the amount of time they spend on them which in turn would drive increased advertising revenue. YouTube and its Shorts platform should also gain from TikToks loss. According to Morgan Stanley managing director Brian Nowak, every 10% of the time users would have spent on TikTok that goes to YouTube would add $400 million to $750 million in ad revenue to the video platforms sales. That said, Nowak warns that this wont be a windfall for YouTube parent company Google (GOOG, GOOGL), as the growth would still only account for 0.1% to 0.3% of Googles total 2026 ad revenue estimates. (Nowak instead said the most important opportunities for Google will still lie in search and AI growth.) Reddit, Snap, and Pinterest Social media companies have been chasing TikToks formula in an attempt to copy the social media platforms success for some time. Reddit (RDDT), for example, offers its own short-form video feed that could entice former TikTok users looking for a broader kind of social media site complete with various message boards and communities. Snapchat (SNAP) could also grab users who would have otherwise would have spent time on TikTok and the advertising dollars that follow. But as Nowak points out, Snap will have to ensure it can keep those TikTok refugees coming back over and over again like TikTok does if it hopes to hold onto that ad revenue. Over time, advertising allocation is a relative game and in order to maintain the ad dollar gains (or durably grow faster) we believe platforms need to prove performance, scalability and healthy relative [return on ad spend], he wrote in an analyst note. Pinterest (PINS) also stands to get a boost if TikTok is forced to go dark. While the app doesnt have much in common with TikTok as far as overall design, it could offer an opportunity for online retailers looking to drum up e-commerce sales, something TikTok has managed to do thanks to its army of influencers. Still, theres no guarantee TikTok will be forced to ride off into the sunset. And that means none of these companies can rely on the growth a shutdown would offer. Theyll all just have to wait to find out the social media giants fate like the rest of us. Sign up for Yahoo Finance's Week in Tech newsletter. (yahoofinance) Alexis Keenan is a legal reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow Alexis on X @alexiskweed. Email Daniel Howley at dhowley@yahoofinance.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. Click here for the latest technology news that will impact the stock market Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner stumbled early Thursday, losing a set for the first time in three months, but recovered his composure to defeat Aussie wild card Tristan Schoolkate and advance to the tournament's third round. The world's No. 1 player, Sinner had won 30 of his last 31 matches, not even dropping a set since losing to Carlos Alcaraz in Beijing last October. But fan favorite Schoolkate, ranked No. 173 in the world, converted his only break point and needed just 47 minutes to take the opening set in the evening match at Rod Laver Arena. Sinner settled down in the second set as a crosscourt winner earned him a break at 4-3 and helped propel him to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-3 win. "It's always tough to play against a player I have never played before, he was playing really good at the start, serving really well," the top-seeded Italian said. "I have to be very pleased with my performance, never take anything for granted, and I'm really happy to be in the next round. I can improve, yes, but I'll take it." AUSTRALIAN OPEN STORYLINES: Coco Gauff 'confident' in bid for second Grand Slam title The sun sets at Rod Laver Arena during Thursday's second-round Australian Open match between Italy's Jannik Sinner, the tournament's top seed, and Australian wild card entrant Tristan Schoolkate. Danielle Collins enjoys playing villain Danielle Collins gave the hostile crowd a roasting after beating local favorite Destanee Aiava in the second round Thursday, blowing kisses at the booing fans and thanking them for paying for her next five-star vacation. The 10th-seeded American said her interaction with the local fans on Kia Arena had fired her up as she came through a tricky period in the middle of the match to see off the 195th-ranked Australian 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-2. "I think they really wanted for her to win badly," Collins told reporters. "I think there were a lot of people that were super drunk and had a hard time controlling themselves and were really excited. "All I have to say is good luck trying to get under the skin of somebody that really doesn't care," she added, after trading more diplomatic wording for a few profanities. The 31-year-old, who lost the 2022 Australian Open final to local Ash Barty, said she had actually enjoyed the sometime febrile atmosphere created by the partisan crowd. "I loved it. I've been doing this my whole life. I love playing in a crowd that has energy, regardless of what side they're on," she said. Collins advances to face fellow American and former U.S. Open finalist Madison Keys in the next round. The 19th seed beat qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse 7-6(1), 2-6, 7-5 and reach the third round. Jan. 16, 2025: Danielle Collins taunts the crowd after winning her second-round match against Australia's Destanee Aiava. Iga Swiatek leads parade of top women to advance Second-seed Iga Swiatek waltzed into the third round, along with fellow Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Elena Rybakina on a bright and sunny Thursday at Melbourne Park. A day after intermittent rain dampened the spirits, five-time Grand Slam champion Swiatek shot out of the blocks on Rod Laver Arena to crush Rebecca Sramkova 6-0, 6-2 and set up a clash with Raducanu. "I felt pretty confident, and I started the match well so I just kept going," said Swiatek. "It was good to play in such an efficient way and just finish it quick." Former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina overcame a second-set wobble to beat 17-year-old American wildcard Iva Jovic 6-0, 6-3, the second teenager she has sent packing from the tournament. Raducanu, who has struggled with a string of injuries since her 2021 U.S. Open triumph, required an off-court medical timeout for an apparent left hip issue at 0-3 in the second set against Amanda Anisimova, before seeing off the American 6-3, 7-5. American Taylor Fritz continues to roll On the men's side, fourth seed Taylor Fritz romped past qualifier Cristian Garin 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 and Ben Shelton took out Pablo Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4, making three Americans in the third round with more possibly to come. Fritz has given up only eight games in his two matches so far and will next face 38-year-old Frenchman Gael Monfils, who earned his spot in the third round with a 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over German Daniel Altmaier. While Andre Agassi was the last American man to win the Melbourne Park title back in 2003, Australia's wait for a homegrown men's champion goes back to 1976. Alex de Minaur, the eighth seed, is their best hope of breaking that long drought this year and he kept those hopes alive by beating American qualifier Tristan Boyer 6-2, 6-4, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena. Australian Open Day 5 results Women's singles 6-Elena Rybakina (KAZ) beat Iva Jovic (USA) 6-0 6-3 32-Dayana Yastremska (UKR) beat Danka Kovinic (MNE) 6-0 6-1 19-Madison Keys (USA) beat Elena-Gabriela Ruse (ROU) 7-6(1) 2-6 7-5 10-Danielle Collins (USA) beat Destanee Aiava (AUS) 7-6(4) 4-6 6-2 15-Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) beat Erika Andreeva (RUS) 6-2 6-3 Veronika Kudermetova (RUS) beat 22-Katie Boulter (GBR) 7-6(3) 2-6 6-2 28-Elina Svitolina (UKR) beat Caroline Dolehide (USA) 6-1 6-4 4-Jasmine Paolini (ITA) beat Renata Zarazua (MEX) 6-2 6-3 8-Emma Navarro (USA) beat Xiyu Wang (CHN) 6-3 3-6 6-4 Ons Jabeur (TUN) beat Camila Osorio (COL) 7-5 6-3 24-Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) beat Shuai Zhang (CHN) 6-2 6-1 9-Daria Kasatkina (RUS) beat Yafan Wang (CHN) 6-2 6-0 Eva Lys (DEU) beat Varvara Gracheva (FRA) 6-2 3-6 6-4 Jaqueline Cristian (ROU) beat Lucia Bronzetti (ITA) 7-5 7-5 Emma Raducanu (GBR) beat Amanda Anisimova (USA) 6-3 7-5 2-Iga Swiatek (POL) beat Rebecca Sramkova (SVK) 6-0 6-2 Contributing: Reuters This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Australian Open scores, results: Sinner avoids upset on Day 5 Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate Lee Zeldin pledged during his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday to roll back federal directives while still guarding human health and the environment. In his opening statement to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, Zeldin, 44, warned that red tape was suffocating the economy and promised that if confirmed, he would engage with members of both parties as well as the private sector to preserve clean air and water. We must do everything in our power to harness the greatness of American innovation with the greatness of American conservation and environmental stewardship, Zeldin said. We must ensure we are protecting our environment, while also protecting our economy. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator-designate Lee Zeldin pledged in his Senate confirmation hearing Thursday to cut back on federal regulations while still guarding human health and the environment. AFP via Getty Images The former Suffolk County lawmaker, also touted his history of maneuvering bipartisan bills to crack down on pollution and clean up waterways through Congress. My district on the eastern end of Long Island was unique in that it was almost completely surrounded by water, Zeldin said. My constituents took environmental issues very seriously, and I developed a record in Congress [of] fighting hard and with great success advancing their local priorities. I worked across party lines to preserve the Long Island Sound and Plum Island. I supported key legislation that became historic bipartisan success stories like the Great American Outdoors Act and Senator [Dan] Sullivan and White Houses Save Our Seas Act to clean up plastics from our oceans I was proud to do my part to secure these environmental victories. When President-elect Donald Trump tapped Zeldin to lead the EPA, he promised his pick had a very strong legal background which will ensure fair and swift deregulatory decisions while at the same time maintaining the highest environmental standards. Trump has vowed to increase domestic oil and gas production in his second term, with more fracking and liquid natural gas exports. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris who once vowed to ban fracking while a presidential candidate in 2020 pursued energy policies that they claimed would set the US up for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Their administration paused export permits for liquified natural gas, scrapped or stalled new oil and gas pipelines and attempted to bar new permits for drilling on federal land while handing out billions for various environmental programs. Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) in her opening remarks praised Zeldins work on critical environmental policies that helped his Long Island district. Bloomberg via Getty Images The EPA should also better manage taxpayer dollars, Chairwoman Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) said in her opening statement. When the EPA focuses on what it does best, it doesnt just benefit the environment, it benefits our economic growth. Capito also drew attention to the risks of renewable energy, highlighting how reports show more than half of the US could experience rolling blackouts in the next decade because of the lack of reliable power capacity. Spiking energy costs and rolling blackouts are an unacceptable fact if the US is to continue as a global leader, she added. I fully expect that your confirmation will be very positive. I believe that climate change is real, Zeldin told Sanders, saying Trump was only concerned about the economic costs of some policies. Bloomberg via Getty Images Democrats on the panel expressed skepticism, with Ranking Member Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) pressing Zeldin to ensure that he would not be merely a rubber stamp for looters and polluters who are setting the Trump agenda. There is no dollar large or small that can influence the decisions that I make, who has access to me and how I am ruling in my obligations under the law, Zeldin answered. Well good luck standing up to these guys, Whitehouse responded, because theyre gonna come at ya. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) further harped on Trumps previous statements about climate change being a hoax claiming the apocalyptic wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this month were driven by an extreme weather patterns beforehand. I believe that climate change is real, Zeldin told Sanders,arguing Trump was only concerned about the economic costs of some policies. Sanders wasnt convinced, citing 2024 as the hottest year on record globally and alerting the president-elects nominee to the existential threat posed by rising temperatures, while singling out China as the top global carbon-emitter. Were not going to solve this crisis without working with China, Sanders said. Right now, China is an adversary, in many respects, Zeldin replied, while adding that he would still be in communication with it and other nations. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) later accused Zeldin of being the fossil fuel industrys lapdog. The EPA is supposed to be an environmental watchdog, Markey said. Do you believe its imperative that we reduce our reliance on fossil fuels? Zeldin responded that ideally the EPA would pursue both the cleanest and greenest energy solutions. Zeldin, who left Congress in 2022 to pursue an unsuccessful run for governor of New York, is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate. In a possible good sign for the nominations fortune, Sanders had a ready quip when his phone rang and interrupted questioning. Sorry, that was the fossil fuel industry, the Vermonter joked, prompting laughter in the hearing room. U.S. Postal Service (USPS) workers will no longer deliver UPS SurePost packages after the government agency's contract with the parcel service expired this year. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union representing UPS delivery drivers, confirmed the negotiated service agreement's expiration in a Facebook post last week. "Millions of packages moved away from SurePost and the United States Postal Service and returned to UPS package cars this month, now being sorted and delivered by hardworking UPS Teamsters." the social media post reads. In a statement to USA TODAY, UPS spokesperson Jim Mayer said, "SurePost is a dependable economy service for less urgent packages offered by UPS to business shippers... UPS now handles SurePost packages door-to-door entirely within our own network, with the reliability were known for." USA TODAY contacted the International Brotherhood of Teamsters on Thursday but has not received a response. Here is what to know about the contract ending and what it means for UPS drivers and future SurePost deliveries. Will this change how I get my package? With UPS and USPS's contract ending, people and businesses in the U.S. will receive their SurePost packages possibly a day earlier as the transit time decreases from two to seven days to two to six days, according to the parcel service. SurePost will no longer be available for those who are living in U.S. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii or Puerto Rico, according to Supply Chain Dive, which cited the previous overview of UPS SurePost. Also, the SurePost service will not be available for PO Box and Military APO/FPO deliveries, the outlet added. Other UPS delivery services, such as Ground, Second Day Air and Next Day Air, will continue to be available for people in U.S. Territories, Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. "There is no impact or change to UPSs primary delivery services, including UPS Ground, UPS Second Day Air and UPS Next Day Air," according to UPS's statement. Mayer said that consumers who have SurePost packages in transit that are expected to be delivered to a PO box can have them redirected to a street address by signing up for UPS MyChoice. The UPS (United Parcel Service) logo is displayed at a UPS customer center on April 1, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. What does the contract mean for UPS drivers? With the contract ending, drivers will see an increase in volume which "provides more delivery opportunities and access to overtime for rank-and-file UPS Teamsters," according to the Facebook post. "Improved guardrails around SurePost, which saw smaller packages routed off UPS package cars to be delivered by the USPS, were a critical gain for UPS Teamsters during record contract negotiations in 2023," the Facebook post reads. "Contract enhancements helped ensure UPS Teamsters were delivering more packages." With "millions" of SurePost packages going back on UPS trucks, thousands of new regular package car driver jobs can be created, Teamsters' Facebook post says. What is UPS SurePost? According to UPS, SurePost is "an economy service for your less urgent, lower value shipments." SurePost deliveries can be shipped to 48 U.S. states and have an estimated transit time of two to six days. UPS said the ideal weight for SurePost packages is less than 10 pounds. Before the contract expiration, SurePost packages could be delivered by UPS or USPS to the 48 US states, Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, all U.S. Territories, PO Boxes and Military APO/FPO Destinations, Supply Chain Dive reported. The transit time for these deliveries was an estimated two to seven days within the U.S., and longer for other destinations. A United States Postal Service logo is displayed on a U.S. Post Office mailbox on April 1, 2024 in Montclair, California. What did USPS say about the contract's expiration? In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, USPS spokesperson Felicia Lott said, "Throughout the past year, the Postal Service has been implementing a new strategic approach with respect to its contracts with package consolidator companies - ones that consolidate large package volumes at local delivery units and use our Parcel Select offering including negotiating new agreements." "Prior agreements failed to reflect operational and financial realities, the evolving postal network, or the enhancements to our portfolio of product offerings," Lott said. "As a result of our new approach, some businesses negotiated new agreements with us, and some have not. We concluded our negotiations in December 2024. Our Parcel Select product still exists and any business can use it now at our published rates." USPS had a contract with FedEx for domestic air transportation services, but it expired on Sept. 29, 2024. The government agency later chose UPS for its new air cargo contract. "FedEx and the United States Postal Service have had a long and productive relationship for more than 20 years," FedEx said in a statement in March. "Over time, our respective strategies have shifted as we transform our networks and operations for the future." This story was updated to add a video and statement from USPS. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UPS, USPS package delivery changes: Here's what to know Nominations are now open for the Women in ICT Awards in 2025, setting the industry benchmark for female excellence across the Australian technology sector. WIICTA has provided a platform to showcase talent and influential figures since launching in 2012. In 2025, WIICTA will honour the channel across eight categories, spanning Innovation, Technical, Entrepreneur, Graduate, Rising Star, Shining Star, Achievement and DE&I Champion awards. Nominations can be submitted by an individual, an employee, employer or business partner. Only Australia-based individuals are eligible, with finalists and winners selected by an executive judging panel of business leaders from partner, vendor and distributor organisations. Please read the criteria carefully for each category, especially Graduate, Rising, Shining and Achievement, which focus on the individuals overall years of IT industry experience. Submissions will close on Thursday 13 February. Digital transformation is typically associated with efforts by businesses to drive better productivity, efficiency, and ultimately profitability. However, Crayon sees another potential application of transformation: one that drives social benefit for meaningful change. This is realised through its Tech for Good Program, which serves to empower meaningful innovation and achieve the greater good through affordable, impactful solutions and technology partnerships. Similar to businesses, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are digitising to remain effective, efficient, and relevant in delivering support to their communitiesfrom managing volunteer resources to running fundraisers. According to the Asia-Pacific NGO Digital Capability Report 2023, staff satisfaction is closely linked to an organisations technology environment with over 60% of organisations expressing satisfaction when the environment is functional or leading. In Australia, at least 52% of NGO staff are confident in using technology to perform their roles, highlighting its impact on the countrys nonprofit sector. New digital ways bring about new digital challenges But in the same vein as their private-sector counterparts, NGOs struggle to maximise digital technologies. Cybersecurity remains a significant challenge for NGOs across the region, with one in six Asia Pacific NGOs experiencing a cybersecurity incident in the past year. While Australian NGOs may be ahead in their cybersecurity mitigation activities66% of them have multi-factor authentication enabled on internet-facing systems compared to the regional average of 44%barely half are providing staff with cybersecurity training, leaving them vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. A single breach could easily undo years of community work and divert resources to rectify the incident which could otherwise be used to deepen an NGOs social impact. Then there is also the lack of skills and knowledge that hinders NGOs from unlocking digital technologies full potential. Consider how building staff members digital skills is ranked the top priority by Australian NGOs to improve digital resilience. Understanding the critical role of technology in driving the greater good, Crayon has been empowering NGOs through its rhipe for Change program since 2019. Following its integration with rhipe in 2022, the program rebranded as Tech for Good, enabling partners to fully leverage the combined strength of rhipes established regional channel expertise and Crayons global resources and innovative solutions for change. Even before Tech for Good, the company had achieved significant milestones, most prominently in becoming the first Asia Pacific distributor in the market with Microsofts Tech for Social Impact (TSI) program in 2019 and now the regions largest Microsoft TSI partner. This allows partners to offer discounted and donated Microsoft software solutions tailored to the NGOs unique needs. We extend our value-driven and partner-first approach to corporate social responsibility, seen clearly through Tech for Good. Not only is it geared toward enhancing the technology capabilities of NGOs and helping them focus on their mission without financial strain, but we also do it in a way that empowers partners to succeed and be agents of change, explains Rhonda Robati, Executive Vice President of Crayon Asia Pacific. The result? Tech for Good supports more than a thousand NGOs across Asia Pacific. Enabling partners to drive both growth and social impact For partners, bridging this technology gap lets them have a hand in building social resilience. This in turn improves employee satisfaction by creating mission-driven work aligned with their principles. Its also important to acknowledge the growth opportunities this presents partners. In Australia, nonprofit technology spending market is forecasted to reach $5.4 billion by 2030, expanding at a steady 4.4% CAGR. Crayons Tech for Good bridges partners and vendors with NGOs to empower meaningful innovation and achieve greater good through affordable and impactful solutions. Its commitment to society is not only reflected in the NGOs it supports through this initiative but also in the partners and vendors it collaborates with. Even without Tech for Good, Crayon ensures it does business with partners aligned with its values. Its due diligence assessments ensure partners comply with international regulations and its own rigorous standards that address labour and human rights risks. But it is through Tech for Good that Crayons values to promote and support societal causes through partnerships shine. An example is H20 Technologies, in which it collaborated to develop an amphibious vehicle called the Salamander that transforms disaster responses in island nations such as the Philippines and Samoa. It also teamed up with ONGC Systems to provide Ability First, an NGO focused on maximising the potential of people with disabilities, with a cybersecurity assessment and devised a framework aligned to the Essential 8 roadmap that enables it to move forward. The commitment that drives the success of Tech for Good What makes Tech for Good successful? Robati believes this is driven by Crayons commitment to People, Purpose, Planet, and Prosperity. This is executed across four key pillars: Advocacy Promoting the adoption of advanced technologies, tailored to nonprofit needs Promoting the adoption of advanced technologies, tailored to nonprofit needs Facilitation Democratising the use of technology by streamlining access and ensuring affordability Democratising the use of technology by streamlining access and ensuring affordability Education Providing training and resources that help NGOs maximise their use of digital technology Providing training and resources that help NGOs maximise their use of digital technology Aggregation Bringing together stakeholders to create a cohesive ecosystem of support Beyond Tech for Good to enable the greater good Apart from driving meaningful change through its partners with Tech for Good, Crayon also collaborates directly with NGOs. This is seen through its work with NGO Aiforgood Asia, pouring their combined efforts into saving forests and wildlife. Fauna & Flora, the worlds oldest international wildlife conservation organisation, faced the challenge of forest degradation in Vietnams Mu Cang Chai forest. Together, Crayon and Aiforgood Asia developed a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) computer vision-based solution that utilises remote sensing and machine learning to detect cardamom crops in satellite imagery, which was tested in the northern region of the conservation area with the outcomes evaluated based on feasibility and cost. The projects success has far-reaching implications for conservationists and governments as it demonstrated the effectiveness of remote sensing and machine learning. More importantly, this serves as a foundation for an AI solution that can help prevent forest degradation and protect critically endangered species such as the western black-crested gibbons. Crayons Tech for Good program exemplifies how partners can have a hand in building social resilience and accelerating innovation in NGOs. By working closely together, Crayon strives to empower partners to be part of a larger movement that enables the greater good. Learn more about Crayon Tech for Good program here. The Digital Transformation Agency has extended its $96 million Microsoft Volume Sourcing Arrangement (VSA 5) through to 30 June 2026, with Data#3 continuing to be the licensed solutions provider. This extension builds on a July 2019 agreement between the DTA and Microsoft, aimed at equipping agencies with tools to transition to a modern IT environment by adopting cloud-based services. At the time ARN reported, under the VSA Data#3 was the licensed solutions provider for server licensing, specific desktop applications, online services and select Microsoft products like Azure, CRM Online and Microsoft Intune. ARN understands that Data #3 will continue in this role and all government agencies and any agency purchases must go through the IT service provider. The DTA states the extension offers several key benefits for Commonwealth agencies, including the continuation of existing commercial arrangements. As well as early visibility of locked pricing for budget forecasting, inclusion of the Supplier Code of Conduct in the Master Business and Services Agreement and a longer lead time for contract review and engagement regarding VSA 6. In my most recent NPR More than Music show Blowin in the Wind Music and American Identity the conductor JoAnn Falletta asks, How can we grow as human beings without the arts? She continues: If you dont learn through the arts as a child, you cant open yourself up easily. I read once when I was very young that the arts help us deal with our mortality. That struck me, and it still strikes me. The only way you can have these feelings is if someone opens the door to you as a child, whether its taking you to a play which has an uncertain ending, or to a museum and looking at a painting that you cant understand, or even a piece of music that might seem frightening but may be interesting. Of Bob Dylan, she says: Hes not afraid to force us to listen. Even Blowin in the Wind its terrifying, that nothing changes for the better. I dont think theres anything like that today. There are love stories. There are stories of anger, but nothing that forces us to look at ourselves, that makes us feel uncomfortable. The topic at hand is music that embodies the American experience today. I asked JoAnn and four others to pick a piece. John McWhorter chose a song from Jerome Kerns Show Boat that mediates between Black and white; Michael Dease chose John Coltranes Blue Train. Allen Guelzo chose Charles Ivess tribute to a Black Civil War regiment Timothy Long chose music that speaks to him as a Native American living in multiple worlds. And I chose George Gershwins Rhapsody in Blue: Its polyglot its classical, its jazz, its Broadway, its Black, its Jewish. . . . And its always been controversial patronized and deployed by generations of commentators as derivative and appropriative. And that controversy, in itself, surely tell us something about ourselves. . . . In fact it sounds like a work in progress and what could be more American than that? I also call Rhapsody in Blue unfinished there isnt even a definitive version of the score. I would call that a defining attribute of America a characteristic of the self-made American genius. . . . And then there is a matter of unfinished business what W. E. B. Du Bois was talking about when he famously called the problem of the color line the problem of the twentieth century. Gershwin put it all together and if the outcome isnt integrated, neither are we. To hear the show, click here. For more on Rhapsody in Blue, click here. For more on Ives and Colonel Shaws Black regiment, click here. For a Listening Guide, keep reading: 00:00 JoAnn Falletta on Bob Dylan 9:00 Michael Dease on John Coltrane 15:30 John McWhorter on Show Boat 21:00 TImothy Long on Earl Kim 30:00 Allen Guelzo on Charles Ives 39:00 JH on Gershwin by Vladimir Rozanskij In the age of sovereignism, Azerbaijan rediscovers one of the largest and longest-lived empires in the Muslim world to claim the historical roots of its statehood ion opposition to Tehran. Akhmedov: The political and economic reforms of its founder Sakh Ismail Khataj should be studied. Ancient events as a key to reading today's battles of the Aliev dynasty. Baku (AsiaNews) - In these times of the rediscovery of the sovereign identity of peoples and nations, Azerbaijan intends to present itself as heir to ancient dynasties such as that of the Safavids, a Turkic-speaking and Turkic-cultured lineage that originated in the Azerbaijani territories in the Persian Empire that ruled Persia between 1501 and 1736, one of the largest and longest-lived empires in the Muslim world, often considered the beginning of Iran's modern age. An interview on this topic was published on the state website Zerkalo.az by Khazar University history and philosophy scholar Sabukhi Akhmedov, one of the main proponents of the Safavid thesis as a phenomenon of Azerbaijani statehood that has fuelled the controversy between Baku and Tehran for centuries. He starts from a quotation by the poet Abbas-Kuli-Aga Bakikhanov, who wrote words of great actuality in 1841: Living in the present without looking at the past is like wandering aimlessly in the desert. Akhmedov explains that the Safavids originated from even older unions of scattered Turkic tribes, living in the present-day territory of Azerbaijan and the surrounding regions of Asia Minor, later proclaiming themselves as one of the most important movements of Islam, the Shiites of their own religion, until the campaign of Sakh Ismail Khataj in 1501, who was able to unite the different lineages with such energy that he was compared to Alexander the Macedonian. In the post-Mongolian era, the professor explains, the Safavids knew how to hold on to the best of Tatar-Mongolian domination, such as financial and economic relations, military relations, but also cultural and ethical relations, successfully transforming the Mongolian system of administration into their own state. The various groups of Azerbaijanis rallied around a strong centre of government, although later divisions caused this sense of state to be lost, which must be recovered today, remembering the many victories of the Safavids, not the few defeats. In the exaltation of the empire, the Safavids are compared to the Ottomans, who also gathered so many peoples under themselves after the end of the Khanate of the Mongols. Akhmedov observes that Azerbaijanis remember Sakh Ismail only as a poet and a man of letters, while his great political and economic reforms should be studied, as well as his military campaigns, the first of which took place when he was only 14 years old, defeating the state of Ak Kojunlo, which stretched across eastern Anatolia and Armenia. In this way, ancient stories illuminate the modern battles of Azerbaijan's Aliev dynasty, Heydar and Ilham, who led the country in these post-Soviet years as the new Safavids. Ismail was an enlightened ruler more than any of his contemporaries, who instead of exterminating his enemies, took them all into his service by enhancing their skills in the new unitary kingdom, which was not typical of those times, he was almost revolutionary, displaying a special talent as an ideologue and statesman. By also uniting the various nomadic and semi-nomadic Turkic tribes, he was able to demonstrate that progress is not the prerogative only of sedentary peoples, and a 17th century Muslim sheikh could appear more modern than many rulers of today. Akhmedov's conclusion is that we should not complain if a conglomerate of republics like the USSR lasted only 70 years, but we should take up the traditions of a state built by a young Azerbaijani who lasted more than two centuries. Ismail also set up a large library in the capital, along with the Tebriz Poets Couch' in which he himself participated, as he was aware that a true state cannot exist without its own culture, and today we need museums and libraries that illuminate our history, that of the Safavids or Caucasian Albania and so many other periods and stages of our statehood, which our opponents claim has only existed for a century... Sometimes scholars here are like men groping in the dark at the elephant's body, without realising its greatness'. Today's news: India has successfully conducted a complicated anchoring operation between satellites; Khaleda Zia acquitted of other corruption charges and will probably stand in Bangladeshi elections; The island of Phuket in Thailand is flooded with rubbish; Evacuations due to volcano activity in Indonesia. GAZA - ISRAEL The cease-fire between Hamas and Israel will come into effect on Sunday 19 January if it gets approval from the Israeli government this morning. Making the announcement yesterday were the heads of government of Qatar and the United States, Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani and President Joe Biden. According to Al Jazeera, the Israeli army has continued shelling the Gaza Strip in recent hours, killing at least 40 people. INDIA India's space agency, Isro, has successfully docked two satellites in orbit, a key operation for more ambitious space missions, such as the construction of an Indian station. The mission, called SpaDeX, had been launched on 30 December and the docking had been rescheduled several times. Only Russia, China and the United States had so far managed to carry out the operation without a hitch. BANGLADESH The Bangladesh Constitutional Reform Commission has proposed to remove the terms secularism, socialism and nationalism and replace them with equality, human dignity, social justice and pluralism to reflect the aspirations of the people after the protests that led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government last year. The proposals will be discussed with political parties next month. In the meantime, Khaleda Zia, Sheikh Hasina's historical rival and leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party, has been acquitted by the Supreme Court in another corruption case (after the one in November in which she had always been declared innocent) dating back to 2008 and will most likely stand in the next elections. SOUTH KOREA President Yoon Suk-yeol, under arrest since yesterday, has no intention of taking part in the second day of questioning, her lawyer announced this morning. By tomorrow, the authorities investigating the case (which is different from the indictment being handled by the Constitutional Court) will have to decide whether to release Yoon or issue a formal indictment for up to 20 days. The governor of the Central Bank has stated that it is necessary to restore stability to the political process to avoid further economic losses. THAILAND Every day 1,000 tonnes of rubbish are collected in Phuket due to the massive presence of tourists, and the dump where it is deposited has expanded to the point of annoying local residents. According to government data, of the 35.5 million foreign arrivals recorded in 2024, about 13 million were to the island. By the end of 2025, the island could produce up to 1,400 tonnes of waste per day, making even its only landfill impractical. INDONESIA The Indonesian authorities have begun evacuating 3,000 residents near the Mount Ibu volcano on the eastern island of Halmahera, after an eruption this week raised a dense cloud of grey ash into the sky that reached a height of four kilometres. Evacuations began late yesterday evening, a spokesman for the national disaster mitigation agency said. by Nirmala Carvalho The strict imposition of the uniform on the girls in class X even on the last day of school has become a pretext to accuse the Carmel School that has been operating for 70 years in the Dhanbad district. The headmistress told AsiaNews: Only 2% of the students are Christian, education in the service of all. Former students' stance: Grateful to those who made us what we are. Ranchi (AsiaNews) - A simple disagreement over shirts worn over the school uniforms, in the Indian state of Jarkhand, is turning into yet another campaign against a Catholic educational facility ridden by Hindu nationalists. At the centre of the controversy is the Carmel School in Digwadih, in the district of Dhanbad, for an incident that occurred on the last day of classes among the girls of class X, last 9 January. For the students, this day has become Pen Day, during which it is customary to sign each other's clothing as a farewell message at the end of the school term. To do so, the girls presented themselves with an ad hoc shirt worn over the usual uniform. A gesture that the school headmaster Sr. Mary Devashree punished by requiring the 80 students to remove these shirts. Fuelled by the usual Hindu nationalist circles, the affair quickly turned into a case. Complaints from parents and some local groups prompted Dhanbad Deputy Commissioner Madhwi Mishra to form a five-member committee to investigate the matter. The Jharkhand State Legal Services Authority also ordered an investigation and requested a report. The National Commission for Protection of Children's Rights (NCPCR) headed by Priyang Kanoongo, a BJP figure who misses no opportunity to use this public body to attack Christian schools, could not miss the list: he too ordered the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to investigate the incident. Faced with so much outcry, the sisters of the Apostolic Carmel themselves have sent an internal investigation, prudently suspending the headmistress from her administrative responsibilities. If necessary, appropriate corrective measures will be recommended, said Sr Maria Kirti, provincial head of the congregation. But all this risks losing sight of the service that this school has been providing in Jharkhand for more than 70 years. The Dhanbad administration itself recognised this in a statement, while a group of former pupils also issued a note calling for the defence of this institution established in a small village like Digwadih. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to the nuns and teachers for their work and dedication that made us what we are today. Sr. Mary Devashree - the headmistress who ended up under indictment - tells AsiaNews that she simply objected to a non-school activity and asked to wear the regular uniform. In our school, she recalls, we have 1,300 pupils and only 2% are Christians. The emancipation of girls through quality education and an education in values has always been the mission of our school. The motto of our foundress, Mother Veronica, was the education of girls of all classes and creeds and our education is directed towards the integral development of the person. We want to form women capable of responding to life's challenges with joy and women whose choices and decisions are guided by right values'. For his part, Archbishop Elias Gonsalves, president of the Commission for Education and Culture of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI), commented to AsiaNews: The Catholic Church in India has been at the forefront in the education of girls, and the news that has been spread is manipulated. Manufacturers in ASEAN countries are concerned about what might happen if a trade war with China breaks out once the US president takes office in a few days. The fear that Chinese products that no longer take the road to the West could be dumped in their markets, already grappling with tough competition from the Made in China. Bangkok (AsiaNews/Agencies) As Donald Trump is set for his inauguration and return to the White House on 20 January, fears are rising to a fever pitch in the East over the threat of a trade war with China. As is well known, during the election campaign, Trump promised to impose tariffs on imports, up to 100 per cent for some goods. Washington and Beijing are not the only stakeholders in this game, as many countries in Southeast Asia fear being crushed in this confrontation. If barriers go up, it will be harder for Chinese products to find markets in the US, resulting in huge surpluses that will need other outlets. In Southeast Asian countries, many are concerned that massive quantities of Chinese products could be dumped in their own markets, jeopardising local manufacturers. In Thailand, the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB) recently expressed these concerns, urging the Thai government to take steps to stop low-cost Chinese products from entering the local markets, which could be flooded in coming months. The current measures are not strong enough to protect local manufacturers as they still face a flood of these imports," said Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, a member of the JSCCIB. Thailand has a 7 per cent value-added tax on imports of goods worth less than 1,500 baht, to slow sales. The authorities have already said they plan to sign a memorandum of understanding with e-commerce platforms in coming weeks to remove imported substandard products. Now the JSCCIB wants further measures to safeguard local producers. A survey by the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) reported sales declined because of the influx of low-cost goods sold via online platforms. FTI Vice President ML Peekthong Thongyai explained that the trend is clearly visible in sectors such as garments, furniture, plastic products and packaging. Official data confirm these fears. According to Chinese customs data released earlier this week, Chinese exports grew by 7.1 per cent year-on-year in 2024, reaching 25.45 trillion yuan (US$ 3.470 trillion), topping 25 trillion for the first time. China consolidated its position as the world's largest trading nation in goods, said Wang Lingjun, deputy head of the General Administration of Customs, at a press conference on Monday. Meanwhile, Chinese exports to ASEAN member states rose from 6.9 per cent in the early 2000s to about 16 per cent today. Chinese customs data show that the ASEAN area became China's main export market in 2023. The increasing flow of Chinese goods into Southeast Asia has been a boon for consumers who now have access to cheaper products than those made in the ASEAN area, providing more options for low-income households. Some high-tech items, like electric vehicles, have also become affordable, challenging old perceptions that Made-in-China products were of suspect quality and workmanship. The influx has however proved to be a bane for local businesses, which struggle to match the low prices offered by their Chinese rivals. Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, director of the China-Indonesia Desk at the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) in Jakarta, told the CNA agency that textiles and ceramics were the main victims in Indonesia. Last year, Indonesia's textile, garment and footwear industry alone shed more than 50,000 jobs as a result of plant closures. RED LANTERNS IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO CHINA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY THURSDAY? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. by Melani Manel Perera During the celebrations in Hindu temples and Christian churches, school material was handed out to 175 pupils from the disadvantaged Malaiyaha community. The initiative, by the Voice of Plantation People (VOPP), combines faith and cultural identity; particularly this year, which marked 200 years since the arrival of the first Tamils from India to work in local plantations. Deniyaya (AsiaNews) Thai Pongal, one of the most important festivals in Tamil culture, was celebrated on Tuesday, 14 January, by Hindu devotees in temples as well as Tamil Christians in churches in the hill country of Sri Lankas Southern Province. The festival, which celebrates the harvest and thanks the sun, Mother Nature and animals, was accompanied by the preparation of the traditional Pongal rice cooked with milk and brown sugar and the distribution of books and school materials to the children of the local Malaiyaha (Malayaga), a community still disadvantaged compared to other Tamils. The word "Thai" refers to the first month of the Tamil calendar. The Voice of Plantation People (VOPP) promoted the celebration, handing out material to 175 talented schoolchildren in Galle and Matara districts. Blessing ceremonies (pujas) were performed for the community at the Pattini Amman Hindu temple at the Thalgaswala Estate and the Pussawala Hindu Temple in Deniyaya, while in St Joseph Church in Deniyaya, Fr Sebastian Nagaraj celebrated a special Mass, integrating Tamil rituals, a practice approved by the Vatican. In his homily, Fr Nagaraj stressed that Thai Pongal, although not a religious holiday, belongs to Tamil culture and represents an opportunity to thank God for Creation. He explains that celebrating this festival with Tamil rituals and customs, faith and cultural identity are united, offering a blessing to the entire community. The priest, who noted that this year marks the 202th anniversary of the migration of the first Malaiyaha community to Sri Lanka, urged the faithful to live with gratitude and brotherhood, without discrimination. The Malaiyaha are ethnic Tamils brought to Sri Lanka (then called Ceylon) from British India to work under harsh conditions on tea plantations. Community representatives, like M. Devika, S. Simeon and Mahinda Kumar, who spoke to AsiaNews, called the VOPP initiative a "noble act" that demonstrates true brotherhood. P. Kaweesh and S. Subhashini, two of the students who received gifts, expressed gratitude to the donors, noting that the material they received was an encouragement to study harder. The principal of Igalkanda Tamil Primary School, Naganathan N. Roshini, praised VOPP as the first group to provide such valuable help to students. The initiative was made possible thanks to the support of local and international benefactors from countries such as Australia and Italy. The celebration of Thai Pongal also brought attention to the hardships faced by the Malaiyaha community, who, despite its important contribution to Sri Lanka's economy, continues to fight for the recognition of its fundamental rights. The VOPP secretariat, based in Negombo and composed entirely of Catholics, works to build a solid foundation that guarantees essential rights for the community, carrying on a more than 200-year tradition of work and resilience. I officially declare: I have given no testimony since the day of my arrest, except during the first interrogation, where I only stated my name and surname, Vardanyan said in a statement which his family in Armenia said was conveyed to it during his weekly phone call. All protocols bearing my signature are falsifications. These documents do not exist in reality. My lawyer and interpreter were coerced into signing these documents. I once again reiterate and state my complete innocence and the innocence of my Armenian compatriots also being held as political prisoners and demand an immediate end to this politically motivated case against us, he said. Vardanyan, who held the second-highest post in Karabakhs leadership from November 2022 to February 2023, was arrested at an Azerbaijani checkpoint in the Lachin corridor in September 2023 as he fled the region along with tens of thousands of its ordinary residents displaced by an Azerbaijani offensive. He was initially charged with financing terrorism, illegally entering Karabakh and supplying its armed forces with military equipment. Vardanyan said in his statement that he is now facing as many as 42 charges some of which carry life imprisonment. I have not been granted the opportunity to fully review the official indictment, he said. My lawyer and I were merely allowed to skim through 422 volumes of the case files, all written solely in the Azerbaijani language, which I do not understand, within a very short timeframe from December 9, 2024, to January 8, 2025. I only received the list of charges in Russian on January 8, 2025. According to the Reuters news agency, Azerbaijani prosecutors insisted that Vardanyans rights to legal defense, the use of his preferred language, and other procedural rights were ensured during the pre-trial investigation. The defense lawyer mentioned in Vardanyans statement is apparently not American attorney Jared Genser, who was not allowed last year to visit Azerbaijan and talk to his prominent client. Genser last month accused Baku of planning to hold a secret trial before a tribunal that will be neither independent nor impartial. As of Thursday evening, it was still not clear whether Vardanyan will stand trial together with seven other Karabakh Armenian leaders who were also captured by Baku shortly after the September 2023 offensive. Azerbaijani pro-government media reported earlier this month that 15 Armenian defendants will appear before an Azerbaijani military court on January 17. However, Vardanyan denounced in his statement the Azerbaijani authorities for separating my case into a separate proceeding. He demanded that they consolidate my case with the cases of the others accused and make their trial public. The Armenian government maintains that it has been trying hard to have Vardanyan and at least 22 other Armenians remaining in Azerbaijani captivity freed. Its domestic critics dismiss these assurances. They say that Prime Minister Nikol Pashinian actually helped Baku legitimize Vardanyans continuing imprisonment with his scathing comments about the tycoon. Speaking during a news conference last August, Pashinian wondered who had told Vardanyan to renounce Russian citizenship and move to Karabakh in 2022 and for what purpose. He seemed to echo Azerbaijani leaders earlier claims that Vardanyan was dispatched to Karabakh by Moscow to serve Russian interests there. Vardanyan hit back at Pashinian in a September statement issued via his family. 16 January 2025 08:30 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. As Europe navigates the complex landscape of geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions, the evolving dynamics between Azerbaijan, Russia, and the European Union have become increasingly significant. The European Union, in response to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, continues to impose sanctions on Russia, targeting critical sectors such as energy and aluminum. Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 16 January 2025 20:15 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On January 17, Russia and Iran are poised to sign a 47-article comprehensive strategic partnership agreement, covering many areas of cooperation. The timing of this event, just days before U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, adds to its geopolitical significance. The agreement raises critical questions for the South Caucasus region. How will this Russia-Iran rapprochement influence the North-South and Zangazur transport corridors? What will it mean for Azerbaijan and its strategic ambitions? Azernews spoke with renowned experts to explore the matter. Sadreddin Soltan, Chairman of the Middle East Studies Center, emphasized the historical context of the Russia-Iran relationship: "The Russian-Iranian rapprochement is not a new dynamic for the region. They have always been partners but not strategic allies. The signing of this agreement would formalize their alliance, potentially affecting the South Caucasus in various ways. This alliance, of course, may have certain effects on the South Caucasus. Suppose the parties agree to pursue the same goals and activities in their foreign policy courses. In that case, their relations with the region's countries will also be formed accordingly. For example, if Russia stops gas exports to Armenia, Iran should stop in parallel. Or whatever position Iran takes in relation to Azerbaijan, Russia should also take that position. In this case, certain contradictions may arise in the agreement on Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation. Therefore, it can be emphasized that this strategic-comprehensive agreement is more about cooperation between Iran and Russia with each other and expanding relations." Soltan highlighted that the agreement could focus on military cooperation, atomic technology, and transport infrastructure. "Because both countries have enough problems in the international arena. They are especially subject to various sanctions from the West, Japan, and South Korea. Both want to increase their weapons and ammunition capabilities. Mainly, Russia needs military equipment, ammunition, rockets and also manpower to continue the war in Ukraine. Iran is also looking for new manufacturers to strengthen its air defense system and access more modern weapons and technologies. In this case, Russia will help Iran in the development of military-industrial complex technology. Russia and Iran are also looking for cooperation in atomic and nuclear technology. Currently, Russian companies are carrying out the construction of the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran. In addition, it was possible for Iranian students to study in Russia in the field of the atomic industry. However, the student exchange program between the two sides was later officially suspended by Moscow due to US sanctions. It is possible that in the new agreement, discussions on cooperation in this area will be held again, in a broader area. Cooperation in the economic, military, social, cultural and energy fields may be reflected in the known agreement. Also, the issue of organizing transport infrastructure may be reflected here, which has been on the list of unresolved problems for a long time. The issue of building the Rasht-Astara railway line has been going on for a long time. Russia has invested a lot in this. That line passes through the territory of Azerbaijan and goes to Russia. Or Russia and Iran want to merge the electricity grid with Azerbaijan into a single space. This may also be reflected in the agenda. Iran previously had a separate position on the Zangezur road issue. Russia also began to create artificial obstacles in support of Iran's protests. Russia and Iran may also draw up a corresponding article in the agreement to block the presence and expansion of the West in the South Caucasus. Hasan Oktay, Chairman of KAFKASSAM, linked the partnership to broader geopolitical shifts, including the collapse of Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria: When Bashar Assad left Syria on December 8, this new process caused Russia and Iran to lose in the region. Putin had been preparing to sign this document with Iran for a few years in order to turn Trump's election into an opportunity and strengthen his hand against him. It seems that Iran and Russia acting together will come to our land as a regional alliance. When the Soviets collapsed in 1991, the Turks suffered the most, Russia occupied Azerbaijani lands through Armenia, and Iran provided great support to Armenia. On December 8, 2024, the collapse of the Bashar regime, which was a Soviet product, caused Iran and Russia to try to put pressure on the Turkic world in the South Caucasus through Azerbaijan. The way to postpone these pressures is to sign the Turkiye Azerbaijan Armenia Tripartite Peace Treaty urgently. Russian political scientist Vitaliy Arkov, founder of PolitRUS, provided a strategic perspective on the agreements significance: "This comprehensive partnership is a more substantial document than the U.S.-Armenia partnership charter signed recently. The document in question has been in the works for a long time and was initially planned to be signed in the fall of 2024, but then, by mutual decision, the visit of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Moscow was postponed to early 2025, and the agreement itself, according to many sources, was expanded to take into account new world realities. The comprehensive agreement on strategic partnership between Russia and Iran is a much more important document than the partnership charter signed the day before in Washington between the United States and Armenia. In addition, it is an agreement between two great and largely equal powers, while Armenia has essentially voluntarily become a US neo-colony in the South Caucasus. Earlier, in 2021, Ukraine was similarly deprived of its independence. Against the backdrop of leaks from the entourage of newly elected US President Donald Trump about discussing the possibility of launching missile strikes on Iran - allegedly with the aim of preventing it from developing nuclear weapons - the signing of this agreement with Russia can be regarded both as a preventive measure and as an integral part of the general reformatting of the world order, where the United States has lost its hegemony and is unlikely to restore it in its previous format." Arkov stressed that the agreement would bolster the "3+3" regional cooperation platform, including initiatives like the North-South International Transport Corridor (ITC). "As for the South Caucasus, strengthening the partnership between Russia and Iran is obviously beneficial to the entire region and the "3+3" platform. The details worked out in the draft agreement in terms of economic and transport-logistics partnership also take into account the interests of the countries of the region. This gives additional impetus to the projects already being implemented (including the North-South ITC) and lays the foundation for new promising ideas. Andrew Korybko, a Moscow-based political analyst, provided a detailed perspective on the Russia-Iran partnership: "Russia and Iran already have close relations, so the planned signing of their updated strategic partnership pact doesnt represent a rapprochement, but a comprehensive intensification of their relations. Its important to mention though that the details havent yet been confirmed, so discussions about the content are purely speculative for now. Nevertheless, generally speaking, its expected that theyll strengthen economic, energy, industrial, logistical, and military-technical ties, among others. While some have hyped it up as a game-changer, its unlikely to have a major regional impact since Russia has repeatedly reaffirmed that its relations with Iran like with all other countries arent aimed against any third party. Moreover, Russia sat back and let Israel destroy the Iranian-led Resistance Axis over the past 15 months without so much as lifting a finger to try to save them, which discredits all speculation that its updated strategic partnership pact is meant to threaten Israel. Iranian President Pezeshkian also told NBC News in his latest interview that he hopes to improve ties with the US and denied wanting to build nuclear weapons. Considering this, the consequences of their pact on third parties are expected to be minimal. If their trade, energy, investment, and logistical ties strengthen, then Iran might become an important conduit for trans-regional trade like it aspires to become through the North-South Transport Corridor. That could lead to more trade with Azerbaijan and possibly help thaw their sometimes tense relations while rebuilding mutual trust, but its too early to confidently predict whether these parts of the updated Russian-Iranian strategic partnership pact will develop as presumably intended, let alone their timeframe. In that event, Iran might reduce its opposition sometimes formal, other times informal to the Zangezur Corridor. Even if it doesnt, however, nobody should expect that Russia would intervene to support Iran in the far-fetched scenario that it goes to war to stop this project seeing as how the ninth clause of the Moscow-mediated November 2020 clearly calls for its creation, and theres no credible reason to believe that Putin changed his mind about its importance." 16 January 2025 10:43 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Inara Valiyeva, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, has been dismissed, Azernews reports. The agency announced that Farid Osmanov has been appointed as her replacement. Prior to this appointment, Osmanov served as an advisor to the minister and previously held the position of General Director of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) from 2020 to 2024. Osmanov graduated with honors from the Faculty of Finance and Credit of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), earning both bachelor's and master's degrees. He also completed a degree in information technologies in the world economy from the Faculty of Informatics and Management at UNEC and later obtained a master's degree from the University of Manchester, UK. In 2019, he was awarded the "Progress" medal in recognition of his contributions to the development of banking and to mark the 100th anniversary of central banking in Azerbaijan. 16 January 2025 12:18 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The 10th Meeting of the Customs Service Heads of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is taking place in Baku today. According to Azernews, the gathering includes customs service heads from Azerbaijan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan, along with representatives from the UN, the International Road Transport Union, and the customs services of Georgia and Hungary. Key topics under discussion include the implementation of decisions made at the previous meeting, the Creation of a Simplified Customs Corridor, the Trans-Caspian Customs Transit Portal, electronic seals and modern tracking technologies, and the Authorized Economic Operator program. During the event, several agreements will be signed, including the Protocol of the 10th Meeting, the Technical Conditions for Information Exchange among OTS Member States, and the Action Plan for implementing the e-BYD Procedure under the BYD Convention (1975, Geneva). These efforts aim to enhance collaboration and streamline customs procedures across the OTS member states. 16 January 2025 16:51 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Revenue Service of the Republic of Latvia on information exchange and assistance in receiving tax claims, Azernews reports, citing Economy Minister Mikayil Jabbarov's post on his official X account. "During our meeting with the Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan, Edgars Skua, we had productive discussions to strengthen the economic relations between our countries. As part of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the exchange of information and assistance in receiving tax claims between the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan and the State Revenue Service of Latvia. The execution of this document will encourage the organization of effective partnership and information exchange between our tax authorities," the post stated. 16 January 2025 15:48 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more Azerbaijan Culture Minister Adil Karimli has received a delegation led by Secretary-General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) Kairat Sarybay, Azernews reports. Azerbaijan attaches great importance to the activities of the CICA, which it has chaired since 2024. Secretary General Kairat Sarybay said that Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the CICA continues successfully, playing an important role in the future activities of the organization. During the conversation, it was emphasized that this can make a significant contribution to the development of cultural cooperation between the participating countries. It was underlined that under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan is carrying out noteworthy work to expand intercultural dialogue on a global scale and supports all initiatives in this area. The meeting included an exchange of views on the protection and promotion of cultural heritage, creative industries and other issues of mutual interest. The Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia (CICA) is an intergovernmental forum for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security and stability in Asia. It is a forum based on the recognition that there is a close link between peace, security and stability in Asia and in the rest of the world. The key idea of the Conference is based on the priority of the indivisibility of security, joint initiative and mutually beneficial interaction of small and large states. The idea of convening the CICA was first proposed by Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev on 5 October 1992, at the 47th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. On October 5, 2017, the CICA process celebrated its 25th anniversary. 16 January 2025 10:22 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Following the directive of President Ilham Aliyev, the next migration caravan, consisting of families temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, and administrative buildings across various regions of the republic, was dispatched from the Garadagh district of Baku to the reconstructed city of Jabrayil. This initiative is part of the First State Program on the Great Return to the liberated territories. Azernews reports that in this stage, 32 familiestotaling 153 individualshave been resettled in Jabrayil city. The residents, returning to their homeland, expressed their gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva for the comprehensive state care they have received. The returnees also extended their heartfelt thanks to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, especially the heroic soldiers and officers who liberated the lands from occupation. They prayed for mercy for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives for this cause. This significant resettlement is a testament to the unwavering dedication of the Azerbaijani government to restore and revitalize the liberated territories. The Great Return initiative has been making steady progress, with numerous families already resettled and various projects underway to enhance infrastructure and living conditions in these areas. The comprehensive state care provided to the returning families includes housing, healthcare, education, and employment opportunities. These efforts aim to ensure a smooth transition and reintegration into their ancestral lands. The government's commitment to rebuilding and developing these areas is evident in the numerous infrastructure projects, including the construction of new schools, hospitals, and cultural centers. The returning families, along with thousands of individuals working on various projects, are contributing to the economic revival of the region. These efforts are crucial for establishing a sustainable and thriving community in Jabrayil and other liberated areas. 15 January 2025 20:15 (UTC+04:00) President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has signed an Order to allocate financial assistance to religious institutions across the country. According to the Order, AZN 3 million from the 2025 Presidents Reserve Fund will be allocated to the Caucasus Muslims Office. In addition, financial support will be provided to several other religious communities: 350,000 manat each to the Russian Orthodox Churchs Baku and Azerbaijan Diocese, the Religious Community of Mountain Jews in Baku, the Baku Religious Community of European Jews, the Baku Religious Community of Sephardic Jews, the Apostolic Prefecture of the Catholic Church in Azerbaijan, and the Albanian-Udi Christian Community in Azerbaijan. Furthermore, 350,000 manat will be allocated to the Moral Values Promotion Fund under the State Committee on Work with Religious Institutions of Azerbaijan to support non-Islamic religious communities. The Ministry of Finance has been instructed to ensure the timely disbursement of these funds. 16 January 2025 11:00 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more "We condemn the groundless and slanderous statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia on January 15, 2025, claiming that crimes were committed against Armenians in the Azerbaijan SSR. The tone of the statement is also reminiscent of Armenia's rhetoric before the Second Garabagh War." These remarks were included in the statement of the Western Azerbaijani Community, as reported by Azernews. The statement emphasized that "the state that committed ethnic cleansing is Armenia," citing the well-known 1993 speech by Levon Ter-Petrosyan, Armenia's former president. Ter-Petrosyan's presidency coincided with the occupation of Azerbaijani territories and the implementation of policies targeting Azerbaijanis. The speech, according to the community, "confirms that ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis is Armenia's state policy." The statement added: "It is also worth recalling that L. Ter-Petrosyan also stated in that speech that the migration of Armenians from the Azerbaijan SSR was organized by Armenia itself. Below is a relevant excerpt from L. Ter-Petrosyan's speech: 'If the movement had not started on time, today 500 thousand Armenians would have remained in Azerbaijan. Even if they were not physically destroyed, this would have been the most powerful lever to bring Armenia to its knees. A significant part of them, more than 300 thousand people, found refuge in Armenia. This was also a national problem, a large-scale problem that was solved thanks to our movement.' All this, the Western Azerbaijani Community argues, "proves that by organizing the migration of Armenians from the Azerbaijani territories, the occupation of which it did not consider possible, Armenia aimed to eliminate the experience of peaceful coexistence of representatives of two peoples and to create a mono-ethnic state in Armenia." The statement concluded: "Instead of making slanderous and hateful statements, the Armenian government should put an end to its racism and mono-ethnic policy, create conditions for the return of Western Azerbaijanis, and restore the multi-ethnic environment there." 16 January 2025 11:53 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more On January 26, in the sunup, the Garadagh district settlement in Baku, where IDPs expelled by Armenia in the 1990s were temporarily settled in, was filled with happiness and joy. The settlement saw off a caravan of IDPs, consisting of 32 families and 153 individuals, who were thrilled to return to their hometown, Jabrayil, after 30 years. The sense of excitement and anticipation was palpable as the families prepared to embark on this significant journey. IDPs shared their feelings with local media outlets, expressing their overwhelming emotions, hopes for the future, and gratitude for the opportunity to rebuild their lives in their ancestral lands. Azernews presents their heartfelt stories, capturing the essence of this historic moment. Mammadali Isayev shared that there can be no greater wish than returning to the native landJabrayilwhich he has longed for over 30 years. "For the past 30 years, I have seen Jabrayil in my dreams every night and have been waiting for this day to come every day. May God have mercy on our martyrs and grant health to our veterans. May God protect our President, our state, and our people. I have never known a more joyful day than today. I cannot express this day in my life in words. After seeing those lands, I have no more wishes," he noted. Leyla Guliyeva, who was forced to leave her home at the age of 35, is among the returnees. She noted that from now on, she wants to live happily and prosperously in Jabrayil. "We have longed for our native land for many years. May God protect our President, have mercy on our martyrs, and grant health to our veterans," she said. Akram Allahverdiyev, who was forced to leave Jabrayil at the age of 22, said that he cannot explain his happiness with words. After many years of longing, he is finally returning to his native land. "From now on, I want to live and work in my native Jabrayil," he emphasized. Among the returnees are individuals who do not remember Jabrayil due to their young age at the time of displacement. Some were very young, even in swaddling clothes, and left Jabrayil in the arms of their parents; others were born without Jabrayil. Former IDP Gulhuseyn Bayramov is one such individual. He was three years old when his family was forced to leave their home. Now, at 35 years old, he is returning to Jabrayil with his 8-month-old daughter. "May God have mercy on our martyrs, grant health to our veterans. May God also grant us the grace to live this moment. I express my gratitude to everyone who contributed. My baby is now eight months old. Hopefully, we will send her off to military service from Jabrayil," he noted. Gular Allahverdiyeva is an IDP who was born without Jabrayil. She noted that today is a joyful day for her and she is excited to see her hometown for the first time. "May God have mercy on all our martyrs, may their souls rest in peace. May God protect all our soldiers. May God protect our state so that we can experience this joyful day. Hopefully, all Garabagh residents will return to their homeland," she added. Currently, in Garabagh and East Zangezur, in addition to the former internally displaced persons who were resettled, there are more than 30,000 people working on various projects in the region. These efforts encompass the implementation of infrastructure projects, performing official duties in local branches of state agencies, and working in healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy enterprises that have resumed operations. This extensive workforce is dedicated to rebuilding and revitalizing the region, ensuring long-term stability and growth for the resettled communities. 16 January 2025 13:43 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more On January 15, a joint meeting took place between the Council of Elders of the West Azerbaijan Community and the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, focusing on strategies to address the realities of Western Azerbaijan and the return of Azerbaijani compatriots to their ancestral lands, Azernews reports. Aziz Alakbarli, Chairman of the Board of the West Azerbaijan Community and Member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), detailed the history, goals, and objectives of the community, including its Return Concept, initiated at the recommendation of President Ilham Aliyev. He emphasized the importance of raising international awareness about the return process and highlighted the Council of Elders of Azerbaijans potential role in these efforts. Chairman of the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, Eldar Guliyev, reflected on President Ilham Aliyev's recent remarks on Western Azerbaijan, stressing the collective moral responsibility to address this issue. Academician Abel Maharramov called for more events on Western Azerbaijan at local and international levels and highlighted the importance of engaging with youth to preserve cultural heritage. Similarly, academician Ahliman Amiraslanov emphasized the councils' shared goal of involving youth in returning to Western Azerbaijan. President of ANAS, Isa Habibeyli, presented books on Western Azerbaijan published by ANAS to Aziz Alakbarli, highlighting efforts to create a library dedicated to the region. Additional proposals included organizing events in Uzbekistan and Turkey, preparing a roadmap for Western Azerbaijans ideology, and publishing more literature to promote the region's history internationally. The meeting concluded with exchanges of gifts and books, symbolizing the commitment of both councils to the cause of Western Azerbaijan. 16 January 2025 14:25 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Russian Investigative Committee has announced the initiation of a comprehensive expert examination into the actions of air traffic controllers in connection with the tragic crash of an Embraer-E190 aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) on December 25, 2024, Azernews reports. The investigation, as reported by Svetlana Petrenko, the official representative of the committee, is being carried out in collaboration with Azerbaijani and Kazakh authorities. Experts from the Interstate Aviation Committee (IAC) are analyzing data from the flight data recorders, which were recovered by the Brazilian Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (CENIPA). Investigators are also examining communications between air traffic controllers in Grozny, Makhachkala, and Mineralnye Vody and the aircraft's crew. Aviation-technical examinations are being conducted to assess the aircraft's systems and physical evidence related to the crash. Additionally, a forensic examination will be performed to evaluate the actions of air traffic control services, the management system, and air defense protocols. The flight, which was traveling from Baku, Azerbaijan, to Grozny, Russia, was forced to make an emergency landing near Aktau, Kazakhstan. Tragically, 38 people lost their lives, and 29 passengers and crew members survived, including two crew members. Investigations indicate that the plane was hit by a Russian surface-to-air missile as part of an attempt to intercept a Ukrainian drone over Chechnya. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to confirm the exact cause of the crash. On December 28, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed condolences to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, offering an apology for the incident, while President Aliyev called for justice and compensation for the victims. 16 January 2025 12:20 (UTC+04:00) President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev met with Jenny Johnson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Franklin Templeton, one of the world's leading asset management firms, on January 16, Azernews reports. Jenny Johnson highlighted Azerbaijan's economic achievements and contributions to international cooperation. She praised the countrys reforms aimed at sustainable economic growth and its increasing prominence on the global stage. The Franklin Templeton CEO noted that preliminary steps had been taken to establish a mutually beneficial long-term partnership with the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) and that the opportunities to deepen cooperation in strategic areas had been explored. She recalled her participation in events organized by SOFAZ during COP29 in November 2024, where these topics were explored. Johnson expressed confidence that this collaboration would open new strategic opportunities aligned with both parties' regional and global objectives, fostering long-term and effective outcomes. President Ilham Aliyev highlighted SOFAZs successful collaboration experience with leading global financial institutions. He emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership with Franklin Templeton, noting the favorable conditions for further expanding these relations. As of September 2024, the total assets under management of Franklin Templeton, founded in 1947 in New York, amount to $1.68 trillion. Franklin Templeton comprises several business entities specializing in the management of stocks, bonds, alternative investments, and other asset types. Chinese space station expected to welcome onboard first scientific research project from HKSAR within this year Global Times) 11:25, January 16, 2025 China's Tiangong Space Station is expected to host its first scientific research project conducted by scientists from Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) as early as this year, according to the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hong Kong media reported on Tuesday. The project will contribute to the green emission reduction cause in the Greater Bay Area, offering robust data support for China's carbon peaking and neutrality goals, as well as carbon emission plans for partner countries and regions along the Belt and Road. Ba Jin, deputy director of the center's application and development division, told Hong Kong media Wen Wei Po that the research team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology proposed the concept and collaborated with the Changchun Institute of Optics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop a high-resolution greenhouse gas point-source detector. At present, the project is progressing smoothly and has been approved, and it is slated for deployment to the space station for experiments soon, the Wen Wei Po report said. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology explained that the detector will track the carbon dioxide and methane emission hotspots in the global mid-low latitude range, and measure carbon dioxide and methane concentrations at facilities including power plants, coal mines, and landfills. The research team will use these data to derive near-real-time carbon emission fluxes, delivering reliable, precise, and high-frequency data for carbon monitoring and verification of key emission sources, providing decision-makers with quantitative information to formulate effective carbon reduction measures, and supporting the evaluation of carbon reduction measures. This project will offer critical data to support China's carbon peaking and neutrality efforts, and will also serve many countries and regions along the Belt and Road, and contribute to mitigating global climate change. "The Greater Bay Area plays a crucial role in China's scientific and technological advancement. Hong Kong has a profound scientific and educational background and many renowned universities," Ba said. He encouraged more Hong Kong researchers to participate in the team of space station scientific applications. "We hope that Hong Kong's participation in the science application projects of the space station will establish a sustainable framework. In the future, with the increasing participation of Hong Kong, it is expected to form a more clustered regional advantage, advancing the Greater Bay Area's space technology to new heights," Ba added. In the two years since the space station's completion, over 180 scientific and application projects have been conducted in orbit, with nearly two tons of scientific materials delivered and nearly 100 experimental sample types returned, Ba said at a press conference introducing Tiangong's scientific application progress held on Monday. According to the official, China's space station is set to undertake over 1,000 research projects, foster scientific outreach, and strengthen international collaboration over the next 10 to 15 years, Xinhua News Agency reported. In the field of new space technologies and applications, efforts will prioritize national strategic objectives, including near-Earth and Earth-moon space, manned deep-space exploration, and in-orbit services. Additional work will target innovative space applications and critical technology verification, per the Xinhua report. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Abuja, Nigeria (PANA) - Amnesty International has strongly condemned the killing of more than 40 farmers and fishermen by Boko Haram during an attack on farming communities in Borno state north-east Nigeria on 12 January 16 January 2025 16:46 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Deputy Defense Minister and Chief of General Staff of the Azerbaijani Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev, attended the NATO Military Committee meeting in the Chief of General Staff format held in Brussels, Azernews reports, citing the Defense Ministry. The Ministry noted that General Valiyev spoke about the prospects for Azerbaijan's cooperation with NATO, its participation in the Resolute Support Mission and other operations, as well as the experience gained by the Azerbaijani Army in various NATO exercises and events. Colonel General Valiyev noted that Azerbaijan has always contributed to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond. He emphasized that as a partner who has fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Azerbaijan intends to make greater contributions to international peace and security. During the visit, the Chief of General Staff plans to meet with several of his counterparts attending the meeting. 16 January 2025 13:12 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Azerbaijan welcomes the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by the Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry on its official X account. It was noted that Azerbaijan hopes all parties will respect the agreement and bring an end to the suffering. The post reads: "Azerbaijan welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza. We hope all parties will respect the agreement and sufferings will be ended. Azerbaijan supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with respective UNSC resolutions, and will continue working with the international community towards that goal. Azerbaijan welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza. We hope all parties will respect the agreement and sufferings will be ended. Azerbaijan supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with respective UNSC MFA Azerbaijan (@AzerbaijanMFA) January 16, 2025 The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip will come into force on January 19 and will last for 42 days. The release of hostages will be the first phase of the agreement. It is expected that Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase. 16 January 2025 19:47 (UTC+04:00) By Turgay Yerlikaya Since the early years of the Republic, the perception of the Kurdish issue, which progressed through a kind of reform projection and was concretely observed in Ismet Pasa's report, has shown significant changes over time. The report written by Celal Bayar in a relatively liberal tone and the political emphasis on Kurds through TIP in the 1970s did not transform into a meaningful strategy. The issues, which entered a different phase with the 1980 coup and became more complex with the presence of the PKK, came back to the agenda with Ozal's government and the SHP report at the end of the 1980s. Ozal's approach to the issue prioritized democratic principles instead of reflecting the state's rigid reflexes and emphasized the role of civil society in solving the problem. Although significant steps were taken during Ozal's period to address this issue, which became a subject of civil society, absolute success was not achieved. Until the 2000s, the economic and political motivations of the issue, which were approached with a partially security-oriented perspective, were addressed with a liberal approach during the early periods of the AK Party government, facilitating today's process. It is clear that the steps taken in various fields until 2013 played an important role in forming the basis of the solution process. The work of the commission established within the parliament at that time, as well as the involvement of NGOs, academia, and policymakers who could contribute to the process, produced significant outcomes. Through field research and interviews, perspectives on the definition and solution of the issue were brought to the agenda, and efforts were made to reach a solution with the support of broad masses. One of the important discussions supported by empirical data in this process was the examination of international examples and comparisons. Although they occurred in different contexts, the processes of fighting terrorist organizations and their self-dissolution, which came to the agenda through similar motivations, were instructive for Turkiye, and lessons were drawn to avoid the same mistakes. International Examples and the PKK's Stance International examples in this regard facilitate comparative analyses of the process of dismantling terrorist organizations. Experiences from countries like the UK and Spain serve as examples for the attitudes of the actors involved in the process. As seen in these examples, the attitudes of actors who engage in politics under the tutelage of the organization are also quite decisive in shaping the process. In the Turkish example, the stance of the DEM delegation, which is a stakeholder in the process, will be influential. If some actors within the organization resist laying down their arms following a possible call from Ocalan, the support of DEM politicians for Ocalan's call will eliminate the reason for the terrorist organization's existence. The IRA example should be remembered in this context. Recall that the British government made an agreement with the IRA in 1998, and despite this agreement, the organization resisted disarming for a long time, trying to sabotage the process. At this point, Sinn Fein, the political wing of the IRA, insisted on the organization's dissolution, and the organization, which lost its social and political legitimacy, had to disarm. Although the political structures' influence over the organization differs in the IRA and PKK examples, it points to an instructive process for a solution. The ETA example also ended with a similar process of dissolution. The Spanish government's insistence on resolving the issue on a democratic basis in the 1980s was effective in the positive outcome of the process. ETA's resistance to the trend of democratization and its refusal to dissolve eliminated its social legitimacy, and eventually, ETA was dissolved. Turkiye's historical experiences, especially the 2013-2015 process, undoubtedly show how this path should be walked. Considering both these examples and Turkiye's concrete experiences, it is seen that the organization has no second option and that its dissolution is a necessity. Referring the process to commissions, the organization's resistance, or the sabotaging behaviors of actors who engage in politics on behalf of the organization will mean missing the historical opportunity ahead. Therefore, the experience between 2013 and 2015 shows that it is not rational to spread the solution to the issue over the long term and that the PKK's disarmament is mandatory as a unilateral call made to the organization in a very short time. In light of all these indicators and experiences, October 22 marks a milestone that lays the groundwork for a new process in Turkish politics. The initial anxiety felt by the masses after the first day of the call gradually turned into excitement, and the idea that an absolute solution to the terrorism issue concerning Turkiye's future is possible has been embraced. It is hoped that this historical opportunity will be seized and that the dream of a Turkiye without terrorism will be realized in the Turkish century. 16 January 2025 22:19 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad will discuss oil and gas cooperation with Russia in Moscow, Azernews reports. Paknejad will accompany President Masoud Pezeshkian during his visit to Russia. The main focus of the discussions will be on oil and gas cooperation, including plans for the development of hydrocarbon deposits and the implementation of joint investment projects between Moscow and Tehran. One of the key topics will be the export of Russian gas to Iran and its potential transit through the country. This could position Iran as a regional energy and gas hub, further enhancing its role in global energy markets. As reported, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian will hold talks in the Kremlin on January 17. The discussions will focus on expanding bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, transport, logistics, and humanitarian affairs. They will also address key regional and international issues. A significant outcome of the visit will be the signing of a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement between the two countries. This growing energy cooperation between Russia and Iran comes at a time when both nations are facing international pressure due to sanctions. Their partnership in the energy sector could be a key factor in reducing their reliance on Western markets and further strengthening their geopolitical ties. Moreover, the integration of Russian gas exports into Iran's energy infrastructure could open up new routes for energy trade between the two countries and beyond, enhancing energy security for the broader region. The signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement is expected to solidify the long-term collaboration between Russia and Iran, not only in energy but also in other critical areas, such as defense, technology, and infrastructure development. 16 January 2025 23:20 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva Blue Origin, the aerospace company owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has successfully launched the New Glenn, a heavy-lift rocket that could potentially compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX rockets, Azernews reports. The rocket was launched from the Cape Canaveral Spaceport in Florida and carries special equipment designed to monitor all flight parameters. The company plans to land the first stage of the rocket approximately 10 minutes after launch on a floating platform in the Atlantic Ocean, named "Jacklyn" after Bezos' mother. Blue Origin aims to reuse the first stage up to 25 times, which is expected to significantly reduce the cost of future flights. Additionally, the company hopes to launch a cargo module into low-Earth orbit during this first test flight. Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, congratulated Bezos on the successful launch of the New Glenn rocket, marking a milestone in the ongoing space race between the two companies. The New Glenn launch vehicle is named after John Glenn, the first American astronaut to complete an orbital spaceflight in 1962. Blue Origin first announced the mission in 2015, and the company anticipates that the 98-meter-high, 7-meter-diameter rocket will be able to deliver up to 45 tons of cargo to low-Earth orbit, or up to 13 tons to geostationary transfer orbit in the future. An exciting aspect of the New Glenn launch is its potential to revolutionize space access. The reusability of the rocket's first stage could help drive down the cost of space exploration and commercial space travel, much like SpaceX's Falcon rockets have done. This could open up new opportunities for satellite deployment, space tourism, and even future lunar or Mars missions. Moreover, Blue Origin's continued development of space technologies reflects a broader trend of private companies entering the space industry, challenging traditional government-led space programs and increasing global competition. The successful deployment of the New Glenn could pave the way for more ambitious space projects, including potential collaborations with NASA and other international space agencies. Port Sudan, Sudan (PANA) The Egyptian Minister for foreign affairs on Wednesday concluded a two-day visit to Sudan where he had discussions on bilateral relations with high-ranking officials Blog Archive: Mar 2025 (65) Feb 2025 (139) Jan 2025 (155) Dec 2024 (144) Nov 2024 (143) Oct 2024 (155) Sep 2024 (149) Aug 2024 (155) Jul 2024 (155) Jun 2024 (150) May 2024 (153) Apr 2024 (149) Mar 2024 (155) Feb 2024 (145) Jan 2024 (155) Dec 2023 (155) Nov 2023 (150) Oct 2023 (155) Sep 2023 (150) Aug 2023 (155) Jul 2023 (155) Jun 2023 (150) May 2023 (155) Apr 2023 (150) Mar 2023 (155) Feb 2023 (140) Jan 2023 (155) Dec 2022 (156) Nov 2022 (150) Oct 2022 (155) Sep 2022 (150) Aug 2022 (155) Jul 2022 (154) Jun 2022 (150) May 2022 (155) Apr 2022 (150) Mar 2022 (155) Feb 2022 (140) Jan 2022 (156) Dec 2021 (156) Nov 2021 (150) Oct 2021 (155) Sep 2021 (150) Aug 2021 (155) Jul 2021 (155) Jun 2021 (150) May 2021 (155) Apr 2021 (150) Mar 2021 (155) Feb 2021 (140) Jan 2021 (155) Dec 2020 (155) Nov 2020 (150) Oct 2020 (158) Sep 2020 (150) Aug 2020 (130) Jul 2020 (124) Jun 2020 (120) May 2020 (124) Apr 2020 (120) Mar 2020 (124) Feb 2020 (116) Jan 2020 (125) Dec 2019 (126) Nov 2019 (120) Oct 2019 (124) Sep 2019 (120) Aug 2019 (125) Jul 2019 (124) Jun 2019 (120) May 2019 (123) Apr 2019 (121) Mar 2019 (124) Feb 2019 (112) Jan 2019 (125) Dec 2018 (126) Nov 2018 (120) Oct 2018 (124) Sep 2018 (121) Aug 2018 (124) Jul 2018 (125) Jun 2018 (120) May 2018 (124) Apr 2018 (121) Mar 2018 (124) Feb 2018 (112) Jan 2018 (123) Dec 2017 (124) Nov 2017 (124) Oct 2017 (141) Sep 2017 (135) Aug 2017 (138) Jul 2017 (137) Jun 2017 (134) May 2017 (138) Apr 2017 (135) Mar 2017 (139) Feb 2017 (129) Jan 2017 (143) Dec 2016 (135) Nov 2016 (138) Oct 2016 (142) Sep 2016 (128) Aug 2016 (133) Jul 2016 (136) Jun 2016 (138) May 2016 (164) Apr 2016 (311) Mar 2016 (348) Feb 2016 (320) Jan 2016 (348) Dec 2015 (314) Nov 2015 (338) Oct 2015 (363) Sep 2015 (358) Aug 2015 (399) Jul 2015 (374) Jun 2015 (331) May 2015 (337) Apr 2015 (319) Mar 2015 (320) Feb 2015 (271) Jan 2015 (286) Dec 2014 (254) Nov 2014 (238) Oct 2014 (287) Sep 2014 (267) Aug 2014 (259) Jul 2014 (260) Jun 2014 (238) May 2014 (241) Apr 2014 (228) Mar 2014 (240) Feb 2014 (217) Jan 2014 (263) Dec 2013 (226) Nov 2013 (254) Oct 2013 (256) Sep 2013 (252) Aug 2013 (263) Jul 2013 (261) Jun 2013 (251) May 2013 (250) Apr 2013 (221) Mar 2013 (193) Feb 2013 (164) Jan 2013 (157) Dec 2012 (155) Nov 2012 (240) Oct 2012 (526) Sep 2012 (411) Aug 2012 (394) Jul 2012 (284) Jun 2012 (229) May 2012 (213) Apr 2012 (213) Mar 2012 (253) Feb 2012 (269) Jan 2012 (298) Dec 2011 (273) Nov 2011 (219) Oct 2011 (204) Sep 2011 (201) Aug 2011 (236) Jul 2011 (217) Jun 2011 (211) May 2011 (206) Apr 2011 (215) Mar 2011 (215) Feb 2011 (186) Jan 2011 (215) Dec 2010 (107) Nov 2010 (98) Oct 2010 (55) Peace tourism to play a key part in Economy Minister Conor Murphys vision for growth in Northern Ireland Economy Minister Conor Murphy and Stephen McNally, chair of the Tourism Partnership Board, launch the new tourism vision and action plan New rules and red tape for international tourists entering the UK have cast a cloud over ambitions to boost tourism spending here to 2bn, the Economy Minister has said. In what could be his last big policy announcement as minister, Sinn Fein Newry and Armagh MLA Conor Murphy revealed his vision of how to increase spending by overnight visitors by two thirds from 1.2bn. He said there would be a focus on peace tourism, while vowing to reverse what he said was a historical neglect of tourism by the formerly DUP-dominated department. Mr Murphy could vacate the ministry soon to take up a position in the Seanad, as he runs in the election to the upper house of the Oireachtas at the end of this month. MLAs Deirdre Hargey and Caoimhe Archibald have been tipped as successors, with the latter potentially moving from leading the Department of Finance. Mr Murphy said peace tourism was an aspect of visitor interest which had been underplayed and undervalued. Quite a lot of tourists who come here come to see the legacy of conflict here, see the history of the place, he said. But there has always been a sensitivity about how you promote that, and so I think were giving confidence to develop a way of promoting what is already here as peace tourism, in a way which is sensitive to all of the issues that flow from the conflict. He added: There was always a sense that the tourism sector wasnt being properly supported by the department. I think this helps turn that around and encourages the industry to know that we consider tourism to be critical part of our economy here and one which we want to see supported and developed in the time ahead. He said there were already significant attractions with a focus on peace tourism. You go to the Museum of Free Derry and you see the numbers going there. I have never come out of our office on the Falls Road at any time of the year that there arent people down at the murals and people doing those black taxi tours. The Museum of Free Derry is an existing example of 'peace tourism' in NI, Economy Minister Conor Murphy has said Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) was introduced last week for international visitors to the UK, requiring them to have an additional permit costing 10. It applies to international visitors coming into Northern Ireland from the Republic, despite pleas for an exemption. Mr Murphy said: Theres no doubt that that (ETA) cast a cloud over this. We were producing and working on this tourism strategy while we were lobbying the British Government to change their view in terms of bringing in a travel authorisation issue. They have gone ahead with it but we will continue to lobby them to point out that its a bad idea for Ireland and for international tourism on the island of Ireland. But we have a duty in the meantime to continue to support the tourism industry to try and help it grow. And he said he would have regrets about leaving the department without seeing his ambitions for the NI economy realised, if his Seanad candidacy is successful. Yeah, of course, if I do end up leaving the economy department I will have regrets because I very much enjoyed my time here. But I do so in the knowledge that we have turned around the strategic direction of the department and its agencies Whoever comes into position after me will carry on that work in the same way that Ive carried it on. Asked if Deirdre Hargey, who deputised for Mr Murphy during a period of ill heath last year, would be his successor, he said: That remains to be seen. The action plan launched in the Titanic Quarter was attended by leaders from tourism, including Tourism NI chief executive John McGrillen. He said tourism leaders would keep lobbying for an exemption to the ETA for visitors coming from the Republic but would also work to ensure it wasnt treated as more of a barrier than necessary. In reality, its quite simple, its quite easy to do and the core message we need to get across here is that for the sake of 10, you do not want to miss what Northern Ireland has to offer. Other aspects of the action plan include more funding for Tourism Ireland in its drive to draw international visitors to Northern Ireland, and an aviation policy to improve international connectivity. Rob McConnell is the new CEO of Belfast Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall The former Northern Ireland boss of a global tech firm has been appointed CEO at Belfast Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall (BWUH). Rob McConnell is the former NI head of Expleo and had served as non-executive director on the board of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall since April 2023. The organisation announced that hes now been appointed CEO after a competitive recruitment process. Mr McConnell is also a former chairperson of Momentum, formerly the digital industry representative body in NI. In his new role, he will lead 300 people across Northern Irelands only purpose-built International Convention Centre, ICC Belfast, along with the Ulster Hall and Waterfront Hall. BWUH chair Steve Daniels said: We are delighted to have secured Rob McConnell as the new chief executive officer of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall, and Ulster Hall. Not only has Rob established his own credentials in leadership, business growth and sales development, he has a strong commercial drive and an extensive knowledge of Northern Irelands business and public sectors. "Having worked closely with him in his non-executive role on our board, we have been impressed by his knowledge of our industry, his strategic approach to solutions and his passion to drive our venues forward in a data driven, innovative way. Mr McConnell said: I believe that the outstanding facilities, together with the talented team of people at ICC Belfast and its sister venues of the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall hold some of Northern Irelands untapped economic and cultural potential. ICC Belfast is an economic development engine for Northern Ireland. It is the jewel in Belfasts crown "I have seen up close how the team have proven their capabilities working on spectacular events such as One Young World and delivering stunning corporate events for global names including Ferrari, eBay, and AstraZeneca. Large scale business events bring knock-on benefits far beyond these venues, from the airports and transport companies, to retailers, hoteliers, restaurants, and local suppliers, as well as the opportunity to create significant employment for the city and region. I am confident that the ingredients are in place to make ICC Belfast one of the most sought-after conference and events destinations in these islands and much further afield. "It is a great privilege to be leading this forward as chief executive and I am very much looking forward to it. But risk of disruption is low, according to company which transmits electricity SONI has updated its winter outlook because of damage caused to Ballylumford Power Station by Storm Darragh Ballylumford Power Station near Larne was damaged during Storm Darragh in December (Credit: Peter Morrison) There is less electricity than anticipated for Northern Ireland over the rest of the winter after Storm Darragh caused damage to a major power station, it has emerged. System Operator for Northern Ireland (SONI) said on Thursday that repairs to the damage done to Ballylumford Power Station last month meant there would be more system alerts where the gap between supply and demand gets tighter. But the company, which looks after transmission of power around NI, said there would still be enough electricity generated to meet demand in normal operating conditions, with a low risk of disruption. Emma Morris, SONI Emma Morris, SONI director of operations, said: Storm Darragh unfortunately caused damage at one of Northern Irelands major power stations in December. "Due to the extent of the damage, there has been a reduction in Northern Irelands available conventional generation while complex repairs take place. In October 2024, we published our annual winter outlook which indicated there would be sufficient generation to meet demand in normal operating conditions. This was an improved picture from winter 2023/24. Given the reduction in the amount of conventional generation available to us as a result of the damage caused by Storm Darragh, we felt it was necessary to update the winter outlook to account for this. Ms Morris said its assessment showed there would still be enough generation to meet demand, assuming all other sources of power can be used in full, but that margins would be tighter. However, it is important to reassure consumers that the risk of any disruption remains low. "While it is possible the grid may experience more system alerts because the margins between demand and supply are tighter, our expert grid control engineers continue to monitor the situation closely and have a range of tried and tested plans in place to protect the electricity system and manage any challenges should they arise. Storm Darragh caused destruction across Northern Ireland last month. Image: Pacemaker She said plans included maximising other conventional generation, use of large grid batteries and working with grid operators in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland to maximise imports. Ms Morris added: Operating any power system is inherently complex and involves balancing a wide range of variable factors, including keeping costs as low as possible. "In normal circumstances, SONI plans the power system to ensure there is sufficient conventional generation to meet demand, even accounting for reasonably foreseeable contingencies, such as forced generator outages. "However, the damage caused by Storm Darragh was exceptional in its nature and scale. As the System Operator, we continue to work closely with all stakeholders, including the Department for the Economy, the Utility Regulator, NIE Networks, Mutual Energy and private industry to ensure the full conventional generation portfolio is restored as soon as possible and security of supply is maintained in Northern Ireland. SONI said a system alert didnt bring an immediate impact for consumers but was a warning of the risk of temporary electricity supply issues in the short-term so that actions could be taken. It added that all other system alerts in recent years had passed without disruption to supply. Ballylumford Power Station near Larne was damaged during Storm Darragh in December (Credit: Peter Morrison) News Catch Up - Thursday 16 January The UK economy returned to growth in November for the first time since August, but expansion was weaker-than-expected, offering little respite to embattled Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Contestants on The Traitors have banished faithful Alex in Thursdays episode, in which Charlotte was seduced to become a traitor by Minah. At the start of the episode, Charlotte, who has been putting on a Welsh accent despite being from London, could be seen wearing her traitor hood for the first time to join the dark side, as they decided to murder Anna, who had previously raised suspicions about Minah. Ordering NI Secretary to establish inquiry into Sean Brown murder was legally wrong, Government argues The appeal hearing got underway in Belfast today The family of Sean Brown, including his widow Bridie, pictured at the High Court in Belfast. The family were joined by First Minister Michelle O'Neill and MP Claire Hanna. Photo: Luke Jervis / Belfast Telegraph Alan Erwin Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 13:28 Ordering Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn to set up a public inquiry into the murder of GAA official Sean Brown was legally and constitutionally wrong, the Court of Appeal heard today. The Education Authority (EA) is embarking on stage two of its five-year operational plan, with the focus on addressing issues within the special education system. The latest projections show that by 2032, an extra 1,648 special education places in schools will be required, raising the number to 3,584 in mainstream schools. That rise is despite the projection that primary schools will need 14,158 fewer places in 10 years time. It places additional pressure on the EA to find those places, though Education Minister Paul Givan has already started the process by urging primary schools to come forward to offer additional classroom space through SPIMS (specialist provision In mainstream schools). Special schools in Northern Ireland currently provide educational provision for 7,192 pupils Assistant director of education for the EA, Seamus Bradley, said that ultimately, every school in Northern Ireland needs to look at how to adjust to the changing landscape. Unlike two years ago, when the current three-phase, five-year operational plan was initially launched, the EA has not named schools which may come under threat of closure. Instead, the EA said it will be looking at the overall picture area by area, assessing need and working with schools and communities to plot the best way forward in providing the best quality educational experience for every child. The emphasis, though, remains on providing a network of viable and financially sustainable schools that are of the right type, the right size, located in the right place at the right time, with a focus on raising standards over the two years 2024-25. Initially, there will be a focus on the primary school network, with a priority in respect to sustainability. Currently, rural primary schools with fewer than 105 pupils are considered unsustainable, with schools in towns and cities expected to have an enrolment of 140 pupils. EA statistics show that 181 rural primary schools from a total of 432 are currently below the current sustainable number level. In urban areas, only 32 of 343 primary schools remain below the sustainable level. Across Northern Ireland, that means some 213 of the total of 775 primary schools are below the required enrolment. Earlier this week, Mr Givan confirmed the closure of Lack PS in Fermanagh and Balnamore PS in Ballymoney on sustainability grounds. Figures also show there is an almost even split between controlled (351) and Catholic maintained (349) primary schools here, and an almost even split of pupils numbers between the sectors - Catholic maintained having 76,484 pupils in attendance and controlled schools a total of 76,647. The integrated sector (controlled and grant maintained) account for controlled integrated 49 schools, with a pupil count of 11,268. The plan responds to projected changes in Northern Irelands pupil population, which is projected to decrease overall in the next 10 years, while demand for SEN places is increasing, said Mr Bradley. In line with the Minister of Educations recent statement, Operational Plan 2 will develop a SEN first approach to area planning. A critical focus of the plan is to engage with schools, parents and communities to discuss their future needs, and to ensure that children with special educational needs have access to an appropriate place at their nearest suitable school. Operational Plan 2 - 2024-26 supports the Northern Ireland Draft Programme for Government 2024-2027, which outlines the need to plan for future special needs provision in a coherent and measured way. Given the changing pupil profile, all schools will continue to plan how they can best meet the needs of all children, particularly those with special educational needs. We need to ensure there are sufficient places in both special schools and specialist provision in mainstream schools to effectively meet the needs of local communities. I would ask that schools, families and communities join us on this journey and engage in this important work to achieve effective and sustainable solutions for future provision, which will deliver the best educational outcomes for all children and young people. The EA stressed there is now a critical and imminent requirement for all schools to include pupils with identified additional needs in their provision. Partnership working with all stakeholders including Health and Social Care Trusts will be a priority throughout this operational Plan. Emphasising the need to prioritise special education places, Mr Givan said: Children with special educational needs, their families and schools have, for too long, felt frustrated by a system that doesnt fully meet their needs. Evidence from emerging practice both here and elsewhere points to the effectiveness of a more nuanced approach where schools have greater flexibility to deploy a range of professional support models in the classroom. "Some of our schools are already seeing the benefits of these approaches to children and we must make these opportunities more widely available as we continue to be guided by best practice and evidence on what works. The collar and jacket of a search and rescue dog from Northern Ireland was lovingly restored in the latest episode of The Repair Shop. Neil Powell, founder of the Search and Rescue Dogs Association Ireland North (SARDA IN), was featured on the show on Wednesday. He brought the accessories of his border collie, Pepper, who responded to the Lockerbie disaster in December 1988, for repair. Belfast's Assembly Rooms has been selected for the World Monuments Funds 2025 watchlist The selection of Belfasts historic Assembly Rooms for the World Monuments Funds (WMF) prestigious 2025 watchlist has been hailed as a game changer for hopes to restore the landmark building. Launched in 1996, the watchlist is announced every two years and 25 heritage sites across the world are chosen, with a view to raising awareness of restoration and protection efforts. A Belfast mum is encouraging others to nominate their children for this years Uberheroes Kindness Awards after revealing it was the proudest moment of her life when her son won its main accolade. Mental health charity Hope 4 Life NI delivers early intervention programmes, including its Uberheroes comic books. The organisation will host its fifth annual Uberheroes Kindness Awards in April, celebrating local children who have shown acts of compassion and care to others. Andy Neely (11), from the Shankill Road, scooped two honours at last years event - the Above and Beyond Acts of Kindness category his mother Amy had nominated him for, and the Kindness Ambassador award. "From the 30 kids who had made it to the finals, they have an overall special Kindness Ambassador award, Amy explained. All of the judges voted unanimously for Andy to win that. It was so nice because every child was deserving for the award. It was a complete shock when Andys name was called. Andy added: Im going to be honest, I cried. I was really surprised. CBeebies Gyasi Sheppy, who was co-presenting the awards ceremony that night, even had to come down to the familys table to take Andy up to the stage to accept his prize as he was in so much disbelief. Amy added: He got a standing ovation from everyone in the room. It was honestly the proudest moment of my whole life. I have video footage of this along with photographs and video of the event. This time last year, my son was going through an extremely difficult time mentally. In the lead-up to the awards, despite our best efforts to get him the help and support he needed, he wasnt doing much better. Becoming the Ambassador for Kindness 2024 has given Andy his spark back, although hes never stopped being kind to people. As a family, we all try to be kind. The proud parent said that no act of kindness is too big or too small for children to be nominated and praised the kid-focused aspect of the entire Kindness Awards initiative. Andys genuinely just a nice person, she said. There was a situation where three young kids needed a place to stay and we brought them into our house. Andy gave up his bedroom so that they could stay together. He also looks after his granny. Its my mum, and she has a lot of illnesses, but Andy just literally always goes above and beyond for her, and for anyone. He doesn't even have to be asked, he just does it. When the nomination page went live for the Uberheroes Kindness Awards 2024, I thought I'd nominate Andy. I honestly thought nothing more about it until I received an email to say hed been chosen as a finalist and that we were invited to attend the awards ceremony. Thats when the excitement really kicked up a gear. "Andy was so excited, but being his normal humble self, he couldnt think why hed been nominated because anyone would have done the same in his eyes. But thats just it, all these kids nominated for an award do it because they believe that you should just be kind. The Uberheroes Kindness Awards event was such a magical night, 30 kids nominated for being themselves and doing all sorts of kind and wonderful things. "The glitz, the glam, the red carpet, the professional photographer, the three-course meal, the goodie bags, the prizes, the celebrity presenters The charity certainly made this such a truly magical night for everyone, and something Andy and our family will never forget. "There were kids there who had raised money for charity, some had helped their brothers or sisters; and no child is left empty handed. No matter how big or small your childs act of kindness is, put the nomination in. Ive worked in the community and voluntarily for 17 years with kids, and a lot of the time theres nothing to celebrate, just the small wins for them. So, for it all to be kid-focused, and you dont have to pay a penny, its just a pleasure to see, and there wasnt a dry eye in the house all night. There are multiple categories that young people can be nominated for in the awards. For full details and to nominate anyone you know, visit uberheroes.co.uk. The deadline for entries is Friday, February 7. A judge ordered Ronan Hughes' home to be confiscated to pay back over 180,000 he made as a human trafficker The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown A crime boss serving 20 years for killing 39 migrants who suffocated in the back of a lorry has had his home seized. A judge ordered Ronan Hughes' home to be confiscated to pay back over 180,000 he made as a human trafficker. After his challenge to the compensation order was rejected, a judge ordered the proceeds be divided between the victims' families. Ronan Hughes, 45, had charged migrants 14,000 each on the run from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Purfleet in Essex and made 180,000 on just one trip. Trucker Maurice Robinson, 30, had found the bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals including eight women and three children in the refrigerated trailer in Grays, Essex, on October 23, 2019. Some had tried to break out using a pole as others wrote final heart-breaking text messages to loved ones as those around them sobbed in the darkness, knowing their final moments were near. Hughes, of Co Armagh, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter and one offence of assisting unlawful immigration for his part in facilitating the illegal immigration. In January last year a judge had ordered he pay 182,078.90 in compensation to the families of those killed in this terrible tragedy. Hughes, a ringleader in the people smuggling ring, was warned the penalty for defaulting on the order was two years in prison. He was told by The Recorder of London Mark Lucraft that the amount must be paid in full within three months. The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown Central to the confiscation order was the house Hughes built on his parents' farmland where his wife and children live. It was estimated that the asset is worth 175,000 (150,000) based on a 50 per cent share of the house valued at 350,000 (300,000). But Hughes appealed on the basis his mother Catherine Hughes would not surrender any part of the title to the land or grant right of way to anyone to access the house. In April the Court of Appeal ruled that there was no agreement that the land upon which the house was built would belong to him. Lord Justice Holroyde, Lord Justice Snowden and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ruled there was insufficient evidence to suggest Hughes had any proprietorial interest in the land. The original order was quashed and the case was sent back to the Old Bailey for a fresh hearing. Maurice Robinson admitted manslaughter and trafficking and was earlier jailed for 13 years and four months. Marius Draghici was jailed for 12 years and seven months for manslaughter and conspiracy to assist illegal immigration. Alexandru Hanga admitted conspiring to assist in unlawful immigration in relation to a single occasion separate from the fatal journey and was jailed for three years. Driver Eamonn Harrison was convicted of the 39 counts of manslaughter and jailed 18 years. Christopher Kennedy, of Corkley Road, Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and Valentin Calota, of Cossington Road, Birmingham, each denied but were convicted of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. Kennedy was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and Calota was jailed for four and a half years. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who led the second part of the investigation into the deaths, said the money will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. Following the conclusion of criminal proceedings and the group being sentenced to a total of 117 years in prison, our final act has been to pursue Hughes for his ill-gotten gains, Detective Chief Inspector Metcalfe said. We know he and his associates treated this operation as a lucrative business and it would not have been acceptable to anyone at Essex Police to conclude our work at this groups conviction. This money all 283,802.58 of it will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. It will do little to help heal their loss, I know this, but I do truly hope it will allow them to begin to move forward. Darren Fox, Specialist Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Hughes was the leader of a gang who profited from smuggling people into the country which ended in 39 people dying in the most horrific circumstances. The CPS worked with the Essex police to identify all the criminal benefits of the gang behind this tragedy and what assets they currently hold, Mr Fox said. As a result, over 280,000 has been ordered to be paid to the families of the Vietnamese victims who continue to suffer the terrible impact of this awful tragedy. In the last five years, over 450 million has been recovered from CPS obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. 88m of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation. Ronan Hughes Hunt on for missing man Gary Patterson last seen in Larne three months ago A Foyle MLA has called on The Executive Office to reverse its decision to remove security from Ebrington Square in Derry from March of this year. Ebrington Square has recently seen clashes involving teenagers which were said to be motivated by sectarianism. Police responded to two reports made around 7.30pm on December 30, 2024, in relation to a large gathering of young people in Ebrington Square. In one of the calls, it was reported these youths were chasing each other; in the second, it was reported it may have been related to an arranged fight. Police responded, but when officers arrived in the area the youths had dispersed. The Belfast Telegraph has also learned that complaints have been raised about drug-taking in public toilets at the site. A member of the public had raised concerns that this sort of activity could increase during the summer and questioned why daytime security had been removed. A Freedom of Information request was submitted to The Executive Office asking for a breakdown of incidents in 2023 and 2024, but no response was provided. Its understood security currently operates onsite between 7pm-7am with 32 CCTV cameras monitored by the City Centre Initiative. Security is said to be a significant cost which is passed on to businesses operating at the site. Foyle MLA Sinead McLaughlin said: It is deeply worrying that The Executive Office have taken this decision to remove security from Ebrington Square. This site has a long and complicated history, but its regeneration is something we should all be proud of. Ebrington offers both cultural and economic opportunities and has recently seen both Alchemy and EY NI make Ebrington Plaza their new headquarters. I am concerned that the recent violence, which has largely involved young people, has been deemed to be sectarian in nature. We cannot allow our young people to get caught up in this and risk harming themselves or others and putting their futures at risk. The community in the surrounding area cannot be made to feel intimidated and unable to use this shared space. It is hard to understand why The Executive Office has taken the decision to remove security and replace it with CCTV cameras. Having robust security measures in place is the only appropriate way to secure this site. We must send a clear message that violence of any kind is not acceptable. I will continue to lobby The Executive Office to reverse this decision to discourage anti-social behaviour in this area and to ensure that everyone using Ebrington and living in the surrounding area can feel safe in their own community. Ebrington Square in Derry-Londonderry (Pic: Martin McKeown) The PSNI said it is engaging with local representatives to gain an understanding of the situation and establish what exactly occurred. In the meantime, our neighbourhood team will continue to engage with local people, focusing our patrols where they are needed and taking positive action where we can, and we encourage the community to continue to report crimes or incidents that impact on their quality of life on 101, or 999 in an emergency. Inspector Spence added: Anyone who engages in anti-social behaviour needs to consider the consequences of their actions and of the dangers of getting involved in this type of behaviour. Ultimately, they could end up with a criminal record, which may impact their future employment and travel prospects. Anyone with information in relation to these reports is asked to call us on 101, quoting reference 1457 of 30/12/24. The Executive Office has been contacted. Demolition work has officially begun on the former site of a popular Belfast bar and nightclub, which is set to be transformed into Belfasts latest student accommodation building. Diggers and other equipment have been seen working at the Dublin Road venue over the last number of days as the building was taken apart. Significant demolition work has already taken place with the old building now largely removed. Demolition work begins at Filthy McNastys on the Dublin Road in Belfast on January 16th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) The party spot which was often popular with students will soon be housing them, with more than 200 student apartments earmarked for the site. Filthy McNastys and its adjoining cocktail lounge Liquor XXX held a final party on New Years Eve before both closed their doors for good to make way for the demolition. In 2023 planning permission was granted for the 11-storey housing block, despite objections from a nearby hotel. The developer, FMN Properties Limited, also applied to build a replacement pub on Ventry Street. Demolition work begins at Filthy McNastys on the Dublin Road in Belfast on January 16th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Last year it was reported the estimated construction cost is around 7 million. It is also expected that 123 construction jobs will be created over the duration of the building period and 23 new full-time employment opportunities will be created. Announcing their final New Years Eve party, in a social media post Filthys described it as the end of an era. "Join us for one last unforgettable night at Filthys this New Years Eve, they wrote. "This isnt just any party its the final chapter in our story, a celebration of all the memories weve shared before we close our doors for good. Lets make it a night to remember. Demolition work begins at Filthy McNastys on the Dublin Road in Belfast on January 16th 2025 (Photo by Kevin Scott) Meanwhile in another post on New Years Eve, Liquor XXX said: So as Im sure youve heard today is our last day on the Dublin Road. Weve shared some amazing memories with every single person whos walked through our doors and we would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who has supported us over the years. The bar had been operated by Bachus Inns Limited and was a fixture on the Dublin Road for more than 15 years, widely considered one of the citys best-known bars. It is thought to be named after a favourite haunt of Shane MacGowan in Pentonville, London. Filthys has been the site of numerous brawls over the years, including a 2017 incident in which a student with Crohns disease suffered a perforated bowel and had to have their appendix and part of their intestines removed after a bouncer kneed them in the groin. In 2021, a father and son who ran a Belfast barbershop together were fined after launching an assault on a member of bar staff following a Christmas party in December the previous year. Meanwhile in October last year the bar received a one out of five rating from the Food Standards Agency following an inspection, with major improvement needed in the management of food safety. While food handling hygiene was good, improvement was needed in the cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building. Sir Gavin Williamson wants further action taken against those named in the Makin Review (Peter Byrne/PA) Church of England (CoE) leaders named in an abuse scandal report should be removed from their jobs, according to a former cabinet minister. Sir Gavin Williamson warned so few people have been held to account following the publication of the independent Makin Review, which said barrister John Smyths abhorrent abuse of more than 100 children and young men was covered up within the CoE for years. Justin Welby officially quit as Archbishop of Canterbury earlier this month, having announced in November he would resign following days of pressure after the review concluded that Smyth might have been brought to justice had Mr Welby formally reported the abuser to police in 2013. Several other names were noted in the report for their failings, with Conservative MP Sir Gavin suggesting they should also face action. Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, the Church of Englands Commons representative, said the church has an enormous amount of work to do to create a culture shift and those responsible must be held to account. The Churchs National Safeguarding Team is looking into the actions of dozens of officials who were named in the review, with some having already been asked to step back from church activities while the process is under way. In an update on Thursday, the Church said a report is expected to be published in February, recommending whether those criticised in the Makin Review should face disciplinary action. While the aim is for this to happen in time for a debate at General Synod the Churchs Parliament on February 10, a spokesperson said there is a possibility the report might not be ready until later in the month. The most serious possible outcome would be a lifetime ban from ministry in the Church, although the reports recommendations would only be the beginning of a process known as a clergy disciplinary measure, which would likely take at least a number of months to conclude. Whether any interim action such as asking someone to step back from ministry was to be taken in the meantime would be up to the relevant diocese or archbishop. Among those named on an eight-member panel to consider whether to recommend possible action against those criticised in the Makin Review is the former chief crown prosecutor for the North West, Nazir Afzal. Separately, Sir Gavin, the MP for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge, told the House of Commons: What was so tragic is that there were so few senior voices being heard in the Anglican church. In the Makin Review it did name the Bishop of Lincoln, it named the bishop in charge of the episcopal church and actually so few people have been held to account. So will (Ms de Cordova) make sure that more people are properly held to account and some of the people who have been named are cleared out of those top jobs? Ms de Cordova, who speaks on behalf of the Church of England in her role as Second Church Estates Commissioner, replied: (Sir Gavin) makes a really critical point on this and thats why its so important for the church to view this moment as the chance to really turn a corner and make this a watershed moment because we need change. Those responsible must be held to account. She added: I strongly believe that it is important that the church is held to account on that. The lead bishop, the Bishop of Stepney, and also the director for safeguarding both welcomed the Makin Review when it was first published last year and we have to ensure that those recommendations are implemented. Ms de Cordova later said proposals to strengthen scrutiny and improve safeguarding in the church will be voted on at General Synod next month. The current Bishop of Lincoln Stephen Conway was Bishop of Ely in 2013 when he was told details of Smyths abuse. He has said he made a detailed disclosure to Lambeth Palace and contacted the relevant diocese in South Africa to alert them to the issue, and understood it had been reported to police in the UK. He insisted he did all within my authority as a bishop of the Church of England but added in November last year: I acknowledge fully that my fault was in not rigorously pursuing Lambeth about that province-to-province communication, and for this I am deeply sorry. In December, it was confirmed that the former personal chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013 had stepped back from her ministry pending a safeguarding risk assessment following the Makin Review. Rev Jo Bailey Wells is currently the first Bishop for Episcopal Ministry in the Anglican Communion. The Old Bailey heard the woman survived the attack but lives with thick scars as a result and struggles to sleep (Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA) Five youths who lured a transgender woman to a roller disco before viciously stabbing and beating her in a revenge attack have been jailed. The then 18-year-old was stabbed nine times, punched, kicked and stamped on while transphobic slurs were shouted at her. She is living with thick scars and still struggles to sleep after the incident. The woman only survived the attack in Harrow, north-west London, because passers-by stepped in to help, the Old Bailey was told. Members of the group later bragged about the February 10 assault and taunted their victim, posting footage of what they had done on social media. His Honour Judge Philip Katz KC said the abhorrent attack had been motivated by a distorted notion of revenge, adding it was at least in part linked to the womans gender identity. Shiloh Hindes, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, who carried out the stabbing, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in youth detention, of which four-and-a-half must be served in custody. Judge Katz told her she is a dangerous offender who poses a risk to the public. A crying woman stormed out of the public gallery as the sentence was delivered, shouting I love you Summer and people get less for murder. Bradley Harris, Camron Osei, and Shiloh Hindes, all 18, were sentenced to three years in youth detention. A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, was given a youth rehabilitation order. All members of the group admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, while Betts-Ramsey also admitted possession of a knife. A 17-year-old girl who was not part of the group or the planning joined in with the attack before robbing the womans handbag, the court heard. The mean and callous teenager was handed a supervision order. Bradley Harris, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) Handing down his sentence, Judge Katz said the victim had been viciously assaulted. He said: She was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked and stamped on. Rather than help, all of those involved ran off. She suffered really serious physical and emotional injuries. Kicking and standing on someone when they are on the ground is abhorrent. Each member of the group played a very significant role, the judge said, adding that video footage of the attack was sickening to watch. In January 2024, the woman was with Harris at his house when the pair kissed and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris the woman was a tranny, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She denied it, but when Harris picked up a knife and said: Ill stab you if you lie, she felt intimidated and admitted she was transgender before Harris told her to leave. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, carried out the stabbing (Met Police/PA) When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said. On the day of the attack, the woman left her home, believing she was going to a roller-skating event with the group, the court heard. Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet; Harris, from Harrow; Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey; Hindes, from Southwark; and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and hoods, and were waiting for her at the bus stop. Once at a nearby car park, she was immediately attacked, and she had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, the court was told. As Betts-Ramsey was stabbing her, the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before the group left the scene, the prosecutor said. Members of the public helped the woman and an ambulance was called. The group later bragged about the assault, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said. The 17-year-old boy sent the woman a message which said Ur lookin sweet, the court was told. Camron Osei, 18, who was sentenced to three years in youth detention (Metropolitan Police/PA) That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: Stabbing a girl cus shes trans its disgusting, to which Betts-Ramsey replied: IT deserved it. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she still has thick scars as a result of the attack. The woman said she has suffered panic attacks since the incident and has struggled to sleep, adding she fears she might not be able to work as a model because of her injuries. Detective Inspector Nicola Hannant, who led the investigation, said: This was a horrendous and violent assault on a young woman, motivated by the fact she is transgender. Summer Betts-Ramsey and Bradley Harris orchestrated the attack, with Betts-Ramsey repeatedly stabbing the victim, and the other members of the group punching, kicking and stamping on her head. The 17-year-old girl used the opportunity to rob the victim while she lay defenceless and being attacked on the ground. This was a pre-meditated attack where the young people involved lured the victim to the venue, concealed their identities by wearing face coverings, discussed using weapons and, after the attack, made efforts to get rid of any evidence. It was incredibly fortunate for all those involved that the injuries caused were not more serious, as the level of violence used could quite easily have resulted in the death of the victim. I hope that todays sentence allows the victim, who has demonstrated extreme bravery throughout the investigation, to start moving forward with her life. The UK and Poland will start work on a new defence and security agreement on Friday, when Sir Keir Starmer travels to the eastern European country for talks. The Prime Minister has said that it is time to take our partnership to the next level with Warsaw and that closer collaboration with allies such as Poland will protect the UKs national security. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is expected to meet Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk to discuss the new treaty with Poland (Justin Tallis/PA) He is expected to discuss the new UK-Poland treaty with his counterpart Donald Tusk, which will support both countries working together to protect Europe from Russian aggression and work together to tackle people smuggling gangs. The agreement will also do more to tackle disinformation and hybrid threats, Number 10 said. Ahead of the visit, Sir Keir said: The UK and Poland are longstanding allies and our co-operation stretches back for generations. With ever-increasing threats to Europes security, now is the time to take our partnership to the next level, so we can ensure were tackling the big issues that rebound on the British people at home from Putins aggression to the vile people smuggling gangs trading in human misery. It is only through closer collaboration with our most important partners such as Poland that well protect the UKs national security the key foundation on which Ill deliver my plan for change. Further talks are expected to begin this month with a view to agreeing the treaty, Number 10 has said and comes as the Government has laid out a desire to reset the UKs relationship with Europe. Sir Keir will also meet Polish business leaders during his trip to Warsaw, while Polish firm InPost has announced that it will invest a further 600 million into the UK in the next five years to grow its operations. The Prime Ministers trip to Poland comes after a visit to Ukraine, where he met President Zelensky (Carl Court/PA) It is thought that the overall 1 billion investment by the firm which operates parcel lockers could support up to 12,000 new jobs. The trip to Poland comes after the Prime Minister visited Ukraine on Thursday for the first time since he entered Number 10. Sir Keir said on Thursday that the UK will play our part in guaranteeing Ukraines security following any peace deal, during the trip which coincided with a drone attack by Vladimir Putins forces on the Ukrainian capital. The Prime Minister is understood to have heard sirens warning Kyivs citizens of the air raid as he met with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The air raid on Kyiv while he was visiting was a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it. James Akinwande was chased, beaten and stabbed by a group of men while leaving the Vox nightclub in Brixton on January 16 1994 (Metropolitan Police/PA) The family of a teenager who was stabbed to death after leaving a nightclub 31 years ago have spoken of their indescribable pain and need for justice as a 20,000 reward was offered for help to solve his murder. James Akinwande, 18, was chased, beaten and stabbed by a large group of men after leaving the Vox nightclub in Brighton Terrace, Brixton, south London, at about 4.45am on January 16 1994. His sister, Victoria Tawiah, speaking on the anniversary of his death on Thursday, said: The pain we all felt and still feel is indescribable. Our lives have never been the same again. An image of a Fila jacket like the one worn by Mr Akinwande on the night he was attacked (Metropolitan Police/PA) Since his murder, we have all been left with a profound sense of emptiness, consumed with thoughts of him and the grief of his loss. Detectives are still actively searching for the group of young men involved in this horrific attack, the Metropolitan Police said. The reward is for information that leads to the successful charge and conviction of the person or people responsible. Victoria Tawiah, the sister of James Akinwande, who was 18 when he was stabbed in 1994, accompanied by her family as she makes a statement outside Brixton Police Station (Ian Sheridan/PA) There had been fights during the music event that night, prompting Mr Akinwande and his friends to go home early. He was singled out from his friends outside Boots The Chemist in Brixton Road and was chased and attacked. Mr Akinwande managed to escape the group after getting loose from his jacket and ran towards a parked police van. He collapsed and was given first aid by the officers before the ambulance arrived, but later died at Kings College Hospital due to stab wounds to his chest and left arm. A young James Akinwande (Met Police) The distinctive Fila jacket he was wearing was stolen on the night of the attack and is still missing. It was half red and half dark blue with the logo on the back. Ms Tawiah, in a statement on behalf of the family, said: The devastation caused by his murder has left our mother so heartbroken she is unable to visit his grave. She also remembered her loving, caring, kind and funny brother who was a good dancer and was studying mechanical engineering at college. Detective Superintendent Katherine Goodwin makes a statement outside Brixton Police Station (Ian Sheridan/PA) She added: As a family not only do we grieve his loss, we grieve for the future he should have had. My brother was robbed of getting married, becoming a father and so much more all because of that fateful night of 16 January 1994 when someone took his precious life away. Although we will always be missing a piece of our family and the hole in our hearts will never be filled, we would like nothing more than to see those responsible for his death brought to justice. Detective Superintendent Katherine Goodwin said: We have not given up hope of securing justice for Jamess family and providing them with the answers they so desperately need after such a long and painful wait. If you were involved in the incident, be aware that we are still looking for you. Anyone with information that could help the investigation can call 101 quoting Operation Poldark or CAD1203/16Jan25 or the incident room on 0208 785 8267. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is briefed by his military assistant (not pictured) on a train bound for Kyiv (Carl Court/PA) Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine has been a monumental strategic failure, Sir Keir Starmer said as he travelled to the country to sign a new long-term partnership deal with Volodymyr Zelensky. The Prime Minister was greeted at Kyiv railway station by the UKs ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris and Ukraines envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, in the countrys capital. The 100 Year Partnership includes defence and scientific collaboration but will also forge new community links between the UK and Ukraine. The agreement will bolster military collaboration on maritime security and will bring together experts in areas including drone technology. The Prime Minister, visiting Ukraine for the first time since entering No 10, said the deal showed Mr Putins attempts to pull Ukraine away from the West had backfired. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer arrives at Kyiv train station (Carl Court/PA) The visit comes just days before Donald Trump enters the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraines war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal. The US President-elects pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on Wednesday that both the Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war. He said it was important to be realistic that there will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians. Sir Keir is expected to use the Ukraine trip to announce new UK support including further military aid and economic support. Ahead of the visit, Mr Zelensky had suggested he would use the meeting to discuss the prospect of British troops being deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers following any ceasefire deal with the Kremlin. The Prime Minister said: Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come. Sir Keir Starmer is greeted by Ukrainian officials and the British ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris (centre, green tie) (Carl Court/PA) The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russias barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future is vital to this Governments foundation of security and our plan for change. Through this partnership we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad and a prosperous society. Plans for the long-term partnership had begun under the Conservative administration. The partnership, formed of a treaty and a political declaration, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks and spans nine key pillars. It will involve co-operation in areas including healthcare and tackling disease, agricultural technology and the space industry. Ties between the two countries will also be strengthened through cultural exchanges and classroom projects. Sir Keir is expected to announce new lethal aid and 40 million for an economic recovery programme intended to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds of private lending for Ukraines small and medium-sized firms. Officials hope the scheme will open up business opportunities for UK companies, with the funding targeted at the green economy and marginalised groups including women and veterans. The UK has so far supported Ukraine with 12.8 billion and has promised 3 billion in military aid every year for as long as it needed. Rudy Giuliani has promised to never defame the election workers again (Jose Luis Magana/AP) Rudy Giuliani settled with two former Georgia election workers on Thursday in a deal that will let him keep his homes and personal belongings in return for compensation and a promise to never defame them again, lawyers and the women said. The trial was supposed to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings and was supposed to start in the morning with Giulianis testimony. But that never happened. An agreement was announced by all parties in the afternoon. The former election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, had been seeking all of Giulianis property as part of a 148 million US dollar (121 million) defamation judgment against him. The women won the defamation judgment after saying Giulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, left, reads a statement alongside Giulianis son, Andrew, outside the court (Heather Khalifa/AP) In a statement, the women said: The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. The amount of the compensation was not disclosed. On social media, Giuliani released a statement, saying that he had reached a resolution that will satisfy the judgment against him. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings, he said. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same, Giuliani said. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, said outside the courthouse that the deal resulted from long negotiations over the last three days that went into the wee hours of the night. The deal negated the need for a trial that was supposed to begin on Thursday morning in Manhattan federal court, where Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness. He never came to court. The former Georgia election workers won the judgment against him. Giuliani, 80, was to testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the womens lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, also was found in contempt last week in Washington DC. The judge there found that Giuliani continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. Giuliani had already surrendered a New York apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other assets. Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol sits in a car as he heads to a detention centre (Kim Sung-min/Yonhap via AP) Lawyers representing South Koreas impeached president said he will refuse further questioning after being detained by anti-corruption officials over his ill-fated declaration of martial law last month, maintaining that the investigation is illegal. President Yoon Suk Yeol exercised his right to remain silent as he underwent more than 10 hours of questioning on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials, following a massive law enforcement operation to detain him at his official residence in Seoul. Investigators are expected to move to place him under arrest in the coming days. The anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and the military over whether Mr Yoons martial law declaration amounted to attempted rebellion, has 48 hours either to request a court order for his formal arrest or to release him. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol applauds during a meeting (Ezra Acayan/AP) Mr Yoons lawyers have argued that the detention warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court is invalid and have asked the Seoul Central District Court to consider his release. The clock for the arrest warrant is on hold while the court reviews his petition, which can take up to 48 hours. On Thursday, his lawyers formally claimed Wednesdays raid at the presidential residence which led to the detention of a head of state was illegal, in complaints filed with prosecutors. Mr Yoon did not attend a hearing at the Central District Court on Thursday, which was part of the review, because of security concerns, according to Seok Dong-hyeon, one of the presidents lawyers. It was expected that the decision could come some time during the evening. Hundreds of Mr Yoons supporters gathered in the streets near the court amid a heavy police presence, waving banners and chanting slogans calling for his release. Mr Yoon set off the countrys most serious political crisis since its democratisation in the late 1980s when he attempted to break through the gridlock in legislation by declaring martial law and deploying troops around the National Assembly on December 3. The standoff lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and voted to lift the measure. His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on December 14, accusing him of rebellion. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which has begun deliberating on whether to formally remove Mr Yoon from office or reject the charges and reinstate him. Mr Yoon and his allies have defied efforts to investigate his role in the chaos of December 3. He ignored requests to appear for questioning for weeks, remaining in his official residence to avoid detention as his lawyers turned away police, citing a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge Mr Yoon himself. They also said that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations. Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol stage a rally to oppose his impeachment (AP/Ahn Young-joon) Mr Yoon also resisted one attempt to detain him as the presidential security service barricaded the residence. He was finally brought into custody after hundreds of anti-corruption investigators and police raided the presidential compound for some five hours in a second attempt. In a video message recorded shortly before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Mr Yoon lamented that the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country. He echoed the arguments of his lawyers that the anti-corruption agency does not have the authority to investigate his actions but said he accepted detention to prevent violence. Following Mr Yoons questioning on Wednesday, his lawyers requested the Constitutional Court to delay a hearing scheduled for Thursday, citing the complications created by his detention. It remains possible for Mr Yoon to exercise his right to attend, even while under detention. If a court grants a warrant for Mr Yoons formal arrest, the anti-corruption investigators can extend his detention to 20 days, during which it will transfer the case to public prosecutors for an indictment. If prosecutors indict Mr Yoon on the possible charges of rebellion and abuse of power, he could remain under arrest until the first court ruling, which is typically made within six months, said Park Sung-bae, an attorney specialising in criminal law. Under South Korean law, the leader of a rebellion can face the death penalty or life imprisonment if convicted. The family of murdered Belfast man John George has thanked the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust for helping bring the father-of-twos remains back to Ireland. Mr Georges remains were flown into Dublin from Spain on Thursday night, where they were collected by undertakers from ONeills Funeral Directors, to be driven across the border. He was shot and his body was left in a rural area in the Alicante region in and around December 14. Spanish police recovered his remains following a high-profile campaign by the family, who flew to Spain to help with the search. Mr George will be laid to rest next Friday following Requiem Mass at St Lukes Church in Twinbrook. The return of his body brings to an end the month-long campaign by Billy and Sharon George to bring their son home. The family also asked that instead of flowers that donations be made to the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust, a charity which helps bring the bodies of those who have died abroad in sudden or tragic circumstances back to Ireland. The charity was founded out of a family tragedy in June 2013, when Kevin Bell died suddenly in New York. Courtney George said: Without this amazing charity we would never be able to get John home to where he belongs. A funeral notice described John as the devoted father of Jason and Jacob, beloved brother of Darren, Courtney and Caitlyn, and cherished partner of Danielle. John will be missed by his heartbroken sons, parents, brother, sisters, partner and all those who knew and loved him, it adds. Books of condolence are open in both of ONeill Funeral Directors premises on the Stewartstown and Falls roads in Belfast. Spanish police continue to investigate the murder of Mr George. A 32-year-old man from the Czech Republic has been arrested and was later released on bail pending further investigation. Spanish authorities are also looking for a second suspect who may have fled the area following the murder. Mr George last spoke to his family on December 14. They were later informed by people in Spain that he had lost his phone but was booked onto a flight from Alicante to Belfast on December 18. When he never boarded the flight his loved ones became concerned. The Belfast Telegraph revealed earlier this week that the return flight was apparently booked after he was murdered, with this now forming part of the investigation. Mr Georges remains were discovered in a rural area close to Rojales, 45 minutes south of Alicante, last week. Interpol is also assisting the Spanish authorities with the murder probe. John George Hunt on for missing man Gary Patterson last seen in Larne three months ago Former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani is set to be the first witness at a trial over whether he can keep his Florida home and three World Series rings The judge will determine whether or not he must turn them over to meet a 148 million dollar (121 million) defamation judgment awarded to two Georgia election workers. The trial, heard without a jury, begins on Thursday at a federal court in Manhattan. Giuliani, 80, will testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to lawyers for the women. Rudy Giuliani speaks outside the Fulton County jail in Atlanta (AP/Brynn Anderson, File) Judge Lewis J Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, was also found in contempt last week in Washington DC. The judge there found Giuliani had continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. The latest proceeding will not be to relitigate whether Giuliani defamed the women or the amount of the judgment against him, but rather to determine whether he will get to keep certain valuable assets instead of turning them over. Among them is his condominium in Palm Beach, Florida, which he can hang onto if he can prove it is his home. The former mayor says he established residence there in January 2024, but lawyers for the election workers say he continued to operate as if his New York apartment was his residence until it was surrendered in the autumn as part of the judgement. Also at stake are three World Series rings that Giuliani says he gave to his son Andrew in 2018. At a recent hearing, Giuliani said he is not impoverished but does not have access to most of his remaining assets. Everything I have is tied up. I dont have a car. I dont have a credit card. I dont have cash. I cant get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do, he said. Lawyers for the election workers say Giuliani listed the Manhattan apartment as his residence and the rings as his property when he filed for bankruptcy in December 2023, an application that was dismissed six months later by a judge who accused him of uncooperative conduct, self-dealing and a lack of transparency. Giuliani said during a deposition last month that George Steinbrenner, the late New York Yankees owner, gave him the rings in 2002, although he insisted on paying for them and told Mr Steinbrenner: These are for Andrew. He testified that he gave one to Andrew immediately and kept three others for safekeeping. He estimated their total worth at 27,000 dollars (22,114). Lawyers for the election workers say Giuliani, a lifelong Yankees fan who wore the rings sometimes, never listed them as a gift to his son in tax records even though he was meticulous about listing gifts when he reported taxes. And they say the son never obtained insurance for the rings or reported them in his tax records. Giulianis total assets are not expected to amount to much more than 10 million dollars (8.19 million) The election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter Wandrea Shaye Moss, won the defamation judgment after saying Giulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. The Los Angeles Fire Departments Dylan Casey looks for hot spots at a burned home site in the aftermath of the Palisades Fire along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Jan. 12. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle It's been more than a week since wildfires started sprinting across vast stretches of Los Angeles, turning entire neighborhoods to piles of ash. Fueled by bone-dry conditions and fierce Santa Ana winds, the flames are already being marked as some of the most destructive in California's history, damaging or destroying at least 12,300 structures and killing 25 people. Southern California and the Bay Area, though distinct regions, are deeply intertwined, with many including Chronicle readers and newsroom staff having friends and family affected by this tragedy. Even before the first fire sparked, our reporters were tracking the danger, and as heavy winds began to spread the blazes, we used our experience covering the devastating fires that have plagued Northern California to keep readers up to date on by-the-minute developments and follow the fires growth and containment with our Fire Map & Tracker. We also sent Chronicle reporters and photographers to the fire zones. Visual journalists Stephen Lam, Bronte Wittpenn and Scott Strazzante sent back arresting images of the fight to control the conflagrations and the devastating aftermath. Investigative reporter Matthias Gafni, alongside climate and environment reporter Julie Johnson, uncovered a chilling revelation: Just six days before the Palisades fire erupted, firefighters had battled and extinguished a New Years Eve blaze in the same vicinity. Gafnis probing reporting went a few steps further and raised a crucial question: Could illegal fireworks have sparked that fire and led to the larger inferno? Advertisement Article continues below this ad The Chronicle has also been at the forefront of discussions on how California wildfires are impacting homeowners insurance. Reporter Megan Fan Munce immediately dove into how losses of expensive homes in L.A. could affect insurance for residents across California, in what one expert called a worst-case scenario. Whether a fire of this kind could happen in San Francisco has also been on the mind of our readers. Chronicle reporters Maggie Angst, Tara Duggan and Chase DiFeliciantonio showed that the city is unlikely to experience a catastrophic wildfire like the ones in Los Angeles, and they pinpointed the neighborhoods in San Francisco at high risk or moderate risk for wildfires. They also explained how local officials are actively working to improve the citys fire response. Nationally, the politicization of California's disasters isnt a new phenomenon, but with President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration approaching, it has been especially relevant right now. Senior political writer Joe Garofoli skillfully examined the way Republicans are leveraging the situation in Los Angeles and Trump's history of threatening to withhold disaster relief from the state. Democrats, in turn, have reacted strongly, deeming any conditions placed on fire aid by Republicans as outrageous. The unwavering support of Chronicle subscribers makes all this vital work possible, and we're committed to continuing our coverage of these wildfires in the days and weeks ahead. Our mission goes beyond reporting the breaking news; were also looking to continue sparking meaningful conversations with you our readers and to share the deeply personal stories of resilience, loss and hope from Californians whose lives have been irrevocably transformed by these relentless fires. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Enniskillen has become the only place in all of Ireland to host The Longest Yarn Enniskillen has become the only place in all of Ireland to host The Longest Yarn, which is an 80-metre tapestry exhibition that tells the story of the 80 days it took the Allies to liberate Paris during the Second World War. The exhibition toured through cathedrals in Britain and opened for public viewings at St Macartins Cathedral on Monday, where it will be available to visit until February 8. It has been created by hundreds of volunteers worldwide, and alongside its Fermanagh showing, a book will be on sale giving more information on each of the 80 scenes including a picture from 1944 to show viewers what each scene was based on. Read more Rory Gallagher statue a little off tune for some music fans The not so sweet haunting of the NI yellow man In a bizarre series of social media videos last week, locals around Co Derry expressed concern that Northern Ireland is being haunted by the yellow man and no, theyre not talking about honeycomb. It comes after a man dressed in all yellow, and wearing a wig, was videoed walking on the Vow Road of the Kilrea region, at around 12.30am on Friday, December 27. There have also been sightings reported in the Rasharkin and Dunloy areas. One man even rang the police, who said: We take all reports very seriously and I hope that the visibility of our officers today, alongside our commitment to continue to patrol shared public spaces, provides reassurance and boosts confidence that we are committed to doing everything we can to make areas safe. There is no indication any crime has been committed, or that the man in question was carrying a weapon, but the whole ordeal has made for some jokey conspiracy theories on TikTok. Enniskillen has become the only place in all of Ireland to host The Longest Yarn 'Cherry Tomato Bridge' becomes Dublin's latest tourist attraction Dashed dreams of cherry tomato visits They say all good things must come to an end, and unfortunately for those that havent yet got to visit Dublins viral cherry tomato bridge, they might never get to do so, as the ripe red veggies had disappeared from the Drumcondra site on Tuesday. When RTE News visited the bridge, the tomatoes were no longer on the bridge wall. Instead, they were strewn on the railway tracks below, much to the disappointment of visitors hoping to ketchup on all the excitement. Its possibly the weirdest story to come out of the entirety of Ireland this year so far, but the tomato-based shrine is one that captivated the country, with people travelling from across the island, north and south, to get a glimpse of the saucy spot. Jim Padgett/WikiCommons Esther, in the book of Esther, was a biblical heroine who saved the Jewish people. She is recognized mostly for her strength, bravery and dignity. She was chosen by the Persian King Ahasuerus to be his wife in a contest, not knowing she was a Jew. When the kings right-hand man, Haman, came up with a plan to kill the Jews, Esthers uncle found her and pleaded with her to spare Israel. Even though she was his wife, she knew she was not allowed to approach him without invitation, and if she did, it could end in death. But she believed she was chosen by God to save her own people and agreed to go in front of the king anyway and won his favor and her people were saved. She didnt let her fear or position stand in her way. Esther is also an incredible example of helping people in need, particularly those who are going through extremely tough and uncertain circumstances. Here are a few lessons from Esthers story. Trust Your Destiny In the beginning, Esther tried to hide from King Ahasuerus guards so that she wouldnt have to marry him, but she couldnt avoid her destiny. The leader of the Jews at the time, named Mordechai realized that this wouldnt have happened unless she was truly destined to rescue her people. God places us where we are supposed to be so that we can fulfill our calling. Many Christians wonder what God is calling for their life. This is a question many Christians want to know but have no clue where to start to find the answer. We are drawn to the idea of knowing and pursuing our calling. Thats why so many of us want to know that were on the right path. The reason this question is so significant is because the work we do is important to God. If we know this is significant to God, then it makes sense to ask where God is calling and leading you in life. Esther trusted where she was being led and she was able to do incredible things. Follow Your Principles Esther only ate Kosher food, even when she was in the palace. Also, when the king went out of his way to get her to tell him her national origin, she held her ground. Staying grounded in your principles is so important. A great way to understand your calling is through this principle: Nothing is more important in your life than being one of Gods disciples. It is one of the most significant callings that Christians have. A great passage to reflect on when considering your calling is Matthew 6:19-34 which deals with our treasures in heaven. Jesus uses the word treasure to capture the fact that that we all live in pursuit of what weve named or deemed important. It really comes down to this: following our principles and calling is either a thing of the highest treasure to you, and thats demonstrated in your choices, words, and actions every day, or its not. She Was Led by the Spirit Whether Esther knew it or not, she was being led by the Spirit of the Lord. Romans 8:14 says, For all those who are led by Gods spirit, these are Gods sons. One of the greatest gifts God offers us is the privilege of being led by the Spirit of God. As children of God, we can expect to be led by the Holy Spirit which will provide us with the wisdom of God to make the right decisions. Our ability to tap into our calling is much easier when we make decisions based on the leading and guiding of the Holy Spirit. This wisdom will allow us to make decisions today based on knowing what will happen tomorrow. What many people fail to realize is that you can develop a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit just like you already have with God and Jesus. John 14:26 says, But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is not only a personal guide but also a teacher in this life. As a result of this, Esther was able to set an action plan in place. As a result of her leadership, Esther was able to save her people. We Should Turn to God When Were in Trouble Esther realized that the salvation of her people would only come through having a special relationship with God so she turned to Him. Ultimately, the way they ultimately achieved salvation was through prayer and repentance. Sometimes God protects us from going through potential problems, and sometimes He miraculously delivers us from problems that confront us. Yet, sometimes we must go through difficult times. When we do, God is always there to walk with us. Psalm 9:9 says, The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. It is comforting to know that God is with you when you are in the midst of trouble. Pray to know God and His peace. Esther is an inspiring story about a remarkable woman who was willing to risk her life to save her people. She was a woman of principle who was willing to put the lives of others ahead of even her own life. She was an outstanding example of serving others even under the most stressful circumstances. Jesus Christ said, Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down ones life for his friends (John 15:13). Most of the time our lives may be pretty routine, but all of us have a few defining moments when we may be called on to put godly principle above personal benefit. What will you do when you encounter defining moments in your life? Esther shows all of us the way, and we can be inspired by her example. Lesli White is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth with a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications and a concentration in print and online journalism. In college, she took a number of religious studies courses and harnessed her talent for storytelling. White has a rich faith background. Her father, a Lutheran pastor and life coach was a big influence in her faith life, helping her to see the value of sharing the message of Christ with others. She has served in the church from an early age. Some of these roles include assisting ministry, mutual ministry, worship and music ministry and church council. 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. A sale that will save hundreds of Big Lots locations has closed, the company announced on Friday, despite protest from the beleaguered company's creditors. But the fate of its Pittsfield location is still unknown. On the back side of the stone theres an inscription for Wesley Ford, a 16-year-old who died at the Battle of the Wilderness in May 1864. But theres no veterans marker, and Im wondering why," an inquirer wrote. Jordan Parker is a breaking news reporter for The San Francisco Chronicle. He graduated from Sacramento State University in May 2022 with a degree in journalism. During his time there, he spent three years as a reporter and editor for the university's award-winning student newspaper, The State Hornet. He spent his senior year of college serving as The Hornet's first Black editor in chief, leading the organization to two Pacemaker awards and several other national honors from the Associated Collegiate Press. When he's not chasing down a story, he likes watching movies, traveling and trying new restaurants. The Massachusetts Health Connector joined lawmakers at the State House this week to recognize representatives from community Navigator organizations, including Ecu-Health Care of North Adams, for their work to enroll residents into affordable Health Connector plans. Pictured from left, Melissa Montoya and Karen Baumbach, Ecu-Health Care; Audrey Morse Gasteier, executive director of Massachusetts Health Connector; and Jessica Horn of Ecu-Health Care. You are the owner of this article. Many Berkshire residents are going without dental care. Are mobile dental units the answer? Some think they'll help, while others question where the dentists will come from to work in these small spaces. The northern route would come through the western portal of the 4.75-mile-long Hoosac Tunnel. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi. Many San Francisco Unified School District students didnt get the required services for weeks or months in the fall, while others are still waiting for the teachers or specialists to get hired. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle 2024 San Francisco schools owe some of the most vulnerable district students thousands of hours in legally required special education services they should have received last semester. The district will now have to pay up for that lost time, spending an estimated $1.18 million on private tutors or after-school staffing. The cost is only part of the fallout from the districts budgeting fiasco last summer that left special education programs without the funding to pay for 252 necessary teachers, aides and other staff, a crisis that contributed to the resignation of the superintendent and helped prompt a mayoral rescue team to assist in righting the districts ship. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Many students didnt get the required services for weeks or months in the fall, while others are still waiting for the teachers or specialists to get hired. Based on current calculations, the district owes 546,246 minutes of special education time to 129 students for services they still have not received. SFUSD is committed to compensating families and students for missed special education services resulting from staffing shortages, said district spokesperson Laura Dudnick. Families affected by the budgeting error received letters in recent weeks notifying them of how many minutes of services were owed to their children. Families at one school got two separate letters, the first with the wrong calculation and the second a week later with the correct amount of time owed. Rosa Parks Elementary parent Josh Williams said the first letter notified him that his fourth-grade daughter was owed 30 minutes after not getting reading intervention services for the entire semester. That was adjusted to 510 minutes in the second letter. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It was a small mistake, but one that followed so many issues in recent years, including the special education budgeting fiasco, a payroll debacle, an aborted school closure process and the districts precarious fiscal status, which has led to state intervention and the appointment of state advisers who have control over school board spending. The district is just so broken, he said. Unfortunately, Ive become cynical about the district. It felt like just another letdown. His daughter is still not getting the services, he said. School board President Phil Kim said the situation is absolutely frustrating, adding he only became aware of the wrong information included in the letters Tuesday. Its critical to understand what the problems are, he said. It is unacceptable that especially our families of special education students continue to find challenges in our system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The San Francisco Controllers Office is still working on an independent review to determine the cause of the underbudgeting, and the Fiscal Crisis Management and Management Assistance Team, tasked by the state to assist districts with financial solvency and administrative procedures, is engaged in an ongoing special education audit. Kim said the school board is waiting for details about how the district failed to budget for the required special education positions, an error that wasnt discovered until two weeks before classes started in August. In the meantime, Williams and other parents have two choices for recouping the learning time for their children. They can either have district teachers or a non-public agency provide the services, or they can get reimbursed for privately provided services at a maximum of $130 per hour. Either way, the makeup services must be done outside of school hours, district officials said. Parents will now need to figure out how to carve out some way for this additional learning, Williams said. Where is it, how do you get there, how do you pick up your child when its done? he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The letter provided no details. Its like incompetence, or negligence or malpractice, he added. Even if we suddenly get her with a special education teacher, it doesnt erase the fact she hasnt had it since August. A lawyer representing influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate has said there was no threat referred to in social media posts from his clients about Sorcha Eastwood, other than in a political sense. However, the legal team of the Northern Ireland MP responded by calling this an attempt to to trivialise the relevant offensive postings. Advertisement Kevin Winters of KRW Law said, earlier this week, he had been instructed by Ms Eastwood to begin legal action against the brothers over social media posts. The posts were made last week, a day after the Lagan Valley MP had told the UK House of Commons she was a survivor of abuse and had received rape threats. Solicitor Kevin Winters said he had been instructed by Ms Eastwood to begin legal proceedings against the Tate brothers (Liam McBurney/PA) In a statement, Andrew Ford of Holborn Adams, who represents the Tate brothers, said: No legal proceedings have been commenced at this stage. A letter was received from KRW Law which alluded to a potential claim. Advertisement Mr Ford said the letter from Mr Winters had been sent in response to a letter sent on behalf of Tristan Tate which raised concerns about a tweet sent by Ms Eastwood. He added: It only takes someone to read the tweets sent by my clients to realise that there is no threat referred to, directly or indirectly, other than in a political sense (ie the threat of changing the shape of politics in the future). In response, Mr Winters said: Our letter to Holborn Adams is unequivocal. It makes it clear our client will be issuing a claim. Mr Winters rejected the claim that the letter was sent in response to a letter of claim received by Ms Eastwood, stating it was sent on an entirely standalone basis. Advertisement He added: We can confirm we did send a second separate letter in response to the letter of claim in which we rejected the allegations made. It is a matter of concern that the solicitors acting for Mr Tate have sought to trivialise the relevant offensive postings as amounting solely to threats of a political nature. Ms Eastwood told the House of Commons last week: I am a survivor of abuse myself. Northern Ireland is one of the most dangerous places in Europe to be a woman. Advertisement She added: We previously did a lot of visits to the Northern Ireland Parliament building, Stormont, whenever I sat there in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and during one school visit a member of the public came up and said they wanted to rape me. Ireland Alliance Party MP begins legal action over Andrew... Read More And there were two people there and we just kind of were paralysed with the response, and that was not the right response. Not from me, but from the people around. Andrew Tate has previously been banned from TikTok, YouTube and Facebook after the platforms accused him of posting hate speech and misogynistic comments, including that women should bear responsibility for being sexually assaulted. But he remains popular on X, with almost 10 million followers, many of them young men and schoolchildren. Following a joint meeting the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and the Forsa Health and Welfare Division, both unions said they will be asking their executives to endorse a plan for industrial action over the coming weeks. Membership of both unions voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action following the continued suppression and non-filling of vacant posts in the public health service. Advertisement Both unions represent over 72,000 healthcare workers across numerous grades in the public health service are now in the planning stage of a dispute. Other trade unions including Connect Trade Union, Unite and the Medical Laboratory Scientist Association have also voted for industrial action. INMO president, Caroline Gourley said:The INMO Executive Council, made up of working nurses and midwives, will meet early next week to endorse a strategy regarding industrial action devised by the officers of both the INMO and Forsa trade unions. "We take the mandate received from our membership extremely seriously. Advertisement "It is clear from the HSEs Service Plan for 2025 that they intend to leave posts vacant and continue with their de-facto recruitment ban in the name of a Pay and Numbers Strategy. Ireland Trolley watch: Over 600 patients wait for beds in... Read More "The new Government must confirm it will enact the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill and provide real measures to ensure safe staffing that delivers safe patients care. "It is time to meaningfully engage with the health unions and give assurances that much needed posts that will ensure patient and staff safety will be filled. Meanwhile Clodagh Kavanagh, chairperson of the Forsa Health and Welfare Division said:It is quite ironic that on the day the Government announce a new Programme for Government setting out their intention to recruit more staff and reduce agency spend, that two of the largest health unions have had to meet to discuss industrial action plans. "Our members have seen this doublespeak for what it is disingenuous and damaging to services. Our mandate is clear and we will now work with our colleagues in the INMO and other health unions to ensure that the current disastrous staffing approach is challenged. A judge was wrong in law to order the British government to hold a public inquiry into the murder of a senior gaelic games official during the Troubles, a court has heard. Belfast High Court judge Justice Humphreys seized the discretion held by Northern Secretary Hilary Benn and exercised it himself when he ordered an inquiry into Sean Browns death, a UK government barrister claimed. Advertisement In a Belfast Court of Appeal challenge against the ruling, Tony McGleenan KC characterised the judges decision as unprecedented, highlighting that there had never been another instance of a court making an order of mandamus compelling the British government to hold a public inquiry. Theres not a single example anyone will show you of a court doing that, he told the Appeal Court judges. Murdered GAA official Sean Brown (PA) Mr Brown, the 61-year-old chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Stormont First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill and SDLP leader Claire Hanna were among supporters who accompanied the Brown family to the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Thursday to hear the British governments appeal against the public inquiry order. Advertisement Last year, a coroner halted an inquest into the death, expressing concern that his ability to examine the case had been compromised by the extent of confidential state material being excluded from the proceedings on national security grounds. Preliminary inquest proceedings had already heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Coroner Mr Justice Kinney called on the British government to establish a public inquiry into the loyalist murder. Advertisement SDLP leader Claire Hanna and Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle ONeill arriving at Belfast High Court for the appeal (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Benn decided against holding an inquiry, arguing that the case could instead be dealt with by a new Troubles investigatory body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). However, aspects of the legislation that underpins the work of the ICRIR was later found incompatible with human rights laws in a different Court of Appeal challenge separate to the Brown case. Mr Browns widow Bridie challenged Mr Benns decision not to order a public inquiry and Justice Humphreys found in her favour in December and ordered the Government to establish one. Northern Irelands Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan joined two other Court of Appeal judges Justice Treacy and Justice Horner in hearing the case on Thursday. Advertisement Representing the British government, Mr McGleenan suggested that ordering a public inquiry was premature as he insisted Mr Benn remained committed to making the ICRIR compliant with human rights laws either by legislative changes or by successfully challenging the separate Belfast Court of Appeal judgment at the UK Supreme Court. The barrister said Justice Humphreys should have adjourned Mrs Browns case until the outcome of the appeal over the ICRIRs compliance ran its course. During exchanges in court, Justice Treacy told Mr McGleenan that a judges job was to make a ruling based on the state of the law at the time, and not on what the legal position might look like in the future. He suggested that a public inquiry was the only show in town in terms of a human rights compliant investigation when the judgment was handed down, as he predicted that British government moves to make the ICRIC compliant could take years. Advertisement Sean Browns daughter Clare Loughran and his widow Bridie Brown arriving at Belfast High Court (Liam McBurney/PA). Mr McGleenan insisted that the ICRIR would be made human rights compliant by hook or by crook and it could then deal with the Brown case faster and cheaper than a public inquiry. He said Justice Humphreys was aware of the British governments commitment to make the ICRIR compliant when he ordered the public inquiry. Noting the familys long wait for justice, the barrister acknowledged that it was not a comfortable position for the British government to be mounting the appeal challenge. But he maintained that Justice Humphreys should not have ordered a public inquiry while the issues of considerable importance around the ICRIRs ability to hold a compliant investigation were still unresolved. Mr McGleenan said: We say, regardless of the emotive facts of this case, and one cant have but sympathy for the Brown family having to come here again to hear these arguments, regardless of that, theres a very important point of principle that is live before the appellate court, and in those circumstances, we say, it was an error for the judge to address the case in the way that he did and make a mandatory order. He said it was Mr Benns constitutional right to make the decision as how best to deal with the Brown case. Mr McGleenan said the Secretary of State made his decision not to hold a public inquiry, after weighing up live issues over the status of the ICRIR, and the judge then ruled that Mr Benn was completely wrong. The judge, by taking that approach, completely sidestepped the qualitative analysis of whether or not a public inquiry was warranted or not, he said. Ireland Intelligence links British state agents to murder... Read More He seized the discretion from the hands of Secretary of State and exercised it himself without having regard to any of those factors. Responding to the barristers contention, Chief Justice Keegan said she did not understand why the British government did not appeal the judges decision not to adjourn the case at the time and before he got to the point of delivering his order. The case continues, with the Brown familys barrister due to address the court later on Thursday. Debris from a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire is seen next to a home still standing in Malibu on Sunday. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press Search and rescue workers on Sunday walk through an Altadena (Los Angeles County) home destroyed by the Eaton Fire. Ethan Swope/Associated Press A home destroyed by the Eaton Fire stands in front a home that survived in Altadena (Los Angeles County) on Monday. Noah Berger/Associated Press The infernos still burning in Los Angeles County have destroyed thousands of homes. But in some parts of Pacific Palisades and Altadena, neighborhoods were left with a few houses still standing. In some cases it comes down to luck. But many of the homes that survived were purposefully built with fire safety in mind. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Experts in wildfire resistance say there are design choices any homeowner can make to improve their homes fire resilience including in the Bay Area, where some of Californias most destructive fires have burned in recent years. Anne Cope, chief engineer for the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, said her No. 1 message to homeowners is that they have control over their homes safety. There are things you can absolutely do tomorrow to reduce the likelihood of your home igniting because of wildland fires, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here are strategies she and other experts shared to improve your homes ability to withstand a wildfire. Clear your roof and gutters of debris Regularly clearing gutters and using gutter covers to stop leaves or other debris from entering are solid strategies, according to Steve Quarles, a Bay Area wildfire science expert and UC Extension adviser emeritus who co-authored the report Retrofitting a Home for Wildfire Resistance: Cost and Considerations. A firefighter extinguishes burning embers at an Altadena (Los Angeles County) home destroyed by the Eaton Fire on Sunday. Chris Pizzello/Associated Press Embrace a hardscape Bushes and other landscaping should be moved 5 feet from your walls, and vents should be 6 inches off the ground. Replace mulch made of natural material with gravel or other nonflammable alternatives. Quarles said the 5-foot zone around the walls of your house are known in his industry as the zone zero, or near-home noncombustible zone. Its the area thats the most vulnerable to fire and embers, according to the National Fire Protection Association. There should be nothing alive and ignitable here. Well-watered box bushes will light on fire, Cope said, and juniper bushes are the worst theyre like little gas cans next to your building. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Replace your vents Embers from fires can catch and ignite other structures as far as a mile away. Larger, coarser mesh on vents can let in bigger embers. Replace old vents with flame- and ember-resistant vents. If you can't afford to replace your vents, you can put ember-resistant mesh screening over them. Get dual-pane tempered windows and keep them closed Two panes of glass mean your window has to fail twice before a fire can get in, Cope said. Tempered glass is more resistant to damage than traditional annealed glass. Having at least one tempered-glass layer in your double-pane windows will improve your homes fire resistance. Quarles said when he replaced the windows in his home in Mill Valley, he opted for two layers of tempered glass. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The frame material is another consideration. Vinyl can melt, making the glass irrelevant. Metal and fiberglass composite window frames will do a better job at keeping fire out. And if you leave your home to evacuate before a fire, please do not ask Mother Nature to come into the building by opening the window, Cope said. She says there are pervasive myths that you need to leave one window open to alleviate pressure or allow firefighters to get into your house. Neither of those things is true. Close every window and door before you go. Homes in Malibu along the Pacific Coast Highway that were burned in the Palisades Fire are seen on Sunday. Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press Get a Class A roof (though you probably already have one) Cope said something like 98% to 99% of California homeowners already have a roof designated as Class A fire rating. But if youre in that 1% to 2% who dont, make remedying that a top priority. Advertisement Article continues below this ad What about sprinklers? Though many new homes are built with internal sprinklers, those are not meant to save your home from a massive external blaze like a wildfire, Quarles said. Only one or two sprinkler heads are designed to go off at once. The system is meant to contain smaller blazes like a burning pan on the stove or an overturned candle while the people inside the house evacuate. Theyre good to have, but you shouldnt think of them as wildfire protection. External sprinklers can be problematic during wildfires if theyre connected to the municipal water supply. In some cases, Cope said, firefighters have had to ask homeowners to stop running sprinklers so they have enough water to fight the fire. Most sprinklers cant be pointed directly at flames, so their utility to protect a house thats already on fire is limited. How much does it cost to make your house wildfire-resistant? In his recent report on home retrofitting for fire resistance, Quarles estimated most homeowners should expect to spend between $2,000 and $15,000 on improvements. Things like removing debris from roofs and gutters and pulling up bushes near the house can be accomplished with minimal cost. Outcomes from this analysis suggest that for a typical 2,000-square-foot home in California, retrofitting costs can be as low as $2,000 for minimal retrofits to upward of $100,000 if all retrofits to the highest level of protection are needed, the report said. Specific costs are broken down: Costs for new windows are estimated at $755.46 for each double-pane metal-clad tempered-glass standard window. Non-combustible ember-resistant vents are estimated at around $50 to $100 each, depending on the location of the vent. Metal gutter guards cost about $4.50 per square foot. Northern Ireland has restricted animal imports from an area of Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the region's Agriculture Minister has said. Following an Executive meeting on Thursday, Andrew Muir said the emergence of FMD in a herd of water buffalo in Brandenburg, north of Berlin, was of significant concern for farmers in Northern Ireland. Advertisement FMD is a severe and highly contagious viral disease which can affect cattle, sheep and pigs. Mr Muir said: The emergence of FMD in Germany is a significant concern, not only for our livestock owners but also for the entire agricultural sector across the UK, Ireland and the EU. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said there was significant concern over the FMD outbreak in Germany (Liam McBurney/PA) My department has robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and our food security and I want to set out what is happening to mitigate any risk. I understand that German officials have taken, and are continuing to take, steps to mitigate against onward spread of the disease, including the culling and safe disposal of all animals of susceptible species and the establishment of disease control zones. Advertisement These steps are designed to ensure that the disease does not leave the area currently affected. The minister said to date German authorities have not detected any further cases. He added: To protect Northern Ireland, we have strict import controls in place prohibiting the movement of animals and animal products from FMD-affected areas. That means that all susceptible species and their products from disease control zones in Germany are restricted from moving to Northern Ireland. Advertisement I am in regular contact with my DAFM (the Republic's Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine) counterpart, Charlie McConalogue, to discuss the approach across the island of Ireland and, recognising the importance of a co-ordinated approach, will be seeking a meeting with the incoming agriculture minister in the days ahead. I am also meeting next week with the Secretary of State for NI and the relevant UK Government Minister, Baroness Hayman, and will be working closely with my ministerial counterparts to ensure a collaborative response to this issue across the UK. Our chief veterinary officer, Brian Dooher, is also maintaining close contact with his counterparts across these islands. Mr Dooher said FMD can have devastating consequences for our farming community. Advertisement He added: It is only through responsible sourcing and excellent biosecurity that we will keep foot-and-mouth disease out of Northern Ireland. Explained Explained: What would happen if foot and mouth dis... Read More Continued vigilance is vital livestock keepers are reminded to adhere to high levels of biosecurity and to remain alert and report any unusual symptoms promptly to a veterinarian or directly to DAERA. The DAERA website contains important information on clinical signs and the steps livestock keepers should take to protect their animals. On Wednesday, DUP MP Carla Lockhart raised concerns that the British governments ban on pig, sheep and cattle imports from Germany announced earlier this week did not apply to Northern Ireland, which through the Windsor Framework remains aligned to the EU in a number of areas, including animal and plant health rules. Cuba has started releasing prisoners, one day after President Joe Bidens administration announced his intent to lift the US designation of the island nation as a state sponsor of terrorism. More than a dozen people convicted of different crimes some arrested after taking part in 2021 protests were released during the day, according to Cuban civil groups following the cases of detainees on the island. Advertisement On Tuesday, the US government said it notified Congress about the intent to lift the designation of Cuba as part of a deal facilitated by the Vatican. Hours later, the Cuban foreign ministry said the government informed Pope Francis it would gradually release 553 convicts as authorities explore legal and humanitarian ways to make it happen. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez gives a press conference (AP/Ariel Ley) Authorities would release some of them before Bidens administration ends on January 20, officials said. Among those freed was tattooist Reyna Yacnara Barreto Batista, 24, who was detained in the 2021 protests and convicted to four years in prison for attacks and public disorder. Advertisement She was released from a prison in the province of Camaguey and told The Associated Press that eight men were also freed along with her. Havana did not link the prisoners release to the US decision on lifting the designation but said it was in the spirit of the Ordinary Jubilee of the year 2025 declared by His Holiness, referring to the Vaticans once-every-25-year tradition of a Jubilee, in which the Catholic faithful make pilgrimages to Rome. Cubas foreign minister Bruno Rodriguez did not mention the release on Wednesday consistent with his stance the day before, indicating they were separate issues but mentioned removing Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism. You can reverse a countrys status on that list, but the tremendous damage to US foreign policy cannot be undone, he said. Advertisement It has been proven that this list is not a tool or instrument in the fight against terrorism, but rather a brutal and mere tool of political coercion against sovereign states. The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights, one of the civil groups, said that by 4pm local time, 18 people had been released. At three in the morning they knocked, Ms Batista said. I was sleeping (in the cell) and they told me to gather all my things, that I was free. Advertisement A street that leads to the United States Embassy in Havana, Cuba (AP/Desmond Boylan) She said that she and the eight men were warned it was not a pardon or forgiveness and that they had to be on good behaviour or they could be sent back to prison. I am at home with my mother, she said. The whole family is celebrating. In July 2021, thousands of Cubans took to the streets to protest widespread power outages and shortages amid a severe economic crisis. The governments crackdown on the demonstrators, which included arrests and detentions, sparked international criticism, while Cuban officials blamed US sanctions and a media campaign for the unrest. Advertisement In November, another Cuban nongovernmental organisation, Justice 11J, said 554 people remained in custody in connection with the protests. Mr Bidens intention to lift the US designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism is likely to be reversed as early as next week after President-elect Donald Trump takes office and secretary of state-designate Marco Rubio assumes the position of Americas top diplomat. Mr Rubio, whose family left Cuba in the 1950s before the communist revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power, has long been a proponent of sanctions on the communist island. Five youths who lured a transgender woman to a roller disco in London before viciously stabbing and beating her in a revenge attack have been jailed. The then 18-year-old was stabbed nine times, punched, kicked and stamped on while transphobic slurs were shouted at her. Advertisement She is living with thick scars and still struggles to sleep after the incident. The woman only survived the attack in Harrow, north-west of the city, because passersby stepped in to help, the Old Bailey Court in London was told. Members of the group later bragged about the February 10th assault and taunted their victim, posting footage of what they had done on social media. Judge Philip Katz said the abhorrent attack had been motivated by a distorted notion of revenge, adding that it was at least in part linked to the womans gender identity. Advertisement Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, who carried out the stabbing, was sentenced to eight and a half years in youth detention, of which, four and half must be served in custody. Judge Katz told her she was a dangerous offender who posed a risk to the public. A crying woman stormed out of the public gallery as the sentence was delivered, shouting I love you Summer and people get less for murder. Bradley Harris, Camron Osei, and Shiloh Hindes, all 18, were sentenced to three years in youth detention. Advertisement A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, was given a youth rehabilitation order. All members of the group admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, while Betts-Ramsey also admitted possession of a knife. Handing down his sentence, Judge Katz said the woman had been viciously assaulted. She was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked and stamped on, he said. Advertisement Rather than help, all of those involved ran off. She suffered really serious physical and emotional injuries. Kicking and standing on someone when they are on the ground is abhorrent. Each member of the group played a very significant role, the judge said, adding that video footage of the attack was sickening to watch. Advertisement In January 2024, the woman was with Harris at his house when the pair kissed and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris that the woman was a tranny, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She denied it, but when Harris picked up a knife and said, Ill stab you if you lie, she felt intimidated and admitted she was transgender before Harris told her to leave. When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said. On the day of the attack, the woman left her home, believing she was going to a roller-skating event with the group, the court heard. Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet; Harris, from Harrow; Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey; Hindes, from Southwark; and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and hoods, and were waiting for her at the bus stop. Once at a nearby car park, she was immediately attacked, and she had no time to say anything or do anything to defend herself, the court was told. As Betts-Ramsey was stabbing her, the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before the group left the scene, the prosecutor said. Members of the public helped the woman and an ambulance was called. The group later bragged about the assault, posting footage on social media, Ms Heer said. The 17-year-old boy sent the woman a message which said Ur lookin sweet, the court was told. That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: Stabbing a girl cus shes trans its disgusting, to which Betts-Ramsey replied: IT deserved it. Ireland Conor McGregor ordered not to share CCTV footage r... Read More In a victim impact statement read to the court, the woman said she still has thick scars as a result of the attack. The woman said she had suffered panic attacks since the incident and has struggled to sleep, adding that she fears she might not be able to work as a model thanks to her injuries. A 17-year-old girl who has admitted to robbing the womans handbag after the attack is still to be sentenced. Rudy Giuliani settled with two former Georgia election workers on Thursday in a deal that will let him keep his homes and personal belongings in return for compensation and a promise to never defame them again, lawyers and the women said. The trial was supposed to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings and was supposed to start in the morning with Giulianis testimony. But that never happened. An agreement was announced by all parties in the afternoon. Advertisement The former election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, had been seeking all of Giulianis property as part of a 148 million US dollar (121 million) defamation judgment against him. The women won the defamation judgment after saying Giulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, left, reads a statement alongside Giulianis son, Andrew, outside the court (Heather Khalifa/AP) In a statement, the women said: The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. Advertisement The amount of the compensation was not disclosed. On social media, Giuliani released a statement, saying that he had reached a resolution that will satisfy the judgment against him. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings, he said. Advertisement No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same, Giuliani said. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, said outside the courthouse that the deal resulted from long negotiations over the last three days that went into the wee hours of the night. The deal negated the need for a trial that was supposed to begin on Thursday morning in Manhattan federal court, where Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness. He never came to court. The former Georgia election workers won the judgment against him. Advertisement Giuliani, 80, was to testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the womens lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, also was found in contempt last week in Washington DC. The judge there found that Giuliani continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. Advertisement Giuliani had already surrendered a New York apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other assets. An 18-year-old student fatally stabbed two people at a high school in northern Slovakia on Thursday, authorities said. One other person was in a critical condition, the Slovak rescue service said. Advertisement The stabbings took place in the town of Spisska Stara Ves, a town with a population of about 2,000, which is located on the border with Poland. The suspect initially fled, but police said that he was detained shortly after the attack. Police said that the suspect attacked a teacher and two students. A 51-year-old deputy principal of the high school and a 18-year old student, both women, were killed, the rescue service said. Advertisement President Peter Pellegrini called the attack a real tragedy and offered condolences along with Prime Minister Robert Fico to the relatives. No problem in the world can be solved with a knife or any other weapon, Mr Pellegrini said. Interior minister Matus Sutaj Estok and education minister Tomas Drucker travelled to the town and offered their condolences to the relatives. Mr Drucker said he will work to take steps to prevent such attacks in the future and protect students and teachers. Advertisement Such attacks are rare in Slovakia. In 2020, a 22-year-old former student attacked a high school in the town of Vrutky, killing the deputy principal and wounding five people, including two students. In 2022, a high school student attacked and injured a female pupil at a high school in Novaky. Strickland Metals is gearing up for a blockbuster start to 2025, with a flood of key assay results expected to start pouring in next week from its Shanac and Gradina deposits at the companys flagship Rogozna gold and base metal project in Serbia respectively. Adding to the momentum, the long-awaited maiden resource estimate for its Medenovac deposit, also at Rogozna, is slated for late February, setting up a potential game-changing milestone for the company. Geologists preparing for a resource upgrade at Strickland Metals Rogozna gold and base metal project in Serbia. At its Yandal gold project in Western Australia the company says work on modelling the data from a 2024 drill program is also on track to deliver an updated resource estimate by the end of March. The massive 2024 exploration campaign at Rogozna drilled more than 60,000 metres using four diamond rigs and yielded some of the highest-grade results in the projects history. The results have set the stage for what management hopes will be an even bigger year in 2025. Advertisement Review Eating outMelbourne Youve likely tried these rice noodle rolls at yum cha, but this silky version is extra-special Roll into low-key city spot Liyin Rice Roll Master (Jade Delight) for smoky noodles, congee and cheung fun. Dani Valent January 16, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share As featured in the February 2025 hit list. See all stories . 1 / 7 Liyin Rice Roll Master is a low-key place. Simon Schluter 2 / 7 Beef hor fun (flat rice noodles with beef strips and bean shoots). Simon Schluter 3 / 7 Red rice rolls with crispy prawn. Simon Schluter 4 / 7 Liyin Rice Roll Masters namesake cheung fun (rice rolls). Simon Schluter 5 / 7 The interior of Liyin Rice Roll Master (Jade Delight). Simon Schluter 6 / 7 Seafood boat congee with peanuts, omelette strips and wonton crisps. Simon Schluter 7 / 7 Pro tip: Add a side of Chinese doughnuts to your congee. Simon Schluter Previous Slide Next Slide Chinese$$$$ Can we give rice a moment? A primary food for more than half the worlds population, there are more than 120,000 varieties of this humble crop, and surely millions of ways to serve it. From biryani to bibimbap, paella to pilaf, jollof to jambalaya, sushi to soup, Mexican red rice to mochi, rice is sustenance, snack or feast waiting to happen. Its so ubiquitous in many Asian cultures that a common, caring greeting translates as have you eaten rice? If youre asked this question at Liyin Rice Roll Master (Jade Delight), a simple but special new city restaurant, the answer is surely yes or at the very least, Im about to. Advertisement Liyin Rice Roll Masters namesake cheung fun (rice rolls). Simon Schluter Rice is the basis of the namesake cheung fun (rice rolls), the creamy congee (rice porridge) and the excellent, smoky hor fun (rice noodles). Cheung fun are a specialty of Guangzhou province, the home of Cantonese cuisine. In Melbourne, that mostly means delicate steamed and wokked dishes at neighbourhood restaurants and on dim sum trolleys, where you may well see rice rolls pass by. Tasty? For sure. They are probably not quite like this though. The Liyin team soaks, grinds and filters raw rice every morning, using a special 250kg stone mill. The resulting rice milk is then brushed onto a cloth and briefly steamed to order, forming a silky, supple, chewy sheet thats then filled with various combinations of shrimp, beef, pork and egg and served in a soy dressing. Seafood boat congee with peanuts, omelette strips and wonton crisps. Simon Schluter Advertisement Pure rice flavour shines through in the congee, too. You might think the seafood boat version would be stacked with ocean creatures and there are prawns lurking but the name refers to vendors who would sell this style of rice porridge from sampans on Guangzhous Pearl River. Scattered with peanuts, omelette strips and wonton crisps, its comforting and especially delicious if you add an order of long, crisp Chinese doughnuts. The hor fun is worth coming for by itself: flat rice noodles are fiercely wokked with beef strips and bean shoots. Beef hor fun is excellent and smoky. Simon Schluter Artistry and intention shine through in the food, but Liyin is a low-key place with ordering at the counter and minimal customer service. Finally, a note on the name. The plan was that this Melbourne restaurant would be the first Australian outpost of Liyin in China, which has 40 branches in Guangzhou. In the end that fell through and local owner Rowling (Ruolin) Wu added the name Jade Delight while still honouring the offshore inspiration and heritage of the brand. Its a mouthful but definitely not the most noteworthy mouthful at this wonderful little eatery. Advertisement Eating outRestaurant news Shawarma tacos on the menu at Merrylands slick new dining spot Chef Jeremy Agha wants to redefine Middle Eastern cooking in western Sydney one wagyu kofta dumpling at a time. Scott Bolles January 16, 2025 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share Merrylands doesnt often find itself at the epicentre of Sydneys feverish restaurant opening action. But the western suburb is now home to Iftar, a slick new eatery delivering hot takes on Middle Eastern food. Weve reimagined the shawarma and turned it into a taco, says Iftar owner Jeremy Agha. The budding young restaurateur grew up in his familys Lebanese bakery in nearby Guildford but ditched the traditional flatbread for wrapping his shawarma. We use house-made tortillas instead, says the 25-year-old. Iftars shawarma tacos swap flatbread for tortillas. Merrylands, just south of Parramatta, already has an excellent line-up of restaurants, bakeries, food stores and sweet shops. The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide lists Kabul House and Al Shami in the suburb, and other popular dining destinations include Toranj Persian Restaurant, Mansours BBQ, and a branch of Yemeni rice specialist Mataam al Mandi. 14.5 / 20 Review Sure, this is a terrific place to wrap grilled meat in bread, but theres much more to explore Advertisement When Kabul House opened in 2010, it was one of the few Afghan restaurants in Sydney, reports the Good Food Guide. Now there are several on the same street, but even in Merrylands Afghan district, Kabul House is the busiest. Meanwhile, Al Shami is a bright and welcoming place, with traditional Syrian cooking and an impressive marble fountain that wouldnt be out of place in an Arabian embassy. The dining room at Iftar designed by Matt Woods. Iftar officially launches in the heart of Merrylands on January 18, but Agha has been quietly putting his investment through its paces in recent weeks and fine-tuning the left-field menu. The restaurant has long been his dream. Growing up in the area, Agha felt local clientele deserved the level of restaurant dining room they often had to travel to enjoy, so he sought out acclaimed interior designer Matt Woods. Advertisement In terms of the combination of flavour, experience and feel, I honestly dont think theres anything like it in Sydney, says Agha. Iftar can be found in Merrylands Main Lane precint. Supplied With soft down-lighting, earthy tones and custom cabinetry, Iftar has the design accoutrements of a high-end, hatted Sydney CBD venue. I can honestly say we havent changed a single tile from [Woods] first draft. As for the menu, Agha explains its a co-creation with his mum, Rita. With a bakery background and an inquisitive palate, he says he dreams up the flavour combinations in his head, then gives his mother the tough assignment of turning them into dishes the Iftar kitchen can reproduce. Every recipe is hers, he says. Iftar means breakfast in Arabic, and the hidden meaning is that Iftar cant be spelt without the letters of her name. Theres no Iftar without Mum. Its as much her story as it is mine. Advertisement Iftars 25-year-old owner Jeremy Agha. Supplied One of those left-field dishes is a dumpling filled with wagyu kofta, which has reportedly impressed both Middle Eastern and Asian diners. The tight menu also lists cheese cigars with halloumi, feta, mozzarella and zaatar; macaroni bi laban with lamb mince, burnt butter and pine nuts; and fattoush with pomegranate molasses. The breakfast line-up includes lamb confit with runny egg. Its a modern take on [Middle Eastern] classics, says Agha. Theres a drinks list of wine and beer but its all non-alcoholic stuff: Iftar is booze-free. And its owner plans to cater for a greater slice of local clientele from late next month, expanding opening hours to dinner to coincide with Ramadan. Breakfast and lunch daily, Main Lane, Merrylands; instagram.com/iftarmerrylands Collection Your January hit list: The hot, new and just-reviewed places to check out, right now 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 Exploring the big and bold ideas of Gen Z leaders to address Sydneys housing crisis - before its too late. See all 12 stories . Before any home can be built in NSW, a development application must be approved. But the process leading to the final sign-off couldnt be more complicated. Here lies a convoluted, contorted system that resembles snakes and ladders better than a multistaged assessment system. Premier Chris Minns agrees that the process has slowed new supply putting a handbrake on attacking Sydneys housing crisis. To address this, Minns created the Housing Delivery Authority (HDA) the three-person body with special powers to fast-track select new builds separate from the complicated approval system managed by local and state governments. Councils dont like the HDA and have pointed the finger at Minns public servants for inefficiencies in the system a view shared by one prominent developer and former Labor chief of staff. How does the DA system work? All new housing starts with a DA, which allows councils and state government agencies to assess the impact of a proposed development on a given area. The environmental, social and economic implications of a new build are among the factors addressed, which also considers construction standards and energy usage. Advertisement A DA must be approved by a council and lodged with a state agency before a construction certificate can be obtained. What are the criticisms of the DA system? Excessive red tape is blamed for a sluggish DA system. A one-page flowchart demonstrates the five-stage approval process for a DA. This includes a post-determination process DAs face once given provisional approval and a final modification process in which the application can be returned to the first stage if amendments require a fresh review. Councils also face criticism for delaying housing supply. Only 57 per cent of the states councils are lodging DAs with the state government in the two weeks after the application is first submitted the time frame that applications are expected to be filed under an order from Planning Minister Paul Scully. Scully called the DA approval process as confused as it is confusing and claimed some councils are just using it as an excuse for NIMBYism. Advertisement North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker who oversees a council that took 246 days to assess an average DA in the past financial year has blamed agencies such as Sydney Water and State Emergency Service for slowing housing supply, saying some taskforces can take up to six months to decide on one housing development. Were at a scale where it just cant be the councils fault, Baker said. Councils have no authority to make applications move any faster than state agencies are prepared to. North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker says agencies such as Sydney Water and State Emergency Service slow housing supply. Credit: Janie Barrett Darriea Turley, the outgoing president of peak body Local Government NSW, said builders were also responsible for delaying construction on applications swiftly approved by councils. The legislated DA system that councils have been delivering under for many years now provided tens of thousands of approved dwellings that still have not been able to be constructed for a variety of reasons, Turley said. If even a portion of those dwellings had been completed, that would have added to the market homes for everyone. Billionaire apartment builder Harry Triguboff listed planning inefficiencies at the local level among the biggest handbrakes to new developments, telling the Straight Talk with Mark Bouris podcast he would love to build more but he is impeded by councils who dont approve anything fast. Advertisement What is the HDA? The HDA is a three-person body designed to accelerate supply and counter inefficiencies within the DA process. It will include Premiers Department secretary Simon Draper, Department of Planning secretary Kiersten Fishburn, and Infrastructure NSW chief executive Tom Gellibrand, who will steer a new pathway to fast-track large-scale housing developments across the state. NSW Planning Department secretary Kiersten Fishburn. Credit: Edwina Pickles Developments worth more than $60 million in Sydney, and $30 million in regional NSW, will be reviewed by the HDA. Proposals reviewed by the HDA must be close to transport hubs and business centres. Scully, who will receive recommendations from the HDA and hold final decision-making power on projects green-lit through the pathway, said the triumvirate would streamline approvals to improve housing outcomes across the state. Were working to remove the red tape that has made building a home, or starting a job-creating venture, in NSW too difficult, he said. Advertisement Tom Forrest, chief executive of property developer lobbyist group Urban Taskforce, supported the HDA, finding that the state agencies had been dragging the chain for several years. Councils actually suffer because they pick up the phone and no one answers, Forrest said. Its an opportunity to relieve them of the burden to deal with highly complex developments traversing council boundaries. What are the criticisms of the HDA? The HDA has been staunchly opposed by the states councils, which have raised concerns about the accountability mechanisms monitoring the decisions of the three-person body. Among the dissidents is Georges River Mayor Elise Borg, whose council was the slowest to respond to DAs (259 days) in the past financial year. Borg instead proposed a balanced, integrated approach that respects the values of our local community. The proposed fast-track rezoning pathway that bypasses council involvement is concerning, and places significant decision-making power in the hands of a few, Borg said. Advertisement The man accused of Samantha Murphys murder has been fined and convicted over a motorcycle crash that occurred while he was under the influence of drugs and alcohol, months before the Ballarat mothers alleged killing. Patrick Stephenson was ordered to pay $2500 after pleading guilty to careless, drug and drink-driving charges following a crash in October 2023, on the Sunday after the AFL grand final. Patrick Stephenson, accused of killing Samantha Murphy, has been convicted of separate driving offences. He is seen here in an Instagram photo from 2019. The Ballarat Magistrates Court heard police attended the scene on Armstrong Street in South Ballarat just after 1.20am, and found a black motorcycle on its side in the service lane and Stephenson lying in the middle of the road. Police said Stephenson the son of former AFL footballer Orren Stephenson had fallen off his Kawasaki motorcycle while attempting a right-hand turn. Fire risk still high in Southern California as firefighters continue to battle multiple major wildfires Xinhua) 13:05, January 16, 2025 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters continue to battle multiple major wildfires on Wednesday in Southern California as parts of the region are braced for extremely critical fire conditions caused by a new round of dangerous Santa Ana winds. Critical fire weather conditions will continue across coastal Southern California on Wednesday but improvement expected toward end of week, said the U.S. National Weather Service, which issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" warning through 3 p.m. Wednesday local time. Fierce wildfires across the Los Angeles area have killed at least 25 people and destroyed more than 12,300 structures. Local authorities confirmed that at least 26 people were still missing related to the ongoing wildfires. Twenty of them are from the Eaton Fire area and six in the Palisades Fire area. The two major wildfires, Eaton and Palisades, were only 45 percent and 19 percent contained, respectively, as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The deadly Eaton Fire, which broke out Tuesday evening last week, has scorched 14,117 acres (57.1 square km) near Altadena and Pasadena. "Today's efforts are focused on mop up and reinforcing containment lines to ensure perimeter control. Hazard trees along roadways are being mitigated to protect both firefighters and the public," said Cal Fire in an update, adding that "The fire is expected to remain within its current footprint, with aircraft continuing to support firefighters with retardant drops in inaccessible terrain." The Palisades Fire, the largest active wildfires in the Los Angeles region, has scorched 23,713 acres (95.96 square km) in a week. Cal Fire said that the Santa Ana winds are expected to diminish but humidity will remain at low levels in the area, and a Red Flag Warning will remain in effect till Wednesday evening. Southern California Edison, the primary electric utility company for much of Southern California, said there were 81,500 customers without power as of 7:20 a.m. Wednesday local time. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Bay Area cartoonist Darrin Bell, known for Candorville, was arrested for allegedly possessing child sexual abuse material. Paul Kitagaki Jr./Sacramento Bee/TNS 2024 Darrin Bell, a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist from the Bay Area, was arrested Wednesday for allegedly possessing child pornography, including AI-generated material. Known for his acclaimed works Candorville and Rudy Park, Bell was taken into custody at his home in Sacramento after an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office. Bells career, which began at UC Berkeleys Daily Californian, includes contributions to publications such as the San Francisco Chronicle, Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post. Bells work is distributed by the King Features Syndicate, which is owned by Hearst, the owner of the Chronicle. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2019, Bell became the first Black cartoonist to win the Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. Detectives from the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children launched the investigation after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip concerned the upload of child pornography, also known as child sex abuse material, or CSAM. The tip was related to 18 files containing CSAM, the sheriffs office said in a statement. The investigation continued, and a total of 134 videos of CSAM were located and linked to the same account, owned and controlled by 49-year-old Darrin Bell. The case marks the first arrest by the task force involving AI-generated content, criminalized under California law as of Jan. 1, sheriffs officials said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A western Sydney man could face up to a decade in prison after federal police charged him with threatening to kill Jewish community leaders, marking the first charges laid by a Commonwealth law enforcement operation to clamp down on antisemitism. Police raided the 44-year-old mans house in Blacktown on Thursday and obtained documents and electronic devices, according to a statement from the Australian Federal Police. Authorities will allege the man, who was granted bail and will appear in court on February 26, used a social media account to post threats to kill members of a Jewish association on that groups social media page. The alleged offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with special envoy to combat antisemitism Jillian Segal. Credit: Kate Geraghty State and federal police have been under pressure from Jewish groups and political leaders to enforce existing laws to counter threats and intimidation towards the Jewish community which have increased during the conflict in Gaza. Tel Aviv: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that a last-minute dispute with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory. The delay raised concerns about the implementation of the deal, scheduled to go into effect on Sunday, shortly after US President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. Protesters hug in response to reports of a ceasefire agreement during a protest calling for the release of the hostages in Gaza in Tel Aviv, on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Credit: NYT That created a dual reality: War-weary Palestinians in Gaza, the relatives of hostages held in the enclave and world leaders all welcomed the result of months of painstaking diplomacy, even as Netanyahu said it was not yet finalised. Hamas is backing out of the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that prevents a settlement, Netanyahus office said. It was not immediately clear if the deal was in jeopardy, or whether Netanyahus statement merely reflected jockeying to keep his fractious coalition together. Not enough boys and girls have gone into trades over the last 10, 30, or even 40 years, Smith said. Weve got an aging generation of business owners in plumbing, electrical, and other trades who will be retiring within a decade. Unfortunately, we havent trained enough replacements to fill their shoes. We entered Queensland four years ago. Its going well, but we need to grow there quickly now; the strategy was to find a small business and merge them in to grow Queensland faster, he said. From there, we'll probably look to replicate it in other states, rather than trying to grow organically. We recognise the vital role small businesses play in the Australian economy and are dedicated to equipping them with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate complex financial challenges, said Nick Wailes, dean of lifelong learning at UNSW. As ASIC enters the next phase of the program of transformation we began three years ago, Scotts experience supporting digital and technology delivery, and his pedigree in enforcement and compliance, will continue to ensure ASIC is well placed to meet future challenges, he said. A still image taken from police body-worn cameras during the Jan. 6 insurrection that allegedly shows Frank Peter Molinari Giorgi Jr. pushing Capitol police officers. Giorgi Jr. was arrested and charged for his alleged attacks on officers during the siege of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. U.S. Attorney's Office Federal officials arrested and charged a San Francisco man for allegedly assaulting law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Joseph Prezioso/AFP via Getty Images The FBI arrested a San Francisco man this week, alleging he assaulted law enforcement officers during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection, along with other offenses. Frank Peter Molinari Giorgi Jr., 36, was charged in federal court in Washington, D.C., with felony assault and resisting an officer and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder, prosecutors said Thursday. Public records appeared to link Giorgi Jr. to the Molinari salami family, which has operated P.G. Molinari and Co. in San Francisco for well over 100 years, and formerly ran the famed Molinari Delicatessen on Columbus Avenue in North Beach. The delicatessen has been run by a different owner for decades. Records show a onetime shared address for Frank Peter Molinari Giorgi Jr., who took over the Molinari business along with his brother, James, from his father, Frank Giorgi, in 2006, according to the Molinari website. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Representatives from the company and Giorgi family members could not be reached for comment Thursday. A person who answered the phone at the company confirmed a Frank Giorgi Jr. worked there. Investigators said that Giorgi, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and a bright red knit hat, was captured on body-worn camera footage charging a Capitol police officer, throwing his body into a line of retreating police and striking an officer in the head with his hands. Still images from the footage show a man, allegedly Giorgi, tussling with police clad in riot gear as they push him back with arms and batons. About two hours later, charging documents say, Giorgi showed up again on the Capitols upper west terrace. As police strained to push the rioters back, many insurrectionists linked arms, shouting Hold the line! while Giorgi was seen pushing against officers and resisting their attempts to move rioters back, investigators said. Investigators initially thought he was a different person, as he appeared to have changed hats between encounters. Photos and video evidence allegedly show Giorgi then grabbing a police officers head and neck and pulling them to the ground on top of himself before walking away. Advertisement Article continues below this ad It wasnt immediately clear whether Giorgi had retained an attorney as of Thursday morning. Police received a tip in June of last year that the unidentified man in the video might be Giorgi. Flight logs allegedly showed he flew from Oakland to Baltimore on Jan. 4, 2021, and returned to Oakland the day after the Capitol riot. Law enforcement said they tracked Giorgi to his place of business, and matched his DMV record to a vehicle they allegedly observed him in early last year. It was not clear in the court documents if that was a reference to the Molinari factory in the Bayview Hunters Point area. Officers arrested Giorgi on Wednesday in San Francisco. Since the Jan. 6, 2021, attacks, more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, including more than 600 people charged with felony assaulting or impeding law enforcement. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.: This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250109261916/en/ Presented in a handcrafted Sendai Tansu (Photo: Business Wire) A Legacy of Supporting Sendai's Samurai Warlord, Date Masamune Sendai Isawa Family Katsuyama Sake Brewery Co., Ltd., which has a history of over 330 years as the official sake brewer for the Sendai Domain founded by the feudal lord Date Masamune, released RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo-DOUBLE UMAMI FINISH - Umami Grand Cru on December, 2024. This sake, crafted by unraveling a recipe from 300 years ago, achieves a quality that extracts "twice the umami components of rice" through Katsuyama Brewery's unique centrifugal pressing method. Then, through 12 years of ice aging at minus 5 degrees Celsius, this sake has reached a level of maturity brought about by time. Shaped by Date Masamune's legacy as a samurai leader and cultural patron, Sendai embodies his vision through international exchange and crafts like Sendai Tansu. Katsuyama Sake Brewery, the Date family's official brewery for over 300 years, honors this heritage while crafting globally renowned sake. Winner of Prestigious Sake Competitions Worldwide! Katsuyama Sake Brewery has earned numerous accolades. Junmai Ginjo "Ken" topped the SAKE COMPETITION in 2015 and 2016 and was Champion Sake at the 2019 London IWC. That year, Junmai Daiginjo "Den" won the President Sake title at France's KURA MASTER. Flagship Junmai Daiginjo "Akatsuki" scored 95 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in 2016, ranked first among 800 new sakes, and placed second in the 2024 SAKE COMPETITION Super Premium category. An Uniquely Exceptional Sake, Reviving a 300-Year-Old Recipe The theme "Ryoan" honors Heizaemon Isawa, the sixth-generation owner of Katsuyama Sake Brewery, who played a key role in Sendai's growth. His restoration of Zuiho-ji, the Date family's ancestral temple, preserved traditional culture. Inspired by the legacies of Masamune and Heizaemon, RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo embodies Sendai's history, Samurais pride, and innovation. Inspired by Edo-period (1603-1868) sake recipes, this sake combines tradition and innovation. Using historical methods, it amplifies umami, unlocking rice's potential for a rich, smooth finish. Made from 2012 Yamada Nishiki Special A rice, grown near Mount Izumigatake with silica-rich water, it reflects Katsuyamas unique terroir. With centrifugal extraction and 12 years of cold aging, it achieves a perfect balance of depth, umami, and crispness. Presented in a handcrafted Sendai Tansu, this limited release of 50 sets offers an unparalleled experience of premium rices sake. RYOAN LEGEND 2012 Junmai Daiginjo-DOUBLE UMAMI FINISH - Umami Grand Cru Ingredients: Rice (domestic), Rice Koji (domestic rice) Polishing Ratio: 35% Rice Variety: 100% Yamada Nishiki Alcohol Content: 16% Volume: 720ml Storage: Refrigerated (room temperature during transport is acceptable) Brewmaster: Mitsuaki Goto Recommended Serving Temperature: 814C Price: 1,000,000 (excluding tax) Sales: Limited to 50 bottles View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250109261916/en/ State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code The case marks the city prosecutors first time filing auto break-in charges since Senate Bill 905, authored by State Sen. Scott Wiener, went into effect Jan. 1. Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images San Francisco prosecutors charged a man with felonies in connection with an auto burglary and two hit-and-runs in the citys Richmond District this month. Josef Atchan, 28, was charged with second-degree auto burglary, unlawful entry of a vehicle, two counts of hit-and-run driving, being an unlicensed driver, possession of burglary tools, resisting a peace officer and receiving or buying stolen property, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced Wednesday. Atchan pleaded not guilty to all charges. On Jan. 10, Atchan allegedly broke into a rental car and stole items before taking off in another vehicle and hitting two others, including a UPS truck, and fleeing, according to the criminal complaint. Police found Atchan without a license and in possession of burglary tools and stolen property and took him into custody, though Atchan initially resisted arrest, the complaint states. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The case marks the city prosecutors first time filing auto break-in charges since Senate Bill 905, authored by Sen. Scott Wiener, went into effect Jan. 1, the District Attorneys Office said. The legislation, one of several bills Gov. Gavin Newsom signed in August to crack down on theft, eliminated a requirement that prosecutors prove a vehicle was locked when broken into in order to press burglary charges. In a statement, Jenkins thanked Wiener and said SB905 closed the locked door loophole, giving prosecutors and victims an important new tool in the fight against auto-burglars. Atchans preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 28 and he was released pending trial, the District Attorneys Office said. The court ordered him to report to case management five times a week, mandated him into drug treatment and ordered him not to drive without a license. Police continue to investigate the incident and anyone with information is asked to call the San Francisco Police Department at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411. David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind some of the most influential and unsettling works in cinema and television, has died at 78. David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind some of the most influential and unsettling works in cinema and television, has died at 78. Scott Dudelson/Getty Images/Getty Images Known for his work on feature films such as Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and the groundbreaking TV series Twin Peaks, Lynchs unique approach to storytelling reshaped how we understand surreal and psychological narratives in both mediums. It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch, his family wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. We would appreciate some privacy at this time. Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us. But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In 2024, Lynch disclosed that he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a condition resulting from his lifelong smoking, and that he would likely no longer be able to leave his home to direct. Director David Lynch looks through a Panavision Panaflex movie camera as he directs filming of "Wild at Heart" on location. Acey Harper/Getty Images Born on Jan. 20, 1946, in Missoula, Mont., Lynch initially pursued painting before venturing into film. His 1977 debut feature Eraserhead, a darkly surreal exploration of a man grappling with anxiety and madness, quickly gained a cult following. The film marked the beginning of Lynchs signature style disturbing, unconventional and filled with profound symbolism. In 1980, Lynch moved into more mainstream cinema with The Elephant Man, a biographical drama about John Merrick, a severely disfigured man in Victorian England. The film, starring John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft, earned critical acclaim and garnered several Academy Award nominations, cementing Lynch as a major director despite his unconventional approach. The system doesnt allow for much creativity, Lynch said to the Chronicle in 2001. But the world allows it. You dont have to go into a studio system or a television system to create something. Many times those systems squelch creativity and hurt people deep. Its based on fear and money, and when that is in the mix, you cant work. But sometimes a really good thing will come out of it: You can just go off on your own and create. Advertisement Article continues below this ad David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker behind some of the most influential and unsettling works in cinema and television, has died at 78. Michael Tran/FilmMagic After directing an ill-fated studio assignment, Dune (1984), Lynch did go off on his own, continuing to push cinematic boundaries with 1986s Blue Velvet, with Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini and Dennis Hopper, and 1990s Wild at Heart, with Nicolas Cage, Laura Dern and Willem Dafoe, tackling complex themes of voyeurism, violence and the darker aspects of the human psyche. These films, along with 1990s Twin Peaks, which he co-created, introduced audiences to a new way of experiencing narrative, blending mystery, the supernatural and emotional depth in ways never before seen on television. While Twin Peaks lost some of its audience during its second season, it ultimately became a cult phenomenon, influencing countless shows that followed. Later films like 1997s Lost Highway, 2001s Mulholland Drive and 2006s Inland Empire continued to explore themes of identity, memory and the nature of reality, often using fragmented, nonlinear storytelling that left room for deep interpretation. Advertisement Article continues below this ad There is no real David Lynch, the filmmaker told the Chronicle. A person has many facets, you know. On The Straight Story I wanted audiences to feel emotional. Its a tricky business to make someone feel something. With film, if its a little bit too little, it doesnt work, and if its a little bit too much, it doesnt work. It is a fine line. In a playful bit of casting, Lynch played legendary studio director John Ford in Steven Spielbergs autobiographical The Fabelmans (2022), Lynchs last major film appearance. Sherilyn Fenn, left, and Kyle MacLachlan in Twin Peaks (1990). ABC Photo Archives/Disney Nicolas Cage on the set of Wild at Heart, written and directed by David Lynch. Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images Noami Watts, left, and Laura Elena Harring are seen in the film Mulholland Drive. AP Kyle MacLachlan, left, and Isabella Rossellini in David Lynchs Blue Velvet (1986). AddDe Laurentiis Entertainment Group / Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images Beyond filmmaking, Lynch was also a painter, musician and a passionate advocate for transcendental meditation. He founded the David Lynch Foundation, which promotes the benefits of meditation, particularly for young people and at-risk communities. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Its really weird, the idea that you have to suffer to create, Lynch told the Chronicle in 2005. I think its absolutely the opposite you can show suffering so much better when youre not suffering. When that cloud of hate, fear, anxiety is lifted, you can really go to work translating the ideas you have within. A CARLOW woman was served a book of evidence at yesterdays (Wednesday) sitting of the local district court and sent forward to the Central Criminal Court on a murder charge. Sabrina Kehoe, St Marys Park, Carlow was served a book of evidence in relation to the murder of local man Darren Quigley, who died after an incident in New Oak Estate, Carlow on 21 October last. An earlier court sitting heard that Mr Quigley, who was known to Ms Kehoe, was stabbed four times and died as a result of his injuries. In court yesterday, state solicitor Brendan OFlaherty told Judge Geraldine Carthy that Ms Kehoe was to be tried on indictment in the Central Criminal Court, Dublin on a single charge of murder. Judge Carthy gave Ms Kehoe, who is in her 30s, an alibi warning and when asked if she understood, Ms Kehoe responded yes. Solicitor Alex Rafter asked Judge Carthy to grant permission to engage a senior and junior counsel in defence of Ms Kehoe, which she allowed. Ms Kehoe has been in custody since the incident and was brought back to prison after her brief appearance in court. Ms Kehoes co-accused, 23-year-old Conor OBrien of Oakley Park, Carlow was also sent forward to the Central Criminal Court, charged with possessing a weapon arising from the same incident. By Cillian Sherlock, PA Increased investment in Northern Ireland is contained among policy pledges agreed by the groups hoping to form Irelands next government. The draft programme for Government was published following agreement by negotiating teams from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and groups of independents. The document contains a commitment of 1 billion in further funding for the Shared Island Fund up to 2035. There will also be increased staffing for the Shared Island Unit and enhanced work to foster collaboration between startups and businesses on the island. The draft documents pledges to prioritise the delivery of the FourNorth rail project for increased services in and out of Connolly Station in Dublin, and to work with the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver the A5 road network and other road connectivity projects in the northwest. Elsewhere, the programme commits to funding for Northern Ireland students to participate in the Erasmus programme, engagements on establishing air connectivity between Dublin and the City of Derry airports. It would also deepen collaboration between healthcare systems on the island and examine establishing an all-island skills taskforce with a focus on planning, construction and infrastructure development. It would support Tourism Ireland to further integrate tourism offerings on an all-island basis. The incoming Government will increase investment in community-level reconciliation in Northern Ireland, according to the draft document which has yet to be ratified by the memberships of the parties. It also pledges to work with victims groups, political parties and the British Government to develop a fit-for-purpose mechanism to seek truth and justice for victims and their families . Part of the border between Northern Ireland (left) and the Republic at Warrenpoint (Liam McBurney/PA) It says the Government will play our full part in legacy processes and address the legacy of the conflict in this jurisdiction, including facilitating and supporting the Omagh Inquiry. The incoming Government will advocate for the re-establishment and full operation of a Northern Ireland Civic Forum. Elsewhere, the programme sets out an ambition to enhance Irish-British relations and establish new arrangements to support and strengthen interaction between the two Governments, encouraging co-operation including the North-South bodies. This includes cooperation on a NorthSouth and EastWest basis in the area of renewable energy. Under a heading dedicated to building our shared island and rebuilding Ireland-UK relations, the authors of the document write: The Government of Ireland is committed to the unity of the Irish people and believes that this can only be achieved through a sustained focus on and investment in reconciliation and we remain steadfast in implementing the Good Friday Agreement in full. The Good Friday Agreement is the blueprint for unlocking the full potential of our island and sets out the three strands necessary to do so the relationship between communities in Northern Ireland, the relationship between North and South, and the relationship between Ireland and Britain. The Government reaffirms its commitment to the successful functioning of the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement and to the full implementation of the Windsor Framework Agreement. CO Carlow native and Seanad candidate on the Trinity College Dublin panel, Laoise De Brun, has condemned what she describes as the chaos caused by trans ideology. Ms De Brun has positioned herself as the only gender-critical candidate in the upcoming Seanad election on the TCD panel, vowing to bring clarity and fearlessness to these debates if elected. Ms De Brun is running on a platform of child safeguarding, womens rights, parents right and human rights. Daughter of Paddy Browne, formerly of Teagasc, and Kay Donnelly, a former teacher at Colaiste Eoin, Hacketstown and now a pyschotherapist in her native Athy, she is originally from Downings, Tullow and attended Grange NS and St Leos College, Carlow before studying law at Trinity College. Following university, Ms De Brun moved to London to pursue a career in the media and returned to Ireland in 2020, before being called to the bar in 2022. She is the only Co Carlow candidate running for the Senate. A barrister, human rights advocate and founder of The Countess website, Ms De Brun highlighted what she calls two conflicting policy shifts in Northern Ireland last week. Speaking about the recent permanent ban on prescribing puberty blockers to minors in Northern Ireland, Ms De Brun welcomed the decision. This is a major victory for child safeguarding, gay rights and ethical medicine, she said. Its also a step towards depoliticising the treatment of this population of highly vulnerable, distressed minors. However, it comes too late for many teenagers who were prescribed experimental treatments like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, resulting in irreversible harm. These practices should never have been allowed in the first place, she said. Ms De Brun contrasted this decision with the transfer of a male prisoner to a female prison in Northern Ireland just days later, describing the policy as a stark example of how trans ideology permeates policing, prisons and the judiciary. A judge was persuaded that the mere lack of a policy on placing trans-identified prisoners justified moving a male prisoner into a female facility. This decision reverses two centuries of prison reform led by advocates like Elizabeth Fry, who sought to protect women from sexual violence in mixed-sex prisons. She continued: Currently in Ireland, a male even a dangerous, violent sexual predator will be sent to a female prison once he identifies as female. To close this loophole, I have drafted legislation, the first of its kind in the world. Self-ID is an access-all-areas pass for predators, cheats and chancers, and nowhere is this felt more viscerally than in prisons. The Trinity College panel is open to all graduates of Trinity College Dublin from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, who are registered on the electoral roll. Ballots for the Seanad election opened on 30 December and will close on 29 January. Neil Gaiman, 64, the bestselling author whose works include Coraline, which was adapted into a stop-motion feature by Laika, has been accused of sexual assault by multiple women in a story published by New York Magazine. Four of the eight accusers in the NY Mag piece also spoke out last July, using pseudonyms or first names only, in a six-part podcast, Master, that was released by U.K. media outlet Tortoise Media. The author of the new report, Lila Shapiro, said that besides the testimony of the accusers, she reviewed diary entries, texts, emails with friends, messages between Gaiman and the women, and correspondence with law enforcement. Details of the alleged assaults and rapes can be found in the NY Mag story. The article also includes new details about how Gaiman and his handlers used NDAs and payoffs to the accusers to keep the stories from becoming public. In a post on his journal today, Gaiman denied all the allegations and said that all of his sexual encounters were consensual. It is unclear how the accusations against Gaiman will affect his work in animation. Last years theatrical revival of Coraline became the highest-grossing re-release in the U.S. in the past decade, and last November, Laika launched an interactive tie-in experience on Roblox, Coraline: Evade the Others. The film is the third-highest-grossing stop-motion film of all-time globally. Gaiman has multiple other animation projects currently in development. In 2024, it was announced that Gaiman was working with Graphic India to adapt his short story Cinnamon into an animated feature to be directed by Jeevan J. Kang. Henry Selick, who directed Coraline, has also said that he is working with Gaiman to adapt the 2013 novel The Ocean at the End of the Lane into a feature. Selick described it as almost a sequel to Coraline. After the first round of accusations last year, Amazon cancelled the third season of Gaimans live-action fantasy Good Omens. Netflix still plans to release a second season of Gaimans The Sandman later this year. Zac Posen has a long history with designing for dance. Hes pictured in the San Francisco Ballet costume studio working on designs for Within the Golden Hour. San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo Renowned fashion designer Zac Posen has been tapped to create new costumes for one of San Francisco Ballets beloved legacy commissions. Posen, executive vice president and creative director of the San Francisco-based Gap Inc., is designing costumes for Christopher Wheeldons Within the Golden Hour, which will premiere its latest production at the War Memorial Opera House on Feb. 13 as part of the Ballets Cool Britannia program celebrating British choreographers. The work was commissioned in 2008, but its design is being reimagined in honor of Wheeldons 25th anniversary choreographing for the company. Dance has been a big part of my life, and I have huge respect for Chris work. It was a quick yes, Posen told the Chronicle. My first week in San Francisco, I visited the theater and saw the incredible quality of the dancers and of the company. It is one of the best companies in the world, and its a really amazing honor to be able to collaborate with them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Posen, 44, has been among the most well-known American fashion designers of his generation for more than two decades. From 2001 to 2019, he ran an eponymous label and established himself as one of the go-to designers celebrities sought for dramatic red carpet fashion. Demi Moore, for instance, wore a custom look by Posen to the SFFilm Awards Night in December. American fashion designer Zac Posen, left, and actor Demi Moore at SFFilm Awards Night at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on Dec. 9. Moore was the 2024 recipient of the Maria Manetti Shrem Award for Acting. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle In 2013-17, Posen further established his pop culture foothold as a judge on the fashion competition TV series Project Runway and as the subject of the 2017 documentary House of Z. He joined Gap Inc. the parent company of the Gap, Old Navy, Athleta and Banana Republic in the newly created roles in February 2024, part of a strategy to reinvigorate the brands. As part of his first initiatives to connect the retailer to local creatives, Posen launched Gap Inc.s partnership with Nest Makers United with the Nest x Gap Inc. Holiday Makers Market at Gap headquarters in December. Zac has an ability to make the body look extraordinarily beautiful and support and enhance the movement of dancers, said San Francisco Ballet Artistic Director Tamara Rojo, noting that this new partnership is part of the companys tradition of presenting costumes by significant fashion designers like Christian Lacroix and Gabrielle Hearst. He is able to see movement and shape in a very similar way to how we do in the ballet world. I watched in admiration when two masters like Zac and Christopher Wheeldon are in conversation they dont need a third party. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This is not the designers first foray into dance costuming. Posen has previously designed for New Yorks Paul Taylor Dance Company and has a long relationship with New York City Ballet. Posens fiance, choreographer Harrison Ball, was also a principal dancer with the company and danced in ballets by Wheeldon. (Posen, who studied dance when he was growing up, said Ball was frequently a helpful, in-house reference for Wheeldons style of movement as he was designing.) Posen now divides his time between San Francisco and New York. Zac Posens designs for British choreographer Christopher Wheeldons ballet Within the Golden Hour. San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo/Lindsey Rallo The connection between Posen and the San Francisco Ballet came shortly before his appointment at Gap Inc. was announced last year. Bob Fisher, a Gap board member and son of co-founders Donald and Doris Fisher, invited Rojo to a cultural event with the designer at Gaps Embarcadero headquarters. It just seemed like perfect timing to find an amazing designer at our doorstep for a project we already wanted to celebrate, Rojo said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Wheeldons original inspiration for the visual concept of the production came from the shimmering paintings of Austrian artist Gustav Klimt as well as the meeting of water, reflection and sky in San Francisco. Posen reinterpreted those motifs with dramatic orange, gold and rose ombre dresses meant to evoke the light of the city. One thing I took away in San Francisco and watching the ballet were these incredible colorations, kind of like the magic hours of San Francisco, said Posen. In all different parts of the city, there are these incredible, quickly changing, magical moments, theres storytelling that happens in these short moments. San Francisco is one of the most romantic cities in the world and has a mysticism to it. Zac Posen with San Francisco Ballet Costume Shop workers: craftsperson Shannon Maxham, left; Costume Shop lead Wes Crain; stitcher/cutter Jarred Garza and canine colleague Olive Lady Tapenade. San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo/Lindsey Rallo The collaboration with the San Francisco Ballet is among the latest projects that have brought Posen back to the forefront of the fashion conversation. In 2024, Posen designed for television, creating the gowns for the Black and White Ball episode of Ryan Murphys FX series Feud: Capote. That May, Posen highlighted the Gaps iconic blue jeans when he created a custom denim gown for Oscar winner DaVine Joy Randolph to wear to the Met Gala in New York. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Zac Posen works in the San Francisco Ballet costume studio. San Francisco Ballet, photo by Lindsey Rallo/Lindsey Rallo Zac Posen, the executive vice president and creative director of San Francisco-based Gap Inc. Mario Sorrenti It was announced Jan. 14 that Posen has joined the board of trustees at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, an institution long connected to Gap and the Fisher family. Advertisement PPC Ltd has entered a memorandum of agreement with Sinoma Overseas Development Co Ltd for the construction of a ZAR3bn (US$159.17m) integrated cement plant in South Africa's Western Cape. The plant will replace existing capacity, producing 1.5Mta of cement with advanced energy-efficient technology, including solar generation. PPC CEO, Matias Cardarelli, described the project as a pivotal element of the companys Awaken the Giant strategy, aimed at ensuring sustainability and competitiveness. With this advanced, environmentally efficient plant, we will supply lower-carbon cement at more competitive costs, supporting South Africas economic growth and infrastructure development, he said. Construction is expected to begin in 2Q25, with commissioning by year-end 2026, subject to board approval. The plant will be funded through PPCs existing debt facilities. San Francisco restaurant Park Tavern recently reopened after a change in ownership and a remodel. Most notably, celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman now oversees the menu. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle If I can give you one piece of advice before visiting the recently reopened Park Tavern in North Beach, its to double check that theres toilet paper in the bathroom before you commit. On two of my three visits, my dining companions neglected to do so and were subsequently forced to rely on the kindness of strangers in neighboring stalls. This might seem like an unduly harsh nitpick, but it is, unfortunately, indicative of a larger issue at the restaurant. After a tumultuous few years involving a divorce, unpaid rent and an eviction, Park Tavern reopened in November with a new owner, a refreshed interior and celebrity chef Jonathan Waxman as partner. It was both a homecoming for a respected chef and a resurrection for an esteemed establishment, which was a semifinalist for Best New Restaurant at the 2012 James Beard Awards. I waited a month before visiting, but I didnt do so patiently; the glowing review was already half-written in my mind. But instead of sparkling with a new lease on life, Park Tavern feels unmoored, a 14-year-old restaurant without momentum or leadership. No ones paying attention to the bathrooms because no ones paying attention at all. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Diners eat at North Beach staple Park Tavern, which reopened in November with some major changes. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Waxman is a hometown boy, raised near Berkeley and schooled at Chez Panisse. He went on to open the legendary Michaels in Santa Monica and introduced New York to breezy California cuisine in the 80s with his restaurant Jams. My personal familiarity with Waxmans cooking, however, is tied to Barbuto, which opened in the West Village in 2004. When New York friends need a recommendation for out-of-towners who privilege quiet excellence over adventurous flavors, I send them to Barbuto for roast chicken and crispy potatoes. Those chicken and potatoes are available at Park Tavern, preceded on the menu by Waxmans lowercase initials. My servers explained that, although the entire menu is overseen by Waxman, the initials designate dishes that are the chefs greatest hits. Its not just a kale salad, its a jw Kale Salad, and this is your first sign that in Waxmans role as chef-partner, the emphasis is on the second word. It carries the whiff of a celebrity collaboration, except instead of ordering Megan Thee Stallions Hottie Sauce at Popeyes, you can have a taste of jws venerable chicken right here in San Francisco. The roast chicken, covered in salsa verde, is one of Jonathan Waxmans classic dishes. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Being guided by the jws is not a bad way to order if you dont mind a meal that feels vaguely like a historical reenactment. The jw Red Pepper Pancakes ($28), a take on blinis with caviar and a staple of Jams, are best eaten in a polo shirt with feathered hair. Each of the three small pancakes, orange islands in a sea of beurre blanc, is crowned with an even smaller rosette of smoked salmon and a minuscule dab of caviar. Zooming forward a few decades, the jw Kale Salad ($18) is peak 2005 with grated Pecorino and ribbons of hearty kale that have, no doubt, been lovingly massaged with an anchovy-rich dressing. The chicken ($42) is solid, although I doubt youll think, Wow, this is famous chicken! after your first bite. These signature dishes might not be groundbreaking, but they are prepared with competence. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The same cannot be said of the rest of the menu. The charred gem lettuces ($18) were slimy and wet, their green goddess dressing devoid of acid, and its hard to overstate how unappetizing the grilled NY steak ($48) looked, the meat completely buried beneath a tangle of limp, sauteed baby kale. What, sir, are you hiding? The answer is beef that tasted of char and little else. I asked for salt, but alas, to paraphrase the Gospel of Matthew, if a steak loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. The NY steak arrived covered by limp kale at Park Tavern in San Francisco. MacKenzie Chung Fegan/The Chronicle Pastas are mostly safe the sauce on the shrimp scampi ($36), like a concentrated lobster bisque, will please shellfish lovers but the biggest disappointment for me was the carbonara ($32). Barbuto serves my favorite version of the dish in all of New York. Park Taverns pales in comparison. Bites with guanciale were amply salted, but there was not enough pork to go around. Those without were bland, as if the pasta water had not been seasoned. Like a martini, carbonara is devious in its simplicity. The ingredient list is short, but it takes significant skill to make it well. I find myself wondering if Park Taverns carbonara would have been better had I visited when Waxman was in the kitchen. Hes never asserted that he will be overseeing day-to-day operations, but according to staff at Park Tavern, he spent the first two weeks in San Francisco and pops by every now and then. Maybe youll be lucky and catch him sometime. The shrimp scampi was better. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle If the old Park Tavern was moody and dark, with brown leatherette banquettes and imposing wooden beams, the design of the new Park Tavern does a 180. Thousands of sky blue zellige tiles cover the walls can you hear the sound bouncing around? and those ceiling beams are now faced with a light birch. The effect is of a sunny Mediterranean taverna, an incongruous choice given the menu and the commitment to honoring the buildings former tenant, Mooses, with antlers on the walls and ceiling. Its one part Jackson Hole hunting lodge, one part Mykonos. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Service on my first two visits, while mostly earnest, was rife with mishaps. We would have loved the opportunity to order a second round of drinks, had anyone checked on our table after our entrees arrived. On another occasion, a requested beer never materialized. Our bag with leftovers was stacked on top of a neighboring service station, balanced precariously next to dirty glasses. After our table was cleared, 15 minutes elapsed before someone dropped by to say he was taking over for our server, did we need anything? It was not a busy evening. The bar area is seen at Park Tavern, whose new design offers a Mediterranean feel. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Waxman clearly feels drawn to the Bay Area, at least from a business perspective. Despite calling New York home since the 80s, he opened Table 29 (Napa, 1991), West County Grill (Sebastopol, 2007), and Waxmans and J Bird (Ghirardelli Square, 2016 and 2017). All closed within two years. For much of the 90s, he was a restaurant consultant. The lifestyle appealed to him; he could be home for dinner with his family instead of working service. But he eventually tired of it, telling the New York Times in 2002, As a consultant, you feel like a mercenary I like to be hands on. I like controlling things. I dont doubt his words, but with Park Tavern, it seems like Waxman is back in his mercenary era. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Park Tavern 1652 Stockton St., San Francisco. parktavern-sf.com Hours: Dinner 4-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 4-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday; brunch 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible tables; outdoor seating Advertisement Article continues below this ad Noise level: Very loud Meal for two, without drinks: $110-$190 for dinner What to order: Crispy calamari and shrimp ($18), jw kale salad ($18), shrimp scampi ($36), lemon and pistachio cake ($14) Meat-free options: Shaved brussels sprout salad ($19), vegetable Bolognese ($29) Middle Valley Church of God, located at 1703 Thrasher Pike in Hixson, announces that Pastor Mitch McClure will be preaching on Sunday, January 19, in the 10:30 a.m.service. His sermon title will be, You Have To Have A Foundation To Build Upon. All are welcome to participate. Each Sunday at 5:30 p.m. the church conducts a Prayer Meeting. The Prayer Meeting is open to all who wish to participate and is designed to encourage prayer. Information on various methods of prayer will be shared with participants. Each Wednesday at 7 p.m., an Interactive, Interesting, and Informative Bible Study will be held in the church auditorium. Alex Baker is currently leading this Bible study. All are welcome to participate. Middle Valley Church of God is a community focused church with various ministries in the Middle Valley area and in Cusuna, Honduras. The community is welcome to join in times of worship and community service. MVCOG has been ministering in the Middle Valley Community since 1948 from the same location. If you have questions, please contact the church office at 423.843.1539. All are welcome. Please note that MVCOG will make public announcements about dangerous road conditions and cancellations. Postings about cancellations will be made on the church Facebook page. Please look there for information. The 76th Chattanooga-Hamilton County Armed Forces Week Commemoration will culminate with the renowned Armed Forces Day Parade on Friday, May 2, by spotlighting the newest branch of the United States Armed Forces, the Space Force. Chattanooga and Hamilton County proudly boasts the longest, continually-staged Armed Forces Day Parade in the United States. Local residents and all civic, patriotic and faith groups are encouraged to participate in the parade by visiting https://www.chattareaveterans.com or emailing Bill Norton, CAVC chairman at bill@metroservicesinc.com Participation is free. An Armed Forces Day was designated in 1949 by Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson to celebrate the men and women who actively serve in the U. S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard along with members of the National Guard and Reserve Units. With the memories of World War II strongly imprinted in the minds of citizens and thousands of troops still stationed around the world, guarding the gates of freedom, a day to remember those who stand on the line between tyranny and self-government seemed appropriate. In 1950, President Harry S. Truman confirmed the day as a day of national commemoration and encouraged local communities to display the militarys role in our national defense by staging special events and parades. From the Hamilton County Mass Band to the JROTC Units from area schools - - from the display of the massive United States Flag to the multitude of floats, decorated cars and trucks commanded by appreciative citizens - - from the area veterans groups representing all conflicts and peacetime service since World War II to our First Responder Units, Chattanooga and Hamilton Countys Armed Forces Day Parade has drawn regional and national praise, confirming the citys recognition as the most Patriotic City in the United States. Watch for future announcements regarding the Grand Marshall and Reviewing Stand Officers representing all six branches of the United States Armed Forces. Additionally, a link will be provided later for participation in the Armed Forces Day Luncheon, immediately following the parade at the Chattanooga Convention Center on May 2. Start gathering your flags and red, white and blue banners and clothing. Plan to participate in the 76th Armed Forces Day Parade. This past year, 2024, saw a fresh start and new beginnings for some of our citizens, since last year these new citizens took the final step to abandon their former national citizenship and become United States citizens. These new citizens underwent the naturalization process. Naturalization is the process by which a foreign national becomes a United States citizen. The nationalization power is within the authority of Congress under Article I, Section 8, Clause 4 of the Constitution. Accordingly, an individual must fulfill the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act to become a citizen. These requirements include filling out applications, interviewing, and passing certain tests. One of the tests is a rigorous civics test that many naturally born citizens would have difficulty passing. They must also take an oath of allegiance to the United States. THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR NATURALIZATION Naturalization is a federal responsibility. The rules require that a person seeking naturalization be over eighteen and have been a lawful permanent resident of the United States for at least five years. An individual must also show good moral character. This means the individual must demonstrate responsible and law-abiding conduct, which is typically measured by the absence of a criminal record and the fulfillment of financial obligations such as child support. If eligibility is met, an individual must next pay fees and complete an extensive and complex application. Once all the preliminary processes are completed, the federal agency charged with this responsibility, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, schedules an interview. The interview process includes questions about the persons application and background, an English language proficiency test, and a civics test. The civics questions are typically chosen randomly from a list of one hundred questions. In preparing for this test, the individuals seeking naturalization become educated in our countrys history and governmental structure. They learn about various laws and rules and reinforce concepts such as democracy, justice, equality, freedom, and the rule of law. THE ROLE OF THE FEDERAL JUDICIARY IN NATURALIZATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE Federal courts play a special and important role in finalizing an individuals naturalization journey by conducting ceremonies and administering the oath. Conducting the naturalization ceremony in one of our nations federal courtrooms aids immensely in underscoring the significance of becoming a Unites States citizen. Although Congress has authorized the Citizenship and Immigration Services to conduct naturalization ceremonies in their offices, applicants relish the opportunity to have their ceremony in our majestic courtrooms with their family and friends present. Naturalization ceremonies are true celebrations. The ceremony, presided over by a federal judge, concludes with the applicants taking the oath of allegiance to the United States. This represents the culmination of the lengthy and difficult naturalization process and constitutes the applicants formal acceptance of their new country. Judges administer the oath of allegiance to the United States after signifying the importance of being an American citizen. The Administrative Office of the United States District Courts describes the taking of the oath as a heartfelt pledge and a new sense of belonging. In taking the oath, new citizens vow to support the Constitution and laws of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. By applying for citizenship, learning civics, and taking the oath, new citizens demonstrate their commitment to the United States and its form of government. E PLURIBUS UNUM -- OUT OF MANY, ONE. The typical naturalization ceremony will see people from many nations all over the world assembled together to become citizens of the United States. They all have their individual stories and reasons for desiring to become citizens. Collectively, they give real meaning to our national motto, E Pluribus Unum, out of many, one. Although we come from vastly different locations and backgrounds and we have individual ambitions, goals, and aspirations, out of many nations and people, we are all one in our citizenship and allegiance to the country. The federal courts play a critical role in this process. From our very earliest days as a nation, we have attracted people from all the nations of the earth to come to our country and provide their talents and efforts to making us a better and stronger nation. The federal courts role in this process is essential. Curtis L. Collier United States District Judge Chair, Eastern District of Tennessee Civics and Outreach Committee Carrie Brown Stefaniak Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier Rachel Elaine Noveroske Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier Katherine E. Philyaw Law Clerk to the Honorable Curtis L. Collier Senator Colton Moore, of Dade County, was arrested on Thursday after he defied the order of Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns that he would not be allowed in for a joint legislative session in Atlanta. Senator Moore's staff said, "This is a chilling reminder of how far the deep state and career politicians will go to silence America First conservatives. "This isnt just an attack on Colton Moore - its an attack on you, the people who elected him to fight against the corrupt Georgia establishment." The Georgia State Patrol said, "This afternoon, the Georgia State Patrol arrested Senator Colton Moore at the State Capitol following a public disturbance prior to the State of the State address. "Troopers stationed at the Capitol were forced to step in when Senator Moore created a disruption outside the House Chamber. Despite multiple verbal warnings and several attempts to de-escalate the situation, Senator Moore persisted in his attempts to disrupt official proceedings inside the House Chamber. The disturbance escalated further when Senator Moore pushed into Troopers multiple times. "The Georgia State Patrol, in an effort to maintain peace and ensure the safety of everyone involved, arrested Senator Moore without further incident. He was transported to the Fulton County Jail, where he was being processed for misdemeanor obstruction." Senator Moore had said Wednesday, "Speaker Jon Burns is attempting to ARREST and BLOCK me from representing the 53rd District at tomorrows State of the State joint session. "This corrupt move is an attempt to silence your voice and mine." The Burns letter to Senator Moore said: On Thursday, January 16th, 2025, members of the General Assembly will gather in the House Chamber for Governor Brian Kemps seventh State of the State Address. As you will recall, on March 14th, 2024, following your vile, disparaging, and false comments in reference to the character of former Speaker David Ralston, because House Rules require me to uphold the decorum of the House and decency of speech, I subsequently ordered the doorkeeper of the House, Corey Mulkey, to prevent your entrance onto any property of the Georgia House of Representatives, especially the House Chamber. This letter serves as a reminder that my order is still in effect and you are not allowed to enter the House Chamber. This includes joining your colleagues from the Senate for the State of the State Address unless you deliver a sincere apology to the family, extended family, and loved ones of former Speaker David Ralston from the floor of the Senate before January 16th, 2025. Senator Moore told the House Speaker his letter was "unconstitutional, illegal and the most disgraceful piece of correspondence issued by a legislator in the history of the State of Georgia." He said, "Your acts constitute both an impermissible censorship of my voice as an elected State Senator and an unlawful obstruction of my sworn duties to the people of Georgia." Senator Moore said he "wanted to inform you of my presence" at the session and said his order was "unenforceable and invalid." UTC professor Jack Zibluk, who said he is a possible challenger to Senator Moore, said his arrest after an altercation in the state House of Representatives makes him unfit for office. The former Democratic nominee for the First District in the Georgia State House, said, Its easy to take potshots after such an embarrassing situation, but the bottom line is that the distraction and toxicity makes him ineffective at best, and downright unfit overall." Mr. Zibluk, a Lookout Mountain, Ga., resident and Massengil professor of communication at UTC, "emphasized that the incident, one of several in the past year, makes colleagues even in his own party snub him. He was banned from the house of representatives thats controlled by his own party. The showmanship and grandstanding does nothing for the people of the 53rd senate district he represents. The whole slew of incidents maker it nearly impossible for him to accomplish anything for Northwest Georgia. Mr. Zibluk, 65, said he has already discussed a possible challenge to Senator Moore with supporters in the district, and he said the response has been very positive People know from my last run, that I am all about working on regional economic development in the Chattanooga metro area as well as transportation and mental health issues. Whenn you get away from partisan bomb-throwing, Republicans, independents and Democrats just want to see good, responsible government. And Colton Moore has proven again and again he can only deliver a partisan circus. Nashville jurors in the Jason Chen murder trial on Wednesday were shown a disturbing photo of a shackled Jasmine Pace at the Medical Examiner's Office. Judge Boyd Patterson warned the audience of the upcoming evidence, and the Law and Crime livestream did not display it as directed by the judge. The jury was told that the body of the 22-year-old Ms. Pace as it was lifted from the suitcase by Medical Examiner Dr. Steven Cogswell was wrapped in three different black garbage bags. Each was removed until the body of the murder victim emerged. Ms. Pace's right hand was handcuffed to her right ankle. Her left arm was shackled to her left ankle. The handcuffs had a key with them. The shackle included a metal chain. Prosecutors said earlier that Ms. Pace had been stabbed 60 times. The jury was shown the tip of the knife that broke off in her body. Crime Scene Investigator Michele Johnson said a knife that was on a bed in the Chen apartment was not the one used in the killing. She said that knife was smaller and was still intact. One of the wounds was "a through and through," it was stated. The jury was told that after detectives located the suitcase below Suck Creek Road that the medical examiner's office went to the scene and retrieved it. One detective had determined it was a body, but had not taken it out of the bags. A witness said blood splatters on the bathroom wall of the Chen apartment at 110 Tremont St. were indicative of having risen from the floor area. The jury was told earlier that the major attack on the victim appeared to have been while she was in the bathroom floor. Investigator Michele Johnson told of the Blue Star agent being used to try to detect blood in the small apartment. She said, "It was everywhere from the living room to the bathroom. The whole floor just lit up. There was blood through the entire apartment." At the apartment, she said there were two rolls left of a six-pack of paper towels. There was also a 16-ounce bottle of rubbing alcohol. Detectives located video from the Walgreens on North Market and the Walmart on Signal Mountain Road, where Chen had gone to buy cleaning supplies and other items. It was stated that during the self checkout that Chen ran a couple of more expensive items through as "asparagus." Walmart was notified, but said it would not prosecute for theft, knowing that he faces much more serious charges - first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. Ms. Johnson told of going back later to the Chen apartment after workmen spotted additional blood. She said it had been in a location under the bed. Photos showed that the bed had been recently moved. Ms. Johnson said she went to several locations soon after Chen was identified as the suspect, including his parents' home at Nolensville in Williamson County. She said during a three-day period she was awake 51 hours. She said there was little in Chen's Toyota Camry, but there was an impression in the back that she believed could have been made by the wheels of a suitcase. Ms. Johnson testified that the night of Nov. 27, 2022, she had first gone to Ms. Paces mother, Catrina Beans, house on Old Dayton Pike, where Ms. Pace lived in a detached pool house. Ms. Johnson said she went straight to Jason Chens Tremont apartment at about midnight, and the missing person case became a homicide investigation as she documented blood stains on grout lines, tile, a door jamb and light switch, on hardwood floors, carpet and baseboard trim in the living room, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom. Ms. Johnson returned to the Tremont apartment months later to inspect a blood-soaked carpet pad, subflooring and tile backer board revealed during a renovation of the apartment. The five-by-three-foot section of bloody carpet had lain under Chens bed. Prosecutor Moyle spent a lot of time teeing up the idea that Chen had moved his bed and nightstand from one wall to another. Before the jury, Ms. Johnson broke the seals of evidence bags to show the bloody carpet, several gray sweatshirts and a mobile phone SIM card found in Mr. Chens belongings at his parents house. The prosecution wanted Ms. Johnson to link tiny glass fragments found in the bedroom carpet to the stem of a wineglass, but Criminal Court Judge Boyd Patterson said the question was speculative and forbade her to answer. Initially, Ms. Johnson had also documented a bathtub scrub brush found under the sofa and large, black drawstring trash bags under the kitchen sink. Lee University will commemorate the life and legacy of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a series of events beginning Monday, continuing through the week. Events are designed to reflect on Dr. Kings enduring impact on justice, unity, and equality and provide opportunities for community engagement, education, and celebration. The weeks theme, A DayOn! emphasizes action rather than rest, encouraging participants to honor Dr. Kings legacy by engaging in learning and service. Gloria Scott-Richmond, director of racial and ethnic relations at Lee University, highlights the significance of the celebration. This will be a day of inspiration and education, a day to think and reflect on who we are and who we aspire to be, says Ms. Scott-Richmond. We aspire to be a school that listens well and is aware of biblical equity and empathy, and we hope the community will join us as we honor Dr. King and the impact his life and work continues to have on our world. The celebration begins Monday with the annual Cleveland Unity March in downtown Cleveland at 9 a.m. Participants are encouraged to gather at the Courthouse by 8:45 a.m. Following the march, refreshments will be provided in Lee Universitys School of Business lobby, and a community worship service will be held at 10:15 a.m. in Pangle Hall, located at the corner of Church Street and Central Avenue. After a lunch break, afternoon events will provide additional opportunities for reflection and learning. Various seminars hosted in the Humanities building, a Living Museum in the Centenary Room, and a Quiz Bowl and Student Presentations in the Science and Math Complex will occur from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Squires Library will provide a quiet space for reading and reflection from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the Reading Room. A drum circle will take place in the Science and Math Complex Great Room and lesser-known speeches by Dr. King will be featured in the Communication Arts Building Screening Room from 2-3:15 p.m. Beginning at 3:30 p.m., there will be an Art Activity in the Communication Arts Building, Room 204. During this time, there will be a Music of the Civil Rights Era presentation in the Johnson Lecture Hall, located in the Humanities Building on Paul Conn Parkway. Events will continue at Lee University through the week. On Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 10:45 a.m. a chapel service will take place in the Conn Center with a message from Bishop Demetris Pressley, pastor of Livingston Street Church of God in Orlando, Florida. Later that evening there will be A Sing-a-long Tribute to the Life of Richard Smallwood in The Lee Chapel. On Thursday, Jan. 23, another chapel service will be hosted at 10:45 a.m. in the Conn Center to honor African-American trailblazers. Both morning chapel services will be livestreamed on https://leeu.live The week of celebration will conclude on Friday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. with Lee University Culture Fest: The United Nations of Lee, held in the Conn Center. Members of the Cleveland Community are encouraged to join faculty and students for the celebrations. We look forward to joining with both our local community and the broader region, our brothers and sisters, and churches from the north, south, east, and west, says Scott-Richmond. Lets march together, worship together, and celebratetogether! For more information or a detailed schedule of events, visit leeuniversity.edu/adayon/ or call 614-8238. A few times each night, servers at Rich Table in San Franciscos Hayes Valley will hear that diners knives arent sharp enough to cut through the hefty fried pork chops on their plates. The reason? Diners are holding their knives upside down: the dull spine facing the meaty cut while the sharp edge slices the trailing steam in the air. It happens all the time, Rich Tables co-owner Evan Rich said. Sometimes we show diners the (sharp) side of the knife and even do a visual demo. The problem could be that many people are used to cutting with a table knife, whose sharp edge is typically the curved one. But the knife causing occasional confusion at local restaurants has the opposite shape: Known as a sheepsfoot knife, its sharp, flat edge meets a slightly curved spine. Local restaurants using this style of knife cite some advantages even if staff must offer a few tutorials. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Josh Donald at Bernal Cutlery, a Mission District favorite of home cooks and leading chefs with an inventory of more than 20,000 knives, says the sheepsfoot shape is often seen in German and Northern European paring knives, used to peel and make small cuts into fruits and vegetables. His store currently stocks paring knives in this shape, but not any table knives. Historically speaking, those havent been a very common thing, he said. Roland Lannier knives, marked with the logo of the maker, as seen at the San Francisco restaurant Rich Table. The dull spine of the knife is curved, while its flat side is sharp, confounding unfamiliar diners. Photos by Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle The knife shape is so uncommon that most Bay Area restaurants get theirs from the same French artisan. In his workshop in Thiers, roughly 280 miles south of Paris, Roland Lannier crafts his knives by hand with recycled plastics and resins, honing each blade while blasting punk anthems by Bad Brains and NOFX. He has over 25 years of knife making experience, starting as an apprentice at French knife company Perceval, working directly under its owner, before launching his eponymous knife studio in 2014. We can go into the (technical details) of the knives, but he is a raw, creative person and I wanted to support his craft, said Rich. Hes just a super cool guy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad In an email, Lannier explained that the sheepsfoot style was not uncommon before World War II. But as cutlery production became industrialized, table knife factories took inspiration from curved butcher knives, since main courses were often meats. But there are advantages to the sheepsfoot shape. The flat-edged style he specializes in can keep its sharpness four times longer than typical knives, Lannier said. Not having a curved edge that rocks back and forth against a hard surface, like a ceramic plate, means a smaller portion of the blade loses its sharpness. Lannier estimates between 80% to 90% of his business comes from table knife sales to restaurants; He receives between 10 to 15 inquiries a month from potential restaurant customers worldwide, with about one per month from U.S. restaurants. The artisans local customers include San Franciscos Korean fine dining restaurant Ssal and Oaklands two Michelin star recipient Commis. (Lanniers website shows the now-shuttered restaurant Manresa as another customer.) A few blocks from Ssal, at modern bistro Lord Stanley, owner Carrie Blease often assists front of house staff by delivering meat courses like Wagyu cuts or grilled black cod to diners. The dishes arrive at the table with the flat-oriented knives and verbal instructions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A Roland Lannier knife is seen at a table setting at Rich Table. Photos by Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle We do generally have to point out the design to guests so they are using them as they should, Blease said. Most complaints over knives generally end in a laugh once staff point out the diner is holding them backwards. Its just the most natural reaction you can have, she said. Confusion isnt limited to the Bay Area. In his 2018 review of New York Citys French hotspot Frenchette, New York Times critic Pete Wells remarked on the restaurants Lannier knives addling diners. Everybody who picks one up makes a joke about slicing open a finger, he wrote. Blease was captivated by Lanniers handcrafted manufacturing and intense creativity, placing an order for the utensils in 2022. The way he works is funky and fun. Its different and we really appreciate that, she said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Beyond form, there is function: Both Rich and Blease say their French knives keep their edge longer than other table knives, meaning they require far less frequent sharpening. Rich says he has replaced a few sets of steak knives, while his Lannier knives have been in action since 2018. I love supporting other knife makers, but these do last way longer, he said. At wholesale pricing, the knives he purchases are all similarly priced to Lanniers, too. Roland Lannier knives, right, are seen next to other knives in a drawer at Rich Table. Compared to other knives, whose sharp sides are curved, the Lannier knife shape requires less frequent sharpening. Lea Suzuki/The Chronicle As confusing as the style may be for some, it may be catching on. In a social media post, Lannier has called out products emulating his wares, which he says hes gotten reports of mainly from California. Not only (does) the quality of these cheap ass copies seem to be way off, someone is fing stealing my design! he protested on Instagram. Advertisement Article continues below this ad More generally, Donald at Bernal Cutlery said hes pleased to see an increase in the quality and unique styles of knives at Bay Area restaurants in the last couple of years. Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report. (If your case is dismissed, just email us your name and date we ran it and we will promptly take off. Email to news@chattanoogan.com) ANDERASON, ROGER DAVID PO 5035 CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 50 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD FALSE IMPRISONMENT ASBEURY, MATTHEW AVERY 410 BROWNS FERRY RD CHATTANOOGA, 37419 Age at Arrest: 22 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD HARASSMENT BENNETT, LEQUAN DORSETT 106 S MOORE RD CHATTANOOGA, 37416 Age at Arrest: 44 years old Arresting Agency: Red Bank Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) CALDWELL, TRAVIS RUSSELL 727 E 11TH ST Chattanooga, 374033104 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD CRIMINAL TRESPASSING RETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICER CLAY, DAE MON TRUMAIN 3700 CHERRYTON DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 374113607 Age at Arrest: 21 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) COMBS, LONNIE RYAN 25 JAMES STREET TRENTON, 30752 Age at Arrest: 36 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROT VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED S CORN CRUTCHFIELD, JAMES WARD 1602 UNION AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 27 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) CREWS, JEFFERY TODD 7012 PALERMO DR CHATTANOOGA, 37417 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION THEFT OF PROPERTY VIOLATION OF PROBATION VANDALISM VIOLATION OF PROBATION VANDALISM DAVIS, MARCELLA ANDREA 2102 CAMDEN ST CHATTANOOGA, 374063545 Age at Arrest: 33 years old Arresting Agency: Red Bank Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) DAVIS, MARQUILIA MARIE 4665 FAIRFIELD FARM CLEVELAND, 37312 Age at Arrest: 25 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff FAILURE TO APPEAR DOMINO, DANIEL MATTHEW 602 DIAMOND STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37411 Age at Arrest: 26 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD ALTERATION OF ITEM'S PERMANENT NUMBER FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TINTED WINDOWS VIOLATION REFUSAL TO SIGN CITATION FERGUSON, JONATHAN PATRICK 2406 E 4TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 43 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE DRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CARE FREDRICKS, THOMAS EVERETTE 538 PARTON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37405 Age at Arrest: 55 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAM VIOLATION OF PROBATION (ATTEMPTED POSSESSION OF RO FROST, ROBERT LEBRON 450 SMITT RD ROSSVILLE, 30741 Age at Arrest: 45 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) GIBBENS, DAVID JONATHAN 79 TAN FORAN DR UNIT B ROSSVILLE, 30741 Age at Arrest: 34 years old Arresting Agency: Collegedale Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) GRAVITT, DEAN JONATHAN 3705 CONNELLY LN EAST RIDGE, 37412 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) GRIZZLE, DAVID BENTLY 13764 BRETTON DRIVE SODDY DAISY, 37379 Age at Arrest: 44 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DOMESTIC ASSAULT HENDERSON, RAVEEN SHALONE 635 E13TH ST CT Chattanooga, 37402 Age at Arrest: 30 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE HOLLOWAY, JON DEANGELO 4908 N MOORE LN CHATTANOOGA, 37411 Age at Arrest: 46 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT HOPPER, WAYNE LYNN 195 CLEM LOW RD CAROLTON, 30116 Age at Arrest: 63 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff THEFT OF PROPERTY HOWARD, DEANGELO JERMAINE 6335 HANSLEY DR CHATTANOOGA, 37411 Age at Arrest: 34 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff AGGRAVATED ROBBERY JENKINS, JENNIFER LYNN 1133 FULLER GLEN CIR CHATTANOOGA, 374214471 Age at Arrest: 47 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION STALKING KEOWN, MELINDA P 7116 MCDANIEL RD HARRISON, 37341 Age at Arrest: 58 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff CONTEMPT OF COURT KYLE, ASHLEY TRENNE 1726 WILSON ST APT A CHATTANOOGA, 37403 Age at Arrest: 37 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff FALSE REPORTS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AIDING & ABETTING (ESCAPE OR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER) MARTIN, JEFFERY DEWAYNE 2241 E 27TH ST CT CHATTANOOGA, 37407 Age at Arrest: 35 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MCNABB, TERRY WAYNE 517 OLD WHITESIDE ROAD WHITESIDE, 37396 Age at Arrest: 41 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff FAILURE TO APPEAR MENDEZ VELASQUEZ, TELMO 1807 SOUTH HIGHLAND PARK AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 35 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MITCHELL, RICKY LEBRON 3825 HIXSON PIKE APT 228 CHATTANOOGA, 374153573 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY) VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VANDALISM) MOORE, EMILY BLAIR 807 BELLVIEW AVE HIXSON, 37343 Age at Arrest: 34 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD ASSAULT MOYEDA, MARC A 295 SUNSHINE RD SEQUATCHIE, 37374 Age at Arrest: 37 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) PARHAM, GERALD 3302 PINEWOOD AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37401 Age at Arrest: 34 years old Arresting Agency: East Ridge DRIVING ON REVOKED PERRY, MARK DOUGLAS 4620 NE FIRST AVE POMPANO BEACH, 33064 Age at Arrest: 51 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) PICKETT, AARON LEON 8455 OLD CLEVELAND PIKE OOLTEWAH, 37363 Age at Arrest: 59 years old Arresting Agency: Tenn Hwy Patrol FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE PRESLEY, CHRISTOPHER HANK 7022 RUBIEN TRAIL OOLTEWAH, 37363 Age at Arrest: 42 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION DOMESTIC ASSAULT PRITCHARD, ROY LEE 456 OLD EUREKA RD NW CHARLESTON, 37310 Age at Arrest: 39 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DOMESTIC ASSAULT VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF QUINCE, FRANK HENERY HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37403 Age at Arrest: 53 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHE VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHI ROGERS, CHRISTOPHER ERICSON 727 E 11th St Chattanooga, 37402 Age at Arrest: 51 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD CRIMINAL TRESPASSING RESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS EVADING ARREST POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA SANDERS, KELLY LEE 5606 WINNIESPAN ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37416 Age at Arrest: 27 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD AGGRAVATED ROBBERY SANTAELLA GUEVARA, ASDRUBAL A 302 DUNLAP AVENUE EAST RIDGE, 37412 Age at Arrest: 41 years old Arresting Agency: East Ridge DOMESTIC ASSAULT SCHULTZ, DANIELL CATRIECE HOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37405 Age at Arrest: 35 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) SILVA, TRACI JEAN 8264 ELLIE PLAZA HIXSON, Age at Arrest: 43 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff THEFT OF PROPERTY TAYLOR, ASHLEY MONIQUE 318 FAHAN ST CHATTANOOGA, 374102077 Age at Arrest: 33 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DOMESTIC ASSAULT THOMPSON, MARGRETT DENISE HOMELESS CLEVELAND, 37311 Age at Arrest: 54 years old Arresting Agency: Collegedale AGGRAVATED ASSAULT TOCCO, BRANDON DEWAYNE 177 NICOLE DRIVE DAYTON, 37321 Age at Arrest: 18 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD DRIVING LEFT OF CENTER LINE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY VELASQUEZ DE LEON, MARIO MARCOS 3409 6TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407 Age at Arrest: 30 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD EVADING ARREST DISORDERLY CONDUCT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE EXCESSIVE MOTOR VEHICLE NOISE WARD, BRIANNA 739 SOUTH GERMAN TOWN CIRCLE UNIT A CHATTANOOGA, 37412 Age at Arrest: 23 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) WATSON, CODY AUSTIN 7407 BRIDGEFIELD DRIVE POWELL, 37849 Age at Arrest: 25 years old Arresting Agency: East Ridge THEFT OF PROPERTY WEHMEYER, MARESHAH 2008 MORRIS HILL RD CHATTANOOGA, 37421 Age at Arrest: 40 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD THEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE) WILSON, BILLY EUGENE 4908 MARYLAND DR EASTRIDGE, 37412 Age at Arrest: 54 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff DOMESTIC ASSAULT FAILURE TO APPEAR WOODS, LAJUANA DETRICE 1514 E 12TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff VIOLATION OF PROBATION (AGGRAVATED ASSAULT) Here are the mug shots: ASBEURY, MATTHEW AVERY Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 09/25/2000 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): HARASSMENT BENNETT, LEQUAN DORSETT Age at Arrest: 44 Date of Birth: 09/07/1980 Arresting Agency: Red Bank Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) CALDWELL, TRAVIS RUSSELL Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 05/08/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): CRIMINAL TRESPASSING RETALIATION AGAINST JUDGE, JUROR, OFFICER CLAY, DAE MON TRUMAIN Age at Arrest: 21 Date of Birth: 12/31/2003 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) COMBS, LONNIE RYAN Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 05/04/1988 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROT VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED S CORN CRUTCHFIELD, JAMES WARD Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 06/25/1997 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) DAVIS, MARCELLA ANDREA Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 04/26/1991 Arresting Agency: Red Bank Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) DAVIS, MARQUILIA MARIE Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 02/23/1998 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR DOMINO, DANIEL MATTHEW Age at Arrest: 26 Date of Birth: 12/11/1998 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): ALTERATION OF ITEM'S PERMANENT NUMBER FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TINTED WINDOWS VIOLATION REFUSAL TO SIGN CITATION FERGUSON, JONATHAN PATRICK Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 08/02/1981 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE DRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CARE FREDRICKS, THOMAS EVERETTE Age at Arrest: 55 Date of Birth: 05/11/1969 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAM VIOLATION OF PROBATION (ATTEMPTED POSSESSION OF RO FROST, ROBERT LEBRON Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 03/16/1979 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) GRIZZLE, DAVID BENTLY Age at Arrest: 44 Date of Birth: 02/29/1980 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT HENDERSON, RAVEEN SHALONE Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 12/31/1992 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE HOLLOWAY, JON DEANGELO Age at Arrest: 46 Date of Birth: 09/25/1978 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): NONSUPPORT AND FLAGRANT NONSUPPORT HOPPER, WAYNE LYNN Age at Arrest: 63 Date of Birth: 08/15/1961 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY HOWARD, DEANGELO JERMAINE Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 06/18/1990 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ROBBERY JENKINS, JENNIFER LYNN Age at Arrest: 47 Date of Birth: 09/23/1977 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION STALKING KYLE, ASHLEY TRENNE Age at Arrest: 37 Date of Birth: 02/04/1987 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): FALSE REPORTS FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY LEAVING SCENE OF ACCIDENT W/DAMAGE TO VEHICLE AIDING & ABETTING (ESCAPE OR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER) MARTIN, JEFFERY DEWAYNE Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 01/10/1990 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MCNABB, TERRY WAYNE Age at Arrest: 41 Date of Birth: 06/18/1983 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR MENDEZ VELASQUEZ, TELMO Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 06/18/1989 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MITCHELL, RICKY LEBRON Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 07/07/1993 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY) VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VANDALISM) MOORE, EMILY BLAIR Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 07/08/1990 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): ASSAULT PARHAM, GERALD Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 09/06/1990 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED PICKETT, AARON LEON Age at Arrest: 59 Date of Birth: 02/17/1965 Arresting Agency: Tenn Hwy Patrol Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): FAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANE DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE PRITCHARD, ROY LEE Age at Arrest: 39 Date of Birth: 02/15/1985 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF QUINCE, FRANK HENERY Age at Arrest: 53 Date of Birth: 08/26/1971 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHE VIOLATION OF PROBATION (VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHI SANDERS, KELLY LEE Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 09/11/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ROBBERY SANTAELLA GUEVARA, ASDRUBAL A Age at Arrest: 41 Date of Birth: 06/29/1983 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT SCHULTZ, DANIELL CATRIECE Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 07/08/1989 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) SILVA, TRACI JEAN Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 10/10/1981 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY TAYLOR, ASHLEY MONIQUE Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 09/25/1991 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT THOMPSON, MARGRETT DENISE Age at Arrest: 54 Date of Birth: 12/14/1970 Arresting Agency: Collegedale Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ASSAULT VELASQUEZ DE LEON, MARIO MARCOS Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 06/22/1994 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): EVADING ARREST DISORDERLY CONDUCT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE EXCESSIVE MOTOR VEHICLE NOISE WARD, BRIANNA Age at Arrest: 23 Date of Birth: 02/27/2001 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) WATSON, CODY AUSTIN Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 01/05/2000 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY WEHMEYER, MARESHAH Age at Arrest: 40 Date of Birth: 09/09/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (CONDUCT INVOLV.MERCHANDISE) WILSON, BILLY EUGENE Age at Arrest: 54 Date of Birth: 11/12/1969 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT FAILURE TO APPEAR WOODS, LAJUANA DETRICE Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 04/05/1993 Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff Last Date of Arrest: 01/15/2025 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (AGGRAVATED ASSAULT) In one of the lengthiest workshops, The Rhea County Commission had two presentations, one dealing with the county going to a three-year reappraisal and another on the countys computer system. Property Assessor Debbie Byrd brought in Gabe Looney with County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS) to make a presentation of the advantages of going to the three-year reappraisal versus the current five-year. With the five-year plan, you have two ratio studies done in the second and fourth years. The fourth-year ratio hurts counties by reducing any gain made and hurts the most," said Mr. Looney. Mr. Looney pointed out it has been mentioned in Nashville that there is possible legislation being put forth this year to require all counties to go to a three-year plan. He also mentioned that some counties were looking at one- and two-year plans. Mrs. Byrd said that with the three-year plan, appraisals will be closer to market value, and the county will not see huge losses in revenue as happened in 2024. She said due to the way the reappraisal was done, the county lost an estimated $1,014,428. This loss also meant that those who qualified for tax relief received $150 for property taxes in 2022 and only got $107 in 2024 . They have to make the difference up out of their pockets, said Ms. Byrd. She also said that those who are in the Veteran Relief Program lost as well. In 2022 they received $872 for property taxes and only got $590 in 2024 due to the ratio. The commission will take action on this proposal at its meeting next Tuesday. The Commission will also take up a request from Sheriff Mike Neal to increase his salary. He said, I just recently found out that under the TCA I can get a salary supplement. I am able to get 10 percent of more of my salary for doing extra things outside the scope of my office. He pointed out to commissioners that besides running the jail, which has now been declared a tier one workhouse, he also runs the Juvenile Detention Center and the Animal Shelter. He pointed out that at this time, the jail and juvenile detention are self sufficiently operating and are making money for the county. Sheriff Neal said, Im not doing it for Mike Neal, Im doing it for the future of this county. Doesnt have anything to do with me. Im doing it for the future sheriffs on down the line. If they make more than a Highway patrolman, then youre going to get a whole lot better class of people running for office. Youre going to at least get some people in there that are going to run for office that can do a good job. The commission voted to place it on the agenda for the Tuesday meeting. Chad Mungin and Craig Rathbun from All Covered, a subsidiary of Konica-Minolta, recently did a survey of the Rhea County IT system and found that the majority of it was at the end of life and could not be upgraded. Mr. Mungin pointed out that the county was non-compliant with many federal and state regulations concerning computer systems. Finance Director Ralph Beck has been looking at a way to upgrade the countys system for several months. County Executive Jim Vincent said that he heard a presentation by All Covered at a recent County Mayors and Executives meeting in Murfreesboro. I would like to point out we could have got this meeting started 15 minutes earlier if the audio-visual equipment was working correctly in the Commission Room, said Mr. Mungin. You have to have seven remotes to run your system. Mr. Mungin pointed out that several Tennessee governments have recently been cyber attacked. The city of Collegedale recently had more than 4,000 documents that appeared to have been taken from the citys internal system and was posted on the dark web within two days. The city of Germantown was held hostage and had to pay $174,000 in ransom to get their system back. Half the Knoxville system was shut down for three days. And Henry County 911 fell victim to a ransomware attack. Mr. Mungin pointed out that All Covered could come in, bring the countys system up to date and be running with new equipment within one to two months. The County Commission took the information under advisement to be discussed at a later time. Erin Brockovich Judge Glenda Hatchett Alexis Smith Previous Next Organizers for the upcoming 7th Annual Statewide Womens Policy Conference announced the events keynote speakers today. The event, presented by the Chattanooga Mayors Council for Women, Feb. 6-7 at the Westin Chattanooga, will convene women from across Tennessee to discuss issues related to health, safety, economic opportunity and leadership.Renowned environmental activist Erin Brockovich will open the conference as the keynote speaker at the kickoff dinner on Thursday, Feb. 6. Known for her groundbreaking fight for justice that inspired the Oscar-winning film Erin Brockovich, she has dedicated her life to advocating for clean water and environmental equity.Its an honor to be a part of a conference dedicated to empowering women to create real change, Ms. Brockovich stated, reflecting on her involvement. Ive learned that one voice can make a difference, and when women come together, our voices have the power to transform communities and lives.On Friday, Feb. 7, Judge Glenda Hatchett will headline the morning plenary session. As the first African American chief judge of a state court in Georgia and the Emmy-nominated host of Judge Hatchett, she has been a trailblazer in law and public service for decades. "Judge Hatchetts career is a testament to the importance of breaking barriers and empowering others to pursue justice and equity," officials said.Alexis Smith, Miss Kansas 2024, will address attendees during the luncheon plenary session on Friday. A cardiothoracic intensive care nurse and advocate for healthy relationships, Ms. Smith works to raise awareness about abusive relationships and promote tools for building supportive connections. Her platform has gained national recognition, making her a role model for individuals seeking change in their personal and professional lives.Officials said, "The Statewide Womens Policy Conference provides a platform for women across Tennessee to engage with leaders, participate in workshops, and explore solutions to challenges facing women and girls. These keynote speakers, along with additional speakers to be announced, reflect the mission of the conference to inspire action and create a more equitable future."Registration is now open, but space is limited. To secure your spot, visit cha.city/mcwconference, where you can also read the full bios of Erin Brockovich, Judge Glenda Hatchett and Alexis Smith. Additional speaker announcements will be made in the coming days. Josue Lopez Nakesia Thomas Robert Branum Sara Gunnels Previous Next Four Georgia Northwestern Technical College students have been selected as the colleges finalists for the Georgia Occupational Award of Leadership (GOAL), according to Trish Wiggins, coordinator for the colleges GOAL program.Listed are students chosen as finalists for the GOAL award showing (from left) the students name, city of residence, program of study, GNTC campus and nominating instructor: Robert Branum, Ringgold, Cybersecurity, Catoosa County Campus, Dr.Dwight Watt; Sara Gunnels, Rome, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Professions, Floyd County Campus, Sonya Alday; Josue Lopez, Calhoun, Construction Management, Gordon County Campus, Mark Upton; and Nakesia Thomas, Rome, Social Work Assistant, Floyd County Campus, Dr. Pam Turner.GOAL, a statewide program of the Technical College System of Georgia, honors excellence in academics and leadership among the states technical college students. GOAL winners are selected at each of the states 22 technical colleges.We had an amazing group of students nominated for GOAL this year, Ms. Wiggins said. The group is a wonderful, diverse representation of GNTCs programs of study and student population.The four finalists will advance to a second round of judging with the Rome Floyd Chamber. A panel of business, civic and industry leaders from the community will interview and evaluate the students and select one to be the colleges 2025 GOAL winner.The screening committee had the difficult task of narrowing it down to only four finalists, Ms. Wiggins said. I believe the four they chose are excellent representatives of GNTC and will all do very well in the next round of interviews.The student judged most outstanding will be announced at the GOAL and Rick Perkins Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, Jan. 28, in Rome. The event is hosted by GNTC, the Rome Floyd Chamber and the Seven Hills Rotary Club.All college GOAL winners will compete in regional judging, which will include students from the other TCSG colleges. Three finalists from the region will be named and will compete in the state GOAL competition.The state GOAL winner becomes the student ambassador for the Technical College System of Georgia. The winner will make many public appearances throughout the year, including addresses to the Georgia General Assembly, the governor and other TCSG functions.Kia Motors, statewide corporate sponsor of the GOAL program, is awarding a new automobile to the state GOAL winner. The WoodSongs Dalton Concert Series will feature North Carolina based band Zoe and Cloyd on Saturday, Jan. 25, at 7 p.m. The family-friendly live music will take place in at the First Presbyterian Church in the heart of historic Dalton. Review for Zoe and Cloyd: The music of the Zoe and Cloyd Trio is an amalgam of traditional Appalachian music, bluegrass, jazz, and a little klezmer thrown in for good measure. Natalya "Zoe" Weinstein is a classically trained violinist who comes from a long line of jazz and klezmer musicians. John "Cloyd" Miller a twelfth generation North Carolinian, is the grandson of the legendary bluegrass fiddler Jim Shumate. John is an award winning songwriter, placing first in both the prestigious Chris Austin Songwriting Contest and the Hazel Dickens Songwriting Competition. The concert will benefit the DEO Clinic. Now in its 20th year, the non-profit medical clinic has provided thousands of office visits to the under-served members of the greater Dalton community. DEO receives no state or federal government monetary support and depends on grants and the generosity of local donors and businesses. Contributions from each concert will be matched up to $2,500 by Modern Woodmen of America. The concert will take place at the First Presbyterian Church, 101 S. Selvidge St. The concert begins at 7 p.m. and the doors open 6:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $20 and at the door $24. Advance tickets are available at Bigham Discount Music, The Dalton Freight Depot Gift Shop, and online at http://woodsongsdalton.com/ The UTC Department of Criminal Justice is partnering with the city of Chattanooga on the Chattanooga United to Reduce Violence initiative, funded by a $1,999,187 grant from the U.S. Department of Justices Bureau of Justice Assistance. The CURV initiative, led by the citys Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, aims to reduce gun violence in high-crime, high-risk neighborhoods through evidence-based, community-focused strategies. Christopher Sands, executive director of the Office of Community Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, and Deborah Maddox, community outreach coordinator for the Mayors Office, worked closely with UC Foundation Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Rick Dierenfeldt in securing the grant funding. We still have a lot of work to do, but our violence prevention work is showing promising early results, with crime down significantly across Chattanooga and in our key areas of focus, said Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly. UTCs data-driven research tackling pressing public safety challenges will be invaluable as we implement strategies to continue to reduce violence and improve lives across Chattanooga. As the citys research partner on the initiative, the UTC criminal justice program will be responsible for assessing CURVs utility and effectiveness across multiple metrics, Mr. Dierenfeldt explained. The research will be conducted through our in-house research center, the Violence Reduction Initiative, and will involve multiple faculty, graduate students and a post-doctoral scholar hired specifically for this project, Mr. Dierenfeldt said. It is an incredible opportunity to demonstrate our capacity for quality research, inform policy and practice, and stand united with the city of Chattanooga to reduce violence in our community. CURV is about creating opportunities and solutions that reduce violence and improve lives. Mr. Dierenfeldt said the three-year grant will allow UTC researchers to assess the impact of CURVs strategies and provide data-driven insights to inform future violence prevention efforts. The CURV initiative will expand structured after-school activities for youth, provide trauma-informed mental health services and offer wraparound support for families in resource-starved neighborhoods. Another essential feature is the use of violence interrupterscommunity members trained to identify and de-escalate potentially violent situations. Violence is often concentrated in specific neighborhoods and among young people who lack access to structured, supervised activities, Mr. Dierenfeldt said. By addressing these root causes and providing meaningful support, CURV aims to reduce opportunities for victimization and offending. Medical Examiner Dr. Steven Cogswell testified Thursday that evidence indicated that Jasmine Pace was viciously killed with a butcher knife while bound in a fetal position with handcuffs and shackles. Dr. Cogswell said the location of her injuries lined up with her having been killed while in the same position as she was found stuffed in a suitcase off Suck Creek Road on Dec. 1, 2022. She had disappeared over a week earlier after going to the Tremont Street apartment of boyfriend Jason Chen. Chen is standing trial for first-degree murder and abuse of a corpse. Prosecutors said earlier that Ms. Pace had 60 stab wounds. One went into an eyeball and another through her hand. Dr. Cogswell also said neck marks indicated Ms. Pace, who was 5'2" and weighed 98 pounds, may have been strangled. He said she had a large contusion on her left chest that may have been caused by some sort of blow. The medical examiner told the jury, "This was not a rapid death. It occurred over several minutes - less than 10 minutes, closer to five." The jury from Nashville was shown photos of the long litany of knife punctures and slashes she suffered. One knife wound went in the front of her neck and came out of the neck near the right. Dr. Cogswell said it cut her jugular vein. Another went through her hand. One knife blow was so fierce that it went all the way into the lungs and broke off the end. That was recovered and shown to the jury. Dr. Cogswell said he never found the tip of the blade. He said some of the knife wounds were punctures - often deep into the body. Others were slices, such as a series of slices in one large injury on the victim's back. "There was a thin layer of blood on her whole body," he stated. A section of bloody carpet showed red stains in a fetal position pattern, lining up with her position when she was killed, the expert told the jury. Dr. Cogswell told of going to the scene where the body was found and quickly determined that a human was inside of three layers of black garbage bags. "It was not an animal," he said, while noting that two carcasses of deer that had been butchered were nearby. The witness said the suitcase was a large hard-shelled version with wheels and a handle - "One like you might take on a long trip." He said the body was taken straight to the morgue on Amnicola Highway and the autopsy began. The suitcase with the body still inside was first x-rayed. Dr. Cogswell said that showed a human was inside. Dr. Cogswell said he cut the ends off the garbage bags to get to the victim's body. One garbage bag was placed over her head and pulled down, the second over her feet and pulled up, and the third was placed over her head and pulled down. She had no clothes on from the waist up. When the garbage bags were removed, he found that the right arm had been handcuffed to the right ankle. He said it was a cheap novelty type handcuff, not the heavy-duty type used by police. The arm at the left elbow had been shackled to the left ankle. The shackle, also described as novelty type, included a long chain. Dr. Cogswell said the autopsy showed that Ms. Pace was in her menstrual period. He said she was wearing a sanitary pad. Defense attorney Josh Weiss earlier told the jury that Ms. Pace saw on Chen's phone that he had been calling other young women. He said she became enraged and went after Chen with a wine bottle. He said Chen then began stabbing Ms. Pace. He said Chen put on the handcuffs and shackles after she was dead so he could get the victim's body into the suitcase. Dr. Cogswell said there was no evidence that Ms. Pace had been drinking just before her death. He said, "Her body was very well preserved. She was just in the early stages of decomposition. She looks fresh or very close to fresh." Chattanooga may be the first city to have a public bus wrapped with Dolly Partons picture, said CARTA President and CEO Charles Frazier. Its a first for Dolly Parton. Its a first for CARTA, he said. Starting Friday, a bus wrapped to promote Dolly Partons Imagination Library will travel CARTA routes throughout Chattanooga for one year, helping to publicize the East Tennessee natives program that delivers a book every month to children until their fifth birthday. We want everybody in Hamilton County to be enrolled, said Signal Centers CEO Donna McConnico. Signal Centers is custodian of the program in Hamilton County. She told the CARTA board of directors Thursday that 14,000 children are enrolled in the Imagination Library. She wants to enroll at least 300 children each month to replace those who turn five. Ms. McConnico said the Parton organization has negotiated low prices for the books and covers other logistical costs, but Signal Centers must raise $200,000 annually, which is then matched by the Tennessee Governors Early Literacy Foundation. Signal Centers absorbs their own administrative costs, she said. The buss grand opening will take place Friday morning at Signal Centers. Route studies In the coming months CARTA will survey its own drivers, riders and elected officials to revamp its routes, bus stops and customer service. I think we need to brace ourselves for some harsh realities, Mr. Frazier said, but Im not afraid to find out We need to know. This information cant be gathered by a computer. Mr. Frazier said its 900 bus stops will be evaluated for spacing, safety and use. Bus schedules will be analyzed to eliminate early and late departures using field data from the bus operators themselves. Mr. Frazier will ask City Council representatives to identify pockets of their districts that are underserved by CARTA. In a second phase, Mr. Frazier said, CARTA will hold in-person community meetings. Our public participation process, historically, has not been sufficient, Mr. Frazier said. We want to meet them where they are. This spring CARTA will form a rider advisory committee, chaired by CARTA board member Corey Evatt. Further engagement will include a bus operator focus group and baseline satisfaction surveys for riders and employees, which will be developed into customer service standards. Jimmy and Rosalyn Carter are together again at home in Plains, Ga. As President Carters last trip from Washington back to Georgia on Special Air Mission (SAM) 39 (for the 39th president of the United States), I remembered the first time I met him. It was 1974 in Lake Tahoe, Nevada at the National Governors Conference. The Tennessee Governor at the time was Winfield Dunn. Gov. Dunn had flown to Nevada and taken a plane load of journalists with him. I was fortunate enough to be allowed on board the flight as I was working at WRCB-TV, Channel 3 at the time. During one of the Conference sessions, I was able to secure an interview with Carter who was at the time Governor of Georgia. Since our station covered many Georgia counties, I thought the interview was worthwhile even though I confess a peanut farmer Governor seemed interesting on its own. During my time conversation with Gov. Carter, I was surprised to find him warm, friendly, knowledgeable, and fearless in his comments without a trace of what I was accustomed too with politicianspolitical doublespeak. More clearly, politicians who gave answers that seemed planned to commit them to nothing concrete. Carter was not the least bit given to protecting his comments. After completing the interview, I was amazed at my own reaction to what and how he answered my questions. He was a very genuine person and somehow that touched me unlike other politicians I had questioned. His specific answers werent important, but his commitment to them became clear to me after he was elected President. He meant what he said and said what he meant. After the Governors Conference ended, all the Tennessee journalists climbed back aboard the state aircraft to return home. On board the plane now was an enormous number of cases of Coors Beer. In 1974, Coors Beer was sold east of the Mississippi and therefore it was a very valuable commodity. It was a long cold flight back to Tennessee. After I returned home, I talked with my wife, Norma Carol about the Carter interview. I told her that there was somethingI didnt know what, about Carter that made me think he could actually become President. In fact, I was convinced of his potential. Ive never been fond of talking with politicians with few exceptions. I remember as a young television reporter interviewing former Tennessee Governor Frank Clement. We sat at a long table with the Gov. at one end while I sat on the side of the table with the camera at the opposite end of the table from the Gov. When I asked a question, he waited just a moment, then turned to look directly into the camera lens, giving me no eye contact at all. Good politicians know how to act. I never got that feeling with Gov. Carter. In retrospect, Gov. Carter and then President Carter was a different kind of politician. His humanity, his faith, his compassion were always discernible. He said what he meant and meant what he said. In my 80 years, he was one of a kind President. American oil companies contribute to climate change but the U.S. is not the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. Elizabeth Sanduvete Regarding We know whos at fault for climate change and L.A.s wildfires. Make them pay (Letters to the Editor, SFChronicle.com, Jan. 14): The steady attacks on Big Oil as the foundation of climate change are missing one important point: The U.S. is not the biggest contributor. The biggest emitter of greenhouse gases is China. The U.S. is second, followed by India, the European Union and Russia. Many nations are spewing pollution unabated. Brazils deforestation of the Amazon is depleting the worlds ability to absorb carbon dioxide, truly an ecological disaster. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Finger-pointing at our oil companies may make some people feel better, but they are missing the big picture Jim Gray, Rodeo Reciprocate withholding Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress want to withhold disaster relief from California. Never mind that Democrats have never tried to withhold disaster relief from red states like Florida or Louisiana when they get pummeled by a hurricane. Politicizing disaster relief is beyond reprehensible. Advertisement Article continues below this ad That said, if the GOP wants to withhold disaster relief from California, maybe Californians should withhold our federal taxes. Maybe instead, California, as a donor state, should keep its locally generated tax revenue for itself. Maybe its just time that California went its own way. Christopher VerPlanck, San Francisco Just a diversion The only reason Donald Distraction Trump keeps talking about Panama, Canada and Greenland and renaming the Gulf of Mexico is because he has no idea how he will lower grocery and gas prices after Inauguration Day. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For a guy who campaigned on ending global conflicts, its odd that hes now talking in a way that could lead to war in North America. While Trump says he needs nothing from Canada, he should ask how many water bombers Canadians sent to the Los Angeles area with more to come. Jim McEwen, Bowmanville, Ontario Raise retirement age Regarding No, Social Security isnt going to go broke, but it is broken. Heres what it needs (Open Forum, SFChronicle.com, Jan. 12): One element of the Social Security issue I havent seen discussed is likely to be important to the fairness and acceptance of changes to the retirement age which, given increases in life expectancy, surely must be considered. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some of us have spent our working lives, as I have, doing work that requires brain but not brawn. Unless beset by an ailment that affects thinking and reasoning, we can likely do the same work without any problem for some years past the standard retirement age of 65. People whose work requires significant physical labor are more likely to not be able to do at least parts of their jobs for long after 65. Why not rate jobs for their physical difficulty and enable those whose primary work has been the most physically taxing to collect Social Security benefits earlier than those who have not tired out their bodies below their necklines? It could create a system that is fair while enabling the retirement age to be raised for those who are capable of working longer. Marsha Cohen, San Francisco Advertisement Article continues below this ad S.F. not doomed I had the pleasure of taking my wife and son to San Francisco for dinner on a recent Sunday. Before dinner, we drove around the Presidio and walked around Fort Mason. It was a beautiful evening filled with an amazing sunset, a moonrise glowing on the water and a waterfront city lighting up the night. There were couples of all races, genders and orientations enjoying the evening side by side. The City by the Bay is still an amazing, beautiful and wonderful place! No more talk of the doom loop, OK? Christopher Walter, Petaluma About Opinion Guest opinions in Open Forum and Insight are produced by writers with expertise, personal experience or original insights on a subject of interest to our readers. Their views do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Chronicle editorial board, which is committed to providing a diversity of ideas to our readership. Read more about our transparency and ethics policies Join the North Instead of Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state, why doesnt California float a proposition for it to become the 11th province of Canada? I for one would welcome universal health coverage. Just a thought. Vianode, an advanced battery materials company, has been selected as a strategic supplier of high-performance anode Graphite solutions to General Motors (GM). The agreement covers development of large-scale manufacturing capacity and supply of synthetic anode graphite towards 2033. The master supply agreement has a USD multi-billion value for Vianode and marks an important step forward in strengthening the North American battery and EV supply chain. The high-performance anode graphite will be shipped from Vianodes IRA compliant large-scale plant in North America with production starting in 2027. The agreement, that includes a minimum off-take commitment, follows a multi-year qualification process, demonstrating that the anode graphite produced at Vianodes pilot plant in Norway meets stringent performance and validation requirements. Under the supply agreement, the material will be used by Ultium Cells LLC GMs battery cell manufacturing joint venture with LG Energy Solution for next-generation EV batteries and drive units. Under the agreement, deliveries may be extended to include other joint ventures. Vianode's advanced battery materials enable cost-efficient batteries and EVs with better performances and a fraction of the carbon emissions of conventional technologies. Our recent creation of Vianode North America and this agreement to supply GM's North American EV business, are key building blocks for a local, resilient supply chain for critical battery materials outside of Asia. We are proud of and honored that GM has chosen us as a strategic partner. This underlines Vianodes capability and the way in which we will contribute to shaping the North American battery value chain. says Burkhard Straube, CEO of Vianode. This agreement with Vianode for the development of artificial graphite is another great example of GMs strategic effort to build a sustainable battery supply chain in North America, said Jeff Morrison, senior vice president of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain at General Motors. This project will help advance our battery technology and drive greater value to our customers. Anode graphite is the largest component of a lithium-ion battery by weight and is a vital material for the energy transition. Vianode produces synthetic anode graphite with a 90% lower CO2 footprint than conventional production methods. Synthetic graphite is manufactured in high-temperature production processes and differs from natural graphite typically mined from carbon-rich rock formations. Vianode is preparing to develop large-scale sustainable anode graphite production in North America and Europe through a phased multi-billion USD investment program. The company aims to supply advanced materials to 3 million EVs per year by 2030 as a leading provider of advanced anode graphite solutions. Vianode empowers battery and EV manufacturers to reduce their carbon footprint. We introduced a new industry standard with a verified climate impact of 1.9 kg CO2 equivalents per kilogram of graphite, and target to nearly halve this by 2030. We look forward to collaborating with GM to further develop high-performance products that enable EVs with faster charging, longer range and extended lifespan, says Dr. Stefan Bergold, the CCO of Vianode. Home News Christians tortured, killed by Islamist gangs using honey trap to file false blasphemy charges LAHORE, Pakistan An Islamist gang trapped more than 450 people in false blasphemy charges in recent years in Pakistan, including five who were tortured death in custody, according to human rights lawyers. The blasphemy business group has devastated numerous families with the collusion of federal investigators, said attorneys Usman Warraich, Imaan Hazir-Mazari and Rana Abdul Hameed at a press conference on Jan. 10 in the federal capital of Islamabad. As frequent targets of blasphemy accusations, Christians in Pakistan are at serious risk of being victimized by the group. The Islamist group shares blasphemous content online and then files false charges, blackmailing the families of those accused for large sums of money, the attorneys said, citing a report by the Special Branch of the Punjab Police last year that pinpointed an organized gang behind the recent surge in blasphemy cases. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe A separate report by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) in October that endorses the police findings details how innocent people were being entrapped with the active involvement of officials of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), the rights attorneys said. The NCHR report highlighted that most of the victims belonged to lower-income or middle-class levels. More than 150 victims of the blasphemy racket are being held in Adiala District Jail; 170 in District Camp Jail and Kot Lakhpat Jail in Lahore; and 55 in Karachi Central Jail, Warraich said. The gang has recruited young men and women who befriended people on social media and lured them to a safe-house in the G-8 Sector of Islamabad, he said. Several young victims honey-trapped by this gang have revealed that when they came to the said house, they were stripped naked and tortured by the gang members who also videotaped their ordeal, Warraich said. There are about 25 to 30 people associated with this gang who became plaintiffs after trapping youths from all over Pakistan. Each plaintiff is involved in trapping more than 20 youths. Five Muslims, including a 22-year-old woman, Fatima Jahangir, were subjected to inhumane torture that ultimately led to their tragic deaths, he said. An orphan boy named Syed Ali Hasnain was killed in Adiala Jail. A young man from Rawalpindi, Syed Abdullah Shah, was tortured and murdered by this group in collaboration with the FIA, Warraich said. Fatima Jahangir died in Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore, while another 22-year-old boy, Safeer Ullah, lost his life in Camp Jail, Lahore. Another youth named Suhan Khan was tortured to death in Karachi Central Jail within three to four days, he said, adding that the Islamist gang publicly celebrates whenever a court denies bail or convicts a victim. Celebrations include distributing sweets, garlanding members, and gifting swords to each other, and the videos are widely circulated on social media, the attorney said. They also share the names and addresses of the victim families and their lawyers on social media to intimidate them. After courts convict the victims, Islamic leaders make announcements against them in the mosques of their respective neighborhoods to incite local residents against their families, he said. During proceedings, the Islamist group harasses the victims families and shouts slogans in the courtroom to pressure judges to convict the innocent, he added. Supreme Court Advocate Rana Abdul Hameed, who represented Shagufta Kiran, a Christian woman who was sentenced to death on Sept. 18 in a blasphemy case filed by a member of the Islamist gang, said that the false cases have raised serious questions about the integrity of Pakistans legal system. These cases are not only baseless but also a stain on the judiciary, Hameed said, criticizing the government and judiciary for their silence. Elaborating on the operations of the blasphemy business group, Hameed described it as a profit-driven syndicate with an aim to instill fear and exploit families. Hazir-Mazari, a prominent human rights attorney, said at the press conference that there is a systemic failure to address false cases of blasphemy in Pakistan. The courts, except in Sindh Province, lack the courage to hear these cases, she said. This silence is a significant impediment to justice. Hazir-Mazari said she regretted that hundreds of people were languishing in prisons on fabricated blasphemy charges. Family members of some of the victims also addressed the media, revealing how the gang files blasphemy cases using fake addresses and intimidates them with threats to extort money. Saeeda Bibi, mother of a visually impaired Muslim falsely charged with blasphemy, Muhammad Zamzam, shared how he was mistreated by FIA officials and arrested in a false case in Lahore despite FIA officials demanding a bribe of 100,000 rupees ($360 USD). When we received the FIA notice, I took my son to the authorities myself to prove his innocence, as he is blind in both eyes, Bibi said. However, instead of being treated fairly, the FIA demanded money, but even after we paid them the bribe, they did not release my son. The attorneys and victims families said that despite raising these concerns to various government authorities, nothing has been done to protect people. We have brought this matter to the attention of the presidents office, prime ministers office, chief justice of Pakistan, Cabinet Division, Director General FIA, Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Law and Justice and leadership of all mainstream political parties, but none of them has taken any action yet, they said in a statement. They demanded that the federal government form an independent investigative commission in light of the reports submitted by the police and NCHR. They also demanded that all proceedings in these cases be halted until the investigations are concluded, and that those responsible be held accountable. We also urge the judiciary to ensure fair trial of the victims and take legal measures to curb the contemptuous behavior of the members of the blasphemy business group in courtrooms, they demanded. Pakistan ranked seventh on Open Doors 2024 World Watch List of the most difficult places to be a Christian, as it was the previous year. This article was originally published at Christian Daily InternationalMorning Star News Home News Pastor, others offer prayers after student shoots self at Lindley Middle School Roy Moore, pastor of the Leland Qwest United Methodist Church in Mableton, Georgia, offered prayers to his community after a female student critically shot herself across the street from his church at Lindley Middle School on Wednesday. "I only can imagine how the parents feel right now, not only her parents, but other parents thinking about their child. All I can do is offer peace and comfort and prayer," Moore told Fox 5 about the shooting he called "heartbreaking." The school was placed on lockdown after they responded to a report about a person being shot, Officer S.A. Barner of the Cobb County Police Department told the news outlet. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "The campus was immediately secured, and the school was placed on lockdown to ensure the safety of students and staff. We can confirm there is one victim," he said. School officers and Cobb police both received a code red alert, Cobb County School District police spokesman Sgt. John McCraw told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, adding that their first units arrived on the scene within 60 to 90 seconds. After a search of the school, they found the injured female student in a bathroom. McCraw said the student was first taken to Wellstar Cobb Hospital and then flown to a Children's Healthcare of Atlanta hospital in a condition described as "completely critical." Cobb County Police are currently investigating the incident due to the nature of the student's injuries, but it was unclear Thursday how she got the weapon she used into the school. Mableton Mayor Michael Owens offered prayers to the student's family in a statement on Facebook. He said the incident deeply saddens the city. "With respect to the student and their family, we offer our prayers and hopes for a full recovery," Owens wrote. "At this time, the City is working with the Cobb County Police Department and Cobb County Board of Education to ensure that this isolated event does not disrupt the element of safety and security we want to provide for our students while learning." Alison, an eighth grader at the school, told Fox 5 she initially thought the red code alarm was a fire drill, "but it turned out it was much worse than we thought." She and her classmates huddled in a locker room, she said, gripped by fear and uncertainty during the lockdown. "I was thinking was I ever going to see my family again?" she said. Lisa Cupid, chairwoman of the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, offered her support to the victim's family in a statement Wednesday. "Today, a student at Lindley Middle School suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound. My heart goes out to the student, their family, and the entire Lindley Middle School community," Cupid said. "I also encourage everyone to prioritize the emotional well-being of our children, who often carry burdens that may not always be apparent. Resources are available to support them during this difficult time," she added. The National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 by calling or texting 988. Southern California Edison workers remove a utility pole damaged by the Eaton Fire in Altadena (Los Angeles County) on Sunday, Jan. 12. Groups of homeowners have already sued Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire, though its cause has not been determined. Stephen Lam/Associated Press As wildfires continue to ravage the Los Angeles area, groups of homeowners have already sued Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire, which began at the base of one of the utilitys transmission towers and has burned more than 14,000 acres in Altadena, destroyed or damaged 7,000 homes and other buildings and killed at least 16 people. Another lawsuit accuses the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power of worsening the Palisades Fire by leaving a reservoir empty and failing to provide enough water to firefighters. That blaze, which decimated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, has burned nearly 24,000 acres, destroyed or damaged 5,300 homes and other structures and killed at least eight people. State investigators have not yet determined the causes of either fire. But there is a sobering example in recent history of the legal and financial consequences for a California public utility found to be responsible for deadly blazes. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Pacific Gas & Electric Co., which serves 16 million people in Northern and Central California, pleaded guilty in 2020 to 85 criminal charges involuntary manslaughter and unlawfully starting a fire for its role in the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest in California history, which killed at least 85 people in Butte County and leveled the town of Paradise in 2018. PG&E was also found responsible for the 2019 Kincade Fire in Sonoma County, the 2019 Zogg Fire in Shasta and Tehama counties and the 2021 Dixie Fire, which burned nearly 1 million acres in five counties after a tree fell on a power line. The utility was also accused of starting a series of North Bay fires in 2017, and after filing for bankruptcy in 2019 agreed to accept responsibility for those fires as well. As part of the bankruptcy settlement, PG&E agreed to pay victims of the fires $13.5 billion in cash and shares of its stock, and another $12 billion to local governments and insurance companies. The company emerged from bankruptcy in July 2020 after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law that would allow the state to convert the private utility to a public-benefit nonprofit if it failed to reform itself. Daniel Farber, a UC Berkeley law professor, said a key factor in these cases is a California law that allows utilities to be held responsible for damage they have caused, even if they have not acted carelessly. Suits against individuals or private companies normally have to prove that they have acted with negligence failing to use reasonable care in order to collect damages. Under the state law, Farber said, utility companies must pay for any property damage they caused; if a company is found to have acted negligently, it must also compensate victims for personal injuries, emotional distress and the deaths of family members. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Homeowners who are covered by property insurance must reimburse their insurers for any compensation they receive for property damage by a utility that caused the fire. But they can keep damages they are paid for harm caused by the utilitys negligence. A 2019 California law was designed to help avoid future bankruptcies by establishing a state Wildfire Fund that three utilities PG&E, Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric could use to compensate fire victims, with repayment required only if the utility had acted negligently. The fund, paid for by utility shareholders and customers, currently holds about $21 billion. Roger Behle is a Los Angeles attorney whose firm has sued both Southern California Edison and the Department of Water and Power. He said the firm has between 50 and 100 clients in those cases but anticipates many more. After such disasters, people go through a shock phase, figuring out where to live, buy clothes, start the insurance process, Behle said. Then many realize they need to join in the (legal) cases, to get compensation not covered by insurance. The firms lawsuit, filed Monday, said photos and videos of the Edison transmission tower where the Eaton Fire started have shown its electrical equipment was defective and dangerous. Three more suits have been filed against Edison, one saying the utility had identified Eaton Canyon as an extreme risk area but failed to take precautions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And the Los Angeles Times reported that the states Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety found in October that Edison had fallen behind in inspecting its transmission lines in wildfire-risk areas and had failed to detect some dangerous conditions in those lines. Gabriela Ornelas, an Edison spokesperson, said in a statement that the cause of the fire continues to be under investigation and that the company will review the lawsuits. Edisons crews, contractors and mutual assistance partners are dedicated to safely restoring power to our customers, she said. The suit against the Department of Water and Power does not accuse it of starting the Palisades Fire but alleges that the agency increased its destructiveness by failing to fill or repair the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a principal source of water, for at least a year, and failing to notify the fire department of the lack of adequate water supplies. Within 12 hours, no water was available in some areas of Pacific Palisades, said Behle, the attorney. The city agency did not respond to a request for comment on the suit. But Michael Wara, a Stanford University research scholar on energy policy, said it would be a hard case to prove and that Los Angeles could point out that ample water supplies in the Altadena area had failed to quell the Eaton Fire. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The lawsuits might also raise broader questions of public policy, said Dave Jones, who was Californias insurance commissioner from 2011 to 2019 and now directs the Climate Risk Initiative at UC Berkeley. He said wildfire victims could make a plausible claim that oil and gas companies had helped to cause the fires with their planet-heating emissions. Home News Pastor born without arms to be nominated for SBC's first vice president A pastor and author who was born without arms is set to be nominated for the position of first vice president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Daniel Ritchie, an evangelist and author of the books My Affliction for His Glory: Living Out Your Identity in Christ and Endure: Building Faith for the Long Run, will be nominated for the first vice president position at the SBC's Annual Meeting in June. Matt Capps, lead pastor of Fairview Baptist Church in Apex, North Carolina, explained his plan to nominate Ritchie in comments to the Biblical Recorder. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Ritchie is among the most faithful, consistent, and passionate witnesses for Christ that Southern Baptists have seen raised up in this generation, Capps told the Biblical Recorder. I am eager to see our convention recognize this gospel servant and unapologetically champion the vital ministries of vocational evangelists like Daniel by electing him to serve as first vice president. For his part, Ritchie took to his Instagram account on Wednesday to thank Capps for the proposed nomination, and briefly talked about his hopes should he be elected. I hope to shine a light on personal evangelism in the church and the need to raise up a young generation of ministry leaders with the Great Commission continuing to be the driving force and focus of Southern Baptists, he posted. After coming to faith in Christ as a teenager, Ritchie earned a bachelors degree in biblical studies from Judson College and is presently studying for a Master of Divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. Ritchie previously served as a student pastor at congregations in North Carolina and Arizona. He has spent the past 20 years speaking to various churches, camps, schools and other groups. Ritchie preached at the 2022 SBC Pastors Conference in Anaheim, California, and is a member of The Summit Church, a multisite megachurch based in the Raleigh-Durham area. He is married with two children. Ritchie has often spoken about his disability, the stigma he faced from people around him, and his overcoming many challenges associated with living a life without arms. In an op-ed piece published by The Christian Post 2022 titled How I came to love myself, Ritchie warned against microwave mentality, which he described as if something cannot be done in five minutes or less, it is not worth doing. The Father does not work at the pace of our man-made culture. He does not count time like we count days, wrote Ritchie. The Father does not conform His work to our broken perspective of time. He is not in a hurry; we are. We must be faithful to take a step back from our busy lives to consider what we have in our loving Father. We need to give ourselves the space to soak in the fact that our Creator and Savior love us dearly. We must carve out pockets in the day to stop and commune with the eternal God beyond the space of our Sundays. Home News Trump names Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, Jon Voight as 'special ambassadors' to Hollywood Days before taking his oath of office, President-elect Donald Trump announced Thursday that he is appointing actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight as "special ambassadors" to Hollywood. In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump said the movie stars "will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!" "These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest," he added. "It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!" Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Stallone, 78, Gibson, 69, and Voight, 86, have all been outspoken supporters of Trump since his first presidential campaign in 2016. Stallone introduced Trump at a Mar-a-Lago gala in November, praising him as the "second George Washington." Gibson, ahead of the 2024 election, was not only one of Trump's most high-profile supporters, but he also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' intelligence, saying she has the "IQ of a fencepost." In 2019, Voight shared his deep admiration for Trump, calling him the "greatest president" since Abraham Lincoln. It isn't immediately clear what the role of "special ambassador to Hollywood" entails, but historically, U.S. ambassadors serve as the president's highest-ranking representative to a country or international organization abroad. Hollywood is a U.S. city with a population of 70,915 as of 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Of the three nominees, Gibson is likely the most controversial. Just days before Trump's announcement, Gibson appeared on the "Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, where he discussed his faith, the challenges of creating Christian-oriented films in Hollywood and why he believes Darwinian evolution is a flawed theory. Gibson, a two-time Academy Award winner who at one point was named the "most powerful Christian in Hollywood," has faced backlash over alleged antisemitic remarks he made in the wake of 2004's "Passion of the Christ," which at the time became the highest-grossing R-rated film in U.S. history, raking in $370.8 million against its $30 million budget. The "Braveheart" filmmaker was largely blacklisted in Hollywood following a drunken rant during a 2006 traffic stop in which he made claims like "The Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world!" and other remarks. Gibson later called it an "unfortunate incident." In 2021, Gibson was photographed saluting Trump when they crossed paths at a UFC match near Las Vegas, according to The New York Post. Stallone, raised Catholic, has spoken more openly about his faith recently. He said in a 2006 interview that the Rocky Balboa character from the blockbuster "Rocky" movie franchise was "built on the idea that he was chosen to do something. That's why the first image in Rocky is the picture of Christ." Earlier this year, veteran actor and "Reagan" star Jon Voight told The Christian Post that while he was raised in a Catholic home, he "got a little bit away from it and made some very bad mistakes." "And then I got a wake-up call: I know that God is real, and I know that our whole lives are only meaningful in relation to God," he said in August. "I'm very fortunate to have had that understanding in my life I've had an extended career because of it." Home News Texas LGBT art exhibit could advance normalization of pedophilia, Christian group warns A Christian religious liberty group is warning that an ongoing photography exhibit at a Texas museum could lead to the normalization of pedophilia and abuse after authorities reportedly seized obscene images from the exhibit. Police have reportedly removed four photographs from the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth exhibit "Diaries of Home" by acclaimed photographer Sally Mann after a number of Republican officials alleged the exhibit was promoting child pornography, according to KERA, a National Public Radio-affiliated outlet in North Texas. A Fort Worth police spokesman confirmed to The Christian Post Wednesday that an investigation is underway but would not provide any further details. This post will be updated if any additional details are disclosed. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe "Diaries of Home" showcases the work of 13 women and LGBT-identified artists, including Nan Goldin and Carrie Mae Weems, and is described as exploring "multilayered concepts of family, community, and home," according to the museum's website, which noted the exhibit also "features mature themes that may be sensitive for some viewers." While the exhibit includes work from multiple artists, it's Mann's photographs that have stirred public outrage. Among the images in question are "Wet the Bed," featuring a young, naked girl, asleep and lying in a puddle; "Popsicle Drips," which depicts a young nude boy with liquid running down his body; and "The Perfect Tomato," which depicts a completely naked girl jumping on a table, according to The Danbury Institute, a religious liberty advocate based in Dallas. In an open letter dated Dec. 28, Sharayah Colter, chief communications officer at The Danbury Institute, condemned the exhibit, calling it "disturbing, exploitative, and inappropriate." "These images are presented under the guise of art, but in reality, they sexualize children and exploit their innocence," Colter wrote. "This exhibit should be called what it is: child pornography." Pointing to a museum plaque that described the exhibit as featuring children "naked, moody and in suggestive situations" in order to "evoke an edgy, dark side of childhood," Colter said such a characterization is "morally unacceptable." "The exhibit as a whole effectively works to normalize pedophilia, child sexual abuse, the [LGBT] lifestyle, and the breakdown of the God-ordained definition of family," she added. On Jan. 8, Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare, among over 2,000 signatories to The Danbury Institute's open letter, called the exhibit's images "deeply disturbing" and urged law enforcement to take action. O'Hare, a Republican and self-identified Christian, wrote on X: "The images of children reported in the media at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth are deeply disturbing. Sexual exploitation of a minor, including under the guise of 'art,' should never be tolerated. "I have full confidence in law enforcement to thoroughly investigate this matter and take appropriate action. I will always be committed to protecting the most vulnerable members of society, our children." Other prominent Texas Republicans also condemned the images, including Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French and House District 91 State Rep. David Lowe, who called for "someone to be criminally charged" for the museum exhibit. The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC), meanwhile, condemned the police's reported seizure of Mann's photographs. In a statement released on Jan. 9, the organization criticized the notion that such images constitute child pornography. "The allegation that these works are child sexual abuse material is not just disingenuous, it is deeply dangerous to the freedom of the millions of Americans who wish to document the growth of their own children without the threat of government prosecution," the statement read. "Furthermore, it assumes the perspective of the pedophile, and degrades the seriousness of real incidents of child abuse." The group pushed back against allegations that naked photos of children displayed in public should automatically be considered indecent, saying any criminal "investigation can only contribute to the perverse and troubling perception that all images of naked children are inherently sexual, thereby reinforcing the very sexualization of children that critics purport to oppose." Mann, who garnered critical attention in the mid-1980s and early '90s for intimate portraits of her family's life in rural Virginia, also generated controversy over photos of her nude children published in her collection "Immediate Family" in 1992. The collection depicted her own children smoking candy cigarettes, falling asleep in fields, and dancing naked on tabletops, among other activities. Mann later defended her work in a 1997 essay, arguing that "no artist can predict how each image will be received by each viewer, and that what is devoid of erotic meaning to one person is the stuff of another's wildest fantasies." Home News Evangelical leaders urge Trump to sustain refugee resettlement program World Relief issued a statement on Tuesday announcing that A Christian Statement on Refugee Resettlement had been sent to President-elect Donald Trump. The statement was signed by leaders of the National Association of Evangelicals, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, state-level conservative Christian advocacy organizations and advocates for persecuted Christians worldwide. The statement referenced Trumps first term, during which he set a refugee ceiling of 50,000 in his initial week of office in 2017. Signatories called on him to once again set the ceiling for refugee admissions at that level or higher, consistent with his commitments both to secure borders and to religious liberty and opportunity for all. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe We are grateful for President-elect Trumps commitment to ensuring that our nations borders are strong and secure. We also appreciate and affirm his recent call to ensure systems so that immigrants with love for the country are able to come in legally, the statement noted, quoting Trump. The statement praised the U.S. refugee resettlement program for prioritizing persecuted Christians and other refugees fleeing harm. It emphasized that Trump had previously expressed support for these efforts. President Trump can lead the nation in rescuing persecuted Christians, as well as believers of other faiths, by maintaining and strengthening the U.S. refugee resettlement program, said Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals. As the son of a refugee from North Korea, I am alive today because my father was given refuge in South Korea and immigrated to the United States. Evangelical Christians stand ready to partner with the Trump administration to welcome persecuted refugees, knowing that by doing so we are obeying and serving our Lord. According to Open Doors U.S., a charity advocating for persecuted Christians, 29,493 persecuted Christians from 50 countries were resettled in the U.S. in 2024. At a time when Christians around the world are living under unprecedented threat of persecution, a continued commitment to walking with our brothers and sisters is vital, said Ryan Brown, president and CEO of Open Doors U.S. Im thankful for President Trumps strong advocacy for the persecuted church and believe a critical piece of that support can be demonstrated through sustaining the U.S. refugee resettlement program. The statement also highlighted the economic contributions of refugees to the U.S. and the pivotal role churches have played in supporting and integrating them. Data from Lifeway Research showed that 71% of respondents believe receiving refugees is a moral obligation for the U.S. The U.S. refugee resettlement program has long been a vital way that the United States has stood alongside those who are persecuted, including because of their faith in Jesus, and thousands of American churches have been a part of welcoming refugees. As President Trump takes office, evangelical Christians urge him to sustain the refugee resettlement program, said Myal Greene, president and CEO of World Relief. World Relief, an Evangelical humanitarian organization that receives funding from the State Department to resettle refugees in the U.S., is inviting Christians of any background to add their names to this statement by visiting worldrelief.org/christianstatement. This article was originally published by Christian Daily International. Home News Worship leader, former Ark Encounter, Creation Museum band member charged with sodomy Popular Christian apologetics organization Answers in Genesis has confirmed that Michael Howard, a member of TrueSong the resident musical act of the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Northern Kentucky is no longer connected to the band after he was charged with 80 counts of sexual abuse and sodomy of a teenager who was also a member of a church where he served as worship leader. "While the ministry does not generally comment on personnel matters, we can confirm that Michael Howard is no longer affiliated with Answers in Genesis. In fact, his departure occurred before we became aware of the investigation against him," Mark Looy, Answers in Genesis' chief commercial officer, told The Christian Post in a statement Thursday. "To respect the privacy of those involved and because this is a matter currently under investigation, we are not in a position to comment further, other than to ask for prayers for all the individuals involved, especially the possible victims." Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe A statement published this month by the Boone County Sheriff's Office in Burlington, Kentucky, said investigators received a report on Dec. 27, 2024, from a now-adult male that Howard, 36, began sexually abusing and sodomizing him when he was just 15 in 2019. "The victim identified the suspect as 36-year-old Michael Howard of Burlington and reported that he started working for him in the fall of 2019. The following spring, Howard began sending messages of a sexual nature to the then-15-year-old victim. That same year, the sexual abuse and sodomy began and continued on multiple occasions over the next four years," the release said. "In addition to the victim working for Howard, detectives learned that they were members of the same church. Detectives corroborated the victim's statement after conducting additional interviews and learned that Howard made admissions regarding his '3-4 year' relationship," investigators said. Howard was arrested on Jan. 2 and charged with 40 counts of first-degree sexual abuse and 40 counts of third-degree sodomy. He was placed in the Boone County Jail on a $250,000 bond. At the time of his arrest, Howard was a member of Florence Baptist Temple in Kentucky, where he joined in 2009. A cached page from the church's website states that he began serving as their worship leader in 2022. It also states that he is married and a father of two daughters. An arrest warrant for Howard cited by The Lexington Herald-Leader said it was the victim's family who reported the abuse to law enforcement and the church. The church did not respond to a request for comment from CP on Thursday. Howard was reportedly a friend of the victim's family for many years, and the victim saw him as a role model prior to the abuse. Court documents state Howard began sending the victim explicit messages over Snapchat and is accused of abusing him at least four times each week. The former TrueSong member allegedly told the victim repeatedly that he "could not talk about it" and the abuse "can never be known." When the victim turned 18, Howard allegedly asked him to say the relationship started at that time. Howard was one of the four original members of TrueSong, which was formed in 2022, according to a cached page on the group's website on which he is no longer featured. The group's debut album, "Tell Someone," was nominated for a GMA Dove Award in 2024. Home News Planned Parenthood broke tax law by providing workspace to Harris campaign: IRS complaint A Planned Parenthood in Florida violated its tax-exempt status by providing a workspace for Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential election campaign in addition to other activities, according to an IRS complaint filed by a pro-life advocacy organization. 40 Days for Life, which conducts prayer vigils outside Planned Parenthood and other abortion businesses, filed the 42-page complaint in December. The filing included photos of a worker wearing a Harris-Walz shirt walking inside what appears to be the Planned Parenthood office in Sarasota. A copy of the complaint, obtained by The Christian Post, details how the local Planned Parenthood allowed the Sarasota County Democratic Party to host a political event in October 2024 for the Harris-Walz campaign. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe In a statement to CP, a 40 Days for Life spokesperson confirmed that the group has yet to receive confirmation from the incoming Trump administration about whether there will be an investigation into the political event hosted by an affiliate of the country's largest abortion provider. The group expects to hear more once President-elect Donald Trump is in office, the spokesperson said. The event, titled "Phone Bank at Love Art Repeat," consisted of individuals making calls during shifts lasting from one to two hours. Individuals worked in a room with a Harris/Walz sign displayed at the entrance, which was later removed the following morning and reposted again a few days later. On Nov. 1, 2024, the Planned Parenthood chapter in Florida once again provided space for the call center, and five to 10 people were observed entering the space. As 40 Days for Life noted in its complaint, activity at the local Planned Parenthood continued until Nov. 3, 2024. "Planned Parenthood's activities appear to constitute prohibited political activities. They clearly advocate for one party and particular candidates," the complaint stated. "I.R.C. Sec. 527 categorizes entities such as campaign committees and political action committees involved in state, federal or local office candidacies as political organizations. The Democratic Party and the Harris-Walz 2024 presidential campaign fall under this classification." The organization alleges that Planned Parenthood "potentially prohibited political activities that may impact the tax-exempt status." According to the IRS complaint, Planned Parenthood's actions in this case are "starkly different from permissible lobbying." "This is one of the many violations we've seen Planned Parenthood do because we're physically at these abortion facilities, holding peaceful vigils and offering medical alternatives to abortion," 40 Days for Life CEO Sean Carney, whose organization has a presence outside of over 1,000 abortion facilities, told Fox News Digital. "And so because we're out there [...] at over 1,700 locations, we see a lot of things that Planned Parenthood does." "This was clearly noticeable," he added. "They were giving out flyers that said Tim Walz Tuesdays, which doesn't sound like the greatest time in the world, but nevertheless, they were promoting all these events of hosting Walz-Harris campaign events and providing their space to do that, which, of course, they did not do for the Republicans." "And you just can't do that as a 501(c)(3)," Carney continued. "This is very, very basic." Planned Parenthood did not respond to The Christian Post's request for comment. This article will be updated if a response is received. 40 Days for Life filed a similar complaint alongside the Institute of Law and Justice earlier this year regarding Planned Parenthood Great Rivers and Planned Parenthood Great Rivers IL. The IRS complaint argued that Planned Parenthood engaged in partisan political activity at the Democratic National Convention by deploying a mobile van to offer free abortion drugs and vasectomies. "Planned Parenthood's mobile clinic(s)' presence and provision of free services juxtapose its/their tax-exempt privilege against a politically charged environment," the letter explained. "They are clear indicators of political endorsement or opposition of particular candidates and parties." "In conclusion, the IRS should assess whether Planned Parenthood's activities violate the prohibitions against political activities and otherwise under Law and Rule. Political campaigning substantially diverges from the permissible activities and could result in revocation of tax-exempt status and possible imposition of related excise taxes." Home News Middle school teacher charged with texting explicit messages to 14-year-old boy A 44-year-old California middle school teacher has been arrested for engaging in what police say was a sexually explicit online conversation with a minor. Eric Reid Zuercher of Irvine was arrested on Jan. 5 after the online group known as People v. Peds contacted police following a text message exchange with Zuercher, authorities said. The group reported that while posing online as a 14-year-old boy, they communicated with an adult man, Irvine Police Det. Brian Felling said in a statement. The text messages turned sexual in nature, and the adult asked the minor if he would be interested in meeting. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe Before contacting police, Felling said a representative for People v. Peds confronted Zuercher at his home and attempted to engage in conversation. A video of the brief exchange was shared on social media. Hey man, hows it going? the unidentified cameraman is heard asking Zuercher. As he approaches Zuercher, the cameraman says, Listen, Eric, I want to have a conversation with you. After cutting short the conversation, Zuercher is seen going back inside his home, police said. Detectives later obtained a warrant and found Zuercher at his residence, where he was arrested and booked at the Orange County Jail for attempting to converse with a minor to meet and engage in sexual activity. Zuercher, who was later identified as a math teacher at Sierra Vista Middle School, has been placed on administrative leave. His bio remains active on the schools website. Sierra Vista Middle School is a 7th-8th grade middle school in Irvine with nearly 1,200 students, according to the California Department of Education website. Felling said, At this time, there is no evidence that the suspect has had inappropriate contact with any students in the Irvine Unified School District. A screenshot of an alleged conversation between Zuercher and a representative for People v. Peds shows Zuercher asking sexually inappropriate questions between an adult male and a 14-year-old boy. Home News 'The Last Supper' offers cinematic journey through Jesus final days this Lenten season Pinnacle Peak Pictures, the studio behind "The Case for Christ" and "God's Not Dead," is inviting audiences to experience the profound story of Jesus Christ in "The Last Supper," exclusively in theaters starting March 14. Filmed in Morroco and timed to coincide with the Lenten season, the film offers a cinematic journey through the final days of Jesus' life, culminating in His ultimate act of love and sacrifice. The teaser trailer for the film, released this week, opens with Jesus entering Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, greeted by adoring crowds. The scene quickly shifts focus to High Priest Caiaphas, who derides Jesus' "ambition" and begins to orchestrate the plot that will lead to His crucifixion. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe The trailer also includes pivotal biblical moments such as Jesus overturning tables at the temple and the titular final meal with His disciples. Directed by Mauro Borrelli, "The Last Supper" features an ensemble cast bringing to life key Biblical figures. Jaime Ward stars as Jesus, joined by Robert Knepper ("Prison Break") as Judas, Henry Garrett ("Silo") as Nicodemus and James Oliver Wheatley ("The Lost Pirate Kingdom") as Peter. Charlie MacGechen stars as John and James Faulkner plays Caiaphas. Additional cast members include Daniel Fathers ("House of the Dragon") as Joseph of Arimathea, Nathalie Rapti Gomez ("Love on the Rock") as Mary Magdalene and Ben Dilloway ("Masters of the Air") as Malchus. Michael Scott, head of Pinnacle Peak Pictures, expressed his enthusiasm for the film's theatrical release. "I am so thrilled we are releasing 'The Last Supper' in theaters this March. This is a beautiful, epic story that really deserves a cinematic experience. As we have seen over the past few years, audiences continue to seek out films in theaters that speak to their faith and Biblical accuracy," Scott said. Described as "a deeply human and spiritual exploration," "The Last Supper" aims to deepen faith and bring the timeless story of Jesus' sacrifice to life in a way that resonates with modern audiences. Scott said the film will take viewers on a "cinematic journey 2,000 years ago as you walk with Jesus and the disciples." "You get to experience what was happening at the time, the dynamic between Peter and Judas and the betrayal," he added. "You get to experience what all these elements represent and the nuance around each of these different things. I promise you, you will enjoy it. You will learn something. You will feel the emotion of the story in a way you've never seen it before." Scott stressed that a major Hollywood studio doesn't back the project and thus will send a "strong message to Hollywood that these types of films need to be made, and people need to experience them." In recent years, there has been a surge in biblical epics and series, reflecting a renewed interest in faith-based storytelling, with productions like "The Chosen" leading the charge. Since its debut in 2019, the multi-season series chronicling the life of Jesus Christ through the perspectives of those who encountered Him has garnered over 200 million viewers and 770 million episode views globally. It's also been dubbed into over 70 languages, according to the Come and See Foundation. Season five of "The Chosen," which will focus on the Last Supper, hits theaters in early April. The Netflix film "Mary," released in December and following the story of the Nativity through the eye of the Virgin Mary, ranked among the platform's top 10 English-language movies, attracting 24.6 million views. Meanwhile, "House of David," scheduled to premiere on Prime Video in early 2025, delves into the life of King David, including the David versus Goliath narrative. Additional information is available at www.TheLastSupper.Movie. Home Opinion 5 key takeaways from Bible's teachings on generosity In contemporary Christian teaching, the concept of generosity has often replaced the traditional idea of tithing giving 10% of ones income to the church. While many people embrace this shift, its important to recognize that biblical generosity, as outlined in the New Testament, far exceeds the Old Testaments tithe. In fact, true generosity, as taught by Jesus and the apostles, involves more than just giving a portion of our surplus. It requires a heart transformed by sacrificial giving, often giving not out of abundance, but out of need. Moving beyond the tithe: A new covenant mandate The concept of tithing originates in the Old Testament, where the Israelites were commanded to give a tenth of their income to support the Levites, the poor, and the temple services (Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:21). However, the New Testament moves beyond the tithe, introducing a radical form of generosity that reflects the heart of the Gospel itself complete surrender to God. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe One of the clearest examples of this principle is found in the story of the widows offering, recounted in Mark 12:41-44. Jesus praises the widow not for the size of her gift, but for the heart behind it. She gave all she had to live on, in stark contrast to the rich who gave out of their surplus. Jesus highlights that true generosity is not measured by how much we give, but by how sacrificially we give. Tithing as a minimum standard In understanding the relationship between tithing and generosity in the New Testament, we can also consider the principle that whatever the New Testament has not abrogated from the Old Testament, it is assumed to still stand. Following this, many argue that since the New Testament does not explicitly revoke the tithe as part of the moral or ethical law, it still holds as a standard for giving. While ceremonial laws, such as animal sacrifices and circumcision, were clearly abrogated in the New Testament for salvation, tithing remains an ethical principle and has never been abolished. In this sense, tithing can be seen as the minimum standard of giving under the New Covenant, a foundational principle for Christian giving. However, the call to generosity in the New Testament ramps up this standard. The tithe may remain a baseline, but as defined by Christ and the apostles, generosity demands much more than 10%. Jesus teachings make it clear that we are to give up everything to follow Him, indicating that our financial giving should go beyond the tithe to reflect a heart of total surrender and sacrificial generosity. Giving everything: Jesus call to radical discipleship Jesus extends this idea of radical giving even further in His teaching on discipleship. In Luke 14:26, Jesus declares, If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters yes, even their own life such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. The call to give up everything possessions, relationships, and even ones life demands a level of generosity far exceeding the 10% tithe. The apostle Paul provides another powerful example of New Testament generosity in 2 Corinthians 8, where he commends the Macedonian churches for their extraordinary generosity in which they gave financially out of their extreme poverty, even beyond their ability. Hence, these believers are a model of the kind of generosity the New Testament advocates giving that flows not from abundance but out of significant sacrifice. In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul builds on this principle by explaining the spiritual law of sowing and reaping. He writes, Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously (2 Corinthians 9:6). Paul emphasizes that generous giving leads to an abundant spiritual harvest. One of the most striking illustrations of the cost of following Jesus and the call to radical generosity is found in the story of the rich young ruler (Mark 10:17-22). When the young man asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus eventually tells him, Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me. The young man left dejected because he had great wealth and was unwilling to give it up. This story reveals the heart of Jesus message about wealth and generosity. Jesus wasnt just concerned with whether this man followed the commandments or gave a tithe. He was calling him to a life of total surrender and generosity, where his treasure would no longer be in earthly possessions but in Heaven. Many today misunderstand generosity as merely giving a portion of ones surplus. However, the New Testament calls us to a far more profound form of generosity giving not just what is convenient but giving sacrificially, sometimes out of our need. In conclusion, while the tithe was a guideline under the Old Testament, the New Testament elevates the call to generosity far beyond 10%. It calls us to a life of total surrender, where we give not just a portion but our whole lives, our resources, and our hearts to God. True generosity is sacrificial, rooted in faith, and grounded in the desire to glorify God with all we have. Here are five key takeaways from the teaching on generosity: Generosity exceeds the Old Testament tithe While tithing was a foundational principle in the Old Testament, the New Testament calls believers to a higher standard of sacrificial giving. Generosity is not confined to a specific percentage but involves giving with a heart of total surrender to God. True Generosity is measured by sacrifice, not amount The widows offering (Mark 12:41-44) exemplifies that generosity is not about the size of the gift but the level of sacrifice. Giving out of need, rather than surplus, reflects a deeper trust in Gods provision. Generosity reflects radical discipleship Jesus call to give up everything (Luke 14:26) highlights that true generosity is integral to following Him. Its not just about giving possessions but surrendering ones entire life to Gods will. Generosity demonstrates faith in Gods provision The Macedonian churches (2 Corinthians 8) modeled how giving, even in extreme poverty, reflects reliance on God. Generosity becomes an act of worship and faith, trusting that God will supply all needs and bless the giver spiritually. Generosity leads to spiritual abundance Pauls teaching on sowing and reaping (2 Corinthians 9) reminds believers that generous giving results in spiritual rewards. Its not about material gain but about experiencing the joy, growth, and deeper relationship with God that comes from living a generous life. These principles emphasize that generosity is not merely an act of giving but a posture of the heart, rooted in faith, sacrifice, and the desire to glorify God. Home Opinion Should Trump try to buy Greenland? Land with dark birth control history As winter cold grips much of the mainland United States, thoughts have suddenly turned to an even colder place, the massive island straddling the Arctic Circle to our northeast. Thanks to a series of comments by President-elect Donald Trump over Christmas, Greenland is, well, a hot topic. The theme is whether the United States should purchase Greenland, which has been for centuries, under various legal statuses, a part of the kingdom of Denmark. There is much to discuss regarding this bold proposition, including the views of the people of Greenland and Denmark, but there is also this to know: Greenland is in the midst of a profound human rights dispute with the Danish government over, of all things, coercive population control. That might take a second reading. Yes, Greenland is among the least populated places on the planet. In recent years, however, it has come to light that the Danish government devised and implemented a campaign of abortion followed by the insertion of Lippes Loop intrauterine devices (IUDs) in as many as half of Greenlands population of 9,000 Inuit women of childbearing age. The main events seem to have happened in the 1960s and 1970s, an era in which the global population control movement acquired massive momentum and scope. The Nixon-era Rockefeller Commission on Population Growth and the American Future released its landmark report in 1972, for example, calling for the legalization of abortion, sex education, and distribution of contraceptives to minors to stave off the growing number of people resulting from improved health and lifespans. Get Our Latest News for FREE Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know. Subscribe U.S. interest in acquiring Arctic territories has a long history, of course, dating back to the 19th century and the inaptly named Sewards Folly, under which the United States paid Russia $7.2 million that is, roughly two cents per acre for Alaska. On December 22, 2024, President-elect Trump wrote of Greenland on his site Truth Social, 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. The Prime Minister of Greenland, Mute Egede, chairman of the countrys largest party, the Inuit Ataqatigiit, seems to differ. He responded at length on January 3, asserting that not only was Greenland not for sale but that it would continue to seek independence from Denmark. 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, he said. News stories about Greenlands move for independence acknowledge the role played by its revolt against Denmarks involuntary birth control crimes, which some Greenlandic leaders have labeled genocide. Meanwhile, reports say that Donald Trump, Jr. has landed in Greenland in pursuit of the acquisition. Greenlands leadership seems more excited at the moment by news of gaining its own international airport since entree to the island now requires passage through Denmark and the island wants to be its own destination. President-elect Trump surmises that Greenland is MAGA territory and pledges that the United States will protect and cherish it. Greenland has every right to be skeptical of the paternalistic aims of the secular West, as the coercive population control scandal shows. Investigation of the crimes is now in the hands of the Danish government after their existence was exposed in Facebook posts in 2017 by an Inuit activist named Naja Lyberth. Lyberth, a psychologist, was age 13 in 1976 when a doctor advised her during a routine medical examination at school to go to the hospital, where she was fitted for an IUD. Demonstrating the power of social media, Lyberth swiftly heard from other women and formed a Facebook group to share their experiences (a similar pathway followed by women who successfully campaigned in the United States to drive the sterilization device Essure off the market). Lyberths account inspired more stories about what has become colloquially known as the spiral or coil campaign, with reports appearing in the BBC, The New York Times, and elsewhere. Finally, in September 2022 the Danish government agreed to conduct an investigation into how the program came to be. The investigation is to last two years and a report is due in May 2025. Concerns have already been expressed, however, about the fact that the inquiry will only cover the period from the programs inception until 1991, when Greenland acquired management of its health care system. Reports from individual Inuit women document that unlawful insertion of IUDs continued after 1991. Accounts of women and girls suffering intense pain, being sterilized, and losing sexual function and other lifelong harms have proliferated. So many women contact me, Nyberth says. It seems that the younger the girls were, the more complications they get from this coil. Its so sad. In March of last year, 143 indigenous Inuit women filed suit against Denmark over the compulsory birth control inflicted upon them. The women are seeking an average of $44,000 a very low sum under the circumstances for the injuries they suffered. Some of the women are now age 80 or over and cannot afford to wait for the outcome of the government inquiry. Although the Associated Press article on the device describes it as preventing conception, its mode of action (the creation of an inflammatory response around the cervix) means it has abortifacient properties as well. Getting at the truth and getting it out the door on these matters, embarrassing as they are to progressive forces, is not an assured outcome. Some of the women report that they were subjected to the device without their knowledge after having abortions. The abortion rate in Greenland is tragically high, and the annual toll may be nearly as high as total births there. Western nations that value human life and respect women could clearly be doing more to promote quality maternity care in a country with such unique challenges in the health sector. The United States can and should be a proponent of new approaches given our own history of promulgating eugenics and coercive measures against vulnerable populations. Even Planned Parenthood of Ottawa has now published recognition of the role of eugenics in Western population and birth control campaigns. Some Planned Parenthood agencies, after long denials or silence, have regretted and renounced this aspect of Margaret Sangers work and philosophy, which one leader in New York termed her racist legacy. Changes in the groups targeting and abortion practices, however, are hard to discern. The most recent report, by Tessa Longbons of the Charlotte Lozier Institute, notes that in 2021 the non-Hispanic black abortion rate in New York City was 38.6 abortions per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44, six times the non-Hispanic white rate of 6.6. Across the Western world, some degree of reckoning seems to be afoot for actions that contravened the most basic human rights. In Britain, interest is surging to account for mass crimes against teenage girls by pedophilic rapists. It appears that, to paraphrase Shakespeare, something was indeed rotten in both Rotherham and the state of Denmark. The Danish investigation due this coming spring should not be the end of the inquiry but the beginning, including as it almost surely will the ideology of eugenics, the obsessions of population control enthusiasts who somehow concluded there were too many children in Greenland, and the corruption of medical authorities whose deeds betrayed Hippocratic norms. Wariness about Denmarks follow-up is warranted, given the relative lack of public notice of the Greenland crimes and the lack of interest among some Western powers in the continuing damage done by the Peoples Republic of Chinas mandatory one-child policy and forced birth control and abortion practices. A look at the U.S. Department of States latest Country Report on Human Rights Practices, from April 2024, reveals only this bland assertion concerning Denmark: In May, the Ministry of Health announced that a team of researchers led by Ilisimatusarfiks Center for Arctic Welfare in Greenland and the Center for Public Health in Greenland at the University of Southern Denmark would investigate the intrauterine device (IUD) case in which Greenlandic Inuit women and girls had IUDs inserted, many without consent, from the 1960s to 1991. No mention is made of the report due this coming May or of the magnitude affecting half of all Inuit women of the violations that have been reported. As always, these occasions remind us of the need for vigilance when countries lose fundamental respect for the value of all human life. The apparent desire of Greenland to direct its own future course and not be subject to the geopolitical ideologies of a European government, or the security interests of an American administration, are all the more understandable given this history. Human rights do not exist to be bought and sold. People are not pawns in some global game of chess or finance. Originally published at The Washington Stand. The Michael Kors store located in the San Francisco Centre shopping mall on Market Street will close, according to signs posted on its windows. Maliya Ellis/The Chronicle The Michael Kors store located in the San Francisco Centre shopping mall on Market Street will close, according to signs posted on its windows. Maliya Ellis/The Chronicle The Michael Kors store located in the San Francisco Centre shopping mall on Market Street will close, according to signs posted on its windows, though no date was given. Maliya Ellis/The Chronicle The Michael Kors store located in the San Francisco Centre shopping mall on Market Street will close, according to signs posted on its windows. It is the only location of the luxury boutique in the city. Maliya Ellis/The Chronicle The Michael Kors store in the San Francisco Centre shopping mall downtown will close, according to signs posted on the storefronts windows Wednesday. Weve loved sharing the best with you at Michael Kors San Francisco, read multiple black, laminated signs taped to the inside of the luxury boutiques windows and doors. The signs added that the store would be closing soon but did not disclose a date for the closure. It was not clear when the signs were posted. The store did not seem to be shuttered as of Wednesday night, when the lights at its 845 Market St. storefront were on and its display cases were full. Advertisement Article continues below this ad San Francisco Centre management and Capri Holdings Limited, which owns Michael Kors, did not immediately respond to requests for information on the stores closure date and the reasons motivating its shuttering. The stores closure could be a fresh blow to the beleaguered San Francisco Centre mall, which has sat half-empty after the departure en masse of prominent retail tenants including Hollister, Adidas and J. Crew since the pandemic. Mall management have said they are optimistic that foot traffic will rebound and several vacant storefronts have been leased in recent months. The soon-to-be-closed store is the only Michael Kors in San Francisco, though the luxury brand operates other locations across the Bay Area, including in Livermore, Petaluma and Napa, according to its website. (Photo: Open Doors UK and Ireland) Some 380 million Christians are living in contexts of persecution and discrimination for their faith, according to Open Doors. The Christian organisation published its annual World Watch List on Wednesday, ranking North Korea as the worst country in the world for the persecution of Christians - the same spot the hermit communist country has occupied for the last two decades. Despite terrifying reprisals for being a Christian - including execution and imprisonment in labour camps - Open Doors estimates there are between 300,000 and 500,000 Christians in North Korea. "It is almost impossible for these Christians to gather for worship. For those who dare to meet, utmost secrecy is essential for their survival," says the report. "If discovered by the North Korean government, Christians face deportation to a political prison camp, hard labour or execution. Sharing one's faith or bringing religious literature into the country may lead to detention and forced labour." China - which itself ranks 15th on the list - is accused of being "complicit" in "crimes against humanity" for forcibly repatriating hundreds of escapees to North Korea with no concern for the fate they face upon their return, including reports of torture and imprisonment. The repatriated escapees who have converted to Christianity are treated more severely, Open Doors said. The report says that authoritarianism is growing across Central Asia where it citizens are subject to "excessive state surveillance", and there are restrictions on Christian gatherings. Even in countries where Christians are the majority there can be discrimination, with the authorities in Nicaragua and Cuba targeting Christians and churches that criticise them. In some countries, worship gatherings are being disrupted by extremists or vigilantes, and in other places, like Algeria, Christians who want to attend church are being forced to register with the authorities. 2024 also saw the "rapid" rise of digital persecution. "New technology is allowing authoritarian governments (especially China) to restrict Christian communities through surveillance and censorship," the report says. "This has only intensified due to the growth in artificial intelligence (AI). Elsewhere, extremists are using drones in their attacks or are policing what Christians may say on messaging apps. "The implications for freedom of religion or belief are only now beginning to be discussed." In the last year, violence against Christians has intensified across 15 sub-Saharan countries, triggering a "displacement crisis". The report attributes the increase to Islamist extremists capitalising on government instability. Persecution is on the rise in Burkina Faso (20th), Mali (14th) and Chad (49th), which entered the top 50 for the first time. In Nigeria (7th), Christians face "extreme" persecution. "The Sahel region of Africa has become a hotspot for forced displacement, with Nigeria at the epicentre," Open Doors said. "Radical Islamist violence in Nigeria has been a factor in driving more than three million people from their homes, and the terror group Boko Haram has begun using drones to hunt down Christians who are fleeing for their lives." This is an example of a vehicle dangerously attempting to navigate between plows during an echelon operation. This type of behavior creates significant hazards for everyone involved, police say. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Scientists shed light on construction of dynamic supramolecular snub cubes Xinhua) 13:28, January 16, 2025 TIANJIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in the construction of dynamic supramolecular snub cubes, according to Tianjin University, a participant of the international research. Their study tackled a long-standing challenge in supramolecular chemistry, which was the stereospecific assembly of artificial polyhedra with mechanical properties and guest-binding attributes, akin to biological encapsulants such as viral capsids and ferritin. The snub cube, one of 13 Archimedean solids described by ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, has long fascinated scientists due to its intrinsic topological chirality and structural complexity. However, achieving the stereospecific assembly of such a polyhedron has been a formidable challenge until now. The research team leveraged hierarchical chirality transfer protocol to accomplish the stereospecific assembly of enantiomeric supramolecular snub cubes. These snub cubes exhibit remarkable complexity and precision in structure, featuring 38 faces and having an external diameter of 5.1 nanometers. In addition, the cube has a spherical void with a diameter of 2.3 nanometers. The cubes exhibit reversible photochromic behavior, including changing their color under different wavelengths of light, and manageable mechanical properties, such as photocontrollable elasticity and hardness. These observations reveal that the snub cubes are not only a significant feat of structural design but also promising candidates for developing smart materials and advanced optoelectronic devices. The chiral porous superstructure of snub cubes could have applications in fields ranging from chiral separation to drug delivery. Hu Wenping, who led the Tianjin University's research team, said this type of fundamental research has the potential to drive innovation across a range of disciplines -- from new materials to biomedicine and chemical engineering. The findings have been recently published in the academic journal Nature. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Visitors at the grand stairs at Alta Plaza Park in 2018. The park and others across San Francisco will get new benches thanks to a large bequest from San Francisco resident Ben Bobo. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle A bequest by San Francisco resident Ben Bobo will pay for new park benches across the city including Alta Plaza Park in Pacific Heights, which he frequented with his golden retriever, Chad. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle The view from Alta Plaza Park in San Francisco. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle South-facing benches at Alta Plaza Park will be replaced with an upgrade, thanks to a surprise bequest from former neighbor Ben Bobo. Sam Whiting/The Chronicle South facing benches at Alta Plaza Park will be replaced with an upgrade thanks to a surprise bequest from a neighbor. Sam Whiting/The Chronicle Longtime San Francisco resident Ben Bobo liked to walk his golden retriever, Chad, in Alta Plaza Park near his home in Pacific Heights so he decided that it would be a friendly gesture to leave a portion of his estate to pay for some new city park benches. After Bobos death in 2023, that portion turned out to be $3.6 million a huge windfall that astonished city parks officials and local residents, and probably would have surprised even Bobo himself, according to his estates executor. In fact, the sum would pay for far more benches than the park system can use. So the Recreation and Parks Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to approve a plan to install 81 new park benches citywide, at a cost of $700,000, with the rest of the bequest going to capital improvements and general maintenance in the park system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad This is one of the most surprising and delightful forms of philanthropy a person who simply loved our parks and wanted to share that joy with others, said Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg. Bens legacy ensures that happiness will be paid forward to countless others. The bequest was also a complete surprise to the regulars at Alta Plaza Park when a reporter told them about it this week. Nobody seemed to remember Bobo, described by his accountant Kim Ridinger as a quiet man who lived in a flat on Clay Street near the terraced parks southern entrance and had been in declining health in recent years. I was blown away, just gobsmacked when I learned about it, said Anita Denz of the Friends of Alta Plaza Park, who has lived near the park since 1969 and did not know Bobo or Chad or recognize their names. For that amount of money, he deserves ample recognition. Alta Plaza will get 31 new form-fitting benches on the south-facing rise, replacing the rigid old green slat models, plus other upgrades. The other 50 will be spread around the system with concentrations in the new Great Highway park, the JFK Promenade in Golden Gate Park, and McLaren Park. As stated in Bobos will, each new bench area will bear a plaque stating in Memory of Ben, Rory and Chad, to honor Bobo, who died in 2023, his partner, Rory Healy, who died in 1991, and their dog, who has also died and was cremated. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Following Thursdays approval, the plan goes to the Board of Supervisors for final acceptance. It must then be approved by the probate judge for Bobos estate. There is no timeline on construction of the new benches, which will replace worn-out green benches in Alta Plaza and elsewhere. There will be ample funds left over to spruce up dog play areas in parks citywide, a favorite activity of Chad the retriever. William Benjamin Bobo, who went by Ben, grew up in Indiana and came to San Francisco after his release from military service, according to Ridinger, the executor of his estate. Once here, he started a furnishings and business called Bobo and Associates, with a showroom in the design district South of Market. By the early 2000s, when Ridinger began doing his tax return, Bobo had already retired to the pair of flats he owned on Clay, living on the top floor and renting out the lower unit. He also owned income property in the Castro District. Bobo was tall, about 6-foot-3, and worked out daily, in addition to his visits to Alta Plaza. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People may not remember him because he wasnt very talkative, said Ridinger. He was hard of hearing. Ten years ago, Bobo asked Ridinger to manage his estate and gave him a copy of the will, of which 80% was to go to Rec and Park for benches and 20% to the SPCA, minus specific gifts to relatives and friends. He never mentioned the benches, said Ridinger. He just gave me the will and said, This is what I want done. He didnt have the hearing aid in when he told me. Bobo died in August 2023 at age 87 due to a combination of Alzheimers and Parkinsons. Ridinger sold the two-flat building Bobo owned on Clay Street, which left an estate worth $5 million, mostly in capital gains on real estate. When Ben made his will he had no idea it would be worth this amount, said Ridinger. The properties he owned were worth as much as 10 times what he paid for them. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The $700,000 allotment to build and install 81 benches comes down to $8,641 per bench comparatively less than the $15,000 minimum donation required to build and maintain a memorial bench for 15 years in the gardens of Golden Gate Park, according to the nonprofit that helps operate them. Rec and Park was notified of Bobos gift in a phone call last spring to Joel Riddell, assistant director of partnerships, Ridinger said. Riddell declined to comment, but Ridinger said he was told a will bequest for a park bench usually amounts to about $20,000, including plaque and maintenance for 20 years. When Riddell was told this bequest was for $3.6 million, he was totally flabbergasted, as you can imagine, said Ridinger. Ridinger acknowledged that $3.6 million is too much money just for park benches. Rec and Park Commission President Kat Anderson, who has been on the board for nine years, said she had never heard of a bequest that large, let alone for park benches. I see this gift as being about community and connections and the fact that Mr. Bobo wanted to provide comfort so you could linger in your leisure, she said. Thats a wonderful thing. I cant wait to go sit on one of Ben Bobos benches. The deal worked out between Ridinger and Riddell calls for 20% of the gift to go for benches citywide, and 40% to pay for improvements to Alta Plaza. The other 40% will go to general maintenance in the parks. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Bobos instructions for the plaque installation have also been modified. Ridinger said it would be more tasteful to spread the plaques out rather than have one on each bench in a row of them. UNICEF Moldova Country Office invites interested companies to submit their proposals for: Conducting an Assessment of (Pre)School Nutrition Policies, Interventions and Programmes, and Marketing of Unhealthy Food to Children in Moldova Qualified companies are invited to submit their proposals by email to chisinautenders@unicef.org, with RFP number LRPS-2025-9195380 in the email subject line. Application deadline: 06.02.2025, 23:59 The submission shall include the following: Please find additional assignment details in the Terms of Reference (ToR) enclosed as Annex B in the RFP document published at https://sc.undp.md/tnddetails_un2/2986/ Alte articole de la acest autor: Moldova pentru Educatie: Liceul Teoretic O. Ghibu din Orhei va avea unul dintre cele mai moderne blocuri alimentare din tara With approximately 1.2 million Moldovans living abroad (2020 data from UNDESA), outward migration and internal rural-to-urban migrationoften driven by climate change-related factorshave long been among the most pressing socioeconomic challenges for the country. While many members of the more than one-million-strong diaspora are well integrated abroad, they yearn to re-connect with the homeland and to contribute to its prosperity with skills and resources. The Republic of Moldovas diaspora engagement at institutional, policy and coordination framework and programming remain mostly of declarative nature, with limited impact on valorising the diasporas material resources, skills, networks, and partnerships for the countrys development. The Republic of Moldova's agriculture-dependent economy is highly vulnerable to climate change, which threatens food security and rural livelihoods. Predicted temperature increases of 23C by 2050, alongside changing precipitation patterns, are expected to intensify droughts, impacting agriculture and driving rural-to-urban and international migration. Moreover, in recent decades, the frequency and intensity of natural hazards that escalate into disasters have significantly increased in most countries worldwide, while the number and consequences of human-induced disasters have not diminished. Floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves or cold spells, ice and snow, landslides, earthquakes, and wildfires have been the most significant risks posed by natural hazards. Among human-induced disasters, industrial accidents, the loss of critical infrastructure integrity, and transport accidents rank high on the list of potential dangers. The result is the risk of loss of lives, health, and livelihoods, the destruction of infrastructure, environmental degradation, and a decline in economic activity and development, leading to substantial economic losses and societal impact. To address these challenges, Moldova developed its climate change adaptation legislative and institutional framework, including the National Climate Change Adaptation Programme until 2030 and the Action Plan for its implementation, the Development Program for Reduced Emissions until 2030, National Strategy for Agricultural and Rural Development for 2023-2030, and the National Development Plan for 2024-2026. These initiatives are implemented by various line Ministries and subordinated Agencies align with the "European Moldova 2030" strategy to foster climate resilience and sustainability. The Republic of Moldova has made significant strides in disaster risk reduction as well, employing an approach that includes national, local, and sector-specific initiatives. The country's proactive efforts are highlighted by the development of the Program for the Prevention and Management of Emergency and Exceptional Situations for 20222025, the Flood Risk Management Plans for 2022-2027, and the National Drought Plan (2019), aimed at enhancing resilience in emergency situations, against floods and droughts respectively. Additionally, various local public authorities have implemented sustainable energy and climate action plans, and sector-specific adaptation measures for forestry, health, energy, and transport, though many are yet to be formally adopted. The Government of Moldova is increasingly recognizing disaster risk reduction (DRR) as a critical national priority, given the significant impact of natural and human-induced disasters on human lives, infrastructure, and the economy, as well as their effects on individual mobility. At the same time, the Government acknowledges the essential role and responsibility of authorities in addressing the multidimensional challenges of migration, which require both horizontal and vertical engagement across all sectors and levels of governance. For Moldova, the theme of Multi-Hazards and Systemic Risks is currently of high importance, due to: i) the Governments work on planning the disaster risk management and resilience to disasters (a draft strategy exists, referred to below, for which two implementation plans will need to be developed in early 2025); ii) Moldova being the most climate-change impacted country in Europe, as per different rankings; iii) the war in neighbouring Ukraine, and the inflow of persons displaced by the war (one million UA nationals and TCNs transiting Moldova; and ~ 100 000 persons remaining in Moldova), creates the exact perfect storm of Multi-Hazards and Systemic Risks, compounded / aggravated by the pressure of absolute energy dependence, limited alternatives, risks of frozen cities etc. the still fresh COVID vulnerabilities. In this context, the Ministry of Environment has developed and adopted in December 2024 a National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy for 20242030[1]. This strategy aims to define and plan the Government's long-term public policy over the next six years in the field of DRR in the Republic of Moldova. The new strategy serves as a strategic planning document, providing a comprehensive, intersectoral, and multidisciplinary framework to coordinate efforts and guide the policies and activities of entities involved in disaster risk reduction across the Republic of Moldova. This strategy will contribute to fulfilling the commitments undertaken by the Republic of Moldova under the EU Association Agreement. It will also address obligations stemming from the countrys status as a UN member state, specifically concerning disaster risk management On its basis, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Interior and other relevant central public authorities responsible for Strategy implementation will develop National Programs on Disaster Risk Reduction at sectoral level, in support of implementation of the Strategy. The Governments efforts require sustained commitment and inter- and intra-sectoral collaboration to address the increasingly complex and interconnected challenges associated with disaster risk reduction, including the integration of human mobility considerations into disaster management plans. To achieve this, additional support is needed for national authorities to ensure a whole-of-the-government approach which requires horizontal and vertical engagement, across all sectors and levels of government. Taking into account its mandate, the IOM, as the UN Migration Agency, is supporting the Government of Moldova in integrating migration and mobility considerations into the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) policies. The IOM support seeks to align Moldovas national frameworks with international standards and guidelines, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 20152030, which emphasizes the importance of including all stakeholders in DRR efforts, and the Global Compact for Migration, which underscores both the impact of disasters on internal and international displacements and the role of migration in enhancing resilience to disasters. By fostering a holistic and inclusive approach, this assignment aims to enhance national resilience to disasters, reduce vulnerabilities, and strengthen the adaptive capacities of individuals and communities, particularly those on the move. Moreover, to support the Moldovan Government, as well as national and international partners, in effective disaster risk management, IOM could implement its DTM Fragility, Solutions, and Mobility (FSM) Index[2] in Moldova. The FSM Index helps identify root causes of fragility through data to address protracted displacement. With an aim to help achieve durable solutions for vulnerable communities, the FSM Index provides data on stability, peace, development, recovery and reintegration dynamics. By utilizing the FSM Index, IOM would gather and analyze relevant data to disseminate critical, multilayered information on risks, including hazards, potential exposure (such as through mobility or lack thereof), and the vulnerabilities and needs of displaced and mobile populations. This would enable decision-makers and responders to design and implement context-specific programming. Currently, within Moldovan context there is no similar country wide systematic data collection, analysis or reporting activity related to fragility. The capacity of Government of Moldova offices also remains very low to implement such a system resulting in public sharing of information. This activity will complement other DTM activities in Moldova (such as Mobility Tracking and Flow Monitoring activities). Furthermore, the analysis and reporting resulting from the implementation of DTMs FSM Index would be designed to complement other actors non-systematic and local efforts, helping to identify areas of implementation (thematic as well as geographic), especially in connection to disaster risk reduction and community stabilization activities. Moreover, IOM has developed and conducted worldwide, including in Moldova Migration Governance Indicators (MGI) assessments at the national level in 2017, 2018, 2020, and 2021, as well as one at the local level in Cahul and Balti in 2023. The resulting country profiles highlight examples of well-developed areas within governance structures and identify areas with potential for further improvement, as evaluated across the six domains of the MGI in Moldova. These domains cover migrants rights, a whole-of-government approach, partnerships, the socioeconomic well-being of migrants, the mobility dimensions of crises, and safe and orderly migration. The fifth domain, explicitly titled Mobility Dimensions of Crises, examines the type and level of preparedness of countries when addressing mobility-related aspects of crises. This includes evaluating processes for assisting nationals and non-nationals during and after disasters, particularly whether humanitarian assistance is equally available to migrants and citizens. In 2023, the Mobility Dimensions of Crises domain was assessed for the first time in the local MGI exercises conducted in Cahul and Balti. In this context, IOM will support the capacity building of relevant stakeholders involved in DRR, including national and local authorities, humanitarian organizations, CSOs, community leaders etc. to enhance their knowledge and skills in climate change and disaster risk mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and mobility nexus, with the long-term goal of adopting coherent and effective DRR mechanisms and the National DRR strategies and policies. Focus would be on community-based DRR to encourage the participants to work closer with local communities that are exposed to disaster risks. A gender-sensitive approach will be applied for the trainings as both women and men have roles, responsibilities, vulnerabilities, and resilience capacity and may therefore be affected differently by disasters. Against this background within the Multisectoral support to respond to needs of refugees and host communities in the Republic of Moldova project financed by Japan Government, IOM is supporting Moldovan institutions to develop strengthened means to integrate the needs of displaced populations and people on the move in relevant policies and processes. More specifically, within the current assignment, IOM aims to support the designated DRR mandated authoritythe Ministry of Environmentin the development of the National Sectoral Program on Disaster Risk Reduction and its implementation monitoring framework, supporting the integration of the human mobility dimension of crisis, and increasing the capacities to relevant stakeholders in implementing DRR National Program, contributing to more data-driven decision-making and policy formulation. Objective: To support this approach, IOM will engage a national consultant to support the development of the National Program on Natural Disaster Risk Reduction for 2025-2030. As per the provision of the recently adopted National DRR Strategy 2024-2030, the National Sectoral Program will include a comprehensive analysis of the recent developments in the respective field, provide detailed policy options, and ensure adherence to human rights principles and standards. Additionally, the National Sectoral Program will incorporate targets and monitoring indicators for the SDGs and the Sendai Framework, as well as human mobility related metrics, relevant to the specific sector, adapted to the national context of the Republic of Moldova. This will include, developing specific metrics to address all relevant dimension of crises, including human mobility once, and enhancing the capacities of relevant stakeholders to incorporate these considerations when developing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating Sectoral DRR Program. Target: National Program on Natural Disaster Risk Reduction for 2025-2030 and its Implementation Plan are drafted, submitted to the Ministry of Environment and consulted with the relevant national stakeholders. The National Program on Natural Disaster Risk Reduction for 2025-2030 will include specific objectives for reducing the natural disaster risks, will propose measurable metrics to track progress in reflecting human mobility - disaster risk management efforts nexus. Additionally, relevant stakeholders have enhanced capacities and skills in addressing the nexus between climate change, disaster risk mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery, and human mobility. [1] National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy for 20242030. https://www.legis.md/cautare/getResults?doc_id=146236&lang=ro [2] Solution and Mobility Index | Displacement Tracking Matrix Migration Governance Unit of IOM Moldova is responsible for coordinating and overseeing this assignment within the Multisectoral support to respond to needs of refugees and host communities in the Republic of Moldova project financed by Japan Government. Education Work Experience Skills and other requirements: Required Competencies IOMs competency framework can be found at this link. Competencies will be assessed during the selection process. Values - all IOM staff members must abide by and demonstrate these three values: Core Competencies behavioural indicators Notes For further information and other job postings, you are welcome to visit our website: IOM Careers and Job Vacancies Alte articole de la acest autor: UNICEF Moldova is hiring a National Individual Consultant to National Individual Consultant to build the capacity of the Local Public Authorities on formulating, implementing, and reporting on child friendly budgets. To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have Advanced University Degree in economics, finance, international development, or a related field; A solid knowledge of PFM instruments and proven experience (at least 8 years) with government social sector budget process and budget analysis, at national and decentralised levels; Familiarity with the child rights and social protection in Moldova; Experience with collecting and working with complex financial data sets; Demonstrated experience conducting capacity building with public servants, and familiarity with ethical guidelines when working with human subjects; Fluency in Romanian, both oral and written; Working knowledge of English is a minimum. Good command of English is a strong asset, both oral and written. For every Child, you demonstrate UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). How to apply: To read more detailed information and apply for this position, please visit UNICEF webpage: https://jobs.unicef.org/en-us/job/578541/national-individual-consultant-to-build-the-capacity-of-the-local-public-authorities-on-formulating-implementing-and-reporting-on-child-friendly-budgets Application deadline: 30 January 2025 Remarks: UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered staff members under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEFs policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. Trusts and foundations have been urged to take more risks with their money in order to benefit the smaller charities they support. Speaking at an event organised by the Cranfield Trust on Tuesday, Essex Community Foundation chief executive Caroline Taylor said funders should support experimentation from smaller charities so they can unlock creative solutions to complex challenges. She told the audience at Mercers Hall in London that funders should use our influence to advocate for better funding models and highlight the critical role that smaller charities play in society. As part of the same panel discussion, recently appointed National Lottery Community Fund chair Julia Cleverdon said more work should be done to increase philanthropy in the UK, particularly at a local level. Relentless cycle of short-term funding Taylor said smaller charities have faced a series of challenges including a relentless cycle of short-term funding which means it is difficult to plan, innovate or collaborate. She said her own organisation had reviewed its strategy to include more multi-year core cost grants after finding a pattern of annual project funding. Taylor said funders need to create spaces for charities to connect and learn. Smaller charities often have brilliant ideas but lack the capacity and sometimes confidence to test them, she said. So, supporting experimentation can unlock creative solutions to complex challenges. I think, as grant funders, we must take more risks with our money and not just simply play it safe. Its important to be a champion In terms of non-financial support funders should offer to charities, Taylor said leadership development, governance advice and strategic planning can be transformative, but must be tailored to the realities of smaller charities. She said it was also important for funders to be a champion of the charities they support. We can use our influence to advocate for better funding models and highlight the critical role that smaller charities play in society, she said. Certainly, in the development of our latest strategy, the sector in Essex has asked us to do just this, to use our influence and our voice to advocate for them, to stand by them and to build better understanding about how they work and the value they offer. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, A court has ruled that a farming charity was not liable to pay hundreds of thousands in VAT on admission fees for its annual event after a challenge by HMRC. Last week, the Upper Tribunal dismissed HMRCs appeal against the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) over its tax liability for the 2016 annual Great Yorkshire Show. The charity had previously paid standard-rate VAT on its admission income for the four-day event. But in April 2020, it made a voluntary disclosure to HMRC of overdeclared output tax and overclaimed input tax, arguing that it should have been exempted as the show is a charity fundraising event. YAS subsequently submitted a net VAT repayment claim of 201,949 for its 2016 show before declaring that it had also treated the 2017 show as exempt from VAT. In May 2021, HMRC refused the claim and later assessed that YAS owed 90,776 for the VAT period ending December 2017 relating to admission fees, sponsorship income, and advertising. YAS appealed to the first-tier tribunal (FTT) against HMRCs refusal of the claim and assessment, and the court ruled in favour of the charity in 2023 . HMRCs appeal against the FTTs decision, which was heard by the Upper Tribunal last October, was dismissed on 9 January. Upper Tribunals decision In its submission to the Upper Tribunal, HMRC argued that the charity should be liable for VAT because the primary purpose of the show was not solely to raise funds. However, the Upper Tribunal agreed with the FTT that the two main purposes of the show were fundraising and education, which were of equal importance and were inter-dependent, meaning the charity was not liable to pay VAT. The Upper Tribunal also agreed with the FTT on the EU Principal VAT Directive, which allows member states to exempt from VAT supply of services and goods in connection with fundraising events exclusively for their own benefit in the public interest, provided that it is unlikely to distort competition. It concluded: HMRCs appeal against the FTTs decision to allow the 2016 repayment claim by the society is dismissed. YAS: The financial implications are significant for us A YAS spokesperson told Civil Society it was delighted by the decision. We hope this recent decision marks a conclusion for the society after a long legal journey, they said. The financial implications are significant for the society, and this decision comes as a welcome boost to us and our continuous year-round work to support the farming community and promote agriculture. They said the profits raised through the charitys activities at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate, which includes the Great Yorkshire Show, fund our mission as a registered charity to deliver meaningful support to those working in farming. This entails providing opportunities for professional development and wellbeing support to farmers, awarding grants, bursaries and scholarships, and organising events and competitions to enhance young peoples understanding of farming, food and the countryside. HMRC told Civil Society that it is carefully considering the latest judgment. More cases likely to follow In a briefing this week, audit firm RSM said the case represents another milestone following the UKs exit from the EU and urged charities to take note. More cases on similar points of interpretation are likely to follow as significant doubt still abounds on the proper interpretation of UK VAT law during its transition from the EU, the briefing reads. Now is the time for charities to consider their position to see whether they could also benefit from this decision where exemption was ruled out in the past. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. As the sun set over Israel and Palestine, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the prime minister of Qatar, gave a press conference, announcing that, after weeks of negotiations in Doha, the two parties had agreed to a ceasefire. The deal is expected to take effect on Sunday, he said; there are still some logistics being ironed out, and Israels cabinet would vote on the deal in the morning. President Joe Biden followed the briefing with his own: This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, he said, but its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration. Later, Isaac Herzog, Israels president, gave a broadcast address, calling upon his countrys leadership to accept the terms: Lets bring our sons and daughters home. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, thanked Donald Trump for assuring him that Gaza will never be a haven for terror. Across the region, all eyes were glued to the news. In Gaza, the announcement precipitated scenes of jubilation. While the camera rolled, Anas Al-Sharif, a journalist for Al Jazeera, removed his protective gear, surrounded by a huddle of cheering men. I can finally take off this helmet, which has exhausted me throughout this period, he said. And this vest, which has become part of my body for so long, always accompanying me. The men lifted Al-Sharif into the air. I remember my colleague Ismail Al-Ghoul, who would have been standing in my place to announce this news, he said. We miss Ismail Al-Ghoul. We miss Rami Al-Rifi. We miss our colleagues Samer Abu Daqah and Hamza Al Dahdouh. All four journalists were killed in Israeli strikes while covering the war. The mood in Tel Aviv was hopeful, if perhaps more subdued, as people gathered in a part of the city center that has, since the start of the war, become known as Hostages Square, for its concentration of memorials and tributes. Israeli media reflected a cautious optimism. On Channel 12, the most widely viewed broadcast network, a presenter named Danny Kushmaro read out the terms of the deal on the eight oclock news: beginning on Sunday, thirty-three hostages will be releasedthe majority of them alive, he said. Kushmaro detailed the number of Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange: One thousand Palestinian prisoners, men and women, under the age of nineteen will be released. They include terrorists, murderers, and prisoners serving a life sentence. The second phase of the agreement, planned to begin in about two weeks, he said, will with great hope see the return of the rest of the living hostages. He added a note of caution: Hamas, he said, is a murderous terrorist organization, and its difficult to have faith in it. On Channel 13, another commercial news broadcast station, Lior Kenan shared a similar sentiment: Until its done, its not done, she said. Theres no euphoria, Judah Ari Grossa former reporter for the Times of Israel, now an editor at eJewishPhilanthropy, which covers Israel and the Jewish worldtold me. This is not All the hostages are being released now and everyone gets to breathe a sigh of relief. That, he said, is still many steps away. There is significant concern about what Israel is giving up in return. Israelis have seen this before, and theyve seen some of those Palestinian prisoners, such as Yahyah Sinwar, go on to do horrifying things, he told me. Sinwar, the Hamas leader who spearheaded the planning of the October 7 attack, was one of more than a thousand prisoners released in 2011 in exchange for an Israeli soldier named Gilad Shalit, who had been kidnapped and brought to Gaza. The general mood is that this is sort of a necessary step, but I dont know anyone who is thrilled, Gross said. Chen Liberman, a journalist for Channel 12s Uvda (fact)Israels version of 60 Minutestold me that social media quickly lit up with political commentary about the deal. Even in this very happy, joyful moment, theres still all these pro- and anti-Bibi arguments about who gets the credit, who doesnt get the credit, she said. Mostly, though, the focus is on the hostages: Finally things are happening, she said. Abed Abu Shehadehthe host of Al-Midan, a popular Arabic-language podcast that caters to Palestinian citizens of Israelsaid that feelings within his community are mixed. People are happy. Theres a sense of relief, he told me. Even so, theres this realization that its a new chapter in the Palestinian consciousness, especially in Gaza. It will take time, he said, before the Palestinian community is able to process the destruction of the past fifteen months. Were just now realizing what happened. Sign up for The Media Today, CJRs daily newsletter. After seven years in the US, TikTok could go dark for its US-based users as soon as this weekend. The apps future is currently in the hands of the Supreme Court, which is expected to decide any dayor even minutewhether to uphold a ban thats set to kick in on January 19, the deadline set by President Biden and Congress when they legislated the ban in April last year, citing national security concerns linked to TikToks ownership by a Chinese company. While the courts ruling is still uncertain, several experts told The Verge that the justices didnt seem swayed by the last-ditch plea of TikToks parent company, ByteDanceessentially, that the ban violates the First Amendmentduring oral arguments last week. If the ban is enforced, it could be one of the most significant interventions that the US government has made in the social media landscape, affecting a hundred and seventy million Americans. According to The Information, citing anonymous sources, if TikTok is banned, it will immediately shut off for its existing US-based usersa departure from the prior expectation that it would remain accessible to people who have already downloaded it. (When opening the app post-ban, users are now expected to see a pop-up message that directs them to information about the ban.) Per NBC News, however, the outgoing Biden administration is exploring options to avoid this immediate outcome. Whatever happens on that front, it will certainly become illegal for app stores owned by Google and Apple to distribute, maintain, or update the app within the US if the ban goes into effect. Violating these rules will result in a hefty five-thousand-dollar fine per American user, which, as the New York Times notes, would add up to a penalty of billions of dollars. Rival platforms are poised to swoop in as soon as TikTok is out of the picture; indeed, some are already benefiting from the impending ban. Meta and Google stand to gain the most financially, according to a new analysis from eMarketer; TikTok had challenged both companies dominance of the digital advertising market, but they could now collectively mop up more than half of the ad spending on TikTok. Platforms owned by Meta and Google have also tried to copy TikTok by developing their own short-form video features. These will surely see a flow of new users should a ban be enforcedthough some TikTok users have expressed outright resistance to the idea of switching to a Meta platform, claiming that the companys reels feature on Instagram is out of date and lacks TikToks captivating (and, some would say, highly addictive) personalized algorithm. I would rather dropship my DNA to the CCP before I watch an Instagram reel, one influencer quipped (referring to the Chinese Communist Party). Wanting to stay within the ByteDance universe, and seemingly to spite the US government, thousands of users are already migrating to TikToks sister app Lemon8, a lifestyle communityfocused platform. According to NBC News, TikTok encouraged this migration by ramping up advertisements for Lemon8 in the run-up to the ban and has even sent notifications to its users suggesting that they download it. The campaign appears to have been effective: Lemon8 is currently ranked number two in Apples App Store at the time of this publication. It trails only Xiaohongshu, a different Chinese app independent of ByteDance, which has become another popular alternative to TikTok. Xiaohongshu translates to Little Red Book in Mandarin and is sometimes described as the Instagram of China, given that actual Instagram is banned in the country. (The sudden influx of Americans to Xiaohongshu has created an unusual space for exchanges between Chinese and American users, Rest of World reportsthough it seems unlikely that Chinese authorities will tolerate this indefinitely.) The migration to other Chinese-owned platforms largely makes a mockery of the US governments central concern in banning TikTok: that any Chinese-owned tech company could pose a national security risk to US citizens. Private entities in China are legally required to hand over users data on requestwithout questionto the CCP; the US government also worries that the CCP could leverage TikTok to influence public opinion on foreign soil. (Some TikTok users have pushed back on such arguments, suggesting that US social media companies, such as Meta, arent much better when it comes to harvesting data and setting opinions.) During last weeks hearing, Justice Brett Kavanaugh noted that the government worries that China could use sensitive data about US users to develop spies, turn people, blackmail peoplepeople who, a generation from now, will be working in the FBI, the CIA, or the State Department. As I wrote last year in this newsletter, the government has flatly acknowledged that there is no direct evidence that China is using TikTok for propaganda purposes, but insists there is a significant risk that it might. The CPP has a tight grip over Chinese social media companies, such as Douyinthe domestic version of TikTok, also owned by ByteDancewhich is bound by strict censorship rules. Douyin regularly takes down content deemed inflammatory or sensitive by the state: for instance, pro-LGBTQ content, which the CCP claims promotes unhealthy and non-mainstream views on marriage and love. Alan Rozenshtein, an expert at the University of Minnesota Law School, said during an interview with Politicos tech podcast that theres no question the Chinese government is already engaged in massive espionage. With regard to TikTok and China, he said: Theres no smoking gun, but there is a gun, its loaded, its pointed right at us. The question for the court to decide is: Is that enough? During oral arguments last week, a lawyer for TikTok countered that the US arm of the company is an American entity with First Amendment rights. If the bill is enforced, he argued, it would suppress not only the speech of TikTok as a platform but also that of the hundred and seventy million Americans who use the app to express themselves. TikTok also argued that if Congress can prevent US users from posting on TikTok because of its association with ByteDance, a foreign company, then it could also prevent them from engaging with the BBC, which the British government funds through a license fee, or Al Jazeera, which is partially funded by the government of Qatar. Ultimately, though, the justices seemed unconvinced by TikToks free speech argument and more swayed by the governments warnings about the national security risk. Sign up for CJRs daily email If January 19 rolls around without a last-minute lifeboat for TikTok, it wont necessarily be the end for the app in the USthe law banning it stipulated that it could avoid such an outcome by selling, and ByteDance could still choose to divest further down the line. In the past few days, there have been rumors about potential buyers, most notably Elon Musk, who, according to Bloomberg, is in conversation with TikTok about facilitating a sale. TikTok, for its part, denied this report, and maintains that the company has no plans to divest partly because of the complexity of separating its US operations from its global infrastructure. We cant be expected to comment on pure fiction, a TikTok representative told Variety. Finally, there is, of course, the Trump factor. While he initially supported a TikTok ban as president, he has since made a U-turn and promised to keep the app legal in the US. Last month, Trump sent a letter to the Supreme Court urging them to delay the ban, which is set to take effect one day before his inauguration, though lawmakers interviewed by the Washington Post last week questioned how Trump might pull off a rescue mission: I dont know howthe president-elect can simply refuse to enforce the law, Mark Warner, a Democratic senator from Virginia, told the paper. This was not a close call in Congress. Last night, the Post reported that Trump is considering an early executive order that would suspend enforcement of the TikTok ban to allow time to negotiate an alternative solutionthough legal observers quickly expressed skepticism. (Executive orders are not magical documents, Rozenshtein told the Post. Theyre just press releases with nicer stationery.) The Post itself currently has 1.8 million followers on TikTok, where it posts fun and quirky updates about the news, often featuring the same recurring characters. Indeed, various news publications have tried their luck on the platform, in an attempt to connect with younger audiences who are unlikely to open a physical newspaper; individual journalists have also used the app to present their reporting in short, easily digestible videos. A ban would force these newsrooms and journalists to rethink their strategy. So far, most of them seem to be holding their breath, along with all the other creators on the platform, as they wait for the court to rule and for Trump to return. Other notable stories: Yesterday, news broke that Israel and Hamas had finally agreed to a ceasefire deal to end the war in Gaza, at least for now, in exchange for the release of hostages Hamas militants took after attacking Israel on October 7, 2023though at time of writing, the Israeli government had yet to sign off on the deal and air strikes were reportedly continuing in Gaza. For CJR, Yona TR Golding assessed how the ceasefire news was greeted on the ground, and spoke with several journalists in Israel. In Gaza, the announcement precipitated scenes of jubilation, Golding writes; one Al Jazeera reporter removed his protective gear, surrounded by a huddle of cheering men. In Israel, the mood was hopeful, if perhaps more subdued. One reporter said: This is not All the hostages are being released now and everyone gets to breathe a sigh of relief. In Mondays newsletter, we noted the costs that newsrooms in Los Angeles have borne to better cover the devastating recent fires in the city, from dropping paywalls to skipping lucrative TV commercial breaks. It has since been reported, however, that the fires have at least driven audiences to local outlets. Varietys Michael Schneider reports that local TV stations saw tremendous ratings spikes as the first fires sparked last week. Andwhile the LA Times estimates that removing its paywall from fire stories led to a lower subscriber conversion rateits website has apparently seen record-breaking traffic and a huge spike in new subscriptions overall; Nieman Lab has more details. Also for Nieman Lab, Matthew Powers, a professor at the University of Washington, outlined recent research suggesting thatdespite the widespread narrative that it is in irreversible declinereporting on statehouses around the country might actually be seeing something of a renaissance. The research documents the rise of a new generation of statehouse reporters; a growing role for reporters working other beats to bring their expertise to bear on legislative debates; and the influx of new, mostly nonprofit, news organizations whose mission is to fortify state government reporting. And, according to Le Monde, David Pressmanthe Biden administrations combative ambassador to Hungary, which has taken a pronounced authoritarian turn under the government of Viktor Orbanleft the country earlier this week and was followed to the airport by cameras from pro-government propaganda outlets, which have targeted him as a hate figure in recent years. Before leaving, Pressman sat for an interview with Lulu Garcia-Navarro, of the Times, and said that one of the most alarming lessons from his tenure is just how easy it is to actually control people by weaponizing the media against them. The rap artist Drake has sued Universal Music Group NV for defamation in U.S. federal court, accusing the company of putting his life in danger by releasing and promoting a song by his rival and labelmate Kendrick Lamar. In a complaint filed in the Southern District of New York on Wednesday, Drake whose given name is Aubrey Drake Graham detailed multiple incidents of violence that occurred at his home in Toronto last spring after Universal released Lamars so-called diss track Not Like Us. The song, which was part of a high-profile public dispute carried out through a barrage of releases from the two artists, falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him, according to the complaint. Even though UMG enriched itself and its shareholders by exploiting Drakes music for years, and knew that the salacious allegations against Drake were false, UMG chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists, the suit states. Lamar released Not Like Us in May 2024. Within a week, the song became the most-streamed song ever in a seven-day period, with 96 million streams. The song surpassed more than 1 billion streams on Spotify and has been nominated for five Grammy Awards. Universal knew the allegations within the song were false, according to the lawsuit, but proceeded to promote it because the company understood the inflammatory and shocking allegations were a gold mine. The lyrics repeatedly accuse Drake of engaging in criminal acts, including calling him a certified pedophile and a predator who needs to be placed on neighborhood watch. The songs album art depicted Drakes Toronto home covered in icons that are known to be used by law enforcement and public safety apps to identify sex offenders residences, according to the complaint. The lawsuit made clear that it is not about the artist who created Not Like Us. It is instead entirely about UMG, the music company that decided to publish, promote, exploit and monetize allegations that it understood were not only false, but dangerous. A UMG spokesperson didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. The Netherlands-based company is the worlds largest music company and has represented Drake for more than a decade. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Dr. Grant Colfax is stepping down after nearly six years leading San Franciscos health department. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Dr. Grant Colfax, the San Francisco public health director who helped steer the citys response to COVID-19 and the fentanyl epidemic, is resigning after almost six years on the job. Colfax is the second city department head to step down since Mayor Daniel Lurie was elected in November and the first to do so since Lurie took office last week. Jeffrey Tumlin announced his departure as head of the Municipal Transportation Agency in December. Lurie also recently named a new fire chief. A longtime leader in HIV research and care, Colfax was named by former Mayor London Breed to run the Department of Public Health in 2019. The following year, the coronavirus pandemic arrived, upending the city as Colfax and Breed told residents to stay home to stop the spread of what was then a novel virus. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While San Francisco was praised for its early pandemic response, the city was simultaneously hit with another public health crisis as fentanyl use exploded among local drug users. In 2020 and 2021, about twice as many people in San Francisco died from drug overdoses than COVID-19, with fentanyl accounting for a majority of the deaths. Colfax was at the center of the citys public health response to both COVID-19 and fentanyl, winning praise for his work to contain the virus and expand substance use treatment services. In a statement announcing Colfaxs exit on Thursday, Lurie heralded him as someone who contributed to saving lives of San Franciscans during one of our citys most challenging times. His dedication and work to the health and wellbeing of our citys communities is remarkable, Lurie said. His leadership has enabled our recovery, and I thank him for his service to our city. However, the health department under Colfax also came under scrutiny from some who argued it too heavily favored a harm reduction approach to the drug crisis over abstinence-based programs or other approaches to treating addiction. Breed said last year, Harm reduction, from my perspective, is not reducing the harm. The health department said Colfaxs last day leading the massive city agency will be Feb. 7. Dr. Naveena Bobba, a deputy director in the department, will become acting director after Colfax leaves. Lurie will appoint Colfaxs replacement after considering nominees forwarded by the citys Health Commission. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Colfax began his career with the city as a medical intern at San Francisco General Hospital in 1993. After completing his medical training, he got a job conducting HIV research for the citys AIDS office in 1998, an area where he became a leading public health expert. In 2012, then-President Barack Obama tapped Colfax to be his national HIV/AIDS adviser. Colfax said in a statement that, during his tenure, the city health department had produced results, increased accountability and improved health equity while driving change. He invoked the fentanyl crisis, COVID-19 and the Mpox outbreak the city also responded to while he was leading its public health efforts. We have accomplished much in the past six years, and there is no doubt that the dedicated, hard working and compassionate staff at DPH will continue to deliver for San Francisco, Colfax said. Colfax was credited with helping to add 430 beds to treat people struggling with addiction and mental health issues. The department also launched programs to support people seeking treatment for substance use disorder and lobbied the state and federal governments for reforms to make methadone, a synthetic opioid used to treat people struggling with addiction, more readily available. The health department said in a statement that, on Colfaxs watch, residential treatment admissions for substance use had risen 35% in the past year while the median wait time for a bed had fallen by half. Methadone usage was also up and overdose deaths declined more than 20% last year, the city noted. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Colfax drew on his background in HIV care to help the city distribute more than 55,000 Mpox vaccines during an outbreak that began in 2022. Also, last year, San Francisco recorded its lowest-ever rate of HIV infections. Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi called Colfax an extraordinary public health leader in a statement. From our citys COVID response, to saving Laguna Honda hospital, to expanding primary care and treatment for substance use disorders, Dr. Colfax has led with a data driven, community-centered focus that benefits all San Franciscans, Pelosi said. A judge has dismissed New York Citys lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell. liable for misleading the public about their products, and their commitment to renewable energy and fighting climate change. In a decision on Tuesday, state Supreme Court Justice Anar Patel said the city could not claim its climate-conscious residents were sensitive to how fossil fuels cause climate change, only to then be duped by the oil companies failure to disclose how their fossil fuel products contributed to it. The city cannot have it both ways, Patel wrote. Patel found no proof the oil companies and the defendant American Petroleum Institute conducted greenwashing campaigns, including statements about clean energy and alternative energy, to boost salesof fossil fuel products in the city. She also said general statements such as Exxons claim that its fuel helps people drive cleaner, smarter and longer were too vague to suggest the defendants products had nothing to do with climate change. With about 8.3 million people, New York City said the companies falsely portrayed themselves in ads and social media as climate change leaders despite minimal investments in clean energy such as wind and solar. It sought civil fines and an end to alleged deceptions. Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesman for the citys law department, on Wednesday said the city is reviewing its options. Our complaint alleged that these defendants spent millions to mislead consumers to think that they, and their products, contribute to a clean energy future, he said. They do not. Companies that violate the citys consumer protection laws should be held fully accountable. New Yorkers deserve no less. The oil companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The American Petroleum Institutes general counsel Ryan Meyers said the trade group was pleased with the dismissal. Climate policy is for Congress to debate and decide, not a patchwork of courts, he said. Many U.S. state and local governments have sued oil companies over climate change, including the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Patel ruled one day after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to halt the city of Honolulus own lawsuit against Exxon, BP, Shell and several other oil companies. New York Citys lawsuit began in April 2021, three weeks after a federal appeals court rejected its lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon, BP, Shell, Chevron and ConocoPhillips liable to pay its costs from global warming. The case is City of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corp et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 451071/2021. (Reporting by Stempel in New York. Editing by Jane Merriman and Franklin Paul) AUCKLAND, 16 January 2025: EROAD Limited (ASX/NZX: ERD ) is pleased to announce the appointment of Rebecca Lineham as interim Chief Financial Officer, effective 20 January 2025. As announced last year, this follows the resignation of EROADs current CFO Margaret Warrington, to take up the CFO role at Summerset. While she will no longer serve as CFO, Margaret will remain with the business until 21 February 2025 to provide a smooth transition and handover. Rebecca brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record in financial leadership, strategic thinking and driving performance through innovation. Rebecca has held CFO and senior finance roles at Mint Innovation, Impac Services Group, Daifuku Oceania and Waste Management where she led significant initiatives and led complex financial operations. EROADs recruitment process for a permanent CFO is in progress. Authorised for release to the NZX and ASX by EROADs General Counsel & Company Secretary, Ksenija Chobanovich. For Investor enquiries please contact: Jason Kepecs Jason.kepecs@eroad.com NZ contact: +64 21 990 474 AU contact: +61 47 7711 136 For Media enquiries please contact: Richard Llewellyn richard@shanahan.nz +64 27 523 2362 About EROAD EROAD is a fully integrated technology, tolling and services provider, based in Auckland, New Zealand. They were the first company in the world to implement a GNSS/cellular-based road charging solution across an entire country. They design and manufacture in-vehicle hardware, operate secure payment and merchant gateways and offer web-based value-added services. EROAD modernises road charging and compliance for road transport by replacing paper-based systems with easy-to-use electronic systems. They are the largest provider of road user charges (RUC) compliance in New Zealand, and a leading provider of health and safety compliance and fleet management solutions. EROAD is listed on the New Zealand Stock Exchange (NZX) and Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) under the stock symbol of ERD. Comments from our readers No comments yet Add your comment: Your name: Your email: Not displayed to the public Comment: Comments to Sharechat go through an approval process. Comments which are defamatory, abusive or in some way deemed inappropriate will not be approved. It is allowable to use some form of non-de-plume for your name, however we recommend real email addresses are used. Comments from free email addresses such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc may not be approved. Anti-spam verification: Type the text you see in the image into the field below. You are asked to do this in order to verify that this enquiry is not being performed by an automated process. Related News: SKT - Sky secures iconic sports rights RYM - Ryman completes Retail Entitlement Offer TEM - Transaction in Own Shares FPH launches F&P Nova Nasal mask in NZ and AU Fonterra announces changes to management team March 12th Morning Report WHS FY25 Interim Results teleconference details VGL - Odeon Cinemas Group signs for Vista Cloud DGL - T&G appoints new Director TEM - Transaction in Own Shares A customer is seen using her smartphone in front of an Apple logo at the Jiefangbei Apple Store on September 17, 2024, in Chongqing, China. Apple is in talks with Barclays to replace Goldman Sachs as the tech giant's credit card partner, said two sources familiar with the matter, as the Wall Street giant steps back from its consumer finance ambitions. Credit card issuer Synchrony Financial is also in discussions with Apple about the card partnership, the first source said. Both sources declined to be identified discussing private talks. Several financial firms are vying to replace Goldman, which launched the credit card with Apple in 2019, the sources said. While other lenders are tempted by working with Apple, one of the world's most recognizable brands, they also viewed the original deal terms as risky and unprofitable, sources told Reuters in December 2023. Negotiations between Apple and Barclays have been ongoing for several months, but it may still take months to strike a deal, the first source said. JPMorgan Chase has also been in talks with Apple about the business since last year, Reuters reported previously. Representatives for Apple, Goldman, Barclays and JPMorgan declined to comment. Synchrony did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Goldman's credit card deal with Apple lasts until 2030, but the partnership may end sooner than that, Goldman CEO David Solomon told analysts on an earnings call on Wednesday. In 2024, Goldman transferred its General Motors GM.N credit card business to Barclays that allows customers to earn and redeem reward points on new Buicks, Cadillacs and other GM cars, including electric vehicles. The deal enabled Barclays to expand its card footprint in the U.S. Goldman entered the consumer business nearly a decade ago, aiming to broaden its revenue beyond its traditional mainstays of trading and investment banking. By late 2022, the Wall Street powerhouse decided to scale down its retail ambitions after setting aside billions of dollars to cover potential losses in the business. US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Jan. 15, 2025. President Joe Biden's farewell address Wednesday came with a series of warnings for the future of the country, among them that a rising "oligarchy taking shape" threatens American democracy. "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden said. Biden's comments, delivered from the Oval Office, seemed clearly aimed at billionaire Elon Musk, who has been at the side of President-elect Donald Trump since his election win, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Biden recalled former President Dwight Eisenhower's warning against a "military-industrial complex" in which he used his 1961 farewell address to caution against "the potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power." "Six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex," Biden said. "It could pose real dangers for our country as well." Biden also launched into a sharp criticism of social media platforms, arguing they are neglecting to fact-check. "Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit," he said, appearing to refer to Meta's ending its fact-checking program. Biden warned of the potential perils of artificial intelligence while calling it "the most consequential technology of our time." "Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society," he said. Biden continued, arguing that without safeguards, AI could "spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation." Biden also seemed to swipe at his successor in arguing that the Constitution must be amended to "make clear that no president" is "immune from the crimes that he or she commits while in office." A constitutional amendment would require deep support and bipartisanship at both the federal and state levels, making it unlikely in the near term. His comments appeared to target Trump, who was impeached twice, indicted four times and convicted in Manhattan. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts and has routinely maintained that he did nothing wrong, and federal charges against him were dropped after he won the election. "A president's power is not limited," Biden said. "It's not absolute, and it shouldn't be." Biden also said he wishes the incoming Trump administration success. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Wednesday: "It's not just about the last four years of his administration. He is stepping down from his career. "So you can imagine the president has a lot to say, a lot of thoughts that he wants to share, really touch on the moment that we're in right now," she added. In a letter Wednesday previewing his prime-time remarks, Biden highlighted the parts of his speech that touched on what he views as his key accomplishments, touting persistent job growth, lower prescription drug costs and investments in clean energy to fight climate change. He said in his speech: "Powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps we've taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interest: for power and profit. We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren." He began his farewell address highlighting the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, noting that the incoming Trump administration would implement much of it. If the agreement announced Wednesday afternoon goes into effect this weekend as planned, it would be a breakthrough in the protracted war that has weighed on Biden's presidency and prompted criticism from within his own party. In his letter and his speech, Biden did not refer to Trump by name but made indirect references to him. "I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake. And that's still the case," he said in the letter. He said in his address that serving as president has been "the highest honor of my life." "I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure," he said. "Now it's your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith." Biden has yet to lay out specifics for his post-presidency plans. He and first lady Jill Biden plan to travel directly from the inauguration to Central California for personal time, three administration officials said. They plan to stay in Santa Barbara County, though wildfires in the Los Angeles region could affect their plans, officials said. Last week, a reporter asked Biden about his plans after he leaves office in terms of his role as a political figure: Will he speak out post-presidency or be "out of sight and out of mind"? "I'm not going to be out of sight or out of mind," he responded. San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Wednesday that his city has the funding to hire more police officers in order to improve public safety conditions and coax businesses back into town. "We have to spend our dollars more effectively, more efficiently," he said. "We have the money, and we will hire those police officers." A Levi Strauss heir and philanthropist who had never held public office, Lurie defeated San Francisco's incumbent mayor and took office last week. He spoke on his campaign promises to solve the city's fentanyl crisis and bolster the police force, saying the department currently has 1,400 officers but should have 2,000. Lurie said San Francisco is facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit, but he claimed there is enough money for public safety initiatives. And while he has issued a citywide hiring freeze, he added, it does not include positions around law enforcement or public health. According to Lurie, business leaders will want to return to the city once more people feel safe, adding that law enforcement officials are "committed to working together to make sure we get people off the street and into mental health beds, drug treatment beds." He said he plans to travel to other major cities to convince businesses to come back to San Francisco and said he has already spoken to major corporate leaders like JPMorgan 's Jamie Dimon. "We've fallen down over the last few years. We have neglected the important work," Lurie said. "It's a new day in San Francisco, and we welcome you all back." Stocks @ Night is a daily newsletter delivered after hours, giving you a first look at tomorrow and last look at today. Sign up for free to receive it directly in your inbox. Here's what CNBC TV's producers were watching and what's on the radar for the next session. Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser will be on CNBC TV Thursday in the 1 p.m. hour ET. Citigroup was up 6.5% after reporting Wednesday morning. That's big. That was enough to propel the stock to a new high. It is up 25% in three months. C 3M mountain Citigroup shares over the past three months The next round of big bank results is due Thursday morning Bank of America is 2% from the late November high, up about 12% in the past three months. Morgan Stanley is 4% from the November high, up 16% in three months. PNC Financial is 7% from the November high. The stock is up 4% in three months. U.S. Bancorp is 5.7% from the November high. It's up 8% in three months. M & T Bank is 11% from the November high. Shares are up 8% from three months ago. Taiwan Semi By the time you wake up, the chipmaker will have released its numbers. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing is 7% from the Jan. 6 high and up 10.5% over the past three months. CNBC TV's Kristina Partsinevelos will have the numbers. TSM 3M mountain Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing in the past three months The chips The popular VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is 11% from the July high. The ETF is up 1.6% in three months. Marvell Technology is the big leader over those three months, up 46%. Broadcom is second best in the SMH, up 29.5% in three months. Check out Cadence Design Systems : It's up 11.6% in three months. Nvidia is up 3.5% in three months. Qorvo is down 28% in three months. Microchip Technology is down 24% in three months, and AMD is down 23% in three months. J.B. Hunt CNBC TV's Frank Holland will be tracking the trucker's numbers. The stock is 15% from the February 2024 high. J.B. Hunt is up 6.8% over the past three months. JBHT 3M mountain J.B. Hunt Transport Services over the past three months The transports The SPDR S & P Transportation ETF (XTN) is up 8.3% in three months. It is 5.6% from the late November high. Two Big IPOs Thursday Flowco, the company is a natural gas and oil production company based in Houston. PicoCELA is a communications company based in Tokyo. The Renaissance IPO ETF is up 3.2% in three months and up 28% in the last year. CNBC TV's Bob Pisani will be on the IPO beat Thursday. Target releases holiday sales The stock dropped 1.4% Wednesday. It is 26% from the April high. Target is down 16% in three months. Macy's and Signet Jewelers said this week holiday sales were less than super. Signet is down 23% in three days. Macy's is down 13% in three days. TGT 3M mountain Target over the past three months Fannie, Freddie and Bill Hedge fund giant Bill Ackman is hosting an online show Thursday regarding the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac . Both stocks have been on a tear amid speculation they'll be privatized in the new administration. CNBC real estate reporter Diana Olick spoke to experts recently who were less than certain privatization was imminent. Since the November election, Fannie Mae is up 346%. Since the November election, Freddie Mac is up 371%. Canada's orange juice threat Breaking news editor Brianna Bernath is watching our neighbors to the north, who are threatening to impose tariffs on Florida orange juice if the U.S. goes after Canada. It isn't clear where they'd get their OJ from: They're light on orange trees in Canada, but they are famous for somehow selling milk in bags . Frozen concentrated orange juice futures are down 6.2% in a month. Quantum computing check Quantum Computing was up 55% on Wednesday. Quantum Corp was up about 50%. IonQ was up 33.5% Wednesday. D-Wave Quantum was up 22.4%. Rigetti Computing was up 22% Wednesday. Arqit Quantum was up 14%. After years at the helm of several businesses, Michael Acton Smith was burnt out. But even as his mental health suffered, he believed mindfulness and meditation were just "woo woo" buzz words. It wasn't until his close friend, Alex Tew, recommended meditation that Acton Smith actually gave it a chance. He learned then how truly impactful it could be. "I read a lot of books and looked at research papers, and I realized [mindfulness] is actually neuroscience. It's a way of rewiring the human brain," Acton Smith tells CNBC Make It. The pair came to believe that mindfulness was a mix of "techniques that are actually incredibly valuable, simple at their essence and can make a big impact," Tew says. They wanted to help others see its significance and embrace it, too, and realized there weren't "great vehicles for teaching it to a mainstream audience." Back then, mobile devices were growing in popularity, and the two thought it was the perfect time to distribute techniques like deep breathing and visualization, straight to people's phones. Together, Acton Smith and Tew founded Calm, an app that offers mental health resources like guided meditations, sleep stories and mindful movement exercises. Today, the app has a valuation of $2 billion. Subscriptions to Calm range in price from $14.99 a month to $69.99 a year or a one-time payment of $399.99 that grants access to the app's premium offerings forever. There is also a free version available, with limited content. Acton Smith and Tew, who are also Co-Executive Chairmen of Calm, both had several successful business ventures before starting the app, but it wasn't easy to make mindfulness mainstream. Investors were not at all interested in a product centered around mental health, and this made the Calm app a hard sell. "When you're building a business, you're going to fail more than you'll succeed," Acton Smith says. Here's how the friends and business partners turned Calm into the go-to meditation app that's been downloaded more than 150 million times. 'The Nike of the mind' Acton Smith and Tew, both living in Soho, London at the time, came up with the concept for Calm during one of their usual hangouts. The two would typically play video games and brainstorm business ideas. "I was quite into meditation personally, and had been sort of dreaming of something like Calm for a little while," Tew says. "The kind of lightning bolt moment was: could we take this and make it simpler, more accessible, more relatable to people?" Acton Smith says. "Could we use the smartphone as a form of distribution and change the world? Could we build the Nike of the mind?" In 2020, Calm launched a meditation series with LeBron James. Courtesy of Jacob Harrell for CNBC Make It. Similar to Nike's approach to fitness, Acton Smith and Tew wanted to develop a brand centered on "mental fitness." The pair thought Calm would be better received in California, so they moved to Silicon Valley to market the company but investors in the tech hub were skeptical. "If you think back like a decade, it's hard to imagine now, but no one really was talking about mental health back then. Meditation and mindfulness were these very strange concepts," Acton Smith says. "People would back away from us at parties. Or they'd assume we were building a nonprofit if we talked about it." If you think back like a decade, it's hard to imagine now, but no one really was talking about mental health. Michael Acton Smith Co-founder and Co-Executive Chairman of Calm Initially, they struggled to receive funding because "there didn't seem, on the surface, to be a business in a mobile application that would teach meditation," Tew says. Some thought it was a "terrible idea." It took nearly six months and meeting with over 100 people before Calm secured its first angel investors. Even then, "we didn't raise a ton of money," Tew says. They raised $1.5 million between 2012 and 2014. "We only raised significant capital much later in the journey when we'd really scaled up quite nicely." It was also difficult to get people to pay for a subscription to Calm when there were other free relaxation apps on the market. To differentiate their brand from rivals like Headspace, they focused on making Calm's approach to mindfulness more playful and less serious. The founders of Calm thought the app would be better received in California, so they moved the operation to Silicon Valley. Courtesy of Calm. The founders focused on promoting the app in unique ways. "We kept costs as tight as we could, and we just grew by word of mouth," Acton Smith says. "I think we did get to about eight million downloads" before spending any money on marketing. To draw people in, they designed Calm's website in a way that would induce relaxation, maximized the "bit of press" they were able to get and aimed to make the app enjoyable, with the hope that users who had a good experience would tell their friends. 'To build successful companies, you have to do things differently' A new feature called "Daily Calm" is really what gave the app a boost. "We worked with our brilliant meditation teacher, Tamara Levitt, and she created a unique 10-minute meditation every day with a new quote at the end," Acton Smith says. "And people really looked forward to it." Levitt's voice and storytelling really resonated with users of the app. A fast follow-up to the popular Daily Calm was "Sleep Stories" bedtime stories for adults with playfulness, great sound design, and celebrity storytellers. "I think to build successful companies, you have to go to the edges, you have to do things differently and think differently," Acton Smith says. "So, if you are always trying to conform and fit in, you're rarely going to create that breakout product or company and have that extraordinary success." In 2018, Matthew McConaughey joined Calm as an investor and narrator of one of their Sleep Stories. After that successful partnership, other celebrity endorsements followed. That same year, LeBron James shared on a popular podcast that he used the Calm app's "rain on leaves" soundscape to fall asleep at night. Pop star Harry Styles believed in the app enough to invest in it as well. Both voiced Sleep Stories of their own, which helped broaden Calm's reach to new demographics. Pop star Harry Styles believed in the app enough to invest in it. Styles voiced a Sleep Story of his own for Calm. Courtesy of Jacob Harrell for CNBC Make It. Separately, the banking giant will pay $108.7 million to resolve civil claims by the Department of Justice's Civil Division that it deceptively marketed credit cards to small businesses, among other allegations. The tally includes more than $138 million as part of a non-prosecution agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office in Brooklyn, New York, related to allegations that American Express gave customers "inaccurate tax advice" for two wire products. American Express will pay a total of about $230 million to resolve federal wire fraud investigations and to settle civil allegations of deceptive marketing, the company said Thursday. American Express said it has also reached an "agreement in principle with the Staff of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System," which it expects to finalize in the coming weeks. "Pursuant to the agreements and after crediting, American Express will pay approximately $230 million in total to resolve these matters," the company said. "American Express misled their customers by touting tax breaks that simply didn't exist," said Harry Chavis, special agent in charge for the IRS' New York criminal investigation division, in a statement. "This deceitful marketing campaign ... involved hundreds of employees defrauding their customers and the government," Chavis said. Prosecutors said in a press release that American Express in 2018 and 2019 launched the wire products Payroll Rewards and Premium Wire, which were "marketed as a means to generate tax savings." Customers, which primarily included small- and mid-sized businesses, were told that the fees from the wire payments were tax-deductible as a business expense and that the customers otherwise would have paid taxes on the fees, prosecutors said. Customers also were told that "Membership Reward" points, received in exchange for the transactions, were earned tax-free, and therefore outweighed the true cost of the fees. But that pitch "relied on incorrect tax advice, namely, that the wiring fee was deductible in its entirety as a business expense," prosecutors said. "Incurring a wiring fee far in excess of that offered by competitors in the marketplace for the purpose of generating a personal benefit is not an 'ordinary' and 'necessary' business expense," as is required, they said. An internal investigation into those marketing practices in early 2021 led to about 200 employees being fired, prosecutors said. By November of that year, the two products were discontinued entirely. The separate civil settlement announced Thursday centered on allegations that American Express "deceptively marketed credit cards" through "an affiliated entity that initiated sales calls to small businesses." The practices, which took place from 2014 through 2017, included "misrepresenting the card rewards or fees" and "whether credit checks would be done without a customer's consent," the DOJ said. The practices also allegedly included "submitting falsified financial information for prospective customers, such as overstating a business's income." American Express also allegedly tried to "deceive its federally insured financial institution" to let small-business customers acquire credit cards without the legally required employer identification numbers known as EINs. "The United States alleged that American Express employees used 'dummy' EINs such as '123456788' in opening small business credit cards in 2015 and the first half of 2016," the DOJ said. American Express' settlement agreement with the DOJ's Civil Division does not include an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the company, which denied the allegations about the EINs and deceptive credit card sales practices. "When financial companies engage in deceptive sales tactics or falsify information to cover up a failure to follow applicable regulations, they threaten the integrity of our financial system," principal deputy assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Civil Division, said in a statement. "Today's settlement makes clear that the department will hold accountable those who violate the trust placed in them to follow the rules governing our financial institutions and to be truthful about their business practices," Boynton said. A view shows the office of TikTok after the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest the U.S. assets of the short-video app or face a ban, in Culver City, California, March 13, 2024. The Trump transition team did not respond to requests for comment on the plan. Biden and Trump's positions are reversals from their one-time support for banning the app. "We are not considering deferring enforcement," the official said. "Statutorily, we don't believe we have the authority to do that." Still, a White House official insisted that not enforcing the ban, if it is upheld, is not an option. Taken together, the moves represent parallel efforts by the rival presidents to execute an end run around Congress and the Supreme Court, which is teed up to issue a ruling on the ban at any time. At the same time, Mike Waltz, the incoming national security adviser for Trump, told Fox News Wednesday that the president-elect is ready to intervene to preserve access to the Chinese-owned video app in the American marketplace. And Pam Bondi, Trump's pick for attorney general, refused to commit to enforcing the ban when asked about it during her Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. If the administration moves forward with any such plan, it would mean that the popular app going down would not define his last full day in office, and it would defer the issue to Donald Trump, who is inaugurated on Monday. "Americans shouldn't expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday," an administration official said, adding that officials are "exploring options" for how to implement the law so that TikTok does not go dark on Sunday. President Joe Biden's administration is considering ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S. if a ban that's scheduled to go into effect on Sunday proceeds, according to three people familiar with the discussions. TikTok is considering its options, including the last-ditch possibility that the app goes dark on Sunday, though it could also allow the app to remain active but without future updates and bug fixes. The law in question required ByteDance, TikTok's China-based owner, to divest from the company and find an outside buyer to take over within nine months. That window closes Sunday. The law also provided the president authority to grant a one-time 90-day extension if "significant progress" has been made toward that divestment. The measure was enacted in the name of national security, as lawmakers believed Americans' data was at risk of being compromised by China, or that China could influence Americans through controlling content on TikTok. TikTok which has long said those concerns are meritless and some of its users sued to block the law, challenging it from a First Amendment standpoint. Without a sale, a reprieve for TikTok would mean that those national security concerns would, at least for now, remain unresolved. But just days ahead of the potential ban, throngs of American TikTok users have downloaded other Chinese alternatives that pose similar security issues. Trump, who tried and failed to implement a ban during his first term, vowed on the campaign trail last year to "save TikTok." Biden signed the ban into law as part of a $95 billion measure providing aid to Ukraine and Israel in April. But now his White House is looking to take the teeth out of the law. Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a longtime Biden ally, is among a small set of lawmakers who have appealed to the White House and the Supreme Court to stop the ban. "I'm hopeful that President Biden will listen to the millions of voices who don't want the lights to go out on this app," Khanna said. "He has the power to extend the timeline to try to have a solution that prevents the app from shutting down." Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., also said that he has relayed his concerns about the ban to White House officials and asked them to delay it. He said they replied that they "would take it under consideration" but didn't give a clear answer of what would happen. Late last month, Trump filed a brief with the Supreme Court urging it to hold off on implementing that part of the law, so that the incoming president could "pursue a negotiated resolution" to prevent a TikTok shutdown. In that brief, Trump's attorney John Sauer argued that the president-elect "received a powerful electoral mandate from American voters to protect the free-speech rights of all Americans including the 170 million Americans who use TikTok." Days later, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to ask: "Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?" He attached a graphic showing his broad reach on the short-form video app, which claims 170 million U.S. users. Last week, Supreme Court justices did not appear convinced by TikTok's free speech arguments, though it could decide to temporarily block the law while still ruling against the social media company. During arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts pointed to Congress finding that TikTok's parent company is subject to Chinese laws requiring it to assist in intelligence gathering. "So are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent is, in fact, subject to doing intelligence work for the Chinese government?" he asked. In addressing the free speech concerns, Roberts said that "Congress doesn't care about what's on TikTok." The law is "not saying TikTok has to stop," he added. "They're saying China has to stop controlling TikTok." While TikTok's Asia-headquarters are located in Singapore, its parent company ByteDance resides in Beijing. Some congressional Republicans who voted for the TikTok law said they expect Trump to step in and negotiate a sale to U.S. interests once he takes office. "They have to divest by law, so Trump could play an effective role by finding a buyer He fancies himself as a top negotiator," said Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, a China hawk who was chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee when Congress passed the legislation last year. "Otherwise, I guess it shuts down unless he can find a way to divest it." "A lot of these influencers rely on TikTok," he continued. "They don't want to switch over, but ByteDance is controlled out of Beijing. It's just not a threat to Congress but to our children." Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said there is only one path for TikTok if it wants to continue operating in the U.S.: divestiture. "Congress has already passed the bill," he said. "What I'm hoping for is the owners of TikTok come forward and say, 'We will never share Americans' data with the Communist Party of China and here's how that will be enforced: divesting from the parent company." Shoppers pass a Cartier luxury store, operated by Cie. Financiere Richemont SA, in the Galeries Lafayette SA luxury department store in Paris, France. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Shares of Cartier owner Richemont jumped on Thursday after the luxury group reported a 10% increase in fiscal third-quarter sales even as China demand weighed. Sales rose to 6.2 billion euros ($6.38 billion) at constant exchange rates in the three months to the end of December, which the Swiss luxury brand dubbed its "highest ever" quarterly sales figure. That was well above 1% increase expected by analysts in a consensus cited by RBC, according to Reuters. Richemont shares closed 16.36% higher on Thursday. Other luxury stocks Christian Dior , LVMH and Hermes moved higher at the results marked a positive signal for the health of Europe's luxury sector over the holiday shopping period. watch now Richemont reported double-digit growth across all regions except Asia Pacific, where sales fell 7%, led by an 18% decline in the combined regions of mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau. China, once a key driver of luxury demand, has been a major drag on the sector as it has struggled to emerge from a post-Covid-19 pandemic macro-economic slump. The Swiss company's share price has faced a volatile ride over the past year amid a rejig of its top management and wider fluctuations in the luxury market. The stock jumped on the May appointment of new CEO Nicolas Bos, former head of the group's Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery brand. Shares are currently up 28.75% on the year. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Richemont shares y-o-y. (This is a wrap-up of the key money moving discussions on CNBC's "Worldwide Exchange" exclusive for PRO subscribers. Worldwide Exchange airs at 5 a.m. ET each day.) Investors are looking at opportunities in financials after blockbuster earnings and they're looking ahead to the retail sales report after several companies in the industry raised their guidance. Worldwide Exchange Pick: Digital Realty (DLR) Malcolm Ethridge of Capital Area Planning Group sees Digital Realty Trust outperforming the S & P 500 this year as big tech companies increase their capital expenditure spending. DLR 1Y mountain Digital Realty Trust, 1 year "We have seen an appreciation for the need to house all that data for large language models the hyperscalers are running," said Ethridge on Worldwide Exchange. "You can compare this company to Nvidia as there is a lot more demand than they have supply and that shapes up to be good economics. Microsoft alone is planning to spend $80 billion in 2025 on data center space that is potentially going to go to Digital Realty." Digital Realty Trust reports on Feb. 13. Worldwide Exchange Pick: Goldman Sachs (GS) Sevasti Balafas of Goalvest Advisory sees a strong year ahead for Goldman Sachs after earnings on Wednesday, citing their strong M & A advisory business. GS 1D mountain Goldman Sachs, 1 day "They are going to be a beneficiary of deregulation once the new administration comes in in a pro-growth, deregulation environment, pro-business environment they are in the best position." December Retail Sales Dana Telsey of Telsey Advisory Group expects December retail sales to surprise to the upside after talking with more than 30 companies at the ICR conference this week. The Telsey Advisory Group estimate is 1% compared to the consensus estimate of 0.5%. "What we saw at the [ICR Conference] sales increases were greater than the profits," said Telsey on Worldwide Exchange. "More sales got done during the holiday. The compressed season lead to a sense of urgency and newness and production innovation drove demand." Telsey added that retailers are preparing for potential tariffs and price increases are likely: "It's a headwind last time everyone diversified their sourcing away from China. They are going to do that in an ever more aggressive pace this time. " Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket streaks into orbit after launching from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 2025. Gregg Newton | Afp | Getty Images Blue Origin launched its towering New Glenn rocket for the first time on Thursday, in a crucial milestone for Jeff Bezos' space company. New Glenn thundered off the launchpad in the early morning hours in Florida, reaching space and ultimately making it to orbit as a part of a long-awaited debut mission. Blue Origin also attempted to land the rocket's booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean, but the booster was lost during reentry through the atmosphere. The launch is a defining moment for Blue Origin. Although founded 25 years ago, Bezos' company had yet to begin flying to orbit with its much smaller New Shepard rocket only flying people and research on short jaunts to the edge of space. New Glenn's flight marks Blue Origin's entrance into a market dominated by Elon Musk's SpaceX and is crucial to unlocking the centi-billionaire founder's larger ambitions. No one was on board the New Glenn flight, which carried a single small test payload into space. The rocket was named to honor the late John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station prior on January 16, 2025. Miguel J. Rodriguez Carrillo | Getty Images News | Getty Images Originally the company was aiming for the audacious feat of flying NASA's "ESCAPADE" mission to Mars on New Glenn's debut. But with a dwindling launch window, the agency delayed ESCAPADE to a later launch. Blue Origin also has orders from Amazon 's Project Kuiper for at least 12 launches of its internet satellites, as well as plans to launch the Blue Moon lunar and Orbital Reef space station. Bezos founded Amazon six years before he created Blue Origin. Headquartered in the Seattle suburb of Kent, Washington, Blue Origin has over 10,000 employees there and in half a dozen other major locations around the country, including in industry strongholds of Texas, Florida and Alabama. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp previously told CNBC that Blue Origin has been "in kind of an R&D phase for a long time," an aspect of the company's culture he's trying to change. Blue plans to scale the cadence of New Glenn missions quickly, wanting to perform as many as 10 New Glenn launches this year. Originally targeted for a 2020 debut, the rocket faced years of delays. The mission watch now A few minutes after launch, the rocket's booster separated and returned back through the atmosphere. The booster nicknamed "So You're Telling Me There's a Chance" was attempting to land on the company's barge Jacklyn about 600 miles offshore in the Atlantic Ocean, but fell short. Blue Origin's webcast last showed the booster at an altitude of about 84,000 feet. While New Glenn did not deploy any satellites in orbit on the flight, it carried a small demonstration version of the company's "Blue Ring" spacecraft. Known in the industry as an orbital transfer vehicle (OTV), or space tug, Blue Ring is designed to host satellites and spacecraft, delivering them from the rocket to their intended target. As is typical with an orbital rocket's debut, New Glenn's launch had some bumps along the way, with multiple day delays due to technical issues with the rocket and weather. The rocket The first New Glenn rocket rolling out in preparation for launch. Blue Origin Every weekday the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer holds a "Morning Meeting" livestream at 10:20 a.m. ET. Here's a recap of Thursday's key moments. Jim Cramer, back from the JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco, said Thursday that Bristol Myers Squibb might be the best Club stock for 2025. He's extremely bullish about what he learned about the company's schizophrenia drug Cobenfy and its possible other uses to treat bipolar disorder and Alzheimer's disease-related psychosis. Jim called Bristol Myers stock "dramatically undervalued," and said he would "buy that aggressively." The Club's most recent Bristol Myers purchase was one month ago, just above the current price of $56 per share. Club name DuPont moved up its timeline for spinning off its electronics business, targeting Nov. 1. However, the planned separation into three companies was trimmed to two because DuPont is keeping its water business. Acknowledging the "spin purgatory" that has gripped DuPont stock, Jeff Marks, director of portfolio analysis for the Club, said he hopes the expected break-up of Honeywell won't suffer the same fate. Jim agreed, saying that unlike DuPont, he would look to be a "seller of Honeywell." Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing reported fourth-quarter results that topped estimates, thanks to strong demand for artificial intelligence chips. The third-party maker of chips guided AI revenue to double this year, and that's good for Club semiconductor stocks Nvidia and Broadcom . Separately, Jim said he met with Nvidia founder Jensen Huang while in San Francisco and felt the CEO was blindsided by the Biden administration's new chip export controls . Jim and Jeff finished the Morning Meeting with a rapid-fire review of the Club's three financial firms that reported strong earnings Wednesday: Wells Fargo , Goldman Sachs and BlackRock . (See here for a full list of the stocks in (Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED. Polestar 's CEO said on Thursday it would take longer for the Swedish EV maker to be profitable after the company reported it sold fewer cars in 2024 than it had projected, sending the company's U.S.-listed shares down about 9% in premarket trading. The company, backed by China's Geely , has struggled to scale up its business amid weakening demand for electric vehicles and intensifying competition from legacy manufacturers. Over the past year, Polestar has tried to overhaul its business, including a major management reshuffle with the appointment of industry veteran Michael Lohscheller as CEO, as well as several new executives including head of design, board chair, finance chief and chief operating officer. Shortly after assuming his role in October, Lohscheller launched a review of Polestar's business. The company announced the results of that review on Thursday, saying it expects positive free cash flow after investments in 2027, much later than its previous forecast of 2025-end. Polestar had previously expected flat revenue for 2024, but now expects a mid-teens percentage decline, and forecast negative gross margin. It is expected to report fourth-quarter results on March 6. The company said on Thursday it had secured more than $800 million last month in 12-month term loan facilities provided by several banks, and that part of this funding will be used to repay old loans. The new funding will take the company's current debt to about $4.4 billion, it said. Polestar is also working to secure an additional 12-month loan facility of $400 million that is expected to be available to the company later this month. Path forward Polestar's ambitious market expansion has also been delayed. The company will start sales in France this year, instead of its earlier plan to enter seven countries in 2025. Those expansion plans have been pushed to 2026 and beyond. The EV maker's updated business plan foresees compounded growth between 30% and 35% in the next three years, with positive adjusted core profit expected this year. Polestar has worked to avoid major tariffs imposed on cars made in China, by shifting some manufacturing from the country. While it is currently producing cars both in the U.S. and China, it is on track to make its Polestar 4 in South Korea in the second half of 2025. The company said on Thursday it expects its Polestar 7 compact SUV to be produced in Europe. Following the launch of Polestar 7, the company said it will move to a single vehicle platform to streamline its business to reduce capital investments and development time. Polestar was spun off from Sweden's Volvo Cars, which ceased funding last year. The EV maker is now owned largely by Chinese automotive conglomerate Geely. SpaceX's mega rocket Starship launches for a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, on Jan. 16, 2025. Eric Gay | AP SpaceX launched the seventh test flight of its Starship rocket on Thursday, but lost communication with the upper stage of the rocket that continues on into space. The company's webcast showed data stopped transmitting from Starship about nine minutes into the launch. "We can confirm that we did lose the ship," SpaceX senior manager of quality systems engineering Kate Tice said. SpaceX said in a post on X that the ship broke up during its ascent burn and that it would "continue to review data from today's flight test to better understand root cause." In a later statement, the company said "initial data indicates a fire developed" near the tail end of Starship and destroyed the vehicle. After the rocket lost communication, social media users posted photos and videos of what appeared to be fireballs in the sky near the Caribbean islands. Starship's launch trajectory takes it due east from Texas, which means the fireballs are likely debris from the rocket breaking apart and reentering the atmosphere. Orange balls of light fly across the sky as debris from a SpaceX rocket launched in Texas is spotted over Turks and Caicos Islands, January 16, 2025 in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Marcus Haworth@marcusahaworth | Marcus Haworth Via Reuters In a statement, SpaceX said that Starship debris fell "into the Atlantic Ocean within the predefined hazard areas." The company establishes these potential risk areas with the Federal Aviation Administration before the launch. The FAA issued a warning to pilots of a "dangerous area for falling debris of rocket Starship," according to a notice. Multiple flights above the Caribbean diverted and appeared to be turning around, including commercial and cargo planes of JetBlue , Spirit , and FedEx , according to flight-tracking site FlightAware. "The FAA briefly slowed and diverted aircraft around the area where space vehicle debris was falling. Normal operations have resumed," the regulator said in a statement. The airlines did not immediately respond to CNBC's request for comment. As is required for rocket launches, standard air traffic control advisories were in place. Record-breaking demand for both launches and flights means that rockets compete with planes for limited airspace, especially near Florida. Additionally, the FAA confirmed that it was "assessing" the anomaly that occurred during SpaceX's Starship flight. The FAA often grounds rockets after midflight failures, requiring that space companies perform a mishap investigation and put in place corrective actions before the regulator issues a new launch license. The FAA has not received any reports of injuries or property damage from Starship debris, a spokesperson told CNBC. SpaceX's mega rocket Starship booster returns to the launch pad during a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Eric Gay | AP Starship launched from SpaceX's private "Starbase" facility near Brownsville, Texas, shortly after 5:30 p.m. ET. A few minutes later, the rocket's "Super Heavy" booster returned to land at the launch site, in SpaceX's second successful "catch" during a flight. It did not catch the booster on the last flight. There were no people on board the Starship flight. However, Elon Musk's company was flying 10 "Starlink simulators" in the rocket's payload bay and planned to attempt to deploy the satellite-like objects once in space. This would have been a key test of the rocket's capabilities, as SpaceX needs Starship to deploy its much larger and heavier upcoming generation of Starlink satellites. While SpaceX didn't specify what the Starlink simulators were made of, mass simulators are commonly used in rocket vehicle development and are often simple constructions of metal or concrete that weigh roughly the same as the object in question. Before losing communication, Starship was set to reach space and then travel halfway around the Earth before reentering the atmosphere and splashing down in the Indian Ocean about an hour after liftoff. As with each previous flight, SpaceX aimed to push development further by assessing additional Starship capabilities, including tests of its heatshield tiles and the trajectory of its intense reentry. View of Space X's Starship on the launch pad for its seventh test flight, in Boca Chica, Texas, U.S. Maxar Technologies | Via Reuters Starship is critical to the company's plans, even with its $350 billion valuation and already dominant position in the space industry. Starship is both the tallest and most powerful rocket ever launched. Fully stacked on the Super Heavy booster, Starship stands 403 feet tall and is about 30 feet in diameter. SpaceX has flown the full Starship rocket system on six spaceflight tests so far since April 2023, at a steadily increasing cadence. The Super Heavy booster, which stands 232 feet tall, is what begins the rocket's journey to space. At its base are 33 Raptor engines, which together produce 16.7 million pounds of thrust about double the 8.8 million pounds of thrust of NASA's Space Launch System rocket, which launched for the first time in 2022. Starship itself, at 171 feet tall, has six Raptor engines three for use while in the Earth's atmosphere and three for operating in the vacuum of space. The rocket is powered by liquid oxygen and liquid methane. The full system requires more than 10 million pounds of propellant for launch. SpaceX's mega rocket Starship and booster separate during a test flight from Starbase in Boca Chica, Texas, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Eric Gay | AP The Starship flying on this launch, tagged as Ship 33, also represents a second-generation version of the vehicle, called "Block 2." SpaceX noted that the "significant upgrades" to this vehicle include changes to the flaps on the vehicle's nose, redesigns of its propulsion system to boost performance, an enhanced flight computer, 30 cameras placed along the vehicle for monitoring the rocket and a reinforced heat shield. Additionally, the booster for this flight attempt features a reused Raptor engine. That engine flew during the fifth test flight last year. The Starship system is designed to be fully reusable and aims to become a new method of flying cargo and people beyond Earth. The rocket is also critical to NASA's plan to return astronauts to the moon. SpaceX won a multibillion-dollar contract from the agency to use Starship as a crewed lunar lander as part of NASA's Artemis moon program. CNBC's Leslie Josephs contributed to this report. TikTok Chief Executive Shou Zi Chew testifies before a House Energy and Commerce Committee hearing entitled "TikTok: How Congress can Safeguard American Data Privacy and Protect Children from Online Harms," as lawmakers scrutinize the Chinese-owned video-sharing app, on Capitol Hill in Washington, March 23, 2023. TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend President Trump's inauguration and will sit on the dais next to other tech CEOs including Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos, according to NBC News sources. Also expected to attend is Google CEO Sundar Pichai, a Trump transition official told NBC News. NBC News has reached out to representatives of TikTok and Google for comment, with TikTok declining and Google not immediately responding to the request. The New York Times was first to report about Chew's attendance, citing two people familiar with the plans. The news of the new guest additions comes days before TikTok's impending ban in the U.S., which could see the app go dark on stores like Google Play and Apple's app store if the Chinese-owned company does not divest its U.S. subsidiary to an American company. So far, ByteDance, the owner of TikTok, has refused to sell, and the Supreme Court has not issued a definite ruling since hearing arguments last Friday on the law that targets TikTok's ban. President-elect Donald Trump filed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court ahead of last Friday's argument, asking the court to prevent the ban in favor of the President-elect finding a political solution, though it's unclear how specifically it would be executed. Trump has changed his position on TikTok before, eventually waging the app as an effective campaigning tool that helped propel him to the White House in November. President Joe Biden's administration is also considering ways to keep TikTok available in the U.S. if the scheduled ban goes into effect on Sunday, according to three people familiar with the discussions. Dub, a platform that allows retail traders to mimic the investments of notable people in business and government, debuted a service Thursday that pays select everyday investors to share their portfolios. Retail traders accepted into Dub's so-called top creator program will be paid royalties for users to access their model portfolio. The creator program marks the latest push from Dub to sway mom-and-pop investors to its platform, which encourages users to forgo traditional stock picking and instead duplicate other traders' portfolios. "Fundamentally, we are rethinking the distribution of how capital flows to investing talent," said Steven Wang, Dub's founder and chief executive. "We are really at the very early innings of another retail investing revolution." Since its launch nearly a year ago, Dub has offered users the opportunity to track and copy the investment portfolios of people ranging from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman. Users, who pay $9.99 a month or $89.99 a year, can essentially make replicas of these portfolios using their own money held in Dub's broker dealer. These portfolios are tracked for changes over time, with any trades automatically mirrored to others who copied them. In other words, Wang said traders can go on "auto pilot" once holding a copy of someone's portfolio and eliminate the human error of missing any trades. Previously, users could opt to make their portfolios available for copy by others if they met a personal investment minimum of $1,000. Now, the creator program adds a financial incentive for accepted users. The program's name can draw comparisons to influencer payment structures from social media platforms such as TikTok. Accepted traders get paid a scaling fee that takes into consideration several social metrics. The rate isn't based entirely on the number of portfolio copies per creator, but that figure may be a factor. The amount of royalties received is determined individually between Dub and each creator in the program, Wang said. Multiple traders were already signed onto the program at the time of launch, according to Dub. Their roster includes Andrew Ver Planck, an alumnus of MacKay Shields and Putnam Investments, and Lawrence Fuller, a SeekingAlpha analyst. Dub has a $100 minimum deposit, though some portfolios require larger investments to make a copy. The company's broker dealer is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. WASHINGTON An influential group of five House Republicans from high-tax states is threatening to hold up a major tax package that is a top priority for President-elect Donald Trump unless they get a significant boost to the amount that their constituents can deduct from federal income taxes to reflect state and local taxes already paid. As negotiations over a major tax cuts bill get underway, they are also drawing a firm line: Simply doubling the maximum allowed deduction from the current $10,000 cap to $20,000, they say, is not enough. "The $20,000 is a nonstarter," Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., told CNBC. "It's almost laughable. It's way too low to earn our vote." LaLota is one of 16 members of a congressional state and local tax, or SALT, caucus who attended a recent meeting with Trump at his Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago. There, Trump promised the lawmakers that he would back their efforts to raise the SALT cap and told them to get back to him with a number that would ensure their support for his broader tax package, according to LaLota and his fellow New York GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino. The group plans to use House Republicans' narrow, four-seat majority to increase its own leverage. Specifically, LaLota is part of a bloc of five Republican House members who plan to stick together and oppose any broader Trump tax cut package unless it contains significant changes to the current SALT cap provisions. Rounding out this group are Reps. Mike Lawler, of New York, Rep. Tom Kean Jr., of New Jersey, and Rep. Young Kim, of California, according to LaLota and Garbarino. Depending on which corners of the internet you frequent, you may or may not be familiar with the idea of HODLing. It essentially means holding on to an investment particularly one in cryptocurrency regardless of short-term price swings. Depending on what you bought and how long you've held on, the strategy may have made you very wealthy in recent years. A single bitcoin currently goes for more than $95,000 quite an upswing from the roughly $950 it traded for when the term HODL was coined in 2013. Some investors have enjoyed similarly spectacular gains in altcoins, meme stocks and more mainstream assets, such as large-company stocks benefitting from the artificial intelligence revolution. If you're one of those investors, congrats you're rich! On paper anyway. For those who have a huge paper gain, the question becomes whether it's worth it to continue holding, or to sell and reap actual profit. Here's how financial experts say to think through the decision. But remember, before making any changes to your portfolio, it's smart to talk to your own financial advisor to make sure the move makes sense for your individual situation. You fear an investment might go back down: Consider holding When an investment skyrockets, it's natural to fear that some other shoe will drop and your gains will evaporate. But you'd be wise to avoid acting solely based on this impulse, says Amos Nadler, the founder of Prof of Wall Street and a Ph.D. in behavioral finance and neuroeconomics. Nadler succumbed to a cognitive bias known as loss aversion when he sold his stake in Nvidia out of fear that the winning position would soon plummet. "What was going through my head was, 'Hey, I'm new with this. I just made a significant profit in a very short amount of time,'" he told CNBC Make It. "I want to lock it in because I'm feeling afraid it may drop again.'" The stock skyrocketed after he sold. That won't always happen, of course, and your instinct to sell a winner may turn out to be right. But it's important to put your emotions to the side and instead examine an investment on its merits, Nadler says. "Let's look at reality and not let our own emotional overlay on reality dictate our actions," says Nadler. "Because that's a good recipe to lose a ton of money." You're too concentrated: Consider selling some Investing experts generally recommend building a broadly diversified portfolio based on the idea that different investments move in different ways for different reasons. By spreading your bets, you help ensure that at least part of your portfolio is doing well. It also negates the risk that a decline in any one investment could drag down your overall performance. If an investment you own has grown to the extent that it's now by far your biggest holding, you may want to consider paring things back, says Doug Boneparth, a certified financial planner and president of Bone Fide Wealth. "That very much has to do with, how much do you want this position dictating the overall performance of [your] portfolio?" he says. "And once you set that line, you then can be methodical about it." For Boneparth, that threshold is 20%. Once an investment makes up that percentage of his investable assets, he trims the position. You may be comfortable with a smaller or larger number, but the reasoning is sound. It's a risky move to tie your financial future to the fortunes of one particular investment. Your original thesis is intact: Consider holding If you own a winning investment, be sure to examine the reason you bought it in the first place, says Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA. "Why did I buy this stock? Was it for the dividend yield? Was it for the price appreciation potential? Was it for diversification?" he recently told CNBC Make It. "And then you ask yourself, did it meet my goals already, or is there still upside potential?" If you think an investment has reached the limit of its upside, or has essentially done its job, you can feel comfortable selling. But maybe a company you bought based on strong fundamentals is still boosting earnings and churning out strong balance sheets. Maybe you still believe in a cryptocurrency's potential as a store of value. If an investment still holds the same appeal as when you bought it, you can generally feel comfortable holding on. It will change your life: Consider selling some watch now After a prolonged period of job gains and wage increases, employers capped off the year by giving their employees bigger year-end bonuses, a new report found. The average bonus awarded in December was $2,503, on average, up from $2,447 in 2023 an increase of just over 2%, according to an exclusive look at data from human resource provider Gusto, based on more than 400,000 small- to medium-sized businesses nationwide. "The average represents about one paycheck. That turns into a pretty significant amount of money especially at the end of the year," said Gusto's senior economist, Nich Tremper. More from Personal Finance: Here's the inflation breakdown for December Health-care jobs are in demand in 2025 How much if any bitcoin should you own? "This is an economy that ended 2024 much better than expected and small businesses are taking advantage of that that includes wages and compensation for the current employees," Tremper said. Sectors that saw bigger, or smaller, bonuses But bonuses also varied by industry, Gusto found: The average end-of-year bonus increased significantly among several white-collar industries, including communications, technology and professional services. Adam Beesley, owner of Adam Up Accounting firm in Payson, Utah, said he determines bonuses for his staff based on the prior year's profitability. "We were up another 8% in 2024, so the bonus was bigger." Beesley, who does accounting work for other small business owners, said he feels even more optimistic about 2025. "I take care of a lot of blue-collar companies plumbers, electricians, guys putting in infrastructure and a lot of them are doing well because there's still a lot of work to get done." Meanwhile, many service industry workers saw smaller end-of-year bonuses in 2024 compared with the end of 2023, Gusto found. Sectors such as transportation and warehousing faced reduced demand, leading to significant declines in year-end bonuses for workers in these trades, according to Tremper. Overall, the jobs market remained remarkably strong throughout 2024, other reports show. Employment grew each month and, as of the latest reading, the unemployment rate edged down to 4.1% in December. Average hourly earnings also increased 0.3% last month. In a tight labor market, some employers use bonuses as a tool to keep their top performers engaged, with fewer companies paying out bonuses to the entire staff, Tremper said. The share of workers receiving a bonus declined in 2024 by almost 2% compared with 2023. Money is key, but so is work-life balance The first group includes 18 US allies, from which imports are not recommended to be restricted. The second group, which includes India, faces proposed import volume restrictions for AI chips. The third group, comprising China, Russia, Iran, and Iraq, is subject to a complete ban on AI chip imports. India is in the process of examining the impact of proposed sanctions by the United States on Artificial Intelligence (AI) chip exports. Government sources told CNBC-TV18 that the Ministries of Commerce and Industry, and Electronics & Information Technology, are assessing the potential impact of these restrictions on the development of emerging technologies in India, including AI hardware.India's National AI Mission is supporting investments worth 10,000 crore to develop infrastructure for producing over 10,000 GPUs (graphics processing units) in a public-private partnership (PPP) mode. The initiative aims to boost manufacturing and employment in the country.The American proposal cites concerns related to national security and the economic interests of AI chip exporters to justify its recommendations. The proposal groups countries into three categories:The American proposal is expected to take effect in four months, by which time Donald Trump is expected to have been sworn in as the new US President. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. Technology innovations have made the digital transformation of public services essential to enhancing safety, efficiency, and accountability. Kazakhstan has taken a monumental step forward in this regard by implementing a continuous video surveillance system across 78 correctional facilities nationwide. This groundbreaking initiative has set a new benchmark for prison management, significantly improving safety conditions and operational transparency. A digital leap for safer prisons In response to a national mandate from the President in 2020, the Ministry of Internal Affairs launched a comprehensive video surveillance project. The system includes over 39,500 high-definition cameras strategically installed across correctional institutions and their perimeters. These cameras are connected to advanced AI-driven analytics, providing real-time facial recognition, event detection, and license plate identification capabilities. The results are nothing short of remarkable: since its implementation, the system has identified over 32,000 violations of detention protocols, prevented 62 suicides and six escape attempts, and de-escalated 27 potentially violent conflicts. It has also reduced corruption and abuse, fostering humane treatment of inmates and improving the behavior of staff. For the first half of 2024, no cases of torture by staff were reported, a testament to the systems effectiveness. Innovation meets human-centered design Kazakhstans video surveillance initiative goes beyond mere technological deployment. It represents a harmonious blend of innovation, process improvement, and personnel training. Prison staff have been equipped with the tools and knowledge to harness the systems full potential, enabling proactive incident management and fostering a culture of accountability. The initiative also supports the broader goal of rehabilitation. By improving the physical, psychological, and social conditions within prisons, the system aligns with global trends emphasizing inmate welfare and reintegration into society. Overcoming challenges with strategic vision Before the project, sporadic and poorly maintained surveillance systems plagued correctional facilities, resulting in inconsistent monitoring and inadequate evidence for investigations. Kazakhstan addressed these challenges by deploying a centralized, secure infrastructure that ensures uninterrupted video transmission to a Situation Center under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. This hub manages real-time monitoring and analytics while safeguarding data integrity and privacy. The adoption of a fiber-optic private network further enhances reliability and security, creating a scalable framework for future innovations. Charting the road ahead Kazakhstans video surveillance initiative is just the beginning. Plans are underway to integrate more advanced algorithms for object and event recognition and to connect the system with other IT infrastructures, such as access control solutions. These advancements will further strengthen the nations ability to maintain order, prevent misconduct, and foster trust in correctional institutions. The nations achievement offers valuable lessons for countries aiming to modernize their correctional facilities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology, combining it with strategic governance, and emphasizing human-centered implementation, Kazakhstan has set a precedent for others to follow. For a deeper dive into the strategies, implementation, and impact of this project, download the full report. Explore how Kazakhstan is redefining correctional facility management through innovation and strategic foresight. Discover the full story behind Kazakhstans transformative initiative. Learn more about the strategies, technologies, and future opportunities in this in-depth white paper: Global Trends in the Digital Transformation of Correctional Facilities: The Value of Video Surveillance. January 15, 2025: In late 2024, facilities at Murmansk in northwest Russia were being upgraded to deal with possible Ukrainian drone attacks. Now that Russia was attacking Ukrainian power supplies and heat supplies, officials in Murmansk feared the Ukrainians would do the same to them. So the Murmansk government ordered all facilities related to keeping Murmansk warm be fortified and protected in other ways. In a place like Murmansk, loss of heat during the coldest part of the year can be fatal. In mid-2024 Russia announced that it was reinforcing air defenses at their Olenya air base in Murmansk province. This came after Ukrainian long-range drones attacked and damaged two of the Tu-22M3s used to attack Ukrainian targets 1,800 kilometers to the south. With the Ukrainians reciprocating, Russia is trying to upgrade air defenses before the Ukrainians strike again. Ukrainian UAV developers and manufacturers have an advantage in that entrepreneurial developers and manufacturers are encouraged. In Russia such intellectual and manufacturing freedom is discouraged. The Russian state must control everything because that is how Russia became mighty and remains so. Thats the official explanation. Russians consider the Ukrainians seduced by, and addicted to, heretical Western ideas and concepts like innovating without official permission. Ukrainians see those Russian attitudes as an asset for the Ukrainian war effort. This gives Ukraine an edge in the development and use of new UAV technology. Ukraine encourages individuals and small groups of entrepreneurs to develop, manufacture and share new UAV designs and technologies. The government or wealthy individuals will often finance effective new concepts so that production can be rapidly expanded before the new tech becomes obsolete or be simply replaced by a more effective version. Russia adapted to their disadvantage in UAV development by concentrating on electronic jammers. By rapidly upgrading their jammer technology, Russians can disrupt a lot of new Ukrainian UAV tech for a while. This disruption is becoming more important for the Russians because Ukraine has developed several generations of long range drones that can reach targets over 1,000 kilometers distant. In 2023 this meant attacks near Moscow and St Petersburg as well as nearby factories and industrial operations. Ukrainian drones are increasingly reaching their targets deep inside Russia. That means Russian economic and military facilities far from Ukraine are suddenly under attack. These targets include refineries and fuel storage sites as well as weapons development, manufacturing, and storage facilities. In 2023 these attacks destroyed about fifteen percent of Russian refining capacity, reducing the amount of vehicle fuel available for commercial and military users. Ukrainian air strikes are not the only danger in the far north. Winters are much worse in Murmansk, which is the only city in the world north of the Arctic Circle. Winters arent as bad as you might think because Murmansk weather is moderated by the warm Gulf Stream current which also warms up Britain and much of northwest Europe. The Gulf Stream originates in the Gulf of Mexico between the southern United States and east coast Mexico. Murmansk has other problems to deal with. For example, a significant Russian nuclear accident took place at the Andreyeva Bay Soviet naval base 569 in February 1982. Andreyeva Bay is a radioactive waste repository 55 km northwest of Murmansk and 60 km from the Norwegian border, on the western shore of the Kola Peninsula. The repository entered service in 1961. In February 1982 a nuclear accident occurred in which about 700,000 tons of highly radioactive water was released into the Barents Sea from a pool in building 5 of the repository over the next few years. Cleanup of the accident took place from 1983 to 1989. About 1,000 people took part in the cleanup effort. The nuclear power plant fuel repository, constructed in the early 1960s, was a naval base on the shore of the Zapadnaya Litsa bay. It consisted of two piers, a stationary mooring bay, a sanitation facility, spent fuel pools in building 5 that was unused since the cleanup ended in 1989, three 1,000 cubic meter dry storage containers, a 40,000-ton crane, an open-air field for storing spent nuclear fuel containers, a security checkpoint, and other technical facilities. In 1982 the area contained spent nuclear fuel in storage facility Building 5 consisting of about 22,000 spent nuclear fuel assemblies, solid radioactive waste in storage facility Building 7, and liquid radioactive waste in storage facility Building 6. Building 5 contained two pools for storing spent fuel assemblies, encased in steel drums. Each drum contained 5-7 spent fuel assemblies, weighing 350 kg fully loaded. Each of the pools was 60 meters long, 3 meters wide, 6 meters deep, and had a volume of 1,000 cubic meters. Each was designed for about 2,000 drums. The drums were suspended underwater from massive chains, which were attached to anchor points a certain distance from each other to hopefully avoid an uncontrolled nuclear chain reaction from starting. The water served as a radiation shield for people on the deck around the pools. The drums were placed underwater using the chains and a crane cart, but due to the construction's unreliability, drums often fell to the bottom of the pool. As a result, spent nuclear fuel drums dangerously piled up at the bottom which defeated the water protection from uncontrolled nuclear reactions by the chains and anchor points. Someone who worked there remarked that the first time they saw all this they were shocked. The facility seemed like a nightmare. The facility was an enormous black windowless building atop a cliff. The entrance to building 5 was decorated with deformed trucks previously used for carrying nuclear fuel and half-torn-down heavy gates. Inside, the building was dilapidated, and deteriorating electrical equipment was another hazard. Building 5 was completely radioactive. The right-hand pool in building 5 started leaking in February 1982. Finding cracks in the drums metal coatings required diving into the pool, which was out of the question due to the gamma radiation levels in the vicinity of the nuclear waste drums. An attempt to eliminate the leak was made by pouring in 20 sacks of flour, thus filling the cracks with dough. That did not last and the leak continued. Later it was found there was ice on the right side of the building. This indicated that earlier containment efforts were ineffective. In April 1982, the basement part of the building was filled with 600 cubic meters of concrete but this was ineffective. There was a risk of contamination of nearby Zapadnaya Litsa bay. In order to safeguard against radioactive leaks, iron-lead-concrete covers, weighing thousands of tons, were built over the pool. In fact it was later discovered that it was only good fortune that prevented the collapse of the whole structure. In early 1983 government officials confirmed the closing of the repository, except for work related to the cleanup of the accident. No more spent nuclear fuel was loaded in building 5. March 1983 through September 1987 saw spent fuel unloaded from the left-hand pool. All of the fuel was unloaded and sent to the Mayak nuclear facility. As of December 1989, all 1,500 drums of nuclear waste from building 5 were declared dealt with. This was not the case. Poor welding seam quality in the pools' coating led to more leaks. The left pool sprouted a leak due to the building sagging under the weight of the iron-lead-concrete covers over the right pool. Specialists believed that temperature changes in the pool's water stressed welding seams, tearing them. When building 5's repository was designed, it was assumed that the water would be kept at a constant temperature by heat from the nuclear assemblies suspended under the surface. A separate water heating system was thus deemed unnecessary. That did not work because the extreme Arctic climate created a thick layer of ice in winter. In order to solve this problem, the ice was melted using steam from the boiler. This was a violation of radiation safety guidelines. Radioactive air spread through the building and leaked into the outside atmosphere. Several workers were killed during the cleanup efforts due to accidents, inadequate protective equipment and the generally dangerous state of the facility. Americas Senior Sweetheart wasnt as nice as everyone thought, according to All in the Family and Man on the Inside star Sally Struthers. At least Struthers waited until Betty White passed away before she put the Golden Girls star on blast. I have to say, now that shes gone, I want to talk about Betty White for just a moment, Struthers said on the Let's Talk About That! podcast. I know everybody loves her. They loved her so much they signed petitions to get her to guest-host Saturday Night Live. I know all that. I didnt have such a great experience with her. What happened? Years ago, Struthers was invited to Whites home to discuss a pilot for a new game show. A group working on the show discussed what was working and what wasnt when White asked her housekeeper to bring in a plate of cookies for her guests. Struthers reached for one of the treats before White shut her down. She said in front of everyone, Oh, I wouldnt do that if I were you. You dont need a cookie. Don't Miss Totally fat-shamed me in front of the rest of the people in the room and I thought, Gosh, thats not nice, Struthers said. Very passive-aggressive woman. Fat-shaming wasnt isolated to White. Struthers remembered how much she was hurt when All in the Family producer Norman Lear told her she wasnt the funniest actress to audition for Gloria. He was more interested in casting a Daddys girl type to make the Archie Bunker character more sympathetic. Struthers remembers Lear telling her, We hired you because just like Carroll OConnor, you have blue eyes and a fat face. Advertisement Was anyone nice to Struthers? The actress had hilarious memories of Whites Golden Girls costar Bea Arthur, herself no fan of White. I would run into (Arthur) at the supermarket and she would trash everyone we ever knew, Struthers laughed. We would stand in the aisle, and shed say, What do you think about so and so? When Struthers replied that so-and-so was a friend, Arthur would exclaim, She cant be a friend! Shes a fucking asshole! Advertisement Everyone in the grocery store wondered what was going on in aisle five, Struthers said. I loved how filthy she was. She was a big deal. I loved her. But again, Betty White? Not so much. Welcome, neighbors! (Theoretically.) Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images/AFP via Getty Images The Harrises are coming! So says the New York Post, reporting that Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff recently pulled up, with his usual Secret Service detail, to tour an apartment at the Park Loggia condo building on West 61st Street. This particular apartment right off the park is a rental, listed for $20,000 a month, spiritually if not geographically quite a long way from Emhoffs first Brooklyn home on Ocean Avenue. (Some outlets are reporting that the couple kept a pied-a-terre in New York before Harris became vice-president, selling it shortly after the election. Theres no record under either name in the city register and no property sale listed in their financial disclosures, so take that with a grain of salt.) The Harris-Emhoffs have lived well if not Trumpily; their non-vice-presidential residence is a big house in Brentwood that appears to have survived the wildfires. The Park Loggia, where Emhoff has reportedly toured an apartment. Photo: Colin Miller/15w61/Corcoran Perhaps they want to be bicoastal, as the Post suggests; perhaps they want to be near Ella, a Bushwicker who is as new-Brooklyn as they come; perhaps its just a whipsaw rumor, helped along by some condo marketers. But it joins a long history of speculation about people who have recently departed from public office who cast an eye on New York. In 2017, as the Obamas left the White House, they were said to be seriously considering the Upper East Side. (They ended up keeping their place in Chicago, although they spend most of their time now in Washington and the Vineyard.) The Clintons, as Bill departed the presidency and Hillary ascended to the Senate, also shopped in Manhattan. (They wound up with boomer predictability in suburban Chappaqua.) Because she didnt have a place in the city, Senator Clinton occasionally crashed at Steven Spielbergs apartment on the 62nd floor of Trump Tower, five floors below you-know-who. And dont forget Diana, Princess of Wales, who after her divorce from the future King Charles III was rumored (again, mostly in the Post) to be headed to New York. That speculation really caught the citys fancy for a few days in early 1995, so much so that this very news outlet published a cover story envisioning her fantasy Manhattan life: where shed eat, whom shed date. The headline was NEWISH AMERICAN PRINCESS. And who do you think called that rumor in to Page Six? Itd be just about impossible to confirm it at 30 years distance, but our story notes that those reports had a connecting thread, and it ran through a certain press-hound real-estate developer with close links to the gossip columns. The Post, after all, had reported that Diana was (a) looking at apartments in Trump Tower and (b) had shelled out for a Mar-a-Lago membership. I think we can all agree that John Barron had something to do with it. Unrelated but notable: The Park Loggia is about a 90-second walk from the Trump International Hotel & Tower. Nobody, apparently, can get away from the guy. January 15, 2025: NATO countries are alarmed at the recent spate of so-called accidental severing of underwater power and communications cables. The culprits were Chinese and Russian ships that were in the areas when the cables were cut. One of these ships was boarded and searched. Evidence of cable cutting was found. Chinese and Russian officials continue to profess surprise and ignorance of these acts of sabotage. Worse, all this is not new, its been going on for some time under the designation of Hybrid Warfare. Ten years ago many Western politicians, especially in the United States, were calling on the U.S. Department of Defense to pay more attention to the new hybrid warfare that Russia is practicing in Ukraine, and that Islamic terrorists seem to be using worldwide to further their goals. Calling more attention to hybrid warfare is a good thing but assuming that the Department of Defense doesnt know about it is a dangerous misunderstanding of the situation. Since the 1970s, when the Department of Defense finally listened to its own internal critics, much more attention was paid to the lessons of the past. Not just the general history of warfare but to the American military experience during the past three centuries. This revealed the United States was born through the use of hybrid warfare and has successfully used it many times since. But this debate about new military developments has also taken place before, more than once. The missing link was an institutional effort to study, remember and use past experience. For example in the last two decades of the 20th century the Revolution in Military Affairs or RMA was the next big thing but it glimmered in the distance, always just out of reach. To many pundits and military analysts all the new technology of the last few decades of the 20th century was seen as capable of causing a fundamental change in how wars are fought. Then came the end of the Cold War, the disappearance of the enormous Soviet army and the sudden appearance of a new military landscape. This meant there would be no clash of huge, mechanized armies in Europe, or anywhere else anytime soon. Then, unexpectedly, came the 1991 Gulf War which showed that many of the American military technologies worked quite well. U.S. troops could now see more of the battlefield, communicate better, fight faster and roll over the Russian-equipped and trained Iraqi army in record time. This was a true RMA because in the past American troops had rarely done that in the openly stages of a war against a well-armed opponent. But the RMA that developed over the next decade had less to do with technology and more to do with the nature of future wars. With The Big One, war in Europe against the Soviet Union, out of the picture after 1991, new kinds of wars became more common. Thats because there have been three major changes since the Cold War days. First, there is a lot of neat new technology that allows for quicker, less bloody conflicts via the use of better sensors and precision weapons that actually work. Second, the current and future wars were smaller than what NATO and the Soviet Union were planning for nearly half a century. These 21st century wars also involved a lot more civilians getting in the way in addition to lots of politics, diplomacy and other complications. Then there is the growing media angle. Mass media has been around since the early 19th century but has grown enormously in presence and volume since the 1990s. News is now a 24 hour a day operation and reporters are everywhere. Moreover, the Internet makes is easy for anyone with a camera, or a way with words, to join the media stream and get their story out. All of this has changed the battlefield atmosphere enormously since the Cold War. The New Wars involved smaller forces fighting more complicated, by political, diplomatic and media issues, battles. While better sensors and communications gear give troops a better view of the battlefield, the greater presence of civilians and media actually make it a more complicated place. As a result, RMA went to places its first boosters never imagined. And no one knows exactly where the final destination is. Military analysts and planners in the major countries, especially the United States and China, agree that brute force is still important in a major war, and new technology makes the troops of major powers far more effective than in the past. But most of the wars since 1991 have involved irregular forces or nuclear armed nations confronting each other indirectly so as to not trigger a mutually destructive nuclear war. Thus intelligence, special operations forces and precision weapons become the primary tools that nations use regularly. This in itself is not revolutionary as great powers have for thousands of years used special operations troops, diplomacy, subterfuge and all manner of deceptions and feints to get their way. Noted military analysts from Shen Tzu to Machiavelli, Clausewitz and a dazzling array of late 20th and early 21st century pundits have recognized that operations other than war or OOTW are the way to go if you can pull it off. It still is and its not RMA or Hybrid Warfare. A lot of what is proclaimed as new is just another case of old wine in new bottles. If you want solutions, look to the ones that worked in the past. Many still work or will with a few tweaks to account for new technology. Explainer: When will the raging LA wildfires end? Xinhua) 14:33, January 16, 2025 LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- It has been over a week since the massive wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, fueled by hurricane-strength Santa Ana winds, causing some of the most catastrophic fire scenes California has ever witnessed. The fires, centered around the Palisades and nearby Eaton areas, remain largely uncontained. With the return of Santa Ana winds, the risk of further spread or new ignitions grows. To date, these fierce wildfires have claimed at least 25 lives, destroyed over 12,300 structures, and scorched more than 40,600 acres (about 164 square km). So, when will these fires end, and what do firefighters need to stop them? WHAT ROLES DO WIND AND WEATHER PLAY? It is difficult to determine when the fires will be contained. The main variables are wind and rain or the lack thereof. "The weather plays a driving factor in all this because they've been in critical fire behavior for so long," said Joe Ten Eyck, the wildfire/urban-interface fire programs coordinator for the International Association of Fire Fighters. Currently, the outlook is not encouraging. Dry conditions and strong winds are expected to persist, making the next few days critical. The U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) predicts cooler temperatures toward the end of the week, with a slight chance of rain early next week, but no significant precipitation in the near term. While the Santa Ana winds briefly eased over the weekend, they are expected to intensify again, possibly fueling rapid fire spread and erratic behavior. If the winds shift toward the coast, they could help contain the Palisades Fire by pushing it back onto already burned areas. However, strong winds also risk reigniting the fires before conditions improve later in the week. "We need Mother Nature to give us a break," Deputy Chief Brice Bennett of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) told CNN Sunday. "We have the firefighters, we have the water, we need the time." HOW LONG WILL RECOVERY TAKE? Even when the flames are put out, recovery will be a lengthy and complex process. In just the first two weeks of 2025, more than 100 wildfires have scorched nearly 40,000 acres in California, far exceeding the five-year average of 46 fires and 13 acres. Cal Fire noted the massive increases and emphasized the importance of being prepared. "Now more than ever, it's critical to harden your home against wildfires and create defensible space around your property." Homeowners are urged to clear dry vegetation, create defensible space and use fire-resistant materials to protect their properties. Up to 200,000 people have been displaced by the fires. As of Wednesday, some 82,400 residents were under evacuation orders and another 90,400 faced evacuation warnings, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. California Governor Gavin Newsom has described the recovery effort as a "herculean task." Debris removal from affected homes is expected to take six to nine months, with challenges like toxic waste cleanup and coordinating rebuilding efforts. ARE WILDFIRES BECOMING MORE FREQUENT? The increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires are part of a larger trend tied to human-caused climate change. Extreme weather events like wildfires are becoming more common, destructive and deadly. Los Angeles County, ranked as the most disaster-prone region in the United States, has taken steps to create climate-resilient communities and infrastructure. However, as wildfires grow more severe, firefighters face mounting challenges in preventing new fires and mitigating damage. Experts acknowledge that climate change is making such disasters harder to control. The NWS has warned about the dangerous combination of dry winds and drought conditions, noting that any new fire could spread rapidly. As wildfires become a more persistent threat, questions about the region's ability to recover and prepare for a warming world loom large. The dual challenge of adapting to climate change while addressing immediate recovery efforts underscores the urgency of long-term solutions. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) January 16, 2025: Bomb Damage Assessment or BDA has, for over a century, tried to determine how effective air strikes were. As the decades rolled by, those who depended on BDA were increasingly frustrated at the inability to get timely and accurate BDA reports. This has caused problems within air forces and with the ground forces being supported. The U.S. Air Force has a well-deserved, and understandable, reputation for advocating military victory achieved mainly with air power. They still do, in spite of a historical record that will not cooperate. That said, the air force has some solid accomplishments to its credit. In some areas it has been extremely successful. This includes gaining since 1945 and maintaining ever since air supremacy wherever it operates. But when it comes to influencing the war on the ground the air force is much less dominant. Blame it all on BDA. This is the business of figuring out what to bomb, and what the impact on the enemy is after you bomb. Air force leaders were frequently deceived by the people on the ground being bombed. This began during World War II, when air forces used large scale aerial bombing for the first time, especially against economic targets in Germany between 1943 and 45. Right after World War II, 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 1950-3 Korea ,1965-72 Vietnam, 1991 Kuwait, 1999 Kosovo, 2003 Iraq and 2006 Lebanon 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. Those with powerful air forces do not want to do this because of the risk of some of their commandos getting killed or captured and because the intel and air force people were sure that they knew what enemy was up to down there by scrutinizing aerial photos. By the 21st Century the wide availability of commercial satellite photos enabled media and individuals to do their own BDA assessments. This led to more accurate BDA because the large number of amateur BDA enthusiasts collectively created more accurate BDA. This was called Crowdsourcing. The people on ground have consistently demonstrated an ability to deceive aerial surveillance. Even during the early 21st century, when the U.S. developed persistent drone surveillance, the irregular forces they were facing proved capable of reducing the effectiveness of the drone effort. This spotlights another useful fact; air power can be useful on the ground but that happens over time and not quickly. The problem here is with voters and the media. Both demand quick victory and in the U.S. that has developed into the Three Year Rule in that American public support for a war no matter how enthusiastic it was at first, is largely gone after three years. If an air campaign cant get it done in three years, that effort comes under media and political attack no matter how effective it has been. But 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. The army generals are usually skeptical of the air force's ability to take down foes from the air and the army personnel are usually right. Despite being successful high-tech outfits, American air forces, especially the Navy and USAF frequently have trouble adjusting to changes it does not agree with. When the Cold War ended in 1991 the air force was still largely thinking about continuing to operate as they had done in the Cold War. But the technology and tactics of warfare were changing. The post-Cold War enemy was no longer large, organized forces spread over huge areas. The foe were increasingly irregulars who were harder to spot from the air. The air force reluctantly adapted, in part because the army and CIA adopted new reconnaissance and surveillance techniques, like drones and constant surveillance. As successful as these new air reconnaissance tools were, they did not seem like a suitable long-term job for the air force. The other services disagreed and it took the better part of a decade after 2001 to get the air force to come around. In 2005 the air force deployed its first Predator drone unit and in 2009 it put its first Reapers to work. They were following the CIA in this area, which caused some misgivings among senior air force leadership. But the army and Congress were calling for more of what the CIA was doing with armed drones for surveillance and attack and the air force joined in. What the CIA had pioneered was Persistent Surveillance with armed drones. The 24/7 observation by the drones enabled CIA or air force intel analysts to compile information about the target and order one or more missiles fired as soon as the key target was identified and located. This led to an ever growing list of terrorist leaders and their key subordinates killed in this way. At the same time this use of surveillance and precision weapons led to lower collateral, usually nearby civilian, casualties to plummet to historical, and remarkable, lows. Air force traditionalists warned that in a conventional war this sort of thing would not work. Where the enemy had modern air defense systems and jet fighters, the Predator and Reaper drones would be impractical because they would be quickly shot down. But that is not the type of war being waged now and it is pointed out to the air force that the military has to deal with what they are faced with, not just with what they prefer. Moreover, even in a conventional war there is still work for these new tactics and the tech that makes it possible. The air force still disagreed, but did not have a persuasive alternative. The air force still wanted more money for the stealthy F-35 and a new stealth bomber. This despite the fact that other nations were developing more and more sensors that could nullify stealth. Meanwhile, in Ukraine, the war against the Russian invaders led to an unexpected drone revolution. Ukrainians manage to replace most artillery and manned aircraft support, as well as many anti-tank weapons, with dozens of different drone designs. By the end of 2024, thousands of drones were expended a day, while surveillance drones were not obliterated by air defenses and manned aircraft because there were so many small, cheap surveillance drones in action. They were hard to find, hard to hit and were watching everyone. When a target was spotted, the distant drone operators called in attack drones and the target was turned into debris and numerous casualties. Air forces have been in this position before. This was seen during the 1960s when the U.S. air force and navy aviation suffered unexpectedly high aircraft losses because their aircraft and pilots were not prepared for the lower tech Russian aircraft used against them over Vietnam. This led aircraft to be again equipped with cannon because the new air-to-air missiles were not yet reliable enough to replace the previously despised autocannon. Then came the concept of using your own aircraft for aggressor or dissimilar training." This began in 1969, when the U.S. Navy established the original Top Gun fighter pilot school. This was done in response to the poor performance of its pilots against North Vietnamese pilots flying Russian fighters. What made the Top Gun operation different was that the training emphasized how the enemy aircraft and pilots operated. This was called dissimilar training. In the past, American pilots practiced against American pilots, with everyone flying American aircraft and using American tactics. It worked in World War II, because the enemy pilots were not getting a lot of practice and were using similar aircraft and tactics anyway. Most importantly, there was a lot of aerial combat going on, providing ample opportunity for on-the-job training. Not so in Vietnam, where the quite different Russian trained North Vietnamese were giving U.S. aviators an awful time. The four week Top Gun program solved the problem. The air force followed shortly with its Red Flag school. In the early 1980s, the Russians established a dissimilar air combat school, and the Chinese followed in 1987. Currently most major air forces use such a program. Smaller air forces send their pilots to commercial Top Gun/Red Flag programs, often staffed with retired veterans who were instructors at Top Gun or Red Flag. The U.S. Air Force has another persistent problem that has not yet found a solution. This goes back to 1914 when World War I aircraft first became a factor in military affairs as they demonstrated their superior ability to see what the enemy was up to. Most of the use of air power at the beginning was about reconnaissance and preventing the enemy from seeing what you were doing. Between the world wars, the idea of using air power as an offensive weapon developed. This proved to be more of a factor at sea, than on land where reconnaissance was still the most useful service air forces provided. Strategic bombing was greatly misunderstood by air forces during and after World War II. Tactical bombing and strafing was more useful, because the fighter-bombers were providing reconnaissance at the same time they were attacking the enemy who were in the way of friendly ground troops. Moreover, the advancing ground forces could and often did report on the effectiveness of recent air strikes. The U.S. Air Force, however, was not a big fan of tac air as tactical air power was called, because they believed they could be more decisive with strategic bombing. The problem with World War II strategic bombing was that strategic bombing was a blunt instrument. A lot of damage was inflicted, but it was, for all practical purposes, random. So while millions of German and Japanese workers were diverted because they were dead or had to deal with damage to homes and businesses from the war effort by the bombing, there was no decisive effect, as the air force generals intended. So after a century of trying the ground forces and non-aviation naval forces still cannot get the people up there to come down and get a much needed reality check. January 16, 2025: Islamic terrorism is more of a threat to Moslems than anyone else, including the United States and Israel. The zealots leading these Islamic terrorist groups expect to die and kill a lot of opponents first. Not surprisingly, most of these victims are fellow Moslems who are considered insufficiently religious, heretical or opposed to terrorism. As a result some 90 percent of Islamic terrorists victims are Moslems. For over a thousand years, Islamic zealots have generally avoided fighting anyone powerful enough to defeat them. There is no glory in failure at the hand of an infidel. The glory can be had if you slaughter infidels, the more the better. This was the case last year in Africa, when al Qaeda JNIM Islamic terrorists based in Mali, attacked on the outskirts of the Burkina Faso town of Barsalogho and shot dead over 500 civilians. Using Mali as a sanctuary made it possible for JNIM to plan and organize such a bold and devastating operation. The JNIM gunmen quickly returned unharmed to their Mali sanctuary. Since the separatist rebellion in northern Mali was defeated in 2012, Mali has faced ongoing problems with corruption, tribal rivalries, and Islamic terrorism. This has prevented peace and prosperity. The situation got worse in 2021 with another military coup, the third since 2012, which this time stemmed from internal disputes within the military. It led to threats from foreign donors to reduce or halt economic aid, especially if the Mali government did not protect the aid and ensure that it reached the people who needed it most. The problems Mali had with aid donors created frustration over corrupt politicians stealing or misappropriation of foreign aid cash meant to support anti-terrorism and anti-separatist operations. The colonels in charge are reluctant to relinquish power and are attempting to achieve self-sufficiency despite the presence of UN peacekeepers and French troops dealing with the Islamic terrorism in the north. The May 2021 coup ousted a civilian National Council of Transition or CNT leader, replacing him with a military colonel who then appointed pro-military officials. Despite criticism from foreign donors like France, the military threatened to seek alternative financial aid and managed to obtain the services of Russian mercenaries. Russia was interested in post-war economic deals with Mali and the Mali military government felt more comfortable dealing with the Russians than the French. Russia has supplied Mali with food and fertilizer and mercenaries to help deal with Tuareg separatists and Islamic terrorists in the north. Over the last decade the Islamic terrorists have been operating closer and closer to the capital Bamako. In September 2024 there was an attack on a military base and the airport outside Bamako. Some aircraft were set on fire. The army captured fifteen of the attackers. In July about forty Russian mercenaries were ambushed and killed in the north near the Algerian border. A Tuareg militia carried out the attack during a sandstorm. The coup leaders have utilized Mali's gold mines as a resource, though this has also led to protests and security crackdowns. Russia is helping Mali expand gold production The Russian presence is not welcome except to the army officers running the military government. The Tuaregs and local Islamic terror groups are particularly hostile to the Russian presence. The military government and their Russian allies have taken heavy losses recently but still control most of the country. This wont last because popular unrest caused by growing poverty and violence is threatening the military government. Going into 2025, the military government appears capable of surviving, while the activities of Russian mercenaries are not. They are also being hunted by Ukrainian special operations forces. Another obscure Islamic terrorism campaign has taken place in Central Asia. Much has changed in this region since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Central Asia is the nations of Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. These five nations have a total population of 77 million and nearly all adults are literate, compared to 27 percent literacy in neighboring Afghanistan. Decades of peace have enabled the local economies to prosper, with total GDP growing from $347 billion in 2021 to nearly $500 billion by the end of the decade. Kazakhstan has oil deposits and the highest per capita GDP of $33,000. Worst off is Kyrgyzstan, which has no known natural resource to export and a population of only 7.2 million, which explains its low per capita GDP of $6,300. Central Asians are largely Moslem and their young men were aware of the fighting involving Islamic terrorists in the Middle East and neighboring Afghanistan. Since 2002, thousands of young men who sought to join Islamic terror groups could not do it in Central Asia. Instead these men had to travel somewhere else to act on their impulse to be active Islamic terrorists. Many Central Asian men joined ISIL, but not in Central Asia. With the elimination of the ISIL caliphate in Syria and Iraq in 2018, there were lots of documents and survivors, like families of ISIL men, some ISIL members, and local civilians, who were questioned and lots of data analyzed. The results were some accurate numbers about Central Asian participation in ISIL through the end of 2018. As many as 5,000 Central Asians made it to Syria. Over half survived and got out. More worrisome was the fact that for every Central Asian who tried to get into Syria, some were stopped at the Syrian border in Turkey and turned back or, in a few cases, arrested. The Turks collected data on those turned away and some of those were later captured or killed in Syria. Some of those turned back eventually made it in, but few returned home to become active Islamic terrorists. That is the pattern; many get radicalized, leave, and never return. Because the potential Islamic terrorists left Central Asia and few returned, there have been few Islamic terror attacks in Central Asia. After each of these the response was swift and usually led to the capture of those responsible and others who were among the usual suspects but not known to be active. This effective counterterror response motivated many radicalized young men to seek safer nations in which to defend Islam with extreme violence. Most of the nations involved here used to be part of the Soviet Union and still have effective secret police and local dictators to ruthlessly suppress dissent. People are putting up with this so far but popular anger about corruption and inefficient government is growing. The region has become an economic and diplomatic battleground for Russia and China, and China is winning. This is something Russia doesnt like to discuss, but among Russians the real threat is from the east, not the west. China brings trade and prosperity, which Central Asians take advantage of. The one enduring problem in Central Asia is poor government. This is the result of decades of misrule by the Soviet Union until 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed and the five Central Asian states were among the fourteen states to emerge from the Soviet Union, which had long been called by westerners, the Prison House of Nations. Local rule soon devolved into a form of local dictatorship with the dictator forced to behave in order to prevent a violent revolution. This allowed the new free-market economy to prosper, provide a better life for most Central Asians, and enough money for corrupt local rulers to live well and protect the new economies. Going into 2025 the Central Asian nations all seek to modernize and improve their economies and job opportunities for the growing population of job seekers. Prosperity and plenty of jobs is a proven antidote for Islamic terrorism. Sir Keir Starmer seems unable to get out of bed in the morning without having another rotten idea. He wanted an anti-corruption minister, so his eye alighted on Tulip Siddiq, whose favourite aunt was until last August the authoritarian and allegedly massively corrupt ruler of Bangladesh. The PM had a fancy for some new suits and a few designer spectacles so, instead of going along to a shop like the rest of us, he got in touch with his multi-millionaire friend, Lord Alli. Sir Keir has convinced himself that we should pay billions of pounds to Mauritius to lease an Anglo-American base in Diego Garcia. This island happens to be more than 1,300 miles away from Mauritius, and most of us thought that we already owned it. He was eager to conclude this daft deal before Trump assumes office next week. But since such a move would have sent the irascible new President into orbit the Donald being very keen to hang on to the Diego Garcia base in its existing form Sir Keir has reportedly decided at the last minute not to sign the agreement just now. Starmer is extraordinarily deficient in judgment. He is the Inspector Clouseau of politics, dependably blundering, unfailingly cack-handed and predictably incompetent. Another recent lapse of good sense may surpass all the others. For while one may normally simply groan in despair or shake ones head in disbelief at his latest idiocy, on this occasion I find myself boiling with rage. Sir Keir has set events in motion that will probably result in compensation being paid to Gerry Adams, though he yesterday claimed that he would look at every conceivable way to prevent this happening. The former Sinn Fein leader has been blocked from getting compensation for unlawful detention by legislation passed under the previous Tory administration But the Labour government is planning to repeal this after Northern Ireland's High Court ruled that it breaches the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) Gerry Adams was the president of Sinn Fein between 13 November 1983 and 10 February 2018 Yes, thats the same Gerry Adams who was for 35 years President of Sinn Fein, which was long regarded as the political wing of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Many authorities believe that Adams was also a longstanding member of the IRA, though he has repeatedly denied ever being associated with the terrorist organisation. Youve got to hand it to Adams. He has tried to turn himself into a kind of Irish Nelson Mandela, oozing warmth and virtue. In this endeavour he has been helped by some with soggy brains. For example, in 2010 Channel 4 asked him to present a programme about Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Adamss latest idea is to claim compensation for his detention in prison in the 1970s over suspected involvement in terrorism. Some may think that it was extremely prudent of the British authorities to incarcerate him, but in its wisdom the Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that he had not been lawfully detained. This opened the way for Adams and potentially hundreds of other IRA suspects to claim compensation. However, in 2023 the Tory government, supported by Labour, introduced an amendment to the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act that blocked any money being paid to Adams or other former detainees. The Government now proposes to reverse the block. It has abandoned an appeal against an absurd Northern Ireland high court ruling last year that the Troubles Act breached human rights laws. Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has said in that prim way of his that the decision to repeal the law underlines the Governments absolute commitment to the Human Rights Act. What about the Governments commitment to morality, decency and truth? It seems there is none. The way is clear for Adams and others to claim compensation. Im afraid Sir Keirs assertion that he will do whatever possible to stop payments will carry little conviction once the Troubles Act is repealed. Gerry Adams and others pictured at a press conference in Northern Ireland, May 1979 Yet the Government could still save itself from yet another folly. Sixteen peers, including former Labour security minister Lord West and former director of public prosecutions Lord MacDonald, have urged the Government to reconsider its decision in a report published on Tuesday by the Policy Exchange think-tank. Meanwhile Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, has some tricky questions to answer. He defended Adams in a damages case in 2023. Was he involved in the Governments decision to repeal the legislation, thereby making compensation likely? No 10 wont say. I believe Gerry Adams is a bad man not because he was in favour of a united Ireland for many years but because he supported the pursuit of that end by illegitimate means. The evidence that he was a leading member of the IRA for many years is very persuasive. In 2002 a very well informed Dublin-based writer called Ed Moloney wrote a book alleging that Adams was responsible for setting up the IRA unit that murdered and clandestinely buried at least nine people in the 1970s. These are the so-called Disappeared. In 2014 Adams was arrested by Northern Irish police, and held in custody for four days, in connection with the murder of Jean McConville, a mother of ten who was one of the Disappeared. Eighteen months later, it was announced that charges wouldnt be brought due to insufficient evidence. Adamss membership of the IRA was also alleged by Michael McDowell, the Republic of Irelands justice minister, in 2005. Martin McGuinness, who had previously owned up to being the IRAs Londonderry commander in the early 1970s, was also named. It is likely that McDowells comments had the backing of the Irish government. Other journalists who know Northern Ireland well, including Peter Taylor and Mark Urban, have also claimed that Adams was a member of the IRA, an allegation made by several former members of the organisation. One of the most damning depictions of Gerry Adams comes in a nine-part adaptation by Disney of a best-selling book by Patrick Radden Keefe about the Irish Troubles. He is presented as a cold and merciless IRA commander with blood on his hands who ordered the execution of alleged British informants. I will repeat what I have said about Adamss insistence that he was never a member of the IRA. Even so, there is surely enough evidence here to persuade fair-minded people that he would be a most undeserving recipient of compensation from the British Government. During the Troubles, 722 British military personnel and 312 police officers were killed in terrorist attacks, almost all of them by the IRA. More than 3,700 people died in the conflict, many at the hands of the organisation of which Gerry Adams is alleged to have been a member. Some victims of IRA terrorism have received compensation, but others have not. Suzanne Dodd, whose police officer father was killed in the Harrods store bombing in 1983, asks: Considering the IRA victims have not received any compensation, how could Gerry Adams get compensation? Indeed. It would be an outrage if taxpayers were required to stump up in this cause. Like millions of people, I am about to submit a tax return. I find the idea that even a fraction of my tax could find its way into the pockets of Adams and former IRA terrorists utterly sickening. The Troubles may be receding into history. Gerry Adams is no longer a household name. But it would be an offence against justice and decency if, out of a misguided passion for human rights law, the Government paid our money to former terrorists. The barbarity endured by some unfortunate NHS patients is impossible to abide. A report that shames Britain, published today by the Royal College of Nursing, describes scenes which would not be out of place in the Third World or battlefield hospitals of the last century. Patients suffering fatal cardiac arrest in corridors. Others treated in rooms designed for viewing the dead. Women miscarrying in public view. The shameful list goes on. It beggars belief that such depravity can take place in one of the worlds leading economies, and in an NHS that costs more than 200 billion a year. Can we really continue to kid ourselves that the NHS model is somehow world-leading or viewed with envy by other nations? As we have stated before, the Government is simply not doing enough to combat the root causes of this disarray in our hospitals. One of the key factors is bed-blockers who do not need to be in hospital but have nowhere else safe to go nearly 12,000 patients every night, mainly elderly people. A report that shames Britain, published today by the Royal College of Nursing, describes scenes which would not be out of place in the Third World or battlefield hospitals of the last century. Pictured: File photo It beggars belief that such depravity can take place in one of the worlds leading economies, and in an NHS that costs more than 200 billion a year. Pictured: File photo And yet Labours care review which will hopefully provide some proper, long-term solutions will not report back until 2028. That delay was unacceptable when Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the timescale earlier this month, and is even more so in the wake of todays harrowing findings. Dubious loyalties It is becoming quite overwhelming how Labour is working against British interests on numerous fronts. Sir Keir Starmer is appointing ministers whose previous pursuits are, at the least, questionable. Decisions are being taken which directly benefit foreign powers and not the British people. The Government is beginning to resemble a long-dormant sleeper cell finally activated in a John le Carre novel. After the resignation of the PMs ally Tulip Siddiq the anti-corruption minister facing a corruption investigation he replaced her with Emma Reynolds, who has previously lobbied on behalf of Chinese interests. Sir Keir Starmer is appointing ministers whose previous pursuits are, at the least, questionable. Decisions are being taken which directly benefit foreign powers and not the British people After the resignation of the PMs ally Tulip Siddiq (left) the anti-corruption minister facing a corruption investigation he replaced her with Emma Reynolds (right), who has previously lobbied on behalf of Chinese interests Then we have Labours moves to repeal legislation which blocked compensation claims by ex-Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, among others. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick yesterday raised questions about the role of Attorney General Lord Hermer, another Starmer buddy, in that sorry affair. And then there is the near-treacherous proposal to surrender the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, which threatens to benefit China and cost the British taxpayer billions. Only due to external factors has the Chagos deal stalled, and it will now face the scrutiny of Donald Trump after he returns to the White House next week. Mr Trump, author of The Art Of The Deal, is sure to conclude its a stinker and dismiss any proponent of it as a fool. Chancellor Rachel Reevess latest wheeze is to ask official regulators what they can do to stimulate economic growth Reevess folly Chancellor Rachel Reevess latest wheeze is to ask official regulators what they can do to stimulate economic growth. Perhaps it has escaped her attention that she imposed a massive, counter-productive burden on employers in the form of additional National Insurance contributions. It was already predicted that this move would cost jobs and cut investment, and now the boss of electrical retailer Currys has voiced further dire warnings. Before asking quangos for big ideas, the Chancellor should reflect on the folly of her own ways. At last, it seems, the hostages are going home. Or rather, some of them. The majority have been killed in captivity, and the deal between Israel and Hamas does not mean the immediate release of all those who are still alive. All previous prospective deals have collapsed because, when push came to shove, Hamas refused to release the hostages and Israel would not agree to Hamass demand that its troops leave the Philadelphi Corridor an eight-mile strip of land along the border between Gaza and Egypt which has been used by Hamas to smuggle weapons. This time, however, it seems both Hamas and Israel have moved. And the obvious question is: Why now? The answer is straightforward: Donald Trump. The deal should be seen not as the final hurrah of the Biden administration but, rather, as the first foreign policy success of Mr Trumps second term. Even though he doesnt take office until Monday, the very fact that he is about to become president again has already upended the dynamics not just in Gaza but across the Middle East. The default position of so many is to look at Mr Trump and sneer. He is uncouth, unabashed and often unreliable. But as we saw in his first term as president, it is those very characteristics that give him an impact denied to the smooth, respectable and all too often wrong-headed foreign policy establishment. Put simply, Mr Trump gets that the single most important factor in succeeding in the Middle East is showing strength and being seen to mean it. Both Hamas and Israel are well aware that on Monday, when Mr Trump is inaugurated, everything changes. Last week, for example, he threatened Hamas that all hell will break out if it does not release the remaining hostages before then. Last month he said there would be hell to pay. Last week, Donald Trump threatened Hamas that all hell will break out if it does not release the remaining hostages before his inauguration President Joe Biden, center, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Sec. of State Anthony Blinken, right, speaks in the Cross Hall of the White House on the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages after more than 15 months of war, Jan. 15, in Washington Hamas know he means what he says, unlike the weak, vacillating Joe Biden. For months the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has been trying to secure a ceasefire deal involving the release of the hostages. He got nowhere, because all he has done is ask politely. Worse, he made it less likely there would be a deal by repeatedly criticising Israels tactics in Gaza, such as last March when he and Mr Biden told Israel not to enter Rafah, and then said unless Israel changed course it might lose US support. Hamas smelled weakness and US pressure being put on Israel, so the prospect of a deal receded. As the former US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld put it when he left office in 2006: Weakness is provocative. Time and again, weakness has invited adventures that strength might well have deterred. Crucially, Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, trusts Mr Trump to have Israels back. In his first term, Mr Trump moved the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a hugely symbolic and supportive act, and he was tougher on Iran by far the biggest national security threat to Israel than any previous US president. Mr Netanyahu also knows that it would be foolhardy to ignore the incoming presidents wishes. And Mr Trump made clear that he wanted a deal, not least by sending his incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff to make sure that Mr Netanyahu was on board. Mr Trumps first term showed the Middle East he was prepared to throw his weight around. He inherited Barack Obamas flagship nuclear deal with the Iranian regime a terrible treaty that allowed the coffers from its oil sales to flood back into the Iranian war chest, which it used to step up not only its nuclear programme but also its funding of its terrorist proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Mr Trump was widely pilloried for saying he would rip up the deal, but he did just that, as well as reimposing sanctions on Irans oil sales. The result was clear: Iran fast ran out of money for its terrorism support. And because the US was seen as leading the diplomatic fight against the regions pariah state, it paved the way for the unprecedented Abraham Accords which established friendly relations between Israel and Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Sudan, all of which had good reason to fear Iran. All that good work was undone by Mr Biden and Mr Blinken, who from their first day in power set about securing another nuclear deal with Iran and who relaxed the sanctions so that Iran has since been able to build up its terrorism funding. Mr Trumps approach extends beyond the Middle East. It has, for example, long been obvious that Nato members do not spend anything like enough on defence. But it was only when Mr Trump threatened, in his first term, to walk out of Nato, saying we should not expect a free ride at the US taxpayers expense, that members started to even think about spending more. Now the need to spend more is even clearer, but, once again, it is only thanks to Mr Trumps threats that there is a prospect of it happening. It is businesses that create growth, not the State. They are the ones creating the investment, the jobs, the risk taking and, yes, the taxes paid. I know it, Mail readers know it, and small businesses across the country know it. Sadly, Labour has just never got it. Like many, I was hoping this Labour government would break the mould, because that is what is best for our country. But the Chancellor meeting regulators today to beg them for ideas to get the British economy growing smacks of desperation. Its like asking the village speed-watch group to organise the next British Grand Prix. Im afraid it is more evidence she is out of ideas and out of her depth. Regulators can play an important role, but they tend to depress growth through risk aversion, bureaucracy and slowing down decision making. In the global economic race, our regulators are a weight in our backpack making it hard to compete. The best thing the Chancellor could do with the quangos today, to help the economy grow, is to significantly slim down their ranks. Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves speaking to the media during a visit to the Darwen Banking Hub in Darwen, Lancashire UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer departs 10 Downing Street on his way to the House of Commons for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions, January 15 Where the Chancellor is correct is to identify the need for some fresh ideas on how to do her job. She took the fastest growing economy in the G7 which is now one of the slowest. Shes crushed business confidence by trash talking the economy and then hitting them with a punishing jobs tax. And the markets are in turmoil because of her political naivety, sending borrowing costs to the highest levels since last time Labour were in power almost a 30-year high. Yet where has Rachel been? Taking her begging bowl to China, cosying up to the Communist regime in the hope they might dig her out of the hole she has dug for herself. Rachel Reeves must listen to businesses, the backbone of the British economy. But she wont. Perhaps because shes too afraid of what theyll say to her after a series of choices that would make any sane person think this Labour Government hates Britain? So let me help. What they would say, and have said to me countless times, is get rid of the devastating, growth-destroying Employment Rights Bill. Person holding cellphone with logo of British authority Office of Communications (Ofcom) on screen in front of webpage It is an extreme union charter that will take Britain back to dark days of the 1970s. It will stifle private enterprise, it will raise prices for families and it will hand powers to the unions that would make Arthur Scargill blush. By the Governments own admission, these measures will cost 50,000 jobs and suppress salaries for those paid the least. Its economic lunacy. Keir Starmer was elected on a pledge to deliver growth, growth, growth but right now the biggest barriers to growth are himself, his Chancellor and this job-destroying Bill. So as Rachel Reeves sits down with regulators today asking what regulations theyre prepared to scrap to get our economy going, perhaps she could lead by example and scrap those she is planning to introduce that will drown businesses across the country in red tape? I wont hold my breath. Because, as Kemi Badenoch has said, this Labour Government is just making everything worse. For many businesses, this will be existential. They will fail, jobs will be lost, and families will suffer if Labour doesnt change course. Regulators are the last people to find the answers to generating growth. Hopefully the Chancellor will learn this elementary lesson sooner rather than later. Until she does, working people will continue to pay the price for this crisis made in Downing Street. Call it 225,000,000 for cash. That's how much I reckon Border Force owes us in fines for ferrying illegal immigrants across the Channel. Where do I get that figure from? Well, consider the case of the Essex couple fined 1,500 after discovering a Somali migrant stowed away under the cover of a bike rack attached to the back of their motorhome. Adrian and Joan Fenton (left) arrived home in Heybridge after driving home from France. When Adrian went to unpack their bikes, he saw a pair of trainers sticking out from under the cover. by Austin Bay January 15, 2025 The Japanese called their intercontinental weapons "fusen bakudan" -- trans-Pacific balloon-delivered firebombs riding the trans-Pacific jet stream and targeting the U.S. West Coast in late 1944 and 1945. That the "Fu-Go" offensive occurred and that it failed to do any significant damage are historical facts. However, 2025's Los Angeles wildfires and their estimated $150 billion in damage suggest Japanese strategists had a conceptually valid offensive combat operation. For the record, one balloon landed in the ocean just off San Pedro, California. San Pedro is South LA. San Pedro hasn't caught fire -- yet. 1945: Three Fu-Go balloons reached Iowa. 2024: A wind-powered Communist Chinese spy balloon traversed the U.S. In light of the Ukraine War, we might think of these balloons as wind-powered drones. The World War II Japanese balloons were unguided bomber drones crudely aimed at large targets like U.S. national forests and anywhere in California. The Beijing balloon was a recon drone, gathering data for a future conflict. No, this column isn't about balloon warfare. It's about American vulnerabilities a shrewd and vicious enemy would exploit and exploit cheaply and with plausible deniability -- like Imperial Japan tried to do with its balloons. The appalling Los Angeles fires illustrate a climate, terrain, vegetation and governmental vulnerability a clever enemy could exploit, especially enemies like Russia and China who practice hybrid warfare. Hybrid warfare is war waged under the veneer of "plausible deniability." Which means the bad guys attacked you but they claim you can't prove it. On Jan. 1, New Orleans suffered a deadly terrorist attack. Revived Islamo-fascist terrorism is on the minds of many Americans. A historically informed friend phoned me and asked me if I thought the LA fire catastrophe might be a terrorist attack. He knew in WWII the Japanese had tried to start fires in U.S. Pacific Northwest forests. When he called, a TV report claimed six fires were raging. I told him no one, and especially government investigators, can quickly dismiss the possibility of terrorism. That said, Southern California wildfires have been occurring since the end of the Pleistocene. It's likely wildfires have been occurring since land plants evolved. However, an incident suggested criminal or terrorist arson as a source of at least one fire. LA citizens had caught an illegal alien attempting to light fires with a blowtorch -- TV even showed the cellphone video. Most likely, the guy's a nut, I said, a pathetic character who ought to be in a mental hospital. But given the threat posed by the Venezuelan gang Tren De Aragua to towns in Colorado, sure, a criminal or foreign enemy actor could use characters like the blowtorch nut to destroy American property and destabilize society. Look, I said, the likely cause is governmental incompetence. It's already apparent LA leaders cut fire department budgets and California state authorities blocked efforts to cull dead foliage by either cutting or controlled burns. (After this conversation, I heard a former California fire official later say the state government stopped commonsense fire prevention efforts.) But my caller made a key point: The fires revealed a vulnerability that could have been mitigated. Stretches of dry weather create wildfire conditions in the American West. If you don't want Los Angeles to look like firebombed Dresden (February 1945), elect a government that makes sure the reservoirs are full, the fire hydrants work, the firefighters are trained, and the dead brush is cut and removed. Our enemies, however, do practice sabotage. In 2024, on at least three occasions, cargo shipments from Eastern Europe caught fire in airports and warehouses in Poland, Germany and Britain. The Biden administration subsequently concluded the explosive packages were a Russian "test run" for future bomb shipments to Canada and the U.S. Media have speculated the operations' raison d'etre was to bring the war in Ukraine to North America. That might be the fire next time. At midday on Monday, Washington time, Joe Biden will be put out of his misery. Not a moment too soon, for America or the rest of the free world. The unvarnished truth is that Sleepy Uncle Joe was unfit for the highest office from day one, as all but his most cynical enablers have been forced to admit. His valedictory address to the American people on Wednesday night was the usual incoherent jumble of self-aggrandisement and bitterness. Yet as recently as last June, Biden, his wife Jill, the Democratic Party elite and their cheerleaders in what the late Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh called the 'drive-by' mainstream media, were insisting he was the only man capable of leading the US for the next four years. That was the night he imploded in plain sight during a televised candidates' debate with Donald Trump. As I wrote at the time, from the moment Biden wandered onstage and waved to a non-existent studio audience it was frighteningly apparent that he was away with the fairies. The only surprise was that anyone was in the slightest bit surprised. If the Democrats are now in despair about the second coming of Trump they should have thought about that before they decided to run a dribbling basket case for a second term. When they belatedly dumped him they were lumbered with the unelectable Kamala Harris. From Lord Gaga to Lady Gaga. US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address on Wednesday. It was an incoherent jumble, says Richard Littlejohn A few short months after Biden moved into the White House, he was filmed wandering off into the shrubbery after failing to find his way from his helicopter to the Oval Office. Never mind not being able to walk and chew gum at the same time, he could barely put one foot in front of the other without falling flat on his face. Time and again he was seen stumbling up and down airplane steps, falling off a bike, tumbling off stage and suffering brain-freeze during speeches and Press conferences. All of this was known in advance of him running for the Presidency first time round. After observing Biden on the campaign trail in 2019, former White House doctor Ronny Jackson who had served as private physician to Barack Obama and George W Bush concluded: 'I am concerned he does not have the mental capacity, the cognitive ability, to serve as Commander-in-Chief and Head of State.' When Biden was investigated for hoarding classified documents at his Delaware home the same 'crime' which justified a military-style FBI raid on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida the special prosecutor who interviewed him decided there was no point in bringing charges because any jury would find him incompetent to stand trial. The headline on this column read: 'If Biden's mentally unfit to stand trial, he's mentally unfit to be President.' Never was that more apparent than during the shameful scuttle from Afghanistan, when Biden retreated to his basement and wasn't seen in public for six days. The only photograph showed him hunkered down at his Camp David rural retreat, staring at an array of giant TV screens. He kept pressing the remote control, hoping for a different result, like the simpleton Chauncey Gardiner, who rises to become a presidential adviser in the Peter Sellers movie Being There. The humiliating Afghan withdrawal was the defining moment, the nadir, of his Presidency. It signalled to tyrants like Vladimir Putin and the ayatollahs in Iran that America was no longer prepared to act as the world's policeman. The world became a more dangerous place the day the last US plane lifted off. The chaotic scenes at Kabul airport evoked memories of the last helicopter to take off from the roof of the American embassy in Saigon when the US pulled out of Vietnam in April 1975. For the second time in half a century, the world's once undisputed military superpower was routed by a ramshackle army of irregulars. When Trump argues that neither the invasion of Ukraine nor the October 7 Hamas pogrom would have happened had he been President, he's bang on the money (And 'Irish Joe' was no friend of this country either. He didn't even have the decency to consult the British military before pulling out, despite the fact that we'd been loyally riding shotgun from the beginning.) Biden's weakness encouraged Putin to invade Ukraine and Iran to let loose its terrorist proxies against Israel. China, too, was emboldened to advance plans to attack Taiwan. When Trump argues that neither the invasion of Ukraine nor the October 7 Hamas pogrom would have happened had he been President, he's bang on the money. On Wednesday night, Biden tried to claim credit for the pending ceasefire in Gaza, but the world knows it was primarily down to the intervention of Trump, who warned that unless the hostages were released before his inauguration there would be 'hell to pay'. On the domestic front, Biden turned America from a net-exporter of energy to once again dependent on foreign imports. He prolonged lockdown and perpetuated the fiction that the Covid virus did not originate in a Chinese laboratory. He halted the construction of Trump's wall on the southern border and allowed anywhere between seven and 11 million illegal immigrants including rapists, murderers and drug cartel members into America. Biden or at least, his puppet-masters also decided to weaponise the justice system to pursue Trump through the courts with a series of, er, trumped-up, politically-motivated indictments designed to throw him in jail and stop him running for President. He must now hope that the incoming President doesn't retaliate in kind. For years, there have been allegations of corruption against what Trump calls 'The Biden Crime Family'. Before Christmas, Biden pardoned his degenerate son Hunter, who was facing prison time for gun and drug crimes despite repeatedly denying that he had any such intention. As I wrote then, the suspicion is that Joe was not just pardoning his son, he was also protecting himself from possible future prosecution over allegations that the Biden family had received $17 million in fees from overseas corporations, including a Ukrainian energy company which was paying Hunter $1 million a year. I covered all this in a Saturday essay for the Mail. It was also reported that Hunter leveraged his father's then position as Vice-President to force through a lucrative business deal with a Chinese conglomerate. Taliban soldiers celebrate the second anniversary of the fall of Kabul and America's humiliating withdrawal, on a street near the US embassy In 2017, an email from Hunter about the Chinese deal stated that 10 per cent was for the 'Big Guy'. Whistleblowers say the Big Guy was Joe Biden. That email was recovered from a laptop abandoned by Hunter at a Delaware repair shop, along with another to his sister complaining that he was expected to hand over half his income to his father. Biden has always traded on his working-class image. When he became Veep in 2009, he claimed to have a net worth of just $30,000. As he prepares to leave office, his wealth is estimated at anything up to $40 million. It must have come from somewhere. That hard drive also contained a mine of explosive material and featured photographs of Hunter taking crack cocaine and consorting with prostitutes. At the behest of the White House and the Democrat machine, the story was covered up by the same mainstream media which maintained Biden was still playing with a full deck. The FBI refused to admit that the laptop belonged to Hunter Biden and insisted falsely it was part of a Russian disinformation campaign. With a Trump appointee now nailed on for the Justice Department, all bets are off. A couple of years ago, I joked that Joe Biden's best chance of staying out of jail would be to turn up at court in a bathrobe, pretending to have no idea where he was, like Tony's Uncle Junior in The Sopranos. Don't be surprised, with his shambolic Presidency ending in ignominy if he appears at Trump's inauguration on Monday wearing a tartan dressing gown and looking as if he has no idea where he is, which he probably won't have. That's always assuming he can make the steps without falling over. Nigel Farage will be there but, as Andrew Pierce reports, our new man in Washington, Lord Mandelson, has sadly not been invited to Mondays inauguration. Instead, Britain will be represented at the swearing-in by our outgoing ambassador Karen Pierce (no relation). Still, he could always try sneaking in by pretending to be one of the Village People, who are performing at the inaugural ball. After all, hes already got the hard hat and the dance moves. Y-MCA! Martin Lewis has issued a warning to all British Airways passengers, alerting them to a cash pot of 117million in unredeemed eVouchers. According to the money-saving expert, 52, more than 139 million (117 million) in British Airways eVouchers are soon set to expire - and customers of the airline should act fast to secure them. During the pandemic, the airline granted customers the ability to cancel their flights in exchange for eVouchers to be spent at a later date. Additionally, those whose flights were cancelled were given the option of a full cash refund, or an eVoucher - though this is no longer currently available to passengers now. British Airways previously said that customers with vouchers would need to have used up their eVocuhers by April 2022 - though this deadline has been extended several times. Since this initial date was set, the airline has pushed back the deadline four times - with Martin warning that there is no promise of another deadline being added. Martin's Money Saving Expert team urged customers who took the option of an eVoucher four years ago, to check their eligibility to ensure they don't lose any unused vouchers. The team urged: The safest option is to redeem your voucher in good time to ensure you dont lose out. Martin Lewis (pictured) has issued a warning to all British Airways passengers, alerting them to a cash pot of 117 million in unredeemed cVouchers The new expiry date set by the airline is 30 September, 2025, with customers needing to have taken the flight or used up any package before this date. For passengers of the airline who may forgotten whether they were cash in any vouchers, they can quickly find out by typing their email addresses into the British Airways website. If eligible, customers should expect to find an email stating whether they are entitled to any vouchers and how much they are. Emails should arrive with the subject 'Your eVouchers with British Airways' within two hours of first sending. The airline also encouraged customers to check their email inboxes to search for any outstanding vouchers. As a last resort, flyers can search the airlines website for an online form, or call 0344 493 0787. According to the airline's parent company, IAG, there was at least 139 million in unredeemed vouchers as of the end of 2023 - with later figures currently unavailable. Customers can then cash in on the vouchers, using them to pay in part or in full, for flights. Up to four vouchers per new booking can also be used when making new reservations. According to the money-saving expert, 52, more than 139 million (117 million) in British Airways eVouchers are soon set to expire - and customers of the airline should act fast to secure them Martin's Money Saving Expert team urged customers who took the option of an eVoucher four years ago, to check their eligibility to ensure they don't lose any unused vouchers However, as Martin Lewis pointed out, on flight extras will not be eligible for purchase using the vouchers. Additional extras such as extra baggage and seat reservations, will all be exempt. The money saving team also pointed out that customers of the British Airways Executive Club will also need to prepare themselves for change - with changes being made on the 1 April 2025 set to earn passengers fewer loyalty points. It comes just two weeks after the money saving expert issued an urgent plea to state pensioners who were born before 1958 to claim a free 3,900 government payment. The money saving expert, 52, has urged state pensioners that they could be entitled to a 3,900 yearly boost from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - though they must claim the cash themselves as it won't arrive automatically. Martin's Money Saving Expert team said a whopping 1.7 billion is waiting to be claimed by 850,000 state pensioners, urging those born in or before 1958 - aged 66 or older - to apply. To meet the criteria for the 3,900 payment, applicants must be single and have a total weekly income under 218 - though the ITV and BBC team said those receiving less than 235 could also get it. There is also the chance that couples could be entitled. For those of pension age earning a weekly total under 333, the chances of checking in the cash are high. Equally, couples who earn less 350 per week also have a good chance of being entitled to the money. Though the cash won't arrive automatically and must be claimed, according to the money saving website. MSE warned: 'It's NOT automatic so you MUST claim here's how. You can apply via Gov.uk if you've already claimed your State Pension, otherwise phone the Pension Service on 0800 99 1234 (or the Northern Ireland Pension Centre on 0808 100 6165). You can backdate it for three months, so the quicker you check, the quicker you'll benefit.' Ivanka Trump has finally lifted the lid on her favorite beauty products, including the one item that she has been using since she was 14 years old. On Monday, the daughter of Donald Trump made a rare appearance on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, where she spoke about a wide variety of topics, covering everything from parenting to serving in the presidential administration. But towards the end of the show, the former shoe designer, 43, revealed her top makeup product picks, and some of them are surprisingly affordable. 'I have been using this makeup product from Estee Lauder since I was like 14 years old, and it's a concealer... it's called Maximum Coverage,' Ivanka revealed during the episode. She explained that the $55 bottle was quite large, and joked that she's only been through about three of them since she was young. 'I don't love so much foundation,' the former Presidential Advisor admitted, explaining that she dabs the makeup under her eyes. 'I prefer to focus on skincare rather than makeup, so I like a good mascara, especially when I feel tired, but I feel like when my skin looks good and feels good, I feel good.' When it comes to her favorite skincare products, Ivanka loves to use serums and moisturizers, she said. Ivanka Trump has finally lifted the lid on her favorite beauty products, including the one item that she has been using since she was 14 years old On Monday, the daughter of Donald Trump made a rare appearance on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast, where she spoke about a wide variety of topics 'I don't love so much foundation,' the former Presidential Advisor admitted, explaining that she dabs the makeup under her eyes She's recently added something into her routine called Sea Buckthorn Oil, which contains certain acids and fats that can help to control acne and treat dry skin, per Healthline. 'I am addicted to lip moisturizer,' the former model confessed. 'Wherever I go, on my bedside table, there's a lip moisturizer,' she continued. 'My favorite one was by Glossier, the Balm Dotcom, and they've changed the formula, so I'm like, on a mission to find the original. I have a few bottles left.' For body moisturizers, she uses one called The Lymphatic Drainage Effect by the brand Gente, which she says was actually started by one of her friends. 'It is so good and it smells so delicious, it's a Brazilian formulation, it's amazing, it's beautiful,' she shared of the $34 product. But moisturizers aren't her only obsession - Ivanka revealed she has an entire collection of sunscreens for all different occasions, calling herself a 'sunblock fanatic.' 'I'm pretty nuts about that, and I think living in Florida, that's especially true.' 'I have been using this makeup product from Estee Lauder since I was like 14 years old, and it's a concealer... it's called Maximum Coverage,' Ivanka revealed during the episode She's recently added something into her routine called Sea Buckthorn Oil, which contains certain acids and fats that can help to control acne and treat dry skin, per Healthline Ivanka says that she is obsessed with Glossier Balm Dotcom lip balm, along with the Gente Lymphatic Drainage Effect cream However, her beauty routine wasn't the only thing that Ivanka spoke about while on the podcast. She revealed the one thing that she wishes her parents would have told her growing up, as she reminisced about the time spent with her late mom, Ivana, at New York's Plaza Hotel, where she served as the CEO. 'I used to go to her everyday after school, she was the CEO of the Plaza Hotel, the iconic hotel in New York, and I'd go with her on walks, and it was literally like a more well-behaved Eloise at the Plaza,' Ivanka revealed. 'I'd run behind her and watch her do her thing. My father was the same.' However, she admitted that there was one thing she feels like her parents didn't show her when she was young. 'There was never explicit instruction,' Ivanka shared. 'I kind of wish I'd gotten a little bit of that, sort of sitting me down and saying, "This is how I like to be, this is how I conduct myself, did you notice this?"' 'It was purely observational,' she continued. 'They never jammed it down our throat, you know, come and work with us in this capacity, but if we were curious and if we were interested, they would always want us around. 'I would spend my weekend on construction sites just trialing behind. And you learn a lot by that.' Since the wildfires broke out last week across Southern California, at least 25 people have died, more than 40,000 acres have burned, and approximately 200,000 families have been displaced. In response to the unprecedented devastation, fashion and lifestyle brands are actively contributing to relief efforts. Los Angeles-based labels like Resa, 12th Tribe, Sydney Evans, and Skechers are just a few companies making notable donations. With Skechers pledging over $1 million in aid. As so many come to grips with their heartbreaking losses, these initiatives aim to provide financial and material support to victims and their families. Rebecca Minkoff teamed up with Female Founder Collective Foundation to help raise money to provide grants to women-owned businesses in need of urgent recovery support. Read on for ways you can help the LA community during this very challenging time. And please pass the information to someone who needs aid. In response to the unprecedented devastation from the California wildfires, fashion and lifestyle brands are actively contributing to relief efforts Rebecca Minkoff and the Female Founder Collective Rebecca Minkoff and the Female Founder Collective core mission is focused on the power of women and community. Together they hosted a fundraiser for the Fire Department Foundation and have already raised over 1.2 million dollars. Celebrities donating such as Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, Vanessa Hudgens, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Biel, Nicky Hilton, Brooke Shields and Jessica Seinfeld to name a few have reshared and donated. For every donation of $100 or more, donors will receive a limited-edition shirt that symbolizes love, strength, and resilience by illustrator Robert Wilson. 100% of the profits from the campaign will go directly to the Female Founder Collective Foundation, which provides critical grants to women-owned businesses in need of urgent recovery support. These grants help women entrepreneurs rebuild and thrive, whether its repairing damaged spaces, replenishing lost inventory, or covering essential expenses to stay open. Rebecca Minkoff and the Female Founder Collective core mission is focused on the power of women and community. Together they hosted a fundraiser for the Fire Department Foundation and have already raised over 1.2 million dollars If you are an LA-based woman-owned business that has been affected by the LA Wildfires and needs assistance to rebuild, apply for our grant to get the support and resources you need most right now. Apply here. This mission is deeply personal for Ali Wyatt, Co-Founder and CEO of the Female Founder Collective, who lost her own home in the fire. 'When I personally experienced the devastation of losing everything in the fire and seeing my vibrant community be decimated, it became clear what we all needed, and that is hope,' shared Ali. 'Hope is the fabric that weaves us together in tragedy. And by taking action and moving forward, maybe we can be the hope by ensuring women have the resources to survive and rebuildbecause when they thrive, our communities thrive.' For every donation of $100 or more, donors will receive a limited-edition shirt that symbolizes love, strength, and resilience by illustrator Robert Wilson 12th Tribe On Thursday, January 16th at 5pm PST, 12th Tribe will be launching an online benefit sale, where a portion of proceeds will go directly to supporting fire victims and relief efforts. And that's not all. Founder Demi Marchese and her "tribe" are transforming their office into a donation center to collect essential items for families who have lost everything. Their last Instagram post read, 'Our hearts are heavy as we witness the devastation caused by the recent fires that have deeply impacted so many lives. On Thursday, January 16th at 5pm PST, Los Angeles-based brand 12th Tribe will be launching an online benefit sale, where a portion of proceeds will go directly to supporting fire victims and relief efforts 'At 12th Tribe, we stand by our community and are committed to turning our heartbreak into action. Its time to come together and support those who need us the most. 'Weve always believed in the power of this Tribe to come together and make an impact. Now more than ever, our community is needed to extend a helping hand to those in distress. 'Whether its through a purchase during our Benefit Sale or by donating and volunteering your time no action is too small. 'Together, we can help ease the pain, bring comfort, and restore hope to the families who have lost so much. 'Thank you for showing up. Thank you for being a part of this movement. Lets be the light in the darkest of times because thats what Tribe is all about.' If you are in need or would like to help out, just head to the brand's Instagram for more information. Rent The Runway In response to the crisis, rental subscription service Rent The Runway is gifting free memberships to anyone who lost their homes. A recent Instagram post read: 'To our LA community: Our hearts are with you. Were offering two complimentary months of Rent the Runway 5-or 10-item full closet subscriptions to those who lost their homes to help ease the burdenlink in bio to apply. 'If youve been displaced, you can pause your membership or we can ship to a different address for you, and please dont worry about late fees or lost itemstheyre forgiven, just contact customer support to let them know. 'Were also donating thousands of new and gently worn inventory to the YMCA of LA to support those in need. Stay safe, and know were here for you.' In response to the crisis, rental subscription service Rent The Runway is gifting free memberships to anyone who lost their homes Contemporary fashion label Resa is donating 20% of the Damsel collection - their latest drop - to the LA fire department Resa Contemporary fashion label Resa is donating 20% of sales from the Damsel collection sales - their latest drop - to the Los Angeles Fire Department. In addition, they have been collecting donations of new and used items in their Marina del Rey offices to deliver to those in need. The brand is also hosting a private event that will take place in February for those affected by the fires. For more information, go to their Instagram page. Skechers Los Angeles-based company, Skechers, is pledging over $1 million in aid for relief efforts. From Skechers President Michael Greenberg, in an internal memo to employees: 'Skechers is more than just a global brand. We're a company with a heart, and Los Angeles is our home. 'While the road ahead may be challenging, I want you to know that our commitment to this community extends far beyond this immediate crisis. 'We will be here, supporting the long-term recovery and rebuilding efforts. Thank you for your resilience, your compassion, and your unwavering spirit. We are LA Strong.' Given that the Company's charitable focus is on children and families, Skechers is partnering with several local and national organizations to provide monetary donations and goods, including: American Red Cross, Baby2Baby, California Fire Foundation Wildfire and Disaster Relief Fund, Pasadena Education Foundation/ Eaton Fire Response Fund, YMCA Metropolitan Los Angeles. Additionally, Skechers is working on a way it can also directly impact Eaton Park and other programs through the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation. To further support our heroic firefighters as well as the many impacted by this fire, Skechers is implementing a national register roundup at our retail stores so that our customers across the country can also help the many victims. Skechers will also help ease the disaster's impact on local animal shelters by supporting Agoura Animal Care Center and paying for all dog and cat adoptions now through Sunday, January 19. Los Angeles-based company, Skechers, is pledging over $1 million in aid for relief efforts alice + olivia From January 16th-26th alice + olivia is transforming their Los Angeles Melrose store into a popup shop to support those in need, offering free clothing and accessories to victims of the recent fires. 'If you or someone you know has been impacted, we hope you will visit and pick out needed items..' wrote founder Stacey Bendet on Instagram. 'As a company and brand we always believe in the ability of clothes to transform and uplift and we hope this effort will help women to rebuild and restart during these turbulent times.' January 16th-26th 10am-6pm 8501 Melrose avenue West Hollywood CA 90069 Glamhive Glamhive, a online destination that clients with personal stylists, is stepping up to support those impacted by recent wildfires. Glamhive offers a range of styling services, virtually and in-person, tailored to individual needs. Founder and CEO Stephanie Sprangers shared with Daily Mail: 'We currently have 123 stylists from across the US, Australia, the UK, and Canada volunteering their time to help virtually. The idea is to take one thing off peoples plates during an incredibly overwhelming time.' Through this initiative, stylists are conducting video consultations with wildfire victims, creating personalized mood boards complete with shopping links to help them rebuild their wardrobes with ease. Glamhives mission is to provide not just clothing solutions, but relief from the mental load of starting over. As Sprangers explains, 'We want to take the burden of decision-making off their shoulders and let our stylists do the thinking for themhelping them rebuild with care and compassion.' Founder and CEO Stephanie Sprangers shared with Daily Mail: 'We currently have 123 stylists from across the US, Australia, the UK, and Canada volunteering their time to help virtually' Cotton On 100% of Cotton On Foundation funds collected in the USA (online and in store) from January 13 - January 26 will be donated to Project Hope, an organization that is actively on the ground working to provide aid for those affected by these wildfires. Please see HERE to shop Cotton On Foundation products and directly donate to the California Fire Fund. Los Angeles is our home, and we are devastated for our community and those impacted by the wildfires. Sydney Evan will donate 100% of the proceeds from our California charm to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. Sydney Evan Devastated for those in their community Sydney Evan will donate 100% of the proceeds from their California charm to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation. The finely detailed 14k yellow gold charm is adorned with diamond accents, and suspended on a delicate 14k gold ball chain. It retails for $1,245. Devastated for those in their community Sydney Evan will donate 100% of the proceeds from their California charm to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation 100% of profits from each sale of Clare V.'s Los Angeles Je T'aime (Los Angeles I Love You) tee will be donated to The American Red Cross Clare V. 100% of profits from each sale of Clare V.'s Los Angeles Je T'aime (Los Angeles I Love You) tee will be donated to The American Red Cross . The cotton unisex tee is made in L.A and retails for $100. La La Kind Cafe La La Kind Cafe is on the ground delivering pastries and bread to fire stations and shelters to support our neighbors. Additionally, they are offering free drinks to first responders through in-hand deliveries and drop offs while supply lasts. Dolce Vita Dolce Vita is donating profits to Baby2Baby. Sartorially speaking its not the most exciting time of year. Party season is a distant, glitter-doused memory, but the cold weather means that sparkles have been replaced by a rotation of enveloping jumpers. To add a bit of oomph to your January uniform, I suggest finding a new style of jeans one of the easiest updates you can give your workaday wardrobe. You may recoil in horror at the notion of straying from your favourite denim. I, for one, am devoted to a trusty pair of flares from Boden (sadly now discontinued). But this season the shops are awash with fresh and flattering pairs at a startling range of prices, with styles costing as much as 480. So weve picked the best jeans in five key styles for 2025. For each, weve included one standout pair worth splurging on and one (remarkably similar) budget-friendly style. See if you can tell which is which... Wide leg Chic wide-leg flares look good with everything. Opt for a hipster style and a loose fit around the thighs. Dont assume theyre only for casual wear; instead, dress them up with a pair of smart boots. Uniqlos 39.99 style delivers relaxed elegance. Jeans, 220, now 154, 7forallmankind.co.uk; jacket, 295, Rails at trilogystores.co.uk; boots, 295, russellandbromley.co.uk Jeans, 39.99, uniqlo.com; jacket, uniqlo.com; boots, 59, next.co.uk Turn-up Veronica Beard is one of the Princess of Waless favourite casual designers, and this designer version of turn-ups (365) would no doubt look great on her, too. If youre balking at the price tag, these ones by Primark (18) have a similar retro feel. Jeans, 365, Veronica Beard at trilogy stores.co.uk; jumper, 55, johnlewis.com; trainers, 195, meandem.com Jeans, 18, in store at Primark; jumper, 29.99, mango.com; trainers, mango.com Boilersuit Boilersuits are in for 2025 if you dont own one, then be converted by denim legend Donna Idas 330 splurge or Sosandars playful version, reduced from 89 to 44.50. Wear a thin base-layer polo neck underneath try Uniqlos monochrome stripe style for a touch of French elegance (9.90, uniqlo.com). Jumpsuit, 89, now 44.50, sosandar.com; boots, 44, riverisland.com Jumpsuit, 330, donnaida.com; boots, 199, whistles.com Bootcut If you still find it hard to ditch your skinnies, try a Nineties bootcut which is universally flattering. Choose a mid-blue wash and make sure they have enough length to skim the ankle. A-listers including Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Lopez are fans of Mother denim their bootcut jeans will set you back 265. Nexts 32 style also has a similarly flattering fit. Jeans, 32, and loafers, 36, next.co.uk; shirt, 45, johnlewis.com Jeans, 265, Mother at trilogystores.co.uk; shirt, 120, withnothingunderneath.com; loafers, 36, next.co.uk Embellished Designers including Stella McCartney sent diamante embellishment down the catwalk this season. Opt for jeans with small adornments as they make a statement but wont look over the top. While Anthropologies style (148) has a smattering of pearls, Self Portraits (480) is emblazoned with rhinestones for serious wow-factor. Jeans, 480, self-portrait.com; shirt, 195, Vanessa Bruno at trilogy stores.co.uk; shoes, 35, marksandspencer.com A bizarre new surgery trend is emerging out of Asia, but a leading US surgeon is already warning potential patients to be wary of the 'devastating' procedure. Ear fillers are gaining popularity in China and South Korea, as larger ears can create the illusion of having a smaller face. 'Aside from the lifting effect, it actually fans out your ear and that creates a smaller face, because in Asia the trend is all about having a smaller face,' dermatologist Dr. Jenny Liu explained on Instagram. 'When I was in China, one of the dermatologists told me this is one of the most commonly performed procedures that he does, and I couldn't believe it,' she added. The trend may also be fueled by influential K-pop stars like Haerin, who is a member of South Korea's most successful girl group NewJeans and is famous for her 'elf-like' features. 'The result I think they're trying to generate is lateral structure,' dermatologist Dr. Danny Guo said on Instagram. 'But they don't want to augment the lateral cheeks because Asians often have prominent zygomas [cheekbones] already. So instead, they hide it back behind the ear.' While the procedure is already popular in Asia, Beverly Hills-based surgeon Dr. Deepak Dugar told DailyMail.com that patients are starting to seek out ear fillers in the United States too. A bizarre new surgery trend of getting ear fillers is exploding across Asia The procedure is supposed to create the illusion of a smaller face, which is in line with Asian beauty standards. Pictured: Before (left) and after (right) 'Ear filler in the USA is usually performed in the lower earlobe, utilized to re-volumize aging ears to prevent a wrinkled or sagging look,' explained Dr. Dugar, who is known for perfecting the 'Scarless Nose' job. 'Sometimes we also use fillers in the lower earlobe to strengthen the area under an ear piercing to keep it strong and prevent it from weakening with heavy earrings,' the board-certified surgeon continued. 'However, using filler to reshape the upper ear - specifically around the helical rim - is not commonly performed in the United States.' Dr. Dugar then warned that the procedure could be risky for some patients. 'The blood supply to the ear cartilage is supplied by the superficial perichondrium surrounding the ear cartilage,' he explained. 'If the filler were injected deep into the perichondrium and separated the perichondrium from the cartilage, this could be devastating as it could potentially cause the cartilage in that area to devascularize. 'This could also happen if a needle caused a hematoma under the perichondrium and caused a similar separation between the perichondrium and the cartilage.' Dr. Dugar said that a mishap with the procedure could lead to the dreaded 'cauliflower ear,' which is most commonly seen on boxers and MMA fighters and is caused by a hematoma from ear trauma. The trend may also be fueled by influential K-pop stars like Haerin, who is a member of South Korea's most successful girl group NewJeans and is famous for her elf-like features In 2018, Brielle Biermann claimed that her reality star mom Kim Zolciak gets ear fillers because of her heavy diamond earrings 'This hematoma forms usually between the perichondrium and the cartilage, and unfortunately, if untreated properly, can create devascularization of the cartilage leading to a deformity in the cartilage itself known as a cauliflower ear,' he said. 'In my opinion, doing filler in the upper and lateral aspect of the ear is extremely risky and I personally would never recommend this for my patients.' In 2018, Brielle Biermann claimed that her reality star mom Kim Zolciak gets ear fillers because of her heavy diamond earrings. 'My mom gets filler in her ears because her diamond earrings are too heavy #richpeopleproblems,' she tweeted. The procedure has drawn a strong reaction online, with many stating that it's unnecessary. 'I wish people would stop with the unrealistic beauty standards,' commented one. 'Good grief people have absolutely lost their minds,' wrote another. 'Between philtrum reduction and ear fillers, it's absolute chaos with these appearance fixations,' wrote a third. 'In my opinion, doing filler in the upper and lateral aspect of the ear is extremely risky and I personally would never recommend this for my patients,' warned Dr. Deepak Dugar Another bizarre filler trend that's emerged recently are nipple fillers. Women are seeking the injections to make their breasts appear 'perkier' and 'more excited' amid a growing trend of women going braless in see-through tops. Dr Norman Rowe, a plastic surgeon in New York City, previously told DailyMail.com that he now sees up to five women a week for the procedure, which involves injecting filler directly into the base of the nipple. The trend comes as women try to emulate celebrities like Bella Hadid, Lauren Sanchez and Bianca Censori who have been prone to free the nipple. So popular has the trend become, Kim Kardashian's clothing brand SKIMS even sells tops with nipple pad inserts. I am a 55-year-old woman who last year was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In the aftermath of that recognition a lot went wrong: most notably, my partner ended our relationship. The reason he didnt want to be with me can be summed up by an early 1902 definition of the disorder as a defect in moral control. My partner had simply had enough of my impulsive behaviour. Though I had been exhibiting chaotic character traits throughout our 15-year relationship, for some reason being formally diagnosed with a condition that explained them, and being put on medication, was the last straw. Perhaps he thought I was making excuses or, like Tony Blair, he thought I was over-medicalising the normal ups and downs of life. The former Prime Minister appeared on a podcast earlier this week warning that Britain was spending vastly more on mental health than a few years ago: I think we have become very, very focused on mental health and with people self-diagnosing on mental health, he said. Youve got to be careful of encouraging people to think theyve got some sort of condition other than simply confronting the challenges of life. But anyone who lives with it will know that ADHD is very real. Its a largely inherited neurodevelopmental disorder that causes a number of areas of the brain to under-perform. That includes executive function (organising and executing tasks) and emotional regulation. A key part of the disorder is having low levels of dopamine, the neurotransmitter concerned with motivation and impulse control. There are around 250,000 adults receiving ADHD medications in the UK, yet based on conservative estimates of the prevalence of the condition in adults being about 3 per cent, there could be ten times that. Kate Spicer was diagnosed with ADHD last year Recently women have been bumping up the numbers as they seek diagnosis in the endocrine storm of menopause that can exacerbate symptoms: fluctuating sex hormones around menopause, pregnancy and puberty are known to heighten ADHD symptoms, including depression. At the weekend, one newspaper columnist wrote that for some middle-aged women, a diagnosis of ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a get out of jail free card for their chaotic behaviour. And its not just Tony Blair there are a great many other people in Britain who agree with her. It makes me cringe to read columns that describe middle-aged people with a diagnosis as feeling special, part of a tribe or that they see their condition as a superpower. I absolutely dont think ADHD is a superpower. If it really was a superpower, why would people living with it want to be medicated for it? Yes, Ive seen a few ADHD idiots on social media who seem to revel in their diagnosis their innate time blindness, messiness and impulsivity rather than work on conscious methods to control it. But for the majority of people, like me, the diagnosis is something of a mixed blessing. A relief at first, it can help you understand why certain behaviour was so hard to control and certain feelings so overwhelming but in time, and especially if you speak up about it, it will cause division and judgment. If I met someone diagnosed today, Id say shut up and keep it to yourself. ADHD has become another front in the culture wars when you mention it, all you get is discreet eye-rolling and awkward silences. Its like Brexit. Or the trans debate. I honestly wish Id kept it a secret and never mentioned it, not just publicly, but to my family and friends, too. My father, a retired paediatric surgeon, would agree with those commentators who rubbish some adult diagnoses. As such, we have studiously avoided discussing it. Recently, I forced myself to go there. He told me that at work he always had a tendency not to pathologise/medicalise normal variations of personality and anatomy. The commonest reason for me coming into conflict with parents in my work was my refusal to operate on young children with anatomical variations. And, as such, Dad believes I fall within the spectrum of normal variation of personality. Patients with serious problems such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are just not being seen and treated. These other possible pathologies being added to waiting lists has just made things even worse. And I understand. I, too, was one of those people who pooh-poohed adult ADHD. Until that is, I was diagnosed. For years, I couldnt understand why I messed up so much and lived in a near constant state of crisis management. It was like my brain was a shopping trolley with the wobbly wheel that veers all over the place except where you want it to go. She previously 'pooh-poohed' ADHD but her diagnosis changed her perspective Kate had questioned what was 'wrong' with her She went to a private practitioner, Steve Taylor, for assistance From my late teens and throughout adult life, my search for a quick fix for the dopamine deficiency that characterises the ADHD type brain resulted in chaotic spending, procrastination, impulsiveness, risk-taking, substance abuse, drinking and wild emotional drama. I frequently longed to be admitted to rehab. At first I thought it was something to do with my parents divorce they split when I was about five but no matter how much exercise, meditation or therapy I did, I simply couldnt move on from a life of barely contained chaos. Sometimes Id get to the point of actually banging my head against the wall. What was wrong with me? Over the years, a couple of psychiatrists Ive met socially have suggested I look into an assessment. One of them was addiction specialist Dr Thilo Beck, whom Id been interviewing. We talked about willpower, organisation and addiction. At the end of the interview he suggested I get myself an assessment for ADHD. I never did. Not for years. It was a friend who really galvanised me into action. She was no professor of psychiatry in fact she was infuriating. After she was diagnosed with ADHD, she never stopped telling me I had it, too. To get an assessment on the NHS, you first fill out a brief online questionnaire. Questions include: How often do you misplace or have difficulty finding things at home or at work? and How often are you distracted by activity or noise around you? All my answers came out as highly consistent with ADHD. Then I rang my GP who told me: People are clamouring for autism, ADHD and gender reassignment diagnoses as answers to existential crises and the NHS is overwhelmed, but, yes, it does sound likely you have ADHD. Assessments for ADHD are done by specially qualified practitioners in secondary care psychiatrists mostly. There was no way I would be able to get assessed by the NHS. I was told the waiting list was closed. I knew it was right to go private but London psychiatrists are terrifyingly expensive. Beyond my means, in fact, given I live at the uncomfortable edge of my overdraft. The financial outlay is significant. The end-to-end diagnostic process can cost thousands. But I hoped it would be worth it. So like many others before me, I set about finding a private practitioner. Steve Taylor is a level 7 mental health nurse and nursing lecturer with over three decades experience. He also has a degree in psychotherapy and is whats known as a Nurse Independent Prescriber. Turns out, Steve had also just been diagnosed with ADHD. It took more than two hours to go through the process, starting with whats called a DIVA-5 diagnostic questionnaire for ADHD. It evaluates whether a patient meets the five diagnostic criteria for ADHD and whether these are an impediment to different areas of your life, including education, work and relationships. Around 150 questions must be answered in relation to adulthood and childhood. These include statements such as: Youre so busy talking that other people find you tiring; Needing a lot of words to say something, Too easily bogged down by details, Emotionally reactive to everything, and Interrupts the conversation of others. He also asked for at least two informants among my friends and family to fill out forms independently and carried out a general assessment to ensure I did not have any other possible causes of my symptoms. 'At a certain point, the thing an ADHD brain is lacking becomes a problem for more than just the individual,' Kate writes It was not a simple process. But Steve was half the price of a psychiatrist and could provide me with some therapeutic support afterwards. I found the analysis fascinating: examining the doom spiralling where you are lost in the overthinking default mode network (DMN) and coming to understand rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD) which can reduce you to a quivering, sobbing wreck after a relatively modest slight made me able to detach a little from my feelings and understand why brief periods of my career in an office did not endure. But most of all, he prescribed the medication that helped me with work, with life, with the chaos, without falling apart. It costs 180 a month. It has given me hope that I can wrestle a life spent off the rails back on track. My ex, however, hated it. It was a deal-breaker. Most days I take either a capsule of lisdexamfetamine, the effects of which last from morning to mid-afternoon, or dexamfetamine, which is a short-acting version of the same compound. It took a while to work out the right dose. Too much and you feel like a speeding train; just right and a focused calm and emotional resilience descends; too little can make you feel more anxious than if you had taken nothing. I dont take it every day, but most working days. After Steve advised me I had moderate inattentive type ADHD last spring, I resolved not to publicise the fact I had it. Who wants the world to know youre crap at life chaotic, loud, mal-coordinated, oversharing and prone to addiction and procrastination? Or, as some prefer to see it, you just have no willpower, are lazy or dont work hard enough? And I am not impervious to the popular voice of dismissal. I regularly doubt myself. And I know others do too. Every time I sit down with Steve, we go through an exhausting 20-minute pantomime of, I dont have it, Im just lazy, attention seeking, a bit rubbish, I just need to work harder. Each time, Steve has to say: We do a psychiatric assessment to rule out other pathologies that cause similar symptoms. Why would you diagnose people who dont have it? ADHD is not a joke. This trend for slating it among people who pride themselves on their intellect seems to miss the essential, bigger picture for society and no matter how irritating or made up or attention seeking or meaningless you have decided ADHD is, this bit is important. ADHD is a significant risk factor or a comorbidity with many things that may be lethal pain for the person but are also a cost burden on wider society, including obesity, binge eating disorder, Type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety disorders, problem alcohol and substance use, migraines, cardiovascular issues, dysautonomia, asthma, sleep disorders, traumatic brain injury and suicide. At a certain point, the thing an ADHD brain is lacking becomes a problem for more than just the individual. Had I not been born into relative privilege would I be one of the estimated 25 to 40 per cent of people with ADHD in prisons and on remand, for example? If you really want to arm yourself with the crucial relevance of understanding and managing ADHD to our society, dig out a paper called ADHD In The Criminal Justice System: A Case For Change and some of the follow-up papers written in the British Journal of Psychiatry. Over 93,000 scientific papers have been published since 1952 on ADHD, according to the biomedical database, PubMed. Recognition of the disorder dates back to 1798 when it was described by Dr Alexander Crichton as Mental Restlessness. By the early 20th century its called minimal brain dysfunction (MBD), then hyperkinetic impulse disorder, Attention Deficit Disorder and then Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder. It was primarily viewed as a paediatric condition until this century when it started to be more commonly diagnosed in adult males, then females. Thanks to my own personal shame and familial conflict, I have done my reading. Far more than any of these commentators, I suspect and that includes Tony Blair. If I hadnt done my homework, I would have surrendered by now, rolled over and said to all the naysayers: You were right all along, it turns out Im a perfectly imperfect normal person. Perhaps if Id got this diagnosis five years ago and had kept quiet about it, my relationship might have survived. Or how about 30 years ago, wow, how different my life could have looked. Or perhaps I am just an annoying, flappy, self-absorbed person not worthy of any kind of medical diagnosis. Thats what all these armchair experts would like me to believe. But they dont have any idea what a life in chaos feels like. They pontificate from a place of privilege. Since Ive started medication, Im no longer at the mercy of the shopping trolley with the wobbly wheel. I can steer the ship and its a bloody relief to feel normal. Hundreds of diners are flocking to a little-known sandwich shop in Sydney every week to get their hands on a viral New York City menu item. Huge queues form outside Cross Section in Darlinghurst at lunchtime every day, with customers waiting to get their hands on the sell-out chicken Caesar wrap. For $17 a pop, the gourmet wraps are filled to the brim with shredded chicken, croutons, mixed leaves, Parmesan and Caesar dressing. And fans can't get enough of it, with many saying they haven't been able to order one because the wildly popular menu item always sells out by 1pm. A Cross Section employee urged diners to arrive earlier so they don't miss out. 'We're trying our best,' the employee said to one of its customers on social media. 'We can only prep for a certain amount with the three of us. Try and come earlier.' The eatery is open from 8am to 3pm on weekdays and between 9am and 2pm on Saturdays, with doors closed every Sunday. Hundreds of diners are flocking to a little-known sandwich shop called Cross Section in Sydney every week to get their hands on a viral New York City menu item The chicken Caesar wrap has been a crowd favourite since launching in October. Videos have been circulating on social media showing long queues outside the venue with many lining up in the hope of getting a taste of the viral wrap. 'It's absolutely delicious,' one raved. 'Absolutely loved the Caesar wrap, super fresh and filling. I can't wait to come back and try some more sandwiches,' another said. 'While I'm not big on waiting, it's worth every second,' one revealed. 'The yummiest ever wrap I've had,' another added. Huge queues form outside Cross Section in Darlinghurst at lunchtime every day, with customers waiting to get their hands on the sell-out chicken Caesar wrap Meanwhile, many diners who have visited the shop are obsessing over the other menu items - including its sandwiches and coffees. One customer left a glowing five-star review on Google, saying: 'I can't say enough good things about this place - it's an absolute treasure. Let me tell you, the real magic happens with their sandwiches and coffee. The sandwiches are next level - every single bite is an explosion of flavour. 'The bread is fresh and perfectly baked, with that satisfying crunch on the outside and soft fluffiness inside. The ingredients are incredibly fresh and thoughtfully combined, creating layers of flavours that are simply unforgettable. 'And then there's the coffee. Wow. I've had coffee from some amazing places, but nothing compares to what they serve here. It's rich, smooth, and perfectly balanced. It's clear they put care into every cup, from selecting the beans to the precise way it's brewed. Whether you're after a silky flat white, a bold espresso, or something indulgent, they've absolutely nailed it. 'If you're searching for the best sandwiches and coffee in town, look no further - this place sets the gold standard. I'm already counting down the days until my next visit.' While most are familiar with Kmart's 'viral' array of home decor buys and clothing dupes, those in the know are heading to what might be the store's most underrated aisle: the tech department. Perfect for crafting a dream home office, the tech offerings span across affordable chargers, mood lighting, gamer-quality keyboards, cord organisers, desks and even mobile phones. The best part? They start from as little as $10. Here we've rounded up what we believe to be the hottest buys for 2025 and they're guaranteed to give your home an instant 'designer' glow-up on a very reasonable budget. THREE-IN-ONE KEYBOARD SET, $35 Styled off the three to four-figure gamer keyboards offered elsewhere this buy isn't just practical but it looks great and includes a mouse and mouse pad. Available in a variety of on-trend colours, this bargain buy is brand new in store and will add a playful pop to any space in the home. It's also great for sprucing up teen rooms, kids' study areas and bland corporate desks. Styled off the three to four-figure gamer keyboards offered elsewhere this buy isn't just practical but it looks great and includes a mouse and mouse pad TWO-IN-ONE PORTABLE LAMP AND CHARGING BASE, $10 Nobody can believe the price of this little find. The Mirabella-run gadget is a versatile solution that combines a wireless phone charger with a rechargeable and portable LED desk lamp. It boasts colour-changing features and adjustable light settings so you can switch between bright, cool light for focused work or warm light for a relaxed ambience. It also has a 10W charging base to avoid clutter; everything you need is in one neat package. THREE-IN-ONE MAGNETIC WIRELESS CHARGER, $39 Just as it sounds, this is the ultimate solution for a hassle-free quick charging experience. 'Outstanding! Works like a charm for all three devices. Excellent value,' a happy customer raved recently. This Mirabella-run gadget is a versatile solution that combines a wireless phone charger with a rechargeable and portable LED desk lamp. Just as it sounds, this is the ultimate solution for a hassle-free quick charging experience SIT AND STAND DESK, $99 While a little more pricey than your typical Kmart bargain, this has shoppers gushing every time they purchase it. With an adjustable height range, the desk provides a seamless transition and moves with the help of a gas lift lever. The range is 12.5cm - 50cm and sits neatly on top of your existing desk. It also has a separate keyboard and mouse tray to ensure a tidy, organised space. 'I am so happy with both the price and quality of this desk which perfectly compliments my home office - it is very smart in black colour, and at such a competitive price,' one shopper raved recently. 'I love this. So affordable. Light and easy to put together. It raises easily and plenty of space for monitors and laptop,' another wrote. With an adjustable height range, the desk provides a seamless transition and moves with the help of a gas lift lever USB CORNER LED LIGHT, $29 Despite other versions on the market costing as much as $2,000, this USB-powered multicolour LED corner light is under $30. It boasts a 25-key remote control to choose colours or modes to light up your living space and makes for a cosy, modern addition to any space in the home. 'I gifted this light. They love it! The room feels so much more inviting and now a creative space for hanging with friends,' a shopper said. 'I have been using two of these lights. Those who wants to make their TV, theatre, study rooms or any other room more ambient this is the perfect choice at lower price,' another said. Despite other versions on the market costing as much as $2,000, this USB-powered multicolour LED corner light is under $30 SMART WI-FI LED SUNSET LIGHT, $27 This viral style of light has been selling for thousands of dollars around the world. So at $27, why wouldn't you? Easily the most popular purchase in this department in late 2024, this light will transform any space into a calming oasis with varying shades of 'sunlight'. 'I really like the light so far, it's bright and brings out the ambience in my living room. It connects to the wifi and I can control it on my phone which is very convenient,' one user said. 'I have set it up such a way that it automatically turns on at dusk and turns off at 11:30pm. I don't have to remember to turn it off at night!' Another wrote: 'It's a neat little light, a lot smaller than I imagined but it adds to a room and is perfect for mood lighting. I use it all the time at my office desk or when I have a bath. Definitely recommended.' This viral style of light has been selling for thousands of dollars around the world. So at $27, why wouldn't you? While perfect for office workers, it's also been a huge hit with parents and caregivers who are looking for ways to entertain the kids A4 LAMINATOR, $21 Another practical bargain, this laminator does the exact same job as its pricey competitors at a seriously low price. While perfect for office workers, it's also been a huge hit with parents and caregivers who are looking for ways to entertain the kids. 'I'm a home schooling mum and have created loads of games and work that this laminator has been used for,' one said. 'It's still working like the day I got it, and has easily been through 300 laminating sheets. I would highly recommend and I will happily purchase again. Amazing price, great value for money and does the job perfectly!' The Prince of Wales has postponed an engagement at the Wattisham, Suffolk, regiments today due to harsh weather. Prince William, 42, Colonel-in-Chief, the Army Air Corps, was due to meet service personnel from across both units, observe elements of regular training, and have a firsthand introduction to the regiments today. However, the weather conditions in Suffolk - misty with a gentle breeze, would have restricted William's planned programme, forcing him to cancel the occasion until further notice. Visits to the Army Air Corps regiment in Wattisham, described as s 'the pit stop crew for the Army's helicopters' online, are by appointment only. William meets various soldiers in locations throughout the UK regularly, including at Picton Barracks, Bulford Camp, Wiltshire, last month. The father-of-three sent his sincere apologies to those at the Suffolk regiments who had been due to meet him, adding that he hopes to reschedule his visit at the earliest convenience. William completed his training as a helicopter pilot in the RAF Search and Rescue Force back in 2010, later flying an air ambulance for two years before stepping down to take on more royal roles on behalf of Queen Elizabeth. Despite missing out on today's event, William yesterday surprised day drinkers at Wetherspoons on his way back from an official engagement. The Prince of Wales, 42, has cancelled his trip to the regiments in Wattisham, Suffolk, today due to poor weather (seen in Birmingham yesterday) The future king was spotted in the Birmingham New Street Station branch of the popular pub chain after appearing at an event to mark his new role as Patron of the College of Paramedics. He was apparently keen to speak to Aston Villa fans like himself, with the team playing Everton tonight, and sipped a pint of cider. He bought a round of beers for eight Villa fans and sipped a pint of Bulmers cider, staying for around half an hour before catching a train back to London. Steve Jones, 56, Villa fan for last 35 years, said: 'We were contacted by the club saying Prince William wanted to meet a delegation of Villa fans as he was in Birmingham as he wanted to keep in the loop with everything going on at Villa. 'He was fantastic. I was quite amazed about how engaged he was with the club, his interest. He's not a fair weather fan. He really loves the club with a passion. 'We spoke about the club, the transfers, the pending Champions League trip to Monaco, and all things Aston Villa. He asked many questions - he's got a good level of interest. Prince William offered his sincere apologies for the change in plan (seen during a visit to the British Armed Forces in Rzeszow, Poland in March, 2023) 'It was 95 per cent chat about Villa as that's out shared interest but a bit about his family. Young George is a Villa fan but he didn't want all three to be Villa fans. 'He was massively interested and seemed a really genuine guy and all he wanted to do is talk about Villa. 'He said he was hopeful about beating Everton tonight and would be watching but was wary about new manager syndrome, or rather old manager syndrome.' Earlier at the Birmingham Conference and Events Centre, he was sent best wishes for his wife, Catherine, as he chatted to paramedics about issues including training, drones and hospital waiting times. Among them was Ed Griffiths, who served as a Search and Rescue Paramedic with William at RAF Valley in Anglesey when the prince was a search and rescue pilot. William patted him on the shoulder and shared a joke before adding: 'Last time I saw you was on a beach.' Tracy Nicholls, Chief Executive Officer at the College of Paramedics, said: 'I want to say how delighted we are to hear about the Royal Highness and send her our best wishes.' William nodded his head. It comes after the Princess of Wales revealed that her cancer was in remission on Tuesday. Pictured: Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales attend the Ceremonial Welcome at Horse Guards Parade during day one of The Amir of the State of Qatar's visit to the UK in December William asked Jess Rousen, a paramedic and nurse who has worked in Wales for 27 years, 'how is morale?' Jess described how 'morale was low' as some hospitals were 'flooded'. She said some paramedics finish a shift and return 12 hours later only to be back with the same patient. She added: 'But it is what it is.' Gary Clarke, a paramedic from Belfast, told William that full hospitals are having a major impact on patients and paramedics. He said the amount of time they have to spend with patients has increased. He said: 'It's not great. A lot of patients are having to wait so you have to build a rapport with patients in the ambulance.' William replied: 'It's difficult because you want to get them to hospital as soon as possible.' Gary said that backlogs worsened after Covid but says the College of Paramedics helps 'you deal with what you are going through' and 'having that back up if it's needed'. Jean Cragg, a first responder for 43 years in the East Midlands, told William: 'When I hear my colleagues all talk about waiting times it's very difficult for everybody but there is no real quick fix available.' Speaking to a new recruit who had spent less than a year as a paramedic, William said: 'It's an exciting journey you are on.' Claire Fitchett, Specialist Paramedic at Hampshire and Isle of Wight, told the prince 'being a paramedic can be a lonely place to work' and said it was good that so many paramedics were together at the conference. She also told William that paramedics were harnessing new technology. She told him they are investigating using drones to fly automated external defibrillators (AEDs) from the mainland to Isle of Wight by drones. William added: 'We still need people on the ground so still be in a job for a while.' And he asked if there were any figures on whether the amounts of people who wanted to train as a paramedic had risen or fallen after Covid. MBABANE - In an age where digital connectivity is paramount, the rise of social media has sparked significant debates regarding the safety of younger users. A recent trend stemming from Australia has seen the Parliament there approve a ban on social media usage for individuals under 18 years old. This decision, motivated by the alarming rate of online exploitation of children, has raised eyebrows globally and the Kingdom of Eswatini is no exception. To delve deeper into this matter, this publication had the opportunity to speak with Mvilawemphi Dlamini, the Chief Executive of the Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM). Dlamini provided valuable insights into how this situation resonates within Eswatini and the measures in place to tackle this pressing issue. Does this situation affect Eswatini? Dlamini affirmed that the concern surrounding child online exploitation is indeed a global phenomenon, with Eswatini experiencing an uptick in reported cases. In November, ESCCOM took a proactive stance, issuing a warning concerning the manipulation of children via various WhatsApp groups. However, unlike Australia, Eswatini has not yet implemented a comprehensive ban on social media for minors. Instead, the focus remains on educating young users about cyber hygiene and safety while navigating digital landscapes. ESCCOM has taken significant strides to safeguard children in Eswatini. As articulated by Dlamini, the commission collaborates with various stakeholders in several key areas: Legislation and regulation: The Computer Crime and Cybercrime Act of 2022 criminalises the production, distribution and possession of child pornography. This robust legal framework empowers law enforcement agencies to investigate reported cases and bring perpetrators to justice. Awareness initiatives: Education plays a crucial role in combating online exploitation. ESCCOM conducts awareness programmes across schools, equipping children with knowledge about the risks associated with the internet and strategies to remain safe online. Dlamini highlighted that these initiatives gain momentum every year during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October and November, ensuring that the message reaches a wider audience. Technological solutions: To further enhance child safety, ESCCOM provides solutions that enable parents to filter and monitor content on devices. These tools can effectively shield children from harmful material and online predators, allowing parents to take an active role in their childrens digital experience. Media partnership: The media has emerged as a vital ally in spreading awareness about child online protection. By reporting on exploitation crimes and disseminating information about on-going initiatives, the media helps keep the public informed and vigilant. While Australias decision to ban social media for minors has garnered attention, the implications of such a move evoke mixed feelings. On the one hand, advocates argue that a ban could drastically reduce instances of exploitation and create a safer online environment for children. Dlamini echoed this sentiment, suggesting that overwhelming public support could lead to similar legislative measures in Eswatini. Conversely, critics of a blanket ban raise concerns about the potential for lost profits for tech companies, particularly since the youth demographic represents a significant market. Furthermore, some argue that rather than restricting access, the focus should be on empowering. As the world grapples with the issue of child online exploitation, Eswatini stands at a crossroads. With proactive measures already in place, ESCCOM is committed to fostering a safer digital environment for its youth. As discussions continue around potential bans and regulations, it is clear that education, awareness and community engagement will be pivotal in addressing the challenges posed by the digital age. The insights shared by Mvilawemphi Dlamini highlight the importance of a collaborative approach, ensuring that children can enjoy the benefits of technology without falling prey to its dangers. Katie Radford, 22, gave birth to her first child in October last year Sue Radford was left devastated after missing the birth of her 13th grandchild because her husband Noel had taken her on a surprise holiday just three weeks before their daughter's due date. Katie Radford, 22, from Morecambe, Lancashire - the eighth eldest of Britain's largest family - gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Ronnie Hudson Carter, in October of last year. The latest episode of 22 Kids and Counting, which airs on Channel 5, documents Katie's pregnancy journey before giving birth to the son she shares with long term partner Connor Carter. Despite the mother-to-be wanting her parents to be there for the birth, a booking blunder from Noel meant that the parents-of-22 ended up missing the arrival of their 13th grandchild - much to Sue's disappointment. During the episode, the first-time mother's pregnancy is revealed after Noel discovers a positive test in the family home and realises it must be Katie's. However, while the family gets to grips with another new arrival, Noel has something else on his mind - how he and Sue will celebrate their 32nd wedding anniversary. After much deliberation, Noel decides to whisk Sue away to Dubai - but his romantic gesture has disastrous consequences when he realises, after booking the trip, that it falls three weeks before Katie gives birth. Unfortunately for Sue and Noel, Katie's baby is in a hurry to arrive and is in fact born while his grandparents were on the flight from Manchester to Dubai - meaning they miss his birth. Katie Radford, 22, who is the eighth eldest of Britain's largest family, gave birth to a healthy baby boy in October of last year (pictured) In the latest episode of 22 Kids and Counting, first-time mother's pregnancy is revealed after Noel discovers a positive test in the family home, quickly realising it belonged to their 22-year-old daughter, Katie At the beginning of the episode, Katie and Connor are seen struggling to navigate the life-changing news that they are expecting their first child. The discovery is a shock to Katie, who hadn't planned to fall pregnant with her partner of six years. Described as the 'most predictable couple' in the family, the two are shocked to find out that their family is about to become three. 'Me and Connor, we like a simple life,' says Katie. 'No surprises, I like to know I'm doing. Me and Connor do like a routine.' Connor adds: 'I feel like I'm still a kid. I know I'm not but I still act like a kid. I've not grown up yet,' said the hopeful but anxious father-to-be. But Katie made up for Connor's uncertainty. 'He might have doubt but I don't. Connor, you're going to be an amazing dad,' she says in a heartfelt scene. And fears quickly turn to excitement when the couple when the couple have their first scan. The father-of-22 was busy planning his 32nd wedding anniversary celebrations with Sue. After much deliberation, he eventually landed on a glamorous holiday in Dubai - a decision which turned out to have drastic consequences In an emotional scene, the young couple catch a glimpse of their baby, with Connor breaking down in tears. 'The thought of making memories as a family, that's what I'm looking forward to,' he muses sweetly. 'I would say I'm quite lucky to be a dad.' As he wipes away happy tears, the young father beams with pride. 'Just knowing that we made it. That's us in another person. I can't explain it, I'm just a bit emotional,' he says. The two opt to keep the sex a secret until their gender reveal party, which they hosted with all the family - and are overjoyed to discover they're having a baby boy. Elsewhere in the episode, Noel struggles to source an anniversary gift for his wife of 32-years, Sue. Struggling to know what to get, Noel decides to book Sue a trip to Dubai, where they have previously enjoyed a holiday in the sun without the children. 'When you have kids, there's just so many things that can get in the way of being a normal couple. And I want something just for us,' Noel says after revealing his plans to take her away. But excitement for the trip is quickly knocked on the head after Sue realises he's booked it for three weeks before Katie's due date. In another picture, Katie consoles a crying Ronnie, offering her finger for the newborn to hold onto Katie posed for a picture with her bump before giving birth to her first baby, Ronnie Trying to reassure her, Noel said: 'It's the first one, they never come early do they. Everything has been booked and paid for - flights, hotels, airport transfer. Don't flap, we'll be fine' 'She could go weeks before and that would be when we're out there,' Sue worries. Trying to reassure her, Noel says: 'It's the first one, they never come early do they. Everything has been booked and paid for - flights, hotels, airport transfer. Don't flap, we'll be fine.' But things quickly turn sour as Sue insists 'we can't go', arguing she doesn't 'feel comfortable' making the journey as such a time. With Katie's seal of approval, the couple decide to embark on the adventure anyway - but Sue's worst fears are realised when her 22-year-old daughter goes into labour while she and Noel are on the flight to Dubai. In a tense scene, a panicked Katie calls Connor and says: 'I can't get through to mum and dad, none of my messages are delivering. I'm absolutely petrified.' With her parents having just arrived in Dubai, Katie fears that her mother won't be there for the birth. Immediately jumping on the next flight, Sue and Noel head back towards the airport to return home for the birth of their grandchild. In an episode of 22 Kids & Counting saw Katie convincing Noel and Sue to let her boyfriend Connor move into their place. The couple pictured in August 2024 However, by the time the couple lands back in Manchester, baby Ronnie Hudson has already arrived. Arriving back too late for hospital visits, Sue and Noel head back to the family home where they attempt to get some rest before meeting the baby. The next morning, Sue reveals she was 'tossing and turning all night' with excitement for meeting the baby. In an heartwarming moment, Sue finally has the chance to meet the little one. 'I was barely still awake but when I held him for the first time, all that stress of getting back on the flight and everything, was so worth it,' she recalls. 'You don't get those moments again,' adds Noel. 'Bringing a baby into the Radford house, it didn't feel real that it was me and not somebody else - or my mum,' Katie says. Ronnie Hudson Carter was born on October 8, 2024, weighing 7lbs 11oz. In a sweet Instagram announcement after the birth, Katie wrote: 'Tuesday 8th October born at 5:03PM weighing 7:11 the day you changed our lives forever little man mummy and daddy love you so much RONNIE HUDSON CARTER.' Sue Radford's daughter Katie, 21, in January when she revealed she was pregnant and that she was having a baby boy The young family were pictured looking exhausted but delighted, as they shared several adorable family pictures. In one picture, Katie and Connor beamed as they shared a cuddle with their new son. Katie looked radiant as she smiled sweetly for the picture, her cheeks flushed and glowing after having given birth to Ronnie. The young couple announced the pregnancy in an episode which aired in May earlier this year. In an episode in January, the father-to-be moved into the Radfords' home after he and Katie convinced Sue and Noel that he's willing to pull his weight and help out with chores. The couple shared a clip of their huge family on social media at the time, writing: 'Baby Carter mummy and daddy can't wait too(sic) meet you.' Footage showed Connor leaping excitedly as blue smoke emerges from a party popper. In February Sue revealed that she would 'love' to welcome more children into Britain's biggest family. The mother-of-22 opened up about the prospect of fostering or adopting more children as her eldest start leaving home. Speaking to the Mirror, the stay-at-home mother - who had her first child at 13 - said that she 'dreads' the thought of having an empty nest. Between them, Sue and Noel are parents to Chris, 34, Sophie, 29, Chloe, 28, Jack, 26, Daniel, 24, Luke, 22, Millie, 22, Katie, 21, James, 19, Ellie, 18, Aimee, 17, Josh, 16, Max, 14, Tillie, 13, Oscar, 11, Casper, 10, Hallie, eight, Phoebe, seven, Archie, six, Bonnie, five and Heidie, four. Baby Ronnie is their 13th grandchild. They also have Daisy, nine, and Ayprill, seven, Leo, six, the children of of Sophie and Joe Broadley. Son Chris has Maisie, four, and Jacob, two, and Nichlos, three, with his partner Nicole Spencer, and Mila Eloise Wallace, the child Chole Radford and Jake Wallace) Sue previously said she was 'proud to be Britain's biggest family' - but admitted that she only originally planned on having three children. Callers insist message 'gets worse as it goes on' as bizarre clip goes viral online A court in Manchester has replaced its answerphone message after callers were left in stitches because of the 'deranged' voice used for the recording. Perplexed callers took to social media earlier this week after noticing the male voice behind Manchester Civil Justice Centre's automated message sounded like 'a gameshow host'. A video, shared on X by bemused caller @josephtiman, showcases a bizarre 70-second recording, prompting hundreds of Brits to poke fun at the 'unhinged' voice, which 'gets worse the longer you listen'. The post of the recording was accompanied by a comment which said: 'The man in the automated message on the Manchester Civil Justice Centre phone number genuinely sounds unhinged. 'It only gets worse the longer you listen. Just wait for the bit about bailiffs. Who approved this???' At the beginning of the clip, the male voice announces, 'Thank you for calling Manchester Service Centre' in what appears to be a localised Mancunian accent. However, as the message goes on, the accent oddly appears to evolve into an entirely new one. Only 13 seconds into the recording, the male voice states the opening hours of the Civil Court Counter while speaking in a southern, received pronunciation accent. Perplexed callers took to social media earlier this week after noticing the male voice behind Manchester Civil Justice Centre's automated message sounded like 'a gameshow host' (stock image) A video, shared on X by bemused caller @josephtiman, showcases a bizarre 70-second recording, prompting hundreds of Brits to poke fun at the 'unhinged' voice, which 'gets worse the longer you listen' To the viewers' amusement, the voice dramatically changes throughout the recording, using a lower, more sultry tone when finishing each sentence. In one part of the clip, which has left viewers howling with laughter, the voice whispered: 'If you want to see-eee a bailiff, you can call or visit between 8.30am and 10.30am... Monday to Fri-daaay.' Viewers were left scratching their heads over the accent shift, with some suggesting that artificial intelligence could be behind the recording, while others compared it to a 'sexy' phone line. Some even questioned the authenticity of the message, leading to several social media users calling the number to find out for themselves. Some then confirmed it was, indeed, real. One person wrote: 'This is the funniest video Ive seen in a while oh my god,' while another joked, 'Someone accidently [sic] turned the dial to gameshow host.' A third wrote: 'Sounds like he is flogging jewellery on QVC,' while another responded: 'Sounds more like he's reading a horror story to me!' The hilarious clip even prompted a response from barrister and TV personality Judge Rinder, who wrote: 'Is this real??' One viewer quipped: 'This is literally 1984 in 4k What a time to be alive. And may the odds be ever in your favour,' as another joked, '"Seeeeee a balifff".... This is hilarious.' The hilarious clip even prompted a response from barrister and TV personality Judge Rinder (pictured), who wrote: 'Is this real??' Viewers were left scratching their heads over the accent shift, with some suggesting that artificial intelligence could be behind the recording Another baffled viewer wrote: 'This sounds like a human imitating an AI imitation of a human.' One viewer speculated that the voice behind the message is AI, as they mused: 'There's a bank of words and numbers that have been recorded onto the system and the message is generated from a text input. 'It was recorded inexpertly so it sounds deranged.' However, one viewer was left unimpressed rather than amused by the recording, writing: 'This is not the correct etiquette or cadence to use for a public information message.' Despite the clip having gone viral earlier this week, according to Manchester Evening News, the message was changed only two days after the clip was first shared on social media. Although the new voicemail includes the same information, it is now read out by a less theatrical female voice. A HMCTS spokesperson told FEMAIL: 'This recording has been removed.' A British woman has been praised as a hero after she helped evacuate 100 horses from dozens of homes across Los Angeles - without fear for her own safety - as ferocious wildfires ripped through the city. Thea Creasy, 45, who has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, led a heroic mission to usher hundreds of animals left behind in burning homes, as the horse trainer from Suffolk mobilised a crew of brave volunteers last Thursday. Speaking to The Telegraph, Creasy said she found herself spearheading the equestrian evacuation efforts after she helped rescue two horses that became trapped in her friend's house. Despite police safety warnings, Creasy - who runs a dog-walking business with several celebrity clients - made the snap decision to drive to her friend's property and load the horses into her trailer. 'I'll still go save a horse even if it's at risk to myself that's just the way I'm wired,' Creasy told the newspaper. Worried her friend's horses weren't the only ones trapped inside burning homes and barns, Creasy then embarked on a mission to save all the steeds on a road that was under threat from being devoured by the flames. On her way, she put out a call for volunteers to meet her with as many trailers as possible, but Creasy 'started panicking and hyperventilating' when she found herself stuck on a freeway 'with a cloud of black smoke rising above where I knew the horses were'. Luckily, Creasy, who used to work as a horse trainer in Topanga Canyon, LA, arrived in the knick of time and used her experience to coax the agitated animals into the waiting trucks and trailers. A British woman has been praised as a hero after she helped evacuate 100 horses from dozens of homes across Los Angeles - without fear for her own safety - as ferocious wildfires ripped through the city Suffolk-born Thea Creasy is a horse trainer and runs a celebrity dog-walking business in Los Angeles, where she has lived for the last 20 years She said: 'They were obviously alarmed but they aren't wild horses, they understood they had to follow orders. 'Some owners were hysterical, others feared their horses wouldn't go on to the trailers. But I've seen a lot of emergencies,' Creasy continued. 'The more urgent the situation, the calmer I get - the animals feed off your emotions and you can't do anything by just panicking. I've trained myself to be as calm as possible in these situations.' These rescue efforts have, nonetheless, taken a toll on Creasy's physical and mental health; she told the newspaper that she has 'barely slept for a week' and is currently suffering from terrible migraines. She is currently looking for safe homes for the rescued horses, with centres across Los Angeles at maximum capacity. For instance, an equestrian center in LA's famed Griffith Park opened its doors to 300 horses and donkeys impacted by the horrific wildfires that tore through southern California. The Eaton Fire which has destroyed more than 10,000 acres, hundreds of homes and displaced thousands of people, has also wreaked havoc on the large equine population of Altadena and Pasadena, northwest of LA. More than 300 horses and donkeys arrived at the center over a two-day period last week, a worker at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center told DailyMail.com exclusively. The Eaton Fire that has destroyed more than 10,000 acres, hundreds of homes and displaced thousands of people, has also wreaked havoc on the equine population They highlighted how animals are often left behind during large-scale evacuations like the ones in Los Angeles that forced hundreds of thousands of residents out of their homes over the past couple of weeks. 'Everyone forgets when you have to evacuate an area, there are hundreds of domesticated animals you have to deal with. 'We have horses that were brought in by their owners who had to evacuate, we have horses that ran away from their property during the fire and were roaming the streets and then corralled by animal control. 'We are running short on supplies, so we are accepting donations. Anything will help,' the worker appealed, at the time. But with supplies dwindling, the center is also encountering another problem: identifying owners and trying to figure out how to contact them. 'For about half of the horses we have we have identified the owner, but there are others we have no idea who owns them and we're are waiting for the owners to reach out to us,' the employee said. Meanwhile, LA-based animal shelter Pasadena Humane said it had taken in over 300 animals due to evacuations, while its staff and volunteers were 'working nonstop' to help with their care. It added that several animals had to be treated in the ICU, as they were suffering from severe burns and dehydration. Earlier this month, Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston took to Instagram to share a list of local shelters that were taking pets in. The Morning Show star, 55, also asked people living around Pacific Palisades to leave water out for wild animals fleeing the flames and to give them the space they need. A screenshot of her PSA was later posted on X, formerly Twitter. 'The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection advises bringing your pets indoors at night to give wildlife a safe path to pass through,' the actress message continued. 'Consider leaving out buckets of water for these animals - they are scared, exhausted, and may have lost their homes. 'A little kindness can help them recover and survive.' A single mom was left horrified after she discovered that her young sons may have accidentally eaten her grandfather's ashes. Monica Long, from Colorado, left her two toddlers, age three and two, alone for a moment in early January so she could use the bathroom, but came back to discover that they had somehow made a giant mess. The boys were playing in what looked like dirt, and they had the mystery substance all over their bodies and faces - as well as in their mouths. Unsure of what it was, the mother-of-three quickly vacuumed it up, got them cleaned off, and went on with her day. But days later, she found the container that held her grandfather's ashes was empty, and suddenly, it dawned on her: her sons had somehow gotten into his remains. She took to TikTok to share her dismay over the ordeal, and it quickly went viral, gaining more than 2.3 million views in a matter of days. 'The boys got PawPaw,' a clearly horrified Monica said as she held up the empty bottle that previously held his ashes. 'They got him and they dumped him out all over my carpet. And I didn't realize it was Pawpaw and I vacuumed him up. Single mom Monica Long, from Colorado, was left horrified after she discovered that her young sons may have accidentally eaten her grandfather's ashes She left her two toddlers, age three and two, alone for a moment and they made a giant mess. She later found the container that held her grandfather's ashes was empty 'They may have eaten some of him too because [one of them] had the cap in his mouth. Jesus Christ. F**k.' In a follow up video, Monica explained that her 'PawPaw,' who died in 2020, would have laughed at the situation, so she's decided to do the same. 'Would he have found this story funny? Absolutely,' she shared. 'He would have definitely gotten a kick out of this whole ordeal.' Monica also spoke to People magazine about it, and she explained that her household is usually 'wild.' 'I'm a single mom to three boys that are on the spectrum, ages 14, three and two, so our house is wild,' she shared. 'You never know what one day to the next is going to be like. My younger two are toddlers, so they're just getting into everything these days.' She recalled how she left her two youngest sons alone for under five minutes when they got into the ashes. 'There was stuff all over them and the floor. I was like, "Where did this dirt come from?"' she explained. Suddenly, it dawned on her: her sons had somehow gotten into his remains. Her grandfather is seen front center 'I grabbed the vacuum and vacuumed it up and continued about my day. 'PawPaw was on a shelf, out of their reach, but they're climbers. They climbed their little way up and got ahold of him.' Monica said that while the thought of them 'eating part of their grandfather' was 'horrifying,' she's trying to look at it in a comical light. 'I love them to death but oh my goodness, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry,' she said. The Colorado-native added that she told her grandmother about the situation, PawPaw's wife, who was just as entertained. She also revealed that they had more of his ashes as they were divided up between family members, so that made her feel a little better. 'I just never thought I'd have to tell my sweet little grandma that I vacuumed her husband up and he's in a Shark vacuum,' Monica concluded. '[But] she got a kick out of that.' Donald Trump will be sworn in on Monday, kicking off his second term as President of the United States. Ahead of his inauguration, Trump's official portrait has been released - with social media users comparing the image of the 78-year-old staring at the camera - with one eye in a slight squint - to another infamous snap. Many users immediately likened the picture to Trump's mugshot, which was taken in August 2023 at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, following election fraud charges. 'OK, call me crazy but doesn't Trump's official inauguration photo look a lot like his official mugshot?' one user posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. 'Trump's inauguration picture looks just like his mugshot! FOTUS Felon of The United States!' agreed another. 'This looks straight out of a horror movie,' joked another, accompanying the post with a black and white version of the steely picture. 'Acts like he's tryna scare someone with his horror movie inauguration portrait, but no one's actually intimidated, though,' slammed someone else. Another user joked the future president: 'Looks like Lucifer with a combover. That's the way he likes it!' Trump's official portrait was released on Thursday, ahead of his second term as President of the United States Meanwhile, one social media user declared his official portrait looked as though it had been 'generated with AI.' But others didn't think it looked so bad, sharing words of support for the incoming President. 'It looks bada**,' declared one fan. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday at 5pm GMT (12pm EST) in front of the US Capitol. He will then deliver his inaugural address - which he has said in interviews that he intends to be uplifting and unifying - unlike his speech in 2017, which detailed a broken country he described as 'American Carnage.' All four living former presidents will attend the event, including Joe Biden, despite Trump refusing to attend his inauguration following his 2020 election loss. His Inauguration Day will begin with a service at St. John's Church Service, followed by tea at the White House. The swearing-in ceremony will be followed by an official farewell for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump will then go to the President's Room near the Senate chamber in the Capitol, where he will sign nominations. Many users immediately compared the pictures to Trump's mug shot, which was taken in August 2023 at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, on election fraud charges Social media users unable to help comparing the black and white portrait to the 78-year-old's other infamous snap Trump's second inauguration is expected to be a much different affair than the last time America got a new president, with the Republican being the first president-elect to invite foreign leaders to his inauguration. Trump invited China's President Xi Jinping, but not UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, despite Britain being America's closest ally. He also extended the invitation to a clutch of the world's richest men including tech titans Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will also be noticeably absent from the ceremony, despite her husband former President Barack Obama having said he will attend. The President-elect has also upped the antics this year with even bigger stars set to perform during the ceremony. Country superstar Carrie Underwood will sing just moments after Trump is sworn into office and Trump favorite the Village People, whose hit YMCA became a MAGA anthem along the campaign trail, are teed up to perform at two inaugural events. The 29-year-old star has a French father and grew up speaking the language Timothee Chalamet fans were left swooning after the actor spoke French at the premiere of new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. The French-American actor was attending the Paris premiere of his film, when he busted out his French - sending fans into a spin. Chalamet was raised in the US, but his father is French and the star grew up speaking the language. While it is not the first time the 29-year-old actor has spoken French fluently, English speaking fans were taken aback by the bilingual actor. 'Canceling a psychiatry appointment to watch a video of Timothee Chalamet speaking in French,' one fan posted to X, formerly known as Twitter. 'I would listen to Timothee speaking French forever,' another admirer wrote. According to someone else, 'Timothee Chalamet speaking French is my religion.' 'Red nose the choker speaking French he's so, so hot,' wrote another. Timothee Chalamet fans were left swooning after the actor spoke French at the premiere of new Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown 'Whatever you say gorgeous,' laughed another, in response to the actor conversing in French. In 2022, Timothee gave fans a glimpse of his parent's relationship during an interview while promoting his film, The French Dispatch. 'I loved The French Dispatch because it really reminded me of my father's heritage and how he met my mother,' the Call Me By Your Name star said. Recalling the moment his parents met he shared, 'My father was on a business trip to New York while he was working as a journalist for Le Parisien, the French newspaper. Now, he works at the United Nations. 'My mother was a dancer when she met my father, and now she's working in real estate. But you could see the parallels,' he finished. On Tuesday, the actor - who is currently dating Kylie Jenner - caused a scene when he arrived to the London premiere of a Complete Unknown on a Lime electric bike. However, the Academy Award nominee's two-wheeled red carpet transportation that went viral on social media ended up costing him. Chalamet revealed on the French chat show Quotidien on Wednesday that he received a 65 fine (which converts to roughly $79) for incorrectly parking the e-bike at BFI Southbank. The French-American actor was attending the Paris premiere of his film, when he busted out his French - sending fans into a spin Chalamet made a splash this week when he arrived to the London premiere of the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown on a Lime electric bike While it is not the first time the 29-year-old actor has spoken French fluently, English speaking fans were taken aback by the bilingual actor 'There was a traffic jam,' said Chalamet, who spoke in French, of his reason for choosing to take an 'ecological' bike to the premiere instead of a chauffeured car. Unbeknownst to the actor, he parked the e-bike in an area where he 'actually wasn't allowed to park. 'I got a fine and actually it was horrible because it was actually kind of an advert for them,' Chalamet told host Yann Romain Barthes. Chalamet's bike path to his film's big London premiere also garnered a parking fine for professional photographer Aidan Zamiri, who rode along with the actor on a Lime e-bike on his own. On Tuesday, Zamiri shared a video of himself and Chalamet riding across Westminster Bridge en route to the premiere on his Instagram Story, with the accompanying caption: 'Favorite mode of transport.' He later admitted the ride had been terminated by Lime - who monitor each journey - because he was idle 'for an unusually long time,' before eventually picking up a 2 fine (which coverts to roughly $2.40) for 'incorrect parking.' Chalamet rode the red carpet on the green bike before ending his ride via Lime's mobile app though he later discovered that he, too, received a parking violation. A tourist has revealed his confusion over a unique feature found in Australian men's public urinals, with his confusion leaving locals and fellow travellers. The visitor shared on Reddit his awkward encounter with a urinal grate, which sits over the base of the urinal and which is designed to be stood on while urinating. 'I visited your beautiful country and had a wonderful time,' he began. 'But I didn't know how the f*** to p*ss on this thing.' The post quickly sparked a flood of responses, with Aussies chiming in to explain the purpose of the grates - and why they're vital for keeping bathrooms clean. One fellow tourist admitted he too was bewildered by the design when he started his trip to Australia. 'I was in Australia last month. I didn't realise you were supposed to stand on the grate and [use the bathroom],' he wrote. 'I stood back on the tile, and another fellow came in and stood on the grate. I said, 'I meant no disrespect, sir. I didn't realise you were supposed to stand on the grate.' He said, 'That's okay, mate, I'm just jealous of the blokes who can stand back there'.' The hilarious exchange prompted more Australians to shed light on the mystery of the grates. The visitor shared his awkward encounter with a urine grate on Reddit , a common but puzzling feature of public urinals Down Under How do you use a urine grate? 'The whole point of the grate is so that errant streams and drips don't end up on the floor,' explained one Reddit user. 'See the drips on the ground? That's what standing on the grate is supposed to alleviate. 'Obviously, others who have used this urinal also don't know how to use it. Stand on the grate.' Others pointed out that while the grates are meant to keep bathrooms cleaner, they aren't always foolproof. 'I'm a cleaner and can 100 per cent agree that it doesn't matter where you go because it just ends up on the floor anyway. Hope this helps,' joked one commenter. The discussion also revealed that similar grates exist in New Zealand, although they remain equally perplexing to some Kiwis. 'I have no idea,' admitted one New Zealander. 'We have these in New Zealand, and I've always just gone in the bushes.' Despite the initial confusion, the original tourist praised the locals for their laid-back attitude and sense of humour Despite the initial confusion, the original tourist praised the locals for their laid-back attitude and sense of humour. 'What a wonderful bunch of people,' he added. Women were also happy to join in on the hilarious exchange. 'As an Australian woman I have no idea if some of these answers are true or just taking the p*ss (pun intended) out of the foreigner.' 'I've never been happier to be a woman,' another echoed. 'Why does that look so disgusting?' For travellers heading to Australia, the message is clear: stand on the grate and aim carefully, and you won't leave behind any evidence of your visit. Or as one commenter put it: 'It's not rocket science, mate - but it's definitely an Aussie science.' An untreatable Ebola-like virus is on the rise in Tanzania, global health chiefs have warned. Marburg, one of the deadliest pathogens ever discovered, has already infected nine people, killing eight of them. There are currently no vaccines or treatments available meaning medics are forced to focus on helping patients survive the infection instead. This often puts health workers at direct risk of the virus, which can cause people to bleed from their eyes, as it is passed on through infected bodily fluids. The World Health Organization (WHO) has deployed teams to the African nation's north-eastern Kagera region, where all cases so far have been spotted. But doctors are also being warned to be on the lookout for cases in neighbouring countries such as Rwanda and Burundi, sparking fears that the virus may be spreading under the radar. Local officials initially raised the alarm last week after a mystery illness struck six people, killing five of them. Experts believed Marburg was to blame following preliminary tests. Marburg virus, a relative of Ebola, causes people to bleed from their orifices and kills up to nine in ten patients Marburg has a mortality rate of up to 88 per cent. There are currently no vaccines or treatments approved to treat the virus As of January 11, the toll had risen to nine suspected cases and eight deaths across two districts - Biharamulo and Muleba - the WHO said. Marburg is a haemorrhagic fever - where organs and blood vessels are damaged, causing bleeding internally or from the eyes, mouth and ears. The virus can be spread by touching or handling body fluids of an infected person, contaminated objects or infected wild animals. It is said initially to be transmitted to people after prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by fruit bats. Symptoms appear abruptly and include severe headaches, fever, diarrhoea, stomach pain and vomiting. They become increasingly severe. In the early stages of Marburg haemorrhagic fever, it is very difficult to distinguish from other tropical illnesses, such as Ebola and malaria. Infected patients become 'ghost-like', often developing deep-set eyes and expressionless faces. The WHO says it has a case-fatality ratio (CFR) of up to 88 per cent, meaning it can kill nearly nine in ten people it infects. The outbreak in Tanzania comes less than a month after a Marburg outbreak in neighbouring Rwanda was officially declared over. 'We would expect further cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X earlier this week A total of 66 people were infected, roughly 80 per cent of which were healthcare workers. The country reported 15 deaths, with Rwandas response praised internationally for its low death rate of 23 per cent - the lowest ever for a Marburg outbreak in Africa. In March 2023, Tanzania's Bukoba district experienced its first Marburg virus outbreak, which is thought to have killed six people and lasted for nearly two months. But Tanzania's health authorities have not yet confirmed this latest outbreak. 'We would expect further cases in the coming days as disease surveillance improves,' WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X earlier this week. In a separate statement, WHO officials also said: 'The source of the outbreak is currently unknown. 'The delayed detection and isolation of cases, coupled with ongoing contact tracing, indicates lack of a full information of the current outbreak. 'More cases are expected to be identified. Marburg virus (MVD) is initially transmitted to people from fruit bats and spreads among humans through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials. 'The regional risk is considered high due to Kagera region's strategic location as a transit hub, with significant cross-border movement of the population to Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 'Reportedly, some of the suspected cases are in districts near international borders, highlighting the potential for spread into neighbouring countries. 'Marburg is not easily transmissible. In most instances, it requires contact with the body fluids of a sick patient presenting with symptoms or with surfaces contaminated with these fluids. 'However, it cannot be excluded that a person exposed to the virus may be travelling.' In spite of the regional threat, global risk remains low as the virus does not spread easily between people, WHO said. The NHS is alarmingly close to capacity with 96 per cent of adult hospital beds occupied, concerning new data revealed today. More than 97,000 patients were in hospital in England last week higher than any point so far this winter, officials said. 92 per cent is the point at which, experts say, performance of staff drops. Rates of the winter vomiting bug norovirus, meanwhile, which had dipped in recent weeks have surged again almost 50 per cent higher than expected for this time of year. Separate surveillance data that monitors England's flu outbreak also suggests hospital admissions are slightly down on the previous week but still four times the level recorded in early December. Figures show almost 5,000 beds alone were taken up by flu patients every day last week, up 3.5 times on the same week last year. The NHS's clinical director for emergency care warned hospitals were 'jam-packed' and staff faced the busiest week yet this winter. Government ministers also said patients had faced 'unacceptable' experiences and acknowledged there was 'much more to do'. Multiple NHS hospitals have now declared 'critical incidents'. Pictured, ambulances wait outside the emergency department at the Royal Cornwall Hospital on January 4 Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting said: 'Despite NHS staff doing their level best, the experiences of patients this winter are unacceptable. 'Annual winter pressures, which will always exist, should not automatically lead to an annual winter crisis. 'We have ended the strikes, so for the first winter in three years staff are on the front line not the picket line, and introduced protected more patients with flu vaccinations than last year, but there is much more to do. 'It will take time to turn the health service around so patients receive the standards of care they deserve, but it can be done. 'Through our Plan for Change this government is making the investment and fundamental reform needed to make sure the NHS can be there for us when we need it, once again.' Professor Julian Redhead, NHS national clinical director for urgent and emergency care added: 'While it is encouraging news flu cases are no longer increasing, hospitals are not out of the woods yet. 'Staff are working incredibly hard in sometimes challenging surroundings, but winter viruses are much higher than usual for this time of year. 'This coupled with the cold snap and problems discharging patients means hospitals are jampacked with patients even as more beds have been opened to manage increased demand.' Health secretary Wes Streeting said patients had faced 'unacceptable' experiences and acknowledged there was 'much more to do' According to the latest NHS weekly figures, 97,636 patients were in hospital last week, with 96 per cent of adult general and acute beds occupied. Almost one in seven (13,585) were taken up by patients who were medically fit to be discharged. More than a third of patients arriving by ambulance also waited at least half an hour to be handed over to A&E teams up on the 25.7 per cent logged on the same time last year. Roughly one in six patients were also delayed by more than an hour, almost double the same point last year. It comes just hours after a damning report into the state of the NHS found dead patients are lying undiscovered for hours in A&E because staff are too overstretched to notice. The 'harrowing' report, published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), also revealed a severe shortage of beds has meant the sick are being left in 'animal-like' conditions in hospital car parks, cupboards and toilets. It featured the testimonies of more than 5,000 nurses, who exposed how patients are being cruelly 'stripped of their dignity' and routinely suffering avoidable deaths. The 460-page dossier said it had become 'normalised' for patients to be left for days at a time in chairs or trolleys in 'inappropriate settings', rather than on a ward. Norovirus can appear similar the symptoms of Covid, with both viruses causing chills, fever and headaches Demoralised nurses reported caring for as many as 40 patients in a single corridor some blocking fire exits or parked next to vending machines. The report comes just days after figures revealed hospitals left a record 518,000 patients languishing on trolleys in A&E for 12 hours or more last year. Separate NHS stats today also found more than 650 hospital beds in England were filled each day last week by patients with diarrhoea and vomiting or norovirus-like symptoms. Cases of the bug had dipped slightly in recent weeks. But it is up again, 4 per cent on the previous week and 44 per cent on the same point last year. RSV which is most common in infants and young children was almost double the same period in 2023. More than 1,100 beds were also occupied by patients with Covid. In response to rising rates of norovirus, flu, RSV and Covid dubbed the 'quad-demic' some hospitals had begun limiting visiting hours and imposed mask mandates. Others had declared 'critical incidents' an NHS term that's used by hospitals when they can no longer guarantee that patient care can be delivered safely. A 'harrowing' report , published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) today, revealed a severe shortage of beds has meant the sick are being left in 'animal-like' conditions in hospital car parks, cupboards and toilets. Pictured, stock photo Such incidents are typically declared in response to overwhelming demand or infrastructure failure. Responding to the figures, Rory Deighton, acute director at the NHS Confederation, said: 'It is too early to say if winter virus levels have peaked, and it is likely that the health service will continue to be under pressure for weeks to come. 'It is essential that we make sure the NHS does not face more winters like the last few. 'Improving emergency care performance requires an equal focus to tackling waiting lists, and we look forward to working with the government to address these issues. 'Corridor care is a last resort, but the combination of increased demand and acuity following a decade of underinvestment is leaving NHS staff with little choice and they are doing all they can to mitigate the risks to patients. 'But we cannot underestimate the impact this will have on staff who are subject to the moral injury of being unable to provide the care they would like to.' Hollyoaks star Paul Danan has died at the age of 46, his management has announced with tributes pouring in for the TV star on social media. While the cause of his death is yet to be clarified, the actor went public earlier this year with his terrifying experience of respiratory failure, which he said was caused by his addiction to vapes. In June, he revealed to The Sun that his habit landed him in intensive care, where his family were told he may not make it through the night. 'I was dead its a miracle Im here,' he said. 'Im upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. 'My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. 'I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. Im so lucky.' The father-of-one said doctors warned him never to vape again explaining that his lung condition was caused by his habit. Paul Danan has died aged 46, months after admitting his vaping habit led to serious complications with his lung health. 'The doctor was so, so harsh with me,' he said. She told me, "Paul, you dont know how serious this was and you are going to be in here for a while now, on this oxygen. 'She said if I ever smoke in any form again I risk being linked to an oxygen tank later on in life. She said thats it now. 'After years of smoking cigarettes and all sorts, its the vaping which has done me in. That pushed me over the edge.' Initially touted as a 'safer' alternative to tobacco, public health experts have become increasingly concerned that youngsters who have never smoked are using electronic cigarettes, or vapes. In a bid to stop young people getting hooked, disposable vapes colourfully packaged devices that come in candy-like flavours will be banned in the UK from June, the Government announced in October. Multiple shocking cases have emerged of collapsed lungs, fainting or vomiting ominous green liquid among, liked to heavy vaping. And, disturbingly, there is evidence children as young as four are being hospitalised due to damage caused by vapes. The devices, which come plastered in a rainbow of packaging in alluring candy-like flavours and pack the shelves of sweet shops are the most popular form of the device among young people due to being available for 'pocket money prices' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The latest data shows one in four children have tried the devices, while one in 10 use them regularly. Rates rise to as many as one in six among 16-to-17-year-olds. Disposable vapes were by far the most commonly used form of the device, as many as 70 per cent of children who vape use them. Unlike refillable 'pen' or 'box' style vape devices, which retail from about 20, disposables can be purchased for as little as 3. This, campaigners have said, makes them particularly attractive to younger people. And like most vapes, they contain nicotine, which is highly addictive. This, experts warn, has led to some young people vaping heavily with disastrous consequences. NHS England has said doctors have seen a 733 per cent surge in children and teenagers being admitted for vaping-related disorders since 2020. In 2023, 11 were nursery school-age and 12 were aged 10 to 14. Here MailOnline explains just some of the risks vapes pose to those who smoke them. Lung collapse and increased risk of respiratory disease Terrifying cases of lung collapse have been reported among those who vape including children. The specific causes of these shocking incidents vary but one trigger is a reaction to some of contents of the vapour. In extreme cases, vaping-induced inflammation has even been linked to holes forming in the lung itself. Inflammation from vaping usually takes a month to form as nanoparticles from the vapour progressively become embedded in lung tissue. A shocking MailOnline investigation last year even uncovered vapes resembling sweets and high street stores selling the devices next to chocolate and fruit gummies Some specific chemicals like cinnamaldehyde, diacetyl and acetylpropionyl added to certain vapes and vape liquid flavours can provoke stronger responses. This inflammation also increases the risk of a person suffering respiratory infections, such as Covid, experts have warned. One study found people who vaped for at least six months had high levels of inflammation, mouth wounds and up to a 100-fold increase in oral fungi. A paper published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, which tracked vapers for three years, found they had a 1.3-times higher risk of developing respiratory disease than people who didn't use a tobacco product. Chemicals contained in vapes can also cause oxidative stress, a type of damage to cells. In a study, researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles, compared oxidative stress in the lungs of routine cigarette smokers, vapers and people with no history of long term use of either tobacco or nicotine devices. The then 16-year-old Ewan Fisher needed an artificial lung to survive and spent 10 weeks in hospital as doctors fought to save his life Vaping for only 30 minutes caused oxidative stress levels two to four times higher than baseline levels in those with no history of smoking, they found. Metal components of the devices which heat the liquid containing the nicotine and flavourings creating the vapour can also release some toxic metals. These include arsenic, chromium, nickel and lead, all known carcinogens. While there were fears this could contribute to the dreaded 'popcorn lung' a dangerous inflammation of the respiratory organs which leads to wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath these have been dismissed. One young Brit who has experienced a vape related lung emergency was Kyla Blight, 17. She had to be rushed to hospital after her vaping habit caused a hole to burst in her lung and she ended up needing part of the organ removed. Medics theorised that Kyla, from Cumbria, has small blister on her lung, called a pulmonary bleb, and her excessive vaping caused this to burst. Another case is that of Ewan Fisher, who at about 16, had to be rushed to hospital after vomiting a neon green liquid and gasping for breath just four months after taking up vaping. The Nottingham teen is believed to have suffered an exaggerated immune response to chemicals found in e-cigarette fluid. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Collapsing and potential exposure to illicit drugs Cases of people collapsing from vape use and being exposed to the 'zombie drug' Spice, have also emerged. Glyn Potts headteacher at Newman Catholic College in Oldham also told BBC Radio earlier this year how even one single puff from a vape had been enough to land one of his pupils in hospital. Two-and-a-half-years-ago we had a student who stole a vape off their big brothers bedside table, he said. They travelled on the school bus and in the final few seconds, as the bus was pulling into the school grounds urged by his friends, he took a very large gulp of this vape pen. As he got off the bus, he started to feel unwell and he collapsed.' The vape in question was later found to have 12-times the level of nicotine than a cigarette. But Mr Potts said another worrying development was other substances being added to the disposable vapes favoured by children, something he feared would have fatal consequences. Although initially touted as a way to quite tobacco, research shows many of those now vaping have never smoked. Earlier this year bosses at the World Health Organization (WHO) ruled that vapes cannot be recommended as way to stop smoking as too little is known about the harms and benefits A study in July backed up these fears with one in six vapes confiscated from school children in England found to be laced with 'zombie drug' Spice. Nicotine addiction and heart problems Disposable vapes contain nicotine an addictive substance that binds to proteins in the brain in just 11 seconds. There it triggers the release of hormones dopamine and serotonin providing a sense of euphoria and calmness. The body goes on to become accustomed to and to crave this level of high, leading to a powerful impulse to have another hit. Once this dependency is formed, withholding nicotine can lead to irritation, anger, or sadness, as well as restlessness and trouble concentrating. Nicotine also raises blood pressure and causes the heart to beat faster. This process takes a few minutes as the arteries that supply the heart narrow significantly, which can lead to higher blood pressure. However, studies suggest the effect lasts for days when it comes to vaping. One found that vaping for just an hour leads to blood vessels taking three days to return to normal function. Over the long term, experts say this could lead to hardening of the blood vessels, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease like heart attacks. Last year the American Heart Association said long term vaping resulted in cardiac remodelling which could, in turn, lead to heart failure and heart rhythm problems. While a cigarette typically contains anywhere between 8 to 20mg of nicotine only a fraction is actually absorbed, estimated to be 1 and 2mg. Vape strength, much like cigarettes, varies but some of the strongest contain 20mg of nicotine per ml. So, a 2ml vape, the maximum legal capacity in the UK, will contain 40mg of nicotine. This means a single strong vape can contain the equivalent level of nicotine as smoking two packs of 20 cigarettes. Cancer risk and what we don't know As vapes have only been around for the blink of an eye in health monitoring terms, the consequences of using the devices, especially among people picking up the habit in their youth, and using them for decades, is unknown. This data simply doesn't yet exist. As such doctors have expressed fears there could be a wave of lung disease, dental issues and even cancer in the coming decades in people who took up the habit at a young age. While studies are limited one alarming study, published earlier this year, suggested vaping triggers cell changes which may go on to cause cancer just like traditional smoking. Previous studies have also found vapers experienced a similar pattern of changes within their genes as smokers, although the changes are less extensive. Former Hollyoaks star Paul Danan has died at the age of just 46, his management revealed today. In a statement, they said his 'untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him' but did not confirm his cause of death. The actor, best known for his role as Sol on the Channel 4 soap, as well as appearances on reality shows like Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother, was no stranger to health struggles. He candidly discussed major medical scares throughout his career one of which landed him in intensive care, where his family were told he may not make it through the night. On another occasion, his mother discovered him 'gagging' following a drugs binge that nearly cost him his life. Here, MailOnline documents the numerous health struggles of the troubled star. Former Hollyoaks star Paul Danan has died at the age of just 46, his management revealed today. Pictured, in 2006 The actor was best known for his role as Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap, before appearing on the reality series Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother Respiratory failure after vaping Just last June, Paul revealed he was rushed to hospital and brought back to life after his 'obsessive' disposable vape usage caused respiratory failure. He took up the habit in the last couple of years after smoking and even admitted he would 'go to sleep' with his vape for comfort. But in an interview with The Sun he revealed that his habit led him to collapse and he was given CPR by his family while at home. He then spent a week in intensive care, where he contracted pneumonia. While in the high dependency unit at Whipps Cross hospital, East London, he said doctors had told his family 'he might not make it through the night'. He added: 'I was dead it's a miracle I'm here. 'I'm upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. 'My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. In 2017, Paul was the fifth star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother, appearing on the show with Sam Thompson, Amelia Lily and Sarah Harding Last year Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure Paul, who starred in the original series of Celebrity Love Island in 2005, said he was told by doctors that his addiction to e-cigarettes had sparked his collapse and that if he ever smoked or vaped again he risked having to be linked to an oxygen tank later in life. 'After years of smoking cigarettes and all sorts, it's the vaping which has done me in. That pushed me over the edge,' he added. E-cigs allow users to inhale nicotine in a vapour which is produced by heating a liquid, which typically contains propylene glycol, glycerine, flavourings, and other chemicals. Despite NHS chiefs insisting it is safer than smoking, vaping is not risk-free. E-cigarettes contain harmful toxins and their long-term effects remains a mystery. Experts are concerned the high nicotine content might increase blood pressure and cause other heart problems. Doctors have expressed fears there could be a wave of lung disease, dental issues and even cancer in the coming decades in people who took up the habit at a young age. Paul Danan has died at the age of 46, his management has revealed (the actor is pictured in an audition clip he posted to Instagram last week) Paul's death was announced in a statement released by his management Open about his 17 stints in rehab In 2019, Paul candidly told of how he had sought therapy for his struggles with drugs and alcohol and had undergone '17 stints in rehab'. During an appearance on The Jeremy Kyle Show, he said: 'They [rehabs] do work. They're amazing. 'They've saved my life many times but it's maintenance and it's about sustaining that recovery and not putting anything before that recovery even my little boy, who I love to death.' Paul previously admitted his battle with drugs began after he left Hollyoaks in 2001 and moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to make it in Hollywood. Speaking on the The Dozen with Liam Tuffs podcast last year, he said: 'You can't party and do well in Hollywood. You've got to be healthy. It was cool but I ended up getting into the wrong type of routine of using drugs. 'I can't handle rejection but I chose the one job that gives you more rejection than any other job. I'm auditioning for big, big movies. 'A lot of the time my life revolved around getting stoned, going to a gig, doing a pill or coke. There was always drugs involved.' In 2023, he established the drama school Morning After Drama in Bristol after being awarded a national lottery grant. As well as helping those battling drug addiction, the drama group supports those who have experienced trauma, serviced time in prison and struggle with mental illness. After leaving Hollyoaks, Paul appeared on the ITV reality series Celebrity Love Island, where he made headlines with his raucous antics During his stint on the show, Paul enjoyed a steamy romance with Isabella Hervey Drug overdose left him choking While reflecting on his battle with drug addiction on The Dozen with Liam Tuffs podcast, he also revealed almost died from a heroin overdose after choking. Following a rehab stint in South Africa, he was prescribed anti-psychotic drugs but he 'didn't feel like himself', he said. He told the podcast he left his parents' house and took a 'detour' to buy cocaine and heroin 'which I'd never done before'. After returning home and snorting the drug he suffered an overdose that saw his mum forced to call an ambulance. 'My mum found me and I couldn't breath, it was terrible. Apparently my mum heard me gagging on my last breath. She came into the room and couldn't wake me up,' he said. 'My little brother was next door which was the saddest thing about it because still to this day he's been traumatised by it. 'She called the ambulance and luckily they were parked down the end of the road. 'They came and said what has he taken and she said he doesn't do drugs. They knew they had to give me the antidote. F**k me, it was Pulp Fiction. He added: 'All I could see was my dad's face at the end of the ambulance. 'My mum said to me she'd already said goodbye to me. I saw my dad's face and could see this look of absolute disgust and hate, but relief, "Oh my God, he's alive".' A prolific sperm donor who has fathered 550 children worldwide is being taken to court in the latest effort to stop him from trying to reach out to his offspring. Jonathan Jacob Meijer, a 43-year-old YouTuber from the Netherlands, faces legal action from one of the mothers of his donor children who accuses him of not 'keeping away' per an alleged agreement. The donor children's organisation Stichting Donorkind also reportedly wants him to stop attempting to get in touch with his offspring. 'Jonathan is presenting himself as some sort of uncle, but he is really acting as a parent from a distance. He is trying to have a role in our family,' Natalie Dijkdrenth, who brought the case, told Dutch outlet de Volkskrant. The mother says that Meijer, a former high school teacher, is trying to influence her son and other children, 'advising them to look for a partner who looks like them and thinks the way they do'. 'He dismisses certain parenting styles and promotes large families,' she said. Meijer hit back yesterday in a new video on his YouTube account, following him as he walked in the woods in silence, overlaid with the text 'Attack on my FREEDOM OF SPEECH'. Meijer faced a lawsuit in 2023 requesting court action over fears of unintentional incest and inbreeding between his children, and because he had gone well past the Dutch limit of fathering 25 donor children. The donor was found to have fathered at least 102 children in 2017 before a court ruled in 2023 that he must stop making donations or face fines of 100,000 euros (88,0000) per infraction. Clinics were also ordered at the time to destroy the samples they had. Meijer continued to donate abroad regardless, including to a Danish sperm bank that operates around the world. Jonathan Jacob Meijer filmed himself walking in silence after the legal action was announced Jonathan is a 43-year-old former high school teacher and YouTuber Meijer's video shared yesterday was filmed in silence, with accompanying text hitting out at Stichting Donorkind 'and Nathalie from the Netflix serie [sic]' who he said 'want me to SHUT UP'. 'So let's see how a vlog will be without me telling what my opinion is.' He asked for financial help with the legal fees before shushing the camera and continuing his walk for nine minutes, only stopping to shush the camera again. The video ended with a message asking for support on his channel. Dijkdrenth said that the parents worry that 'some children are extremely open to influence' because of their age, and that as a donor 'he has a certain attraction for them'. Meijer has a public persona on YouTube, has appeared on Loose Women, dubbed 'the man with 1,000 kids', and has been the focus of a Netflix documentary he says has affected his relationships with his children. Last year, he posted a video on his own YouTube channel titled 'IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR ALL MY DONOR CHILDREN' in which he lamented how, in light of the court case, his relationship with some of his fathered children had changed and soured 'overnight'. The sperm donor was previously the subject of a Netflix series, 'The Man With 1000 Kids' In April 2023, a Dutch court ordered Meijer to stop donating semen to clinics, or face being fined 100,000 euros (88,000) per infraction He said that he blocked some of the parents after receiving abuse from 'a very aggressive few' of the children. He insisted that he had 'always been respectful towards them, always respected their privacy, always listened to what they want', but was hurt when he was 'verbally abused'. He said that he had said that the children would always be entitled to contact him, when of age, if they wanted and regardless of how the parents had spoken to him. But in some videos, Meijer also criticises what he calls 'bully mums' and has slated their parenting styles. Meijer slammed the Netflix documentary - 'The Man With 1000 Kids' - when it was released last summer. He said the docuseries was 'misleading'. It included claims from parents who said they felt 'betrayed, sad and angry' when they learned how many other children he had fathered. They argued that Mr Meijer's continued donations violated the right to a private life of his donor children, whose ability to form romantic relationships are hampered by fears of accidental incest and inbreeding The Man With 1000 Kids investigated 'the murky world of the fertility industry,' as well as how the Youtuber allegedly defrauded dozens of parents and eleven clinics across the globe Meijer said most of the families knew and were happy with him. He told the Independent at the time that he 'never had the idea to have 100 children or 500 children'. 'It happened step by step. Many donors want to be in the news, but for me if nobody knew about me that would be absolutely fine. Now they do know about me, so I want to explain my side of the story.' Meijer began donating sperm in 2007, aged 25. Nearly nine in 10 Afghans are starving and more than 80 percent have lost access to healthcare since America's chaotic withdrawal allowed the Taliban to return to power in 2021. American troops were hauled out of the country in September 2021 after the 20-year conflict in a move universally criticized as disastrous. Approval ratings for President Joe Biden sank and never recovered throughout his tenure. The withdrawal saw a terror attack that killed 13 Americans, the fall of the Afghan government, and the resurgence of the fundamentalist Taliban, plunging the country into an economic and humanitarian crisis. All of the aid the US and allies were giving to the country stopped, including development aid, which covered about 78 percent of the countrys expenses. This left the country in financial ruin. Now, a recent survey by researchers at Lawrence Technical University in the US reported nearly 90 percent of Afghans are going hungry, 84 percent have no access to healthcare, and 85 percent receive threats of violence, more than three years after the withdrawal. In the survey, participants comments emphasized limited access to humanitarian aid, restrictions on freedom of speech and womens rights, widespread malnutrition, and significant levels of unemployment. The researchers said: The bleak conditions in the country have worsened in such a way that nearly everyone irrespective of their background appears to be negatively affected.' They added: 'The aftermath of the US military withdrawal may have been so profound that structural factors like gender and age, which once allowed young men to thrive while women and other lower-status groups faced more difficulties, appear to have lost their previous significance.' The charts shows diminished quality of life factors, including poverty and loss of access to healthcare, following the resurgence of the Taliban in 2021 President Joe Biden, shown while announcing the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in April 2021, has since been criticized sharply for setting the stage for the resurgence of the Taliban and the ensuing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan The survey included 800 Afghans. Almost half were 18 to 29 years old and 94 percent were men. The survey included multiple choice questions pertaining to mental and social stress, quality of life and open-ended questions where people could elaborate on their answers. In addition to the large majority experiencing food insecurity, limited or no access to healthcare, and threats of violence, 72 percent of people said one or more loved ones had been killed or displaced since the US withdrawal. The researchers said: This research validates many of the concerns of the humanitarian crisis on the ground, as well as provides insight into how political shifts have resulted in socio-economic hardships affecting Afghans who remained in country after the 2021 U.S. withdrawal. Nearly 90 percent of Afghans are going hungry, 84 percent have no access to healthcare, and 85 percent receive threats of violence Eighty-four percent had infrequent contact with family and friends while 85 percent experienced threats of violence. Nearly 72 percent lost at least one or more family members (killed or displaced) since the American withdrawal Approximately nine in 10 Afghans maintain a diminished quality of life linked with high levels of social and psychological stress. The authors said: 'Adults often suffer emotional and physical pain caused by disruptions in facing chronic poverty and violence, particularly in conflicts. 'Diminished social life conditions causes a sense of hurting, which becomes part of ones social experience' Stress levels are also high, with a score of 12.23 out of a possible 21. The main stressors cited were anxiety, hunger, and poor sleep as well as threats of violence One survey respondent said: 'The current situation in Afghanistan is disastrous and economically unusual because there are no jobs, all government jobs are taken by the Taliban, and the private sector has no absorption capacity. 'The Taliban are armed in the city. They do not know whether they are thieves or responsible.' The report was published in the journal PLOS Mental Health. While the UN estimates around half of Afghans live in poverty, another report says 85 percent of Afghans live on less than a dollar a day. 120,000 people were airlifted out, while the rest became subject to the speedy resurgence of the Taliban US-bound aircraft were overrun with Afghans who didnt qualify as American citizens, citizens of allied countries, and Afghan supporters of allied forces like interpreters and contractors President Biden announced in April 2021 that his administration would be ending Americas longest war by September 11, 2021 - nearly 20 years after the terror attacks that plunged the US into war in the first place - after reaching an agreement with the group in 2020. This promised a full withdrawal in exchange for commitments to a ceasefire and preventing the country from being used by terror groups like al-Qaeda. By August that year, the government in Kabul had collapsed. Taliban fighters overran the capital and took over the presidential palace hours after President Ghani left the country. Your browser does not support iframes. But according to Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, the agreement weakened Afghan forces. He said: We did not anticipate the snowball effect caused by the deals that Taliban commanders struck with local leaders in the wake of the Doha Agreement, that the Doha Agreement itself had a demoralizing effect on Afghan soldiers, and that we failed to fully grasp that there was only so much for which and for whom many of the Afghan forces would fight. Further alienating President Biden from already wary voters, 13 American service members were killed and at least 18 were injured in an attack at a checkpoint outside of the Kabul airport, where thousands of people were being evacuated. The United Nations said in 2022 that the governing Taliban, made up of factions of insurgents and hardliners, maintains a close relationship to the terrorist group al-Qaeda, which uses Taliban-controlled Afghanistan as a friendly environment to raise money, recruit, and train. Megyn Kelly slammed a liberal pundit for what she said were 'disgusting' comments she made about Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearing. The former Fox News host took aim at Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell for her remarks on a CNN panel with Abby Phillip to discuss the 44-year-old's high-stakes Senate hearing to become the United States' next Secretary of Defense. 'He was very articulate and polished, and he's a TV host - that's his main qualification,' Rampell astonishingly claimed. Scott Jennings, a conservative political strategist, immediately fired back, saying she was denigrating Hegseth's 20 years of military service. Still, Rampell defended her remarks. 'Not every member who serves deserves to be in charge of the DoD,' she shot back. But Jennings continued to hit out at Rampell, saying her claim that Hegseth's main qualification for the role is that he is once co-hosted Fox & Friends is 'just bologna.' 'His main qualification is that he's a war fighter and he's going to be the closest war fighter we've ever had to the enlisted people running the Pentagon,' Jennings asserted. Megyn Kelly slammed a liberal pundit for what she said were 'disgusting' comments she made about Pete Hegseth during his confirmation hearing. She took aim at Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell for her remarks on a CNN panel with Abby Phillip, when she claimed Hegseth's 'main qualification' to be the Secretary of Defense is that he was a television host Kelly wholeheartedly agreed with the assessment. 'How is it not denigrating his tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and Gitmo the vast majority of his adult life by saying his main qualification for this job was his stint on Fox & Friends,' she said on her podcast before cursing out the Washington Post contributor. 'F*** you Catherine Rampell, because that is denigrating his service,' Kelly continued, arguing: 'His service is the reason he got the job. 'I guarantee you, Trump is more familiar with Brian Kilmeade than he is with Pete Hegseth. I guarantee you,' she said of another Fox & Friends co-host. 'But he did not nominate Brian Kilmeade because he wasn't just looking for a Fox & Friends morning host to run the Pentagon. 'It's Pete's lifetime of service while in the armed services, and afterward, working for veterans, tat got him this job. 'And perhaps Trump wouldn't know about him if he hadn't gotten a job on Fox. But that's what opened the door, not what got him the job.' 'You're so disrespectful and disgusting,' Kelly said of Rampell. 'But that is what the elite thinks of our military and certainly of any Trump supporter - never mind people who are going to wind up in the Cabinet. Hegseth admitted at the confirmation hearing that he is not 'a perfect person' 'It's absolutely disgusting, and this is what Pete and Trump and Pam Bondi... are going to be facing when they take over: That they're the chewing gum underneath the sneaker and they're too "stupid and scared to really understand how things out to be run."' Kelly also pointed out that Rampell received her degree from Princeton in anthropology, and before she was at the Washington Post, she was at the New York Times as a theater critic. 'But here she is telling us why Pete was chosen for this job,' she said. The former Fox News host also hit out at her one-time colleague, Gretchen Carlson, who said on PBS that she was disappointed that the sexual harassment claims made against Hegseth were not more of a barrier for him to take over the Department of Defense. 'You know better than everyone that I will stand up for women, even those I can't stand, if I think they made a valid allegation,' Kelly argued. 'You know that better than anyone. 'And I spent a day going through that woman's police report line-by-line, and I'm telling you, that woman's not telling the truth. 'That's my strong legal and journalistic opinion,' Kelly said. Kelly also hit out at her former colleague, Gretchen Carlson, who said on PBS that she was disappointed that the sexual harassment claims made against Hegseth were not more of a barrier for him to take over the Department of Defense 'Shame on you for using the money you managed to extract out of Fox News for this nonsense, to try to push these claims because you want to see your face on television,' Kelly yelled at Carlson. 'I find that absolutely abhorrent. How dare she come out and try to disparage him this way, someone who'd been a colleague of his for quite some time. 'And I guarantee you she never saw him drunk, and if she said she did, it's not true.' Still, Democrats hurled a slew of allegations at Hegseth and interrogated him about his past comments on women in the military and 'woke' policies during his confirmation hearing Tuesday, as they suggested he was not qualified to lead the government department with a budget of more than $800billion. 'I'm not a perfect person as has been acknowledged,' Hegseth said emotionally, adding he has been 'saved by the grace of God, by Jesus and Jenny' his wife, 39. 'I'm not a perfect person but redemption is real. And God forged me in ways that I know I'm prepared for,' he said resolutely. 'And I'm honored by the people standing and sitting behind me and I look forward to leading.' He also claimed the Pentagon needs to be transformed and be more accountable for failures, such as the catastrophic Afghanistan withdrawal. It remains to be seen whether Hegseth can garner enough support to forward his nomination and become Donald Trump's next defense secretary. Deposition videos show several CNN staffers opposing an on-air apology to an Afghanistan veteran who is suing the network for defamation. The footage comes from recorded video depositions shown to jurors on Tuesday, in the high-profile court case surrounding Zachary Young. Young is suing the network for allegedly suggesting that he was part of a black market in evacuating people from Afghanistan when the US suddenly and dramatically pulled troops out in 2021. The network offered an on-air apology after airing a segment in which he was mentioned, but says it didn't go far enough to clear his name. 'The story included a lead-in and banner throughout the story that referenced a "black market," she went on. 'The use of the term "black market" in the story was an error... We regret the error, and to Mr. Young, we apologize.' In the depositions, senior staff say the network should never have apologized to Young. On Tuesday, two days before both sides' closing arguments, the jury was shown a series of clips - three of which showed depositions from CNN Executive Vice President of Editorial Virginia Moseley, Supervising Producer Michael Callahan, and Senior Vice President of Washington Newsgathering Adam Levine, respectively. CNN Executive Vice President of Editorial Virginia Moseley was among execs who said the network shouldn't have apologized to the Afghanistan veteran CNN aired this image of Zachary Young with a strap on the bottom that read: 'Afghans trying to flee Taliban face Black Markets'. He is suing the network for tying him to the black markets Each said the same - that they did not believe such an apology was necessary, due to Marquardts segment making no such charge. The on-screen banner did. The term 'black market was also used in the introduction of the report, when it first ran on 'The Lead With Jake Tapper.' 'In general, I don't,' Moseley said in December 2023 when asked by Young's legal team whether she agreed with the 2022 apology. 'The reason I don't agree with it is I don't have, as we talked about earlier, the negative connotation of "black market,"' she insisted, offering her argument. 'So I'm not exactly sure, like I wouldn't, you know - I don't consider black market in a negative connotation. 'I wouldn't agree with the correction,' she finished. A few months earlier, in October, Callahan aired a similar stance - saying he defines 'black market' as an 'unregulated market' and not a disreputable one. He argued such a term correctly applied to the situation then occurring in Kabul, and that the phrase black market did not have any particular connotation. When asked what he believed the term meant, he insisted: 'An unregulated market for goods or services.' In June of last year, Levine said the apology was made in hopes of quashing the 'potential for a lawsuit', while spending multiple minutes dodging questions about whether CNN believed Young's concern had been 'reasonable' enough to demand the apology. CNN journalist Fuzz Hogan, a senior editor tasked with fact-checking the report, said a few days earlier that he also didn't agree that CNN should have apologized, and repeatedly called Brown's apology a 'correction' A few months earlier, Supervising Producer Michael Callahan aired a similar stance - saying he defines 'black market' as an 'unregulated market' and not a disreputable one 'The story included a lead-in and banner... that referenced a "black market," she went on. 'The use of the term "black market" in the story was an error... We regret the error, and to Mr. Young, we apologize.' Pictured, Kabul during the hectic August 2021 operation In June of last year, Senior Vice President of Washington Newsgathering Adam Levine spent multiple minutes dodging questions about whether CNN believed Young's concern had been 'reasonable' enough to demand the apology, before deferring to the station's legal department 'This was a decision made for legal reasons, and the correction was issued at the direction of our legal department,' Levine said, 'So CNN thinks that the decision by the legal department was the right one for the company based on them being our legal department.' When asked whether a correction was due, he said 'at least our legal department felt that way.' "It was an error based on the fact that Mr. Young felt and [Young's attorney Vel Freedman] conveyed that that was how it was received by Mr. Young,' he further explained. 'And they took issue with that.' CNN journalist Fuzz Hogan, a senior editor tasked with fact-checking the report, said a few days earlier that he also didn't agree that CNN should have apologized, and repeatedly called Brown's apology a 'correction.' 'I didn't think that the correction was necessary,' Hogan said, delivering this testimony before the jury. CNN correspondent Marquardt, the one who led the report about Young, said the same - before indicating he had not problem the network eventually apologized. CNN producer Michael Conte similarly said he did 'not necessarily' agree with the apology, at one point adding, "I do not believe [the report] was an error.' Young, meanwhile, claims the report falsely painted him as an 'illegal profiteer' exploiting 'desperate Afghans' with 'exorbitant' fees - mentioning how he had been advertising his services online $14,500. CNN host Pamela Brown told viewers apologized on behalf of the network on-air Young is suing the network in Florida However, he only took clients with corporate sponsors in his capacity as a security consultant, and his services were described alongside interview with Afghans who had no connection with young. Instead, he was working to save workers from companies that had contracted him, which was all perfectly legal. Youngs attorneys, meanwhile, argued over the course of nine days that the dictionary definition of black market explicitly states such a network's inherent illegality. 'Do not let CNN rewrite the English language to avoid liability in this case,' Freedman told jurors Thursday during close arguments, with jurors now set to deliberate. DailyMail.com spoke with Freedman this week, who said he will not discuss the case until a verdict is delivered. In late November, I noticed some strange activity on my personal email account. I started receiving hundreds of spam emails per hour, so I changed my password and thought that was the end of it. But in mid-December, I got a nasty shock when checking in for a British Airways flight. I logged into my Executive Club account, but noticed the email address and phone number registered to my account had been changed. My Avios - around 180,800 - had been transferred to someone else and my three companion vouchers had disappeared. I logged out and called BA on the Silver number. I was told to change the email address on my account to regain access, and to do this by filling out an online form. This was confusing as it asked for my 'current email'. I didn't know whether to put in my email address, or the one the fraudster had changed it to. I checked with the person on the phone and they said to enter the fraudster's email. I later spoke to a manager who said that advice wasn't correct, and that my details would be passed on to the 'audit team'. I've been locked out of my account ever since and am worried that by filling out the form, I handed more details to the fraudster. I was told I would receive an email regarding regaining access to my account, but this hasn't happened yet - or perhaps it has gone to the scammer's email address. D.K, London Points pinched: D.K's British Airways Executive Club account was hacked and his Avios transferred to someone else, along with his companion vouchers Helen Crane, This is Money's consumer champion, replies: Losing some loyalty points might not seem like a big deal to the uninitiated. However, the Executive Club and Avios have become an obsession among loyal British Airways travellers - as evidenced by the backlash when it recently announced it would change the rules from 1 April. Putting a monetary value on Avios is a tricky business, as they can be worth more or less depending on how you choose to spend them. However, yours should be worth at least 1,800. And whatever your Avios are worth, the three companion vouchers essentially double it under the current system. Earned by spending 15,000 on the British Airways American Express credit card within a year, the vouchers allow you to take a friend on a flight with you without spending any additional Avios points. It seems that what happened in November was that someone gained access to your email account. They might have been able to guess your password, or it could have been part of a data leak and ended up for sale on the dark web - which is sadly all too common. For a criminal, being inside your email account is akin to being a child in a sweet shop. They searched for anything that might have some monetary value, and came across an email from Executive Club. They were then able to change your password. You later found an email from British Airways asking you to set up two-factor authentication, which you missed at the time because of the volume of emails flooding in. Your hard-earned points, built up over many years, had been transferred to someone you didn't know. CRANE ON THE CASE Our weekly column sees This is Money consumer expert Helen Crane tackle reader problems and shine the light on companies doing both good and bad. Want her to investigate a problem, or do you want to praise a firm for going that extra mile? Get in touch: helen.crane@thisismoney.co.uk British Airways confirmed a fraudster had used the 'combine my Avios' function to get hold of your points, temporarily locked it and told you it would investigate. But you said the person on the phone couldn't tell you how things would be investigated, or whether your Avios had been spent and whether they could be recovered. You were also worried they wrongly advised you which email address to give when filling out the change of address form, which was later confirmed by a manager. He said BA would contact you by email within a week about the next steps, but you weren't confident they would know how to contact you given the confusion. A week passed and you didn't hear anything, so you contacted me. It has now given you back access to your account and your balance of 180,799 Avios has been restored, along with your companion vouchers. A British Airways spokesman said: 'We're really sorry for our customer's experience and we've been in touch to resolve the issue.' My son spent 256 calling his girlfriend in Australia I have an 18-year-old son. His girlfriend is currently on a gap year in Australia. In November, my son made a one-hour phone call to her Australian mobile from his EE mobile, which I pay for. This was done without my knowledge and my son didn't realise it wouldn't be included in his inclusive package. When I got the bill, the call cost me 256. I researched call charges and found that I could have bought a package for calls to Australia for 2.16 per month, which would have reduced the cost of the call to 21p per minute or 12. I'm an NHS worker and will struggle to afford this. I've also been a loyal EE customer for 13 years. I asked EE if the package could be retrospectively applied, but was told it couldn't. Instead it offered a 25 per cent discount on the bill to 191. N.G, Leeds Call charge: The 18-year-old only realised after his one-hour conversation with his girlfriend in Australia that it would cost his dad hundreds Helen Crane replies: Ah, young love. Those who grew up with landline phone bills - or mobile credit that could run out - might struggle to fathom how your son could make this mistake. However, you explained your son - no doubt like many other young people - has had an 'unlimited' phone contract with EE since the age of 10. That means everything from calls to messages and data is included, with no restrictions, for a flat monthly fee. If that is all he has ever known, I can understand how he might not realise it would cost so much to chat with his girlfriend down under. But should EE refund you for his mistake? You argue that it was an innocent error, and that if he or you had known about the 'add on' you could buy to make international calls cheaper you would have used it. You also told me you will leave EE for another provider, which offers an NHS discount, if it forces you to pay the charge. I got in touch to ask if it would reconsider. An EE spokesman said: 'Calling an international destination, like Australia, from your EE mobile can generate higher call charges and we offer a range of add-ons that provide the best international call rates for our customers. 'Our website has a calling abroad calculator for customers to check the cost of international calls before they dial and also recommends an international call add-on to offer them the best value for money call rates for that destination.' 'We have reviewed Neil's account and charges are correct based on his son's call. We have decided to offer a 25 per cent reduction for calls made to Australia to Neil as a goodwill gesture, which he has accepted. 'We encourage all customers to check the cost of international calls before they dial.' Sadly, it seems you will still be paying the price for your son's romantic gesture. HMRC's poor quality digital services are not meeting the needs of taxpayers, particularly those with more complex issues, according to a leading tax firm. The attempt to move services online and close phone lines are causing further issues and 'woe for taxpayers', according to Robert Salter, a director at Blick Rothenberg. The tax office announced its 'Making Tax Digital' plans in 2016, requiring businesses and individuals to keep digital records and report their income quarterly. It was meant to maximise tax revenue, save the Government cash and improve customer service. But in the nine years since HMRC rolled out the programme, which has gone 1billion over budget, there has been little improvement. A joint report by the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) in December 2024 laid bare its inadequacies. It found that HMRC chatbots only appear to connect 49 per cent of the time and the resolution rate is only 21 per cent even once a connection is established. Waiting times: HMRC's digital services are not adequately addressing taxpayer needs, says accountancy firm Salter also notes that HMRC's online forms 'are so badly designed that they create additional work, for taxpayers, their agents, and for HMRC'. 'I and many other advisors have been complaining about these forms for years, so far only the R&D disclosure form has seen improvement. 'We recently heard of a lady whose tax assessment was wrong because her state pension was accounted for incorrectly in the 'simplied assessment' of her tax liability which HMRC actually produced automatically. 'If the figures for income received from the Governmnet cannot be reflected correctly in HMRC's assessments, it does not reflect at all well on the quality of HMRC's digitalisation programme'. This is Money first highlighted issues with HMRC services in 2023, ahead of the permanent closure of HMRC's VAT registration helpline. Readers spoke of their frustration that they were unable to get through to an HMRC agent, with some saying the delays had made them consider moving their business abroad. An HMRC insider told us that a 'culture of fear' and too much micro management had been behind the delays. Last year, the Public Accounts Committee said HMRC's customer services must be sufficiently resourced until its digital services address taxpayer needs. Salter says that while digitalisation has its place for mundane, simple tasks, the increasing complexity of taxes mean taxpayers need to speak with an agent. A survey by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) shared with This is Money last year revealed almost 9 in 10 business owners said poor HMRC service was causing a 'huge roadblock'. It makes HMRC's decision to close its VAT registration helpline, and a previous trialled closure of its self-assessment line, even more frustrating for taxpayers and accountants. 'The restricted access to HMRC telephone helplines is also a problem for the many people who resort to telephoning because they cannot get a response from HMRC within a reasonable timescale,' says Salter. 'Over a third of the telephone calls made to HMRC are progress chasing or calling to correct HMRC errors. 'Eliminating such calls through improved response time would save HMRC approximately 36million per year.' In the October Budget, the Chancellor committed to more funding for the digital programme. Salter says that while it improve IT systems and digital services, 'traditional communication methods must be maintained and improved to ensure customers, especially those with complex tax affairs, get the best possible service.' A spokesperson for HMRC said: 'More than 80 per cent of customers are satisfied with our digital services, with more and more people using them to quickly and easily manage their tax affairs. 'At the same time, were making strong progress in improving our overall service standards, with call wait times down by more than 17 minutes since April.' The former partner of Channel 10 presenter Jesse Baird, allegedly killed by a Sydney cop in a double homicide, says he is still grieving over the loss. Corey-Dean Thorpe posted an old video to social media showing him driving happily alongside Mr Baird, then cut to more recent footage of him driving with the passenger seat empty while holding back tears. 'The reality of grief,' said the caption. It has almost been a year since Sydney police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon allegedly murdered Jesse Baird, 26, and flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, in February 2024, and dumped their bodies in rural NSW. Police allege that the then-senior constable used his service weapon to kill Mr Baird and Mr Davies, who were dating, at Mr Baird's home in Paddington in eastern Sydney. It came after a months-long campaign of 'predatory behaviour' targeting Mr Baird, who Lamarre-Condon had briefly dated, police have alleged. Mr Thorpe, a real estate agent on the Gold Coast, was previously in a relationship with Mr Baird for five years. They parted ways when Mr Baird moved from Queensland to Sydney to further his TV career, but the pair remained close friends. Corey-Dean Thorpe posted a video to social media in December which served as a sad reminder that his friend was gone Lamarre-Condon is alleged to have shot Luke Davies (left) and Jessie Baird (right) with his service weapon at Mr Baird's Sydney home before attempting to dispose of their bodies According to Mr Thorpe, Mr Baird met Lamarre-Condon at a nightclub soon after moving to Sydney, and their relationship was strictly a 'friends with benefits' arrangement. When Mr Thorpe heard about the alleged murders in February he wrote on social media the news had 'left me speechless, grappling with feelings that seem beyond expression'. 'For the first time in my life, I find myself at a loss for words. 'The weight of the news has shattered every fibre of my being, echoing the sentiments of countless others who share in this profound sense of loss.' The situation felt like a 'haunting nightmare' that he could not wake from. 'Your presence in my life has been a beacon of light, embodying qualities of compassion, kindness, and beauty that have left an indelible mark on my soul.' Beau Lamarre-Condon (pictured) has been in custody on remand since February The pair parted ways when Mr Baird moved from Queensland to Sydney to further his TV career, while Mr Thorpe remained on the Gold Coast Lamarre-Condon was arrested after presenting to Bondi police station, four days after the alleged murders, and before the bodies of Mr Baird and Mr Davies were found. The remains were discovered on February 27, wrapped in surfboard bags on a property at Bungonia, south of Sydney. The 29-year-old was sacked by the NSW Police Force in mid-March. He has been held on remand at Long Bay jail in Sydney while awaiting trial. He joined the force in 2019 and previously ran a celebrity blog, posing in photos with dozens of A-listers including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Harry Styles. His high-profile defence lawyer John Walford was replaced by Legal Aid representation in early November. The matter is due back in court next month. With growing certainty that the next election will be called slightly early, both major party leaders are breaking the golden rule of not campaigning during the summer month of January. Anthony Albanese has already made his way around Queensland before heading to WA and Tasmania. Peter Dutton soft launched his campaign over the weekend in Victoria. Those itineraries reveal a basic truth about the election - almost everywhere is in play, but the Coalition is salivating at the opportunities posed by the post Daniel Andrews era in Victoria. Meanwhile, Labor is hoping Western Australia, in particular, could come to its rescue. But opportunities are up for grabs in most states for both parties. Im predicting an April 12 election day, with the PM calling it on Sunday, March 9, the day after Labor wins the WA state election. That would mean Parliament returns briefly for sittings in February before the calling of the election shuts it down and Labor goes into caretaker mode for a little over a month. Even if Im wrong, the election is due before the end of May anyway. So what is the state of play for this years election? And what will the key battlegrounds be? The 'ghost' of Daniel Andrews haunts Labor in Victoria - where the party's star has fallen in the wake of the divisive - but popular - premier moving on... (Digital mock-up image) Brutal maths for Peter Dutton Dutton and the Coalition start this years election with just 56 seats in the 151 seat House of Representatives. The Coalition won 58 seats at the 2022 election, but lost an early by-election and had a Nationals defection to the crossbench in December that same year. Two federal seats have since then also been abolished with electoral redistributions, one in each of Victoria and NSW. Meanwhile, a new seat has been created in WA to account for its growing population. The seats abolished included one teal held seat in NSW and one Labor held seat in Victoria. The new WA seat created is a marginal seat slightly favouring Labor according to ABC election analyst Antony Green. That leaves 150 seats up for grabs at this years election, meaning that 76 is the magic number to form majority government. Anything less than that and the party looking to form government must do so in a hung parliament as a minority administration, relying on crossbench support. Albo won a Victorian by-election in former minister Alan Tudges old Liberal held seat of Aston shortly after the last election, lifting Labors slender majority of 77 seats to 78. But that reduces back down to 77 after the abolition of the Labor held Victorian seat of Higgins, which team Albo was unlikely to hold onto after the next election anyway. So all in all Dutton needs to pick up 20 seats to add to the 56 seats the Coalition currently holds to form majority government. That seems unlikely - but not impossible - based on the current opinion polls, which variously have the Coalitions two party vote on anywhere from 49 to 51 percent. For context Morrison and the Coalition lost the last election with just 47.9 percent of the two party vote. The emergence of the teals was the reason that loss saw the number of Coalition seats fall so sharply - with once safe Liberal seats in NSW, Victoria and WA falling like dominoes. Both major parties also lost lower house seats to the Greens. How Peter Dutton could win The more likely pathway to a Dutton victory would see the Coalition increasing its share of lower house seats from the current 56 figure to somewhere in the low 70s, requiring crossbencher support to see him become the Prime Minister of a minority government. On that basis Dutton could win the election after picking up as few as 14 seats, lifting the Coalitions share to 70. He would then require the support of six crossbenchers. The key to such an outcome would likely be the Coalition winning more seats than Labor. Whichever major party secures more lower house seats will be in the box seat to negotiate with the gaggle of crossbenchers to form minority government. Looking at Labor, on that basis it cant afford to lose more than seven of its currently held seats before being in jeopardy of losing government, even the chance of forming minority government. For both major parties, therefore, 70 seats is close to the bare minimum they must win to be in the hunt to form minority government. So what are the states to watch and the key seats in play? The maths is difficult for Peter Dutton but the most likely pathway to a Dutton victory would see the Coalition increase its share of seats from its current 56 to the low 70s - and a deal with the crossbench to get the Liberal leader over the top. Above, during a rally in Victoria at the weekend The ghost of Dan Andrews and a surprising saviour The only state that is unlikely to play much of a role in who wins is South Australia, because the distribution of seats there seems relatively set in stone. On an off day Labor could lose Boothby back to the Liberals, but for that to happen Albo would already be a dead duck. Equally Christopher Pynes former seat of Sturt is on Labors radar, but if the Liberals did lose it they are no chance of winning enough seats to form any type of government. Tasmania is home to only five lower house seats, being the smallest state in size and population. There is a realistic chance Labor picks up one of the Liberal held seats if Bass and Braddon, but not both. Bass is more likely to fall, but no more likely than Labor is of losing Lyons in which the Liberals fancy their chances. Independent MP Andrew Wilkie is certain to retain his seat of Clark, and if the parliament is hung watch out for one or both major parties offering him the Speakership. Labor only won five of the 30 seats in Queensland in 2022, and despite winning the election that was one seat less than Bill Shorten managed to win back in 2019. Put simply, federally Queensland has been a dog house state for Labor since local boy Kevin Rudd surged to victory against John Howard in 2007 off the back of massive sunshine state swings. Dutton is a Queenslander, the first federal Liberal leader to hail from the sunshine state since I dont know when. In fact he is the first ever, and the first Liberal leader federally from outside of NSW since Alexander Downers brief (and failed) stint as party leader back in 1995. It is hard to see parochial Queenslanders deserting the conservatives now that a local boy leads them. But there also arent exactly a plethora of Labor held seats in Queensland Dutton could hope to add to the oppositions collection! More likely Liberals could win back one of the seats they lost to the Greens. Beyond that, a status quo result appears likely, despite all the time Albo is already spending campaigning in Queensland. If, however, the Liberals do lose any seats to Labor, it would be a death knell for Dutton, thats for sure. NSW is the state the Coalition is relying on to deliver it a swag if seats. Gilmore, Bennelong, Robertson, and Paterson are must wins for the Liberals to be in contention. All are held by Labor on margins of 2.6 percent or less. But internal polling suggests the same number of seats again are also in the balance. Labor knows it will lose seats in NSW, but it hopes that popular local MPs can contain the damage. At the last election Labor won 26 NSW seats to the Coalitions 16. One way or the other it will be closer this time. What happens in a seat like Dobell - a central coast seat held by Labor on a margin of 6.6 percent but previously won by the Liberals - will give us an indication how good or bad things are for the government on the night. Victoria has long been a dead zone for the Liberal Party. Weak state teams have highlighted why voters in the southern state seem to hold the party of Menzies in contempt these days. But in the post-Daniel Andrews era Labors star has fallen, and if there is a state that just might deliver some surprises and play a leading role in Labors downfall, it will have to be Victoria. When Dutton first became Liberal leader after the 2022 election defeat, Labor was counting the Liberal held seats it hoped to pick up in three years time. Especially after winning the seat of Aston at a by-election as already mentioned. Im talking about seats like Menzies, Deakin, Casey and Monash, all held by the Liberals on margins of less than three percent. The assumption was that Dutton would be toxic to the Liberal vote in Victoria more than anywhere else. But fast forward to today, and it could be Labor under pressure in Victoria. The Liberals believe they just might pick up as many as a handful of seats. Electorates such as Chisholm and McEwen sit at the top of the list, alongside winning back Aston. But their margins are over three percent, so for that to happen a move would really need to be one. Victoria is a state to watch. Another state with large swings required for seats to change hands is Western Australia. Counting on the west coast wont start until three hours after counting in NSW and Victoria. It will be a long wait for both parties. What happens in the west could decide which party wins, its that simple. What happens in WA could decide which party wins the 2025 federal election Labor blew Scott Morrison out of the water in WA in 2022. Liberals went into that election holds 11 of the states 16 seats. It only retained five seats, losing all but one to Labor. The teals picked up Julie Bishops old seat of Curtin. The problem for Dutton in the west is two fold: the cost of living crunch hasnt hit west Aussies anywhere near as hard as it has around the rest of the country, so voters simply arent as angry with Albo and Labor as people elsewhere are. Second, the state WA Liberal Party is so bad that they make the Victorian state Liberals look like high fliers. Liberals won just two seats (not a typo) at the last stage election in WA and arent expected to do a whole lot better at the state election on 8 March. In more bad news for Dutton the polls suggest few is any WA seats are likely to change hands, which would almost certainly deny him government unless that changes on election day. Tangney on a margin of 2.8 percent is the Liberals best chance, and it should win the new seat of Bullwinkel which is notionally held by Labor on 3.3 percent. But anymore pick ups in the west could be a bridge too far. 2022 losses such as Pearce (8.8 percent), Swan (9.4 percent) and Hasluck (10.1 percent) were won with big margins, meaning it will probably take two electoral cycles if not more for the Liberals to regain them. Ironically WA, so long a powerhouse state federally for the Liberals, could be Albos saviour late in the election night when counting continues. So whats the bottom line? The nature of election 2025 means that it isnt only marginal seats that will determine the outcome. Third parties such as the teal independents and the Australian Greens will play a crucial role both in three cornered contests seat by seat, but also in the elections aftermath when their support may well be crucial to which major party forms minority government. A hung parliament is easily the most likely outcome according to the pollsters who test the numbers seat by seat and state by state on a regular basis. Then we have the senate to consider too. The election will only see half of its numbers up for re-election, but how the Greens perform, and if the likes of ACT independent David Pocock get returned to the Senate, will be important to the chances either major party might have in passing legislation after an election victory in the lower house. There is no guarantee big ticket policy items campaigned on - such as Peter Duttons nuclear power agenda - will ever become law in the elections aftermath of the senate decides to obstruct such changes. With a change of party and President in the United States, a change of government in the UK and the Canadian PM Justin Trudeau forced to step aside ahead of their looming election later this year, incumbents have been doing it tough internationally. Will Anthony Albanese and his Labor government face similar challenges? The answer is yes, but that wont necessarily be enough to return the Coalition to power after just one term in opposition. When you add up the seats in play, there are enough for Dutton to form a majority in the Coalitions own right, but only just, making it highly unlikely. It is similarly unlikely Labor can retain its majority in government. The battleground states and key seats within them will more likely determine which major party can win the bigger share of a minority of the seats on offer, making them better placed to go cap in hand to the crossbench to seek support to form minority government. Starting with the 77 seats it hopes to retain at the election, Labor goes into the campaign as favourites. The Coalition, starting with 56 seats, has a lot more to do to get to the sort of numbers it needs to negotiate for minority government. But the polling and the current political circumstances nationally make winning a distinct possibility. Were Dutton to manufacture a victory, he would be the first opposition leader to knock off a one term government in nearly 100 years of Australian political history at the federal level. The last time it happens was in 1931, in the midst of the Great Depression. Times today are tough, but they arent that tough. And modern Labor arent nearly as divided as Labor was in 1931, when the party formally split before the election. Election 2025 will be close, and third parties will play a big role in the outcome. Irrespective of which major party forms government, the crossbench will continue to be important in the elections aftermath. That includes the power the crossbench will wield in the senate, where the Greens are likely to remain ascendent, notwithstanding predictions about their demise. If Albo is returned to power, hell be the oldest PM to win re-election since John Howard. Hell also be the first PM to serve a full term and be returned to power since Howard. If Dutton wins hell be the Coalitions first Queensland PM alongside the uniqueness of successfully knocking off a one term government. Whatever happens, its set to be a tight campaign. Britains ugliest town once had a thriving high street before it became filled with drug dealers, prostitutes and sometimes human poo, fed-up locals have revealed. Over the past decade, more and more shops in Slough have become boarded up, with it slowly turning into a ghost town as figures released this week reveal one in five units now vacant. The depressing shopping scene has forced many locals from the Berkshire town to turn their back on the once beloved high street - instead, opting to carry out errands in nearby leafy Windsor, Uxbridge or even making a two-hour drive to Stratford. And while it is a well-known fact that high streets up and down Britain are struggling to compete with the onslaught of online shops, Sloughs high street has become particularly neglected with some locals claiming it's impossible to buy a pair of work trousers'. The town, which shares a postcode with regal Windsor has long been the butt of jokes. Shortly before the blitz of World War II the former poet laureate Sir John Betjeman wrote a verse about it which began: Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough! It isn't fit for humans now, there isn't grass to graze a cow. Later Ricky Gervais set his bleak breakthrough sitcom The Office in the town - and then had his character David Brent write a song about Slough, which began: More convenient than a Tesco Express/Close to Windsor but the property's less. It keeps the businesses of Britain great/It's got Europe's biggest trading estate. Sandra Edwards, 64, who now lives in Windsor, told MailOnline: Its a ghost town. It has died a death. It used to be absolutely amazing; it used to have an outdoor market, it used to have a club where everyone would come dancing - even celebrities. Now there is nothing here. It just smells of drugs. You have to watch your purse, your bags. There is a lot of shoplifting here - you see people running out the shops, but the staff cant do anything about it. I could cry, Ive got really good memories of the town but it is so different now. Where has this wonderful town gone? Colin White, a real estate agent in the area added: It has all got a bit rubbish. It seems to attract a lot of crackheads and druggies, prostitutes, things like that. The depressing shopping scene has forced many locals from the Berkshire town to turn their back on the once beloved high street While it is a well-known fact that high streets up and down Britain are struggling to compete with the onslaught of online shops, Sloughs high street has become particularly neglected with some locals claiming it's impossible to buy a pair of work trousers' Sandra Edwards, 64, who now lives in Windsor, told MailOnline: Its a ghost town. It has died a death. It used to be absolutely amazing; it used to have an outdoor market, it used to have a club where everyone would come dancing - even celebrities' You cant buy a pair of work trousers here, so we go to Uxbridge or Bracknell or Reading to do our shopping. I dont think the blame can lie with online shopping because it works for other high streets and sectors elsewhere. And it is very easy to blame the council, but they say they are bankrupt, so I dont know what the solution is. According to data from JDM Retail, over the past decade Slough has seen a serious decline with 20 per cent of shops units being vacant - higher than the national average of 14 per cent. Years ago, Sloughs high street was filled with well-known chains from Debenhams to British Home Stores as well as M&S and Next. Now, those household names have departed and whats left are dozens of small cafes and eateries, lots of pound-shops and countless numbers of mobile phone repair stores. The cinema in the town has closed and the Queensmere Observatory shopping centres are set to be demolished and replaced with new homes, offices and some shops. Postie Carol Clowes, who grew up in Slough and still works here each day said: Its terrible. There are no shops you can actually shop in, drug dealers, I stepped in human poo earlier. I grew up in Slough and in the 1970s, 80s, 90s, it was a fantastic town. People used to come from miles to shop here but not now. Colin White, a real estate agent in the area said: It has all got a bit rubbish. It seems to attract a lot of crackheads and druggies, prostitutes, things like that' They had everything: Woolworths, British Home Stores, all proper shops but now you cant buy any clothes here. Clifford Hutton, 84, who moved to Slough when he was just one year old in 1937 added: Slough in the 50s and 60s used to be a decent shopping area. All the Teddy boys used to gather in the cafeteria down the road, we used to have suit shops and all that. At that time it was well worth coming to Slough no matter where you lived. They would even come in from London. The old Slough was pretty good where you could go anywhere and talk to anybody but now you cant. Now it is rubbish, absolutely rubbish and diabolical. Unlike in my day, teenagers have nowhere to go so they are just hanging out on the streets.' The picture in Slough is starkly different from two miles down the road on Windsor high street, which is located next to the Royal Familys Berkshire residence. According to data from JDM Retail, first reported by the Telegraph, unlike Slough, the number of vacant shops in Windsor is above the national average, with just seven per cent of the units lying vacant. Only 6.5 per cent of shops in Windsor are counted as undesirable - once again lower than the national average of 9.3 per cent and much lower than Sloughs at 14 per cent. Examples of such undesirable shops include cash convertors, vape shops and betting shops. Unsurprisingly, all of these types of retail make an appearance in Slough. Clifford Hutton, 84, who moved to Slough when he was just one year old in 1937 said: Slough in the 50s and 60s used to be a decent shopping area. All the Teddy boys used to gather in the cafeteria down the road, we used to have suit shops and all that' Only 6.5 per cent of shops in Windsor are counted as undesirable - once again lower than the national average of 9.3 per cent and much lower than Sloughs at 14 per cent Over the past decade, more and more shops in Slough have become boarded up, with it slowly turning into a ghost town The cinema in the town has closed and the Queensmere Observatory shopping centres are set to be demolished and replaced with new homes, offices and some shops Jonathan de Mello, chief of JDM retail explained: Despite a less than 10-minute drive between them, Windsors high street is attractive and has high visitation rates from residents as well as tourists. Where high streets all over the country have changed generally for the worse Windsor has stayed remarkably consistent. In contrast, Slough has struggled with a loss of occupiers across the board. Ms Edwards added: Everyone says the best places to live are places like Windsor and the worst places to live are here [in Slough]. At one point, the stars used to come and perform here. The Beatles played in the bingo hall and Jimmy Hendrix also played a gig. Now you have a lot of alcoholics and homeless people coming up begging for change. There are so many professional criminals who knock you and the next minute your phone is gone. An elderly woman, who asked to remain anonymous added: I have lived here since 1968 and you used to be able to get everything here. It was lovely here and I am very sorry to say that it has gone downhill. It was a lovely place to shop, it had cafes, restaurants, Woolworths, all the big high street brands. And thats what we have lost because people either shop on the internet or can get everything in a supermarket. It is a shame. In a way, and I am ashamed to say this, you dont need the individual shops anymore, as long as you have supermarkets. Household names have departed and whats left are dozens of small cafes and eateries, lots of pound-shops and countless numbers of mobile phone repair stores Locals have questioned whether the local authority could have done more to save the towns high street before it was too late To make matters in the town worse, Sloughs council declared itself bankrupt in 2021, racking up debt of 760million. An independent review later found the then Labour-run council had made the blackhole through several years of mismanagement of funds. It has meant the now Conservative-run council is looking at further budget cuts which could affect local services. Despite this, locals have questioned whether the local authority could have done more to save the towns high street before it was too late. Alexandra McKinnon, 74, added: The council have gone bankrupt and they do what they can do but they have taken the heart of Slough away to retail parks, moving the shops there, and the community has gone with it. Now there is nothing here, it is dead and its just going to continue to go downhill fast. This place used to be bustling and look at it now. Nothing comes back here. The only thing that opens is a chicken shop, a kebab shop. To make matters in the town worse, Sloughs council declared itself bankrupt in 2021, racking up debt of 760million The now Conservative-run council is looking at further budget cuts which could affect local services after the then-Labour-run council left a blackhole in finances It is not as nice as it was years ago', another woman added. The whole country are losing their high streets so I cant blame the council, but it would help if we had more money. Sinead, who works with Colin in real estate added: The shops that we have here dont attract a particular clientele, they just attract people who want to pop in and do some bits. Youve mostly got pound shops, pop-up shops and food shops. If they [the council] invested in the town centre itself and you get the right shops here it would help attract the right people. BHEKINKOSI Copper theft has become a serious issue in communities, and this time, a suspect involved in a copper theft was reportedly assaulted and later died as a result of the attack by an angry mob at Bhekinkosi. Sabelo Shabangu was allegedly assaulted on Saturday, after being suspected of being one of three men involved in stealing copper cables in the area. He was brought to the Bhekinkosi Royal Kraal (umphakatsi), where he was severely beaten and later succumbed to his injuries while receiving treatment at a hospital. Following the theft of the copper cables, 11 households were affected, including a salon, supermarket and bottle store in the area, disrupting small businesses and the livelihoods of community members who relied on these establishments. Recurring Copper theft has become a recurring issue in Bhekinkosi, with thieves frequently vandalising cables and reportedly selling them to scrap yards. The problem of copper theft is widespread in Eswatini, resulting in substantial financial losses for corporations such as the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications (EPTC), and Eswatini Water Services Corporation (EWSC), which collectively lose millions of Emalangeni annually replacing stolen materials. It has been reported that copper theft is undermining the reliability of these corporations. Narrating the events leading up to the incident, Inkhosikati LaMdluli, from the Bhekinkosi Royal Kraal, confirmed that a resident of Bhekinkosi had been assaulted, resulting in his death and that the royal kraal was fully aware of the incident. She recalled that her son had attended a vigil at a nearby homestead. Upon returning home, her son inquired about the power outage at the bottle store, which was owned by the royal kraal. He mentioned seeing people near the bottle store and approached it, where he observed some individuals leaving. After discovering that cables had been vandalised and stolen, he warned his mother. She then realised that cables had also been stolen from the supermarket and salon and subsequently alerted her husband, informed the shop owner and contacted the police. She further explained that the homestead where the vigil had taken place had also been affected, as thieves had stolen cables from two houses. The inkhosikati mentioned that two funeral services were taking place in the area at the time and the community police, along with those attending the funerals, had been notified. Tracks A certain man pointed out that smoke had been seen near a dam adjacent to the burial site. The community police promptly followed the tracks and apprehended a man, whom they brought to the royal kraal, she said. LaMdluli explained that the crowd began questioning the man, who consistently changed his story about his whereabouts. He was then reportedly identified by a local resident who recognised him. The suspect was questioned about his accomplices and according to the Inkhosikati, he described the features of the deceased, who was later identified through a photo on one of the residents phones. According to LaMdluli, the suspect was brought to the royal kraal and interrogated by the mob, during which he allegedly confessed to being part of the group responsible for the theft. She stated that the enraged mob assaulted him until the police arrived and transported him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. It is disheartening that our bottle store operations have been halted due to the electricity outage caused by the copper theft. A total of 11 households have been affected, including the supermarket, where meat is no longer available due to the non-functioning refrigerator, she said. She also mentioned that in 2020, copper cables had been stolen from various households in the area. At that time, she revealed that suspects had been traced to scrap yards, where they had allegedly sold the stolen copper. Suspected She suspected that the copper thefts were primarily being carried out by individuals from the area, who had previously been warned against such activities. Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, the Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, confirmed that the deceased, who was among the suspects in the copper theft, had been assaulted by a mob at Bhekinkosi on Saturday. Mnguni stated that the deceased was indeed one of the suspects being investigated by the police in connection with the theft. She added that six people had been arrested in connection with the death and investigations were ongoing. Meanwhile, attempts to contact the deceaseds family were unsuccessful. A visit to his homestead at Bhekinkosi revealed that no one was present and a relatives phone number was unavailable at the time of this reports compilation. A teenager who stabbed 15-year-old schoolgirl Elianne Andam to death after a row over a teddy bear has today been found guilty of murder. Hassan Sentamu, 18, flew into a fit of 'white-hot anger' and stabbed Elianne in the neck with a kitchen knife outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, south London, on September 27 2023. The fatal attack took place after Sentamu planned to meet up with his ex-girlfriend, who he had split up with about 10 days before, and her group of friends, which included Elianne. Rather than returning a teddy bear as part of a belongings swap, he chased down and stabbed Elianne four times, having lost his temper at perceived 'disrespect', jurors previously heard. The trial heard how Sentamu's ex had kept her side of the bargain by bringing a plastic bag of his belongings. But when he turned up without the teddy bear, Elianne showed her loyalty to her friend by snatching the bag back and running away. It was a move that would ultimately cost Elianne her life. Moments later, she was chased down by the furious older boy who stabbed her repeatedly before plunging the knife 12cm into her neck and severing her carotid artery. The defendant, who declined to give evidence, admitted manslaughter but denied murder and having an article with a blade or point in public. He claimed his autism spectrum disorder caused him to lose control during the pre-arranged meeting with his ex and her friends. But a jury did not accept his defence and found Sentamu guilty of murder at the Old Bailey, by a majority of 10 to two. Speaking outside court after the verdicts, Elianne's heartbroken father said her death had left a 'void' in their life that will 'never be filled'. Elianne Andam (pictured) was stabbed to death in a fit of 'white-hot anger' on September 27 2023 Hassan Sentamu (pictured) was today convicted of murder by a jury following Elianne's death Elianne Andam's father Michael pictured outside the Old Bailey Family members of Elianne gasped and sobbed 'thank you' as the jury foreman read the guilty verdicts. Members of Elianne's family hugged as they left the courtroom. Her aunt Marian Addow burst into tears and said 'Elianne, may you rest in peace' as relatives led her from the court. Sentamu, wearing a white shirt with rosary beads around his neck and a white bandage over his right hand, clutched a green stress ball as the verdicts were read. He bowed his head and wiped his eyes as members of the public gallery shouted 'murderer' at the dock. Flanked by officers, Sentamu stood gripping the dock with his head bowed and refused to sit down after hearing the verdicts. He leaned against the front of the dock crying and wiping his eyes as Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb thanked and discharged the jurors. Adjourning sentencing until March 13 for reports, the senior judge told the teenager: 'I understand you must be very shocked and take time to get used to what has happened.' Three dock officers supported the clearly distressed defendant as he was led down to the cells. Elianne's aunt burst into tears and said 'Elianne, may you rest in peace' as relatives led her from the court Speaking outside court, Elianne's father Michael (centre) said the loss of his daughter was a 'void we will never fill' Hassan Sentamu (pictured) fatally stabbed Elianne Andam in Wellesley Road, near the Whitgift Centre, Croydon A court sketch of Sentamu as he is found guilty of murdering Elianne Andam Speaking outside court after the verdict, Elianne's father Michael said 'her death has left a void in our lives that can never be filled'. He said: 'The verdict today is the first step towards justice for Elianne, but also a message that violence and knife crime, especially towards young women, will not go unanswered. 'Today, we choose not to dwell on the pain of the trial, but instead to honour Elianne's memory.' He added: 'We will continue to fight against the violence that took Elianne from us sharing her story ad working towards a world where no family has to endure such heartbreak 'Thank you for standing with us in love and solidarity. We ask for privacy as we grieve and try to find peace. Elianne's life mattered.' The trial heard how Sentamu had a 'short fuse' and had been moved from school to school after a history of violence and incidents with knives. He was born in Uganda but moved to the UK aged five. On the day of the incident, the then-17-year-old had no lawful excuse for having a kitchen knife, having picked it up at home after an incident the day before where a group of girls, including his victim and ex, mocked him and threw water over him, the court heard. The trial heard how Elianne was a friend of Sentamu's ex who got caught in the middle of a belongings swap Hassan Sentamu (pictured), 18, exploded in a 'white-hot' fit of rage stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam to death 'like a Top Boy character', a court previously heard Elianne (pictured with her friends) begged Sentamu to stop his attack, jurors heard Pictured are knives that police seized from Sentamu as they investigating the killing of Elianne Footage appears to show Elianne grabbing the bag of belongings from Sentamu before running off Sentamu, of New Addington, near Croydon, chillingly messaged a friend 'Bro, I can't let this slide'. He was already armed with the knife when he took the bus from his home to the Whitgift Centre. Elianne, a pupil at the prestigious 16,579-a-year Old Palace of John Whitgift which her NHS children's nurse mother had saved up to send her daughter to, was attacked by a bus stop on Wellesley Road as she made her way to school. The Year 11 pupil, who dreamed of becoming a lawyer and had a 'great future ahead of her', died at the scene after being treated for nearly an hour. Sentamu was arrested just 90 minutes after the attack when a police officer stopped the number 64 bus near his home. When officers caught up with him, they found blood on his thumb. Detailing the meet up which turned into a sickening tragedy, prosecutor Alex Chalk KC told jurors at an earlier hearing: 'The purpose of the meeting was to exchange belongings. (The ex-girlfriend) in particular was anxious to recover her teddy bear.' He said Sentamu was angry after Elianne and her friends had insulted him and thrown water at him at an encounter in the Whitgift centre the day before the killing. Sentamu had told the girl to 'shut the f*** up' in a phone call and her friends wanted him to apologise but he would not. The trial heard how some girls called him cross-eyed and made fun of the special educational needs school he attended. Later, Sentamu is captured on CCTV running away from the scene of the crime Sentamu remained emotionless and when they left one of the girls joked that 'tomorrow he would kill them all.' He later sent a text to a friend and asked if the girls had made him look like a fool, saying 'bro I can't let this slide.' During the meeting in a car park at the Whitgift shopping centre, Sentamu's ex-girlfriend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, stuck with her side of the bargain. She handed over a plastic bag containing his belongings but the defendant arrived empty-handed, jurors were told. Mr Chalk said: 'Elianne was aggrieved on her friend's behalf. So, at around 8.30am whilst Hassan was walking outside the Whitgift Centre, Elianne took the plastic bag back. 'It was a gesture of solidarity with (her friend) that cost Elianne her life. 'The defendant chased after her, cornered her and used the kitchen knife to stab her repeatedly. 'He drove the knife 12cm into her neck, severing the carotid artery and causing injuries that were unsurvivable. Footage appears to show Elianne (left) running away from Sentamu (right) carrying the bag of belongings Sentamu is seen boarding a number 64 bus after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend's friend to death Pictured is Hassan Sentamu's kitchen, in his family's home in New Addington 'Despite the rapid arrival of the emergency services and intensive efforts over the course of nearly an hour, Elianne died at the scene.' He raised his right arm and he rained blows down on her. 'He drove the knife 12cm deep into her neck, severing the carotid artery and causing injuries that were unsurvivable. 'Despite the rapid arrival of the emergency services and intensive efforts over the course of nearly an hour, Elianne died at the scene.' The driver of a passing bus saw her holding her neck with both hands and blood pouring out 'as if it were a fountain.' Angela Owusu-Afriyie, who was a passenger on a passing bus said: 'He pulled something out of his waist and then started pounding her-' 'Then someone said 'oh, he's got a knife' and there was a spurt of blood. She said she stood back while police did chest compressions and saw Elianne's friends asking 'where is she, where is she?' Family and friends of Elianne Andam at the scene of the stabbing in Croydon, south London Bodycam footage shows the teen being arrested near his home on September 27, 2023. He was allegedly found with blood still on his thumb following the attack Mr Chalk added: 'Having heard the evidence you may feel that the catalyst for this dreadful attack was rather more simple: anger. 'White-hot anger at having been disrespected in public by girls, both by Elianne on the day of the killing and previously.' Last week, the trial heard that Sentamu told a fellow inmate he would 'do it again'. A month after the attack, Sentamu got into an argument in youth custody. And when he was accused of killing girls, he responded by saying: 'I'll do it again. I'll do it to your mum, the Old Bailey heard. CCTV footage captured the horrific attack, Sentamu running from the scene and disposing of the knife. He only got as far as the bus stop near his home before being arrested less than 90 minutes later, the court was told. Sentamu had a 'short fuse' and on the day of the killing, he came to the end of it, jurors heard. The prosecutor said: 'His calculated decision to bring a knife to the scene meant that the consequences of that outburst for Elianne and her family were utterly devastating.' In a Snapchat video shortly before her death, seen by the court, Elianne can be head saying: 'We've come to collect the stuff from Hassan yeah, there was meant to be an interchange - she gets her stuff, he gets his stuff - he didn't even bring the stuff' Pictured: Investigators at the scene of the attack on September 27, 2023 Earlier in the trial, Sentamu's ex-girlfriend described events leading up to the attack on her friend before school. In a video interview played in court, she told police she realised something was wrong when he turned up for a planned exchange of their belongings wearing gloves and a mask. She knew Sentamu had an 'anger issue' - and likened his demeanour to a character from the London-based crime drama Top Boy, the court heard. She said: 'I thought he was gonna hit me. I thought that he had something on him because... watching shows and stuff like, for example, Top Boy, whenever someone's about to get killed they always have on specifically black gloves. 'I've never seen him wear black gloves, it's not cold outside.' She said: 'I was saying 'can I have my stuff back?' like outside the Whitgift Centre where the bus stop is. 'He looked at me ... and rolled his eyes a bit ... and said 'I don't want to hurt you' ... not like in an emotional way ... like he's warning me.' She went on: 'I was saying 'Where's my teddy? Where's my teddy? Where's my teddy?'. 'He was looking me up and down, just saying 'look at you, look at you' ... it was sort of like a disgusted way.' Elianne Andam was stabbed to death on her way to school in Croydon last September Family and friends of Elianne Andam at the scene in Croydon, south London, where 15-year-old Elianne was stabbed to death Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain (R) pauses next to flowers and tributes left at the scene of Elianne Andam's murder Asked how it made her feel, she replied: 'Not too good.' The girl went on: 'Elianne ran behind him, grabbed the bag and started running and laughing as a joke. It was the type of thing that Elianne would have done. 'At first I was laughing a bit 'cos it was a joke and then I got scared 'cos then Hassan got mad.' She told police: 'He then lifted up his hoodie quick, pulled out something and I saw a big knife. 'I turned around for one second then I saw her on the floor like trying to say 'stop', basically with her hand out. He was there like over her, bending. 'I just saw Elianne on the floor like backing up on the floor with her hand out like this basically saying 'stop, stop, stop' and I'm pretty sure I saw him bend and like try and do something else, like stab her again.' When she turned around again, Sentamu was gone and she ran as passengers at a nearby bus stop began 'shouting and screaming', she said. Before arranging the meeting, the girl said Sentamu had got angry and sworn at her during an argument over the phone. The coffin of Elianne Andam at her funeral in Croydon last November Floral tributes laid at a candelit vigil for the murdered schoolgirl in October 2023 Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to murdered schoolgirl Elianne Andam at a vigil in Croydon last October She said: 'I just told him never, ever speak to me like that ever again 'cos I said 'I've never been spoken to like that in my life'. 'I said no man should speak to a girl like that and he said 'oh well, there's a first time for everything'. 'And I said so that's how you want to be like, portrayed as someone that wants to be talking to females like that, basically.' Moments before the attack, Elianne appeared to be caught up in the drama when she recorded a short video clip on Snapchat. She said: 'We've come to collect the stuff from Hassan yeah, there was meant to be an interchange - she gets her stuff, he gets his stuff - he didn't even bring the stuff.' Sentamu was previously given a police caution for possession of a knife after he brought one to school following a truancy incident. One a school trip in 2019 he threatened another pupil with a knife and was placed in a pupil referral unit where he threatened a child with scissors. Sentamu was not named publicly as Elianne's killer until his eighteenth birthday in September 2024. He has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD and has an IQ of 74, which is extremely low. The trial previously heard that Sentamu reported being physically abused as a child amid a troubled upbringing. Jurors heard how he went on to engage in a number of incidents of violent and aggressive behaviour, including taking a knife to school. Speaking about the troubled childhood, Mr Chalk said: 'We for the prosecution acknowledge with compassion that Hassan Sentamu has on any view had a difficult and disrupted childhood.' But the prosecutor said the teenager's background could not be used as an 'excuse' for the murder of the 'defenceless victim'. The court was told there was no evidence the autism caused Sentamu to launch into 'frenzied murderous violence'. After Elianne's death, her aunt Marian told MailOnline: 'You just can't comprehend the heartbreak of the last 24 hours, how Elianne went to school and never came home. 'She wanted to be a lawyer, she went to private school paid for by my sister and had a great future ahead of her. She was a lovely girl, she loved doing her hair, had beautiful natural hair, and she really loved gymnastics. 'We're a big family and we are all here for our sister, to support her. This has left us absolutely devastated. My sister is not feeling good, this only happened yesterday. It hasn't sunk in yet, it's a tragedy.' A statement issued by the family described 'beautiful' Elianne as the 'light of our lives'. 'She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her,' it said. 'She was only 15, and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future. 'All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family.' Mrs Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb thanked the jury and said: 'I hope you realise by the emotion and everything that goes on in a criminal trial that a jury's role is absolutely priceless.' She turned to Sentamu and added: 'I understand you must be very shocked. 'It will take time to understand what has happened.' Sentencing has been set for March 13. Detectives investigating the cold case murder of a father who was brutally stabbed to death outside an Indian restaurant have today offered a 35,000 reward for information on the whereabouts of their prime suspect. Father-of-two Jon Casey, 35, was killed 10 years ago today on January 16, 2015, in Northampton. He was knifed to death in Barrack Road, close to the Lazeez restaurant, shortly before 5.30pm - in an attack his family branded 'vicious, brutal and merciless'. His killer, believed to be Waijs Dahir, fled the country a day after the senseless stabbing, and has been on the run ever since. Now, on the 10th anniversary of Jon's murder, police are offering a huge reward in a bid to bring the beloved 35-year-old's killer to justice. Born in the Netherlands, Dahir - who was 21 and of Somali descent when Jon was murdered - would now be aged 31. At the time of the killing, he lived in Semilong Road, Northampton, but is thought to have gone to Coventry shortly after the incident before then flying to Africa. Investigators believe the alleged murderer is now hiding somewhere in Somalia or Kenya - although detectives are keeping an open mind and are appealing to anyone who may have information about his whereabouts to come forward. Detective Chief Inspector Johnny Campbell said: 'Although it's been 10 years since Jon died, his family still carry their grief as if his murder happened yesterday and this is no surprise when you speak to them and understand just how deeply he was loved. Beloved father-of-two Jon Casey was brutally stabbed to death outside a restaurant in Northampton on January 16, 2015. His killer is still on the run His killer, believed to be Waijs Dahir (pictured), fled the country a day after the stabbing and has been on the run ever since. He is now thought to be hiding in Somalia or Kenya and is 31 'Jon was a father to two children, a much-loved son, as well as a cherished brother and partner. There are so many people who still greatly feel his loss and these feelings are compounded by the knowledge that the person who killed him has not yet been brought to justice. 'If anyone has any knowledge as to where Waijs Dahir is, please contact us. If you do have information but are not sure whether to pass it on, please think of Jon's family who have just had to spend their ninth Christmas without him.' In a statement, Jon's heartbroken family today said: 'Ten years without Jon, a partner, a son, a brother and a daddy to two little girls, is a sadness beyond words. 'Knowing the cruel way he was killed is a horror we have to live with every day. Time cannot ease our sadness or erase the horrific memories of that night. 'Living without justice, without the person that killed Jon being held accountable for the horror they put Jon through 10 years ago, and us for every day of the last 10 years, is a sadness that is hard to comprehend. 'Maybe, knowing that the person responsible for Jon's vicious, brutal and merciless murder has been held accountable will help us all to heal a little. 'Our world has been a lot less fun without Jon in it.' The renewed appeal is part of a long battle by Jon's determined loved ones to catch his killer. Jon's family today said 'knowing the cruel way he was killed is a horror we have to live with every day' - as a fresh appeal for information was launched Jon, who was the father to two young girls, was pronounced dead an hour after being stabbed On the fifth anniversary of his death, in 2020, Jon's grieving mother wrote an open letter to her son's murderer, warning him he would 'haunt your dreams'. In her emotional message, Siobhan Bowe wrote: 'I hope that, wherever you are, you have no peace, no resemblance of life as you knew it and no future. 'Most of all, I hope you know that although you have, so far, evaded justice, you are not free, you will never be free. 'We will always be looking for you and for justice.' Offering a 25,000 reward at the time, Jon's mother added: 'Our Jon will never, never be forgotten. I hope you know that. 'And finally, I hope that as every year of your life passes you realise you are nearer to the time when you will meet your God to face your final reckoning.' Jon was left for dead on the side of the street after being stabbed. Despite being raced to Northampton General Hospital, he was declared dead less than an hour later. Dahir was a university student in Northampton when he allegedly stabbed Jon to death. The UK has no formal extradition treaty with Kenya nor Somalia - the countries detectives believe Dahir could be hiding in. A 35,000 reward has now been offered through independent charity Crimestoppers to anyone who provides police with information which leads to Dahir's arrest. Anyone with information about his whereabouts, or any other information about the death of Jon Casey, should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use the anonymous online form. Alternatively, you can call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting Operation Nanny. An email address is available should this be preferred at: OpNanny@northants.police.uk Surely most of us are beginning to agree: this Labour Government is becoming one of the worst in British history. From Rachel Reeves economic incompetence to the educational vandalism of Bridget Phillipson, ministers are dragging themselves from one catastrophe to another. Yet, of all the woeful decisions taken by Sir Keir Starmers Cabinet, the proposed surrender of the Chagos Islands is by far the most appalling. This humiliating deal is a masterpiece of ineptitude. We are offering billions 9billion and counting, according to reports to give away our territory to Mauritius: a country with close links to China that has never even possessed the islands. This archipelago is an extraordinarily valuable asset in the Indian Ocean, as it is home to the Diego Garcia military base which is primarily used by our closest ally, the US. Under the terms of the deal, we will be paying to retain control of the crucial base for 99 years. But even this is strategic self-harm on a remarkable level and a gift to our enemies who grow more dangerous by the day. Yesterday, to add to the farce, the future of this dreadful deal was thrown into doubt. After the Mauritian government failed to rubber-stamp the agreement, Downing Street suggested that the UK will now wait until after Donald Trumps inauguration to close it. We can only hope the incoming US President will block the plan an additional humiliation in itself. This archipelago is an extraordinarily valuable asset in the Indian Ocean, as it is home to the Diego Garcia military base which is primarily used by our closest ally the US, writes Bob Seely In which case, why are the Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary David Lammy wasting time negotiating what is perhaps the worst deal in our once-great diplomatic history? After all, there is no need to give the Chagos Islands to anyone. This is British sovereign territory. We have held the archipelago since 1814. Mauritius has never had a substantial claim on it and was paid a hefty amount in the 1960s to ensure that remained the case. Chagossian people many of whom were expelled in the 1960s and now live near Gatwick Airport have objected to giving it away. Yet, despite all this, Labour and defeatist diplomats have pushed on. Its true that the Chagos talks started in 2022, when the Tories were in power. But they were sensibly halted by David Cameron when he became foreign secretary a year later and realised how damaging the move would be. As soon as Labour was voted in though, it didnt take long for Mr Lammy to dust down this dreadful deal. For this is all part of a wider woke malaise from the Labour Government, as it prioritises a radical decolonisation ideology over genuine national interests. Labour has pushed on with the Chagos deal, despite close links between Mauritius and China In doing so, it is turning itself and our country into a global laughing stock. To make this pigs ear of a deal presentable, ministers are, not for the first time, peddling a series of falsehoods. Firstly, the Foreign Secretary said the deal has saved the Diego Garcia base and guaranteed its long-term security. It hasnt. Around Diego Garcia is ocean. If these waters are ours, we can police them. If not, we risk our security. Secondly, we are told that this deal will provide soft power. No it wont. Any country that sees another pointlessly giving up its territory to ingratiate itself with trendy developing world opinion will be laughed at. Where has Keir Starmer been getting his advice from? Tulip Siddiq and her aunt, the former dictator of Bangladesh? Third, Labour has suggested our sovereignty over the islands is legally contested: a contested claim in itself. Since 1814, the UK has formally had possession of the islands. An International Court of Justice hearing that questioned this in 2019 gave no legally binding opinion. Despite their obvious strategic value, Labours national security adviser Jonathan Powell has described the Chagos as very tiny islands in the middle of the Indian Ocean where no one actually goes. I think Mr Powell is confusing his role with that of a High Street travel agent. Judging by his foolish remarks, hed be better at the latter. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has been at the heart of negotiations In fact, the only people who serve to benefit from giving the Chagos away are our enemies. Last year, I was handed a dispatch from a European security agency which warned that the Russians hoped to manipulate the issue to harm Britain. This dispatch reported that the Russians were planning and I quote measures to undermine British-Mauritian relations using the issue of sovereignty over the Chagos archipelago as a conflict generator. They may well have succeeded. The Russians set up meetings with Mauritian political parties, organised round-tables and statements by local politicians to pressure the UK and the US. While we were agreeing to pay billions to Mauritian leaders, the Kremlin was potentially advising and manipulating those same politicians. All of which begs the question: were the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister played by the Russians? And how do we know where the money will really go? The icing on the cake in this woeful tale is that due to Labours profligacy Chancellor Rachel Reeves is now scrambling for funds. Labour has taken the fastest growing economy in the G7 and, in six short months, reduced it to the brink of recession. To find extra cash they have taken money from pensioners, farmers, small businesses and private schools. Adding insult to injury, while Chagos negotiations continued this week, a Labour defence minister snuck out a Parliamentary written answer admitting they were planning to flog the Royal Navys two landing craft to help fill Treasury coffers. Yet, despite all this, Labour apparently has 9billion to give away over an issue that no one outside of a small clique of Left-wing politicians and human rights lawyers thinks is important. And lets not forget that Philippe Sands, a friend of Starmers for more than 20 years, has been advising the Mauritian government. If we needed any more proof of Starmers anti-British sympathies, exceptionally poor judgment and lack of political nous, there we have it. His values are not our values. Six months in, this Labour administration already feels like a fag-end government and this fractured Chagos deal a metaphor for Starmers own Cabinet. The world is becoming more dangerous. There is a major war in Europe. Our enemies are waging a hybrid war against us and may be preparing for global conflict. China continues to arm itself to take Taiwan by force. What do Keir Starmer and David Lammy do? Do they ensure our defences are robust? Do they see to it that our alliances are strong? Do they ensure our supply chains are resilient and not too dependent on China? No, they kowtow to Beijing, risk the wrath of the incoming US President and try to hand over billions for a pointless Indian Ocean takeaway. Make no mistake, this Chagos agreement is shaping up to be the worst diplomatic deal in our history, by a Government shaping up to be just as woeful. Our enemies are already armed to the hilt, and watching us limp along with ill-concealed glee. Dr Bob Seely is a military and security expert and author of The Return Of Total War, to be published by Biteback in the spring. The high school cheerleader charged with torturing and killing her rival's show goat has been barred by a court from looking after her own pets. Aubrey Vanlandingham can't even play with her dog, cat or rabbit without adult supervision, a judge ruled as condition of her bail. Other animals including her own prize-winning goat Lacey are not included in Magistrate Judge Cole Spainhour's order, which bans the pretty brunette from having any animal 'in her care or custody'. Vanlandingham, 17, was the newly installed president of Future Farmers of America at Vista Ridge High School in Cedar Park, Texas, when she allegedly poisoned a six-month old goat owned by a 15-year-old girl at the same school. She is accused of twice poisoning the goat called Willy the second time fatally in October last year. She is charged under Texas law with one count of 'cruelty to livestock animals (torture)'. The felony charge carries a maximum charge of two years in jail and a $10,000 fine. She has yet to enter a plea after her arrest on November 22 last year. She was due to appear in court in Georgetown, Texas, on Wednesday for a pre-indictment hearing, but after turning up with her mother, Denise, the case was not heard and put off until March. Vanlandingham is said to have been caught on video inserting a syringe into Willy's mouth. Texas high school senior Aubrey Vanlandingham, 17, has been banned from looking after any animals as a condition of bail after allegedly poisoning her rival's goat Vanlandingham appeared at Williamson County Courthouse in Georgetown, Texas along with mother Denise (left) and her attorney Worth Carroll for a pre-indictment hearing, but her case was rescheduled to March Willy posing alongside his 15-year-old owner after competing. He died in agony in her arms from Phosmet a pesticide commonly used for external parasite control in livestock The high school senior is said to have showed no remorse when authorities launched a probe, allegedly telling cops 'I don't like cheaters' when questioned. Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com showed that the teenager was granted a $5,000 bond on the condition that she does not contact the owner of the goat or her extended family. The bizarre case has shined a light on the world of high school animal showing, which is popular in rural areas. Vanlandingham initially denied targeting her rival's goat, but then admitted to cops that she had injected the white and brown farm animal with pesticide at the school's barn facility, leaving him 'bellowing' in pain before dying in his owner's arms. She is even said to have Googled how to clear her disturbing search history, after looking up 'how much bleach kills a goat', 'if goats inject bleach do they die' and 'poisoning pets, what you should know'. Officers recovered sickening video of Willy running away from Aubrey and convulsing after she allegedly poisoned him, before sending the twisted footage to the mother of his freshman owner. Video footage obtained by police allegedly showed the brunette 'forcing a syringe like item into the goat's mouth' on October 23. Willy died after Vanlandingham allegedly injected him with pesticide at her high school's barn Court documents obtained by DailyMail.com showed that the teenager was granted a $5,000 bond on the condition that she does not contact the owner of the goat or her extended family - it also states she can't be around animals aside from her house pets with supervision The popular cheerleader showed no remorse when authorities launched a probe, allegedly telling cops 'I don't like cheaters' when questioned about the poisoning The goat then attempted to 'break free', before the teenager used the syringe on the animal twice more. She went back to Willy twice in a two-hour period, checking on his condition, before calling her schoolmate's mother to say Willy was 'convulsing' and 'acting funny'. Willy died 21 hours after being poisoned. A vet looking over his condition was initially unable to figure out what was wrong with him. The mother of the 15-year-old girl who owned the goat told DailyMail.com her family want 'justice' for her daughter and her goat and are calling for a judge to give Aubrey jail time. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, she said: 'We were there when he passed away. My daughter was actually holding him. So that was very traumatic. 'She admitted to poisoning him multiple times over several days. So it's a pretty rough situation. 'We don't believe there is any remorse there, we hope that she has to serve jail time and she gets some kind of mental help. The teen has been charged with one felony of torturing an animal, which under Texas law means she could face up to two years in jail and a $10,000 fine The teenager had been an ambitious animal show competitor with her goat Lacey and had just been made president of her school's Future Farmers of America 'It's all bizarre. We want justice served, we don't want a slap on the wrist. We want to make sure that she is punished. 'At this point we don't feel like she thinks she's going to be punished and she needs to be. 'She needs to take ownership for what she's done.' A necropsy performed by a caprine pathologist confirmed the cause of death as organophosphate intoxication from Phosmet a pesticide commonly used for external parasite control in livestock. Her social media shows Aubrey posing with her own goat, Lacey. The post reads that she was 'so excited' to head up the FFA at the school, 20 miles north of Austin. She also bragged about the group's winning ways, with the FFA placing sixth in a statewide contest in 2023. Local contests entered by the school FFA have cash prizes of up to $50, with the larger state fairs having a grand prize of $30,000. Most of the goats shown by the pupils were entered into lower-level contests. Aubrey has reportedly been banned from attending Vista Ridge High School while the case is ongoing. Vanlandingham has reportedly been banned from attending Vista Ridge High School while the case is ongoing Vanlandingham often flaunted her achievements and prized goat on social media, where she can be seen posing with a wooden plaque after placing 6th in a statewide contest with the FFA in 2023 Vanlandingham's attorney Worth Carroll did not immediately respond to a request for comment by DailyMail.com, but previously released a statement saying: 'My minor client and her family are working hard to resolve any legal issues and non-legal issues raised by these allegations, and we are thankful for a judicial process that will let us tell our story.' The FFA is a national educational organization that allows students to compete in livestock shows across the state with animals the students have raised. Competitors have opportunities to earn scholarships worth thousands of dollars and also have the chance to receive prizes. Crestina Hardie, the Chief Communications Officer for Leander Independent School District, which includes Vista Ridge, said in a statement to the Austin American-Statesman that the district is proud of its FFA program but saddened by the goat's death. 'The district believes the security measures in place, including surveillance footage as well as routine supervision by agriculture science teachers, provided the evidence law enforcement needed to complete the investigation,' Hardie said. 'While the district cannot comment on the status of the student, disciplinary action was taken consistent with policy and procedures.' Nearly half of Californians hold governor Gavin Newsom responsible for the damage left by the wildfires in the Los Angeles area, a damning poll has revealed. According to new DailyMail.com/J.. Partners poll, 47 percent of Californians think the Democrat governor is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible for the damage left by the flames. Meanwhile 38 percent think Newsom is not at all responsible or not very responsible for the dystopian scenes. President-elect Donald Trump was among those who blame Newsom, claiming his forest management policies and fish conservation efforts are to blame for fire hydrants running dry in some urban areas. Californians also blame LA mayor Karen Bass for the situation, with 48 percent of them saying they think she is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible. Bass was halfway around the globe, on a trip to Ghana as part of a presidential delegation, when the fires broke out. Some, however, hold the federal government accountable, with 27 percent saying it is president Joe Biden who holds the blame. The poll comes as millions of Southern Californians are on edge as another round of dangerous fire weather is forecast for the Los Angeles area, with the National Weather Service warning of a Particularly Dangerous Situation on Wednesday. According to new DailyMail.com polling, nearly half of Californians think governor Gavin Newsom is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible for the damage left by the flames Your browser does not support iframes. According to new DailyMail.com polling, 47 percent of Californians think governor Gavin Newsom is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible for the damage left by the flames The fires have killed at least 25 and destroyed thousands of homes. As of Wednesday, more than 90,000 households without electricity as utilities shut off power to prevent their lines from sparking new blazes. Newsom has faced calls to resign for the devastating handling of the catastrophe, with everyone from Donald Trump to Hollywood stars slamming his and Mayor Bass' lack of leadership. Saving California, a group that touts itself as a 'non-partisan coalition of working families, professionals and community advocates' have launched another recall against Newsom. A spokesperson for Newsom told Newsweek that the governor is '100 percent focused on the fires, ongoing rescue efforts and the recovery process - not politics.' 'Readers still should have the context that the same group of far-right Trump acolytes have launched six different recall attempts against the governor since he's taken office, each of which have failed spectacularly. 'Even Republican Party leaders have criticized these repeated attempts as a brazen campaign finance 'grift,' and the recall organizers have been sued by their own donors for pocketing funds raised previously.' Newsom faced and won his first recall battle - which was launched for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic - for California in September 2021 in a landslide victory. Californians also blame LA mayor Karen Bass for the situation, with 48 percent of them saying they think she is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible At least 25 people have died and 12,000 buildings burned to the ground in multiple fires across Los Angeles this month Firefighters in the stricken Palisades area have been overwhelmed by the rapidly spreading fires, amid scrutiny on the state's response 'The fires are still raging in L.A.,' Trump posted to Truth Social on Sunday morning. 'The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out.' 'Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost,' he lamented. 'There is death all over the place.' 'This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can't put out the fires. What's wrong with them?' he questioned, placing the blame on Newsom and other Democratic politicians in California. Newsom ordered an investigation Friday into the citys Department of Water and Power over the loss of water pressure. An online petition demanding Bass resignation garnered 33,000 signatures. He told NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff that his team is trying to get to the bottom of 'what the hell happened' to cause the water systems to fail. He also fought back against Trump's accusations, saying the Republican was spreading 'disinformation,' and said he hopes the incoming administration will be able to work with him with an 'open hand, not a closed fist.' The governor also said he invited Trump to survey the damage from the LA wildfires but that he has not yet responded to that invitation. A Woolworths shopper has urged customers to be vigilant at the self-serve checkout after she was charged eight times for a colouring book. Bek, 33, was shocked to find her bill was an abnormally high $80 after she scanned just a few items at her local Woolworths on Tuesday. She found she had been charged $48 for a $6 Gabby Dollhouse colouring book for her son. The young mum shared her experience on TikTok to warn other shoppers of how easily they can be overcharged. 'You need to be extremely cautious when shopping at Woolworths... and I urge you to check absolutely everything that you're scanning,' Bek said. 'We got a pencil book... as you can see quantity 8 at $6 each [which came to] $48. We scanned one and it scans up 8 [times]. 'If we hadn't known to check that the price was $48, we would have paid $48 for a $6 book.' 'I called the staff over and they tried to enter it manually and it kept changing it to eight. They couldn't figure out why,' she told Yahoo News. Bek, 33, (pictured) said if she hadn't double checked the price she was charged for the colouring book, she would have paid $48 for the $6 item Dozens of Aussies said they had experienced the same issue at other Woolworths stores - with some catching the glitch too late. 'That exact thing happened to me as well... it was a colouring book with pencils,' one person wrote. 'The exact same thing happened to me but I never noticed until I had left,' another person wrote. 'It happened to me at big W. An $18 item scanned at $168 done, all codes nothing changed,' a third added. Others explained the glitch occurs when the incorrect amount is entered by staff at the inventory stage. 'I work at Woolies, it is a barcode issue... it's not an issue that would be known by those on the floor but those in the offices of the store when they set up barcodes,' one person wrote. 'It's a barcode error. The barcode on the unit is probably registering as a carton,' another person wrote. A Coles shopper said they had experienced a similar issue. 'That happened to me at Coles. I got a monster energy drink, just one can and it came up as a four pack,' one person wrote. Several commenters thanked Bek for pointing out the issue, reminding them to be on the lookout for unusual pricing at checkouts. The young mum said the glitch has made her more cautious when she shops and would like to see more checkout staff on hand in stores. Others urged shoppers to check their receipts before they leave a supermarket store. A Woolworths spokesman told Daily Mail Australia the glitch was an 'isolated issue' related to the barcode on the pencil sets sold in stores. 'The scanning error on this barcode has since been corrected to ensure it doesn't happen again,' the spokesman said. 'We're glad to see that our team was able to quickly rectify this issue in-store and the customer was only charged for the correct quantity.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Coles for further comment. Dead patients are lying undiscovered for hours in A&E because NHS staff are too overstretched to notice, a harrowing report reveals today. A severe shortage of beds means the sick are also being left in 'animal-like' conditions in hospital car parks, cupboards and toilets. Pregnant women are suffering miscarriages in corridors and the elderly are languishing unaided in soiled bedding, it adds. The Royal College of Nursing today lays bare the tragic collapse of the NHS in a 460-page dossier, titled 'On the frontline of the UK's corridor care crisis'. It features the testimonies of more than 5,000 nurses, who expose how patients are being cruelly 'stripped of their dignity' and routinely suffering avoidable deaths. They say it has become 'normalised' for patients to be left for days at a time in chairs or trolleys in 'inappropriate settings', rather than on a ward. Demoralised nurses report caring for as many as 40 patients in a single corridor some blocking fire exits or parked next to vending machines. There, they have no access to a call bell, oxygen or lifesaving equipment and are often out of sight of the nursing station. Some are forced to go to the toilet in view of other patients, while others have no privacy as they discuss deeply personal medical issues or are told they are going to die. Your browser does not support iframes. A severe shortage of beds means the sick are also being left in 'animal-like' conditions in hospital car parks, cupboards and toilets. Pictured: File photo Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday told MPs that corridor care was 'undignified' but warned that patients were still likely to be treated there next winter Tamara Davis was just 31 when she died after being 'abandoned' in a corridor with 19 other patients Patient, 31, died after TEN hours in corridor By Chris Pollard Tamara Davis was just 31 when she died after being 'abandoned' in a corridor with 19 other patients. Ms Davis was left coughing up blood on a trolley for ten hours at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton. She later died of sepsis, a condition caused by the body's over-reaction to an infection, brought on by pneumonia and the flu. Her sister Miya told an inquest in October: 'In the few hours [she was in A&E] she was made to fend for herself. She was abandoned in that corridor at her most vulnerable moments, coughing up blood and suffering from diarrhoea.' The inquest heard that Ms Davis had been suffering from flu and breathing difficulties when she collapsed at home on December 10, 2022. She was taken to A&E at 11pm and placed in a resuscitation cubicle where she was given oxygen and antibiotics. But she was wheeled into the corridor on a trolley at 5.30am, where she remained until 3.30pm, surrounded by other sick patients. Her condition deteriorated throughout the day. Miya said she had to take her to the toilet and change her soiled sheets because there were no staff available. When her condition deteriorated, she was moved to intensive care, but died the following day. Dr Andrew Leonard, the consultant who treated Ms Davis in the corridor, said her sepsis was detected at least 90 minutes later than it should have been. He added: 'Anyone being looked after in a corridor is a concern because it is a failure of normal care processes. Unfortunately, we live in a world where more corridor care has become increasingly the norm in the last few years and that is a tragedy.' Alice Edmondson, a senior nurse on duty at the time, said: 'Nobody should be nursed in a corridor. I really want the family to know that I, as a senior nurse, feel upset every day that people are in the corridor.' West Sussex coroner Joanne Andrews wrote to the Department of Health and NHS England to voice her 'substantial concern' over the use of corridors as treatment spaces. She recorded a verdict of death by natural causes. Advertisement Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday told MPs that corridor care was 'undignified' but warned that patients were still likely to be treated there next winter. Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN chief executive, described the report as 'harrowing', adding staff were leaving because they 'cannot do it any more'. She said: 'This devastating testimony from frontline nursing staff shows patients are coming to harm every day, forced to endure unsafe treatment in corridors, toilets, and even rooms usually reserved for families to visit deceased relatives. 'Vulnerable people are being stripped of their dignity and nursing staff are being denied access to vital lifesaving equipment. 'We can now categorically say patients are dying in this situation.' A survey of NHS nursing staff for the report found 67 per cent are delivering care every day in overcrowded or unsuitable places. Some 91 per cent said the care was unsafe. One nurse revealed how patients were dying 'on trolleys and chairs in the corridor and waiting room'. Another told how a 90-year-old dementia sufferer was left scared and crying because no one was able to help. She added: 'Seeing that lady, frightened and subjected to animal-like conditions is what broke me. At the end of that shift, I handed in my notice with no job to go to.' Another nurse said a cancer patient whose immunity was very low because of her treatment was left in a busy spot in the path of a staff room and toilet in a hospital in the South West of England. The nurse said: 'She was very upset and crying. We put screens around her but it was constantly busy. That poor lady eventually passed away.' The report comes just days after figures revealed hospitals left a record 518,000 patients languishing on trolleys in A&E for 12 hours or more last year. Previous research by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine found long waits in A&E are likely to have contributed to 14,000 deaths in 2023. Given the rise in long waits last year, the fatalities are likely to be even higher. The issue of long A&E waits has come to the fore in recent weeks amid a surge in flu, with around 5,000 beds a day filled with flu patients. The RCN said flu levels this year were higher than last year but not unusual compared with previous years and the Government must not be allowed to use it as an excuse for poor care. The bed shortages are being fuelled by rising demand for care and by bed-blockers. An average of 12,591 hospital beds in England were filled each day last week with patients who were medically fit for discharge but were unable to leave. A survey of NHS nursing staff for the report found 67 per cent are delivering care every day in overcrowded or unsuitable places. Some 91 per cent said the care was unsafe. Pictured: File photo Previous research by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine found long waits in A&E are likely to have contributed to 14,000 deaths in 2023. Pictured: File photo Many will have been waiting for a place in a care home or for care to be arranged in their own home. Caroline Abrahams, of Age UK, said: '[NHS founder] Nye Bevan must be turning in his grave: the apparent normalisation of 'corridor care' is an affront in a civilised society and for the sake of the public and staff alike must cease. 'It's hard to think of a more certain way of both undermining public trust in the NHS and the retention of skilled nurses than tolerating very sick older people being 'stacked up' in passages, as if they were lorries on a motorway.' Mr Streeting said: 'I cannot and will not promise that there won't be patients treated in corridors next year it will take time to undo the damage that has been done to our NHS.' Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer at NHS England, said: 'Increasing levels of demand have resulted in extreme pressures on services. 'The impact this has on the experiences of patients and staff, as highlighted by the RCN, should never be considered the standard to which the NHS aspires.' A man who was allegedly doused with petrol and set on fire with a blow torch has been described as a hard-working family man. Jai Brebner was set alight after a brief argument with two men outside his home in Baldivis, south Perth, on December 30. He suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body and remains in a critical condition two weeks on from the attack. Chilling CCTV footage shared by Western Australia Police showed the men approached Mr Brebner's home, one armed with two axes and the other holding a clear liquid and blow torch. It's understood the men were known to Mr Brebner. After a brief conversation, one of the men threw the clear liquid over Mr Breber and used the blow torch to ignite it. The flames quickly engulfed the father, who tore off his shirt and ran from the attackers. Both men then spent some time at the front door before entering the Baldivis home and then fleeing the scene. Jai Brebner (pictured) suffered burns to 60 per cent of his body after being doused in petrol and set alight Mr Brebner (pictured) faces up to 15 surgeries and several months of recovery from the attack The 'extremely confronting and extremely concerning' footage was released by WA Police on the weekend in the hope someone could identify the second alleged attacker, having already made one arrest. David Stitson, 50, was subsequently arrested by the Gang Crime Squad at a hotel on Hay Street, Perth, about 7.15pm on Monday. Stitson's 24-year-old alleged co-offender was arrested last Wednesday, January 8, in Rockingham. Both were each charged with one count of intending to cause grievous bodily harm. WA Police said horrific injuries were inflicted to the 'entire front of the victim's body and head'. 'He is expected to endure extensive amounts of surgeries, up to 15 surgeries, and he will be in hospital for a number of months,' Detective Senior Sergeant Anthony Thompson said. Mr Brebner (pictured) tore off his shirt and ran from the attackers after being set on fire Police have arrested two men, a 24-year-old, and 50-year-old David Stitson (pictured), over the alleged attack 'I have to reiterate that he is in a critical (condition), there is still a threat to his life. 'Our lines of inquiries were inhibited by the fact the victim was in a coma and couldn't provide an account of what occurred, so we had to use other forms of inquiry to establish exactly what occurred.' 'In the footage the second man is armed with what appears to be small axes, it's extremely confronting ... and this is why we are taking it at the highest level,' he said. 'We want to resolve this immediately for specific risks and also to ensure the community that we are protecting them.' Chilling CCTV footage showed two men dousing Mr Brebner is a clear accelerant before setting him alight with a blow torch A GoFundMe for Mr Brebner was created on Tuesday with a goal of raising $8,000 for his family. It had raised $225 from three donors as of Thursday morning. 'This fund is for him and his family hoping to help relieve coming weeks' financial stress,' the fundraiser's creator, Melanie Blazseka, wrote. 'Jai is a hardworking concreter and family man who was the main income earner of household, these funds will ensure they can pay the rent and cover cost of bills or however needed.' Stitson faced Rockingham Magistrates Court on Tuesday and was remanded in custody. He and his alleged co-offender are set to appear in court on February 7. A 'psychopathic' teenager accused of murdering his mother was seen on police worn body camera giving Florida deputies a chilling warning months before. Collin Griffith, 17, had moved in with his mother, Catherine Griffith, 39, in Port Charlotte, after she posted his bond at an Oklahoma prison - where he was serving time for killing his father, Charles Griffith, 43, on Valentine's Day 2023. He had claimed self-defense in that case, asserting that his father pulled a knife on him before chasing and cornering him at their remote farmstead in Lincoln County, and when prosecutors could not disprove his story, they let him go free. But Collin's life with his mother was fraught almost from the start, and by November 2023, the teenager was charged with domestic violence battery against his mother after he attacked her, pulling her hair and kneeing her in the groin, for trying to take away his video games. The teen was released the next day, but staff members at the jail where he was being held later claimed that he threatened to kill his mother if he had to get into a car with her. Now, newly-released body camera footage obtained by Fox 4 shows deputies warning Catherine about her son that day. 'I struggle with a kid that's being released from jail saying, "If you bring me back there, she's going to die,"' one deputy could be seen telling the worried mother. 'If we don't do something, then shame on us that we didn't do our job and we failed you,' she continued. 'And I'm not failing you, nor am I going to fail your son.' Collin Griffith, 17, is accused of murdering his mother in September He had moved in with his mother after she posted his bail in Oklahoma, where he was serving time for killing his father Authorities also confronted Collin about his threat, the body camera footage shows. He claimed, 'I'm in a constant state of fight or flight and I don't know. If I think she's going to do something, even if she's not, I might act. 'I'm not going to like, go crazy or anything, but I'm not sure honestly,' the teenager explained. One of the deputies on the scene then tried to get some clarification, asking: 'You're not sure if you'll hurt your mom?' 'Only if she tries to hurt me,' the teen responds as one of the sheriff's deputies handcuffs him. But it was not the first time Collin had threatened to hurt his mother. Just a few months before, in September, the teen allegedly told authorities: 'I will kill myself or my mom.... throw them out of the car, shoot or stab them, I've done it before, to my dad, I know I can do it again.' He was being held in protective custody for a mental health evaluation at the time, after a school officer called police to report that Collin alleged his mother pulled a gun on him during an argument. Newly-released body camera footage shows Griffith claiming he is 'not sure' whether he would hurt his mother Deputies then warned the mom that he threatened to kill her while he was behind bars He claimed Catherine said she would kill him and threatened to kill herself. She denied the claims to a Sheriff's officer, insisting Collin was upset because she took his phone and AirPods because he was failing classes. Catherine added that Collin had been diagnosed with a personality disorder and PTSD after he had been 'held captive' by his father for 1,041 days without human contact. Following the incident, Catherine placed the teen in a long-term facility near Jupiter, where he spent several months before returning to live with her. By February 2024, Collin had run away from his mother's house in Charlotte County and went to stay with his grandmother. He told deputies at the time he would 'kill my mother' rather than be reunited with her but they handed him to Florida's Department for Children and Families who returned him to the home in Charlotte County, one year to the day after his father's death. The boy's grandma claimed to deputies that he wanted to be placed in foster care The teen had tried to claim self-defense for his November attack of his mother, but his grandma refuted his story The teen had apparently wanted to be put in the foster care system, his grandmother told deputies following his November domestic violence arrest. Collin had originally tried to claim self-defense in that case as well, with body camera footage showing him in the back of a police vehicle, speaking to his grandmother. 'I was saying, "Mom, I'm not a psychopath! I'm not this murderer. I'm just trying to peacefully leave or peacefully coexist,' he claimed. 'She kept telling me to shut up and shut up, and when I wouldn't shut up, she hit me.' But the grandma shot back, 'No, that's not what happened Collin. That' snot what happened. You never said you wanted to peacefully coexist.' She later explained to the officers that Collin did not actually want to go back to his mother's house, and instead asked to be placed in foster care. 'Collin did not want to come back home, and I said, "You don't have a choice, you have to go back home,"' she recounted. 'And he said, "No I want foster care," and even the corporal said that foster care isn't good for you. You have issues you need to work on.' Collin had been in his father's custody for years following his parents' divorce in May 2020. Charles Griffith is pictured left The boy had been in his father's custody for years following his parents' divorce in May 2020, after 20 years of marriage, according to court documents previously obtained by DailyMail.com in which Catherine accused Charles of decades of abuse. She asked the court to order Charles to take Collin to therapy, saying he 'may already be suffering emotional irreparable harm by [the father's] parental alienation and emotional abuse.' But Charles responded by saying that Collin did not wish to see his mother, whom he claimed was 'mentally and emotionally unstable' and had abused drugs and alcohol during this time. He also said he stopped letting Collin communicate with Catherine after she texted the teen a hand-written suicide note in May 2020. He also accused Catherine of only calling when she was 'manic' and posing as an adult male on Discord to contact Collin and encourage him to run away. Collin Griffith is accused of killing his mother by stabbing her in the neck several times Catherine was eventually killed on September 8, 2024, when Collin called police saying his mother fell on a knife during an argument. Witnesses, however, said they saw him dragging his mother out of the house by her hair, and a medical examiner found she had been stabbed - twice - in the neck, which could not have been an accident. When police later arrived on the scene, Collin showed 'zero remorse,' authorities said. 'He looked the deputy in the eye and said: 'I know my rights, I want an attorney',' Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd told reporters. 'When you look at this, you see a kid. When I look at him I see a psychopath,' he continued. 'Everybody that should be special to him in his life is dead when they cross him.' Prosecutors are now hoping to try the teenager as an adult. In the meantime, he remains locked up at Polk County Jail without bond. A former footy star has spoken out about the loss of his daughter in the Bondi Junction stabbing massacre. Ashlee Good was one of six people killed in the rampage at Westfield Bondi Junction in April last year. Her father, Kerry Good, is a former North Melbourne AFL player and board member who also owns racehorses. Mr Good opened up about the tragedy in an interview on Saturday, after his horses Thedoctoroflove and Taramansour won at Flemington racecourse. 'Last year was very tough, I just couldn't wait for the year to end. I couldn't wait to get rid of it,' Mr Good told Racenet. 'I actually wore the same suit as I wore to my daughter's funeral today and it might have helped. 'It's a very special day.' The interview marked the first time Mr Good has spoken publicly about the death of his daughter. Ashlee Good was one of six people killed in the stabbings at the Westfield Bondi Junction shopping centre in April last year Kerry Good is a former North Melbourne AFL player and board member who also owns racehorses Ashlee, 38, and her nine-month-old daughter Harriet were the first people to be attacked at random by knifeman Joel Cauchi. Ashlee died in the attack, but managed to hand off Harriet to nearby strangers, begging them to 'please help'; an act that saved the baby's life. The little girl, Harriet, suffered stab wounds and paramedics took her to Sydney Children's Hospital in a critical condition, and she was eventually able to return home. In the wake of the tragedy a GoFundMe was started for baby Harriet and her father, Dan Flanagan, which raised nearly $850,000. Mr Flanagan posted on the fundraising page in August, thanking the thousands of donors, as well as medical staff, friends and family for their support in the wake of his 'unimaginable loss'. 'Please know that youve provided us with both comfort and strength during this difficult time, and that every message and donation has been read and received,' he wrote. 'To say theyve been deeply appreciated would be an understatement. 'Nothing will ever dull the pain of losing Ash, but reading your messages and seeing what an impact Ash has had on so many people has provided a lot of comfort. Six people were killed and a dozen more injured before Cauchi, 40, was shot dead by a police officer 'The day our family of three became a family of two will never make sense to me, but countless people - including every single one of you who wrote messages and donated through this page - have shown me that while tragic things do unfortunately happen, there is more good in this world, than bad. 'While Harriet and I do our best to navigate our new world privately, I want to make one public promise to each of you: that the kindness and generosity you've shown us will never be forgotten. 'From the bottom of my heart - thank you.' Cheng Yixuan, 27, Pikria Darchia, 55, Dawn Singleton, 25, Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, and Jade Young, 47, also died in the attack. A dozen more people were injured before Cauchi, 40, was shot dead by a police officer. Kerry Good played 74 games for North Melbourne between 1977 and 1983 and earned a place in Kangaroos' folklore by kicking a goal after the final siren to win the 1980 night premiership. PIGGS PEAK A hunting expedition took a horrifying turn for a hunter when he discovered the decomposed body of a 40-year-old woman on the mountain. The incident occurred between Efasini under Chief Mvelase and Vusweni under Chief Mfokati, on Tuesday under Mayiwane Inkhundla. This death is one of five which happened in 24 hours across the country. The various incidents happened across the country and they included the demise of an 18-month-old baby girl, who drowned in a 20-litre bucket, which was half-filled with water and clothes while at Nkalashane. The toddler was certified dead at Nkalashane Clinic. Meanwhile, the woman who was found decomposed on a mountain was discovered by Mhawu Muntu Ndlovu. The hunter who made the gruesome discovery explained how he found the deceased in the early hours of Tuesday. He recounted that while hunting with his six dogs, they alerted him to the shocking discovery. One of his dogs returned with a human hand in its mouth.Following the trail, I was met with an overpowering, very strong stench. As I approached, I found the womans body in a highly decomposed state and my other dogs were eating it, he said. Ndlovu explained that the woman was wearing only her underwear, with a head shawl lying nearby. Decomposition He said the advanced state of decomposition made her identification virtually impossible for him to see if she had any wound stabs. The state of decomposition suggests that she had been deceased for some time, he said. Ndlovu stated that he immediately stopped his dogs from feeding on the deceased and reported the incident to the other family members and community police, who subsequently alerted official police officers. He stated that police officers arrived at the scene and transported the deceaseds remains for further investigation. When sought for comment, Magolide Ndwandwe, the Mayiwane Constituency Indvuna, expressed profound sorrow over the tragic incident. He said: To our knowledge, there have been no reports of missing persons in the area. However, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, even though we do not yet know who they are. We trust that they will come forward. Ndwandwe further stated that this incident is shocking and occurred at a time when the country is facing a high number of reported cases of gender-based violence (GBV) and he strongly condemned such acts. The chances of women being harmed by other women are minimal. This incident highlights the urgent need to address the issue of violence against women in our society, the constituency indvuna said. Missing When he was asked if the was any report of a missing person in the community and whether they alerted the community of the discovery of the decomposed unknown woman, he responded by saying there were no reports and they have notified the constituency chiefdoms, but so far no one has come to identify the deceased woman. Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, the Deputy Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, confirmed the discovery of the decomposed body of an unknown woman in her early 40s. However, she stated that the police are still investigating the womans identity. The thug who murdered a schoolboy by slashing him with a glass plate is a drill rapper who has been featured on the BBC since he was released from jail. Jake Fahri was jailed for life over the fatal attack on 16-year-old Jimmy Mizen in a south London bakery in 2008. But after serving 14 years behind bars for a crime that shocked the nation, Fahri was released in June 2023. Now, it has been revealed that the balaclava-clad rapper who boasts about killing has been showcased on BBC 1Xtra with DJ Theo Johnson saying he 'really stands out'. An urgent probe by the Ministry of Justice is said to be taking place after the rapper's lyrics included the line: 'watched him melt like Ben and Jerry's.' While his tracks appear to have been censored on the BBC, his profile as a rapper called TEN can be found on Spotify and YouTube. In his songs, lyrics appear to refer to Jimmy's murder by saying: 'Sharpen up my blade I've got to keep those necessary. Stay alert and kept it ready, any corner could be deadly. 'Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he's gonna throw the book at me.' Other lyrics from a different song also include: 'See a man's soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone... Seeing blood spilled same floor he was left on.' Jake Fahri, who murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen, is a drill rapper who has been featured on the BBC The drill artist has a Spotify profile with several songs where he is called TEN Jimmy Mizen (pictured) had just turned 16 when he was murdered in a London bakery in 2008 It's understood Fahri's music featured on air more than once. Rap lyrics that allegedly refer to Jimmy Mizen's murder 'Sharpen up my blade I've got to keep those necessary. Stay alert and kept it ready, any corner could be deadly. 'Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he's gonna throw the book at me.' Other lyrics from a different song also include: 'See a man's soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone... Seeing blood spilled same floor he was left on.' Advertisement Speaking to the Sun, who discovered that TEN was Fahri, Jimmy's mother Margaret Mizen said: 'It's very difficult to comment until I have read it. 'But if this is true, I am very saddened as it will be a shock to the rest of my family. 'However Jimmy's legacy of forgiveness, peace and hope, which we share in schools, will not change.' A BBC spokesperson told MailOnline: 'The song lyrics you have put to us have not been played on the BBC. 'Decisions on music are made on a case by case basis and we have strict editorial guidelines in place before any content is broadcast or posted. 'BBC 1Xtra does not glamorise violence and this individual does not feature on any playlists.' Fahri struck after starting a petty row with Jimmy, who police described as being of 'immaculate character', and his brother. He started an argument at the Three Cooks Bakery in Burnt Ash Hill and then hurled a Pyrex dish at the former altar boy which shattered. Glass was driven deep into his neck, severing an artery and his jugular vein. Jake Fahri, (pictured at 19) murdered 16-year-old schoolboy Jimmy by smashing a glass dish into his face. He was released from prison after 14 years last June Barry (right) and Margaret Mizen attend a special memorial service for their son, murdered schoolboy Jimmy Mizen Jimmy bled to death in the arms of his older brother Harry, then aged 19. He had been out to buy his first lottery ticket on his 16th birthday when he was attacked. Fahri, who pleaded not guilty to murder, ran out of the shop and was described by one eyewitness as 'walking with a swagger' while another said 'he had a big grin on his face'. Fahri's past of violence He bullied one of Jimmy's brothers at school and later attacked him. Fahri attacked a girl when he was 16, kicking her and spitting in her face. He was then expelled from his state comprehensive, Crown Woods in Eltham, after a so-called 'happy slap' attack. In July 2004 he was handed a 12-month supervision order for his part in a knife point robbery. In 2007, a charge of rape against Fahri was dropped at Camberwell Youth Court. In 2013, Fahri's ex girlfriend Chantelle Lewis, 17, claimed he attacked her after cocaine and alcohol binges. Advertisement Three days after the killing he booked himself into a hotel room under the name Jack Walker where he said goodbye to his girlfriend before turning himself into police. He was found guilty of murder after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey in 2009 and was sentenced to life with a minimum of 14 years. But Fahri was desperate to keep up the tough guy facade even while facing years in prison and as he was taken away shouted out to his mum Shirley in the gallery 'don't worry, I love you', and she shouted back 'be strong, Jake'. When MailOnline visited the south east London home of Shirley Fahri last year she refused to comment on her son's release. In 2013, Fahri's ex girlfriend Chantelle Lewis, 17, claimed he attacked her after cocaine and alcohol binges. She told the Mirror: 'He started hitting me and would regularly leave me with bruises all over my body - which I'd hide from my parents and friends. 'He'd come home drunk and beat me up. 'But the worst beatings came when he was high on cocaine and he'd pin me against the wall. 'Once he punched me on the left cheek and I had to hide it with foundation.' Pictured: The Pyrex dish Fahri threw at Jimmy Mizen which caused fatal injuries Jimmy, (pictured) described as of 'immaculate character' by police, bled to death in the bakery, dying in his brother's arms. He was the 13th teen to be murdered in London that year Local sources told MailOnline they hoped he would not return to the streets of south east London. Former Met detective Peter Bleksley said: 'Once again, you could argue that the criminal justice system is on the side of the wrong and not the right. 'This was a senseless and evil attack. Many believe life should mean life. 'It certainly does not in this case. My heart goes out to Jimmy's family. It is appalling. 'I hope Fahri avoids south east London.' Even after being sentenced, he could not escape getting involved in trouble. In 2009, while serving out his prison sentence for murder, Fahri was stabbed by Sean Mercer, the gang member who shot dead schoolboy Rhys Jones. Mercer, then 18, stabbed Fahri in the back four times with a home made knife during a fight at Moorland young offenders institution in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Jimmy died from his injuries at the Three Cooks Bakery near the family home, in Lee, South-East London. Pictured: Forensic officers investigate the scene in 2008 Barry and Margaret Mizen, with their son George, outside London's Old Bailey following Fahri's guilty verdict Jimmy's parents, Margaret and Barry, have previously told how they had forgiven Fahri and may want to meet him in the future. Speaking on Good Morning Britain in recent years, Margaret said: 'After Jimmy was killed I had to learn to live a new life and that meant forgiveness. 'If I didn't forgive this boy I would never smile again. 'I found it very difficult last week. The verdict hit me much harder than I expected. 'I think it'd be very difficult (to meet him). It probably will never happen but we will have to wait and see what happens.' Barry added: 'It's been a bit harder this year but we have determination that we will bring some good from what happened to our son.' The Ministry of Justice and Parole Board confirmed that Fahri was released in June 2023. A spokesman for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Jake Fahri following an oral hearing. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. 'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' More than 5,000 nursing staff across the UK were quizzed on the state of the NHS in their area. These are just some of their harrowing responses: Deaths that went unnoticed In terrifying testimony to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study, one nurse in the South East of England said a patient had lain dead in a corridor 'for hours'. Another nurse, in Yorkshire and the Humber, said departments were becoming 'overwhelmed' on a daily basis, adding: 'At its worst, (we are) asking someone to go round and make sure people are still alive.' 'Developing world' casualty Patients dying in chairs and trolleys in corridors was now a familiar occurrence, according to one nurse in the South East. The nurse added: 'All the fundamentals of care have broken down we are no better than a developing world casualty.' A nurse in London said: 'It's awful it feels like we're living in a Third World country or worse. I dread going into work and wish I'd picked an alternative career.' Another nurse in the South said: 'I really felt bad for the patients most of whom were elderly and unable to express their feelings about being cared for in very inhumane and Third World conditions.' In terrifying testimony to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) study, one nurse in the South East of England said a patient had lain dead in a corridor 'for hours'. Pictured: File photo Patients dying in chairs and trolleys in corridors was now a familiar occurrence, according to one nurse in the South East. Pictured: File photo 'This is worse than Covid...' A nurse in Scotland said: 'I worked throughout Covid-19 and... this lack of care in the broken system is worse. People are dying as a result of ambulances being held at hospitals and calls are eventually being responded to almost two days after 999 has been called. This has to end, now!' Left in tears near the toilets A cancer patient whose immunity was very low because of her treatment was left in a busy spot near a staff room and toilet in a hospital in the South West. A nurse said: 'She should have been in a side room. She was very upset and crying. We put screens around her but it was constantly busy. That poor lady eventually passed away.' A nurse in London said: 'The department is over-capacity on a daily basis, leaving patients being cared for in corridors, on chairs when they should be in beds, on ambulance trolleys, in relatives' rooms, in viewing rooms, anywhere there is a space.' A nurse in the East of England said: 'Patients miscarrying and returning for treatment are being bedded in the busy waiting room which is used for emergency attenders and an outpatient department.' A cancer patient whose immunity was very low because of her treatment was left in a busy spot near a staff room and toilet in a hospital in the South West. Pictured: File photo Beds in middle of ward bays A nurse in Scotland said the hospital had started placing beds 'in the middle of bays in the wards in addition to corridor beds for more space'. They added: 'It is degrading, undignified, and at times unsafe for patients who are already angry due to the long waits, sometimes waiting in the emergency department for over 35 hours... just to be put in the corridor. The system is broken.' Delays for heart attack victims Corridor care also creates problems for patients lucky enough to find a cubicle. One nurse told of the chaos of patients having cardiac arrests in the corridor, adding: 'Having to roll a trolley through a corridor and the whole department to re-sus straddling a patient doing CPR while everyone watches on. It just feels so undignified.' Patients in the South East had cardiac arrests in the corridor or in cubicles blocked by patients on trolleys in front of them, delaying lifesaving CPR. A nurse at a hospital in the area said: 'Despite these events, we still are obliged to deliver care in the corridor.' A police officer who allegedly had sex with a minor would have been sacked if he didn't resign, a hearing has found. PC Ahmad Shoaib, 38, allegedly engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old boy in his car in a public place while off-duty on April 29, 2023. The trainee West Mercia Police officer was made aware of the incident when he was arrested by West Midlands Police on May 2, 2023. Following his arrest, the force carried out a thorough investigation and there was insufficient evidence to charge him with a criminal offence. He was released with no further action. The accelerated misconduct hearing found that Shoaib breached the standard of discreditable conduct, as set out in the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2020. The hearing was told that Shoaib was 'in the very early stages of his police training' when the alleged incident took place. PC Ahmad Shoaib, 38, allegedly engaged in sexual activity with a 14-year-old boy in his car in a public place while off-duty on April 29, 2023 He will now be added to the College of Policing's Barred List, banning him from working for a UK police service in the future. Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Jones said: 'PC Shoaib was in the very early stages of his police training. I'm glad that this allegation came to light so quickly so that we were able to take action before he had the chance to work with the public. 'Cases like this undermine the trust the public have in us, which in turn undermines the hard work and dedication our officers show day-in and day-out. 'Officers like Shoaib have no place in our force and our commitment to removing them will continue.' This is the appalling moment a beloved Aussie cafe owner was viciously bashed for standing up to a stranger who was causing trouble. Felix Granato, 40, was working his coffee machine at Lakes Cafe in Gosford, on the NSW Central Coast, at about 10am on Friday when a man entered the business from a nearby community hub that serves the homeless. Mr Granato told Daily Mail Australia that the local was fuming because the service was closed at the time. 'Obviously, he had the sh*t*, and he's come passing (by), just being verbally abusive while I was at the front of the store with my wife,' he said. Mr Granato said the man had acted aggressively on numerous occasions recently, including the week before when the man had thrown a 'wet floor' sign into their cafe and called them names. Mr Granato had let previous incidents go but, fed up with the man's bad behaviour, decided it was time to take a stand for himself, his partner and their business. 'I just said, "mate, you know, there's no reason to speak to us this way, if you can refrain. In the future, you mind your business, I mind mine. 'I just thought, if I don't say something it's never going to stop.' Felix Granato, 40, doesn't feel comfortable reopening his cafe after a vile alleged assault in Gosford last week The 40-year-old business owner was left battered after refusing to retaliate to the alleged assailant 'I was really nice about it, but it stirred something up in him. 'Then he starts going off and saying, "You've been calling me this and calling me that you've been calling me a fa****," when we haven't. He's obviously got troubles.' Mr Granato alleged the local then charged towards him, kicking over an A-frame store sign and screaming. The business owner claimed the man yelled at him: 'I'm going to punch you.' Mr Granato claims the man launched a hard hook and punched him in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground. 'It wasn't too bad in the sense that I said, "Okay, I can take these punches, it's okay",' Mr Granato said. A neighbouring shop window was damaged in the bustle of the alleged attack before the alleged attacker continued to punch the business owner Mr Granato's quick-thinking wife Mia, 44, began recording the incident. The store owner decided not to retaliate, saying he didn't know how the man would react or if he would hurt him too much. 'I just kind of tried to protect myself as much as possible,' Mr Granato said. But then the alleged offender turned on Ms Granato when he saw her recording. 'He tried to go for her, so I did get in the way, and then I kind of grabbed him and pulled him my way,' Mr Granato said. 'He kept going for me, which was fine, and we went through a glass window which was next door.' Mr Granato alleged the man then sat on his chest and continued to rain down blows. He said he simply protected his face until a growing crowd of people spooked the alleged offender and he fled. Police found the man just minutes later at a unit on Showground Road, Gosford. There, however, the alleged rampage continued and cops were forced to use pepper spray to bring him under control. The alleged offender, 40, was then charged with a litany of offences including a stalking and intimidation related charge, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, destroy or damage property. Police also charged him with hinder or resist police officer in the execution of duty and assault police officer without actual bodily harm. He was refused bail to appear before Parramatta Local Court on Saturday 11 January 2025, where he was formally refused bail to appear before Gosford Local Court on Thursday. The community has rallied around the small cafe owners as they take a week off work after the alleged attack Mr Granato said he couldn't thank police enough, and that they did their job 'very, very well'. He said he's closed his cafe for the week while he recovers. He opened the business on Monday, but found the work too physically and mentally taxing following the beating. He said he may yet extend the closure depending on the outcome of the alleged attacker's bail hearing on Thursday. 'We still don't feel safe. If he would come out, we won't reopen our cafe,' Mr Granato said. On Tuesday the cafe left a notice on the community Facebook page, saying they appreciated patrons' additional support on Monday. 'However, the most important factor is Felix's, Mia's and our staff's safety. Feeling safe at work is something that we never want to put aside, and this has not been the case for us,' it read. Many locals wrote messages of support for the owner. 'Your safety is paramount. Miss you guys,' one man said. Others offered any assistance they could provide. A GoFundMe has been created to support the couple and their business while they can't open their doors. British hostage Emily Damari could be freed this weekend as Israel and Hamas finalise ceasefire and hostage release details. The 28-year-old Tottenham Hotspur fan with British-Israeli citizenship was shot in the hand and leg when she was snatched from her home in southern Israel during the October 7 attack by Hamas. She is among five females and two children who are at the top of the list to be released by Hamas. Sources close to the negotiators claim that three of them will be returned to Israel on Sunday, with the remaining four freed seven days later which suggests Ms Damari will be back with her mother Mandy, who was born in Surrey, within a fortnight. They will be followed by five teenagers Naama Levy, Karina Ariev, Liri Albag, Daniela Gilboa and Agam Berger who were moved to the top of the hostage list after pressure from the Mail. Damari's mother, Mandy Damari, has been tirelessly campaigning for her daughter's release after she was kidnapped alongside twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman, 27. In November, a spokeswoman for Israel's UK embassy urged the international community to do more to influence Hamas into releasing Emily and the other hostages. Orly Goldschmidt told Sky News: 'Emily Damari, 28-year-old British-Israeli citizen, is still in the dungeon of Hamas, and we are asking for the international support, for the British support, to put pressure on Hamas to release her and the other 100 hostages.' The Tottenham Hotspur fan, Emily Damari, 28, is among five females and two children who are at the top of the list to be released by Hamas Pictured: A man walks past a giant billboard featuring portraits of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the October 7 attack Damari was kidnapped alongside twin brothers Ziv and Gali Berman, 27, on October 7 The historic Middle East peace deal was on the cusp of being reached last night after Israel and Hamas neared agreeing on ceasefire to end 15 months of bloodshed. The deal follows weeks of painstaking negotiations in the Qatari capital, and promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases, the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. Phase one of the agreement will go on for 42 days and will include a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the east away from populated areas Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a devastated territory. The second and third phases are less developed, and the details will be decided during the first phase, Thani added. 'We will continue to do everything we can, everything possible together with our partners, to ensure that this deal is implemented as it's agreed,' he said, noting that mediators had spent 411 days working on the agreement terms. 'And this deal will bring us peace, hopefully, at the end of it. I believe that it all depends on the parties of the agreement acting in good faith in that agreement in order to ensure that no collapse happening to that deal.' Donald Trump confirmed mediators had struck 'a deal for the hostages' after his 'pressure tactics' were lauded for securing an agreement that had eluded Joe Biden. 'We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you!' the US president-elect wrote on his Truth Social platform. But despite a hostage release deal nearly being reached, the sister of two British citizens murdered in the Israel-Hamas conflict has said 'there will never be any closure' until all Israeli hostages are returned. Ayelet Svatitzky, 47, said the reports emerging on Wednesday were a 'relief' after her brothers Roi and Nadav Popplewell both died and her mother Channah Peri was previously taken as a hostage. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal and hostage release, mediators announced on Wednesday People react to the reports of a possible Gaza cease fire and hostage release deal being reached during a rally calling for the return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip on January 15, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel An Israeli Black Hawk military helicopter lands inside North Gaza, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas on January 14 As news of the possible ceasefire deal was announced, there were reports of Palestinians celebrating in Khan Younis in Gaza Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement as they take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israe Speaking from Israel, she said: 'We've been praying for a deal to be signed, and every hostage [being] released is a relief for them, for the families and for us. 'Of course, it's too late for my brother, we will never be able to save them. We were able to bring him for burial, and so we know how crucial it is for for a deal to be complete and for all hostages to be brought back, for the live hostages to be released to their families and to start the healing and rehabilitating.' Asked if the reported ceasefire would bring her family closure, Svatitzky said: 'There will never be any closure for us until all the hostages are back. 'We'll be worried and we're not able to move on until the last hostage is home.' Israel is due to vote on the proposal in parliament this morning but it is expected to pass after Benjamin Netanyahu convinced his far-Right allies to fall in line. Families and loved ones of the 98 hostages held in Gaza took to the streets in Tel Aviv to celebrate the monumental agreement which will come into force on Sunday. They were seen lighting flares, waving placards and embracing as it is hoped the first captives could be freed as early as this weekend. In Gaza, men came out with Palestinian flags and danced after the news that the 467-day conflict was finally paused. After three days of intense negotiations following an early hours breakthrough on Monday, Trump proclaimed that he had helped seal an 'epic ceasefire agreement'. The President-elect said: 'I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. 'With this deal in place, my national security team, through the efforts of special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza never again becomes a terrorist safe haven.' US President Joe Biden, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R), speaks about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Grand Foyer of the White House on January 15, 2025 A man waves Palestinian flags as Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025 Supporters of Israeli hostages, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 2023 attack by Hamas, hold torches as they attend a protest to demand a deal to bring every hostage home at once, amid Gaza ceasefire negotiations, in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 15, 2025 Hours later, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu said there were 'still some unresolved clauses' that they were working to resolve. The Qatari PM paid credit to both the outgoing and incoming US presidents saying their united work was a 'clear demonstration of the commitment' of America which helped seal the deal. Biden said the framework was based on his contours laid out last May, adding: 'My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done.' While the historic deal is an important first step there are still fears the agreement could collapse and fighting resume before all the hostages are freed and Gaza rebuilt. Israel and Hamas have agreed to pause fighting for 42 days to allow 33 of the 98 hostages to be released in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. However, during this time they must begin to negotiate the much trickier second phase which would see the Israel Defence Forces gradually withdraw entirely from Gaza in exchange for the remaining hostages. Hamas is insistent it will remain in power something that is unacceptable for Israel meaning the ceasefire could collapse. The terror group breached the last ceasefire after the first phase in November 2023 by firing rockets into Israel. The Hostage Forum last night called for a deal that 'ensures the return of every person held captive'. It is understood the first phase will start with the release of female civilian hostages, with three freed as early as this Sunday. They will be followed by women soldiers before men over 50 and sick men under 50. US sources last night told Fox News that 23 out of the 33 hostages to be released are alive. Hamas is insistent it will remain in power something that is unacceptable for Israel meaning the ceasefire could collapse Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025 Steve Witkoff was seen as vital in pushing the Israelis into agreeing a breakthrough on Monday Sir Keir Starmer has said the ceasefire and hostage deal is 'long-overdue news' and paid tribute to 'the British people who were murdered by Hamas', adding: 'We will continue to mourn and remember them.' Last night Dr Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa programme at Chatham House, said: 'Donald Trump's pressure tactics and warnings to Hamas and Israel have clearly been effective in reviving the drawn-out negotiations where the Biden administration proved unwilling to exert adequate pressure over Israel's leadership.' Witkoff was seen as vital in pushing the Israelis into agreeing a breakthrough on Monday. Hamas' de-facto leader in Gaza Mohammed Sinwar then gave his blessing on Tuesday but the terror group threw a spanner in the works by demanding last-minute changes to the proposal. After Hamas backed down, Trump announced a ceasefire. It pauses a conflict that started with the October 7 attacks, the largest slaughter of Jews since the Holocaust. UN and international relief organisations estimate that some 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. They say tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and hospitals are barely functioning. Experts have warned that famine may be underway in northern Gaza, where Israel launched a major offensive in early October, displacing tens of thousands of residents. Michelle Obama is skipping Donald Trump's inauguration because she refuses to 'be fake' about her loyalties - in stark contrast to her husband's recent efforts to 'unify.' The former First Lady was noticeably absent from Jimmy Carter's funeral, where Barack was seen laughing and cozying up to the incoming President. Trump and Obama shared a warm interaction ahead of the service, having a whispered conversation with one another in a moment which set the internet alight. 'It did look very friendly, I must say,' Trump later said. But according to a source who spoke to Page Six, Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump - putting her at odds with her husband's friendly efforts. 'She's never been fake and she's never been phony. She's always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up,' the source said. 'She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesn't have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn't have to say anything. 'Her absence speaks volumes.' One of the most talked about moments was a clear moment of affection between Trump and Obama Trump's inauguration will take place on January 20. Pictured: Trump at his last inauguration in 2017 Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump - putting her at odds with her husband's friendly efforts On Wednesday, the office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed that Michelle would not be at the inauguration in a statement to the Associated Press. 'Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,' the statement read. Historically, this would be seen as a monumental snub given all former presidents and first ladies have attended inauguration - even for the president of the opposite party - unless they were suffering from health issues. But Trump himself blew up that modern precedent four years ago when he refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, President Joe Biden. First lady Melania Trump also skipped Biden's inauguration. When she missed Carter's funeral, it was immediately cleared up that she had a 'scheduling conflict' which prevented her from attending. She was enjoying an extended holiday in Hawaii at the time. But on this occasion, her office has made no such effort to explain away her absense. At the funeral, Trump sat side by side with Obama, and later revealed they get along despite their differences and their past attacks on one another. 'Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,' the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama told the outlet Michelle Obama was the only spouse absent during President Jimmy Carter's funeral on Thursday. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, former President and President-elect Donald Trump, former first lady Melania Trump, former Vice President Al Gore, former Vice President Mike Pence were all in attendance 'I didn't realize how friendly it looked,' Trump said. 'I said, "Boy they look like two people who like each other" and we probably do. We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do.' The president-elect added, 'I dont know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.' It comes amid wild conspiracy theories that the Obamas are heading for a split. The two huge non-appearances have some fans of the political power couple concerned there's trouble in paradise, with many taking to X to share their thoughts. 'I'm calling it, the Obamas are getting a divorce,' wrote one person. Another posted: 'An Obama divorce would not be on my 2025 predictions but it might happen.' The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992. The two have not shied away from sharing their struggles When they first had children, the couple had some fights, as Barack would commute on a six-hour round trip to work at the Illinois Senate, and sometimes spend days away due to his job They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001. But others noticed the former first lade has simply been less publicly engaged as she grieves the death of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May. When she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, she remarked that her grief almost kept her from coming onstage. 'I still feel her loss so profoundly - I wan't even sure I'd be steady enough to stand before you tonight,' she told the massive crowd at Chicago's United Center. Still she headlined several campaign events for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, ahead of Election Day. A Florida mother was left with mixed emotions after a jury ruled that her mom was not guilty of manslaughter in her infant daughter's death. Tracey Nix, 67, was convicted on Wednesday of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle longer than 15 minutes causing great bodily harm in her seven-month-old granddaughter Uriel Schock's November 2022 death. But a jury found her not guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child. Following the verdict, Nix was walked out of a Hardee County courtroom in handcuffs, as she is to be remanded in custody until her sentencing in April, WFLA reports. The sight caused her daughter, Kaila Nix, to step out of the courtroom - despite previously saying her mother should go to jail for letting both of her children die within the course of a year. 'I was relieved to hear there was going to be accountability and ownership and a conclusion to this part of the story,' Kaila told reporters following the verdict. But, she said, she and Uriel's father, Drew Schock, 'struggled' with the 'exclusion of my other story, which is my son who drowned in her care.' 'And so for us, this is a win for Uri, but I have a son named Ezra, and he has not been spoken of enough. And he died in her care.' Tracey Nix, 67, was convicted of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle longer than 15 minutes causing great bodily harm but was acquitted of in her seven-month-old granddaughter, Uriel Schock's November 2022 death. But a jury found her not guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child Her daughter, Kaila Nix, said she was 'relieved' by the verdict - though she was seen leaving the courtroom as her mother was led out in handcuffs Prosecutors had claimed Tracey intentionally left Uriel in a vehicle as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while she practiced piano inside her home Drew then said he is 'thankful, though, that we did get something. 'I didn't want to walk out of there and see her walk away like she's been for the past two years, and just being out and about,' he said, according to WTSP. 'I was glad to see that the jury did see our side of it, even though they didn't push for the maximum sentence. It was still, as I said, a form of justice.' An attorney representing Tracey also said he considered the aggravated manslaughter acquittal a 'win.' 'I want to thank the jury. They did their job. They made an appropriate decision in this case,' Bill Fletcher said, though he noted he does plan to appeal the guilty verdict. Prosecutors had claimed Tracey intentionally left Uriel in a vehicle as temperatures reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, while she practiced piano inside her home. Kaila had left her infant with her mother as she went to get her hair done, and said she knew her mom had lunch plans - but she trusted the friends her mother was meeting. It was after Tracey and Uriel returned home that the grandmother left the baby girl inside the vehicle, later telling police she 'just forgot' to take her out of the vehicle. Tracey was remanded in custody until her sentencing in April By the time Kaila's sister, Rebecca Tucker, arrived at her parents' Wauchula home, she saw the baby's grandfather, Nun Ney Nix, giving Uriel CPR, Fox 13 reports. Tucker then called police, a recording of which was presented to jurors over the course of the two-day trial. 'Her eyes are open, she's not moving or breathing,' Tucker said. She could then be heard asking her mother how long Uriel had been left inside the car, to which Nix replied: 'A while.' When police arrived on the scene, Nix told investigators, 'I don't want to face anybody. I can't face my daughter. I can not do that,' according to body camera footage played in court. She refused to speak about the tragedy for days after, and her husband eventually sent her to a mental health facility to help her come to terms with what happened. Uriel's death had come just months after Kaila's 16-month-old son, Ezra Schock (pictured), drowned while in Tracey's care. Uriel's death had come just months after Kaila's 16-month-old son, Ezra Schock, drowned while in Tracey's care. He had managed to open the door and climb under a fence on Tracey's property, and walked to a nearby pond, where he drowned while Tracey was asleep in December 2021. Kaila, who had an older son named Asher and was six months pregnant with Uriel at the time, rushed to her parent's home, driving 85mph and getting in a head-on collision on her way as she watched a helicopter head toward their address. 'I could see the helicopter landing,' she recalled to WSVN. 'I didnt look when there was a stop sign. 'All of my airbags went off, I dont remember how I got out, but I got out and started running to my parents house and at this point, I dont have shoes. Im just running. 'That was my desperation to get to my son.' But by the time she arrived at the home, Ezra was already dead. Ezra had managed to open a door, climb under a fence on Tracey's property and walk into a nearby pond while his grandmother was sleeping Police had attempted to file charges against Nix at the time, but the Florida Attorney's Office 'stated that a one-time lapse of judgment would not establish culpable negligence of the caretaker.' Yet when the parents were forced to rush back to Tracey's home in November 2022, Drew said he started to have flashbacks. 'When I pulled up to the house, Im coming to pick up my little girl, and there are ambulances there, and Im thinking: "What the is going on?" he told Fox 13. 'I was having flashbacks, because when I pulled back with Ezra there, it was the same exact scene.' Police showed up at Kaila's door to share the heart-wrenching news, but the mother was confused. 'I said: "Im sorry, what? I know Ezras dead. Why are you here, like what what is this?"' Kaila recalled. '[He said:] "No Kaila, your baby is dead."' 'You couldnt fathom it happening twice,' Drew said. 'Somebody has to answer for that. Drew is pictured with their older son Asher and late son Ezra at an unknown time But in court Fletcher framed the tragedy as an accident, begging jurors on Wednesday to not 'make this terrible situation worse by convicting Tracey Nix of something that she's not guilty of.' He also noted in his opening statements that Tracey was a former teacher, principal and a church member, whom he said, 'just made a mistake.' Fletcher now plans to use expert testimony that could not be brought up at this trial that states Nix was taking double to dose of Ambien than she was prescribed when she watched Uriel that day. 'She's very well-known and well-respected, and it was the medication really,' he insisted to Fox 13. But as he prepares his case, Kaila said she will continue to push for answers as to why charges were never brought in Ezra's case, and Drew said they now plan to spend time with their older son, Asher, and a newborn daughter. 'We're always going to be thinking about our children,' he said, adding: 'It's a day at a time.' Sir Keir Starmers top legal adviser yesterday refused to say whether he approved a law change which paves the way for Gerry Adams a former client to receive compensation. Lord Hermer KC, the Attorney General, was accused by Tory MPs of hiding behind a Whitehall convention as he repeatedly refused to answer questions. He also claimed he does not recall if he benefited financially from representing the former Sinn Fein leader just over a year ago in a lawsuit brought against Mr Adams by three victims of Provisional IRA bombings. It came after a furious row erupted over the Governments decision to table a law change which, it is warned, will allow Mr Adams and hundreds of other former suspected Northern Irish terrorists to lodge compensation claims. Until now, they have been blocked from receiving payouts for alleged unlawful detention in the 1970s by legislation passed under the previous Conservative administration. But the Government is planning to repeal this after Northern Irelands High Court ruled last year that the 2023 legislation breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. There is no obligation for ministers to follow the Belfast courts ruling but they have chosen to, with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn saying it shows an absolute commitment to human rights. It opens the door for Mr Adams, who has always denied being a member of the IRA, and others to get compensation. Sir Keir Starmers top legal adviser yesterday refused to say whether he approved a law change which paves the way for Gerry Adams a former client to receive compensation Lord Hermer KC, the Attorney General, was accused by Tory MPs of hiding behind a Whitehall convention as he repeatedly refused to answer questions He also claimed he does not recall if he benefited financially from representing the former Sinn Fein leader, pictured, just over a year ago in a lawsuit brought against Mr Adams by three victims of Provisional IRA bombings Lord Bew, one of sixteen senior peers opposing Labours human rights plans, said they could cost taxpayers billions. And Tory leader Kemi Badenoch branded it shameful that Labour plans to write a cheque to compensate Gerry Adams during a heated exchange at Prime Ministers Questions. Sir Keir, who appeared flustered, suggested he could now abandon the move. He replied: We are working on a draft Remedial Order and we will look at every conceivable way to prevent these types of cases claiming damages. But his official spokesman failed to say how the Government will do this. Lord Hermer, whose role is to advise the Government on a wide range of legal issues, was quizzed by MPs on the Commons justice committee. Asked by Conservative MP Sir Ashley Fox if he had approved the move, he said he could not answer because of the Law Officers Convention a long-standing rule that attorney generals cannot reveal what legal advice they have given the Government or whether they have even given any. Former Conservative minister Robert Jenrick posted on X: The Attorney General will not say whether he stands to gain financially if the Government pays out to Gerry Adams. During the Troubles, Mr Adams was twice detained without trial a practice introduced by UK ministers in Northern Ireland in a bid to contain spiralling violence in the early 1970s. Picture: Mr Adams with former Prime Minister Tony Blair Nor has he said whether he was involved in decisions which benefit his former client. Remarkable. During the Troubles, Mr Adams was twice detained without trial a practice introduced by UK ministers in Northern Ireland in a bid to contain spiralling violence in the early 1970s. More than 1,900 people suspected of being members of paramilitary or terror groups such as the IRA were detained under the powers. But in 2020, the UK Supreme Court agreed that Mr Adams and others were unlawfully detained. This conclusion was reached on a technicality, which was that then Northern Ireland secretary Willie Whitelaw had not personally signed the interim custody order. Tory former ministers rejected the ruling before passing the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which under sections 46 and 47 blocked those detained without trial from lodging compensation claims. But Labour quietly tabled secondary legislation last month which would repeal these sections. If it does not withdraw it, the Bill is likely to pass the Commons because the party has a huge majority. But it could run into trouble in the Lords, where the Tories have a majority. A British family living in America say they will have to 'rethink their life' after their business was destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires. Mandy and Raymond Church, 66 and 67, had spent the last 40 years building up their plumbing business in the Pacific Palisades, having moved to the US from West Ruislip, west London , in 1985. The couple were looking forward to enjoying their 'golden years' stateside, but saw their livelihood burnt to the ground in the wildfires, which started in the Los Angeles area on January 7. The fires have now claimed the lives of 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. Mr Church, who had worked his way up in the company before he eventually bought it with his wife and daughter Shavahn Ahmadi, said he was 'choked up' after returning to the area and seeing all of his hard work turned to ashes. He told ITV News: 'I was in tears. I'm still choked up right now. It's a lot of hard work building a business and seeing this is tough.' The family are trying to continue to operate the business from their home in Tarzana in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles. But Mrs Church says they have lost all their equipment, tools and customer base because 'Pacific Palisades is our patch'. Mandy and Raymond Church, 66 and 67, had spent the last 40 years building up their plumbing business in the Pacific Palisades The couple were looking forward to enjoying their 'golden years' stateside, but saw their livelihood burnt to the ground in the wildfires, which started in the Los Angeles area on January 7 'If we had any hindsight we would, of course, have taken some equipment out, moved the trucks out, but we didn't, and we lost everything,' Mrs Church said. The business has a staff of seven who are 'desperate for work to feed their families' and the owners say they are relying on GoFundMe donations to pay them. 'Any money that comes from the GoFundMe will be used for tools and payroll to pay the guys who work for us,' said Mrs Church. 'Ray and I will continue to pay until we can't continue to pay. Then we will have to rethink our life. We were living the American dream but now we've lost everything.' The three owners had returned to Pacific Palisades on January 8 to see if their business had survived and Mrs Ahmadi described the two-mile drive into the area as like 'being in a war'. 'It looked like someone had dropped bombs on these properties, and they were still engulfed in flames,' she said. 'The whole top floor of businesses had caved down to where our office was and it was just ash and rubble.' The family say their insurance cover is liability only and will not cover any contents inside the office or the trucks. Mrs Ahmadi slammed the local government for not being prepared for this disaster, stating that 'it should never have happened'. Mr Church said he was 'choked up' after returning to the area and seeing all of his hard work turned to ashes The couple (pictured with their family) say their insurance cover is liability only and will not cover any contents inside the office or the trucks Mrs Church says they have lost all their equipment, tools and customer base because 'Pacific Palisades is our patch'. She said: 'We found out that our water reservoir was completely empty. 'I had customers tell me they would ask the firefighters to please save my house. And they said, we have no water. 'These are our firefighters. They did everything they could with the resources that they had. They were just failed by the system. The system didn't have enough to fight these fires.' Many residents have tried to return to their homes, evading police road blocks, to assess the damage of the fires and to gather any belongings that remain. At least 24 people have died and 23 others are missing in the Eaton and Palisades fire zones, while around 150,000 people remain under an evacuation warning. More than 120,000 structures have been destroyed in the fires, with A-list celebrities including Mel Gibson and Paris Hilton among those who have lost their homes. Meteorologists warn that unseasonable drought-like conditions have turned the city into potential kindling as high winds set in. The last significant rainfall in downtown Los Angeles came in May 2024, and since October 1 just 0.16 inches of rain has fallen - compared to a historical average of 5.34 inches by this time, reports the LA Times. Pictured: A person walking amid the destruction left behind by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles Pictured: A car drives past homes and vehicles destroyed by the Palisades Fire at the Pacific Palisades Pictured: An aerial view of fire trucks, utility, and other vehicles parked along Pacific Coast Highway near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire Pictured: A neighborhood destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California Pictured: A lot is full of burned out vehicles after the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Climatologist Bill Patzert told the outlet that 'the past nine months has been one of the driest in the historical record going back to 1900. During my career, I've never seen punishing Santa Ana events so overwhelm the normal winter rain season.' In each of the three previous instances of 'particularly dangerous situation' fire warnings being issued this season, the resulting blazes brought devastation to the area. The first in November, the Mountain Fire in Ventura County, burned almost 20,000 acres and razed over 240 buildings. The next month the Franklin fire hit Malibu and destroyed 20 buildings, before the Palisades and Eaton fires this month came and marked the most dangerous and destructive yet. According to the LA Times, the 'particularly dangerous situation' alert was traditionally only used by the National Weather Service for particularly devastating tornadoes. Virgin Australia has come under fire after it offered a passenger just $75 in compensation after his suitcase was crushed during a domestic flight. Mark Trenwith demanded Virgin Australia compensate him after his suitcase was badly damaged during a flight from Adelaide to Melbourne late last year. Despite the bag being returned to him in an unusable state, Virgin Australian offered Mr Trenwith just $75 in compensation for a suitcase that cost him $219. 'The bare minimum is you expect to just get your bag back working. I thought the wheel was busted, but on further investigation, it turns out the whole thing's been crushed,' he told Yahoo News. 'My ideal outcome is that they replace the case, but it seems they've just graded it as a minor dent.' Media pressure eventually forced Virgin Australia to revise its stance and the airline compensated Mr Trenwith for the entire cost of his suitcase. The passenger said he was made to 'jump through hoops' which included getting in touch with police and filling out a 'laborious' claim. Virgin Australia was queried by Daily Mail Australia about why Mr Trenwith wasn't fully compensated right away. Mark Trenwith fought hard to get compensated fairly by Virgin Australia Virgin Australia offered one of its customers a disgraceful offer for their damaged luggage 'We investigated this matter and reached out to the guest directly to apologise and provide compensation for the claim,' a spokesperson said on Thursday. 'This matter has now been resolved.' Damage to luggage has become an all-too-common story in recent years. In December 2022, two baggage handlers were sacked after they were filmed hurling luggage, with force, onto a conveyor belt at Melbourne Airport. Many others have also had to wait months, and even years, for airlines to find their lost luggage. Michael Pascale's luggage was lost for 18 months despite only travelling from Brisbane to Sydney in 2022. Sri Lankan Airlines, who was the carrier for Qantas, offered him just $150 in compensation, but, understandably, he wasn't satisfied with the offer and took them to court and was awarded $2,700. Incidents like these are why there's been calls for an independent airline regulator to advocate for passenger rights. Meet Attorney General Lord Hermer KC, FOK. The second acronym, if you were wondering, stands for Friend of Keir. That is how Lord Hermer landed his Cabinet job. He was Sir Keir Starmers best buddy at the bar. A paradox with this furtive fellow is, for all his talk of the rigour and purity of the law, he himself is the product of manky patronage. We used to call it the old-boy network. A self-basting little capon. Fluting and breathy in the larynx, laughter-free eyes, shirt cuffs a size too big, Lord Hermer has a delight in the sound of his voice. He appeared yesterday at the Commons justice committee. Immense, grammatically flawless paragraphs ended with a smack of tongue against teeth as he punctiliously hit his closing consonants. At which his beachball face turned to the committee with a smile no brighter than the sidelights on a Wolseley Hornet. Insincere unction: its what Silks do. The select committee, mainly Labour, was stuffed with lawyers. Declarations of interest lasted as long as the Grand National. Eventually they got round to some questions. Did it matter that His Lordship was an old chum of the PM and that, unlike any attorney since 1922, had no parliamentary experience? That is how Lord Hermer, pictured, landed his Cabinet job. He was Sir Keir Starmers best buddy at the bar, writes Quentin Letts A lawyer of reasonable kidney should be able to negotiate any political rapids with ease, writes Quentin Letts Lord Hermer considered the cuticles of his stubby thumbs. A sentence started to rise out of him like a cobra from a snake charmers basket. He believed his parliamentary inexperience would, on reflection, be more advantageous than problematic. A lawyer of reasonable kidney should be able to negotiate any political rapids with ease. My personal relationships with individuals has no bearing on the legal advice I give. These words were not supported by his facial reactions. As he made this (questionable) assertion, his eyelids closed and he raised his chin, grinding his jaw in apparent irritation. Then he glared towards some point on the floor about 12ft distant. Law may be hard but politics can be harder. In politics you sometimes need to disguise your arrogance. Lord Hermer has yet to acquire that skill. His lips parted, yet there was no warmth in what one could technically call his smile. He was by now lecturing the committee on the rule of law. All MPs should be instructed on the importance and centrality of law to all that the Government does. More lawyers? Sounded like it. More power for them, too. He wanted the rule of law taught in schools. He wanted it taught in youth clubs. Scout huts, where boys once went to tie reef knots and build catapults and store tadpoles in jars, may in future be where the poor scamps will be given earnest citizenship lectures on Hermers Rule of Law. A proper select committee would have snorted derision at this lunatic idea. The bozo MPs just sat there worshipping this zealot. Lord Hermer dilated at husky length on the convention that law officers could not discuss their advice to ministers. How convenient. We thus cannot know if he, who once represented Gerry Adams, was behind a proposed change of law that could see the former Sinn Fein president being given compensation, writes Quentin Letts Lord Hermer dilated at husky length on the convention that law officers could not discuss their advice to ministers. How convenient. We thus cannot know if he, who once represented Gerry Adams, was behind a proposed change of law that could see the former Sinn Fein president being given compensation. Sir Ashley Fox (Con, Bridgwater) roughed up Hermer on this a little, wanting to know about the money he was paid for defending Adams. Sir Ashley also accused him of hiding behind a piece of paper, by which he meant that gagging convention. His Lordships temper was tested. He convulsed twice in his chair before regaining control of his fake smarm, hissing sibilants and over-emphasising vowels. Controlled rage is always more sinister than an explosion. He started venting forth, greasily, about how lawyers had to blind themselves to clients moral failings and how in some countries lawyers were assassinated for doing their job. Indeed they were. It happened in Northern Ireland in the Troubles, when judges and magistrates were blown to bloody smithereens by the IRA. Maybe Gerry Adams could tell the revolting Lord Hermer about it when next they have a chinwag. Jill Biden is 'disappointed' with her friend of 50 years, Nancy Pelosi, after she betrayed her husband Joe after his Georgia debate disaster in June. Pelosi has been widely credited as a major player in Biden's July decision to drop out of the race just months before Election Day. After Kamala Harris' loss to Donald Trump, she doubled down, saying that the president should've dropped out of the race sooner to allow for a more open primary to take his spot. 'I was asking for a campaign that would win. And I wasn't seeing that on the horizon,' she said in July, despite denying she had pushed Biden out. First Lady Jill, in an exit interview released Wednesday, does not appear to have gotten over what Pelosi did to her husband. 'Let's just say I was disappointed with how it unfolded,' Biden said, adding that 'I learned a lot about human nature.' Biden was asked about Pelosi after mentioning that she'd 'been thinking a lot about relationships.' 'It's been on my mind a lot lately, and... we were friends for 50 years. It was disappointing,' she said of the former Speaker of the House. Jill Biden is 'disappointed' with her friend of 50 years, Nancy Pelosi , after she betrayed her husband Joe after his Georgia debate disaster in June First Lady Jill, in an exit interview released Wednesday, does not appear to have gotten over what Pelosi did to her husband Mary Doody, a longtime friend of Jill and the Biden family, told the Washington Post a little more of the family's thinking about Pelosi. 'It was awful. It was mean. It was disrespectful. [Jill] talked a lot about that. I know I'm biased, but Joe Biden did not deserve that.' The former speaker has spent much of her interviews praising Biden for exiting the race. She even told CBS that he belonged on Mount Rushmore. There have long been reports Biden is angry at her for her role in his ouster. Pelosi was working behind-the-scenes to try and calm panicked Democrats after Biden's first debate performance, where he stared into space and struggled to answer questions. Democrats were worried that, with Biden at the top of the ticket, they would lose the House, Senate, and White House. Pelosi was said to be relaying those messages to the White House. Publicly, she always said she trusted Biden would make the right decision, a message she echoed in Monday's interview. Pelosi has been widely credited as a major player in Biden's July decision to drop out of the race just months before Election Day Pelosi was working behind-the-scenes to try and calm panicked Democrats after Biden's first debate performance, where he stared into space and struggled to answer questions 'I have the greatest respect for the president,' she told GMA. 'I think he will be one of the most consequential presidents in our country. I want him, his legacy, to be recognized, preserved.' 'I wasn't asking him to step down. I was asking for a campaign that would win. And I wasn't seeing that on the horizon,' she said. She also explained what it takes to have a winning campaign: 'Winning an election is a decision. You make a decision to win and make every decision in favor of winning, in terms of how you mobilize at the grassroots level and own the ground to get out the vote. How you have a message that is bold and progressive, but not menacing to the public. And how you have the money to do that, to attract that largely from small donors. And then the most important decision is the candidate.' After the election, however, she twisted the knife again, saying that if Biden had dropped out earlier, the party she has led for decades would have had time to weigh its options. Pelosi's admission that she did not want Harris to automatically become the nominee after Biden's mid-July drop-out appeared to be damage control by the longtime Democratic kingmaker after the embarrassing loss. The veteran lawmaker admitted that she wanted the president's campaign cancellation, which she helped orchestrate, to go a different way. 'Had the president gotten out sooner, there may have been other candidates in the race,' Pelosi said. 'The anticipation was that, if the president were to step aside, that there would be an open primary.' Biden was asked about Pelosi after mentioning that she'd 'been thinking a lot about relationships.' 'It's been on my mind a lot lately, and... w e were friends for 50 years. It was disappointing,' she said of the former Speaker of the House 'Let's just say I was disappointed with how it unfolded,' Biden said, adding that 'I learned a lot about human nature' That primary would have allowed many different Democratic candidates to throw their hats in the ring and make their case to the delegates. An array of candidates appeared to be in the offings, some floated Michelle Obama, others said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Reports indicate that Pelosi's plan was to have the party march forward with the primary, and Biden's rapid and unexpected endorsement derailed Pelosi's plan. 'And because the president endorsed Kamala Harris immediately, that really made it almost impossible to have a primary at that time,' Pelosi shockingly admitted. 'If it had been much earlier, it would have been different.' 'That didnt happen,' the lawmaker said. 'We live with what happened.' Pelosi said Harris may have won the open primary, though it would not have been a certainty. 'And as I say, Kamala may have, I think she would have done well in that and been stronger going forward,' Pelosi continued. 'But we dont know that.' Parents in Manchester have been warned after reports a man 'lunged' at a schoolgirl just three miles away from an 'attempted abduction' of an 11-year-old. A letter was sent out to parents and carers of Flixton Girls School in Urmston which said that a man had 'walked towards' a year 7 pupil and 'stared at her'. He then reportedly 'lunged towards her' in an attempt to scare her, Manchester Evening News reported. It happened the same day an 11-year-old girl was 'grabbed by a man and a woman' in an attempted abduction while she was on her way to school. She was approached on Silver Street in Irlam, Manchester at 8.30am on Tuesday. The girl managed to run away before telling an adult what happened. Flixton Girls School referenced the incident in their letter to parents. The letter, which was sent to parents on Wednesday, said: 'We have been made aware of an incident that took place near our school yesterday afternoon, whereby a year 7 student of ours on her way home, was approached by a stranger. A letter was sent out to parents and carers of Flixton Girls School in Urmston (pictured) 'The man who was walking towards her on Bowfell Road, stopped and stared at her, before walking towards her, then blocked her way and lunged towards her, deliberately scaring her. 'The man has been described as average height, dark hair, dark eyes, dark skin, possibly Asian. 'We believe there was also an incident in Irlam (Silver St) yesterday morning whereby a young girl was approached and grabbed by strangers. 'These incidents have been reported to the police, and the victims supported. 'We would be grateful if you could speak to your children about ensuring they stay safe and are aware of their surroundings while out in the community. 'Any concerning incidents or behaviour should be reported to the police straight away, and if your child is affected by anything like this, please do let our Welfare team know so they can be supported in school.' Greater Manchester Police has launched an investigation into the 'attempted abduction' of the girl in Irlam and on Wednesday said they had deployed extra officers to the local area. Officers believe the pair were driving around the area in a car and van but they have not specified who was driving which vehicle. The man was white, 5ft 9in tall, with short dark hair. He was clean-shaven and wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie. The woman is described as white, and wearing leggings and a black hoodie. A girl was approached on Silver Street in Irlam, Manchester, at 8.30amon Tuesday Officers said the car was a black four-door vehicle and the van was small and white, looking new and had a sliding door. Police urged anyone who lives in the area to check any dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage from around the time of the incident. Detective Inspector Justin Bryant, from GMP's Salford district, said: 'This is of course a concerning and distressing incident and I would like to reassure the community that we are doing all we can to investigate the circumstances. 'We are keen to hear from anyone who may have witnessed something or has footage from around the time of the incident. 'We would urge anyone with any information to please get in touch, as your assistance could be greatly beneficial to our work.' 'We are ensuring that the girl and the family are being kept-up-to date and supported at this time.' A Greater Manchester Police statement read: 'At around 8.30am January 14 an 11-year-old girl walking to school reported being approached by a male and female on Silver Street, Irlam, close to the junction of Cutnook Lane. 'It is believed the pair had been driving in the area in a car and a van. 'The two then grabbed hold of the girl before she was able to run away and later inform an adult. 'Officers are currently investigating the incident and have deployed extra officers to the local area for reassurance as their enquiries continue.' Chris Cuomo criticized Democratic Senator Tim Kaine on Tuesday night for discussing past marriages with defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth instead of focusing on national security. 'What questions would you have for a potential secretary of defense? What are you going to do about China, Russia, terror, Pentagon size, drones,' the NewsNation host asked viewers. 'Or would your top concern be his marriage?' Cuomo showed a clip from Hegseth's confirmation hearing on Tuesday where Kaine pressed the President-elect's defense secretary pick on accusations of infidelity in one of his previous marriages. 'I want to return to the incident that you referenced a minute ago,' Kaine said. 'At that time, you were still married to your second wife, correct? And you had just fathered a child by a woman who would later become your third wife, correct?' Hegseth responded: 'Senator I was falsely charged, fully investigated and completely cleared.' 'So, you think that you were completely cleared because you committed no crime, that's your definition of cleared? You had just fathered a child two months before by a woman that was not your wife,' Kaine asked. 'I assume that in each of your weddings, you've pledged to be faithful to your wife. You've taken an oath to do that, haven't you?' Hegseth responded that he has not been 'a perfect person.' NewsNation's Chris Cuomo showed a clip from Pete Hegseth's confirmation hearing on Tuesday where Kaine pressed the President-elect's defense secretary pick on accusations of infidelity in one of his previous marriages Senator Tim Kaine said to Hegseth: 'I just asked a simple question, you've taken an oath - like you would take an oath to be secretary of defense - in all of your weddings to be faithful to your wife, is that correct?' 'What questions would you have for a potential secretary of defense? What are you going to do about China, Russia, terror, Pentagon size, drones,' Cuomo posed to viewers. 'Or would your top concern be his marriage?' Kaine continued: 'I just asked a simple question, you've taken an oath - like you would take an oath to be secretary of defense - in all of your weddings to be faithful to your wife, is that correct?' Kaine, in what Cuomo coined 'a Bill Clinton', was insinuating that because of Hegseth's alleged infidelity in a previous marriage - where he took an oath to stay faithful - he would therefore be 'unfaithful' or disloyal in his position as secretary of defense. 'Two points of disgust: How many people on that committee, how many in Congress, could pass the Kaine test that you can't honor an oath to serve if you've ever been unfaithful? Kaine may be sitting in that room alone,' Cuomo said. Cuomo also pointed out Kaine's hypocrisy for supporting Clinton for president. 'Who cares? When we are talking about being the top warrior, not our pastor. I'll tell you who agreed with me once about this: Tim Kaine. He supported Bill Clinton for president,' he said. 'He didn't say he couldn't serve despite all he knew about his peccadilloes. He still backed him. Why? Is president not as important an oath? So, what changed?' People online also caught on to Kaine's hypocritical and intrusive cross examination of Hegseth. One user on X pointed out his history with Vice President Kamala Harris' husband, Doug Emhoff. Hegseth is President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for defense secretary. Hegseth previously worked as a TV presenter, notably for Fox News Kaine, in what Cuomo coined 'a Bill Clinton', was insinuating that because of Hegseth's alleged infidelity in a previous marriage - where he took an oath to stay faithful - he would therefore be 'unfaithful' or disloyal in his position as secretary of defense 'Tim Kaine was WAY too interested in Pete Hegseth's sex life... interesting. And let's not forget he campaigned with Doug Emhoff, who was accused of assaulting his ex. And never once denied it.' Another user wrote: 'Tim Kaine has a lot to say about Pete Hegseth's conduct during his marriage. Here's Tim Kaine campaigning with Doug Emhoff, who -while married - impregnated his nanny and forced her to get an abortion.' One said: 'So, this guy is questioning Pete Hegseth about his past, but wasn't he Hillary Clinton's running mate and wasn't Bill having numerous affairs? 'So, I'm confused... you are holy than thou talking about affairs, and you seem so disgusted by them, but you are friends with a person who had numerous affairs.and we had to pay for one of those. like $850,000 to one of them. Right?' 'Tim Kaine opposed the impeachment of Bill Clinton, who had sex in the oval office while being president and being married to somebody else. But now Tim Kaine has questions of marital fidelity and qualification for office for Pete Hegseth,' another wrote. However, Tim Kaine also took to X and posted: 'There is a long, documented history of Pete Hegseth's on-the-job intoxication and completely inappropriate behavior. Under no circumstances can our national security be threatened by intoxicated leadership.' In another post he said: 'Pete Hegseth hid his alleged sexual misconduct, ensuing criminal investigation, and private settlement he reached with his accuser while under consideration to lead the DOD. He knew it would hurt his chances. How can he be trusted to be honest with the President and public?' Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have reportedly held talks about deploying British and French soldiers to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping mission. The proposal, which hinges on a peace deal to end the ongoing war, is said to be championed by Mr Macron, who has already discussed the idea with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Neither Downing Street nor the Elysee Palace denied that the possibility of such a deployment was raised during Sir Keir's meeting with Mr Macron at Chequers last week. While details of their discussions remain under wraps, UK government sources have suggested that Sir Keir is not fully committed to the idea at this stage. A senior Whitehall source told The Telegraph: 'There are challenges over what we could support, what we would want to support, and the broader question about the threat to troops and whether it would be seen as escalatory.' Yet, Starmer today signed a 100-year partnership between the UK and Ukraine to help rebuild the war-torn county with the aid of British firms and private sector loans, The Sun reports. The idea to deploy soldiers comes as European leaders prepare for a shift in US policy under Donald Trump, who returns to the White House on Monday. During his campaign, Mr Trump promised to push for a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, though he has since tempered his initial pledge to end the war on 'day one.' A French and British solider pictured together during a military exercise in eastern France in 2015 Sir Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron have reportedly held talks about deploying British and French soldiers to Ukraine as part of a potential peacekeeping mission Macron has already discussed the idea with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky Mr Macron has reportedly proposed deploying Western troops along a newly established Ukrainian-Russian border to enforce peace terms and protect Ukraine from future aggression. President Zelensky has publicly acknowledged discussing the French initiative. He said on social media this week that he and Mr Macron had talked about 'practical steps' to implement a military peacekeeping force and involve other nations. The UK has so far avoided committing troops to Ukraine directly, with Rishi Sunak and his predecessors focusing on military aid rather than personnel deployment. The idea of British soldiers acting as peacekeepers, however, is gaining traction in political circles. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and several former defence secretaries, including Grant Shapps and Sir Gavin Williamson, have expressed support for deploying Western forces to secure any peace deal. But the prospect raises significant challenges. Military experts warn that the UK's armed forces are already stretched thin, while any troop deployment could escalate tensions with Moscow. Questions also remain about whether a no-fly zone would be imposed and how such an operation would be enforced. The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a leading defence think tank, has also raised concerns about the feasibility of a Western-led peacekeeping mission without US involvement. A peacekeeping mission would likely place further strain on the UK's defence budget, with the Ministry of Defence already facing financial pressures. Sir Keir is expected to announce plans this spring to increase defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP, but experts doubt whether this target can be achieved before 2030. A French soldier wearing camouflage walks behing another during a French-US 'Royal Blackhawk' military exercise with French, US, Dutch, British and Belgian troops, on May 20, 2015 Emmanuel Macron and Sir Keir Starmer held talks at Chequers last week Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L), greets Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at 10 Downing Street on July 19, 2024 in London, England Ukraine is not a member of NATO, which complicates the deployment of troops under the alliance's collective defence rules. Western nations, however, have repeatedly stated their commitment to supporting Ukraine's sovereignty and independence. A UK government spokesperson said: 'The UK is taking a leading role in supporting Ukraine, which is why the Prime Minister committed 3 billion a year of military support for Ukraine for as long as it takes. 'Our focus remains on bolstering Ukraine's defence, and we continue to push international partners to ramp up their financial support to Ukraine to ensure Putin loses.' It comes after Starmer in November 'doubled down' on the UK's support of Ukraine as he insisted Britain only supplies weapons to Ukraine for 'self-defence' after Storm Shadow missiles were fired on Russia for the first time. 'After 1,000 days of war, 1,000 days of Ukrainian bravery and sacrifice, I am clear that we must double down in our support. We will not be deterred or distracted by reckless threats,' he said. 'We have consistently said we'll do what it takes to support Ukraine and put it in the best possible position going into the winter. 'The UK's support for Ukraine is always for self-defence, it is proportionate, co-ordinated, agile and a response to Russia's own actions and it is in accordance with international law.' As European leaders grapple with how to secure Ukraine's future, the idea of British and French troops on the ground highlights the high stakes of maintaining Western unity amid shifting geopolitical dynamics. A high profile mum has been charged with the torture of a one-year-old girl, allegedly posting videos of the results in a bid to get donations and online followers. Queensland Police allege a 34-year-old Sunshine Coast woman gave several unauthorised prescription and pharmacy medicines to the child over a three month period while documenting the infant's battle with a terminal illness on social media. Police allege the woman went to great lengths to obtain the unauthorised medications and cover up her alleged actions by using leftover medicine for another member of the household. The alleged abuse was detected on October 15 after the girl was admitted to a Brisbane hospital suffering a serious medical episode. Doctors alerted police, who launched an investigation. 'While the child was being subject to immense distress and pain, it is alleged the woman filmed and posted videos of the child,' a police statement read. 'It is alleged the content produced exploited the child and was used to entice monetary donations and online followers.' Following extensive investigations, Child Protection and Investigation Unit detectives arrested the woman at an Underwood house on Thursday morning. Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU) detectives arrested the woman at an Underwood house on Thursday morning She was charged with five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things, and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud. Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said offences like the ones alleged were abhorrent. '[There are] no words for how repulsive (alleged) offences of this nature are,' Det Insp Dalton told reporters on Thursday. 'We are too often faced with the worst offences against children.' 'We will do everything in our power to remove that child from harm's way and hold any offender to account. 'There is no excuse for harming a child, especially not a one-year-old infant who is reliant on others for care and survival.' Police also allege the woman raised A$60,000 (30,500) through GoFundMe donations - which the site is attempting to repay. The woman will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. A billionaire dubbed 'Canada's Jeffrey Epstein' will face a class action suit after he was accused of sexually assaulting girls as young as 11 as part of an organized 'prostitution system.' Robert Miller, 81, allegedly paid minors for sex between 1994 and 2006 and recruited them with the assistance of employees from his company, Future Electronics. This week, Quebec Superior Court Judge Catherine Piche ruled that a class action launched by three of Miller's alleged victims could proceed. 'These extremely serious acts allegedly took place over several years, when they were between the ages of 11 and 17,' she wrote in her decision, according to CBA. 'The court should not, at this stage, consider the merits of the dispute and it should take the facts as proven, unless they appear improbable or manifestly inaccurate.' The class action has been launched by three women who allege they were victims of Miller, and also targets Future Electronics. If the class action is successful, Miller could be ordered to hand over up to $150million in damages. Lawyer for the plaintiffs Jeff Orenstein told the court he'd been approached by 51 alleged victims. Robert Miller, 81, allegedly paid minors for sex between 1994 and 2006 and recruited them with the assistance of employees from his company, Future Electronics This week, Quebec Superior Court Judge Catherine Piche ruled that a class action launched by three of Miller's alleged victims could proceed One of three women attached to the class action claimed she was 11 when she first had sex with Miller. The other two women allege they were 16 and 17. Miller, who is suffering late-stage Parkinson's disease, is also facing 24 criminal charges relating to the allegations. The women, and others who came forward since, detailed an alleged shockingly efficient operation that lured girls in and paid them for sex over three decades. His lawyers have requested he be questioned in writing due to the severity of his medical condition. In November, a judge ordered that two of Miller's properties be seized pending four civil action lawsuits filed by women who allege he abused them as minors. The homes, valued at $2 million Canadian each, were reportedly listed under companies in an attempt by Miller to conceal his wealth. Miller denies all allegations against him. He stepped down as chairman and CEO of Future Electronics in February 2023 to focus on defending his reputation and his health concerns. 1. The Scotsman newspaper warns that bagpipes face an existential threat. Their poor sales last year found them in the bottom three worst-selling instruments in the UK, along with the kazoo and the bassoon. 2. Bagpipe farms have long been in decline, with bagpipe farmers drifting towards more popular stock, such as sheep or cattle. On a clear day, you used to be able to see hundreds of bagpipes grazing on the Cairngorms, says long-standing bagpipe breeder Euan MacAbre. But now youd be able to spot just a handful and then only when the fog lifts. 3. The distinctive sound of herds of bagpipes droning on the hillsides is no longer a familiar part of Highland life. In the old days, youd hear the glorious sound of four or five hundred male and female bagpipes with their wee ones, but those days are long past, says Rory McRoragh, who recently converted his family-run bagpipe slaughterhouse close to Loch Laggan into a mobile phone outlet. 4. At the end of last year, Edinburgh Zoo welcomed a pair of bagpipes, male and female, in the hope that they would breed. Though they fast became a massive visitor attraction the two bagpipes, Mork and Mindy, have yet to grow close. Mork, the male bagpipe, seems keen, but Mindy is standoffish, just scowling back at him, and scuttling away at the first sign of an unwanted approach. Bagpipe farms have long been in decline, with bagpipe farmers drifting towards more popular stock, such as sheep or cattle, writes Craig Brown. Picture: Bagpiper playing near the ruins of Urquhart Castle along the shores of Loch Ness, Highlands We reckon its the sound Mork makes that Mindy cant bear a sort of high-pitched wail, says a spokesman. For Mork, its a romantic ballad, full of unrequited love and yearning, but for Mindy it sounds more like a fire alarm, or a pig being strangled. 5. In his scholarly book, From Farmyard To Instrument: The History Of The Bagpipe From Pre-History To The Present Day, bagpipe historian Professor Hamish McGlower argues that for over 10,000 years, the bagpipe was farmed for its meat alone. In the days of St Cainnech of Aghaboe (515-600), Bagpipe Broth, cooked with neeps, onions and plenty of salt, was a staple dish for rural Highlanders. But at the dawn of the 12th century, they realised they could better employ the discarded necks of bagpipes as useful tent-pegs. 6. Prof McGlower believes it was not until the late medieval period that the bagpipe was first used as a musical instrument. Legend has it that one day a prominent chieftain was about to slaughter a bagpipe when the bagpipe started wriggling. To hold him more firmly, the chieftain pressed his elbow against the bagpipes stomach, and, as if from nowhere, this strange, ethereal noise emerged. Members of The Royal Society for the Promotion of the Living Bagpipe all keep their bagpipes as domestic pets, and pick them up and play them when the mood takes them. Picture: Scottish piper playing the bagpipes in traditional highland costume Edinburgh Within minutes, the chieftains entire household began to holler Scotland the Brave to the sound of the bagpipe moaning in the background. And thus a wonderful page of musical history was turned. 7. Some still insist the bagpipe is best played while still living. The Royal Society for the Promotion of the Living Bagpipe (RSPLB) was founded in 1811. Its members all keep their bagpipes as domestic pets, and pick them up and play them when the mood takes them. 8. The bagpipe makes a truly excellent companion somewhere between a cat and a budgerigar, says RSPLB president Hughie McLintoch. I walk my pet bagpipe twice a day, and feed it on milk and tatties. In return, she climbs up on my lap every Sunday afternoon and puffs out her stomach. Then shes happy to let me play The Bonny, Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond on her for an hour or two. Theres no cruelty involved. 9 Upset by the rapid decline in youngsters wishing to take up the instrument, thousands of keen bagpipers are planning a mass rally on Edinburghs Royal Mile next month and play for hours on end. Residents have already taken to double-glazing their windows and sound-proofing their living rooms. Bagpipes can be dreadfully noisy. I do wish theyd contemplate switching to a quieter, more melodic animal instrument, complains Isabel McTavish, Treasurer of the Scottish Society of Goldfish Flautists. A transgender woman has been included in BAFTA's leading actress category for the first time ever. Karla Sofia Gascon, 52, from Spain, has starred in the Mexican musical comedy Emilia Perez, which depicts a cartel boss who transitions from a man to a woman. The British Academy of Film followed the lead of the Golden Globes and Cannes Film Festival in including transgender performers in the best actress category. It comes after BAFTA decided to introduce the gender-neutral title of 'performer' in 2024 for actors who did not wish to have 'actor' or 'actress' on their award. It has been suggested that the academy is considering removing actor and actress categories altogether, but this has not been confirmed yet. The Spanish drama Emilia Perez has come in second in the number of nominations with 11 BAFTA nods after sweeping up 10 gongs in the US award ceremony. The hit thriller Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci and Isabella Rossellini has beaten box-office juggernauts Gladiator 2 and Wicked to win 12 BAFTA nominations including best actor and best film. Gladiator 2 has yet again been snubbed by Award judges after it was shunned for Best Film and its leading man, the Irish star Paul Mescal, 28, failed to make the BAFTA longlist for Best Actor. Transgender actress Karla Sofia Gascon has been included in BAFTA's leading actress category for the first time ever Gascon, 52, from Spain , has starred in the Mexican musical comedy Emilia Perez Adriana Paz, Selena Gomez, Karla Sofia Gascon, and Zoe Saldana, winners of the Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy award for Emilia Perez It comes after Ridley Scotts epic was snubbed at the Golden Globes in the US earlier this month after it was nominated for just two awards and failed to take any home. Denzel Washington, 70, who played Macrinus, was long-listed as a supporting actor but has been bumped off the nominations list by BAFTA judges. British actress, Kate Winslet, 49, has similarly dropped out of the running for a BAFTA for her role as Lee Miller in the war photographers biopic after being included in the longlist last month. Elsewhere in the BAFTA nominations, the Succession brothers, Jeremy Strong and Keiran Culkin will battle it out for Supporting Actor for their performances in A Real Pain and the Trump biopic, The Apprentice. Strong, 46, is known for being difficult to work with on set for his F***ing annoying acting methods - according to Brian Cox who he starred opposite alongside the younger Culkin brother, 42, in the HBO hit series. This week it was also revealed that the Princess of Wales is set to make her biggest comeback to royal working life with a show-stopping appearance at next month's Bafta film awards. Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gascon attends the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards The Spanish drama Emilia Perez has come in second in the number of nominations with 11 BAFTA nods Insiders at the awards say they are 'pulling out all the stops' to ensure the ceremony marks Kate's triumphant return to the red carpet after her cancer ordeal. Bafta film committee chairman Anna Higgs says she is 'very hopeful' Kate will accompany husband William, the academy's president, at London's Royal Festival Hall on February 16. An insider adds Bafta is 'throwing everything at securing' Kate's presence, aware of the worldwide fanfare her arrival will herald. Kate missed the awards last year weeks before she revealed in a video message on March 22 that she was suffering from cancer. Before her video, the public merely knew she had been admitted to hospital for planned abdominal surgery. William walked the red carpet alone at the Baftas. President Joe Biden gave a fiery final farewell to the nation Wednesday evening, tearing into Donald Trump as he touted his policies over the past four years. The 82-year-old president did not shy away from ripping into his top political foe Trump who will be sworn in as the 47th president in just five days. Biden used his final message to Americans delivered from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to warn the country of 'some things that give me great concern.' That included not-so-subtle digs at Trump as he said the most 'dangerous' concern is putting power in the hands of 'a very few ultra wealthy people.' 'Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead.' He also listed his most cherished accomplishments including his infrastructure law, clean energy initiatives and bringing the country out of the COVID pandemic. Top political experts and speechwriters across Republican and Democratic administrations were divided on their evaluations of Biden's final political performance. Jonathan Bronitsky: 'A hollowed-out man' Grade: C+ 'Biden seemed relaxed,' said co-founder and CEO of ATHOS Jonathan Bronitsky. That's most likely because he's been 'getting plenty of rest, hiding from the press, the American people, and the world' over the last few months. President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office Jill Biden looks on as Joe speaks Bronitsky, who also served as the chief speechwriter for Trump's Attorney General Bill Barr, said Biden's early anecdote about the Statue of Liberty was 'touching,' but clearly signaled it was not written by him. 'Even his progressive speechwriters seemed out of gas,' he went on. 'After a second Trump victory and more than 77 million votes, they couldn't muster one more desperate gasp of fire.' Bronitsky said the speech, that should have been delivered two - or four - years ago, was out of touch. 'He took credit for things he didn't do, lied about achievements that never happened, and exaggerated the challenges his administration supposedly overcame.' And Biden's 82 years on earth was on full display as he 'rumbled, bumbled, and stumbled' his way through. 'This summation of a political career is nothing short of tragic. Civics class teaches us elected office is a noble pursuit, but this is what it's come to: a hollowed-out man squinting into a teleprompter, struggling to spit out someone else's words.' David Litt: 'Biden warned us' Grade: A Former President Obama's senior speechwriter David Litt told DailyMail.com that Biden's oligarchy warning was critical. It will be seen as one of his 'final acts of public service to the country he loved and spent his life fighting for.' Biden used his final message to Americans delivered from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office to warn the country of 'some things that give me great concern' 'George Washington used his farewell address to warn America about the dangers of faction,' he explained. 'Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us of the dangers about the military-industrial complex. And Joe Biden warned us of the dangers of oligarchy.' Litt said that 'MAGA commentators' will 'doubtless regard Bidens words with the class and basic decency for which theyre renowned.' 'But the rest of America including the America that voted for Trump yet worried he would be too extreme if elected wont be so glib.' He says that there are signs 'buyer's remorse' with Trump is already setting in with his 'radical and unqualified' Cabinet picks - like Pete Hegseth. 'In retrospect, Washington and Eisenhowers warnings came too late. Was Bidens delivered just in the nick of time? Thats for us, not him, to decide.' Jessica Anderson: 'He's sleepwalking out' Grade: F Jessica Anderson, president of Sentinel Action Fund, told DailyMail.com that the president 'appears to be sleepwalking out of office.' She said the farewell speech was nothing more than a 'feeble attempt to rewrite the history of his failed presidency.' 'Bidens last-ditch effort to rehabilitate his historically low approval ratings and dismal record only reminded Americans why they elected President Trump and a Republican Majorityto put our country on a new path and correct the damage from Bidens far-left agenda.' She went on to say the address won't ease the 'pain and suffering caused by his policies' and looks forward to the GOP takeover in Washington. Joel Payne: 'Biden surprised us' Grade: A- Democratic strategist Joel Payne said that Biden 'surprised us' with his performance tonight. 'I think a lot of Democrats will be pleasantly surprised with how Joe Biden showed up tonight,' he told DailyMail.com. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice-President Kamala Harris and First Lady Jill Biden listen to President Joe Biden Hunter Biden (far right) also joined to watch his father's last political speech That's because he did not simply 'do a laundry list of his accomplishments' and instead gave some 'purpose and some meaning to the moment.' He defined the 'fight ahead' clearly, he went on. 'I think it'll be well received that Joe Biden is kind of doing this call to arms, a real clear laying of the gauntlet to his political opposition, but maybe even more importantly, to his political allies and to the American people about what lies ahead.' 'I think he made news by defining the political battlefield at this moment. I thought he did it excellently, and I think his speech will be well received by folks who maybe werent expecting a lot.' Bali Nine member Matthew Norman has been arrested in Sydney just weeks after his return to Australia. Norman has been charged over an alleged car theft that happened almost 20 years ago, before his failed drug smuggling mission to Indonesia. He handed himself in at Waverley Police Station in eastern Sydney on Monday after discovering officers had not forgotten about the alleged offence, according to the Daily Telegraph. He was put back behind bars when police refused him bail, although later on Monday he faced court and Magistrate Stephen Barlow granted him bail. Police allege he and Bali Nine counterpart Renae Lawrence stole a white Ford Laser hatchback from Gosford in March 2005. The pair allegedly went on a joyride that ended when police stopped them with road spikes. Norman faced court for the alleged offence back in 2005, but was released on bail and left the country for his drug smuggling trip to Indonesia. His new charge comes after he made a secret pilgrimage to his mother's graveside. Norman has been charged over an alleged car theft that happened almost 20 years ago, before his failed drug smuggling mission to Indonesia Norman has been living at the $4million home of a Christian family in Torquay, on the Great Ocean Road south of Melbourne, since his release and attending a local church Norman's mother Robyn never got to see her son walk free from jail before she died in January 2024 while he was still serving almost 20 years for trafficking heroin. But after his sudden release from Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison last month, one of the first things Norman, 38, did on his return to Australia was to visit her grave. He has been living at a $4million home in Torquay, on the Great Ocean Road south of Melbourne, since his release and attending a local church. The property is owned by Christian couple Ann and Alan Wilkins, who offered it to Norman after forming a close relationship with him while he was in prison. Norman's Indonesian wife Anita, who has joined him as he rebuilds his life in his home country, says he is gradually settling back into life as a free man. 'Thank you for all of our lovely friends that keep praying for this miracle,' she posted on Facebook. 'Rejoice, happiness. Visited his mum's grave and his dad and his pop and sisters, uncles and nephews.' Norman was sentenced to death in 2006 after he was caught trying to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin out of Bali. The sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2008. His Indonesian wife, Anita, who has joined Matthew Norman (pictured together) as he rebuilds his life in his home country, has revealed how he has tried to settle back into life as a free man Norman, along with Scott Rush, Michael Czugaj, Martin Stephens and Si Yi Chen were all released from prison in Indonesia last month, after being jailed almost 20 years ago. They were transferred home to Australia after the federal government struck a deal with Indonesia following weeks of negotiations. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese requested the transfer at a meeting with new Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto at the APEC Summit in November. President Subianto agreed to let the prisoners free on humanitarian grounds. Organisers of the Miss France beauty pageant are 'fearing' for the safety of their recently crowned winner over her failure to back the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Angelique Angarni-Filopon, 34, has faced a barrage of online insults including racism and ageism since she became the oldest winner of the competition last month. It has been described by the organisers as a worrying trend of increasing levels of hatred directed towards the winners each year, The Times reported. However Angarni-Filopon, a flight attendant from the Martinique in the Caribbean, has faced 'unprecedented violence' from the public. Last week she was asked in a radio interview 'are you Charlie?' - a reference to the 'Je Suis Charlie' slogan adopted across the country in the wake of an Islamic terror attack on the magazine which killed 12 people in 2015. She refused to answer the question which led to the magazine publishing a drawing of three mullahs holding up a sign saying 'Je Suis Miss France'. The drawing was captioned: 'Miss France n'est pas Charlie' - Miss France is not Charlie. The massacre in 2015 was carried out by two brothers claiming allegiance to al-Qaida. Angelique Angarni Filopon who won the Miss France 2025beauty pageant in December The new Miss France has faced a barrage of online insults including racism and ageism A drawing in the Charlie Hebdo magazine was captioned: 'Miss France n'est pas Charlie' - Miss France is not Charlie President Emmanuel Macron (C-R) stands with Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo (C-L) and others marking 10 years since an Islamist attack on the Charlie Hebdo satirical newspaper Armed with assault rifles they stormed what were then the offices of Charlie Hebdo and killed a dozen people in a bid to avenge the Prophet Mohammad nearly a decade after the atheist and frequently provocative weekly published cartoons mocking the Prophet. Two days after they were attacked, four Jewish shoppers were murdered in the Hyper Casher kosher supermarket in Vincennes, east of Paris, by terrorist Amedy Coulibaly. At a service to remember those who died on the 10th anniversary of the attacks, anti-semetic graffiti was seen scrawled up around the city. The killings spurred an outpouring of national sympathy expressed in the slogan 'Je Suis Charlie' - translating to I am Charlie - and prompted an impassioned debate about freedom of expression and religion in secular France. Angarni-Filopon responded to the online criticism on social media, saying her response had been 'clumsy'. She added: 'It would be absurd to think that I could condone such barbaric acts that bought so many families into mourning. 'Charlie Hebdo embodies profound issues and freedom of expression is a fundamental value in France.' Angelique Angarni-Filopon has had to apologise for her comments about Charlie Hebdo She has suggested she may take legal action against some of her online trolls She is not the first winner to face online abuse. Last year's winner Eve Giles became the centre of a bizarre woke row over her short hair. She was the first winner in the 103-year history of the pageant who didn't have long hair - much to the dismay of some viewers. Unimpressed viewers accused the judges of going 'woke' in their decision. As well as also having short hair Angarni-Filopon has received insults about her age, despite the competitions rules changing in 2022 to allow women over 24 to take part. The Miss France winner said in a television interview: 'All Miss France winners pay a heavy price. 'What people don't realise is I have nephews that come across these comments. 'I steel myself against them, but my nephews do not necessarily do so.' She said she will block people who insult her online and hinted that she may take legal action against some of her trolls. The fury comes just weeks after the country marked the 10th anniversary of the jihadist attacks. The French President and his wife joined Charlie Hebdo's editor for a solemn memorial on January 7 in Paris to mark the tenth anniversary of a attack on the newspaper's offices. Emmanuel Macron, alongside his wife Brigitte, and Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo, are leading tributes at the site of the attack where 12 people, including some of France's most beloved cartoonists, were killed on January 7, 2015. The commemorations include a wreath-laying ceremony and a minute's silence at three locations in the capital. Among those remembered was Ahmed Merabet, a police officer who was gunned down on the street while defending the satirical newspaper. Al Qaeda's Yemen branch had placed Charlie Hebdo's then editor, Stephane Charbonnier, on its 'wanted list' after the magazine first ran the images of the holy figure in 2006. The gunmen killed eight members of the editorial team, including Charbonnier, and four other people before being shot dead by police. Two days after they were attacked, four Jewish shoppers were murdered in the Hyper Casher kosher supermarket in Vincennes, east of Paris, by terrorist Amedy Coulibaly. Like Said and Cherif Kouachi, the Paris-born killers of the Charlie staff, Coulibaly was himself later killed by special forces. Donald Trump sent a message of 'out with the old, in with the new' by naming and shaming many of his former Cabinet members while honoring his new administration. The president-elect will officially return to the White House on Monday, with the Senate process of confirming several of his nominees already underway. Trump congratulated his new administration employees in a Truth Social post Wednesday night, before ripping several of those who either worked for him during his first term or stopped supporting him. He wrote: 'As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years. We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and it will happen very quickly!' Trump then advised any hiring managers that 'it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by' a list of anti-Trump Republicans 'in order to save time, money, and effort.' He specifically named 11 different Republicans and first-term Trump employees, many of them coming with nicknames. Trump played some of his hits, referring to ex-UN Ambassador and primary opponent Nikki Haley as 'Birdbrain.' He also singled out 'disloyal warmongers Dick Cheney and his psycho daughter, Liz,' referring to the former vice president and Wyoming Congresswoman who endorsed Harris. Donald Trump sent a message of 'out with the old, in with the new,' naming and shaming many of his former Cabinet members while honoring his new administration, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis (pictured center) and Vice President Mike Pence (pictured right) The president-elect will officially return to the White House on Monday, with the Senate process of confirming several of his nominees already underway, including Pete Hegseth (pictured left) Trump also said he had no use for those backed by first-term Vice President Mike Pence, who said he did not vote for Trump in November. The group Americans for Prosperity was derided as 'Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch).' He returned a familiar nickname, 'Dumb as a Rock' for ex-National Security Advisor John Bolton. Trump has previously used that descriptor on Joe Biden, Rex Tillerson and Olivia Nuzzi. He also claimed to not want to hear the opinions of Paul Ryan, Mark Milley, James Mattis or Mark Esper, whom he called 'Yesper.' Ryan was Speaker of the House for the first two years of the Trump administration, Mattis and Esper Secretary of Defense, Milley chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Trump also refused the help of 'any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!' Each of Trump's picks will be effectively on trial before the senators in the committees overseeing the federal agencies. Trump singled out 'disloyal warmongers Dick Cheney and his psycho daughter, Liz (pictured left),' referring to the former vice president and Wyoming Congresswoman who endorsed Harris The hearings have live audiences, are televised and typically generate massive interest for the most controversial nominees. The cast includes multiple former Fox News personalities, several lawmakers, a couple of governors, politicos and corporate execs. Controversial stories potentially implicating some of these nominees have floated for months since the president-elect announced his selections after the election. These reports have been marinating in the minds of some lawmakers and - given the importance of these Cabinet roles - the senators will be eager to probe these sensitive areas to sniff out any bad apples. Before Trump takes the oath of office, he will get an opportunity to watch his picks stand up to Senate scrutiny and see if they have what it takes to look good on TV while defending his agenda to the bitter end. The Senate currently has a 53 - 47 Republican majority, meaning Trump's selections do have a slight advantage as each nominee needs a simple majority of 51 affirmative votes to get confirmed. Still, many Republicans have been vocal about their disapproval of the president-elect's selections, so nominees have been busy preparing their defenses. Jill Biden and Kamala Harris have put their rumored differences aside in a show of support for the President during his final address to the American public. The First Lady sat beside Vice President Harris and her husband Doug in the Oval Office as Joe Biden delivered his last message. Moving pictures show the two women smiling and even holding hands after months of rumors that the are 'feuding' after Harris became the Democrat presidential candidate for the 2024 election. 'It's been the highest honor of my life to lead you as commander in chief and of course, to Kamala and her incredible partner. The historic vice president. She and Doug have become like family. And to me, family is everything,' Biden said, prompting the warm show of affection from Jill. Sources claim Dr. Jill Biden has long disliked Harris, dating back to her ravaging Biden on the debate stage in June 2019 - during the first Democratic debate of the 2020 cycle. On Wednesday night, a visibly emotional Biden thanked his wife and family for standing by him during five decades in politics, before issuing a parting warning to voters. 'Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, the freedoms and the fair shot for everyone to get ahead,' he added, in a reference to the billionaire advisers to Trump, which includes Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. 'This is a dangerous concern. And that's the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people. And the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked.' The First Lady sat beside Vice President Harris and her husband Doug in the Oval Office as Joe Biden delivered his last message 'This will be my final address to you from the American people, from the Oval Office, from this desk as president,' Biden said Moving pictures show the two women smiling and even holding hands after months of rumors that the are 'feuding' after Harris became the Democrat presidential candidate for the 2024 election After four years marred by slip-ups and gaffes during public appearances, he delivered the address from the teleprompter without mistake as he gazed at the camera. During the president and vice president's first public appearance after the Democrats handed the White House back to President-elect Donald Trump, Dr. Biden sat stone-faced next to Harris and Emhoff. The event was the traditional Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery, which put the first and second couples together just six days after Harris' loss. On Election Day, Dr. Biden sported a red pantsuit - the traditional color for Republicans - which led to speculation from the MAGA crowd that she didn't really want Harris to win. And at the Kennedy Center Honors last month, those watching the presidential box noticed that neither Biden acknowledged Harris or Emhoff when the crowd stood to welcome them to the Kennedy Center. White House spokesperson Andrew Bates denied any chill in the relationship between the president and vice president, while Harris' spokesperson Kirsten Allen said Biden and Harris 'have a close working relationship and have developed a friendship that extends to both of their spouses.' It comes after insiders suggested Dr. Biden was telling her husband to 'burn the house down' on his way out the door for the way he was treated by his colleagues. After his disastrous June 27 debate against Trump, top party leaders pressured 82-year-old Biden to bow out. President Joe Biden gives his farewell address to the nation Vice President Kamala Harris (left) was seated next to Dr. Jill Biden (right) at the annual Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery six days after losing the election. Insiders suggested the relationship is even more 'frosty' behind-the-scenes Dr. Jill Biden's (right) feud with Vice President Kamala Harris (center) allegedly continued through the post-election period, with sources saying things are 'frosty' between the Bidens and Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff (right) He did so on July 21 - endorsing Harris a few hours later. The president has been giving his VP the cold shoulder after her resounding loss to Donald Trump last month, who beat her both in the popular vote and the electoral college. He has reportedly indicated he thinks he would have won. Some officials told the Daily Mail that Biden genuinely believed Harris could defeat Trump and is struggling to understand how she blew the race and a billion dollars in campaign contributions so spectacularly. Of course, some in the Democratic Party blame Biden himself arguing he should have dropped out of the race far sooner than he did, and that more time would have benefited Harris's campaign. 'It's almost Shakespearean that Biden didn't just kill his own campaign, he killed hers, too,' a Harris campaign adviser rather dramatically told the Washington Post on Monday. A 13-year-old boy's alleged stabbing of a random Coles worker who was stocking a fridge has exposed a key loophole in Queensland's new 'adult crime, adult time' laws. The teenager is accused of taking a knife from inside the supermarket in Ipswich's Yamanto Shopping Centre, southwest of Brisbane, and stabbing Coles duty manager Claudia Campomayor Watt, 63, about 5.20pm on Monday. Ms Campomayor was rushed to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital with the knife still embedded in her back in a critical condition. On Thursday, her family confirmed she had been moved out of intensive care and is no longer sedated, and has been able to communicate with loved ones. It's alleged the boy tried to flee the scene but was pinned down by shoppers and security guards until police arrived. He was charged with attempted murder on Tuesday morning and no application was made for his bail at Ipswich Children's Court. His matter will be heard again on February 25. Queensland Police do not believe the 13-year-old boy and Ms Campomayor interacted before the alleged stabbing. The alleged random attack was deja vu for many Queenslanders as the latest crime scene was just a 20-minute drive from where grandmother Vyleen White was allegedly murdered by a youth offender in February 2024. Claudia Campomayor (pictured) was allegedly stabbed in the back by a 13-year-old boy while working at Coles Police arrested the teenager (pictured in blue) at Ipswich's Yamanto Shopping Centre, southwest of Brisbane However, their reignited fear quickly turned to anger after learning the rushed 'adult crime, adult time' laws brought by Premier David Crisafulli did not include attempted murder. Mr Crisafulli's law, which were central to the Liberal Party's election platform, came into effect on December 13 following public outrage at low sentences for children who commit violent crimes. The changes introduced a mandatory minimum sentence of life imprisonment for murder and increased the maximum penalties for 12 other offences - excluding attempted murder. Mr Crisafulli defended the exemption, saying 'more changes' to the laws are already in the works. 'Let's see through the (Yamanto) investigation what happens with the charges in the days ahead,' he told reporters on Tuesday. 'We implemented the changes we took to the election, and I said that that would be the first step, there will be more changes to the Youth Justice Act, many more. The boy allegedly stabbed Ms Campomayor with a knife taken from inside the Coles about 5.20pm on Monday Ms Campomayor (pictured) was rushed to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital with the knife still embedded in her back 'I've already indicated that we are putting together an expert panel to do future changes.' Rebecca Fogerty, a criminal defence lawyer, told The Australian there was 'no logical basis' for the non-violent offences, like unlawful use of a motor vehicle, to be included in the new laws but not attempted murder. 'This distressing case is a classic example of why sloganeering doesn't work when it comes to criminal justice,' she said. 'The laws do not act as a deterrent, the prospect of higher penalties does not do anything to reduce crime.' Mr Crisafulli reassured Queenslanders he would be working hard to reduce youth crime. 'It is just so traumatic, what has unfolded is something that no Queenslander wants to see,' he said. 'I reflect that this incident has occurred so close and within a year of what we saw happen to Vyleen White and there's a sense of deja vu; it is exactly the kind of incident Queenslanders have had enough of. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli defended his extended sentences for youth criminals, which did not include attempted murder convictions 'My resolve is as strong as ever, and I want Queenslanders to know how much we understand that incidents like this just rock the fabric of who we are, and a tight-knit community like that has to relive the trauma of a year ago, and so does the White family, and so does the family involved in this incident.' White's daughter Cindy Micallef called for more police and security guards to patrol shopping centres during school holiday periods. Some of Sydney's most popular beaches have been exposed to unsafe levels of 'faecal matter' after the city was lashed with heavy rain and storms. Among the swimming spots affected was Queenscliff Beach, north of Manly Beach, with one local telling Daily Mail Australia she was not surprised by the pollution. 'I've lived around Manly since I was one-year-old,' the 23-year-old woman said. 'But I've been wary of Queenscliff Beach since I saw a poo in the ocean pool there after a storm about 15 years ago. 'Ever since, I've tried to avoid the Queenscliff end of the beach and stick to the southern end of Manly instead or I go to nearby Shelly Beach.' The woman said faecal matter from a sewer pipe that flows into the ocean at Manly Beach is sometimes washed back towards the shore after heavy rain or a storm. Severe thunderstorms are forecast to combine with a low pressure system from Thursday to Saturday, causing significant rain across Australia's east. A large number of Sydney beaches reached levels 75 times above 'safe levels' of contamination, a water quality report by the NSW Government revealed. Some of Sydney's most popular beaches have been exposed to huge and unsafe levels of 'faecal matter'(pictured, bathers on Bondi Beach) People are seen in the water at the Bogey Hole at Bronte Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs (the beach recorded 'poor' water quality regularly over the last year) It found that 41 swimming destinations in Sydney, north to the Central Coast and south to the Illawarra, regularly reported 'poor' water quality results in weekly testing over the past 12 months. BeachWatch data confirmed Bronte and Coogee beaches in Sydney's eastern suburbs recorded 'poor' water quality regularly over the last year. The report found Foreshores Beach in Sydney's east had an 'enterococci reading' 350 times over the safe level of faecal matter for swimming. 'City ocean beaches (such as) Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, Clovelly and Malabar all had much larger spikes of enterococci in January and February 2024,' Western Sydney University water quality expert Dr Ian Wright told the Daily Telegraph. 'This might be from overflowing sewage, stormwater or even the nearby ocean outfall discharges of treated sewage at Manly, Bondi and Malabar.' BeachWatch NSW recorded faecal matter readings 125 times over safe swimming levels at Queenscliff Beach, which came as no surprise to one local. A spokesperson for Sydney Water said that 'during heavy rain, large amounts of stormwater may enter the Sydney Water network'. 'While our network allows for additional stormwater, excess diluted wastewater can be discharged from emergency relief structures,' they said. A string of Sydney beaches were shut down after marble-sized grey balls (pictured) washed up on the sand - just months after similar balls closed beaches in the eastern suburbs 'Overflow points are designed to allow excess wastewater to flow into waterways to ensure homes and business are protected from internal surcharges.' But many popular Sydney swimming regularly recorded levels of faecal matter 'exceeding the safe swimming limit' after little or no rain, with significant spikes of in the summer months. Dr Wright said 'one in ten people swimming in beaches and watering holes with an enterococci reading over 500 would get sick'. 'We consider an enterococci reading under 200 to be reasonably safe to swim in, but several of our most popular destinations regularly exceed these levels throughout the year,' he said. This exposed swimmers to gastroenteritis and skin diseases, with the very young, elderly and those with ongoing health problems most at risk from serious illness. A large number of Sydney beaches reached levels 75 times above 'safe levels' of contamination, a water quality report revealed (pictured, swimmers at Manly Beach) NSW Water Minister Rose Jackson said the state government would look at how water quality at Sydney's beaches could be improved after rain. 'We are open to working with the community and Sydney Water to see what we can do to ensure our beaches are the best places to swim,' she said. 'During and after wet weather, we encourage all beachgoers to check the Beachwatch website.' The latest water quality report comes just days after a string of Sydney beaches were shut down after marble-sized grey balls washed up on the sand. And that followed just months after similar balls closed some of the city's most popular beaches in the eastern suburbs. Manly, Dee Why, Long Reef, Queenscliff, Freshwater, North and South Curl Curl, North Steyne and North Narrabeen beaches in the city's north were closed on Tuesday. 'Council was alerted to the debris via the EPA and is working closely with the state agency to collect samples for testing,' Northern Beaches Council said. 'So far, most samples identified are marble-sized with a few larger in size. The Council is organising the safe removal of the matter and is inspecting other beaches.' A woman in Ohio was left in shock after she suffered a miscarriage that got her arrested when she went back to hospital - now she wants justice. Brittany Watts experienced an expectant mother's worst nightmare after she was told by doctors in September 2023 that her pregnancy was dangerous. Yet, after her devastating miscarriage at home, she went back to hospital on the brink of death only to find herself arrested. Now, Watts has claimed in a new lawsuit that the hospital staff who comforted her lied by claiming to the police that she knew the fetus was alive. According to Watts' complaint, a falsified medical note claimed she had touched and seen the baby, but because it wasn't moving and she allegedly didn't want it, she had put it in a bucket behind a trash can. Watts was about 21 weeks pregnant when she began experiencing extreme pain and bleeding. She was told by doctors at St Joseph Warren Hospital in Ohio that she had developed placental abruption - where the placenta separates from the walls of the uterus before birth - endangering herself and her pregnancy. Eight hours passed and she was yet to receive any meaningful treatment or care, the lawsuit said, so she went home devastated and scared. Brittany Watts experienced an expectant mother's worst nightmare after she was told by doctors in September 2023 that her pregnancy was dangerous. Yet, after her devastating miscarriage at home, she went back to hospital on the brink of death only to find herself arrested According to Watts' complaint, a falsified medical note claimed she had touched and seen the baby, but because it wasn't moving and she allegedly didn't want it, she had put it in a bucket behind a trash can By morning, she returned to hospital where she learned her water had broken prematurely, her cervix was dilated, and infection had set in. 'Her pregnancy was doomed, her doctor told her, and until the fetus was removed, Ms. Watts was at risk of hemorrhaging, sepsis, and death,' the lawsuit said. The standard procedure at this point for someone in Watt's condition would be to induce labor or perform a dilation and evacuation procedure to 'protect the pregnant woman's health life.' Watts, however, remained 'effectively untreated' for ten more hours so she returned home again. It was the next morning on September 22, 2023, that she painfully miscarried. 'Inside the toilet bowl was a mess of tissue, blood, and blood clots. And hidden therein was the already-deceased, under-one pound fetus, which Ms. Watts never saw,' the lawsuit said. It further stated that Watts heard no sound and saw no fetus nor any movement before she collapsed. Watts laid on the floor, bleeding, for nearly an hour and afterward was disorientated and 'thought she might die.' 'I am ready to get to work making sure the laws are changed, and people are educated on what to do for something that happens all the time.' 'As the old saying goes, history repeats itself. I don't want it to happen in this case,' Watts said Watts previously spoke at a rally in support of her as she faced the criminal charges that attracted national attention, where she told the crowd she was 'not done fighting'. 'I don't want what happened to me to ever happen to any other woman,' Watts said After attempting to flush the toilet of mess, it overflowed, and she spent time clearing it up as best she could. However, being unwell and with her life in danger she returned back to hospital for a third time. As she waited in her hospital bed for life saving treatment, one of the nurses called the police and claimed Watts had committed a crime. 'The nurse was rubbing my back, comforting me, telling me everything was going to be okay,' Watts told her lawyers at Loevy and Loevy. 'Little did I know that nurse was the one who called the police.' According to the complaint, hospital personnel falsified accusations that Watts had given birth to a viable, live baby, and had left the baby in a bucket. A medical note also claimed that Watts said she had seen and touched the fetus, that the baby was not moving or making any noise so she placed it in a bucket behind the trash can. To the police, Watts was accused of giving birth at home to a baby she did not want, did not look to see if it was alive, and had come to hospital without it. It was further suggested that the baby may be alive, and Watts may have done something wrong or illegal, the complaint said. Watts had seen on her home security that four police cars arrived at her home and was told by one of the health professionals that they arrived 'per policy' due to a biohazard. '[The complaint] charges them with multiple violations of Ms. Watts rights, including constitutional violations, violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA), medical negligence, violations of medical privacy rights, malicious prosecution, and intentional infliction of emotional distress,' her lawyers said 'The nurse was rubbing my back, comforting me, telling me everything was going to be okay,' Watts told her lawyers. 'Little did I know that nurse was the one who called the police' She was later arrested and charged with abuse of a corpse, a felony which she faced a year in prison for. It was determined during the autopsy that the fetus had died in utero, and on January 11, 2024, the jury declined to indict Watts. 'Fortunately, the evidence was finally evaluated by a grand jury and the truth won out. The grand jury declined to return an indictment, finding instead that there was no probable cause to support the criminal charge,' the lawsuit said. It further added that the prosecutor who had presented the case publicly agreed that Watt's alleged actions were not criminal. '[The complaint] charges them with multiple violations of Ms. Watts rights, including constitutional violations, violations of the Emergency Medical Treatment & Labor Act (EMTALA), medical negligence, violations of medical privacy rights, malicious prosecution, and intentional infliction of emotional distress,' her lawyers said. She has been speaking out about her case since the horrific experience and told CBS Mornings in January 2024 that she believed she was quick to be charged because of her 'skin color.' Watts previously spoke at a rally in support of her as she faced the criminal charges that attracted national attention, where she told the crowd she was 'not done fighting'. 'I don't want what happened to me to ever happen to any other woman,' Watts said. 'I am ready to get to work making sure the laws are changed, and people are educated on what to do for something that happens all the time.' 'As the old saying goes, history repeats itself. I don't want it to happen in this case,' she said. NSW Police have divided crime experts for arresting a Bali Nine member just weeks after his return home, with one arguing he's been 'punished enough'. Matthew Norman has been charged over an alleged car theft that happened almost 20 years ago, before his failed drug smuggling mission to Indonesia. He was put back behind bars in Sydney on Monday when police refused him bail. Later that day Magistrate Stephen Barlow granted his release. The arrest came weeks after Norman and four other Bali Nine members, who had served nearly 20 years behind bars in Bali, were released and flown home. Former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina told Daily Mail Australia had a responsibility to arrest Norman over the alleged car theft. 'Serious offences have no time limits,' Mr Bezzina said. 'Just because he's been locked up for 20 years, doesn't mean they're going to ignore any previous (alleged) crimes that have been committed. 'I'd be critical of NSW Police if they didn't act. Kudos to NSW Police.' Matthew Norman (pictured earlier this month) has been charged over an alleged car theft that happened almost 20 years ago, before his failed drug smuggling mission to Indonesia Criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro told Daily Mail Australia that Norman had been through enough already But criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro told Daily Mail Australia that Norman had been through enough already. 'My personal view is it is a bit rich, this bloke's been punished enough,' Dr Watson-Munro said. 'I guess they're just following the letter of the law. If there was a finding of guilt you would hope he would just be discharged - I think that would be a fair and reasonable outcome.' Norman was 18 at the time of the alleged theft, and is now 38. He served almost 20 years' jail in Bali for trafficking heroin. Dr Watson-Munro said after Norman's ordeal, 'the last thing a person would need is re-exposure to the criminal justice system here'. 'I think it would be cruel and unusual punishment to send him back to jail at this stage. This guy clearly has gone through the ringer. 'In general principles you would assume he has matured and he's looking to have a new life in Australia. 'You would hope he would be discharged, without undermining the authority of the court.' His new charge comes after he made a secret pilgrimage to his mother's graveside. Norman has been charged over an alleged car theft that happened almost 20 years ago, before his failed drug smuggling mission to Indonesia Norman has been living at the $4million home of a Christian family in Torquay, on the Great Ocean Road south of Melbourne, since his release and attending a local church Norman's mother Robyn never got to see her son walk free from jail before she died in January 2024 while he was still serving almost 20 years for trafficking heroin. But after his sudden release from Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison last month, one of the first things Norman, 38, did on his return to Australia was to visit her grave. He has been living at a $4million home in Torquay, on the Great Ocean Road south of Melbourne, since his release and attending a local church. The property is owned by Christian couple Ann and Alan Wilkins, who offered it to Norman after forming a close relationship with him while he was in prison. Norman's Indonesian wife Anita, who has joined him as he rebuilds his life in his home country, says he is gradually settling back into life as a free man. 'Thank you for all of our lovely friends that keep praying for this miracle,' she posted on Facebook. 'Rejoice, happiness. Visited his mum's grave and his dad and his pop and sisters, uncles and nephews.' NSW Police allege Norman and Bali Nine counterpart Renae Lawrence stole a white Ford Laser hatchback from Gosford in March 2005. The pair allegedly went on a joyride that ended when police stopped them with road spikes. Norman faced court for the alleged offence back in 2005, but was released on bail and left the country for his drug smuggling trip to Indonesia. He was sentenced to death in 2006 after he was caught trying to smuggle more than 8kg of heroin out of Bali. Matthew Norman, the youngest member of the Bali Nine, being only 18-years-old when he was arrested. He is pictured being escorted to his sentencing trial in Bali in 2006 Former homicide detective Charlie Bezzina told Daily Mail Australia that NSW Police had a responsibility to act The sentence was reduced to life in prison in 2008. His sudden release from Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison last month came when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese secured a deal with the Indonesian government. Lawrence was initially sentenced to life imprisonment for her role in attempting to smuggle heroin out of Bali. However, her sentence was later reduced to 20 years following an appeal. She then received numerous reductions for 'good behaviour' before being released in November 2018 and flying back to Australia. A five-year-old boy has been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after a parking meter fell on top of him. Paramedics were called to Bunbury's CBD, south of Perth, little after 10.30am on Wednesday. A spokesman for WorkSafe commissioner's office confirmed a parking meter had fallen on the boy in a courtyard at the Bunbury Museum. Three ambulance crews responded to the incident, and St John Ambulance confirmed the boy suffered critical injuries. He was transported to Bunbury Hospital for treatment before the Royal Flying Doctors Service flew him to the Perth Children's Hospital late on Wednesday. The five-year-old remains there in a critical condition. City of Bunbury chief executive Alan Ferris said the city was working with authorities to understand how the meter came to fall on the boy. 'We are deeply saddened to learn about an incident involving a young child at Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre yesterday,' he said. A disused parking meter fell on a boy at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre, WA on Wednesday Three ambulance crews responded to the incident, and St John Ambulance confirmed the boy suffered critical injuries 'We thank police and paramedics who not only helped the child, but museum staff and community members who witnessed the incident and provided immediate assistance. 'Our thoughts are with the child, their family, and all involved and everyone impacted.' A grieving aunt has warned Aussies not to take their lives for granted after her 'amazing' niece was killed in a horror car crash. Sharna Woodland, 35, died when a car she was travelling in rolled down an embankment on Bairnsdale-Dargo Road, at Cobbannah, in south-east Victoria, at about 10.30pm on January 11. The driver, a 26-year-old Maffra woman, was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Mrs Woodland's aunt Linda Pendergast told Daily Mail Australia on Thursday her niece was 'the kindest girl you'd ever meet'. 'She was the most amazing girl. She was beautiful and an amazing mum and wife to her husband,' Ms Pendergast said. 'She was so kind and she never had a bad word to say about anybody. She was the kindest girl you'd ever meet. She'll be remembered always. Our family is so close and she was so special.' Ms Pendergast shared a timely message with Aussies drivers in lieu of the tragedy. 'Don't take your life for granted. You never know what's around the corner,' she said. Sharna Woodland died when the car she was a passenger in rolled off a rural Victorian road Mrs Woodland's two children - Isla, 6, and Nate, 2, - are understandably confused about what happened to their mother. 'They're just little kids. She just lived for her little children so it's really tough. Their dad is amazing with them and we'll all reach out and help, she said. Mrs Woodland was a Sale local who grew up in Bairnsdale and was well-known within her local communities. A GoFundMe page set up to support her family has raised nearly 70 per cent of its $22,000 target as of Friday morning. 'I can't believe it (support), it's been overwhelming,' Ms Pendergast said. 'The support from the community has been amazing and a lot of people we don't even know have donated. 'Her mum won't have to go to back to work straight away because of this and she can help look after the kids. It's going to be such a help.' More than 1,300 people died on Australian roads in 2024, including 284 in Victoria. Mrs Woodland is pictured with her two children Nate and Isla Already in 2025, 14 lives have been lost on Victorian roads. Police are still investigating the fatal crash. You can donate to Mrs Woodland's GoFundMe here. Biden warns in farewell speech that oligarchy of ultra-rich threatens US democracy Washington, Jan 16 (UNI) U.S. President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday to warn of an oligarchy of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a tech-industrial complex that is infringing on Americans rights and the future of democracy. Speaking from the Oval Office as he prepares to hand over power on Monday to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden seized what is likely to be his final opportunity to address the country before he departs the White House to spotlight the accumulation of power and wealth in the U.S. among just a small few, Los Angeles Times reported. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said, drawing attention to what he sees as a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people. Dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. A black newlywed filed a lawsuit against American Airlines after he was accused of trafficking his wife just moments after the two took an adorable selfie on the flight while heading to their honeymoon destination. Anthony Williams, 63, claims he was racially profiled as he traveled from his home in Arizona to Florida with his new bride, Russian national Katsiaryna Shasholka, 34. The duo smiled happily for a photo after boarding the American Airlines flight and were shocked when they arrive in Florida - only to be detained. According to the lawsuit, a fellow passenger suspected Shasholka was being trafficked and reported his concerns to crew members, who alerted law enforcement in Florida - without bothering to question the couple. Williams claims in the suit they were 'falsely imprisoned by American Airlines employees whom escorted them off the plane.' He said 'they were made to wait confused and embarrassed as the other passengers deplaned and walked by them.' Later, they were questioned by police officers 'who worked for the Miami-Dade Police Department, and were detained, falsely imprisoned, questioned, and humiliated.' The couple are seeking damages in excess of $75,000 for racial discrimination. The duo smiled happily for a photo after boarding the American Airlines flight and were shocked when they were detained upon arriving in Florida Williams claims in the suit they were 'falsely imprisoned by American Airlines employees whom escorted them off the plane' 'There was nothing in our interactions the entire flight that would be indicative of somebody who was being held against their will,' Williams told The Independent. 'We were just two people having a good time.' The civil suit was filed by attorney Jasmine Rand, who also represented the families of George Floyd and Trayvon Martin. Floyd was killed by a white police officer during an arrest, while Martin was an unarmed black teenager shot dead by his neighborhood watch. 'My client is a retired police officer,' Rand told the publication. 'He spent his life fighting crime, and now to be accused of a crime so heinous as trafficking his own wife is unfathomable. He is committed to fighting for justice for himself and for others that have suffered racial discrimination at the hands of American Airlines.' In the suit, Williams described a pattern of racial profiling within American Airlines. In September 2023, John Mayer's former guitarist David Ryan Harris was accused of trafficking his own children and a similar situation unfolded in which he and his family were detained when they landed in Los Angeles. And in January 2024, three black men who were strangers to one another and not sitting together were removed from a flight after another passenger complained about 'offensive body odor.' The men filed a lawsuit and settled confidentially. A California flight attendant was terminated from her job after she posted a now-viral clip of her twerking while waiting for a pilot on an empty flight. Nelle Diala, a former flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, was terminated from her 'dream job' after a video she posted to TikTok of her twerking on an empty plane went viral. 'The video went viral overnight, but instead of love and support, it brought unexpected scrutiny,' she added. Diala first captioned the viral clip, which has garnered over 72,000 views, 'ghetto bih till i D-I-E, dont let the uniform fool you.' The San Francisco-native claims she was doing a victory dance to celebrate the end of her new hire probationary period. 'I was also celebrating the end of probation and making it out of a hard upbringing in San Francisco, something many people in the industry could relate to. 'Although it was a poor decision on my behalf I didnt think it would cost me my dream job,' Diala wrote. Nelle Diala, a former flight attendant for Alaska Airlines, was sacked from her 'dream job' after the San Francisco-native posted a video to TikTok of her twerking on camera while she waited 'two hours' for a pilot She claims she was doing a victory dance to celebrate the end of her new hire probationary period However, her celebration was short-lived as Alaska Airlines terminated her employment, just six months into her contract. 'I explained that the video wasnt intended to harm anyone or the company, but they didnt want to listen. Without warning, they terminated me. No discussion, no chance to defend myself - and no chance for a thorough and proper investigation,' she said. Diala has since re-posted the twerking clip with the a new caption: 'Cant even be yourself anymore, without the world being so sensitive. Whats wrong with a little twerk before work, people act like they never did that before.' The footage was posted along with a hashtag #discriminationisreal. 'I never thought a single moment would cost me everything,' Diala wrote on the fundraising page which has received $646 of its $12,000 goal as of Thursday. 'Losing my job was devastating,' she added. Now, Diala intends to devote more attention to her lingerie and dessert ventures. Diala has since re-posted the twerking clip with the a new caption: 'Cant even be yourself anymore, without the world being so sensitive. Whats wrong with a little twerk before work, people act like they never did that before' 'Although this was my dream job I was using the income to fund my blossoming lingerie and dessert business named: @cakezncake & @figure8.lingerie,' Diala wrote. The aspiring business owner has since been scrutinized online as some applauded the airline's reaction, while others supported the former flight attendant's cheeky clip. 'Of course she deserved to lose her job. She chose to violate Alaska Airlines social media policy which ALL Alaska employees are required to follow when hired. She got herself fired,' one TikTok user commented. Another wrote: 'Nothing wrong with twerking before work, only wrong to be doing it in uniform while on company property.' 'Shame on Alaska Airlines for being so overly sensitive. We will make sure to support you via GFM,' another commented. The utility company under investigation for sparking the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history opted against de-energizing their transmission lines because the strength of the wind fell just shy of the threshold. Southern California Edison will typically consider de-energizing transmission lines if wind speeds of between 60mph and 80mph are recorded. On the day the Eaton fire broke out in the mountains near Altadena and Pasadena, the National Weather Service had recorded wind gusts of 59mph at Edison's Eaton Canyon monitoring site - just one mile per hour short of the threshold. Now, SoCal Edison is facing several lawsuits from devastated homeowners who lost everything in the blaze, which has scorched 14,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 7,000 structures and left 16 people dead. The Eaton fire coincided with another inferno which swept through the ritzy celebrity enclave of Pacific Palisades and up the coast of Malibu. That fire destroyed 23,713 acres of prime real estate and at least nine people have perished. Chief Executive Steven Powell told the LA Times that internal data showed there were no abnormalities with equipment in the 12 hours preceding the fire. A spokesperson had earlier said in a statement its electrical equipment was unlikely to have caused the Eaton fire, but extraordinary timestamped footage appears to show the blaze first taking off from a set of power lines. Powell is aware of the footage on social media, which is cited in several of the lawsuits. SoCal Edison is facing several lawsuits from devastated homeowners who lost everything in the blaze, which has scorched 14,000 acres, destroyed an estimated 7,000 structures and left 16 people dead The coast of Malibu was scorched during the Palisades fire Southern California Edison will typically consider de-energizing transmission lines if wind speeds of between 60mph and 80mph are recorded Energy company Edison International is being sued over a possible link to one of the wildfires currently tearing through Los Angeles He said he understands why people would see the disastrous vision and assume Edison's equipment is to blame. 'My heart sank because you see that, and immediately you have to, you know, anybody's mind would if they saw that was the beginning stages of the fire,' he said. 'You can't see anything else around, your mind will go [to thinking it was caused by Edison electrical equipment] absolutely.' But authorities have not yet established a cause for the blaze. Officials have called for patience as it works through the smoldering wreckages of fire-ravaged communities, but frustration is growing as residents demand to return home and survey the damage themselves. Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said he 'understands the frustration people are feeling.' He added: 'They've been basically kept away from their home, where everything they have is, if it's still standing, and they're not allowed to go back in and access that. I would ask for their patience because it's a situation where it's not just a decision to be made, like the flip of a switch. A lot of things are happening right now.' Authorities have also warned scorched communities are now rife with asbestos-filled ash and dangerous debris in amongst the carnage. Some 7,000 structures are believed to have been razed in the Eaton fire alone Homes in Altadena and Pasadena were destroyed in the Eaton fire Authorities are now searching the toxic rubble for human remains A Bank of America was burned as the Eaton fire swept through Altadena Your browser does not support iframes. Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials. Anish Mahajan of the LA County Public Health Department said on Tuesday: 'Ash is not just dirt.' 'It's hazardous fine dust that can irritate or harm your respiratory system and other parts of your body where it lands.' Anyone with access to fire-ravaged communities are urged to wear masks to avoid inhaling the ash. As access to these communities becomes easier, authorities are also bringing in cadaver dogs to search for human remains in the rubble. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reminded impatient residents: 'We have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors.' The $25 billion utility firm said it discovered a downed conductor at a tower close to where a smaller fire broke out on Tuesday following an intense Santa Ana windstorm. However, Edison said it doesn't know whether the damage happened before or after the fire. National Guard soldiers stand at a check point on Sunset Boulevard with burned homes from the Palisades Fire seen in the background Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials The $25 billion utility firm said it discovered a downed conductor at a tower close to where a smaller fire broke out on Tuesday following an intense Santa Ana windstorm The $25 billion firm said it discovered a downed conductor at a tower. (Pictured: Edison International CEO Pedro J. Pizarro taking a tour of a fuel storage installation in California with the U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and U.S. Rep. Mike Levin in 2022) The legal action launched in LA County Superior Court on Monday could be the first of hundreds - if not thousands - of claims arising from the wildfires which have engulfed huge swathes of Southern California in the past week. Officials have repeatedly said they're investigating the cause of the fires, but have not yet revealed any official theories. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of homeowners, renters, business owners and others with properties destroyed by the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena and Altadena area. At least 25 people have died since multiple fires began last Tuesday, with more than two dozen still missing. The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of Los Angeles has scorched more than 14,000 acres, nearly the size of Manhattan. After more than a week of intense winds and life threatening conditions, fire crews will get some much needed reprieve this weekend to get on top of the fires. 'Good news: We are expecting a much-needed break from the fire weather concerns to close this week,' the weather service posted on social media Wednesday afternoon. 'Bad News: Next week is a concern. While confident that we will NOT see a repeat of last week, dangerous fire weather conditions are expected.' A fire fighting helicopter drops water during the Palisades fire LA officials, who already were criticized for hydrants running dry, faced more questions. Fire officials chose not to double the number of firefighters on duty last Tuesday as winds increased, and only five of more than 40 engines were deployed. The department also did not call in off-duty firefighters until after the Palisades Fire erupted. The suits cited eyewitness accounts and images that appeared to show a fire at the base of a transmission tower owned by Southern California Edison (SCE) before powerful Santa Ana wind gusts quickly spread the flames. Witnesses shared videos on social media of a fire at the base of a transmission tower allegedly taken shortly after the start of the Eaton Fire. Altadena resident Marcus Errico had earlier told CNN he saw the very first flames of the Eaton fire at the base of a transmission tower. 'I could see right across from us on the hillside in Eaton Canyon, there are a series of transformer towers with power lines stretching up into the mountains. And at the base of one, there was just a small ring of flames around the whole base.' he said. 'I can't say definitively that it was the power lines that caused it, but I can say definitively that the first fire in Pasadena and Altadena Eaton Canyon is right on the edge of Altadena and Pasadena that's where the fire began. 'It was under that tower on Tuesday night. It was - it began as a small little blaze underneath and within 10 minutes, the whole hillside was engulfed in the fire.' It comes as speculation swirls about what could have caused the worst cluster of wildfires ever seen in the United States and Los Angelinos who have lost everything are demanding answers One lawsuit also referred to Brendan Thorn, who was interviewed by local ABC News. Thorn said in the interview that he lives near Eaton Canyon and saw 'knee high' fires around transmission towers shortly after the fire began. Some of the lawsuits cite data from electrical monitoring company Whisker Lab indicating that the power grid in the area experienced multiple potentially spark-causing grid disruptions leading up to the blaze. SoCal Edison, on Jan. 9 and 10, filed safety incident reports on the Eaton and Hurst fires, respectively. The utility company said it has received notices from insurance companies to preserve evidence related to the Eaton Fire, adding the fire could allegedly be attributable to its utility facilities. It also added that no fire agency had suggested its electric facilities were involved in the ignition of the fires. A man is behind bars charged with dozens of offences after he allegedly created a fake will and stole documents to inherit his dead neighbour's $4.5million estate. Police attended the deceased man's empty East Corrimal home, in Wollongong, south of Sydney in January 2024 following reports of an alleged break-in. Police allege Matthew Barnes, 38, fraudulently created a will using identification and financial documents stolen from the home of Marino Mikleus, which were then submitted to apply for probate. Strike Force Sarina was established to investigate the alleged theft. Eight months later, strike force officers executed a search warrant at a nearby home in East Corrimal where they allegedly located a number of documents including an original will which were seized for forensic examination. Following extensive inquiries, police executed a second search warrant at the same address on Wednesday morning, where officers seized two rifles, four gel blasters, ammunition, methylamphetamines, cash, three motor vehicles, a jetski and a motorcycle. Barnes was arrested at the home and taken to Wollongong Police Station, where he was charged with 27 offences. Matthew Barnes (pictured being arrested) is accused of forging a will in order to inherit a dead neighbour's $4.5million estate Police raided the man's home in September 2024 and allegedly found the original will. Pictured is Matthew Barnes being arrested on Wednesday Barnes was charged with making false documents to obtain financial advantage and property and dishonestly obtaining said financial advantage and property by deception. He was also charged with seven counts of knowingly deal with proceeds of crime, nine counts of possession of an unauthorised firearm, possession of ammunition without holding a licence and possession of greater than three unregistered firearm without a license. Other charges include supplying a prohibited drug more than indictable and less than commercial quantity, possessing a prohibited drug, participating in a criminal group, breaking into the deceased's house and stealing a motor vehicle. During a raid of the man's home of Wednesday, police found several guns and gel blasters Police allege the alleged ruse involved four homes and two bank accounts, which amounted to an estimated $4.5 million. Court documents state the properties belonged to Mr Mikleus and his mother Anna, who later passed away, The Daily Telegraph reported. Barnes appeared in Wollongong Local Court on Thursday. His lawyer told the court his client would not be apply for bail, but asked for the case to be listed later in month. Barnes was denied bail and will reappear in court on January 29. Police investigations are continuing. Heat pumps may never be cheaper than gas boilers, Ed Miliband has said, despite Labour sneaking a 'boiler tax' through Parliament. The Energy Secretary confirmed that the government has no current plans to introduce a ban on gas boilers, but Mr Miliband told MPs a ban could come into force 'at some point in the future'. The scheme, which will come into force in April, means boiler manufacturers will be fined if they fail to sell enough heat pumps. Companies in the sector have previously warned it would add 120 to the cost of a new boiler leading it to be dubbed the 'boiler tax'. Speaking at the Energy Security and Net Zero Committee on Wednesday, Mr Miliband said he was 'wary' of stopping people from having gas boilers by a specific date if the government cannot guarantee greener alternatives will be cheaper. With a significant amount of the UK's carbon footprint coming from gas heating of homes, the previous Conservative government had outlined plans to ban the sale of new gas boilers by 2035. This meant households looking to replace their boilers would have to opt for a greener option for heating their home by that date, such as a heat pump. Former prime minister Rishi Sunak was criticised by scientists, campaigners and MPs in 2023 when he backtracked on several net zero policies, including weakening the mooted boiler ban to an 80 per cent phase-out by 2035. Heat pumps may never be cheaper than gas boilers, Ed Miliband (pictured) has said The scheme, which will come into force in April, means boiler manufacturers will be fined if they fail to sell enough heat pumps Labour has ditched plans for a 2035 ban on gas boilers in its new housebuilding standards (file photo) Last week, it was reported that the new government had scrapped plans for a 2035 ban on gas boilers in its new housebuilding standards. Quizzed by MPs about this decision, Mr Miliband told the committee that Labour never had plans for such a ban. He said: 'I'm very cautious on these questions because we can say to people: 'You need to get a heat pump, not a gas boiler, potentially at some point in the future'. 'But I'm very wary that we're going to stop people having gas boilers at a point when we can't guarantee that heat pumps are going to be cheaper for people.' The Energy Secretary went on to argue that in opposition, Labour never said it would reverse Mr Sunak's row-back on his Government's boiler ban plans. 'We did that deliberately because my bottom line is that we proceed in a way that means we can say to people: "You're going to be better off in making this transition",' Mr Miliband said. 'I do not want to be in a position where I say to people: "You must go down this road" and then people say to me rightly: "Look, you're going to make me worse off". 'So that's our position on that.' Labour is still preparing to impose swingeing taxes on boiler manufacturers if they fail to meet targets for installing heat pumps The new targets are set to come into force in April, amid previous warnings that they could hike the cost of a new boiler by 120 Reports last week also said the Government's upcoming future homes standards will include minimum criteria for energy efficiency that mean newly built properties will not be able to install gas boilers if they are to meet the new rules. Asked about whether there would be a mandatory ban on fossil fuel heating in new homes under the new standards, Mr Miliband said it would be a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, adding that they will be 'coming forward with proposals'. He said: 'The thing I would say about this is that there are massive advantages for us from the outset ensuring that homes are built to a low-carbon spec.' 'And I think there's enthusiasm for this among the housebuilders and others,' Mr Miliband added, citing a company working with housebuilders to guarantee zero bills homes for 10 years as a 'massively exciting concept'. 'That's turning the prospect of zero carbon into a consumer benefit and that's what we're about,' he said. New figures show that the number of heat pumps being installed jumped 43 per cent last year. The data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), the UK's quality mark for renewable technology installed in homes and small businesses, shows there were almost 60,000 certified installations of heat pumps in 2024. That is a 43 per cent increase on 2023 installation rates, bringing the total number of certified heat pump installations in UK homes and small businesses to more than 275,000. But installation rates are still well below the target of 600,000 heat pump installations a year by 2028 set by the previous government as part of the drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions from home heating and curb reliance on gas. The MCS said the boiler upgrade scheme in England and Wales, which offers grants of up to 7,500 for installing heat pumps, and the home energy Scotland grant and loan scheme of up to 9,000 for qualifying households had played a key part in accelerating the take-up of the technology. Overall its data dashboard shows that there were a record more than 260,000 certified small-scale renewables and clean energy installations in UK homes and small businesses in 2024, including heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage. The figure is a 7 per cent increase on 2023, which was itself a record year for installations, the MCS said, and brings the total number of certified installations past the two million mark. Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for generating electricity remain the most popular renewable technology for people to install at a small scale, with more than 180,000 certified installations last year, while a 20,000 batteries were installed in homes and small businesses, the MCS said. Ian Rippin, chief executive at the MCS, said: 'More consumers are making the switch to homegrown energy, placing their trust in MCS certified contractors to give them confidence in their renewable installations.' 'As the numbers rise and more people benefit from homegrown energy, it's crucial that standards are maintained in order to continue the momentum,' he said, adding that MCS product and installation standards had a key role in building confidence in clean technology. Minister for energy consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said: 'From heat pumps to solar panels, renewables are essential for supporting working people to secure affordable, homegrown power for their homes and businesses. 'By almost doubling the budget for our boiler upgrade scheme in the next financial year, we hope that records for renewable installations continue to be overtaken.' Keir Starmer insisted Britain will 'never let up' on support for Ukraine today as he visited Kyiv for the first time as PM. Sir Keir said he was making a 'statement of intent' by signing a '100-year partnership to deepen security ties' with Volodymyr Zelensky. The two leaders laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen in the capital. Sir Keir also visited a hospital this morning where he chatted to soldiers wounded on the front line. The visit comes at a pivotal time in the war, as Russia ramps up threats against Ukraine's Western allies with the inauguration of Donald Trump looming next week. The incoming President has stressed his determination to bring the war to an end, putting pressure on Ukraine to compromise over territory. Sir Keir is due to announce another 40million for Ukraine's post-war economic recovery, on top of the 12.8billion in military and civilian aid offered since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen in the Ukraine capital this morning Zelensky and Starmer walked slowly behind an honor guard before laying wreaths in the two countries national colours Keir Starmer visited a hospital in Kyiv this morning where he chatted to soldiers wounded on the front line Keir Starmer arrives at Kyiv train station on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv The British Prime Minister's visit to Ukraine comes at a pivotal moment for Ukraine's allies in the conflict against Russia, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday Sir Keir told broadcasters in Kyiv: 'It's very important we ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position. 'That's something I've been arguing for since I was Prime Minister. This is my seventh meeting with President Zelensky. I'm here at the burns unit of one of the Kyiv hospitals, which is a grim reminder of the heavy price Ukraine is paying. 'So we must give the necessary support, and that's what I'm discussing with President Zelensky today. We must never let up on that and we've been leading the way.' He said the 100 Year Partnership he was signing with Ukraine was a 'real statement of our intent for the long term'. 'So I'm here for both those purposes but the main one is to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position during 2025.' He said Vladimir Putin's war had been a failure, and 'one of the consequences of this conflict has been to draw Nato more strongly together'. 'It's bigger and stronger than it has been, and we must stand behind Ukraine for as long as it takes. 'But when we say Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position, that can't be just words. And that's why I've had such intense discussions with President Zelensky over the months that I've been Prime Minister and will again here in Ukraine.' The premier was greeted at Kyiv railway station by the UK ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, and Ukraine's envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Britain has also helped train more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil amid a gruelling defence against Russia's invasion. Sir Keir will be hoping to reassure President Zelensky that Ukraine still enjoys the support of its Western, liberal backers against the tyranny of a foreign invader. But the fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on January 20 is less clear. While Britain has shelled out an average of about 4.3billion a year for Ukraine - around 0.14 per cent of GDP, or 2.23 per cent of the cost of running the NHS for a year - the United States has contributed $65.9billion since February 2022, the State Department reported last week. The president-elect has balked at the cost of US aid to Kyiv, saying he wants to bring the war to a swift end and is planning to meet Putin. Kyiv's allies - including Joe Biden - have rushed to flood Ukraine with as much support as possible before Trump's inauguration, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war. Zelenskyy has said that in any peace negotiation, Ukraine would need assurances about its future protection from its much bigger neighbor, which has controlled parts of the country since 2014. Britain says its 100-year pledge is part of that assurance, and will help ensure that Ukraine is 'never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia'. Sir Keir Starmer is greeted by Ukrainian officials and the British ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris (right) as he arrives at Kyiv train station The Prime Minister is expected to sign a 'landmark 100-year partnership to deepen security ties' between the UK and Ukraine Russia seized Crimea nearly 11 years ago and attempted a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine also endured great hardship under Soviet rule, from the pogroms and political repression of the Lenin era to the Holodomor genocide of the 1930s and the covered-up Chernobyl disaster of 1986 which predated the collapse of the USSR. The deal between Britain and Ukraine will commit the two sides to cooperate on defense, especially maritime security against Russian activity in the Batlic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It will also see collaboration on technology projects including drones, which have become vital weapons for both sides in the war. The treaty additionally includes a system to help track stolen Ukrainian grain exported by Russia from occupied parts of the country. 'Putin's ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level,' Starmer said ahead of the visit. 'This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.' The fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on January 20 is less clear Ukrainian servicemen train at the polygon in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 Ukrainian servicemen prepare a reconnaissance drone for deployment in the area of Pokrovsk, Ukraine on January 14, 2025 Zelensky says he and Starmer also will discuss a plan proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron that would see troops from France and other Western countries stationed in Ukraine to oversee a ceasefire agreement. Zelensky has said any such proposal should go alongside a timeline for Ukraine to join NATO. The alliance's 32 member countries say that Ukraine will join one day, but not until after the war. Trump has appeared to sympathise with Putin's position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. As the grinding war nears the three-year mark, both Russia and Ukraine are pushing for battlefield gains ahead of possible peace talks. Ukraine has started a second offensive in Russia's Kursk region, where it is struggling to hang onto a chunk of territory it captured last year, and has stepped up drone and missile attacks on weapons sites and fuel depots inside Russia. Moscow is slowly taking territory at the cost of high casualties, along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in eastern Ukraine and launching intense barrages at Ukraine's energy system, seeking to deprive Ukrainians of heat and light in the depths of winter. A major Russian ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday, and compelling authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas. Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin took a major step into the satellite launch market this morning with the successful debut of its New Glenn rocket from Florida. The highly anticipated flight marks the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the space industry. The towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week. The launch, which had been previously scrubbed on Monday due to ice buildup on a propellant line, went smoothly this time despite weather challenges and a brief countdown halt caused by a boat straying into a restricted zone. The New Glenn rocket, powered by a combination of liquid oxygen and methane, aims to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX by offering reliable and cost-effective satellite launches. Blue Origin's mission today was not just about the rocket's journey, but also about testing the company's booster recovery capabilities. Ten minutes after liftoff, New Glenn's first-stage booster was expected to return to Earth, aiming for a precision landing on a sea-faring barge in the Atlantic Ocean, while the second stage of the rocket continued its journey toward orbit. Unfortunately, the company confirmed that this part of the mission failed, with a Blue Origin spokesperson admitting: 'We lost the booster.' Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin took a major step into the satellite launch market this morning with the successful debut of its New Glenn rocket from Florida The towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 36 from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 202 Inside the rocket's payload bay was a significant piece of Blue Origin's future - the Blue Ring vehicle, a prototype spacecraft designed to be maneuverable in space. The company plans to sell this vehicle to the U.S. military and commercial customers for satellite servicing and national security operations. Successfully launching the spacecraft into orbit would be a rare achievement for any space company, especially on their inaugural mission. Crowds of locals gathered at parks and campgrounds along Florida's east coast, hoping to witness history in the making. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees from Blue Origin's headquarters in Kent, Washington, and its Florida rocket factory tuned in to the live stream. A company spokesperson, Ariane Cornell, remarked on the live stream that 'in thrust we trust,' as the company closely monitored the weather conditions before giving the final go-ahead for launch. Despite earlier forecasts indicating only a 60 percent chance of favorable conditions, the skies cleared enough for a successful launch. Taking to X after the launch, Dave Limp, Blue Origin CEO, tweeted: 'We did it! Orbital. Great night for Team Blue. On to spring and trying again on the landing.' A company spokesperson, Ariane Cornell, remarked on the live stream that 'in thrust we trust,' as the company closely monitored the weather conditions before giving the final go-ahead for launch The highly anticipated flight marks the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX 's dominance in the space industry Bezos' Rival, Elon Musk, tweeted: 'Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @JeffBezos' Taking to X after the launch, Dave Limp, Blue Origin CEO, tweeted: 'We did it! Orbital. Great night for Team Blue. On to spring and trying again on the landing' Bezos himself also posted an uncaptioned video from the launch. Meanwhile, his rival, Elon Musk, tweeted: 'Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @JeffBezos.' The launch today represents the culmination of a decade-long, multi-billion-dollar effort to develop the New Glenn rocket and propel Blue Origin into the competitive world of commercial spaceflight. As the space race heats up, Blue Origin's success could shake up the satellite launch market and set the stage for future missions, including potential collaborations with NASA and private contractors. This milestone also underscores Jeff Bezos' long-term vision for Blue Origin, one that positions the company as a major player in the rapidly growing space industry. Thousands of Sydneysiders were hoping for a smooth commute home on Thursday night after rail workers were ordered to stop industrial action immediately. The Fair Work Commission has ordered an interim order stopping all strike action until a hearing is held next week. The strike ban came into effect 6.30pm Thursday. The NSW government earlier submitted a 424 application to the Fair Work Commission in a bid to force industrial action to stop. Premier Chris Minns ended his January holiday early and returned to work in order to lodge the new form with the Fair Work Commission. This new claim allows the commission to immediately halt any protected industrial action if it's found to endanger life, personal safety or health, or welfare of people or cause significant damage to the Australian economy or part of it. The breakthrough comes after two days of travel chaos caused by the Electrical Trades Union and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union's ongoing pay dispute. An estimated 40 per cent - about 1,500 rail services - were cancelled or significantly impacted on Wednesday and an additional 1,000 services were cancelled on Thursday. Sydney rail workers have ordered to stop industrial action immediately after the Fair Work Commission intervened. Pictured are commuters at Central Station Commuters breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday night after some normality to train services Fair Work Commission president Alan Hatcher said the mandatory interim order had to be made as it would not be practicable to have the legal challenge heard within five days as is required under legislation. Sydney Trains lawyer Jamie Darams SC said the rail authority would provide nine witness statements at a full bench hearing next Wednesday and Thursday next week. The statements would be 'mostly directed to the operational consequences of the work bans in place and the effects of those bans', he said. 'In particular, we will be relying upon the welfare, endangerment to the welfare and also, I understand at this stage, health and safety.' Mr Daram made clear that Sydney Trains wanted the matter 'heard sooner rather than later'. James Emmett, who represents NSW Industrial Relations Minister Sophie Cotsis, said the government would provide evidence about economic impact in the hearings. Mr Emmett said this evidence would prove the rail strikes caused 'significant damage to an important part of the economy, as well as welfare harm to welfare'. At least 1,000 services were cancelled on Thursday on top of 1500 a day earlier. Premier Minns said officials were forced daily to unpick hundreds of actions to run basic services. 'That's a joke,' he said. 'You can't run a public transport system in an international city like Sydney, where every morning you have to work out whether running a simple service from Hurstville to Bondi Junction trips up three, four or 10 different industrial bans. 'We don't know how many small businesses have been smashed because of 50 per cent of trains not running.' The orders sought through the commission would thwart the union's ability to instigate a new set of work bans and force it into arbitration, where the industrial court could dictate the pay rise workers received. Earlier, the Rail Tram and Bus Union called the government's application 'nothing more than a desperate attempt to shift the blame for its own failure to negotiate with workers'. 'It engages in cheap political tricks designed at achieving headlines, pays law firms top dollar to bring bogus legal cases and anything else it can to avoid sitting at the bargaining table,' the union said. Commuters around Sydney have been thrown into endless chaos by the strikes which began late last year and have impacted thousands of trains since NSW train drivers appear unlikely to accept a marginally increased pay offer of 15 per cent across four years but their union has until the end of the day to provide an initial response to the government. The two sides have been at loggerheads since September, with workers calling for four annual wage increases of eight per cent. Mr Minns defended not putting the government's offer out to a workforce vote, over the union's opposition, saying commuters did not have weeks to wait. But others say waiting was precisely the problem and Thursday's intervention was months too late. 'It's no good to come after the chaos and after it's all blown up, and step in and say, you're trying to fix it,' opposition transport spokeswoman Natalie Ward said. Options for refunds or allowing a free travel day were being considered after the premier said fares paid by inconvenienced commuters should be refunded. Premier Chris Minns ended his holiday early in order to return to government and file a new claim under Section 424 which allows the commission to end protected action Commuter data shows the travelling public ditched rail where they could after navigating long delays on Wednesday morning. Trips during Wednesday afternoon peak were down 40 per cent while trains were 'very lightly loaded' on Thursday morning, Sydney Trains boss Matthew Longland said. Fewer than three in 10 morning peak trains ran on time. Sydney Trains has defended docking the pay of workers not completing full tasks, such as crews choosing to staff only half as many inter-city services as normal. Melania Trump has sensationally claimed the Obamas withheld information from them when they first moved into the White House, making the transition 'challenging'. Melania, 54, is preparing to return to the presidential residence on January 20 after her husband President-elect Donald Trump is sworn into office. But the First Lady expects the move will be easier this time around, suggesting that is partly because she does not need to rely on her predecessors for information about the home and transition process - which she claims the Obamas withheld. 'The first time was challenging; we didn't have much information,' she told FOX & Friends host Ainsley Earhardt. 'The information was upheld [sic] from us by the previous administration. But this time I have everything... it's a very different transition this time, second time around.' Melania's apparent snipe at the Obamas comes as it was revealed that Michelle has opted to skip Trump's inauguration because she refuses to 'be fake' about her loyalties - stark contrast to her husband's recent efforts to 'unify'. Melania's suggestion that Michelle and Barack did not provide them with a warm welcome when they moved into the White House in 2017 shouldn't come as much of a surprise - given the cringeworthy exchange the couples shared when the Trumps arrived at the presidential residence on Trump's first Inauguration Day. Melania presented Michelle with a gift - a photo frame beautifully wrapped in a Tiffany blue box - but Michelle awkwardly fumbled with the package before handing it to Barack, who passed it off to a nearby aide. Melania has already finalized her plans for returning to the White House, telling Earhardt that 'I already packed and selected the furniture that needs to go'. Asked whether Joe and Jill Biden had been accommodating in helping the Trumps back into the residence, Melania appeared to dodge the question and spoke instead on the hasty five-hour switchover on January 20. Melania Trump has sensationally claimed the Obamas withheld information from them when they first moved into the White House , making the transition 'challenging' Melania's apparent snipe at the Obamas comes as it was revealed that Michelle has opted to skip Trump's inauguration because she refuses to 'be fake' about her loyalties - stark contrast to her husband's recent efforts to 'unify'. The Trumps and Obamas are pictured on the steps of the US Capitol at Trump's first inauguration The couples shared a cringeworthy exchange during the Trumps' move in to the White House eight years ago. Melania presented Michelle with a gift - a photo frame beautifully wrapped in a Tiffany blue box - but the outgoing First Lady awkwardly fumbled with the package before handing it to Barack, who passed it off to a nearby aide The White House transition team will have five hours to move the Bidens out of the residence and the Trumps in, Melania explained. 'Everything needs to be planned to the minute,' she said, noting that having prior knowledge of the residence is helpful. She shared that she already made decisions about decor, which will be a 'little different' than what she opted for the first time around, and is seemingly excited to turn the White House into her home again. She is excited to dive back into her role as First Lady and 'serve the country', but also intends to continue prioritizing her role as mother and wife. 'I will be in the White House and when I need to be in New York, I will be in New York. When I need to be in Palm Beach, I will be in Palm Beach. But my first priority is to be a mom, to be a First Lady, to be a wife, and once we are in on January 20, you serve the country. Melania added she believes an 'exciting four years' are ahead and that 'we have a lot to do and put the country back in shape'. One of the most talked about moments was a clear moment of affection between Trump and Obama Trump will be sworn in as president for the second time on Monday, capping one of the most astounding political comebacks in American history. But unlike at his first inauguration, one former First Lady will be noticeably absent from the crowd, despite every living former president - including her own - and their spouses having vowed to attend. Michelle Obama, 60, will not be at Monday's ceremony. She also missed Jimmy Carter's funeral, where her husband Barack was seen laughing and cozying up to the incoming President. Trump, 78, and Obama, 63, shared a warm interaction ahead of the service, having a whispered conversation with one another in a moment which set the internet alight. 'It did look very friendly, I must say,' Trump later said. But according to a source who spoke to Page Six, Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump - putting her at odds with her husband's friendly efforts. 'She's never been fake and she's never been phony. She's always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up,' the source said. 'She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesn't have to unify around [Trump]. She doesn't have to say anything. 'Her absence speaks volumes.' Trump's inauguration will take place on January 20. Pictured: Trump at his last inauguration in 2017 Michelle has no such plans to smooth over her relationship with Trump - putting her at odds with her husband's friendly efforts On Wednesday, the office of Barack and Michelle Obama confirmed that Michelle would not be at the inauguration in a statement to the Associated Press. 'Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,' the statement read. Historically, this would be seen as a monumental snub given all former presidents and first ladies have attended inauguration - even for the president of the opposite party - unless they were suffering from health issues. But Trump himself blew up that modern precedent four years ago when he refused to attend the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, President Joe Biden. First lady Melania Trump also skipped Biden's inauguration. When she missed Carter's funeral, it was immediately cleared up that she had a 'scheduling conflict' which prevented her from attending. She was enjoying an extended holiday in Hawaii at the time. But on this occasion, her office has made no such effort to explain away her absense. At the funeral, Trump sat side by side with Obama, and later revealed they get along despite their differences and their past attacks on one another. Michelle Obama was the only spouse absent during President Jimmy Carter's funeral on Thursday. President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former President Bill Clinton, former first lady Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush, former first lady Laura Bush, former President Barack Obama, former President and President-elect Donald Trump, former first lady Melania Trump, former Vice President Al Gore, former Vice President Mike Pence were all in attendance 'I didn't realize how friendly it looked,' Trump said. 'I said, "Boy they look like two people who like each other" and we probably do. We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do.' The president-elect added, 'I dont know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody.' It comes amid wild conspiracy theories that the Obamas are heading for a split. The two huge non-appearances have some fans of the political power couple concerned there's trouble in paradise, with many taking to X to share their thoughts. 'I'm calling it, the Obamas are getting a divorce,' wrote one person. Another posted: 'An Obama divorce would not be on my 2025 predictions but it might happen.' The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992. The two have not shied away from sharing their struggles When they first had children, the couple had some fights, as Barack would commute on a six-hour round trip to work at the Illinois Senate, and sometimes spend days away due to his job They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001. But others noticed the former first lade has simply been less publicly engaged as she grieves the death of her mother, Marian Robinson, in May. When she spoke at the Democratic National Convention in August, she remarked that her grief almost kept her from coming onstage. 'I still feel her loss so profoundly - I wan't even sure I'd be steady enough to stand before you tonight,' she told the massive crowd at Chicago's United Center. Still she headlined several campaign events for Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, ahead of Election Day. A woman who was house-sitting while her brother was on honeymoon was burned alive by arsonists who attacked the wrong target, police believe. The 27-year-old woman, who was the sole occupant, made a desperate triple-0 call shortly after 2am on Thursday, telling them that she was trapped in the burning house in Dover St in Truganina in Melbourne's west and could not escape. Firefighters arrived at the scene within minutes and found the three-storey townhouse engulfed in flames. Such was the intensity of the blaze that crews were unable to quell the flames until two hours later, when a search of the property was made and the woman's body was found. The victim is yet to be formally identified. It's also believed a family pet perished in the blaze. Detective Inspector Chris Murray from Arson and Explosives Squad confirmed that the woman was looking after the house for her brother who is on his honeymoon. 'What I can say is this: this individual is completely innocent and should not have died,' Det Insp Murray told reporters. 'We have no history on this individual nor the family. In fact, she is the type of girl who doesn't leave home very much, and it was probably her first time really away and by herself, house sitting for her brother. Firefighters were unable to save the life of a 27-year-old trapped in the townhouse in west Melbourne in the early hours of Thursday 'He's on a honeymoon, and she's been subjected to the most appalling, despicable act one can imagine.' Det Insp Murray said police didn't believe the attack was linked to the ongoing tobacco wars, which have seen more than 100 arson incidents across Victoria. However, the random nature of the attack led police to believe it might have been a mistake. 'We're stuck. The premises and the family and the individual lead us nowhere. Therefore, the only logical conclusion I can draw is they've got the wrong premises,' Det Insp Murray said. 'There seems to be a fascination with the use of fire to solve crime, solve beef, solve acts of revenge. These are the consequences we're seeing, and they're serious consequences. This girl did not deserve to lose her life.' CCTV footage from a nearby property captured two suspected arsonists parking outside the home CCTV footage from a nearby property showed two alleged offenders parking a small dark colour SUV or hatchback outside the home at around 2.03am before they jumped the fence. The pair were seen getting back into the car and speeding away at around 2.10am as flames erupted from the home. 'We know two occupants got out of that vehicle. Some accelerant was poured inside the house and subsequently has engulfed the premises,' Det Insp Murray said. 'Whether they meant to damage these premises or just cause a scare tactic now they are staring at a charge of homicide, of murder. 'We're looking for two murderers. Let's be clear about that. 'I know the type of individuals that do that, they do it for a few $100 thinking they're going to burn something down. This was just a matter of time.' Fire Rescue Victoria Commander Callum Donoghue said the fire likely started on the ground floor and escalated to 'extreme' temperatures that reached well over 200C. With the fire creating temperatures estimated to have reached 200C, the townhouse was left a gutted wreck Arson investigating have launched a probe into the blaze that killed a woman and a family pet 'Inside the dwelling was completely gutted,' Commander Donoghue said. 'The access was very difficult for our firefighters, so an external attack was put in place. 'Firefighters are currently assisting the arson squad with photography just to determine the full cause of the fire. 'There was loud bang noise around 2.15am and within minutes whole house was on fire,' he said. A nearby resident told the Herald Sun she was in her backyard about 2am when she heard loud, consecutive bangs. 'It sounded like fireworks,' she said. The resident claimed she could see flames rising high above the town house's roof. 'We're working with Wyndham Vale City Council in regards to the safety of the property through their building surveyor.' A Truganina man told Daily Mail Australia he recalled hearing a loud noise after midnight. 'The roof was fully engulfed. It was ferocious.' 'It was quite distressing - knowing there might be people in there.' A community advice warning was issued for smoke in the immediate area. Police have appealed for anybody with information to come forward by contacting Crime Stoppers. China allocates 6.66 bln yuan for rural revitalization in ethnic minority areas Xinhua) 14:34, January 16, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China has allocated 6.66 billion yuan (about 926.5 million U.S. dollars) of funds to support rural revitalization in areas with large ethnic minority populations. These areas have received such central fiscal funds, according to a conference gathering heads of ethnic affairs commissions, which was held on Wednesday. Pan Yue, director of the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, said the funds would support areas with large ethnic minority populations to build on their achievements in poverty reduction and advance rural revitalization. Greater efforts will be made to improve development policies concerning ethnic affairs, strengthen local industries and foster handicraft brands unique to ethnic minority groups to boost high-quality development of these areas, Pan said. The conference made arrangements for the key work of the commission this year, including promoting exchanges and integration among different ethnic groups and improving laws and regulations concerning ethnic affairs. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) Canada challenges U S steel, aluminum tariffs at WTO 13 Mar 2025 | 11:24 PM Ottawa, Mar 13 (UNI) Canada has taken official steps by requesting consultations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) to dispute U.S. import duties on steel and aluminum products from Canada, according to a statement issued by the trade organization on Thursday. see more.. Dhaka terms New Delhi's comments on holding of elections, minorities as 'unwarranted' 13 Mar 2025 | 8:29 PM Dhaka, Mar 13 (UNI) Bangladesh has termed the recent remarks by New Delhi regarding the holding of elections, the overall law and order situation, and the situation of the minority Hindu community, as "unwarranted" and tantamount to "interference" in another country's domestic affairs. see more.. Pak ISPR's claim of ending operation is a lie, battle continues: BLA 13 Mar 2025 | 5:55 PM Islamabad, Mar 13 (UNI) The Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) on Thursday rejected the Pakistan Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) claim that it has successfully ended the hostage standoff aboard the hijacked Jaffar Express. see more.. 10 tons of expired food, medicine set on fire in S Afghanistan 13 Mar 2025 | 5:15 PM Kandahar, Afghanistan, Mar 13 (UNI) Authorities in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar and neighboring Zabul province have set on fire and destroyed 10 tons of expired and low-quality food and medicine over the past two days, officials said Thursday. see more.. A man being hunted by police in connection with a spate of indecent exposure incidents at a pub has a striking resemblance to Vladimir Putin, social media users have said. Officers want to speak with the despot leader's bald-headed doppelganger after a man exposed himself days before Christmas to a number of people at The White Hart in Bicester, Oxfordshire. The flashing incidents happened at around 11.50pm on Friday, December 20, and Thames Valley Police believe the man captured on CCTV may have vital information. But people on Facebook couldn't help but notice his uncanny likeness to the Russian dictator with one simply asking: 'What's Putin doing drinking in Oxford?' Another quipped that they 'didn't realise Putin had connections to Bicester'. A third thought the news at first was about Russia when it popped up on their feed. While others suggested he resembled the original host of Crystal Maze Richard O'Brien or Gru from the children's film Despicable Me. Thames Valley Police released the appeal last week. Thames Valley Police released this CCTV image last week of a man who officers want to speak to in relation to a number of indecent exposure incidents at The White Hart in Bicester, Oxfordshire But social media users couldn't help but notice that he had an uncanny resemblance to Russia's despot leader Vladimir Putin (pictured here on January 13, 2025) Others suggested he resembled the original host of Crystal Maze Richard O'Brien (left) or Gru (right) from the children's film Despicable Me The flashing incidents happened just days before Christmas on Friday, December 20, 2024, at around 11.50pm Investigating officer PC Amanda Daroux saying: 'I am appealing to anyone who recognises the man pictured as he may have vital information to assist us with our enquiries. 'If this is you, please come forward as soon as possible. 'If you have any information relating to this incident, please call 101 or report it online, quoting 43240616928. 'Alternatively, if you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via its website.' The Australian teacher charged with stealing two bags containing laptops in Bali has blamed 'pain medication' for her alleged actions after it was suggested in court that she was drunk when arrested. Vanessa Louise Crimmins, 45, is accused of stealing backpacks containing a HP laptop and a MacBook Air from outside Popular Deli, a supermarket in North Kuta on October 30. Crimmins, who did not have legal representation, attended Denpasar District Court on Thursday, where she heard charges read against her and witness testimony of the alleged thefts. Police and a store security chief also alleged Crimmins she appeared 'drunk' when they went to arrest her. 'We could not communicate with her,' the security chief told the court. 'She like drunk or something, not sure. She was later pretending to sleep.' Police also claimed there were a number of empty beer bottles around Crimmins. As the court hearing was wrapped up, journalists approached Crimmins and asked whether she 'realised what she did' and if she was under the influence of alcohol. Vanessa Louise Crimmins, 45, is accused of stealing bags containing a HP laptop and a MacBook Air from where they had been left outside a supermarket in North Kuta on October 30 'No, pain medication,' Crimmins replied. When asked if she was sorry for what she did, Crimmins replied 'very'. Earlier when she was being led into court, Crimmins replied to journalists attempting to question her, although at other times she attempted to hide her face behind a pink fan. 'I didnt do anything wrong,' she said. 'Big mistake, big mistake.' During the hearing, prosecutor Lintang Jendro Rahmadita read the indictment which saw Crimmins charged with article 362 of Criminal Code on theft and could land her a jail term of up to five years. As she was escorted into Denpasar District Court in handcuffs on Thursday, Vanessa Crimmins claimed to the waiting media that she did 'nothing wrong' Vanessa Crimmins could face up to five years in jail if she is found guilty of the thefts Vanessa Crimmins responded to questions from journalists when she arrived at court but attempted hide her face with a fan The court heard from several witnesses, including the owners of the allegedly stolen laptops, Jakarta man Ardi Nurcahyadi, 42, and Denpasar university student Ni Nyoman Ari Purwaningsih, 24. Both bags were allegedly stolen in a 90-minute period from 7.30am after being left outside the store. After one of the men alerted the Popular Deli security chief that their bag had been taken, he reviewed CCTV. The footage allegedly showed Crimmins taking the man's bag and a second one an hour later outside the shop. Police alleged that after the arrest, the stolen bags and computers were found during a search of the North Kuta villa where Crimmins was staying. Crimmins is scheduled to next face court next Thursday, where she will give a statement. It remains unclear whether Crimmins was living or holidaying in Bali at the time of her arrest. She was transported back to Bali's infamous Kerobokan jail after the hearing, where she remains in custody. Up until recently, the prison held two members of the Bali Nine drug smuggling ring. Si Yi Chen and Matthew Norman served out their sentences at Kerobokan before they returned to Australia earlier this month. Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran also spent their sentences on Kerobokan's death row before they were executed in 2015. It's also where fellow Aussie Schapelle Corby served the majority of her nine-year jail term after she attempted to smuggle 4.1kg of marijuana in her bodyboard bag through Denpasar Airport in 2004. Putin will not shy away from causing mass casualties in the next phase of Russia's 'hidden war' against the West, an expert has claimed in the wake of suspected 'hybrid' efforts to sow disruption in Europe through alleged sabotage plots. Keir Giles, an expert on the Russia at Chatham House, told Metro that civilians are 'likely' to be the victims of future plots, and that the West should expect a surge in terror attacks soon. The Kremlin has been accused of orchestrating attacks on European soil as retribution for the West's broad backing of Ukraine against Russia's full-scale invasion, or to undermine support for Kyiv. Counter-terrorism police in Britain were last year said to be investigating suspected Russian involvement in the planting of a hidden incendiary device in a parcel on a plane headed for the UK. The device ultimately burst into flames in a warehouse and no casualties were reported. Mr Giles said that where, during the Cold War, Russia sponsored terrorist movements to carry out attacks in Europe, 'now with these airlines parcel plots, the willingness from Russia to cause mass casualties has returned'. 'We should soon expect a surge in Russian state terrorist attacks across Europe,' he cautioned. The stark warning came as Poland's Prime Minister claimed that Russia has been planning acts of 'air terror' against airlines worldwide, staging sabotage and diversion on Polish soil and beyond. Putin's Russia has been accused of orchestrating 'hybrid' attacks on European soil Two incendiary devices had been shipped via a DHL logistics centre on July 22 to Birmingham , England, and Leipzig, Germany, resulting in a fire Pictured: A fire ignited at a plant in Berlin containing poisonous sulphuric acid and copper cyanide that is reportedly linked to missiles supplied to Ukraine Mr Giles told the outlet that Russia's neighbours in northern Europe have been ringing alarm bells 'for years' about the Kremlin's disruptive tactics. But without hard consequences to deter such attacks, Moscow has continued getting away with interfering in foreign affairs. Russia has long been accused of meddling in elections in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, using cyber capabilities to push narratives to undermine political stability and, by extension, the Baltic commitment to its allies. It was also accused of interfering in historic votes in Britain and the US election. Mr Giles warned that it would take a 'substantial disaster' before Europe wakes up to the imminent threat from Russia. 'There's no indication that anybody is still listening to the Nordics and Baltic states' warnings despite the repeated evidence that they were right,' he said. The cutting of crucial underseas telecommunications cables in the Baltic Sea in November generated outrage and stark warnings about Russia's ability to allegedly interfere in European affairs. A 135-mile internet link between Lithuania and Sweden's Gotland Island went out of service, according to a local supplier, before a 745-mile cable running from Helsinki to Rostock, Germany went offline. Bubbles break to the surface amid a leak at the Nord Stream gas pipelines in 2022 More than 97 per cent of the world's communications are transmitted through sub sea optical fibre cables surrounded by armouring wire and a Polyethylene cover Finland and Germany said in a joint statement that they were investigating 'an incident (that) immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage' before European ministers put together a joint statement blaming Russia. A fatal plane crash in Lithuania in November also prompted a sharp response from the state, heavily implying possible Russian involvement. 'We see Russia becoming more aggressive, and foreign partners are also on the air, talking about dangers and cases of sabotage or a certain threat of terrorism,' Darius Jauniskis, head of the State Security Department, said. Suspicions were also roused when a chemical factory in Berlin went up in flames in May last year, as it was revealed the firm made weapons supplied to Ukraine. Western security officials said in June that the fire at Diehl Metal Applications was targeted by Russian saboteurs trying to disrupt shipments of critical arms and ammunition. Russia has been accused of trying to destabilise the West and allies since the war in Ukraine began by allegedly 'weaponising mass migration' along its western border; sabotaging Nord Stream pipelines providing Europe with gas; influencing elections in Moldova and Georgia; jamming aircraft GPS; and even sending exploding sex toys to Western Europe. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk yesterday echoed allegations that Russia was seeking to disrupt Europe in brief comments during a meeting with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Warsaw. 'All I can say, and I will not go into details, but I can confirm the validity of these fears, is that Russia has been planning acts of air terror, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world,' Tusk told reporters. The Kremlin on Thursday dismissed Warsaw's accusations that it had planned acts of 'air terror' against global airlines as proofless, a day after Tusk made the claim. 'This is nothing more than another completely unsubstantiated accusation against Russia,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Defence officials warned in November that Europe remains 'totally unprepared' to deal with such threats, lacking the resources to effectively counter sabotage, arson, assassination and attacks on infrastructure. A former senior European official told the Guardian said Europe could expect more 'hybrid' attacks to unfold on the continent in the wake of the American decision to permit usage of long-range ATACMS missiles against targets deep inside Russia. UK and EU ministers have acknowledged that Russia's alleged hybrid attacks were 'escalating' and 'unprecedented' in scale, posing security risks. The German cabinet has since agreed plans to allow the army to shoot down suspicious drones after several sightings over military sites. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said that 'especially since Putin's war of aggression against Ukraine, we have seen that drones are being used more and more frequently, which poses an increasing challenge for the police and their current technology.' Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk shake hands in Warsaw A British Challenger 2 tank operating in Ukraine in August 2023 Residents clean the debris from the damaged residential house after a Russian shelling in Kostiantynivka, Ukraine on November 19 The ministry said that 'security services have noted that reports of sightings of uncooperative drones over critical infrastructure and military properties in Germany are increasing.' 'Espionage or sabotage are regularly considered as a possible reason,' it added in a statement, as tensions between Moscow and Berlin continue to run high. Under current regulations, soldiers can assist the police in forcing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to change direction or land, threaten to shoot it down or fire warning shots. But under the new proposals, a drone could be shot down by the army if it is believed the device is being 'used against the lives of people or against a critical facility, and the use of armed force is the only means of averting this present danger', the ministry said. A 'selfish' accountant who fought a decade-long parking war with his next-door neighbours over their shared driveway has been told to accept defeat after a judge refused his attempt to re-open the case. Ivan Soares was ordered to pay 60,000 in damages to his neighbour Manish Kothari in 2023 after a judge heard that he had knocked up to 10 per cent from the value of Mr Kothari's home in Uxbridge, west London, with his 'high-handed, insulting and oppressive' behaviour. Mr Soares, 55, claimed he was unable to attend the 2023 hearing because he was out of the country for emergency dental treatment after toothache had left him incapable of speech. But the High Court heard that the row over three parking spaces in front of the two homes has already racked up 100,000 in legal fees since 2015, and Judge Graham Wood KC told Mr Soares it should go no further. 'If he was unable to speak he could have written to his solicitors and given them instructions in relation to the trial,' he told the hearing. 'Accordingly I find that he didn't have a good reason for not attending the trial.' Mr Kothari, also an accountant, bought his three-bedroom home in the leafy cul-de-sac for 375,000 in 2006. It came with a single parking space, awkwardly placed between Mr Soares's two parking spaces immediately in front of the neighbouring homes. Your browser does not support iframes. Ivan Soares was ordered to pay his neighbours 60,140 in damages for his 'high-handed, insulting and oppressive' behaviour in the decade-long parking row The two neighbours came to a 'swap' arrangement whereby Mr Kothari would use the space nearest to his house, leaving Mr Soares with two adjacent spaces. But the neighbours fell out over allegations of inconsiderate parking, prompting Mr Soares and his wife Sunita to 'revoke' the swap agreement in September 2018. The case went to court three years later when a judge agreed that Soares was entitled to revoke the agreement and could continue to use the space outside Mr Kothari's home. The case returned to court in December 2022 after Soares sued his neighbours for compensation claiming they had 'trespassed' on his land by continuing to park in the space for nearly two years after the swap deal came to an end. But Mr Kothari, who shares his home with his brother Sandip and his sister-in-law Bindu countersued, claiming that their neighbour had retaliated by parking within inches of their car. Judge Simon Monty urged the families to reach settle their differences after the hearing that legal costs were already spiralling. 'Feelings are obviously running very high,' he told a hearing at Central London County Court. 'If the parties want to spend 50,000 arguing about a few feet of parking, they can do so I suppose, but it seems to me they are arguing about very little at a great risk to themselves in terms of costs.' 'It's double that,' barrister Maxwell Myers told him. Manish Kothari, 43,was ordered to pay 2,530 for trespassing on Mr Soares's parking space Mr Kothari's sister-in-law, Bindu, said Mr Soares's parking had left her struggling to enter her car When the case resumed in March 2023, Mrs Kothari told the court she had not used the family's parking space since July 2022 'for fear of being boxed in'. Mr Kothari claimed that Mr Soares's parking had obstructed other neighbours in the cul-de-sac, and blocked access to the Kotharis' garage. A police officer who had been called to one episode branded Mr Soares' parking 'selfish and unnecessary' after seeing his car reversed to within inches of Mrs Kothari's his wheels turned towards hers. Judge Jane Evans-Gordon ordered Soares to pay his neighbours 60,140 in damages after agreeing that his 'high-handed, insulting and oppressive' behaviour had devalued their now 750,000 home because they would be legally obliged to reveal it if they tried to sell. 'Given the claimant's behaviour - which amounts to bullying - a potential purchaser might be fearful of repeat incidents. Hence the reduction in value,' she explained. 'This is exemplified by the evidence given by Mrs Kothari, who told me that when she couldn't access her car she asked Mr Soares to move his car because she couldn't get to work, but he said 'that's not my problem' - and refused to move his car.' The judge placed an injunction on Mr and Mrs Soares, barring them from straying onto their neighbours' parking space or in front of their garage. But she also awarded them 2,530 trespass damages from the Kotharis for their continued use of the right sided parking space after the 'swap agreement' was ended. And she accepted that the Kotharis had previously 'obstructed' their neighbours' turning circle with their own parking. But she declined to grant an injunction on the Kotharis because she was 'not satisfied there's been any obstruction of that turning circle for some years'. A court accepted that up to 10 per cent had been wiped from the value of the Kothari's 750,000 home in Uxbridge, west London, by the decade-long row Mr Soares gave no evidence at that hearing case, telling the High Court this week that he had lost faith in his then solicitors, and had been forced to fly abroad for urgent dental treatment. His barrister told Judge Wood that Mr Soares had been unable to eat or speak at the time. 'There genuinely was a tooth issue,' he insisted. The judge accepted that the case could have had a different outcome if Mr Soares had given evidence, but said that Mrs Soares could have given evidence in his place. 'The question is did Mr Soares apply promptly and have a good reason for not attending the trial, and my answer is no,' Judge Wood concluded. Jill Biden has revealed exactly what she said to Donald Trump during their intimate moment in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. The First Lady and the president-elect were last month seen at the re-opening of the historic site in a viral exchange that sparked countless wild theories regarding what they spoke about. French first lady Brigitte Macron had been sitting in between Biden and Trump during the ceremony, but when she got up and the two were left to themselves, they were captured smiling and chatting. Dr Biden told the Washington Post in an interview that she had gently ribbed both Trump and her husband in the exchange. Jill told the newspaper that Trump said: 'I had a good meeting with your husband in the Oval Office.' After he said his visit was two hours long, she said she told him: 'Yes, because you're both talkers.' The following day, Trump shared a photo of the exchange as part of an advertisement for his line of $199 colognes and perfumes with the tagline: 'A fragrance your enemies can't resist.' When asked why she decided to speak to Trump in Paris, Dr Biden said: 'Joe and I respect our institutions, our traditions, and it's very important to me that they continue. What would be the point of nastiness?' First Lady Jill Biden (pictured, centre-left) and Donald Trump (pictured, right) were last month seen at the re-opening of the historic site Biden's revelation comes a week after Trump was seen jovially sitting with former president Barack Obama at Jimmy Carter's funeral. For what was supposed to be a somber final farewell for the 39th president, Thursday's service was filled with icy exchanges, glares, and mysterious conversations - which viewers said was like something straight out of a Real Housewives script. One of the most talked about moments was a clear moment of affection between Trump and Obama. Trump later returned to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida Thursday night to meet with Republican governors - and refused to say what he and Obama discussed. But he joked: 'It did look very friendly, I must say.' He noted that he had seen the coverage of it on television and the obsession over their conversation on social media. 'I didn't realize how friendly it looked. I said, "Boy they look like two people who like each other" and we probably do,' he said. 'We have little different philosophies, right, but we probably do.' The president-elect added, 'I dont know. We just got along. But I got along with just about everybody,' perhaps referring to former Second Lady Karen Pence's snub of him and Melania. He said that the entire cast of luminaries 'met backstage' before the funeral and said 'we all got along very well.' One of the most talked about moments was a clear moment of affection between Trump and Obama Trump later returned to his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida Thursday night to meet with Republican governors and refused to say what he and Obama discussed, but joked, 'It did look very friendly, I must say' All the former presidents were together in a private room ahead of their entrances into the cathedral. They also greeted President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden upon their arrival, according to the White House. Trump helped birth the so-called 'birther' movement while Obama humiliated the reality TV host onstage at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in 2011 - considered a motivating factor for Trump's decision to launch a 2016 White House run. But on Thursday Trump and Obama acted like they were old friends. The Republican president-elect and the former Democratic commander-in-chief chatted, with Trump making Obama laugh at one point. Drivers in a car theft hotspot where crime is three times the national average have warned anyone with an expensive vehicle to 'kiss it goodbye'. Locals of Bexley, south-east London say they are resorting to clamping their wheels and claim there are roads where 'nearly every car has a steering lock'. It comes as new data suggests the capital is particularly bad for the offence, with 90 per cent of reported instances going unsolved - this compares to an average of 78.5 per cent across England and Wales. And even a former police officer living in the area has spoken out to admit the level of crime is 'absolutely appalling'. David Bowden, who lives on Glenhurst Avenue in Bexleyheath, said he had heard of four or five cars being stolen over a recent period of weeks. He added: 'There have been a lot of thefts in this area, mainly targeting expensive cars with keyless entry. 'If you walk down this road you'll see that nearly every car has a steering wheel lock on. It's a big concern but you can only do so much to protect your car. 'I think the police could do more to prevent it. Once upon a time you would see patrols in the area but I think like a lot of things at the moment the police are probably under-resourced, so I imagine car thefts aren't their biggest priority.' David Bowden, who lives on Glenhurst Avenue in Bexleyheath, said he had heard of four or five cars being stolen over a recent period of weeks Peter Bleksley, a former police officer who lives in the borough, said: 'If you've managed to do well for yourself and got yourself a nice car you can kiss it goodbye round here, because the level of car crime is absolutely appalling' Your browser does not support iframes. Mr Bowden also said he wanted to see 'more proactive patrols from police' to deter thieves. One of his neighbours, Maria, had her Mercedes stolen in October. She said: 'We reported our theft to the police and they came round and did an interview but a few weeks later they told us "sorry, it's gone". 'Our neighbours had their Range Rover taken around the same time. Again, it wasn't recovered. 'They've since come round to the road with leaflets giving people advice on how to keep their cars safe. I felt like the police did take it seriously but it's just a big problem around here.' Data released by the Home Office showed the capital's police force categorised 90 per cent of car thefts that took place in the four months to June 2024 as 'unsolved cases'. The force conducted 8,861 investigations into car thefts "with an outcome recorded", of which just 80 - or 0.9 per cent - saw someone charged or summonsed. A total of 7,996 investigations saw 'no suspect identified'. Meanwhile, across England and Wales an average of 78.5 per cent of car thefts went unsolved. The vehicle crime rate in Bexley comes in at three times the national average. Locals of Bexley, south-east London (pictured) say they are resorting to clamping their wheels amid claims there are roads where 'nearly every car has a steering lock' Peter Bleksley, a former police officer who lives in the borough, said: 'If you've managed to do well for yourself and got yourself a nice car you can kiss it goodbye round here, because the level of car crime is absolutely appalling. 'Years ago you would never have seen a steering wheel lock on a car but now everyone is getting down Halfords because if you don't have extra security on your car it's gone. 'People want officers, either uniformed or plain clothed, out here stopping the thefts taking place or catching the unscrupulous organised criminals stealing their cars.' A Met Police spokesman said: 'Unfortunately motor vehicle crime is an issue across London and the South East. 'In Bexley, the reduction of motor vehicle crime is one of our Borough policing objectives and we are investing time and resources in proactive operations and providing crime prevention advice as we recognise the impact these crimes have on the community. 'This work is starting to have an impact, and although we still recognise there is an unacceptable number of motor vehicles being stolen, and stolen from, there has been a reduction in these crime over the last few weeks. 'We have also recently arrested two males suspected of being involved in the theft of a number of motor vehicles. 'Our enforcement and crime prevention work will continue, but we would be grateful for any information the public can provide in relation to any suspicious activity.' Jimmy Mizen's mother today demanded 'answers' from the BBC for playing drill rap songs by her son's killer on the radio - as it emerged some of his music videos were filmed inside jail. Jake Fahri was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing the schoolboy by throwing a glass oven dish at him inside a London bakery. The dish shattered and severed blood vessels in Jimmy's neck, before Fahri was seen swaggering out of the shop with a smile. He was released from prison in June 2023. It's since emerged the killer is under investigation for allegedly boasting in rap videos about murdering Jimmy, including with the line: 'Watched him melt like Ben and Jerry's.' Despite his criminal past, Fahri has been showcased on BBC 1Xtra and lauded by DJ Theo Johnson as someone who 'really stands out'. Jimmy's mother, Margaret Mizen, this morning criticised the BBC for 'playing the songs of a murderer' and said she would 'like answers' over why this happened. In a new concerning revelation, MailOnline can reveal that several scenes from one of Fahri's music videos appear to have been illegally filmed from inside prison. The track Dirty Game includes footage looking outside the broken window of a filthy jail cell before filming along a corridor and out into an exercise yard. At one point, a hand is seen holding a suspicious substance wrapped in a pouch. Jimmy Mizen mother, Margaret, criticised the BBC for 'playing the songs of a murderer' and said she would 'like answers' over why this happened Jake Fahri (left) was given a life sentence in 2009 with a minimum term of 14 years for killing the schoolboy (right) by throwing a glass oven dish at him inside a London bakery In a new concerning revelation, MailOnline can reveal that several scenes from one of Fahri's music videos appear to have been filmed inside prison Possessing a mobile phone within a prison is a criminal offence punishable by an additional jail sentence of up to two years and an unlimited fine. Reacting to the decision to air some of Fahri's songs, Mrs Mizen said today: 'I have to say I'm a bit disappointed with the BBC for playing any of his music on the radio station. 'I'll be wanting answers about that as well because I think it doesn't matter if if it wasn't the two songs that are the worst. 'It's the fact they played some. You know, when you're playing the songs of a murderer. It's pretty bad isn't it?' In his songs, Fahri appears to refer to Jimmy's murder by saying: 'Sharpen up my blade I've got to keep those necessary. 'Stay alert and kept it ready, any corner could be deadly. 'Judge took a look at me, before the trial even started he already knows he's gonna throw the book at me.' The BBC said: 'This individual does not feature on any BBC playlists, we have never played - as we pointed out to the Sun - the lyrics they have printed. He's had two other tracks played twice. 1Xtra has no further plans to play his music, we were not aware of his background and we in no way condone his actions.' The Prison Service said of the prison footage: 'We are aware of this content and are investigating it as a priority. We take any material that could glorify violence or distress victims extremely seriously.' At one point in the music video, a hand is seen holding a suspicious substance wrapped in a pouch In this scene, a man is seen pacing around a prison exercise yard Fahri - pictured posing with a Ferrari - has been featured on the BBC The drill artist has a Spotify profile with several songs where he is called TEN Other lyrics by Fahri include repeated references to crimes and life behind bars. In the track Dispersal, Fahri boasts about being put on the segregation wing of a high-security prison. He raps: 'Disperse me to dispersal with the lifers then. Swing around a blade when I promised mum I'd never touch a knife again.' He adds: 'Never understood a life 'til you took a life. Look in the mirror now you look alive. Look in the mirror, can you look inside? 'Tryna balance out the good with the crooked side.' In another song, Juggy, the killer appears to admit lying under oath in the Old Bailey. He says: 'I don't talk 'cos I'm signed to the streets. Went to court, put my hand on that book, and I lied through my teeth.' Elsewhere, he describes stabbing injuries in horrific detail, rapping: 'Head gone, chest gone, blades out, flesh gone. 'Over there, donny like to stare, so he got stepped on. See a man's soul fly from his eyes and his breath gone. 'S***, I wanted more, it made it less wrong, seeing blood spilt (on) the same floor he was left on.' Jimmy, (pictured) described as of 'immaculate character' by police, bled to death in the bakery, dying in his brother's arms. He was the 13th teen to be murdered in London that year The Pyrex dish Fahri threw at Jimmy, which caused fatal injuries While Fahri's tracks appear to have been removed on the BBC, his profile as a rapper called TEN can be found on Spotify and YouTube. Jimmy's murder in 2008 was sparked by a petty row between the pair and Jimmy's older brother Harry, 19. Fahri started the argument at the Three Cooks Bakery in Burnt Ash Hill before hurling a Pyrex dish at the former altar boy, which shattered. Glass was driven deep into his neck, severing an artery and his jugular vein. Jimmy, who was described as being of 'immaculate character', bled to death in Harry's arms. He had been out to buy his first lottery ticket on his 16th birthday when he was attacked. Fahri, who pleaded not guilty to murder, ran out of the shop and was described by one eyewitness as 'walking with a swagger' while another said 'he had a big grin on his face'. Three days after the killing he booked himself into a hotel room under the name Jack Walker where he said goodbye to his girlfriend before turning himself into police. Barry (right) and Margaret Mizen attend a special memorial service for their son He was found guilty of murder after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey in 2009 and was sentenced to life with a minimum of 14 years. But Fahri was desperate to keep up the tough guy facade even while facing years in prison and as he was taken away shouted out to his mum Shirley in the gallery 'don't worry, I love you', and she shouted back 'be strong, Jake'. When MailOnline visited the south east London home of Shirley Fahri last year she refused to comment on her son's release. In 2013, Fahri's ex girlfriend Chantelle Lewis, 17, claimed he attacked her after cocaine and alcohol binges. She told the Mirror: 'He started hitting me and would regularly leave me with bruises all over my body - which I'd hide from my parents and friends. 'He'd come home drunk and beat me up. 'But the worst beatings came when he was high on cocaine and he'd pin me against the wall. 'Once he punched me on the left cheek and I had to hide it with foundation.' The Ministry of Justice and Parole Board have confirmed that Fahri was released in June 2023. Jimmy died from his injuries at the Three Cooks Bakery near the family home, in Lee, South-East London. Pictured: Forensic officers investigate the scene in 2008 The Parole Board said: 'We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Jake Fahri following an oral hearing. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. 'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. 'Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' This is the touching moment a puppy was reunited with her relieved owners three weeks after she was abducted from her home. Coco, a three-month-old husky German shepherd cross, was snatched from her front door in Norfolk a few days before Christmas when her owner was momentarily distracted. A tip-off led police to an address in neighbouring Suffolk at the weekend where an unwitting family had bought the pet from someone on the internet and agreed to hand Coco over. Video footage of the moment she returned home shows her bounding over to owner Chloe Marie's partner and excitedly wagging her tail, as well as clambering up on a sofa where she showers both of them with love. Miss Marie spoke of her joy at having Coco back, saying: 'We had honestly got to the point where we didn't think we would see her again, so this is absolutely overwhelming. We're all just over the moon to have her back.' The abduction happened in mid-December when Miss Marie answered her door in Mattishall, near Dereham, to a woman who suggested their dogs should take puppy training lessons together. Miss Marie, was about to go out and was in a rush to catch her bus, stepped inside her house for a moment to grab a bottle of water and found her puppy missing when she returned. Norfolk Police were informed of the incident and a women in her 50s was arrested on suspicion of dog abduction, a new law which only came into effect last year. She has been released on police bail until January 29. Video footage of the moment Coco returned home shows her bounding over to owner Chloe Marie's partner and excitedly wagging her tail, as well as clambering up on a sofa where she showers both of them with love Coco, a three-month-old husky German shepherd cross, was snatched from her front door in Norfolk a few days before Christmas when her owner was momentarily distracted The tip-off led officers to a family home in Southwold on January 11 where Coco was handed over. Miss Marie warned people who are looking at buying a dog via the internet to research their purchase thoroughly before handing over money and accepting the pet. 'If someone is offering to drive you to drop the dog off, that's an immediate red flag,' she said. A total of 2,290 dogs were stolen across the UK in 2023, a six per cent increase on the previous year. The breeds most at risk were English Bulldogs and French Bulldogs which sell for up to 3,000 - and XL Bullies. Just on in six (16 per cent) were located and returned to their owners. London saw the most thefts, with 359, followed by Kent with 138 and West Yorkshire on 125. The Pet Abduction Act came into force on August 24 last year, making pet theft a specific crime for the first time and taking into account the pain, stress and fear it causes for animals and their owners. Offenders face a maximum penalty of five years in prison under the new law. The tip-off led officers to a family home in Southwold on January 11 where Coco was handed over Miss Marie (right) was about to go out and was in a rush to catch her bus, stepped inside her house for a moment to grab a bottle of water and found her puppy missing when she returned Previously, offences were dealt with under the Theft Act 1968, with cats and dogs treated as property. Last year it emerged eight dogs a day were being nabbed by crooks with Dachshund, French Bulldogs and Chihuahuas the most at risk. Luckily Twiglet the Dachshund was returned to her millionaire owners Jo and Jamie Vindis - but countless others were left with a less than happy ending. Figures in 2023 showed that 2,760 dogs were being stolen annually, with the blight of dognapping only continuing to increase. BBC radio host Kirsty Young has won her years-long battle to build a holiday lodge on her 1.6 million 'Wallaby Island' in Loch Lomond. The former Desert Island Discs presenter, 56, had faced objections from environmentalists since she and her husband Nick Jones first submitted plans in 2021 for the sprawling 103-acre site. The couple snapped up Inchconnachan Island in Scotland when it was put on the market for offers over 500,000. Their blueprints to demolish a bungalow and replace it with a timber holiday rental and boathouse triggered campaigners to launch a petition to 'Save the Wallabies'. The island is one of the few places outside of Australia to a wild population of the marsupials. It attracted more than 100,000 signatories but Young insisted she had no plans to 'eradicate' them. The colony of the wild wallabies were released by the recordbreaking speedboater and local aristocrat Fiona Gore, the late countess of Arran. The Woodland Trust added to the increasing voices of discontent by raising concerns the development in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park would destroy native trees. Now, nearly four years since the proposals were unveiled, the park authority has finally given the go ahead for the three-bed lodge despite admitting it will 'result in a small loss of habitat'. BBC radio host Kirsty Young and her husband Nick Jones have won their years long battle to build a holiday lodge on their 1.6 million 'Wallaby Island' in Loch Lomond The former Desert Island Discs presenter and her husband purchased Inchconnachan Island (pictured) in 2020 for 1.6m The development on the location sparked anger and a number of objections being lodged from residents and environmental groups Restrictions have been put in place on the lodge stating it must only be used for short-term holiday lets - with stays of no more than 90 days - and should not become a permanent residence. The park authority is also insisting a planned boathouse can only be used for transport, and not accommodation. Young has also been asked to submit an Otter Protection Plan for approval. It comes two years after a dossier was submitted by authority staff to the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park planning and access committee that recommended permission be granted subject to conditions. In a formal planning statement, the authority said: 'The proposed development would result in a small loss of habitat, however the proposals are considered to have a biodiversity benefit through the naturalisation of the former site and the positive management and habitat enhancement of the island.' Claire Chapman, who chairs the park's planning committee, added: 'This application was approved following careful consideration of the planning assessment and detailed discussion. 'We are confident that it will deliver benefits for the island, both in terms of biodiversity and visitor management. Pictured: Plans for the new boathouse the couple will build after demolishing the old one The couple will replace the island's derelict bungalow (pictured) with a timber three-bedroom lodge The island (pictured) allows for a range of activities including sailing, kayaking, mountain biking, angling and hill walking 'The committee recognised that Inchconnachan is subject to special designations for its scenic and habitat/species qualities and as such, careful consideration was given to the impact this development would have on the island. 'It was concluded that the development would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the protected sites. 'The island management plan, a condition attached to this planning permission, will contribute to enhancing biodiversity on the island and will support continued access and recreation for visitors. 'It sets out conservation and visitor-management measures to benefit the whole island, including promotion of native plant species and woodland diversity, restoration of wetlands and a full-time warden on the island.' Concerns were raised over the future of the wallabies on the island but Young released a statement denying she wanted to move them. A petition had gathered thousands of signatures before Young said she had no plans to 'eradicate' the wallabies. Luss and Arden Community Council had raised fears over an osprey nest near to the proposed site for the lodge. History: The secluded island in Loch Lomond was once the summer retreat for the Countess of Arran, Fiona Gore (pictured on her speedboat in 1982), who became the unlikely champion powerboater at the 1980 Segrave Trophy Their blueprints triggered campaigners to launch a petition to 'Save the Wallabies', with the island one of the few places outside of Australia to inhabit a wild population of the marsupials The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds said they had no objections to the plans while Woodland Trust Scotland had objected as the building work would involve cutting down trees. Young and Jones bought the 103-acre island in 2020 for 1.6m. It had been owned by the Colquhoun family since the 14th century and is accessible by boat from the nearby village of Luss. Wallabies have lived on the island for almost 80 years after being introduced at the end of the Second World War. Young hosted BBC radio show Desert Island Discs but left the programme in 2018 after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and a chronic condition known as fibromyalgia which causes pain and fatigue. Young is married to entrepreneur Jones, who founded the Soho House brand. MailOnline has contacted Young's representatives for comment. Rapper Meek Mill has become the latest celebrity to make an offer to buy TikTok to save it from being banned in America. The Going Bad rapper wrote in a post to X on Tuesday: 'Sell tik tok [sic] to me!' He joins MrBeast and Elon Musk as competitors for the social media platform, which may soon be banned from the US over national security concerns. YouTube star MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, seemingly joked about purchasing the platform in tweet late Sunday night. 'Okay fine, I'll buy TikTok so it doesn't get banned,' he posted on X, in a message that appeared to be nothing more than online banter. But hours later the internet star, who has more than 300million subscribers on YouTube, doubled down on the assertion, claiming he had been in contact with possible billionaire investors. 'Unironically I've had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, let's see if we can pull this off,' Donaldson tweeted Monday. Donaldson did not specify who had been in touch, but sources close to him told TMZ that his team is having conversations with 'multiple parties' who have 'expressed interest in buying TikTok'. Rapper Meek Mill (pictured at Harlem Parish on September 24, 2024) has become the latest celebrity to make an offer to buy TikTok to save it from being banned in America The future of TikTok's operations in US hangs in the balance, with the Chinese-owned platform planning to shut off its app for American users on Sunday, when a federal ban on the social media app could come into effect. Donaldson's alleged bid for partial ownership of the company comes amid reports that China is in 'secret talks' to sell TikTok to Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, who in 2022 acquired his social media X, formerly Twitter. No official deal between Donaldson and any potential investors has materialized yet, according to TMZ. But insiders familiar with the 'ongoing conversations' claim the wealthy investor groups think Donaldson would be an ideal partner for maintaining operations and expanding the business because of his 'unique success' on social media. The sources also claim that Donaldson, who has an estimated net worth of $700million, would hypothetically secure equity in TikTok and become a minority owner in the platform. However, they note it is too 'premature' to speculate exactly how much equity the influencer would actually have in the firm. With a possible TikTok ban just days away, Beijing officials have become to explore alternative options, including the involvement of Musk, who may be uniquely positioned to bridge the divide between the world's two largest economies. 'Senior Chinese officials had already begun to debate contingency plans for TikTok,' sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. YouTuber MrBeast (pictured at the 2023 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards at Microsoft Theater on March 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California) has joined the bid to buy TikTok in an attempt to save the popular platform from being banned in the United States, it has emerged Donaldson seemingly joked about purchasing the platform in a tweet late Sunday night But hours later the internet star, who has more than 300million subscribers on YouTube, doubled down on the assertion, claiming he had been in contact with possible billionaire investors Donaldson's alleged bid for partial ownership of the company comes amid reports that China is in 'secret talks' to sell TikTok to Tesla billionaire Elon Musk (pictured in 2024). Musk in 2022 acquired his social media platform X, formerly Twitter President Joe Biden (left, pictured in July 2024) had in April last year signed a law requiring Bytedance to sell its assets by January 19, 2025 or face a nationwide ban. President-elect Donald Trump (right, pictured in December 2024) , whose inauguration takes place the day after the law goes into effect, has said he should have time after taking office to pursue a 'political resolution' to the issue One intriguing proposal involves Musk's company X taking control of TikTok's US operations. With more than 170 million users, TikTok would provide Musk's platform with a massive user base and a treasure trove of data - and the perfect complement to his burgeoning AI enterprise, xAI. Such a move could help X attract advertisers while solidifying Musk's influence across social media, artificial intelligence, and global trade. Musk's ties to the incoming Trump Administration adds another layer of intrigue to the potential deal. Having donated more than $250million to Trump's re-election campaign, Musk is seen as a trusted ally by the incoming administration. It's not clear how much TikTok parent company ByteDance knows about the Chinese government discussions or whether TikTok and Musk have been involved. It's also unclear whether Musk, TikTok and ByteDance have held any talks about the terms of any possible deal, Bloomberg reports. President Joe Biden had in April last year signed a law requiring Bytedance to sell its assets by January 19, 2025 or face a nationwide ban. TikTok and Bytedance have sought, at the very least, a delay in implementation of the law. TikTok faces an imminent shutdown in the United States after Congress passed a law last year forcing its Chinese owner ByteDance to either sell the platform or close it by Sunday. The US Supreme Court is expected to rule this week on TikTok's challenge to the law TikTok's legal team has argued that banning the app violates American's First Amendment's free speech protections. However, national security concerns, underscored by the Supreme Court justices, may outweigh those arguments. TikTok said in a court filing last month that it estimates one-third of the 170 million Americans using its app would stop accessing the platform if the ban lasts a month. But last week, the Supreme Court seemed inclined to uphold the law despite calls from President-elect Donald Trump and lawmakers to extend the Jan. 19 deadline. Trump, whose inauguration takes place the day after the law goes into effect, may issue an executive order that would suspend the TikTok ban scheduled to go into effect on Sunday. The move would prevent US officials from enforcing the law for 60 to 90 days, two anonymous sources familiar with the deliberations told the Washington Post. Trump's inauguration is this Monday, one day after the nationwide ban is expected to be made official. Sunday is the deadline for the TikTok's parent company, Bytedance, to sell its US assets or be pulled from US app stores due to concerns over the app's links to the communist Chinese government. Under that ban, Americans would still be able to use the app but new downloads would be blocked and its software would slowly degrade over time due to a lack of updates. Trump has repeatedly told the more than 14million followers of his own TikTok account that he plans to 'save' the app once he takes office. But experts have said that an executive order may not be an effective way to reverse the ban, as it cannot entirely overcome a law Congressed passed by a large margin, garnering support from both sides of the aisle. Executive orders 'are not magical documents. They're just press releases with nicer stationary,' former Department of Justice national security adviser Alan Rozenshtein told the Washington Post. 'TikTok will still be banned, and it will still be illegal for Apple and Google to do business with them. But it will make the presidents intention not to enforce the law that much more official,' he added. Wellington, Jan 16 (UNI) New Zealand welcomes the ceasefire deal to end hostilities in Gaza, stressing that protection of civilians and the release of hostages "must be at the forefront of effort," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Thursday. "Over the past 15 months, this conflict has caused incomprehensible human suffering," Peters said in a statement. "The terms of the deal must now be implemented fully. Protection of civilians and the release of hostages must be at the forefront of efforts," he said, adding there now should be a massive, rapid, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Calling on the parties to take meaningful steps towards a two-state solution to achieve a durable and lasting peace, Peters said political will is the key to ensuring history does not repeat itself. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal following intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced on Wednesday. UNI XINHUA ARN Slattery had spoken openly in recent years about his drink and drug problems Tony Slattery revealed how he finally ditched his 4,000-a-week cocaine addiction as grisly analysis showed up just what he was taking - yet could not quit drinking. The comedian and actor, who died this week aged 65, laid bare in recent years his harrowing struggles being what he called a 'slave' to alcohol and drugs, as well as suffering from bipolar disorder. And he told of how the cocaine 'wraps' on which he lavished so much money were found to be laced with human and animal faeces, plus glass. That discovery came as the Whose Line Is It Anyway? star confronted his crippling habit, following a breakdown at the height of his fame in 1996 - but later admitted he would not go a day without alcohol. He also told of feeling 'shame' about his drug use after his mother found cheques worth 160,000 stuffed behind his sofa. Slattery, who described himself as financially 'naive', revealed how he had been stashing cash from his agents there because he was clueless what to do with them. He warned people off using cocaine, which he described as 'the devil's dandruff', in an emotional interview about his problems with ITV's This Morning in April 2019. The comic followed up quitting cocaine by sending samples of what he had been using to a toxicology expert at the University of Birmingham, he told the show. Tony Slattery (right) laid bare his mental health and addiction struggles in interviews including a 2020 BBC documentary, also featuring his longtime partner Mark Michael Hutchinson (left) Slattery, seen here appearing in an episode of ITV crime drama Cold Blood in 2007, later revealed the grim results of a toxicology report on the cocaine he had been taking Slattery, who has died at 65, gave an emotional interview to ITV's Good Morning in May 2019 Slattery admitted that taking the drug made him 'irrational and disinhibited' - leading to a toxicologist sitting him down and bluntly outlining what he had been consuming. He told This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield he did not want to swear on live daytime TV, so described how a doctor revealed Slattery was 'taking a lot of pit'. He said: 'The tox report, that was a rare moment of clarity - it was a toxicologist from the University of Birmingham, I think it was. 'He said, "Tony, here's the report - you're taking a lot of pit". I said, "Oh, I thought pit was street slang for heroin or something". He said, "No, no - literally, that's what you're taking".' Slattery also said of cocaine: 'I don't recommend it because it's not fun at all. The idea of it as the devil's dandruff, all the things it heightens - it makes you become uninterruptible, irrational, uninhibited.' He has also described how a doctor treating him was shocked by how much cocaine the comedian was taking, saying: 'At the peak, I was taking 10g a day. A specialist said, "You must be exaggerating, you wouldn't have a nose left". 'But I think I was snorting so much, so fast, it didn't have time to touch the sides. That's the only reason I've still got a septum.' He described suffering a breakdown aged 36 in 1996, having 'forgot to relax' during his peak TV years on shows such as Whose Line Is It Anyway? as well as guesting on the likes of Have I Got News For You. The Whose Line Is It Anyway? star previously discussed his ongoing struggle with bipolar disorder - and the depths of despair that finally led him to seek treatment Slattery told This Morning: 'The over work came first, no holidays, no taking a break and eventually you snap and try to replace it with something and in my place it was cocaine. 'I was drinking two bottles of vodka a day and doing 10 grams of coke.' He described those times, in a Guardian interview also in 2019, as feeling in 'terrible isolationism and an almost comatose state, and then terrible agitation, constant pacing, sitting inside with thoughts whirling round and round'. He added: 'The manic part of me was not because of the drugs and alcohol. I think it was there already. But the drugs and alcohol certainly ignited it.' And Slattery has admitted struggling more in his attempts to give up the 'demon drink', to which he was 'enslaved' - especially in the aftermath of no longer taking cocaine. The comic told the 2020 BBC Horizon documentary What's The Matter With Tony Slattery? how he had resisted advice to cut down on the drinking which he felt helped him get through each day - and he could not remember his last day without alcohol. He said: 'What would life feel like without [its] blunting effects? Youd see the bleakness of life for what it really is.' And he admitted: 'The heavy drinking started as self-medication to bring me down from the cocaine - I stopped taking cocaine around the millennium. Tony Slattery, pictured here in 2020 for his Horizon documentary, grew up on a council estate in Willesden in north-west London before winning a place at the University of Cambridge 'I'd like not to be dependent and to be a slave to these impulses, these cravings, psychological, physical - thats what I would like. 'I can't imagine it, even though I really want to - I just can't imagine it. I've been doing it for so long that it's hard to think of a time without it.' He has also spoken in interviews over the past few years about how his troubles with bipolar disorder as well as addictions, while hiding away in his luxury apartment in Wapping, east London. He said in the 2020 documentary, speaking with longtime friend and former Cambridge Footlights colleague Sir Stephen Fry: 'I rented this stupid, huge, luxury warehouse overlooking the Thames but I was so nutty I threw loads of stuff in the Thames. 'I used to stay up for four days and then the paranoia. I thought everything was bugged, I became obsessed with electrical equipment and chucked it all into the Thames. 'My grip on time and how it passes became very fuzzy. I think I just got bloody exhausted and withdrew.' And he also also told of his ongoing trauma after being sexually abused as an eight-year-old by a priest - having kept that secret from everyone except his longtime partner of almost 40 years, Mark Michael Hutchinson. An interviewer in 2019 asked about what she called his 'longstanding reputation for anger issues', to which he replied: 'I have a feeling that what might have been a contributing factor is something that happened when I was very young. A priest. When I was about eight.' Tony Slattery's last public appearance was on Christmas Day in an Instagram post for fans He never informed his parents about the abuse because a psychiatrist had advised him not to, telling him: 'Bear in mind that some things are so deeply buried there is nothing to be gained by an archaeological dig. Keep it buried.' But Slattery said this method worked for him and telling his parents would have been 'another bloody thing to deal with, along with the booze, the bipolarity, the overwork, the feeling of being let down by friends, my own bad behaviour'. He also called his long-time partner Mark his 'rock', describing him in 2019 as 'supportive, authentic and real', adding that he 'means everything to me'. It was Slattery's partner who announced his death on Tuesday, the couple having first met in 1986 when performing in West End musical Me And My Girl. Speaking in 2020, Slattery's partner admitted that caring for him was a challenge, describing the comedian as 'always on the edge' and 'erratic'. He added: 'It's tiring caring for someone, loving someone who is constantly on the edge. I don't know where the alcohol stops and where the depression starts. 'You don't know what to prioritise or treat first - is it because of the alcohol or is it depression? I've run away a couples times, I'd go away for a couple of weeks.' And in the Horizon documentary he was seen urging Slattery to cut back on his drinking, saying: 'I've got your back, sweetheart, but sometimes I need you to be strong and have my back - because I miss you.' The 2020 BBC Horizon documentary What's The Matter With Tony Slattery? featured the comedian and actor discussing his ongoing drinking as well as his bipolar disorder The star, pictured here at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in June 2000, has spoken in recent years about the breakdown he suffered at the height of his 1990s fame and success Slattery was the son of an Irish Heinz factory worker and grew up as the youngest of five children on a council estate in Willesden, north-west London, before winning a scholarship to the University of Cambridge to read medieval languages. He starred as a student alongside the likes of Emma Thompson, Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie in an award-winning 1981 Cambridge University Footlights show, before going on to feature on comedy programmes such as BBC Radio 4's Just A Minute. He appeared in 1980s and 1990s films including crime thriller The Crying Game, Peter's Friends with Hugh Laurie, Sir Stephen Fry and Dame Emma Thompson, and black comedy How To Get Ahead In Advertising with Richard E Grant. He also had prominent roles in the theatre, which included receiving a 1995 Olivier Award nod for best comedy performance in the Tim Firth play Neville's Island. And he starred in Second World War-set production Privates On Parade, based on the film of the same name, as ace impersonator Captain Terri Dennis. Slattery's West End debut was in the 1930s-style musical Radio Times, and on TV he also played a detective in Tiger Bastable, a gentlemen comedy spoof, and the title character in sitcom Just A Gigolo. Labour won't finalise a deal to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius until Donald Trump is back in the White House, Downing Street has said. No10 admitted it was 'obviously now right' for Mr Trump's incoming US administration to consider the terms of an agreement to hand over the Indian Ocean archipelago. Allies of Mr Trump have criticised Labour's draft deal with Mauritius - viewed as an ally of China - over islands that host a crucial US-UK military base. It had been claimed Sir Keir Starmer was scrambling to complete an agreement before Mr Trump's inauguration on 20 January - having had current US President Joe Biden give his approval for a deal - but that will no longer happen. The PM previously suffered a huge blow when new Mauritius leader Navin Ramgoolam, who was elected in a November landslide, criticised the terms of the deal he inherited. There have since been ongoing talks between the UK and the new administration in Port Louis, with a Mauritian negotiating team heading back to London this week. Sir Keir was yesterday attacked over claims Labour is poised to pay nearly 9billion to Mauritius for a 99-year lease of the Diego Garcia military base. It had been claimed Sir Keir Starmer was scrambling to complete an agreement over the Chagos Islands before Donald Trump's inauguration on 20 January No10 admitted it was 'obviously now right' for Mr Trump's incoming US administration to consider the terms of an agreement to hand over the Indian Ocean archipelago Tory leader Kemi Badenoch accused the Government of trying to 'rush' an agreement ahead of Mr Trump's return to the White House next week Labour made the shock announcement in October that it was going to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which has been a British overseas territory for more than 200 years Ministers have so far kept silent on how much it will cost the UK to lease the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, under the deal. But Downing Street has not denied reports the Government is offering about 90million a year for the initial 99-year lease, which would be a total of 8.9billion. There have also been claims that Labour has proposed frontloading a tranche of payments to Mauritius as a 'sweetener' to finalise the agreement. At Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, Ms Badenoch took Sir Keir to task over the cost of the Chagos deal. 'The Chancellor (Rachel Reeves) is apparently promising to be ruthless in reducing spending. Let me suggest something he should cut,' the told the PM. 'There is no way that we should be giving up British territory in Chagos. He is rushing a deal which will be disastrous and will land taxpayers with a multi-billion pound bill. 'Why does he the PM think British people should pay to surrender something that is already ours?' Sir Keir responded: 'We inherited a situation where the long-term operation of a vital military base was under threat because of legal challenges. 'The negotiations were started under the last government. The then-foreign secretary came to this House to say why he was starting negotiations and what he wanted to achieve. 'He said the aim was to 'ensure the continued effective operation of the base'. That is precisely this deal has delivered.' But Ms Badenoch hit back: 'There is no one he can blame for this dud deal except himself.' After the Commons exchanges, the PM's official spokesman told reporters: 'We will only agree to a deal that is in the UK's best interests and protect our national security. He added: 'It is obviously now right that the new US administration has the chance to consider this and discuss this once they are in office.' Asked if this meant the UK would not sign a deal before Mr Trump officially begins his presidency, the spokesman replied: 'You can take from what I have just said about that the new US administration.' No10 steered away from suggestions Mr Trump would have a 'veto' on the deal. The spokesman said: 'It is perfectly reasonable for the new US administration to actually consider the detail and we will obviously have those discussions with them.' Ministers have so far kept silent on how much it will cost the UK to lease the military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the Chagos Islands, under the terms of the deal At a cabinet meeting in Port Louis, it was decided the African country's attorney general Gavin Glover should return to the UK for further negotiations At a cabinet meeting in Port Louis on Wednesday, it was decided the Mauritian attorney general Gavin Glover should return to the UK for further negotiations. In a statement following the meeting of Mr Ramgoolam's senior ministers, the Mauritian government said: 'The attorney general will travel again this evening in order to continue with the discusssion in London. 'Upon his return, cabinet will then be apprised of the situation. The commitment and resolve of Mauritius to reach an agreement and end this long battle for the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago remains unshaken.' Labour made the shock announcement in October that it was going to cede sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, which has been a British overseas territory for more than 200 years. As part of the arrangement, the Diego Garcia base will remain operational for at least 99 years. But the former leader of Mauritius who agreed it, Pravind Jugnauth, was ousted in November's election and the deal has yet to be officially signed. Opponents of the handover are hopeful that Mr Trump will force Labour to scrap the deal when he returns to the White House. Labour has insisted it had to strike a deal to protect the Diego Garcia base after the International Court of Justice ruled the UK's administration of the islands was 'unlawful'. Chagossians were forced to leave the central Indian Ocean territory by 1973 to make way for the military base. The expulsions are regarded as one of the most shameful parts of Britain's modern colonial history and Chagossians have spent decades fighting to return to the islands. Tory shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel said: 'This is a complete humiliation for Keir Starmer and (Foreign Secretary) David Lammy and marks yet another failure of British diplomacy under Labour. 'Labour have been desperate to sign off the surrender of the Chagos Islands before President Trump returns to office, and the Mauritius Government know. 'They see the weakness at the heart of this Government and are trying to exploit it by pressuring Britain into paying more for an even weaker lease for the military base at Diego Garcia. 'While Labour have been hiding the details from us, we know they are prepared to blow billions of pounds of taxpayers' money for the indignity of this dodgy deal, which will undermine our security and defence. 'It is high time they abandoned it altogether start focusing on how to strengthen our defence capabilities and get the economy growing.' A white accountancy firm executive has won over 40,000 in compensation after she was sacked for accusing her Indian boss of race discrimination for excluding her from Teams calls. Nicola Blackwell alleged female manager Varsha Kapoor had targeted her keeping her out of company online meetings and speaking about her in Hindi to a colleague, a tribunal heard. Just months into her employment, Ms Blackwell complained about her to business owner Ashwin Juneja, completely unaware that he was Ms Kapoor's son. These complaints put 'strain' on their relationship and after Ms Blackwell was dismissed, Mr Juneja said she had 'wasted a lot of his time'. She has now been awarded 41,181.58 in compensation after an employment judge ruled she lost her job because of her race discrimination complaints against Ms Kapoor. The tribunal, held in Manchester, heard Ms Blackwell joined Smart Tax & Accountancy as a payroll executive in August, 2021. The small accountancy business, which has just 11 employees, is based in Addlestone, Surrey, but the panel heard Ms Blackwell often worked remotely from her home in Manchester. Ms Blackwell, who represented herself during the proceedings, complained in September 2021 that her manager Ms Kapoor and one of her colleagues were 'shutting her out of Teams calls'. A white accountancy firm executive has won over 40,000 in compensation after she was sacked for accusing her Indian boss of race discrimination for excluding her from Teams calls (stock image) The executive said that on one occasion, she tried to connect to a meeting and 'but there was no answer from the others' and on another occasion she was the only individual on the call. After three months of employment, Ms Blackwell met virtually with Mr Juneja - who 'effectively ran the company' - where she was told that she had passed her probation. But during the conversation she complained about her manager Ms Kapoor's 'manner' and said she could be 'quite abrupt with her'. Unbeknownst to Ms Blackwell at the time, Mr Juneja was actually Ms Kapoor's son. The tribunal heard that in November, an employee of the company was mistakenly paid twice - an error which could have only been made by Ms Kapoor, the tribunal heard. But, the executive said she overheard her manager Ms Kapoor tell a client that this mistake was made by an 'member of the payroll team'. In light of Ms Kapoor allegedly 'blaming others' for her mistake, Ms Blackwell logged an informal grievance and said she believed her treatment by her manager was 'race related'. In a grievance meeting, held on December 3, Mr Juneja told Ms Blackwell that 'racial discrimination is an extremely bold statement to make'. Nicola Blackwell alleged female manager Varsha Kapoor had targeted her keeping her out of company online meetings and speaking about her in Hindi to a colleague, a tribunal heard (stock image) Notably, the pair had never actually met face to face due to the 'virtual office environment' which relied on Microsoft Teams. The executive was told that bosses had found 'nothing of any concern' in her complaints and she was told that she had 'wasted a lot of [Mr Juneja's] time'. It was heard that from January 2022, her 'workload began to increase' and the 'virtual office concept' used by the company was failing as Ms Blackwell was continually kicked out of calls due to the way the system operated. By this point, Ms Blackwell's relationship with her manager was 'under strain' and the tribunal said that the deterioration of this was 'exacerbated' by the fact Ms Kapoor was Mr Juneja's mother. The tribunal heard that during a meeting in January, Ms Kapoor switched from English to Hindi when talking about Ms Blackwell. The manager knew that Ms Blackwell had been recording Teams calls and was 'cautious' about discussing her for fear it could be 'used against her'. In February, the executive submitted a formal grievance because she felt 'ignored' by Ms Kapoor after several instances of being removed from Teams calls. But this was dismissed and Ms Blackwell - who sought the sacking of Ms Kapoor - was hauled to a disciplinary meeting and was dismissed in April 2022. Employment Judge Callum Cowx (pictued) said that while Ms Blackwell was treated 'less favourably' than her colleagues - 'this treatment was not because of her being White British' Bosses told Ms Blackwell that she was fired due to a 'lack of due care and attention' in her work - but the tribunal noted that they found this excuse to be 'unconvincing'. She brought the accountancy business to an employment tribunal citing a variety of claims - including race discrimination. Employment Judge Callum Cowx said that while Ms Blackwell was treated 'less favourably' than her colleagues - 'this treatment was not because of her being White British'. He said: 'The motivation behind [Ms Blackwell's] dismissal was the personality clash between herself and [Ms Kapoor], and the complaints made by [Ms Blackwell] about [Ms Kapoor]. 'In a small family run business it was inevitable that [her] position would become precarious, if not untenable, once she had made accusations of the kind she did against [Ms Kapoor].' But, the judge concluded that she was subjected to victimisation. Judge Cowx said: 'The Tribunal found that [Ms Blackwell] was dismissed because she had made complaints of racial discrimination against [Ms Kapoor]. 'It was not coincidental that the dismissal process was initiated only two days after [Ms Blackwell] was informed her grievance appeal had failed. 'Once [she] had exhausted her appeal rights, and the complaint against [Ms Kapoor] had been finally dismissed, the [accountancy] was at liberty to initiate the process to end [her] employment, and the motivation for doing so was because she had made the complaints against [her manager].' Other claims made by the executive were dropped. Russia must be ready for World War Three within three years, a pro-Putin MP has warned in the latest grave threat to Ukraine's western allies. Aleksey Zhuravlyov, deputy head of Russias parliamentary defence committee, urged that while Russia has enough volunteers to fight, it must start to prepare the male population for a major confrontation with the West by 2028-29. 'Europe explains to us that in 20282029 [it and its allies] will be ready to fight Russia,' he assessed. 'Here it is necessary to prepare the male population and, naturally, defend the Motherland. We must talk about this and not be ashamed of it.' Responding to the comments, Yuri Shvytkin, deputy chair of the State Duma Defence Committee, firmly agreed with the assessment, telling Ridus that 'every Russian must understand that in the event of external aggression, he must take up arms and defend the Motherland.' He shied away from calling for immediate mobilisation, suggesting the threat was not yet a pressing issue. Russian servicemen march on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2024 British Army soldiers ride Challenger 2 tanks during Exercise Immediate Response as one component of NATO's Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024, in Poland May 15, 2024 Ukrainian servicemen fire a D-30 howitzer towards Russian troops at a position in a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine January 11, 2025 Senior Russian MP Aleksey Zhuravlyov, deputy head of the parliamentary defence committee War-mongering nationalist politician Zhuravlyov, 62, an MP for the nationalist so-called Liberal Democratic Party and a TV propagandist, is under Western sanctions for supporting Putins invasion of Ukraine. Russia has significantly expanded its military in the last 12 months, a move checked by Ukraine and its western allies. Russia was able to boost the size of its army to 1.5 million active personnel in September 2024, making it the second largest in the world, per Russia media. But the war in Ukraine has had an enormous toll on Russia's manpower. In a release published on January 2, 2025, Ukraine's Defence Ministry assessed that Russia had suffered 430,790 casualties - deaths and wounded - in 2024. In November, the WSJ reported that Russia had lost some 200,000 soldiers to the conflict so far. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration urged Ukraine to lower its age of conscription from 25 to 18 in November in order to boost the size of its military and stay in the fight with Russia. Europe has also responded to the perceived growing threat on its border by summoning more troops of its own. A report by Der Spiegel in the summer said as many as 800,000 NATO soldiers from the security bloc could be hosted by Germany as they transit to posts further East. Military chiefs in Britain were last year also planning the biggest mass mobilisation of reservists in 20 years, a move intended to test the 'deployment readiness' of more than 10,000 men. Poland has been massively investing in its military since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, last year offering military training programmes for civilians to maximise combat readiness. Putin speaks during his annual call-in-show and press conference at the Gostiny Dvor hall on December 19 Russian Yars intercontinental ballistic missile launchers roll on Red Square during the Victory Day military parade in central Moscow on May 9, 2024 Ukrainian servicemen train at the polygon in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 15 Ukrainian servicemen prepare a reconnaissance drone for deployment in the area of Pokrovsk, Ukraine on January 14 Putin has played up to his MP's recurring threats of impending Armageddon. The Russian dictator said in late December that a global conflict could erupt if the West continues 'escalating the situation'. 'You know, there is no need to scare anyone,' he told a state TV reporter, caveating, 'there are many dangers - they are increasing'. 'And we see what our enemy is doing today, escalating the situation. If they want to, let them live badly, let them escalate further. 'We will always respond to any challenge, always,' he said. Putin glossed over his role in escalating conflict in Europe with the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, instead boasting of his personal role in the 'historic' development of the Oreshnik hypersonic missile. In Europe, nations have begun the daunting process of preparing their citizens for the possibility of a long war. Finland has reminded its citizens of their 'national defence obligation', while Sweden has laid out a detailed guide on how to seek shelter and what to do in case of a nuclear attack. Their instruction manuals follow similar advice issued by their neighbours Norway and Denmark, which both put out checklists for food and medicine supplies citizens should have ready. More than five million Swedish households are being sent bright yellow booklets entitled 'If Crisis or War Comes'. Sweden's Minister for Civil Defence Carl-Oskar Bohlin presents the new version of the booklet 'If Crisis or War Comes A view of a Polish donated Krab mobile howitzer for Ukrainian army in the direction of Chasiv Yar, Ukraine on January 9 Meanwhile the Finnish government has published a digital booklet to prepare citizens for 'incidents and crises.' Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the UK defence staff, warned in November that Britain simply does not have 'some of the civil aspects or planning aspects' that some other NATO allies 'have as part of their traditions'. 'We are having those conversations to learn from our colleagues and see what might be appropriate for ourselves,' he told an audience of representatives from Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania. While the British government offers advice on dealing with emergencies, many Cold War shelters and civil defence provisions have since been retired. Two brothers accused of attacking police at Manchester Airport have appeared in court. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and Muhammed Amaad, 25, both face charges related to the fracas at the airport's Terminal Two building on July 23 last year. Amaaz and Amaad, both of Rochdale, are charged with causing actual bodily harm to PC Zachary Marsden. Amaaz is also charged with causing actual bodily harm to PC Lydia Ward in the same incident, and is further charged with assaulting emergency worker PC Ellie Cook. In addition, Amaaz faces a common assault count against a member of the public, Abdulkareem Ismael, at Manchester Airport on the same date. That allegation was not put to him today. It was previously reported that Mr Ismael was a passenger on an incoming flight. Both wearing suits, the brothers appeared before District Judge James Hatton at Liverpool Magistrates' Court today. Prosecutor Angela Conlan told the court that police were called after Amaaz allegedly headbutted and repeatedly punched Mr Ismael in a Starbucks cafe at Terminal Two. Earlier the pair had arrived at the airport to collect their mother from an incoming flight. Officers later located Amaaz and his brother at a car park paystation where the alleged violence against the officers is said to have taken place, the court heard. Mohammed Fahir Amaaz (left) and Muhammed Amaad (centre) arrive at Liverpool Magistrates' Court today to face charges following the altercation at Manchester Airport on July 23, 2024 Neither defendant made any indication of plea as the charges were read to them. They were released on bail to appear before Liverpool Crown Court on February 13. Both men, from Rochdale, were granted unconditional bail by District Judge James Hatton at the end of the ten-minute hearing. Footage of the fracas was widely shared online at the time last year and sparked protests across the country. Outside court today, the brothers' solicitor Robbie Cole read a statement on their behalf saying both 'vehemently deny the allegations'. Flanked by Amaad and Amaaz, he added that the family felt 'betrayed' by both the Crown Prosecution Service and police watchdog the IOPC. Video of the incident on July 23 last year at Manchester Airport was widely shared online Mr Cole, of Glasgow-based Aamer Anwar & Co, said: 'The IOPC released a statement following the Crown Prosecution Service's decision not to bring charges, which noted an ongoing investigation into gross misconduct by these officers. 'The Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, however, has lifted the suspension on the officers in question, essentially implying that they have been cleared of all wrongdoing. 'The North West Regional Director of the IOPC, Catherine Bates, told the family: "Don't judge us on what you hear, judge us on what we do". 'The family feel betrayed by both the IOPC and CPS and their so called investigation. 'The family will be seeking a Victim's Right to Review of the CPS decision and robustly complaining about the role of the IOPC.' Imran Khan KC has been instructed as senior counsel for the defence, Mr Cole said. He and the accused brothers then left without speaking further. A new airline route will connect Essex and Cornwall in time for the summer holiday rush, but not all Cornish locals are welcoming the news - with some claiming it will bring the 'riff raff' to their towns. London Southend Airport announced on Monday that daily flights to Newquay, Cornwall will commence from April 2025 with airline partner, Eastern Airways. Tickets for the 'sought-after route', which has become the 20th holiday destination offered from London Southend, have now gone on sale, with fares starting from 59.99 one-way. Airport bosses believe the route will shorten the travelling time for Cornish holidaymakers looking to spend time in London or transfer to one of the capital's international airports, including Gatwick, Heathrow and Stanstead. Nigel Mayes, business dvelopment manager at London Southend Airport, said: 'The return of a route to Newquay is a great way to start the new year; connecting passengers from coast to capital and into London with our on-site train line, just 43 minutes into Stratford or 52 minutes to London Liverpool Street. 'We look forward to welcoming new customers, and returning faces, in April this year.' Roger Hage, commercial director at Eastern Airways said: 'The speed of access to Greater London via the adjacent rail link offers an appealing option, helping to avoid the otherwise arduous alternative travel options.' Meanwhile, tourist bosses in Cornwall hope the new route will 'strengthen domestic tourism and positively impact Cornwall's visitor economy.' London Southend Airport announced on Monday that daily flights to Newquay, Cornwall will commence from April 2025 with airline partner, Eastern Airways Tickets for the 'sought-after route', which has become the 20th holiday destination offered from London Southend, have now gone on sale, with fares starting from 59.99 one-way Newquay's sandy beaches are a popular destination with beachgoers and surfers London Southend previously operated flights to Newquay between April 2019 and January 2020. Reaction to news of a new route connecting the two counties has not however been welcomed by all. One commented to Cornwall Live that they were 'hoping for a Mediterranean destination', adding: 'We can already get to Gatwick, so forgive me for not being overly hyped.' Another said: 'More flights to Malaga or the Canary Islands would be better'. A third said they were not looking forward to the new route starting as 'it will allow the riff raff to be exchanged between the two counties.' More forgiving locals however were pleased at the thought of a new flight route. One said: 'Great news - I can fly now instead of having to drive 6 hours.' Another said: 'Can't wait to fly to Essex! Sarcasm aside, there are some beautiful parts of Essex, particularly in the north of the county. I would happily fly to visit those again.' Incredible video captured from the ground for DailyMail.com shows how the once glamorous Pacific Palisades enclave has been completely razed after catastrophic wildfires ripped through Los Angeles. The idyllic Palisades neighborhood has gone from a beloved celebrity paradise to something that now resembles a smoldering apocalyptic hellscape. Hundreds of ritzy, multi-million-dollar homes are now nothing more than piles of rubble and ash, with little evidence left behind of the treasured heirlooms and household items that used to decorate the walls. Properties that remain partially standing barely offer a glimpse of the glamour they once displayed. Instead of picturesque buildings with perfectly manicured lawns, the properties paint a portrait of the horrific fires. The remains are covered in black soot and littered with debris, while the trees and shrubbery that were previously green and full of life are burnt to the crisp. Six fires have erupted across the greater LA area since last Tuesday, killing at least 25 people and burning more than 12,000 homes and other structures. Firefighters are still battling the Palisades Fire, which is the most destructive blaze in LA history, as well as the Eaton and Hurst fires. The three other blazes are now fully contained. The idyllic Palisades neighborhood has gone from a beloved celebrity paradise to something that now resembles a smoldering apocalyptic hellscape Incredible footage shows how the once glamorous Pacific Palisades enclave has been completely razed after catastrophic wildfires ripped through Los Angeles The Palisades Fire is the most destructive blaze in LA history, killing at least 25 people and burning more than 12,000 homes and other structures Your browser does not support iframes. Red Flag warnings advising of extreme wildfire danger expired across the Los Angeles area late on Wednesday, but forecasters warned that dry and windy conditions will persist on Thursday, and that the threat of blazes remained. The National Weather Service added that the respite for fire-ravaged Los Angeles will be short, with high chances for renewed Red Flag warnings - when ideal fire conditions of high winds and low humidity dominate - starting again on Sunday. Some 6.5 million people remained under a critical fire threat, after the fires consumed an area nearly the size of Washington DC, resulting in at least 25 deaths so far, authorities said. Firefighters on Wednesday confronted persistently strong and dry winds fueling two giant wildfires that have terrified Los Angeles for eight days, testing the resolve of a city upended by the worst disaster in its history. Officials urged residents to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice with peak wind gusts forecast to last through Thursday afternoon. Slide me SUNSET BLVD: Commercial buildings along famed Sunset Boulevard are completely destroyed Slide me SUNSET BLVD: A restaurant that once stood of famed Sunset Blvd is completely destroyed Slide me BESTOR BLVD: Properties that remain partially standing barely offer a glimpse of the glamour they once displayed Forecasted winds of up to 70mph did not materialize on Wednesday. Still, firefighters reported winds of 30 to 40mph combined with low humidity in a region that has failed to receive any appreciable rain in nine months, meaning fire threats remain. The fires have damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures, and forced as many as 200,000 people from their homes. Some 82,400 people were under evacuation orders and another 90,400 faced evacuation warnings as of Wednesday, County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. Many homes only have a chimney stack left standing. Some 8,500 firefighters from the western United States, Canada and Mexico have kept the growth of the fires in check for three days. The Palisades Fire on the west edge of the city held steady at 23,713 acres burned, and containment nudged up to 19 per cent - a measurement of how much of the perimeter was under control. The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city stood at 14,117 acres with containment at 45 per cent. Slide me BESTOR BLVD: All that remains of this Bestor Blvd home is its driveway Slide me GALLOWAY STREET: A once beautiful home on Galloway Street is now nothing more than a pule of burnt rubble Slide me GALLOWAY STREET: This home has been reduced to a pile of ruble, with destroyed vehicles parked in in the driveway Slide me CHAPALA ROAD: Many homes only have a chimney stack left standing, as seen at this property Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. ALMA REAL DR: Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. Many homes only have a chimney stack left standing CAREY STREET: This property on Carey Street is nothing but bare bones after the fire tore through the area A new fire broke out on Wednesday in San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, burning 30 acres, Cal Fire reported. Two other fires in Southern California were largely under control. While the fires rage on, critics have questioned whether the city properly prepared for fire danger in the face of National Weather Service warnings about hazardous weather, even though firefighters were on alert and able to deploy assets beforehand. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley fielded queries on Wednesday about a Los Angeles Times report that fire officials had opted against ordering 1,000 firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift last Tuesday as fires were beginning to grow out of control. The Times cited critics who said the outgoing shift should have been kept on duty and that as many as 25 additional fire engines should have been moved into hillsides. Crowley defended her department's preparation, saying it was impossible to know exactly where fires might break out and that some firefighters needed to remain in place to field ordinary emergency calls anywhere in the city. 'We did everything in our capability to surge where we could,' Crowley said. The Times quoted Deputy Chief Richard Fields, who was in charge of staffing and equipment decisions ahead of the fire, as saying the scrutiny was welcome but that critics were too easily second-guessing decisions after the fact. Your browser does not support iframes. GALLOWAY STREET: This is a home on Galloway Street, in the Pacific Palisades, that has been reduced to a pile of rubble BASHFORD STREET: Debris is all that's left of this property that once stood on Bashford Street GALLOWAY STREET: Trees and shrubbery along the road that were once full of life are now burnt to the crisp GALLOWAY STREET: Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble, in the devastating fires BASHFORD STREET: Many properties along Bashford Street are nothing more than rubble CHAPALA DRIVE: The Palisades Fire has left behind a horrific path of destruction CHAPALA DRIVE: It has been than a week after fires fanned by hurricane-force gusts began a destructive march that has left two dozen people dead and large areas of the city in ruins A hard-hitting letter from Prince Philip slamming the IRA after they executed Lord Louis Mountbatten has emerged 46 years on. The grieving Royal said it would have been easier to stomach the loss of his uncle had it been 'an accident or an act of God'. But his murder by the Provisional IRA who planted a bomb on his fishing boat made him 'so bitter', the newly unearthed letter has revealed. Writing two days after the assassination, Philip said he resented the fact the IRA 'considered themselves to be civilised human beings'. He added that he hoped Mountbatten's assassination would 'jerk a little bit of sanity back into these people'. Philip made the forceful remarks while responding to a letter of condolence from a friend named Richard on August 29, 1979, just two days after Mountbatten was killed. The two-page handwritten letter, on Windsor Castle letterhead and signed 'Philip', reads: 'Thank you very much for your kind letter. 'This whole ghastly business might have been easier to hear if it had been an accident or an 'act of God,' what makes it so bitter is that it was deliberately perpetrated by some people who probably consider themselves to be civilized human beings. Admiral of the Fleet Lord Louis Mountbatten was assassinated by the IRA in 1979 while fishing Mountbatten and family, seen fishing from his boat Shadow V in 1970 with Classiebawn Castle in the distance Pictured left to right are Lord Mountbatten, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh during the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations in 1977 'One can only pray that this shock may help to jerk a little sanity back into these people.' Lord Mountbatten was Philips maternal uncle and a second cousin of King George VI, the father of the late Elizabeth II. The great wartime naval commander had been fishing at Mullaghmore, County Sligo, with his family when a radio-controlled bomb attached to the boat the previous night was detonated from shore. The 79-year-old - who was a mentor to Philip and the then Prince Charles - was pulled alive from the water by nearby fishermen but died from his injuries before being brought to shore. His 14-year-old grandson Nicholas Knatchbull was also killed as was Nicholas's grandmother Doreen Knatchball and Paul Maxwell, a teenage boy from Enniskillen who served as crew. Five others were seriously injured. The IRA bombmaker behind the murders was Thomas McMahon who served 20 years in prison before being released under the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. The letter is being sold by a private collector at RR Auction, of Boston, US, with a modest estimate of 160. The front page of the Daily Mail on August 28, 1979 following Mountbatten's murder Pictured is the unearthed letter from the Duke of Edinburgh following the killing of Lord Mountbatten - which is now being auctioned off In it, the duke expresses his prayer that 'this shock may help to jerk a little sanity into' the IRA Prince Philip (pictured in 2018) wrote in his letter he was 'so bitter' over the murder of Lord Mountbatten An RR Auction spokesman said: 'This letter from Prince Philip was written in response to the assassination of Lord Mountbatten, who was killed by a bomb planted aboard his fishing boat in Mullaghmore, County Sligo, Ireland, by members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army.' Prince Philip died in 2021. Queen Elizabeth II, his beloved wife of 73 years, died on September 8, 2022. The letter has come to light amid fears that the British Government may be forced to pay former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams compensation for 'unlawful detention' during the Troubles in the 1970s. The payout could be enabled by Labour's proposed repeal of The Legacy Act, which blocks compensation claims. The sale takes place on February 13. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Hamas of 'backtracking' on elements of the Gaza ceasefire deal and causing a 'last-minute' crisis - claims the Palestinian group has strongly denied. Palestinians, Israelis and people around the world are waiting with bated breath for the ceasefire to come into effect after previous negotiations collapsed in their final stages. Netanyahu today claimed that Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of the latest tabled deal - that would see fighting in the Gaza Strip paused and the release dozens of Israeli hostages. 'There is no basis to Netanyahu's claims about the movement backtracking from terms in the ceasefire agreement,' Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said. Hamas political bureau member Izzat al-Rishq said separately in a statement that: 'Hamas is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators.' Qatar, a key mediator in the talks, and US President Joe Biden announced last night that the deal had been agreed, with representatives expected to meet for talks today on implementing the agreement Despite the news, which was celebrated in Israel and Gaza, Israeli airstrikes continued to rain down on the war-ravaged territory overnight, killing dozens of people. Netanyahu began signaling there were issues with the deal just hours after it was announced, saying that it was yet to be finalised. Smoke rises behind destroyed buildings as Israeli bombardments on the Gaza Strip continue A Palestinian man and child look on from a tent in Gaza City, ahead of a ceasefire set to take effect on Sunday Shoes stained with blood rest near the body of a Palestinian killed in an Israeli strike Netanyahu today claimed that Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of the latest tabled deal It was not yet clear if Netanyahu's statements merely reflected jockeying to keep his fractious coalition together or whether the deal was at risk. Netanyahu's office said Hamas was trying to 'extort last-minute concessions', without giving exact details, adding that his Cabinet will not meet to approve the deal until Hamas backs down. It earlier accused Hamas of backtracking on an understanding that he said would give Israel a veto over which prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages. The deal announced Wednesday would see a scores of hostages held in Gaza released and a pause in fighting with a view to eventually wind down a 15-month war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The military campaign has also leveled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed around 90 per cent of Gaza's population of 2.3 million people from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast, according to United Nations officials. The Israeli prime minister has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of hostages, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. An Israeli tank moves along the border with the Gaza Strip in southern Israel on January 16 Two boys and a man check the destruction inside a building hit during an Israeli air strike He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement even without those partners, but doing so would weaken his coalition. One of his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has already come out against the deal. Another, Bezalel Smotrich, posted on X late Wednesday that he was demanding 'absolute certainty' that Israel can resume the war later, calling the current deal 'bad and dangerous' for Israel. The departure of both of their factions would seriously destabilize the government and could lead to early elections. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. 'We were expecting that the occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports on progress in the truce (negotiations),' said Mohammed Mahdi, who fled his home a few months ago and is sheltering in Gaza City. Ahmed Mattar, who lives near the city's Al-Ahly hospital, said he heard 'massive airstrikes' overnight. Children collect water from a truck at a tent camp for displaced Palestinians in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, January 16 Mourners carry a body of a Palestinian killed in Israeli strikes in Gaza City on January 16 Gaza's Health Ministry said at least 73 people were killed in Israeli strikes between midday Wednesday and Thursday morning. Pictures show smoke rising from cities in Gaza, with reports that airstrikes and artillery fire have continued today. Under the deal reached Wednesday, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to what's left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second - and much more difficult - phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the agreement, which came after a year of intensive talks with repeated setbacks. Activists representing families of Israelis who were killed during the war in Gaza block a road during a protest against the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas in Jerusalem on Thursday Hundreds of people, demanding the immediate return of prisoners held by Hamas, gather to protest against Netanyahu and his government in Tel Aviv, Israel on January 15 US President-elect Donald Trump's Middle East envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trump's team are taking credit for the breakthrough. Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. Hamas, a designated terror group that does not accept Israel's existence, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gaza's largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the October 7, 2023, attack, have been killed in Israeli operations. But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. For someone who had a knack for shooting himself in the foot that was by turns infuriating and strangely endearing, Paul Danan did not want for success. The actor, who rose to fame after playing Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks and brought colour, controversy and column inches to the first season of the TV dating show Celebrity Love Island, was rarely predictable, but he was always unapologetically and unashamedly himself. In 2007, he was memorably sacked from a production of Jack and the Beanstalk in Preston, where he had been invited to turn on the Christmas lights, after offering a sweary but characteristically enthusiastic greeting to the assembled crowd. Yet those who knew Danan, who has died at the age of 46, spoke in much the same terms as the PR agency statement that announced the passing of a man known for 'his television presence, exceptional talent and unwavering kindness'. Born into a Moroccan Jewish family in Chigwell, Essex on July 2, 1978, Danan harboured acting ambitions from an early age. Having attended an orthodox Jewish grammar school from the age of nine, he quickly moved on once he realised drama GCSE was not part of the offering, eventually finding his niche at the Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts in Surrey. Night classes followed at the Sylvia Young theatre school in London, and before long he landed a small part in Eastenders. It was an experience that confirmed his passion for the acting profession. 'I fell in love with it and thought, "This is what I want to do,"' he would later tell the Jewish Telegraph. Paul Danan shot to fame on Hollyoaks and Celebrity Love Island Hollyoaks star Paul Danan pictured as a youngster Paul Danan pictured aged 17, when he was in the boyband Escape Paul Danan (right) pictured with his Hollyoaks cast mates at the British Television Soap Awards in 1999 Paul Danan pictured entering the Celebrity Big Brother house in August 2017 Paul Danan was living in a flat in Brislington, Bristol, at the time of his death It says much about Danan that former stars of the BBC soap opera were among the first to pay tribute to him, with Dean Gafney describing a man whose 'demons' were accompanied by 'a heart of gold' and Michael Greco hailing him as 'genuine and caring'. Such sentiments were a recurring theme among many of those who worked with Danan, whose big break came when, now equipped with an agent, he landed a role as the young ne'er-do-well Sol Patrick on Hollyoaks. It was a break that would thrust him into the nation's living rooms, garnering fame and female admirers alike, but it also opened the door to a darker world of drug addiction - and a recurring cycle of rehabilitation and relapse. The day I started there, someone - and I am not going to say who - handed me an eighth of cocaine,' Dana told the YouTuber Liam Tuffs last year. 'I didnt really know much about coke and he was like, Welcome. It was the first day, the first read through, I hadnt even filmed anything. Danan, who first experimented with drugs as a teenager, described it as a moment when he crossed an invisible line, with his 'addictive personality' making it difficult to pull back. At least 17 stints in rehab would follow. In a 2019 appearance on the Jeremy Kyle show, Danan described how he suffered a near-fatal heroin overdose after returning from a stint in rehab in South Africa. It was only the prompt intervention of his mother, who found a nearby ambulance after discovering him choking on his last breaths, that saved his life. Danan's rise to fame was inevitably accompanied by a string of high-profile romances, although the course of true love rarely ran smoothly. The TV presenter Melanie Sykes was less than impressed when Danan arrived late to pick her up for a date following a car crash. The nascent relationship floundered soon afterwards, and Danan felt their rocky start was partly to blame. Danan died just hours before he was due to appear in a Warrington courtroom on Thursday after being charged with the possession of drugs A potential romance with Katie Price, with whom Danan is seen here, failed to get off the ground when she brought along another male companion Danan also tried to pursue Hollywood star Cameron Diaz, seen here in 1994, and even proposed marriage to her just moments after they met 'The guy in front had to go off in an ambulance and all I'm thinking was, "I've got to go, I've got a date with Melanie Sykes." It was a shame, because that date could have been much better. We were on and off for a couple of months. She ended up getting together with an actor guy and married him.' A date with Katie Price proved similarly unsuccessful - as did repeated efforts to woo Hollywood star Cameron Diaz - while a potential romance with Emma Bunton took a downward turn after the Spice Girl's bandmate Victoria Beckham snubbed him. 'She introduced me to David and Victoria Beckham when we got there, but Victoria was so rude,' Danan recalled. 'I stuck out my hand and she wouldn't even shake it, she just looked at me.' The upside for the actor was a 20-minute chat with David Beckham and a string of lovers that, he claimed, ran into four figures. 'I dont know [the exact number],' he would later recall. 'I think were definitely in the higher range, more than a thousand.' Danan rose to fame after playing the role of Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks. He is pictured here in a publicity shot for the show Paul Danan appeared on The Jeremy Kyle Show to talk about his addiction struggles Paul Danan, seen here at a fashion show in London in 2017 In his last public appearance, Danan is seen leaving Bristol magistrates' court with a jacket over his head. The actor battled drug addiction throughout his life The downside was the inevitable loss of privacy that accompanied fame. 'I had people shouting things at me and there were lots of girls,' said Danan. 'I loved it. But people also used to grab me and thought they knew me. Journalists invaded my private life, which made me feel like I didn't have a life of my own.' Fearful of becoming pigeonholed, Danan left Hollyoaks in 2001, trading Liverpool for Los Angeles. But after an unsuccessful spell in Hollywood, he was lured back to England by an offer to appear in the ITV dating show Celebrity Love Island. 'Maybe I shouldn't have left Hollyoaks,' he told MailOnline last year. 'But I made that decision because after four years, I didn't want be typecast and, back then, everyone didn't want to be the next Ken Barlow. You wanted to go off and play different roles, especially when you're a real actor. 'I wanted to go to LA and I did. And I got very close to some very big, big films and things like that. But the rejection... the one thing I hate in life is rejection.' In the circumstances, Celebrity Love Island was, said Danan, a no-brainer - 'two months on a beach, with five of the fittest girls, and get paid for it'. But despite further reality and sketch show appearances, and the odd TV drama role, it did little to enhance his standing as an actor. In 2020, three years after competing in Celebrity Big Brother and with the cost of his addiction problems beginning to bite, Danan returned to the family home in Essex. He said he had spent 'about 1million on rehab and recovery' over the years. Another battle lay ahead, however. Last year, Danan revealed he had a vape addiction and had been warned following a collapse that any further form of smoking carried the risk of him being 'linked to an oxygen tank later on in life'. But Danan had, by his own admission, become 'obsessed' with vapes, admitting that he would even fall asleep with one in his hand, 'like a comfort thing'. He told the Sun last year: 'I saw a YouTube video where someone blew cigarette smoke into cotton wool, then did the same with a vape. 'The cotton wool turned black from the cigarette smoke, but the [cotton] wool remained the same colour after the vape vapour hit it, and that experiment was supposed to symbolise the lungs. 'Off the back of that, in my head - because I have ADHD everything is very visual - Ive always thought theyd be OK. 'After years of smoking cigarettes and all sorts, its the vaping which has done me in.' Danan died just hours before he was due to appear in a Warrington courtroom on Thursday after he was charged with the possession of drugs. by Adele A. Wilby The Australian author Richard Flanagan is the 2024 winner of the prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction for his book Question 7. The book is a brilliant weaving together of memory, history, of fact and fiction, love and death around the theme of interconnectedness of events that constitute his life. Disparate connections between his fathers experience as a prisoner of war, the author H.G. Wells, and the atomic bomb all contributed towards making Flanagan the thinker and writer he is today. The book reveals to us his humanity, his love of family and of his home island of Tasmania; it is what Flanagan expects of a book when he says, the words of a book are never the book, the soul is everything, and this book has soul. The book opens with Flanagan visiting the site of Ohama Camp where his father was interned as a slave labourer in the undersea coal mines in Japan during World War II. There is no memorial, no sign, no evidence of the camp or the suffering that existed on that spot; all that remains is a love hotel, but his visit to this site establishes the first link in a chain of interconnected events in his life. Flanagans father never expected to survive the cruelty of the guards and the grinding work as a slave labourer in the coal mines, yet faraway in Europe, unbeknown to him, scientific minds were actively working on the idea of a bomb with extraordinary lethal potential, a bomb that would save his life and have a profound impact on the future of humanity and shape world events. The Japanese city of Hiroshima became the experimental testing ground for this atomic bomb and tens of thousands of unknown souls perished, vaporised, by the force of the energy of such a lethal weapon. The atomic bomb brought the war to an end, saved Flanagans fathers life and ultimately brought Flanagan himself into existence. Nevertheless, the number of dead and the extent of the destruction caused by the bombs explosive power raise many moral questions for Flanagan. He asks, do possibly more corpses tomorrow justify possibly fewer corpses today? In his view, the elusiveness of those innumerable unknown soulsexist outside of numbers. As he says, we pretend there is a moral calculus in war but we know from past and present theatres of war, we do only pretend: Morality, like truth, is one of the first casualties of war. Flanagan though is sceptical of attempts to quantify the number of dead following the dropping of the atomic bomb and the quantification of human life more broadly. In a philosophical reflection he comments, we have become prisoners of the idea that life is infinitely measurable, that all human wanting and torment and laughter, all hate, and all love can be reduced to metrics (italics in original). When meditating on these modern tendencies and moral dilemmas, Flanagan turns to the literature of the Russian author Chekov, who parodies a mathematical exam question, question 7, asking children to both calculate the calculable and to find a solution to the incalculable question, who loves longer, a man or a woman? There is of course no answer to such a question and Chekov doesnt hazard one, but this confounding question does challenge what we presume to be known and implies that beneath the known there is another reality. Flanagan responds to question 7 not with an answer, but with his own perplexing questions about who loves longer, you, me, a Hiroshima resident or a slave labourer?, the inference here being that one question always raises another, perhaps a deeper question, and unlike mathematics, there is no clear answer to such a question. He then asks, And why do we do what we do to each other? another moral question that defies a definitive answer and one of the truly moral questions of all time, particularly when, as Flanagan points out further on in the book, none of us is exempt from causing harm. On the contrary, in one way or another we are all connected to acts of inhumanity which will eventually reveal themselves if we just continue to ask the questions, and this is also another of Flanagans themes in the book. He urges the constant asking of questions to open new worlds to reveal new truths, and in that process, we learn more about who we really are and our depth of complicity in the harmful events of the world. Having introduced the initial link in the chain of events between his fathers life and the atomic bomb, Flanagan momentarily confounds the reader when he shifts from memory and history with his visit to Japan, to a biographical event of over a century ago: a mundane happening in faraway England becomes a significant link in the chain of events that saved his fathers life, but ended the lives of thousands of others. It all starts with that most basic of human responses, physical attraction, in this case the irresistible attraction between two renowned nineteenth century authors, H.G Wells and Rebecca West. In a bid to free himself from that powerful impulse, Wells flees to Switzerland where he begins his new novel, The World Set Free. This literary work was to have an unintended profound impact on the world: It planted the seeds for a radical understanding of the potential for the the military application of scientists discoveries about radium in a new weapon of unimaginable power in the mind of physicist, Leo Szilard. The chain of events that followed Szilards initial insights escalated and when finally realised, this unimaginable power manifest in a mushroom cloud spiralling miles into the atmosphere with tens of thousands of people below cruelly dying in a cauldron of bubbling molasses that just kept boiling up. Flanagans linking of connections between Wells book, the atomic bomb and his fathers life might seem a little grandiose, but they are nonetheless real events. The chain of events impacted on his father, and he became an alone man but a man with a deep sense of humanity, a man who, at the heart of his gentleness was the feeling that without kindness we are nothing. His familys attitude to money also was that of realists, not idealists, money was for his family an aspect of the world but not the point of it. Perhaps it is this strong sense of humanity embodied in his family values that nurtured Flanagans love of the Tasmanian natural environment also. He writes passionately about the period of British colonialism that set in motion the destruction of the Tasmanian environment and rainforest and perpetrated the genocide of the Aboriginal people, and once again Wells science fiction comes into play. In Wells The War of the Worlds the Martians invade the Earth with extreme violence, an idea that has its genesis in a conversation between Wells and his brother who remarked that European settlement in Tasmania was a frightful disaster for the native Tasmanians. Wells makes the connection between his brothers view and the theme in the book clear when he comments the Tasmanians were entirely swept out of existence in a war of extermination waged by European immigrants, in the space of fifty years. To put it in more contemporary terms, Wells was one of the first to acknowledge that the British invasion of Tasmania resulted in the genocide of the indigenous Aboriginal people. The reader feels Flanagans passion on this issue, or, if the reader prefers, his outrage, towards that brutality and destruction by the British in the island when he metaphorically refers to Wells idea of violent Martians to convey just how the British were alien intruders, bringing with them a totally different culture to that of the Aboriginal people and their way of life. As he comments, the pale invaders must have seemed to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people as ephemeral as they had at first thought but rather than being ephemeral they didnt leave. They kept coming perpetrating their violence and imposing an alien lifestyle until such time the Aboriginal people and their culture were decimated. But there is no use of conceptual niceties such as British colonialism in Flanagans language to describe the British occupation of Tasmania: he is blunt, and truthful, their island was stolen by the Englishand the invasion was a sacrilegious act. The possessive pronoun their could refer to the island and culture the Aboriginal community had known for thousands of years before the English arrived, or it could suggest that he continues to feel that Tasmania still belongs to the Aboriginal community. That the invasion was a sacrilegious act, emphasises the abhorrence Flanagan feels for the desecration of a unique way of life deeply rooted in a language linked to nature, with its songs, dances, practices, laws, spirits, a cultural as well as a physical destruction of a people consistent with Ralph Lemkins definition of genocide. The empty space created by the rapacious British colonialists, Flanagan writes, was at once a war of genocide and the creation of a totalitarian slave society where the British, or the violent Martians to use Flanagans metaphorical characterisation, were the rulers, and everyone else the ruled. Tragically the British continually attempt to exonerate themselves from the genocide they committed in Tasmania by trying to turn the responsibility for the crime away from the coloniser back onto the colonised, and this too outrages Flanagan, but for reasons that will surprise the reader. Commenting on an article in the English Independent as recently as 2009, Flanagan is sarcastic when he says, how marvellous, to have an empire, reap its robbed riches, and yet etch its colonial failings on the colonised, to write on our bodies that we were the vulgar arriviste, the barbarian, the savage, that their judgement was our crime. But just when the reader feels Flanagans resentment borders on an expression of contempt for the British state and the instruments of its power, the newspapers, he pauses and rises above his anger to show his humanity when says, if I weary of the enormous Martian condescension, the endless Martian capacity for patronising, the unquestioned Martian superiority, the unending Martian arrogance that is always founded in an unequal Martian stupidity and unrivalled Martian ignorance, it is not because I think they are uniquely guilty(Italics added) rather, he says it is because they cannot conceive that we all are (italics added). Flanagans shift to the plural pronouns we and our to describe what can be seen as Aboriginal and freed British convicts complicity in the building of a totalitarian slave society, has two possible explanations. Firstly, he identifies as a descendant of the islanders and therefore the complicity of those communities in the creation of the society during colonial times. On the other hand, rather than casting aspersions on one section of humanity over the another, he implies that all human beings are responsible, either directly or indirectly, for the societies we create and for the happenings in the world today. In Tasmania it was the Martians, the rulers, who created the system, but it was the ruled who were compelled to engage at every level required for a society to function effectively. We as convicts, he writes, were made to be our own convict-constable, our own convict hangmanour own convict-clerks, our own convict archivistsrecording our own suffering in neatly compiled volume after volume of letters, memoranda. And thus it was we who bore the inescapable, ineradicable shame that was not ours and which would always be ours. The totalitarian slave society that replaced the social structure of the Aboriginal community was embedded with social divisions: racism, misogyny, Martian oppression, ideas of supremacy and arrogance, and social class. For Flanagan, when the British were in Tasmania we were a colony of the empire, but after that we were a colony of the mind. But as he was to realise during his stay in the United Kingdom and when studying at Oxford University, many of those hangovers of the colonial legacy in Tasmania were institutionalised at Oxford University, and again we can feel his humanity and his deep abhorrence at such manifestations and practices. Such was the racist language used by the university students and some academics he came to realise that the language at Oxford was the language of hate. Industrialised London also had no charm for him. There was nothing he says. Nobody he writes, was aware of that nothing because, no one any longer knew all that was irretrievably lost. The reader is left to deduce their own understanding of Flanagans reference to what is irretrievably lost, but we can assume that it was the destruction of the natural environment and the simpler life that walked together with industrialisation. That he longed for some wild country to escape the claustrophobia, some larger world when in England suggests his homesickness for life in Tasmania, but it also is a nuanced criticism of industrialisation, or more precisely, capitalism, its impact manifest so clearly in London, where rivers were sewers no one found unusual, the sky a haze of fine smogAgri-business, highways, signs, industrial noise, a weeping urban sore metastasising into something that brought on only an impulse to flee, a vivid description that continues to have relevance to the present day. Flanagans love of and relatedness to the natural environment is highlighted in his decision not to accept the 50,000 prize money for his book until the Baillie Gifford sponsors make known their plans to further reduce their involvement in the fossil fuel industry. Echoing his earlier view that we are all complicit in the destruction or creation of our society, he sees this continuing in climate change today. In an interview following the winning of the award and his decision to wait and see the outcome of talks with the Baillie Gifford sponsors, he comments, I didnt arrive at it from any position of moral superiority, because we are all complicit: I fly in planes, drive a car, I live surrounded by plastic and I think these matters are extraordinarily complex He writes movingly of the rainforest under threat from climate change, of its intricate, myriad, miraculous relationships the sum of which the Tasmanian rainforest, a precise confusion of tree, fern, moss, fungi and microbe, of animal and bird and inset, fish and invertebrate, that might be better known as an unknown civilisation as old as the dinosaurs. Over time, capitalism has encroached on this pristine rainforest and the reader can see both his scepticism and criticism of the Wests economics when he asks, if we were to rise above it, above the mountainswould we have been able to see the advancing from another direction Western time(italics in original) with it insatiable greed and monstrous appetite, Western time with its new machines, Western time that will shortly dam the rivers and gobble the rainforest and with it the coming reign of those promoting infinite theft from a finite world?. The book Question 7 deserves reading and rereading to uncover and appreciate its nuances and depth as we come to understand Flanagans humanity and the importance of the central emotion in his life: love. He best sums up his love of the Tasmanian rainforest and his family, and the interconnectedness of events with Wells literature when he says, I only write this book that you are now reading, no more than a love note to my parents and island home, a world that has vanished, because over a century ago another writer wrote a book that decades later seized another mind with such force that it became a reality that reshaped the world In this way, the world begat a book that would in turn beget the world. Flanagans literary skills are on full display in a concluding chapter that refers to his out-of-body experience while kayaking on his beloved Franklin River. But as Flanagan frequently reminds the reader throughout this compelling and fascinating autobiography, thats life. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has weighed in on his billionaire space rival Jeff Bezos's launch of his Blue Origin rocket, after its inaugural flight was delayed earlier this week. The launch of the New Glenn rocket from Florida this morning marked the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX's dominance in the space industry. Musk said to Bezos on social media platform X: 'Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt!' The towering 30-storey rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week. The pair have long had a space race rivalry, which Musk appears to be winning. The BBC's Science Correspondent Pallab Ghosh wrote: 'SpaceXs approach to innovation has been quite different to Nasas or any private sector firm. 'The norm had been to develop carefully and minimise the risks of a failure when building systems. SpaceX on the other hand have innovated quickly, failed quickly and learned quickly. 'Explosions were the norm when developing its Falcon and Starship rocket systems, but each test flight has gone better than the previous one and the pace with which it has been developing new lower cost ways of getting to space, culminating in the catching of Starships booster on the launchpad, has been blistering. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk (pictured in 2024) has weighed in on his billionaire space rival Jeff Bezos's launch of his Blue Origin rocket Jeff Bezos' (pictured in front of the New Shepard rocket booster and Crew Capsule mockup) towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 'Jeff Bezos stepped down as Amazons CEO in 2021 to focus more on Blue Origin. Bezos influence and his appointment of a new head of Blue Origin seems to have shifted the firms culture and speeded up the development of New Glenn.' In April 2021, SpaceX beat Blue Origin in a $2.9billion NASA contract to build the lunar lander for its Artemis program. Months later, Blue Origin unsuccessfully tried suing NASA and SpaceX to get the tender nullified. But two years later NASA awarded Blue Origin a $3.4billion contract to develop a competing Moon lander. NASA said following the announcement: 'Adding another human landing system partner to NASA's Artemis program will increase competition, reduce costs to taxpayers, support a regular cadence of lunar landings, further invest in the lunar economy, and help NASA achieve its goals on and around the Moon in preparation for future astronaut missions to Mars.' Despite their differences, Musk and Bezos have both become staunch supporters of president-elect Donald Trump. The pair are expected to be sat with fellow tech billionaire Mark Zuckerberg at Trump's inauguration on January 20. The New Glenn launch, which had been previously scrubbed on Monday due to ice buildup on a propellant line, went smoothly this time despite weather challenges and a brief countdown halt caused by a boat straying into a restricted zone. The towering 30-story rocket, designed with a reusable first stage, took off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station shortly after 1:35 a.m. ET, following multiple delays earlier in the week A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off from Space Launch Complex 36 from the Kennedy Space Center on its maiden flight, at Cape Canaveral, Florida on January 16, 202 The highly anticipated flight marks the company's first attempt to challenge SpaceX 's dominance in the space industry The New Glenn rocket, powered by a combination of liquid oxygen and methane, aims to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX by offering reliable and cost-effective satellite launches. Blue Origin's mission today was not just about the rocket's journey, but also about testing the company's booster recovery capabilities. Ten minutes after liftoff, New Glenn's first-stage booster was expected to return to Earth, aiming for a precision landing on a sea-faring barge in the Atlantic Ocean, while the second stage of the rocket continued its journey toward orbit. Unfortunately, the company confirmed that this part of the mission failed, with a Blue Origin spokesperson admitting: 'We lost the booster.' Inside the rocket's payload bay was a significant piece of Blue Origin's future - the Blue Ring vehicle, a prototype spacecraft designed to be manoeuvrable in space. The company plans to sell this vehicle to the U.S. military and commercial customers for satellite servicing and national security operations. Successfully launching the spacecraft into orbit would be a rare achievement for any space company, especially on their inaugural mission. Crowds of locals gathered at parks and campgrounds along Florida's east coast, hoping to witness history in the making. Bezos was seen partying at Mar-a-lago Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg was seen boarding his private jet after meeting president-elect Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago on January 11 Elon Musk attended Trump's New Year's eve party at Mar-a-Lago Meanwhile, hundreds of employees from Blue Origin's headquarters in Kent, Washington, and its Florida rocket factory tuned in to the live stream. A company spokesperson, Ariane Cornell, remarked on the live stream that 'in thrust we trust,' as the company closely monitored the weather conditions before giving the final go-ahead for launch. Despite earlier forecasts indicating only a 60 percent chance of favourable conditions, the skies cleared enough for a successful launch. Taking to X after the launch, Dave Limp, Blue Origin CEO, tweeted: 'We did it! Orbital. Great night for Team Blue. On to spring and trying again on the landing.' An Algerian migrant worked in a British school using fake documents, a court has heard. Mounir Lameche worked as a school caretaker under a fake name and fraudulently used a French passport to pass a DBS check. The 48-year-old was arrested after a DBS application was made under the name of Adel Boughamouz, which the court heard was a 'false name' used by Lameche. Prosecutors told how Lameche had obtained employment at Beechwood School in Slough, Berkshire, after passing the criminal record check with his false documentation. He worked as an employee of Pinnacle, the managers of the school building, and worked as a caretaker for two years. Maria Culling, prosecuting, said: 'He would not have got that employment if the documents were not false.' Police searched the address of Lameche, of Sussex Place in Slough, and found two French passports, an Irish passport and a French national ID card all in the name of Boughamouz. Also at the address was another illegal immigrant, Amine Lameche, who had a fake ID in the guise of a Belgian driving licence in the name of Amine Ziani. Lara Simak, defending, claimed both men might be allowed to stay in the UK because they had been continuously resident in the UK for over 20 years, after arriving from Algeria illegally. Prosecutors told how Lameche had obtained employment at Beechwood School in Slough, Berkshire, (pictured) after passing the criminal record check with his false documentation 'They do get a statutory right to remain in the UK', the barrister said. The court heard the Home Office had already refused Mounir Lameche's application to remain after finding he had been unable to establish he had been continuously resident for 20 years, but he was appealing. Amine Lameche, 53, had an outstanding application. Both defendants had been paying tax for the past 20 years under their false identities, Ms Simak explained. The barrister said the impact of the defendants being sent to prison would be 'catastrophic' on their applications for the right to remain in the UK. Ms Simak said Mounir Lameche accepted he had been using his false documents to remain in his job as a school caretaker for the last 20 years. 'There is no benefit for it above simple employment and surviving on that employment', the barrister added. 'It is necessary to survive. An illegal migrant in the UK for 20 years is expected to work to survive. 'He was not a person who had a criminal past or something to hide other than his immigration status. 'I appreciate that a risk could have arisen, the risk did not arise because he is not a dangerous person.' The defendants could not be punished today because Reading Crown Court heard the prosecution believed Mounir Lameche was an overstayer, meaning the judge would be forced to jail him. The defence disputed this and the case was adjourned until February 3 so checks could be made. One of Australia's richest men has branded two Chinese online discount retail giants as 'pariahs' that are killing off local businesses. Harvey Norman co-founder Gerry Harvey, 84, claimed that Shein and Temu, which began operations in Australia in 2022 and 2023 respectively, offer little benefit in return by not paying tax or employing Aussies. The stinging attack comes as the billionaire called for a government inquiry into the two companies which have created a 'very difficult situation' for local competitors. 'They never pay any tax here, they don't employ anyone,' Mr Harvey told The West Australian newspaper. 'There should be a government inquiry into it as to what ramifications are there and whether they should or shouldn't do something about it. 'It's a real worry, do you let it just go or not, I think it's worth an investigation.' Mr Harvey, who has amassed as estimated fortune of $3.39billion from his electrical good and furniture chain, also raised safety concerns. He claimed discount online retailers frequently sold unbranded merchandise from unknown manufacturers of dubious quality. Gerry Harvey (pictured right with wife Katie Page) has slammed discount online competitors Shein and Temu Consumers could feel a 'a lot more comfort' buying from trusted brands even if they pay more, he said. Mr Harvey admitted online retailers, including US-based Amazon, offer heavily discounted prices which are alluring. However, he warned shoppers that online pictures of the goods may not accurately represent the products when they actually arrive. Roy Morgan recently revealed 3.8million Australians had bought from Temu in the 12 months to August 2024, while 2million had made a Shein purchase. The majority of sales were from repeat customers. Shein and Temu have clocked up a combined $3billion in Australian sales in the year to last June. This is the same annual figure reported by Amazon for its Australia sales in 2023. Australian Retailers Association chief industry affairs officer Fleur Brown told the publication that while online sales have surged, most customers still preferred in-store shopping, which accounts for 80 per cent of purchases. She said the drawcard for local stores 'continues to be high-quality, locally sourced goods, that make them a stand-out from overseas online competitors'. Chinese online shopping businesses Shein and Temu have an estimated combined annual revenue from Australian sales of $3billion Advisory firm Kroll previously revealed competition from retail newcomers has contributed to the collapse of Australian apparel brands such as Oroton and Mosaic Brands. Temus and Shein were contacted for comment. It comes after Australian small business owner Lauren Sissons claimed that Temu was selling her designs without permission or commission. The graphic designer designs cards, art prints, notepads and other stationery. She was shocked to find copies of her designs being advertised Temu at greatly discounted prices to her own products. The Harvey Norman billionaire (left) called for a government inquiry into Temu and Shein. He's pictured with Zara Tindall (second left), his wife Katie Page and Mike Tindall (right) at the Magic Millions last week 'It came to my attention a few months ago when I was actually on Pinterest, and I saw an ad of one of my greeting cards that I knew wasn't my mock-up,' she told A Current Affair. 'I clicked through and it took me to Temu.' Ms Sissons alerted Temu, but claimed she was initially told by the online shopping giant that they would not remove the ads that showed her greeting card design. 'It feels like someone's been looking at your work in an opportunist way, almost like they're shopping for which design of mine is going to be the most profitable for them,' Ms Sissons said. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey today urged King Charles not to invite Donald Trump back to Buckingham Palace until he delivers on support for Ukraine. Ahead of Mr Trump's inauguration as US President on Monday, Sir Ed claimed Britain should use the 'leverage' of a state visit to influence American foreign policy. He said that Mr Trump 'craves' the 'pageantry' on offer during a trip to the UK, as well as an opportunity to 'banquet with the King'. But the Lib Dem leader insisted this should only be granted if the incoming president agrees on a deal to give Ukraine the weaponry it needs to beat Russia. 'Then, and only then, do we roll out the red carpet for a state visit,' Sir Ed said. In a speech in central London, Sir Ed also branded Mr Trump a 'threat to peace' across Europe and the world as he prepares for a second presidential term. He claimed Britain, for the next four years, would not be able to rely on the White House as 'a reliable partner on security, defence or the economy'. Sir Ed said the UK should instead look towards 'alternative' allies, such as Commonwealth nations or EU member states. He demanded that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer strike a new UK-EU customs union by 2030, as part of Labour's proposed 'reset' of post-Brexit relations with Brussels. Donald Trump, pictured with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace in 2019, is said to 'crave' the 'pageantry' on offer during a state visit During his first term as US President, Mr Trump and his wife Melania were hosted at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged King Charles not to invite Mr Trump back to Buckingham Palace until he delivers on support for Ukraine During his first term as US President, Mr Trump enjoyed a 2019 state visit to Britain at a time when the then Tory government was chasing a UK-US trade deal. He and his wife Melania were hosted at Buckingham Palace by Queen Elizabeth, having previously joined the late monarch for tea at Windsor Castle in July 2018. Sir Ed admitted Britain had 'no choice' but to deal with Mr Trump until 2029. But he said the UK should capitalise on the businessman-turned-politician's 'transactional' character. 'The good news is, we have leverage. We have something Trump desperately wants: a state visit,' he said. 'The pageantry at Buckingham Palace. A banquet with the King. 'We all know he craves it. So I say we give it to him. But only if he delivers what we need first for Britain and Europe's defence and security.' Sir Ed demanded that Mr Trump sit down with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders at a UK-convened summit. This would allow Western allies to 'agree how we collectively use the hundreds of billions of dollars, pounds and euros of frozen Russian assets to pay for the weapons Ukraine needs to win the war and beat (Vladimir) Putin,' he added. 'And if Trump delivers on that deal, pushing the necessary measures through Congress. Then, and only then, do we roll out the red carpet for a state visit.' Sir Ed noted how Mr Trump once praised Mr Putin for a 'genius' move in declaring two regions of eastern Ukraine as independent states. The US President-elect also recently stunned European capitals by refusing to rule out the potential use of economic tariffs or the American military to seize control of Danish-administered Greenland. Sir Ed said: 'The reality is, unfortunately, very clear. The incoming Trump administration is a threat to peace and prosperity in the UK, across Europe, and around the world. 'For the next four years, the UK cannot depend on the President of the United States to be a reliable partner on security, defence or the economy. 'But let us also be clear: nor can we simply ignore Donald Trump or the United States for the next four years. 'The question is not whether we deal with Donald Trump. We have to. The question is how.' Tory shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel blasted Sir Ed's call for a new UK-EU customs union. 'Just like Labour, the Liberal Democrats are looking to undo a democratic vote,' she said. 'Our divorce from the EU was finalised and politicians in this country should be focused on delivering for the British people. 'If they think overturning the democratic will of this country, and damaging the special relationship we have with one of our closest allies, is a good approach then it is clear they are even more unfit for government than we thought. 'Ed Davey should spend less time posturing and more time on actually working for the British people in the face of this disastrous Labour government.' Keir Starmer insisted an air raid during his visit to Kyiv today showed Vladimir Putin 'doesn't want peace' as he vowed Britain will not 'let up' on support for Ukraine. At a press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky, the PM said the countries would be standing shoulder to shoulder 'for a hundred years, long after this terrible war is over'. Explosions and sirens were heard in the Ukrainian capital as Sir Keir made his first trip since taking charge of Downing Street - and days before Donald Trump resumes control of the White House. Sir Keir pointed to the attacks as evidence of Russia's determination to prolong the conflict. 'Let's be clear, we all want this war to end, no-one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace,' he said. 'The attacks here today are a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it.' Mr Zelensky said they had discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, but it's 'a bit too early to talk about details'. Asked by Sky News during his trip to Kyiv whether he would be prepared to commit British troops as part of a peacekeeping force, Sir Keir replied: 'Well, I don't want to get ahead of ourselves 'But I have indicated that we will play our full part - because this isn't just about sovereignty in Ukraine. 'It's about what the impact is back in the UK and our values, our freedom, our democracy. 'Because if Russia succeeds in this aggression, it will impact all of us for a very, very long time.' Earlier, the two leaders laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen in the capital. Sir Keir also visited a hospital this morning where he chatted to soldiers wounded on the front line. The visit comes at a pivotal time in the war, as Russia ramps up threats against Ukraine's Western allies with the inauguration of Donald Trump looming next week. The incoming President has stressed his determination to bring the war to an end, putting pressure on Ukraine to compromise over territory. Sir Keir is due to announce another 40million for Ukraine's post-war economic recovery, on top of the 12.8billion in military and civilian aid offered since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. At a press conference with Volodymyr Zelensky, the PM said the countries would be standing shoulder to shoulder 'for a hundred years, long after this terrible war is over' Explosions and sirens were heard in the Ukrainian capital as Sir Keir made his first trip since taking charge of Downing Street Mr Zelensky said they had discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, but it's 'a bit too early to talk about details' Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky laid wreaths at the Wall of Remembrance of the Fallen in the Ukraine capital this morning Zelensky and Starmer walked slowly behind an honor guard before laying wreaths in the two countries' national colours Keir Starmer visited a hospital in Kyiv this morning where he chatted to soldiers wounded on the front line Sir Keir told broadcasters in Kyiv: 'It's very important we ensure that Ukraine is in the strongest possible position. 'That's something I've been arguing for since I was Prime Minister. This is my seventh meeting with President Zelensky. I'm here at the burns unit of one of the Kyiv hospitals, which is a grim reminder of the heavy price Ukraine is paying. 'So we must give the necessary support, and that's what I'm discussing with President Zelensky today. We must never let up on that and we've been leading the way.' He said the 100 Year Partnership he was signing with Ukraine was a 'real statement of our intent for the long term'. 'So I'm here for both those purposes but the main one is to make sure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position during 2025.' He said Vladimir Putin's war had been a failure, and 'one of the consequences of this conflict has been to draw Nato more strongly together'. 'It's bigger and stronger than it has been, and we must stand behind Ukraine for as long as it takes. 'But when we say Ukraine must be in the strongest possible position, that can't be just words. And that's why I've had such intense discussions with President Zelensky over the months that I've been Prime Minister and will again here in Ukraine.' The premier was greeted at Kyiv railway station by the UK ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, and Ukraine's envoy to London , Valerii Zaluzhnyi. Britain has also helped train more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil amid a gruelling defence against Russia's invasion. Sir Keir will be hoping to reassure President Zelensky that Ukraine still enjoys the support of its Western, liberal backers against the tyranny of a foreign invader. But the fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on January 20 is less clear. While Britain has shelled out an average of about 4.3billion a year for Ukraine - around 0.14 per cent of GDP, or 2.23 per cent of the cost of running the NHS for a year - the United States has contributed $65.9billion since February 2022, the State Department reported last week. The president-elect has balked at the cost of US aid to Kyiv, saying he wants to bring the war to a swift end and is planning to meet Putin. Kyiv's allies - including Joe Biden - have rushed to flood Ukraine with as much support as possible before Trump's inauguration, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war. Zelenskyy has said that in any peace negotiation, Ukraine would need assurances about its future protection from its much bigger neighbor, which has controlled parts of the country since 2014. Britain says its 100-year pledge is part of that assurance, and will help ensure that Ukraine is 'never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia'. Keir Starmer arrives at Kyiv train station on January 16, 2025 in Kyiv Sir Keir Starmer is greeted by Ukrainian officials and the British ambassador to Ukraine Martin Harris (right) as he arrives at Kyiv train station The Prime Minister is expected to sign a 'landmark 100-year partnership to deepen security ties' between the UK and Ukraine The British Prime Minister's visit to Ukraine comes at a pivotal moment for Ukraine's allies in the conflict against Russia, ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday Russia seized Crimea nearly 11 years ago and attempted a full-scale invasion in February 2022. Ukraine also endured great hardship under Soviet rule, from the pogroms and political repression of the Lenin era to the Holodomor genocide of the 1930s and the covered-up Chernobyl disaster of 1986 which predated the collapse of the USSR. The deal between Britain and Ukraine will commit the two sides to cooperate on defense, especially maritime security against Russian activity in the Batlic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov. It will also see collaboration on technology projects including drones, which have become vital weapons for both sides in the war. The treaty additionally includes a system to help track stolen Ukrainian grain exported by Russia from occupied parts of the country. 'Putin's ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level,' Starmer said ahead of the visit. 'This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come.' The fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on January 20 is less clear Ukrainian servicemen train at the polygon in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 Ukrainian servicemen prepare a reconnaissance drone for deployment in the area of Pokrovsk, Ukraine on January 14, 2025 Zelensky says he and Starmer also will discuss a plan proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron that would see troops from France and other Western countries stationed in Ukraine to oversee a ceasefire agreement. Zelensky has said any such proposal should go alongside a timeline for Ukraine to join NATO. The alliance's 32 member countries say that Ukraine will join one day, but not until after the war. Trump has appeared to sympathise with Putin's position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. As the grinding war nears the three-year mark, both Russia and Ukraine are pushing for battlefield gains ahead of possible peace talks. Ukraine has started a second offensive in Russia's Kursk region, where it is struggling to hang onto a chunk of territory it captured last year, and has stepped up drone and missile attacks on weapons sites and fuel depots inside Russia. Moscow is slowly taking territory at the cost of high casualties, along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in eastern Ukraine and launching intense barrages at Ukraine's energy system, seeking to deprive Ukrainians of heat and light in the depths of winter. A major Russian ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday, and compelling authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas. A 64-year-old woman paid off the mortgage for her $1million home just weeks before the Los Angeles wildfires destroyed it. Totress Beasley was one of thousands of Californians who had to evacuate their homes as the flames approached, and came back to find everything they owned destroyed. 'I paid off my house December 17 2024 and lost it January 8 2025,' the Pasadena native said on Facebook. 'My house burnt down, but please believe with me, he gave it to me once and he can restore what I lost.' Beasley told KTLA that amid the tragedy, she and and her son are struggling to find a place to stay because criminal landlords are jacking up rents to take advantage of the crisis. Price gouging in the wake of a disaster is illegal in California. 'Ive been quoted maybe 5,000 [a month],' Beasley said about a one bedroom apartment she asked about. 'Some of my friends have talked to people and they said $6,000 plus and then one girl told somebody was charging $8,000.' Beasley shared devastating footage of her home being destroyed by flames. Totress Beasley, 64, paid off her mortgage just weeks before the Los Angeles fires destroyed it on January 8 Beasley's home in Los Angeles is seen in flames amid the LA wildfires A GoFundMe started by her son Aaron Miller has received over $27,000 of its $150,000 goal. 'In just a moment, our lives were turned upside down as we lost not only our home but also the treasured memories and connections that defined us,' Miller wrote. 'I paid off my house December 17 and lost it January 8 2025,' the Pasadena native said 'The home was a sanctuary, a place where we worshipped, served our community, and welcomed friends and neighbors. It was where we shared meals, laughter, and love with those who walked through our doors. 'Now, as I mourn that loss, I face the enormous task of reestablishing our lives from the ground up.' Staggered after one of the most destructive natural disasters in Southern California history, thousands of heartbroken families, burned-out business owners and beleaguered leaders across Los Angeles County are beginning to ponder another monumental task: rebuilding what was lost and charting a path forward. The traumatized region made it through Wednesday without another major fire breaking out, after forecasters had warned of another round of particularly dangerous winds. Yet even with flames still leaping in two of the largest fires , which have killed 25 and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, government officials talked Wednesday of the epic job that will unspool over years. They must clear Altadena, Pacific Palisades and other ravaged communities of toxic ash and debris, then rebuild homes, restaurants, schools, boutiques, banks and houses of worship. And financing for this mammoth task remains uncertain. The home is seen after the fire was put out. A GoFundMe started by her son Aaron Miller has received over $27,000 of its $150,000 goal The home is seen before it was destroyed. The fires have killed 25 and destroyed more than 12,000 structures Because of the ongoing firefighting battle and the likelihood of dangerous refuse in burned areas, many anxious residents have yet to return to see what, if anything, is left of their homes. The losses range from multimillion-dollar ocean-view mansions to modest homes that once welcomed returning World War II GIs. Meanwhile, nearly half of Californians hold governor Gavin Newsom responsible for the damage left by the wildfires. According to new DailyMail.com/J.. Partners poll, 47 percent of Californians think the Democrat governor is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible for the damage left by the flames. President-elect Donald Trump was among those who blame Newsom, claiming his forest management policies and fish conservation efforts are to blame for fire hydrants running dry in some urban areas. Newsom has denied Trump's claims and branded them misinformation. Californians also blame LA mayor Karen Bass for the situation, with 48 percent of them saying they think she is a great deal responsible or somewhat responsible. Labour's new City minister will be able to make decisions on China despite concerns about her previous lobbying role, Downing Street said today. Emma Reynolds was this week appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury to replace Tulip Siddiq, who quit following a sleaze probe. In the role, Ms Reynolds will be responsible for policy on both the City of London and tackling corruption. But there have been questions about her past job as managing director of TheCityUK, a trade group representing the financial services industry. It has been reported that Ms Reynolds, in the role she held until May, urged the previous Tory government to water down proposed restrictions on Chinese business activity. According to Bloomberg, she was part of a campaign to convince the Conservatives not to impose tougher rules on those doing business with China. National security laws passed under ex-prime minister Rishi Sunak aimed to increase transparency of any dealings with nations posing a 'potential risk to UK safety'. There were efforts to keep China out of the strictest risk category, known as the 'enhanced tier', amid claims it would harm investment. Emma Reynolds was this week appointed as Economic Secretary to the Treasury to replace Tulip Siddiq, who quit following a sleaze probe Ms Reynolds serves as part of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' team. In her new role she will be responsible for policy on both the City of London and tackling corruption Ms Siddiq quit after a watchdog said it was 'regrettable' she was 'not more alert' to the reputational risk caused by her links to her aunt's political movement in Bangladesh Downing Street yesterday dodged questions about whether Ms Reynolds would be involved in policy-making related to China as City minister. But, pressed on the issue again by reporters today, No10 revealed it had been decided she would not need to recuse herself from decisions. The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: 'The requisite discussions have now been held with the minister, in consultation with the permanent secretary. 'it has been determined there is no need for any recusal, nor any changes to her portfolio.' 'A former job is not an ongoing financial interest. The minister has confirmed that she stepped down from her previous role on becoming an MP and entering government. 'More broadly, as per the ministerial code, any relevant interests have been duly declared and managed appropriately.' Ms Siddiq quit on Tuesday after the ministerial standards watchdog said it was 'regrettable' she was 'not more alert' to the reputational risk caused by her links to her aunt's political movement in Bangladesh. Her aunt is the former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled into exile after being deposed last year and is facing an investigation by an anti-corruption commission in Bangladesh, with Ms Siddiq reportedly named as part of the case. Ms Siddiq has also come under intense scrutiny over her use of properties in London linked to her aunt's allies. A spokesperson for TheCityUK previously said of Ms Reynolds' past role: 'Industry has been focused on these proposals for some time. 'Emma was part of a wider team of members and colleagues who engaged with government on this issue.' The Senate held another flurry of confirmation hearings for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees on Thursday with four days until his inauguration, and after Pam Bondi's fiery performance. Treasury Secretary pick Scott Bessent, Lee Zeldin, the president-elect's choice to run the Environmental Protection Agency, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum who'll run the Interior Department took questions on Capitol Hill as they look to secure their spots in the incoming administration. Bessent was grilled after Trump proposed a new financial agency, the 'External Revenue Service,' which will collect tariff income. He issued an ominous warning to Americans about their taxes and also confirmed he's against raising the national minimum wage. Follow all the action at DailyMail.com's live blog Marine Le Pen was overcome with emotion while attending the memorial service in honour of her father, far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, in Paris today - days after she said she would 'never forgive herself' for kicking him out of the party he founded. National Rally deputy Le Pen - the youngest of Jean-Marie's three daughters - was seen sobbing outside the Notre-Dame Val-de-Grace church, where a mass was held in her late father's honour this morning. Jean-Marie, a controversial figure in France who was known for his fiery rhetoric and Holocaust denial, died aged 96 on January 7 in a care facility where he had been for several weeks. The founder and former leader of the populist National Front (FN) - which later became National Rally (RN) - handed the reins of the party over to his daughter in 2011. She went on to expel her father from the party just four years later over a remark he made that the Holocaust - the systemic murder of millions of Jews by the Nazis - was a 'detail of history', comments he was also convicted over. Less than a week after her father's death, Le Pen told French newspaper told Le Journal du Dimanche that her decision to remove him from the party was one that 'caused him immense pain'. She said that her father's expulsion from the party was 'one of the most difficult decisions of my life', adding: 'Until the day I die, I will always ask myself if I could have acted differently.' Marine Le Pen was overcome with emotion while attending the memorial service in honour of her father, Jean-Marie, who died last week National Rally deputy Le Pen - the youngest of Jean-Marie's three daughters - sobbed outside the Val-de-Grace church Supporters gather outside during a memorial service for French far-right figure Jean-Marie Le Pen Jean-Marie Le Pen, France's National Front political party founder, embraces his daughter Marine Le Pen in 2013 Marion Marechal, Jean-Marie's granddaughter, leaves after a religious ceremony to pay tribute to late French far-right figure Jean-Marie Le Pen Le Pen was buried at a private funeral in his hometown of La Trinite-sur-Mer in southern Brittany following his death last week. The more public mass today saw hundreds of people gather to watch the event, which was broadcast to the public outside the Catholic church on a big screen. Mourners dressed in black and French tricolours were waved, while an RN banner was hung on the railings. Marine put her hands together in a show of gratitude for the huge crowd of supporters who had congregated. There was a large police presence at the event, which was reportedly attended by Eric Zemmour and other far-right figures. President Emmanuel Macron described Le Pen as a 'historic figure of the far right' and said that 'history will judge' his impact on France's political landscape. Macron's political nemesis Marine, who led RN for years and n ow heads it up in parliament, said that it was 'a little unfair to judge [my father] only in the light of these controversies' that marked his life. 'His political career spanned nearly 80 years and it was inevitable that there would be topics that created controversies, unless you were a sort of lightweight Sarkozyite [supporter of Nicolas Sarkozy, the conservative former president] or Socialist,' she said. 'What is unfortunate is that he got caught up in these provocations.' Le Pen was known for his fiery rhetoric against immigration and multiculturalism that earned him both staunch supporters and widespread condemnation. Marine Le Pen thanks the gathered crowds outside the memorial service for her father this morning Marine Le Pen was comforted my a fellow mourner outside the service in Paris today A flag of the French far-right National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN) party hangs near the Notre-Dame du Val-de-Grace church Eric Zemmour leaves after a religious ceremony to pay tribute to Jean-Marie Le Pen People wait in front of a bigscreen with a photo of late French far-right figure Jean-Marie Le Pen He shook the French political establishment when he unexpectedly reached the presidential election run-off vote against Jacques Chirac in 2002, a dramatic ascent many credited to his populist appeal and charisma. His daughter has since run for the presidency three times and turned the party, now branded the National Rally, into one of the country's main political forces. Marine was not at her father's bedside and received news of his death during a stopover in Kenya on her way back from visiting the cyclone-hit island of Mayotte, according to French media. 'You will not be able to console me for this sorrow,' she wrote in a tribute post on X alongside a black and white picture of her as a child being carried by her father. The Air France passenger who died suddenly on a flight from Paris to Boston has been identified as a 53-year-old Iraq War veteran from Kansas. Barbara Dipoli, of Topeka, passed away while on board the plane on Tuesday, Massachusetts State Police told the Boston Globe. She was a member of the Kansas National Guard, and she died from a 'medical episode', officials said. The Massachusetts chief medical examiner's office is investigating and will confirm the cause of death in the coming weeks. Dipoli served at least 22 months in Iraq, and held the rank of Master Sergeant at one point, according the the Air National Guard. Information about her more recent service was not immediately available. She fell ill after her flight took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport on Tuesday. Doctors tried to treat her, but she 'couldn't be rescued' and died shortly after. Emergency crews were pictured at Boston Logan International Airport on Tuesday night after the plane landed. Barbara Dipoli, of Topeka, east KS, passed away while on board the plane on Tuesday Dipoli died on board Air France flight from Paris to Boston despite a doctor trying to save them. The plane is picture at Logan airport on the night of her death Police have described the death as 'unattended' but have not provided further details. The Massachusetts State Police detective unit responded at the scene and their investigation into the death is ongoing. In a statement to NBC Boston, Air France confirmed that a passenger died on board Flight AF334 after suffering a medical emergency. 'Despite the assistance of a doctor on board, the customer couldn't be rescued,' a spokesperson said. 'Air France reminds that its crew members are regularly trained to handle these kinds of situations.' The tragedy comes just months after a pilot died after collapsing mid-flight on a 12-hour Turkish Airlines flight from Seattle to Istanbul. The pilot, identified as Ilcehin Pehlivan, collapsed during the October 2024 flight, forcing the jet to make an emergency landing in New York. Pehlivan, 59, who had worked for Turkish Airlines since 2007, had passed a medical examination in March and there had been no indication of any health problems. Dipoli fell ill after the flight took off from Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport on Tuesday. Emergency crews responded once the plane landed at Boston Logan International Airport The Massachusetts State Police, whose detective unit responded to the airport Tuesday night, is investigating the death (file photo of Boston Logan International Airport) Medical emergencies are not uncommon on flights, with data showing that in the US alone around 44,000 flights experience some form of medical event each year. These incidents include minor discomforts to life-threatening situations, according Aviation Services' March 2024 report. The most common medical situations to occur during flight include fainting, gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems and neurological issues. Seizures and cardiac issues, such as a heart attack, are also common. A New Jersey elementary school teacher has been accused of sexually assaulting one of her students for four years and having his baby. Laura Caron, 34, a fifth-grade teacher, met her victim when she taught him and his brother at Middle Township Elementary School #2. The parents of the victim said the family had became friends with Caron over the years and soon allowed both their sons as well as their daughter to live with her for one to two nights a week. But sometime in 2016 - when the victim was 11 - the trio moved in full time to her Cape May Court House. The crimes allegedly began in the same year and lasted until 2020. According to the criminal complaint lodged by the victim's sister, the group would initially sleep in a shared room on the second floor. However, she reportedly soon began noticing the victim would be in Caron's bed the next morning. She also reportedly told officers when her brother would shower, the accused would enter the bathroom and lock the door. The victim's sister told officers that when her brother would shower, the accused would enter the bathroom and lock the door The victim's other brother further told cops that he had once seen the suspect sexually assaulting his brother. The young boy has allegedly admitted to being the father of Caron's five-year-old child and requested that it be kept a secret in texts to his sister, according to 6ABC. Officials claim that their baby was born when the victim himself was 13 years old and Caron was 28 years old in 2019. During a police interview with the victim, he confirmed he had a sexual relationship Caron and the child was his own. The crimes came to light in December 2024 when the victim's father made a social media post about the child looking very similar to him and his son, according to investigators. Caron is being held at the Cape May County Correctional Center. Officials claim that their baby was born when the victim himself was 13 years old and Caron was 28 years old in 2019 Prosecutors further confirmed that the Middle Township School District was notified of the investigation and is currently cooperating with law enforcement She has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child. 'I want to personally assure the parents of Middle Township that we are taking every step possible to ensure the safety of our children. 'Our department is working closely with the Prosecutor's Office to ensure that every aspect of this case is thoroughly investigated,' Middle Township Police Chief Tracey Super said in a statement. She has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child Prosecutors further confirmed that the Middle Township School District was notified of the investigation and is currently cooperating with law enforcement. Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffery Sutherland commented: 'This arrest underscores the unwavering commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to protect the children in our community. 'Teachers hold a position of great trust, and the allegations in this case represent a deeply troubling breach of that trust. 'We will work tirelessly to ensure justice is served and to support the victim and their family throughout this process.' Middle Township School District Superintendent Dr. David Salvo confirmed in an emailed statement to CBS that Caron 'was immediately placed on and continues to be on paid administrative leave'. DailyMail.com has reached out to Middle Township Elementary School #2 for a comment. Pope Francis has injured his right arm in a fall at his Santa Marta home but has not suffered any fractures, the Vatican has said. It comes just weeks after the 88-year-old struck his chin on his nightstand in an apparent fall which resulted in a bad bruise. The Holy See press office said in a statement: 'This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a contusion on his right forearm, without fractures.' The statement added his arm had been 'immobilised as a precautionary measure.' The pontiff, who has led the 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church since 2013, has been in increasingly fragile health in recent years. Celebrating his 88th birthday in December, he has suffered from influenza and related problems several times in the past two years and he often uses a cane or a wheelchair to move due to knee and back pain. Pope Francis has injured his right arm in a fall at his Santa Marta home but has not suffered any fractures, the Vatican has said - he is pictured here with his arm bandaged Pope Francis (pictured meeting with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde) often uses a cane or a wheelchair to move due to knee and back pain The Pope also had surgery in 2021 to address a painful condition called diverticulitis, and again in 2023 to repair a hernia. Despite his fragile health, Francis remains very active, completing in September a four-nation trip the longest of his papacy in terms of in duration and distance. In an autobiography that was published on Tuesday, Francis downplayed concerns about his health. He also ruled out resigning, as his predecessor Benedict XVI did, amid concerns about his declining health and the physical and mental demands of the papacy. Pope Francis (left), with his right arm bandaged and immobilized due to a fall this morning, receiving Alvaro Lario President of the UN International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the Vatican 'I am well,' Poe Francis said. 'The Church is governed using the head and the heart, not the legs.' He said it was 'embarrassing at first to have to use a wheelchair, but old age never arrives by itself, and it must be accepted for what it is.' The Pope reiterated that he does physiotherapy twice a week, uses a walking stick and does as many steps as he can as he carries on. A Southwest Airlines pilot has been arrested moments before he was due to take off for allegedly being too drunk to fly. David Allsop, 52, was apprehended at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday morning. Police were called to reports he had shown up to work intoxicated and took him into custody at around 7am. Allsop, from Bedford, New Hampshire, was due to captain Southwest Flight 3772 to Chicago. An image shows police boarding the aircraft to arrest Allsop in the cockpit in front of stunned passengers. Customers aboard the flight were delayed nearly four hours, with the jet eventually taking off before 11am. Several passengers were accommodated on different flights to try and ease the disruption. Allsop has been removed from service pending an investigation by the airline and the police. Southwest Airlines pilot David Allsop has been arrested moments before he was due to take off for allegedly being too drunk to fly Allsop, 52, was apprehended at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday morning Allsop, from Bedford, New Hampshire , was due to captain Southwest Flight 3772 to Chicago 'We're aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah,' A Southwest Airlines spokeswoman said. 'The employee has been removed from duty. 'There's nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our employees and customers.' Allsop's Linkedin profile indicates that he has been a pilot with Southwest Airlines for more than 19 years. Prior to that he serviced in the US Air Force, starting out in the 50th Airlift Squadron in 1998. Police are yet to state how they were alerted to the fact that Allsop may have been too drunk to fly. DailyMail.com has contacted Southwest Airlines for comment. A Pennsylvania teen shot and killed his parents and younger brother before turning the gun on himself in a horrific triple murder-suicide. Police found Michelle Hunt, 48, and Clifford Hunt Sr., 51, dead in their North Sewickley Township home Sunday night, reported KDKA. Their two sons, Cody Hunt, 16, and Clifford Hunt Jr., 19, were discovered in grave condition and were flown to a Pittsburgh hospital, where they later succumbed to their injuries. Investigators believe Clifford Jr. shot his family members in the head before shooting himself, according to WPXI. 'At this stage, it does look like the older son, Clifford Jr., may have been the last one alive,' said Beaver County District Attorney Nate Bible. 'Several weapons were taken from the scene. [We are] still sorting out what weapons were used and on who, trying to piece together a timeline of what might have happened.' Police arrived at the scene after Cody made a harrowing 911 call from inside the house, reported WTAE. 'The family, all of them, were avid hunters, and in my conversations with them, hunting always comes up. I knew they had a lot of firearms in the house,' said North Sewickley Township Police Chief Jeff Becze. Investigators believe Clifford Hunt Jr. (pictured), 19, shot his family members in the head before shooting himself Mom-of-two Michelle Hunt, 48, was among the deceased found inside the home A Pennsylvania teen allegedly shot and killed his parents (mother Michelle Hunt right) and younger brother (Cody Hunt left) before turning the gun on himself Police found Michelle Hunt, 48, and her husband Clifford Hunt Sr. (pictured), 51, dead in their North Sewickley Township home Sunday night The devastated community remembered the family fondly and is working to rehome the dozens of farm animals they kept. Michelle and 16-year-old Cody were active volunteers at the Air Heritage Aviation Museum, and the teen dreamt of becoming a pilot. 'They both loved and had a vast knowledge of the aircraft and enjoyed sharing its history with people who toured it during air shows. Cody recently obtained his pilot's license, and he and his mother were very proud of his achievement,' the museum said. 'Michelle was one of our most active volunteers and always showed up with a smile on her face and ready to work, whether she was packing the C-123 for an air show, helping setup and hosting an event, or giving a tour of the museum.' Riverside High School identified Cody as a junior and said he was a member of the National Honor Society and played saxophone in the school marching band. 'Eager to serve his country, Cody planned to apply to the United States Air Force Academy. He also volunteered at the Air Heritage Museum in Chippewa, where he shared his love for aviation with visitors,' the school said. 'Cody's classroom teachers and friends would say he was kind-hearted and always helped others. Everyone at Riverside will miss him dearly.' Michelle's friend Autumn Ashurst said the two bonded over their love of animals and had seen her just hours before her death. Michelle's (pictured) friend Autumn Ashurst said the two bonded over their love of animals Cody (pictured) was a junior at Riverside High School and planned to apply to the United States Air Force Academy 'Oh, she was over the moon about getting ducks. She had a whole spot set up for them, wanted me to bring them in, and said they were ready, and the geese and turkey were checking them out. She was very happy and very excited,' Ashurst said. 'It kind of seems unbelievable that something like this could even happen in an area like ours, its so quiet its so relaxed and to hear of any loss in the community is horrible. 'Its not only one tragedy, but its four all at the same time, and I cant imagine how many lives are ruined over this its insane.' Eight gang members face jail after being caught trying to smuggle a woman crammed inside a car glove box. A Vietnamese woman was found hidden in the compartment - carved out of the space between the dashboard and the engine - in June 2022. Following her discovery a probe unearthed a people smuggling network, resulting in the seizure of counterfeit documents, as well as 20,000 illicit cigarettes and 6,000 in cash. Three UK-based people being found guilty of assisting unlawful immigration, with five other associates also facing jail sentences. Redar Curtis, 30, of Guernsey Way, Kennington, Jozef Kadet, 25, of Constable Street, Manchester, and Khales Akram Jabar, 44, of Barnaby Avenue, Middlesbrough, were each found guilty on Wednesday. The trio had denied assisting unlawful immigration to the UK. A trial heard how the gang worked together between 2022 and 2024 to unlawfully smuggle people to the UK via land and air. They created and possessed counterfeit identity documents believed to have been made in a Greek forgery factory, the Home Office said. A Vietnamese woman was found hidden in the compartment after being concealed behind the dashboard of a car in June 2022 Eight gang members now face jail after the discovery of the woman (Pictured: Jozef Kadet) Redar Curtis (left), Khales Akram Jabar, (right) as well as Jozef Kadet found guilty of assisting unlawful immigration Five members of the gang, brothers Mukhlis Jamal Hamadamin, 43, and Muhamad Jamal Hamadamin, 27, Yassen Jalal Mohammed, 43, Dlawar Omar, 40, and Curtis' wife Emily Etherington, 37, pleaded guilty to charges put against them. Mukhlis Hamadamin, of Brook Road, Stockport, admitted four counts of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration to the UK, one count of conspiracy to make an article for use in a fraud and one count of possession of an identity document with improper intention. His brother, also of Brook Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud and one count of possessing an identity document with improper intention. Mohammed, of Woodhouse Grove, Huddersfield, admitted three counts of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration to the UK. Omar, of Pendrill Street, Hull, and Etherington, also of Guernsey Way, each pleaded guilty to one count of the same charge. The investigation was prompted after UK border staff found the woman behind the dashboard of a vehicle driven by Jozef Balog in June 2022 upon his return from France. Balog pleaded guilty to assisting unlawful immigration and was sentenced to two and a half years in prison in January last year. In July 2022, Etherington was stopped by Border Force officers after they found she was hiding another woman in the dashboard of her vehicle. Mukhlis Hamadamin (right), of Brook Road, Stockport, admitted four counts of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration to the UK as well as other charges. His brother (left) admitted three counts of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration The investigation was launched after UK border staff found the woman behind the dashboard of a vehicle driven as Jozef Balog returned from France in 2022 Yassen Jalal Mohammed (left) and Dlawar Omar (right) also pleaded guilty to the charges put against them Her husband, Curtis, was then linked to the operation prompting the Home Office to launch a wider investigation. The group of eight will appear at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on January 29 for a hearing where a sentencing date is expected to be set. Minister for Border Security and Asylum, Dame Angela Eagle, said the case showed 'the ruthless tactics' used by criminals who smuggle people across the continent. 'They have no regard for human life and exploit vulnerable individuals solely for profit, putting them in incredibly dangerous situations,' she said. Chief immigration officer at Home Office Immigration Enforcement, Paul Moran, said the convictions came thanks to a 'complex investigation' into organised crime across Europe. He explained that the Criminal and Financial Investigation teams in Dover and Manchester worked tirelessly over a two year period to bring about justice. 'Our team worked closely with the Spanish National Police, Greek Police, and Irish (An) Garda Siochana to break up this criminal group, which was illegally smuggling non-EU nationals into the UK,' he said. 'This group put profit ahead of people's safety, facilitating them through dangerous methods in vehicles and by air, showing no concern for the wellbeing of those they smuggled.' Daniel Penny was spotted riding on a New York City subway a month after he was acquitted over the chokehold death of homeless man Jordan Neely. The 26-year-old was snapped by a bystander appearing relaxed and reading a book on a subway in an image that quickly circulated across social media. Penny's acquittal divided New Yorkers, with many branding him a 'hero' for his actions in May 2023 when he put Neely, a schizophrenic former Michael Jackson impersonator, in a headlock. Although witnesses said the confrontation came after Neely threatened to kill people on the subway car, telling passengers that 'someone is going to die today', others saw the case as an overzealous Marine veteran using unreasonable and ultimately lethal force against a mentally-ill black man. After the image of Penny back on the subways went viral this week, some said they were glad to see him living his life again while others questioned why he remained in the city following his high-profile acquittal. 'Daniel Penny spotted on the NYC subway... nature is healing,' one X user commented. Another said: 'I would've left the DAY the trail ended.' 'I would move if I were him, he can't possibly think he's safe there,' added another. Daniel Penny surprised Big Apple residents after he was spotted back on a subway just a month after he was acquitted in a high-profile manslaughter case Penny was branded a 'hero' by many for his actions in May 2023 when he put Jordan Neely, a schizophrenic former Michael Jackson impersonator, in a headlock after he threatened to kill people on the subway car, telling passengers that 'someone is going to die today' Footage of Penny placing Neely in a headlock and his subsequent trial made the marine veteran a minor celebrity in New York. Protests were seen in the city after the case was jumped upon by Black Lives Matter, who characterized Neely's death as racist. Penny disputed claims that race played a role in his actions, as he pointed out that a black man was among those who helped him subdue Neely after he threatened subway passengers. Donald Trump went on to invite Penny to join him and JD Vance in his presidential suite at the Army-Navy game days after his acquittal. Penny's freedom hung in the balance at the conclusion of his trial in December when prosecutors made a bombshell decision to drop the manslaughter charge against him, due to the jury being deadlocked. Pushing ahead with lesser charges of negligent homicide, the jury returned a not-guilty verdict days later. Penny, 26, joined President-elect Donald Trump and future Vice President JD Vance at the Army-Navy game days after he was acquitted Neely (pictured), who struggled with drug abuse and mental illness, has a criminal record that included assault convictions A day after being found not guilty, Penny sat down with Judge Jeanine Pirro and revealed that he would have felt responsible 'if someone did get hurt' after the Neely threatened to kill people onboard the train. 'The guilt I would've felt if someone did get hurt, if he did do what he was threatening to do, I would never be able to live with myself,' Penny said. He told the former judge that he felt that he was 'in a very vulnerable position' as he held Neely back on the floor of an F train. 'He was just threatening to kill people. He was threatening to go to jail forever, go to jail for the rest of his life, and now I'm on the ground with him. 'I'm on my back in a very vulnerable position... If I just let him go, now I'm on my back and he can turn around and start doing what he said - to me... killing, hurting,' Penny explained. Although the case sparked whirlwind attention across the nation, Penny said he is 'not a confrontational person' and someone who prefers to stay out of the spotlight. The case itself and Penny's ultimate acquittal enraged BLM activists, who instantly called for revenge in the form of black vigilantes. After finding him not guilty, cheering and clapping erupted in the courtroom by some, while Neely's family yelled horrendous threats, calling Penny a 'racist c**t' and warning: 'It's a small world, buddy,' before being escorted out. Penny told Judge Jeanine Pirro after his acquittal that he would have felt responsible if someone did get hurt' after the homeless man threatened to kill people onboard the train that day During his interview, Penny also mentioned the 'self-serving' officials who used the fatal incident as part of a 'political game'. Despite not mentioning anyone directly, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, who spearheaded the case against Penny, has come under fire since the verdict was announced. 'These are their policies. And I dont mean to get political, I really dont want to make any enemies, really although I guess I have already,' he told Pirro. 'But these are their policies that have clearly not worked, that the people, the general population, are not in support. Yet, their egos are too big to agree that theyre wrong.' After walking free, the 26-year-old quickly dashed to a downtown bar to celebrate his win with his lawyers. With the trial out of the way, Penny is free to return his attention to his studies. When he was charged, he was studying architecture at the New York City College of Technology. He was also working two jobs one as a swim teacher and also at a restaurant in Brooklyn which he gave up to focus on the trial. He is also not completely out of the woods after Neely's family filed a civil lawsuit against Penny last week. Penny's legal team, Thomas Kenniff and Steven Raiser, said they will immediately set their sights on the lawsuit against their client. An 11-year-old girl was falsely detained and handcuffed while playing outside in a tragic mix-up in Syracuse, New York. The young girl, whose identity has not been released, was outside the schoolyard with her friends when police officers abruptly detained and handcuffed her. Her friends and relatives stayed with her and videotaped the entire interaction. 'Wait I'm actually so confused,' one of her friends said as the officers placed the handcuffs around the girl's wrists. 'I'm scared,' another said as they watched the shocking incident on the sidewalk. One deputy stood by the girl and another stood near the sidewalk. One of the officers told her friends they could leave and one responded, 'No, I'm going to stay with her.' 'We can't just leave her,' another said. The girls then told the officers that they were leaving school and were playing in the yard. The other officer then informed the girl why she was arrested and said that she matched the description of one of the suspects. The suspect caught on dash camera footage was pictured in camo pants and a pink puffy jacket. The 11-year-old girl was wearing a similar outfit but had a bow in her hair while the suspect had long braids. They were also wearing different sneakers. When the officers said they were looking for a suspect accused of carjacking, the girls quickly pushed back that their friend couldn't drive. One of the officer's responded that most kids who steal cars can't drive either. The young girl stood and cried while police handcuffed her on the street The suspect of the carjacking was captured on camera in a similar outfit to the young girl The girls filming the video then informed the officers that they attended Brighton Academy down the street and just got back from a field trip. One of the officers finally caved and called another deputy to get a photo of the suspect. When the officer received the photo she showed the girl and asked, 'Girl, you're gonna tell me this ain't you?!' The deputy standing behind the girl then calmly told her to just be honest. 'Listen, it is what it is,' he said. The girls then asked to see the photo and pointed out that the girl's skin was darker than the suspect's. They also pointed out that they were wearing different shoes, had different hairstyles, and were wearing slightly different pants. 'I feel like this is racism,' one of the girls said as another continued to tell the officers that their friend wasn't the suspect in the photo. As tensions rose, the young girl began to break down and cry. One of the officers tried to calm her down and told her it'd be okay. The other officer then Facetimed a deputy with a direct view of the dashcam footage and determined that the girl wasn't the suspect, according to a press release sent by Officer Thomas Newton from the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office. The officers took the handcuffs off the young girl as she continued to cry. Her friends ran over to console her. 'I mean, I'm sorry, you can see how it could match that description,' the officer told her. 'I don't,' her friend filming the video quickly replied. The officers defended themselves by saying the girls looked like 'twins.' Police then told the group that they were 'good to go.' The young girl was handcuffed and detained on the street for seven minutes The girl's cousin and friends waited with her and filmed the interaction with police The series of events unfolded just before 2:00pm when officers responded to reports of a stolen grey Kia, according to a timeline drafted by Officer Newton. At 2:05pm the stolen car stopped at an intersection and all the thieves in the car fled on foot. Two minutes later, one of the suspects was taken into custody. Footage of the suspects was caught on video and sent to responding units. At 2:38pm, the young girl was spotted by deputies and they falsely identified her as one of the suspects from the dash camera footage. The young girl was detained two minutes later due to her clothing and proximity to where the suspects fled. After obtaining the dash camera footage and taking a closer look at the suspect, officers let her go seven minutes later. 'Upon detainment, deputies diligently tried to quickly compare the juvenile with video evidence obtained via dashcam. In that comparison, it was clear that the detained juvenile was not the suspect we were seeking, and she was immediately released,' a press release from the sheriff's office stated. 'This situation was cleared up quickly, largely due to the juvenile's disposition, patience, and cooperation.' Sheriff Toby Shelley met with the girl's mother and said he understood her concerns following the disastrous mix-up. The sheriff's office said the conversation was 'productive,' however, the child's mother told local NBC affiliate, WSTM News, that her child was traumatized. The mother said she couldn't believe what was happening when her niece, who filmed the video, called her to explain what happened. 'I couldn't even finish watching the video,' she told WSTM. 'Even if it wasn't my child, I wouldn't be able to finish watching the video because that's not how you handle children.' The video has since gained widespread attention and attracted criticism for the way the officers responded. The New York chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union released a statement condemning their actions. The NYCLU said they were 'extremely disturbed' by the video and called the Sheriffs' treatment 'aggressive.' 'There was no reason to handcuff a scared child, one who had simply been making snow angels,' the statement continued. 'This mistreatment raises serious concerns about implicit racial bias, which too often leads law enforcement officers to perceive children of color as a threat. It also raises questions about appropriate training and protocols in the Sheriffs office. The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office must engage the community in dialogue and make further changes with community input.' The Sheriff's Office has since defended their deputies who decided to handcuff the child. 'Handcuffing from the start usually prevents a controlled situation from devolving into an uncontrolled situation; ultimately preventing altercations, force, and potential for injury. The police do not definitively know a persons age and ascertaining that information is part of the detainment process,' the office wrote in a statement. 'Handcuffing juveniles in this circumstance is lawful, within policy, and common practice in law enforcement.' As a result of the incident, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office is implementing a new policy to prevent similar future incidents. Typically, when children are detained their parents are notified only if they are arrested. The OCSCO will now change the policy to require officers to notify parents whenever a detainment occurs, even if it's brief. A Whitehall fixer will undertake a 'rapid audit' into the scale of grooming gangs across Britain, the Home Secretary announced today. Yvette Cooper told MPs she had asked Baroness Louise Casey to oversee a three-month review into gang-based child sexual exploitation. She revealed the fresh Government action in the wake of a furious political row over Labour's previous rejection of a new national inquiry into the issue. Both the Tories and Reform UK have demanded a Whitehall-led investigation after it was revealed ministers had turned down Oldham Council's request for a national probe. Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk has also launched a barrage of social media attacks on Sir Keir Starmer over the issue in recent weeks. Ms Cooper has since made two statements to the House of Commons in the past two weeks on the subject of grooming gangs. In her latest update this afternoon, the Home Secretary unveiled a significant shift in the Government's position - but stopped short of the full national inquiry demanded by critics. She told MPs the Government was preparing for five further local inquiries - backed by 5million of funding - by establishing a 'new framework' for such probes. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told MPs she had asked Baroness Louise Casey to oversee a three-month review into gang-based child sexual exploitation It follows a furious political row over the Prime Minister's rejection of a fresh Government-led probe into grooming gangs Billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk launched a barrage of social media attacks on Sir Keir over the issue Ms Cooper also promised to set out a 'clear timetable' before Easter for taking forward the 20 recommendations of the seven-year Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). And she told MPs that historical gang exploitation cases, where no action was previously taken, will be looked at again. The IICSA investigation, chaired by Professor Alexis Jay, produced a final report in 2022 but its recommendations have not yet been fully acted on. The Home Secretary said, despite previous inquiries into child sexual exploitation, 'far too little action has been taken, and shamefully little progress has been made'. She said Baroness Casey's audit would look at 'cultural and societal drivers' of offences. 'It will properly examine ethnicity data and the demographics of the gangs involved and their victims, and will look at the cultural and societal drivers for this type of offending, including amongst different ethnic groups,' Ms Cooper said. 'And it will make recommendations about further analysis, investigations and actions that are needed to address current and historic failures.' Baroness Casey will complete her work on grooming gangs before beginning her review of social care, which Labour previously tasked her with, Ms Cooper added. Baroness Casey will complete her work on grooming gangs before beginning her review of social care, which Labour previously tasked her with The Home Secretary pledged the Government would 'provide stronger national backing for local inquiries where they are needed to get truth and justice for victims and survivors'. 'The PM and I both met with survivors last week from Telford who had enormous praise for the way that local inquiry was conducted after there had been failings over very many years,' she added. 'And that inquiry led to tangible change including piloting the introduction of CCTV in taxis, appointing child sexual exploitation experts in local secondary schools. 'And as we've seen, effective local inquiries can delve into far more local detail and deliver more locally relevant answers than a lengthy nationwide inquiry can provide. 'So Tom Crowther KC, chair of the Telford inquiry, has agreed to work with the Government to develop a new framework for victim-centred locally-led inquiries where they are needed. 'As a first step to work with Oldham Council and up to four other pilot areas. 'That will also include support for local authorities who want to explore other ways to support victims including local panels or drawing on the experiences of the Independent Inquiry Truth Project.' The recent furore over grooming gangs came after it was revealed Labour had snubbed Oldham Council's request for a Whitehall-led inquiry, with ministers instead favouring a locally-led probe. A string of Labour MPs recently broke ranks with Sir Keir to demand a new national inquiry into the issue. Among those was Sarah Champion, the Rotherham MP, who this afternoon told Ms Cooper that inquiries into child sexual abuse need 'the ability to compel witnesses'. 'A big strand of what we need to do is make sure there have been no cover ups, and it's only if it's on a statutory footing that we can do that,' she added. Ms Cooper said the Home Office was working with the Cabinet Office, mayors and local councils 'to draw up what new accountability arrangements would be'. Pressed again as to whether local inquiries will have the legal power to compel witnesses, the Home Secretary added 'there are different ways to do this'. Tory shadow home secretary Chris Philp blasted Labour's decision to establish a series of local inquiries as 'wholly inadequate'. Mr Philp said previous reports and reviews on child sexual exploitation and abuse 'did not go far enough'. He told MPs: 'The IICSA report itself was mainly not about these rape gangs, in fact it barely touched on the issue and only looked at six towns. 'We now believe as many as 50 towns could have been affected so IICSA barely scratched the surface. 'The Home Secretary has announced Government support for only five local inquiries. 'Let me say this is wholly inadequate when we know up to 50 towns are affected.' Downing Street insisted Baroness Casey's 'audit' of grooming gangs will not impact her leadership of a commission into reforming social care. A No10 spokesman said: 'Louise Casey's track record speaks for itself. 'She is carrying out this work in her role as the Government's lead, non-executive director. 'It will not affect her work on the independent commission into adult social care, which begins in April, and her work on this rapid audit on grooming gangs will begin immediately.' Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council, said: 'This Government intervention today will transform the next steps for Oldham. 'These new measures will empower the victims to achieve the justice they deserve and support police in their vital work.' Kemi Badenoch warned Brits they are not 'rich' and must start 'living within our means' today in a straight-talking speech. The Conservative leader laid out 'mistakes' her party made, including on Brexit, immigration and Net Zero, as she promised to be 'honest' with the country. Sounding alarm about the 'complacency that Britain will always be wealthy', she accused Labour of repeating many of the same blunders the Tories made in government. And she railed at Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves for 'suffocating' enterprise with high taxes and red tape. Ms Badenoch said 'real Conservatism' was the only way to ensure that tomorrow would be 'richer, better and safer'. The Opposition chief is battling to restore Tory fortunes after the disastrous election saw Keir Starmer rack up a massive majority. Reform has also emerged as a major threat with polls suggesting support for Nigel Farage's outfit is growing. But Ms Badenoch flatly rejected any suggestion of a merger before the next election. 'Nigel Farage says he wants to destroy the Conservative Party. Why on earth would we merge with that?,' she said. Kemi Badenoch laid out Tory 'mistakes' as she promises to be 'honest' with Brits about the problems the country faces Ms Badenoch is battling to restore the party's fortunes after the disastrous election saw Keir Starmer (pictured) rack up a massive majority Earlier this week a poll put Reform just a single point behind Labour. YouGov research put Nigel Farage's outfit on 25 per cent, having leapfrogged the Tories on 22 per cent. Although surveys this far out from an election can be difficult to interpret - and more than a quarter of those asked did not opt for any party - such figures would put Reform on track for a major breakthrough. Electoral Calculus projections suggest Mr Farage would be in charge of more than 100 MPs, with Labour still the largest party on 287 seats - but short of an overall majority. Stressing the Conservatives are under new leadership, Ms Badenoch said: 'For the next four years and beyond we are going to be telling the British people the truth, even when it's difficult to hear. 'The truth about the mistakes we made, the truth about the problems we face, and the truth about the actions we must take to get ourselves out of this mess.' In a frank assessment of what went wrong under her predecessors - from David Cameron to Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak - Ms Badenoch said: 'We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU. YouGov research put Nigel Farage's Reform on 25 per cent, having leapfrogged the Tories on 22 per cent 'We made it the law that we would deliver Net-Zero carbon emissions by 2050. And only then did we start thinking about how we would do that. 'We announced that we would lower immigration, but immigration kept going up. 'These mistakes were made because we told people what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later. 'That is going to stop under my leadership. If we are going to turn our country around, we're going to have to say some things that aren't easy to hear.' Ms Badenoch said that she wanted to 'start with our problems'. 'We think we are rich, but we are living off the inheritance that previous generations left behind, a complacency that Britain will always be wealthy, and a refusal to live within our means,' she said. 'We owe it to that next generation to leave an inheritance for them and not mortgage their future to make our lives more comfortable, and that will demand the kind of tough, soul-searching conversations we're not having right now. 'Energy supply is vulnerable, more vulnerable than ever, and our energy is far, far too expensive when it should be secure, cheap, plentiful. 'Demography is destiny. People are having fewer children. Our society is getting older. We are living longer and needing more support towards the end of our lives. Look at productivity. A shrinking group of people are working to support an ever growing number of those who are unable or unwilling to work.' Ms Badenoch said the decline had to 'stop because the dream of every generation, that our children can have a better future than we did, is slowly dying'. 'It's dying because as our problems have got more urgent, our politics has got less serious,' she said. 'Since July, there has been more discussion in parliament on Oasis tickets than on our 2.7 trillion pound debt pile. That has to stop. 'The young people I speak to are deeply despondent that their country is unable to provide them better opportunities, let alone guarantee health, wealth and prosperity.' Speaking to GB News earlier this week, the Tory leader said it was important to examine the backgrounds of those implicated in the grooming gangs scandal. She suggested they were 'people with a very poor background, a sort of peasant background, very, very rural, almost cut off from even the home origin countries that they might have been in'. Reform has also emerged as a major threat with polls suggesting support for Nigel Farage's (pictured) outfit is growing Labour chairwoman Ellie Reeves accused the Tory leader of being in 'complete denial'. 'Where was the apology for her role in Liz Truss' disastrous mini-Budget that crashed the economy and sent mortgages spiralling, or the 22 billion black hole left in the public finances? The Tories haven't listened and they haven't learned and Kemi Badenoch should own up to the damage she and the Conservative Party have done to the country,' she said. A gang of thugs who senselessly attacked a transgender girl at a roller skating party in revenge for her lying about her gender identity before performing a sex act on a boy have been locked up today. The 18-year-old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was lured to a roller disco where a masked mob screamed 'tranny' as they punched, kicked and stamped on her after she was repeatedly knifed by ringleader Summer Betts-Ramsey. In a horrifying 45-second attack which was filmed and plotted on Snapchat, the victim was punched to the ground where she was kicked at least seven times by Betts-Ramsey before the 19-year-old pulled out a knife. While the victim lay helpless, Betts-Ramsey knifed the victim nine times in the nose, thigh, hand, and buttocks at Harrow Leisure Centre, in north-west London, on February 10 last year. Other teenagers, unmasked for the first time today, rained down blows, beating her with a pair of roller skates and boots before snatching her handbag and fleeing, leaving the victim in a pool of blood. The victim only survived the 'sickening' attack after a member of the public intervened to stop Betts-Ramsey stamping on her head and called an ambulance. Appearing at the Old Bailey today, Betts-Ramsey was sentenced alongside 18-year-olds Bradley Harris, Camron Osei and Shiloh Hindes, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, after all admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Betts-Ramsey will serve at least four-and-half years in youth dentention, with an extended sentence of four years on licence after she was deemed a 'dangerous offender'. Meanwhile, Harris, Hindes and Osei have all been locked up for three years in a young offender's institution. The 17-year-old boy was handed an 18-month youth rehabilitation order and will be electronically tagged for three months. A woman believed to be a relative of Betts-Ramsey yelled 'I love you Summer' and 'people kill and get less' from the public gallery. Summer Betts-Ramsey (pictured) lunged at the victim 14 times, knifing her in the nose, thigh, hand, and buttocks on February 10 last year The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, only survived the attack at Harrow Leisure Centre (pictured) after a member of the public intervened to stop Betts-Ramsey stamping on her head and called an ambulance The attack was plotted by Bradley Harris (right) after he had a sexual encounter with the victim on January 29. He was later told she was transgender. Betts-Ramsey is pictured in a mugshot (left) Camron Osei, Shilou Hinds and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, are also being sentenced after all admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent A sixth girl who admitted robbery by taking the victim's bag will be sentenced later today. Betts-Ramsey, who lived in a children's home, also admitted possession of an offensive weapon. The trial heard how Harris plotted the attack when the victim denied she was transgender before kissing him and performing an oral sex act days earlier. Unbeknownst to the victim, Harris recorded the sexual encounter on January 29 on a Facetime video call. A friend then phoned Harris to tell him that the victim was transgender, which she admitted only after Harris held her at knifepoint saying 'I'll stab you if you lie'. The victim later apologised, but Harris was already meticulously planning a savage revenge attack. Hours before the attack, Betts-Ramsey was heard on the phone saying: 'I have to go to Harrow to beat up a f-ing tranny bro.' The knife-obsessed 19-year-old decided to bring one of the blades she had had delivered to the children's home where she lived. Judge Philip Katz, KC, said: 'The victim was viciously assaulted by five young persons each intending for her to be caused really serious injury. She was kicked and punched to the ground, they then continued to punch her, and she was stabbed repeatedly. 'At the time of the attack she presented no threat to anyone, she did nothing to provoke the attack or to justify it in any way - unknown to [the victim] this was a planned and premeditated attack. 'Kicking and stamping on someone when they are defenseless on the ground is abhorrent, consistently we hear in these courts about attacks of this nature which have led to death.' The judge was asked to take into account peer pressure but said 'I struggle to see any' as he believed the attack was carried out 'with general excitement'. Judge Katz said: 'I have watched the CCTV footage of the attack more than once, it's sickening to watch. 'Her gloating in the aftermath of the attack was shamelessly hateful and dehumanising. 'People acting in groups often perform acts they would not do alone.' Betts-Ramsey was obsessed with knives and would have them delivered to the children's home where she lived. 'Betts-Ramsey was recruited to lead the attack, her lifestyle at that time and her previous convictions for violence explain why,' the judge added. Prosecutor Deena Heer, KC, earlier said: 'This was a planned attack, motivated at least in part by her transgender identity. 'During the assault she was punched, kicked, stamped on and stabbed, and suffered nine stab wounds.' The Old Bailey (pictured) heard how the victim was lured to a roller skating party before being attacked On February 10, the victim was lured to a roller skating party with the group, a court heard. The group, dressed in dark clothing with masks and hoods, were waiting for her at a bus stop. But once they reached a nearby car park, the girl was 'immediately attacked'. Betts-Ramsey lunged at the woman on the ground with a knife at least 14 times. Other members of the trans-hating mob attacked her for about 45 seconds before some fled. Afterwards Betts-Ramsey, now 20, boasted about the stabbing, posting a story on Snapchat with footage from the attack and laughing emojis, telling friends: 'I'm going jail bro I stabbed her 12 times.' Others taunted the victim sending messages saying: 'Ur looking sweet.' That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: 'Stabbing a girl cus she's trans... its disgusting', to which Betts-Ramsey replied: 'IT deserved it'. In a moving victim impact statement, the transgender girl said she has suffered panic attacks, struggles to sleep, and fears she might not be able to work as a model due to her injuries. 'I have become depressed and am always in fear leaving the house,' she said. 'I am constantly in fear of being assaulted again. I feel at times this is taking over my life. 'The incident has resulted in thick scars on my body which saddens me every time I see them- I feel like I am the one living a life sentence due to them. 'In the past I have experienced animosity towards me being transgender but I never thought anyone would have so much hatred for me and want to assault me in the way they did.' Betts-Ramsey was subject to a community order at the time of the stabbing after being convicted of robbery and battery. Donations are pouring in to help pay for Tony Slattery's funeral - after the comedian ended his days in a modest terraced home having burned through a fortune. Slattery, who died on Tuesday aged 65 after suffering a heart attack, had battled depression and drug addiction which led to a withdrawal from lucrative work on the UK comedy circuit - and was open about being financially 'naive'. The actor and comic previously told of his shame after his mother found uncashed cheques worth 100,000 'scrunched up' under a sofa in his former luxury home - because he felt clueless about what to do with them. And now friends say his longtime partner has been landed with hefty costs because the couple had no 'plan B' in place ahead of his unexpected passing. An appeal has been set up on behalf of Slattery's partner Mark Michael Hutchinson towards a fitting farewell to the funnyman famed for his appearances in 1980s and 1990s Channel 4 improvisational comedy show Whose Line is it Anyway? At the height of his Nineties fame, Slattery had a luxury warehouse apartment beside the Thames in Wapping, east London - but in his final years was living in a suburban cul-de-sac in Edgware, north London. That was where he suffered a heart attack last Sunday before being rushed to nearby Nortwich Park Hospital with his partner clutching his hand, friends have revealed. Slattery died at the hospital in Harrow, north-west London, on Tuesday. So far the Crowdfunder set up in response to his loss has raised more than double the initial 8,000 target, with hundreds of online tributes to the performer flooding in - but organisers revealed they have also received some abuse from internet trolls. Tragic comedian Tony Slattery (right) is seen with his longtime partner Mark Michael Hutchinson at their north London 'two-up two-down' in a 2020 BBC documentary This purple home in Edgware, north London, was where Tony Slattery lived with his partner of almost 40 years Mark Michael Hutchinson ahead of his death aged 65 on January 14 The comedian and actor was a regular TV presence in the 1980s and 1990s - before stepping away from the spotlight in the following decades Tony Slattery's last public appearance was a Christmas Day message to fans on Instagram A message posted on X, formerly Twitter, said: 'We are overwhelmed by everyone's support. Thank you. Few nasty comments but we just block and ignore.' The appeal was set up by Allan Lear, who co-presented Slattery's podcast Rambling Club which was launched last October and has released 14 episodes. The web page describes Slattery, 65, as 'a titan of British comedy' and said: 'Because Tony was only just getting back to work, and because his passing was so unexpected, there wasn't a Plan B in place. 'If you could give just a little towards a funeral for Tony, it would be a huge weight off Mark's shoulders at this miserable time.' The appeal explained: 'Sadly, in later years mental health issues had diminished Tony's career, but with the unwavering support of his long-term partner, Mark, he made it through the wilderness and was back touring and performing comedy. 'Life was starting to look rosy again when, to the great shock of all who knew him, he suffered a fatal heart attack. Mark and Tony were looking forward to celebrating their fortieth anniversary this year.' The couple lived together in a rented terraced cottage owned by a property developer in Edgware, north London, worth an estimated 500,000. Slattery said of Mark in a 2019 Guardian interview: 'He was there for me when my behaviour was so unreasonable that I could only think it was unconditional love. Mark Michael Hutchinson (left) and Tony Slattery (right), seen here together in their Edgware home in a 2020 documentary, first met when both were in a West End musical in 1986 Friends from Tony Slattery's podcast have now set up a Crowdfunder appeal to raise money for his funeral - and thanked fans for support while also saying there had been negative responses 'He's definitely not with me for the money we dont have any money. This is the secret of love.' After years battling drug and mental health issues, Slattery was slowly trying to rebuild his career when he was struck by a fatal heart attack on Sunday. Slattery was last seen in an Instagram post on Christmas Day where he wore a tinsel and holly scarf and fans of his podcast remarked on how well he looked. The latest weekly episode was released last Friday, just four days before his death. Millionaire ex-Cambridge University friend Stephen Fry, a fellow Whose Line is it Anyway? performer, had produced a promotional video for the podcast and Julian Clary was also a guest on a recent show. Fans were encouraged to subscribe to the podcast via a Patreon site asking for donations of either 3, 5, 25 or 100 a month. A post after his death on the Patreon site said: 'Your support helped to make the last six months of Tony's life some of the most happy, creative and fulfilled days he had in a long time.' As well as the podcast he had resumed touring and amongst other gigs had a monthly residency at Fort Perch Rock venue in the Wirral., north-west England. Tony Slattery told BBC viewers he was now living in a rented 'two-up two-down' The vast majority of comments have been supportive - while also condemning any critics One reviewer, Mike Moorhouse, posted on social media about his last show on December 21, saying: 'Smashing night out, good family fun, the whole cast were excellent.' There have also been shows at Tank Bar in Warrington, Cheshire, and he was due to play at The Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, Dorset, later this month. Unlike his former Footlights colleagues such as Sir Stephen, Hugh Laurie and Dame Emma Thompson, Slattery had no big companies, few recent TV or film roles and limited royalties from his successful past. In a bittersweet reference to this the blurb from one recent show said at The Place, Bedford, said he discussed 'the highs and lows of his life and career' and 'how he nimbly dodged the global superstardom that claimed so many of his colleagues'. Slattery previously indulged a 4,000-a-week cocaine addiction and had by his own admission gone 'slightly barmy' at the age of 36 and at the height of his fame. As well as cocaine, he was drinking huge amounts of vodka and said he had been a 'slave' to alcohol and drugs as well as suffering from bipolar disorder. Slattery was the son of an Irish Heinz factory worker and grew up as the youngest of five children on a council estate in Willesden, north-west London. He impressive exam results helped him to win a scholarship to the University of Cambridge to read medieval languages - before finding TV and radio fame. Tony Slattery (left said of his partner Mark Michael Hutchinson (right) in a 2019 interview: 'He's definitely not with me for the money we dont have any money. This is the secret of love' But he had largely disappeared from public sight until a 2020 documentary What's The Matter With Tony Slattery?, in which he spoke of being sexually abused by a priest when he was eight years old. Slattery also admitted to being financially 'naive' and spoke of his 'shame' after his mother found cheques worth more than 100,000. The performer said he had been stashing cash from his agents there because he did not know what to do with them. After quitting his drug habit, he sent it off for toxicology report, which found he had actually been snorting 5 per cent cocaine, cut glass and - to his horror, human and animal faeces. Talking about his experience with the drug, he said: 'It's not fun, I wouldn't recommend it, the devil's dandruff, it heightens makes you uninterruptible, irrational, disinterested.' The comedian revealed how the battle with his demons saw him lock himself away in his Thameside apartment in Wapping - and how this dark period of his life drove him to bankruptcy and saw friends depart. Speaking in 2019, Slattery admitted he was very saddened when famous pals and hangers on deserted him when his money dried up. And the following year he told the Radio Times how 'fiscal illiteracy and general innumeracy' had contributed to his financial problems - as well as what he described as his 'misplaced trust in people'. Tony Slattery launched his podcast last October, co-hosted by Paul Carmichael and Allan Lear Allan Lear set up the fundraiser to help pay fitting funeral tribute to Slattery (pictured in 2020) When asked whether he had ever run out of money, he replied: 'If bankruptcy counts, yes. Not many people do know. Im telling you. 'Mark picked up the pieces to some extent. It was my fiscal illiteracy and general innumeracy, my waste, my misplaced trust in people, naivety, stupidity, people taking advantage. 'Ones still in jail. And, yes, in dark moments, I remember how when the money runs out the phone stops ringing.' By the time he helped make the 2020 documentary ,he was living with his partner and their 'psychotic cat' Mollie in what Slattery told viewers was a 'two-up, two-down terraced house which is rented'. The home, tucked away in a cul-de-sac 300km from the London Underground station terminus at one end of the Northern Line, is shown online to have last been bought in 2004 for 205,000 - but is now valued at just over 500,000. When interviewed by one newspaper in 2019, Slattery suggested he attend the publication's office instead of playing host himself - with the comic quoted as saying: 'Well, I didn't want you coming to horrible Edgware.' His move to the north London suburbs followed his troubled stint beside the Thames in east London at the peak of its fame and then its dark aftermath. He has told of suffering a breakdown in 1996, aged 36 - saying: 'If you're not born into money, you don't know when it's going to stop, you think it's streak of luck. Tony Slattery, pictured in 1990, has spoken openly about his cocaine addiction that decade The comedian, pictured here at London's Victoria and Albert Museum in June 2000, later revealed how his drug and drink problems drove him to bankruptcy and saw friends depart 'I really enjoyed working but all work no play takes its toll - the overwork, no holidays, no taking a break, eventually you snap, you try to replace it with something. In my case, it was cocaine. 'Then the booze came along, then the depression set in. I was drinking two bottles of vodka a day and doing 10 grams of coke.' Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live's Stephen Nolan in July 2017, Slattery provided further grim details of his 1990s descent at a time he was living beside the Thames. He recalled having thoughts of suicide in the midst of his distress, saying: 'I took all my clothes off and hid under my car in the underground car park and I got bitten on the feet by rats. 'I was naked under the car, in a clearly psychotic and delusional state. I saw the rats, they were biting me - I was taking drugs and probably drunk at the same time. 'I went back to my flat, took a long look at myself in the mirror, put my clothes on and admitted myself to a psychiatric unit where I was given anti-psychotic drugs.' Slattery laughed as he then joked: 'Also, and this makes me - it's not as if I'm boasting about it, I just can't think of anyone else in showbiz who's had this done, they tested me for plague.' He has also described how a doctor treating him was shocked by how much cocaine the comedian was taking. Tony Slattery told ITV's This Morning show in May 2019 how he would spend up to 4,000 a week on cocaine as well as drinking two bottles of vodka per day Slattery said of his cash woes and his partner (left): 'Mark picked up the pieces to some extent. It was my fiscal illiteracy and general innumeracy, my waste, my misplaced trust in people' Slattery admitted: 'At the peak, I was taking 10g a day. 'A specialist said, "You must be exaggerating, you wouldn't have a nose left". 'But I think I was snorting so much, so fast, it didn't have time to touch the sides. 'That's the only reason I've still got a septum.' In contrast, when asked in an April 2019 interview what his immediate plans were, the comedian by then living in Edgware said: 'Buy some food, because weve run out. 'But we're waiting for money to come in from jobs and that often takes a while. 'So just make it to the weekend.' A man has admitted to causing over 24,000 of damage after ploughing his car into the gates of Buckingham Palace. Johnny Scott, 26, of Dalewood Close, Hornchurch, east London, rammed his car into the main entrance gates of the royal residence In Westminster. He appeared in fidgety and dazed' after he drove his Volkswagen Polo into the south centre gate on March 9 last year, Westminster Magistrates Court heard. The crash, at sometime around 2.30am, caused 24,493 worth of damage, the court was told. On Thursday Scott, who was arrested by armed officers at the scene, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge. Prosecutor Laila Cunningham said: 'He did appear fidgety and dazed and said "I have to fix this and these c****". 'He did not elaborate on these statements. He is of good character.' No members of the royal family were in residence when the collision happened, a palace spokesman said at the time. Johnny Scott, 26, of Dalewood Close, Hornchurch, east London , rammed his car into the main entrance gates of the royal residence In Westminster last March On Thursday Scott, who was arrested by armed officers at the scene, appeared in court and pleaded guilty to a criminal damage charge after causing 24,493worth of damage Footage shows the gates blighted with wooden panels and scaffolding today as the damages caused by the smash were repaired No members of the royal family were in residence when the collision happened, a palace spokesman said at the time People walk past the boarded gates after the collision in the early hours of March 9. Police officers are seen guarding the gates which are boarded up following the smash last March A Metropolitan Police spokesperson also said there were no reports of any injuries at the time of the incident Scott was released on conditional bail with medical reports being ordered before Scott's next appearance at the same court on February 13 Footage shows a car crashing into the main gates of Buckingham Palace before armed police yell at the driver to keep his hands on his head Armed police were seen surrounding the driver who was on his knees and ordered to put his hands on his head A witness said he watched the dramatic scene unfold after hearing a 'loud bang' Armed officers were seen in video footage surrounding Scott, their weapons drawn, ordering him to keep his hands on his head as he knelt behind his car. Witnesses had described hearing a 'loud bang' as he ploughed into the railings. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson also said there were no reports of any injuries at the time of the incident. District judge Annabel Pilling told Scott that he may be unlikely to face prison and that a community-based penalty could be an 'appropriate' sentence. She said: 'You have entered a guilty plea today. You will be given credit for that as you have given a guilty plea at a very early opportunity.' Medical reports were ordered before Scott's next appearance at the same court on February 13. Scott was released on conditional bail. A 'highly-respected' doctor who sexually abused female patients from the Orthodox Jewish community has been jailed for eight years. Dr Wayne Sefton Davis, a GP in Salford, carried out the assaults against two 'naive' women as part of invasive examinations in the 1990s and 2000s. The 67-year-old was found unanimously guilty at Manchester Crown Court on Monday of committing the crimes over a 15-year period. It comes after a probe had been launched in May 2020 by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in GMP's Salford district as two women came forward. In May 2020, one of the females disclosed she had attended an appointment with Davis 14 years ago. She explained he had sexually assaulted her during a medical examination as he told her 'he needed to teach her how to pleasure her husband'. Davis was subsequently arrested on suspicion of sexual assault before another victim came forward to disclose a similar experience. The woman told officers she had attended the practice and Davis performed a routine medical examination before sexually assaulting her to check if she was 'a virgin'. Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, explained the victims were from the Orthodox Jewish community and were 'not brought up learning about sex and sexual behaviours at school as might be expected in secular society'. Dr Wayne Sefton Davis pictured in February 2015. A 'highly-respected' doctor who sexually abused female patients from the Orthodox Jewish community has been jailed for eight years Dr Wayne Sefton Davis, a GP in Salford, carried out the assaults against two 'naive' women during invasive examinations in the 1990s and 2000s They had limited knowledge and put their complete trust in a respected man they had been told 'knew best', which provided 'fertile ground' for Dr Davis to abuse each of them, she said. In brief mitigation, Sarah Elliott KC reiterated Dr Davis was highly respected in the community. She added he had been in custody for over a year since the convictions, Manchester Evening News reports. Nevertheless, Davis, of Old Hall Road, Salford, was jailed for eight years and put on the Sex Offenders Register for life. Detective Sergeant Charlotte Sullivan of GMP's City of Salford district, said: 'Firstly, I would like to commend the victims and survivors for how they have so bravely come forward to speak of their experiences and also for their continued support during our investigation and through the trial. This was a long and distressing process for them to endure. 'I would also like to thank our partner agencies in Salford who supported the victims and assisted our investigation which helped put Wayne Davis behind bars. Davis' actions are truly horrific and shocking, he was in a position of power and used this for his own sexual gratification. 'His actions showcase a complete abuse of trust and power. He took advantage of the women in a time when they needed reassurance. He knowingly did not follow the guidance of the GP's chaperone policy and sexually assaulted lone women in his place of work with no regard for their wellbeing whatsoever, they were seeking his advice as a medical professional for personal and private matters. 'We understand how much concern will be felt in the local community and across Greater Manchester and we would like to take this as an opportunity to assure members of the public that incidents like these are extremely rare. We continue to work closely with medical practises and the local trusts, staff, the local authority, and support organisations to ensure that patients feel safe and supported. Dr Wayne Davis appears at Manchester Crown court in November 2023 charged with two counts of sexual assault Dr Wayne Davis, 67, of Salford, pictured outside Manchester Crown Court where he had been on trial for five sexual offence charges 'This case demonstrates the seriousness with which we deal with any reports of sexual assaults or inappropriate behaviour. No matter when it happened or where it took place, we will investigate, we will support you and we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.' News of the conviction comes as the two women, of the Chassidic orthodox Jewish community, had initially stayed silent about the abuse for fear of being ostracised. The first woman - Woman A - was newly married and recently moved up to the north west. She followed the tradition of her community in respecting the advice of rabbis who gave clear rules about dating and she later described herself as 'naive' before getting married to her husband in the 2000s. Woman A was urged to visit a doctor after after experiencing pain in her genitalia but ended up going alone as nobody was available to accompany her. During Davis' trial in 2023, the patient alleged Davis made a 'highly inappropriate comment', before using his fingers to allegedly 'stretch' her vagina. Jurors were told that a gynaecologist described the practice of 'stretching' as a 'bizarre concept with no grounding in gynaecological practice'. After details of Dr Davis' arrest were published in the press, Woman B came forward to also recount details of her abuse in the 1990s. Pictured: Manchester Crown Court. Davis had previously said at court he was aware there were rumours about him from within the Orthodox Jewish community The patient had got married in the 1990s but did not have 'marriage preparation lessons' prior to her wedding night, later saying it came as a 'bit of a shock' to her. Davis told her to remove her lower clothing before examining her. He then offered to check if she was still a "bethulah". She later learned this was the Hebrew word for "virgin". The woman said David inserted his finger into her vagina and she had felt 'uncomfortable' but trusted him. She explained she felt embarrassed and humiliated, and said it had affected her relationship with her husband. Years later she confided in her daughter, a midwife, who confirmed her fears that the examination was not necessary. Meanwhile Woman A described how her experience had 'haunted' her. Davis had previously said at court he was aware there were rumours about him from within the Orthodox Jewish community. In an interview he was asked about the medical notes and claimed stretching the vagina was a reasonable thing to do when a female was having problems with intimacy. The woke mayor of Los Angeles failed to deploy the city's crisis team to areas ravaged by the apocalyptic wildfires for a week, it has emerged. The Palisades Fire - the first of several blazes to erupt in LA - broke out on Tuesday last week, but Mayor Karen Bass did not call on her crisis response team until seven days later, The New York Post reports. Edward Alamo, interim director of the Crisis Response Team (CRT), reportedly sent an email to volunteers a few days after the deadly fires first broke out to inform them that 'at this time, we are not deploying to shelters or community resource centers'. Volunteers were 'stunned' that the CRT, which they allege is 'more well funded' than any other crisis team in the country, spent days just 'sitting on its hands, not responding at all' while entire neighborhoods were being leveled by the fires. Bass, according to a former LAFD Battalion Chief, could have actioned the team immediately because she 'doesn't have to wait for a request' and has 'all the authority to deploy them at their discretion'. It is unclear why Bass waited to deploy the volunteer organization that her public safety department oversees. The CRT reports directly to Deputy Mayor Brian Williams, who has been placed on administrative leave since mid-December when the FBI raised his over a bomb threat he allegedly made against City Hall last autumn. Williams has not yet been arrested or charged with a crime, but still remains on leave. His attorney told KCAL that he 'strongly maintains his innocence and intends to vigorously fight the allegations'. The CRT also lacks a permanent director and has had a job opening available for the role since last year. The Palisades Fire - the first of several blazes to erupt in LA - broke out on Tuesday last week, but Mayor Karen Bass (pictured Wednesday) did not call on her crisis response team until seven days later, according to reports A view of burnt Malibu beachside house after Palisade Fire has caused destruction in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles on January 15, 2025 Joseph Avalos, who served as CRT director for 13 years, says he cannot understand why the team was not deployed to help fire victims. Avalos, whom Bass fired in May last year, alleged that multiple volunteers received call outs to help with small incidents, such as traffic crashes, but were not actioned amid the fires. 'I got some phone calls from current CRT members that they're still on standby and not involved yet,' he told the Post. 'Quite honestly, I don't understand why.' Christopher Anyakwo - one of Williams' staffers - has denied claims that the organization is being sidelined and told the newspaper 'the CRT is currently helping at the disaster recovery center'. A spokesperson for Bass told the newspaper that the CRT is working 'right now' but did not specify when the team was officially deployed. 'We are grateful that they answered our call to serve,' the spokesperson added. The CRT was created in 1992 to provide assistance to victims of fires, crimes and other incidents. Its volunteers are trained to offer 'immediate, on-scene, practical and emotional support to survivors,' the organization's website states. The CRT reports directly to Deputy Mayor Brian Williams, (pictured) who has been placed on administrative leave since mid-December when the FBI raised his over a bomb threat he allegedly made against City Hall last autumn Bass has been heavily criticized over her response to the catastrophic wildfires that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures. Meanwhile, Williams - who oversees the city's fire department - was placed on administrative leave less than three weeks before the fires erupted. FBI agents searched Williams' home on December 17 after an investigation allegedly determined he made the September bomb threat against City Hall. The Los Angeles Police Department investigated the threat after it was first reported and determined that Williams was 'likely' the source of the threat. But due to his working relationship with the LAPD, the investigation was handed over to the FBI, who then carried out a search of his home. Bass, shortly after the raid, issued a statement saying her 'number one job is to keep Angelenos safe' and promising to 'hold people who commit crimes accountable'. Her statement has now come under scrutiny, as it is nearly identical a remark she made over the weekend regarding the city's response to the apocalyptic fires. Williams was hand-picked for the role as deputy by woke Mayor Karen Bass in February 2023 and given significant public safety responsibility, including oversight of the city's fire and police departments. The pair are pictured together with Port of Los Angeles Executive Director Gene Seroka (right) aboard the Battleship USS Iowa to officially announce the start of LA Fleet Week in 2023 Williams, who oversees the city's fire department, was placed on administrative leave less than three weeks before the deadly wildfires erupted in the LA. Pictures is a Malibu beach front home that was destroyed by the Palisades Fire Bass, whose spokesperson claimed said that she took the 'matter very seriously', quickly issued a statement after the raid, saying: 'My number one job is to keep Angelenos safe. 'The only way to do that is to hold people who commit crimes accountable and to take real steps to prevent crime from happening in the first place.' But critics are now questioning her sincerity after she made an almost verbatim remark over the weekend during a press briefing about the deadly fires. A CBS News reporter, noting how the strong hurricane-force winds were set to further fuel the fires this week, asked Bass: 'Why are you not implementing broader closures right now to keep your constituents safe?' 'We are doing everything to keep Angelenos safe,' she replied, adding that the city would issue further closures if there was a 'need' to do so. Bass named Williams deputy mayor of public safety in February 2023. Williams' duties included oversight of the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles Fire Department and the various police department that patrol Los Angeles International Airport and the Port of Los Angeles. During his time as deputy mayor, Williams also worked on issues including police hiring, public safety spending and the search for a new police chief, the Los Angeles Times reports. Williams had earlier served for seven years as the executive director of the Los Angeles County's Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission, and was previously a deputy mayor under former Mayor James Hahn. In that position, he oversaw management of public works and the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. The Pacific Palisades Bowl Mobile Estates destroyed by the Palisades Fire is seen in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 A home destroyed by the Palisades Fire is seen in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 Smokes and flames overwhelms a commercial area during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles County, California on January 8, 2025 Red Flag warnings advising of extreme wildfire danger expired across the Los Angeles area late on Wednesday, but forecasters warned that dry and windy conditions will persist on Thursday, and that the threat of blazes remained. The National Weather Service added that the respite for fire-ravaged Los Angeles will be short, with high chances for renewed Red Flag warnings - when ideal fire conditions of high winds and low humidity dominate - starting again on Sunday. Some 6.5 million people remained under a critical fire threat, after the fires consumed an area nearly the size of Washington DC, resulting in at least 25 deaths so far, authorities said. Firefighters on Wednesday confronted persistently strong and dry winds fueling two giant wildfires that have terrified Los Angeles for eight days, testing the resolve of a city upended by the worst disaster in its history. Officials urged residents to remain vigilant and be prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice with peak wind gusts forecast to last through Thursday afternoon. A motorcyclist stops to look at a burning home during the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county, California on January 8, 2025 The Sun rises over homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 Forecasted winds of up to 70mph did not materialize on Wednesday. Still, firefighters reported winds of 30 to 40mph combined with low humidity in a region that has failed to receive any appreciable rain in nine months, meaning fire threats remain. The fires have damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 homes and other structures, and forced as many as 200,000 people from their homes. Some 82,400 people were under evacuation orders and another 90,400 faced evacuation warnings as of Wednesday, County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled, leaving smoldering ash and rubble. Many homes only have a chimney stack left standing. Some 8,500 firefighters from the western United States, Canada and Mexico have kept the growth of the fires in check for three days. The Palisades Fire on the west edge of the city held steady at 23,713 acres burned, and containment nudged up to 19 per cent - a measurement of how much of the perimeter was under control. The Eaton Fire in the foothills east of the city stood at 14,117 acres with containment at 45 per cent. SoCalGas workers dig a trench to secure natural gas infrastructure of homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025 A new fire broke out on Wednesday in San Bernardino County east of Los Angeles, burning 30 acres, Cal Fire reported. Two other fires in Southern California were largely under control. While the fires rage on, critics have questioned whether the city properly prepared for fire danger in the face of National Weather Service warnings about hazardous weather, even though firefighters were on alert and able to deploy assets beforehand. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley fielded queries on Wednesday about a Los Angeles Times report that fire officials had opted against ordering 1,000 firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift last Tuesday as fires were beginning to grow out of control. The Times cited critics who said the outgoing shift should have been kept on duty and that as many as 25 additional fire engines should have been moved into hillsides. Crowley defended her department's preparation, saying it was impossible to know exactly where fires might break out and that some firefighters needed to remain in place to field ordinary emergency calls anywhere in the city. 'We did everything in our capability to surge where we could,' Crowley said. The Times quoted Deputy Chief Richard Fields, who was in charge of staffing and equipment decisions ahead of the fire, as saying the scrutiny was welcome but that critics were too easily second-guessing decisions after the fact. A police call handler who admitted passing on information to a suspect was today put behind bars himself. Stuart Wells, 31, was working at Lincolnshire Police headquarters when he called a friend to warn her she had been accused of dealing drugs. A court heard how he had answered a call in October 2023 from a woman reporting that a party was going on where she suspected drugs were being used. The caller gave the name of a woman who she believed was dealing. Judge Simon Hirst was told that Wells knew the woman named in the call and sent a text message to his friend informing her that she had been named by the caller. Within a short period of time, a second handler received another call from the original complainant telling them that she had been threatened by the woman she had named in the first call. Lincoln Crown Court was told Wells approached a manager and made admissions about his conduct at around the same time as the second call was received by the control room. The court heard the victim had been left worried, hyper vigilant and now found herself constantly checking her security camera feeds as a result of her ordeal. Stuart Wells, 31, was jailed for six months after he admitted passing on information to a suspect Stuart Wells, 31 was working at Lincolnshire Police headquarters (pictured) when he called a friend to warn her she had been accused of dealing drugs Terry Boston, mitigating for Wells, accepted he should have known better, but argued that in his case he did not receive the best training from Lincolnshire Police. 'It was an absolutely stupid thing to do,' Mr Boston told the court. 'Despite his no comment interview he went to his control room inspector and made admissions straight away.' Mr Boston said Wells was under stress at the time due to a number of family bereavements. 'It hasn't been done for malice or personal gain, it was to get his friend away from the scene,' Mr Boston added. Wells, of North Greetwell, Lincolnshire, pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in public office. The court heard Wells had lost his job with the police and was now working as a postman. He had no previous convictions. Sentencing, Judge Hirst told Wells his actions had a significant impact on his victim and continues to do so. The judge added: 'Members of the public must be able to ring the police and provide information. Your actions may deter them, that is why this is so serious.' Wells was jailed for six months. Nintendo revealed the look of its newest console on Thursday, giving fans reason to rejoice over the forthcoming device. New photos and video of the Nintendo Switch 2 caused a frenzy on social media, leaving viewers salivating and convinced the product will sell like 'hot cakes.' 'I swear I just walked outside this morning and everything suddenly looks more beautiful. The grass is greener, the sky is more blue than it's ever been, there's not a cloud in the sky,' one X user wrote. 'It's like the world has just adjusted for a post Nintendo Switch 2 society. I'm in paradise.' The company has kept quiet about the console's features but confirmed it would play physical and digital Nintendo Switch games, adding that certain ones 'may not be supported on or fully compatible' with the Switch 2. There have been rumors that the Switch 2 features a new screen size, design, and USB-C port, according to TechCrunch. The company confirmed in its previews and press release that the Switch 2 will be released on April 2. The preview also featured clips from what looks to be a new Mario Kart game. Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 on January 16 and confirmed its April 2 release date Excited social media users believed the product will quickly sell out Several excited X users revealed they were thrilled to eventually purchase the product and find out 'how it works.' 'Is it just me panicking with the Nintendo Switch 2 announcement? I can't wait to see the power it has!' one wrote. 'I feel so bad for the kids who got a Nintendo Switch on Christmas,' another joked. 'I no longer have to see the phrase "Nintendo Switch 2 LEAK" the curse of the last 5 years is broken,' a third added. Others lauded the announcement as a 'a gift.' 'My birthday is a day after the Switch 2 direct. Thank you Nintendo for the early birthday present!,' an X user shared. 'Today's my birthday, my gift to you all is the Nintendo Switch 2 (for real this time),' another added. Social media users were thrilled to learn about the Switch 2 release date Several people critical of the unveiling claimed the Switch 2 was 'too similar' to its predecessor and lacked 'innovation.' 'Literally anyone aware of the Switch 2 knew it was gonna be the same but upgraded and with new quality of life changes,' one wrote. 'Nintendo wasn't gonna change something dramatically that worked extremely well for them. The hybrid play style was always here to stay.' Another added: 'I found the design pretty similar and nothing special tbh 'But nice, hope it has great games.' A third said: 'The Switch 2 design is very safe. I like it but I wish Nintendo did more to separate itself from the first Switch.' Others were disappointed with the console's name and mentioned what they thought would've been better selections. 'Should have called it something more similar to "Super Nintendo Switch", instant hook,' one wrote. 'I'm gonna straight up say it: I'm sorry @NintendoAmerica. But calling it the "Switch 2" is a bad naming convention.' The Nintendo Switch 2 is rumored to have a different design and a USB-C port at the top of the console Social media users weren't impressed with the console's design and name Aside from the new console, Nintendo also announced it would host several experience events worldwide. The experiences will allow fans to play a Nintendo Switch 2 for free. All of the events will be taking place April 4 through June 1. Gamers in North America can enjoy the experience in New York, California, Dallas, and Canada. In Europe, the experiences will take place in countries that include France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Cold weather will return to Britain this weekend with daytime temperatures struggling to get above 5C in much of England and sub-zero lows overnight. The Met Office said northern Scotland will be the warmest part of the UK tomorrow with the mercury staying above average after nudging 16C (61F) on Tuesday. But it will turn colder into the weekend with England and Wales expected to see temperatures around 3C to 6C below average on Saturday and Sunday. It comes after the UK recorded its coldest January night since 2010 last weekend when temperatures plunged to -19C (-2F) in Scotland amid heavy snowfall. Highs of just 3C (37F) to 5C (41F) are expected for most of England and Wales this Saturday, although the South West could see 8C (47F) and Scotland 9C (48F). Temperatures on Saturday night are set to fall to -2C (28F) in the North of England while most of the rest of the country will drop to between 0C (32F) and 3C (37F). Sunday will bring daytime highs of 3C (37F) to 6C (43F) for most of England, but the South West and Scotland will see 9C (48F) and Northern Ireland could hit 10C (50F). Tonight will see rain in North West Scotland edging slowly south while cloud across southern England and Wales will spread north amid generally mild temperatures. Foggy conditions near Garforth in West Yorkshire today with a Met Office warning in place A dog walker traipses through the early morning heavy fog at Chesterton in Warwickshire A dank and misty start to the day in the Oxfordshire countryside at Dunsden this morning Downpours in Scotland will then ease tomorrow as conditions turn brighter but it will stay cloudy in South East England and begin to feel cooler for most places. This weekend could bring wind and rain to the North West, while it will be mostly cloudy in central and southern England, and sometimes Wales with drizzle. On Tuesday, Cassley in the Scottish Highlands reached 15.7C (60.3F), which was a new date record for the highest temperature on January 14 since records began. That also made Tuesday the UK's warmest day of 2024 so far - beating the previous high of 14.2C (57.6F) set at Merryfield in Somerset on Sunday, January 5. Altnaharra in the Highlands plunged to -18.9C (-2F) on Saturday, January 11 - which was the coldest January overnight temperature since 2010. Much of the UK endured sub-freezing temperatures last weekend, dropping to -11.2C (11.8F) at Shap in Cumbria while Bala in Wales recording -6.7C (19.9F). The UK Health Security Agency had a cold weather health alert in place for all of England during what became a prolonged chilly spell at the start of the year. But the sudden change in conditions this week resulted in a 34.6C (62.3F) swing in temperatures in just three days in northern Scotland, between Saturday and Tuesday. LAST FRIDAY -- Sheep feed in a snow-covered field near Shotts in North Lanarkshire, Scotland The average low in northern Scotland for this time of year is -0.3C (31.5F), while for England, overnight lows are about 1.5C (34.7F). The Met Office had a yellow alert for fog in force for much of England until 11am today with forecasters warning the weather could cause travel delays. Some of the UK's busiest airports saw disruption around Christmas time as thick fog blanketed the country, with delays at Heathrow, Luton and Manchester airports. Flights were also disrupted earlier this month as snow, ice and heavy winds prompted runway closures or pauses to operations at Manchester, Birmingham and Bristol. Donald Trump is now battling to save TikTok after learning that he is a superstar on the app - and that it helped power his election win. The president-elect has U-turned on his previous position and vowed to 'save TikTok' ahead of the scheduled shutdown on January 19. The app is due to be banned nationwide after Beijing-based owners ByteDance ignored Joe Biden's ultimatum calling for its sale. The president signed a law last year making the demand to address Justice Department concerns the platform is vulnerable to Chinese spies and a potential foghorn for Beijing propaganda. While Trump previously supported a ban, he is now mulling an executive order once in office that would suspend the order for 60 to 90 days, the Washington Post reports. A source told the outlet that Trump is eager to be viewed as 'making a deal' after the deadline passes. 'Why would I want to get rid of TikTok?' Trump said in a Truth Social post this month. His change of heart is reportedly due to the massive amount of support he garnered for his White House run through the campaign. TikToks by ratings-obsessed Trump and his team have amassed more than 4 billion views, more than megastar Taylor Swift or political rival Kamala Harris. Donald Trump is now battling to save TikTok after learning how much the app benefited him during the election He used Gen-Z Republicans such as Jack Fuetterer to help boost his engagement with young voters During the election, he made great use of young Republicans' online following. Between November 2023 and May 2024, there was double the pro-trump content on the app than pro-Biden, according to an internal review reported by Puck. Trump's account was formed in June and hit three million followers in just 24 hours and today boasts 14 million. During his campaign, he was shadowed by 22-year-old Jack Fuetterrer who he dubbed 'TikTok Jack' who captured footage to upload to the platform. His right-hand man Dillon Renfro was tasked with scouring the app for trends that team Trump could tap into, Deseret News reports. 'I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok,' Trump said last month. This has been evidenced by the fact that TikTok's CEO Shou Zi Chew has been invited to attend his inauguration on Monday. Trump is is now mulling an executive order once in office that would suspend the ban for 60 to 90 days The Supreme Court is currently weighing TikTok's challenge to the ban, however it is expected to allow it to proceed. Legal experts have cast doubt on whether an executive order would be enough to overturn the order, which passed through Congress with overwhelming bipartisan support. 'TikTok will still be banned, and it will still be illegal for Apple and Google to do business with them. But it will make the president's intention not to enforce the law that much more official,' said University of Minnesota professor Alan Rozenshtein, a former Justice Department adviser. Pam Bondi, Trump's pick for attorney general, has declined to say whether she would commit to enforcing the law. The order requires distributors like Apple and Google to stop offering TikTok in their app stores, and requires service providers like Oracle to withhold the infrastructure that the app runs on. Companies that violate these terms could be subject to a fine of $5,000 per each user who accesses TikTok. Sunday is the deadline for the TikTok's parent company, Bytedance, to sell its US assets or be pulled from US app stores due to concerns over the app's links to the communist Chinese government. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew has been invited to Trump's inauguration which will take place the day after the ban goes into effect Under that ban, Americans would still be able to use the app but new downloads would be blocked and its software would slowly degrade over time due to a lack of updates. Sources revealed Wednesday that TikTok is threatening to shut down its app for US users this Sunday if a federal ban goes into effect. Under the shutdown, people attempting to open the app will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban. The company also plans to give users an option to download all their data so that they can take a record of their personal information, they said. Around 150 million Americans use TikTok - close to half the population. While TikTok is extremely popular among younger users and members of Gen-Z, a third of adults in the US also use the app. A beloved mother and her young daughter with an 'inseparable' bond have died after their car overturned into an icy Virginia pond. Kayeley Williams, 33, and her daughter Maddie, four, were driving in their 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe around 1:20 p.m. on January 6 when the tragic crash occurred. The car ran off the road and overturned into a pond in the 4000 block of Etna Mills Road in King William County, according to the Virginia State Police. Both victims were wearing their seatbelts, and the young girl was properly restrained in a child seat, police said. While the crash remains under investigation, it happened as a winter storm impacted many roads around Central Virginia, WTVR reported. Family members said the mother-daughter duo shared a close bond and were remembered as loving members of the community. 'You could not separate them,' Kayeley's sister-in-law Leah Williams told the local news station. Kayeley, an Atlee High School graduate who worked for Estes Express Lines, was remembered as the rock of her family. Kayeley Williams, 33, and her daughter Maddie, four, died after their car overturned into an icy Virginia pond Family members said the mother-daughter duo shared a close bond and were loving people 'Losing her feels like we've lost our own two feet. Whenever something crazy happened, she was the kind of person that would be your first phone call,' Leah said. The beloved youngster was described as a unique girl who was 'heaven-sent' and an 'angel' in the family. 'Maddie was always a happy child, and her smile would light up the room,' the girl's father, Brandon Curlis, said. 'She loved her brother, Bradlee. She also loved playing with her dolls and loved her chickens. She was just a beautiful girl, always full of joy, loved her family, and was caring.' 'Maddie was so free-spirited, wide open, and wanted everyone to know she was there,' Leah said. 'Truly one of a kind sent to us from heaven.' Herbert Williams, Kayeley's dad, recalled the devastating moment he learned of the crash to WWBT. 'I just started calling family members,' Williams said. 'We all got together in various spots to try to cope with the news we've all just received.' Maddie's grieving father described the moment as surreal and called his daughter heaven's little angel. Both victims were wearing their seatbelts, and the young girl was properly restrained in a child seat The beloved youngster was described as a unique girl who was 'heaven-sent' and an 'angel' in the family 'It all felt like a dream,' Curlis said. 'I kept asking, are you sure? I just couldn't believe what he told me.' A GoFundMe has been set up to help cover the funeral costs, which are scheduled for January 16. Ohio family vloggers, Myka and James Stauffer, are seen on home videos in a damning new documentary that details their influencer life leading up to them rehoming their adopted autistic son. The Stauffers, of Columbus, were well-known names amongst the hoards of family vloggers on YouTube. Then, in mid-2020 they stopped posting after receiving extreme backlash for rehoming their adoptive son Huxley, who was just four at the time. In a new HBO documentary, An Update on Our Family, documentarians show home videos from Myka's now-deleted YouTube of her journey through motherhood. Clips from when Myka learned she was finally pregnant with her first child to her explaining her journey adopting Huxley from China appeared in part one of the three-part docuseries. Vital moments like her revealing to her fans that they were okay with almost any medical or developmental disorder their future child may suffer from, to boldly claiming their child was 'not returnable' were also featured. 'We started talking to physicians, we started having meetings, we started doing tons of different things so that we could be really well educated on different conditions,' she said ahead of the adoption. 'So, we came to the consensus that these are all the conditions that we would be open too... Let's just say, if there are 100 conditions, me and my husband were comfortable with 99 of the conditions, so we are very, very open.' Three years after welcoming Huxley - who has autism - to their family in 2017, they rehomed him in 2020 due to behavioral issues - quite to the dismay of their fans after they noticed the little boy was no longer appearing in their vlogs. 'At the end of the day, Myka did something so unfathomable,' Sophie Ross, a writer, told documentarians. 'S**t hit the fan and Myka hasn't been seen on social media since.' Ohio family vloggers, Myka and James Stauffer, are seen on home videos in a new damning documentary that details their influencer life leading up to them rehoming their adopted autistic son, Huxley (pictured with Myka) In mid-2020 they stopped posting after receiving extreme backlash for rehoming their adoptive son Huxley, who was just four at the time Myka hasn't been on social media since June 2020, where she posted an apology for giving up her son. 'This decision caused so many people heartbreak and I'm sorry for letting down so many women that looked up to me as a mother,' she wrote. 'For me, I needed more training. I can't say I wish this never happened because I'm still so glad Huxley is here and getting all of the help he needs. 'I also knew that even though he is happier in his new home and doing better that he still experienced trauma and I'm sorry, no adoptee deserves any more trauma.' She maintained that the family did not adopt Huxley to 'gain wealth' as many of the commentators in the documentary and fans of the family suspected, as the adoption helped grow their fanbase. 'We love Huxley and we know that this was the right decision for him and his future. Praying that Huxley only has the best future in the entire world,' she concluded. James has been active on his business social media, but has the comments turned off. Many were drawn to the Stauffers because they allowed their fans an intimate look into their lives. Fans were particularly excited when they announced they would be adopting Huxley from China. The parents were warned beforehand that a lot of the adoptable children in China would have developmental or medical needs. In a new HBO documentary, An Update on Our Family , documentarians show home videos from Myka's now-deleted YouTube of her journey through motherhood Clips from when Myka learned she was finally pregnant with her first child to her explaining her journey adopting Huxley from China appeared in part one of the three-part docuseries (pictured: the first picture of Huxley that they saw) Myka hasn't been on social media since June 2020, where she posted an apology for giving up her son. 'This decision caused so many people heartbreak and I'm sorry for letting down so many women that looked up to me as a mother,' she wrote Prior to getting Huxley, she had already picked out his name for him. 'The only need that our little boy has is a nice family that really, truly cares about him,' she said in a video. 'My child is not returnable.' Despite doing what many said was unforgivable, fellow friend and former friend Channon Rose said Myka was always a genuine person. 'There's a lot of people online that portray that they're like really nice or good people. And in my experience, they're not all like that,' Channon Rose, a fellow vlogger, told documentarians. 'But Myka was always somebody that was really genuinely kind to me.' Channon continued: 'Being a vlogger myself and being very open and vulnerable, and oversharing online, I know what it's like to do and say certain things online that I know I'm going to be criticized for. 'I just feel like everybody has judged her so harshly while not knowing the full story. We have no idea what actually happened and what was occurring.' At the time, Myka defended her family, writing in a now-deleted comment: 'Multiple scary things happened inside the home towards our other children, and if these events happened with one of my biological kids, after all the help and after the behaviors we witnessed sadly we would have no other choice then to seek help and get their needs met.' The mom went on to insist that rehoming Huxley was what was best for him and something he wanted. Vital moments like her revealing to her friends that they were okay with almost any medical or developmental disorder in their future child to boldly claimed their child was 'not returnable' was also featured, including where she said they were fine with almost any medical condition 'Huxley wanted this descion [sic] 100% we saw that in family time with other poeple [sic], he constantly chose them and signed with and showed tons of emotion to show us and let us know he wanted this,' she explained. 'Huxley never had a say in his adoption, and he needed more help and also wanted this and we know that 100%.' The couple's lawyers, Thomas Taneff and Taylor Sayers, told People that Myka and James 'are very caring parents that would do anything for their children,' but 'this was the best decision for Huxley.' They explained that the couple had consulted multiple healthcare and education professionals since his adoption and were advised 'it might be best for Huxley to be placed with another family.' DailyMail.com has reached out to the Stauffers for comment. This is the 'sickening' moment a masked mob launched a frenzied attack on a transgender girl at a roller skating party in revenge for her lying about her gender identity before performing a sex act on a boy. The 18-year-old aspiring model, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was lured to a roller disco where the gang screamed 'tranny' as they punched, kicked and stamped on her after she was knifed nine times by ringleader Summer Betts-Ramsey. In distressing CCTV released by the Met Police today, the hooded gang wearing masks and gloves can be seen lying in wait, dancing in excitement in a car park as the smiling unsuspecting victim approaches. In the video, which the victim gave permission to be shared, the teenager is punched in the face and the head just seconds after arriving with such force that she is thrown to the ground where the mob proceed to unleash blow after blow on her with 'great excitement'. The victim was kicked at least seven times by Betts-Ramsey before the 19-year-old pulled out a knife at Harrow Leisure Centre, in north-west London, on February 10 last year. While the girl lay helpless, Betts-Ramsey lunged at her 14 times, repeatedly knifing her in the nose, thigh, hand, and buttocks. In an orgy of violence, which was filmed and plotted on Snapchat, all five teenagers piled in after she was punched to the floor, kicking, stabbing and stamping on her while she lay curled up in a ball. The mob, unmasked for the first time at their sentencing hearing today, also senselessly beat her with a pair of roller skates and boots before snatching her handbag and fleeing, leaving the victim in a pool of blood. The victim only survived the attack after a member of the public intervened to stop Betts-Ramsey stamping on her head and called an ambulance. 'I have watched the CCTV footage of the attack more than once, it's sickening to watch,' Judge Philip Katz, KC, said as the teenage mob were locked up today. Summer Betts-Ramsey (pictured) lunged at the victim 14 times, knifing her in the nose, thigh, hand, and buttocks on February 10 last year This is the sickening moment that a teenage mob attacked and stabbed a transgender girl nine times for lying about her gender identity before she performed a sex act on a boy The Met Police has released bodycam footage of Betts-Ramsey being arrested at her home The attack was plotted by Bradley Harris (right) after he had a sexual encounter with the victim on January 29. He was later told she was transgender. Betts-Ramsey is pictured in a mugshot (left) The Met also released bodycam footage of Betts-Ramsey being arrested at her home the day after the brutal attack. Appearing at the Old Bailey today, Betts-Ramsey was sentenced alongside 18-year-olds Bradley Harris, Camron Osei and Shiloh Hindedas, and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, after all admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent. Betts-Ramsey will serve at least four-and-half years in a young offender's institution, with an extended sentence of four years on license after she was deemed a 'dangerous offender'. The judge added: 'Her gloating in the aftermath of the attack was shamelessly hateful and dehumanising.' A woman believed to be a relative of Betts-Ramsey yelled 'people kill and get less' from the public gallery. Meanwhile, Harris, Hindes and Osei have all been locked up for three years in a young offender's institution. The 17-year-old boy was handed an 18-month youth rehabilitation order and will be electronically tagged for three months. A sixth girl who admitted robbery by taking the victim's bag will be sentenced later today. Betts-Ramsey, who lived in a children's home, also admitted to possession of an offensive weapon. The trial heard how Harris plotted the attack when the victim denied she was transgender before kissing him and performing an oral sex act days earlier. Camron Osei, Shilou Hinds and a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, are also being sentenced after all admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, only survived the attack at Harrow Leisure Centre (pictured) after a member of the public intervened to stop Betts-Ramsey stamping on her head and called an ambulance Unbeknownst to the victim, Harris recorded the sexual encounter on January 29 on a Facetime video call. A friend then phoned Harris to tell him that the victim was transgender, which she admitted only after Harris held her at knifepoint saying 'I'll stab you if you lie'. The victim later apologised, but Harris was already meticulously planning a savage revenge attack. Hours before the attack, Betts-Ramsey was heard on the phone saying: 'I have to go to Harrow to beat up a f-ing tranny bro.' The knife-obsessed 19-year-old decided to bring one of the blades she had had delivered to the children's home where she lived. Judge Katz said: 'The victim was viciously assaulted by five young persons each intending for her to be caused really serious injury. She was kicked and punched to the ground, they then continued to punch her, and she was stabbed repeatedly. 'At the time of the attack she presented no threat to anyone, she did nothing to provoke the attack or to justify it in any way - unknown to [the victim] this was a planned and premeditated attack. 'Kicking and stamping on someone when they are defenseless on the ground is abhorrent, consistently we hear in these courts about attacks of this nature which have led to death.' The judge was asked to take into account peer pressure but said 'I struggle to see any' as he believed the attack was carried out 'with general excitement'. Judge Katz said: 'I have watched the CCTV footage of the attack more than once, it's sickening to watch. 'Her gloating in the aftermath of the attack was shamelessly hateful and dehumanising. 'People acting in groups often perform acts they would not do alone.' Betts-Ramsey was obsessed with knives and would have them delivered to the children's home where she lived. The Old Bailey (pictured) heard how the victim was lured to a roller skating party before being attacked 'Betts-Ramsey was recruited to lead the attack, her lifestyle at that time and her previous convictions for violence explain why,' the judge added. The judge said the group were motivated by a distorted version of revenge, describing the Snapchat planning of the attack as poisonous. Prosecutor Deena Heer, KC, earlier said: 'This was a planned attack, motivated at least in part by her transgender identity. 'During the assault she was punched, kicked, stamped on and stabbed, and suffered nine stab wounds.' On February 10, the victim was lured to a roller skating party with the group, a court heard. The group, dressed in dark clothing with masks and hoods, were waiting for her at a bus stop. But once they reached a nearby car park, the girl was 'immediately attacked'. Betts-Ramsey lunged at the woman on the ground with a knife at least 14 times. Other members of the trans-hating mob attacked her for about 45 seconds before some fled. Afterwards Betts-Ramsey, now 20, boasted about the stabbing, posting a story on Snapchat with footage from the attack and laughing emojis, telling friends: 'I'm going jail bro I stabbed her 12 times.' Others taunted the victim sending messages saying: 'Ur looking sweet.' In a moving victim impact statement, the transgender girl said she has suffered panic attacks, struggles to sleep, and fears she might not be able to work as a model due to her injuries. 'I have become depressed and am always in fear leaving the house,' she said. 'I am constantly in fear of being assaulted again. I feel at times this is taking over my life. 'The incident has resulted in thick scars on my body which saddens me every time I see them- I feel like I am the one living a life sentence due to them. 'In the past I have experienced animosity towards me being transgender but I never thought anyone would have so much hatred for me and want to assault me in the way they did.' Betts-Ramsey was subject to a community order at the time of the stabbing after being convicted of robbery and battery. The court was told that the defendants have all apologised since the attack. When Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday he will be surrounded by the tech titans he believes will deliver the jobs and free speech that will define his term. Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and Washington Post proprietor, Elon Musk, the world's richest man, Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook founder, Sam Altman, the biggest name in AI, and Shou Chew, chief executive of TikTok, will all have positions of honor on the dais, according to a senior transition official. It means they have pride of place among the highest rank of VIPs, beside Trump's family and former presidents. 'I think the message it sends is, first, the importance of free speech,' said the official. 'And then that these are all huge job creators in this country and they will be a big part of where the president goes in the second term. 'It's wrong to think of these as just tech guys. An app like TikTok helps thousands of content creators make a living, for example.' It had not been previously reported that all five will take pride of place outside the Capitol on Monday. The messaging will be seen as a response to President Joe Biden, who issued a warning about the tech titans surrounding Trump during his farewell speech Wednesday. Donald Trump raises his right hand to be sworn in as the 45th president in January 2017 Tesla founder Elon Musk became a prominent booster for Trump during the campaign Amazon founder and Washington Post proprietor will also be among the VIP guests on the dais 'Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy,' he said in his Oval Office address. Musk has been the most visible of the tech billionaires in recent months, staking out a place in Trump's inner circle. He has been living in a bungalow at Mar-a-Lago, advising on policy and personnel since throwing his support behind Trump last year. At times, he has been seen as a de facto vice president. Other figures have had to embark on a more awkward dance after being openly critical of Trump or clashing with the president in his first term on immigration and content moderation. During the campaign, Trump even warned Zuckerberg he would 'spend the rest of his life in prison' if he worked against him like he did in 2020. But the Facebook founder made peace with Trump after he won the election. He has dined twice at his Mar-a-Lago headquarters and Meta (Facebook's parent company) donated $1 million to the inauguration. Zuckerberg scrapped the platform's U.S. factchecking program, removed limits on promoting some contentious content, shook up its leadership team, and the company made a $1 million donation to the Trump inauguration. Washington D.C. is preparing for Monday's inauguration with barriers and bollards The presence of TikTok's Shou Chew might once have been seen as a surprise Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, will also be in a place of honor at the inauguration Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg is another who has made his peace with Trump It is sign that Silicon Valley figures have returned to the free speech ideals that once motivated them, before they took on responsibility for moderating posts. The presence of TikTok's Chew might once also have been seen as a surprise. During his first term, Trump tried to shut down the video sharing app amid concerns that the Chinese Communist Party could access user data. But in recent weeks, Trump has begun to seek ways to block a new law that mandates shutting the app down in the US unless its Chinese owners sell it. The deadline for a sale is January 19, the day before the inauguration. Mike Waltz, Trump's pick for national security adviser, said Wednesday that an executive order was in the works to protect TikTok, although it is unclear how it would work. Another interesting guest is Bezos. He alienated many of his Washington Post staff during the campaign by deciding not to endorse a candidate for president. Amazon later donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration. The president-elect noted the turnaround among some of his most prominent critics during a recent press conference. 'In my first term it felt like everyone was against me,' he said. 'Now in this term everyone wants to be my friend.' A Utah man died in a freak horror accident after a trench he was digging collapsed on top of him at his beautiful home. Justin Seymour, 54, had been working on the channel outside of his $800,000 home in St. George on Wednesday when disaster struck. His wife Deanna hadn't seen her husband for nearly an hour as he was outside undertaking the project. After trying to find her husband, she noticed that part of the trench had caved in and called 911. First responders battled to rescue Seymour who they said was buried under two feet of soil. Speaking with DailyMail.com on Wednesday, a devastated-sounding Deanna said her husband's passing had left her tired and that she was awaiting the arrival of family to comfort her. Justin Seymour, seen here with his wife Deanna, had been working on the channel outside of his $800,000 home in St. George on Wednesday when disaster struck After trying to find her husband, she noticed that part of the trench had caved in and called 911 First responders battled to rescue Seymour who they said was buried under two feet of soil St. George Fire Chief Robert Stoker told KSL that Seymour's body was recovered just after 6:20pm on Wednesday evening. According to Fox News, workers on the scene had to navigate around natural gas lines to get to Seymour. Stoker added that it appeared Seymour had been attempting to dig a sewer or other underground line at the time it collapse. As crews made their rescue attempt it continued to collapse in on them, as they battled to stabilize it. In March of last year a similar incident unfolded when a worker was buried up to his chin after a trench collapsed on him in Utah. According to Fox News, the collapse happened in the backyard of a residence in Cedar Hills where laborers were doing sewer work. The man was buried under a large mound but managed to keep his chin above ground, he was rushed to hospital after being rescued. A coroner has called for young drivers to be banned from giving lifts to their friends after a teen driver killed himself and a pal in a high-speed drunken crash. Joe Walsh, 19, died alongside his passenger friend Toby Barraclough, 18, when the Seat Ibiza he was driving smashed into a wall in Shelf, West Yorkshire, in 2023. Mr Walsh had only passed his test five months prior to the deadly crash on October 20 and was confirmed dead at the scene. His friend was taken to hospital where he died three weeks later with four other passengers in the five-seater car suffering non-life-threatening injuries. They had been drinking at a pub before getting into the car and sped at 40mph in a 20mph zone. Blood tests found traces of cocaine in Mr Walsh's system and he was almost twice the legal alcohol limit Senior coroner for West Yorkshire Martin Fleming conducted the inquest into their deaths in December where he concluded they died as a result of a road traffic collision. He has now written to the Department for Transport to call for a ban on newly qualified drivers carrying passengers. Toby Barraclough, 18, was killed in 2023 when his friend Joe Walsh, 19, smashed his Seat Ibiza into a wall during a drunken crash in Shelf, West Yorkshire The crash scene after the car ploughed into the wall. Mr Barraclough died in hospital and Mr Walsh was pronounced dead at the scene Issuing a prevention of future deaths report, Mr Fleming urged the Secretary of State for Transport to consider the 'appropriateness' of newly qualified drivers carrying 'young persons as passengers'. He wrote: 'Joseph was aged 18 at the time of his death following the collision and had passed his driving test in May 2023. This was five months prior to the collision. 'At the time of the collision, he was legally carrying five young friends. 'Currently there are no legal restrictions upon the licences of young and /or newly qualified drivers and the current vehicle licensing regime permits the carrying of young persons as passengers in circumstances such as these 'Young drivers may be more likely to be involved in a collision with similar aged passengers in the car. 'I would ask you to consider the appropriateness of reviewing the current provisions since I am concerned that there will be further like tragic deaths. 'In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you (and/or your organisation) have the power to take such action.' His letter comes amid growing calls nationally to introduce a graduated driver licensing scheme to help reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in collisions on the UK's roads involving young drivers. The government has 28 days to respond to his letter. Graduated driver licensing would put a set of restrictions on new drivers who have recently passed their practical test for an initial period of time. The RAC Foundation has proposed a new type of license for younger drivers after gaining the support of bereaved families and road safety groups. Teen drivers could potentially be banned from giving lifts to their friends for the first six months after passing their test (stock image) In a letter in October to the minister for the future of roads, Lilian Greenwood, the group propose that a teenage driver would not be allowed to carry any passengers aged 25 or younger for the first six months after passing their practical test, unless an adult who is at least 35 is present. One of the supporters of this scheme include Ian Greenwood whose daughter Alice died at the age of 12 after a car driven by an 18-year-old with a 16-year-old passenger collided with her mother's car. He said his daughter would still be alive today if the measure was in force that night. In April, the AA's president Edmund King told BBC Breakfast he was hearing more and more stories of young people being 'needlessly killed' on the country's roads because of a lack of driving experience. He labelled it a 'national crisis', which hasn't had the attention from the most senior government officials. Mr King said: 'Many of these cases are quite ordinary [...] it was inexperience, so what we're trying to do is counter for that inexperience.' In 2023, 4,959 people were killed or seriously injured in crashes in Britain involving at least one young driver. Villagers have launched a legal bid to block plans for a 'super-prison' on greenbelt land after Angela Rayner pushed the project through in the face of local opposition. The Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary approved the building of a jail holding 1,700 prisoners near Chorley in Lancashire, despite fears inmates would outnumber the population of local villages. Chorley Council dismissed the plan for a site in Ulnes Walton, which is close to the two existing prisons of HMP Garth and HMP Wymott, in 2021. But Ms Rayner overruled objections saying harms including the loss of green belt would 'clearly be outweighed by the benefits' and that 'very special circumstances exist which justify approval'. The local Ulnes Walton Action Group (UWAG) has now sought leave to appeal against her decision to give the go-ahead to the category C jail. The Secretary of State now has 21 days to respond, after which UWAG will be given another two weeks to their rebuttal before the submissions go before a judge who will decide if the case should be heard in the High Court. While the government is keen to press ahead with the development to score a victory in its war on NIMBYs and provide much needed prison capacity, locals are concerned it will bring familiar problems. Andrea Hallows, 49, a caterer, told MailOnline last month: 'Why they want to build another prison here when they are struggling to run the other two they already have is beyond me. Chorley Council dismissed the plan for a site in Ulnes Walton in 2021. Angela Rayner approved the building of a jail holding 1,700 lags near Chorley in Lancashire, despite fears inmates would outnumber the population of local villages 'They can't get enough staff to work there as it is and the ones who do can't control the inmates properly because they are understaffed. 'I believe there is a massive drugs problem and I quite often see drones flying close to the prison. Are they trying to smuggle drugs and other illegal items into prison? Pat, 71, who worked in the NHS, added: 'The village will just become even busier. 'I also like to hope it doesn't affect house prices.' Trevor, 80, a retired head chef, said: 'There seems to be a lot more trouble there at the weekends. 'You see police vans and fire engines driving down the lane and I can't imagine they will be going anywhere else but the prison. 'The road is already like a racetrack as it is and will only get worse. There will also be all the wagons and trucks going to the prison when it is being built.' 'If the prison is built, the prison population will be bigger than the village.' It is close to two current prisons, HMP Garth and HMP Wymott (pictured top and plans above) In a letter announcing the decision, the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government said Ms Rayner was over-ruling a planning inspector who said the rejection by Choley Council should not be challenged It comes as the Ministry of Justice struggles with a shortage of prison places that led ministers to free thousands of prisoners early in the summer. Whitehall's spending watchdog warned last year that Government plans to boost prison capacity could fall short by thousands of cell spaces within two years and cost the taxpayer billions of pounds more than anticipated. The National Audit Office (NAO) said current expansion plans introduced by the Tory government are 'insufficient to meet future demand' amid a projected shortage of 12,400 prison places by the end of 2027, with costs expected to be at least 4 billion higher than initially estimated. A source close to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said: 'On the day the last government was lambasted by the NAO for their planning failures, this new Government has shown that we will do what it takes to get prisons built.' New government estimates suggest more than 100,000 prisoners could be held in jails in England and Wales within five years. The prison population is projected to increase to between 95,700 and 105,200 by March 2029, with a central estimate of 100,800, figures published on Thursday show. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said the potential rise is driven by factors including 'continued growth' in suspects being charged and prosecuted, more cases coming to court, the 'rising levels of people on remand' and 'changes in sentencing policy and behaviour to keep the most serious offenders in prison for longer'. 'The Secretary of State concludes that, on the evidence before her, the harm to the Green Belt and the other harms she has identified are clearly outweighed by the benefits... 'As such she concludes that very special circumstances exist which justify approval' Since September the Government has been freeing thousands of inmates early in a bid to cut jail overcrowding by temporarily reducing the proportion of sentences which some prisoners must serve behind bars in England and Wales from 50 per cent to 40 per cent. But prisons are still expected to reach critical capacity again by July. MoJ figures show there were 85,689 adult prisoners behind bars in England and Wales on Monday, compared to the 85,618 recorded at the beginning of last week. The so-called operational capacity for English and Welsh men and women's prisons is 88,677, indicating there is now cell space for 2,988 criminals. A former Washington Post cartoonist has been arrested on suspicion of making child porn including material produced using AI. Darrin Bell, 49, is accused of uploading 134 videos of sexual abuse of children. Bell is best known as the Pulitzer-prize winning cartoonist behind comic strips 'Rudy Park' and 'Candorville.' He was arrested Wednesday morning at his Sacramento home following a tip from the the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip accused Bell of uploading 18 files containing child abuse. However an investigation by the Sacramento Valley Internet Crimes Against Children unit discovered the disgusting tranche of material, the sheriffs office said. 'A total of 134 videos of child sexual abuse material were located and linked to the same account, owned and controlled by 49-year-old Darrin Bell,' a statement said. 'Detectives recovered evidence related to the case, as well as computer-generated/AI child sexual abuse material.' Former Washington Post cartoonist Darrin Bell has been arrested on suspicion of making child porn including material produced using AI Bell was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail with bail of $1 million and is scheduled to appear in court on Friday. The case is the first arrest by Sacramento Valley ICAC where a suspect was charged with creating computer-generated child pornography. The law was amended on January 1, 2025 to include AI-generated material as a criminal offense. Bell is an acclaimed illustrator who won the Pulitzer prize for editorial cartoon in 2019. The committee praised him for, 'beautiful and daring editorial cartoons that took on issues affecting disenfranchised communities, calling out lies, hypocrisy and fraud in the political turmoil surrounding the Trump administration'. 'I want [readers] to take away that we need to be more respectful of human dignity,' Bell told ABC shortly after receiving the award. The illustrator worked for the Washington Post from 2003 to 2023, according to his LinkedIn. He is currently listed as a syndicated cartoonist with King Features which is owned by media giant Hearst. Bell, 49, is accused of uploading 134 videos of sexual abuse of children some of which were generated using AI Bell was arrested Wednesday morning at his Sacramento home following a tip from the the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children In a post four days ago, Bell wrote that his latest cartoon was on the Republican response to the devastating California wildfires. DailyMail.com has contacted the Washington Post and Hearst for comment. News crew captured the dramatic moment Texas police rushed to save a K9 officer named Rocky who was shot by a cop killer hiding in a dumpster. Multiple law enforcement agencies worked together Wednesday to find the man who gunned down Brazoria County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jesus Vargas earlier in the day. Vargas was working with the U.S. Marshal's Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force to serve a warrant for Sean Christopher Davis' arrest when the suspect killed him. Davis shot Vargas in the head when the deputy and his partner pulled the man over in a shopping center parking lot - before fleeing the scene and sparking a manhunt. The cop shooter was on the loose for six hours - until heroic US Marshals Service K9 Rocky discovered him hiding in a trash bin. The pup - a year-and-a-half-old Belgian Malinois - alerted law enforcement to the dumpster several times, and when Rocky jumped into the bin, Davis shot the dog at least twice. Deputies returned fire, resulting in a shootout that injured one other officer and ultimately killed Davis. KHOU crews were at the scene and caught the heartbreaking moments officers carried the injured dog to a DPS helicopter. Texas police rushed to save a K9 officer shot by a cop killer hiding in a dumpster on Wednesday US Marshals Service K9 Rocky (pictured) was shot at least twice and rushed to the Westbury Veterinary Hospital for treatment Sean Christopher Davis (pictured), was sniffed out by the dog after he shot and killed a sheriff's deputy earlier in the day Several officers carried the bloodied K9 into a cleared area of the parking lot and tended to his wounds while others flagged down the chopper. Rocky was rushed to the Westbury Veterinary Hospital for treatment. The dog is in stable condition and expected to survive. The Marshals Service said Rocky's handler will stay by his side until he is discharged. 'Whether be it bombs, be it drugs, you name it, saving lives, those dogs are amazing. They're a part of us, they're an absolute benefit to the community,' Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said. 'The amazing aspect here that people have to understand the K-9 saved lives,' said Chief T. Michael O'Connor with the US Marshals. 'When the K-9 went in there, [Davis] decided to take the dog out.' Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the sheriff's office, was serving Davis on an aggravated sexual assault charge when he was killed. 'He was a dedicated public servant, known for his integrity, compassion, and commitment to our community,' the sheriff's office said. 'He was more than a team memberhe was a friend, mentor, and inspiration to everyone who knew him. His professionalism and kind nature left a lasting impact on our office and the residents he served.' Brazoria County Sheriff's Office Deputy Jesus Vargas (pictured) was killed by Davis while trying to arrest him for aggravated sexual assault charges Rocky, a year-and-a-half-old Belgian Malinois, is expected to survive O'Connor said he commissioned Vargas as a special U.S. deputy marshal about a year ago. 'I think he was one of our first ones from Brazoria County, and everybody was elated that he was able to have this opportunity,' he said. 'So, we made that happen and he has done tremendous in assisting the task force members.' The father of a schoolgirl who was stabbed to death condemned the soft touch justice system last night as her murderer was granted parole after only 16 years behind bars. Michelle Stewart was 17 when she was subjected to the premeditated and savage assault minutes from her home in Drongan, Ayrshire. Her ex-boyfriend, John Wilson, was given a life sentence of 12 years for murder in April 2009, after admitting stabbing the teenager 10 times in the street. Michelles father Kenny, who has campaigned for greater victims rights, said Wilson had been granted parole and would be freed within days. Wilson has been banned from entering his native Ayrshire or contacting friends of Ms Stewart among a series of conditions imposed on his release. Last night Mr Stewart, 64, said: The family knew this would happen one day as we have a soft touch justice system - but it is devastating. Life should mean life and for thugs like Wilson - they should throw away the key. Wilson, 35, was jailed for a minimum punishment period of 12 years for the murder before he was eligible for parole. Michelle Stewart was murdered by her jealous ex-boyfriend, John Wilson, in 2009 Michelle's father, Kenny Stewart, says life should mean life for killers like Wilson He stabbed Michelle in front of her friends on November 14, 2008. The 17-year-old, who was disabled and had difficulty walking, died later that day in hospital. Wilson, from Prestwick, Ayrshire, pleaded guilty to the murder and was jailed for life. Michelles brother, also named Kenny, a nurse, tried to revive his sister as she lay dying in the street. The court heard that Wilson and Michelle had recently split up and that he coped badly with the break-up. He approached her as she was walking with friends and attacked her. Wilson pleaded guilty to repeatedly striking Michelle on the head and body with a knife or similar instrument in Mill OShield Road, Drongan. At the time of the court case, Ian Duguid QC, defending Wilson, said the crime could be attributed to his clients immaturity and low intellect. John Wilson was jailed for a minimum punishment period of 12 years for the murder before he was eligible for parole He added: This was his only substantial relationship and he could not cope with the break up and the suggestion that his girlfriend was moving on to better things. Sentencing Wilson, Lord Brailsford said he would have ordered him to serve a minimum of 16 years but reduced this to 12 years in view of his early guilty plea. He said: This was an entirely unprovoked attack. It was in front of the young ladys friends in a public place. You attacked this person by stabbing her with a knife or similar instrument. This resulted in ten incision wounds, one of which to the chest was fatal. You have shown little or no remorse. The only real mitigating factors are your youth and your low intellect and the fact you pled guilty at an early stage. Wilson had two previous convictions, for breach of the peace and culpable and reckless fire-raising. Commenting further, Mr Wilson said: It is appalling that you can get such a short sentence for such an appalling crime. Sixteen years may seem like a lot of time - but for us this is a life sentence. Its horrendous to think he is now out in the community as we believe he is high-risk and has never shown any remorse. We believe its only a matter of time before he breaches the conditions of his release and is back in prison. Scottish Tory victims spokesman Sharon Dowey said: The release of this violent murderer is an appalling insult to the victims family. The SNPs soft-touch justice system means that killers like John Wilson are now allowed back into the community and free to terrorise again. Its just common sense that murderers should serve their sentences in full and the Scottish Conservatives have repeatedly pushed for moves that would stop killers from returning to the community where they traumatised. The Parole Board for Scotland said it does not comment on individual cases. Donald Trump has tapped A-list stars Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight for brand new roles in his administration. The 78-year-old announced the movie legends will serve as 'Special Ambassadors' to Hollywood, an apparently new post for outreach to Tinseltown. 'It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California,' he wrote on Truth Social. 'They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACKBIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE! 'These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!' All have been seen in Trump's orbit recently. Stallone introduced Trump at Mar-a-Lago for his first speech after winning the election in November. Gibson revealed his support for Trump in a video days before the election while also going negative and unloading on VP Kamala Harris. 'I know what itll be like if we let her in. And that aint good. Miserable track record. No policies to speak of. Shes got the IQ of a fence post,' Gibson said. Donald Trump has tapped A-list stars Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and Jon Voight for brand new roles in his administration The 'Road Warrior' and 'The Passion of the Christ' star said he was 'ashamed' of his comments after he was caught on tape giving an antisemitic rant in 2006 during a DUI arrest following a traffic stop. DailyMail.com confirmed that Gibson will not be attending inauguration festivities. Voight has been an outspoken Trump backer. Trump awarded him the National Medal of Arts during his first term. All three provided vital Hollywood support to Trump during an election campaign where Harris was mopping up celebrity endorsements and campaign contributions. Although he called Hollywood a 'troubled place,' Trump's statement did not directly refer to the fires ravaging parts of Los Angeles and forcing mass evacuations. In addition to the human toll and massive property loss, the destruction has drawn cost estimates as high as $250 million, and even the Oscars are in doubt this season. Trump announced the 'Special Ambassadors' positions days before his inauguration Gibson and Voight are both outspoken Trump supporters The announcement came on a day Trump released his official inaugural portrait The L.A. film industry has been losing job share to other parts of the U.S., amid competing film incentive programs and high living costs there. The industry has also contended with the COVID pandemic, strikes, and foreign competition. Production in the Greater L.A. area dropped 5 percent in the third quarter of last year in a 'lackluster' performance, according to Film L.A. The box office take last year dropped to $8.7 billion, down 3 percent from the year before, Variety reported. Donald Trump has sent shockwaves through D.C. after a top House Republican charged with overseeing the CIA and FBI was dramatically replaced. Speaker Mike Johnson stunned lawmakers Wednesday when he announced that he is replacing House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner. Turner, 65, who chaired the committee since January 2023, was accused by Trump loyalists in the House Freedom Caucus of having a 'sycophantic' relationship with members of the CIA and FBI. While Johnson stated that Trump had no direct role in Turner's knifing, sources claimed that the president-elect personally intervened. Trump has vowed to 'drain the swamp' and is expected to target the intelligence community which he believes has worked to keep him out of the White House as part of a 'Deep State' operation. To lead this MAGA overhaul, the president-elect has tapped Tulsi Gabbard to become the new director of National Intelligence and Kash Patel to head up the FBI. Both nominations have sparked a backlash from the establishment over comments that Gabbard and Patel have made about their opposition to the 'Deep State.' Liberals refuse to believe that such a plot against Trump could ever exist. A source familiar with Turner's firing as committee chair told the Daily Beast: 'Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant.' Rep. Mike Turner, former chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, R-Ohio, during press conference of members of Congress Delegation on February 9, 2024 in Kyiv, Ukraine. Speaker Johnson removed Turner from the intel committee on Wednesday Donald Trump has famously rallied against longtime members of the intelligence community and commonly refers to them as the 'Deep State' The conservative House Freedom Caucus met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago last weekend Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., now the highest-ranking Republican on intelligence who is much more MAGA-aligned than Turner, will become chair. Turner, meanwhile, is no longer on the committee at all. Conservative commentator Rogan O'Handley slammed Turner on X following the announcement. 'House Intel Chairman Mike Turner has voted for every Ukraine spending bill. He voted to keep Kevin McCarthy as Speaker. He initially voted against censuring Adam Schiff. He voted to raise the debt ceiling. Hes a warmongering RINO trying to send $60B to Ukraine. He is Deep State.' Journalist Glenn Greenwald echoes O'Handley's views, writing: 'The GOP House Intel Chair removed by Speaker Johnson yesterday - Mike Turner -- is a blind loyalist to and puppet of the US Security State, CIA and NSA.' Trump, who will be inaugurated on Monday, has infuriated the establishment by picking Gabbard and Patel to take charge of the intelligence community. Patel, a former federal prosecutor who worked in Trump's first administration, has publicly stated on numerous occasions how he wants to dismantle the 'Deep State' and even published a book about federal corruption in 2023 titled 'Government Gangsters.' Gabbard has also been skeptical of the intelligence community and even displayed her defiance by visiting former Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad on her own accord in 2017 on what she deemed a 'fact finding mission.' Kash Patel and Tulsi Gabbard are expected to bring a Trump-friendly attitude to the intelligence community should they be confirmed by the Senate They are expected to cut against the status-quo and bring in a new era of Trump-friendly sentiment to the FBI and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. While chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Turner found himself at odds with leadership and Trump at times. The Ohio Republican was one of the loudest advocates for Congress renewing FISA, the controversial tool that helps the FBI and CIA spy on terrorists, last year despite Trump's demands to let the surveillance tool expire. 'Kill FISA, it was illegally used against me, and many others. They spied on my campaign!' Trump posted on social media in April 2024. The House eventually authorized a modified version of FISA after multiple contentious attempts to pass a measure to extend the use of the spy tool. That renewal came despite reports surfacing in 2023 that FISA had been used 'improperly' 278,000 times to keep tabs on Americans and was also used to track January 6 defendants and Black Lives Matter activists. FISA was notoriously misused by the intelligence community to spy on Trump's campaign aide Carter Page during the 2016 election, later setting up claims about the Republican's ties to Russia, which Democrats used for years to bludgeon the 45th president's credibility. Turner also grabbed headlines last year for warning that Russia developed a new and 'serious national security threat,' which immediately raised alarm bells around Capitol Hill as press peppered lawmakers with questions about the scary development. Turner caused House Republican leadership headaches in February 2024 when he sounded the alarm on a Russian 'national security threat' which was reported to be nuclear weapons in space. Speaker Johnson later had to diffuse the situation Trump famously has rallied against the spy tool FISA Reports at the time surfaced indicating that the threat Turner was referencing dealt with Russia's efforts to put a nuclear weapon into space. Turner demanded that President Joe Biden declassify the ominous information so lawmakers could discuss the ramifications. Speaker Johnson later had to clean up the debacle and reaffirm that 'there's no need for public alarm.' 'I'm not at liberty to disclose classified information and really can't say much of that, but we just want to assure everyone, steady hands are at the wheel, we're working on it. There's no need for alarm,' Johnson said. Turner posted a statement acknowledging the shakeup on Wednesday. 'Im very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman,' Turner wrote. 'Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security.' 'The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate for the military and our national defense.' Police have issued a warning over an extremist online terror group that targeted children through sexual blackmail. Cameron Finnigan, 19, of Horsham, West Sussex, has been jailed for six years after pleading guilty to encouraging suicide, possessing a terrorism manual, and indecent images of a child. The teenager was part of the extreme right-wing Satanist group 764, which anti-terror police warns poses 'an immense threat', the Old Bailey heard. At least four British teenagers have been arrested in connection with the group, which has blackmailed children - predominantly girls - into carrying out sexual acts, harming themselves or attempting suicide. Finnigan has been given a six-year sentence with an extended three-year licence period. Officers initially arrested Finnigan for fears he had possession of a firearm and other weapons, calling him a 'threat to public safety'. But when searching his bedroom, they found a tapestry presenting a satanic beast, a bible covered in red scribbles, a knife, red spray paint cans, satanic flags, a hammer catapult and letters on his door reading 'acid'. As well as this, police found an 11-page document discussing and encouraging individuals to carry out vehicle attacks and how to commit mass casualty offences. Cameron Finnigan, 19, of Horsham, West Sussex, pleaded guilty to encouraging suicide, possessing a terrorism manual, and indecent images of a child Officers found a large tapestry presenting a satanic beast at Finnigan's home A red tent in which a homeless person was said to be living. According to police, the teen had threatened to kill the homeless man According to police, the teenager was in possession of indecent images of children and had threatened to kill a homeless man living in a tent near his home. He had also attempted to encourage a vulnerable female to take her own life and wanted it to be posted online in the name of the terror group 764. Claire Finlay, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing South East, said: 'It predominately operates online but if you have any concerns that somebody is engaging or viewing this material then please do contact us. 'If you think the threat is imminent then please do contact your local police.' Det Ch Supt Finlay added: 'In terms of the sentence that Cameron has received, it reflects the threat that he posed and this wasn't just a threat to the United Kingdom. '764 has a global reach so the fact that he's not online and not on our streets is of benefit to both the UK and also internationally as well.' A flag found by officers in the house of teenage satanist Finnigan A knife found in the house of Finnigan when officers searched the property One woman from Australia was 15 when first targeted by 764, the BBC reported. She was threatened by members of the group for more than two years. 'It was horrible,' the woman's mother told the BBC. 'We have suicide manuals that they sent to her.' The group also sent the teenager images of child and animal abuse, and manipulated her into sharing explicit pictures of herself, as well as self-harming on camera. Eventually, the abusers told the youngster to kill her family's cat and she refused. For my 40th birthday my father gave me a bottle of port from the year I was born. The label had seen better days, but it was soon apparent this was the most expensive booze I had ever owned. An internet search confirmed it. Were I so inclined, I could sell it for 150. Indeed, I seem to remember my father outlining this somewhat mercenary option as he handed it over. Option two was to drink it. Go crazy, my boy. Its not every day you turn 40. And, if you need any assistance in the endeavour, well, you know where I am. I went with option three. I laid it down, and a decade and a half later it is still resting at the bottom of a wine rack, the glass dulled by a glorious coating of dust. Much consideration has been given over the years to a fitting occasion for popping the cork. If my daughter should wed, that could be the day. Perhaps when I retire. There would be a certain symmetry to quaffing it in the year that I die, though Im aware this plan could fall through. If it does, have a drink on me, kind friends. It could be the way to go. I thought about my precious bottle after learning that a party of whisky enthusiasts had run up a drinks bill of almost 160,000 on a single night over the festive season at the Fife Arms hotel in Braemar, Aberdeenshire. One assumes they enjoy a cheeky dram or two. They spent 12,750 on a round of 15 nips of 1943 Glenlivet. A party of whisky enthusiasts ran a drinks bill of almost 160,000 on a single night in a hotel in Aberdeenshire They pushed the boat out further. Ten of your finest 1940s unpeated Laphroaigs please, barman. Each one was 4,000 a pop. Why not lets make a night of it? Fifteen of your 50-year-old Balvenie, when youre ready, sir. That was the dearest round of the night, coming in at 67,500 almost double the average annual wage. To be fair, a few cheaper drams were sampled too. Three of the party tried the bar-gain basement six-year-old Weller bourbon yours for 80 for 25ml. The 26-year-old Glenmorangie Truffle Oak ordered by two of them added just 260 to the bill, while the 44-year-old Talisker Expedition 11 was a mere 375 diversion for one of their number. In all 101 separate drinks were ordered, ranging from 80 a nip to 4,500. A brisk night of business, then, for the Fife Arms whose whisky library Berties Bar is billed as the place where guests lose themselves in a labyrinth of bottles, arranged like books on shelves, backlit in a lustrous amber liquid casting a seductive glow across the room. I cannot help wondering, though, whether the guests in question lost themselves more profoundly than they realised. We do not know who they are or what occasion merited a 160,000 odyssey around the most celebrated spirits in the hotels collection. Quite rightly, the Fife Arms, is keeping schtum. But certain assumptions can be made. The eyewatering prices offered no disincentive for the imbibers here. Indeed, it seems more likely the silly money charged for some of these drinks spurred them on in their decadence. What goes through ones head, I wonder, as one sips from a glass whose contents are of equivalent value to the monthly take-home pay of the average Scot? Is the brain focused solely on the sensations on the palate or is some attention diverted by guilt or, conversely, by self-congratulation? I fear it may be the latter. I fear that, having downed that one, someone piped up that they should splurge on an even more crazily priced dram. Hell, they could afford it. How were the palates coping after the first three whiskies? Were they still alive to the subtle bouquets and flavours by drams five, six and seven - or, by then, would they have been as well drinking Bells or Vat 69? Most people find their palates become jaded after the first few, says whisky expert Ann Miller. I can offer no such insight. I know only that after six or seven whiskies a jaded palate would be the least of my worries. Down here in the real world many pub-goers still wince at the thought of handing over a fiver or more for a pint of lager. A glass of semi-acceptable wine can easily be 7.50. When its your round, those who ask for a gin and tonic particularly the ones who specify the gin are perhaps not your friends. I blanche at the price of cocktails, rail at the meanness of the measures and at that enormous hunk of ice it has become fashionable to plonk in a negroni to displace the pitifully inadequate quantity of liquid for which you have just kissed 12 goodbye. But, some nights, you know how it is. You want to cut loose; you want to stand down your tutting internal financial advisor and live a little. Other nights, a little unplanned decadence is a rational response to a challenging day. I had one of those on Monday and, finding no other suitable red with which to un-wind, cracked open a Christmas gift which I happen to know retails at 30 in M&S. On a Monday! With a supermarket pizza on my lap and the telly on! I know, pure in-dulgence. I sipped sparingly and took a moment to appreciate the stuff that sets this Burgundy apart from the 7 a bottle house wine Im used to. Yes, I was definitely getting some of it. I dont know about 23 of it. I take no pride in this extravagance but again, down here on earth, needs must. These little treats can help us get through the week. I work hard. I am entitled. Within rea-son. The extravagance on display at the Fife Arms hotel just before Christmas appears several orders of magnitude outside reason. But let us try to understand. Could it have been a moneybags tycoon lavishing Scot-lands ultimate to-die-for grog on top lieutenants? The receipt for drinks bpurchased at the Fife Arms in Braemar on the night before Hogmanay A party of American fat cats, maybe, wondering which of their expense accounts would blink first. Less likely but we should consider it a group of the planets foremost Scotch whis-ky connoisseurs enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime blow out in the interests of research, discussing their findings animatedly and taking careful notes on each vintage, cask number etc before clubbing together for the 160,000 tab. Business is business. If one of our hotels wishes to charge 4,500 for a nip of whisky we must assume it is aware of patrons prepared to pay such a sum. Thank-you for your custom. Do come again. But I wonder how much of the evening in question really had to do with whisky. Was our national drink the essence of this experience or was burning money for the sake of it because they could really what the night was about? Next time, guys, maybe order few rounds of Irn Bru and give the rest to charity? Youll feel better in the morning. As for my birthday bottle of port, Im still pondering. I expect I will do for years to come. But when that cork finally pops, I want it to be special. I want it to mean more than hedonism. A Spanish factory worker was 'strangled to death' after her scarf was caught in a sorting belt. Emergency services responded to calls at around 7.30am today after the unnamed woman, 55, was found lying on the ground unconscious in a factory in the town of El Campillo. Paramedics, civil guard and the fire brigade rushed to the factory but despite their best efforts to save the woman's life, she was pronounced dead at the scene. It is understood that the scarf the woman was wearing became stuck on a conveyor belt. According to Spanish outlet Antena 3, the Labour Inspection and Occupational Risk Prevention Centre are looking into the incident. Local reports have also said that a post-mortem is expected to show that the factory worker died from strangulation. The horrific incident comes almost a year after a baggage handler at London's Heathrow airport suffered brain damage after getting her scarf caught in machinery and being dragged away along a conveyor belt. A Spanish factory worker was 'strangled to death' after her scarf was caught in a sorting belt (stock) Jasbir Sahota, 52, had been working at the airport for 30 years when she was left seriously injured after the incident on February 14, 2024. She had been unloading luggage from a Loganair flight arriving in the capital from Dundee when she got the item of clothing caught in the machine. The incident caused disabling injuries, as well as brain damage, leaving Mrs Sahota in need of specialist care. The events in the Spanish factory also come more than a decade after a five-month-old baby was crushed to death on a baggage carousel at Alicante airport in Spain. American mother Nathania Terry had landed in Alicante in September 20213 after flying with her baby daughter Vashti and her older son. Vashti was sitting in her car seat. Ms Terry then placed Vashti's car seat on a stationary belt while she reached to retrieve her baby's stroller from the end of the belt. Without warning, the belt turned on and threw Vashti into a crevice where two different conveyor belts abutted. Ms Terry frantically rushed to recuse her baby, her efforts were unsuccessful, resulting in Vashti being crushed to death. A Georgia state senator was dramatically pushed to the ground and arrested after he appeared at the state house's chambers, despite being banned. Senator Colton Moore, who is Republican, was banned from setting foot inside the chamber after making comments about the late House Speaker David Ralston. On Thursday, during Governor Brian Kemp's State of the State Address, Moore attempted to get inside the chamber. Footage shows his attempts being rebuffed, as he was shoved to the ground before being arrested. As he dusts himself down, Moore could be heard telling state troopers and other officials that it was his constitutional right to be inside. He said: 'I have an obligation to be in that room, I represent 200,000 people in northwest Georgia who duly elected me to be here today. 'Unconstitutional, you have no respect for the constitution. Complete disrespect to the constitution.' Moore has a brief interaction with a state trooper directly where he is informed he wouldn't be allowed inside, as a group officers place him in cuffs. On Thursday, during Governor Brian Kemp's State of the State Address, Moore attempted to get inside the chamber Moore's comments about Ralston came about last year as a portrait of the longtime speaker was unveiled inside the House Moore's comments about Ralston came about last year as a portrait of the longtime speaker was unveiled inside the House. Moore had said: 'This body is about to perpetually memorialize one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders well ever see in our lifetime.' Some of Ralston's family and closest supporters had been inside the chamber at the time watching from the Senate balcony. His remarks caused such a stir that Lt. Gov. Burt Jones cut Moore off, and he was subsequently banned from the room. In a statement to his X page, staffers said on behalf of Moore said: 'Senator Colton Moore, who exposed and defeated corrupt District Attorney Fani Willis last year, has been arrested by the Anti-Trump Speaker of the Georgia House. 'Colton is being held in the same Atlanta jail as President Trump. We are working to ensure his expedient release. 'Please pray for all those standing up for freedom and peace for all Georgians.' Prior to that, he also shared a letter he shared with Speaker Jon Burns on Wednesday in which he said he their ban was 'unenforceable and invalid'. Moore added that he was looking forward to the session, saying: 'I will be there tomorrow as obligated under Georgia law.' Moore has a brief interaction with a state trooper directly where he is informed he wouldn't be allowed inside, as a group officers place him in cuffs Moore's attorney confirmed to Fox News that he is currently residing in Fulton County Jail, where Trump had his infamous mugshot taken in 2023 Moore was previously kicked out of Senate Republican caucus after he attacked other Republicans for not agreeing with him Moore was previously kicked out of Senate Republican caucus after he attacked other Republicans for not agreeing with him. That had centered around him wanting to go after Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for her indictment against President-elect Donald Trump. Willis had indicted the soon-to-be commander-in-chief for potentially interfering in the 2020 election. Moore's attorney confirmed to Fox News that he is currently residing in Fulton County Jail, where Trump had his infamous mugshot taken in 2023. In a statement, Chairman of the Georgia Republican Party Josh McKoon said: 'I am deeply disappointed that Senator Moore was denied admission and shocked that he was apparently subjected to arrest for attempting to attend the joint session today, after being physically manhandled. 'It was not only legally appropriate to admit him to todays proceedings it was simply the right thing to do.' Five Catholic college students have been charged with luring a 22-year-old soldier before they falsely accused him of being a pedophile as part of 'Catch a Predator' TikTok trend. Assumption University students Kelsy Brainard, 18, Easton Randall, 19, Kevin Carroll, 18, Isabella Trudeau, 18, and Joaquin Smith, 18, appeared in Massachusetts court on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and kidnapping charges. A sixth defendant was separately arraigned in juvenile court because they are underage. Brainard is also charged with witness intimidation. Carroll was charged with assault and battery after he reportedly admitted to slamming the victim's head in the car door. Prosecutors say Brainard met the man on Tinder, told him she was 18, and invited him to the Catholic school in Worcester on October 1 so they could 'try and hook up.' The alleged victim, a 22-year-old active-duty military service member, said he was in town for his grandmother's funeral and went on Tinder because he 'just wanted to be around people that were happy.' Brainard greeted him when he arrived at the school, before she led him into a basement lounge, per court documents. Kelsy Brainard, 18, is one of five college students charged with luring a 22-year-old soldier before they falsely accused him of being a pedophile as part of 'Catch a Predator' TikTok trend Isabella Trudeau, 18, is charged with kidnapping and conspiracy over the October incident Kevin Carroll was also charged with assault and battery after he reportedly admitted to slamming the victim's head in the car door Within minutes, 'a group of people came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile,' accusing him of wanting sex with 17-year-old girls, according to the report. The man told police that he broke free and was chased by at least 25 people to his car, where he was punched in the head and his car door was slammed on him before he managed to flee. Campus surveillance video shows a large group of students, including Brainard, 'all with their cellphones out in what seems to be a recording of the whole episode,' the police statement said. They are seen 'laughing and high fiving with each other' in what appeared to be 'a deliberately staged event,' and there was no evidence to indicate the man was seeking sexual relations with underage girls, the police report said. Randall allegedly told officers they were inspired by the 'catch a predator' trend, which he said 'is big on TikTok' at the moment. He said their group shared ideas of what to tell the man through the Tinder app to lure him to campus, and then spread word through a dormitory chat group that a 'predator' was in the building, the report said. A review of the messages showed no indication that the man was looking for underage girls, police said. One of the accused, Easton Randall, allegedly told officers they were inspired by the 'catch a predator' trend, which he said 'is big on TikTok' at the moment Joaquin Smith appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on Thursday Prosecutors say Brainard met the man on Tinder , told him she was 18, and invited him to the Catholic school in Worcester on October 1 so they could 'try and hook up' After the assault, Brainard reported the man to police as a sexual predator and said she was frightened by him. She said he had come to campus uninvited and that she texted a male friend who chased him away. All of this was false, campus police concluded after reviewing surveillance recordings and finding that 'first person perspective videos' were being circulated among students. Before leaving court, where cameras were turned on them, the teens were ordered to have no contact with the targeted man. A lawyer for Brainard, Christopher Todd, said, 'Were just looking forward to having the process play out. The lawyer for Trudeau, Robert Iacovelli, said afterward that she's innocent. He filed a motion seeking dismissal of the charges against her, saying authorities lack probable cause to believe she committed a crime. This midwinter has been bleaker than most but at least we have the Holyrood panto to keep us entertained. Youll be familiar with the plot. Every year around this time the NHS grinds to a halt as GP surgeries and hospital wards strain to cope with seasonal sickness. The opposition blames the government, the government blames the flu, and everyone studiously avoids the truth about the health service: that it is unsustainable and no government and no amount of spending can change that. You dont want to get caught telling the truth in politics. Thats how you get into trouble. Just ask Ian Murray. And so Russell Findlay and Anas Sarwar rounded on John Swinney at First Ministers Questions over the shocking and desperate testimony contained in a Royal College of Nursing report. Quite what was shocking about elderly patients languishing on trollies in Accident and Emergency, I couldnt tell you. It is hardly without precedent. This is just how it is in Our Cherished NHS. Not that Swinney helped himself. The man has all the personal feeling of a chatbot. He apologised to anyone who had an unsatisfactory experience, as though nursing chest pains on a floor of a casualty department was like being put on hold by your banks call centre. First Minister John Swinney resorted to using AI-like language whilst addressing concerns about the NHS The First Minister faced tough questions at Holyrood about the state of Scotland's health service The First Minister told MSPs hed recently spent some time observing staff in the emergency department at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Its a wonder he found staff to observe. Listen to Swinneys attempts to speak human and you begin to suspect that youre watching the pilot scheme for a new AI programme. He spoke of the demand that is prevalent in emergency settings i.e. the number of patients. He pledged to navigate through the periods where there will be increased demand i.e. when theres more patients than usual. He undertook to ensure that individuals are supported in the right context and the right circumstances i.e. patients would get the correct treatment. As AI goes, hes all artificial and no intelligence. Findlay insisted that patients deserve dignity and decency. Its a noble ambition but it misunderstands the nature of the NHS. The health service isnt a kindly nurse with antibiotics and a cup of tea, its a bureaucracy with key performance indicators for life and death. The aim is not to deliver healthcare but to move each patient number through a process and hope that no one notices the whole enterprise is being held together by paperwork and elastoplasts. Under questioning from Anas Sarwar, Swinney said: I think we all accept, ministers throughout the United Kingdom, the pressures that are on the NHS because of winter circumstances. Oh, I see. Were a United Kingdom after all. Scotland isnt better than England anymore. Were all in it together. The Labour leader objected to the term winter crisis. We have a permanent crisis in the NHS, he told MSPs, and that is the closest anyone got to candour yesterday. Crisis is indeed permanent: its the only thing you can rely on in the Scottish NHS. Lorna Slater wittered on about something or other. Im assuming it was free Palestine flags for spotted owls or the impact of climate change on the gender identity of eskimos. To be honest, I spaced out. Theres only so many times you can listen to the Scottish Greens without wanting to seek out a wind farm and throw yourself head-first onto a bird-blender. Not that Im indifferent to the plight of the planet. In fact, I even have a favourite environmentalist at Holyrood: Fergus Ewing. The SNPs resident backbench bottle-chucker goaded Swinney over his failure to back gas exploration in the North Sea, which left us reliant on fracked energy from the United States. You know, the power supply favoured by dun dun dun! Donald Trump. Ewing shook his head as the First Minister rhymed off the usual scripted reply. Ask Swinney about boilers and all youll get is boilerplate. Two famous New York City lesbian bars are suing a woman for harassment after she sent them numerous menacing emails - leading them to fear that she could be a Luigi Mangione copycat. Anne Marie Bompart, 29, was arrested Wednesday following her contempt hearing defamation lawsuits brought against her by the institutions Henrietta Hudson and Cubbyhole. The bars allege Bompart went on a 'woke' crusade against them, hurling violent threats and accusing them of racism. Evidence in the court filings include menacing emails and social media posts Bompart made towards the staff, and a screenshot of her Instagram Stories calling the alleged UnitedHealthcare CEO shooter a hero. '[Bompart] is a potential copycat "Luigi Mangione" and capable of hurting herself and/or others,' Thomas Shanahan, an attorney for both bars, wrote in the legal documents. '[She] has posted about her sexual attraction to Luigi Mangione and belief he is a hero for murdering a white corporate CEO.' The Sapphic bars banned Bompart from their businesses last year after she allegedly threatened the Cubbyhole manager. They claim after she was barred, Bompart initiated her campaign to destroy their reputations. Anne Marie Bompart (pictured), 29, was arrested Wednesday following her contempt hearing in a pair of defamation lawsuits brought by two lesbian bars Lawyers for the bars fear she could be a Luigi Mangione copycat based on her social media posts Documents included in the lawsuit show messages she sent to over 20 groups claiming the bars were racist. 'I wanted to alert you that Henrietta Hudson is very racist (as is Cubbyhole). Black and brown people I know have experienced violence from white people at both places, and been banned or kicked, etc.,' the messages said. Other social media posts Bompart made include claiming a Cubbyhole employee named Vic sexually harassed her. Documents show she sent threatening emails that include naming staff members on her 'little list of "People Who Might Unfortunately End Up With Black Eyes and Bloody Noses Soon."' 'Vic, since I've just had it now with your b******t, staring today next tine ANYone I meet while out tells me they heard about me from you - I consider that throwing a sub,' Bompart said in one email. 'Which to me, is grounds for beating your f*****g a** black and blue... I'm going to find you wherever you are and punch you in your f*****g face.' In another email she said, 'Black and blue AND bloody. Don't test me now...' Bompart posted an email she sent threatening to 'stomp out' a dog of a worker at Henrietta Hudson. One Instagram Stories post revealed she wants to purchase the bars after the lawsuit Documents show she sent threatening emails that include giving people black eyes Bompart posted an email she sent threatening to 'stomp out' a dog of a worker at Henrietta Hudson (pictured) Evidence submitted by the businesses appears to show Bompart loitering outside of the bars, violating their court-ordered 500-foot restraining order The Sapphic bars banned Bompart from their businesses last year after she allegedly threatened the Cubbyhole (pictured) manager Evidence in the court filings include menacing emails and social media posts Bompart (pictured) made towards the staff The judge requested that she (center) undergo a 72-hour mental health evaluation and continued the restraining orders One Instagram Stories post revealed she wanted to purchase the bars after the lawsuit. 'What do I want out of all of this? What I really, really want? Sue Cubbyhole. Bankrupt owner. Buy bar. Make it nice like it used to be and ban Lisa (owner) and Vic FOREVER.' Bompart was arrested and charged with aggravated harassment after Wednesday's hearing, the New York Post reported. Evidence submitted by the businesses appears to show Bompart loitering outside of the bars, violating their court-ordered 500-foot restraining order. The judge requested that she undergo a 72-hour mental health evaluation and continued the restraining orders. Bompart's lawyer, Gerard Lucciola, claimed the bars were being 'sensationalist' and her use of emojis and 'lol' in the messages show they are not threats. They also deny that Bompart is the woman in the photographs outside the bars. Thousands of homes in North Wales could be without water until Sunday after a burst water pipe posed 'complex challenges' to engineers trying to repair it. Supply issues first became a problem for residents in the Conwy county on Wednesday afternoon, after a major water main was reported damaged at the Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works in Dolgarrog. More than 24 hours later, the pipe is yet to be fixed as Wales Water say the repair work is taking 'longer than planned'. It means that at least 40,000 people are currently seeing no water coming out of their taps, plunging many communities into a state of panic. Locals reported seeing 'total chaos' and 'mayhem' at several supermarkets in the area, as people started to bulk buy bottles of water. Conwy councillor Cheryl Carlisle said the situation was 'extremely serious', following a meeting between local politicians and Welsh Water this afternoon. Up to 5,000 vulnerable people have been sent water bottles to their addresses by Welsh Water - while hospitals, care homes and hospices are been supplied by a water tanker. Pubs, restaurants and GPs have also been forced to close due to the shortage and 'concerns' have also been expressed for farms and their livestock. More than 20 secondary and primary schools have been shut today due to the incident, while the majority of council offices were also reportedly not open. Supply issues first became a problem for residents in the Conwy county on Wednesday, after a major water main was reported damaged at the Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works in Dolgarrog Yesterday, a burst water main at Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works (pictured) left 8,000 homes without water across Conwy and Denbighshire Repair crews have been forced to 'dam the river Ddu' as the volume of water flowing through it was making the repair 'exceptionally difficult'. They are also not helped by the fact that the main is located two and half metres beneath the riverbed. Even once the pipe is fixed, it could take up to 48 hours before water supplies are fully restored to some properties, as the network refills. A Welsh Water spokesperson said: 'The repair to the burst water main at our Bryn Cowlyd Water Treatment Works, Dolgarrog is taking longer than was planned. 'The burst water main is two and half metres beneath the riverbed and the volume of water in the river is making the repair exceptionally difficult. 'We have created a coffer dam to redirect the river and a trench box around the damaged pipe so that we can excavate and access the damaged water main whilst protecting our workforce and the environment. 'Once the burst water main has been repaired it could take up to 48 hours before water supplies are fully restored as the network refills but some customers will regain before then as water fills the network. Councillor Mike Priestley said the site of the burst water main was 'dangerous' and added that the issue would take 'time to resolve'. The water firm have said it is 'dangerous and difficult' to make the repair as it is located two meters beneath the river bed in the Conwy Valley Your browser does not support iframes. Writing on social media, he said: 'I have been told that any water coming out of your tap is safe to drink. 'This is a major incident that will take time to resolve, the site is dangerous, the pipe is 13 metres deep and has the highest pressure in North Wales.' Cllr Carlisle said engineers were having to 'dam the river' Ddu in order to repair the pipe. She said: 'Conwy councillors have just been updated on the burst water main situation by the CEO of Dwr Cymru. It is extremely serious, and will not be resolved anytime soon. 'A pipe two metres below the Afon Ddu river in Dolgarrog has burst, and Dwr Cymru engineers are having to dam the river to try and repair the pipe.' 'Shops locally are now sold out of bottled water due to panic buying, which is very unhelpful to our vulnerable residents. 'As soon as we know where and when the bottled water stations are going to be set up, then we will let you know.' One resident in Llandudno said the town's Asda supermarket was 'total chaos' this morning. Around 40,000 could be left without water after a water pipe burst at a treatment plant in north Wales They told North Wales Pioneer that 'staff couldn't keep up' as people 'grabbed water bottles from the shelves and filled trolleys'. Several shops in the Conwy coastal region also reported running out of bottled water due to the panic buying. MS for Aberconwy Janet Finch-Saunders expressed her concerns for farms and livestock in the Conwy area. 'I am concerned that farms are running out of water for livestock,' she said. LIST OF SCHOOLS SHUT DUE TO BURST WATER MAIN Ysgol Aberconwy Ysgol Eglwysbach Ysgol Glan Conwy Ysgol Llanddoged Ysgol Porth y Felin Ysgol Awel y Mynydd Ysgol Bendigaid William Davies Ysgol Bod Alaw Ysgol Bryn Elian Ysgol Cystennin Ysgol Deganwy Ysgol Eirias Ysgol Ffordd Dyffryn Ysgol Glanwydden Ysgol Hen Golwyn Ysgol Llandrillo yn Rhos Ysgol Llangelynnin Ysgol Mochdre Ysgol Nant y Groes Ysgol Sant Joseff Ysgol T Gwynn Jones Ysgol Talhaiarn Ysgol Tudno Ysgol y Creuddyn Advertisement 'I have asked if water can be pumped from the Conwy River and taken to farms for the tanks used by animals.' Welsh Water confirmed their repair teams have created a coffer dam to redirect the river and a trench box around the damaged pipe so they can access the damaged water main. It had initially hoped to have fixed the pipe by this afternoon, but announced this evening it was taking 'longer than planned' and warned residents that many of them won't have water until the weekend. The water supplier intends to have bottled water stations in place on Friday morning, but a UK shortage of bottled water meant they had to focus their current supplies on 'vulnerable customers'. The shortage has meant Welsh Water is having to source bottles of water from as far as Scotland. Eirias Park is currently being used as a distribution centre to supply to vulnerable customers. The spokesperson said: 'It will take time for the system to re-fill to a sufficient level to restore the supply to customers. 'This process can't be rushed as it could cause problems with water pressure, discolouration of water or further bursts. 'We are prioritising delivering bottled water to vulnerable customers on our Priority Services Register. This involves supporting 5,000 vulnerable customers in the affected areas. 'We intend to have bottled water stations in place tomorrow, but as there is currently a shortage in the bulk supplies of bottled water across the UK and we are sourcing bottled water from as far as Scotland. We're using current supplies to prioritise our vulnerable customers. 'Compensation arrangements will be put in place to those customers who have lost their supplies together with additional arrangements for business customers.' Currently the areas of Trofarth, Pentrefelin, Rowen, Rhyd y foel, Tal y Bont Tal y Cafn, Tyn Groes, Pandy Tudur, parts of Llanrwst, Maenan, Llangernyw, have been impacted. Galhaiarn, Llanfair, Llanddoged, Llanbedir y Cennin, Henryd, Gwytherin, Groesffordd, Eglwys Bach, Conwy and Dolgarrog are also understood be affected. A Texas teenager is suing a barbecue chain for $1million after she claims she suffered second-degree burns from spilling hot barbecue sauce. Genesis Monita, 19, and her sister went to Bill Miller in San Antonio to get four breakfast tacos before heading to school on May 19, 2023. After receiving their food in the drive-through line, she drove them into a space in the restaurant's parking lot to eat. She claims in court filings the barbeque sauce container was extremely hot when she took it out and it led to her dropping it - causing burns on her upper right thigh. 'Bill Miller was negligent in giving her "dangerously hot" barbecue sauce, not providing her a container that was "adequate" to contain the condiment and failing to warn her that that the sauce was hot,' the lawsuit states. Attorney Lawrence Morales II who is representing the teenager told the jury on January 15 the chain had violated their safety policy about food temperatures. 'Bill Millers unequivocal policy is they will serve their sauce at 165 degrees. Bill Miller violated their safety policy and allowed their barbecue sauce to heat up to a dangerous 189 degrees.' He also claimed they further violated their policy by handing the sauce over in a four-ounce plastic cup rather than a Styrofoam cup. Genesis Monita, 19, and her sister had gone to the Bill Miller at Old Pearsall Road and Loop 410 in San Antonio (pictured) to get four breakfast tacos with some barbecue sauce before heading to school on May 19, 2023 Morales said restaurants must warn customers if their food or serving containers are dangerously hot and claimed that the chain has failed to do so this time. However Bill Miller attorney Barry McClenahan hit back against the allegations and said that Monitas own negligence was the 'proximate cause' of the incident. He told jurors that the 165-degree temperature stated in the policy is a minimum temperature to comply with food safety rules. The policy does not prohibit the sauce from being heated to 189 degrees. 'What would we have warned Ms. Monita of that she did not already know? She had the sauce a hundred times, and it was always the same temperature 'At Bill Millers, the sauce is always hot, and our customers know that. And thats why its hot,' McClenahan said. Referencing the use of plastic cups, he told the court that the manufacturers had said they were safe up to 230 degrees. The trial is expected to continue for the rest of the week. This comes the same day reports emerged of a California doctor suing a Thai restaurant after ordering a dish that she deemed to be 'unfit for human consumption,' claiming that she suffered chemical burns after dining there. She claims in court filings that the barbeque sauce container was extremely hot when she took it out and it led to her dropping it - causing burns on her upper right thigh Bill Miller attorney Barry McClenahan hit back against the allegations and said that Monitas own negligence was the 'proximate cause' of the incident Coup de Thai, a Los Gatos Thai restaurant in the wealthy South Bay city's downtown area, offers an appetizer called 'Dragon Balls' - a fried, spicy chicken ball with mint, shallot, green onion, cilantro, kaffir lime leaves, chili and rice powder, served hot. But after Harjasleen Walia, a San Jose neurologist, ordered the $11 appetizer on a night out with a friend, she claimed that it caused a painful and irreversible outcome. The lawsuit claimed that 'she incurred permanent injuries and will forever be damaged,' Silicon Valley reported. Walia alleged that the dish was so spicy, she suffered chemical burns to her vocal cords, esophagus and the inside of her right nostril - leading to destruction of her voice and throat. She is seeking more than $35,000 in medical expenses, lost income, and damages in a lawsuit filed through the Santa Clara County Superior Court. John Swinney was yesterday forced to apologise after a report laid bare the shameful daily conditions faced by patients and medical staff in Scotlands hospitals. During a bruising encounter at First Ministers Questions yesterday, Mr Swinney was slammed for denying the reality of the devastating collapse in care standards. He blamed increases in flu admissions after a report by Royal College of Nursing (RCN) painted a harrowing picture of life on the wards. The report, which had testimony from 500 frontline nurses, revealed the shocking scale of patients being treated in corridors and toilets because of a lack of beds. They claim the overcrowding is costing lives by denying the sick access to lifesaving equipment and there had been a devastating collapse in care standards, with patients routinely coming to harm and unable to access basic services. Despite being read a dozen harrowing accounts from Scots NHS nurses, Mr Swinney repeatedly blamed unprecedented demand from flu cases. Asked about one nurses verdict that the broken system was worse than during Covid, he told MSPs: No, it is not. Tory leader Russell Findlay said there was a stark disconnect between what SNP politicians thought about the NHS and the reality of what nurses are saying. Scotland's hospital wards are suffering a 'devastating collapse', a report has warned Swinney was slammed for denying the reality of the devastating collapse in care standards' during FMQs yesterday He said: Nurses say the system is broken but John Swinney insists everything is fine. Hes denying reality. Nurses are being let down and patients are being utterly failed. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said Mr Swinney was asleep at the wheel. Labour last night wrote to the FM asking if he was effectively calling nurses liars. The humbling of Mr Swinney began with Mr Findlay challenging him over nurses in Scotland being forced to care for multiple patients in a single corridor, unable to access oxygen, cardiac monitors, suction and other vital kit. Nine in 10 of those surveyed said patient safety was being compromised. The findings were based on responses from 5,408 from UK nurses, including 500 north of the Border, between December 18 and January 11. It is page after page of shocking and desperate testimony, Mr Findlay told First Ministers Questions. One nurse said: It is degrading, undignified, and at times unsafe for patients. The system is broken. Does John Swinney agree with Scotlands nurses that Scotlands NHS is broken? Mr Swinney apologised to anyone who had an unsatisfactory experience in a congested hospital. He praised staff for their unremitting commitment in the face of unprecedented demand, citing the enormity of the increase in flu cases in recent weeks. Mr Findlay said it was record levels of delayed discharge patients stuck in hospitals which were creating dangerous levels of overcrowding. He said Health Secretary Neil Gray had earlier denied patients are routinely treated in corridors, only to be contradicted by Colin Poolman of RCN Scotland, who said it was normalised and asked Mr Swinney who was right. Mr Swinney said he and Mr Gray were fully aware of the prevailing circumstances, but again put them down to unprecedented demand from flu admissions. Mr Findlay told him: Here is a reality check. A nurse said Its disgusting and we are on our knees but nothing seems to be getting done. Another said It breaks my heart at the pathetic care that we are able to give. The situation cannot continue. It is absolutely heartbreaking. What does John Swinney have to say to the nurses who are being let down and to the patients who are having to suffer such disgusting and degrading treatment? Mr Swinney accepted the enormity of the pressure on the NHS but again cited flu rates. He said the public would have his and Mr Grays unrelenting focus on getting patients the care they need. Patients sleep in beds lining a hospital corridor in overrun A&E department Mr Sarwar reminded Mr Swinney of a case he raised last week, of a retired police officer forced to lie on the floor of a Lanarkshire hospital in excruciating pain for over five hours before receiving morphine. He said the RCN report had laid bare the impact of the NHS crisis not just on patients like Robert, but on frontline staff as well. It is shameful, he said. John Swinney wants to pretend that we have only a winter crisis in the NHS; the reality is that we have a permanent crisis in the NHS on John Swinneys watch. One nurse said: I worked throughout Covid-19 and although it was a horrendous experience this lack of care in the broken system is worse. Is that not the deadly reality of the NHS on John Swinney and the SNPs watch? Mr Swinney replied: No, it is not. What we are doing is focusing, within the resources available to us, on maximising the effectiveness of patient care for individuals. Mr Sarwars deputy, Dame Jackie Ballie, later wrote to Mr Swinney about him denying the reality of the nurses reports, asking if they were mistaken about the situation they experience every day or that they are not telling the truth?. The First Ministers spokesman said: It is extremely poor form for Labour to produce a shortened quote which completely misrepresents what the First Minister said. Anyone listening to First Ministers Questions would have heard the First Minister make clear his enormous respect for the NHS workforce and the extensive steps his government is taking to deliver improvements across our health service. If Labour want to make a useful contribution then they should vote for the Scottish Budget in order to unlock record funding for our NHS and implement the reforms that we all want to see. A police officer who had 'non-consensual sex' with a woman he met on dating app Bumble has been found guilty of misconduct after being cleared of rape. PC David Longden-Thurgood, 51, had sex with the business owner despite her repeatedly telling him she didn't want to, a misconduct panel ruled. He is understood to have forced himself on her and even told her 'it feels too good I can't stop now'. Hampshire Constabulary has found the officer guilty of gross misconduct and ruled he would be dismissed from the force if he had not already resigned. Previously at a crown court, PC Longden-Thurgood was formally cleared of rape. His first trial collapsed, before jurors sitting on his re-trial could not reach a verdict, and his victim did not want to give evidence at a third trial. Hampshire Constabulary's Deputy Chief Constable Sam de Reya said today that the ex-PC should be 'no longer able to abuse his position as a police officer to gain the trust of women'. She said: 'I want to make clear my admiration for the woman who has reported this to us, known as Ms A during the hearing. 'Her personal courage in coming forward following what happened to her at the hands of an off-duty police officer and for the strength she has shown throughout this whole process is commendable. PC David Longden-Thurgood, 51, (pictured) had sex with a woman despite her repeatedly telling him she didn't want to, a misconduct panel ruled 'It is thanks to her bravery during this incredibly challenging time, that David Longden-Thurgood is no longer able to abuse his position as a police officer to gain the trust of women. 'This is not the behaviour we expect to see in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Constabulary and I know, like me, you will be appalled by this individuals conduct.' The two-day Hampshire Constabulary misconduct hearing at the force's HQ in Eastleigh was told that the ex-PC matched with Ms A on the dating app Bumble in October 2020. Matthew Holdcroft, representing the force, said Ms A was 'aware' that PC Longden-Thurgood was a police officer and there was reference to his 19 years of service. The former police constable and Ms A exchanged messages on the app before moving over to WhatsApp where the conversation became 'sexualised' after a few hours. The PC went over to her house in the evening and the atmosphere was initially pleasant. As the evening progressed, Ms A suggested they go upstairs 'for a cuddle' and at the base of her stairs she clarified 'No funny business, though'. 'She meant sex,' Mr Holdcroft told the panel. 'The Officer assured her that nothing would happen.' Once they were upstairs, Ms A left the room to fetch a glass of water and upon her return she found PC Longden-Thurgood lying in her bed - wearing only his boxers. Hampshire Constabulary has found the officer guilty of gross misconduct and ruled that he would be dismissed from the force if he had not already resigned The pair started kissing and engaging in some sexual activity and at some point the officer stood up and 'removed his boxer shorts'. In light of this, she told him: 'I don't want to have sex.' In response, he said: 'Don't worry, we're not going to have sex.' He continued before lifting her up onto her hips so that her face was 'into the pillow'. Mr Holdcroft explained that 'despite Ms A having specifically told the Officer that she did not want' to, the PC began having sex with her. Mr Holdcroft said she 'did not know what to do' as she had 'said no and he had not listened'. Ms A turned around and told the officer that she 'didn't want to have sex at all' and he responded and told her 'It feels too good, I can't stop now'. Mr Holdcroft continued: 'Ms A became numb and felt powerless.' PC Longden-Thurgood ejaculated inside her and she went to the bathroom before he got dressed and left as he felt Ms A wanted to 'avoid any further interaction'. After he left, she sent him a text message and referred to how she 'kept saying no we aren't having sex'. She wrote: 'I didn't mind a spoon and a bit of playing but I think you intended on coming here to have sex and wouldn't be happy until we had. 'It got to that point I might as well stop saying no.' The former PC is understood to have forced himself on her and even told her 'it feels too good I can't stop now' PC Longden-Thurgood responded: 'Sorry babe. 'I thought with all the sex talk we'd had over the last 24 hours that was what we both wanted.' Ms A wrote: 'Just because we were in that situation and we chatted about it, I was saying no.' She asked him to 'please try and appreciate from my point of view' and PC Longden-Thurgood responded: 'Ok I take your point and I'm sorry.' In the text exchanges, PC Longden-Thurgood described Ms A as being 'miserable' from the moment he saw her but said he still 'fancied' her. In other messages, Ms A said that he used her for sex 'without full consent' and didn't 'take no for an answer'. Ms A reported him to the police and PC Longden-Thurgood from Waterlooville, Hampshire, was arrested under suspicion of rape and sexual assault. Mr Holdcroft said the officer - who denied misconduct - used his position as a police constable to make her 'trust him' and 'meant that she was inclined to believe that she would be safe with him'. The panel found that PC Longden-Thurgood would have been dismissed from the force had he not already resigned in February of last year. An initial rape trial against PC Longden-Thurgood took place in June 2022 but collapsed after four jurors tested positive for Covid. In January 2023, the officer appeared in the dock again and a jury failed to reach a verdict on the charge. The Crown Prosecution Service made the decision not to pursue a retrial following discussions with the woman, who did not wish to go through a third trial, and so a not guilty verdict was formally recorded. An Aussie holidaymaker has been banged up abroad for threatening to crash a Jetstar plane and kill everyone on board after he was denied entry to Thailand. Marli Curtis Philip Moncrieff, 36, flew from Perth to Phuket, stopping over in Singapore, with his girlfriend on 20 November last year. But he was denied entry to Thailand because a page of visa was reportedly torn out of his passport. Moncrieff was then sent back to Singapore where he was also denied entry for the same reason. Authorities at Changi Airport kept him in a holding room before he could be placed on a Jetstar flight back to Perth. Moncrieff was reportedly upset at having spent a lot of money and annual leave on the disastrous trip. It was as he was boarding that Moncrieff was overheard saying 'I want the aircraft to crash and kill everyone' by a flight attendant. Alarmed, the cabin crew member told the captain and her managers, who agreed to removed Moncrieff from the flight. Authorities at Changi Airport kept him in a holding room before he could be placed on a Jetstar flight back to Perth. Tt was as he was boarding that Moncrieff was overheard saying 'I want the aircraft to crash and kill everyone' by a flight attendant (stock image) They also searched his luggage but did not find anything suspicious. The Australian national was handed over to local authorities who took him to the Jetstar counter to arrange another repatriation flight. Moncrieff's conversation with his girlfriend was overheard by an immigration officer. 'If they put me on another flight, I will tell them I will crash the plane again,' Moncrieff reportedly said, according to Channel News Asia. Alarmed, the immigration officer asked Moncrieff to repeat what he had said. He repeated the threat and said he wanted to die or be sent to prison. The immigration officer reported him to the police who arrested him later that day. Moncrieff wrote a letter of apology to the judge, saying he felt bad for alarming the airport staff who were 'just doing their jobs'. But Principal District Judge Toh Han Li told him that 'mere words can have serious consequences'. Noting the current climate where aviation security is of utmost concern, the judge said the sentence had to consider general deterrence. 'To the contrary, it seems to me that the accused understood the seriousness of his words as he contemplated the thought of being sent to jail,' the judge added. Moncrieff was jailed for eight weeks on Wednesday after pleading guilty to one count of using threatening words to cause alarm. Jetstar declined to comment. A massive fire and explosions ripped through an indoor children's park and a casino in the Mexican city of Culiacan on Thursday. A 39-year-old man was rushed to an area hospital for treatment to burns on his hands and back, authorities said. Two other people were treated on the scene by paramedics for shock. Video filmed by a motorist showed flames covering the top of the building and plumes of smoke billowing the structure when a large fireball burst. As the flames began to expand, larges pieces of the building came crashing to the ground. A second video captured the smoke thickening over the building, located at the Cinepolis Plaza shopping center, when a large section of the structure featuring its signage collapsed. Civil Defense director Roy Navarrete told N+ Mas News television that the fire started at Air Jump Trampolines Park, a children's play place, while workers were handling repairs. They attempted to extinguish the fire themselves before it grew out of control and spread to the Casino Royal Yak. Mexican authorities revealed that the fire started at a children's trampoline park while workers were making repairs, and then spread to the Royal Yak Casino A Sinaloa Civil Defense official has ruled out arson following Thursday morning's fire that burned down a building where a casino and children's park were located Aerial view of Thursday's massive fire in Culiacan, Mexico that ripped through the Casino Royal Yak and Air Jump Trampolines Park Navarrete ruled out foul play in a separate interview with Milenio Television. A nearby school had to evacuate all students from the facility as a precaution. No injuries were reported. The inferno comes as Culiacan, the capital of Sinaloa, and other cities have been besieged by an internal war between factions of the Sinaloa Cartel led by the two sons of the criminal organization's co-founder, Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman, and the son of his former righthand man and also co-founder, Ismael 'El Mayo' Zambada. A man who witnessed Elianne Andam's stabbing said he can still 'hear the sound of the girls screaming' as they were told their friend had died - as her killer was today found guilty of murder. Hassan Sentamu, 18, stabbed 15-year-old girl Elianne in the neck with a kitchen knife outside the Whitgift Centre in Croydon, south London, on September 27 2023. The fatal attack took place after Sentamu planned to meet up with his ex-girlfriend and her group of friends including Elianne around 10 days after their break-up. He was meant to return a teddy bear as part of a belongings swap but instead chased down and stabbed Elianne four times, having lost his temper at perceived 'disrespect'. Local community leader Anthony King was one of the first eyewitnesses on the scene of the attack and spoke of the horror which he still cannot forget. He told BBC News at Six: 'I still have flashbacks and hear the sound of the girls screaming out as the news was broken to them.' The trial heard how Sentamu's ex had kept her side of the bargain by bringing a plastic bag of his belongings. But when he turned up without the teddy bear, Elianne showed her loyalty to her friend by snatching the bag back and running away. It was a move that would ultimately cost Elianne her life. Moments later, she was chased down by the furious older boy who stabbed her repeatedly before plunging the knife 12cm into her neck and severing her carotid artery. Elianne Andam (pictured) was stabbed to death in a fit of 'white-hot anger' on September 27 2023 Local community leader Anthony King was one of the first eyewitnesses of the attack Hassan Sentamu (pictured) was today convicted of murder by a jury following Elianne's death The defendant, who declined to give evidence, admitted manslaughter but denied murder and having an article with a blade or point in public. Sentamu was arrested just 90 minutes after the attack when a police officer stopped the number 64 bus near his home. When officers caught up with him, they found blood on his thumb. Body warn footage released by police shows officers identifying Sentamu from his Oyster card. He was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm with intent and police began to search him for his weapon. During the search, police received confirmation that Elianne Andam had died. The officer then told Sentamu that he was under arrest for murder. The defendant claimed his autism spectrum disorder caused him to lose control during the pre-arranged meeting with his ex and her friends. But a jury did not accept his defence and found Sentamu guilty of murder at the Old Bailey, by a majority of 10 to two. Speaking outside court after the verdicts, Elianne's heartbroken father said her death had left a 'void' in their life that will 'never be filled'. Anthony King stares at a murial of Elianne Andam in Croydon which was made after her death Elianne Andam's father Michael pictured outside the Old Bailey A court sketch of Sentamu as he is found guilty of murdering Elianne Andam Speaking outside court after the verdict, Elianne's father Michael said 'her death has left a void in our lives that can never be filled'. He said: 'The verdict today is the first step towards justice for Elianne, but also a message that violence and knife crime, especially towards young women, will not go unanswered. 'Today, we choose not to dwell on the pain of the trial, but instead to honour Elianne's memory.' He added: 'We will continue to fight against the violence that took Elianne from us sharing her story ad working towards a world where no family has to endure such heartbreak 'Thank you for standing with us in love and solidarity. We ask for privacy as we grieve and try to find peace. Elianne's life mattered.' The trial heard how Sentamu had a 'short fuse' and had been moved from school to school after a history of violence and incidents with knives. He was born in Uganda but moved to the UK aged five. On the day of the incident, the then-17-year-old had no lawful excuse for having a kitchen knife, having picked it up at home after an incident the day before where a group of girls, including his victim and ex, mocked him and threw water over him, the court heard. Elianne's aunt burst into tears and said 'Elianne, may you rest in peace' as relatives led her from the court Speaking outside court, Elianne's father Michael (centre) said the loss of his daughter was a 'void we will never fill' Hassan Sentamu (pictured) fatally stabbed Elianne Andam in Wellesley Road, near the Whitgift Centre, Croydon Elianne (pictured with her friends) begged Sentamu to stop his attack, jurors heard Sentamu, of New Addington, near Croydon, chillingly messaged a friend 'Bro, I can't let this slide'. He was already armed with the knife when he took the bus from his home to the Whitgift Centre. Elianne, a pupil at the prestigious 16,579-a-year Old Palace of John Whitgift which her NHS children's nurse mother had saved up to send her daughter to, was attacked by a bus stop on Wellesley Road as she made her way to school. The Year 11 pupil, who dreamed of becoming a lawyer and had a 'great future ahead of her', died at the scene after being treated for nearly an hour. Detailing the meet up which turned into a sickening tragedy, prosecutor Alex Chalk KC told jurors at an earlier hearing: 'The purpose of the meeting was to exchange belongings. (The ex-girlfriend) in particular was anxious to recover her teddy bear.' He said Sentamu was angry after Elianne and her friends had insulted him and thrown water at him at an encounter in the Whitgift centre the day before the killing. Sentamu had told the girl to 'shut the f*** up' in a phone call and her friends wanted him to apologise but he would not. The trial heard how some girls called him cross-eyed and made fun of the special educational needs school he attended. The trial heard how Elianne was a friend of Sentamu's ex who got caught in the middle of a belongings swap Hassan Sentamu (pictured), 18, exploded in a 'white-hot' fit of rage stabbed 15-year-old Elianne Andam to death 'like a Top Boy character', a court previously heard Pictured are knives that police seized from Sentamu as they investigating the killing of Elianne Footage appears to show Elianne grabbing the bag of belongings from Sentamu before running off Sentamu remained emotionless and when they left one of the girls joked that 'tomorrow he would kill them all.' He later sent a text to a friend and asked if the girls had made him look like a fool, saying 'bro I can't let this slide.' During the meeting in a car park at the Whitgift shopping centre, Sentamu's ex-girlfriend, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, stuck with her side of the bargain. She handed over a plastic bag containing his belongings but the defendant arrived empty-handed, jurors were told. Mr Chalk said: 'Elianne was aggrieved on her friend's behalf. So, at around 8.30am whilst Hassan was walking outside the Whitgift Centre, Elianne took the plastic bag back. 'It was a gesture of solidarity with (her friend) that cost Elianne her life. 'The defendant chased after her, cornered her and used the kitchen knife to stab her repeatedly. 'He drove the knife 12cm into her neck, severing the carotid artery and causing injuries that were unsurvivable. Later, Sentamu is captured on CCTV running away from the scene of the crime 'Despite the rapid arrival of the emergency services and intensive efforts over the course of nearly an hour, Elianne died at the scene.' He raised his right arm and he rained blows down on her. 'He drove the knife 12cm deep into her neck, severing the carotid artery and causing injuries that were unsurvivable. 'Despite the rapid arrival of the emergency services and intensive efforts over the course of nearly an hour, Elianne died at the scene.' The driver of a passing bus saw her holding her neck with both hands and blood pouring out 'as if it were a fountain.' Angela Owusu-Afriyie, who was a passenger on a passing bus said: 'He pulled something out of his waist and then started pounding her' 'Then someone said 'oh, he's got a knife' and there was a spurt of blood. She said she stood back while police did chest compressions and saw Elianne's friends asking 'where is she, where is she?' Footage appears to show Elianne (left) running away from Sentamu (right) carrying the bag of belongings Sentamu is seen boarding a number 64 bus after he stabbed his ex-girlfriend's friend to death Pictured is Hassan Sentamu's kitchen, in his family's home in New Addington Mr Chalk added: 'Having heard the evidence you may feel that the catalyst for this dreadful attack was rather more simple: anger. 'White-hot anger at having been disrespected in public by girls, both by Elianne on the day of the killing and previously.' Last week, the trial heard that Sentamu told a fellow inmate he would 'do it again'. A month after the attack, Sentamu got into an argument in youth custody. And when he was accused of killing girls, he responded by saying: 'I'll do it again. I'll do it to your mum, the Old Bailey heard. CCTV footage captured the horrific attack, Sentamu running from the scene and disposing of the knife. He only got as far as the bus stop near his home before being arrested less than 90 minutes later, the court was told. Sentamu had a 'short fuse' and on the day of the killing, he came to the end of it, jurors heard. The prosecutor said: 'His calculated decision to bring a knife to the scene meant that the consequences of that outburst for Elianne and her family were utterly devastating.' Family and friends of Elianne Andam at the scene of the stabbing in Croydon, south London Bodycam footage shows the teen being arrested near his home on September 27, 2023. He was allegedly found with blood still on his thumb following the attack Family members of Elianne gasped and sobbed 'thank you' as the jury foreman read the guilty verdicts. Members of Elianne's family hugged as they left the courtroom. Her aunt Marian Addow burst into tears and said 'Elianne, may you rest in peace' as relatives led her from the court. Sentamu, wearing a white shirt with rosary beads around his neck and a white bandage over his right hand, clutched a green stress ball as the verdicts were read. He bowed his head and wiped his eyes as members of the public gallery shouted 'murderer' at the dock. Flanked by officers, Sentamu stood gripping the dock with his head bowed and refused to sit down after hearing the verdicts. He leaned against the front of the dock crying and wiping his eyes as Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb thanked and discharged the jurors. Adjourning sentencing until March 13 for reports, the senior judge told the teenager: 'I understand you must be very shocked and take time to get used to what has happened.' Three dock officers supported the clearly distressed defendant as he was led down to the cells. In a Snapchat video shortly before her death, seen by the court, Elianne can be head saying: 'We've come to collect the stuff from Hassan yeah, there was meant to be an interchange - she gets her stuff, he gets his stuff - he didn't even bring the stuff' Pictured: Investigators at the scene of the attack on September 27, 2023 Earlier in the trial, Sentamu's ex-girlfriend described events leading up to the attack on her friend before school. In a video interview played in court, she told police she realised something was wrong when he turned up for a planned exchange of their belongings wearing gloves and a mask. She knew Sentamu had an 'anger issue' - and likened his demeanour to a character from the London-based crime drama Top Boy, the court heard. She said: 'I thought he was gonna hit me. I thought that he had something on him because... watching shows and stuff like, for example, Top Boy, whenever someone's about to get killed they always have on specifically black gloves. 'I've never seen him wear black gloves, it's not cold outside.' She said: 'I was saying 'can I have my stuff back?' like outside the Whitgift Centre where the bus stop is. 'He looked at me ... and rolled his eyes a bit ... and said 'I don't want to hurt you' ... not like in an emotional way ... like he's warning me.' She went on: 'I was saying 'Where's my teddy? Where's my teddy? Where's my teddy?'. 'He was looking me up and down, just saying 'look at you, look at you' ... it was sort of like a disgusted way.' Elianne Andam was stabbed to death on her way to school in Croydon last September Family and friends of Elianne Andam at the scene in Croydon, south London, where 15-year-old Elianne was stabbed to death Asked how it made her feel, she replied: 'Not too good.' The girl went on: 'Elianne ran behind him, grabbed the bag and started running and laughing as a joke. It was the type of thing that Elianne would have done. 'At first I was laughing a bit 'cos it was a joke and then I got scared 'cos then Hassan got mad.' She told police: 'He then lifted up his hoodie quick, pulled out something and I saw a big knife. 'I turned around for one second then I saw her on the floor like trying to say 'stop', basically with her hand out. He was there like over her, bending. 'I just saw Elianne on the floor like backing up on the floor with her hand out like this basically saying 'stop, stop, stop' and I'm pretty sure I saw him bend and like try and do something else, like stab her again.' When she turned around again, Sentamu was gone and she ran as passengers at a nearby bus stop began 'shouting and screaming', she said. Before arranging the meeting, the girl said Sentamu had got angry and sworn at her during an argument over the phone. Chief Superintendent Andy Brittain (R) pauses next to flowers and tributes left at the scene of Elianne Andam's murder She said: 'I just told him never, ever speak to me like that ever again 'cos I said 'I've never been spoken to like that in my life'. 'I said no man should speak to a girl like that and he said 'oh well, there's a first time for everything'. 'And I said so that's how you want to be like, portrayed as someone that wants to be talking to females like that, basically.' Moments before the attack, Elianne appeared to be caught up in the drama when she recorded a short video clip on Snapchat. She said: 'We've come to collect the stuff from Hassan yeah, there was meant to be an interchange - she gets her stuff, he gets his stuff - he didn't even bring the stuff.' Sentamu was previously given a police caution for possession of a knife after he brought one to school following a truancy incident. One a school trip in 2019 he threatened another pupil with a knife and was placed in a pupil referral unit where he threatened a child with scissors. Sentamu was not named publicly as Elianne's killer until his eighteenth birthday in September 2024. The coffin of Elianne Andam at her funeral in Croydon last November Floral tributes laid at a candelit vigil for the murdered schoolgirl in October 2023 Hundreds of mourners gathered to pay their respects to murdered schoolgirl Elianne Andam at a vigil in Croydon last October He has been diagnosed with autism and ADHD and has an IQ of 74, which is extremely low. The trial previously heard that Sentamu reported being physically abused as a child amid a troubled upbringing. Jurors heard how he went on to engage in a number of incidents of violent and aggressive behaviour, including taking a knife to school. A statement issued by the family described 'beautiful' Elianne as the 'light of our lives'. 'She was bright and funny, with many friends who all adored her,' it said. 'She was only 15, and had her whole life ahead of her, with hopes and dreams for the future. 'All those dreams have now been shattered. Our lives have fallen apart, along with that of our wider family.' Mrs Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb thanked the jury and said: 'I hope you realise by the emotion and everything that goes on in a criminal trial that a jury's role is absolutely priceless.' She turned to Sentamu and added: 'I understand you must be very shocked. 'It will take time to understand what has happened.' Sentencing has been set for March 13. Iconic Aussie brand UGG Since 1974 will be forced to change its name after a footwear giant in the United States launched legal action. The brand will have to drop 'UGG' from the 'UGG Since 1974' name after Deckers Outdoor Corporation bought the rights from Australian entrepreneur Brian Smith. Mr Smith registered the name in the US in the 1970s, around the same time the sheepskin products were launched by an Australian couple on the east coast. Arthur and Faye Watts started handcrafting the sheepskin products in a small shed in a coastal town in New South Wales, where they quickly gained popularity. Their grandson, Tod Watts, acquired UGG Since 1974 in the 1990s and now owns and operates the family business with his wife Hannah in the Gold Coast. 'We're being sued by Deckers Outdoor Corporation,' Mr Watts said in a video shared to social media on Wednesday. 'We've been proudly making Australian boots for over five decades and three generations. And we also own the trademark here in Australia and New Zealand where the boots originated - where ugg boots originated. 'But the Deckers lawsuit has made it hard to share our story and our boots with everyone else within the world. It's extremely hard to fight a lawsuit against a multi-billion dollar company, especially as a family-owned, Australian-made business.' We've been proudly making Australian boots for over five decades and three generations,' said UGG Since 1974 owner Todd Watts Deckers sells the boots under the 'UGG' brand with the large 'G' in the middle (pictured) Mr Watts said because of the lawsuit, they had decided to transition the brand to 'SINCE 74' for boots exported overseas. In Australia and New Zealand the brand would still be called UGG Since 1974. 'We are the original and we will still be the original, no matter what our label says on the back of our boots,' he said in the video. Deckers sells the boots under the 'ugg' trademark in the US and sells the 'UGG brand distinguished by a larger typeface 'G' in the middle. It has argued in the past that Americans don't use 'ugg' as a descriptive term, but only as a brand name. Rapper Busta Rhymes has been charged with assault for allegedly beating up his assistant for being on his phone while working, sources have revealed. The 12-time Grammy Award nominee, real name Trevor Tahiem Smith Jr., turned himself in over the incident on January 10, the day he dropped teasers for his upcoming album Dragon Season, the New York Post reports. Rhymes, 52, was previously charged with assault in 2015 for allegedly throwing a protein drink at a staff member in a Manhattan gym. The Brooklyn-born musician is famous for his fast rapping style, with hits including Look At Me Now and Break Ya Neck. On the day of the alleged assault, Rhymes posted teasers for Dragon Season on his social media accounts. It comes after Rhymes was recorded throwing a drink at a woman when she touched him in Las Vegas in February 2023. The music artist was accompanied by a posse when the overzealous fan grabbed him from behind and touched his butt. Footage filmed by a bystander has been circulating online and shows the moment the star real name Trevor George Smith Jr. reacts. Rapper Busta Rhymes has been charged with assault for allegedly beating up his assistant for being on his phone while working, law enforcement sources have told the New York Post The 12-time Grammy Award nominee, whose real name is Trevor Tahiem Smith Jr., turned himself in over the incident, which is said to have happened on January 10 - the day he dropped teasers for his upcoming album, Dragon Season The snippet features Busta, dressed in a dark track jacket and light pants, turning and hurling the beverage. The Sun reported that he was leaving after attending the MAGIC Fashion Trade Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. A representative for Rhymes did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment at the time. The woman, identified as Nikita Mathis, confirmed to The Shade Room that she was the person who touched Busta. 'I didn't mean to touch his behind, honestly. I was just happy to meet him and wanted a picture,' the fashion boutique owner admitted. Mathis also noted that she had attended the conference, where Busta 'gave a very encouraging speech to entrepreneurs.' She added, 'I have been a long-time fan. I admit I shouldn't have touched him at all, but he's Busta. I just felt like I could possibly get a pic.' The drink thrown was reportedly an open plastic cup of water that Rhymes swiftly used in his defense. One Twitter user named Nichelle tweeted her reaction to viewing the clip as she wrote, 'A lot of women feel like they have free range to grope and touch people simply because they're women. 'Along with the fact that society has created this narrative that any sexual attention towards a man is welcomed and it's not. Men get uncomfortable just like we do!' The legendary rapper, 51, shared a before and after picture to Instagram to showcase how much he had transformed his body since committing to regularly workouts DJ Kameron Bennett also weighed in on the drama, typing, 'Busta was not feeling that. had to throw the drink on her.. I don't blame him,' while another person chimed in and said, 'Mf got some good aim tho.' The rap artist has been publicly physically violated before. In August he was on stage performing to a crowded audience when a woman reached up and tried to grope him. The scene went viral and showed the entertainer halting the show as he told the DJ to 'stop the music.' He then gave fans a mouthful as he said into his microphone, 'Back up, back up. I dropped my ring down here. 'Hey shorty, you with your man, right? That's your girl? What kinda sh*t you on letting her continue to grab me up. I'm a grown man. I'll f*ck your girl, bro.' He continued, 'I don't wanna f*ck your girl. I got a good one at home. This is a weird thing. Weird times. She touched me and sh*t. She might do some police sh*t. I'm not with it.' Rhymes has also made headlines in recent years for shocking fans by unveiling his buff new gym body on social media. The rapper shared before and after photos to showcase how much he had transformed his physique since committing to regular workouts. His photo captures a shirtless Busta showing off his very rounded stomach to the camera. In the 'after' snap he is seen pulling up his red T-shirt at the gym and flexing his newly-acquired muscular frame and bulging biceps. The New York native also turned around to showcase his six-pack stomach to the camera. He recently told his fans that by committing to a healthy lifestyle he had shed a whopping 44kg. Powerful moment: Busta took the stage earlier this month at the 2023 Grammy Awards to perform in a 50th anniversary hip-hop tribute Busta Rhymes, who was born Trevor Smith Jr in 1972, rose to fame in the early 90s with a host of popular hip hop songs including Turn It Up and What's It Gonna Be In August, the Turn it Up hitmaker revealed it was an 'intimate moment' which helped spur his dramatic health makeover after reaching a weight of 136kg during the Covid pandemic. 'One night I was getting ready to have, you know...I was getting ready to have an intimate moment with my ex,' he told Men's Health. 'I had a breathing issue after the intimate interaction.' The BET award winner went on to say he felt like he was having an asthma attack despite not suffering from the condition. The hitmaker left the bedroom and walked to the living room where he used deep breathing to try to relax. 'That was scaring me so much, it was a mindf**k, I had to stay calm and make sure she didn't hear me panic or hear me struggle to breathe. I'm butt-ass naked in the living room, trying to calm myself down,' he said. The shocking incident prompted the Soul Train award winner to transform his life through a new diet and workout regimen, and after months of hard work he finally got the buff body he was aiming for. Busta Rhymes, who was born Trevor Smith Jr in 1972, rose to fame in the early 90s with a host of popular hip hop songs including Turn It Up and What's It Gonna Be. He has also acted in several popular Hollywood movies, including Shaft, Narc and Halloween: Resurrection. In a statement provided to DailyMail.com the FBI said its DEI office is closing The FBI has shuttered its controversial taxpayer-funded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) office just ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. 'In recent weeks, the FBI took steps to close the Office of Diversity and Inclusion (ODI), effective by December 2024,' an FBI statement shared with DailyMail.com states. The closing of the DEI office just ahead of the president-elect's swearing in signals that the FBI is anticipating reforms from the incoming administration when MAGA diehard Kash Patel is expected to take over. DEI has been a target of Republicans who claim prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion over merit and ability is wrong, and Trump himself has said its on the chopping block. 'I will end all of the Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the entire federal government immediately,' Trump said in December. The FBI has also been the object of Republican ire since Trump decried the department of being politicized in the wake of his 'Russiagate' investigation. To solve what Trump and his allies perceive as widespread corruption and stagnation at the FBI, the president-elect nominated conservative prosecutor and former Trump administration official Kash Patel to lead the spy agency. Patel, who helped Trump navigate false accusations that the president had inappropriate ties to Russia during the 2016 campaign, is sure to be reformer at the agency he has said he wants to completely dismantle. Donald Trump's nominee to become the next FBI director Kash Patel. He has vowed to turn the agency on its head and realign its priorities The J. Edgar Hoover building, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) headquarters, is photographed on October 8, 2024 in Washington, DC. The FBI confirmed it closed its Office of Diversity and Inclusion FBI Director Christopher Wray The FBI nominee said on a show last year he wants to 'shut down' the FBI's D.C. headquarters and then 'reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state,'' though it appears the agency is already shutting down internal organs on its own. 'We are committed to maintaining a diverse workforce and inclusive workplace that integrates equity across the entire organization,' the FBI's DEI webpage, which was still live as of Thursday afternoon, stated. 'Our greatest asset is our people and they are imperative to ensuring the FBI can build trust, uphold the Constitution, and serve all communities,' it continued. The FBI's DEI office sparked controversy for giving the appearance the law enforcement agency is not focused solely on the protection of American citizens, Republicans have charged. Highlighting those concerns, Sen. Marsha Blackburn wrote a letter earlier this month to FBI Director Christopher Wray slamming the 'radical' internal office. 'I am deeply concerned thatunder your leadershipthe Bureau has prioritized Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over its core mission of protecting the American people,' she wrote. 'A recent report, drafted by a group of retired FBI agents for the House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, indicates that the law enforcement and intelligence capabilities of the FBI are degrading because the FBI is no longer hiring the best and the brightest candidates,'' it continued. A screenshot of the FBI DEI's webpage Kash Pate and Donald Trump during the president's first term 'I will end all of the Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion policies across the entire federal government immediately,' Trump said in December. Specifically, Blackburn expressed concern about the FBI's performance in the wake of the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Years Day. 'Your focus on woke DEI initiatives at the FBI has endangered our national security and the lives of all Americans. Americans now feel increasingly unsafe because of incidents like the January 1 terror attack, and the FBIs prioritization of diversity over competence shows that their concerns are well founded,' she wrote. The confirmation hearings for Patel have yet to be announced. Trump will officially take office on Monday afternoon. Vice President Kamala Harris is angry with President Joe Bidens assertion that she could have won the 2024 presidential election, according to people close to her. Harris told close allies she expressed deep sadness in reaction to Bidens comments, The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with her conversations. Despite their differences, Harris prided herself for always backing President Joe Biden in public, even when it was difficult. Harris defended Biden after his disastrous debate performance that triggered an avalanche of criticism from top Democrats and a power struggle for the future of the 2024 ticket. The vice president also refused to criticize Biden's presidency, even though her campaign aides pushed him aside so he was on the sidelines of her campaign. But in recent days, Biden has voiced defiance, arguing with reporters recently that he could have beaten President-elect Donald Trump if he had stayed in the race. Kamala Harris is reportedly upset with Biden's assertion that she could have beat Donald Trump US President Joe Biden, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris (L) and Secretary of State Antony Blinken (R), speaks about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release deal I think I would have beaten Trump could have beaten Trump, he said to reporters last week. And I think that Kamala could have beaten Trump, would have beaten Trump,' he added, almost as an afterthought. Biden did not go into detail of how either he or Harris could have beaten Trump in 2024 despite plunging approval ratings of his first term, but he insisted he stepped aside only to unify the party. It was the greatest honor in my life to be president United States, but I didnt want to be one who caused a party that wasnt unified to lose an election, he said. Thats why I stepped aside.' 'But I was confident she could win,' he repeated about Harris. Biden also asserted in an interview with USA Today that he could have beaten Trump, indicating he could have performed better than Harris. Insiders close to Harris described Bidens remarks as a sign of the one-side loyalty of the Biden White House. Harris lost to Trump in all seven swing states, giving the former president a political mandate as he retook the executive branch that Biden wrested from him in 2020. Biden frequently described his decision to choose Harris as his vice presidency his best decision he made as president, but her inability to beat Trump suggests otherwise. Since the election, Harris and the Biden family have remained cordial in public, but ignore each other when they cross paths. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris lead a briefing regarding the federal response to the spread of wildfires in the Los Angeles area U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris puts her hand to her heart while holding hands with Rev. Al Sharpton Harris and Emhoff did not interact with the Bidens much at former President Jimmy Carters funeral. At a Kennedy Center event in December, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden refused to shake their hands, give them hugs or in any way acknowledge their presence when they arrived. Harris has remained in the background for many of Bidens closing speeches, choosing instead to stay in her office for background briefings and meetings with staff. The vice president emerged Wednesday to complain in a speech to National Action Network (NAN) activists about the growing impact of mis-and disinformation in social media, hinting it had a drastic effect on her campaign for president. Harris is expected to return to Los Angeles after the election and split time between her home state and New York City as she and her husband Doug Emhoff return to private life. The Vice president is expected to author a book about her experience as vice president as she plots her political future. Washington, DC insiders fully expect Harris to mount another campaign for president in 2028, depending on the political climate, as she is currently the most well-known Democrat on the stage. But Harris has remained silent about her plans, only repeating her public vow to keep fighting, despite her presidential loss. During her NAN speech, Harris redefined the meaning of of winning to the audience, as a subtle nod to her own failures in the presidential election. What we know is that our definition of the win is the definition that takes us over a period of time, where part of how we measure the win is: Are we making progress? she asked, noting that our spirit can never be defeated. Suspected methanol poisoning has killed 33 people in Istanbul this week after they drank tainted alcohol - while 48 others received hospital treatment, Turkey's state news agency reported. A previous toll on Wednesday counted 23 deaths since Monday in the country's largest city. Drinks adulterated with methanol, an industrial alcohol distinct from the ethanol present in alcoholic beverages, are suspected to be the cause of the deaths. Four people believed to have sold contaminated alcoholic drinks were arrested for 'intentional homicide', the city's governorate said in a statement this evening. Since January 1, authorities have seized 29 tonnes of adulterated alcohol in Istanbul while 64 businesses have had their licenses revoked, the governorate added. Store owners have blamed the government for this wave of deaths, arguing that high taxes on alcohol encourage bootleg home distilling. Suspected methanol poisoning has killed 33 people in Istanbul (pictured) this week after they drank tainted alcohol (File image) Deaths from fake alcohol have spiked in the last week in Istanbul (File image) Poisonings from adulterated alcohol are quite common in Turkey, where private production has shot up in the wake of the cranked-up levies. Such alcohol poisoning killed 48 people in Istanbul in 2024, according to the authorities. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim accused by his opponents of wanting to Islamise society, has repeatedly expressed opposition to drinking and smoking. Sir Keir Starmers top legal adviser last night faced calls to withdraw from consulting on certain government decisions amid conflict of interest fears. An audit shows Lord Hermer KC, the Attorney General and a specialist human rights lawyer before joining Sir Keirs Cabinet, has previously represented Gerry Adams. It comes amid a row over Labours decision to table a law change paving the way for the ex-Sinn Fein leader to get taxpayer-funded compensation, which was last night branded perverse and offensive by IRA victims. Until now, Mr Adams twice detained without trial during the Troubles and hundreds of other former suspected Northern Irish terrorists have been blocked from getting payouts for alleged unlawful detention in the 70s. Sir Keir Starmers, pictured, top legal adviser last night faced calls to withdraw from consulting on certain government decisions amid conflict of interest fears An audit shows Lord Hermer KC, pictured, the Attorney General and a specialist human rights lawyer before joining Sir Keirs Cabinet, has previously represented Gerry Adams. Legislation passed under the previous Tory administration in 2023 has been blocking them. But Labour ministers are planning to repeal this after Northern Irelands High Court ruled last year that the 2023 legislation breaches the European Convention on Human Rights. Just over a year ago, Lord Hermer represented Mr Adams in a lawsuit brought against him by three victims of Provisional IRA bombings. He has said he cant reveal whether he gave ministers advice about the proposed law change, citing the Law Officers Convention. Lord Hermer advocated for jihadi bride Shamima Begum, arguing she should be allowed to return to Britain. And In 2023, he represented the families of Afghan civilians at the Independent Inquiry on Afghanistan. Jason McCue, who acted for the families of the Real IRAs 1998 Omagh bombing, said Labours move was perverse when other more worthy non-protagonist victims of the Troubles were being denied such funds. Labour has been accused of capitulating to China after signalling its support for a new Chinese mega-embassy in the heart of London. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday revealed the Met police had withdrawn their objection to Chinas plans. In a joint letter to the Planning Inspectorate for England, they emphasised the importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals. The announcement comes days after Rachel Reeves visited Beijing and Shanghai, securing a 600 million growth deal. Last night Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the Daily Mail: Labours priority is to suck up to China no matter the cost. This is an embassy for a brutal repressive Government that dismisses human rights, practices slave labour and genocide. Its also important to remember the proposed site is home to 250 British citizens. But it is clear Labour does not care about them. Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng and Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at a meeting this week The former Royal Mint in London on December 6, 2024, a site favoured by the Chinese authorities as a home for it's new embassy Labour has signalled its support for a new Chinese mega-embassy in London Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Robert Jenrick added on X: Another day, another capitulation. This week, British security services warned the proposed complex at Royal Mint Court sits atop key fibre-optic cables vital to Britains internet network and the Citys sensitive communication lines. Police had previously raised significant concerns about their ability to accommodate protests that they expect will take place outside the embassy. The proposals for the site had previously been rejected by Tower Hamlets Council in 2022 citing safety and security concerns. In October 2024 the Government called in the application so the final decision now belongs to the Secretary of State for Housing and Communities and Local Government Angela Rayner, not the council. Ministers are understood to be poised to support the plans once China agrees to change a small element of the design and forgo diplomatic accreditation of the seven other diplomatic premises spread across London. Tower Hamlets Councillor Peter Golds said: This will be the largest embassy in Europe, a centre of potential disinformation located not only on a world heritage site but adjacent to the City of London, a world financial centre. The Government must come clean as to what discussions they have actually had with the Chinese Government on this matter. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper yesterday revealed the Met police had withdrawn their objection to Chinas plans Human rights campaigner Luke De Pulford questioned how operationally independent the police force was following its U-turn. As recently as December the Met was strongly opposed to the Embassy development. Now theyve mysteriously changed their minds, and we learned about it from two senior ministers. Clearly the Government has nobbled them. Director of the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation Mark Sabah stated: This is a dereliction of duty to the British population. We have Chinese spies on trial, a British citizen Jimmy Lai in jail in Hong Kong, bounties from the CCP on the heads of people living in the UK, interference on our campuses and an ever growing list of transgressions by China and the CCP against the UK. This must be stopped immediately, before its too late. A UK Government spokesman said that national security was its first duty, adding: It has been our core priority throughout this process. That is why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office submitted written representations to reflect these considerations and to note the importance of all states having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals. Foreign Secretary David Lammy has given support to 'all states having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals' The department for Housing and Communities and Local Government as well as the Met police have chosen not to comment. A spokesman for the Chinese embassy said: The resubmitted planning application has taken into full consideration the UKs planning policy and guidance as well as views of all relevant parties. Host countries have the international obligation to support and facilitate the building of the premises of diplomatic missions. It is hoped that the UK side will consider and approve this planning application. The Chinese Embassy in the UK is committed to promoting understanding and the friendship between the Chinese and British peoples. Building the new embassy at an early date would help us better perform such responsibilities. Ministers who make last-minute changes to their travel plans may have to pay compensation to their own bodyguards under Labours workers rights bonanza, it can be revealed. Under Labours controversial Employment Rights Bill, workers on zero-hours contracts will be entitled to payments if their shifts are cancelled or changed at short notice. But a private firm which provides security arrangements for the Government has pointed out that ministers themselves work unpredictable hours. It could lead to the spectacle of Whitehall departments or their suppliers being penalised if the senior MPs behind the new law have to call on their Close Protection Officers to accompany them on work trips without giving them enough warning in advance. Outsourcing giant Mitie said in new written evidence on the legislation: It is crucial to consider that shifts may change for various reasons, and the definition of "reasonable notice" could be subjective depending on the industry, job role, and individual worker preferences. For example, at Mitie, we employ around 100 Close Protection Officers (CPOs), who work with high-profile individuals, including Government ministers, who may have irregular schedules. As their clients' plans change, officers' shifts must be adjusted accordingly to ensure continued protection. 'As well, if new information regarding a threat or incident emerges, shifts may need to be altered to provide adequate coverage and protection for the customer. Under Labours controversial Employment Rights Bill, workers on zero-hours contracts will be entitled to payments if their shifts are cancelled or changed at short notice Outsourcing giant Mitie said in new written evidence on the legislation: It is important the Government works with businesses to understand the complexity of hours insecurity, as well as permitting some flexibility for employers that need to adapt to fluctuating demand. Picture: Stock image We also have employees who are employed specifically as Relief Officers whose job is to provide short notice cover where needed (for example due to sickness absence). It is inherent within the role that any notice of a shift may be last-minute. It urged the Government to set out what is meant by short notice for cancellation before enshrining penalties in law. It is important the Government works with businesses to understand the complexity of hours insecurity, as well as permitting some flexibility for employers that need to adapt to fluctuating demand. A Conservative party spokesman told the Mail: Labour Ministers clearly havent read the small print of their union bill, and havent spotted it will enfeeble their own bodyguards. As well as costing the taxpayer money and undermining their security, it shows how impractical these drastic changes are. But a Government spokesman insisted: Of course we take anyones safety incredibly seriously and the Employment Rights Bill will not jeopardise security staffs ability to do that in any way. This Government is on the side of working people, and we recognise that the movement of a shift at short notice disadvantages workers financially and impacts their ability to plan their lives. Thats why workers will be given new rights to reasonable notice of shifts, with details to be set out in regulations following consultation with business. A private firm which provides security arrangements for the Government has pointed out that ministers themselves work unpredictable hours. Picture: Stock image The Government has already admitted that payments for short notice shift cancellation or curtailment will be one of the four policies in the Employment Rights Bill with the highest costs to business. An impact assessment published last autumn states: We estimate that the value of unavoidable cancellations for businesses that face unpredictable demand could be between 90m to 120 million per year, and there will also be costs to employers of additional workforce planning to avoid shift cancellations, valued at up to 200 million per year. Overall the Government believes the legislation, which also scraps anti-strike rules and gives workers far more rights on day one in a new job, will cost firms up to 5billion a year but business leaders fear the damage will be far greater. Earlier this week CBI President Rupert Soames warns it risks increasing unemployment and becoming an adventure playground for employment rights lawyers. There are even fears it could lead to pub landlords banning drinkers from talking about controversial topics such as transgender rights, under the requirement for employers to prevent their workers being harassed by third parties. EXCLUSIVE More than 150 councils across the country will not be holding citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day this year, as the Coalition calls for an end to the division over January 26. Staggering new figures, unearthed by a Daily Mail Australia audit of the country's 500-plus councils, underline how the public holiday has become increasingly politicised under Labor. In late 2022, the Albanese administration scrapped a previous rule which mandated that councils held citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. At the time, Mr Albanese insisted there were 'no changes here'. But it led to over 80 councils last year deciding to scrap citizenship ceremonies on January 26, up from just four a year earlier. Now, this publication can reveal that at least 154 councils are not welcoming any new citizens on 26 January. The number is likely to be far higher, given just under two-thirds of Australia's 537 local councils responded to our questions. Many of those councils surveyed revealed that was just one of the measures they were taking to make January 26 feel more inclusive, with some lowering flags to half-mast that day, and others holding healing ceremonies for their new citizens. Opposition deputy leader Sussan Ley - who led a petition to force her local Albury Council on the NSW/Victoria border to restore citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day - promised that the Coalition would reinstate the old rule for councils if elected. Daily Mail Australia can reveal that at least 154 councils are not welcoming new citizens on 26 January (pictured: Australia Day celebrations on Bondi Beach in 2022) Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Sussan Ley (pictured) told this publication that she was 'proud to be an Australian and I am proud of our national day', promising that the Liberal Party would reinstate the old rule forcing councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on the 26th if elected 'It is time to end the division on Australia Day and it is time for Councils to get back in their lane,' she said. 'An elected Coalition government will reinstate the requirement for councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day, this will be done in the first 100 days. 'It will be a sign of pride and nationalism in our country a move for Australia and Australians to be united, not divided; to stand up for what we believe in.' But that is not a view shared by a vast number of councils across the country, with many instead opting to hold their citizenship ceremonies on Friday 24 or Wednesday 29 January. Australia Day, observed each year on January 26, marks the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 when the first governor of the British colony of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip, hoisted the Union Jack at Sydney Cove. But, for many Indigenous people and younger Australians, it is regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning', with protests being held in every major city each year. In late 2022, the Albanese government scrapped a previous rule which mandated that councils held citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. At the time, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (pictured) insisted there were 'no changes here' But it led to over 80 councils last year deciding to scrap citizenship ceremonies on January 26, up from just four a year earlier. Now, this publication can reveal that at least 154 councils are not welcoming new citizens on 26 January City of Sydney Council Lord Mayor Clover Moore said she 'strongly supports' calls for the date of Australia Day to be changed, as she said Anthony Albanese's rule change had allowed her to move the city's citizenship ceremonies. 'The date of a national celebration should not be on Invasion Day,' she said. 'The dispossession of Australias First Peoples began with the arrival of the First Fleet on 26 January 1788. 'Thats why the 26th of January is so painful for so many it is not a day of unity but of mourning, or survival. 'Advocating for a change of date wont resolve the devastating and far-reaching impacts of colonisation, but it does provide a platform for an ongoing and honest conversation.' Instead, the City of Sydney council supports the Yabun Festival, 'a day-long community celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, held at Victoria Park on 26 January'. In WA, the City of Fremantle council is holding its citizenship ceremonies on 23 January because it is 'more inclusive'. Australia Day, observed each year on January 26, marks the landing of the First Fleet in 1788 when the first governor of the British colony of New South Wales, Arthur Phillip, hoisted the Union Jack at Sydney Cove (pictured: an 'Invasion Day' rally in Sydney last year) But, for many Indigenous people, it is regarded as 'Invasion Day' or the 'Day of Mourning' (pictured: an 'Invasion Day' rally in Brisbane last year) The council will not put on any large events on the 26 but instead invites citizens to 'attend a film festival across that weekend, showcasing First Nations stories, as part of our ongoing Truth Telling program and commitment to reconciliation'. In Tasmania, Glenorchy City Council is committed to its 'Reconciliation Action Plan'. 'A demonstration of this commitment was to remove the division caused by calling January 26 Australia Day as we work towards a brighter and more inclusive future for all our citizens,' a council spokesperson said. 'This has included holding our January citizenship ceremonies on an alternative day, which this year will be 29 January.' The City of Prospect Council in inner-city Adelaide has refused to hold a major community event or celebration on January 26 for more than 15 years. 'Prior to 2019, when the Australian Government mandated that councils hold citizenship ceremonies on January 26, we also did not hold our January citizenship ceremonies on this date,' a council spokesperson said. The shocking new figures, unearthed by a Daily Mail Australia audit of the country's 500-plus councils, underlines how the national day of celebration has become increasingly politicised under Labor (pictured: Australia Day revellers on Cronulla Beach in 2022) Meanwhile, several councils in Victoria will solemnly fly their flags at half-mast on Australia Day as a mark of 'respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples'. Others, such as Moonee Valley Council and City of Stonnington Council, are holding 'healing ceremonies' after welcoming their new citizens. Maribyrnong Council, in Melbourne's ultra-trendy inner-west, acknowledges that it is a 'day of mourning for many First Nations people'. 'Council has also written to the Prime Minister and other ministers advocating to potentially change the date and include more First Nations information in Citizenship tests,' the council website states. Surf Coast Shire Council in Torquay, 100km south west of Melbourne's CBD, will hold a 'truth-telling' event at sunrise on January 26, which will begin with a 'Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony from Wadawurrung Traditional Owners'. The council's citizenship ceremonies will be held on 23 January. Toowoomba Regional Council mayor Geoff McDonald said his council 'would comply with a future request to stage citizenship ceremonies on January 26' but said it was more practicable to hold them on the 24th this year. Pictured: revellers soak up the sun in North Bondi on the national day of celebration 'With around 100 candidates to be presented with their Australian citizenship certificates this year, it is far easier to hold the ceremony ahead of Australia Day,' he added. 'This allows our new citizens to attend January 26 functions as Australian citizens.' Many mayors and council leaders were defiant in the face of pressure to change the date for citizenship ceremonies. 'Australia is the best country in the world to live which is why so many people want to call it home,' Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said. 'I think its right that Australians continue to celebrate the freedom and opportunities they enjoy on our countrys national day. 'Welcoming new citizens on Australia Day is a tradition weve long held in Brisbane and its something our Council intends to continue.' Many councils are hosting family friendly events on 26 January 26, from raft races, air balloon displays, fun runs, fireworks and face painting to pool parties, inflatable mazes and movie nights. Port Pirie Regional Council in South Australia is even holding a watermelon eating contest. Many councils across Ausralia are hosting family friendly events on the 26 January, including raft races, fun runs, fireworks, face painting, pool parties, inflatable mazes, and movie nights Camden Council in Sydney's south-west is holding its annual parade where free Australian flags will be handed out, while City of Darwin will go big to mark the national day. 'City of Darwin will hold an Australia Day ceremony on Sunday 26 January 2025 which will include a Welcome to Country, traditional cultural dance, didgeridoo performance and smoking ceremony, Flag Raising and Citizenship Ceremony and free pool entry for the community to attend the three local pools,' a spokesperson said. 'There will also be a 21 Gun Salute and a fighter jet flypast happening on the day.' A total of 264 councils said they would hold some form of event on January 26, even if it was just a tea morning. Alice Springs Town Council in the Northern Territory will confer citizenship on 70 residents on 26 January, while the City of Moreton Bay in Brisbane's north will welcome 451 new citizens. Meanwhile, a family of four from South Africa will become Australian citizens in the City of Port Lincoln on the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia on Australia Day Several councils were not holding citizenship ceremonies on the January 26 because they had no new citizens to welcome. Balonne Shire mayor Samantha OToole said her in south-west Queensland council 'supports holding citizenship ceremonies and celebrating Australia Day on January 26'. 'This Australia Day we will be holding an event to honour our Balonne Australian of the Year Award recipients,' she added. 'However we currently have no conferees awaiting a citizenship ceremony within the Shire.' Many councils are opting instead to hold citizen of the year Awards, while others will put on breakfasts, picnics and barbecues. A recent poll, conducted by the right-wing Institute of Public Affairs (IPA), found that 69 per cent of 1,002 respondents agreed that the national public holiday should remain on January 26 - a six point increase from 12 months ago. Two cars in an affluent Sydney suburb have been torched and the former home of a prominent Jewish leader soaked in red paint in yet another suspected anti-Semitic attack to hit the city. Multiple cars parked on Military Road in Dover Heights were spray painted with anti-Semitic slogans and two were set alight set alight around 4am. A home in the exclusive eastern suburbs neighbourhood, where the average house price is over $5million, was also splashed with red paint. Residents were awoken by a loud bang before coming out to see the flames engulfing the vehicles. Neighbours told AAP they believe the attack to be a case of mistaken identity as Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin used to live at the targeted property. Mr Ryvchin has been contacted for comment. A crime scene has been established and police are calling on any witnesses to come forward. Police said there were no reports of injuries. Multiple cars parked on Military Road in Dover Heights were spray painted with anti-Semitic slogans and two were set alight set alight around 4am (pictured) A home in the exclusive eastern suburbs neighbourhood, where the average house price is over $5million, was also splashed with red paint (pictured) 'The NSW Police Force takes hate crimes seriously,' a police spokesperson said. Anthony Albanese labelled the Dover Heights incident 'another anti-Semitic attack that is against everything that we stand for'. 'This is an outrage,' he told ABC radio. The Prime Minister welcomed the Australian Federal Police charging a man on Thursday with making death threats to members of a Jewish organisation. 'This is the first charges that have arisen from Special Operation Avalite that I established last month that continues to work to identify prolific anti-Semites causing high harm in the community,' Mr Albanese said. 'That is why we set it up and it is good that these charges have been laid.' NSW Premier Chris Minns says everything is being done to catch the perpetrators. 'This is a disgusting and dangerous act of violence that is the latest example of a rising level of anti-Semitic attacks in our community,' he said. 'Civil society stands united in condemning this flagrant racism.' Neighbours told AAP they believe the attack to be a case of mistaken identify as Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-CEO Alex Ryvchin (pictured) used to live at the targeted property Anthony Albanese labelled the Dover Heights incident 'another anti-Semitic attack that is against everything that we stand for' President of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies David Ossip said he was 'profoundly disturbed and sickened to wake up to news of yet another anti-Semitic attack'. 'Criminal acts like these, perpetrated by masked cowards and thugs in the dead of night, are intended to menace and intimidate the Jewish community and further fragment our social cohesion,' he said. 'The hate-filled criminals who are perpetrating these crimes need to know that their campaign of domestic terrorism will not succeed, the Jewish community is resilient, strong and unbowed and will continue to be so.' Dvir Abramovich, Chairman of the Anti-Defamation Commission, said the latest attack was a 'nightmare turned into reality' 'The revelation that the targeted home belonged to a high-profile Jewish leader takes this frontal assault to an even more sinister level,' he said. 'This was not randomit was a deliberate and chilling attempt to threaten a prominent figure of our Jewish community. Mr Abramovich called for a 'national cabinet must be convened immediately to address this escalating crisis with the urgency it deserves'. 'We need robust laws and a unified front to root out this menace before it spirals further out of control,' he added. It is the latest suspected anti-Semitic attack to hit Sydney in recent days. It is the latest suspected anti-Semitic attack to hit Sydney in recent days (Pictured: anti-Semitic graffiti spray painted on a wall behind a burnt out car in Woollahra, in Sydney's east last year) Pictured: is the southern Sydney synagogue in Allawah after it was targeted last Friday On Monday a wall near Sydenham Train Station in the city's inner-west was spray-painted with the words 'gas the Jews'. Swastikas were also daubed on the nearby Newtown Synagogue before masked vandals attempted to burn it down. Last Friday, the Southern Sydney Synagogue in the suburb of Allawah was also targeted by anti-Semitic vandals who daubed a number of large red Swastikas at the entrance to the place of worship. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned on the Newtown incident and said that those who committed the act 'should face the full force of the law'. 'The vile graffiti we've seen overnight, including at the Newtown Synagogue, is abhorrent and needs to stop immediately,' Mr Albanese said. 'We made it illegal to use Nazi and other hate symbols because there's no place in Australia for anti-Semitism.' A shocking new poll carried out by the Anti-Defamation League found that one in five Australian adults hold strong anti-Semitic beliefs. Around 20 per cent of Australians equivalent to 4.2million people hold anti-Semitic beliefs, with an alarming number of young people believing the Holocaust was a myth. Globally, less than half (48 per cent) recognise the Holocaust's historical accuracy, which falls to 39 per cent in the 18-34 age group. While three in five (61 per cent) of Australian respondents believe the Holocaust is described accurately, fewer younger respondents agree. Those 18-49 aged are more likely to think the death toll was exaggerated (18 per cent), never heard of the Holocaust (nine per cent), or believed it was a myth (8 per cent). Zara Tindall's affinity for Fairfax & Favor has grown in recent years. She has accumulated a range of clothing and accessories, including five coats - three of which were collaborations with Musto - and 10 pairs of boots. The luxury British brand, founded in 2013 by childhood friends Marcus Fairfax Fountaine and Felix Favor Parker, is based in Norfolk. Originally focused on country footwear, the company has expanded into clothing, bags and accessories. It now operates six stores in Holt, Stamford, Helmsley, Stow-on-the-Wold, Marlow, Bakewell and Shaftesbury, with another set to open in Bawtry. In 2021, the company was recognised as one of the fastest-growing businesses in the UK by the Eastern Daily Press. And in 2023, it was listed among the 100 fastest-growing companies by The Sunday Times. Fairfax & Favor has also won the Drapers Footwear Award twice, first in 2020 and again in 2023. Its signature country aesthetic is a perfect fit for Zara, a former equestrian, who has a particular fondness for the brand's military-inspired coats and knee-high boots. Here, we explore her best outfits, featuring Fairfax & Favor. Cheltenham Racecourse, December 2024 Attending the Christmas meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in December, Zara appeared stylishly cosy in Fairfax & Favor's 'Frances' coat. The trench, costing 625, is made from chestnut-coloured suede with classic detailing, including a double-breasted front, storm flap and epaulettes. She layered the coat over LK Bennett platform ankle boots, topping off the ensemble with a headband from Camilla Rose Millinery. Attending the Christmas meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse in December, Zara appeared stylishly cosy in Fairfax & Favor's 'Frances' coat Cheltenham Racecourse, November 2024 At Cheltenham in November 2024, Zara showcased Fairfax & Favor's 495 'Amelia' coat in a versatile khaki shade. Crafted from a premium wool blend, the standout coat features a mid-length design and brushed antique brass hardware. She completed the polished look with the brand's 415 'Regina' suede boots and an Aspinal of London bag. At the Cheltenham Racecourse in November 2024, Zara showcased Fairfax & Favor's 'Amelia' coat in a versatile khaki shade Blenheim Palace Horse Trials, September 2024 Zara embraced casual chic at the Blenheim Palace Horse Trials in September. She chose Fairfax & Favor's 295 'Gina' top, crafted from luxurious navy suede with leather trims, paired effortlessly with classic skinny jeans. The royal added the brand's 145 'Boston' trainers and Monc Eyewear sunglasses, creating a stylish, laid-back finish. At the Blenheim Palace Horse Trials in September, Zara chose Fairfax & Favor's 'Gina' top, crafted from luxurious navy suede with leather trims, paired effortlessly with classic skinny jeans Cheltenham Festival, March 2024 All eyes were on Zara's sleek new accessory at the Cheltenham Festival in March. She carried Fairfax & Favor's 345 'Loxley Mini' style, crafted from navy croc-embossed leather with the brand's signature shield lock. The bag perfectly complemented her Karen Millen cape coat and Stuart Weitzman boots. All eyes were on Zara's sleek new accessory at the Cheltenham Festival in March Cheltenham Racecourse, January 2024 At Cheltenham Festival Trials Day in January, Zara showcased a rich, winter-ready look with a coat from The Fold. The standout piece of her outfit was Fairfax & Favor's 465 'Regina' boots, a sleek heeled leather style in chocolate brown. She completed the ensemble with a Somerset Millinery fedora and an Aspinal of London bag. In January, the standout piece of her outfit was Fairfax & Favor's 'Regina' boots, a sleek heeled leather style in chocolate brown Cheltenham Racecourse, November 2023 Fairfax & Favor's black suede 'Regina' boots provided the perfect accompaniment to Zara's race day attire in November 2023. Made from sustainably sourced suede, the knee-high boots feature an intricate scalloped fan detail and the brand's iconic tassel - interchangeable to match any outfit. She teamed them with a Rebecca Vallance houndstooth coat and a Hicks & Brown fedora. Fairfax & Favor's black suede 'Regina' boots provided the perfect accompaniment to Zara's race day outfit in November 2023 Cheltenham Racecourse, November 2023 Attending Cheltenham in November 2023, Zara wrapped up from the cold in Fairfax & Favor's 625 'Frances' trench coat. The striking suede coat boasts a double-breasted front, storm flap, epaulettes and a waist belt with a chevron buckle, along with flattering princess seams for a tailored fit. The royal accessorised with LK Bennett ankle boots and a simple Charlotte Elizabeth bag, allowing the coat to take centre stage. The military base where the New Orleans terrorist and Cybertruck bomber once worked has a dark and sinister past. In a violent start to 2025, Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, mowed down and killed 14 revelers in New Orleans on New Years Eve, then hours later Livelsberger blew up a Tesla EV outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on New Year's Day at, miraculously harming no one, in a terror-suicide attack. Ideologically, the two couldn't be further apart - Jabbar was an Islamist who hated the West while Livelsberger appeared to be a disturbed patriot - but one thing connects the two. Both were military veterans who lived at Fort Liberty, the country's biggest military base in North Carolina which has been plagued by murders, suicides, rampant drug use, sex trafficking and mysterious disappearances dating back decades. Multiple servicemen and military wives who live on base revealed to DailyMail.com the squalid housing conditions, with toxic black mold infesting their living quarters, and a toxic culture that drove people to psychological breaks. Hazing rituals have also been conducted in the shadows of the barracks, with one soldier taking his life after being harassed over his Chinese ancestry. Data for deaths on the base is limited, but records show there were over 50 suicides and more than 100 homicides reported from 2020 to 2021 alone. One of those was Private 2nd Class Caleb Smither, who at age 19 died in his barracks following head trauma during training. His mother told DailyMail.com: 'My son died in his barracks and was left there for six and a half days before leadership found him. The base als came under fire in 2020 when a 19-year-old soldier, Caleb Smither, was found dead in his barracks Smither's mother, Heather Baker (left), said the military failed her and her son, saying: 'Caleb was discovered in teh fifth stage of decomposition, petrified and mummified at 19' 'They informed me, a week after I had already been planning an open casket, that he was too decomposed to be viewable. 'What an absolute disgrace to them. Caleb was discovered in the fifth stage of decomposition, petrified and mummified at 19.' Livelsberger had been at the base as recently as November 2024 and was being treated for depression before killing himself when he detonated a Cybertruck packed with explosives. Meanwhile, a 2013 photo on the 82nd Airborne's Facebook page shows Jabbar working as an IT specialist at the base while attending Campbell University from 2012 to 2014. Fellow soldiers of Jabbar were shocked by his action, leaving them baffled to what led him to commit such atrocities. The two men's actions and their connection to Fort Liberty has many Americans asking what is going on at the base. The base 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.' After the 10 day assessment, soldiers are put through 41 weeks of physically and mentally demanding training, called the PSYOP Qualification Course. US Army Veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar (left) plowed his pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Matthew Livelsberger (right) rented a Cybertruck, filled it with explosives and detonated it outside the Las Vegas hotel on January 1 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. Reports about violence within the housing date back for at least a decade. In 2012, Pvt. Danny Chen was a victim of hazing and committed suicide because he was abused for being Chinese. Chen was mocked, embarrassed and physically abused by a fellow soldier. And a year later, two Navy SEALs and two Marines were charged with the death of an Army Green Beret in what appeared as another act of hazing. Charging documents described how the four men broke into a Green Beret's bedroom while he was sleeping, bound him with duct tape and put him into a choke hold. Army paratrooper Spc Enrique Roman-Martinez , 21, was murdered in 2020 during a camping trip with his fellow soldiers. His head washed up on a beach a week later Drug abuse is also running rampant on the base with over 15,000 service members overdosing from 2017 to 2021. Then there are the mysterious deaths the plague Fort Liberty. Dozens of soldiers lost their lives to suicide and homicide in 2020, starting with Smither's death, Rolling Stone reported. Smither, who had joined the military just seven months earlier, was stationed at Fort Liberty for only seven weeks before his death. On January 9, he suffered a head injury while working on a track line vehicle called a Deuce. Baker explained her son had to be wheelchaired into Womack Army Medical Center on January 15, where medical staff identified sinus opacification, likely fluid buildup in his sinus cavities. His last known call was made on January 15, after which there was 'radio silence,' Baker explained. Sgt. Armando Garza and his then-wife, Brittany, lost their four-month-old son, Jaxson (pictured), under tragic circumstances Sgt. Garza said his son showed no signs of illness, but the autopsy suggested possible exposure to black mold Daniel K.R. Maharaj, Baker's attorney from Solomon, Maharaj & Kasimati, P.A., described the events leading to Smither's death as grossly negligent. 'Caleb was placed on medical quarters, meaning he couldn't leave his room,' Maharaj said. 'That whole weekendMartin Luther King weekendno one brought him food or water, and no one knocked on his door to check on him.' 'The first thing the Army secretary told me was, 'I'm sorry, the Army failed you and your son,' Baker said. 'The second thing she told me was, 'Nobody checked on your son.' In December 2024, Baker received a multimillion-dollar settlement in a medical malpractice case against the Army for negligent care at Womack. Pvt. Jamie Wyatt Boger, 25, was also found unresponsive in his barracks room two months after Smither. His cause of death has not been released. Living quarters have also been plagued by toxic mold, with reports of contamination dating back to the 1980s. Military wives said mold can be found in nearly every room, making them and their children sick Military wives shared photos from inside their homes, showing mold growing in nearly every room And in May, Army paratrooper Spc Enrique Roman-Martinez, 21, was murdered during a camping trip with his fellow soldiers. His head washed up on a beach a week later, but the rest of the slain paratrooper's body has not been recovered to this day. Unexplained deaths are not just found among soldiers on the base, but also their children. Approximately 12 infants died from 2006 to 2007 after parents said their babies were not ill, but suddenly stopped breathing. The Army's Criminal Investigation Command (CID) opened an investigation into the deaths in 2010, as parents suspected the toxic Chinese drywall was to blame. Research has shown that certain drywall contains high levels of sulfide, and the gases it emits may be responsible for health issues as well as the corrosion of copper wiring, air-conditioner coils, and other metal objects. Tests ruled out the environmental structure of the homes as the cause of death. CID declined DailyMail.com's request for comment. Sgt. Armando Garza and his then-wife, Brittany, lost their four-month-old son, Jaxson, in 2007. 'My wife called me, crying hysterically,' Garza said. 'She found him lying on his stomach and not breathing. He didn't show any signs of illness that I remember. Fort Liberty made headlines this month after two men who committed attacks in America on January 1 spent time at the base 'The autopsy suggested possible exposure to black mold, though conclusive evidence was lacking,' Garza explained. We tried to prove it came from the cheap drywall in the home, but it wasn't definitive. 'I think it was moldspores circulating through the air from the fan under the carpet where maintenance had dumped water. I also think there was mold in the walls.' Military families on base have also been forced to live in mold-infested homes, leaving them and their children ill. Fort Liberty has more than 6,000 homes across nine communities managed by Corvias, a private housing contractor, where military wives claimed that they are living with mold-infested homes. Robyn Mack I VP, Military Stakeholder Relations for Corvias told DailyMail.com: 'I was able to check with our local property management team at Fort Liberty we are not aware of any resident concerns regarding the potential presence of mold that have not been addressed. '100% follow-up inspections following completion of the work by our own QA/QC professionals; and 100% follow-up inspections by the Army Housing Office regarding any alleged mold or moisture work order.' Corvias was hit with a $5 million lawsuit in 2020, alleging the company 'conspired to conceal potentially harmful environments and structural housing defects from unsuspecting service members and their families, and failed to comply with applicable building and housing codes,' according to the suit. In January 2024, Corvias reportedly began settling the lawsuit, according to ABC 11. The company also said at the time that Fort Liberty is one of six installations it's investing $560 million for home improvements. Corvias declined to comment on the status of the lawsuit. A military wife claimed her health was compromised when a wall in her home was opened to investigate mold. 'When they opened the wall with no preparation or warning, I became very ill,' she stated. 'I was coughing so intensely that my hernia shifted. You could see the bulge, and I had to push it back myself. I ended up with pneumonia afterward. Our whole family has had more chest-related viral illnesses than ever before.' Another military wife claimed Corvias was supposed to fix mold issues in their home, which had caused the back door to rot. 'They were also supposed to fix our front entrance because that area was super dangerous to walk out of, and my kid sustained multiple injuries because of it,' she said. 'It took three injuries for them to come out and fix it. I was the third person to fall, and I ended up pulling a muscle and injuring myself while pregnant.' Melissa Godoy, a military wife who has lived on Fort Liberty, said: 'It all falls back to proper maintenance. What I've heard from contractor is that they do not have the funding. The ultimate source to blame... it all begins and ends with Congress. 'Why aren't you guys giving the money to your servicemembers? You can't go to Congress and ask them, or you're seen as violent or unruly. 'They're supposed to be taking care of their service members and they're not.' Godoy has found 'an explosion of injustice' as a military wife for the last 15 years. She has also lived in mold-filled homes while travelling to different base around the country. 'Service members are living with mold, lead asbestos, water damage, rodent and bug infestations and water contamination. 'Some of these soldiers and families are living in condemned homes that are not liveable, which are making people sick, and it is just business as usual in Washington DC.' A place of worship sealed up by the ancestors of Jesus has been discovered in the ancient heart of Jerusalem, frozen in time for nearly 3,000 years. Carved into the rock near Temple Mount, the structure comprises eight rooms, containing an altar, a sacred standing stone, and presses for olive oil and wine. And experts believe its destruction may have featured in the Bible, which describes how Hezekiah one of Jesus' ancestors smashed idolatrous places of worship. This was one such place, according to Eli Shukron, exacavation director for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who dated it to Hezekiah's reign. He said: 'The structure ceased to function during the 8th century BC, possibly as part of king Hezekiah's religious reform. 'According to the Bible, Hezekiah sought to centralise worship at the temple in Jerusalem, abolishing the ritual sites scattered across the kingdom. 'The Bible describes how, during the First Temple period, additional ritual sites operated outside the temple. 'It says two kings of Judah Hezekiah and Josiah implemented reforms to eliminate these sites and concentrate worship at the temple.' A place of worship sealed up by the ancestors of Jesus has been discovered in the ancient heart of Jerusalem , frozen in time for nearly 3,000 years Carved into the rock near Temple Mount, the structure comprises eight rooms, containing an altar, a sacred standing stone, and presses for olive oil and wine Experts believe its destruction may have featured in the Bible, which describes how Hezekiah one of Jesus' ancestors smashed idolatrous places of worship Both kings are identified as paternal grandfathers of Jesus by the Gospel of Matthew. Hezekiah's crackdown against pagan places of worship or 'high places' is described in the second book of Kings. It recounts how he 'removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones' and 'did what was right in the eyes of the lord'. Remarkably, the sacred standing stone at the site survived his onslaught. Shukron called it 'the most dramatic and important find in the excavation'. 'This is what makes this place a cultic site,' he said. 'When we uncovered it, we found it standing in its place, with stones around it. 'The standing stone was covered with earth; it was preserved no one destroyed it. This was a place of worship, according to Eli Shukron, exacavation director for the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), who dated it to Hezekiah's reign 'The Bible describes how, during the First Temple period, additional ritual sites operated outside the temple,' Eli Shukron said Archaeologists also found a hoard of artifacts from the 8th century BC, sealed behind a stone wall in a cave. These included cooking pots, jars with fragments of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, loom weights, scarabs, stamped seals with decorative motifs, and grinding stones used for crushing grains 'When we found it, it was exactly as it was here 2,800 years ago.' Another room featured the remains of an altar, identifiable by a drainage channel which still ran from its corner. And in one part of the site, mysterious v-shaped carvings marked the floor. Their true purpose is lost to history, but they might once have supported some sort of tripod with ritual use. Archaeologists also found a hoard of artifacts from the 8th century BC, sealed behind a stone wall in a cave. These included cooking pots, jars with fragments of ancient Hebrew inscriptions, loom weights, scarabs, stamped seals with decorative motifs, and grinding stones used for crushing grains. The site lies in the ancient heart of Jerusalem sometimes called the City of David just a few hundred metres from Temple Mount, and once co-existed with the First Temple there. Excavations began in 2010, but the northern part of the ruins was discovered in 1909 by Montague Parker, a British adventurer searching for the Ark of the Covenant and other temple treasures. A 1585 depiction of king Hezekiah smashing the pagan places of worship Amichai Eliyahu, Israel's Minister of Heritage, said: 'This unique structure uncovered in the City of David is an exciting testimony to Jerusalem's rich past. 'Such discoveries make our connection and historic roots going back thousands of years tangible, in Jerusalem and other sites where the Jewish culture and belief system emerged.' Shukron published his findings in 'Atiqot, the IAA's in-house journal. They're some of the most popular platforms in the world. But porn sites across the UK will soon be forced to ID users before allowing them to access their content. Any websites which host pornography must introduce 'robust' age checks to prevent children being exposed to it, Ofcom has said. The regulator has set a hard deadline of July 2025 for the sites to introduce these age checks. 'For too long, many online services which allow porn and other harmful material have ignored the fact that children are accessing their services,' said Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom's chief executive. 'Either they don't ask or, when they do, the checks are minimal and easy to avoid. 'That means companies have effectively been treating all users as if they're adults, leaving children potentially exposed to porn and other types of harmful content. 'Today, this starts to change.' Any websites which host pornography must introduce 'robust' age checks to prevent children being exposed to it, the regulator said The regulator has set a hard deadline of July 2025 for the sites to introduce these age checks (stock image) The new details are included in the latest round of industry guidance, ahead of the enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Ofcom's guidance said services that allow pornography or other adult content will be required to introduce age assurance tools to prove a user is not a child. Examples of age verification tools include photo ID matching, facial age estimation or credit card checks. Under the Online Safety Act, all social media and search services are required to carry out a children's access assessment to determine if their site is likely to be accessed by children, with Ofcom saying platforms have until April 16 to complete this. Ofcom said it will then publish codes of practice for sites that are likely to be accessed by children, which will set out how they can implement measures to keep younger users safe. Sites must then complete a children's risk assessment by July and implement any required measures, which may include age checks. These checks will be required, regardless of the type of site, if it allows pornography. 'As age checks start to roll out in the coming months, adults will start to notice a difference in how they access certain online services,' Dame Melanie said. Under the Online Safety Act, all social media and search services are required to carry out a children's access assessment to determine if their site is likely to be accessed by children, with Ofcom saying platforms have until April 16 to complete this 'Services which host their own pornography must start to introduce age checks immediately, while other user-to-user services including social media which allow pornography and certain other types of content harmful to children will have to follow suit by July at the latest. 'We'll be monitoring the response from industry closely. 'Those companies that fail to meet these new requirements can expect to face enforcement action from Ofcom.' Experts have described the news as a 'pivotal moment in the fight to make the internet a safer place.' Lina Ghazal, head of regulatory and public affairs at Verifymy, said: 'Ofcom's announcement today is a pivotal moment in the fight to make the internet a safer place, particularly for children. 'The regulator's long-awaited guidance on age assurance means adult content providers now have the clarity they need to get their houses in order and put in place robust and reliable methods to keep explicit material well away from underage users.' If you have family or friends in different countries, it might be a comfort to know that you are all looking up at the same moon. But it turns out that people in different countries aren't seeing same thing at all. Although the moon always stays the same, its appearance changes drastically depending on what hemisphere you are in. That means someone looking at the moon from Australia will see it 'upside down' compared to someone in the UK. In a viral video, a TikTok user named Corey said: 'Why the **** are we not shown in schools that the way we see the moon in the southern hemisphere is upside down to the way it's seen in the northern hemisphere and vice versa. 'I moved to a different hemisphere, and I still didn't realise it until years in.' Corey is not alone in his confusion, as social media users have flooded the comments to express their shock. One baffled commenter quipped: 'Logically it checks out but emotionally I'm deeply upset and uncomfortable.' Social media users have been baffled to discover that the moon looks different in other countries after a viral video pointed out the difference between the North and South Hemisphere If you travelled from the UK to Australia, the moon would appear to be upside down once you arrived. This strange effect is a result of the fact that we live on a sphere While it might seem strange, the fact that the moon can look so different is simply a consequence of the fact that we live on a sphere. The moon itself doesn't flip upside down when you travel from the North to the South - rather, it's you that's flipping, relative to the moon. In his video, Corey says: 'When you're in the southern hemisphere you have to look north to see the moon, and if you're in the northern hemisphere, you have to look south. 'So, the way you see the moon in Brazil is different to how you see it in England, and the way you see the moon in New Zealand is different to how you see it in Japan.' In the Northern Hemisphere, we see the moon's dark patches on the left side and lighter regions on the right. But for someone in the Southern Hemisphere, that image is flipped upside down. Despite this fact being fairly well known, many social media users were baffled to discover that not everyone saw the moon the same way as them. One commenter wrote: 'Sorry WHAT?! How didn't I know this.' Social media users were shocked and 'deeply upset' to discover this piece of common knowledge about the moon Many users said they had no idea that the moon would look different from a different perspective One confused commenter said it was 'bonkers' that people in the Southern Hemisphere didn't see a face in the moon The moon looks 'upside down' from Australia because people in the Southern Hemisphere are upside down relative to those in the north. Pictured: The moon as seen from Sydney Why is the moon 'upside down' in Australia? No matter where you are, the moon keeps the same alignment with Earth. That means that the moon's northern pole is always pointing north, and the southern pole south. But, because we live on a sphere, someone in Australia is 'upside down' compared to someone in the UK. In the Northern Hemisphere, the moon's northern pole points upwards. In the Southern Hemisphere, the perspective is flipped, so the moon's southern pole points upwards away from the horizon. Advertisement 'Why is this so unsettling...' added another. While one baffled commenter wrote: 'What? I'm in Australia RN, but I'm French. I'm looking at the moon all the time to remind me she's watching over my family... And she's upside down?!' Most surprisingly, many of the confused TikTok users admitted that they had actually moved between hemispheres and still not noticed that the moon looked different. One commenter wrote: 'I moved from Brazil to Ireland six years ago and until this very moment I didn't know that.' Another added: 'I'm 41 and have lived in two different countries England and New Zealandand I'm still only just learning this.' For others, realising that the moon can look different also sparked a host of new revelations. 'So really we're kinda looking at the sun upside down too,' wrote one TikTok user. Another pointed out: 'Did you also know the water goes down the plughole in a different direction depending on which hemisphere you're in?' One social media user said they had been living in a different hemisphere for six years without noticing the difference One commenter said they had lived in both England and New Zealand but were only realising the moon looked different now One of the biggest questions social media users had was what the moon looks like from the equator Likewise, another chimed in to say: 'Yeah, most of the constellations are also upside [down] in the southern hemisphere.' However, the question of what the moon looks like from the equator confused social media users most of all. To think about this, it's helpful to imagine yourself walking from the North Pole to the South Pole and thinking about how your view of the moon would change. Since the moon orbits Earth roughly around the equator, at the North Pole the moon's Northern Pole would appear to be at the top and the moon would be visible close to the horizon. As the night goes on you would see the moon travelling from Southeast to Southwest, keeping its northern pole pointing upwards the entire time. But as you walked southwards, the moon would appear to rise until it was directly overhead, rotating anticlockwise until it appeared to be on its side. From the equator, you would see the moon rising in the east, passing directly overhead, and then setting in the west. What is strange is that, from your perspective, the moon would appear to rotate a full 180 degrees relative to the horizon throughout the night. Since the moon orbits roughly around the equator, someone stood on the equator would see the moon passing directly overhead from east to west The moon would have a different side pointing towards the horizon from when it rose to when it set and would be 'sidewise' for someone coming from either the Northern or Southern Hemispheres That means that the moon would have a different side pointing 'down' towards the horizon when it rose compared to when it set. So, to answer what the moon looks like at the equator, you would first need to know what time it is. If you kept travelling further South, you would see the moon continue to rotate until the southern pole was pointing directly up and away from the horizon. From this position, the moon will once again stay low to the horizon, travelling from Northeast to Northwest and keeping its Southern Pole pointing upwards the entire time. Although you probably wouldn't notice in your day-to-day life, even driving a little way south or north means you will see the moon slightly differently. In a blog post, Kate Howells, public education specialist at The Planetary Society, writes: 'The difference between these orientations happens gradually. 'When you travel just a short distance from the equator, the Moon will still rise more or less due east and set more or less due west, and in between will appear almost directly overhead. 'But as you travel farther north or south, it will start to appear farther south or north in the sky, respectively.' Woolly mammoths went extinct around 4,000 years ago, but scientists claim America will soon see the prehistoric animal in 2028. Colossal Biosciences, a Texas-based biotechnology and genetic engineering company, is on a mission to 'de-extinct' the creature and other long-lost species. The company announced it has raised $200 million in a new round of funding to make it happen in the next three years. It has raised $435 million since launching in 2021. Scientists aren't exactly sure why they disappeared from the planet, but theories include a shifting climate, overhunting or a combination of both. But Ben Lamm, CEO and founder of Colossal Biosciences, has said he's 'positive' the first woolly mammoth calves will be born in the next few years. 'Our recent successes in creating the technologies necessary for our end-to-end de-extinction toolkit have been met with enthusiasm by the investor community,' Lamm said in a statement. 'This funding will grow our team, support new technology development, expand our de-extinction species list while continuing to allow us to carry forth our mission to make extinction a thing of the past.' Colossal, now valued at $10.2 billion, has already sequenced a mammoth genome and found a way to produce elephant stem cells capable of giving rise to several different cell types two important steps toward resurrecting the mammoth. Ben Lamm, CEO and founder of Colossal Biosciences, says he is 'positive' that the first woolly mammoth calves will be born in late 2028 All that remains is the gene editing process to add the targeted mammoth genes into elephant DNA, according to the company. 'We've set one timeline which is late 2028 for the first mammoth calves and we are currently on track for that,' Lamm previously told DailyMail.com. To understand how Colossal's de-extinction process works, Lamm said you can think of it as 'reverse Jurassic Park.' In the classic films, scientists bring back dinosaurs by recovering ancient DNA frozen within amber, then using genes taken from frogs to patch the holes in the dino DNA. But, unlike those fictional scientists, the researchers at Colossal Biosciences are actually working backward. 'We're not taking mammoth DNA and plugging in the holes, we're trying to engineer the lost genes from mammoths into Asian elephants,' Lamm said. Asian elephants are more closely related to woolly mammoths than African elephants. They share 95 percent of their genetic code with the extinct giants. By studying the differences between the Asian elephant genome and the woolly mammoth genome, Colossal scientists have identified 'target genes' that essentially determine whether an organism becomes an elephant or a mammoth. Ben Lamm (pictured) told DailyMail.com that you can think of his company's de-extinction process like 'reverse Jurassic Park' Mammoth de-extinction combines genes from ancient mammoth DNA with DNA from an Asian elephant to create hybrid stem cells which can be used to create woolly mammoth embryos Asian elephants share 95 percent of their DNA with woolly mammoths. The researchers believe they can use this similarity to engineer mammoth-elephant hybrids Thanks to advances in gene editing techniques like CRISPR, scientists can now take those target genes and plug them directly into the DNA of modern elephants. For example, they can take the ancient gene that makes mammoths produce their woolly coats and inject it into an Asian elephant's DNA. 'You can think of DNA being like a twisted ladder with each little rung being a base pair,' Lamm said. 'We are able to change each rung of the ladder, but now we also have the ability to engineer new pieces of the ladder that we want to be there.' The resulting elephant-mammoth hybrid DNA can then be used to create 'pluripotent stem cells,' a type of cell that has the potential to become any kind of tissue. In theory, Colossal scientists should be able to coax these cells into becoming sperm, eggs, or even viable embryos containing the genetic programming to become a mammoth. They then plan to implant these bioengineered embryos into female Asian elephants, who will carry them to term and eventually give birth to woolly mammoth calves. Colossal aims to do this with other extinct species, including the dodo bird, the Tasmanian tiger and the Pyrenean ibex. The mammoth may not be the first creature to return from de-extinction as the Dodo and Tasmanian tiger reproduce much faster Ben Lamm says this same technique will allow Colossal Biosciences to restore the Dodo (illustrated) and Tasmanian Tiger Lamm said his eventual goal is to reintroduce self-sustaining, interbreeding populations of mammoths into the wild And because those species reproduce much faster than woolly mammoths, the world may see them come back to life before the tusked behemoths make their debut, according to Lamm. If Colossal succeeds in bringing back the mammoth, the company then plans to create genetically diverse, interbreedable herds that could establish sustainable populations in the wild. 'I see all these projects as rewilding projects,' Lamm said. As for where the mammoths will be reintroduced, Lamm said that the company has 'had some early conversations' with northern US states including Alaska, as well as Canada for potential woolly mammoth rewilding sites. But bringing a long-extinct species into our modern-day environment comes with risks. Introducing any new species into the environment has the potential to upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem. And because no one has ever reintroduced an extinct, ancient species to the wild, scientists can't be sure what consequences this will have. Around 52,000 years ago, a woolly mammoth happened to be freeze-dried by the weather just after it died, preserving its DNA in a glass-like state. The specimen was excavated in northeastern Siberia in 2018, allowing scientists to analyze its skin tissue When asked about these concerns, Lamm told DailyMail.com: 'We have to have the data, and that has to be thoughtfully collected and measured. 'But ultimately some of that is still modelling and I can't, with a clear conscience, say that any modelling by scientists affiliated with Colossal or not can give you 100 percent accuracy.' Still, he insists that he is not at all worried about the risks of reintroducing large extinct mammals like the mammoth. 'I think that what we can do is look at proxies for our rewilding and see how they work,' he said, pointing to the reintroduction of bison in Yellowstone National Park and the UK as examples. Studies have found that reintroducing native megafauna leads to a sustained improvement in biodiversity. Based on these encouraging results, Lamm says he believes bringing back woolly mammoths is likely to have a similarly positive effect. 'We feel confident that, in general, a more diverse ecosystem is a better ecosystem,' he said. Capital One has been hit by a nationwide outage, preventing customers from sending payments or accessing their money. Downdetector, a website that monitors online issues, shows the bank's services went down starting around 5am ET. Customers reported issues with making deposits, accessing account balances and online login. One Capital One user claimed they spoke to a manager who said that the bank has been having issues with early deposits since Wednesday. 'He stated if not posted by regular pay date, then to file a claim with them,' they said. Another person said there are 'high call volumes' when calling customer service to inquire about issues hitting Capital One services. Many people are frustrated over their direct deposit not reflecting in their accounts. A major US bank has been hit by an outage, preventing customers from sending payments or accessing their money Downdetector's outage map shows issues are largely focused on the East Coast, likely due to people checking their bank accounts before heading into work. ome issue reports are coming from Texas and Southern California. Approximately 77 percent of reported problems to Downdetector cite deposits, 15 percent for account balances and a small eight percent of the reports list online login. Users are sharing updates about the outage on Downdetector. One user, 'Jenny,' said: 'I was told 'By the end of day' we should all get the [direct deposit]. Guess we will see.' Another claimed they spoke to a customer service representative who said the problem stems from the Automated Clearing House (ACH), which is a nationwide network through which depository institutions send each other batches of electronic credit and debit transfers. Customers have also shared their frustrations on X. User Eddie Kane posted: '#CapitalOne hasnt released not ONE statement regarding the technical issue and customers paychecks not processing yet today. 'I need #CapitalOne to fix whatever technical issue they have going on so I can receive my paycheck, this is unacceptable.' The outage comes as Capital One was accused of 'cheating' customers out of $2 billion in interest payments on savings accounts. The bank was sued on Tuesday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The outage comes as Capital One was accused of 'cheating' customers out of $2 billion in interest payments on savings accounts The watchdog said Capital One promised customers that their popular 360 Savings account provided one of the 'top' and 'highest' interest rates, but then froze their rate at a lowly 0.30 percent while rates rose nationwide in line with the Federal Reserve's benchmark rate. About the same time, Capital One created a virtually identical product, called '360 Performance Savings.' This differed only from the 360 Savings account in that it paid out substantially more interest - at one point more than 14 times the 360 Savings rate. The bank did not notify 360 Savings account holders about the new product, and instead 'schemed' to keep them in the dark about the better-paying products, the CFPB alleges. 'The CFPB is suing Capital One for cheating families out of billions of dollars on their savings accounts,' said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. 'Banks should not be baiting people with promises they can't live up to.' The watchdog is seeking compensation for affected customers in its lawsuit, which it expects to win. One of NASA's stranded astronauts has finally left the International Space Station (ISS) after being stuck inside for eight months - but she's not headed home. Sunita Williams had a much-needed change of scenery Thursday during her first spacewalk since arriving on the ISS on June 6. Williams, the station's commander, had to tackle some overdue outdoor repair work alongside NASA's Nick Hague. 'I'm coming out,' Williams radioed at around 6.30am ET. The pair emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan in Central Asia. The spacewalk is expected to take six and a half hours, concluding at around 1pm ET. Williams and her crewmate Butch Wilmore were left stranded on the ISS after a malfunctioned Boeing capsule was deemed unsafe to bring them home. They were only supposed to be on the ISS for eight days but have faced numerous delays. The duo are set to return in late March or possibly April. Thursday's spacewalk was the first by NASA astronauts since November 2023. But this was the eighth career spacewalk for Williams as this is her second stay on the ISS. On January 23, Williams will conduct another spacewalk with Wilmore, marking the first time he will emerge from the station since the start of their doomed space mission. Sunita Williams has been stranded on the ISS since June but on Thursday, she was able to leave for a few hours Williams ventured outside of the ISS on Thursday, January 16, for the first time since her mission began last June NASA's current plan is to have Williams, Wilmore, Hague and Russian Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov fly back to Earth after the SpaceX Crew-10 mission reaches the ISS. That mission was originally slated to launch in February but was pushed back another one or possibly two months. The extended stay sparked concerns about Williams' health as medical professionals told DailyMail.com that she appeared gaunt in photos beamed to Earth from the space station. Dr Vinay Gupta, a pulmonologist and veteran in Seattle, said: 'What you're seeing there in that picture is somebody that I think is experiencing the natural stresses of living at a very high altitude, even in a pressurized cabin, for extended periods. 'Her cheeks appear a bit sunken - and usually it happens when you've had sort of total body weight loss,' Dr Gupta added. Sunita Williams, one of NASA's stranded astronauts, has finally left the International Space Station (ISS) after being stuck inside the floating laboratory for eight months Williams tried on and evaluated her spacesuit aboard the ISS on January 9 ahead of her upcoming spacewalk 'I think what I can discern by her face and her cheeks being sunken in is that [she] has probably been at a significant [calorie] deficit for a while.' The body burns more calories in space as it adjusts to the changes in gravity and tries to maintain its body temperature in cold, harsh conditions - and to prevent muscle and bone loss, astronauts exercise about 2.5 hours a day, which burns more calories. However, Williams hit back at the claims in a video interview, claiming she had actually put on muscle. 'My thighs are a little bit bigger, my butt is a little bit bigger. We do a lot of squats,' she said. She added that she is the same weight as when she launched to the ISS in June, and bizarrely claimed the apparent change in her appearance was due to 'fluid shift.' 'I think things shift around quite a bit, you probably heard of a fluid shift,' Williams said. 'Folks in space you know, their heads look a little bit bigger because the fluid evens out along the body.' NASA delayed the Crew-19 launch in December to give the agency and SpaceX time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft that will be used for the mission. By the time the Starliner crew comes home, they will have spent at least 10 months in space. Williams emerged as the orbiting lab sailed 260 miles above Turkmenistan in Central Asia . 'I'm coming out,' Williams radioed Williams and her colleague, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, were given several maintenance tasks to complete during their six and a half hour spacewalk During the Thursday spacewalk, Williams and Hague were tasked with repairing equipment that controls the ISS's orientation, patching light filters on the NICER X-ray telescope and replacing a reflector device on an international docking adapter. Additionally, the pair of astronauts must check access areas and connector tools that will be used for future maintenance work on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, which is a particle physics experiment module mounted to the ISS. When Williams and Wilmore venture out into space together next week, the two astronauts will remove a collection of components designed to transmit and receive radio waves, and collect surface samples for microorganism analysis. They will also prep a backup elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm, putting the joint into the optimal position for a quick replacement if needed. In a press briefing before Thursday's spacewalk, NASA Flight Director Nicole McElroy said: 'The road to our preparations for all of these EVAs (extra-vehicular activity) has been going well. 'The crew on board has been studying their procedures, getting familiar with all of the tasks, and are really excited and looking forward to going out the door.' An Air Force veteran has made shocking claims about UFOs and alien retrieval programs long-rumored to be operated by the US government. Jake Barber said he was working for the government to assist downed craft when one night, the 'communication process and procedure was modified' and he witnessed something that he believes was of extraterrestrial origin. He was told to fly a helicopter to a specific area when came 150 feet from an 'egg-shaped' object with no engine or thermal signals. 'I saw an egg, a white egg,' the pilot explained. 'It's inconsistent with anything I'd ever seen before,' Barber told NewsNation. His next order was to retrieve it from the ground, which he said was when he knew for sure the craft was not of this world. 'I can also tell you that the reaction by my team, we all knew we were dealing with something extraordinary,' the pilot said. 'Over the last couple of years, it's been confirmed to me by ranking members of the UAP task force that what we were working with that night was, in fact, NHI [non-human intelligence] and it was not a unique experience,' he said. UAP stands for 'unidentified anomalous phenomena' and is a term used by the Department of Defense to describe mysterious objects in the sky. Three high-level military veterans are said to corroborate Barber's story, according to NewsNation. Jake Barber, now a chief helicopter pilot in California, said he has witnessed alien craft while working for a secret UFO retrieval program He spoke with NewsNation special network correspondent Ross Coulthart in his first whistleblower interview. When asked exactly how he knew the 'egg' was of alien origin, Barber said: 'Just visually looking at the object on the ground, you could tell that it was extraordinary and anomalous. It was it was not human. Barber's LinkedIn profile states he is a 'disabled veteran,' but the account does not list his years in the Air Force. The page shows that he is from California where he works as a chief pilot at San Joaquin Helicopters & Coastal Helicopters. The full interview with Barber, titled 'Hunting UFOs: The Crash Retrieval Whistleblower,' is set to air on Saturday, January 18th at 8pm ET. Barber's description matched another witness report from 1957 when two Civil Aeronautics Administration controllers in the tower at New Mexico's Kirtland Air Force Base saw 'an egg-shaped object.' M. Kaser and E. G. Brink claimed they witnessed a white light traveling eastwards across the runway, left, then crossed other runways and areas of the airfield. They claimed the mysterious object did not have wings, a tail or a fuselage, and was elongated vertically. Many military personnel claimed to have witnessed UFOs. This image, obtained April 28, 2020, was taken by Navy pilots in 2017. Navy Cmdr David Fravor, who saw it, testified under oath in a hearing where he discussed the experience And it appeared to be 12 to 20 feet tall, according to a report in UFO Evidence. The men reported the object was about the size of an automobile standing on its nose, and had a single white light at its base. 'When the object was about 3000 feet ENE of the tower, it stopped completely and hovered for about a minute,' reads the case report. 'Then it began moving again, slowly at first, but then suddenly climbing at an extremely rapid rate of speed until it disappeared into the overcast sky. 'The object was in clear view at all time, with no intervening obstructions, according to the two men.' They requested the radar control team track the object as it moved east, with radar showing it turning south at very high speeds 'until it reached the vicinity of the Albuquerque Low-Frequency Range Station, where it circled for several minutes.' The object was then said to circle back to the Air Force base and follow behind a plane that had just taken off if to avoid detection. Sonia prepares to face her fate in court, Ian creeps back to Cindy, George makes a shocking discovery, Rubys on a mission and Phils a party pooper next week on Albert Square. Read on for the most explosive moments from next weeks EastEnders. 1. Sonias friends and family rally around With Sonia's trial around the corner, Jack, Reiss and Martin show their support As Sonias trial continues, Jack, Reiss and Martin head to court to support her. However, things go awry at the trial when Reiss causes a scene. Trying to do whats best for her unborn child, Sonia makes a huge decision that will have major consequences. 2. Ruby is bitten by the green-eyed monster Ruby appears jealous over the fact that Martin and Stacey have been spending time together Ruby is jealous that the battle for the market is seeing Martin spend more and more time with Stacey. Later, she reveals the good news that Roman is ready to be discharged from hospital, but shes upset when Martin continues to be distracted by the market business. 3. Jack and Denise are in a quandary What is going to happen next with Denise and Jack? Recent events are on the minds of both Denise and Jack. How long can the pair continue to hide whats going on in both their lives from each other? 4. Cindy homeless After the Christmas Day episode, Cindy doesn't know who to truth in the Square Cindy is shaken and unsure who to trust, but theres worse to come when Reiss tells her she has to find a new place to stay. Ian arrives to see her and after the pair share a heart to heart, he persuades Cindy to join him at The Vic. But once she arrives, Elaine, George and Gina soon make their feelings known. 5. Ruby joins the cause Ruby wants to get involved with the council meetings The pressure is on Martin when the meeting with the council is brought forward. Seeing his stress and wanting to feel involved, Ruby offers to step in at the last minute to help and attends the meeting. 6. The market fight turns nasty A fight breaks out during the community meeting At the community centre, the meeting over the future of the market gets underway. The market traders are quick to make their feelings known to Councillor Barker, but when Ruby speaks up, things soon take a turn as she ends up in a big argument with Barker. 7. Elaine steps in Elaine lures Ian to The Vic so that George can spend some time with her The Knights are shocked that Ian and Cindy seem close again, and when Ian refuses to let George speak to Cindy, Elaine lures Ian to The Vic to allow George to get some time with her. As George questions Ians motives for letting Cindy back in his life, Ian arrives back and the two men end up arguing. But could one of them be trying to cover their tracks over shovelgate? 8. Biancas escape plan Bianca tries to get Reiss to confess what has happened Reiss heads to the lock-up to visit Bianca and tells her what happened in court. As he breaks down, Bianca tries to persuade Reiss to confess. Reiss goes to leave, but Bianca makes a last-minute bid to win him over and outlines a plan. However, just as shes starting to win him round, some misjudged words send Reiss into a spin and he walks out. 9. Date night turns awkward There is a very awkward date night including Sharon and Jack Nicola decides to cause some mischief and wind up Teddy by inviting him and Sharon and him on a double date with her and Jack. However, things backfire and its Nicola who ends up red-faced as the evening plays out. 10. Phils in no mood to party Phil isn't interested in hearing what happened with Ben's trip Callum returns from the US and Phil has no interest in hearing about Ben or his trip. Later, Nigel and Callum join forces to arrange a belated birthday celebration for Phil, but its clear that Phil just wants a quiet night in. A crestfallen Nigel has to head to The Vic and break the news to Sharon and the Mitchell clan. 11. Will Reiss change Sonias future? Reiss decides to support Sonia at court Back on the Square, Reiss is comforted by Ruby whose words give him food for thought. At the court, Jack and Martin watch on as Sonia prepares to accept her fate. However, Reiss arrives at the eleventh hour, having clearly come to a decision. 12. A shock discovery for George Georgia and Elaine clash at the Vic After the altercation with Ian, George returns home furious and heads to the barrel store to let out his anger. However, a shocking discovery stops him in his tracks. George and Elaine are soon pointing the finger at each other, but later decide to quiz Anna and Gina. Is one of the pubs residents hiding a dark secret? 13. Can Sharon and Nigel help Phil? Sharon and Nigel speak about Phil together at the Vic Yolande is keen for Nigel to come with her to church, but hes clearly more concerned about Phils welfare. Later, Sharon gets Nigel alone and quizzes him about Phil. Can Phils two oldest friends on the Square find a way to help him? 14. Ruby goes rogue Ruby decides to put together a risky plan Ruby is deflated after the meeting with the council, but when she later runs into Councillor Barker it sparks an idea. Soon, she embarks on her risky plan, but how will Martin react when he discovers what shes done? 15. Tensions at the Vic Tensions reach boiling point at the Vic In the fallout of the discovery in the barrel store, George and Elaines relationship with Anna and Gina is strained. Later, however, Anna is in for another shock when she walks in on a secret conversation between Gina and Harry at the Arches. Kelly Ripa has labelled husband Mark Consuelos a 'dirty liar' after he denied her accusation that he reads her personal journal. The Live! with Kelly and Mark hosts were having a typically candid conversation on Wednesday's show when the former soap actress called out her co-host for taking a peek at her private musings. The conversation began when Mark, 53, pointed out that his wife, 54, had left her journal 'out by your bed stand once or twice.' Kelly immediately asked if the actor had ever taken a look, which he expressed denied. His wife wasn't convinced as she responded: 'You're a liar... You are a dirty liar.' However, Mark maintained his innocence as he explained: 'I don't want to know, I just want my reality to be my reality.' Kelly Ripa has labelled her husband Mark Consuelos a 'dirty liar' after he denied her accusation that he reads her personal journal Kelly then seemed to hint that he would only find favorable comments as she replied: 'What I think about you is fascinating... I think you would like it.' The playful banter between the pair is nothing new to fans of the couple, who have been together since they met while filming All My Children in 1994. The pair eloped in 1996 and will celebrate 29 years of marriage this year, after raising their children Michael, 27, Lola, 23, and Joaquin, 21. Just the day before, the couple's former co-star Susan Lucci - who played the role of Erica Kane on All My Children for the show's entire 41-year run - opened up about witnessing the couple's instant chemistry. Speaking to Andy Cohen onstage at New York's 92nd Street Y for an event commemorating the 55th anniversary of the All My Children's premiere, she said: 'I just have to say something about Mark and Kelly.' According to People, she then divulged the way she responded to the audition as she added: 'I was happy to be in the hair and makeup room watching their audition scenes, and we were all like: "Oh, get a room!"' She then directly addressed Kelly, who was sitting onstage next to her: 'The chemistry between you two was coming right through the screen.' All My Children launched both of Kelly and Mark's careers, as well as bringing them together personally and setting the stage for their marriage. Mark maintained his innocence as he explained: 'I don't want to know, I just want my reality to be my reality' Just the day before, the star joined other All My Children alum where they discussed her instant chemistry with her husband and former co-star on the popular soap They eloped in Las Vegas on May Day 1966 but did not tell even their colleagues about their romance until three months after the wedding. Kelly has explained that she and Mark were so secretive 'because we worked together and we didn't want it to be perceived that somehow we couldn't work together.' Their coworkers and fans only found out they were an item when Wendy Williams - who was then a radio shock jock - broke the news of their wedding on the air. Over the decades, their work took them in separate directions, as she became one of the biggest morning hosts in America and he acted on such series as Riverdale. In 2023, even their careers converged once again, with Mark becoming the latest in a string of co-hosts to star on Live! with Kelly. BBC Breakfast was plunged into chaos again as all four hosts vanished from show this week. Naga Munchetty, 49, and Charlie Stayt, 62, were nowhere to be seen on the red sofa this Thursday morning - and this meant that two presenters had to step in to fill the absence. Naga and Charlie present the programme every Thursday to Saturday, while Jon Kay and Sally Nugent are the hosts from Monday to Wednesday. But on Thursday Jon Roger, 56, and Sarah Campbell, 52, stood in for usual pair. Sarah joined the Beeb in the mid 90s and has had a very successful career with the broadcaster. The journalist was appointed Royal correspondent in 2013 and was part of the team that launched The Seven O'Clock News on BBC Three. BBC Breakfast has been involved in another host shake-up after all FOUR presenters vanish from our screens Thursday to Saturday's instalment of the show is usually presented by Naga and Charlie Sarah also presents BBC News - and took to our screens on Christmas Day to report. She also steps in for hosts on BBC Breakfast as needed. It's been a very been a busy week her co-host Jon - who has been on the show all week. On Wednesday BBC Breakfast was involved in another host shake-up after BOTH presenters went missing from the programme. Roger and Nina Warhurst, 44, were the pair who presented the show, instead of Jon and Sally. Nina joined the Beeb in 2010 when she became part of the East Midlands Today team. Eight years later Nina then became a freelancer for BBC Breakfast - where she began stepping in for the regular presenters when they weren't working. Then in 2020 Nina became business presenter for BBC Breakfast after Steph McGovern left. Thursday's episode of the programme saw Jon and Sarah take to our screens Sarah has presented BBC Breakfast a number of times over the years Meanwhile Jon hasn't appeared on the programme all week. On Monday and Tuesday Sally was also joined by Roger on the sofa. This isn't the first substitution of 2025 either. Just last week there were two presenter shake-ups. On Thursday, Charlie was missing from the show, and Naga was joined by none other than Nina Warhurst, 44, instead. There was an awkward moment between the presenters just before Carol Kirkwood shared some weather updates with viewers. Naga told Nina: 'We're already at the time where we stop saying Happy New Year apparently...' Nina replied: 'I know... I know. Christmas break is OVER.' Jon Kay has been missing from the show all week Then Naga made a cheeky confession, swiping: 'I don't think I've said it to Carol though...' A shocked Nina asked: 'Have you not?! Shame on you.' Naga hit back: 'I haven't seen her!' Nina didn't look impressed and tutted, before replying: 'Okay...' Charlie has been on BBC Breakfast since 2006, while Naga joined 11 years ago. BBC Breakfast airs on BBC1 from 6am and is available to stream on iPlayer. Death in Paradise will return for a 14th season this year - and the BBC's hit detective show is set to elbow a rival series out of its regular TV schedule slot. The wildly popular drama sees a string of detectives tackle crime on the tropical island of Saint Marie, keeping viewers gripped with mysterious cases and dramatic plot twists. It starred Ben Miller as Richard Poole, the first ever DI in the picturesque location, and subsequently Ralf Little as longest-serving detective - Neville Parker. Most episodes took a similar approach, starting with a portrayal of the events leading to the murder, before the suspects are established. The case eventually clicks for the DI and the suspects are gathered at the end, with the culprit announced. The series has proved a hit ever since it first aired in 2011, maintaining an impressive viewership of between 7 and 8 million during that time. Now the BBC has announced it is back once again for a 14th season, with the first episode of the new run airing on January 31 and featuring Don Gilet, 57, as new DI Mervin Wilson. Death in Paradise will return this year but the BBC's hit detective show is set to elbow a rival series out of its regular TV schedule slot Its 9pm time slot will cause waves on other channels, with Channel 5 forced to move their flagship mystery series The Good Ship Murder to 8pm Death in Paradise is back once again for a 14th season, with the first episode of the new run airing on January 31 and featuring Don Gilet, 57, as new DI Mervin Wilson (pictured) It starred Ben Miller as Richard Poole, the first ever DI in the picturesque location, back in 2011 But Death In Paradise's 9pm time slot will cause waves on other channels, with Channel 5 forced to move their flagship mystery series The Good Ship Murder to 8pm to avoid a clash. The drama follows former Coronation Street stars Shayne Ward, 40, and Catherine Tyldesley, 41, as they try to crack cases aboard a luxury cruise ship. Viewers were left frustrated by the time slot clash with BBC's The Traitors and will be grateful to learn the Channel 5 series will not clash with Death In Paradise either. Former EastEnders actor Don takes the lead when solving the many murders of Saint Marie, after first making an appearance on the 2024 Christmas special. On that occasion, the new DI impressed by cracking the mystery of 'who shot the Santas?' but not all fans were keen on his arrival. One X user went as far as to say he should be killed off: 'It's only one episode but not gonna lie, Don't like new inspector Melvin, Hope he goes maybe murdered that'll be cool.' Another added: 'Worst detective inspector ever I certainly won't be watching anymore.' But some disagreed, with one viewer saying: 'Don Gilet is fabulous in Death in Paradise - at last an actor in the role. A proper breath of fresh air.' In the Christmas special, the new DI impressed by cracking the mystery of 'who shot the Santas?' but fans were divided on his arrival Another posted: 'I like the new inspector Mervin Wilson, I can see a romance hatching between him and DS Naomi Thomas.' Every season of Death In Paradise boasts its share of guest stars and this time around it is no different with the series featuring Tobi Bakare reprising his role of Sergeant JP Hooper, Simon Lennon, Bhavna Limbachia, Adam James, David Avery, Sofia Oxenham, Patricia Allison and many more. New detective Mervin will aim to leave the island at the start of the series but will be pulled back in by a gripping case. Elsewhere, Commissioner Selwyn Patterson (Don Warrington) must deal with momentous news from the Chief Commissioner in Jamaica that rocks the police department to its very core. Death in Paradise, filmed on the French Caribbean Island of Guadeloupe, was the UK's most watched returning drama in 2024 across all broadcasters and streamers and aired in more than 230 territories across the globe. All series of Death In Paradise are available to stream on BBC iPlayer now. Fans of a BBC thriller have a brand new series to look forward to as production kicks off on new plotlines after a three-year break. The unusual drama aired in 2019 with a first season comprising six hour-long episodes, before returning for another half a dozen three years later. Viewers of The Capture have hailed its remarkable knack of building tension, as well as its rich storylines, gaining it a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes, including a perfect 100% rating among critics for the second season. The series honed in on the dark world of deepfakes and international espionage, developing a string of frighteningly prescient plots. In the opening season, a soldier fell victim to manipulated tech-based evidence amid the disappearance of his barrister, while the following series focussed on a government minister caught up in a deep fake campaign. Now The Capture looks set to return for a third season this spring following the huge popularity of the previous series, according to website TV Zone. Fans of a BBC thriller have a brand new series to look forward to as production kicks off on the new plotlines after a three-year break Viewers of The Capture have hailed its remarkable knack of building tension, as well as its rich storylines, gaining it a 92 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes Both seasons have followed Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger, right), with the opening run seeing her world collide with soldier Shaun's (played by Dua Lipa's fiance Callum Turner, left) Fans of the show will be delighted to hear of its return after the opening two seasons gripped viewers, with many penning positive reviews online. One said on Rotten Tomatoes: 'Provocative and tense would be two words that spring to mind immediately. The central premise is engaging and pushes the boundaries of our imagination while not falling prey to the outlandishness that currently holds Hollywood ransom.' Another impressed viewer added: 'For me this was a slightly slow start/slow burn but once I was hooked l could not stop watching. Interesting if a little scary Big Brother plotline. Some great British actors too.' A third fan posted: 'One of the best series I've ever watched. Thought the first season was good but the 2nd takes it to the next level. Need more series like this. The ending was sublime, left me utterly speechless.' One user added: 'Just wow! Acting was amazing. Dialogue was well done and the plot was amazing. The finale episode was great and the ending was so unexpected I was speechless.' Another fan said: 'The second season is a strong step up from what was already a good series. This season evolves into an even more intriguing storyline, with a very good ending. 'This is an important series to watch on the growing threat of deep fake technology and government abuse of power. The only negative was Ron Perlman's acting.' And a hooked viewer added: 'Excellent intelligent hi tech thriller. Lots of twists and turns makes an edge of seat viewing for each episode and leaves you wanting more every time. Fans of the show will be delighted to hear of its return after the opening two seasons gripped viewers, with many penning positive reviews online 'An intense thoughtful plot with five protagonists and in keeping with the story, you are never quite sure who is on who's side. Holly (Grainger) is exceptional again and the BBC again shows it is able to produce world class drama - again.' Both seasons have followed Rachel Carey (Holliday Grainger), who is part of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command, with the opening run seeing her world collide with that of soldier Shaun, an alleged war criminal acquitted of his charges in Afghanistan. The armed forces member, played by Dua Lipa's fiance Callum Turner, has his life turn upside down after his barrister goes missing and manipulated CCTV footage makes him question his own recollection of events. His fine performance earned him a nomination at the BAFTAs for Best Actor. It came to the surprise of no one that a second season was commissioned, given that The Capture shot into the top 10 most requested shows on BBC iPlayer that year. The next set of episodes saw Rachel enter the orbit of a government minster, played by Paapa Essiedu, who is targeted by a deep fake campaign which threatens to derail the nation's media. Zara McDermott has bagged a brand new BBC documentary series after her split from ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson. The Made In Chelsea star, 32, and former Love Island star, 28, were reported to have parted ways after five years together last month. And just days after Zara appeared to reveal that she had moved out of their Chelsea home, the BBC confirmed that she will be heading to Thailand for an upcoming documentary series that is set to air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in 2025. In the new documentary series, made by South Shore Productions, Zara will explore the destination which has become a popular tourist spot for young Brits. The series will kick off in bustling Bangkok before heading to some popular party islands and will feature a lively cast of characters. Zara's main aim for the documentary is to discover why thousands of young Brits flock to the exotic location every year. Zara McDermott has bagged a brand new BBC documentary after her split from ex-boyfriend Sam Thompson The Made In Chelsea star, 32, and former Love Island star, 28, were reported to have parted ways after five years together last month From backpackers to those who are seeking longer-term roots - the new documentary will unearth the secrets of the vast and varied country. Speaking to the BBC, Zara revealed that she is excited to explore a new country: 'I'm excited to discover a country that so many young people like me are heading to right now.' 'Theres clearly a fascination with the nightlife, parties and stunning beaches - but there seems to be other intriguing reasons people are going to Thailand and staying.' Meanwhile, Naomi Templeton, Executive Producer said: 'Were thrilled to be working with Zara.' 'She will offer a new perspective on the many reasons thousands of young Brits are drawn to explore Thailand every year.' Clare Sillery, Head of Commissioning, Documentaries for the BBC added: 'Were delighted to work with Zara again on a new series exploring Thailand, a destination which holds a huge appeal for young travellers.' 'Zara has an eye level connection with the BBC Three audience and the stories that matter to them.' Zara has brought a range of thought-provoking and critically acclaimed documentaries to the BBC over the last few years. And just days after Zara appeared to reveal that she had moved out of their Chelsea home, the BBC confirmed that she will be heading to Thailand for an upcoming documentary series that is set to air on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer in 2025 In the new documentary series made by South Shore Productions, Zara will explore the destination which has become a popular tourist spot for young Brits (Phuket Thailand in November 2024) The series will kick off in bustling Bangkok before heading to some popular party islands and will feature a lively cast of characters (picture of Bangkok from last year) The star has spoken about several important topics including revenge porn, sexism, and 'rape culture' in UK schools as well as the rise of young people experiencing eating disorders. The documentaries continue to resonate with the BBC Three's core audience of 16-34s, delivering an average audience of 1.2m over 28 days, of which more than 200k were 16-34s, and in the top 10 BBC Three titles in 2024 among 16-34s. Zara and Sam began dating in 2019 after the reality TV star slid into her DMs on Instagram. But it was reported over New Year's that the pair had recently parted ways - with neither of them publicly commenting on the break-up. It comes after fans were left convinced they knew the real reason why the couple split after not spending Christmas together. The pair have gone their separate ways just one month after Sam shared a gushing post about his 'soul mate' Zara on her birthday. Zara's main aim for the documentary is to discover why thousands of young Brits flock to the exotic location every year Zara and Sam began dating in 2019 after the reality TV star slid into her DMs on Instagram. But it was reported over New Year's that the pair had recently parted ways (pictured last year) In the Instagram post, the radio presenter described Zara as his 'best friend' who is 'stuck with him forever'. He penned: 'My best friend, and soul mate some would say my person. I'm afraid you're stuck with me forever. Happy birthday. I love you so much, and wow have I missed you over the past month! Here's to another amazing year with you.' However, fans have now taken to the comments to say it was his lack of action that prompted the pair to split as they claimed Sam should have asked Zara to marry him. They wrote: 'In the words of Beyonce. If you like it then you should put a ring on it'; 'Propose, no time like the present'; 'Mate, buy her a ring FFS'; 'If she is going to be with you forever, why not put a ring on it. What are you waiting for'; 'Get a ring on that finger'. Another questioned: 'How can going to be together [forever] two weeks ago [turn] to splitting up days later...this is rather extreme!!' EastEnders has announced a new spin-off show which Walford legend Ross Kemp will host for the soap's 40th anniversary. EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square, a documentary that tracks iconic moments from the show over the years, will see a string of iconic stars return to screens. To mark the occasion, the hour-long BBC One special will dive behind the scenes to access some of its most poignant storylines from the last four decades. The new spin-off will be fronted by actor and presenter Ross Kemp, best known to EastEnders viewers as the infamous Grant Mitchell. Some of the storylines explored will see Kat's historical abuse storyline as well as Mark Fowler and Zack's HIV diagnoses. It will also share a behind-the-scenes insight as Ross speaks to some of the actors directly involved in those storylines. Many of them tackled themes and issues that had never been featured on primetime British TV before. EastEnders has announced a new spin-off show which Walford legend Ross Kemp will host for the soap's 40th anniversary EastEnders: 40 Years on The Square, a documentary hosted by Ross Kemp (Grant Mitchell) that tracks iconic moments from the show over the years, will see a string of iconic stars return to screens Some of the cast members will include show stalwarts Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale), Gillian Taylforth (Kathy Cotton) and Letitia Dean (Sharon Watts). Special appearances from EastEnders legends Anita Dobson and Pam St Clement will also be featured, with the original landlady taking a trip down memory lane alongside her on-screen daughter. And Ross's return to Albert Square be one of many as he has reprised the role of Grant and will arrive back in Walford as the show heads towards its 40th anniversary in February. Speaking of the new documentary, Ross Kemp said: 'It was a privilege to be asked to present this documentary, celebrating 40 years of EastEnders. 'During the making of it I was constantly reminded of the impact EastEnders has, not only on the cast and everyone that works on the show, but also on the audience, as well as the effect it has had culturally in the United Kingdom. 'It also gave me a wonderful opportunity to take a trip down memory lane with some of my dear friends - old and new and celebrate this special anniversary, it was an absolute honour.' Executive Producer Joe Ingham added: 'EastEnders has had a transformative effect on television audiences for forty years - myself included. 'It has been a privilege to work with the legend that is Ross Kemp and an honour to spend time in Walford, revealing a never before seen side of Albert Square, forging emotional family reunions, and exploring the impact its residents have and continue to have beyond E20.' The actor made his mark as one of half of the legendary Mitchell brothers, and loving son to Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell (pictured with Barbara Windsor and Steve McFadden) Ross joined the show almost 35 years ago and soon made his mark as one of half of the legendary Mitchell brothers alongside Phil (Steve McFadden), and loving son to Queen Vic landlady Peggy Mitchell, who was played by the late Dame Barbara Windsor. Grant has been part of some of the most memorable storylines in soap history including uncovering his brothers affair with his wife Sharon in 1994, the death of his second wife Tiffany who was run over by Grants stepfather Frank Butcher on New Years Eve 1998, and the Mitchell brothers car crash in 1999. It is not his first return to Albert Square after his initial stint from 1990-1999, he returned for a year in 2005, and again in 2016 for Dame Barbaras final scenes with her sons. His character later returned to Portugal with daughter Courtney (Megan Jossa). Southeast Asian mayors experience Chinese New Year traditions in Nanning 15:05, January 16, 2025 By Zhang Li ( Chinadaily.com.cn Mayors from seven Southeast Asian countries, including Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia, gathered in Nanning, the capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, for the Global Mayors Dialogue from Wednesday to Saturday. The dialogue has focused on exploring new models, content, and pathways for friendly exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign cities, aiming to foster a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future. On Wednesday evening, the delegation visited Sanjie Liangxiang, a historical district in Nanning, to experience some Chinese New Year customs. They enjoyed folk art exhibitions, observed demonstrations of intangible cultural heritage, and watched local opera performances. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) Proudly posing at the local county fair with a bundle of foraged hay and a rosette for third place, nobody would have suspected this striking woman in her 60s was once married to arguably the biggest star in Hollywood. While fans of Tom Cruise will be well aware of his marriages to Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman, some could be forgiven for forgetting his first wife - whose life has gone in rather a different direction. Tom, now 62, quietly married Florida-born actress Mimi Rogers, during his rise to fame as a leading man in Top Gun with only two people in attendance as they said their vows. Mimi, now 68, who is also a professional poker player, is believed to be the person who first introduced Tom to Scientology, a religion that has dominated conversations around the Mission Impossible star throughout his career. The pair's union was short-lived, and they separated after two years in 1989, just days before Tom started filming Days Of Thunder, where he met Nicole Kidman, who would become his second wife. A photo of the couple at the Vanity Fair Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood in 2000 showing Nicole dragging heavily on a cigarette went viral this week, proves how interest in the couple abides, even two decades after their split. But while Nicole is still very much a leading lady, Mimi has since taken a significant step back from the Hollywood landscape. While Tom Cruis is considered one of Hollywood's biggest stars, fans will be forgiven for forgetting about his first and lesser-known marriage, to actress Mimi Rogers (pictured in 1989) While Tom's star has continued to rise, Mimi has pursued more unlikely ventures, competing at county fairs with her homegrown hay, and recording personalised video messages on Cameo Now 68, Mimi regularly shares glimpse of her unstarry lifestyle on Instagram While she has starred in the Prime Video series Bosch, a glimpse at Mimi's social media reveals that her life couldn't be further from the glitz and glamour of her marriage to Tom. Alongside her TV work, Mimi has pursued a more unlikely venture, competing at county fairs with her homegrown hay, and she tops up her salary by recording personalised video messages on Cameo. Tom and Mimi first met back in 1985 while he was developing Top Gun, though the pair's recollections of their first encounters are conflicting, to say the least. The actor, who was 23 at the time, told Rolling Stone in 1986 that he met Mimi, then 29, 'at a dinner party about a year ago,' however he revealed that she was 'dating a friend' at the time. 'I thought she was extremely bright,' Tom said. Mimi's version of events appears different, as she previously told Sun Sentinel that she and Tom had been introduced by mutual friends. Tom and Mimi first met back in 1985 while he was developing Top Gun, though the pair's recollections of their first encounters are conflicting, to say the least It's believed that during their marriage, Mimi, who was second-generation Scientologist, also introduced Tom to the religion 'I wasn't seeing anybody, he wasn't seeing anybody, and they thought, "These people should be going out with somebody let's see if they want to go out with each other,"' she recalled. 'And we said, "Aw, what the heck. OK".' Due to Tom's vast fame, he and Mimi attempted to keep their marriage a quiet affair, and they tied the knot in 1987 in a 'very small, intimate and beautiful' ceremony with just two guests in attendance. It's believed that they referred to their big day as 'The Project,' and they exchanged vows with The Mighty Ducks actor Emilio Estevez as best man. Of their time together, Mimi originally spoke fondly, telling Chicago Tribune in 1988: 'There's a lot of contentment and security (in marriage). I highly recommend it.' However, she later spoke about how marriage to Cruise did nothing to boost her career prospects. 'Nobody hires you because youre married to somebody famous--in fact, I think youre tested a little extra because of it,' she said. In 1989, just two years after they married, Tom filed for divorce from Mimi, and she later claimed that their sex life had dried up by the time their relationship ended It's believed that during their marriage, Mimi, who was six years older than Cruise, a divorcee, and a professional poker player, was the one who introduced him to Scientology. Her father was one of the original members of the church and was close to the founder L.Ron Hubbard as well as being a prominent Mission Holder. What's more, her first marriage was to a Scientology counsellor named Jim Rogers. In an interview with the LA Times, Rogers explained that the philosophy was 'simply part of my upbringing' and that her father, a civil engineer, had become involved with the church before she was born. 'I think it was an excellent system of belief to grow up with because Scientology offers an extremely pragmatic method for taking spiritual concerns and breaking them down into everyday applications,' she said. Following their split, it's believed Mimi left the religion and her father reportedly was declared a 'suppressive person' after he too quit in the early 1980s, while Tom remains one of the most famous members of the church. In 1989, just two years after they married, Tom filed for divorce from Mimi, which was finalised the following year. Since her split from Tom, Mimi has continued to pursue acting, with roles in shows such as The X Files and Two and a Half Men, and more recently the Prime Video series Bosch She then went onto reprise her role in Amazon Freevee spin-off Bosch: Legacy, with its third and final season set to be released in March According to Andrew Morton's Tom Cruise: An Unauthorized Biography, Tom chose to end his marriage just two days before he was due to start Days of Thunder, where he would star opposite Nicole Kidman, who later became his second wife. In a statement announcing their split, Tom and Mimi said: 'While there have been positive aspects to our marriage, there were some issues which could not be resolved even after working on them for a period of time.' Just days before their split, Tom couldn't speak more highly of his spouse, telling Rolling Stone: 'I think it's helped me be a better actor. We live a lot of life together. We share everything. That's the best thing about life. 'Otherwise, you go through it pretty sad and lonely and angry.' 'I care about my wife more than anything in the world. She's my best friend. I just really like being with her, you know? I love her.' Reflecting on their relationship, Mimi told People in 1995: 'You cease to be an individual. No matter what the article is, it's ''Tom Cruise's wife...'' Mimi also sells personalised birthday messages for her fans on Cameo, charging 102.50 for a recorded clip Tom and Mimi's divorce was finalised in February 1990, with the actress receiving a reported $4 million settlement, and just 10 months later, he and Nicole tied the knot. Following their split, Mimi revealed that her sex life with Tom had dried up in the months leading to their divorce. She told Playboy in 1993: ''Here's the real story Tom was seriously thinking of becoming a monk. At least for that period of time, it looked as though marriage wouldn't fit into his overall spiritual needs. 'And he thought he had to be celibate to maintain the purity of his instrument,' adding that her own instrument 'needed tuning.' Reflecting on their relationship, she told People in 1995: 'You cease to be an individual. No matter what the article is, it's ''Tom Cruise's wife ...'' However she went onto tell The Telegraph in 2001 that 'stardom wasn't really a problem' in their marriage. Following her split from Tom, Mimi married her third husband, producer Chris Ciaffa, in 2003, and they have two children, daughter Lucy, 30, and son Charlie, 23 Since her split from Tom, Mimi has continued to pursue acting, with roles in shows such as The X Files, Two and a Half Men and Mad Men. More recently, she has starred in the Prime Video series Bosch, which is based on a trio of novels by Michael Connelly. The show focuses on LAPD detective Harry Bosch, as he strives to solve a string of murders, with Mimi playing civil rights attorney Honey 'Money' Chandler. While she originally had a recurring role on the show, Mimi was upgraded to a full-time cast member for Bosche's seventh and final season in 2021. She then went onto reprise her role in Amazon Freevee spin-off Bosch: Legacy, with its third and final season set to be released in March. Reflecting on her decision to pursue acting in 2022, she told Smashing Interviews Magazine: 'You know, I dont have a deep, complicated reason. I enjoy books and storytelling, and it just seemed like it would be a fun thing to do. 'It seemed like it would be a fun job. Unfortunately, I was very naive and didnt realize there were millions of people that thought the same thing (laughs). 'So I just blithely started out and said, Okay. Thats what Im going to do. Fortunately, it worked out (laughs).' Away from the small screen, Mimi has also shared on Instagram that she's been selling her homegrown hay at County Fairs. Sharing a snap of her successes back in August, she wrote: 'Our hay did really well at the county fair. Took third for first cutting and fourth for second cutting!' Mimi also sells personalised birthday messages for her fans on Cameo, charging 102.50 for a recorded clip. Following her split from Tom, Mimi married her third husband, producer Chris Ciaffa, in 2003, and they have two children, daughter Lucy, 30, and son Charlie, 23. As press conferences go, it was more suited to the corridors of the Kremlin. But the tightly controlled media management I witnessed yesterday wasnt for an all-powerful dictator like Vladimir Putin. No, it was for a much more unlikely figure: the runner-up of 2019s Love Island, influencer Molly-Mae Hague. The 25-year-old is the star of a new tell-all reality show for Amazon Prime, which promises to take viewers beyond the headlines to uncover the real Molly-Mae, following her journey after her highly publicised break-up. But there was nothing real about yesterdays proceedings. No doubt to avoid any difficult or awkward subject areas - namely her split from fiance Tommy Fury, 25 - journalists were told to submit questions for Molly-Mae days in advance. Presumably they were then vetted by a committee to ensure we were getting Molly-Mae at her most authentic - or not, as the case proved to be. Arriving at five-star hotel The Londoner in Leicester Square, I was reminded that filming and taking pictures of any kind during the Q&A was strictly prohibited. Clearly the social media princess did not want her eight million Instagram followers to see photographs that had not been pre-approved. Grant Tucker with Molly-Mae. There was nothing real about yesterday's proceedings Molly-Mae found fame on ITV's hit show Love Island, in which she was runner-up during the 2019 edition Her Amazon Prime Video documentary is released on Friday Once I received my golden wristband, I descended into the bowels of the luxury hotel where I was met by a friendly PR from no-nonsense agency Freuds. And then another. And another. There was a whole phalanx of agents to escort me to the Molly-Mae-appropriate juice buffet, serving either a green coconut water, spinach and kale concoction or a brown coconut yogurt with acai berries, pomegranate, toasted sesame seeds and blueberries, served in miniature tankards. As I snaffled a few buttermilk scones with strawberry preserve and Chantilly cream, I cased the room to see that my fellow journalists had all been assigned their very own Molly-Mae PR chaperone too. A rather heavy-handed ratio. We numbered around 20 - the chosen few - and were soon ushered to our seats with all the solemnity of a state funeral. The star of the show, we were told, was due to speak publicly for the first time since The Split. For those not up to speed on the Molly-Mae Hague saga, the Hertfordshire-born teenager became the most successful contestant ever to appear on ITVs Love Island, as runner-up with the love of her life Mancunian boxer - and brother of world heavyweight Tyson - Tommy Fury. On leaving the villa and being snapped up for a huge array of lucrative brand collaborations, the pair revelled in their riches - Molly-Mae buying a 4million mansion in Manchester. They also started a family, welcoming daughter Bambi in 2023. But last year, five years after their romance first began - and just three weeks after she had marked their one-year engagement anniversary with a sweet post on Instagram - fans were left devastated when the Love Island icons suddenly announced it was all over. Molly-Mae wrote: I am extremely upset to announce that mine and Tommys relationship has come to an end. I will forever be grateful for the most important thing to me now and always, my beautiful daughter. Without us there would be no her, she will always be my priority. The documentary, Behind It All, is set to provide an in-depth observation of Molly-Mae's daily life Hague has sought to make her daughter, Bambi, a priority despite her busy schedule Distraught fans went into overdrive online as they speculated over what could have ended their fairytale love story, likening it to the Prince Charles and Princess Diana split. While Fury fiercely denied cheating on his fiancee, he has admitted that his drinking problem played a part in their downfall. But the split has not been an acrimonious one. The former couple have since been pictured together so many times, some are now questioning whether it was all just a publicity stunt. Speculation has reached fever pitch in recent weeks as the pair were filmed kissing at midnight at a New Years Eve party. Molly-Mae has suggested that their reunion might be shown in the six-part documentary, insisting its all real. So now - finally - it was time for Molly-Mae to tell her version of events. As the clock struck 12pm at the Q&A, there was still no sign of the influencer - leaving me to admire the Molly-Mae-themed decor. Cream curtains covered the wall and there were two huge displays of white roses, all reflected in the mirrored ceiling, giving the room an air of a 1970s disco meets local crematorium. Five minutes later a hush descended upon the room, as Molly-Mae - flanked by bodyguards without a blonde, blow-dried hair out of place - finally graced us with her presence. Hague was previously engaged to Tommy Fury, who is the father of her daughter The pair shared a New Year's kiss, sparking rumours they may be back together There was a whole phalanx of agents to escort me to the Molly-Mae-appropriate juice buffet, serving either a green coconut water, spinach and kale concoction or a brown coconut yogurt with acai berries, pomegranate, toasted sesame seeds and blueberries, served in miniature tankards The reality star, wearing a pin-striped zipped jacket and black trousers, hurriedly took her seat as not one but two camera crews emerged - one to film for the Amazon series, another wielding an iPhone for her two million YouTube followers. I am now officially part of the Molly-Mae reality circus. Frost to Molly-Maes Nixon is Demi Doyle, the executive producer of the Amazon series who would conduct the interrogation - sorry press Q&A. I brace myself for a dazzling sucker punch of a first question. Why do you think you decided to do it? she asks Molly-Mae. Hmmm. Perhaps she was lulling her in, making her feel comfortable before surprising her with a zinger. But the dull questions continued. What do you think people would expect from the series? Do you feel nervous about this going out? Do you think theres anything anyone will be shocked by? Molly-Mae, as poised and well-rehearsed as anyone I have ever seen at The National Theatre, told us that the new series, for which she has reportedly been paid millions, will let people in, in a way that I havent before. Which is surprising coming from a vlogger who has posted every facet of her young life online since she was a teenager. All of Molly-Maes answers were the same, with her repeatedly saying how honest she has been. I will have to take her word for it because, of course, due to the highly confidential nature of the show, we have not been permitted to watch the series before sitting down with its star. She reassured us again that she has been very, very open, very, very honest and is a girl who wears her heart on her sleeve. Could this series be the biggest confessional since Bill Clinton confirmed his relations with Monica Lewinsky? Fear not - its not all heartbreak and introspection. The former Love Islander did give talk about the hilarious scenes we can look forward to watching. I think like the things that you film candidly and the things that you dont expect are going to be filmed that day, theyre always the best parts of the documentary and the funniest bits are the bits that you dont plan for, Molly-Mae informed us. Im like talking through my wardrobe and Im like, oh yeah, Ive just got these outfits. And then, I noticed on the bottom of these cream pants, theres just like a smooshed avocado on the bottom of the pants because theyve not been washed properly! She also enthusiastically tells the interviewer that her cats Eggy and Bread peed on her carpet. A stark reminder that humour is indeed subjective. Ever the shrewd businesswoman, her new fashion brand Maebe also got a dozen mentions, and, as she emphasised, it is her priority for the year ahead. And obviously my daughter, she hastily added. When she was finally asked about the split and whether it was a publicity stunt, she goes full Meghan Markle, taking a deep breath and fluttering her eyelashes. I wish it was a publicity stunt, she said, eyes wide. Because it would have been a lot easier. But what about that New Years kiss? We are navigating a really complicated time in both our lives in the public eye, she said. The last thing I ever want is any confusion, I dont want people to feel confused by things that were going on. Definitely no confusion there. Well, with that settled, the 25-minute charade is nearly over, but not before she tells us that fans have been inundating her with messages saying they have booked the day off so they can binge the first three episodes when they are released tomorrow. It should be given as a Bank Holiday, I love it! she enthused. That would be iconic. I cant help but feel a pang of sympathy for Rachel Reeves as she contends with Britains productivity crisis. Before I am released, we journalists are ordered into a single-file queue to get what she assumed we all came for. Not the truth behind the split of Gen Zs Prince Charles and Diana. But a selfie with the queen of self. Sofia Vergara and Lewis Hamilton looked very cosy as they headed out for lunch in New York. The Modern Family actress, 52, set off a swirl of romance rumours with the F1 megastar, 40, after they stepped out together on Tuesday. The pair were grinning from ear to ear at each other as they said goodbye before the Colombian-American star headed into a car. Sofia looked as chic as ever for the lunch as she sported a pair of relaxed wide-leg jeans with a black one-shouldered top. She also draped a white wool coat over shoulders and accessorised with a black leather bag. Meanwhile Lewis kept it low-key in a pair of baggy paint-splattered torn jeans with a brown tartan shirt and overcoat. Sofia Vergara and Lewis Hamilton looked very cosy as they headed out for lunch in New York on Tuesday The Modern Family actress, 52, set off a swirl of romance rumours with the F1 megastar, 40, after they stepped out together He finished off his look with a typically quirky brown fluffy bucket hat and tan suede boots. The pair were seen dining with friends at Breakfast by Salt Cure in the West Village on Tuesday. The outing sparked some buzz as the pair enjoyed their meal at the trendy New York City spot. Sofia and Lewis were seated next to each other at a restaurant table where they were joined by friends. Observers claimed that Sofia hardly ate any of the food in front of her, as she was so engrossed in the table talk, according to TMZ. Outside the restaurant, she and Lewis chatted to one another before she slipped into an SUV and left. Both of the celebrities appeared to be in bright spirits as they spoke to one another on the sidewalk after the lunch, which is said to have lasted two hours. The day after her lunch with Lewis, Sofia was spotted stepping out solo as she headed to dinner at the upscale American restaurant The Corner Store in Soho. She showed off her assets in a plunging burgundy jumpsuit that emphasized her enviable hourglass frame to full advantage. Throwing a wine-colored coat fashionably over her shoulders, she added a splash of contrast to the look with a white Yves Saint Laurent clutch. Over the years, Sofia has romanced a number of younger men, including her second husband Joe Manganiello, 48, and ex-fiance Nick Loeb, 49. Sofia and Lewis were seated next to each other at a restaurant table where they were joined by friends Observers claimed that Sofia hardly ate any of the food in front of her, as she was so engrossed in the table talk, according to TMZ The pair were grinning from ear to ear at each other as they said goodbye before the Colombian-American star headed into a car Sofia looked as chic as always for the lunch outing as she sported a pair of relaxed wide-leg jeans with a black one-shouldered top She also draped a white wool coat over shoulders and accessorised with a black leather bag Meanwhile Lewis kept it low-key in a pair of baggy paint-splattered torn jeans with a brown tartan shirt and overcoat The outing sparked some buzz as the pair enjoyed their meal at the trendy New York City spot The day after her lunch with Lewis, Sofia was spotted stepping out solo as she headed to dinner at the upscale American restaurant The Corner Store in Soho She showed off her assets in a plunging burgundy jumpsuit that emphasized her enviable hourglass frame to full advantage She accessorized with ornate bracelets and a set of earrings for her latest night out Sofia brought the look together with a towering pair of stilettos Meanwhile Lewis famously carried on an on-off relationship with Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger from 2007 until their final split in 2015. In the decade since, he has been linked to supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner, and found himself denying romance rumors with Rihanna. There has also been unconfirmed speculation connecting him to such names as Rita Ora, Winnie Harlow, Barbara Palvin and Nicki Minaj. Sofia is last known to have dated orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman, but this past October she revealed that she was single again. She was first spotted out with Justin in October 2023, and the pair were seen on several dates since before she divulged she was back on the market. Sofia was asked about dating in New York versus Los Angeles and said she 'was talking yesterday about it because now Im single sokind of single,' via Us Weekly. At the Golden Globes this month, she said her goals for the new year were 'health,' 'money,' and 'a boyfriend - or a lover maybe,' to Access Hollywood. Justin was the first boyfriend Sofia was known to have had since the collapse of her marriage to Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello in 2023. She is last known to have dated orthopedic surgeon Justin Saliman, but this past October she revealed that she was single again Justin is the first boyfriend Sofia is known to have had since the collapse of her marriage to Magic Mike beefcake Joe Manganiello in 2023; Sofia and Joe seen in 2015 Between marriages, she dated actor Nick Loeb for two years before getting engaged to him in 2012, only for them to break up in 2014; pictured in 2014 Sofia and Joe tied the knot in 2015 when she was at the height of her international stardom as Gloria Pritchett on Modern Family. She was previously married in the early 1990s to her high school sweetheart Joe Gonzalez, with whom she welcomed her 33-year-old son Manolo Gonzalez Vergara. Between marriages, she dated actor Nick Loeb for two years before getting engaged to him in 2012, only for them to break up in 2014. After their split, Sofia and Nick plunged into a legal battle over two fertilized embryos that they produced through in vitro fertilization and kept cryogenically frozen. Nick first sued Sofia in 2015 in order to obtain custody of the embryos and bring them to term, triggering a years long feud in the courts. He began their legal fight in California but then shifted it to Louisiana, where the law regards embryos as separate human beings with their own rights. Sofia scored a victory against Nick in 2021 when a Los Angeles judge granted a permanent injunction against his using the embryos without her consent. The ruling accused Nick's lawyers of 'blatantly engaging in forum shopping,' attempting to get the case into a court that would lean in his favor. Meanwhile Lewis famously carried on an on-off relationship with Pussycat Dolls star Nicole Scherzinger from 2007 until their final split in 2015; the pair are seen in 2009 At the beginning of last year, Sofia claimed she and Joe split up because he wanted to have children whereas she 'didnt want to be an old mom,' via El Pais. Joe, however, staunchly disputed her version of events, saying that he and Sofia 'did try to have a family for the first year and a half' but that he 'swore to her that I would never leave if it didnt work out. And I didnt.' He maintained that the subject of children 'wasnt inevitably why everything ended,' saying the divorce took place 'because two people grew apart, and sometimes that happens,' in an interview with Men's Journal. 'To be painted as if I had some sort of midlife crisis, and after nine years, turned to somebody and gave them an ultimatum of: "Do this potentially unhealthy thing to your body, or else Im gone?" Thats never who I was,' he insisted. Comedian Andy Lee has expanded his career into the hospitality industry, creating an iconic Aussie delicacy - dim sims. The comedy legend launched his own portable food business called Dimmies and Tinnies in March last year. He came up with the concept with chef Paul Donnelly, restaurateur Eddy Buckingham and potter Sam Gordon. Dimmies and Tinnies offer two flavours - spicy pork with spring onions and cabbage, or chicken and sweetcorn with kombu. The veteran funnyman, 43, shared a clip to Instagram on Wednesday revealing he would be selling the dim sims this weekend at a pop-up store in Victoria. 'Huge dimmies and tinnies news! We are doing a pop-up down at the Mornington Peninsula this weekend,' Andy began. Comedian Andy Lee has expanded his career into the hospitality industry, creating an iconic Aussie delicacy - dim sims 'I'll be at St Paul's General Store. Hand me a dollar and that probably buys you a third of a premium dim sim.' Dim sims are a renowned Australian delicacy inspired by Chinese dumplings and tinnies is Aussie slang for beer cans. Andy also sported a hat emblazoned with his business' name as he excitedly told his fans about how he would be working at the store for several hours on Saturday, January 18. It comes after Andy shared new details about his wedding to fiancee Rebecca Harding. The comedian revealed on KIIS FM's The Kyle and Jackie O Show that he and Rebecca won't be getting married anytime soon. He explained they are currently in the process of renovating their $8.5million historic Melbourne mansion and haven't had a chance to plan a wedding yet. 'The wedding is something we have not discussed at all,' Andy said. 'We tried to start it, but I think it bounces between, let's have everyone there and have a massive party. 'Then we look at the cost of that and the fact that we're trying to finish the house. And we're like, "oh, maybe we'll just sneak away by ourselves". But it won't be any time soon, though.' The comedy legend launched his own portable food business called Dimmies and Tinnies in March last year Andy also revealed he waited so long to propose to Rebecca because he wasn't 'keen on getting married'. 'I didn't really think that it was something I needed to do. It represented a waste of money and to be honest, I'm a bit of a wedding Grinch,' he admitted. 'I used to sit there and go, "Why do we have to go and sit and watch people for four hours tell us how much in love they are?"' 'And then as people change, I just thought, "No, actually, I do want a bit of this". And I was surprised with what it does to a relationship. Even just getting engaged. I think you feel a bit more like a team. So, it's been a lovely surprise.' Andy and Rebecca announced their engagement in May 2024, after ten years together. He got down on one knee at the couples decrepit Melbourne mansion and proposed with a napkin - which symbolised how they met in 2014. Rebecca and Andy went public with their relationship at the 2015 Australian Open. In 2022, the couple confirmed they had briefly split for six months in 2016 after Rebecca felt 'immense pressure' dating someone in the public eye. However, they soon realised they were meant to be during their time apart. Andy and Rebecca are currently undertaking a $5million renovation project after buying a historic mansion in Melbourne's east. Leonardo DiCaprio announced he is making a $1 million donation toward operations helping firefighters battle the ongoing Los Angeles fires, and victims to bounce back in its aftermath. 'The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city,' the A-lister, 50, said Wednesday on Instagram Stories. 'I am committing $1 million in partnership with @rewild's Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts.' The Los Angeles native listed a series of organizations that his donation was earmarked toward. 'Initial aid will immediately benefit the LA Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society and SoCal Fire Fund organizations providing much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most,' DiCaprio said. The Oscar-winning actor is the latest in a list of famous people who have gone into their own pockets to help amid the devastating wildfires. Others who have stepped up with seven-figure pledges amid the trying times include Beyonce, who donated $2.5 million to help people impacted by the Eaton Fire; while Jamie Lee Curtis and Eva Longoria made respective donations of $1 million amid the blazes. Leonardo DiCaprio, 50, announced he is making a $1 million donation toward operations helping firefighters battle the ongoing LA Fires, and victims to bounce back in its aftermath. Pictured last year in LA The LA native listed a series of organizations that his donation was earmarked toward DiCaprio, who has headlined films such as The Revenant, The Wolf of Wall Street and Inception, also shared links to for his 60.8 million followers on the platform to donate to organizations such as LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund and the California Fire Foundation. The Titanic leading man also made reference to his environmental organization Re:wild, saying its 'Rapid Response Program is uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies.' More than a week into what could be the costliest wildfires in U.S. history, weary and anxious Los Angeles-area residents were hoping Wednesday for a favorable shift in the winds and an end to the constant fear that their lives might be further upended. The blazes that began January 7 have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 25 people, with nearly 30 missing. The conflagrations fueled by dry Santa Ana winds have scorched at least 63 square miles of land, forcing thousands of people from their homes, stretching firefighting efforts thin, knocking out power to tens of thousands and making the water unsafe to drink in some areas. Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the fires. Government agencies havent provided preliminary damage estimates yet, but AccuWeather, a company that provides data on weather and its impact, put the damage and economic losses at $250 billion to $275 billion. Although the winds gained strength Wednesday and set the region on edge, there is hope on the horizon, with a shift in winds expected Friday. Southern Californias winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction. They usually occur from September through May. DiCaprio also shared links to for his 60.8 million followers on the platform to donate to organizations such as LAFD Wildfire Emergency Fund and the California Fire Foundation A firefighting helicopter dropped water in the Hollywood Hills on January 8 in LA The wind is expected to switch directions on Friday and blow from the coast to the desert, which would bring more moisture off the Pacific, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said. Sewer, water and power infrastructure across the region has been significantly damaged, and several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise. Toxic chemicals from the fires can get into damaged drinking water systems. Experts say filtering or boiling wont help. Los Angeles County has more than 200 water service providers, but so far only a handful believe that damage or loss of pressure may have resulted in chemical contamination and have issued do not drink notices. Utilities are focused on ensuring theres enough water for firefighting, though some are beginning to test for contaminants. It can take weeks or months of testing before water can be declared safe to drink. More than 82,000 people from highly populated neighborhoods including Pacific Palisades, Altadena and others remained under evacuation orders Wednesday. Another 90,400 people have been warned that they might have to evacuate. An overnight curfew remains in effect for evacuated areas, and violators have been arrested, authorities said. Around 850 patients and residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities and group homes were evacuated after the blazes last week, according to the California Department of Public Health. A firefighter battled the Palisades Fire as it burned homes on Pacific Coast Highway January 8 Search and rescue crews inspected a mobile home park destroyed by the Palisades Fire Wednesday Police officers on Wednesday inspected cars abandoned on Sunset Boulevard during the Palisades Fire Los Angeles officials have been criticized for not deploying enough firefighters early in the crisis and for hydrants that ran dry as buildings were engulfed in flames. Officials chose not to double the number of firefighters on duty last Tuesday as the winds whipped up, and the city had only five of more than 40 engines deployed, The Los Angeles Times reported. The department also didn't call in off-duty firefighters until after the Palisades Fire erupted. Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley defended her decisions, saying the department did 'everything in our capability to surge where we could.' President Joe Biden said the federal government would pay all of the firefighting and recovery costs in the first 180 days. But that doesnt mean FEMA will cover 100 percent of individual families' costs - the maximum amount FEMA can provide is $43,600, regional FEMA administrator Robert J. Fenton, Jr. said. FEMA offers up to $770 to help cover the evacuees' immediate needs, but its larger grants generally arent available until after insurance companies pay out. Gypsy-Rose Blanchard has given fans a glimpse into her new life as a mother. The Munchausen-by-proxy victim, 33, who recently welcomed her first child with her partner Ken Urker, is non reading the parenting book by Heidi Murkoff, What to Expect the First Year. She held the bestseller in a snap posted to her Instagram Stories on Tuesday. 'Leaning into motherhood in 2025,' she wrote with a baby emoji. Gypsy and Ken welcomed a daughter named Aurora Urker on December 28, exactly one year after she was released from prison, TMZ has reported. 'Aurora is healthy and we are so happy,' Ken told the publication. Gypsy-Rose Blanchard has given fans a glimpse into her new life as a mother Gypsy and Ken welcomed a daughter named Aurora Urker on December 28 , exactly one year after she was released from prison, TMZ has reported Gypsy was released from prison on December 28, 2023, after serving seven years behind bars for her part in the killing of her abusive mother, Claudine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard. 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. 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. 'Aurora is healthy and we are so happy,' Ken told TMZ after their baby girl was born She gave birth exactly one year after she was released from prison after serving seven years behind bars for her part in the killing of her abusive mother, Claudine 'Dee Dee' Blanchard 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 a YouTube video at the time, 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.' She and her partner Ken (seen together) named their little girl Aurora Urker Gypsy spent her childhood posing as a wheelchair-bound invalid after her mom, Dee Dee, convinced the world she was suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy '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. '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. Neighbours star Isabella Giovinazzo has stunned fans by revealing some big news during a red carpet appearance at the Emirates Australian Open on Wednesday. The 34-year-old soap star proudly showcased her growing baby bump in a chic navy blue maxi dress, announcing she is expecting her first child. Isabella glowed with happiness and accessorised her look with layered gold bangles and stylish cream flats. Her brunette locks were styled in soft waves and perfectly complemented her maternal glow. She finished her look with a pair of retro sunglasses. Isabella tenderly cradled her bump in a picture-perfect moment that took fans by surprise. Neighbours star Isabella Giovinazzo has stunned fans by revealing some big news during a red carpet appearance at the Emirates Australian Open on Wednesday In another photo she gazed lovingly at her boyfriend Shayne as he embraced her. The announcement marks an exciting new chapter for the actress, who has been a beloved fixture on Australian television screens for years. 'Brilliant evening with Emirates at the Australian Open,' Isabella wrote next to the photos. It is the first child for Isabella and her long-term boyfriend Shayne. Many of Isabella's followers quickly took to the comment section to congratulate her on the amazing news. 'OMG congratulations!!!! So happy for you!! You are looking beautiful,' one person gushed. 'Congratulations mumma to be!' a second user added. The 34-year-old soap star proudly showcased her growing baby bump in a chic navy blue maxi dress, announcing she is expecting her first child. Pictured with partner Shayne Isabella was previously in a relationship with her former Home and Away co-star James Stewart for 2016 - 2017, who is now dating Ada Nicodemou. Pictured together in 2017 The Melbourne-born actress was in a relationship with her former Home and Away co-star James Stewart, from 2016 - 2017. Prior to that, she was married to Charlie Ford from 2015 - 2016. Isabella starred on Home and Away as Phoebe Nicholson between 2013 and 2017, appearing in over 300 episodes. Her character left the soap from the culmination of the death of her best friend Billie, and her music career reigniting with the arrival of Donna Fields. Phoebe's boyfriend Justin encouraged her to go with Donna, who offered the aspiring musician a job as her opening act. When she returned to Summer Bay it was revealed she had been given a contract in the US and soon departed. More recently, Isabella starred as Felicity Higgins on Neighbours in 2021. Cameron Diaz has made a stunning return to the red carpet following a five-year hiatus. The 52-year-old Charlie's Angels star was a picture of elegance and effortless glamour at the premiere of her new Netflix film Back in Action, marking her first major appearance since stepping away from Hollywood almost a decade ago. On the red carpet, she reunited with Back in Action co-star Jamie Foxx. Cameron turned heads in a sheer black blouse paired with a sleek black tank top, allowing her natural beauty to take center stage. She accessorized with high-waisted jeans and classic penny loafers, while a long black trench coat with a subtle iridescent sheen added an air of sophistication and drama to her look. The actress posed alongside a dapper Foxx, her co-star from the 2014 Annie remake, which marked her last major film project before taking a break from the industry. Though shes kept a low profile, Cameron made a splash in 2019 when she joined Drew Barrymore and Demi Moore to celebrate Lucy Lius star on the Hollywood Walk of Famemarking her last red carpet appearance until now. Cameron Diaz made a stunning return to the red carpet after a five-year hiatus, marking her first major appearance since stepping away from Hollywood almost a decade ago The 52-year-old Charlie's Angels star was a picture of elegance and effortless glamour at the premiere of her new Netflix film Back in Action, where she reunited with co-star Jamie Foxx The Netflix movie, which is set for release on January 17, follows Emily (Cameron) and Matt (Jamie), two former CIA agents who have given up their life of espionage and action in order to settle down, start a family, and live a normal life. However, things don't go so smoothly for them as their identities become compromised and they are forced to fight and run in order to protect those closest to them. The new action comedy, directed by Seth Gordon, 48, serves as a comeback for both Jamie and Cameron as Jamie suffered a stroke in 2023 and Cameron quit acting for family reasons in 2014. Previously Cameron told Empire she returned to acting purely to work with Jamie again following Any Given Sunday and Annie. She said: 'I thought that if I was going to come back and do a movie, the only person Id come back and do it with would be this guy (Foxx).' 'Seriously. I had other opportunities along the way and I was always saying "No. Im not doing it, Ive told you... What? Jamie asked? Jamie? Oh, I can do a movie with Jamie!"' The cast list for the film also includes Kyle Chandler, Glenn, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, Jamie Demetriou, and Rylan Jackson. The 52-year-old officially retired from her Hollywood career in 2018, before being lured back by her close friend Jamie to star alongside him in the action comedy. The actress posed alongside a dapper Foxx, her co-star from the 2014 Annie remake, which marked her last major film project before taking a break from the industry Cameron turned heads in a sheer black blouse paired with a sleek black tank top The Netflix movie, which is set for release on January 17, follows Emily (Cameron) and Matt (Jamie), two former CIA agents who have given up their life of espionage and action in order to settle down, start a family, and live a normal life The new action comedy, directed by Seth Gordon, 48, serves as a comeback for both Jamie and Cameron as Jamie suffered a stroke in 2023 and Cameron quit acting for family reasons in 2014 Previously Cameron told Empire she returned to acting purely to work with Jamie again following Any Given Sunday and Annie Seth Gordon, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx on the red carpet The cast list for the film also includes Kyle Chandler, Glenn, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, Jamie Demetriou, and Rylan Jackson Cameron first rose to fame in the late '90s with breakout roles in The Mask and There's Something About Mary, quickly becoming one of Hollywoods most sought-after actresses Over the years, she starred in iconic films like Charlie's Angels and Shrek, showcasing her versatility in both action-packed and animated roles Cameron stepped away from acting in 2014 to focus on her personal life and business ventures The pair appeared to be enjoying their time on the red carpet Cameron married musician Benji Madden in January 2015, and the couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Raddix, in December 2019 The pair has kept their family life largely private, focusing on their close-knit, supportive relationship while balancing their personal and professional lives But her comeback project was thrown into turmoil in 2023 when it was reported that Jamie 'had an absolute meltdown' on the UK set of the movie, which led to the firing of three people. And in March 2023, a source close to the star revealed that - while Cameron didn't have any issues with Jamie - she likely won't return to the world of film after this movie, because she's had a hard time being away from her family and hates the 'drama and confrontation' that so often erupts on movie sets. Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com the source said: 'These back-to-back 10-hour workdays have been a lot on her and she hates being away from Raddix.' They added: 'Cameron loves being a mom more than anything in the world.' She said: 'I thought that if I was going to come back and do a movie, the only person Id come back and do it with would be this guy (Foxx)' Though shes kept a low profile, Cameron made a splash in 2019 when she joined Drew Barrymore and Demi Moore to celebrate Lucy Liu s star on the Hollywood Walk of Famemarking her last red carpet appearance until now 'She hates drama and confrontation. This is why she retired from the business in the first place,' 'She has already proven herself in the industry and has nothing left to prove to anyone.' Cameron famously walked away from Hollywood in 2018 to spend more time with her rocker husband Benji, Madden 45. The two welcomed their daughter in December 2019 and have been incredibly private about their lives as parents to their three-year-old. Cardi B and estranged husband Offset are publicly feuding once again. The Bodak Yellow hitmaker, 32, has now seemingly accused the Migos rapper, 33, and his mother, Latabia Woodward, of 'robbing' her. 'I ain't listen after you and your momma robbed me,' Cardi said during an X Spaces livestream on Tuesday, as per Billboard. 'Yeah, you and your mom robbed me cold, wiped my nose. Told you stop f*****g playing with me,' she added in regards to Offset, who has reportedly moved on with a new woman. Cardi who released her debut album seven years ago didnt give any specifics on the alleged robbery. However, she went on to accuse the hip-hop star whom she filed for divorce from in July 2024 of not buying their three kids any Christmas presents. Cardi B, 32, seemingly accused her estranged husband Offset, 33, and his mother, Latabia Woodward, of 'robbing' her; Cardi pictured in 2024 in Miami 'I ain't listen after you and your momma robbed me,' the hitmaker said during an X Spaces livestream on Tuesday, as per Billboard; Offset pictured with his mother in 2018 The couple share a 4-month-old daughter, who was born in September, as well as daughter Kulture, six, and son Wave, three. Offset is also a father to sons Jordan Cephus, 15, and Kody Cephus, 9, and daughter Kalea Marie Cephus, 9, from previous relationships. 'You just called your daughter for the first time this year, yesterday. Your newborn,' Cardi claimed. 'You love your kids so much and you didnt bought them s**t for Christmas. But you came to New York to buy your other kids gifts,' she went on. 'But you didnt bought my kids s**t on purpose to spite me. Mind you, we was cool. We wasnt f*****g, but we was cool. Stop f*****g playing with me.' 'And this is the realest s**t somebody could ever do for you. I used to pray for this person before I prayed for myself. And then this motherf****r had the nerve to say that I was being "competitive,"' she shared, adding that she 'couldnt even enjoy [her] own wins because [she] felt like he was going through something.' Cardi and Offset who tied the knot in 2017 have been embroiled in an ugly divorce, and gotten into a number of heated online spats. Earlier this month it was reported that Offset has moved on with a new woman after he was spotted in Dubai with Atlanta-based model, Melanie Jayda. In video and photos obtained by TMZ, the rapper was seen enjoying a shopping excursion with Jayda and visited a Chanel store - where they left with a whopping $100k in purchases. 'You and your mom robbed me cold, wiped my nose. Told you stop f*****g playing with me,' she added; Cardi seen in 2024 in Paris, France Cardi who released her debut album seven years ago didnt give any specifics on the alleged robbery; the estranged pair pictured in 2023 She went on to accuse the hip-hop star whom she filed for divorce from in July 2024 of not buying their three kids any Christmas presents 'You love your kids so much and you didnt bought them s**t for Christmas,' she said, adding it was to 'spite' her. The couple share a 4-month-old daughter, who was born in September, as well as daughter Kulture, six, and son Wave, three Offset is also a father to sons Jordan Cephus, 15, and Kody Cephus, 9, and daughter Kalea Marie Cephus, 9, from previous relationships Sources informed TMZ that the pair have only been dating for 'a couple of weeks' - and are not yet serious. It came shortly after Cardi urged him to sign their divorce papers during an online spat before Christmas. Cardi filed for divorce from Offset last year in July after nearly seven years of marriage amid cheating rumors - which he denied. In her filing, she requested 'primary custody' of their two children. At the time, a source told Page Six, 'They've grown apart. That's what drove her to this decision more than anything else. This is something she wants to do.' A representative for Cardi B also informed People that the divorce is, 'not based on cheating rumors, but rather has been a long time coming.' A close pal of the beauty also told the outlet that the pair's divorce is, 'something that they had been discussing and talking about for a while...' The same day it was revealed Cardi had filed for divorce, she announced she was pregnant with her third child. However most recently, the exes got into yet another heated online spat which saw Cardi demanding Offset sign their divorce papers 'TODAY.' The bitter argument, which erupted on X but has since been deleted, appeared to begin after Cardi seemingly brought him up with her X Space followers, prompting him to take the conversation onto his own platform. He urged her to cease the drama and focus on her music: 'Nobody wins when the fam fight stop capping to these ppl to make yourself look like the hoe it ain't the look u a fire women good music but u focus on d**k and tryna make me look bad focus bra this s**t is whack from us both honestly.' Earlier this month it was reported that Offset has moved on with a new woman after he was spotted in Dubai with Atlanta-based model, Melanie Jayda; Offset pictured in 2024 Cardi and Offset who tied the knot in 2017 have been embroiled in an ugly divorce, and gotten into a number of heated online spats Offset further tweeted, 'Drop the album and go up.' Cardi hit back with a fiery response where she urged him to officially end their marriage. 'So dating because I'm single means I'm just worried about d**k??' 'You sound like a dummy.. trying to be fake nice after you did what you wanted from the beginning trying to push a narrative to these people. Congratulations!! F**k off and sign the papers TODAY,' she responded. Offset then said he will move forward with signing their documents once she agrees to split custody of their children. 'When you split the custody I will u ain't worried bout music u worried about d**k everybody can see it all u talk about us d**k and in clubs burnt no music no nothing just drama,' he replied. Offset followed up with: 'Single and miserable check to last 10 spaces u mention me (laughing crying emoji) u getting hit th at the flex tho (laughing crying emoji) get ya flex on ma ma.' But Cardi assured Offset she wasn't 'single and miserable', taunting him for allegedly believing she'd have no options as a 30-something mother of three. 'I don't bother none of the hoes you f**k but every guy I talk to you dming and talkin s**t about me like let's not!' she added. The star filed for divorce for a second time on July 31 of last year after doing so the first time in September 2020. Last month in December, the pair seemed to be on good terms when she supported Offset at his 33rd birthday bash. Cardi B was seen twerking at the party which took place at a Miami strip club - and later clarified their status during a livestream on X Spaces. Cardi filed for divorce from Offset last year in July after nearly seven years; the pair seen in 2020 'We've been peaceful for over a week, so we like the energy,' she told her fans, according to The Jasmine Brand. 'We ain't beefin'. We ain't really speaking. So I think we're getting to a point that is - we're really healthy co-parenting.' While Offset whisked himself away to Dubai over the New Year's holiday amid his reported new romance, Cardi B also kept busy to ring in 2025. The mother-of-three performed the night club in Miami called E11EVEN on New Year's Eve. Iggy Azalea's fans condemned the alleged actions of her child's father Playboi Carti on social media, after the Fancy artist said in a Twitch stream that neither she or her four-year-old son Onyx had seen him in six months. 'Love Carti but its lowkey giving deadbeat dad' one fan said, while another suggested that one can co-parent 'without having to talk to' your child's mother. The Sydney, Australia-born musical artist, 34, sat alongside streamer Amouranth, 31, on Tuesday, saying, 'Someone's saying tell Playboi Carti to drop.' The four-time Grammy nominee then clarified the half-year absence of Playboi Carti, 29, from her life and their son's life. 'I don't speak to him, my love - we haven't heard from that man in over like six months,' said Azalea, whose real name is Amethyst Kelly. Azalea - who has collaborated with performers including Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Ariana Grande - made clear neither she nor her son were struggling with the absence of the rapper, whose full name is Jordan Terrell Carter. Iggy Azalea's fans condemned the alleged actions of her child's father Playboi Carti on social media, after the Fancy artist said in a Twitch stream that neither she or her four-year-old son Onyx had seen him in six months 'We don't know where he is,' Azalea said of Playboy Carti, who she began dating in 2018 and welcomed Onyx with two years later. 'Have no idea, have no association. 'You have to tell somebody that that speaks to wherever he is - we don't know or care.' A number of fans expressed critical words for Playboy Carti following Azalea's comments. 'I cant fathom how you could abandon your child and be okay with that,' said one fan. Another said it was sad that the child hadn't 'heard from his dad in 6 months.' One fan suggested that Playboy Carti 'can't be [a] real man' if he's neglecting to spend time with his son, while another praised Azalea, saying, 'At least onyx has a mom.' While Azalea did not expound on her financial arrangement with Playboy Carti in caring for their son, one fan said that it's 'crazy how you can be a millionaire and a deadbeat dad at the same time.' Azalea has had financial success in ventures outside of her music career, with lucrative endeavors in OnlyFans and cryptocurrency. Last June, she launched a memecoin called Mother Iggy ($MOTHER). The Sydney, Australia-born musical artist, 34, sat alongside streamer Amouranth, 31, on Tuesday The Fancy artist shared a celebration shot from Onyx's 4th birthday last year A number of fans expressed critical words for Playboy Carti following Azalea's comments Some fans took to Playboy Carti's defense amid the scandal Some fans took to Playboy Carti's defense, saying that he was too young to remember, and that Playboy Carti was laser-focused on making new material. 'He locked in [100 percent] bros ignoring his family and fans this album gonna be generational,' one fan said. Another noted Onyx is 'only 4 years old' and 'not gonna remember it.' Azalea last summer, appearing on the Dinner's on Me podcast with Jesse Tyler Ferguson, revealed she was 'very much a single mother' in her parenting situation. 'I'm very much the only parent,' she said. 'No disrespect, but I am not co-parenting, really - that's just the reality of it - it's 24/7.' The One Show host Roman Kemp has been replaced as host for this year's BRIT Awards by Jack Whitehall, it has been announced. It was revealed on Wednesday that the son of the Spandau Ballet star wouldn't be hosting the 2025 ceremony despite viewers hailing him a huge success last year. Comedian Jack previously hosted the ceremony four times but hasn't been at the helm since 2021 as a result of his busy schedule. In a clip announcing his return, Jack was seen workshopping puns on his name for the big reveal as well as pretending to call an array of celebrity chums. Roman showed there was no love lost over the gig as he expressed support for Jack's return by commenting: 'Return of the King.' Speaking to The Sun, a source said: 'Jack is such a brilliant Brits host and isn't afraid to take the p**s out of some of the world's biggest stars. The One Show host Roman Kemp has been replaced as host for this year's BRIT Awards by Jack Whitehall , it has been announced Comedian Jack previously hosted the ceremony four times but hasn't been at the helm since 2021 as a result of his busy schedule (Pictured in 2021) 'He has such a hectic diary that he's been unable to take part for the past few years but he was available this time and said yes immediately. 'It is one of his favourite gigs as he can have some real fun with the celebs.' Friends of the star say that he will not return for this year's ceremony which is due to take place on Saturday March 1 at London's O2 Arena after stepping in at the last minute for the 2024 show. Roman was previously called as a stand in to replace Idris Elba, 52, who pulled out at short notice. 'Roman has been told he isn't hosting this year,' said a BRITs insider. 'He loved it but accepts that these things change. 'He was flattered to be chosen to do it last year but he's a pro and gets it.' Viewers last year hailed his performance a success, presenting besides Maya Jama, 30, and Clara Amfo, 40, who had also presented the awards in 2022. Explaining last year that it was his dream job, he revealed whilst live on Capital radio that he 'burst into tears' when he was asked to do present the BRITs. It was revealed on Wednesday that the son of the Spandau Ballet star wouldn't be hosting the 2025 ceremony despite viewers hailing him a huge success last year (Pictured) In a clip announcing his return, Jack was seen workshopping puns on his name for the big reveal as well as pretending to call an array of celebrity chums Roman showed there was no love lost over the gig as he expressed support for Jack's return by commenting: 'Return of the King' Last year, Roman was called as a stand in to replace Idris Elba , 52, who pulled out with short notice Viewers hailed his performance a success, presenting besides Maya Jama, 30, and Clara Amfo, 40, who had also presented the awards in 2022 'When they told me, I cried,' said Roman. 'The BRITs has always been on this pedestal for me, because in terms of excitement in the UK, there is nothing like it.' After the awards, Kemp posted on Instagram: 'And just like that, the Brits was hosted. Dream come true had so much fun on what was a very special night.' The son of Spandau Ballet musician Martin Kemp, 63, was praised for his job last year. In a viral moment he even convinced Kylie Minogue, who won the BRITs' Global Icon award, to drink her signature rose wine from her high heels during an interview with the pop star at her table, saying it would be 'amiss' for the pair to not 'go with an Aussie tradition'. Roman replaced Jay Blades as host of The Repair Shop for the BBC show's Christmas special. He has been a regular presenter on The One Show since 2022, previously presenting the Capital radio breakfast show from 2017 until last year. During the festive period in 2024 he revealed he has stopped taking antidepressants for the first time in 16 years. Explaining last year that it was his dream job, he revealed whilst live on Capital radio that he 'burst into tears' when he was asked to do present the BRITs During the festive period in 2024 Roman revealed he has stopped taking antidepressants for the first time in 16 years He said since taking the medication since the age of 15, he had finally stopped taking antidepressants four months prior and now that they were out of his system, he was looking forward to understanding his true emotions. The presenter, who has had depression since the age of 15, took to Instagram at the end of November to share an update on his mental health with fans. 'Now while I'm still learning about why I suddenly want to cry more and may get snappier at my friends, I'm excited at understanding what the emotional side of me is really like,' he said. Roman has been candid about his struggle with his mental health and has campaigned tirelessly following the sudden death of his friend, radio producer Joe Lyons, who took his own life. Sharing a selfie, Roman wrote: 'It's now been four months since I stopped taking anti-depressants and it's safe to say they're out of my system. 'Something I have taken since I was 15 years old.' He added: 'I'm neither for or against taking anti-depressants, I'm about what is right for YOU and if it helps you then go for it. 'They helped me through a long period of mental struggle in my life but I'm now ready to move on. Only posting in case anyone was ever worried about starting/stopping .' The presenter, who has had depression since the age of 15, took to Instagram at the end of November to share an update on his mental health with fans He added: 'I'm neither for or against taking anti-depressants, I'm about what is right for YOU and if it helps you then go for it' Back in March, Roman thanked his listeners for 'saving his life' during his battle with depression as he hosted his final show on Capital Breakfast. He credited the show and its listeners for getting him through some of his darkest days - ahead of his departure from the channel. During his last show, Roman delivered a touching speech as he said how grateful he was to them for bringing 'light and laughter into his life' during his slot on the radio. Roman took over from comedian Mo Gilligan, 36, who hosted the show in 2022 and 2023. MailOnline has approached BRIT Awards for comment. Liz Hurley was joined by Trinny Woodall and Eamonn Holmes as they celebrated with Tania Bryer after she was awarded an OBE. The stars stepped out for a drinks reception at Nexus Club London on Wednesday after broadcaster and charity campaigner Tania received the honour. Actress and model Liz, 59, opted for understated chic as she arrived sporting an all-black tailored suit, with a satin cami underneath. Liz accessorised with a pair of glitzy stud earrings, as well as a cross necklace and a black leather chain shoulder bag. Meanwhile skincare guru and TV presenter Trinny, 60, looked typically stylish in a black patent woven maxi skirt, which she paired with a sparkly blouse and an asymmetric cut-out blazer. Trinny completed her ensemble with a grey suede fedora hat and a huge bejewelled pendant necklace. Liz Hurley was joined by Trinny Woodall and Eamonn Holmes as they celebrated with Tania Bryer after she was awarded an OBE in London on Wednesday The stars stepped out for a drinks reception at Nexus Club London on Wednesday after broadcaster and charity campaigner Tania (Pictured with Eamonn Holmes) received the honour Also in attendance was Tania herself who looked striking in a bright red fitted dress - on which she proudly displayed her OBE ribbon. Broadcaster Tania paired the look with black patent stilettos and simple diamond earrings as she greeted her guests and celebrated her big day. Irish broadcaster Eamonn was another star to make an appearance, as he posed for pictures alongside Tania. Liz's outing came day one day after she stepped out with her son Damian for the press night of Oliver! She was among the stars who stepped out for the press night performance and after party at The Prince of Wales Theatre on London's West End on Tuesday. Liz looked typically glamorous for the outing as she arrived in a pink figure-hugging midi-dress, which was completely adorned in sequins. The dress was complete with long sleek sleeves and a high neckline and she paired it with silver barely-there heels. Liz accessorised for the evening with a dark red patent clutch bag and pink sequin hoop earrings to match her gown. Actress and model Liz, 59, opted for understated chic as she arrived sporting an all-black tailored suit, with a satin cami underneat Liz (Pictured with socialite Tamara Beckwith) accessorised with a pair of glitzy stud earrings, as well as a cross necklace and a black leather chain shoulder bag Meanwhile skincare guru and TV presenter Trinny, 60, looked typically stylish in a black patent woven maxi skirt She paired the skirt with a sparkly blouse and an asymmetric cut-out blazer Trinny completed her ensemble with a grey suede fedora hat and a huge bejewelled pendant necklace (Seen with Tania) Also in attendance was Tania herself who looked striking in a bright red fitted dress - on which she proudly displayed her OBE ribbon Irish broadcaster Eamonn was another star to make an appearance, as he posed for pictures alongside Tania She was joined on the red carpet by her son Damian, 22, as the pair posed alongside broadcaster Angela Rippon, 80. Damian oozed style as he sported a pair of striking tiger print low-rise jeans and a longline leather coat. He paired the look with pointed leather boots, a sheer black t-shirt and a silver chain necklace with a cross pendant. Liz has been helping her son Damian - her only child from a former relationship with American businessman Steve Bing - forge his own path as a budding film director. Debut feature Strictly Confidential - both written and directed by the 22-year old - was released to lukewarm reviews in 2023. Much of the criticism revolved around Hurley herself, whose starring role in the film includes a raunchy lesbian sex scene with a woman 30-years her junior - filmed by her son. Liz Hurley turned heads in a pink sequined figure-hugging gown as she attended the press night of Oliver! with her son Damian The actress was among the stars who stepped out for the press night performance and after party at The Prince of Wales Theatre on London's West End on Tuesday Liz looked typically glamorous for the outing as she arrived in a pink figure-hugging midi-dress, which was completely adorned in sequins 'It's quite interesting because I'm a single mother and he's a single child, so we, by default, spend a huge amount of time together,' she explained last month. 'When he was really young, he became fascinated with my business. He started doing stills and making mini movie when he was nine or ten. I gave him a camcorder, and he made me star in all his films. 'I was always playing the Evil Queen. My mum was in them, Hugh was in them, my ex-husband, everybody had to be in his movies, as he progressed through baby movies into more grown up features. 'Hes actually been directing me for ten years anyway, so nothing really changed. I was just used to it.' Sydney radio queen Jackie 'O' Henderson has revealed the hilariously cringe way she landed her teenage boyfriend. The KIIS FM breakfast host, 49, and her best friend Gemma O'Neill could barely speak through laughter as she recalled the tale during the latest episode of their Her Best Life podcast. The episode titled 'We can't believe we accepted that' is about situations both women struggle to believe they copped with in their adolescent and young adult romantic relationships. Jackie admitted when she was 16-years-old and living on the Gold Coast she was 'obsessed' with a drug dealer. 'When I met that guy, I was just so desperate to be his girlfriend,' she recalled. 'I was clubbing at 16 and to me he was this elusive rockstar who used to drive up and down the Gold Coast strip. Sydney radio queen Jackie 'O' Henderson has revealed the hilariously cringe way she landed her teenage boyfriend She revealed she used her ability to wash dirty dishes to land the drug dealer boyfriend of her dreams when she was 16-years-old 'So I said to him, "I love doing dishes, so if you ever want me to do your dishes, I'll come round".' 'That is such a weird thing to say!' Gemma cackled. Jackie and Gemma both struggled to breath through their giggles. 'And he looked at me and went, "Okay",' she said. 'He gave me his address and the next day and I turned up to his apartment. He lived with two other mates. 'One was a lifesaver and the other one was a drug dealer.' Jackie described the scene of her 16-year-old self turning up to the guy's apartment for the highly awkward encounter. 'He had so many dirty dishes all piled up. It was this f**king hell hole of a house and I washed all the dishes. 'I remember the lifesaver walking past, and he asked the drug dealer boyfriend, "What's she doing?"' The KIIS FM breakfast host, 49, and her best friend Gemma O'Neill could barely speak through laughter in the latest episode of their Her Best Life podcast Jackie admitted that the stunt worked a treat Jackie's love interest told his housemate that she was doing all the dishes. 'He looked at me like, what a weirdo,' she continued. 'Anyway, I finished all the dishes and said "okay then"... and then I left.' After a long pause to collect herself, Jackie said: 'But I did get him as my boyfriend in the end. And he was my boyfriend for two years.' So there you go girls,' she concluded sarcastically. 'There's a good message for you.' Elsewhere in the episode, Jackie told a story about another boyfriend who she slept with on the Sydney Harbour - only to find him cuddled up to her best friend the next morning, still naked. 'I don't even remember confronting him about it!' she exclaimed. Even when Jackie's best friend later told her about the incident she pretended to be shocked and then still didn't confront her then-partner. 'I was too terrified of losing him, so I stayed with him,' she grimaced. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky ensured all eyes were on them when they hit the beach in Byron Bay for some fun in the sun. Elsa, 48, turned heads as she enjoyed a refreshing dip in a white swimsuit that accentuated her flawless figure. The racy design featured a plunging neckline, exposed back and G-string component that made the most of her sensational figure. The Spanish-born actress added to her look with an intricate necklace made up of multiple strands, and a navy blue cap. Elsa allowed her natural beauty to shine through on the day, opting to go makeup free for the outing. The Interceptor star looked every inch the supermodel as she splashed about in the surf. Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky (pictured) ensured all eyes were on them when they hit the beach in Byron Bay for some fun in the sun Elsa, 48, turned heads as she enjoyed a refreshing paddle in a white swimsuit that accentuated her flawless figure The racy design featured a plunging neckline, exposed back and G-string component that made the most of her sensational figure The mother-of-three's perfectly toned figure was on display in the swimsuit The Spanish-born actress added to her look with an intricate necklace made up of multiple strands, and a navy blue cap Elsa allowed her natural beauty to shine through on the day, opting to go makeup free for the outing Meanwhile, Chris, 41, was all smiles as he enjoyed some down time surfside. The Thor star cut a hunky figure in a pair of grey boardshorts that hung low on his ripped physique. Chris' bugling biceps, six-pack abs and broad shoulders were on full display as he threw a footy around on the sand. He attempted to go incognito on the couple's day out, hiding his famous face behind a pair of sunglasses. Chris completed his look with a beige cap and carried a leopard print towel. Later in the day, the former Home and Away star was seen carrying two surfboards. Chris and Elsa looked every inch the power couple as they soaked up the sun together. The couple who reside in a $50million mega-mansion in Byron Bay, share daughter India, 12, and twins Sasha and Tristan, 10. Elsa showed off her pert bottom as she waded into the water The Interceptor star looked every inch the supermodel as she splashed about in the surf Elsa was joined by a friend and they shared a laugh as they splashed around in the water The star appeared to be having a ball during the beach day Elsa's toned biceps were also on display in the sheer swimsuit Meanwhile, Chris, 41, was all smiles as he enjoyed some down time surfside. Pictured The Thor star cut a hunky figure in a pair of grey boardshorts that hung low on his ripped physique Wearing nothing but a very skimpy pair of shorts that showcased his muscular legs, Chris appeared completely at ease as he enjoyed the surf and sand Chris attempted to go incognito on the couple's day out, hiding his famous face behind a pair of sunglasses He completed his look with a beige cap and carried a leopard print towel Later in the day, the former Home and Away star was seen carrying two surfboards Elsa stopped traffic in her white swimsuit and red short shorts Elsa and Chris got married in a spur-of-the-moment ceremony while on holiday in Australia in December 2010, just three months after they went public with their relationship. They moved to Byron Bay five years later after buying their forever home in the coastal paradise for $7.6million. The family live in Byron Bay in a sprawling $30million eight-bedroom mansion that sits on a massive 4.2 hectares of land in Broken Head. The Spanish beauty previously revealed she wasn't always convinced about moving Down Under and had one very specific condition for Chris before she relocated. Elsa, who is originally from Madrid, admitted she told Chris she would only move to Australia if they lived on a sprawling farm where she could have horses. 'That was my deal with Chris,' she told the Courier Mail. 'I said I would move to Australia but I wanted to live on a property, a farm, and have horses and he knew that.' Elsa also gave a candid insight into her relationship with Chris and shared their secret to a happy marriage despite facing many challenges over the years. 'I think we all have the idea of this beautiful dream of a marriage and loving each other and it all being perfect but it's much more work than you think,' Elsa said. Cameron Diaz shocked Jamie Foxx when she made a joke about Elon Musk and aliens while promoting their new action-comedy flick Back in Action. The 52-year-old actress made his jaw drop when she made a dig at Elon Musk while trolling President-elect Donald Trump. In a video for Complex released on Wednesday, Diaz had a discussion with her co-star, 57, about aliens and shared her theory, which stunned him. She also surprised the actor when she took a jab at Trump as she referenced an ongoing joke about Musk's outsized influence on his administration. At one point, the Charlie's Angel alum who made her first red carpet appearance in half a decade for the premiere of their new movie in Berlin called him President Musk, which prompted a shocked reaction to flash across Foxx's face. Her joke comes over a decade after she was rumored to be dating the Tesla founder. Cameron Diaz shocked Jamie Foxx when she made a joke about Elon Musk and aliens while promoting their new action-comedy flick Back in Action The 52-year-old actress made his jaw drop when she made a dig at Elon Musk while trolling President-elect Donald Trump During the chat, Foxx asked Diaz to share her GOAT, or greatest of all time, conspiracy theory, in which she started going off on an extraterrestrial tangent. 'All of the accounts of aliens are always the same,' she began. 'Big head, big eyes, no mouth. Telepathically speaking, fingers long, dextrous,' she listed. 'If you think about where we're at currently in technology, we sit in front of a screen. We don't speak to each other. We don't have to talk,' she explained. 'And we all know that were moving off the planet because now Elon Musk is our president,' she added. 'When we get to Mars, we're really going to end up being like a completely different species,' Diaz continued before explaining that she believes aliens are humans from the future. 'When you told me that, that f***ed me up,' Foxx said. Over 10 years ago, Diaz and Musk were rumored to be romantically involved after he reportedly gifted her an early Tesla model. 'He's been going to LA so regularly, Musk often arrives without giving his colleagues a heads-up he's in town,' a source told Page Six at the time before adding that the rumored couple had 'gotten close.' In a video for Complex released on Wednesday, Diaz had a discussion with her co-star, 57, about aliens and shared her theory, which stunned him. She also surprised the actor when she took a jab at Trump as she referenced an ongoing joke about Musk's outsized influence on his administration At one point, the Charlie's Angel alum who made her first red carpet appearance in half a decade for the premiere of their new movie in Berlin called him President Musk, which prompted a shocked reaction to flash across Foxx's face. Her joke comes over a decade after she was rumored to be dating the Tesla founder During the chat, Foxx asked Diaz to share her GOAT, or greatest of all time, conspiracy theory, in which she started going off on an extraterrestrial tangent 'When we get to Mars, we're really going to end up being like a completely different species,' Diaz continued before explaining that she believes aliens are humans from the future 'When you told me that, that f***ed me up,' Foxx said 'The reason, we're told, is because he's "visiting Cameron."' In response to the speculation, Musk denied the dating rumors, per a Business Insider report. 'I don't know where people got that from.' Diaz and Foxx star as former CIA spies Emily and Matt in the upcoming Netflix movie Back in Action. Per the synopsis, the elite spies 'jump back into the world of espionage' over a decade after vanishing from the CIA to start a family when their secret identities are exposed. The movie also stars Glenn Close, Tom Brittney, Kyle Chandler, Leela Owen and more. Back in Action premieres on Netflix and will be available to stream on Friday, January 17. Renee Zellweger shared how her romance with Ant Anstead influenced where she's decided to live. The 55-year-old award-winning actress chatted with Bridget Jones's Diary co-star Hugh Grant for the new issue of British Vogue. 'I live in Southern California, near San Diego, because that's where my fellow lives, and his little boy,' she opened up, referencing her 45-year-old boyfriend's five-year-old son Hudson. Anstead shares the little boy with ex-wife Christina Haack, who is in the process of divorcing her third husband Josh Hall. Ant is also shares daughter Amelie, 21, and son Archie, 18, with his ex-wife Louise Anstead. Fans suspect that Renee and Ant are married as the UK-bred television personality has referred to his lady as his 'missus' in several social media posts. Renee Zellweger shared how her romance with Ant Anstead influenced where she's decided to live The 55-year-old award-winning actress chatted with Bridget Jones's Diary co-star Hugh Grant for the new issue of British Vogue In July 2023, The US Sun reported that the Hollywood fixture told friends she and Ant were planning a wedding. An insider told the outlet at the time, 'Renee and Ant are keeping their plans incredibly private, they're not planning a big public announcement.' It was added that, 'She has been telling her inner circle about organizing their nuptials. Everything will be very low-key. 'Her relationship with Ant is super strong and they're madly in love, and they can't wait to get hitched.' The Love And A 45 star was previously married to country star Kenny Chesney for just four months, with the couple splitting in 2005. Ahead of her short-lived marriage, she was engaged to Jim Carrey from 1999 to 2000. And the longtime entertainer was previously romantically linked to Bradley Cooper, who she met while filming 2009's Case 39. 'I live in Southern California , near San Diego, because that's where my fellow lives, and his little boy,' she opened up, referencing her 45-year-old boyfriend's five-year-old son Hudson Fans suspect that Renee and Ant are married as the UK-bred television personality has referred to his lady as his 'missus' in several social media posts; Renee seen in September 2024 Anstead and Zellweger met while filming an episode of his series Celebrity IOU Joyride in April 2021 She and the nine-time Oscar nominee sparked engagement rumors during their romance, but eventually split in 2011. Zellweger was later in a long-term relationship with musician Doyle Bramhall II from 2012 to 2019. Anstead was married to his first wife Louise from 2005 until 2017. He went on to tie the knot with Christina Haack in 2018, and they welcomed their son in 2019. The couple divorced in 2021 and for months were embroiled in a messy public custody battle. Anstead and Zellweger met while filming an episode of his series Celebrity IOU Joyride in April 2021. Wendy Williams is preparing to make a rare public appearance for a conversation about an important topic on The Breakfast Club. In an upcoming taping of the radio show scheduled for Thursday morning, the television personality, 60, will be discussing conservatorships and guardianships. Charlamagne tha God, a co-host of the radio show, confirmed she would be appearing on the radio show to talk about her experience with conservatorships as she was placed under one in 2022. Earlier this year, it was revealed that Williams who clashed with her caretakers recently and was seen having a heated argument with them was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. Because of her diagnosis, she was declared 'permanently incapacitated' by her guardian. In Charlamagne tha God's Instagram post, he penned a caption about the systems, which he emphasized are 'designed to preserve dignity' and 'not control.' Wendy Williams is preparing to make a rare public appearance for a conversation about an important topic on The Breakfast Club; pictured February 2020 in New York City 'Conservatorships and guardianships should exist to empower, protect and support individuals not to confine them in invisible prisons,' the talk show host wrote. 'Tomorrow morning on @breakfastclubam #WendyWilliams will remind us that these systems must be transparent, compassionate, and designed to preserve dignity, not control. Let's discuss.' The interview comes weeks after Williams made a rare public appearance last month for a special occasion to support her family. She was spotted supporting her son Kevin Hunter Jr. as he graduated from Florida International University. Her outing came just weeks after she was declared 'permanently incapacitated' by her guardian. In court documents filed by Sabrina Morissey in November 2024, Williams was described as being 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapciitated' after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia. She has been under a legal guardianship since 2022. Earlier this year, a source close to her family claimed they have 'largely been denied contact' with her by her guardian, per People. In an upcoming taping of the radio show scheduled for Thursday morning, the television personality, 60, will be discussing conservatorships and guardianships; pictured on The Wendy Williams Show Charlamagne tha God, a co-host of the radio show, confirmed she would be appearing on the radio show to talk about her experience with conservatorships as she was placed under one in 2022 Earlier this year, it was revealed that Williams was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. Because of her diagnosis, she was declared 'permanently incapacitated' by her guardian; pictured May 2018 in New York City Her outing came just weeks after she was declared 'permanently incapacitated' by her guardian. In court documents filed by Sabrina Morissey in November 2024, Williams was described as being 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapciitated' after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia; pictured December 2019 in New York City The insider said her family is 'rooting' for her amid the court-ordered guardianship. 'Wendy Williams' family is unable to speak on her current condition and location due to ongoing litigation and the fact that they have largely been denied contact,' the source told the outlet. 'But they are all rooting and praying for Wendy and want to express their well wishes as she celebrates her 60th birthday.' The insider added: 'She was, is and always will be an icon.' Tommy Lee furiously hit out at his fellow musical artists who continued promoting their music online during the catastrophic Los Angeles fires. Beginning last Tuesday, the area was struck by its worst windstorms in over a decade, fueling fires that have destroyed thousands of structures and claimed at least 25 lives over the past week. One blaze in the Pacific Palisades has consumed a number of celebrity homes, including residences owned by Paris Hilton, Jeff Bridges, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Miles Teller, Mel Gibson, Tina Knowles and Anna Faris. Lee owns a house in Brentwood, a neighborhood near the Pacific Palisades that was also affected by the fire, but it is unknown whether the building is safe. In a furious Instagram post this Monday, Lee, 62, hit out at what he regarded as the bad taste of other celebrities in their reactions to the disaster. 'Makes me f***ing sick, to see most people just caring on a posting lame a** social media!' the Motley Crue drummer wrote. Tommy Lee furiously hit out at his fellow musical artists who continued promoting their music online during the catastrophic Los Angeles fires; pictured 2019 'Guys right now nobody gives a flying f*** when your record drops or when the next concert is when so many people are in the middle of one of the biggest disasters of all time!' added the ex-husband of Pamela Anderson. 'I get that some comic relief is always need but Jesus Christ leave it all alone and maybe just stop and see who needs help if you can.' Lee did not name any specific artists as targets of his post, but FKA Twigs and Bad Bunny have both continued promoting their new albums over the past week. Last Thursday, a couple of days into the fires, Motley Crue posted an official statement responding to the situation on Facebook. 'To everyone affected by the devastating and unprecedented fires in our hometown of Los Angeles, our thoughts are with you during this very difficult time,' they wrote. 'May you and your loved ones stay safe as we stand together to overcome.' Lee purchased his own Zen-inspired Brentwood home in 2021, paying $4.15 million for the four-bedroom residence, according to the Los Angeles Times. Spread across a half-acre, the estate includes waterfalls and stone walkways, as well as artisan woodwork like Japanese tansu cabinetry and Brazilian mahogany. Lee lives in the home with his fourth wife Brittany Furlan, 38, a Vine star whom he has been married to since Valentine's Day 2019. 'Makes me f***ing sick, to see most people just caring on a posting lame a** social media!' the Motley Crue drummer wrote In a furious Instagram post this Monday, Lee, 62, hit out at what he regarded as the bad taste of other celebrities in their reactions to the disaster; pictured 2021 Lee did not name any specific artists as targets of his post, but FKA Twigs and Bad Bunny (pictured) have both continued promoting their new albums over the past week His previous marriages were to Elaine Starchuk, Heather Locklear and Pamela Anderson, the last of whom is the mother of his sons Brandon, 28, and Dylan, 27. Lee and Anderson were one of the most famous showbiz couples of the 1990s, tying the knot just four days after they first met each other. Their relationship fell under intense public scrutiny when a video of them making love was stolen and leaked, launching the first major celebrity sex tape scandal. They ultimately divorced in 1998 after Lee physically abused Anderson, but the pair managed to develop a friendship as they co-parented their sons. John Stamos and his wife Caitlin Stamos are dedicated to restoring the Los Angeles neighborhood of Altadena in the wake of the city's weeklong firestorms. Speaking with ET this week, the couple, who have been married for nearly seven years, discussed how they've contributed to recovery efforts in the 38-year-old actress and writer's hometown. 'I grew up in Altadena, just up the street. This is my hometown; this is the school that I went to; this is the church that I went to up to the age of 18,' Caitlin told the outlet. Although she and John, 61, live elsewhere now, she stressed the importance of upholding the historically Black community in the area. 'It's such a beautiful thing to see and know that we are all dedicated to making sure that these people continue to own their homes. 'One of the most heartbreaking things to me is if these people end up selling to developers and they end up not having enough money to ever buy a home in California again,' the model emphasized. John Stamos and his wife Caitlin Stamos are dedicated to restoring the Los Angeles neighborhood of Altadena in the wake of the city's weeklong firestorms; pictured in July The devastation in Altadena caused by the Eaton Fire pictured on January 14 She vowed, 'I'm going to work very hard to keep these people in this town, keep the charm of this town.' And the mother-of-one, who shares six-year-old son Billy with John, reflected, 'I grew up in the most diverse, beautiful city and I want it to stay that way.' Stamos stressed, 'So many people lost their small business and their home at the same time. So many kids lost their school and their home, so I wanna rebuilt this town to be as resilient and as beautiful as the people who live here.' The devastation in Southern California began unfolding on the morning of January 7 when the combination of heavy wind and a lack of rain created the perfect condition for a brush fire. The Eaton Fire as burned over 14,000 acres while the Palisades Fire has scorched nearly 24,000 acres. 'These fires have ruined the illusion of permanence,' the former Full House star weighed in. And he praised his wife's efforts, gushing, 'I'm the luckiest man in the world. I'm so proud of her.' 'We're all human. We are all people who would just like to have a roof over our head and clothes on our back,' Caitlin chimed in. Speaking with ET this week, the couple, who have been married for nearly seven years, discussed how they've contributed to recovery efforts in the 38-year-old actress and writer's hometown Although she and John, 61, live elsewhere now, she stressed the importance of upholding the historically Black community in Altadena Celebrities and working class residents alike are picking up the pieces after their Los Angeles neighborhoods were reduced to ash as wildfires began tearing through the city last week. Two of Los Angeles' biggest movie studios have dropped millions to aid in recovery efforts as several infernos have steadily decimated the region. Warner Bros. pledged $15 million to wildfire relief, while Sony has promised another $5 million, according to Deadline. The donations follow Amazon's pledge of $10 million, while stars like Eva Longoria ($1 million) and Jamie Lee Curtis ($1 million) have also donated. The Pacific Palisades was home to celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Anna Farris, Tyra Banks and many more. Paris Hilton lost her Malibu mansion in the blaze and launched an emergency fund, starting with a $100,000 donation to other victims. Along with her generous contribution, the heiress revealed that she will match 'additional dollars raised up to $100,000 more.' An Australian reality TV star will be sentenced next month following a series of drug-related and other charges. Marjorie Griffiths, 28, was released on bail on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre after pleading guilty to failing to supply digital evidence to police. Griffiths, who appeared on The Bachelor in 2023, pleaded not guilty to a separate charge involving the supply of a prohibited drug in a commercial quantity. She is due to return to court on February 14. The blonde beauty made headlines in October 2023 when she was remanded in custody on four counts of knowingly dealing with proceeds of crime, two counts of supplying prohibited drug and one of fail to comply with digital evidence access order direction. Police allege the actress and model was a major player in a criminal network that supplied large quantities of drugs and laundered the illicit earnings through an international syndicate. Marjorie Griffiths will be sentenced next month following a series of drug-related and other charges (Pictured) Griffiths was released on bail on Thursday at Sydney's Downing Centre after pleading guilty to failing to supply digital evidence to police. Just months after her stint on season 10 of The Bachelor, police allege Griffiths sold 1kg of cocaine to an undercover police officer and 1kg of MDMA to an unknown person. She was woken by heavily armed specialist NSW Police officers and arrested during a dawn raid on her home in Umina Beach, on the NSW Central Coast, on October 10, 2023. Court papers seen by Daily Mail Australia allege she supplied 1kg of cocaine on March 7 and 1kg of ice exactly three months later, on June 7, both at Hornsby in Sydney's northern suburbs that year. The controversial contestant who became embroiled in spats with other contestants on the Channel 10 show, was also, police allege, involved in money laundering. The court documents allege Ms Griffiths knowingly dealt with proceeds of crime in the sums of $136,100 at Randwick, $260,270 at Coogee, $302,000 at Double Bay and $116,500 at Guildford between February and June 2023. The aspiring actor was snapped by NCA NewsWire leaving Silverwater Correctional Complex, west of Sydney, following her release on bail in December 2023. Ms Griffiths had spent two months in custody on remand since specialist police officers raided her Umina Beach home. As she left the prison, she was snapped wearing a white top and grey sweatpants and carrying a small plastic bag filled with her belongings. Just months after her stint on season 10 of The Bachelor 2023, police allege Griffiths sold 1kg of cocaine to an undercover police officer and 1kg of MDMA to an unknown person Her partner helped her with another bag of belongings. The scenario marks a huge change for the former reality TV contestant, who was the fourth wannabe bride to be sent home by bachelor Thomas Malucelli, a 35-year-old restaurant manager. Ms Griffiths lasted 12 weeks on the show's tenth season. As part of her extensive and strict bail conditions, she will be required to wear an electronic tracking bracelet, abstain from drugs and alcohol and follow a strict curfew. She is also not allowed to use any 'internet capable' devices and can only possess one phone. It comes after a court heard last October that Griffiths was negotiating with police. Lawyer Serae Kopra told magistrate Miranda Moody on during proceedings that she was seeking an adjournment for Ms Griffiths' matters amid ongoing negotiations with the police prosecutor. 'The matter is not ready to proceed, unfortunately we are still waiting on material to be served by the prosecution that may lead to some outcome in case conference negotiations,' she said. The police prosecutor told the court the office was reserving its brief of evidence 'for matters that were missing', coming almost a year after Ms Griffiths' arrest and subsequent charging. Richard Hammond admitted 'everyone can be a d**k' as he shared his first YouTube post since confirming the end of his marriage on Wednesday, but almost never made it after locking himself out of his home. Hammond confirmed his separation from wife Mindy after 28-years of marriage in January, amid claims his family had become exasperated with his constant travelling and risky stunts on Amazon Prime show The Grand Tour. Sources claim he initially left the home - 7million Bollitree Castle in Hertfordshire - and relocated to an adjacent barn on the property, lovingly converted by the presenter into a glorified man cave. Hammond, 55, is now thought to be renting a property in a nearby village, where he runs his 'Smallest Cog' car restoration garage. Sharing his latest Drivetribe video instalment with YouTube followers on Wednesday, the presenter admitted his day got off to a bad start after he shut himself out. 'I'm late because I locked myself of the house,' he explained. 'I'm actually getting ready this afternoon to go to the Lake District, I've got everything packed and ready, and then I thought I'll go and empty the bins. Richard Hammond admitted 'everyone can be a d**k' as he shared his first YouTube post since confirming the end of his marriage on Wednesday, but almost never made it after locking himself out of his home Hammond confirmed his separation from wife Mindy after 28-years of marriage in January, amid claims his family had become exasperated with his constant travelling and risky stunts 'So I took the kitchen bin out the front door - I never lock anything - but it's a Yale lock, and the door stuck. I was stood outside, I was in my Crocs, I was in my dressing gown. I didn't have my phone, the keys, anything. 'It was quite panicky, and I thought what do I do now? I thought about crying, but then I thought that won't help. I felt about ten.' The presenter eventually attempted to smash a window with a stray brick, only for it to bounce harmlessly off the glass. 'I don't know how burglars make a living,' he added. 'I do not know. So in the end, I had to phone a locksmith, who got in in five seconds 'So in short, I'm late because I'm an idiot.' Reports have already emerged that Mindy, 59 - who previously branded him a 'nine year old boy' - wants to keep the Herefordshire castle they once shared in their impending divorce. The former couple bought the castle in 2008 and Hammond subsequently spent 15 years restoring a listed granary barn on the grounds into his dream 'clubhouse'. In 2024, Richard hinted at tensions in the marriage when he gave fans a tour and admitted he had broken her one golden rule - not having his prized motorbike collection displayed in the space. Sources claim he initially left the home - 7million Bollitree Castle in Hertfordshire - and relocated to an adjacent barn on the property, lovingly converted into a glorified man cave Hammond is now thought to be renting a property in a nearby village, where he runs his 'Smallest Cog' car restoration garage But the presenter said he had managed to 'sneak' in some of his favourites after it was 'decided' they had to be removed and added Mindy 'doesn't go in the barn'. He said: 'My wife swears blind it is haunted and so it is more for me and the chaps.' Hammond confirmed his separation from Mindy in a joint statement published on social media in January, but insisted they will 'always be in each other's lives.' He wrote: 'A little update from us; this Christmas we were together as a family and this year we will still be a family but just structured a bit differently. 'Our marriage is coming to end, but we've had an amazing 28 years together and two incredible daughters. However, life as a single man appeared to get off to a bad start on Wednesday, with the presenter admitting he'd already shut himself out of his temporary home The presenter's former home, a Grade II-listed property built in the 18th century, has six bedrooms, a swimming pool and 20 acres of land Hammond confirmed his separation from Mindy in a joint statement published on social media in January , but insisted they will 'always be in each other's lives' 'We will always be in each other's lives and are proud of the family we created. 'We won't be commenting further and sincerely hope that our privacy and that of our children will be respected at this time. With Love, Richard and Mindy.' It's understood that Mindy had previously warned Hammond he was on his 'last chance', eight years before the couple announced their marriage was over, but has since filed divorce papers. A source told The Sun: 'Richard is very upset about all this. It seems he has tried hard to rekindle the relationship but to no avail. There is no speculation that any third party is involved.' The presenter's relentless travelling and dangerous TV escapades were thought to be mitigating factors in the split, after two previous high speed crashed almost cost Hammond his life. Hammond nearly lost his life when he was involved in a 320mph crash while filming a Top Gear stunt at Yorks Elvington airfield back in 2006 He endured a second brush with death after his 2million Rimac supercar careered off a hill and burst into flames as he raced at high speed through rural Switzerland in 2017 But he admitted there were no plans to give up travelling the world, despite The Grand Tour coming to an end. Appearing on his latest YouTube video, Hammond admitted he'd since planned a lads' road trip around India with his brother and a group of friends. 'My little brother's 50 this year,' he explained. 'And I wanted to do something. We've got a great bunch of mates - we share a lot of friends - and they all ride bikes, so we decided to go to the Himalayas and ride bikes over the tallest, most navigable, motorable paths in the world.' He added: 'It's twenty one thousand feet, it's higher than Everest base camp, so the air is thin, the roads are shaky. There are eight of us, and just a mixed bunch of friends... but I figured they'd all be able to handle a road trip.' Hammond also revealed there were important rules put in place to ensure everyone got long during the arduous trip. Hammond and wife Mindy in happier times at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018 'We can all be a d**k occasionally, but you've got to not overdo it because you're going to ruin it for everyone else,' he said. 'But more importantly, if someone else is annoying you, you cannot give in to that. You've got to have give and take.' Hammond was filming for his show The Grand Tour in Switzerland when the car he was driving crashed and repeatedly flipped over. It caught fire moments after he managed to escape. The presenter was in a coma for two weeks following the accident, but made a full recovery. In 2006 he also suffered life-threatening head injuries and was in a coma following a high-speed crash as he filmed for BBC's Top Gear. 'I did say three strikes and youre out. Youve had two goes,' she later said during a joint appearance on This Morning. 'He has one of these every ten years so Ive marked the next one in my diary. Hugh Grant took a playful jibe at his ex girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley as he called her 'high-maintenance' during his latest interview with Vogue. The Heretic actor, 64, dated the model, 59, from 1987 until 2000 and the couple made headlines when they stepped out for the 1994 Four Weddings And A Funeral premiere with Elizabeth dressed in her famous safety pin dress. The daring garment put the star on the map, and as Hugh chatted with his Bridget Jones co-star Renee Zellwegger he revealed the former couple would lunch with Gianni Versace himself. He explained: 'I used to go backstage and have lunch with Gianni Versace before his shows in Milan,' before adding 'but I did have very high-maintenance girlfriends who liked all this.' Renee then joked: 'Oh, it was the girlfriends. You liar.' Elizabeth became a household name overnight thanks to he extravagant couture gown, manufactured from a mix of black silk and Lycra, held together with oversized safety pins and borrowed from the Versace flagship store on Old Bond Street. Hugh Grant took a jibe at 'his high-maintenance' ex girlfriend Elizabeth Hurley as he reveals the pair were friends with fashion designer Gianni Versace after THAT safety pin dress (pictured 1994) As Hugh chatted with his Bridget Jones co-star Renee Zellwegger he revealed the former couple would lunch with Gianni Versace himself Speaking in a Disney+ Vogue documentary last year, Elizabeth shared how she came to wear such a risque dress for the evening - and how she dealt with the huge reaction. She said: 'I must have been photographed 800,000 billion times that night. The next day we were on the front page of every newspaper, we were like "What the hell is this?". 'I remember I was just looking at it thinking "What' then going "Well it was actually a pretty daring dress wasn't it?".' On how she came to wear such a huge designer so early in her career, Elizabeth explained: 'I knew I had to have a dress and somebody said "I know someone who's got a PR firm and they might be able to help you" so on the day of we rang and said "Do you have anything" and they said "We've got one dress". 'And I was like "Well alright I'd love to borrow it, if I can get into it." So I went on the tube to get the dress, which was handed to me in a little white plastic bag.' The actress and model took the Tube to pick up her infamous black Versace number held together with large gold safety pieces. She said: 'Id never heard the name Versace before and it looked pretty precarious. 'But I remember touching my toes and stretching up in it, and nothing moved, so I galloped down the stairs and that was that.' He explained: 'I used to go backstage and have lunch with Gianni Versace before his shows in Milan,' before adding 'but I did have very high-maintenance girlfriends who liked all this' The daring garment put the star on the map, and as Hugh chatted with his Bridget Jones co-star Renee Zellwegger he revealed the former couple would lunch with Gianni Versace himself Hugh chatted with his co-star Renee Zellwegger for their most recent Vogue interview ahead of the new Bridget Jones film (pictured in 2004 for Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason) She adds: 'The next day we were on the front page of every newspaper and Im like, "What the hell is this?". 'I hadnt really realised how daring a dress it was.' Last month Elizabeth confessed she credits her relationship with Hugh for helping her navigate a pivotal time in her life, but admitted they no longer see each other - despite remaining firm friends following their amicable separation in 2000. Appearing at the Bazaar At Work summit she said: 'I was with my ex, Hugh Grant, so it happened to both of us at the same time. 'Like me, he'd also worked a lot, and thought he was doing pretty well, until Four Weddings and a Funeral came out and suddenly it was completely different he was a phenomenon. 'The film was a massive success, and everything changed. But there was two of us and I think that massively helped. When youre suddenly thrust into the spotlight, your lives arent set up for it.' She added: 'You dont have any protection. It was alarming. The press was much ruder back in the 90s and 2000s than it is now. I truly believe that people aren't allowed to be as rude as they were then. The Heretic actor, 64, dated the model, 59, from 1987 until 2000 and remained friends after their split (pictured in 1999) She said: 'I must have been photographed 800,000 billion times that night. The next day we were on the front page of every newspaper, we were like "What the hell is this?" '[I] think it gives you a bond when you sort of go to the trenches with someone. I mean, he's married with five children. I hardly ever see him, but he's still very close to my heart.' Reflecting on her iconic dress - borrowed as a last minute favour from Dean Aslett, then Head of Womenswear and Atelier at Versace - Hurley admits she was stunned by the attention it received. 'It was very strange,' she recalled. 'Id been working for a few years, and in my mind, I thought I was quite famous I had been in a few things. 'To my family, I was a success; but I had no idea what it actually meant to really be in the public eye. That was a real shock to one's psyche.' Katie Price has addressed her drastic weight loss and revealed she's getting bum fillers as she's been left with a 'saggy a**' after losing 'loads and loads' of weight. The former glamour model, 46, recently sparked concern about her health among fans when she showcased her noticeably slimmer figure in a new Instagram video. And in another social media post shared on Wednesday, Katie told how she's now been forced to get the non-surgical procedure to enhance her bottom as it's been left 'flat' before brazenly showing off her behind. Filming herself at an aesthetics clinic where she had just topped up her lips, Katie proudly unveiled her plans for yet another cosmetic procedure. Speaking about herself in third person, Katie said: 'Oh she's done it again! She's closer to looking like a Bratz doll! She's done the lips at The Clinic Club. I just love it here, I'm obsessed with them here.' Discussing her latest plans while addressing her weight loss, Katie continued: 'That obsessed as where I've lost loads and loads of weight, my a**e s now saggy! So no, I've got to have my bum filler done here.' Katie Price has addressed her drastic weight loss and revealed she's getting bum fillers as she's been left with a 'saggy a**' after losing 'loads and loads' of weight Katie told how she's now been forced to get the non-surgical procedure to enhance her bottom as it's been left 'flat' before brazenly showing off her behind She concluded: 'I can't wait. Keep tuned. It's not happening today, but I'm doing my bum.' She then urged her followers to head to the clinic if any of them have 'lost weight' and has a 'saggy a**'. In a second video Katie pulled down her jogging bottoms to reveal her tattooed bottom as she told: 'This is an insight to why I need my bum doing. Look how flat it's got.' Captioning the racy post, she remarked: 'Bum filler pending'. The mother-of-five has long been known for her love of cosmetic surgery and has had numerous procedures over the years. Only in November, she revealed she is getting a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) to make her bottom 'as big as my lips'. Sharing a video of herself at The Clinic Club on Harley Street, Katie said: 'I've just had my consultation to get my bum as big as my lips. 'I'm getting it done in January but this time they've got an ultrasound which means it'll be much safer. Get used to the big lips because soon I'm going to have a bubble butt. Wahey!' Filming herself at an aesthetics clinic where she had just topped up her lips, Katie proudly unveiled her plans for yet another cosmetic procedure Discussing her latest plans while addressing her weight loss, Katie continued: 'That obsessed as where I've lost loads and loads of weight, my a**e s now saggy! So no, I've got to have my bum filler done here.' She concluded: 'I can't wait. Keep tuned. It's not happening today, but I'm doing my bum' [pictured in December] Only in November, she revealed she is getting a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) to make her bottom 'as big as my lips' She first underwent a bum lift in January followed by another one in March [pictured] Katie has already had a bum lift in the past but appears to have not been satisfied with the results as she's going back for more. She first underwent a bum lift in January followed by another one in March. It comes as Katie worried fans as she shared a clip on Wednesday promoting her friend's clothing brand, JYY London, while wearing a burgundy co-ord. In the video, Katie strutted confidently in the skin-tight two-piece, but her visibly thinner legs sparked concern among her followers. Fans flooded the comment section with messages urging her to prioritise her health, with many pleading: 'No more weight loss.' They commented: 'Omg Katie what's happening to you,' 'Ozempic working its wonders again.' 'From a place of love - I've loved you my entire life please eat,' 'Who is looking after her? This needs flagging up before it goes too far,' 'Looking frail and elderly,'; 'Yeah this isn't healthy Katie, please get some help,' 'The sad reality of body dysmorphia. Easier for people on the outside to spot.' The former glamour model recently sparked concern about her health among fans when she showcased her noticeably slimmer figure in a new Instagram video In October last year, Katie responded the concerns over her drastic weight-loss, by exclusively telling MailOnline it was the result of a new gym regime. She had worried her followers after modelling a skimpy cardigan dress on Instagram form her friend's clothing brand, showing her legs looking much thinner. But a representative for Katie insisted to MailOnline at the time: 'Katie has always been tiny and she's recently been enjoying going to the gym more and getting herself into a routine with exercise etc which has been beneficial for her overall well being.' Fans flooded the comment section with messages urging her to prioritise her health, with many pleading: 'No more weight loss' In October last year, Katie responded the concerns over her drastic weight-loss, by exclusively telling MailOnline it was the result of a new gym regime The star revealed last year that she had been getting into exercise as a way to her help her well being It comes after it was rumoured that Katie had split from her boyfriend JJ Slater, after it was reported that the couple had spent Christmas apart. The mother-of-five confirmed her relationship with the Married At First Sight UK star, 32, in February last year. However, speculation that the pair's relationship had broken down emerged after they appeared to spend the festive period apart. JJ shared a photo from his Christmas celebrations with his family, but Katie was noticeably not seen with him. While she spend the holidays with Kerry Katona, while the best friends starred as wicked step-sisters together in a pantomime of Cinderella. Katie has been supported the Atomic Kitten star, 44, after her split from fiance Ryan Mahoney in November after six years together. It comes after it was rumoured that Katie had split from her boyfriend JJ Slater , after it was reported that the couple had spent Christmas apart (pictured together) Katie spent the holidays with BFF Kerry Katona, who she has been supporting after her split from fiance Ryan Mahoney in November after six years together Katie and JJ appeared to squash split rumours on Tuesday night, as they put on a loved-up display at Geordie Shore party. However, The Sun reported that the pair were 'frosty' with each other and spent much of the bash apart, suggesting that their romance is on the rocks. An insider told the publication: 'Katie and JJ arrived separately to Geordie Shore launch and didn't speak at all for a few hours. 'They were with their own friends on separate sides of the room and were really frosty with each other. 'They did finally speak for about five minutes later in the night, took a few pictures together and then left. It was all very bizarre and it's clear that they aren't at their best right now. 'They are clearly trying to make things work in some way and haven't called it quits yet, but the signs don't look good.' Pregnant Arabella Chi put on a very racy display in a plunging LBD as she attended Cirque du Soleil Corteo Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday. The Love Island bombshell, 33, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Billy Henty, stunned on the star-studded red carpet. The mother-to-be looked out of this world in a velour strapless Lavish Alice mini dress, teamed with stylish court heels. Arabella concealed her growing baby bump while putting on a very leggy display as she nears her due date. In December 2024, Arabella revealed she is expecting a child with Billy, just two months after the couple confirmed their romance. It comes after Arabella cradled her growing baby bump in a white bikini as she posed for stunning Instagram snaps last week. Pregnant Arabella Chi, 33, put on a very racy display in a plunging LBD as she attended Cirque du Soleil Corteo Premiere at the Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday The Love Island bombshell, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Billy Henty, stunned on the star-studded red carpet She added a coordinated open towel dressing gown over the swimwear and kept comfortable in a pair of white slippers. Arabella looked in good spirits as she enjoyed a relaxing spa day with her mother at Hertfordshire's Champneys Spa. Leaving her long blonde tresses loose, the reality star cradled her bump while sat on a bed reading Coleen Hoover's hit book It Ends With Us. It comes days after Arabella revealed the gender of her baby with a heartfelt video montage set to Beyonce's Halo on Instagram. The clip featured sweet details from her gender reveal party, including pink and blue decorations, a white cake with 'Oh Baby' written on it, and a snippet of her baby scan. In the heartwarming finale, Arabella looked incredible in a chic white mini dress as she and boyfriend Billy stood together holding two black balloons. When they popped them with a needle, a burst of pink confetti filled the air, revealing theyre expecting a baby girl. She captioned the clip: 'It's a ...... We cannot wait to meet our little princess.' The mother-to-be looked out of this world in a velour strapless mini dress, teamed with stylish court heels Arabella concealed her growing baby bump while putting on a very leggy display as she nears her due date It comes after Arabella cradled her growing baby bump in a white bikini as she posed for stunning Instagram snaps last week It comes days after Arabella revealed the gender of her baby with a heartfelt video montage set to Beyonce's 'Halo' on Instagram The clip featured sweet details from her gender reveal party, including pink and blue decorations, a white cake with 'Oh Baby' written on it, and a snippet of her baby scan The clip featured sweet details from her gender reveal party, including pink and blue decorations, a white cake with 'Boy or Girl?' written on it, and a snippet of her baby scan In the heartwarming finale, Arabella looked incredible in a chic white mini dress as she and Billy stood together holding two black balloons. When they popped them with a needle, a burst of pink confetti filled the air, revealing theyre expecting a baby girl The model shared the news with a bikini-clad clip on Instagram as her hunky partner cradled her blossoming bump. Arabella looked sensational in the tiny two-piece as she beamed, proudly displaying her baby scan picture and positive test. Unable to wipe the smile off her face she wrote 'May 2025' in the sand, confirming the tot's due date. She captioned the post: 'Dreams do come true ... Baby Henty due May 2025. You already make our hearts full and we can't wait to meet you little one'. Billy is co-founder of a company specialising in biohacking and regenerative medicine, with clinics in London, Canada and Greece. In October they looked more loved up then ever as they made their red carpet debut at the UK premiere of Venom: The Last Dance, just weeks after going Instagram official. The pair had previously jetted off on a lavish holiday to Santorini and Arabella took the opportunity to share a photo of them together on social media for the first time, captioned: 'Making memories with you'. The couple had reportedly been dating secretly for months in private, with sources telling The Sun at the time: 'Arabella has made no secret of wanting to find the one and it looks like Billy could be that man.' Arabella and Billy went public with their romance in October 'He's clever, handsome and has a jet setting lifestyle, which she loves. It was a big step putting him on her socials she didnt tag him but shes happy for people to see her happy and in love.' Arabella previously confessed she was looking to find true love and her 'happily ever after', wanting to get married and have kids. She told The Sun on Sunday: 'Last year was probably my unluckiest when it came to finding the one. I've been so unlucky in love. Ive dated people I thought at the time were the one, which was a mistake Ive since learnt from.' 'What I've learnt from dating last year is that you think you know someone but you don't really know them at all. I dated people that perhaps, looking back, werent best suited to me.' She added: 'I've been fortunate enough to hang out in Hollywood circles but I have still not found love. Ive never felt more ready to settle down.' 'All Ive ever wanted is true love and that fairytale dream. Im 32, I want to get married and have babies.' 'I havent got lots of time left and I know more about myself now than ever. This is my last shot to find my happily ever after.' Vick Hope sent temperatures soaring on Wednesday as she shared a slew of stunning snaps from her romantic getaway with husband Calvin Harris to the Caribbean. The radio presenter, 35, and the DJ, 40, soaked in the sights of the island of Dominica, as well as taking trips Stateside to visit both Las Vegas and Miami Beach. Taking to her Instagram to wish her fans a 'belated merry Christmas and happy new year', Vick shared glimpses at the couple's recent jetsetting lifestyle. She looked nothing short of sensational in the photos, with one showing her flashing some major cleavage in a plunging floral dress while tucking into a delicious dessert. Another shot saw her showing off her svelte figure in a sparkling gold sequinned minidress with a daringly low neckline as she posed for a mirror selfie in a bathroom. While several rare snaps showed Calvin and Vick together, enjoying a dip in the clear waters beneath Dominica's idyllic waterfall, Syndicate Falls. Vick Hope sent temperatures soaring on Wednesday as she shared a slew of stunning snaps from her romantic getaway with husband Calvin Harris to the Caribbean The radio presenter, 35, and the DJ, 40, soaked in the sights of the island of Dominica, as well as taking trips Stateside to visit both Las Vegas and Miami Beach. Taking to her Instagram to wish her fans a 'belated merry Christmas and happy new year', Vick shared glimpses at the couple's recent jetsetting lifestyle The One Kiss producer went shirtless, showing off his chiselled chest, while Vick commanded attention in a tiny orange bikini. Ever the proud wife, Vick also shared videos of Calvin performing his NYE set to excited crowd at Fontainebleau Miami Beach. And she included snaps of her and the Scottish songwriter sightseeing for animals in the rainforest. Vick and Calvin became husband and wife in September 2023, after tying the knot in a lavish Glastonbury-themed wedding. After their nuptials, the newlyweds jetted off to Brindisi in Italy on a 25million private jet for their romantic honeymoon. Previously, Vick revealed her and Calvin's love story actually goes all the way back to the mid-Noughties. She confessed she rejected a 24-year-old Calvin's advances when she was 19 and he was riding on the high of his hit Acceptable In The 80s. She told You Magazine: 'It's something that we laughed about on our first proper date. We still laugh about it now.' One shot saw her showing off her svelte figure in a sparkling gold sequinned minidress with a daringly low neckline as she posed for a mirror selfie in a bathroom While several rare snaps showed Calvin and Vick together, enjoying a dip in the clear waters beneath Dominica's idyllic waterfall, Syndicate Falls The One Kiss producer went shirtless, showing off his chiselled chest, while Vick commanded attention in a tiny orange bikini Ever the proud wife, Vick also shared videos of Calvin performing his NYE set to excited crowd at Fontainebleau Miami Beach and included snaps of her and the Scottish songwriter sightseeing for animals in the rainforest Vick and Calvin became husband and wife in September 2023, after tying the knot in a lavish Glastonbury-themed wedding While Calvin went on to become one of the world's highest producers, racking up an estimated 200million fortune, Vick previously admitted she was 'shallow' and had no idea he would turn into 'an Adonis'. Talking about her engagement to Calvin, Vick confessed she kept the details of her engagement private noting it was a 'very special moment' and that 'it was... perfect'. She added: 'We don't really put anything on social media because the time we have together is "real life" and it's our own. 'For the first time in a long time, I'm finishing work and going home to a life that is just mine. I'm learning to find balance and peace.' Paul Danan has died at the age of 46, his management has revealed. The actor was best known for his role as Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, before appearing on the reality series Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother. Paul previously struggled with drug addiction, overdosing on heroin after returning from a stint in rehab, and in June he revealed that he was given CPR by his family after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure. He also has a son named Deniro, who was born in September 2015. In a statement, which was also shared by his acting agents, Independent Creative Management said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old. 'Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. 'His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him. 'During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul's family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time.' Paul Danan has died at the age of 46, his management has revealed (the actor is pictured in an audition clip he posted to Instagram last week) The actor previously starred as Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 1997 to 2001 Paul had been due to appear for a plea hearing at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with being in possession of several bags of cocaine and a 'quantity' of cannabis, according to court documents. He was also accused of driving whilst under the influence of drugs on October 2 last year in Warrington, Cheshire. Following Paul's passing, stars took to social media to pay tribute, including Dean Gaffney who wrote: 'You had your demons but my god you had a heart of gold... RIP Mr Paul Danan.' Katie Price also shared her own touching message, writing: 'Wow, just speechless and shocked. So many memories I'll always remember.' Paul and Katie became close pals after originally setting up a date together in 2017, but things quickly took a turn when she arrived for the evening with another man. He previously revealed: 'I get to this date and she turns up with another guy. I'm thinking, ''Why has she turned up to meet me with a bloke?'' 'All these years later she says she was probably a bit shy so she wanted someone with her. I took it to heart, as I thought she wasn't interested. After about an hour, I said, ''See you later''. I was really gutted.' Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace added: 'Paul Danan... a friend of mine... I'm so shocked and heartbroken... my darling man... I will cherish all our happy memories. RIEP u beautiful amazing talented human. I'm so very sorry.' Under the post, Hollyoaks star Chelsee Healey commented: 'This is so sad.' DJ Fat Tony, real name Anthony Marnoch, wrote on Instagram that Danan was 'one of the sweetest men', and said it 'hurts so bad'. GB News panellist Adam Brooks also took to X, writing: 'Just seen this, I only spoke to him a few weeks ago, he was a lovely soul.' Charlie Condou, who played Marcus Dent in Coronation Street, replied to DJ Fat Tony's post, writing: 'So sad, he was such a lovely lad.' EastEnders star Michael Greco, who played Beppe di Marco in the soap, wrote on X: 'So, so sad to read about the passing of Paul Danan. In this day and age of falsities and fake people, he was a genuine and caring man who just wanted to please everyone. A lovely warm man that will be missed by many. R.I.P. Buddy.' Prior to his death, Paul had been running his Morning After Drama group and prison workshops which help those struggling with addiction and mental health issues. In November he was also pictured arriving at Bristol Magistrates Court. His last Instagram post, shared on January 9, showed Paul filming himself performing a scene from the William Shakespeare play Twelfth Night. He captioned the post: 'It's been a long time since I've gone near a bit of the Master that is Our pioneer Sir William Shakespeare. 'You forget what a Genius he really was and remember how beautiful and exhilarating it is when you get stuck in to tackling his work. It's an amazing experience! I forget sometimes how much i need to be awoken...' Paul's death was announced in a statement released by his management Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace was among the stars to pay tribute to Paul, sharing a moving message on Instagram Katie Price, who became pals with Paul after a date between them went array, also shared her own moving tribute Fellow soap actor Dean Gaffney also took to social media to share a moving tribute EastEnders star Michael Greco shared that Paul would be 'sorely missed' after his passing DJ Fat Tony also took to social media to share a moving tribute Prior to his death, Paul had been running his Morning After Drama group and prison workshops which help those struggling with addiction and mental health issues In December, Paul also hosted a TikTok Live where he discussed his struggles with mental health, in a bid to raise money for his charity The Other Side Of Morning CIC, which aimed to build 'more community projects around the UK for people struggling with their mental health.' The actor, who trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, played the role of Sol in Hollyoaks between 1997 to 2001, before quitting the soap to pursue a career in Hollywood. In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure. The reality star collapsed and had to be given CPR by his family after losing consciousness while at home. He was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance and ended up in the ICU with pneumonia as his family were warned he might not 'make it through the night'. Paul had smoked cigarettes for years before switching to disposable vapes which he candidly admitted he would even 'go to sleep with' for comfort. After waking up in hospital he told how the doctor was incredibly stern with him and said if he carried on smoking he risked having to be linked to an oxygen tank later in life. He told The Sun: 'I was dead it's a miracle I'm here. I'm upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. 'I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. I'm so lucky.' 'The doctor was so, so harsh with me. She told me, 'Paul, you don't know how serious this was and you are going to be in here for a while now, on this oxygen'. In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure Paul had smoked cigarettes for years before switching to disposable vapes which he candidly admitted he would even 'go to sleep with' for comfort After leaving Hollyoaks, Paul appeared on the ITV reality series Celebrity Love Island, where he made headlines with his raucous antics During his stint on the show, Paul enjoyed a steamy romance with Isabella Hervey The actor also got cosy with glamour model Abi Titmuss (pictured), and caused such a stir that he returned for Celebrity Love Island's second series in 2006 During his time on Celebrity Love Island, housemates even said they didn't feel safe with Danan sleeping beside them in the bedroom and he had to be removed by security guards. The reality star has had a history of addiction, battling drugs and alcohol in the past but he has said that he has been clean for more than three years. He said that the flavours and 'a YouTube video' convinced him that vaping was safer than cigarettes. Last year Paul also reflected on his drug addiction while he appeared on The Dozen with Liam Tuffs podcast. The former soap star revisited his past drug addiction, his near-fatal heroin overdose and bedding over one thousand women during the candid interview. During the chat, Paul recalled overdosing on heroin shortly after he returned from a rehab stint in South Africa after his time on Hollyoaks. Speaking about the ordeal, he said: 'It took a bad route, a very dark route. Drugs, I had an overdose. I came out of rehab in South Africa. The psychiatrist had put me on all these anti-psychotics. I was there for months. 'I got back home and my parents were so proud of me. I was fat and horrible and didn't feel like myself.' Paul went out to get some cocaine but also ended up buying heroin which he had never taken before. He said: 'They gave me my keys and car and I detoured and got some gear, some coke. I got a bag of brown [heroin] which I'd never done before. 'I snorted it and shouldn't have snorted it because that's dangerous. I ended up having an overdose really bad.' Paul returned home and went to bed but his parents realised something was wrong and called an ambulance. He said: 'My mum found me and I couldn't breath, it was terrible. Apparently my mum heard me gagging on my last breath. She came into the room and couldn't wake me up. 'My little brother was next door which was the saddest thing about it because still to this day he's been traumatised by it. 'She called the ambulance and luckily they were parked down the end of the road. They came and said what has he taken and she said he doesn't do drugs. They knew they had to give me the antidote. F**k me, it was Pulp Fiction. He added: 'All I could see was my dad's face at the end of the ambulance. My mum said to me she'd already said goodbye to me. I saw my dad's face and could see this look of absolute disgust and hate, but relief, 'Oh my God, he's alive.' ' Paul made his debut as Sol Patrick on Hollyoaks back in 1997, a resident 'bad boy' on the soap who was no stranger to a run-in with the law Paul quit Hollyoaks in 2001 to pursue a career in Hollywood, but failed to land any major roles, and later shared that he took jobs such as working in a phone shop to make ends meet He later admitted that it was his time on Celebrity Love Island that skyrocketed him to new levels of fame, but did little to help his acting career In 2017, Paul was the fifth star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother, appearing on the show with Sam Thompson, Amelia Lily and Sarah Harding Elsewhere during the interview, Paul spoke about his many flings and estimated he has slept with over one thousand women. Asked how many women he has slept with, he replied: 'I don't know. I think we're definitely in the higher range. More than a thousand, yeah.' Paul admitted he misses his wild younger days, saying those types of casual flings don't happen as much for him anymore. He said: 'I really miss it. It don't happen like it used to. You have to be careful if you're looking at someone who is 25, is that wrong, is that right? 'Are you alright to fancy someone who's 25, 30? They're not on your level at 45. I am looking more at the 30 range, I need to be attracted.' Paul's battle with drug addiction first began after he left Hollyoaks in 2001 after four years playing Sol. He moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to make it in Hollywood but not having family or friends nearby caused him to use drugs frequently. He said: 'They were selling me as this young Jude Law type guy. You can't party and do well in Hollywood. You've got to be healthy. It was cool but I ended up getting into the wrong type of routine of using drugs. 'I can't handle rejection but I choose the one job that gives you more rejection than any other job. I'm auditioning for big, big movies. 'A lot of the time my life revolved around getting stoned, going to a gig, doing a pill or coke. There was always drugs involved. 'America is very drug orientated if you're young. I was in my twenties. The one thing I needed was family or friends around me and I didn't. It was like the drugs filled that void, they were my friend.' The actor previously told how he relapsed during the first Covid-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020, and ended up homeless - but later turned his life around and is now helping others with addiction problems. He ended up spending three and a half months in rehab, after having previously spent 'about 1million on rehab and recovery' over the years. Paul told The Sun that he decided to move in with his parents in Essex, so that he wouldn't be on his own in Hertfordshire during the first lockdown in March 2020. He believed he'd be fine because he hadn't touched drugs in a year and a half. The Hollyoaks star revealed that - due to his dad being in the high risk category - he couldn't even meet people for walks, and couldn't see his son DeNiro who was in London with Paul's ex. Paul recalled getting 'really bad cabin fever' and began feeling 'frustrated' as if he was 'going mad,' but gave notice on his flat in May 2020 with no end in sight for the restrictions, because he didn't want to keep paying rent when he wasn't there. Unfortunately, when he went to clear out the flat, the soap star spotted an empty bag of cocaine, which 'triggered something' and left him wanting drugs again. He told the publication: 'I ended up bumping into someone outside and getting some cocaine from them. It was a moment of like, 'F**k it, I'm not going to get another chance.' Then I went back to my parents and used. 'I only had a few lines but it was enough to get the taste again. They say one line is too many, a thousand is never enough, and that's what it's like. 'I felt terrible, so guilty and ashamed. I reckon over the years I've spent about 1million on rehab and recovery, and yet there I was doing it all again.' Unable to cope living with his parents, Paul decided to attempt to detox by staying with a friend of a friend in Bournemouth. However, the pair fell out, with the friend 'dumping' paul - who 'wasn't really ready to get clean' - at the station and leaving him there. The actor couldn't get into a hotel because of lockdown, so ended up going for a walk along the beach 'and scoring some drugs.' Paul recalled meeting 'dodgy guys' who ended up stealing some of his belongings, and suddenly it was midnight, and he had nowhere to go. He admitted: 'It got scary. I just walked the streets trying to get into places but every hotel said no to me and I was in tears. I was basically homeless.' Despite wanting to be back under his parents roof, they were 'furious' at him because of having to deal with his relapses so many times before. Thankfully a kind taxi driver took him to a hotel owned by his brother, where Paul slept for a few hours before going back to London. There, he booked an assessment at the famous Nightingale Hospital, which treats addicts, but missed the appointment. Paul then 'blagged' a room at a Holiday Inn in London, and found another dealer. He started using every day from the hotel room. The actor revealed that he ate just a croissant per day: 'For two weeks, I didn't sleep and was just taking a few grams of coke all day... I was losing my mind.' Eventually, the star began hallucinating, believing that police were coming to get him and seeing things that weren't real, which he described as 'terrifying.' In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure He was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance and ended up in the ICU with pneumonia as his family were warned he might not 'make it through the night' Last year, Paul also recalled overdosing on heroin shortly after he returned from a rehab stint in South Africa after his time on Hollyoaks After meeting on Celebrity Love Island, Paul went onto star in a spin-off series with co-stars Calum Best and Fran Cosgrove, titled Calum, Fran and Dangerous Danan Thankfully Gladstones - a rehab facility in the Cotswolds - offered to take him within the week, with Paul admitted that it 'saved my life.' He stayed at Gladstones for three and a half months, where they put him on the right ADHD medication and got him a psychiatrist as well as a yoga teacher. While in the facility, Paul pitched his idea for therapeutic drama workshops to different drug and alcohol recovery centres. When he checked out of Gladstones he moved to Bristol where he began his The Morning After Theatre workshops, which has now grown into a charity with ten people working for Paul and his business partner. Danan's mission to help those battling drug addiction was detailed on the group's website. The website said: 'By providing a specifically focused, accessible and non-judgmental opportunity, we engage with groups of individuals with similar experiences to bring them gently out from the shadows and into 'The Morning After'.' 'Our trauma informed and intuitive delivery provides a safe, fun and expressive space for people to access support, learn new skills, build confidence, develop tools to strengthen personal wellbeing and discover new positive coping strategies and behaviours through the art of theatre and improvisation.' Paul made his debut as Sol Patrick on Hollyoaks back in 1997, a resident 'bad boy' on the soap who was no stranger to a run-in with the law. In 1999 he received a nomination for Best Actor at the Inside Soap Awards. Paul's final scenes on Hollyoaks aired in April 2001, when Sol fled the village after falsely accused of trying to kill his girlfriend Jess Holt's brother Steve. Speaking about his exit at the time, Paul said he was satisfied with his character's exit storyline, saying: 'It was great that they left it open rather than killing him off. Sol didn't kill anyone, or commit any crime, all he did was protect his girlfriend, so there's no reason why he can't return one day.' Paul originally shared that he was quitting Hollyoaks to avoid being typecast, and shared hopes of pursuing a career in Hollywood. Whilst living in Los Angeles, Paul told MailOnline how he would often see actors working in McDonald's while waiting for their next big part, with he himself having taken up a 'normal job' to get some extra cash in the interim. 'I worked in a place called I Smashed It, which is where if you if you drop your iPhone or your phone and the screen smashes, then we'll fix the screen for you. I was working there for a bit, probably about 10 years ago. And that was just to get a bit of money on the side.' Paul also claimed during the chat he won a small role in the Hollywood comedy Cheaper By The Dozen before the casting agents ultimately decided on Ashton Kutcher for the part. In 2005, Paul also made headlines with his racy stint on Celebrity Love Island, later revealing that Playboy model Nikki Ziering performed a 'two minute' sex act on him during their time in the villa in Fiji. He previously told Jamie East's Reality Check of the tryst, saying: 'Nikki Ziering... the Playboy model comes in and overtakes everything... 2 minutes 58 [seconds] blow***!' 'They put the little time counter at the top of the screen. We went in the toilets, and then we were out...but a minute of it was spent taking off our microphones!' Paul caused so many arguments during his first appearance on Love Island that producers invited him back the following year. Housemates even said they didn't feel safe with Danan sleeping beside them in the bedroom and he had to be removed by security guards. Paul later admitted that it was time on the reality show that skyrocketed him to new levels of fame, even after spending four years on Hollyoaks. He told The Dozen podcast: 'I've never known fame like it. I've never seen people go so mental. Four years on a soap opera - that was nothing compared to these six weeks [in terms] of the stature of fame.' 'It didn't help with my acting career because suddenly people were like ''Oh, we don't want to hire a reality star!'' Casting directors were a bit snobby like that, they don't people want to see me on a TV show thinking ''Isn't that the guy from Love Island?'' 'It wasn't good for my acting career and it took a long time to get that back. I don't know if it's even fully redeemed even all these years later.' After meeting on Celebrity Love Island, Paul went onto star in a spin-off series with co-stars Calum Best and Fran Cosgrove, titled Calum, Fran and Dangerous Danan. The pair were famously involved in an alcohol-fuelled brawl, which showed Paul lashing out at Calum, repeatedly charging at him while shouting, 'I'll kill you!'. The star certainly caused a stir with his past reality TV appearances, flipping out from cheerful to furious in a split second. In 2017, Paul was the fifth star to be evicted from Celebrity Big Brother, appearing on the show with Sam Thompson, Amelia Lily and Sarah Harding. He also appeared on Celebrity Coach Trip in 2022, and later revealed the experience left him needing therapy. He said: 'I had to get a bit of counselling. It taps into a lot of stuff like rejection. It's brutal.' Jerome Flynn enjoyed a night out on Wednesday evening as Cirque Du Soleil's Corteo premiered at the Royal Albert Hall. The popular actor made a rare red carpet appearance with family members at the London extravaganza, which runs from January 9 to March 2. Jerome, 61, currently lives on his remote farm in Pembrokeshire but still continues his work as an actor and producer. One of his most recent roles has been latest role is as Banner Creighton in the Paramount+ western series 1923, which he's appeared in since 2022. He also makes an appearance in TV series The Change as Pig Man. At the height of his fame, Jerome abandoned his career and disappeared from the spotlight to join a religious sect - which he was part of for eight years. Jerome Flynn was joined by his family on Wednesday evening as Cirque Du Soleil's Corteo premiered at the Royal Albert Hall The popular actor made a rare red carpet appearance with family members at the London extravaganza, which runs from January 9 to March 2 He was introduced to the works of the American spiritual guru Andrew Cohen and Enlightenment movement by actor pal Linus Roache - the son of Coronation Street actor William Roache - with Jerome's life changing almost overnight. Jerome was fascinated by Cohens spiritual teachings, essentially a reworking of Hindu mysticism and Tibetan Buddhism dressed up for Western consumption, and at the height of his fame fled to Rishikesh in India on a two-week retreat. On his return to Britain in 1996 he threw everything in with Cohens sect, abandoning his career and moving into a commune in North London with a group of fellow believers, including his then girlfriend, Anna Jacobs. It was, in Jeromes own words, a very intense spiritual life... equivalent to being a monk for eight years. In the end, however, Jerome, like Anna four year before him, reached the end of the road with Cohen. He has admitted he became convinced Cohen was a Christ-like figure and has criticised his former guru because he didnt discourage that in a way that I think he should have. After his relationship with Anna ended and he left the organisation, Jerome spent 18 months taking stock of his life as he renovated the Georgian farm he had bought in Pembrokeshire. Following the death of his father, Eric, from cancer in 2002, Jerome has set about rebuilding his career. He won rave reviews the following year for his stage performances in a one-man show about Tommy Cooper directed by Simon Callow. Jerome currently lives on his remote farm in Pembrokeshire but still continues his work as an actor and producer The actor appeared to be in high spirits as he attended the event in London on Wednesday In 2011, Jerome made his big TV comeback as he starred as Bronn in the hit HBO series Game Of Thrones. The show led to him being cast in Ripper Street, having starred as Detective Sergeant Bennet Drake for four seasons between 20122016 - with the role even earning him a BAFTA nomination. Jerome famously dated his Game Of Thrones co-star Lena Headey (Cersei Lannister) between 2002 - 2003 with the romance said to havebeen a tumultuous one. Things were thought to have ended so badly between the pair that they were reported to have refused to work with each other - something the actor has denied. James Packer was spotted rubbing shoulders President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk at a star-studded event in Florida. The 57-year-old billionaire had his new girlfriend Renee Elizabeth Blythewood by his side at the dinner held at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's Palm Beach Home. He was joined by long-time friend and business partner Brett Ratner. Ex model and philanthropist Renee later shared pictures and video of the high-end get-together to her social media. At one point in the clip, shared to Renee's stories, Packer can be seen enjoying a beverage at a round table with a vape by his elbow. Seated beside Packer was newly elected US President Donald Trump who can be seen having an animated conversation with Brett Ratner. James Packer (right) was spotted rubbing shoulders President-elect Donald Trump (centre) and Elon Musk at a star-studded event in Florida The 57-year-old billionaire had his new girlfriend Renee Elizabeth Blythewood by his side at the dinner held at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's Palm Beach Home. Also pictured: Brett Ratner Another segment of the video shows Elon Musk and Ratner enjoying the evening, while the US President-elect appears to be using a mobile device. Packer made headlines earlier this month when he announced that his company with Brett Ratner, Ratpac, would be making a documentary on the life of Melania Trump. Amazon will release the film which will be directed by Ratner, while the new First Lady will act as executive producer alongside Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media. Filming began in December 2024 and Prime Video will share more details on the project as the production progresses throughout the year. 'We are excited to share this truly unique story with our millions of customers around the world,' an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. The documentary is expected to hit the silver screen worldwide in the second half of 2025. Meanwhile, Packer appears to have a new lease on life after going public with his new girlfriend Renee Blythewood at the Cannes Film Festival in May. The Australian billionaire, who started dating the American model near the end of 2023, said he is now 'looking forward to the future'. Another segment of the video shows Elon Musk (L) and Ratner enjoying the evening, while President-elect appears to be using a mobile device (Pictured) After fleeing his home country to escape the shadow of his late father media mogul Kerry, he said in July that life is starting to look up. 'I'm doing OK. Better in some ways than others, but overall can't complain at all, and am looking forward to the future,' James told The Daily Telegraph. The father-of-three also spoke about his fluctuating weight and admitted it remains a 'constant struggle' for him as he addressed his recent weight gain. James said he found it tough to lose weight when he was taking medication for his bipolar disorder, which he was diagnosed with in 2016. But the businessman attempted to wean himself off the medication and adjust his lifestyle by quitting sugar, smoking and drinking, and going on 'long walks'. While that helped him shed the kilos down to 110, James said he is 'embarrassed' to admit he started eating sugar again in February because he 'loves it so much'. Packer made headlines earlier this month when he announced that his company with Brett Ratner, Ratpac, would be making a documentary on the life of Melenia Trump 'This time it's not the medication I'm off nearly all of those I just need to be more disciplined. I love sugar so much!' he admitted. 'I am going to address my weight again, but, to be honest, weight for me is a bit of a constant struggle.' It comes after James went public with girlfriend Renee in May when they were spotted at the star-studded Cannes Film Festival together. In photos shared to Instagram, Renee smiled alongside the mega-wealthy businessman as they posed for a picture with a group of friends on the red carpet. The pair reportedly enjoyed a string of low-key dinners together during their time in Cannes, while Renee is said to have joined James on his luxury yacht. The lavish yacht had reportedly been moored off Antibes, France, for the week after travelling over from Barcelona for the esteemed film festival. Renee, who shares son Levi, 16, with a former partner, carved out a successful modelling career for herself at the young age of 10. Packer revealed earlier this year that 'money is not a guarantee of happiness' but having it is better than the alternative. 'I would prefer to be rich and unhappy than to try and be poor and unhappy,' Packer, said in the promo for an interview to be aired on Channel Seven show Spotlight. Packer appeared emotional when talking to the Seven interviewer. He also revealed he lives part of the year on the yacht, named IJE after the initials of his children, when he fled Sydney after inquiries into the operations of Crown casinos in Melbourne and Perth. Packer told the Daily Telegraph in July he has houses in America, Mexico, Argentina and Israel - along with an apartment in Crown Sydney - and travels between them. 'I do live a peripatetic life, for better or worse,' he said. 'The truth is, my dads (media mogul Kerry Packer) shadow became too big for me to live under in Australia.' Paul Danan shared a personal message with his fans as he took to Instagram with a haunting final post just days before his tragic death aged 46. The Hollyoaks actor's shock death was revealed on Thursday as his management confirmed his passing. And the star's final post saw him showcase his passion for acting as he took to social media with an audition clip for the Shakespeare play A Twelfth Night as he played the part of Duke Orsino. In a personal message to his fans, Paul explained he 'forget[s] how much I need to be awoken' as he spoke about getting stuck into the potential new role. Throwing himself into the role, Paul gave an intense performance as he penned in the caption: 'Audition for A Twelfth Night to play Orsino. It's been a long time since I've gone near a bit of the Master that is Our pioneer Sir William Shakespeare. 'You forget what a genius he really was and remember how beautiful and exhilarating it is when you get stuck in to tackling his work. Paul Danan shared personal message with his fans as he took to Instagram with a haunting final post just days before his tragic death aged 46 The star's final post saw him showcase his passion for acting as he took to social media with an audition clip for the Shakespeare play A Twelfth Night as he played the part Duke Orsino 'It's an amazing experience! I forget sometimes how much I need to be awoken...' Sharing the support for the star, Paul's friend Calum Best, who he met on Celebrity Love Island, commented an applause emoji. While others complimented his performance, more recent comments have expressed their sadness in light of the news of his passing. Celebrity Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan Wallace also posted a series of heartbroken emojis while others penned: 'RIP mate sleep well'; 'I can't believe this sad news RIP'. Paul's management confirmed his death in a statement as they said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old. 'Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. 'His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him. 'During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul's family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time.' In a personal message to his fans, Paul explained he 'forget[s] how much I need to be awoken' as he spoke about getting stuck into the potential new role Paul's friend Calum Best, who he met on Celebrity Love Island, commented an applause emoji while others shared their sadness in light of the news of his death Paul trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, before going on to playthe role of Sol in Hollyoaks between 1997 to 2001, before quitting the soap to pursue a career in Hollywood In December, Paul also hosted a TikTok Live where he discussed his struggles with mental health, in a bid to raise money for his charity The Other Side Of Morning CIC, which aimed to build 'more community projects around the UK for people struggling with their mental health.' The actor was best known for his role on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, before appearing on the reality series Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother. Paul trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, before going on to playthe role of Sol in Hollyoaks between 1997 to 2001, before quitting the soap to pursue a career in Hollywood. He moved to Los Angeles in an attempt to make it in Hollywood but not having family or friends nearby caused him to use drugs frequently. He said: 'They were selling me as this young Jude Law type guy. You can't party and do well in Hollywood. You've got to be healthy. It was cool but I ended up getting into the wrong type of routine of using drugs. 'I can't handle rejection but I choose the one job that gives you more rejection than any other job. I'm auditioning for big, big movies. 'A lot of the time my life revolved around getting stoned, going to a gig, doing a pill or coke. There was always drugs involved. Paul's death was announced in a statement released by his management After leaving Hollyoaks, Paul appeared on the ITV reality series Celebrity Love Island, where he made headlines with his raucous antics In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure 'America is very drug orientated if you're young. I was in my twenties. The one thing I needed was family or friends around me and I didn't. It was like the drugs filled that void, they were my friend.' Paul also claimed during the chat he won a small role in the Hollywood comedy Cheaper By The Dozen before the casting agents ultimately decided on Ashton Kutcher for the part. The star previously struggled with drug addiction, overdosing on heroin after returning from a stint in rehab, and in June he revealed that he was given CPR by his family after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure. In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure. The reality star - who appeared on the original 2005 series of Celebrity Love Island and has been in Hollyoaks - collapsed and had to be given CPR by his family after losing consciousness while at home. He was then rushed to hospital in an ambulance and ended up in the ICU with pneumonia as his family were warned he might not 'make it through the night'. Paul had smoked cigarettes for years before switching to disposable vapes which he candidly admitted he would even 'go to sleep with' for comfort. After waking up in hospital he told how the doctor was incredibly stern with him and said if he carried on smoking he risked having to be linked to an oxygen tank later in life. He told The Sun: 'I was dead it's a miracle I'm here. I'm upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. 'I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. I'm so lucky.' 'The doctor was so, so harsh with me. She told me, 'Paul, you don't know how serious this was and you are going to be in here for a while now, on this oxygen'. The reality star has had a history of addiction, battling drugs and alcohol in the past but he has said that he has been clean for more than three years. Tributes have been flooding in for Paul Danan after it was announced on Thursday that he has died at the age of 46. The actor was best known for his role on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks, before appearing on the reality series Celebrity Love Island and Celebrity Big Brother. A statement shared by Paul's management and acting agents said: 'It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of @pauldanan at just 46 years old. 'Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him. 'During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Paul's family, friends, and colleagues. No further comments will be made at this time.' Among the first to share his condolonces was EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney, who wrote that Paul had a 'heart of gold'. Tributes have been flooding in for Paul Danan after it was announced on Thursday that he has died at the age of 46 (pictured in September 2021) Katie Price took to Instagram to pay tribute to her close friend, writing that she is 'speechless and shocked' by the news (pictured together in 2017) He took to his Instagram stories and shared a photo of the soap actor, alongside the caption: 'You had your demons but my god you had a heart of gold... RIP Mr Paul Danan.' Katie Price took to Instagram to pay tribute to her close friend, writing that she is 'speechless and shocked' by the news. Paul has previously talked about his 2017 date with Katie, who instead went on to be a close friend instead of a romantic interest. He claimed that Katie brought along another man to what he thought was a date, adding: 'All these years later she says she was probably a bit shy so she wanted someone with her. I took it to heart, as I thought she wasn't interested.' Calum Best, who starred in the original Celebrity Love Island alongside Paul in 2006, posted an emotional tribute on Instagram as he called his friend one of the 'most authentic people' he's ever known. They also starred together in the 2006 ITV2 reality show Calum, Fran And Dangerous Danan, which saw them travel across the US together. Alongside a slew of throwback pictures from both shows, Calum quipped: 'From the OG love islandto Calum , Fran and dangerous danan to all these years later staying mates and attending an event recently supporting people in sobriety. 'Paul was one of the funniest, kindest, and most authentic people I've known - truly a creative genius too having all of us laughing our asses off at his insta profile he made to rinse a certain era of celeb culture we lived. 'Life wasn't always easy for him, but he faced it with such heart and courage, and that inspired so many of us. 'We shared many laughs, chats, and unforgettable moments. My heart goes out to his loved ones right now. Rest easy, brother.' Paul has previously yalked about his 2017 date with Katie, who instead went on to be a close friend instead of a romantic interest Calum Best, who starred in the original Celebrity Love Island alongside Paul in 2006, posted an emotional tribute on Instagram (the duo picturedf together with Fran Cosgrave) Calum wrote: 'Life wasn't always easy for him, but he faced it with such heart and courage, and that inspired so many of us' They also starred together in the 2006 ITV2 reality show Calum, Fran And Dangerous Danan, which saw them travel across the US together Pictured L-R: Liz Mcclarnon, Lee Sharpe, Lady Isabella Hervey, Nikki Ziering, Winners Fran Cosgrave and Jayne Middlemiss, Calum Best, Paul Danan, Rebecca Loos and Abi Titmus on Celebrity Love Island Among the first to share his condolonces was EastEnders actor Dean Gaffney , who wrote that Paul had a 'heart of gold' Dean took to his Instagram stories and wrote: 'You had your demons but my god you had a heart of gold... RIP Mr Paul Danan' (Dean pictured) Imogen Thomas was another Big Brother star to pay tribute to Paul, as she shared a sweet photo of them together and called him a 'lovely man' Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace also took to social media to express her 'heartbreak' and pay tribute to her friend Aisleyne (above) wrote: 'Paul Danan... a friend of mine... I'm so shocked and heartbroken... my darling man... I will cherish all our happy memories' Fellow soap star Michael Greco, who portays Beppe di Marco in EastEnders, also took to X to share a heartfelt message Paul Danan and Michael Greco pictured together (far left) on Celebrity Love Island in 2005 Music star DJ Fat Tony, real name Anthony Marnoch, shared a tribute on Instagram as he penned: 'This hurts so bad god bless you Paul one of the sweetest men I've ever met what a sad day x. Fellow Love Islander Rebecca Loos, who was in the same series as Paul and Calum, also paid tribute to her castmate. She shared a photo from the show in 2005, simply writingL 'R.I.P @pauldanan,' alongside a heartbroken emoji. Big Brother star Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace also took to social media to express her 'heartbreak' and pay tribute to her friend. She wrote: 'Paul Danan... a friend of mine... I'm so shocked and heartbroken... my darling man... I will cherish all our happy memories. RIEP u beautiful amazing talented human. I'm so very sorry.' Hollyoaks actress Chelsee Healey also commented on Aisleyne's post: 'This is so sad.' Ex EastEnders actor Michael Greco praised Paul for being a 'genuine and caring man' in a world of 'falsities and fake people'. He wrote on X: 'So, so sad to read about the passing of Paul Danan. In this day and age of falsities and fake people, he was a genuine and caring man who just wanted to please everyone. A lovely warm man that will be missed by many. R.I.P. Buddy'. He wrote on X: 'So sad to hear of the passing of Paul Danan. We worked together on the film 'one man and his dog' a few years ago he was a very bubbly young man. Condolences go out to his family and friends at this very sad time.' Fellow Love Islander Rebecca Loos, who was in the same series as Paul and Calum, also paid tribute to her castmate TV presenter Hayley Palmer also shared a sweet picture of herself and Paul as she emotionally wrote that she will 'love him forever' She later took to X to share that she's in 'absolute bits and reveal that she only spoke to the late star a few weeks ago Former darts ace Bobby George remembered Paul as a 'very bubbly young man' GB News panellist Adam Brooks also took to X to pay tribute Music star DJ Fat Tony, real name Anthony Marnoch, shared a tribute on Instagram as he penned: 'This hurts so bad god bless you Paul one of the sweetest men I've ever met what a sad day x.' And former darts ace Bobby George remembered Paul as a 'very bubbly young man', after starring alongside him in 2004 film 'One Man and His Dog'. Charlie Condou, who plays Marcus Dent in Coronation Street, replied to the post with: So sad, he was such a lovely lad.' Fellow soap star Michael Greco, who portays Beppe di Marco in EastEnders, also took to X to share a heartfelt message. He wrote: 'So, so sad to read about the passing of Paul Danan. In this day and age of falsities and fake people, he was a genuine and caring man who just wanted to please everyone. A lovely warm man that will be missed by many. R.I.P. Buddy.' Imogen Thomas was another Big Brother star to pay tribute to Paul, as she shared a sweet photo of them together and called him a 'lovely man'. Taking to her Instagram stories, she quipped: 'So shocked and saddened to hear the death of the lovely Paul Danan. You were a great man. RIP you lovely soul.' TV presenter Hayley Palmer also shared a sweet picture of herself and Paul as she emotionally wrote that she will 'love him forever'. A Place In The Sun host Jean Johansson quipped that Paul was 'always kind and funny' alongside a throwback snap of the actor Ex-TalkRadio host Iain Lee expressed his shock at the tragic news and shared that Paul was 'incredibly helpful to him when he relapsed' Prior to his death, Paul had been running his Morning After Drama group and prison workshops which help those struggling with addiction and mental health issues The actor previously starred as Sol Patrick on the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks from 1997 to 2001 Paul's death was announced in a statement released by his management Reminiscing on their memories, she wrote: 'We'd listen to your favourite song on repeat in your car. Will remind me of you forever,' with Rain Or Shine by Five Star playing in the background. She later took to X to share that she's in 'absolute bits and reveal that she only spoke to the late star a few weeks ago. Hayley quipped: 'I'm in absolute bits Love you forever Paul Danan I can't even believe the news.. I only spoke to Paul a couple of weeks ago! 'He invited me to a Prodigy Concert and I said 'Paulieeee that's not really my thing!.. and he said I knewwww it wouldn't be!!!!!!' 'Paul was a one off character, he was soooo funny! We were great friends and did a Radio Show on Love Sport Radio together and I would fall off my chair with laughter! .... and he was one of the first to reach out to me when I wasn't in a good place last year.' She poignantly added: 'Last message he said love you and I said love you back x Ex-TalkRadio host Iain Lee expressed his shock at the tragic news and shared that Paul was 'incredibly helpful to him when he relapsed'. He wrote: 'F*** me. Now Paul Danan. I knew Paul a little bit although we hadn't spoken in a while. He was incredibly helpful to me when I relapsed. F****** hell. What a s*** week.' A Place In The Sun host Jean Johansson quipped that Paul was 'always kind and funny' alongside a throwback snap of the actor. After leaving Hollyoaks, Paul appeared on the ITV reality series Celebrity Love Island, where he made headlines with his raucous antics In June, Paul revealed that he was brought back to life after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure His last Instagram post, shared on January 9, showed Paul filming himself performing a scene from the William Shakespear paly Twelfth Night 'It's an amazing experience! I forget sometimes how much i need to be awoken... GB News panellist Adam Brooks also took to X, writing: 'Just seen this, I only spoke to him a few weeks ago, he was a lovely soul.' Paul previously struggled with drug addiction, overdosing on heroin after returning from a stint in rehab, and in June he revealed that he was given CPR by his family after his 'obsessive' vape usage caused respiratory failure. He also has a son named Deniro, who was born in September 2015. His last Instagram post, shared on January 9, showed Paul filming himself performing a scene from the William Shakespear paly Twelfth Night. 'You forget what a Genius he really was and remember how beautiful and exhilarating it is when you get stuck in to tackling his work. In December, Paul also hosted a TikTok Live where he discussed his struggles with mental health, in a bid to raise money for his charity The Other Side Of Morning CIC, which aimed to build 'more community projects around the UK for people struggling with their mental health.' Paul had been due to appear for a plea hearing at Warrington Magistrates' Court on Thursday after being charged with being in possession of several bags of cocaine and a 'quantity' of cannabis, according to court documents. He was also accused of driving whilst under the influence of drugs on October 2 last year in Warrington, Cheshire. Wendy Williams has shut down claims that her ongoing dementia battle has made her 'permanently incapacitated' in a rare radio interview on Thursday morning. The radio icon, 60, called into The Breakfast Club to plea foo freedom from her controversial guardianship, as she spoke with her former radio co-host Charlamagne Tha God. The headline-making talk show host - who was diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May 2023 - sobbed as she described her current situation as 'emotional abuse' in the damning chat. Wendy stated to the shows' hosts: 'I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison. I am definitely isolated. 'To talk to these people who live here, that is not my cup of tea. I keep the door closed.' The former Wendy Williams Show host described her stark difference of her daily life as she noted: 'I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by.' Wendy Williams has shut down claims that her ongoing dementia battle has made her 'permanently incapacitated' in a rare radio interview on Thursday morning Wendy added that she no longer has the company of her pet cats and claimed that they are now 'gone' - claiming that they had been taken despite her 'wanting them with her'. The TV star revealed that she ultimately hopes to move to Florida so she can live there with her family. For now the star is just focused on being able to travel out to Miami next month in order to celebrate her beloved dad's birthday. In an Instagram post before the interview took place, Charlamagne penned a caption about conservatorships and guardianships, which he insisted are 'designed to preserve dignity' and 'not control.' 'Conservatorships and guardianships should exist to empower, protect and support individuals not to confine them in invisible prisons,' the talk show host wrote. 'Tomorrow morning on @breakfastclubam #WendyWilliams will remind us that these systems must be transparent, compassionate, and designed to preserve dignity, not control. Let's discuss.' The interview comes weeks after Williams made a rare public appearance last month for a special occasion to support her family. She was spotted supporting her son Kevin Hunter Jr. as he graduated from Florida International University. The radio icon, 60, called into The Breakfast Club to plea for her freedom from her controversial guardianship Last year, attorneys for the star's guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, claimed in new filings that Wendy 'has become cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated' Her outing came just weeks after she was declared 'permanently incapacitated' by her guardian. In court documents filed by Sabrina Morissey in November 2024, Williams was described as being 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated' after being diagnosed with early-onset dementia. She has been under a legal guardianship since 2022. Just last month, the star was pictured looking happy and smiling in an Instagram image shared by her niece, Alex Finnie. Wendy seemed relaxed and in good spirits as she posed for a selfie with Alex at what appeared to be a family dinner. Alex also uploaded a short clip of the pair, in which she placed a loving kiss on the former radio personality's cheek. 'Its the most wonderful time of the year [heart emoji] #FamilyOverEverything #MyHeart,' Alex wrote in the caption. Followers were delighted to see the beloved host out and about as one commented: 'She looks like the Wendy we all know and love! Looking great, keep up the fabulous work.' Wendy stated on Thursday's interview: 'I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison. I am definitely isolated' (seen in 2018 in Atlanta) Just last month, the star was pictured looking happy and smiling in an Instagram image shared by her niece, Alex Finnie Another wrote: 'Thanks for sharing. You and your auntie Wendy looks beautiful.' Wendy's public outings took place shortly after a family insider exclusively told DailyMail.com that Wendy is 'more clear now than she's ever been.' Earlier this year, a source close to her family claimed they have 'largely been denied contact' with her by her guardian, per People. The insider said her family is 'rooting' for her amid the court-ordered guardianship. 'Wendy Williams' family is unable to speak on her current condition and location due to ongoing litigation and the fact that they have largely been denied contact,' the source told the outlet. 'But they are all rooting and praying for Wendy and want to express their well wishes as she celebrates her 60th birthday.' The insider added: 'She was, is and always will be an icon.' The Wendy Williams Show aired its final episode in June 2022 after 13 years without the star herself making an appearance. She previously withdrew from the show in 2021 and embarked on what was initially supposed to be a temporary leave of absence to cope with health issues. Wendy Williams fans have blasted her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, after the star shockingly revealed details of her conservatorship and said she felt like she is 'in prison.' The TV personality, 60 - who has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia - called into The Breakfast Club on Thursday to open up about suffering 'emotional abuse.' The former talk show host insisted to hosts DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious that she is not 'cognitively impaired' and is 'trapped' at a facility in the state of New York. Williams also said on the radio show that she has only $15 and that Morrissey took her old phone away, leaving her with one where she can only make calls - and not receive any. At one point, Wendy - who was placed under the guardianship in 2022 - broke down in tears and was joined by her niece, Alex Finnie, for support. Not long after the interview, social media users jumped to X to share their thoughts - with some calling for the #FreeWendy movement. Wendy Williams fans have blasted her guardian, Sabrina Morrissey, after the star, 60, shockingly revealed details of her conservatorship and said she felt like she is 'in prison'; seen in 2019 in NYC Williams also said during her call on the radio show that she has only $15 and that Morrissey (seen above) took her old phone away, leaving her with one where she can only make calls - and not receive any It is similar when fans rallied behind Britney Spears and spoke out against her 13-year conservatorship, which ended in November 2021. 'Wendy Williams is literally being held captive by Sabrina Morrissey. #FreeWendy,' one penned. Another shared, 'Listening to Wendy Williams on The Breakfast Club and the way yall went up for Britney Spears, yall better do the same for Wendy smh #FreeWendy.' An X user also linked to a petition on Change.org to gather signatures for the star's freedom from the conservatorship. 'If you love Wendy Williams as much as I do, SIGN SIGN SIGN SIGN!!!!' One wrote, '#WendyWilliams only has $15.. time to strap up.. who we got to fight.. I can't hear Wendy cry like this.. What's the name of the guardian? It's time we talk #FreeWendy.' 'Wendy says she has 15 dollars in her possession because her money is locked up,' another shared, while a fan pointed out, 'Wendy Williams sounds for freaking clear right now.. no man #FreeWendy!!!' Another wrote, 'This is very sad hearing Wendy Williams on the breakfast club, Her guardian Sabrina Morrissey is really trying to make her lose her mind.' 'She can't have a phone, Laptop, can't go to the doctors of her choice, nor is she allowed to go shopping to buy personal items!!! #FreeWendy.' The former talk show host insisted to hosts DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious that she is not 'cognitively impaired' and is 'trapped' at a facility in the state of New York Not long after the interview, social media users jumped to X to share their thoughts - with some calling for the #FreeWendy movement 'Another shared, 'Listening to Wendy Williams on The Breakfast Club and the way yall went up for Britney Spears, yall better do the same for Wendy smh #FreeWendy' An X user also linked to a petition on Change.org to gather signatures for the star's freedom from the conservatorship. 'If you love Wendy Williams as much as I do, SIGN SIGN SIGN SIGN!!!!' One wrote, '#WendyWilliams only has $15.. time to strap up.. who we got to fight.. I can't hear Wendy cry like this.. What's the name of the guardian? It's time we talk #FreeWendy' 'Wendy says she has 15 dollars in her possession because her money is locked up,' another shared, while a fan pointed out, 'Wendy Williams sounds for freaking clear right now.. no man #FreeWendy!!!' Another wrote, 'This is very sad hearing Wendy Williams on the breakfast club, Her guardian Sabrina Morrissey is really trying to make her lose her mind' One added, 'Wendy is breaking down in tears.. because she's scared that she will have her phone taken away or even moved for talking today and her family wont be notified' One added, 'Wendy is breaking down in tears.. because she's scared that she will have her phone taken away or even moved for talking today and her family wont be notified.' 'Listening to Wendy Williams on the Breakfast Club this morning. This conservatorship has got to go!' a fan penned. 'Sabrina Morrissey, it's time to do the right thing and allow Wendy to be free and see or call her family whenever she wants to. ON. HER. OWN. TERMS. #FREEWENDY.' Another typed, 'If yall can free Britney so she can twirl around with her knives until the end of days. YALL CAN FREE WENDY!!!' 'Whoa the #WendyWilliams interview on @breakfastclubam was enlightening,' an X user shared. 'Thank you for showing the pros and cons of conservatorship and guardianship. Wendy sounded amazing, coherent and intelligent.' One added, 'Well hearing Wendy Williams appearing on the radio for the first time in years got me crying so hard for sure! I hope she's doing okay by all means...' Another penned, 'Im listening to the Breakfast Club interview with Wendy. This is terrible what they are doing to her,' while a fan also wrote, 'No one deserves to live like this.' 'Listening to Wendy Williams on the Breakfast Club this morning. This conservatorship has got to go!' a fan penned Another typed, 'If yall can free Britney so she can twirl around with her knives until the end of days. YALL CAN FREE WENDY!!!' 'Whoa the #WendyWilliams interview on @breakfastclubam was enlightening,' an X user shared During her call on the radio show, Williams pled for her freedom and opened up about the facility she is staying at in New York. 'I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison,' the star said. 'I'm in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. There's something wrong with these people here on this floor.' 'I am definitely isolated. To talk to these people who live here, that is not my cup of tea. I keep the door closed.' Wendy added, 'I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by.' Her niece, Alex, also joined in on the call and further explained that Williams has 'a bed, a chair, a TV, a bathroom and she's looking out one window at buildings across the street.' 'She's there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month, she's not getting proper sunlight,' Alex added. 'I went to New York in October to visit her. And the level of security and the level of questions that there were in terms of, "Who am I? Why am I here? What's the purpose?" I mean, it was absolutely just horrible.' It was also revealed that Wendy cannot receive any calls, and also does not have any access to the internet or laptop. During her call on the radio show, Williams pled for her freedom and opened up about the facility she is staying at in New York 'I am not cognitively impaired, but I feel like I am in prison,' the star said. 'I'm in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. There's something wrong with these people here on this floor'; seen in 2019 in NYC The TV personality expressed that she has spent her last three birthdays alone at the facility and stated, 'This is what is called emotional abuse.' 'They won't allow you to leave or have visitors. So you can't even leave and take a walk if you wanted to, or take a trip or visit family members.' Williams became emotional as she expressed her wishes to be with her father for his 94th birthday next month in February. 'I don't know if I'm going to be able to see my dad on his 94th birthday. The day after that is not promise,' the star tearfully told the radio hosts. Her niece defended Wendy on the call and explained, 'Anybody that knows my aunt knows she's always been a unique personality. How she's talking, that's her. That's who she is. Don't try to twist how she is.' The topic of the Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams? - which aired last year in 2024 - was also brought up. Morrissey filed a lawsuit against the network in order to prevent the series from being released, but Lifetime and A&E countersued. Wendy expressed, 'She was the one who wanted to do that, you understand what I'm saying? What do I think about being abused? Look, this system is broken, this system that I'm in. This system has falsified a lot.' Williams became emotional as she expressed her wishes to be with her father for his 94th birthday next month in February; seen in 2018 in Atlanta Late last year, Morrissey filed documents which described Williams as 'cognitively impaired and permanently incapacitated.' At one point during the interview, Williams questioned, 'Do I seem that way, God d**n it?' She also revealed that she only has $15, and claimed her cats are 'gone' - even though she 'wants them with' her. Last month in December, Wendy made a rare public appearance as she attended her son Kevin Jr.'s college graduation in Florida. Afterwards, she was seen having a heated argument with her caretakers after a celebratory dinner in Miami. Her son also gave an update on his mother's health in December after her guardian claimed she was 'permanently incapacitated.' She also revealed that she only has $15, and claimed her cats are 'gone' - even though she 'wants them with' her Her son Kevin Jr. (seen above) also gave an update on his mother's health in December after her guardian claimed she was 'permanently incapacitated Radio and television personality Charlamagne Tha God congratulated Kevin Jr. on his graduation on Instagram that began with Wendy looking healthy and happy. Kevin Jr. took to the comment section to reply: 'Thank you fam! [three prayer hand emojis] Let's get her home [fingers crossed emoji],' and later shed a little more light on what Wendy has been going through. He added, 'While I'm here quick update on my mom. She's sober and wants to come home. We're fighting to make that happen because Isolation is killing her faster than anything else.' The star's dementia diagnosis in 2023 came one year after she was placed under a court-ordered legal guardianship that oversees both her finances and health. Eamonn Holmes captured a heartwarming moment as he reunited with his beloved dog Maggie who he shared with ex Ruth Langsford. The TV presenter, 65, were locked in a bitter custody battle over their beloved 14-year-old Border Collie who they adopted in 2011. It was previously said the former couple were having 'difficult conversations' over the pooch and that Eamonn was set to lose custody of her. On Thursday, Eamonn shared a video of himself reuniting with Maggie who looked thrilled to see him again. In the video he said: 'Aw that dog loves me, thank you Maggie,' before breaking into a rendition of All You Need Is Love by The Beatles. A source previously told The Sun: 'Maggie is like a daughter to them. They dote on her. But she's getting on and they know she needs stability. Eamonn Holmes captured a heartwarming moment as he reunited with his beloved dog Maggie who he shared with ex Ruth Langsford The TV presenter, 65, were locked in a bitter custody battle over their beloved 14-year-old Border Collie who they adopted in 2011 On Thursday, Eamonn shared a video of himself reuniting with Maggie who looked thrilled to see him again 'It's a case of who can give her that. Eamonn adores her and Maggie's been such a support during his health woes. 'The thought of giving her up is heartbreaking to him. But if Ruth is able to get out and about and walk her more, then it may well be that she gets Maggie in the split. The TV star has been dating counsellor Katie Alexander since his split from Ruth. Eamonn proved he was very much enjoying his new romance after the pair jetted off for a luxury holiday together over the summer. The GB News presenter was seen cheekily grabbing his new lover Katie's bottom in Ibiza in September. The getaway reportedly left Ruth shocked, with the holiday occurring just four months after the former golden couple announced they were divorcing. The Northern Irish presenter has been open about his new relationship with the pair pictured enjoying two holidays together over the summer. In May it emerged Eamonn and Ruth had split after 14 years of marriage and would divorce. Cracks had started to appear in their relationship and they had not been photographed together for two years. The TV star has been dating counsellor Katie since his split from wife Ruth Langsford in May (Eamonn and Ruth pictured together in August 2021) Ruth supported Vanessa Feltz at her book launch on Thursday night amid the bitter split Katie met Eamonn on X in 2015 after she commented on a post and it sparked a conversation. Last October he attended a charity fundraising event in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and became a patron. Katie has worked for the charity as a therapist. It was reported in September that Ruth has hired a 'fierce' divorce lawyer amid the bitter split. As reported by The Sun, Catherine Costley has been called up by Loose Women host Ruth who seeks to end her 14-year marriage to Eamonn, also 64, with a financial settlement. Ms Costley is known for her fierce approach to divorce settlements and has said all women should have a 'go bag' fund when exiting a relationship, according to The Sun. The divorce lawyer was once an apprentice of 'Steel Magnolia' Baroness Fiona Shackleton, Britain's highest-profile divorce lawyer who famously represented Charles in his split from Diana in 1996. Baroness Shackleton has also worked with A-list stars including Paul McCartney, Liam Gallagher and Madonna, and was once doused with water in court by a furious Heather Mills while representing the Beatles legend during the couple's divorce in 2008. Eric Christian Olsen's wife Sarah Wright Olsen announced Wednesday that their $1.35M three-bedroom Pacific Palisades home was burned down in the LA wildfires. Luckily, the 47-year-old NCIS: Los Angeles alum and the 41-year-old Your Zen Mama co-founder safely evacuated the embattled Castellammare neighborhood with their three children in tow - son Wyatt, 11; daughter Esme, 8; and daughter Winter, 4. Sarah was in the middle of recording ads of her parenting podcast The Mother Daze 'when she smelt the smoke.' Eric and family quickly fled to the home of his brother David Paul Olsen and sister-in-law Daniela Ruah, who co-starred with him in NCIS: Los Angeles. 'It's impossible to put into words these last few days. We are together and safe and surrounded by love,' Wright wrote on Instagram. 'We lost our home. It was one of the first areas to go. Our kids have said "we all took our first steps there." It's so hard to say goodbye to our gorgeous town, our special school, and this place we have loved for 13 years. But we are so so grateful we are together and for the outpouring of love.' Eric Christian Olsen's wife Sarah Wright Olsen announced Wednesday that their $1.35M three-bedroom Pacific Palisades home was burned down in the LA wildfires (pictured in 2022) The BAEO skincare co-founder continued: 'We have received so many messages from friends offering their homes, food, clothing, hugs, things for the kids, support, and we are just blown away. It's what keeps making us tear up. Thank you it means so much to us. More soon.' Just last month, the Olsens were under threat of evacuation with thousands of others due to the Franklin Fire, which burned more than 4K acres and 12 structures in Malibu between December 9-18. It's unclear if the Cloud Nine Productions founder and Sarah still own the vacation home near Jackson Hole, WY they bought in a 2015 episode of the HGTV's House Hunters. The married couple of 12 years reportedly began dating in 2007 - one year after meeting as co-stars on the set of Fox sitcom The Loop and one year after she divorced her first husband A. J. Mason. Eric is currently an executive producer on Jennie Snyder Urman's reboot of Matlock starring Kathy Bates, which CBS officially renewed for a second season on October 22. Olsen concluded his role as investigator Marty Deeks in Shane Brennan's police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles in 2023 after 14 seasons on CBS. But the Kamala Harris supporter is probably best known for taking on the Jim Carrey role in Troy Miller's 2003 prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd and playing 'The Cocky Blond Guy' Austin in Joel Gallen's teen parody comedy Not Another Teen Movie. Firefighters are entering day nine of the battle against five different wildfires destroying a total 38,724 acres with the Palisades fire being 21% contained and the Eaton (Altadena) fire being 45% contained. Officials have confirmed 25 deaths, over 12K destroyed structures, thousands remain evacuated, and economic loss is estimated to cost between $135B-$150B. Other celebrities who've lost their homes in the blaze include Mel Gibson, Paris Hilton, Jeff Bridges, Anna Faris, Cary Elwes, Diane Warren, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Eugene Levy, Steve Guttenberg, Jennifer Grey, Ricki Lake, Matt Damon, Miles Teller, Billy Crystal, and Adam Brody, and Heidi Montag. Luckily, the 47-year-old NCIS: Los Angeles alum and the 41-year-old Your Zen Mama co-founder safely evacuated the embattled Castellammare neighborhood with their three children in tow - son Wyatt, 11; daughter Esme, 8; and daughter Winter, 4 Sarah was in the middle of recording ads of her parenting podcast The Mother Daze 'when she smelt the smoke' (pictured December 26) Eric and family quickly fled to the home of his brother David Paul Olsen and sister-in-law Daniela Ruah (pictured November 29), who co-starred with him in NCIS: Los Angeles Wright wrote on Instagram: 'It's impossible to put into words these last few days. We are together and safe and surrounded by love' She added: 'We lost our home. It was one of the first areas to go. Our kids have said "we all took our first steps there." It's so hard to say goodbye to our gorgeous town, our special school, and this place we have loved for 13 years. But we are so so grateful we are together and for the outpouring of love' The BAEO skincare co-founder continued: 'We have received so many messages from friends offering their homes, food, clothing, hugs, things for the kids, support, and we are just blown away. It's what keeps making us tear up. Thank you it means so much to us' Just last month, the Olsens were under threat of evacuation with thousands of others due to the Franklin Fire, which burned more than 4K acres and 12 structures in Malibu between December 9-18 (pictured December 10) The married couple of 12 years reportedly began dating in 2007 - one year after meeting as co-stars on the set of Fox sitcom The Loop and one year after she divorced her first husband A. J. Mason (pictured September 1) Eric is currently an executive producer on Jennie Snyder Urman's reboot of Matlock starring Kathy Bates, which CBS officially renewed for a second season on October 22 Olsen concluded his role as investigator Marty Deeks in Shane Brennan's police procedural NCIS: Los Angeles in 2023 after 14 seasons on CBS But the Cloud Nine Productions founder is probably best known for taking on the Jim Carrey role in Troy Miller's 2003 prequel Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd and playing 'The Cocky Blond Guy' Austin in Joel Gallen's teen parody comedy Not Another Teen Movie Firefighters are entering day nine of the battle against five different wildfires destroying a total 38,724 acres with the Palisades fire being 21% contained and the Eaton (Altadena) fire being 45% contained (Eaton fire pictured Wednesday) Trista Sutter shed light on her abrupt exit from Fox's hit series, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, in which celebrities take on demanding training led by an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives. The inaugural Bachelorette star, 52, who was the fourth recruit to leave the show's third season after Stephen Baldwin, Ali Fedotowsky and Denise Richards, revealed that she nearly died from 'hypothermic shock' when she 'got back from the beach on the first day.' 'My lips were turning blue in the vehicle on the way back. It was bad. I was extremely lethargic,' she recalled to Us Weekly. 'It was really scary.' She continued: 'I wanted to get to the end. I truly did. I wasnt one that wanted to just sign up for the show and get the paycheck on the first day, you know what I mean? I wanted to challenge myself as much as I could.' Sutter went on to explain that viewers did not see her experience in the mirror room, where she 'really' got to 'connect on a human level with Billy [Billingham] and Q [Jovon Quarles].' 'I thought that it would be farther along,' she insisted, before noting that she also got close to soldier, Rudy Reyes, who she first told she thought she was going 'to faint' on the beach. Trista Sutter explained her abrupt exit from Fox's hit series, Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, in which celebrities take on demanding training led by an elite team of ex-Special Forces operatives I said, "I think Im going to faint." And hes like, "Well, what do you want to do?" I said, "I would love to see a medic." And he is like, "Well, you cant, if you see a medic then youre voluntarily withdrawing." And hes like, "Im sorry, you have to either VW or keep going." And Im like, "OK, Im not ready to go home,"' she explained. Sutter said she 'just kept going' and, ultimately, her tenacity was recognized in the mirror room, where she said she was told they were 'really proud' of her. The mother-of-two also noted that Reyes admitted that he assumed she was 'going to quit on the beach' but was 'so proud' that she 'kept going.' After getting back from the beach, she explained she took a long shower to warm up. 'Before we started filming [again] I saw the number 444 and I believe in angel numbers and guardian angels and God and have huge faith and all of that,' she recalled. 'I went into it knowing or believing that my guardian angels were kind of watching over me and went to bed. I woke up to the explosions all of us did and instantaneously a peace came over me thinking, "Youre good. Youve gotten a lot out of these two days." Even though its just two days. It was like a lifetime.' Following her brush with death, the staff warned her and the other recruits that things were about to get a lot harder if they remained and progressed in the show. 'And it was already really hard!' she said. 'The in-betweens running with the pack, which is a third of my body weight essentially it was really hard. Ive never been a runner and those were the hard parts, the tasks I was actually kind of excited about and thought I did really well in them even though I didnt pass technically.' Despite her short stint on the show, she said she gained her confidence back and learned she 'can do hard things' if she put her 'mind to it.' The inaugural Bachelorette star, 52, who was the fourth recruit to leave the show's third season after Stephen Baldwin, Ali Fedotowsky and Denise Richards, revealed that she nearly died from 'hypothermic shock' when she 'got back from the beach on the first day' 'My lips were turning blue in the vehicle on the way back. It was bad. I was extremely lethargic,' she recalled to Us Weekly. 'It was really scary' 'Part of me regrets leaving when I did, now that I see everything that theyve been through,' she confessed. 'But I just keep trying to remind myself how I felt in that moment and that peace that came over me, [how I did] challenge myself with the experience and all the people I met, the camaraderie. Im trying to be grateful for all that, but it is hard. I would love to wake myself up and be like, "Yeah, whatever. Screw that piece. Keep going!"' Still, she knows that she was 'giving a hundred percent' the whole time, 'even though' her 'hundred percent was not as great as the professional athletes and Carey Hart.' 'I was trying my best,' the former reality star declared. 'And so just knowing that they saw that I was giving a hundred percent meant a lot to me.' 'I have just so much respect for them and what they have given to our country [and] their countries. Connecting with them was really important to me,' she added of the DS (Directing Staff). Additionally, she told People that a lot was going on behind-the-scenes that viewers didn't get to see that left her 'exhausted.' Sutter went on to explain that viewers did not see her experience in the mirror room, where she 'really' got to 'connect on a human level with Billy [Billingham] and Q [Jovon Quarles]' This included 'running with a pack that's a third of' her weight and 'trying to run.' 'I'm trying to run. I am not a runner normally. I have asthma. I'm out of shape. And those are not excuses at all. I don't want that to come across as an excuse. I'm just saying that was really hard for me,' she told the outlet. 'I had angels like Golden Tate, who at one point you could see at the bridge task that he had two backpacks on, one in the front and one in the back,' she pointed out. 'Mine was the one in the front. And he was carrying me.' 'Him and Nathan were holding my hand as we were running to the vehicles from the bridge,' she stated. 'Cam came running to get my pack from me after the beach, even though [Directing Staff member] Q was like, "Don't you help her. Don't you help her." And he's like, "Whatever, I'm going to help her.' After hitting her 'breaking point' and withdrawing, Sutter returned home to her husband, Ryan, who she met on the very first season of the Bachelorette in 2003. Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to film his Santa Claus movie, The Man With The Bag in NYC on Wednesday after his Brentwood mansion was threatened by the LA fires. The action icon, 77, sported a dyed white beard, festive jumper, bobble hat and a red coat as he filmed a Santa Con after party scene in Manhattan, days after thanking firefighters and emergency personnel for fighting the fires 'around the clock.' He completed his ensemble with a snowflake print scarf as he was seen with co-star Alan Ritchson, 42 and a host of other Santas. The superstar's Brentwood, California mansion was under threat from the Pacific Palisades fire which is now at 22 per cent containment. The star previously took to X to thank fans for their concern amid the disaster, writing: 'I really appreciate all of the kind messages and concern. But dont worry about me, or my animals, and certainly not my house. 'I would rather you focus all of your thoughts on these heroic firefighters and first responders who are fighting an impossible battle around the clock. Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to film his Santa Claus movie, The Man With The Bag in NYC on Wednesday after his Brentwood mansion was threatened by the LA fires He completed his ensemble with a snowflake print scarf as he was seen with co-star Alan Ritchson, 42 and a host of other Santas The Palisades fire started on Tuesday, January 7 and the Eaton fire in Pasadena began not long after. More than 180,000 people in Los Angeles have been evacuated and at least 25 people have lost their lives. There are four additional fires burning in Topanga/Calabasas, Acton, Simi Valley and the Hollywood Hills. The fires were sparked by the Santa Ana winds, which saw gusts of up to 80 to 100mph on Tuesday and Wednesday as fire fighters tried to get a handle on the blazes. Entire neighborhoods in Pacific Palisades and Altadena have been wiped off the map due to the blazes. The Calabasas blaze, named the Kenneth Fire, was allegedly caused by an arsonist, who has been apprehended by police. Many celebrities have seen their multi-million dollar mansions razed to the ground as the fire spread to Hollywood Hills and Calabasas. Adam Brody and Leighton Meester, Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry Teller, Miley Cyrus and Eugene Levy have seen their homes leveled by the fires. The action icon, 77, sported a dyed white beard, festive jumper, bobble hat and a red coat as he filmed a Santa Con after party scene in Manhattan, days after thanking firefighters and emergency personnel for fighting the fires 'around the clock' Arnie was seen cracking up with laughter as he filmed his Christmas movie A view of engulfed wildfire as firefighters battle wildfires in Los Angeles as several blazes continue to tear through the region on January 10 So did Anna Faris, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Melissa Rivers, Paris Hilton and Mandy Moore, Jeff Bridges, Jhene Aiko, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag and Cary Elwes. Arnold, who is renowned for his many roles in action movies, is back filming his first festive film in nearly three decades. Arnold previously appeared in the 1996 Christmas family comedy as a workaholic father on a mission to get his son a sold-out action figure, which results in him learning the real meaning of Christmas. The former governor of California, who recently became a grandfather for the third time, joins a long list of actors that have played Jolly Old St. Nicholas, including Ben Affleck, Tim Allen, Billy Bob Thornton and Kurt Russell. News first broke that the Hollywood legend would be starring in another Christmas comedy back in March. Adam Shankman is directing the Amazon MGM Studios film from a script by Allan Rice. The plotline reads: 'When Santa's magic bag is stolen, he turns to his naughty list to find Vance, a former thief, to help him get it back. 'Along with his daughter, Santa, and a group of misfit elves, Vance will have to pull off the greatest heist of his life to save Christmas.' It will mark the first time that Arnie has appeared in a festive movie since Jingle All The Way in 1996. And it will be his first film role of any kind since Terminator: Dark Fate in 2019. He did shoot the flick Kung Fury 2 that year but it has not been released due to legal issues. In addition to his acting career, he is father to five children: daughters Katherine, 35, and Christina, 31, and sons Patrick, 31, Christopher, 27, and Joseph, 27. He shares all his children with Shriver, apart from Joseph, whose mother is Mildred Patricia Baena, his longtime housekeeper. Twin Peaks director David Lynch has died at age 78. The four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker's family announced the devastating news via social media on Thursday. Famous for directing his iconic TV series and the film Blue Velvet, Lynch had recently been battling ill health and was homebound due to emphysema. In a post, shared on Facebook, his loved ones wrote: 'It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch.' 'We would appreciate some privacy at this time. Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us.' 'But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. 'Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way,' they concluded. David is survived by his wife Emily Stofle as well as daughter Jennifer, 56, - who he had with his first wife Peggy Reavey - and sons Riley, 42, and Austin, 33, both of whom were a result of his marriage to Mary Fisk. Four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker David Lynch has died at age 78; seen in 2019 From 2006 until 2007, he was married to Mary Sweeney and he then tied the knot with Stofle - with whom he has 12-year-old Lula - but they separated in December 2023. Under his family's post, fans shared their condolences to his loved ones and praised his uniquely dark vision that shaped modern film and TV. 'We love you so much, David Lynch! You have been a source of inspiration for so many people and speaking personally, you changed my perspective on art, spirituality, and life in general,' one commented. Another wrote: 'David is one of my biggest artistic inspirations. Will always be grateful for that. I will miss him terribly but know he will always be remembered. Hes made some of the best film and tv of all time - were so lucky to have shared time on earth with him.' 'Icon hardly seems like enough to encapsulate David Lynch. Thank you for all the light he brought into this world, always marching to the beat of his own drum, giving hope to all of us who dare to be different. He will be greatly missed,' a third expressed. American filmmaker and actor, Harmony Korine, was among the first to react to the news. 'David Lynch was one of our great artists, a Mount Rushmore-level director, truly a GOAT. He changed a lot of peoples lives. There will never be another one like him, because he made films at a point in history where nothing like that had ever been experienced before,' he told IndieWire. Jeremy O. Harris reposted the news to X, alongside a message, which read: 'Most of us dont remember our dreams, or if we do their images are hazy. Like a cartographer you mapped yours and in doing so helped the world navigate theirs. Thank you for your gifts and your dreams. #RIP.' The four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker's family announced the devastating news via social media on Thursday In a post, shared on Facebook , his loved ones wrote: 'It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch' (seen in 2002) James Gunn tweeted: 'RIP David Lynch. You inspired so many of us. ' In an interview with Sight & Sound just five months ago, Lynch said that he got emphysema 'for smoking so long.' Lynch said: 'Im homebound whether I like it or not. I cant go out. And I can only walk a short distance before Im out of oxygen.' The director of Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks got real as he said his love of cigarettes put him in this position. Lynch said: 'Smoking was something that I absolutely loved, but in the end, it bit me. 'It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it, and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things. 'Nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, its killing me. So I had to quit.' Though his disease has prevented him from working on projects in person, he is not completely ruling out the possibility of directing in the future. He said: 'I like to be amongst the things and get ideas there. But I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it.' 'We would appreciate some privacy at this time. Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us,' they concluded. 'But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. 'Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way' (seen in 1990) Lynch is survived by his wife Emily Stofle (seen together above in 2017), and three children Jennifer Lynch, Austin Jack Lynch, and Riley Lynch Over his career, he was awarded with numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019; seen in 2019 Lynch was referencing his animated project - called Snootworld - which was pitched and ultimately passed on by Netflix. In November, he told People that he required supplemental oxygen for most activities and could 'hardly walk across a room.' 'It's like you're walking around with a plastic bag around your head,' he said of his battle with emphysema. Despite not having any regrets, Lynch hopes his devastating health update will encourage other smokers to quit. He also told the outlet: 'Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you.' Lynch admitted there had been a 'big price to pay' for his lifelong habit but said he didn't regret it. By the time he gave up cigarettes the father-of-four could 'hardly move without gasping for air.' 'Quitting was my only choice,' he said. In an August interview with Sight & Sound, Lynch said that he got the disease 'for smoking so long' (seen in 1984) Some of Lynch's other signature projects included Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (seen above in 2001), and Inland Empire (2006) His most recent major project before his health issues was the revival of his series Twin Peaks for Showtime in 2017. The original series had ran from 1990 to 1991 as it followed the investigation into the murder of homecoming queen Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee) as it took place in the fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington. When it first aired in the early 1990s the series had developed a cult following after its run on ABC which later resulted in the 1992 prequel feature film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk. His most recent major project before his health issues was the revival of his series Twin Peaks for Showtime in 2017 (pictured in 2001) Previously, Lynch revealed he had emphysema after 'many years of smoking' on X Over two decades Lynch's signature franchise made a comeback with Twin Peaks: The Return. Kyle MacLachlan, Sherilyn Fenn, Madchen Amick, Lee and David Duchovny - who starred in the original - returned for the revival. Other stars were also added into the mix including Laura Dern, Amanda Seyfried, Jessica Szohr, Michael Cera, Richard Chamberlain, and Trent Reznor. Lynch's other signature projects included Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Blue Velvet (1986), and Mulholland Drive (2001), and Inland Empire (2006). Angelina Jolie quietly helped out a Los Angeles charity as the city continues to burn from wildfires. The 49-year-old Oscar-winning actress wore casual clothing and her hair down with little makeup on as she pitched in with the World Central Kitchen. The ex-wife of Brad Pitt was seen at night next to several other female volunteers. Jolie did not seem to make a big deal about her volunteer work as she did not post about it on social media. It was a savvy move on her part as some other stars, like Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, made sure their relief efforts became a photo op. Also working with the World Central Kitchen were Eva Longoria, chef Tyler Florence and Jennifer Garner. Angelina Jolie quietly helped out a Los Angeles charity as the city continues to burn from wildfires. Jolie did not seem to make a big deal about her volunteer work as she did not post about it on social media. Seen on January 5 Jason Collis shared a photo of Jolie as he said: 'Absolutely beyond proud of our incredible teamsaying they're doing God's work is an understatement! 'Day and night, since day one we're committed to supporting everyone impacted by the Eaton and Palisades wildfires in LA. Our hearts are with the community and the brave first responders on the front lines. 'We've served over 100,000 hot meals, thanks to the huge generosity of local food trucks and restaurant partners. In the face of devastation, there's a beacon of light in the unity and kindness surrounding us all. Let's keep this spirit of community alive! #chefsforcalifornia #LAStrong #EatonFire #PalisadesFire. It was also noted that Longoria got her hands dirty. 'Eva Longoria Baston stopped by WCK partner Tacos 1986 to pick up a nourishing lunch for crews in Pasadena working tirelessly to clean up the devastation caused by the Los Angeles fires,' it was shared on the World Central Kitchen Facebook page. 'She joined the National Day Laborer Organizing Network teaman organization that empowers day laborers, migrants and low-wage workersas the community comes together to kickstart recovery. #ChefsForCalifornia.' These sightings comes after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been slammed by Justine Bateman as 'disaster tourists' after they appeared volunteering during the LA wildfires. The Hollywood actress, 58, took to X/Twitter to blast the couple after they were spotted in footage dressed in plain clothes and speaking with victims and other helpers. The former working royals were spotted in a clip out and about at an evacuation centre - just hours before it was confirmed the death toll of the blazes had climbed to 24. WCK Volunteer Garner and Congress helping to prepare food for the World Central Kitchen (WCK) They are there to feed California fire victims and anyone else who come from a food truck owned by Greg Dolan, owner of Dulan's Soul Food Restaurant and Catering Co., at the temporarily shut down Jack in the Box in the city of Altadena Eva Longoria worked with a group of people Bateman wrote online: 'Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers. 'What a repulsive "photo op" they achieved. They are "touring the damage"? Are they politicians now? 'They don't live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists.' Video captured by Fox 11 Los Angeles showed Harry and Meghan in Pasadena on Friday, mingling with volunteers and the city's mayor, Victor Gordo. But the couple were keen to provide any support they could, according to the mayor, saying they were 'great people' with 'great personalities'. 'They really buoyed the spirits of the first responders. We visited the command post at the Rose Bowl and people were very happy to see them,' Gordo added. Justine Bateman, 58, took to X/Twitter to blast the couple who were seen in footage dressed in plain clothes and speaking with other helpers. Bateman wrote: 'Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers' Markle was spotted comforting victims and first responders at an evacuation centre, on Friday amid the ongoing fires in LA Markle speaks with Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, center, and Doug Goodwin, who's home was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, in Altadena Flames near the Mandeville Canyon on January 11 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had been handing out food parcels to those affected by the devastating fires at the Pasadena Convention Centre which is being used as an evacuation centre. The couple were also spotted hugging Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, which is distributing free hot meals to the public and emergency crews in the wake of the wildfires. The interaction was broadcast live on FOX LA, with news anchor Susan Hirasuna later being slammed online for describing Meghan as 'Princess Markle'. She also received criticism for saying Meghan was 'hanging out with the commoners'. It comes after the couple opened the doors to their $29million mansion in Montecito, which is around 90 miles from LA, to their friends and loved ones who were forced to evacuate the ongoing wildfires. Speaking to FOX LA, Mayor Gordo said: 'They (Harry and Meghan) want to be as helpful as they can be and really they just want to be supportive.' He added that the couple visited some of the burnt out houses in Pasadena and Altadena and spoke to those who had lost their homes. Before David Lynch passed away Thursday - four days before his 79th birthday - he gave a haunting, stirring speech at what would ultimately become his final public appearance. The legendary, eccentric filmmaker had to do so remotely as he became homebound relying on supplemental oxygen after being diagnosed with emphysema in 2020. David looked cool as ever with his thick white hair and sunglasses while delivering his parting remarks to attendees, which was livestreamed to his TM foundation's Meditate America gala held at Lincoln Center in Manhattan on September 12. 'Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful night. I'd like to talk a little bit about nothing,' Lynch began. 'And this nothing is the transcendent. It's the unified field. It's no hyphen-thing. It's pure consciousness.' The honorary Oscar winner - who began meditating in 1973 - went on to discuss the Beatles' 1968 trip to Rishikesh, India where they studied at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Before David Lynch passed away Thursday - four days before his 79th birthday - he gave a haunting, stirring speech at what would ultimately become his final public appearance 'Maharishi starts talking about this field within as nothing - unmanifest. No hyphen-thing,' David explained. 'And you can see John Lennon picking up on this and saying to Maharishi, "Maharishi are you trying to tell me that nothing is gonna change my world?" And they would laugh.' Lynch pointed out how that inspired the British rocker to use that line as well as his mantra 'Jai guru deva om' ('All glory to Guru Dev') in the Beatles' 1969 classic, Across the Universe, which later appeared on their 1970 album Let It Be. 'People probably thought that was a downer. It was an upbeat song in some ways about meditation and the beauty of it, but it kept having this thing "Nothing's gonna change my world" and they wonder what this is?' the Palme d'Or winner said. 'But John Lennon knew what is was, it's not "No, nothing's gonna change my world." It's yes. "Yes, nothing's gonna change my world" big time!' At that point, David played an obscure band from Georgia's acoustic cover of Across the Universe on his record player. 'May everyone be happy,' Lynch said in darkness after the song ended. 'May everyone be free of disease. May auspiciousness be seen everywhere. May suffering belong to no one. Peace. - Jai Gurudev.' The legendary, eccentric filmmaker had to do so remotely as he became homebound relying on supplemental oxygen after being diagnosed with emphysema in 2020 (host Hugh Jackman pictured at the same September 12th event) David looked cool as ever with his thick white hair and sunglasses while delivering his parting remarks to attendees, which was livestreamed to his TM foundation's Meditate America gala held at Lincoln Center in Manhattan on September 12 Lynch began: 'Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I hope you all are enjoying a wonderful night. I'd like to talk a little bit about nothing. And this nothing is the transcendent. It's the unified field. It's no hyphen-thing. It's pure consciousness' The honorary Oscar winner - who began meditating in 1973 - went on to discuss the Beatles' 1968 trip to Rishikesh, India where they studied at the ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi David explained: 'Maharishi (M) starts talking about this field within as nothing - unmanifest. No hyphen-thing. And you can see John Lennon (R) picking up on this and saying to Maharishi, "Maharishi are you trying to tell me that nothing is gonna change my world?" And they would laugh' Lynch pointed out how that inspired the British rocker to use that line as well as his mantra 'Jai guru deva om' ('All glory to Guru Dev') in the Beatles' 1969 classic, Across the Universe, which later appeared on their 1970 album Let It Be The Palme d'Or winner said: 'People probably thought that was a downer. It was an upbeat song in some ways about meditation and the beauty of it, but it kept having this thing "Nothing's gonna change my world" and they wonder what this is? But John Lennon knew what is was, it's not "No, nothing's gonna change my world." It's yes. "Yes, nothing's gonna change my world" big time!' David played an obscure band from Georgia's acoustic cover of Across the Universe on his record player and concluded: 'May everyone be happy. May everyone be free of disease. May auspiciousness be seen everywhere. May suffering belong to no one. Peace. - Jai Gurudev' It's the exact same passage the Cellophane Memories musician used at the end of his 2007 book, Catching The Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity David's family announced his passing in a Facebook post, writing: 'There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But, as he would say, "Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole." It's a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way' In his last days, Lynch - who loved and lived in Los Angeles since 1970 - was forced to evacuate his beloved Mulholland Drive compound due to the wildfires (January 7 stock shot) Two months ago, the Twin Peaks co-creator said he owed it to his fans to urge them to 'quit these things that are going to end up killing you' like, in his case, cigarettes, which he took up at the tender age of 8 (pictured in 2006) It's the exact same passage the Cellophane Memories musician used at the end of his 2007 book, Catching The Big Fish: Meditation, Consciousness, and Creativity. David's family announced his passing in a Facebook post, writing: 'There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But, as he would say, "Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole." It's a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.' In his last days, Lynch - who loved and lived in Los Angeles since 1970 - was forced to evacuate his beloved Mulholland Drive compound due to the wildfires. Two months ago, the Twin Peaks co-creator said he owed it to his fans to urge them to 'quit these things that are going to end up killing you' like, in his case, cigarettes, which he took up at the tender age of 8. David told People on November 14: 'I have a positive attitude focused on the body healing itself. It's tough living with emphysema. I can hardly walk across a room. It's like you're walking around with a plastic bag around your head.' A true American artist, Lynch had touching tributes pouring in from Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Steven Soderbergh, Questlove, James Gunn, Kyle MacLachlan, and Billy Corgan. The Eagle Scout from Missoula, MT is survived by his four children - daughter Jennifer, 56; son Austin, 42; son Riley, 33; and daughter Lula, 12 - from his past marriages to exes Peggy Reavey, Mary Fisk, Mary Sweeney, and estranged wife Emily Stofle. Method Man is denying a report that he has been accused of punching the face of a 28-year-old man who once dated his daughter 'with a closed fist' seven times. The Wu-Tang Clan rapper/actor, 53, was linked to a violent exchange at a Staten Island Crunch Fitness location, police insiders told The New York Post Thursday. The alleged victim had dated the daughter of the entertainer, whose real name is Clifford Smith, Jr., more than 10 years ago. Insiders told the newspaper that the alleged victim 'reported pain to his face and feeling dizzy but refused medical attention at the scene.' Method Man, who is from The Town of Hempstead, New York, was not taken into custody in connection with the allegations. 'Mr. Smith categorically denies the allegations as reported,' a rep told Dailymail.com Thursday, 'and has not been the subject of an arrest by any law enforcement agency.' Method Man, 53, has been accused of punching the face of a 28-year-old man who once dated his daughter 'with a closed fist' seven times. Pictured 2019 The alleged attack took place at a Crunch Fitness location in Staten Island, New York Method Man has been married to wife Tamika Smith since 2001, as they began dating nine years earlier. They are parents to three children - son Shakuan; and daughter Cheyenne and son Raekwon, who are twins. He has attributed the longevity of the relationship to both him and Smith endeavoring to keep their personal lives out of the limelight. 'I think the more you keep things private and between you and her, its more personal and it lasts longer,' he told Sherri Shepherd in November 2022. He expounded on the couple's successful approach while speaking last summer with Vanity Fair. 'Ive been married to the same woman for 30 years, and the fact that my wife and I stay out of the public eye is a blessing in itself,' he told the publication. Speaking last June at the ESSENCE Festival of Culture, Method Man said, Just know me and my wife are good.' 'As far as my family goes, I keep it out of the media. Were happier that way, plus she prefers it that way - but just know were happy, period - thats it.' The Wu-Tang Clan rapper/actor was linked to a violent exchange at a Staten Island Crunch Fitness location. Pictured 2021 in NYC Method Man pictured at the 54th NAACP Image Awards on February 24, 2023 in LA Method Man has had a number of prominent acting roles, including Cheese on HBO's The Wire Method Man has had a multi-faceted career spanning decades, as he emerged as a member of Wu-Tang Clan in the early 1990s. He performed on their signature album, 1993's Enter the Wu-Tang, then released his first solo album, Tical, in 1994. He won a Grammy in 1996 for his collaboration with Mary J. Blige, Ill Be There for You/Youre All I Need to Get By in the Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group category. Method Man in 2023 took part in a celebration of rap's 50th anniversary at the award show, joining luminaries such as Run-DMC, Public Enemy, Missy Elliott, Ice-T, Queen Latifah and Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five. He has also carved out a career in acting, appearing in recurring roles on a number of HBO shows. They included Melvin 'Cheese' Wagstaff on The Wire, as well as parts on The Deuce and Oz. In recent years, he has played the role of Davis Maclean on the Starz series Power Book II: Ghost. His cinematic resume includes the movies How High (2001), Garden State (2004), The Wackness (2008), Red Tails (2012), Trainwreck (2015), Keanu (2016) and Bad Shabbos (2024). As one of the original supermodels, Jerry Hall is used to her runway looks being coveted by fashion fans the world over. And seemingly no one more so than her own daughter, Georgia May Jagger who is on a quest to buy back her mothers classic pieces. While she has handed down some iconic items, much of Ms Halls collection was auctioned off for a homeless charity in 2008. Ms Jagger, whose father is Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, wore the same pink, striped Bruce Oldfield dress with bow detail in 2023 that her mother had been pictured in during the 1990s. Ms Jagger said: Someone was selling the exact dress of hers... So I bought it and wore it. Ms Hall, 68, known for her old-school Hollywood glamour style, wore it with a string of pearls and red lipstick. Thirty years later at a Vogue event in London, her daughter wore the same gown with no jewellery and a more understated pink lip. Mother-of-one Ms Jagger also told Vogue she had bought a pale-blue corseted Thierry Mugler dress that had been her mothers and in 2021 wore it to the launch of her hair brand, Bleach, in Los Angeles. As one of the original supermodels, Jerry Hall, pictured, is used to her runway looks being coveted by fashion fans the world over And seemingly no one more so than her own daughter, Georgia May Jagger, pictured who is on a quest to buy back her mothers classic pieces. She wears Ms Halls outfits to big events as my way of saying, if you have any of my mums vintage clothes, I will buy them off you, Ms Jagger said. She added: Its nice to wear my mums clothes that she wore 20 years ago to an event. Im really sentimental about the stuff of my mums. 'I carry them in a bag on me when I travel and then just ship my clothes wherever Im going. She added: Im going to be a more casual mum than my mum was. My mum was very not dressing down for anybody. 'She would come to the school gates with a leopard print jacket and red lipstick and I was like cant you, Just wear a tracksuit, like other normal mums but now Im so supportive of her being as glamorous as she wants. But I will probably be more regular at the school gates. Georgia May revealed her mother passed down a dozen pieces which she is very precious about because her older sister, Lizzy, lost her vintage heirlooms in a fire in 2017. My sister had a fire in her house years ago and a lot of my mums vintage stuff that was in the house burnt down. Georgia May, left, revealed her mother, right, passed down a dozen pieces which she is very precious about because her older sister, Lizzy, lost her vintage heirlooms in a fire in 2017 'It was really sad and one of the things was a Thierry Mugler multi-coloured chiffon dress, I managed to find that online, I dont know how, theres only a rare few of them. 'Really because it was an amazing outfit that my sister had cherished and my mum had.' Ms Hall had Elizabeth, James, Georgia May and Gabriel with Mick Jagger, 81, to whom she was married for nine years. The pair divorced in 1999. Ms Hall married media magnate Rupert Murdoch in 2016 before they split in 2022. Georgia May had her first child, Dean Lee Jagger Sedlick, in September with her 25-year-old skateboarder boyfriend, Cambryan Sedlick, 25. Christina Haack has been ordered to pay her ex Josh Hall $150,000 from the sale of their $4.5 million Tennessee home, which was listed for sale in October. According to new court documents obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com, Christina, 41, was ordered by a California judge - where the former couple's divorce is taking place - to deposit the $150,000. The docs state, 'No later than five days after the close of the escrow, [Christina] is ordered to deposit $150,000 from the sale of the home into [Josh's] counsel-client trust that is interest-bearing with restricted access.' Although the order was issued at the end of October, documents detailing this order were just filed in court this month after Christina's newly retained counsel was hired. It was previously reported that the HGTV star fired her former lawyer, DeArmey Law APC, and hired 'Disso Queen' Laura Wasser, who is known for representing Kim Kardashian and other A-list celebrities. Before the order was issued by a judge, Josh, 44, through his counsel, stated in court docs that there was a dispute regarding 'Josh's Moore/Marsden interest in the Parker Branch property' and demanded that the Court ordered 'the sum of at least $150,000.' Christina, for her part, disputed Josh's Moore/Marsden interest claims. A source told DailyMail.com that Josh has not lived at the Franklin property for quite some time. Christina Haack was ordered to pay ex Josh Hall $150k from the sale of their Tennessee home Josh Hall initially requested the court order the $150k, thus scoring a victory in the divorce case Christina and Josh's Franklin property is currently on the market for $4.5 million 'Josh hasn't stayed at the house in months. He has his own temporary place for the time being,' the source revealed. The over 5,000-square-foot-property was listed for sale on October 5, 2024, but then removed from real estate listings on October 25. It was listed for sale again on December 3 and continues to remain an active listing. According to court records, 'Josh does not intend to interfere with the sale based on the Court's orders,' although past court records showed that Josh had filed a temporary emergency order to stop the sale at one point. In court documents obtained by DailyMail.com, Josh had offered Christina a global settlement offer but then she proceeded to list it. He also said that she allowed him to live in the home when it was unoccupied, which he did for 12 days in September, but now he has relocated somewhere else in Tennessee and claims he's 'suffering prejudice' because his living expenses will increase. In the documents, Josh claimed the home was listed by Christina without his consent and without a court order. The home was purchased by Christina in February 2021, prior to their wedding, however Josh insisted 'the community maintains an appreciation interest due to the paydown of the mortgage during marriage.' Josh and Christina have embroiled in a messy divorce since he filed for divorce from The Flip Off star in July 2024 On a recent episode of Jeff Lewis Live, the real estate mogul said she and her ex are 'not even close' to resolving and revealed they'll be 'going to trial' Josh and Christina have been embroiled in messy legal proceedings since he filed for divorce from The Flip Off star in July 2024 after nearly three years of marriage. On a recent episode of Jeff Lewis Live, the real estate mogul said she and her ex are 'not even close' to resolving and revealed they'll be 'going to trial.' DailyMail.com broke the news on Friday that Christina, 41, has been dating Chris, president and CEO of Network Connex - a telecommunications service provider - 'for months.' On Tuesday, Christina and her new boyfriend were seen in their first public appearance together at Los Angeles International Airport. In photos exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com, Chris was seen placing his arm on Christina's back as they made their way inside the airport. A day prior, Christina's ex went public with his new girlfriend, Stephanie Gabrys, who is a 35-year-old Nashville-based bikini model. In the photo, Hall and Gabrys are sitting in front of an outdoor fireplace as they both smiled while she sat on his lap. 'Happy 35th to this real life [angel emoji],' Hall captioned the post. Chris and Christina made their first public appearance together at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday as seen in photos exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com Josh also went public with his new girlfriend - Stephanie Gabrys, a Nashville-based bikini model The real estate investor's marital issues with Josh will play out when her new show with Tarek El Moussa and his wife Heather El Moussa premieres on January 29 on HGTV. A preview for the new show showed a tense moment between Christina and Josh in which the real estate agent tears up over her then-husband's treatment of her as he calls her 'rude' and says she's 'pissing me off already.' The mom-of-three took to Instagram a few days later to show a disturbing crying selfie the day they filmed the shocking scene. In the car selfie, just days before they filed for divorce in early July, Christina is seen weeping with tears in her eyes with the caption: 'This was taken June 21, 2024. After one of my shoots with Josh. This is "real" and a reminder to myself that I deserve better.' Spirit Airlines is slashing about 200 jobs as the budget carrier works to reduce costs following its November Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. 'We are executing on plans to rightsize our organization to align with our current fleet size and level of flying, and ultimately optimize our airline,' Spirit said in a statement to CNBC. 'After reviewing our organizational structure, we have made the difficult decision to eliminate approximately 200 positions from various departments across the airline.' Based in Dania Beach, Florida, Spirit had already furloughed hundreds of pilots and offered flight attendants leaves of absence to cut expenses. The carrier has also reduced its network and sold some of its Airbus jets to generate cash. The airline has faced mounting challenges, including a blocked merger with JetBlue on antitrust grounds, a costly engine recall by Pratt & Whitney, and soaring labor expenses post-pandemic. 'While we will continue to identify additional operational efficiencies, these efforts, along with our recent pilot furloughs, achieve our previously announced target of $80 million in annualized cost reductions,' Spirit said. 'These decisions are never made lightly, and we are committed to treating all impacted team members with the utmost care and respect.' The company says it plans to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of this quarter. Spirit Airlines is reportedly planning to file for bankruptcy following its failed merger with JetBlue Spirit Airlines move to file for bankruptcy protection sparked fears among flyers about mass cancellations. The fallout forced Spirit Airlines to provide major update on flight schedules, booking and loyalty points. After news broke about the bankruptcy in November, Spirit's share price plummeted 45 percent in just seconds - erasing hundreds of millions in market value from the carrier. It is now down by 70 percent. The Florida-based low-cost airline is negotiating with bondholders on a restructuring plan to secure the support of key creditors, the Wall Street Journal reported this evening. It owes more than $3 billion. Merger talks with rival Frontier Airlines - viewed as Spirit's last shot at avoiding bankruptcy, broke down in October. Already last year, it scaled back growth plans, furloughed staff and inked a plan to sell 23 planes. It is expected that Spirit will file for Chapter 11, a form of bankruptcy that allows it to keep operating as it bids to cut its debts. However, this could mean significant reductions in routes and staffing. If cost-cutting efforts fall short, the airline may face the prospect of a complete shutdown. Spirit Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The carrier has been losing money despite strong travel demand. A chunk of its huge $3.3billion debt is due soon - including more than $1.1billion of secured bonds that are due in less than a year. It had faced an October 21 deadline from its credit card processor to refinance or extend those notes. In October, Spirit said it would furlough about 330 pilots on January 31 as part of its efforts to cut costs and shore up its finances. It has failed to report a profit in the last five out of six quarters, raising doubts about its ability to manage looming debt maturities. Spirit has been struggling with losses and declining revenue since the pandemic. In fact, while it may have made profits some quarters, it has not turned an annual profit since even before the pandemic. Then as travelers began to once again take to the skies, many turned to larger airlines, leaving Spirit and other budget airlines struggling to get a foothold in the market. Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines first planned to merge in 2022, then but JetBlue Airways swooped in with a higher bid. That won over Spirit's shareholders. Spirit executives saw the merger with JetBlue as a way to claw back a market share, but the Department of Justice argued that such a deal would violate anti-trust laws, and a judge agreed. Spirit Airlines CEO Ted Christie previously said in June that the airline was not considering filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, instead saying he was 'encouraged' by the plan it had in place after the deal with JetBlue fell through Spirit executives saw the merger with JetBlue as a way to claw back a market share, but the Department of Justice argued that such a deal would violate anti-trust laws The judge ruled in January that the merged company would harm travelers who rely on Spirit's low fares and said it would reduce competition. As a result, JetBlue pulled out of a merger agreement. Spirit was in talks with Frontier again in October as it hoped to revive merger discussions. But Frontier walked away. Since the start of the year, its shares were down more than 86 percent. With Trumps return, the stage is set for continuation of the bloodstained legacy, with devastating consequences for the worlds most vulnerable The Vietnam War should have been the United States breaking pointa humiliating defeat that exposed the futility of projecting brute force in a world that had long learned to resist imperialism. But instead of becoming a sobering moment of reflection, it ignited a chain reaction of conflicts, interventions, and proxy wars that would devastate nations and leave millions dead. From Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden, the American war machine has not only endured but expanded, thriving on chaos and suffering. With Donald Trump poised to return, his new administration promises to perpetuate this bloodstained legacy, consolidating power at home while unleashing destruction abroad.Reagans tenure marked a revival of the Cold War mindset, framed by a simplistic, almost cartoonish view of global politics. His administration orchestrated covert operations and military interventions with reckless abandon, leaving a trail of devastation across continents. In Grenada, a minuscule island nation, the U.S. flexed its muscle in a laughable display of overkill. Yet, the price for the people of Grenada was far from humoroushundreds of civilians died in an operation sold as a rescue mission. In Lebanon, Reagans deployment of U.S. Marines ended in catastrophe, with 241 servicemen killed in a suicide bombing. The retaliatory shelling of Lebanese villages left countless civilians dead, their stories erased from the official narrative.George H. W. Bush brought the carnage to Panama and Iraq. Operation Just Cause in Panama left at least 3,000 civilians dead, according to independent estimatesnumbers far higher than the official U.S. tally. The Gulf War of 1991 killed tens of thousands of Iraqi soldiers and civilians, with entire neighbourhoods flattened by American airpower. The sanctions that followeda form of economic warfareled to the deaths of an estimated 500,000 Iraqi children, as reported by UNICEF. But these deaths were dismissed by then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright as a price worth paying. Bill Clintons presidency, often remembered for its charm and centrism, was anything but peaceful. Under his watch, NATOs bombing campaign in Kosovo killed an estimated 500 civilians, while strikes on critical infrastructure plunged the region into chaos. In Somalia, Clinton inherited and expanded a disastrous intervention that culminated in the infamous Black Hawk Down incident. The fallout was not limited to American soldiersit cost the lives of an estimated 10,000 Somali civilians caught in the crossfire.The Bush-Cheney years saw the bloodbath reach industrial levels. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, based on falsified intelligence, unleashed a catastrophe of staggering proportions. By conservative estimates, 200,000 Iraqi civilians died in the war, though many argue the real number exceeds half a million. Afghanistan, initially framed as a righteous response to 9/11, turned into a graveyard for American credibility. The war cost over 70,000 Afghan civilian lives, with many more lost to starvation and disease caused by the destruction of infrastructure. These numbers, while horrifying, barely scratch the surface.Barack Obama, heralded as a harbinger of change, instead became the drone king. Under his administration, drone strikes killed an estimated 3,800 people in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. These numbers include as many as 800 civilians, though independent investigations suggest the real toll is much higher. Libya, once a stable if repressive state, was reduced to a failed state after NATOs intervention, with Obama admitting it was his greatest foreign policy mistake. Yet his admission did nothing to rebuild Libya, now a haven for human traffickers and militia warlords.Donald Trumps first term shattered even the pretence of restraint. Civilian casualties from U.S. airstrikes in Syria and Iraq soared, with independent monitors estimating at least 4,500 civilians killed in 2017 alone. In Somalia, Trumps loosening of drone strike protocols led to a surge in civilian deaths, including women and children obliterated in remote villages. Yemens civil war, fueled by U.S.-supplied bombs and logistical support to Saudi Arabia, created what the U.N. calls the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. By some estimates, over 377,000 Yemenis have diedmany of them from famine and disease exacerbated by the relentless bombing campaigns.Joe Bidens administration, while promising a pivot to diplomacy, has only perpetuated the violence. The withdrawal from Afghanistan, while ending Americas longest war, was executed with callous disregard for human life. At least 170 civilians were killed in a single ISIS-K bombing during the chaotic evacuation. Bidens continued drone strikes and military presence in Syria ensure that civilians remain collateral in Americas unending war on terror. In Ukraine, US military aid fuels a war that has already claimed tens of thousands of lives on both sides, with no end in sight.Across these decades, the pattern is unmistakable: the United States does not fight wars for freedom or democracy. It fights for hegemony, resources, and geopolitical advantage, with human lives as expendable currency. The statistics are staggering but fail to capture the depth of the tragedy. From Vietnam to Yemen, from Iraq to Libya, the human cost is always paid by those least equipped to bear it: the poor, the displaced, and the voiceless.In just days, Donald Trump will return to the White House, his second administration poised to escalate the already relentless machinery of American war. This time, the gloves are offhis power more consolidated, his team of loyalists more ruthless, and his ambitions unrestrained. The team surrounding him will be battle-hardened ideologues with little patience for opposition. Trump has openly embraced authoritarian impulses, and his foreign policy will likely mirror his domestic ambitionsunapologetic, ruthless, and geared toward consolidating dominance. For the impoverished, this is a death sentence. The costs will not be borne by those who plan wars from air-conditioned offices or justify them in press briefings but by the powerless: Yemeni mothers sifting through the rubble for scraps, Syrian children cowering as drones circle above, and Gazan families freezing to death amid the ruins of their bombed-out homes. These are not accidents of war; they are deliberate outcomes of a global system that treats human life as expendable in the pursuit of dominance over dignity. The bombs will continue to fall, the starving will continue to die, and the architects of this destruction will dine in opulence, their hands stained with the blood of the voiceless. We collectively absorb these atrocitiesnot with shock or outrage, but with numbed detachment, anaesthetised by the relentless churn of media cycles and the droning rationalisations of pundits. It is not that we do not careit is that we have been conditioned not to. Once our souls have been amputated by decades of warmongering, by a system that normalises suffering as the cost of security, we survive in resignation, compelled by the machinery of indifference to keep moving forward. (The writer is a journalist and policy analyst. Views expressed are personal) The States efforts, encapsulated in the Dehradun Declaration, highlight the importance of collaboration and community empowerment The Uttarakhand Council of Science and Technology (UCOST) recently organised a significant workshop in Delhi, focusing on climate resilience and disaster management, with a particular emphasis on Himalayan states. This workshop attracted eminent scientists, disaster management experts, and advocates of climate resilience, underscoring the pressing need to address environmental challenges in the region. This initiative follows Uttarakhands landmark 2023 International Conference in Dehradun, which drew participants from approximately 50 countries. The conference culminated in the adoption of the Dehradun Declaration, a comprehensive action plan aimed at fostering collaboration, innovation and effective strategies to mitigate the impact of climate change and natural disasters in Himalayan states. Uttarakhands proactive approach to uniting stakeholders on these critical issues is both commendable and necessary. Rationale Behind Uttarakhands Initiatives Uttarakhands unique geographical and cultural significance drives its commitment to addressing climate resilience. With the second-largest Himalayan boundary after Arunachal Pradesh, the state plays a pivotal role in supporting Northern Indias vast hinterland. The regions popularity as a hub for tourism, religious pilgrimages such as the Char Dham Yatra, and adventure activities exerts considerable pressure on its fragile ecosystem. The state faces recurring natural calamities, including forest fires, landslides, cloudbursts, and glacier shrinkage. These disasters significantly impact local communities, strain state resources, and demand robust measures to minimise their devastating effects. By organising international workshops and fostering collaborations, Uttarakhand aims to raise awareness, share best practices and leverage technology, such as data analytics and artificial intelligence, to design both preventive and responsive strategies. Highlights of the Dehradun Declaration The Dehradun Declaration lays out a comprehensive framework for building climate resilience and disaster preparedness in Himalayan states. Its key features include: Strengthening Preparedness Integrating disaster resilience into educational curricula. Framing regulations to protect vulnerable populations. Developing financial tools and frameworks to advance the science of survival. Protecting the Himalayan Ecosystem Merging indigenous knowledge with traditional community practices. Promoting nature-based solutions and active community engagement. Enhancing institutional collaboration for project monitoring and execution. Empowering Communities Establishing community-based early warning systems. Educating and equipping communities to take local measures. Strengthening livelihoods and building local networks of like-minded individuals. Policy Integration Establishing an Institute of Disaster Management and a global center for climate resilience. Formulating policies based on national and international best practices. Coordinating among state, central, and international organisations. Promoting Innovation Supporting startups and entrepreneurs in developing tools and technologies for climate resilience. The Delhi Workshop and Global Consensus The Delhi workshop served as a follow-up to the Dehradun Declaration and brought together disaster management scholars, international organisations, and corporate representatives engaged in CSR activities. Participants praised Uttarakhands efforts to convene diverse stakeholders, emphasising that protecting the Himalayan ecosystem is a shared responsibility. The Himalayas, often referred to as the Soul of India and the Third Pole, are crucial for maintaining ecological balance. Workshop attendees agreed on the need for collective action to address challenges such as unchecked tourism and resource exploitation. Recommendations included regulating plastic use, promoting organic farming, imposing green taxes on vehicles, and training locals to mitigate post-disaster damage. National Perspectives on Climate Resilience The recently concluded COP 29 in Baku included an agenda to establish a global fund for addressing climate change. Developed nations were urged to allocate higher budgets to support developing and poorer countries in reducing carbon emissions. Training volunteers at the village level and connecting them through a centralised platform can foster trust and confidence in disaster preparedness efforts. (The writer is a retired IAS officer and president of Society of Digital Entrepreneurs; views are personal) Lauren Powell Jobs, wife of Apple co-founder and billionaire entrepreneur Steve Jobs, unexpectedly cut short her visit to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj after experiencing allergic reactions. Powell Jobs, who had planned a ten-day stay, left just three days into her trip. She is reported to be staying in Bhutan for the next few days. Lauren Powell Jobs arrived in Prayagraj on January 13 to participate in the grand spiritual event. During her visit, she stayed at the camp of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of the Niranjani Akhara. Her initial plan included taking a holy dip during Makar Sankranti, but she was unable to do so due to health issues. On Wednesday, Powell Jobs received a spiritual initiation from her guru, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri, who imparted the Mahakali Beej Mantra to her. She has been instructed to chant Om Kreem Mahakalika Namah as part of her spiritual practice. Acharya Kailashanand Giri praised Powell Jobs for her humility and simplicity, emphasizing that despite being one of the wealthiest and most famous individuals in the world, she remains free of ego and does not indulge in pretentiousness. He described her as very gentle and kind, adding that her quest for spirituality led her to the Maha Kumbh, where she was given the name Kamala. He noted her low-key approach to life, often wearing simple clothes and interacting with others in a modest manner. In her journey before the Maha Kumbh, Powell Jobs visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, where she performed a boat ride on the Ganges and received blessings from the temples outer sanctum, adhering to the traditional practice of not touching the Shiva Lingam as a non-Hindu. The Maha Kumbh also saw a historic milestone on Wednesday with the launch of an international flight from Prayagraj Airport, marking the first such departure in 93 years. The flight, which carried Powell Jobs to Bhutan, was part of a growing trend, as international visitors, including expatriate Indians and foreign nationals, can now travel directly to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. This development also led to the deployment of immigration officers at the airport for the first time. Biswajeet Banerjee n Magakumbh Nagar Lauren Powell Jobs, wife of Apple co-founder and billionaire entrepreneur Steve Jobs, unexpectedly cut short her visit to the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj after experiencing allergic reactions. Powell Jobs, who had planned a ten-day stay, left just three days into her trip. She is reported to be staying in Bhutan for the next few days. Lauren Powell Jobs arrived in Prayagraj on January 13 to participate in the grand spiritual event. During her visit, she stayed at the camp of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of the Niranjani Akhara. Her initial plan included taking a holy dip during Makar Sankranti, but she was unable to do so due to health issues. On Wednesday, Powell Jobs received a spiritual initiation from her guru, Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri, who imparted the Mahakali Beej Mantra to her. She has been instructed to chant Om Kreem Mahakalika Namah as part of her spiritual practice. Acharya Kailashanand Giri praised Powell Jobs for her humility and simplicity, emphasizing that despite being one of the wealthiest and most famous individuals in the world, she remains free of ego and does not indulge in pretentiousness. He described her as very gentle and kind, adding that her quest for spirituality led her to the Maha Kumbh, where she was given the name Kamala. He noted her low-key approach to life, often wearing simple clothes and interacting with others in a modest manner. In her journey before the Maha Kumbh, Powell Jobs visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, where she performed a boat ride on the Ganges and received blessings from the temples outer sanctum, adhering to the traditional practice of not touching the Shiva Lingam as a non-Hindu. The Maha Kumbh also saw a historic milestone on Wednesday with the launch of an international flight from Prayagraj Airport, marking the first such departure in 93 years. The flight, which carried Powell Jobs to Bhutan, was part of a growing trend, as international visitors, including expatriate Indians and foreign nationals, can now travel directly to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. This development also led to the deployment of immigration officers at the airport for the first time. Hindenburg Research, the US investment research firm known for short-selling, which primarily targeted Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and created a flutter in the Indian political system by holding hostage the functioning of the Parliament for multiple sessions in last three years, has shut down its operations. Announcement of the closure by Hindenberg Research founder Nate Anderson, who started in 2017, came just days before Donald Trumps inauguration as the new President of the United States. Adani Group CFO Jugeshinder Robbie Singh in a cryptic social media post: Kitne Ghazi Aaye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye. Adani group always denied the allegations. The announcement of disband of Hindenberg once again ignited political duel between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The Congress said its closure does not mean a clean chit for Modani and asserted that without a Joint Parliamentary Committee, the already-compromised institutions of the Indian state will continue to act only to protect the powerful. The BJP alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is in the complete grip of the thinking process of urban naxals, and asked if he has now got the contract for the Hindenburg Researchs closed shop. Former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said US-based short-selling firm Hinderburg Research shut its shop the day the Congress inaugurated its new headquarters building. The sudden and surprising announcement by Anderson comes within days of a Republican Congressman, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, asking the Department of Justice to preserve all the documents and communications related to the investigations of Adani and his companies. As Ive shared with family, friends and our team since late last year, I have made the decision to disband Hindenburg Research. The plan has been to wind up after we finished the pipeline of ideas we were working on. And as of the last Ponzi cases we just completed and are sharing with regulators, that day is today, Anderson announced according to the PTI from Washington. 40 years old Anderson said he looks forward to taking up hobbies, travelling and spending time with his fiancee and their child, adding that he has earned enough money to provide for them in the future. BJP said it seems the shop of US-based billionaire investor George Soros is also going to close down with new administration under President-elect Donald Trump set to take over. Soros, he said, funds Hindenburg. Congress chief spokesman Jairam Ramesh said the closure of Hindenburg Research does not, in any way, mean a clean chit for Modani. The Hindenburg report of January 2023 proved serious enough to compel the Supreme Court of India to set up an Expert Committee to probe the allegation made in it against the Adani Group whose prime patron is none other than the present Prime Minister of India, he said in a statement. However the Hindenburg Report covered only one part of securities laws violations - of the hydra-headed Modani MegaScam. Out of the 100 questions on the Adani Mega Scam that the Congress party had asked of the PM in the Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series during January-March 2023, only 21 questions related to revelations made in the Hindenburg report, Ramesh said. The matter goes far deeper. It involves the abuse of Indian foreign policy to enrich the PMs close friends at the expense of the national interest. It involves the misuse of investigative agencies to force Indian businesspersons to divest critical infrastructure assets and help Adani build monopolies in airports, ports, defence and cement, Ramesh alleged. The Swiss Public Prosecutors Office has frozen several Adani-linked bank accounts operated by Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli that are suspected of engaging in illicit activities, including money laundering and embezzlement, Ramesh claimed, citing a Swiss Federal Criminal Court order. Berasia police have arrested the mastermind and gang involved in robbing a photographer near a petrol pump on Narsinghgarh Road, the main accused wanted to start business from the robbed valuables. The crime reported on January 12, when Ajay Kushwaha, a photographer from Lateri, was robbed near a petrol pump on Narsinghgarh Road while on his way to a photoshoot. The robbers made off with his bike, mobile phone, and camera. The police quickly traced the call made to Ajay by the main accused, Aniket, which led them to unravel the entire conspiracy. According to Superintendent of Police, Pramod Kumar Sinha, Aniket, along with his girlfriend Janaki Sen, devised the plan after Aniket expressed his desire to start a videography business. Lacking funds and support from his family, Aniket and Janaki seized an opportunity after seeing an advertisement for Ajay's services. Janaki contacted Ajay on January 9, pretending to be interested in a photoshoot for a birthday party. Along with four accomplices Khalid Khan, Anil Kushwaha, Bunty Dhakad, and Rajesh Raja the couple executed the robbery. Buntys mortgaged car was used in the crime, which was later seized by the police. It was revealed that Bunty had lent money on interest and used his car as collateral for the loan, which was then employed during the robbery. The police arrested all six accused, and the stolen items, including the camera, were recovered. The investigation was led by Police Station In-charge Arun Sharmas team, which successfully tracked down the culprits through meticulous investigation and evidence. The case highlights a bizarre crime driven by greed and a desire to start a business, leading to the arrest of the entire group. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has resolved to provide permanent housing for every poor person. Nearly 4 crore permanent houses have been provided so far across the country. In Madhya Pradesh, 16 lakh beneficiaries were identified in the initial survey, and 8.5 lakh new houses have been allocated. A new survey will ensure no poor person is left without housing, reaffirming the governments commitment to fulfilling the resolution of Har Gareeb ko pucca makan (permanent house for every poor) in the state. Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav symbolically conducted Griha Pravesh for the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and distributed certificates to Lakhpati Didis during the Allocation of New Target under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana programme in Vidisha on Wednesday. He also performed Bhoomi Pujan and dedicated development projects worth Rs 177 crore 53 lakh for the region. The event was attended by Union Minister for Rural Development, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chauhan, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Singh Patel, and Vidisha districts Minister in charge, Lakhan Patel. Yadav emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modis leadership, the sole focus is on continuous development. He stated that the state budget will double in the next four years, ensuring growth in every sector. Every poor individual will have access to basic facilities, including concrete housing. Special missions are being implemented for the welfare of the poor, women, youth, and farmers, with the ultimate goal of ensuring the well-being of all. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav highlighted the significant expansion of irrigation in the state, attributing it to major river-linking projects like Ken-Betwa and Parvati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC), along with other irrigation initiatives. The irrigated area has grown from 7 lakh hectares in 2003 to over 48 lakh hectares. Assuring farmers that every field will receive water for irrigation, he expressed confidence that Madhya Pradesh will soon surpass Punjab and Haryana in agricultural production. Yadav stated that the Vidisha region is poised for rapid development. A major capital project combining Bhopal, Vidisha, Raisen, and Sehore is being planned, with a master plan to be prepared soon. He announced the upgrade of Vidisha Nagar Palika to a Municipal Corporation and the expansion of facilities through the integration of Vidisha Medical College and the District Hospital. Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan congratulated Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav for Madhya Pradeshs achievements in implementing the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Awas Yojana and Pradhan Mantri Janman Awas Yojana, completing projects in record time. He noted that the first road under the Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana was also built in the state. Currently, 8 lakh 21 thousand 190 houses are being allocated to Madhya Pradesh under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), with a similar number to be provided in April-May. The Minister handed over the approval letter for the houses to Chief Minister Dr. Yadav. Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan stated that a new survey for housing is underway to include poor individuals who were previously missed, with the option for self-surveys now available. Eligibility criteria for the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have been relaxed, allowing beneficiaries with two-wheelers, annual incomes up to ?15,000, irrigated land up to 2.5 acres, or non-irrigated land up to 5 acres to qualify. Under the fourth phase of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, villages with a population of 500 (based on the 2011 census) and tribal villages with a population of 250 will now be eligible. He informed that Rs 384 crore was previously given to the state under schemes like greenhouse, poly house, agricultural equipment, drip, etc. to farmers, now Rs 435 crore more will be given. Furthermore, Rs 312 crore 74 lakh has been allocated under the NRLM scheme to support Lakhpati Didis. A 22-year-old college student tragically lost his life after his throat was slit by a kite string on Makar Sankranti. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening around 5 PM at the Futi Kothi Bridge in Chandan Nagar. The victim, identified as Himanshu Solanki, was a first-year student at Bherulal Patidar College in Mhow. He was on his way to collect an LPG cylinder with his relative, Vinod, when a kite string struck his neck. Vinod also sustained injuries near his eye. Himanshu was rushed to a nearby hospital and later transferred to MY Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Dwarkapuri Police Station TI Ashish Sapre confirmed that Himanshu had been residing in the Annapurna area of Sudama Nagar for the past year. His father, Sanjay, works in a bank in Manawar, while his mother is employed at an Anganwadi, and his younger brother is in 11th grade. Police investigations revealed that the string involved in the incident was not the banned Chinese kite string but a normal string. However, Himanshus family has strongly refuted the police's findings, alleging that the string was indeed the sharp and durable Chinese variety. In protest, the family staged a demonstration outside the Dwarkapuri police station, demanding that the police explicitly state in their report that a Chinese string was used. They refused to conduct Himanshus last rites until their demand was met, chanting slogans like "Jai Bhim" and calling for accountability from the police and administration. Himanshus uncle, Sachin Kochle, accused the police of coercing the family into deleting photographic evidence of the string. He claimed the police initially agreed to mention the use of a Chinese string but later altered the report to indicate a "plain string." ACP Shivendu Dubey stated that the police are continuing their investigation into the type of string used in the incident. A case of unintentional murder has been registered, and further inquiries are underway. Five students of Delhi Public School (DPS) Bokaro have achieved remarkable success in the prestigious National Standard Examinations (NSE) conducted by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), qualifying for the next stage of the competition. The IAPT 2024-25 exams, held in collaboration with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, saw outstanding performances from the school. Shivam Ojha (Class IX) excelled in the National Standard Examination in Junior Science (NSEJS), Aryan Kumar (Class XII) qualified in the National Standard Examination in Biology (NSEB), while Aarush Ranjan (Class X), Kumar Anmol (Class XI), and Aarush Banerjee (Class XII) demonstrated their prowess in the National Standard Examination in Astronomy (NSEA). DPS Bokaro emerged as the top-performing school in Jharkhand, contributing the highest number of qualifiers from the state. These students will now compete in the Indian National Olympiads in February, with hopes of representing India in the International Olympiads. Principal Dr. A.S. Gangwar lauded the students for their exceptional achievements, emphasizing the schools commitment to nurturing talent. The school remains dedicated to fostering academic excellence and providing opportunities for young minds to thrive, he said, extending best wishes for the next phase of the competition. Punjabs farmers are escalating their protests against the Central Government with a renewed determination to march to Delhi. A group of 101 farmers will set off from the Shambhu border on January 21, pressing demands that include a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) on crops. The announcement comes as the farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's indefinite hunger strike at the Khanauri border entered its 52nd day. Dallewal's health continues to deteriorate, with doctors warning of severe complications, yet his resolve remains unshaken. The protest, fueled by growing frustration with the Central Government's inaction, has garnered nationwide attention. Farmer unions, under the banners of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, have vowed to intensify their agitation. The announcement came a day after the fast-unto-death was initiated by 111 farmers in solidarity with Dallewal, further amplifying the urgency of their demands. Security forces remain on high alert, but the protesters are determined to make their voices heard. The upcoming Delhi march will mark the fourth attempt by farmers to breach the Punjab-Haryana border since December. Previous attempts to send the marjeevda jatha (volunteer group) on December 6, 8, and 14 were thwarted by heavy security, with paramilitary forces and Haryana Police blocking their paths. These attempts resulted in injuries to over 50 farmers, and during the December 14 march, one protester tragically consumed poison in despair. KMM coordinators and senior farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher criticized the BJP-led Central Government for ignoring their plight. We have tried everything, but the government refuses to listen. This march is our collective decision to escalate the agitation, he declared. The 101-member jatha will face increased security measures, with Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita imposed in the area to prohibit gatherings. At the heart of the protest lies the Khanauri border, where Dallewal has been on a hunger strike since November 26. Despite worsening health marked by fluctuating blood pressure, difficulty in speaking, and the risk of multiple organ failure, Dallewal has refused medical treatment. In solidarity, the 111 farmers who joined the fast have pledged not to relent until their demands are met. Braving the bone-chilling cold of 9.2C, 111 farm activists spent the night under a modest tent at the Punjab-Haryana border in Khanauri. Despite the harsh conditions, the activists showed remarkable resilience, layering themselves with blankets and quilts as they slept on the pandal where their protest continues. Their commitment underscored the growing solidarity within the movement, as they prepare to endure many more nights under the open sky until their demands are met. While Dallewal fasts in isolation inside a trolley, his location has been fortified by farm activists who welded together a barricade of trolleys to prevent police intervention. Meanwhile, the 111 farm activists are staging their fast under a simple shamiana near the Haryana Police barricades at the Khanauri border. Their tent provided limited protection from the elements, leaving them exposed to potential rain and harsh weather. Despite these challenges, the resolve of the protesters remained unshaken as they continued their hunger strike, amplifying the call for justice and pressing for their demands to be addressed. The situation has become a humanitarian crisis, drawing the attention of the Supreme Court. On Wednesday, the apex court had directed the Punjab Government to submit Dallewal's medical reports and sought expert opinions from AIIMS. The temporary medical facility established at the protest site, staffed by 50 doctors, continues to monitor Dallewal's condition. Meanwhile, a contingent of Haryana Police remained stationed at the protest site, maintaining a constant vigil. The officers, like the protesters, are braving the biting winter cold as temperatures continue to dip. As the standoff continues, the Central Government faces mounting pressure to address the farmers' demands. The prolonged agitation has already disrupted border regions, with farmers camping at Shambhu and Khanauri since February last year. The farmers are not only advocating for an MSP law but also seeking justice for a range of grievances including withdrawing cases against 25 farmers related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's alleged security breach in Ferozepur in 2022. Farmer leaders like Pandher have criticized the Government for reviving these cases, which include charges as severe as attempted murder, three years after the incident. Pandher recounted the events of January 5, 2022, when Modis convoy was briefly halted due to a road blockade by protesting farmers. No harm was intended, and not even a flower was thrown at the PM, Pandher said, decrying the Governments actions as politically motivated. Farmers Challenge Punjab Govts Health Claims on Dallewal A day after the Punjab Government had informed the Supreme Court that farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's health was improving, farmer representatives and functionaries of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) on Thursday contradicted the claim, raising alarms over his deteriorating condition. On Thursday, SKM leader and Dallewals aide Abhimanyu Kohar revealed that Dallewals weight had plummeted from 86.95 kg on November 26, 2024 when he began his fast-unto-death to a precarious 66.4 kg. He is not even consuming adequate water due to persistent vomiting. Doctors have warned that reduced water intake is causing his hemoglobin levels to rise, further jeopardizing his health, he said. The leaders demanded from the Punjab Government to make public the medical reports on Dallewals health, compiled by a team of government-appointed doctors. Transparency in sharing these findings would ensure accountability and reassure the farmers supporting the agitation, he added. Wild elephants pose a threat to many villages in the southern forest division of the district. To tackle this issue, the forest department is focusing on raising awareness. In Tandil, near the Chinia police station, villagers received training from experts from other states on how to stay safe from elephants. The training provided several tips for protecting themselves from elephant attacks. Abin Benny Abraham, the divisional forest officer for Garhwa South, attended the event. Dr Rudra Aditya from Karnataka spoke to the villagers about the dangers posed by elephants. The programme aimed to ensure community safety from elephant-related incidents. Villagers learned ways to mitigate the risk of elephant attacks. Dr Aditya indicated that the proximity of villages and fields to the forest increases the likelihood of elephant encounters. He emphasised the importance of remaining vigilant. Residents should keep their surroundings clean, ensure proper lighting, and refrain from interfering with elephants. Instead, they should alert forest department staff immediately to prevent any issues. Important advice included maintaining a safe distance when attempting to move elephants and using torches or chilli powder, among other techniques. The divisional forest officer warned that elephants are frequently moving through Chinia and can enter villages at any moment. Residents should stay alert and refrain from entering the woods unless absolutely necessary. If they encounter an elephant, they must inform the forest staff immediately. He specifically cautioned against going into the forest while under the influence of alcohol, as this may attract elephants. He also noted that when trying to drive elephants away, it is crucial to be aware of ones surroundings. For over three years, locals have lived in fear due to wild elephants, making it difficult to go out after dark. Elephants have caused the deaths of at least six residents and have destroyed numerous thatched houses and hundreds of acres of crops. Present at the meeting were Mukhiya Chinta Devi, Mukhiya representative Charku Parhiya, in-charge forest officer Animesh Kumar, and forest workers Premchand Das, Hemant Tirki, Bipin Mehta, Radheshyam Prasad, and others. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla on Wednesday announced plans to equip district hospitals across Madhya Pradesh with modern facilities, offering advanced MRI services at reduced costs and free treatment for Ayushman Bharat beneficiaries. Shukla said that the government's goal is to provide high-quality healthcare services to citizens within their own districts. To achieve this, health infrastructure is being strengthened, and the necessary medical equipment is being arranged. Describing advanced, accessible, and affordable healthcare services as a top priority for the state government, Shukla was inaugurating the MRI Investigation Service Centre at Jai Prakash Hospital in the state capital. This hospital is the first district hospital in the state to offer MRI services. Shukla reiterated his government's commitment to strengthening and expanding healthcare services across the state. He announced that MRI investigation services will soon be launched in Ujjain, Indore, Gwalior, and Jabalpur. The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted that the new MRI services are available at 30 percent less than the CGHS rate. These MRI services will be completely free for beneficiaries registered under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Shukla praised the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for improving health services in the country. Shukla added that improvements in the health sector in the state are being carried out with future challenges in mind. He said the work on the Cath Lab and heart treatment facilities will be completed by March 2025. Advanced services like angiography, angioplasty, heart transplants, and bypass surgery will be available at JP Hospital through Cath Lab and CTVS services. A 100-bed cardiac treatment unit will be set up. He instructed officials to ensure no delay in the construction work and that the quality of all services should be maintained. Minister of State for Public Health Narendra Shivaji Patel also spoke about the improvements in health services. Patel mentioned the opening of medical colleges and the recruitment of more than 46,000 medical assistant positions. These efforts aim to provide excellent health security to all citizens. MLA Bhagwandas Sabnani, Mayor Malti Rai, Municipal Corporation Bhopal President Kishan Suryavanshi, Chief Medical and Health Officer Bhopal Prabhakar Tiwari, and Civil Surgeon Rakesh Srivastava were present at the event. The Bhopal MRI Centre has been set up at a cost of Rs 10 crore 50 lakh. This includes building construction, equipment, and technical upgrades. A 1.5 Tesla UMR 580 machine has been installed, ensuring fast, accurate scanning. The centre provides advanced imaging and energy efficiency. It has a scanning capacity of 80 patients per day, offering quality service with minimal waiting time and accurate reporting. Advanced MRI facilities will be made available to patients at up to 30 percent less than CGHS rates. This facility will also be provided free of charge to Ayushman Bharat Yojana beneficiaries. MRI Abdomen (Plain) (CGHS rate Rs 2,125) is available at Rs 1,423, MRI Brain (Plain) (CGHS rate Rs 1,998) at Rs 1,338, MRI Shoulder (Plain) (CGHS rate Rs 2,000) at Rs 1,339. MRI Knee (Contrast) (CGHS rate Rs 4,500) will be done at Rs 3,014. MRI angiography (contrast) (CGHS rate Rs 4,950) is available at Rs 3,315 in the hospital. For the diagnosis of serious diseases, whole-body MRI (oncological workup) (CGHS rate Rs 5,100) will be available at Rs 3,415. Services like MRI back (lumbar spine) (CGHS rate Rs 2,125) are also being provided. AAP MLA Naresh Balyan, arrested in a case lodged under the stringent MCOCA, on Thursday withdrew an application from a Delhi court seeking permission to sign election related documents, saying his wife was instead contesting the upcoming assembly polls. Special judge Kaveri Baweja, who on January 15 issued notice to Delhi Police on Balyan's plea for signing documents to open a bank account and other papers required to contest the elections, dismissed the application after his submission. For the first time since its inception in 2009, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University (NDVSU) will administer an oath to the graduating class of the Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry (BVSc & AH) courses. The oath-taking will take place at a glittering ceremony scheduled for January 17, which will mark the entry of 212 graduates into the honourable professions. The ceremony will be conducted at the Auditorium of the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in Jabalpur, which will host students from all three colleges affiliated with NDVSU. The graduating class includes 74 students each from Jabalpur and Mhow, and 64 students from Rewa, who will solemnly take the Veterinarian's Oath. This significant step symbolises their dedication to animal welfare, public health, and ethical veterinary practices. State Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Lakhan Patel, will be the chief guest at the ceremony, which will be attended by luminaries and academicians from the veterinary field. Ashok Rohani, MLA (Jabalpur Cantt), and Dr Umesh Chandra Sharma, President of the Veterinary Council of India (VCI), will be present as special guests. The programme has been organised under the guidance and leadership of Dr Mandeep Sharma, Vice Chancellor of NDVSU, who is also the patron of this pioneering event. His dedication and vision have played a pivotal role in conceptualising and implementing this momentous initiative. The families of the students, faculty members, and other invitees will witness this landmark event, celebrating the achievements of the students and their entry into the veterinary profession. The State BJP on Thursday organised a Pariksha Pe Charcha, a program on discussion on examination at Cambrian Public School, Kathitand Ratu. Pariksha Pe Charcha (discussion on Examination) is an annual event held every year since 2018. During the event Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students, teachers and parents from across the country, and shares tips on how to take board and entrance exams in a relaxed and stress-free manner. In Ranchi the event was organised by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Aditya Sahu. On this occasion, an essay writing and drawing competition was organized in which hundreds of children from class 6 to 12 participated. BJP State President and former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi and special guest MLA Naveen Jaiswal were present as the chief guests in the program Chief Guest BJP State President Babu Lal Marandi, Hatia MLA Naveen Jaiswal, School Director and senior BJP leader Parma Singh, BJP State Media Incharge Pujan Pathak, Rural District President Vinay Mahto Dheeraj, District General Secretary Narendra Singh, Anil Tiger, Pritam Sahu, Sudhakar Choubey, Sanjeev Tiwari, Amarnath Chaudhary, Manki Rajendra Shahi, Shailendra Mishra, Manoj Gupta, Parmeshwar Gop, Subodh Sahu, School Principal Virendra Kumar Yadav along with BJP workers and school teachers were present. Adressing the program, Babulal Marandi said that examinations are important in life. Examinations make a person strong, not weak. He said that never take stress for examinations, just make studies regular. Focus more on listening and understanding than studying. Studying does not mean rote learning but understanding and learning. He called upon the students to help their parents and guardians in household chores as well. He said that make the routine easy, not under pressure. This routine will become the key to your success. Fix a time to wake up and sleep in life. Marandi said that there is no alternative to hard work in life. MP Aditya Sahu said that this effort of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is inspiring crores of children and filling them with self-confidence. He said that make the examination a celebration, not a fear. He said that do not step back from hard work and do not worry about the result, success will appear in front of you. MLA Naveen Jaiswal said that students who are regular in class have no fear of exams. He said that today there are many opportunities for children to showcase their talents which should be taken advantage of. The registration for Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modis annual interaction with students, teachers, and parents ahead of board examinations, concluded on Tuesday with a record-breaking over 3.5 crore applications from India and abroad, said the education ministry in a statement. PPC 2025 will be held in townhall format at the Bharat Mandapam in Delhi. The date for PPC 2025 is yet to be announced. During the event, PM Modi will be answering questions asked by the participants related to dealing with examination stress, career, future aspirations or about life in general. To make the state drug free, Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur on Thursday said that a Drug-Free Haryana Campaign has been launched in the State. In 2024, Police seized properties worth approximately Rs 7.04 crore from 25 drug traffickers as part of crackdown on the drug nexus, compared to Rs 13 crore from 16 drug traffickers in 2023 in the State. The Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau has also sent 63 drug traffickers to jail under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (PITNDPS) Act. Additionally, the conviction rate in NDPS Act cases has increased from 49 per cent in 2023 to 54 per cent in 2024. He further said that Rs 52.72 crore have been seized from 108 drug traffickers and their relatives. In addition to this, 111 illegal structures were demolished as part of crackdown on the drug nexus in the State so far. Kapur further said that over 40 per cent of the villages in the State have been declared drug-free. Teams of Haryana Police continuously monitor these villages to ensure that no drugs are bought or sold. Additionally, under the Drug-Free Haryana Campaign, if a person becomes addicted to drugs, they are treated to get rid of the addiction. Furthermore, the "Namak-Lota Abhiyan" has created awareness among drug traffickers and drug addicts about the ill effects of drugs through community pressure at the panchayat level, DGP added. To convey the message of drug-free society to the most vulnerable section of society, i.e., children, the state police have started a drama called "Ram Gurukul Gaman". This drama is inspired by the life of Lord Ram and teaches discipline and how to deal with challenges to the students. Through this drama presented in colleges and universities, a strong message against drugs is given to the youth. Additionally, a project has been started in the Police DAV School, Ambala, under the "Chakravyuh Program" through which interactive activities are organized for school children to motivate them to stay away from drugs and crime. Director General, Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB) OP Singh said that drug addiction is not only a legal problem but also a mental and social health issue. Currently, 104 drug de-addiction centers in the state are treating the affected individuals. For this, Haryana Police is working in collaboration with the Health Department. Last year, the district team of Haryana HSNCB inspected various government and non-government drug centers 65 times. The district police are also keeping a close watch on the activities of drug sellers and medical associations to prevent the misuse of drugs. Regular meetings are held with drug sellers by Superintendents of Police and senior officers and they are made aware that they should not give medicines to any person without a doctor's prescribed slip. Singh said that to break the drug nexus, the State Police is also focusing on technology and interstate cooperation, which has strengthened our fight against drugs. Currently, the state police are using artificial intelligence and data analytics to identify drug traffickers and their routes, resulting in significant success in dismantling drug networks in partnership with neighbouring states. In a decisive move to protect Punjabs digital landscape from cyber threats, the State Government on Thursday announced the establishment of a state-of-the-art Security Operations Centre (SOC). With an investment of Rs 42.07 crore, this initiative positions Punjab as a leader in cybersecurity in northern India. The states Governance Reforms and Public Grievances Minister Aman Arora, addressing a press conference following the 19th meeting of the Board of Governors of Punjab State e-Governance Society (PSeGS), emphasized the importance of the SOC in safeguarding critical IT infrastructure, including state government websites and applications. In an era of sophisticated cyber threats, Punjab is setting a benchmark by enhancing its cybersecurity defences. This SOC will enable real-time monitoring, detection, and response to cyber incidents, ensuring the safety of sensitive information, he stated. Sharing highlights of the initiative, he said that Rs 42.07 crore has been allocated for the SOC, making it one of the most advanced setups in the region. The Centre will integrate and secure all digital assets of the Punjab Government. The system will meet international cybersecurity benchmarks, ensuring Punjabs readiness to combat modern digital threats. Arora also revealed significant advancements in citizen service delivery. By the end of January, all services related to patwaris will be fully transitioned online. This initiative, part of a broader governance reform strategy, aims to enhance convenience for citizens and eliminate inefficiencies. Punjab is committed to providing seamless services through its 438 Sewa Kendras, Arora highlighted, adding that the states pendency in service delivery has dropped to an impressive 0.17 percent the lowest in the country. Arora, in a video conference with Deputy Commissioners (DCs), outlined measures to improve governance and ensure transparency. He suggested accountability measures, making it clear that habitual delays in application processing will no longer be tolerated. DCs were directed to identify and address such bottlenecks. He also stated that from February 1, 2025, offline verification by Sarpanches, Nambardars, and Municipal Councilors will cease; and all document verifications will transition to the eSewa Portal, streamlining processes and reducing citizen inconvenience. At the same time, he said that districts like Amritsar, Jalandhar, and Pathankot were praised for maintaining low pendency levels in service delivery. Punjab Police Capable of Solving Every Case Firmly defending Punjabs law and order, Arora said that the Punjab Police is committed to resolving every case effectively. Responding to criticisms, Arora emphasized the states unwavering dedication to maintaining peace and justice. Targeting AAP is a Sign of BJP's Desperation Commenting on allegations against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, Arora described BJPs actions as a sign of desperation. He predicted that AAP would return to power in Delhi with a stronger mandate. Arora also accused the BJP of creating fake voter lists and tampering with genuine votes to manipulate elections. Will Drop Bittu to Farmers Myself Aroras Jibe In response to Union Minister and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittus remarks on farmers protests, Aman Arora sarcastically offered to personally escort Bittu to the protesting farmers if he was unaware of their location. Criticizing the BJP-led Central Government, Arora referred to it as blind and deaf for ignoring farmers concerns. He also supported the farmers decision to march to Delhi again, accusing the Centre of disregarding their voices. Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has supplied the entire 4,000 tonnes of special steel for INS Nilgiri, which was commissioned into the Indian Navy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 15, 2025. This contribution underscores SAILs support for 'Atmanirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' initiatives. The special steel, including DMR 249A grade hot-rolled sheets and plates, was sourced from SAILs plants in Bokaro, Bhilai, and Rourkela. The Bokaro Steel Plant played a key role, contributing approximately 2,000 tonnes of HR sheets and plates, while Bhilai and Rourkela supplied 1,600 tonnes and 400 tonnes, respectively. INS Nilgiri is the lead ship of the indigenous Project 17A frigates, built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited. These advanced guided-missile frigates are 149 meters long, with a displacement of 6,670 tonnes and a speed of 28 knots. SAILs involvement in various defense projects, including INS Vikrant, highlights its pivotal role in Indias defense indigenization efforts, with the Bokaro Steel Plant continuing to make significant contributions. Ahead of the release of Bollywood actress and BJP MP from Mandi (in Himachal Pradesh) Kangana Ranauts controversial movie Emergency, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) on Thursday strongly urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to block its screening in the state. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami, in a letter sent to the Chief Minister, expressed grave concerns over the film, which he claimed distorts historical facts and is an affront to Sikh sentiments. The movie, which is set to release nationwide on January 17, has already sparked considerable controversy. Dhami has accused Emergency of presenting a skewed version of the 1984 Operation Blue Star, during which the Indian Army stormed the Golden Temple in Amritsar, leading to the death of prominent Sikh leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale. SGPCs objections are based on what they believe to be a deliberate attempt to misrepresent history, specifically the portrayal of Bhindranwale and the events surrounding the Sikh genocide that followed the military operation. Dhami, in his letter, stressed that releasing the movie in Punjab would lead to widespread outrage within the Sikh community. He warned that the SGPC, along with other Sikh bodies, would oppose the films release at the state level, urging the government to take swift action and prevent potential unrest. The SGPC had raised similar concerns in November 2024, but Dhami noted that despite their efforts, the Punjab Government had not responded adequately. Ranaut, in an interview shared on social media, had revealed that the film had made significant changes, including the removal of Bhindranwales name from the script. According to Ranaut, the films producers were instructed to omit references to the Sikh leader and certain pre-Operation Blue Star scenes. These alterations, however, did little to quell the concerns of Sikh organizations, who see them as part of a larger pattern of historical distortion. The SGPCs objections are not new. Back in August 2024, the committee had issued a legal notice to the filmmakers, demanding the removal of scenes deemed offensive to the Sikh community. They also called for an apology from Ranaut and the production team for what they considered a misrepresentation of Sikh history. The committee took further action by sending letters to the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification, urging them to reconsider the films content before it was approved for release. The growing tensions surrounding Emergency highlight the volatile intersection of politics, history, and cinema in India. As a political figure and an actress known for her controversial statements, Ranauts involvement in the film has only intensified the backlash. Sikh bodies argued that the film not only misrepresents history but also undermines the dignity of the community, particularly through the alleged character assassination of Bhindranwale, a figure seen as a martyr by many Sikhs. In response to the mounting opposition, SGPC officials have begun submitting memoranda to district authorities across Punjab, reiterating their demand for a ban. The next few days are expected to see further protests and demonstrations as Sikh groups continue to voice their anger over what they perceive as an attempt to tarnish the image of the Sikh community and distort key historical events. A 21-member delegation from 10 countries on Thursday visited the various akharas during the ongoing Maha Kumbh and took a dip at the Triveni Sangam. The representatives not only gained an understanding of the religious significance of the Maha Kumbh but also experienced the extraordinary elements of Indian culture, an official statement issued here said. After taking a dip in the Triveni Sangam, the delegation toured the vast Maha Kumbh area, witnessing the immense scale of the event. The international visitors lauded the Uttar Pradesh government for the grand arrangements made for the world's largest religious gathering. They said the Maha Kumbh sends a powerful message of unity to the world and encourages people from all nations to visit Mahakumbh Nagar to witness and understand the Indian culture, according to the statement. Sally Al Azab, a representative from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), said she has come from the Middle East to India for this remarkable event. She described it as an extraordinary moment and highlighted that the Kumbh Mela is the world's largest religious gathering, it said. She praised the arrangements at the event and emphasised that it not only spreads a message of unity within India but also to the entire world. Witnessing millions of devotees and the meticulous security arrangements, she felt deeply moved by the greatness of Indian culture, the statement said. The international delegation also toured various akharas during the Kumbh Mela, meeting saints and learning about the historical, religious and cultural significance of the event. The saints shared insights into the ancient traditions of the Maha Kumbh, the role of the akharas and the glory of Indian culture. The international representatives were profoundly impressed by the saints' teachings and expressed their admiration for the Indian religious traditions, it said. This gathering of representatives sent a powerful message to the world, showing that people from different cultural backgrounds can come together in harmony. It included representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the statement said. The international delegation experienced the diversity of Indian culture and the unity in religion during their visit. They were deeply moved by the culture and traditions on display, it said. For them, the trip was not just a religious experience but also a precious opportunity to be part of a historical and cultural heritage, the statement added. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced on Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. The deal promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and it will allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a territory ravaged by 15 months of war. The prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said the ceasefire would go into effect on Sunday. He made the announcement in the Qatari capital of Doha, the site of weeks of painstaking negotiations. US President Joe Biden then touted the deal from Washington, saying the ceasefire will stay in place as long as Israel and Hamas remain at the negotiating table over a long-term truce. Biden said his administration and President-elect Donald Trump's team were speaking as one in the negotiations. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that final details were being ironed out and that it hoped details will be finalised tonight. An Israeli official familiar with the talks who spoke on condition of anonymity said those details centre on confirming the list of Palestinian prisoners who are to be freed. Any agreement must be approved by Netanyahu's Cabinet. Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on Netanyahu's government to approve the ceasefire in a nationally televised speech. Hamas said in a statement that the ceasefire was the result of the legendary resilience of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip. Once the deal officially begins, it is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that is to be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war altogether. Over those six weeks, 33 of the nearly 100 hostages are to be reunited with their loved ones after months in in captivity with no contact with the outside world, though it's unclear if all are alive. It remained unclear exactly when and how many displaced Palestinians would be able to return to what remains of their homes and whether the agreement would lead to a complete end to the war and the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza key Hamas demands for releasing the remaining captives. Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has destabilised the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack, which killed some 1,200 Israelis and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, displaced an estimated 90 per cent of Gaza's population and sparked a humanitarian crisis. More than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza in a weeklong truce in November 2023. The US, along with Egypt and Qatar, have brokered months of indirect talks between the bitter enemies that finally culminated in this latest deal. It comes after Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire in November, after more than a year of conflict linked to the war in the Gaza. Israel responded with a brutal air and ground offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials. They do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. UN and international relief organisations estimate that some 90 per cent of Gaza's 2.3 million people have been displaced, often multiple times. They say tens of thousands of homes have been destroyed and hospitals are barely functioning. Experts have warned that famine may be underway in northern Gaza, where Israel launched a major offensive in early October, displacing tens of thousands of residents. The best day in my life and the life of the Gaza people, Abed Radwan, a Palestinian father of three, said of the ceasefire deal. Thank God. Thank God. Radwan, who has been displaced from the town of Beit Lahiya for over a year and shelters in Gaza City, said he hopes to return and to rebuild his home. As he spoke to AP by phone, his voice was overshadowed by the celebrations of fellow Gazans. People are crying here. They don't believe it's true," he said. In Israel, hundreds of demonstrators gathered outside Israel's military headquarters in Tel Aviv, calling for a deal to be completed. Many held posters of hostages held by Hamas, others hoisted candles in the air. As the deal was announced, some people were unaware that it had gone through. Sharone Lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held in Gaza, told the AP by phone she was stunned and grateful but won't believe it until she sees all the hostages come home. I'm so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived, she said. US President Joe Biden, who has provided crucial military aid to Israel but expressed exasperation over civilian deaths, announced the outline of the three-phase ceasefire agreement on May 31. The agreement eventually agreed to followed that framework. He said the first phase would last for six weeks and include a full and complete ceasefire, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages, including women, older adults and wounded people, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Humanitarian assistance would surge, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza each day. The second and most difficult phase would include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. The third phase calls for the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which faces decades of rebuilding from devastation caused by the war. Hamas had been demanding assurances for a permanent end to the war and complete withdrawal of all Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, has repeatedly said it would not halt the war until it destroys Hamas' military and governing capabilities. The various players have conducted months of on-again, off-again negotiations. But with Biden's days in office numbered and President-elect Donald Trump set to take over, both sides had been under heavy pressure to agree to a deal. Trump celebrated the soon-to-be-announced agreement in a posting on his Truth Social social media platform: WE HAVE A DEAL FOR THE HOSTAGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THEY WILL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. THANK YOU! Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council, said Biden deserves praise for continuing to push the talks. But Trump's threats to Hamas and his efforts to cajole Netanyahu deserve credit as well. The ironic reality is that at a time of heightened partisanship even over foreign policy, the deal represents how much more powerful and influential US foreign policy can be when it's bipartisan, Panikoff said. Hezbollah's acceptance of a ceasefire in Lebanon after it had suffered heavy blows, and the overthrow of President Bashar Assad in Syria, were both major setbacks for Iran and its allies across the region, including Hamas, which was left increasingly isolated. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll. Israel says it has killed around 17,000 militants though it has not provided evidence to support the claim. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing the group of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. The International Court of Justice is investigating allegations brought by South Africa that Israel has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court, a separate body also based in The Hague, has issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his defence minister and a Hamas commander for war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war. Israel and the United States have condemned the actions taken by both courts. Netanyahu also faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages, whose plight has captured the nation's attention. Their families have become a powerful lobbying group with wide public support backed by months of mass protests urging the government to reach a deal with Hamas. Israeli authorities have already concluded that more than a third of the roughly 100 remaining people held captive are dead, and there are fears that others are no longer alive. A series of videos released by Hamas showing surviving hostages in distress, combined with news that a growing number of abducted Israelis have died, put added pressure on the Israeli leader. Hamas, a militant group that does not accept Israel's existence, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gaza's largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the October 7, 2023, attack, have been killed. But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. Netanyahu has vowed to continue the war until Hamas's military and governing capabilities are destroyed. Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by an intruder inside his 12th floor apartment in upscale Bandra early Thursday in a shocking attack that raises intriguing questions about security, motive, and celebrity life. Khan, 54, was "out of danger" following an emergency surgery, said the doctors at the Lilavati Hospital where he was rushed following the incident that took place around 2.30 am at his house in `Satguru Sharan' building. The intruder fled from the spot. Dr Nitin Dange, neurosurgeon at Lilavati Hospital, said Khan had sustained major injury to his "thoracic spine." "Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also to repair the leaking spinal fluid....Khan is completely stable now. He is in a recovery mode and is completely out of danger. We will shift him out of ICU tomorrow morning," Dr Dange added. The actor's representatives described the incident as an "attempted burglary" though police were yet to comment on it. No person has been arrested so far, a senior police official said. Earlier in the day, Lilavati Hospital's COO Dr Niraj Uttamani in a statement said Khan was stabbed by an unidentified person at his Bandra home and brought to the medical facility at 3.30 am. "Saif has six stabs and two are deep. Of this one is close to spine," he said, adding the actor was operated upon by a team of doctors led neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Dr Leena Jain and anaesthesiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi. "He sustained six injuries, two are minor, two intermediate and two deep injuries, one of the injuries is on the back which is close to spine. A neurosurgeon was involved in the surgery," Dr Uttamani told PTI. The wrist wound is also deep. It's on the left hand and requires a plastic surgeon to repair it, he added. "There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and (his wife and actor) Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine," Kareena Kapoor's team earlier said in a statement. "We request the media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern," the statement said. Saif Ali Khan's public relations representative also in statement said there was an "attempted burglary" at his residence. "We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation," the representative said. A police official said that as per initial information, an unidentified person entered Saif Ali Khan's house and both of them had a scuffle. Some family members of the actor were present in the house at the time of the incident, he said. The actor was injured in knife attack by the intruder. He was taken to the Lilavati Hospital in Bandra and was reported to be out of danger, the official said. Asked if there was a robbery attempt at the actor's house by the intruder, a senior police official did not elaborate and said an investigation was on. The Bandra police reached the spot after receiving information and launched a probe into the incident. Saif Ali Khan is known for his performances in films like "Omkara", "Dil Chahta Hai", "Kal Ho Naa Ho" and "Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior". He will be seen next in "Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter", a heist drama. Reacting to the incident, BJP spokesperson Ram Kadam said the police will not spare the guilty. NCP (SP) spokesperson Clyde Crasto said the attack on Saif Ali Khan was a cause for concern because if such high-profile people with security can be attacked in their homes, then what would happen to common citizens. The fear of law seems to be at a low in Maharashtra due to leniencies in the past couple of years, he said. NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, a friend of Kareena Kapoor Khan's family, said the incident was worrisome. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe criticised the Maharashtra government over the "failure" of law and order. "If celebrity homes are attacked and they need to put bullet-proof windows, what will be condition of ordinary citizens," he said, claiming such incidents will impact investments in the state. Google is celebrating the ongoing Maha Kumbh with a rose petal animation on its search screen. If one looks up 'Kumbh', 'Maha Kumbh', 'Kumbh Mela', 'Mahakumbh' or any similar iterations on Google, the screen plays an animation in the background showing a virtual shower of rose petals. Google also allows for the animation to be replayed or shared with others via email, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp. A third option allows one to dismiss the animation. "Google search engine uniquely celebrates the commencement of Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj. When you search Maha Kumbh it will shower petals on the screen in honour of Maha Kumbh," stated a message posted on the official X handle of the Maha Kumbh. The Maha Kumbh -- one of the largest spiritual gatherings on the planet -- is being held on the banks of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, in Prayagraj. The mega fair, where millions of pilgrims turn up for a holy dip in the Sangam in their quest for 'Moksha' and to cleanse their sins in the sacred waters, kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26. While nearly 5 crore people descended for the Maha Kumbh on the first two days itself, the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the event, expects a footfall of 40 crore to 45 crore during the entire Mela period. Ceasefire deal reached between Israel, Hamas, welcomed by int'l community Xinhua) 08:09, January 16, 2025 Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani speaks at a press conference in Doha, Qatar, on Jan. 15, 2025. (Xinhua) DOHA/JERUSALEM, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal following intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Qatar's prime minister announced on Wednesday. The agreement includes an initial 42-day phase during which more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza will halt. The Israeli military will withdraw from populated areas to the outskirts of Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their residence in the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid will flow in, with 600 trucks entering Gaza daily, including 50 carrying much-needed fuel to restore electricity in the territory, according to Israel's state-owned Kan TV news. At a press conference, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a deal on exchanging hostages and prisoners and establishing sustainable calm, aiming for a permanent ceasefire. Implementation of the agreement is set to begin on Sunday, Jan. 19, with Hamas releasing 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during the first phase. Details of subsequent phases will be revealed later. Relatives and supporters of hostages held in the Gaza Strip rally outside Israeli Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, on Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo by Jamal Awad/Xinhua) In a joint statement issued by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the three mediators affirmed their role as guarantors of the ceasefire deal, saying they would help ensure that all three stages of the ceasefire will be fully implemented by both parties. "Accordingly, the mediators will work together to ensure that the parties implement their obligations in the agreement and that the three stages continue in full," the statement said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking from the White House, called the agreement "one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced" and emphasized the goal of ending the war. During the next six weeks, "Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war," Biden said. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement, stating, "Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict." He added that the UN stands ready to support its implementation and deliver sustained humanitarian relief to Palestinians. Guterres also urged all parties to work toward a "negotiated two-state solution" as an urgent priority. Hamas hailed the agreement as a victory, with senior official Khalil al-Hayya praising the resilience and sacrifices of Palestinians. A Palestinian is seen at the site of destroyed tents after an Israeli bombardment, in Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip, on Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) The Israeli Security Cabinet and government are set to convene on Thursday for two consecutive meetings to vote on the deal. While Netanyahu is believed to have a majority, key coalition partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to quit the government unless there is a clear commitment to resume fighting in Gaza after the hostages' return. Such a move could dissolve Netanyahu's majority, potentially triggering early elections. Israel's ceremonial President Isaac Herzog urged the government to approve the agreement, describing it as "the right, important, and necessary move." The deal, first outlined in May 2024, follows about a year of on-and-off indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, culminating in four days of intensive negotiations in Doha. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas led an assault on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 46,700 people and reduced much of the territory to rubble, according to the Gaza health authorities. A Palestinian Christian lights a candle during an Orthodox Christmas mass at the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City, Jan 7, 2025. (Photo by Mahmoud Zaki/Xinhua) Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi welcomed on Wednesday the ceasefire agreement that was reached "after more than a year of arduous efforts under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States." Meanwhile, Egyptian state TV reported that coordination is currently underway to open the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza for sending humanitarian aid to the enclave. "Egypt is getting ready to send the largest possible amount of aid to Gaza," the state TV quoted an unnamed high-ranking source as saying. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday expressed its strong support for the newly announced ceasefire agreement, along with the release of detainees, hostages, and captives. UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for both parties to honor their commitments to the agreement, underscoring the need to alleviate the plight of Palestinian detainees and Israeli hostages. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) 'Underwater oil trees' grow in the sea People's Daily Online) 15:25, January 16, 2025 Workers test China's first marine subsea production system at the WEFIC Ocean Equipment workshop in Dongying High-Tech Zone, Dongying city, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo/Liu Zhifeng) "In the past two years, 11 'oil trees' have gone underwater to extract oil!" exclaimed Sui Zhongfei, chairman of WEFIC Ocean Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd, based in Dongying city, east China's Shandong Province, with pride as he stood beside a shallow-water subsea Christmas tree nearly twice his height. WEFIC's subsea Christmas trees have been applied in various domestic seas and are now reaching global markets. Sui explained the trees act like "faucets" for oil and gas fields, connecting underground reserves to transportation pipelines, and they control the extraction rate and monitor production conditions in real-time. The underwater tree consists of 1,358 components, involving material engineering, underwater corrosion prevention, and other specialized fields. The design, manufacturing, and assembly are challenging, and only a few companies worldwide possess the ability to design and manufacture them. WEFIC invested significantly in technological breakthroughs for underwater Christmas trees in 2019. However, they faced shortages in research funding, talent, and technical expertise. "We must help the company tackle this 'hard nut,'" said Hu Xianwen, deputy director of the Dongying High-tech Zone Management Committee. After learning about WEFIC's R&D challenges through visits to local enterprises, he immediately thought of connecting them with the Dongying Petroleum Technology and Equipment Industry Research Institute. Through this partnership, WEFIC collaborated with central enterprises and research institutes, creating a tailored R&D system involving over 10 specialties. Workers test China's first marine subsea production system at the WEFIC Ocean Equipment workshop in Dongying High-Tech Zone, Dongying city, east China's Shandong Province. (Photo/Liu Zhifeng) Within a year, the shallow-water subsea Christmas tree went from concept to reality. The project saw the generation of 1,264 technical drawings and 450 specifications, with every production step executed to exacting standards. Key components, like the tubing hanger, underwent intensive refinement to meet tolerances of less than 0.01 millimeters, supported by expert guidance from the research institute. On July 17, 2022, China's first self-developed shallow-water subsea Christmas tree system was successfully put into operation in the Jinzhou waters of the Bohai Sea. (Photo/CGTN) On July 17, 2022, China's first independently developed shallow-water subsea Christmas tree system was successfully put into operation in the Jinzhou waters of the Bohai Sea. The natural gas buried more than 2,000 meters underground was stably transported through the Christmas tree system, and the daily gas output of a single well was 310,000 cubic meters, which can be used by 1,500 families for one year. To streamline production, the Dongying Institute played a pivotal role in establishing Shandong's only subsea Christmas tree simulation testing laboratory in 2023. This facility allows all required tests to be conducted on-site, significantly reducing costs and logistical challenges. Today, WEFIC boasts a "1+N" R&D system and has built the country's deepest subsea system simulation experimental platform. This fully integrated production chain can handle depths up to 1,500 meters. Its market share and delivery capacity have expanded significantly, with production cycles reduced by two-thirds. Looking ahead, WEFIC is collaborating with the institute on intelligent deep-sea oil and gas equipment, aiming to extend the industrial chain. "The marine oil and gas sector has vast potential; securing our energy supply will create significant opportunities for us," said Liu Huaguo, vice chairman of WEFIC, as he unfolded a blueprint of new innovations. Intern Han Yifan contributed to this story. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) St Patricks College Maghera is returning to Romania to deliver vital aid to orphanages and hospitals in the Brasov region. The College is travelling with Methodist College, Belfast in a cross-community initiative known as School Aid Romania. Throughout Northern Ireland schools take part in this Cross Community Initiative which aims to build lasting friendships between students from different cultural backgrounds. Each group of schools travel together for one week bringing aid in the form of medicines, vital equipment such as hearing aids, scanning machines, and monitoring equipment, they also bring toys, painting equipment, clothing, and money. A group of 40 students and teachers and two volunteers from the community are making a trip to Romania with St Patricks College to deliver aid and assistance to several orphanages and hospitals in the Brasov area. 20 students from St Patricks College have been working extremely hard over the past number of months to fundraise for their forthcoming trip and in all have raised in excess of 20,000. Mr Clifford, co-ordinator of School Aid Romania, says he never ceases to be astounded by the generosity of the local community. "The fundraising efforts of the local community have impacted enormously on the orphanages in Romania and each year we see how we are gradually bettering the living conditions for many young teenagers and children," he said. Mr Clifford paid tribute to the hard work of those who are travelling to Romania, and their peers, who every year raise enormous amounts of money for the appeal. He continued: "St Patricks College has embraced the true spirit of SAR and has made it one of the foremost charities in the school community, he states that the students, their peers, their teachers and their families have really worked to ensure that this part of Northern Ireland, is able to assist those who are more needy that ourselves and have reached deep into their pockets and their hearts to help those who are greatly disadvantaged. "In previous years students have helped to fund the establishment of new orphanages, update facilities in existing centres, and distribute money for the purchase of essentials such as fuel, furniture, washing machines, and clothing. "In recent years students have used their limited time at orphanages to transform dreary classrooms and dormitories into bright, cartoon filled rooms a much more stimulating environment for young children. "This year students are facing a packed agenda and will be expected to entertain, decorate, renovate, purchase equipment, and distribute the funding they have raised to over ten centres. Students will spend time learning about Romanian culture, understanding why there are so many orphanages, learning about the extreme levels of past corruption and a country that is transitioning from the past regime. Central to this experience is them deciding where they will spend their hard-earned fundraising money and distribute the aid they bring out. The money raised this year will be used to fund employment for previously institutionalised children and to fund a food programme in needy villages." Mrs Maura Devlin, of St. Patricks College, is very much looking forward to her tenth trip to Romania. She said: "I am excited at the opportunity to travel to Romania again. I love visiting the children we support. Each year we see improvements in the conditions of some places, and it is nice to see how our efforts are helping, but there is much work still to be done and it will be interesting to investigate opportunities for projects that could be supported in future years." Mr Clifford and the students travelling to Romania want to express their thanks to the pupils and staff of the College and the local community for their help and contributions. He added: "The generosity of the local community astounds us each year and this year is no exception. With several key events held locally from concerts to quizzes, car washes, breakfasts, walks, raffles, and competitions the efforts have been nonstop, and the support has been outstanding. People have volunteered, bought tickets, attended events, walked, washed up and cooked to help us to raise the vital funds. We just couldnt do it without that type of community and school spirit. The street collection in Magherafelt collected 465 for which we are very grateful. All of us going want to express our sincere thanks to Mrs K Crilly, Principal, of St Patrick's College who has given her backing and encouragement to the trip and continues to make this programme of aid a key element of life in the school." Northern Ireland will begin training veterinary nurses to degree level in 2025 with the establishment of two new undergraduate degrees at Ulster University in Coleraine. The first of their kind in Northern Ireland, teaching on the Veterinary Nursing and Advancing Animal Healthcare and Practice degrees, which are designed to address the growing demand for skilled veterinary professionals across Northern Ireland, will begin in September at Ulster University. With an embedded placement year in veterinary practice, the BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing degree will enable students to gain hands-on experience in veterinary practices, fostering real-world skills and professional readiness and producing competent and compassionate veterinary nurses who are well-equipped to make meaningful contributions to animal health and welfare. A full-time, four-year course delivered in Coleraine, the Veterinary Nursing degree will include 1800 hours of clinical practice experience in veterinary surgeries across Northern Ireland, with students eligible to apply to become a registered veterinary nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons upon successful completion. From 2029, it is expected that 30 veterinary nurses will graduate from the course each year. Also getting underway at Coleraine in September 2025, the part-time BSc (Hons) Animal Healthcare and Practice degree presents an opportunity for registered veterinary nurses to advance their career and enhance their knowledge, skills and competencies through a locally delivered upskilling programme. Aiming to nurture expertise across the sector, the Animal Healthcare and Practice degree is open to those already registered as a veterinary nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, representing a commitment by Ulster University to not only produce the next generation of veterinary nurses in Northern Ireland, but to support the profession in full with new upskilling opportunities and qualifications. With a reliance on practices across Northern Ireland to welcome student veterinary nurses for placement in the coming years, the courses also present an opportunity for local practitioners and vet surgeries to avail of CPD opportunities that will support their own career and practice. At an event at Ulster University on Wednesday, January 15, DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the establishment of the new degrees as a positive and significant development for the veterinary sector in Northern Ireland. DAERA Minister Andrew Muir said: I welcome the decision of Ulster University to introduce two new undergraduate programmes, the BSc (Hons) in Veterinary Nursing and the BSc (Hons) in Advancing Animal Healthcare and Practice at Ulster University from September 2025. I understand that these courses will provide degree level opportunities for those students wishing to undertake Further Education programmes or who are already a Registered Veterinary Nurse, further advancing NIs high animal health and welfare standards. Ulster University Vice Chancellor Professor Paul Bartholomew said: The introduction of Ulster Universitys Veterinary Nursing degree is a fantastic addition to our offering that will address the growing demand for skilled veterinary professionals in Northern Ireland. The courses align closely with our People, Place and Partnership framework, reinforcing our commitments to impactful education and societal contribution right across the region. Establishing ties with veterinary practices and collaborating with the wider sector will be the cornerstone of this degree programme, which will ultimately produce a pipeline of graduates ready to meet workforce requirements. We look forward to welcoming the first group of veterinary nursing students in September, who will complete their course in the setting of our semi-rural Coleraine campus enjoying its relaxed outdoor atmosphere and surrounding natural beauty. Bethan Pinhey RVN, Course Director (BSc Hons) Veterinary Nursing: I am thrilled to introduce these programmes demonstrating a clear commitment to the veterinary nursing profession. RVNs are integral to animal health and welfare and their professional capabilities are vast. Allowing students and already qualified veterinary nurses a tertiary education option at home to begin or enhance their career will be transformative for the Northern Irish veterinary profession. Dr Susan Hawthorne, Course Director BSc (Hons) Advancing Animal Healthcare and Practice: The new part-time degree for qualified veterinary nurses offers an exceptional opportunity to upskill and advance careers. This flexible programme is tailored for working professionals, supporting continuous professional development and career growth. Further information about the BSc (Hons) Veterinary Nursing & BSc (Hons) Advancing Animal Healthcare and Practice. Stormont has been urged to place a legal obligation on institutions to contribute to a redress fund for abuse survivors. Concern was also voiced that scores of people who suffered abuse at institutions in Northern Ireland are still not aware of the redress scheme for which the deadline for applications is April 2. The compensation scheme for victims and survivors was set up in 2019 following a recommendation of the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry public which issued its final report in 2017. The inquiry, led by Sir Anthony Hart, revealed the extent of sexual, physical and emotional abuse at homes run by the state, church and charities from 1922 to 1995. Jon McCourt of the group Survivors North West said they are running out of time on the redress process. He appeared before the Stormont Executive Committee on Wednesday afternoon along with Cyril Glass of Survivors Together and Gerry McCann of Rosetta Trust. The three men had met with First Minister Michelle ONeill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly earlier that day. Mr McCourt said they discussed the redress as well as a plan to create a memorial to victims of historic institutional abuse. Some 100 million in payments have so far been paid to victims of the abuse. Appearing before the committee, Mr McCourt said he is concerned that so far only three of the institutions have made an interim payment towards the cost of redress. He said the religious institutions should do the honourable thing and make a pro rata contribution in Northern Ireland to what they did in the Republic of Ireland to be reviewed annually to meet the need of a fund for specialist services for victims and survivors of historic institutional abuse. He also called for the Historical Institutional Abuse Act 2019 to be amended to make their contributions to redress from a recommendation to a legal obligation. Dealing with this tragic episode in our history has taken a toll on all of us, not just on victims and survivors of historical institutional abuse but on our families, our friends and our loved ones, he told MLAs. I have seen over the years the toll it has taken on them, but I have also seen the toll it has taken on members of this committee and other legislators across the political spectrum in the Assembly and the Executive Office staff who have worked diligently for every gain we have made on this journey. In November 2008 when we first came to meet with the then First and deputy First Ministers, Peter Robinson and the late Martin McGuinness seeking an inquiry into historical institutional abuse, their parting words gave us real hope, and those parting six words were, we will not let you down. I ask you now, on behalf of all victims and survivors of historic institutional abuse to live up to that promise and dont let us down. Meanwhile, the committee also heard that plans for a memorial for victims remain under consideration. Mr McCann said a previous plan for a memorial bench has been set aside. A steering group is set to be formed to allow victims and survivors to decide on what form the memorial, which will be located at Stormont and/or in the grounds, will take. We think this is the best way forward, that survivors will be involved in this process rather than officials, he said. An annual award which recognises John Hume's 'deep commitment to the European project' has been welcomed. A draft Programme of Government, which has been agreed by Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and a number of independent TDs, includes the new award. The former SDLP leader and Foyle MP died in 2020. John Hume jr, Chair of the John and Pat Hume Foundation said: Our family and the John and Pat Hume Foundation are deeply appreciative that the Irish Government Draft Programme of Government includes a positive recommendation to recognise John Humes deep commitment to the European project through an annual award by the European Parliament to a person or organisation who promotes reconciliation and shared prosperity in Europe. " As John Hume always said the European Union is the best example of conflict resolution in the history of the world'. John Hume jr added: It is also welcome that the Irish Government is committed to increase the Shared Ireland Fund by a further 1 billion up to 2035. "The valuable contribution of the Reconciliation Fund over many years and the enormous impact and potential of the Shared Island Fund and initiative cannot be underestimated. "They serve to build peace and deepen reconciliation on so many levels across the island alongside the continuing work to build the common ground using the institutions of the Good Friday Agreement." Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. PICTURED ABOVE: Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr at the launch of Hospitality Connects held in Bishop's Gate Hotel. Included, front, from left, Nicky Gilleece, Labour Market Partnership, Derry City & Strabane District Council, Lily Vella (St. Mary's College), Beth McDaid (St. Cecilia's College), and from right, Fiona Long, HR, Ebrington Hotel, Caitriona Lennox, head Springboard Charity, and Evan Curran (St. Joseph's Boys' School). Back, from left, are J.P. McCafferty, general manager, Bishop's Gate Hotel, Chris McMenamin (Travel and Tourism teacher, St. Cecilia's College), Mary Jo O'Carolan (principal, St. Cecilia's College), Dan Maude (Travel and Tourism teacher, St. Joseph's Boys' School), Conor Lynch (St. Mary's College), and Conor Friel, City Hotel. (Photos - Tom Heaney, nwpresspics) Derry City and Strabane Labour Market Partnership has partnered with the Springboard Charity, training experts for the Hospitality industry, to launch an exciting pilot programme connecting local schools to the City and Districts vibrant local hospitality sector. The Hospitality Connects initiative for NI will link local schools with hotels and follows the success of the Hospitality Connect programme in GB. From January to June 2025, it aims to equip students in Years 13 and 14 studying Hospitality, Leisure, and Tourism-related subjects with insights and experiences to inspire them to consider a career in the industry. Funded by the Department for Communities, Labour Market Partnerships create targeted employment action plans for Council areas allowing for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work. LMP Manager for Derry and Strabane, Nicky Gilleece, explained that the collaborative approach to the pilot initiative seeks to bridge the gap between education and industry in Derry and Strabane. The Hospitality Connects programme will forge meaningful connections between schools and local hotel partners to promote exciting future career opportunities for young people within the hospitality sector, she said. It seeks to showcase diverse career opportunities within the sector, provide hands-on experiences to motivate and engage students and highlight educational pathways in the field. Mayor Lilian Seenoi Barr at the launch of Hospitality Connects held in Bishop's Gate Hotel, with on left, Caitriona Lennox, head Springboard Charity, and from right, Emma Quinn and Nicky Gilleece, Labour Market Partnership, Derry City & Strabane District Council. Participating schools include St Joseph's Boys School, St Cecilia's College, and St Mary's College, partnering with prestigious establishments such as Bishops Gate Hotel, The Ebrington Hotel, and City Hotel Derry. Students can look forward to a series of engaging activities throughout the academic term, designed to build relationships with industry professionals, provide insights into a variety of career pathways and challenge perceptions of the hospitality sector. Caitriona Lennox, Head of Northern Ireland at Springboard, emphasised the significance of the partnership: "Our collaboration with Derry and Strabane Labour Market Partnership is crucial to the success of this innovative project in Northern Ireland. Together we can make a real difference to the perception of the industry for our future pipeline. Students from local schools who attended the launch of Hospitality Connects held in Bishop's Gate Hotel With support from key organisations including City of Derry Airport, Visit Derry, Ulster University, North West Regional College, NI Hotel Federation, and the HATS network, students will get an immersive industry experience that could shape their future careers. This innovative programme not only aims to attract fresh talent to the hospitality sector but also seeks to demonstrate its impact on the local economy, with the potential for annual implementation across Northern Ireland. For further details on the initiative contact lmp@derrystrabane.com The UK Government needs to step in to help with a financial crisis facing Northern Irelands health service, the chair of a Stormont committee has said. Health Committee chairwoman Liz Kimmins made the call for assistance after telling MLAs that the powersharing Executives budget was stretched beyond capacity. Department of Health officials had told the committee that a draft budget for the next financial year would have consequences for the delivery of health services in the region. Earlier this week, Northern Irelands First Minister Michelle ONeill said the situation facing the health service in Northern Ireland is dire and diabolical. Ms ONeill expressed concern at the scenes witnessed both inside and outside emergency departments in recent weeks, with patients facing long waits in the back of ambulances because of capacity issues. Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said on Wednesday a draft budget agreed by the Executive consigned health to more of the same over the next year. Brigitte Worth, the departments finance director, updated the committee on financial pressures within the current financial year and the draft budget for 2025/26. She said it was unlikely additional funding from the January monitoring round would be enough to close a 35 million funding shortfall in the current year. But she said an additional 10 million would enable the department to pay health service staff 11 months of backpay. Mr Nesbitt has previously conceded he does not currently have the funds needed to deliver a 5.5% pay increase for staff for 2024/25 but has committed to paying at least 10 months worth of the uplift retrospectively in March, with a further pledge to secure the additional money needed to bridge the gap to make the full award. Turning to the 2025/26 draft budget, Ms Worth said the resource allocation to health included an additional 200 million of funding. She said: This budget doesnt provide us with the investment which would be needed to make the kind of difference to our services that wed all like to see. Our level of funding relative to England is now at a 10-year low. At 1.5%, it is significantly below the 4-7% that was estimated by the Fiscal Council as being required to meet our additional needs. We need to be realistic about what can be delivered within the envelope we have been given. She added: If we accept that more funding for health cant be prioritised over the allocations given to other departments, we also have to accept the consequences that has for the delivery of our health and social care services. Preeta Miller, director of infrastructure investment at the department, updated MLAs on pressures on the capital budget. She said: Without additional investment, it is inevitable the estate will continue to deteriorate while the pace at which we can deliver the new estate facilities that we require will have to be slowed down to fit within our budget allocation. Ms Kimmins responded: The point about our funding position being at a 10-year low in comparison to England really reinforces the point that we need Westminster to step in. I think the minister has said about the need for the increased overall funding. I am hoping the minister will be making that case. Ms Kimmins said the budget across the whole of the Executive was stretched beyond capacity and health had got as much as possible. She said hopes that there may have been some additional funding returned from other areas had not materialised as all departments are to the wire. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Huawei smartphone global comeback: Mate X6 to enter EMEA markets Since launching its "Pioneer Program", Huawei has garnered consistent attention in the smartphone market. Having achieved a strong resurgence in China, the company is now aiming to reclaim its position on the global stage. Global expansion signals premium market return By late 2024, cities like Hong Kong, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur displayed prominent billboards for Huawei's Mate X6, highlighting the brand's return to the premium smartphone market, as reported by Nikkei Asia. The Mate X6 debuted in Mainland China and Malaysia in December 2024 followed by a launch in Hong Kong in January 2025. The device is set to expand to over 30 markets in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) in the coming months. At its flagship "Unfold the Classic" event in Dubai, Huawei unveiled a range of new products, including the Mate X6, Nova 13 series, FreeBuds Pro 4, FreeClip Rose Gold, and the MatePad 11.5. Huawei's advancements in foldable technology have propelled it into the top three global foldable smartphone makers, underscoring its competitive edge in the market, according to BusinessFocus. Counterpoint Research indicates that Huawei's foldable smartphone shipments grew 257% year over year in the first quarter of 2024, capturing a 35% market share and surpassing Samsung Electronics to become the market leader. Technical innovations drive competitive edge The Huawei Mate X6 introduces significant upgrades in display, camera, durability, and user experience, aiming to set a new benchmark for foldable smartphones. The device features a revolutionary distributed basalt (Xuanwu) architecture, which improves durability and optimizes internal space by 32%, resulting in a thinner and lighter design. According to Tatler Asia, this innovation also enhances network performance, heat dissipation, and overall usability. The Mate X6 enhances heat dissipation with ultra-conductive graphene, rated at 2,000W/mK, and a 3D liquid-cooled VC system. It also incorporates second-generation Kunlun Glass on the outer screen, a carbon fiber inner support layer, and an aerospace-grade aluminum frame, improving durability and resistance to drops, as highlighted by MobileMagazine HK. The smartphone redefines photography for foldable devices with its Ultra Chroma Camera, which includes a 1.5-million-spectrum sensor, a 50MP variable aperture lens, a 40MP ultra-wide lens, and a 48MP telephoto macro lens. The Mate X6 also introduces Live Multi-task, enabling users to run three applications simultaneously on the unfolded screen. The device delivers faster video processing, with performance data from China showing a 60-80% improvement in video playback smoothness on subways and quicker network recovery after leaving elevators or tunnels. Market response and pricing strategy The Mate X6, a horizontally foldable smartphone powered by the Kirin chipset, is priced at EUR1,999 (US$2,057) in Europe, which is 4% higher than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold6, according to PR Newswire. The Huawei Pura 70, launched in April 2024 and also powered by the Kirin chipset, has been sold in over 60 regions with steady growth. However, it remains unavailable in major markets like the US, Japan, and South Korea. As of November 26, 2024, pre-orders for the Mate X6 exceeded 1 million units on Huawei's official website. Social media buzz highlights strong consumer expectations, reflecting Huawei's goal of becoming a global leader in foldable technology. Strategic recovery and technological independence Huawei's smartphone business faced significant challenges due to US sanctions, limiting it to Qualcomm's 4G chips from 2021 to 2023. By 2023, the number of its global after-sales service centers dropped from 105 markets in 2020 to fewer than half, and overseas revenue declined from 30% to under 10%. The release of the Mate 60 series in late 2023 spotlighted Huawei's self-developed Kirin chips, reportedly designed by HiSilicon and produced by SMIC using 7nm technology. While initial production faced hurdles, industry experts confirm that output has now stabilized. In January 2024, Huawei launched the entry-level Enjoy 70X, featuring the Kirin chipset, indicating a possible decrease in chip production costs. In 2024, Huawei introduced HarmonyOS NEXT, its native operating system, while encouraging third-party developers to build dedicated apps, further reducing its reliance on Android. Huawei plans to equip all smartphones in the Chinese market with HarmonyOS NEXT and is considering adopting the system for future international models. Huawei achieved a 15.3% market share in China's smartphone market during the third quarter of 2024, ranking third behind Vivo and Apple. IDC reports a 42% year-over-year growth in shipments, reinforcing Huawei's position in the Chinese market. Professor Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University, is urging graduates of the University from Louth to register for future Seanad elections. Registration is currently open for the new Higher Education constituency, which will elect six members of the Seanad in future elections. Graduates of Dublin City University, who are Irish citizens, are eligible to register for the new constituency. This includes graduates of former DCU-linked colleges St. Patricks College Drumcondra and Mater Dei Institute. The current arrangements, whereby three Senators are elected by graduates of NUI and three by graduates of the University of Dublin (Trinity College), will remain in place for the current Seanad General Election that is now underway. However, the new constituency, which will include graduates of DCU, will elect all six Senators as a single constituency in future elections. To be eligible for inclusion in the Register of Electors a person must be an Irish citizen, be over 18, and hold a degree (of any level) from one of the relevant institutions designated under the Higher Education Authority Act 2022. Speaking ahead of the DCU Alumni Awards 2025, Professor Daire Keogh said: The creation of the Seanad Higher Education constituency gives DCU degree-holders an important new opportunity to have their say in our democratic system. I want to encourage all eligible DCU graduates to register before the upcoming deadline so that they can cast their vote in the next Seanad elections. "The upper house of the Oireachtas plays a crucial role in our democracy, offering critical oversight of legislation and providing a forum where new and underrepresented voices can be heard. Therefore, I hope that DCU graduates will engage with this opportunity and help to inform the makeup of the next Seanad Eireann. Ross Munnelly, Director of Alumni Relations at DCU, said: At home and abroad, DCU graduates are known for being engaged, active citizens, who play their part in the University's mission to 'transform lives and societies'. By registering to vote in the Higher Education constituency our alumni will have the chance to elect senators who represent their values and priorities. "The registration deadline is fast approaching but the application process is straightforward, so I would urge our alumni to take up this opportunity. DCU graduates will need to submit their applications and any required supporting documents either by post or directly on the application portal by the deadline of 23 January. Louth Library Service says it is delighted to announce the publication of a new book, War and Peace in the Wee County. Louth during the struggle for independence and after, by Dr Thomas Tormey. This publication was funded through the Louth County Council Decade of Centenaries Programme, supported by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Dr Thomas Tormey took up his role as Historian in Residence with Louth Library Service in 2021. Part of his remit for the remaining years of the Decade of Centenaries was weaving the local story of Co Louth into the national story of the revolutionary period. This book of essays covers events in County Louth during the revolutionary period. A detailed analysis of local events provides an accessible account of how national processes interacted with the local circumstances of County Louth. Among the topics covered are: The Conscription Crisis, The 1918 General Election and The Great War in County Louth. Dr Thomas Tormey, Historian in Residence with Louth Library Service, said: This book tries to match local detail with national events and, as such, I hope it will interest a wide variety of readers. It can be read by anyone, whether they have previously read much about the Irish revolution or not, and I think it will be of particular interest to people who have taken an interest in national histories but who want to find out how the revolutionary period was experienced by people on the ground in County Louth. Amanda Branigan, Acting County Librarian, said: The Decade of Centenaries offered an open invitation to everyone to explore the most important and transformative period in our modern history. In terms of research, publications, and public events, I am delighted and proud of what we achieved in Louth County Council and of our part in bringing that period to life for the community of Louth. I know this book will be a valuable addition to our local history collection for years to come. Copies of the book are now available for loan in each branch of Louth Library Service. As St. Brigid's Day approaches on the 1st of February, the birthplace of Irelands beloved saint invites visitors to celebrate this special occasion and immerse themselves in the rich heritage, vibrant culture, and stunning landscapes that make Louth a must-visit destination. Discover the Legacy of St. Brigid Born at sunrise on the 1st of February 452 in Faughart, just outside Dundalk, St. Brigids story is deeply woven into the fabric of Louths history. Her life, marked by healing, fertility, poetry, and care for the land, is beautifully linked to the Celtic Goddess Brigid, embodying wisdom and rebirth. Growing up on her fathers farm in Faughart she developed a profound respect for nature and the world around her. St. Brigids Day has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc, which marked fertility, the arrival of spring, renewal, and light. Visitors can embark on a spiritual journey to the ancient site of Faughart, home to St. Brigids Shrine and Well, a place of pilgrimage for centuries. In 1934, Cardinal Mac Rory declared Faughart the National Shrine of St. Brigid for all of Ireland, cementing its significance as a site of tranquil beauty and reflection. The Shrine is home to Sruth Bhride (St. Brigids Stream), modern and ancient Stations of the Cross, and healing stones revered for their sacred powers. Adding a modern touch to this ancient legacy, visual artist Friz has depicted Brigid as both Goddess and Saint in a striking mural created for the SEEK Urban Arts Festival on Bridge Street, Dundalk. This artwork bridges Brigids ancient heritage with Louths vibrant modern culture. Events to Celebrate St. Brigids Day in Louth A variety of events are planned across Louth to honour St. Brigids enduring legacy: The Northern Lights Celebrating Brigid at Market Square, Dundalk Town Centre Live Shows 1st and 2nd February between 6pm-7pm and running until Friday, 28 February 2025. The Northern Lights multisensory light show will illuminate Dundalks Market Square in celebration of St. Brigid. This breathtaking display, choreographed to music, intertwines historical, cultural, and spiritual elements with cutting-edge technology. The installation will be illuminated daily (without audio) 11am to midnight for the month of February. Above: The Northern Lights Celebrating Brigid. PIC: MARK DUFFY PHOTOGRAPHY Faughart Candlelit Procession Celebrating Brigid - Sunday 2nd February - 6.30pm On Sunday 2nd of February, the Faughart Community Group will host an ancient-style candlelit procession starting at St. Brigids Shrine and concluding at Faughart Graveyard. Open to people of all faiths and none, the procession is led by robed figures, a lone drummer, and local schoolchildren. It culminates at the Hill of Faughart with a fire-lit motte, candlelit ruins, and Gregorian chant, honouring Brigids connection to County Louth and her legacy as a Celtic Goddess and Irelands matron saint. Above: St Brigid's Shrine. PHOTO: TOURISM IRELAND Creative Spark Launches Pop-Up Exhibition: Brigid A Celebration of Art, Legacy, and Community Creative Spark is excited to open its first pop-up exhibition space at the Downtown Hub, Dundalk, featuring ten artists from the Creative Spark Print Studio. Inspired by Brigids legacy and symbolism, the exhibition runs from Friday, 31st January, to Wednesday, 28th February. Opening Night: Friday 31st January at 7pm, and exhibition running until 28th February. Location: Creative Spark Downtown Hub, Dundalk. Opening Hours: Monday Friday 9:30am 5:00pm An Tain Arts Centre (Bo Studios): Crios Belt Weaving For Brigids Week Join artist Una Curley on Thursday, 6th February for a unique, hands-on workshop celebrating Irish heritage and craftsmanship. Learn the traditional art of handweaving a crios belt, explore the history and techniques behind this ancient craft, using vibrant threads to create your very own wearable masterpiece. This workshop is a wonderful way to connect with Irish traditions while developing new skills in a friendly and creative atmosphere. Brigid of Faughart Festival: The Brigid of Faughart Festival 2025 celebrates Brigid of Faughart as Saint and pre-Christian Celtic Goddess and her birthplace of Faughart, where the story of Saint Brigid began. Brigid Symbols and Customs Workshop - 1st February - 11:00 am - An Tain Arts Centre, Dundalk. Tickets 10 (+1.50 Booking Fee Per Ticket) Learn to weave the iconic Brigids Cross and the Crios Brid, (Brigids belt), ancient symbols of Brigid and share stories of Saint Brigids days past. All ages welcome. With Roisin Cotter and Maura Lennon. All materials provided. Pilgrimage Walk 10am-2.00pm - Sunday 2nd February This years pilgrimage invites participants to walk the Day 1 route of the Brigid's Way Celtic Pilgrimage. The journey begins at St. Brigids Holy Well on the Hill of Faughart and continues through St. Brigids Shrine, Kilcurry, Toberona, and the Lisnawilly Estate, concluding at Brigids Stream in Dundalk. Highlights include: Rituals such as a Brigid Water Blessing Storytelling of Brigids myths and legends Historical insights into Ireland's Ancient East Contribution: 25 (supports the upkeep of Brigid's Way Pilgrimage & Festival) Fitness: Moderate level required. Preparations: Participants should bring a packed lunch and water bottle. Tour of Faughart Sacred Sites with Roisin Cotter (1km) - Monday 3rd February 11.00am -1.00pm Join Roisin Cotter for a guided tour of Faugharts sacred sites, starting at Faughart Old Graveyard/Hill of Faughart car park. The 1km walk concludes at St. Brigid's Shrine. Preparations: Walking boots and warm clothing are recommended. Donation: 10 or more appreciated. Above: Aerial image of the Old Faughart Graveyard. PHTOTO: TOURISM IRELAND Brigids Trail Map & Guide For those seeking to explore Brigids legacy, Brigids Trail Map & Guide highlights key sites, including the Brigid of Faughart mural in Dundalk, St. Brigids Shrine and Holy Well in Faughart. Plan Your Visit St. Brigids Day, now a public holiday celebrated annually on the first Monday in February, is the perfect time to explore Louth, the birthplace of Irelands beloved saint. Whether youre seeking a spiritual retreat, an outdoor adventure, or a journey through rich cultural heritage, Louth has something for everyone. Discover the county's vibrant history, stunning landscapes, and connections to the life of St. Brigid, and experience why Louth is one of Ireland's most enchanting destinations. For more information on events and activities, visit www.visitlouth.ie Cork City Council unanimously voted in favour of new bylaws which will reduce the speed limit on several roads across Cork city. The Cork City Road Traffic (Special Speed Limits) Bye-Laws 2024 will come into operation on February 7, 2025. Green Party councillor for Cork City North West Oliver Moran told The Echo: Reducing the speed of motorists is in demand from residents across the whole city area. The new speed limits are a nationwide initiative, but being implemented at local level in two phases. This first phase drops the limit on typically rural 80km/h roads in the city to 60km/h. The next phase will reduce roads in built-up and residential areas that are now 50km/h to 30km/h. Thats expected to come in around the middle of the year. There are a number of areas that I will be particularly interested, like Ballyhooly Rd, Lower Glanmire Rd, New Inn and Burkes Hill, where residents are calling for reduced speeds. He explained: Last year, 174 people were killed on our roads and thousands more were injured. A third of those were on these category of roads, where pedestrians and cyclists are particularly at risk from motorists. Reducing the speed of motorists is the single greatest act that we can take to make roads safer for everyone. When someone is struck with a car at 30km/h, theres a 5% chance of them being killed. At 50km/h, a third of people will be killed. Under the new bylaws, 60 km/h will be the new speed limit for vehicles on roads specified. 58 roads are included in the byelaws; 18 in Douglas, two in Glanmire and Riverstown, 12 in Ballincolly and Kilbarry, six in Rathpeacon, 18 in Blarney and two in Ballincollig. The new speed limits come following a public consultation process, in which there was no submission against the proposed bylaws. One submission contained a request for reduced speed limits in urban areas, and Mr Joyce explained: Reducing the default speed limit in urban areas is the second phase of the implementation of National Speed Limit Review, and Cork City Council will implement phase two in accordance with guidance received from the Department of Transport. Speaking at Monday nights council meeting, Independent councillor Kieran McCarthy said: Id like to welcome these bylaws, but say that it is one thing bringing these in, but its important that we police them as well. The vast majority of people respect the rules of the road, but some people are not even going to look at these new limits and are not going to slow down, so we need more policing and more messaging about these speed limit reductions as well. A Cork TD has described as privatisation by the back door the spending by Cork University Hospital (CUH) of more than 22.6m on agency staff last year. In the first 11 months of 2024, CUH spent 22,629,107 on external agency staff. The figures were supplied by the Cork University Hospitals Group in reply to a parliamentary question by Sinn Fein TD for Cork North Central Thomas Gould. Of that, more than half, 11,086,756, was spent on agency healthcare assistants, with the next highest amount, 5,383,035, being spent on administrative staff. Agency nursing staff cost the hospital 3,871,534, while non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) and consultants received 1,282,131, and others, described as including support staff cost 1,005,652. Mr Gould said CUHs spending on agency staff had more than trebled when compared to seven years ago. To put this into context, in 2017, 6m was spent on agency staff. In the first 11 months of 2024, over 22m was spent, Mr Gould said. This is very clearly privatisation by the back door. I am particularly concerned that vital tasks cleaning, cooking, and caring for patients in Cork hospitals are now almost entirely operated by private companies. Mr Gould claimed the greatly increased spending on agency staff at CUH was a consequence of both the recruitment embargo and the continued failure of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to resource our health service. The HSE introduced its Pay and Numbers Strategy in July 2024, setting a new employment ceiling of 125,420 whole-time equivalent positions in the health service the number of occupied paid posts in place at the end of December 2023. Provision was also made for about 2,300 posts to staff new developments and for about 1,000 hospice employees to be brought into the public system. The strategy replaced the controversial recruitment embargo from the winter before. Mr Gould said the previous government parties had more than tripled the reliance on agency staff in CUH. We see that CUH regularly has the highest numbers of people on trolleys and hear from health care workers that they need more support from the HSE. This does not mean reducing directly employed staff and replacing them with agency staff. It means real investment in recruitment and retention across all levels of our health service, he said. A spokesperson for the Irish Nurses and Midwifes Organisation (INMO) said the increase in spending on agency staff in CUH could not be looked at in isolation. You need to look at that increase in the context of the recruitment and the Pay and Numbers Strategy, because the restrictions placed upon hospitals and the HSE mean they cant recruit staff at the same pace, but the demands on the system remain the same, Colm Porter, INMO assistant director of industrial relations for the southern region, said. The decision-makers who are on the ground are forced to use agency staff rather than going down the line of trying to recruit full-time [staff]. CUH was asked for comment. A Cork TD has highlighted the high uptake of free sexually transmitted infection (STI) home testing kits, with additional funding secured for the at home service in 2025. Some 126,090 kits were ordered and dispatched in 2024, new data from the Health Service Executives (HSEs) Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), from the final week of 2024, showed. According to the data, the number of notified STI cases last year was approximately 10% lower than in 2023. Demand for STI home testing kits has risen steadily since the service was launched in 2022, with 91,000 kits ordered in that year, and rising to 108,000 kits ordered in 2023. The rate of returned kits has also risen, from 62% in 2022 to 69% in 2023 and 72.5% in 2024. Reflecting this increase, an additional 600,000 has been allocated for the service in 2025, bringing the overall funding for home STI testing to 4.82m this year. Im very pleased to have secured additional funding for this very important service, in recognition of the growing demand for discreet and confidential access to testing, Cork North Central TD Colm Burke, the minister for public health, wellbeing and the national drugs strategy, said. Most STIs, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and syphilis, are often asymptomatic and can lead to significant harm if undiagnosed, but they are treatable, Mr burke said. Those who test positive for chlamydia now have the option of an online prescription, reducing the number of referrals to clinics for treatment this is a very effective service which plays a critical role in safeguarding sexual health and in protecting overall population health. In line with the principles of Slaintecare, it illustrates our commitment to prioritising sexual health and wellbeing, and in expanding free services in this area, the Fine Gael TD continued. Since its launch in 2022, the national home STI testing service has added approximately 33% to national testing capacity, with the percentage of people receiving reactive results in 2024 standing at 9.7%, marginally lower than the rate recorded in 2023. The majority of these results, just over 5,500, related to chlamydia, with many of these cases being managed via online prescriptions. Some 1,800 cases compiled in these results related to gonorrhoea, and 1,550 related to other STIs or HIV. Since September, test recipients have had the option to receive free condoms and lubricants with their free test kits, through the National Condom Distribution Service, with approximately 4,400 people having availed of this option to date. 2024 figures for the National Condom Distribution Service show that just over 1.2m condoms and just under 800,000 lubricant sachets were ordered last year. Cork Airport is celebrating one of the best years in its 63 year history, as it proved to be Irelands fastest growing airport with passenger traffic in 2024 up 10% on 2023. In total, Cork Airport welcomed 3.1 million passengers last year. The first three months of the year saw passenger traffic rise by 14%, 23%, and 25% respectively. The commencement of the summer schedule brought the addition of new routes from Cork to Brussels Charleroi, Rhodes, and Zadar, while a new service to Glasgow commenced as part of the current winter schedule. These new services, along with increased frequencies and capacity on existing services to Paris Charles de Gaulle as well as Frankfurt, all contributed to a bumper year, the airport said. Among the best performing routes from Cork Airport during 2024 included Paris Beauvais, Valencia, Barcelona, Faro, Rhodes, London Gatwick, Malaga, Lanzarote, Palma, and Reus. There were also significantly higher amounts of passengers traveling to and from some of Cork Airports key European markets. Passenger traffic to and from Poland increased by 33%; traffic to and from Spain increased by 20%; traffic to and from France increased by 19% and traffic to and from Germany increased by 12%. Cork Airports managing director, Niall MacCarthy, said: 2024 was an excellent year for Cork Airport with new routes and new airlines making our airport the fastest growing airport in Ireland and with the highest customer service standards. In 2025, were embarking on a number of capital projects to grow and improve the airport infrastructure and cater for the planned growth we have in the year ahead and the years following. We want to thank our loyal customer base, both in the South of Ireland, the UK and continental Europe for the continuing and growing use of Cork Airport. Cork is one of the most traffic congested cities in the world, a global study by sat-nav company TomTom has found. Overall, Cork is the 38th most congested city globally higher than many major cities such as London, Toronto, and Rome. The picture does not improve as far as Dublin is concerned, which is ranked as the 10th most traffic congested city. Mexico City tops the list as the most congested city in the world, followed by Bangkok at number two. Whether you are in a bus or in a car, people are definitely losing hours in traffic, Labour Party councillor Peter Horgan told The Echo. What the hours are depends on what metrics and what routes you are doing. If you are driving from Carrigaline into the city centre, you are going to be doing savage traffic numbers. I think what the TomToms of the world do is that they highlight an issue that we are already advocating for action on. It probably paints a certain picture. But I dont think we need to drill down any further to say we need a more accurate picture. Everyone knows you are losing your own time when you are stuck in traffic. Mr Horgan also said that radical transport investment is needed to curtail lost commuting hours and to reduce congestion in Cork. Featuring 500 cities across 62 countries, the 14th edition of the TomTom Traffic Index is their most robust and complete analysis ever. In the study, Cork has a congestion level of 41%. This is the average additional time (in percentage) that is lost to traffic in 2024, compared to driving in free flow conditions. Two measures reportedly included in the programme for Government the reduction of the hospitality Vat rate and the introduction of a dedicated transport police force have been warmly welcomed in Cork. Jamie Budd, the owner of Budds restaurant in Ballydehob which spearheaded a pre-budget Vat 9% campaign which aims to restore the Vat rate to 9% told The Echo: Its positive news, were just hoping it comes to fruition because weve heard empty promises before. We were told no way it was going to change before the budget. Leading up to the elections, they said they would change it which was a bitter pill to swallow it seemed like it was all about political gain. Theres a little bit of doubt in my mind that it will be a double-edged sword. Theyll bring down the Vat but bring in another charge to compensate for it. Regardless, he said: Its a big win for the industry its been a huge team effort, and the core group of us came from West Cork, which is fantastic. Aaron Mansworth, the chairperson of the Cork Business Association and managing director of Trigon Hotels, added: We are glad to see that those whove been elected to Dail Eireann are listening to the ongoing calls from the hospitality sector to bring the rate back to 9%. Its been a particularly difficult time for the sector and, unfortunately, we have seen many businesses forced to close due to the challenges theyve been faced with. We really believe a reduction in the Vat rate will help to boost the sector. Dedicated transport police On the transport police, Andrew Quigley, a Siptu representative for Bus Eireann drivers in Cork, told The Echo: We absolutely welcome this, its now imperative that the incoming Government move quickly on it, wed rather it at the start of their five-year term than the end. Part of our submission on this topic would be that we would begin it on a trial basis in Cork, Dublin, and Limerick cities we did compare costings and reckon it could be done for 10-15m and about 120 dedicated officers. Dermot OLeary, the general secretary of the NBRU, said that the union has tirelessly campaigned for this vital resource for many years, and are heartened to see our efforts culminate in a significant commitment from the incoming Government. He added: We do recognise that a model based on potentially establishing a separate police force distinct from An Garda Siochana will bring its own set of challenges, and may even result in a significant increase to the workload of an already stretched garda resource, with transport police having to hand over any detained offender to gardai for processing. I recall the stark words of the then taoiseach Micheal Martin during his opening address to our biennial conference in October 2022, when he stated there were no plans on the horizon for establishing a dedicated police force for public transport. However, thanks to the unwavering dedication of our frontline members, we have succeeded in bringing this critical issue to the forefront of legislative agendas. They deserve our deepest gratitude for their commitment and resolve in advocating for safer public transport. Ballincollig Community Nursing Unit has undertaken a review of evening routines after residents were observed to be wearing their pyjamas for hours before going to bed. A HIQA report into the centre notes that residents were complimentary of the food, kindness of staff, residents meetings, and activities on offer, but the report did note some areas of concern. The centre was marked compliant in 10 areas, substantially compliant in five and not compliant in one. The inspectors were informed by a number of residents that the temperature in the centre was too hot and staff were unable to control the temperature. Inspectors also noted the centre was noticeably very warm on both days of the inspection, the report noted. A number of residents were living with a cognitive impairment and were unable to fully express their opinions to the inspectors many of them were seen to be in night attire very early in the evening. This led to a finding of not compliant in the area of residents rights, with the report noting: Residents who were sitting in the communal rooms, attending activities in the evening, were already dressed in their night attire, which did not support their dignity. It had become a practice to get residents into their nightwear after the tea time meal from 5pm onwards, despite the fact that many of these residents did not actually go to bed until after 9pm. The inspectors noted, as the day rooms were very warm, none of the residents wore dressing gowns and were sat in mixed gender rooms which also accommodated visitors, saying that this did not protect the privacy and dignity of residents. Also noted, under this finding, was residents not accommodated in appropriate communal spaces, with the report explaining: Many were positioned in chairs near the nurses station which did not provide them with a homely environment. A number of residents told the inspectors how they requested single rooms and were on a waiting list for these. They told inspectors they found the shared rooms were noisy and that it impacted their sleep and comfort. The inspectors observed that while some residents had access to call bells, some residents did not. Residents and relatives told the inspectors that staff were generally quick to answer their call bells but at times particularly in the evening there could be delays. Staffing during the day was seen to be sufficient, but in one unit, staffing was reduced in the evening to one nurse and one care staff from 8pm. The nurse at this time was administering nighttime medications which left only one care staff to provide care to residents, a number of whom required the assistance of two staff. The care staff was also responsible for supervising the day room and for answering call bells, leaving them extremely busy and leading to delays with some call bells. The provider assured the centre that a review has been undertaken into evening arrangements, and that they will ensure that staff are advised that residents are not to be changed into night wear until they request to go to bed, and that seating arrangements have been improved. They added that a call bell audit is to be completed daily, temperatures are to be reviewed daily, and additional evening staff assigned. Conor McGregor has been ordered by the High Court not to share CCTV footage relating to a civil case against him, in which a jury found he had raped a woman in Dublin six years ago. Mr McGregor also faces a 1.3 million euro bill for legal costs in the case, on top of damages of almost 250,000 which were previously awarded. Nikita Hand won her claim for damages against Mr McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. Ms Hand, aged 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial last year. Ray Boland SC, for Ms Hand, told the High Court yesterday that the bill for legal costs was about 1.3 million. However, a stay was put on payment of the full amount after Remy Farrell SC, for Mr McGregor, said his client intended to appeal against the decision. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor was very well resourced compared with Ms Hand, and that she had had to stop her counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder due to financial constraints. He had sought between 20% and 50% of the costs payable now, while Mr Farrell cited examples when 10% of costs were granted pending appeal. Justice Alexander Owens, who said Mr McGregor was one of the wealthiest men in the country, ordered the Dubliner to pay 100,000 of the damages and 200,000 of the legal costs now, with the remainder deferred pending appeal. The costs was one of several matters decided in the court in Dublin yesterday. CCTV evidence Lawyers for Ms Hand and Mr McGregor made separate representations relating to key CCTV evidence which showed Ms Hand in the Beacon Hotel. The material was gathered by An Garda Siochana and provided on foot of a High Court order for preparing for and litigating the civil case. It was shown several times during the case and was the subject of media coverage. Lawyers for Ms Hand had sought assurances that Mr McGregor would not disseminate the material after newspapers reported on social media comments that claimed the footage would be released this month. The comments were attributed to Gabriel Ernesto Rapisardo, who Justice Owens said was a business associate of Mr McGregor. The judge said the comments suggested the publication of the CCTV would change the view of Mr McGregor, and that when Nikitas video is public you will judge for yourselves the facts. He said Mr Rapisardo and Mr McGregor had a business relationship in alcohol sales in Italy. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor intended to disseminate selected pieces of the evidence with a view to undermining and discrediting the findings of the court. Mr Farrell said such an order was not necessary as there was already an implied undertaking that material for the case would not be misused or disseminated. He said there was no basis for the assertion that the material had been disseminated after the verdict. Justice Owens said it was impossible to read the social media posts as anything other than a suggestion that Mr Rapisardo was privy to the possibility of the material being released this month. Mr Farrell said the basis for the application was hearsay upon a hearsay relating to some lad on the internet. Justice Owens said he was giving a direction to make sure Mr McGregor does not engage in contempt of court, adding there had been no undertaking offered on the fighters behalf which would have given him assurances. He said there was a real and demonstrable risk that the footage would be disseminated and, if that happened, it would be a breach of the implied undertaking not to misuse the material and would constitute civil contempt. He added that it would also be a gross breach of Ms Hands privacy. He said the material would quickly spread on the internet and reach the furthest corners of that dark hole. Justice Owens said: Such leaking would be a gross contempt of court. He said it was necessary to nip all of this in the bud and directed Mr McGregor to return all fobs or sticks containing the footage to his solicitor and arrange the permanent deletion of the files from computers and phones. The judge also directed him to make an affidavit indicating what copies had been made and how they were deleted. Mr McGregor would be allowed to see the footage again, if necessary, under supervision at his solicitors office. He was directed to retrieve the material from anyone who had received it through his actions, if that had occurred. Justice Owens stressed that the order was not an injunction. Social media posts He also considered social media posts in which Mr McGregor was said to have scandalised the court after the jurys verdict. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor was in effect seeking to have the case litigated in the court of public opinion by using or abusing his considerable social media following, rather than by the jury that had no dog in the fight. He said Justice Owens was correct when he asked whether Mr McGregor had alleged that Ms Hand was a liar and that the proceedings had been a kangaroo court. The judge pointed out that if the appeal succeeded at a superior court, the matter would be back before another jury. He said surely you cant complain and give out that the other side is lying if you wanted another jury to hear the matter with all this swinging around the internet. Justice Owens considered whether taking action would only give oxygen and more publicity to this nonsense. However, Mr Boland said he would not see how that would act as a deterrent. Justice Owens said Mr McGregor had engaged in irresponsible commentary, and had been conclusively determined by the jury that he raped Ms Hand. He said it was not open to him to make contrary claims or use bits and pieces of evidence for such purposes, or to get another run of the case in the court of public opinion by calling Ms Hand a liar. He said any action on defamation would be a matter for Ms Hand and for her lawyers. He added that he would take no action on the kangaroo court comments as it would be a distraction and only keep him in the news cycle. Mr McGregor was given a week to return material to his solicitor. He was also given until February 12 to provide an affidavit to the court on steps he has taken to retrieve the material and prevent its dissemination, as well as any other application relating to the CCTV footage and other evidence. Ms Hand and Mr McGregor were not present for Thursdays proceedings. A District Court judge said she was well aware of the importance of the pub in rural Ireland and she commended a publican for driving his customers home in a case where he was prosecuted for having patrons on the premises afterhours. Publican and licensee of The Sportsmans Arms in Aherla, Dermot Forde, could not be in two places at the one time and this was the nub of the problem on the night, his solicitor Donal Daly explained at Cork District Court. Mr Forde pleaded guilty to having approximately 25 patrons on his premises shortly before 2am on a Saturday night/Sunday morning, an hour after closing time. Licensing laws required him to stop serving at 12.30 and have the premises clear by 1am. Sergeant Brian Harte testified that at 1.30am that morning he was on patrol in the Aherla area when he encountered Dermot Forde in the village. The publican was in the process of dropping customers home in his own vehicle. Mr Forde told the sergeant he had stopped trading for the night and was in the process of dropping customers home. The sergeant went to the premises and found 25 to 30 people still there drinking and there were signs of freshly poured drinks. I spoke to the person in charge in the absence of Mr Forde. I told her to clear the premises. At 1.55am I returned with Mr Forde who was coming back after dropping customers home. There were still 20 people on the premises consuming alcohol. At that stage Mr Forde pro-actively cleared the premises. It was clear at 2am. There was no aggravation and no drama. To be fair to him he was dropping patrons home, Sgt Harte said. Judge Joanne Carroll said: It is a very good thing to do bringing customers home. The judge said it was perfectly reasonable for the sergeant to request that the premises would be cleared and that the person Mr Forde left in charge at the time made little or no effort to do so. Mr Daly, solicitor, said of the person left briefly in charge: She would not have had the gravitas or capacity of Mr Forde. He does provide a crucial service in getting his customers home safely. "A lot of publicans dont provide that service. To be fair to Mr Forde, he does. It is not an excuse but it is an explanation. The solicitor added that none of the customers was heckling the sergeant or anything like that. Sgt. Harte agreed that there was no hassle of any kind. Judge Carroll imposed a 200 fine and said: I am aware of the importance of the pub in rural Ireland. This would be a far worse situation if he allowed a person to leave after consuming alcohol with the keys of his car and allowed him to drive home. Members of the Cork City Fire Brigade attending a smoke logged house earlier this week used a special canine resuscitation kit to help a dog who had been in the building resume normal breathing, it has been confirmed. Victor Shine, the Cork City Fire Brigade Second Officer, told The Echo that the animal had been identified by the family as being in the house when crews from the Fire Brigade were attending the scene. Fire crews wearing breathing apparatus entered the house and located the dog, he said. This week, @CorkCityFire attended a house fire in the city. As the situation was brought under control the home owners dog was found to be struggling to breath. The crews, as always, acted quickly and administered the special canine resuscitation kit to save the dogs life. pic.twitter.com/RMy6cTN2Cz Cork City Council (@corkcitycouncil) January 16, 2025 The animal was brought outside. A specialised mask was put on the dog and with the oxygen, he regained normal breathing and has made a full recovery. Your Roots Are Showing, Irelands premier folk music conference, is in full swing now at the INEC Gleneagle in Killarney, continuing to Sunday. A wonderful celebration of Irish and global folk traditions, it brings together artists from Ireland and abroad, offering performances, workshops, masterclasses, and more. Check out just how much is going on at www.showingroots.com. Dont forget the music trail wending through Killarney as a final flourish on Sunday! Its the very last week of that sparkling pantomime, Cinderella, at the Opera House, it must end next Sunday. There are a few seats left for some performances, so get moving if you still havent seen it. Following on from that, three shows coming up at the venue - The Dubliners Encore, Mary Black, and Dermot Whelan, are all sold out on their respective dates, but you might find one or two left for Reeling In The Showband Years on January 25 and 26. Call 021 427 0022 or see www.corkoperahouse.ie to book. Dermot Whelan is at the Opera House on January 30 Over at the Everyman, City Til I Die Laughing! is on tonight, as some of Irelands wittiest comedians join forces in a special fund-raising event for Cork City FCs Womens and Academy teams. Ross Browne, Al Porter, Bernard Casey, Enya Martin and Willa White will all be on stage for an evening of fun. 8pm start. Tomorrow, Friday, David Nihill brings his Shelf Help Tour to Everyman. A lifetime traveller (and reader), this Dubliner has lived and worked in 12 countries and visited over 70. His shows draw on his wide travels, cultural observations, attempts at language study, international drinking session(s) and more. On Saturday evening, Gearoid Farrelly returns to The Everyman with a new show Gearoid Rage, touching on the many things that make his blood boil. Call 021 450 1673 or www.everymancork.com for all bookings. There is sill a chance to catch Little Gem at Cork Arts Theatre, but it ends this Saturday. Written by Elaine Murphy, and directed by Philip OByrne, it features Emma Ni Bhroin, Aoife O Keeffe, Margaret Moore, Angela Lehane, and Shirley Madden in a heart-warming story of three generations of women and the changes just one year can bring in their lives. Presented by Hunters Moon Theatre Company, its on at 8pm. Wednesday to Saturday next week brings Zeitgeist Jukebox. An immersive theatre experience framed by Little John Nee, its a testament to the healing power of music. Fascinating stuff. Call 021 450 5624 or see www.corkartstheatre.com. Now, in case you had forgotten, late January brings something delightful to Cork. Yes, its nearly time for The Lord Mayors Tea Dance, on Sunday, January 26! This will take to the floor of the City Hall, to the music of Evelyn Grant and the Cork Pops Orchestra, from 3pm to 5pm, and its going to be enormous fun. This not-for-profit initiative is organised by a local committee of people from the public, private and voluntary sectors and in conjunction with the Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Dan Boyle. The committee is chaired by Dr Andrew Crosbie. The orchestra will be joined by soloists Keith Hanley and eight-year-old Emma Sophia, while The MTU Carnival Samba Band, directed by Stephen Kelly, will celebrate 20 years since their first performance at a Tea Dance in 2005. Waltzes, tangos, two-steps, swing dancing and a bit of rock n roll will all be on the programme; Rona Coulter from Viva Dance studio will lead the floor for a legendary Slosh involving everyone in the hall, and Cork Swing dancers will do a demonstration. Plus, there will be a raffle in aid of Cork University Hospital Charity. How can you miss it? See a previous Tea Dance on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xR8uLhRR1Q. Tickets are now on sale from Pro Musica on Oliver Plunkett St. Cork. Michael Bolton Two men and a woman have been arrested in connection with the assault of a man in Monaghan town which has left him in a critical condition. A man in his 40s received life-threatening injuries and was brought by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda. He has since been transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin and his condition is described as critical. Two men and a woman, all aged in their 20s, were arrested on Wednesday, and are currently being held in a Garda station in the county. Gardai continue to appeal for any witnesses to this incident to come forward. Anyone who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) from the Park Road area between 10pm and 11pm is asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Monaghan Garda Station on 047 77200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Gardai say investigations ongoing. Ferry services to and from Holyhead Port are back up and running this morning. The Welsh port has been out of action since damage was caused to terminals during Storm Darragh. After more than six weeks of delays and disruption, the WB Yeats Irish Ferries ship arrived in Dublin Port from Holyhead this morning. However, Ger Hyland, President of the Irish Road Haulage Association, who was in Holyhead last night and this morning said it wasn't a promising start. He said the second ferry going into the port from Dublin in the early hours of this morning was delayed by over three hours due to an electrical fault at the port. At the Welsh port, terminals 3 and 5 were badly damaged by high winds during Storm Darragh in early December with the latter terminal back operating on a temporary basis. According to IRHA's Hyland: "The port should have been ready, the amount of freight waiting on the Welsh side was absolutely huge and if this berth goes down again it will be a huge disaster for our sector, for passengers and more especially for Irelands exports and imports so hopefully this will improve. "We welcome the reopening but there is room for improvement still and we urgently need a timeline to know when the second berth will be reopened, this is still not forthcoming. "We are aware that the Irish, Welsh and English Governments are due to meet to discuss the ongoing situation and challenges and as one of the main stakeholders the IRHA need to be a part of that meeting especially as we are responsible for the movement of 98 per cent of all palleted goods into and out of the country." It's expected the reopening will allievate some of the pressure on hauliers on both sides of the Irish Sea who have been trying to work around the closure during one of the busiest times of the year for transport. The Irish Ferries website is warning passengers their sailings are leaving earlier than normally scheduled and will do so for the next few days. Meanwhile Stena Line is due to operate as normal with four ships travelling from Dublin to Holyhead throughout the day. The reopening has been welcomed by the Irish Exporters Association (IEA), as it plays a crucial role in the Irish export and import industry, facilitating the smooth transit of goods and services. Simon McKeever, CEO of the IEA, said: The Port is a critical infrastructure not only for the Irish export community, but also for Wales and the UK. As we have seen over the last number of weeks, any disruption can significantly impact the movement of goods into and out of Ireland to the UK and further afield. "It is now vital that the port authorities do everything possible to expedite the reopening of the second docking berth. While the current arrangement is welcome, it could easily be derailed by weather or other external factors. We will continue to engage with government and stakeholders on both sides of the Irish sea until both berths are fully operational. Eva Osborne People in Belfast got some food for thought this Veganuary with the appearance of a new Peta billboard. The billboard warns the people of Belfast that meat and dairy foods can grind bedroom fun to a halt by reducing blood flow to all the bodys organs. The billboard is located on Clifton Street, Belfast, BT13 1AA, and will be live for one week. Photo: Stephen McCracken Photography Peta vice president of programme, Elisa Allen, said: What happens in the kitchen can make the difference between sizzling or fizzling in the bedroom. Ditching meat and dairy is a great way to boost performance, and PETA stands ready to help Belfast locals with free vegan starter kits full of recipes and tips. Peta said, in addition to sparing the lives of animals, people who go vegan will have improved health - sexual and otherwise. David Forsythe A drug dealer who was caught in possession of more than 50 individual bags of cocaine while he was on his way to popular rugby event in Kinsale, Co Cork, has pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply. Court presenter Sergeant Tom Mulcahy told Bandon District Court that Mamadi Sialou, 21, of Cedarwood Drive, Castle Heights, Carrigaline, Co Cork was stopped at a garda checkpoint in the village of Belgooly near Kinsale on May 5th, 2024. Giving evidence, Detective Garda Colin OMahony said that a checkpoint manned by members of the Cork West Divisional Drugs Unit and local gardai had been set up in Belgooly on Sunday, May 5th, 2024. Det. Gda OMahony said it was a very busy weekend in the area because the Kinsale 7s rugby event was being held nearby. He told the court that at about 5pm a grey BMW car approached the checkpoint heading towards Kinsale. When gardai spoke to the driver, identified as Mamadi Sialou, he appeared to be very nervous. Following initial questioning, a search was carried out and Mr Sialou was found to have 49 individual bags of suspected cocaine concealed in two pots hidden in his pants and another two bags were discovered behind one of the cars sun visors. Det. Gda OMahony said that analysis carried out by Forensic Science Ireland confirmed the substance was cocaine. The total amount recovered was 33 grams with an estimated value of 2,310. The court heard that Mr Sialou was arrested and taken to Bandon Garda Station where he made full and frank admissions that he intended to sell the drugs for 70 per gram at the Kinsale 7s event. He added that Mr Sialou said he was selling the drugs because he had got into a drug debt. Defence solicitor Myra Dineen said that Mr Sialou was a second-year student studying automotive technology and management at MTU. She told the court that her client lived with his mother and sister in Carrigaline and his mother was horrified to hear what had happened. Ms Dineen told the court that a conviction would be a disaster for him. She said that between the ages of 18 and 21, Mr Sialou had got into company that wasnt good for him and that certain advantages were taken. The court heard that Mr Sialou had no previous convictions and Ms Dinneen asked Judge John King to consider ordering a probation report to see where he is going". Judge King convicted Mr Sialou and ordered him to carry out 120 hours of community service in lieu of four months in prison. Recognisance in the event of an appeal was fixed on Sialous own bond of 400, no cash required. When friends Megan OShea and Clare Hurley returned to Cork after a period abroad, they struggled to find a place for themselves in their home city. Megan had moved back to do a Masters after two years living in Brussels, and Clare had just come back to Ireland after a period of traveling in Asia. They found that a lot of their friends had moved away and they were looking for a new way to connect with like-minded people. Now in their mid-twenties, the two friends felt out of place in the social scene they had left behind. We were both kind of like, Oh, Im wobbling around here. I feel really old in Cork. It feels like theres no one our age around, it feels like theres very little to do other than going to the pub and drinking, says Clare. Together, they came up with the idea of creating a community space for people with shared interests, as a way of reconnecting with old friends and meeting new people. They both love reading and decided to use this as a foundation for their new group, The Chit Chat Collective. We would love if there was a space where we could all share in this communal feeling, and also meet new people as well and with similar interests, says Clare. Also, we wanted to read more, which is a huge reason. We wanted to be accountable, which is a major thing for me, because I find it so hard to just sit down and read now. The group aims to meet monthly on a Sunday afternoon in Cork Lotus Yoga Studio in the city centre. They agree on a book and anyone is welcome to join. We do a poll, and we pick the books on Instagram and let our followers pick which book they want to read, and then we try to give people about a month to read the book and get it read for the meeting, says Megan. When the group meets, the discussion starts around the chosen book, and then flows into more general conversation. The meet-ups were initially free, but they have recently introduced a small 6 charge. Tea and nibbles are provided. Talking about their first meeting, Clare says: It started out with talking about the book, but then we were talking about how we all feel about the book or about the themes that came from the book. So the book is just like the icebreaker, and then everything else kind of leads from there. Megan and Clare first met as teenagers through their mums, who are good friends and went to school together. The close friendship of their mums partly inspired them to create this group. We are all kind of interested in the same thing, both our moms and us. We all love yoga, we all love food, we all love chit-chat, so its kind of inspired by them as well, says Clare. One of their aims was to create a social space that didnt revolve around alcohol, explains Megan. We were trying to make it a space where it would allow everyone to feel comfortable to come to something. Because if you were hosting a book club in a pub, then people would feel obliged to buy a drink. And I think thats what were kind of trying to avoid a little bit. Turning the idea into a reality meant bringing their different skills to the table. Megan and I work really well as a team, because we both bring different elements to things together. Like, I think Megan is extremely well organised and well versed in the marketing area and knowing what to say on social media, and how to work all of these applications, says Clare. Then I had a separate area because Im a mental health nurse, so then I had a different background again. The Chit Chat Collective members meet monthly. Although the group has started as a book club, Megan and Clare see potential for it to develop into other areas, according to the interests of the members. People can come to us if they wanted to bring an element of something theyre interested in into the book club, says Clare. Theres people who are really creative, a lot of people will be interested in Pranayama or breath work, but theyd be so nervous in a different setting. So, last time we closed it with some simple breathing, and one of the other group members got the chance to actually facilitate it. The future is bright for The Chit Chat Collective, and there are opportunities to take it beyond the regular monthly meet-ups, says Clare. I think wed be interested in doing sea swims, group swimming, hikes, and different kinds of movie nights, you know, just opportunities for everyone to get together. The company's global affairs president said it "simply isn't appropriate or effective for our services. Google has told the EU it will not comply with a forthcoming fact-checking law, according to a copy of a letter obtained by Axios. The company states that it will not be adding fact checks to search results or YouTube videos and will not use fact-checking data when ranking or removing content. Its important to note that Google has never really participated in fact-checking as part of its content moderation policies. The company did, however, invest in a European fact-checking database ahead of recent EU elections. The upcoming fact-checking requirement was originally implemented by the European Commissions new Code of Practice on Disinformation. It started as a voluntary set of self-regulatory standards to fight disinformation but will soon become mandatory. ADVERTISEMENT Advertisement Google's global affairs president Kent Walker said the fact-checking integration "simply isn't appropriate or effective for our services" in a letter to the European Commission. The company also touted its current approach to content moderation, suggesting it did a bang-up job during last years unprecedented cycle of global elections. Google also points to a new feature added to YouTube last year that enables certain users to add contextual notes to videos, saying that it has significant potential. This program is similar to Xs Community Notes and, likely, whatever fresh hell Meta is cooking up. Walker went on to say that Google will continue to invest in current content moderation technologies, like Synth ID watermarking and AI disclosures on YouTube. We have no idea what the EU will do in response to Google once digital fact-checking practices become law. This is happening just after Meta announced it would be ending its fact-checking program in the US, so who knows if Mark Zuckerberg will comply with EU laws. X scaled back its professional fact checkers a while ago. Big tech certainly seems to have a big problem with, um, facts. Former first lady Laura Bush's favorite movie is "Zoolander," according to her daughter. Jenna Bush Hager spoke to actor and filmmaker Ben Stiller on "Today with Jenna & Friends" on Wednesday and shared that her mother's favorite movie is Stiller's 2001 film "Zoolander." "I have to tell Ben something, which is that my mom's favorite movie is 'Zoolander'," Hager, 43, said. "Oh my god, incredible," Stiller, 59, said. Read more: Ben Stiller Reveals Why He and Wife Christine Taylor Separated for 3 Years Zoolander starred Stiller as male model Derek Zoolander who is trying to revive his career when he gets involved in a plot to assassinate Malaysia's prime minister. The film also starred Owen Wilson as Zoolander's rival model Hansel and Will Ferrell as fashion designer and assassination plotter Jacobim Mugatu. "I wanted to get her in 'Zoolander 2,' but she was wise, she knew to stay away," Stiller previously revealed in 2016 that Bush turned down an offer to make a cameo appearance alongside Wilson in an orgy scene in the sequel to the hit comedy. "We did a screening at the White House, which she invited all of her friends," Hager revealed. "And just this year she's 78 years old we were playing a family game and she wrote her favorite movie, everybody else wrote 'Shawshank' and she wrote 'Zoolander'." "We love it," Stiller said. -- With reporting by TMX Former 'The Hills' stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt revealed on 'Good Morning America' that their insurance company had dropped them prior to losing their Pacific Palisades home in the Los Angeles wildfires. During Wednesday's emotional interview, the couple detailed their hasty evacuation and complete loss of their uninsured property. "We were 'house poor,' as they call it," Montag explained. "We have a house and everything else is a hustle, is a grind." Pratt described the experience as "out-of-body insane," getting particularly emotional about their children's bedroom. "Our son's bed started just burning in the shape of a heart," he said, noting the loss of irreplaceable pre-iPhone photos and personal mementos. The tragedy has sparked an unexpected wave of public support, with fans rallying behind Montag's 2010 album "Superficial," pushing it to #1 on US iTunes charts and into Apple Music's pop albums chart in 17 countries. "The fan support has been such a light in such darkness for us," Montag said, visibly moved when speaking on the support in the interview. The Palisades Fire, currently at 19% containment with 23,713 acres burned, has forced over 100,000 residents to evacuate and destroyed nearly 12,000 structures. The disaster has affected numerous celebrities, including Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anna Faris. It's still continuing to affect everyday residents, animals, and the ecosystem. Montag and Pratt have two sons: Gunner, 7, and Ryker, 2. During evacuation, Montag managed to save their children's teddy bears, struggling with the impossible choice of what to take. "How do you choose?" she asked tearfully. Brad Pitt has spoken out following a shocking incident where a 53-year-old French woman was scammed out of nearly $1 million by someone impersonating him online. A spokesperson for Pitt urged fans to be cautious, stating, "This is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence." The victim, referred to as "Jane Doe," shared her story during an interview on French television. She revealed that the scam began in February 2023 when someone pretending to be Pitt's mother messaged her on Facebook. Soon after, the fraudster, posing as Pitt, began communicating with her directly, even proposing marriage and urging her to leave her husband. Doe, married to a millionaire at the time, divorced her spouse and handed over $850,000 to the scammer, who claimed Pitt needed the money for kidney cancer treatments. To convince her, the con artist used fake photos of Pitt in a hospital bed and claimed his funds were tied up due to his divorce with Angelina Jolie. The deception unraveled when Doe saw a legitimate photograph of Pitt with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. She filed a police report in 2024 and is now undergoing treatment for severe depression as authorities continue their investigation. Read more: French Woman Who Fell In Love with Fake Brad Pitt Faces Merciless Cyberbullying as She Is Hospitalized for Severe Depression Pitt's identity has been exploited in similar schemes before. In 2024, five people in Spain were arrested for extorting over $330,000 from two women using his name. The spokesperson for Pitt emphasized the need for vigilance against such fraud, reminding fans that Pitt does not use social media platforms. This tragic case serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of online scams, particularly those targeting fans' admiration for celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio has announced his commitment to donating $1 million in relief efforts amid the deadly Los Angeles wildfires. The actor took to Instagram Wednesday to tell his following of 60.8 million that he's partnered with Rewild's Rapid Response program, as wildfires have destroyed over 12,000 structures and reportedly killed at least 25 people. DiCaprio began the heartfelt message in his Instagram stories by acknowledging the destruction that has taken place in the city since the fires started nearly two weeks ago on January 7. "The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city. I am committing to $1 million in partnership with @Rewild's Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts," DiCaprio, 50, began. "Initial aid will immediately benefit the L.A. Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society, and So Cal Fire Fund organizations on the front lines providing much-needed resources to our first responders and fire fighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most." The actor continued: "Re:wild's Rapid Response program is uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies." DiCaprio concluded his informative announcement by tagging the foundations in his story, separately displaying each program and the link to donate. Other celebs to make charitable contributions to organizations amid the deadly fires include Selena Gomez, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Beyonce. Other stars like Angelina Jolie and Meghan Markle have reportedly opened their homes to family and friends. "As you know, where I love is on fire right now. Literally the entire city of the Pacific Palisades is burning," Curtis, 66, shared during her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "I flew here last night, I was on the plane, I started getting texts and it's f*****g gnarly, you guys. It's just a catastrophe in Southern California." Jamie Lee Curtis talking about the fire. pic.twitter.com/HxG46w1HkZ Jannine.. #MagaMemeQueen (@janninereid1) January 9, 2025 "If you know anybody on the West Coast or not, the American Red Cross support them. They will come in and help people. Do anything you can," Curtis urged viewers. "Give blood, donate, whatever you can do." Offering her thoughts on the Los Angeles wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of houses and claimed 24 lives, Kelly Osbourne has called certain celebrities out for "using other people's pain and suffering as a photo." "I don't believe you help because you get attention for helping, I believe you help because you want to," Osbourne said in her video. She added, "I'm so confused, I think it's so wrong, no-one asked you to come out and give hugs, go home." According to Daily Mail UK, while she did not name anyone in her video, celebrities who have been spotted helping out in the fires include Jennifer Garner, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle. Kelly Osbourne SLAMS Meghan and Harry for using LA fires as a photo op: No one asked you to come out and give hugs, go home! pic.twitter.com/WepK1tmyS3 The Centerview (@CenterviewHQ) January 16, 2025 The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, in the particular, have been branded "Disaster Tourists" by actress Justine Bateman over how they have chosen to help out. "Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers," Bateman posted on social media. "What a repulsive 'photo op' they achieved." The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were spotted distributing food packs to families in Pasadena impacted by the terrible fires. A photo of Markle has since circulated online, in which she can be seen giving a hug. Many critics have slammed her for allegedly staging the whole thing. Following their recent public display of affection at the 2025 Golden Globes, Kylie Jenner and Timothee Chalamet were photographed together once more. The pair ended up in the City of Love to attend a premiere of his movie, "A Complete Unknown." Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner out for dinner tonight in Paris! pic.twitter.com/2PtjpqJr0y Timothee Chalamet Updates (@timotheeupdates) January 15, 2025 The cosmetics mogul is certain that the "Call Me By Your Name" star is her soulmate, according to a recent Page Six article. An insider revealed that the mother of two "sees a future" with Chalamet and is experiencing feelings she has never experienced with anybody else. Jenner has been romantically involved with other celebrities, such as Tyga, Jaden Smith, and the father of her children, Travis Scott. According to the source, "[Jenner] feels like Timothee is so different from all the other exes she's dated in the past." Timothee Chalamet and Kylie Jenner having an intimate dinner with friends in Paris. pic.twitter.com/QMVGe1jQ9g Timothee Chalamet Photos (@chalametphotos) January 16, 2025 Chalamet has been busy promoting "A Complete Unknown" on a media tour, but his mind has reportedly been preoccupied with worries about his girlfriend amid the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. The same insider shared that the "Wonka" actor has been diligently staying in touch with Jenner and her children, ensuring their safety and well-being. According to the source, "[Chalamet] has been checking in on Kylie and the kids constantly to make sure they're safe and doing ok." He also has reportedly been making an effort to contact Jenner before their Paris trip and reassure her that "he's there for anything she needs." Reports first emerged in mid-2023 about Jenner and Chalamet dating, and soon after, the Kylie Cosmetics boss' car was spotted parked in the driveway of the A-list actor's home in Beverly Hills. The very next day, Chalamet hopped into Jenner's car following his visit to an art show in Santa Monica. TMZ reported that her security guard then drove his car. Upon reaching Tito's Tacos in Los Angeles, Jenner's security detail swiftly obtained their food and delivered it to the car. That same time, a source from PEOPLE magazine disclosed that Chalamet and Jenner were spending time together and getting to know one another. Another insider mentioned that they meet up every week, although their relationship is described as "casual." "She is getting to know him. Kylie is having fun," the insider said. "After years of back and forth with Travis [Scott], she just wants to date without any pressure." Their first ever public appearance took place at a Beyonce concert on September 4, 2023. Wendy Williams is publicly raising red flags, revealing that she feels like her life is "f****d up" due to being "trapped" in an abusive conservatorship, declaring that she is not "cognitively impaired." The legendary hip hop and gossip talk show host herself called into The Breakfast Club on January 16 to blast the conservatorship while speaking candidly about how her conservator, Sabrina Morrisey, has been mistreating her over the past three years. "Wendy can make her own decisions!" stated Charlamagne Tha God, 60, who has known Williams for nearly two decades. "She is not cognitively impaired she is in incapacitated, she is being taken advantage of!" he told listeners. Fans have shown immense support in the comment section, adding that they are so glad to hear Williams speaking for herself. Williams spoke on call alongside her niece Alex, who was able to double-down on the talk show host's experience. "I'm in New York City right.... I'm in this place where the people are like in their 90's and their 80's and their 70's ... but these people, I don't care if they're 50 and 60...there's something wrong with these people, here on this floor," Williams explained, seemingly alluding that she doesn't belong in the crowd. "I have breakfast, lunch, and dinner right here on the bed," she said of what she calls a "luxury prison" one bedroom. "I watch TV, I listen to radio, I look at the window, I talk on the phone," she added, tagging her niece Alex who flew in from Miami to give listeners more details. "What she's saying is exactly what's happened. She's there in New York in this place, essentially what someone would call a 'luxury prison.' This is her room, literally her apartment. But the thing about this apartment ... it's small. She has a bed, a chair, a TV, a bathroom, and she's looking out window," Alex explained. "That's her life." Spilling more shocking details, The Wendy Williams Show host confirmed that she is not allowed to "leave or have visitors," take a trip, or visit family members. "Excuse me, where I am, you have to get keys to unlock the door to press the elevator to go downstairs first of all," she said of her restricted living space. To make matters worse, Williams says instead of having casual assistance, she has what seems to be "nursemaids" who come in and attempt to give her unknown pills and meds. "Second of all, these people here, everybody is like nursemaids, so to speak. They come in and they give your pills. And then they leave," she explained. Williams explained she's only taken two pills all her life. "There are seven pills, I have no idea, what is this pill doing?" she added, explaining that they don't tell her what they are. "For the last three years, I have been caught up in the system," Williams doubled-down. The host broke down when it came to celebrating her father's 94th birthday, revealing that due to her abusive conservatorship, she may not be able to visit him. The 60-year-old also detailed how her finances are under tight supervision, revealing her "money is in prison," and also showed concern for her cats following her divorce. Williams, in tears, declared that her "life is f*****d up!" She has immense concern that her guardians may take her phone from her, and she won't be able to call anyone. Now, her niece Alex is urging fans to raise awareness on Williams' shocking situation, asking fans to keep sharing #FreeWendy on social media to gain support. UK drill rapper Kay-O has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 37 years. The sentencing follows his involvement in the gang-related murder of 25-year-old Kacey Boothe in August 2022. Three other individuals Ka'mani Brightly-Donaldson, 25, Joao Pateco-Te, 28, and Jeffrey Gyimah, 23 were also convicted and received life sentences with minimum terms ranging from 35 to 38 years. Additionally, a fifth defendant, Roody Thomas, was sentenced to five years after confessing to the possession of a firearm. All sentences were delivered at London's Old Bailey on Tuesday, January 14. The murder occurred at a community center in East London during a birthday party for the child of Boothe's friend, Khalid Samater, on August 13, 2022. Prosecutors argued that the killing was a retaliatory act tied to ongoing conflicts between two rival gangs, the London Fields gang and the E9'ers gang. Following the incident, Kay-O released the song and music video "Laughing Stock," which prosecutors claimed contained references to the murder. The court also heard that Kacey's older brother, Kyle Boothe, had previously died in a similar act of gang-related violence in August 2020. Judge Lynn Tayton QC described the murder as a "planned revenge attack arising out of gang rivalry in the context of an ongoing pattern of serious tit-for-tat violence." UPDATE ON THE 98s TRIAL: 98s RAPPERS KAY-O, HITMAN & TWO OTHER MEN HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TODAY FOR THE MURDER OF KACEY BOOTHE (KO) Kammar Henry-Richards and Pateco-Te were both ordered to serve a minimum 37 years in prison, Brightly-Donaldson received a minimum term of 38... https://t.co/atDy83pM0J pic.twitter.com/e2z8QvdbMe TMC Music Connoisseur 6 WEEKS OUT NOW (@MusicConnoisseu) January 14, 2025 In addition to the murder charges, the defendants were found guilty of conspiring to commit murder, which included the shooting of Abdi-Rahman Jeylaani in August 2022. Judge Tayton emphasized the collective responsibility of all involved. "Having considered your individual cases, I am of the view that there is no sensible basis upon which to differentiate between you in terms of the roles you played in the murder or the conspiracy to murder," she said. "Although none of you actually carried out the shootings, you all played significant roles in facilitating those offenses, and I cannot identify any of you as playing a substantially greater part than others." Justin Baldoni has launched a $400 million lawsuit against Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, their publicist Leslie Sloane, and Vision PR, Inc., citing a series of claims related to the film It Ends With Us. Filed in the Southern District of New York on January 16, the lawsuit accuses Lively and her associates of defamation, civil extortion, breach of good faith, invasion of privacy, and interference with both contractual and economic relations. The legal filing alleges that Lively, 37, took actions to wrest control of the movie's production by spreading damaging and manipulated information about Baldoni and his team. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, issued a statement describing the case as being based on "overwhelming evidence" and accusing Lively's team of "grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information." He added: "Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth." The statement also criticized Lively's team for what it described as manipulative tactics to damage reputations. "Let's not forget, Ms. Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie," Freedman continued. According to the filing, the Gossip Girl alum, who reportedly didn't read the Colleen Hoover novel of the same name but "tried to Google the color of her character's hair rather than pick up the book," was "determined to make Baldoni the real-life villain in her story." This lawsuit follows Lively's December 20 complaint against Baldoni, which accused him of sexual harassment and conducting a retaliatory smear campaign during the production and promotion of It Ends With Us. Her claims included allegations of causing her "grief, fear, trauma and extreme anxiety." In addition to the new suit, Baldoni previously sued The New York Times on December 31 for libel over an article titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine. Baldoni's legal team argued that the article featured "cherry-picked and altered communications" to present a misleading narrative. The Times defended its reporting as "meticulously and responsibly reported." En espanol Argentine businessman Rogelio "Roger" Nores has filed a defamation lawsuit against Geoff Payne, the father of late British artist Liam Payne, after Geoff accused him of being responsible for Liam's care during the incident that led to his death in a Buenos Aires hotel. According to information obtained by TMZ, Nores claims that Geoff defamed him by stating that he was in charge of Liam during his final days. In the lawsuit, Nores firmly denies ever acting as Liam's "caretaker." Nores stated in a media release that Liam was a "dear friend" but he "never agreed to be and was never the caretaker of Liam." According to Buenos Aires police records, Geoff testified under oath that Nores had "full responsibility" for Liam in his final days. However, Nores disputes these claims, asserting that he had warned Geoff about the need to be directly involved in his son's life due to Liam's struggles with addiction. Key points of the dispute Nores claims that in August 2024, he emailed Geoff, explaining that he could no longer provide the same level of support to Liam and urged him to step in. He further stated that in September, he asked Geoff to travel to Wellington, Floridaabout 90 minutes northwest of Miamito take care of his son, a request that he says was ignored. Additionally, Nores accuses Geoff of omitting key emails from police documents shared in TMZ's documentary 'Liam Payne: Who's to Blame?', available on Hulu in the United States. In the documentary, Nores reaffirmed that he never provided Liam with recreational drugs or administered his prescribed medications. However, the TMZ report doesn't mention whether Nores is addressing other accusations against him in the ongoing police investigations in Liam's death after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Hotel on October 16, 2024. Leaked legal documents reveal that, despite the case being under a confidentiality order, Nores identified himself multiple times as Liam's manager and was reportedly the last person in Liam's circle to see him alive on the afternoon of his death. In fact, a document obtained by Infobae from CasaSur lists Nores as Liam's manager. Currently, Nores faces charges of negligent homicide, which were reduced by his legal team from abandonment homicide which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. In total, five people are facing legal action over Liam's death. Two are in custody awaiting trial, while three, including Nores, have been allowed to remain free pending trial. Others implicated as well While denying direct responsibility, Nores pointed to others who he claims were more closely involved in Liam's care. This includes Bledar Vata, a bodyguard hired by Geoff but dismissed by Liam before his death, and Kate Cassidy, Liam's girlfriend. Cassidy lived with Liam in Florida and accompanied him in hotels during his final months. The American model and influencer was also mentioned in Geoff Payne's testimony. "Liam, who I miss every day, was my dear friend and an independent, brilliant, respectful free man who did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted," Nores told TMZ. Nores has pledged to donate any winnings from the lawsuit to Liam's son, Bear, should he prevail in court. Originally published in The Latin Times Joe Goldberg's story is coming to an explosive end in Netflix's You. The series' fifth season will be its last and will debut on the streaming platform in late April. In the minute-long trailer, Penn Badgley's character Joe Goldberg returns to the Big Apple "back where it all began" in the highly-anticipated "killer finale." That is, "until his perfect life is threatened by the ghosts of his past and his own dark desires," per the series' log line. "In the epic fifth and final season, Joe Goldberg returns to New York to enjoy his happily ever after." "Hello you," Goldberg says as the trailer's start. "Do you remember me? 'Cause I remember you. Here we are together again, back to where it began." "And the one constant, the one thing that has always been there for me is you," he continued. Charlotte Ritchie, Madeline Brewer, Anna Camp, and Griffin Matthews will also star in Season 5. Michael Foley and Justin Lo will serve as showrunners for the final season. Badgley, Greg Berlanti, Sera Gamble, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, and others will serve as executive producers. In You's last season, released in two parts the first part in February 2023 and the second in March 2023 Goldberg moved to London as a college professor, wreaking havoc as a deranged serial killer and seasoned stalker. He begins to date billionaire Kate Lockwood, played by Ritchie, who ultimately helped him hide some of his crimes, encouraging his sadistic crimes even further. In 2018, You originally debuted on Lifetime, but was cancelled after only one season. Netflix picked it up and the show quickly became a fan favorite. You premieres on Netflix on April 24, 2025. Jessica Alba has addressed her separation from her husband Cash Warren after 20 years together, breaking her silence in a new post on her Instagram. The actress, known for her roles in Fantastic Four and Honey, shared a heartfelt statement about the couple's decision to part ways, emphasizing growth and family. "I've been on a journey of self-realization and transformation for years both as an individual and in partnership with Cash," Alba says. "I'm proud of how we've grown as a couple and in our marriage over the last 20 years," she continues, "and it's now time for us to embark on a new chapter of growth and evolution as individuals." Alba adds, "We are moving forward with love and kindness and respect for each other and will forever be family. Our children remain our highest priority, and we request privacy at this time." Reports of the split first emerged last week, with sources claiming the pair had recently separated and were moving forward with a divorce. Alba, 42, and Warren, 44, tied the knot in 2008 after meeting on the set of Fantastic Four in Vancouver in 2004. The news comes after Alba attended a Golden Globes party solo in West Hollywood, sparking speculation. She was photographed without her wedding band, further fueling rumors of trouble in their marriage. Warren previously opened up about their challenges on the Whine Down With Jana Kramer podcast in 2023, revealing how his jealousy early in their relationship caused friction. "I was really jealous of other guys and the attention she was getting," he said. Alba also shared candid reflections about their parenting dynamics during an Instagram discussion with Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, saying, per Glamour, "When I'm seeing [Cash] and spending time with him and we're really enjoying each other, it's an 'us' thing and it feeds me as well. It's hard. It's impossible." Alba and Warren share three children: Honor, 16, Haven, 12, and Hayes, 7. Alba launched her Honest Company in 2012, a brand now valued at over $600 million, which she created while pregnant with their eldest daughter. Support Us Your Support will ensure EPWs financial viability and sustainability. The EPW produces independent and public-spirited scholarship and analyses of contemporary affairs every week. EPW is one of the few publications that keep alive the spirit of intellectual inquiry in the Indian media. Often described as a publication with a social conscience, EPW has never shied away from taking strong editorial positions. Our publication is free from political pressure, or commercial interests. Our editorial independence is our pride. We rely on your support to continue the endeavour of highlighting the challenges faced by the disadvantaged, writings from the margins, and scholarship on the most pertinent issues that concern contemporary Indian society. Every contribution is valuable for our future. Ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas 'has been reached,' Biden says President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that a Gaza ceasefire deal 'has been reached' between Israel and Hamas. Biden said the six-week ceasefire will allow for negotiations to bring about a permanent end to the war and bring American hostages home. HANOVERTON, Ohio The Hicks and Hayseeds 4-H club met Jan. 7 in Hanoverton. Club members wrote thank-you notes before the meeting to a generous supporter of the group. President Ava Wood led the club in pledges. After roll call, secretarys report and treasurers report, Wood read old and new business. Members Quinn Sperlaza, Zach Knoedler and Colt Knoedler gave demonstrations. Sperlaza showed the club how to make protein bites. Zach talked about different types of archery bows and the differences between them. Colt told members how to set up a pen for calves and detailed other needed equipment. The group then had a snack provided by the Wilson family. Those interested in more information about 4-H, can contact Audrey Dimmerling at 330-879-1165. The H5N1 strain of avian influenza detected in cattle does not represent an increased threat to people, a new UK study has concluded. First detected in milk samples collected from dairy cattle in Kansas and Texas in March 2024, the virus has since been further detected in cattle on 891 farms across sixteen states in the US. The strain is thought to be predominantly transmitted through milking, and movement of infected animals or contaminated equipment between farms or states. Now a new UK study of bird flu viruses in cattle shows that the H5N1 strain of the disease does not pose an increased threat to humans. Researchers at the Pirbright Institute, which is located near Woking, compared cattle and goat H5N1 viruses with the dominant avian-origin strain in the UK. Professor Munir Iqbal, researcher at the institute said: We conducted a rapid risk profile of the receptor binding properties and fusion pH of original dairy cattle, emerging mutations in dairy cattle, and goat H5N1 viruses. None of the tested viruses exhibited binding to the human receptor analogue... suggesting the currently circulating bovine H5N1 viruses are unlikely to be able to efficient transmit between humans. However, it remains to be determined whether further mutations will emerge if the virus continues to infect and spread amongst dairy cattle, with continuing opportunities to adapt to bovines. Professor Iqbal added: Addressing this question will contribute to a better understanding of the H5N1 virus and its adaptation in cattle. Continued surveillance and risk assessment of circulating H5N1 viruses remain a top priority to mitigate their potential impact on public health and the agricultural sector. It follows the first US death from avian influenza, reported in a man who had been in contact with infected birds in a backyard flock. The man, who was older than 65 and from Louisiana, had been hospitalised with severe respiratory symptoms, state health officials said earlier this month. It comes as the UK government recently confirmed it had prepared five million vaccine doses in case of an avian influenza pandemic this winter. The vaccines would be used if the H5N1 strain spreads among humans, as part of preparations for any possible influenza pandemic. There have been numerous cases of bird flu in backyard and commercial poultry since November 2024, mainly in Norfolk and East Yorkshire, where a mandatory housing order for poultry farmers and bird keepers is in force. However, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said at this stage "there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission". News of Germanys foot-and-mouth outbreak should be a 'massive wake-up call' to the government to crack down on illegally imported meat or risk 'disaster' for UK farmers. The National Pig Association (NPA) is the latest farming industry body to call on the government to take new steps to reinforce the UK's border controls following the 'shocking' case. AIMS, formally known as the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers, said yesterday there was now a 'significant biosecurity risk' and that a 'comprehensive ban' on personal meat imports was needed. The recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in water buffalo near Berlin led to the UK government banning imports of live animals and meat and dairy products from Germany. But the NPA, which has raised concerns about the lack of sufficient checks at border entry points for some time, said there was now a 'disaster waiting to happen' for British livestock sector. Along with many others across the industry, the NPA has raised concerns about large volumes of illegally imported meat entering the country amid the spread of African swine fever (ASF) in Europe, a deadly pig disease. Before Christmas, Dover Port Health Authority (DPHA) revealed that it had seized 147 tonnes of illegally imported meat since new rules designed to keep ASF out of the country were introduced in September 2022. This was despite DPHA staff only providing 20% operational coverage at the port, due to budgetary pressures, highlighting that the headline figure represents just the tip of the iceberg. DPHA has been battling against cuts to its budget for this vital work for more than a year, and even though the current government initially indicated that this was a priority, the situation remains unresolved. Furthermore, the industry continues to express concerns over flaws in the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM) for commercial imports, in light of evidence that large volumes of illegal meat imports are easily bypassing its formal checks. NPA chief executive Lizzie Wilson said news of Germanys foot-and-mouth outbreak should be a 'massive wake-up call' to the UK government. She warned: We have been living under the shadow of an ASF outbreak for many years, and we now face the threat of a devastating FMD outbreak, as the virus circulates in a country that exports thousands of tonnes of pigmeat to the UK each year. We have learned over the past two years how criminal gangs are using the UKs weak border controls to bring in products, unchecked, from regions where ASF is rife and from where exports are banned, including Romania." The NPA urged the government to 'act now' to work with DPHA and other key ports and airports to ensure they have the resources needed to keep potentially-infected meat and products of animal origin out of the UK. It welcomed confirmation of a ban on imports of live animals and meat products from Germany, but the body said it was now vital that these measures are now actively enforced. Ms Wilson added: Germanys domestic market is going to come under huge pressure, so some unscrupulous people might be seeking alternative markets, as has been the case in Romania. The relatively small cost of properly resourcing border checks at our ports pales into insignificance against the vast cost to our livestock industry and the taxpayer of an outbreak of a notifiable disease like FMD or ASF. We would also like to see the government carry out a proper review of the BTOM to address the glaring issues that have been identified over how it is currently operating. Farming minister Daniel Zeichner said the government will do "whatever it takes to protect our nation's farmers from the risk posed by foot-and-mouth". He added: "That is why restrictions have immediately been brought in on animal products from Germany to prevent an outbreak, and we will not hesitate to add additional countries to the list if the disease spreads. "We will continue to keep the situation under review, working closely with the German authorities." Thirty councils across the UK have openly rebelled against the government's farm inheritance tax changes, with Labour MPs under mounting pressure to distance themselves from the policy. Local authorities have passed motions calling on the Chancellor Rachel Reeves to axe the 'family farm tax' which they say is an 'attack' on the countryside. Several councils include those where Labour has newly elected MPs who are now facing rebellions from their town hall leaders, including Northumberland, Suffolk and Norfolk. The areas represent millions of people and have been passed by councils in all four countries in the United Kingdom. Rural campaigners at the Countryside Alliance are pushing for more to publicly distance themselves from the policy in the coming weeks. Under the changes, which come into force from April 2026, farms worth more than 1m will be subject to a 20 percent levy, half the usual inheritance tax rate. Rural groups argue that the 1m threshold will hit the majority of working family farms, asset-rich but cash-poor, instead of targeting wealthy landowners seeking to avoid inheritance tax. Where motions have been debated and voted, tractor demonstrations have often taken place outside council offices. This includes in Morpeth, the home of Northumberland County Hall, where councillors on Wednesday (15 January) voted overwhelmingly to reject the policy. Similar scenes took place outside Beverley County Hall in East Yorkshire, where around 100 tractors descended on a meeting of councillors prior to a vote which saw them pass a motion declaring its opposition. In Worcestershire, a fiery meeting between councillors saw one blast the policy as evil. Antrim Council in Northern Ireland, Powys in Wales and Dumfries and Galloway Council in Scotland have all also joined the rebellion. Elsewhere, Kirklees, Worcestershire, Somerset, Braintree and West Sussex councils have also passed recent motions against the policy. In all cases, Labour councillors have either voted against or to abstain from registering their opposition to the tax move, while the Green councillors have mainly abstained. Mo Metcalf-Fisher, director of external affairs at the Countryside Alliance, said the government's policy was 'broken' and that it threatened food security. He said: We warned that the rebellion against this unnecessary, divisive and disruptive tax hike on farmers would grow in the new year and we are in talks with councillors from across the UK about more joining. "Having councils, many in areas covered by Labour MPs, openly revolting against the Treasury is a bad look for Reeves and Starmer, both of whom seem unwilling to get experts around the table to find a way out of this mess. "It is bizarre that Labour would pursue a long battle with the countryside, particularly when the general public are so overwhelmingly supportive of farmers and opposed to this policy." A national day of action is planned to take place on Friday (17 January), where tractors will park up in by supermarket doors to talk directly with the public about the 'family farm tax' impact. Supermarket giant Morrisons recently threw its support behind farmers protesting the farm tax changes. The grocery chain's head of agriculture, Sophie Throup posted a video message on social media expressing solidarity with Britain's farming community. UK meat sector veteran Jose Peralta has been announced as the new chief executive of Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC). Mr Peralta, who replaces Gwyn Howells, brings with him a wealth of experience having worked for over 25 years in the meat industry at managing director level. Past roles include working as managing director of the UKs second largest red meat business under the ownership of Grampian Country Food Group, Vion, and 2 Sisters Food Group HCC, Wales' red meat levy board, launched an extensive recruitment exercise in October last year to lead it into its 'next phase of development'. The organisation, which has a statutory remit, was established to champion Wales' red meat sector's development, promotion, and marketing. Mr Peralta was also managing director of Tulip Food Company, where he had ultimate responsibility for eight processing sites and annual sales of over 500m of pork based added value products. His most recent role was as chief operating officer of Puffin Produce, based in Pembrokeshire, where amongst other things, he led the development of the Pembrokeshire Creamery milk bottling plant. Reflecting on his appointment, he said: I look forward to starting work immediately with the HCC team to ensure that the organisation stands with its partners as a strong voice for the Welsh red meat industry. I will be engaging with levy payers and wider partners, to identify areas of mutual collaboration and partnership in order to maximise returns for our levy payers and the wider industry. HCC chair Catherine Smith welcomed the appointment, calling it an 'exciting time' for the organisation and the Welsh red meat sector as a whole. The Hybu Cig Cymru Board look forward to working with Jose, confident that his exceptional leadership skills, and extensive experience in the red meat industry makes him the ideal candidate to lead HCC. As we finalise our current five-year business plan and begin shaping our strategic vision for 2026 and beyond, we are focused on creating a roadmap that will support the sustainable growth of the industry as a vital part of the Welsh agri-food economy." Mr Peralta is set to start his new role on 20 January 2025. Cameron Diaz was focused on "trying to stay alive just like every other mother" during her acting break. Cameron Diaz has been 'trying to stay alive like every other mother' The 52-year-old star has returned to Hollywood with her upcoming new Netflix movie 'Back In Action', and she has reflected on how she's been spending her time. In a behind the scenes interview shared by the official 'Still Watching Netflix' YouTube channel, she said: "I was not keeping up with any kind of training. I did nothing public. I said no to everything. "Other than my wine - I started my wine company, Avaline, that was what I was putting most of my focus on, if I was doing anything other than just sort of being a mom and living my day to day. That was pretty much it. Im just trying to stay alive just like every other mother. Im just trying to keep it going. The 'Holiday' actress has kids Raddix, five, and nine-month-old Cardinal with her husband Benji Madden. She recently praised the 45-year-old Good Charlotte rocker for encouraging her to get back to work, after she stepped away following the release of 2014 movie 'Annie'. Speaking at Fortune's Most Powerful Women summit in October, she said of her comeback: It was just the right time for my family. After Covid, we were in the house for a long time, which was amazing and the problem was we would probably stay there, we would still be there right now. "People would be like, Its over and Id be like, No its not, its not over for me.' So I had to push myself; my husband and I my husband, who is the best he was like, Youve been supporting us and building the family and supporting him in his businesses, hes like, Its time for us to support you and let Mommy ascend and do her thing. "Hes like, Let me see you do it girl. I was like, Alright, here we go.'" Jack Whitehall is set to host the upcoming BRIT Awards. Jack Whitehall is returning to host the show The 36-year-old comedian is poised to host the awards show at London's O2 Arena on March 1, and Jack can't wait to return to the role, describing the BRITs as his "favourite night of the year". The stand-up star - who last hosted the awards show in 2021 - said: "They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, and that is absolutely the case with the BRIT Awards. It is my favourite night of the year." Jack hasn't been available to host the show in recent years due to his jam-packed work schedule. But he's now available and he's thrilled to be hosting the show for the fifth time in his career. An insider told The Sun newspaper: "Jack is such a brilliant BRITs host and isnt afraid to take the p*** out of some of the worlds biggest stars. "He has such a hectic diary that hes been unable to take part for the past few years. But he was available this time and said yes immediately. It is one of his favourite gigs as he can have some real fun with the celebs." In 2021, Jack took to social media to announce that he was stepping down as the host of the BRIT Awards. The TV star - who poked fun at various big-name celebrities during his time as the host - wrote on X: "Sad to say after 4 brilliant years, Ill be handing on the baton as Ill be in the US filming another project at the top of next year. Loved doing it so much. All the best to the new host, I pray they treat Mursy, my mixers and sweet little Nialler with the respect they deserve. (sic)" Renee Zellweger took a break from Hollywood because she was "sick of the sound of [her] own voice". Renee Zellweger has explained her acting hiatus The 55-year-old actress embarked on a six-year hiatus in 2010, and Renee has now acknowledged that she "needed" a break from the movie industry. Asked why she decided to take a six-year break from making movies, Renee told British Vogue magazine: "Because I needed to. I was sick of the sound of my own voice. "When I was working, I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, listen to you. Are you sad again, Renee? Oh, is this your mad voice?' It was a regurgitation of the same emotional experiences." Renee "wrote music and studied international law" during her hiatus. The actress also made a concerted effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Asked what she did with her time off, Renee shared: "I wrote music and studied international law. I built a house, rescued a pair of older doggies, created a partnership that led to a production company, advocated for and fundraised with a sick friend, and spent a lot of time with family and godchildren and driving across the country with the dogs. I got healthy." Meanwhile, Renee recently explained that the character of Bridget Jones is "always lingering" in her life. The actress is best known for playing the character in the money-spinning film franchise and Renee finds it easy to relate to her alter ego. She told Empire magazine: "I relate to so much about her that I feel like she's always sort of lingering. "I feel her in my awkwardness sometimes, and I think of her when I'm having one of those out-of-body experiences where you're kind of watching yourself talk and thinking, 'Just shut your mouth. Just stop talking. Okay, now stop talking. Now: stop talking. Okay. Just stop now.' "So, I feel like there are parts of Bridget that travel with me - and it's usually the awkwardness and those moments of, I don't know, public humiliation that we all relate to." Saif Ali Khan's family members, friends and industry colleagues are visiting Lilavati Hospital to meet him after he was stabbed multiple times at his Bandra residence. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor met the actor at the hospital. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) in these difficult times. Karan Johar, too, arrived at Karisma's residence to check on Saif's family after the attack. Other celebrities who were seen arriving were Arjun Kapoor, Genelia D'Souza and Riteish Deshmukh among others. Now, Sanjay Dutt visited Karisma Kapoor's house to meet Saifs family View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan's doctor revealed that the actor sustained major injury to the thoracic spinal chord due to lodged knife in the spine. Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also repair the leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one on the neck was repaired by a team of plastic surgeons. Commentary: Gaza ceasefire is just a start 16:27, January 16, 2025 By Lu Jiafei ( Xinhua BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is a welcome relief and a crucial step toward regional stability. It provides an opportunity to halt the bloodshed and ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, its success hinges on one key factor: a genuine commitment to peace. Past experiences in the Middle East have shown the fragility of such agreements. For this ceasefire to hold, both sides must fully implement its terms. Tragically, just hours after Qatar announced the ceasefire, which is scheduled to take effect on Sunday, at least 30 Palestinians were killed, and many more were injured in Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip. This underscores the challenges that lie ahead. Without good intentions and genuine efforts to de-escalate and protect civilians, the newly announced ceasefire risks becoming yet another fleeting pause in an enduring cycle of violence -- if it goes into force at all. Furthermore, while a ceasefire temporarily halts the bloodshed, it does not suffice for a long-term settlement. The international community should also show a genuine commitment to peace by working collectively to bring about a fair and just solution to the Palestinian question. The failure to implement UN resolutions is at the core of the problem. A true peace process must restore justice. Commitment to the two-state solution should not be compromised at will. China firmly supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. China supports Palestine's full UN membership and calls for a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference. More countries, including Western ones such as Norway, Ireland and Spain, have announced formal recognition of Palestine's statehood. This growing international support underscores the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and highlights the urgent need for a just solution. Washington's continued reluctance to back Palestinian sovereignty and its unconditional support for Israel's violence against Palestinians undermine the credibility of Washington's claim as a neutral broker in the Middle East peace process. Its consistent use of veto power at the UN Security Council to shield Israel from accountability has further entrenched the status quo and fueled resentment and instability in the region. If Washington truly aspires to foster peace and justice, it must align its policies with UN resolutions, which reflect the collective will of the international community. Peace in the Middle East demands more than a ceasefire. It requires the courage to address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only then can the region break free from the cycle of violence and move toward lasting stability. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) The Pataudi family has released an official statement after actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked by intruders. As per the statement, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation." As per his team, the actor was helping his family members descend the stairs when the attack took place. He intervened and put himself between the intruder and his family. Meanwhile, Saif Ali Khan is at the Lilavati Hospital where he is currently undergoing treatment. Addressing his past outburst, he said, "I caused great harm to both BIGBANG and my former company due to my past mistakes." Former BIGBANG member Choi Seung Hyun aka T.O.P made his return to the spotlight with the second season of Squid Game. During a recent interview, he finally opened up about his past controversies and spoke about his current relationship with the BIGBANG members. He further added that he left the group because he was driven by a deep sense of guilt, he said "It's a pain only those directly involved can understand." He revealed that he is not in contact with his former band members at the moment as he feels too guilty to reach out. He continued, "Now, I have to move forward on my own and I believe I must endure the criticism that comes with it. If I were to return to the team that I caused harm to, the team members would also be labeled for the past mistakes that I made, and I woldn't be able to face them. The suffering within me is so great that I've been saying for a long time that I want to leave." For the uninitiated, T.O.P was embroiled in a drug scandal and in 2017, he was sentenced to 10 months in prison. We was convicted of marijuana use which is illegal in South Korea. He had to quit his band and made his comeback in 2024 in the globally popular series Squid Game. EQS-Ad-hoc: Dexus Finance Pty Limited / Key word(s): Transaction in Own Shares Dexus Finance Pty Limited: Appendix 3H - Notice of cessation of securities 16-Jan-2025 / 00:30 CET/CEST Disclosure of an inside information acc. to Article 17 MAR of the Regulation (EU) No 596/2014, transmitted by EQS News - a service of EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. Dexus (ASX: DXS) ASX release 16 January 2025 Appendix 3H Dexus today announced an Appendix 3H - Notice of cessation of securities. The ASX announcements are available at www.dexus.com/investor-centre/listed-funds/dexus-dxs/results-and-reporting/asx-announcements Authorised by Brett Cameron, General Counsel and Company Secretary of Dexus Funds Management Limited For further information please contact: Investors Rowena Causley Head of Listed Investor Relations +61 2 9017 1390 +61 416 122 383 rowena.causley@dexus.com Media Louise Murray Senior Manager, Corporate Communications +61 2 9017 1446 +61 403 260 754 louise.murray@dexus.com End of Inside Information Information and Explanation of the Issuer to this announcement: About Dexus Dexus (ASX: DXS) is a leading Australasian fully integrated real asset group, managing a high-quality Australasian real estate and infrastructure portfolio valued at $54.5 billion. The Dexus platform includes the Dexus investment portfolio and the funds management business. We directly and indirectly own $14.8 billion of office, industrial, retail, healthcare, infrastructure and alternatives. We manage a further $39.7 billion of investments in our funds management business which provides third party capital with exposure to quality sector specific and diversified real asset products. The funds within this business have a strong track record of delivering performance and benefit from Dexus's capabilities. The platform's $16.1 billion real estate development pipeline provides the opportunity to grow both portfolios and enhance future returns. We believe that the strength and quality of our relationships will always be central to our success and are deeply connected to our purpose Unlock potential, create tomorrow. Our sustainability approach is focused on the priority areas where we believe we can make significant impact: Customer Prosperity, Climate Action and Enhancing Communities. Dexus is supported by more than 37,000 investors from 23 countries. With four decades of expertise in real estate and infrastructure investment, funds management, asset management and development, we have a proven track record in capital and risk management and delivering returns for investors. www.dexus.com Dexus Funds Management Limited ABN 24 060 920 783, AFSL 238163, as Responsible Entity for Dexus (ASX: DXS) (Dexus Property Trust ARSN 648 526 470 and Dexus Operations Trust ARSN 110 521 223) Level 30, 50 Bridge Street, Sydney NSW 2000 16-Jan-2025 CET/CEST The EQS Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.eqs-news.com Denver, Colorado--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2025) - The O'Sullivan Law Firm is pleased to announce that Colorado's new hands-free driving law will take effect on January 1, 2025. This groundbreaking legislation is the result of years of determined advocacy and collaboration to reduce distracted driving and make the roads safer. Attorney Scott O'Sullivan of the O'Sullivan Law Firm To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/235295_173de487e4dfd89c_002full.jpg Personal injury attorney Scott O'Sullivan, founder of both The O'Sullivan Law Firm and Rider Justice, has been a leading voice in this effort, working for over seven years alongside numerous safety advocates. Rider Justice, the firm's dedicated motorcycle advocacy arm, joined in pushing for this important change. Together, they have long recognized the devastating impact of distracted driving on Colorado's communities, particularly on vulnerable road users like motorcyclists, and have been committed to ensuring our laws reflect today's driving realities. The passage of this law would not have been possible without the support of a broad coalition that included CORD (Coloradans Organized for Responsible Driving), Bicycle Colorado, the Colorado State Patrol, and visionary Colorado legislators. The firm is especially proud of the contributions made by Scott's sons, Tommy and Michael O'Sullivan, through their group Students for Safer Roads. They brought a fresh perspective to the debate, underscoring that these safety measures will protect not only today's drivers, but also the next generation of Coloradans. Starting January 1, 2025, it will be illegal to hold a cellphone or other electronic device while operating a motor vehicle in Colorado. Violators may face fines and points on their license, but more importantly, complying with this new law will help save lives, reduce injuries, and prevent countless families from experiencing tragic loss. Scott O'Sullivan from a video at the Colorado State Capital in 2018. He regularly shared information of the legislative progress on social media for the hands-free bill. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/235295_173de487e4dfd89c_004full.jpg As the implementation date nears, public education campaigns led by CDOT and other organizations will help spread the word about safe, responsible ways to stay connected behind the wheel. The O'Sullivan Law Firm and Rider Justice remain committed to promoting and enforcing these standards, and will continue to work toward further improvements in road safety. For questions about the new law or need legal guidance, please call (303) 388-5304. Work together to make Colorado's roads safer for everyone. The O'Sullivan Law Firm | Personal Injury Law FirmSusan Dane with d Poli To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/235295_173de487e4dfd89c_006full.jpg Rider Justice | The Motorcycle Advocacy Arm of The O'Sullivan Law Firm Susan Dane with d Poli To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10119/235295_173de487e4dfd89c_007full.jpg For more information about the new law, visit CDOT's official website, or contact The O'Sullivan Law Firm at (303) 388-5304. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/235295 SOURCE: The O'Sullivan Law Firm Deutsche Lufthansa faces a significant regulatory decision as the European Commission mandates the airline to provide Condor with access to connecting flights at Frankfurt Airport for its New York route. This ruling aims to prevent potential competition distortion arising from Lufthansa's transatlantic joint venture A++ with United and Air Canada. The decision has immediately influenced market sentiment, with Lufthansa's stock experiencing a modest decline to 5.72 on XETRA, marking a considerable distance from its 52-week high of 8.04 reached in early February 2024. Despite these challenges, the company has demonstrated resilience with a 4.51 percent revenue growth to 10.74 billion in the latest quarter. Financial Outlook Analysts maintain an optimistic stance on Lufthansa's future performance, setting a median price target of 7.25, suggesting substantial upside potential. The company's earnings per share are projected at 0.87 for the current fiscal year, though this represents a slight decrease from previous periods. The anticipated dividend has been adjusted downward to 0.238, compared to the prior year's 0.300, reflecting ongoing market adaptations. Ad Fresh Deutsche Lufthansa information released. What's the impact for investors? Our latest independent report examines recent figures and market trends. Read our updated Deutsche Lufthansa analysis... Carrollwood, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2025) - Signature Limousine Florida has announced the expansion of its Non-Emergent Medical Transportation (NEMT) services across multiple Florida counties. This strategic move highlights the company's ongoing commitment to meeting the needs of patients and individuals with mobility challenges while ensuring safe, comfortable, and timely transportation. The expansion of Signature Limousine Florida' Tampa Non-emergency Medical Transportation services is set to benefit underserved communities across Tampa, Lakeland, and surrounding regions. With a growing demand for reliable medical transportation options, the company is enhancing its ability to serve clients who require transport to non-emergency medical appointments, rehabilitation centers, and other healthcare facilities. By offering more comprehensive coverage, Signature Limousine Florida aims to address a critical gap in transportation accessibility for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and patients recovering from medical procedures. Signature Limousine Florida Expands NEMT Options and Introduces Wheelchair-Accessible Vans To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/237374_acc67d50c498cb61_001full.jpg As part of the expansion, the company has invested in a diversified fleet to cater to different client needs. Vehicles such as the Lincoln Continental Sedan, Chevrolet Suburban SUV, and Ford Expedition SUV are available for single passengers and families accompanying loved ones to medical appointments. Each vehicle in the fleet has spacious and comfortable interiors, allowing family members, friends, or caregivers to provide support during transit. In addition to the expanded NEMT services, Signature Limousine Florida has introduced new wheelchair-accessible vans. These new vehicles feature advanced ramp systems, spacious interiors, and safety enhancements to accommodate individuals with mobility challenges. The addition of these vans ensures clients requiring specialized care can travel with dignity and convenience, whether for medical appointments or other personal travel needs. The wheelchair-accessible vans are integral to Signature Limousine Florida' mission to prioritize inclusivity and accessibility for all clients. Individuals with disabilities can now comfortably and easily travel to airports, bachelor/ette parties, and sporting events. The move also allows corporate clients to make their trips more inclusive, whether in the state or outside. Additionally, companies no longer need to hire a separate Tampa Limo service provider for all team members, streamlining logistics. The expansion of NEMT services and the addition of wheelchair-accessible vans represent Signature Limousine Florida' ongoing efforts to address the diverse needs of Florida's communities. These initiatives are expected to improve the quality of life for individuals who face transportation barriers due to age, disability, or medical conditions. About Signature Limousine Florida: Signature Limousine Florida is a luxury transportation service provider in greater Tampa and surrounding areas. Founded in 2006, the company has built a team of knowledgeable professionals who receive ongoing training to guarantee clients' safety and security during all rides. Signature Limousine Florida also has a fleet of insured luxury vehicles, including luxury SUVs, town cars, and Sprinter vans. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237374 SOURCE: GetFeatured As Australian businesses navigate rapid changes, Liberty business loans provide support to create and maintain a competitive edge. The KPMG 2025 Keeping Us Up at Night report revealed that 53% of business leaders identified 'digital transformation' as a key challenge for the year ahead. Emerging technologies, new markets, regulations, and business flexibility are also expected to take centre stage in the next three to five years. While businesses recognise the need for future-focused investments, securing the funding for them can be challenging in the current economic climate. As a leading non-bank lender, Liberty works with businesses of different shapes and sizes to bring growth opportunities within reach. According to Group Manager - Commercial, Matthew Heinnen, business loans can be crucial for those seeking to remain ahead of the curve. "While many organisations focus on short-term costs and cash flow, breaking new ground could be key to thriving in this dynamic business environment," Mr Heinnen said. "Our free-thinking business loans provide the flexibility businesses need to balance immediate priorities with long-term success strategies." Liberty business loans are fast and flexible, offering support for investments in digital upgrades, staff training, customer experience, and more. The non-bank offers loans to meet differing business needs, with product options including low-doc business loans and lines of credit. While other lenders may have strict criteria, Liberty is open minded when working with customers. "Whether it's a small or large business, Liberty is ready help those customers that others may be unwilling to take the time to understand." No matter if borrowers have variable income sources, incomplete financial statements, or complex credit histories, the non-bank is equipped to offer new ways of supporting them. "As free thinkers, we are passionate about helping borrowers say 'yes' to more opportunities," Mr Heinnen said. Along with business loans, Liberty also offers home, car, personal, commercial, and SMSF loans. For over 27 years, Liberty has provided innovative lending solutions that help individuals, investors, business owners, and beyond, move towards their goals. Approved applicants only. Lending criteria apply. Fees and charges are payable. Liberty Financial Pty Ltd ACN 077 248 983 and Secure Funding Pty Ltd ABN 25 081 982 87 2 Australian Credit Licence 388133, together trading as Liberty Financial. About Liberty As one of Australia's leading non-bank lenders, Liberty offers innovative solutions to support customers with greater choice. Over more than 27 years, this free-thinking approach to loan solutions has seen more than 850,000 customers across a wide range of home, car, business and personal loans, as well as SMSF lending. Liberty remains the only non-bank lender with an investment-grade credit rating offering custom and prime solutions to help more people get financial. Contact Information: Laura Orchard Media Coordinator +61 3 8635 8166 mediaenquiries@liberty.com.au SOURCE: Liberty View the original press release on accesswire.com JAKARTA, Jan 16, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - PT TransNusa Aviation Mandiri (TransNusa), the new player with new rules, kick starts 2025 by introducing a new international route from Indonesia's renowned tourism destination, Bali to Perth, Australia.TransNusa started selling the flight tickets, which are priced from IDR 1.799.000 onwards, AUD 169 onwards, CNY 782 onwards, USD 163 onwards, and MYR 514 onwards, on January 15. The TransNusa flight tickets can be purchased at transnusa.co.id or any secure online travel agent.TransNusa Group Chief Executive Officer, Datuk Bernard Francis said that TransNusa has introduced this new international route in order to provide passengers with additional travel choices."The Bali - Perth international route is a golden route as the highest number of tourists, almost every year, in Bali are from Perth. Hence, the demand for this route is equally significant," said Datuk Bernard, adding that TransNusa will be launching the maiden flight from Bali to Perth on March 20, this year.On the details of the scheduled flights, Datuk Bernard explained, "Initially, TransNusa will operate three scheduled flights a week, which will be on Monday, Thursday and Saturday. From April 12, we will increase the frequency to four times a week by adding another flight on Tuesday and eventually increase the frequency to a daily flight from June 1 onwards."TransNusa's scheduled flight, 8B 080 (DPS-PER), will depart Bali at 09.10am from I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport and arrive the Perth Airport at 12.50pm. The flight, 8B 081 (PER-DPS), will depart Perth Airport at 13.35pm and arrive at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali on 17.20pm. TransNusa will be utilising its Airbus A320 that has a seat capacity of 174 for this international route that has a 3 hours and 40 minutes flight duration.Apart from the Bali-Perth international route, TransNusa also operates scheduled flights from Bali to Indonesia's diving haven, Manado. TransNusa has five scheduled flights to Manado from Bali on a weekly basis. As such, tourists from Perth will also have an opportunity to visit Manado with a direct flight from Perth.For its international flights, TransNusa not only provide premium services with competitive ticket prices, but the airline also has attractive product bundles called SEAT, SEAT-PLUS and FLEXI-PRO."Our passengers will enjoy check-in baggage of between 15kgs to 30 kgs, depending on the product purchased," Datuk Bernard said, explaining that the baggage offering was over and above the 7kgs limit offered as a passenger's hand carry."For the highest package, FLEXI-PRO, we provide more complete services such as free baggage 30kgs, free to choose seats, free food, and drinks, priority at check-in and boarding. In addition, TransNusa also provides its FLEXI-PRO passengers with the ability to be able to change their flight schedule without restrictions and obtain refund when needed."TransNusa, which aims to ensure its passengers travel with ease and comfort, has also configured their A320s with a 174-seat configuration, which allows for passengers to enjoy about 30 inches of legroom, comparable to the experience passengers would get in a full-service airline."We are committed to providing affordable and competitive ticket prices, while still providing premium services to our customers." Stressed Datuk Bernard.TransNusa, A Short HistoryTransNusa, which had to close its business operation in September 2020 due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the aviation industry, started operations again after injection of new shareholders and a new management team led by aviation expert, Datuk Bernard, in October 2022.Within 6 months, the airline introduced its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur and celebrated its first-year anniversary for this route on April 14, 2024."When we re-launched TransNusa in October 2022, we started from the bottom again. We had no aircraft or roadmap to follow. Everything was new because the pandemic had broken the aviation business operations boundaries. We re-created and customised our business operations and strategy model of being the first Premium Service Carrier based on the post-pandemic scenario," Datuk Bernard explained.TransNusa launched its first international route between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur in April, 2023, after which the airline successfully launched three more new international routes by the end of 2023. TransNusa's aggressive international growth strategy combined with its domestic business operations approach has enabled the airline to be the fastest growing airline in South East Asia.Since the takeover of new shareholders and the injection of a new management team, TransNusa has been contributing and changing the aviation landscape in Indonesia. It has been making headlines in Malaysia, Singapore, China and around the world with news of being the first airline in Indonesia and the world to develop and introduce a new domestic route connecting Bali and Manado. TransNusa also became the second Indonesian airline to receive approval to fly to China and provided Indonesians with more pricing and route options to China.Media ContactTrina Thomas RajMobile: +6012 4992672E-mail: trina@myqaseh.orgAbout TransNusaEstablished in 2005, TransNusa started its operation by providing chartered flights. It began its commercial flights in 2011. After ceasing operations due to the Covid-19 pandemic, TransNusa relaunched itself in 2021 as a low-cost airline in its domestic market. In 2023, TransNusa introduced a new business model making it the first Premium Service Airline in the region. The new business model will apply only to its international routes. TransNusa introduced its first international route in April this year. The airline introduced its Jakarta - Kuala Lumpur round trip route and had its maiden flight on April 14. The airline is currently based in Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.Passengers can book their flights on the TransNusa website (www.transnusa.co.id), through authorized travel agents in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, or by contacting the airline's customer service centre at +62216310888. For the Singaporean market, passengers can contact TransNusa's General Sales Agent, Chariot Travels Pte Ltd, at +65 86602719 while for the Malaysian market, passengers can contact MKM Ticketing Travel & Tours Sdn Bhd at +60378312581.Source: TransNusaCopyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 15, 2025 / Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd ("SXGC", "SX2" or the "Company") (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2) announces that its securities will commence trading on the Australian Stock Exchange (" ASX" ) today at 3.00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time ("AEDT") on a deferred settlement basis , under the ticker symbol " SX2 ". The Shares of SX2 will be settled in the form of CHESS Depositary Interests ('CDI's') at a ratio of 1:1. All regulatory matters have been dealt with and shortly the Scheme of Arrangement (the "SXG Scheme") whereby SX2 will acquire all of the issued share capital of Southern Cross Gold Ltd ("SXG") it does not already own will complete. Eligible SXG Scheme Shareholders that are on the SXG share register on the record date, being 7.00pm on Friday 17 January 2025 (AEDT), will have their SXG shares acquired in exchange for one SX2 CDI or, if the shareholder has made a valid election, one SXGC common share in book-entry form in the Direct Registration System. No funds were raised by SX2 in connection with the listing on ASX. Key dates to Implementation Event Date (all times AEDT) Effective Date The date on which the Scheme becomes Effective Lodgement by SXG with ASIC of the Court orders approving the Scheme and lodgement of announcement to ASX Last day of trading in SXG Shares on the ASX Suspension of SXG Shares from trading on the ASX from close of trading Wednesday 15 January 2025 SXGC (formerly named Mawson) CDIs commence trading on the ASX on a deferred settlement basis under the code SX2 Thursday 16 January 2025 Scheme Record Date Time and date for determining entitlements to the Scheme Consideration 7.00pm on Friday 17 January 2025 Implementation Date Provision of the Scheme Consideration to Scheme Participants Friday 24 January 2025 SXGC CDIs commence trading on the ASX on a normal settlement basis under the code SX2 Tuesday 28 January 2025 Michael Hudson, President & CEO of SXGC states: "The commencement of trading of SX2 on the ASX marks a significant milestone for Southern Cross Gold Consolidated. This dual listing structure provides enhanced market access and trading flexibility for our shareholders across both the Australian and Canadian markets. The successful implementation of the Scheme of Arrangement with Southern Cross Gold will create a stronger, more dynamic company with improved market presence. We look forward to engaging with our expanded shareholder base and continuing to deliver value through our strategic initiatives. Our listing on the ASX positions us well to capitalize on opportunities in the Australian market while maintaining our strong presence in North America." About Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSXV:SXGC)(ASX:SX2) Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. (TSXV:SXG)(ASX:SX2), formed through the merger of Mawson Gold Limited (TSXV:MAW) and Southern Cross Gold (ASX:SXG) (completion by 28 January 2025 AEDT) controls the Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project located 60 kilometres north of Melbourne, Australia. Sunday Creek has emerged as one of the Western world's most significant gold and antimony discoveries, with exceptional drilling results including 55 intersections exceeding 100 g/t AuEq x m from just 70.7 km of drilling. The mineralization follows a "Golden Ladder" structure over 12 km of strike length, with confirmed continuity from surface to 1,100m depth. Sunday Creek's strategic value is enhanced by its dual-metal profile, with antimony contributing 20% of the in-situ value alongside gold. This has gained increased significance following China's export restrictions on antimony, a critical metal for defense and semiconductor applications. SX2's inclusion in the US Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) and Australia's AUKUS-related legislative changes position it as a potential key Western antimony supplier. Importantly, Sunday Creek can be developed primarily based on gold economics, which reduces antimony-related risks while maintaining strategic supply potential. Technical fundamentals further strengthen the investment case, with preliminary metallurgical work showing non-refractory mineralization suitable for conventional processing and gold recoveries of 93-98% through gravity and flotation. With A$22M in cash, over 1,000 hectares of strategic freehold land ownership, and an aggressive 60 km drill program planned through Q3 2025, SX2 is well-positioned to advance this globally significant gold-antimony discovery in a tier-one jurisdiction. NI 43-101 Technical Background and Qualified Person The Qualified Person, Michael Hudson, Executive Chairman and a director of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated, and a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, has reviewed, verified and approved the technical contents of this release. Analytical samples are transported to the Bendigo facility of On Site Laboratory Services ("On Site") which operates under both an ISO 9001 and NATA quality systems. Samples were prepared and analyzed for gold using the fire assay technique (PE01S method; 25 gram charge), followed by measuring the gold in solution with flame AAS equipment. Samples for multi-element analysis (BM011 and over-range methods as required) use aqua regia digestion and ICP-MS analysis. The QA/QC program of Southern Cross Gold consists of the systematic insertion of certified standards of known gold content, blanks within interpreted mineralized rock and quarter core duplicates. In addition, On Site inserts blanks and standards into the analytical process. SXGC considers that both gold and antimony that are included in the gold equivalent calculation ("AuEq") have reasonable potential to be recovered at Sunday Creek, given current geochemical understanding, historic production statistics and geologically analogous mining operations. Historically, ore from Sunday Creek was treated onsite or shipped to the Costerfield mine, located 54 km to the northwest of the project, for processing during WW1. The Costerfield mine corridor, now owned by Mandalay Resources Ltd contains two million ounces of equivalent gold (Mandalay Q3 2021 Results), and in 2020 was the sixth highest-grade global underground mine and a top 5 global producer of antimony. SXGC considers that it is appropriate to adopt the same gold equivalent variables as Mandalay Resources Ltd in its Mandalay Technical Report, 2024 dated March 28, 2024. The gold equivalence formula used by Mandalay Resources was calculated using Costerfield's 2023 production costs, using a gold price of US$1,900 per ounce, an antimony price of US$12,000 per tonne and 2023 total year metal recoveries of 94% for gold and 89% for antimony, and is as follows: ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88 ???? (%). Based on the latest Costerfield calculation and given the similar geological styles and historic toll treatment of Sunday Creek mineralization at Costerfield, SXGC considers that a ???????? = ???? (??/??) + 1.88 ???? (%) is appropriate to use for the initial exploration targeting of gold-antimony mineralization at Sunday Creek. JORC Competent Person Statement Information in this announcement that relates to new exploration results contained in this report is based on information compiled by Mr Kenneth Bush and Mr Michael Hudson. Mr Bush is a Member of Australian Institute of Geoscientists and a Registered Professional Geologist in the field of Mining (#10315) and Mr Hudson is a Fellow of The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Bush and Mr Hudson each have sufficient experience relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration, and to the activities undertaken, to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves. Mr Bush is Exploration Manager and Mr Hudson is Managing Director of Southern Cross Gold Limited and both consent to the inclusion in the report of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears. Certain information in this announcement that relates to prior exploration results is extracted from the Independent Geologist's Report dated 11 December 2024 which was issued with the consent of the Competent Person, Mr Steven Tambanis. The report is included the Company's prospectus dated 11 December 2024 and is available at www2.asx.com.au under code "SXGC". The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information related to exploration results included in the original market announcement. The Company confirms that the form and context of the Competent Persons' findings in relation to the report have not been materially modified from the original market announcement. The Company confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in the original document/announcement and the Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Person's findings are presented have not materially modified from the original market announcement. - Ends - This announcement has been approved for release by the Board of Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. For further information, please contact: Mariana Bermudez - Corporate Secretary mbermudez@chasemgt.com or +1 604 685 9316 Executive Office: 1305 - 1090 West Georgia Street Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7, Canada Nicholas Mead - Corporate Development info@southerncrossgold.com or +61 415 153 122 Justin Mouchacca, Assistant Company Secretary jm@southerncrossgold.com.au or +61 3 8630 3321 Subsidiary Office: Level 21, 459 Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia Forward-Looking Statement This news release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions and accordingly, actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. You are hence cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of present or historical fact are forward-looking statements including without limitation applicable court, regulatory authorities and applicable stock exchanges. Forward-looking statements include words or expressions such as "proposed", "will", "subject to", "near future", "in the event", "would", "expect", "prepared to" and other similar words or expressions. Factors that could cause future results or events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements include general business, economic, competitive, political, social uncertainties; the state of capital markets, unforeseen events, developments, or factors causing any of the expectations, assumptions, and other factors ultimately being inaccurate or irrelevant; and other risks described in SX2's documents filed with Canadian or Australian securities regulatory authorities. You can find further information with respect to these and other risks in filings made by SX2 with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada or Australia, as applicable, and available for SX2 in Canada at www.sedarplus.ca SX2's documents are also available at www.southerncrossgold.com We disclaim any obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) or the Australian Securities Exchange accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. SOURCE: Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd. View the original press release on accesswire.com Somerset, New Jersey--(Newsfile Corp. - January 15, 2025) - JCI Trading LLC, a trusted supplier of premium frozen food products, has announced the expansion of its frozen poultry product line to meet growing demand from businesses and individual customers. The enhanced selection now includes frozen chicken feet, gizzards, breasts, and drumsticks, complementing its existing offerings of whole chicken, wings, and legs. JCI Trading Frozen Chicken Hub To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10926/236923_2e05fa4a34a96b36_002full.jpg The expansion coincides with the significant growth of the frozen chicken market, which increased from $16.36 billion in 2023 to $17.24 billion in 2024. As consumers and businesses prioritize convenience and quality, JCI Trading's expanded product line is well-positioned to cater to these trends, offering a reliable supply of premium frozen poultry to diverse customer segments. "Expanding our frozen poultry line is a logical progression to meeting the evolving needs of our customers," said Jonathan Miller, CEO and Founder of JCI Trading. "Our customers count on us for quality and variety, and this expansion shows our commitment to delivering on those expectations. By expanding, we're providing more options for every palate and purpose." Logistics Expertise A key factor in this expansion is JCI Trading's robust cold chain logistics network. This advanced system ensures every poultry product is transported under optimal temperature and conditions to preserve freshness and quality from the facility to its destinations. "Our logistics expertise is a key differentiator," added Miller. "From the moment our products leave the facility to the time they arrive on your plate, we maintain strict protocols to deliver the exceptional quality our customers expect." JCI Trading's cold chain logistics capabilities also enable the company to reliably serve customers across a broad geographic area, meeting the needs of diverse markets while maintaining consistent quality. Catering to a Growing Market JCI Trading serves a diverse customer base that includes restaurants, retailers, caterers, and individual consumers. The company's expanded product line accommodates both bulk orders for commercial use and smaller quantities for home cooks. The company exports its products to over 100 countries, leveraging its logistics infrastructure to meet the needs of global markets. Miller continues, "Our customers trust us to provide food products that they can rely on, and we take that responsibility seriously. From sourcing to distribution, every step of our process is designed to ensure quality, safety, and ethical practices." JCI Trading's product portfolio extends beyond frozen poultry to include eggs, meat, fish, and seafood. By maintaining a diversified portfolio, JCI Trading reduces reliance on a single market segment and positions itself to respond effectively to shifts in consumer demand. This approach allows the company to remain resilient in a dynamic global food market while continuing to provide value to its customers. Its ability to manage large-scale distribution while maintaining product integrity has also been instrumental in establishing its presence in international markets. Looking Ahead As JCI Trading continues to expand, the company remains focused on innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. By staying attuned to market trends and leveraging its expertise in sourcing and logistics, JCI Trading aims to set the standard for quality and reliability in the frozen food market. To learn more about JCI Trading's product offerings, please visit https://jcillcs.com. About JCI Trading LLC Founded in 2023, JCI Trading LLC is a global supplier of high-quality poultry, eggs, meat, fish, and seafood. The company sources its products from reputable suppliers and maintains strict cold chain logistics to deliver fresh and reliable food to customers across more than 100 countries. Known for its commitment to quality, ethical practices, and innovation, JCI Trading serves a diverse customer base, including businesses and individual consumers. With a professional team and a growing product portfolio, JCI Trading is setting new standards in the food supply industry while addressing the evolving demands of global markets. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236923 SOURCE: Brand Featured BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - Dragerwerk AG (DRWKF.PK), a breathing equipment maker for industries and hospital, reported that its preliminary earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) for fiscal year 2024 increased significantly by around 19 percent to around 197 million euros from last year.Net sales for fiscal year 2024 increased by 0.6 percent, net of currency effects, nominal: 0.0 percent. Net sales were thus just below the last forecast, according to which Drager had expected an increase in net sales in the range of 1.0 to 3.0 percent, net of currency effects. At around 3,373 million euros, net sales nevertheless came close to the high figure of the prior year's 3,373.5 million euros.Drager intends to distribute around 30 percent of the group net profit to its shareholders. The final dividend proposal will be made with the final business figures for 2024.For the current fiscal year, Drager expects an increase in net sales of 1.0 to 5.0 percent (net of currency effects) and an EBIT margin of 3.5 to 6.5 percent. The expected EBIT margin is therefore in line with its goal of increasing the EBIT margin by an average of one percentage point each year.The company said it will publish its full 2024 Annual Report on April 3, 2025.For more earnings news, earnings calendar, and earnings for stocks, visit rttnews.comCopyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. INDIANAPOLIS (dpa-AFX) - Eli Lilly and Co. (LLY) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Omvoh (mirikizumab-mrkz) for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in adults.Omvoh is now approved in the U.S. for two types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), following its October 2023 approval as a first-in-class treatment for moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) in adults.The company noted that Omvoh works to reduce inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract by targeting a specific protein, interleukin-23p19 (IL-23p19), which is a key contributor to intestinal inflammation. Omvoh is the first biologic treatment in more than 15 years to have disclosed two-year Phase 3 efficacy data in Crohn's disease at the time of approval.Lilly has also submitted marketing applications for Omvoh in Crohn's disease around the globe, including in the European Union and Japan. Additional global regulatory submissions are planned. In UC, Omvoh is currently approved in 44 countries.For More Such Health News, visit rttnews.com.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Partners Group / Key word(s): Investment Partners Group to invest in green flexibility, a developer of large-scale battery storage systems in Germany 16.01.2025 / 08:00 CET/CEST Baar-Zug Switzerland; 16 January 2025 Partners Group will transform green flexibility into a leading battery storage platform, alongside its founders and management green flexibility has developed a robust pipeline of battery storage projects, with the first projects already in construction green flexibility will benefit from thematic growth trends, including the continued expansion of renewables within the energy generation mix Partners Group, one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, acting on behalf of its clients, has agreed to invest in green flexibility (or "the Company"), a developer and operator of large-scale battery energy storage systems ("BESS") in Germany. Through Partners Group's initial equity commitment of up to EUR 400 million and complementary debt financing, green flexibility will have more than EUR 1 billion to invest in driving Europe's energy transition. green flexibility specializes in developing and operating large-scale battery storage systems that serve as the backbone of modern, flexible energy infrastructure in Europe. The expansion of intermittent renewable energy sources and the retirement of baseload capacity in Germany are increasing fluctuations in electricity generation, driving price volatility and grid instability. BESS store excess energy during periods of ample supply and then release it when needed, helping to stabilize the grid, reduce curtailment, and smooth energy costs for consumers and businesses. The Company aims to execute an extensive pipeline of BESS projects and establish itself as a leading Independent Flexibility Provider ("IFP"), which involves monetizing storage capacity through long term contracts. By incorporating advanced software, artificial intelligence, and leveraging strong local relationships, green flexibility is also expediting project development and construction. The Company is set to benefit from thematic growth trends in Germany, including the continued expansion of renewables within the energy mix and the increasing need for grid flexibility. Partners Group will work with green flexibility's management team, which has extensive experience in successfully scaling energy businesses, to transform the Company into a leading battery storage platform. The Company is led by serial entrepreneur and industry expert Christoph Ostermann, founder of sonnen, a global market leader in home storage systems. Christoph and the Company's other founders also previously developed and commercialized one of Europe's first Virtual Power Plants. David Daum, Partner, Head Infrastructure Europe, Partners Group, says: "green flexibility will act as a key enabler of the energy transition in Germany by facilitating the integration of intermittent renewable energy into the country's power grid. The Company represents an exciting opportunity to partner with a highly experienced, proven management team to build a battery storage platform in the largest power and electricity market in Europe. We look forward to working with them on our transformational value creation plan." Igor Makar, Member of Management, Infrastructure Europe, Partners Group, adds: "green flexibility has strong infrastructure characteristics underpinned by the essential nature of battery storage assets. We were also attracted by green flexibility's innovative approach to the development process, which sets it apart from other market players. In line with our entrepreneurial governance model, we have compiled a talented team of operating directors that will support management on achieving our shared vision." Christoph Ostermann, Chief Executive Officer, green flexibility, comments: "BESS is widely considered the most flexible technology for providing a versatile and efficient energy storage solution, making it a key component in modernizing the energy grid. In addition, the technology can be deployed faster than other alternatives, which is crucial for meeting immediate grid stability needs. As an experienced infrastructure investor and business builder, Partners Group is the right long-term partner for us as we look to scale the Company." Partners Group's infrastructure business has USD 27 billion in assets under management. Partners Group was advised by A&O Shearman as legal advisor. About Partners Group Partners Group is one of the largest firms in the global private markets industry, with around 1'800 professionals and over USD 150 billion in overall assets under management. The firm has investment programs and custom mandates spanning private equity, private credit, infrastructure, real estate, and royalties. With its heritage in Switzerland and primary presence in the Americas in Colorado, Partners Group is built differently from the rest of the industry. The firm leverages its differentiated culture and its operationally oriented approach to identify attractive investment themes and to transform businesses and assets into market leaders. For more information, please visit www.partnersgroup.com or follow us on LinkedIn . Partners Group media relations contact Henry Weston Tel: +44 207 575 2593 Email: henry.weston@partnersgroup.com End of Media Release LUND, Sweden, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Safeture, a leading Swedish provider of technical solutions for risk management, is thrilled to announce a strategic partnership with JTB Business Travel, a global leader in business travel management. Under this partnership, existing clients will migrate to Safeture's cutting-edge technology platform, further solidifying the collaboration's commitment to innovation and excellence. JTB Business Travel, a JTB USA, Inc. brand, has built a reputation for delivering exceptional business travel services that enhance efficiency, safety, and satisfaction. Leveraging expertise in travel management, data analytics, system solutions, and risk management, JTB Business Travel ensures cost-effective planning while maintaining duty of care compliance. With a global network of 159 offices across 35 countries, JTB Business Travel seamlessly blends local expertise with global reach to provide tailor-made solutions for businesses of all sizes. This partnership signifies a step forward in delivering integrated, technology-driven services prioritizing traveler safety and satisfaction. The synergy between Safeture's advanced technological platform and JTB Business Travel's comprehensive solutions will create significant value for existing and new clients. Magnus Hultman, CEO of Safeture, shared his enthusiasm about the collaboration: "This partnership with JTB Business Travel underscores the importance of combining state-of-the-art technology with global expertise to redefine risk management standards. We are excited to provide JTB Business Travel clients with our innovative platform, helping them ensure the safety and well-being of their travelers, no matter where they are." JTB Business Travel's Vice President of Global Business Travel, Geert de Boo, added: "We continually strive to deliver innovation and value to our clients. Safeture's cutting-edge technology aligns with JTB Business Travel's commitment to provide tailored, comprehensive travel solutions for small to mid-sized companies. This partnership enhances our Duty of Care offerings, ensuring confidence and peace of mind for companies and travelers." Through this collaboration, Safeture and JTB Business Travel aim to lead the evolution of business travel by offering unparalleled risk management services, setting a new benchmark in the industry. For additional information, visit www.safeture.com or contact: Safeture CEO Magnus Hultman: +46 706 00 81 66. Magnus.hultman@safeture.com This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/safeture-ab/r/safeture-partners-with-jtb-business-travel-to-enhance-global-risk-management-solutions,c4091540 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/17559/4091540/3205726.pdf Safeture JTB Travel 250116 https://news.cision.com/safeture-ab/i/safeture2-platform-app-iso,c3368069 Safeture2-platform-app-ISO https://news.cision.com/safeture-ab/i/safeture-platform01,c3368070 Safeture-platform01 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/safeture-partners-with-jtb-business-travel-to-enhance-global-risk-management-solutions-302352864.html The Chinese inverter said its new inverters have an MPPT current of up to 54 A and support more than a 150% DC/AC ratio. The new products also feature a maximum efficiency of 98. 8% and a European efficiency rate of 98. 3%. Solis has launched new inverters for commercial and industrial (C&I) applications at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) tradeshow in Abu Dhabi this week. "The 150 kW system features 7 MPPTs and has a fuseless design," the company's sales manager Michel Abi Younes, told pv magazine. "With this product, you can use three strings without using fuses. It also has MPPT current ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Savills plc (SVS.L), a real estate advisor, Thursday said it expects its fiscal 2024 performance to be in line with expectations and substantially ahead of the previous year.In the year ahead, the company projects continued improvement through 2025, despite challenging macro conditions that would continue for some time.In its trading statement for the year 2024, the company reported that there is a good performance given significant volatility in transactional market sentiment over the course of 2024, which has nevertheless shown recovery in most markets.Savills EMEA business improved substantially year-on-year. The largest component, the UK, performed strongly supported by the resilience of the prime residential business.In Continental Europe and the Middle East, the company recorded improved trading results in the majority of countries, helped by further restructuring in France and Germany.Savills delivered a significant year-on-year improvement in performance in North America, while a number of transactions were deferred into first quarter.In Asia, activity in Greater China remained subdued during the year. Elsewhere, Japan and Vietnam performed well, and there were signs of recovery through the last quarter in Australia and Singapore.Savills Investment Management or SIM traded broadly in line with expectations.Savills intends to report 2024 full year results on March 13.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. JLR will supercharge next-generation vehicle connectivity with Tata Communications MOVE Drivers to remain connected from the remotest locations in 120 countries, with real-time vehicle location services, smarter driving experiences and increased software over-the-air (SOTA) updates Partnership is part of JLR's wider innovation strategy to establish universal connectivity for its vehicles and deliver continuously evolving AI-driven digital features and services for its customers MUMBAI, India, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JLR and Tata Communications are set to enhance JLR's connected vehicle ecosystem, transforming the driving experience for customers worldwide through the Tata Communications MOVE platform. The collaboration will empower JLR's next-generation software-defined vehicles with continuous connectivity and access to intelligent services even in the remotest locations across 120 countries. The latest collaboration is an extension of their existing partnership to future-proof the carmaker's digital transformation. Leveraging Tata Communications MOVE platform, JLR's upcoming medium-sized SUVs built on the new Electric Modular Architecture (EMA) will seamlessly transition between mobile networks and operators, enabling non-stop access to personalised connected services, such as media streaming. The platform will also enable greater and more secure data exchange between JLR and its customers' vehicles, delivering more efficient software over-the-air (SOTA) updates and supporting the rollout of evolving advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Every day, JLR's fleet of connected vehicles generates 2.5 terabytes (TB) of data, with half a million electronic control units (ECUs) updated per month on average over the last 12 months. The use of Tata Communications MOVE platform will increase this data exchange and enable JLR engineers to harness deeper insights, monitor vehicle performance in real-time, and enable more prompt updates over the air to improve vehicle maintenance and servicing, reducing costs for the car owners and JLR. The advanced vehicles, expected to hit the roads in 2026, will deliver a smarter and more intelligent driving experience. The introduction of the Tata Communications MOVE will offer JLR customers: Resilient wireless communication technologies to help track vehicles in the most demanding environments Increased and more frequent vehicle software updates delivered over the air to improve vehicle diagnostics and updates Tailored connections will keep customers and their families connected to their preferred applications and vehicle features, wherever they are in the world Simplified and effortless connectivity plans, accessible via a single provider Marco Bijvelds, Vice President and Global Head of Tata Communications MOVE, said: "The automotive industry is continually innovating to meet ever-changing customer demands. Last year, our digital fabric enabled seamless connectivity across all JLR's production sites globally. As part of our extended partnership, we're now powering JLR's software-defined vehicle journey worldwide and enabling them to deliver advanced driving features in their cars. The insights derived from the data exchanged through our platform will enable JLR to offer personalised customer experiences, opening doors for new revenue streams." Mark Brogden, Director of Digital Product Platform Off-Board at JLR, said: "JLR was the first luxury vehicle manufacturer to introduce dual modem, dual eSIM design for enhanced connectivity with the launch of Defender in 2020. The partnership with Tata Communications is the next step in our software-defined vehicle journey, offering highly secure and cost-effective data connectivity across 120 countries. Starting in 2026 with our next generation of medium-size luxury SUVs, Tata Communications MOVE aims to deliver continuous connected experiences for our clients, offering features and new software updates over-the-air to meet the expectations of our luxury client base.' Tata Communications Media Contacts : Judhajit Basu judhajit.basu@tatacommunications.com Aastha Singh aastha.singh2@tatacommunications.com JLR Media Contacts: David Wrottesley dwrottes@jaguarlandrover.com Francis Robertson Marriott frobert4@jaguarlandrover.com About JLR JLR's Reimagine strategy is delivering a sustainability-rich vision of modern luxury by design. We are transforming our business with the aim to become carbon net zero across our supply chain, products, and operations by 2039. We have set a roadmap to reduce emissions across our own operations and value chains by 2030 through approved, science-based targets. Electrification is central to this strategy and before the end of the decade our Range Rover, Discovery, Defender collections will each have a pure electric model, while Jaguar will be entirely electric. At heart we are a British company, with two design and engineering sites, three vehicle manufacturing facilities, an engine manufacturing centre, and a battery assembly centre in the UK. We also have vehicle plants in China (joint venture), Slovakia, India, and Brazil, as well as seven technology hubs across the globe. JLR is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tata Motors Limited, part of Tata Sons. About Tata Communications A part of the Tata Group, Tata Communications (NSE: TATACOMM) (BSE: 500483) is a global digital ecosystem enabler powering today's fast-growing digital economy in more than 190 countries and territories. Leading with trust, it enables digital transformation of enterprises globally with collaboration and connected solutions, core and next gen connectivity, cloud hosting and security solutions and media services. 300 of the Fortune 500 companies are its customers and the company connects businesses to 80% of the world's cloud giants. For more information, please visit www.tatacommunications.com Forward-looking and cautionary statements Certain words and statements in this release concerning Tata Communications and its prospects, and other statements, including those relating to Tata Communications' expected financial position, business strategy, the future development of Tata Communications' operations, and the general economy in India, are forward-looking statements. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including financial, regulatory and environmental, as well as those relating to industry growth and trend projections, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements of Tata Communications, or industry results, to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements include, among others, failure to increase the volume of traffic on Tata Communications' network; failure to develop new products and services that meet customer demands and generate acceptable margins; failure to successfully complete commercial testing of new technology and information systems to support new products and services, including voice transmission services; failure to stabilize or reduce the rate of price compression on certain of the company's communications services; failure to integrate strategic acquisitions and changes in government policies or regulations of India and, in particular, changes relating to the administration of Tata Communications' industry; and, in general, the economic, business and credit conditions in India. Additional factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from such forward-looking statements, many of which are not in Tata Communications' control, include, but are not limited to, those risk factors discussed in Tata Communications Limited's Annual Reports. The Annual Reports of Tata Communications Limited are available at www.tatacommunications.com. Tata Communications is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements. 2025 Tata Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. TATA COMMUNICATIONS and TATA are trademarks or registered trademarks of Tata Sons Private Limited in India and certain countries. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599748/JLR_car.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2268954/Tata_Communications_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/jlr-and-tata-communications-strengthen-partnership-to-deliver-smarter-data-driven-connected-cars-302352914.html Series Recaps Biopharma, MedTech, and Science Trends and Breakthroughs That Shaped the Year LONDON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- BioWorld published by Clarivate Plc (NYSE:CLVT), a leading global provider of transformative intelligence, has released its highly anticipated 2024 Year in Review series. This multipart special report offers an in-depth analysis of the therapeutic trends, regulatory actions and economic shifts that defined biopharma, med tech and scientific innovation over the past year while forecasting key developments for 2025. As the biopharma and med-tech industries continue to evolve, 2024 proved to be a landmark year. The comprehensive recap by BioWorld highlights therapeutic breakthroughs in psychiatry, oncology, women's health and infectious diseases, alongside economic highs and lows that challenged the global landscape. The series also examines regulatory changes, including U.S. court cases and international policy shifts, that could shape the future of drug pricing, reimbursement, and innovation. Lynn Yoffee, Publisher of BioWorld, said: "The 2024 Year in Review series provides a powerful lens into the transformative events and advancements that shaped our industry this year. With our team of expert journalists and analysts, we strive to distill complex developments into actionable insights, empowering stakeholders to make informed decisions as they navigate 2025 and beyond." Key Highlights of the BioWorld 2024 Year in Review Series: BioWorld Year in Review: This section highlights the top mergers and acquisitions, licensing deals, financings, and first approvals of 2024. It also provides insights into key therapeutic trends such as GLP-1 receptor agonists, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), psychedelics, and the evolving role of precision psychiatry, alongside innovations spurred by the pandemic. Featured articles include: The Economy: Top Biopharma Trends of 2024 by Amanda Lanier A comprehensive infographic that highlights how 2024 showcased resilience amidst challenges, with biopharma financing and deal values rebounding significantly despite over 18,000 job losses and a tempered IPO market. Spotlights include record-high deal values, a steady M&A pace with reduced total value, and a slightly increased rate of workforce reductions compared to 2023. A comprehensive infographic that highlights how 2024 showcased resilience amidst challenges, with biopharma financing and deal values rebounding significantly despite over 18,000 job losses and a tempered IPO market. Spotlights include record-high deal values, a steady M&A pace with reduced total value, and a slightly increased rate of workforce reductions compared to 2023. Year's top US court cases to present new challenges for 2025 by Mari Serebrov The Loper Bright decision ended the Chevron doctrine, curbing agency authority and reshaping regulatory dynamics for 2025. Meanwhile, Gilead's $40 million settlement over HIV drug delays highlights new liability risks for biopharma. Both developments underscore the evolving legal landscape and its potential to reshape regulatory and innovation dynamics in 2025. The decision ended the Chevron doctrine, curbing agency authority and reshaping regulatory dynamics for 2025. Meanwhile, Gilead's $40 million settlement over HIV drug delays highlights new liability risks for biopharma. Both developments underscore the evolving legal landscape and its potential to reshape regulatory and innovation dynamics in 2025. European VC improves in 2024, driven by ADCs and CNS, inflammatory drugs by Nuala Moran European biotech funding improved in 2024, with venture capital raised exceeding 2020 levels but still trailing the pandemic peak. Investors favored later-stage programs with clearer paths to exits, while antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and central nervous system (CNS) assets drew significant interest. Despite challenges like closed public markets and antimicrobial fragility, optimism for 2025 is growing, fueled by expected macroeconomic improvements and strong M&A activity. European biotech funding improved in 2024, with venture capital raised exceeding 2020 levels but still trailing the pandemic peak. Investors favored later-stage programs with clearer paths to exits, while antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and central nervous system (CNS) assets drew significant interest. Despite challenges like closed public markets and antimicrobial fragility, optimism for 2025 is growing, fueled by expected macroeconomic improvements and strong M&A activity. GLP-1 receptor agonists continue their global victory tour by Anette Breindl GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) had a transformative 2024, expanding into new therapeutic indications, including FDA approval for treating obstructive sleep apnea in adults with obesity, while continuing to demonstrate benefits in cardiovascular health, kidney disease, and other conditions. Despite their success, GLP-1RAs remain treatments rather than cures for underlying conditions like diabetes, prompting ongoing research into root-cause solutions. BioWorld MedTech Year in Review: This section recaps key med-tech and diagnostic breakthroughs, covering cutting-edge advancements in brain mapping and pregnancy health, as well as regulatory developments expected to impact the sector in 2025. Coverage includes: AI drives financings, approvals for APAC med-tech in 2024 By Marian (YoonJee) Chu In 2024, AI spurred significant financings and approvals in APAC med-tech, leveraging regional strengths like talent pools, data infrastructure, and government support. Key highlights included AI-powered IPOs, billion-dollar pharma collaborations, and national investments, solidifying APAC's role in AI-driven healthcare innovation. In 2024, AI spurred significant financings and approvals in APAC med-tech, leveraging regional strengths like talent pools, data infrastructure, and government support. Key highlights included AI-powered IPOs, billion-dollar pharma collaborations, and national investments, solidifying APAC's role in AI-driven healthcare innovation. Medicare coverage issues abound in 2024 by Mark McCarty In 2024, Medicare faced challenges in covering emerging technologies, with the new TCET policy offering limited scope. Coverage for digital health and SaaS remained stalled due to outdated benefit categories. Meanwhile, Medicare's reimbursement rates for radiation oncology and skin substitutes sparked controversy. BioWorld Science Year in Review: This section explores key research milestones, featuring global collaborations in infectious diseases, breakthroughs in curable tumors and innovations in women's health and neuroscience. Key highlights include: The map for a journey to the center of the brain by Mar de Miguel The year 2024 marks a milestone with the end of a long journey: a complete cellular map of the fruit fly brain, Drosophila melanogaster , and a cubic millimeter of the human brain. The adventure is just beginning for the thinking species Homo sapiens . The year 2024 marks a milestone with the end of a long journey: a complete cellular map of the fruit fly brain, , and a cubic millimeter of the human brain. The adventure is just beginning for the thinking species . Progress in cancer research, even the toughest types by Mar de Miguel and Anette Breindl Among the most profound results presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology Congress were the 10-year data from the Checkmate-067 and Keynote-006 trials, the phase III trials that tested Opdivo (nivolumab, Bristol Myers Squibb Co.) and Keytruda (pembrolizumab, Merck & Co. Inc.) as first-line agents in advanced or metastatic melanoma. The series also includes the BioWorld editorial picks for the "Best of 2024," dynamic infographics summarizing key data, and a global perspective on funding and policy changes across Europe and Asia. To access the full BioWorld special series, visit https://www.bioworld.com/special_reports. Join the conversation and mention BioWorld on X and LinkedIn as well as Clarivate for Life Sciences & Healthcare on X and LinkedIn. About BioWorld With writers and editors stationed around the globe, BioWorld published by Clarivate, reports the breaking news - and provides key perspective on thousands of therapeutics and devices in development, the companies behind those candidates, the business development transactions that evolve the markets, and the regulatory hurdles that both challenge and guard the processes. BioWorld has a long tradition of excellence in journalism. Collectively, the news services have been honored with 70 awards dating back to 1998. About Clarivate Clarivate is a leading global provider of transformative intelligence. We offer enriched data, insights & analytics, workflow solutions and expert services in the areas of Academia & Government, Intellectual Property and Life Sciences & Healthcare. For more information, please visit www.Clarivate.com. Media Contact: Catherine Daniel Director, External Communications, Life Sciences & Healthcare newsroom@Clarivate.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1159266/Clarivate_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/bioworld-by-clarivate-releases-comprehensive-2024-year-in-review-302352795.html LONDON, Jan. 16, 2025on the London Stock Exchange. Our London listing follows the successful listings on the Borsa Italiana and Deutsche Borse Xetra. Exchange Ticker Currency Listing Date SEDOL ISIN WKN London Exchange KRBN LN USD 16 Jan, 2024 BSRH0B0 XS2879867773 Not Applicable London Exchange KRBP LN GBP 16 Jan, 2024 BR4Y040 XS2879867773 Not Applicable Borsa Italiana KRBN IM EUR 3 Oct, 2024 BSTJGN8 XS2879867773 Not Applicable Deutsche Borse Xetra KRBN GY USD / EUR 3 Oct, 2024 BSRH0H6 XS2879867773 A4A5Z2 The KraneShares Global Carbon Strategy ETC (KRBN) is intended to track the level of its reference index, the S&P Global Carbon Credit Index, which offers broad coverage of cap-and-trade carbon allowances by tracking the most traded carbon credit futures contracts. The S&P Global Carbon Credit Index introduces a new measure for hedging risk and going long the price of carbon while supporting responsible investing. Currently, the index covers the major European and North American cap-and-trade programs: European Union Carbon Allowances (EUA), California Carbon Allowances (CCA), United Kingdom Carbon Allowances (UKA), Washington State Carbon Allowances (WCA), and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which covers the Northeast US Power Market. "KraneShares is a global leader in carbon market ETFs. We launched the first, largest, and most liquid carbon ETF on the New York Stock Exchange in 2020 in partnership with Climate Finance Partners (CLIFI).1 We are excited to expand access to this critical market through our new KRBN ETC listing on the London Stock Exchange," said KraneShares Head of Climate Investments Luke Oliver. "We believe carbon allowances provide a compelling investment opportunity because they offer low correlations and a structural upside that does not exist in other traditional commodity allocations." "We believe carbon allowances can play an important role in every investor's portfolio. They are structurally designed for long-term price appreciation as part of their core application of decreasing emissions," said Dr. Xiaolin Chen, Head of International at KraneShares. "Besides the potential portfolio benefits, allocating to carbon supports price discovery and liquidity in the markets, which we believe promotes sustainability and true environmental impact. We are proud to extend our KRBN ETC range, which includes Borsa Italiana and Deutsche Borse Xetra listings, to the London Stock Exchange for UK investors." What are carbon allowances? Compliance carbon allowances trade under cap-and-trade programs known as Emissions Trading Systems (ETS). These systems create transparent, liquid markets that are government-mandated and regulated. The value of these markets reached nearly one trillion USD in 2023.2 Carbon allowances are distinct from project-based carbon offsets and offer a market-based approach to regulating a region's emissions, with mandatory participation for specified industries. Carbon allowance supply is managed by government agencies and adjusted primarily through an annually declining cap.? For more information on the KraneShares Global Carbon Strategy ETCor consult your financial advisor. *Diversification does not ensure a profit or guarantee against a loss. Citations: Data from Bloomberg as Aug 31, 2024 Reuters, "Global carbon markets value hit record $909 bln last year," Feb 7, 2023. About KraneShares KraneShares is a specialist investment manager focused on China, Climate, and Alternative Assets. KraneShares seeks to provide innovative, high-conviction, and first-to-market strategies based on the firm and its partners' deep investing knowledge. KraneShares identifies and delivers groundbreaking capital market opportunities and believes investors should have cost-effective and transparent tools for attaining exposure to various asset classes. The firm was founded in 2013 and serves institutions and financial professionals globally. The firm is a signatory of the United Nations-supported Principles for Responsible Investment (UN PRI). Risk Disclosures There is no guarantee that KRBN will achieve its investment objective nor will the reference index fully or successfully hedge risk while having long exposure to the price of carbon or achieve responsible investing. Further risks relating to this investment are disclosed in the KRBN base prospectus, which along with key investor information, is available on: https://kraneshares.eu/krbnln. This document is intended only for persons residing in jurisdictions where its distribution or availability of KRBN is consistent with local laws and KraneShares' local regulatory authorizations. Contact: KraneShares Investor Relations info@kraneshares.com LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Fintech firm IG Group Holdings plc (IGG.L) Thursday announced the acquisition of Freetrade, a commission-free, self-directed investment platform, for 160 million pounds.Completion is subject to customary conditions including regulatory approvals and currently expected in mid-2025.The acquisition is expected to achieve a return on invested capital in excess of IG's weighted average cost of capital in years three to five.IG expects to fund the deal price in cash from existing capital resources.Freetrade provides a wide range of products, including over 6,200 global stocks and ETFs, fractional shares, UK Treasury bills, ISAs, SIPPs, securities lending, and proxy voting. The subscription-based investment platform is an emerging player in the UK market with 720k customers and AUA of 2.5 billion as of the end of 2024. In 2024, revenue increased 32% year-on-year to 27.5 million pounds.IG Group expects the deal to strengthen its UK trading and investments offering and provide access to new customer segments and capabilities.IG plans to operate Freetrade as a commercially standalone business with its own brand, existing management team and operational platform. Viktor Nebehaj, CEO and co-founder, and the leadership team, will remain with Freetrade and continue to scale the business.Breon Corcoran, CEO of IG, said, 'This is a rare opportunity to strengthen IG's UK trading and investments offering and broaden our target addressable market. Freetrade is one of the most successful emerging players in the UK direct-to-customer investment market, with a strong brand, highly scalable technology and delivering rapid growth.'IG further said it expects to extend the existing share buyback programme of 150 million pounds announced on July 25, 2024 in the second half of the current financial year, subject to regulatory approval.IG will report first-half results on January 23.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Hays Plc (HAS.L), a British recruitment company, announced Thursday the appointment of Michael Findlay to its Board as a Non-Executive Director and Chair-designate. He will join the Board on January 20 and will succeed Andrew Martin as Non-Executive Chair from May 1.Martin will retire on May 1 after nearly 8 years on the Board.Findlay is currently Non-Executive Chair of London Stock Exchange plc and a Non-Executive Director of International Distribution Services plc and Jarrold & Sons Limited.He is also Chair of Morgan Sindall Group plc, from where he is stepping down on July 28. Previous roles include co-head of investment banking for UK and Ireland at Bank of America and Senior Independent Director at UK Mail Group plc.Cheryl Millington, Hays' Senior Independent Director, who led the succession process, said, 'Having spent his executive career in corporate broking and investment banking, Michael has advised many leading UK plcs on a wide range of strategic, financing and governance matters. He also brings a strong understanding of people intensive and service orientated businesses.'Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. HONG KONG, Jan 16, 2025 - (ACN Newswire) - CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883) is pleased to announce the winning of multiple prestigious awards lately, recognizing its breakthrough in AI innovation, continuous enhancement of a vast range of intelligent technologies, data analysis, large language models, natural language processing (NLP), computer vision and cybersecurity capabilities, providing customized revolutionary innovative solutions for diverse industries and scenarios, and empowering enterprises to thrive in the AI+ new era. These achievements set the stage for kicking off 2025.Innovative awards from multiple technology and industry tracks include:- AI Databank won 'International Innovation Awards 2024 - Service & Solution Category' organized by Enterprise Asia- Advanced FinTech AI Competition (AFAC) 2024 - Contradiction Identification and Vulnerability Discovery in Texts- 5 awards in 'iFLYTEK Developer Competition'(1)Intelligent Extraction of Micro-needle Technology Information in Texts based on Large Language Model(2)High-precision Capture of Portrait Videos in Complex Scenarios(3)Object Detection of Vehicle Camera Images Challenge(4)Pedestrian Image Identification in Agricultural Scenario Challenge(5)Text Translation under Minimal Resources ChallengeMr. Ivan Lee, Vice President of Innovative Research & Development and Information Technology of CITIC Telecom CPC, said, "We are honored to win awards in three prestigious innovation competitions in international and China markets. This not only fully affirms our 'Innovation Never Stops' motto, but also recognizes the professional expertise and excellent collaboration of our innovation and information technology teams in realizing innovative technologies and projects that continuously break through industry standards. We will continue to develop more innovative and customized solutions for customers to meet their corporate needs, enabling them with enhanced self-governance, flexibility and security, thus leading companies to thrive in the high-quality development of the 'AI+' era"Actively Enhance Diverse Intelligent Technologies to Demonstrate Innovation CapabilitiesMoving into the AI+ new era, CITIC Telecom CPC is committed to fostering cutting-edge innovative technologies, including AI, big data, large language models, NLP, computer vision and cybersecurity technologies, to develop disruptive solutions that effectively support the operations and business decisions of enterprises.CITIC Telecom CPC's AI Databank received "International Innovation Awards 2024 - Service & Solution Category" organized by Enterprise Asia, in recognition of its outstanding innovation and application. This award aims to commend the innovative contributions of enterprises in the areas of services, products, processes and overall organizational development, leading revolutionary innovation, recognizing outstanding innovation and building a new business ecosystem for global enterprises. AI Databank empowers real-time data analysis, leveraging large data models at its core to refine industry-specific scenarios. It provides faster, more accurate and scientific data management and real-time reports, helping enterprises formulate effective strategies and achieve sustainable growth.In the Advanced FinTech AI Competition (AFAC) 2024, CITIC Telecom CPC team has clinched the recognition in the "Contradiction Identification and Vulnerability Discovery in Long Texts of Financial Rules" track with its "Large Model and Multi-Prompt of Text Error Detection" technology. The track requires extensive training in natural language processing for understanding, precise matching, and conflict detection, enabling it to identify relevant or conflicting content. According to the track topic, contestants have to design a universal detection model to identify text errors automatically. CITIC Telecom CPC team has compiled various Prompts according to different error types. When a text passes through each Prompt, content errors of each type will be detected, and finally found out all the content errors, covering contradictions in time, numerical values, statistics (such as finding the word "Q5 in 2024" is an incorrect quarter), detecting chronological inconsistencies (for example, timing conflicts between a project start date and its expiry date), repeated words, inconsistencies and other vulnerabilities. The team's detection technology boost the capabilities and accuracy of a company's internal AI assistant, such as detecting errors or loopholes in auto-generated content (answers, reports, etc.), and delivering customers with high-quality services.CITIC Telecom CPC's innovative solutions and technologies are honored with five awards in the iFLYTEK Developer Competition. Firstly, in the "Intelligent Extraction of Micro-needle Technology Information in Texts based on Large Language Model" track, CITIC Telecom CPC designed a fine-tuned large language model solution (Supervised Fine-tuning, LLM SFT) to perform a minor alternation of a large model based on a small amount of professional literature data, improving the model's accuracy in retrieving content related to medical micro-needle system information by 40%. Secondly, in the "Text Translation under Minimal Resources Challenge" track, CITIC Telecom CPC's two-stage translation solution uses English as a translation bridge between minority languages (such as Dutch) and Chinese to solve the problem of insufficient training data without using any existing translation techniques and models. Thirdly, in the "High-precision Capture of Portrait Videos in Complex Scenarios" track, the team performed image segmentation of low-resolution images and combined them with high-resolution images to produce high-precision captured images. Fourthly, in the "Object Detection of Vehicle Camera Images Challenge" track, CITIC Telecom CPC continues to increase data training to improve the recognition of dark light, small targets and other images (such as vehicles and pedestrians). Lastly, in the "Pedestrian Image Identification in Agricultural Scenario Challenge" track, the team enhanced agricultural scenarios data and used "ReRank" to re-arrange the matching results for better accuracy, helping managers in accessing working conditions and efficiency of agricultural workers.CITIC Telecom CPC actively encourages teams to participate in a variety of academic competitions, aiming not only to bolster foundational research and enhance teams' problem-solving capabilities using innovative technologies through comprehensive communication platforms, but also to cultivate research talent and teamwork. Diverse competition topics can further inspire teams to think outside the box, develop a range of innovative algorithms, and integrate multiple technological innovations to meet challenges. By strengthening the company's technical and data capabilities, and promoting AI deployments in industry-specific scenarios, CITIC Telecom CPC endeavors to generate business value for customers across diverse industries.Multiple AI+ Projects Lead Innovation across Diverse IndustriesCITIC Telecom CPC leverages its professional expertise and AI capabilities to address specific needs and challenges in a vast range of industries such as healthcare, finance, retail and manufacturing through customized algorithms, models and innovative AI solutions for data analysis and processing. A range of award-winning AI solutions and innovative technologies has demonstrated CITIC Telecom CPC's dedication to continuous innovation. AI Databank seamlessly integrates large amounts of data from various operating systems to achieve advanced data analysis, management, modeling and real-time reporting functions. The newly-launched AI Pentest service under flagship solution TrustCSI 3.0 functions as an 24/7 automatic cybersecurity assistant in various industries, helping enterprises identify key vulnerabilities in networks and establish a robust defense against potential threats. AI Workflow facilitates a self-governance platform for official documents and workflows within enterprises, providing intellectual property, flexible and customization capabilities through automated office workflows such as conference room reservations, leave, reimbursements, business trips, overtime work, recruitment and training management etc., revolutionizing office efficiency, simplifying operations and boosting productivity.Mr. Ivan Lee added, "In welcoming 2025, we believe that these AI-driven solutions will be seamlessly integrated across diverse industries, empowering enterprises thrive in the AI+ new era, achieve operational efficiency, and foster the implementation of intelligent projects. At the forefront of innovation, our innovative research & development and information technology teams are actively pioneering ground-breaking technologies. In the future, more AI solutions are poised to revolutionize innovation across industries."About CITIC Telecom CPCWe are CITIC Telecom International CPC Limited ("CITIC Telecom CPC"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CITIC Telecom International Holdings Limited (SEHK: 1883), serving multinational enterprises the world over by addressing their specific ICT requirements with highly scalable tailored solutions built upon our flagship technology suites, comprising TrueCONNECT private network solutions, TrustCSI information security solutions, DataHOUSE cloud data center solutions, and SmartCLOUD cloud computing solutions.With the motto "Innovation Never Stops," we leverage innovative technologies, embracing AI, AR, Big Data, IoT, and other cutting-edge emerging technologies to transform technical potential into business value for our customers. As an enterprise digital transformation partner, we strive to help our customers achieve industry-leading positions, high agility, and cost-efficiency through digitalization.With our Global-Local capabilities, we are committed to providing our customers with one-stop-shop ICT solutions with superior quality. Having a worldwide footprint across nearly 160 countries and regions, including Asia, Europe and America, Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia, our global network resources connect nearly 170 points of presence (POPs), 60+ SDWAN gateways, 21 Cloud service centers, 30+ data centers, and three dedicated 24x7 Security Operations Centers (SOCs). We are certified with a series of international certifications, including SD-WAN Ready, ISO 9001, 14001, 20000, 27001, and 27017, to ensure our services compliance with international standards and resources for enterprises. We offer local professional services, superior delivery capabilities as well as exceptional customer experience and best practices through our global presence and extensive industry know-how, becoming a leading integrated intelligent ICT service provider to enterprise customers.For more information, please visit www.citictel-cpc.comMedia Contacts:Catherine YuenCITIC Telecom CPC(852) 2170 7536Email: catherine.yuen@citictel-cpc.comSource: CITIC Telecom CPCCopyright 2025 ACN Newswire . All rights reserved. Gcore, the global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider, today announced a major update to Everywhere Inference, formerly known as Inference at the Edge. This update offers greater flexibility in AI inference deployments, delivering ultra-low latency experiences for AI applications. Everywhere Inference now supports multiple deployment options including on-premise, Gcore's cloud, public clouds, or a hybrid mix of these environments. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116487759/en/ Everywhere Inference leverages Gcore's extensive global network of over 180 points of presence, enabling real-time processing, instant deployment, and seamless performance across the globe (Graphic: Business Wire) Gcore developed this update to its inference solution to address changing customer needs. With AI inference workloads growing rapidly, Gcore aims to empower businesses with flexible deployment options tailored to their individual requirements. Everywhere Inference leverages Gcore's extensive global network of over 180 points of presence, enabling real-time processing, instant deployment, and seamless performance across the globe. Businesses can now deploy AI inference workloads across diverse environments while ensuring ultra-low latency by processing workloads closer to end users. It also enhances cost management and simplifies regulatory compliance across regions, offering a comprehensive and adaptable approach to modern AI challenges. Seva Vayner, Product Director of Edge Cloud and Edge AI at Gcore, commented: "The update to Everywhere Inference marks a significant milestone in our commitment to enhancing the AI inference experience and addressing evolving customer needs. The flexibility and scalability of Everywhere Inference make it an ideal solution for businesses of all sizes, from startups to large enterprises." The new update enhances deployment flexibility by introducing smart routing, which automatically directs workloads to the nearest available compute resource. Additionally, Everywhere Inference now offers multi-tenancy for AI workloads, leveraging Gcore's unique multi-tenancy capabilities to run multiple inference tasks simultaneously on existing infrastructure. This approach optimizes resource utilization for greater efficiency. These new features address common challenges faced by businesses deploying AI inference. Balancing multiple cloud providers and on-premises systems for operations and compliance can be complex. The introduction of smart routing enables users to direct workloads to their preferred region, helping them stay compliant with local data regulations and industry standards. Data security is another key concern and with Gcore's new flexible deployment options, businesses can securely isolate sensitive information on-premise, enhancing data protection. Learn more at https://gcore.com/everywhere-inference. About Gcore Gcore is a global edge AI, cloud, network, and security solutions provider. Headquartered in Luxembourg, with a team of 600 operating from ten offices worldwide, Gcore provides solutions to global leaders in numerous industries. Gcore manages its global IT infrastructure across six continents, with one of the best network performances in Europe, Africa, and LATAM due to the average response time of 30 ms worldwide. Gcore's network consists of 180 points of presence worldwide in reliable Tier IV and Tier III data centers, with a total network capacity exceeding 200 Tbps. Learn more at gcore.com and follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116487759/en/ Contacts: Gcore press contact pr@gcore.com PR agency contact gcore@aspectusgroup.com Group photo of Mitsubishi Power and MHI team at IKTVA event Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, Jan 16, 2025 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Power, a power solutions brand of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI), underscored its commitment to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at Saudi Aramco In-Kingdom Total Value Add (IKTVA) Forum, which is held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz Al Saud this week in Dammam at the Dhahran Expo.As a Platinum Sponsor of the 2025 edition of IKTVA, Mitsubishi Power is showcasing its advances in power generation technology innovation, localization, and sustainability in the Kingdom, aligned with Saudi Vision 2030.This comes as Mitsubishi Power has considerably grown its presence in the Kingdom this year with the recent order it received for its state-of-the-art M501JAC combined-cycle (CCGT) hydrogen-ready power generation solutions for a new 475 MW industrial steam and electricity plant located at the Saudi Aramco Total Refining and Petrochemical Company (SATORP) Strategic SATORP petrochemical complex in Jubail, in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, which is expected to house one of the largest mixed-load steam crackers in the Gulf region.Commenting on the occasion of the event, Adel Al-Juraid, Chief Executive Officer of Mitsubishi Power Saudi Arabia, remarked: "Mitsubishi Power is honored to bring our industry-leading and best in-class Japanese technology solutions and services to the Kingdom, to power its bold and ambitious vision and economic goals for its people. The Kingdom is moving forward at a rapid pace to establish itself as a vital sustainable energy hub for the world and we will be alongside it, building on our long and successful heritage in the country to support its power needs. As electricity demand soars exponentially, we will continue to deliver our reliable, high-efficiency, and clean technology solutions that deliver uninterrupted power for utilities and industries, while reducing emissions to meet our shared climate goals."In line with Saudi Aramco and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's growing focus on localization, the Mitsubishi Power heavy duty gas turbine will be assembled in the Kingdom at the Mitsubishi Power Saudi Arabia's assembly facility in Dammam. One of the world's leading gas turbines in reliability, with combined efficiency rate of more than 64%, Mitsubishi Power's JAC gas turbines are equipped to blend hydrogen with natural gas, ensuring a stable low-carbon power supply and supporting Saudi Arabia's industrial growth, sustainability targets and stringent efficiency standards imposed by the Saudi Energy Efficiency Centre.As part of Mitsubishi Power's Saudi National program, which provides Saudi talent with rewarding careers pathways at the company, over 50% of Mitsubishi Power employees in Saudi Arabia are Saudi nationals, both male and female. They benefit from advanced technical skills for the energy sector, which they gain through on the job training and knowledge exchange programs both in Saudi Arabia and in Japan.Adel Al-Juraid added: "At Mitsubishi Power, we are proud to contribute to Saudi Vision 2030 by harnessing the talent of young Saudis, both male and female and empowering them with the skills that will shape them into the leaders of Saudi Arabia's energy industry in the future. With the localization of our assembly operations in the Kingdom for our most cutting-edge gas turbines globally, this year marks a new chapter in our 60-year journey of partnership with the Kingdom and we are committed to continue our support over the next six decades towards a clean and sustainable energy future for the Kingdom.Mitsubishi Power's cutting edge power and digital solutions that reflect the company's leadership in advanced technologies, including hydrogen-fueled gas turbines, ensuring cleaner and more efficient energy systems, were on display at Mitsubishi Power booth P108 at IKTVA, located in the Central Atrium between Halls 5 and 6.Visitors could view the company's innovations which align with Saudi Vision 2030's objectives of sustainability, industrial growth, and localization and Saudi Green Initiative's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions through the circular carbon economy, while addressing the challenges of increasing energy demand from sectors like AI, data centers, and manufacturing.With a rich heritage in Saudi Arabia spanning over fifty years, Mitsubishi Power works with key energy stakeholders including the Ministry of Energy, Saudi Aramco, the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC). The company began operations in Saudi Arabia with its first supply of boilers to Aramco in Abqaiq in the 1960s and has since been active in power projects with major utilities and industrial companies in the Kingdom.For more information about Mitsubishi Power and its innovations in the energy sector, please visit:https://power.mhi.com/regions/mena/Source: Mitsubishi PowerCopyright 2025 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. SHENZHEN, China, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Recently, Huawei held the conference on the Top Ten Trends of Data Center Facility 2025. At the conference, Yao Quan, President of Data Center Facility Domain, explained the top ten trends with an aim to inject new impetus into the development of the data center (DC) industry in the AI era, gain insights into the transformation, and lead the leapfrog development of the industry. As stated by Yao Quan, DCs have shifted from general-purpose computing power to intelligent computing power thanks to the continuous innovations in AI foundation model technologies. Server performance and power have been improved greatly, and the construction of clusters with 1,000 GPUs, 10,000 GPUs, and 100,000 GPUs has become the norm. The DC industry is embraced with unprecedented development opportunities and also facing challenges in the areas of reliability, high power, high electricity demand, and uncertainty. Based on in-depth insights and long-term practices, Huawei has released the top ten trends of Data Center Facility 2025 centering on reliability, flexibility, and sustainable development. This is in an effort to share its insights and thoughts on AI DC facilities, build a highly reliable computing base, and power the digital era forward. Trend 1: Reliability Becomes the Primary Core Requirement of Intelligent Computing DCs Safety is the top priority to DC construction compared with the cost. In particular, the value of AI devices surges and the fault domain scope continues to expand in the intelligent computing era, making reliability the primary core requirement of intelligent computing DCs. DC reliability is essentially the reliability throughout the lifecycle, covering components, products, architecture, services, and O&M. A DC with low reliability will bring about a higher operation cost. To achieve low costs in a real sense, reliability must be ensured. Trend 2: The Isolated Architecture Is the Best Choice for Ensuring the Reliability of Intelligent Computing Facilities The power density of intelligent computing centers keeps going up. Electrical equipment is usually characterized with high voltage and large current, and it is critical to ensure its secure and reliable operation. Remote deployment of electrical equipment of DCs is preferred to ensure stable service running. In addition, electrical equipment, if deployed in the main equipment room, must be isolated from the main services and deployed in a standard manner. The fire resistance duration, water fire extinguishing, emergency ventilation, and one-click power-off requirements must be taken into account to minimize service impacts. Trend 3: Uninterrupted Cooling Is the Mandatory Capability for High-density Intelligent Computing In the AI era, air-liquid coexistence is a long-term process. Liquid cooling is an inevitable trend and uninterrupted cooling will become a mandatory capability for high-density intelligent computing. Uninterrupted cooling means zero cooling interruption when the DC is running properly and quick cooling recovery in case of exceptions. By doing so, DCs can run stably. Trend 4: AI Will Significantly Improve Proactive Security in DC Operation and Maintenance With AI technologies, faults such as power failures, fires, and high temperatures in DCs can be accurately prevented. This facilitates a shift from passive response to active maintenance and enables us to identify potential risks in advance, significantly improving DC reliability. Trend 5: Professional Services Are Solid Guarantee for the Reliability of DC Operation A DC usually has a service life of 10 to 15 years and maintenance is a more determining factor than equipment in the entire lifecycle of the DC. Professional services hold the key to the long-term and reliable running of the DC. No potential risks are left during deployment through professional deployment and full-process management of the DC delivery. On top of that, AI technologies are introduced to implement predictive maintenance instead of fault response, ensuring DC reliability throughout the lifecycle. Trend 6: Modular Architecture Is the Key to Cope With the Uncertainty of AI DC Requirements A modular architecture is required for AI DCs to flexibly address the uncertainty of AI DC requirements. A modular architecture features standardized equipment rooms, modular functions, and decoupled electromechanical devices, which can ensure on-demand deployment and elastic scaling of core subsystems and flexible adaptability to future service evolution. Take the Wuhu DC in China as an example. Adopting the modular architecture, the DC is delivered within three months and supports elastic scaling in the future. Trend 7: Subsystem Prefabrication Is an Effective Method for Fast AI DC Delivery Prefabrication provides greater production efficiency. DCs that house prefabricated subsystems can better meet the requirements of AI services in terms of elasticity and quick rollout. Subsystem prefabrication is not simple assembly but solution productization. It has to go through professional design, simulation, testing, and automatic tooling to ensure the product delivery quality. Besides, the onsite construction workload is cut by 90% through factory prefabrication and pre-commissioning, greatly shortening the delivery period and providing guarantee for fast and high-quality delivery of AI DCs. Trend 8: The High Efficiency of Power Supply is More and More Valuable in AI DCs High-density and high-computing scenarios pose tough challenges for heat dissipation. From air cooling to liquid cooling, power supply efficiency becomes a major factor in energy efficiency. To look at power supply efficiency of DCs, focus should be given to the power supply efficiency of the parallel system instead of that of a single device and to architecture innovation. For example, the UPS can have a high efficiency of 99.1% and implement 0 ms switchover between modes when working in super economy control operation (S-ECO) mode. Trend 9: AI Enables the Improvement of Comprehensive Energy Efficiency in DCs In addition to improving power supply and cooling efficiency, AI technologies can contribute more to enabling the linkage between layers 1 and 2. There are millions of optimization parameters in the air-liquid cooling scenario, exponentially complicating the optimization. To achieve the optimal cooling effect, the AI energy efficiency optimization technology can be used to replace traditional manual optimization. The application of AI technologies makes DCs more energy-saving and energy-efficient. Trend 10: Computing-electricity Collaboration Will Become a New Mode of DC Construction Computing power holds the key to AI, and electricity is essential for computing power. As the energy consumption of DCs keeps increasing, direct green power supply will be a solution to reducing energy consumption for DCs. In addition, as the load link of power generation-grid-load-storage integration, DCs can be linked with the power grid to improve the grid usage efficiency (GUE) through frequency regulation and peak shaving. DCs can flexibly schedule loads based on AI training and inference requirements to achieve overall optimal efficiency. Looking to the future, synergy between computing and energy will serve as a new mode for constructing DCs, boosting sustainable development of DCs. In the AI era, Huawei Data Center Facility will focus on quality and technological innovation to build a highly reliable, flexible, and sustainable power supply solution for intelligent computing centers, help customers and partners seize intelligent computing opportunities, and maximize the output of every watt in an effort to power the digital era forward. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2597552/image.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/powering-the-digital-era-forward--huawei-releases-top-ten-trends-of-data-center-facility-2025-302352983.html The company has signed a long-term purchase agreement for solar gasoline with AMAG Group, which will purchase 50,000 liters of solar gasoline per year from Synhelion's RISE plant in Spain starting in 2027. From pv magazine Spain Synhelion, a Swiss company that claims to be a global pioneer in the field of sustainable solar fuels, has developed a technology to produce next-generation synthetic fuels from solar energy. Carmen Murer, a spokesperson for Synhelion, explained the process to pv magazine: "We use solar heat directly, without the need to convert it into electricity. A field of heliostats ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - More than 45 people were killed in Israeli air strikes in Gaza after a ceasefire deal was announced Wednesday, reports quoting the Hamas-run Civil Defence agency said.Shells fired by the Israeli military planes hit two residential blocks near the coastal neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan, in the Al-Rimal neighborhood, and in the central Al-Daraj quarter.After many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire and hostage-release deal Wednesday. This deal calls for ending the fighting in Gaza, the release of the first batch of Israeli hostages held by Hamas in return for the release of Palestinians held in Israel's jails.The three-phase truce agreement, which is set to come into force Sunday, is subject to approval by Israel's cabinet.The Cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held Thursday.US President Joe Biden expressed hope that the second phase of talks could include 'a permanent end of the war.'Israel claims to have nearly reached its target of eliminating Hamas in retaliation against the October 7, 2023, attacks as key Hamas leaders have been killed in the more than 15 months-old war in the Palestinian enclave.Tens of thousands of people have been killed and several thousands are missing in Gaza, the majority of them women and children.Palestinian militants took more than 250 hostages in southern Israel, many of whom have died in custody.United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the UN stands ready to support the implementation of the deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief.'It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support,' he said, warning that 'the humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels.''I urge the parties and all relevant partners to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis, and the broader region,' he said, while speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters.He highlighted the need to end the occupation and achieve a negotiated two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Development of an Integrated Production Line for Bauxite, Alumina, and Gallium Investment Plan of 295.5 million Total Annual Production Capacity of1,265,000 tonnes of alumina, 50 MT of Gallium, and ~2 million tonnes of bauxite Full substitution of Gallium imports in Europe Improvement of Greece's trade balance through increased exports ATHENS, Greece , Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- METLEN Energy & Metals (METLEN) announces that the Metallurgy Committee, in a joint session with the Capital Allocation Committee, made the Final Investment Decision (FID) today, January 16, 2025, to proceed with the implementation of a new large-scale investment in the production of bauxite, alumina, and Gallium. This landmark project, to be implemented in Agios Nikolaos, Viotia, within the historic "Aluminium of Greece" plant, represents a milestone in the history of the Metallurgy Sector. It will significantly enhance the production capacity while incorporating Gallium into industrial production for the first time, a critical material for Europe's future. The 295.5 million investment plan aims to achieve a total production capacity of 2 million tonnes of bauxite (annually), 1,265,000 tonnes of alumina (up from 865,000 tonnes currently), and 50 MT of Gallium for the first time. All three materials are included in the European Union's list of Critical Raw Materials (CRMs). The total capital expenditure (Capex) includes the following investments: Development of research and new bauxite mining deposits, Construction of new facilities and procurement of mechanical equipment for Gallium production, New facilities and equipment for the expansion and modernization of alumina production capacity, Energy supply infrastructure for the industrial unit, Port expansion and upgrades, Other road infrastructure and flood protection projects, Evangelos Mytilineos, Chairman and CEO of METLEN, commented: The decision by METLEN to proceed with the implementation of a new, landmark industrial investment in the production of bauxite, alumina and Gallium, strengthens Europe's self-sufficiency in critical raw materials and bolsters Greece's strategic position on the global landscape. Moreover, it shields the European industry from external dependencies. We are proving our commitment to innovation, sustainable development, and circular economy, while reaffirming METLEN's role as a leader in the transition toward greener and more resilient industrial production. Specifically for Gallium, it should be noted that it is a by-product of certain qualities of bauxite (including Greek bauxite) during the refining process into alumina, with its production being almost entirely concentrated in China. However, China's decision to impose export restrictions on Gallium (July 2023) highlighted the West's vulnerability and the need to diversify supply sources. METLEN's investment enables Europe to completely substitute Gallium imports, significantly bolstering its strategic autonomy and minimizing reliance on external suppliers. This autonomy is crucial for reducing dependence on third countries and ensuring the production of critical technologies across various sectors, from energy transition to defence. For instance, Gallium is essential for: a) Integrated Circuits (IC) used in computing and telecoms, b) Light emitting diodes (LED) and c) Permanent magnets etc. The production of these three critical materials-valued at approximately 1 billion-will be exported to European and North American markets. This state-of-the-art investment will also introduce new environmentally friendly technologies, reducing the facility's carbon footprint. In addition, through critical synergies with METLEN's Energy Sector, energy costs will become completely sustainable. METLEN has submitted the investment project under Greece's Strategic Investments Law. The investment also meets the criteria of the "Temporary Crisis and Transition Framework" (TCTF), aimed at supporting the economy in the aftermath of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Furthermore, the project recently received the European Commission's STEP SEAL (so called "Sovereignty Seal"), recognizing its significant contribution to the EU's self-sufficiency in critical raw materials (CRM). METLEN is committed to keeping investors informed of the project's progress. Completion of the works and production start-up is scheduled for 2026 for bauxite, with alumina and Gallium production beginning gradually from 2027 and full-scale operation by 2028. METLEN: METLEN Energy & Metals - evolution of MYTILINEOS Energy & Metals - is a multinational industrial and energy company, a leader in the metallurgy and energy industries, focused on sustainability and circular economy. The Company is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, with a consolidated turnover and EBITDA of 5.492 billion and 1.014 billion, respectively. METLEN is a reference point for competitive green metallurgy at the European and global level, whilst operating the only vertically integrated bauxite, alumina and primary aluminum production unit in the European Union (E.U.) with privately owned port facilities. In the energy sector, METLEN offers comprehensive solutions, covering thermal and renewable energy projects, electricity distribution and trading, alongside investments in grid infrastructure, battery storage, and other green technologies. The Company is active in the markets of all five continents, in 40 countries, adopting a full-scale synergetic model between the Metallurgy and Energy Sectors, while undertaking end-to-end development of major energy infrastructure projects. For more information, please visit:www.metlengroup.com | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | LinkedIn If you no longer wish to receive Press Releases and Updates from METLEN, click here. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2430163/Metlen_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/new-large-scale-mining-metallurgical-and-industrial-investment-by-metlen-amounting-to-295-5-million-302353036.html ES Foundry, a U. S. -owned cell manufacturer based in South Carolina, secured its first contract with top-tier solar module maker. From pv magazine USA ES Foundry, a US-owned solar cell producer, has secured its first gigawatt-plus, multi-year contract with a top-tier solar module manufacturer. The cell manufacturer started production this month at its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in South Carolina and the customer will receive its first shipment in February, Alex Zhu, the founder and CEO of ES Foundry, told pv magazine USA. ES Foundry said the partnership is with a top-tier module ... Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - K2 Gold Corporation (TSXV: KTO) (OTCQB: KTGDF) (FSE: 23K) ("K2" or the "Company") today announced the signing of an agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Si2 Project in Nevada, USA, from Orogen Royalties Inc. (TSXV: OGN) ("Orogen"), as well as the results of an alteration study completed on drill core from the Si2 Gold Project. Si2 hosts an early-stage epithermal gold system within the Walker Lane Trend which K2 believes represents a strong exploration analogue to the recent 13.3Moz Silicon discovery. Highlights The alteration study determined that an intact low sulphidation epithermal gold system is present on the Si2 property, with the most prospective horizons occurring within and adjacent to fault structures below the depth of current drilling. The alteration mineralogy indicates potential for higher-tenor gold mineralization slightly deeper than the current extent of drilling. K2 will acquire a 100% interest in Si2 by paying C$250,000 in cash or common shares of K2, at the discretion of K2. Orogen will retain a 2% net smelter return ("NSR") royalty. The Agreement follows on from the now terminated Option Agreement between Orogen and K2 (January 19, 2022) whereby K2 made cash payments to Orogen totaling US$200,000 and incurred over C$2.3 million in exploration expenditures. (The common shares issued pursuant to the Agreement are subject to the regulatory approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.) "The results of this study confirm that the southern targets at Si2 host a typical low-sulphidation epithermal alteration assemblage but suggest that we did not test deep enough in this portion of the system. The encouraging alteration and increasing gold values intersected at relatively shallow depths leave us with highly prospective follow up targets beneath and along strike of the extent of our 2023 drilling. Fully acquiring the Si2 Project allows us the flexibility to advance the project at our own pace as we approach the final steps in permitting at K2's flagship Mojave Project," stated Anthony Margarit, K2's President and CEO. Alteration Survey Results Samples were collected approximately every 25m along the length of each of the 2023 diamond drill holes, which were drilled in the AOI 1 and AOI2 target areas at the project. The samples were submitted to a Reno-based consultant who analysed each sample by hand and Shortwave Infrared ("SWIR") mineral analyzer to characterise the alteration assemblage present in the drilled area. A total of 108 spectral analyses were completed on 95 samples using a FieldSpec Pro spectroradiometer. Figure 1: Alteration schematic developed from the results of the alteration study. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6578/237353_5e34678fe439db72_002full.jpg Figure 2: Schematic of the zoned alteration model of a typical low sulphidation epithermal gold system, from Hedenquist et al., 2000. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6578/237353_5e34678fe439db72_003full.jpg The alteration defined by the study shows an irregular progression from shallow, near-surface steam-heated alunite and kaolinite/dickite downward into smectite, followed by illite-smectite, illite, and illite-chlorite. Silicified zones and minor quartz veining were observed in the core of the drilled area, and possible adularia was noted in an interval in hole SD-23-001. Variations in the amount and presence of illite observed in the core of the drilled area beneath the steam-altered cap may represent proximity to fluid flow zones, and anomalous gold appears to coincide with areas of illite-quartz adularia alteration. This is best observed in holes SD-23-001 and SD-23-002, which drilled into the AOI1.5 fault: a normal fault which juxtaposes smectite altered latite against quartz-illite adularia altered dacite and rhyolite. The fault hosts an approximately 6m thick interval of quartz veining intersected at 200m vertical depth. The highest tenor gold mineralization intersected in the drilling occurs slightly deeper than and adjacent to this vein and fault, suggesting the same structure, as well as additional faults noted closer to surface in the 2023 drilling, may be prospective when intersected at a deeper level. Additional Work The alteration study demonstrates that an intact low sulphidation epithermal gold system is present on the Si2 property, with the most prospective horizons occurring within and adjacent to normal fault structures below the depth of current drilling. Key targets for follow up work include: Immediately down-dip and along strike of the quartz veining and gold mineralization intersected in hole SD-23-001. Similar structural targets at depths >250m below surface at the AOI3, AOI4, and AOI5 target areas, which remain undrilled. Ongoing work at the Si2 Gold Project includes age dating of the host rocks to better understand the geological context which hosts the alteration system, as well as petrographic and fluid inclusion analysis of thin sections collected from key intervals in holes SD-23-001 and 002. The Company intends to return to the Si2 Project in 2025 to enhance existing geological mapping, expand on the existing geophysical surveys and continue to refine drill targets for a future drill test. About the Si2 Gold Project The Si2 Gold Project is located in Esmeralda County, approximately 60km northwest of Tonopah, Nevada, and 20km northwest of Allegiant Gold's Eastside deposit (1.4Moz Au, 8.8 Moz Ag). The project is road accessible and consists of 118 BLM lode claims covering 986 Ha, 65 of which are under option from Orogen Royalties Inc. (TSXV: OGN). The claims cover an 8 km2 area of steam heated alunite-kaolinite-buddingtonite alteration within a sequence of felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks displaying brecciation and strongly anomalous mercury. K2's 2023 diamond drill program at the Si2 Project confirmed that the system is gold bearing. The project was initially identified using the same methods, and by the same exploration team that identified AngloGold Ashanti's 4.21 Moz Au Silicon project1 near Beatty, Nevada, and was staked based on its strong geological similarities to Silicon. https://reports.anglogoldashanti.com/23/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/AGA-RR23.pdf Qualified Person ("QP") The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with Canadian regulatory requirements set out in NI 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Eric Buitenhuis, M.Sc., P.Geo., K2's QP and Vice President of Exploration. About K2 Gold K2 is a proud member of Discovery Group and currently has three projects in Southwest USA and the Yukon. The Mojave Project is a 5,830-hectare oxide gold project with base metal targets located in Inyo County, California. Multiple previously recognized surface gold targets have been successfully drilled in the past, most notably by Newmont and BHP. Since acquiring the property, K2 has completed geochemical and geophysical surveys, geologic mapping, LiDAR, a WorldView 3 alteration survey, and successfully completed a 17-hole RC drill program focused on the Dragonfly and Newmont Zones. Highlights from K2's drilling program include 6.68 g/t Au over 45.72m from surface at the Dragonfly Zone, and 1.69 g/t Au over 41.15m from 44.20m depth at the Newmont Zone. The Wels Project lies approximately 40km east of the community of Beaver Creek and 60km south of Newmont Goldcorp's Coffee deposit discovered by Kaminak Gold Corporation (formerly a Discovery Group company prior to its acquisition by Goldcorp-Newmont). Both the Coffee project and the Wels project lie within the Tintina Gold Belt, share similar characteristics, and are host to structurally controlled gold mineralization within intrusive rocks exhibiting multiple trends of mineralization. K2's 2023 Reverse Circulation drilling program at the Wels Project intersected gold in every drill hole, including the discovery of a new mineralized corridor at the Saddle South target. The Wels land position consists of 350 contiguous quartz claims covering 7,200 hectares and lies within the traditional territory of White River First Nation. K2 is committed to transparency, accountability, environmental stewardship, safety, diversity, inclusion, and community and indigenous engagement. On behalf of the Board of Directors Anthony Margarit President and CEO K2 Gold Corporation is a member of Discovery Group based in Vancouver, Canada. For more information please visit: discoverygroup.ca. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements that are not historical facts. Forward- looking statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the exploration program at Si2, Wels, and Mojave, including results of drilling, and future exploration plans at Si2, Wels, and Mojave. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located, the Company's inability to obtain any necessary permits, consents or authorizations required for its planned activities, and the Company's inability to raise the necessary capital or to be fully able to implement its business strategies. The reader is referred to the Company's public disclosure record which is available on SEDAR (www.sedarplus.ca). Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except as required by securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. No securities of the Company have been or will, in the foreseeable future, be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237353 SOURCE: K2 Gold Corporation Los Angeles, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - OG DNA Genetics Inc. (the "Corporation") announced today the results of its substantial issuer bid (as varied and extended on November 8, 2028, December 2, 2024 and December 16, 2024, the "Offer") to purchase for cancellation from the holders thereof who chose to participate up to US$300,000 in value of its issued and outstanding common shares in the capital of the Corporation (the "Common Shares"). The Offer expired at 5:00 p.m. (Toronto time) on January 6, 2025. Based on the report of Odyssey Trust Company, as depositary for the Offer (the "Depositary"), an aggregate of 10,818,686 Common Shares were tendered to the Offer. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the Offer and based on the Depositary's report, the Corporation has taken up and will pay for 10,818,686 Common Shares at a purchase price of US$0.005 per Common Share for an aggregate purchase price of US$54,093.43. All Common Shares purchased by the Corporation under the Offer will be cancelled in due course. The Common Shares purchased under the Offer represent approximately 9.23% of the Common Shares issued and outstanding before giving effect to the Offer. After giving effect to the cancellation of the Common Shares purchased by the Corporation under the Offer, 106,381,244 Common Shares are expected to be issued and outstanding. The Corporation has proceeded to make payment for the Common Shares tendered and accepted for purchase by tendering to the Depositary the aggregate purchase price payable on the Common Shares validly tendered, taken up and paid for under the Offer, all in accordance with the Offer and applicable laws. Payment to shareholders for the Common Shares will be made in cash, without interest, and will be completed by the Depositary as soon as practicable. Any Common Shares invalidly tendered will be returned to the tendering shareholder promptly by the Depositary. The full details of the Offer are described in the Corporation's offer to purchase and issuer bid circular dated September 27, 2024, and the related letter of transmittal, as well as the related notices of variation and extension dated November 8, 2028, December 2, 2024, and December 16, 2024, copies of which were previously delivered and made available to shareholders of the Corporation. This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell any Common Shares. ABOUT OG DNA GENETICS INC. DNA was rooted in Los Angeles and founded in Amsterdam in 2004 by Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni. Over the last decade, the Corporation has built and curated a seasoned genetic library and developed proven standard operating procedures for genetic selection, breeding, and cultivation. In a world that is increasingly opening up to commercial cannabis activity, DNA is positioned to become the first, truly geographically-diversified company with multiple partnerships with top-licensed producers and brands that have built their companies and global presence utilizing the "Powered by DNA" model. For more information, please visit www.dnagenetics.com. Cautionary Statements Forward-looking statements are included in this news release. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of terms such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "may", "plan", "predict", "project", "will", "would", and "should" and similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions. Such statements may involve but are not limited to, the Corporation's plans, objectives, expectations and intentions, including statements with respect to the cancellation of Common Shares purchased under the Offer and the number of Common Shares issued and outstanding after giving effect to such cancellation, the timing of payment to be completed by the Depositary, and other comments with respect to future actions. Forward-looking statements, by their nature, are based on assumptions and are subject to important risks and uncertainties. Any forecasts, predictions or forward-looking statements cannot be relied upon due to, among other things, changing external events and general uncertainties of the business and its corporate structure. Results indicated in forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results for a number of reasons. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to change. However, the Corporation disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required under applicable securities regulations. This news release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to buy or the solicitation of an offer to sell any securities of the Corporation. The solicitation and the offer to purchase common shares of the Corporation will only be made pursuant to the formal offer to purchase and issuer bid circular and other related documents. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237391 SOURCE: OG DNA Genetics Inc. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that it filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines for illegally operating multiple chronically delayed flights and disrupting passengers' travel.DOT filed the lawsuit against Southwest jointly with the Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, seeking maximum civil penalties.Operating chronically delayed flights is an unrealistic scheduling practice and can harm both passengers and fair competition across the airline industry.'As part of our commitment to supporting passenger rights and fairness in the market for airline travel, we are suing Southwest Airlines for disrupting passengers' travel with unlawful chronic flight delays,' said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. 'Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times. Today's action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections.'DOT's investigation found that Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights - one between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, Calif, and another between Baltimore, Md. and Cleveland, Ohio - that resulted in 180 flight disruptions for passengers between April and August 2022. Each flight was chronically delayed for five straight months.Regardless of the cause of the disruption for any specific flight, DOT rules provide airlines adequate time to fix their schedule after a flight becomes chronically delayed in order to avoid illegal unrealistic scheduling. Southwest failed to fix the chronically delayed flights, DOT said in a press release.DOT also took enforcement action against Frontier Airlines Wednesday for operating multiple chronically delayed flights. DOT fined Frontier $650,000 in civil penalties with $325,000 to be paid to the U.S. Treasury and the remaining $325,000 to be suspended if the carrier does not operate any chronically delayed flights in the next three years.Federal regulations prohibit airlines from promising flight schedules that do not reflect actual departure and arrival times.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX LONDON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- H.I.G. Capital ("H.I.G."), a leading global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management, is pleased to announce that one of its affiliates has invested in Intellego Education ("Intellego" or the "Company"), a European-focused owner and operator of private anglophonic schools. Intellego focuses on launching, repositioning, and operating leading independent schools in Europe. The Company provides the support, knowledge, and tools necessary to bring the best educational practices to each of its partner schools. The Company is led by experienced educationalists and operators who have managed more than 170 schools, including more than 30% of Europe's top-achieving IB schools. With this investment, Intellego is positioned to capitalize on the attractive tailwinds of the education sector and build a portfolio of highly selective partner schools across major European cities. Riccardo Dallolio, Managing Director and Head of H.I.G. Realty in Europe, commented, "We are delighted to complete this transaction which fits our strategy of investing in platforms with strong underlying secular trends. We are focused on building best-in-class businesses that can achieve critical mass, and our investment in Intellego adds to our current portfolio of platform investments which includes the storage & logistics, self-storage, healthcare, and hospitality sectors." Stelios Theodosiou, Managing Director at H.I.G. Realty in Europe, added, "Intellego represents a unique opportunity to enter the private K-12 space with a best-in-class management team, a team that truly offers a differentiated approach to education. We are excited to partner with Intellego to execute a growth strategy focused on creating a platform of unique, educationally excellent schools across continental Europe." Peter Burdon, CEO of Intellego, concluded, "Intellego seeks to be the partner of choice for exceptional schools that are committed to retaining their individual ethos. Building on H.I.G.'s extensive expertise in the European real estate space, we look forward to partnering with schools who share our vision and purpose." About H.I.G. Capital H.I.G. is a leading global alternative investment firm with $67 billion of capital under management.* Based in Miami, and with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco in the United States, as well as international affiliate offices in Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong, H.I.G. specializes in providing both debt and equity capital to middle market companies, utilizing a flexible and operationally focused/value-added approach: H.I.G.'s equity funds invest in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and corporate carve-outs of both profitable as well as underperforming manufacturing and service businesses. H.I.G.'s debt funds invest in senior, unitranche, and junior debt financing to companies across the size spectrum, both on a primary (direct origination) basis, as well as in the secondary markets. H.I.G. also manages a publicly traded BDC, WhiteHorse Finance. H.I.G.'s real estate funds invest in value-added properties, which can benefit from improved asset management practices. H.I.G. Infrastructure focuses on making value-add and core plus investments in the infrastructure sector. Since its founding in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed more than 400 companies worldwide. The Firm's current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with combined sales in excess of $53 billion. For more information, please refer to the H.I.G. website at hig.com. *Based on total capital raised by H.I.G. Capital and its affiliates. Contact: Riccardo Dallolio Managing Director rdallolio@hig.com Stelios Theodosiou Managing Director stheodosiou@hig.com H.I.G. Capital 10 Grosvenor Street 2nd Floor London W1K 4QB United Kingdom P +44 (0) 207 318 5700 hig.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2524016/HIG_Europe_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/hig-realty-invests-in-private-schools-owner-and-operator-intellego-education-302352311.html TSX:ORV TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Orvana Minerals Corp. (TSX: ORV) (the "Company" or "Orvana") is pleased to provide a progress update for construction and financing activities at Don Mario (Bolivia) and to report production and exploration updates for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 ("Q1 FY2025) ending December 31, 2024 from Orovalle (Spain). Don Mario - Oxides Stockpile Project The Company's Bolivian subsidiary, Empresa Minera Paititi, S.A. (EMIPA) has obtained key permits for the plant expansion at Don Mario and construction has commenced. Construction activities to-date have focused on site preparations and earthworks for the plant expansion area, including the concrete foundation work. Contracting and fabrication of structural steel, tanks and key process equipment is now underway. All activities are advancing on schedule and as of December 31, 2024, the project is approaching 3.5% completion. To-date, approximately 118,496 project hours have been worked and there have been no reportable injuries or environmental incidents. There are currently 150 construction personnel at site. Based on recent contractor and vendor quotations, the Company is updating capital cost estimates, and will provide updates when further material information becomes available. The Company expects to complete construction by the end of calendar year 2025, conditional on securing the remaining required balance of the funding during the first half of 2025. Further information about the project is contained in the Company's technical report dated March 15, 2022 entitled "National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report for the Don Mario Property, Eastern Bolivia," which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ and on the Company's website. Juan Gavidia, CEO of Orvana, commented, "We are pleased with progress through the first quarter of construction. The project is on track for commercial production by early 2026, which will be a transformative event for our Company." Orovalle - Q1 FY2025 Production Results 7,631 gold ounces produced, on track to meet fiscal year 2025 guidance of 37,000 - 41,000 Oz. 1.1 million copper pounds produced, on track to meet fiscal year 2025 guidance of 2,400 - 2,700 K lbs. Q1 FY2025 Q4 FY2024 Q1 FY2024 FY 2025 Guidance Ore milled (tones) 118,649 139,275 130,267 Gold equivalent (oz)(1) 9,694 11,862 9,550 Gold Grade (g/t) 2.16 2.39 2.09 Recovery (%) 92.7 92.5 91.5 Production (oz) 7,631 9,888 7,994 37,000 - 41,000 Copper Grade (%) 0.48 0.41 0.32 Recovery (%) 85.5 75.4 76.3 Production (K lbs) 1,068 961 702 2,400 - 2,700 Silver Grade (g/t) 10.78 8.90 6.77 Recovery (%) 81.0 75.0 72.0 Production (oz) 33,306 29,864 20,393 (1) Gold Equivalent Ounces ("GEO") were calculated using the following average market prices: Q1 FY2025: _$2,661.61/oz Au, $31.34/oz Ag, $4.16/lb Cu Q4 FY2024: _$2,476.80/oz Au, $29.42/oz Ag, $4.17/lb Cu Q1 FY2024: _$1,975.87/oz Au, $23.23/oz Ag, $3.71/lb Cu GEO is a Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measure. For further information and detailed reconciliations, please see the "Non-GAAP Financial Performance Measures" section of the Company's FY2024 MD&A. Orovalle - Q1 FY2025 Drilling Update Drilled Meters Infill Brownfield Greenfield TOTAL El Valle Boinas Area 208 (A2) 1,042 1,436 - 2,478 Breccia East (BX) 330 - - 330 Ortosa-Godan - - 497 497 TOTAL 1,372 1,436 497 3,304 El Valle Boinas The drilling program in Q1 FY2025 was focused on Area 208, oxide orebody, to continue defining new inferred resources and targeting to convert inferred resources into indicated resources. Area 208 structure is located into limestone in deeper levels, dipping to the east. Mineralization in the sections drilled is related with porphyry dikes which are intersected by faults and it has an important width below 300 level. Oxide skarn, massive sulphides, polymictic breccias, fault zones and silicified zones were intersected with the drill holes providing interesting intersections. In particular, drill hole 24A21957 intercepted 80.9 meters with 8.36 g/t Au (see full list of intercepts in Figure 1). The structure remains open at deeper levels to the east. Drilling program in the second quarter will continue focused on Area 208. Ortosa-Godan Ortosa-Godan Project is located three kilometers northwest of our Carles mine, and within the same gold belt. The exploration program is focused on Godan where the last drilling program proved the presence of mineralization in the contact between the intrusive and sedimentary rocks with calcic skarn bands dipping 60-70 ESE over 200 meters of strike potential. Current drilling program was started at the end of October. First drill hole continues in progress and it is expected that will be completed by the end of January. Target is to extend skarn mineralization 200 m deeper. According to current drilling information and based on the dip and mineralization of the skarn, there is a potential connection with Carles skarn. Quality Control Greenfield drill hole samples were sent to an external laboratory (ALS Laboratory) for analyses. Infill and brownfield drill holes samples were analyzed in Orovalle's Laboratory. Sample preparation was carried out at the El Valle facility. All diamond core samples have been prepared using the following procedure, once split: The core samples are dried at a temperature of 105C and then crushed through a jaw crusher to 70%<6 mm. The coarse-crushed sample is further reduced to 70%<425 microns using an LM5 bowl-and-puck pulverizer. An Essa rotary splitter is used to take a 450 g to 550 g sub-sample of each split for pulverizing. The remaining reject portion is bagged and stored. The sample is reduced by 85% to a nominal -200 mesh using an LM2 bowl-and-puck pulverizer. 150 g sub-samples are split using a special vertical-sided scoop to cut channels through the sample which has been spread into a pancake on a sampling mat. Samples are then sent to the laboratory for gold and base metal analysis. Leftover pulp is bagged and stored. After sample preparation, 30g samples are analyzed for Au by fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) finish and one-gram samples for Ag, As, Bi, Cu, Hg, Pb, Sb, Se, and Zn by ICP-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) after an aqua regia digestion. For A208 core samples is used a 1000 g sub-sample of each split and 250 g sub-samples are split. 50 g samples are twice analyzed. In case of the twice analysis don't match, a metalling screening method is used to confirm the grade. In case of the samples sent to an external laboratory, 30 g samples are analyzed for Au by fire assay with an atomic absorption (Au AA-25) and 35 elements by ICP (ME-ICP41) after an aqua regia digestion. When Au and Ag values are >100 ppm and Cu and As values are >10,000 ppm, specific analysis methods are used to determinate the final grade. The reported work has been completed using industry standard procedures, including a quality assurance/quality control ("QA/QC") program consisting of the insertion of certified reference material, blanks and duplicates samples into the sample stream. The exploration update was prepared under the supervision of Guadalupe Collar Menendez, a qualified person for the purposes of NI 43-101 and an employee of Orovalle Minerals S.L., a subsidiary of Orvana Financial Performance & FY2025 Guidance: Q1 FY2025 financial highlights will be released with the first quarter financials, expected mid-February, 2025. ABOUT ORVANA - Orvana is a multi-mine gold-copper-silver company. Orvana's assets consist of the producing El Valle and Carles gold-copper-silver mines in northern Spain, the Don Mario gold-silver property in Bolivia, and the Taguas property located in Argentina. Additional information is available at Orvana's website (www.orvana.com). Cautionary Statements - Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this presentation constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws ("forward-looking statements"). Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, potentials, future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "believes", "expects", "plans", "estimates" or "intends" or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", "will", "are projected to" or "confident of" be taken or achieved) are not statements of historical fact, but are forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements herein relate to, among other things, Orvana's ability to achieve improvement in free cash flow; the ability to maintain expected mining rates and expected throughput rates at El Valle Plant; the potential to extend the mine life of El Valle and Don Mario beyond their current life-of-mine estimates including specifically, but not limited to, Orvana's ability to optimize its assets to deliver shareholder value; estimates of future production (including without limitation, production guidance), operating costs and capital expenditures; mineral resource and reserve estimates; statements and information regarding future feasibility studies and their results; future transactions; future metal prices; the ability to achieve additional growth and geographic diversification; and future financial performance, including the ability to increase cash flow and profits; future financing requirements; mine development plans; the possibility of the conversion of inferred mineral resources to mineral reserves; and Orovalle's ability to finalize the definitive Collective Bargain Agreement. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies, which includes, without limitation, as particularly set out in the notes accompanying the Company's most recently filed financial statements. The estimates and assumptions of the Company contained or incorporated by reference in this news release, which may prove to be incorrect, include, but are not limited to the various assumptions set forth herein and in Orvana's most recently filed Management's Discussion & Analysis and Annual Information Form in respect of the Company's most recently completed fiscal year (the "Company Disclosures") or as otherwise expressly incorporated herein by reference as well as: there being no significant disruptions affecting operations, whether due to labour disruptions, supply disruptions, power disruptions, damage to equipment or otherwise; permitting, development, operations, expansion and acquisitions at El Valle, Don Mario and Taguas being consistent with the Company's current expectations; political developments in any jurisdiction in which the Company operates being consistent with its current expectations; certain price assumptions for gold, copper and silver; prices for key supplies being approximately consistent with current levels; production and cost of sales forecasts meeting expectations; the accuracy of the Company's current mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; labour and materials costs increasing on a basis consistent with Orvana's current expectations; and the availability of necessary funds to execute the Company's plan. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, this news release also contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including, without limitation, references to the results of the Company's exploration activities, including but not limited to, drilling results and analyses, mineral resource estimation, conceptual mine plan and operations, internal rate of return, sensitivities, taxes, net present value, potential recoveries, design parameters, operating costs, capital costs, production data and economic potential; the timing and costs for production decisions; permitting timelines and requirements; exploration and planned exploration programs; and the Company's general objectives and strategies. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company's control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: the potential impact of global health and global economic conditions on the Company's business and operations, including: our ability to continue operations; and our ability to manage challenges presented by such conditions; the general economic, political and social impacts of the continuing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, our ability to support the sustainability of our business including through the development of crisis management plans, increasing stock levels for key supplies, monitoring of guidance from the medical community, and engagement with local communities and authorities; fluctuations in the price of gold, silver and copper; the need to recalculate estimates of resources based on actual production experience; the failure to achieve production estimates; variations in the grade of ore mined; variations in the cost of operations; the availability of qualified personnel; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain all necessary regulatory approvals and licenses; Orovalle's ability to complete the permitting process of the El Valle Tailings Storage Facility increasing the storage capacity; Orovalle's ability to complete the stabilization project of the legacy open pit wall; the Company's ability to use cyanide in its mining operations; risks generally associated with mineral exploration and development, including the Company's ability to continue to operate the El Valle and/or ability to resume operations at the Carles Mine; the Company's ability to successfully implement an acid leaching circuit and ancillary facilities to process the current oxides stockpiles at Don Mario; the Company's ability to successfully carry out development plans at Taguas; sufficient funding to carry out exploration and development plans at Taguas and to process the oxides stockpiles at Don Mario; EMIPA's ability to finalize the OSP financial model and subsequently complete the required funding for the OSP; the Company's ability to acquire and develop mineral properties and to successfully integrate such acquisitions; the Company's ability to execute on its strategy; the Company's ability to obtain financing when required on terms that are acceptable to the Company; challenges to the Company's interests in its property and mineral rights; current, pending and proposed legislative or regulatory developments or changes in political, social or economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; general economic conditions worldwide; the challenges presented by global health conditions; fluctuating operational costs such as, but not limited to, power supply costs; current and future environmental matters; and the risks identified in the Company's disclosures. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements and reference should also be made to the Company's Disclosures for a description of additional risk factors. Any forward-looking statements made herein with respect to the anticipated development and exploration of the Company's mineral projects are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions and, except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements should assumptions related to these plans, estimates, projections, beliefs and opinions change. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements made in this information are intended to provide an overview of management's expectations with respect to certain future operating activities of the Company and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599658/Orvana_Minerals_Corp__ORVANA_PROVIDES_CONSTRUCTION_UPDATE_FOR_DO.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599656/Orvana_Minerals_Corp__ORVANA_PROVIDES_CONSTRUCTION_UPDATE_FOR_DO.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/orvana-provides-construction-update-for-don-mario-bolivia-and-reports-q1-fy2025-production-from-orovalle-spain-302352849.html Regarding Filing Draft Response Document Prepared by Exclusive Networks in Response to the Draft Offer Document Relating to the Simplified Tender Offer on Its Shares Initiated by Etna French Bidco Regulatory News: Exclusive Networks (Paris:EXN): This press release does not constitute a tender offer. The offer described below and the draft response document remain subject to review by the French financial market authority. Translation for information purposes only In case of discrepancy between the French and English version, the French version shall prevail. This press release was prepared and published by Exclusive Networks on 16 January 2025 pursuant to Article 231-26 of the general regulation of the French financial market authority (Autorite des Marches Financiers) (the "AMF The draft offer, the draft offer document and the draft response document remain subject to review by the AMF. IMPORTANT NOTICE Pursuant to Articles 231-19 and 261-1 et seq. of the general regulation of the AMF (the "AMF General Regulation"), the report prepared by Finexsi, acting as independent expert, is presented in the draft response document filed by Exclusive Networks with the AMF on 16 January 2025 (the "Draft Response Document The Draft Response Document is available on the websites of Exclusive Networks (www.exclusive-networks.com) and of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and may be obtained free of charge at: Exclusive Networks 20, quai du Point du Jour 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France In accordance with Article 231-28 of the AMF General Regulation, the information relating, in particular, to the legal, financial and accounting characteristics of Exclusive Networks will be filed with the AMF and made available to the public at the latest on the day preceding the opening of the offer. A press release will be published to inform the public about how this information may be obtained. 1. OVERVIEW OF THE KEY TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE OFFER 1.1. Overview of the Offer Pursuant to Title III of Book II and more specifically Articles 233-1 and 234-2 et seq. of the AMF General Regulation, Etna French Bidco, a simplified joint stock company (societe par actions simplifiee) with a share capital of EUR 108,272,026.16, having its registered office at 37, avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie 75008 Paris, registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Registry under number 930 705 991 ("Bidco" or the "Offeror") irrevocably offers to the shareholders of Exclusive Networks, a public limited company (societe anonyme) with a board of directors and a share capital of EUR 7,333,622.88, having its registered office at 20, Quai du Point du Jour 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, registered with the Nanterre Trade and Companies Registry under number 839 082 450 ("Exclusive Networks" or the "Company", and together with its directly or indirectly controlled subsidiaries, the "Group"), to acquire in cash all of their shares in the Company admitted to trading on compartment A of Euronext Paris regulated market ("Euronext Paris") under ISIN code FR0014005DA7, mnemonic "EXN" (the "Shares") that the Offeror does not directly or indirectly hold, in the context of a simplified mandatory tender offer (the "Offer") at a price of EUR 18.96 per Share (the "Offer Price")1 The Offeror is 100% owned by French Midco, which is 100% owned by French Topco, which is 100% owned by UK Midco, which is 7.74% owned by HTIVB and 92.26% owned by UK Topco, and UK Topco is 48.76% owned by CD&R Stratos and 51.24% owned by Everest (as defined respectively in the Draft Response Document). As a result of the crossing of the thresholds of 30% of the Company's share capital and voting right following the completion of the Acquisitions and Contributions (as defined in the Draft Response Document), the Offer is mandatory pursuant to Article L. 433-3, I of the French Monetary and Financial Code and Article 234-2 of the AMF General Regulation. As of the date of the filing of the Offer, the Offeror directly held 66.66% of the share capital and theorical voting rights of the Company2 Given the acquisitions made by the Offeror since the filing of the Offer in accordance with Article 231-38, IV of the AMF General Regulation, the Offeror directly holds, On the date of the Draft Response Document3, 69,973,626Shares and 69,973,626 voting rights representing 76.33% of the share capital and theoretical voting rights of the Company4 In accordance with Article 231-6 of the AMF General Regulation, the Offer targets all the Shares, whether outstanding or to be issued before the closing of the Offer, that are not held, directly or indirectly, by the Offeror, i.e., to the knowledge of the Company and as at the date of the Draft Response Document, a maximum of 20,683,428 Shares, except for the 1,013,232 Shares held in treasury by the Company, which the board of directors of the Company (the "Board") decided not to tender to the Offer. As indicated in the draft offer document filed by the Offeror with the AMF on 19 December 2024 (the "Draft Offer Document"), the Offer takes the form of a simplified public tender offer in accordance with Article 233-1, 2 of the AMF General Regulation. In accordance with Article 231-13 of the AMF General Regulation, BNP Paribas, Lazard Freres Banque, Morgan Stanley, and Societe Generale acting as the presenting banks of the Offer (the "Presenting Banks"), have filed, on behalf of the Offeror, the draft Offer and the Draft Offer Document with the AMF on 19 December 2024. Only BNP Paribas is guaranteeing, in accordance with Article 231-13 of the AMF General Regulation, the content and irrevocable nature of the commitments made by the Offeror in the context of the Offer. In accordance with Articles L. 433-4 III of the French Monetary and Financial Code and 237-1 et seq. of the AMF General Regulation, if, at the end of the Offer, the number of Shares not tendered by minority shareholders (other than treasury shares) represents no more than 10% of the share capital and voting rights of the Company, the Offeror intends to request the AMF to implement a squeeze-out procedure through the transfer of the Shares not held by the Offeror and that have not been tendered to the Offer (the "Squeeze-Out The context and reasons for the Offer are detailed in Section 2.1 of the Draft Response Document. The indicative timetable for the Offer is presented in Section 2.13 of the Draft Response Document. 1.2. Key terms of the Offer In accordance with Articles 231-13 and 231-18 of the AMF General Regulation, the Presenting Banks, acting as presenting institutions on behalf of the Offeror, filed the draft Offer with the AMF on 19 December 2024. BNP Paribas, as guaranteeing bank, guarantees the content and the irrevocable nature of the commitments made by the Offeror as part of the Offer, in accordance with Article 231-13 of the AMF General Regulation. In the context of the Offer, which will be carried out in accordance with the simplified procedure in accordance with Articles 233-1 et seq. of the AMF General Regulation, the Offeror irrevocably undertakes to the Company's shareholders to acquire all the Shares that will be tendered to the Offer, during the Offer period, at the Offer Price during a period of twelve (12) trading days. The attention of the Company's shareholders is drawn to the fact that, as the Offer will be conducted following the simplified procedure, it will not be reopened following the publication of the result of the Offer by the AMF. In the event of a Squeeze-Out, the Shares (except for the treasury Shares held by the Company) that have not been tendered to the Offer will be transferred to the benefit of the Offeror, in exchange for an indemnification in a per Share amount equal to the Offer Price, net of all costs. The characteristics of the Offer (including the details of the terms of the Offer, the procedures for tendering Shares to the Offer, the situation of the beneficiaries of free shares, and the Offer restrictions outside of France) are detailed in Section 2 of the Draft Response Document. 1.3. Terms and conditions of the Offer In accordance with Articles 231-13 and 231-18 of the AMF General Regulation, the Presenting Banks, acting as presenting institutions on behalf of the Offeror, filed the draft Offer with the AMF on 19 December 2024. On the same day, the AMF published a notice of filing relating to the Draft Offer Document on its website (www.amf-france.org). In accordance with Article 231-16 of the AMF General Regulation, the Draft Offer Document will be posted on the websites of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and the Company (www.exclusive-networks.com) and is available to the public free of charge at the Company's registered office or from the Presenting Banks. In accordance with Articles 231-19 and 231-26 of the AMF General Regulation, the Company filed with the AMF on 16 January 2025 a Draft Response Document, which includes, in particular, the report from the independent expert appointed under Article 261-1 I and II of the AMF General Regulation, as well as the reasoned opinion of the Board on the interest and consequences of the Offer for the Company, its shareholders and its employees. The Offer, the Draft Offer Document, and the Draft Response Document remain subject to the AMF's review. The AMF will publish a clearance decision on the Offer on its website after ensuring that the Offer complies with the applicable legal and regulatory provisions. This clearance decision will approve the Offeror's Offer document and of the Company's response document. In accordance with Articles 231-27 and 231-28 of the AMF General Regulation, the response document approved by the clearance decision of the AMF and the document "other information related to the characteristics, notably legal, financial, and accounting" of the Company will be available on the websites of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) and the Company (www.exclusive-networks.com) and will be made available to the public no later than the day before the opening of the Offer. Copies of these documents will also be available to the public free of charge at the Company's registered office. In accordance with Articles 231-27 and 231-28 of the AMF General Regulation, a press release specifying the methods of making these documents available will be published no later than the day before the opening of the Offer. 2. REASONED OPINION OF THE BOARD 2.1. Previous decisions of the Board relating to the Offer On 21 May 2024, following receipt of a non-binding offer from CD&R (as defined in the Draft Response Document) to take private the Company, the Board decided to set up an ad hoc committee (the "Ad Hoc Committee") initially comprising Barbara Thoralfsson, Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt, Nathalie Lomon and Michail Zekkos. The Ad Hoc Committee's mission was to monitor the work of the independent expert and to make recommendations to the Board regarding its reasoned opinion on the Offer. On 3 June 2024, although the transaction was at an early stage, the Board decided, upon recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, that it was in the interest of the Company to benefit as soon as possible from the work of the independent expert and thus appointed Finexsi, represented by Christophe Lambert, as independent expert in the context of the Offer, to draw up a report on the financial terms and conditions of the proposed Offer, including with a view to a possible Squeeze-Out, pursuant to articles 261-1 I, 1, 2 and 4, 261-1 II and 262-1 of the AMF General Regulation. The members of the Ad Hoc Committee have had several opportunities to exchange views with the independent expert and to monitor his work. On 14 June 2024, considering the constitution of the Consortium comprising Permira (as defined in the Draft Response Document), the Board decided the Ad Hoc Committee's new composition, consisting only of Barbara Thoralfsson, Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt and Nathalie Lomon, all being independent directors. On 24 July 2024, upon the recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, the Board with the unanimous vote of the directors members present or represented (the directors related to the Offeror did not attend the meeting), amongst others, welcomed favourably the proposed Offer. On 4 and 29 November 2024, the Board approved a senior facilities agreement under which the Company and Everest SubBidCo are borrowers and the related intercreditor agreement to, among others, finance the payment on 16 December 2024 of the exceptional distribution approved by the shareholders meeting of 31 October 2024 and refinance the existing indebtedness of the Group. On 18 December 2024, the Board decided to: proceed to an adjustment of the free shares plans, increasing the total number of Shares that may be acquired by beneficiaries at the end of the free share vesting period; and co-opt Gregory Lai as a new director in replacement of Pierre Pozzo, who resigned. On 14 January 2025, the Board decided to amend its internal regulations to remove the requirement for directors to hold 1,000 shares. 2.2. Reasoned opinion of the Board In accordance with the provisions of Article 231-19 of the AMF General Regulation, the directors met on 15 January 2025, at the invitation of Barbara Thoralfsson (chairperson of the Board), to (i) examine the draft Offer submitted by the Offeror for the Shares not held by the latter, and (ii) give a reasoned opinion on the interest and consequences of the Offer for the Company, its shareholders and its employees. All the directors were present or represented except Olivier Breittmayer, Michail Zekkos and Gregory Lai who, upon recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, did not take part to the meeting. An excerpt from the minutes of this meeting, containing the reasoned opinion of the Board, is reproduced below, being specified that the directors' intentions whether to tender or not their Shares to the Offer, which the Board has taken note of, are reproduced in Section 3 of this press release: "The Chairperson of the Board of Directors reminds that the Board met today, in accordance with the provisions of article 231-19 of the General Regulation of the French Financial Markets Authority (Autorite des marches financiers) (the "AMF"), to issue a reasoned opinion on the merits of the simplified tender offer for the Company's shares filed by Etna French Bidco ("Etna French Bidco" or the "Offeror") at a price of EUR 18.96 per share (the "Offer Price"), and on the consequences that the project of cash simplified tender offer filed by Etna French Bidco on 19 December 2024 (the "Offer") would have for the Company, its shareholders and its employees. The Chairperson reminded that on 24 July 2024, CD&R and Everest UK HoldCo Limited, entity controlled by Permira funds and then the majority shareholder of Exclusive Networks, announced the formation of a consortium with Olivier Breittmayer, founder of Exclusive Networks, (together, the "Consortium") to acquire (directly or indirectly, by way of acquisitions and contributions in kind), through Etna French Bidco, the shares in Exclusive Networks held by Everest UK HoldCo Limited and Olivier Breittmayer, representing together 66.66% of the share capital and 66.66% of the theoretical voting rights of Exclusive Networks (the "Acquisitions", and together with the Offer, the "Transaction These Acquisitions were subject to the following conditions precedent: The approval by a shareholders' meeting of the Company of the payment of an exceptional distribution of EUR 5.29 per share paid from "Other reserves" and "Share premium" (the "Exceptional Distribution The draw down of the B1 facility put in place as part of the Transaction, as agreed upon among the members of the Consortium; The obtaining of the applicable regulatory approvals; and The payment by the Company of the Exceptional Distribution. On 20 November 2024, CD&R and Permira announced that they had received all the necessary regulatory approvals to complete the Acquisitions. On 16 December 2024, the Company paid out the Exceptional Distribution which had been authorised by the Company's general meeting of shareholders held on 31 October 2024. The Acquisitions were, after the Exceptional Distribution, definitively completed on 17 December 2024. In this context, on 19 December 2024, in accordance with the provisions of article 231-13 of the AMF general regulation, Morgan Stanley, Lazard, Societe Generale and BNP Paribas, acting as banks presenting the Offer (the "Presenting Banks"), filed the draft Offer and the draft Offer document with the AMF on behalf of the Offeror. To date, the Offeror directly holds 69,973,626 shares representing 76.33% of the Company's share capital and theoretical voting rights. In accordance with article 231-6 of the AMF general regulation, the Offer targets all shares that are not held, directly or indirectly, by the Offeror, i.e. a maximum of 20,683,428 shares, except for the 1,013,232 shares held in treasury by the Company. In addition, the free shares allocated by the Company to certain employees and corporate officers which are in the process of being acquired are not targeted by the Offer. The Offeror will propose to the beneficiaries of these free shares to enter into put and call options to enable them to benefit from a cash liquidity on the free shares that cannot be tendered to the Offer. Lastly, the Chairperson reminded that the Offer would be conducted following the simplified procedure through acquisitions on the market and a Euronext Paris semi-centralised offer. The Offer will be opened for 12 trading days. The Offeror has also announced its intention to request the AMF to implement a squeeze-out for the shares not tendered to the Offer by the minority shareholders of the Company (other than (a) the shares held by the Company or its subsidiaries and (b) the shares assimilated to shares held by the Offeror) to be transferred to the Offeror, if such shares do not represent more than 10% of the share capital and voting rights of the Company following the Offer. The Chairperson recalled that on 21 May 2024, the Board of Directors decided to set up an ad hoc committee (the "Ad Hoc Committee") composed exclusively of independent directors, Mrs Barbara Thoralfsson (Chairperson), Ms Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt and Ms Nathalie Lomon with the mission, in particular, of (a) monitoring the discussions and negotiations relating to the Offer, (b) keeping the Board of Directors informed of the progress of these discussions and negotiations and (c) making a recommendation to the Board of Directors on the merits and proposed terms of the contemplated Offer. The Chairperson also reminded that on 3 June 2024, the Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, appointed Finexsi as independent expert to draw up a fairness opinion on the financial terms and conditions of the proposed Offer, in accordance with the provisions of article 261-1 et seq. of the AMF general regulation (the "Independent Expert The Ad Hoc Committee met on 11 occasions. Prior to today's meeting, the directors were able to examine the following documents in particular: The draft Offer document relating to the Offer including, in particular, the Offeror's reasons and intentions, and a summary of the factors used to assess the Offer price, which is set out in section 3 of the draft Offer; The Independent Expert's report; and The Company's draft response document. The Chairperson stated that the Independent Expert, the Company's management, the Presenting Banks, the Consortium and the legal advisers of the Company and the Offeror had exchanged information on several occasions to provide the Independent Expert with all the information required to draw up its fairness opinion. The Board of Directors noted that the Independent Expert had confirmed that he had received all the information required to carry out its fairness opinion. The Chairperson also informed the Board of Directors that the Ad Hoc Committee had several discussions with the Independent Expert and followed up its work. Conclusions of the Independent Expert The Chairperson gave the floor to Christophe Lambert, representing Finexsi, to present his work on the valuation of the Offer and his conclusions on the Offer, which will be appended to the Company's draft response document and are the following: Regarding Company's shareholder This Offer is proposed to all Company shareholders at a price of 18.96 per share which may be followed by a squeeze-out where the compensation will be equal to the Offer Price. The Offer Price is aligned with the price of the recent block acquisition, granting overall control to Etna French Bidco, which holds 66.66% of the Company's capital. The Offer Price is at the upper end of the range of the Company's intrinsic value, as derived from the DCF analysis based on a business plan that reflects the management's strong ambitions and potential for development. It therefore gives minority shareholders the full value for their shares without the execution risk of the business plan. For shareholders of the Company wishing to tender their shares, the Offer provides immediate liquidity, with a premium range of 39.7% to 48.7% over the last share price prior to the rumors of the transaction (on 28 June 2024 and 13 March 2024 respectively), and 28.6% to 42.2% on the average 60-day share price on the same dates. The Independent Expert notes that the price targets published by analysts prior to the announcement of the transaction show a limited discount ranging from 1.3% to 3.8%. As of 14 March 2024, the date of the first rumor, the median target price indicated a discount of 2.6%, while the average showed a 5.6% premium over the Offer price. Regarding the relative method of comparable companies analysis presented as a secondary approach, the Offer price represents a premium of 77.8% to 85.6%. For reference, the Independent Expert notes that the Offer price represents a 65.5% to 123.9% premium over the value derived from the precedent transaction analysis. Regarding related agreements The review of the agreements that may have a material influence on the assessment or outcome of the Offer, as presented in the draft offer document, namely (i) the Consortium and Investment Agreement, (ii) the Acquisitions and Contributions Agreements, (iii) the Shareholders' Agreement, (iv) the Liquidity Agreements, and (v) the Managers and employees undertakings, has not revealed any provision that would, in the opinion of the Independent Expert, call into question the fairness of the Offer from a financial perspective. Consequently, and at the date of his report, the Independent Expert concludes that the Offer Price of 18.96 per share is fair for Company' shareholders from a financial perspective. This conclusion extends to the compensation of the same amount that would apply in the event of a squeeze-out following the Offer. Conclusions and recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee The Chairperson presented a detailed report on the analysis made on the Offer and the discussions held during the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee held today, in presence of the Independent Expert, and confirmed the recommendation of reasoned opinion made by the Ad Hoc Committee to the Board of Directors to conclude that the Offer and its consequences are to the benefit of the Company, its shareholders and its employees and that they are therefore recommended to tender their shares in the Company to the Offer. Reasoned opinion of the Board of Directors The Chairperson then invited the Board of Directors to discuss. Having carefully examined the different documents made available to it and the explanations given by the Independent Expert and the Ad Hoc Committee, the Board of Directors duly noted this information. The Board of Directors took the following items into consideration: The strategic intentions of the Offeror, who intends to maintain the group's integrity and to continue the main strategic orientations implemented by the Company, with no material modifications of the operational model of the Company (outside the normal evolution of the business); The intentions in terms of employment as set out in the Offeror's draft tender offer document; The financial terms of the Offer including a significant premium over the weighted average share prices, valuing the Company at an attractive price and representing an opportunity for immediate liquidity for all the Company's shareholders on terms that are considered fair; The liquidity mechanisms that would be implemented, aiming at offering to the beneficiaries of free share plans subject or not to performance conditions a cash liquidity the Board of Directors noted that this mechanism ensures fair treatment for all holders of deferred compensation wishing to benefit from it; The intention of the Offeror and certain executives and employees to enter into, during the Offer Period, a contribution agreement pursuant to which such executives and employees would contribute their shares of the Company to UK MidCo (the Offeror's great-grandparent company), in consideration for ordinary shares issued by UK MidCo valued consistently with the Offer Price; and The Independent Expert's report, which concluded in particular that the Offer was fair on a financial standpoint, including in the context of the squeeze-out. The Board of Directors also noted that its composition will be changed following the Offer to reflect the new shareholding structure of the Company. There was an exchange of views on all these items. The Board of Directors, upon recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, having considered the terms of the Offer presented to it, the reasons and intentions of the Offeror, the valuation elements set out in the draft Offer document relating to the simplified tender Offer and the report of the Independent Expert, after deliberating, Mr. Olivier Breittmayer, Mr. Michail Zekkos and Mr. Gregory Lai, directors in a position of conflict of interest, having taken part neither in the deliberations nor in the vote, Decided unanimously, to issue a favourable reasoned opinion on the draft Offer as presented to it; to subsequently recommend that the Company's shareholders tender their shares in the Company to the Offer; not to tender the treasury shares held by the Company (i.e., 1,013,232 shares as at the date hereof); to approve the Company's draft response document; to authorise, as necessary, the Chief Executive Officer of the Company to: finalise the draft response document and any other documents that may be useful or necessary in connection with the Offer, in particular the "Other Information" document relating notably to the legal, financial and accounting information of the Company; prepare, sign and file with the AMF all documents required in connection with the Offer; sign any certificates required as part of the Offer; and more generally, to take all steps and measures necessary or useful for the completion of the Offer. The Board of Directors also decided to terminate the liquidity contract with Kepler Cheuvreux. 3. INTENTIONS OF THE DIRECTORS The directors5 holding Shares have expressed the following intentions: Name Function Shares held at the date of the reasoned opinion Intention Barbara Thoralfsson* Chairperson of the Board and member of the audit and risk and of the nomination and remuneration committees 15,000 Tender 15,000 Shares to the Offer Jesper Trolle Director and Chief Executive Officer 350,714 Tender 287,422Shares to the Offer6 7 Michail Zekkos Director and member of the nomination and remuneration committee 1,500 Tender 1,500 Shares to the Offer Marie-Pierre de Bailliencourt* Director and chairperson of the nomination and remuneration committee 1,250 Tender 1,250 Shares to the Offer Nathalie Lomon* Director and chairperson of the audit and risk committee 1,000 Tender 1,000 Shares to the Offer *independent members 4. INTENTIONS OF THE COMPANY WITH RESPECT TO TREASURY SHARES As at the date of the Draft Response Document, the Company holds 1,013,232 of its own Shares. On 15 January 2025, the Board acknowledged that the 1,013,232 treasury Shares are not targeted by the Offer and unanimously confirmed, as necessary, that such Shares shall not be tendered within the Offer. 5. REPORT OF THE INDEPENDENT EXPERT PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 261-1 OF THE AMF GENERAL REGULATION Pursuant to Articles 261-1, I, 1, 2 and 4 and II of the AMF's General Regulation, Finexsi, represented by Mr. Christophe Lambert, was appointed as an independent expert by the Board on 3 June 2024, upon recommendation of the Ad Hoc Committee, in order to prepare a report on the financial terms of the Offer and the Squeeze-Out. The conclusion of the report of the independent expert dated 15 January 2025 is reproduced in the reasoned opinion of the Board in Section 2.2 of this press release. 6. AVAILABILITY OF OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY The other information relating to notably the legal, financial and accounting characteristics of the Company will be filed with the AMF by no later than the day preceding the opening of the Offer. Pursuant to Article 231-28 of the AMF General Regulation, such information will be available on the websites of the Company (www.exclusive-networks.com) and of the AMF (www.amf-france.org) on the day preceding the opening of the Offer and may be obtained free of charge from the registered office of the Company, 20 quai du Point du Jour 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France. A press release will be issued to inform the public of the arrangements for making this information available. IMPORTANT NOTICE This press release was prepared for informational purposes only. It does not constitute an offer to the public. The distribution of this press release, the Offer, and its acceptance may be subject to specific regulations or restrictions in certain countries. The Offer is not addressed to individuals subject to such restrictions, either directly or indirectly, and cannot be accepted from a country where the Offer would be subject to such restrictions. This press release is not intended for distribution in those countries. Consequently, individuals in possession of this press release are required to inquire about any local restrictions that may apply and comply with them. Exclusive Networks disclaims any responsibility for any potential violation of these restrictions by any individual. 1 Following payment by the Company of an exceptional distribution of an amount of EUR 5.29 per share on 16 December 2024. 2Based on a share capital comprising 91,670,286 Shares and a total number of 91,670,286 theoretical voting rights as at 31 December 2024. 3 On 20 December 2024, the Offeror declared having acquired, on 19 December 2024, 8,864,326 Shares (i.e., 30% of the existing Shares targeted by the Offer) in accordance with Article 231-38 of the AMF General Regulation. 4 Based on a share capital comprising 91,670,286 Shares and a total number of 91,670,286 theoretical voting rights as at 31 December 2024. 5 It being specified that (i) Olivier Breittmayer definitively transferred all of his 17,826 shares in the Company to the Offeror on 17 December 2024, (ii) Paul-Philippe Bernier returned all of his 1,000 shares in the Company that were lent to him by Bpifrance Investissement on 14 January 2025, and (iii) Gregory Lai has not yet purchased any shares in the Company due to his recent co-optation on 18 December 2024. 6 The balance of the shares held by Jesper Trolle (63,292 shares) cannot be tendered as these shares are subject to a retention obligation under article L. 225-197-1 of the French Commercial Code. 7 From which will be deducted the shares covered by the contribution undertakings to UK Midco (described in Section 7.5 of the Draft Response Document). View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116052689/en/ Contacts: Exclusive Networks MUNICH, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Aescuvest Capital Partners (ACP) is at the forefront of Healthtech investing, leveraging its deep expertise in European healthcare innovation to make a global impact. With a focus on companies nearing pivotal MDR and FDA approvals, ACP is not just an investor but a catalyst for transformative change in healthcare. Over the past four years, ACP has honed a patient-centred investment strategy, targeting ventures that promise significant financial returns and the potential to redefine healthcare. "Our mission extends beyond financial gains; we aim to support companies that will transform healthcare delivery," said Christoph Bartoschek, ACP's Investment Principal. With a strong background in healthcare finance and strategic investments, Bartoschek utilizes ACP's extensive network and regulatory insights to expedite approval processes, ensuring portfolio companies achieve critical milestones efficiently. "Our strategic partnerships and regulatory expertise give us a competitive edge in predicting approval timelines and driving success." ACP's network has reach beyond Europe, into the US, Middle East and other key markets. Aescuvest's diverse portfolio includes cutting-edge diagnostics and innovative solutions addressing diseases affecting over 80% of the global population, underscoring their commitment to impactful health innovation. Dr. Patrick Pfeffer, Managing Partner at ACP, is a visionary leader driving the firm's mission to invest in financially sound companies that are also agents of global health change. With anchor investors like the von Siemens family, and other well-established German industrial partners providing industry insights and networks, ACP is strategically positioned to partner with major healthcare entities, viewing their portfolio companies as future acquisition targets. "We are building a legacy that marries financial success with societal impact," said Dr. Pfeffer. ACP dedicates 5% of its earnings to Nurse Heroes, a global initiative tackling the critical nurse shortage, and supports innovators like their portfolio companies Neteera Technologies and Lillian Care, who are developing technology to enhance the caregiving workforce. In a rapidly evolving regulatory environment, especially concerning AI in healthcare, ACP is poised to navigate and shape the industry's future. This blend of foresight, heritage, and strategic acumen positions Aescuvest Capital Partners not only as an investor but as a visionary leader in the Healthtech sector. ACP are celebrating their launch from 26th - 27th January 2025 at the DxPx Europe Conference in Munich, a conference connecting key leaders from the diagnostics innovation space with investment opportunities - registration for the event is open now. About Aescuvest Aescuvest is a healthcare investment company dedicated to funding healthcare technology ventures that make a significant impact. Operating a specialized investment platform, the company offers exclusive access to promising healthcare opportunities and facilitates direct investments through SPV structures. By providing entrepreneurial investments in a thriving market, Aescuvest enables investors to engage in lucrative healthcare investment opportunities. About Aescuvest Capital Partners (ACP) Born from the success and expertise of Aescuvest, Aescuvest Capital Partners (ACP) is the latest chapter in advancing healthcare innovation. Built by the visionary partners behind Aescuvest, ACP brings a fresh approach to investment while staying rooted in Aescuvest's proven legacy of backing transformative healthcare technology ventures. With deep industry connections, a track record of success, and a passion for shaping the future of healthtech, ACP is the exciting next step in Aescuvest's mission to empower life-changing innovations. Media Inquiries: Riya Gopalakrishnan, riya.gopalakrishnan@redhill.world Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599335/Aescuvest_Capital_Partners.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599336/Aescuvest.jpg View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aescuvest-capital-partners-acp-fund-empowers-visionary-healthtech-innovators-for-high-returns-302353123.html WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has described the unbearable suffering of former detainees under the deposed Assad regime and insisted that he stands with the people of the war-torn nation as they 'rebuild a country that works for all Syrians'.Speaking from Damascus after meeting the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Turk said that he had been 'assured.of the importance of respect for human rights for all Syrians and all different components of Syrian society'.Syria's de facto leader, who spearheaded the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad on December 8 as the leader of opposition fighters Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), also underscored 'the pursuit of healing, trust building and social cohesion, and the reform of institutions', the High Commissioner said.'But the challenges are immense,' he told reporters, pointing to the 'hundreds of thousands of lives' lost, the fact that much of the country lies in ruins'.Today, nine in 10 Syrians are 'mired in poverty, the health system is on its knees and many schools are closed,' Turk said. 'Millions are still displaced both inside and outside the country. The rights to food, health, education and housing are fundamental human rights, and there must be prompt, collective and concerted efforts to guarantee them.'The UN rights chief called on the international community to urgently consider lifting the ongoing sanctions on Syria.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX SINGAPUR (dpa-AFX) - The United States and Singapore have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Civil Nuclear Cooperation.U.S. Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan and Dr. Beh Swan Gin, Permanent Secretary of the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, signed the MoU.The NCMOU is expected to strengthen and expand strategic ties between the United States and Singapore by providing a framework for cooperation and a mutually aligned approach to non-proliferation on civil nuclear issues and for engagement between experts from government, industry, national laboratories and academic institutions. It builds on the foundation of the Agreement for Cooperation Concerning Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy between the two countries, which entered into force on December 12.'The United States and Singapore have a substantive, multifaceted, and long-standing relationship spanning economic, defence, security, and people-to-people ties. This U.S.-Singapore NCMOU further enhances our cooperation on energy security, promotes the development of zero-carbon baseload power in support of our climate goals, and strengthens our diplomatic and economic relationship,' the U.S. and Singapore said in a joint statement.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The report "Fiberglass Fabric Market by Fiber Type (E-Glass, S-Glass), Fabric Type (Woven, Non-Woven), Application (Wind Energy, Transportation, Electrical & Electronics, Construction, Marine, Aerospace & Defense), and Region - Global Forecast to 2029", size is expected to reach USD 13.17 billion in 2029 from USD 9.39 billion in 2024, at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2024 to 2029. Browse in-depth TOC on "Fiberglass Fabric Market". 280 - Tables 57 - Figures 256 - Pages Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=16202367 The most imperative factors that influence the demand for fiberglass fabrics across different regions include their versatile nature and superior properties like being lightweight, strong, an insulator, and even an anti-corrosive which enables them to be utilized in various fields such as automobiles, aerospace structures, construction, and wind energy. Countries are witnessing rapid growth in the construction industry, this has further led to an increased usage of fiberglass fabric in roofing, wall panels as well as insulation systems due to these structures thermal and durable properties. Manufacturers in the automotive industry are concentrated in using fiberglass fabrics in vehicles to enhance the fuel efficiency and lessen vehicle weight with the purpose of abiding by the rigorous emission regulations. The aerospace industry has also been known to use fiberglass fabric in the interiors and structural materials of aircrafts because they are fire resistant. The increasing attention to renewable resources has also increased the need for fiberglass fabrics especially in the making of wind turbine blades. E-Glass fiber type segment is anticipated to be the largest segment in Fiberglass fabric market during the forecasted period in terms of value. The fiberglass fabric market is segmented based on the fiber type i.e. E-Glass, S-Glass and Others. The E-glass fiber segment as a result of its low price and wide range of applications in numerous industries, makes it a popular choice to be used by manufacturers. E-glass fibers have outstanding strength in tension, are resistant to electricity and corrosion, and possess other properties that are important in construction, automotive, and marine industries. The increasing usage of E-glass in different processes is additionally fueled by the growing need for heavy and sturdy materials while complying with regulations on fuel consumption and pollution levels. Due to the expanding renewable energy Initiative's, particulary in wind blade production, has significantly increased the use of E-glass fiber. Request Sample Pages: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=16202367 Nonwoven fabric type is expected to have highest CAGR during forecasting period in terms of value. The fiberglass fabric market's fabric type segment consists of woven and nonwoven fabric type. Nonwovens are exceptionally economical, composite in nature, and highly tailored fabrics which can be used in a variety of industries including healthcare, automotive and construction. Nonwoven fabric production involves bonding fibers together chemically, mechanically or thermally which not only strengthens the optic chances of nonwovens, but also contributes to increased filtration efficiency, breathability and durability. Asia Pacific region is expected to register highest CAGR both in terms of value and volume during forecasted period The fiberglass fabric market has been studied in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East, and Africa. The Asia Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing market, majorly due to growth of Infrastructure and construction sectors in China and India. The booming wind energy industry of Asia Pacific, especially in China, has become a rapidly growing industry due to increased demand for light and durable fiberglass fabric used in making turbine blades. Electronics is also being driven by strong electronics in this region, with growing demand for PCBs that have fiberglass fabric application for thermal insulation and other electrical applications. Request Customization: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestCustomizationNew.asp?id=16202367 Key players Prominent companies include Owens Corning (US), China Jushi Co., Ltd (China), Saint-Gobain (France), Chomarat (France), TAIWAN GLASS IND. CORP. (Taiwan), Auburn Manufacturing, Inc. (US), SAERTEX GmbH & Co. KG (Germany), BGF Industries (US), PORCHER INDUSTRIES (France), Fothergill Engineered Fabrics Ltd (England), Mid-Mountain Materials Inc. (US), Central Glass Co., Ltd. (Japan), Nitto Boseki Co., Ltd. (Japan), RNG Performance Material, India (India), and Hexcel Corporation (US). and among others. Get access to the latest updates on Fiberglass Fabric Companies and Fiberglass Fabric Market Size Browse Adjacent Market: Fibers and Composites Market Research Reports & Consulting Related Reports: Composites Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Fiberglass Market - Global Forecast to 2028 Flexible Packaging Market - Global Forecast to 2029 Eco-Friendly Plasticizers Market - Global Forecast To 2030 Nucleating & Clarifying Agents Market - Global Forecast To 2029 HDPE Pipes Market - Global Forecast To 2029 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's best management consulting firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. MarketsandMarkets is a blue ocean alternative in growth consulting and program management, leveraging a man-machine offering to drive supernormal growth for progressive organizations in the B2B space. We have the widest lens on emerging technologies, making us proficient in co-creating supernormal growth for clients. Earlier this year, we made a formal transformation into one of America's best management consulting firms as per a survey conducted by Forbes. The B2B economy is witnessing the emergence of $25 trillion of new revenue streams that are substituting existing revenue streams in this decade alone. We work with clients on growth programs, helping them monetize this $25 trillion opportunity through our service lines - TAM Expansion, Go-to-Market (GTM) Strategy to Execution, Market Share Gain, Account Enablement, and Thought Leadership Marketing. Built on the 'GIVE Growth' principle, we work with several Forbes Global 2000 B2B companies - helping them stay relevant in a disruptive ecosystem. Our insights and strategies are molded by our industry experts, cutting-edge AI-powered Market Intelligence Cloud, and years of research. The KnowledgeStore (our Market Intelligence Cloud) integrates our research, facilitates an analysis of interconnections through a set of applications, helping clients look at the entire ecosystem and understand the revenue shifts happening in their industry. To find out more, visit www.MarketsandMarkets.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/fiberglass-fabric-market-worth-13-17-billion-in-2029--exclusive-report-by-marketsandmarkets-302352698.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Thesis Gold Inc. (TSXV: TAU) (WKN: A3EP87) (OTCQX: THSGF) ("Thesis" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Evan Orovan as Chief Geologist and Kettina Cordero as Vice President of Investor Relations. Dr. Orovan is a highly experienced economic geologist specializing in porphyry-epithermal systems and exploration strategies in lithocap and green rock environments. With over 15 years of global experience across leading porphyry provinces, including the SW Pacific, South America, and North America, Dr. Orovan is recognized as an expert in his field, having served as Guest Editor for three special issues in Economic Geology and is an inaugural Editorial Board member for SEG Discovery. His extensive expertise includes leading teams in economic geology research, managing critical mineral systems projects, and overseeing exploration initiatives on world-class deposits. Dr. Orovan holds a Ph.D. in Economic Geology from the University of Tasmania's Centre of Excellence in Ore Deposits (CODES). Thesis is thrilled to have him join the team to advance its Lawyers-Ranch Project in British Columbia. An experienced professional, Miss Cordero brings over 15 years of expertise in investor relations and corporate communications within the mining industry. Her career spans companies of all sizes, from small-cap to large-cap organizations in the precious and base metals sectors. She has held key roles with industry leaders, including Pan American Silver Corp., Alexco Resource Corp., Capstone Copper Corp., and Aris Mining Corporation. Miss Cordero holds a Diploma in Commerce and Production from Instituto Superior BBZ in Lima, Peru, and earned the Certified Professional Investor Relations designation from the Canadian Investor Relations Institute (CIRI) in 2012. "We are thrilled to welcome both Dr. Evan Orovan and Kettina Cordero to the Thesis Gold team," said Dr. Ewan Webster, President and CEO of Thesis Gold. "Evan brings a wealth of global expertise in economic geology and a proven track record of advancing world-class mineral projects, which will be invaluable as we continue to unlock the potential of the Lawyers-Ranch Project. Kettina's extensive experience in investor relations and her ability to foster strong relationships within the investment community will be instrumental in communicating our vision and milestones to stakeholders. Their combined expertise strengthens our team and positions us for continued success in advancing our projects and building shareholder value." On behalf of the Board of Directors, Thesis Gold Inc., "Ewan Webster" Ewan Webster Ph.D., P. Geo. President, CEO, and Director About Thesis Gold Inc. Thesis Gold Inc. is a resource development company focused on unlocking the potential of its 100% owned Lawyers-Ranch Project, located in British Columbia's prolific Toodoggone Mining District. The recently completed Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) highlights robust project economics, including a 35.2% after-tax IRR and an after-tax NPV5% of C$1.28 billion, demonstrating the potential for significant value creation. The Company's 2025 roadmap includes a robust exploration and drill program, delivery of a Pre-Feasibility Study on the combined Lawyers-Ranch Project, and commencement of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process. Through these strategic moves, Thesis Gold intends to elevate the Lawyers-Ranch Project to the forefront of global precious metals ventures. For further information or investor relations inquiries, please contact: Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the use of proceeds from the Company's recently completed financings and the future plans or prospects of the Company. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations 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". Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to business, market, and economic risks, uncertainties, and contingencies that may cause actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated, or intended. There can be no assurance that such information 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 information. Other factors which could materially affect such forward-looking information are described in the risk factors in the Company's most recent annual management's discussion and analysis, which is available on the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca . The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237361 SOURCE: Thesis Gold Inc. Camino Minerals Corporation (TSXV:COR)(OTC PINK:CAMZF) ("Camino" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release of January 10, 2025, it will implement the consolidation (the "Consolidation") of the common shares in the capital of the Company (the "Common Shares") on the basis of six (6) pre-Consolidation Common Shares for every one (1) post-Consolidation Common Share. The Consolidation will take effect at market open on Monday, January 20, 2025. The Consolidation will reduce the number of outstanding Common Shares, from 209,251,638 pre-Consolidation Common Shares to approximately 34,875,273 post-Consolidation Common Shares. The proportional ownership of shareholders in the Company will remain unchanged following the Consolidation. The Company's name will remain unchanged after the Consolidation. The new CUSIP number for the post-Consolidation Common Shares will be 138050307 and the new ISIN number for the post-Consolidation Common Shares will be CA1380503070. No fractional post-Consolidation Common Shares will be issued as a result of the Consolidation. In the event that the Consolidation would otherwise result in a shareholder of the Company holding a fraction of a post-Consolidation Common Share, such fractional share, if less than one-half, will be rounded down to zero and cancelled (without any compensation therefor) and, if equal to or greater than one-half, will be rounded up to one whole post-Consolidation Common Share and added to the number of post-Consolidation Common Shares which the shareholder is entitled to receive. The exercise or conversion price, and the number of shares issuable under any of the Company's outstanding convertible securities, will be proportionately adjusted in accordance with their terms upon the effectiveness of the Consolidation. Registered shareholders who hold physical certificates representing pre-Consolidation Common Shares will receive a letter of transmittal requesting that they forward such physical share certificates to the Company's transfer agent, Odyssey Trust Company, in exchange for new physical share certificates representing post-Consolidation Common Shares.Shareholders who hold Common Shares through a broker or other intermediary and do not have Common Shares registered in their own name will not be required to complete a letter of transmittal. About Camino Camino is a discovery and development stage copper exploration company. On October 7, 2024, Camino signed a Definitive Agreement to purchase the construction-ready Puquios copper mine in Chile. Camino is focused on developing copper producing assets such as Puquios, and advancing its IOCG Los Chapitos copper project located in Peru through to resource delineation and development, and to add new discoveries. Camino has also permitted the Maria Cecilia copper porphyry project for exploration discovery drilling to add to its NI 43-101 resources. In addition, Camino has increased its land position at its copper and silver Plata Dorada project. Camino seeks to acquire a portfolio of advanced copper assets that have the potential to deliver copper into an electrifying copper intensive global economy. For more information, please refer to Camino's website at www.caminocorp.com. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD /S/ "Jay Chmelauskas" President and CEO For further information, please contact: Camino Investor Relations info@caminocorp.com Tel: (604) 493-2058 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. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements: Certain disclosures in this release constitute forward-looking information. In making the forward-looking disclosures in this release, the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Forward-looking information in the release includes, without limitation, the completion of the Consolidation and the number of post-Consolidation Common Shares expected to be issued and outstanding. Although the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect, and the forward-looking information in this release is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause future results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking information. Such risk factors include, among others, that actual results of the Company's exploration activities may be different than those expected by management, that the Financing may not be fully subscribed or completed on the terms described herein, that the Company may be unable to obtain or will experience delays in obtaining any required authorizations and approvals and the state of equity and commodity markets. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE: Camino Minerals Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire * Core Shack exhibit - Brazil LDS Project Core from Butia, Fazenda do Posto & Olaria * Leading a technical talk on Exploration Success in the Precious Metals Session Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Lavras Gold Corp. (TSXV: LGC) (OTCQX: LGCFF) ("Lavras Gold" or the "Company") will be exhibiting Lavras do Sul drill core at the Core Shack and giving a technical presentation at the AMEBC Round Up in Vancouver January 20-23, 2025. Technical Presentation Session: Precious Metals Presenter: President & CEO Michael Durose Topic: Gold Exploration Potential of the Lavras Do Sul Intrusive Complex - Focusing to Encourage Success Date: Wednesday January 22, 2025 Time: 10:05am PT Location: Vancouver Convention Centre, Ballroom A/B Core Shack Exhibit Attending: President & CEO Michael Durose Senior Field Geologist Joao Moller Featuring: Suites of rocks from the Lavras do Sul Intrusive Complex, drill core from Fazenda do Posto, Butia and Olaria - LDS project Southern Brazil Date: Wednesday Jan 22 - Thursday Jan 23 Location: Booth #825 About the LDS Project The LDS Project is centred on the town of Lavras do Sul in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is approximately 320 kilometres, or a 4.5-hour drive, from the state capital of Porto Alegre. The Company, through its subsidiary, holds directly or indirectly, contractual interests over 34 mineral rights covering approximately 23,000 hectares. The LDS intrusive complex is a multiphase intrusive centre that is surrounded by coeval volcanic rocks to the east. Geologically, the LDS project is in the far south of the Neoproterozoic Mantiqueira Province, a 2,700-kilometre-long belt of tectonically and magmatically accreted terrains that stretch as far south as the coastline of central Uruguay and north into southern Bahia State in Brazil. The most advanced targets are the Butia and Cerrito Gold Deposits. Butia has a mineral resource estimate 377,000 ozs. of gold (Measured & Indicated) and 114,100 ozs. of gold (Inferred). Cerrito has a mineral resource estimate of 188,000 ozs. of gold (Indicated) and 293,500 ozs. of gold (Inferred). See Resources & Reserves on the Lavras Gold website. About Lavras Gold Corp. Lavras Gold Corp. (TSXV: LGC) (OTCQX: LGCFF) is a Canadian exploration company focused on realizing the potential of its highly prospective gold district in southern Brazil. The Company's Lavras do Sul Project is located in Rio Grande do Sul State and is primarily an intrusive hosted gold system of possible alkaline affinity. More than 24 gold prospects centred on historic gold workings have been identified on the property, which spans approximately 23,000 hectares. Follow Lavras Gold on www.lavrasgold.com, as well as on LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. On Behalf of Lavras Gold Corp. "Michael Durose" President & CEO For further information, please visit the Lavras Gold Corp. website at www.lavrasgold.com, or contact: To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237375 SOURCE: Lavras Gold Corp. Formerly Vice President Global Sustainability, Mars Snacking, Alastair will take on the responsibility of overall sustainability strategy for Mars on February 3, 2025. Alastair will lead Mars' efforts to realize the ambitions laid out in its Sustainable in a Generation Plan and achieve the milestones set out on its Net Zero Roadmap. MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mars, Incorporated - the maker of Pedigree, M&M's, Ben's Original, and leading veterinary service provider - announced today that Alastair Child, currently Vice President of Global Sustainability, Mars Snacking, has been named as the new Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars, Incorporated, effective February 3, 2025. Alastair will be responsible for the development of the overall Mars sustainability agenda, leading Mars on its ambitious journey to Net Zero, as part of the company's broader Sustainable in a Generation Plan . As part of Mars' Net Zero Roadmap , the company has built a plan to halve full value chain emissions by 2030, enroute to Net Zero by 2050, and is already delivering on its promises with 16% absolute reductions in GHG emissions in 2023 against a 2015 baseline, across its full value chain. Alastair will lead a team of 30 sustainability leaders and experts with remits in climate, coral restoration, community, packaging, data and analytics. He will report to Andy Pharoah, VP Corporate Affairs & Sustainability and member of the Mars Leadership Team. Throughout his more than 23-year career, Alastair has been known for his performance and passion for sustainability. For the last seven years, Alastair played a critical role in Mars Snacking, driving a strategy to embed sustainability across the enterprise. During Alastair's tenure at Mars Snacking, the company made significant strides in their deforestation-free palm oil and pulp & paper supply chains, doubled incomes for mint farmers in northern India, led a wide range of sustainable packaging innovations such as paper-wrapped bars, and helped Mars decouple Green House Gas emissions from growth with programs such as the Moo'ving Dairy Forward initiative. Andy Pharoah, VP Corporate Affairs & Sustainability and member of the Mars Leadership Team said: "Alastair has established himself as a strong, well-respected leader. He brings a wealth of experience to the role and will play a key part in ensuring sustainability is integrated into every aspect of our business to help us build the world we want tomorrow." Alastair Child, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mars, Incorporated, said: "It's an honor to take on this role. With average global temperatures exceeding 1.5 C above preindustrial levels for the first time in 2024, it is imperative that we continue to perform on our promises and in doing so prove that sustainability is good for business. I look forward to collaborating with our partners, Associates and stakeholders to ensure we continue to grow responsibly." Outgoing Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer Barry Parkin has announced his retirement following a remarkable journey at Mars over four decades. Barry joined the business in 1985 and during his impressive career he has occupied a diverse set of roles across Commercial, Engineering, Business Development, Supply Chain, HR and Sourcing.?Barry was instrumental in the development of the Mars Sustainable in a Generation Plan and a thought leader for Mars Net Zero Roadmap. Barry will retire from Mars in March and will embark on a range of new challenges, including sailing around the world. ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $50bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN, PEDIGREE, WHISKAS, CESAR, DOVE, EXTRA, M&M's, SNICKERS and BEN'S ORIGINAL. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, VCA and ANICURA span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business?ANTECH offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles-Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom-inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet. For more information about Mars, please visit www.mars.com . Join us on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn , and YouTube .? Media Contacts: Kelly Frailey kelly.frailey@effem.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599394/Mars_Wordmark_RGB_Blue_Logo.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599395/Mars_Incorporated___AC_Headshot_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/mars-appoints-alastair-child-as-chief-sustainability-officer-302352848.html VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Formation Metals ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE: FOMO), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce that, subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"), the Company has executed an option (the "Option Agreement"), dated January 15, 2025, for the right to purchase an undivided 100% interest in the N2 property (the "Property") from Wallbridge Mining Company Limited ("WallbridgeMining"). The N2 property comprises 87 claims that cover ~4,400 ha of land within the Abitibi subprovince of Northwestern Quebec. The Property is just 25 km south of Matagami, Quebec and the claims are accessible year-round by provincial highways and logging roads (Fig. 1). Property Highlights The claims are situated along the Casa Berardi mine trend, which hosts numerous multiple million-ounce gold deposits (Fig. 1) [2] - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 Koz Au indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; Maple Gold Mines) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 Moz Au; Hecla Mining) - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 Koz Au indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; Maple Gold Mines) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 Moz Au; Hecla Mining) The N2 property hosts two historical non 43-101 compliant resources: 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central) and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~65,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone [1] . . Compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources Ltd. (now Wallbridge Mining) from 2010 to 2018 generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. Figure 1: Regional claim ownership along the Casa-Berardi trend; 1: Maudore Minerals Ltd. MRE, 2012; 2. Hecla Mining Company Technical Report, 2024; 3. Maple Gold Mine NI-43-101, 2022; 4. Non-compliant with NI-43-101 Cyprus MRE, 1994 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599920/Formations_Metals_Inc_1.jpg The Property hosts six known zones of gold mineralization (Fig. 2), four of which yielded a historical resource of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au at a cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au; Cyprus, 1994, non-compliant with NI-43-101 standards)[1]. A separate historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of ~67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for a fifth zone, the RJ zone, located in the western part of the Property along strike to the Vezza deposit. In addition to the known zones, compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources from 2010 to 2018 (Mag, EM, HEM, VTEM, and IP) generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. The Property has not been drilled since 2008, and all known zones of gold mineralization remain open for expansion at depth and along strike. Figure 2: Geology and gold zones of the N2 claims; Geology after SIGEOM, 2024 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599918/Formations_Metals_Inc_2.jpg "We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of the N2 property in the jurisdiction of Quebec, the best mining province in Canada", stated CEO Deepak Varshney. He continued: "With a proven gold system and numerous areas with a high exploration upside, the N2 Property is in the perfect position to support immediate and sustained increases in value. Formation intends to implement a diverse work program that will confirm the historic gold resource and intercepts, whilst simultaneously advancing the numerous, less well understood gold zones on the Property to ensure our shareholders see the growth benefits of this Property in both the short- and long-term." Property Summary The Property has been explored primarily since the 1980s with the majority of the exploration work completed on the northern portion of the Property (Northway) where five zones of gold mineralization, related to shearing along volcanic-sedimentary rock contacts, were identified. The most extensive of these zones, the A Zone, was traced in shallow drilling for over 1.0 kilometre to depths of 25 to 350 vertical metres. All zones remain open to depth and several zones remain open along strike. In 1994, a historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 810,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for four zones (A, RJ East, East, and South), based on near-surface drilling of approximately 230 diamond drill holes. Preliminary metallurgical tests conducted on drill core from the A Zone recovered 91.7% of the gold in a flotation concentrate after a moderately fine-grind. A separate historical geological resource estimate prepared in 1994 (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for the RJ zone. In 2007, expansion and exploration drill programs led to the discovery of a new zone of gold mineralization in the hanging wall to the RJ Zone with similarities to the mineralization at Vezza. Follow-up geophysical surveys outline down-hole geophysical anomalies associated with this zone which remain to be tested. Balmoral Resources Ltd., which merged with Wallbridge Mining in 2020, acquired the Property in 2010. Thereafter, Balmoral conducted a property wide VTEM, data compilation, and an IP orientation survey of 14.4 km that covered the three known horizons of mineralization. The results from these surveys showed a strong correlation between chargeability response and known gold mineralization, and emphasized chargeability anomalies along trend from gold mineralization where no drilling had been previously conducted. Property Geology The area covered by the N2 claims is located in the east end of the Harricane Turgeon belt of the Abitibi subprovince. The bedrock geology of the claims is dominated by two major lithological packages - the Taibi Sedimentary Domain and the Cartwright Volcanic Domain - which are separated by the Douay-Cameron Deformation Zone. The Taibi group metasedimentary rocks are host to other regionally significant gold deposits (Casa Berardi, Douay, Vezza), and contain the majority of the gold zones on the N2 property (Fig. 2). The Taibi sedimentary rocks dominates the northern portion of the claim group and consist mainly of siliciclastic turbidite sequences that contain less abundant horizons of iron formation, conglomerate and graphic argillite. Local felsic to mafic volcanic rocks are intercalated with the metasedimentary rocks. The Cartwright Volcanic Domain occurs in the claim's southern portion and is composed of primarily intermediate to mafic volcanic rocks that are locally pillowed or plagioclase-phyric, and also contains less voluminous clastic metasedimentary rocks and local ultramafic intrusions. Several diabase dykes crosscut both Archean rock packages at a northeasterly orientation. The Douay-Cameron Deformation Corridor is a regionally significant structure in the Abitibi subprovince (Fig. 1), stretching for more than 150 km, with a footprint up to 5 km wide. This major structural break is associated with numerous gold mines and deposits in the Abitibi, as well as some VMS deposits in the Joutel camp. In the N2 area this corridor consists of an anastomosing series of east-west striking shear zones that straddle the contact between the Cartwright and Taibi domains. In the northern part of the claim group, the Casa Berardi Deformation Corridor separates the turbidites of the Taibi group from rocks derived from a more proximal depositional facies. Exploration Strategy Formation intends to advance the Property by conducting property-wide surveys to assess the exploration upside and potential for continued discoveries prior to defining the gold resources reported in historic work. The orientation IP survey conducted by Balmoral Resources showed that the gold horizons on the N2 property yield a reliable response. To build off this success, Formation intends to add property-wide, or partial infill, grids over areas to identify chargeability and resistivity anomalies in the bedrock that can be followed up with diamond drilling. Once the groundwork has been laid to establish a pipeline of future discoveries, Formation plans to advance the known gold zones through drill programs designed to test extensions along strike and depth of the historical resources at the Property. The Terms of the Agreement Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Company may acquire a 100% interest in the Property by paying $550,000 cash, issuing an aggregate of 4,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company, and completing $5,000,000 of work expenditures as indicated in the table below: Payment Shares Cash Work Commitment Signing 1,000,000 $50,000 - 1st Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $400,000 2nd Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $600,000 3rd Anniversary - $100,000 $1,200,000 4th Anniversary - $100,000 - 5th Anniversary - $100,000 - 6th Anniversary 1,000,000 $100,000 $2,800,000 Total 4,000,000 $550,000 $5,000,000 Qualified person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Deepak Varshney, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical reports provided by the optionor were reviewed by the qualified person. The information provided has not been verified and is being treated as historic non-compliant intercepts. About Formation Metals Inc. Formation Metals Inc. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality critical metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. FORMATION METALS INC. Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director For more information, please call 778-899-1780, email info@formationmetalsinc.com or visit www.formationmetalsinc.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Note 1: A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Note 2: Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the geology of the Property. Forward-looking statements: This news release includes "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements respecting the Company's earn-in under the Option Agreement and the Company's plans for the Property. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599924/Formations_Metals_Inc_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/formation-metals-announces-acquisition-of-n2-property-in-quebecs-casa-berardi-gold-trend-highlighting-810-000-oz-historical-gold-resource-302353139.html Vancouver, BC, Jan. 16, 2025)) ) ("Skyharbour" or the "Company") is pleased to announce plans for fully-funded, upcoming drill programs at its co-flagship Russell Lake and Moore Uranium Projects in 2025 totalling approx. 16,000 - 18,000 metres in 35 - 45 holes representing the largest annual drill campaign ever carried out by the Company. Russell Lake and Moore Projects Location Map: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_RussellLake.jpg At the 73,294 hectare Russell Lake Uranium Project ("Russell"), which is majority owned by Skyharbour as operator with minority joint-venture partner Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. ("RTEC"), the Company is planning 10,000 - 11,000 metres of diamond drilling in 18 to 20 holes. This drilling will take place in multiple phases through the year, with mobilization and commencement planned within the next few weeks. Following the initial phase of drilling at Russell, Skyharbour plans to move the drill rig over to its adjacent 100% owned, 35,705 hectare, high-grade Moore Uranium Project ("Moore") to complete the next phase of drilling. The Company is planning to complete 5,000 - 7,000 metres of drilling at Moore throughout the year which will consist of 18 to 24 holes. The combined 2025 drill campaign across Skyharbour's core projects is fully funded with the geologists and drilling crews working out of the exploration camp at the Russell Lake Project, located along the road servicing Cameco's McArthur River Uranium Mine. Jordan Trimble, President and CEO of Skyharbour, stated: "The upcoming commencement of drilling at Russell and Moore marks the start of our most ambitious annual drilling campaign we have ever carried out. The fully-funded 16-18,000-metre, multi-phased program will provide steady news flow throughout the year as we advance the projects using systematic and proven exploration methodologies to follow up on the success of the 2024 drilling. We are confident in the exploration upside at both projects given the high-grade mineralization in recent drilling along with the many highly prospective target areas hosting the geology necessary for high-grade uranium deposition. We also benefit from low-cost drilling and relatively shallow target depths at our Russell and Moore projects. Finally, Skyharbour will have plenty of additional news flow and catalysts from its prospect generator business consisting of partner companies advancing several of our other projects throughout the Athabasca Basin. This year, the Company is anticipating drilling and exploration at its partner-funded projects of Preston, South Falcon East, Falcon, South Dufferin, Highway and 914W." Upcoming Winter Phase of Diamond Drilling at Russell Lake: Skyharbour will soon commence its 2025 drilling program at the Russell Lake Project with plans for a first phase consisting of approx. 5,000 metres to follow up on notable recent exploration success and to test new targets developed by the geological team. The focus for this phase of drilling will be on the Fork and Sphinx targets within the broader Grayling target area, as well as the M-Zone Extension ("MZE") target and the Fox Lake Trail target. This initial winter program will consist of 10 to 12 drill holes, with most of the targets being road accessible and near the exploration camp, bringing the drill costs down. Further details on the drilling are forthcoming, and geochemical assay results are pending from the drilling recently carried out in late 2024 at Russell. Russell Lake Project Target Areas: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/20240110-MainTargetsRussellLake2024.jpg The Fork target is a newly identified target to the southwest of the Grayling Zone and on-strike with Denison's M-Zone at their adjacent Wheeler River Project. Last year, high-grade uranium was discovered at the Fork target in hole RSL24-02, which returned a 2.5 metre wide intercept of 0.721% U 3 O 8 at a relatively shallow depth of 338.1 metres, including approx. 3.0% U 3 O 8 over 0.5 metres just above the unconformity in the sandstone (see news release dated July 19th, 2024, titled: "Skyharbour Drills New Discovery at Russell Project with High-Grade Uranium Mineralization Up to 3.0% U 3 O 8 at Newly Identified Fork Zone"). This high-grade intercept is a new discovery which had very limited historical exploration due to a lack of reliable geophysical data and drill targets resulting from nearby powerline interference. The mineralization is open in most directions, including along strike, and will be a high-priority target for this drill program. Grayling and Fork Target Areas: https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/2024-Fork-East-Grayling-Drill-Hole-Location-Map_NR.jpg Skyharbour also plans to drill targets in the M-Zone Extension area along trend from the Grayling Zone and Denison's M-Zone, where historical drilling intersected basement-hosted uranium mineralization. More recent drilling by Denison in 2020 at the M-Zone encountered uranium mineralization with significant faulting, core loss, geochemical anomalies, and radioactivity encountered in other drill holes. Like the Grayling Zone, the mineralization at the MZE target is hosted by a graphitic thrust fault within a significant magnetic low. It is also noted that cross structures associated with Denison's Phoenix and Gryphon uranium deposits potentially trend onto the Russell Lake property within the M-Zone Extension target area, further enhancing the prospectivity of this target. M-Zone Extension Drill Targets: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/20240110-M-ZoneExtensionTargetsRussellLake.jpg Upcoming Winter Phase of Diamond Drilling at Moore: Skyharbour plans to conduct a second phase of drilling consisting of 3,000-3,500 metres in 9 to 12 holes at its Moore Project upon completion of the initial phase of drilling at Russell. Drilling at the Maverick Corridor will focus on identifying new trends and extensions within untested portions of its 4.7-kilometre strike length. Additional drilling is planned within the Maverick Main and East Zones to concentrate on refinement and expansion of the currently identified mineralized zones. The Maverick Main Zone is characterized by basement- and unconformity-hosted mineralization with a highlight interval drilled previously by Skyharbour of 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres at 265 metres depth, including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres in hole ML-199. More recently, Skyharbour announced a drill result grading 4.61% U 3 O 8 over 5.0m starting at 265.5m downhole, including 3.0m of 7.30% U 3 O 8 (see news release dated July 11th, 2024, titled: "Skyharbour Intersects 7.30% U3O8 over 3.0m within 5.0m of 4.61% U3O8 at High-Grade Moore Project"). Skyharbour is planning to drill test other regional targets at the project as well with further details on the drilling forthcoming. Additionally, geochemical assay results are pending from the drilling recently carried out in late 2024 at Moore. Moore Uranium Project Regional Grid Targets Map: https://skyharbourltd.com/_resources/maps/Moore-Lake-Property-Wide.jpg Russell Lake Uranium Project Overview: The Russell Lake Project is a large, advanced-stage uranium exploration property totalling 73,294 hectares strategically located between Cameco's Key Lake and McArthur River Projects, and adjoining Denison's Wheeler River Project to the west and Skyharbour's Moore Uranium Project to the east. The northern extension of Highway 914 between Key Lake and McArthur River runs through the western extent of the property and greatly enhances accessibility, while a high-voltage powerline is situated alongside this road. Skyharbour's acquisition of a majority interest in Russell Lake creates a large, nearly contiguous block of highly prospective uranium claims totalling 108,999 hectares between the Russell Lake and the Moore uranium projects. Several notable exploration targets exist on Russell, including the Grayling Zone, the M-Zone Extension target, the Little Man Lake target, the Christie Lake target, the Fox Lake Trail target and the newly identified Fork Zone target. More than 35 kilometres of largely untested prospective conductors in areas of low magnetic intensity also exist on the Property. Skyharbour is the operator and owns a majority interest in Russell Lake, having formed a joint venture partnership with RTEC at the project. Moore Uranium Project Overview: The Moore project consists of 12 contiguous claims totaling 35,705 hectares located 42 kilometres northeast of the Key Lake mill, 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project, and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Unconformity-style, high-grade uranium mineralization has been discovered on the Moore Project along the Maverick conductive corridor. In addition to the Maverick zones, the project hosts other mineralized targets with strong discovery potential which the Company plans to test with future drill programs. The project is fully accessible via winter and ice roads, which simplifies logistics and lowers costs, while most of the property is accessible in the summer as well. Qualified Person: The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Serdar Donmez, P.Geo., VP of Exploration for Skyharbour as well as a Qualified Person. About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.: Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada's Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with interest in thirty-six projects covering over 614,000 hectares (over 1.5 million acres) of land. Skyharbour has acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project, which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison's Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco's McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage uranium exploration property with high-grade uranium mineralization in several zones at the Maverick Corridor. Adjacent to the Moore Project is the Russell Lake Uranium Project, in which Skyharbour is operator with joint-venture partner RTEC. The project hosts widespread uranium mineralization in drill intercepts over a large property area with exploration upside potential. The Company is actively advancing these projects through exploration and drilling programs. Skyharbour also has joint ventures with industry leader Orano Canada Inc., Azincourt Energy, and Thunderbird Resources at the Preston, East Preston, and Hook Lake Projects, respectively. The Company also has several active earn-in option partners, including CSE-listed Basin Uranium Corp. at the Mann Lake Uranium Project; TSX-V listed North Shore Uranium at the Falcon Project; UraEx Resources at the South Dufferin and Bolt Projects; Hatchet Uranium at the Highway Project; CSE-listed Mustang Energy at the 914W Project; and TSX-V listed Terra Clean Energy at the South Falcon East Project. In aggregate, Skyharbour has now signed earn-in option agreements with partners that total to over $36 million in partner-funded exploration expenditures, over $20 million worth of shares being issued, and $14 million in cash payments coming into Skyharbour, assuming that these partner companies complete their entire earn-ins at the respective projects. Skyharbour's goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions. Skyharbour's Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin: https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_SaskProject_Locator_2024-11-21_v1.jpg To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd.. SKYHARBOUR RESOURCES LTD. "Jordan Trimble" __________________________________ Jordan Trimble President and CEO For further information contact myself or: Nicholas Coltura Investor Relations Manager ?Skyharbour Resources Ltd. ?Telephone: 604-558-5847 ?Toll Free: 800-567-8181 ?Facsimile: 604-687-3119 ?Email: info@skyharbourltd.com NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work on its projects including drilling and the expected timing of such work programs, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of uranium, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to obtain or maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of uranium and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, except as required by law. Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / January 16, 2025 / Hannan Metals Limited ("Hannan" or the "Company") (TSXV:HAN)(OTCPK:HANNF) is pleased to announce that the Company has entered into a service agreement (the "Agreement") with Resource Stock Digest ("RSD") of Round Rock, Texas. Under the terms of the Agreement, among other things, RSD has agreed to provide certain promotional services to the Company in accordance with Policy 3.4 - Investor Relations, Promotional and Market-Making Activities of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "Exchange"). RSD has been engaged for a 3-month advertising and marketing program for a cash fee of US$125,000 payable upon receipt of approval of the Agreement by the Exchange. RSD conducts interviews with the Company and produces content that is distributed to RSD's subscriber base. RSD is owned and operated by Gerardo Del Real and Nick Hodge, both shareholders of the Company. As at the date of the Agreement, the aggregate holdings of Mr. Del Real and Mr. Hodge represent less than 2% of the issued shares of Hannan. RSD and Messrs. Del Real and Hodge are at arm's-length to the Company. The Agreement remains subject to approval by the Exchange. About Hannan Metals Limited (TSXV:HAN)(OTCPK:HANNF) Hannan Metals Limited is a natural resources and exploration company developing sustainable resources of metal needed to meet the transition to a low carbon economy. Over the last decade, the team behind Hannan has forged a long and successful record of discovering, financing, and advancing mineral projects in Europe and Peru. On behalf of the Board, "Michael Hudson" Michael Hudson, Chairman & CEO Further Information www.hannanmetals.com 1305 - 1090 West Georgia St., Vancouver, BC, V6E 3V7 Mariana Bermudez, Corporate Secretary, +1 (604) 685 9316, info@hannanmetals.com Forward Looking Statements. Certain disclosure contained in this news release may constitute forward-looking information or forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. These statements may relate to this news release and other matters identified in the Company's public filings. In making the forward-looking statements the Company has applied certain factors and assumptions that are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the political environment in which the Company operates continuing to support the development and operation of mining projects; the threat associated with outbreaks of viruses and infectious diseases; risks related to negative publicity with respect to the Company or the mining industry in general; planned work programs; permitting; and community relations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news. SOURCE: Hannan Metals Ltd. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire FireFox Gold Corp. (TSXV:FFOX)(OTCQB:FFOXF) ("FireFox" or the "Company") is pleased to announce details from two new targets at its 100%-controlled Mustajarvi Project. FireFox has been growing the land position at the project over the last three years, and Company geologists have identified several structural targets in new areas that are hundreds of metres from previous drilling. In addition to strongly mineralized grab samples, the Triangle Target has benefitted from a modest trenching program that revealed highlights of 1.83 g/t and 1.425 g/t gold over one metre diamond saw cuts. The second new target is called Pikkulehto, and it is located approximately four kilometres east of the main Mustajarvi permit. Pikkulehto is ideally situated among splays of the important Venejoki Shear Zone (VSZ), but glacial sediment cover obscures outcrop. The Triangle Target lies approximately 700 metres northwest from the high-grade gold mineralization of the East Target (Figure 1). During the fall exploration program, the team excavated a single thirteen-by-six-metre exploration trench near the location of several grab samples that returned 4.82 and 4.41 g/t gold, as previously reported (see Company news release September 17, 2024). The target was discovered by prospecting along an interpreted fault zone that follows a topographic depression that strikes NNW-SSE. The new trench exposed altered bedrock, but deeper overburden in the drainage prevented a full test of the interpreted structure. Pikkulehto is the easternmost of several new permits that comprise the Mustajarvi Project. Regional magnetics suggests a favourable setting in the area as faults appear to juxtapose magnetic highs and lows, similar to the Mustajarvi Shear Zone, from which FireFox has been reporting high-grade gold since 2019. During the fall of 2024, Company geologists completed detailed ground magnetics surveys over the Pikkulehto permit. A subsequent interpretation of the detailed data suggests the presence of hydrothermal alteration and possible dilatancies related to through-going faults, including splays of the crustal-scale Venejoki Shear Zone. Since there is little or no outcrop, the new Pikkulehto target will be tested with base-of-till (BoT) sampling, the exploration tool that led to the Ikkari discovery by Rupert Resources. FireFox CEO Carl Lofberg commented, "These new results are significant because Mustajarvi has been perceived as a small target. Along only two kilometres of strike length of the Mustajarvi Shear Zone, we have reported numerous high-grade drill holes and two trenches containing better than 10 g/t gold mineralization. The +4 g/t gold samples at the Triangle Target are more than 500 metres from any previous drilling. Pikkulehto is 4 kilometres from the Mustajarvi drilling. Both of these targets add several more kilometres of undrilled controlling structure to the already-rich Mustajarvi discovery. Stay tuned for further results and drilling from these areas in 2025." Figure 1 - Mustajarvi exploration permits and new targets over regional total magnetic intensity. Triangle Target Details The FireFox team discovered the area during the 2024 exploration program through systematic detailed mapping, during which they encountered an outcrop of massive to semi-massive hematite, later confirmed by assay to be gold mineralized. The anomalous grab samples and the trench sit on the margin of an interpreted NNW-SSE striking fault zone that runs through a topographic depression. Since the excavator could not penetrate the deeper cover in the depression, the full width and extent of the alteration and fault zone are not known at this time. Even though gold mineralization is only known so far on the margin of the structure, the target is believed to have room to grow because the magnetic low (and topographic low) persists for hundreds of metres to the south (Figure 2). Trench1 The first trench excavated in the Triangle Target was thirteen metres long and six metres wide, oriented WSW-ENE (see Figure 3). The orientation was determined based on the preliminary interpretation of a NNW-SSE striking fault zone located in the adjacent topographic low. The trenching confirmed the mapping observations and also provided useful information about the orientation of the mineralization. The trenching revealed a zone of significant alteration, including massive to semi-massive hematite, clay, and cross cutting quartz veins. The rocks exposed in the trench were weakly to strongly mineralized in gold, including 1.83 and 1.425 g/t in the channel cuts and 1.37 and 0.59 g/t in grab samples. Figure 2 - The Triangle Target relative to the East and Northeast Targets over detailed ground magnetics. The trench clearly revealed multiple NNW-SSE trending zones of alteration parallel to the interpreted fault zone and topographic depression. The rocks are deeply weathered, so much of the original textures and mineralogy are destroyed. The host bedrock is interpreted to be metasediments of the Sodankyla group. The presence of abundant iron oxide suggests that some of that oxidation may have come from supergene alteration of sulphide minerals, but sampling encountered no fresh pyrite in the excavation. FireFox geologists mapped the trench from west to east (least altered to most altered). The units are described from west to east as weakly altered metasedimentary rocks, hematite-stained metasedimentary rocks, kaolinite zone, fragmental quartz vein zone, and hematite zone (Figure 3). The hematite content increases with proximity to the interpreted fault, and the highest gold grades occur in the iron-rich unit. The quartz vein zone also contains remnants of veins with abundant hematized cavities. The kaolinite zone appears to be transitional between the hematite and quartz and the weakly altered metasedimentary rocks, and the clay alteration is similar to that recorded in trenching at the Mustajarvi Central and East Targets. The geologists elected to cut two diamond saw channels along the trench perpendicular to the interpreted structure and the strike of the alteration zones. Each channel sample was approximately 1.0 metre in length. Figure 3 - Trench 1 at Triangle target with gold results and geology on air photo. The channel sampling of Trench 1 returned notable gold mineralization in three samples, where the gold content was above the cut-off of 0.5 g/t (see Table 1). Channel 1 was 12.89 m long and contained a single metre interval of 1.425 g/t Au, with the surrounding samples also containing highly anomalous gold levels. Channel 2 contained a zone of two metres averaging 1.34 g/t Au, which was also surrounded by highly anomalous, but below cutoff grade gold. In addition, two of the grab samples taken from the trench contained 1.37 g/t and 0.589 g/t Au, respectively. Table 1. Channel Samples from Triangle Target Trench1 (West to East). Channel From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Sample Wt. (kg) Au (g/t) Channel1 0.00 0.93 0.925 4.13 0.006 Channel1 0.93 1.96 1.038 3.68 <0.005 Channel1 1.96 2.95 0.985 4.67 0.016 Channel1 2.95 3.92 0.976 5.06 0.005 Channel1 3.92 4.93 1.006 3.43 0.005 Channel1 4.93 5.94 1.008 3.98 <0.005 Channel1 5.94 6.98 1.037 5.72 0.005 Channel1 6.98 7.95 0.972 4.53 0.02 Channel1 7.95 8.95 1 2.71 0.022 Channel1 8.95 9.92 0.971 3.77 0.125 Channel1 9.92 10.96 1.044 2.32 1.425 Channel1 10.96 11.85 0.888 4.62 0.431 Channel1 11.85 12.89 1.043 3.07 0.245 Channel2 0 1.03 1.028 5.67 0.007 Channel2 1.03 2.05 1.026 4.83 0.018 Channel2 2.05 3.01 0.957 7.13 0.011 Channel2 3.01 3.94 0.926 4 0.855 Channel2 3.94 4.93 0.994 4.36 1.825 Channel2 4.93 5.96 1.027 3.45 0.283 Pikkulehto Program details FireFox's 100%-owned Pikkulehto exploration permit area is located approximately four kilometres east of the main Mustajarvi permit, and it covers roughly 3.2 km2. Pikkulehto lies within splays of the Venejoki Shear Zone, an important crustal scale shear zone that intersects with the Sirkka Shear Zone to the northeast. The property is also close to the interpreted contact between the Sodankyla and Savukoski Group rocks, a contact that hosts high-grade gold at the main Mustajarvi permit. Based on the current understanding, the bedrock geology includes quartz-rich metasedimentary rocks, gabbros and mafic volcanic rocks, while graphitic schists and cherts of the Savukoski Group lie less than one kilometer to the northwest from the permit. Two historic gold occurrences, Pikku-Mustavaara and Tuongankuusikko, are located within approximately a 1 km radius from the permit boundary (see Figure 1). In the past, the Geological Survey of Finland (GTK) and Outokumpu conducted limited exploration within the permit area, including four drill holes with depths less than 20 metres, and minimal surface sampling (18 till samples); no significant gold was reported. New detailed ground magnetic surveys provide better insights into the structural complexity present in the permit area. The southern parts of the permit are cut by a roughly E-W trending magnetic low anomaly interpreted as an ENE-WSW trending fault zone with multiple bends or jog-like geometries (see Figure 4). These are interpreted as dilational jogs in a dextral strike-slip fault zone, similar to those seen straddling the Mustajarvi Shear Zone. Similar types of fault zones are also interpreted to the north and south of this ENE-WSW trending structure. There is good evidence that this structural system is linked to the adjacent Venejoki Shear Zone, which itself is connected to the Sirkka Shear Zone (a major D1 structure) (Figures 1 and 4). The faults interpreted within the Pikkulehto permit could represent splaying branch faults from the Venejoki Shear Zone (Figures 1 and 4). Interestingly, within the Pikkulehto permit area, these ENE-WSW trending fault zones seem to delineate low-magnetic lens-like geometries, which may indicate hydrothermal fluid activity. There are also later northeast striking faults crosscutting the area, likely the D3 event known to host gold. Figure 4 - Ground magnetics interpretation in the Pikkulehto permit area. Black arrows indicate E-W directed tension related to the N-S trending D4 faults. The abundant structural intersections from multiple generations of faulting combined with the variable magnetic response, resemble the setting at the Central, Northeast, and East zones at the main Mustajarvi permit, where high-grade gold has been drilled repeatedly since 2019. These analogues to nearby gold mineralization and structural patterns observed at Pikkulehto highlight the potential for gold discovery in the area. Until recently, the Firefox team had solely performed bedrock & boulder mapping and ground magnetic surveys in the area. It is clear now that the glacial sediments obscure the bedrock sufficiently to warrant a BoT sampling survey at Pikkulehto so that these structural targets can be tested. Methodology & Quality Assurance The trenching campaign was conducted in an accessible area with limited young forest cover, minimizing environmental impact. To maintain the safety of the working team the trenches were gradually sloped and slightly extended in width. The channel sample intervals were measured with a measuring tape, the measurement results were refined with a high-precision RTK-GPS device. Trenches were channel sampled with a diamond saw for the entire exposure in order to extract large consistent samples while cutting primary structures and veins as close to true thickness as possible. Where the rock integrity was compromised by weathering and alteration, geologists collected the samples with hammer and chisel. Samples reported in this news release were collected by FireFox geologists, who transported the samples to the Company's secure facility in Sodankyla. After documentation and insertion of quality assurance samples, the rock samples were delivered to an ALS sample prep lab in Sodankyla. The samples were then crushed to -2 mm, split and pulverized into 1kg pulps, before being shipped to the ALS facility in Rosia Montana, Romania for gold by fire assay of 50 gm aliquots with AAS finish (method Au-AA24). Other elements, altogether 48, were measured after four-acid digestion by ICP-AES and ICP-MS (method ME-MS61) at the ALS facility located in Loughrea, Ireland. ALS Laboratories is a leading international provider of assay and analytical data to the mining industry. All ALS geochemical hub laboratories, including the Irish facility, are accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for specific analytical procedures. The Firefox QA/QC program consists of insertion of certificated standard material and blanks inserted by Firefox into the analytical batches did not show deviations from recommended values. Patrick Highsmith, Certified Professional Geologist (AIPG CPG # 11702) and director of the Company, is a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Highsmith has helped prepare, reviewed, and approved the technical information in this news release. About FireFox Gold Corp. FireFox Gold Corp is listed on the TSX Venture Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol FFOX. FireFox also trades on the OTCQB Venture Market Exchange in the US under the ticker symbol FFOXF. The Company has been exploring for gold in Finland since 2017 where it holds a large portfolio of prospective ground. Finland is one of the top mining investment jurisdictions in the world as indicated by its multiple top-10 rankings in recent Fraser Institute Surveys of Mining Companies. Having a strong mining law and long mining tradition, Finland remains underexplored for gold. Recent exploration results in the country have highlighted its prospectivity, and FireFox is proud to have a Finland based CEO and technical team. For more information, please refer to the Company's website and profile on the SEDAR+ website at www.sedarplus.ca. On behalf of the Board of Directors, "Carl Lofberg" Chief Executive Officer CONTACT: FireFox Gold Corp. Email: info@firefoxgold.com Telephone: +1-778-938-1994 Forward Looking Statements The information herein contains forward looking statements that are subject to a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause such differences include changes in world commodity markets, equity markets, the extent of work stoppage and economic impacts that may result from illness, extreme weather, changes in government and changes to regulations affecting the mining industry. Forward-looking statements in this release may include statements regarding: the intent to conduct additional drilling; the belief as to the location of the most prospective gold targets; the location of targets for future drill programs; and the current and future work program, including the extent and nature of exploration to be conducted in 2025. Although we believe the expectations reflected in our forward-looking statements are reasonable, results may vary. The forward-looking statements contained herein represent the expectations of FireFox as of the date of dissemination and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking statements and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. FireFox does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. 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. SOURCE: FireFox Gold Corp View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Skeena Resources Limited (TSX:SKE)(NYSE:SKE) ("Skeena Gold & Silver", "Skeena" or the "Company") is pleased to announce drill results from the 2024 exploratory drilling program at the KSP Property in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia. The KSP Property is situated 24 kilometers southwest of Eskay Creek and 5 kilometers southeast of the Snip Project, positioned within a highly prospective region of the Company's expansive 178,901-hectare land package in the Golden Triangle. During the 2024 season, 22 drillholes totaling 9,182 metres were completed across various targets on the project, highlighted by the drill discovery of wide intervals of previously undocumented Au-Cu porphyry mineralization. Analytical results and reference images can be found at the end of this news release. Paul Geddes, Skeena's Senior Vice President of Exploration & Resource Development, commented "We are very encouraged that our first drill program at KSP has yielded the discovery of a new Gold-Copper Porphyry system on the property. The headline intercept of 0.71 grams per tonne gold over 380 metres, is among many strong results and demonstrates a substantial volume of mineralized material in a potentially very large, essentially unexplored mineralized system." 2024 KSP Drilling Highlights 1,2 0.62 gpt Au, 2.84 gpt Ag, 0.14 % Cu over 121.50 metres ETW (CP-24-001) 4.56 gpt Au, 1.34 gpt Ag, 0.06 % Cu over 11.00 metres ETW, including 19.30 gpt Au, 2.30 gpt Ag, 0.08 % Cu over 2.50 metres ETW (CP-24-001) 0.71 gpt Au, 0.69 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu over 381.47 metres ETW, including 0.50 gpt Au, 0.78 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu over 117.47 metres ETW and 1.07 gpt Au, 0.68 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu over 139.00 metres ETW (CP-24-004) 6.44 gpt Au, 3.40 gpt Ag, 0.23 % Cu over 7.61 metres ETW (CP-24-008) 1.82 gpt Au, 2.85 gpt Ag, 0.11 % Cu over 25.00 metres ETW including: 9.79 gpt Au, 7.50 gpt Ag, 0.21 % Cu over 2.50 metres ETW (CP-24-008) 0.49 gpt Au, 2.15 gpt Ag, 0.02 % Cu over 75.15 metres ETW (CP-24-011) 0.72 gpt Au, 1.86 gpt Ag, 0.05 % Cu over 41.69 metres ETW (KP-24-004) Notes: Abbreviations include: gpt: grams per tonne; Au: gold; Ag: silver; Cu: copper; m: metre ETW: True widths cannot be estimated with any certainty at this time, as such, core lengths have been reported. New Gold-Copper Porphyry Mineralization Discovered Situated on the northwestern portion of the KSP Project and approximately 5 kilometers southeast of the Company's Snip Gold Project, the Camp Porphyry area is host to a large, previously unexplored porphyry body. Drilling by the Company in 2024 has intersected broad intervals of previously unrecognized Au-Cu porphyry mineralization featured by 381.47 metres averaging 0.71 gpt Au, 0.69 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu beginning at 50 metres below surface. This initial phase of widely spaced exploratory drilling has traced the new mineralization along a strike length of approximately 1,000 meters, with potential for further expansion through additional drilling. Reference images are available at the end of this release. Although recognized by previous operators, this large porphyry body was never the focus of historical exploration programs as other areas of the KSP Project took priority at the time. During the 2024 surface mapping program however, a new, widespread gold and copper geochemical anomaly was delineated over this intrusion at surface. This new anomaly, corroborated by a resistivity target defined from the 2024 deep penetrating airborne ZTEM resistivity survey, prompted the Company to test this target with eleven widely spaced exploration drill holes totaling 4,235 metres. Numerous Au-Cu intervals were intersected in discovery drill hole CP-24-004 on the western flank of the intrusion which is coincident with the margin of a very large and discrete ZTEM resistivity anomaly. The extensive distribution of Au-Cu mineralization begins at 50 metres below surface over a drilled length of 381.47 metres averaging 0.71 gpt Au, 0.69 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu with subintervals grading 0.50 gpt Au, 0.78 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu over 117.47 metres and 1.07 gpt Au, 0.68 gpt Ag, 0.03 % Cu over 139.00 metres. These intersections display classical porphyry system alteration assemblages and elevated Au-Cu tenor is associated with potassic (biotite) alteration signatures. The Camp Porphyry is a polyphase intrusion in that at least two significant intrusive events have occurred during emplacement. Most importantly, the first intrusive pulse, which also interacted with the surrounding sediment package and deposited Au-Cu mineralization, has been partially digested by a second unmineralized pulse within the core of body. As such, mineralization at the Camp Porphyry is associated with the outermost first intrusive pulse particularly where it has interacted with the porous sediments (wackes), as opposed to the less porous siltstone horizons. Additional mineralization situated 140 metres along strike to the east was intersected by 2024 drill hole CP-24-011 in a broad interval averaging 0.49 gpt Au, 2.15 gpt Ag, 0.02 % Cu over 75.15 metres beginning at 273.35 metres downhole. The upper portion of this drill hole was dominated by the secondary unmineralized intrusive. discussed previously. Located 675 metres further to the east, drill holes CP-24-001 and CP-24-002 intersected 0.62 gpt Au, 2.84 gpt Ag, 0.14 % Cu over 121.50 metres and 0.52 gpt Au, 2.00 gpt Ag, 0.08 % Cu over 62.00 metres respectively with the same styles and controls of mineralization. Camp Porphyry ZTEM Resistivity Anomaly The 2024 drilling program was supplemented by an airborne ZTEM survey that covered the northern portion of the KSP Project. An airborne electromagnetic platform, the ZTEM system is deep penetrating and used to discriminate resistivity contrasts in the subsurface. The Camp Porphyry and associated mineralization possess a close spatial association and geometric similarity with a large ZTEM anomaly that occurs underneath the porphyry with a strike length in excess of ~6,000 metres. Khyber Pass Depth limited, small scale drill programs investigating porphyry style Au-Cu mineralization in the Khyber Pass area have been performed by previous operators since 1985. Historical 2017 drill hole KBDDH17-097 ended in Au-Cu mineralization but averaged 0.63 gpt Au, 2.08 gpt Ag, 0.08 % Cu over 34.00 metres. In 2024, a re-evaluation of the historic core from the Khyber Pass area prompted a program of exploratory drilling to follow up on the historic drilling that may not have completely tested this prospective area. Highlighted by 2024 drill hole KP-24-004, which averaged 0.72 gpt Au, 1.86 gpt Ag, 0.05 % Cu over 41.69 metres, drilling indicates that the Khyber Pass area may represent a higher-level expression of a larger porphyry system as evidenced by the volumetrically lower percentage of intrusive monzodiorites. The Khyber Pass mineralization is situated ~600 metres vertically above the Camp Porphyry and may represent a higher-level expression of the system. Tami Area Previous operators outlined low grade Cu-Au porphyry mineralization in the Tami area of the KSP Project via drilling in 2017. Occurring at surface with a flat dipping tabular geometry, Tami mineralization has been drill defined over an area measuring ~600 metres by ~150 metres. In 2024, the Company drilled three drill holes totaling 1,226 metres in this and the surrounding area to investigate untested geophysical targets with coincident geochemical anomalies. No significant results were returned from this drilling. About Skeena Skeena is a leading precious metals developer that is focused on advancing the Eskay Creek Gold-Silver Project - a past producing mine located in the renowned Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada. Eskay Creek will be one of the highest-grade and lowest cost open-pit precious metals mines in the world, with substantial silver by-product production that surpasses many primary silver mines. Skeena is committed to sustainable mining practices and maximizing the potential of its mineral resources. In partnership with the Tahltan Nation, Skeena strives to foster positive relationships with Indigenous communities while delivering long-term value and sustainable growth for its stakeholders. On behalf of the Board of Directors of Skeena Gold & Silver, Walter Coles Executive Chairman Randy Reichert President & CEO Contact Information Investor Inquiries: info@skeenagold.com Office Phone: +1 604 684 8725 Company Website: www.skeenagoldsilver.com Qualified Persons In accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, Paul Geddes, P.Geo., Senior Vice President, Exploration & Resource Development, is the Qualified Person for the Company and has prepared, validated, and approved the technical and scientific statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in the news release. The Company strictly adheres to CIM Best Practices Guidelines in conducting, documenting, and reporting the exploration activities on its projects. Quality Assurance - Quality Control Once received from the drill and processed, all drill core samples are sawn in half, labelled and bagged. The remaining drill core is subsequently securely stored on site. Numbered security tags are applied to lab shipments for chain of custody requirements. The Company inserts quality control (QC) samples at regular intervals in the sample stream, including blanks and reference materials with all sample shipments to monitor laboratory performance. The QAQC program was designed and approved by Lynda Bloom, P.Geo. of Analytical Solutions Ltd., and is overseen by the Company's Qualified Person, Paul Geddes, P.Geo, Senior Vice President Exploration and Resource Development. Drill core samples are submitted to ALS Geochemistry's analytical facility in North Vancouver, British Columbia for preparation and analysis. The ALS facility is accredited to the ISO/IEC 17025 standard for gold assays and all analytical methods include quality control materials at set frequencies with established data acceptance criteria. The entire sample is crushed and 1 kg is pulverized. Analysis for gold is by 50 g fire assay fusion with atomic absorption (AAS) finish with a lower limit of 0.01 ppm and upper limit of 100 ppm. Samples with gold assays greater than 100 ppm are re-analyzed using a 50 g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish. Analysis for silver is by 50 g fire assay fusion with gravimetric finish with a lower limit of 5ppm and upper limit of 10,000 ppm. Samples with silver assays greater than 10,000 ppm are re-analyzed using a gravimetric silver concentrate method. A selected number of samples are also analyzed using a 48 multi-element geochemical package by a 4-acid digestion, followed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and also for mercury using an aqua regia digest with Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) finish. Samples with sulfur reporting greater than 10% from the multi-element analysis are re-analyzed for total sulfur by Leco furnace and infrared spectroscopy. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements Certain statements and information contained or incorporated by reference in this news release constitute "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. The use of words such as "anticipates", "believes", "proposes", "contemplates", "generates", "targets", "is projected", "is planned", "considers", "estimates", "expects", "is expected", "potential" and similar expressions, or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "might", "will", "could", or "would" be taken, achieved, or occur, may identify forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. Specific forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the progress of development at Eskay, including the construction budget, schedule and required funding in respect thereof; the timing for and the Company's progress towards commencement of commercial production; the Company's capital structure; the Company's ability to buy back the gold stream in the future; amounts drawn and the timing of and completion of conditions precedent in respect of the Senior Secured Loan, gold stream agreement, additional equity investment and the cost over-run facility, the availability of the Senior Secured Loan as a source of future liquidity; and the results of the Definitive Feasibility Study, processing capacity of the mine, anticipated mine life, probable reserves, estimated project capital and operating costs, sustaining costs, results of test work and studies, planned environmental assessments, the future price of metals, metal concentrate, and future exploration and development. Such forward-looking statements are based on material factors and/or assumptions which include, but are not limited to, the estimation of mineral resources and reserves, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, metal prices, taxation, the estimation, timing and amount of future exploration and development, capital and operating costs, the availability of financing, the receipt of regulatory approvals, environmental risks, title disputes and the assumptions set forth herein and in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023, its most recently filed interim MD&A, and the Company's Annual Information Form ("AIF") dated March 28, 2024. Such forward-looking statements represent the Company's management expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events or circumstances on the date the statements are made, and are necessarily based on several estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date hereof, are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein, and are subject to significant operational, business, economic, and regulatory risks and uncertainties. The risks and uncertainties that may affect the forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others: the inherent risks involved in exploration and development of mineral properties, including permitting and other government approvals; changes in economic conditions, including changes in the price of gold and other key variables; changes in mine plans and other factors, including accidents, equipment breakdown, bad weather and other project execution delays, many of which are beyond the control of the Company; environmental risks and unanticipated reclamation expenses; and other risk factors identified in the Company's MD&A for the year ended December 31, 2023, its most recently filed interim MD&A, the AIF dated March 28, 2024, the Company's short form base shelf prospectus dated January 31, 2023, and in the Company's other periodic filings with securities and regulatory authorities in Canada and the United States that are available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca or on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. Readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made and the Company does not undertake any obligations to update and/or revise any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Table 1: Drill Hole Composites From the 2024 Exploratory Drilling Program at the KSP Property Hole ID From (m) To (m) Core Length (m) Au (gpt) Ag (gpt) Cu (%) Area CP-24-001 22.50 144.00 121.50 0.62 2.84 0.14 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 22.50 25.00 2.50 1.46 6.80 0.34 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 52.50 55.00 2.50 1.35 7.10 0.36 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-001 170.50 188.00 17.50 0.63 2.07 0.09 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-001 209.50 220.50 11.00 4.56 1.34 0.06 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 218.00 220.50 2.50 19.30 2.30 0.08 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-001 243.00 257.00 14.00 0.55 1.75 0.10 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-002 15.00 77.00 62.00 0.52 2.00 0.08 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-002 237.00 242.00 5 0.73 2.75 0.08 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-002 293.50 301.00 7.50 1.00 1.43 0.10 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-003 130.00 132.00 2.00 0.10 3.00 0.31 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-003 134.00 135.00 1.00 0.12 3.40 0.34 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-003 139.00 141.00 2.00 0.11 2.70 0.33 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-004 87.00 94.50 7.50 0.43 0.33 0.02 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-004 116.53 498.00 381.47 0.71 0.69 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 116.53 234.00 117.47 0.50 0.78 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 277.47 294.50 17.03 1.32 1.41 0.05 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 277.47 279.85 2.38 7.73 4.70 0.13 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 305.00 444.00 139.00 1.07 0.68 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 392.90 394.10 1.20 3.71 1.20 0.06 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 394.10 395.15 1.05 21.10 3.40 0.06 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 395.15 397.65 2.50 5.77 0.90 0.04 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 402.18 404.60 2.42 3.66 0.50 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-004 456.50 495.50 39.00 0.77 0.25 0.02 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-005 48.00 71.50 23.50 0.34 0.64 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-005 200.50 201.88 1.38 0.51 1.40 0.33 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-005 304.50 309.50 5.00 0.68 0.50 0.06 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-006 29.30 38.40 9.10 0.58 28.32 0.06 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 29.30 29.87 0.57 1.87 269.00 0.86 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-006 56.60 63.00 6.40 0.64 5.83 0.00 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-006 81.20 91.20 10.00 0.45 1.15 0.02 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-006 300.80 302.42 1.62 1.55 14.40 0.44 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-006 409.50 429.15 19.65 0.44 1.15 0.08 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-007 9.00 38.50 29.50 0.46 1.10 0.01 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-007 87.50 101.50 14.00 0.42 8.90 0.00 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-007 291.75 301.45 9.70 0.21 2.14 0.02 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-008 79.40 87.01 7.61 6.44 3.40 0.23 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 80.47 82.00 1.53 12.90 5.70 0.62 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 82.00 83.00 1.00 22.00 7.00 0.36 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 85.34 87.01 1.67 3.46 4.50 0.18 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-008 394.50 419.50 25.00 1.82 2.85 0.11 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 394.50 397.00 2.50 0.81 6.50 0.52 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 407.00 409.50 2.50 9.79 7.50 0.21 CAMP PORPHYRY AND 417.00 419.50 2.50 5.08 8.70 0.14 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-011 26.00 51.00 25.00 0.32 0.28 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-011 206.90 218.70 11.80 1.98 4.86 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 214.00 216.35 2.35 5.47 3.60 0.03 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-011 273.35 348.50 75.15 0.49 2.15 0.02 CAMP PORPHYRY CP-24-011 363.00 382.75 19.75 0.91 0.48 0.01 CAMP PORPHYRY INCLUDING 375.50 377.60 2.10 5.51 0.70 0.01 CAMP PORPHYRY KP-24-001 46.00 51.00 5.00 0.46 2.35 0.10 KHYBER PASS KP-24-002 160.00 170.00 10.00 0.44 1.45 0.08 KHYBER PASS KP-24-002 200.00 206.00 6.00 0.65 2.18 0.12 KHYBER PASS KP-24-003 191.00 217.00 26.00 0.35 2.01 0.04 KHYBER PASS KP-24-003 241.99 257.00 15.01 0.29 1.38 0.09 KHYBER PASS KP-24-003 299.20 313.00 13.80 0.98 9.12 0.17 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 310.30 311.60 1.30 3.00 46.10 0.58 KHYBER PASS AND 311.60 313.00 1.40 4.47 26.00 0.37 KHYBER PASS AND 364.44 365.94 1.50 3.63 2.30 0.22 KHYBER PASS KP-24-004 23.60 32.00 8.40 0.53 2.05 0.10 KHYBER PASS KP-24-004 54.00 95.69 41.69 0.72 1.86 0.05 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 54.00 55.75 1.75 7.43 3.40 0.05 KHYBER PASS KP-24-005 17.00 52.00 35.00 0.71 1.67 0.05 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 17.00 19.50 2.50 3.45 5.60 0.05 KHYBER PASS KP-24-005 100.50 128.50 28.00 0.51 2.66 0.06 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 118.20 120.50 2.30 2.21 10.80 0.35 KHYBER PASS KP-24-005 141.00 155.00 14.00 2.32 5.39 0.05 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 151.25 153.00 1.75 13.60 10.90 0.11 KHYBER PASS KP-24-006 28.00 30.50 2.50 0.65 2.40 0.42 KHYBER PASS KP-24-006 45.00 47.50 2.50 0.09 1.40 0.34 KHYBER PASS KP-24-006 159.28 160.10 0.82 0.13 3.80 0.31 KHYBER PASS KP-24-008 307.00 309.50 2.50 0.34 4.20 0.31 KHYBER PASS KP-24-008 309.50 314.50 5.00 0.52 7.31 0.56 KHYBER PASS INCLUDING 309.50 311.00 1.50 0.77 9.10 0.72 KHYBER PASS AND 311.00 312.30 1.30 0.49 6.80 0.50 KHYBER PASS AND 312.30 314.50 2.20 0.37 6.40 0.49 KHYBER PASS KP-24-008 325.65 327.20 1.55 0.60 9.20 0.81 KHYBER PASS KP-24-008 334.50 337.00 2.50 0.27 6.10 0.49 KHYBER PASS KP-24-008 354.50 357.00 2.50 0.25 4.40 0.34 KHYBER PASS TM-24-003 12.85 40.90 28.05 0.77 1.23 0.16 TAMI TM-24-003 56.00 61.00 5.00 0.59 1.10 0.11 TAMI TM-24-003 108.50 116.00 7.50 0.58 1.00 0.09 TAMI Table 2: KSP Property 2024 Drillhole Collar Locations and Orientation Hole ID Easting Northing Elevation (mASL) Final Depth (m) Azimuth (?) Dip (?) CP-24-001 379566 6275497 1386 399 296 -90 CP-24-002 379566 6275498 1386 345 360 -50 CP-24-003 379716 6275519 1422 507 110 -65 CP-24-004 378998 6275614 1143 510 240 -50 CP-24-005 378819 6276010 1053 342 320 -50 CP-24-006 379223 6275570 1257 450 276 -70 CP-24-007 379472 6276079 1346 309 85 -50 CP-24-008 378986 6275706 1134 439 305 -50 CP-24-009 379224 6275564 1257 171 200 -50 CP-24-010 378823 6276009 1029 348 55 -50 CP-24-011 379001 6275611 1133 415 193 -50 KP-24-001 379143 6273619 1770 600 240 -47 KP-24-002 379144 6273618 1770 621 208 -50 KP-24-003 379142 6273621 1770 478 290 -50 KP-24-004 378606 6273774 1447 423 80 -46 KP-24-005 378602 6273775 1447 508 293 -88 KP-24-006 379384 6273233 1453 414 240 -45 KP-24-008 379242 6273687 1769 456 225 -55 KP-24-009 379242 6273687 1769 225 180 -45 TM-24-001 385827 6274900 1160 558 160 -50 TM-24-002 385822 6274903 1160 282 257 -50 TM-24-003 384585 6272656 1448 383 330 -50 Figure 1 - Surface View of KSP Drill Hole Location Map in Camp Porphyry & Resistivity Anomaly Figure 2: Camp Porphyry Longitudinal Section SOURCE: Skeena Resources Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Galway Metals Inc. (TSXV:GWM)(OTCQB:GAYMF) (the "Company" or "Galway") is pleased to report assay results from 12 diamond drill holes from the South Deposit at the Company's 100%-owned flagship Clarence Stream high-grade gold project in New Brunswick, Canada. The Clarence Stream Gold Project has district-scale potential with approximately 65-kilometre strike length of highly prospective gold showings and anomalies; and a 2022 MRE of 12.4 Mt @ 2.3 g/t Au Indicated for 922,000 oz., and 16.0 Mt @ 2.6 g/t Au Inferred for 1.334 M oz. gold from the NI 43-101 technical report titled "Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd. The MRE contains an antimony resource in addition to gold. "High-grade gold intercepts near the margin of our current resource pit models show there is an enormous potential to expend these deposits along strike and at depth, as well as to enhance the gold continuity within the current resource pits. In 2025 we will continue to build and improve the potential economics of our deposits with drilling and on going economic and metallurgical studies" states Rob Hincliffe, President and CEO of Galway metals. He adds "In light of recent news regarding Chinese export restrictions on antimony, resulting in global antimony prices rising by 300% to the current level of US$15.00 per pound. Galway is keen to continue drilling the South and North Deposits, which contain over 25 million pounds of antimony stated in the 2022 Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Estimate." Highlights CS-414 intersected 26.9 g/t gold over 8.6 metres including 368.0 g/t gold over 0.5 metres CS-400 intersected 3.3 g/t gold over 3.0 metres including 10.9 g/t gold over 0.6 metres CS-399 intersected 1.9 g/t gold over 5.1 metres including 8.3 g/t gold over 0.5 metres Continuing to Add Ounces to the Potential South Deposit Starter Pit The reported assays from the 2024 drilling program (plan map) at the South Deposit confirm the potential to expand the resource by infilling drilling between known intercepts. CS-414 intersected a wide and high-grade zone on the western area of the South Deposit and CS-415 extended the mineralization to depth and the margin of the current resource pit shells (section 1). Historical drilling had limited and wide spaced section (100-200m) spaced drill sections, separating the western side of the South Deposit and the eastern side of the deposit. Galway drilled holes CS-397, 398, 399, 400, and 413 to test mineralization at depth below the known resource pits and between historical drilling intercepts. All five of those holes intersected mineralization, which will connect zones with deep spaced holes down dip (section 2). Drilling in 2025 is planned to follow up on 2024 drilling and target addition high-grade zones that fall within and near the margins of the current resource. For the complete assay and collar location for the reported assays, please click on the following link. Over 25 Million Pounds of Antimony at Clarence Stream On August 14, China announced export restrictions on antimony, following previous restrictions in place on Rare Earth Elements (REE's). Antimony is classified as a critical mineral in many countries including the United States, European Union, and China and is used to create flame-retardant minerals, military defence equipment and battery technology. Clarence Stream contains one of the largest antimony resources in New Brunswick, with a 2022 Mineral Resource Estimate (Link to Resource) of antimony having 9,605 t of indicated resource and 2,145 t of inferred resource (Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd.). The antimony resource at Clarence Stream is currently contained within the South and North Deposits. In 2025 Galway is planning on drilling both deposits to expand mineralization outside of the known resource pits shells as well as increasing the gold ounces contained within these pit shells, this work will mostly likely increase the antimony resource contained within these deposits. Historical Antimony Intercepts North Zone Intercepts South Zone Intercepts Hole ID Length (m) Sb (%) Hole ID Length (m) Sb (%) AD02-46 8.0 3.0 CS17-366 4.6 8.1 AD02-11 4.0 12.7 CS01-44 5.5 1.8 AD02-19 3.9 22.4 CS16-343 5.0 3.0 AD03-53 11.3 15.6 CS01-43 5.0 1.9 AD02-28 7.0 6.6 CS01-46 3.5 2.2 Geology and Mineralization The Clarence Stream deposits can be characterized as intrusion-related, structurally controlled, quartz-vein hosted gold deposits. These deposits consist of quartz veins and quartz stockwork within brittle-ductile fault zones that include adjacent crushed, altered wall rocks and veinlet material. The mineralized systems are hosted in intrusive and metasedimentary rocks within high strain zones controlled by regional fault systems. Pyrite, base metal sulphides, and stibnite occur in these deposits along with anomalous concentrations of bismuth, arsenic, antimony and tungsten. Alteration in the host rocks is confined within a few metres of quartz veins and occurs mainly in the form of sericitization and chloritization. A more complete description of Clarence Stream's geology and mineralization can be found at www.galwaymetalsinc.com. New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program Galway would like to acknowledge financial support from the New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program, which will contribute up to $50,000 towards exploration drilling in 2024. Review by Qualified Person Jesse Fisher, P.Geo., Project Manager for Galway Metals, is the Qualified Person who supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of Galway Metals Inc. Quality Control and Reports All core, chip/boulder samples, and soil samples are assayed by Activation Laboratories, located at 41 Bittern Street, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, Agat Laboratories, located at 5623 McAdam Road, Mississauga Ontario, Canada L4Z 1N9 and 35 General Aviation Road, Timmins, ON P4P 7C3, and/or Swastika Laboratories situated in Swastika, ON. All four labs have ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. All core is under watch from the drill site to the core processing facility. All samples are assayed for gold by Fire Assay, with gravimetric finish, and other elements assayed using ICP. The Company's QA/QC program includes the regular insertion of blanks and standards into the sample shipments, as well as instructions for duplication. Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted at one per 20 samples. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%. About Galway Metals Inc. Galway Metals is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, high-grade, open-pitable flagship Clarence Stream gold project in southwest New Brunswick. Clarence Stream is an emerging gold district with an exploration strike length of approximately 65 kilometres and widths of up to 28 kilometres in certain areas. Galway Metals also has 100%-ownership in the Estrades project, a former producing high-grade, gold-rich polymetallic VMS mine in the northern Abitibi of western Quebec. Led by a management team with a proven track-record of creating shareholder value having sold Galway Resources for US$340 million, Galway Metals is focused on creating value for all its stakeholders. For additional Information on Galway Metals Inc., Please contact: Robert Hinchcliffe President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 1-800-771-0680 Email: info@galwaymetalsinc.com Website: www.galwaymetalsinc.com Look us up on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Cautionary Statement Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, information with respect to the OTCQB listing, DTC eligibility, and broadening U.S. institutional and retail investors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in economic conditions or financial markets, political and competitive developments, operation or exploration difficulties, changes in equity markets, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices capital, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restrictions on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. SOURCE: Galway Metals Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Scottie Resources Corp. (TSXV: SCOT) (OTCQB: SCTSF) (FSE: SR8) ("Scottie" or the "Company") is pleased to report new assays from its 2024 drilling of the Blueberry Contact Zone, including high-grade gold intercepts on the Fifi and Lemoffe vein zones. The Scottie Gold Mine Project, which includes the 100% owned historic mine and the adjacent Blueberry Contact Zone is located 35 kilometres north of the town of Stewart, BC, along the Granduc Road. Highlights: Blueberry Contact drillhole SR24-355 intersected 59.2 grams per tonne (g/t) gold over 2.50 metres (m) at the Fifi vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2,3) at the Fifi vein zone (Table 1, Figures 1,2,3) Blueberry Contact drillhole SR24-356 intersected 35.2 g/t gold over 2.00 m (Table 1, Figures 1,2,3) at the Lemoffe vein zone, and 2.27 g/t gold over 8.60 m at the at the Fifi vein zone President and CEO, Brad Rourke commented: "The drilling of the Blueberry Contact Zone in 2024 supports the calculation of the Scottie's maiden resource estimate for the Scottie Gold Mine Project. These high-grade results strengthen the existing data by filling in remaining gaps. The resource aims to be a transformative step in Scottie's progression, as we can start to clearly demonstrate to the market the financial upside and short development timeline in the project." Table 1: Selected results from new drill assays (uncut) from the Blueberry Contact Zone. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Width* (m) Gold (g/t) Silver (g/t) Sub Zone SR24-346 34.50 35.50 1.00 1.26 30.0 Gulley SR24-350 64.00 65.00 1.00 1.43 5.0 Gulley 93.00 94.00 1.00 1.22 0.0 Gulley 136.00 139.00 3.00 0.95 22.7 Gulley SR24-352 252.00 255.00 3.00 2.10 0.0 Serac Vein SR24-354 199.00 200.55 1.55 0.99 9.0 Serac Vein SR24-355 50.00 52.05 2.05 1.34 2.0 Fifi 105.90 108.40 2.50 59.2 21.0 Fifi 128.00 129.00 1.00 1.51 0.0 Fifi 184.60 185.60 1.00 17.0 33.0 Lemoffe 200.25 201.50 1.25 1.06 0.0 Lemoffe SR24-356 197.40 206.00 8.60 2.27 3.4 Fifi including 199.00 200.60 1.60 4.09 2.0 Fifi 243.00 245.00 2.00 35.2 14.5 Lemoffe *True width of the intervals has not yet been established by drilling Figure 1: Segmented vertical long section of the Blueberry Contact Zone illustrating the distribution and status of drilled targets from the 2024 season and the reported results thus far, relative to intercepts from previous drilling campaigns. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/237360_1ce5c51b640f0b6f_004full.jpg About the Blueberry Contact Zone The Blueberry Contact Zone is located just 2 kilometres northeast of the 100% owned, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine (SGM) located in British Columbia, Canada's Golden Triangle region. Historic trenching and channel sampling of the Blueberry Vein include results of 103.94 g/t gold over 1.43 metres, and 203.75 g/t gold over 1.90 metres. Despite high-grade surficial samples and easy road access, the Blueberry Vein had only limited reported drilling prior to the Company's exploration work. The target was significantly advanced during Scottie's 2019 drill program when an interval grading 7.44 g/t gold over 34.78 metres was intersected in a new N-S oriented zone adjacent to the main Blueberry Vein. The drill results received from 2020 - 2023, coupled with surficial mapping and sampling suggest that the N-S mineralized trend is a first order structure that hosts an array of SW-trending, sub-parallel, sulphide-rich veins that obliquely crosscut it which host high-grade gold. As of the end of 2024, the extent of the N-S zone, defined by the contact between andesite and siltstone units of the Hazelton Formation and the presence of the cross-cutting sulfide-rich structures, has a drilled strike length of >1,550 metres and has been tested to >525 metres depth. The Blueberry Contact Zone is located on the Granduc Road, 20 kilometres north of the Ascot Resources' Premier Mine. Newmont's Brucejack Mine is located 25 kilometres to the north. Figure 2: Overview plan view map of the Blueberry Contact Zone, illustrating the locations of the reported drill results, cross-section (Figure 3), and the distribution of the modelled sulphide-rich cross-structures. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/237360_1ce5c51b640f0b6f_005full.jpg About the Scottie Gold Mine Project Mineralization consists of east-west to northwest trending, steeply dipping, shear veins, that are comprised of pyrrhotite > pyrite quartz calcite. The veins are hosted in a package of andesitic volcanic rocks from the Hazelton Unuk River Formation that are situated adjacent to the contact with the Summit Lake stock, part of the Texas Creek Plutonic Suite. While 13+ distinct gold-bearing vein zones have been identified on the Scottie Gold Mine Project, mine production was primarily from one vein (the M-zone). Figure 3: Cross-section displaying Blueberry Contact Zone intercepts from drill holes SR24-355 and 356. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11118/237360_1ce5c51b640f0b6f_006full.jpg Exploration of the Scottie Gold Mine Project over the past 6 years has produced exceptional drill results through the discovery of high-grade gold in four new zones (Blueberry Contact Zone, Domino, D-Zone, P-Zone) and the expansion of previously drill confirmed targets (Scottie Gold Mine, C-Zone, Bend Vein, Stockwork). There is a clear spatial relation between the outcropping and drill-confirmed high-grade gold targets and the contact with the Jurassic aged, Texas Creek Plutonic suite intrusion. Geological work in the area has established strong connections between the various deposits. The chemical, mineralogical, structural, and age relationships of the deposits and host rocks support a genetic model whereby all deposits are linked to the same mineralizing event. Quality Assurance and Control Results from samples taken during the 2024 field season were analyzed at SGS Minerals in Burnaby, BC. The sampling program was undertaken under the direction of Dr. Thomas Mumford. A secure chain of custody is maintained in transporting and storing of all samples. Gold was assayed using a fire assay with atomic absorption spectrometry and gravimetric finish when required (+9 g/t gold). Analysis by four acid digestion with multi-element ICP-AES analysis was conducted on all samples with silver and base metal over-limits being re-analyzed by emission spectrometry. Dr. Thomas Mumford, P.Geo., a qualified person under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed the technical information contained in this news release on behalf of the Company. ABOUT SCOTTIE RESOURCES CORP. Scottie owns a 100% interest in the Scottie Gold Mine Property which includes the Blueberry Contact Zone and the high-grade, past-producing Scottie Gold Mine. Scottie also owns 100% interest in the Georgia Project which contains the high-grade past-producing Georgia River Mine, as well as the Cambria Project properties and the Sulu and Tide North properties. Altogether Scottie Resources holds approximately 58,500 hectares of mineral claims in the Stewart Mining Camp in the Golden Triangle. The Company's focus is on expanding the known mineralization around the past-producing mines while advancing near mine high-grade gold targets, with the purpose of delivering a potential resource. All of the Company's properties are located in the area known as the Golden Triangle of British Columbia which is among the world's most prolific mineralized districts. Forward-Looking Statements This news release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237360 SOURCE: Scottie Resources Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Nevada Sunrise Metals Corporation (TSXV: NEV) (OTC Pink: NVSGF) ("Nevada Sunrise" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that the Company has completed a purchase and sale agreement (the "Transaction") with Dome Rock Resources, LLC ("Dome Rock"), a private South Dakota company, whereby Dome Rock has purchased fifty-seven (57) non-core claims (the "Claims") from the Company. The Claims are located along the eastern boundary of the Gemini Lithium Project ("Gemini", or the "Project") in the Lida Valley near the town of Gold Point in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Following the closing the Transaction, Nevada Sunrise staked an additional thirty-three (33) claims in the Lida Valley to the north of the Gemini claims. The western boundary of the Claims sold in the Transaction is approximately 2 kilometres (1.33 miles) to the east of the Company's National Instrument 43-101-compliant lithium resource area calculated in 2024, representing approximately 20% of the total Project area (see Figure 1 below). The purchase price for the acquisition of the Claims by Dome Rock was US$300,000 in cash, which has been received in full by Nevada Sunrise. Figure 1. Gemini Lithium Project Area Showing Dome Rock Claims Acquisition To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2799/237370_nevadasunrise1.jpg In late November 2024, Dome Rock paid a non-refundable cash deposit of US$25,000 and entered into a 30-day period in which it carried out customary due diligence for a transaction of this nature. Following completion of due diligence by Dome Rock, the Transaction closed in late December 2024. A finder's fee of 5.0% cash totaling US$15,000 was paid to an arm's-length party for making the introduction to Dome Rock that led to a successful closing of the Transaction. About Gemini Gemini consists of 291 unpatented mineral claims located in the western Lida Valley, Esmeralda County, approximately 6 miles (10 kilometres) east of the town of Lida, and 3 miles (4.5 kilometres) north of Gold Point, Nevada. The Lida Valley is a flat, arid basin with a similar geological setting to the better-known Clayton Valley basin where Albemarle Corporation operates the Silver Peak lithium brine mine, which has operated continuously since 1966. Gemini is situated adjacent to the Gold Point Solar Energy Zone, a Bureau of Land Management land reserve set aside for solar and wind power generation projects until 2033. Exploration at Gemini is complemented by the Company's 80.09 acre/feet/year water right, a pre-requisite for the exploration and development of mineral projects in Nevada. Development of the Gemini Lithium Resource Estimate In March and April 2022, Nevada Sunrise drilled two reverse circulation boreholes for a total of 2,018 feet (615.85 metres) in its maiden drilling program at Gemini. The drill sites were located within a defined gravity low that hosts conductive layers detected by historical ground electromagnetic surveys. The results from the first two holes at Gemini represented a new discovery of lithium mineralization in the western Lida Valley, which was not historically drill tested for lithium (see Nevada Sunrise news release dated May 18, 2022 ) . In March 2024, Nevada Sunrise filed a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") compliant technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report, Resource Estimate for Gemini Lithium Project, Esmeralda County, Nevada" (the "Technical Report"), effective January 15, 2024, and dated March 8, 2024, on SEDAR and on the Company's website. The Technical Report relates to an independent maiden resource estimate at Gemini completed by ABH Engineering Inc. of Surrey, BC, Canada. The resource estimate addresses the work performed by the Company at Gemini since ground exploration by Nevada Sunrise began in 2016, and particularly describes the results of the first five (5) drill holes completed in 2022-2023 (see Figure 1). The majority of the Gemini property remains untested by drilling and remains open in all directions and at depth. The Inferred resource estimate comprises, in an open pit-constrained resource: Approximately 1.3 million tonnes Lithium, or 7.1 million tonnes lithium carbonate equivalent (" LCE ") contained within 1,200 million tonnes of lithium-mineralized clay at an average grade of approximately 1,130 parts per million ("ppm") Lithium; Lithium cut-off values of 400 ppm Lithium and density of 1.7 grams per cubic centimetre ("gm/cm 3 ") were used; Model constraints: Faults 3 and 4 (see Figure 2); a conceptualized 24 degree pit-slope, modelled from property boundaries, using a benchmark 24 degree pit-slope from several other Nevada lithium clay deposits. About the Gemini Resource Estimate Technical Report The Gemini Inferred resource estimate was based on geochemical analyses for lithium from samples of material collected from the rotary splitter in the reverse circulation drilling rigs contracted by the Company, which produced a continuous, representative 3 to 5 kilogram sample for each sample interval (see Nevada Sunrise news releases dated April 21, 2022, April 28, 2022, May 18, 2022, and May 24, 2023). Results of the drilling proved the existence of clays mineralized with lithium, exhibiting very good geological continuity; the Inferred resource was calculated for lithium carbonate hosted in the clays. Drilling to date has tested only a small portion of the Project area within 844 acres (342 hectares), which represents approximately 15% of the area covered by Gemini's current size of approximately 5,765 acres (2,330 hectares) of unpatented Bureau of Land Management mineral claims. Figure 2. Gemini Lithium Project - Block Model Cross Sections with Conceptualized Open Pit (Source: ABH Engineering Inc., 2024) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/2799/237370_e29d3909e4608902_002full.jpg The technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Damir Cukor, P. Geo., who is a Qualified Person with respect to Nevada Sunrise's Gemini Lithium Project, as defined under NI 43-101. For further information on Gemini, including maps and photos click here. About Nevada Sunrise Nevada Sunrise is a junior mineral exploration company with a strong technical team based in Vancouver, BC, Canada, that holds interests in lithium and copper exploration projects located in the State of Nevada, USA. Nevada Sunrise owns 100% interests in the Gemini, Jackson Wash and Badlands lithium projects, all of which are located in the Lida Valley in Esmeralda County, NV. The Company owns Nevada Water Right Permit 86863, also located in the Lida Valley basin, near Lida, NV. Nevada Sunrise holds the right to earn a 100% interest in the Coronado Copper Project, located approximately 48 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of Winnemucca, NV. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur and include disclosure of anticipated exploration activities. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company's management on the date such statements were made. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Such factors include, among others, risks related to: the closing of the purchase and sale transaction with Dome Rock; results and outcomes of the Company's 2022-2023 exploration activities and future plans at the Gemini Lithium Project; reliance upon the results of the calculation of a NI 43-101 compliant resource estimate for the Gemini Lithium Project; reliance on technical information provided by third parties on any of our exploration properties; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; current economic conditions; future prices of commodities; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays due to pandemic; delays in obtaining governmental approvals, financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors discussed in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the Nine Months Ending June 30, 2024, which is available under Company's SEDAR profile at: www.sedarplus.ca Although Nevada Sunrise has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Nevada Sunrise disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237370 SOURCE: Nevada Sunrise Metals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Quetzal Copper Corp. (TSXV: Q) ("Quetzal" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has mobilized its team to begin work at the Company's Princeton Copper Project in British Columbia, Canada. The Princeton Project is an 11,500 hectare property located between the Hudbay Minerals and Mitsubishi owned Copper Mountain Mine and the town of Princeton, British Columbia. Figure 1: Location of Princeton Project Claims and Targets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10393/237394_f37b4a9ab4d1babb_001full.jpg CEO Matt Badiali said, "We are thrilled to get started on this drill program. Princeton boasts several exciting copper targets from open intercepts at Bud South to new geophysical targets. It has excellent qualities that reduce our risk and increase our potential for success. It's next to an operating mine, has coincident soil and geophysical anomalies, and structures known for hosting large copper deposits in the region. The targets are shallow, and several have never been drilled before. This program is what drew many shareholders to us - the chance to make a major copper discovery in British Columbia." Princeton Copper Project The Princeton Copper project is a large land package consolidating several formerly disjointed claims. The technical team compiled historical surface geological and geochemical data and reprocessed geophysical data. The new perspective gleaned from this work generated four strong targets for the first drill program: Bud South - The only locality with a drill hole among the four targets. It contained 10.7 meters of rock with 0.18% copper and 0.30 grams per ton gold. But it only cut the edge of the target. Historic trenching at the target showed disseminated copper mineralization in intensely faulted and intruded Nicola Group volcanic rocks. - The only locality with a drill hole among the four targets. It contained 10.7 meters of rock with 0.18% copper and 0.30 grams per ton gold. But it only cut the edge of the target. Historic trenching at the target showed disseminated copper mineralization in intensely faulted and intruded Nicola Group volcanic rocks. Knob Hill - An overburden-covered chargeability anomaly adjacent to copper-gold in quartz veins exposed in nearby trenches - An overburden-covered chargeability anomaly adjacent to copper-gold in quartz veins exposed in nearby trenches Aura - A 1.5km wide horseshoe-shaped magnetic high surrounding a reverse-polarity magnetic feature. This may represent an intrusive body and its alteration halo. - A 1.5km wide horseshoe-shaped magnetic high surrounding a reverse-polarity magnetic feature. This may represent an intrusive body and its alteration halo. Contact - A chargeability high completely hidden under till cover along trend from and with the same signature as the Knob Hill target. Figure 2: Ground Magnetic Map Showing Priority Princeton Targets To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10393/237394_f37b4a9ab4d1babb_002full.jpg Bud South Bud South is a 300m by 400 m geophysical anomaly with significant copper in soils footprint over a strong magnetic high. Historic surface trenches exposed porphyry intrusions and alteration. Our interpretation, supported by recent 3D inversions of magnetic data, is that DD87-3 did not test the core of the target. Figure 3: Bud South Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10393/237394_f37b4a9ab4d1babb_003full.jpg Knob Hill The Knob Hill target is a chargeability high anomaly 300 to 600m in diameter under thin cover. It occurs downhill of historic trenching which exposed chalcopyrite bearing quartz veins. Grab samples from trenches ran 0.6% to 1.2% copper and from 0.55 g/t to 0.99 g/t gold. This target has never been drilled. Figure 4: Knob Hill Target To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10393/237394_f37b4a9ab4d1babb_004full.jpg Aura and Contact The Aura and Contact targets are the least explored being defined in newly collected geophysical data. Both are hidden under shallow, but variable amounts of till cover. Aura appears as an intense apparent magnetic low (possibly reversed polarity) surrounded by an apparent magnetic-high halo 1.5km in diameter. Where covered by the recent IP survey, the halo is a chargeability high. The geophysical signature may be interpreted as a sulfide-bearing alteration zone adjacent to an intrusion. Contact is located south of the Knob Hill target, where till cover is thicker, and outcrop is absent. It consists of a chargeability high associated with a magnetic signature analogous to that at Knob Hill. Options Grant The Company also announces the grant of incentive stock options to various directors, officers, senior employees and advisors of the Company to purchase 1,500,000 common shares at an exercise price of $0.16 per share, exercisable for a period of 5 years. The stock options are subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's stock option plan and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. QP Statement Dr. Roy Greig, P.Geo., a Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, has reviewed, and approved the technical content in this release. First Nations Acknowledgement Quetzal recognizes that the Princeton Copper Project is part of the traditional unceded territory of the Smelqmix People. We are committed to respect for the land and for the people who reside there. About Quetzal Copper Quetzal is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in British Columbia and Mexico. Quetzal currently has a portfolio of three properties located in British Columbia, Canada and one in Mexico. The Company's principal project, Princeton Copper, is located adjacent to Hudbay's Copper Mountain mine in southern British Columbia. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof 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" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to exploration and development of the Company's properties. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated, accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237394 SOURCE: Quetzal Copper Limited Greene Concepts Inc. (OTC PINK:INKW) is pleased to announce a partnership with TEN Alkaline Spring Water, a leading brand in the alkaline water market renowned for its high pH level of 10. Greene Concepts serves as a third-party white label manufacturer for TEN's gallon-sized water products, leveraging its Marion, NC bottling facility to expand TEN's retail presence. White label manufacturing is a business model where a manufacturer produces products that are rebranded and sold by another company under the other company's own brand name. White labeling offers many benefits to include lower unit costs, consistent quality control, and market adaptability. This partnership marks a strategic collaboration, enabling TEN to strengthen its position as the top-selling gallon-sized alkaline water brand while Greene Concepts extends the reach of its bottling capabilities into TEN's established retail distribution channels. The relationship builds on the companies' history of mutual success and shared commitment to delivering high-quality water products. Greene Concepts shipped its first full truckload of TEN-branded gallon bottles on December 13, 2024. Two more truckloads will be shipped by the end of January. TEN Alkaline Spring Water founder and Managing Principal, Jose Fernandez, states, "As an entrepreneur and executive, I prioritize quality partnerships, health and hydration in the marketplace, and customer satisfaction. This alliance with Greene Concepts perfectly aligns with these values. I'm impressed by their water quality and production capabilities, which ensure our high-pH water continues to meet the expectations of our customers. Partnering with Greene Concepts to produce white label gallons at their facility is an exciting step forward, and I look forward to the opportunities this collaboration will bring." Lenny Greene, CEO of Greene Concepts, highlights, "We are thrilled to partner with Jose Fernandez and TEN to produce gallon-sized configurations for their brand. Jose's commitment to excellence in quality, innovation, and customer satisfaction aligns perfectly with our mission. He's not only a strong business partner but also a visionary leader, and we're honored to support TEN's continued success." Mr. Greene concludes, "This partnership underscores the growing demand for gallon-sized configurations and highlights Greene Concepts' ability to deliver clean, high-quality water on a large scale. We're excited to serve TEN's customers and anticipate even greater growth as we continue to expand this relationship. Together, we are well-positioned to drive innovation and meet the increasing demand for premium water solutions." Follow Greene Concepts, Inc. on Social Media (X) at: @GreeneConcepts About TEN Alkaline Spring Water Launched in 2013, TEN Spring Water is a premium bottled water known for its high pH level of 10, making it one of the most alkaline waters available. Sourced from natural springs in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, TEN water is rich in essential alkaline minerals and electrolytes, including potassium and sodium, contributing to its high pH and refreshing taste. For more information please visit: https://www.tenspringwater.com/ About Greene Concepts, Inc. Greene Concepts, Inc. (https://www.greeneconcepts.com) is a publicly traded company whose purpose is to provide the world with high-quality, healthy and enhanced beverage choices that meet the nutritional needs of its consumers while refreshing their mind, body and spirit. The Company's flagship product, BE WATER, is a premium artesian bottled water that supports total body health and wellness. Greene Concepts' beverage and bottling plant is located in Marion, North Carolina, and their water is ethically sourced from spring and artesian wells that are fed from a natural aquifer located deep beneath the Blue Ridge Mountains. Greene Concepts continues to develop and market premium beverage brands designed to enhance the daily lives of consumers. Safe Harbor: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are based on the current plans and expectations of management and are subject to a few uncertainties and risks that could significantly affect the company's current plans and expectations, as well as future results of operations and financial condition. A more extensive listing of risks and factors that may affect the company's business prospects and cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the reports and other documents filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission and OTC Markets, Inc. OTC Disclosure and News Service. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, because of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Information View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire The company establishes an Abu Dhabi office and announces new regional cloud support to meet the growing demand for edge AI and computing solutions ZEDEDA, the leader in edge management and orchestration, today announced the opening of its Middle East headquarters in Abu Dhabi and new strategic investments from Alpha Wave Incubation and Prosperity7, a diversified venture capital fund of Aramco Ventures, a subsidiary of Aramco, marking a significant expansion of its global operations. This growth comes in response to accelerating demand for edge computing and AI solutions in the Middle East region, where ZEDEDA has seen strong customer adoption across multiple industries. The new Abu Dhabi office joins ZEDEDA's existing locations in the United States, Germany and India, establishing a fourth strategic hub for the company's global operations. The regional headquarters will house sales, engineering and customer support teams to serve ZEDEDA's expanding Middle Eastern customer base. "The Middle East is experiencing unprecedented adoption of cloud and edge computing technologies as organizations embrace digital transformation," said Said Ouissal, ZEDEDA's CEO and founder. "Our new Abu Dhabi headquarters positions us to work more closely with customers in the region while providing enhanced local support for global customers deploying edge computing solutions across the Middle East." The Middle East Africa region is poised for remarkable growth in edge computing adoption. IDC's Worldwide Edge Spending Guide predicts a 15.3% compound annual growth rate over the next five years, positioning it as one of the fastest-growing markets worldwide. This growth is driven by increasing demand for edge AI and edge computing solutions across industries as organizations embrace digital transformation. Strategic Investment Fuels Middle East Expansion In response to this market opportunity, ZEDEDA announced new support for Middle East cloud regions, enabling customers to comply with data residency requirements while leveraging cloud-native technologies and AI capabilities. This expansion comes as ZEDEDA welcomes strategic investments from Alpha Wave and Prosperity7. ZEDEDA's Abu Dhabi headquarters establishment comes as part of Alpha Wave Incubation's (AWI) strategic investment program in Abu Dhabi. The AWI program provides comprehensive support, including strategic, operational and community resources designed to help technology companies scale in the region. Through this program, ZEDEDA will benefit from Abu Dhabi's advanced digital infrastructure, favorable regulatory environment and growing technology ecosystem while contributing to the emirate's vision of becoming a leading global hub for technology innovation. "As the demand increases for data-driven insights that drive efficiency, safety, and competitive advantage, it's leading to an accelerated adoption of AI-enabled technologies at the edge, where the data is created. This is what ZEDEDA solves," said Rick Gerson, Co-Founder and Chairman of Alpha Wave Global. "We are delighted to partner with Said and team as they expand their global footprint, driving adoption within new regions and markets." "Witnessing ZEDEDA's groundbreaking technology confirms its promised potential of defining the future of edge computing," said Abhishek Shukla, Managing Director of Prosperity7. "ZEDEDA's open source EVE-OS architecture and integrated technology stack will enable the broadest set of enterprise deployment options as organizations look to simplify the security and remote management of edge workloads." The company's expansion reflects the accelerating adoption of edge computing and AI across industries in the Middle East. ZEDEDA will actively recruit local talent to support its growth in the region while developing partnerships with Middle East-based solution providers to strengthen its ecosystem. To learn more about ZEDEDA's edge orchestration solutions, visit ZEDEDA.com. About ZEDEDA ZEDEDA makes edge computing effortless, open and intrinsically secure-extending the cloud experience to the edge. ZEDEDA reduces the cost of managing and orchestrating distributed edge infrastructure and applications while increasing visibility, security and control. ZEDEDA delivers instant time to value, has tens of thousands of nodes under management and is backed by world-class investors with teams in the United States, Germany and India. For more information, visit www.ZEDEDA.com. About Alpha Wave Incubation Alpha Wave Incubation (AWI) is an investment fund managed by Alpha Wave Global in partnership with Lunate. AWI's mission is to invest in outstanding founders and management teams that have exceptional companies. AWI also offers access to comprehensive support for business-building, while also helping companies expand globally and open new markets in the GCC/MENA region and beyond. Alpha Wave Global is a global investment company with three main verticals: private equity, private credit, and public markets. It is led by Rick Gerson, Navroz Udwadia, and Ryan Khoury. Alpha Wave has offices in Miami, New York, London, Monaco, Madrid, Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Sydney. For more information, pleasevisit www.alphawaveglobal.com. About Prosperity7 Ventures Prosperity7 Ventures (P7) is the diversified growth fund of Aramco Ventures, a subsidiary of Aramco, the world's leading integrated energy and chemicals company. The fund's name derives from "Prosperity Well', the 7th oil well drilled in Saudi Arabia and the first to strike oil. Taking forward this pioneering history, P7 invests globally with a long-term view in breakthrough technologies and transformational business models that will bring prosperity and positive impact on a vast scale. https://www.prosperity7vc.com/ View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250114249072/en/ Contacts: Treble Jin Woo zededa@treblepr.com Nearly Half (47%) of UK Businesses Reported Spending Over a Million Euros in the last two years. Ransomware remains the greatest cyber threat to the UK's finance and banking sector. Costs also deteriorated employee wellness; regulations put enhanced pressure on over half (58%) of UK CISOs. Although the European Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) and other Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) measures offer increased resilience to organisations, new research from Rubrik today finds that compliance also comes with significant costs to businesses and their employees. The report by Rubrik Zero Labs-commissioned by Rubrik (NYSE: RBRK) and conducted by Wakefield Research-finds that nearly half (47%) of financial and banking organisations in the UK reportedly have spent more than one million euros over the last two years on the implementation of regulations such as DORA and PRA, with over a quarter (28%) reporting spending between 501,000-1,000,000. Despite implementation efforts, threats still loom, with ransomware remaining the greatest threat (46%) to financial organisations. One in five (20%) CISOs cited third-party compromise and 19% citing software supply chains as posing significant threats to security. Equally concerning is the fact that 79% of these professionals report that it has had an impact on their mental health, highlighting the need for a more empathetic approach to these challenges. Taking effect from January 17th 2025, DORA will introduce an enforced universal framework, including a focus on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) risk management. This framework could transform the financial services and banking sector, given it typically holds some of the most sensitive data across all markets, and data. "Given the increasing threat of ransomware and third-party compromise, the implementation of regulations is required and expensive. Understanding what data is the most critical, where that data lives, who has access to it, is essential to identifying, assessing, and mitigating ICT risks. If good hygiene practices like these are not followed, organisations can now receive fines from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)," said James Hughes, VP of Solutions Engineering and Enterprise CTO at Rubrik. There also appears to be a major disconnect with the rest of the C-suite when it comes to prioritising cyber resilience, as over three-quarters (77%) of UK CISOs feel that their IT budget is not completely reflected by their board's objectives to meet regulatory requirements. "There is a critical gap between board-level understanding and reality. While regulators are increasingly stringent, many CISOs feel their budgets don't adequately reflect the board's commitment to compliance. This disconnect jeopardises not only organisations' security posture but also their ability to meet evolving regulatory demands," added Hughes. DORA mandates key provisions such as contractual safeguards and contingency plans to minimise dependencies and are in place to mitigate risks from partners. To ensure best practices regarding operational resilience, regular testing of digital resilience and attack simulations, as directed by DORA, will feed into cyber resilience plans and reassure CISOs. Despite this, UK CISOs have more confidence in the cloud than their European counterparts with nearly three-quarters (73%) of UK CISOs feeling that their client, customer, partner and employee PII is secure in cloud environments. CISOs, boards, and other stakeholders must work together to ensure that cyber resilience priorities are clearly defined, adequately funded, and effectively implemented to meet the evolving regulatory landscape and safeguard the industry's future. To find out more on EU data regulations, tune in to CISO conversations hosted on Rubrik's YouTube channel. Report Methodology This research report was commissioned by Rubrik and conducted by Wakefield Research among 350 CISOs working at companies with a minimum of 500 employees, in the finance and banking sectors, excluding holding companies. Respondents comprised five markets: UK, Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, between November 21 and December 3, 2024. About Rubrik Rubrik (NYSE: RBRK) is on a mission to secure the world's data. With Zero Trust Data Security, we help organizations achieve business resilience against cyberattacks, malicious insiders, and operational disruptions. Rubrik Security Cloud, powered by machine learning, secures data across enterprise, cloud, and SaaS applications. We help organizations uphold data integrity, deliver data availability that withstands adverse conditions, continuously monitor data risks and threats, and restore businesses with their data when infrastructure is attacked. For more information please visit www.rubrik.com and follow @rubrikInc on X (formerly Twitter) and Rubrik on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116491449/en/ Contacts: Media Contact: Graham Day Graham.Day@rubrik.com ABU DHABI, UAE, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From 14-16 January, AIKO, a global-leading new energy technology company, made the first appearance with its high-efficiency N-type ABC series products at the 17th World Future Energy Summit (WFES). As a BNEF Tier 1 solar module manufacturer, AIKO was the world's first company to achieve GW-level mass production of N-type BC. AIKO N-type ABC modules have ranked first on the TaiyangNews global module mass production efficiency list for 22 consecutive months, and its delivery efficiency recently has reached 24.6%. Abu Dhabi has a typical desert climate with scarce rainfall and abundant sunshine all year round, boasting the highest irradiance levels in the world with summer temperatures reaching up to 50?. AIKO N-type ABC modules excel in better temperature coefficient of -0.26%/?, partial shading optimization and high temperature restriction, significantly minimizing the impact of high temperatures, reducing the risks of power loss and hot spot caused by obstruction, and ensuring stable operation in different conditions. Through partial shading optimization and micro-crack resistance experiment at the booth, AIKO N-type ABC modules demonstrated the leading performance compared to TOPCon modules, showing superior power output in shaded conditions as well as better resistance to micro-cracks and lower electricity loss when subjected to the same impact. At the exhibition, an internationally leading independent third-party testing, inspection, certification, training, and consulting organization, TUV Rheinland awarded AIKO with A-level certification for shadow obstruction resistance at the awarding ceremony and both sides agreed to strengthen cooperation on module testing, certification technology innovations and standard setting, jointly promoting the development of PV technology. During the exhibition, Christian Peter, Director of AIKO European Research Institute, presented on "Cutting-edge Photovoltaic Technology Boosts Zero-Carbon Energy Transition", discussing the R&D journey of BC technology and the excellent adaptability of AIKO N-type ABC in the Middle East region and outlining AIKO's mission to drive zero-carbon societal development through innovation. During the event, AIKO successfully signed distribution agreements and project orders with major EPCs and distributors in Tunisia, further expanding the market in the Middle East and North Africa regions. Committed to driving zero-carbon energy transformation, AIKO will continue to focus on customer demands and differentiated solutions to promote solar industry development and energy transition in the Middle East, contributing to the realization of a zero-carbon society while achieving the ultimate conversion of solar energy. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599795/1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/aiko-makes-impressive-debut-at-abu-dhabi-energy-expo-302353235.html Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - BrandPilot AI Inc., (CSE: BPAI) (OTCQB: BPAIF) ("BPAI" or the "Company"), a leading innovator in AI-driven advertising technology solutions, proudly announces its adoption of Coinbase Commerce. The company is now accepting Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), USD Coin (USDC), and other leading cryptocurrencies. In a bold industry-first move, BrandPilot AI will hold digital currencies on its balance sheet, signaling its commitment to embracing the future of decentralized finance and blockchain innovation. By integrating crypto payments, BrandPilot AI enables customers to fund their ad campaigns with unprecedented transparency, speed, and flexibility, eliminating traditional banking bottlenecks and embracing the decentralized economy. This initiative supports the Company's broader strategy to expand into Web3, DeFi, NFT projects, and blockchain-powered ecosystems, becoming the go-to adtech partner for crypto-native companies and projects. "As the digital marketing world evolves, Web3 and blockchain companies demand the same transparency they champion in their own ecosystems," said Brandon Mina, CEO of BrandPilot AI. "Our integration with Coinbase Commerce is about more than accepting crypto-it's about leading with innovation, fostering transparency, and providing clients with the agility they need to thrive. By holding these currencies on our balance sheet, we're aligning with the decentralized ethos of the Web3 community." Crypto Payments That Elevate Ad Campaigns With blockchain-enabled payments, BrandPilot AI offers clients the ability to conduct borderless, secure, and tamper-proof transactions-a critical advantage for Web3 companies managing global advertising campaigns. Key Benefits of the New Crypto Payment Option: Full Transparency: Blockchain's immutable ledger ensures auditable, transparent transactions, reinforcing accountability. Faster Transactions: No bank approval delays-instantly fund global campaigns with crypto. A Commitment to Innovation: BrandPilot AI's willingness to hold crypto signals confidence in the long-term potential of digital currencies. This new payment offering aligns with BrandPilot AI's core focus of providing next-level solutions to regulated industries, where transparency, agility, and performance matter most. By actively targeting crypto projects, NFT marketplaces, and DeFi innovators, BrandPilot AI is cementing its position as a critical growth enabler for emerging Web3 players. For more information about BrandPilot AI and its commitment to adtech innovation, visit www.brandpilot.ai. About BrandPilot AI Inc. BPAI is an AdTech platform that leverages artificial intelligence to optimize brand engagement and performance for enterprise clients in regulated markets. The Company's flagship product, Spectrum IQ, enables marketers to harness the power of micro-influencers to unlock ROI across digital campaigns. The Company also provides software solutions to brands and agencies that are looking to enhance their search engine marketing, influencer marketing and social media marketing campaigns. About Coinbase Commerce Coinbase Commerce provides merchants with a trusted platform to accept cryptocurrency payments globally. Built by Coinbase, a global leader in crypto, the platform offers seamless, secure, and transparent transactions, empowering businesses to engage with the decentralized economy. For further information, please contact: About BrandPilot AI Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the business of BrandPilot AI. Any forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as "expects," "anticipates," "believes," "projects," "plans," and similar expressions. Statements regarding the anticipated benefits of accepting cryptocurrency payments, the Company's strategic plans to target Web3 companies, and its ability to expand into blockchain-powered markets, as well as any statements suggesting future conditions or results, are considered forward-looking. These statements are based on management's reasonable assumptions at the time of this release but are subject to risks, uncertainties, and factors that may cause actual outcomes to differ materially. These include, but are not limited to, general market conditions, regulatory risks, the Company's ability to execute its business strategies, and economic factors beyond the Company's control. Specific risks also include the evolving nature of Web3 technologies, the adoption rate of blockchain-based payment solutions, and BrandPilot AI's ability to deliver continued value to its clients through its adtech innovations. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual performance, results, or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. BrandPilot AI assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new events or circumstances unless required by law. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange, nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237423 SOURCE: BrandPilot AI Inc. Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Zedcor Inc. (TSXV: ZDC) (the "Company" or "Zedcor") is pleased to announce the upsize of its previously announced bought deal offering (the "Offering") of common shares (the "Offered Shares") in the capital of the Company. Under the amended terms of the Offering, Beacon Securities Limited ("Beacon"), on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters including Cormark Securities Inc., Raymond James Ltd., Canaccord Genuity Corp., and Paradigm Capital Inc. (together with Beacon, the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Underwriters have agreed to purchase, on a bought deal basis, with a right to arrange for substitute purchasers, 6,570,000 Offered Shares of the Company at a price of $3.35 per Offered Share (the "Issue Price") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $22,009,500 (the "Offering"). In connection with the Offering, the Company has granted the Underwriters an option (the "Over-Allotment Option"), exercisable in whole or in part at any time and from time to time for up to 30 days following the Closing Date (as defined below), to purchase up to an additional number of Offered Shares (the "Additional Shares") equal to 15% of the number of Offered Shares sold pursuant to the Offering at a price per Additional Share equal to the Issue Price to cover over-allotments, if any, and for market stabilization purposes. The Offered Shares will be offered (i) in Canada by way of a short form prospectus to be filed in each of the Provinces of Canada, other than Quebec; and (ii) to eligible purchasers by way of available prospectus exemptions in certain jurisdictions outside of Canada. The Offered Shares may also be offered and sold in the United States to Qualified Institutional Buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act")) and to a limited number of "accredited investors" (as defined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D under the 1933 Act, in each case by way of private placement pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act and pursuant to any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the 1933 Act, as amended, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the "United States" (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. About Zedcor Inc. Zedcor Inc. is disrupting the traditional physical security industry through its proprietary MobileyeZ security towers by providing turnkey and customized mobile surveillance and live monitoring solutions to blue-chip customers across North America. The Company continues to expand its established platform of over 1,300 MobileyeZ towers in Canada and the United States, with emphasis on industry leading service levels, data-supported efficiency outcomes, and continued innovation. Zedcor services the Canadian market through equipment and service centers currently located in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario. The Company continues to advance its U.S. expansion which now has the capacity to service markets throughout the Midwest with locations throughout Texas and in Denver, Colorado, with a location in Phoenix, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia anticipated in the first half of 2025. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain statements included in this press release constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements or information can be identified by terminology such as "anticipate", "believe", "expect", "plan", "intend", "estimate", "propose", "budget", "should", "project", "may be", or similar words (including negative or grammatical variations) suggesting future outcomes or expectations. In particular, forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release, include, but are not limited to: the use of the net proceeds of the Offering; the terms of the Offering; the timing and completion of the Offering; the exercise of the Over-Allotment Option; the expansion of the Company's service offering to other geographic regions; and the receipt of regulatory, stock exchange and other required approvals in connection with the Offering. Although the Company believes that the expectations implied in such forward-looking statements or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements or information because the Company can give no assurance that such statements or information will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements or information are based on current expectations, estimates and projections that involve a number of assumptions about the future and uncertainties, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals; current forecasts and anticipated utilization rates; the availability of debt and equity financing; the ability of the Company to obtain an adequate supply of the equipment required to construct towers; the availability of skilled personnel; and the level of competition in the marketplaces and industries in which the Company operates. Although management of the Company believes these expectations and assumptions reflected in these forward-looking statements or information to be reasonable, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking statements or information will be proved to be correct, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. For this purpose, any statements or information contained herein that are not statements or information of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements or information and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements or information. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company assumes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new contrary information, future events or any other reason, unless the Company is required by any applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements or information contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this 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 release. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237397 SOURCE: Zedcor Inc. LONDON (dpa-AFX) - UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched his visit to Ukraine Thursday with a promise to put that country in the 'strongest possible position' in 2025.Arriving in capital Kiev six months after leading the Labor party into power in the U.K., Starmer assured his government's long-term support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's 'illegal and barbaric invasion'.He laid flowers at a wall of remembrance for the martyrs of the war in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.'Putin's ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level,' Starmer said.The Prime Minister's Office said that during his visit, Starmer will sign a 'landmark 100-year partnership' deal that would ensure UK's economic and military support to Ukraine.The treaty will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression.It will bring together experts to advance scientific and technology partnerships in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects.New UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories.The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks, according to 10 Downing Street.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. WESTMINSTER, Colo., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TraceGains , the leading provider of compliance, quality, and innovation solutions for the food and beverage (F&B) industry, is excited to announce its next step on the path toward a more sustainable F&B supply chain with the ability to integrate deforestation data and analysis into the TraceGains enterprise Compliance suite. Leveraging science-based data and deforestation analysis from Global Forest Watch (GFW) Pro, the supply chain edition of the World Resources Institute's flagship GFW platform, TraceGains can now provide brands and manufacturers the ability to collect, aggregate, and run deforestation analyses on plots of land associated with forest-risk commodities in their supply chain, providing a clear view into deforestation risk. TraceGains offers an end-to-end solution for the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) encompassing data collection, supplier and ingredient compliance risk questionnaires, plot deforestation analysis, risk analytics, and due diligence statement submissions, which can be triggered automatically through incoming certificates of analyses when goods reach the EU market. TraceGains simplifies compliance and reduces cost by leveraging the world's leading network of food and beverage manufacturers and suppliers to facilitate data collection and digitalization, which automatically integrate into TraceGains' enterprise suite of compliance analytics and automation tools. GFW harnesses cutting-edge technology to deliver timely, accurate information about forest ecosystems worldwide, enabling targeted analysis of the agricultural footprint of suppliers and the commodities they provide. This collaboration will support F&B companies with compliance for evolving sustainability standards in Europe, and around the world. As the EUDR deadline approaches, companies are required to ensure that no shipments come from areas deforested after 2020. With Global Forest Watch's monitoring and risk assessment capabilities, TraceGains customers can confidently track high-risk commodities like palm oil, soy, beef, coffee, cocoa, rubber, and timber, ensuring compliance with regulation while tracking progress against sustainability commitments. "Our customers are actively leading the way on environmental sustainability, but there are a lot of data sources out there," said Paul Bradley, Senior Director of Product Marketing for TraceGains. "It can be difficult for businesses to navigate the complex data sets and analyses needed to create more sustainable products. Integrating with best-in-class data providers like GFW Pro lets our customers map deforestation risk and conduct risk assessment across their supply chains, bringing all of that intelligence together in one place." By integrating GFW Pro's data and analyses into TraceGains' existing platform, companies can more effectively track forest-related risks within their supply chains. This visibility supports environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting as well as mandatory disclosure for the EUDR and other emerging regulations, and substantiates green claims. As a result, TraceGains users can identify potential risks, reduce environmental impacts, and maintain transparent supply chains. About TraceGains: TraceGains provides a purpose-built marketplace connecting food and beverage (F&B) brands with ingredient and packaging suppliers, powered by a suite of software solutions to manage all business and product-related challenges such as regulatory compliance, nutritional analysis, labeling, new product development and more. Trusted by over 1,200 global clients including half of the top 100 F&B manufacturers, TraceGains is the industry's de facto business hub serving the needs of Product Development (formula/specification management, regulatory global, nutritional calculation), Compliance (supplier, quality and audit management) and ESG. TraceGains represents the largest network of 80,000 supplier locations and a robust database of 550,000 ingredients where brands collaborate on behalf of consumers to develop new products faster while ensuring quality, safety and compliance. About Global Forest Watch Pro: Global Forest Watch (GFW) Pro is the supply chains edition of GFW which, since its launch in 2014, has harnessed cutting-edge technology to allow anyone to access near real-time information about forests globally. GFW Pro helps companies achieve supply chain sustainability with analytics that drive impact. More than 1,000 organizations globally, from agricultural and food businesses to financial institutions, use GFW Pro to monitor and manage deforestation risks across their supply chains or investment portfolios. GFW is an initiative of the World Resources Institute. Learn more about GFW Pro at https://pro.globalforestwatch.org/ Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1858685/tracegains_logo_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/tracegains-partners-with-global-forest-watch-pro-to-strengthen-esg-efforts-ahead-of-eu-deforestation-regulations-302353049.html CNH brands win two Good Design Awards Basildon, January 16, 2025 Product designs from CNH's global construction brands CASE Construction Equipment and New Holland Construction have been honored with two Good Design Awards. The awards, founded 75 years ago, have become a global benchmark for design excellence and are determined by the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd. "These Good Design awards are recognition of our Design team's role in producing the CASE 580EV Backhoe Loader and New Holland Construction W40X Electric Power. Their styling matches the innovation within the machines," saidDavid Wilkie, Head of Industrial Design at CNH. Our Winners CASE was recognized for the 580EV Electric Backhoe Loader - the industry's first production-ready, purpose-built electric backhoe loader. This recognition emphasizes CASE's commitment to innovation and sustainability, offering a sustainable alternative in the construction industry. The 580EV features a sleek design with electric blue decaling, ergonomic controls, and an operator-focused cab equipped with an 8-inch touch screen that ensures ease of use and efficiency on the job site. CASE sets a new standard for safe and efficient construction equipment with its advanced safety features such as adjustable strobe lights. The New Holland ConstructionW40X Electric Power - the brand's new compact wheel loader - was recognized for its innovative styling that complements its engineering prowess. The seamless integration of aesthetics and functionality sets a new benchmark in the design of construction equipment. The W40X special edition created by CNH's Industrial design team features a 'Clean Blue' design with the iconic New Holland leaf symbol, showcasing advanced alternative propulsion technology. New Holland's innovative design continues to push the boundaries, marrying enhanced performance with visual appeal. CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNH) is a world-class equipment, technology and services company. Driven by its purpose of Breaking New Ground, which centers on Innovation, Sustainability and Productivity, the Company provides the strategic direction, R&D capabilities, and investments that enable the success of its global and regional Brands. Globally, Case IH and New Holland supply 360 agriculture applications from machines to implements and the digital technologies that enhance them; and CASE and New Holland Construction Equipment deliver a full lineup of construction products that make the industry more productive. The Company's regionally focused Brands include: STEYR, for agricultural tractors; Raven, a leader in digital agriculture, precision technology and the development of autonomous systems; Hemisphere, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-precision satellite-based positioning, and heading technologies; Flexi-Coil, specializing in tillage and seeding systems; Miller, manufacturing application equipment; and Eurocomach, producing a wide range ofmini and midi excavators for the construction sector, including electric solutions. Across a history spanning over two centuries, CNH has always been a pioneer in its sectors and continues to passionately innovate and drive customer efficiency and success. As a truly global company, CNH's 40,000+ employees form part of a diverse and inclusive workplace, focused on empowering customers to grow, and build, a better world. For more information and the latest financial and sustainability reports visit: cnh.com For news from CNH and its Brands visit: media.cnh.com Media contacts: Rebecca Fabian Alex Ellis North America United Kingdom Tel. +1 312 515 2249 Tel. +44 (0)758 106 1696 mediarelations@cnh.com Attachments New data from Recurly, from 67 million unique subscribers, reveals a seismic shift toward retention, with businesses prioritizing personalized experiences and loyalty-building tactics to counter slowing acquisition rates and drive long-term subscription growth. Recurly, a leader in the subscription management and billing platform, today released its ninth annual State of Subscriptions report. The report analyzes data from millions of consumers providing deep insight into the massive subscription economy's evolution. This report offers strategies and one-of-a-kind solutions for merchants to overcome the industry's ever-evolving nature and subscription challenges to drive growth. In a year when subscriber acquisition rates dropped to 2.8% (down from 4.1% in 2021), retention has emerged as the cornerstone of subscription success. Strategies like personalized engagement, flexible payment options, and loyalty incentives are no longer optional-they are essential to thriving in this dynamic market. "This data underlines why more and more businesses across industries from travel to fashion are turning to subscription models," said Joe Rohrlich, CEO at Recurly. "Even as customer acquisition declines, retention is increasing-a clear sign that consumers want to find and stick with subscriptions that best fit in with their lives. Every subscriber wants to be treated to the most personalized experience possible, and the onus is on businesses to provide products and services that create best-in-class customer experiences." Some of the top findings from the 2025 State of Subscriptions report include: The shift to retention: Acquisition rates dropped from 4.1% in 2021 to 2.8%, signaling the continued shift toward profitable growth. Subscription businesses continue to focus on cost effective acquisition strategies while improving churn through subscriber engagement and loyalty. Declining free trial effectiveness: Free trial conversion fell from 46% to 33%. The focus is shifting to attracting high-quality subscribers, as increasing market penetration in many industries has decreased the effectiveness of free trials. Subscriber expectations evolving: Consumers demand flexibility-preferred payment methods, diverse plan options (both recurring and one-time), frictionless plan changes, and custom bundles. Cancellation isn't goodbye: Subscriptions are cyclical, with 20% of acquisitions being returning subscribers. Over $200M was generated from subscribers who re-subscribed after pausing. Businesses offering a pause option saw 25% of subscribers pause instead of canceling. Fraud and Alternate Payment Methods (APMs) on the rise: Fraudulent transactions increased by 29%, mainly targeting the sign-up flow and credit/debit cards. There was also a 19% year-over-year (YOY) increase in alternative payment method (APM) usage, which helps mitigate this risk while aligning with consumer preferences. "Success in 2025 depends on subscriber experience and deepening loyalty," said Taylor Putnam, Principal Commercial Product Manager at Alaska Airlines. Subscription offerings aren't new, but brands like Alaska Airlines, Paramount +, Chuck. E. Cheese, FabFitFun and more are increasingly recognizing the value of subscriptions and are using these models as a way to ensure their businesses stay profitable and sustainable. Recurly's data shows that 58% of consumers have subscribed to one to three services in the past year. It's clear that there is a healthy demand for more businesses to adopt subscription models. "Recurly's integrated billing and payment options have allowed us to focus our resources where they matter most: delivering value to our students," said Bryan Gregory, Director Of Engineering at Chegg. Download the full Recurly 2025 State of Subscriptions report here and register to attend Recurly's 2025 State of Subscription: Behind the data webinar on February 5, 2025 for a live discussion diving deeper into the key insights, takeaways, and the best ways to integrate this data into your own business strategies. ABOUT RECURLY Thousands of innovative companies across digital media, streaming, publishing, SaaS, education, consumer goods, and professional services industries rely on Recurly to unlock transformational growth using subscriptions. Recurly's all-in-one, integrated platform removes the complexities of automating subscription billing at scale by enabling teams to manage and optimize their subscriber lifecycles with ease. Category-defining companies including Sling TV, Twitch, FabFitFun, Paramount+, Lucid Software, and Sprout Social have chosen Recurly to manage billions of dollars in recurring revenues, future-proof their recurring billing and revenue management, and recover billions of dollars in lost revenue due to churn. For more information, visit recurly.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116598246/en/ Contacts: Walker Sands for Recurly recurlypr@walkersands.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Corton Capital Inc. ("Corton") announces the final December 2024 cash distribution for the following distribution for the Corton Enhanced Income Fund (TSX: RAAA) for the month ending December 31, 2024. The distribution will be paid on or about January 17th, 2025 to unitholders of record on December 31th, 2024. The details of the dividend distribution are as follows: Details regarding the final per unit cash distribution amount is as follows: Corton ETF TSX Ticker Cash Distribution Enhanced Income Fund RAAA $0.068934 per unit For further information, including detailed tax considerations, please visit https://cortoncapital.ca/etf or contact our Investor Relations team at ETF@CortonCapital.ca or 1-888-822-1171. About Corton Capital Inc. Founded in 2018, Corton is about pursuing solutions to the ever-growing challenges people face each day in planning and securing their future. The investing landscape has seen massive changes in the number of products, market concentration, specialization of market participants and overall complexity. These changes have left many people deeply anxious about their financial security for everyday living and retirement. Corton believes the key to increasing financial security is through financial education, partnering with experienced and specialized managers and managing risk through appropriate asset allocation. Corton's goal is to provide this through traditional and alternative financial products that help individuals achieve their financial goals at a risk level they are comfortable with. Forward-Looking Statements: Management fees, brokerage fees and expenses all may be associated with investing in ETFs. Please read the prospectus, which contains detailed investment information, before investing. Tax, investment and all other decisions should be made, as appropriate, only with guidance from a qualified professional. ETF units are not guaranteed, their values change frequently, and past performance may not be repeated. ETF units are bought and sold at market price on the TSX or another exchange or marketplace and may only be bought and sold through licensed dealers. Brokerage commissions will reduce returns. There can be no assurance that ETF units will trade at prices that reflect their net asset value per unit. If ETF units are purchased or sold on the TSX or another exchange or marketplace, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying units of an ETF and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There can be no assurance that an active public market for ETF units will develop or be sustained. There is no guarantee that ETFs will achieve their stated objectives and there are risks involved in investing in ETFs. Before investing you should read the prospectus or relevant ETF Facts and carefully consider, among other things, the ETF's investment objective, risks, charges, and expenses. A copy of the prospectus and ETF Facts of the ETF Units of the Fund are available at www.cortoncapitalinc.ca or www.sedarplus.ca. Certain statements may constitute a forward-looking statement within the meaning of Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information may relate to a future outlook and anticipated events or results and may include statements regarding future financial performance. In some cases, forward-looking information can be identified by terms such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "anticipate", "believe", "intend" or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. The forward-looking statements are not historical facts but reflect our current expectations regarding future results or events. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that is contained herein, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless required by applicable law. This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy the securities referred to herein. This press release is not for dissemination in the United States or for distribution to United States news wire services. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236710 SOURCE: Corton Capital Inc. Applications Software Technology's deep US and UK public sector skills support clients' Oracle Cloud Application transformations ARMONK, N.Y., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced its intent to acquire Applications Software Technology LLC1, a global Oracle consultancy. Applications Software Technology brings deep expertise driving business transformations with Oracle Cloud Applications, including for clients in the public sector such as local government and K-12 education. Public sector cloud transformations frequently face issues that include difficulty transitioning legacy systems, scarce skills or high security and compliance requirements. This acquisition will further enhance IBM's Oracle solutions to help clients across North America, the UK and Ireland address those complexities and drive lasting results in their digital transformations with Oracle Cloud Applications. It will build on IBM's 2024 acquisition of Accelalpha, expanding IBM's ability to help clients deploy, manage and drive value from their Oracle cloud solutions. "Public sector clients' cloud transformations often require a consulting partner with industry, domain and technology expertise," said Kelly Chambliss, Senior Vice President, IBM Consulting, Americas. "The acquisition of Applications Software Technology will boost IBM's public sector and Oracle Cloud Application skills to help clients confidently navigate their business transformations." Applications Software Technology's large team of consultants brings expertise across the Oracle Cloud Applications Suite, particularly around Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) including Enterprise Performance Management (EPM), Oracle Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM), and Oracle Fusion Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ), as well as Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), JD Edwards, and NetSuite. Applications Software Technology also brings expertise and partnerships with Salesforce and MuleSoft, specializing in public sector solutions and more. This acquisition supports IBM's open ecosystem approach which allows us to meet clients where they are, bringing together whatever technology and expertise are needed across our expanding partner ecosystem to solve the client challenge. Applications Software Technology has been an Oracle partner since 1996 and a leading provider of Oracle solutions covering areas like business process redesign and Oracle Cloud deployment. In addition to its strong public sector presence, Applications Software Technology also serves commercial clients in the manufacturing, energy and consumer packaged goods industries. "We are excited to join IBM and open up new opportunities for our people and expand transformative solutions to deliver business outcomes for our customers," said Justin Winter, CEO, Applications Software Technology. "Applications Software Technology and IBM have complementary capabilities, client relationships, service offerings and values around our people, innovation and commitment to client success. Together, we will continue to grow in the market for cloud transformation solutions." Headquartered in Lisle, Illinois, Applications Software Technology has teams across the US, UK, Canada and India. Notable past acquisitions contributing to its growth include Symatrix Limited, 9EDGE Inc. and Computer Technology Resources Inc. Applications Software Technology is currently a portfolio company of funds managed by Recognize Partners LP. Upon close, Applications Software Technology will join IBM Consulting. IBM and Oracle's partnership spans almost 40 years. IBM was named a Leader in the 2023 IDC MarketScape for Oracle Implementation Services Ecosystem Worldwide2. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. For more information on Applications Software Technology, visit https://astcorporation.com/ About IBM IBM is a leading provider of global hybrid cloud and AI, and consulting expertise. We help clients in more than 175 countries capitalize on insights from their data, streamline business processes, reduce costs and gain the competitive edge in their industries. Thousands of governments and corporate entities in critical infrastructure areas such as financial services, telecommunications and healthcare rely on IBM's hybrid cloud platform and Red Hat OpenShift to affect their digital transformations quickly, efficiently and securely. IBM's breakthrough innovations in AI, quantum computing, industry-specific cloud solutions and consulting deliver open and flexible options to our clients. All of this is backed by IBM's long-standing commitment to trust, transparency, responsibility, inclusivity and service. Visit www.ibm.com for more information. Media Contact Michelle Mattelson IBM External Relations morrison@us.ibm.com 1 Applications Software Technology LLC refers to the four companies included in this acquisition: Applications Software Technology LLC, its subsidiaries 9Edge and Computer Technology Resources, and Symatrix Limited 2 IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Oracle Implementation Services 2023 Vendor Assessment (doc# US49837623, August 2023) Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2319830/IBM_LOGO_1.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ibm-to-acquire-applications-software-technology-llc-bolstering-oracle-expertise-to-help-clients-transform-their-operations-302353248.html VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Zero Candida Technologies, Inc. (TSXV: ZCT) (FSE: 9L2) (the "Company" or "ZCT"), an Israeli FemTech medical device company focused on revolutionizing women's health, is pleased to announce that its shares are now successfully listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE) under the trading symbol "9L2". Their listing marks a significant milestone for the Company as it expands its global presence, now cross-listed on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the FSE, providing increased visibility and access to a broader pool of international investors. Eli Ben Haroosh, Founder & CEO, shared his excitement: "Listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange represents a crucial step forward for Zero Candida. The European investment community has been captivated by our innovations from the start, and this listing allows them to directly be a part of our vision and growth journey. With our hospital partnerships and patent applications progressing across Europe, we're thrilled to expand our capital markets presence and accelerate our mission of revolutionizing women's health." The Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE), operated by Deutsche Borse AG, is one of the world's leading trading venues for securities and Germany's largest stock exchange. THE FSE is recognized for its efficiency and transparency with electronic trading and settlement, enabling smooth cross-border transactions for international investors. The listing on the FSE provides Zero Candida with a strategic opportunity to connect with international investors and further establish its presence in Europe and beyond. Investor Webinar Announcement Additionally the Company will host an inaugural investor webinar for shareholders and other interested parties to attend virtually onWednesday January 22, 2025, at 1:00pm EST (10:00am PST). During the presentation, the ZCT team will offer insights into the progress of their groundbreaking device and technology, and provide a corporate update and outline of upcoming milestones for 2025, followed by a question and answer session. Questions can be submitted at time of registration or asked at any time during the live webinar. Interested participants can register for the event at the URL below. Alternatively, email victoria@zero-candida.com to register and submit questions. https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Av2zeMAcTB-3HRKI8lYVGw For those unable to attend, a recording of the webinar and additional materials will be made available on the Company's website. About Zero Candida: Zero Candida (ZCT) is a publicly traded FemTech company pioneering innovative solutions in women's health. The company is developing an AI-driven, tampon-like device that uses a therapeutic light source with a selected wave-length and intensity to effectively treat the Candida fungus with a demonstrated 99.999% success rate in POC. Vulvo-Vaginal Candidiasis ("VVC") affects about 75% of women globally, with 138 million women affected each year, and 492 million over their lifetime. Recurrent VVC (4 or more episodes per year) is increasingly documented to become drug resistant to existing treatments, since the root cause is poorly understood and addressed. ZCT has successfully completed a safety trial using its pre-clinical device in large animals (sheep), and is finalizing their device for human use in preparation for an upcoming clinical trial, that they secured both funding and agreements with leading hospitals in Israel and Europe for. The Company continues to grow its global patent portfolio with applications filed in the United States, Brazil and Europe, and was recently granted a final patent in South Africa. With hybrid medicine and technology-based diagnostics, ZCT is addressing unmet needs in women's healthcare and expanding access to underserved populations, bringing the field of gynecology into the 21st century. To learn more visit www.zero-candida.com. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements. The Company provides no assurance that forward-looking statements and information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements or information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, other than as required by law. More detailed information about potential factors that could affect financial results is included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Zero Candida. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Contacts: Victoria Gamble victoria@zero-candida.com (647) 874 3767 Eli Ben Haroosh CEO & Founder info@zero-candida.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2420533/4723164/ZERO_CANDIDA_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/zero-candida-announces-successful-listing-on-frankfurt-stock-exchange-and-details-of-investor-webinar-302353096.html Washington, D.C.--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Ignacio Purcell, CEO of Black Star Group, unveils a strategic plan leveraging advanced technologies and renewable energy to reduce environmental impact and promote a sustainable energy model. Ignacio Purcell Introduces Initiatives to Reduce Carbon Footprint at Black Star Group To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7838/237419_6af1ce03248f2896_001full.jpg Ignacio Purcell, CEO of Black Star Group, unveils a strategic plan leveraging advanced technologies and renewable energy to reduce environmental impact and promote a sustainable energy model. Ignacio Purcell, a renowned leader and CEO of Black Star Group, has introduced a series of innovative initiatives aimed at significantly reducing the company's carbon footprint. This ambitious plan reaffirms the company's commitment to environmental sustainability and solidifies its position as a global leader in the energy industry. Commitment to Sustainability and Innovation The program includes a range of measures combining renewable energy use and advanced technologies designed to minimize environmental impact. The key initiatives are: Renewable energy : Installing solar and wind energy systems to power company operations with clean energy sources. : Installing and to power company operations with clean energy sources. Technological optimization : Implementing artificial intelligence and automation processes to enhance energy efficiency and reduce resource consumption . : Implementing and to enhance and reduce . Carbon offset programs: Reforestation initiatives in collaboration with local communities to neutralize emissions and restore key ecosystems. "Sustainability is not just an option; it's our responsibility. We want to show that it's possible to build a business model that benefits both the planet and its people," said Ignacio Purcell during the official announcement. Impact on Local Communities A cornerstone of this plan is its social impact. Black Star Group will work closely with local communities to implement educational programs that promote sustainability and provide training in clean technologies. These efforts aim to foster a cultural shift toward more responsible practices. A Global Vision for the Long Term Ignacio Purcell's plan aims not only to transform Black Star Group's internal operations but also to influence the global energy sector. His vision includes establishing strategic partnerships and promoting policies that encourage the adoption of sustainable practices across the industry. "Our goal is to lead by example, demonstrating how innovation and sustainability can coexist to generate positive long-term impact," Purcell emphasized. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237419 SOURCE: Comunicae Seedrelease Network S.L. Distinct Culinary Division within Mississippi-based Investment Partnership and Holding Company MMI Hospitality Group, Enjoys Refreshed Image and New Website MMI Dining Systems, a trusted leader in culinary management solutions across the Southeast, proudly announces its rebrand as Zest Culinary Services, signaling a bold step forward in aligning its identity with its mission to deliver vibrant, innovative, and personalized dining experiences. This exciting new identity reflects the company's vibrant energy, commitment to innovation, and passion for delivering exceptional dining experiences. Zest Culinary Services has also launched a sleek new website, www.ZestCulinaryServices.com, offering an enhanced platform for clients, partners, and prospective customers to complement the rebrand. Zest Culinary Services, part of the Mississippi-based investment partnership MMI Hospitality Group, unveiled the rebrand on January 1, 2025, via their new dynamic website. "We've been in this business long enough to recognize that it was time to modernize from a marketing and technology standpoint. By doing so, we ensure we appeal to the right audience in this digital age and remain competitive in an ever-evolving market," said Ronnie Cockayne, President of Zest Culinary Services. "We feel like the new name and branding captures the creativity, energy, and flavor we bring to every partnership." Building on over sixty years of experience, Zest Culinary Services will continue to provide the same high-quality service that clients have come to trust. As the Southeast's leading dining management provider, Zest remains committed to redefining food service with a dedication to Southern hospitality. Specializing in tailored dining programs, Zest prioritizes nutrition, flavor, and exceptional service to meet the evolving needs of diverse communities. As a dedicated partner in dining excellence, the company crafts customized solutions that reflect its clients' unique preferences and goals. "Zest" embodies the company's enthusiasm for food and dedication to creating memorable culinary moments. Just as the zest of a lemon adds brightness and flavor to a dish, Zest Culinary Services brings fresh energy and innovation to dining management. "One point I want to make very clear to our current clients," continued Cockayne. "while our look has evolved, our mission remains the same: to craft tailored dining programs that exceed expectations and inspire lasting connections." The redesigned website serves as a hub for exploring the company's wide-ranging services and client success stories. It features intuitive navigation, engaging visuals, and detailed case studies that showcase the company's innovative approach to dining management. Visitors can learn about Zest's expertise in managing dining programs for diverse industries, including healthcare facilities, educational institutions, private clubs, senior living communities, and corporate settings. The site highlights the company's customized solutions that address each client's unique needs and goals. Explore the new website and see how Zest Culinary Services can bring vibrant energy and unmatched expertise to your dining program. Visit www.ZestCulinaryServices.com and follow us on social media for updates and inspiration. FOR MEDIA ASSETS: CLICK HERE . MEDIA CONTACT MMI Hospitality Group Corporate Communications Manager Chelsea Calhoun ccalhoun@mmihg.com ABOUT ZEST CULINARY SERVICES Zest Culinary Services is a proud member of Mississippi-based, family-owned and operated investment partnership MMI Hospitality Group. Formerly known as MMI Dining Systems, Zest became a distinct division within MMI Hospitality Group in 1993, dedicated to providing high-quality food service operations management. The name "Zest" embodies their energy and enthusiasm for food, much like the vibrant zest of a lemon adds flavor to a recipe. Zest specializes in managing dining programs for universities and colleges, private schools, businesses and industries, private clubs, senior living communities, and healthcare facilities, offering tailored solutions that reflect each client's unique needs. Zest believes in forging lasting partnerships rather than simply providing services-you'll never be just a number. Committed to understanding each client's goals, Zest team members create personalized programs that meet specific objectives, ensuring an exemplary operation that meets and exceeds expectations in every aspect of food service operation from start to zest-filled finish. At Zest, you're not hiring a vendor but gaining a partner. For more information, visit www.ZestCulinaryServices.com. SOURCE: Zest Culinary Services View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 16, 2025 / Illumina Professor Neil Gemmell has a new plan to expand environmental DNA collection from the legendary lake Originally published on Illumina News Center The platypus is a venomous mammal that lays eggs, can sense electricity, and has 10 sex chromosomes. The tuatara is a reptile from a lineage that evolved before most dinosaurs (and all lizards). The bluehead wrasse is a fish that can change sex. And the Loch Ness monster is, according to the most popular theory explaining over a thousand sightings since the 19th century, a Jurassic-era plesiosaur-a "living fossil" whose descendants have somehow survived to the present day. What do these zoological oddities have in common? They've all been the research subjects of Professor Neil Gemmell at the University of Otago, New Zealand. Gemmell first trained as a geneticist in the 1990s, and his interests have always leaned toward the stranger corners of the animal kingdom. So the recent development of environmental DNA (eDNA) collection piqued his interest: All creatures leave behind tiny scraps of DNA in their habitat by nature-skin cells, hair, scales, blood, feces, and so on. By analyzing soil, water, and even air samples, genomic sequencing can reveal an accurate, detailed picture of all the species found there. A cryptid, or undiscovered animal, must leave behind molecular traces of its presence, same as any other organism. What better way to prove, once and for all, what may be lurking in Loch Ness? Sequence and ye shall find In 2016, paleontologist Darren Naish had just published a book on cryptozoology, and Gemmell asked him on social media whether anyone had considered using eDNA sequencing to look for cryptids in Loch Ness. The discussion didn't get very far, and Gemmell soon forgot about it-until about six months later, when an article speculating on the feasibility of such a project was published, and soon Gemmell's phone and inbox were exploding with inquiries. "It was so much attention for this idea," he says, "more so than for any of the highfaluting science I'd ever done. I'd only opened my mouth and said, 'Hey, we might be able to do this'-I hadn't actually done anything yet!" He leaned into the wave of public interest. Some of his colleagues thought he might've lost his mind, but he says "there was an opportunity to explain how you do an experiment. How you test for an idea. I thought we could take people on a journey of discoveryand my kids were pretty excited about it too." How eDNA identification works When you find a random piece of DNA in a water, soil or air sample, how can you tell what it came from-especially if that creature has never been sequenced before? By comparing the DNA to that of other species we have studied. For decades now, scientists have been sequencing organisms of every shape and size and adding pieces of their genomes and, increasingly, their whole genome, to vast reference libraries. DNA from an unknown animal would show varying similarities to known animals, based on how closely they're related. For example: Plesiosaurs were marine reptiles that evolved along a different branch from terrestrial dinosaurs. Plesiosaur DNA would have a lot in common with modern reptiles, but it would diverge in distinct places compared to other creatures it would've shared a common ancestor with-turtles, crocodiles, and dinosaurs. In the same way, a previously unknown kind of, say, giant fish or river dolphin would carry some telltale genes from those branches of the tree of life. The more species whose genomes have been fully described, the more reliable eDNA identification becomes for discovering new ones, or finding them in unexpected habitats. And the more affordable genomic sequencing becomes, the sooner biologists can achieve this goal. The eel McCoy In 2018 the idea became a reality, and Professor Gemmel found himself flying across the world to the Scottish Highlands in pursuit of a monster. He and his team set out into the pleasant midsummer weather in the Deepscan, a tour guide boat conscripted for the task, and lowered their cylindrical sampling containers into the murk. They traveled the loch's 35-kilometer length, taking just over 250 samples, each consisting of a liter of water sampled, in triplicate, some from close to the loch's deepest regions, 220 meters below the surface. They even traveled upriver to some connected lochs-Cluanie, Oich, Tarff, and Dun Seilcheig-for good measure. Once their collection was complete, they took the samples to the University of Hull for DNA extraction, then on to the Universite Grenoble Alpes in France, where they worked with Senior Researcher Pierre Taberlet, PhD, to prepare them for sequencing. Gemmell, his University of Otago colleague Gert-Jan Jeunen, and Taberlet then personally drove them to Fasteris in Geneva, which used Illumina technology to conduct metabarcoding, a kind of genomic sequencing that can distinguish and identify many different species from a single sample. "Illumina was really integral to making the project happen," Gemmell says. "They provided a lot of the sequencing reagents and technology for free, and other partners, like Fasteris, did the same." The moment of truth arrived. Had this landmark, first-of-its-kind survey finally revealed a time-lost leviathan? In a wordno. In fact, the survey found no reptile DNA of any kind. But it did accurately identify dozens of other species: frogs, toads, ducks, all 13 species of fish known to live in the loch-and plenty of cattle, dog, and human DNA besides. Gemmell explains that the loch sits in the Great Glen, with steep-sided hills and mountains surrounding it that act like a natural funnel, collecting a biological record even from the surrounding land: "We found evidence of species that we knew existed in the area, including some that are reasonably rare or endangered." So what accounts for all the monster sightings? Well, the only hypothesis he could dismiss was that the monster is a giant eel. Eels were already known to be plentiful in the loch; their DNA was indeed found at every single location sampled, and their slender, undulating bodies may resemble a humpbacked reptile from a distance. But are there giant eels? Gemmell thinks probably notbut that remains at least a possibility. Back to the drawing board Case closed? Of course not. Nessie's true believers remain unconvinced by the results, partly because of the project's necessarily limited scope in what is, by volume, the largest body of water in the British Isles. "Sampling a few hundreds of cubic liters of water is not much in a lake which is estimated to have something like 10 million," Gemmell admits. He heard other objections, too: "'You went at the wrong time of year,' they said. 'You didn't look in the right place.' 'Nessie was on holiday.'" It's true that the first survey lacked an important dimension: It captured a snapshot of the loch's biodiversity at a single point in time, but its insights could be multiplied by taking further samples on a regular basis. Water flows northward through the loch and exits to the River Ness (and ultimately the North Sea) at a series of boat locks. Gemmell is now developing a passive eDNA collection system that could be installed in these locks, or even on boats traveling the lake, that would continuously collect and filter samples for sequencing over a year or longer. He refers to the first survey as a baseline to grow on, for learning how the loch's environment is changing as a whole. "The power is really unlocked when we go back and sample serially, over time," he says. "Then we can see if things are changing. Are there ongoing threats?" He mentions one invasive species, pink salmon, which is native to the Pacific but spread to the North Sea from farms in northern Russia, and can now be found in rivers in the UK. Knowing where pink salmon spawn and where they are emerging would help limit their displacement of native species, such as wild Atlantic salmon. Gemmell is currently seeking sponsorship for "Loch Ness 2.0," in which he plans to use "shotgun sequencing" rather than targeted sequencing, which can show the proportional change in a species' population over time-the data could track the spread of new pathogens in the area, and be used to make informed predictions about the ecosystem's future health. He maintains that he doesn't expect to find a monster, but that an updated collection system could accomplish two goals: Shedding further light on the unknown, while serving as a proof of concept that similar studies could be done at scale, to help conservationists understand the biodiversity of ecosystems around the world. Ultimately, what brings him back to the loch is the enduring mystery it holds in the imagination of so many-the thought of spurring the same excitement he saw in his kids, by telling a fantastic story about science that might reach hundreds or thousands more. "That's something we all share as humans," he says. "A desire to understand our natural world. One of the things I think we may have forgotten is that we are all explorers and discoverers. Each of us makes new observations every day. Working in science, I have the privilege to embark on that journey of discovery every day in the laboratory. And last time around with Loch Ness 1.0, being able to capture that excitement and communicate it to the world was so much fun." Eric Verspoor, Gert-Jan Jeunen, Neil Gemmell, and Adrian Shine aboard the boat Deepscan on Loch Ness. | Photo by Neil Gemmell View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Illumina on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Illumina Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/illumina Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Illumina View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire MIAMI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial services sector is witnessing a surge in demand for virtual bookkeeping expertise as businesses grapple with a persistent talent shortage in accounting. This trend is driven by businesses seeking solutions to a persistent talent gap in the accounting sector, as many organizations face challenges in finding qualified professionals to meet their financial needs. The need for skilled virtual bookkeepers is surging globally, driven by increasingly complex financial landscapes and technological advancements. Businesses are increasingly seeking advanced expertise, with New York leading the way in adopting innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for skilled financial professionals. Virtual bookkeeping in New York is stepping in to fill this talent gap by leveraging advanced technology and providing access to skilled financial professionals. As businesses face ongoing challenges in recruiting qualified accountants, these services offer a reliable and efficient solution to maintain financial accuracy and support sustained growth. Book your 30-minute free consultation today and discover how virtual bookkeeper can simplify your business finances-https://www.ibntech.com/free-consultation/?pr=prnewswire Industry Challenges The growing reliance on virtual bookkeepers highlights the increasing demand for skilled professionals in major markets like New York. Businesses are navigating challenges such as financial inaccuracies, compliance risks, and delays in critical operations like payroll and tax filings. In 2025, the focus has shifted toward continuous professional development for bookkeepers, enabling them to adapt to evolving industry requirements and deliver efficient financial solutions. Technology as a Solution Cloud-based platforms, automation, and data analytics are becoming essential tools as businesses adopt innovative technology to address these challenges. These technological advancements are reshaping how virtual bookkeepers operate, with key metrics like accuracy and responsiveness now guiding service evaluations. A Strategic Asset for Business Growth Bookkeeping has transformed into a key strategic function, with professionals now tasked with providing actionable insights into cash flow management, financial forecasting, and long-term business growth strategies. "Virtual bookkeeping has shifted from a support function to a critical strategic asset," noted Mehta. "Today's bookkeepers drive financial agility and resilience, enabling businesses to thrive in a rapidly changing environment." Demand for Virtual Bookkeepers Soars in New York New York is seeing a growing demand for virtual bookkeepers as businesses increasingly turn to technology-driven solutions for efficient financial management. This growing scarcity has raised concerns about financial accuracy, compliance risks, and delays in crucial tasks like payroll and tax filings. To address these challenges, businesses are increasingly turning to advanced outsourcing solutions. Companies like IBN Technologies are helping businesses navigate these complexities by providing highly skilled accounting and bookkeeping services that ensure financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and timely reporting. "To stay competitive in 2025, virtual bookkeepers in New York and elsewhere will need to continuously upskill and adapt to the latest technological developments," said Ajay Mehta, CEO IBN Technologies. " This is crucial for responding to the evolving demands of the industry and improving client value." Setting the Stage for Success in 2025 The growing need for specialized virtual bookkeeping services is reshaping how businesses manage their finances. Companies are looking to virtual bookkeepers not just to manage their day-to-day operations, but to provide crucial insights and drive long-term strategic growth. With technology playing an increasingly important role in bookkeeping services, the industry is poised for continued innovation and transformation in the coming years. As businesses seek to navigate complex financial landscapes and ensure compliance with ever-evolving regulations, the expertise of skilled virtual bookkeepers will be crucial in helping them achieve financial agility and operational success. About IBN Technologies IBN Technologies LLC, an outsourcing specialist with 25 years of experience, serves clients across the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, and India. Renowned for its expertise in RPA, Intelligent process automation includes AP Automation services like P2P, Q2C, and Record-to-Report. IBN Technologies provides solutions compliant with ISO 9001:2015, 27001:2022, CMMI-5, and GDPR standards. The company has established itself as a leading provider of IT, KPO, and BPO outsourcing services in finance and accounting, including CPAs, hedge funds, alternative investments, banking, travel, human resources, and retail industries. It offers customized solutions that drive efficiency and growth. Contact Details: Pradip sales@ibntech.com +1 - 844 - 644 - 8440 USA: IBN Technologies LLC 66 West Flagler Street Suite 900 Miami, FL 33130 India: Global Delivery Centre IBN Technologies Limited Kohinoor House, 2nd floor, 691/A/1B, Plot no. 7, Bibwewadi Road, Pune-411037 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2581946/IBN_Technologies_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/ibn-technologies-expands-virtual-bookkeeping-services-in-new-york-to-meet-rising-demand-302353075.html ClearOne, a global leader in conferencing, collaboration, and communication solutions, today launched the BMA 360DX, a complete solution for superior conferencing audio and more sustainable meeting spaces. This innovative solution combines an advanced beamforming microphone array, a fully integrated DSP processor with Dante, and a built-in multi-channel amplifier in a single ceiling tile. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116969727/en/ BMA 360DX All-in-One Innovative Ceiling Tile (Photo: Business Wire) "The BMA 360DX shatters traditional barriers by combining advanced AV and IT technologies for unmatched performance and effortless deployment," said Derek Graham, CEO of ClearOne. "This groundbreaking product embodies our commitment to offering both AV and IT practitioners the opportunity to make supreme professional quality audio accessible to all by seamlessly integrating superior audio performance and a sustainable design at an unbeatable price. This all-in-one design eliminates rack space, and reduces packaging, storage, and shipping requirements, so it contributes to a more environmentally friendly meeting solution." Integrated beamforming microphone processing within the BMA 360DX provides truly ultra-wideband, frequency-invariant performance with uniform-gain response across all frequency bands. FiBeam technology gives users the ultimate in rich, natural, and full-fidelity audio across all beams and within a single beam. Deep Sidelobe Beamforming, DsBeam, provides unparalleled sidelobe depth, below -40 dB, resulting in superior rejection of reverb and noise in difficult spaces for superb clarity and intelligibility. ClearOne's 7G Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC) and adaptive acoustic processing provide unrivaled echo elimination and full-duplex audio, even in the most challenging spaces. ClearOne's BMA 360DX breakthrough technologies, FiBeam, DsBeam, and 7G AEC, combine to create VividVoice, a significant advancement for professional conferencing which ensures an equitable meeting experience. Precision Beamforming provides intuitive camera tracking and unparalleled audio with rich, natural, full-fidelity ultra-wideband sound. Native camera tracking support for networked PTZ cameras provides an engaging and seamless visual experience, and eliminates the complexity and expense of external controllers. The Voice Lift feature provides a powerful way to cover multiple zones with unmatched gains, ensuring everyone can hear every word, especially in large spaces. An Integrated DSP processor provides everything needed to combine, route, and process all the audio signals with no compromises. This includes acoustic echo cancellation, noise suppression, auto mixing, equalization filters, delays, feedback eliminators, compressors, limiters, and Dante. The built-in power amplifiers, selectable as 4x15 Watt or 2x30 Watt, simplify installations with loudspeakers. Setting up the BMA 360DX is incredibly quick and easy with auto-detection of additional beamforming microphone arrays and peripherals such as USB expanders, analog audio I/Os, and HDMI audio de-embedders. With everything on board, its scalable design easily adapts to a variety of meeting spaces. Configurations can be customized using the intuitive CONSOLE One software, while the powerful CONVERGENCE AV Manager simplifies management and monitoring of the BMA 360DX and other ClearOne devices, including DSP processors, wireless microphones, and cameras. As with all ClearOne solutions, the BMA 360DX supports leading collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Zoom, and WebEx. The BMA 360DX will be on display at ISE 2025 in Booth# 2N220 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via Venue, Barcelona, Spain. Learn more about the BMA 360DX here. About ClearOne ClearOne is a global market leader enabling conferencing, collaboration, and network streaming solutions. The performance and simplicity of its advanced, comprehensive solutions offer unprecedented levels of functionality, reliability, and scalability. Visit ClearOne at www.clearone.com. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116969727/en/ Contacts: marketing@clearone.com KeyBank's support aims to increase food resources to improve health equity in Bucks County Bucks County Opportunity Council Inc. (BCOC) has received a $400,000 Community Impact Grant from KeyBank Foundation, the charitable foundation of KeyBank, aimed to increase food resources and improve health equity in Bucks County. The funding will be used to expand BCOC's network of food distribution sites, advocate for more collaboration on community efforts to address food insecurity, implement nutrition educational programs to drive healthier eating habits, and increase BCOC's retail rescue operations. Erin Lukoss, Executive Director of BCOC said, "KeyBank has been a long-time supporter and partner to BCOC, helping to reduce poverty in our community. Increasing access to food resources and improving health equity are two strategic priorities for BCOC and this generous grant from the KeyBank Foundation will greatly affect our ability to meet the increased need as well as help us grow our programming for greater impact in Bucks County." Bucks County faces significant challenges related to food insecurity and health disparities. Many residents lack consistent access to nutritious food, which adversely affects their health and well-being. According to the "Map the Meal Gap" report produced by Feeding America, Bucks County's food insecurity rate is approximately 6.6%, equating to more than 42,000 individuals, including an estimated 12,690 children living in food insecure homes. What's more, nearly half of those individuals may not qualify for government assistance programs like SNAP due to income thresholds. BCOC plays a pivotal role in combating food insecurity in the region, serving as Bucks County's lead food agency for families in need and operating a network of over 75 providers focused on meeting the food and nutritional needs of low-income households. "KeyBank joins BCOC in the belief that all of our residents deserve access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food," said KeyBank's Eastern Pennsylvania Market President and Market Retail Leader, Youseff Tannous. "We are proud to provide BCOC with financial resources to help them address food insecurity and improve health equity for so many of our neighbors in Bucks County." KeyBank's grant to Bucks County Opportunity Council is part of the bank's $40 billion community investments plan focused on economic access and equity to communities across the country. The scope of the plan includes investments and lending in affordable housing, home lending, small business lending, green initiatives, and transformative philanthropy targeted toward workforce development, education, and safe, vital neighborhoods for underserved communities and populations. About Bucks County Opportunity Council Inc. BCOC is the lead anti-poverty, non-profit organization in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, dedicated to ending poverty by connecting people with the resources they need to thrive. BCOC has five major program areas: Housing, Food, Weatherization, Volunteer Income Tax Preparation (VITA) and the Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) Program. Housing includes street outreach, rental and move in aid, and utility shut-off prevention. Food services supply food directly to families through a network of 75 food pantries and distribution sites. Weatherization services help families in reducing their energy costs. VITA provides free income tax preparation assistance. The ES Program assists individuals and families to leave poverty permanently through case management, education, and employment. For 60 years, the Opportunity Council has served low-income families in Bucks County by helping them to stabilize when in crisis, garner resources to achieve a livable wage, gain additional education and training, and work towards economic self-sufficiency. About KeyBank Foundation KeyBank Foundation serves to fulfill KeyBank's purpose to help clients and communities thrive, and its mission is to support organizations and programs that prepare people for thriving futures. The Foundation's mission is advanced through three funding priorities - neighbors, education, and workforce - and through community service. To provide meaningful philanthropy that transforms lives, KeyBank Foundation listens carefully to understand the unique characteristics and needs of its communities and then backs solutions with targeted philanthropic investments. KeyBank Foundation is a nonprofit charitable foundation, funded by KeyCorp. About KeyCorp/KeyBank KeyCorp's roots trace back nearly 200 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $190 billion at September 30, 2024. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,000 branches and approximately 1,200 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC. # # # Media contacts: BCOC: Amy Griffiths, Communications and Development Manager | 215-345-8175 x230 | agriffiths@bcoc.org KeyBank: Karen Crane, Regional Communications Manager | 203-789-2752 | karen_crane@keybank.com Pictured from left: Vince Ciccarelli, KeyBank Consumer Product Manager; Michael Gunden - Chief of Staff for State Representative Tim Brennan; Steve Goykhman, KeyBank Branch Manager, Warrington; Melissa Young, KeyBank Area Retail Leader; Jon Wagner, KeyBank Business Banking Sales Leader; Chiwuike Owunwanne, KeyBank Corporate Responsibility Officer; Joseph Cuozzo, BCOC Development Director: Erin Lukoss, BCOC CEO and Executive Director; Youseff Tannous, KeyBank Market President and Market Retail Leader; Tobi Bruhn, BCOC Board Chair; Commissioner Bob Harvie; Kyle Melander from Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick's office; Jennifer Cruz, KeyBank Branch Manager, Doylestown; Tom Flavin, KeyBank Home Lending Market Leader; Charlie Quattrone, BCOC Board Member; and Deb Downey, BCOC Board Member. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from KeyBank on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: KeyBank Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/keybank Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: KeyBank View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) (OTCQB: ISVLF) (FSE: X9X) ("IMPACT" or the "Company") is pleased to announce further results from an ongoing drill program in the Juarez Mine area of its Plomosas zinc (-lead-silver) Mine in northern Mexico. HIGHLIGHTS Recent underground drill results in the Juarez Mine area include: Drill hole UGMJ-2420 intersected a high-grade interval grading 14.13% zinc, 1.59% lead and 12 g/t silver over 2.2 metres true width including a very high-grade section grading 26.06% zinc, 3.02% lead and 23 g/t silver over 0.9 metres true width. Drill hole UGMJ-2415 intersected a very high-grade interval of 30.1% zinc over 1.2 metres true width. Drill hole UGMJ-2422 intersected a very high-grade interval of 30.1% zinc over 1.1 metres true width. The Juarez Mine Zone remains open for exploration and drilling is continuing. Highlights of drill intersections from the Juarez Mine area are as follows: TABLE 1: PLOMOSAS DRILL RESULTS - JUAREZ MINE AREA Hole No. From (metres) To (metres) Interval (metres) Estimated True Width (metres) Zinc (%) Lead (%) Silver (g/t) UGMJ-2410 30.50 43.95 13.45 1.7 6.26 2.63 11 Including 30.50 33.75 3.25 0.4 15.94 6.81 26 UGMJ-2415 34.05 35.75 1.70 1.2 30.10 2.66 19 And 65.00 66.77 1.77 0.4 18.91 0.08 13 And 78.68 80.18 1.50 1.2 10.25 5.43 26 UGMJ-2417 76.95 80.90 3.95 1.0 16.08 0.07 10 Including 76.95 78.25 1.30 0.3 24.30 0.07 11 UGMJ-2420 33.50 43.75 10.25 2.2 14.13 1.59 12 Including 35.00 39.25 4.25 0.9 26.06 3.02 23 UGMJ-2421 23.55 24.42 0.87 0.6 17.65 8.95 25 UGMJ-2422 21.78 23.35 1.57 1.1 30.10 10.15 40 True width estimates are interpreted from current geological models. The Juarez Mine area lies stratigraphically below the Mina Vieja (Tres Amigos Mine) horizon and a separate access to this nearby area is now being developed from the historic Juarez Mine adit at surface (see Figure 2). Other holes in the Juarez Mine area intersected lower grades or narrower intervals. All these Juarez Mine area drill holes lie outside the JORC mineral resource blocks published by the previous operator (see IMPACT news release dated April 3, 2023 for details). Juarez Mine area mineralization remains open for exploration in all directions and drilling is continuing. CEO STATEMENT President and CEO Frederick Davidson commented, "We are encouraged with the great results from the Juarez Mine area which represents a second mineralized horizon open in all directions for mining and exploration. This is located close to the Tres Amigos Zone where we are currently mining and our mining team has already begun underground development work from the historic Juarez Mine adit at surface to begin mining there. On the production side, we continue to ramp up operations with the aim to reach mill design capacity in H1/2025." PLOMOSAS MINE GEOLOGY AND MINERALIZATION The Plomosas mine, a historic high-grade zinc producer in northern Mexico (Figure 1), was acquired last year by the Company. Recent drill programs have been undertaken in the Tres Amigos area on extensions of active mine areas and nearby in the Juarez Mine area. Mineralization at the Plomosas mine occurs as zinc-rich Carbonate Replacement zones along certain horizons of the local sedimentary rock sequence. Two main mineralized horizons have provided the bulk of historic production, the Mina Vieja (Tres Amigos) marble and the Juarez limestone, where structural ground preparation along these two units resulted in concentrations of zinc, lead and silver (Figure 2). ABOUT IMPACT SILVER IMPACT Silver Corp. (TSXV: IPT) is a successful producer-explorer with two mining projects in Mexico. Royal Mines of Zacualpan Silver-Gold District: IMPACT owns 100% of the 211 km2 Zacualpan project in central Mexico where four producing underground silver mines and one open pit mine feed the central 500 tpd Guadalupe processing plant. To the south, the Capire Project includes a 200 tpd processing pilot plant adjacent to an open pit silver mine with an NI 43-101 inferred mineral resource of over 4.5 million ozs silver, 48 million lbs zinc and 21 million lbs lead (see IMPACT news release dated January 18, 2016, for details and QP statement). Company engineers are reviewing Capire for a potential restart of operations to leverage improving commodity prices. Over the past 18 years, IMPACT has developed multiple exploration zones into commercial production and has produced over 13 million ounces of silver, generating revenue of more than $277 million, with no long-term debt. Plomosas Zinc-Lead-Silver District: Plomosas is a high-grade zinc producer in northern Mexico with exceptional exploration upside potential. The Company recently restarted mining operations and is ramping up production toward design capacity levels. Exploration potential at Plomosas is exceptional along the 6 km-long structure. This is in addition to other exploration targets on the 3,019-hectare property including untested copper-gold targets with indications of high-grade material at surface. Regionally, Plomosas lies in the same mineral belt as some of the largest carbonate replacement deposits in the world. Quality Control/Quality Assurance Samples reported in this news release were analyzed by ALS Group, an internationally recognized analytical services provider. Samples analyzed by ALS used a multielement ICP package for base metals and silver. Assays for base metals >1% used an overlimit ICP method. Certified Reference Materials and internal control samples are added to the sample stream at regular intervals to track accuracy of assays. Qualified Person and NI 43-101 Disclosure Jose Antonio Olmedo, P.Geol., a Director of IMPACT Silver Corp., is a "Qualified Person" within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has approved the technical information contained in this news release. Additional information about IMPACT and its operations can be found on the Company website at www.IMPACTSilver.com . Follow us on X (formerly Twitter) @IMPACT_Silver and LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/impactsilver On behalf of IMPACT Silver Corp. "Frederick W. Davidson" President & CEO For more information, please contact: 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 and Cautionary Statements This IMPACT News Release may contain certain "forward-looking" statements and information relating to IMPACT that is based on the beliefs of IMPACT management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to IMPACT management. Forward-looking information is often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "seek", "anticipate", "plan", "continue", "planned", "expect", "project", "predict", "potential", "targeting", "intends", "believe", "potential", and similar expressions, or describes a "goal", or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "should", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding interpretation of drill results, activity at the projects and estimated timing thereof, the potential for defining and extending the known mineralization, exploration potential on the properties, and plans for drilling and future operations at the Company's projects or plans for financing. Such forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks and assumptions, including with respect to, without limitation, exploration and development risks, expenditure and financing requirements, title matters, operating hazards, criminal activity, metal prices, political and economic factors, community relations, competitive factors, general economic conditions, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulation and supervision, seasonality, technological change, industry practices, pandemics and one-time events. Should any one or more risks or uncertainties materialize or change, or should any underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results and forward-looking statements may vary materially from those described herein. IMPACT does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law. The Company's decision to place a mine into production, expand a mine, make other production related decisions or otherwise carry out mining and processing operations, is largely based on internal non-public Company data and reports based on exploration, development and mining work by the Company's geologists and engineers. The results of this work are evident in the discovery and building of multiple mines for the Company at Zacualpan and in the track record of mineral production and financial returns of the Company since 2006. Under NI 43-101, the Company is required to disclose that it has not based its production decisions on NI 43-101 mineral resources or reserve estimates, preliminary economic assessments or feasibility studies, and historically such projects have increased uncertainty and risk of failure. 303-543 Granville Street Telephone 604 664-7707 Vancouver, BC, Canada V6C 1X8 www.impactsilver.com X (Twitter) LinkedIn Figure 1: Location map of Plomosas Mine and nearby mines and infrastructure. References to nearby projects are for information purposes only and there are no assurances that Plomosas will achieve similar results. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4729/237426_f45075dec4d2ca3d_001full.jpg Figure 2: Schematic cross section of the Juarez Mine geology and mineralization. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/4729/237426_f45075dec4d2ca3d_002full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237426 SOURCE: IMPACT Silver Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Rick Headrick, President, Capital International Asset Management (Canada), Inc. ("Capital Group Canada" or the "Company") joined Graham MacKenzie, Managing Director, Exchange Traded Products, Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), to open the market and celebrate the launch of their Canadian ETF business; Capital Group Global Equity Select ETFTM (Canada) (TSX: CAPG), Capital Group International Equity Select ETFTM (Canada) (TSX: CAPI), Capital Group Multi-Sector Income Select ETFTM (Canada) (TSX: CAPM), and Capital Group World Bond Select ETFTM (Canada) (TSX: CAPW). Cannot view this video? Visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqvvkNDCspE Capital Group Canada is part of Capital Group, a global investment management firm originating in Los Angeles, California. Since 1931, the Capital Group organization has been singularly focused on delivering superior results for long-term investors using high-conviction portfolios, rigorous research, and individual accountability. As of September 30, 2024, the firm manages more than US$2.8 trillion in equity and fixed income assets for millions of individual and institutional investors around the world. This includes 21 ETFs in the U.S. with assets under management of more than US$42 billion. For more information about Capital Group Canada's suite of active ETFs, visit capitalgroup.com/active-etf. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237428 SOURCE: Toronto Stock Exchange Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Sol Strategies Inc. (CSE: HODL) (OTC Pink: CYFRF) ("Sol Strategies" or the "Company"), a publicly traded Canadian company dedicated to investing in and providing infrastructure for the Solana blockchain ecosystem, today announced the completion of its private placement financing of CAD $27.5 million (the "Private Placement"), by ParaFi Capital (https://parafi.com/), a leading global blockchain investment firm, as previously disclosed in the Company's January 9, 2025 news release. The financing will be used to increase the Company's SOL treasury holdings, for organic and inorganic expansion of its revenue-generating validator operations, as well as general working capital purposes. The Private Placement will consist of unsecured convertible debenture units ("CD Units") for gross proceeds of CAD $27.5 million. Each CD Unit consists of one debenture ("Debenture") with a principal amount of CAD $1,000, and 400 common share purchase warrants (each, a "Warrant"). Interest on the Debentures accrues at a rate of 2.5% per annum, payable semi-annually in cash or common shares of the Company (each, a "Share"), and the Debentures are convertible at any time into Shares of the Company at CAD $2.50 per Share. Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one (1) Share of the Company at an exercise price of CAD $2.50 per Share, exercisable at any time on or before January 16, 2030. The Debentures are redeemable in cash after the three year anniversary of the closing of the Private Placement at 112% of the principal value, plus accrued and unpaid interest. Any Shares issued on the conversion of the Debentures, the interest thereon, or upon exercise of the Warrants will be subject to restrictions on trading until the date that is four months and a day following the date hereof. No finder's fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement. "This financing by ParaFi Capital, underscores strong confidence in the potential of Sol Strategies," said Leah Wald, CEO of Sol Strategies. "It positions the company to strengthen its leadership in the Solana ecosystem, leveraging staking rewards to create long-term, sustainable value for our shareholders. ParaFi is the ideal capital partner given their crypto-native expertise, broad portfolio, and scaled capital base." "We are backing Sol Strategies in their mission to develop critical infrastructure for the Solana ecosystem," said Ryan Navi, Managing Director of ParaFi Capital. "Our investment will enable Sol Strategies to advance their best-in-class validator services, implement a SOL treasury strategy, and strengthen their contributions to the Solana network. This investment will unlock new opportunities and business lines for Sol Strategies, creating a significant step toward enhancing greater shareholder value." About Sol Strategies Sol Strategies is a publicly traded Canadian company actively investing in, supporting, and providing infrastructure for the Solana blockchain and ecosystem. The Company focuses on leveraging investment opportunities in staking rewards and Solana-based projects, enabling shareholders to indirectly participate in the decentralized finance landscape. Sol Strategies is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, and is publicly listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker "HODL" and on the OTC market under the ticker "CYFRF". To learn more about Sol Strategies, please visit www.solstrategies.io. A copy of this news release and all the Company's related material documents regarding the Company may be obtained under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About ParaFi Capital ParaFi Capital LP ("ParaFi" or the "Firm") is an alternative asset management firm that operates hedge and venture capital strategies focused on the digital asset ecosystem. Founded in 2018, ParaFi was among the earliest investors in the blockchain industry and has evolved into a trusted partner by leading institutions globally. ParaFi's investment and technology team pursues idiosyncratic opportunities across venture, liquid, and quantitative strategies. As a firm, ParaFi is committed to a culture of rigorous research, technical development, and institutional underwriting to enable exceptional results for our partners and portfolio companies. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements and information. More particularly and without limitation, this news release contains forward-looking statements and information relating to the Company's or the Company's management team's expectations, hopes, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future, and expectations regarding the characteristics, value drivers, and anticipated benefits of the Company's business plans and operations related thereto. Forward-looking information can also be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or indicates that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be" taken, "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the completion of the Private Placement and its intended impact on the Company. There is no assurance that the Company's plans or objectives will be implemented as set out herein, or at all. Forward-looking information is based on certain factors and assumptions the Company believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made and is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. The purpose of forward-looking information is to provide the reader with a description of management's expectations, and such forward-looking information may not be appropriate for any other purpose. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates, and opinions on the date that statements are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates, and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as required by law. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty to forward-looking statements. Disclaimer: Sol Strategies is an independent organization in the Solana ecosystem. Sol Strategies is not affiliated with, owned by, or under common control with Solana Foundation (the "Foundation"), and the Foundation has not entered into any association, partnership, joint venture, employee, or agency relationship with Sol Strategies. None of the Foundation or its council members, officers, agents or make any representations or warranties, recommendations, endorsements or promises with respect to the accuracy of any statements made, information provided, or action taken by Sol Strategies and expressly disclaim any and all liability arising from or related to any such statements, information or action. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237434 SOURCE: Sol Strategies Inc. New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Universal Processing (uP), the leading financial technology company empowering underserved businesses across America, proudly announces its inclusion on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce CO-100 list celebrating the nation's most exceptional small businesses. Up 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/237430_52e04133e4d9b929_001full.jpg Up 2 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10373/237430_52e04133e4d9b929_002full.jpg Selected from 14,000 applicants representing 33.2 million registered small and mid-sized businesses, the CO-100 list recognizes 100 of the best and brightest companies across America. Honorees are selected by a panel of judges for their innovation and growth, community impact, company culture, customer engagement, and adaptability. uP is delighted to join the 2024 CO-100, a dynamic group of businesses collectively generating over $400 million in annual revenue and employing more than 5,000 people. "We are deeply honored to be recognized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for our unwavering commitment to providing underserved business owners the tools they need to succeed," said Saint Hung, CEO of Universal Processing. "As an AAPI-owned business, we understand the unique challenges faced by business leaders from underserved communities, and are proud to support every small business in pursuit of their own American dream." The CO-100 honorees were celebrated at an event in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's historic headquarters in Washington, D.C. In addition to inclusion on the CO-100 list, honorees receive a one-year paid membership to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, unmatched access to top experts and thought leaders, national brand exposure, and exclusive community building and networking opportunities, including participation in the CO-100 Small Business Forum. As uP looks ahead to 2025, it will continue foster economic growth and community development. uP will expand its fintech service offerings and merchant network into new verticals, and enhance its innovative payment processing solutions tailored to underserved businesses. Additionally, uP is deepening its commitment to humanitarian efforts, with plans to support disaster relief programs and community development projects. "Every purpose-driven business should have a soul," Hung added. "As we celebrate this milestone, we remain focused on our core mission: empowering underserved businesses and communities across America." About Universal Processing Founded in 2003, Universal Processing is a leading financial technology company dedicated to empowering underserved businesses with innovative payment processing solutions and exceptional support. Recognized for its commitment to fostering economic growth, Universal Processing partners with over 34,000 businesses and processes more than $3.5 billion annually. For more information about Universal Processing and its services, please visit www.letsgoup.com. About the CO-100 To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237430 SOURCE: Pressmaster DMCC Soaring rates of workplace stress and anxiety are evident, with approximately 40% of the workforce reporting stress levels that significantly impacted their ability to work in the last year.1 As we approach 'Blue Monday', known as one of the most challenging days for mental health, International SOS, the world's leading health and security risk services company, calls on organisations to take proactive steps in addressing the mental health challenges of employees. International SOS has identified the three most frequent mental health-related requests it has received from global workforces across various sectors over the past three years.2 These include support and assistance for: Anxiety disorder: intense and excessive fear and distress, often accompanied by physical tensions. Depressive disorder: mental health condition characterised by persistent feelings of sadness, emptiness, or loss of interest. It can significantly impact an employee's emotions, behaviour, and physical health. Panic disorder: a condition when an employee has repeated, unexpected panic attacks and worries constantly about when the next one might happen. For individuals living with mental health conditions, meaningful employment can significantly contribute to their recovery and social inclusion, fostering increased confidence and improved social functioning. Research findings indicate that employment can have a more profound positive impact on mental health outcomes than traditional psychiatric care alone.3However, when an employee experiences ongoing workplace stress, it causes an elevated level of anxiety-causing hormones. This sustained pressure can leave employees feeling fatigued and exhausted and, ultimately, may contribute to burnout. Without robust support, mental health conditions can severely impact an individual's self-confidence, job satisfaction, and ability to thrive in the workplace. Dr Rodrigo Rodriguez-Fernandez, Global Health Advisor, Wellness and Mental Health, at International SOS, comments, "January and the start of a new year can be a particularly challenging time for many. The post-holiday blues, the return-to-work routines, and the harsh winter weather in the northern hemisphere can really take a toll on mental health and wellbeing. Blue Monday presents a crucial opportunity for organisations to proactively address mental health challenges for the year ahead and cultivate a culture of wellbeing that extends far beyond this single day. "For organisations, recognising the inextricable link between good mental health, employee wellbeing, and organisational effectiveness is paramount. Alarmingly, workplace stress and anxiety rates remain high, with around 15% of the global working-age population suffering from mental illness.4 The detrimental effects of stress are multifaceted and can include circulatory and gastrointestinal issues, as well as significant physical and emotional repercussions.5 Protecting and promoting mental health in the workplace is about strengthening capacities, increasing awareness, and offering early intervention opportunities for those in need." International SOS offers five points for organisations to implement proactive strategies to address stress and anxiety in the workforce: SUPPORT Foster a supportive culture and work environment: create a workplace culture that values open communication and support. Encourage employees to speak up about their stress levels and provide a safe space for them to share their concerns without fear of judgment or repercussions. BALANCE Promote work-life balance and implement flexible work arrangements: consider changing timeoffpolicies to accommodate employees' mental health needs.Encourage employees to take breaks and set boundaries between work and personal life. ASSESS Conduct regular stress assessments: regularly assess the stress levels within the organisation through surveys, feedback sessions, and health screenings. Use the data collected to identify stressors and implement targeted interventions to address them. ASSIST Offer Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs): ensure easily accessible resources for mental health support, including workshops for stress management techniques, counselling services and mental health hotlines. TRAIN Equip managers with mental health first-aid training: upskill managers to identify signs of distress and offer initial support to employees who may be struggling. The International SOS Foundation will host a Workforce Wellbeing training course on 20-21 January. The course will provide individuals and leaders responsible for wellbeing within their respective organisations with the competencies necessary to plan, design and deliver best-in-class programmes. Notes to Editor About the International SOS Group of Companies; 40 years of saving lives The International SOS Group of Companies is in the business of saving lives and protecting your global workforce from health and security threats. Wherever you are, we deliver customised health, security risk management and wellbeing solutions to fuel your growth and productivity. In the event of extreme weather, an epidemic or a security incident, we provide an immediate response providing peace of mind. Our innovative technology and medical and security expertise focus on prevention, offering real-time, actionable insights and on-the-ground quality delivery. We help protect your people, and your organisation's reputation, as well as support your compliance reporting needs. By partnering with us, organisations can fulfil their Duty of Care responsibilities, while empowering business resilience, continuity, and sustainability. Founded in 1985, the International SOS Group has been saving lives for 40 years. Headquartered in London Singapore, it is trusted by over 9,000 organisations. This includes the majority of the Fortune Global 500, a. As well as mid-size enterprises, governments, educational institutions, and NGOs. Nearly 12,000 multi-cultural security, medical, logistics and digital experts stand with you to provide support assistance from over 1,200 locations in 90 countries, 24/7, 365 days. Between them, International SOS employees speak nearly 100 languages and dialects in our Assistance Centres, Clinics, and offices. To protect your workforce, we are at your fingertips: https://www.internationalsos.com/ IPSOS World Mental Health Day 2024 Global Advisor Survey International SOS Assistance Tracker (2022 2024) World Economic Forum How business can lead a global response to the mental health crisis (2024) World Health Organization Mental Health at Work (2024) International Labour Organization Stress Prevention at Work Checkpoints. Practical improvements for stress prevention in the workplace View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250116163207/en/ Contacts: For media inquiries, please contact: Indira Illianti Group Senior Marketing and PR Executive, International SOS indira.illianti@internationalsos.com Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Indigo Exploration Inc. (TSXV: IXI) (OTCQB: IXIXF) (FSE: INEN) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed 48 of a planned 50-hole drill program on its highly prospective uranium project located in the past producing Shirley Basin of Wyoming. The Hot Property covers a 5.75 km2 (2.2 miles2) area of the Basin and has seen over 200 uranium exploration holes completed between 1957 and 1975. The Project is located adjacent to Uranium Energy Corp.'s (NYSE: UEC) Shirley Basin project, Ur-Energy Inc.'s (NYSE: URG) Shirley Basin mine, and Nuclear Fuels Inc.'s (CSE: NF) Bobcat Uranium Project. Ur-Energy's Shirley Basin project hosts an NI 43-101 Measured and Indicated Resource of 8.8 Mlb U3O8 grading 0.23%1 currently under construction2. The Phase 1 drill campaign on its 100% owned Hot Property systematically explored the southern part of the property, where favourable historic intercepts were encountered in the top 53 metres (175 feet) from surface, as well as areas that have never been drilled before. Holes were spaced roughly every 160 metres (525 feet) apart with the aim to characterize the thickness and grade of uranium mineralization through downhole gamma ray geophysical logging and develop a stratigraphic framework to broadly model the continuity and configuration of near surface potentially multiple uranium roll fronts. Results are pending. Figure 1: Shirley Basin Uranium Project Map To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/3717/237437_1bf730c6047b987c_001full.jpg 1 Updated Initial Assessment Technical Report Summary on Shirley Basin ISR Uranium Project, Carbon County Wyoming, USA dated March 4, 2024 and prepared by Western Water Consultants, Inc. 2 Ur-Energy Announces Decision to Build Out Shirley Basin Mine: Press Release dated March 13, 2024 On Behalf of the Board of Directors,"Paul Cowley", President and CEO Bradley Parkes, P.Geo., VP Exploration and Director of Indigo Exploration Inc., is the Qualified Person as defined in National Instrument 43-101, who has read and approved the technical content of this news release. This news release includes certain forward-looking statements as well as management's objectives, strategies, beliefs and intentions. Forward looking statements are frequently identified by such words as "may", "will", "plan", "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "intend" and similar words referring to future events and results. Forward-looking statements are based on the current opinions and expectations of management. All forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and subject to a variety of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, including the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, competitive risks and the availability of financing, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available at www.sedar.com. Actual events or results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements and we caution against placing undue reliance thereon. We assume no obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements except as required by applicable law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237437 SOURCE: Indigo Exploration Inc. Santa Fe Springs, California--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Xpanner, a leader in integrated smart construction solutions designed to make on-site work easier and more efficient, today announced that NoBull Energy has joined as the inaugural partner of its newly launched Xpanner XBoost Partnership Program. The program aims to leverage strategic alliances and marketing to enhance visibility and collaboration in the solar industry. Indianapolis-based NoBull Energy leverages decades of combined experience across the energy industry to provide tailored, project-specific solutions that meet the growing demand for renewable energy. Renowned for its precise execution and commitment to integrity, NoBull delivers exceptional service by aligning with each client's unique financial, schedule, and supply chain requirements. With expertise in the construction and development of PV and BESS projects, NoBull offers both traditional and innovative contract strategies-whether self-performing, subcontracting, or managing projects-to ensure efficient and reliable results. "We are thrilled to establish the Xpanner XBoost Partnership Program to deepen our engagement with solar energy companies that share our commitment to renewable and sustainable energy," said Henri Lee, CEO and Co-Founder of Xpanner. "Expanding renewable energy starts with developing infrastructure to support it. By combining Xpanner's smart construction solutions with NoBull Energy's expertise, we aim to further these efforts and drive the industry forward." "We are excited to work with Xpanner through its XBoost program. I believe they have developed technological solution that delivers results," said David Watts, Managing Partner and Co-founder of NoBull Energy. "This partnership allows us to integrate advanced technology with our expertise in project execution, enabling us to drive efficiency and innovation across renewable projects. Together, we're making meaningful progress toward a cleaner, more sustainable future." The Xpanner XBoost Partnership Program is an integrated strategic initiative designed to foster collaboration between Xpanner and its partners, such as NoBull Energy. The program's goal is to maximize brand exposure and create business opportunities for solar farm and construction EPCs. It highlights the quality and cost-efficiency of Xpanner's automated pile-driving solutions while leveraging partner expertise to ensure the success of solar farm projects. Since entering the U.S. market in late 2023, Xpanner has rapidly gained traction, building on its success in markets including Australia, Korea, and Saudi Arabia. The company's Technology as a Service (TaaS) model integrates automation and robotics to streamline construction processes. In the United States, Xpanner has focused on solar farm construction, supporting projects throughout 2024 in Alabama, Missouri, and Texas, with new developments anticipated in Arizona, California, and Colorado in 2025. Xpanner has been recognized on BuiltWorld's Robotics Top 50 list for two consecutive years (2023 and 2024) and won the 2023 BuiltWorld's Construction Technology Conference Demo Day competition in Chicago. "Xpanner's mission is to ensure that beneficial technologies are not only innovative but also practical and usable on construction sites," added Lee. "Our solutions address the skilled labor shortage by enhancing worker productivity and efficiency. Through our partnership with NoBull Energy under the XBoost program, we're enabling teams to work smarter, faster, and more profitably." Xpanner's technology retrofits seamlessly into existing machinery, enabling operators to complete tasks more efficiently while giving supervisors better control over job site operations. This approach underscores Xpanner's commitment to making construction technologies both accessible and impactful, a key concept of Xpanner's that is different than others. For more information on Xpanner and the XBoost Partnership Program, visit https://www.xpanner.com/. About NoBull Energy NoBull Energy brings decades of combined development and EPC experience to meet the growing demand for renewable energy with confidence and precision. As the market embraces adaptive and responsible solutions, NoBull specializes in delivering tailored project execution that ensures efficiency and reliability. With expertise in PV systems, battery storage, and renewable energy projects, the company supports the global transition to clean energy through innovative and flexible approaches. Based in Indianapolis, NoBull Energy remains a trusted partner for exceptional renewable energy solutions. Learn more at https://nobullenergy.com/. About Xpanner Xpanner offers integrated smart construction solutions to make on-site work easier and more effective through automation and robotics. Xpanner retrofits its technology onto existing construction equipment, helping operators complete tasks faster and enabling supervisors to efficiently manage machines across the jobsite. The solutions radically improve productivity and cost efficiency. A global enterprise, Xpanner was established in South Korea in 2020 and entered the U.S. market in 2023. Learn more at https://www.xpanner.com/. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237409 SOURCE: Pinion Partners New York, New York--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Gramercy Orthodontics is proud to celebrate its 8th anniversary, recognizing eight years of dedicated service as a trusted orthodontic care provider in Manhattan. Since opening its doors in 2017, the practice has been committed to delivering high-quality orthodontic care and supporting the oral health needs of the Manhattan community. Since its establishment, Gramercy Orthodontics has prioritized personalized care and innovation in orthodontic treatment. The practice's commitment to employing innovative technology and patient-centered care has positioned it as a leader in enhancing oral health and creating confident smiles. This development marks a significant milestone, underscoring the practice's dedication to advancing orthodontic care and setting a standard for future innovations in the field. Gramercy Orthodontics Celebrates Milestone Anniversary in Manhattan To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/237101_c980450164dfbb63_001full.jpg Over the years, Gramercy Orthodontics has embraced advancements in technology to provide quality care tailored to each patient's unique needs. The practice's fully digital office features state-of-the-art tools like the iTero 5D scanner, which creates precise digital impressions to streamline treatment planning and improve outcomes. This technology, combined with a range of orthodontic options such as Invisalign, traditional braces, and InBrace, ensures patients receive effective, personalized care. Additionally, the practice's experienced and board-certified orthodontists have consistently championed a patient-first philosophy, focusing on comfort, precision, and results. This approach ensures each patient receives advanced care and a supportive treatment experience. The clinic's milestone anniversary also highlights its efforts to make orthodontic care accessible and inclusive. By offering various treatment options at competitive pricing, Gramercy Orthodontics has helped many patients achieve optimal oral health and confidence. A transparent consultation process and flexible payment plans have solidified the clinic's reputation as a practice committed to breaking barriers to care. In addition to advancing orthodontic care, Gramercy Orthodontics in NYC takes pride in being an active member of the Manhattan community. The anniversary celebration also showcases the orthodontist's deep ties to the city as a practice that consistently supports local events, engages in community outreach, and fosters meaningful relationships with patients and their families. As Gramercy Orthodontics celebrates this milestone, the practice remains focused on the future. Plans include expanding services to meet increasing patient demand, continuing to adopt the latest orthodontic technology, and deepening engagement with the community. With this focus on growth, innovation, and community connection, Gramercy Orthodontics aims to deliver healthier, more confident smiles for years to come. About Gramercy Orthodontics: Gramercy Orthodontics is a leading provider of orthodontic care in Manhattan, offering Invisalign, traditional braces, and innovative treatments to improve oral health and transform smiles. All treatment plans combine quality with affordability, making dream smiles accessible and achievable. The orthodontists draw from over 10 years of experience to provide quality orthodontic care and deliver personalized services that transform lives through better oral health. Media Contact: To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/237101_c980450164dfbb63_002full.jpg To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237101 SOURCE: GetFeatured Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - BLACKCAR-MIA, a leading provider of luxury ground transportation in South Florida, has launched a new 50-passenger party bus to accommodate large groups for various special occasions. This latest addition expands the company's fleet and supports the region's growing need for safe, high-capacity transportation options for special events and celebrations. The new 50-passenger vehicle available for Miami Party Bus Rental offers a modern and functional solution for milestone events such as weddings, corporate gatherings, bachelor and bachelorette parties, birthday celebrations, and private group tours. With ample seating and standing space, it accommodates parties of various sizes while ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride. BLACKCAR-MIA Expands Fleet with Launch of 50-Passenger Party Bus Rental To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/237377_3edf83f5a4222834_001full.jpg The party bus has practical features such as climate control, built-in charging ports, LED lighting, and a premium sound system, allowing passengers to enjoy their journey comfortably. Additionally, it has been designed with safety as a top priority, incorporating anti-lock braking systems, first-aid kits, and routine inspections to meet industry standards. The launch of this party bus reflects the company's dedication to meeting the growing demand for large-group transportation in South Florida. Miami and its surrounding areas are known for hosting dynamic large events that attract locals and visitors, creating a need for large group transportation options that are both practical and luxurious. BLACKCAR-MIA's latest addition bridges this gap by providing a service that combines convenience, safety, and flexibility. Clients can now enjoy a dedicated party bus rental experience that eliminates the hassle often associated with planning group outings. With room for up to 50 passengers, this party bus offers the perfect solution for celebrating together, without the need to coordinate multiple vehicles or designate drivers. Black Car MIA Unveils 50-Passenger Party Bus for Unforgettable Group Event To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10740/237377_3edf83f5a4222834_002full.jpg The new party bus complements the company's existing fleet of sedans, SUVs, and sprinter vans, ensuring that groups of all sizes can now find a transportation option tailored to their needs. Whether it's a corporate retreat, a wedding celebration, or a private tour of the city, BLACKCAR-MIA provides a practical yet sophisticated option tailored to the needs of diverse groups. The company emphasizes professionalism and safety in every aspect of its transportation services. Each vehicle in the fleet undergoes regular maintenance to ensure reliability, and chauffeurs are thoroughly trained and licensed to deliver quality Miami Limo Service. With the introduction of the latest 50-passenger party bus, BLACKCAR-MIA continues to raise the standard for group travel, providing innovative solutions that address the region's evolving transportation needs. About BLACKCAR-MIA Founded in 2016, BLACKCAR-MIA is a trusted provider of luxury ground transportation services in South Florida. Specializing in personalized travel solutions, the company offers a diverse fleet, including sedans, SUVs, sprinter vans, and high-capacity vehicles like party buses. BLACKCAR-MIA delivers safe, reliable, and professional transportation for various needs, from airport transfers to weddings, corporate events, and private tours. Each journey is crafted to ensure punctuality and comfort. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237377 SOURCE: GetFeatured Horseshoe Bay, Texas--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - The Signature Clinic at Horseshoe Bay, a wellness center specializing in personalized, evidence-based treatments, announces the official opening of its new facility in the first quarter of 2025. The Signature Clinic To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10926/234068_c9844b7bc49fc82b_001full.jpg The clinic offers a range of wellness treatments, including NAD+ IV infusions, Semaglutide for weight management, and hormone replacement therapies. Located in Horseshoe Bay, the facility aims to provide evidence-based health optimization services in a clinical setting designed for comfort and relaxation. "We are pleased to begin serving the Horseshoe Bay community," said The Signature Clinic Managing Member Michael Gregory. "This opening is an opportunity to bring personalized wellness care to individuals seeking tailored solutions for their health goals." Key Services Provided at The Signature Clinic NAD+ IV Therapy: Supports cellular health and energy metabolism. Supports cellular health and energy metabolism. Semaglutide for Weight Management: Designed for individuals pursuing structured weight management options. Designed for individuals pursuing structured weight management options. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) & Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT): Offers treatment for hormonal imbalances to promote overall health. Offers treatment for hormonal imbalances to promote overall health. Individualized Wellness Programs: Custom care plans focused on client-specific objectives. The Signature Clinic at Horseshoe Bay offers a unique approach to individualized care by fusing cutting-edge health procedures with a calming, spa-like setting. With this kind of environment and concierge-style care, the center aims to maximize health, vitality, and longevity through cutting-edge therapies in a setting that encourages rest and well-being. For more information about The Signature Clinic at Horseshoe Bay, visit https://signatureclinicgroup.com. About The Signature Clinic at Horseshoe Bay The Signature Clinic at Horseshoe Bay is a wellness facility focused on providing research-supported treatments such as NAD+ IV therapy, Semaglutide weight management, and hormone replacement therapy. The clinic operates with an emphasis on individualized care to address health and wellness needs. Disclaimer: The expert opinions presented in this PR/Story are based on the extensive experience and knowledge of the source company. These views do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the news distribution company and its distribution partners. There is no offer to sell, no solicitation of an offer to buy, and no recommendation of any medical treatment, product, or service in this article. Moreover, nothing contained in this should be construed as medical advice or a recommendation to start, stop, or change any medical treatment or medication. It is your responsibility to determine whether any medical treatment, product, or service is appropriate for you based on your health objectives, medical condition, and risk tolerance. Consult your healthcare provider regarding your specific medical situation. The news distribution company and its distribution partners do not endorse or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information shared by the guest. Viewers are encouraged to consult with their own healthcare professionals or conduct their own research when making decisions related to medical topics. The source company is the one issuing this release. Please contact them directly for further information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/234068 SOURCE: Brand Featured Sydney, Australia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - One Empire Sleep, an Australian lingerie company that has grown from a grassroots operation to a notable player in the fashion industry, has announced its entry into the Canadian market. This expansion represents the brand's first step into North America, underscoring its ambitions for global growth and its evolving reputation as a key contender among Australian lingerie brands. The company, founded in 2018 by then-18-year-old marketing student Bridgette Bidner, began operations from a spare bedroom in Sydney. In just seven years, the brand has achieved significant milestones, including the sale of over 25,000 lingerie sets and recognition from prominent publications. The Canadian market launch includes a wide selection of One Empire Sleep's offerings, including its recently released new arrivals. These designs, described by the company as blending contemporary aesthetics with traditional craftsmanship, are available for purchase on its website. Growth from Humble Beginnings One Empire Sleep's origins trace back to June 2018, when founder Bridgette Bidner combined her marketing studies with a vision for high-quality, stylish One Empire lingerie. Operating initially as a small-scale venture from her Sydney home, the company grew steadily, fueled by word-of-mouth support and online sales. Explore the exciting new arrivals from One Empire lingerie. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10926/236530_lowres-217.jpg Now headquartered in New South Wales, the brand has expanded its operations to serve customers globally. Its success, according to industry analysts, reflects a broader trend of emerging Australian lingerie brands making a mark on the international fashion scene. Bidner, who remains at the helm of the company, noted that the expansion into Canada is part of a long-term strategy to introduce the brand to new markets. "We've seen strong interest from international customers over the years," she said in a statement. "This step allows us to better serve a growing demand for our designs outside of Australia." A Shift to Global Operations The move into Canada is viewed as a significant milestone for One Empire Sleep. Industry experts have highlighted the Canadian market's potential as a key entry point into North America, given its cultural diversity and demand for premium lingerie products. One Empire Sleep's expansion comes at a time when global e-commerce platforms have made it easier for independent brands to reach customers worldwide. The company's existing digital infrastructure has allowed it to transition smoothly into new territories, maintaining its commitment to direct-to-consumer sales through its official website, https://oneempire.com.au. The recent addition of new designs to the brand's catalog, launched last week, is expected to resonate with Canadian consumers. These pieces, according to the company, reflect its focus on providing stylish, well-crafted options for modern women. Industry Recognition and Challenges One Empire Sleep has carved out a niche in a competitive market. Analysts note that its focus on inclusive sizing, attention to design details, and ethical practices, including the use of eco-friendly materials, align with shifting consumer preferences. However, as the company expands, it faces challenges typical of global growth, including adapting to varying market demands and maintaining its production standards at scale. Despite these hurdles, the brand has steadily gained recognition, both within Australia and abroad. Its mention in major fashion outlets and its steady sales growth of lingerie in Australia underscore its potential to continue this trajectory. Valentine's Day Brings Timely Opportunity The timing of the Canadian launch coincides with preparations for Valentine's Day, a significant period for the lingerie industry. While the company has not explicitly linked its launch to the occasion, industry watchers note that One Empire's new arrivals could attract attention from Canadian consumers seeking gift options or personal purchases ahead of the holiday. Whether this timing will yield a noticeable impact on sales remains to be seen, but it positions One Empire Sleep to make an impression during one of the busiest times of the year for the sector. About ONE EMPIRE SLEEP One Empire Sleep is an Australian lingerie brand founded in 2018 by Bridgette Bidner. Based in New South Wales, the company has become known for its high-quality, contemporary designs and commitment to inclusivity and sustainability. Since its inception, One Empire Sleep has sold over 25,000 lingerie sets and gained recognition from leading fashion publications. The brand operates through its official website, https://oneempire.com.au, and recently launched its first international expansion into Canada. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/236530 SOURCE: Brand Featured SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 16, 2025, a global leader in media, social and consumer intelligence, is proud to announce that the company is the first in its industry to receive ISO 42001 certification for responsible development and use of AI systems. ISO 42001 is the world's first AI management system standard for organizations that have established a robust framework for managing risks and opportunities in AI systems and who meet the highest standards of information security and privacy. ISO 42001 specifies requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving an Artificial Intelligence Management System. For Meltwater customers, this certification means they can trust the company's ability to protect their data. With the growing concerns surrounding data privacy and security, the ISO 42001 certification is a testament to Meltwater's proactive approach in addressing these challenges. At Meltwater, AI is responsibly developed with transparency, security, risk mitigation and customer-centricity at the heart of the approach. The certification process involves a comprehensive evaluation of Meltwater's information security policies, risk management strategies, and operational procedures. This rigorous assessment ensures that the company not only meets but exceeds the expectations set forth by the ISO standards. As a result, Meltwater is better equipped to respond to potential security threats and to continuously improve its information security practices. "Achieving ISO 42001 certification marks a significant milestone in Meltwater's AI journey. We process over a billion pieces of content and perform 15 billion AI inferences daily for our customers and this certification validates not just our commitment to responsible AI development, but our ability to operate AI systems at massive scale while maintaining the highest standards of governance," said Aditya Jami, Chief Technology Officer at Meltwater. "Building upon our ISO 27001 and 27701 certifications, this new standard demonstrates our proactive approach to AI management and risk mitigation." Meltwater's achievement of the ISO 42001 certification underscores its commitment to delivering exceptional value to its customers while prioritizing their security and privacy. This milestone not only strengthens Meltwater's position in the market but also sets a benchmark for excellence in the media intelligence industry. The certification can be found on Meltwater's new Trust Center , a centralized portal for customers and partners to access compliance certifications and documents, information on security controls, and frequently asked questions. The Trust Center is another way Meltwater is investing in trust and security, and enabling customers and prospects to easily self-service the security information they need. For more information, please contact: Kelly Costello pr@meltwater.com QKI Emulsion Inc. (the Company), formerly Known as Superbox Inc. (currently OTC PINK:SBOX), a Nevada corporation headquartered in West Palm Beach, Florida, and a prominent leader in Green Energy and Transition Technologies, is proud to announce the achievement of the highly anticipated ETV (Environmental Technology Verification) certification, a breakthrough that underscores the company's commitment to sustainability and environmental innovation. "This is a momentous day for QKI EMULSION INC and the environment," stated Daniele De Molli, Chief Operating Officer and Member of the Board of Directors of QKI EMULSION INC. "After nearly three years of rigorous testing across naval applications, heavy-duty vehicles, generators, and automobiles of all ages, we are thrilled to have reached this milestone." De Molli expressed his gratitude to Co-Founder and CTO, Engineer Enrico Fumagalli, as well as the dedicated team in the Philippines. "Their extraordinary efforts have enabled us to achieve global recognition for a technology that has passed the stringent standards of the ETV certification process. This certification is now validated in the United States, Canada, Japan, Denmark, and the Philippines." Special thanks were also extended to the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) of the Philippines, specifically Dr. Annabelle Briones and Engineer Dante Vergara, for their unwavering support. Introducing QKI WHITE DIESEL: A Cleaner, Cost-Effective Fuel QKI WHITE DIESEL, now certified, reduces harmful emissions from 15% to 20% while remaining fully compatible with all diesel engines-old or new-without the need for modifications or additional expenses for consumers. Among its benefits: Immediate Reduction of Black Smoke : Proven to eliminate visible black smoke from older diesel engines. No Additional Costs: Will be priced equivalently to standard diesel in the Philippines, thanks to partnerships with the government and fuel distributors. QKI EMULSION INC positions itself not as a fuel producer but as a provider of the technology, systems, and additives that empower producers and distributors to transform standard diesel into QKI WHITE DIESEL. "Our open-source approach ensures we are partners-not competitors-of major global fuel producers, enabling widespread adoption of this eco-friendly solution," added De Molli. Driving Toward Sustainable Transformation The Government of the Philippines has set an ambitious goal to convert at least 20% of the country's diesel consumption to QKI WHITE DIESEL within three years, with the potential to reach 50% depending on partnerships with local producers and distributors. In the coming weeks, QKI EMULSION INC will engage with national and international oil companies to sign agreements and deploy the technology swiftly. "This initiative is a ready-to- implement solution for reducing emissions while bridging the gap to future zero-impact technologies expected to mature within 10 to 15 years," said De Molli. Contact Information For inquiries or partnership opportunities, please contact: Email: sales@qkiemulsion.com All correspondence will be personally reviewed by Daniele De Molli and his Team. About QKI Emulsion Inc.: QKI Emulsion Inc. (formerly Superbox Inc.) is a leading company specializing in the development of cutting-edge transition technologies Currently, QKI Emulsion (formerly Superbox Inc.) holds assets, patents and know-how for creation of groundbreaking emulsion Fuels technologies implemented internationally. Our primary focus is on Water-in-Diesel nano-emulsion Fuel and the world-wide commercialization of these technologies in order to create a promising and greener transition Fuel. Our dedication to advancing sustainable Fuel solutions sets us apart in the industry, positioning QKI Emulsion Inc. (formerly Superbox Inc.) as a trailblazer in the pursuit of environmentally friendly energy alternatives. Forward-Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (the "ACT"). In particular, when used in the preceding discussion, the words "plan", "confident that", "Believe", "expect", "intend to" and similar conditional expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements within the meaning of the ACT and are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, market conditions, competitive factors, the ability to successfully complete additional financing and other risks. CONTACT: Cygna Finance Ltd, Listing agent ejc@cygna.finance SOURCE: QKI Emulsion, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Stampman, a new innovative stamp-making platform in the UAE, has launched its operations, introducing a first-of-its-kind same-day stamp delivery service. The company delivers custom stamps within 2-4 hours anywhere in the UAE, addressing a critical gap in the market for rapid stamp production and delivery. Stampman.ae website The platform was built in response to market demand for faster, more efficient stamp-making services. A notable gap in the market became apparent when the founders encountered difficulties obtaining a company stamp for an urgent business meeting, leading to the development of this innovative solution. "If no one else is solving this problem, we will," said Youssouf Drissi, founder of Stampman, describing the moment that led to the company's creation. In less than 45 days, Stampman was established, building its foundation on speed, innovation, and customer service. Stampman's mission focused on transforming the stamp-making industry through several key initiatives. The company established partnerships in Dubai's stamp-making hub of Deira, building relationships with trusted manufacturers to guarantee quality production. Stampman created a robust delivery system, implementing bike couriers and optimized routes to ensure deliveries within 2-4 hours. The company's customer-first philosophy has led to the development of a seamless online ordering process and hassle-free delivery experience. From packaging to multiple payment methods, each interaction has been designed to reflect professionalism and care. As word spread, businesses across the UAE began turning to Stampman, with satisfied customers sharing their experiences and driving organic growth. The company's service offerings include: Lightning-Fast Delivery: Stamps delivered in 2-4 hours throughout the UAE Stamps delivered in 2-4 hours throughout the UAE Customer-Centric Service: Streamlined processes from order to delivery Streamlined processes from order to delivery Unmatched Quality: Precision and professionalism in every product Precision and professionalism in every product Reliable Service: Trusted by businesses of all sizes. Stampman officially launched at the end of October 2024, and by January 2025, the company expanded its offerings to include an affiliation program. This program has gained significant traction, particularly among startup employees and delivery personnel. Looking forward, Stampman continues to develop new initiatives, including customizable products and eco-friendly stamp options. The company maintains its focus on innovation while delivering consistent, high-quality service. About Stampman Stampman is a UAE-based stamp-making platform revolutionizing the industry through rapid delivery and customer-centric service. The company provides same-day stamp delivery services throughout the UAE, combining traditional craftsmanship with modern convenience. A stamp by Stampman.ae To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237446 SOURCE: Stampman For the eighth consecutive year, Lenovo employees have grown the impact of the company's annual volunteering initiative. For the eighth consecutive year, Lenovo employees have grown Lenovo's Love on Month of Service, an annual, global volunteering initiative. In 2024, volunteers grew impact to nearly 68,000 beneficiaries (44% growth since 2023). The growth was driven by a wide range of volunteer experiences, from creating access to tech for people with disabilities in Tokyo and building wetland sustainability in Bengaluru to educational workshops on tech and sustainability in Paris and computer refurbishing in Raleigh/Durham. More than 140 projects were hosted around the world, supporting Lenovo's global corporate citizenship, ESG goals, and Lenovo Foundation's mission to empower underrepresented populations with access to technology and STEM education. The grassroots-led initiative encourages employees to create and lead volunteer projects that engage their fellow employees to make an impact in their local communities. In 2024, more than 100 project leaders took part by identifying non-profit partners in their community, engaging their local offices in volunteerism, and making a meaningful impact across Lenovo's global business footprint. Each year, employee project leaders - led by Lenovo's global corporate citizenship team - work together to grow the program by at least one key metric. Whether it's the number of volunteers, volunteer hours, participating offices, or beneficiaries, the project has grown every year since 2017. In 2024, the global event set a new milestone by impacting nearly 68,000 individuals worldwide. A total of 3,700 dedicated Lenovo employees contributed more than 16,000 service hours across 62 Lenovo offices. "This has been another extraordinary year of giving back to our communities under the flagship initiative of our corporate philanthropy," said Calvin Crosslin, President of Lenovo Foundation. "Each year, the scope of our projects continues to expand, addressing not only educational and technological needs, but also supporting children's well-being, empowering underrepresented populations, and assisting people with disabilities. We believe in empowering communities and inspiring the next generation of thinkers, creators, and leaders. Together, we are on track to impact 15 million lives by 2025." In addition to promoting global corporate citizenship, Love on Month of Service (Love on is an anagram of Lenovo, created as an engaging asset to spotlight employee giving) also reinforces Lenovo's commitment to Diversity & Inclusion (D&I). Research shows that volunteerism strengthens and benefits corporate culture through improved mental health, enhanced skills development, higher employee retention, and the attraction of new talent. Employee engagement stands out as one of the program's greatest value adds. Survey data from Love on Month of Service underscores this, with 92% of volunteers expressing pride in working for a company that champions volunteerism, and 78% noting that their volunteer efforts positively influenced the community's perception of Lenovo. Furthermore, nearly 80% of respondents felt more connected to their global colleagues through their participation in the event. Lenovo Foundation team wants to express sincere gratitude for all the projects leaders and volunteers who have joined us, and especially for Lenovo executives around the world who empowered our employee volunteers by volunteering shoulder to shoulder with their colleagues throughout September. Since its inception in 2017, Love on Month of Service has impacted more than 380,000 people around the world, as measured through conservative, direct impact estimates by Lenovo's global corporate citizenship team. This ongoing commitment underscores the company's dedication to giving back to communities and strengthening its reputation as a force for positive change. You can learn more about Lenovo's social impact programs in the latest ESG Report. Visit www.LenovoFoundation.com to learn more about Lenovo's global philanthropy initiatives. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Lenovo on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Lenovo Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/lenovo Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Lenovo View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released new osteoporosis prevention guidelines, recommending all women aged 65 and older, and at-risk postmenopausal women under 65 to undergo screening for osteoporosis to prevent fractures.'Too often, the first sign of osteoporosis is a broken bone, which can lead to serious health issues,' USPSTF member Dr. Esa Davis, senior associate dean of population and community medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a statement.'The good news is that for women 65 years or older, as well as younger women at increased risk, screening can detect osteoporosis early-before fractures happen-helping women maintain their health, independence, and quality of life.'Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the bones, caused by decline of bone mineral density and bone mass. The skeletal disease primarily effects older population with around 10 million people in the U.S. over the age of 50 suffering from it, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.The new recommendation was supported by 145 unique studies assessed in a systematic evidence review, showing that osteoporosis screening was associated with reduced hip fractures and major osteoporotic fractures compared to standard care.However, the USPSTF noted that it is yet to find enough evidence to support whether osteoporosis screening and current treatments prevent fractures among men.'The Task Force continues to call for more research in men and encourages anyone concerned about their bone health to speak with their clinician,' stated USPSTF vice chair Dr. John Wong, chief of the Tufts Medical Center Division of Clinical Decision Making.The updated guidelines, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also noted certain inequalities related to osteoporosis screening with risk assessment tools having some limitations in predicting fracture risk among Black, Hispanic and Asian people.'It is important that clinicians be aware of these limitations,' the task force said in its statement. 'Clinicians may also want to consider additional risk factors to help inform discussions with their patients and determine whether screening or treatment for osteoporosis is needed.'Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Chinas auto industry association blasts US rule against Chinese technology of connected cars Global Times) 16:57, January 16, 2025 People visit the 20th China (Changsha) International Automobile Exposition in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo/Xinhua) The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) on Thursday voiced strong opposition to the Biden administration's final rule prohibiting the sale and import of connected vehicle hardware, software systems, and complete connected vehicles from China. In recent years, China's intelligent connected new energy vehicles have steadily developed, earning widespread consumer favor due to their competitiveness. Additionally, the adoption of related software and hardware technologies has grown within the global automotive supply chain, positively contributing to the growth of intelligent connected vehicle markets and global industrial development, the CAAM said in a statement seen on its WeChat account. The development of relevant sectors in China won't be affected by external disruptions, said the statement. With China and the US both being major countries in promoting the development of intelligent connected vehicles, cooperation and exchanges are critical for mutually beneficial outcomes, it said. The Biden administration's rules severely disrupt global automotive industry cooperation, undermine the shared development interests of multiple nations, violate international trade rules, jeopardize global industrial chain stability, and hinder efforts to create a safe, inclusive, and transparent global automotive ecosystem, the statement read. The CAAM said the association strongly opposes the Biden administration's wrong-doing which harms the global intelligent connected automotive industry eco-system. The Biden administration's unilateral restrictions that sever economic and industrial ties with selected countries not only disrupt fair competition in the global automotive market, but also inflict lasting harm on the global industrial chain. It will ultimately harm US businesses and consumers, the association said. It called on the Biden administration to adopt an objective stance on economic and trade issues, and refrain from politicizing or over-stretching the concept of national security, and abolish relevant restrictions targeting China. The global automotive industry should enhance cooperation to collectively foster the healthy and sustainable development of the intelligent connected vehicle industry. In a statement on Wednesday night, China's Ministry of Commerce expressed "strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition" to the Biden administration's intensive imposition of trade restrictions against China, including the restriction on Chinese vehicles. "The Biden administration speaks one way and acts another. Sanctions, containment, and suppression cannot halt China's progress; instead, they bolster China's confidence and ability in self-reliance and technological innovation. China will take measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security, and development interests," the ministry spokesperson said. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) GrocerIQ, Inc., an AI technology company specializing in grocery solutions and a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPF Holdings, Inc. ("WPFH"), has signed definitive agreements to both develop and license advanced technologies aimed at improving grocery redemption systems and expanding food accessibility. These strategic initiatives highlight GrocerIQ's commitment to addressing critical challenges in the grocery sector while fostering long-term growth and innovation. Key Initiatives Under the Definitive Agreements: Grocery Store Redemption Program: As part of the agreements, GrocerIQ will develop a technology platform that enables qualified individuals to seamlessly receive and redeem grocery vouchers. This program will initially be deployed at a Southern California grocery chain, providing greater access to essential groceries for underserved populations. Farmers Market Produce Redemption Program: Another key initiative outlined in the agreements is the creation of a platform to support voucher management and redemption at local farmers markets in Los Angeles County. This effort will increase the availability of fresh, locally sourced produce while supporting local farmers and strengthening community ties. Licensing Grocery Redemption Technologies: GrocerIQ has also signed an agreement to license its innovative grocery redemption technologies, allowing broader adoption by additional grocery chains and markets nationwide. This licensing agreement is expected to generate a significant revenue stream for GrocerIQ, further supporting its mission to drive technological advancements and expand its reach. The technologies being developed and licensed under these agreements are an integral part of GrocerIQ's business model. These scalable solutions are designed to extend to other food assistance programs and farmers markets across the country, ensuring accessibility and efficiency on a broader scale. By embedding adaptability and sustainability into its core operations, GrocerIQ is creating a blueprint for the future of grocery retail. GrocerIQ is actively integrating solutions into the foundation of the grocery retail landscape. Its innovative platforms simplify the shopping experience for consumers, enhance operational efficiency for businesses, and promote sustainable practices. By integrating advanced artificial intelligence, GrocerIQ is establishing smarter, more responsive grocery ecosystems that directly address the needs of modern communities. These definitive agreements underscore GrocerIQ's dedication to creating impactful technologies that connect underserved populations with nutritious food. At the same time, these solutions aim to drive economic growth for local markets and farmers by promoting sustainable and inclusive practices. About WPF Holdings As a strategic move, WPF Holdings, Inc. has acquired GrocerIQ, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary. WPF Holdings intends to change its corporate name to GrocerIQ Holdings, Inc. and will apply to change its ticker symbol to reflect its new identity. This acquisition underscores WPF Holdings' commitment to supporting GrocerIQ's mission of transforming the grocery retail landscape through advanced AI-driven solutions. About GrocerIQ GrocerIQ is an AI technology company focused on transforming the grocery retail landscape. Its innovative solutions simplify the shopping experience for consumers, enhance operational efficiency for businesses, and promote sustainable practices. With a mission to create a smarter, more equitable grocery ecosystem, GrocerIQ is revolutionizing how communities access and experience fresh food. Investor Relations Contact: WPF Holdings info@wpf-holdings.com SOURCE: GrocerIQ Holdings, Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire Rimouski, Quebec--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Puma Exploration (TSXV: PUMA) would like to cordially invite you to visit us at Booth #400 at the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) to be held at the Vancouver Convention Centre West (1055 Canada Place, Vancouver) on Sunday January 19 - Monday January 20, 2025. The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference 2025 will feature over 120 expert speakers, including globally respected economists, legendary money managers, and investors. This year's conference promises an array of exceptional opportunities, including exclusive keynote sessions featuring 120 renowned speakers, unparalleled networking with over 5,000 industry professionals and investors, and interactive exhibits showcasing groundbreaking innovations across the resource sector. Attendees will gain invaluable insights into the commodities landscape, exploring emerging trends in precious metals, energy, critical minerals, and beyond. For more information and/or to register for the conference please visit: https://cambridgehouse.com/vancouver-resource-investment-conference. We look forward to seeing you there. About the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference: The Vancouver Resource Investment Conference has been the epicenter of junior mining investment in Canada for 25 years and attracts over 5000 mining investors annually. Previous years have been attended by former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and former President of Mexico Felipe Calderon. The VRIC will include a marketplace of over 300 investment opportunities in the mining industry, spanning early-stage exploration to advanced producing mines. SOURCE: Cambridge House International BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Correcting typosChina's exports registered a faster-than-expected growth in December taking the trade surplus for 2024 to a record high as businesses frontloaded orders amid looming trade tariff threats.Data from the General Administration of Customs on Monday showed that exports advanced 10.7 percent on a yearly basis in December, faster than the 6.7 percent increase in November and also economists' forecast of 7.3 percent.At the same time, imports increased moderately by 1.0 percent on year but confounded expectations for a decline of 1.5 percent. This follows a 3.9 percent fall in November.Consequently, the trade surplus increased to $104.8 billion from $97.4 billion in November. The surplus was well above the expected level of $100 billion.Capital Economics economist Zichun Huang said shipments are expected to remain strong in the coming months, as US importers continue to stockpile Chinese goods ahead of tariff hikes.However, exports are likely to weaken later this year as President Trump puts his tariff threats into action.Imports will probably recover further in the short run as faster fiscal spending drives demand for industrial commodities, said Huang.The customs office reportedly said that exports were up 5.9 percent and imports climbed 1.1 percent in the whole year of 2024, which led to a record trade surplus of $992.1 billion.Elsewhere on Monday, Chinese regulators vowed to stabilize the weakening yuan. The People's Bank of China and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said the yuan exchange rate will be kept stable at reasonable levels and efforts will be undertaken to prevent excessive volatility.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Onco-Innovations Limited (CSE:ONCO)(Frankfurt:W1H, WKN:A3EKSZ) ("Onco" or the "Company") is pleased to provide information on its exclusively-licensed technology, a new class of Polynucleotide Kinase 3'-Phosphatase (PNKP) inhibitors (the "Technology"), which was shown in a study1 to successfully prevent the regeneration of cancer cells, by disrupting DNA repair processes, making cancer cells more vulnerable to radiation therapy and thereby improving patient outcomes. Onco-Innovations' new generation of PNKP inhibitors targets a key enzyme involved in cancer cell DNA repair. By inhibiting PNKP, these compounds can prevent cancer cells from repairing damage caused by radiation therapy, significantly boosting the therapy's effectiveness. This innovative approach can not only improve treatment outcomes by reducing the chances of cancer recurrence but also offers the potential for longer-term remission and improved patient survival rates. Cancer recurrence remains a significant challenge in oncology, with varying rates depending on the type of cancer. For instance, colon cancer recurs in approximately 30% to 40% of patients who have completed treatment, including surgery and chemotherapy2, with most recurrences happening within the first two to three years and about 95% of recurrences happen within 4 years of surgery3. Similarly, epithelial ovarian cancer has a strikingly high recurrence rate of 85%4, while bladder cancer, even after the surgical removal of the bladder, shows a local recurrence rate of 30% to 54%5. These statistics underscore the critical need for advanced therapies that not only treat the initial cancer but also effectively reduce the risk of recurrence, thereby improving long-term patient outcomes. Reducing cancer recurrence improves patient survival and cuts healthcare costs by limiting the need for further treatments. Onco-Innovations' Technology, by showing the potential to prevent cancer cell regeneration, offers a promising potential solution that could enhance outcomes while potentially saving millions in healthcare expenses. "Addressing the critical challenge of cancer cell regeneration, our Technology represents a major leap forward in oncology. By potentially disrupting this fundamental process, we can enhance the effectiveness of treatments and reduce the risk of recurrence. This Technology not only carries the potential to improve patient outcomes but could also offer significant potential for cost savings within the healthcare system," said Thomas O'Shaughnessy, CEO of the Company. 1 Front. Oncol., 22 December 2021 Sec. Cancer Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Volume 11 - 2021 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fonc.2021.772920 2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4868559/ 3 https://wjso.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12957-021-02207-4 4 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14737140.2017.1398088?journalCode=iery20& 5 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5799348/ About Onco-Innovations Limited Onco-Innovations is a Canadian-based company dedicated to cancer research and treatment, specializing in oncology. Onco's mission is to prevent and cure cancer through pioneering research and innovative solutions. The Company has secured an exclusive worldwide license to patented groundbreaking technology that targets solid tumours, setting new standards in cancer treatment. Onco's commitment to excellence and innovation drives it to develop advanced therapies that improve patient outcomes and offer hope in the fight against cancer. ON BEHALF OF ONCO-INNOVATIONS LIMITED, "Thomas O'Shaughnessy" Chief Executive Officer For more information, please contact: Thomas O'Shaughnessy Chief Executive Officer Tel:+ 1 888 261 8055 investors@oncoinnovations.com The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Caution. This news release contains forward-looking statements relating to the further development, potential commercialization and benefits of the Technology, the Company's ability to submit and complete U.S. FDA trials, and the prospects of the Company, and the Company's business and plans generally, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "will", "may", "potential", "should", "anticipate", "expects" and similar expressions. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include the failure to further develop, prove out or commercialize the Technology, the failure to complete U.S. FDA clinical trials, the failure to receive regulatory approval in respect of the Technology, and other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements as expressly required by applicable law. SOURCE: Onco-Innovations Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - China is scheduled to release a batch of data on Friday, headlining a modest day for Asia-Pacific economic activity. On tap are Q4 numbers for GDP and December figures for industrial production, retail sales, fixed asset investment and unemployment.GDP is expected to rise 1.7 percent on quarter and 5.0 percent on year after advancing 0.9 percent on quarter and 4.6 percent on year in the third quarter.Industrial production is called steady at 5.4 percent on year, while retail sales are expected to gain an annual 3.5 percent - up from 3.0 percent in November. FAI (3.3 percent) and the jobless rate (5.0 percent) are expected to be unchanged from the previous month.Singapore will provide December data for non-oil domestic exports; in November, NODX was up 14.7 percent on month and 3.4 percent on year for a trade surplus of SGD6.520 billion.Malaysia will see preliminary Q4 numbers for gross domestic product; in the three months prior, GDP was up 5.3 percent on year.Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights ReservedCopyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. Doorvest, a San Francisco, CA-based provider of a real estate investing platform designed for the process of owning passive income rental homes, acquired Rubik, a NYC-based company which specializes in leveraging data science and machine learning to source off-market single-family rental (SFR) deals. With this acquisition, Doorvest plans to: Source more exclusive, high-quality real estate deals for investors Double annual acquisition volume to meet rising customer demand Expand into new markets to provide a broader range of investment opportunities Led by CEO Amar Sehic, Rubik empowers investors to build institutional-grade single-family rental portfolios using data science and machine learning to identify and acquire proprietary investment opportunities for REITs, Hedge Funds and Family Offices who are looking to build Single Family Rental (SFR) portfolios of hundreds of homes. Led by CEO Andrew Luong, Doorvest provides a real estate investing platform that simplifies the process of buying, financing, and managing investment properties. By offering end-to-end solutions, it empowers individuals to build wealth through real estate with ease and confidence. FinSMEs 16/01/2025 Xuron, a Dover, DE-based healthcare technology company, received an investment from 3LS Ventures. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. The company intends to use the funds to select new technologies that improve the training and education of healthcare professionals. Led by CEO Ian Nott, Xuron is a healthcare technology company that leverages artificial intelligence to provides a virtual, intelligent provider training aimed at simulating the patient experience. The platform combines virtual humans with advanced data analytics to deliver and measure positive behavioral outcomes, empowering healthcare professionals with training tools. Xuron has already demonstrated success in deploying its first-generation tools with early adopters spanning top 20 pharmaceutical companies, multi-state health systems, esteemed medical schools, and prominent continuing medical education (CME) organizations. FinSMEs 16/01/2025 Robust growth in digital services business was led by sustained subscriber addition and consistent improvement in customer engagement metrics, said Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries read more Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) posted a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit for the quarter ended December 31, reaching a record Rs 21,930 crore. The rise was driven by robust performances in the companys digital services, retail, and oil-to-chemicals businesses. Revenue and profit growth Reliances quarterly revenue rose 7.7 per cent to Rs 2.67 lakh crore, while Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (Ebitda) climbed 7.8 per cent to Rs 48,003 crore. The Ebitda margin expanded by 10 basis points year-on-year to 18 per cent and widened by 1 percentage point compared to the previous quarter. Oil and gas business performance The oil and gas business reported an Ebitda of Rs 5,565 crore for the quarter, with a 100 basis points improvement in Ebitda margin to 87.4 per cent. Revenue from the segment stood at Rs 6,370 crore, according to Moneycontrol. Advertisement Digital services lead growth The digital services division recorded a 17 per cent surge in Ebitda, reaching Rs 16,640 crore, driven by higher Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of Rs 203.3. Jio, RILs telecom arm, continued its aggressive 5G rollout, boasting 170 million True5G subscribers, contributing 40 per cent of the companys wireless traffic. Jio Platforms registered a profit of Rs 6,861 crore, a 26 per cent year-on-year increase, while the segments revenue from operations rose 19.4 per cent to Rs 33,074 crore. Jios subscriber base grew to approximately 482 million as of December 31, a 2.4 per cent increase from a year ago. Robust growth in digital services business was led by sustained subscriber addition and consistent improvement in customer engagement metrics, said Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries Ltd. Retail segment growth Reliance Retail posted a net profit of Rs 3,458 crore in the third quarter, up 10 per cent year-on-year. Gross revenue rose 8.8 per cent to Rs 90,333 crore, boosted by festive buying across various consumption categories. Reliance Retail delivered strong performance during the quarter led by festive buying across consumption baskets, said Isha Ambani, Executive Director of Reliance Retail Ventures Ltd. We are creating through JioMart express deliveries, scheduled deliveries coupled with Milkbasket - subscription services, a seamless shopping experience that serves diverse customers. Disclosure: Firstpost is part of the Network18 group. Network18 is controlled by Independent Media Trust, of which Reliance Industries is the sole beneficiary Fiscal incentives and GST reforms in the upcoming budget may pave the way for Indias space industry to attain newer heights read more Indias space sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation, propelled by progressive government policies and the burgeoning involvement of private enterprises. Initiatives such as the Indian Space Policy of 2023 and the establishment of IN-SPACe, have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for start-ups and private organisations, cementing Indias position as a rising powerhouse in the global space market. As the country approaches Budget 2025-26, one critical area the Government should focus on is in establishing a robust framework for indirect tax policies and fiscal incentives across the value chain of the space sector. Advertisement In July 2023, the GST Council took a significant decision to exempt GST on satellite launch services offered by private organisations. This decision was celebrated as a landmark step, leveling the playing field for private players, especially start-ups in a domain historically dominated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Antrix Corporation Limited. The exemption has undeniably spurred innovation and competitiveness. However, all input tax costs borne by private organisations will become cost in their hands. Further, its scope remains limited, addressing only the end launch service while overlooking the broader value chain involved in the sector. The result is an incomplete framework that continues to impose substantial input tax burden on manufacturers and service providers, dampening the sectors growth potential. Satellite launch services are part of a complex ecosystem encompassing satellites, ground systems, launch vehicles, and ancillary services. Although the import of satellites, payloads, and certain ground equipment, enjoys complete customs and GST exemption, the same benefit does not extend to certain essential inputs such as raw materials, components, and spares required for launch vehicles, satellites and payloads. These inputs are subjected to a 5% customs duty and GST, creating non-recoverable tax costs that erode the global competitiveness of Indian manufacturers. This inconsistency in policy inadvertently discourages domestic manufacturing by making finished goods imports more tax-efficient than locally produced alternatives. To address this disparity, extending import duty exemptions to include all inputs required for satellite and launch vehicle manufacturing, is essential. A similar approach must be applied to domestic procurement, where the absence of GST exemptions further exacerbates the cost disadvantage for Indian manufacturers who are supplying to launch service providers. Aligning tax policies with the Make-in-India initiative by exempting GST on goods and services integral to satellite and launch vehicle domestic manufacturing, could unleash a cascade of benefits. First, eliminating non-recoverable tax costs would make Indian space services more cost-competitive, attracting both domestic and international companies. This move would also bolster the countrys appeal as an investment destination, encouraging companies to allocate more resources to research, development, and production. With reduced tax burden, businesses would have greater financial flexibility to innovate, driving advancements in technology and strengthening Indias position as a leader in space exploration. Advertisement Moreover, such tax reforms would align seamlessly with the governments Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) vision by reducing dependence on imports and fostering indigenous production capabilities. A comprehensive tax policy that incentivizes local manufacturing can ensure that Indias space ambitions are built on a foundation of domestic expertise and innovation. For these reforms to deliver meaningful change, they must target key components of the satellite launch ecosystem. Exempting GST on satellites, subsystems, and ground systems such as antennas and telemetry devices would significantly lower production costs. Extending the exemption to include the manufacturing of launch vehicles and their components is equally crucial, ensuring a cohesive policy that supports the entire value chain. Additionally, offering GST exemptions on research and development services would foster an environment of innovation, encouraging companies to explore cutting-edge solutions tailored to diverse stakeholders needs. Advertisement Globally, countries such as the United States and members of the European Union have recognized the strategic value of their space industries, implementing tax incentives that bolster domestic manufacturing and research. For example, the US offers robust tax benefits for aerospace R&D, while the EU supports space activities through exemptions and subsidies. Secondly, a recent parliamentary discussion in December 2024 revealed that an Investment Incentive Scheme has been proposed for the space sector, offering an alternative to the Production-Linked Incentive Scheme. Swift rollout of this scheme in collaboration with industry stakeholders could provide the much-needed momentum to elevate Indias space industry to global prominence. Advertisement India stands at a pivotal juncture, where the synergy between government policy and private enterprise can redefine its space sector. By introducing comprehensive indirect tax reform in Budget 2025-26, the government can dismantle barriers that hinder growth and innovation. As the country reaches for the stars, a supportive tax framework can provide the launchpad needed to ensure that Indias space ambitions soar beyond expectations. Madhava Yathigiri is Partner, TMT-Tax Leader, Deloitte India supported by Dhwani Gada, Associate Director. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Surajs association with Fateh came about when he took the initiative to approach Sonu Sood, the lead actor and producer of the film read more Actor Suraj Jumani has been making waves with his standout performance in the recently released movie Fateh. As an integral part of the film, Surajs role has been widely appreciated by fans and critics alike. Not just limited to his on-screen presence, Suraj also featured in the popular song Hitman from the movie and graced one of the films posters, solidifying his importance in the project. Reflecting on his experience, Suraj shared, This is destiny. I mean, I am working with such legends, and I am so grateful. Fateh is a wonderful, wonderful movie. Everybody is going to have a different yet mind-blowing perspective and experience. Advertisement Surajs association with Fateh came about when he took the initiative to approach Sonu Sood, the lead actor and producer of the film. Speaking about his journey, he said, I had just approached Sonu bhai and showed him some of my projects that he loved, and further gave me an opportunity in Fateh. He had that leap of faith that this guy can do it. I really, really thank Sonu Sood for this opportunity. I absolutely believe that this is just the first one with Sonu bhai , and theres a long, long, long way to go. Surajs role in Fateh is not just another milestone but a testament to his determination and talent. His performance in the movie has already sparked conversations among cinephiles, with many praising his screen presence and emotional depth. The song Hitman, in which he features prominently, has become a fan favorite, further showcasing his versatility. Sonu Sood, who also played a key role in giving Suraj this opportunity, had high praises for the young actor. Fateh, that had its World Premiere in Dubai, continues to captivate audiences with its gripping storyline and performances, Suraj Jumani has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the film and its viewers. His journey from approaching Sonu Sood to becoming a celebrated part of a blockbuster movie is nothing short of inspiring. With Fateh, Suraj Jumani has proved that this is indeed just the beginning of an exciting career. Fans are already looking forward to seeing what this talented actor has in store for the future. Stewart and Lynda Resnick, an ultra-wealthy couple from California, are being accused of hoarding water when it is needed to fight the wildfires in California. The Resnicks own the Los Angeles-based Wonderful Company which claims to be one of the largest food producers in the world. But are they really hoarding the water? read more Firefighters watch as water is dropped on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025, in Los Angeles. Image- AP Are a billionaire couple in California hoarding water amid wildfires? Thats the claim that is going viral on social media. Stewart and Lynda Resnick, an ultra-wealthy couple from California, are being accused of hoarding water when it is most needed. But what do we know about them? And are they really hoarding the water? Lets take a closer look: Who are they? According to CBS, Stewart and Lynda Resnick are owners of the Wonderful Company. This private firm, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, was established in 1979. It is currently valued at $6 billion. Advertisement The Resnicks through the company own Wonderful Pistachios, POM pomegranate juice, Halo tangerines and Fiji Water. With a net worth of $13 billion, they are said to be Californias richest farming family As per Snopes, the Wonderful Company owns 140,000 acres of land a vast majority of it in California. The company says it is one of the largest food producers in the world. It claims to grow a significant amount of its produce in California. The Resnicks are also famed for their love of art. As per ArtNet, the Resnicks decorate their Beverly Hills home with paintings from Picasso, Jean-Honore Fragonard, and Francois Boucher. They are known for their fondness for European and Old Masters. The couple also donate heavily to Los Angeles museums. Lynda Resnick and Stewart Resnick are said to be Californias richest farming family. AP They have given the Hammer Museum at least $30 million, while they have bestowed $90 million on the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)/ They are also known for caring about the environment. In 2019, they gave Caltech $750 million to work on climate research. Advertisement But none of that is why the Resnicks are in the news. As per Fortune, it is their 57 per cent stake in the Kern Water Bank Authority which they own through their private firm that has come under scrutiny. The authority runs a series of reservoirs and pipes near Californias Bakersfield which stores around 488 billion gallons of water. Since the fires broke out in January, numerous posts on social media have claimed that the Resnicks owned most of the water in California. The posts also claimed that the Resnicks were hoarding water. Are they really hoarding the water? The short answer is no. But well come to that later. First, lets take a brief look at Californias water system. Advertisement Snopes quoted Max Gomberg of the California Water Impact Network as saying that no one really owns the water per se. Instead, the water is held in a trust for the people of the state. In 1994, California executed the Monterey Plus Agreement where it privatised some of the waters storage and management. Under this agreement, the Wonderful Company became part owners of the Kern Water Bank Authority which is around 240 kilometres from Los Angeles. The firm owns 57.7 per cent of the Kern Water Bank Authority which can hold around 1.5 million acre-feet of water. That may sound like a lot. Advertisement But California uses around 40 million acre-feet of water every year. So, going by that metric, the Wonderful Company uses just 3.75 per cent of the states water. Fortune quoted Californias Department of Water Resources (DWR) as saying that reservoirs across California had 23.9 million acre-feet of water/ The total ground water in California is from 850 million to 1.3 billion acre-feet. So blaming the Resnicks really makes no sense. Theres a lot of finger-pointing and sort of like picking who you dont like and blaming them, Brad Franklin, a water resource economist and research fellow at the Public Policy Institute of California told Fortune. Its silly to pick one major water user in the San Joaquin Valley and say its their fault. Advertisement And as for the water bank, it is simply a public-private partnership. It gathers water to use in times of drought and stores it. The water bank of course contains a large amount of water but theres no direct connection between [the Resnicks and the water bank] and whats going on in Southern California, Franklin added. Theres no real reason to believe things would be different if the Resnicks or any other large agricultural businesses used less water. Besides, the real issue with the fires in Los Angeles isnt the lack of water. Indeed, officials have repeatedly said the city has enough water locally but the problem is getting the water to the firefighters where they need it. The system has never been designed to fight a wildfire that then envelops a community, Martin Adams, the ex-general manager of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, told the Los Angeles Times. Felicia Marcus, Former Chair of the California State Water Resources Control Board, agreed. She told CBS, Whats happening in LA is not because theres not enough water in LA in storage. There are no urban water systems that are built out to handle a firestorm like this. Seth Oster, chief corporate affairs officer for the Wonderful Company, told Fortune it is hard to be surprised anymore by the disinformation and ignorance on social media, but in this case, the hamster wheel has spun to a new level of absurdity. Oster also said the false claims against the company are often openly rooted in anti-Semitism. With inputs from agencies South Korean Constitutional Court will hear President Yoon Seok Yeols impeachment trial for the second time while Blue Origin will attempt to launch its New Glenn rocket again. US Vice President Kamala Harris will visit Bahrain during her last diplomatic tour. Heres what else will happen today read more South Koreas Constitutional Court is set to hold the second hearing of President Yoon Seok Yeols impeachment trial after the first session was abruptly adjourned due to his absence. File image/Reuters It will be a busy Thursday today with several events lined up for the day. South Korean Constitutional Court will hear President Yoon Seok Yeols impeachment trial for the second time while Blue Origin will attempt to launch its New Glenn rocket again. In the US, Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to meet with leaders in Bahrain. Whereas, the tiny Pacific island nation of Vanuatu will hold its general elections. In Pakistan, the government and Imran Khans party PTI will hold the third round of talks. Advertisement Heres a glimpse of what will happen today. Yoon Suk Yeols second hearing in impeachment trial South Koreas Constitutional Court is set to hold the second hearing of President Yoon Seok Yeols impeachment trial after the first session was abruptly adjourned due to his absence. The trial, which began on Tuesday in Seoul, will decide whether Yoon should be stripped of his presidential duties following a failed martial law attempt in December. The first hearing lasted only four minutes before being adjourned due to Yoons nonattendance. However, the court has stated that the second hearing will proceed regardless of his presence. People watch a TV screen, broadcasting South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol delivering an address to the nation, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters The now- arrested leader had defended his absence from the initial session citing security concerns. for his absence in the first hearing. Blue Origins rocket launch Jeff Bezos rocket company Blue Origin will attempt to launch its for the second time today from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The towering 320-foot rocket, named in honour of astronaut John Glenn, was originally scheduled to lift off on Tuesday. However, the launch was called off due to a technical issue discovered shortly before takeoff. Jeff Bezos rocket company Blue Origin will attempt to launch its New Glenn rocket for the second time today from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Reuters As part of the mission, Blue Origin plans to land New Glenns first-stage booster on a sea-faring barge in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 10 minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, the rockets second stage will continue its journey toward orbit. Although delays have marked this launch, Blue Origin is determined to showcase New Glenns potential as it seeks to compete with SpaceX in the satellite launch market. Kamala Harriss Bahrain visit US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is on her diplomatic farewell tour, is set to meet leaders in Bahrains capital, Manama. She will also visit Naval Support ActivityBahrain, which serves as the headquarters for US Naval Forces Central Command and the US 5th Fleet. As the outgoing Vice President, Harris is undertaking a final international tour spanning Europe, West Asia, and Asia. The White House confirmed her itinerary includes stops in Singapore (January 15), Bahrain, and Germany (January 16). Advertisement US Vice President Kamala Harris, who is on her diplomatic farewell tour, is set to meet leaders in Bahrains capital, Manama. File image/ AFP During her visits, Harris will highlight the accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration and underscore the pivotal role of US forces in maintaining regional and global security. General election in Vanuatu The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu is heading to the polls today for a snap election, postponed after a devastating 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the region last month. The election follows the dissolution of Vanuatus parliament in November, a move made to prevent disgruntled MPs from launching a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Charlot Salwai. Vanuatus President Nikenike Vurobaravu dissolved parliament ahead of a motion of no-confidence in Charlot Salwai.FIle image/ Reuters According to the Vanuatu Electoral Office, 52 parliamentary seats across 18 constituencies are being contested by 217 candidates, including seven women. Notably, no-confidence motions have in recent years come to define Vanuatus creaky democracy. The country has changed prime minister 20 times between 1991 and 2017. Talks between Pakistan govt & PTI The Pakistani government and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party are set to engage in a third round of talks today, aimed at diffusing the ongoing political tensions, according to Dawn. Relations between the two sides have deteriorated significantly since the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan last year, leading to widespread violent protests and state crackdowns. Advertisement Pakistani Army soldiers stand guard over a shipping container used to block the road leading to the parliament house, to prevent an anti-government protest rally by supporters of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khans party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demanding the release of Khan, in Islamabad on Tuesday (November 26). Reuters In a shift in strategy, Imran Khan formed a five-member committee to engage in dialogue with relevant stakeholders, signalling a new approach to PTIs parliamentary tactics, reported the Pakistani media outlet. In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established a committee comprising members of the ruling coalition to facilitate the discussions. With input from agencies A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, involving a halt of the fighting and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Following the announcement, both US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump claimed credit for the Gaza ceasefire. So, who was responsible for brokering the truce? read more Both leaders are looking for credit over the Gaza ceasefire. Reuters/File Photo Fifteen months after a war broke out between Israel and Hamas, a ceasefire has finally been established in Gaza, which includes the release of hostages held in the region. This ceasefire and hostage release agreement is an important political and personal achievement for US President Joe Biden as he nears the end of his presidency. ALSO READ | Israel-Hamas ceasefire to begin on Sunday: What does it entail? However, as Biden discussed the efforts made by his administration to secure the deal, US President-elect Donald Trump rushed to claim that he was the key figure behind the breakthrough. Advertisement Both leaders are looking for credit over the Gaza ceasefire, following the White Houses decision to involve Trumps Middle East envoy in negotiations that took several months. Biden vs Trump over credit for reaching the deal As he stepped up to the podium in the Cross Hall of the White House to discuss the agreement, Biden opened by saying, Its a very good afternoon. Standing beside US Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Biden discussed the efforts undertaken by his administration to reach this milestone. The elements of this deal were what I laid out in detail this past May, which was embraced by countries around the world and endorsed overwhelmingly by the UN Security Council, he stated. Reflecting on his five-decade-long political career, Biden described the negotiations, in which he was personally engaged for over a year, as the toughest he had ever encountered. Meanwhile, Trump was quick to claim credit for the breakthrough, asserting that he had been the driving force behind the agreement. Donald Trump rushed to claim that he was the key figure behind the ceasefire deal. Reuters/File Photo This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signalled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump posted on social media. Advertisement I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. ALSO READ | After 15 months and over 46,000 deaths, Israel and Hamas agree to end war, a timeline Biden or Trump, who cracked the ceasefire deal? The rivalry intensifies as both Biden and Trump seek to claim the ceasefire deal as a hallmark of their respective legacies in the Middle East. A demonstrator with a Lebanese flag celebrates news of the ceasefire in Berlin, Germany. Reuters Bidens administration spent months working on the peace talks, which seemed to inch closer to success only to falter repeatedly. Trump, for his part, had warned of hell to pay if a deal was not reached by his inauguration - just four days away. Advertisement In the final stretch, Brett McGurk, Bidens pointman, was joined by Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, in a joint effort to secure the deal, according to US officials. In Doha, Israeli and Hamas delegations negotiated on separate floors, with moderators from Qatar and Egypt facilitating discussions. A senior Biden administration official, speaking anonymously to AP, described the cooperation between McGurk and Witkoff as crucial in reaching the deal. Four days ago, Steve Witkoff came out to join Brett in his final push, which I think is, historically, almost unprecedented. And it was a highly constructive, very fruitful partnership, the official told AFP. Trump hailed the deal as an epic achievement made possible by the pressure of his election victory, while Biden dismissed such claims, responding, Is that a joke? when asked who deserved credit. Advertisement REPORTER: Do you, or Trump, deserve credit for the Gaza ceasefire deal? JOE BIDEN: Is that a joke?pic.twitter.com/o52wPmJnBz Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) January 15, 2025 Eventually, both leaders can claim victory from the deal. For Biden, it represents a massive diplomatic success as his term concludes with a low approval rating. For Trump, it validates his all hell would break out promise in the Middle East before his second inauguration. Advertisement The truth behind who is responsible for the agreement is multifaceted. Biden administration officials point to momentum building before the election, particularly following the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The final deals contours closely align with Bidens May proposal, but his administration was unable to complete it at the time. Jonathan Panikoff, director of the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, told AP that Biden deserves recognition for constantly pushing the talks despite setbacks. However, Trumps pressure on Hamas and his involvement through Witkoff in pushing Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also deserves credit, he added. ALSO READ | In Graphics: One year on, key moments of Israel-Hamas war What we know about the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza beginning Sunday, with plans to exchange dozens of hostages held by Hamas for Palestinians detained by Israel. The detailed agreement outlines a six-week initial ceasefire, during which Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands of lives have been lost. Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to halt the fighting in Gaza. Reuters/File Photo Despite the announcement, Israeli airstrikes continued on Wednesday night in Gaza. Local health officials have reported over 46,000 deaths during the conflict until now. Strikes in Gaza City and northern areas resulted in at least 32 additional deaths, according to medics. A Palestinian official involved in the negotiations told Reuters that mediators were urging both sides to cease hostilities before the truce officially begins on Sunday. Negotiators from the US, Israel, Qatar, and Egypt, along with Hamas officials, worked late into the night in Doha, with discussions continuing until 3 am as they attempted to finalise the deal. Hamas made several last-minute demands during the talks, but CNN reported that American and Israeli negotiators stood firm, eventually securing an agreement. In Gaza, news of the ceasefire brought celebrations. Palestinians, who have suffered severe shortages of essentials like food, water, shelter, and fuel, took to the streets to celebrate. In Khan Younis, crowds filled the roads, cheering, honking car horns, waving Palestinian flags, and dancing. As the deal took shape, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made calls to his American counterparts. His first call was to President-elect Trump to thank him and arrange a meeting in Washington. He then contacted President Biden to thank him as well, according to a statement from Netanyahus office. With inputs from agencies In a tragic incident in Gwalior Madhya Pradesh, a 20-year-old woman, Tanu Gurjar, was shot by her father, Mahesh Gurjar, after she opposed the marriage arranged by her family and expressed her desire to wed her boyfriend of six years. Tanus father and cousin considered her love affair as a move that could have damaged the familys reputation read more The victim, Tanu Gurjar, had reportedly been in a six-year relationship with her boyfriend and was determined to make her own choices. However, this decision sparked a bitter conflict with her father and brother. Image for Representation. Pixabay In a tragic incident in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, a 20-year-old woman lost her life at the hands of her father just days before her forced marriage. Her only faultexpressing her wish to marry the man she loved. The victim, Tanu Gurjar, had reportedly been in a six-year relationship with her boyfriend and was determined to make her own choices. However, this decision sparked a bitter conflict with her father and brother. The situation then took a deadly turn when Tanus father, Mahesh Gurjar, 45, allegedly shot her in the presence of police and panchayat officials after she posted a video online narrating her ordeal. Advertisement Heres what we know happened. If something happens to me, my family is responsible Tanu Gurjar was set to marry a man chosen by her family on 18 January, with pre-wedding festivities about to begin. However, distressed by what she called a forced marriage, the 20-year-old shared a video on social media, confessing her love for her boyfriend and accusing her family of coercion. I really love a man. We have been in a relationship for six years. My family said yes to the marriage and then refused. They beat me daily and threaten to kill me. If something happens or I die, my family is responsible. They pressure me to marry someone else, but I cant, Tanu reportedly said in the 52-second video. The man in question, Bhikam Vicky Mawai, hails from Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and had been in a relationship with Tanu for six years. The two met during his visits to his aunts house in the same locality, reported Indian Express. A 20-year-old girl named Tanu Gurjar was shot dead by her father, Mahesh Gurjar, in #Gwalior in what is believed to be an honour killing after she refused an arranged marriage and declared her love for another guy. After the event, Mahesh was taken into custody, and the inquiry pic.twitter.com/KJEPIzPgBK Benefit News (@BenefitNews24) January 15, 2025 Tanus bold move to share her ordeal allegedly escalated tensions within her family. According to an Indian Express report citing Additional Superintendent of Police Krishna Lal Chandani, the video provoked Tanus father, Mahesh Gurjar, and her cousin Rahul, who viewed her desire for a love marriage as an attack on their ego. Advertisement Initially, the family had reportedly agreed to Tanus relationship, having no opposition to caste or gotra. However, they later arranged her marriage to an Indian Air Force officer, expecting her to sever ties with her unemployed boyfriend. Rahul reportedly fuelled the tension, claiming that allowing Tanus love marriage would damage the familys stature and set a bad example for the family. It was the cousin (Rahul) who kept telling the father that their reputation was at stake, the officer said. He claimed if she were allowed a love marriage, all other women in the family would want to marry whoever they wanted, the officer said. Advertisement After Tanus video was widely shared on social media on Tuesday evening, police led by Superintendent Dharmveer Singh rushed to her home to prevent further escalation. A community panchayat was also convened to mediate the matter. Tragically, the situation spiralled out of control, ending in violence that no one could have foreseen. He was a decent man, on that night he became savage When the police arrived at Tanu Gurjars home, she refused to stay there, fearing for her safety. She requested to be taken to a One-Stop Centrea government initiative supporting women affected by violence. Her father, Mahesh Gurjar, a local hotel owner known to the authorities, insisted on speaking to her privately, claiming he could persuade her to comply with the familys wishes. According to a police officer at the scene, the team, including two women officers, decided to wait outside while Mahesh went in to talk to his daughter. Advertisement Tragically, the conversation turned deadly. Mahesh, armed with a country-made pistol, lost his temper and shot Tanu in the chest. At the same time, her cousin Rahul fired multiple shots, hitting her forehead, neck, and the area between her eye and nose. Tanu collapsed instantly, succumbing to her injuries. When officers rushed inside, they found Tanu lying lifeless on the floor, with Mahesh still pointing his gun at her. It was all so random. We were all caught by surprise. He was a decent man. On that night, he became savage, a police officer told The Indian Express. Mahesh then allegedly turned the gun towards the police and later towards himself. We got some family members to calm him down. Then we got him to release his weapon, the officer added. During questioning, Mahesh reportedly repeated that allowing Tanu to break off the arranged marriage would have brought shame to the family. Advertisement By Wednesday morning, Mahesh was arrested, while Rahul managed to escape with the pistol, according to News18. With input from agencies Even graduates of elite business schools like Harvard and Stanford are facing a tough job market, with unemployment rates among MBAs reaching a decade-high. Amid shrinking opportunities in tech and consulting, companies now prioritise technical skills and leaner teams read more The once-guaranteed prestige of earning an MBA from elite institutions like Harvard, Stanford, or Wharton is no longer a surefire ticket to high-paying jobs. With an increasingly volatile job market, even the most coveted degrees are facing challenges. Reports suggest that many recent graduates from these top-tier programs are struggling to secure employment, painting a stark picture of the current economic landscape. Declining job placement rates among top MBAs According to a Wall Street Journal report, 23 per cent of Harvard Business School (HBS) MBA graduates from 2024 were still job hunting three months after graduation. This is a sharp increase from 20 per cent in 2023 and 10 per cent in 2022. Harvards Kristen Fitzpatrick, who oversees career development, told WSJ, Were not immune to the difficulties of the job market. Going to Harvard is not going to be a differentiator. You have to have the skills. Advertisement This trend extends beyond Harvard, with other elite institutions like Stanford, Wharton, and NYU Stern also witnessing some of the weakest job placement figures in years. For instance, Northwestern Universitys Kellogg School of Management reported that 13 per cent of its 2024 MBA graduates were unemployed three months post-graduation, a significant increase from previous years. Whats behind the job market slowdown The tightening job market can be attributed to several factors. Post-pandemic, companies have aggressively pursued efficiency, rethinking organisational structures, and highlighting leaner teams. This has created a preference for candidates with specialised technical skills over generalist MBA graduates. Additionally, sectors traditionally dominated by MBAs, such as tech and consulting, have significantly reduced hiring. Companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Google have scaled back recruitment, while consulting giants such as McKinsey have slashed their MBA hires. McKinsey, for example, hired only 33 MBAs from the University of Chicagos Booth School in 2024, down from 71 the year prior. Companies tell us, Were not coming to campus anymore, Jenny Zenner, a senior director at UVA Dardens career center, told WSJ. The rise of artificial intelligence and automation has further complicated the landscape, leading to layoffs and job eliminations across industries. Employers are increasingly valuing alternative education pathways, such as coding bootcamps and specialised certifications, which often align better with modern workforce demands. The struggles of graduates The challenging job market has left many MBA graduates frustrated. For instance, Ronil Diyora, a University of Virginia Darden School graduate, shared that he applied for over 1,000 jobs while attending networking events in San Francisco. Ask me in two years, he told WSJ when questioned about whether his MBA was worth the investment. Others, like Yvette Anguiano, faced delays in starting their careers. Anguiano, who secured a consulting role at EY-Parthenon, had her start date pushed to mid-2025. I was pretty devastated, she told WSJ, as she struggled to manage mounting student loans while seeking temporary work. Advertisement How institutions are responding To address these challenges, some business schools are introducing innovative solutions. Harvard, for example, is testing an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that matches job seekers with potential roles and recommends courses to bridge skill gaps. This AI-driven approach aims to help students adapt to the evolving demands of the job market. Despite the hurdles, MBA graduates still command high earning potential. Median starting salaries often exceed $175,000, and some schools, like Columbia Business School, have reported improved employment rates by fall 2024 compared to previous years. Graduates are increasingly lowering their expectations and exploring non-traditional career paths. As one unnamed HBS student told Forbes, Most of my friends who tempered their expectations were able to land great positions. HBS students tend to come from wealthier families and backgrounds that can stomach a few months of unemployment. For aspiring leaders, the message is clear: success in todays job market requires a blend of technical skills, emotional intelligence, and resilience. As companies prioritise lean operations and specialised expertise, the traditional MBA journey must evolve to align with these new realities. Advertisement With inputs from agencies On Sunday, Israel and Hamas will begin implementing their ceasefire agreement. There will be a temporary pause in fighting and hostages will be released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. But will this bring an end to the 15-month-long war? read more Women mourn their relatives who were killed by Israeli bombardment outside the Aqsa Martyrs hospital in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on January 5. AFP Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal. On Sunday, the two sides will begin by implementing a ceasefire. Then, hostages will be exchanged. Both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have tried to take credit for the ceasefire. Biden said from the White House that my diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done. It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy, Biden said. Advertisement Trump, meanwhile, wrote on social media, This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. But when will the war end? What do experts say? Lets take a closer look: When will the war end? First, lets briefly examine the negotiations which comes after months of on-off negotiations brokered by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States, and came just ahead of the January 20 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. Things had intensified over the past four days. As his inauguration approached, Trump had repeatedly called for a deal to be done swiftly, warning that there would be hell to pay if the hostages were not released. His West Asia envoy Steve Witkoff worked with President Joe Bidens team to push the deal over the line. The US, Qatari and Egyptian negotiators, along with Israels team worked until the wee hours of Wednesday morning, just a floor above where the Hamas negotiators were holed up. Both President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump have tried to claim credit for the deal. Later Wednesday, Hamas made several last-second demands, but negotiators held very firm, and the group eventually agreed to the terms of the deal. As per BBC, the war will continue until the ceasefire goes into effect on Sunday. A senior Palestinian official told the outlet that Hamas would release three female soldiers on day one of the ceasefire. Advertisement Mediators are trying to get the ceasefire to begin on Thursday evening. Umm Muhammad, an elderly Palestinian woman, told the outlet, The pain has disappeared a bit, though its still there. Hopefully it will be overcome by joy. Let our prisoners get freed and the injured get treated. People are exhausted. But the Israelis havent stopped their airstrikes. According to Gaza health officials, the bombardment from Israel continued on throughout the night and early on Thursday leaving at least 46 Palestinians dead. Israels acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the countrys security cabinet and government, with votes slated for Thursday, an Israeli official said. Advertisement The accord was expected to win approval despite opposition from some hardliners in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition government. What do experts say? Not to celebrate too soon. A piece in CFR.org noted that the ceasefire and hostage deal does not necessarily mean the war has ended permanently. It stated that even if the war in Gaza ended, other actors like Iran could find a way to keep the conflict going by other means. It also noted that the way in which the ceasefire agreement in structured, in three phases, leaves the deal open to being attacked from both sides. This extended time frame provides opportunities for the agreements Israeli and Palestinian opponents to undermine it at critical moments, the piece argued. Advertisement It also drew attention to the fact that this is what happened in the 1990s with the Oslo Accords. During the Oslo process, whenever there was perceived progress toward peace, opponents of compromise sowed discord through politics and violence, damaging the legitimacy of the talks to the point that they collapsed, the piece stated. It singled out Israeli settlers and Palestinian extremists as possibly being the main culprits in such a situation. Experts say the ceasefire and hostage deal does not necessarily mean the war has ended permanently. Reuters The piece noted the possibility that either side could eventually just pull out of the deal. An article in The Conversation noted that this sort of deal is typically seen as a strangle contract. It said that Israel has been able to impose this agreement on Hamas because of its relative position of strength. Advertisement It noted that Hamas has agreed to a number of ceasefires over the past year only for Israel to change the terms. The piece said that on the 16th day after the ceasefire begins, the two sides will then begin talking about the next phase. Here, more hostages and prisoners are supposed to be released. However, there are currently no written assurances the ceasefire will continue beyond the first phase if there is no agreement reached for the second phase, the piece noted. The article stated that though ceasefires are not legally binding, they are essentially a type of contract between warring parties. The war between Hamas and Israel is of course not over. This ceasefire simply marks the start of a new phase. Its a welcome relief and the least-worst option humans have so far devised to stop the violence of war for a period of time, the piece concluded. Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a resident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative at the Atlantic Councils Middle East Programs, said the biggest risk is that conflict now remains frozen in which Gaza remains utterly destroyed. The incoming US administrations regional priorities, coupled with the possibility of a rejuvenated push for a peace process, may be the only hope for Gazas recovery, reconstruction, renaissance, and evolution, Alkhatib contended. Alex Plitsas is a nonresident senior fellow with the Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative, the head of the Atlantic Councils Counterterrorism Project, and a former chief of sensitive activities for special operations and combating terrorism in the Office of the Secretary of Defense, added that the ceasefire is actually the easy part. The difficult part is the long-term solution to the conflict and release of the remaining hostages. There is still no clear picture of the long-term governance and security in Gaza that would be required to facilitate reconstruction at the end of the conflict, Plitsas argued. Experts also say that a ceasefire does nothing to address the underlying conflict that spawned the war. The occupied West Bank has seen a surge of violence and a major expansion of Israeli settlements in recent years. In east Jerusalem, a tense arrangement governing a holy site sacred to Jews and Muslims for which Hamas named the October 7 attack has steadily eroded. The latest war in Gaza was by far the worst, and it may not be the last. With inputs from agencies The Israel-Hamas war has reached an important stage on Sunday (January 19), the two sides will implement a ceasefire deal, which has been divided into three phases. All three will last for six weeks each, with the first one seeing a hostage-prisoner swap, a complete ceasefire, a withdrawal of some Israeli troops and a surge in humanitarian assistance read more After 15 months of intense fighting, which saw the deaths of over 46,000 people, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal, which could eventually lead to the end of the war that began after the October 2023 attacks. Qatars Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced the ceasefire deal on Wednesday (January 15), saying that the two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal. He further added that the ceasefire deal would come into effect on Sunday (January 19). We hope that this will be the last page of the war, and we hope that all parties will commit to implementing all the terms of this agreement, he said. Advertisement US President Joe Biden, who has also been pressing for the ceasefire deal, said he was deeply satisfied this day has come, calling the negotiations some of the toughest of his career. Shortly after the much-anticipated ceasefire was announced, emotions of elation and relief exploded across the Strip and Israel. While Palestinians chanted and embraced the end of the nightmare, families of hostages in Israel wept tears of joy. As we await Sunday for the ceasefire to come into effect, heres a closer look at the details of what the agreement which has been split into three phases, each lasting six weeks entails. Phase I of Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal Phase 1 of the deal negotiated by the US and Qatar and signed off by Israel and Hamas will start this Sunday (January 19) and continue for six weeks 42 days. This will include a swap of hostages and prisoners, a full and complete ceasefire as US President Joe Biden said, partial withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza and a surge of aid into the enclave. When it comes to the hostage-prisoner swap, the deal entails the release of 33 Israeli captives, including women, children and civilians over the age of 50 taken during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. In exchange, Israel will release a larger number of Palestinian prisoners during this phase, including prisoners serving life sentences. Among the Palestinians being released are around 1,000 who were detained after October 7. According to one report, at least three hostages will be released each week. According to a Sky News report, Israel will release 30 Palestinian detainees for every civilian hostage and 50 Palestinian detainees for every female Israeli soldier that Hamas releases. Relatives and friends of people killed and abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza, react to the ceasefire announcement as they take part in a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel. AP As per a Reuters report, two Americans held in Gaza are on the list of hostages to be released in this phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. The two are Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, said a source on condition of anonymity. They were among more than 250 hostages taken to Gaza by Hamas operatives, according to Israeli tallies. Advertisement The first phase will also allow Palestinians to return to their homes in all the areas of Gaza. Moreover, Israeli forces will withdraw from Gazas densely populated areas to allow for the swap of prisoners, as well as the swap of remains and the return of the displaced people. Israeli forces were expected to remain up to 800 metres inside Gaza stretching from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanun in the north, according to a source close to Hamas. Israeli forces would not fully withdraw from Gaza until all hostages are returned, the Israeli official said. The first phase would also see Israeli forces reduce their presence in the Philadelphi Corridor, the border area between Egypt and Gaza. Advertisement The deal also includes a surge in humanitarian aid in the very first phase. The deal struck on Wednesday calls for 600 trucks of aid to be allowed daily into Gaza. This includes food, medicine and fuel to alleviate the crisis unfolding in the Strip. Since the fighting began between Israel and Hamas, Palestinians have been suffering greatly malnutrition, disease, lack of clean water and medical treatments. However, some note that this comes with its own set of problems. Even before the war, Israel restricted entry of some equipment, arguing it could be used for military purposes by Hamas. Another Israeli official said arrangements are still being worked out over aid distribution and clean-up, but the plan is to prevent Hamas from having any role. Furthermore, Israels government is still committed to its plan to ban UNRWA from operating and to cut all ties between the agency and the Israeli government. Advertisement Palestinians celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. AP Phase 2 of the Gaza deal If all goes as planned on the 16th day of phase one, all parties involved will begin negotiations and hammer out the final details of the following stage. An Israeli official said theres no guarantee that the ceasefire will hold beyond the first phase. However, the official told CNN Israel is eager to bring all our hostages back home, and will enter negotiations for the second phase in good faith, which could lead to the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. According to Biden, the second phase will include the release of further hostages and the beginning of Gazas rebuild. When phase two begins, there will be an exchange for the release of the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will be withdrawn from Gaza, and the temporary ceasefire will become permanent, he said. Advertisement People pass by the Fox News ticker as it announces the Israel and Hamas ceasefire deal at the News Corp and WSJ headquarters in New York City, US. Reuters What will come in phase 3 The third phase of the Gaza deal is supposed to include the return of the bodies of the remaining hostages. Also, a three to five-year reconstruction plan will begin to be implemented in Gaza under international supervision. Implementation of the ceasefire deal When asked who will ensure the implementation of this truce between Israel and Hamas, Qatar PM Al Thani said the US, Egypt and Qatar have put a mechanism in place to ensure neither side breaks the ceasefire. It will be placed in Cairo, and this follow-up actually will be a joint team from the three countries that will monitor the implementation of the agreement, he said. Everything has been agreed upon and will be in place, hopefully, on the day of the execution. Notably, this is the second ceasefire Israel and Hamas will see in their 15 months of fighting the first was in November 2023. It lasted only one week but saw the release of 105 hostages being held by Hamas. On the other hand, Israel released about 240 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. Images of Israeli hostages, who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 2023 attack by Hamas, are displayed at Hostages Square, as Gaza ceasefire was reached. Reuters Celebrations, relief and some hesitation The announcement of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas led to an outpour of reactions from the world over. While world leaders hailed the efforts to bring peace to the West Asian region, families of the hostages and Palestinians celebrated the news. For many whose loved ones were still being held captive by Hamas, it was mixed emotions of worry and happiness. As Yosi Shnaider, a cousin of Shiri Bibas who was taken with her husband Yarden and children Ariel and Kfir, who were four years and 10 months old during the Hamas-led attack, told Reuters, We dont know if theyre on the list, if theyre going to come back in the first phase, if theyre alive, if not. We actually dont know anything. Its scary. Ifat Kalderon, the cousin of the hostage Ofer Kalderon, also held similar concerns. Speaking to AFP, she said, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, its joy, (but) mixed with terrible anxiety that it will, actually, happen. If the deal does happen, I dont know how Ofer will return whether he is alive or not but I do believe he is alive, she said, hoping her relative is among those released. I truly, truly hope it wont end with just the 33 hostages returning home, but that everyone will return. In Gaza, the mood was celebratory. Chants and the sounds of drums rang out loud as people celebrated the news of the ceasefire. I cant believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, weve lost everything, Randa Sameeh, a 45-year-old who was displaced from Gaza City to the Nuseirat Camp in the centre of the territory, told AFP. We need a lot of rest. As soon as the truce begins, I will go to the cemetery to visit my brother and family members. We buried them in Deir el-Balah cemetery without proper graves. We will build them new graves and write their names on them. With inputs from agencies Seven female climate activists have accused police in the northern city of Brescia of subjecting them to degrading treatment. They have alleged officers made them remove their underwear and perform squats during questioning after a crackdown on their demonstration read more Italian police have come under the scanner for allegedly subjecting seven female climate activists to degrading treatment during a clampdown on a protest. Police in the northern city of Brescia have been accused of making these female protesters remove their underwear and perform squats during questioning. The police have denied the allegations, claiming the protesters dignity was safeguarded. The development comes as a contentious security bill that could target climate activists is being debated in the Italian Parliament. Advertisement Lets take a closer look. What happened? Seven female climate protesters of the environmental group Extinction Rebellion were taken to Brescias main police station on Monday (January 13) morning after officers cracked down on their protest outside the Italian aerospace and defence firm Leonardos factory, as per The Guardian report. They were among the 22 people brought to the police station. The protesters had briefly blocked the entrance to the Leonardo factory. BREAKING NEWS XR Italia e Palestina Libera occupano la sede della Leonardo a Brescia. LEONARDO DISTRUGGE POPOLI E TERRE Seguiranno aggiornamenti. pic.twitter.com/vm1drkEwRt Extinction Rebellion Italia (@XrItaly) January 13, 2025 In a video posted on social media, a member of Extinction Rebellion alleged mistreatment at the hands of the police officers. The woman said: They asked me to undress, take off my underwear and do three squats, for checks, according to them. She went on to claim that treatment was only reserved for the females, not the males. ABUSI IN QUESTURA: COSTRETTE A SPOGLIARSI Dopo oltre 7 ore di fermo in Questura, sono state rilasciate le 23 persone di Extinction Rebellion, Palestina Libera e Ultima Generazione fermate dopo la manifestazione alla Leonardo di Brescia. Appendiamo con dolore che... 1/5 pic.twitter.com/DiEa5nyFwB Extinction Rebellion Italia (@XrItaly) January 13, 2025 Similar claims were made by another Extinction Rebellion activist in a separate video. The squat tactic is generally used on people suspected of crimes like drug dealing, as per The Guardian report. Advertisement The protest was organised by environmental groups Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation, and the Free Palestine protest group. After holding climate activists for nearly seven hours, the Brescia police charged them for the offences of seditious gathering and for unannounced demonstration. What has Brescia police said? As the videos emerged, Brescia police initially denied the allegations. However, later, they said in a statement that female officers carried out individual searches of the women during which activists were asked to bend down on their legs in order to find any dangerous objects, reported The Guardian. Rejecting the allegations of degrading treatment, it said, The confidentiality and dignity of people were safeguarded at all times and the correct operating procedures were followed. Police went on to accuse the activists of illegal conduct that undermined public order and safety by forming a human chain blocking the movement of trucks at the Leonardo factory and littering the walls with writing. The women activists reportedly plan to make a formal complaint. Advertisement Opposition parties in Italy have called on the government to launch an investigation into the incident in Brescia. Matteo Orfini, a politician with the centre-left Democratic party, claimed a similar incident occurred in Bologna. A woman was forced to undress and was treated in an unacceptable manner. We ask [Interior Minister Matteo] Piantedosi to immediately verify and to intervene if [the allegations] are confirmed, he was quoted as saying by the British newspaper. Italys controversial security bill Italys Parliament is debating a controversial security bill, dubbed the anti-Gandhi law, that targets climate activists by criminalising the blocking of roads and railways. Offenders could face up to two years in jail. This comes amid Giorgia Melonis rightwing government cracking down on demonstrations, including peaceful ones. The bill was cleared in the lower house last September. Now, the Italian government is pushing for swift approval of the bill in the Senate. Advertisement Opponents of the proposed law say it is a deliberate attempt to silence dissent, which could lead to effectively ban street protests in Italy. However, the government has dismissed the concerns. Undersecretary for the Interior Ministry, Nicola Molteni told POLITICO last October that the Meloni government has guaranteed the right to protest more than any other. This government has never denied permission for or banned any protest unless it risked putting in danger the public order of our country, he said, adding that the right to protest must not hinder on the rights of others to work, to have transport, to have emergency services. This enters in a perimeter of illegality that cannot be tolerated. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed at his Bandra residence, and initial findings reveal that the intruder was linked to one of the house helps that assisted him. Doctors treating Khan said that a 2.5-inch piece of the knife had been embedded in his spinal cord but has now been removed read more A statement from Saif Ali Khan's PR team described the incident as an attempted burglary. PTI/File Photo Concerns have grown after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed at his Bandra residence on Thursday. The actor, attacked by an intruder with a knife, was hospitalised and underwent a medical procedure. Saifs team has confirmed he is now out of danger and recovering under close medical supervision. Khan sustained six stab wounds, including two deep injuries, with one near his spine. A foreign object was also detected close to his spine, according to a statement from Lilavati Hospital. Advertisement At the time of the attack, Saifs wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and their children, Taimur Ali Khan and Jeh Ali Khan, were present at the house, along with other family members. Who was Saif Ali Khans attacker? What does the investigation say? The attack took place at the Satguru Sharan building, where Saif Ali Khan resides. The actor suffered six stab wounds, including one close to his spine, and underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital. Khan sustained six stab wounds, including two deep injuries, with one near his spine. Image courtesy: X As per the police, the intruder initially confronted Khans housekeeper, ANI reported. When Khan tried to intervene and control the situation, the intruder became aggressive, leading to a scuffle. A statement from Saif Ali Khans PR team described the incident as an attempted burglary. The message read, There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. CCTV footage from Khans residence showed no one entering the premises within two hours before the attack, according to NDTV. This indicates that the intruder had entered earlier and waited to carry out the attack. Mumbai Police officials, investigating the incident, confirmed, The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The high-profile attack in Bandra, home to many celebrities, has raised concerns about security in the area and put the Mumbai Police under the radar. Advertisement Initial findings suggest that the attacker entered with assistance from someone within the household. Police sources told NDTV that the intruder was linked to one of the house helps, who helped him, and that he may have been hiding inside the building before the attack. #WATCH | Mumbai | Woman (in blue kurta) working as household help in actor Saif Ali Khan's residence recorded her statement in Bandra Police station today pic.twitter.com/Mw0Ivm5db9 ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Advertisement Kareena Kapoor Khans team also released a statement: There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khans residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We request media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the Police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern. Advertisement The police have detained three individuals for questioning, including a domestic servant, a lift operator, and a security guard. Further, the police have questioned floor-polishing workers regarding their involvement, News18 reported. Officials are working to confirm their identities and plan to record statements from seven house helps who reside at the actors property. The Mumbai Police have formed 15 teams to thoroughly investigate the case. How Saif Ali Khan was attacked: Details emerge According to The Indian Express, the intruder accessed Saif Ali Khans residence through the maid quarters at the back of the property. The situation escalated when the nanny raised an alarm, forcing Saif to intervene directly to protect his family. During the confrontation, the intruder attacked Saif with a knife, stabbing him six times. Advertisement The accused had been confined to one of the rooms but managed to escape, police told the publication. An officer stated that no CCTV footage from the lift or lobby showed the intruder entering the 12th-floor apartment. The Mumbai Police have formed 15 teams to thoroughly investigate the case. ANI/File Photo A doctor revealed that Saif was moved to the ICU after surgery. The knife, which was put in his body, was removed during the operation to prevent spinal fluid leakage. The doctor said that Saif had been admitted at 2 a.m., and a 2.5-inch piece of the knife had been embedded in his spinal cord, India Today reported. We are trying to catch the accused. One female staff member was also attacked. She is okay and is currently undergoing treatment. We have launched an investigation into the incident and will catch the accused soon, senior police official Dixit Gedam told India Today. In addition to the local police, the Mumbai Crime Branch is conducting a parallel investigation into the case. Opposition targets Devendra Fadnavis government The attack on Saif Ali Khan has led to criticism from opposition parties, raising concerns over Mumbais law and order situation. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said, What a shame that Mumbai sees another high-profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names. Chaturvedi also mentioned the murder of veteran politician Baba Siddique and the shooting outside Salman Khans home, saying, Baba Siddique jis family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder. Salman Khan forced to live in a bulletproof house. Now it is Saif Ali Khan. All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery. AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal criticised the government, stating, You (central government) cant give protection to Delhi. You cant protect the celebrities. You cant protect the bordersThis double-engine government neither can provide good governance nor safety. We condemn the attack on Saif Ali Khan. We appeal to central government to not do dirty politics all the time. #WATCH | AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal says, "This morning we got the shocking news that Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by unknown people. He is currently undergoing treatment. I pray that he gets well soon but it is a matter of concern that such a big actor who lives in such pic.twitter.com/P7nNpTGQ2Y ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Congress MP Varsha Eknath Gaikwad said, Extremely shocked at this brazen attack. What is going on in Mumbai? That this happens in Bandra in what is known as a safe neighbourhood, is what is most concerning. What security can the common man then expect? Film industry reacts to the incident Actor-director Pooja Bhatt questioned the security situation in the city, tagging Mumbai Police in her X post. Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice? We need more Police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the suburbs, have never felt so unsafe before, she wrote. Jr NTR, who recently worked with Saif Ali Khan in Devara Part 1, expressed his concern, writing on X, Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who has worked with Saif, told News18, It is shocking to hear about the incident with Saif. At this point, the first things that are coming to my mind are that his injuries are not severe and that hes going to recover soon. With inputs from agencies In the final days of President Joe Bidens term, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has placed a proposal that could make cigarettes less addictive and simpler to quit. The agency says it will drastically reduce the amount of nicotine levels in cigarettes, most cigars and other combustible tobacco products sold nationwide. If enacted, the US would be the first country in the world to take such a bold step against tobacco consumption read more If Food and Drug Administration's proposed rule is implemented, this would make the US the first country in the world to take such a bold step against tobacco consumption. Image for Reprsentation. Reuters In the final days of the Biden administration, the US Food and Drug Administration unveiled a proposed rule that would drastically reduce the amount of nicotine levels in cigarettes, most cigars and other combustible tobacco products sold nationwide. If implemented, this would make the US the first country in the world to take such a bold step against tobacco consumption. Todays proposal envisions a future where it would be less likely for young people to use cigarettes and more individuals who currently smoke could quit or switch to less harmful products, said FDA Commissioner Robert Califf in a statement. This action, if finalised, could save many lives and dramatically reduce the burden of severe illness and disability, while also saving huge amounts of money. Advertisement But what exactly does this proposal entail? And will the incoming Trump administration give it the green light? Heres a closer look. But first, why does nicotine make cigarettes so addictive? This is because when nicotine enters your body, it alters the way the brain functions, triggering cravings for more. When nicotine reaches the brain, it floods the reward circuits with dopamine, a chemical responsible for creating pleasant feelings and masking unpleasant emotions, explains the American Cancer Society. The mild adrenaline rush also speeds up the heart rate and raises blood pressure. This effect makes users crave more. When nicotine from the cigarette enters your body, it alters the way the brain functions, triggering cravings for more. Image for Representation According to the FDA, nicotine is a highly addictive chemical compound found in tobacco plants. It is present in all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, non-combusted cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, hookah tobacco, and most e-cigarettes. Further, what makes them so addictive is products like cigarettes are specifically designed to deliver nicotine to the brain within seconds, making dependence more likely and quitting even harder. Also read: 20 minutes per cigarette: How much life are you losing? So, how will the FDAs proposal help? The FDAs proposed rule doesnt aim to ban the sale of cigarettes or other tobacco products in the US. Instead, it seeks to cap the nicotine levels in these products. Currently, the top 100 cigarette brands contain an average of 17.2 milligrams (mg) of nicotine per gram of tobacco. Under the new rule, this would be drastically reduced to just 0.7 mg per gramlow enough to potentially prevent addiction. The proposed nicotine limits would apply to cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco, but not to electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches, or other lower-risk products. In fact, the FDA has endorsed several e-cigarette brands, including NJOY and Vuse, as safer alternatives for smokers. We anticipate that about 50 per cent of smokers will transition to these other products, whether thats e-cigarettes or other noncombustibles, said Brian King, the FDAs tobacco director, in an AP report. Advertisement While the proposed nicotine limits would apply to cigarettes, cigars, and pipe tobacco, the FDA has endorsed several e-cigarette brands, including NJOY and Vuse, as safer alternatives for smokers. Image for Representation/ AP While smoking rates have declined over the years, cigarettes remain one of the leading causes of preventable death in the US, killing over 480,000 Americans annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Capping nicotine levels could further drive this rate down. This proposal allows for the start of an important conversation about how we meaningfully tackle one of the deadliest consumer products in history and profoundly change the landscape of tobacco product use in the United States, said Dr Brian King. If approved, the proposal would give companies two years to reformulate their products following the publication of a final regulation. The FDA has made its 334-page proposal available online and will accept public comments for nine months before moving forward. Advertisement The ball is in Trumps court The FDAs proposed rule arrives in the closing days of President Joe Bidens term, leaving its fate uncertain. The decision to enact it now rests with the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. The Republican leader, who has shown a softer stance toward vapes, has yet to comment on the measure, as have his health nominees. President-elect Donald Trump and his Trumps health secretary nominee, Robert F Kennedy Jr, has said little about how regulating tobacco fits into his plans to overhaul the governments approach to fighting chronic disease. Even if the effort goes ahead under Trump, major tobacco companies like Reynolds American and Altria are almost certain to challenge it in court, delaying implementation for years. Advertisement Critics of stricter tobacco and vaping regulations argue that such measures amount to government overreach and could inadvertently empower black-market cartels to distribute these products. Altria spokesman David Sutton has criticised the proposal, calling it fundamentally flawed in an email to the AP. With the new administration taking over, the future of the FDAs ambitious proposal remains unclear, leaving public health advocates and the tobacco industry bracing for what comes next. With input from agencies The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas includes the phased release of hostages held in Gaza and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. While many families welcome the agreement, some groups oppose it, citing concerns over national security and the incomplete release of captives read more Israeli forces remove people blocking a road to protest a ceasefire deal, which they believe compromises Israel's security, near the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, January 15, 2025. File Image/Reuters The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has brought a momentary pause to a devastating 15-month-long conflict. While the deal offers hope for the release of hostages and a temporary halt to the bloodshed in Gaza, some families of Israeli hostages staunchly oppose it. The phased agreement outlines a six-week truce, during which Israeli forces will gradually withdraw from Gaza. The deal also includes the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. Advertisement The first phase of the agreement will see 33 hostages, including women, children, the elderly, and wounded individuals, released over 42 days. In return, Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, some convicted of killing Israelis. The subsequent phases aim to secure the release of remaining hostages and establish a framework for ending the conflict, with provisions for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza. Why are some hostage families opposing it? While many families of hostages have welcomed the ceasefire as a step toward reuniting with their loved ones, a smaller group, known as the Tikva (Hope) Forum, vehemently opposes the deal. Comprised of around 15 families, many of whom are settlers in the occupied West Bank, the Tikva Forum advocates for a hardline approach. The groups co-founder, Tzvika Mor, whose son Eitan is held captive in Gaza, argues that the deal endangers Israels security. This deal that Prime Minister Netanyahu is talking about today is very dangerous for my son and for most of the hostages, especially the young men and the soldiers that will stay in Gaza for decades, Mor told CNN. He added, Eitan wants me to make sure that the State of Israel will be safe. A man waves Palestinian flags as Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. File Image/Reuters Boaz Miran, another Tikva Forum member whose brother Omri was abducted, shares similar concerns. We believe all the captives should be returned in one deal, from a position of strength, Miran said. He fears that a partial release will leave some hostages in captivity indefinitely. This deal will determine the fate of my brother Omri to rot in the tunnels of Hamas for months or even years to come, he added. The Tikva Forums opposition aligns with Israels far-right politicians, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have voiced strong objections to the deal. Both ministers have warned that releasing Palestinian prisoners could jeopardise Israels future security. Advertisement Protests against the ceasefire have erupted across Israel, with hundreds blocking roads in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Demonstrators carried signs reading No to a deal with the devil and called on right-wing politicians to withdraw from Prime Minister Netanyahus coalition if the deal proceeds. In contrast, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents most hostage families, has expressed cautious optimism. This is a significant step forward that brings us closer to seeing all hostages return the living to rehabilitation, and the deceased for proper burial, the group said in a statement. However, they also voiced concerns about the deals implementation and its potential to leave some hostages behind. Advertisement What has been the human cost of the war in Gaza? The conflict, which began on October 7, 2023, has taken a devastating toll. Hamass attack on Israel resulted in over 1,200 deaths and the abduction of approximately 250 individuals. Israels subsequent military response has killed over 46,000 people in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, and displaced 90 per cent of its population. Nearly 2 million Palestinians are displaced, with hospitals overwhelmed and infrastructure in ruins. The deals provision for humanitarian aid is seen as a critical lifeline, but questions persist about its adequacy. Amid this backdrop, the families of hostages grapple with uncertainty. Some, like Yehuda Cohen, whose son Nimrod is among the captives, view the ceasefire as a vital step. There is still a long way to go, Cohen told The Washington Post. Others, like Ilay David, whose brother Evyatar was abducted from the Nova music festival, are torn between hope and fear. It breaks my heart to think that we will have to wait more time, and we dont know what will be at the end, David said. Advertisement As the ceasefire deal unfolds, its success hinges on the cooperation of all parties involved. With inputs from agencies The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned a bright red dye that has been linked to cancer in animals. Found in candy, snacks, cakes and snacks, artificial food colouring Red No 3 or erythrosine can no longer be used in food or ingested drugs read more The US FDA has banned a bright red dye used in candy. Representational Image/Pixabay The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has banned a bright red dye, used in candy, drinks and snacks, that has been linked to cancer in animals. American health officials have barred the use of artificial food colouring Red No 3, decades after the dye was removed from cosmetics. The FDAs decision comes two years after consumer and patient advocacy groups pressed the regulatory agency to disallow the dye. Lets take a closer look. Advertisement What has FDA said? Red dye No 3 will no longer be used in food or ingested drugs in the US. The ban came into effect on Wednesday (January 15), the agency announced. The FDA has directed drugmakers who use the colouring to reformulate their products by January 18, 2028. The US agency said its decision was based on the federal law called the Delaney Clause, which prohibits the use of any additive that causes cancer in humans or animals in food. The Delaney Clause is clear; the FDA cannot authorise a food additive or colour additive if it has been found to cause cancer in humans or animals, Jim Jones, the FDAs deputy commissioner for human foods, said in a statement, as per The Washington Post. Importantly, the way that Red No 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans, the statement added. Today, the FDA is issuing an order to revoke the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs in response to a 2022 color additive petition that requested the agency to review whether the Delaney Clause applied. https://t.co/Qd0NFOIUz8 pic.twitter.com/Bpr6XNC8OR U.S. FDA Human Foods Program (@FDAfood) January 15, 2025 The FDAs move comes amid criticism by Robert F Kennedy Jr, US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for health secretary, of some food dyes. He has vowed a crackdown on some chemicals and ingredients found in food and drinks if he is confirmed claiming the dyes cause cancer and ADHD in children, as per reports. Advertisement Red dye No 3 linked to cancer Studies have shown that high doses of red dye No 3, also known as erythrosine, could cause cancer in lab rats, specifically thyroid cancer. However, the FDA has pointed out that those studies have limited relevance to humans because cancer is not caused in the same way in both species. The petitioners provided data demonstrating that this additive induces cancer in male rats, the FDA wrote in its notice Wednesday. In 1990, the US agency banned the cherry-red additive in cosmetics after studies linked it to cancer in rats. Reactions to the ban Proponents of the ban have welcomed the FDAs move. Red Dye 3 poses an unacceptable risk to our health, especially when safer alternatives are readily available, Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, told Bloomberg. By banning Red Dye 3, the FDA will protect the public by encouraging manufacturers to switch to safer ingredients already used in products sold in Europe and numerous other countries. Advertisement Linda Birnbaum, former director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, reportedly said last month, If you cant put it on your skin why would you eat it? Bright red dye is completely unessential. We dont need bright red candies. As per Bloomberg, Birnbaum along with 20 advocacy groups including Consumer Reports, Public Citizen and the Environmental Working Group signed a petition in 2022 to ban Red No 3 in the US. California banned this dye in foods in 2023. The Consumer Brands Association, a food industry group, and the National Confectioners Association, a candy-focused trade organisation, have said both companies will comply with the ban. Advertisement Our consumers and everyone in the food industry want and expect a strong FDA, and a consistent, science-based national regulatory framework. FDA is the rightful national regulatory decision maker and leader in food safety, the candy group said in a statement. What is Red Dye No 3? Red No 3 is a colour additive found in hundreds of processed foods, as per the Environmental Working Group. The now-banned artificial food colouring is used in candy, fruit juice, cakes and frozen desserts. Red No 3 is found in fruit juices in the US. Representational Image/Wikimedia Commons An analysis of October data performed by healthy food app GoCoCo found 26 per cent of baking decorations and dessert toppings have Red No 3. It is also present in 16 per cent of chewing gum and mints, 13 per cent of candy, and 11 per cent of cookies and biscuits, reported Bloomberg. Advertisement As per the Environmental Working Group and the Center for Science in the Public Interest, some types of Fruit by the Foot, Dubble Bubble chewing gum, Entenmanns Little Bites, Hostess Ding Dongs, Nestle strawberry milk, Jordan Almonds, Pez hard candies, Brachs candy corn and some flavours of Ringpop have listed red 3 as an ingredient. Betty Crockers loaded mashed potatoes, Vigo saffron yellow rice, Don Pancho green and blue tortilla chips also use the colouring in their products, as per a Forbes report. Medicines like Tylenol PM, gabapentin and doxycycline also contain Red No 3. The dye is also an inactive ingredient in the capsule shell of the popular ADHD drug Vyvanse. How harmful are food dyes? Artificial food dyes have long been controversial due to their safety. However, the US FDA and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have concluded that the additives do not pose significant health risks, as per Healthline. That being said, consuming high levels of food dye that has contaminants could adversely impact health. So far, studies have not found that Red No 3 causes thyroid cancer in humans. Research has, however, linked the dye to behavioural health issues, like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, in children. Over the years, clinical trials have shown that children who drank juices containing food dyes saw a small but significant increase in hyperactivity. Theres a reasonable suspicion that food dyes may be harmful, at least for some kids, Joel Nigg, a professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University, told The New York Times. So why expose them to it? With inputs from agencies Although Prabowo was Indias choice for chief guest for this years celebration, some media reports suggested that the government in New Delhi took time to confirm the news as the Indonesian president tagged a Pakistan trip to Indias Republic Day visit read more The Indian Foreign Ministry on Thursday confirmed that Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will be the chief guest at the 76th Republic Day on January 26. This will be Prabowos first visit to India as the president. As a comprehensive strategic partner, Indonesia is an important pillar in Indias Act East Policy and its vision of the Indo-Pacific, the MEA said. At the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto will pay a state visit to India during January 25-26, the MEA said, President Prabowo will also be the Chief Guest for Indias 76th Republic Day celebrations, it said in a statement. Advertisement India and Indonesia share warm and friendly ties spanning over millenia, it said. Although Prabowo was Indias choice for chief guest for this years celebration, some media reports suggested that the government in New Delhi took time to confirm the news as the Indonesian president tagged a Pakistan trip to Indias Republic Day visit. India extends invites for Republic Day to only those countries with which it has strong diplomatic relations. The optics of Prabowo of combining his Indias trip with Pakistan is something that the Indian government is reportedly trying to avoid. The MEA said the forthcoming visit of the Indonesian President will provide an opportunity for the leadership of the two countries to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral ties as well as to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest. Every year, India invites world leaders to attend its Republic Day celebrations. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron was the Republic Day chief guest while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi graced the occasion in 2023. With inputs from agencies Speaking to CNN News 18, US envoy Eric Garcetti welcomed Indias high-powered committees report on organised crimes and terror activities detrimental to security interests to both the countries. He described India as an exception country with which the US has an exceptional relationship. read more A day after an Indian high-powered committee, set up after Washington DC raised the Pannun murder plot issue with New Delhi, recommended action against the individual in question, US ambassador Eric Garcetti welcomed the reports as a positive step as he described India as an exception country. Speaking to CNN News18 on the committees report, Garcetti said, Its great and positive step and it again shows that we not just navigate those values, we are able to talk each other in difficult conversations. Advertisement He said this report speaks about accountability and systemic change and that India will pursue bothits a positive step, adding, I am satisfied so far, absolutely. The US envoy also said that his country responds to such issues whenever India raises them. He said when India talks about the threat to our people like in San Francisco, [when] the consulate was attacked, the FBI prioritised that [and] investigated that [incident]. On the question of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Ranas extradition, Garcetti said, We are really hearing each other much more. On outgoing US President Joe Biden, Garcetti said, This is the most pro-Indian president we have in US history while he described Narendra Modi as the most pro-American prime minister in Indian history, saying that such a combination reflects what our people want to see in the bilateral relationship. Garcetti, however, also spoke about the differences on several issues. You can not agree on everything. We agree on much more than we disagree, Garcetti said, India is an exception country, and we have an exceptional relationship as well. We have the power to help our people more than ever before. Advertisement Indian committees report His remarks come a day after a high-powered enquiry committee submitted its report on activities of some organised criminal groups and terrorist organisations, which undermined the security interests of both India and the US. The probe was ordered after the US alleged that there was an attempt to kill Khalistani separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun by Indian agents. In a statement, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said after a long enquiry, the committee has recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry. The home ministry statement, however, did not name any individual against whom action has been initiated. The MHA said on receipt of information provided by US authorities regarding activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations, drug peddlers, etc, who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, a high-powered enquiry committee was set up by the government of India in November 2023. Advertisement The committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side and it received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection. After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry, the statement said. The committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously. The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen Indias response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this, the statement said. Advertisement (With inputs from PTI) Isro has announced successful docking of its SpaDex satellites, making India only the fourth country to reach this milestone. On January 12, Isro had brought the two satellites within a three-metre distance in its previous attempt at docking. read more The Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) successfully completed the docking of its SpaDex satellites on Thursday as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) programme. This makes India only the fourth country in the world to achieve this feat. India docked its name in space history! Good Morning India Isros SpaDeX mission accomplishes historic docking success. Proud to witness this moment!, Isro said in a post on X. SpaDeX Docking Update: Docking Success Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment. Lets walk through the SpaDeX docking process: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. ISRO (@isro) January 16, 2025 Advertisement The docking was performed successfully. We will be issuing a statement soon, news agency PTI quoted a source as saying. Earlier on January 12, Isro successfully brought the two satellites within a proximity of three metres and then moved them back to a safe distance. It was a trial attempt to dock the satellites. Besides India, only the United States, Russia, and China have have shown the satellite docking capability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Isro scientists for the achievement in a post on X. Modi said, Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for Indias ambitious space missions in the years to come. Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for Indias ambitious space missions in the years to come. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 16, 2025 Advertisement Isro had launched the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) mission on December 30, 2024. The PSLV C60 rocket carrying two small satellites, SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), along with 24 payloads, had lifted off from the first launchpad of the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, and about 15 minutes after liftoff, the two small spacecraft weighing about 220 kg each were launched into a 475-km circular orbit as intended. Advertisement According to Isro, the SpaDeX mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft that was launched by PSLV. In space, docking technology is essential when multiple rocket launches are required to achieve common mission objectives. With inputs from PTI Swami Sivananda Baba is a Padma Shri recipient and yoga practitioner. He has attended every Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain, and Haridwar for the past 100 years, said his disciple Sanjay Sarvajana. read more Padma Shri recipient and yoga practitioner Swami Sivananda Baba has been attending every Kumbh Mela across Prayagraj, Nashik, Ujjain and Haridwar for the past 100 years, according to his disciple Sanjay Sarvajana. The banner outside Babas camp on Sector 16s Sangam Lower Road displays his Aadhaar card, which lists his birth date as August 8, 1896. While Swami Sivananda immersed himself in yoga and meditation in his chamber in the morning, his disciples waited outside for his darshan amid ongoing Maha Kumbh. Advertisement Speaking about Babas early life, Phalgun Bhattacharya, a disciple from Bengaluru, became emotional. Baba was born to a beggars family. His parents would offer him to saints visiting the village, hoping he would at least receive food. When Baba was four, they handed him over to Saint Omkarananda Goswami, he said. At the saints request, Swami Sivananda returned to visit his family when he was six. In a tragic turn of events, his sister passed away upon his return, and within a week, he lost both his parents. Bhattacharya recounted, Baba performed their last rites on a single funeral pyre. The saint then became his sole caretaker. Bhattacharya revealed that until the age of four, Baba had never seen milk, fruits or bread. All these developments shaped his current lifestyle he eats half a meal, sleeps by 9 pm, wakes up at 3 am and spends his mornings performing yoga and meditation. He does not take a nap during the day, he added. Hiraman Biswas, a disciple from Delhi, described Babas profound spiritual abilities. He recalled an incident where a devotee, famished upon arriving, was served kheer in an earthen bowl by Baba. The devotee complained it was insufficient, but Baba asked him to eat it. The devotee kept eating but could not finish the kheer. Falling at Babas feet, the devotee exclaimed, I failed to understand you, Baba. Biswas said he first met Baba in Chandigarh in 2010. Despite staying on the sixth floor of a building, Baba climbed up and down the stairs daily, as both elevators were non-functional. I was amazed by his fitness, Biswas noted. Swami Sivananda was conferred the Padma Shri without any application from him, according to a devotee. Expressing gratitude, the devotee praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying, He is identifying and honouring gems like Baba. The revered seer accepts no donations, has no desires and remains disease-free. He eats boiled food without oil or salt and avoids milk and its derivatives. Based in Kabir Nagar, Durgakund in Varanasi, Baba will return home after completing his stay at the Maha Kumbh Mela. Advertisement In his message to the youth, Swami Sivananda emphasised, Start your day early and dedicate at least half-an-hour to yoga. Maintain a proper lifestyle, as many suffer due to unhealthy habits and lack of physical activity. Walking daily is essential for good health. The US should be more concerned about the Chinese and Pakistani nuclear arms build-up and its own hypocrisy about disarmament read more (File) Officials wave flags as a Chinese naval ship arrives at PNS Dockyard in Karachi in this handout picture released by the Pakistan Navy on March 5, 2007. Reuters In one of the several riveting scenes in the 1995 Tony Scott-helmed submarine action thriller Crimson Tide, Commanding Officer (CO) Captain Franklin Ramsey asks his Executive Officer (XO) Lieutenant Commander Ronald Hunter, Think it was a mistake, Mr Hunter? Using the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Filmed inside the now-decommissioned Frances second Clemenceau-class aircraft carrier Foch, the movies set was made to resemble the USS Alabama (SSBN-731), the sixth Ohio-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine, armed with the nuclear SLBM UGM-133 Trident II D5s. Advertisement Crimson Tide, a seismic confrontation between the CO (Gene Hackman) and the XO (Denzel Washington) over the firing of a nuclear missile at a Russian N-missile installation captured by ultranationalist rebels led by Vladimir Radchenko, is based on a near-nuclear Armageddon involving the Russian submarine B-59 and its Vasily Aleksandrovich Arkhipov (played by Washington) during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. CO Ramsey continues, Somebody asked me if we should bomb Japan, a simple Yes, by all means, sir, drop that f-r. Twice. The lines encapsulate the US nuclear hypocrisyrules regarding the use of nukes apply only to other nations, not America. The bigger aspect of the US doubletalk on nuclear weapons is its concerns about a nuclear arms race in AsiaIndia, Pakistan and Chinawhile the American N-weapons advancement programme continues. Such concerns have been amplified by the Western media and reports and commentaries by nonpartisan institutes advocating nuclear arms control and non-proliferation. A recent article by the nonpartisan membership organisation US-based Arms Control Association (ACA) states that successive US administrations have been frustratingly inconsistent in their non-proliferation goals regarding India and Pakistan. The article, titled Pakistan and the Nuclear Danger in Asia, doesnt mention India in the headline. However, the article, carried by Truthdig, an independent source for original and provocative reporting and commentary from a progressive point of view, has a different headline, The Nuclear Danger in Asia with the strap, Simmering tensions among China, India and Pakistan are driving a triangular nuclear arms race. Advertisement In the article, ACA executive director Daryl G Kimball mentions US deputy national security adviser Jon Finers recent comments about the danger posed by Pakistans long-range missile development to America and the insufficient US sanctions on four Pakistani entities for its ballistic missile programme. Kimballs article unnecessarily drags India into the nuclear arms race while omitting how Washington turned a blind eye for decades to AQ Khan developing the Pakistani N-bomb and promoting proliferation and the Islamabad-Beijing missile cooperation. simmering tensions between nuclear-armed China and India and between NPT outliers India and Pakistan also are driving a triangular nuclear arms race that has exacerbated the risks of nuclear escalation and missile proliferation, he writes. Advertisement According to Kimball, India continues steadily developing more advanced nuclear systems while Pakistan produces more fissile material and new missile capabilities in the name of full spectrum deterrence against India. Highlighting the danger to international peace and security caused by the possession and build-up of nuclear weapons by any state, friend or foe, Kimball calls global powers, especially the US, to implement a more comprehensive and balanced strategy. Kimball wants the incoming Donald Trump administration to impose missile-related sanctions on the Pakistani long-range missile programme and also press India to consider self-imposed limits on its ICBM capabilities, including a ban on multiple warhead missiles [Agni-V with MIRV tech], which Pakistan may view as a threat to its nuclear retaliatory potential. Advertisement Such articles, painting a grim scenario by adding Indias name to the dangers posed by Pakistan and China to the subcontinents stability, arent new. In a February 2023 article, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), a national, nonpartisan, independent institute founded by Congress, stated that though India, Pakistan and China have kept their arsenals safe, the US has an obligation not to accept these sorts of logical assurances passively or uncritically. Titled, The Persistent Threat of Nuclear Crises Among China, India and Pakistan, the article mentions a 2022 USIP report which concluded that Southern Asias strategic stability is becoming harder to manage because of geopolitical changes and evolving military technologies, including growing nuclear arsenals and more capable delivery systems. Advertisement The writer argues that the backdrop of Chinas increasing naval presence in the Indian Ocean region and its growing nuclear, missile and surveillance capabilities will alarm India, which could seek to demonstrate that it has thermonuclear weapons capable of destroying Chinese cities in one blow as well as more nuclear submarines capable of evading Chinas first strike. According to USIP, such Indian moves raise serious policy questions for the US. When India arms itself to deter China, Pakistan perceives new threats from India and will likely pursue enhanced capabilities of its own. Therefore, American policymakers should be concerned about strategic stability in Southern Asia, the USIP concludes. China, not India, fuelling N-arms race Americas main adversary is China, not Russia. Successive Department of Defence (DoD) reports have red-flagged the increasing Chinese military superiority in the Indo-Pacific and the South China Sea, the rapidly rising nuclear stockpile and technological advancement and threat to the US. Several US war games, including those conducted by the Pentagon, the RAND Corporation and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), have concluded that the US would face a decisive defeat in a war with China in the Indo-Pacific. According to the 2022 National Security Strategy, China is the only competitor to the US with the intent and capacity to reshape the international order. Therefore, the US identifies China as the pacing challenge for DoD. Chinese missiles can easily hit US basesDiego Garcia and Guamand aircraft carriers in the region. The CSIS estimates that China has a minimum of 425 missile launchers capable of hitting US bases. Chinas DF-16 SRBM, DF-21 MRBM and land-based cruise missile CJ-10 can hit the US bases. Besides, the H-6K bomber can target Guam with the Changjian-20 cruise missile. The DF-21 MRBMs carrier killer version DF-21D and the DF-26B version can destroy American aircraft carriers. The US is more worried about Chinese ICBMs, such as DF-41, DF-31 and DF-5, striking its mainland. The DF-41, which can carry 10 independently targeted nuclear warheads, could theoretically hit the US in 30 minutes, according to the CSIS. The 2024 DoD report on Chinas military and security developments highlights this danger. Such missiles would enable China to threaten conventional strikes against targets in the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska. China has several nuclear-capable missiles: DF-5, DF-11 and DF-15 SRBMs, DF-17 (HGV MRBM), DF-21E, DF-26, DF-31, DF-41 and JL-2 submarine-launched ICBM. The DoD report red-flags the JL-2 and JL-3, which can be fired from Chinas Type 094 JIN-class SSBNs in the western half of the continental US, Hawaii and Alaska. Chinas expanding nuclear force will enable it to target more US cities, military facilities and leadership sites than ever before in a potential nuclear conflict, per the report. China intends to have a larger, diverse nuclear force comprising low-yield precision strike missiles and ICBMs with multi-megaton yields. According to DoD estimates, China has more than 600 operational nukes and will have 1,000-plus by 2030 and 1,500 by 2035. The Chinese claim, according to its 2019 Defence White Paper, that Beijing advocates the ultimate complete prohibition and thorough destruction of nuclear weapons, doesnt engage in any nuclear arms race with any other country and keeps its nuclear capabilities at the minimum level required for national security is false. China is in a nuclear arms race with the US. Beijings claim that it developed nuclear weapons in a special historical period to cope with nuclear blackmail, break nuclear monopoly and prevent nuclear war clearly refers to the US. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Chinas nuclear stockpile is projected to continue growing over the coming decade and the number of ICBMs is likely to reach or even exceed the numbers held by either Russia or the US. The increase in Indias nuclear warheads as against Chinas stockpile in the last decade pales in comparison. Indias nuclear warheads increased from 90-110 in 2014 to 172 in 2024 while Chinas stockpile massively increased from 250 to 500 nukes in the same period, around 90 more than the estimate for the previous year, according to SIPRI data. SIPRI notes a small increase in Indias stockpile from the previous year. India slightly expanded its nuclear arsenal in 2023. The institute observes that while Pakistan remains the main focus of Indias nuclear deterrent, New Delhi appears to be focused on developing longer-range ballistic missiles that can strike throughout China. Indias emphasis on long-range ballistic missiles is logical considering the Chinese aggression along the LAC, especially eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh, and the risk of an all-out war. Pakistan increased its stockpile from 110-120 to 170 in the last decade. SIPRI observes that Pakistans nuclear weapon arsenal and fissile material stockpile are likely to continue to expand over the next decade as it develops several new delivery systems and accumulates more fissile material. American nuclear hypocrisy The US and its media often mention the so-called triangular arms race in Asia while ignoring the massive American nuclear arsenal and advancement and the nuclear doctrine. According to the SIPRI Yearbook 2024, Russia and the US together possess almost 90 per cent of all nuclear weapons. Of its total arsenal of around 3,708 warheads, the US has deployed 1,770 on ballistic missiles and at bomber bases. However, the total increases to 5,044 if about 1,938 warheads in reserve and around 1,336 retired warheads awaiting dismantlement are included. Russia has deployed 1,710 of its total stockpile of 4,380 nukes on land- and sea-based ballistic missiles and at bomber bases. The total Russian stockpile also increases, to 5,580, if the 1,200 retired warheads awaiting dismantlement are included. The actual nuclear arms race is between the US on one side and China, Russia and North Korea on the other. America, like its competitors, is ramping up its N-deterrent while highlighting the nuclear arms race in Asia. The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will spend $540 billion on modernising the strategic nuclear forces in the next 10 years, $430 billion on maintenance and operation of delivery vehicles and $650 billion on weapons activities in the next 25 years. will be spent on ICBMs, SSBNs, SLBMs, strategic bombers, cruise missiles, gravity bombs and warheads. The LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM is the only land-based component of the US nuclear triad. The US Air Force is replacing it with the LGM-35A Sentinel. The US Navy plans to replace its 22 Ohio-class ballistic SSBNs with the Columbia-class, which will cost more than $130 billion in procurement and R&D. The new SSBNs, like the Ohio-class, will be armed with M-133 Trident II D5s, which can carry eight warheads. The US will spend about $33.7 billion on extending the life of the missiles to up to another 60 years. The US will spend $12 billion on upgrading the B-52H bombersAESA radar, new satellite communications systems and modern engines. The B-52Hs, of which 46 are nuclear-capable and carry 20 cruise missiles, will be redesignated as B-52Js. More than $100 million will be spent on communications and avionics upgrades of the B-2 bombers, which carry up to 16 nuclear gravity bombs. The US will spend $203 billion on the acquisition and operation of 100 B-21 bombers, which will replace the B-52Hs and B-2s. The 500 nuclear-capable AGM-86 air-launched cruise missiles will be replaced with 1,000 AGM-181s, which will need around $28 billion. The US is also improving its nuclear deterrence in NATO nations. The US deploys around 480 nukes at eight bases in six European countries, including non-nuclear nations. These gravity bombs are deployed in Germany (150), the UK (110) and Italy and Turkey (90 each). On December 18, 2024, the NNSA completed the modification of the B61-12 gravity bombs, deployed by the US on its soil and NATO bases, for $10 billion. The life of the oldest and most versatile weapon in the US nuclear stockpile has been extended by 20 years. The NNSA plans to produce a more advanced variant called the B61-13. The US also plans to spend billions on meeting a nuclear bomb production target of 80 plutonium pits per year. The NNSA is seeking a 12 per cent increase, $716 billion in FY-25-49, to its projected 25-year budget plan for nuclear warheads relative to the last reported projection. The US, China and Russia are involved in the nuclear arms race despite being signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons ( NPT), which came into force on March 5, 1970. Besides stopping nuclear proliferation, the NPTs 191 members declared their intention to achieve at the earliest possible date the cessation of the nuclear arms race and to undertake effective measures in the direction of nuclear disarmament. The NPT also aimed to cease the manufacture of nukes, liquidate existing stockpiles and eliminate the means of their delivery, leading to complete disarmament. According to ARTICLE VI: Each of the parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control. In the latest sign of US hypocrisy on NPT and nuclear disarmament, Bruce Turner, US permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament, said in May 2024 that the current prospects for further nuclear disarmament would appear to be dimming rather than increasing despite the US being a strong supporter of the NPT and Article VI. The Russian nuclear sabre-rattling in the ongoing war with Ukraine, Chinas massive and rapid build-up of its nuclear arsenal, North Koreas nuclear and ballistic build-up and Irans continued production of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent have slowed down the process of nuclear disarmament, Turner said. If the US is worried about Chinas nuke stockpile reaching 1,500 and its production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons, as stated by Turner, India should be equally concerned and increase its N-deterrence. India has only one ICBM in its inventory, the Agni-V, and every right to build more N-capable ICBMs to ensure minimum nuclear deterrence both against China and Pakistan. The US should be more concerned about China and Pakistans nuclear ambitions, which are a constant threat to Indias security. Moreover, compared to India, China and Pakistan, Americas nuclear doctrine is the most dangerous regarding the no-first-use (NFU) policy and use of nukes. According to the 2022 Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), US nuclear weapons are meant to deter aggression, assure allies and partners and achieve US objectives if deterrence fails. Regarding NFU, the NPR says the policy would result in an unacceptable level of risk in light of adversaries non-nuclear capabilities which could inflict strategic level damage to the US and its allies and partners. Though the US will not use or threaten to use nukes against non-nuclear weapons states that are party to and in compliance with NPT, there remains a narrow range of contingencies [regarding other nations] in which US nuclear weapons may still play a role in deterring attacks that have a strategic effect. In the same scene in Crimson Tide, when another officer says Radchenko is a dangerous lunatic and is threatening nuclear and he means it, Weapons Officer Lieutenant Peter Ince (Viggo Mortensen) asks, So, what does that make us sincewere the only nation thats ever dropped a nuclear bomb on anybody? The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. As the world knows about Trumps presidency in its first term, his idea of peace is peace through strength, and with that logic, Putin stands to gain read more One of the biggest challenges confronting the theatre of the Russia-Ukraine War is how things will unfold after Donald Trump becomes the President of the United States on January 20. Will he end the war, or was Trumps claim to end the war instantly just a bluster and rhetoric devoid of any serious thinking? The entire world is sitting on an edge over what course Trump would take on major issues confronting the world. If the days preceding his ascension as the President are any indication. In that case, it will be one of the most happening presidencies for the US after the Second World War, and it could reshape Americas relationship with the world and vice versa. Advertisement President Trump: Representative of US hubris? More than what President-elect Trump would like to do, it is essential to ascertain what the Ukrainians want. As for Trump, he does not have an inkling of how the war started, what implications it could have for European Security or even democracy and the European values much cherished by the Europeans and the recent converts to the European cause, the Ukrainians led by Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump appears to be merely interested in the economic implications of the war on the US economy. So far, it is estimated that the US committed $175 billion for Ukraines security and other financial requirements since the start of the war in 2022. Europe seems to be sleepwalking to a disaster that probably awaits after Trump comes to power, and it might make it more insecure, forcing them to look for alternatives to the security structure apart from the one offered by NATO. The umbilical cord, which connects Europes security with transatlantic security, is under severe stress. Russia-Ukraine war makes them understand the signs of things to come, real or perceived, if not with complete clairvoyance. President Putin has not budged from the position and intention with which he led his country to the war, i.e. denazification, guarantees from the US and the West that Ukraine does not join NATO, Ukraine giving up the claim over the territory that Russia has already captured among many other things that he has on his wish list before concluding to a peace deal, if any, with Ukraine. Conditions on the battlefield favour Russia, the aggressor state. The slow and steady Russian land aggression has been on the rise, with lots of territory captured by the Russian military during its offensive. The apparent demand for ending the conflict would be a ceasefire based on military frontiers controlled by ground troops of both forces, in which Ukraine would be a loser. Any quick deal would be detrimental to Ukraines demand for restoring the post-Soviet borders of Ukraine, which implies getting back Crimea, which it lost in 2014, besides the territory it has lost in the ongoing battles. Advertisement The Trump Card What issues will likely be discussed during the much-talked Trump-Putin meeting, which will likely happen in the early days of Trumps presidency? The opinion seems sharply divided on what that would likely be. Trump has repeatedly made statements that appear sympathetic to Putins position. Speaking on Trumps call to end the war, Putin said Trump appears sincere to end the war. Putin has also said, We are ready to look at any proposals for peace negotiations based on the realities on the ground. We wont accept anything else". Needless to say, what the realities on the ground are. Trump is also praiseworthy of President Putin; in an interview with Bloomberg, editor-in-chief John Micklethwait asked Trump in 2024, Can you say yes or no whether you have talked to Vladimir Putin since you stopped being president? But I will tell you that if I did, its a smart thing. If Im friendly with people, if I can have a relationship with people, thats a good thing and not a bad thing in terms of a country, Trump replied. Later, he added that Russia has never had a president that they respect so much. Leaving anyone to wonder about the opinion that Trump has of President Putin. Advertisement Given the ground realities, Trump has very little room to manoeuvre. Both Russia and Ukraine have taken maximalist positions. Ukraine wants its post-Soviet borders to be restored. Russia does not want to vacate the territory it has annexed, including Crimea, which Russia reintegrated as its territory in 2014. Trumps former Chief of Staff of the National Security Council and Trumps representative designate in Ukraine and Russia, Keith Kellog, has come out with a plan to freeze the battle lines along the lines of control controlled by Russian and Ukrainian forces and force them to the negotiating table. Under the proposed plan, Ukrainians will be offered more arms and support if they start talks with Moscow. At the same time, Americans will warn Moscow that if they dont begin negotiations, the military support to Kyiv will be increased. If this happens, this would also entail that Kyivs NATO membership will be off the table, conceding to Putins one of the biggest pre-conditions. The catch is that Trump has not endorsed this and has not explicitly dismissed it. Advertisement Ukraines Take This formula is in contrast to many other plans floated by Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky, one of which moots that Ukrainian and American soldiers swap their places in defence of Ukraine and Europe. Zelensky has also suggested grabbing the opportunity for Trump to become President by having a transactional relationship and offering the extraction of Ukrainian mineral resources to American companies and involving them in reconstructing post-war Ukraine. It also includes checking Russia through a non-nuclear strategic deterrent package deployed on Ukrainian soil. Above all, it wants to be invited to join NATO. As the world knows about Trumps presidency in its first term, his idea of peace is peace through strength, and with that logic, Putin stands to gain. Putins Russia has the size, salience and strength and military patience to achieve these objectives. Russia has used its strategic patience to turn the tide in its favour against the Biden administrations aim of a strategic defeat of Russia by weakening its economy through sanctions, stopping exports of Russias enormous fossil fuel resources to Europe and eventually making it a second rate power which at the moment, has failed. Advertisement Dr Amitabh Singh teaches at the School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misris meeting with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Acting Foreign Minister of the Afghan Taliban government, in Dubai on January 8 was potentially a significant development for Indias approaches to Afghanistan. The meeting was not a chance encounter between Muttaqi and Indias top professional diplomat. Nor was it held on the sidelines of a multilateral event. It was obviously prepared for in advance; both Misri and Muttaqi were accompanied by a number of officials. Advertisement The meeting was doubtless the outcome of a deliberate decision taken at the highest level in India to publicly upgrade ties with the Afghan Taliban authorities. It does not mean that India has decided to accord diplomatic recognition to the Afghan Taliban government. Indeed, no country hasnot even China which has replaced its ambassador in Kabulgiven diplomatic recognition to the Afghan Taliban government. That has not inhibited China, Russia and a number of other countries from conducting relations with Kabul in a practical manner. Clearly, India had decided to do the same when it had sent a technical team to be based in Kabul in June 2022. The Joint Secretary in charge of the Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran (PAI) Division in the Ministry of External Affairs, JP Singh, also travelled to Kabul to meet Afghan officials and ministers on a few occasions in the past two and a half years. It is certain that Indian agencies were also closely monitoring Afghan developments and maintaining contact with the Afghan Taliban. However, unlike some other countries India had remained inhibited in openly upgrading contacts till now. On their part the Afghan Taliban authorities were urging India to open up more to them. They had signalled not only now, but in the past too, that India should not consider the group as a Pakistani proxy. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement on the Misri-Muttaqi meeting was appropriately nuanced. While acknowledging that the two sides had discussed various issues pertaining to bilateral relations as well as regional developments and noting that The Afghan side underlined its sensitivities to Indias security concerns its main emphasis was on Indias assistance programme to Afghanistan. India agreed to consider developmental projects in addition to continuing its humanitarian efforts. It was particularly pertinent in the context of India-Afghanistan connectivity that Misri and Muttaqi also agreed to promote the use of Chabahar port for supporting trade and commercial activities, including for the purpose of humanitarian assistance for Afghanistan. As Pakistan will not agree, in the foreseeable future, to opening the land route from India via its Punjab province to Afghanistan it is vital that the Chabahar port be upgraded. It is also noteworthy that the Afghan Taliban is in agreement with the ousted government of the Afghan Republic on the significance of the Chabahar port. It shows that it is no novice when it comes to Afghanistans national interests. Finally, it was good that Misri underlined Indias historic friendship with the Afghan people and the strong people to people contacts between the two countries. The Afghan Taliban Foreign Ministry statement on the meeting stated: Expressing gratitude for Indias humanitarian assistance, FM Muttaqi underlined a desire of strengthening political & economic relations with India as a key regional and economic player, in line with IEAs balanced & economy-centric foreign policy. Assuring the Indian delegation that Afghanistan does not pose a threat to any nation, FM Muttaqi expressed hope for raising level of diplomatic relations, and easeing (sic) visa regime for Afghan businessmen, patients and students. Advertisement This statement shows diplomatic sophistication. It stresses Indias importance in the region and as an economic player. It is therefore a signal to Pakistan that Kabuls present rulers are not willing to sacrifice their countrys economic interests because Pakistan wants Afghanistan to curtail its ties with India. At the same time, the statement seeks to reassure India as well as Pakistan that Afghanistans territory will not be available to be used by either country against each other. However, given the traditional paranoia in Rawalpindi and Islamabad on India and Afghanistan establishing meaningful ties such a balanced approach by Kabul will never satisfy the Pakistani military and intelligence establishment or its politicians. Advertisement Therein lies one significant aspect of the problem in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. This was illustrated during Army Chief General Asim Munirs meeting with political leaders in Peshawar on January 13. The political leaders who were from all major Pakistani political parties recommended that Pakistan needed to engage the Afghan Taliban in a dialogue process on the internal situation in Pakistan. These words obviously relate to the Pakistan and Afghan Taliban differences on the Tehreek-e-Taliban-e-Pakistan (TTP). Media reports quoted Gen. Munir informing the politicians They dont listen to us. While the immediate context was the TTP but for the Pakistani establishment it extends to anyone who is in power in Afghanistans attitude to India as well. It wants them to listen to us. That no Afghan government has been willing to do. And, no government in Kabul ever will. The Pakistani establishment has been especially bitter with the Afghan Taliban for they provided it all out support which enabled it to inflict a strategic defeat on the US in the forever war. That also sent the Afghan Republic packing. What the Pakistani generals forget is that the Afghan Taliban was one entity as long as it was dependent on them and became different after August 15, 2021 when it captured Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Advertisement India will have to take great note of Muttaqis request for visas to Afghan nationals for business, medical treatment and education. Indeed, it is clearly contradictory that Indias top professional diplomat emphasised people-to-people ties with Afghanistan while India continues to pursue a completely restrictive visa policy for all Afghan nationals. This Indian visa policy since August 2021 has lost its substantial goodwill among the Afghan people. Naturally, security concerns have to be taken into account while giving visas to Afghans but it can now only be hoped that the restrictive policy which was counter-productive to Indian interests to begin with would be given up. Advertisement There is one basic question that has to be addressed at this stage in India-Afghan ties. Is there unanimity in the Afghan Taliban leadership towards opening up meaningfully with India? The Afghan Taliban leaderships power is shared largely between the Kandahar-based groups and those from the south-east. The former are Durranis along with some Ghilzai tribes. The latter are led by the Zadrans. The word of the Afghan Taliban head, the reclusive Haibatullah, is final. He is well guarded in Kandahar. The Zadrans are strong in the south-east and their power in Kabul is substantial. The Zadrans have had traditionally close ties with the Pakistani intelligence agencies and, it is believed, acted on their behalf in carrying out attacks on the Indian Mission in 2008 and later. But times have changed and it is now believed that the Zadrans want to balance ties between Pakistan and India. Mullah Yakub, the son of the Taliban founder-leader Mullah Omar who is now defence minister is also believed to be in favour of better ties with India but his enthusiasm for it is not clear. Muttaqi could not have met Misri without the clearance of Haibatullah but the Afghan Taliban Supremos real interest in the India relationship is a question mark. At the same time, he is unwilling to do Pakistans bidding on the TTP with whom the Afghan Taliban share theological connections. Pakistan has begun indicating to Kabul and Kandahar that it has cards it can play. In late December the Director General of the ISI, Lt Gen Asim Malik visited Dushanbe. During the visit he met Tajikistans President, Emomali Rahmon. Rahmon has been his countrys President since 1994. He has seen all phases of the Afghan situation which has through the decades impacted his countrys security and economy. Rahmon has always had reservations about the Taliban and had close ties with the Tajik leadership led by the Lion of Panjsher, Ahmed Shah Masood, during the 1990s. He gave the Tajik leadership refuge and a base. Now Masoods son and the brave Amrullah Saleh are based in Tajikistan. From there they are trying to keep the flame of resistance to the Taliban alive. Some small militant actions are also taking place in northern Afghanistan. Maliks visit was a signal to the Afghan Taliban that it can provide help to the Tajiks and other members of the erstwhile Northern Alliance unless it begins to listen to Pakistan, especially on the TTP. The other card that the Pakistanis can attempt to play is to provoke some of the traditionally anti-Afghan Taliban tribes in the Kandahar areathe Noorzais and the Achakzais for instance against it. All this can trouble the Afghan Taliban but not really weaken its hold on the country. This is especially because there has been no real effective resistance against it in the cities. The erstwhile officials of the Afghan Republic have been unhappy with the Misri-Muttaqi meeting. They should understand that India has to safeguard its interests in Afghanistan. That stated, India should also maintain its ties with all sections of Afghan opinion within Afghanistan and outside it too. India has to now move deliberately to build on the Misri-Muttaqi meeting. The writer is a former Indian diplomat who served as Indias Ambassador to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and as secretary, the Ministry of External Affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The anti-India activities within the United Kingdom, violence against Indian diplomats, and attacks on Indian High Commission and tolerance of anti-India hate speeches in the name of freedom of speech can hinder the relationship read more India-UK relations are truly comprehensive and the scope of further improvement is enormous. However, the anti-Indian stand on certain issues and unacceptable political statements tarnishing the image of India and Indians can constrain the blossoming of the bilateral ties to their full potential. The latest in this issue is a statement by no less than the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. When American multi-billionaire Elong Musk criticised his alleged complicity in the rape of Britain by grooming gangs of ethnic British Pakistanis during his tenure as Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales, Prime Minister Keir Starmer used the term Asian grooming gangs while defending himself. While such a statement might have pleased the British Pakistanis and Pakistan, the British Indian community took serious offense. A spokesperson of Friends of India Society International UK rightly commented, Its an insult to every Asian. When it comes to grooming gangs, we are Asians and when they talk about Kashmir, we are suddenly Indians. The chair of the Hindu Council pointed out that even Hindu and Sikh girls were victims of the perpetrators of crime who were of Pakistani descent and how could the Prime Minister sort to whitewash such atrocities. The careful use of language and terms by political leaders are extremely important. There are leaders in the UK who do raise the issue of Kashmir in the Parliament, even if the government stand characterises the Kashmir issue as a dispute between India and Pakistan. In December 2023, a Member of Parliament of the Scottish National Party brought up the Kashmir issue in the British Parliament and wanted to know the government stand on the Indian Supreme Courts decision on abrogation of Article 370. But this time, it is the Prime Minister of Britain himself who made a statement that offended the Indian community in his country and it indirectly amounted to throwing mud at India. Prime Minister Starmer is the leader of the Labour Party which has had a tradition of anti-Indian postures on many issues. A few years ago, the Labour Party was branded anti-India by many in the British Indian community when the party leaflet during a byelection used an image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shaking hands with Conservative British PM Boris Johnson saying, Dont risk a Tory MP who is not on your side. At another time, to woo the radical Sikh voters the Labour Party made a promise in its poll manifesto to hold an independent investigation into British role in 1984 Operation Bluestar. Some of the Labour Party leaders have openly supported the Khalistan movement. However, the Labour Party under the leadership of Keir Starmer has tried to bring down the anti-India image of the party. The party under Jeremy Corbyn was notoriously anti-India. During the last election in July 2024, the party went all out to woo the Hindu voters. At least one member of the party, Parbinder Kaur, was placed under investigation for his links with the Khalistani elements. Starmer has been vocal about mending UK-India ties and he reportedly made a statement during a meeting of the labour Friends of India saying: __Any constitutional issues in India are a matter for the Indian Parliament and Kashmir is a bilateral issue for India and Pakistan to resolve peacefully. Yet, recently, Conservative Peer Rami Ranger and Managing Trustee of Hindu Council Anil Bhanot had their honours revoked. Bhanots fault was to tweet against the atrocities on the Hindus in Bangladesh and Ranger had criticised the BBC Documentary, India: The Modi Question. The decision of the Forfeiture Committee was conveyed to the King through Prime Minister Starmer. All these are happening despite the traditional tilt of the Hindu community in the UK in favour of the Labour Party. There are clear indications that Prime Minister Starmer intends to improve ties with India. The negotiation on the India-UK Free Trade Agreement and Bilateral Investment Treaty are reportedly going to start in February. In fact, India and the UK are strategic partners and there are numerous areas where the relationship has been strong. Differences over the Ukraine War have not disrupted the relationship. There is broad convergence in the worldview of the strategic communities of the two countries. The Indo-Pacific strategies of India and the UK also have ample areas of convergence and cooperation. Trade and investment ties between the fifth largest and the sixth largest economies are bound to deepen further, if FTA comes to its logical and positive conclusion. But the constructive political chemistry between the leaders of the two countries, and positive popular sentiments of the people in the two democracies are critical in sustaining the strategic partnership and carrying it further forward. The anti-India activities of extremist and separatist groups within the United Kingdom, violence against Indian diplomats and attacks on Indian High Commission and tolerance of anti-India hate speeches in the name of freedom of speech can hinder the relationship and delay the implementation of programmes and policies aimed at optimising cooperative initiatives. The writer is editor, India Quarterly, and founder chairperson, Kalinga Institute of Indo-Pacific Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. TikToks rapid rise, alongside the growth of Amazon, has presented a real challenge to Meta and Google. If TikTok is banned, more than half of the advertising dollars spent on the platform in the US would shift to Meta and Google properties read more Its not just Meta and Google that stand to benefit from the reallocated ad dollars. Other social media platforms like Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, and X could collectively grab 18.3 per cent of the ad spend once TikTok is out of the picture. Image Credit: Reuters A new analysis from eMarketer reveals that Meta and Google are expected to be the biggest financial winners if TikTok is banned in the US The two tech giants, which already dominate the US advertising space, could gain a substantial share of the ad revenue currently spent on TikTok. TikToks rapid rise, alongside the growth of Amazon, has presented a real challenge to Meta and Google, who have long controlled more than half of the US advertising market. If TikTok is banned, more than half of the advertising dollars spent on the platform in the US would shift to Meta and Google properties. eMarketer predicts Instagram and Facebook would scoop up 22.8 per cent and 17.1 per cent of TikToks ad spend, respectively, while Googles YouTube would capture around 10.7 per cent. Advertisement Other platforms could see a boost too Its not just Meta and Google that stand to benefit from the reallocated ad dollars. Other social media platforms like Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Reddit, and X could collectively grab 18.3 per cent of the ad spend once TikTok is out of the picture. Many of these platforms have already started adapting by incorporating TikTok-style short video features to attract advertisers. Connected TV companies and other digital media companies involved in social, search, and retail advertising are also likely to take a share, with eMarketer estimating they could collect about 30 per cent of the redirected ad dollars. Meta and Googles TikTok rivals position them well Both Meta and Google have made significant investments in short-form video products like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, which positions them well to capture the TikTok ad revenue. Metas CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, mentioned last year that Reels accounts for over 50 per cent of the time users spend on Instagram, while Google revealed that over 2 billion monthly logged-in users watch YouTube Shorts. Whats next for TikTok? Its looking increasingly likely that a TikTok ban will happen soon. The US Supreme Courts recent arguments have led observers to expect the law to uphold the ban. Meanwhile, China has made it clear that it wont allow ByteDance to sell TikTok to a US company as a workaround. However, a recent Bloomberg report suggests that Chinese officials might consider a sale to Elon Musk, which could have a significant impact on the ad market, with Musks X possibly benefiting from the shift in revenue. While the outcome is still uncertain, its clear that Meta and Google are set to reap the rewards if the ban goes ahead. The North Korean hackers are reportedly using sophisticated tactics to breach cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset custodians, and even individual users read more The stolen funds are then funnelled to North Korean accounts, where they are reportedly used to finance the countrys missile and weapons programs. Image Credit: Reuters The United States, South Korea, and Japan have jointly raised alarm over the ongoing cybercrime activities carried out by North Korean hackers, warning that the countrys threat actor groups are targeting the cryptocurrency industry. According to a new advisory, these groups, including the infamous Lazarus hacking group, have stolen a staggering $659 million worth of cryptocurrency in 2024 alone. Targeting cryptocurrency industry The North Korean hackers are reportedly using sophisticated tactics to breach cryptocurrency exchanges, digital asset custodians, and even individual users. The three countries revealed that the hackers employ well-disguised social engineering attacks to infiltrate their targets systems. They also highlighted how the attackers sometimes pose as freelance IT workers to gain access to private sector systems. The Lazarus group, active since 2009, has been at the forefront of these attacks, which have been carried out across the globe. Advertisement Malware and tactics used in theft Once inside their targets networks, the attackers deploy various forms of malware, including keyloggers and remote access tools, which enable them to steal login credentials and control digital wallets. The stolen funds are then funnelled to North Korean accounts, where they are reportedly used to finance the countrys missile and weapons programs. This revelation comes after a 2022 report from the United Nations, which revealed that North Korea has been using illicit funds to further its missile and weapons development. International cooperation to prevent future attacks The joint advisory from the US, South Korea, and Japan underlines the seriousness of the situation and their commitment to preventing further thefts from the private sector. The governments are working together to recover stolen funds and cut off North Koreas access to illicit revenue that funds its controversial weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs. Their shared goal is to deny North Korea any financial support for its unlawful activities, thereby hindering its ability to develop weapons and maintain a global security threat. Nothing is exploring new product categories to broaden its lineup beyond smartphones and wearables. With around 600 employees, the company manufactures devices in China and India, and its working on enhancing the software experience by adding more AI features read more In 2024, Nothing doubled its annual revenue to over $500 million and hit a major milestone by surpassing $1 billion in lifetime sales. The company has also sold over 7 million units across all its product categories. Image Credit: Reuters Nothing, the London-based smartphone brand, is aiming to raise at least $100 million to fuel its growth and expand its product range. The company, which launched in 2021, has quickly captured attention with its unique, transparent smartphone designs and innovative audio products. Backed by Googles venture arm and Tony Fadell, the man behind the iPod, Nothing recently kicked off a Series C funding round to support its ambitious plans. Impressive growth and ambitious plans Nothing has already made a mark with its smartphones, which are priced between $250 and $700, and its growing range of earbuds and a smartwatch. Led by Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, the startup has faced stiff competition but has managed to carve out its own niche. In 2024, Nothing doubled its annual revenue to over $500 million and hit a major milestone by surpassing $1 billion in lifetime sales. The company has also sold over 7 million units across all its product categories, and its margins have shown improvement compared to last year. Advertisement International reach and future goals While you can buy Nothing products in the US, the company is doing most of its business overseas. Its biggest market is India, followed by Germany and the UK. For its audio products, the US is the leading market, with strong sales also in the UK, Germany, and Japan. This year, Nothing is focusing on expanding its presence outside the US, but they plan to make a bigger push into the American market by 2026. Moving beyond smartphones Looking beyond smartphones and wearables, Nothing is exploring new product categories to broaden its lineup. With around 600 employees, the company manufactures devices in China and India, and its working on enhancing the software experience by adding more artificial intelligence features. These updates are set to launch in the first half of the year, providing even more functionality for their growing range of products. As Nothing continues to grow and innovate, this new round of funding will help the company expand its reach and strengthen its position in a fiercely competitive market. With a clear vision for the future, the brand looks set to make some bold moves in the coming years. While the law could significantly affect TikToks operations in the US, the company stressed that it is focused on continuing to support its employees through this period read more TikToks leadership made it clear that theyre actively preparing for all possible outcomes. While the future is still uncertain, the company wants to ensure that employees are supported no matter what happens. Image Credit: Reuters With uncertainty hanging over TikToks future in the US, the company has made it clear that its 7,000 employees in the country dont have to worry about their jobs. Even if the US Supreme Court doesnt block a law that could force TikTok to sell or face a ban, TikToks leadership assured staff that their pay, benefits, and employment would remain unaffected. In a memo sent to employees, TikTok emphasised that offices will stay open, and their well-being is a top priority. Advertisement Calming concerns amid legal uncertainty The memo, reviewed by Reuters, aimed to ease concerns among employees, especially with the January 19 deadline rapidly approaching. The law, passed in April, could see TikTok either sold or banned entirely. While the law only impacts the apps user experience in the US, TikTok reassured employees that it would not affect their work situation. In an internal memo, TikToks leadership made it clear that employees pay and benefits would not be affected, and offices would remain open. The company stressed that employee wellbeing is a top priority during this challenging time. While the law could significantly affect TikToks operations in the US, the company stressed that it is focused on continuing to support its employees through this period. US lawmakers, including President-elect Donald Trump, have called for an extension of the deadline to allow for a political resolution, but the Supreme Courts ruling will ultimately decide the fate of the app. What a ban could mean for TikTok users If the law is not blocked by Sunday, new TikTok downloads will be banned on both Apples App Store and Googles Play Store. While existing users can still access the app for now, things could get more complicated as time goes on. Without support from other companies, TikToks services could begin to degrade, making it harder for users to continue enjoying the app. TikTok acknowledged the challenges in the memo, but it reassured staff that the company is focused on protecting both employees and the millions of users in the US, which number more than 170 million. Planning for every outcome TikToks leadership made it clear that theyre actively preparing for all possible outcomes. While the future is still uncertain, the company wants to ensure that employees are supported no matter what happens. As the January 19 deadline approaches, all eyes are on the Supreme Court, waiting to see how this legal battle will unfold. But for now, TikTok wants its employees to know theyre secure and the company will keep moving forward, no matter what. The US Commerce Department added 25 companies based in China, as well as two in Singapore, to its Entity List. Being placed on this list means that these companies can no longer receive US goods or technology without a special license, which is usually denied read more This move puts more pressure on semiconductor companies to ensure their products are not being diverted to blacklisted entities like Huawei. Image Credit: Reuters The Biden administration has taken a strong stance against Chinas access to advanced technology, adding over two dozen Chinese companies to its restricted trade list. Among the firms blacklisted are Zhipu AI, an AI research company, and Sophgo, a chipmaker involved with Huaweis artificial intelligence systems. This move is part of the USs ongoing efforts to limit Chinas ability to develop military and surveillance technology using advanced chips. Expanding the entity list On Wednesday, the US Commerce Department added 25 companies based in China, as well as two in Singapore, to its Entity List. Being placed on this list means that these companies can no longer receive US goods or technology without a special license, which is usually denied. Zhipu AI, a company supported by heavyweights like Alibaba and Tencent, was added because of its work in AI research that the US believes is contributing to Chinas military development. Sophgo, a semiconductor company, came under scrutiny after a chip it ordered from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) was found in a Huawei AI processor. This discovery has raised red flags about Huaweis involvement in Chinas AI ambitions and its continued influence on critical technology. Huawei, already blacklisted by the US since 2019, is at the center of these concerns, with the US working hard to limit its access to key technology. The new blacklisting is part of a broader strategy to prevent China from obtaining advanced semiconductors, which could be used to strengthen its military and surveillance capabilities. Advertisement Stricter regulations on AI chips In addition to expanding the Entity List, the US has imposed tighter rules on exporting semiconductors, especially those needed for AI applications. These chips, with nodes smaller than 14 or 16 nanometers, are essential for developing AI systems, and now the US wants to control their flow to China. The new rules also target DRAM memory, which is crucial for high-bandwidth AI processors, further restricting Chinas access to the kinds of chips that could be used in military or surveillance systems. This move puts more pressure on semiconductor companies to ensure their products are not being diverted to blacklisted entities like Huawei. Companies now have to verify that their chips arent being used in ways that could support military programs, which includes new reporting and due diligence obligations. Reactions from affected companies Zhipu AI responded to the blacklisting by saying the decision was unfounded and that it wouldnt significantly impact its operations. The company argues that it has already developed the core technology for large language models. As for Sophgo, which is affiliated with the bitcoin mining equipment giant Bitmain, the company has denied any business relationship with Huawei. Both Sophgo and Huawei have yet to comment on the latest additions to the restricted trade list. This latest round of restrictions is part of the US governments broader push to control the development and distribution of advanced technology, particularly AI, as the geopolitical race for technological dominance heats up. With the global stakes getting higher, the US is clearly determined to limit Chinas ability to strengthen its military through access to cutting-edge technologies. The truce deal has been welcomed by factions of the Iran-led Axis of Resistance which joined Hamas fight against Israel after the conflict triggered on October 7, 2023. The forces are celebrating the successful realisation of the deal as their own achievement read more A man waves Palestinian flags as Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. File Image/Reuters Moments after a ceasefire was reached between Israel and Hamas that would effectively end the war in Gaza starting Sunday, forces in Iraq and Yemen announced they would suspend attacks on Israel. Although the deal is yet to be reviewed and confirmed by the Israeli cabinet under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the ceasefire agreement between the two warring parties has been hailed as a victory for Palestinians. The truce deal has also been welcomed by factions of the Iran-led Axis of Resistance which joined Hamas fight against Israel after the conflict triggered on October 7, 2023. The forces are celebrating the successful realisation of the deal as their own achievement. Advertisement According to a report by Newsweek, Akram al-Kaabi, secretary-general of the Nujaba Movement, said, With this important development, we announce that we will suspend our military operations against the entity in solidarity with its halt in Palestine, and to strengthen the continuation of the truce in Gaza. However, their was a tone of threat in Kaabis message who added, However, let the usurping entity know that any foolishness on its part in Palestine or the region will be met with a harsh response, and that our fingers are still on the trigger and our missiles and drones are fully prepared. If they return, we will return. Spokesperson of Yemens Houthi Movement, Mohammed Abdul Salam, said that the group will be ending its operation against Israel as its battle reaching its conclusion with the declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza. But he warned that Israels continued occupation of Palestine represents a threat to the security and stability of the region. Israeli cabinet to vote on truce deal Israels cabinet was expected to meet Thursday to approve a ceasefire and hostage-release deal with Hamas, Israeli media reported. The truce would take effect on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a broader peace deal would be finalised, the prime minister of mediator Qatar said Wednesday. Advertisement Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with both US President Joe Biden and Trump on Wednesday, his office said, thanking them for their help securing the agreement but also cautioning that final details were still being hammered out. IRGC hails deal Meanwhile, the news of the ceasefire has been hailed by leaders and stakeholders across the world. Irans Revolutionary Guards Corps welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas, saying it is a victory for the Palestinian militant group. The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire is a clear victory and a great victory for Palestine and a bigger defeat for the monstrous Zionist regime, the IRGC said in a statement. Similarly, China said that it welcomed a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and the Hamas militant group, vowing unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East. Advertisement With inputs from AFP Spot prices for Middle East crude hit their highest level in over two years due to strong demand from China and India. The Biden administration on Friday announced sweeping sanctions targeting Russian producers and tankers. read more Spot premiums for Middle East crude rose to their highest in more than two years as strong demand from top importers China and India to replace sanctioned supply drove up prices, traders said. The Biden administration on Friday announced sweeping sanctions targeting Russian producers and tankers, disrupting supply from the worlds No. 2 producer and tightening ship availability. That sparked a scramble among buyers in China and India, the worlds top and third-largest importers, for alternative oil supplies and tankers. Advertisement Reflecting latest trades, QatarEnergy more than doubled its term price for al-Shaheen crude oil loading in March to $3.81 per barrel above Dubai quotes from the previous month, after awarding two cargoes to Totsa at premiums of $3.70-$3.80, trade sources said. Totsa is the trading arm of French major TotalEnergies The March term price is at its highest level since October 2022 for cargoes loading in December that year. The deals came after premiums for Middle East benchmarks Dubai, GME Oman and IFAD Murban rallied this week to near $4 per barrel, the highest level in more than a year. In other deals, Unipec bought a March-loading Qatar Marine crude cargo in QatarEnergys tender at a premium of just above $3 a barrel to Dubai quotes, 10 times higher than the previous month. Sinochem bought March-loading Abu Dhabi Upper Zakum cargo from Cepsa, while Indian refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corp (HPCL.NS), opens new tab bought 1 million barrels Feb-loading Iraqi Basra Medium crude from Litasco at a premium of $1.90 per barrel above Dubai quotes in a purchase tender, trade sources said. Premiums for light grades have also risen. QatarEnergy sold a March-loading Land crude cargo at a premium of above $2 a barrel above Dubai prices to PTT, traders said. All the Qatar cargoes are of 500,000 barrels each. Companies typically do not comment on commercial deals. Prior to Fridays sanctions on Russian oil, Chinese refiners had already been seeking to replace Iranian supply on concerns that the incoming Trump administration will ramp up embargo measures on Tehran. Advertisement The latest round of U.S. sanctions against Russia could significantly disrupt the countrys oil supply chains, the International Energy Agency said on Wednesday, although it held off on factoring the measures into its supply forecasts for now. The Israeli Security Cabinet and full Cabinet will hold votes on the deal with Hamas today amid a revolt from far-right allies of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It remains to be seen if Netanyahu can keep the deal and his government intact. read more In this photo taken on November 15, 2022, then-Knesset members Itamar Ben Gvir (L) and Bezalel Smotrich look on during the swearing-in ceremony for Israeli lawmakers in Jerusalem. (Photo: AP) A day after Israel and Hamas reached a deal for the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages held by terrorists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces of challenge of getting the deal approved by his government in a two-step process. Netanyahu will on Thursday first convene his security cabinet and then the full cabinet to hold a vote on the deal. Netanyahu is facing a revolt from his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have threatened to topple his government if the deal is approved. Advertisement Both Ben Gvir and Smotrich have opposed the Israel-Hamas deal and have called for the continuation of the war in Gaza. Even as people across Israel, including the families of hostages, have been pressurising Netanyahu to strike a deal, far-right extremists have taken to streets in opposition to the deal. They say the deal is disastrous for Israels security. Can Netanyahus far-right ministers kill Israel-Hamas deal? In theory, Netanyahu as the Prime Minister of Israel can himself approve the deal, but political convention dictates that such approvals come via the full government for the sake of proper legitimacy. Firstly, Netanyahu would convene the Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs, commonly referred to as the Security Cabinet, to hold a vote on the deal. The committee comparable to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in India is a smaller group of senior ministers within the full Cabinet that decides the foreign and defence policies of the government. After the Security Cabinet vote, Netanyahu would convene the full Cabinet to hold a vote on the deal. As Netanyahu runs a coalition government and depends on far-right allies Ben Gvir and Smotrich, there are fears that the threat of withdrawal from the government could result in the collapse of the deal. However, the deal is set to pass comfortably through both the Security Cabinet and Cabinet. In the Security Cabinet, the far-right ministers only have two out of 11 votes. Similarly, in the full Cabinet, the far-right ministers have six out of 36 votes. Even if far-right ministers vote against the deal, the deal is therefore set to be approved by the Cabinet. In addition to Netanyahus Likud parties, two ultra-orthodox parties in the coalition have also publicly supported the deal. Advertisement Can threat of governments collapse derail deal? Ben Gvir and Smotrich are hopeful that the threat of collapse of Netanyahus government from their withdrawal would derail the deal. Smotrich has called the deal bad and dangerous to Israels national security and said he is completely against it. Smotrich has said that the only way his party would remain in the government is that if the war is resumed after a brief ceasefire with renewed force, which is understood as an assault involving heavier bombs and missiles. Our continued presence in the government depends on absolute certainty of resuming the war with full forceon a broad scale and with a renewed strategyuntil we achieve a decisive victory, including the complete destruction of Hamas and the safe return of all hostages to their homes, said Smotrich. Advertisement Netanyahu has held meetings with both Ben Gvir and Smotrich and has offered them concessions. Then Kan News has reported that in lieu of staying in the government, Netanyahu has offered to allow the construction of more settlements in West Bank and increasing Israeli security presence there. The expansion of settlements in West Bank, deemed illegal in the international law, is dear to Israels far-right Jews. Bulgarias parliament approved on Thursday a cabinet led by Rosen Zhelyazkov, ending months of negotiations on the formation of a coalition government, according to a report read more Newly appointed Bulgarian prime minister Rosen Zhelyazkov gestures towards the deputies after his government was voted in the parliament, in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Thursday. Reuters After over two months of negotiations, Bulgarian lawmakers on Thursday appointed a new prime minister and cabinet. According to a Politico report, Rosen Zhelyazkov from the center-right GERB party was named Bulgarias prime minister. The centre-right GERB party won a snap election in October, the seventh held in the Balkan state in four years, but has had to hold tough talks with other political parties for more than two months in order to form a government. Zhelyazkov, proposed as PM-designate by the largest parliamentary GERB-SDS group, received a mandate from President Rumen Radev on Wednesday to form a government. Advertisement Some 125 lawmakers at the 240-seat legislature approved Zhelyazkovs proposed cabinet in a vote on Thursday, opening the way for a new government to take office. In his parliamentary address, Zhelyazkov expressed gratitude to the wide coalition of leftist, populist, and centrist parties that supported him. I will start a little unconventionally at the beginning by expressing gratitude to the coalition partners with whom we managed to reach an agreement in a difficult period, putting aside our political and ideological differences, and to reach the signing of a coalition agreement, Politico quoted Zhelyazkov as saying, citing Bulgarias state broadcaster. Zhelyazkov said his governments priorities will focus on upholding the rule of law and working towards Bulgarias entry into the eurozone. While the country fully joined the EUs Schengen Area on January 1, it is not yet part of the EUs currency union. Since 2020, Bulgaria has faced significant political instability, sparked by nationwide protests against oligarchic leaders dominating state institutions. Protests also followed the most recent election due to allegations of vote-buying, reported Politico. My congratulations to Rosen Zhelyazkov on your election as Prime Minister of Bulgaria, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on social media. Advertisement I look forward to working with you for a thriving Bulgaria in a strong and united Europe. I also appreciate your support to our brave neighbour Ukraine, she added. European Council President Antonio Costa said, Wishing you success and looking forward to working together on a strong pro-European agenda for the benefit of all Bulgarians. With inputs from agencies Trudeau, who turned 53 on December 25, expressed uncertainty about his future after leaving politics. As to what I might be doing later, I honestly havent had much time to think about that at all, he said read more Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday (January 15) that he will not seek re-election in the upcoming federal elections, scheduled for October but potentially to be held earlier. In terms of my own decisions, I will not be running in the upcoming election, Trudeau said during a press conference in Ottawa. The announcement followed a meeting with Canadas provincial premiers for coordinating a strategy to address the incoming US administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Advertisement Trudeau, who turned 53 on December 25, expressed uncertainty about his future after leaving politics. As to what I might be doing later, I honestly havent had much time to think about that at all. I am entirely focused on doing the job that Canadians elected me to do in an extraordinarily pivotal time right now, he said. Trudeau, first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 from the Quebec riding of Papineau, has served as Prime Minister since October 2015. His Liberal Party won a majority mandate in his first election but failed to replicate that success in the 2019 and 2021 elections, which resulted in minority governments. PM candidates line up The Liberal Party leadership election, set to conclude on March 9, will determine Trudeaus successor as party leader and prime minister. Candidates have until January 23 to enter the race, with former Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney and former Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland expected to be leading contenders. Carney is anticipated to announce his candidacy on Thursday in Edmonton, while Freeland may make her decision public by January 20. While Indo-Canadian MP Chandra Arya has confirmed his candidacy for the leadership, other prominent Cabinet members such as Melanie Joly, Dominic LeBlanc, Francois-Philippe Champagne, and Anita Anand have said they will not run, citing their current roles. Advertisement Backdrop: Trudeaus resignation as PM Trudeaus announcement follows months of internal party unrest and a sharp decline in public support for the Liberals, who have polled at about 20 per cent trailing the opposition Conservatives by nearly 25 points. The situation worsened in December with the resignation of Freeland, who also served as finance minister, sparking calls from nearly 100 Liberal MPs for Trudeau to step down. Trudeau will remain prime minister until the Liberal leadership election concludes in March and plans to serve as a member of Parliament until the next federal elections are held. Trudeau will cease to be an MP in the new Parliament if he does not contest and win in the election. With inputs from agencies A South Korean court late on Thursday rejected impeached President Yoon Suk Yeols request to review the legality of his detention, effectively keeping him in custody as he is investigated for insurrection charges, according to a report read more A South Korean court late on Thursday rejected impeached President Yoon Suk Yeols request to review the legality of his detention, effectively keeping him in custody as he is investigated for insurrection charges. According to The Korea Herald, the Seoul Central District Court reached this decision after two hours of deliberation, during which Yoons legal team contested the validity of the investigation led by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials. They argued that the detention warrant was issued by the Seoul Western District Court, claiming it was invalid due to jurisdictional issues. Advertisement Following the courts ruling, the CIO is expected to formally request Yoons arrest on Friday, added the report. President Yoon and investigators have been in a tense standoff since his arrest on Wednesday, as he cited health issues to avoid interrogations until Thursday. Yoons legal team took a step further on Thursday by requesting the court to review the legality of Yoons detention. After refusing to cooperate with questioning in the morning, his team informed investigators he would not attend the afternoon session either. Yoon spent the night at the Seoul Detention Center following hours of silent questioning on the first day. The court held a hearing at 5 pm to assess Yoons request regarding his detentions legality. Meanwhile, the 48-hour deadline for holding him was extended as the court reviewed evidence from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO). Yoon was set to be released Friday morning unless the CIO sought another warrant for extended custody. reported The Korea Herald. The Seoul Central District Court requested us to send the records for the court review. When the court registers our files, the time for the investigation will be put on hold until the records are returned to us after the ruling, The Korea Herald quoted a CIO official as saying earlier. President Yoons request for a detention review delayed the CIOs decision on whether to file for an additional formal warrant to detain him for another eight days. If the warrant is granted, the CIO is expected to transfer the case to the prosecution, which has the authority to indict him. The CIO and the prosecution agreed to spend 10 days each for investigations, but the schedule can be adjusted according to the changing situation, the CIO official said. Advertisement Article 31 of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials Act states that cases pursued by the agency fall under the jurisdiction of the Seoul Central District Court. However, the CIO can initiate prosecution in the appropriate court based on where the alleged corruption occurred, the location of evidence, and the defendants circumstances. Seok Dong-hyeon, one of Yoons legal representatives, contended that the CIO lacks the authority to investigate the insurrection charge against Yoon. On January 6, the Seoul Western District Court rejected an appeal from Yoons legal team, clarifying that while the suspect can challenge the validity of the arrest, he cannot dispute the legality of the warrant. Advertisement The court emphasised that both the presidential office and residence are within the Seoul Western District Courts jurisdiction, meaning the warrant complies with Article 31 of the CIO Act. It also noted that the CIO issued the warrant to investigate Yoon for abuse of power, a form of corruption within the agencys scope. The court concluded that including the insurrection charge in the warrant, which is closely linked to abuse of power, does not render it invalid or illegal. With inputs from agencies Days after China said that the 6.8-magnitude earthquake did not cause any damage to dams in Tibet, it has been forced to admit that at least five dams have developed problems, including cracks, and damage to one dam has been so severe that walls of the reservoir have tilted read more The new dam that China has announced in Tibet is estimated to have up to triple the power output of the Three Gorges Dam in China's Hubei province, pictured here in June 2020, which is currently the world's largest dam. (Photo: AFP) In a reversal from its earlier stand that the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Tibet did not cause any damage to dams in the region, the Chinese regime on Thursday said it has detected damage, including cracks, in reservoirs of at least five dams in the region. On January 7, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet. At least 126 people were killed and hundreds were injured. More than 3,500 houses and religious structures in the region have also suffered damage in the earthquake and aftershocks to the tune of 5 on Richter scale. Advertisement Shortly after the earthquake, analysts highlighted the precarious positions of Chinas hydropower projects in the region. China has built several dams in Tibet to harness the occupied regions water resources the Communist regime of China invaded Tibet in 1950-51 and has occupied it since. Analysts pointed that these dams were created in ecologically sensitive Himalayas which are vulnerable to earthquakes. The said damage to dams could be devastating. While China at the time was quick to cover up and censor any news related to damage to dams, it has now been forced to admit damage to dams. A Chinese official with the emergency services in Tibet said on Thursday that problems, including cracks, have been detected in five of 14 dams in the region, according to Reuters. Three of these dams have since emptied and a fourth is in the process of being drained, said the official. In the case of one dam in Tingri area, the damage was so severe that the walls of the dam tilted and around six villages around the dam had to be evacuated. Earthquakes in the Himalayas have a history of damaging dams. In the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, around a fifth of countrys hydropower projects was shuttered for more than a year. Despite such concerns, China has continued to ramp up hydropower activities in Tibet. Less than two weeks before the devastating earthquake in Tibet, China in December announced it would build the worlds largest dam in Tibet on Brahmaputra river. The development sparked concerns in downstream countries India and Bangladesh where Brahmaputra comes from China-occupied Tibet. Advertisement While concerns around China controlling water and waging water wars have been flagged for some time, fears around dams being breached from earthquakes are also being raised now. Concerns are high in India as China is building the worlds largest dam at the doorstep of India in the ecologically sensitive Himalayas. Y Nithiyanandam, the Head of the Geospatial Research Programme at the Takshashila Institution, told VOA News that the region proposed for dam construction is highly susceptible to landslides. Planning a dam of this magnitude in such complex terrain poses significant risks to downstream regions of India and Bangladesh, especially in the event of a mishap or if there is alteration in the water flow, said Nithiyanandam. Advertisement Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli, a China expert at at Jawaharlal Nehru University, told the outlet that there are questions why China is building such an unfeasible project next door to a contested region. China acts unilaterally on issues related to trans-boundary rivers that originate in their territory. India, for example, has a treaty with Pakistan for common rivers that flow in both countries. There are also questions as to why a dam is being built in a fragile area so close to an area that is contested between the two countries, said Kondapalli. The families and friends of hostages held in Gaza welcomed the ceasefire deal agreed upon by Israel and Hamas. However, many of them maintained that they wont believe the deal until they see their loved ones back read more Families of Israel's hostages hold a demonstration to call upon their government to secure the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip. File Image / AFP Relatives of the hostages held captive in Gaza welcomed the recent ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas which came after their 15-month-long wait. The ceasefire agreement promises the release of dozens of hostages who were kidnapped by the Palestinian militant group during the October 7 attack in Southern Israel. While the families celebrated the historic deal, they also expressed concerns about the future of who those will continue to remain in captivity after the agreement expires. On Wednesday, hundreds of people including families and friends of Israeli hostages gathered in Tel Aviv to celebrate the confirmation of the truce between the two warring parties. Advertisement While the world lauds the deal, Israels security cabinet is set to vote on the agreement on Thursday. Following this, lists of Palestinian security prisoners to be freed will be published, to enable petitions against their release to the high court. Many of the family members of the hostages are now fearing that both the parliament and the court in Israel can cause hindrance in the deal. We anxiously await the reunions of families with their loved ones, said a statement shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum following news that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a deal. The next few weeks will bring a wave of emotions, but one thing remains unwaveringwe will stand by the families until the very last hostage is brought home," the statement further reads. Many refuse to believe until they see their loved ones While speaking to the Associated Press, Sharone Lifschitz, whose father Oded is being held hostage, said that she was stunned and grateful but would not believe it until she sees them come home. I cant wait to see them coming back to their families. Im so desperate to see them if by some miracle my father has survived, the London-based filmmaker said. It is pertinent to note that the ceasefire deal will be followed in a phased manner. The first phase will comprise 42 days during which Hamas will release 33 hostages, including children, women including female soldiers and over 50s. In exchange, Israel is obligated to release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas, according to the Associated Press, and 30 for other hostages. With all the terms and conditions, some people whose friends are still being held hostage said that they would not believe the deal until they see their loved ones home. I dont trust Hamas, dont trust them at all to bring them back, Vered Froner told the Associated Press. She and her mother hid in a safe room for 17 hours in the Nachal Oz kibbutz during the 7 October attacks. Advertisement She insisted that she would prefer to have had all of the hostages return at once rather than a phased approach. As per the ceasefire deal, both Israel and Hamas agreed that after 16 days, talks would begin on a second phase of the agreement, which would involve the release of other survivors among the 61 remaining hostages, including military-age men, and the bodies of those who have died. With inputs from the Associated Press. After 15 months of the deadly war, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal with the promise of releasing some of the hostages held in Gaza. Heres how the world leaders reacted to the news read more Demonstrators hold torches during a protest calling for the release of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Hamas in Tel Aviv, Israel. As per a draft, the first phase of the ceasefire, if agreed upon, will see the release of 33 hostages held by the militant group. AP Negotiators reached a phased ceasefire deal on Wednesday in the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas. Here is some reaction to the deal. US President Joe Biden I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas, Biden said at the White House. Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families. For the Palestinian people, a credible, credible pathway to a state of their own. And for the region, a future of normalization, integration of Israel and all its Arab neighbours, including Saudi Arabia, he said. Advertisement US President-elect Donald Trump We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. Thank you! he said in a post on his Truth Social platform. With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven, Trump said in a second post. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer, he told reporters. It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support. Turkey He told reporters in Ankara the ceasefire deal was an important step for regional stability. Fidan also said Turkish efforts for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would continue. Qatar The prime minister called for calm in the Gaza Strip between now and Jan. 19 when the ceasefire deal takes effect. Egypt He welcomed the Gaza ceasefire deal, according to a post on X, and stressed the importance of a fast delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza. Israel and Hamas agreed to a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and exchange Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, opening the way to a possible end to a devastating 15-month conflict. Heres a look at the timeline of Israel-Hamas war that began on October 7, 2023 read more Palestinians celebrate at their camp for people displaced by conflict at Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on January 15, 2025. AFP After 15 months in intense conflict and more than 46,000 deaths, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal to end the Gaza war, assuring complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the besieged enclave and the release of all the hostages captured by the Iran-backed terrorist group when it launched the unprecedented attack on October 7, 2023 against the Jewish nation. The landmark agreement comes barely days ahead of US President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on January 20. Advertisement The negotiations were backed by Egyptian mediators, with the support of the United States. Ceasefire deal reached after months of diplomacy Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity, outgoing US President Joe Biden told reporters at the Oval Office late Wednesday. When will Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal come into effect? The initial agreement of six weeks will come into effect on January 19 with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza as well as release of the hostages, held captive by Hamas, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners taken into custody by Israel. Biden further informed that the truce deal between Israel and Hamas has been structured in three phases. Permanent end to Israel-Hamas war anytime soon? As per Biden, during the next six weeks, starting from January 19, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get (to) phase two, which is a permanent end to the war. What if second phase is not agreed upon in six weeks? Biden confirmed that the ceasefire will continue even if negotiations for the second phase extend beyond the initial six weeks. If conditions are met then in the second phase, Hamas will release all remaining hostages, primarily male soldiers, in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners. Israel would also initiate a complete withdrawal from Gaza. In the third phase, Hamas would return the bodies of remaining captives and in exchange, a reconstruction plan of three-to-five-year for Gaza, managed under international supervision, would be implemented. Meanwhile, Israel has agreed to let injured Palestinians to leave Gaza for medical treatment and to open the Rafah crossing with Egypt seven days after the first phase of the deal commences. Israel-Hamas deal a remarkable Biden-Trump partnership A report by AFP quoted US officials as saying that in the final four days of ceasefire talks, Bidens Mideast envoy Brett McGurk was joined in the region by Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, to get the deal over the line. As they were engaged in negotiations, Israeli and Hamas negotiators were huddling on separate floors of the same building in the Qatari capital Doha, while moderators from Qatar and Egypt shuttled between them with their proposals. McGurk and Witkoff were talking multiple times a day, and Mr Witkoff actually helped clinch down some of the details. There was great coordination, National Security Council (NSA) spokesman John Kirby told CNN. Advertisement Four days ago, Steve Witkoff came out to join Brett in his final push, which I think is, historically, almost unprecedented. And it was a highly constructive, very fruitful partnership, the AFP report a senior Biden administration official as saying on condition of anonymity. Interestingly, the cooperation between the two US administrations didnt stop them from fighting over who should claim credit for a deal that had seemed out of reach for several months. Trump said the epic win would never have happened without his election putting pressure for a deal, while Biden said is that a joke? when a reporter asked which of them should get credit. Advertisement Netanyahu thanks Trump Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Trump to thank him after reaching deal with Hamas in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families, Netanyahus office posted on X. A look at Gaza war timeline October 7, 2023: Armed Hamas members storm into southern Israel from Gaza and rampage through communities. Retaliatory airstrikes on Gaza begin, along with a total siege. October 8: Lebanons Hezbollah fires on Israel, saying its attacks aim to support Palestinians in Gaza, leading to sustained hostilities. October 13: Israel tells residents of Gaza City, where more than one million people live, to move south, beginning a process that will uproot nearly the entire population of the Gaza Strip. October 19: A US Navy warship intercepts missiles and drones launched from Yemen towards Israel. Yemens Iran-backed Houthis continue attacks on Israel and against Red Sea shipping. Advertisement October 21: Aid trucks are allowed through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt into Gaza, where food, water, medicines and fuel are running out. Over coming months, the humanitarian crisis worsens with aid groups and Western governments saying Israel must do more to let in aid. October 27: Israel launches its ground offensive in Gaza. November 15: Israeli troops enter Gazas biggest hospital, Al Shifa, after a siege of several days. Within a few weeks, all hospitals serving northern Gaza will cease to function. November 21: Israel and Hamas announce a seven-day truce and release of around half the hostages, but war resumes on December 1. Advertisement December 4: Israeli forces launch their first big ground assault in southern Gaza, towards the main southern city, Khan Younis. January 1, 2024: Israel signals it will start withdrawing from northern parts of Gaza, but months later it is again fighting militants in the same areas. January 26: The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, also known as the World Court, orders Israel to prevent genocide. February 29: More than 100 Gazans are killed queuing for aid in the presence of Israeli troops who opened fire, in one of the deadliest incidents of the war. March 7: Facing political pressure over hunger in Gaza, U.S. President Joe Biden announces work on a floating pier to deliver aid. It will be installed in May but last only until July with supplies remaining very constricted. April 1: Irans embassy compound in Damascus is hit by a suspected Israeli airstrike that kills several military officers including a top general. Tehran responds two weeks later by firing hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. May 6: Hamas says it has accepted a proposal for a ceasefire, but Israel said it had not agreed to that text. Israel tells Palestinians to evacuate parts of Rafah after its forces take control of a buffer zone along the border between Gaza and Egypt, giving Israel effective authority over the Palestinian territorys entire land border. June 23: Netanyahu says the phase of intense fighting against Hamas in Gaza is coming to an end but that the war will not finish until Hamas no longer controls the enclave. However, heavy bouts of fighting continue across Gaza for months more. June 25: The Global hunger monitor, the IPC, says Gaza remains at high risk of famine. July 2: Israel announces new evacuation orders for the southern cities of Khan Younis and Rafah, which the United Nations called the largest edict of its kind since the beginning of the war. July 27: A Hezbollah rocket kills a group of 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, prompting Israel to vow retaliation. August 1: Israels military says it killed Mohammed Deif, Hamas military chief, in an airstrike on July 13. Hamas neither confirmed nor denied Deifs death. Palestinian officials said the strike killed 90 people. August 23: World Health Organization (WHO) says a first confirmed case of type 2 polio in Gaza for 25 years has paralysed a baby. September 17: Israel detonates thousands of booby-trapped pager communications devices used by Hezbollah in Lebanon, injuring hundreds of its members. September 28: An Israeli airstrike in Beirut kills Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, one of many strikes against the groups senior leadership. October 5: Israeli forces launch major anti-Hamas operation in northern Gaza focused on Jabalia refugee camp near Gaza City and Beit Hanoun and Beit Lahiya towns. The push continues into 2025. Much of the surrounding area is cleared of people and razed. October 16: Israel kills Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a shootout in Rafah. November 21: International Criminal Court (ICC) issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, former defence chief Yoav Gallant, and Hamas Ibrahim Al-Masri also known as Mohammed Deif for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza war. November 27: Israel and Hezbollah agree a ceasefire in Lebanon. On the same day rebels in Syria launch an offensive that will quickly topple President Bashar al-Assad, a major ally of Hezbollah and its Iranian backer. December 2: US President-elect Donald Trump says there will be hell to pay in the Middle East if hostages in Gaza are not freed before his Jan. 20 inauguration. Using similar language, he reiterates the demand on Dec. 16 and Jan. 7. January 15, 2025: Negotiators reach a deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza war between Israel and Hamas, after 15 months of conflict that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and inflamed West Asia. With inputs from Reuters and AFP President Joe Biden and Donald Trumps West Asia envoys are in Doha working with Qatari and Egyptian negotiators to address the issue, which reportedly centers on the identities of several prisoners Hamas demands to be released read more A man waves Palestinian flags as Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, January 15, 2025. File Image/Reuters A last-minute dispute has emerged over the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal, with US envoys working to resolve the issue, an official said Thursday (January 16). The disagreement centers on the identities of several prisoners Hamas demands to be released, the official said, adding that the matter is expected to be resolved soon. President Joe Bidens West Asia envoy, Brett McGurk, and President-elect Donald Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, are in Doha working with Qatari and Egyptian negotiators to address the issue, the official said. Advertisement Were aware of these issues, and we are working through them with the Israeli government and other partners in the region. We are confident these implementing details can be hammered out and that the deal will move forward this weekend, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said separately. The agreement, reached Wednesday (January 15), is scheduled to be implemented on Sunday (January 19). Deal provisions The ceasefire agreement includes a six-week initial phase involving the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of displaced Palestinians to northern Gaza. During this period, 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid will be allowed into Gaza daily, with 50 carrying fuel and 300 allocated to the north. Hamas is set to release 33 Israeli hostages in stages, prioritizing women, children, and men over 50. In exchange, Israel will release 30 Palestinian detainees for each civilian hostage and 50 detainees for each Israeli female soldier. All Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023 are to be released by the end of the first phase. The agreement, overseen by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, includes guarantees for implementation. Further negotiations are planned by the 16th day of the first phase, aiming to release all remaining hostages and establish a permanent ceasefire. A third phase will focus on the return of all remaining bodies and initiate Gazas reconstruction. With inputs from Reuters India has welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas for a ceasefire and release of hostages and said it should make way for more humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip read more India on Thursday welcomed the deal between Israel and Hamas for ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages held by terrorists. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the agreement between Israel and Hamas should lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to Gazans. We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy, said Jaiswal in the brief statement. Advertisement After more than a year of negotiations mediated by Egypt and Qatar and facilitated by the United States, Israel and Hamas have reached a deal to end the war in Gaza in three stages, said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani on Wednesday. The deal is nearly identical to the one floated by outgoing US President Joe Bide in May 2024. The deal was endorsed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the time but he added new demands to the deal a few months later and those demands tanked the negotiations for months. Al Thani said that Israel and Hamas have reached a three-phase deal that would come into effect on January 19 (Sunday). The ceasefire would start with Hamas releasing 33 hostages comprising civilian women, female soldiers, children, the elderly, and sick and wounded civilians in exchange for an unspecified number Palestinians held in Israeli prisons and detention centers, according to Al Thani. The first phase of the deal would last for 42 days and would be utilised to negotiate the specifics of phase two and three. Last year, Biden had outlined that the war would permanently end in phase two and would include the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. He had said that phase three would start the reconstruction of Gaza that has been devasted by more than a year of Israeli bombardment. Advertisement At a time when far-right minister Bezalel Smotrich has threatened to topple Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus government if the deal with Hamas goes through, the PMO has said that Hamas has reneged on understandings reached in the negotiations to create a last-minute crisis read more The Prime Ministers Office (PMO) of Israel has said that Cabinet votes on the deal with Hamas have been postponed for now. The Israeli PMO said in a statement on Thursday that Hamas has reneged on understandings reached during negotiations and Cabinet votes were being delayed until the last-minute crisis is sorted. The development comes as the Israeli government was to hold votes on the deal in two meetings on Thursday. Firstly, PM Benjamin Netanyahu would have convened the Security Cabinet to hold a vote on the deal and, once approved by the Security Cabinet, he would have convened the full Cabinet for a vote on the deal. Now, it is not certain if votes would be held today. Advertisement The development also comes at a time when Netanyahus far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has convened a meeting of his extremist Religious Zionism party. Smotrich has publicly opposed the deal and has threatened to quit the government if the deal is approved. It is expected that the party would formally decide in the meeting that it would quite the government in opposition to the deal with Hamas. Netanyahus office said that Hamas was trying to extort last minute concessions, according to Associated Press. Notably, even as mediators Qatar and Egypt announced the deal on Wednesday along with the United States, which had been facilitating the talks, Qatari PM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said that the final details were still being worked out. He said once those details would be worked out and the deal would be approved internally by the Israeli government, the deal would go into effect on Sunday (January 19). Now, the PMO has said that until Hamas accepts all elements of the deal that being negotiated, there will not be any vote. Hamas is reneging on the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement. The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," said the PMO, according to The Times of Israel. Separately, The Jerusalem Post reported that the last-minute crisis is about the identity of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for the release of hostages in captivity in Gaza under the deal. The newspaper quoted the PMO as saying that while it had been agreed certain type of prisoners would not be released, Hamas now wants to have an absolute veto on prisoners to be released. Advertisement Contrary to an explicit clause that gives Israel veto power over the release of mass murderers who are symbols of terror, Hamas demands to dictate the identity of these terrorists. The Prime Minister instructed the negotiating team to stand firm on the agreed understandings and to outright reject Hamass last-minute extortion attempts, said the PMO, as per the newspaper. The so-called last-minute crisis is not the only problem. Netanyahus far-right Smotrich has rejected the deal and has threatened to topple the government if the deal goes through. Even as the report of last-minute drama around the deal emerged, Smotrich called a meeting of his Religious Zionism party in which the party is expected to announce withdrawal from the government. Advertisement Party MP Zvi Sukkot told Kan broadcaster that in all likelihood we will resign from the government. He further said that the party was there to change the DNA of the State of Israel and not just to fill seats in the coalition. Smotrichs fellow extremist minister Itamar Ben Gvir has also opposed the deal and is expected to join him in quitting the government. In the wake of these developments, it is believed that Netanyahu would not hold votes on the deal until Smotrich gives a final answer on whether his party would stay in the government or not if the deal is approved. Advertisement Trump in his last term took the unusual step of meeting with Kim three times. He and his then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refrained from critical language on Kim, with Trump saying the two fell in love read more US Senator Marco Rubio testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination to be Secretary of State, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. AFP Marco Rubio, Donald Trumps nominee to be secretary of state, on Wednesday branded North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un a dictator but backed a broader approach to ease tensions. Trump in his last term took the unusual step of meeting with Kim three times. He and his then Secretary of State Mike Pompeo refrained from critical language on Kim, with Trump saying the two fell in love. Rubio, a senator and former political rival of Trump turned supporter, acknowledged he was sceptical of the then-presidents overtures to Kim but said At least it calmed the situation quite a bit. Advertisement I think there has to be an appetite for a very serious look at broader North Korean policies, Rubio said at his Senate confirmation hearing. He called for efforts to prevent a war by North Korea with US allies South Korea and Japan and to see what can we do to prevent a crisis without encouraging other nation-states to pursue their own nuclear weapons programs. But he acknowledged that Trumps diplomacy did not produce any lasting agreement to end North Koreas nuclear program. You have a 40-something-year-old dictator who has to figure out how to hold on to power for the rest of his life, Rubio said. He views nuclear weapons as his insurance policy to stay in power. It means so much to him that no amount of sanctions has deterred him from developing that capability, Rubio said. North Korea on Tuesday fired several short-range ballistic missiles, their latest launches before Trump replaces President Joe Biden on Monday. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also greeted by a launch when he visited Seoul last week. He said he regretted that North Korea had rebuffed overtures by the Biden administration for dialogue. In an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on Thursday, Balajis mother, Poornima Rao cast doubts over the current investigation into her sons death and ruled out suicide read more The mother of Suchir Balaji, the 26-year-old OpenAI whistleblower who died under mysterious circumstances, has said that her sons death was not a case of suicide and that the company had played a role in his untimely demise. Balaji, a researcher at OpenAI, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26, days after he accused the company of malpractice. In an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on Thursday, Balajis mother, Poornima Rao cast doubts over the current investigation into her sons death and ruled out suicide saying, He celebrated his birthday a day before he died. What more do we need to give on account that he was in a happy mood? He also accepted a birthday gift from his father on the day of his death." Advertisement They killed him A University of California graduate, Balaji joined OpenAI in 2020 and was part of a project called WebGPT, which John Schulman, one of the OpenAI co-founders, said helped pave the way for ChatGPT. The 26-year-old quit the company in 2024 following which he took an explosive story about OpenAIs irregularities to The New York Times where he revealed that the AI giant had violated copyright law and products like ChatGPT were damaging the internet. If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company," he told the American news outlet. Rao said during the interview that she believes that her son was killed because he broke the story to the media. My son had documents against OpenAI. They attacked him and killed him, she said. Mother doubts investigation Rao has reasons to believe that the probe surrounding Balajis death has major lapses. In December last year, she had urged the Federal Bureau of Investigation to take up the matter, expressing a lack of confidence in the San Francisco police department. It took them 14 minutes to determine the cause of death and tell me that it was a suicide. In the evening, they returned the keys to me and told me that I could pick up the body tomorrow," she said, adding that the police kept making excuses to her. Carlson said, Theres blood all over the apartment and a piece of a wig covered in bloodits not his wig. You dont need to be a detective to imagine that someone committing a murder might wear a wig. Musk reacts Sharing the interview on X, Elon Musk said that Balajis death was extremely concerning. Meanwhile, Indian-American lawmaker Ro Khanna said, I am heartbroken by your loss. Given your very serious concerns about foul play, I do believe that there should be a full and transparent investigation into the death by the FBI or appropriate agency. Advertisement I am heartbroken by your loss. Given your very serious concerns about foul play, I do believe that there should be a full and transparent investigation into the death by the FBI or appropriate agency. https://t.co/o3gag6QtBs Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) January 15, 2025 Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked both the current and upcoming US Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump for their assistance in reaching the ceasefire deal with Hamas as both leaders take credit for the historic truce read more Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thanked both the current and upcoming US Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump for their assistance in advancing the ceasefire and hostage release deal. Both leaders attempted to take credit for the historic truce between Tel Aviv and Hamas. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Netayahus office said that the Israeli premier spoke to Trump in the evening and thanked him for helping Israel." Advertisement Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families, the prime ministers office wrote in the post. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families. pic.twitter.com/nSkK6Emfk8 Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 15, 2025 During the conversation between the two leaders, Netanyahu pledged to meet Trump in Washington soon once the details of the deal have been laid out. Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Netanyahus office revealed that the Israeli prime minister also held a phone call with Biden. The PM discussed with the President the progress in negotiations to release our hostages and updated him on the mandate he gave to the negotiating team to Doha to advance the release of our hostages, the office wrote on X. The office maintained that Netanyahu will release an official statement soon after the completion of the final details of the agreement, which are being worked on at present. Advertisement Trump & Biden both take credit for the ceasefire deal While it took over 15 months to reach a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, it took no time for a political battle to erupt over who exactly should be credited for the deal. The EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, President-elect Trump insisted on social media shortly after Wednesday noon. We have achieved so much without even being in the White House," he added, hogging all the credit for the deal. Meanwhile, in his first written statement on the matter, Biden said that the ceasefire deal between the two warring parties was based on the frameworks he proposed in May last year. When reporters asked whether the history books would credit him or Trump for the deal, Biden dismissed Trumps stake over the historic truce deal. Is that a joke? Biden snapped back. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, pressed on the topic later in the afternoon at her final media briefing. Everybodys going to want some credit. What I can say is the president got it done," she told the reporters, The Hill reported. Advertisement Why Trump is getting the credit even before he assumed office It is pertinent to note that the first phase of the ceasefire could come into force by Sunday, with the release of some hostages held in Gaza. The exchange will occur a day before Biden leaves the office and Trump takes over the White House for the second time. While on paper, Biden is the one who presided over the deal and the agreement is based on his framework proposed in May. Many argued that Trump has some contribution to the fast conclusion of the eight-month-long negotiations. According to The Hill, some insiders argued that Trumps warning that there would be hell to pay if the hostages were not released may have compelled Hamas negotiators to rush the deal before Biden leaves the office. Several Israeli media also reported that Trumps new Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, ratcheted up the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a deal in a face-to-face meeting last weekend. Advertisement While addressing the Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing, the USs next Secretary of State Marco Rubio also emphasised that Witkoff had been a critical component in reaching the deal, adding, Hes been involved in it from Day 1. With Netanyahu thanking Trump over Biden, which American president played a crucial role in the ceasefire deal remains unclear. With inputs from agencies. Hours after Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages, Khalil al-Haya, a senior leader of the terrorist group, hailed the October 7 attack and said it will forever be a source of pride for our people read more Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya flashes the V-sign for victory as people take to the streets to celebrate the ceasefire brokered by Egypt between Israel and the two main Palestinian armed groups in the Gaza Strip, in Gaza City on May 21, 2021. (Photo: AFP) Senior Hamas leader Khalil al-Haya has hailed the October 7 attack on Israel and said it remains as a source of pride for Palestinians. On October 7, 20243, Hamas led a coalition of Palestinian terrorist groups and invaded Israel by land, air, and sea. In a rampage that lasted for days, it killed around 1,200 people, injured thousands, and abducted 251 people and took them to the Gaza Strip as hostages. Israel retaliated with a war on Hamas that has since reduced Hamas to a shadow of its former self, killed its leaders, and devastated much of Gaza. Advertisement After more than a year of negotiations mediated by Qatar and Egypt and facilitated by the United States, Israel and Hamas on Wednesday reached a deal for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and release of hostages held by terrorists. Hours after the deal, Al-Haya, who was Hamas chief negotiator in indirect talks with Israel, announced the deal as the defeat of Israel and reiterated the groups commitment to the destruction of Israel. October 7 attack will forever be a source of pride Referring to one of the worst terrorist attacks in history and the biggest single-day killing of Jews since the Holocaust, Al-Haya said that the attack will forever be a source of pride for our people. Al-Haya dubbed the deal with Israel as a historic moment and as a defeat for Israel. Our people have thwarted the declared and hidden goals of the occupation. Today we prove that the occupation will never defeat our people and their resistance, said Al-Hayya, according to an English translation of the speech. Praising the Oct. 7 attack, he said it was military accomplishment and a source of pride for our people. Reiterating the commitment to the destruction of Israel, Al-Haya said that Hamas would continue to work to remove Israel from its territories. Our people will expel the occupation from our lands and from Jerusalem in the earliest time possible, said Al-Haya. Hamas along with its ally Iran reject Israels right to exist and are committed to its destruction. Al-Haya went on to say that Palestinians will never see a moment of weakness from us. Even as Hamas has been ousted as the ruler of Gaza and most of its fighters at the beginning of the war have been killed and thousands more have been imprisoned, it is far from being eradicated. The US intelligence assessment has said that Hamas has replaced nearly all terrorists killed by Israel with new recruits. Moreover, the lack of any policing or governance mechanism in Gaza as Israel has neither set up interim administration nor allowed the Palestinian Authority (PA) to take over areas freed of Hamas, the terrorist group continues to have indirect control of large swathes of Gaza. Advertisement The Russian government declared a federal emergency in response to the oil spill. Cleanup efforts have involved around 8,500 volunteers and emergency personnel read more People work to clean up tons of fuel oil that spilled out of two storm-stricken tankers in the Kerch Strait, in Russia's southern Krasnodar region. AP Nearly 150 volunteers and workers cleaning up a massive oil spill along the Black Sea coast have sought medical help in the past month, health officials in Russias Krasnodar region said Wednesday (January 15). Krasnodar Health Minister Yevgeny Filippov reported that 146 individuals required medical attention during the ongoing cleanup efforts. Of those, three were hospitalised while 142 received outpatient treatment. Filippov did not specify the nature of the health issues but said no medical cases had been reported in Crimea, where the spill has also reached. He added that six medical stations were established in affected areas, and mobile medical teams are patrolling cleanup zones, Moscow Times reported. Advertisement The announcement followed the death of a 17-year-old university student who had reportedly been helping with cleanup efforts in the resort town of Anapa. The exact cause of death remains unknown, but pro-Kremlin media suggested the teenager may have been exposed to toxic fumes. Over 8500 volunteers cleaning oil spill The oil spill occurred on December 15, when two aging tankers carrying 9,200 metric tons of mazut, a heavy fuel oil, were caught in storms in the Kerch Strait between southern Russia and Crimea. One vessel sank, while the other ran aground. Mazut is particularly challenging to clean due to its tendency to sink rather than float on water. The Russian government declared a federal emergency in response to what President Vladimir Putin has described as one of the countrys most severe environmental disasters in recent years. Cleanup efforts have involved around 8,500 volunteers and emergency personnel. Obviously not enough During a visit to the region on Sunday (January 12), Putin criticised the response as obviously not enough, noting that the spill had contaminated large stretches of coastline, killing sea birds and marine mammals. The oil has spread as far west as Sevastopol in Crimea and east to southern Russian beaches, affecting thousands of tons of sand and soil. Authorities are continuing efforts to contain the damage and mitigate the environmental impact. With inputs from agencies The British government says Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a 100-Year Partnership treaty in Kyiv covering areas including defense, science, energy and trade. read more British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraines capital on Thursday with a pledge to help guarantee the countrys security for a century, days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president. The British government says Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a 100-Year Partnership treaty in Kyiv covering areas including defense, science, energy and trade. Starmers unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since he took office in July. He visited the country in 2023 when he was opposition leader, and has twice held talks with Zelenskyy in London since becoming prime minister. Advertisement On a gray and frosty morning, Starmer was greeted at Kyiv railway station by the U.K. ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, and Ukraines envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The U.K., one of Ukraines biggest military backers, has pledged 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid since Russias full-scale invasion three years ago, and has trained more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Starmer is to announce another 40 million pounds ($49 million) for Ukraines postwar economic recovery. But the U.K.s role is dwarfed by that of the United States, and there is deep uncertainty over the fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The president-elect has balked at the cost of U.S. aid to Kyiv, says he wants to bring the war to a swift end and is planning to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, for whom he has long expressed admiration. Kyivs allies have rushed to flood Ukraine with as much support as possible before Trumps inauguration, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war. Zelenskyy has said that in any peace negotiation, Ukraine would need assurances about its future protection from its much bigger neighbor. Advertisement Britain says its 100-year pledge is part of that assurance and will help ensure Ukraine is never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and attempted a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The deal commits the two sides to cooperate on defense especially maritime security against Russian activity in the Batlic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov and on technology projects including drones, which have become vital weapons for both sides in the war. The treaty also includes a system to help track stolen Ukrainian grain exported by Russia from occupied parts of the country. Advertisement Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level, Starmer said ahead of the visit. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come. Zelenskyy says he and Starmer also will discuss a plan proposed by French President Emmanuel Macron that would see troops from France and other Western countries stationed in Ukraine to oversee a ceasefire agreement. Advertisement Zelenskyy has said any such proposal should go alongside a timeline for Ukraine to join NATO. The alliances 32 member countries say that Ukraine will join one day, but not until after the war. Trump has appeared to sympathize with Putins position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. As the grinding war nears the three-year mark, both Russia and Ukraine are pushing for battlefield gains ahead of possible peace talks. Ukraine has started a second offensive in Russias Kursk region, where it is struggling to hang onto a chunk of territory it captured last year, and has stepped up drone and missile attacks on weapons sites and fuel depots inside Russia. Advertisement Moscow is slowly taking territory at the cost of high casualties along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in eastern Ukraine and launching intense barrages at Ukraines energy system, seeking to deprive Ukrainians of heat and light in the depths of winter. A major Russian ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday compelled authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas. The United States remains the largest donor to the UN, which is already facing significant budget pressures, spurring palpable anxiety over the prospect of funding cuts read more Donald Trump dances to the song 'YMCA' by the Village People, while walking off stage following his remarks at a campaign event at the Robeson County Fairgrounds in Lumberton, North Carolina, October 24, 2020. The trio will now perform at one of the inaugural balls. File photo/Reuters With just days to go before Donald Trump again enters the White House, anxiety is rising across UN agencies fearful he could wreak even more havoc than last time. During Trumps first term in office, Washington slashed its contributions to United Nations operations and agencies, stormed out of the UN Human Rights Council, exited the Paris climate accord and the education agency UNESCO, and began withdrawing from the World Health Organization. But while Trumps first administration did not get to the harshest measures until later in the term, experts warn things could move faster this time. I dont think Trump is going to hang about so long this time, Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group told AFP. Advertisement Hes likely to walk away from those UN mechanisms and arrangements that he boycotted before without much ceremony. The United States remains the largest donor to the UN, which is already facing significant budget pressures, spurring palpable anxiety over the prospect of funding cuts. UN officials have scrambled to emphasise the value of US partnership. The cooperation between the United States and the United Nations is a critical pillar of international relations, and the UN system, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN chief Antonio Guterres, told AFP. But the love is not always mutual. Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, whom Trump has tapped to become his UN ambassador, has described the organisation as a corrupt, defunct and paralysed institution. And fears abound that Republicans in Congress could push ahead with a bill calling to defund the organisation completely. Total exit unlikely Jussi Hanhimaki, an international history professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, played down that threat. The total exit is unlikely, he told AFP, suggesting that Washington would not want to cede the leverage it has within the UN system. The best argument against the US wholesale withdrawal is (that) China will become more and more influential, he said. During Trumps first term, China and its allies clearly expanded their influence in the bodies he left in Geneva, like the Human Rights Council. Outgoing US ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Sheba Crocker, highlighted that some of our strategic rivals are heavily invested in promoting their interests in Geneva. Advertisement That, she told AFP in an email, is why I believe the United States will remain engaged, and why I believe it is in our interest to do so. The exiting administration of Joe Biden has protected against another high-profile walk-out from the Human Rights Council, by opting not to re-apply for membership. Hanhimaki suggested that the World Trade Organization might face the most challenging times to start with, pointing to Trumps focus on imposing tariffs on traditional foes and allies alike. Very worried There is particular concern about funding for reproductive rights-linked programmes. During Trumps first term, Washington cut funding to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), which works to improve reproductive and maternal health worldwide. Advertisement Were very worried, said Rachel Moynihan, deputy director of UNFPAs Washington office. But the agency, which says US contributions allowed it to prevent 3,800 likely deaths during pregnancy in 2023 alone, is accustomed to seeing its funding cut during Republican administrations. We are a resilient agency, Moynihan told AFP. Other agencies may be less prepared, with UN Women expected to be in the firing line, as was the UN rights office. And word on the street in Geneva is that the new Trump administration aims to withdraw from the WHO on day one. Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Centre at the Geneva Graduate Institute, said that would be a mistake. Advertisement Having a well-functioning, impartial WHO is very much in the US national interest, she told AFP. Another withdrawal would certainly leave Washington with a less influential voice, she warned. Painful The WHO has been seeking to broaden its funding base since the last debacle, but Washington remains its largest donor. Asked last month about the threat, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters he believed the new administration would do the right thing. Moon said the WHO could clearly survive a US withdrawal. But it would be painful The real question is, which priorities get downgraded, which programmes? And what do other countries do on the finances? Last time Trump was in power, European countries rallied to keep targeted UN agencies afloat. But the Europeans now have made it clear that they do not have spare cash lying around to ride to the rescue of the UN, said Gowan, of the International Crisis Group. Advertisement Agencies likely to see funding slashed are already mulling alternatives and cost cuts, observers say. Hanhimaki said reflections on alternative sources of funding were healthy. Its quite foolhardy to rely upon a country that is politically volatile as your long-term source of funding. Last year in November, President-elect Donald Trump pledged big tariffs on the United States three largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China - detailing how he will implement campaign promises that could trigger trade wars read more With just days to go before Donald Trump takes over Americas presidency, Canada is preparing to pour in billions of dollars to tackle the US upcoming tariff measures. The countermeasures are expected to impact US exports, according to a report by the New York Times. Last year in November, President-elect Donald Trump pledged big tariffs on the United States three largest trading partners - Canada, Mexico and China - detailing how he will implement campaign promises that could trigger trade wars. Advertisement Trump, who takes office on January 20, said he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico until they clamped down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and migrants crossing the border, in a move that would appear to violate a free-trade deal. Everything is on the table, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a news conference on Wednesday. What are the measures taken by Canada? Canada has unveiled a range of measures to strengthen border security, including increasing personnel and enhancing technology. On Wednesday, the government announced the deployment of Blackhawk helicopters and additional drones to enhance surveillance along the shared border. Trudeau has said that Canada will pursue an eye-for-eye approach to mitigate the effects of Washingtons aggressive economic moves against Ottawa. These measures would see Canada impose tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods exported to the United States. Canada might introduce tariffs on major US imports like orange juice, according to officials. However, Prime Minister Trudeau admitted on Wednesday that tariffs from either side would ultimately harm both nations and their consumers. The Team Canada approach In an effort to negotiate or at least divert the negative effects Trumps 25 per cent tariff plan might have on Canadas economy, Trudeau is planning to resurrect his Team Canada approach that he employed on Trump during his previous presidency. A Canadian source told Global and Mail that Trudeau will also revive the lobby campaign it used in 2017 and 2018 where he would encourage premiers and business leaders to influence their US contacts to nudge Congress leaders in the other direction. On Tuesday, Trudeau said he had a good call with Donald Trump and discussed how intense and effective connections are between Canada and the US. Advertisement Not everyone on board As Trudeau braces for an all-out trade war with the upcoming Trump administration, he is expecting Team Canada to stick with him. However, not everyone is on board with Trudeaus plan. Danielle Smith, Alberta provinces Premier, has refused to sign a joint statement on how Canada should respond to Trumps tariff threats. Federal government officials continue to publicly and privately float the idea of cutting off energy supply to the US and imposing export tariffs on Alberta energy and other products to the United States, Smith said on X. She added, Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal governments plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs. Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. Advertisement The Register of Damages for Ukraine was opened last year and is designed to function as a record of all eligible claims seeking reparation for the damage, loss and injury following Moscows February 24, 2022 attack on its neighbour read more Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones in the war can now get compensated for their loss through a mechanism called the Register of Damages for Ukraine. On Thursday, the day that the system opened to the public, the Register of Damages for Ukraine based in The Hague received thousands of requests from people whose close relatives died as a result of the Russian invasion. The institution was opened last year and is designed to function as a record of all eligible claims seeking reparation for the damage, loss and injury following Moscows February 24, 2022 attack on its neighbour. Advertisement Starting today, family members who lost a close relative due to Russias fullscale invasion of Ukraine may seek compensation for their own mental pain and anguish by submitting a claim, the Register said. This marks a significant step forward in addressing the immense personal suffering caused by Russias aggression, providing a pathway for families to seek justice and recognition for their profound loss, it said in a statement. How will it work? The Register was established by the Council of Europe and joined by the European Union and will ultimately work out a financial total to extract reparations from Moscow. Last year, a category was introduced for claiming damages and property destruction, which has now been expanded to include parents, spouses, civil partners, and children of individuals who lost their lives due to the invasion. How can people stake their claim? Relatives of the deceased can log into the Ukrainian digital system called Diia to register their claims. So far, some 13,000 claims amounting to more than 800 million euros ($821 million) have been received, in the initial category, the Register said. Claims by other family members may also be eligible if they can demonstrate a legitimate interest, by proving the existence of close ties and elements of dependence with the family member, the Register said. It added that a claimant will be required to provide information related to their identity, the identity of the dead, their relationship with the deceased and how they died. With inputs from AFP Obama received an invitation to the luncheon but declined to attend the event. Meanwhile, sources also confirmed Clinton was invited as well but he does not plan to attend read more Former President Barack Obama talks with President-elect Donald Trump, next to Melania Trump, as they arrive to attend the state funeral for former president Jimmy Carter at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, on Thursday. AP Former US Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will not be attending the traditional inaugural brunch of President-elect Donald Trump. According to NBC News, Obama received an invitation to the luncheon but declined to attend the event. Meanwhile, sources also confirmed Clinton was invited as well but he does not plan to attend. Bushs team on the other hand maintained that it is not tracking any invitation to the luncheon. Another source told NBC News that former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton also received an invitation to the inaugural luncheon but will not be attending the event. Advertisement While they are not attending the inaugural luncheon, all three former presidents, however, will attend Trumps swearing-in ceremony, which will take place earlier in the day. The former first ladies will be attending the swearing-in-ceremony except Michelle Obama. Obamas office gave no reason for the First Ladys absence. It is pertinent to note that Michelle Obama did not attend former US President Jimmy Carters funeral, making hers the only absence among all living current and former presidents and first ladies. Former presidents shun Trump Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Trumps transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the absences. It is pertinent to note that Inauguration Day is one of the only occasions when all former living presidents come together to witness the swearing-in ceremony of the new American leader. However, in 2021, Trump declined to attend Bidens inauguration ceremony since the Republican leader remained adamant that he won the 2020 US Presidential Elections. During the 2024 presidential race, none of the living former presidents supported Trumps candidacy. Bush, who is a Republican himself, did not make an endorsement, and Obama and Clinton actively campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris. In 2017, the Clintons attended the luncheon after Trump defeated Hillary Clinton. During the brunch, the business mogul encouraged a standing ovation for her. I was very honoured, very, very honoured when I heard that President Bill Clinton and Secretary Hillary Clinton was coming today, Trump said at the time. The tradition of inaugural brunch stems from a lunch the Senate Committee on Arrangements hosted in 1897. According to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), the event was hosted by then-President William McKinley and guests at the Capitol. In 1953, the JCCIC began hosting the luncheon for the incoming president and vice president and their guests. Key politicians who attend the event usually deliver speeches and toast the new administration. Advertisement With inputs from agencies. In his farewell address from the Oval Office, US President Joe Biden delivered a warning of an unelected oligarchy taking power in America. He echoed Dwight Eisenhowers warning about the military-industrial complex read more In his farewell address to the nation, US President Joe Biden paid an ode to his five-decade-long political career. While speaking from the Oval Office, the oldest sitting president of the United States traced the history of the country and used the Statue of Liberty to describe what the United States represents. He went on to call the monument an enduring symbol of the soul of our nation, recalling the mantra of his 2020 presidential campaign. Advertisement One of the first topics Biden addressed in the speech was the recent ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas. He emphasised how he and his team laid out the framework of the deal and kept US President-elect Donald Trumps transition team in the loop. During his address, Biden raised warnings of unelected oligarchs who he claimed had taken over American politics. He also raised concerns about the concentration of power, wealth and technology in the hands of the few. Biden calls past four years one of the toughest periods in US history The outgoing presidents speech started with the mention of the ceasefire deal agreed by Israel and Hamas. Biden said that the deal was developed and negotiated by his administration, reiterating remarks from earlier. He went on to claim that the past four years have been one of the toughest periods in our nations history. Every day, Ive kept my commitment to being president for all Americans for one of the toughest periods in our nations history, he said. He thanked US Vice President Kamala Harris, referring to her as a great partner. One of the key takeaways of Bidens address was his attack on the spread of misinformation across the country. He emphasised that misinformation and disinformation is leading to an abuse of power in the United States. The free press is crumbling and as its disappearing, social media is giving up on fact-checking, he said. Bidens remarks can be seen as his condemnation of Facebooks parent company Metas decision to end fact-checking in the United States. America is heading towards Oligarchy While taking potshots at the upcoming administration, the POTUS insisted that an Oligarchy is taking shape in America. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights, their freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, he remarked. We see the consequences all across America, he added. Biden warned against granting the presidency unchecked power, saying extreme" wealth, power and influence literally threatens our entire democracy. While alluding to the case of President-elect Donald Trump, Biden said that no president of the US should be immune of any crimes. Throughout the whole address, Biden did not mention that the attack was directed towards his successor Donald Trump. Advertisement In his 18-minute-long address, Biden warned about the new threats of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation, he said. He also emphasised the existential threat of climate change. Protection of the environment and climate garnered major attention in his address after deadly wildfires wreaked havoc in Los Angeles, California. Finally, he thanked his family and Harris calling her a historic Vice President. While concluding his speech, Biden insisted that Harris was an incredible partner during his run as the president. It is pertinent to note that Harris was the first female and first woman of colour to hold that office. However, she lost the 2024 presidential race to Trump, months after Biden dropped out. Advertisement At the Oval Office Biden was joined by his inner circle, which included, Vice-President Kamala Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Hunter Biden and his wife Melissa Cohen Biden. US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for Attorney General Pam Bondi defended her credentials at the Senate confirmation hearing. She described herself as apolitical prosecutor but continued to remain a Trump loyalist read more The upcoming US Attorney General, Pam Bondi, fended off the onslaught she received from Democratic Senators Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday. During the hearing, Bondi told the lawmakers that she would continue to maintain the independence of the Justice Department from the White House as US President-elect Donald Trump gears up to take power. At the confirmation hearing, Bondi walked a fine line between showcasing herself as a nonpolitical prosecutor and as a Trump loyalist. Many Democratic senators feared that she would find it challenging to resist the political pressure of Trump. Bondi made it clear that she would not allow the FBI to pursue Trumps perceived enemies, as identified by FBI director nominee Kash Patel. Advertisement I will meet with the White House counsel and appropriate officials and follow the contacts policy, Bondi said, adding later that there would never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice. However, she repeatedly avoided claiming that Trump lost the 2020 US Presidential Election against current President Joe Biden. What was the outcome of the hearing? During the hearing, Bondi dodged giving her take on hypotheticals like what she would do if Trump asked her to use the justice department for his benefits. I wouldnt be attorney general if anyone asked me to do something improper and I felt I had to carry that out, she averred when asked if she would resign if Trump asked her to do something illegal. However, Bondis loyalty towards Trump raised concerns among the Senate. It is pertinent to note that during his first stint in the White House, Trump replaced his first attorney general, Jeff Sessions, after he recused himself from the investigation into the Trump campaigns contacts with Russia. The Republican firebrand also soured on his last attorney general, William Barr, after he refused to endorse Trumps false 2020 election claims. After the hearing, the committee concluded that Bondi, the former Florida attorney general and longtime state prosecutor, was sufficiently qualified and experienced to lead the department in Trumps second term. When asked what she would do if she is presented with a conflict of interest Bondi said: I will consult with the career ethics officials within the Department of Justice and make the appropriate decision." However, she declined to say upfront if she would rescue herself or not. Bondi was graduated in 1987 from the University of Florida. She earned her law degree in 1990 from Stetson University. She served as a county prosecutor in Florida before successfully running for Florida attorney general in 2010. Her frequent appearances on Fox News also helped boost her career. With input from agencies. Advertisement A day after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Moscow had planned acts of air terror against global airlines, the Kremlin on Thursday dismissed Warsaws claim, calling it completely unsubstantiated accusation against Russia read more A day after Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Moscow had planned acts of air terror against global airlines, the Kremlin on Thursday dismissed Warsaws claim, calling it completely unsubstantiated accusation against Russia. Polands interior minister stated earlier Thursday that Tusk was referencing reports regarding incendiary devices sent on planes heading to the West. Historically strained, relations between Warsaw and Moscow have plummeted to new lows since Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with Poland emerging as one of Kyivs key allies. Advertisement This is nothing more than another completely unsubstantiated accusation against Russia, AFP quoted Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov as saying. During Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskys visit to Warsaw a day earlier, Tusk said that Russia had planned acts of air terror, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world. He said he will not go into details. Polish Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak told state radio that Tusk had referred to placing explosives in packages that were sent by courier companies, also by air. There was no doubt that such actions were carried out at the behest of the Russian services, Siemoniak said, adding that Polish and other Western services managed to foil the alleged plot. Poland - the only NATO member to share a border with both Russia and Ukraine - has accused Russia of sabotage on Polish soil throughout Moscows offensive. Poland was also among several countries to accuse Russia of sabotage on air travel infrastructure, including fires in packages meant for cargo planes, late last year. US media in November cited Western security officials as saying they believed that the fires - some of which targeted cargo transported by the global DHL company - were part of a Russian sabotage plot. Advertisement Canada in November accused Russia of cyber incidents over the alleged plot, which Western countries said involved civilian airlines. With inputs from agencies US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday expressed confidence that the Gaza ceasefire will start as planned on Sunday, with reports also emerging that Israeli cabinet is now expected to convene on Friday to ratify the deal, according to a report read more A woman and a child look at pictures and memorabilia related to fallen soldiers, hostages and people killed during the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas, ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at a public square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Thursday. Reuters US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that the ceasefire in Gaza will start as planned on Sunday, despite negotiators needing to resolve a loose end at the last minute. When asked at a press conference on Thursday how confident he feels that the ceasefire will actually happen, The Guardian quoted Blinken as saying, On the ceasefire, I am confident. I fully expect that implementation will begin on Sunday, he added. Advertisement He noted that the process of negotiations has been challenging and that you may get a loose end. Were tying up that loose end as we speak. Ive been on the phone in one way or another all morning with (White House Middle East adviser) Brett McGurk, with our Qatari friends, and Im very confident that we will (see this) moving forward, and that well see the start of the implementation of the agreement on Sunday, he added. Meanwhile, according to Axios, citing an Israeli official, the remaining disputes over the truce have been resolved and the Israeli cabinet is now expected to convene on Friday morning to ratify the deal. Israel had delayed holding a cabinet meeting to ratify the ceasefire with Hamas, blaming Hamas for the hold-up, even as Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza with airstrikes which Palestinian authorities said killed more than 80 people in the day since the truce was unveiled. Hamas senior official Izzat el-Reshiq said the group remained committed to the ceasefire deal, scheduled to take effect from Sunday to halt 15-months of bloodshed. A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the last remaining dispute was over the identities of some prisoners Hamas wanted released. President Joe Bidens envoy McGurk and President-elect Donald Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff were both in Doha with Egyptian and Qatari mediators working to resolve the issue. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters Israeli negotiators were in Doha to reach a solution. The complex ceasefire accord emerged on Wednesday after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US to stop the war that began with deadly Hamas attacks on Israel and saw Israeli forces kill tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastate Gaza. Advertisement The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Hostages taken by Hamas would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. It paves the way for a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza, where the majority of the population has been displaced, facing hunger, sickness and cold. Rows of aid trucks were lined up in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish waiting to cross into Gaza, once the border is reopened. Peace could also have wider benefits across the Middle East, from heading off war between Israel and Iran to ending disruption to global trade from Yemens Houthi movement which has attacked ships in the Red Sea. Advertisement Israels acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the security cabinet and government. A vote had been slated for Thursday, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the meeting, accusing Hamas of making last-minute demands. The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement, Netanyahus office had said. Hardliners in Netanyahus government were still hoping to stop the deal, though a majority of ministers were expected to back it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrichs party said its condition for remaining in the government would be a return to fighting at the end of the truces first phase. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has also threatened to quit. Advertisement In Jerusalem, some Israelis marched through the streets carrying mock coffins in protest at the ceasefire, blocking roads and scuffling with police. Calls for faster implementation Palestinians who rejoiced at the deals announcement were desperate for the bombing to stop as soon as possible. We lose homes every hour. We demand for this joy not to go away, the joy that was drawn on our faces - dont waste it by delaying the implementation of the truce until Sunday, Reuters quoted Gazan man Mahmoud Abu Wardeh as saying. The day after the truce announcement saw some of the most intense Israeli bombardment for months. Gazas health ministry said at least 81 people had been killed over the past 24 hours and about 188 injured. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said at least 77 of those were killed since the ceasefire announcement. Advertisement An Israeli military spokesperson said the military was looking into the reports. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen burst into Israeli border-area communities on October 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. If successful, the ceasefire would halt fighting that has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza, killed over 46,000 people, and displaced most of the tiny enclaves pre-war population of 2.3 million, according to Gaza authorities. The first phase would see the release of 33 hostages from among around 98 still in Gaza - alive and dead. Israel would free around 1,000 Palestinian detainees. With inputs from agencies The New York Times cited two Iranian officials as claiming that Musk facilitated Salas release by contacting Irans ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani. However, Iran has publicly denied Musks involvement read more The release of Italian journalist Cecilia Sala from an Iranian prison has sparked speculation about the involvement of tech billionaire Elon Musk, with Tehran dismissing reports of his role as a media fantasy. Cecilia Sala, a 29-year-old journalist, was arrested in Iran in December, setting off fears she could face a prolonged detention. Her release last week coincided with Italy freeing an Iranian engineer accused of aiding militias that attacked a US base, raising speculation of a backchannel deal. Advertisement Salas boyfriends request to Musk Salas boyfriend, journalist Daniele Raineri, had said in an interview that he sought Musks help after hearing of the billionaires links to Iranian diplomats. He reached out through an intermediary, Andrea Stroppa, an Italian computer expert and Musk associate, on December 29. Stroppa confirmed he relayed the request to Musk, who had acknowledged it. However, the computer expert said he was unaware of Musks subsequent actions. Officials claim Musk facilitated Salas release The New York Times cited two Iranian officials, including a senior diplomat, as claiming that Musk facilitated Salas release by contacting Irans ambassador to the United Nations, Amir Saeid Iravani. These officials claimed that Musk reconnected with Iravani after Italys Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Mar-a-Lago to meet President-elect Donald Trump earlier this month. Meloni described Salas release as a product of diplomatic triangulation with Iran and the United States. Adding intrigue, Musk had reportedly met with Iravani in November, weeks before Ms. Salas detention, to discuss US-Iran tensions. These interactions, combined with Musks ties to Trump and Meloni, have fuelled speculation about his behind-the-scenes role in the release. The timing of the releases has drawn scrutiny. Sala was freed on January 8, and four days later, Italy released Iranian engineer Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, who was wanted by the US for his alleged role in supplying drone technology to militias. Iran denies Musks involvement Iran has publicly denied Musks involvement. Esmail Baqaei, spokesperson for Irans Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissed the claims as storytelling and media fantasy. A senior Biden administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized the swap, saying the US was neither consulted nor informed in advance. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby characterized the exchange as an Italian decision from soup to nuts. Meloni notably did not confirm Musks involvement. If he had a role, I am not aware of it, she said during a press conference. Advertisement The ambiguity surrounding Musks role only serves to show his unconventional foray into diplomacy. Whether Musk was a key player or a convenient narrative in the diplomatic web, one thing is clear: his presence in global affairs is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. A large number of Palestinians in Gaza stepped out of their houses to celebrate Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that was agreed on Wednesday, bringing pause to 15-month-old conflict read more Palestinians celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Source: AP. Joy and excitement gripped across Gaza with Palestinians coming out of their houses and celebrating the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas, bringing a halt to the 15-month-old conflict. Qatar, a mediator, announced the deal on Wednesday, but Israeli authorities cautioned that some points remain unresolved. Cheer, drums beating The announcement of truce sprung people to joy. Almost everyone at Deir el-Balahs Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital stepped out and chanted, chanted, embraced, and waved flags with excitement. Palestinians celebrating ahead of the announcement of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/XiOGFJSQup Eye on Palestine (@EyeonPalestine) January 15, 2025 Advertisement Nightmare of over a year finally comes to an end In Khan Yunis, people gathered in large numbers, with some young men hopping and moving on the shoulders of others, beating drums and cheering in celebration. Celebrations begin in #Gaza as a #ceasefire brings hope to thousands, filling the streets with joy and unity. pic.twitter.com/ZtT4e1Vv2c Khaleej Times (@khaleejtimes) January 15, 2025 Residents in Gaza City, shared a bittersweet moment, as they expressed joy over the ceasefire, but also mourned the many lives lost in the conflict. I cant believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, weve lost everything. We need a lot of rest. As soon as the truce begins, I will go to the cemetery to visit my brother and family members. We buried them in Deir el-Balah cemetery without proper graves. We will build them new graves and write their names on them, a report by Al Jazeera quoted a displaced man from Gaza City as saying. The people of Gaza are celebrating. They are chanting: "We are the men of Mohammed Deif" "Salute to the Al-Qassam brigades" The women, the children, and the men are celebrating the 'Hamas victory.' There will never be peace with these monsters. pic.twitter.com/F0mKxva1i8 REAL JEW (@THEREALJEW613) January 16, 2025 Joy despite everything we lost I feel joy, despite everything weve lost," the report cited 27-year-old Abdul Karim as saying. I cant believe I will finally see my wife and two children again. They left for the south almost a year ago. I hope they allow the displaced to return quickly," Karim further said. Advertisement Celebrations in Lebanon The celebrations spread to Lebanon too where people gathered on streets and burst firecrackers as well as chanted religious slogans. LEBANON IS CELEBRATING GAZAS VICTORY. pic.twitter.com/I7R1vQZk0X Jackson Hinkle (@jacksonhinklle) January 15, 2025 Israel-Hamas ceasefire The Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal reached on January 15 involved three key negotiators- Egypt, the US and Qatar. Steve Witkoff, the Middle East envoy of incoming US President Donald Trump, was also part of the negotiation in Qatar. Meanwhile, both US President Joe Biden and President-elect Trump took credit for a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages agreement. However, announcing the ceasefire, Biden emphasised that the final agreement closely aligned with a proposal he introduced in May. As per the ceasefire deal, the fighting will remain paused for 42 days and the release of 33 hostages held in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. Advertisement With inputs from agencies Buying a factory would allow China to build influence in Germanys prized auto industry, home to some of the oldest and most prestigious car brands read more Chinese officials and automakers are eyeing German factories slated for closure and are particularly interested in Volkswagens sites, a person with knowledge of Chinese government thinking told Reuters. Buying a factory would allow China to build influence in Germanys prized auto industry, home to some of the oldest and most prestigious car brands, the person said. Chinese companies have invested across a range of industries in Europes biggest economy, from telecommunications to robotics, but have yet to set up traditional car manufacturing there despite Mercedes-Benz having two large Chinese shareholders. Advertisement Any such move could mark Chinas most politically sensitive investment yet. VW has long been a symbol of Germanys industrial prowess, now threatened by a global economic slowdown hitting demand and creaking transition to green technologies. Building cars in Germany for sale in Europe would allow Chinas EV makers to avoid paying EU tariffs on electric cars imported from China and could pose a further threat to European manufacturers competitiveness. While bids could come from private companies, state-owned businesses or joint ventures with foreign players, Chinese authorities reserve the right to approve certain investments abroad and are likely to be involved in any offer from early in the process. Investment decisions would hinge on the new German governments stance towards China after an election in February, the person said. The two economies became deeply intertwined during Angela Merkels 16 years in office, fuelled by investments and exports from German carmakers to China. But relations have cooled as the current coalition pushes to reduce dependence on China. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has described President Xi Jinping as a dictator, and China as a rival. A source from Germanys foreign office said China had evolved to become a systemic rival. Volkswagen is exploring alternative uses for its Dresden and Osnabrueck factories under a cost-cutting drive to pare back its German operations. Europes biggest automaker, which owns brands including Porsche, Audi and Skoda, has suffered a fall in sales in the face of rising competition from Chinese companies. Advertisement VW executives wanted to close several plants but faced resistance from unions. In a deal struck before Christmas they agreed to end production in Dresden, a 340-worker plant making the electric ID.3, from 2025, and Osnabrueck, where 2,300 employees produce the T-Roc Cabrio, from 2027. VW would be open to selling the Osnabrueck factory to a Chinese buyer, a person familiar with the companys thinking told Reuters. We are committed to finding a continued use for the site. The goal must be a viable solution that takes into account the interests of the company and employees, a spokesperson said, declining to comment specifically on speculation about an offer. Advertisement Chinese companies are concerned about how they would be received by German unions, which hold half the seats on German companies advisory boards and seek far-reaching site and job guarantees, the person familiar with Chinas thinking said. Stephan Soldanski, a union representative from Osnabrueck, said workers at the plant would have nothing against producing for one of Volkswagens China-based joint venture partners. I could imagine that we would produce something for a China joint venture . but under the VW logo and under VW standards. That is the key condition, he said. Baghdads push to dismantle armed groups working outside of the state apparatus comes as Iran-backed Hamas and Hezbollah have taken heavy blows, and Bashar al-Assads government in Syria has been replaced by rebel forces read more Baghdad is attempting to pursuade strong Iran-backed armed factions in Iraq to lay down their weapons or join official security forces, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said. These Iran-backed groups have fought US forces and fired rockets and drones at Israel. In an interview with Reuters during his official visit to London, Hussein said the government was negotiating to control the groups while maintaining a balance between its relationships with Washington and Tehran. Two or three years ago it was impossible to discuss this topic in our society, he said, but the presence of armed groups operating outside the authority of the state is now deemed unacceptable. Advertisement Many political leaders, many political parties started to raise a discussion, and I hope that we can convince the leaders of these groups to lay down their arms, and then to be part of the armed forces under the responsibility of the government, Hussein said. Hussein even said Baghdad was ready to help diffuse tensions between Washington and Tehran if asked. The backdrop: Changing geopolitical scenario Baghdads push to dismantle armed groups working outside of the state apparatus comes amid a swiftly changing landscape in West Asia as Tehrans allies in Gaza and Lebanon have taken heavy blows, and Bashar al-Assads government in Syria has been replaced by rebel forces. Half a world away, in the US, the day President-elect Donald Trump takes charge is right around the corner. The incoming administration has promised to pile more pressure on Iran, which has long backed a number of political parties and an array of armed factions in Iraq. During Trumps presidency over four years ago, Washingtons relations with West Asian players grew tense as he ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020. That led to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on an Iraqi base housing US forces. With inputs from agencies CCTV: On January 15, Israel and Hamas reached an agreement on ceasefire in Gaza and release of people being held. Do you have any comment? Guo Jiakun: China welcomes the agreement and hopes that this agreement will be implemented effectively and that there will be a full and permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Since the outbreak of the current round of conflict in Gaza, China has been calling for an early ceasefire and working actively for deescalation, protection of civilians and humanitarian assistance. China supports the implementation of the ceasefire deal and will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and make strong effort for the resumption of post-war reconstruction. We also sincerely hope that relevant parties will take the ceasefire in Gaza as an opportunity to further deescalate the tensions in the region. China will work with the international community to make unremitting effort for peace and stability in the Middle East. Xinhua News Agency: China has recently submitted to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) the first biennial transparency report and the fourth biennial update report. The two reports give an overview of Chinas achievements in climate response, including progress in realizing nationally determined contribution targets, rolling out climate mitigation policies, and cutting emissions. Whats your comment on Chinas role in global climate governance in recent years? Guo Jiakun: Climate change is a major global challenge. China attaches great importance to climate response and is one of the first countries to become a party to the UNFCCC and to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement. The two reports that China submitted recently reflect its transparency and professionalism on information sharing, and showcase various dimensions of Chinas policies, measures, results and experience in climate governance. The reports offer a glimpse of Chinas resolve in and actions on actively responding to climate change and deeply engaging in global climate governance. China has never stopped promoting green development. The reports mentioned that in 2021, CO2 emissions per unit of GDP dropped by 50.9 percent compared with 2005 (the base year of nationally determined contributions). As public data shows, at the end of 2023, Chinas installed renewable energy capacity surpassed the thermal power capacity for the first time in history. China has never let up in its effort to promote global low-carbon transition. In 2023 alone, the wind and photovoltaic products exported by China helped relevant countries cut 810 million tonnes of CO2. Climate change requires a global response. China stands ready to work with all parties to uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, practice true multilateralism, and promote green development to protect the blue planet that we all call home. AFP: US President Joe Biden yesterday ordered a two-year extension of the program allowing Hong Kong residents living in the US to stay beyond the expiry of their visas. Does China have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: Since the return of Hong Kong, the implementation of One Country, Two Systems in Hong Kong has been a well-recognized success. The security, democracy, and peoples freedoms and rights in Hong Kong are now under better protection, and Hong Kong enjoys more promising development prospects. No design to vilify Hong Kong will ever succeed or weaken international confidence in Hong Kong. The US should respect Chinas sovereignty and the rule of law in Hong Kong, abide by the principles of international law and basic norms governing international relations, stop denigrating the Hong Kong policy of the Central Government and the implementation of One Country, Two Systems, and stop meddling in Hong Kong affairs. Yonhap News Agency: The incoming US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at his confirmation hearing referred to the DPRK as a nuclear power. The governments of the ROK, US and Japan reiterated that they do not recognize the status of the DPRK as a nuclear-armed state, and their denuclearization policy on the DPRK remains unchanged. How does China view Hegseths remarks? Guo Jiakun: Chinas basic position on the Korean Peninsula issue remains unchanged. We believe that keeping the Peninsula peaceful and stable, and advancing the political settlement of the Peninsula issue serve the common interests of all parties, and hope that all parties will make an effort to this end. AFP: Marco Rubio, Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of State, said yesterday at a confirmation hearing that China was the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary that the US has ever faced. Rubio also said that the US must show China that it will pay too high a price if it invades Taiwan. Does China have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: Chinas development is characterized by a distinct historical logic and strong endogenous driving force. There is nothing to hide about our goal, which is to deliver a better life for the people and make greater contribution to the world. We view and handle China-US relations in line with the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence, and win-win cooperation put forward by President Xi Jinping, and resolutely safeguard our own sovereignty, security, and development interests. The US needs to establish a right perception towards China, and stop its illegitimate attacks and smears on China. Taiwan is part of China and the Taiwan question is purely Chinas internal affair, which brooks no foreign interference. The greatest challenge to cross-Strait peace is Taiwan independence separatist activities and foreign interference and disruption. The US needs to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques, act on its commitment of not supporting Taiwan independence, stop abetting Taiwan independence separatist forces, and stop interfering in Chinas internal affairs on the Taiwan question. The Paper: Its reported that Taiwan foreign minister Lin Chia-lung will attend the inauguration of Palaus President as the special envoy of Taiwan president from January 15 to 18. Whats your comment? Guo Jiakun: Taiwan is a province of China. There is no such thing as president or foreign ministry of Taiwan. Theres only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. The one-China principle is a basic norm governing international relations and a prevailing consensus in the international community. The DPP authorities attempt of seeking Taiwan independence through foreign support and their secession attempt are doomed to fail. We also noted that while the DPP authorities are trying to consolidate their so-called diplomatic relations, friendly personages in countries such as Tuvalu, Palau and the Marshall Islands expressed to us on multiple occasions their willingness of establishing or restoring normal diplomatic relations with China. China establishing or restoring diplomatic ties with these countries is where global opinion trends and the arc of history bends, and is only a matter of time. Let me reiterate that its never too late to make new friends and China stands ready to open up new chapters for relations with these countries on the basis of the one-China principle. AFP: Three Chinese nationals have been sentenced to seven years in prison in the Democratic Republic of the Congos eastern region after being arrested in possession of gold bars and large sums of cash. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: The Chinese government always asks Chinese nationals overseas to abide by local laws and regulations. The Chinese Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has had communication with the DRC, and is properly handling the situation. We also hope that the DRC will handle the case lawfully and justly, and ensure the legitimate rights and interests of the Chinese nationals concerned. Bloomberg: Chinas Sinopec is reported to have signed a deal for an oil refinery in Sri Lanka. Could the Foreign Ministry comment on and characterize this deal? What does it say regarding the economic ties between China and Sri Lanka? Guo Jiakun: China and Sri Lanka are strategic cooperative partners with sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship. On the afternoon of January 15, President Xi Jinping held talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who was on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. President Xi noted that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, and robust and steady growth of bilateral ties over the past 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations. The relationship has set a shining example of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries. With the concerted efforts of both sides, the strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship between China and Sri Lanka has grown from strength to strength. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation and exchanges and collaboration in various fields have delivered fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples. China and Sri Lanka today have a historic opportunity to build on what has been achieved and take the relationship into the next chapter. It is important to view bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future. You may continue following the specific cooperation you mentioned. AFP: The US announced further export controls yesterday on advanced computing semiconductors, increasing due diligence requirements for businesses. Does China have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: On the recent flurry of trade and tech regulations aimed at China from the Biden administration, the Ministry of Commerce has made clear Chinas position. And China has lodged strong protests with the US. The US keeps overstretching the concept of national security, politicizing and weaponizing trade and tech issues, and using sanctions as a go-to tool. This seriously violates the legitimate rights and interests of companies from countries around the world, including China. This also jeopardizes market rules and the international trade order, destabilizes global industrial and supply chains, and undermines the common interests of US and other companies globally. What the US does is typical economic coercion and bullying. China deplores it and firmly opposes it. I want to stress that no sanction or suppression will stop Chinas development and progress, and no bullying or coercion will weaken Chinas resolve in boosting its own strengths. We will take resolute measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate and lawful rights and interests of Chinese companies and individuals and our countrys sovereignty, security, and development interests. Beijing, January 16, 2025 1.At the invitation of H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, H.E. Anura Kumara Disanayaka, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, paid a state visit to the People's Republic of China from January 14 to 17, 2025. 2.During the visit, President Anura Kumara Disanayaka held talks with President Xi Jinping, and met with H.E. Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council and H.E. Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the two sides had in-depth exchanges of views and reached extensive common understandings on deepening traditional friendship and advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and multi-sectoral practical cooperation between China and Sri Lanka, and on regional and international issues of mutual interest. 3. The two sides share the view that China and Sri Lanka have consistently respected each other, treated each other as equals and stood by each other over the 68 years of diplomatic ties, and set a fine example of friendly interactions and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries of different sizes. The two sides agreed to carry forward the spirit of independence, self-reliance, solidarity and mutual assistance enshrined in the Rubber-Rice Pact, follow the principles of mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual support, win-win cooperation and common development, stay committed to deepening the China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership based on sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship, and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, to bring greater benefits to the two countries and peoples. 4. The two sides agreed to maintain the momentum of close high-level exchanges to keep the strong strategic guidance by the leaders of the two countries over bilateral relations, to further strengthen bilateral exchanges between the two governments, legislative bodies and political parties to consolidate political mutual trust and share and learn from each other's governance and development experience, and make dedicated efforts to enhance China-Sri Lanka relations. 5. Both sides reaffirmed mutual support on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. Both sides reaffirm the authority of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and Sri Lanka reaffirmed its strong commitment to the one-China principle, recognizing that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. Sri Lanka firmly supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification, and opposes Taiwan independence in any form. Sri Lanka reiterated that it will never allow its territory to be used for any anti-China, separatist activities and will firmly support China on issues related to Xizang and Xinjiang. China reiterated that it will continue to firmly support Sri Lanka in safeguarding national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will respect and support Sri Lanka in independently choosing a development path suited to its national conditions. The Chinese side reiterated its commitment to an independent foreign policy of peace. Sri Lanka reiterated its commitment to an independent non-aligned foreign policy. 6. China congratulated Sri Lanka on successfully holding presidential and parliamentary elections in 2024, expressed its good wishes for the new Sri Lankan government to take the Sri Lankan people forward in economic and social development, unity, stability and prosperity, and conveyed its readiness to provide active support as the Sri Lankan government works to promote the sustainable development of the country. Sri Lanka commended the remarkable achievements China made in the new era, and expressed support for China to build a great modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through the Chinese path to modernization. Sri Lanka believes that China's drive to further deepen reform comprehensively and promote high-standard opening up will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's economic advancement. 7. Under the guidance and encouragement of leaders of both countries, China and Sri Lanka have produced fruitful outcomes in Belt and Road cooperation. Sri Lanka appreciates the important role of Belt and Road cooperation in its economic and social development and the livelihood of its people. The two sides agreed to advance all major signature projects including the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port integrated development, fully utilize such platforms as the Silk Road Workshop and carry out more livelihood programs in Sri Lanka in accordance with the principles of planning together, building together and benefiting together, open, green and clean cooperation, and high-standard, people-centered and sustainable development and following the eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping for supporting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. The two sides were pleased to sign a Belt and Road cooperation plan to upgrade China-Sri Lanka high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and jointly open up new space for win-win development of higher standard, stronger resilience and greater sustainability. 8. Sri Lanka expressed its high appreciation for the valuable support it has received from China in times of financial difficulties, including the vital assistance in restructuring China-related debts, which was a robust support for Sri Lanka in effectively dealing with the debt issue. Sri Lanka expressed its desire for the early implementation of the agreed debt restructuring plan together with Chinese financial institutions. China will continue to play a positive role in the International Monetary Fund and maintain friendly communication with other creditors to help Sri Lanka ease its financial difficulties and achieve debt sustainability. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the People's Bank of China have renewed their currency swap agreement and will continue to carry out financial cooperation. 9. The two sides are satisfied with the progress of bilateral cooperation in economy and trade. Sri Lanka expressed appreciation to China for its effort to promote import from Sri Lanka through various means. China expressed its readiness to continue supporting Sri Lankan enterprises in the tea, gem and other industries in establishing ties with relevant Chinese associations of importers and exporters, facilitate Sri Lankas participation in expos such as the China International Import Expo, China Import and Export Fair, China-South Asia Exposition and e-commerce platforms, and further enhance cooperation between enterprises of the two countries on the basis of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. The two sides agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a comprehensive free trade agreement in one package in line with the principles of equality, mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Sri Lanka welcomes more business investment from China and will provide a conducive investment and business environment for this purpose. China will continue to encourage Chinese enterprises in investing in Sri Lanka to facilitate economic transformation and sustainable development in Sri Lanka. The two sides agreed to expand cooperation in such fields as logistics, green development, and digital economy to propel their high-quality and mutually beneficial practical cooperation. 10. The two sides shared positive evaluations of their wide-ranging cooperation and in-depth exchanges on agriculture. China conveyed its readiness to carry out training and demonstration programs with Sri Lanka in areas including bio-technologies for tropical crops, plant breeding and cultivation, and aquaculture to help Sri Lanka enhance its capacity for sustainable agricultural development; and welcome Sri Lanka to further expand its export of distinctive products to China, including tea, fruits, cinnamon, and aquatic products. The two sides shared the readiness to expand exchanges and cooperation with a sharper focus on poverty reduction and rural revitalization. China expressed its readiness to help Sri Lanka strengthen the capacity of personnel in related fields. 11. Both sides recognize climate change as one of the greatest challenges of human society and a threat to the sustainable development of developing countries including China and Sri Lanka. They agreed to work actively together on climate change. Sri Lanka expressed appreciation to China for its humanitarian relief in the wake of severe flooding. China expressed its readiness to enhance cooperation with Sri Lanka in such fields as disaster prevention and mitigation and emergency rescue, share its technologies and provide training in improving Sri Lanka's emergency management capabilities. China welcomes Sri Lanka's participation in the relevant activities of the Belt and Road International Green Development Coalition and other platforms as part of the joint effort to realize the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 12. The two sides share the desire to continue maritime cooperation on the basis of equality, mutual trust, openness and mutual benefit, and hold regular bilateral consultations on maritime affairs. The two sides are ready to deepen cooperation in such fields as conservation and restoration of the marine environment and ecosystems, maritime domain awareness, maritime rescue and disaster relief, and maritime personnel training and capacity building, and pool their strength to build a maritime community with a shared future. The two sides agreed to sign Memorandum of Understanding on Ocean Cooperation toward Blue Partnership. 13. The two sides are ready to deepen cooperation on education. The two sides fully recognized the importance of education exchanges for increasing understanding and friendship, and expressed readiness to further enhance exchanges of teachers, students, and researchers. China welcomes and encourages more committed students from Sri Lanka to pursue further studies in China, and is ready to continue to support them with government scholarships. China will work with Sri Lanka to implement the Luban Workshop to good effect and nurture more professionals through vocational and technical training for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka appreciates China's assistance in education, and will work for the success of the digital classroom project together with China. The two sides are ready to promote Chinese language education in Sri Lanka and continue to work through the China Culture Center in Sri Lanka to promote cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries. The two sides will continue to work in and develop the China-Sri Lanka Joint Center for Education and Research under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and strengthen scientific and technological exchanges and cooperation and education in the universities and research institutes of the two countries. 14. The two sides are ready to carry forward their long-standing friendship and bring their peoples closer together. The two sides will take multiple measures to encourage mutual tourist travel and aviation connectivity. China welcomes more Sri Lankan cities in the International Tourism Alliance of Silk Road Cities. The two sides will continue to support each other in holding tourism promotion activities in China and Sri Lanka. 15. The two sides are ready to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as youth, think tanks, sports, and the media, build on the bond of Buddhist exchanges, and deepen people-to-people and sister-city exchanges. 16. China will continue to extend support for the development of the health sector in Sri Lanka. China's Yunnan Province will continue to send medical teams to Sri Lanka to carry out the Brightness Action program. 17. The Chinese side commends Sri Lanka's positive response to President Xi Jinping's proposal of the Asian Initiative for Cultural Heritage Conservation and Sri Lanka's participation in the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia. China will further promote bilateral cultural heritage cooperation with Sri Lanka under the Alliance. 18. The two sides recognize judicial, law enforcement and security cooperation as an important component of bilateral cooperation, and stand ready to jointly crack down on cross-border crimes such as telecom fraud and online gambling. China is ready to do its best to support capacity building in Sri Lanka's judicial, law enforcement and security areas and provide assistance of police supplies. 19. Sri Lanka reaffirmed its commitment to supporting and actively participating in the development of a community with a shared future for mankind, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative and the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which was just after the end of the Second World War. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to jointly upholding the international system with the U.N. at its core, the international order underpinned by international law, and the basic norms governing international relations based on the purposes and principles of the U.N. Charter. The two sides will adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and jointly advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and work toward a bright future of peace, security, prosperity and progress for all countries in the world. 20. During the visit, the two sides signed cooperation documents, in the areas of agriculture, tourism, livelihood assistance, the media and other areas. 21. President Anura Kumara Disanayaka expressed appreciation to the Chinese government and people for the warm hospitality extended to him and the Sri Lankan delegation, and invited the Chinese leadership to visit Sri Lanka. The Chinese leadership expressed appreciation for the kind invitation, and the two sides agreed to maintain communication via diplomatic channels. Hohem has expanded its range of smartphone gimbals with the introduction of the iSteady M7 AI Gimbal in India. Designed specifically for solo creators, the iSteady M7 focuses on minimizing downtime and maximizing creativity, as per the company. This gimbal features an advanced on-device AI tracker that eliminates the need for third-party apps or Bluetooth connections. The AI technology supports seamless subject tracking, whether its people, pets, vehicles, or objects, ensuring smooth and dynamic footage suitable for any platform or app. Key Features of the iSteady M7 AI Tracker Technology: Offers precise subject tracking without requiring additional software. Professional 3-Axis Design: Supports 360 infinite pan rotation and a 325 wide tilt range, allowing unrestricted camera movements. Telescopic Extension Pole: Includes a 193mm built-in extension pole for capturing high-angle shots, group photos, or creative selfies effortlessly. High Payload Capacity: Supports up to 500g, accommodating smartphones with extra accessories like microphones or lenses. The gimbal also comes with a detachable 1.4-inch OLED touchscreen remote, enabling users to monitor real-time camera feeds and control settings from up to 10 meters away. Additionally, it features a magnetic RGB and CCT fill light with adjustable brightness and color temperature, which can be used independently for versatile lighting. Hohems stabilization algorithm ensures smooth footage, even during high-motion activities. Creative features like Inception Mode and seamless transitions between portrait and landscape orientations expand its usability. The device features a rechargeable battery that provides up to 12 hours of operation and is supported by USB-C fast charging. Quick specifications: Hohem iSteady M7 AI Gimbal Pricing and Availability The Hohem iSteady M7 AI Gimbal is priced at Rs. 35,990, but it is available at discounted prices for a limited time: Rs. 24,499 on Amazon.in Rs. 24,990 on Originshop.in The package includes a protective hard case, Type-C charging cables, a detachable touchscreen remote, and an AI tracker fill light. Uliger: Distinctive Mongolian ethnic 'rap music' enriches lives of herdspeople in China People's Daily Online) 13:23, January 16, 2025 Uliger, a traditional Mongolian storytelling folk art dating back to China's late Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), continues to fascinate people of the Mongolian ethnic group in China, while capturing the hearts of listeners from other regions with its timeless appeal in the modern era. Uliger has deep roots in Mongolian pastoral life. The Mongolian saying "You can go three days without eating, but not a day without storytelling" speaks to the deep importance of storytelling in the daily life of the Mongols. Photo taken in 2019 shows Li Gegenzhuge, a sixth-generation inheritor of traditional Mongolian storytelling folk art Uliger, performing Uliger in Paris, France, at an event marking the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) With its vast range of topics, from astronomy and geography to the natural sciences and everyday life, Uliger has long served as the soundtrack to the lives of herdspeople inhabiting vast grasslands. The distinctive folk art primarily exists in two forms: one is a vocal performance without any instrumental accompaniment, known as Yabagan Uliger, and the other involves musical instruments, making it akin to modern-day rap music or hip-hop. Li Gegenzhuge, a sixth-generation inheritor of Uliger, recently mesmerized the audience with a rendition of the classic Mongolian epic "Jangar" at a 2025 New Year gala featuring Chinese folk-art forms, held in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The performance, accompanied by the enchanting sounds of Sihu, a four-stringed traditional Chinese bowed instrument, blended striking musicality with vivid storytelling. Photo taken in the summer of 2024 shows Ganzhuer performing Uliger for public welfare to promote traditional Chinese culture. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) During the performance, Li's left hand deftly plucked the strings while his right hand skillfully drew the bow. The music flowed in a dynamic range, sometimes producing sounds like galloping steeds, and at other times, the clash of swords and spears. The detailed character portrayal, coupled with expressive body movements, gestures, and footwork, brought the story to life, immersing the audience in the emotions of the narrative. "Uliger performances on the grasslands are simple, unrestricted by the environment. A storyteller can sit anywherebe it in a yurt or out in the grasslandsand with a horse head fiddle or Sihu in hand, they can begin telling stories, rapping along with the music," Li said. Uliger is not merely "storytelling" in the literal sense, nor is it the same as traditional music of the Mongolian ethnic group, according to Li. "Uliger is highly musical, with strong rhythms and a deep narrative structure," he explained. "The narrative is brought to life with vivid metaphors, parallel sentences, and a melody that shifts with the emotional weight of the story." "The songs, sung in Mongolian, are rhythmic and poetic, typically following a pattern of three to five words per line, with four-line verses that rhyme," Li added. Experienced Uliger performers can often improvise based on a given subject, adapting their delivery to the request, he noted. "Uliger reflects the thoughts, emotions, loves, and aspirations of the Mongolian people," said Li's mentor, Ganzhuer. Photo taken in the summer of 2015 shows people enjoying a performance of traditional Mongolian storytelling folk art Uliger inside a yurt. (Photo courtesy of the interviewee) "It has rich ideas, vivid stories, heart-touching characters, beautiful language, and unique ways of expression," the master said, noting that more often than not, the performances, with just one instrument, can evoke images of everything from swords and steeds to tools like sickles and whips. As a post-95s young man born and raised on the vast Horqin Grassland in Inner Mongolia, Li has been immersed in Uliger from a young age, learning the craft from his grandfather and father. He desires to introduce this special art form to a wider audience. Not long ago, he took his performances to Europe, where he met with widespread acclaim from local audiences, further boosting his confidence in Uliger's potential to reach a global audience. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) A new year brings new opportunities for youth in agriculture! The NILE Foundation is now accepting applications for scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year. For over 30 years, the NILE (Northern International Livestock Exposition) has awarded sc... This Friday, Jan. 17, is Superhero Night at Glasgow High School Gymnasium, and Jobs for Montanas Graduates is putting on a Food Drive. All food collected that night will be going to the Glasgow Food Bank. During this school week, GHS classes are having a competition to see what grade can collect the most food. The theme is Marvel vs DC Heroes. JMG would really appreciate your support for this Food Drive. To help this cause, please bring canned/non-perishables food when you come to cheer on the Scotties this Friday, and put them in your favorite superhero cart. Early Registration Is Now Open Montana American Legion Boys State and Montana American Legion Auxiliary Girls State are immersive, week-long civic leadership programs that teach high school students about government, democracy, and the importance of civic engagement. These programs empower young leaders through hands-on learning, public service simulations, and leadership development activities. Exciting News for 2025! We are thrilled to announce that the 2025 session will take place from June 8-14, 2025, at Carroll College in Helena. To register, visit http://www.mtlegion.org/americanlegionboysstate.html. Early registration is now open! Dont miss this unforgettable opportunity to learn about government, leadership, and citizenship in action. What to Expect: Leadership Opportunities: Participants are elected to mock city, county, and state offices, gaining hands-on experience in governance and public speaking. Legislative and Judicial Simulations: Delegates draft, debate, and pass legislation while engaging in courtroom activities. Mentorship & Workshops: Students learn from veterans, public officials, and civic leaders, fostering a deeper understanding of civic responsibility. Networking & Scholarships: Participants can explore scholarship opportunities and build lifelong connections with peers and mentors. Delegate Sponsorship: The $300 delegate fee is covered by American Legion Posts, Auxiliary Units, or other civic organizations across Montana, ensuring all qualified students can attend. For questions or more information, contact Joe Yeoman, 406-263-0080 or Duane Cunningham, 406-465-1451, [email protected]. Join us in Helena and take the first step in your leadership journey! Glasgow Receives $30,000 The Montana Department of Commerce has announced that four Montana communities will share $100,000 in grant funding to regenerate Main Street businesses and downtowns. The funding is through Commerces Montana Main Street Program. Montana Main Stree... Stanley "Stan" Sonsteng, a long-time fixture of The Glasgow Courier and the community, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. A 'meet and greet' and time for sharing is planned on Friday, Jan. 17, from 6-8 p.m. at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow. Funeral services will be on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the Glasgow Evangelical Church, 11 a.m., followed by a lunch after the burial at Highland Cemetery. Sonsteng's full obituary is on page 4. A 50-plus career at The Glasgow Courier all started with the Distributive Education Club of America (DECA), an educational program at Glasgow High School in which students received both academic instruction and on-the-job training. As a DECA member, Sonsteng could take an afternoon job and get out of school at noon. At the age of 16, the beginning of his senior year, September 1957, he went to The Glasgow Courier because his sister, Millie's husband, Ivy Knight, worked there. At the time, The Glasgow Courier was located in the Rundle Building on 5th Street South, which also housed the Glasgow Hotel. The Courier occupied part of the main floor, the basement press room and the balcony. In 2007, Sonsteng celebrated his 50-year anniversary at The Glasgow Courier, and had at that time worked with six owners, many managers and high school student helpers. Throughout his years at The Glasgow Courier, he saw many technological advances, from making hot lead molds of each letter in a row of type to computers. Each new machine required a new repertoire of operation and maintenance skills, with never a week-long instruction period. "I'm not one of those people totally against change," he said in 2007. "I like to see improvements. Anytime you can bypass steps, it's better." In 2007, he also stated that the working attitude was different when he first started as everyone would race to see who got done the fastest. In 2019, that sentiment had changed a bit, with Sonsteng stating "Technology goes on all over the country. Back then everyone wanted to work, now everyone wants to work with a computer." Sonsteng told the Courier in 2019, "I started working at The Glasgow Courier in 1957 at 65 cents an hour. I was hired to feed the big newspaper press. At the time the press was called the bob tailed miele press, which held four pages at a time. I had to push the paper down to guide it along. I also sold ads and was the photographer. I ran all of the machines, except for the Linotype and the computer." Throughout his career, he advanced from 'printer's devil' to the head of the print shop and chief pressman to production manager, which was the position he held until his cancer diagnosis forced his retirement in 2015. Even though he was no longer in the business, retirement saw him stop into The Glasgow Courier office every week to grab that week's issue, chat with the Publisher and provide feedback as well as story ideas. Sonsteng was the last of the remaining employees of the Courier who worked at the original office on Glasgow's 5th Street South. He also worked with Judy Saindon and Carol Fossum, who both passed in 2020. Looking back at their time at the Courier, both Sonsteng and Saindon had fond memories as stated in a 2019 interview. "We had such a fun bunch. We had lots of parties and picnics. Everyone would pull tricks on each other. We were such a close knit group," recalled Sonsteng. "It used to be such a big crew. Everyone had their own individual job. You never knew day to day what you were going to do," recalled Saindon. Sonsteng was a wealth of knowledge not only for The Glasgow Courier but for the community of Glasgow. He will be missed by many. Another Elks Lodge Chili Cook-Off, another year where Mother Nature decided to bring the weather needed for everyone to enjoy some favorite comfort food. On Jan. 11, the Elks Lodge hosted the seventh annual Chili Cook-Off, where a total of seven team... Terry Dean Thompson, 77, of Glasgow, Mont., went to be with Jesus and his wife, Sandra, on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. Graveside services are planned for 1 p.m.,Thursday, Jan. 16, at Highland Cemetery where he will be laid to rest by Sandra. Terry was born in Crosby, N.D., on June 15, 1947, to Douglas E. and Maxine (McKay) Thompson. The family moved to Tacoma, Wash., when Terry was 12 years old. He graduated from Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma. He joined the Army in 1965 at 18 years old and was soon deployed for the Vietnam War. He was an excellent marksman. In 1986 Terry married Sandra Porter and they celebrated 31 years together before she passed away in 2017. Terry was so proud to be a Vietnam Vet. He displayed it proudly through his home, vehicles and even attire. Terry continued his career in the government and worked for GSA in Fort Lewis, Wash., retiring when he and Sandra, daughter and grandkids moved to Montana. Terry and Sandra were avid travelers and traveled all over this great country that he loved so much. He loved to fire-up the motorhome, load up the wife and grandkids and travel, going on adventures. He loved wood working and mechanics, as he always had to keep his hands busy. He was always smiling and was the biggest Jokester. He is remembered as the best Papa in the world with there never being a dull moment when he was around. Terry accomplished so much in his long amazing life, he was so proud to be husband, dad, brother, and papa. His family was everything to him and he left an amazing legacy behind that will never be forgotten. Preceding him in death are his parents; beloved wife Sandra; grandson Christian and brother David Allen Thompson. Terry is survived by his sister, Judy Thompson; daughter Tamara Henning; son Douglas Thompson; granddaughter Angel (Blake) Larson; grandson Brett Tibbitts; and great-grandchildren Terrek, Kiyler, Rylin, Autumn, Bentley, Isabella, Killian, Tyler and Annabelle. Online condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com. TikTok 'refugees' flock to China's RedNote Seeking a TikTok alternative, young people are joining Xiaohongshu ahead of a looming US ban. By Luisetta Mudie 2025.01.15 -- More than half a million users have piled onto the Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, days ahead of a looming ban on TikTok in the United States, according to data from app stores and social media videos. Styling themselves "TikTok refugees," many young Americans, seeking an alternative to TikTok, are flocking to join RedNote's 300 million existing users -- who are mostly in China -- taking what they see as refuge from the ban, which could be enforced on Jan. 19. On Wednesday, Xiaohongshu, which literally means "Little Red Book" -- a reference to the famous book of quotes from Mao Zedong, the founder of communist China -- topped the list of most popular free downloads on the Apple Store and the Google Play store for Android users in the United States. RedNote allows users to share videos, photos and text posts, along with various shopping features. Known as China's version of Instagram, it is particularly popular for sharing travel, makeup and fashion tips. It is owned by Shanghai-based Xingyin Information Technology. More than 700,000 new users joined the app, a person close to the company told Reuters, although the company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Estimates from app data research firm Sensor Tower showed that U.S. downloads of RedNote up by more than 200% year-on-year this week and 194% higher than the previous week, Reuters reported. The apparent exodus comes ahead of a Jan. 19 deadline for the banning of TikTok in the United States under a bipartisan bill, should its Chinese parent ByteDance not have sold it by that time. In April, U.S. President Joe Biden signed the bill amid concerns that China's government was using TikTok both to collect sensitive data about Americans and feed them propaganda. Lawyers for Chinese-owned TikTok asked the Supreme Court on Jan. 10 to postpone implementation of the ban, which takes effect the day before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Navigating in Chinese Since RedNote uses Mandarin Chinese, new users were using translation tools to navigate the site. Some were confused; others were gleeful. "I have no idea what I'm doing here," commented Elle Belle from the United States under the video that cited a desire to avoid platforms run by Zuckerman. "I can't even read the RULES." "I'm literally emotional right now bc we are so freaking awesome," wrote @Unty Tan. Some hoped to relocate entire communities that existed on TikTok, while others said the move is a form of protest, or a way to avoid using platforms owned by Meta. "I would rather stare at a language I can't understand than to ever use a social media [platform] that Mark Zuckerberg owns," says one former TikToker in a video posted to the platform on Jan. 13, referring to the Facebook CEO. The aversion to Meta was apparently linked to reports that the company had paid online activists to boost messages calling TikTok a threat to American children. 'Give me all your datas' But the surge of new RedNote users from the United States prompted a series of jokes and memes by long-term Chinese Xiaohongshu users, riffing on fears of spying and data collection. "Welcome to spy station, give me all your datas," quipped user @BubbleTea from Guangdong on Jan. 14, in a comment reposted to social media app Bluesky, accompanied by a cat photo. "American datas!" replied another user, also with a cat photo. Meanwhile, Xiaohongshu user BigTooth donned a cowboy hat to address new arrivals in a broad Texas accent, teaching them how to comment on Chinese posts. "You came over to this app, wanting to learn some Chinese, but you ain't even got a Chinese keyboard on your phone," he says. "But it's OK. Don't worry about that." "I'm gonna teach you three Chinese expressions, and you can even type them out with your English keyboard," he adds, suggesting "6," "66" or "666" to indicate approval, XSWL, "Dying laughing," and NB, a somewhat rude expression that nonetheless means something is admirable. American users started putting the tips into practice in comments. "66 (am I doing it right?)," commented U.S.-based RedNote user @KotaGibbs, gaining more than 1,000 likes. "You're missing one 6, should be 666," answered user @Cold from Canada. Comparing notes Many users compared notes about each other's countries, according to screenshots of conversations posted to Bluesky on Jan. 15. "Can you guys tell us what's wrong with our country, looking at it from your perspective outside of America?" asks one user. "Just wondering if it is true that Americans need to have 2-3 jobs to survive?" @momo_yu wanted to know. "yes, the economy is not great so people work multiple jobs just to live," user @ally replied from the United States. "People have guns and shoot children for no reason," answered @thisisjiaming from Beijing. "Sadly this is true," commented @kimkimchii from the United States. "You people still believe election can improve your life," wrote @Vivianfunny from Hong Kong, where only "patriots" approved by Beijing are allowed to run in elections. Some American users embraced the new experience. "I'm having a lot of fun over there, we share a sense of humor and beefs with our governments," Bluesky user DarbyMae Shaw commented on Jan. 15. But others weren't too sure. " less funny is that it censors posts from people of color and the lgbt community," user @kluggin responded, in a reference to the ruling Chinese Communist Party's far-reaching social media censorship. Can you add a translation feature? According to a Jan. 13 article on the website Advocate.com, one "TikTok refugee" reported being banned for posting content about transgender people. While some memes and videos crossed the language barrier by using subtitles, other users were crying out for automatic translation, according to a comment on the Apple Store. "Please please please!!! I love this app so so so much but I only speak english," said a review by Sour_emy. "A lot of people in the us are moving to this app ... so I was hoping there could be a translation feature added for things like comments and descriptions!!" "It would bring a lot of new people coming from tiktok," the review said. Users seemed relatively unworried by the security concerns that also surround Xiaohongshu. The government of democratic Taiwan banned its officials from using Xiaohongshu, Douyin and TikTok amid concerns that the Chinese-owned platforms could compromise the island's security. Meanwhile, a Chinese journalist now living in the United States who declined to be named for fear of reprisals said the exodus seemed ironic to him. "It's hilarious that they're escaping from an American prison run by the Chinese to a Chinese prison that's also run by the Chinese," the journalist said. Additional reporting by Wang Yun for RFA Mandarin. Edited by Malcolm Foster. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address A Russian Airline Bomb Plot? What To Know About Polish PM's Accusations By Mike Eckel January 15, 2025 The accusation was as blunt as it was serious: Russia is plotting terror attacks against unspecified targets utilizing aircraft, Poland's prime minister said. "I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland but against airlines around the world," Donald Tusk told a news conference on January 15. Though shocking, the Polish leader's comments were not out of the blue: there's been a growing number of suspicious, alarming, unexplained incidents in recent months. Some involved international airlines, and allegations that Russia was seeking to plant secret explosives in cargo flights; some involving ships that have disrupted undersea cables. In a growing number of European capitals, meanwhile, it's increasingly clear who the culprit is and what is going on: Moscow is waging a shadow campaign against the West. The growing seriousness of the problem was underscored further by reports that U.S. intelligence officials intercepted communications from Russian military intelligence officials discussing the bomb plot and that President Joe Biden had instructed two top national-security advisers to warn off Russian officials. Moscow has routinely denied Western accusations of terror attacks, including arson, break-ins, poisoning, and attacks on individuals in the West. What You Need To Know Last July, a package shipped from Lithuania unexpectedly ignited at a DHL storage facility in the eastern German town of Leipzig, sparking a fire. The blaze was contained quickly; damage was minimal. It wasn't the only one. Around the same time, 1,300 kilometers to the west, a similar incendiary device ignited at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham, England. It arrived on a DHL plane. Also at around the same time, a device at a transport company facility in Jablonow near the Polish capital of Warsaw also exploded and caught fire. It took firefighters two hours to put it out. Taken together, the three fires traced a clear pattern -- someone was deliberating putting incendiary devices in cargo flights. It all set alarms sounding at law enforcement and intelligence agencies across Europe and North America. Not Just Bombs The incendiary packages coincided with news of another incident that's stoked suspicions. In early 2024, Armin Papperger, the chief executive officer of German industrial giant Rheinmetall, was the subject of a foiled assassination plot, according to reports by the Financial Times, CNN, and The New York Times. The company is one of the world's biggest producers of artillery and tank shells. More importantly, since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the company has dramatically expanded production of shells for Ukraine. U.S. officials informed Germany about the plot, The New York Times reported, prompting German intelligence services to provide security for Papperger. There's also been a series of events at sea -- mainly the Baltic Sea -- in which various ships have broken or damaged undersea telecommunications or power cables. Last month, Finnish authorities detained an oil tanker, Eagle S, which was sailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Port Said, Egypt. Authorities later determined the ship had dragged its anchor and damaged a cable across the Gulf of Finland. Though the ships involved were not Russian -- they were flying "flags of convenience" from countries other than the country of ownership -- officials in Finland and elsewhere have accused them of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet." That's a fleet of vessels -- some unmarked, many using "flags of convenience" -- that the Kremlin has reportedly built up since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine as a way to get around Western sanctions. Most of Russia's oil is now being sold abroad via this shadow fleet, according to Ukrainian researchers. The "shadow fleet" may also be helping Russia conduct intelligence surveillance. One report published after the Eagle S was detained said it was equipped with "special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity." "This year there were 500 suspicious incidents in Europe," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said last month before a meeting of NATO ministers. "Up to 100 of them can be attributed to Russian hybrid attacks, espionage, influence operations." What's Happened As A Result? Earlier this month, Finnish authorities seized Eagle S, declaring it unseaworthy. Another Chinese-owned ship, the Yi Peng 3, was stopped, and later boarded, in international waters near Denmark and Sweden, amid suspicions that it had dragged its anchor and cut two telecom cables. The ship was ultimately released to continue sailing to Egypt. In October, meanwhile, Poland's Prosecutor-General's Office issued a statement about the airline package devices, announcing that four people had been detained "for participation in an international sabotage-diversionary group," and was looking for two others. "The group's activities consisted of sabotage and diversion related to sending parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials via courier companies to European Union countries and Great Britain, which spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport," a spokeswoman said. "The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada." Hints of a wider plot were also alluded to by Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, who told lawmakers there had been a significant increase in Russian espionage and sabotage activities in Germany. If the Leipzig package that ignited had started burning during a flight, Haldenwang told lawmakers in September, "it would have resulted in a crash". Sometime after last August, as U.S. and European officials began working with top airline executives to implement new screening procedures for cargo flights, Biden ordered two of his top security officials -- CIA Director William Burns and national-security adviser Jake Sullivan -- to contact top aides to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and, according to the Times, warn them off. U.S. intelligence agencies also obtained intercepts of conversations among top officials at the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU, the Times reported. The conversations described how the ignited packages -- which included small electronic consumer items -- constituted a test run for other efforts. In October, the head of Britain's main domestic counterintelligence agency, MI5, specifically called out the GRU, saying there were on a "a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets: We've seen arson, sabotage and more. Dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness." Hue And Cry Though he gave no details, Tusk's comments, made alongside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, were striking given his prominence: the head of government lodging a public, incendiary allegation, all but accusing Moscow of terrorism. They also echoed comments from other Western officials, who have said they suspect Russia of trying to wage a "shadow" campaign -- including sabotage, espionage, disinformation -- across Europe and North America. The goal? To destabilize the West and undermine its support for Ukraine, in its defense against the ongoing Russian invasion. For its part, Russia has repeatedly and vocally denied any involvement in the aircraft cargo devices, or the shadow fleet cable damage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reporting about the airline sabotage plot an example of a "vague fabrication." Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/poland-russia-tusk-airline- bomb-plot/33277035.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address "Baltic Sentry" - A New NATO Mission Republic of Poland - The Chancellery of the Prime Minister 14.01.2025 Enhanced protection of the Baltic Sea by NATO becomes reality. On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Prime Minister Donald Tusk participated in the Baltic Sea NATO Allies Summit in Helsinki. The summit was hosted by the President of Finland, the Prime Minister of Estonia, and the NATO Secretary General. "We are ready for radical, firm decisions when the security of the Baltic is compromised," said Donald Tusk. During the summit, it was decided to provide the Baltic Sea with additional NATO protection for 90 days, with the possibility of extension. A joint statement was also signed, condemning acts of sabotage and the operations of the Russian "shadow fleet." Baltic Sentry - A Joint Control Project The Prime Minister recalled that on November 27, 2024, Poland proposed strengthening Baltic Sea control, modeled after the "Air Policing" system that protects NATO airspace. Incidents involving Russian and Chinese vessels, as well as sabotage of underwater energy installations, necessitate that the Baltic becomes an area of enhanced military control under "Navy Policing." The NATO mission "Baltic Sentry" has been launched in response to this call. "The first crucial step I advocated for has been realized. NATO will intensify its presence in the Baltic Sea, which will become increasingly noticeable. Legal and military actions aimed at countering acts of sabotage have been recognized as a joint task for all allies," stated Donald Tusk after the summit in Helsinki. The program provides for additional NATO protection of the Baltic Sea for 90 days. At the same time, the countries of the region unanimously expressed the need for extended, permanent, and effective security control of this area. The So-called "Shadow Fleet" Russia bypasses sanctions imposed in connection with its aggression against Ukraine by using dubiously registered vessels that often fail to meet ecological standards. "For me, the key point is that all summit participants, including the NATO Secretary General, recognized the necessity of protecting not only territorial waters but also undertaking effective actions on the open sea. If necessary, ship inspections in the middle of the Baltic are also anticipated, underscoring the importance of joint efforts for regional security," stressed the Prime Minister. Following aggressive actions aimed at provoking intervention, the fiber optic cable connecting Finland and Sweden was damaged. Recently, Estonia has also been a target of Russian destabilization attempts. "The methods used in these actions such as dragging anchors, destroying fiber optic cables, or other lines are primitive but effective," noted Donald Tusk. In response to damage to underwater infrastructure, Finland took decisive action detaining a ship, arresting its crew, and clarifying responsibility for the acts of sabotage. As the Polish Prime Minister emphasized, Poland would respond just as decisively if a similar situation occurred in its territorial waters. Security - Both Local and Global During the summit in Helsinki, Prime Minister Tusk met with President of Finland Alexander Stubb, Prime Minister of Estonia Kristen Michal, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, European Commission Vice President Henna Virkkunen, and leaders from Baltic and Nordic countries. The discussions covered not only regional but also global issues, including Greenland and Canada. "I am convinced that politically, those who recognize the need to maintain NATO and transatlantic relations as one of the most important issues will prevail in Europe," stated Donald Tusk. The Baltic Sea NATO Allies Summit in Helsinki demonstrates the Baltic region's determination to build a safe and stable future and its opposition to the actions of the Russian Federation. "Everyone understands that Europe should be more united, not less. We should show solidarity, not just towards Ukraine but as a political entity in general. EU member states should support each other in every critical situation," added Donald Tusk. The planned actions aim to deter those profiting from infrastructure destruction. This will be achieved when all countries in the region show they are ready to make firm decisions. The leaders committed to developing a special agreement on critical infrastructure protection. A Strong and United Baltic - A Joint Statement During the Helsinki summit, leaders signed a joint statement. The key points include: Condemnation of Sabotage: Leaders condemned acts of sabotage and pledged to counteract them, promising a decisive response to any attempts to damage infrastructure. Leaders condemned acts of sabotage and pledged to counteract them, promising a decisive response to any attempts to damage infrastructure. NATO Actions: Announcing the NATO initiative "Baltic Sentry" to increase vigilance and activating the Task Force-Baltic Command in Rostock to coordinate actions in the region. Announcing the NATO initiative "Baltic Sentry" to increase vigilance and activating the Task Force-Baltic Command in Rostock to coordinate actions in the region. Regional and Private Sector Cooperation: Cooperation with the private sector, developing monitoring technologies, and sharing information and best practices. Cooperation with the private sector, developing monitoring technologies, and sharing information and best practices. Response to Russian Threats: Countries condemned the actions of the Russian "shadow fleet," which threatens infrastructure and the environment, supports the war in Ukraine, and bypasses sanctions. They announced increased inspections, tracking tools, and new sanctions. Countries condemned the actions of the Russian "shadow fleet," which threatens infrastructure and the environment, supports the war in Ukraine, and bypasses sanctions. They announced increased inspections, tracking tools, and new sanctions. Increased Resilience: Leaders agreed on modernizing infrastructure, strengthening the security of energy and communication networks, and enhancing repair and monitoring capabilities. Leaders agreed on modernizing infrastructure, strengthening the security of energy and communication networks, and enhancing repair and monitoring capabilities. NATO-EU Coordination: Emphasizing the need for closer NATO-EU cooperation, including actions to protect infrastructure and counter global threats. Joint Statement of the Baltic Sea NATO Allies Summit NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Blinken's Meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Mirzoyan US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 14, 2025 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan, today in Washington, D.C. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Mirzoyan signed the U.S.-Armenia Strategic Partnership Commission charter, marking the latest milestone in the growing U.S.-Armenia relationship. The charter establishes new avenues for bilateral cooperation, including on economic cooperation; security and defense; strengthening democracy, justice, and inclusion; and increasing people-to-people exchanges. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Mirzoyan also announced the United States and Armenia will begin negotiations on an agreement to support Armenia's nuclear energy sector and that Armenia intends to join the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Flight operations with the ADS 15 in Switzerland have been temporarily suspended following an incident involving the Indian armed forces Swiss Government Bern, 15.01.2025 -- Flight operation with the reconnaissance drone system (ADS 15) of the Swiss Armed Forces has been temporarily suspended following an incident with a Hermes 900 HFE drone in India. The manufacturer of the reconnaissance drone system (ADS 15) of the Swiss Armed Forces, Elbit Systems, informed armasuisse of a technical incident with a drone of the same type. During test flights in India, the drone was steered to an emergency landing point in a controlled manner following an incident and was damaged. As is customary in such cases in aviation, flight operation of the respective aircraft type (Hermes 900) will be suspended globally until the cause of the crash has been clarified. This also affects all Swiss drones, which is why flight operation with the ADS 15 has been suspended until the matter has been clarified. It is estimated that the training and test flights with the drone in Switzerland will thus be interrupted for three weeks. armasuisse takes the incident very seriously and is in close contact with the Military Aviation Authority of the Armed Forces and the manufacturer Elbit Systems. The next steps will be decided jointly to approve operation of the drone again at a later point in time. Security is the first priority. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address January 15, 2025 By David Vergun, DOD News Quadrennial Review Helps Ensure Troops Are Paid Competitively Every four years, the Defense Department conducts a complete review of the principles and concepts of the military compensation system the Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation. In addition to DOD, the review includes the Coast Guard, the commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Public Health Service. The 14th QRMC released its report today. President Joe Biden established the 14th QRMC, January 31, 2023. In doing so, he stated we have a "sacred duty to take care of our men and women in uniform;" "our service members deserve a 21st century military compensation system that rewards their contributions ... and incentivizes the next generation of men and women to serve." In furtherance of these objectives, he directed the 14th QRMC to study five topics and the secretary of defense added a sixth topic at the request of the commander of U.S. Special Operations Command and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "The goal of the QRMC is to ensure that service members are paid competitively alongside their civilian peers, and that they can afford the necessities of life, and that their total benefits package is sufficient to attract and retain the service members DOD needs," said a senior defense official. "This is important because we know through long-standing research and lived experience, that when the department prioritizes the basic needs of its service members and families that they're better able to focus on their mission to defend the nation, and this requires a competitive compensation package, both to incentivize that next generation to serve, as well as [retain] very specific military skill sets," said the senior defense official. The QRMC is considered an independent body of work with a director who works with federally funded research and development centers to conduct the QRMC's research. They conduct analysis and present it to a senior advisory group. The senior advisory group comprises uniformed members, senior civilians and senior enlisted advisors, who have knowledge, experience and expertise in the area of pay and compensation. "The 14th QRMC found that the department's compensation package is strongly competitive with the civilian labor market. However, there are some areas for improvement that will ultimately benefit service members, their families and the department," the senior defense official said. The department has accepted these recommendations in full and will endeavor to implement them over the next few years, the official said. This is the first QRMC to examine the impact of dual-income households on military retention decisions, including how aspects of military life, such as permanent change of station moves, separation from the service and child care access affect a military spouse's ability to pursue a career, the official said. "This may ultimately require us to consider policy and programmatic changes to compensation as well as nonmonetary programs to ensure successful recruitment, retention and readiness of the force moving forward," the senior defense official said. In 2002, the 9th QRMC determined that, in order to attract the service members it needs, DOD should pay service members at the 70th percentile of comparable civilians. This means that if you looked at 100 comparable civilians and service members of the same age, education and so on, service members are paid more than 69 of the 100 civilians on average. "That premium reflects some of the unique aspects of military life," a second senior defense official said, meaning hardships that civilians don't generally experience. The 14th QRMC reviewed the regular military compensation for all ranks and recommended increasing it to the 75th percentile, the second senior defense official said. The 14th QRMC also recommended improved communications with service members and others regarding their total compensation package, the second senior defense official said. For example, it is important that DOD communicate to its potential recruits and to its members that basic pay is not the only element of military compensation. The compensation package includes things such as free dental and health care, incentives for child care, a generous Thrift Savings Plan, a traditional retirement plan and a generous leave program, said the first senior defense official. "There are a lot of elements of the compensation package that members might not be thinking of. ... Our retention is really high, so I'm thinking that the longer members serve, the more fully they understand the value of the total compensation package," the second senior defense official said, adding that this could be an important tool for recruiting. The three core findings of the 14th QRMC are: The military compensation package is strongly competitive with the civilian labor market. Reducing pay volatility and variability and improving data quality will benefit service members and the department, and the QRMC has recommended some improvements in data collection and processing to improve the predictability of pay and compensation. Targeted noncash compensation may offer better returns on investment for service members and military families than increases in basic pay and compensation. The eight recommendations of the 14th QRMC are: Updating the regular military compensation benchmark from the 70th to the 75th percentile. Improving communications with service members regarding their total compensation package and its comparative quality to comparable civilians. Improving "constructive credit" afforded to lateral entrants who join the military with already established and much needed skill sets, such as surgeons. Updating the methods used to calculate basic allowance for housing. Updating the method used to calculate both contiguous United States and overseas cost-of-living allowance adjustment rates. Reviewing deployed entitlements every five years. Exploring additional retirement savings options for military spouses. Instituting a regular quality-of-life or quality-of-service review to examine areas such as housing, health care, child care programs, and Morale Welfare and Recreation programs. The report was delivered to the president and congressional armed services committees. The report was also shared with interagency partners and military and veteran service organizations. The first senior defense official explained that, while they can implement some of the QRMC's recommendations immediately, others will take several years to implement, and some will require congressional support to implement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Venezuela: Statement by the Spokesperson on recent decisions by the Venezuelan authorities European External Action Service (EEAS) 15.01.2025 EEAS Press Team The European Union deeply regrets and rejects the decision by the Venezuelan authorities to substantially reduce the accredited diplomatic staff of several Member States in Caracas. We stand in full solidarity with the affected Member States. The EU urges the immediate reversal of this unilateral and unacceptable action, which only serves to deepen Venezuela's international isolation and undermines bilateral relations with the EU and its Member States. Recalling the statement by the High Representative on behalf of the European Union issued on 10 January, the EU reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Venezuelan people and to defending democracy, rule of law and human rights. The EU will support meaningful steps toward genuine dialogue and a democratic transition in Venezuela. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pevkur in the Netherlands: Allies must increase defence spending ahead of The Hague Summit Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Defence 15. January 2025 - 17:17 Today, during a joint seminar of the three Baltic states and the Netherlands held in The Hague, the defence ministers discussed NATO's forward defence concept, preparations for the upcoming summit in The Hague, the Russian threat, and topics related to the Baltic Defence Line. Following the seminar, a meeting was held between the defence ministers of the three Baltic states and the Netherlands. "The contributions of the Netherlands to European security and assistance to Ukraine in recent years have been significant and tangible. For example, their F-35 fighters are currently defending Baltic airspace from Amari. We share a common understanding of the Russian threat, which, in turn, means that we see eye to eye on the need for capability development as we prepare for the next NATO Summit in The Hague," said Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, who participated in the meeting. "In all discussions, we ultimately reach the conclusion that both to defend ourselves and to support Ukraine, allies need to increase their defence spending. At The Hague Summit, one of the main topics will undoubtedly be raising defence expenditures to a more ambitious level. The Baltic states have already raised their spending, and now we must work together to make this understanding clearer among all allies," Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur added. The seminar of the three Baltic states and the Netherlands was organized by The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies in cooperation with the embassies of the Baltic states. Participants included Estonian Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, Latvian Minister of Defence Andris Spruds, Lithuanian Minister of Defence Dovile Sakaliene, and Dutch Minister of Defence Ruben Brekelmans. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Strong international support for Palestine and the two-state solution at Global Alliance meeting in Oslo Government of Norway Press release | Date: 15/01/2025 'We need action, not just words. The international community must do more to ensure that the two-state solution becomes a reality. Today, I have urged everyone to think creatively about the concrete steps each of us can take to help build the Palestinian state. It is clear from our meeting that a vast majority of the world's countries support a two-state solution. A just solution that safeguards the Palestinian people's right to self-determination is a prerequisite for lasting peace, and cannot be put off to a later date,' said Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide. Today, Norway hosted a meeting of the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution at Oslo City Hall. Representatives from 84 countries and organisations took part. The Global Alliance was established by Norway, the EU and Saudi Arabia during the UN General Assembly in New York in September last year, and this is the third follow-up meeting. The Alliance seeks to promote close, international coordination with the aim of achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, securing the release of the hostages and identifying specific measures to facilitate the realisation of the two-state solution. The Oslo meeting focused on the need to strengthen the Palestinian institutions that have been developed over the past few decades. These have now come under threat from various quarters: a far-reaching economic crisis, the legislation passed by the Knesset (Israeli parliament), which in practice makes it impossible for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to deliver basic services such as education and health care to Palestine refugees, and record-high illegal Israeli settlement activity and violence. In his remarks at Oslo City Hall, Foreign Minister Eide emphasised the need for a lasting solution to the conflict that will safeguard the right to self-determination, provide security and deliver justice for Palestinians and Israelis alike. 'We must strengthen the Palestinian government, Palestinian institutions and the Palestinian economy, and prevent the situation from deteriorating further. It is important that the Palestinian government is in the driving seat in the Palestinian state-building project. That is why I am particularly pleased that Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa came to Oslo to tell us about the Palestinian government's plans and needs,' said Mr Eide. The war in Gaza has had catastrophic impacts on everyone in the Middle East and has severely affected the state-building project in Palestine. There are strong indications that a ceasefire agreement is imminent and that it will encompass an end to the hostilities, the release of the hostages and the delivery of increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza. 'The indications that a ceasefire is imminent bring us hope. However, a ceasefire in itself will not resolve the conflict. While we must do all we can to bring the war to an end, we must also continue the important work of preparing for what is to happen once the war is over. Gaza is a part of Palestine and must be governed and rebuilt by Palestinians. We must work together to keep up the momentum towards create lasting peace through a two-state solution,' said Mr Eide. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen says US aircraft carrier targeted in Red Sea IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Yemeni Army says it has targeted American aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman in the Red Sea. Army spokesperson Yahya Saree said on Wednesday that the aircraft carrier was targeted using several winged missiles and drones. He said the American warship was preparing to launch an attack on Yemen. It was the sixth Yemeni operation against USS Harry S. Truman, Saree said, without specifying the time period. According to the spokesman, the Wednesday operation was in response to US and Israeli attacks on Yemen as well as the Israeli regime's war on Gaza. The US, along with the UK, began airstrikes on Yemen in mid-January last year for what they described as protecting international shipping in the wake of maritime operations Yemen had launched two months earlier in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Yemen rejected their claims that its operations posed threats to international shipping, and said the two Western states aimed to support the Israeli regime. In recent months, Yemen has also launched missile and drone attacks on positions inside Israeli-occupied territories, including Tel Aviv and Eilat Port, in response to the regime's war on Gaza. Yemen continued its anti-Israel operations even after the regime launched attacks on Yemeni soil. Yemen has said its anti-Israel operations will continue until the siege of Gaza is lifted. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas, Israel agree Gaza ceasefire deal IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Palestinian Resistance Movement Hamas and the Israeli regime have agreed to a deal that will halt the Gaza war and lead to a prisoner swap between the two sides. In a statement that confirmed the agreement, Hamas said on Wednesday night that the ceasefire agreement is the result of the resilience of the Palestinian people and resistance fighters. Hamas called the deal an achievement for the Palestinian people, resistance groups, the Islamic world and freedom-seekers across the globe. It said the ceasefire agreement stems from the movement's responsibility towards the people of Gaza to stop the Zionist enemy's genocidal war and bloodshed against them. The movement also said in an earlier statement that it had delivered its response to mediators on a proposed agreement for the ceasefire in Gaza. "The movement dealt with all responsibility and positivity, based on its responsibility towards our patient and steadfast people in the honorable Gaza Strip, by stopping the Zionist aggression against them, and putting an end to the massacres and war of genocide to which they are being subjected," said the statement. Negotiations to reach an agreement have been taking place with the mediation of the US, Qatar and Egypt. Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, whose country hosted the ceasefire negotiations, has said that Hamas and Israel have agreed to halt the war in Gaza. He said the deal would go into effect on Sunday, January 19. In a press conference held in Doha on Wednesday night, the Qatari PM said that Hamas agreed to release 33 Israeli prisoners in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during the first phase of the agreement, which will last six weeks. He said that details of the second and third phases of the agreement will be determined after the first phase is completed. Teams from Egypt, the US and Qatar will monitor the implementation of the deal, the senior Qatari official said, adding that a follow-up mechanism will be formed for that purpose. While Hamas and Qatar have confirmed the ceasefire agreement, there has been no official reaction from the Israeli regime as of yet. Hours earlier, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that "several unresolved points" remain in the ceasefire deal, but expects them to be settled "tonight." According to Reuters news agency, citing an official familiar with the ceasefire talks, the first phase of the agreement would also see the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza, and Palestinians' return to their homes in the north of the strip. A ceasefire deal puts an end to more than 15 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza where at least 46,707 Palestinians were killed and 110,265 others wounded. Israel invaded Gaza on October 7, 2023 following the unprecedented Al Aqsa Storm Operation by Hamas on the southern parts of the occupied territories earlier that day. Following the announcement of the ceasefire deal, Hamas's chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya said that the Al Aqsa Storm Operation marked a pivotal moment in the history of the Palestinian cause. He praised the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and the bravery of their resistance fighters for thwarting the enemy's plans, and that the people of Gaza will not forget those who participated in the genocide. 4194 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel continues Gaza attacks as ceasefire nears IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Despite the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and Israel being on the verge of a truce, 22 people were killed in Gaza as the occupying regime still continues its crimes in the besieged area. The New Arab reported on Wednesday that Israeli's fighter jets had attacked some areas in the Gaza Strip. In a related development, Al Jazeera released a report early today stating that at least 22 Palestinians were killed at the regime's continuous attacks on Gaza. Hamas has expressed its readiness to agree on a ceasefire and has called for details about all geographical places from which the occupying regime would withdraw, The New Arab quoted an informed source as saying. Hamas has also called for a definite timeframe for any withdrawal, according to the source. Elsewhere, the Palestinian resistance movement issued a statement, stressing that through its brutal aggression against the Jenin refugee camp in the northern occupied West Bank, the occupying regime cannot weaken the determination of the brave Palestinians. 1483**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Far-right Israeli ministers threaten to quit over Gaza deal IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Two far-right Israeli ministers have threatened to quit the ruling coalition if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agrees to a Gaza ceasefire deal. The Hebrew-language Zionist newspaper Ma'ariv reported on Tuesday night that Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich echoed the call of Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir against any deal with the Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas. Smotrich has threatened to resign if the war stops completely, demanding Netanyahu promise to keep Gaza onslaught going after the prisoner exchange agreement is implemented. According to the report, Smotrich emphasized that the acceptance of the agreement means surrender to Hamas, warning that his party will leave the cabinet if deal is secured. Earlier on Tuesday, Ben-Gvir sparked a controversy after he urged his cabinet colleagues, including Smotrich to reject the cease-fire deal with Hamas. He also outraged the families of hostages held in Gaza by saying that he had repeatedly blocked cease-fire deals. "I call on my colleague, [Finance] Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to join forces with me, and together we'll work against the nascent deal," the far-right minister said on X, adding that "In the last year, using our political power, we managed to prevent this deal from going ahead, time after time." Later he posted a video message on social media and asked Smotrich to stand by him and resign from the cabinet "if the ceasefire agreement, which is tantamount to surrender to Hamas, is finalized". "Let's go to Prime Minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) and announce to him that if he signs this agreement, we will resign from the cabinet," the minister, who is known for his controversial moves against Palestinians and their religious sanctities, told Smotrich. The stance of the two ministers is, however, contrary to opposition leader Yair Lapid who has pledged to back Netanyahu's truce plan. A latest survey conducted in the occupied territories also show that the majority of Israelis support a comprehensive agreement to release all prisoners in exchange for an end to the Gaza war. According to IRNA citing media sources on Wednesday, the survey called "Voice of Israel Data" conducted monthly by an NGO found that 57.5 percent of the respondents favored the ceasefire deal. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli drone strike kills 6 Palestinians in West Bank IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- An Israeli drone attack on the occupied northern West Bank city of Jenin has left at least six Palestinians dead and several others injured, news sources reported. According to Shahab News Agency, the Palestinian Ministry of Health on Wednesday night confirmed the casualties caused by the missiles fired form Israeli drone on Jenin. Local sources said the Israeli missiles hit a house. The Israeli military admitted that it had struck a target in the northern West Bank with a drone but did not give the reason for the attack. The Times of Israel reported that the strike carried out during "a joint counterterrorism operation in the area" by the regime's forces and spy agency Shin Bet. The city of Jenin and a refugee camp there have been the scenes of repeated drone attacks and ground raids. Other towns and cities in the West Bank have also been targeted by the regime almost on a daily basis ever since Israel launched its war on Gaza back in October 2023. More than 800 Palestinians have been killed and some 10,000 others have been detained during Israeli raids across the occupied territories over the past 15 months. 4399 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Minister D. Sakaliene in The Hague: NATO needs to agree on at least 3% of GDP spending, Ukraine's security is Europe's security Republic of Lithuania - Ministry of National Defence 2025-01-15 International cooperation On January 15, Thursday, Minister of National Defence Dovile Sakaliene conducted a visit to The Hague. She met with Minister of Defence of the Netherlands and quadrilaterally - with Dutch, Latvian and Estonian counterparts. Minister discussed security of Allies' undersea infrastructure, enhancement of the European security, air defence, withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention, assistance to Ukraine and more topics. The quadrilateral meeting with Ministers of Defence Ruben Brekelmans (Kingdom of the Netherlands), Andris Spruds (Latvia) and Hanno Pevkur (Estonia) addressed assistance to Ukraine, protection of the regional critical undersea infrastructure, priorities of the oncoming NATO Summit in The Hague and the EU agenda on defence. Minister D. Sakaliene emphasized the importance of withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention on banning anti-personnel mines and need to agree on the new NATO's Russia policy based on the position of strength. "As Lithuania has come near the verge of 4% of GDP defence spending and looks into the possibilities to increase the defence budget, we anticipate the minimum defence speeding to be set at 3% of GDP at the NATO Summit in The Hague this Summer, which, most importantly, will enable us to have standing ready defence capabilities and together tackle the particularly sensitive issue of air defence in the northeastern flank," noted Minister. At the bilateral meeting with Dutch Minister of Defence D. Sakaliene addressed regional security and air defence expressing expectations that the Patriot air defence system will be deployed in Lithuania again this year just like it was done last year for training. Approx. 300 Dutch troops are currently deployed in Lithuania in the NATO enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group in Rukla, the Netherlands will soon form an integral part of the German Brigade currently in the process of stationing in LIthuania. Speaking at the panel on "The politics of the Baltic Defence Line and NATO's defence posture" D. Sakaliene presented Lithuania's plans for defensive capability enhancement, underscored the necessity to strengthen Ukraine's position for negotiations with common efforts in support of Ukraine's defence industry and expeditious supply of aid in weaponry, as well as noted the importance of united regional border defence principles and strong strategic messaging to the enemy. Lithuania will provide at least 0.25% of GDP worth of military aid to Ukraine in 2025. Minister D. Sakaliene emphasizes that every Euro invested in Ukraine increases the security of Europe. Four major directions of support to Ukraine have been defined this year: urgent weaponry requirements, assistance to Ukraine's defence industry through support to its production, the Demining Capability Coalition, and international initiatives. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Leaders of Nordic and Baltic countries have invited Jens Stoltenberg to write a report on Nordic-Baltic security and defense cooperation President of the Republic of Lithuania Januray 15, 2025 President Gitanas Nauseda, together with the Heads of State and Government of the Nordic and Baltic countries, has today appointed the former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to prepare an independent report with policy recommendations aimed at advancing Nordic-Baltic security and defense cooperation. Mr. Stoltenberg will analyse and present recommendations on how to enhance the regional cooperation to further strengthen the region's deterrence and defense. The report will primarily focus on military defense, along with measures to counter Russian sabotage and other hybrid threats. "With Finland and Sweden joining NATO, the Nordic-Baltic region, as well as the whole Alliance, has become more united and resilient than ever. Without delay, we must harness the potential of this collaboration. The security situation in our region is increasingly affected by Russia's war in Ukraine. It is vitally important.to strengthen our deterrence and defense while further enhancing the region's strong support for Ukraine," says the President of Lithuania. The report is scheduled to be presented ahead of the NATO Summit in The Hague in June 2025. "Mr. Stoltenberg's extensive experience in the Alliance, his deep understanding of its structure and processes, as well as the Nordic-Baltic countries' security cooperation, will undoubtedly contribute to creating an even stronger union among our nations," says President Gitanas Nauseda. You can access the full text here. The President's Communication Group NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Norwegian military, U.S. Marines, NATO allies prepare for major winter warfare exercise in Norway US Marine Corps News 15 Jan 2025 | Master Sgt. Scott Schmidt Marine Corps Forces Europe SETERMOEN, Norway -- The Norwegian Armed Forces, the U.S. Marine Corps, and other NATO allies, are scheduled to conduct Exercise Joint Viking 25 in March 2025. Allied militaries have been conducting unit-level cold weather training in Norway since the beginning of January in preparation for the exercise. Exercise Joint Viking 25, one of the largest routine winter warfare exercises held in the region, takes place in the challenging terrain of northern Norway, providing realistic and demanding conditions for all participating forces. The exercise focuses on various cold-weather combat operations, including small-unit tactics, defensive operations, force integration drills, and logistics in extreme environments. This exercise is part of a regular training schedule designed to enhance collective defense capabilities and ensure readiness while operating in challenging conditions. The United States Marine Corps will play a significant role in Joint Viking 25, with forces from II Marine Expeditionary Force deploying from Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., to demonstrate their ability to operate in the harsh Arctic environment. The exercise will allow the Marine Corps to rehearse the rapid force generation and trans-Atlantic deployment of a regimental-sized element to respond to a crisis. Their participation highlights the strategic importance of the U.S. Marine Corps in reinforcing NATO's northern flank and ensuring seamless integration with Norwegian forces. This exercise will allow II MEF to build upon longstanding relationships with Norwegian troops and other allies, enhancing collective readiness for future contingencies. Additional U.S. military participants include the U.S. Army's 41st Field Artillery Brigade, which will deploy from Germany to Norway and demonstrate its ability to employ long-range precision fires in support of joint operations via a digital live-fire exercise. NATO allies from across Europe, including the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany, and Finland, will also contribute to Joint Viking 25, reinforcing the alliance's interoperability and joint operational capabilities. Their participation underscores the unity and shared commitment of member nations to the defense of NATO territories. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Allied Chiefs of Defence meet with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organisation 15 Jan. 2025 Today and tomorrow, 15 - 16 January 2025, NATO's highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, meets in Chiefs of Defence format at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. The meeting focuses on further strengthening deterrence and defence of the Alliance, strengthening NATO's Partnerships around the world as well as supporting Ukraine in its resistance against Russia's unprovoked aggression. Across both days, Allied Chiefs of Defence will meet with Military Authorities from NATO Partner countries to discuss how to best tackle pervasive instability around the globe together. In his opening remarks, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte conveyed, "to prevent war, we need to prepare for it. It is time to shift to a wartime mindset." Furthermore, he stressed that this entails increasing defence spending, continuing to support Ukraine, and strengthening cooperation with NATO Partners across the globe. The Chair of the Military Committee expressed in his opening remarks that support for Ukraine is more paramount than ever. Admiral Bauer emphasised that, "Our support is not charity. It is in the political and military interests of the Alliance to do so. We need to show the world that democracy can and will win. And that democracy is worth fighting for." The Chair stressed that for Ukraine, "sovereignty is not an abstract term." On the agenda for the meeting: - NATO's readiness to deter and defend the Euro-Atlantic area, ongoing missions and operations - the NATO Defence Planning Process: - and the implementation path for a multi domain-enabled Alliance by 2030. - How NATO can support Partners in an era of pervasive global instability - NATO standardization and interoperability with Partners Tomorrow, 16 January at 17:30, there will be a joint press conference from Admiral Bauer, Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Cavoli, and Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Admiral Vandier. The press conference will be livestreamed on the NATO website. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan Rejects Baseless Assertions by India's Defence Minister and Chief of Army Staff Pakistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan strongly rejects the baseless accusations and unfounded assertions made by India's Defence Minister and Chief of Army Staff on 13 and 14 January 2025. Jammu and Kashmir remains an internationally recognized disputed territory, whose final status is to be determined in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. In this context, India has no legal or moral grounds to assert fictitious claims over the territories of Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan. Such rhetoric from Indian leadership cannot divert international attention from the grave human rights violations and oppressive measures being carried out in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. These actions suppress the legitimate and just struggle of the Kashmiri people for their inalienable right to self-determination. Pakistan also underscores that provocative statements of this nature are counterproductive to regional peace and stability. Instead of leveling baseless allegations against others, India must introspect and address its own documented involvement in orchestrating targeted assassinations, acts of subversion, and state-sponsored terrorism in foreign territories. Islamabad 15 January 2025 9/2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Manalo and Japan Foreign Minister Iwaya Hold Bilateral Talks, Discuss Philippines-Japan Strategic Partnership Republic of the Philippines - Department of Foreign Affairs 15 January 2025 MANILA 15 January 2025 -- Upon the invitation of Secretary for Foreign Affairs Enrique A. Manalo, his Japanese counterpart Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi undertook an official visit to the Philippines from 14 to 15 January 2025. Secretary Manalo and Foreign Minister Iwaya held a bilateral meeting covering a wide range of matters relating to Philippines-Japan relations, including political, security, economic and development cooperation, among others. They acknowledged that Philippines-Japan ties have progressively developed to become among the closest partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to fully utilize existing mechanisms such as the Vice Ministerial Strategic Dialogue (VMSD) between their respective Ministries to coordinate further regarding shared priorities, concerns, and challenges. Towards maintaining a secure and peaceful regional environment, they looked forward to strengthening defense cooperation through Japan's Official Security Assistance (OSA) framework and the prospective implementation of the Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA). They reaffirmed their shared commitment to cooperate in infrastructure in the Philippines, as well as to the development of the Mindanao region. Further, they discussed exploring cooperation in the areas of promoting economic resilience and derisking, ICT and the diversification of the telecommunications industry. The two Foreign Ministers likewise discussed regional and international issues, with a view to enhancing cooperation on addressing common challenges and advocating for a rules-based international order. Secretary Manalo expressed optimism on the future direction of the two countries' 'Strengthened Strategic Partnership' as both sides remain steadfast in deepening and expanding engagements between the two countries. "The Philippines' relationship with Japan continues to be among the most resilient and dynamic partnerships in the region. Under the shared principles of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law, and a free and open economy, our relations continue to evolve," the Secretary stated. The diplomatic engagement marks the first official visit to the Philippines by Foreign Minister Iwaya, who assumed the post in October 2024. END NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan to boost maritime security support to PH amid SCS tensions Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora January 15, 2025, 4:55 pm MANILA -- The Japanese government will strengthen its cooperation and maritime security support to the Philippines "in response to the developments in the South China Sea (SCS)". Visiting Japanese Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi made the announcement on Wednesday as he conveyed Japan's "grave concerns" over repeated actions that heighten tensions in the SCS. "(The) issue over the South China Sea is a legitimate concern for the international community because it directly links to the regional peace and stability. Japan strongly opposes any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force or build up tension in the region; we strongly ask for easing of tensions," he said in a joint presser after a bilateral meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo in Taguig City. "In our meeting here today, in response to the developments in the South China Sea, we agreed to further strengthen Japan-Philippines partnership," he added. Iwaya confirmed that Japan will continue its official security assistance (OSA) to enhance the country's maritime security as well as its official development assistance (ODA) for the improvement of Philippine maritime safety capabilities. Tokyo has so far signed two OSAs with Manila, with the PHP611 million grant to provide equipment for the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force as the most recent one. Against the backdrop of an "increasingly severe strategic environment" in the region, Iwaya said Tokyo places great importance on its strategic partnership with Manila. "As the international situation becomes ever more complex, it is increasingly important to work in partnership with Southeast Asia, which is strategically located for the maritime transport as well as being the world's growth center," he said. Iwaya said he and Manalo also agreed on the need to "maintain and strengthen the momentum" with the incoming Trump administration under the Philippine-Japan-US trilaterals. Manalo said the two nations would work to leverage their strength with other like-minded states, including through trilateral cooperation, in upholding a rules-based international order. "We both express concern on developments on the South China Sea and the East China Sea, and as neighbors, we face similar challenges in our common pursuit of regional peace and stability," he said. "Thus, we are working together to improve resilience and enhance adaptive capacity in the face of the evolving geopolitical landscape in the Indo-Pacific region," he added. On top of maritime cooperation, Manalo said he conveyed Manila's keenness to improve trade and investment with Tokyo, as well as cooperation in the areas of ICT, economic resilience and de-risking, and the diversification of the telecommunication industry. He also mentioned the possible general review of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement at an early date. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address PH to raise latest WPS dev'ts with China on Jan. 16 bilateral meet Philippine News Agency By Joyce Ann L. Rocamora January 15, 2025, 3:51 pm Updated on January 15, 2025, 8:35 pm MANILA -- The Philippine government is set to raise its concerns over recent developments in the West Philippine Sea, and highly likely Beijing's deployment of its so-called "monster ship" near Zambales, during the two states' scheduled bilateral meeting on Thursday. Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Wednesday confirmed that the two states will be holding the Philippine-China Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) meeting in China on Jan. 16, with Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro as the Philippine delegation head. Asked if Manila would be demanding Beijing to pull out its 541-foot-long coast guard vessel near Zambales, Manalo said: "We will certainly raise the concerns that we have." Meanwhile, Manalo said he would not prejudge the final outcome of the BCM, but it would be aimed at "promoting cooperation". He said the two governments would try to look at how they could cooperate in certain areas, including on environment and even through a possible coast guard-to-coast guard cooperation. Asked to elaborate, Manalo only said the two foreign affairs ministries are hoping to see "means of cooperation and undertakings or positive activities" between the two coast guards. "But that would have to be agreed in a memorandum of understanding between the two (coast guards), but it's cooperative in nature, of course," he said. The National Security Council earlier said the Philippines is not tolerating the illegal activities of Chinese maritime forces within the Philippine waters as it confirmed that the CCG vessel 5901, dubbed as "monster ship" due to its size, continue to operate illegally within the country's exclusive economic zone. (PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address DFA exec doubts China will get nod on research in PH waters Philippine News Agency By Wilnard Bacelonia January 15, 2025, 2:43 pm MANILA -- An official of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is doubtful that China can get permission from the Philippines over the conduct of marine scientific research (MSR) within the latter's territory. DFA Undersecretary Eduardo De Vega made the statement during a public inquiry of the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones into the submersible drone that was recently recovered off the waters of Masbate. "Kapag nag-request ang China (If China requests), I would not say no. But it's extremely doubtful under the circumstances that the working group would agree to grant it," De Vega said. He is referring to the technical working group on MSR chaired by the DFA that is tasked to evaluate and decide whether to allow another state to conduct an MSR in the country. De Vega also noted that there were only 68 MSRs granted by the Philippine government since 1996, which were mostly requested by Japan and conducted in the waters off Mindanao. Whenever an MSR is conducted, De Vega said the Philippine government requires the foreign scientists to be accompanied by Filipino counterparts, who should also have access to all the data and information acquired during the whole duration of the research. When asked by Senator Francis Tolentino if China will be allowed to conduct MSR even if it is willing to share acquired information with the Philippines, the DFA official emphasized that Beijing should first respect Manila's sovereignty. "I'd rather that they at least share the right of our fishermen to Bajo De Masinloc, as according to the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), rather than talking about sharing info," he said Apart from local laws and policies, Article 245 of the UNCLOS says an express consent from the coastal state is needed for a foreign country to conduct MSR in its territorial sea. The recovered submersible drone, suspected to be owned by China, was recovered only about half a mile from the coast of Barangay Inarawan in San Pascual, Masbate on Dec. 30, 2024. Tolentino said the Senate probe focuses on determining whether the drone violated existing maritime and international laws or posed a threat to Philippine sovereignty. "This hearing aims to ascertain whether this drone is a sovereign property, a warship entitled to recognition, or an autonomous research vessel. Is it part of foreign espionage, or does it necessitate amending our maritime laws?" Tolentino said in his opening statement. The senator noted that the original drone, identified as H-Y Drone Number 119, is currently under forensic investigation by the Philippine Navy. A prototype was presented during the hearing to provide context for lawmakers and officials. Navy: Too early to tell submersible drone's origin The Navy, meanwhile, said it is still too early to tell whether the submersible drone off the waters of Masbate originated from China. "Anybody could put any marking di ba, para lang matago, mamask yung kung saan galing talaga, so we have to be deliberate sa ating approach dito (anybody can put any markings as part of efforts to hide on where the drone came from, we have to be deliberate in our approach)," Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a radio interview. Asked on the possible purpose of this platform, Trinidad described the submersible drone as an "underwater glider" that uses inertial navigation, is equipped with a battery and other components. "Ito ay ginagamit sa pag-check ng information sa karagatan kagaya ng depth ng tubig, yung temperature, yung salinity, at yung ibang information about the ocean so ito ay may gamit sa academics, may gamit sa commercial value, at hindi rin natin ma-downplay na may gamit din for military purposes yung mag-gather the information (this is used to check on information like depth of the water, temperature, salinity and other details about the ocean. It can be used for academics, it also has commercial value, and we cannot downplay the possible military use of the information it is tasked to gather)," he added. The Navy earlier said a forensic investigation to determine the origin of the submersible drone will take six to eight weeks. Trinidad said they are not ruling out the possibility that there are similar drones in other parts of Philippine waters. The Navy official called on local fisherfolk to help report the presence of these drones within the country's waters. (With Priam Nepomuceno/PNA) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel has slaughtered 13,000 students in Gaza, West Bank since October 2023 Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 5:35 PM Israel has killed more than 13,000 students in the besieged Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank since October 2023. In a statement released on Tuesday, the Palestinian Ministry of Education reported a harrowing toll of 13,177 students killed and 21,991 others injured since the said date. The ministry said Gaza alone accounts for over 13,054 student fatalities and 21,320 injuries, while the occupied West Bank, including occupied al-Quds, has witnessed the death of 123 students and injuries to 671 others. Additionally, 560 students have been abducted in the West Bank. It also stated that 657 teachers and administrators have been killed and 3,904 were injured in Gaza and the West Bank, and more than 165 were kidnapped in the West Bank. The Israeli military has bombed and and vandalized at least 324 government schools, universities and the buildings affiliated with them and 65 affiliated with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Gaza. The buildings are damaged or completely destroyed. According to the ministry, more than 788,000 students in Gaza have been unable to attend school or university since October 7, 2023. Most students have been exposed to the trauma of war, the consequences of which will last a lifetime. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Hamas confirms handing approval of Gaza ceasefire deal to mediators Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 4:52 PM The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has handed its approval of the proposed ceasefire for the Gaza Strip mediated by Egypt and Qatar. Mediators in the Qatari capital Doha have been working hard to clinch a deal between Israel and Hamas to end more than 15 months of the genocidal war in Gaza and release Israeli captives in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Details on the terms and phases of the agreement are yet to be announced, but Hamas said in a statement that its delegation, led by Khalil al-Hayya, a member of the group's Legislative Council, handed its written approval of the ceasefire deal to the mediators in Qatar and Egypt. "The leadership of Hamas delivered a short while ago to the mediator brothers its response to the ceasefire agreement proposal," the group said in its statement. "The movement's political bureau held an emergency meeting to discuss the proposal submitted by the mediators." "The movement dealt with all responsibility and positivity, based on its responsibility towards our patient and steadfast people in the honorable Gaza Strip, by stopping the Zionist aggression against them, and putting an end to the massacres and war of genocide to which they are being subjected," it said. Abubaker Abed, Press TV's correspondent in northern Gaza, said streets in Gaza were erupting in happiness following news of an imminent ceasefire. "The happiness is literally eternal. Gaza's streets are erupting. The tears of everyone, the joy," he posted on X. According to the agreement, displaced people will be allowed to return on foot starting the seventh day of the ceasefire, without any searches. However, vehicles returning from southern Gaza to the north will be inspected using X-ray scanning equipment operated by Egyptian-Qatari companies. Israeli ground forces will gradually withdraw from the Netzarim and Philadelphi corridors. The military will withdraw to within 700 meters inside Gaza. The withdrawal from the Netzarim axis will be immediate. The pullout from the Philadelphia axis will begin gradually after 40 to 50 days from the start of the first phase. The regime will also relinquish control over the Philadelphia Corridor, along Gaza's border with Egypt. Israel will open the Rafah crossing with Egypt seven days after the start of the first stage. The Palestinian resistance will release 33 captives in exchange for the release of 2,000 abductees from Gaza. The regime will allow injured people in Gaza to travel to receive medical treatment. Even as sources familiar with the discussions in Doha said the ceasefire talks had entered the "final stage" earlier in the day, Israeli forces stepped up attacks across Gaza, killing dozens of Palestinians and issuing a new displacement order for the Jabalia refugee camp. There is fierce opposition from some members of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet to a ceasefire in Gaza. However Israeli media suggested there is enough support in the Knesset and the war cabinet for the ceasefire deal to be approved. A vote is expected to happen on Thursday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said he was cutting his visit to Europe short on Wednesday to take part in the votes on the Gaza deal. Far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir is calling on the finance minister Bezalel Smotrich to resign alongside him if the ceasefire is realized, according to his statement on Telegram. "The deal that is taking shape is a surrender deal for Hamas ... Therefore, I call on my friend Bezalel Smotrich to join me and cooperate in working against the deal," Ben-Gvir said. "We will not be part of a surrender deal that will include the release of many Palestinian prisoners." "This is the time to continue with all our might to conquer Gaza and to open the gates of hell on Gaza until the complete surrender of Hamas." Israel has failed to achieve any of its stated objectives for the war, despite killing more than 46,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and razing almost the entire coastal territory to the ground. Israel launched the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, following a surprise attack by Palestinian resistance groups, with the aim of "destroying Hamas" and bringing back the captives. 'Deal result of legendary steadfastness' Later in the day, Hamas released a press statement on the announcement of the ceasefire deal, calling the development "a result of the legendary steadfastness of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip over the past 15 months." "The agreement to end the aggression on Gaza is an achievement for our people, our resistance, our nation, and the free people of the world. It marks a pivotal moment in the struggle against the enemy, paving the way toward achieving our people's goals of liberation and return," the group said. According to the movement, the deal stems from the Palestinian resistance's responsibility toward the patient and steadfast people in Gaza, putting an end to the Zionist aggression against them and halting the bloodshed, massacres, and genocide they have endured. Hamas voiced its appreciation and gratitude for all the honorable official and popular stances that stood in solidarity with Gaza, supported its people, and helped expose the occupation and halt the aggression, whether Arab, Islamic, or international. It also conveyed special thanks to the mediators, who had exerted significant efforts to achieve this agreement. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UNRWA will 'stay, deliver' aid to Palestinians despite Israel's ban: Lazzarini Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 3:49 PM The UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) says it will continue to distribute aid in the Palestinian territories despite Israel's inhumane ban, which is due to be implemented by the end of January. Late in October, Israel's Knesset enacted legislation prohibiting UNRWA from operating in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories, mandating a complete withdrawal within 90 days. If enforced, the ban would lead to the closure of UNRWA offices and the freezing of its financial accounts in Israel, effectively halting its operations. Philippe Lazzarini, the UNRWA chief, told a conference in Norway's capital Oslo on Wednesday that the agency's "local staff will remain and continue to provide emergency assistance and where possible, education and primary health care" to the people of Palestine. "Continuing to work will come at considerable personal risk for our Palestinian colleagues." With no visas, UNRWA's non-Palestinian employees will not be able to enter Gaza and those there now will have to leave, Lazzarini said. "This is due to the exceptionally hostile operating environment created by Israel's disregard for international law and fierce disinformation campaign against the agency." Lazzarini also warned that the absence of communication between UNRWA and Israeli authorities that will result from the ban will make the agency's work even more dangerous in Gaza. UNRWA, which is considered the backbone of humanitarian operations for Palestinians, provides aid to some six million Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel's carnage in West Bank's Jenin camp will not break resistance, says Hamas Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 10:25 AM The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has condemned a deadly Israeli airstrike targeting the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank, emphasizing that such massacres will fail to undermine the determination and willpower of the resistance front there. "We offer our condolences for the martyrdom of the heroes of Jenin in the West Bank, who lost their lives in this new brutal and heinous massacre. We emphasize that their pure blood will neither be wasted away nor trampled upon," the Gaza-based group said in a statement on Wednesday. The statement added that the new crime by the occupiers will inflame a fire that will burn them out, and shatter delusions about their security apparatus. Hamas said that the criminal act took place hours after the launch of an initiative to stop the attacks by the Palestinian Authority's (PA) security forces on the Jenin camp and its resistance front. The statement held the Ramallah-based PA complicit in the Zionist enemy's crime, denouncing its rejection of national calls to stop the violations against the camp. The official Palestinian news agency WAFA said an Israeli drone fired three missiles at a group of people near a traffic roundabout in the Jenin refugee camp on Tuesday evening, killing six people, including a 15-year-old boy, and injuring several others. Five other victims of the attack were aged between 23 and 34, and included three brothers. The deadly drone attack also comes amid a military offensive launched in the Jenin camp by PA security forces over the last several weeks, targeting Palestinian resistance fighters, which has resulted in the killing of more than a dozen people. Hassan Khraisheh, deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, said the drone attack proved Israel's willingness to kill Palestinians indiscriminately. "This is a clear message from the Israeli occupation that every Palestinian is a target," Khraisheh said. Three Israeli troopers wounded by roadside bomb near Jenin In a separate development, three Israeli soldiers were wounded, two of them seriously, during an incursion into Qabatiya city, south of Jenin. According to the Israeli military, their vehicle was hit by a roadside explosive device planted by Palestinian fighters. All the three soldiers were transferred to hospital for treatment. Over the past few years, the Israeli military has conducted numerous raids in the West Bank, which have escalated with the onset of the genocidal war on Gaza on October 7, 2023. Palestinians have also been violently attacked by illegal Israeli settlers. At least 848 Palestinians have since been killed and over 6,700 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jan. 14: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 5:46 AM By Press TV Website Staff Amid the West-backed Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed more than 46,600 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 resistance groups on Tuesday, January 14, are as follows: Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on Jan. 14: Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces west of the Rafah Crossing in the southern Gaza Strip using heavy mortar shells. In a joint operation with the Al-Quds Brigades, bombarded an Israeli military supply line along the "Netzarim" Axis, south of Gaza City, using heavy mortar shells. Mujahideen Brigades' operations on Jan. 14: Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces in Tulkarem Camp and Tammoun Town in the occupied West Bank. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on Jan. 14: In a joint operation with Al-Nasser Salah Al-Din Brigades, targeted an Israeli military command and control center in the Juhr Al-Deek area with 60mm mortar shells. Targeted an Israeli military command and control center in the "Netzarim" Axis in commemoration of the 17th anniversary of the martyrdom of founder Nidal Al-Amoudi. Targeted a gathering of Israeli forces at the Al-Jalama military checkpoint in Jenin, occupied West Bank, from a distance of 150 meters. Al-Quds Brigades' operations on Jan. 14: Repelled an attempt by an Israeli special forces unit to besiege a house in the Umm Al-Qasab Mountain area of Jenin, occupied West Bank, showering them with a heavy barrage of bullets and targeting their reinforcements with heavy fire. Yemeni military's operations on Jan. 14: Carried out a qualitative military operation targeting vital Israeli military sites in occupied Yaffa (near Tel Aviv) with a barrage of drones. Carried out a military operation targeting the Israeli regime's power station in the Umm Al-Rashrash area in southern occupied Palestine with a cruise missile. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Thai police seek Hun Sen adviser believed linked to Bangkok killing of critic Interpol red notices were issued for 2 Cambodian suspects who may have coordinated on the shooting with the gunman. By Ruj Chuenban for BenarNews 2025.01.15 BANGKOK Thai police on Wednesday said they were searching for a third suspect who they believe masterminded last week's fatal shooting of a prominent critic of the Cambodian government. The third suspect, Ly Ratanakrasmey, is an adviser to former Prime Minister Hun Sen, according to Major Gen. Atthaphon Wongsiriprida of Bangkok's Metropolitan Police Division. Lim Kimya, 74, a former member of parliament for the banned opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, or CNRP, was gunned down just after arriving in Bangkok on Jan. 7. The killing raised new alarms about Thailand's autocratic neighbors pursuing critics on Thai soil. The suspected gunman, Aekaluck Paenoi, a former Thai Marine, was arrested the day after in Cambodia's Battambang province and was extradited to Thailand on Jan. 11. Thai police earlier identified and issued an arrest warrant for another Cambodian who they identified as Pich Kimsrin and said was suspected of acting as a spotter for the gunman. Aekaluck has provided valuable testimony to investigators and has said that Ly Ratanakrasmey "harbored a grudge against the victim and asked him to 'handle it,'" Atthaphon told reporters on Wednesday. Investigators have also found evidence of money transfers to the shooter and have determined that Ly Ratanakrasmey entered Thailand on Jan. 6, then returned to Cambodia on Jan. 8 - the day after the assassination, Atthaphon said. Ly Ratanakrasmey traveled on a Cambodian passport but has also used the Thai alias Somwang Bamrungkit in Thailand, Atthaphon said. "Over the past two years, he has crossed the Thai border more than 100 times," he said, adding that Ly Ratanakrasmey has spent much of his time in Chonburi province south of Bangkok. There is no one on the Thai national register of citizens with the name Somwang Bamrungkit, according to the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. Red notices Ly Ratanakrasmey is the former head of the CNRP's Thailand Workers' Working Group, which attempted to attract support from the thousands of Cambodian workers living in Thailand. He joined the ruling Cambodian People's Party, or CPP, in 2022. He was one of many opposition activists to switch their allegiance to the CPP - some after receiving legal threats or other forms of pressure - ahead of the 2023 general election. In January 2024, Phnom Penh Gov. Khuong Sreng hosted a ceremony to formally welcome Ly Ratanakrasmey and several others to the CPP. The new party members were also appointed as advisers to Hun Sen, who has served as Senate president since stepping down as prime minister in 2023. Atthaphon said authorities have received approval from the Criminal Court to issue an arrest warrant for Ly Ratanakrasmey. Thai authorities have also sent out an Interpol red notice, which is a request to law enforcement worldwide that a person accused of a serious crime be located and detained. Authorities believe that Pich Kimsrin - the suspected spotter - can be seen in CCTV footage shadowing Lim Kimya on a cross-border bus and in Bangkok. Kimsrin is also now subject to an Interpol red notice, Police Major Gen. Theeradej Thammasutee told reporters. "We are working with Cambodian police to have him arrested and extradited to Thailand to face charges," he said. A Cambodian government spokesperson rejected any suggestion that Cambodia could be blamed for a killing in another country. Additionally, police on Tuesday arrested a Thai man suspected of helping the gunman escape across the Cambodian border just after the shooting. The man told investigators he had given Aekaluck a ride but wasn't aware of the shooting. Tireless critic Lim Kimya was a dual French-Cambodian citizen who won a seat in Cambodia's National Assembly in a 2013 election. He was a tireless government critic who refused to leave Cambodia or be cowed into silence on issues such as corruption and human rights even after many of his opposition colleagues fled the country after the CNRP was banned in 2017. Lim Kimya was the first Cambodian politician to be shot dead in Thailand, but Cambodian critics in self-exile there have been facing increasing danger of attacks and deportation, according to rights groups. Several opposition activists say they have been attacked in Thailand because of criticism of their government. In February 2024, Prime Minister Hun Manet met the then-Thai prime minister, Srettha Thavisin, in Bangkok to discuss a crackdown on what they called "interference" in Cambodian politics by Thai-based Cambodian activists. In November, six Cambodian members of the CNRP were charged with treason shortly after Thai authorities sent them home. Cambodian citizens in France have scheduled a funeral service for Lim Kimya on Thursday at Wat Porvong, also known as Wat Saint-Simon, on the outskirts of Paris. Lim Kimya's wife - a French citizen who was her husband when he was killed - is expected to attend, according to funeral organizer Kim Heng. Edited by Mike Firn and Matt Reed. RFA Khmer contributed to this report. Updates throughout with details from Atthaphon's news conference and background on Ly Ratanakrasmey. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel, Hamas Agree Cease-Fire Deal, Although Much 'Uncertainty' Remains By Kian Sharifi January 15, 2025 Israel and the U.S.-designated Palestinian terrorist group Hamas have reached a multiphase cease-fire deal that includes the exchange of Israeli hostages for some 1,000 Palestinian prisoners and the delivery of urgent humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. Mediated by Qatar and Egypt, the agreement will go into effect on January 19, according to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman al-Thani. It includes three stages, with the final stage focusing on the reconstruction of Gaza. The conflict broke out in October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked settlements in southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking 251 hostages to Gaza. Israel retaliated by launching a devastating war in the Palestinian enclave that has killed over 46,000 people, according to Gaza health authorities. The conflict has led to the mass destruction of the territory and the displacement of most of its 2.3 million residents. What We Know The details of the agreement have not been formally published, but a clear image has emerged from official comments and media reports based on leaked drafts of the deal. In the first phase, a six-week cease-fire will begin, during which Israeli troops will gradually withdraw from central Gaza. During this phase, Hamas will release 33 hostages -- expected to be mostly women, the elderly, and the sick -- in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. Some hostages were released in November 2023 in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners. Hamas is still holding 94 hostages, but Israel believes that only 60 are still alive. Palestinians displaced by the conflict will be allowed to return to their homes in the first phase of the deal, while humanitarian aid will start to flow into the Hamas-run enclave. Nearly the entirety of Gaza residents were forced to flee their homes, fueling a major humanitarian crisis. Further negotiations on the second and third phase of the agreement will begin on the 16th day of the deal's implementation, and analysts say this could pose the first real challenge to the cease-fire's longevity. The second phase of the agreement involves the release of the remaining hostages and, crucially, the end of the war. "There is a lot of uncertainty as to whether Israel is committed to a permanent end of the conflict," said Michael Horowitz, the head of intelligence at the Bahrain-based Le Beck International consultancy. What It Means The Iran-backed Hamas has suffered greatly in the course of the war, losing its leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and his successor, Yahya Sinwar, within months of each other. Horowitz said Hamas will claim victory simply because it survived the war. "The question is whether it can truly return to power in Gaza, retain its military capabilities, and even capitalize on this perceived victory to consolidate its presence outside of Gaza, namely in the West Bank," he added. Iran, whose so-called axis of resistance has suffered multiple setbacks since the outbreak of the Gaza war, sees the cease-fire as good news. Israel fought a devastating war with the U.S.-designated Lebanese political party and armed group Hezbollah late last year, decimating its senior leadership and degrading its military capabilities. Hezbollah came out of the war a shell of its former self, and its weakening led to the election of a president and prime minister in Lebanon who are favored by Western powers and Iran's regional rivals. Adding insult to injury, Syrian rebel forces opposed to the government of Iran's longtime ally Bashar al-Assad launched a lightning offensive on the very day that Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a cease-fire. The Iran- and Russia-backed government of Assad fell in under two weeks, dealing a major blow to both Tehran and Moscow's regional ambitions. Horowitz said the Gaza cease-fire allows Iran to fully de-escalate and engage the Donald Trump administration once he takes office later this month. Iran may also sit back and recalibrate its strategy, such as deciding whether to re-arm Hamas, which Horowitz said may not pose the same threat to Israel as it once did for a long time. "I think the West Bank may be more interesting for Iran, as this is where the future of the Palestinian divide between Hamas and Israel will play out," he added. Many in Israel will welcome the end of the war and the return of hostages, but the cease-fire deal could turn into a headache for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has claimed several times that the war will continue until "total victory" over Hamas. Given the staunch opposition to the deal among far-right members of his cabinet -- some of whom have threatened to quit -- Netanyahu's top priority will be to ensure his government does not collapse, according to Horowitz. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/israel-gaza-cease-fire- deal-hamas-hostages/33277054.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S., Armenia Sign Strategic Partnership Agreement By RFE/RL's Armenian Service January 15, 2025 The United States and Armenia on January 14 signed a strategic partnership agreement expanding cooperation in security and several of areas as Yerevan seeks to distance itself from traditional ally Russia. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan signed the agreement at the State Department in Washington. The United States is "working with Armenia in the realm of security and defense, and in particular, to support its efforts to assert its independence and sovereignty over its own territory," Blinken said at the signing ceremony. "We are increasingly strong partners, and I think that is for the good of both of our countries, as well as the good of the region and beyond," Blinken said, describing the agreement as a milestone in cooperation on defense, security, the economy, and democratization. He announced that in the coming weeks, a U.S. customs and border patrol team would travel to Armenia to work with Armenian partners on developing border security capabilities. In addition, the agreement calls for the United States to start negotiations with Armenia on nuclear cooperation in the civilian space, and Yerevan will formally join a U.S.-led coalition on defeating the Islamic State extremist group. Armenia is formally an ally of Russia through the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), and Moscow maintains a military base in Armenia. But relations have soured over what Armenia called a failure by Russia to provide sufficient assistance when Azerbaijan in 2023 seized Nagorno-Karabakh, forcing some 100,000 ethnic Armenians to flee. Blinken has tried unsuccessfully to broker a lasting peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Mirzoyan saluted that effort and said Armenia appreciates U.S. "steadfast support for Armenia's independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity." "We believe that a stable and prosperous South Caucasus is in the interest of all regional actors and the broader international community," Mirzoyan said at the signing ceremony. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on January 14 that the Russian partnership with Armenia had been positive for Yerevan, while the United States had "never played a stabilizing role in the South Caucasus." Peskov said that relations with Russia offer "a significant dividend for Armenia and its people," adding that Moscow intends to further develop them. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/armenia-partnership- agreement-blinken-mirzoyan-russia/33276117.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel and Hamas Agree to 42-Day Ceasefire, Hostage and Prisoner Exchange Planned Sputnik News 20250115 The parties to the conflict in the Palestinian Gaza Strip - Israel and the Hamas movement - have reached a 42-day ceasefire agreement in the first phase, mediated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. As part of the agreement, 33 Israeli hostages, including military personnel and civilian women, will be released. The agreement will come into effect on January 19, Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced at a press conference on Wednesday. "Mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States have successfully brokered a ceasefire agreement between the parties to the Gaza conflict. It will take effect on January 19. In the first phase, 33 Israeli hostages, including civilian and military women, will be freed. In exchange, Palestinian prisoners will be released from Israeli jails and detention centers," he said. Qatar, Egypt and the United States will set up a joint team in Cairo to oversee the ceasefire in Gaza, he added. Hamas has confirmed the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement on Gaza, describing it as a "turning point in the conflict" with Israel. Other points of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement draft, obtained by Sputnik, include: - Israel will release 1,000 detainees from Gaza arrested after October 8, 2023, excluding those involved in the events of October 7, 2023. - Nine sick and injured hostages from Gaza will be freed in exchange for 110 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life in Israel. - Israel will gradually reduce its troop presence in the Philadelphi Corridor on the Gaza-Egypt border during the first phase of the ceasefire agreement. Commenting on the development, outgoing US President Joe Biden stated that the newly reached deal between Israel and Hamas will halt the fighting in Gaza, increase humanitarian aid for Palestinians, and enable the release of hostages who will "reunite with their families after more than 15 months in captivity." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Houthis Claim Sixth Attack on US Aircraft Carrier in Red Sea Sputnik News 20250115 DOHA (Sputnik) - Yemeni movement Ansar Allah, also known as the Houthis, said on Wednesday that they attacked the US aircraft carrier USS Harry Truman for the sixth time since it arrived in the Red Sea. "The missile force and the UAVs air force of the Yemeni Armed Forces, with the help of Allah Almighty, carried out a joint military operation targeting the American aircraft carrier 'USS Harry S. Truman' and a number of its warships in the northern Red Sea with a number of winged missiles and drones, during their attempt to carry out operations to target Yemen, and this targeting of the carrier is the sixth since its arrival in the Red Sea," the movement said on Telegram. The Houthis added that they are "ready" for US or Israeli escalations as they continue supporting Palestinians until the "siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted". Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Head Urges Member States to 'Shift to Wartime Mindset' Sputnik News 20250115 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that the best way to prevent war is to prepare for it, and that NATO states should change their mindset to a "wartime" one. "To prevent war, we need to prepare for it. It is time to shift to a wartime mindset. And this means we need to make our defences even stronger by spending more on defence, and producing more and better defence capabilities," Rutte said at a meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defense in Brussels. On January 15-16, NATO's highest military authority, the Military Committee, is meeting in Chiefs of Defense format at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The meeting focuses on further strengthening deterrence and defense of the alliance, strengthening NATO's partnerships around the world, as well as supporting Kiev in the Ukraine conflict, according to NATO. Grushko noted that Russia has been declared "the most significant and direct threat to the security of NATO allies" in the long term. At the same time, NATO is: - Striving for dominance in all operational domains; - Expanding military contingents near Russia's borders; - Conducting exercises that simulate offensive actions; - Developing logistical infrastructure for rapid troop and equipment deployment. Grushko emphasized that Moscow aims to prevent a direct confrontation by demonstrating its military capabilities as a deterrent. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israeli Airstrikes Kill 13 People in Central Gaza Strip - Reports Sputnik News 20250115 CAIRO (Sputnik) - Thirteen people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the city of Deir al Balah in the central Gaza Strip, Palestinian broadcaster Al Aqsa reported. The strike targeted a residential building, the report said on Tuesday, adding that some people received injuries. On October 7, 2023, Israel was subjected to an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. In addition, fighters of Palestinian movement Hamas infiltrated the border areas, opened fire on the military and civilians and took hostages. Israeli authorities say that about 1,200 people were killed during the raid. In response, the Israel Defense Forces launched Operation Iron Swords in the Gaza Strip and announced a complete blockade of the enclave. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Secretary Antony J. Blinken With Christiane Amanpour for CNN, CNNi, and PBS US Department of State Interview Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State Benjamin Franklin Room Washington, D.C. January 15, 2025 Below is the transcript of an interview excerpt that aired on January 15, 2025. A transcript of the as-aired interview will be available in its entirety once broadcasted. SECRETARY BLINKEN: First, the firing stops. Hamas, Israel stop firing. Israel pulls back its forces. Hostages begin to be released. Prisoners come out of Israeli jails and go back. And we surge humanitarian assistance to people who so desperately need it. All of that happens during a six-week period. But also during that six weeks, we have to negotiate the understandings to get to a permanent ceasefire so that Israel pulls all of its forces out of Gaza, Hamas doesn't come back in, and there's the necessary governance, security, reconstruction arrangements so that Gaza can move forward. QUESTION: Is that sorted? SECRETARY BLINKEN: That's not sorted. We've worked on it intensely for the last six or seven months - intensely but quietly with Arab partners, with others. I think there's some basic understandings that we've reached, but the ceasefire itself hopefully would concentrate minds and get people to agree on what's necessary to get that day-after post-conflict plan in place. QUESTION: So we're speaking as your successor is undergoing confirmation hearings, Senator Marco Rubio. Do you think that the Trump administration will take your ball and roll with it down the line, or could they say, hey, nice try, guys, but we don't care? SECRETARY BLINKEN: Oh, of course, it'll - it will be up to them, but not only up to them - it'll be up to the parties and all the people concerned. I think there's a strong impetus among all involved not only to have this ceasefire that hopefully we'll achieve in the coming hours or certainly days, but to make sure that it's permanent. Israel does not have an incentive to remain bogged down in Gaza with an insurgency bleeding it, continuing to put pressure on its economy, on its reserves. The Palestinian people certainly don't need a continuation of Gaza. Countries throughout the region don't want that. So I think there's going to be, assuming the ceasefire is reached, strong, strong pressure from all sides to make sure that it becomes permanent. And the best way to do that, I think, is through the work that we've done, but it'll be up to the administration to decide whether to try to carry that forward, whether it has some other way of doing this. The most important thing, though, is get the ceasefire, make it permanent. QUESTION: I don't know whether you agree, but many analysts are saying that, actually, Trump's arrival has jumpstarted this and has focused people's mind and at least got this ceasefire to be serious. As you say, it's something that the President planned back in May and et cetera. There are people, like a very prominent Israeli hostage negotiator, who said this is not a great deal, this interim one. It's only about 30 hostages, many, many have died in the interim since May, that it could have been done much earlier. And I know you often - USG blames Hamas for its role in delaying. But I don't know whether you saw what Itamar Ben-Gvir said to The Times of Israel just over the last couple of days. He basically said that: me and Smotrich have successfully prevented any ceasefire deals for the last year, and we still want to prevent this one. How do you react to that? And are you willing to agree that also Israel has held up what could have been the Biden ceasefire, which could have saved many lives many, many months ago? SECRETARY BLINKEN: So should this have happened months ago? Yes. Could it have happened months ago? Yes. Were there occasions when each side did things that made it more difficult to get this over the finish line? Yes, including Israel. But predominantly, it's been Hamas, and certainly in the last few months, Hamas has - had refused to engage. We finally got it to re-engage. And in these last weeks in particular, Hamas has been the party that's held back on finally getting to yes, but we've managed to push to a point where, as I said, we're on the brink. Look, I think what the basic dynamic has been, this: First, what was so important was that there had to be an agreement that this would proceed in two phases, that we had these six weeks where everyone stops firing, Israel pulls back, hostages come out, prisoners are released, humanitarian assistance goes in, and final arrangements for an enduring ceasefire are made. For months, Hamas wouldn't accept that. The President went forward, went public in May - very end of May, early June - with a detailed proposal for that. And then we went around the world, and everyone came out supporting it, including the UN Security Council. And at that point, Hamas was isolated, and it signed onto that framework. And ever since, as I said, we've been working to implement it, to get the final arrangements. But there have been two dynamics that have really, I think, held things back more than anything else. One, Hamas was hoping, hoping, hoping that the cavalry would come to the rescue, that it would get a wider war with Lebanon and Hizballah, with Iran. And the actions that we took along with Israel made it clear that the cavalry was not coming to the rescue, it couldn't count on that. Second, it hoped that by holding back, pressure would just mount on Israel to give in and to accede to the terms of a ceasefire/hostage deal on Hamas's terms. And there, again, that hasn't happened. So I think as we look at it, as we've seen it, yes, have there been moments when things have happened on one side or the other that have made it harder to get it over the line? Yes, but - fundamentally, it's been Hamas, but now we're at the point where hopefully Hamas sees that the only way forward is through the ceasefire. QUESTION: Just finally on this issue, Ben Gvir and his ilk - they are extremist firebrands that even the U.S. has sanctioned in the past. They want settlements. They say that they want to stay in Gaza. The infrastructure that the IDF is creating in Gaza points to a permanent stay there in some parts. Are you sure, is USG sure that Israel will pull out or that it will stay for, I don't know, months, years afterwards? SECRETARY BLINKEN: What I can tell you is this, Christiane: First, it's our policy and it's been our policy very clearly, including principles that I laid out months ago at the very beginning of the conflict in Tokyo, that there can't be a permanent occupation of Gaza, that Israel has to pull out, that the territory of Gaza shouldn't be changed. And of course, it obviously can't be run by Hamas, who uses it as a base of terrorism. The ceasefire deal itself requires the Israeli forces to pull back and then, assuming you get to a permanent ceasefire, to pull out entirely. But that's what's so critical about this post-conflict plan, the need to come to an agreement on its arrangements, because there has to be something in place that gives Israelis the confidence that they can pull out permanently and not have Hamas fill back in and not have a repeat of the last, really, decade. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Deputy Secretary Campbell's Call with Nigerian Foreign Minister Tuggar US Department of State Readout Office of the Spokesperson January 15, 2025 Deputy Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell spoke with Nigerian Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar today. The meeting underscored the robust and enduring partnership between the United States and Nigeria. The Deputy Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed several key areas of mutual interest and strategic importance, including the return of forfeited assets, recent landmark technology and energy sector collaboration, and efforts to address transnational crime. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address 2025 should be a year of progress and reform, in the service of the rule of law, cooperation and peace: UK Statement at the UN General Assembly Statement by Ambassador Barbara Woodward, UK Permanent Representative to the UN, at the UN General Assembly briefing by the UN Secretary-General on his 2025 priorities. 15 January 2025 Effective multilateralism remains the key to effective global leadership, to peace and development. But around the world, we see conflict exacting a terrible toll in the Middle East, Ukraine, Sudan and beyond; we see rights being rolled back, climate changing and development stalling. As my Prime Minister said in this hall in September, we should not accept this slide into greater conflict, instability and injustice. And we will do all we can to work together for peace, human rights and development. As we approach the 80th anniversary of the UN, with the world in turmoil, we must come together and deliver. For the UK there are three core elements to this: First, we recognise the opportunity this year presents to turbocharge practical and tangible action as we mark other significant milestones, including the UN Ocean Conference, the 30th climate COP, a decade since the Paris Agreement, and the Social Development Summit. At the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development we want to work in genuine partnership to unlock the finance, reforms and impact needed to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs. 2025 is also a critical year for advancing women's rights. As we mark Beijing+30 and the 25th anniversary of the landmark Security Council resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, we reaffirm the need for women's full, equal, meaningful, and safe participation in peace processes and decision-making. Second, we take our responsibility as a Permanent Member of the UN Security Council seriously. We will continue to work hard to ensure that the Council delivers on this crucial mandate. This includes efforts to secure lasting peace for the people of the Middle East towards an inclusive political transition in Syria, an enduring ceasefire and political stability in Lebanon and of course, bringing to an end the awful conflict in Gaza, returning the hostages home, injecting aid and delivering a two-state solution. Finally, we must also turn our attention to the UN's potential for the decades ahead and ensure the organisation is fit for the future. We need to make the system more representative and more responsive to those who need it most. When we come together and when there is political will for change, we can make a difference. Adopting the Pact for the Future by consensus at the Summit of the Future last year was a prime example of this. Now we must implement the commitments we made in the Pact and its Annexes. We renew our commitment to General Assembly revitalisation and to Security Council reform to ensure these bodies can continue to deliver on their mandates, as outlined in the UN Charter. Mr President, 2025 should be a year of progress and reform. It is in this spirit, that we reaffirm our unwavering commitment to work with all UN members in the service of the rule of law, cooperation and peace. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemen will only prosper when all Yemenis can play their role in building a better future for their country: 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 Yemen. 15 January 2025 First, we welcome the visits and continuing efforts of both WHO Director-General Tedros and Special Envoy Grundberg to secure the release of detainees. We are deeply concerned about claims of Houthis further arbitrary and unlawful detentions of Yemeni citizens. We call on this Council to unite in condemning Houthi detentions in the strongest terms and demand that the Houthis immediately and unconditionally release all those detained, enabling a safe operating environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need. This is more important than ever with nearly 20 million Yemenis now in need of assistance, as Ms Msuya spelled out so starkly for us. Second, the UK will continue to support Freedom of Navigation including in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden and we look forward to the extension later today of the mandate of UNSCR 2722. The UK condemns the ongoing and reckless Houthi attacks against Israeli population centres. We are clear on Israel's right to self-defence against these attacks. But this must be done in compliance with Israel's international humanitarian law obligations, including the need to avoid damage to critical civilian infrastructure such as Hodeidah port, the main entry point for food and humanitarian supplies into Yemen. Third, the UK is resolute in our support to the Government of Yemen and that is why we are co-hosting an event this month to galvanise international support for the Government as the legitimate representatives of the Yemeni people, and in order to promote stability and stable governance. Yemen can only truly prosper, when all Yemenis are able to play their role in building a better future for their country. Finally, President, on the occasion of General Beary's final briefing to this Council I would like to commend his efforts in support of UNMHA and the Yemeni people in Hodeidah Governorate. I thank him for his service. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on the announcement of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip UNICEF 15 January 2025 NEW YORK, 15 January 2025 -- "UNICEF welcomes the announcement today of a ceasefire deal between the parties to the conflict in the Gaza Strip. This is long overdue for the children and families of Gaza who have endured more than a year of bombardment and deprivation, and for the hostages in Gaza and their families in Israel who have suffered so much. "The war has exacted a horrific toll on Gaza's children - reportedly leaving at least 14,500 dead, thousands more injured, an estimated 17,000 unaccompanied or separated from their parents, and nearly one million displaced from their homes. "The scale of humanitarian needs is enormous, and UNICEF and partners are ready to scale up our response. The ceasefire must, finally, afford humanitarian actors the opportunity to safely roll out the massive response inside the Gaza Strip that is so desperately needed. This includes unimpeded access to reach all children and families with essential food and nutrition, health care and psychosocial support, clean water, and sanitation, education, and learning, as well as cash assistance and the resumption of commercial trucking operations. "With the collapse of essential services across Gaza, we must act urgently to save lives and help children recover. "Less than half of Gaza's 36 hospitals are functional, increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and putting children at risk. Water production is at less than 25 per cent capacity. Nearly all of the territory's 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity. And 95 per cent of Gaza's school buildings have been damaged or destroyed. "It is imperative that the parties fully adhere to the ceasefire and allow the necessary level of aid into the Gaza Strip through all reliable entry points. The security environment must also be urgently addressed. This will allow UNICEF to increase the screening and treatment of children suffering from malnutrition, facilitate vaccination catch-up for 420,000 children under 5 years, and support the prevention of disease outbreaks, including polio, measles, and cholera. "In addition, UNICEF strongly urges the parties to urgently forge a lasting political resolution that prioritizes the rights and well-being of this and future generations of children. "The war in Gaza has already cost children so much. We must act now and work together for a better future for all children." ##### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Guterres hails Gaza ceasefire deal as 'critical first step' 15 January 2025 - The UN Secretary-General has welcomed Wednesday's announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza following 15 months of war. Speaking to reporters at UN Headquarters, Antonio Guterres commended mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their dedicated efforts in brokering the agreement. "Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough," he said. He called on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments to ensure that the deal is fully implemented. Ease the suffering Mr. Guterres noted that from the outset of the violence, he has called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages. Stressing that the priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by the conflict, he said the UN stands ready to support the implementation of the deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief. "It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support. The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels," he warned. Allow aid in The Secretary-General called on all parties to facilitate the rapid, unhindered, and safe humanitarian relief for all civilians in need. For its part, the UN "will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and constraints that we will be facing". He expects that these efforts will be matched by humanitarian organizations, the private sector and bilateral initiatives. 'Advance broader goals' "This deal is a critical first step, but we must mobilize all efforts to also advance broader goals, including the preservation of the unity, contiguity, and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory," he said. Palestinian unity is essential for achieving lasting peace and stability, in this regard, and he emphasized that unified Palestinian governance must remain a top priority. "I urge the parties and all relevant partners to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis, and the broader region," he continued. He highlighted the need to end the occupation and achieve a negotiated two-State solution between Israelis and Palestinians. Remember lives lost Before concluding his remarks, Mr. Guterres paid tribute to the civilians who have lost their lives in the conflict, including UN personnel and humanitarian workers. The war in Gaza recently entered a third year. Israel launched the military campaign following the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on its territory. Some 1,200 people were killed and 250 were taken as hostages, with around 100 still being held. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed since the conflict began, according to Gaza's health authorities. UNRWA threat looms Gaza has a population of just over two million, and 1.9 million have been displaced, according to the UN Palestine refugee agency, UNRWA, which is housing hundreds of thousands in its schools-turned-shelters. The Secretary-General has repeatedly referred to UNRWA as the "backbone" of relief efforts in the enclave. The agency has suffered immense losses as 265 staff members have been killed and its facilities have come under attack. The ceasefire announcement comes as two Israeli laws aimed at ending UNRWA 's operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory are due to take effect in mere weeks. "The agency's collapse - whether immediate or gradual - will only compound the immense suffering in Gaza," Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on Tuesday at a meeting in Oslo focused on the two-State solution. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Clementine Nkweta-Salami, on recent attacks against civilians UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Port Sudan, 15 January 2025) -- The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, Ms. Clementine Nkweta-Salami, has expressed deep concern over reports of recent attacks against civilians. Reports of retaliatory attacks against civilians in Aj Jazirah State based on alleged affiliation or ethnicity raise grave concerns about flagrant violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights law. "I strongly denounce any form of violence against civilians," Ms. Nkweta-Salami said. "Civilians should be protected in armed conflict. Reprisals and acts of violence against civilian populations and civilian objects are prohibited by international humanitarian law." Other reports indicate significant civilian casualties, destruction of property and further displacement of vulnerable people due to continued shelling and aerial attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure in many parts of the country, including western Omdurman in Khartoum State, Merowe in Northern State, Atbara in River Nile State, and the Darfur region. "The ongoing violence across Sudan continues to cause immense suffering. We must act now to stop the bloodshed and protect civilians," Ms. Nkweta-Salami stressed. She reiterated the call for the cessation of hostilities and for real and inclusive steps towards the lasting peace that the people of Sudan so desperately need. The United Nations and its partners remain committed to supporting peacebuilding efforts, safeguarding human rights and addressing humanitarian needs in Sudan during this critical time. For more information, please contact: Dan Teng'o, dan.tengo@un.org; +249 91 253 2791 15 January 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick Fall, on the mass killings of civilians in Kukawa, Borno State UNOCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Abuja, 15 January 2025 - I am horrified by the recent mass killing of fishermen and farmers in Borno States's Kukawa Local Government Area (LGA) reportedly by members of a non-state armed group (NSAG). On 12 January, at least 40 civilians, all men, were reportedly killed in Dumba community in Kukawa after allegedly breaching an NSAG ban on farming activities. Several people remain missing, according to humanitarian partners operating in neighbouring Monguno LGA. On behalf of the UN in Nigeria, I convey my deepest condolences to the bereaved families and wish the injured a speedy recovery. The UN stands in solidarity with the people and the Government of Borno State. The armed actors who perpetrated these attacks must be identified and brought to account in compliance with national and international human rights laws. This recent attack is yet another grim reminder of the profound dangers that civilians in conflict-affected parts of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states continue to face in their struggle to survive. In 2024, multiple attacks against civilians were recorded. In February 2024, NSAGs allegedly abducted hundreds of internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of them women, boys and girls in Ngala LGA, Borno State. The IDPs had reportedly ventured beyond the safety of the trenches surrounding Ngala in search of firewood. In June 2024, scores of civilians were reportedly killed and others seriously injured following suicide bomb attacks in Gwoza LGA, also in Borno. In July 2024, suspected NSAGs attacked farmers in the Firgi community, also in Gwoza LGA, leading to the killing of an unspecified number of IDPs and the abduction of two women and seven teenage girls who were later released. And in September 2024, more than 100 men and boys lost their lives following an NSAG attack on Mafa, in Yobe State's Tarmuwa LGA. Several other incidents were reported in Borno's Dikwa, Logomane, Ngala and Pulka areas. The UN remains committed to supporting affected people to complement Government efforts. I also call for enhanced security measures and urge parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm. END For more information, please contact: Ann Weru: Head, Public information, OCHA Nigeria + 234 703 852 2706 weru@un.org 15 January 2025 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Air Force updates T-7A acquisition approach to field operational capability Published Jan. 15, 2025 Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) -- The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have agreed upon a framework to adjust aspects of the T-7A Red Hawk acquisition approach to meet Air Education and Training Command's (AETC) operational needs and deliver a platform that is safe, suitable, and sustainable to replace the aging fleet of T-38C Talon aircraft. In 2018, the Air Force awarded a fixed-price contract to Boeing for T-7A aircraft development and 10 fixed-price lots of all 350 T-7A operational aircraft. Air Force pilots are currently flying five test aircraft, with the last one delivered in December 2024. "Acquisition programs cannot be stagnant, even when they are fixed-price. This is why I've directed the T-7A team to implement updates to reduce risk and increase our confidence in the aircraft design, all to ensure we can deliver the T-7A to the warfighter when needed," said Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. "These acquisition updates include expanding test capacity, enabling the start of AETC's curriculum development activities, and using a management approach which incentivizes Boeing to address emergent issues that were not part of the contract that was signed in 2018 and to accelerate elements of the program." Under the adjusted plan, the Air Force would procure four Production Representative Test Vehicles (PRTVs) with fiscal year 2025 (FY25) research, development, test & evaluation (RDT&E) funds to deliver in FY26. This expanded test capacity would enable AETC to expedite test plan and curriculum development earlier than the current plan, ultimately achieving a timely Initial Operational Capability (IOC). "Procuring these PRTVs in FY25 also allows the Air Force and Boeing to improve manufacturing readiness prior to entering the production phase for the entire run of over 350 T-7As," said Hunter. "Decreasing overlap between development, testing, and production lowers the likelihood of potential costly retrofits of a significant number of aircraft." He added, that while the adjusted Air Force plan would result in the award of Lot 1 production aircraft in calendar year 2026, the production delivery timeline of the PRTVs and the Lot 1 aircraft would preserve AETC's 2027IOC timeline. The current plan as outlined in the FY25 President's Budget request, submitted to Congress more than 8 months ago, assumed a production contract award in 2025 and requested funding for the Air Force to purchase seven Lot 1 production aircraft in FY25. "Air Education and Training Command is actively working with our acquisitions partners to develop cutting edge training capabilities at the speed of need," said Lt. Gen. Brian S. Robinson, AETC commander. "The T-7A will propel the Air Force's pilot training pipeline into the future of aviation, enabling the Air Force to continue producing world-class pilots who meet the challenges of the future." The Air Force is working with Congress on what adjustments would be necessary to the FY25 T-7A budget request to execute the adjusted plan. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SECNAV Del Toro Names Destroyers and Frigate at the 37th Surface Navy Association (SNA) National Symposium US Navy 15 January 2025 Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced Jan. 15 the names of three guided missile destroyers -- the future USS Ray Mabus (DDG 147), the future USS Kyle Carpenter (DDG 148), and the future Robert R. Ingram (DDG 149). Del Toro also named a future guided missile frigate after Everett Alvarez Jr. (FFG 68). Secretary Del Toro made the announcement during his keynote address at this year's Surface Navy Association's 37th National Symposium in Arlington, Va. "Today, at my final Surface Navy Association Symposium as Secretary of the Navy, I am honored to announce four new ships which represent the future of our fleet," said Del Toro. "The newest Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers will be: USS Ray Mabus (DDG 147); USS Kyle Carpenter (DDG 148); USS Robert R. Ingram (DDG 149). And the newest Constellation-class guided-missile frigate will be USS Everett Alvarez Jr. (FFG 68)." The naming of the three destroyers aligns with the Navy's tradition of naming destroyers after heroes and leaders in the Naval service. There have been no previous Navy vessels named for any of the four namesake ships named today. The future USS Ray Mabus honors former Secretary of the Navy Raymond Edwin Mabus, Jr. Born in Mississippi, Mabus served in the Navy from 1970 to 1972 as a surface warfare officer aboard USS Little Rock (CLG-4). He then attended law school. In 1983, he was elected as the State Auditor of Mississippi and was elected Governor of Mississippi in 1988. In 1994, Mabus was appointed as Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by President William Clinton. In 2009, Mabus was nominated and confirmed as the 75th Secretary of the Navy. As Secretary, Mabus focused on four key priorities -people, platforms, power, and partnerships. He worked to improve the quality of life for Sailors, Marines, and their families; increase the size of the fleet; decrease the Navy's reliance on fossil fuels; and strengthen partnerships with industry and internationally. During his tenure, the Navy went from building fewer than five ships per year to having more than 70 under contract. He championed the "21st Century Sailor and Marine" initiative to build and maintain the most resilient and ready force possible. He directed the Navy and Marine Corps to change the way they use, produce, and acquire energy, setting an aggressive goal of relying on alternative sources for at least 50 percent of their energy by 2020. In 2010, Mabus was appointed by President Barack Obama to prepare the long-term recovery plan for the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, with most of his recommendations passed into law by Congress as the Restore Act. Mabus served until 2017, becoming the longest service Secretary of the Navy since World War I. "Serving my country in uniform as a young LTJG aboard a guided missile cruiser and then, decades later, leading our naval services are the greatest privileges and most consequential times of my life," said Mabus. "The highest honor of my life is to know that sailors will defend our country and represent our values around the world for years aboard a ship bearing my name. That LTJG would never have imagined and this former SECNAV could not be more thankful, more honored, or more moved." The future USS Kyle Carpenter honors Medal of Honor recipient, Corporal William "Kyle" Carpenter, USMC (Ret). Enlisting in the Marine Corps in 2009, Carpenter was assigned as a squad automatic weapon gunner with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment. Deploying to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, with Regimental Combat Team 1, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) during Operation Moshtarak. On 21 November 2010, Carpenter was manning a rooftop security outpost when enemy fighters threw hand grenades at the outpost, one of which landed in their sandbagged position. Without hesitation, and with complete disregard for his own safety, Carpenter moved toward the grenade in an attempt to shield his fellow Marine from the deadly blast. When the grenade detonated, his body absorbed the brunt of the blast, severely wounding him, but saving the life of his fellow Marine. He was evacuated for his wounds, including the shattering of his right arm and jaw, and the loss of his right eye and most of his teeth. Medically retired in 2013, Carpenter was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Barack Obama in 2014. In 2023, the United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center named a high-performance computing cluster Carpenter in his honor. "The only honor greater than this Guided Missile Destroyer (DDG 148) bearing my name was being able to serve and sacrifice for this country that I love, as a United States Marine," said Carpenter. "It is humbling beyond measure to know that, in spirit, I will be sailing the seas with our Nation's warriors, the might of the United States Navy, and with those who faithfully stand ready to protect our freedoms and people around the world. And, to all who have served during the global war on terror, this is a moment and legacy for us all. Hooyah and Semper Fidelis!" The future USS Robert R. Ingram honors Medal of Honor recipient, Hospital Corpsman Third Class (HM3) Robert Ronald Ingram, USN (Ret). Born in Clearwater, Florida, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1963 and attended Hospital Corps School and Field Medical Service School prior to deploying with C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division to the Republic of Vietnam in 1965. During a fierce engagement on 8 February 1966, HM3 Ingram rushed forward while under fire to treat between 12 and 14 wounded Marines. He received the Silver Star for his actions. When Ingram's unit was attacked in Quang Ngai Province on 28 March 1966, killing or wounding all in the lead squad of C Company, the corpsman crawled across the terrain to attend to the injured Marines. Struck in the hand by enemy gunfire, Ingram continued collecting ammunition from the dead and administering aid to the wounded. He sustained two more wounds - one of which was life-threatening - yet still rendered aid to the injured until he reached the right flank of the platoon. There, while dressing the head wound of another corpsman, Ingram sustained a fourth bullet wound. Even then, he tried to delay his own medical evacuation, saving many lives and asking that the injured Marines go first. For his selflessness, he was nominated for the Medal of Honor, but the original nomination paperwork was lost. Following his discharge, Ingram became a registered nurse. In 1998, Ingram finally received his long overdue recognition, becoming the first Navy member to receive the Medal of Honor in 20 years. Fittingly, his award ceremony was held in advance of the 100th anniversary of the Navy Hospital Corps. In 2004, the Naval Branch Health Clinic Mayport was dedicated in his honor. Along with the ship names, Del Toro has selected the sponsors for the three newly named destroyers. The sponsor plays an important role in the life of each ship and is typically selected because of a relationship to the namesake or to the ship's current mission. In their role as the ship's sponsor, they will represent a lifelong relationship with the ship and crew. The following individuals were identified as sponsors: Liz Mabus, daughter of Mabus, will sponsor the future USS Ray Mabus (DDG 147). Robin and Brittany Carpenter, the mother and spouse of Carpenter will sponsor the future USS Kyle Carpenter (DDG 148). Dana Ingram, daughter of Ingram will sponsor the future Robert R. Ingram (DDG 149). 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. More information on guided-missile destroyer programs can be found here. The naming of the future FFG 68 honors Commander Everett Alvarez Jr., USN (Ret), the first U.S. aviator taken captive in the Republic of Vietnam after being shot down near Hanoi. Alvarez, the grandson of Mexican immigrants, was commissioned in the U.S. Naval Reserve in 1960 and joined Attack Squadron 144 (VA-144) in 1962. While conducting a bombing mission over North Vietnam in retaliation after a reported North Vietnamese attack a day earlier on two U.S. destroyers (now known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident), Lieutenant (JG) Alvarez's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was shot down in the vicinity of Hon Gay Harbor. He was reported missing on 5 August 1964 and endured eight years and seven months as a prisoner of war at the Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi. One of the longest-held U.S. prisoners of war, Alvarez was released from captivity on 12 February 1973. Upon his return to the United States, he attended the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School and subsequently served at the Naval Air Systems Command until his retirement from the Navy in 1980. He went on to hold civilian positions with the Peace Corps, Veterans Administration (now Department of Veterans Affairs), Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and Vietnam War Commemoration Advisory Council. For his service and sacrifice, Everett has received the Congressional Gold Medal, the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. A subdivision at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California was also named in his honor during his internment. Along with the ship's name, Secretary Del Toro announced the sponsor for FFG 68 to be the namesake's spouse, Thomasine Alvarez. She, and her chosen maids and matrons will represent the ship throughout the duration of its lifetime. The Constellation-class guided-missile frigate represents the Navy's next generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multi-mission warship, capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea. The Constellation-class will have multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address SECNAV Del Toro Delivers Virtual Farewell Remarks to NPS US Navy Washington, DC Speech by Carlos Del Toro Presented on 15 January 2025 Date Published 15 January 2025 Greetings to the faculty, staff, and esteemed members of the Naval Postgraduate School family. It is wonderful to be with all of you today for my last address as your Secretary of the Navy. While I wish it could be in person, time has not worked to my advantage. President Rondeau, thank you for that kind introduction, for your years of distinguished service in the United States Navy, and for your leadership and stewardship of the Naval Postgraduate School. If I may, Ann, having seen you in action these past several years leaves me no doubt that you are unquestionably where you need to be for our Navy, Marine Corps, and Nation, and I am proud to have extended you for another five-year term. God speed, Ann! It is a privilege to address you todayalthough I must admit it is also bittersweetas I bid farewell to a role and a mission which have profoundly shaped my life. As I reflect on my tenure as Secretary of the Navy, I cannot help but feel both an immense sense of pride and gratitude for the remarkable academic institutions such as NPS which serve as a beacon for innovation and technological excellence for the Navy, Marine Corps, and Department of Defense. As a young naval officer, I too had the opportunity to study and learn at NPSI earned my master's degree in Space Systems Engineering and am proud to call myself a member of the Navy space cadre to this day. I had the privilege and opportunity to study under the tutelage of the great Professor Panholzer, former Chair of Space Systems Academic Group. Admiral Grace Hopper once said, "You don't teach people how to be curious. You give them the tools through which they can express their curiosity." Today, I am excited to reflect on our shared commitment to curiosity, innovation, and excellence, and to look ahead to the pivotal role the Naval Postgraduate School will continue to play in advancing the readiness and capabilities of our Navy, Marine Corps, and indeed our Nation as a whole. Prior to NPS' founding, the United States Navy had a long tradition of resisting going ashore to school in favor of gaining practical experience at sea. In the days when a Commanding Officer's ability to judge subtle changes in wind and sea state might make the difference between winning and losing a battle, or having his ship dismasted or lost in a storm, this was not completely illogicalSailors and Naval Officers belonged at sea to hone their craft. And so, convincing the Navy at large that education ashore was worth the time and resources was a long battle. When Rear Admiral Luce established the Naval War College in 1884, he envisioned not only the study of war and strategy, but also advanced technical education. Despite the advocacy of Luce, and others such as Admirals Dewey and Sims, it would be another 25 years before the Navy established what would become the Naval Postgraduate School. In February 1909, the Great White Fleet returned from just over a year circumnavigating the globe. I have a painting of that flagshipthe Olympiain my office to remind me of the impact great ideas can have on global diplomacy. The voyage, while successful, also revealed several design flaws with our ships, and they experienced all kinds of technical challenges which were overcome in ad hoc mannersacceptable for the voyage but unacceptable if the Fleet had been called to fight. As a result, George von L. Meyer wasted no time ensuring our Navy had what it needed to compete in an increasingly complex global arena. On June 9th, 1909, he signed General Order #27, establishing a School of Marine Engineering for postgraduate engineering and technical training at Annapolis. It was to serve as an extension of the United States Naval Academy, with the aim of offering graduate-level education in scientific and technical disciplines. But as technological advancements continued to shape naval warfare, the Navy recognized the growing importance of specialized education to maintain a strategic and operational edge. The demand for a broader range of research opportunities and expanded facilities outpaced the capacity of its location in Annapolis. And in 1951, the Naval Postgraduate School relocated to its current home in Montereyenabling the school the ability to expand its mission and resources. The evolution of the Naval Postgraduate School over the following decades was not necessarily linear, and there would be periodic efforts to close the school or shift the post-graduate education of naval officers to civilian universities as a means to cut costs. Besides Ernest King, the most vocal supporters of NPS over the years have included Admirals Chester Nimitz, Raymond Spruance, Arleigh Burke, James Watkins, and, if I may be so bold, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, and not because I am the only Secretary of the Navy to have graduated from NPS. The real dividend of the Naval Postgraduate School would not necessarily become apparent until World War II and in the decades aftergraduates of the Class of 1928 included Lieutenant William "Deak" Parsons and Lieutenant Hyman Rickover. Rickover is more well known as the "Father of the Nuclear Navy," but Parsons, besides inventing the radar proximity fuse, was responsible for turning the scientific atomic theory into a bomb that actually worked, and was the mission commander on the Enola Gay. Admiral Arleigh Burke, who graduated from NPS in 1930 with a degree in Ordnance Engineering, applied his studies at the onset of World War II while serving at the Naval Gun Factory in Washington, D.C. To show you the value your degree holds, the Navy denied his strenuous requests for transfer to an operational billetso important was his application of what he had learned at NPS to the war effort. Rear Admiral Wayne E. Meyer, the "Father of Aegis," graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School and pioneered the AEGIS Combat System, fundamentally transforming naval warfare. His legacy lives on through USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG 108) and the Meyer Scholar Program at NPS, which carries forward his mantra: "Build a little, test a little, learn a lot." Another distinguished graduate was Admiral Michael Mullen (Operations Research '85), the first alum to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and for whom I named an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, DDG 144. Today, the Naval Postgraduate School continues to set the standard for defense-focused graduate education, and its missionits reason for beingremains just as strong today as it was in 1909. Through rigorous academic programs and hands-on research, NPS equips leaders with the critical knowledge and innovative solutions required to meet the demands of contemporary and future conflict. NPS fulfills its mission by fostering an environment where education, research, and operational expertise convergeit is truly "Where Science Meets the Art of Warfare." Given the unique challenges of today, this institution is more vital and relevant than ever. And to meet those challenges, I announced my vision for a new National Maritime Statecraft, a call for a whole-of-government effort to build comprehensive U.S. and allied maritime power, both commercial and naval, to prevail in an era of intense strategic competition. As we stand at the crossroads of strategic competition, innovation is no longer a luxuryit is a necessity. But innovation is not just about technologyit's about people, culture, and mindset. We are committed to investing in our Sailors and Marines, who are at the heart and soul of our innovation efforts. And we must continue to build a culture of innovation which permeates throughout our entire Department. We must encourage our Sailors and Marines to never stop asking, "Why can't we do this better?" The Department of the Navy Naval Education Strategy is a cornerstone of our commitment to cultivating a force that thrives in an era of strategic competition. It prioritizes the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation across all levels of the Navy and Marine Corps. Education is not just about knowledgeit's about empowering our Sailors and Marines to challenge assumptions, adapt to rapidly changing environments, and pioneer solutions that enhance our operational effectiveness. For example, last year, the Department of the Navy stood up the Science and Technology Board, chaired by former Secretary of the Navy Richard Danzig, to bring together leaders across a wide range of disciplines to advise and help identify new technologies and capabilities. I challenged my team to innovate at the speed of relevance to deliver concepts of operations and capabilities which bolster deterrence and expand our warfighting advantage. The Board recommendations strengthen how we build and counter asymmetric warfighting advantageincluding unmanned vehicles, mission assurance of digital infrastructure, sailor health, additive manufacturing, electronic warfare for terminal defense of ships, and ship maintenance. Our new Naval Science and Technology Strategy now drives our Navy and Marine Corps' innovation investments in science and technology research during this decisive period. I want to thank Rear Admiral Rothenhaus and the team at the Office of Naval Research for their incredible work in developing this strategy. We remain committed to the continual evaluation of our processes and approach to see what gaps or challenges are preventing us from rapidly adopting and fielding new capabilities and technologies. Such progress is never achieved alone. Just last month, we announced a partnership between NPS and NVIDIA's [en-VID-ee-UH] AI Technology Center Program to work together on advancing AI-driven technologies for education and research. This partnership highlights NPS' unique position in providing continuous technological advancement for the Department of Defense through the ability to conduct research with leading tech companies. You here at NPSthe students, professors, staff, and facultyare at the forefront of innovative efforts. Your initiatives advance Admiral Franchetti's vision for the Navywhich she outlined in NAVPLAN 2024and seeks to further AI as an enabling technology. And your initiatives advance the Marine Corps' Force Design and Commandant's Planning Guidance efforts through the embracing of unmanned systems and autonomous technologies. ONR collaborates with you here at the Naval Postgraduate School to further innovation efforts. And ONR developed our newest directed energy weapons technology, the Laser Weapon System Demonstrator. LWSD, the most advanced and powerful electric high-energy laser system ever installed on a US Navy ship, is designed to neutralize and destroy hostile drones, small craft, and other threats. Directed energy weapons, including high-energy lasers, are the future of warfareoffering a lower cost-per-shot against air and missile defense engagements. In addition, ONR partners with NPS on a variety of academic efforts, including the Consortium for Robotics and Unmanned Systems Education and Research, or CRUSER. This initiative brings together a diverse group of stakeholders to advance the frontiers of unmanned systems education and research. And here at NPS, the Modeling Virtual Environments and Simulation, or MOVES, Institute is directly impacting our Fleet and partnerships around the world. MOVES developed the user interface utilized in this year's Northwest Pacific Wargame 2024, which supported integrated training between PACFLT, Seventh Fleet, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. And NPS students are driving innovation through integrated training in the Fleet. NPS graduate Major Will Oblak conducted thesis research on developing a Live, Virtual, and Constructive (LVC) training environment that accurately simulates the electronic warfare spectrum. Major Oblak's work is now being expanded in partnership with the Marine Corps Software Factory to deliver a Fleet-wide training solution, enhancing readiness and training capabilities. The current global landscape underscores the need to strengthen our maritime dominance with new technologies and integrated training environments. And those in this room today are pushing the bounds of tactics and capabilitieslook no further than the Red Sea, where the technologies born through your research and development have enabled our ships to defend themselves and innocent mariners from hostile drones and missiles. Our simulation tools and programs offer our warfighters realistic training while minimizing the costs and risks associated with open-air testing. As a leader in defense research and education, NPS serves as a vital hub for developing and advancing the technologies which support our national security objectives. When I first entered office as Secretary of the Navy, I knew that innovation could not wait. The pace of technological advancement and the complexity of the security challenges we face demand that we act with urgency to stay ahead of our adversaries. As we explore how to further expand our engagement with companies at the leading edge of technology innovation, the Department of the Navy recognizes a fundamental truth: true innovation begins with education. And so, in 2022, I announced my vision for the Naval Innovation Center. The NIC is designed to enhance and accelerate the innovation process for the Department of the Navy by transforming cutting-edge research concepts into operational capabilities faster. By empowering students, our world-class faculty, and partners across the entire naval research and development enterprise to collaborate with industry and the broader naval innovation ecosystem, the NIC takes a whole-of-Navy approach to solving the toughest challenges and delivering critical warfighting advantages to our forces. To support this vision, we are investing in the construction of a purposefully-designed facility which will ensure emerging technologies are not only developed, but also refined and aligned to meet the evolving demands of naval operations. In parallel with the NIC, efforts are underway to modernize existing NPS buildings, many of which were constructed in the 1950s, to enhance educational facilities and research laboratories essential for specialized graduate studies. Alongside ONR, the Navy Research and Development enterprise, our industry and academic partners, the NIC at NPS will eliminate barriers to collaboration and accelerate ideas to impact at a great speed and scale. And I am proud to announce that I have signed a Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of the Navy and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation which will support the NIC with the critical infrastructure necessary to accomplish our mission. This partnership is a testament to the shared vision of advancing innovation and supporting our warfighters through education and cutting-edge research. Together, we will ensure that the Navy remains at the forefront of technological and strategic capabilities. Just as NPS itself was a bold vision in 1909, the future NIC is a bold vision that will carry the Naval Postgraduate School and Department of the Navy well into the 22nd Century. We are indeed in an innovation raceone we have faced before, and one we must win. On September 12, 1962, former Naval Officer and President John F. Kennedy, in his address to the Nation at Rice University, rallied us to face the challenges of progress and space travel with a singular goal: putting human feet on the moon. He famously declared, "We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win." We must embrace innovation within the Department of the Navy with the same urgency and resolve. As I close my remarks, I do so tremendously grateful for the opportunity of a lifetimeto lead the nearly one million Sailors, Marines, and Department of the Navy civilians who proudly serve the greatest Nation on earth. I leave you with a challengea question to consider as you return to your studies and to the Fleet or workforce. What does the future of naval warfare look like in an age of unprecedented technological change? We stand at the precipice of a new era of innovationan era which demands not only the courage to face the unknown but also the boldness to lead it. The future of our Navy and Marine Corps, and indeed our nation, will be shaped by those in this room today. Just as President Kennedy challenged a generation to reach the moon, I challenge you to push the bounds of the possible, to do the hard thingsnot only because you have the opportunity, but because it is your responsibility. The mission of NPS is enduring. And I know that the future of NPS is in good handsyours. As I close out my time as your 78th Secretary, please know that it has been the honor of my life to serve you, and please know that my wife Betty and I will always carry you in our hearts and prayers till our dying days. May God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America. And now that I have shared my thoughts, I would like to hear from you, the current and future leaders of our great Nation. No question is off-limits. Who's first? NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Readout of Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti's Meeting with Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo US Navy - Press Release 15 January 2025 Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti met virtually with Republic of Korea (ROK) Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Yang Yong-mo, Jan. 13. The two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to the ironclad U.S. - ROK alliance and emphasized the importance of strengthening maritime security cooperation for the promotion of a peaceful Korean Peninsula. The CNO discussed her strategic guidance: the Navigation Plan for America's Warfighting Navy, and opportunities to work together on the Joint and combined warfighting ecosystem in the future through exercises, conferences and bi-lateral and multi-lateral engagements. The two heads of navy also wished each other a happy new year and discussed this year's significant milestones: the 250th anniversary of the establishment of the U.S. Navy and the 80th anniversary of the ROK Navy. Franchetti thanked Yang for the ROK Navy's support and participation in recent trilateral engagements with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. She emphasized the trilateral relationship is key to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific, sends a strong deterrent message to any potential adversary, and that she looks forward to advancing this relationship. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio, Trump's pick for top diplomat, vows robust US policy to promote 'peace,' 'security' By Veronica Balderas Iglesias January 15, 2025 Florida Senator Marco Rubio appeared in a Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday for U.S. secretary of state, where he said that American voters expressed a clear preference on U.S. foreign policy when they chose Donald Trump to return to the White House. "They want a strong America that is engaged in the world but guided by a clear objective to promote peace abroad, and security and prosperity at home," he stated. The 53-year-old Republican spoke about how under his leadership, the United States would confront a wide range of foreign policy challenges at a time when Republicans are focused on curtailing U.S. government spending. Rubio said every dollar the U.S. spends and every policy it pursues will be assessed on whether it makes America safer, stronger and/or more prosperous. "Prudence in the conduct of foreign policy is not an abandonment of our values. It is the common sense understanding that while we remain the wealthiest and the most powerful nation on the Earth, our wealth has never been unlimited, and placing our core national interest above all else is not isolationism," Rubio affirmed. Path forward for Gaza The hearing included brief interruptions by hecklers, which Rubio brushed off. Almost two hours into his testimony, news broke that Israel and Hamas had accepted a truce proposal, brokered by the U.S., Qatar and Egypt. Rubio, who supports the deal, expressed full support for Israel's right to defend itself and acknowledged the humanitarian toll of the war launched after the Hamas terror attack on Oct. 7, 2023. He also pointed out that there are opportunities available now in the Middle East that did not exist 90 days ago. "Whether it's what's happened in Lebanon, whether it's what's happened in Syria, whether it's what hopefully will happen with this ceasefire and the release of hostages after horrifying detention and unjustifiable actions by Hamas, whether it's any of these things, are all in combination, there are now factors at play in the Middle East that I think we can build upon and may open the door to extraordinary and historic opportunities," he said. Ukraine-Russia war Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen was among the legislators who questioned Rubio about his planned approach to the Ukraine-Russia war. "What you think is important for us to do in order to ensure that there is the strongest possible negotiating position if Ukraine and Russia do get to the negotiating table?" Shaheen asked. Rubio said, "I think it should be the official position of the United States that this war should be brought to an end." But he cautioned it will require bold diplomacy. "My hope is that it could begin with some ceasefire. It is important for everyone to be realistic. There will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians, and the United States lends itself there." China's ambitions Republican Senator Pete Ricketts asked Rubio how he sees the threat from Beijing. "Since the election in November. So, this is over the last two months, the PRC has hacked our Treasury Department, including CFIUS, what has been described as the worst telecom hack in U.S. history, sabotaged important undersea communication cables in Asia and Europe, deployed ships to the South China Sea to harass our allies," Rickett said. "It's time for us to go on the offensive and abandon illusions about what kind of adversary we're faced [with]." Rubio agreed and described the Communist Party of China as "the most potent and dangerous near peer adversary this nation has ever confronted." He further noted, "They have elements that the Soviet Union never possessed. They are a technological adversary and competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, a geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor." Much of what the United States needs to do to confront China is not abroad but at home, Rubio said. "We have to rebuild our domestic industrial capacity, and we have to make sure that the United States is not reliant on any single other nation, for any of our critical supply chains," he said. US-Mexico cooperation Republican Senator Steve Daines asked Rubio what he envisions for the U.S. relationship with Mexico. "Look, Mexico's economy, in many ways, is a very vibrant one, and has made tremendous advances and continues to be a very strong regional power," Rubio replied. He also pointed out three areas of friction: "The first is on trade and violations of trade agreements." The second is the security situation at the border, he continued: "I think there's great interest and should be on the part of the Mexicans to bring this migratory problem at the border under control." The violence and flow of illegal drugs such as Fentanyl trafficked by criminal transnational groups, also needs to be addressed, Rubio warned. "It is in their interest, as well as ours, that we work cooperatively to take these groups apart and not allow them to continue the reign of terror, not just in the border region of Mexico, but spilling over into the United States," he said. Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants and has served in the U.S. Senate since 2011. With mostly nods from Republican and Democratic legislators during Tuesday's confirmation hearing, Rubio could become the first secretary of state of Latino origin, as soon as Jan. 20. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN chief welcomes Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal By Margaret Besheer January 15, 2025 The U.N. secretary-general welcomed the announcement Wednesday of a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza that is to take effect on Sunday. "I commend the mediators Egypt, Qatar and the United States of America for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal," Antonio Guterres told reporters. "Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. I call on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this deal is fully implemented." Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who led the mediation with the United States and Egypt, told reporters in Doha that Phase 1 of the deal will last for 42 days. During that time, Hamas will release 33 hostages who have been held captive since the group's Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack inside Israel. In exchange, Israel will release several Palestinian prisoners. Al Thani said the details of the second and third phases would be agreed to as the first phase is implemented. The U.N. chief has called for a ceasefire and hostage release since the start of the conflict 15 months ago, following Hamas' deadly attack that triggered the war. The conflict has led to a catastrophic humanitarian crisis for Gaza's more than 2 million residents. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says more than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed and tens of thousands wounded. "Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict," Guterres said. "The United Nations stands ready to support the implementation of this deal and scale up the delivery of sustained humanitarian relief to the countless Palestinians who continue to suffer." Humanitarian aid Phase 1 of the deal is reported to also include a provision for 600 humanitarian truckloads of aid daily into Gaza. Lawlessness and the sheer desperation of Palestinians have frequently resulted in aid convoys being looted. Guterres said it is urgent that "significant security and political obstacles" to delivering aid across Gaza be removed so that it can be substantially increased. "From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and constraints that we will be facing," the secretary-general said. "We expect our efforts to be matched by other humanitarian actors, the private sector and bilateral initiatives." Guterres said the international community must not lose sight of the broader goal a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians. "I urge the parties and all relevant partners to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region," he said. "Ending the occupation and achieving a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, in line with international law, relevant U.N. resolutions and previous agreements, remain an urgent priority." Wider region In a speech earlier Wednesday to the U.N. General Assembly on his 2025 agenda, Guterres said the Middle East is being reshaped with uncertain outcomes, pointing to the future of Israel and the Palestinians but also a post-Bashar al-Assad Syria and a changed Iran. "Throughout the region, we must deny extremists a veto over a peaceful future," Guterres said of actors across the region. The secretary-general departs Wednesday night for what he is calling a solidarity visit to Lebanon. The country, recovering from a destructive war between Hezbollah and Israel, just filled a lengthy political vacuum, electing a president who appointed a new prime minister. "A window has opened for a new era of institutional stability, with a state fully able to protect its citizens, and a system that would allow the tremendous potential of the Lebanese people to flourish," he said. "We will do everything to help keep that window open wide a window that will allow both Lebanese and Israelis to live in security." Period of 'turmoil, uncertainty' In a wide-ranging speech, Guterres warned that the world is in a period of "turmoil and grave uncertainty." He urged the international community to rein in major challenges that threaten to disrupt progress and even "our very existence." "Runaway conflicts. Rampant inequalities. The raging climate crisis and out-of-control technology" are the main dangers to humanity, he said. "The good news is that we have the plans to tackle these challenges," he said. "We don't need to reinvent the wheel we need to get the wheel moving." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address India steps up engagement with Taliban By Anjana Pasricha January 15, 2025 The first high level diplomatic meeting held between India and the Taliban leadership marked a significant step in rebuilding New Delhi's influence in Afghanistan, according to analysts. They say New Delhi's growing engagement with the Taliban is prompted by strategic considerations in the Central Asian country that has important implications for its security and is likely to deepen amid growing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan. In the meeting between Indian foreign secretary Vikram Misri and acting Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, held in Dubai last week, India agreed to consider engaging in development projects in Afghanistan "in the near future" and provide more support to the health sector and refugee rehabilitation. Both sides also discussed boosting trade ties. Calling India a "significant regional and economic partner," the Afghan foreign ministry said in a statement that "we want to strengthen political and economic relations with India." The engagement marked a major shift since the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, which was seen as a huge diplomatic setback for India's two-decade long efforts to build deeper ties with Kabul. "New Delhi's approach is a pragmatic one, grounded in the view that isolating the Taliban will make it tougher to achieve its goals in Afghanistan," Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center, told VOA in emailed comments. The Taliban's return had raised fears in New Delhi that Afghanistan will become a haven for militants from Pakistan who have been at the forefront of a three-decade violent separatist insurgency in Indian Kashmir. But analysts point out that the Taliban leadership has built confidence in New Delhi by not doing anything that goes against India's security interests. "They have observed their commitments to not allow anti-India terror activity on their soil quite scrupulously. So the level of engagement has been upgraded steadily," said Sushant Sareen, senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation. "Afghanistan is seen as the epicenter of the arc of instability in this region and it is critical for India's interests to be present there." India's detente with the Taliban began in 2022 when it started dispatching food and medicine as part of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. In the same year, it reopened its mission in Kabul with a small "technical team." The engagement between the two countries likely will gain momentum amid tensions between Kabul and Islamabad over Pakistan's allegations that the Taliban support militants linked to the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in carrying out attacks against Pakistani civilians and security forces. "India's outreach to the Taliban is certainly easier given Pakistan's messy ties with the Taliban," Kugelman said. "And given the reality of India-Pakistan rivalry, New Delhi likely sees an opportunity to exploit Pakistan's tensions with the Taliban and pursue closer ties with the Taliban, to gain an upper hand in a longstanding competition between India and Pakistan for influence in Afghanistan." During last week's meeting between Misri and Muttaqi, India underlined "its readiness to respond to the urgent developmental needs of the Afghan people." Before the Taliban takeover in 2021, India was the largest regional provider of development aid to Kabul and had invested about $3 billion in projects that included schools, roads, dams and hospitals. Many of those projects had stalled after the Taliban takeover. Some could restart, analysts say. "The Indian goal is to protect the good things India has done over the decades, and renew its developmental activities," said Chintamani Mahapatra, founder of the Kalinga Institute of Indo Pacific Studies in New Delhi. "Afghanistan is a very important country for us, so India is interested in engaging the Taliban rather than isolating it, no matter who is in the seat of power. And to achieve stability, there needs to be a modicum of economic development." Both sides also agreed to promote the use of Iran's Chabahar port for supporting trade and commercial activities - the port, which India is helping develop, is seen as crucial for both sides. India wants to strengthen connectivity via Afghanistan and Iran to Central Asia which it cannot access directly by land due to Pakistan's refusal of transit rights. For landlocked Afghanistan, which has to rely heavily on Pakistani land routes and seaports to conduct trade, the Chabahar port provides an alternate route. The Taliban also has urged New Delhi to issue visas to Afghan businessmen, patients and students a process that virtually halted after its takeover because of the closure of Indian consulates, security concerns and because India, like most countries, does not officially recognize the Taliban. But New Delhi will take a calibrated approach toward potential visitors from Afghanistan, according to analyst Sareen. "India is not ready to open the floodgates for Afghans coming into India. New Delhi will remain cautious, but it will continue to deepen the engagement. Because while India has reservations on some aspects of the Taliban's policies towards women and its ideology, realism is guiding Indian policy. After all, it cannot pretend that Afghanistan does not exist anymore. We are virtually their next door neighbors," Sareen said. India's decision to build ties with the Taliban at a time when countries like Russia and China are strengthening relations with Kabul, is likely to find support in countries like the United States. "As the U.S. contemplates how to approach the Taliban when it comes to sensitive but pressing issues, from Americans still being held captive in Afghanistan to concerns about Islamic State terrorism, it will likely find it useful that a key US partner has decided to opt for the path of engagement," Kugelman said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US imposes export controls on biotech equipment over AI security concerns By VOA News January 15, 2025 On Wednesday the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it would implement new export controls on certain biotechnology equipment, citing national security concerns relating to artificial intelligence and data science. The Commerce Department warned that China could use the biotech equipment's technology to bolster its military capabilities and help design new weapons using artificial intelligence. The department said the technology has many applications, including its ability to be used for "human performance enhancement, brain-machine interfaces, biologically inspired synthetic materials and possibly biological weapons." The sanctions effectively restrict shipments of the technology to countries without a U.S. license, such as China. The controls apply to parameter flow cytometers and certain mass spectrometry equipment, which according to the Commerce Department, can "generate high-quality, high-content biological data, including that which is suitable for use to facilitate the development of AI and biological design tools." Last week, the Chinese Embassy in Washington said Beijing "firmly opposes any country's development, possession or use of biological weapons." This latest move by the United States follows recent policy decisions that reflect Washington's broad aim to limit Beijing's access to U.S. technology and data. Washington announced on Monday that it would tighten Beijing's access to AI chip and technology exports by implementing new regulations that cap the number of chips that can be exported to certain countries, including China, Russia, Iran and North Korea. This month, the ban on popular Chinese-owned social media TikTok is planned to go into effect due to U.S. concerns over its potential to share sensitive data with China's government. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Remarks by President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the Administration's Work to Strengthen America and Lead the World January 15, 2025 U.S. Department of State Washington, D.C. 2:23 P.M. EST SECRETARY BLINKEN: Good afternoon. (Applause.) If I didn't say anything, this would go on all afternoon (laughter) for good reason. Mr. President, it is an honor to welcome you back to the State Department. On day one of this administration, you shared a few things with me. You told me something that we long discussed, reminded me that American engagement, American leadership is essential. If we're not engaged, if we're not leading, you said, someone else is likely to be doing it and probably not in a way that advances our interests or values. Or maybe no one's doing it, and then we're likely to have a vacuum filled with bad things before it's filled with good things. But the other thing you told me, Mr. President, was that there's a greater premium than ever before on finding ways to cooperate, to coordinate, to work with other countries if we're going to get done what we need to get done for the American people. And so, you instructed me, you instructed all of us to get out there, to rebuild, to rejuvenate, even to reimagine our alliances and partnerships. And I remember what you told me then. You said, "We don't know when this is going to make a difference, when we're going to need these friendships, these partnerships, but someday, some way, somewhere, they're going to be critical for advancing the national interest." And that's exactly what the men and women of this department have done, and we've been able to carry out that charge for two reasons. First, the people you see before you and so many others who are out in the field or embassies and consulates you said when you came here four years ago that the leadership of diplomats of every stripe doing the daily work of government is essential. And they proved it. That daily work has become nightly work (laughter) 24/7, 7 days a week hammering out agreements, jumping into action in crisis, creating opportunities for our citizens around the world, producing expert advice for you and your team at the White House. Everyone heres know here knows this work can be tough, it's often not very glamorous, but it makes us stronger. It makes the world a better place. And we simply couldn't do it without the extraordinary men and women that you have before us, as well as our remarkable partners in government, starting with the great White House team led by Jake Sullivan, my friends and colleagues from across the administration the secretary of Defense, Samantha Power at USAID, the secretary of the Treasury, Commerce, and so on. All of these partnerships that we've built and built with their teams have made a difference. So, to all of my colleagues, thank you. Thank you for your friendship. Thank you for your partnership. There's one other reason that we've been able to reengage and rejuvenate our diplomacy. Mr. President, that's you. You have never wavered in the conviction that when America leads, when America engages, there is little we cannot accomplish and that this country remains a force for good, a force for progress around the world. Your unshakable belief in the promise of America has inspired me for more than 20 years. It's inspired so many people in this department and around the world. Simply put, it's been the privilege of my lifetime to work for you, to work with you, to work with this extraordinary team that you've assembled. And it's the honor of a lifetime to be able to introduce, one more time, the 46th president the United States, Joe Biden. (Applause.) THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you. Please. Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you, thank you. It's good to be back at the State Department. Tony, if I may start by saying this, you're one of the finest men I've ever known in any undertaking for one important reason: You have -- (applause) you're not only brilliant, you have incredible character. You have character. You have more integrity than almost anybody I know. Thank you for always sticking with me. Appreciate it. (Applause.) Folks, I'm grateful for his counsel and his friendship as well, but I also want to thank the members of my Cabinet and the members of the Congress who are today. And to all all our diplomats and development experts, service members, and intelligence professionals: Many of the achievements we're going to discuss today were are the result of your hard work. And that's not hyperbole. It's true. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you for your extraordinary service. You know, I come here to the State Department to report on the Ameri- to the American people on the progress we've made in the last four years in our foreign policy in our presidency. I've said many times: We're at an inflection point. The post-Cold War period is over. A new era has begun. In these four years, we faced crises that and we've been tested. We've come through those tests stronger, in my view, than we entered those tests. This is a fierce competition underway the future of the global economy, technology, human values, and so much else. Right now, in my view, thanks to our administration, the United States is winning the worldwide competition. Compared to four years ago, America is stronger, our alliances are stronger, our adversaries and competitors are weaker, and we have not gone to war to make these things happen. During my presidency, I've increased America's power in every dimension. We've increased our diplomatic power, creating more allies the United States has ever had in the history of our nation. We've increased our military power, making the most significant investments in the Defense Industrial Base in decades. We've increased the technology power, taking the lead on artificial intelligence and other technologies of the future. And we've increased the economic power, building the most dynamic economy in the world from the bottom up and the middle out, not the top down. In short, Kamala and I took office. Our nation had become stronger at home are stronger in the world. And now, America is more capable and, I would argue, better prepared than we've been in a long, long time. While our competitors and adversaries are facing stiff headwinds, we have the wind at our back because of all of you. This is what we're heading into. And over to the next administration, that's what we're handing it to. Today, I want to lay out what we've done and the opportunities we've created for America and those opportunities going forward. Today, I can report to the American people: Our sources of national power are far stronger than they were when we took office. Our economy is booming, although there is more work to do. Our technologies, from artificial intelligence to biotech, quantum, and to advanced semiconductors are the envy of the world. And we have made the most significant investments in America and the American workers since the New Deal to rebuild our roads and bridges, our ports and airports, clean water systems, affordable high-speed Internet, and so much more; to build American manufacturing; to make advanced semiconductors, which we invented here at home. And we made the largest investment in climate and clean energy ever, anywhere on Earth in the history of the world, spurring nearly $500 billion in private-sector investment. We've also significantly strengthened the defense industrial base, investing almost $1.3 trillion in procurement and research and development. In real dollars, that's more than America did in any four-year period during the Cold War. This is going to ensure that we're fully equipped to fight and win wars, which is also the best way to deter wars in the first place. Today, I can report to the American people: Our alliances are stronger than they've been in decades. NATO is more capable than it's ever been. And many more of our Allies are paying their fair share. Before I took office, nine NATO Allies were spending 2 percent of their GDP on defense. Now 23 are spending 2 percent. And look at the Indo-Pacific. We've made partnerships stronger and created new partnerships to challenge China's aggressive behavior and to rebalance power in the region. We did what few thought was possible: to build the first-ever trilateral partnership between the United States, Japan, and South Korea and then another among the United States, Japan, and the Philippines, drawing closer our Pacific allies to defend our shared security and prosperity. We brokered a defense pact known as AUKUS among the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific allies as only America is able to do. And we've taken the Quad to the next level. The United States, Japan, Austria Australia, and India. When we were had that first meeting, I was dumbfounded when they all called and said, "Can we do this at your house?" (Laughter.) You think I'm kidding. (Laughter.) My wife said, "No problem." (Laughter.) It was during the U.N. meeting, and we thought we were going to do it in New York, but they wanted to do it in Delaware. I said, "Why?" They said, "We can know then people will know we're really friends." (Laughter.) Our democracies, with vibrant ec- economies, working closely security, supply chains, technology, and so much more. In the Red Sea, we brought together more than 20 countries for (inaudible) civil- to protect civilian ships from attack by the Houthis, defending freedom of navigation in one of the world's busiest waterways. And we have strengthened partnerships all across the Americas, defending democracy and targeting corruption, addressing migration, increasing prosperity, and protecting Amazon rainforest, which captures billions of tons billions of tons of carbon from the atmosphere every year. Overall, we've reinvigorated people's faith in the United States as a true, true partner. Today, I can report to the American people: Our adversaries are weaker than they were when we came into this job four years ago. Just consider Russia. When Putin invaded Ukraine, he thought he'd conquer Kyiv in a matter of days. But the truth is: Since that war began, I'm the only one that's stood in the center of Kyiv, not him. Putin never has. (Applause.) Think about it. It was a long train ride, but I'm the only commander in chief to visit a war zone not controlled by U.S. forces. We helped the Ukrainians stop Putin. And now, nearly thr- three years later, Putin has failed to achieve any of his strategic objectives. He has failed thus far to subjugate Ukraine; failed to break the break the unity of NATO; and failed to make large territorial gains. But there's more to do. We can't walk away. We rallied 50 nations to stand with Ukraine. Not just in Europe but the first for the first time in Asia as well, because those countries in Asia know what happens in Ukraine matters to them as well. We delivered air interceptors, massive numbers of munitions; enacted relentless, unprecedented sanctions to keep Ukraine in the fight. And now Russia is struggling to replace what they are losing on the battlefield in terms of military equipment and fighters, and the ruble is under enormous pressure. As I saw it, when Putin launched his invasion, I had two jobs: one, to rally the world to defend Ukraine, and the other is to avoid war between two nuclear powers. We did both those things. And today, Ukraine is still free, independent country with the potential the potential for a bright future. And we laid the foundation for the next administration so they can protect the bright future of the Ukrainian people. And now, look at Iran. Did you ever think we would be where we are with Iran at this moment? After those despicable attacks by Hamas on October the 7th, Iran directly attacked Israel twice with hundreds of ballistic missiles and drones. And twice they failed because the United States organized a coalition of countries to stop them and ordered U.S. aircraft to come to the defense of Israel. Now Iran's air defenses are in shambles. Their main proxy, Hezbollah, is badly wounded. And as we tested Iran's willingness to revive the nuclear deal, we kept the pressure with sanctions. Now Iran's economy is in desperate straits. All told, Iran is weaker than it's been in decades. And if you want more evidence that we've seriously weakened Iran and Russia, just take a look at Syria. President Assad was both countries' closest ally in the Middle East. Neither neither could keep him in power. Quite frankly, neither really tried very hard. Now, I cannot claim credit for every factor that led to Iran and Russia growing weaker in the past four years. They did plenty of damage all by themselves. But Israel did plenty of damage to Iran and its proxies. But there's no question our actions contributed significantly. And now, major authoritarian states are aligning more closely with one another Iran, Russia, China, North Korea. But that's more out of weakness than out of strength. So as the new administration begins, the United States is in a fundamentally stronger position with respect to these countries than we were four years ago. Today, I can report to the American people: We're in a better strategic position in the long-term competition with China than we were when I took office. You all recall many experts believed were predicting it was inevitable that China's economy would surpass ours. According to many predictions, that would happen by the year 2030 or shortly thereafter. But we in this room said, "No. If we make the investments in ourselves, if we protect our workers and technologies, that will not happen." Now, according to the latest predictions on China's current course, they will never surpass us. Period. I met one on one with President Xi in consequential summits. He and I have always been direct and straightforward with each other. I made it clear we expect China and everyone to abide by the international rules. And so, we stood up against unfair trade practices, taking action when China dumped subsidized goods incredibly subsidized on our markets to undercut our workers. We imposed target tariffs on critical sectors like cars, steel, and semiconductors, rather than across-the-board tariffs. We imposed historic export controls on investments restrictions to ensure that China cannot cannot use the most advanced technology and sensive data and sens- sensitive data against us. And critically, we enlisted our allies and partners to join us, building more convergence among our allies on a shared approach to China than ever existed and showing that it's more effective to deal with China alongside of partners, rather than going it alone. But even while we compete vigorously, we've managed our relationship with China responsibly so it's never tipped over into conflict. We've created lines of communication between President Xi and myself and between the leaders of our militaries to avoid misunderstanding. We found ways to work with each other to address climate change, to reduce the flow of fentanyl into the United States which, by the way, overdor- overdose deaths are coming down across our nation. And in my administration, we've seized more fentanyl at our border in two years than the previous five years combined. Today, I can also report to the American people: We're [I'm] the first president in decades who is not leaving a war in Afghanistan to his successor. When we got bin Laden during the Obama-Biden administration, the primary objective of war had been accomplished, and I believed that going forward, the primary threat of al-Qaeda would no longer be emanating from Afghanistan but from elsewhere and so we did not need to station sizable number of American forces in Afghanistan. So, when I took office, I had a choice. Ultimately, I saw no reason to keep thousands of servicemen in Afghanistan. I think I had my schedule with me and I keep it on my I don't here. I don't have it, but I keep it on the back of my card, the actual number of dead and wounded that occurred in our longest war, to remind myself. Keep spending hundreds of millions of dollars a day. We're now [no] longer doing that. In my view, it was time to end the war and bring our troops home, and we did. I commend the courage of all those who served in Afghanistan. We grieve all 2,461 Americans who made the ultimate sacrifice in the longest war in American history. And I grieve those brave service members whose lives were lost during the withdrawal. We also thank those inside and outside our government who have done so much to help thousands of Afghan families resettle in the United States. Remember, critics said if we ended the war, it would damage our alliances and it would create threats to our homeland from foreign-directed terrorism out of a safe haven in Afghanistan. Neither has occurred. Neither has occurred. And our alliances have stayed strong. We've used our over-the-horizon capabilities to strike in Afghanistan and elsewhere when we had to for instance, eliminating Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda, who helped orchestrate the September 11th attacks. And we did it without putting more American boots on the ground. And by ending the war, we've been able to focus our energy and resources on more urgent challenges. There is nothing I can tell you from my conversations with both Xi and Putin nothing our adversaries and competitors, like Russia and China, would have liked more than seeing us continue to be tied down in Afghanistan for another decade. For all those reasons, ending the war was the right thing to do, and I believe history will reflect that. And from the moment I entered office, I also worked to free as many Americans as possible being held hostage or wrongfully detained overseas. We brought home more than 75 Americans, by last count. And in some cases, it took months, even years, of effort, like the prisoner swap with Russia over the past summer, a feat of diplomacy v- involving all many of you and involving multiple countries who joined complex negotiations at our request another example of the power of our alliances. If we did not have these relationships, those women and women [men] would likely still be in prison. And finally, I can report to the American people that we've restored our leadership on a range of other generational priorities. When I took office, we were no longer part of the international climate agreement. We announced on day one that re- we would join the Paris Accord rejoin. And we've led by example; we've conserved hundreds of millions of acres hundreds of millions of acres of land and water, more than any president in American history; making investments in clean energy and convincing other nations to join us. Thanks to our efforts, the world has reached the goal of investing $100 billion every year in public and private funds to reduce greenhouse emissions, to drive down the cost of clean energy, to help developing nations adapt to climate change. Our administration has launched a transformative initiative to build high-impact infrastructure in developing nations. It's called PGI. You all know that better than anyone. This is our alternative to what China offers with its massive projects across Africa and beyond. But their approach features no workers' rights, no environmental protections, unmanageable debt, shoddy construction all in exchange for military access to ports and other exploitative purposes. By contrast, we've leveraged $600 billion and unleashed the private sector to build an infrastructure in order to grow economies and combat climate change. As an example, I was recently in Angola to see a major project being built with the help of American public funding, which brought in even more private investment. We're building the first-ever transcontinental railroad across Africa that will significantly improve the economies of the region, will help farmers transport crops to new global markets, will transport critical minerals that would that need that are needed for electric vehicles and semiconductors. China used to control the supply chains and these materials, but not for long. Now, make no mistake: There are serious challenges that the United States must continue to deal with in Ukraine, in the Middle East, in the Indo-Pacific. We must keep the pressure on the Houthis, who are attacking ships in the Red Sea, launching missiles at Israel, and firing at American forces. We must deter North Korea as they rattle their saber and draw closer to Russia. And new challenges will certainly emerge in the months and years ahead. But even but even so, it's clear: My administration is leaving the next administration with a very strong hand to play. And we're leaving them an America with more friends and stronger alliances, whose adversaries are weaker and under pressure; an America that once again is leading, uniting countries, setting the agenda, bringing others together behind our plans and visions; an America which is no longer at war, which has made historic investments in American workers, American energies, Am- American factories, generating the strongest economy in the world, which is now in a much better position to win the future against any competitor. These wins are not partisan. They're American. They benefit all Americans and reflect America's endless capacity for leadership and reinvention. Look, folks, the United States should take full advantage of our diplomatic and geopolitical opportunities we've created to keep bringing countries together to deal with challenges posed by China; to make sure Putin war Putin's war ends in a just and lasting peace for Ukraine; and to capitalize on a new moment for a more stable, integrated Middle East. To do that, the next administration must make sure the fall of Assad does not lead to the resurgence of ISIS in Syria and across the region. It must carry forward the commitment that America will never, never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon. And on the war between Israel and Hamas, we're on the brink of a proposal that I laid out in detail months ago finally coming to fruition. I have learned in many years of public service to never, never, never, ever give up. So, I spoke to prime minister of Israel yesterday. I spoke to the amir of Qatar today. I look forward to speaking with President Sisi soon. We're pressing hard to close this. The deal we have structured would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians, who have suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started. They've been through hell. So many innocent people have been killed. So many communities have been destroyed. The Palestinian people deserve peace and the right to determine their own futures. Israel deserves peace and real security. And the hostages and their families deserve to be reunited. And so, we're working urgently to close this deal. And as we deal with immediate challenges, in my view, we have to look to the future. I urge the next administration to carry forward two issues that have been central to my presidency and which shape the future, in my view. On artificial intelligence, we are in the lead and we must stay in the lead. We must not offshore artificial intelligence, as we once did with computer chips and other critical technologies. AI has the power to reshorp reshape economies, governments, national security, entire societies. And it must be the United States and our closest allies that lead the way to ensure people's rights are respected, their safety is protected, and their data is secure. And likewise, the clean energy transition will race ahead in the years to come. I know in some incoming administration some in the incoming administration are skeptical about the need for clean energy. They don't even believe climate change is real. I think they come from a different century. They're wrong. They are dead wrong. It's the single greatest existential threat to humanity. And the clean energy transition is already happening. China is trying to dominate the clean energy, manufacturing critical minerals, supply chains. They want to capture the market of the future and create new dependencies. The United States must win that contest, and we will shape the global economy and the planet for decades to come. Let me close with this. Like many of you, I've dedicated a significant portion of my career to our nation's foreign policy as chair of the Foreign Relations Committee as a senator, as vice president for eight years, and now president of the United States. I put together one of the most competent foreign policy teams, I would argue, in American history, sitting in this room and before my eyes. Throughout my career, the world has gone undergone tremendous change. But certain things have always held true. At our best, America leads not only by the example of our power but the power of our example. In the past four years, we've used that power not to go it alone but, instead, to bring countries together, to increase shared security and prosperity, to stand up to aggression, and to solve problems through diplomacy wherever possible; and to relentlessly defend democracy, civil rights, and human rights, because that's who we are. That's who we are. You've heard me say it many times before. We're the only country on Earth founded on an idea. Every other country is founded on geography, religion, ethnicity, or some other unifying factor. But America was built on an idea on an idea literally, not figuratively. That idea was all women and men are created equal, the idea that has inspired the world for 250 years and counting. We're always reaching to do better, always looking to the future, and, at our best, always seeking progress for our people and for people everywhere. It's been the honor of my life to serve as your president. And today, I'm optimistic about our future as optimistic as I've ever been. We just have to remember who in the hell we are. You've heard me say it many times. We're the United States of America, for God's sake. There is nothing, nothing, nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together and commit to it nothing. So, thank you all for all you've done. I hope many of you are going to be staying in the next administration to keep this moving. May God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you. (Applause.) 2:51 P.M. EST NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 15 January 2025 - Day 1057 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 UK Ministry of Defence reported that in 2024, Russian courts issued a significant number of fines to journalists or readers of media outlets that the Russian authorities declared "undesirable'', according to Russian independent media organisation Mediazona. The majority of these fines were reportedly levied against Latvia-based Meduza, with others including US-funded Radio Liberty / RFE outlets, and exiled Dozhd (Rain) TV also fined. Most fines targeted authors, editors or commentators who contributed to publications. The fines are almost certainly intended to deter independent media outlets from reporting anything that contradicts or criticises official Russian narratives regarding the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The fines are intended to deter and intimidate those in Russia who engage with independent media and reject government-controlled narratives disseminated via state-controlled media. This activity fits with a pattern of increased Russian government efforts to control the media and further restrict freedom of speech since the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Most independent Russian media has been shuttered or forced abroad, and the Russian government has instituted and enforced increasingly draconian restrictions on citizens' abilities to access foreign media. Russian efforts to constrain independent media will highly likely continue throughout the conflict, reflecting heightened leadership sensitivity to the conflict's inherent potential to impact regime stability. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 118 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders continue to decisively interrupt the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance into the depths of Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Zagarbniki launched on the territory of Ukraine one rocket and 33 aviation strikes, used 44 rockets and dropped 46 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, more than 900 kamikaze drones were used to strike and carried out more than 4.4 thousand shells on the positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the Kharkiv direction, the Russian opponent twice stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of vovchansk and tihogo. In the Kupyansky direction, Russian forces carried out offensive actions in the areas of the settlements Kindrashivka, Zagrizove, Topoli and Petropavlivka, where Ukrainian defenders stopped five Russian attacks. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders 16 times attacked the positions of Defense Forces near the settlements of Kopanka, Novosergiyivka, Tverdohlibove, Makiyivka, Kolodyazi, Terni and Grigorivka. The two clashes are still ongoing. Enemy aviation struck NARAMA on Green Grove. In the direction of Kramators komu, Russian forces attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders near Stupocok, the Time Yaru and the Predtecinogo. Defense forces repelled six attacks of the attackers. In addition, Russian forces caused air strikes on the minkivka and the temporary yaru. Nine times Russians stormed the positions of Ukrainian units in the Toretsky direction in the areas of White Mountain, Toretsk and Crimea. Russian forces launched KABAMA air strikes on Kramatorsk, Ivanopil, Druzhkivtsi, Konstantinivtsi and Petrivtsi. In the Pokrovsky direction, from the beginning of this day, Russian forces attacked in the areas of settlements Baranivka, Myrolyubivka, Beam, New Labor, Shevchenko, Udaachne, Kotline, Petropavlivka, Stari Terni, Amber, Elizabethtivka, Fox, Zelene, Zvirove, Uspenivka, Andriyivka and Dachne. Ukrainian defenders stopped 41 assault actions of the enemy. Six more attacks are ongoing so far. Today, according to preliminary data, 340 Russian occupants were defecated in this direction, of which 129 - irrevocably. Also destroyed two tanks, 10 vehicles units, one mortar, a REB vehicle, two combat armored vehicles, one BRM. In addition, two tanks and five cars and three Russian cannons were damaged. In the Novopavlivs komu direction, Russian forces four times tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the area of Vremivki. Three fights are still going on. In the orihivs komu direction, Russian forces four times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the direction of small tokmacka, novoandrivka and scherbakiv. On Pyatihatky, the Russian enemy defeated NARami. In the Kursk direction since the beginning of the day, there have been 15 battles, all attacks have already been repelled. The Russian enemy made ten air strikes using 15 KABiv, carried out over 300 shellings. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that that morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation delivered a group strike by precision weaponry and attack unmanned aerial vehicles at critical objects of gas and power infrastructure ensuring operation of Ukrainian defence industry enterprises. The goal of the strike has been achieved. All the assigned targets have been engaged. In Kharkov region, units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one motorised infantry brigade of the AFU near Dergachi, Tsirkuny, and Volchansk (Kharkov region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 30 troops, six motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS combat vehicle, three field artillery guns, including one U.S.-made Paladin self-propelled artillery system. Two ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Zapad Group of Forces improved the tactical situation along the front line and inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one tank brigade of the AFU, and two territorial defence brigades near Dvurechnaya, Zapadnoye, Zagoruykovka, Podoly, Petropavlovka, Zagryzovo, Lozovaya (Kharkov region), Ivanovka, and Torskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 460 troops, two U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 13 pickup trucks, five artillery guns, including three NATO-made guns. Two ammunition depots and one Kvertus electronic warfare station were destroyed. Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions and inflicted losses on formations of three mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, and one mountain assault brigade of the AFU near Zvanovka, Slavyansk, Nikolayevka, Seversk, Yantarnoye, Verkhnekamenskoye, Pereyezdnoye, Dachnoye, Sukhiye Yaly, and Chasov Yar (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 230 troops, one tank, three armoured fighting vehicles, four pickup trucks, and four artillery guns. One ammunition depot was wiped out. As a result of successful offensive operations, units of the Tsentr Group of Forces liberated Ukrainka (Donetsk People's Republic). Losses were inflicted on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, two national guard brigades, and one formation of the International Legion near Shcherbinovka, Shevchenko, Dzerzhinsk, Slavyanka, Novovasilevka, Tarasovka, Baranovka, Vozdvizhenka, Petrovka, Lysovka, Petropavlovka, and Novoyelizavetovka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to more than 560 troops, one German-made Leopard tank, four armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, and six artillery guns. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued advancing to the depth of the enemy's defences. Losses were inflicted on formations of three mechanised brigades and one air assault brigade of the AFU near Konstantinopol, Novy Komar, Novoselka, Razliv, and Vremevka (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 200 troops, two armoured fighting vehicles, eight motor vehicles, one 155-mm Bogdana self-propelled artillery system, and one ammunition depot. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade, two coastal defence brigades of the AFU, one territorial defence brigade, and one national guard brigade near Shcherbaki, Blakitnoye, Orekhov, Novopokrovka (Zaporozhye region), Dneprovskoye, Antonovka, Nikolskoye, and Ivanovka (Kherson region). The AFU losses amounted to up to 95 troops, 13 motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns. Operational-Tactical Aviation, attack unmanned aerial vehicles, and Missile Troops and Artillery of the Russian Groups of Forces struck infrastructure of military airfields, as well as engaged manpower and hardware of the enemy in 137 areas. Air defence units shot down two French-made Hammer guided aviation bombs, 10 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 85 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, 652 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 40,480 unmanned aerial vehicles, 590 anti-aircraft missile systems, 20,539 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,509 MLRS combat vehicles, 20,630 field artillery guns and mortars, and 30,305 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. Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one tank brigade, one heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the AFU near Viktorovka, Guyevo, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Sverdlikovo, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Two enemy counter-attacks were repelled. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Viktorovka, Zamostye, Ivashkovsky, Pervy Knyazhy, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Kurilovka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Mikhaylovka, Pogrebki, Sudzha, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Zhuravka, and Yunakovka in Sumy region. Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 220 troops, two tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, five armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, two artillery guns, and four mortars. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 52,120 troops, 305 tanks, 229 infantry fighting vehicles, 170 armoured personnel carriers, 1,566 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,480 motor vehicles, 366 artillery guns, 44 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 93 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 30 units of engineering and other materiel, including 15 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, eight armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Wyoming, Nevada Guard aircrews assist California firefighters Published Jan. 15, 2025 By Joseph Coslett 153rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AFNS) -- Three Wyoming Air National Guard C-130 Hercules equipped with the U.S. Forest Service's Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems and associated personnel were activated by U.S. Northern Command to help fight Los Angeles area wildfires. Three C-130 aircraft were activated Jan. 9 and traveled to Channel Islands Air National Guard Base in California to assist the state's firefighting apparatus. They are accompanied by a fourth C-130 support aircraft from a U.S. Air Force Reserve unit based in Colorado Springs and two C-130s from the Nevada Air National Guard. The California Air National Guard also has two C-130s assigned to the firefighting mission. The participation of the California, Wyoming and Nevada Air National Guard and Colorado Reserve unit is spearheaded by the U.S. Northern Command, working with the U.S. Forest Service. "It has been difficult to watch the absolute devastation of the wildfires in California," said Col. Brian Diehl, 153rd Airlift Wing commander. "We're honored to be able to participate in our nation's efforts to combat these fires and return normalcy to the people and communities of Southern California, and as soon as possible." The addition of the Wyoming and Nevada Air Guard personnel brought the total number of Guard members on the mission to more than 1,850 as of Monday morning. "The 152nd Airlift Wing, Nevada Air National Guard, is ready to assist in protecting the people, homes, and businesses in Southern California.," said Col. Catherine Grush, 152nd Airlift Wing commander. "Californians are not only our neighbors but part of our family of Guardsmen and women, and we are honored to help assist with this effort." The MAFFS-equipped aircraft are coming from the 153rd Airlift Wing and 187th Airlift Squadron in Wyoming, 146th Airlift Wing in California, 152nd Airlift Wing and 192nd Airlift Squadron in Nevada and the 302nd Airlift Wing and 731st Airlift Squadron in Colorado. MAFFS began in 1971 as a joint effort between the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of Defense to produce the equipment, training and procedures to integrate military air tankers into a national firefighting response. MAFFS are the U.S. Forest Service's portable fire-retardant delivery systems and can be inserted into military C-130 aircraft without major structural modifications. They can discharge up to 3,000 gallons of retardant in less than 5 seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide. Editor's note: Senior Master Sgt. Paula Macomber contributed to this story. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Xi holds talks with Sri Lankan President in Beijing Global Times New highlights to be fostered in China-Sri Lanka cooperation By Deng Xiaoci, Shen Sheng and Zhang Yuying Published: Jan 15, 2025 11:04 PM China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development and the two countries should jointly foster new highlights in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy and marine economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Wednesday, Xinhua News Agency reported. China's efforts in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's development, Xi said when holding talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit. Noting that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi said bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development over the past 68 years, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between different countries. With joint efforts, China and Sri Lanka have continuously promoted strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation in various fields have achieved fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, Xi said. The two countries should have a keen grasp of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, he said. Dissanayake kicked off a four-day state visit to China on Tuesday, according to Sri Lanka local media Sunday Times. This marks the leader's first visit to China after taking office. China and Sri Lanka have long been each other's friend and close neighbor. Since our two countries established diplomatic ties in 1957, the bilateral relationship has stood the test of the changing international landscape, always maintained sound and steady growth, and set up a fine example of friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation between countries different in size, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun briefed on January 10. China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka through the upcoming visit to carry forward our time-honored friendship, deepen political mutual trust, and expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and practical cooperation in various fields for continuous new progress in advancing the China-Sri Lanka strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincerity, mutual support and ever-lasting friendship as well as more benefit for the two peoples, the spokesperson also said. 'New heights' for ties Luo Zhaohui, Director of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, and Vijitha Herath, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, signed on Wednesday several cooperation documents, including intergovernmental economic and technical cooperation agreement, and MoU on strengthening cooperation in social and livelihood development. Sri Lankan president's visit will undoubtedly further promote bilateral exchanges and policy coordination between China and Sri Lanka, laying a crucial foundation for future cooperation and the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Long Xingchun, a professor from the School of International Relations at Sichuan International Studies University, told the Global Times. After his election victory last year, Dissanayake's visit to China is his second foreign trip and his first visit to China. This visit can be seen as a continuation and deepening of the cooperation results achieved by previous governments, aiming to further elevate the China-Sri Lanka partnership to new heights, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times. Sri Lanka was one of the first countries to join the BRI, and the cooperation in infrastructure has greatly enhanced Sri Lanka's domestic infrastructure in the country, Qian said. Sri Lanka is an important BRI partner country. Over the past decade, China has undertaken landmark projects in Sri Lanka, including Colombo Port City, Hambantota Port, highways, power plants and water conservancy infrastructure. These projects have significantly improved Sri Lanka's infrastructure, laying a solid foundation for its economic development. Dissanayake took office when Sri Lanka faced grave economic difficulties. Tasks such as addressing external challenges, economic development, job creation and increasing fiscal revenue cannot be accomplished without cooperation with China as a major power. Therefore, cooperation under the BRI has become an increasingly important engine for the development of bilateral relations, injecting much-needed momentum for the South Asian country, Long said. China's growing influence in South Asian and Indian Ocean countries such as Sri Lanka is an inevitable outcome of global economic development and globalization. As sovereign nations, countries in South Asia need to develop diplomatic relations with various countries, including China, India, Japan and the US. The rise of China's influence in the region is a natural result of nations in the region expanding their relationships, Long noted. Inevitable development Indian news outlet Firstpost in a lengthy article published on Wednesday wrote that "amid the growing Chinese influence in Sri Lanka, India has emerged as a strong counterbalance." The Indian media's report accused that China's "aggressive economic tactics" will bring "critical implications for Sri Lanka's sovereignty and the stability of the broader region." Experts pointed out that India's wariness of China's presence in the Indian Ocean primarily stems from New Delhi's narrow geopolitical perspective where India views South Asia as its own sphere of influence and does not respect other countries' rights to develop friendly and cooperative relations with China. In an era of globalization, cooperation between South Asian and Indian Ocean countries and China is inevitable and beneficial to India as well. If India cannot move beyond its narrow geopolitical thinking, it will be difficult to advance the development of South Asia, Long said. "Sri Lanka and China have close economic, diplomatic and cultural exchanges," said Ruwan Ranasinghe, deputy minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka in a recent interview with Xinhua, stressing that high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and major projects between the two countries such as the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port have provided important impetus for Sri Lanka's economic recovery and showcased a strong junction between the two sides." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun's Regular Press Conference on January 15, 2025 Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the People's Republic of China Updated: January 15, 2025 19:42 CCTV: Yesterday afternoon, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa. Could you further share with us how their conversation went and China's expectation for its relations with the EU in the year ahead? Guo Jiakun: On the evening of January 14, President Xi Jinping had a phone conversation with European Council President Antonio Costa at the EU's request. With changes unseen in a century rapidly unfolding, and the world turning into a less stable and certain place, risks of division, fragmentation and disorder are looming large. China and Europe are two major forces in building a multipolar world, two big markets that support globalization, and two great civilizations that advocate diversity. China-EU relations have strategic significance and global influence. President Xi's phone conversation with President Costa at the start of the year is the very first interaction between China's top leader and the new EU leadership. This is an important round of strategic communication at a crucial time as the relationship goes into the next chapter. President Xi said that the past 50 years of China-EU relations demonstrate that as long as both sides uphold mutual respect, treat each other as equals, and engage in candid dialogue, they can advance cooperation and make significant achievements. The key lies in respecting each other's choice of social systems and development paths, as well as each other's core interests and major concerns, and jointly safeguarding the political foundation of bilateral relations. The more severe and complex the international landscape becomes, the more necessary it is that China and Europe should adhere to the original aspirations of diplomatic ties, strengthen strategic communication, enhance strategic mutual trust, and uphold partnership. China remains confident in the EU and hopes the EU will also prove to be its trustworthy cooperation partner. President Costa said that both sides are committed to multilateralism. Confronted with various challenges, the world needs closer EU-China cooperation. The EU side is willing to work with China to enhance dialogue and communication, deepen strategic mutual trust, strengthen the partnership, properly address economic and trade differences, jointly tackle global challenges such as climate change, and actively contribute to world peace, stability and development. This phone conversation has charted the course forward and identified priorities for bilateral relations in the years to come. China looks forward to working with the EU to implement the important common understandings between the two leaders, enhance strategic mutual trust, uphold partnership, seek mutual benefits, expand opening up and cooperation, defend multilateralism, uphold mutual respect, seek common ground while shelving differences, step up communication and cooperation at various levels and in various fields, properly handle frictions and differences, achieve greater progress in bilateral ties, and make greater contributions to world peace, stability and prosperity. AFP: The US said yesterday that it is banning imports from dozens of China-based companies over alleged ties to forced labor. It's targeting firms in the mining, textiles and solar industries. The US said that it was adding 37 entities to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act Entity List. Does China have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: The so-called forced labor accusation is completely unfounded. The US chooses to enact and enforce the malicious legislation on Xinjiang and blacklist Chinese entities on the basis of false narratives. The move is designed to interfere in China's internal affairs, harm China's interests and hold back China's development. We will take resolute measures to firmly safeguard Chinese companies' legitimate and lawful rights and interests. News 1 Korea: The ROK's joint investigation unit said that this morning it executed an arrest warrant for President Yoon Suk-yeol and started the investigation on him. What's China's comment? Guo Jiakun: We don't comment on the ROK's domestic affairs. China and the ROK are important neighbors and cooperation partners. China stands ready to work with the ROK for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations. Prensa Latina: The US government announced that Cuba is no longer on the list of countries that support terrorism and mentioned other changes. However, the blockade against Cuba is still active. What is your opinion about this? Guo Jiakun: The US decision to remove Cuba from the so-called State Sponsor of Terrorism list is long overdue. We noted that Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said that the decision was too late and its scope is limited. The US had no basis at all to include Cuba in the so-called State Sponsor of Terrorism list in the first place. The listing constituted gross interference in Cuba's sovereignty and violation of its dignity, and has been strongly condemned and unanimously rejected by the overwhelming majority of the international community, including China. In addition to the listing, the US's brutal and inhumane blockade against Cuba over the past six decades or so, which still remains in place, has wreaked havoc on Cuba's economy and livelihood and inflicted great suffering on the Cuban people. At the UN General Assembly last year, Cuba's resolution calling for an end to the blockade imposed by the US was adopted by an overwhelming margin for the 32nd consecutive year, which represents the international community's longstanding strong support for Cuba and opposition to blockade. China once again urges the US to stand on the right side of history and the majority of the international community, fully lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba as soon as possible and stop creating obstacles for Cuba's socioeconomic development. Beijing Youth Daily: Last week, One Voice Children's Choir from the US sang the Chinese song "Ru Yuan" ("As You Wish") at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The video went viral on social media and received over one million likes. "What beautiful voices," many commented online. What's your comment? Guo Jiakun: The popularity of this well-received video shows once again that more people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the US is what the people want and support. In November 2023, President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco that China is ready to invite 50,000 young Americans to China on exchange and study programs in the next five years. Under this initiative, a total of over 16,000 young Americans have been to China on exchange and study programs in 2024. They made new friends, learned a new language, experienced Chinese culture, and had a glimpse of a modern China. The key to state-to-state relations lies in close bonds between peoples. We hope the seeds of China-US friendship will take root and sprout, rain or shine, and more and more young envoys of friendship will write new chapters of a stable, sound and sustained China-US relationship. RIA Novosti: Seventy years ago today, the Chinese government decided to develop its own nuclear weapons. China today is one of the nuclear powers, and in recent years, the US has repeatedly claimed that China is increasing its nuclear arsenal. Donald Trump previously said that China would match or even surpass the US in terms of nuclear arsenal. What's the Foreign Ministry's comment on this? Guo Jiakun: As a responsible major country, China is committed to the path of peaceful development and friendly cooperation with all countries in the world. The development of nuclear weapons was a historic choice that China had to make during an extraordinary times to respond to nuclear threat, end nuclear monopoly, and prevent a nuclear war. China follows a policy of "no first use" of nuclear weapons and a nuclear strategy that focuses on self-defense. China always keeps its nuclear strength at the minimum level required by national security, and never engages in arms race with anyone. AFP: The US finalized a rule yesterday effectively barring Chinese technology from cars in the American market, taking aim at software and hardware from China and also Russia over national security concerns. Does the Foreign Ministry have a comment on this? Guo Jiakun: I'd refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me say that the US under the pretext of so-called national security made the decision without any factual basis to prohibit Chinese connected vehicle hardware and software systems, as well as completed connected vehicles, from being used in the US. Such a practice disrupts economic and commercial cooperation between companies, violates the principle of market economy and fair competition, and is typical protectionism and economic coercion. China firmly opposes this. We urge the US to stop its wrongdoings of overstretching the concept of national security, and stop going after Chinese companies. China will take necessary measures to firmly defend its lawful rights and interests. Bloomberg: A probe by the European Union into China's procurement of medical devices confirmed the bloc's concerns that China is discriminating against foreign firms in the medical devices procurement market. This could potentially lead the way for curbs on China's access to tenders in the EU. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this probe that says that procurement of medical devices discriminates against foreign companies in China? Guo Jiakun: I'd refer you to competent authorities for anything specific. Let me say that China and the EU are each other's second largest trading partners. Both are major contributors to an open world economy. China is committed to high-standard opening up, upholds the principle of market economy and WTO rules, and stands for dialogue and consultation in settling trade disputes. We hope that the EU can work with China in the same direction, honor its commitment to open market and the principle of fair competition, observe WTO rules, provide a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, and promote the sound and steady growth of China-EU trade ties. Bloomberg: The US is planning to introduce new regulations to prevent advanced chips being sold to China, this time targeting companies such as TSMC, Samsung and Intel. These companies would then be required to exercise greater scrutiny over their customers. This is a new measure that the US is planning to introduce in an effort to prevent advanced chips being sold to China. Does the Foreign Ministry have any comment on this? Guo Jiakun: China made clear its serious position more than once on the US's malicious attempts to block and suppress China's semiconductor industry. The US keeps broadening the concept of national security on trade and tech issues and politicizes and weaponizes them, and has repeatedly tightened control over chip export to China and coerced other countries to go after China's semiconductor industry. This behavior hinders the development of the global semiconductor industry and will eventually backfire and benefit no one. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio to lobby Thailand not to deport detained Uyghurs to China Florida senator offers the assurance at his confirmation hearing for his appointment as top US envoy. By Josh Lipes and Shahrezad Ghayrat 2025.01.15 -- The Trump administration's pick to become the top U.S. diplomat said Wednesday he would lobby Thailand against deporting 48 Uyghurs to China where they could face persecution. The issue came up at Republican Sen. Marco Rubio's Senate confirmation hearing on his nomination for the post of U.S. secretary of state. Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Thailand was "on the verge" of sending the Uyghurs back to Thailand. "Will you lobby for Thailand to not send these Uyghurs back to the horror they will face if they're returned?" Merkley asked Rubio. Rubio, a hawk on China policy, said he would. "Yes, and the good news is that Thailand is actually a very strong U.S. partner strong historical ally as well so that is an area where I think diplomacy could really achieve results because of how important that relationship is and how close it is," he said. Rubio called the situation in Thailand "one more opportunity for us to remind the world" about the persecution Uyghurs face in northwestern China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, where authorities have detained an estimated 1.8 million members of the ethnic minority in internment camps beginning in 2017. "This is not some obscure issue," Rubio told the committee. "These are people who are basically being rounded up because of their ethnicity and religion and they are being put into camps." At the hearing, Rubio described China as the "biggest threat" to U.S. security today. He is expected to be confirmed as secretary of state. Decade of detention The 48 Uyghurs have been detained at Thailand's Immigration Detention Center since 2014 after attempting to use the Southeast Asian nation to escape persecution in China. The Campaign for Uyghurs, a U.S.-based advocacy group, says they have been kept in poor conditions in the prison-like facility, barred from legal or social contact and denied access to healthcare. A Uyghur detainee told RFA on Monday that, upon hearing news late last week that he and others might be deported to China, "we were deeply concerned and anxious." In response, the 48 Uyghurs began a hunger strike on Jan. 10 and called upon fellow Uyghurs living abroad for support, the detainee said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to fear of reprisal. "We are appealing to anyone who can assist in preventing our deportation to China," he said. The group of refugees is part of an originally larger cohort of over 350 Uyghur men, women and children, 172 of whom were resettled in Turkey, 109 deported back to China, and five who died because of inadequate medical conditions. In 2015, Thailand, Washington's longest-standing treaty ally in Asia, faced stiff international criticism for those it did deport back to China. Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 U.N. Refugee Convention, and therefore does not recognize refugees. But the U.S. State Department and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, have urged Thailand that governments are obligated to uphold the principles of non-refoulement, which prohibit returning individuals to places where they are at risk of serious human rights violations. On Tuesday, Campaign for Uyghurs warned that deporting the Uyghurs would violate Thailand's obligations under the Convention Against Torture and its own Anti-Torture Act. Advocacy group says deportation risk easing U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, a Republican who co-chairs the Congressional-Executive Commission on China, has said that it appeared China was pressuring the Thai government to repatriate the remaining Uyghurs and hand them over "to be incarcerated, tortured and cast away in forced labor camps as the U.S. implements its transition to a new government." But there were also signs this week that Thailand was listening to the human rights concerns. Turgunjan Alawdun, president of the World Uyghur Congress, or WUC, told RFA that it "received news" that they were no longer at immediate risk of being returned. The WUC, a group established to represent Uyghurs around the globe, said that because of the confidential nature of their communication, the Thai official cannot be identified. But it added that it had been working to coordinate a campaign for the detainees' release with the European Union, U.S. Congress, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, and rights groups. According to the WUC, the Thai official said Thailand's image was seriously damaged after the deportation of the Uyghurs to China in 2015, and that the Southeast Asian country is still recovering. For Thailand to deport Uyghurs again would be "diplomatic suicide," the Thai official said, according to the WUC. Thailand has not officially indicated whether the Uyghurs will be protected from deportation and the WUC's claim could not be independently confirmed. Thai officials were not immediately reachable for comment. But the WUC's claim appear to have been corroborated by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR, which told RFA on Monday that, after hearing unconfirmed reports the Uyghurs were to be deported, it checked with Thai authorities, who assured the agency to the contrary. Alawdun said Tuesday that the Uyghurs must be released from the Thai immigration facility where they have been held for the past 10 years. "Although they are now safe from the immediate threat of deportation, having them remain imprisoned indefinitely does not align with international laws and regulations regarding human rights and freedom," he said. "We must not cease our efforts to secure their freedom." The WUC has organized protests in front of Thai embassies in multiple countries to take place on Friday, Alawdun said. "Our main demand at these protests is the release of our imprisoned compatriots to a third free country," he said. "We are demanding that Thailand stop unjustly detaining them in prison." Translated by Shahrezad Ghayrat for RFA Uyghur. Edited by Roseanne Gerin and Malcolm Foster. Updated to recast lead, make edits. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China In Eurasia Briefing: A Baltic Warning About A New Era For Beijing In EuropeChina In Eurasia Briefing: A Baltic Warning About A New Era For Beijing In Europe By Reid Standish January 15, 2025 A Warning From The Baltics Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis offered a clear warning for those who say that China is able to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine. Finding Perspective: Speaking to the French international affairs outlet Geopolitique.eu, Landsbergis stamped down the idea. "China is waiting for a moment of weakness to step in and offer 'solutions' and I fear that some in Europe would accept this offer because it's a cheap alternative to us stepping up, in the same way that you buy a Chinese car because it's cheaper. The same goes for their peace proposals." Landsbergis was commenting on a recent interview with outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and The New York Times, where Blinken said that one of the reasons that Moscow had not escalated into a nuclear war in Ukraine was because of China. "If you follow that line of reasoning, it means that China has become a protector of Europe. That would be the beginning of a new paradigm," Landsbergis said. "If we accept that China, which in my view supports Russia and is therefore an adversary of the countries supporting Ukraine, is now the guarantor of nuclear deterrence on our continent, it would be a dangerous mistake and a failure." Why It Matters: Landsbergis's warning comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office and Europe anxiously looks at a very different geopolitical reality. Trump's tariff threats and less traditional approach to Washington's relationship with Europe is a source of consternation in European capitals and there is talk in some corners about having a more amenable position toward Beijing to balance the Trump administration. On January 14, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke with European Council President Antonio Costa to begin what many analysts believe will be a charm offensive from Beijing toward the continent. But while Trump may have a rockier relationship with Brussels and various capitals than his predecessor, Beijing is also facing a different playing field than when U.S. President Joe Biden took office. China's support for Russia amid the war in Ukraine has strained ties with Europe, and Brussels is taking aim at Chinese companies in some sectors, a trend that looks set to continue. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has also voiced strong criticism of China, especially for its stance around the war in Ukraine and its long-term repercussions. Landsbergis shared similar sentiments, saying that "Ukraine is central to what will happen in the future" between China and Taiwan. "I mentioned earlier that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has managed to change the nuclear doctrine by getting us to accept, at least for now, that resisting an attack is a form of escalation and therefore a nuclear strike is justified." "One can imagine a situation where China imposes a blockade, even a partial one, on Taiwan and they resist and we try to lift it, then China could use the Russian playbook," he said. "I don't think we collectively understand how reckless it is." Three more stories from Eurasia 1. The Taliban Courts Chinese Capital My Afghan colleagues at RFE/RL's Radio Azadi and I reported about a new road built by the Taliban in northeast Afghanistan that the hardline group is hoping can better connect the country to neighboring China. The Details: The first section of the road in the Wakhan Corridor was completed a year ago in early 2024, and the Taliban is looking to build out the connections further to one day open up more trade with China. The road link is part of a series of announcements and groundbreaking ceremonies in 2024 -- from oil deals to mining rights -- that the Taliban are hoping will keep moving ahead in the coming year. But the main questions remain over whether the militants can finally calm China's long-standing security concerns. Haiyun Ma, an associate professor at Frostburg University, told me that, despite the lofty deals, Chinese investment is still not flowing in Afghanistan and that there are growing frustrations under the surface between Beijing and the Taliban. Ma says that the announcement in 2024 helps bring prestige and legitimacy to the Taliban as it adapts to governing and that it offers a low-risk, low-commitment way for Beijing to signal long-term intent toward the country. But he adds that China is in no hurry to have a footprint in Afghanistan. China is yet to set up a border crossing in the area where the Wakhan road leads and despite all the resource deals, Beijing has plenty of already developed alternatives elsewhere in the world to help meet its domestic needs. 2. Trump, Greenland, China, And The Arctic Incoming U.S. President Donald Trump has once again kicked up a storm by refusing to rule out the use of force to gain control of Greenland. As my colleague Todd Prince writes, Trump's pursuit shines a light on the complicated national-security picture in the Arctic between the United States, China, Russia, and other players. What You Need To Know: While China is not an Arctic nation, it is seeking to be a major player in the region. In recent years, Beijing has sought to buy ports, other infrastructure, and mining rights on Greenland though it has not been successful. Todd writes that the United States suspected China's real interest in those projects was to place dual-use sensors and radars in the Arctic Circle to help control their military satellites and gather intelligence on U.S. space-based operations in the region. 3. U.S. Energy Sanctions Hurt Chinese, Indian Purchases Of Russian Oil Chinese and Indian refiners are looking for new fuel supplies as they adapt to hard-hitting new U.S. sanctions on Russian oil producers and tankers. What It Means: Many of the newly sanctioned tankers brought oil to China and India, and both Bloomberg and Reuters reported that the sanctions have led to a jump in prices and driven Chinese refiners back to sellers of oil that is not restricted. The sanctions were announced on January 10 and they target Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, two of Russia's five largest largest oil producers, as well as 183 vessels transporting Russian oil and oil products to foreign markets. The Biden administration also sanctioned "opaque" traders of Russian oil, more than 30 Russia-based oil-field service providers, and more than a dozen leading Russian energy officials and executives. The Chinese refiner Yulong Petrochemical has previously bought Russian crude, but, according to industry data, it purchased 4 million barrels of crude from the United Arab Emirates following the sanctions. After the sanctions announcement, Unipec, a subsidiary of China's state-owned energy giant Sinopec, booked four large carriers of crude from the Middle East which the data intelligence firm Kpler said could carry a total of up to 2 million barrels. Across The Supercontinent Kyiv's China Consultations: Ukraine's Foreign Ministry told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service that 2024 was a year of "developing" political dialogue in Beijing, pointing to the extensive high-level talks with their counterparts in the Chinese Foreign Ministry. Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi added that Kyiv considers China one of the countries that can and does have influence on the Russian Federation. And we will continue to maintain this contact with the Chinese side." Parting Shots: In a speech at the State Department on January 13 summing up his administration's record, Biden said the United States has widened its lead over competitors like Russia and China. "Our adversaries are weaker than they were when we came into this job four years ago. Let's consider Russia. Putin invaded Ukraine. He thought he'd conquer Kyiv in a matter of days. But the truth is, since that war began, I'm the only one that stood in the center of Kyiv, not him," Biden said, referring to his visit to the embattled nation last year. The China Connection: As Russian forces have intensified their advances in eastern Ukraine in recent weeks, they're being helped by a new tool on the battlefield: drones that fly with the use of fiber-optic cables, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and I reported. Some Ukrainian experts have said that the drone models used by Russia are very similar to China's commercially available Skywalker drone. There are also growing reports in Ukrainian media of high-quantity orders being placed at Chinese factories by Russian companies for large spools of fiber-optic cables. One Thing To Watch Trade between China and Russia reached a record high in 2024, according to official data released on January 13 by China's General Administration of Customs. The figures show how Beijing and Moscow's efforts to strengthen their relationship are paying off in the face of tough Western economic sanctions on Russia. While the 2024 trade data reached an all-time high, the year-on-year growth rate slowed significantly compared to the 26.3 percent surge seen in 2023. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/china-in-eurasia-trump- ukraine-taiwan-relations/33276338.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Memorandum on the Extending and Expanding Eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Hong Kong Residents January 15, 2025 MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY SUBJECT: Extending and Expanding Eligibility for Deferred Enforced Departure for Certain Hong Kong Residents The United States supports the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the residents of Hong Kong. The People's Republic of China (PRC) has continued to significantly erode those rights and freedoms. I am therefore directing an extension and expansion of the deferral of removal of certain Hong Kong residents, regardless of country of birth, who are present in the United States. By unilaterally imposing on Hong Kong the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (NSL) in June 2020, the PRC has undermined the enjoyment of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong, including those protected under the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Following the NSL's enactment, the PRC has continued its assault on Hong Kong's autonomy, undermining its remaining democratic processes and institutions, imposing limits on academic freedom, and cracking down on freedom of the press. Since June 2020, at least 200 opposition politicians, activists, and protesters have been taken into custody on politically motivated NSL-related charges including secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with a foreign country or external elements. On November 19, 2024, Hong Kong authorities also sentenced 45 pro-democracy advocates to prison for their peaceful participation in political activities protected under the Basic Law of Hong Kong. There are compelling foreign policy reasons to extend Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) for an additional period for those residents of Hong Kong presently residing in the United States who were under a grant of DED until February 5, 2025, as well as to defer enforced departure for other Hong Kong residents who arrived in the United States subsequent to the initial grant of DED. The United States is committed to a foreign policy that unites our democratic values with our foreign policy goals, which is centered on the defense of democracy and the promotion of human rights around the world. Offering safe haven for Hong Kong residents who have been deprived of their guaranteed freedoms in Hong Kong furthers United States interests in the region. The United States will continue to stand firm in our support of the people in Hong Kong. Pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct the foreign relations of the United States, I have determined that it is in the foreign policy interest of the United States to defer for 24 months the removal of any Hong Kong resident, regardless of country of birth, who is present in the United States on the date of this memorandum, except for those: (1) who have voluntarily returned to Hong Kong or the PRC after the date of this memorandum; (2) who have not continuously resided in the United States since the date of this memorandum; (3) who are inadmissible under section 212(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)) or deportable under section 237(a)(4) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)(4)); (4) who have been convicted of any felony or two or more misdemeanors committed in the United States, or who meet any of the criteria set forth in section 208(b)(2)(A) of the INA (8 U.S.C. 1158(b)(2)(A)); (5) who are subject to extradition; (6) whose presence in the United States the Secretary of Homeland Security has determined is not in the interest of the United States or presents a danger to public safety; or (7) whose presence in the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable grounds to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States. I further direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to take appropriate measures to authorize employment for noncitizens whose removal has been deferred, as provided by this memorandum, for the duration of such deferral, including by extending through February 5, 2027, employment authorization for individuals with current employment authorization under prior grants of DED for certain Hong Kong residents, and to consider suspending regulatory requirements with respect to F-1 nonimmigrant students who are Hong Kong residents as the Secretary of Homeland Security determines to be appropriate. The Secretary of Homeland Security shall also provide for the prompt issuance of new or replacement documents in appropriate cases. The Secretary of Homeland Security is authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register. JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Biden administration delists Cuba as state sponsor of terrorism People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 08:29, January 15, 2025 In doing so, Biden revoked the move by former President Donald Trump in January 2021 to re-include Cuba in the list of state sponsors of terrorism. WASHINGTON, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Joe Biden notified Congress on Tuesday that his administration would remove the designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, the White House said, as part of a deal to free political prisoners in the Caribbean island country and those determined by Washington as being unjustly detained by the government in Havana. Senior Biden administration officials previewing the president's decision for reporters said during a press call that the move was made after the administration completed an assessment and concluded there was "no credible evidence" showing Cuba is currently supporting international terrorism. In doing so, Biden revoked the move by his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, in January 2021 to re-include Cuba in the list of state sponsors of terrorism. Trump did so in the waning days of his first presidential term to reverse the efforts seeking rapprochement with Cuba by former President Barack Obama, during whose second term in office the United States lifted Cuba's terror designation. Senior Biden administration officials expected Cuba to release "many dozens" of prisoners by the time Trump would be inaugurated again as president on Jan. 20. Also on Tuesday, Biden signed a national security memorandum to rescind a 2017 Cuba sanction policy by then-President Trump known as "National Security Presidential Memorandum 5," effectively ending the restrictions on certain Cuban persons and entities conducting financial transactions with U.S. persons and entities. To further incentivize the Cuban government to release prisoners, the Biden administration issued a waiver for Title III of the Helms Burton Act for a period of six months, according to a statement by White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. The move, as a result, would block U.S. nationals or other individuals to bring claims in U.S. courts over property confiscated by Cuban authorities after the 1959 Cuban Revolution. The senior administration officials and Jean-Pierre also alluded to the contribution to the Cuban prisoner release deal from the Catholic Church led by Pope Francis, whom Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Saturday. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The FCDO has released a statement following ballistic missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on 14 January. 14 January 2025 An FCDO spokesperson said: DPRK's ballistic missile launches on 14 January are another breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). Unlawful ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula. The UK strongly urges the DPRK to stop such provocations and return to dialogue. North Koreans in China bewildered by arrest of South Korean president Detaining a leader would be unthinkable in North Korea, they say. By Son Hyemin and Jamin Anderson for RFA Korean 2025.01.15 -- North Korean trade officials stationed in China were shocked when they heard that South Korean police arrested President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Wednesday, two such officials told Radio Free Asia. "It's just so astonishing that the president of a country could be arrested," an official based in Shenyang told RFA Korean on condition of anonymity for security reasons. Yoon, who had been impeached last month by the National Assembly, was arrested at around 10:30 a.m. after police and corruption investigation officers stormed his residential compound. He faces insurrection charges after a failed attempt to impose martial law last month. Yoon had said military rule was necessary to safeguard South Korea "from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements." But many said the claims were exaggerated and meant as a political tool targeting the opposition over disagreements in domestic issues. North Korea dispatches trade officials to other countries to manage imports and exports with the goal of generating desperately needed foreign currency for the cash-strapped regime. Hot topic The trade official in Shenyang said that the news of Yoon's arrest was the first topic of discussion during the morning meeting of all the North Korean trade officials stationed in the city. "I couldn't help but think about whether something like the arrest of the highest leader could actually happen in Pyongyang," he said. RFA previously reported that after Yoon declared martial law on Dec. 3, and the South Korean National Assembly voted to end it, trade officials in China were surprised that the the legislative body had the power to nullify the president's orders. "I was really surprised when the South Korean president declared martial law and was impeached in December, but today, when I saw the South Korean news about his arrest, I couldn't believe it," another official stationed in Dandong, which lies across the Yalu River border from North Korea's Sinuiju, told RFA Korean. He said he discussed the news with his colleagues over lunch, and one of them made the point that because South Korea is a democracy, it's possible for a sitting president to be arrested for violating the constitution. "Among the officials stationed overseas, including in China, some don't openly speak about it, but they are aware of the world's realities," he said. "They believe North Korea's dynastic politics surpass even Nazi Germany's Hitler, and they think that the leadership in Pyongyang could eventually collapse." Regarding the arrest, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said that the U.S. government was in support of the South Korean people. "We reaffirm our shared commitment to the rule of law, and we appreciate all efforts made by the Republic of Korea and its citizens to act in accordance with its Constitution." The spokesperson said that the U.S. would continue to work with Acting President Choi Sang-mok and expressed confidence in the "enduring strength" of the U.S.-South Korean Alliance. Translated by RFA Korean. Edited by Eugene Whong. Copyright 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address France faces big challenges in rebuilding cyclone-hit Mayotte By Lisa Bryant January 15, 2025 The French government won praise last month for making good on its promise to rebuild the fire-hit Notre Dame cathedral in just five years. But authorities are facing a rockier time when it comes to rebuilding cyclone-hit Mayotte France's impoverished overseas territory off the coast of East Africa. Lawmakers this week began fractious hearings about how to speed up reconstruction of Mayotte, where Cyclone Chido last month killed dozens, injured thousands and flattened thousands of buildings, especially in shantytowns. On Sunday, another tropical storm triggered flooding in the archipelago, underscoring the fallout of extreme weather events that are becoming more intense and frequent with climate change. French Prefect Francois-Xavier Bieuville announced that there were only a few injuries and no deaths from the latest storm and that it was time to get back to work. Visiting days after Cyclone Chido, French President Emmanuel Macron vowed to swiftly rebuild Mayotte. But reconstructing Mayotte has dug up a raft of grievances and triggered hot political debate. The overseas territory with an official population of about 320,000 is the poorest and most underdeveloped department of France. Macron and his centrist government are accused of being too slow in delivering aid and water and restoring power after Cyclone Chido. Many of Mayotte's residents are not French citizens, but rather undocumented immigrants, many from nearby Comoros. Top French ministers are now talking about cracking down on illegal immigration. So is far-right leader Marine Le Pen, whose National Rally party is the most popular in France. During a visit to the territory earlier this month, Le Pen got an enthusiastic welcome from many Mayotte citizens who largely voted for her during 2022 presidential elections. She blames the government for poor public services like education and for undercounting the number of migrants there illegally. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Why did US exclude India from unrestricted access to AI chips? By Nayan Seth January 14, 2025 U.S. President Joe Biden signed on Tuesday an executive order to boost development of artificial intelligence infrastructure in America. A day earlier, his administration announced sweeping measures to block access to the most advanced semiconductors by China and other adversaries. But the U.S. left India, its strategic partner in the Indo-Pacific, off a list of 18 countries that are allowed unrestricted access to advanced AI chips. Analysts say while a growing technological relationship between the two countries would likely make India eligible in the future to access advanced U.S. AI chips, New Delhi's existing ties with Moscow and the perception of a less robust technology regulatory framework led to its exclusion from the top list. Exclusion not a surprise The Commerce Department's policy framework divides the world into three categories. The first tier includes the U.S. and 18 countries with unrestricted access, followed by a list of more than 100 countries that will be subjected to new caps on advanced semiconductors with individual exemptions. The third tier includes adversaries such as China and Russia that face maximum restrictions. India falls in the second category, along with U.S. allies like Israel and close friends such as Singapore. Bhaskar Chakravorti, the dean of global business at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Massachusetts, said that India's relationship with Russia "puts it outside a super safe category." India has had close ties with Russia since the Soviet Union supported its desire for independence from Britain. It maintained those ties during the Cold War, when the U.S. sided with India's rival Pakistan. Scott Jones, a non-resident fellow at Washington's Stimson Center think tank, highlighted recent reports that accused a few Indian companies of aiding Russia's war on Ukraine, but stressed that while being excluded is a disappointment, it's "not a setback for India." He also pointed to the perception that "India's ability to control and manage technology is perhaps not as robust as evidenced in some of the 18 countries." While India may be off the unrestricted list for now, analysts say its growing technological cooperation with the U.S. may shield it from some curbs. Richard Rossow, senior adviser and chair on India and Emerging Asia Economies at Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the presence of caveats in the new framework would ensure India's later participation. "The fact that they have announced that there will be a pathway for some countries to get exemptions that are above what they're going to consider the standard cap, India, I imagine, would be on the short list of countries," he told VOA. In early January, national security adviser Jake Sullivan traveled to India and met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior officials. During the trip, both sides reiterated their commitment to forge a "strategic technology partnership" and strengthen cooperation under the U.S.-India initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET), a bilateral mechanism focused on technology partnership. On semiconductors, the U.S. is facilitating investments in India's semiconductor manufacturing and intensifying R&D collaboration. During his trip, Sullivan highlighted the investment of $2.7 billion in India by U.S. chipmaker Micron to create semiconductor packaging facilities, which he hoped would contribute to establishing "India as a new hub in the global chip ecosystem." The Indian government too is investing billions of dollars through its dedicated program called the India Semiconductor Mission and Production Linked Incentive scheme. Rossow argued that the Indian government would not have been "terribly surprised" that "they were not included" in the list. Jones of the Stimson Center agreed. "Jake Sullivan was in New Delhi last week, and I would be very surprised if he did not inform his Indian counterparts of what was going to happen," he said. Ensuring America's leadership in AI The Biden administration has focused on the centrality of artificial intelligence to America's security and economic strength. According to a White House factsheet, the latest steps are part of its effort to prevent offshoring this critical technology and ensure that "the world's AI runs on American rails." Since October 2022, the U.S. government has enacted a series of export controls, blocking access of advanced semiconductors to China to prevent its use for military applications. While initially the measures adversely affected the Chinese semiconductor industry, Beijing has continued to advance its capabilities and is attempting to narrow the technology gap. According to Chakravorti of the Fletcher School, there are numerous implementation challenges of this expansive global strategy. "From lobbying from the U.S. chipmakers that will start as soon as Trump takes office to potential leaks in the carefully calibrated list of countries. Will there be a secondary market? How does this affect where future data centers are built?" he asked. Jones of the Stimson Center argued that the policy is more a "symbolic gesture than a practical consideration" but has a stern message for the rest of the world. "The U.S. is clearly saying, if you want to participate in the U.S.-sponsored AI ecosystem, you have to pick now. You pick China or you pick us. You can't have it both ways. You can't play one off against the other. You have to choose," he concluded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicates to the nation frontline naval combatants - INS Surat, INS Nilgiri & INS Vaghsheer - in Mumbai India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence The commissioning underscores India's unwavering commitment to building a robust & self-reliant defence sector: PM A significant step towards empowering the Indian Navy of the 21st century: PM Today's India is emerging as a major maritime power in the world: PM Today, India is recognised as a reliable & responsible partner globally, especially in the Global South: PM India has emerged as the First Responder across the Indian Ocean Region: PM The commissioning is a testimony to the growing strength of India in IOR: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh Armed Forces being modernised with a balanced mix of indigenously-manufactured big platforms and low cost, high impact systems to make us more potent in a short time: RM Posted On: 15 JAN 2025 1:58PM by PIB Delhi Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation three frontline naval combatants - INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer - on their commissioning at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, Maharashtra on January 15, 2025. Addressing the gathering, Shri Modi said that 15th January is commemorated as Army Day and saluted every brave warrior who would sacrifice his life for the safety and security of the nation. He congratulated all the brave warriors on this occasion. Remarking that today was a big day for India's maritime heritage, the glorious history of the Navy and the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan, the Prime Minister said that Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave a new strength and vision to the Navy in India. He added that today the Government had taken a major step towards empowering the 21st century Navy of India in the land of Shivaji Maharaj. "It is for the first time that the tri-commissioning of a destroyer, frigate and submarine was being done", highlighted the Prime Minister. He emphasised that it was also a matter of pride that all the three frontline platforms were made in India. He congratulated the Indian Navy, all the stakeholders involved in the construction work and the citizens of India for the achievement. "Today's program links our glorious heritage with our future aspirations," exclaimed Shri Modi. He added that India has a rich history related to long sea voyages, commerce, naval defence and ship industry. Taking cue from this rich history, he remarked that today's India is emerging as a major maritime power in the world. He added that the platforms launched today displayed a glimpse of the same. The Prime Minister noted the launch of new platforms, including the INS Nilgiri, dedicated to the maritime prowess of the Chola dynasty, and the Surat warship, reminiscent of the era when Gujarat's ports connected India to West Asia. He also mentioned the commissioning of the Vagsheer submarine, the sixth in the P75 class, following the commissioning of the first submarine, Kalvari, a few years ago. These new frontier platforms, the Prime Minister stated, will enhance both India's security and progress. "India is today recognised as a reliable and responsible partner globally, especially in the Global South," exclaimed the Prime Minister. He emphasised that India operates with a spirit of development, not expansionism. He remarked that India has always supported an open, secure, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region. He noted that when it came to the development of coastal nations, India introduced the mantra of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) and advanced with this vision. Highlighting India's leadership during its G20 presidency, promoting the mantra of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future', Shri Modi also mentioned India's vision of 'One Earth, One Health" during the global fight against COVID-19, underscoring India's belief in treating the world as one family and its commitment to inclusive development. He stated that India considers the defence and security of the entire region as its responsibility. Emphasising the significant role of maritime nations like India in shaping global security, economics, and geopolitical dynamics, the Prime Minister highlighted the importance of protecting territorial waters, ensuring freedom of navigation, and securing trade supply lines and sea routes for economic progress and energy security. He stressed on the need to safeguard the region from terrorism, arms, and drug trafficking. Shri Modi stressed the importance of becoming global partners in making the seas safe and prosperous, enhancing logistics efficiency, and supporting the shipping industry. He also highlighted the need to prevent the misuse of ocean resources like rare minerals and fish stocks and to develop the capacity to manage them. Noting the importance of investing in new shipping routes and sea lanes of communication and expressing satisfaction that India is continuously taking steps in this direction, the Prime Minister remarked "India has emerged as the first responder in the Indian Ocean Region". He mentioned that in recent months, the Indian Navy has saved hundreds of lives and secured national and international cargo worth thousands of crores, increasing global trust in India, the Indian Navy, and the Coast Guard. The Prime Minister highlighted the strengthening of India's economic cooperation with ASEAN, Australia, Gulf countries, and African nations, attributing this to India's presence and capabilities in the Indian Ocean Region. He emphasised the dual importance of today's event from both military and economic perspectives. Stressing on the importance of enhancing and modernising India's military capabilities in the 21st century, Shri Modi highlighted, "be it land, water, air, the deep sea or infinite space, India is safeguarding its interests everywhere". He remarked on the continuous reforms being undertaken, including the establishment of the Chief of Defence Staff. He noted that India is progressing towards the implementation of theatre commands to make the armed forces more efficient. Acknowledging the adoption of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) by India's armed forces over the past decade, the Prime Minister lauded the commendable efforts to reduce dependence on other countries during crises. He remarked that the armed forces have identified over 5,000 items and equipment that will no longer be imported. He emphasised the enhanced confidence of Indian soldiers using domestically produced equipment. Shri Modi noted the establishment of the country's largest helicopter manufacturing factory in Karnataka and a transport aircraft factory for the armed forces. He highlighted the achievements of the Tejas fighter plane and the development of defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which are accelerating defence production. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the Navy's significant expansion of the Make in India initiative, acknowledging the crucial role of Mazagon Dockyard. He mentioned the inclusion of 33 ships and seven submarines in the Navy over the past decade, with 39 out of 40 naval vessels being built in Indian shipyards. This includes the majestic INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and nuclear submarines like INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. The Prime Minister congratulated the armed forces for propelling the Make in India campaign. He highlighted that India's defence production has surpassed Rs 1.25 lakh crore and that the country is exporting defence equipment to over 100 nations. He expressed confidence in the rapid transformation of India's defence sector with continued support. "The Make in India initiative is not only enhancing the capabilities of India's armed forces but also opening new avenues for economic progress," said Shri Modi. He cited the shipbuilding ecosystem as an example, noting that experts say every rupee invested in shipbuilding has a positive impact of nearly double on the economy. The Prime Minister remarked that currently, 60 large ships are under construction in the country, valued at approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore. He emphasised that this investment would result in an economic circulation of around Rs three lakh crore and a six-fold multiplier effect in terms of employment. Noting that most of the ship parts come from domestic MSMEs, Shri Modi remarked that if 2,000 workers are involved in building a ship, it creates around 12,000 jobs in other industries, particularly in the MSME sector. Emphasising India's rapid progress towards becoming the world's third-largest economy, the Prime Minister remarked that there was continuous growth in manufacturing and export capacity, noting the future need for hundreds of new ships and containers. He added that the port-led development model will accelerate the entire economy and create thousands of new job opportunities. Citing an example of the increasing employment in the seafaring sector, mentioning that the number of seafarers in India has more than doubled from less than 1,25,000 in 2014 to nearly 3,00,000 today, the Prime Minister noted that India now ranks among the top five countries globally in terms of the number of seafarers. The Prime Minister stressed that the third term of his government has begun with several major decisions and remarked on the rapid formulation of new policies and the initiation of new projects to meet the country's needs. He added that the goal was to ensure development in every corner and sector of the country, with the expansion of the port sector being a part of this vision. Shri Modi noted that one of the first major decisions in the third term was the approval of the Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra. He added that the construction of this modern port, with an investment of Rs 75,000 crore, has already begun, creating thousands of new job opportunities in Maharashtra. Highlighting the unprecedented work done in the past decade on infrastructure connectivity related to borders and coastlines, Shri Modi mentioned the recent inauguration of the Sonamarg Tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir, which will facilitate easier access to border areas like Kargil and Ladakh. He remarked on the inauguration of the Sela Tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh last year, which is improving the army's access to the LAC. He also noted the ongoing rapid work on critical infrastructure projects like the Shinkun La Tunnel and the Zojila Tunnel. The Prime Minister said that the Bharatmala project was creating a network of excellent national highways in border areas, and the Vibrant Village Program is playing a crucial role in the development of border villages. The Prime Minister highlighted the focus of the Government on remote islands over the past decade, including regular monitoring and naming of uninhabited islands. He also mentioned the naming of underwater seamounts in the Indian Ocean, with five such locations named last year by an international organization at India's initiative. These include Ashoka Seamount, Harshavardhan Seamount, Raja Raja Chola Seamount, Kalpataru Ridge, and Chandragupta Ridge in the Indian Ocean, enhancing India's pride. Emphasising the importance of both outer space and deep sea in the future, the Prime Minister highlighted India's efforts to enhance its capabilities in these areas. He remarked on the Samudrayaan project, which aims to take scientists to a depth of 6,000 meters in the ocean, a feat achieved by only a few countries. He stated that the government is leaving no stone unturned in exploring future possibilities. Stressing the importance of moving forward with confidence in the 21st century by freeing India from symbols of colonialism, Shri Modi highlighted the leadership shown by the Indian Navy in this regard, noting that the Navy has linked its flag to the glorious tradition of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and redesigned the Admiral rank epaulettes accordingly. He remarked that the Make in India initiative and the campaign for self-reliance promote liberation from the colonial mindset. He expressed confidence that the nation will continue to achieve moments of pride and contribute to making India a developed country. He emphasised that while responsibilities may differ, the goal remains the same - Viksit Bharat. The Prime Minister concluded by stating that the new frontier platforms received today will strengthen the nation's resolve and extended his best wishes to all. Speaking on the occasion, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh described the commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri & INS Vaghsheer as historic, and a testimony to the growing strength of not just the Indian Navy, but the country as a whole in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Raksha Mantri highlighted the importance of IOR from a geo-strategic & economic point of view, and its growing relevance in today's rapidly changing environment. Highlighting the importance of IOR from a geo-strategic & economic point of view, and its growing relevance in today's rapidly changing environment, Raksha Mantri said: "A large part of the world's trade and commerce passes through IOR. Due to geo-strategic reasons, the region is also becoming a part of the international power rivalry. Attempts are made for illegal activities such as drug trafficking, narcotics, smuggling, illegal fishing, human trafficking and terrorism. India has had geo-strategic and economic interests in IOR for a very long time. Even today, 95% of India's trade, in terms of volume, is linked to this region. In such a situation, the presence of a strong Indian Navy in IOR becomes our biggest priority. The commissioning of three modern platforms today is an important milestone towards achieving our goal." Shri Rajnath Singh emphasised that strengthening the country's security system and achieving self-reliance in the defence sector has always been the priority of the Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He stated that the Ministry of Defence is surging ahead by implementing the Prime Minister's mantra of 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence. "Over 75% of the content of INS Surat and INS Nilgiri has been developed in India itself. Indigenous content is also increasing continuously in other platforms being manufactured within the country," he added. On defence modernisation, which is another focus area of the Government, Raksha Mantri asserted that the three Naval combatants are fully equipped with state-of-the-art systems/technologies, which makes these platforms fully capable of dealing with any situation. "On one hand, we are producing big platforms within the country, on the other, our focus is on low cost and high impact systems, which can make our Armed Forces more potent in a short time. Thus, in the process of rapid modernisation of our forces, we are bringing a balanced mix," he said. On 2025 being declared the 'Year of Reforms' in the Ministry of Defence, Shri Rajnath Singh voiced the resolve to work on the reforms necessary for the Ministry and the three Services. He exuded confidence of implementing many reforms by the end of year, which would take India's defence sector to greater heights. Raksha Mantri expressed gratitude to the engineers, machinists, contractors, workers and others associated with the three projects. "Your hard work and dedication have borne fruit. With your dedication, you have enhanced the strength of the Indian Navy. The country is proud of you," he said. In his address, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi exuded confidence that these three platforms will enhance the capabilities of the Indian Navy and make it even more effective in safeguarding maritime interests. He described the commissioning ceremony as a result of the hard work and efficiency of every member of MDL, NHQ, Western Naval Command, Warship Overseeing Team and field units. Upon his arrival, the Prime Minister was presented with a Guard of Honour. It was followed by the reading of Commissioning Warrants of the ships and submarine by respective Commanding Officers and hoisting of the Naval Ensign & Commissioning Pennants onboard the three vessels accompanied by National Anthem, which marked the formal commissioning of the three vessels. The Prime Minister toured the three combatants and formally unveiled the Commissioning Plaques onboard. Governor of Maharashtra Shri CP Radhakrishnan, Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, CMD, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Ltd Shri Sanjiv Singhal and several other dignitaries from the Centre and State governments & industrial partners attended the event. Background The commissioning of three major naval combatants marks a significant leap forward in realising India's vision of becoming a global leader in defence manufacturing and maritime security. INS Surat, the fourth & final ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, ranks among the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world. It has an indigenous content of 75% and is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages and advanced network-centric capabilities. INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the P17A Stealth Frigate Project, has been designed by the Indian Navy's Warship Design Bureau and incorporates advanced features for enhanced survivability, seakeeping, and stealth, reflecting the next generation of indigenous frigates. INS Vaghsheer, the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene Project, represents India's growing expertise in submarine construction and has been constructed in collaboration with the Naval Group of France. **** VK/VM/Savvy (Release ID: 2093018) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Govt is transforming the Armed Forces into a modern warfare machine in view of dynamic geopolitical world order: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh at 77th Army Day celebrations in Pune India - Press Information Bureau Ministry of Defence Exhorts the Armed Forces to always remain ready to face any challenge "Our focus is on equipping soldiers with latest weapons & platforms and modernisation through self-reliance" "India cannot depend on other countries for its security; Aatmanirbharta must to achieve strategic autonomy" Posted On: 15 JAN 2025 7:19PM by PIB Delhi "Government is leaving no stone unturned to transform the Armed Forces into a modern warfare machine in view of the dynamic geopolitical world order and the constantly-changing character of warfare," said Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh during his address at 'Gaurav Gatha', an event organised in Pune on January 15, 2025 as part of the 77th Army Day celebrations. Raksha Mantri highlighted the increasing use of unconventional and asymmetrical methods in today's warfare, and exhorted the Armed Forces to always remain vigilant and ready to face any challenge. "Conflicts and wars will become more violent & unpredictable. The emergence of non-state actors in many countries and their resorting to terrorism is also a matter of concern. Due to the rapid technological advancements, future wars witness a change to a great extent. Cyber and space domains are rapidly emerging as new war zones. Along with this, a war of narrative as well as perception is also being fought all over the world. The military must focus on holistic capacity building and reforms," said Shri Rajnath Singh. Raksha Mantri emphasised on the need of a robust security system, strong military and secure borders to realise Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. He asserted that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is constantly striving to bolster the strength of the Armed Forces by equipping them with latest weapons & platforms, and the focus is on modernisation through self-reliance. "India is currently going through a phase of transition. We are moving forward from being a developing country to a developed one. To become Viksit Bharat, every section of society will have to contribute. But their contribution will only be meaningful when our security apparatus is fool-proof & borders are safe. The security system will be robust only when our military is strong. No nation can develop unless its military is powerful," said Shri Rajnath Singh. Raksha Mantri echoed the Government's emphasis on the fact that a strong military is a must to ensure peace. He highlighted that India has always prioritised 'Buddha' over 'Yuddha', and the Armed Forces have, time-and-again, proved that peace is not a weakness, but a sign of strength. Highlighting the giant strides made towards attaining 'Aatmanirbharta' in defence manufacturing, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that without self-reliance, India cannot achieve strategic autonomy. "A country like India cannot depend on other countries for its security. Today, we are not only manufacturing military equipment on Indian soil, but are exporting them. Domestic defence production touched the record figure of Rs 1.27 lakh crore in the last financial year, while defence exports, which were around Rs 2,000 crore a decade ago, crossed the record figure of Rs 21,000 crore," he said. Raksha Mantri enumerated the steps taken by the Government to promote self-reliance, including the notification of positive indigenisation lists of over 5,500 items. He stated that MoD is moving ahead at an unprecedented pace and in a planned manner towards making the defence sector strong and 'Aatmanirbhar'. On 2025 being declared as the Year of Reforms in MoD, Shri Rajnath Singh stated that efforts will be made to bring-in reforms which will ensure modernisation of the Armed Forces. He exuded confidence that with concerted efforts, India will soon become Viksit Bharat and its military one of the strongest in the world. Raksha Mantri paid tributes to the country's brave soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of the motherland while safeguarding the borders with unmatched valour & commitment. He commended the Indian Army personnel for protecting the nation from external threats, and playing a crucial role in dealing with internal challenges & natural disasters. "The might of our Armed Forces is such that the adversary does not dare to wage war against India. But, natural disasters are not in our control. Whenever disasters occur, our forces play an active role in the relief and rescue efforts. And, this is not only limited to India. In other countries too, our military is the first responder. It acts as a representative of the Indian value of helping others in the times of trouble," said Shri Rajnath Singh. On the occasion, Raksha Mantri virtually laid the foundation stone for the Army Paralympic Node, which will be established at Dighi, Pune. He expressed confidence that the Node will inspire the Divyang soldiers of the Indian Army to participate in international events such as Paralympics, Commonwealth & Asian Para Games and bring laurels to the nation. Shri Rajnath Singh also launched the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan App, through which the people of the country will be able to visit historical war zones easily and learn about them. A commemorative medallion marking the 352nd Coronation of Shivaji, along with a special day cover, was also released. In a heart-warming moment, Raksha Mantri also felicitated eight Veer Naris and the next of kin of brave soldiers, acknowledging their sacrifice and courage. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi and various civil & military personnel were present on the occasion. The event, organised at the Bombay Engineers Group and Centre, was a magnificent tribute to the valor and rich legacy of the Indian Army. It featured an awe-inspiring amalgamated display of lights, sounds and live actions, celebrating the evolution of the Yodha, from its mythological roots to its present-day, modern avatar - the Indian Army. It was a visual and emotional journey that captivated all in attendance. The entire event, a successional depiction, encompassed seven distinct sections, each showcasing different facets of the Indian Army's remarkable journey: Yudh Kala (Martial Arts and Combat Skills) : Highlighting the scientific principles of Dhanurveda, this segment focused on India's rich tradition of martial arts. Featured were martial arts like Gatka, Khukri Hath, Tang-Ta, Kalaripayattu, and Mallakhamb, each a vital part of India's military culture and traditions. : Highlighting the scientific principles of Dhanurveda, this segment focused on India's rich tradition of martial arts. Featured were martial arts like Gatka, Khukri Hath, Tang-Ta, Kalaripayattu, and Mallakhamb, each a vital part of India's military culture and traditions. Yudh Pradarshan (Battle Demonstrations) : This thrilling demonstration depicted a tactical raid on a terrorist hideout, showcasing the Indian Army's technological prowess and tactical expertise. The display included a simulated battle scenario using advanced military equipment, underscoring the Army's operational readiness and its commitment to upholding its ethos of 'Naam, Namak, and Nishan' (Name, Honor, and Symbol). : This thrilling demonstration depicted a tactical raid on a terrorist hideout, showcasing the Indian Army's technological prowess and tactical expertise. The display included a simulated battle scenario using advanced military equipment, underscoring the Army's operational readiness and its commitment to upholding its ethos of 'Naam, Namak, and Nishan' (Name, Honor, and Symbol). Pracheen Ranneeti (Ancient Warfare Strategies) : This section brought forth the military culture of India through the historic periods from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It showcased prominent strategic thinkers and legendary warriors whose unique & successful strategies have been imbibed into Indian Army and have been instrumental in shaping it. : This section brought forth the military culture of India through the historic periods from the Ramayana and Mahabharata. It showcased prominent strategic thinkers and legendary warriors whose unique & successful strategies have been imbibed into Indian Army and have been instrumental in shaping it. Yudh Parivartan (Evolution of Warfare) : The evolution of warfare was explored from close-quarter combat during ancient times, through the introduction of cavalry and elephants, to the use of explosives and firearms and further fomenting into trench warfare, and mechanized warfare. : The evolution of warfare was explored from close-quarter combat during ancient times, through the introduction of cavalry and elephants, to the use of explosives and firearms and further fomenting into trench warfare, and mechanized warfare. Shaurya Gatha (Tales of Valour): The section honoured key battles like the Battle of Badgam (1947-48), Battle of Asal Uttar (1965), Battle of Longewala, and the Battle of Tololing, celebrating the bravery of leaders such as Major Somnath Sharma, CQMH Abdul Hamid, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, amongst others. The section honoured key battles like the Battle of Badgam (1947-48), Battle of Asal Uttar (1965), Battle of Longewala, and the Battle of Tololing, celebrating the bravery of leaders such as Major Somnath Sharma, CQMH Abdul Hamid, Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, amongst others. Samarth Bharat Saksham Sena: This section entailed a comprehensive clip of the Indian Army's contribution in not only upholding India's security and territorial integrity but also in nation building. A tableau depicting the tech prowess and the latest equipment of the Army was also displayed. Shri Rajnath Singh also interacted with soldiers of the Indian Army, Nepal Army, NCC Cadets, Women Agniveers of Indian Army and Youths of Mission Olympic Wing exchanging thoughts and acknowledging their dedication towards Nation. He also presented awards to several distinguished participants and teams: Best Marching Contingent of 77th Army Day Parade : Awarded to the top contingent for their outstanding display of discipline and pride during the parade. The award was given to Bombay Engineers Group and Centre. : Awarded to the top contingent for their outstanding display of discipline and pride during the parade. The award was given to Bombay Engineers Group and Centre. Nepali Army Band : Recognised for their participation in the 77th Army Day Parade for the first time ever, adding a new dimension to the celebrations and to the relations India shares with Nepal. : Recognised for their participation in the 77th Army Day Parade for the first time ever, adding a new dimension to the celebrations and to the relations India shares with Nepal. NCC Girls Contingent : Awarded for being part of the Army Day Parade marching contingents for the first time, symbolising the progress of women empowerment in the Indian Armed Forces. : Awarded for being part of the Army Day Parade marching contingents for the first time, symbolising the progress of women empowerment in the Indian Armed Forces. Team of the Mission Olympics Tableau : Acknowledged for their excellent presentation that celebrated India's Olympic achievements. : Acknowledged for their excellent presentation that celebrated India's Olympic achievements. Gaurav Kalash by Cyclothon Team: The team, which traversed 750 kms across Maharashtra, collected water from various Forts of Shivaji, symbolizing the strong connection between India's military heritage and the present. The water in the Gaurav Kalash was handed over to the Raksha Mantri, who further passed it to the Director of the National Museum. Additionally, a heartfelt Mouth Painting was presented to the Raksha Mantri by Airman Mridul Ghosh, a paraplegic resident from the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre, showcasing the resilience and creativity of individuals overcoming physical challenges. *** VK/SR/Savvy (Release ID: 2093181) NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address West's opposition cannot stop Iran's progress: AEOI chief IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) Mohammad Eslami has said the objections from the West have not hindered the Islamic Republic's progress in peaceful nuclear activities. On the sidelines of the government cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Eslami spoke to the reporters, stating that the construction of nuclear power plants is on the agenda of most countries, emphasizing that according to existing laws and regulations, there are no obstacles to the Islamic Republic in this endeavor. He also noted that the persistent harassment and opposition from three European countries and the United States have not succeeded in hindering Iran's progress on this issue. "We have begun implementing the 20,000 megawatt electricity generation project, which is scheduled to be completed by 2024 as per the agreement. The projects are actively progressing and will continue to advance according to our planned timeline," Eslami added. Regarding the holding of the military drill around the Natanz nuclear site, he said, "In this air defense exercise, our armed forces demonstrated their capabilities to protect and defend the country's airspace." Eslami further stated, "In the coming days, we will conduct two additional military exercises focused on passive defense to demonstrate our maximum readiness capabilities." 3266**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran not afraid of war but hopes Trump will pursue peace: President Pezeshkian tells NBC IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian says the Islamic Republic is not afraid of war but hopes US President-elect Donald Trump will pursue peace rather than conflict. In an excerpt from a wide-ranging interview with NBC that was aired on Tuesday, Pezeshkian also reiterated that Iran's nuclear program is peaceful and emphasized that Tehran is not seeking "nuclear weaponry". "I do hope that Trump will conduce to peace in the region and the world not, conversely, contribute to bloodshed or war," he said in part of his interview with NBC when asked about his message for the incoming US president. During his first term, Trump withdrew the US from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and implemented a "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic Republic. Several rounds of negotiations under President Joe Biden failed to bring the United States back into compliance with the landmark agreement. In his recent presidential campaign, Trump threatened that US ally Israel could strike Iranian nuclear facilities. "We will react to any action. We do not fear war, but we do not seek it," Pezeshkian said, less than a week before Trump's return to the White House. He also reiterated that Iran does not aim to develop nuclear weapons, despite persistent allegations by the United States and its European allies. When asked by NBC News host Lester Holt about the possibility of entering new negotiations with Trump, President Pezeshkian remarked that the issue is not dialogue itself but the commitments arising from such talks. "The problem we have is not in dialogue. It's in the commitments that arise from talks and dialogue that we'll have to commit to," he said, adding, "It was the other party did not live up to its promises and obligations." Under the nuclear agreement, officially known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Iran agreed to certain restrictions on its civilian nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions targeting its economy. Trump's unprovoked and illegal withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 placed the fate of the deal in limbo. Tehran had remained compliant with the agreementas repeatedly verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)and continued to honor its terms for a year after the US withdrawal. However, with European powers failing to counter US pressure, Iran began to reduce its nuclear commitments under the terms of the agreement. 4354**205 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Army receives first home-grown signals intelligence vessel IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- The Islamic Republic of Iran Navy has received its first home-grown signals intelligence vessel, named Zagros. During the inauguration ceremony on Wednesday, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Commander of the Iranian Army Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, and Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics of Iran Aziz Nasirzadeh participated in the launch of the Zagros destroyer, an advanced vessel designed for combat and intelligence operations. Rear Admiral Irani pointed out that the destroyer had been manufactured by Iranian engineers, emphasizing that the vessel would help the Iranian Army maintain sustainable maritime security in various seas, including as well as the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Describing the destroyer as the watchful eye of the Iranian naval forces, the commander said that the ship was equipped with advanced electronic, electromagnetic, and cyber technologies. Major General Bagheri asserted that a nation can maintain its independence, sovereignty, and lofty objectives only by relying on its might. He warned that dependence on major powers would lead to nothing but humiliation and discredit. The Chief of Staff added that the general policies of maritime development, approved by the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, form the basis of the Iranian armed forces' programs and actions. 4208**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran holding talks just with Europe for now: FM IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Tehran, IRNA -- Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has stated that Iran is currently engaged only in negotiations with the Europeans. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the cabinet session on Wednesday, Araghchi emphasized, "We had nuclear talks with the Europeans," and clarified that Iran is not involved in any other negotiations at this time. In a related development, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Legal and International Affairs Kazem Gharibabadi wrote on his X account on Tuesday, that he and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-e-Ravanchi had held open and constructive discussions with European Union foreign policy official Enrique Mora and his team in Geneva. "We exchanged views mainly on nuclear/sanctions lifting as well as other issues of mutual interest. We also addressed Europe's support for Israeli crimes in Gaza." Fresh talks between Iran and the European trio - Britain, France, and Germany - were set for January 13, 2025, in Switzerland. Before these talks, negotiations between Iran and the European troika took place in the Swiss capital last November, while Araghchi described the Geneva talks as a "brainstorming" session. Both sides have agreed to continue diplomatic discussions to resolve misunderstandings. 1483**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address China in Melodies | Ancient Voices of Xi'an People's Daily Online) 13:34, January 16, 2025 The ancient operas in Xi'an, the capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, tell an enduring story by "shouting." Defined by their powerful shouts, they captivate the world with their bold and sweeping momentum. Michael Kurtagh from the U.S. visited Xi'an to feel the strength of Huayin Laoqiang and Qin Opera. The ancient tunes of Xi'an resonate deeplynot only reflecting on the city's rich history, but also offering a vision for the future! (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Exclusive: Iran-Russia ties to be elevated to strategic partnership level, Kremlin says IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Jan 15, 2025 Moscow, IRNA -- Tehran and Moscow are set to ink a comprehensive deal that will elevate the Iranian-Russian relations to the level of strategic partnership, the spokesperson for the Kremlin says. The comprehensive strategic partnership deal, scheduled to be signed in the Russian capital in the coming days, encompasses all aspects of their multi-faceted relationship, Dmitry Peskov told IRNA on Wednesday. The areas of cooperation will include military, political, trade, economic scientific, educational, cultural, and humanitarian activities, he added. The Tehran-Moscow deal will not be against the interests of any third party, he pointed out. Elsewhere in his remarks, he said that the signing date of the agreement has nothing to do with the inauguration date of Donald Trump, the President-elect of the US. "On 17 January, Vladimir Putin will hold talks with the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian, who will come to Russia on an official visit," the Kremlin said in a statement on Monday. Earlier, Iran's ambassador in Moscow Kazem Jalali had said that preserving Iran's territorial integrity and independence was a priority when drafting the agreement and added that the agreement consists of one introduction and 47 articles. According to the ambassador, Iran and Russia had signed a comprehensive agreement, approved by the Iranian Parliament in 2001, which was a 20-year accord that concluded in 2021. The previous agreement was automatically extended for a five-year period, he said, adding that top authorities of both nations reached a consensus that it should be revised to address contemporary issues. 7129**9417 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran Navy takes delivery of 'Zagros', its first advanced 'signals-intelligence' destroyer Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 8:45 AM The Iranian naval defense industry has handed over the first "signals-intelligence" destroyer of its own indigenous production to the country's Navy. The vessel, named Zagros, was delivered to the Navy on Wednesday during a ceremony attended by Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani, other senior military and government officials, and scientists. Irani described Zagros as the "waking eye of the Navy within the depth of the world's oceans," praising the achievement as "very valuable" for the Islamic Republic's Armed Forces, and noting that the ship had been outfitted with state-of-the-art electromagnetic, electronic, and cyber technology. "In light of all the orders of prudence that we are issued through the [relevant] chain-of-command, we try incessantly for the result of our performance to serve as a source of pride for the Islamic Republic's establishment," the commander remarked. He hoped that the Navy's advances would ensure the contentment of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khameni as well as the country's commanders and those who had been martyred down the path of defending the nation. Irani finally noted that all of the ship's equipment was of Iranian production, saying that the Navy had managed to meet the country's defensive demands on the back of its intelligence command as part of its efforts to ensure stable naval security across various bodies of water, including the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, as well as other waterways. The Islamic Republic's Armed Forces, including the Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), have been continuously enhancing their military hardware and combat readiness in line with Ayatollah Khamenei's directives. The forces have vowed to defend the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of the threats that are posed by the Iranian nation's enemies. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, confident of peaceful nature of its nuclear program, never left negotiation table: FM Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 6:04 AM Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has asserted that Iran has never acted as the party to leave the negotiation table due to its confidence in the peaceful nature of its nuclear energy program. "In the nuclear issue, we never left the negotiation table because we have been confident in the peaceful nature of our nuclear program," he said during a televised interview on Tuesday. "We have no problem with negotiations whether in principle or basis, although, some of the other parties' excessive demands have caused some problems and adversities in negotiations," the top diplomat noted. Araghchi also emphasized that the Islamic Republic's "main demand" is finding a way towards resumption of nuclear negotiations. He also described as "positive" the country's recent talks with the European trio of the UK, France, and Germany, which are parties to Iran's 2015 nuclear deal. The talks were attended by senior Iranian diplomats, Majid Takht-Ravanchi and Kazem Gharibabadi, as well as the representatives of the European states, European Union's foreign policy chief Enrique Mora, and other European experts. "The talks with the Europeans have been essentially positive. We witnessed some seriousness in them, and their desire to reach a resolution based on negotiations." He, however, laid emphasis on Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei's insistence on the country's not pinning hopes and relying exclusively on negotiations and instead trying to neutralize the illegal and unilateral sanctions that the United States and its European allies imposed on the country. "We do not abandon this course, but are not attached to it either, and would try to neutralize the sanctions by relying on the country's domestic capabilities." The official underlined that the Islamic Republic has always stressed its participation in "dignified and honorable" negotiations. Araghchi also referred to the US's 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 landmark nuclear deal (JCPOA), asserting that Tehran has not engaged in any nuclear negotiations with the incoming US administration as it was Americans who pulled out. He said, "After the US withdrawal, the Europeans negotiated with Washington, and our policy is still the same. We will not negotiate with the US over the nuclear issue until it returns to the JCPOA and announces its relevant policy." The official also pointed to Russia and China's role in the nuclear issue. According to Araghchi, the issue of Ukraine had led to some rifts between Europe and Russia. The duo, however, were still part of the nuclear issue, he added, noting that the recent talks had also featured addressing the issue of their participation in the matter. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran, Russia Set to Bolster Defense Ties for Regional & Global Peace - Iranian FM to Sputnik Sputnik News 20250115 TEHRAN (Sputnik) - Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi emphasized in an article for Sputnik that a key component of the new strategic deal between Iran and Russia is the enhancement of security and defense cooperation. "One of the important aspects of the agreement is strengthening cooperation in the field of security and defense. Iran and Russia have valuable experience in combating terrorism and extremism. Such a partnership aimed at strengthening regional and global stability meets not only the interests of the two countries, but also the interests of world peace," Araghchi said. At the same time Araghchi highlighted that the agreement does not imply a military union. "It is an entirely comprehensive agreement. For instance, it is not an agreement on a military union, with a particular target, but entirely comprehensive and covers all aspects," Araghchi said. The interaction between Russia and Iran in the sphere of defense does not threaten anyone, he added. "Contrary to the claims of some media outlets, this interaction is not aimed at threatening, but at strengthening common security and protecting human values," Araghchi said. On Monday, the Kremlin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian would sign the agreement after negotiations on January 17. In June 2024, Russia and Iran agreed on a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty, which seeks to ensure balanced cooperation between the two countries. The agreement contains 47 articles and covers all areas of bilateral relations, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali has said. The new agreement will replace the existing treaty between Moscow and Tehran, which was signed in 2001. The agreement between Russia and Iran covers all aspects of cooperation, Araghchi noted. "The signing of the agreement between Iran and Russia for 20 years is not just a political document, but also a roadmap for the future. This agreement covers all aspects of cooperation between the two countries," Araghchi said. The document will include economy, technology and humanitarian cooperation, the minister explained. The agreement also seeks to simplify travel conditions for tourists in order to strengthen cultural cooperation. "One of the underestimated aspects of international relations is the importance of cultural exchanges. The strategic agreement will simplify travel conditions for tourists and create joint cultural programs, allowing the two countries to better understand each other," Araghchi said. North-South Transport Corridor to Be Completed Under Iran-Russia Deal The new strategic agreement between Russia and Iran provides for completion of the North-South transport corridor and increase in the volume of trade as part of strengthening economic ties between the two countries, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in the article. "This massive transport project connects Iran to Russia and from there to Europe and Asia. With the completion of this corridor, trade routes between the two countries will become shorter and costs will be reduced," the article read. The new agreement also aims at accelerating the growth of trade volume between Iran and Russia, which increased by 15% last year, the minister also said, adding that the document covers all economic aspects, including common markets development and infrastructure projects' investments. Tehran and Moscow also intend to cooperate in the production. "Iran and Russia, as two major powers in the oil and gas industry, can cooperate with each other in the production, transmission and export of energy," Araghchi said. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iranian President Addresses Trump Assassination Claims and Nuclear Stance Sputnik News 20250115 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iran has never tried to assassinate US President-elect Donald Trump, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday. "This is another one of those schemes that Israel and other countries are designing to promote Iranophobia. ... Iran has never attempted to nor does it plan to assassinate anyone. At least as far as I know," Pezeshkian told the NBC news broadcaster. Iran has never plotted to assassinate Trump and has no plans to do so in the future, the president added. Trump earlier accused Iran of what he called specific steps against him, adding that "the entire US military is watching and waiting." In September, the Trump campaign said in a press release that Trump had been briefed by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence concerning possible assassination attempts by Iran on his life, adding that Iran is "terrified" of Trump's strength and resolve and wants then-Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris to win the election because of her "weakness." On Trump's Role in Middle East Conflict "I do hope that Trump will conduce to peace in the region and the world, not conversely, contribute to bloodshed and war," the president said. On Trump's Role in Middle East Conflict "I do hope that Trump will conduce to peace in the region and the world, not conversely, contribute to bloodshed and war," the president said. On Possible US-Israeli Attack When asked about Tehran's response to a possible US-Israeli attack aimed at halting the Iranian nuclear program, Pezeshkian said that the country is ready for any development. "Naturally enough, we will react to any action. We do not fear war, but we do not seek it," the president said. He also expressed hope that the situation would not deteriorate that far, as an open conflict would be "detrimental" to all actors. On Nuclear Weapons The president emphasized that the country does not seek to build nuclear weapons, though Iran is accused of creating it. "We upheld all the commitments that we had to commit to," he said when asked about Iran's talks with major powers about its nuclear program. "But unfortunately, it was the other party that did not live up to its promises and obligations." Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Japan - Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range Media/Public Contact: pm-cpa@state.gov Transmittal No: 24-125 WASHINGTON, January 15, 2025 -- The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Japan of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range and related equipment for an estimated cost of $39 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Japan has requested to buy up to sixteen (16) AGM-158B/B-2 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles with Extended Range (JASSM-ER). The following non-MDE items will also be included: AGM-158 JASSM Dummy Air Training Missiles (DATM) and containers; JASSM Anti-jam Global Positioning System Receivers (JAGR); munitions support and support equipment; spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support; integration and test support and equipment; classified and unclassified software delivery and support; classified and unclassified publications and technical documentation; personnel training and equipment; airlift and transportation support; U.S. Government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services; studies and surveys; and other related elements of logistics and program support. The estimated total cost is $39 million. This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region. The proposed sale will improve Japan's capability to meet current and future threats by providing stand-off capability via advanced, long-range strike systems for employment on Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) fighter aircraft, including but not limited to the F-15J and F-35A/B. Japan will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractor will be Lockheed Martin, located in Orlando, FL. At this time, the U.S. Government is not aware of any offset agreement proposed in connection with this potential sale. Any offset agreement will be defined in negotiations between the purchaser and the contractor. Implementation of this proposed sale will not require the assignment of any additional U.S. Government or contractor representatives to Japan. There will be no adverse impact on U.S. defense readiness as a result of this proposed sale. The description and dollar value are for the highest estimated quantity and dollar value based on initial requirements. Actual dollar value will be lower depending on final requirements, budget authority, and signed sales agreement(s), if and when concluded. All questions regarding this proposed Foreign Military Sale should be directed to the State Department's Bureau of Political Military-Affairs, Office of Congressional and Public Affairs, pm-cpa@state.gov. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Myanmar insurgents say they launched rocket attack on junta deputy Junta chief blamed supporters of democracy, foreign countries for 'terror acts.' By RFA Burmese 2025.01.15 -- Pro-democracy fighters in Myanmar launched a barrage of rockets at junta facilities in the eastern town of Loikaw as the deputy of the ruling military council was visiting, a rebel group said on Wednesday. There was no confirmation from the junta of the Tuesday night attack and the anti-junta Brave Warriors for Myanmar, or BWM, militia force said it had no information about casualties. The group said its members fired five 107 mm rockets to the State Hall in Loikaw, capital of Kayah state, and two rockets at a regional military command headquarters in the town as junta deputy Lt. Gen. Soe Win was visiting for Kayah State Day on Wednesday. "We want to make sure that even the deputy leader of the junta council is worried about his life, that's why we had to attack," an official from the militia group told Radio Free Asia. He said his group was trying to gather information about the attack, which was organized with help from two other militia groups, the Mountain Knight Civilian Defense Forces and the Anti-Coup People's Liberation Force. A Loikaw resident said that he heard loud explosions and the sound of shooting on Tuesday night while some pro-junta channels on the Telegram messaging service said rockets had exploded at Loikaw's airport and nowhere else. RFA tried to telephone the junta spokesman for Kayah state, Zar Ni Maung, but could not get through. Anti-junta forces have on several occasions used short-range 107 mm rockets in actual or planned attacks on junta leaders, including its chief, Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing. It was not the first time that Lt. Gen. Soe Win has been in the vicinity of an insurgent attack. On April 8, 2024, anti-junta fighters used drones to attack the Southeast Regional Military headquarters in Mawlamyine town when he was visiting. There was speculation at the time that he had been hurt in the attack and he was not seen in public for about a month afterwards, fueling rumors he had been wounded. Military-controlled media on Wednesday made no mention of any rocket attack in Loikaw but newspapers did carry a Kayah State Day statement from the junta chief, in which he called for people to reject the armed opposition and blamed the democracy supporters and foreign countries for "terror acts." "The current instability and terror acts occurring within the country are the result of individuals claiming to be promoting democracy, but instead, they have resorted to electoral fraud to unlawfully seize state power," he said, apparently referring to Aung San Suu Kyi's party, which won elections in 2015 and 2020. He made no mention of any attack in Loikaw. "Rather than resolving issues through lawful democratic methods, they have chosen armed terrorism approaches," he said. The military complained of fraud in the 2020 polls, despite there being no evidence of any major cheating, organizers said, and ousted Suu Kyi's government in a coup on Feb. 1, 2021. She and many others have been locked up ever since. Min Aung Hlaing also accused foreign countries of "supporting dictatorship disguised as democracy." "Some foreign countries, which claim to be defending democracy, are also supporting and encouraging armed terror attacks that are directly or indirectly against the democratic system," Min Aung Hlaing said. He did not identify any countries. While Aung San Suu Kyi and her government attracted diplomatic and economic support from Western countries and some Asian neighbors, no foreign governments are known to have supported any anti-junta forces. The military gets most of its weapons from Russia and China. Translated by RFA Burmese. Edited by Mike Firn 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Pakistan welcomes World Bank's $20 billion lending pledge By Ayaz Gul January 15, 2025 Pakistan confirmed on Wednesday that the World Bank has pledged to lend $20 billion over the next decade, commencing in 2026 under its Country Partnership Framework, to help address the impoverished country's acute development challenges. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif applauded what he described as the lender's "first-ever" pledge of its kind, saying the program is intended to develop child nutrition, education, clean energy and climate resilience to boost private sector growth. The Country Partnership Framework "reflects the World Bank's confidence in Pakistan's economic resilience and potential," Sharif said on the social media platform X. "We look forward to strengthening our partnership as we align our efforts for creating lasting opportunities for our people." The cash-strapped South Asian nation has been struggling to tackle serious economic challenges for several years and is currently relying on a $7 billion bailout loan program from the International Monetary Fund. Persistent political instability in Pakistan, rising militant attacks, and devastating flooding in 2022 have further strained the troubled economy. "Our new decadelong partnership framework for Pakistan represents a long-term anchor for our joint commitment with the government to address some of the most acute development challenges facing the country," said World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine. The U.S.-based lender stated that the country's annual commitments under the partnership "are expected to remain in the $1.5 billion to $2 billion range" from 2026 onward. It added that the loans will depend on available funding and the fulfillment of project requirements. "The pace of economic growth and structural transformation has been long stunted by distortive policies that benefit only a few, who have historically coalesced to oppose growth-oriented reforms as well as increases in progressive public spending in human capital and basic services for the poorest," the World Bank partnership documented stated. It added that Pakistan must change its current development model to reduce poverty and achieve shared prosperity on a livable planet. "We are focused on prioritizing investment and advisory interventions that will help crowd in much-needed private investment in sectors critical for Pakistan's sustainable growth and job creation," said Zeeshan Sheikh, International Finance Corporation country manager for Pakistan and Afghanistan. The ouster of Prime Minister Imran Khan from power in 2022 and his subsequent imprisonment over contested corruption charges have plunged Pakistan into a political crisis that experts say is hampering government attempts to attract domestic and foreign investments. The World Bank's document highlights that the South Asian nation, home to over 240 million people, ranks among the top 10 countries most affected by climate change and natural disasters worldwide. It noted that climate change will increasingly strain livelihoods, food security, productivity, and growth caused by rising extreme heat, air pollution, and altered water availability and precipitation. "These risks can significantly compromise development in an already fiscally constrained environment and make sustained progress in poverty reduction and human development even more challenging than it is today," the World Bank stated. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yoon becomes first sitting president of S.Korea arrested Global Times New round of political rivalry may lead to greater uncertainties: expert By Zhao Yusha and Li Yawei Published: Jan 15, 2025 11:07 PM When asked to comment on the arrest of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Guo Jiakun, Chinese FM spokesperson, said "We don't comment on the ROK's (Republic of Korea) domestic affairs. China and the ROK are important neighbors and cooperation partners. China stands ready to work with the ROK for the sound and steady growth of bilateral relations." Yoon was arrested at the presidential residence on Wednesday, becoming the country's first sitting president to be kept in custody over his short-lived martial law imposition, media reported. A joint investigation unit, composed of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI) and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters, said in a short notice that Yoon was arrested at 10:33 am local time on Wednesday, according to the Xinhua News Agency. According to Yonhap News, Yoon said Wednesday he decided to appear for investigation in order to prevent "bloodshed" between law enforcement and his security team, even though he believes it is an "illegal" investigation. Yoon issued the statement before heading to the headquarters of the CIO, as the CIO and the police executed a warrant to detain the besieged president over his short-lived imposition of martial law. "To prevent an unfortunate and violent incident, I decided to appear before the CIO even though I believe the investigation is illegal," Yoon said in a video message recorded at his residence. Just before dawn on Wednesday, a team of investigators arrived at Yoon's residence, armed with ladders to climb over buses blocking its entrance and bolt croppers to cut through the barbed wire, BBC reported. Other officers in the arrest team, which numbered around 1,000, scaled walls and hiked up nearby trails to reach the presidential residence. After several hours, authorities announced that Yoon had been arrested. On Tuesday, a military unit guarding the presidential residence approved the entry of police and CIO officials into the presidential residence, according to Yonhap. The second attempt to arrest the president, led by the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) for High-ranking Officials, faced virtually no resistance from the Presidential Security Service, according to the CIO officials leading the probe, said the Korea Herald. Wednesday's raid marked several changes from their first attempt that took place on January 3, in which some 150 investigators and police had to turn back after an over five hour-long standoff with approximately 200 presidential bodyguards and military personnel forming a human barricade to block their entry, said the Korea Herald. The CIO and police had made sufficient preparations for the second arrest operation, however, Yoon will probably deny all the accusations against him, thus the future judicial investigation into him will face significant difficulties, Xiang Haoyu, a research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday. Yoon also claimed on Wednesday "Martial law is not a crime. Martial law is an exercise of presidential authority to overcome a national crisis," Yoon wrote, posting a photo of his handwritten letter, Korean Times reported. Uncertainties ahead The CIO said it began questioning Yoon at its office in Seoul at 11 am Wednesday, but that he has refused to testify. The anti-corruption body has 48 hours to decide whether to request a court to issue an arrest warrant for Yoon, according to Yonhap. The interrogation, with over 200 pages of questions prepared, is expected to focus on substantiating key allegations surrounding the failed martial law imposition, ranging from the planning stages leading up to the event to its execution on the day, Yonhap reported. In a parallel probe, the Constitutional Court on Tuesday launched a trial to rule on parliament's impeachment of Yoon. If the court endorses the impeachment, Yoon will finally lose the presidency and fresh elections will have to be held within 60 days, according to AFP. Yoon's impeachment trial is currently pending ruling by the Constitutional Court. However, many uncertainties remain due to factors such as the court's trial procedures, the judges' political stances, and the intense political struggle among domestic factions, Dong Xiangrong, a senior research fellow at the National Institute of International Strategy, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times. A decision of the Constitutional Court requires more than six votes for the impeachment, Dong explained, noting that considering various factors such as the stances of political parties and personal positions of the judges, there is both a possibility that this case could either be rejected or recognized by the Constitutional Court. Xiang said Yoon's arrest may also further intensify conflicts between different political forces in South Korea, leading this round of political turmoil to new developments, potentially triggering greater instability in the political landscape in South Korea. Following Yoon's detention, the ruling People Power Party (PPP) vowed to hold the CIO accountable for what it called the "illegal" execution of the detention warrant, echoing Yoon's assertions of its illegality, according to the Korea Times. However, the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) said the detention is a significant step toward upholding the rule of law. The DPK is now pressing the ruling party to pass a special counsel bill to investigate the treason charges against Yoon, the Korea Times reported. South Korea's ruling People Power Party may seek to defend its ruling status by protecting the president, trying to delay judicial investigations into Yoon as long as possible, and postponing the timeline for his stepping down to avoid holding a new presidential election in South Korea too soon, said Xiang. In the future, the opposition parties are also likely to engage in disputes with the ruling party over topics such as the impeachment trial of Yoon and the scandal involving first lady. These disputes may also provoke division among the public, said Xiang. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Chinese FM spokesperson responds to arrest of South Korean President Yoon Global Times By Global Times Published: Jan 15, 2025 03:41 PM When asked to comment on the arrest of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Guo Jiakun, Chinese FM spokesperson said he won't comment on the internal affairs of South Korea. China and South Korea are important neighbors and cooperative partners. China is willing to work with South Korea to jointly promote the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations, said Guo. A joint investigation unit, composed of South Korea's Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI), and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters, said in a short notice that Yoon was arrested at 10:33 am local time, according to the Xinhua News Agency. Yoon became the first incumbent president to be arrested in the country's modern history, Xinhua reported. Yoon is accused of sending troops to the National Assembly after declaring martial law on the night of December 3 to stop lawmakers from voting down the decree, according to Yonhap. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address S. Korean president arrested in residence over martial law imposition People's Daily Online (Xinhua) 10:46, January 15, 2025 SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol was arrested in presidential residence Wednesday, becoming the country's first sitting president to be kept in custody over his short-lived martial law imposition. A joint investigation unit, composed of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), the National Office of Investigation (NOI), and the defense ministry's investigative headquarters, said in a short notice that Yoon was arrested at 10:33 a.m. local time (0133 GMT). TV footage showed vehicles carrying arrested Yoon moved out of the residence in central Seoul for questioning at the CIO office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, before being detained at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just 5 km away from the office. The CIO will be required to decide within 48 hours whether to seek a separate warrant to detain Yoon for up to 20 days for further questioning or release him. Yoon became the first incumbent president to be arrested in the country's modern history. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korean President Yoon arrested over failed martial law bid Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 3:08 AM South Korea's authorities have arrested the country's impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol over his last month's failed martial law declaration. South Korean investigators and police entered the residence of President Yoon on Wednesday seeking his arrest over his last month's failed martial law declaration. Police officers used ladders to breach his compound. Yoon has resisted arrest since his short-lived December 3 power grab plunged South Korea into its worst political crisis in decades. The new development came after Yoon agreed to leave his residence and appear at the office of investigators probing him over insurrection. In his first remarks after his arrest, Yoon said he decided to submit to questioning to avert "bloodshed" even though he believed the probe was illegal. Investigators and police were initially blocked by the Presidential Security Service, as well as a group of lawmakers and Yoon's supporters, prompting clashes and arrests. "We don't know the exact number of people who are in the residence but there are prosecutors," an official from the Corruption Investigation Office, probing Yoon's failed martial law decree, told reporters. Hundreds of unarmed team of investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office (CIO) and police officers tried to enter the residential compound but were blocked by unidentified personnel at the entrance gate, AFP reported. "The execution of the presidential arrest warrant has begun," acting President Choi Sang-mok said Wednesday in a statement. "This situation is a crucial moment for maintaining order and the rule of law in South Korea." Yoon did not show up for his impeachment trial on Tuesday morning, leading to the hearings being adjourned minutes after they had begun. He has become South Korea's first sitting president to be arrested. Yoon was holding inside his official "fortress" residence, which he had not left for weeks. The presidential security service has fortified the grounds with barbed wire and rows of vehicles are blocking the roads. South Korea's acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, has called on lawmakers to reach an agreement to launch an independent investigation and resolve the crisis. Choi, however, has been accused by critics of approving Yoon's refusal to comply with the court-issued arrest warrant under the guise of neutrality. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address South Korea, Japan, US hold air drills following North's missile tests Exercises come as hundreds of police detain impeached President Yoon over his short-lived martial law. By RFA Staff 2025.01.15 -- South Korea, Japan and the United States held their first combined air drills of the year on Wednesday, a day after North Korea launched multiple short-range ballistic missiles, South Korea's defense ministry said. The trilateral drills came as hundreds of South Korean police and corruption investigation officers stormed impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's residential compound and arrested him. Yoon faces insurrection charges after a failed attempt to impose martial law last month. Yoon said military rule was necessary to safeguard South Korea "from the threats posed by North Korea's communist forces and eliminate anti-state elements." Wednesday's exercises involved a U.S. Air Force B-1B long-range bomber, South Korean F-15K fighter jets and Japanese Air Self Defense Force F-2 fighters, the Yonhap News Agency reported. The three sides last held exercises together in November. South Korea and the U.S. also held a separate aerial live fire exercise on Wednesday. Tuesday's North Korean missile tests came just a week before Donald Trump is sworn-in as U.S. president. On Jan. 6, North Korea tested an intermediate range missile as outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Seoul for talks. This week's test also came a day after Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his South Korean counterpart, Cho Tae-yul, met in Seoul and reaffirmed their commitment to trilateral collaboration with the U.S. to counter the threat from North Korea. "South Korea, the U.S. and Japan will strengthen cooperation to jointly deter North Korea's threats and respond to them while continuously expanding trilateral drills based on close cooperation," South Korea's defense ministry said on Wednesday. The United States has about 28,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who begins his second term as president on Monday, raised questions during his first term about the costs of maintaining the U.S. force in South Korea. Edited by Mike Firn. 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Press release on Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud 15 January 2025 15:49 24-15-01-2025 On January 15, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had a telephone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. The foreign ministers exchanged views on a number of topical issues on the regional agenda, focusing on the situation in Syria. They advocated for the establishment of an inclusive intra-Syrian dialogue involving all political forces and ethnic and religious groups, as well as all external players that support the preservation of sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. In addition, they discussed practical matters related to further strengthening the traditionally friendly, multifaceted Russian-Saudi relations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Sanctions to Disrupt Russia's Military Industrial Base and Sanctions Evasion US Department of State Fact Sheet Office of the Spokesperson January 15, 2025 Today, the United States is sanctioning nearly 250 enablers of Russia's illegal war against Ukraine. As part of this action, the Department of State is designating more than 150 individuals and entities. Building on our January 10 targeting of Russia's energy sector, today's action aims to thwart sanctions evasion, particularly by actors based in the Peoples's Republic of China (PRC), and to degrade Russia's military industrial base. Additional designations target subsidiaries of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom (Rosatom). Concurrently, the Department of the Treasury is re-designating nearly 100 previously sanctioned targets across Russia's financial services, energy, and defense and related materiel sectors. Treasury is also designating entities involved in several financial sanctions evasion schemes. For information about Treasury's actions, please see Treasury's press release. All Department of State targets are being designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 14024 which authorizes sanctions with respect to specified harmful foreign activities of the Government of the Russian Federation. The United States will use all tools at its disposal to disrupt support for Russia's military-industrial base and curtail the Kremlin's ability to exploit the international financial system and generate revenue in furtherance of its war against Ukraine. We support Ukraine as it defends its people and its sovereign territory from Russia's unprovoked aggression. DISRUPTING SANCTIONS EVASION AND BACKFILLING EFFORTS The Department aims to disrupt the networks and channels through which Russia procures technology and equipment from abroad to support its war effort. Today's designations target producers, exporters, and importers of items critical to Russia's military-industrial base. Those items include microelectronics and computer numerical control (CNC) items on the Common High Priority List (CHPL), as identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) alongside the European Union (EU), Japan, and the United Kingdom. Entities based in the PRC remain the largest suppliers of these goods to Russia. Entities in numerous other jurisdictions, particularly Malaysia, Turkiye, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), also sell these items and other important dual-use goods to Russia. These exports have included critical components that Russia relies on to produce the weapons systems it uses to wage war against Ukraine. PRC-Based Entities Supporting Russia's Military Industrial Base The United States remains deeply concerned by the export of dual-use goods from the PRC to the Russian military-industrial base. PRC entities continue to trade in these items, using the sanctions evasion and circumvention networks that Russia creates to provide CHPL microelectronics, CNC tools (machine tools), and other military-applicable components. Imports from the PRC fill critical gaps in Russia's defense production cycle, thereby enabling it to produce weapons systems, ramp up defense production, and bolster its military-industrial base. Today, the Department is designating numerous entities and individuals based in the PRC that have supplied goods to Russian entities responsible for developing, producing, and supplying items critical to Russia's military industrial base. These designations target producers and exporters of CNC items critical to Russia's military industrial base, including those that have shipped goods directly to U.S.-designated entities in Russia. Additionally, the Department is designating PRC-based entities involved in the supply and production of Russian glide bombs and attack drones Lancet and Garpiya-A1, used in Russia's war against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: WAFANGDIAN BEARING COMPANY LIMITED (WAFANGDIAN BEARING) is a PRC-based entity that supplied over $2.5 million worth of CHPL items to Russian entities between January 2023 and at least March 2024, including to U.S.-designated AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO TASKOM. is a PRC-based entity that supplied over $2.5 million worth of CHPL items to Russian entities between January 2023 and at least March 2024, including to U.S.-designated AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO TASKOM. GANZHOU GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE CO LTD (GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $900,000 worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, and aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE supplied these items to Russian entities between June 2023 and at least January 2024, including APEKSGRUP LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. In 2023, Russia started producing a long-range attack drone, Garpiya-A1, using XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD's engines. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $900,000 worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, and aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE supplied these items to Russian entities between June 2023 and at least January 2024, including APEKSGRUP LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. In 2023, Russia started producing a long-range attack drone, Garpiya-A1, using XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD's engines. APEKSGRUP LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (APEKSGRUP) is a Russia-based entity engaged in metal products manufacturing that received aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD, from GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE in 2023. is a Russia-based entity engaged in metal products manufacturing that received aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD, from GUANGWEI INTERNATIONAL TRADE in 2023. REG AUTO SHANGHAI INDUSTRY LTD (REG AUTO SHANGHAI) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $1.5 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components and aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. From January 2023 to at least March 2024, REG AUTO SHANGHAI supplied these items to Russian entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ANGAR 22. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $1.5 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components and aviation engines produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. From January 2023 to at least March 2024, REG AUTO SHANGHAI supplied these items to Russian entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ANGAR 22. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ANGAR 22 (ANGAR 22) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture and assembly of aircraft. ANGAR 22 received aviation engines REG AUTO SHANGHAI that were produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture and assembly of aircraft. ANGAR 22 received aviation engines REG AUTO SHANGHAI that were produced by U.S.-designated, PRC-based XIAMEN LIMBACH AIRCRAFT ENGINE CO LTD. ZHEJIANG KAIDA MACHINE TOOL CO LTD (KAIDA MACHINE TOOL) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $3 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russian entities from January 2023 to at least April 2024. KAIDA MACHINE TOOL supplied these items to several Russian entities, including U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INKOR and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITA TECHNOLOGY. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $3 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russian entities from January 2023 to at least April 2024. KAIDA MACHINE TOOL supplied these items to several Russian entities, including U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INKOR and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITA TECHNOLOGY. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITA TECHNOLOGY (ITA TECHNOLOGY LLC) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. ITA TECHNOLOGY LLC received over $2.7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components from KAIDA MACHINE TOOL beginning in January 2023 through at least April 2024. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the wholesale distribution of industrial machinery and equipment. ITA TECHNOLOGY LLC received over $2.7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components from KAIDA MACHINE TOOL beginning in January 2023 through at least April 2024. DONGGUAN JETLAND SUPPLIER CHAIN MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (DONGGUAN JETLAND) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $25 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S. designated, Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY I MACHINE TECHNOLOGY, from May 2023 to at least April 2024. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $25 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S. designated, Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY I MACHINE TECHNOLOGY, from May 2023 to at least April 2024. ZHEJIANG MARQUIS INTERNATIONAL TRADING CO LTD (MARQUIS INTERNATIONAL TRADING) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $5 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russian entities from May 2023 to at least February 2024, including U.S.-designated, Russia-based HAITIAN PRECISION LLC and NEWTON ITM. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $5 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russian entities from May 2023 to at least February 2024, including U.S.-designated, Russia-based HAITIAN PRECISION LLC and NEWTON ITM. DONGGUAN CITY BIGA GRATING MACHINERY CO LTD (DONGGUAN CITY BIGA) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $12 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated and Russia-based BALTIYSKAYA PROMISHLENNAYA KOMPANIYA and PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY SASTA, from June 2023 to at least April 2024. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $12 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated and Russia-based BALTIYSKAYA PROMISHLENNAYA KOMPANIYA and PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY SASTA, from June 2023 to at least April 2024. ZHEJIANG GFIR TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIAL CO LTD (GFIR TECHNOLOGY) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated, Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KMT and LLC MASHIMPORT from January 2023 to at least April 2024. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated, Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KMT and LLC MASHIMPORT from January 2023 to at least April 2024. SHANDONG WEIDA HEAVY INDUSTRIES CO LTD (WEIDA HEAVY INDUSTRIES) is a PRC-based entity that supplied over $1.6 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russia-based JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVY LIZING between January 2024 and February 2024. is a PRC-based entity that supplied over $1.6 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to Russia-based JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVY LIZING between January 2024 and February 2024. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVY LIZING (NOVY LIZING) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the supply of metal-cutting and industrial machines. NOVY LIZING received over $1.6 million worth of CHPL items from WEIDA HEAVY INDUSTRIES between January 2024 and February 2024. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the supply of metal-cutting and industrial machines. NOVY LIZING received over $1.6 million worth of CHPL items from WEIDA HEAVY INDUSTRIES between January 2024 and February 2024. DALIAN XINPENGHAI ELECTROMECHANICAL EQUIPMENT CO LTD (M&E EQUIPMENT) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $24.7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated, Russia-based BALTIYSKAYA PROMISHLENNAYA KOMPANIYA from March 2023 to at least April 2024. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $24.7 million worth of CHPL items such as manufacturing components, including CNC machine tools, to U.S.-designated, Russia-based BALTIYSKAYA PROMISHLENNAYA KOMPANIYA from March 2023 to at least April 2024. OKE PRECISION CUTTING TOOLS CO LTD (OKE) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $7 million worth of manufacturing items to Russia-based OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTYU DOMINIK, from January 2023 to at least April 2024. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $7 million worth of manufacturing items to Russia-based OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTYU DOMINIK, from January 2023 to at least April 2024. OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTYU DOMINIK (DOMINIK) is a Russia-based industrial cutting machine supplier that received over $7 million worth of manufacturing items from OKE between January 2023 and at least April 2024. DOMINIK's customers and partners include several Russian industrial companies that have been sanctioned for their roles in supporting Russia's military, including for manufacturing weapons and rocket launchers used against Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: TAIHUI ELECTRONICS SHENZHEN CO LTD (TAIHUI ELECTRONICS) is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $1.7 million worth of CHPL items, including electronic components, in March 2024 to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST LOGISTICS COMPANY. is a PRC-based entity that has supplied over $1.7 million worth of CHPL items, including electronic components, in March 2024 to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST LOGISTICS COMPANY. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FIRST LOGISTICS COMPANY (FIRST LOGISTICS) is a Russia-based computer, office equipment, and software merchant wholesaler that received over $1.7 million worth of CHPL items from TAIHUI ELECTRONICS in March 2024. is a Russia-based computer, office equipment, and software merchant wholesaler that received over $1.7 million worth of CHPL items from TAIHUI ELECTRONICS in March 2024. ABINGO DISTRIBUTORS LIMITED (ABINGO) is a Hong Kong-based entity that has supplied $14.4 million worth of CHPL items, such as electronic components, to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHEYNCHIP from January 2023 to at least March 2024. is a Hong Kong-based entity that has supplied $14.4 million worth of CHPL items, such as electronic components, to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHEYNCHIP from January 2023 to at least March 2024. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHEYNCHIP (LLC CHEYNCHIP) is a Russia-based entity engaged in wholesale trade of electronic equipment that received over $14 million worth of CHPL items from ABINGO from January 2023 to at least March 2024. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRECISION LASER SYSTEMS, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: HAUCORE LTD is a PRC-based state-owned enterprise that has supplied laser diodes to U.S.-designated Russia-based entities including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRECISION LASER SYSTEMS. These laser components are then shipped to U.S.-designated, Belarus-based OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY ROGACHEVSKY ZAVOD DIAPROEKTOR, an entity involved in Russia-Belarus defense cooperation, likely for inclusion in opto-electronic sights used in armored fighting vehicles. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PRECISION LASER SYSTEMS was designated by the Department of State on October 30, 2024 and OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY ROGACHEVSKY ZAVOD DIAPROEKTOR was designated by the Department of State on August 23, 2024, pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. PRC-Origin Servo Motors Used in Russian Glide Bombs Used Against Ukraine The Department is designating the following entities and individuals involved in a procurement network for PRC-origin servo motors used in Russia's Unified Gliding and Correction Modules (UMPK). Russia uses UMPKs manufactured by U.S.-designated Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC (KTRV) to extend the range of its aerial bombs. This procurement network is responsible for the shipment of at least 80,000 PRC-origin servo motors valued around $200 million dollars intended for Russian defense end-users. PRC-origin servo motors procured by this network have been recovered on the battlefield in Ukraine. Throughout 2022 and 2023, a Russia-based entity, OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU SV POLIMER, received shipments from PRC-based SHENZHEN UNISON BIO TECH CO LTD (UNISON), SHENZHEN BIOSEN BIO TECH CO (BIOSEN), and UNIHUI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED consisting of electronics and servo motors totaling at least $46.5 million. In April 2023, Russia-based OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU OMNITREID (OMNITRADE) was established and began receiving shipments throughout 2023 from PRC-based SHENZHEN YISHENGDA INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD (YSD), UNISON, and BIOSEN consisting of electronics and servo motors totaling at least $75.5 million. Additional shipments from these PRC-based entities to Russian end-users have occurred. Throughout 2024, OMNITRADE and its general director SERGEI NIKOLAEVICH VOVCHENKO contracted with U.S.-designated TRV Engineering JSC to supply millions of dollars worth of PRC-origin servo motors to TRV Engineering JSC. TRV Engineering JSC is the official authorized procurement agent for U.S.-designated, Russia-based KTRV and its subordinate companies. On August 23, 2024, the Department of the Treasury designated TRV Engineering JSC pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU OMNITREID (OMNITRADE) is a Russia-based developer and manufacturer of high-tech components used in the production of unmanned aircraft used in Russia's defense industry. OMNITRADE has procured significant numbers of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, from PRC-based companies SHENZHEN UNISON BIO TECH CO LTD, SHENZHEN BIOSEN BIO TECH CO, SHENZHEN YISHENGDA INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, and UNIHUI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, and provided them to U.S.-designated Russia-based defense manufacturing companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU SV POLIMER (SV POLIMER) is a Russia-based manufacturer of polymer products and has procured significant numbers of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, from PRC-based companies SHENZHEN UNISON BIO TECH CO LTD, SHENZHEN BIOSEN BIO TECH CO, SHENZHEN YISHENGDA INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD, and UNIHUI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, and provided them to U.S.-designated Russia-based defense manufacturing companies. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, or senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of OMNITRADE, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: SERGEI NIKOLAEVICH VOVCHENKO (VOVCHENKO) is the founder and General Director of OMNITRADE. VOVCHENKO has worked to supply millions of dollars worth of PRC-origin servo motors to U.S.-designated TRV Engineering JSC. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, or senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of SV POLIMER, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: DMITRII EVGENEVICH VOITIKHOV (VOITIKHOV) is the General Director of SV POLIMER. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of OMNITRADE, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: SHENZHEN UNISON BIO TECH CO LTD (UNISON) is a PRC-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to OMNITRADE. is a PRC-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to OMNITRADE. SHENZHEN BIOSEN BIO TECH CO LTD (BIOSEN) is a PRC-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to OMNITRADE. is a PRC-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to OMNITRADE. SHENZHEN YISHENGDA INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY CO LTD (YSD) is a PRC-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to OMNITRADE. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of SV POLIMER, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: UNIHUI INTERNATIONAL LIMITED (UNIHUI) is a Hong Kong-based company which sent millions of dollars worth of servo motors, a critical component used in the production of glide bombs used by Russia's armed forces, to SV POLIMER. Procurement Network of Limited Liability Company Zala Aero Supporting Manufacture of the Lancet Drone The Department is designating a number of entities integral to the supply of microelectronic components, machine tools, electric motors, and engines to Russia-based and U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ZALA AERO (ZALA). ZALA is the entity responsible for manufacture of leading battlefield drones used by the Russian military in Ukraine, such as the Lancet-3 and Lancet-3M drones. ZALA relies on a network of PRC-based and Turkiye-based exporters and intermediaries operating from Russia to evade sanctions and obtain foreign-made parts used in the manufacture of its Lancet drones and other advanced weapons systems supplied to the Russian Ministry of Defense. This action forms part of the Department's ongoing effort to degrade Russia's military capabilities in Ukraine, as it follows the November 2, 2023, designation of entities and individuals complicit in the procurement of items in support of the production of ZALA's KUB-BLA and Lancet suicide drones used by the Russian military in Ukraine. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: STAR RAPID MANUFACTURING CO LTD (STAR RAPID) is a PRC-based entity that sent dozens of shipments worth over $16 million to Russia-based companies including U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OMP and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY POLYEZNY ELEMENT 5 between January 2023 and at least March 2024. is a PRC-based entity that sent dozens of shipments worth over $16 million to Russia-based companies including U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY OMP and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY POLYEZNY ELEMENT 5 between January 2023 and at least March 2024. SAHINLER METAL MAKINA ENDUSTRI ANONIM SIRKETI (SAHINLER METAL) is a Turkiye-based entity that sent approximately $1.4 million worth of items to Russia-based companies, including to LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KM GROUP and U.S.-designated PG VEKPROM LLC, between January 2023 and at least April 2024. These shipments included products such as machine tools. is a Turkiye-based entity that sent approximately $1.4 million worth of items to Russia-based companies, including to LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KM GROUP and U.S.-designated PG VEKPROM LLC, between January 2023 and at least April 2024. These shipments included products such as machine tools. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KM GROUP (KM GROUP) is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that received machine tools, including CNC machine tools, along with engines and motors from SAHINLER METAL. KM GROUP plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that received machine tools, including CNC machine tools, along with engines and motors from SAHINLER METAL. KM GROUP plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY POLYEZNY ELEMENT 5 (PE 5) is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that is receiving ferrous metals and aluminum products used to support ZALA. PE 5 plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that is receiving ferrous metals and aluminum products used to support ZALA. PE 5 plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTYU SEB (SEB) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the wholesale trade of machinery, industrial equipment, ships, and aircraft. SEB plays an integral role in the transfer of items to ZALA. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the wholesale trade of machinery, industrial equipment, ships, and aircraft. SEB plays an integral role in the transfer of items to ZALA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AIDRONEKS (AIDRONEKS) is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that is receiving carbon fiber products from PRC-based entities. AIDRONEKS plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that is receiving carbon fiber products from PRC-based entities. AIDRONEKS plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LITHIUMION (LITHIUMION) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacturing of batteries and electrical accumulators. LITHIUMION plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: ARMIDA MAKINA IC VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI is a Turkiye-based entity that sent over $6 million worth of items to Russia-based entities, including to U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ENTEP, between January 2023 and at least April 2024. These shipments included a wide range of CHPL items, such as electric motors, static converters, and fiber optic communication systems. is a Turkiye-based entity that sent over $6 million worth of items to Russia-based entities, including to U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ENTEP, between January 2023 and at least April 2024. These shipments included a wide range of CHPL items, such as electric motors, static converters, and fiber optic communication systems. JIANGXI XINTUO ENTERPRISE CO LTD is a PRC-based drone manufacturer that sent over $9 million worth of items to Russia-based companies, including to U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY ENTITY OMP and LLC ALTRABETA, between January 2023 and at least February 2024. Most shipments related to carbon fiber products and electric motors and generators. is a PRC-based drone manufacturer that sent over $9 million worth of items to Russia-based companies, including to U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY ENTITY OMP and LLC ALTRABETA, between January 2023 and at least February 2024. Most shipments related to carbon fiber products and electric motors and generators. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TIMECHIPS (TIMECHIPS) is a Russia-based technology entity engaged in the wholesale trade of computers and peripheral devices to computers and software. TIMECHIPS supplies imported military and dual-use products to enterprises in the Russian military-industrial complex and aerospace industry, and plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. is a Russia-based technology entity engaged in the wholesale trade of computers and peripheral devices to computers and software. TIMECHIPS supplies imported military and dual-use products to enterprises in the Russian military-industrial complex and aerospace industry, and plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY LOGIK AY SI (LOGIK AY SI) is a Russia-based technology entity that received over $3 million worth of items from Hong Kong-based, U.S.-designated ALIGN TRADING LIMITED between July 2023 and at least February 2024. Shipments included monolithic integrated circuits and electrical parts of machinery and other apparatuses. LOGIK plays an integral role in the procurement and transfer of foreign-made items to ZALA. Procurement Network for PRC-Origin Components Used in Russian Defense Production Russia-based OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU ROKEM SERVIS (ROKEM SERVICE) has coordinated with U.S.-designated entities including JOINT STOCK COMPANY PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION NORTHERN MACHINE-BUILDING ENTERPRISE (JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH) to provide equipment for use on Russian naval and MAIN DIRECTORATE OF DEEP SEA RESEARCH vessels, including submarines, support ships, frigates, corvettes, and tank landing ships. ROKEM SERVICE owner OLEG NIKOLAYEVICH KIRYUSHKIN and general director IRINA NIKOLAYEVNA MELNIK have been involved in such procurements. ROKEM SERVICE has facilitated cooperation between FANGYUE LI and PRC-based companies JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD and SHAANXI JIAJUNAO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD to procure foreign-produced components required for water treatment and filtration equipment ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. On April 7, 2022, the Department of State designated JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024. JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH is a Joint Stock Company United Shipbuilding Corporation subsidiary that builds submarines for the Russian Navy. On February 24, 2023, the Department of State designated MAIN DIRECTORATE OF DEEP SEA RESEARCH (GUGI) pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024. GUGI reports to the Ministry of Defense and is the maritime equivalent of a Russian military intelligence agency. It controls and operates Russia's unconventional warfare submarines and its operational responsibilities include the placement and maintenance of deep-water military equipment. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity and individuals are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: OBSHCHESTVO S OGRANICHENNOI OTVETSTVENNOSTIU ROKEM SERVIS (ROKEM SERVICE) is a Russia-based entity involved in the manufacture and distribution of water treatment and filtration equipment. Additionally, ROKEM SERVICE has coordinated with the U.S.-designated entities including JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH to provide equipment for use on Russian naval and GUGI vessels, including submarines, support ships, frigates, corvettes, and tank landing ships. is a Russia-based entity involved in the manufacture and distribution of water treatment and filtration equipment. Additionally, ROKEM SERVICE has coordinated with the U.S.-designated entities including JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH to provide equipment for use on Russian naval and GUGI vessels, including submarines, support ships, frigates, corvettes, and tank landing ships. OLEG NIKOLAYEVICH KIRYUSHKIN (KIRYUSHKIN) is a Russian and German national and is the owner and former General Director of ROKEM SERVICE. Additionally, KIRYUSHKIN has facilitated cooperation between ROKEM SERVICE and FANGYUE LI to procure foreign-produced components required for water treatment and filtration equipment. is a Russian and German national and is the owner and former General Director of ROKEM SERVICE. Additionally, KIRYUSHKIN has facilitated cooperation between ROKEM SERVICE and FANGYUE LI to procure foreign-produced components required for water treatment and filtration equipment. IRINA NIKOLAEVNA MELNIK (MELNIK) is a Russian national and is the General Director of ROKEM SERVICE. Additionally, MELNIK has worked with JOINT STOCK COMPANY PO SEVMASH officials to procure foreign-produced components for use on Russian naval vessels. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individual are being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of ROKEM SERVICE: FANGYUE LI is PRC and German national and a board member and Chief Technology Officer of JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD. Additionally, LI has worked with ROKEM SERVICE to supply foreign-produced components ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. is PRC and German national and a board member and Chief Technology Officer of JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD. Additionally, LI has worked with ROKEM SERVICE to supply foreign-produced components ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD is a PRC-based company that provides water filtration equipment and services. Additionally, JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD has worked at the direction of FANGYUE LI to supply foreign-produced components to ROKEM SERVICE ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. is a PRC-based company that provides water filtration equipment and services. Additionally, JIANGSU KUNYEE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LTD has worked at the direction of FANGYUE LI to supply foreign-produced components to ROKEM SERVICE ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. SHAANXI JIAJUNAO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD is a PRC-based company involved in the provision of environmental and engineering products. SHAANXI JIAJUNAO CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING COMPANY LTD has worked at the direction of FANGYUE LI to supply foreign-produced components to ROKEM SERVICE ultimately intended for use on Russian naval vessels. Other Third-Country Entities Supporting Russia's Military-Industrial Base The Department is also designating other third-country companies that have supplied goods or services to elements of Russia's military-industrial base and Russian military end-users and Russian entities that have done business with them. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: FARTON MITEX SDN BHD (FARTON) is a Malaysia-based entity that has sent over $11 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY BRIDZH BEAR. These shipments included products such as ball bearings, spherical ball bearings, tapered ball bearings, and cylindrical ball bearings. is a Malaysia-based entity that has sent over $11 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY BRIDZH BEAR. These shipments included products such as ball bearings, spherical ball bearings, tapered ball bearings, and cylindrical ball bearings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY BRIDZH BEAR (BRIDZH BEAR) is a Russia-based wholesale distributor of industrial machinery that received shipments of CHPL items from FARTON. is a Russia-based wholesale distributor of industrial machinery that received shipments of CHPL items from FARTON. FOBEARINGS SDN BHD (FOBEARINGS) is a Malaysia-based entity that sent approximately $5 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM AGROAKHTUBA, between January 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products such as ball bearings and roller bearings. is a Malaysia-based entity that sent approximately $5 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM AGROAKHTUBA, between January 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products such as ball bearings and roller bearings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM AGROAKHTUBA (AGROAKHTUBA) is a Russia-based entity that received approximately $900,000 worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 from companies including FOBEARINGS. is a Russia-based entity that received approximately $900,000 worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 from companies including FOBEARINGS. GLOWY PREMIER TREND SDN BHD (GLOWY) is a Malaysia-based entity that has sent over $7.5 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMELEKTROSERVIS. These shipments included products such as ball bearings, spherical ball bearings, tapered ball bearings, and cylindrical ball bearings. is a Malaysia-based entity that has sent over $7.5 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMELEKTROSERVIS. These shipments included products such as ball bearings, spherical ball bearings, tapered ball bearings, and cylindrical ball bearings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMELEKTROSERVIS (PROMELEKTROSERVIS) is a Russia-based wholesale distributor of industrial machinery and equipment that received shipments of CHPL items from GLOWY. is a Russia-based wholesale distributor of industrial machinery and equipment that received shipments of CHPL items from GLOWY. SERMAX LOJISTIK SANAYI VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI (SERMAX) is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $685,000 worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DZHET SNAB and U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SERVIS. These shipments included products of U.S., UK, and EU-origin such as ball bearings and parts of machine tools. is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $685,000 worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DZHET SNAB and U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GALIKA SERVIS. These shipments included products of U.S., UK, and EU-origin such as ball bearings and parts of machine tools. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DZHET SNAB (DZHET SNAB) is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that received over $200,000 worth of CHPL items from SERMAX between April 2023 and at least March 2024. is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that received over $200,000 worth of CHPL items from SERMAX between April 2023 and at least March 2024. BIMAKSAN TAKIM TEZGAHLARI SANAYI VE DIS TICARET MUHLIS KOKSAL VE ORTAGI KOLLEKTIF SIRKETI (BIMAKSAN) is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $6.1 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to entities including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMLOGISTIKA, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INKOR, and U.S.-designated PROMOIL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. These shipments included products such as metalworking lathes and CNC machine tools. is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $6.1 million worth of CHPL items between January 2023 and at least March 2024 to entities including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMLOGISTIKA, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INKOR, and U.S.-designated PROMOIL LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY. These shipments included products such as metalworking lathes and CNC machine tools. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY PROMLOGISTIKA (PROMLOGISTIKA) is a Russia-based manufacturing entity that received over $2.6 million worth of CHPL items, including from BIMAKSAN TAKIM TEZGAHLARI SANAYI VE DIS TICARET MUHLIS KOKSAL VE ORTAGI KOLLEKTIF SIRKETI, between January 2023 and at least April 2024. These shipments included products such as metal-cutting lathes and metalworking machines. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: AROHI SYSTEMS TRADING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY (AROHI) is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1.4 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITK SISTEMA, between August 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included microelectronic products with U.S.-brands and of EU origin, such as equipment for wire communication systems, static converters, and fiber optic communication systems. is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1.4 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITK SISTEMA, between August 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included microelectronic products with U.S.-brands and of EU origin, such as equipment for wire communication systems, static converters, and fiber optic communication systems. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ITK SISTEMA (ITK) is a Russia-based computer programming service entity that received shipments of CHPL items from AROHI between August 2023 and at least March 2024. is a Russia-based computer programming service entity that received shipments of CHPL items from AROHI between August 2023 and at least March 2024. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TELECOM AND MICROELECTRONICS INDUSTRIES (TMI) is a Russia-based electronics manufacturer that received approximately $51 million worth of shipments that included U.S., EU, and other G7-origin CHPL items between July 2023 and at least March 2024 from U.S.-designated companies ASAY IC VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI and LETT TRONIC GROUP LIMITED. These shipments included microelectronic products such as plugs and sockets for printed circuit boards and integrated monolithic circuits. is a Russia-based electronics manufacturer that received approximately $51 million worth of shipments that included U.S., EU, and other G7-origin CHPL items between July 2023 and at least March 2024 from U.S.-designated companies ASAY IC VE DIS TICARET LIMITED SIRKETI and LETT TRONIC GROUP LIMITED. These shipments included microelectronic products such as plugs and sockets for printed circuit boards and integrated monolithic circuits. CS YONETIM VE DESTEK HIZMETLERI LIMITED SIRKETI (CS YONETIM) is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $1.9 million of CHPL items between May 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GAAN CORPORATION. These shipments included products of E.U.-origin such as digital oscillographs and signal generators. is a Turkiye-based entity that shipped over $1.9 million of CHPL items between May 2023 and at least March 2024 to Russia-based, U.S.-designated LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY GAAN CORPORATION. These shipments included products of E.U.-origin such as digital oscillographs and signal generators. PROFFPCB FZCO (PROFFPCB) is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $4.9 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TELP and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAUCHNO PROIZVODSTVENNOE PREDPRIYATIE NEVAAPPARAT, between December 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products such as multilayer printed circuit boards. is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $4.9 million worth of CHPL items to Russia-based entities, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TELP and LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAUCHNO PROIZVODSTVENNOE PREDPRIYATIE NEVAAPPARAT, between December 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products such as multilayer printed circuit boards. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TELP (TELP) is a Russia-based entity that received over $3.7 million worth of CHPL items, including from PROFFPCB, between January 2024 and at least April 2024. These shipments included products of U.S.-origin such as multilayer printed circuit boards. is a Russia-based entity that received over $3.7 million worth of CHPL items, including from PROFFPCB, between January 2024 and at least April 2024. These shipments included products of U.S.-origin such as multilayer printed circuit boards. ACE BEARINGS FZE (ACE BEARINGS) is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1 million of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ARMEKS and U.S.-designated OOO TD PODSHIPNIK TRADE, between April 2023 and at least February 2024. These shipments included products of U.S., EU, UK, and other G7-origin such as ball bearings and spherical roller bearings. is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1 million of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ARMEKS and U.S.-designated OOO TD PODSHIPNIK TRADE, between April 2023 and at least February 2024. These shipments included products of U.S., EU, UK, and other G7-origin such as ball bearings and spherical roller bearings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ARMEKS (ARMEKS) is a Russia-based entity that received over $170,000 of CHPL items from ACE BEARINGS in February 2024 alone. is a Russia-based entity that received over $170,000 of CHPL items from ACE BEARINGS in February 2024 alone. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAUCHNO PROIZVODSTVENNOE PREDPRIYATIE NEVAAPPARAT (NEVAAPPARAT) is a Russia-based entity that received over $1.4 million worth of CHPL items, including from PROFFCB, between December 2023 and at least January 2024. These shipments included products such as multilayer printed circuit boards. is a Russia-based entity that received over $1.4 million worth of CHPL items, including from PROFFCB, between December 2023 and at least January 2024. These shipments included products such as multilayer printed circuit boards. VICTORY EXPERT TRADING FZ LLC (VICTORY EXPERT) is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1 million of CHPL items to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TAMARIKS between July 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products of U.S.-origin such as commutation panels and static converters. is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $1 million of CHPL items to Russia-based LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TAMARIKS between July 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products of U.S.-origin such as commutation panels and static converters. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TAMARIKS (TAMARIKS) is a Russia-based entity that received over $1 million worth of CHPL items from VICTORY EXPERT between July 2023 and at least March 2024. is a Russia-based entity that received over $1 million worth of CHPL items from VICTORY EXPERT between July 2023 and at least March 2024. NAZMIH TRADING FZE LLC (NAZMIH TRADING) is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $575,000 worth of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VELOKS and U.S.-designated S 7 ENGINEERING LLC between October 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products of U.S., U.K., E.U., and other G7 origin such as power units, commutators, and integrated circuits. is a UAE-based entity that shipped over $575,000 worth of CHPL items to Russia-based companies, including LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VELOKS and U.S.-designated S 7 ENGINEERING LLC between October 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products of U.S., U.K., E.U., and other G7 origin such as power units, commutators, and integrated circuits. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VELOKS (VELOKS) is a Russia-based entity that received over $500,000 worth of CHPL items from NAZMIH TRADING between November 2023 and at least March 2024. These shipments included products of G7 origin such as power units, commutators, and integrated circuits. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, GUGI, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: ATLASNOBLE GAYRIMENKUL DANISMANLIK ANONIM SIRKETI is a Turkiye-based entity that facilitated payments for sensitive equipment ultimately destined for U.S.-designated Russian military end-user GUGI. is a Turkiye-based entity that facilitated payments for sensitive equipment ultimately destined for U.S.-designated Russian military end-user GUGI. YMV KREYN VE MAKINA SISTEMLERI SANAYI TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI is a Turkiye-based company that manufactures marine crane, winch, and propulsion systems. Additionally, YMV KREYN VE MAKINA SISTEMLERI SANAYI TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI manufactured sensitive equipment ultimately destined for U.S.-designated Russian military end-user GUGI. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of YMV KREYN VE MAKINA SISTEMLERI SANAYI TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: AHMET YUKSEL is a Turkish national and the owner and director of YMV KREYN VE MAKINA SISTEMLERI SANAYI TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI, which manufactured sensitive equipment ultimately destined for U.S.-designated Russian military end-user GUGI. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY BERDSK ELECTROMECHANICAL PLANT (BEMZ) is a Russia-based machine building entity which has been procuring aviation components for U.S.-designated S 7 ENGINEERING LLC. is a Russia-based machine building entity which has been procuring aviation components for U.S.-designated S 7 ENGINEERING LLC. VASILI ALEKSEEVICH YURCHENKO (YURCHENKO) is the Director-General of BEMZ. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of BEMZ: SERGEI PAVLOVICH SAVCHENKOV (SAVCHENKOV) is the majority shareholder and a member of the Board of Directors of BEMZ. DEGRADING RUSSIA'S MILITARY INDUSTRIAL BASE The Department is designating numerous entities and individuals involved in the development, production, and transportation of ammunition, artillery systems, missiles, armored vehicles, military radio-electronics, and other military-applicable equipment. These designations target critical battlefield inputs and weapons systems that enable the Kremlin to wage war against Ukraine. Additionally, we are designating two entities associated with Russia's premier arms trade show, International Military-Technical Forum 'ARMY'. The annual exhibition is hosted by the Russian Ministry of Defense. This event serves as a premier opportunity for Russia's defense industry to increase its sales, access, and influence with foreign partners and defense industries. These designations further isolate Russia's defense industrial base from global markets and Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individuals are being designated for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY MOTOVILICHA PLANTS is a Russia-based manufacturer of artillery systems and multiple launch rocket systems which are supplied to the Russian Ministry of Defense. is a Russia-based manufacturer of artillery systems and multiple launch rocket systems which are supplied to the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY SEROV MECHANICAL PLANT (JSC SMZ) is a Russia-based ammunition manufacturer. is a Russia-based ammunition manufacturer. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NIZHNY NOVGOROD RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION NAMED AFTER MV FRUNZE is a Russia-based company that has designed and produced military radio-electronic devices. is a Russia-based company that has designed and produced military radio-electronic devices. SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF COMMAND DEVICES is a Russia-based state-owned enterprise that has manufactured command and navigation instruments for rockets, spacecraft, and other defense purposes. is a Russia-based state-owned enterprise that has manufactured command and navigation instruments for rockets, spacecraft, and other defense purposes. JOINT STOCK COMPANY AEROELEKTROMASH is a Russia-based company that has manufactured parts for helicopters used by the Russian military in Ukraine. is a Russia-based company that has manufactured parts for helicopters used by the Russian military in Ukraine. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE ANTARES is a Russia-based company that has developed and produced movement, orientation and guidance systems for satellites and is licensed to produce military equipment to fulfill Russian state defense orders. is a Russia-based company that has developed and produced movement, orientation and guidance systems for satellites and is licensed to produce military equipment to fulfill Russian state defense orders. JOINT STOCK COMPANY ANTARES is a Russia-based entity that has supplied electrical connectors to Russia-based defense entities to fulfill Russian state defense orders. is a Russia-based entity that has supplied electrical connectors to Russia-based defense entities to fulfill Russian state defense orders. JOINT STOCK COMPANY AVTOAGREGAT is a Russia-based entity that has supplied equipment to repair armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. is a Russia-based entity that has supplied equipment to repair armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SPETSTEKHNIKA is a Russia-based entity that has contracted with the Russian Ministry of Defense. is a Russia-based entity that has contracted with the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY LUCH PLANT is a Russia-based entity that has supplied tank helmets to Russia-based defense entities to fulfill Russian state defense orders. is a Russia-based entity that has supplied tank helmets to Russia-based defense entities to fulfill Russian state defense orders. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY SARANSK INSTRUMENT WORKS is a Russia-based entity that has produced equipment for the Russian defense sector, including items intended for armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. is a Russia-based entity that has produced equipment for the Russian defense sector, including items intended for armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. JOINT STOCK COMPANY LYTKARINO OPTICAL GLASS PLANT is a Russia-based entity that has manufactured optical sights used in armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. is a Russia-based entity that has manufactured optical sights used in armored vehicles for the Russian Ministry of Defense. POPOV COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT PLANT is a Russia-based entity that has produced communications equipment for Russian armored vehicles. is a Russia-based entity that has produced communications equipment for Russian armored vehicles. JOINT STOCK HOLDING COMPANY BARNAULTRANSMASH is a Russia-based company that has produced engines for the Russian BMP-2 and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles. is a Russia-based company that has produced engines for the Russian BMP-2 and BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles. JOINT STOCK COMPANY RYAZAN RADIO PLANT is a Russia-based entity that has produced communication equipment for the National Guard of Russia. is a Russia-based entity that has produced communication equipment for the National Guard of Russia. JOINT STOCK COMPANY VOENTORG is a Russia-based contractor for the Russian Ministry of Defense and has been the Russian military's official clothing supplier. is a Russia-based contractor for the Russian Ministry of Defense and has been the Russian military's official clothing supplier. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSES AND EXHIBITIONS is the Russia-based exhibition operator of the annual Russian military equipment exhibition, International Military-Technical Forum 'ARMY'. is the Russia-based exhibition operator of the annual Russian military equipment exhibition, International Military-Technical Forum 'ARMY'. FEDERAL STATE AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTION CONGRESS AND EXHIBITION CENTER PATRIOT is the Russia-based entity that owns the venue of the annual Russian military equipment exhibition, International Military-Technical Forum 'ARMY', and is the main exhibition venue of the Russian Ministry of Defense. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ENTERPRISE RUSBAL is a Russia-based manufacturer of inflatable mock-ups of military equipment, such as tanks and fighter jets, which are used by Russia's armed forces. is a Russia-based manufacturer of inflatable mock-ups of military equipment, such as tanks and fighter jets, which are used by Russia's armed forces. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MANAGEMENT METALLURGICAL COMPANY STEEL (MMC STEEL) is a Russia-based steel products manufacturer and parent company of PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY NADEZHDINSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD. is a Russia-based steel products manufacturer and parent company of PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY NADEZHDINSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY NADEZHDINSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD is a Russia-based steel products manufacturer and a primary supplier of raw materials into Russia's artillery ammunition supply chain. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY RT LOGISTICS is a subsidiary of U.S.-designated Russian state-owned enterprise STATE CORPORATION ROSTEC that executes transportation for the government, with the capability of transporting dangerous goods for defense purposes. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of AUTOMOBILE PLANT URAL JOINT STOCK COMPANY: JOINT STOCK COMPANY TENTH BEARING PLANT is a Russia-based entity that has produced rolling bearings and automotive components to U.S.-designated Russia-based entity AUTOMOBILE PLANT URAL JOINT STOCK COMPANY. AUTOMOBILE PLANT URAL JOINT STOCK COMPANY was designated by the Department of State on May 1, 2024, pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: CENTRAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SPECIAL MACHINERY is a Russia-based company that has designed and produced advanced polymer composite materials for rocket and space engineering including for Russian defense purposes. is a Russia-based company that has designed and produced advanced polymer composite materials for rocket and space engineering including for Russian defense purposes. JOINT STOCK COMPANY RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF PHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS (AO NIIFI) is a Russia-based company that has developed, produced, and delivered electronics equipment for the Russian rocket and aerospace industry. is a Russia-based company that has developed, produced, and delivered electronics equipment for the Russian rocket and aerospace industry. ALEKSEI GENNADIEVICH DMITRIENKO is the General Director of AO NIIFI. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the technology sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SCIENTIFIC AND PRODUCTION CENTER SKADA is a Russia-based company that created and supplied automation systems and software for industrial purposes. TARGETING ROSATOM SUBSIDIARIES AND ENTITIES SUPPORTING ROSATOM Today, the Department is designating several Rosatom subsidiaries and related entities and individuals in a continued effort to disrupt Rosatom's support to Russia's military industry. This is the twelfth Russia sanctions action that includes Rosatom-related designations. The Department continues to designate Rosatom entities and individuals involved in Russia's nuclear weapons complex and defense sector, nuclear power plant construction exports, development of advanced technologies and materials, non-uranium extractive industries and associated businesses, and malign activities including the occupation of Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. The Department is additionally taking action against entities and individuals supporting or involved with Rosatom subsidiaries, including KUZEY STAR SHIPYARD DENIZCILIK SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI, a Turkiye-based shipyard that constructed a floating long-dock for U.S.-designated FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ATOMFLOT (ATOMFLOT), and YAKOV MIKHAILOVICH ANTONOV, the acting General Director of ATOMFLOT. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vi)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ATOMFLOT, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: KUZEY STAR SHIPYARD DENIZCILIK SANAYI VE TICARET ANONIM SIRKETI (KUZEY) is a Turkiye-based shipyard that constructed a floating long-dock, valued at approximately $50 million, for U.S.-designated FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ATOMFLOT (ATOMFLOT) to service and repair its nuclear icebreakers. The floating dock constructed by KUZEY was delivered to ATOMFLOT after it's designation. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(C) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ATOMFLOT, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024: YAKOV MIKHAILOVICH ANTONOV is the acting General Director of ATOMFLOT. ATOMFLOT was designated by the Department of State on May 19, 2023, pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION ASSOCIATION TSENTROTEKH is a Russia-based subsidiary of Rosatom that is involved in the manufacture of centrifuges. is a Russia-based subsidiary of Rosatom that is involved in the manufacture of centrifuges. MINING AND CHEMICAL COMPLEX FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE is a Russia-based subsidiary of Rosatom that has conducted research in the field of nuclear energy. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: NAUCHNO PROIZVODSTVENNOE PREDPRIYATIE TECHNOPROEKT is a Russia-based manufacturer of pipeline fittings used in the nuclear industry. Pursuant to section 1(a)(ii)(F) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for being responsible for or complicit in, or having directly or indirectly engaged or attempted to engage in, activities that undermine the peace, security, political stability, or territorial integrity of the United States, its allies, or its partners, for or on behalf of, or for the benefit of, directly or indirectly, the Government of the Russian Federation: FEDERAL STATE UNITARY ENTERPRISE ZAPORIZHZHYA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT (FSUE ZNPP) is a Russia-based entity created in October 2022 by Russian Federation presidential decree in order to unlawfully claim supposed ownership of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant. The United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand have previously designated a separate entity created by the Government of the Russian Federation to operate the claimed plant. Joint Stock Company Operating Organization of Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP OO) was designated by Department of State on February 24, 2023, pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024. Pursuant to section 1(a)(iii)(B) of E.O. 14024, the following individual is being designated for being or having been a leader, official, senior executive officer, or member of the board of directors of FSUE ZNPP, a person that has, or whose members have, engaged in any activity described in subsection 1(a)(ii) of E.O. 14024: VLADISLAV VASILIEVICH ISAEV is the General Director of FSUE ZNPP. CURBING RUSSIA'S REVENUE FROM METALS AND MINING The Department continues to designate entities involved in Russia's metals and mining industry to further constrain Russia's revenue generation capacity. Today, the Department is designating one of the largest scrap metal processing enterprises in Russia. Additionally, the Department is sanctioning producers of aluminum and manufacturers of pipe products critical to Russia's military industrial base and energy sector. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRANSLOM (TRANSLOM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRANSLOMMARKET (TRANSLOMMARKET) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHERMET-SERVIS (CHERMET-SERVIS) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KEYDZHI RUS (KEYDZHI RUS) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY METEKSIM (METEKSIM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TREYD METALL (TM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM VOLFRAM MOLIBDEN (VM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVOTROITSKII ZAVOD HROMOVYH SOEDINENII (NZKHS) is a Russa-based entity that produces chromium compounds. is a Russa-based entity that produces chromium compounds. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY BURILNYE TRUBY (BURILNYE TRUBY) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of aluminum products. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of aluminum products. PUBLIC JOINT STOCK COMPANY KAMENSK URALSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD (KAMENSK URALSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the production of aluminum and magnesium alloys used in various Russian industries. The following entity is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KAMENSK URALSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DEREVOOBRABATYVAYUSHCHAYA KOMPANIYA (DEREVOOBRABATYVAYUSHCHAYA KOMPANIYA) is a Russia-based entity that is 100 percent owned by KAMENSK URALSKIY METALLURGICHESKIY ZAVOD. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individuals are being designated for operating or having operated in the manufacturing sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TERRA STAL GRUPP (TERRA STAL GRUPP) is a Russia-based pipe manufacturer that supplies products to enterprises in the Russian energy and construction industries. is a Russia-based pipe manufacturer that supplies products to enterprises in the Russian energy and construction industries. KLIM ANDREYEVICH KOMAROV (KLIM KOMAROV) is the founder and 100 percent shareholder of TERRA STAL GRUPP. is the founder and 100 percent shareholder of TERRA STAL GRUPP. JOINT STOCK COMPANY KERAMAX (KERAMAX) is a Russia-based manufacturer of ceramic flux. Ceramic flux is a connective material used to join separate pieces of metal and is commonly used throughout the energy, oil and gas, construction, shipbuilding, and machine-building industries in Russia. is a Russia-based manufacturer of ceramic flux. Ceramic flux is a connective material used to join separate pieces of metal and is commonly used throughout the energy, oil and gas, construction, shipbuilding, and machine-building industries in Russia. ARTEM ANDREYEVICH KOMAROV (ARTEM KOMAROV) is the founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of KERAMAX. The following entity is being designated pursuant to section 1(a)(i) for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy, and section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024 for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, ARTEM KOMAROV: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY UGOLNYY POTOK (UGOLNYY POTOK) is a Russia-based coal mining entity owned by ARTEM KOMAROV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KERAMAX: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KERAMAKS (LLC KERAMAKS) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux, commonly used throughout the energy, oil and gas, construction, shipbuilding, and machine-building industries in Russia. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux, commonly used throughout the energy, oil and gas, construction, shipbuilding, and machine-building industries in Russia. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KERAMAKS PROFESSIONALNYE SVAROCHNYE RESHENIYA (KERAMAKS PROFESSIONALNYE) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. KERAMAKS PROFESSIONALNYE is an online marketplace for products manufactured by KERAMAX. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. KERAMAKS PROFESSIONALNYE is an online marketplace for products manufactured by KERAMAX. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KERAMAKS VERKHNYAYA SALDA (KERAMAKS VERKHNYAYA) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM KERAMAKS (TORGOVYY DOM KERAMAKS) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. TORGOVYY DOM KERAMAKS is the distribution division for products manufactured by KERAMAX. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. TORGOVYY DOM KERAMAKS is the distribution division for products manufactured by KERAMAX. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KERAMAKS METALLUGICHESKIYE MATERIALY (KERAMAKS METALLURGICHESKIYE MATERIALY) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY NAUCHNO PROIZVODSTVENNOYE PREDPRIYATIYE KERAMAKS INZHINIRING (KERAMAKS INZHINIRING) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. KERAMAKS INZHINIRING is the research and development division of KERAMAX. is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX. KERAMAKS INZHINIRING is the research and development division of KERAMAX. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KERAMAKS LIZING (KERAMAKS LIZING) is a Russia-based subsidiary of KERAMAX that is engaged in the manufacture of ceramic flux. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for operating or having operated in the metals and mining sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY TUGANSK MINING AND PROCESSING ENTERPRISE ILMENITE (TGOK ILMENITE) is a Russia-based entity that is developing the Tugan ilmenite-zircon sands deposit in Russia, which is considered an import substitution project intended to reduce Russian reliance on imports of ilmenite, the primary ore of titanium, used to make many high-performance alloys. is a Russia-based entity that is developing the Tugan ilmenite-zircon sands deposit in Russia, which is considered an import substitution project intended to reduce Russian reliance on imports of ilmenite, the primary ore of titanium, used to make many high-performance alloys. AKTSIONERNOE OBSHCHESTVO BOGOSLOVSKOE RUDOUPRAVLENIE (AO BOGOSLOVSKOE RUDOUPRAVLENIE) is a Russia-based entity that produces iron ore concentrate. is a Russia-based entity that produces iron ore concentrate. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRANSLOM (TRANSLOM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TRANSLOMMARKET (TRANSLOMMARKET) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY CHERMET-SERVIS (CHERMET-SERVIS) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY KEYDZHI RUS (KEYDZHI RUS) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY METEKSIM (METEKSIM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TREYD METALL (TM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TORGOVYY DOM VOLFRAM MOLIBDEN (VM) is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. is a Russia-based entity engaged in the manufacture of scrap metal. JOINT STOCK COMPANY NOVOTROITSKII ZAVOD HROMOVYH SOEDINENII (NZKHS) is a Russa-based entity that produces chromium compounds. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the aerospace sector of the Russian Federation economy: JOINT STOCK COMPANY NEW SPACE CORPORATION (NEW SPACE CORP) is a Russia-based company that is developing an ice navigation platform for use in the Northern Sea Route. TARGETING A WEALTH OBFUSCATION NETWORK The Department is targeting a network of financial enablers used by U.S.-designated BORIS ROMANOVICH ROTENBERG (BORIS ROTENBERG) and ARKADY ROMANOVICH ROTENBERG (ARKADY ROTENBERG) to coordinate and safeguard their global portfolio of assets, even after their designations. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY UPRAVLYAYUSHCHAYA KOMPANIYA EVOKORP (EVOKORP) is a Russia-based financial services entity that has used closed-end mutual investment funds to hold and hide assets of ARKADY ROTENBERG and BORIS ROTENBERG. is a Russia-based financial services entity that has used closed-end mutual investment funds to hold and hide assets of ARKADY ROTENBERG and BORIS ROTENBERG. MAKSIM VALERYEVICH VIKTOROV (VIKTOROV) is a Russia-based attorney and wealth management services provider whose company, EVOKORP, enabled ARKADY ROTENBERG and BORIS ROTENBERG to continue engaging in worldwide investments after their designations. is a Russia-based attorney and wealth management services provider whose company, EVOKORP, enabled ARKADY ROTENBERG and BORIS ROTENBERG to continue engaging in worldwide investments after their designations. NEKOMMERCHESKAYA ORGANIZATSIYA FOND INVESTITSIONNYKH PROGRAMM (FOND INVESTITSIONNYKH PROGRAMM) is a Russia-based investment entity that invests in industrial and scientific projects. VIKTOROV is the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of FOND INVESTITSIONNYKH PROGRAMM. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, VIKTOROV and EVOKORP: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY FINANSOVAYA KOMPANIYA LINIYA INVESTITSIY (LINIYA INVESTITSIY) is a Russia-based investment entity jointly controlled by VIKTOROV and EVOKORP. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, VIKTOROV: LEGAL INTELLIGENCE GROUP LIMITED (LEGAL INTELLIGENCE) is a UK-based entity majority owned by VIKTOROV. is a UK-based entity majority owned by VIKTOROV. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY TSENTRALNYY DEPOZITARIY FONDOV (FONDOV) is a Russia-based financial services entity majority owned by VIKTOROV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entity are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, FONDOV and LINIYA INVESTITSIY: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY ELLAND POLYUS (ELLAND POLYUS) is a Russia-based entity jointly controlled by FONDOV and LINIYA INVESTITSIY. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, FOND INVESTITSIONNYKH PROGRAMM: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY VIKTORIANSKIY PARK (VIKTORIANSKIY PARK) is a Russia-based entity owned by FOND INVESTITSIONNYKH PROGRAMM. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entities and individual are being designated for operating or having operated in the construction sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY MLM NEVA TREYD (NEVA TREYD) is a Russia-based entity that installs lift equipment in residential and administrative buildings. is a Russia-based entity that installs lift equipment in residential and administrative buildings. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY BR INVEST (BR INVEST) is a Russia-based entity that produces building materials for use in building interiors and exteriors. is a Russia-based entity that produces building materials for use in building interiors and exteriors. ALEKSANDR SERGEYEVICH KOZLOV (KOZLOV) was a bodyguard for BORIS ROTENBERG and is the nominal owner of many of BORIS ROTENBERG's assets. KOZLOV is the controlling shareholder of NEVA TREYD and General Director of BR INVEST. Pursuant to section 1(a)(i) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for operating or having operated in the transportation sector of the Russian Federation economy: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY RESURS GRUPP (RESURS GRUPP) is a Russia-based transportation services and management entity owned by KOZLOV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entities are being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KOZLOV: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY INTERSERVIS (INTERSERVIS) is a Russia-based wholesale trade entity owned by KOZLOV. is a Russia-based wholesale trade entity owned by KOZLOV. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY AVIALYUKSSERVIS (AVIALYUKSSERVIS) is a Russia-based entity owned by KOZLOV. is a Russia-based entity owned by KOZLOV. LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY SOCHI RAZVITIYE (SOCHI RAZVITIYE) is a Russia-based entity owned by KOZLOV. Pursuant to section 1(a)(vii) of E.O. 14024, the following entity is being designated for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for on behalf of, directly or indirectly, KOZLOV and BORIS ROTENBERG: LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY T TRI (T TRI) is a Russia-based entity jointly owned by KOZLOV and BORIS ROTENBERG. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's sanctions-related actions, and in accordance with E.O. 14024 all property and interests in property of the sanctioned persons described above that are in the United States or in possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Additionally, all individuals or entities that have ownership, either directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. All transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons are prohibited unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt. These prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person and the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person. The power and integrity of U.S. government sanctions derive not only from the U.S. government's ability to designate and add persons to the SDN List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. Petitions for removal from the SDN List may be sent to: OFAC.Reconsideration@treasury.gov. Petitioners may also refer to the Department of State's Delisting Guidance page. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Treasury Disrupts Russia's Sanctions Evasion Schemes U.S. Department of the Treasury January 15, 2025 Actions expose a secret payment channel for sensitive exports and target a Kyrgyzstani financial institution for supporting Russia's military-industrial base WASHINGTON -- Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury is moving against Russian efforts to evade U.S. sanctions. This action targets a sanctions evasion scheme established between actors in Russia and the People's Republic of China (PRC) to facilitate cross-border payments for sensitive goods. In addition, Treasury is designating a Kyrgyz Republic-based financial institution that coordinated with Russian officials and a U.S.-designated bank to implement a sanctions evasion scheme. Treasury is also reinforcing the grave risks foreign persons face in continuing to work with Russia's military-industrial complex by re-designating pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13662 almost 100 entities already designated pursuant to E.O. 14024. As a result of these entities' designation pursuant to E.O. 13662, foreign persons, including foreign financial institutions, that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for or on behalf of any of these entities could be subject to mandatory secondary sanctions under the Ukraine-/Russia-related sanctions program. "Today's actions frustrate the Kremlin's ability to circumvent our sanctions and get access to the goods they need to build weapons for their war of choice in Ukraine," said Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo. "Today's expansion of mandatory secondary sanctions will reduce Russia's access to revenue and goods." The U.S. Department of State is sanctioning more than 150 entities and individuals pursuant to E.O. 14024, including a wide range of companies in Russia's defense industry and those supporting its military industrial base. Today's sanctions also include dozens of companies across multiple countries that continue to support Russia's efforts to evade U.S. sanctions, particularly in the PRC, which remains the largest supplier of dual use items and enabler of sanctions evasion in support of Russia's war effort. REGIONAL CLEARING PLATFORM SANCTIONS EVASION SCHEME With the guidance and awareness of Russian officials and their PRC counterparts, Russia and China have been working to set up regional clearing platforms (RCPs) in both Russia and China to act as counterparties to allow for cross-border payments for sensitive goods. The RCPs facilitate non-cash mutual settlement for payments for so-called sanctioned goods. U.S.-designated Russian financial institutions Public Joint Stock Company Sberbank of Russia, Joint Stock Company Alfa-Bank, Open Joint Stock Company Sovcombank, T-Bank, and Limited Liability Company Bank Tochka are reportedly participants in the scheme. The following entities are Russia-based RCPs involved in this scheme: Herbarium Office Management LLC (Herbarium), Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Atlant Torg, Limited Liability Company Sigma Partners, Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Tranzaktsii I Raschety, Joint Stock Company Arctur, and Paylink Limited. Russian national Andrei Valeryevich Prikhodko is the General Director of Herbarium. The following entities are PRC-based RCPs involved in this scheme: Anhui Hongsheng International Trade Co Ltd, Qingyuan Fo Feng Leda Supply Chain Service Co Ltd, Heilongjiang Shunsheng Economic And Trade Development Co Ltd, Qingdao Hezhi Business Service Co Ltd, Xinjiang Financial Import And Export Co Ltd, Hangzhou Xianghe Trading Co Ltd, Shaanxi Hongrun Jinhua Trading Co Ltd, Fujian Xinfuwang International Trade Co Ltd, and Jilin Province Shunda Trading Company Ltd. The 15 entities and one individual identified above are being designated pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy and pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy. KEREMET BANK Since at least summer 2024, officials at Kyrgyz Republic-based OJSC Keremet Bank (Keremet Bank) have coordinated with Russian officials and U.S.-designated Russian bank Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB) to implement a sanctions evasion scheme wherein Keremet Bank would facilitate cross-border transfers on PSB's behalf. OFAC designated PSB on February 22, 2022 pursuant to E.O. 14024 for operating or having operated in the defense and related materiel and financial services sectors of the Russian Federation economy. The Government of the Russian Federation nationalized PSB in 2018 and repurposed it to finance Russia's defense industry and service large defense contracts. Since its transformation into the Russian state defense bank, PSB has issued billions of dollars of financial support for Russian military-industrial base companies. U.S.-designated Russian-Moldovan oligarch Ilan Mironovich Shor has also been involved in the discussions regarding Keremet Bank's role in the sanctions evasion scheme. In 2024, the Kyrgyzstani Ministry of Finance sold a controlling stake in Keremet Bank to a firm strongly linked to a Russian oligarch with ties to the Russian government. The purchase of Keremet Bank was intended to create a sanctions evasion hub for Russia to pay for imports and receive payment for exports. Keremet Bank is being designated pursuant to E.O. 14024, as amended by E.O. 14114, for having conducted or facilitated any significant transaction or transactions, or provided any service, involving Russia's military-industrial base, including the sale, supply, or transfer, directly or indirectly, to the Russian Federation, of any item or class of items as may be determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Secretary of Commerce. INCREASING SECONDARY SANCTIONS RISK FOR CRITICAL RUSSIAN ENTITIES In furtherance of G7 commitments, today's redesignations pursuant to E.O. 13662 target entities operating in the financial services, energy, and defense and related materiel sectors of the Russian Federation economy in order to curtail Russia's international financial connectivity, reduce Russia's revenues derived from energy products and other commodities, and disrupt Russia's ability to acquire weapons and weapons inputs. For a list of entities being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy, please see Annex 1. For a list of entities being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy, please see Annex 2. For a list of entities being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy, please see Annex 3. ANNEX 1: RUSSIAN FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR The following Russia-based entities are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the financial services sector of the Russian Federation economy: Bank Saint-Petersburg Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Bank Zenit Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Credit Bank of Moscow Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Eximbank of Russia JSC is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Gas Industry Insurance Company Sogaz is a Russian insurance company. is a Russian insurance company. Gazprombank Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. International Investment Bank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Commercial Bank AK Bars Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Commercial Bank Novikombank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Commercial Bank Primorye is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Company Alfa-Bank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Company Avtovaz is a Russia-based carmaker that wholly owns U.S.-designated Russian bank Joint Stock Company Auto Finance Bank. is a Russia-based carmaker that wholly owns U.S.-designated Russian bank Joint Stock Company Auto Finance Bank. Joint Stock Company Bank Dom RF is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Company Post Bank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Joint Stock Company Russian National Reinsurance Company is Russian reinsurance company. is Russian reinsurance company. Joint Stock Company State Transportation Leasing Company is a Russia-based entity that majority-owns U.S.-designated Russian bank Joint Stock Commercial Bank National Reserve Bank Joint Stock Company. is a Russia-based entity that majority-owns U.S.-designated Russian bank Joint Stock Commercial Bank National Reserve Bank Joint Stock Company. Moscow Exchange provides access to the Russian financial markets and offers trading opportunities across a diverse range of asset classes combined with post-trade services. provides access to the Russian financial markets and offers trading opportunities across a diverse range of asset classes combined with post-trade services. National Clearing Center operates as a clearing house and central clearing party in the Russian financial market. operates as a clearing house and central clearing party in the Russian financial market. National Payment Card System Joint Stock Company operates Russia's Mir payment system. operates Russia's Mir payment system. Non-bank Credit Institution Joint Stock Company National Settlement Depository is a key component of Russia's financial infrastructure, providing a wide range of services, including bank account payment services, trade repository services, and liquidity management services. is a key component of Russia's financial infrastructure, providing a wide range of services, including bank account payment services, trade repository services, and liquidity management services. Obshchestvo S Ogranichennoi Otvetstvennostyu Holdingovaya Kompaniya Yuesem is a holding company and private equity investor that owns and manages assets in the financial services industry. is a holding company and private equity investor that owns and manages assets in the financial services industry. Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company Bank Uralsib is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company MTS Bank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company PIK Specialized Homebuilder (PIK)is a Russia-based company that offers insurance and subsidies for mortgages. (PIK)is a Russia-based company that offers insurance and subsidies for mortgages. Public Joint Stock Company Rosbank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company Sberbank of Russia is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company SPB Bank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Public Joint Stock Company Transkapitalbank is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. SDM-Bank Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. Sistema Public Joint Stock Financial Corporation is a Russia-based entity that operates as an investment holding company. is a Russia-based entity that operates as an investment holding company. Sovcombank Open Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. is a Russian bank. SPB Exchange offers investment products to Russian investors. offers investment products to Russian investors. State Corporation Bank for Development and Foreign Economic Affairs Vnesheconombank is a bank that is Russia's national economic development institution. is a bank that is Russia's national economic development institution. Russian Direct Investment Fund is Russia's sovereign wealth fund. is Russia's sovereign wealth fund. T-Bank , formerly known as Tinkoff Bank,is a Russian bank. , formerly known as Tinkoff Bank,is a Russian bank. Transmashholding JSC owns multiple Russia-based financial companies. owns multiple Russia-based financial companies. VTB Bank Public Joint Stock Company is a Russian bank. ANNEX 2: RUSSIAN ENERGY SECTOR The following Russia-based entities are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the energy sector of the Russian Federation economy: Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Rusgazdobycha is engaged in natural gas extraction. is engaged in natural gas extraction. Joint Stock Company Gazstroyprom is involved in oil and gas construction and is managing the construction of a natural gas pipeline in Russia. is involved in oil and gas construction and is managing the construction of a natural gas pipeline in Russia. Joint Stock Company Polimetall owns a Russia-based entity involved in the wholesale of fuel and another Russia-based entity involved in support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction. owns a Russia-based entity involved in the wholesale of fuel and another Russia-based entity involved in support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction. Joint Stock Company Razrez Kolyvanskiy is a Russian coal mining company. is a Russian coal mining company. Joint Stock Company Ugolnaya Kompaniya Kuzbassrazrezugol is a Russian coal mining company. is a Russian coal mining company. Limited Liability Company Machine Building Plant Tonar produces coal transportation vehicles. produces coal transportation vehicles. Limited Liability Company Shipbuilding Complex Zvezda (Zvezda) is building an oil tanker and five liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. U.S.-designated Joint Stock Company Rosnefteflot(Rosnefteflot) ordered 10 Aframax tankers from Zvezda, and Zvezda has constructed and delivered several of these tankers to Rosnefteflot. Zvezda is also being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13662 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Rosnefteflot, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13662. (Zvezda) is building an oil tanker and five liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. U.S.-designated Joint Stock Company Rosnefteflot(Rosnefteflot) ordered 10 Aframax tankers from Zvezda, and Zvezda has constructed and delivered several of these tankers to Rosnefteflot. Zvezda is also being designated today pursuant to E.O. 13662 for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, Rosnefteflot, a person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to E.O. 13662. Public Joint Stock Company Pipe Metallurgical Company produces threaded pipes, special pipes, pipeline systems, and other products for the energy sector, provides engineering solutions for power generation, and is developing products related to hydrogen energy. produces threaded pipes, special pipes, pipeline systems, and other products for the energy sector, provides engineering solutions for power generation, and is developing products related to hydrogen energy. Public Joint Stock Company Severstal offers LNG storage and transportation, renewable energy resources, and transportation of oil and gas. offers LNG storage and transportation, renewable energy resources, and transportation of oil and gas. Publichnoe Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Mechel is a Russian coal mining company. is a Russian coal mining company. Publichnoe Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Raspadskaya is a Russian coal mining company. is a Russian coal mining company. Velesstroi Limited Liability Company (Velesstroi) is a Russian construction company that implements oil and gas and electric power sector projects. Velesstroi's products and services include oil pipelines, oil pumping stations, oil loading stations, and oil terminals. (Velesstroi) is a Russian construction company that implements oil and gas and electric power sector projects. Velesstroi's products and services include oil pipelines, oil pumping stations, oil loading stations, and oil terminals. Arktik SPG 1 is building an artificial plot of land at the Sabetta port in Russia for the construction of a cargo terminal for the Geofizicheskoye oil and gas condensate field. is building an artificial plot of land at the Sabetta port in Russia for the construction of a cargo terminal for the Geofizicheskoye oil and gas condensate field. Limited Liability Company Obsky Gas Chemical Complex is a Russia-based entity developing exploratory gas wells on West Siberia's Yamal Peninsula. is a Russia-based entity developing exploratory gas wells on West Siberia's Yamal Peninsula. OOO Gazprom Invest designs and builds facilities for the gas industry. designs and builds facilities for the gas industry. Regent Baltica Company Limited offers automated production of cryogenic isothermal panels for LNG storage. offers automated production of cryogenic isothermal panels for LNG storage. Limited Liability Company Arctic LNG 2 manages Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project and is currently building three liquification trains capable of producing both LNG and stabilized gas condensate (SGC). manages Russia's Arctic LNG 2 project and is currently building three liquification trains capable of producing both LNG and stabilized gas condensate (SGC). Joint Stock Company United Metallurgical Company manufactures steel pipes for the offshore industry, and its products are used in the construction of major oil and gas pipelines. manufactures steel pipes for the offshore industry, and its products are used in the construction of major oil and gas pipelines. JSC Suek is a Russian coal, heat, and electricity producer. is a Russian coal, heat, and electricity producer. Open Joint Stock Company Tikhoretsk Machine Construction Plant VV Vorovsky sells a product for the intended use of installation of power lines. ANNEX 3: RUSSIAN DEFENSE AND RELATED MATERIEL SECTOR The following Russia-based entities are being designated pursuant to E.O. 13662 for operating in the defense and related materiel sector of the Russian Federation economy: Advanced Research Foundation develops unmanned ground vehicles and tanks, camouflage materials, and autonomous deep-submergence vehicles. develops unmanned ground vehicles and tanks, camouflage materials, and autonomous deep-submergence vehicles. Aleksinskii Khimicheskii Kombinat produces gunpowder, ammunition, and weapons. produces gunpowder, ammunition, and weapons. Aktsionernoe Obshchestvo Gruppa Kremnii El is a Russian microelectronics manufacturer whose products are used in advanced air defense systems, naval vessels, and missile systems. is a Russian microelectronics manufacturer whose products are used in advanced air defense systems, naval vessels, and missile systems. AMS Group LLC supplies cotton cellulose to Russian gunpowder and ammunition manufacturers. supplies cotton cellulose to Russian gunpowder and ammunition manufacturers. The Foreign Intelligence Service of the Russian Federation (SVR) is one of Russia's security agencies and carries out intelligence activities for the purpose of providing the President of Russia, the Federal Assembly, and the Government of the Russian Federation with intelligence information they need to make decisions in political, economic, military-strategic, scientific-technical and environmental fields. The SVR provides military-technical support for the security of Russia. (SVR) is one of Russia's security agencies and carries out intelligence activities for the purpose of providing the President of Russia, the Federal Assembly, and the Government of the Russian Federation with intelligence information they need to make decisions in political, economic, military-strategic, scientific-technical and environmental fields. The SVR provides military-technical support for the security of Russia. Federal State Enterprise Perm Powder Plant is a Russian gunpowder producer. is a Russian gunpowder producer. Federal State Enterprise Science and Technology Association Kazan Plant of Precision Engineering is a Russian gunpowder producer. is a Russian gunpowder producer. Federal State Enterprise YA M Sverdlov Plant is a Russian explosives manufacturer. is a Russian explosives manufacturer. Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation is responsible for control and oversight in the field of military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries. is responsible for control and oversight in the field of military-technical cooperation between Russia and foreign countries. Federal State Institution of Higher Vocational Education Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology works closely with the Russian military-industrial complex and has been recognized by the Russian Ministry of Defense for developing military-use drone systems. works closely with the Russian military-industrial complex and has been recognized by the Russian Ministry of Defense for developing military-use drone systems. Federal State Unitary Enterprise Dukhov Automatics Research Institute is a Russian developer of nuclear weapons. is a Russian developer of nuclear weapons. Joint Stock Company Angstrem is a Russian developer and manufacturer of integrated circuits and semiconductor devices whose customers and partners include the Russian Ministry of Defense and various Russian defense companies. is a Russian developer and manufacturer of integrated circuits and semiconductor devices whose customers and partners include the Russian Ministry of Defense and various Russian defense companies. Joint Stock Company Rossiyskiye Kosmicheskiye Sistemy manufactures guided missile parts and equipment and military communications satellites. manufactures guided missile parts and equipment and military communications satellites. Joint Stock Company Shvabe creates high-tech optoelectronic equipment, including drones used by Russia's military. creates high-tech optoelectronic equipment, including drones used by Russia's military. Joint Stock Company Izhevsk Electromechanical Plant Kupol manufactures military equipment, particularly air defense systems. manufactures military equipment, particularly air defense systems. Joint Stock Company Mikron (Mikron) is a Russian integrated circuit manufacturer whose customers include Russian defense companies. is a Russian integrated circuit manufacturer whose customers include Russian defense companies. Joint Stock Company Research And Production Association Named After S. A. Lavochkina operates as a contractor for military programs. operates as a contractor for military programs. Joint Stock Company Special Economic Zone of Industrial Production Alabuga is Russia's main plant for making one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). is Russia's main plant for making one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Joint Stock Company United Engine Corporation produces engines for military aviation and naval use. produces engines for military aviation and naval use. Kazanskii Gosudarstvennyi Kazennyi Porokhovoi Zavod manufactures explosives, weapons, and ammunition. manufactures explosives, weapons, and ammunition. JSC Academician M. F. Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems solves tasks in the interests of Russia's defense capabilities. solves tasks in the interests of Russia's defense capabilities. Kamaz Publicly Traded Company manufactures vehicles for defense purposes and has cooperated with U.S.-designated Rosoboroneksport OAO to deliver more than 2,000 military trucks to foreign customers. manufactures vehicles for defense purposes and has cooperated with U.S.-designated Rosoboroneksport OAO to deliver more than 2,000 military trucks to foreign customers. LTD Bina Group (Bina) imports cotton cellulose, a main ingredient in the production of gunpowder, solid rocket propellants, and explosives, which it has sold to Russian military factories. imports cotton cellulose, a main ingredient in the production of gunpowder, solid rocket propellants, and explosives, which it has sold to Russian military factories. Limited Liability Company Navimaks Group specializes in supplying materials and equipment to enterprises in Russia's defense industry, including cotton cellulose, a main ingredient in the production of gunpowder, solid rocket propellants, and explosives. specializes in supplying materials and equipment to enterprises in Russia's defense industry, including cotton cellulose, a main ingredient in the production of gunpowder, solid rocket propellants, and explosives. Limited Liability Company Volga Dnepr Airlines has coordinated shipments of military equipment within and to Russia. has coordinated shipments of military equipment within and to Russia. Main Directorate of Deep Sea Research is a Russian military unit that deploys a fleet of surface ships, submarines, and naval drones. is a Russian military unit that deploys a fleet of surface ships, submarines, and naval drones. Open Joint Stock Company Russian Electronics , part of Russia's state defense conglomerate State Corporation Rostec, develops military-class electronic devices. , part of Russia's state defense conglomerate State Corporation Rostec, develops military-class electronic devices. Publichnoe Aktsionernoe Obschestvo Sollers is a Russian automotive manufacturer and the parent company of Russia-based Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, which supplies the Russian military with various types of vehicles. is a Russian automotive manufacturer and the parent company of Russia-based Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant, which supplies the Russian military with various types of vehicles. Public Joint Stock Company United Aircraft Corporation designs, manufactures, sells, maintains, and repairs military aircraft. designs, manufactures, sells, maintains, and repairs military aircraft. Public Joint Stock Company Yakovlev manufactures airplanes, ammunition, helicopters, and weapons; and designs, manufactures, sells, and services military aviation equipment. manufactures airplanes, ammunition, helicopters, and weapons; and designs, manufactures, sells, and services military aviation equipment. Russian Federal Nuclear Center - Zababakhin All-Russia Research Institute of Technical Physics designs, tests, and maintains nuclear weapons components. designs, tests, and maintains nuclear weapons components. Skolkovo Foundation is a Russian state-managed technical innovation hub. In August 2024, Skolkovo Foundation switched its focus to projects related to military developments or that support military-industrial complex factories to increase their production scale. is a Russian state-managed technical innovation hub. In August 2024, Skolkovo Foundation switched its focus to projects related to military developments or that support military-industrial complex factories to increase their production scale. State Scientific Research Institute Of Mechanical Engineering Imeni V.V. Bakhireva develops warheads for guided missiles. develops warheads for guided missiles. State Corporation Rostec implements policy in the field of military and technical cooperation between Russia and foreign states, showcasing military and dual-purpose products in Russia and abroad, and facilitating foreign trade in military commodities. implements policy in the field of military and technical cooperation between Russia and foreign states, showcasing military and dual-purpose products in Russia and abroad, and facilitating foreign trade in military commodities. Tactical Missiles Corporation JSC produces high-speed airborne guided missiles and weapon systems for Russian naval ships. produces high-speed airborne guided missiles and weapon systems for Russian naval ships. Tambovskii Porokhovoi Zavod manufactures explosives and products such as armor piercing shots. manufactures explosives and products such as armor piercing shots. Vertolety Rossii AO designs, manufactures, services, and tests modern military helicopters. SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today's action, all property and interests in property of the designated persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons is/are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, individually or in the aggregate, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC or exempt, U.S. sanctions generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. Violations of U.S. sanctions may result in the imposition of civil or criminal penalties on U.S. and foreign persons. OFAC may impose civil penalties for sanctions violations on a strict liability basis. OFAC's Economic Sanctions Enforcement Guidelines provide more information regarding OFAC's enforcement of U.S. economic sanctions. In addition, financial institutions and other persons may risk exposure to sanctions for engaging in certain transactions or activities with designated or otherwise blocked persons. In addition, foreign financial institutions that conduct or facilitate significant transactions or provide any service involving Russia's military-industrial base, including any persons blocked pursuant to E.O. 14024, run the risk of being sanctioned by OFAC. For additional guidance, please see the updated OFAC advisory, "Updated Guidance for Foreign Financial Institutions on OFAC Sanctions Authorities Targeting Support to Russia's Military-Industrial Base," as well as OFAC Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 1146-1152, 1181-1182. Non-U.S. persons, including foreign financial institutions, could also face sanctions for knowingly facilitating significant transactions for or on behalf of individuals or entities blocked pursuant to E.O. 13662. See FAQs 541-546, 574 for additional information. The power and integrity of OFAC sanctions derive not only from OFAC's ability to designate and add persons to the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons (SDN) List, but also from its willingness to remove persons from the SDN List consistent with the law. The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior. For information concerning the process for seeking removal from an OFAC list, including the SDN List, please refer to OFAC's Frequently Asked Question 897 here. For detailed information on the process to submit a request for removal from an OFAC sanctions list, please click here. Any persons included on the SDN List pursuant to E.O. 14024 or E.O. 13662 may be subject to additional export restrictions administered by the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). For identifying information on the individual and entities sanctioned today, click here. ### NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Germany is supporting efforts to investigate war crimes in Syria Germany Federal Foreign Office 14.01.2025 - Press release Only a few weeks after the toppling of the brutal Assad regime, shedding light on the most severe violations of human rights in Syria remains key to reconciliation and a new beginning for the country. To discuss this issue, Minister of State Lindner, Federal Foreign Office Coordinator for Syria, today held a meeting with Robert Petit, Head of the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism (IIIM), a UN mechanism that already since 2016 has been focusing on the brutal crimes committed in Syria - by gathering evidence, documenting crimes and making evidence available for judicial proceedings. Germany has been supporting the IIIM since its establishment, and it is not least thanks to the painstaking work of the IIIM that Germany's justice system has in the past been able to initiate criminal proceedings in Germany against the Assad regime for severe human rights violations, under the principle of universal jurisdiction. The Federal Foreign Office is now making available at short notice 1 million euro in additional support for the work of the IIIM. In this connection, Minister of State Lindner issued the following statement today: A few days ago, together with the Foreign Minister, I was in Syria and visited Sednaya Prison in Damascus. With my own eyes, I saw the place where countless people were imprisoned, tortured and murdered by the Assad regime. The IIIM is collecting evidence so that those responsible for these terrible crimes committed against countless Syrians can be held to account. What is clear is that the process of investigating and prosecuting these horrible crimes must be pursued under Syrian leadership. However, the investigative process will only succeed as a joint effort. Syria's transitional administration has signalled it is open to cooperating with the IIIM. Info The full name of the IIIM is the International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism to assist in the investigation and prosecution of persons responsible for the most serious crimes under international law committed in the Syrian Arab Republic since March 2011. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Israel hits HTS military target in Syria for 1st time since fall of Assad Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 6:02 PM Israel has reportedly carried out a deadly airstrike on a military target belonging to the HTS administration in Syria for the first time since the foreign-backed militant group took over the Arab country and unseated President Bashar al-Assad. The so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday that an Israeli drone hit an HTS military convoy in the southwestern province of Quneitra. "An Israeli drone launched an attack targeting a military convoy... killing two members of the Military Operations Department" and one civilian, in southern Syria's Quneitra region, it said. "This is the first Israeli strike targeting the security forces of the new authorities" in post-Assad Syria, said Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the UK-based war monitor. Separately, AFP cited an unnamed medical official that a local official from the Ghadir al-Bustan area was among the three killed in the Israeli airstrike. Foreign-backed 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. Following the collapse of the Syrian government, the Israeli military launched massive airstrikes for weeks against military installations, facilities, and arsenals belonging to Syria's now-defunct army. The occupying regime has drawn widespread condemnation for violating Syria's sovereignty and devastating assets that belonged to the Arab nation, which were essential for confronting any foreign acts of aggression, including those perpetrated by Israel. In the wake of the fall of Assad, Israel, which has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967, also invaded a UN-patrolled buffer zone in southwestern Syria, taking over the Syrian side of Mount Hermon as well as a number of Syrian towns and villages. Although the United States has already removed the long-standing $10 million bounty on the HTS leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, following a high-level US delegation meeting with him, his group is still on the US's list of foreign terrorist organizations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran's presence in Syria at request of Assad govt. to fight terrorism, Daesh: Iraqi PM Iran Press TV Wednesday, 15 January 2025 10:27 AM Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani says Iran's presence in Syria was at the official request of former President Bashar al-Assad's government with the aim of helping the Arab country in the battle against terrorism. Sudani made the remarks in an interview with the BBC during his official visit to London on Tuesday, as he commented on the latest developments in Syria as well as the relations between Iran and Iraq. "Our position is firm against any foreign interference in any Arab country, but Iran's intervention in Syria during Assad's rule came at the request of the government in Damascus to confront terrorism and Daesh," he said. Sudani also emphasized that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham administration in Syria must "reject terrorism and extremism, respect human rights, and not be a tool in the hands of any external party." The Iraqi prime minister further described as "Iranophobia" some exaggerated statements about Iran's influence in Iraq, noting that Tehran stood by Baghdad in its war against terrorism that "came through Syria." 'An important ally' He went on to say that the relations between Iran and Iraq are based on the principle of mutual respect, adding that Tehran is an important ally of Baghdad. "Iraq is independent in decision-making and there is no influence from either Iran or any other country," he said. Sudani's visit to London was preceded by a visit to the Iranian capital, Tehran, which took place within the framework of expanding the two countries' cooperation and communications. His visit to Iran came as Syria, as one of Iraq's immediate neighbors, is experiencing instability following the fall of Assad and the takeover of the HTS militant group. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UN rights chief in historic meeting in Syria's with caretaker authority in Damascus 15 January 2025 - The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has described the unbearable suffering of former detainees under the deposed Assad regime and insisted that he stands with the people of the war-torn nation as they "rebuild a country that works for all Syrians". Speaking from Damascus after meeting the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Mr. Turk said that he had been "assured...of the importance of respect for human rights for all Syrians and all different components of Syrian society". Syria's de facto leader - who spearheaded the lightning overthrow of Bashar Al Assad on 8 December at the head of opposition fighters Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) - also underscored "the pursuit of healing, trust building and social cohesion, and the reform of institutions", the High Commissioner said. Staggering needs "But the challenges are immense," he continued, pointing to the "hundreds of thousands of lives" lost, the fact that much of the country lies in ruins". Today, nine in 10 Syrians are "mired in poverty, the health system is on its knees and many schools are closed," Mr. Turk said. "Millions are still displaced both inside and outside the country. The rights to food, health, education and housing are fundamental human rights, and there must be prompt, collective and concerted efforts to guarantee them." Calling for "an urgent reconsideration" of ongoing sanctions on Syria "with a view to lifting them", the UN rights chief said that considering their impact on the lives of the Syrian people was key. Sednaya horrors Mr. Turk - whose visit to Syria is a first for any UN High Commissioner for Human Rights - said that he had heard harrowing testimony from numerous victims of torture. They included some jailed at the notorious Sednaya prison outside Damascus, where his Office documented violations "for years". The UN rights chief described prisoners telling him that "early in the morning, as they heard the guards at their door, trembling in fear, they retreated to the rear of the cell, fearing they would be hauled out again to be tortured, or even executed." Thousands died in prisons throughout Syria, the High Commissioner explained, as he went on to condemn the "apocalyptic wasteland" of the bombed-out residential neighbourhood of Jobar, in Damascus, which he visited. Mass killing, destruction "Not a single building in the area was spared bombardment in wave after wave of attacks," Mr. Turk said, adding that it was "inconceivable that such mass killings and destruction" had happened. It was equally difficult to believe "that banned chemical weapons were used against civilians elsewhere in the country and not just once", the UN rights chief said - a likely reference to several deadly chlorine gas attacks, including on two residential buldings in Douma in northeast Damascus by the Syrian air force on 7 April 2018. It "says a lot about the extreme brutality of the tactics used by the former regime", whose acts "constitute some of the most serious crimes under international humanitarian law." 'Real threats' to Syria remain Away from the immediate destruction and grief of war, the High Commissioner highlighted that the people of Syria "need every ounce of help they can get to rebuild a country that works for all Syrians". The UN human rights office, OHCHR - which has had a dedicated Syria monitoring team since 2013 - "will continue to support inclusive, nationally owned and driven processes", Mr. Turk said. He warned of "very real threats" to Syria's territorial integrity and independence. The country's sovereignty "must be fully respected and rigorously upheld. The ongoing conflicts and hostilities must end," the High Commissioner insisted, adding: "This is really a seminal moment for Syria after decades of repression. "My most fervent hope is for all Syrians to be able to thrive together, regardless of gender, religion or ethnicity and to build a common future." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan to strengthen surveillance near undersea cables ROC Central News Agency 01/15/2025 04:34 PM Taipei, Jan. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) said Wednesday that it would step up surveillance near four key areas where undersea cables are located after a Chinese-owned vessel apparently cut an undersea fiber-optic cable near Keelung Harbor. That cable was severed in a suspected act of sabotage by the Cameroon-flagged Shunxin39 cargo ship when it dragged its anchor across an international subsea cable in waters off the coast of northern Taiwan near Keelung on Jan. 3. A navigation map created by Marine Traffic showed that the vessel had been loitering in the area crisscrossed by undersea cables since Dec. 3, 2024. At an MND news conference on Wednesday, officials were asked whether there was a plan in place to respond to similar incidents. Colonel Lee Chang-fu () from the Office of the Deputy Chief of General Staff for Operations and Planning said the military will demarcate four "key surveillance zones" in waters off Yilan County's Toucheng Township, New Taipei's Bali District, Pingtung County's Fangshan Township, and the offshore county Penghu. The Navy will use its radar and electronic intelligence systems to look for stalling vessels, those demonstrating "unusual" speed changes, and those that follow "suspicious" trails, Lee said. Once a suspicious vessel has been discovered, the Navy will notify the Joint Operations Command Center and the Coast Guard Administration (CGA) to facilitate the CGA's evidence gathering, inspection, or seizure of suspicious vessels, Lee said. The Navy may also deploy vessels at the CGA's request to assist it in its handling of potential saboteurs, Lee said. He added that the military will consult with the CGA to adopt joint measures to protect undersea cables and include the measures in protocols that guide the military in providing support during maritime missions. (By Sean Lin) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Taiwan's embassy in Tuvalu blasts Beijing over 'disinformation' ROC Central News Agency 01/15/2025 01:14 PM Sydney, Jan. 15 (CNA) Taiwan's embassy in Tuvalu has accused China of engaging in a "disinformation" campaign to sabotage diplomatic ties with the Pacific ally after a Chinese government-funded news site showed clips of Tuvaluans backing a switch in allegiance to Beijing. The embassy objected specifically to two videos of Tuvaluan people voicing Beijing talking points released recently by China Global Television Network (CGTN), a branch of the state-run China Media Group under the Chinese Communist Party's Central Propaganda Department. Taiwan's embassy in Tuvalu said in a statement Wednesday that though it respected freedom of speech, it could not tolerate Beijing's disinformation campaign. "We firmly oppose and condemn, while also remaining highly vigilant against, China's manipulation of disinformation to conduct cognitive warfare, aiming to undermine Taiwan-Tuvalu relations and weaken democratic values," the embassy said. In one of the videos the embassy objected to released in December, titled "Tuvalu residents say Taiwan is part of China," a woman identified only as "Mary" criticized President Lai Ching-te's () December visit to the Pacific ally. "This visit does not bring any real economic or social impact to Tuvalu. He has not proposed any concrete aid projects or funding," Mary said in the clip. Another male resident identified only as "Thomas" was shown voicing a common Chinese refrain that according to United Nations Resolution 2758, "Taiwan is a part of China, which is a widely recognized international consensus." "Establishing diplomatic relations with China could offer real development opportunities, such as infrastructure building and enhanced climate resilience," he also said. Another CGTN video titled "Tuvaluan student's life inspired by Chinese culture" released in January featured a woman identified as Tuvaluan student Lilly Rose. Rose said China has played a significant role in infrastructure projects in the Pacific and that Chinese technology has greatly helped island countries like Tuvalu to tackle climate change. Lai visited Tuvalu in December as part of his seven-day trip that also took him to two other Taiwan allies in the region, the Marshall Islands and Palau, as well as stopovers in Hawaii and Guam. While in Tuvalu, Lai and Tuvaluan Prime Minister Feleti Teo signed a joint communique pledging to deepen bilateral ties to mark the 45th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties, which were established in 1979. In addition to the joint communique, Taiwan and Tuvalu also signed a letter of intent (LOI) to formalize Taiwan's commitment to supporting the construction of a subsea cable connected to the Pacific nation. (By Yang Chun-huei and Joseph Yeh) Enditem/ls NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address UK-Japan military exercise starts today as Defence Ministers discuss closer cooperation Defence Secretary meets Japanese counterpart, setting out UK commitment to Indo-Pacific security. 15 January 2025 Exercise Vigilant Isles begins today with more than 100 UK troops deployed to Japan. Defence Secretary meets Japanese counterpart, setting out UK commitment to Indo-Pacific security. Ministers confirm that next-generation fighter jet programme headquarters will be in Reading, supporting jobs and growth mission. British and Japanese troops have kicked off military drills in Japan, as the Defence Secretary met his Japanese counterpart today (15 January) in London for talks on strengthening defence ties between the two countries. In the meeting, Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed that the headquarters for the joint UK, Japan and Italian future fighter jet programme will be established in Reading, supporting UK jobs and the government's growth mission. Exercise Vigilant Isles will see more than 100 UK soldiers from 16 Air Assault Brigade, the British Army's global response force, train with Japanese Ground Self Defence Forces on the island of Kyushu. The annual exercise, now in its third year, will increase interoperability between both countries' forces. The UK is the only European nation to conduct bilateral military training on Japanese soil. The Defence Secretary welcomed the exercise and stressed the indivisibility between Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security in talks with Defence Minister Gen Nakatani. The two ministers also discussed progress on the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - a joint initiative between the UK, Japan, and Italy to develop a next-generation combat aircraft - as well as the UK Carrier Strike Group's visit to Japan later this year. Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said: With increasing instability across the world, it is more important than ever that we strengthen cooperation with our international partners like Japan. Today, Minister Nakatani and I have highlighted the positive progress being made on our important next-generation fighter jet programme, to strengthen our security cooperation. There are many miles between our two nations, but the UK and Japan stand closer together than ever in support of peace and security across the globe. With the recently ratified GCAP Treaty entering into force, Reading will host the new GCAP headquarters, supporting the delivery of the cutting-edge stealth fighter jet. The headquarters, known as the GCAP International Government Organisation (GIGO) and led by its first Chief Executive Mr Oka Masami from Japan, will strengthen each country's combat air industrial capability while achieving value for money. There are currently more than 3,500 people, including engineers and programmers, working on GCAP across the UK. In December, BAE Systems (UK), Leonardo (Italy), and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd (JAIEC) signed a Joint Venture Agreement to create a new company to lead GCAP delivery. The Joint Venture will also be headquartered in the UK, alongside the GIGO, and together they will support hundreds of UK jobs. This supports delivery of the UK Government's Plan for Change, safeguarding national security while raising living standards across the UK with skilled jobs which foster economic growth. Later this year, the UK's Carrier Strike Group will visit Japan as part of the flagship 2025 Indo-Pacific deployment. The group, comprised of Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, her escorts and her aircraft, will work alongside the Japanese Self Defence Forces and other partners to help defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific. They will conduct a series of operations and exercises, including a port visit in Japan. This follows the successful deployment of HMS Queen Elizabeth to the region in 2021, and the Royal Navy boasts persistently-deployed Offshore Patrol Vessels HMS Tamar and HMS Spey operating closely with Japan and regional partners to promote maritime security. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Meeting on socioeconomic development of Crimea and Sevastopol Vladimir Putin held a videoconference meeting on socioeconomic development of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. January 14, 2025 19:50 Novo-Ogaryovo, Moscow Region The meeting was attended by First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office Sergei Kiriyenko, Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin, Minister of Construction, Housing and Utilities Irek Fayzullin, Head of the Republic of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov, Governor of Sevastopol Mikhail Razvozhayev, Deputy Minister of Economic Development Dmitry Vakhrukov, Deputy Minister of Finance Pavel Kadochnikov, and Rector of the Choreography Academy Maria Aleksandrova. * * * President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon. Today's meeting is dedicated to the development of two of our regions that have a huge, even strategic, significance for the country: the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol. We will discuss the results achieved, the current problems, and the key tasks for the future. Let me note first that since the historic reunification with Russia, Crimea and Sevastopol have achieved truly impressive success in many areas. First of all, this concerns the quality of life, development of the social sphere, and the basic sectors of the economy. For example, over ten years, from 2014 to 2023, the gross regional product has increased manyfold - by 3.7 times in Crimea, and by 8.7 times in Sevastopol. The investment rate in crucial development projects has also grown dynamically. It is also important that the regional budgets' own revenues have considerably increased - compared to 2014, by five times in the Republic of Crimea, and by 4.5 times in Sevastopol. The free economic zone mechanism is operating effectively. Moreover, the volume of investments attracted makes it possible to expect further growth of the regions' own revenues. The State Programme for the Socioeconomic Development of Crimea and Sevastopol serves as one of the principal instruments to ensure a comprehensive and systemic approach. As a reminder, its total funding for the period from 2015 to 2027 amounts to 1.5 trillion rubles. A considerable progress has already been achieved in the implementation of the state programme. Among the significant facilities are engineering networks, a tunnel water pipeline to the southern coast of Crimea, landfills for waste reclamation, and new motorways, including the Simferopol-Yevpatoria route and the first stage of the south-eastern bypass of Simferopol. All of this was achieved just last year. Simultaneously, healthcare and education, sports, leisure, and recreation facilities are being constructed. Such comprehensive infrastructure development, in turn, stimulates housing construction. I would like to emphasise the importance of preserving and further enhancing historical and cultural monuments, which this ancient land of ours is abundant in. A striking example of such efforts is Tauric Chersonese, a unique museum and reserve, historical and archaeological park. Another spiritual and educational centre of Crimea is the Cathedral Mosque in Simferopol, its construction has also been completed. Furthermore, a museum, theatre and educational complex is being built in Sevastopol. Tourist infrastructure is being significantly renewed: from 2014 to 2024, over 20 million people visited Crimea, and Sevastopol welcomed about two million tourists. Regarding the tasks ahead, generally, it is planned to complete more than 230 capital construction sites and to implement 32 initiatives over the next three years under the aforementioned state programme alone. Federal funding is anticipated to exceed 316 billion rubles. The allocated funds are substantial and necessitate a meticulous, responsible approach and strict oversight over their proper use. Naturally, the regional authorities must leverage the possibilities of the new national projects launched this year. Let me stress: it is important to maintain the high pace of development of Crimea and Sevastopol using the existing and new tools, as well as to take on even more ambitious tasks in the interests of people living there with a permanent focus on their wishes, requests, and constructive ideas. The issues they raise must be promptly and effectively resolved, and the results obtained must be ultimately evaluated based on people's opinions. This is, in fact, how we do everything according to our plans. This fully relates to the ongoing work to eliminate the aftermath of the tanker accidents in the Kerch Strait late last year. I expect active efforts from the Government Commission that has been set up; I know it is also working today. Overall, I am asking the Government to actively interact with the regions on this issue. Taking this opportunity, I would like to once again thank the volunteers who have been engaged in shoreline cleanup since day one. I would like to once again draw the attention of all services and agencies, both federal and regional ones: it is necessary to thoroughly and fully implement the entire range of planned activities. This is of fundamental importance for the quality of life of people, ecological well-being in Crimea and Sevastopol, in all our Black Sea regions. Let us move on to the agenda. I know that the Governor of Sevastopol is now at the Academy of Choreography on Cape Khrustalny. It was built as part of a large project, which I have already mentioned, to create large museum, cultural and educational complexes in different regions of the country. I am sure that the new facility will become a new gem for Sevastopol and the Republic of Crimea, as well as for the entire southern Russia. This is an institution that will train talented young people and talented children for the long term in future. I can see that Mr Razvozhayev is already there, surrounded by the students of these institutions. Please, let us begin with that. <...> Vladimir Putin (commenting on Marat Khusnullin's report on what has been done during the ten years since the approval of the state programme for the development of the Crimean Peninsula, including on implementing the President's 2021 instructions to raise no less than one trillion rubles in investment for the Crimean economy by 2026, a task largely assisted by the free economic zone that has functioned since 2015): Regarding the operation of the free economic zone, nearly 500 billion rubles in private investment has been raised, according to my information, but the number of jobs created is slightly higher. You said that it is 110,000, but in fact, over 111,000 new jobs have been created. On the whole, this is a good indicator. Concerning the amount of external investment in the fixed assets, the relevant indicator is certainly very commendable. For the Republic of Crimea, this indicator has grown ten-fold from over 26 billion to almost 260 billion rubles. As for the city of Sevastopol, this indicator has risen 37-fold from 2.6 billion to almost 100 billion rubles. A decent indicator, to put it mildly. There are also positive indicators in housing construction: 4.5 million square metres of housing have been commissioned in Crimea over the past five years alone, and almost three million - 2.8 square metres of housing - in Sevastopol. I hope people recognise this progress. On the whole, the record is impressive, but we must not stop at that. We should consider what additional actions need to be taken in the short term. You suggest extending the programme until 2030. Deputy Prime Minister Marat Khusnullin: Yes, Mr President, because we have 17 projects scheduled to run until 2030. The programme should also be synchronised and aligned to ensure we have a unified system of coordinates. Vladimir Putin: I agree. Let us state that we have reached an agreement and the decision has been made. Thank you. <...> NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President and the Delegation of the Latvian Saeima Discussed Defense and Humanitarian Support for Ukraine President of Ukraine 14 January 2025 - 22:51 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with a multi-party delegation of the Latvian Saeima headed by its Speaker Daiga Mierina. The President thanked Latvia for its political, humanitarian and military assistance to Ukraine, noting the allocation of 0.25% of the country's GDP annually for the defense needs of our state. "Thank you for Latvia's consistent support to Ukraine, especially to our warriors, since the beginning of the war, to our people who are currently residing abroad, as well as to Ukrainians who stay in Ukraine and benefit from your humanitarian assistance," Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He particularly commended humanitarian projects, contributions to the restoration of Ukraine and support for the Crimea Platform, as well as the hosting of the third parliamentary summit of this initiative in Riga last year. "It is very important for us to remind the whole world that Crimea is a part of our sovereign state, that Crimea is a Ukrainian peninsula, and we will continue to emphasize this," the President noted. The key topics of the meeting were increased support for Ukraine aimed at strengthening its positions on the battlefield, other steps taken jointly with partners to achieve a just peace across Europe, and the development of security guarantees. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Daiga Mierina paid special attention to increasing sanctions on Russia, especially those targeting Russia's shadow fleet, energy and banking sectors. During the meeting, the parties also discussed Latvia's participation in reconstruction projects for the Chernihiv region and the Food from Ukraine initiative. Daiga Mierina emphasized that Latvia will continue supporting Ukraine on its path to European integration, participating in infrastructure reconstruction, defense industry strengthening, military personnel training, and the implementation of economic projects. On behalf of the whole of Latvia, the Speaker of the Saeima thanked the Ukrainian people and the Armed Forces of Ukraine for their struggle and defense. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Consolidating International Support and Increasing Pressure on the Russian Federation: the Office of the President Hosted a Meeting with the Political Director of Global Affairs Canada President of Ukraine 14 January 2025 - 22:14 Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Ihor Zhovkva held a meeting with Political Director of Global Affairs Canada David Angell. Ihor Zhovkva congratulated Canada on assuming the Presidency of the G7. Ukraine is counting on the country's active role in consolidating international support for a just and lasting peace. "It is important to increase sanctions pressure on the aggressor state and enforce restrictive measures, especially against the Russian shadow fleet. Coordination at the G7 level in countering Russian propaganda and using frozen Russian assets for the needs of Ukraine are also crucial," the Deputy Head of the Presidential Office noted. During the meeting, special attention was paid to the further implementation of the bilateral security agreement. Ihor Zhovkva also thanked Canada for its comprehensive support, particularly in strengthening Ukraine's security and defense capabilities. He also highlighted the country's decision to join the Drone Coalition and allocate funds for the production of Ukrainian UAVs. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Brazil Can Play an Important Role in Restoring a Just Peace for Ukraine - Andriy Yermak President of Ukraine 14 January 2025 - 22:11 Brazil can play an important role in restoring a lasting and just peace for Ukraine, as well as facilitating the return of Ukrainian children deported by Russia. This was stated by Head of the Office of the President Andriy Yermak during his online discussion with representatives of the Brazilian media. The Head of the Presidential Office emphasized that Russia's war against Ukraine has caused suffering for millions of Ukrainians, and its consequences affect the whole world, as the alliance between Russia, North Korea, Iran and Venezuela strengthens. "Together, they are disrupting world order, creating chaos, because chaos is a world ruled by force. They are fueling regional conflicts as part of their global war against democracies," he noted. Andriy Yermak stressed that Ukrainian children are suffering from Russian aggression. 596 young Ukrainians have been killed, while 1736 others have been wounded. Russia has deported or forcibly displaced thousands of Ukrainian children. The Head of the Presidential Office is confident that Brazil, committed to protecting human rights and ensuring global stability, can mediate the return of Ukrainian children, which is one of the priorities for President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and his team. In particular, Brazil can join the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, which already includes 41 countries. Andriy Yermak also expressed hope that Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will soon have the opportunity to hold a substantive discussion on how to achieve a just peace for Ukraine. "No one desires to end this war and secure a just peace on our land more than Ukrainians. This is the most important thing. But Putin does not want to end this war. He seeks to erase Ukraine as a state," the Head of the Presidential Office noted. According to Andriy Yermak, developing a unified plan to ensure the restoration of the strength of international law is crucial, with Brazil playing an important role in this process. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address I Have Instructed to Ensure That the Number of Specialists Needed by the Air Force to Carry Out Combat Missions Is Not Reduced - Address by the President President of Ukraine 14 January 2025 - 21:04 I wish you health, fellow Ukrainians! A brief summary of today. Morning - military briefing. Report on the front lines, our arms needs and related supplies. A separate conversation with the Commander of the Air Force. Today, there was a lot of information, outrage and discussion - regarding the transfers. I have instructed to clarify everything for the public and to ensure that the number of specialists needed by the Air Force to carry out combat missions - for our aviation, air defense, and mobile fire groups - is not reduced. Afternoon - meetings regarding our work with partners. We have planned the next few weeks - with a focus on European directions. The schedule includes new meetings with leaders, and one of our key goals is to increase our partners' investment in our defense. Today, the German Minister of Defense visited Kyiv: we discussed, among other things, air defense, new systems that our cities need, and financial support. Germany is one of the leaders in helping Ukraine, and in terms of total assistance from all nations, Germany contributes 16%. This is very significant. I expressed my gratitude for this, noting that there is a direct correlation between the level of support and the things we can implement both on the battlefield and in protecting lives in the rear. The Speaker of the Latvian Saeima is also in Ukraine today. We discussed further cooperation. Both Germany and Latvia participated in today's meeting of NATO countries in the Baltic region, and this is another area where it is clear that Russia is investing its resources specifically in prolonging the war and creating problems for everyone in Europe. This includes Russia's shadow tanker fleet, as well as spying on European countries and their infrastructure in the Baltics, and threats to critical undersea infrastructure. No less dangerous are the new threats from drones, which Russia can use to destabilize infrastructure facilities on the continent. Such as airports or power plants. We must all coordinate our efforts together for the sake of our defense and greater security for our countries. And one more thing. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has just delivered a report. We discussed personnel issues. Glory to Ukraine! NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukraine opens first comprehensive human rights centre with support from Estonia Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15.01.2025 Ukraine's first comprehensive human rights centre was opened in the city of Zhytomyr. Not only will it receive and document complaints of human rights violations, it will also address pressing issues, such as the return of children abducted by russia during the war and the exchange of prisoners of war. The Human Rights Centre expanded its operations as a result of cooperation between the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights and the Estonian Centre for International Development (ESDTEV). Estonia provided support by funding building renovations and training staff. The centre was opened on January 14, 2025, by Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Ukrainian Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets. "I am extremely pleased that the city of Zhytomyr now has a Human Rights Centre. It will play a central role in documenting human rights violations, assisting people who have suffered from russia's brutal military actions and returning children deported during the war," said Tsahkna. "The opening of the Human Rights Centre is a strong message of unity from Estonia and Ukraine to russia that we will continue the search for the deported children and that russia will not escape responsibility." Lubinets said that Estonian support has been integral to the creation of this comprehensive human rights centre, the first of its kind in Ukraine. "This is the result of direct cooperation with the Estonian government. It is also a positive example for other countries, how one country, Estonia, has chosen a specific region, the Zhytomyr Region, to help with restoration," Lubinets said. Lubinets confirmed that the number of complaints about human rights violations has increased rapidly over the past year. Those seeking help are primarily internally displaced people (IDPs) and the relatives of prisoners of war and missing persons. The Zhytomyr Region has played a special role in protecting human rights in Ukraine in the past; after the Chornobyl disaster, many IDPs fled to Zhytomyr and were in need of support. Lubinets expressed gratitude to Estonia for renovating the centre's premises and sponsoring the staff training programme designed to help address sensitive issues raised by the war. The centre was renovated (300 m2) to provide citizens with a safe, neutral and private environment to prevent victim (re)traumatisation and reduce anxiety. The centre also operates as a children's home (or "Barnahus+") for youth who have been sexually abused or suspected of being sexually abused. The training programme that took place as part of the ESTDEV project entailed four study visits to Estonia, where Estonian experts and mentors trained 75 staff members of the Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner's team from across Ukraine. Estonia contributed 400,000 euros to establishing the Zhytomyr Human Rights Centre and training staff. Klen Jaarats, ESDTEV's executive director, said that protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms is always important, but the need for legal protection increases during the war. "The Human Rights Centre in Zhytomyr will allow us to bring important services closer to the region's people during the war. I hope it will also become a centre of expertise, where the lessons learned during study visits to Estonia will be applied and, eventually, where employees from human rights centres in other regions can exchange experiences," said Jaarats. The establishment of the Zhytomyr Human Rights Centre supports the Secretariat of the Commissioner for Human Rights of Ukraine's goal of strengthening regional offices and transforming them from places of complaint registration into comprehensive, modern human rights centres. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Foreign Minister Tsahkna in Kyiv: We know the formula for Ukraine's victory Republic of Estonia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15.01.2025 Meeting his Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv today 15 January, Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna underlined that Ukraine and its supporters have made the right decisions in fighting Russia's aggression, and staying the course is the only way forward. "The formula for Ukraine's victory is simple - Ukrainians must be provided with military tools to repel Russia's brutal attacks. At the same time we must continue putting comprehensive pressure on Russia," Tsahkna said. "In the past three years or so, the right decisions have been taken and we must stay on this course. Ukraine must be helped to a position of power by providing it with weapons shipments without restrictions, while ramping up sanctions against Russia, deterring Russia's shadow fleet, limiting Russia's oil revenues and putting frozen Russian assets into use." Tsahkna said Estonia was committed to providing long-term assistance to Ukraine, and supporting Ukraine on its path to the European Union and NATO. "A possible truce without functioning security guarantees would allow Russia to recover its strength and launch new attacks in due time," Tsahkna said. "Bringing Ukraine under the NATO umbrella is the most effective deterrence that would help bring lasting peace to Ukraine and Europe." The foreign minister reaffirmed Estonia would continue rebuilding Ukraine. "With the reconstruction projects, we are contributing to mitigating the destructive impact of Russia's aggression on Ukrainians and offering them some hope for a better and safer future," the foreign minister said. Today the foreign minister and the First Lady of Ukraine Olena Zelenska opened two family homes in Zhytomyr, built jointly by the International Development Cooperation Centre of Estonia (ESTDEV) and the Olena Zelenska Fund (OZF). The foreign minister also opened the Zhytomyr Human Rights Centre established with support from Estonia and met with Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets. "The Human Rights Centre built with Estonian support will have an important role in exchanging prisoners of war, documenting human rights violations, and bringing back deported children," the minister said. "Russia must answer for its abhorrent human rights violations and the work of the Human Rights Centre will contribute to that." NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Baiba Braze: Latvia and the Netherlands agree - NATO must continue its military support to Ukraine and make every effort to constrain Russia Republic of Latvia - Ministry of Foreign Affairs 15.01.2025 On 15 January 2025, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braze, during her working visit to the Netherlands, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Caspar Veldkamp, and thanked for contribution by the Netherlands to security in the Baltic region, especially for the rotational participation of the Dutch troops in the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission from Amari Air Base in Estonia, and for being part of the NATO eFP battle group in Lithuania. Baiba Braze also offered thanks for the work of a Dutch expert in NATO's Strategic Communication Centre of Excellence (NATO StratCom CoE) in Riga. The Ministers then discussed preparations for the next NATO Summit in the Hague on 24-26 June: it is essential for Latvia that the objectives in terms of capabilities and measures for constraining Russia set out in the NATO Defence Planning Process be approved in time for the summit. Baiba Braze and Caspar Veldcamp signed an Agreement between the Republic of Latvia and the Kingdom of the Netherlands concerning Security Measures for the Protection of Classified Information. It will facilitate cooperationbetweenthetwocountries in the field ofsecurityanddefence. In negotiations on security agreements, Latvia is represented by the National Security Authority - the Constitution Protection Bureau. The Ministers exchanged views on cooperation between the two countries bilaterally and in NATO, the EU and other formats, geopolitical and security policy challenges, further comprehensive support to Ukraine, Russia's accountability for its war of aggression against Ukraine, as well as the priorities of the new European Commission, including migration and combating instrumentalisation of migration under the conditions of hybrid warfare at the EU border, as well as work on the EU's long-term budget (2028-2034). "We have a united position that NATO member states must continue providing military support to Ukraine and make every effort to constrain Russia. We are unanimous that Russia must be held accountable for its crime of aggression and we must move rapidly ahead with the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine under the auspices of the Council of Europe. Likewise, it is in our shared interests to set more robust and broader sanctions on Russia, including by denying access to Western technologies, so as to reduce Russia's revenues as much as possible and erode its military capabilities that enable it to continue its brutal war of aggression against Ukraine.EU Member States must also decrease their economic dependencies on Russia, exert a stricter control of exported goods in their countries of origin and declaration, and signal to business communities that business with Russia is not sustainable in a long-term," Foreign Minister Baiba Braze underlined. Baiba Braze took part in an international conference organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, EU sanctions compliance: best practices towards effectiveness and innovation, on an effective enforcement of the European Union sanctions against Russia and Belarus. In her speech, theMinisternoted thatclosecooperationandsharingofexperiencebetween competent authorities isimportantfor aneffective application of sanctions, and she underscored Latvia's experience with the enforcement of sanctions in view of Latvian authorities being the ones that are shouldering the burden of sanctions control at the EU and NATO eastern border: 80% of freight crossing the border into Russia and Belarus come from other EU countries. In the second part of the conference, experts from the Latvian Financial Intelligence Unit and the State Revenues Service's Customs Administration gave presentations on the application of sanctions and control of goods at the external border of the EU. Baiba Braze took part in a high-level discussion with the Foreign Minister of the Netherlands and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Elina Valtonen. The event was also attended bythe EU Special Envoy for Sanctions, David O'Sullivan, and the Ukrainian President's Special Adviser on sanctions, Vladyslav Vlasiuk. At the Latvian Embassy, Baiba Braze met with members of the Latvian diaspora working or studying in the Netherlands. During her visit, the Foreign Minister gave interviews to the BNR Nieuwsradioin The Netherlands, the country's largest paperDe Volkskrant, as well as to TVP World and Politico. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Why Do Ukrainians Oppose Lowering The Conscription Age? By Ray Furlong, RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and Current Time January 15, 2025 Svitlana Pokalchuk sent her two teenage sons abroad so that they could avoid military service in Ukraine when they came of age. "I know how many boys are no longer with us," Pokalchuk told RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service. "You see Facebook, how many people are looking for their relatives and, as a mother, I feel grief. Just grief." She is not alone. The United States, Kyiv's main military backer, has called on Ukraine to lower the conscription age from 25 to 18 as the country struggles to fend off advancing Russian forces amid a shortage of new recruits. That has led some Ukrainian families to send their sons overseas to avoid conscription. "The first reason is their [immediate] security," said Pokalchuk. "For a mother it's the most important thing. And secondly, the draft age. They are still young and there is no proper military training." In April, Ukraine reduced the mobilization age from 27 to 25. But in November 2024, the Biden administration pushed Ukraine to lower the draft age again -- this time, to 18. On January 12, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's designated national-security adviser Mike Waltz repeated the message. 'Children To The Slaughter' Reactions on the streets of Kyiv were entirely negative. "I'm a mother and a grandmother and I am categorically against it," one woman told Current Time. "At 18 years old, they are children. They'd be cannon fodder, children sent to the slaughter," she added. Another woman said "there will be nobody left to have babies," tapping into a deep-seated concern that goes to the heart of opposition to the proposal. The 18-25 age group is the weakest of Ukraine's working age demographics. A dramatic fall in the birth rate in the 1990s, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, continued into the 2000s amid ongoing economic hardship. "Our lowest birth rate in history was in 2001," says Oleksandr Hladun, deputy director at the Ukrainian Academy of Science's Demography Institute. "This contingent is currently the smallest. And this means that in 25-30 years even fewer children will be born." Official data has revealed what is called the "demographic gap." In fact, the real population figures are lower still, as the population was further diminished by emigration fueled first by economic factors and then by war. Hladun points to studies showing that 25 percent of Ukrainian high school students wish to continue their studies abroad. "Perhaps this will provoke some [other] part of the population to leave, to take their children abroad." No stigma Resistance to conscription generally has been driven by reports of corruption at draft offices and the well-connected finding legal ways to avoid being called up. Last year, investigations revealed government officials had evaded military service by falsely claiming disability benefits. An opinion poll in June 2024 found that 46 percent of Ukrainians think there is no shame in being a draft dodger, while 25 percent of respondents said they were unable to answer the question. Perhaps as a result of this atmosphere, political reaction to lowering the recruitment age has been negative, too. In December 2024, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy made scathing remarks to journalists during a visit to Brussels. The problem, he suggested, was not troop numbers but insufficient arms and equipment. Zelenskiy has long called on Kyiv's Western allies to increase weapons supplies to Ukraine. "Tell me please: if a person is in front of you, without arms, what is the difference if he is 20 or 30 if he is not armed? There is no difference," the president said last month. But Zelenskiy has also admitted that the army needs younger fighters, and videos of Ukrainian press gangs dragging men off the streets underline the problem. Political pressure may force Zelenskiy to change his mind. Trump has already made it amply clear that he is not inclined to support Ukraine militarily and wants to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to negotiate peace. As Zelenskiy tries to keep Trump's favor, he may be forced to make concessions somewhere. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-russia-war- conscription/33275293.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Rubio, Trump's Pick For Secretary Of State, Says Ukraine Must Make Concessions By Todd Prince January 15, 2025 President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be the top U.S. diplomat said it is "unrealistic" to expect Ukraine to recover all the land Russia has seized since launching its full-scale invasion nearly three years ago, adding Kyiv will have to make concessions to Moscow to end the fighting. "There's no way Ukraine is also going to push these people [Russian forces] all the way back to where they were on the eve of the invasion just given the size dynamic," Republican Senator Marco Rubio told lawmakers during his Senate confirmation hearing on January 15. Trump ran on a promise to quickly end the war in Ukraine, raising concerns he would force Kyiv to cede territory -- at least temporarily -- to Moscow. Russia currently controls about 20 percent of Ukraine's territory. Rubio declined to speculate on what concessions Ukraine might have to make but told lawmakers NATO membership would be part of the negotiations. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has said his country needs Western security guarantees like NATO membership to prevent Russia from invading again in a few years. Russia and Ukraine have been trying to seize as much land from each other as possible in the run-up to Trump's inauguration on January 20 to improve their respective bargaining positions ahead of possible talks. Russia has had the initiative on the battlefield since Ukraine's counteroffensive concluded unsuccessfully in late 2023. It has been seizing territory in eastern Ukraine at the fastest pace since the start of the war in February 2022. Russia is on the verge of capturing Pokrovsk, a key logistics hub in Donetsk region. Meanwhile, Ukraine in August seized a chunk of Russian territory in Kursk region as part of a successful surprise attack. After giving up nearly half those gains since then, Ukraine has recently launched a small-scale offensive in the region. Ukraine's struggles on the battlefield of late stem from its inability to replenish its infantry forces. While Russia has suffered enormous losses -- more than 700,000 according to U.S. intelligence -- Moscow has been able to recruit more and more men, giving it a significant manpower advantage. "Despite high casualties, the Russian military maintains an offensive footing on multiple fronts," Can Kasapoglu, an analyst at the Hudson Institute, said in a January 15 note. The Biden administration has repeatedly said the United States would support Ukraine "for as long as it takes" and has committed nearly $66 billion in military aid to the country since the start of the invasion. Rubio said that position is "not a realistic or prudent" one, highlighting Ukraine's manpower problems. "Ukraine isn't running out of money, it is running out of people," he said. "If we want to be honest about bringing that [war] to an end, true diplomacy will require concessions from every party engaged in those conversations." Experts say that Russian President Vladimir Putin is not interested in ending the war now because he believes he is winning. He also hasn't given up his goal of conquering Ukraine, John Kirby, U.S. national security spokesman for the Biden administration, told reporters on January 14. "When the Trump team starts engaging in these kinds of discussions, they will find that getting Putin to abandon his goal of subjugating all of Ukraine will be the hardest thing in this process," Mikhail Alexseev, a political science professor at San Diego State University who focuses on Russia and Ukraine, told RFE/RL. While Trump claimed during the campaign that he would be able to quickly end the war in Ukraine, he has recently taken a more cautious stance on the prospects of striking a deal soon. Rubio admitted it will be difficult to reach an agreement between the warring sides. "This is not going to be an easy endeavor...it's going to require bold diplomacy," he said. U.S. Aid In the meantime, questions remain about whether Trump will continue to supply Ukraine with military aid. The president-elect repeatedly criticized the amount of aid the Biden administration sent to Ukraine while on the campaign trail. However, he also said he was open a lend-lease type program in which Kyiv would pay back the United States over time for military aid. The Biden administration has surged aid since September to ensure Kyiv has enough weapon systems and ammunition to get it through the first months of 2025 should Trump end or cut support. Alexseev said that Trump will need to continue aid to Ukraine if he is serious about getting Putin to end the fighting. "We will have movement toward a negotiated settlement only if Ukraine acquires greater capabilities to inflict damage inside Russia. Until that happens, Putin has very little incentive to abandon his strategy of making gradual gains on the battlefield and just waiting for the West to abandon support," he said. Alexseev also said Trump may seek to change Putin's calculus on Ukraine by countering the Kremlin's interests in other regions like the Arctic, Middle East, Africa or targeting his allies like Iran and North Korea. "What we may see from from Trump is a broadening of the bargaining game, taking it to other areas to send more and more messages to Putin," he said. NATO, U.S. Hostages During his confirmation hearing, Rubio reiterated his support for U.S. alliances but said that European members of NATO have to increase spending on defense. Prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, only a handful of NATO members met spending targets. "I think it's important that we have alliances, but we have to have alliances with strong and capable partners, and not those who sort of viewed the U.S. and the NATO defense agreement as an excuse to spend less on defense and more on some domestic needs," Rubio told lawmakers. Trump has repeatedly criticized European allies for failing to meet defense spending targets and reportedly raised the question of withdrawing from the alliance during his first term in office from 2017-21. Amid that threat, Rubio co-authored a bill that would prevent any president from withdrawing the United States from NATO without approval from the Senate or an Act of Congress. That bill was passed in December 2023. Rubio told lawmakers he still supports that law. Rubio also addressed the issue of American prisoners. He said Russia and other adversaries are taking American citizens hostage with the hope of getting concessions from the United States. "There is now an active global market for detaining Americans wrongfully in Venezuela, in Russia, in China or somewhere else, Iran, and then using to trade for something they want in the future," he told lawmakers. When asked about the case of Mark Fogel, a 66-year-old American teacher serving a 14-year sentence on charges of marijuana possession, Rubio called the case "ridiculous" and said he has been in touch with his family. Rubio said Russia should release Fogel in a gesture of good especially if progress is made on ending the war in Ukraine. "If they're not willing to do this ... then I think the chances of improvement in U.S. Russian relations are impossible," he said. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/rubio-ukraine-concessions- peace-deal/33276938.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Massive Russian Attack Targets Ukraine Energy Sites Amid Winter Freeze By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 15, 2025 Russia and Ukraine exchanged 50 prisoners of war, the first swap this year, just hours after Moscow launched a massive attack on Ukrainian energy targets, causing rotating power outages that President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said highlighted the need for Western help to strengthen the existing capabilities of Ukraine's air shield. Russia's Defense Ministry said on January 15 that as a result of talks mediated by the United Arab Emirates, 25 Russian servicemen were returned from territory controlled by Kyiv in exchange for 25 Ukrainian soldiers. Zelenskiy confirmed the swap, noting that those returning to Ukrainian control include soldiers who fought at the Azovstal steel plant in Mariupol in one of the most intense battles fought in the early stages of the war. The exchange came after several regions across Ukraine were rocked by explosions early on January 15, hobbling the country's power system in the dead of winter. Power operator Ukrenerho reported emergency outages in several regions, while the head of the Lviv region reported two hits on critical infrastructure. "It's the middle of winter, and the target for the Russians remains the same: our energy sector. Among the targets are gas infrastructure and energy facilities that ensure people's normal lives," Zelenskiy said. Russian troops also attacked Kramatorsk and Kostiantynivka, the head of the Donetsk Regional Military Administration, Vadym Filashkin, reported on January 15 as he reiterated a call for residents of the region, especially those with families, to evacuate. The Russian Defense Ministry said its forces conducted strikes on Ukrainian energy facilities, successfully hitting all designated targets. The ministry said the strikes were in response to Ukrainian attacks using U.S. ATACMS missiles and British-made Storm Shadow missiles and an attack on Russia's Krasnodar region aimed at halting gas flows through the Turkstream pipeline network. A major fire broke out at an oil depot in the Liski district of the Voronezh region late on January 15. Eyewitnesses posted videos, which have not been verified by RFE/RL, showing flames and smoke rising from the oil depot. There has been no official confirmation from either side. As crews worked to restore Ukrainian energy facilities, Zelenskiy was in Warsaw to meet with Polish leaders on bilateral relations. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said after meeting Zelenskiy that his country will use its current position as head of the rotating presidency of the EU to push forward Kyiv's accession to the bloc. "We will break the standstill we have in this issue.... We will accelerate the accession process," Tusk told a news conference. Tusk also accused Russia of planning acts of "air terror" against airlines around the world, saying Moscow seeks sabotage and diversion on Polish soil and beyond. He did not provide any evidence to back up the claims, saying "I will not go into details, but I can confirm the validity of these fears is that Russia has been planning acts of air terror, and not only against Poland, but against airlines all over the world." Poland has been a staunch ally of Kyiv since Russia launched its full-scale invasion almost three years ago, but ties have shown signs of strain for decades over the Volhynia massacre of ethnic Poles by Ukrainian nationalists between 1943 and 1945. Tens of thousands of Poles, and thousands of Ukrainians died in the massacres by the nationalist Ukrainian Insurgent Army and the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists under Stepan Bandera. The Polish parliament has said the events bore elements of genocide. The two sides have agreed that the exhumation of the victims of the tragedy will begin in April in the Ternopil region and be carried out by the Freedom and Democracy Foundation with experts from the Pomeranian Medical University, specialists from the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, and Ukrainian archaeologists. Warsaw has long sought the exhumation and proper burial of Polish victims and the issue is looming in a May presidential election in which Karol Nawrocki, a conservative historian who heads the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN), is running as a nationalist candidate. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski is seen as the leading candidate to succeed President Andrzej Duda. He represents the liberal-conservative coalition led by Tusk. Duda is ineligible for reelection as he was already elected twice. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/massive-russian-attack- targets-ukraine-energy-sites-amid-winter-freeze/33276618.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Tried To Stop Removal Of Captured North Korean Soldier From Battlefield By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service January 15, 2025 Russian forces tried to prevent Ukrainian troops who captured a North Korean soldier in Kursk earlier this month from taking him off the battlefield, according to a Ukrainian soldier involved in the mission in comments to RFE/RL. The Ukrainian soldier said the Russian forces launched a barrage of artillery fire at members of Ukraine's 8th Regiment of Special Operations Forces, stopping them from leaving the forest with the captured soldier. "They probably guessed that we wanted to take their fighter, and massive artillery shelling began, said the soldier, who identified himself only by his call sign, Greek. "And they were shooting very close and very accurately. They didn't want us to take him out of there until the last moment." The Russian forces also attempted to use an FPV (first-person view) drone. "It didn't hit either, but that's good for us," said Greek. The Ukrainian special forces came upon the soldier after seeing an opportunity to advance in an area they had been observing. The retreating soldiers left without the North Korean, who had an injured leg. "We took them by surprise. They had not yet had time to orient themselves, as we pushed them away from that point and simply took the prisoner," a second Ukrainian soldier involved in the capture identified only by his call name, Badger, told RFE/RL. Both Ukrainian soldiers said the North Korean soldier may not have realized what was happening. They said they approached very quickly and were difficult to see in their camouflage. Other soldiers held him at gunpoint to prevent him from harming any of the Ukrainian troops present. He was also frisked for any means he may have had to commit suicide. The prisoner was given an anesthetic injection for his wound and handed over to the medics. According to the Ukrainian military, he wanted food and water. Two previous attempts to capture North Korean soldiers were unsuccessful, the military said. The first was seriously wounded and died shortly after being captured; the second committed suicide. The successfully captured North Korean soldier is one of two that Ukraine reported its forces captured in the Russian region of Kursk this month. South Korea's intelligence agency confirmed their capture, but it has not been confirmed by either Moscow or Pyongyang. The agency quoted one of the captured North Korean soldiers as saying that "there were significant losses among North Korean soldiers in Russia." It also said that one of the prisoners had been without food and water for four to five days before he was captured. Ukraine's Military Intelligence (HUR) said on January 13 that the two soldiers would be interrogated. Yevhen Yerin, a representative of HUR, told RFE/RL the information gathered from them "is important not only for operational intelligence but also as a political tool to reveal the participation of the North Korean Army in Russia's military actions." South Korea's intelligence service reported on January 13 that more than 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed in the Russian region of Kursk and 2,700 more injured. The arrival of North Korean military personnel in Kursk became known in October. Moscow has reclaimed some 40 percent of the territory Ukraine claimed after launching an incursion in August, but Ukrainian troops still control more than 500 square kilometers of the region. Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/north-korea-russia-ukraine- captured-soldier-kursk/33276144.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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Defence Ministry reports on repelling AFU attempt to invade Russian territory in Kursk region (15 January 2025) 15.01.2025 The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the operation to neutralise an enemy group, which broke into the territory of Kursk region. Units of the Sever Group of Forces inflicted losses on formations of one tank brigade, one heavy mechanised brigade, four mechanised brigades, two air assault brigades, one marine brigade, and three territorial defence brigades of the AFU near Viktorovka, Guyevo, Kurilovka, Lebedevka, Malaya Loknya, Makhnovka, Nikolayevo-Daryino, Nikolsky, Novaya Sorochina, Sverdlikovo, and Cherkasskoye Porechnoye. Two enemy counter-attacks were repelled. Operational-Tactical and Army aviation and artillery inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of the enemy near Viktorovka, Zamostye, Ivashkovsky, Pervy Knyazhy, Kositsa, Kruglenkoye, Kurilovka, Loknya, Martynovka, Melovoy, Mirny, Mikhaylovka, Pogrebki, Sudzha, Yuzhny as well as Basovka, Belovody, Veselovka, Zhuravka, and Yunakovka in Sumy region. Over the past 24 hours, the AFU losses amounted to more than 220 troops, two tanks, two armoured personnel carriers, five armoured fighting vehicles, six motor vehicles, two artillery guns, and four mortars. Since the beginning of hostilities in Kursk region, the AFU losses amounted to more than 52,120 troops, 305 tanks, 229 infantry fighting vehicles, 170 armoured personnel carriers, 1,566 armoured fighting vehicles, 1,480 motor vehicles, 366 artillery guns, 44 MLRS launchers, including 13 of HIMARS and six of MLRS made by the USA, 16 anti-aircraft missile launchers, eight transport-loading vehicles, 93 EW stations, 14 counter-battery warfare radars, four air defence radars, 30 units of engineering and other materiel, including 15 counterobstacle vehicles, one UR-77 mine clearing vehicle, eight armoured recovery vehicles, and one command post vehicle. The operation to neutralise the AFU units is in progress. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Statement by Russian Defence Ministry 15.01.2025 As a result of the negotiation process, 25 Russian servicemen were returned from the territory controlled by the Kiev regime. Twenty-five AFU POWs were returned as a result of the exchange. At the moment, all Russian servicemen are on the territory of the Republic of Belarus, where they are being provided with the necessary psychological and medical assistance and given the opportunity to contact their relatives. All released servicemen will be taken to the Russian Federation for treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions of the Russian Defence Ministry. During the return of Russian servicemen from captivity, humanitarian mediation efforts were provided by the United Arab Emirates. Department for Media Affairs and Information NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump's State Secretary Nominee Urges End to Ukraine Conflict, Calls for Realistic Solutions Sputnik News 20250115 WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The United States' official position on the Ukraine conflict must be that it should be brought to an end, Republican Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump's secretary of state nominee, said on Wednesday. "I think it should be the official position of the United States that this war should be brought to an end," Rubio said during a hearing in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, when asked to elaborate on his decision late last year to vote against aid to Ukraine. The 53-year-old admitted that "this is not going to be an easy endeavor" and called for "everyone to be realistic." He suggested that conflict settlement could start with "some ceasefire" and require concessions by both Russia and Ukraine. Rubio pointed to a change in the dynamic of the Ukraine conflict, saying it has become a "war of attrition" and "stalemate." He believes there is "no way Russia takes all of Ukraine." "It's also unrealistic to believe that somehow a nation the size of Ukraine no matter how incompetent and no matter how much damage the Russian Federation has suffered as a result of this invasion there is no way Ukraine is also going to push these people all the way back to where they were on the eve of the invasion," Rubio added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Forces Target Ukrainian Gas Infrastructure and Liberate Ukrainka in DPR Sputnik News 20250115 Operational-tactical aviation, attack drones, missile forces, and artillery struck military airfield infrastructure, personnel concentrations, and enemy equipment in 137 areas. "This morning, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a coordinated strike using high-precision weaponry and attack drones on critical gas-energy infrastructure that supports Ukraine's military-industrial complex," Russia's Ministry of Defense reported on Wednesday. All intended targets were hit, the ministry emphasized. Operational-tactical aviation, attack drones, missile forces, and artillery struck military airfield infrastructure, personnel concentrations, and enemy equipment in 137 areas. Air raid alerts were declared across Ukraine in the morning. Explosions were reported in the Khmelnytsky, Ivano-Frankovsk, Dnepropetrovsk, Kiev, and Vinnitsa regions, as well as in Kharkov and Cherkassy. Local authorities confirmed hits on critical infrastructure, while Ukraine's Ministry of Energy announced emergency power outages. Air defense systems reportedly intercepted 85 drones, two French-made Hammer guided bombs, and 10 US-made HIMARS rocket system projectiles. In response to Ukrainian attacks on civilian facilities, Russian forces regularly target enemy personnel, equipment, and infrastructure, including energy facilities, defense industry sites, military command centers, and communication systems. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has repeatedly stressed that the Russian military does not strike residential buildings or social institutions. Since the beginning of the special military operation, the following have been destroyed: - 652 aircraft - 283 helicopters - 40,480 drones - 590 surface-to-air missile systems - 20,539 tanks and other armored vehicles - 1,509 multiple rocket launcher systems - 20,630 field artillery and mortar units - 30,305 units of special military vehicles Furthermore, Russian troops from the Tsentr Battlegroup recently liberated the settlement of Ukrainka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), according to the Ministry of Defense. "Thanks to successful offensive operations, forces of Battlegroup Tsentr have liberated the settlement of Ukrainka in the DPR," the statement read. Other Developments Battlegroup Tsentr eliminated over 560 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed a German-made Leopard tank. The battlegroup's forces targeted six mechanized brigades, a territorial defense brigade, two national guard brigades, and the Foreign Legion in various locations across the Donetsk People's Republic, destroying four armored vehicles, six artillery units, and six vehicles. Battlegroup Sever eliminated up to 30 Ukrainian soldiers, destroyed six vehicles, a Grad MLRS, and three field artillery units, including a US-made Paladin. The battlegroup's forces struck Ukrainian positions in Dergachi, Tsirkuny, and Volchansk in the Kharkov region, eliminating two ammunition depots. Battlegroup Yug eliminated 230 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed a tank and an ammunition depot. The battlegroup's forces struck formations of three mechanized brigades, an airmobile brigade, and a mountain assault brigade across multiple locations in the Donetsk People's Republic, destroying three armored vehicles, four pickups, and four artillery units. Battlegroup Zapad eliminated more than 460 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed two M113 APCs and 13 pickups. The battlegroup's forces struck positions of three mechanized brigades, a tank brigade, and two territorial defense brigades in various locations in Kharkov and Donetsk regions, destroying five NATO-made artillery units, two ammunition depots, and an electronic warfare station. Battlegroup Vostok eliminated up to 200 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed two armored vehicles and a Bohdana self-propelled artillery unit. Forces advanced into Ukrainian defenses, targeting three mechanized brigades and an airborne assault brigade in locations within the Donetsk People's Republic, destroying eight vehicles and an ammunition depot. Battlegroup Dnepr eliminated 95 Ukrainian soldiers and destroyed 13 vehicles and two field artillery units. The battlegroup's forces targeted a mechanized brigade, two coastal defense brigades, a territorial defense brigade, and a national guard brigade across locations in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Intel Offered $1M to Russian Soldiers to Leave Gorlovka - Russian Security Service Sputnik News 20250115 MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said on Wednesday that it had foiled plans of Ukrainian military intelligence that promised Russian soldiers $1 million to leave their positions in Gorlovka in the Donetsk People's Republic (DPR). "Representatives of the Ukrainian military intelligence promised Russian servicemen $1 million for leaving their positions in the city of Gorlovka (DPR). The aspirations of ... [Kiev] were promptly identified by the military counterintelligence of the FSB of Russia and transferred to controlled conditions, $100,000 US dollars, paid by the Ukrainian military intelligence as an advance payment, were received," the FSB said in a statement. During the operational activities, areas of concentration of Ukrainian armed forces units were uncovered. In addition, units of the Russian armed forces carried out preventive missile and artillery strikes on the identified routes of movement of Ukrainian armed formations to Russian positions, the statement read, adding that Kiev suffered significant human and material losses. "The funds were used to purchase material and technical resources in the interests of units participating in the special military operation," the statement added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address The President of Ukraine and the President of Poland Discussed Further Defense and Political Support President of Ukraine 15 January 2025 - 18:37 President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President of Poland Andrzej Duda in Warsaw. The main topics of their discussion included further cooperation, defense assistance, achieving a just peace, and support for Ukrainians temporarily residing in Poland. In particular, Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that centers of unity will be created in Poland, Germany, and other countries hosting Ukrainian citizens. The Ukrainian leader thanked Poland for its attention and respect for Ukraine and Ukrainians, as well as for all the assistance provided since the beginning of the full-scale invasion. In total, Poland has already provided 45 defense assistance packages, and the 46th one is being prepared. "We must maintain unity with our partners and do everything possible to achieve lasting peace," the President of Ukraine stressed. Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Andrzej Duda paid special attention to investments in Ukrainian arms production, especially drones, as well as Poland's participation in the Czech initiative to supply shells. "It is important for Ukraine, for Poland, for all of us in Europe to coordinate our positions and together achieve our common goals - the security of our nations, as well as the strengthening of our alliances - the European Union and NATO," the Ukrainian President said. He thanked Poland for its unwavering support of Ukraine on its path to the EU and NATO. "The greatest security guarantee for Ukraine would be, and I hope will soon be, membership in the North Atlantic Alliance," the President of Poland said. Andrzej Duda also emphasized Poland's commitment to supporting Ukraine, including by participating in its reconstruction. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Supplies and Production of Arms, Advancing a Just Peace, and the Path to the EU: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Met with Donald Tusk President of Ukraine 15 January 2025 - 16:41 In Warsaw, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with Prime Minister of Poland Donald Tusk as a follow-up to their talks in Lviv and during the first weeks of Poland's Presidency of the Council of the EU. "Poland's Presidency is a period that we are now entering with ambitions and from which we will undoubtedly emerge with concrete results - results for Ukraine, for Poland, for our entire Europe," the Head of State said. Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Poland and all Polish people for their unwavering support for Ukraine, defense assistance, and respect for Ukrainians living in the country. The President described the consequences of today's Russian attack on the Ukrainian energy sector, in particular on energy facilities in the Lviv region. In response, Poland expressed its readiness to supply electricity to Ukraine. During the meeting, Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Tusk had an in-depth discussion on defense assistance - supplies and production of arms, as well as related investments. Ukraine has significant capabilities to produce all types of drones, many types of equipment and artillery. "We also addressed possibilities of advancing peace for Ukraine and the whole of Europe - in five days, President Trump will be inaugurated in the United States. We expect active cooperation based on the concept of "peace through strength," the Head of State emphasized. According to the President, Ukraine expects tougher sanctions against Russia and active joint efforts in Ukraine's EU accession negotiations over the next six months. "We will join efforts with Ukraine to work with our European partners and, of course, to accelerate the accession process," the Prime Minister of Poland noted. Donald Tusk also assured Ukraine of Poland's continued support. "Today, Poland and Ukraine reaffirm that one of the key conditions for the successful conclusion of this historic journey is the possibility of the closest, deepest cooperation based on friendship and mutual interests, a common path for Poland and Ukraine," he added. The Prime Minister also expressed Poland's readiness to host the Ukraine Recovery Conference in 2026 in Poland. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address JOINT STATEMENT by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland Donald Tusk President of Ukraine 15 January 2025 - 16:28 (January 15, 2025, Warsaw) We met today in Warsaw, at the beginning of the Polish Presidency in the EU Council, to confirm strategic partnership between Ukraine and Poland as well as to reiterate Polish support for Ukraine to obtain full membership in the European Union. 1. We agree that the security and defence of Europe is our common interest and responsibility. The existing lack of security in Europe is driven primarily by Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. We will work together to stop the Russian war against Ukraine and to restore a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and security in Europe. Both sides will support and promote the Victory Plan of the President of Ukraine and Ukrainian Peace Formula based on key principles of international law. 2. Poland and Ukraine will work together with European partners to make Europe more secure, stronger, and safer. This will include ensuring proper defence support to Ukraine, including using immobilized Russian frozen assets for Ukraine's needs, in particular for effective functioning of the Ukraine Assistance Fund under the European Peace Facility. 3. The EU enlargement means the expansion of the security zone in Europe. Poland will facilitate Ukraine's accession process with the aim of opening cluster 1 "Fundamentals" and - if possible - other negotiating clusters. 4. Poland and Ukraine see an urgent need for strengthening Europe's defence capabilities, coordinating the respective efforts with NATO allies. We will strive to convince partners that the European Defence Industry Programme should properly reflect Ukraine's role in the growth of Europe's defence sector. 5. Acting in cooperation with the United States and other like-minded partners, we will continue efforts aimed at broadening global isolation of Russia and increasing EU sanctions' pressure on the aggressor-state. We will strengthen coordination in the fight against Russian disinformation and cyberattacks to enhance Europe's resistance to such hostile actions. 6. Poland will advocate for further EU's assistance to Ukraine, in particular through stable budgetary funding under both the Ukraine Facility, the EU's exceptional macro-financial assistance as well as assistance related to restoring energy infrastructure, humanitarian demining and other urgent needs of Ukraine. 7. Europe's energy independence is one of the pillars of the continent's overall security. It is crucial to fully cut off Europe's dependence on Russian energy sources. We cannot rely any longer on the aggressor-state and on the supplier, which uses energy as a tool of warfare. This means that Europe should aim at greater integration and self-sufficiency when it comes to the energy supply. Completion of the EU energy market and closer energy cooperation with Ukraine can increase energy security, diversify energy supplies and reduce energy prices. 8. Emphasizing the importance of Ukraine's implementation of relevant EU legislation, we will work together, in line with the provisions of the EU-Ukraine Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, on improving, if possible, the movement of people, goods and capital via strengthening connectivity, upgrading the border crossing infrastructure. 9. We will work together on the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine with relevant engagement of the international actors, notably EU Member States and institutions. 10. We will continue constructive dialogue and look for the solutions of the issues related to the Common Agricultural Policy in the light of Ukraine's integration in the EU Single Market. 11. We welcome the progress in resolving the historical issues and will continue developing constructive historical dialogue based on existing legal framework and the democratic values in the name of the common European future. 12. Poland is ready to share with Ukraine its experience of accession talks with the EU. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian missile, drone attacks cause damage in multiple Ukrainian regions By VOA News January 15, 2025 Officials in western Ukraine said Wednesday a Russian missile attack hit critical infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region, part of a series of attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said included more than 40 missiles and 70 drones. Zelenskyy said Russia's targets included "gas and energy facilities that sustain normal life for our people," and that Ukrainian air defenses shot down 30 of the missiles. "Thanks to our air defense forces and all involved units, we've managed to maintain the functionality of our energy system," Zelenskyy said. "However, we must continue strengthening the capabilities of Ukraine's air shield. Promises made by partners at the NATO summit in Washington and within the Ramstein format still remain partially unfulfilled." Ukraine's military issued air alerts for regions across the country Wednesday, while the national power grid operator instituted power cuts in six regions. Cherkasy Governor Ihor Taburets said on Telegram that Russian forces attacked overnight with drones and missiles, with fragments from destroyed drones damaging two houses. In Dnipropetrovsk, Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram that Russian attacks included artillery, drones and missiles that damaged an industrial site. Kirovohrad Governor Andriy Raikovich reported on Telegram what he described as a massive Russian drone attack that damaged several residential buildings. Officials in the Rivne region also said Russian missiles targeted the area overnight. Russia's Defense Ministry said it destroyed two Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod area and another drone over the Tambov region. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram that Ukrainian attacks injured one person, while Tambov Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov reported damage to a house. Some information for this story came from Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Trump's pick for top diplomat calls for ceasefire in Russia's war on Ukraine By VOA News January 15, 2025 Russia's nearly three-year invasion of Ukraine has become a "war of attrition" and a "stalemate" that must be ended, Senator Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trump's pick to be secretary of state, told senators at his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Rubio broke from the passive stance of the administration of outgoing President Joe Biden, which has said it was up to Kyiv to decide under what terms it would be open to peace talks with Moscow. In the meantime, the U.S., along with its European allies, has continued to send billions of dollars of armaments to Ukraine to continue the fight. Rubio instead said the first step in ending the war should be a ceasefire that halts ground fighting, which has for more than a year mostly occurred in eastern Ukraine. However, ongoing fighting is also raging in Russia's Kursk region, which Ukraine captured in August, even as Moscow has attempted to retake it with the help of North Korean troops. Both countries also target each other daily with aerial strikes, drones and missiles, with thousands of Ukrainian civilians killed in the Russian attacks, along with vast numbers of both countries' troops. "This war has to end," he said at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Rubio called the destruction in Ukraine "extraordinary," saying it will "take a generation to rebuild." But even as he argued for a negotiated settlement to end the fighting that started with Russia's invasion in February 2022, Rubio said it was unlikely that there would be much change in the current battle lines. Russia currently holds about a fifth of the internationally recognized Ukrainian land mass. "The truth of the matter is that in this conflict, there is no way Russia takes all of Ukraine," Rubio said. "It's also unrealistic to believe that somehow, a nation the size of Ukraine, no matter how incompetent and no matter how much damage the Russian Federation has suffered as a result of this invasion, there's no way Ukraine is also going to push these people all the way back to where they were on the eve of the invasion." Democrats, and some Republicans on the committee, continued to voice their support for more military aid to Ukraine, saying it was important to give Kyiv leverage in any eventual peace talks with Moscow. But Rubio said that one of Ukraine's key problems was not a shortage of ammunition or money but its inability to train and recruit enough troops. "The problem that Ukraine is facing is not that they're running out of money, [it] is that they're running out of Ukrainians," he said. Trump has voiced skepticism of continued U.S. military support for Kyiv and repeatedly vowed that he would end the war before he assumed the presidency on Jan. 20. In recent days, his aides have said the new timeline is ending the war in the first 100 days of his administration, which would be by the end of April. On the battlefront, officials in western Ukraine said Wednesday that a Russian missile attack hit critical infrastructure facilities in the Lviv region, part of a series of attacks that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said included more than 40 missiles and 70 drones. Zelenskyy said Russia's targets included "gas and energy facilities that sustain normal life for our people," but that Ukrainian air defenses shot down 30 of the missiles. "Thanks to our air defense forces and all involved units, we've managed to maintain the functionality of our energy system," Zelenskyy said. "However, we must continue strengthening the capabilities of Ukraine's air shield. Promises made by partners at the NATO summit in Washington and within the Ramstein format still remain partially unfulfilled." Ukraine's military issued air alerts for regions across the country Wednesday, while the national power grid operator instituted power cuts in six regions. Cherkasy Governor Ihor Taburets said on Telegram that Russian forces attacked overnight with drones and missiles, with fragments from destroyed drones damaging two houses. In Dnipropetrovsk, Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram that Russian attacks included artillery, drones and missiles that damaged an industrial site. Kirovohrad Governor Andriy Raikovich reported on Telegram what he described as a massive Russian drone attack that damaged several residential buildings. Officials in the Rivne region also said Russian missiles targeted the area overnight. Russia's Defense Ministry said it destroyed two Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod area and another drone over the Tambov region. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said on Telegram that Ukrainian attacks injured one person, while Tambov Governor Yevgeny Pervyshov reported damage to a house. Some information for this story came from Reuters. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House says Biden leaving Ukraine in strongest position possible By Iuliia Iarmolenko January 15, 2025 While U.S. President Joe Biden views his response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a cornerstone of his foreign policy legacy, critics argue he missed a historic opportunity to help Ukraine win the war. Michael Carpenter, director for Europe at the National Security Council, spoke with VOA, defending the administration's policies on Ukraine, stating they were undeterred by Russia's nuclear threats, and attributing Ukraine's lack of success in regaining lost territories to manpower shortages. The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity. VOA: Is President Biden leaving Ukraine in the strongest position possible? Michael Carpenter, Senior Director for Europe at the National Security Council: He is. Look, the United States has given Ukraine every capability militarily that they have asked for. We have secured through painstaking diplomacy with our G7 partners a $50 billion loan. We have lifted all restrictions on rules of engagement for our military systems, for our weapons that we have provided to Ukraine. And we have worked with the Ukrainian military and the Ukrainian leadership to devise a strategy for them to be able to defend themselves and ideally negotiate from a position of strength where they can achieve their aims to maintain a sovereign, independent, democratic Ukraine. That's always been our goal and it remains our goal. I fail to mention the sanctions and the costs that we have levied on the Russian Federation. Unprecedented sanctions in the energy sector and in the financial sector over the course of the last three months. So were handing things off, I think, on very good terms. VOA: Does it mean that Ukraine, in your view, is ready to enter any possible negotiations with Russia next year from the position of strength? Carpenter: Well, look, I think it's very important that Ukraine's leaders, that President Zelensky in particular, decide when he wants to negotiate with the Russians. And what I will say is, at this point in time, I do not assess the President Putin wants to enter into a negotiation on good faith on anything other than the terms for the capitulation of Ukraine. So Ukraine has to decide when it feels that it is empowered to enter into this negotiation. And it'll be up to the next administration to hold the Russians' feet to the fire and ensure that they have the appropriate leverage to ensure that this is not a sellout of Ukraine's sovereignty, but that this is a negotiation that leads to a just, durable, lasting peace, that preserves Ukraine as a sovereign, democratic, independent state. VOA: But is Ukraine in the strongest possible position for that? Because that was one of the goals. Carpenter: It is, under the circumstances. Look, war is messy. War involves all kinds of suffering. And Ukraine has certainly suffered over the course of the more than 1000 days of Russia's brutal aggression against it. At the end of the day, Russia has occupied parts of Ukraine that I wish had not come to pass. But there are also realities in this war. And one of those realities has to do with manpower on the two sides of the front lines of this battle space. And Ukraine simply has fewer people on the battle space than Russia is able to muster. And that has resulted in the situation that we're in today. I think Ukraine is in a strong position. I think it's in a strong position financially. I think the capabilities that we have given, the investments we've made in things like Ukrainian production of unmanned aerial vehicles, in terms of the capabilities, the armored vehicles that we've provided, the HIMARS systems that have been highly effective, the air defense systems, including the Patriot, all of that has been, I think, incredibly useful for Ukraine. Of course, the situation remains tenuous in certain parts of the Donbass, and that is simply a reality of this war. VOA: You said that the Biden administration achieved its goals towards Ukraine, but wasn't, at some point, the goal a victory of Ukraine? Carpenter: Ideally, Ukraine would have been able to liberate its territory. I think there's still hope that Ukraine can continue to work towards not just defense but also liberating some of its land. But at the end of the day, this boils down to what I said earlier. This is a fundamentally a physics and a math problem in terms of the number of people on both sides of the front lines. And Russia is able to bring more soldiers to bear in this war than Ukraine has been able to. And we can give all the capabilities: from F-16s to Abrams tanks to HIMARS systems, ATACMS missiles, you name it. But without the manpower on the front lines, it's impossible to achieve what you have just outlined, which is complete liberation of all of Ukraine's territory. And so, look, it's up to Ukrainians again to decide when and under what circumstances they want to negotiate. But we have set them up for success, given the capabilities that we have provided, which I just want to remind your viewers, is close to $70 billion in security assistance. That is a significant amount of capability that the United States has provided. VOA: You mentioned the assistance. In December, you assured us that the United States and the Biden administration will use all of that approved funds to provide Ukraine military assistance. But now there is $3.8 billion that this administration is leaving for the next. Why didn't the Biden administration use those funds? And do you have any concern that the next administration might not want to use these funds to support Ukraine? Carpenter: Well, you know, I don't want to get into a complex discussion of the way our budgetary process works, but there is a difference between authorized funds and obligated funds. So we have provided all of the funds that Congress has obligated for Ukraine. That's not all the funds that have been authorized. But it takes coordination between the administration and Congress to be able to move all of that money. We have moved all of it that we had available to us. Yes, the next administration will now have the option to use some of that authorized money to continue to provide assistance to Ukraine. And some of what we have obligated is on contract, or is en route, and will arrive in the coming weeks. But all of that is available to the next administration to continue to support Ukraine. VOA: Before leaving office, Biden's administration, as you said, imposed major energy sanctions against Russia. Do you think that these measures might be something that pushes Russia economy closer to a collapse and something that can actually stop Russia's war machine? Carpenter: Well, our hope is that this additional pressure, which is extraordinary because we have imposed full blocking sanctions on two of the largest Russian oil companies. Surgutneftegas and Gazprom Neft, together with over 180 vessels from Russia's shadow fleet. We hope that additional cost in position will bring Putin closer to a realistic and durable solution to this conflict when he sits down at the negotiating table eventually, whenever that happens. I think, of course, any type of sanctions that reduce the revenues available to the Russian Federation is less money in the hands of those who fuel Russia's war machine and Russia's aggression against Ukraine. And it provides more space for Ukraine to be able to negotiate from a position of strength. VOA: In his foreign policy speech yesterday, President Biden mentioned as one of his accomplishments that he was able to prevent a direct confrontation between two nuclear powers, the United States and Russia. Many analysts that we're talking to say that fears of nuclear escalation prevented President Biden from helping Ukraine win the war. Why was the United States deterred by Russia's "red lines," but not vice versa? Carpenter: Nobody was deterred. The United States provided every capability that Ukraine asked for. It is only logical that as the world's largest nuclear superpower, that the United States has to factor in escalation management. Anyone who says to the contrary is being irresponsible about foreign policy and does not sit in the Oval Office and have to make those weighty decisions. VOA: But does it send a signal that Russia's "nuclear card" will always beat everything else? Carpenter: No, it does not, because the Ukrainians have done extraordinarily well at certain points on the battlefield. But this fundamentally gets back to what the question you raised earlier, which is manpower. And that's not a variable that the United States controls. VOA: How do you hope the next administration approaches the policy towards Ukraine? And how does President Biden feel about the fact that his legacy towards Ukraine will be largely defined by the policies of the next administration? Carpenter: I'm not going to speak to what the next administration will do or won't do. I will just say that, again, this administration, we have tried to hand off a situation where Russia is both on its back foot, thanks to our sanctions in the energy and financial spheres; [and] Ukraine is in a solid macro financial state thanks to the $50 billion loan that we negotiated together with our G-7 partners, and that Ukraine has the capabilities militarily to be able to continue to maintain the defense of its territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Europe mulls seizing Russia's billions to aid Ukraine By Henry Ridgwell January 15, 2025 Support appears to be growing in the West to fully seize hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of Russian assets that were frozen following Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, amid speculation that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump will try to seek a peace deal between Moscow and Kyiv soon after he takes office next week. Nations, including the United States, Canada, Britain, several European Union members states and Japan, froze about $300 billion of assets owned by Russia's Central Bank after Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Some $200 billion of the assets are held in the Euroclear facility in Brussels, with approximately $5 billion frozen in the United States. U.S. media reported Tuesday that outgoing President Joe Biden is making a last-minute push for European allies to fully seize the assets so they can be used as leverage in any future peace negotiations. Some European lawmakers are pushing for the assets to be given to Ukraine, however, to buy weapons and help to rebuild the country. Others fear that seizing the assets would deter investors and destabilize Western currencies. Moscow has said that any seizure of its assets would be illegal and has pledged to retaliate. Ukraine reconstruction Ukraine's reconstruction costs will reach at least $486 billion over the next decade, according to a February 2024 report by the Ukrainian government, the World Bank Group, the European Commission and the United Nations. Britain holds about $22 billion worth of Russian assets. Lawmakers voted last week in favor of a nonbinding motion to seize the assets and give the money to Kyiv. Member of Parliament Mike Martin, who brought the motion, cited uncertainty over future military aid for Kyiv under Trump. "We do know that he feels differently about Ukraine. He feels differently about the security of Europe, and he feels differently about Russia. So, if we want to shift the dial on Ukraine, especially in the face of a drawdown or potential drawdown in U.S. support, we need to go further and faster, and we need to seize these $300 billions of frozen assets and send them to Ukraine," Martin told lawmakers. Geopolitical signals "It is not just about actions that lead to practical outcomes. It is also about signals that we send to our geopolitical opponents. ... Any potential small amount of financial instability that the G7 countries moving together will create will be miniscule as compared to the financial instability of Ukraine losing this war," Martin said. The Liberal Democrat MP was among the signatories to a letter to The Times of London newspaper earlier this month calling for concerted European action to seize the assets. It also was signed by senior lawmakers from Germany, Poland, the Baltic countries and Finland. "Previous loans and emergency funding are not enough and leave Western taxpayers on the hook. Only using the assets themselves ensures that Russia pays for its crimes," the letter said. G7 loans G7 nations already are providing Ukraine with $50 billion in loans, using the Russian assets as collateral. Additionally, the interest earned on the frozen assets is being used to fund aid for Kyiv. Any decision by the incoming Trump administration to cut U.S. aid for Kyiv could prompt Europe to seize the Russian assets, said Alexander Kolyandr of the Center for European Policy Analysis. "We would have a fear of abandoning Ukraine to Putin's war machine. And honestly, I suspect if it comes to that, the decision would be to give this money to Ukraine." US weapons Kyiv could pledge to use the assets to purchase American weapons and secure Trump's support, Kolyandr added. "It fits nicely into the America First idea. It helps Ukraine to get the arms. It helps Trump to score some victories at home," he told VOA. There is some opposition in Europe, though, to seizing the assets. European fears "The reservations are mostly coming from the European Central Bank and the national governments," Kolyandr said. "They are afraid that if they seize the Russian assets or practically nationalize them and give it to Ukraine, then it would thwart trust in the euro as a reserve currency and foreign countries would be pretty afraid of investing their sovereign assets in European stocks, shares, bonds and currency. "In my view, if a foreign country had any reservations about the safety of its sovereign assets, those reservations should have appeared ... when the assets were frozen," Kolyandr said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Led by Executive Chef Roger Ma, Executive Pastry Chef Kenta Takahashi, and Executive General Manager Lisa Haley, Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar is delighted to share the full details of their 2025 Dine Out Festival menu. Having just celebrated the tenth anniversary of its opening last year, the award-winning team stands proudly among Vancouvers finest dining establishments. Boulevards reputation for its commitment to excellence is well-known, alongside its delectable seafood-focused menu infused with a West Coast flair. Dine out Vancouver has always been an exciting way to kick off the new year by celebrating our beloved restaurants in the city, shares Executive Chef Roger Ma. It is a great opportunity for us to reach an audience curious about what we do, providing a mesmerizing culinary experience at an affordable price. Marking a decade of its participation in Dine Out, guests will be treated to an array of creative and flavorsome dishes with this years menu. Alongside their talented culinary teams, Executive Chef Roger Ma and Executive Pastry Chef Kenta Takahashi have worked diligently to create a selection of appetizers, entrees, and desserts that continue to redefine the art of fine dining, adding to Boulevards impeccable service, and elegant ambiance. I am always excited to build a menu that showcases what Boulevard is about; Modern regional cuisine that is globally inspired with an emphasis on local ingredients and classical techniques explains Executive Chef Ma. The elevated multi-course dining menu includes a warming Carrot Ginger Bisque, topped with a crispy prawn dumpling, and sunflower seed pesto; a delicately prepared Roasted Steelhead Trout placed on celeriac roesti, savoy cabbage, smoked mustard, bacon, vermouth veloute; a succulent Dry aged Fraser Valley Duck Breast served with preserved quince, beets, onion jam, duck jus, and a refreshing Citrus Honey Crumble handmade with lemon curd, honey yogurt mousse, shortbread crumble. For more information about Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar, including Dine Out 2025 reservations, menu offerings, and future culinary events, please visit www.boulevardvancouver.ca. ABOUT BOULEVARD KITCHEN & OYSTER BAR Vancouvers Boulevard Kitchen & Oyster Bar is committed to culinary excellence that redefines the art of fine dining with creative dishes, impeccable service, and elegant ambiance. Led by Executive Chef Roger Ma, the seafood-focused menu is grounded in classical technique and training, while artfully infusing casual West Coast flair and creative hints of his international influences. Whether seated in the main vintage-style lounge, intimate private dining room, at the marbled-top bar, or outside on the expansive wrap-around patio, guests are guaranteed to experience an uncompromising standard of excellence, no matter the occasion. Blending the charm of a classic European bistro with contemporary bespoke elegance, the decor showcases a harmonious fusion of artistry and refinement. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8095cec6-b42b-4a5f-9b40-b21328389e73 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/62e7015a-a87b-48a0-a3ac-c175aea5c34f https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5fbec5b-5652-41af-b5ce-720886d323b1 HERSTAL, Belgium, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Armstrong International Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA), the continental entity of the global thermal energy solutions provider Armstrong International, has acquired HygroTemp, a Netherlands-based leader in humidity control solutions. HygroTemp has worked closely with Armstrong EMEAs Humidification Group in the Netherlands since 2007. Together they promote key technologies like the EvaPack, a hygienic and controlled evaporation solution manufactured by Armstrong EMEAs subsidiary, Devatec, located in Normandy (France). HygroTemps former owner and managing director, Rolf Bosscher, will support Armstrongs European Humidification team in further developing and promoting the EvaPack technology. He will also continue to be HygroTemps business development manager. Our clients are entering into a transition from steam humidification towards adiabatic humidification and free cooling, thus facilitating decarbonization thanks to lower evaporation temperature, said Rossen Ivanov, managing director of Armstrong International EMEA. HygroTemp has played a key role in introducing this new technology to companies in healthcare, pharmaceutical, electronics and data-center market segments, among others. Jean-Francois Frambot, Armstrong Internationals global director of humidification and general manager of Devatec, will take on the role of general manager at HygroTemp. He said, This acquisition strengthens our position in The Netherlands and supports expansion into other European markets, where the demand for hygienic adiabatic humidification and free cooling solutions is growing. This acquisition underscores Armstrong Internationals continued investment in sustainable, innovative technologies that foster thermal energy-efficiency, decarbonization and long-term growth. For more information on Armstrong International EMEA, please visit https://armstronginternational.eu/. ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL Armstrong International provides intelligent system solutions that improve utility performance, lower energy consumption, and reduce environmental emissions. As the industrys leading thermal utility partner, Armstrong International can satisfy unique requirements while helping to improve efficiency and reduce energy consumption and emissions. The fifth-generation, family-owned business provides hardworking products, state-of-the-art technology, custom-engineered systems, and services, and more than a century of knowledge and experience all organized with industry specificity. Founded in 1900, Armstrong International is headquartered in the United States, with manufacturing, sales and seminar centers located throughout the Americas, EMEA and Asia. For more information, visit armstronginternational.com. HYGROTEMP HygroTemp B.V., based in Almere, Netherlands, specializes in providing advanced humidity control solutions for various sectors, including buildings, healthcare, industry, and leisure. With over 17 years of experience, they offer consultation, training, and maintenance services, distributing equipment from reputable brands such as Armstrong, Devatec and Airtec. Their expertise in both steam and adiabatic humidification technologies positions them as a leading provider in the Dutch market and beyond. For more information, visit their website at www.hygrotemp.nl. DEVATEC Devatec, headquartered in Dieppe county, France, is a leading specialist in humidification solutions with over 40 years of experience in the industry. Part of the Humidification Division of Armstrong International, Devatec offers a comprehensive range of products, including electrode steam humidifiers, resistive steam humidifiers, and adiabatic humidification systems, serving various sectors such as healthcare, data centers, and industrial applications. Devatec is committed to innovation and energy efficiency, providing reliable and high-technology solutions to meet diverse humidification needs. For more information, visit their website at www.devatec.com. Media contact for North America: Josh Skalniak Lambert by LLYC jskalniak@lambert.com Media contact for EMEA: Tracy Targnion Armstrong International EMEA ttargnion@armstronginternational.eu A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/52b58a62-e52b-4d6e-b683-c356a1b00deb VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K92 Mining Inc. (K92 or the Company) (TSX: KNT; OTCQB: KNTNF) announces the promotion of Heidi Grobler to the position of Vice President Human Resources; the appointment of Stanley Komunt to the position of General Manager, External Affairs designate, who will be taking over from Mark Schubert when he retires in 2025; and the promotion of Andrew Kohler to the position of Interim Vice President Exploration. The Company also announces the departure of Chris Muller. To ensure continuity during this transitional period, Andrew Kohler has been appointed as Interim Vice President Exploration while the Company evaluates its long-term plans for the role. Heidi Grobler is a senior HR professional with over 20 years of experience in the mining and heavy manufacturing industries, both at operational and corporate levels. She has extensive international human resources management experience across Australia, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Joining K92 in 2021, Ms. Grobler most recently served as General Manager Group Human Resources. Prior to this, she held senior HR leadership roles at Newcrest Mining Ltd., Afrique Gold Ltd., Adelaide Brighton Ltd., and Anglo Platinum Ltd. Mrs. Grobler holds a Bachelor of Law (B.Proc) from the University of South Africa and a Graduate Certificate in Business Law from Curtin University of Technology. She is a professional member of the Australian HR Institute and a certified change management practitioner. Stanley K. Komunt is an experienced community and government relations leader with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry, specializing in corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and risk management. From 2018 to 2024, he served as Country Manager for Newcrest Mining Ltd. and, following its acquisition, with Newmont Corporation in Papua New Guinea, where he played a key role in negotiations and oversaw government, regulatory, and community relations. He previously held senior roles with Nautilus Minerals Ltd., Morobe Mining Joint Venture, Highlands Pacific Limited at the Kainantu Gold Mine, and Ok Tedi Mining Ltd., managing community programs, security operations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Mr. Komunt has completed advanced training in leadership, governance, and project management through Newcrest Mining Ltd. and other organizations, contributing to the success of major mining projects. Mr. Komunt also serves as a Vice President Papua New Guinea for the Australia PNG Business Council, a Director of the PNG Motor Vehicle Insurance Company and previously served as a council member of the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy. Andrew G. Kohler is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, holding senior roles in underground, open pit, and exploration operations across gold, copper, nickel, and base metals projects. Mr. Kohler joined K92 in 2016 and currently serves as K92 Minings Chief Geologist. At the Kainantu Gold Mine, he was part of the geologic leadership team that made the discovery of the Kora North Deposit in 2017, which ultimately was recognized with the Thayer Lindsley Award, for Best Global Discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in 2021. Prior to joining K92, Mr. Kohler held senior leadership positions with companies that included India Resources Limited, Ramu NiCo Management Limited, Avocet Gold Limited, Resolute Tanzania Limited, and Sons of Gwalia Limited, where he led resource development, drilling programs, and technical operations at various global mining projects. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geology from Curtin University of Technology, a Postgraduate Certificate in Geostatistics from Edith Cowan University, and is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), the Geological Society of Australia, and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Dr. Chris Muller joined K92 in 2016 and most recently served as the Companys Executive Vice President Exploration. Dr. Muller was part of the team that made the discovery of Kora North, which was awarded the 2021 Thayer Lindsley Award for best global discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. Additionally, Chris was also instrumental in the discovery of the Blue Lake porphyry, delivering a maiden 10.8 million ounces AuEq inferred resource in 2022. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Dr. Mark Schubert joined K92 in 2019 serving as the Companys General Manager, External Affairs and Sustainable Development, leading engagement efforts and sustainable development with our local communities. Over the years, Dr. Schuberts team have been recognized with multiple ESG Industry Awards from the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy, including the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2024 for our Sustainable Livelihoods Agricultural Program; the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2023 for our Women-in-Mining Program focused on empowerment initiatives including upskilling and preventative healthcare, and; the Award for Outstanding Womens Contribution in the Resources Industry in 2022 for our Women-in-Mining Program, focused on adult literacy. We wish him well in his well-deserved retirement. John Lewins, K92 Chief Executive Officer and Director, stated, As K92 Mining continues to grow and evolve, the leadership changes announced today reflect our firm commitment to building a strong, dynamic team capable of driving our success well into the future. Over the past three years, Heidi Grobler has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, resourcefulness, and the ability to excel in many roles, making her a natural fit for this promotion. We are also pleased to welcome Stanley Komunt to the team, who brings a wealth of community and government relations expertise in Papua New Guinea, most recently with Newcrest and Newmont. I would also like to recognize Andrew Kohler, who will serve as Interim Vice President, Exploration. With over eight years of significant contributions to K92 and a wealth of industry expertise, Andrew is well-positioned to ensure continuity and leadership during this transitional period while we evaluate the long-term needs of the role. I want to express my gratitude to Chris Muller for his very significant contribution to our exploration success. While Mark Schubert will still be with us for some months, I would also like to recognize his exceptional contribution and initiatives within our local communities. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Congratulations to Heidi, Stanley and Andrew on their appointments, and I look forward to their continued contributions as we build on our achievements and pursue the exciting opportunities ahead. About K92 K92 Mining Inc. is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu Gold Mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018, is in a strong financial position, and is working to become a Tier 1 mid-tier producer through ongoing plant expansions. A maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake copper-gold porphyry project was completed in August 2022. K92 is operated by a team of mining company professionals with extensive international mine-building and operational experience. On Behalf of the Company, John Lewins, Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact David Medilek, P.Eng., CFA, President and Chief Operating Officer at +1-604-416-4445 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (i) the results of the Kainantu Mine Definitive Feasibility Study, and the Kainantu Preliminary Economic Assessment, including the Stage 3 Expansion, a new standalone 1.2 mtpa process plant and supporting infrastructure; (ii) statements regarding the expansion of the mine and development of any of the deposits; (iii) the Kainantu Stage 4 Expansion, operating two standalone process plants, larger surface infrastructure and mining throughputs; and (iv) the potential extended life of the Kainantu Mine. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as expect, plan, anticipate, project, target, potential, schedule, forecast, budget, estimate, intend or believe and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control, that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, Public Health Crises, including the COVID-19 virus; changes in the price of gold, silver, copper and other metals in the world markets; fluctuations in the price and availability of infrastructure and energy and other commodities; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; volatility in price of our common shares; inherent risks associated with the mining industry, including problems related to weather and climate in remote areas in which certain of the Companys operations are located; failure to achieve production, cost and other estimates; risks and uncertainties associated with exploration and development; uncertainties relating to estimates of mineral resources including uncertainty that mineral resources may never be converted into mineral reserves; the Companys ability to carry on current and future operations, including development and exploration activities at the Arakompa, Kora, Judd and other projects; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Companys ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the availability and costs of achieving the Stage 3 Expansion or the Stage 4 Expansion; the ability of the Company to achieve the inputs the price and market for outputs, including gold, silver and copper; failures of information systems or information security threats; political, economic and other risks associated with the Companys foreign operations; geopolitical events and other uncertainties, such as the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine; compliance with various laws and regulatory requirements to which the Company is subject to, including taxation; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions, including relationship with the communities in Papua New Guinea and other jurisdictions it operates; other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Companys Annual Information Form under the heading Risk Factors. Estimates of mineral resources are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections, based on certain estimates and assumptions, regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production. The estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from those that are 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Dublin, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Automotive Cyber Security Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2031 - By Product, Technology, Grade, Application, End-user and Region" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global automotive cyber security market is experiencing rapid expansion, driven by technological advancements and stringent safety regulations. Valued at US$3.7 Bn in 2024, the market is projected to grow at an impressive CAGR of 28.5% from 2024 to 2031, reaching US$21.42 Bn by the end of the forecast period. Automotive cyber security ensures the safety of vehicle software, communication systems, and connected ecosystems. These solutions protect critical automotive data and prevent unauthorized access, contributing to enhanced vehicle and passenger security. Key Drivers of Growth Government Regulations: Mandatory safety features like lane departure warnings, automatic braking, and rear-view cameras are spurring demand for advanced cyber security systems. Mandatory safety features like lane departure warnings, automatic braking, and rear-view cameras are spurring demand for advanced cyber security systems. 5G Technology Integration: The roll-out of 5G networks is enabling intelligent transportation systems and driving adoption of cyber security solutions. The roll-out of 5G networks is enabling intelligent transportation systems and driving adoption of cyber security solutions. Rising Vehicle Connectivity: The growing prevalence of connected and autonomous vehicles necessitates robust cyber security infrastructure. Business Opportunities Collaborative Innovations: Partnerships such as those between NXP Semiconductors and Ford Motor Company are fostering advancements in automotive security. Partnerships such as those between NXP Semiconductors and Ford Motor Company are fostering advancements in automotive security. Emerging Markets: Regions like India and Southeast Asia offer substantial growth potential due to rising vehicle sales and evolving safety regulations. Regions like India and Southeast Asia offer substantial growth potential due to rising vehicle sales and evolving safety regulations. R&D Investments: Increasing focus on cloud-based connectivity and automotive software innovation presents significant market opportunities. Challenges and Restraints Increased Complexity: The rising diversity in vehicle types and applications adds to the complexity of automotive cyber security solutions, raising installation and maintenance costs. The rising diversity in vehicle types and applications adds to the complexity of automotive cyber security solutions, raising installation and maintenance costs. Cost Concerns: Higher costs associated with advanced cyber security systems may pose challenges for widespread adoption. Regional Insights North America: Holds a significant share of the global automotive cyber security market. The US dominates the region due to strong demand for fleet management systems and the integration of ICT in automotive solutions. Europe: Germany leads the region, driven by extensive R&D in autonomous and luxury vehicles. Europe is witnessing growth due to the adoption of advanced safety systems and increasing demand for personalized vehicle features. India: Expected to experience rapid growth, fueled by growing awareness of safety regulations, high production of passenger vehicles, and the rising adoption of connected cars. Competitive Analysis Key players in the automotive cyber security market are actively collaborating and investing in R&D to drive innovation and enhance market presence. Notable companies in the Automotive Cyber Security Market include: Continental Guardknox Cyber Technologies Vector Informatik Karamba Security Synopsys Upstream Security Sectigo Limited ESCRYPT RunSafe Security, Inc. Trend Micro Harman International Trillium Secure Inc. STMicroelectronics Infineon Technologies NXP Semiconductors Bosch Mobility Solutions Microchip Technology Aptiv Irdeto Key Topics Covered: 1. Executive Summary 1.1. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Snapshot 1.2. Future Projections 1.3. Key Market Trends 1.4. Regional Snapshot, by Value, 2024 1.5. Analyst Recommendations 2. Market Overview 2.1. Market Definitions and Segmentations 2.2. Market Dynamics 2.3. Value Chain Analysis 2.4. Porter's Five Forces Analysis 2.5. COVID-19 Impact Analysis 2.6. Impact of Ukraine-Russia Conflict 2.7. Economic Overview 2.8. PESTLE Analysis 3. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 3.1. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, by Component, Value (US$ Bn), 2019 - 2031 3.1.1. Key Highlights 3.1.1.1. Hardware 3.1.1.1.1. Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) 3.1.1.1.2. Secure Vehicle Network Gateways 3.1.1.1.3. Trusted Platform Modules (TPM) 3.1.1.1.4. Others 3.1.1.2. Software 3.1.1.2.1. Embedded Firewalls 3.1.1.2.2. Encryption & Cryptography 3.1.1.2.3. Biometrics & Authentication 3.1.1.2.4. Others 3.1.1.3. Services 3.1.1.3.1. Professional Services 3.1.1.3.1.1. Security Consulting & Risk Assessment 3.1.1.3.1.2. Integration & Deployment 3.1.1.3.1.3. Support & Maintenance 3.1.1.3.2. Managed Security Services 3.2. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, By Application, Value (US$ Bn), 2019 - 2031 3.2.1. Key Highlights 3.2.1.1. Telematics 3.2.1.2. Infotainment Systems 3.2.1.3. Powertrain Systems 3.2.1.4. ADAS & Safety Systems 3.2.1.5. Body Control Systems 3.2.1.6. Others 3.3. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, by Vehicle, Value (US$ Bn), 2019 - 2031 3.3.1. Key Highlights 3.3.1.1. Fuel-based Vehicles 3.3.1.1.1. Passenger Cars 3.3.1.1.2. Commercial Vehicles 3.3.1.2. Electric Vehicles 3.3.1.2.1. Passenger Cars 3.3.1.2.2. Commercial Vehicles 3.4. Global Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, by Region, Value (US$ Bn), 2019 - 2031 4. North America Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 5. Europe Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 6. Asia Pacific Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 7. Latin America Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 8. Middle East & Africa Automotive Cyber Security Market Outlook, 2019 - 2031 9. Competitive Landscape 9.1. Company Market Share Analysis, 2024 9.2. Competitive Dashboard 9.3. Company Profiles Continental (Argus Cyber Security) Guardknox Cyber Technologies Ltd. Vector Informatik GmbH Karamba Security Synopsys Upstream Security Sectigo ESCRYPT RunSafe Security Trend Micro Harman International Trillium Secure STMicroelectronics Infineon Technologies NXP Semiconductors For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/dxjimf About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. RIYADH, Saudia Arabia, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are advised by King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre that journalists and other readers should disregard the news release, KFSH&RC Celebrates 25 Scientists Named in Stanford's Top 2% Most-Cited Researchers Worldwide issued January 16, 2025, over GlobeNewswire. ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia and KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of the Congo and WASHINGTON and PARIS, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Africa CDCs support for the MOSA, a pan-African randomized platform adaptive trial for the MpOx Study, adding to the initial EU funding, has enabled the enrollment of the first patients at Mbandaka Hospital in Equateur Province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). These patients have been randomized in this pivotal clinical trial, marking a critical step in addressing the Mpox health threat. As Clade Ib cases emerge outside Africa and Clade I and II cases continue to be reported across the continent, Africa CDC, INRB, and PANTHER are leading efforts to test promising therapeutic options to combat this persistent health threat. Declared a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security on August 13, 2024, Mpox remains a significant health threat across Africa, particularly among vulnerable populations such as women, children, and individuals living with HIV. Despite the pressing need, no therapeutic has been approved to treat Mpox in the United States or Africa. Recent results from the PALM 007 and STOMP studies showed that tecovirimat did not show the expected effect on lesion resolution, underscoring the need for additional therapeutic options. The MOSA trial demonstrates Africas leadership in addressing this urgent healthcare gap. The study will evaluate different antivirals, either alone or in combination. It will start by evaluating the safety and efficacy of brincidofovir. Brincidofovir is an antiviral from the global life sciences company Emergent BioSolutions. In the United States it is available under a single-patient emergency use Investigational New Drug (IND) for Mpox. The safety and efficacy of brincidofovir to treat Mpox in humans has not been established in double-blind, placebo-controlled studies for Mpox. In the MpOx Study, patients will receive either brincidofovir or a matching placebo in a liquid oral formulation, administered once-a-week, for 2 weeks. A first interim analysis is expected by the end of Q1 2025. Africa is not just responding to the Mpox outbreak; we are leading the charge in finding solutions by spearheading research and development for Mpox therapeutics, said Africa CDC Director General, Dr. Jean Kaseya. The MpOx Study represents a groundbreaking step toward developing a treatment. This effort goes beyond researchits about African ownership and leadership in addressing our continent's health challenges through vital, innovative research. Sponsored by PANTHER, a key research partner of Africa CDC, the MOSA trial builds upon initial funding provided by the European Unions Horizon Europe program. The study protocol was reviewed through the AVAREF collaborative process in 2023, ensuring it meets the highest ethical and scientific standards. The innovative study design includes pre-planned interim analyses, allowing for rapid decision-making should early signs of either futility or success be observed. This milestone highlights the vital role of research preparedness and response. Funded initially by Horizon Europe as part of the emergency response to the mpox outbreak in 2022, I am delighted to see MOSA trial fully operational now to advance treatments for mpox. Marc Lemaitre, European Commission, Director-General for Research and Innovation. We are proud of this important milestone illustrating PANTHERs mission in addressing continental epidemic priorities, said Prof. Samba Ousmane Sow, Director General of the Centre for Vaccine Development in Mali (CVD-Mali) and President of the Board of PANTHER. We hope to contribute to Africa CDCs response to the current crisis while also deriving concrete lessons to better prepare for future ones. As Africa continues to report rising Mpox cases, particularly in the DRC, the MOSA trial seeks to provide critical data on potential treatment options. The study will recruit both children and adults, focusing on those most at risk of severe outcomes, especially in remote areas. We look forward to advancing MOSA, another critical research project that complements ongoing studies on transmission, vaccines and social sciences, said Prof Placide Mbala, Principal Investigator for the study in the DRC and Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at INRB. Mpox continues to be a global threat to public health, creating a need for treatments and vaccines, said Simon Lowry, M.D., chief medical officer, head of research and development, Emergent. We applaud Africa CDC and PANTHER for their work progressing the MpOx Study in Africa (MOSA) and advancing research for brincidofovir. The U.S. FDA Prescribing Information for TEMBEXA (brincidofovir) is provided for additional safety information here. About the Pandemic Preparedness Platform for Health and Emerging Infections Response (PANTHER) PANTHER is the first African-led pandemic preparedness platform for health and emerging infection response. Bringing together leading African and global researchers and public health teams, it aims to create regional hubs and clinical research platforms to support preparedness and rapid response to emerging infectious diseases globally, particularly in Africa. For more information, visit https://pantherhealth.org. PANTHER is sponsoring MOSA as part of the MPX-RESPONSE Project that has received funding from the European Unions Horizon Europe Research and Innovation programme under grant agreement 101115188 About Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union. It is autonomous and supports member states in strengthening health systems. It also helps improve disease surveillance, emergency response, and disease control. Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org and connect with us on LinkedIn , Twitter , Facebook and YouTube . About Emergent BioSolutions At Emergent, our mission is to protect and enhance life. For over 25 years, weve been at work defending people from things we hope will never happenso we are prepared just in case they ever do. We provide solutions for complex and urgent public health threats through a portfolio of vaccines and therapeutics that we develop and manufacture for governments and consumers. We also offer a range of integrated contract development and manufacturing services for pharmaceutical and biotechnology customers. To learn more about how we help protect public health, visit our website and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Media Contacts: Margaret Edwin | Director of Communication and Public Information | Africa CDC EdwinM@africacdc.org Jessica Ilunga | Communication Officer | PANTHER Email: Media@pantherhealth.org Website: www.pantherhealth.org Twitter | LinkedIn Assal Hellmer | Vice President, Communications | Emergent BioSolutions Email: mediarelations@ebsi.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/683aea7c-60d3-4af9-8964-1d0031f84727 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norovirus is reaching historic levels in 2025, according to new data from the CDC, with cruise ships at the epicenter. These outbreaks are raising concerns not only for travelers already on cruises, but also for those who are considering canceling their trips altogether. Squaremouth, the nations leading travel insurance marketplace, outlines how travel insurance can provide coverage for travelers worried about Norovirus impacting their cruise plans. "Getting sick before or during a trip is a top concern for most cruisers, and this outbreak is only amplifying those fears," says Jenna Hummer, spokesperson for Squaremouth. "Travel insurance can help ease some of that stress by covering medical expenses if a traveler gets sick on board along with covering the unexpected costs of returning home early if a cruise is disrupted by an outbreak." Can I still purchase coverage for Norovirus? Yes, you can purchase a policy that includes both Trip Cancellation and Emergency Medical benefits, provided you are healthy and have not shown symptoms or been diagnosed with Norovirus at the time of purchase. What if I contract Norovirus before my cruise? If you have a travel insurance plan with Trip Cancellation coverage and you fall ill before your cruise, your policy can cover the cost of canceling your trip. In order for coverage to be available, you must provide medical documentation from a licensed physician prohibiting travel. What if I get Norovirus while on my cruise? If you become sick during your cruise, your policy can cover medical expenses, including the cost of a Medical Evacuation if you need to be disembarked, and even the expenses of returning home early, if medically necessary. Can I cancel my cruise if I'm worried about getting the Norovirus? Fear of contracting the Norovirus is not a covered reason to cancel a trip under standard Trip Cancellation policies. However, you can purchase the Cancel For Any Reason upgrade for the most possible flexibility, including canceling if you no longer want to travel due to Norovirus concerns. MCKINNEY, Texas , Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mission Critical Group (MCG) , a leading provider of innovative solutions for critical power challenges specializing in design, manufacturing, delivery, and service, announces the full integration of Austin-based Mission Critical Facilities International (MCFI) into its operations after being acquired in 2023. MCFIs advanced power solutions serve as the original platform for MCG to provide a complete lifecycle of power systems and service capabilities across mission critical industries, including data centers, healthcare, telecommunications, energy and more. Unified Expertise and Advanced Manufacturing Capabilities MCGs offerings, such as power modules, modular data centers, microgrids, generator enclosures, power skids, e-houses, switchgear, switchboards, backup power systems and aftermarket services, ensure reliability and scalability for critical infrastructure projects. Recent JTS and Point Eight Power acquisitions have expanded MCGs market reach and production capabilities. With over 700,000 square feet of advanced manufacturing facilities across the U.S., MCG delivers more efficient, innovative solutions with a faster time to market. JTS brings expertise in modular power systems and generator enclosures from its Idaho and Texas operations. Point Eight Power enhances MCGs portfolio with switchgear, switchboards and power control solutions from Louisiana and Mississippi. Our mission has always been more than just wordsits a promise to sustain essential industries and drive progress, said Jeff Drees, CEO of Mission Critical Group. By fully integrating MCFI into MCG, alongside JTS and Point Eight Power, weve created a seamless organization ready to solve the most complex power challenges. Together, we are powering the systems the world relies on while building a more secure future. MCG Leadership and Workforce Expansion As part of the integration, Matt Coffel, Co-founder and President of MCFI, will become MCGs Chief Commercial and Innovation Officer. Troy Miller, General Manager of MCFI, will assume the role of MCGs VP/GM of Delivery and Services. MCG is also aggressively expanding its workforce to meet rising demand and support growth across sectors. A Milestone in MCGs Rapid Expansion With four M&A events in just two years, this integration marks another significant milestone in MCGs rapid expansion. It reinforces the companys commitment to delivering exceptional results and innovation across the mission critical power solutions market. For more information, visit www.missioncriticalgroup.com . About Mission Critical Group Mission Critical Group (MCG) designs, manufactures, delivers and services innovative solutions to solve our customers' critical power challenges. MCG offers packaged power solutions and products, leveraging over 650 employees with 200+ years of combined mission critical staff leadership experience. Operating across 700,000+ square feet of manufacturing space, MCG is ready to effectively meet evolving industry demands. MCG Companies include JTS and Point Eight Power . For more information, please visit www.missioncriticalgroup.com . TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Toronto & York Region Labour Council is co-hosting the People's March Toronto rally this Saturday with International Womens Day Toronto, Community Solidarity Toronto and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations as a show of solidarity with the U.S. resistance against Trump. Speakers like Judy Rebick, Chiara Padovani, Andria Babbington, Merv King, Navjot Salaria and more will speak about the rise of the right-wing. Theyll also be speaking to what we, as Canadians, can and should do to fight for a better future for all of us a future that includes affordable housing, gender equity, good jobs, immigrants rights and more. WHEN: Saturday January 18, 2025 12:00PM WHERE: U.S. Consulate (across the street) 361 University Ave We expect to have a presence in front of the U.S. Consulate regardless of weather. Media Contact: Susan McMurray Executive Assistant, Toronto & York Region Labour Council Phone: 416 882 2247 Email: smcmurray@labourcouncil.ca About Toronto & York Region Labour Council: The Toronto & York Region Labour Council represents over 200,000 workers from diverse sectors across the region. Committed to fighting for economic, social, racial and climate justice, the Council works tirelessly to create a fair and equitable future for all. Dublin, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Fruit Beer Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Flavor, By Distribution Channel, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2025 - 2030" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The global fruit beer market size is estimated to reach USD 433.2 million by 2030, expanding at a CAGR of 4.7% from 2025 to 2030. The growing popularity of alcohol free beer among millennials as an occasional drink during after-office hours and weekends is expected to remain a favorable factor for the industry growth over the next few years. In terms of flavor, the market is bifurcated into peach, raspberry, cherry, apricot, and others. Raspberry flavored beer accounted for the largest share of 29.9% in 2019 owing to high popularity of this fruit flavor among young consumers. Cherry flavored beer is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period owing to high popularity of this fruit flavor among female consumers. Moreover, increasing product availability at supermarkets and hypermarkets is expected to contribute to the segment growth. On-trade sales channel accounted for a share of 65.4% in 2019. Growing trend of socializing at bars, pubs, and liquor lounges owing to availability of a variety of options is a major factor driving the sale of fruit beer through on-trade distribution channel. Increasing number of microbreweries across the world is also expected to drive the on-trade channel segment. Off-trade distribution channel is expected to expand at the fastest CAGR of 5.1% over the forecast period. Increasing product availability at hypermarkets is a main factor driving the sales of fruit beer through off-trade channel. Furthermore, increasing number of hypermarkets in economies, such as India, China, and Brazil, is expected to contribute to the segment growth. Fruit Beer Market Report Highlights In terms of flavor, the raspberry segment dominated the industry with the largest revenue share of 29.3% in 2024. It is expected to witness significant growth in the coming years as a result of growing popularity of raspberry flavor among consumers The off-trade segment is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period. Increasing availability of the product at affordable prices through off-trade distribution channel will boost the segment growth The Asia Pacific fruit beer market is expected to grow at the fastest CAGR over the forecast period due to growing popularity of alcohol-free beer among the youth population of countries, including China and India Key industry players of fruit beer market include Jester King, New Glarus Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company, Siren Craft Brew, Founders Brewing Co., New Belgium Brewing Company, Anchor Brewing, The Golden Road, and Sixpoint Brewery. This report addresses: Market intelligence to enable effective decision-making Market estimates and forecasts from 2018 to 2030 Growth opportunities and trend analyses Segment and regional revenue forecasts for market assessment Competition strategy and market share analysis Product innovation listing for you to stay ahead of the curve Key Company Profiles Jester King Craft Brewery New Glarus Brewing Company Allagash Brewing Company Siren Craft Brew Founders Brewing Co. New Belgium Brewing Company The Boston Beer Company Anchor Brewing The Golden Road. Sixpoint Brewery Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 100 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $327.9 million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $433.2 million Compound Annual Growth Rate 4.7% Regions Covered Global Key Topics Covered: Chapter 1. Methodology and Scope Chapter 2. Executive Summary 2.1. Market Snapshot 2.2. Segment Snapshot 2.3. Competitive Landscape Snapshot Chapter 3. Fruit Beer Market Variables, Trends & Scope 3.1. Market Lineage Outlook 3.2. Industry Value Chain Analysis 3.3. Market Dynamics 3.4. Industry Analysis Tools 3.5. Market Entry Strategies Chapter 4. Consumer Behavior Analysis 4.1. Demographic Analysis 4.2. Consumer Trends and Preferences 4.3. Factors Affecting Buying Decision 4.4. Consumer Product Adoption 4.5. Observations & Recommendations Chapter 5. Fruit Beer Market: Flavor Estimates & Trend Analysis 5.1. Fruit Beer Market, By Flavor: Key Takeaways 5.2. Flavor Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2024 & 2030 5.3. Market Estimates & Forecasts, By Flavor, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 5.3.1. Peach 5.3.2. Raspberry 5.3.3. Cherry 5.3.4. Apricot 5.3.5. Others Chapter 6. Fruit Beer Market: Distribution Channel Estimates & Trend Analysis 6.1. Fruit Beer Market, By Distribution Channel: Key Takeaways 6.2. Distribution Channel Movement Analysis & Market Share, 2024 & 2030 6.3. Market Estimates & Forecasts, By Distribution Channel, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 6.3.1. On-Trade 6.3.2. Off-Trade Chapter 7. Fruit Beer Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis 7.1. Fruit Beer Market: Regional Outlook 7.2. Regional Marketplaces: Key Takeaways 7.3. Market Estimates & Forecasts, by region, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.1. North America 7.3.1.1. Market estimates and forecast, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.1.2. U.S. 7.3.1.3. Canada 7.3.1.4. Mexico 7.3.2. Europe 7.3.2.1. Market estimates and forecast, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.2.2. UK 7.3.2.3. Germany 7.3.2.4. Belgium 7.3.2.5. France 7.3.2.6. Italy 7.3.2.7. Spain 7.3.3. Asia Pacific 7.3.3.1. Market estimates and forecast, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.3.2. China 7.3.3.3. India 7.3.3.4. Japan 7.3.3.5. Australia & New Zealand 7.3.4. Latin America 7.3.4.1. Market estimates and forecast, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.4.2. Brazil 7.3.4.3. Argentina 7.3.5. Middle East & Africa 7.3.5.1. Market estimates and forecast, 2018 - 2030 (USD Million) 7.3.5.2. South Africa 7.3.5.3. UAE Chapter 8. Fruit Beer Market: Competitive Analysis 8.1. Recent Developments & Impact Analysis, by Key Market Participants 8.2. Company Categorization 8.3. Participant's Overview 8.4. Financial Performance 8.5. Product Benchmarking 8.6. Company Heat Map Analysis 8.7. Strategy Mapping 8.8. Company Profiles Jester King Craft Brewery. New Glarus Brewing Company Allagash Brewing Company Siren Craft Brew Founders Brewing Co. New Belgium Brewing Company The Boston Beer Company Anchor Brewing The Golden Road. Sixpoint Brewery For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/h11efl About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment Beijing, China, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 6.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Dingri county, Xigaze, Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region caused varying degrees of damage to temples in the epicenter region. Monks and nuns in these temples, like other residents, received care and rescue efforts amid the merciless natural disaster. During a recent visit to the earthquake-stricken area in Dingri county, the Global Times observed monks and nuns actively participating in the protection of historical relics in the affected temples. They also went temporary shelters to provide emotional and spiritual support to the grief-stricken and anxious victims. "After the earthquake, some vloggers took advantage of our focus on earthquake relief to secretly visit ZongbuTemple, a local nunnery in Chamco township. They filmed videos, alleging that the temple was damaged but left unattended. They also falsely claimed that injured nuns were left without assistance. These are completely rumors, which made me very angry," Ngawang Tsering, deputy director of the SangKar Chosde Monastery management committee, told the Global Times. He explained that immediately after the January 7 earthquake, he sought assistance from the Dingri county government and rushed to Zongbu Temple with local residents to conduct rescue operations. After firefighters, the Chinese People's Liberation Army, and other emergency rescue forces arrived in Chamco township, they treated Zongbu Temple as a key rescue point and carried out simultaneous relief work across other disaster-stricken areas in the township. "Injured nuns were also promptly sent to the hospital by ambulance. Unharmed nuns were brought to the monastery management committee for care. They were properly resettled," he emphasized. Nun Chodron from Zongbu Temple was the first to escape when the earthquake struck. In an interview with the Global Times, she said that Zongbu Temple, located halfway up a mountain in Gadan village, Chamcotownship, suffered damage during the quake. "Only some 10 minutes after the earthquake, staff from the monastery management committee and residents of the township drove up the mountain to rescue us. Shortly after, firefighting and military personnel arrived. I truly didn't expect them to reach us so quickly. Without their swift rescue, one trapped nun among us might not have survived," she recalled. The Global Times has learned that currently, the four injured nuns in the temple are receiving medical treatment at hospitals in Xigaze city and Dingri county. Meanwhile, those in good conditions have been settled in a temporary shelter next to the monastery's management committee. During the visit, the Global Times found that these shelters are stocked with cotton-padded shoes, blankets, thick clothing, instant noodles, bottled water, and fresh produce, ensuring the basic needs of affected monks and nuns are fully met. Tsering Wangdu, director of the SangKar ChosdeMonastery management committee, explained to the Global Times that after the earthquake struck on the morning of January 7, monks and nuns from both Zongbu Temple and SangKar Chosde Monastery were relocated to a temporary shelter next to the monastery's management committee by that afternoon. By 9 am the following day, government departments had urgently dispatched eight prefabricated houses, and rescue teams completed the construction of all the prefabricated houses by around 5 pm that same day. Basic living supplies and equipment, including vegetables, tsampa, butter, bowls, and cooking utensils, were also provided that day. "If we need any living supplies, we only need to request them from the government departments, and within two to three hours, rescue personnel will deliver everything we need. Our monks and nuns have received meticulous care and attention from the Party and the government," Tsering Wangdu told the Global Times. After ensuring the proper resettlement of monks and nuns affected by the earthquake, protecting the valuable historical relics within the temples from further damage or theft became a speicial task for local government officials and monastery management committee staff. According to the committee staff, the SangKar ChosdeMonastery, which has a history of over 500 years, is a key cultural relic protection site in Xizang region. Zongbu Temple, with a history of more than 400 years, is similarly recognized as a key cultural relic protection site in Xigaze city. Both temples house numerous historical artifacts, including statues, thangkas, murals, and scriptures, all of which hold immense artistic and historical value. Any damage or theft of these relics would result in significant losses. Therefore, the Dingricounty government and the monastery management committee implemented temporary lockdown measures at both temples, establishing targeted protections for these invaluable relics. "Zongbu Temple sustained damage during the earthquake. With aftershocks continuing in the disaster area, it is challenging for us to enter the temple for inspections or to carry out protection efforts. As a precaution, we established a checkpoint at the base of the mountain where the temple is located. Police officers, temple management staff, monks, and nuns are stationed there in 24 hours to prevent unauthorized personnel or vehicles from entering. Once the situation stabilizes, we will begin rescue efforts for the relics. For the less-damaged SangKar Chosde Monastery, we have removed all valuable relics and securely stored them under the supervision of personnel assigned by the Dingri county's public security bureau. Our monastery management committee has also dispatched officials and enlisted monks and nuns to help safeguard these relics," said Ngawang Tsering. In the face of cruel natural disasters, the monks and nuns who have been rescued can also become helpers and provide help to the needy people with the heart of helping the world and the people. Tsering Wangdu said that after the earthquake, some affected residents requested the assistance of monks and nuns to handle funeral arrangements for the victims, chanting scriptures for the deceased and praying for blessings for the living. To meet these requests, we organized the resettled monks and nuns into groups and dispatched them to various villages in Chamco township to provide assistance to affected residents, he said. "In this earthquake, more than 100 people lost their lives, and Chamco township was one of the hardest-hit areas. We quickly allocated monks and nuns to conduct funeral services for the victims in different villages," said Thubten, a monk in SangKar Chosde Monastery. "The Party and the government have provided sufficient living guarantees for all affected people, including monks and nuns. As religious figures, we have a responsibility to comfort the victims' families and provide emotional support to believers in such moments of sudden natural disaster." "We followed traditional customs to conduct funeral rites for the victims and offered timely comfort to their families. In performing the religious ceremonies for the deceased, we spared no effort to ensure they rest in peace. For the living, we provided solace and encouragement, inspiring them to remain confident in the future. We assured them they need not worry about their livelihoods because the Party and the government will always care and help us," said Thubten. This article first appeared in the Global Times: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202501/1326738.shtml Company: Global Times Contact Person: Anna Li Email: editor@globaltimes.com.cn Website: https://globaltimes.cn City: Beijing Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of KISS PR or its partners. This content is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. KISS PR makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, correctness, suitability, or validity of any information in this article and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice in President Bidens Cabinet for Americas more than 34 million small businesses, awarded $26.25 million to create 13 new Womens Business Centers (WBC) and support 17 existing WBCs across America, expanding SBAs network of WBCs to 168 and the total grants to 185, the largest numbers in program history. This investment also is the first time the SBA awarded grants to provide specialized services for childcare enterprises, support government contracting efforts for women-owned small businesses, and develop national virtual trainings for women across the country. In the last four years, women have powered a generational Small Business Boom, filing new business applications at double the rate, and the Biden-Harris Administration is expanding the network of Womens Business Centers to record highs to serve them, said SBA Administrator Guzman. I am proud of the SBAs larger footprint, virtual capacity, and our leveraging of this new scale to specialize in areas of critical importance to our economy, including childcare businesses and women in government contracting. When we invest in women, our economy wins. In addition to this funding, the SBA also announced a collection of resources to support entrepreneurs that want to start, sustain, or expand their childcare business development. Later this year, the SBA will launch a new MySBA Learning journey dedicated to childcare businesses to complement the expanded in-person services delivered through the WBC network. Today, the SBA awarded 35 WBC grants to 30 existing and new organizations in three categories. These included 16 awards to support entrepreneurs with starting and expanding childcare businesses, 13 awards focused on government contracting to assist entrepreneurs with obtaining government contracts and related certifications, and six core service awards to provide general entrepreneurial development services, including expanded and/or virtual services to reach rural and underserved communities. Among the grantees, there are: Seventeen existing WBCs receiving 22 grants to support expansion and specialization of services including nine grants to WBCs focused on government contracting, 10 focused on childcare, two for expansion into rural communities and one to provide core services through a nationwide virtual WBC. This marks the first time the SBA issued WBCs multiple awards for distinct services and represents an investment in high-performing WBCs to expand their capacity. including nine grants to WBCs focused on government contracting, 10 focused on childcare, two for expansion into rural communities and one to provide core services through a nationwide virtual WBC. This marks the first time the SBA issued WBCs multiple awards for distinct services and represents an investment in high-performing WBCs to expand their capacity. Thirteen new WBCs to help women entrepreneurs pivot, grow, and navigate SBA resources to ensure their businesses thrive. to help women entrepreneurs pivot, grow, and navigate SBA resources to ensure their businesses thrive. Four organizations to provide nationwide virtual support to women entrepreneurs in unique areas, including rural areas not currently served by a WBC, childcare business development, and cooperative business enterprise support. This is the first time SBA has funded a virtual-first WBC. These four organizations are noted with an asterisk (*) in the chart below. to women entrepreneurs in unique areas, including rural areas not currently served by a WBC, childcare business development, and cooperative business enterprise support. This is the first time SBA has funded a virtual-first WBC. These four organizations are noted with an asterisk (*) in the chart below. One organization in the U.S. Virgin Islands that represents the first SBA-funded WBC supporting the community. The SBAs Office of Womens Business Ownership oversees the WBCs and since early 2021, more than 50 have been added to the network to help women entrepreneurs start and grow small businesses and compete in a marketplace where they still face obstacles. The WBCs offer one-on-one counseling, training, networking, workshops, technical assistance, and mentoring on numerous business development topics, including business startups, financial management, marketing, and procurement. Womens Business Center Grant Recipients State/Territory Grantee Grant Focus Current or New Alabama Catalyst Center* Government contracting Current Arizona Southwest Human Development Council YWCA Southern Arizona Childcare Childcare New Current California International Rescue Committee (Oakland) Childcare New Connecticut Womens Business Development Council* Childcare, core, government contracting Current Florida Broward County Black Chamber of Commerce Foundation Government contracting New Georgia Georgia Microenterprise Network Atlanta Black Chambers Foundation Government contracting Government contracting New New Illinois Womens Business Development Center Government contracting Current Iowa Iowa Center for Economic Success Core Current Maine Coastal Enterprises Childcare Current Massachusetts Center for Women & Enterprise Government contracting (two grants) Current Michigan Camp Fire West Michigan (Vibrant Futures) Lean Rocket Lab Childcare Government contracting New New Montana Zero to Five Foundation Childcare New Nebraska Center for Rural Affairs Childcare, core Current New Hampshire Cooperatives for a Better World (Start.COOP)* Core New New Mexico Women's Economic Self-Sufficiency Team Childcare Current New York Business Outreach Center Network Childcare, government contracting Current North Dakota Women and Technology Childcare Current Ohio Economic & Community Development Institute Government contracting Current Oklahoma Rural Enterprises of Oklahoma Government contracting Current Texas Better Business Bureau (Austin) Core New U.S. Virgin Islands Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands Core New Utah Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Childcare Current Virginia George Mason University Instructional Foundation EO Companies Childcare Childcare Current New Washington Seattle Economic Development Fund Government contracting Current Washington, D.C. National Association of Family Child Care* Childcare New Wisconsin Wisconsin Womens Business Initiative Corporation Childcare Current # # # About the U.S. Small Business Administration The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov. Riverton, Wyo, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- National business leaders Tabatha Coffey, Bill Rancic, and Mike Wandler will be in Wyoming in April as keynotes of the Central Wyoming Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference : Partnering for Progress. Country legend and Wyoming native Chancey Williams will perform in concert as part of the conference. Tickets go on sale today. Business owners, entrepreneurs, government agencies, and students will gain valuable insights into economic development, along with resources and connections that can enhance their ventures. Breakout sessions, professional development workshops, and networking opportunities will enrich attendees' experience and growth. "We invite people throughout Wyoming and beyond to join us for this exciting conference, " says Dean Brittany Yeates . We are so honored to host these top-notch national leaders in the space of economic development, entrepreneurship, business development, and education." "Wyoming's future relies on innovation and the ability to know how a good idea can be developed into a thriving business, Governor Mark Gordon said. Bolstering opportunities to learn critical trades and igniting business acumen is an investment in Wyoming's students, workforce and citizens." "With our Career & Technical Education (CTE) focus, we know that many students across Wyoming will manage and operate small businesses," adds Yeates. The trades are vital to our economy, and bringing students into the arena of entrepreneurship and business development can provide them with business skills and resources to be part of the United States core of small business owners. The Central Wyoming Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference will feature a lineup of distinguished speakers: Tabatha Coffey is globally recognized for her television shows, including Bravos Tabathas Salon Takeover, Tabatha Takes Over, and Relative Success. She has also been a sought-after expert on programs such as The Talk, Dr. Oz, The Rachael Ray Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and Fashion Police. Additionally, she has made her mark critiquing red-carpet looks for major awards, including the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, and the Emmys. Bill Rancic, who burst onto the scene as NBCs first "Apprentice," has authored four books, including the New York Times bestseller "Youre Hired: How to Succeed in Business and Life." He co-authored "I Do Now What?" with celebrity wife Giuliana Rancic, sharing secrets to a supportive love and true partnership in marriage. He also recently penned his first novel, "First Light." Mike Wandler is President of L&H Industrial, Inc., a third-generation family-owned business that provides engineering, design, manufacturing, repair, and field services to heavy industries worldwide. He is also the Founder and Leader of Wyomings Innovative Entrepreneurs, which aims to grow and diversify Wyomings economy by helping entrepreneurs think big and access the information and resources necessary for success. "I'm looking forward to hearing from these incredible speakers, all with various backgrounds in business, entrepreneurship, leadership, and the trades, and breakout sessions with many of our state partners and organizations presenting on related topics or projects," says Rob Kellogg , Executive Director, Silicon Couloir. "Central Wyoming College and Silicon Couloir have a long history of supporting business in Wyoming. Were honored and excited to join this conference, connecting with thought leaders and innovators in the field." Statewide organizations including Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Workforce Services, Wind River Development Fund, Community Development, Makerspace, IDEA Inc., Wyoming Works, Wyoming Business Council, University of Wyoming, and the Community College partners will be participating in the breakout sessions. The conference is generously sponsored by the Wyoming Innovation Partnership . WHAT: Central Wyoming Innovation & Entrepreneurship Conference: Partnering for Progress WHERE: Central Wyoming College, 2660 Peck Avenue, Riverton, WY 82501 WHEN: Thursday, April 10 - Friday, April 11, 2025 TICKETS: cwie2025.eventbrite.com WHO: Business owners, entrepreneurs, government agencies, students, and the general publicall are welcome to attend. www.cwc.edu Attachments BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- To strengthen primary care and advance value-based care in the United States, Aledade , the nations largest network of independent primary care, announced its launch today of the Aledade Policy Institute. The Aledade Policy Institute builds on the companys success fostering collaboration and dialogue with regulators, legislators and stakeholders on value-based care. As a Public Benefit Corporation, Aledade prioritizes efforts that advance social good, and not just business objectives, as part of its mission. The Institute will play an important role in this effort by sharing insights to enrich health care policy discussions at a pivotal time for state and federal leaders. The Aledade Policy Institute will be a powerful voice for advancing primary care and value-based care at this important time in our nations history, said Farzad Mostashari, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Aledade. Sensible policy can materially improve the health outcomes of individuals and communities and the clinicians that serve them. Through this Institute, we are committed to supporting the needs and lifting up the voices of primary care practitioners and advancing policies that encourage even more widespread adoption of value-based care. The Aledade Policy Institute will focus on advancing policies across four key areas: Strengthening value-based care models to improve outcomes and reduce costs. Enhancing payment and regulatory systems to ensure sustainable primary care, including reducing the administrative burden these practices and health centers face. Promoting choice and competition to foster innovation in the U.S. health system. Driving interoperability to unlock the potential of health data. The Institute, whose advisory council includes nationally recognized health policy experts Michael Chernew, Ceci Connolly, Bob Kocher, Avik Roy and others, will develop and share ideas to advance value-based care and primary care investment at both the federal and state levels. The council will review policy proposals and provide feedback based on data-driven evidence and alignment with public good. The Institute will be led by Aledades Chief Policy Officer Sean Cavanaugh, the former Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) deputy administrator and director of Medicare, and include a team of other federal and state policy experts. The Aledade Policy Institute will deliver ideas that draw on evidence and lessons learned from a decade of working with the largest network of independent primary care in the country, Cavanaugh said. This will enable us to more compellingly share evidence-based recommendations that can advance value-based primary care that meets the unique needs of urban, suburban and rural geographies, community health centers and solo and small practices, creating a health care system that is good for patients and lowers costs. Policy Advancements Aledade has informed several significant initiatives that have improved the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), the signature value-based care program initiated in 2012 by CMS. MSSP, which incentivizes value-based care through Accountable Care Organizations, yielded more than $2.1 billion in net savings in 2023, the largest savings in the programs history. These initiatives include: Benchmarking methodology in 2016 that enabled MSSP to more fairly reward practices for efficiency and high-quality care. This move helped grow MSSP and ensured that experienced primary care physicians regardless of where they practice could continue to provide high-value, low-cost care to beneficiaries. Primary care reimbursement relief for independent physicians adversely impacted by the Change Healthcare cyberattack. State level efforts to remove prior authorization administrative burdens. Learn more about the Aledade Policy Institute at https://aledade.com/policy-institute . About Aledade Aledade, a public benefit corporation, is the largest network of independent primary care in the country, helping independent practices, health centers and clinics deliver better care to their patients and thrive in value-based care. Through its proven, scalable model, which includes cutting-edge data analytics, user-friendly guided workflows, health care policy expertise, strong payer relationships and integrated care solutions, Aledade empowers physicians to succeed financially by keeping people healthy. Together with more than 1,900 practices, federally-qualified health centers and community health centers in 45 states and the District of Columbia, Aledade shares in the risk and reward across more than 200 value-based contracts representing more than 2.5 million patient lives under management. To learn more, visit www.aledade.com or follow on X (Twitter), Facebook or LinkedIn. BRENTWOOD, Tenn., Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CoreCivic, Inc. (NYSE: CXW) ("CoreCivic") announced today it has been awarded a new management contract with the state of Montana to care for additional inmates outside the state of Montana, with 240 inmates anticipated to arrive at our 2,672-bed Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility in Tutwiler, Mississippi during the first quarter of 2025. During January 2025, CoreCivic also received an additional 120 Montana inmates at the Company's 1,896-bed Saguaro Correctional Facility in Eloy, Arizona, under an existing contract with the state of Montana. The base term of the new management contract with the state of Montana runs through December 31, 2026. Upon mutual agreement, the contract provides extension options in two-year intervals, or in any interval that is advantageous to the State, so long as the contract and any renewals do not exceed a total of seven years. Notably, this contract increases the geographic range of CoreCivic facilities that can serve the state of Montana. Damon Hininger, CoreCivic's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Montana and CoreCivic enjoy a strong and long-standing partnership, as exhibited by this expansion of our relationship. Including those inmates anticipated to arrive at CoreCivic facilities this quarter, we will have added approximately 600 Montana inmates that CoreCivic will house in out-of-state facilities over a period of roughly a year and a half. In addition to those 600 inmates, CoreCivic also manages the company-owned 664-bed Crossroads Correctional Center in Shelby, Montana for the State pursuant to a separate management contract. CoreCivic takes pride in caring responsibly for those in our facilities, and we believe the expansion of relationships, such as with Montana, provides validation of the quality and value of our essential services." Patrick Swindle, CoreCivic's President and Chief Operating Officer, added, "With these additional inmates, the total population at the Saguaro Correctional Facility will be close to the facility's design capacity. Similarly, the additional Montana population will improve our bed utilization at the Tallahatchie County Correctional Facility, where over the past year and a half we have also added populations from the state of Wyoming, Harris County (Texas), and Hinds County (Mississippi). Our business model has significant operating leverage, and facilities perform significantly better economically as utilization improves. Inclusive of this contract, we now manage contracts for eight customers at our Tallahatchie facility. We are proud of the flexibility and capability of our team to accommodate these diverse customer needs." About CoreCivic CoreCivic is a diversified, government-solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible, cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through high-quality corrections and detention management, a network of residential and non-residential alternatives to incarceration to help address Americas recidivism crisis, and government real estate solutions. We are the nations largest owner of partnership correctional, detention and residential reentry facilities, and one of the largest prison operators in the United States. We have been a flexible and dependable partner for government for more than 40 years. Our employees are driven by a deep sense of service, high standards of professionalism and a responsibility to help government better the public good. Learn more at www.corecivic.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements concerning the relationship with and anticipated bed utilization by the state of Montana. These forward-looking statements may include such words as "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "project," "plan," "intend," "believe," "may," "will," "should," "can have," "likely," and other words and terms of similar meaning in connection with any discussion of the timing or nature of future operating or financial performance or other events. Such forward-looking statements may be affected by risks and uncertainties in CoreCivic's business and market conditions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ are described in the filings made from time to time by CoreCivic with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and include the risk factors described in CoreCivic's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 20, 2024. Except as required by applicable law, CoreCivic undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements made by it to reflect events or circumstances occurring after the date hereof or the occurrence of unanticipated events. VANCOUVER, BC and KIBBUTZ YIFAT, Israel, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Beyond Oil Ltd. (CSE: BOIL) (OTCQB: BEOLF) (Frankfurt: UH9) (Beyond Oil or the Company), a food-tech innovation company dedicated to reducing health risks associated with fried food while lowering operational costs, minimizing waste, and enhancing sustainability, is pleased to announce that, following its news release dated October 29, 2024, it has secured vendor approval and successfully delivered a 16-ton order to a prominent Eastern European restaurant group (the European Customer). The European Customer, which operates one of the largest fast-food chains in the region with over 1,000 locations, conducted an extensive pilot program throughout 2024. The pilot achieved exceptional results, resulting in vendor approval and the commencement of a phased commercial rollout. The initial shipment will supply selected franchisees within the network, with the product now available for direct purchase by all franchisees. This rollout marks a significant milestone in Beyond Oils global expansion, representing the first step in what the Company anticipates will be a lasting partnership with recurring revenue potential. Beyond Oil remains focused on providing healthier frying solutions. Securing vendor approval from a major Eastern European food chain is another important milestone for Beyond Oil. This achievement is yet another validation of our products unique value proposition and demonstrates the success of our global expansion strategy. With over 1,000 locations in this network alone, this order provides Beyond Oil with strategic opportunities across new markets. We remain focused on accelerating our global growth by offering healthier, more sustainable frying solutions to food-service providers worldwide. About Beyond Oil Ltd. Beyond Oil Ltd. is an innovative food-tech company disrupting the global frying industry with patented solutions that enable healthier frying practices for people and the planet. Guided by its vision to become a global standard in frying operations for the food service and food manufacturing industries, and with regulatory clearance from the FDA and Health Canada, Beyond Oils product significantly reduces harmful compounds in frying oil, addressing cancer and cardiovascular risks associated with fried foods. The companys proprietary technology provides food service operators with a cost-effective solution to deliver healthier, higher-quality fried and processed foods while extending oil life and minimizing waste. For more information, visit: www.beyondoil.co. Contacts Jonathan Or +972-4-6548975 CEO of Beyond Oil info@beyondoil.co ARX | Capital Markets Advisors North American Equities Desk beyondoil@arxadvisory.com Forward Looking Statement and Information The Canadian Securities Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Company and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the securities laws. Words such as expects, anticipates, intends, plans, believes, seeks, estimates and similar expressions or variations of such words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based upon managements current expectations, beliefs and projections, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain. Such expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith. However, there can be no assurance that managements expectations, beliefs and projections will be achieved, and actual results may differ materially from what is expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. In addition, we cannot assure that any patent will be issued as a result of a pending patent application or, if issued, whether it will be issued in a form that will be advantageous to us. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements. For a more detailed description of the risks and uncertainties affecting the Company, reference is made to the Companys reports filed from time to time at sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results, subsequent events or circumstances, changes in assumptions or changes in other factors affecting forward-looking information except to the extent required by applicable securities laws. If the Company does update one or more forward-looking statements, no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect thereto or with respect to other forward-looking statements. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this press release. The Company is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities of Wolfspeed, Inc. (NYSE: WOLF) between August 16, 2023 and November 6, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important January 17, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Wolfspeed securities 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 Wolfspeed class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30954 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 17, 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: The alleged representations in this action concern Wolfspeeds Mohawk Valley, New York fabrication facility. The complaint alleges that defendants provided the public with revenue projections that depended on the Mohawk Valley fabrication facility ramping its production to meet and/or exceed demand for its 200mm wafer product. According to the lawsuit, defendants provided these overwhelmingly positive statements to investors while simultaneously misrepresenting and/or concealing material adverse facts concerning the true state of Wolfspeeds growth potential and, in particular, the operational status and profitability of the Mohawk Valley fabrication facility. First, to meet its publicly stated projections, Wolfspeed would have to cancel or otherwise indefinitely suspend planned future projects such as the facility in Saarland, Germany. Second, Wolfspeed would have to terminate a significant portion of its workforce and shutter its Durham, North Carolina fabrication facility. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Wolfspeed class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30954 or 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, 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 Improving Permitting Landscape Expected in 2025 Toronto, January 15, 2025 - Minera Alamos Inc. (TSXV: MAI) (the "Company" or "Minera Alamos") is pleased to report it has received conditional approval from the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") to settle the amount of US$400,000 due to Auramet International, Inc. and Auramet Capital Partners, L.P. (collectively "Auramet") to extend the date by which certain conditions of the original loan agreement dated October 27, 2023 (as amended, the "Loan Agreement") need to be satisfied from November 29th, 2024 to May 29th, 2025. "In light of a shift in sentiment in the permitting environment in Mexico in recent months with a number of other companies providing timelines for receipt of their permits or permit amendments in H1 of 2025, the Company believes it appropriate at this time to execute the extension to allow financing flexibility as we work toward the completion of its permit process for the planned Cerro de Oro gold mine and welcome Auramet as shareholders of the Company," stated Doug Ramshaw, President of Minera. For full consideration of the US$400,000 extension fee payment, the TSXV has conditionally accepted the Company's proposal to issue 1,901,648 common shares at a deemed price of C$0.2949 per share. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein in the United States. The securities described herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. For Further Information Please Contact: About Minera Alamos Inc. Minera Alamos is a gold production and development Company. The Company has a portfolio of high-quality Mexican assets, including the 100%-owned Santana open-pit, heap-leach mine in Sonora that is currently going through the start-up of operations at the new Nicho Main deposit. The 100%-owned Cerro de Oro oxide gold project in northern Zacatecas has considerable past drilling and metallurgical work completed and the proposed mining project is currently being guided through the permitting process by the Company's permitting consultants. The La Fortuna open pit gold project in Durango (100%-owned) has a positive, robust preliminary economic assessment (PEA) completed, and the main Federal permits are in place. Minera Alamos is built around its operating team that together brought three open pit heap leach gold mines into successful production in Mexico over the last 14 years. The Company's strategy is to develop very low capex assets while expanding the projects' resources and continuing to pursue complementary strategic acquisitions. About Auramet Auramet is one of the largest physical precious metals merchants in the world with over US$20 billion in annual revenues and which provides a full range of services to all participants in the precious metals supply chain. Auramet is a private company established in 2004 by seasoned professionals who have assembled a global team of industry specialists with over 350 years combined industry experience. Their business consists of three main activities: physical metals trading, metals merchant banking (including direct lending) and project finance advisory services. The company has built a consistently successful and prominent franchise in the metals space on the back of an experienced management team that has proven to be innovative and capable of delivering the highest quality service to participants in the sector. In fiscal year 2024 it purchased 7.4 million ounces of gold, 118 million ounces of silver and 4 million ounces of PGMs, and has provided term financing facilities in excess of US$1 billion to date. Auramet is looking to grow its capital investment business in equity, royalties and streams in the precious metals and battery related metals mining space. Auramet is proud to have been awarded a Gold Medal the past two years for its ESG commitment by EcoVadis, the most trusted provider of ESG ratings with a network of more than 130,000 rated companies. For more information on Auramet, please visit www.auramet.com. Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All information herein, other than information of historical fact, constitutes forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. This information is based on information currently available to Minera Alamos and Minera Alamos provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the extension of the deadline by which certain conditions under the Loan Agreement would be satisfied; statements concerning future exploration plans at the Company's mineral projects; the Company's proposed business strategy; and the development and condition of the Company's mining assets. The forward-looking information is based on assumptions and addresses future events and conditions that, by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, results of exploration, the economics of processing methods, project development, reclamation and capital costs of Minera Alamos' mineral properties, and the ability to complete a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production could differ materially from those currently anticipated in forward-looking information for many reasons. Minera Alamos' financial condition and prospects could differ materially from those currently anticipated in forward-looking information for many reasons such as: an inability to finance and/or complete an updated resource and reserve estimate and a preliminary economic assessment which supports the technical and economic viability of mineral production; changes in general economic conditions and conditions in the financial markets; changes in demand and prices for minerals; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; technological and operational difficulties encountered in connection with Minera Alamos' activities; and other matters discussed in this news release and in filings made with securities regulators. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of Minera Alamos' forward-looking information. These and other factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on Minera Alamos' forward-looking information. Minera Alamos does not undertake to update any forward-looking information that may be made from time to time by Minera Alamos or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. The Company does not have a feasibility study of mineral reserves, demonstrating economic and technical viability for the Santana project, and, as a result, there may be an increased uncertainty of achieving any particular level of recovery of minerals or the cost of such recovery, including increased risks associated with developing a commercially mineable deposit. Historically, such projects have a much higher risk of economic and technical failure. 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. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237363 Vancouver, January 15, 2025 - Quetzal Copper Corp. (TSXV: Q) ("Quetzal" or the "Company") announces that further to its news releases dated December 13, 2024 and December 27, 2024, the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") has granted the Company an extension to complete its previously announced non-flow-through portion of its non-brokered private placement of units of the Company (the "Units"), at a price of C$0.15 per Unit (the "Offering"). The Company now has until February 17, 2025 to complete the Financing. The Offering up to 6,666,666 Units at a price of C$0.15 per Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$1,000,000 from the sale of Units; and up to 11,764,705 flow through units of the Company (the "FT Units") at a price of C$0.17 per FT Unit for gross proceeds of up to C$2,000,000 from the sale of FT Units. Each FT Share will be issued as a "flow-through share" within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Each Unit and FT Unit issued under the Offering shall consist of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a "Common Share") and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.25 per Common Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Offering (the "Closing"). A cash commission and finder's warrants may be paid to arm's length finders on a portion of the Offering. The Company closed the first tranche of the Offering consisting of 11,284,853 FT Units for gross proceeds of C$1,918,425 on December 27, 2024. The Company paid cash finder's fees in the amount of C$82,000 and issued an aggregate of 482,353 finder's warrants (the "Finder's Warrants") in connection with the First Tranche. The Finder's Warrants are non-transferable and are exercisable at $0.25 per share for 24 months from the issuance date. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the sale of Units for exploration and development activities and general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Shares will be used by the Company to incur eligible "Canadian exploration expenses" that will qualify as "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures" as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Qualifying Expenditures") related to the Company's Princeton and Dot projects in British Columbia, Canada. All Qualifying Expenditures will be renounced in favour of the subscribers of the FT Shares effective December 31, 2024. All securities to be issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory four (4) month and one (1) day hold period and regulatory approval. About Quetzal Copper Quetzal is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in British Columbia and Mexico. Quetzal currently has a portfolio of three properties located in British Columbia, Canada and one in Mexico. The Company's principal project, Princeton Copper, is located adjacent to Hudbay's Copper Mountain mine in southern British Columbia. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS The information contained herein contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events, or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including, without limitation, planned exploration activities. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof 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" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, among others, statements relating to exploration and development of the Company's properties. Such forward-looking information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Company's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual events or results in future periods to differ materially from any projections of future events or results expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, no known mineral reserves or resources, the limited operating history of the Company, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel, actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, changes in exploration programs based upon results, availability of third party contractors, availability of equipment and supplies, failure of equipment to operate as anticipated, accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry, environmental risks, changes in laws and regulations, community relations and delays in obtaining governmental or other approvals. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237364 This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of the Company's prospectus supplement dated August 12, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated June 21, 2024RENO, Jan. 15, 2025 - i-80 Gold Corp. (TSX: IAU) (NYSE: IAUX) ("i-80 Gold", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that pursuant to its press release on December 31, 2024 it has completed the amendment and restatement of its convertible credit agreement (the "A&R Convertible Credit Agreement") with an affiliate of Orion Mine Finance ("Orion"). As a result, the conditions relating to the previously announced deferral of gold and silver deliveries, and the extension of the Orion Convertible Loan (collectively, the "Waiver Agreements") required to be completed to-date have been satisfied. Further to the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, Orion and i-80 Gold have extended the maturity date of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement by six months from December 13, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and have put certain security in place to secure the Company's obligations under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement. Additional security against the Company's Ruby Hill and Granite Creek projects is required to be put in place by March 31, 2025. In connection with the extension of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, the Company has issued to Orion five million common share purchase warrants (the "2025 Orion Warrants") with an exercise price of C$1.01 and an expiry date of January 15, 2029. The 2025 Orion Warrants will be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws which will expire four months and one day from the date of issuance. Neither the 2025 Orion Warrants nor the shares issuable upon exercise of the 2025 Orion Warrants have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and are considered "restricted securities". The Company has agreed to grant Orion registration rights with respect to its securities. Additionally, the Company announces its intention to complete a prospectus financing of common shares (the "Common Shares") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of US$10,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Company has been advised by certain of its largest shareholders as well as its board of directors and management team that they anticipate participating in the Offering. The Common Shares will be priced in the context of the market. It is expected that the Offering will close on or about January 31, 2025. The Company anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for the development of the Company's projects in Nevada, and for working capital and general corporate purposes, as i-80 Gold works towards completion of the second phase of its recapitalization plan targeted for on or about March 31, 2025. The Offering will be made pursuant to a prospectus supplement to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus filed on June 21, 2024 (the "Shelf Prospectus"), which prospectus supplement will be prepared and filed by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada other than Quebec prior to the closing of the Offering, and will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Company's U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (Registration No. 333-279567), which includes the Shelf Prospectus and was declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2024. The consummation of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") and the NYSE American, and other customary closing conditions. No commission or finder's fee will be paid in connection with the Offering. Each of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement and the related issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants to Orion constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as Orion is a "related party" of the Company given its greater than 10% beneficial shareholding of the Company (within the meaning of MI 61-101, which includes Orion's common shares, warrants and potential conversion rights in i-80 Gold securities under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement). The Company has relied on exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 in respect of the issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants, and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 from the minority shareholder approval requirement in respect of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement since neither the fair market value of the 2025 Orion Warrants nor the fair market value of the facility under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. Furthermore, a formal valuation is not required under MI 61-101 in respect of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement as the entering into of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement is not the type of related party transaction that requires a formal valuation. The Company has not filed a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, including the issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants, since the terms and conditions of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement were not agreed upon until shortly prior to closing. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About i-80 Gold Corp. i-80 Gold Corp. is a Nevada-focused mining company with the third largest gold mineral resources in the state of Nevada. The recapitalization plan underway is designed to unlock the value of the Company's high-grade gold deposits to create a Nevada mid-tier gold producer. i-80 Gold's common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol IAU:TSX and IAUX:NYSE. Further information about i-80 Gold's portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.i80gold.com or by email at info@i80gold.com. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's and Orion's agreement to place certain personal property and real property security in place to secure the Company's obligations under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement; the Company's ability to satisfy all closing conditions and close the Offering within the announced timeline and announced gross proceeds; the Company's use of proceeds for the Offering; the Company's preparation and filing of the prospectus supplement in the announced provinces and territories, and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by the closing; consummation of the Offering; the Company's ability to obtain the approval of the TSX and the NYSE American; and the Company's other future plans and expectations. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: material adverse changes, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to i-80's filings with Canadian securities regulators, including the most recent Annual Information Form, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. SOURCE i-80 Gold Corp For further information, please contact: Richard Young - CEO; Matt Gili - President & COO; Ryan Snow - CFO; Leily Omoumi - VP Corporate Development & Strategy, 1.866.525.6450, Info@i80gold.com, www.i80gold.com Giant Mining Corp. (CSE: BFG | OTC: BFGFF | FWB: YW5) ("Giant Mining" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it is in the process of preparing drill tenders to be sent to prospective drilling companies for its upcoming four Core Hole Drill Program at the Majuba Hill ("Majuba Hill") Copper-Silver Porphyry Deposit located in Pershing County, Nevada. The Core Program is designed to follow up hole MHB-30 ("MHB-30") which encountered high-grade copper-silver mineralization from 0 to 218.0 feet (66.4 meters) of 1.35% Cu and 73.4 g/t Ag including 74.0 feet (22.6 meters) of 2.6% Cu and 30.1 g/t Ag. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Magmatic-Hydrothermal Breccia Corridors and Prominent Breccia Bodies This maiden 2025 drill program is a key component of Giant Mining Corp.'s ongoing initiative to advance exploration efforts at the Majuba Hill, a highly prospective site with significant resource potential. Notably, previous results from the deposit have demonstrated impressive grades, including: 0 to 218.0 feet (66.4 meters) of 2.1% Copper Equivalent ("CuEq") including 140.0 to 214.0/ 74.0 feet (22.6 meters) at 2.9% CuEq. Phase 1 2025 Drill Program Up to 4,000 feet (1,219 meters) of drilling over four holes is planned to target the Southern Breccia Corridor with holes oriented to intersect the high-grade mineralized breccia. Drilling will focus on the deeper portions of the breccia and the extensions of the high-grade copper zones below the historic underground workings. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 2: Giant Mining 2024 Drilling with Grade Domains and Magmatic-Hydrothermal Breccia Corridors "We are thrilled with the tremendous progress Giant Mining achieved at Majuba Hill in 2024, advancing what we firmly believe has the potential to become a significant domestic copper deposit for the United States," said David Greenway, CEO of Giant Mining. "This project represents a major opportunity for our stakeholders and a step forward for global resource development. Looking ahead, we are excited to launch our maiden 2025 drilling program at Majuba Hill. The company is currently accepting proposals from drill crews ready to begin operations at the earliest convenience." Click Image To View Full Size Figure 3: MHB-30 55.5-57.0 meters (182-187 ft /4.5% Cu & 49.0 g/t Ag with Strong Copper Oxides in Mineralized Breccia Click Image To View Full Size Figure 4: MHB-30 47.9-49.4 meters (157-162 ft)/2.1% Cu & 16.3 g/t Ag in Mineralized Breccia fragment with chalcopyrite and bornite Copper Equivalent Calculation Copper equivalent (CuEq) values were calculated on September 24th, 2024, by combining the assay values for copper and silver assay results for each intercept using an interval-weighted calculation based on $4.475/lb. Cu and $31.29/oz Ag. Copper on September 24th, 2024, was trading at $4.475/lb. Cu and $31.29/oz Ag (prices from https://www.cnbc.com/quotes; Copper (Dec?24) @HG.1: CEC: Commodities Exchange Centre and Silver COMEX (Dec?24) @SI.1: CEC: Commodities Exchange Centre). Hole ID From (m) To (m) Interval (m) Cu (%) Ag (g/t) Au (g/t) Mo (ppm) Sn (ppm) Zn (ppm) MHB-30 0.0 66.4 66.4 1.35 73.4 0.074 107 229 387 including 42.7 65.2 22.6 2.60 30.1 0.092 206 95 414 Quality Assurance/Quality Control ("QA/QC") Measures, Chain of Custody The Company utilizes a QA/QC program using best industry practices at the Majuba Hill Project. The samples are placed in cloth or plastic sample bags and are transported from the Giant Mining secure warehouse to the ALS Labs Sample Prep Facility in Elko, Nevada. ALS then transports the prepared pulps to their analytical lab in North Vancouver, B.C. Drill core samples are sawn in half lengthwise and one half is placed in labeled cloth sample bags. All samples are analyzed for copper, gold, silver, and 33 other elements. Gold is determined by ALS Labs method Au-AA23 which is a fire assay with an AAS finish on a 30-gram split. Copper, silver, and the remaining 31 elements are determined by ALS Labs method ME-ICP61 which is a four-acid digestion and ICP-AES assay. Approximately 5% of the submitted samples are drill duplicates and copper-gold-porphyry commercial standard reference material pulps. The sample rejects and remaining pulps will be retrieved from ALS Labs. Discover more about Majuba Hill Copper Deposit and Giant Mining Corp. by watching our corporate video. Gain insights into our vision and operations by visiting https://giantminingcorp.com/majuba-hill/. Some of Majuba Hill's critically important characteristics are as follows: Location: Nevada - The #1 mining jurisdiction on the planet according to the Fraser Institute Project Size: 9,684 Acres (3,919 ha) Infrastructure: The Majuba Hill property is 113 road km (70 miles) southwest of Winnemucca, Nevada, and 251 km (156 miles) northeast of Reno. Access is by well-maintained county roads from the Imlay, Nevada exit on U.S. Interstate 80, and traveling westward 23 miles. People, Roads, Power and Water are the basic elements when considering infrastructure and Majuba Hill already has a solid infrastructure foundation for building a large facility which will provide significant savings compared to more remote projects. History: Historical Producer Click Image To View Full Size Figure 5: Historical Production from Majuba Hill (USD $32 Million in Historical production at Today's Prices) Drilling: 83,925 feet of drilling to date. Rough replacement value of drilling USD $10.4 Million in development costs. Mineralization: The project shows indications of a potentially large Cu - Ag +/- Au mineralized body with many features in common with both large porphyry copper, silver, and gold projects. The company saw its highest-grade results to date in 2024 drilling high grade from surface with 74.0 feet of 2.6% Cu and 30.1 g/t Ag within 218.0 feet of 1.35% Cu and 73.4 g/t Ag" Deposit: A 2023 Report by RESPEC Engineering outlines the potential for deposit of up to 660,000,000 pounds of copper. See report. Expandability: IP Survey, deep drilling, step out drilling all suggest expandability with expansion open in all directions. Fully Financed: Secured funding for 2025 Drilling Campaign Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by E.L. "Buster" Hunsaker III, CPG 8137, a non-independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" as such term is defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). RSUS The Company announces it has granted 375,000 restricted stock units ("RSUs") to officers, directors, employees, and consultants of the Company. The RSUs are valid for a term of one year and under the terms of the Company's restricted share unit plan (the "RSU Plan"). All the RSUs expire on January 16, 2026. About Giant Mining Corp. Giant Mining Corp. is focused on identifying, acquiring, and advancing late-stage copper and copper/silver/gold projects to meet the growing global demand for critical metals. This demand is driven by initiatives like the Green New Deal in the United States and similar climate-focused programs worldwide, which require substantial amounts of copper, silver, and gold for electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, and the modernization of clean and affordable energy systems. The Company's flagship asset is the Majuba Hill Copper, Silver, and Gold District, located 156 miles (251 km) from Reno, Nevada. Majuba Hill is situated in a mining-friendly jurisdiction with supportive regulations and has the potential to become one of the next major copper deposits, critical for meeting the increasing need for this red metal. In addition, Giant Mining Corp. holds a 20% ownership stake in the Friday Gold Project, located in the historic Orogrande Mining District, Idaho, approximately 16 km south-southwest of Elk City. With a resource base of 1,237,000 ounces of gold, Friday Gold presents promising opportunities for exploration and development, reinforcing the Company's strategy of advancing high-value resource assets in stable, mining-friendly regions. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. On Behalf of the Board of Giant Mining Corp. "David Greenway" David C. Greenway President & CEO For further information, please contact: E: info@giantminingcorp.com P: 1 (236) 788-0643 VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR MORE DETAILS www.giantminingcorp.com LIKE AND FOLLOW Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn DOWNLOAD INVESTOR INFORMATION Click Here Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain forward?looking information. Such information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those implied by statements herein, and therefore these statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results. All forward?looking statements are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to it as well as other factors. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward?looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Due to risks and uncertainties, including the risks and uncertainties identified by the Company in its public securities filings, actual events may differ materially from current expectations. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward?looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. VANCOUVER, Jan. 16, 2025 - K92 Mining Inc. ("K92" or the "Company") (TSX: KNT; OTCQB: KNTNF) announces the promotion of Heidi Grobler to the position of Vice President - Human Resources; the appointment of Stanley Komunt to the position of General Manager, External Affairs designate, who will be taking over from Mark Schubert when he retires in 2025; and the promotion of Andrew Kohler to the position of Interim Vice President -Exploration. The Company also announces the departure of Chris Muller. To ensure continuity during this transitional period, Andrew Kohler has been appointed as Interim Vice President - Exploration while the Company evaluates its long-term plans for the role. Heidi Grobler is a senior HR professional with over 20 years of experience in the mining and heavy manufacturing industries, both at operational and corporate levels. She has extensive international human resources management experience across Australia, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Joining K92 in 2021, Ms. Grobler most recently served as General Manager - Group Human Resources. Prior to this, she held senior HR leadership roles at Newcrest Mining Ltd., Afrique Gold Ltd., Adelaide Brighton Ltd., and Anglo Platinum Ltd. Mrs. Grobler holds a Bachelor of Law (B.Proc) from the University of South Africa and a Graduate Certificate in Business Law from Curtin University of Technology. She is a professional member of the Australian HR Institute and a certified change management practitioner. Stanley K. Komunt is an experienced community and government relations leader with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry, specializing in corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and risk management. From 2018 to 2024, he served as Country Manager for Newcrest Mining Ltd. and, following its acquisition, with Newmont Corporation in Papua New Guinea, where he played a key role in negotiations and oversaw government, regulatory, and community relations. He previously held senior roles with Nautilus Minerals Ltd., Morobe Mining Joint Venture, Highlands Pacific Ltd. at the Kainantu Gold Mine, and Ok Tedi Mining Ltd., managing community programs, security operations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Mr. Komunt has completed advanced training in leadership, governance, and project management through Newcrest Mining Ltd. and other organizations, contributing to the success of major mining projects. Mr. Komunt also serves as a Vice President Papua New Guinea for the Australia PNG Business Council, a Director of the PNG Motor Vehicle Insurance Company and previously served as a council member of the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy. Andrew G. Kohler is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, holding senior roles in underground, open pit, and exploration operations across gold, copper, nickel, and base metals projects. Mr. Kohler joined K92 in 2016 and currently serves as K92 Mining's Chief Geologist. At the Kainantu Gold Mine, he was part of the geologic leadership team that made the discovery of the Kora North Deposit in 2017, which ultimately was recognized with the Thayer Lindsley Award, for Best Global Discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in 2021. Prior to joining K92, Mr. Kohler held senior leadership positions with companies that included India Resources Limited, Ramu NiCo Management Limited, Avocet Gold Limited, Resolute Tanzania Limited, and Sons of Gwalia Ltd., where he led resource development, drilling programs, and technical operations at various global mining projects. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geology from Curtin University of Technology, a Postgraduate Certificate in Geostatistics from Edith Cowan University, and is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), the Geological Society of Australia, and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Dr. Chris Muller joined K92 in 2016 and most recently served as the Company's Executive Vice President - Exploration. Dr. Muller was part of the team that made the discovery of Kora North, which was awarded the 2021 Thayer Lindsley Award for best global discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. Additionally, Chris was also instrumental in the discovery of the Blue Lake porphyry, delivering a maiden 10.8 million ounces AuEq inferred resource in 2022. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Dr. Mark Schubert joined K92 in 2019 serving as the Company's General Manager, External Affairs and Sustainable Development, leading engagement efforts and sustainable development with our local communities. Over the years, Dr. Schubert's team have been recognized with multiple ESG Industry Awards from the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy, including the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2024 for our Sustainable Livelihoods Agricultural Program; the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2023 for our Women-in-Mining Program focused on empowerment initiatives including upskilling and preventative healthcare, and; the Award for Outstanding Women's Contribution in the Resources Industry in 2022 for our Women-in-Mining Program, focused on adult literacy. We wish him well in his well-deserved retirement. John Lewins, K92 Chief Executive Officer and Director, stated, "As K92 Mining continues to grow and evolve, the leadership changes announced today reflect our firm commitment to building a strong, dynamic team capable of driving our success well into the future. Over the past three years, Heidi Grobler has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, resourcefulness, and the ability to excel in many roles, making her a natural fit for this promotion. We are also pleased to welcome Stanley Komunt to the team, who brings a wealth of community and government relations expertise in Papua New Guinea, most recently with Newcrest and Newmont. I would also like to recognize Andrew Kohler, who will serve as Interim Vice President, Exploration. With over eight years of significant contributions to K92 and a wealth of industry expertise, Andrew is well-positioned to ensure continuity and leadership during this transitional period while we evaluate the long-term needs of the role. I want to express my gratitude to Chris Muller for his very significant contribution to our exploration success. While Mark Schubert will still be with us for some months, I would also like to recognize his exceptional contribution and initiatives within our local communities. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Congratulations to Heidi, Stanley and Andrew on their appointments, and I look forward to their continued contributions as we build on our achievements and pursue the exciting opportunities ahead." About K92 K92 Mining Inc. is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu Gold Mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018, is in a strong financial position, and is working to become a Tier 1 mid-tier producer through ongoing plant expansions. A maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake copper-gold porphyry project was completed in August 2022. K92 is operated by a team of mining company professionals with extensive international mine-building and operational experience. On Behalf of the Company, John Lewins, Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact David Medilek, P.Eng., CFA, President and Chief Operating Officer at +1-604-416-4445 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (i) the results of the Kainantu Mine Definitive Feasibility Study, and the Kainantu Preliminary Economic Assessment, including the Stage 3 Expansion, a new standalone 1.2 mtpa process plant and supporting infrastructure; (ii) statements regarding the expansion of the mine and development of any of the deposits; (iii) the Kainantu Stage 4 Expansion, operating two standalone process plants, larger surface infrastructure and mining throughputs; and (iv) the potential extended life of the Kainantu Mine. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as "expect", "plan", "anticipate", "project", "target", "potential", "schedule", "forecast", "budget", "estimate", "intend" or "believe" and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could", "should" or "might" occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control, that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, Public Health Crises, including the COVID-19 virus; changes in the price of gold, silver, copper and other metals in the world markets; fluctuations in the price and availability of infrastructure and energy and other commodities; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; volatility in price of our common shares; inherent risks associated with the mining industry, including problems related to weather and climate in remote areas in which certain of the Company's operations are located; failure to achieve production, cost and other estimates; risks and uncertainties associated with exploration and development; uncertainties relating to estimates of mineral resources including uncertainty that mineral resources may never be converted into mineral reserves; the Company's ability to carry on current and future operations, including development and exploration activities at the Arakompa, Kora, Judd and other projects; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Company's ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the availability and costs of achieving the Stage 3 Expansion or the Stage 4 Expansion; the ability of the Company to achieve the inputs the price and market for outputs, including gold, silver and copper; failures of information systems or information security threats; political, economic and other risks associated with the Company's foreign operations; geopolitical events and other uncertainties, such as the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine; compliance with various laws and regulatory requirements to which the Company is subject to, including taxation; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions, including relationship with the communities in Papua New Guinea and other jurisdictions it operates; other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form under the heading "Risk Factors". Estimates of mineral resources are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections, based on certain estimates and assumptions, regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production. The estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from those that are 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Port Moresby, January 16, 2025 - Adyton Resources Corp. (TSXV: ADY) ("Adyton" or the "Company") is pleased to announce two major milestones in advancing its Feni Gold Copper Project, located on the Feni Islands Group in Papua New Guinea. The Company has entered into a contract with Zenex Drilling, a renowned Papua New Guinea-based drilling services provider, and has completed the construction of a fit-for-purpose camp to support the drilling program. HIGHLIGHTS Zenex Drilling engaged for Feni Island's upcoming exploration program Multiple drill rigs, equipment and gear to be mobilized 50-person bush camp completed, ready to support 24/7 drilling operations Significant local employment generated through camp construction and drilling preparation "We are thrilled to achieve these critical milestones, which mark significant progress on the Feni Gold-Copper Property," said Tim Crossley, Chief Executive Officer of Adyton. "Partnering with Zenex Drilling, a firm with extensive experience in geothermally active ground (similar to Lihir) and remote island drilling, positions us for success as we prepare to execute our ambitious exploration program in one of the worlds greatest copper/gold discovery regions. Additionally, completing the camp construction with local materials and manpower demonstrates our commitment to community involvement and operational efficiency. Together, these developments set the stage for a transformative phase of exploration at the Feni Gold-Copper Property." Drilling Contract and Mobilization Zenex Drilling, renowned for their work at Papa New Guinea's Lihir Island, will spearhead Adyton's drilling program at the Feni Gold-Copper Property. Zenex Drilling will deploy two drill rigs operating 24/7 over approximately four months, aiming to complete up to 8,000 meters of diamond core drilling. The drilling program is designed to enhance the existing Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 1.46 Moz through deeper exploration of high-grade gold and copper feeder systems (noting a large number of previous exploration holes terminated in grade), twinning a number of holes that historically were not assayed for copper and test new areas of interest identified from the Company's most recent high resolution drone magnetic survey and field work. Notable intercepts from the Company's 2021 drill program include 85.4 M of 0.57% Cu, including 6.4 M of 5.2% Cu and 85.4 M of 0.94 g Au. The Company anticipates that the equipment for the drilling program will be fully mobilized by the end of January 2025 and that drilling will commence shortly thereafter. Camp Construction: Ready for Operations The newly completed 50-person bush camp includes living quarters, a mess hall, office spaces, storage facilities, and essential amenities such as running water, electricity, and a generator (see Figures 1, 2 and 3 below). Constructed with significant local input from predominantly locally sourced materials, the camp reflects Adyton's commitment to supporting the Feni Island community and leveraging local expertise. Further enhancements, including a core logging facility and drillers' laydown area, will follow once excavators are mobilized. Figure 1: Geologists accommodation haus on the left and office block, "Kabang Haus," on the right To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7416/237393_e26480a8d4d9eac1_001full.jpg Figure 2: Drillers haus on the left, geologists haus in the middle, and back of mess hall on the right To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7416/237393_e26480a8d4d9eac1_002full.jpg Figure 3: Interior view of the mess hall showcasing local craftsmanship and use, to the extent possible, of local timbers and materials. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7416/237393_e26480a8d4d9eac1_003full.jpg Pre-drilling project update to Feni Island Community Association Executives and landowners completed On Tuesday 14 January 2025, Adyton staff along with Feni Island landowners and the Feni Island Community Association Executives, met in Kavieng, New Ireland province. The purpose of this meeting was to report back to the Community Association Executive and Landowners on the past 4 months of on ground activities and provide details on the proposed upcoming drilling program along with interpretation and context of historical work programs. The meeting was well attended with a total of 15 community leaders and landowners and confirmed the ongoing support for Adyton's work programs. Figure 4: Feni Island Association Executives and Principal Landowners with (L to R centre of photo) COO Dr Chris Bowden, CEO Tim Crossley and Adyton Geologist Fred Iwei. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7416/237393_e26480a8d4d9eac1_004full.jpg Geological and Regional Context The Feni Island Group lies between Lihir and Panguna within the Tabar-Lihir-Tanga-Feni (TLTF) volcanic island chain, which hosts deposits, including Lihir (87 Moz) and Panguna (23 Moz + 6.4 Mt Cu) and Simbiri 8 Moz). Observed gold and copper epithermal and porphyry mineralization at Feni exhibits geological similarities to these deposits, highlighting the potential for an expansion to the existing Mineral Resource Estimate. Strategic Advantage Adyton's approach leverages its team's discovery and mining expertise, combined with modern exploration systems, to maximize discovery success. The Company remains well-funded and strategically positioned to advance the Feni Island project efficiently. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. ABOUT ADYTON RESOURCES CORPORATION Adyton Resources Corporation is focused on the development of gold and copper resources in world class mineral jurisdictions. It currently has a portfolio of highly prospective mineral exploration projects in Papua New Guinea on which it is exploring to expand its identified gold Inferred and Indicated Mineral Resources and expand on its recent significant copper drill intercepts on the 100% owned Feni Island project. The Company's mineral exploration projects are located on the Pacific Ring of Fire on easy to access island locations which hosts several globally significant copper and gold deposits including the Lihir gold mine and Panguna copper/gold mine on Bougainville Island, both neighboring projects to the Company's Feni Island project. Adyton has a total Mineral Resource Estimate inventory within its PNG portfolio of projects comprising indicated resources of 173,000 ounces gold and inferred resources of 2,000,000 ounces gold. The Feni Island Project currently has a mineral resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 dated October 14, 2021, which has outlined an initial inferred mineral resource of 60.4 million tonnes at an average grade of 0.75 g/t Au, for contained gold of 1,460,000 ounces, assuming a cut-off grade of 0.5 g/t Au. See the NI 43-101 technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Feni Gold-Copper Property, New Ireland Province, Papua New Guinea prepared for Adyton Resources by Mark Berry (MAIG), Simon Tear (MIGI PGeo), Matthew White (MAIG) and Andy Thomas (MAIG), each an independent mining consultant and "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101,available under Adyton's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. The Fergusson Island Project currently has a mineral resource prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 dated October 14, 2021 which outlined an indicated mineral resource of 4.0 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.33 g/t Au for contained gold of 173,000 ounces and an inferred mineral resource of 16.3 million tonnes at an average grade of 1.02 g/t Au for contained gold of 540,000 ounces. See the technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Fergusson Gold Property, Milne Bay Province, Papua New Guinea" prepared for Adyton Resources by Mark Berry (MAIG), Simon Tear (MIGI PGeo), Matthew White (MAIG) and Andy Thomas (MAIG), each an independent mining consultant and "qualified person" as defined in NI 43-101,available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and have not demonstrated economic viability. Adyton is also quoted on the OTC under the code ADYRF and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the code 701:GR. For more information about Adyton and its projects, visit www.adytonresources.com To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7416/237393_e26480a8d4d9eac1_005full.jpg Qualified Person The scientific and technical information contained in this press release has been prepared, reviewed, and approved by Dr Chris Wilson BSc (Hons), PhD, FAusIMM (CP), FSEG, FGS, the Chief Geologist and a Director of Adyton, who is a "Qualified Person" as defined by National Instrument 43101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Forward looking statements This press release includes "forwardlooking statements", including forecasts, estimates, expectations, and objectives for future operations that are subject to several assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of Adyton. Forward looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forwardlooking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. Forward looking statements in this news release include plans pertaining to the drill program, the intention to prepare additional technical studies, the timing of the drill program, uses of the recent drone survey data, the timing of updating key findings, the preparation of resource estimates, and the deeper exploration of high-grade gold and copper feeder systems . The forwardlooking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forwardlooking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses, and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, the receipt of any necessary permits, licenses and regulatory approvals in connection with the future development of the projects in a timely manner; the availability of financing on suitable terms for the development; construction and continued operation of the Fergusson Island Project and the Feni Island Project; the ability to effectively complete the drilling program; and Adyton's ability to comply with all applicable regulations and laws, including environmental, health and safety laws. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts but instead reflect Adyton's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of managements considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. Although Adyton believes that the expectations reflected in such forward- looking statements are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and under reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by Adyton. Among the key risk factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward- looking statements are the following: impacts arising from the global disruption, changes in general macroeconomic conditions; reliance on key personnel; reliance on Zenex Drilling;changes in securities markets; changes in the price of gold or certain other commodities; change in national and local government, legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments; risks and hazards associated with the business of mineral exploration, development and mining (including environmental hazards, industrial accidents, unusual or unexpected formations pressures, caveins and flooding); discrepancies between actual and estimated metallurgical recoveries; inability to obtain adequate insurance to cover risks and hazards; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of and changes in the costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); and title to properties. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forwardlooking statements. Such forwardlooking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forwardlooking statement can be guaranteed, and actual future results may vary materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward looking statements or information. Adyton Resources Corporation undertakes no obligation to update forwardlooking information except as required by applicable law. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH US NEWSWIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237393 Vancouver, January 16, 2025 - Bayhorse Silver Inc., (TSXV: BHS) (OTCQB: BHSIF) (FSE: 7KXN) (the "Company" or "Bayhorse") is submitting 77 assay samples totaling 115 meters (381 feet) from the Company's ongoing drilling program at its silver-copper-antimony rich Bayhorse Silver Mine in Oregon, USA. The samples come from the bottom of the first 206 meters of the current drillhole, BH24-01 that has a targeted depth of 260 meters (850 feet) The assays will be for 35 elements plus gold, as historic gold values up to 10 g/t have been reported, (Silver King Mines, 1984), and the company has sampled up to 1.71 g/t gold (BHS2022-04) (BHS2018-23) (BHS2018-06) in the historic workings, including an unreported 0.9 g/t gold during development of the Mine's secondary escapeway, between the current drill site location and the Bayhorse VTEM anomaly it is targeting (see Figure 1). The Company is also planning a downhole geophysics program to supplement the VTEM survey. This should reveal additional drill targets into the Bayhorse mineralization. The downhole survey will cover a vertical depth of 250-300 meters (825 -1000 feet), to an EW strike of up to 270 meters (890 feet). The downhole geophysical survey should discriminate between rocks that conduct electrical current and those that don't. There are areas of strong silicification, epithermal-style vuggy quartz veining and hydrothermal brecciation in Hole BH24-01. This alteration could mark the hole's proximity to porphyry or related epithermal mineralization. Downhole IP surveying tools can also measure the chargeability of a rock which is its ability to hold a charge. Rocks with common but disconnected zones of sulfides have the largest chargeability responses and massive sulphides and copper porphyry are ideal chargeability targets. The downhole surveys may also add to the low-resistivity zone identified in the VTEM survey that lies west of the Bayhorse Mine workings. Figure 1. Bayhorse underground plan shown historic drill holes, current drill hole BH24-01 and planned drill hole BH25-01 *Please note holes MW-1, MW-2 and MW-3 (shown above) are groundwater test holes drilled previously. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5015/237365_24f5280b84bda8fa_001full.jpg The Company's senior consulting geologists have suggested the zone is a highly silicified hydrothermal polymictic breccia. It contains some rounded, possibly "milled" clasts that probably resulted from high pressure fluids derived from a buried pluton streaming up through the breccia. Rock types that make up the bulk of the breccia include rhyolite, andesite, quartzite, meta sedimentary rocks and granite. The Bayhorse exploration model holds that the silver-copper-antimony rich mineralization at the Bayhorse Silver Mine could have its source in an underlying shallow pluton that may host porphyry copper mineralization. For comparison, on January 15, 2025, Hercules Metals Corp. reported drilling into a similar hydrothermal breccia in hole HER-24-20. which intersected copper mineralization. Bayhorse CEO, Graeme O'Neill will be attending the Minerals Investor Forum, January 17-18, Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, January 19-20, and the Cordilleran Roundup, January 20 -23, in Vancouver, BC. This News Release has been prepared on behalf of the Bayhorse Silver Inc. Board of Directors, which accepts full responsibility for its content. Mark Abrams, AIPG, a Qualified Person has prepared, supervised the preparation of, or approved the technical content of this news release. On Behalf of the Board. About Bayhorse Silver Inc. Bayhorse Silver Inc. is an exploration and production company with a 100% interest in the historic Bayhorse Silver Mine located in Oregon, USA and the Pegasus Project, in Washington County, Idaho. The Bayhorse Silver Mine and the Pegasus Project are 44 km southwest of Hercules Metals' porphyry copper discovery. The Bayhorse Mine includes a state of the art Steinert Ore-Sorting technology reducing waste rock entering the processing stream by up to 85%. The Company has created a minimum environmental impact facility capable of mining 200 tons of mineralization per day and the ability to process and supply 3,600 tons per year of silver/copper concentrate ranging between 7,500 to 15,000 g/t using standard flotation processing at its milling facility in nearby Payette County, Idaho, USA, with an offtake agreement in place with Ocean Partners UK Limited. The Company also has an option to acquire an 80% interest in the Brandywine high grade silver/gold property located in B.C. Canada. The Company has an experienced management and technical team with extensive mining expertise in both exploration and building mines. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/237365 Vancouver, Jan. 16, 2025 - Cascade Copper Corp. (CSE: "CASC") ("Cascade" or the "Corporation") is pleased to announce that its Centrefire Copper and Gold Project (the "Project") located ~40 kilometres northeast of Dryden, Ontario, Canada has been approved for funding through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP). The contribution from OJEP will be a up to $52,150. Shannon Baird, VP Exploration for Cascade Copper explains "The OJEP grant is a welcome addition to our project funding at Centrefire. We acknowledge the Government of Ontario's contribution to exploration and in particular to our Centrefire Copper project. Sampling and mapping at Centrefire has been completed and a planned airborne geophysics program will also benefit from this funding." "Investments in mineral exploration are investments into Ontario's economic future," said George Pirie, Minister of Mines. "By supporting Cascade Copper's Centrefire Project with $52,150 in funding through the Ontario Junior Exploration Program (OJEP), we are helping to identify and unlock new mineral resources that will strengthen Ontario's position as a global leader in mining." Previous work at Centrefire by Cascade included samples across the 7 channel locations. (See press release dated June 4, 2024). The samples where contiguous samples of 1.0m or 0.5m in length within each priority channel area. Individual copper values ranged from 2.36% over 1m in Channel 7 to 95.2 ppm over 1m in Channel 6 with 49% of the samples assaying over 0.25% Cu. Gold values ranged from 3.61 g/t over 1m in Channel 2 to 0.017 g/t in Channel 6 with 63% of the samples assaying over 0.5 g/t Au. Silver values ranged from 10.5 g/t over 1m in Channel 7 to below detection in Channel 6 with 67% of the samples assaying over 1.0 g/t Ag. The highlights are listed below in Table 1. Table 1: Summary Table of Results Across the Seven Channel Areas Channel Length m Cu % Au g/t Ag g/t Cu Eq* 1 9.0 0.21 0.625 1.933 0.68 2 7.0 0.49 1.645 2.486 1.71 3 4.9 0.09 0.116 0.173 0.17 4 5.0 0.46 0.578 2.420 0.91 5 4.0 0.38 1.191 3.350 1.28 6 7.0 0.27 0.877 2.514 0.93 7 5.0 0.82 1.168 6.640 1.73 *CuEq uses copper price at $4.00/lb, gold price at $2,000/oz, and silver price at $25/oz. The calculation is as follows: CuEq = Cu%+(Au grade x Au price + Ag grade x Ag price) / grams per Troy oz / (Cu price x 22.046) and assumes 100% recoveries as no metallurgy has been performed. Planned Geophysics The corporation is planning a Project wide (~25km2) high-resolution Drone Magnetics and/or VLF(EM) survey followed up with 3D Inversion Modeling and selection of "high-quality" EM anomaly targets. The final processed data will be integrated into a 3D visualization software accompanied by all current and historic compilation data in preparation for the upcoming field season and a near-future drill program. Click Image To View Full Size Figure 1: Priority airborne geophysics area to cover with the next phase of work at Centrefire. Currently the priority area only has Ontario MNDM magnetics coverage. Next Steps The Corporation plans to continue exploration at Centrefire with a proposed diamond drill program to evaluate the subsurface continuity of the copper and gold mineralization. The drilling will focus on the Main Gossan Zone. Additional ground work such as mapping, sampling, and geophysics will investigate the identified EM conductors as well as the high mag axes that are deemed to convey iron formations that are known to host high grade gold systems. The northeast portion of the project area that was recently staked, will see some priority airborne magnetic and/or EM surveys and prospecting. Sample Procedure and QA/QC All rock samples collected were submitted to AGAT Laboratories at their Thunder Bay, ON sample preparation facility for preparation and analysis. AGAT Labs meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015 for analytical procedures. Each sample was photographed, tagged, and bagged for analysis. Samples were analyzed using AGAT's 50g Fire Assay Fusion method (202-551) with an AAS finish for gold and by a 34-element four acid digest ICP-OES analysis (201-070) with additional analysis for Ore Grade Cu (201-470). Results were reported in parts per million (ppm) and converted to percent (%), or grams per tonne (g/t) when applicable. The Qualified Person responsible for the technical content of this press release is Shannon Baird, P.Geo, Vice President of Exploration for Cascade Copper Corp. About Cascade Copper The Corporation is an exploration stage natural resource company engaged in the evaluation, acquisition, and exploration of mineral resource properties with the intention, if warranted, of placing them into production. Cascade is focused on exploration, development, and acquisition of quality exploration properties. More specifically, Cascade's objective is to conduct an exploration program on its flagship Rogers Creek Property located in the Coast Mountain Belt of British Columbia about 90 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, in the Southwest Mining Region. Cascade currently now has five projects, including the Centrefire Copper-Gold Project, the Copper Plateau Copper-Moly Project, the Fire Mountain Copper-Gold Project, the Bendor Gold Project, and the flagship Rogers Creek Copper-Gold Project. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: CASCADE COPPER CORP. Jeffrey S. Ackert, President and CEO 820-1130 West Pender St. Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 Telephone: 1 613 851 7699 E-Mail: info@cascadecopper.com Web: www.cascadecopper.com Neither the CSE nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. DISCLAIMER & FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Cascade Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements." Vancouver, January 16th, 2025 - Durango Resources Inc. (TSX.V: DGO) (Frankfurt: 86A1) (OTCQB -ATOXF) ("Durango" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the acquisition of five critical metals properties in Canada, including one antimony project, one rare earth project, and three copper projects to compliment the Company's growing strategic resource property portfolio. Antimony Project The Company has acquired an antimony project that is 115.57 hectares and located in Haida Gwaii, northern British Columbia. Highlights hosts 5% stibnite (antimony mineral) and cinnabar. veinlets and fracture filling within a cherty argillaceous sandstone. showing is 2.5-3m wide and 10-12m long at surface. Historical Work The BC Minfile report (No 103F 059) states: "Mineralization consists of up to 30 per cent realgar, 5 per cent stibnite, 5 per cent orpiment, with lesser pyrite, cinnabar and marcasite, occurring as massive pods, disseminations, veinlets and fracture fillings within a cherty argillaceous sandstone near the top of the turbidite unit. The mineralized horizon is structurally overlain by silicified argillite, chloritic wacke and chlorite-clay-altered sandy tuff. The mineralization is exposed over a width of 2.5 to 3 metres and a length of 10 to 12 metres. It strikes 110 degrees and dips 46 degrees north." Rare Earth Element Project The Company has acquired a 100% interest in claims located in the Lake Chapiteau region of Quebec which host a region of critical and rare earth elements in syenite pegmatite rocks. A mapping and sampling program was completed by previous owners Quest Rare Minerals ("Quest"). In 2010 Quest collected 12 rock outcrop samples which all host notable anomalous values for barium, barium, beryllium, fluorine, gallium, niobium, lead, rubidium, tantalum, thorium, uranium, zinc and zirconium averaging as per the table below. Critical Elements (ppm / grams per ton) Rare earth elements on the property have been averaged and broken down into light and heavy rare earths as per the table below: Rare Earth Elements (ppm / grams per ton) Three Copper Projects The Company has acquired a 100% interest in the historical Shefford Copper Mine located in the Ely Township of Quebec. The property hosted artisanal mining in 1881 and 1901 with total production of 11.3 tons of 11.0% copper (Cu) (SIGEOM, Geoscience Database of Quebec Government). The mineralization is described as chalcocite-bornite-calcite veins or in disseminations with historical values of 46.14% Cu and 37.50 g/t silver (Ag) assayed from grab samples made exclusively of copper-bearing minerals. (*Bancro, J. A., 1916. Rapport sur les gisements de cuivre des cantons de l'est de la province de Quebec. AP1916-01, p.267) Durango has also obtained a 100% interest in the historical Logan Copper Mine which is located about 8km south of the Shefford Mine in the Stukely Township of Quebec. Two pits were mined from 1850 until 1864, with a total production of 4.5 tons at 20% Cu. Two grab samples collected during a metallogenic study assayed 5.07 % Cu, 4.87 % Zn, 36.0 g/t Ag and 0.88 % Cd and 0.81 % Cu and 7.0 g/t Ag. (Gauthier, M., 1986. Synthese metallogenique de l'Estrie et de la Beauce (secteur centre-ouest), annexe no 1: fiches descriptives des gites metalliferes reperes sur le terrain en 1985. UQAM; MB 86-47, p.145) The third copper property the Company has acquired is a 100% interest in is the Bowers showing which is in Quebec in the Melbourne township. Initial exploration activities were completed prior to 1866 and consisted of trenches and pits with mineralisation of copper bearing, quartz calcite veinlets. The historical grab sample assays returned values of 24% and 19% Cu made exclusively chalcopyrite and bornite, respectively. A grab sample of 8.8 g/t Au was also mentioned in the same historical report. (Hinzer, J. B., 1987. Geological Report, Melbourne Property. Internat Thunderwood Expls ltd, GM 45788, p.27) Terms of the Acquisitions Durango has negotiated a cash payment of $5,000 upon signing and the issuance of four million (4,000,000) common shares of the Company (issuable upon regulatory approval) for a 100% interest in the properties to arm's length vendors. All shares issued will be subject to a four-month and 1-day period from the date of issuance as per securities regulations. About Critical Metals Critical metals are essential components of modern technologies, including renewable energy systems, defense applications, and advanced electronics. Both the United States and Canada have identified specific lists of critical metals vital to their economic and national security. The U.S. Geological Survey's 2022 list includes 50 critical minerals, while Canada has designated 31 minerals as critical. Recent geopolitical developments have heightened concerns over Western supply chain security of these critical metals. China, which holds a dominant position in the production and processing of a number of critical metals, has implemented export bans affecting the West. Notably, China has recently restricted exports of gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States, citing their dual military and civilian uses. These actions underscore the strategic importance of diversifying Western supply chains and developing domestic sources for critical metals to mitigate geopolitical risks and ensure the stability of essential industries. About Antimony Antimony is a critical mineral primarily used as a flame retardant and alloying agent in lead-acid batteries, ammunition, and semiconductors. It also has strategic applications in defense and energy storage technologies, making it a high-priority material for many governments. The global antimony market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2023 to 2030, driven by rising demand in renewable energy storage and military applications. China dominates global antimony production, accounting for over 70% of supply, leading to significant supply chain risks. This concentration creates vulnerabilities for industries and countries reliant on antimony for essential applications. In December 2024, China banned exports of antimony to the United States, citing its dual military and civilian uses, further exacerbating supply chain concerns. The U.S. Department of Defense has designated antimony as a critical mineral due to its importance in national security, and governments are now prioritizing domestic production to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Projects exploring antimony sources in North America play a key role in addressing these challenges. About Rare Earths Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 elements critical to advanced technologies, including wind turbines, electric vehicles, defense systems, and telecommunications. REEs are essential for the production of high-performance magnets, lasers, and batteries, with applications spanning both civilian and military sectors. The global rare earth market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2023 to 2030, driven by their indispensable role in the energy transition and high-tech industries. Economic concentrations of REEs are geographically limited, with over 80% of global processing controlled by China. This concentration has led to geopolitical concerns about supply chain resilience, especially in light of rising demand and international trade tensions. While China has previously used its dominance in the rare earths market as leverage, as of now, there is no comprehensive export ban on rare earth elements to the West. However, the potential for such restrictions remains a concern for global supply chains. Western governments are currently investing heavily in rare earth mining and processing projects to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains and support critical industries, making domestic exploration efforts increasingly significant. About Copper Copper is a cornerstone of modern infrastructure, powering everything from electrical grids and renewable energy systems to electric vehicles and telecommunications networks. As one of the most widely used industrial metals, copper is indispensable for its high conductivity, durability, and recyclability. The global copper market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% between 2023 and 2030, driven by surging demand in renewable energy and electric vehicle manufacturing. Copper is also recognized for its strategic importance in defense applications, including radar systems, naval vessels, and advanced weaponry. However, the copper supply chain faces challenges due to declining ore grades, production constraints, and geopolitical risks in key producing regions. To address these concerns, governments and companies are investing in new exploration and production initiatives to meet future demand and ensure long-term supply security, evidenced in part by its inclusion on the critical metals lists. Sources: 1. Critical Metals - U.S. Geological Survey 2022 Critical Minerals List, Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, China Restricts Gallium and Germanium Exports 2. Antimony - China's Ban on Antimony Exports, Antimony in National Defense 3. Rare Earths - Rare Earth Elements Market Forecast, China and Rare Earth Export Controls 4. Copper - Copper's Role in Renewable Energy, Copper Market Trends and Growth Forecast Marcy Kiesman, CEO of Durango Resources, commented, "We are excited to announce the acquisition of these promising critical metals assets, which we recognize as essential to powering the next generation of high-tech, defense, and other vital industries. Our new exploration strategy is anchored in the application of advanced, AI-driven technology, which we are confident will help us unlock the full potential of these properties with speed and precision. Coupled with our continued focus on advancing our recent gallium discovery at the NMX Critical Metals Project in Quebec, we are certain that the Company is increasingly well-positioned to help meet the growing Western demand and urgency for these elements." None of the historical information in the release has yet been verified by the Company and should not be relied upon. Melanie Mackay, PGeo, EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia) 35256, APEGA (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta 305012), is a director and qualified person for Durango and approves the technical content of this news release. About Durango Durango Resources Inc. is a Canadian natural resources company dedicated to exploring and developing critical and strategic metals assets. The Company owns a 100% interest in a portfolio of projects which include a recent gallium discovery at the NMX Critical Metals Project, Quebec, key properties in the Babine Copper-Gold Porphyry District, British Columbia, claims near the Troilus Gold Camp, as well as claims in the Windfall Lake Gold Camp. For further information on Durango, please visit www.durangoresourcesinc.com and www.sedar.com. Marcy Kiesman, CEO Telephone: 604.428.2900 or 604.339.2243 Email: durangoresourcesinc@gmail.com Website: www.durangoresourcesinc.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward?looking information or statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements that address the upcoming work programs, and other statements relating to the business, financial and technical prospects of the Company. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company's views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The Company does not undertake to update forward?looking statements or forward?looking information, except as required by law. 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. Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. Goldgroup Mining Inc. ("Goldgroup" or the "Company") (TSX-V:GGA, OTC:GGAZF, BMV SIX:GGAN.MX) announces that, further to the news release disseminated by the Company on August 14, 2024 (the "August 14th News Release"), the Company completed the acquisition of the Loan Facility described in the August 14th News Release on January 15, 2025. The Company now plans to enforce its rights under the Loan Facility, in respect of the outstanding amounts under the Loan Facility, to acquire all shares of Minera Apolo, S.A. de C.V. ("Apolo") as full or partial settlement of the Loan Facility. Apolo is the 100% owner of the fully permitted for construction gold project located 140 kilometers east of the capital Zacatecas in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico (the "Pinos Project"), which consists of 30 mining concessions. In consideration for the acquisition of the Loan Facility from the Creditor Group described in the August 14th News Release, the Company proposes to issue 50 million common shares paid pro rata to the members of the Creditor Group, the payment of cash consideration of USD $0.5M within 18 months of the closing date of the agreement entered in connection with the acquisition of the Loan Facility, and a payment of USD$1.5M in contingent consideration which is only due upon the completion of certain criteria, including a positive pre-feasibility study at the Pinos Project, the advancement of the project into commercial production, publishing an updated 43-101 with greater than 200,000 ounces of contained gold equivalent ounces for the Pinos Project, or the Company's owned interest in the Pinos Project falling to less than 51%. However, there shall be no payments made under the Agreement (other than a small cash advance, most of which is refundable) until full legal and equitable title and interest in and to the Pinos Project shall have been obtained by the Company upon either a settlement agreement being executed or enforcement of the security underlying the Loan Facility by the Company. The completion of the transactions contemplated in this news release are subject to receipt of all necessary approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Goldgroup Goldgroup is a Canadian-based mining Company that owns and operates the Cerro Prieto heap-leach gold mine located in the State of Sonora, Mexico and is led by a team of highly successful and seasoned individuals with extensive expertise in mine development, corporate finance, and exploration in Mexico. For further information on Goldgroup, please visit www.goldgroupmining.com On behalf of the Board of Directors Ralph Shearing CEO +1 (604) 764-0965 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING PROPOSED CHANGES TO MEXICAN MINING LAWS On May 8, 2023, several amendments to laws concerning the mining industry, referred to in the media as the "Mining Reform", were introduced by the Government of Mexico. Unless the challenge to the constitutional validity of the Mining Reform initiated by certain Parliamentary groups in Mexico is successful, the Mining Reform will impose tighter regulations on the mining industry through amendments to mining and related laws in Mexico. Some of the notable proposed amendments include changes to the current process for granting a mining concession through the public bidding process; a reduction of the term of such concessions to 30 years, with the possibility of an additional 25-year extension; conditioning the granting of a mining concession on the availability of water; the creation of a social impact assessment process, featuring a requirement for prior, free, and informed inquiries with the country's indigenous and Afro-Mexican communities; and an obligation to create and implement a Restoration, Closure, and Post-Closure Program for mining activities. If the constitutional challenge to the Mining Reform is ultimately denied, the Mining Reform could negatively affect the ability of the mining companies, including our Company, to operate mining businesses in Mexico. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION Certain information contained in this news release, including any information relating to future financial or operating performance, may be considered "forward-looking information" (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities law) and "forward-looking statements" (within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Actual results could differ materially from the conclusions, forecasts and projections contained in such forward-looking information. These forward-looking statements reflect Goldgroup's current internal projections, expectations or beliefs and are based on information currently available to Goldgroup. In some cases forward-looking information can be identified by terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "projects", "potential", "scheduled", "forecast", "budget" or the negative of those terms or other comparable terminology. Certain assumptions have been made regarding TSXV acceptance of the Company's listing application and timing of this acceptance. Many of these assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of Goldgroup and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information is subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information, and are developed based on assumptions about such risks, uncertainties and other factors including, without limitation: non-completion of any proposed transactions; receipt of all required stock exchange and regulatory approvals,; the continued listing and trading of the Company's common shares; the continuing impact of COVID-19; the continuing impact of regulatory responses to COVID 19 on the employees, business and operations of the Company; uncertainties related to actual capital costs operating costs and expenditures; production schedules and economic returns from Goldgroup's projects; uncertainties associated with development activities; uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources and precious metal recoveries; uncertainties related to current global economic conditions; fluctuations in precious and base metal prices; uncertainties related to the availability of future financing; potential difficulties with joint venture partners; risks that Goldgroup's title to its property could be challenged; political and country risk; risks associated with Goldgroup being subject to government regulation, including but not limited to the potential changes introduced by the Mining Reform, described above; risks associated with surface rights; environmental risks; Goldgroup's need to attract and retain qualified personnel; risks associated with potential conflicts of interest; Goldgroup's lack of experience in overseeing the construction of a mining project; risks related to the integration of businesses and assets acquired by Goldgroup; uncertainties related to the competitiveness of the mining industry; risk associated with theft; risk of water shortages and risks associated with competition for water; uninsured risks and inadequate insurance coverage; risks associated with potential legal proceedings; risks associated with community relations; outside contractor risks; risks related to archaeological sites; foreign currency risks; risks associated with security and human rights; and risks related to the need for reclamation activities on Goldgroup's properties, as well as the risk factors disclosed in Goldgroup's Annual Information Form and MD&A and other public disclosure by Goldgroup. Any and all of the forward-looking information contained in this news release is qualified by these cautionary statements. Although Goldgroup believes that the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on reasonable assumptions, readers cannot be assured that actual results will be consistent with such statements. Accordingly, readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking information. Goldgroup expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, events or otherwise, except as may be required by, and in accordance with, applicable securities laws. Higher Cadillac payment still not enough says Wolff Toto Wolff has hit out at the size of the new team fee payable by Cadillac F1 ahead of its 2026 Formula 1 debut. George Russell, Abu Dhabi GP 2024 Mercedes Although F1 owner Liberty Media eventually, and reluctantly, agreed to let the eleventh team enter the sport, the existing teams continue to object on the basis that their share of the commercial revenue will be diluted. Originally, the compensation fee designed to mitigate the losses was $200 million, but teams have been lobbying for it to be much higher - reportedly as much as $600 million. That is despite the fact that Mercedes boss and co-owner Wolff admits Mercedes' F1 project is now profitable. Thanks to the budget cap and the Formula 1 boom, teams are earning money instead of burning it like they used to, he told Auto Motor und Sport. We are making a real profit. The profitability ratio is 30 to 35 percent before taxes, the Austrian added. "That even compensates for the costs of the engine. The old cliche that Formula 1 just burns money is history. The bottom line is that Formula 1 has never been as healthy as it is today. However, he admits he still has concerns about Cadillac's F1 entry. If they are coming now with a factory effort, investing a corresponding marketing budget in Formula 1, then that is an added value for Formula 1, said Wolff. He also admits that Cadillac may eventually add to F1's global image, but still claims the amount of the proposed compensation payment is not enough. We lose initially, said Wolff. "We don't know what Cadillac will invest in Formula 1. The compensation payment, which is currently said to be $450 million, is too low. "It doesn't compensate for the direct loss of income. Only time will tell what the sport will gain from an eleventh participant. We just don't know. No one has spoken to me about what Cadillac is planning exactly. (GMM) Verstappen takes delivery of huge super-yacht Max Verstappen is the proud owner of a brand new super-yacht. Max Verstappen, Monaco GP 2024 Red Bull The quadruple world champion and his pregnant girlfriend Kelly Piquet were spotted taking delivery of the boat in the port of Viareggio, Italy, which Max has named 'Unleash The Lion'. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, the yacht is 33 metres long and was ordered by Verstappen two years ago. Meanwhile, the Swiss newspaper Blick has published an exclusive interview with the Red Bull driver in which he was asked about his chances of winning a fifth consecutive drivers' title in 2025. I don't have a crystal ball, he answered, "but if we can strengthen certain weaknesses during the winter, we will be back at the top. I'm not going to make any more precise predictions than that, the Dutchman added. But hopefully more teams will be able to fight for the top spots. Verstappen was also asked about the ongoing rumours about his future at Red Bull, including the possibility of a move to Mercedes for 2026. I'm happy with where I am now, he responded. One of my conditions remains the same as always - that Helmut Marko, who discovered me and has always supported me, must stay on the team. Separately, in an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was also asked about his talks with Verstappen during the course of 2024. There was never a plan, the Austrian answered. "But we always talked and kept the lines of communication open. At some point he said that he wanted to stay where he was for now because it felt right to him. And I said we'd go with Kimi (Antonelli) because it felt right to us too. And now we'll see where it all takes us, added Wolff. (GMM) Featured Dzifa Gomashie named Minister designate for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Edith Mensah Showbiz News Jan - 16 - 2025 , 12:28 2 minutes read President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament for Ketu South Constituency, as the Minister designate for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts in a move anticipated to bolster Ghanas creative and cultural landscape. The announcement was made on Thursday, January 16, 2025, signalling a renewed focus on leveraging Ghana's rich cultural heritage and dynamic creative sector. Abla Dzifa Gomashie is a veteran actress, accomplished politician and creative arts expert with a distinguished track record spanning advocacy, youth leadership, and cultural promotion. With decades of experience in the creative industry, she brings a wealth of knowledge to the role, blending artistic vision with policy expertise. Before her appointment, the actress cum politician served two terms as the Member of Parliament for the Ketu South Constituency, where she spearheaded various community development initiatives. Her tenure as Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts saw her champion the integration of theatre arts into tourism promotion, reflecting her lifelong passion for storytelling and cultural preservation. Her academic credentials are equally remarkable. Hon. Gomashie holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (First Class) and an MPhil in African Studies from the University of Ghana. She was also honoured with a Doctorate in Leadership by the Global Centre for Transformational Leadership. About Ghana's Creative Arts Ministry The Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts is tasked with preserving Ghanas cultural heritage while promoting the arts and tourism as drivers of economic growth. Young African voices are gaining popularity on social media the world over, using these platforms for comedy and political debate and often for political debate thats also funny. One of the new generation of TikTok celebrities in Africa is Charity Ekezie, a Nigerian humourist and journalist. Shes gained 3.3 million followers on TikTok (and 570,000 on Instagram). Her skits poke fun at the worlds perceptions of the continent as backward and barbaric. Rowland Chukwuemeka Amaefula is a theatre and performance scholar who has analysed Ekezies TikToks, her sarcastic brand of humour and how she uses social media as a space for politically relevant performance. We asked him about his study. Who is Charity Ekezie? Charity Chiamaka Ekezie is a journalist, influencer and content creator. She studied mass communication in Nigeria before working at a radio station for three years. Like many Nigerians who took to social media to escape boredom during the COVID-19 lockdown, Ekezie began making creative videos and sharing them. Before TikTok became popular in the country, she had been creating informative content on Facebook and YouTube (where she has almost 1 million subscribers) for years. Advertisement She gained fame when she participated in a TikTok trend showcasing the cultural outfits of different African countries. The video went viral. This wasnt just because of the beautiful cultural dress she displayed but also because of unprovoked attacks from non-Africans who deride her African origin. They posed questions that suggested that Africa is a continent (though some thought it was a country) lacking in resources, technology and modern comforts. She responded by producing acts that answered these ignorant questions, using humour to mock them. The more questions she was asked, the more videos she produced. Her acts enlighten non-Africans who disrespect and stereotype Africans even when they have not travelled to or read up on life in the continent. What are her TikTok skits about? She enacts funny responses to actual questions asked by non-Africans on her social media feeds. Although she seemingly accepts these stereotypes in her performances, her actions unseat them and cast light on negative perspectives. Asked if there is candy in Africa, for example, she answers that there is, in fact, no candy in Africa Africans kiss bees and suck their honey out when they want something sweet to eat. She does so standing in front of a table full of candy and eating some. She gives hilarious explanations of how Africans can smell good without perfume, co-habit with wild animals, drink saliva in place of water, or travel long distances by foot. She explains that clean water, cars, aeroplanes or tarred roads dont exist on the continent while appearing alongside these things. A common question shes asked is about whether its safe to visit Africa. In one TikTok she admits that Africa is not safe. In fact, she says, glancing around nervously, a lion is roaming in her vicinity as she speaks. She advises that if the person were to visit Africa, they must be sure to ask for some vanishing lotion at the border of Africa so that wild animals wont see them. So, Ekezie uses sarcasm as a major instrument for refuting negative stereotypes. Sarcasm is the use of remarks that clearly mean the opposite of what they say. It can be a biting form of humour. Her responses seem to confirm the wild imagination of the questioner, but in fact reveal the question to be bizarre and deserving of a bizarre answer. It is through audience laughter in the form of online comments especially from her followers of African descent that naive enquirers realise how meaningless their stereotypes and misconceptions are. What is your analysis of Ekezies social media acts? My study views Charity Ekezies TikTok performances as important contributions to ongoing efforts at decolonisation. Thats to say, they undo the damaging effects of colonial rule and European views imposed on Africa. Before social media, several notable cultural producers were engaged in addressing similar long-standing attempts to demonise Africa. Among these I include Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, Botswana academic Peter Mwikisa, British dramatist Robin Brooks and Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. What is spectacular about Ekezies strategy is its hilarious nature. I analyse a selection of her TikTok acts to show that her approach is less combative and more entertaining. She dispels ignorant views in a playful way that places the joke on the questioner. She flips the script. She highlights the need for people who are genuinely ignorant about the continent to carry out basic research before going public with their views. But her comedy goes further. She uses an accessible medium to refuse misconceptions and re-make perceptions of the lived experiences of Africans. I call it a form of political refusal. She refuses to accept typecast narratives pigeonholing Africans as barbaric. Why does this matter? Ekezies acts are important because they interrupt conscious efforts at demonising Africa and Africans. When such wanton or ignorant attacks are left unanswered, they harden into mainstream portraits. These portraits simplify the complexity of life in African countries and diminish human beings to stereotypes. Judging by their responses, many of the non-Africans who engage with Ekezie do not even know that Africa is not a country but the second largest and second most populous continent, composed of 54 heterogeneous countries. This is given added significance by the fact that she is part of a rise in pan-African content on social media and that many of the leading voices are those of African women. Angella Summer Namubiru from Uganda, for example, produces similar content to Ekezie. These new TikTok stars produce pointedly political perspectives that push back against widespread negative portrayals and projections about Africa and affirm the creativity, joy and complexity of African life. Rowland Chukwuemeka Amaefula, Lecturer, Department of Theatre Arts, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Next article: Who are you trying to impress? Veteran actress, Ngozi Ezeonu slams ladies for showing up braless at audition Featured Popular Indian actor Saif Ali Khan stabbed in attempted burglary at Mumbai home Aljazeera Showbiz News Jan - 16 - 2025 , 15:48 1 minute read Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has been stabbed after an intruder invaded his home in Mumbai. Khan, 54, was taken to a nearby hospital in Mumbai at about 3:30am on Thursday (22:00 GMT on Wednesday) with six injuries, two deeper than the rest and one close to his spine, ANI news agency said, quoting the hospitals chief operating officer. Khans public representatives also confirmed the incident, calling it an attempted burglary, adding that the rest of the family is doing fine. Later on Thursday, doctors told reporters Khan was on the path to complete recovery. Advertisement He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal chord due to a lodged knife in the spine, said Nitin Dange, one of the doctors operating on on the actor. Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also repair the leaking spinal fluid. A female employee at their home was also attacked and was being treated, police said. Featured Teddy Oseis talent was rare- Tributes from industry players Gifty Owusu-Amoah Showbiz News Jan - 16 - 2025 , 16:13 4 minutes read THE music world is reeling badly from the news of the death of Teddy Osei, a saxophonist and a founding member of the iconic Afro-Rock band, Osibisa. His death, at age 88, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, in London, UK comes to five the number of original members of the Osibisa band formed in 1969 to have passed on. (Related article: Teddy Osei of Osibisa fame dead) Other original members of Osibisa who have died are Mac Tontoh (trumpet, horns, percussion), Sol Amarfio (drums, percussion), Spartacus R. (bass, percussion, vocals) and Abdul Lasisi Amao (flute, vocals, percussion). The surviving members are Wendell Richardson (guitars, lead vocals, percussion) and Robert Bailey (keyboards, percussion). Advertisement Teddy Oseis demise has dealt a big blow to industry players, especially those he worked closely with. And as tributes continue to pour in, they describe him as a rare talent whose impact on Africa and world music cannot be overstated. In an interview with Graphic Showbiz on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, Bessa Simons, President of the Musicians Unions of Ghana (MUSIGA), lauded his vision for the creation of the Osibisa band in 1969. Describing Teddy Osei as a great visionary, he noted that he was a major contributor to Osibisas hit songs. With a career spanning over five decades, Teddy Osei left an indelible mark on the music industry. As a lead member of Osibisa, he helped shape the band's unique sound, which blended traditional African rhythms with modern jazz, rock and funk influences, which we call the criss-cross rhythms. Also, he influenced many young musicians with his style of playing the horns, and even though his forte was the sax and flute, he also played the fontonfrom very well. Today, theres no music in Ghana that doesnt have Osibisas influence. Thanks to Teddy Oseis unmatched skill as the arranger of Osibisas songs, he said. Bessa Simons was particularly grateful that even in his old age, Teddy Osei still travelled to Ghana to groom musicians like himself until he suffered a stroke about three years ago. Even though he resided in the UK, he came to Ghana every year until about three years ago when he wasnt too healthy to do so. After years of Osibisa and with the demise of some of its key members, including his younger brother, Mac Tontoh, in 2010, he recruited new musicians like myself to perform at Osibisa gigs, he stated. According to sound engineer and producer Fred Kyei Mensah, popularly known as Fredyyma, he developed a close relationship with Teddy Osei in 2010 as the chief sound engineer at +233 Jazz and Grill Bar in Accra when Osibisa performed there. He recalls the late Sol Amarfio and Teddy Osei set up the stage for the group and the latters handling of the saxophone and flute that night as adorable. It was in 2010, and that night, Osibisa featured Teddy Osei, Wendell Richardson, Mac Tontoh, Kofi Ayivor, Sol Amarfio, Kwame Yeboah and other great musicians. Teddy made playing the wind instrument a delight to watch and listen, he said. Osibisa is the first African band to notch up a series of best-selling singles and albums in the pop charts with its infectious fusion of styles referred to worldwide as criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness. The band was formed in the United Kingdom in 1969 by three Ghanaian musiciansTeddy Osei, Sol Amarfio and Mac Tontoh, together with three colleagues from the CaribbeansWendell Richardson, Spartacus R. and Robert Bailey; and a Nigerian, Abdul Loughty Lasisi Amao. Osibisa celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and Scratch Studios located at East Legon, Accra, in collaboration with MUSIGA, lined up a series of events as part of activities to mark the milestone. One of the key organisers was Paa Kwesi Holdbrook-Smith of Scratch Studios, who at a point in time managed Osibisa. In his words, I have worked closely with Osibisa, especially with its leader Teddy Osei, over the years and I greatly value the bands worth in the history of popular music. Teddy was exceptional and his skill as a saxophonist, flautist and even as a fontonfrom player was peerless, he said. Born in Kumasi in 1937, Teddy Osei was introduced to musical instruments while still a child. He began to play the saxophone while attempting to create a band with his college friends in the coastal city of Sekondi. After graduation, he worked as a building inspector for a year before creating a band called The Comets. The Comets enjoyed brief popularity before Teddy Osei travelled to London in 1962. He received a grant from the Ghanaian government to study at a private music and drama school for three years, before being forced to leave by a regime change in Ghana. He founded Osibisa along with other musicians in 1969. Previous article: Might is not right - Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh writes Featured President Mahamas initiative to reduce ministerial portfolios praised Dr Samuel Kofi Darkwa Opinion Jan - 16 - 2025 , 09:57 5 minutes read To fulfil his promise of creating a 'lean government' with no more than 60 ministers and deputies, President Mahama has embarked on a significant restructuring of Ghana's ministries. This initiative aims to reduce the number of ministries from 30 to 23 and is driven by a vision to streamline government operations and enhance overall efficiency. Such bold steps highlight the government's commitment to fostering a more effective administrative framework, while addressing the growing concerns of redundancy and bureaucratic inefficiency. The restructuring includes the merging and abolition of certain ministries, facilitating a more cohesive approach to governance. Advertisement For instance, the Ministry of Information has been integrated into the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations. This merger combines various communication-related tasks into one umbrella, promoting a unified strategy for disseminating information and enhancing digital outreach in an increasingly technological world. Similarly, the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources has been merged with the Ministry of Works and Housing, forming the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources. This new entity is possibly designed to improve coordination of water management and sanitation efforts, which are critical to enhancing public health and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the merger of the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development to create the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, might aim at streamlining local governance and cultural affairs, promoting better community engagement in policy-making. Conversely, the decision to entirely scrap certain ministries has sparked debate. Notable examples include the abolition of the Ministries of National Security, Railways and Public Enterprises. Such moves raise vital questions surrounding the future of technocrats and employees affected by these cuts. There is an urgent need to consider the implications of terminating positions under the guise of efficiency, particularly for a government that was elected on a platform promising job creation. However, the question is whether these standalone ministries were viable in the first place. The critical inquiry remains: will displaced employees be absorbed into existing ministries and if so, will their skills be aligned with the new roles they are assigned? Moreover, will adequate training and support be provided to ensure their productivity in redefined functions? Governance approaches This restructuring also reveals essential philosophical differences between President Mahama's National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding governance approaches. For example, the NDC favours a national security coordinator, while the NPP favours a dedicated Ministry of National Security. One may ask, how essentially do the two viewpoints differ? Notwithstanding, such contrasting viewpoints underscore divergent strategies in addressing national security challenges and fostering a sense of stability within governance. While the recent changes represent progress toward a leaner government, opportunities for further optimisation remain. One significant proposal could involve merging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture with the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Such a merger would not only enhance food security but also promote sustainable development through reduced administrative costs and better policy coordination. By integrating these ministries, the government could adopt a more holistic approach to agricultural and fisheries management, addressing food production and the sustainable harvesting of aquatic resources. Mergers Additionally, combining the Ministry of Youth Development and Empowerment with the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection could yield considerable benefits. Both ministries share the overarching objective of promoting social welfare and empowerment. By merging their initiatives, resources could be pooled to enhance programmes aimed at youth and gender empowerment, thereby creating a more substantial impact in these crucial sectors. Moreover, merging the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations with the Ministry of Transport could lead to substantial advancements. Both ministries deal with infrastructure and technological progress, and their integration could facilitate the introduction of digital solutions across the communication and transportation sectors. This synergy would promote a more cohesive approach to policymaking and implementation, especially in an increasingly connected world where technological innovation is integral to development. Another potential merger could involve the Ministry of Education with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. unifying these ministries, the government could ensure a more coherent link between educational policies and advancements in science and technology. Streamlining administrative processes in this manner would reduce duplication of efforts and enhance collaboration among stakeholders. As a result, resource management would improve, fostering an environment that encourages innovation while aligning educational programmes with scientific research and development objectives. Refinement Environmental concerns are increasingly critical in Ghana, especially given the pressing issues posed by illegal mining activities, which have significantly degraded natural resources and polluted ecosystems. A merger between the Ministry of Lands, Water and Natural Resources and the Ministry of Environment could yield a more integrated strategy for managing these vital resources. By combining their efforts, the government would be better positioned to coordinate policies and strengthen efforts to combat environmental degradation. This integrated approach could also bolster public awareness initiatives, promoting sustainable practices throughout the country. In conclusion, while the recent restructuring of ministries reflects a commendable step towards creating a leaner and more efficient government in Ghana, there remains ample opportunity for refinement and further enhancement. The writer is a political scientist Featured Barack and Michelle Obama spark divorce speculation amid notable public absences Dailymail.co.uk International News Jan - 16 - 2025 , 15:53 4 minutes read Could Barack and Michelle Obama be heading for a divorce? Some fans are starting to suspect something is awry in the former first couple's marriage after news broke that Michelle would not be attending Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony with her husband. 'Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration,' the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama told Associated Press this week. Michelle was also noticeably absent from former President Jimmy Carter's funeral on January 9 due to a 'scheduling conflict.' Advertisement These two huge non-appearances have some fans of the political power couple concerned there's trouble in paradise, with many taking to X to share their thoughts. 'I'm calling it, the Obamas are getting a divorce,' wrote one person. Another posted: 'An Obama divorce would not be on my 2025 predictions but it might happen.' One claimed: 'Her and Obama are on the outs!! They are getting a divorce!!! She doesn't want to be around him!!!' 'Sounds like an Obama divorce is on the horizon, we've all seen it, they stop attending functions together,' another typed. Another user also said: 'I feel like the Obamas are about to get a divorce..' However, there were some who dismissed the rumor and instead suggested Michelle was only making a political statement. When they first had children, the couple had some fights, as Barack would commute on a six-hour round trip to work at the Illinois Senate, and sometimes spend days away due to his job 'I don't know anything about their marriage, but it's very clear to me that Michelle Obama is making a very specific *political* statement with these absences. She would never choose Jimmy Carter's funeral to announce her divorce. Let's be sensible here,' one person wrote. Another agreed, 'Michelle Obama is in mourning/grieving the loss of her mom On top of her not being a political figure and you all believe a TikTok about her and Barack getting a divorce because she missed a funeral and won't attend a felon's inauguration.' The couple, who first met in 1989 when they both worked at a law firm in Chicago, married in 1992. They welcomed their first daughter, Malia, six years later in 1998, and their second daughter, Sasha, in 2001. However, although they've had a long-lasting marriage, the two have not shied away from sharing their struggles. When they first had children, the couple would quarrel over Barack's six-hour round trip commute to work at the Illinois Senate - also spending days away at a time due to his job. In his 2020 memoir 'A Promised Land', Barack recalling an exhausted Michelle telling him on one occasion: 'This isn't what I signed up for, Barack. I feel like I'm doing it all by myself.' At first, Michelle was resistant to Barack running for President, but warmed to the idea after she realized the enormous impact he could have on young, Black children across the nation. While they were in the White House for eight years, they argued by continued to persevere with their marriage. Barack recalled in his book an 'undercurrent of tension' in his wife during their early years in the White House, which he said was 'subtle but constant.' But after his two term Presidency ended in 2017, the couple were able to get back to their relationship and enjoy each other's company once again. In his book, Barack wrote that they spent a lot of time 'replenishing their friendship' and 'rediscovering their love' after leaving the White House in 2017. 'We slept late, ate leisurely dinners, went for long walks, swam in the ocean, took stock, and planned for a less eventful but hopefully no less satisfying second act,' he wrote. On her podcast 'The Light', Michelle even recalled wanting to 'push Barack out of the window' on numerous occasions, but added that she was glad she 'didn't quit' on her husband. 'You've got to know that there are going to be times, long periods of time, when you can't stand each other,' she told listeners. 'The feelings will be intense. But that doesn't mean you quit and these periods can last a long time - they can last years. '[Me and Barack] have a very strong marriage. If I had given up on it, if I had walked away from it, in those tough times, then I would've missed all the beauty that was there as well.' Next article: Ghanaian engineer honoured with US National Medal of Technology Featured Israel and Hamas agree to a ceasefire and hostage deal BBC International News Jan - 15 - 2025 , 20:58 1 minute read Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal to end 15 months of war, to begin on Sunday 19 January. US President Joe Biden confirmed the deal, which involves a full and complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza and the release of all the hostages held by Hamas Biden says the first phase will allow Palestinians to return home to their neighbourhoods and let more humanitarian assistance into the Gaza Strip Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 back to Gaza as hostages Advertisement The attack triggered a massive Israeli offensive on Gaza, during which more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry Israel says 94 hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead Previous article: Biden warns of dangers of oligarchy taking shape in US Featured US Senator urges Ghana to pay debts to American companies before seeking more IMF support Mohammed Ali International News Jan - 16 - 2025 , 12:58 2 minutes read A Ranking Member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Senator James E. Risch has called on Ghana to prioritise the repayment of debts owed to American companies before seeking additional financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This follows reports that Ghanas incoming finance minister is considering further IMF support to address the countrys worsening economic challenges. The debt, estimated at $251 million, is owed to several U.S.-based companies, including Twin City Energy, American Tower Company, GSM, Chubb, Kosmos Energy, and Zipline. In a post on X, the Senator said despite numerous attempts by these companies to recover their funds, the arrears remain unpaid. Advertisement Ghana must prioritize repaying debts to American companies before seeking additional IMF funding. The previous government repeatedly failed to meet these debt obligations. https://t.co/yTH8tlqMOV Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman (@SenateForeign) January 13, 2025 He posted: "Ghana must prioritize repaying debts to American companies before seeking additional IMF funding. The previous government repeatedly failed to meet these debt obligations". The senator expressed concern over Ghanas failure to fulfill these financial obligations and criticised the lack of progress in addressing the matter. He argued that granting Ghana additional IMF support without settling these debts could negatively impact U.S. companies abroad and set a bad precedent for other countries with similar debt issues. Ghanas economy has been under severe strain, culminating in a debt crisis that led the government to suspend external debt payments in December 2022. By the end of 2023, the countrys debt arrears had swelled to approximately $2.6 billion. In response, Ghana secured a $3 billion IMF loan in May 2023 under the Extended Credit Facility programme to support economic recovery efforts. The IMF loan was aimed at assisting Ghana with reforms such as debt restructuring, reducing budget deficits, and increasing revenue generation. However, the disbursement of the funds depends on the governments ability to meet the set reform targets and resolve outstanding financial obligations, including those owed to American companies. This new demand from the U.S. adds further complexity to Ghanas economic recovery efforts. The pressure to repay American companies could impact the countrys negotiations with the IMF and other international creditors. Resolving these debt issues will be key to maintaining access to international financial aid as the incoming finance minister considers seeking additional IMF support. Next article: Close St Vincent College of Education: Ya-Na directs over dispute, GTEC calls for calm Featured Free SHS, NDC dilemma: A look into the future Peter Anti Partey, PhD Education Jan - 16 - 2025 , 09:57 6 minutes read In the early days of the NDC government, discussions surrounding the free Senior High School (SHS) policy have sparked concerns. While the challenges associated with the policy's implementation are well-known, particularly its impact on secondary education, recent developments highlight the urgent need for effective management. It is public knowledge that the previous NPP administration struggled to meet its financial commitments to the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), leading to calls for postponing the reopening of secondary schools. However, the Ghana Education Service (GES) decided to adhere to the original reopening schedule. In response, comments such as Parents should provide their wards with more food when reporting and Parents should be allowed to pay fees to support their wards' education have emerged. Advertisement On the surface, these remarks appear to offer practical solutions to ease the financial strain of the free SHS policy on the new government. They could also pave the way for future discussions on cost-sharing in secondary education. However, the NDC government faces a delicate balancing act. The free SHS policy is broadly popular, making any suggestion of scaling it back is politically risky. At the same time, Ghanas tight fiscal constraints, characterised by rising public debt and limited revenue generation, make maintaining the policy in its current form increasingly difficult. Dual challenge This presents a dual challenge: addressing public expectations while ensuring the policys sustainability. The NDC must navigate these complexities carefully to avoid reinforcing perceptions created during the last elections about their stance on the policy. The financial challenges tied to the free SHS policy call for both immediate and strategic solutions. In the short term, the government must urgently secure funding to sustain the programme in its existing form. Issues such as food shortages and overdue payments to CHASS should be treated as emergencies. Establishing an ad hoc committee or swiftly appointing a Minister of Education (pending parliamentary approval) to provide leadership in resolving these matters is crucial. While the current administration did not create these challenges, it is in their best interest to address them promptly to prevent further disruptions to the academic calendar. In the long term, systemic reforms and innovative funding strategies will be essential to ensure the policys viability. The government must approach this issue with tact and foresight, balancing immediate financial needs with the broader goal of maintaining equitable access to education. This immediate step should proceed with the setting up of the education consultative committee that will be mandated to seek views from Ghanaians on the future of this policy and by extension the educational system of Ghana. The financial strain imposed by the policy is evident. The funding shortfall has also exacerbated infrastructure deficits in schools. Increased enrolment under the policy has led to overcrowded classrooms, inadequate dormitories and insufficient teaching materials. The introduction of the double-track system to manage overcrowding (a system where students attend school in alternating shifts) has been criticised for disrupting academic calendars and overburdening teachers. While access to education has expanded under the free SHS policy, quality concerns persist. Overcrowded classrooms and dormitories continuously deteriorate the quality parameters in the education system. Equity concerns have also emerged. The universal nature of the policy means that wealthier families, who could afford to pay fees, benefit equally with those from less privileged backgrounds. Critics argue that this inefficiency undermines the policys potential to address socioeconomic disparities. Beyond all this is the neglect of other sub-sectors within the education system. Transparent communication It is my considered opinion that these challenges should be transparently communicated to the public, supported by factual evidence, including video documentation where applicable, to encourage an informed and objective discussion about the future structure and direction of the policy. This process must be free from propaganda or exaggeration. Such a genuine and balanced dialogue is essential for progressing to the next critical phase developing a long-term, sustainable solution to address the policy's challenges effectively. Strategic options There are several strategic options to consider in the medium to long term. Maintaining the policy in its current form could help avoid political backlash but would require innovative funding mechanisms to address the financial and infrastructural gaps. Public-private partnerships, as implemented in Kenya to enhance school infrastructure, could serve as a model for Ghana. Alternatively, the NDC could restructure the policy to target economically disadvantaged students. A means-tested approach, like South Africas, would focus resources on those who need them most, potentially freeing up funds to improve the quality of education. Another option is adopting a hybrid model that combines targeted subsidies with modest fees for non-core services, as seen in Malaysia. This model could offset costs without compromising access for underprivileged students. Shifting the focus from universal access to improving education quality is also a viable strategy. Finlands education model, which emphasises teacher quality and student-centred learning, offers valuable lessons for such an approach. There should be efforts at achieving funding efficiency and exploring innovative funding sources. Creating a voluntary fund and encouraging contributions from the Ghanaian diaspora, like Nigerias diaspora bond initiative, could also generate significant revenue. Introducing digital taxes on selected digital platforms and services, as Uganda has done, represents another potential avenue for raising funds. Adjusting free SHS Adjusting the Free SHS policy carries risks, particularly in terms of public perception. Any reduction in benefits could be viewed as a step backwards. However, a well-communicated strategy emphasising efficiency, equity and quality could mitigate political fallout and garner public support. Addressing the fiscal sustainability of the policy is critical to ensuring its long-term success and maintaining public trust. In the long term, the focus should be to adopt the community secondary school model which is practised globally in countries that offer free secondary education. The NDCs dilemma regarding the free SHS policy highlights the broader challenge of balancing social equity with fiscal responsibility. While the policy has expanded access to education, its sustainability in its current form is questionable, given Ghanas economic realities. A nuanced approach that prioritises targeted interventions, quality improvements and innovative funding mechanisms could provide a path forward. Drawing lessons from other countries and engaging stakeholders transparently will be essential for navigating this complex issue. Ultimately, the NDCs ability to address the challenges of the free SHS policy will depend on its commitment to aligning long-term national interests with the immediate needs of the populace. The writer is the Executive Director, IFEST, Ghana. Featured CCTV nabs driver who stole mobile phones from Journalist and others GNA Jan - 16 - 2025 , 17:16 2 minutes read A driver who stole mobile phones from a journalist and two others in Sakumono, Community 17, has appeared before an Accra Circuit Court. Kwabena Gyimah, also known as 69, was caught on CCTV footage installed in the journalists home, showing him committing the theft. Gyimah, 20, faces three counts of unlawful entry and three counts of stealing. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. Advertisement His accomplice, identified as Coded aka IB, is currently at large. The Court, presided over by Mr. Samuel Bright Acquah, granted Gyimah bail in the amount of GHC 50,000 with three sureties. Gyimah was also ordered to report to the police weekly. The case has been adjourned to February 4, 2025. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Kofi Baafi did not oppose bail but requested that the bail conditions required the accused to attend court until the case was concluded. Mr. Kofi Bonney, the defence counsel, also requested bail for the Gyimah. ASP Baafi presented the facts of the case, stating that the first complainant, John Foley, a journalist; the second complainant, Andy Ababio, a banker; and the third complainant, Vida Akwei Naadude, all reside in Community 17, Sakumono. Gyimah, who resides at Palladium, Accra Central, is accused of committing the theft. On August 5, 2025, the first complainant noticed that his iPhone 14 Pro Max, which had been beside his bed the previous night, was missing, and his window was open. Upon reviewing CCTV footage, the complainant saw Gyimah on his property. The first complainant reported the theft to the police at Sakumono. The prosecution added that the first complainant posted the incident on the community WhatsApp platform, where the second complainant, Ababio, and the third complainant, Vida, confirmed that their houses had also been entered and their phones, including an iPhone 11, Samsung S22 Ultra, and Samsung A5, were stolen. They also reported the thefts to the police. Investigations led the police to an iPhone shop at Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra, where the first complainants iPhone 14 was recovered and retained as evidence. On December 31, 2024, the police, acting on intelligence, arrested Gyimah at his hideout in Palladium, Accra. He was subsequently handed over to the Sakumono police on January 3, 2025. In his caution statement, Gyimah admitted to selling all the stolen mobile phones to an individual named Coded, a Nigerian who is now at large. Featured Court sentences Liberian to 10 years, defers American girlfriends sentence pending pregnancy test GNA Jan - 16 - 2025 , 11:06 3 minutes read The Accra Circuit Court Three has sentenced 25-year-old Liberian national Daniel Ireland to 10 years in prison with hard labour for robbing a Bolt driver off his vehicle. Ireland and his 18-year-old American lover, Skylah Leeann Marine Travis, admitted to conspiring to rob the driver and were convicted based on their own pleas. However, the sentence for Travis was deferred pending the results of a pregnancy test. She will return to court on January 20, 2025, for sentencing. In addition to the robbery charge, Ireland was also found guilty of causing harm, to which he pleaded guilty. Advertisement The Court further ordered both Ireland and Travis to pay GHC6,000.00 each to the victim as compensation by January 31, 2025. Additionally, the stolen vehicle was ordered to be returned to the complainant. Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Oppong, prosecuting, informed the Court, presided over by Mrs. Susanna Eduful, that the complainant (name withheld) is a Bolt driver and resident of Ayi Mensah, Accra, while Ireland is a graphic designer and Travis is unemployed. The convicts are engaged to each other and live at Teshie Malik. On January 7, 2025, at approximately 1230 hours, Ireland and Travis requested the complainants services to transport them from the Labadi Church of Pentecost headquarters to Teshie, a request the complainant accepted. The Court was informed that the complainant, driving a Toyota Corolla S with registration number WT 364-24, arrived at the convicts residence in Malik, a suburb of Teshie. ASP Oppong stated that Ireland and Travis asked the complainant to wait while they loaded their belongings into the vehicle to go to Madina. While the complainant was in the vehicle waiting, Ireland suddenly pulled out a knife and stabbed him in the neck to force him to surrender the vehicle. The complainant struggled with Ireland and sustained severe injuries to his neck, both hands, left arm, and head, resulting in significant bleeding, the court was informed. The prosecution stated that the convicts successfully stole the complainants vehicle valued at GH160,000.00, an iPhone 13 Pro Max valued at GH8,000.00, a Samsung S10 valued at GH2,950.00, and cash amounting to GH1,000.00. The complainant, who lost consciousness, was assisted by a passerby who took him to Teshie Glory Land Clinic before being transferred to the University of Ghana Medical Center for admission, ASP Oppong informed the court. The following day, the complainant was discharged, and the incident was reported to the police. During the investigation, the police visited the scene and found that Ireland and Travis had left most of their belongings in the rented room, for an unknown destination. The police also retrieved Ireland and Travis passports and left a message with their landlady for them to report to the police station, the prosecution said. ASP Oppong stated that on January 9, 2025, the pair were arrested, leading to the recovery of the stolen vehicle at the Kasoa Odeneho Hotel, where they had lodged after the incident. In their respective caution statements, both Ireland and Travis admitted to the offenses. Following the investigation, they were formally charged and brought before the Court. In sentencing, the Court considered the ages of the convicts, their status as first-time offenders, and their claim that they were not in their right frame of mind due to being under the influence of drugs, which had led them to come to Ghana for rehabilitation. The judge advised that after serving their prison sentences, the convicts should focus on rehabilitation to rebuild their lives and contribute positively to the development of their country. Featured Former Auditor-General Domelevo defends legitimacy of ORAL Committee Gertrude Ankah Jan - 16 - 2025 , 11:13 2 minutes read Former Auditor-General Daniel Yao Domelevo, a member of the Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee, has mounted a strong defence of the committee's legitimacy amid criticism of its operations by the Minority in Parliament. Speaking on Joy News' Upfront programme on Wednesday, January 15, Mr Domelevo challenged critics to substantiate their claims or seek legal redress. Im waiting for someone to show me which law says you need specific authorisation to collect data on the abuse of state resources, public funds, and the looting of government properties. Until then, I stand by our work, he stated. Minority opposition The Minority in Parliament has strongly opposed the committees establishment, describing it as unconstitutional. Led by Suame MP John Darko, the Minority caucus has advised former government officials to boycott any invitations from ORAL, arguing that constitutionally mandated institutions are already in place to investigate such matters. Advertisement No serious country will entertain anything like this, Mr Darko asserted. If you are a former government official and receive an invitation from this so-called ORAL, the Minoritys advice is to boycott it. We believe constitutionally mandated bodies are equipped to investigate alleged mistakes of the government. Domelevo clarifies ORALs role In response to the Minoritys criticisms, Mr Domelevo clarified that ORALs mandate is strictly limited to data collection and verification. We dont accuse or investigate anyone. Our role is to gather information, validate claims such as demolished buildings or encroachments on state lands, and forward our findings to the appropriate authorities, he explained. Addressing allegations that ORAL duplicates the work of existing anti-corruption institutions, Mr Domelevo argued that the committee was created to address inefficiencies in the current system. If these institutions were functioning optimally, we wouldnt be here today. Our role is to complement, not compete with, their efforts, he said. He also dismissed accusations that the committee acts as an enforcement body. When we identify issues, we inform national security, which coordinates any necessary actions. We have no enforcement powers, he clarified. Allegations of political bias Responding to accusations of political bias, Mr Domelevo accused critics of hypocrisy, noting that similar initiatives under previous administrations faced little opposition. The best form of defence for some is an attack. But lets focus on the goalrecovering what rightfully belongs to the people, he remarked. ORALs mandate and leadership The Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) Committee, established on December 18, 2024, has been tasked with recovering looted state assets. Chaired by North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the committee has urged Ghanaians to share information via its hotlines, website, and email, emphasising transparency and accountability. Despite the backlash, ORAL maintains that it operates strictly within the law and is committed to serving the public interest. Related article All you need to know about Operation-Recover-All-Loot (ORAL) Featured Elect MMDCEs on partisan lines - Experts advocate Samuel Duodu Jan - 16 - 2025 , 12:06 5 minutes read Three political scientists and a legal luminary have stressed the need for the election of metropolitan, municipal and district chief executives (MMDCEs) on partisan lines. During a panel discussion yesterday on the country's local government system at the 76th Annual New Year School, they said doing so would enhance democratic governance in the country and improve accountability at the local level. The panellists are an independent scholar and political scientist, Professor Joseph Atsu Ayee; a former Dean of the University of Ghana (UG) School of Law, Prof. Kofi Quarshigah; a Senior Lecturer and former Head of the Department of Political Science, UG, Dr Maame Adwoa Gyekye-Jandoh, and the Executive Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), Dr Emmanuel Akwetey. They were of the view that the election of the MMDCEs by the citizenry on political party lines would ensure inclusive development and improve public services at the local assemblies. Advertisement They further cited examples from other jurisdictions such as Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, the United Kingdom and Germany where local authorities were elected by the people on a partisan basis that have enhanced good governance at the local level to buttress their point. The discussion focused on Ghana's Local Government System, Citizens Engagement, Security and Peace Building, on the sub-theme: "Peace Building, Digital Accountable Democratic Governance and Citizens Engagement: Improving Transparency, Efficiency and Citizens Participation." The panel discussion was organised by IDEG in partnership with the UG School of Continuing and Distance Education (SCDE) as part of the ongoing 76th Annual New Year School. Fine-tuning Prof. Ayee, in his submission, called for a reform of the current local governance system, adding that the current system required fine-tuning, which went beyond mere administrative adjustments. "The current local government system that we have needs fine-tuning. Fine-tuning means we need transformative reform rather than administrative reform," he stressed. "If you look at the current legal system, we are saying that the parties should not be involved. But we all know that the political parties are involved, even though they have to be banned," Prof. Ayee added. He identified several key areas that necessitated reforms, including the involvement of political parties in the governance process. Despite the legal framework discouraging party involvement, Prof. Ayee observed that political parties continued to play a significant role, highlighting the need for a more nuanced approach. Another critical issue Prof. Ayee raised was the appointment of MMDCEs by the President. That, he argued, created a situation where MMDCEs felt more accountable to the President than to the electorate, leading to impunity and disrespect towards traditional leaders and other stakeholders. The political scientist also expressed concerns about the lack of transparency and accountability within the local government system. Prof. Ayee stated that assemblies were expected to display meeting minutes and track records, but those practices were not being complied with. Furthermore, the assemblies had failed to promote basic development initiatives such as sanitation, resulting in poorly maintained communities, he added. To address those challenges, Prof. Ayee advocated transformative reform that prioritised accountability, transparency and development. He emphasised the need to bring the electorate back into the fold, encouraging active participation in the local government process. Opening up Prof. Quarshigah, for his part, stressed the need for comprehensive reforms in Ghana's local government elections. He said the current system which virtually restricted participation to activists of the governing party should be expanded to allow different political parties to contest. This inclusive approach, Prof. Quarshigah argued, would attract competent citizens from diverse political backgrounds to foster a more representative and accountable system. By opening up the electoral process, he said it would ensure that local governments were truly responsive to the needs of their constituents. Prof. Quarshigah also highlighted the potential for such reforms to trigger broader institutional changes, including the civil service and local government service. That, in turn, would enable the institutions to better serve the people and deliver essential services, he added. Party competition Dr Gyekye-Jandoh, for her part, argued that opening up the local-level election to political party competition would significantly enhance the country's democracy. That move, she said, would not only sustain democracy but also make it more authentic, departing from the current system. She said research had shown that competitive elections could foster democratic qualities, such as participation and accountability. "I would argue that we should give it a try having political party competition at the local level as it will actually enhance our democracy and sustain our democracy and make it a true democracy rather than this kind of system that we have," Dr Gyekye-Jandoh said. IDEG was for the elections of the MMDCEs on partisan lines, its Executive Director stated. Dr Akwetey explained that for the past 32 years, the country had practised the current local governance system and it was time to shift the focus to electing MMDCEs to make it more responsive and effective to the development needs of the people. Recall A referendum to amend Article 55 (3) of the 1992 Constitution to pave the way for the election of MMDCEs in 2019 suffered a setback because of the lack of consensus from the two major political parties, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP). The NPP wanted political party-sponsored candidates to contest the election of the MMDCEs while the NDC wanted the election to be held devoid of partisan politics. Featured NDC reaffirms commitment to free tuition for first-year tertiary students Graphic.com.gh Jan - 16 - 2025 , 11:27 2 minutes read The Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr Clement Apaak, has reiterated the National Democratic Congress (NDC) partys commitment to delivering its campaign promise of providing free tuition for first-year students in public tertiary institutions across Ghana. The free tuition initiative was a key highlight of the NDCs 2024 campaign, designed to ease the financial burden on students entering higher education. In an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM, Dr Apaak reassured Ghanaians of the party's determination to implement the policy, addressing concerns from some stakeholders about its feasibility. John Dramani Mahama and the NDC campaigned vehemently, and if for nothing at all, the magnitude of the NDCs victory in terms of parliamentary seats and the gap between our candidate, now President, and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the former Vice President, should be a testament that this, among many other worthy and accepted policies, accounted for the overwhelming support we have received," Dr Apaak stated. Advertisement So, we intend to proceed with the promise made by John Dramani Mahama and the NDC to support students in tertiary institutions with their fees, he added. Policy is optional Dr Apaak clarified that participation in the free tuition programme would not be compulsory, allowing those uninterested in the initiative to opt out. That is an opinion. In any case, it is not going to be by compulsion. If there are persons who feel that they dont need it and would not want to be beneficiaries of this arrangement, they are free to opt-out. But as far as this is a manifesto promise made by John Mahama and the NDC to the people of Ghana, based on which we are now in government, we intend to carry it through, he emphasised. Realme hosted an event today to unveil the 14 Pro series for the international markets. Alongside the previously announced 14 Pro+, the 14 Pro was showcased with a lower price point but missing the periscope camera and sporting a less powerful chipset. The Realme 14 Pro+ features a 6.83" AMOLED display, while the 14 Pro has a 6.77" panel, both offering a refresh rate of up to 120 Hz and a resolution greater than 1080p. They include an under-display fingerprint scanner and a 32 MP front-facing camera on the Pro+ or 16 MP on the Pro, positioned behind a punch hole. The key distinction between the 14 Pro+ and the 14 Pro lies in their chipsets: the Plus is equipped with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3, whereas the standard version utilizes the Dimensity 7300, which features slightly older CPU cores. A notable design feature is the Pearl White option, which reacts to temperature changes. The 14 Pro series is the world's first to shift colors as the panel cools, transitioning from White to Blue when the temperature drops below 16 degrees Celsius. Realme takes great pride in the camera system of the 14 Pro duo, especially highlighting the Plus model as the standout in camera performance. It features a 50 MP main camera equipped with a large 1/1.56 Sony IMX 896 sensor and Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Additionally, the telephoto lens incorporates a periscope design, which many other mid-range devices forgo. The sensor utilized in the prism lens is a 50 MP Sony IMX882, and Realme asserts that it can achieve 120X SuperZoom. However, this consists of 3x optical zoom, with the remainder being digital zoom. To improve on image quality Realme incorporated the AI Ultra Clarity 2.0 feature. In theory, this innovation reduces blur, minimizes noise in 20x images, and showcases distinct super-resolution effects at 60x. Last month, we tested the phone in Copenhagen, Denmark. We captured some camera samples both during the day and at night, and they turned out beautiful. The Realme 14 Pro retains its distinctive triple-camera and triple-flash setup, dubbed "Ocean Oculus"; however, only two of the circles are functional as the third serves merely as a cosmetic feature. It features a 50 MP Sony IMX882 main camera with OIS, complemented by an 8 MP ultra-wide lens. Realme 14 Pro Devices with the same footprint indicate they also share the same battery capacity. The Realme 14 Pro series features a 6,000 mAh battery, which is 15% larger and offers 20% more battery life compared to the earlier models. It supports 80W fast wired charging (45W on the regular Pro), and Realme guarantees 80% battery capacity even after four years of use- that is equal to 1,600 full charge cycles. The phones ship with Realme UI 6.0 based on Android 15, and they have 360-degree NFC (market-dependent). Realme 14 Pro+ The Realme 14 Pro series launches in India today, with plans to expand to other markets shortly. The standard 14 Pro is offered in Black, Purple, and Pearl White, priced at INR 22,999 ($265) for the 8/128 GB version. In contrast, the 14 Pro+ shares similar color and memory choices but comes with a price tag of INR 27,999 ($325). Availability, colors, and memory configurations may differ by region. When he was 19, Kevin Hines jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and miraculously lived to tell his story. That was in 2000. In the years since, he has become a motivational speaker on mental wellness and suicide prevention, a mental health advocate, best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, and entrepreneur. He has traveled the world to share his story that's rare, powerful and inspiring. And he is currently on Guam to do just that -- spread his message of hope and resilience, and of survival and strength. Hines has been working with nonprofit organization Todu Guam Foundation for its "Kindness Heals Week 2025: Powering Up for Mental Wellness," which wraps up on Saturday, Jan. 18. Todu Guam previously brought Hines to the island in 2023. Since his return to Guam this week, Hines has been sharing his inspirational story to members of the community, young and old. He's been visiting schools, organizations and first responders to hold customized workshops and sessions that, according to Todu Guam Foundation, are designed to enhance Guam's suicide prevention efforts and promote mental health wellness across the community. A miracle Hines was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and attempted to take his own life from the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. He fell 220 ft. at a speed of 75 miles per hour. It was a miracle that he survived. One of only 39 or less than 1% do so. In his website, it said many factors contributed to his miraculous survival, "including a sea lion which kept him afloat until the Coast Guard arrived." With a new lease in life, Hines has traveled the world to share his story of "hope, healing, and recovery while teaching people of all ages the art of wellness and the ability to survive pain with true resilience." He's been bestowed prestigious awards and recognition for his tireless efforts to improve the lives and perceptions of those affected by mental illness. MindCare Program While on Guam this week, Hines has been a keynote presenter for the MindCare Program, Todu Guam Foundation's initiative that provides critical services for individuals struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, OCD, and others. Todu Guam Foundation, in a release, said MindCare Program also hosts a series of suicide prevention talks featuring individuals who have lived through mental health challenges and are dedicated to raising awareness through evidence-based practices. On Thursday night, there was a free special screening of Hines' documentary film, "Suicide: The Ripple Effect," at the Regal Theaters at Guam Premiere Outlets in Tamuning. Hines directed the documentary, which explores the ripple effect of suicide on families, communities, and individuals. He also has a bestselling memoir released in 2013, "Cracked Not Broken: Surviving and Thriving After a Suicide Attempt." Saturday's big event at Ypao Beach For those who missed Hines' earlier events this week, they could head out to Ypao Beach Park in Tumon on Saturday afternoon. Hines will be joining Todu Guam Foundation's Sunset 5K Fun Run/Walk. Everyone is invited to join him in the run/walk at Ypao Beach Park, where participants can enjoy "a sunset run, obstacle courses for kids, and a health fair for adults, in partnership with GuamFit Expo," the Todu Guam Foundation said. Showtime is at 4 p.m., and the race starts at 5 p.m. Register now Registration is required. To register, visit www.toduguam.com or via the following link: https://my.raceresult.com/312990/. Race bibs are $15 per person and $40 for a team of four. For more information, contact the Todu Guam Foundation via email at foundation@toduguam.com. The Guam Solid Waste Authority will seek a minimum $1 million settlement in the lawsuit now filed against the Guam Waterworks Authority over the Ordot dump. Settlement negotiations are now officially open. The Solid Waste board met Thursday and authorized GSWA General Manager Irvin Slike and board Chairman Andrew Gayle to represent the agency in settlement talks. Ordot dump receiver Gershman, Brickner & Bratton Inc. sued GWA and its insurance company in November, alleging a GWA line leaked over 100 million gallons of water between 2018 and 2022 and drove up levels of contaminated runoff, or leachate, at the dump. GBB filed the lawsuit on behalf of Solid Waste, and any payout from the suit will go to the agency. Despite that, both the government of Guam and Solid Waste management have objected to the lawsuit. District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood last month ordered the receiver to work to settle the lawsuit. Receiver attorney Joyce Tang on Thursday said the settlement talk was off to a good start, with parties discussing the terms of any payment. A counter offer was made to GWA yesterday, Tang told the GSWA board. Its only been a day. We dont expect a response in 24 hours, but hopefully therell be some back and forth in the in the coming weeks. Details of any payment are kept confidential, and no specifics could be provided to the board Thursday, according to Tang. Meanwhile, GWAs insurance company, DB Insurance, had not yet responded to the lawsuit, according to Tang. She said the insurance company had just retained an attorney, and was requesting more time to respond to the suit. GSWA boards Gayle said Thursday that any settlement agreement with GWA will be brought back to the board for final approval. The board approved a resolution allowing Gayle and Slike to seek a settlement starting at $1 million. The receiver sued the GWA for $4.4 million, then theres this $1 million starting point. So we think its gonna be somewhere in between, Gayle told the board. Besides cash, GSWA will also accept payment in credit or in-kind services from the waterworks authority. Solid Waste pays GWA about $150,000 to dispose of runoff from the Ordot dump, and a credit against that was one option, according to Gayle. Additionally, Solid Waste will incur some costs in having to comply with new federal regulations on toxic chemicals known as PFAS, according to Gayle. GWA has a large engineering team working on that issue, Gayle said, and the settlement could potentially see the waterworks authority helping Solid Waste with the problem. We dont have the engineering resources in house, Gayle said of the PFAS problem, and GSWA would have to hire a firm to address the issue. Board members voted without opposition to allow Gayle and Slike to participate in negotiations. Besides approval from the GSWA board, Gayle said a final settlement may require approval from the Public Utilities Commission. He said PUC would be consulted about that possibility. As settlement talks in the GWA lawsuit proceed, GovGuam wants permission from the federal court to sue GBB. Attorneys for the government allege faulty design and construction work in the system that catches leachate filtering out of the hazardous Ordot dump. GovGuam is already suing several of the contractors GBB hired to design and build the system. The government, in a status update filed with the court in December, accused GBB of suing the waterworks authority in an effort to prepare its defense for a contractor lawsuit. Attorneys for the government have put the cost to pay the receiver and its attorneys at $23 million as of 2024. GBB has assigned blame for increasing levels of leachate at Ordot to the leaking GWA water line on Dero Road in Chalan Pago-Ordot, which was fixed in November 2022. Parties will appear in court next Wednesday, to argue several motions related to GovGuams efforts to sue the receiver. Haiti - Obituary : Tribute to former Prime Minister Rosny Smart In a note, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, expressed "his deep sadness and deep emotion" at the news of the death on January 15, 2025 of the former Prime Minister of Haiti, Rosny Smart (84 years old), a prominent figure in Haitian political and intellectual life. "A man of conviction, culture and rare empathy, Rosny Smart embodied commitment and devotion to the service of his country. Through his actions and decisions, he honored the office of Prime Minister by upholding the values of democracy, dialogue and respect for institutions. His talent, character and deep sense of ethics marked all those who had the honor of collaborating with him or benefiting from his enlightened leadership. Rosny Smart was not only a statesman, but also a man of heart. He knew how to combine rigor and humanity, committing himself with determination to the well-being of the nation and the progress of our society. His time at the head of the Prime Minister's Office left an indelible mark and his vision continues to inspire present and future generations. In this time of sorrow, Prime Minister Fils-Aime, as well as the entire Government, send their most sincere thoughts to his family, his loved ones and to all those who, like us, mourn the passing of this exceptional man. May his legacy remain a source of light and hope for Haiti. Rest in Peace, Rosny Smart. Your name will remain engraved in the history of our country." HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - FLASH : Results of the Bac 1st session of the failed for 3 departments The Ministry of National Education has just published the results of the exams of the first session of the failed (Permanent Baccalaureate) of the academic year 2024-2025 for 3 departments : West, Center and Grand'Anse. According to the data provided by the National Bureau of State Examinations (BUNEXE) : West : out of a total of 14,623 participants, 8,072 candidates were admitted, representing a success rate of 55.2%, a sharp increase compared to the previous year (38.74%) Center : out of a total of 1,992 participants, 1,090 candidates were admitted, representing a success rate of 54.72%, a sharp increase compared to the previous year (36.92%) Grand'Anse : out of a total of 1,888 participants, 1,016 candidates were admitted, representing a success rate of 53.81%, a very sharp increase compared to the previous year (24.02%) School heads are invited to obtain their school's ranking from the relevant Departmental Directorate of Education. According to the Ministry, the results for the other Departmental Directorates of Education (DDE) will be published shortly. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... No military intervention in Haiti On Wednesday, January 15, 2025, during his confirmation hearing in the US Senate, Republican Senator Marco Rubio (FL), nominated by Donald Trump to become the next Secretary of State, when asked about the situation in Haiti, stated that there will be no US military intervention in Haiti but that the Trump administration will support the Multinational Security Support Mission led by Kenya. Caribbean Port Services to resume operations The activities of Caribbean Port Services (CPS), the main operator of the Port-au-Prince port, which had been forced to suspend its operations on January 9 under pressure from the dangerous Wharf gang leader Jeremie Micanor Altes alias "Wa Mikano", have resumed their activities normally since January 11 after the reinforcement of security. Grand'Anse : 173 rapes of minors in 2024 The departmental initiative against child trafficking and smuggling is concerned about the increase in cases of rape of minors in GrandAnse. In its annual report, the Departmental Initiative against Child Trafficking and Smuggling (IDETTE) recorded 186 rapes in 2024, including 173 on minors (93%). The organization calls for urgent action to effectively combat this crime. Leslie Voltaire condemns Leslie Voltaire, President pro tempore of the Transition Council, condemns the alliance of certain political parties with armed criminal gangs to formulate proposals related to the transition. Passing of Judge Wendell Coq Thelot On Friday, January 10, 2025, Judge Wendell Coq Thelot (59 years old) died in the North. Accused in the assassination of President Jovenel Moise on July 7, 2021 https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34162-haiti-flash-president-jovenel-moise-assassinated-by-mercenaries-official-updated-7am-+-video.html , the former judge of the Court of Cassation and former President of the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSPJ) had been on the run since then. Jimani Border : Reopening of the small gate The authorities of Customs, Immigration and the Specialized Corps of Land Border Security (CESFRONT) reported the reopening in Jimani of the small gate known as "El Filtro" at the border post with Haiti (Malpasse (Ganthier). HL/ HaitiLibre Germany scores poorly in a European country comparison on copper-fiber optic migration, which the Brussels-based lobby association FTTH Council Europe has compiled and now published in cooperation with the consulting firm Cullen International. According to the "Copper Switch-Off Tracker", Germany, Greece and the Czech Republic are among the nations that are still heavily reliant on the old copper infrastructure. They are in the bottom three places. Anzeige The analysts attribute this primarily to the fact that Deutsche Telekom, as a long-established operator, has only converted five percent of its network to fiber optics in the FTTB (Fiber to the Building) and FTTH (Fiber to the Home) variants. According to the study, the Czech Republic's former monopolist also has a rate of five percent, while in Greece it is four out of a hundred. German debate about copper and glass Deutsche Telekom itself assesses the situation differently. It currently offers "more than 10 million households in Germany fiber optics", explained the Magenta Group at the beginning of January. The proportion of FTTH households supplied by Deutsche Telekom has thus risen from 36% to 48% between 2021 and 2025. According to a study by the consulting firm EY, half of all households are expected to have access to fiber optics by 2025. In total, there are around 250 telecommunications companies in Germany that primarily build and operate fiber optics on their account. Deutsche Telekom CEO Timotheus Hottges recently criticized the fact that only 13% of German households actually use fiber optic lines. The Bonn-based company itself has long relied on copper-based VDSL with vectoring and has been slow to switch to fiber optics. Competitors are calling for a plan for a future-proof and smooth copper-to-glass migration. Telekom warned in the debate that there was a risk of a "forced change of provider" if the old line technology was abandoned. The Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) promised to develop a concept for the switchover together with the Digital Ministry. EU Commission wants to move away from copper by 2030 According to the tracker, Portugal, Spain and Sweden are leading the way in the gradual phasing out of outdated copper networks in Europe. The market leaders there have already migrated 93 to 97 percent of their networks to fiber optic lines. Bulgaria, Lithuania, Luxembourg and France follow with significantly lower figures. According to the study, Spain and Finland plan to switch off their copper networks by 2025. Sweden is aiming for 2026. Luxembourg, France and Denmark have set themselves the target of 2030. The authors of the study clarify that in only twelve countries do the incumbent operators have plans to switch off copper lines completely. Only in eight of these countries are the plans public. In a White Paper last year, the EU Commission set a deadline for the complete shutdown of copper networks by 2030. Connect Europe, the lobby group representing the largest network operators, is against a fixed target or a forced copper switch-off. The EU regulatory authorities also consider the Commission's ambitions to be excessive. However, the EU industry association ECTA, which brings together competitors of the major network operators, is pushing for a rapid switch to fiber optics. Roshene McCool, President of the FTTH Council, is convinced that optical networks "are of fundamental importance for Europe's digital transformation". The gradual replacement of copper networks with fiber opt ics will reduce energy consumption and overall operating expenses. Anzeige (ds) On Thursday, the heads of government of the federal states decided to reform the Interstate Treaty on the Protection of Minors in the Media (JMStV) at the Conference of Minister Presidents in Berlin. The aim is to install porn filters at the elementary level of PCs, laptops and smartphones and introduce age labeling for websites and apps. Anzeige According to the revised paragraph 12, providers of operating systems must in future ensure that they have a "youth protection device". Such a filter system, it continues, "must be able to be activated, deactivated and adjusted in a simple, easily accessible and secure manner". Windows in child mode The amendment to the JMStV, which has been controversial for years, is part of the 6th Interstate Media Amendment Treaty. Parents or other authorized persons should therefore be able to set an age specification in the youth protection device. The devices are then automatically set to a corresponding children's or youth mode. Manufacturers of operating systems must then ensure that "only apps that correspond to the age specification or that have been individually and securely activated can be used". The installation of programs should only be possible via distribution platforms such as app stores that take the age rating into account and have an automated rating system recognized by the Commission for the Protection of Minors in the Media (KJM). The use of common browsers such as Chrome, Firefox or Safari will only be possible in special mode if they have a "secure search function" or if unsecured access is enabled individually and in a secure manner. In general, the use of browsers and programs should be "individually and securely excluded". Only apps that themselves have a recognized youth protection program or a comparable suitable means will be accessible regardless of the age level set in the youth protection device. Obligation to label websites and apps The current version of Section 5 JMStV already stipulates that providers of content that could potentially impair the development of children or adolescents into a "responsible and socially competent personality" can apply an age label. In principle, they must ensure that young people between the ages of 6 and 18 do not "normally" view such content. The age rating should be readable "by suitable youth protection programs". Anzeige The minister presidents ultimately refrained from an explicit obligation to provide apps or websites with an age rating that is recognizable by the operating system. However, those who do not label their relevant offers accordingly must expect that their content will no longer be displayed if the youth protection device is activated. The extended section 5c JMStV also contains explosive material: According to this, telemedia providers must "indicate the age rating of films, series and game programs" that they offer as their own content "by means of a clearly perceptible label at the beginning of the offer". The "main reasons" for the rating and "risks to personal integrity" must also be explained. This should also apply to moving images or games "which are wholly or substantially identical in content to the rated offer". In an earlier draft, this clause was even broader and in principle also referred to operators of websites and their subpages. Forced filters without practical added value? IT and media associations and voluntary self-regulatory bodies railed against a similar initiative in the summer of 2021. In the new attempt, the eco Association of the Internet Industry complained that a de facto obligation to label even unproblematic content would contradict the principle of youth media protection. Such a requirement would be "neither sensible nor proportionate". The Freiwillige Selbstkontrolle Multimedia-Diensteanbieter (FSM) criticized that filters as a new, additional legal level for the technical protection of minors in the media would bring "no practical added value". Germany "already has the highest level of protection for children and young people in Europe", explained Alexander Schweitzer (SPD), Minister President of Rhineland-Palatinate. Nevertheless, new ways need to be found to protect children from age-inappropriate content such as pornography, violence, hatred, hate speech and misinformation on the Internet. "Until now, it has been tedious and sometimes overwhelming for parents to set different protection functions in every app on every device," added Saxony's Minister President Michael Kretschmer (CDU). "In future, a single password-protected entry will be enough to ensure that children and young people can navigate the digital world safely and in an age-appropriate manner." The state premiers already wanted to introduce a requirement to label Internet content with an amendment to the JMStV in 2010. This ultimately failed because of North Rhine-Westphalia. The current reform still has to be passed by the state parliaments. The heads of government expect to be able to sign the draft "by their conference on March 12, 2025". It will then be ratified by the state parliaments. Lockdowns to be made more difficult to circumvent The state premiers also want to strengthen federal media supervision in the fight against illegal content such as freely available internet pornography by introducing new law enforcement instruments: in future, the state media authorities will be able to prohibit banks from making payments to providers abroad. The amendment will put a stop to the circumvention of blocking orders through so-called mirror domains, i.e. the distribution of identical content under an only minimally changed website address from portals such as xHamster, Pornhub, YouPorn and MyDirtyHobby. The State Media Authority of North Rhine-Westphalia in particular is taking action against such sites. In future, self-regulatory bodies will also be required to draw up specific requirements for the protection of minors in the media with the KJM and decide for themselves whether the systems submitted meet the requirements. The FSM welcomed this in an interview with heise online. However, it remains to be seen whether the youth protection device to be provided in operating systems will have the desired effect. Parents already have "simple and, above all, flexible tools" at their disposal, but they are often not yet sufficiently well known. (nen) Before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia stationed approximately 30,000 ground troops in the Leningrad Military District near Finland. Russias efforts to bolster military strength near the Finnish border face significant setbacks as the war in Ukraine consumes its manpower and resources, according to Finlands Defence Intelligence Agency. The agencys latest public report outlines the challenges Russia faces in achieving its military expansion goals in the region. Moscow plans to double or triple this number by 2026, but intelligence suggests these ambitions are far from being realised. They are nowhere near their target, said Pekka Turunen, head of Finnish Defence Intelligence. The war in Ukraine is draining their resources, preventing significant reinforcements in the western regions. The report highlights the rotation of personnel from bases near Finland to the Ukrainian frontlines, leaving only trainers, conscripts, and newly recruited soldiers in these barracks. Some bases have reportedly been emptied entirely, only to be restocked with fresh recruits. Much of the equipment stationed near Finland is Soviet-era hardware. While some of it is being modernised for use in Ukraine, other pieces are stripped for parts. Turunen downplayed concerns about the volume of equipment near Finland, describing it as neither modern nor significant. Despite ongoing challenges, Russia plans to significantly expand its military presence in northwestern regions. The Leningrad Military District is set to see major structural reforms, including the establishment of a new 44th Army Corps in the Republic of Karelia, near the Finnish border. Additional plans include converting existing brigades into divisions and transforming the Northern Fleets 14th Army Corps into a full army. If fully implemented, these changes could increase troop numbers near Finland from the current estimate of 30,000 to approximately 80,000 soldiers. However, experts predict that these reforms will take years to materialise, especially while the conflict in Ukraine continues to demand significant resources. The longer the war in Ukraine drags on, the more it delays these plans, said Turunen. Even after the war, rebuilding modernised forces in the northwest could take until the 2030s. The report also warns of increased Russian intelligence operations in Finland, particularly near military installations. Drone surveillance near Finnish bases is detected roughly once a month, with the goal of gathering information on local infrastructure. Finnish Defence Forces have responded by tightening access controls and training personnel to report suspicious activity. Russian intelligence activity has reportedly grown more diverse since Finland joined NATO, with increased use of social media, intermediaries, and other covert methods to gather information and sow discord. The report highlights Finland as a key target for hybrid operations, including interference with critical infrastructure such as energy networks and undersea cables. While Russias military presence near Finland remains limited due to the ongoing war, experts caution against complacency. The report notes that a frozen conflict in Ukraine could allow Russia to redirect resources to the Finnish border and accelerate its military build-up. NATO membership has bolstered Finlands defensive capabilities, providing access to shared intelligence and training opportunities. However, Finnish authorities stress the need to remain vigilant as hybrid threats, such as cyberattacks and disinformation campaigns, are expected to persist. Turunen concluded that Finland is prepared for various scenarios, ranging from hybrid threats to larger-scale military operations. We are not in a state of war, but neither are we in a state of peace, he said. HT In Utsjoki, the last sunset was on 24 November. The sun will rise above Finland's northernmost municipality of Utsjoki on Friday, marking the end of the polar night, a nearly two-month period of continuous darkness. This event, called Kaamos in Finnish, occurs above the Arctic Circle each winter. The return of daylight around noon on Friday will be brief, but it signals the gradual increase of light in the coming weeks. During Kaamos, indirect sunlight reflects off the atmosphere and snow, creating a dim, dusky glow. Meanwhile, much of Finland is experiencing a winter that feels far from traditional. Southern and central parts of the country are facing unseasonably warm temperatures, with forecasts reaching up to 6 degrees Celsius on Thursday. Central Finland is seeing readings 10 degrees above average for January, a sharp deviation from the usual subzero norms. Meteorologist Matti Huutonen of Yle attributed this warmth to a low-pressure system in the North Atlantic and a high-pressure front in Central Europe. Together, these conditions generate the fohn wind effect, which causes warm, dry winds to flow over Norways mountains and into Finland. However, the warm spell is expected to end soon. Huutonen predicted a return to seasonably cold weather on Friday, with temperatures dropping below freezing nationwide. In southern Finland, the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) has warned of dangerously icy conditions as excess water on footpaths freezes overnight. Despite this brief cool-down, long-term forecasts suggest warmer-than-usual conditions may persist. Meteorologist Hannu Valta noted that temperatures in southern Finland could remain mild for much of January, although colder days are still expected. While the weather is currently inconsistent, Valta reminded residents that winter is far from over, with February still ahead as a traditional cold month. For now, Finlands climate contrasts its northernmost sunlit horizons with milder-than-usual southern streets. HT A SURVIVOR of child sex abuse has criticised the Government for voting down a new national inquiry into grooming gangs. Emma-Jane Taylor, 52, from Henley, described the decision as another example of disregard for victims. She said: Any spotlight on this topic brings us a step forward and helps society recognise and acknowledge that there is a problem. Grooming gangs are just one aspect of the trauma and horror that children go through every day. We should also make it clear that the sexual abuse of children is not limited to gangs. There is an entire world of victims struggling today. Many dont speak out and many are afraid if they do, they will get shut down. Intimidation is a huge factor in how survivors of child sexual abuse have lived. The focus is all wrong make it about the child, the victim, and not the perpetrators. Ms Taylor believes a future public inquiry could be pivotal for awareness and understanding of the reality of child abuse. She added: Inquiries and resultant positive change need to start now to prevent abuse at its core and support survivors already abused. Not having an inquiry is another example of disregard for victims. An attempt by the Conservatives to force the Labour government to set up a new national inquiry into grooming gangs was voted down by 364 to 111 votes. The amendment was attached to the Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would have been shelved had the vote passed. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch argued that the government risked fuelling accusations of a cover up by refusing an inquiry. But Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer argued that several inquiries had already been held into abuse carried out by gangs of men and a new probe would only delay the action the victims wanted. Liberal Democrat MPs abstained from the vote. The amendment was largely symbolic, as the size of Labour's majority meant it was never likely to pass. The childrens bill will bring safeguards for home-educated children and give powers to councils and local authorities to keep track of and protect vulnerable children. Ms Taylor founded the Project 90/10 charity in 2023, which aims to educate, raise awareness and protect children by providing educational packs in schools. The packs include a dongle and flashcards with information for children, parents and educators about permission, awareness, communication and knowledge about child sex assault. Ms Taylor also began the #Not MyShame movement which spread worldwide on social media after she posted Being abused as a child was not my shame Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council launched a joint investigation into suspected sexual offences in Oxford called Operation Bullfinch in 2011. A group of 22 men was convicted for various offences between 1998 and 2012. A briefing from Thames Valley Police to partners regarding the debate over a new national inquiry said there had been improvements locally in the last 10 years. It said: The way Thames Valley Police identifies and responds to child sexual exploitation is notably different to the times covered by Operation Bullfinch, with improved understanding, partnership working and information shared to identify risks, patterns and underlying concerns as early as possible and to ensure the right agency responds to achieve the right result. The subsequent independent serious case review highlights important areas of learning for organisations across Oxfordshire and all recommendations for Thames Valley Police were taken seriously and implemented. The nature of the child sexual exploitation offence has changed over the last 10 years and group-based offending now makes up five per cent of child sexual exploitation offences in the Thames Valley, which is in line with the group rate of offending nationally with a dedicated major crime team focusing on processing these investigations. Multi-agency safeguarding hubs now operate across the Thames Valley, staffed by members of the police, local authority and health services with dedicated multi-agency exploitation referral teams set within these hubs. Individuals at risk are flagged and reviewed and the collaborative nature of the team ensures information is shared and patterns of scenes are identified at the earliest possible opportunity. There are now more police officers and detectives working in child abuse investigations and the management of sexual offenders and the new dedicated team monitors all investigations into missing persons and identifies patterns or underlying issues. Advances in technology over the last 10 years have dramatically improved our ability to analyse data, to identify risks and fees and also to simplify information shared between agencies. David Orpwood, who chairs the South and Vale Independent Advisory Group, praised the efforts of the force. He said: No one in Thames Valley Police or any other agency is turning a blind eye to this. Thames Valley Police are attacking this without fear or favour, throwing resources at it as required. There are 400 people including officers involved in trying to monitor this and also safeguarding the young women and girls, and they will continue to do so. I will continue to monitor it and they have my full support in what theyre doing. I think their actions against violence against women and girls are fantastic and I think that theyre an example of how all forces should do it. Crowds of Gazans chanted and embraced on Wednesday as news spread that a ceasefire and hostage release deal had been reached between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending more than 15 months of war in the Palestinian territory. After a US official and a source close to the negotiations first revealed the agreement, Israel cautioned that several points "remain unresolved" that it hoped would be addressed. But celebrations were already underway in Gaza, where AFP journalists saw crowds of people hugging and taking photos to mark the announcement. "I can't believe that this nightmare of more than a year is finally coming to an end. We have lost so many people, we've lost everything," said Randa Sameeh, a 45-year-old who was displaced from Gaza City to the Nuseirat Camp in the centre of the territory. "We need a lot of rest. As soon as the truce begins, I will go to the cemetery to visit my brother and family members. We buried them in Deir el-Balah cemetery without proper graves. We will build them new graves and write their names on them." Outside Deir al-Balah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where so many of the war's casualties have been taken, hundreds of Palestinians gathered to chant, sing and wave flags, AFPTV footage showed. At one point, a member of the crowd and a journalist in body armour were raised on people's shoulders to conduct an interview above the mass of elated Gazans. As an ambulance squeezed through the crowd to reach the hospital, smiling men and women alike chanted "Allahu Akbar", or "God is greatest" in Arabic, and waved the Palestinian flag. Young children, some looking confused by the commotion, gathered outside the hospital too, milling between adults and watching as they gave interviews to the waiting media. A gaggle of young boys in the centre of the crowd led a popular pro-resistance chant as adults filmed the moment on their phones. Large crowds also gathered in Khan Yunis, in southern Gaza, with young men surfing through the crowd on the shoulders of others beating drums and cheering, an AFP photographer saw. In one part of the city, the crowd cheered as a vehicle driven by Palestinian militants slowly wound through the streets, with fighters standing in its open sliding doors waving their AK-47s. In Gaza City, 27-year-old Abdul Karim said: "I feel joy despite everything we've lost." "I can't believe I will finally see my wife and two children again," he added. "They left for the south almost a year ago. I hope they allow the displaced to return quickly." Still wearing his scrubs, doctor Fadel Naeem told AFP he had mixed feelings -- both "sadness for those we lost", and "indescribable joy for the end of this massacre". In the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah, some residents handed out sweets and hugged each other in the main square, though no large crowds gathered Wednesday night. Omar Assaf, a Ramallah resident, told AFP from Al-Manara Square that he saw the deal as a victory for Palestinians. "After 15 months of destruction, killing, genocide and unprecedented crimes, the resistance stands tall, raising its head, and raising the head of the entire Palestinian people," he told AFP. The deal agreed on Wednesday is expected to halt the fighting in the devastated Palestinian territory for an initial 42 days, with 33 hostages held in Gaza released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Hamas sparked the war in Gaza by staging the deadliest-ever attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage during the attack, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 46,707 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable. The EU said Thursday it would deliver 120 million euros ($123 million) in new aid for war-torn Gaza, a day after the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said the new package brought the EU's humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian territory to more than 450 million euros since 2023. The EU has also conducted flights that delivered over 3,800 tonnes of aid. "Today we are also adopting a package of 120 million euros for Gaza to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis there," EU spokeswoman Eva Hrncirova told reporters. The package will include food, healthcare and shelter assistance and support to allow access to clean water, the commission added in a statement. Humanitarian organisations have repeatedly urged safe and unhindered aid access in Gaza, wracked by hunger, and world leaders called for the truce to remove aid obstacles. Another EU spokesman, Anouar El Anouni, said Brussels hoped the ceasefire would "allow vastly improved access for humanitarian aid for the Gaza Strip, and that aid can be effectively distributed to those in need". Palestinian prime minister Mohammed Mustafa is in Brussels for meetings with senior EU officials including European Council chief Antonio Costa Thursday and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas Friday. Qatar and the United States announced a ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, although the agreement appeared fragile Thursday as Israel alleged the Palestinian militant group was backtracking on certain elements. Now Now NoHo, an innovative sleeper cabin hotel located on Bowery in the heart of NoHo, New York City, is now accepting reservations for April 1, 2025, and beyond. Envisioned as a transformative boutique experience for solo travelers, Now Now NoHo offers 180 small but thoughtfully designed sleeper cabins that combine the nostalgia of European train cars with the ingenuity of Japanese capsule hotels. The hotel is designed for adventurers seeking a unique and affordable way to explore New York City starting at $125/night. Led by Dovetail + Co, the creative force behind award-winning hotels in Newport, R.I. and Hawaii, Now Now NoHo embodies the company's mission of promoting exploration and discovery. The hotel's distinctive design, crafted by New York-based Islyn Studio, is inspired by the vivid world of dreams, with interiors that blur the line between reality and possibility. Guests will enjoy access to communal spaces, curated experiences, and a calendar of events that encourage connection and exploration. "Now Now NoHo was created to bring travelers an affordable yet meaningful experience in one of the most vibrant neighborhoods in New York City," said Phil Hospod, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Dovetail + Co. "We're thrilled to offer a basecamp where guests can recharge, explore, and connect with fellow adventurers. It's not just a place to stayit's a gateway to everything that makes New York City extraordinary." Each single-occupancy cabin is meticulously designed with features that include a custom Wright mattress, Garnier-Thiebaut linens, Brooklinen robe, a sound machine to enhance restful sleep, and Now Now NoHo-branded amenities including an eye mask, earplugs, and slippers. For an additional $30 per night, guests can opt for the Now or Never Sleeper Cabin, which is slightly larger than the entry-level room category, and features in-room art murals by local artists. Now Now NoHo uniquely offers a dedicated Women+ floor, specifically designated for women and non-binary guests. Shared bathrooms are equipped with Grown Alchemist bath products and lockable showers and toilets. Bathrooms are designed to be as functional as they are bold, featuring purple doors, green sinks, herringbone green tile, asymmetrical mirrors, and pendant lighting. The hotel is equally committed to leveraging technology for a seamless guest experience, offering a pre-arrival self-check-in through mobile app, in addition to check-in kiosks in the lobby. The lobby will also have a retail area offering Now Now NoHo-branded merchandise. Guests can further elevate their stay by renting unique amenities such as Fuji Instax cameras, Therabody Smart Goggles and Theraguns, Nintendo Game Boys, Solawave Red Light Therapy Masks, and more. Communal spaces for guests to gather include the Guest Lounge, a vibrant lower-level space with gradient rainbow-colored wallpaper, a community calendar, and a vending machine stocked with health and wellness products such as face masks, adaptogenic mushroom gummies, lip balms, curated snacks, and more. Now Now NoHo will host a calendar of activities and events on-site and at neighboring businesses for guests to meet each other. Examples include yoga and wellness classes at Three Jewels, happy hours at Bowery Electric, and coffee cuppings at Dark Matter Coffee. The hotel will virtually connect guests and inform them about special happenings in the hotel and around the neighborhood. There will also be an in-lounge connections board to post special gatherings and to encourage guests to leave a note, make plans, and get to know other travelers with similar interests. Now Now NoHo will surprise guests with tickets to concerts, art exhibits, and museums, and notify guests through the communication platform. Now Now NoHo will introduce a Membership Plan, priced at $100/month or $1,200/year, which includes one complimentary night's stay per month, 25% off additional stays, 10% off gift shop purchases, and early check-in or late check-out when available. Annual members also receive a complimentary robe and slippers upon joining. For travelers seeking flexibility, the Sleep Club is free to join and provides access to special member rates, plus perks such as free slippers after five stays and a complimentary night (up to $150 value) after ten stays. Both programs are designed to provide exclusive benefits that transform every visit into a memorable adventure. Located at 338 Bowery, Now Now NoHo places guests at the crossroads of some of Manhattan's most iconic neighborhoods, including SoHo, the East Village, and the Lower East Side. Bowery is a historic streetthe oldest in New York Citywith deep cultural and social significance. Now Now NoHo will provide travelers with a memorable and accessible experience in the city that never sleeps. Guestrooms start at $125/night. To be among the first to experience the all-new Now Now NoHo, please visit www.staynownow.com and follow Now Now NoHo on Instagram. Hotel website Nina Hospitality appoints Charis Yim as the new General Manager of Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West, while concurrently continuing her role as Group Deputy General Manager - Commercial. With over 30 years of extensive experience in international luxury hotel management, Charis brings a profound wealth of knowledge to her new position. In her role as General Manager, she will assume full responsibility for the Hotel's operations and lead the team in delivering exceptional hospitality experiences to guests. Charis joined Nina Hospitality in 2020, bringing with her a strong background from senior leadership positions at several prestigious international hotel brands, including The Peninsula Hong Kong, InterContinental Hong Kong, Mandarin Oriental Macau, JW Marriott Hong Kong, and Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. During her tenure as Group Deputy General Manager - Commercial, Charis successfully introduced various new initiatives at Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West. These initiatives included actively diversifying the Hotel's customer segments to encompass airline crews, leisure and MICE travellers, business guests, youth hostel guests, and long-stay guests, all aimed at providing quality experience for every visitor. Additionally, she played a pivotal role in establishing the lounge facility and communal space, Nina Communal. Simon Manning, Managing Director of Nina Hospitality, remarked on Charis's appointment, saying, "We are delighted to have Charis step into this vital role at Nina Hotel Tsuen Wan West. Her extensive experience in luxury hotel management, combined with her proven track record of driving success and prosperity for the company, uniquely positions her to contribute to the Hotel's transformation and repositioning efforts. We are confident that under her guidance, the Hotel will continue to elevate its offerings." Charis expressed her enthusiasm by stating, "I am truly honoured to lead Hong Kong's largest hotel. The hospitality industry is fundamentally people-centric; creating an outstanding work environment for talented individuals to warmly welcome every guest is the mission of a hotel general manager. I look forward to leveraging my experience and passion to guide our hotel towards a brilliant future." Officials of Woodworth Core Group (WCG), a leading provider of customized lodging research, valuation and advisory services, announced that Timothy J. Dick, PhD, has joined the firm in their Atlanta office as executive vice president. Dick is a subject matter expert in hospitality real estate with deep experience in the areas of asset management, valuation and general hospitality advisory services (market analysis, operational audits, strategic consulting). Before joining Woodworth Core Group, Dick was executive vice president with CBRE, where he served as a hotel advisor in a national practice. Before CBRE, he worked with hotelAVE and was responsible for asset managing hotels in New York City, N.Y., Cartagena, Colombia and Buenos Aires, Argentina. These urban and resort properties were uniquely challenging as they were both branded and non-branded hotels in international markets and gateway cities. Dick also was principal and managing member of Rockcastle Real Estate Advisors, LLC, an independent third-party advisory and consulting firm specializing in hotels. He was responsible for operational reviews, asset management, underwriting and acquisition for hospitality investments. Before forming Rockcastle, Dick served as head of the hotel asset management team at TriMont Real Estate Advisors, LLC, where he was responsible for providing strategic asset services to major financial institutions and oversaw a portfolio totaling 170 hotels. Dick holds the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute and has worked on hospitality engagements throughout the U.S., Canada, the Caribbean and Europe. He is also a Counselors of Real Estate (CRE), a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and a former president of the Hotel Asset Management Association (HAMA). He also holds graduate degrees from Cornell University and Iowa State University. View Tim Dick's LinkedIn Profile Tim Dick is a graduate of Cornell in Ithaca, New York - United States STAY, the leading guest experience platform in the hotel industry, has achieved a major milestone in 2024, with 23 million guests using its branded apps across hotels, solidifying its role as a frontrunner in the digital transformation of hospitality. This remarkable growth is delivering measurable results for hotel chains that have adopted STAY, driving enhanced guest satisfaction and increasing revenue by streamlining the service reservation process. This achievement, reflecting a 40% increase in user engagement compared to 2023, underscores STAY's expanding presence in key countries such as the UAE, Thailand, the USA, the Maldives, and Mauritius. In the past 12 months, STAY has significantly expanded its hotel portfolio, adding major brands such as Radisson Hotel Group, Ennismore, Atlantis Resorts or S Hotels & Resorts, while continuing to serve long-standing clients like Hyatt, Viva Wyndham, Minor Hotels, and Barcelo Hotels among other major brands. In a context where the hotel industry often struggles with inefficiencies caused by scattered information and outdated, cumbersome processes, STAY is the preferred choice for industry leaders worldwide. Why does STAY stand out? Because it centralizes all service information into a streamlined, easy-to-use app for guests and staff too. This user-friendly platform allows guests to effortlessly access relevant information, book services, make reservations, and communicate with staff through a highly customized, branded appall while eliminating the need for paper menus and brochures. Driving innovation and revenue growth STAYs commitment to innovation continues to drive revenue for its hotel partners. A standout feature introduced in 2024, the Spa Appointment System, allows guests to book spa treatments directly through their smartphonesenhancing the guest experience while generating a new revenue stream for hotels Real-world case studies demonstrate the tangible impact of STAY's solutions. For example, Barcelo Fuerteventura, a prominent hotel in Spain, experienced a fourfold increase in revenue after integrating STAYs digital platform. Similarly, Planet Hollywood Resort in Cancun, Mexico, reported a 15% increase in revenue after implementing STAYs solutions, underscoring the tangible benefits of the platform. Similar to its spa system, STAY provides advanced solutions for ordering and payment management, restaurant reservations, and even cabana bookings, making it a comprehensive all-in-one system for guest stays that helps generate extra revenue while optimizing hotel operation. Expansion and ongoing investment STAY continues to grow by offering a scalable platform suitable for a range of hotel brandsfrom luxurious resorts to urban hotels. The company also provides 24/7 customer support, introduced in 2024, and has invested in obtaining the cybersecurity SOCII certification. Additionally, STAY launched STAY Academy, a video tutorial certification program to train industry professionals on how to maximize the platform's potential. In 2025, we aim to continue expanding and solidifying our growth and leadership in these regions, while our platform evolves. We now offer the highest level of customization, but we will keep working to ensure the solution adapts to every type of guest, paving the way to increased revenue for hotels, all while delivering the most personalized experience to their clients. Additionally, we plan to complete the customer journey with an innovative solution that we will be unveiling in the coming months, which has been requested by several of our long-term clients and will soon be implemented. Joan Llado, STAYs CEO About STAY STAY is a powerful Guest Experience Operating System trusted by over 1,300 properties worldwide, enabling hotels to create a fully customizable, branded app. The app provides guests with seamless access to services, from food and beverage orders to spa bookings and local activity recommendations, all from their smartphones. STAY streamlines operations by integrating with existing systems and enhancing task management, communication, and guest request handling. Features like upselling and real-time feedback also help boost revenue and improve service quality. More information at www.stay-app.com. Oier Fano Dadebat PR & Content Marketing Manager Knowland by Cendyn released December monthly data findings to help hoteliers gain insight into the top locations selected by todays meeting planners. The company announced St. Louis, Mo./Ill. ranked first in the top 25 markets with year-over-year (YoY) growth at 125.8 percent. Nashville came in second with growth at 28 percent. However, the bigger story is Louisville, Ky., which led in secondary markets with 135.6 percent YoY growth and topped the secondary market list for the eighth time in 2024. This data is sourced from Knowland by Cendyn, designed to help hoteliers protect and grow their revenue base. Leading the top 25 markets by YoY growth in event volume No single event explained the large growth numbers for St. Louis. The top four accounts, including HavenHouse, Arcadian Infracom, Crisis Prevention Institute, and the Train Shed, accounted for almost nine percent of the total, with nearly 11 percent of events from SMERF instead of corporate accounts. St. Louis averaged 2,112 total sq. ft. with an estimated group size of 97. The total sq. ft. used for the top 25 markets was 3,045, with an estimated group size of 121. St. Louis, Mo.//Ill. (125.8 percent) Charity/Non-Profit/Social Services, Wedding, HealthCare, Social - Sports, Construction Nashville, Tenn. (28 percent) HealthCare, Technology, Manufacturing, Consulting, Financial/Banking Atlanta (26.9 percent) Education, Charity/Non-Profit/Social Services, HealthCare, Technology, Wedding Anaheim-Santa Ana, Calif. (21.4 percent) Technology, Education, Manufacturing, HealthCare, Legal Denver (16.8 percent) Technology, Charity/Non-Profit/Social Services, Consulting, HealthCare, Education No single event explained the large growth numbers for St. Louis. The top four accounts, including HavenHouse, Arcadian Infracom, Crisis Prevention Institute, and the Train Shed, accounted for almost nine percent of the total, with nearly 11 percent of events from SMERF instead of corporate accounts. St. Louis averaged 2,112 total sq. ft. with an estimated group size of 97. The total sq. ft. used for the top 25 markets was 3,045, with an estimated group size of 121. Top five secondary markets by YoY growth in event volume Louisville, Ky. hosted the Womens Final Four College Volleyball tournament, setting attendance records and was primarily responsible for the increase in events. Louisville topped the secondary market for the eighth time in 2024, experiencing 135.6 percent growth and averaging 4,700 sq. ft. and an estimated group size of 154. Secondary markets saw a slight increase over the top 25 markets, with total sq. ft. used at 3,052 and an estimated group size of 122. The five high-growth secondary markets and top industries were: Louisville, Ky./Ind. (135.6 percent) National Association, Education, Food/Beverage, State Association, Manufacturing Wisconsin South (67.6 percent) State Association, Automotive, Social - Sports, Wedding, Manufacturing Savannah, Ga. (54.6 percent) Manufacturing, HealthCare, Charity/Non-Profit/Social Services, National Association, Technology Long Island, N.Y. (47.5 percent) Training/Education, Religious, Wedding, HealthCare, Manufacturing Jacksonville, Fla. (42.4 percent) Wedding, Charity/Non-Profit/Social Services, National Association, Consulting, Education Louisville, Ky. hosted the Womens Final Four College Volleyball tournament, setting attendance records and was primarily responsible for the increase in events. Louisville topped the secondary market for the eighth time in 2024, experiencing 135.6 percent growth and averaging 4,700 sq. ft. and an estimated group size of 154. Secondary markets saw a slight increase over the top 25 markets, with total sq. ft. used at 3,052 and an estimated group size of 122. The five high-growth secondary markets and top industries were: About the Data: This data is provided to help hoteliers still building momentum gain insight into the top locations selected by todays meeting planners. This information about the leading industry drivers provides a clear picture of those groups that are returning to the meeting and event space. Insights presented results from the analysis of meetings and events data acquired through Knowland by Cendyn data collection and aggregation methods, including field reporting and automated methods of customer and non-customer data collection in primary, secondary, and tertiary markets, as well as its large historical database. ABOUT CENDYN Cendyn is a global hospitality cloud-based technology company that enables hotels to drive revenue, maximize profitability, and create deeper connections with guests through its integrated solutions. Serving hoteliers for nearly 30 years, Cendyn drives commercial success for hotels through its Find, Book, Grow promise: find the right guests; drive them to book direct, and grow loyalty and revenue across the spectrum of digital guest interactions. Cendyn has over 35,000 customers worldwide in more than 150 countries. The company supports its growing customer base from locations across the globe, including the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Bangkok, and India. To find out more, visit cendyn.com Kim Dearborn View source Paris, France With about 120 Sofitel properties, more than 120 boutique hotels under MGallery, and a growing portfolio of Emblems bespoke destinations, the Group reports a record growth in 2024 with close to 90 hotels signed in the pipeline to be opened in the coming years under those magnificent brands. As Sofitel concludes its 60th-anniversary celebrations in 2024, the brands rebirth translates into a reignited pipeline, with 32 new hotels to be opened over the coming years. After the latest successful opening of Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa in Benin, Sofitel will keep expanding into key destinations such as Egypt, Vietnam, Portugal, Ireland, Mexico and India; concludes its 60th-anniversary celebrations in 2024, the brands rebirth translates into a reignited pipeline, with to be opened over the coming years. After the latest successful opening of Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa in Benin, Sofitel will keep expanding into key destinations such as Egypt, Vietnam, Portugal, Ireland, Mexico and India; Sofitel Legend also sees a growth milestone in 2024, with the signature - in only twelve months - of 3 new flagships to be opened in Prague, India and in Egypt, in front of the iconic Giza Pyramids. also sees a growth milestone in 2024, with the signature - in only twelve months - of to be opened in Prague, India and in Egypt, in front of the iconic Giza Pyramids. The same fast-paced dynamic is underway among the collection brands: MGallery, the storied boutique-hotel brand, is unfolding a new chapter with 48 hotels in the pipeline, expanding into new territories such as Japan, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Emblems , Accors new high-end collection brand, makes a remarkable debut with already 7 iconic flagship hotels signed in Europe, South-East Asia and North America. 2024 has been a milestone year for our brands, marking unprecedented development momentum. This accelerated pipeline reflects the dedication and hard work of our exceptional teams worldwide, strengthening our networks consistency, redefining our brand identity, and elevating our brand promise. Two years ago, this new era was just a vision as we laid the foundations of our new organization and shaped our strategic roadmap. Today, it has become a reality. There is nothing more rewarding than restoring clarity and pride to the brands and its talented people. Maud Bailly, CEO of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery andEmblems. Luxury is all about consistency Two years after reuniting Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems under the leadership of Maud Bailly, these flagship brands of Accors luxury and lifestyle division are reaping the rewards of a comprehensive transformation. This journey has consisted into restoring clarity and consistency to each brand identity and rejuvenating the existing hotel network. With major refurbishments underway like Sofitel New York and Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile - set for completion by fall 2025, 26% of the Sofitel network is currently being renovated. Notable renovations, such as Sofitel Athens, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit and the iconic Sofitel Sydney Wentworth have already been met with success. Meanwhile, 8% of the MGallery Collection portfolio is under renovation, with projects like Manly Pacific in Australia, which just won Prix de Versailles, or Grand Hotel Roi Renee Aix-en-Provence in France leading the way. The global scale of transformation has enabled to launch a virtuous dynamic of renovation. At the same time, each of the 9 openings this year has been a unique moment, tailor-made to reflect the local culture and the hotels aspirations. These magical experiences are constantly raising the standards and impact, such as the inauguration of Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa in the presence of Benin Government last December 12th. This momentum is matched by a surge in development, with over 20 hotels signed in 2024 confirming the unprecedented traction of development of the four brands. Efforts are focused on high-potential markets like Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Egypt, as well as resort destinations in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. Emerging markets such as Mexico and India are also seeing significant investment, driven by the brands increasing desirability. Weve seen leads triple since 2023, reflecting a strong investment trend in our hard and collection luxury brands. By enhancing brand desirability, weve bolstered our existing Sofitel and MGallery portfolios and expanded into key markets and resort destinations. Xavier Grange, Chief Development Officer Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems The rise of branded residences further highlights the brands recognition. Landmark projects include Sofitel Residences Downtown Dubai, set to open in 2026, and Sofitel Sapa Hotel & Branded Residences in Vietnam, featuring over 400 units. This model also resonates with collection brands, as seen in the Abraj Omar Hotel & Residences Makkah MGallery Collection in Saudi Arabia. A Record Year for Sofitel: Celebrating a New Era and 60 Years of French Luxury Hospitality Sofitel, the first luxury hotel brand of French origin, celebrated its Diamond Jubilee in 2024, marking 60 years of blending heartfelt and committed luxury with French zest. This milestone year introduced a rejuvenated brand platform, a new identity, and a global campaign featuring ambassadors Gillian Anderson and Dali Benssalah, reflecting Sofitel's distinctive signature of cultural encounters. The year also witnessed Sofitels strongest development momentum to date, with 32 hotels in the pipeline, including 12 signed in 2024 alone. Notable additions include 3 new Sofitel Legend properties in Prague with Sofitel Legend The Mozart, celebrating the legacy of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sofitel Legend in India, but also Sofitel Legend Pyramids Giza, offering more than 60% of its rooms with stunning views of the ancient pyramids. These properties join an exclusive network of six legendary hotels such as Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi which renovated its famous heritage wing including the Charlie Chaplin Suite, Sofitel Legend The Grand Amsterdam and Sofitel Legend Casco Viejo in Panama opened in March 2023, all renowned for their awe-inspiring history and timeless elegance. The brand's pipeline reinforces its ambition to strengthen leadership in Europe & North Africa, with 34 hotels in the portfolio and 6 more on the way, while accelerating growth in key markets such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and India. Sofitel has doubled its footprint in Vietnam, adding Sofitel Sapa Hotel & Residences and Sofitel Diamond Crown Hai Phong to an already impressive portfolio. Recent landmark events include the groundbreaking ceremony for Sofitel Dublin Airport, the signing of Sofitel Jaipur Jawar Circle in India, the opening of the biggest Sofitel in the world (615 rooms) with Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile in Egypt and the upcoming launch of Sofitel Riyadh, signaling Sofitel's growth in leisure destinations alongside its stronghold in business markets. The Sofitel renewal touches all its categories: Legend, Urban, Resort, Residences and Airport - tailored to the needs and desires of guests has thus cemented its position as one of the largest luxury portfolios globally, with about 120 hotels in 49 countries. Through its renewed vision and dynamic growth, Sofitel continues to redefine French luxury hospitality, embracing its storied past while boldly stepping into the future. The Rise of collection brands: MGallery and Emblems on the fast track to expansion MGallery Collection and Emblems Collection are complementary and essential brands that cater for an intimate luxury, where exclusivity is paramount and accommodations are thoughtfully curated to maintain a refined atmosphere. Luxury collection brands MGallery and Emblems are seeing a surge in development, with more than 55 hotels combined in the pipeline. MGallery continues to bring meaningful and memorable moments to an ever-growing number of destinations. This year, the brand entered Japan with the opening of Hotel Sosei Sapporo MGallery Collection and unveils the historic Domaine du Liziec Vannes MGallery Collection in the West of France. Exciting new signings are expanding MGallerys global footprint, including its debut in the Caribbean with the signing of The Whimsy Hotel MGallery Collection in Saint-Martin and Marival Armony Punta Mita MGallery Collection in Mexico. MGallery is also strengthening its significant traction in Europe, with 67 hotels already open and more than 19 in the pipeline. The brand is expanding rapidly across Southern Europe (Portugal, Italy, Greece) as well as Eastern and Central Europe. France remains a dynamic market for the brand, with three resort signings this year. In the Middle East and Southeast Asia, MGallery has a portfolio of 27 hotels and 17 in the pipeline, with expansion continuing at pace. Notably, two hotels are set to open in Phuket Thailand in 2025, and further projects are in development across the region, including Makkah in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Emblems Collection, the high-end collection brand, is on a strong trajectory with its debut 7 properties signed in all continents and 9 under final negotiations for hotels in North America, China, Vietnam, and Europe, including Italy, the UK, and Greece. We are proud to already have 7 Emblems flagships signed with openings planned as of 2025. Though details remain confidential, the demand for this emblematic brand is growing rapidly, and we are excited to bring Emblems to life in the coming months, with its first opening in an exceptional location in Europe. Maud Bailly, Chief Executive Officer Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery and Emblems The unparalleled growth of Sofitel, Sofitel Legend, MGallery, and Emblems underscores the strength of Accors strategic vision and brand-driven organization. With a reinforced pipeline, iconic openings, and transformative refurbishments, these four brands are redefining committed luxury hospitality across continents. As they continue to expand into emerging and established markets, their enduring appeal reflects a bold commitment to blending heritage, modernity, and cultural authenticity. How Optimum Hotel & Leisure Management uses Guestlines family of hospitality solutions to turn hotels around. Gaining full visibility of commercial and operational performance to set them on a path to revenue growth. Summary Bespoke tech stacks for each of property Comprehensive reporting for constant monitoring of each propertys progress Innovation driving productivity and optimised business performance Creating an integrated tech stack to drive profitability and operational excellence with Guestline PMS, Advanced C&B, EPOS, Distribution Hub and GuestPay About Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management is a dedicated award-winning independent management consultancy acting on behalf of private hotel owners, investors and lenders to optimise the performance of their business. The company examines and optimises profitability of a property by looking into revenue and costs across the business from room bookings, to events and F&B to ensure each hotel is running effectively and efficiently to further achieve better results. Optimum is a collective of hotels, each running independently rather than as a single branded portfolio. All hotels in the collective have extensive grounds, conference and banqueting facilities providing a range of amenities and services with up to 80 rooms. Challenge When Optimum takes on a hotel it's usually because there's a problem that needs to be resolved in terms of either management or commercial and operational reorganisation. The IT platform is a priority as it sits at the heart of the propertys infrastructure, with Optimum often identifying core issues with the existing Property Management System (PMS), point of sale systems (EPOS) or the channel managers. Theres a need now to work smarter and retain customers. Every pound suffers a deduction either related to commissions or technology, along with decreasing average guest spend - therefore its essential all properties are efficient and can grab all revenue opportunities Gregor Ritchie, Managing Director, Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management. You might also like: Solution For over 15 years Optimum has considered Guestline a key partner to success - identifying the PMS platform capable of offering solutions to a multitude of challenges for a range of different independent hotel properties. Optimum has installed Guestline into 20 hotels over the past 12 years. Its compact and user-friendly system matches the needs of their hotels while providing local training and implementation along with leading customer support. When Optimum first looked for an intuitive system, direct website bookings were becoming more prevalent. Therefore new tech was required to include channel management and payment solutions for exceptional guest experiences while being safe and secure. Guestline was able to provide everything. The range of solutions Optimum uses for its hotels include the PMS, EPOS, conference and banqueting (C&B), channel managers and Guestline Distribution. Furthermore, Guestlines proximity, flexibility, and willingness to customise reports built the foundation for a strong partnership, allowing Optimum to review property performance daily. Guestline gets the basics right, innovates where needed and provides the accurate comprehensive reports required to run small independent properties. With the need to integrate all systems and be open and compliant - Guestline are the saviours Gregor Ritchie, Managing Director, Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management Our thoughts Optimum has a reputation in the hotel industry for bringing hotels back to life or taking them to the next level in their growth journey. Our platform is able to provide all the functionality that most of Optimum hotels require operationally and together we find solutions for their hotels. Through integrating our wider portfolio of solutions beyond the PMS, Optimum are streamlining and automating processes with each, allowing them to invest more time in guest experiences while optimising revenue across the business. Its clear they are successfully cultivating smart business practices that are enabling its team to take more informed action. Results Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management has been impressed by all aspects of the Guestline Platform, from its functionality to its simple user interface along with the exceptional customer support that is always on hand. Through Guestline, Optimum is able to easily manage rates with one-touch updates through the channel manager; the open API provides seamless connectivity with a myriad of external platforms; products like GuestStay give front-of-house the chance to excel at customer service and remove the monotony of day-to-day tasks - simplifying operations and ridding teams of zombie tasks. Reporting is an essential element, Guestline's system gives Optimum's team an overview of every aspect of the property from front-of-house bookings to food and beverage ordering to staff and laundry demands. Gregor Ritchie, Managing Director, Optimum Hotel and Leisure Management, enthused: Getting the basics right is crucial for our operation as we almost always need a better IT solution as a first step when we take on a business. Since 2010 we have plugged Guestline into every hotel we take on. The product is good, and it's very easy to use, which simplifies staff training. Guestlines support team is second to none. We have reviewed other solutions but we've yet to come across a better platform for our hotels' needs. Everything just works with Guestline. Why Guestline Optimum wanted a one-stop shop with reliability and adaptability to support the plans to develop and grow each of its properties and individual successful business entities. Guestline has continued to support growth with new features, functionality and products - and even more so with the Access family of systems - that has spawned a partnership that has lasted for over fifteen years. Inspired by the success of Optimum Hotel & Leisure Management? Let Guestline be your partner in growth. Schedule a demo and see how we can help you achieve your goals. View source Steinhausen, Switzerland RoomPriceGenie, developer of an award-winning revenue management system (RMS) for hotels, is proud to announce three big wins in the 2025 HotelTechAwards, which recognise the best operational solutions based on reviews and ratings from hoteliers around the world. In this years awards, RoomPriceGenie won second place for The Best Revenue Management System (RMS) for the second year in a row, as the solution is a simple, automated way for hoteliers to optimise their pricing with many clients increasing their revenue by up to 22% after implementation! The RoomPriceGenie RMS was also recognized as the 7th Most Recommended Solution overall, a category that compares the solutions performance with that of all operational solutions in the industry. Finally, RoomPriceGenie won third place in The Best Place to Work Award for the second year in a row, recognizing the companys commitment to creating a supportive, inclusive and fun-filled work environment, and building a team that is passionate about helping clients achieve their business and financial goals. We are very proud to be recognized across these three categories of the HotelTechAwards, as these wins demonstrate the efficacy and ease of use of our RMS, as well as the knowledge and dedication shown by our hard-working team of Genies, said Ari Andricopoulos, CEO of RoomPriceGenie. We are very excited to see the positive impact that we have had on hoteliers bottom lines continue through 2025, as our growth and development plans for this year will further empower hoteliers to maximise their long-term profitability, no matter how the market changes. To find out more about RoomPriceGenies 2025 HotelTechAwards wins, please read the official press release on HotelTechReport. To find out more about the RoomPriceGenie RMS or to arrange an interview with Ari Andricopoulos, CEO of RoomPriceGenie, please contact [email protected]. About RoomPriceGenie RoomPriceGenie, the award-winning revenue management system (RMS) for hoteliers, is the easiest way to ensure your rooms are priced right, every night. The solution is fast to implement, intuitive to use, simple to understand and completely transparent. Choose to be hands-off, letting the RMS act as an always-on pricing manager or jump in and control your price manually. Either way, RoomPriceGenie saves you time on adjusting your rates based on market trends and your property's performance. You can be confident your prices are always optimized to maximize revenue. In an uncertain world, it's revenue you can count on. Find out more at roompricegenie.com. Reeco, the leading AI-driven procure-to-pay platform for the hospitality industry, announced today it has secured $15 million in Series A funding. This investment will fuel the company's strategic growth initiatives, including the accelerated advancement of the Reeco platform. The solution frees the industrys back-of-house teams from Excel sheets, punchout systems, and GL coding with a unified system that seamlessly integrates every critical function. Users can purchase from any contracted vendor in just a few clicks and receive goods in record time, manage recipes to track real-time food costs, and automate inventory audits and invoicing. The Series A funding builds on a $10 million seed round, bringing Reecos total funding to $25 million. This Series A funding reflects strong investor confidence in our vision to revolutionize procurement in the hospitality space. We're witnessing unprecedented demand as operators recognize that modernizing their procurement and back-of-house operations is no longer optional it's essential to remain competitive in today's market. With this funding, we're enhancing our platform development to meet growing demand, expanding our technological capabilities while maintaining the exceptional service our customers rely on to transform their operations. Henrik Shimony, co-founder and CEO of Reeco The round was led by Aleph VC, with participation from Net Capital Ventures and Joule Ventures. The funding will support research and development, customer acquisition, the scaling of sales and marketing teams, and the delivery of new platform features. Reeco benefits from a charismatic founding team with deep domain expertise and a strong pull from the market. Its already demonstrated strong product-market fit and is positioned to transform one of the largest sectors in our economy. We are highly impressed by what the Reeco team has accomplished and are excited to partner with them and support their journey. Tomer Diari, general partner at Aleph Reeco Builds on Record Growth as 2025 Begins The hospitality industry has long relied on manual procurement processes and legacy systems that result in a cascade of challenges, including unreliable data, volatile pricing, ineffective inventory management, and fractured vendor relationships, which hold hospitality companies back from achieving operational peak performance for their stakeholders. The industry clearly needs a modern, transformative solution to move forward. Reecos AI-driven procure-to-pay platform eliminates these challenges by unifying procurement and receiving, inventory, recipe management, and accounts payable into a single system to save tremendous time and costs. Users can purchase food and supplies based on real-time pricing and with one cart, integrating all their preferred suppliers. Teams can use the AI-powered smartphone app to quickly receive and audit inventory, scanning bottles for accuracy and cutting counting time by 50 percent. Food and beverage teams can build and manage recipes with the AI-powered ingredient database; they connect recipes with point-of-sale systems to reveal real-time food costs and identify cost-saving opportunities. The accounts payable solution automates GL coding based on the propertys coding patterns and syncs with APs preferred accounting system. The platform brings unprecedented efficiency to every step of the process and transforms how hospitality companies manage their operations. As the only platform that connects purchasing, receiving, recipe management, inventory control, and accounts payable. By using these modules on the Reeco platform, hotels can finally eliminate data silos, ditch their Excel spreadsheets, and stop toggling between supplier portals and paper forms. Gone are the days of manual data entry, scattered paper trails, and jumping between multiple supplier websites. Any team member from executive chefs to controllers can quickly master the system and start optimizing their operations immediately. Omri Shalev, co-founder and CTO at Reeco In less than two years, Reeco has achieved an 800% adoption growth rate, transforming operations for hundreds of customers, from full-service resorts to select-service properties. Before Reeco, I spent more than 20 years managing a disorganized and time-consuming procurement process that involved Excel sheets, calling our suppliers, checking our emails. Reeco has completely changed how we operate. Hotel procurement, inventory auditing, recipe management it's all on one customized, consistent, and dependable platform that saves me and my team so much time and money, allowing me to spend more time being creative and less time chasing vendors. Brian Archibald, Executive Chef at Playa Largo Resort & Spa, an Autograph Collection Hotel Leading hotel operators Vision Hospitality, OTH Hotels Resorts, and Scarlett Hotel Group credit Reeco with improving profit margins and operational efficiency in purchasing, housekeeping, food and beverage, and maintenance and engineering. Reeco has completely modernized our accounts payable processes and saves us significant dollars in both operating costs and labor. Before, our properties struggled with GL coding and managing blind spots across back-of-house operations. With Reeco, GL coding is automated. I have real-time visibility into spend, at the property and department level, without having to waste time and money searching for answers. Reeco's AI and leading-edge technology improves efficiencies and drives margins across your portfolio. In today's ultra-competitive marketplace, Reeco is a must-have. Arlene McCullough, senior vice president of accounting at Vision Hospitality Group Founding the Future of Hotel Procurement Reeco was born from the unique insights of Henrik Shimony and Omri Shalev. Shimony's deep experience managing his family's hotel operations and Shalev's software engineering expertise from roles at Microsoft and Samsung revealed a critical gap: while consumer shopping had embraced digital solutions, hotel procurement was stuck in the past. Managing a hotels six-figure purchases with outdated tools made no sense, Shimony said. I could shop for groceries at home with the best tech available, but at the hotel, I was managing purchases in the hundreds of thousands with little technology or tracking. From select-service hotels to a full-service property, the purchasing processes are stuck in the past. That realization inspired us to build Reeco a platform that gives hotels the same efficiency and transparency available in consumer shopping and so much more. About Aleph VC Aleph is a venture capital fund focused on partnering with great Israeli entrepreneurs to build large, meaningful companies and impactful global brands. Founded in 2013, Aleph is a partnership of Michael Eisenberg, Eden Shochat, Yael Elad, and Tomer Diari, with $850M under management. For more information about Aleph, visit https://www.aleph.vc/ . About Reeco Reeco is the leading AI-driven procure-to-play platform for the hospitality industry, transforming how hotels manage procurement, inventory, and accounts payable. As the only provider to bring purchasing, receiving, recipe management, inventory control, and accounts payable functionality together on one seamless platform, Reeco eliminates manual processes, streamlines operations, and empowers teams to focus on what they do best. By connecting every aspect of procurement and back-of-house operations, Reeco helps operators cut costs, increase efficiency, and improve profit margins. For more information, visit https://www.reeco.io/. The Wellness & Sustainability Panel at the 2024 Cayuga Annual Conference explored the intersection of wellness and sustainability in the hospitality industry. Moderated by Susan Barry, the panel brought together experts Holleigh Alexander-Ramsey of Spalign Concepts, Candace Lynch of Zents, and Corey Clark of Honeycomb Strategies to share their experiences and actionable insights. Are Wellness and Sustainability Partners or Opponents? The panelists agreed that wellness and sustainability are deeply interconnected, though they can sometimes conflict. Candace emphasized that while wellness often involves organic, biodynamic ingredients and clean products, the resources used in sourcing and packaging can be at odds with sustainability goals. For instance, she highlighted the challenge of balancing luxurious, functional packaging with eco-friendly materials. Corey pointed out that storytelling plays a vital role in harmonizing these efforts. In events, sustainability initiatives often require signage or tools to communicate their impact, ensuring attendees recognize the efforts being made. However, the production of these communication materials must also align with sustainable practices. Holleigh added that in spas, single-use items like plastics present a significant hurdle. Solutions such as reusable containers and pre-portioned products can mitigate waste while preserving the guest experience. Innovations Driving Change The panel showcased innovative practices across wellness and sustainability. Corey highlighted the use of compost haulers in event spaces to divert food waste, educating attendees and reducing environmental impact. In one example, a San Diego conference center introduced food donation practices for the first time, creating a lasting cultural shift among employees. Holleigh discussed advances in spa technology, such as robotic massage systems and mindfulness pods, which reduce reliance on staff while providing guests with unique wellness experiences. She also noted the rising popularity of mental health and sleep-focused treatments. Candace shared her experience developing Zents Antara collection, a hemp-based luxury spa line that incorporates locally sourced ingredients and sustainable packaging. The collections products are designed to offer wellness benefits like pain relief and stress reduction while minimizing environmental impact. Practical Tips for the Industry When asked for actionable advice, the panelists shared these key takeaways: Start Where You Are : Candace encouraged businesses to begin with small, impactful steps toward sustainability, such as using bulk refillable products or eliminating single-use plastics. : Candace encouraged businesses to begin with small, impactful steps toward sustainability, such as using bulk refillable products or eliminating single-use plastics. Ask Questions and Educate : Corey suggested engaging suppliers and exploring case studies to identify sustainable solutions tailored to individual properties or events. : Corey suggested engaging suppliers and exploring case studies to identify sustainable solutions tailored to individual properties or events. Unplug for Wellness: Holleigh stressed the importance of creating boundaries and prioritizing self-care, encouraging both hospitality professionals and guests to find moments of peace amid busy schedules. Trends to Watch As demand for wellness and sustainability grows, the panelists highlighted several emerging trends. From integrating spa and fitness operations under a single wellness umbrella to offering technology-driven treatments like hyperbaric chambers and cryotherapy, the hospitality industry is evolving to meet guest expectations. Corey also noted that event clients increasingly demand eco-conscious venues, with some requiring carbon footprint data before confirming attendance. This shift underscores the growing importance of sustainability credentials in attracting business. The panel concluded with a unifying message: By embracing innovation, educating stakeholders, and starting with manageable steps, the industry can deliver meaningful experiences that benefit both guests and the planet. Susan Barry Founder - Hive Marketing 4049645765 Hive Marketing View source Imitation may be considered the highest form of flattery. Bad actors on the internet, though, fall outside the consideration set. As phishing attempts become increasingly sophisticated, hoteliers need to stay vigilant and implement robust security measures. Many security measures include automation and technology. The first line of defense will always be the individual, be they a guest or an employee of the hotel. At Revinate, we are here to work with you to protect your hotel and guests from these malicious attempts. Best practices for prevention Recognizing phishing attempts The best way to prevent a phishing attack is to recognize it. Phishing attacks are often disguised as legitimate communications. Be on the lookout for: Emails with urgent requests or threats Messages containing unexpected attachments or links Requests for sensitive information (such as login credentials, billing information, etc.) Poor grammar or spelling errors Suspicious sender email addresses Secure your systems Ensure all your vendors have MFA turned on. Revinate has implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts that are not Single Sign On Use strong, unique passwords and a password manager Regularly update and patch all software and systems Train your staff Conduct regular phishing awareness training sessions Perform simulated phishing exercises to test staff readiness Encourage a culture of security awareness and reporting Protect your online presence Never use search engines to access login pages, but bookmark them instead Verify the authenticity of websites before entering credentials Implement AI-based threat detection for email traffic Safeguard guest information Secure your hotels WiFi network Educate guests about potential phishing risks Use secure methods for handling guest payment information Responding to phishing attempts If you suspect a phishing attempt: Dont click on any links or download attachments Report the incident to your IT department immediately If credentials were compromised, change passwords immediately Inform affected parties if any data breach occurred Guest communication If you believe someone at your hotel was duped by a phishing attack, and your guests may be impacted, immediately communicate with them using a clear, transparent, and actionable message. Recommended communication Dear Valued Guest, At [Hotel Name], your safety and security are our top priorities. We want to help you protect yourself from potential online booking scams and ensure a worry-free travel experience. Quick security tips: Book directly: Always use our official website or verified booking platforms Secure payments: Only use encrypted payment methods Verify communications: Well never request sensitive information over the phone or via email. Scammers may try to impersonate a company through calls, texts, and emails. Red flags to watch: Unsolicited emails asking for personal details Deals that seem too good to be true Requests for immediate payment through unusual methods How to protect yourself: Verify website URLs Use strong, unique passwords Check sender email addresses carefully If you have concerns, please contact our team directly at [Phone Number] or [Email Address]. Warmest regards, Bad actors try to imitate Revinate, too Email communication is not the only way the bad guys are trying to dupe your hotel employees. In December, the Securities Commission Malaysia released a list of potential clone companies, and we were made aware that an organization out there calling itself Revinate Tech Services was on that list. This list serves primarily as a warning for investors. Still, as a hotelier, you should also be aware that entities are trying to capitalize on Revinates brand and reputation. Our customers have also alerted us to a website trying to copy us. Please be aware, and if you see a webpage like this, dont click! Weve filed a complaint with the web hosting service, but the site remains active today. Bottom line, anyone who contacts you from Revinate Tech Services, Revinate Work Bench, or any other variation of our namethats not us! Revinate takes data security very seriously. Modern phishing attacks can create challenges; we are here to help. We hope the information shared here will help your employees and guests be aware of (and avoid falling for) phishing attempts to grab valuable guest data. If you would like us to share further information on best practices to help prevent phishing against your employees, please let us know, and we will be happy to share the approach we take internally. About Revinate Revinate is a direct booking platform that leads the hospitality industry in driving direct revenue and increased profitability. Our products and our people combine to give hoteliers the superpowers they need to crush their goals. With Revinate, hoteliers shift share away from OTAs and drive tangible results across an individual property or a portfolio. Our industry-leading, AI-powered, customer data platform collects, unifies and, synthesizes data giving hoteliers a foundational advantage. Hoteliers gain critical intelligence guest lifetime spend, stay preferences, ancillary revenue, and more. With our Rich Guest Profiles database, hoteliers don't need to guess who their most profitable guests are, or how to drive conversions across email, voice, messaging, and digital channels. Revinate's direct booking platform and omnichannel communication technology powers 900+ million Rich Guest Profiles across 12,500+ hotels to drive over $17 billion in direct revenue. In this weeks episode of the Hotel Moment podcast, Evan Crawford, Vice President of Marketing a Pyramid Global Hospitality, joins Karen Stephens, Revinate CMO, to advocate for the use of AI in marketing and analytics, but with some stipulations. Evan reminds every hotelier that their brand, their brand voice, and their authenticity mean everything when it comes to garnering valuable trust from guests, and not even AI will replace that or the human element of the guest experience. But Evan also explains why the smartest hotel marketers know how to leverage AI to their advantage to narrow down guest segments with accuracy and make sense of large data sets with confidence. Tune in and find out how AI can transform your tech stack to strengthen your guest relationships without forsaking what hospitality is all about the human connection. Meet your host As Chief Marketing Officer at Revinate, Karen Stephens is focused on driving long-term growth by building Revinates brand equity, product marketing, and customer acquisition strategies. Her deep connections with hospitality industry leaders play a key role in crafting strategic partnerships. Karen is also the host of The Hotel Moment Podcast, where she interviews top players in the hospitality industry. Karen has been with Revinate for over 11 years, leading Revinates global GTM teams. Her most recent transition was from Chief Revenue Officer, where she led the team in their highest booking quarter to date in Q4 2023. Karen has more than 25 years of expertise in global hospitality technology and online distribution including managing global accounts in travel and hospitality organizations such as Travelocity and lastminute.com Connect with Karen Watch the video Transcript Intro 00:04:00: Welcome to the Hotel Moment podcast presented by Revinate, the podcast where we discuss how hotel technology shapes every moment of the hoteliers experience. Tune in as we explore the cutting edge technology, transforming the hospitality industry, and hear from experts and visionaries shaping the future of guest experiences. Whether youre a hotelier or a tech enthusiast, youre in the right place. Lets dive in and discover how we can elevate the art of hospitality together. Karen Stephens 00:00:36: Hello and welcome to the Hotel Moment podcast. Im your host, Karen Stephens, the Chief Marketing Officer of Revinate, and today were excited to have Evan Crawford, the Vice President of Marketing at Pyramid Global Hospitality with us. Evan has a wealth of experience in the hospitality marketing world with a focus on driving revenue growth and brand development through strategic marketing initiatives in his role as VP. Evans team focuses on the independent hotel collection known as Benchmark which is a division of Pyramid Global Evan brings fresh insights into whats happening with hotel marketing and on todays episode, well dive into some of the key trends hes seeing for 2025 how messaging is evolving in the hospitality industry and what makes Benchmarks independent resort and hotel collection stand out in a competitive market. So I give you Evan. Welcome back to the podcast, Evan. Its great to see you. Evan Crawford 00:01:27: Great to see you too. Thanks for having me. Karen Stephens 00:01:28: Absolutely. So, its been a minute since we talked. Last time we connected, we were actually live at NAVIGATE in Miami, our annual users conference. And its also, were recording this at the beginning of 2025. Its just about a year since you started, just over a year since you started with Pyramid. So, congratulations on your anniversary. Evan Crawford 00:01:47: Yeah, thank you. Yeah, its a long time with the merged company, but one year officially with Pyramid Global, I guess. Karen Stephens 00:01:54: Thats right. As vice president of marketing. So thats exciting. So whats new and exciting at Pyramid as we step into 2025? Whats first on your radar here? Evan Crawford 00:02:03: Well, as Im sure you know, were going through an adventure with Revinate. So I oversee our independent hotels, and were transitioning the vast majority of them. Revinate marketing and some of the other Revinate products. So thats a huge project, and something were very excited about doing with you all. And that was a big kind of exploratory process in 2024, and towards the end of the year, we made the final decision and now were in full implementation mode. So, so very excited about the opportunities that that opens up to us. And beyond that, this is a year of we had a lot of disruption to what we do in marketing last year, the decision to move to Revinate being one of those things. And so this is a year were really focused on stabilization, really focused on developing our team, and connecting the dots between all of our properties. We have roughly 60 plus independent hotels and resorts, and were really focused on connecting the dots between our team and each individual hotel and then across the collection, making sure were leveraging best practices across them. So really excited about what 2025 is going to bring. Karen Stephens 00:03:06: Yeah, thats fantastic. And thank you for your business. Were obviously very excited at Revinate as well. This is a huge venture for us as well, and were really excited. Im really excited as we start to implement your hotels and get everybody standardized with the communications. You and I have talked about this before, but its always an interesting setup when you have a management company. Youve got a collection of independents, as you mentioned. So 60 different, 60 ish, 60 odd hotels. I know theres a lot thats coming in down the pipeline. But how do you think about sharing best practices across? Because they all have their own brand identity. They all have their own look and feel. How do you make sure that theres a through line through all of them? Evan Crawford 00:03:41: Thats a great question because they are all so unique. But I think there are standard things that you can do. I think its more the execution of those strategies where it really starts to differ. I think best practices for the most part are best practices, right? Making sure that we have a relatively frictionless booking experience, making sure weve got a good pre-arrival cadence, and upsell strategies, and making sure that our digital strategies are touching the right audiences and the right message at the right time. So I think all of those things are true no matter what your property is or what the features are or amenities are. And then its about refining the message based on each individual product to make sure it resonates with the audience. Karen Stephens 00:04:24: Yeah, I think that thats bang on. And I think, and I hope I dont want to lead the witness here, but I think part of what was exciting about Revinate for your company is that you can have hotels that are independently doing their campaigns and all of their messaging. And then you can easily share best practices because you can get in and see whats successful and whats not. So its not that youre copycatting, but you can easily see what tactics and strategies are working at one property, and share that out with others. In a pretty consistent way. Evan Crawford 00:04:53: Absolutely. And also creating a little bit of a competitive environment too, right? Taking a look at what properties are really executing at a high level. What properties maybe have some opportunity for improvement. And kind of putting, especially GMs. GMs love competing with one another. So, they never like seeing a spreadsheet come out where theyre towards the back of the pack. So, giving them some motivation to up their game and compete. Karen Stephens 00:05:14: I love it. Lets do leaderboards, right? Everybody loves a leaderboard, and nobody wants to be on the bottom of it. Oh, thats great. So something weve been talking a lot about here at Revinate recently is that hospitality is starting to warm up to AI. I mean, obviously, AI has been around for a long time. Weve seen it in a lot of different industries. But now in hospitality, we always lag a little bit behind in terms of adoption. We dont want to get spooked, but we also know that AI means nothing without the data. So how are you starting to think about it at Pyramid? How are you viewing AI and especially its role in hotel technology? Evan Crawford 00:05:49: I really see it as a way to kind of augment or make our processes are more efficient. What I dont want to see is us start to use AI as a replacement for human to human interactions. That scares me a little bit. Hospitality is hospitality and when someone travels to a hotel, I dont know that they want to be communicating with the machine. I think that personal touch is something that makes traveling special, interacting with new people, new cultures, new experiences, different places. So where I do see AI coming into play is, can AI be used from a predictive standpoint to say, Hey, were going to go ahead and build you a segment based on what we know about your data. So now youre not kind of either trying to make assumptions or guess about what audience to send a message to. This AI is telling you this audience is primed to book, or this audience is, has engaged with your spa previously, so they might be open to receiving that messaging. Theres tons of different opportunities there about how AI can use to help us do our job more efficiently, and get the right message to the right audience at the right time. Karen Stephens 00:07:05: Yeah, I think thats absolutely bang on, and that sounds like you. Had a peek at a road map there. So thats something we definitely want to get moving because I think obviously now the problem isnt, where do I find the data? Now youve got all of this data, right? And its coming in at real time, and its being updated constantly from a lot of different sources. So I think you hit it on the head, right? You want humans for the interaction, for the ability to really have that sensibility about whats going to resonate in terms of messaging, how to interact with a guest on property. But expecting humans to go through and understand the absolute best segment at the right time, even the send time of day, all of those things. Should be able to be automated and I believe can be automated. So I think you hit that right on the head. Evan Crawford 00:07:48: And you can really quickly get into analysis paralysis. Theres so much data coming at you, and then its like, Okay, now what do I do? And thats something that scares us a little bit. We were actually just having a discussion with a potential vendor yesterday with our marketing team. And its like, Okay, this is awesome. Then when we get our hands on this data, Okay, now how do we make it actionable? And I think thats true from our marketing processes all the way down to the property level, like if youre having to manually dig through guest profiles, and dig through the guest history to understand what an individual may like or what may be appealing to them. But if AI can say, Okay, heres your arrivals. This guest loves cabs, and you know, or this specific line or this guest really love some sort of product that they purchased multiple times from your spa. How do we create surprise and delight experiences based on how the data can inform us? Karen Stephens 00:08:44: Yes, 100%. Thats a really interesting point because the way that if youre going to scale something, you need to be able to have the automation. I think the other thing, while you were talking about talking to different vendors and what can be scary, its like the worst thing that can happen for a hotel or one of the worst things. Is buying a software [00:09:00] solution and then it goes in the closet, the proverbial closet, because nobody really knows how to action the item. So its like, wow, this is really robust and nobodys using it. Evan Crawford 00:09:09: And its very common in our space. Like we buy all these different. Technologies and then its like, well, and then we cancel them because theyre not working. But is it really that its not working or is it that were just not leveraging it to its fullest potential? And I think and probably the latter is more common. Karen Stephens- 00:09:24: Yeah, I think that that is true. 100%. So, Evan, going back to the topic of AI, you mentioned that we never really want to lose the human touch in a lot of different ways. So obviously. When you interact with somebody on property, we want that to be human to human. But can you think of other examples of where we want to make sure that we dont lose the humanity, where its obvious that AI is involved, that we really dont want that to be the case? Evan Crawford 00:09:48: Yeah. Authenticity to me is incredibly important. And as AI copy and other generative AI becomes more prevalent, it seems to me that the consumer is going to start to become kind of more in tune to the, Hey, what is written by AI and what is truly authentic? I think thats even the case in our own work email inboxes. I can tell almost immediately when someone has sent me an email thats been written by AI either because I know that individual personally, or you can just start to kind of pick up on little things about the email. Thats like, thats not quite how an average person would write an email. And its not necessarily that I read that, and I get mad or anything about it, but it just doesnt feel real because its not. Its just not authentic, and so I think that extends to, lets say, our communications with our salespeople, with the clients, or even ad copy or social media captions. All of those things. I think having a more authentic voice and just being real, I think, you know, in many cases, we can be a little more casual. I think the consumer is okay with that because in most cases, theyre coming to us for a relaxed experience of some sort, so they dont need to read five paragraphs of AI-generated copy to you know, decide to make a reservation with us. Right? Karen Stephens 00:11:12: Yeah, I think that thats right. I think that it is about the human connection and I agree with you. Ive got the same. I think we all have the same issue. Weve got emails in our inbox that are generated that way. We actually put up a post just as an experiment for this podcast. We used AI bots, and did a whole conversation on the voice channel with two bots. And honestly, at first youre like, Oh, thats interesting, and then youre like, Eh, Im not connecting to this. And Im telling you, people can feel the difference. Weve also had, you know, in terms of industry publications, and we always write all of our own content, we dont use chatbots because of what youre talking about, but weve had publications reach out and say, Hey, Just as a general message, dont use chatbots because were not digging it basically. Evan Crawford 00:11:55: So yeah, well see where things go, but especially when it comes to ad copy or blog content, TBD on the direction of this, but especially for these open source AI platforms, you may be getting into copyright issues at some point because you dont necessarily know where that content or that inspiration for the content is coming from. So you could be infringing on, uh, content thats protected. And one of the things I do think its useful for is going back to my prior comment on kind of using technology to augment processes or create efficiencies if it can be used as a thought starter, theres a very real thing in marketing where you just have writers block and or youve been looking at the same type of promotion for six different properties, and it all starts to sound the same. So how can you use generative AI to just give you a starting point or give you some ideas that then you can build upon I think thats really, really useful. Karen Stephens 00:12:48: Right. Collate all of the data, get all the talking points and data in one place, and go from there. But I think its safe to say that marketers, your jobs are safe. And since were both marketers, I think were happy about that. Evan Crawford 00:13:00: Yeah, maybe thats why Im so focused on the human-to-human interaction. Karen Stephens 00:13:04: I think so. I think this is a compelling conversation, not a chatbot. Yeah, no, I think its true. Its got to be a good balance between the two. And I think if hoteliers start to think of it that way, what can we automate in terms of large data sets, things that it would take a human forever to think about? And then what do we want to keep, as you said, authentic, and that is only a human can do that, so far anyway. Okay, so youve worked with a variety of hotel brands. I mentioned, you know, this is year one of Pyramid having its independent, this collection, but how do you think about hoteliers positioning themselves for the next wave of travel? So especially with younger generations looking for more authentic and personalized experiences. Evan Crawford 00:13:48: The experience has to be at the forefront. And thats one of the things I love about independent hotels is theres a lot of flexibility. One of the things that were really focused on both at the collection level and down to the properties is how do we establish relevant partnerships with whether its national companies or down at the local level, you know, different experience providers or restaurants or museums. And to elevate the experience through things we can activate either at the property or getting the guests out into the community or the local environment to experience the destination. We really aim to be experience-first across our collection. The quality of a property from a heads and beds perspective in the four walls, it can vary property to property, and not everyone is looking for that Forbes five-star luxury experience, but everyone is looking for that cool spot to go grab a drink or your travel into the northeast and the best spot to get oysters or fresh lobster, and not necessarily that touristy spot that everyone goes to, but the place that only the locals know. So how can we either through partnerships or having guest service agents who just are really engaged with the local community, and theyre willing to say, You have to go to the concierge, but a check in there ,or just telling you, Hey, if you dont know already, you should really go check out X, Y, or Z during your stay. So I dont know that it necessarily has to be this transformative thing and how we deliver experiences at the hotel. But again, going back to those human-to-human interactions, its how do we elevate those to make sure that were giving the customer an extraordinary experience. Karen Stephens 00:15:35: Yeah, thats bang on. And I think for Gen Z, as generations grow up, so I wont say younger and younger, Ill just say the next generation is coming into the buying cycle, I think that experiences are even more important, as you mentioned. Its not just about the hotel, its about the surrounding area, what am I doing there? And thats regardless of age, really, but thats very exciting. So, Evan, as we wrap up, what is one bold goal for Pyramids Benchmark Hotel Independent Collection for 2025? Whats at the top, top, top of your list besides a successful revenue implementation? Evan Crawford 00:16:05: Yeah, this doesnt necessarily, this seems like something that should be, standard, but across many, many independent hotels using different systems and agencies, et cetera, is something that were really focused on for 2025 is just bringing all of the data together in one spot. So Revinate is certainly a huge piece of that to connect those dots, but just being able to see our marketing performance and a cohesive dashboard, and just connecting all the dots between all of our properties. So we can be more actionable with our data. And not just have to go search for it in so many different places. I say thats a bold goal just because there are so many systems that you have to connect in order to achieve that. But thats something that were really focused on, and its going to be kind of a bear to take on, but were eager to make it happen. Karen Stephens 00:16:55: Oh, thats great. Well, I look forward to the updates. Im sure Ill see you in Austin at our conference this year, and checking in throughout the year. Evan Crawford 00:17:03: So, yeah, youre coming to my backyard. Karen Stephens 00:17:04: I know its exciting. You just walk over there. Well, you got to drive. Its a little ways out. Evan Crawford 00:17:09: Im very excited for it. Karen Stephens 00:17:11: Awesome. Great to see you, Evan. Thanks a lot. And good luck in 2025. Evan Crawford- 00:17:15: Likewise. Thank you. Outro 00:17:20: Thank you for joining us on this episode of Hotel Moment by Revinate. Our community of hoteliers is growing every week, and each guest we speak to is tackling industry challenges with the innovation and flexibility that our industry demands. If you enjoyed todays episode, dont forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review.And if youre listening on YouTube, please like the video and subscribe for more content. For more information, head to Revinate.com forward slash hotel moment podcast. Until next time, keep innovating. Italy Takes Aim at Fraudulent Online Reviews with New Legislation Italy's government is launching a crackdown on fake and paid-for online reviews. The move is aimed at protecting consumers and businesses from deceptive practices. Italy is taking a significant step in the fight against fraudulent online reviews. The government is set to introduce new legislation aimed at clamping down on this deceptive practice, according to a report by The Guardian. This initiative comes as part of a broader effort to ensure transparency and fairness in digital commerce. The proposed law will make it illegal for companies to write or commission fake reviews, often used to manipulate consumer perception and boost sales. It will also target those who offer payment or other incentives in exchange for positive reviews. Violators could face hefty fines, with penalties increasing for repeat offenders. The move reflects growing concern about the impact of misleading online reviews on consumers and businesses. Research has shown that many shoppers rely heavily on these assessments when making purchasing decisions. However, the proliferation of fake or paid-for reviews can distort this process, leading consumers astray and harming businesses that play by the rules. Italian officials have expressed hope that their initiative will inspire similar action elsewhere. As noted by one government spokesperson, "This is not just an Italian problem; it's a global issue that requires coordinated action." They added that they are open to collaborating with other countries. However, some critics have raised concerns about the feasibility of enforcing such legislation. Tracking down those who produce or solicit false reviews can be challenging due to the internet's anonymous nature. Moreover, differentiating between genuine customer feedback and manipulated content may require sophisticated technology and significant resources. Despite these challenges, Italy's move represents a pioneering effort in addressing fraudulent online reviews at a legislative level. By taking decisive action against these deceptive practices, Italy aims not only to protect its consumers and businesses but also to pave the way for broader international cooperation on this issue. HOTREC Study Reveals Need for Digital Reform in Euro Hotel Sector - Image Credit Unsplash+ A recent study by HOTREC indicates a pressing need to implement the Digital Markets Act (DMA) to ensure fairer practices in Europe's hotel industry. The 2024 Hotel Distribution Study focuses on developments in the European accommodation sector, shedding light on how consumers book hotel rooms and the rising dominance of Online Travel Agencies (OTAs). The study reveals that key players in the hotel industry have expressed concerns over unfair business practices by OTAs, particularly Booking.com, which holds a significant market share. These practices have reportedly created issues that affect prices, operations, and guest experiences. The DMA, which has designated Booking.com as a gatekeeper platform, imposes new digital rules that the OTA must adhere to. These rules are expected to allow hotels to offer better prices on their own distribution channels, thereby creating a level playing field for competition. The study emphasizes the growing influence of OTAs like Booking.com, which has seen a 10% increase in market share in the European hotel sector over the past decade. Simultaneously, direct bookings continue to decrease. The reliance on OTAs has become especially prominent for smaller hotels with fewer rooms. Booking.com and Expedia Group have emerged as dominant players in the hotel accommodation market, with Booking.com holding a 71% share in the OTA market. The study also reveals that OTAs undercut prices set by hotels in 40% of cases, creating operational challenges for hoteliers. Digitalization in the European hotel industry is also on the rise, as reflected by the steady shift to direct online bookings. Electronic distribution, which includes OTAs, social media, and internet booking engines on hotel websites, now represents 45% of overnight stays booked via online channels. In response to the study's findings, HOTREC Director General Marie Audren expressed that the DMA and fair digital rules are crucial first steps in addressing the unfair business practices faced by hotels. The DMA is expected to help resolve issues such as withholding guest data and preventing hotels from offering better prices on their own websites. HOTREC conducted the study in collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences of Western Switzerland Valais at the start of 2024, monitoring the evolution of distribution channels of European hotels with a specific focus on OTAs. The study, based on observations of over 3000 hotels across Europe, shows a high dependency of hotels on OTAs and is available at HOTREC. Adams 2025 Annual Town Census Mailed ADAMS, Mass. The 2025 annual town census is underway in Adams. Census forms have been mailed to all residents. Residents are asked to review the form, make any necessary changes, sign and return it to the Town Clerk's Office in the envelope provided, even if there are no changes. There is a drop box in front of Town Hall for your convenience. Households with dependent children who are not listed on the census form should add their children and complete the information that pertains to each child. Information regarding the children is not public record and is used only by the schools for enrollment purposes. The census is mandated by the Massachusetts General Law, and it is important to have the correct residential count to apply for state aid, as well as grants. Residents cannot register to vote or change party enrollment on the annual town census. Any resident who is not registered to vote may register by mailing a voter registration form or visiting the Secretary of the Commonwealth's website. Failure to respond may result in removal from the active voters list. Anyone who does not receive their census form or wishes to provide the information on the phone should call the Town Clerk's Office at (413) 743-8300, Ext. 176, Monday, Tuesday & Thursday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM to noon. PCTV Welcomes New Digital Navigator To Empower Community PITTSFIELD, Mass. Pittsfield Community Television (PCTV) announced the hiring of Samuel Pascual, who will serve as the organization's new Digital Navigator. His role is a one-year, grant-funded position designed to promote digital equity through community media centers. In this role, Pascual will help bridge the digital divide in the Pittsfield area by providing hands-on assistance and education to community members seeking to enhance their digital literacy and access vital online resources. Funding to hire the Digital Navigator position at PCTV was provided by the Alliance for Digital Equity, which serves four western Massachusetts counties, facilitating solutions to ensure everyone has equal access to digital equity. Having digital equity means that all people have access to the skills, computer equipment, and reliable high-speed internet needed to operate in the digital world. As the Digital Navigator, Pascual will work closely with individuals and organizations throughout Pittsfield and Berkshire County to address digital inequities in these areas. Through workshops, one-on-one consultations, and community outreach, PCTV plans to empower residents to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape confidently and effectively. Pascual will also broaden the reach of digital equity by hosting 'train the trainer' programs and workshops, whereby staff in key non-profit organizations throughout the Berkshires are provided resources and skills to reach their affected communities. "We are excited to welcome Samuel to the PCTV team," said Shawn Serre, Executive Director of Pittsfield Community Television. "Digital literacy is more important than ever, and having a dedicated Digital Navigator ensures we can support our community in accessing the tools and knowledge they need to thrive in today's digital world." Serre added that the new Digital Navigator position aligns well with the nonprofit's mission of empowering residents through technology. "We are grateful to the Alliance for Digital Equity for this funding and for partnering with PCTV to reach even more people in our community with these services," he said. Pittsfield Community Television has long provided a platform for local voices and stories to be shared. The addition of the Digital Navigator role underscores PCTV's commitment to evolving with the needs of its audience and ensuring that no one is left behind in the digital age, noted a press release. Pascual brings a background in cyber-security and cyber-hygiene training and town planning with contractors for Spectrum and Cox Internet throughout the New England area. Their passion for community engagement and technology makes them an ideal fit for this role. "I'm excited to join PCTV as the new Digital Navigator," said Pascual. "I look forward to working with the Pittsfield and greater Berkshire community to ensure everyone has the tools and confidence to access opportunities and resources online." An hour-long interview with Samuel Pascual hosted by Shawn Serre on WTBR's 'Morning Drive' radio show can be watched on PCTV Select and at https://pittsfieldtv.org/ program/?id=51943 Community members interested in learning more about digital literacy resources or scheduling a consultation with the Digital Navigator can contact PCTV at navigator@pittsfieldtv.org or 413-445-4234 ext.0121 for those uncomfortable with email. Further information on Digital Navigation services provided by PCTV, as well as other organizations, can be found at: https://www.413cares.org/ digital-equity. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Its easy to get caught up in awards season excitement as the Oscars approach the glitz and glamour of the red carpet generating global talking points, memes and pub chatter for weeks on end. But when its really broken down, the Oscars are essentially just a microcosm of Hollywood. Its a depressing fact that films directed by previous winners appear to have more chances of being nominated than those directed by newcomers. Because of this, the best film in any given year almost never wins the evenings most coveted prize in fact, its sometimes not even nominated in the first place. Parasites victory in 2022 was a recent rare exception. Over the decades, there have been countless glaring omissions films that were nominated but were beaten by far inferior films and classic films that failed to secure a single nomination. As the 2024 Oscars approach, weve run through 21 brilliant films that you would have expected to have won Best Picture winner but didnt. Citizen Kane (1941) Long revered as one of the greatest films ever made, Orson Welles debut a film following newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane was just another nominee back in the day, losing out to the admittedly brilliant How Green Was My Valley. The Searchers (1956) The Searchers may be considered John Fords greatest film, but it was not treated as such back in the 1950s. In fact, the western starring John Wayne failed to earn a single nomination. Around the World in 80 Days turned out to be more the Academys cup of tea. Vertigo (1958) Not only did Alfred Hitchcock never win an Oscar (save for his memorial award in 1968), but neither did any of his films one of which is Vertigo, a classic that won Sight & Sounds once-a-decade greatest films of all time poll in 2012. If it had been nominated, it would have faced stiff competition in the form of eventual winner All About Eve. open image in gallery James stewart and Kim Novak in Vertigo ( BFI ) The Graduate (1967) One of the films that kickstarted the New Hollywood Cinema era, The Graduate may have won director Mike Nichols an Oscar, but it ultimately lost out to Norman Jewisons In the Heat of the Night. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Stanley Kubricks sci-fi classic remains one of the most influential pieces of cinema there is. The Academy didnt agree. The Academy nominated Kubrick for Best Director and awarded the visual effects in favour of considering 2001 for Best Picture (it didnt even get nominated). That years winner was Oliver!, the musical by Carol Reed. Taxi Driver (1976) Despite Taxi Drivers failure to win the main award, its nomination in four categories showed the Academy had good intentions. That All the Presidents Men and Network also lost out to eventual winner Rocky shows that, ultimately, it never really stood a chance. open image in gallery Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver ( Columbia Pictures ) Apocalypse Now (1979) Francis Ford Coppolas ambitious Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now received a grand total of eight nominations, but only went home with two prizes (for cinematography and sound) losing out to drama Kramer vs Kramer. Raging Bull (1980) Of all the Oscar blows dealt to Martin Scorsese over the decades, none landed harder than Raging Bull losing out to Robert Redfords weepie Ordinary People, an oversight many consider one of the Academys most egregious. Do the Right Thing (1989) Spike Lees Do the Right Thing failing to win Best Picture at the 1990 Oscars is one thing losing out to Driving Miss Daisy is another thing altogether. open image in gallery Spike Lees Do the Right Thing ( Universal Pictures ) Goodfellas (1990) Having awarded both The Godfather and The Godfather Part II Best Picture in 1972 and 1974 respectively, the Academy seemed destined to appreciate Martin Scorseses Goodfellas. But no Kevin Costners directorial debut Dances with Wolves was the most appealing choice for voters. Pulp Fiction (1994) New talent on the block Quentin Tarantinos second feature Pulp Fiction won him the coveted Palme dOr at Cannes in 1994 a success he failed to match back on home turf. While he won an Original Screenplay Oscar, his film was beaten by Forrest Gump... The Shawshank Redemption (1994) ...and it wasnt the only one. Frank Darabonts adaptation of Stephen Kings prison-set novella The Shawshank Redemption also fell victim to Robert Zemeckis Oscar-friendly Forrest Gump. We dont see that film sitting atop the IMDb top 250 though, do we? open image in gallery Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption ( Warner Bros ) Heat (1995) If Heat was released today, theres no way it wouldnt be a Best Picture frontrunner. That it was completely ignored in favour of Braveheart is a huge travesty. Fargo (1996) You may think it was remiss of the Academy to shun Fargo, but it did come pretty close to winning, its chances bolstered somewhat by seven nominations and two wins (Actress for Frances McDormand and Original Screenplay for the Coen Brothers). It lost out to The English Patient. Saving Private Ryan (1998) Having won Best Director five years previous for Schindlers List, Steven Spielberg was strongly expected to take home the top prizes for his Second World War epic. Cue Shakespeare In Love upsetting everybody. open image in gallery Steven Spielbergs Saving Private Ryan ( Paramount ) We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011) Lynne Ramsay has directed two films that would have been deserving of Best Picture: You Were Never Really Here and this, We Need to Talk About Kevin. Its easy to see why Hollywood was temporarily more charmed by The Artist, but its clear which film will stand the test of time. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) Its almost unthinkable to recall that the Coen brothers Inside Llewyn Davis only scored two Oscar nominations in the cinematography and sound mixing categories, respectively. In the ensuing years, the film has been hailed as one of the greatest of the 2010s, meaning that its no-show at the Oscars will go down as one of the Academys biggest omissions. Still, it would have had a hard time winning over 12 Years a Slave. Boyhood (2014) For the 2015 Oscars race, you were either team Birdman or team Boyhood. Richard Linklaters labour of love, shot intermittently over 12 years, ultimately failed to win. open image in gallery Richard Linklaters Boyhood American Honey (2016) If theres any justice, Andrea Arnold will one day become an Oscar winner, but in a perfect world, she would have already won for American Honey, a drama deserving of Best Picture if there ever was one. Get Out (2017) Horror rarely gets recognised at the Oscars, but Get Out is the closest the genre had come in years. Jordan Peele may have taken home the Best Original Screenplay award, but the stars aligned for Guillermo del Toros fantasy The Shape of Water instead. Roma (2018) Roma was strongly expected to become the first ever foreign language film to win Best Picture. It had everything going for it, including a standout festival run and universal acclaim. But then Green Book snatched its trophy away in a late stage awards season twist that still seems too ridiculous to be true. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Cameron Diaz left her co-star Jamie Foxx open-mouthed after trolling Donald Trump with a joke about Elon Musk. The Charlies Angels and Theres Something About Mary star has come out of acting retirement after eight years to star in a new comedy alongside Foxx in Netflix comedy Back in Action. During the promotional trail for the film, Diaz, 52, poked fun at Musks position within Trumps administration. Trump and Musk have become close in recent months, with the tech billionaire hired by the president-elect to co-head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. Office space has been reserved for Musk in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is located right next to the White House, which means that Musk is likely to continue to have prominent access to Trump after hes inaugurated on Monday (20 January). This has led many to question Musks heightened role within the Trump administration, with many, taunting Trump over who will really be running the show. In a video released by Complex, Foxx asked Diaz to share her favourite conspiracy theory, during which she gave her views on aliens and how one day she thinks well be living on Mars. She then used this opportunity to mock Trump over Musks new job. If you think about where were at currently in technology, we sit in front of a screen we dont speak to each other, we dont have to talk, she said, before adding: And we all know that were moving off the planet because now Elon Musk is our president. Foxx appeared shocked by the comment. open image in gallery Cameron Diaz mocked Trump over Elon Musk and surprised Jamie Foxx in the process ( Complex ) Musk donated hundreds of millions to aid Trump during the election campaign, and has often been seen with the president-elect since his victory. He has been part of transition meetings and taken part in at least one foreign call. He has also shared his thoughts on staff and cabinet nominees. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free However, its been claimed that Trump has been complaining about his Musk behind closed doors, New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman said on a new podcast: Musk has been a major donor to Trump this campaign cycle and hes sort of tied into various areas around Trump which makes things more complicated. open image in gallery Elon Musk has a position in Trumps administration ( Getty Images ) Back in Action is Diazs first film since the 2014 remake of musical Annie , which she also starred in alongside Foxx. They previously acted together in the 1999 film Any Given Sunday. In 2023, Diaz jumped to the defence of her co-star following claims he was difficult to work with. I really hate all of the things that were being said about our set at the time, Diaz told Lipstick on the Rim, adding: You just want to scream at the top of your lungs, like, What are you talking about? Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Justin Baldoni is suing his It Ends With Us co-star Blake Lively and her husband Ryan Reynolds for allegedly attempting to destroy his reputation and career. The $400 million lawsuit, which has been seen by The Independent, was filed in the Southern District of New York on Thursday (January 16) on behalf of Baldoni, producer Jamey Heath, publicist Jennifer Abel and crisis publicist Melissa Nathan. The suit accuses Lively and Reynolds of civil extortion, defamation, false light invasion of privacy, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, intentional interference with contractual relations, intentional interference with prospective economic advantage, and negligent interference with prospective economic advantage. In a statement to The Independent, Baldonis lawyer Bryan Freedman said: This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her teams duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media. It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret. Blake Lively was either severely misled by her team or intentionally and knowingly misrepresented the truth. Ms Lively will never again be allowed to continue to exploit actual victims of real harassment solely for her personal reputation gain at the expense of those without power. Lets not forget, Ms Lively and her team attempted to bulldoze reputations and livelihoods for heinously selfish reasons through their own dangerous manipulation of the media before even taking any actual legal action. We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie. Justin Baldoni, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds ( Getty ) Reached for comment by The Independent, Livelys legal team responded: This latest lawsuit from Justin Baldoni, Wayfarer Studios, and its associates is another chapter in the abuser playbook. This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim. This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender. The lawsuit is just the latest development in legal proceedings between the two parties. Last month, Lively brought a lawsuit against Baldoni accussing her It Ends with Us co-star and director of sexual harassment during filming as well as organizing a smear campaign against her in the months that followed. That suit stated that there was a meeting attended by individuals, including Lively, Reynolds, Baldoni and their lawyers, to address her claims. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Lively had a number of requirements in order for her to work on the film that included no more inquiries about Blakes weight, as well as 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. Baldoni sued The New York Times for libel over their reporting of Livelys claims, and his lawyers have also accused Reynolds of mocking Baldoni through the Nicepool character in his recent movie, Deadpool & Wolverine. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Leonardo DiCaprio has announced that he is donating $1m to the Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. Hundreds of families have been displaced by the fires that claimed 25 lives since breaking out in the Altadena and Pasadena areas. The Oscar winner confirmed on his social media that he was donating $1m in partnership with his organisation Re:wild, with funds going to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts. open image in gallery Leonardo DiCaprio announces $1 m pledge towards Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts ( Instagram/Leonardo DiCaprio ) The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city, the Killers of the Flower Moon star wrote in his Instagram stories on Wednesday. I am committing $1m in partnership with @rewilds Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts. Initial aid will immediately benefit the LA Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society and SoCal Fire Fund organizations providing much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most. Find all live updates on the California fires here The actor, who grew up in Los Angeles, joins a number of celebrities and companies that have donated to relief efforts. Beyonce pledged to donate $2.5m (2m) through her non-profit organisation BeyGOOD, to help those who lost their homes and possessions. Eva Longoria, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Christopher Guest, have all pledged $1m each. The Walt Disney Company and Warner Bros Discovery pledged $15m each towards relief and rebuilding efforts, while studios Paramount and Fox Corp donated $1m apiece. Amazon, Comcast, and Netflix too have committed $10m apiece, while YouTube and Google also announced $15m in aid. Promoter Live Nation is planning a benefit concert in Inglewood, CA. Dubbed FireAid, it is set to take place at the Intuit Dome on 30 January. Meanwhile the Grammy Awards, which will be held in Los Angeles on 2 February, will likely include a number of tributes and fundraising efforts for the city and its music community. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free open image in gallery An aerial view of hillside homes which burned in the Palisades Fire ( Getty Images ) Stoked by strong Santa Ana winds, the fires have destroyed thousands of structures including homes, businesses and vehicles. At least 25 people have died, including former child star Rory Sykes; the death toll is expected to rise as search efforts continue. The Palisades Fire has torn across nearly 24,000 acres and is 19 per cent contained. The Eaton Fire is 45 per cent contained after burning more than 14,000 acres. Pop stars and Hollywood actors are among the many people whose homes have been lost in what California governor Gavin Newsom described as the worst natural disaster in US history. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The daughter of a French actor who provided the voice for Sylvester Stallone in French dubbed movies has criticised a tech company for cloning her fathers voice using AI. Alain Dorval, who died in February 2024, had lent his voice to the French language versions of numerous Stallone movies, including some of his most famous characters like Rocky Balboa and John Rambo. On 10 January, the UK-based AI startup ElevenLabs announced in a since-deleted post that they had recreated Dorvals voice and that it would be used in the action movie Armor. The announcement has drawn strong criticism from Dorvals daughter, Aurore Berge, who is Frances minister for sexual equality. In response to the deleted post, Berge wrote on 10 January: I agreed to a trial. Just a trial. An agreement strictly guaranteeing that my mother and I would be in final validation before any use/publication. And that nothing could be done without our agreement. I discover... on X that this commitment is not respected. I never approved such a broadcast. And my father would never have approved it as it was. In a statement released by ElevenLabs on Monday (13 January), the company wrote: Following his passing in February, plans are underway to recreate Dorvals voice using our AI technology for Stallones highly anticipated action thriller, Armored, set to premiere on Amazon France in March 2025. The company added: The project is still underway, with edits continuing ahead of the films March 2025 release. A French dub already exists with a different actor, but recreating Alain Dorvals voice is a tribute to his decades-long role as Stallones voice. Supporting this mission, Dorvals family has partnered with the filmmakers at no cost to help preserve his impact on French cinema. Together with Lumiere and Dorvals estate, weve agreed that if the quality bar isnt met, the film will be released with traditional dubbing - the family retains full control and will decide if and how this AI dub is used. Armor, which sees Stallone play an armoured truck driver dealing with a suspicious package, was released in the United States in November. Its set to be released in France via Amazon in March. Sylvester Stallone at the America First Policy Institute Gala ( Getty ) Over the past decade, AI has found several uses in the movie and television industry, from de-aging actors to analysing patterns and behaviours of viewers on streaming platforms, to bringing back the voices of late actors and even helping stitch together entire movie trailers. Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Tributes have poured in for the Hollyoaks actor and Love Island star Paul Danan, who has died aged 46. The actor, who has been described as a beacon of light, played bad boy Sol Patrick from 1997 to 2001 on the Channel 4 soap and was later known for his reality TV appearances, including on Celebrity Big Brother and Celebrity Love Island. A statement from his agency, Independent Creative Management, said: It is with heavy hearts that we share the tragic news of the passing of Paul Danan at just 46 years old. Known for his television presence, exceptional talent, and unwavering kindness, Paul was a beacon of light to so many. His untimely departure will leave irreplaceable voids in the lives of all who knew him. During this difficult time, we kindly request respect and privacy for Pauls family, friends, and colleagues. A spokeswoman for Avon and Somerset Police said officers were called to an address in Brislington, Bristol, at around 5.20pm, on Wednesday, where sadly a man in his 40s was declared deceased by paramedics. His family have been notified and our thoughts are with them, the spokeswoman added. They have asked for people to respect their privacy during this incredibly difficult time. His death is not being treated as suspicious and officers are preparing a file for the coroner. open image in gallery Paul Danan has died (Ian West/PA) ( PA Archive ) Numerous celebrities who both knew and have worked with Danan have shared heartfelt tributes to the star and their experiences with him. Kidulthood actor Adam Deacon wrote on X/Twitter: I just heard the devastating news about Paul Danan tragically passing away. I had the pleasure of working with him, and he was a genuinely kind and compassionate person. My thoughts are with his friends, family, and anyone else who is currently grappling with their own personal mental health challenges. You never know what someone is going through, so lets always be kind and compassionate to one another. RIP Paul Danan. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Former EastEnders star Dean Gaffney wrote in an Instagram story: You had your demons but my god you had a heart of gold... RIP Paul Danan. Michael Greco, who played Beppe di Marco in EastEnders, said: So, so sad to read about the passing of Paul Danan. In this day and age of falsities and fake people, he was a genuine and caring man who just wanted to please everyone. A lovely warm man that will be missed by many. R.I.P. Buddy. Sky presenter Hayley Palmer hailed Danan, who she hosted a radio show with on Love Sport Radio, as a one-off character who was so funny on Instagram. She added: We were great friends and did a Radio Show on Love Sport Radio together and I would fall off my chair with laughter! And he was one of the first to reach out to me when I wasnt in a good place last year. DJ Fat Tony, real name Anthony Marnoch, wrote on Instagram that Danan was one of the sweetest men, and said it hurts so bad. open image in gallery Paul Danan in Hollyoaks ( Channel 4 ) Big Brother star Aisleyen Horgan-Wallace wrote: Paul Danan... a friend of mine... Im so shocked and heartbroken.... my darling man... I will cherish all our happy memories RIP u beautiful amazing talented human. Boxer Adam Brooks remembered Danan as a lovely soul. Darts legend Bobby George said he was sad to hear of the passing of Paul Danan. We worked together on the film One Man and His Dog a few years ago. He was a very bubbly young man. Condolences go out to his family and friends at this very sad time. Socialite Lady Colin Campbell, who knew Danan through Big Brother, has paid tribute to the actor on X/Twitter. She wrote: So sorry to see that @pauldanan has died. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues. He was a capital guy. We first met doing a Big Brother show together, with @KatiePrice on an evening that became memorable for several reasons, from my point of view the chief one being that he introduced me to his agent, David Samuel of @AsmTalent, who became my agent. In my experience, Paul was a kind, considerate, talented young man, and will be missed by many. Godspeed Paul. Broadcaster Iain Lee wrote on X/Twitter: I knew Paul a little bit although we hadnt spoken in a while. He was incredibly helpful to me when I relapsed. F**king hell. What a s** week. Fellow actor Ricky Norwood, who worked with Danan, shared a picture on Instagram adding: I only got to work with Paul once..He was a bundle of good energy. This pic is taken from a pilot we shot. The character he was playing was a bit off the wall. But Paul played it in a way that only he can. With charm, humility, energy and humour. It was a pleasure my friend. Last year, Danan revealed that he almost died after obsessive vape usage caused respiratory failure, forcing his family to bring him back to life by giving him CPR after he lost consciousness at home. He was rushed to hospital and stayed in ICU with pneumonia as family feared he would not make it through the night. I was dead its a miracle Im here, he told The Sun. Im upstairs puffing away on my vape then suddenly I lost my breath and collapsed. My family called for an ambulance and started giving me CPR, then police arrived and took over before paramedics took me to hospital. I was on a machine in ICU and ended up with pneumonia. My family were warned I might not make it through the night. Im so lucky. Additional reporting by Press Association Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Wendy Williams called into The Breakfast Club radio show on Thursday morning to speak out against her guardianship, saying I feel like Im in prison. The former daytime TV host, 60, has been under guardianship since 2022. Last year, her care team announced she had been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Do I seem that way, god damn it? she asked hosts DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God and Jess Hilarious on Thursday. I am not cognitively impaired, you know what Im saying? But I feel like Im in prison, she said of the care facility where she has been living. I am definitely isolated. To talk to these people who live here, that is not my cup of tea... Im in this place where the people are in their Nineties and their Eighties and their Seventies Theres something wrong with these people here on this floor. I keep the door closed, Williams added of her daily life at the facility. I watch TV. I listen to the radio. I watch the window. I sit here, and my life goes by. Williams was the subject of a Lifetime docuseries that aired last year, which featured numerous scenes of the ex-host unsteady, belligerent, confused, and also drunk. She was the one who wanted to do that, you understand what Im saying? Williams said of her guardian, Sabrina E. Morrissey, adding: What do I think about being abused? Look, this system is broken, this system that Im in. This system has falsified a lot. The Independent has contacted Morrisseys office for comment. Wendy Williams denied being cognitively impaired in a new interview ( Getty Images for New York Women ) Williams is best known for her eponymously titled chat show, The Wendy Williams Show, which she hosted from 2008 to 2021. She stepped away as host due to medical issues, with numerous guest hosts filling in. It was later cancelled in 2022. Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days New subscribers only. 8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled Try for free Williamss niece Alex also called into The Breakfast Club to support her aunt, encouraging fans to use the hashtag #FreeWendy and sign a Change.org petition. My aunt sounds great, Alex said. Ive seen her, in a very limited capacity, but Ive seen her and were talking to her. This does not match an incapacitated person. And thats why we say shes in a luxury prison, because she is being held and she is being punished for whatever reason that other people are coming up with as to why she has to be kept in this position. In a press release last year, Williamss care team wrote: Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendys ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendys condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions. The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances, the release added. Unfortunately, many individuals diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, particularly when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis. Williams made a rare public appearance to attend her son Kevin Hunter Jr.s graduation in Florida last month. The 24-year-old graduate subsequently wrote on Instagram that his mother is sober and wants to come home since isolation is killing her faster than anything else. BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will roll out more measures to expand opening-up and attract more foreign investment in 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Wednesday. Efforts will be made to further ease market access, MOC official Li Yongjie told a press conference. She said that after China placed zero restrictions on foreign investment in its manufacturing sector last year, it will advance the opening-up of its services sector this year -- particularly pilot programs in the telecommunication, medical care and education fields. On optimizing the country's business environment, Li pledged continuous efforts to promote the Invest in China campaign this year, and improve services for foreign-invested firms. Efforts will be made to resolve problems foreign-invested firms face in qualification licensing, standard setting and government procurement, according to Li. Efforts should also be made to build high-level opening-up platforms that align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, the official said, calling for continued work to improve the quality and efficiency of the country's pilot free trade zones. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kim Jong Un has been using the development of North Koreas nuclear weapons programme as his insurance policy to stay in power, Marco Rubio, Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of state, said. There was a serious need to lower the risk of an inadvertent war between North and South Korea since the breakdown of Pyongyangs talks with Washington, the Florida senator said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committees nomination hearing. Mr Rubio, 53, a foreign policy hawk and an outspoken critic of China, Iran, Venezuela and Cuba, is expected to comfortably win confirmation as the nations top diplomat as he enjoys bipartisan support. On Wednesday he addressed major international issues as he faced a a friendly hearing before a committee in which he has served for 14 years. "I think there has to be an appetite for a very serious look at broader North Korean policies," he said, adding that America has to prevent a crisis without encouraging other nation states to pursue their own nuclear weapons programme. Mr Rubio, who was once a rival to the president-elect for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, acknowledged he was initially skeptical about Mr Trumps engagement with Mr Kim which he said helped in calming the situation a bit. "Ill be frank. I was one of the people very skeptical about it, but (Trump) sort of reached out to Kim Jong Un, walked away from negotiations twice and ultimately did not reach something enduring. But heres what he was able to achieve in that engagement," he said. "He stopped testing the missiles. That didnt stop the development of the programme but at least calmed the situation quite a bit." He said Mr Trumps strategy did not have a lasting impact even though it led to three in-person meetings with Mr Kim, including the first-ever summit in Singapore in 2018. You have a 40-something-year-old dictator who has to figure out how to hold on to power for the rest of his life, Mr Rubio said. He views nuclear weapons as his insurance policy to stay in power. It means so much to him that no amount of sanctions has deterred him from developing that capability, he added. Tensions on the Korean Peninsula worsened since 2022 after experts said Mr Kim used Russias invasion of Ukraine as a distraction to accelerate the growth of his nuclear weapons and missile programme. Mr Kim has blamed South Korea for raising tensions with its military cooperation with the US, conducting military training and drills in the Korean waters. North Korea has also flaunted its military nuclear programme in recent months, testing various missile systems and disclosing a secretive facility for producing weapons-grade uranium last year in September. In his wide-ranging comments on North Korea, China, Russia and Iran, Mr Rubio mentioned security challenges from rogue states. In Moscow, in Tehran, in Pyongyang, dictators and rogue states now sow chaos and instability, and align with and they fund radical terror groups, and they hide behind their veto power at the UN Security Council or the threats of nuclear war, he said. He said China has repressed and lied and cheated and hacked and stolen their way to global superpower status at the expense of the US. He said he is planning to revisit some of the Biden administrations policies on these countries. On concerns of China invading the self-governing island, Taiwan, Mr Rubio said the US has to deal with this before the end of this decade. That is only if there are no dramatic changes, like an equilibrium, where they conclude that the costs of intervening in Taiwan are too high. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol sat silently through several hours of interrogation after his dramatic arrest on Wednesday. Mr Yoon, 64, the countrys first sitting president to be arrested, was detained to answer insurrection charges for briefly imposing martial law on 3 December. He, however, refused to cooperate with investigators and cited health reasons for not attending further questioning, local media reported on Thursday. Investigators from the Corruption Investigation Office were expected to resume his questioning at 2pm local time but Mr Yoons lawyer said he could not attend. President Yoon is not well and fully explained his position yesterday so there is nothing more to be interrogated about, Yoon Kab Keun told the state news agencyYonhap. A large force of police and investigators breached Mr Yoons heavily guarded compound on Wednesday, bypassing bus barricades, cutting through barbed wire and scaling ladders to gain entry and arrest him. A previous attempt to arrest him had been abandoned after police and investigators were prevented from entering the compound by the presidents security and supporters. As the Constitutional Court considers the impeached presidents removal from office, potentially prompting a fresh election, the country is deeply divided with Mr Yoons opponents rejoicing and his supporters staging fervent protests. open image in gallery A vehicle carrying impeached South Korea president Yoon Suk Yeol leaves the Corruption Investigation Office in Gwacheon on 15 January 2025 ( AFP via Getty ) According to The Chosun Daily, Mr Yoons interrogation centred on the circumstances of the martial law declaration, the drafting and announcement of a public address, and the deployment of military and police to the National Assembly and other locations in the country on 3 December. Mr Yoon stayed silent and declined to answer any question. The president did not invoke his right to remain silent, a CIO official was quoted as saying, he simply refused to speak. The CIO had prepared a 200-page questionnaire, the paper reported, but Mr Yoons refusal to speak cast doubts on whether the interrogators would get meaningful answers within the 48-hour detention period. open image in gallery Yoon Suk Yeol sits in a car as he heads to a detention centre on 15 January 2025 Mr Yoon also reportedly did not review or sign transcripts of the interrogation, and without his signature the records cannot be used in court. The Korea Times reported on Wednesday that Mr Yoon faced around 10 hours of questioning by multiple prosecutors from the CIO but he consistently refused to make any statement. The president is being held at the Seoul Detention Center in Gwacheon of Gyeonggi province. His cell has basic amenities like a bed, bedding, television, and underfloor electric heating. Mr Yoon said on Wednesday he cooperated with the investigators to prevent bloodshed, but he did not acknowledge the legality of the investigation. Meanwhile, it was reported that officials were working to obtain a new warrant to extend his detention beyond the initial 48 hours. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Indian government has distributed voter ID cards for the first time to members of a reclusive Andaman Islands tribe, drawing concerns from activists that the event is a publicity stunt to distract from the imminent industrialisation of their fragile homeland. The decision to issue identification documents that confirm an individuals right to participate in elections is being promoted by the Narendra Modi government as a historic step towards the democratic evolution of the semi-nomadic Jarawa tribe. Senior local administrative official Chandra Bhushan Kumar distributed these cards among 19 members of the tribe earlier this month in the federal territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Local officials said the enrolment process was designed to minimise disruption to their daily lives while maximising their understanding of their rights as Indian citizens. Jarawas are one of five tribes inhabiting the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and are ranked as particularly vulnerable by the Anthropological Survey of India. The others are the North Sentinelese, Great Andamanese, Onge, and Shompen. Jarawas have traditionally been reclusive, maintaining limited contact with the outside world. They live deep inside the forests on the western coasts of South and Middle Andaman Islands, which are known for their rich biodiversity. The tribes are thought to have inhabited their Indian Ocean homeland for as long as 55,000 years. This is a landmark achievement in Indias democratic evolution, symbolising the countrys commitment to ensuring inclusivity and equity for all citizens, said local election official Arjun Sharma. We ensured that no aspect of the process would compromise the dignity of the Jarawa people, Mr Sharma added. However, activists working with the Jarawa complained that their enrolment in Indias voting process, presented as a step towards inclusivity, has been turned into a publicity stunt by the administration. Activists argued that the process of voter enrolment undermined the dignity and privacy of the tribe while also distracting from a more pressing issue the Indian governments plans to implement a major development project that could threaten the land, rights, and survival of Indigenous communities. open image in gallery Picture taken in November last year of tourist vehicles queuing up to go through the reserve hoping to spot the Jarawa ( Survival International ) The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal, about 1,200km (745 miles) southeast of the Indian mainland. The archipelago is a federal territory comprising 836 islands, of which only 38 are inhabited. Sophie Grig, Asia campaigns director at Survival International, told The Independent: Of course the Jarawa should have the right to participate in the democratic process if they want to. But we are concerned that the Andaman and Nicobar administration is claiming to be enrolling the Jarawa in the electoral register in a way that respects their privacy and dignity, but in fact has turned the whole thing into a publicity stunt for the administration, which is the exact opposite of dignified and private. The Rs720bn (6.83bn) Great Nicobar Island Development Project, which aims to transform the fragile biodiverse rich territory into an economic hub, was proposed by the Indian government in 2021 and involves building a cargo transit hub, airport, and power plant on the southern tip of Great Nicobar Island. open image in gallery Map showing the location of Indias Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal ( The Independent/Datawrapper ) Recognising and respecting the rights of the Indigenous peoples of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as citizens of India is about far more than just adding them to the voter register, Ms Grig said. It is also about recognising and respecting their rights to their territories; their rights to life, to their ways of life and to choose how much or how little they wish to interact with the mainstream. This seemed to be deliberately designed to distract attention from the fact that the Indian government is planning to build a dangerous, and fundamentally undemocratic, mega project on the Shompens island, which experts have warned will lead to the genocide of the tribe, she said. Last year in February, a letter signed by genocide experts across the world called on Indias government to scrap the project. Should the government of Indias proposal to create an international container transhipment terminal, associated port and harbour facilities, airport, power plant, defence base, industrial zones, as well as major urban development, proceed, even in a limited form, we believe it will be a death sentence for the Shompen, tantamount to the international crime of genocide, the letter read. open image in gallery Tourist shops in the Andaman Islands sell statues of the Jarawa to tourists ( Survival International ) Activists said the islands vulnerable tribes such as the Nicobarese and the Shompen face risks from exposure to external cultures and diseases. The Independent reached out to senior officials of the Andaman and Nicobar administration and the chief electoral officer of the federal territory for comment. Pankaj Sekhsaria, curator of The Great Nicobar Betrayal, a collection of essays on the project, told Down To Earth magazine: The Directorate of Tribal Welfare of the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the main body tasked with ensuring tribal welfare, is on record promising the project proponent all help in clearing regulatory processes, including for de-reservation of tribal reserve land, for the project. This is really unfortunate. He added that the Great Nicobar project should not proceed due to the ecological and human risks it allegedly poses. Besides the destruction of local ecosystems and Indigenous communities, he said the project site is in a highly tectonically active region, towards the periphery of the Pacific Ring of Fire. Earthquakes happen here on a weekly basis. The site of the project in Great Nicobar saw a permanent subsidence of 15ft (4.5m) in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake of December 26, 2004, he said. Mr Sekhsaria said this raises concerns about the safety of the proposed investment and the potential danger to 300,000 settlers. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khans wife Kareena Kapoor Khan posted a statement requesting space after Khan had to be rushed to hospital for surgery following a scuffle with a home intruder that left him with six stab wounds on Thursday. The incident reportedly took place around 2.30am while the actor, 54, was sleeping. Kareena Kapoor Khan, 44, and sons Taimur, 7, and Jeh, 3, were also present in the house at the time of the incident but were unhurt, according to media reports. Khan was rushed to Mumbais Lilavati Hospital where he underwent surgery for injuries close to his spine and neck and is now stable and recovering. Kareena Kapoor Khans statement, posted on her social media, read: It has been an incredibly challenging day for our family, and we are still trying to process the events that have unfolded. As we navigate this difficult time, I respectfully and humbly request that the media and paparazzi refrain from the relentless speculation and coverage. While we appreciate the concern and support, the constant scrutiny and attention are not only overwhelming but also pose a significant risk to our safety. I kindly request that you respect our boundaries and give us the space we need to heal and cope as a family. I would like to thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation during this sensitive time. Several Bollywood celebrities have responded to her post offering support. Priyanka Chopra said: Sending so much love. Actors Ranveer Singh and Aditi Rao Hydari too commented, offering their support and prayers. While Khan is now in recovery, celebrities and politicians have shared dismayed and concerned reactions to the incident, wondering about the recent spate of similar cases in Mumbai, both the capital city of the Indian state of Maharashtra and Indias financial hub. The residential building that houses the home of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan where he was stabbed ( AP ) Actor Pooja Bhatt posted on X, formerly Twitter, to question lawlessness. Can this lawlessness please be curbed Mumbai Police? We need more Police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the subburbs, have never felt so unsafe before. Jr NTR, who is an Indian actor and producer who primarily works in Telugu cinema and Saifs costar in the film Devara, posted on X: Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Deeply shocked and saddened by the horrible incident involving Saif Ali Khan. I just read that he is out of danger after his surgery. My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family, wrote actor Adil Hussain. Veteran actor and politician Chiranjeevi wrote: Deeply disturbed by news of the attack by an intruder on #SaifAliKhan. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery. Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali, who directed Khan in Love Aaj Kal and Cocktail, said to News18: It is shocking to hear about the incident with Saif. At this point, the first things that are coming to my mind are that his injuries are not severe and that hes going to recover soon. The question is how law and order situation in Mumbai had deteriorated to this extent. Bandra has become itself a lawless suburb. Brazen attacks are taking place not just on Bollywood celebrities. Every high-profile business person or any high-profile business person or otherwise person are living in fear, columnist Shobhaa De told NDTV. Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson of NCP (SP), said: Attack on Saif Ali Khan is a cause for concern because if such high profile people with levels of security can be attacked in their homes, then what could happen to common citizens? Fear of law seems to be at a low in Maharashtra due to lenience in the past couple of years. Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal posted on X: Shocked to hear about the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Wishing him a speedy recovery and strength to his family during this difficult time. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee posted: Its very concerning to hear about the attack on noted actor Saif Ali Khan. I pray for his speedy recovery, trusting that the law will take its course and those responsible will be held accountable. My thoughts and prayers are with Sharmila Di, Kareena Kapoor, and the entire family during this difficult time, she added, referring to Khans mother Sharmila Tagore. The intrusion and knife attack on Saif Ali Khan is shocking. We are relieved to hear that he is stable and recovering, and we pray that tough times are over, and he bounces back to normalcy at the earliest. The fact that it happened, however, only highlights the absolute shambles law & order is in Maharashtra, wrote politician Aaditya Thackeray. With several questioning Mumbais law and order situation, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis defended the city, saying it was unfair to say it was unsafe. Mumbai is the safest mega city in the country; the incident is serious but wrong to brand the city as unsafe, Fadnavis told the media. The police have given you all the information about this. What kind of attack it is and what kind of intention was behind it, all these things have come to you. Lilavati hospital confirmed that Khan had sustained six wounds: two cuts which were primarily on his back, with one near the spine, were deep, in addition to another minor wound on his neck and other superficial injuries, reported The Indian Express. In April last year, two men accused of opening fire outside the home of Bollywood film star Salman Khan were arrested by Mumbai police. At least one of the men captured on CCTV was suspected to work for jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, sources in the Mumbai police told Indian media at the time. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Business Secretary has said he is sympathetic to an amendment seeking to extend bereavement entitlement for miscarriages before 24 weeks but could not yet commit to supporting it. He said there might be a better mechanism to take it forward than the Employment Rights Bill, which the Women and Equalities Committee has said it intends to put forward an amendment to. Since April 2020, employees can be eligible for statutory parental bereavement leave and pay if there is a stillbirth after 24 weeks of pregnancy but there is no specific leave for a pre-24 week loss in the form of miscarriage. The committee, chaired by Luton North MP Sarah Owen, is seeking to make the two-week leave period available to those bereaved as a result of pre-24 week pregnancy loss. Jonathan Reynolds told ITVs Good Morning Britain: I know how important this is. Like a lot of people Ive had some experience of this myself. Its very, very difficult, and of course, the campaign being put forward there, Im sympathetic to what theyre trying to achieve. I havent seen the amendment yet because the report stage hasnt been scheduled, and then well be able to get that. Ive got to balance the rights in that Bill against the overall burdens on business. The Employment Rights Bill includes a new right to bereavement leave from the first day of a job. Mr Reynolds said he would work to try to deliver the change on bereavement entitlement for pregnancy loss and engage with the amendment once he sees it. He suggested the upcoming Equality Bill might be a better way to enact the change. There might be a better mechanism to take this forward but I understand the very good motivation on the personal experiences that have driven that campaign. The committee said it is estimated that more than one in five pregnancies end before 24 weeks, with between 10% and 20% of pregnancies ending in the first 12 weeks, known as early miscarriage. While MPs acknowledged that a growing number of employers have specific pregnancy loss leave and pay policies, such as NHS trusts and the Co-op, they said there remain very substantial gaps in provision. Labour MP Ms Owen said she was not prepared for the shock of miscarrying when it happened to her and that she legally had to take sick leave. The case for a minimum standard in law is overwhelming. A period of paid leave should be available to all women and partners who experience a pre-24-week pregnancy loss. Its time to include bereavement leave for workers who miscarry in new employment rights laws, she said. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Another video of a child baking with her mother popped up on my TikTok For You page last week. The five-year-old girl was pouring a cup of sugar into a bowl of chocolate cake batter, clearly laughing and having the time of her life. Still, I couldnt help but ask myself the inevitable question: does this child understand just how much of her life is on social media? Family influencers whose content features their offspring face unavoidable concerns about their childrens safety with every video they post with public scrutiny getting ever more intense after several high-profile episodes. For example, last month, a police investigation was launched into Hannah Hiatt, a mother and influencer known as Nurse Hannah on TikTok. The investigation came after a video of a light-hearted family grocery run seemingly showed Hiatts two-year-old son shield his face from his father, who was moving a cereal box past him. The toddlers apparent flinch resulted in swift backlash, with commenters declaring the boys behavior was indicative of abuse; Hiatt quickly deleted the video in response. But the damage had been done the Ogden, Utah, Police Department later confirmed there is an open, active investigation into Hiatt due to numerous reports through Child Protective Service and police. Its the latest in a string of incidents that have plagued the murky world of momfluencers mothers whove built a successful social media presence by filming their children. One of the biggest mom influencers, YouTuber Ruby Franke who ran her familys 8 Passengers channel was sentenced to 30 years in prison in February 2024 for abusing her 12-year-old son and nine-year-old daughter. The high-profile case raised questions about consent in the family influencer sphere and how to protect children in those spaces. When it comes to money, there has at least been some progress in ensuring fairness, with legislation passed in California in September requiring parents to set aside earnings for child social media influencers. But whether or not theyre being financially compensated, children under the age of consent, who spend years being monetized by their parents, may well be less enthused when they hit their teenage years. open image in gallery Influencer Brittini Wester: Im paying my children for the videos theyre in. They dont know that now, but at some point theyll realize that they have a bank account set aside ( Courtesy of Brittini Wester ) Frankes daughter Shari the eldest of six does not look back on her stardom fondly. While speaking to the Business and Labor Interim Committee in Utah in October, the 21-year-old declared that, while she got paid for documenting her embarrassing moments as a child, that doesnt mean anything to her now. If I could go back and do it all again, Id rather have an empty bank account now and not have my childhood plastered all over the internet. No amount of money I received has made what Ive experienced worth it, she said. Its an issue that momfluencer Brittini Wester, a mother of three with more than 225,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok, has become increasingly conscious of. But Wester is convinced that those sentiments wont come up for her children, currently aged one, three, and five. I started seeing some of that on social media with other influencers, where people would say, Youre using your kids for videos. So I did scale back the amount of screen time that my kids have in my videos, and my content isnt necessarily about them and their lives, she says. But Im still paying my children for the videos theyre in. They dont know that now, but at some point theyll realize that they have a bank account set aside. Westers following has grown to such an extent that she was recently able to quit her 9-5 job, all thanks to momfluencing. Her strong online presence led her to be selected for Amazons Influencer Program, tasked with filming her kids playing with their toys and including links to these products on Amazon. Her annual salary has never been higher. Since Ive left my other job, my children see that as: Daddys job is a software developer, and mommys job is to make videos. The earning potential and support with Amazons program are really nice. This is my first year and first time ever making six figures, she says. Wester is committed to sharing the wealth; every time she earns a commission when someone buys a product through her links, half of it goes straight into her childrens savings account. The other half is spent on necessities for her momfluencer business. Influencer Ann Le Do the mother of three children aged two, seven, and nine found purpose amid the pandemic by making videos about the chaos of motherhood. Its now been four years since she became a momfluencer, and shes amassed 419,000 followers on Instagram and 305,000 followers on TikTok in that time. Major brands like Verizon, Gymboree, Wawa, Target, and M&Ms have trusted her to boost sales through video content featuring her and her children using their products. According to Le Do, her children jump at the opportunity to be in the clips, centered on their favorite at-home family activities, because they know its for her job. Comedy is key in her other videos on married life, which include sexual innuendos about maintaining intimacy with her husband as busy parents. Shes clear that this content is for a strictly adult audience, with one clip showing the couple dancing and hugging, leading up to an intimate moment which inevitably gets curtailed when their kids run into the bedroom. Still, Le Dos children have not seen those clips, despite starring in them. open image in gallery Influencer Ann Le Do says: I share my family because its meaningful to me ( Courtesy of Ann Le Do ) In the future, when they are exposed to it, I think that they will understand that it was all for humor for adults, she says, and that we could just laugh about it. You will never see Le Do mention her childrens personal lives. I often poke fun at myself and the realities of family life, but always in a lighthearted, loving way. My kids sometimes make small appearances, but Im careful not to include anything that could embarrass them, she explains. If theyre not in the mood or dont want to be part of something, I never push it. Just like Wester, Le Do shares her considerable momfluencer earnings with her family. A portion of her money goes directly into an account for the children, used for whatever dream career they eventually want to pursue. She also spends some of the funds on family fun and resources for her social media career. Since were a dual-income family, my earnings contribute to creating experiences for us, like trips, activities, or even just little moments that bring us closer together, she says. I also reinvest in my work by upgrading equipment or taking on opportunities that will help me grow in the long run. Online mom-shaming is unavoidable in a digital world where everybody has an opinion on everything, as Wester and Le Do know all too well. Still, they refuse to feel ashamed for posting what they want. At the end of the day, I share my family because its meaningful to me, whether Im an influencer or just a mom whos capturing and celebrating their little moments. If I get negative feedback, I try not to let the negativity get to me, Le Do says. Wester claims shes received nothing but love from people online, other than the time a critic called out one second of a video in which her child was watching something on a tablet. For now, shes ignoring any hate about how she makes her money. I dont feel guilty about that. Im posting a bunch of links, of course, Im making money off it, she says. But Im still putting in 30 to 40 hours a week of product research, filming, and editing. Being a mom influencer isnt getting in the way of my normal life. This is a regular job. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A driver rammed his car into a crowd and seriously injured a young woman Thursday at one of the student-led protests that have been held daily throughout Serbia over the November collapse of a railway station canopy in the countrys north that killed 15 people. The driver fled the scene in downtown Belgrade after the young woman was thrown onto his car roof and then to the ground with bleeding head injuries. N1 television said she was seriously wounded and was taken to a hospital in a conscious state. State RTS television said she was in stable condition. Police said they detained the driver and that he was being charged with attempted murder. Several such incidents have been reported during the protests since the blockades started, but this was the first case to result in a serious injury. Hundreds of university students gathered on Thursday in front of the law faculty in downtown Belgrade in a spontaneous protest in support of the injured woman. They chanted slogans including Killers and You will not be allowed to run us over. The students later marched toward the state prosecutor's office while hundreds also gathered in Novi Sad, the northern city where the concrete canopy at the railway station building collapsed. We are very concerned about today's incident against the demonstrators, the European Union mission in Serbia said on X. The right to assembly is a basic right which has to be protected when peacefully exercised. Residents throughout Serbia have been stopping in silence for 15 minutes almost daily as part of persistent anti-government protests and demands that those responsible for the canopy collapse be punished. Traffic blockades have taken place daily since Nov. 1 at 11:52 a.m., the exact time when the canopy at the railway station building in Novi Sad crashed down on people who were sitting or strolling below on a sunny day. The station building was renovated twice in recent years. Many in Serbia believe rampant corruption led to sloppy work on the building reconstruction, which was part of a wider railroad project with Chinese state companies. The collapse also has become a flashpoint for broader dissatisfaction with the growingly autocratic rule of populist President Aleksandar Vucic, reflecting public demands for democratic changes. Vucic has alleged the student-led protests have been financed from abroad to topple him from power by force. He has sided with people who are against the daily protests saying their freedom of movement has been jeopardized with the 15-minute blockades of traffic. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A body has been recovered from a river near where missing sisters Henrietta and Eliza Huszti were last seen in Aberdeen. The siblings, both 32 and part of a set of triplets, were reported missing by their landlady after telling her they planned to end their tenancy. The pair who are originally from Hungary are described as white women of slim build with long brown hair and were last seen on a bridge over the River Dee on 7 January. Extensive searches were carried out and officers said on Friday that a body has been recovered from the water. Police Scotland said it had been made aware that a body had been seen in the River Dee, near Queen Elizabeth Bridge, shortly before 8am on Friday. A spokesperson for the force said: We were made aware of the body of a person seen in the River Dee near Queen Elizabeth Bridge in Aberdeen around 7.55am on Friday, 31 January, 2025. The body has been recovered from the water and enquiries are ongoing. open image in gallery Eliza and Henrietta Huszti were last seen on CCTV in Market Street in Aberdeen ( PA Wire ) A police helicopter, dog branch and marine unit were among the specialist resources involved in rescue efforts focusing on the river and its surrounding area, but this search was ended on Monday. Their brother Joszef Huszti told the BBC that relatives do not understand their disappearance, adding the sisters mother had a phone call with them just days beforehand when everything appeared normal. When did sisters go missing and what are final sightings? Eliza and Henrietta were last spotted on CCTV in Market Street at Victoria Bridge at around 2.12am on Tuesday 7 January. They were then seen crossing the bridge and turning right onto a footpath next to the River Dee, heading in the direction of the Aberdeen Boat Club. The area was covered in snow and ice when the sisters disappeared, following a bitter cold snap across the country. open image in gallery Sisters Eliza and Henrietta Huszti visited the area where they were last seen the previous day ( PA Wire ) Police said there is nothing to suggest either of the women left the immediate area after 2.12am on 7 January. Investigations into the sisters disappearance have now confirmed both women, who were wearing rucksacks, were seen at the same bridge at around 2.50pm on Monday 6 January. CCTV shows the sisters spent five minutes at the footpath and Victoria Bridge but did not engage with anyone else. The siblings are then seen making their way through the city centre, via the Union Square shopping centre, back to their flat in the Charlotte Street area of Aberdeen. Police said there is nothing to indicate they left it again until shortly before they were last seen at the River Dee. open image in gallery Superintendent David Howieson said police remain open-minded about what happened to Eliza and Henrietta Huszti ( PA Wire ) What have the police said? Extensive searches were carried out on Friday and Police Scotland said a body was recovered from the water. Police Scotland said it had been made aware that a body had been seen in the River Dee, near Queen Elizabeth Bridge, shortly before 8am on Friday. Last week, Police Scotland said there is still nothing to suggest criminality or suspicious circumstances when it comes to the sisters disappearance. As several hours of CCTV footage are being examined by officers, superintendent David Howieson said: I would again urge anyone with any information which could help find Eliza and Henrietta to get in touch. We remain in regular contact with Eliza and Henriettas family in Hungary and we will continue to provide them with support at this very difficult time. Searches will continue in the coming days and our officers will continue to do everything they can to find Eliza and Henrietta. It emerged that a text message was sent from Henriettas mobile phone to the sisters landlady at 2.12am on 7 January, from the area of Victoria Bridge, indicating they would not be returning to the flat. open image in gallery Police divers have been searching the River Dee as investigations continue ( PA Wire ) The phone was then disconnected from the network and has not been active since, police said. The following day, the sisters personal belongings were found inside the flat and the landlady reported her concerns to police. Mr Howieson previously said: We remain extremely concerned for Eliza and Henrietta as our searches enter a second week. He said police were trying to remain open-minded in terms of what the wider circumstances may have been, as the behaviour of the duo was considered to be very out of character, with no known mental health concerns that might offer an explanation. He did acknowledge the sisters may have come to harm, adding: That has to be a theory in terms of access to the river ... but what we dont have is any indication that a third party has been involved. open image in gallery Police Scotland said there is still nothing to suggest criminality or suspicious circumstances when it comes to the sisters disappearance ( PA Media ) What have the family said? The reportedly close-knit family released a statement through Police Scotland, where they said: This has been a very worrying and upsetting time for our family. In the desperate plea, the family said: All we want is for them to be found. If you think you might have any information which could help the police with finding Eliza and Henrietta then please pass this on as quickly as you can. We appreciate all the support our family has been given over the past few days and we would like our privacy to be respected at this time. open image in gallery The sisters with their brother Joszef Huszti who says the family does not understand their disappearance ( Family handout ) Speaking from his home in Budapest, their brother Mr Huszti told the BBC: We don't understand this whole thing. That they wrote a message to their landlady, that they wanted to immediately end their tenancy agreement. We didnt have any information about that. So thats the strange thing, that the girls didnt tell us anything about that. They never mentioned any such plan. He previously told the broadcaster that their mother had spoken to the sisters on Saturday 4 January when everything seemed fine. He also warned on social media: I ask everyone to respect each other. No one should spread any fake news. He added on behalf of the family: Thank you all for being with us at this difficult time. The third sister in the set of triplets, Edit Huszti, confirmed she had spoken to the pair on New Years Eve, describing them as happy and cheerful on a video call. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A 19-year-old who was part of a neo-Nazi satanist group has been jailed for six years for encouraging girls to die by suicide and self-harm, as well as possession of a document for terrorist purposes. Teenager Cameron Finnigan was found guilty of five charges, including telling one girl to kill herself for me on video so he could share it online with a satanist extremist group known as 764. He appeared at the Old Bailey on Thursday, where he was given a six-year sentence with an extended licence period of three years. He had pleaded guilty to five charges, including encouraging suicide online, possessing a document for terrorist purposes, having indecent images of children and two counts of criminal damage. open image in gallery A flag related to satanism was found in Finnigans bedroom ( Counter Terrorism Policing South East/PA Wire ) Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones KC said Finnigan, who is autistic and lived with his adoptive mother, father and biological sister in Horsham, West Sussex, became involved with 764 in October or November 2023. The group has links to the Order of Nine Angles, a Nazi occultist group linked to a string of prosecutions. Both groups encourage increasing violence building up to potential mass casualty events, the court heard. Finnigan communicated with other 764 members on the Telegram, Discord and Snapchat apps. One of his usernames was ACID and he used a pin code of 1969, the date the Satanic Bible was first published. He spoke to an individual believed to be a young girl who told him she was considering suicide. Finnigan said he wanted her to stream it online so he could claim it for 764, the court was told. The judge also heard that the 764 Telegram chat had referred to Terror Week and Terror Season, a period between 11 March and 19 March 2024 in which members were encouraged to commit crimes. open image in gallery Police recovered knives in Finnigans house but no evidence of a gun, despite claims by the teenager ( Counter Terrorism Policing South East/PA Wire ) Finnigan told the group he would kill a homeless person he had identified as living in a tent near his home. Police never found evidence of an attempt to kill the victim, but a picture of the tent was found in the chat alongside a message from the defendant that said: Im waiting. Finnigan also accessed an 11-page terrorist document which provided advice on how to carry out truck attacks, giving instructions on the type of vehicle and ideal targets. He was arrested last March on suspicion of threats to kill and possession of a firearm. The court was told that despite claims made to 764 members online, there was no evidence that he ever had a gun. Searches of his home address revealed a large tapestry of the Satanic Beast in his bedroom, knives, swastikas, and pentagrams associated with satanism. A punchbag with a number of slash and stab marks was found outside his bedroom, the court was told. Indecent images of children were found on his electronic devices as well as material bearing the 764 logo depicting murder, mutilation, rape and interference with a foetus. The defendant had filmed himself carving words onto a car bonnet and puncturing the tyres with a large kitchen knife. If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch.If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A London landlord has come under fire for advertising a room for rent at 1,350-a-month with a number of strict living conditions for their potential tenant. The homeowner placed an advert on Spare Room looking for a lodger for their flat near Hampstead Heath, north London. She wrote that she was looking for a quiet, clean and friendly lodger, to fill the two-metre by four-metre room that had high ceilings, but no central heating. Instead, the room would be heated by an electric heater which could be set on a timer via phone. The average UK property value in November was 290,000 (Gareth Fuller/PA) ( PA Archive ) Rules for living in the flat stipulated that while the lodger would have access to their bedroom, a bathroom and kitchen, they would not have access to the living room because the homeowner worked long hours from the space. The landlord said they worked as a violin teacher in the evenings between 4pm and 8.30pm from Monday till Thursday. She wrote: whilst this takes place on a different floor to the bedroom I am offering, it would be audible, so this room would suit someone who is not home until 8.30pm. The advert clarified that the space would ideally suit someone working longish hours in the city during the week and leaving the city for the weekend, before making it clear that house rules included no guests, no pets, no use of the living space, no noise after 11pm. The advert went viral on X after one persons post about it received 6.9 million views. The poster called it an overpriced prison box room. Following criticism, the listing was removed from Spare Room by the homeowner. Spare Rooms director Matthew Hutchison told The Independent: Ads like this are, thankfully, uncommon. While it doesnt break any rules, its easy to see why its getting attention. With room rents so high, any restrictions on property usage will understandably annoy those at the sharp end of increases. Live-in landlords understandably want to find people who slot well into their existing lifestyles and schedules, but there should be some compromise. While this person may be lucky enough to find a lodger who isnt home until after 8.30pm on weekdays or else willing to tune out the amateur violinists who is happy to absent themselves at weekends, and largely keep to their bedroom when in the house, its quite unlikely, even in a desirable part of London. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Plans for a grand Oxfordshire mansion by Soho House billionaire Ronald Burkle are stirring up controversy in the picturesque village of Little Tew not only among its residents but potentially with history itself. The billionaires proposal for a six-bedroom estate could be thwarted by claims that the site may encroach on the remnants of an Iron Age fort. The project, which would include an opulent entrance hall inspired by Romes Pantheon, a natural swimming pool, a stable block, and even a helipad, has been met with fierce objections from villagers. Little Tew, a hamlet of just 150 homes nestled in rolling countryside, is known for its tranquil charm, unspoiled by commercial developments. For many, Burkles vision of a domed mansion with lavish features represents a stark departure from the character of the area. Oxfordshire County Council has also raised concerns about possible archaeological significance at the site. A report from the countys archaeological service notes that the area could contain remains linked to a multi-vallate hillfort, a type of fortified settlement dating back to the Iron Age. Although preliminary desk-based assessments have been conducted, the report recommends further fieldwork to confirm whether the site holds any historic treasures. open image in gallery Ronald Burkle (middle) has submitted plans to build a mansion finished with an entrance hall inspired by the Pantheon in Rome ( Getty Images for CORE ) There have been few formal archaeological investigations undertaken in Little Tew, and few cropmarks suggestive of archaeological remains have been recorded in the area, the report stated. There is potential for features related to a possible Iron Age multi-vallate hillfort to exist on the site with the possible hillfort located at The Manor House, Little Tew, 720 metres southeast of the development site. Though the applicant has submitted a DBA [archaeological desk-based assessment], this is limited without any fieldwork being undertaken. The report advised Mr Burkle to commission a practical field investigation to search for archaeological remains, using a professionally qualified archaeological organisation. An earlier application for a different design was rejected in 2022 as it was not deemed a truly outstanding development. The new plans have received dozens of objections, including a submission from the parish council which stated that no one in attendance of a meeting was in favour of the applications approval. open image in gallery The American businessman has submitted plans to build a mansion finished with an entrance hall inspired by the Pantheon in Rome ( West Oxfordshire District Council ) One resident compared the plans to something more suited to Disneyland than the village, which had a population of just 253 people in the 2011 census. Little Tew has only 150 homes, a church, and is so quiet that it lacks even a pub or any shops. Another resident wrote: Rather than being a development of truly outstanding quality, I believe it to be a proposal of truly outstanding grotesquery. open image in gallery One resident compared the plans for the house as more suited to Disneyland than the village ( West Oxfordshire District Council ) More recently, however, some comments in support of the plans have emerged. One local said that whilst they acknowledged the mixed feelings within the community regarding the applicant, it was essential to recognize the substantial contributions he has made to the area. They added: This investment not only supports local businesses but also enhances the overall vitality of the community. Burkle, known for his portfolio of luxury properties, has expressed a desire to integrate into the community, emphasising his track record of supporting local businesses and charities. In an interview, he noted that he had not finalised the land purchase and that the mansions designs were created by the current owners architect before his involvement. open image in gallery The report advised Mr Burkle to commission a practical field investigation to search for the archaeological remains ( West Oxfordshire District Council ) However, the billionaires ties to Soho House a chain synonymous with exclusivity and celebrity clientele have done little to reassure critics. The proposed site is just a few miles from Soho Farmhouse, a private members retreat frequented by A-listers like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Leonardo DiCaprio. For some, the prospect of yet another grandiose development nearby only adds to fears that Little Tews character is under threat. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The danger posed by potential US tariffs is greater for the UK than other comparable countries, the business secretary has warned just days before Donald Trump enters the White House. Jonathan Reynolds admitted that Mr Trumps presidency will be a challenging time for anyone responsible for trade, amid fears of a global trade war. In the run-up to his election, the Republican promised to implement 10 to 20 per cent tariffs on all goods coming into the country a figure that rises to 60 per cent for those from China. Asked about his incoming presidency, Mr Reynolds told Sky News: I think its going to be a challenging time for anyone who is responsible for trade in a big economy because of some of those pledges that were made in the campaign. open image in gallery Jonathan Reynolds admitted concern over the possibility of a trade war ( Getty Images ) But he added that there are also opportunities for the UK, insisting there are lots of things he would like to see the UK doing more closely with the US in areas like technology, digital trade, in service. If theres an offer from the US to talk about how we can collaborate closer together on that, of course we would take a look, the business secretary said. Asked if he is worried about the threat of tariffs, Mr Reynolds said: I am, because the UK is a very globally orientated economy, so the danger to the UK is actually greater than some comparable countries. So a lot of our work has been preparing for that, engaging early with the new administration. He added that the UK is in a different position to the EU and China, as the US doesnt have such large trade deficits with Britain. But, he added, we cant be complacent, and were very well prepared. His remarks come just hours before Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey is set to urge Sir Keir Starmer to negotiate a UK-EU customs union to turbocharge the economy and strengthen the UKs hand against possible tariffs from the president-elect. Giving a speech in London on Thursday, he will say such a deal would help the UK to negotiate with Mr Trump from a position of strength. open image in gallery Sir Ed Davey will say rejoining a customs union with the EU is the single biggest thing the UK can do to turbocharge the economy (Ben Birchall/PA) ( PA Wire ) He will also criticise Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for wanting to go cap in hand to the new US president and beg for whatever trade deal hell give us, as well as taking a swipe at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for fawning over Trump and licking his boots. Mr Farage is more interested in advancing Trumps agenda over here than the UKs interests over there, Sir Ed is expected to tell an audience in London in his first major speech of the year. Meanwhile, a leading thinktank urged the prime minister to boost trade defences to deter against economic threats from the president-elect. A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) calls for urgent reforms to navigate Mr Trumps presidency, warning that global trade faces a new era of turbulence. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Yvette Cooper has announced a rapid national audit into the scale and nature of grooming gangs across the country amid growing calls from MPs for a new inquiry. The home secretary also pledged five new local inquiries backed by government funding in a statement to the Commons on Thursday. The no holds barred rapid review, which will report within three months, will be led by crossbench peer Louise Casey and will look at the cultural and societal drivers for this type of offending, Ms Cooper said. The partial climb down comes after three Labour MPs from the North West and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham broke ranks to demand a rethink. Last week the government, in particular Keir Starmer and safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, came under furious attack from right-wing figures, led by X/Twitter owner Elon Musk, after it decided not to hold a national inquiry into the scandal. open image in gallery Yvette Cooper set to announce new grooming gang inquiries ( Getty Images ) But with pressure mounting the government has instead agreed to a series of local inquiries into failures, with an additional budget of 5m. However, those demanding a full national inquiry made it clear that the government needed to make a full U-turn and the local inquiries were not enough. Shadow home secretary Chris Philp called the announcement wholly inadequate and said the local probes would not have the power to compel witnesses to appear. Labour MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion said the inquiries would only have the power to stop cover-ups if they had statutory powers. She urged the home secretary to expand the inquiry nationally and ensure it can compel witnesses to attend. Is it possible this can be UK-wide, as I don't believe this is only happening in England and Wales, she said. open image in gallery Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said that the governments announcement didnt go far enough ( PA ) Elon Musk responded to Ms Coopers announcement by writing on X: I hope this is a proper investigation. While Reform MP Rupert Lowe demanded an investigation that spread into all corners of the country, saying: Nothing less is acceptable. Ms Cooper also announced she wanted police forces to reopen cold cases relating to child sexual exploitation and abuse of young girls. Police chiefs have been ordered to review any grooming gang investigations that were closed down, and victims will get new powers to demand an independent review into decisions made to stop investigating alleged crimes. She told MPs that all police forces will be expected to make problem profiles of the grooming gangs in their area. And promised that Baroness Caseys review would properly examine ethnicity data and the demographics of the gangs involved and their victims. Ms Cooper added that the government will set out before Easter how they will take forward all 20 recommendations from Professor Alexis Jays independent inquiry into child sexual abuse, which concluded in 2022. Ms Coopers decision followed Ms Champion, Liverpool Walton MP Dan Carden and Rochdale MP Paul Waugh all demanding that an inquiry was held. open image in gallery Labour MP for Rotherham Sarah Champion has called for a new inquiry into grooming gangs ( PA ) Local inquiries into the grooming gang scandal were also condemned by the former leader of the Welsh Conservatives Andrew RT Davies who said they were not sufficient. This dreadful scandal was able to continue because of huge issues within our institutions, so we need to understand how the culture within those institutions worked. Only with a national inquiry can we join the dots and really get to the bottom of this issue for victims. Sir Keir ordered his MPs to vote against a national probe in the Commons last week, arguing that victims wanted action rather than another lengthy investigation. But it later emerged that the PM and many of his senior ministers did not take part in the vote themselves. Ms Champion has warned that child sexual abuse is endemic in the UK and had to be recognised as a national priority. Mr Musk called on the King to step in and dissolve parliament after Labour rejected a call for a national inquiry into child grooming. The tech billionaire triggered an explosive row over Sir Keirs handling of the scandal after he suggested the prime minister had failed to bring rape gangs to justice when he was director of public prosecutions. While the monarch does have the power to dissolve parliament, this power is a formality and is done so upon request of the prime minister. For the King to dissolve parliament against the wishes of the prime minister would cause a constitutional crisis in the UK. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Keir Starmer has warned MPs not to leave drinks unattended in parliament after it emerged police are investigating reports of a spiking incident inside one of its bars. The alleged incident took place at the start of January just after MPs returned from their long Christmas break. The prime ministers official spokesman said it is incredibly concerning, adding that women have a right to feel safe everywhere - at work, at home, in our schools. He added that it was "not sensible" for MPs to leave drinks at the bar while they go to vote, but added: "The prime minister would let people follow their own common sense on this one". Spiking involves adding either alcohol or drugs to drinks without the drinkers knowledge or consent (Yui Mok/PA) ( PA Archive ) On the question of whether MPs should drink alcohol before they vote on important matters, he added: "Its up to MPs. When it comes to this particular issue on the parliamentary estate it should be the case that everyone feels safe. The spokesperson also pointed to the governments commitment to drive up standards and improve culture in parliament, as well as pointing to plans announced in November to make spiking a drink a specific criminal offence. Londons Metropolitan Police are investigating after a woman reported her drink was spiked in the Strangers bar. The woman, a parliamentary researcher, alerted bar staff and parliamentary security to the incident at around 6.30pm on 7 January. A UK Parliament spokesperson said: We are aware of an incident which took place on the parliamentary estate in early January, which was reported to parliamentary security and is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service. Parliamentary officials are understood to be taking the allegation extremely seriously. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed it had received reports of an alleged spiking at an establishment in the House of Commons. They added in a statement on Wednesday: The investigation is ongoing and the victim is being supported by officers. There have been no arrests at this stage. We would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim or witness to spiking, in any form, to contact us on 101, or 999 in emergency. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer has declared Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine a monumental strategic failure, as he travelled to Kyiv to sign a new long-term partnership deal with Volodymyr Zelensky days before Donald Trump is sworn in as president. The prime minister, visiting Ukraine for the first time since entering No 10, was greeted at the capitals railway station by the UKs ambassador to Ukraine, Martin Harris, and Ukraines envoy to London, Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The 100 Year Partnership includes defence and scientific collaboration but will also forge new community links between the UK and Ukraine. Sir Keir said the agreement, which will bolster military collaboration on maritime security and will bring together experts in areas including drone technology, showed Putins attempts to pull Ukraine away from the West had backfired. The visit comes just days before Mr Trump enters the White House, potentially signalling a shift in US support for Ukraines war effort in favour of a push for a peace deal. There have also been fears that the president-elect could pull out of Nato, after he said he would encourage Russia to do whatever the hell they want to members of the alliance who do not pay their fair share. open image in gallery Keir Starmer travels to Ukraine ( Getty Images ) Meanwhile, his pick for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said on Wednesday that both the Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war. He said it was important to be realistic that there will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians. Sir Keir is expected to use the Ukraine trip to announce new UK support including further military aid and economic support. Ahead of the visit, Mr Zelensky had suggested he would use the meeting to discuss the prospect of British troops being deployed to Ukraine as peacekeepers following any ceasefire deal with the Kremlin. The prime minister said: Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come. The power of our long-term friendships cannot be underestimated. Supporting Ukraine to defend itself from Russias barbaric invasion and rebuild a prosperous, sovereign future is vital to this Governments foundation of security and our plan for change. Through this partnership we are creating a strong economy that works for the British people, a safe country that protects our interests at home and abroad and a prosperous society. The UK has so far supported Ukraine with 12.8bn and has promised 3bn in military aid every year for as long as it needed. open image in gallery The prime minister arrives at Kyiv train station ( Carl Court/PA Wire ) Plans for the long-term partnership had begun under the Conservative administration and will will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks. Former of a treaty and a political declaration, it will involve co-operation in areas including healthcare and tackling disease, agricultural technology and the space industry. Ties between the two countries will also be strengthened through both cultural exchanges and classroom projects. Sir Keir is also expected to announce new lethal aid and 40m for an economic recovery programme intended to unlock hundreds of millions of pounds of private lending for Ukraines small and medium-sized firms. Officials hope the scheme will open up business opportunities for UK companies, with the funding targeted at the green economy and marginalised groups including women and veterans. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Kemi Badenoch is to own up to a series of mistakes made by the Tory governments she served in but warn that Labour under Keir Starmer is repeating the mistakes of Theresa May, Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak. In a major speech in central London on Thursday, the new Tory leader will admit that leaving the European Union without a plan for growth was a mistake by her party under Johnson. It will be the first time a senior Conservative leader has admitted that the chaos wrought on the UKand damage to its economy caused by Brexit was a huge error. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch (Jacob King/PA) ( PA Wire ) But Ms Badenoch will use her speech to claim that the financial woes and social discontent among groups like farmers and pensioners suffered by Starmers government are caused by the same reason of there being no plan before Labour came into government. Ms Badenoch will insist that she will develop a plan to implement policies before announcing them. It comes just a week after it was suggested she may not have any policies for three years. Listing a catalogue of Tory mistakes because there was no plan to deliver policies, she will say: I will acknowledge the Conservative Party made mistakes. We announced that we would leave the European Union before we had a plan for growth outside the EU. We made it the law that we would deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2050. And only then did we start thinking about how we would do that. We announced that we would lower immigration, but immigration kept going up. These mistakes were made because we told people what they wanted to hear first and then tried to work it out later. That is going to stop under my leadership. If we are going to turn our country around, we're going to have to say some things that aren't easy to hear. Attacking Labour she will claim: Labour are having even worse problems than we did, because they announced policy without a plan. Policies without a plan are not policies, they're just announcements. That's why Labour are struggling. It's the old cliche that failing to plan, is planning to fail. She will add: When you haven't worked out what you're going to do in opposition, you will accept whatever you're given in government. That's why Rachel Reeves announced mad and bad ideas on snatching winter fuel and taxing family farms. She will suggest that Ms Reeves had simply taken options from government officials who had been trying to get them agreed for years but have been stopped by the Tories. Those options were presented to us, time and time again by officials, and we rejected them time and time again because they would hurt so many people for so little benefit. The chancellor took them because she has no ideas of her own. She will add: It's the same with education. The schools bill going through parliament now has one or two bits on safeguarding that may be good the rest of it is worse than garbage. It is pure vandalism. The new Labour government will not fix any of the problems we have faced for decades. Because they wasted their time in opposition. We will not do the same. Responding to the expected comments, Ellie Reeves, chair of the Labour Party, said:The public rightly lost trust in the Conservatives after 14 long years of failure in government. Far from rebuilding trust, Kemi Badenoch is doing the exact opposite. Another speech, but no apology for her role in Liz Truss disastrous mini-Budget that crashed the economy and left a 22 billion black hole in the public finances. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sir Keir Starmer is considering plans to send British troops into Ukraine to act as peacekeepers in the event of a ceasefire with Russia. The development came during the prime ministers first trip to Ukraine since he took power six months ago, which included a meeting with president Volodymyr Zelensky. The trip saw the prime minister seizing the international agenda just days before Donald Trump is sworn in for his second term as US president on Monday with a plan to negotiate an end to the Ukraine/Russia war. While Downing Street remained tight-lipped about the possibility of British boots on the ground in Ukraine, Mr Zelensky confirmed that it was on the agenda. open image in gallery Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelensky shake hands at the start of a press conference during his visit to Ukraine ( PA ) The Ukraine president said the two men had discussed a French-backed proposal for Western peacekeepers to monitor a future ceasefire, but said its a bit too early to talk about details. Such a move would pile pressure on Vladimir Putin and raise the stakes in any peace negotiations being proposed by Mr Trump. However, the US president-elect has already indicated that he will not weaken his negotiating hand and will continue to pour money and military aid into Ukraine until Putin agrees to a deal. Mr Trumps pick for secretary of state Marco Rubio suggested on Wednesday that both Ukraine and Russia would have to make concessions to end the war. Sir Keir did not commit to peacekeepers but, directing his words at Mr Zelensky, he said that we will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security and deter future aggression. Those conversations will continue for many months ahead, he said. Sir Keir committed to a 100-year partnership with Ukraine to guarantee its security and peace. The prime minister had already said that Nato would ensure Ukraine is allowed to eventually become a member at his first summit in July shortly after winning the election. As Sir Keir and Mr Zelensky met in Kyiv, the peril of Putins war on Ukraine was underlined by a drone being shot down nearby. open image in gallery Donald Trump intends to bring an end to the war in Ukraine quickly ( Reuters ) Sir Keir said: The attacks here today are a reminder of the daily attacks and the resolve of the Ukrainian people in the face of it. We are with you not just today or tomorrow, for this year or the next, but for a hundred years, long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again. After the meeting, Sir Keir said that the UK will give more military support than ever before to Ukraine this year, including artillery gun barrels. Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Zelensky, Sir Keir said: In 2025 the UK will give more military support to Ukraine than ever before. We have already committed 3bn for military aid this year and were going further to support the front line, providing a 2.2bn loan which will be paid back not by Ukraine, but from the interest on frozen Russian assets. He added: Were also galvanising British industry, so today Im pleased to announce that were providing 150 artillery barrels for Ukraine made by Sheffield Forgemasters. It is the first time in over 20 years that these barrels were produced in the United Kingdom and they will start arriving in Ukraine in just a few weeks time. He told the Ukraine president: Lets be clear, we all want this war to end, no one wants that more than Ukrainians, but right now Putin shows no sign of wanting peace. Asking about peace-keeping troops, the prime ministers official spokesperson pointed to the new 100-year partnership as a sign of Britains steadfast commitment to provide support for Ukraine for as long as it takes. They added: The prime minister has said this morning, its really important we ensure Ukraine is in the strongest possible position. That is what he is discussing with Zelensky today. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Ed Davey will urge Sir Keir Starmer to negotiate a UK-EU customs union to turbocharge the economy and strengthen the UKs hand against possible tariffs from president-elect Donald Trump. Giving a speech in London on Thursday, the Liberal Democrat leader will say such a deal would help the UK to negotiate with Mr Trump from a position of strength. He will also criticise Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch for wanting to go cap in hand to the new US president and beg for whatever trade deal hell give us, as well as taking a swipe at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage for fawning over Trump and licking his boots. Mr Farage is more interested in advancing Trumps agenda over here than the UKs interests over there, Sir Ed is expected to tell an audience in London in his first major speech of the year. open image in gallery Sir Ed Davey will give a speech in London on Thursday ( PA Wire ) It comes as a leading thinktank urged the prime minister to boost trade defences to deter against economic threats from the president-elect. A new report from the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) calls for urgent reforms to navigate Mr Trumps presidency, warning that global trade faces a new era of turbulence. In the run-up to his election, the Republican promised to implement 10 to 20 per cent tariffs on all goods coming into the country a figure that rises to 60 per cent for those from China. As Sir Keir attempts to pursue a reset of relations with the EU and renegotiate the Brexit deal struck by Boris Johnson, Sir Ed will urge the government to avoid simply tinkering around the edges of the botched deal. The UK must be far more positive, far more ambitious, and act with far more urgency. That is why, today, I am calling on the Government to negotiate a brand-new deal with the EU this year, he will say. open image in gallery Sir Keir has been urged to avoid simply tinkering around the edges of the botched deal ( PA Wire ) He is expected to urge the UK government not to be bullied into taking whatever Trump offers us, saying that rebuilding our crucial relationship with Europe is how we can protect our economy, defend European security, and deal with President Trump from a position of strength, not weakness. Taking a swipe at Mr Farage and Ms Badenoch, he will add: The answer cannot be to do what some like the Leader of the Conservative Party would have us do. Approach Trump from a position of weakness. Go to him cap in hand and beg for whatever trade deal hell give us. Nor can we take the Farage approach of fawning over Trump and licking his boots, seemingly more interested in advancing Trumps agenda over here than the UKs interests over there. Neither of those is the way to get a good deal for Britain or get Trump to take us seriously. If we seem as weak or as desperate as the Conservatives or Reform would have us appear, Trump will treat the UK the same way he has treated so many throughout his career. The IPPRs report argues that the UK should signal openness to negotiations over a free trade agreement with the US under President Trump, while also calling for the UK to develop a legal mechanism to introduce counter-measures including tariffs in response to attempts to coerce the UK economically. Such a policy would follow the approach of the EU, which has recently introduced a similar anti-coercion instrument. The report also points to the consequences of Brexit, arguing that between 2021 and 2023, EU goods imports to the UK were down by 32 per cent and UK goods exports to the EU were down by 27 per cent compared to what would have happened if the UK had not left the EU. The prime minister is attempting to reset the UKs relationship with the bloc after years of tense relations under successive Conservative prime ministers. While Sir Keir has repeatedly insisted the UK will not rejoin the single market within his lifetime, he has pledged to make Brexit work by pursuing closer cooperation, particularly on defence, security and trade. A government spokesperson said: We are resetting the relationship with our European friends to tackle barriers to help drive investment and growth. This government was clear in the manifesto, that we will not reopen the divisions of the past and there will be no return to the customs union, the single market or freedom of movement. Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A bar in the House of Commons is being closed indefinitely from Monday while security and safety arrangements are reviewed after a reported spiking incident. The alleged spiking took place at the start of January, just after MPs returned from their long Christmas break. A House of Commons spokesperson said: Strangers Bar will close from Monday 20 January while security and safety arrangements are reviewed. The safety of everyone on the estate remains a key priority of both Houses. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer warned MPs not to leave drinks unattended in parliament, describing the reports as incredibly concerning. His official spokesperson said it was not sensible for MPs to leave drinks at the bar while they go to vote, but added: The prime minister would let people follow their own common sense on this one. Women have a right to feel safe everywhere - at work, at home, in our schools, his spokesperson said. The spokesperson also pointed to the governments commitment to crack down on spiking by making it a specific offence and launching specialist training for up to 10,000 bar staff nationwide. Londons Metropolitan Police are investigating after a woman reported her drink was spiked. The parliamentary researcher alerted bar staff and parliamentary security to the incident at around 6.30pm on 7 January. A UK Parliament spokesperson said: We are aware of an incident which took place on the parliamentary estate in early January, which was reported to parliamentary security and is now being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service. Parliamentary officials are understood to be taking the allegation extremely seriously. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed it had received reports of an alleged spiking at an establishment in the House of Commons. They added in a statement on Wednesday: The investigation is ongoing and the victim is being supported by officers. There have been no arrests at this stage. We would encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim or witness to spiking, in any form, to contact us on 101, or 999 in emergency. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Eight people have died in Tanzanias Kagera region following a suspected outbreak of the Marburg virus disease, according to the World Health Organization. The virus, related to Ebola and frequently fatal, is sometimes known as the bleeding eye disease because it damages the patients blood vessels, causing them to bleed from various orifices including their eyes. As of 11 January, a total of nine cases had been recorded, including among healthcare workers, across the districts of Biharamulo and Muleba. Authorities are working to trace the source of the outbreak and identify additional cases. Samples taken from two patients have been tested by the National Public Health Laboratory and the results are pending official confirmation, WHO said. The Kagera region, which first experienced an outbreak in March 2023, is an important transport hub in East Africa and poses a high regional risk for the disease, WHO warned. The previous outbreak lasted about two months with nine cases and six deaths. Neighbouring countries Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, and Congo could potentially face crossborder spread. At least 66 people were infected and 15 died from the Marburg virus disease in Rwanda last year, according to its health ministry. open image in gallery WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addresses a press conference on the Marburg virus outbreak ( Reuters ) In spite of the regional threat, global risk remains low as the virus does not spread easily between people, WHO said. According to a WHO risk assessment, it is high at the national level, with concerns about lack of a full information of the current outbreak. But global risk is currently assessed as low. The Marburg virus disease, a rare but severe haemorrhagic fever, shares similarities with Ebola. Symptoms often begin within two to 21 days of exposure and include fever, headache, muscle pain, sore throat, nausea, diarrhoea, and rash. The illness can escalate to more severe complications such as shock, organ failure, and internal bleeding. Transmission occurs through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces. The virus is also linked to the Egyptian rousette bat, whose saliva, urine and faeces can transmit the pathogen to humans. The virus is part of a family of microorganisms known as filoviruses, which includes the deadly Ebola. In fact, the two are "clinically almost indistinguishable", according to the UK governments Travel Health Pro website. Health officials recommend strict precautions, including avoiding contact with infected individuals fluids, refraining from handling contaminated items, and steering clear of bats and non-human primates in areas where the virus is present. Named after Marburg, Germany, which suffered an outbreak in 1967, the virus has historically been linked to research involving infected monkeys. The disease has since remained rare but lethal, with no specific treatment or vaccine available. After up to five days of fever, patients begin to suffer damage to their blood vessels, which can cause internal bleeding, psychological symptoms such as confusion and aggression, and persistent bleeding from the nose, gums, vagina, eyes, mouth, or ears. In one notable case from 2008, a 44-year-old woman contracted the virus during a safari in Uganda after visiting a bat-infested cave. She did not transmit the virus to others, underscoring the diseases relatively low transmissibility under controlled conditions. Global health authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, urging vigilance to prevent further spread in the region. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A real estate developer whose relationship with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was at the center of the Republican's historic impeachment trial in 2023 pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge of lying to a financial institution. The plea by Nate Paul, whose company is based in Texas, was entered before a U.S. magistrate judge and still must be reviewed by a district judge, court documents show. Records did not indicate when Paul might be sentenced. Paul claimed that federal investigators acted improperly when they raided his Austin home in 2019. He later sought help from Paxton, and the relationship and dealings between the two men played a prominent role in lawmakers impeaching Paxton, who was later acquitted in the Senate. Paxton has long denied wrongdoing and was not mentioned in federal indictments against Paul, which accused the developer of making false statements to banks in order to obtain more than $170 million in loans. The Associated Press emailed a request for comment to federal prosecutors on Wednesday. Staff for Paul's attorney, Gerry Morris, said he would have no comment. Paul would figure heavily in 20 articles of impeachment filed against Paxton, who was accused of abusing his power and bribery in order to help the developer, who gave the Republican a $25,000 campaign donation in 2018. The impeachment came about after eight of the attorney general's top deputies reported him to the FBI in 2020. All were subsequently fired or quit and half the group later sued under the states whistleblower law. Paul initially faced a dozen charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, but online documents noted only the plea to the single charge of lying to a financial lender. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Mississippi college professor says he was fired for emailing his students the day after Donald Trumps 2024 election victory and calling the US a racist and fascist country. James Bowley, 62, a veteran professor and chair of religious studies at Millsaps College in Jackson, was placed on temporary administrative leave pending review on November 8, 2024 two days after he sent the email on the outcome of the election result, according to the non-profit civil liberties group F oundation for Individual Rights and Expression(FIRE) . Bowley told The Independent that the November 6 email was sent to his Abortion and Religions class to notify them he was canceling their lesson in the wake of Trumps defeat of Kamala Harris. The emails subject line read, No class today followed by a message to his three students that read Need time to mourn and process this racist and fascist country. The colleges provost Stephanie Rolph rebuked Bowley for using his Millsaps email account to share personal opinions with [his] students and placed him on temporary leave, said the non-profit. open image in gallery Professor James Bowley, 62, was fired from his job at Millsaps College in Jackson after expressing his disappointment at the US 2024 Election result ( Facebook ) The professor told The Independent that he was formally fired by Millsaps on Tuesday. I was shocked initially when I got a call from the interim provost saying I was put on leave for sending an email to a class of three students to let them know I was canceling their lesson, he told The Independent. It left me completely dumbfounded and I did not know that talking to my students would be censored. Nor, that I could, and would, lose my job for doing that. The Independent has contacted Millsaps College for comment. Bowley claimed that Millsaps locked him out of all of his electronic devices so he could no longer complete his ancient history scholarship, or communicate with other scholars. But above all, he lost all access to his work with other teachers and students. He added: I was saddened by lots of things about it, not only was I fired but I was also banned from going on campus and talking to students. Bowley says that the president of Millsaps, Frank Neville, rejected the advice of the faculty-elected grievance committee, which did not view the email as a violation of policy. I love my students and Im an award-winning teacher, he said of his disappointment at the colleges decision. The faculty-elected committee reportedly recommended that the veteran professor be immediately reinstated, compensated for his classes that got canceled while on leave, and that the interim provosts apologize to him, he told The Independent. According to the Millsaps Handbook for Staff Employees , under academic freedom they state: While Millsaps College is committed to upholding the principles of academic freedom and shared governance, freedom of speech, discrimination, and harassment identified in this policy are neither legally protected expression nor the proper exercise of academic freedom. It goes on to invite anyone who believes they have been discriminated against or harassed to report it. The professor told The Independent that he has since filed a grievance and is debating filing a lawsuit if not reinstated in his job. He has since appealed to the board of trustees who have acknowledged his request but is yet to hear when his appeal will be heard. The professor praised the overwhelming support received by his students, colleagues, and external organizations and remained hopeful that something good could materialize. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Heartbreaking footage shows the moment that a wounded police dog was carried from the scene by five fellow officers after being injured during a shootout with a fugitive in Texas. The K-9 officer, a Belgian Malinois named Rocky, was shot and injured by 56-year-old Robert Lee Davis during a manhunt in southern Houston on Wednesday. Davis was sought by police over the killing of Brazoria County Sheriffs Office Deputy Jesus Vargas, which took place just hours earlier. After Rocky found the suspect hiding behind a dumpster, the four-legged officer was reportedly shot twice, once in the neck with a bullet also grazing his snout. Davis was shot multiple times by officers and died at the scene. Footage shared on social media showed a group of five officers carrying Rocky away from the danger and then loaded into a nearby helicopter to be rushed for emergency vet treatment. open image in gallery Police in Texas rush K9 officer Rocky to an air ambulance after he was shot during a shootout with an armed suspect on Wednesday ( KHOU11 ) The dog, who is 18 months old and has six months of service, was taken to Westbury Animal Hospital where he is said to be in stable condition. According to the U.S. Marshals, Rocky will survive his injuries. Social media users were quick to praise Rockys bravery, with one writing: Rocky is a gd hero. All the Police K9s are. But today it was Rockys turn to answer the call. What a brave, handsome boy. He deserves a steak dinner and all the scratchies. What an exquisite animal, added another. open image in gallery K9 officer Rocky was shot during a shootout between police and a suspect in Houston, Texas ( U.S. Marshals Service ) Theyre part of our existence as a police department, as law enforcement in general, whether be it bombs, be it drugs, you name it, saving lives, those dogs are amazing and theyre part of us, Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said in a news conference following the incident. The Marshals also sent its condolences to the Brazoria County Sheriffs Office and the family and friends of Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the force, describing his death as a tremendous loss. In its own post online, the Sheriffs office described him as a dedicated public servant, known for his integrity, compassion, and commitment to our community. open image in gallery Deputy Jesus Vargas was fatally shot after attempting to serve a warrant to Robert Lee Davis ( KPRC Click2Houston ) He was more than a team memberhe was a friend, mentor, and inspiration to everyone who knew him. His professionalism and kind nature left a lasting impact on our office and the residents he served, the post read. Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the force, was gunned down in the parking lot of a shopping center at around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. The deputy and his team were attempting to serve a warrant on Davis, when he unexpectedly opened fire from his vehicle, authorities said. open image in gallery Davis was shot and killed by police at the scene, but not before he also fired shots and wounded Rocky ( KPRC Click2Houston ) The deputy was shot in the head and was transported to Ben Taub Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A memorial for Vargas has since been set up outside the Brazoria County Sheriffs Office for members of the public to pay their respects. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An elderly woman who had just claimed her lottery winnings from a convenience store in Florida was violently robbed in an attack that was caught on camera. It happened just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday outside the Buddys Food and Lotto in Orlando, according to the Orange County Sheriffs Office. According to surveillance footage outside the store, the victim an 83-year-old woman had just received her lotto winnings and was trying to get into her car when she was approached by a man who attempted to grab the envelope of cash from her hand. open image in gallery Tavarez Fleury has been arrested and faces charges of robbery and battery ( Orange County Sheriffs Office ) The video then shows another man rushing from the store to help the woman as she and the suspect struggled on the ground when she tried to defend herself. After slamming the victim down, the suspect fled with her case, the sheriffs office said. Authorities posted the harrowing video footage on social media in an attempt to identify and track down the suspect. open image in gallery Footage shows the victim an 83-year-old woman being attacked after claiming her lottery winnings ( Orange County Sheriffs Office ) Surveillance footage captured the suspect, and deputies believe he is Diego Stalin Tavarez Fleury, announced sheriffs officials. A manhunt was launched and Fleury was arrested the next day. He faces charges of robbery and battery on a person 65 or older. Ae Sun Lee, who has worked at Buddys Food and Lotto for more than a decade, told Click Orlando that Fleury is known to frequent the area, but that he is not a regular customer. Hes a troublemaker, she said. He just hangs outside. I remember my manager giving him a trespass notice years ago, but they still come back. They dont care. She also said she knows the victim, who police have not named. Shes a regular customer, Lee said. Ive known her for over 10 years. Shes a very nice lady and talks to everybody. Everybody is her friend. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An Oklahoma pastor was arrested for sexual battery just one day after he delivered a sermon about letting bygones be bygones. Enoch Ankiwale, a pastor at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Oasis of Love Parish in Midwest City, Oklahoma, was arrested Monday. He faces allegations of kidnapping and sexual battery related to his cleaning business, Bakafe LLC., according to court documents obtained by KFOR. Akinwale, who is married according to his churchs website, is accused of groping workers on the job. He has been in charge of the cleaning business since 2010, records show,. The allegations against him began in November 2024. In one instance, the pastor allegedly told one victim that she was beautiful and then grabbed her from behind; she then quit, the victim said. open image in gallery Pastor Enoch Ankiwale preached about forgiveness on Sunday. On Monday, he was arrested for alleged sexual battery and kidnapping ( Oklahoma City Police ) Another victim recalled walking up the stairs when Akinwale came up behind her and groped her, according to court documents. He then followed her into an apartment, where he trapped her in the bathroom, she claimed. There, he groped her several times and pinned her against the sink, despite her sayingno multiple times, she told police. To shake him loose, she tried to elbow him in the head, but he grabbed her arm, stopping her. Although she didnt understand what he was saying, she got his hints: licking his lips and saying Durex, a condom brand. She interpreted that he was trying to pay her for sex. More victims could be coming forward in the near future, court records suggest. Some women received apology texts from Akinwale, they told police, KFOR reported. Just one day before his arrest, Akinwale preached about forgiveness at his churchs Sunday service. He advised, Dont focus on your past, and added: God says let bygones be bygones. His wife told local reporters that hes not here and we need to talk to our lawyer. Akinwale was being held on a $75,000 bond, but has since been released, according to the outlet. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The father of one of the approximately 100 hostages being held in Gaza by Hamas is still in the dark about the fate of his son, despite Israel and the militant group reaching a ceasefire and prisoner release deal to bring about the end of the brutal conflict. Sagui Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz during the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that kicked off the conflict. His father, Hebrew University of Jerusalem history professor Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told The Independent he still has very little information about the fate of his son. Im a parent of a hostage who is completely in the dark, he said. We dont have solid information about Sagui or any of the other hostages, who is alive or who is not. He pointed out how Hamas has not allowed international aid groups like the Red Cross or Red Crescent to check on the status of the hostages. Before he was captured, Sagui, described by his father as a builder and a creator, was up early tinkering on his hobby, converting old vehicles into mobile projects like food markets and digital classrooms to serve under-resourced communities in southern Israel, the professor told The Independent in 2023. open image in gallery Jonathan Dekel-Chen (center, white shirt) is uncertain about the fate of his son, Hamas hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen, despite recently announced ceasefire deal ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Sagui helped alert his fellow kibbutz residents when he saw heavily armed Hamas fighters entering the area. Under the terms of the ceasefire deal, which starts on Sunday, Hamas and Israel will exchange hostages and prisoners in phases. During the first 42-day phase, Hamas will release 33 hostages, a group made up of children, women, including female soldiers, and people over the age of 50. President Biden said on Wednesday that American hostages will be among those released in this first phase. Im proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase one as well, and the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home, Biden said. Still, family members of hostages, like Professor Dekel-Chen, are uncertain of what comes next. open image in gallery Sagui Dekel-Chen tried to alert residents of kibbutz Nir Oz to October 7 Hamas attack before he was captured In terms of the order in which they come out and which phase, theres no way for families to know at this point, certainly of males, of when their loved ones may be coming out, he said. Other families expressed similar feelings. Adi Alexanders son Edan Alexander, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen, was serving in the Israeli military when he was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7. Unfortunately the young guys, such as Edan, they wont be on the first phase, but you know, at this point, everybody that was being kept for such a long time in the tunnels of Gaza, is considered to be humanitarian, so hopefully they will be out, Adi Alexander told WBUR on Wednesday. We have to stay hopeful and pray. We havent seen our son for more than a year, he added. Family members of hostages expressed both caution and gratitude for the ceasefire deal. open image in gallery Israeli and American families of hostages held by Hamas have long pushed for the governments involved in the conflict to reach a ceasefire deal and bring the captives home ( Getty Images ) This is a significant step forward that brings us closer to seeing all hostages return - the living to rehabilitation, and the deceased for proper burial, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the families, said in a statement. However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind. We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out. The deal will also see the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, many of whom international officials say have been held without charge and often incommunicado, while some have been subject to alleged sexual abuse and torture. Israel will release 50 Palestinian prisoners for every female Israeli soldier thats returned, and 30 such prisoners for each other hostage. After the ceasefire was announced, Donald Trump claimed his election and incoming administration helped break the logjam in negotiations to end the 15-month conflict. It signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump wrote on Truth Social. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Prominent banker Mark Carney is launching a bid to lead Canadas ruling Liberal Party, he said Thursday, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned his position as head of the party. Carney, 59, currently serves as the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance. He is also the chair of Brookfield Asset Management and Bloomberg L.P.s board of directors. Im here to ask for your support, Carney said in an announcement from Edmonton, Alberta. Im here to earn your trust. Carney joined the Canadian Finance Ministry in 2004 before becoming governor of the Bank of Canada in 2007. He then became governor of the Bank of England in 2013, becoming the first person in the country to head two major central banks. He then left his post in 2020 before taking on his role at the UN. open image in gallery Mark Carney announced his bid for leader of Canadas Liberal Party on Thursday ( Getty Images ) My generation of Canadians is lucky, Carney said Thursday. We had a good time. A time to prosper. The system that our parents built worked well for us. But those good old times, my friends, are over. Our times are anything but ordinary. Trudeau resigned as leader of the Liberal Party on January 6 after facing heavy pressure to step down from fellow Liberal Party members. The opposition parties, Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and Bloc Quebecois also signaled they would move for a non-confidence vote against Trudeau in January when Parliament was slated to return. Trudeau has said hell resign as prime minister once his replacement is decided on. Canadians do not directly elect their prime ministers. The leader of the party that wins the greatest number of seats in the House of Commons currently the Liberal Party becomes prime minister. Trudeau quit as head of his party after his deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, abruptly resigned in December. She cited disagreements over the handling of President-elect Donald Trumps threats to instate 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian goods exported to the US. Trudeau has since asked Parliament to be suspended until March. Opposition parties are still expected to hold a confidence vote, which could move the federal elections forward from October. After a tumultuous end to Trudeaus leadership, Carney is now seeking to portray himself as an outsider uninvolved with the prime ministers struggles, The New York Times reports. However, the Conservative Party has already pushed back on this image. As a long-time Liberal insider, advisor at least as early as 2020...Carney is the furthest thing possible from an outsider, the party said in a statement, according to Reuters. The Times reports Freeland could be one of Carneys potential challengers, though she declined to replace Trudeau after his government asked her to earlier this month. A recent poll by Abacus Data indicates Freeland is much more recognizable among Canadians than Carney, with just 24 percent recognizing the banker while 51 percent recognized the former deputy prime minister. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A lack of rainfall in Southern California created the tinderbox conditions for the Los Angeles wildfires to rapidly burn through more than 40,000 acres of land. The region has experienced one of its driest winter spells on record and rainfall is needed, but with it also comes the threat of toxic chemicals and pollution that will run into the ocean. Experts and locals in the area have warned that rainfall will cause toxic debris from the fires to rush down the hills and canyons through drains and straight into the Pacific Ocean, which will have a devastating impact on the ecosystem. So much of the forest and the wildlife has been burnt down, community volunteer Seth Monk told USA Today. All that stuffs just going to go into the ocean. Another local who owns a surf shop in Santa Monica said they feared the next rainfall. open image in gallery Experts and locals in the area have warned that rainfall will cause toxic debris to rush down the hills and canyons ( AFP via Getty Images ) The whole ecosystem is going to change, Marjan Khonsari said. We are due for some rain and its going to be really bad. Once it rains, everything is going to run into the ocean. An ocean water advisory was issued by L.A. Countys Public Health because of the uncertain amount of fire-fighting runoff, which may contain toxic chemicals and debris that have entered the ocean during fire-fighting operations, the agency said. It warned surfers and swimmers to stay out of the water until further notice. Heal the Bay, a local environmental non-profit, warned that the area must build more resiliency to protect the natural world. Horrific fires always impact the shoreline habitat and water quality, as detritus and runoff from the destruction inevitably flow to the Bay. But rarely have we seen environmental devastation like this, the group said in an Instagram post. open image in gallery The region has experienced one of its driest winter spells on record ( AFP via Getty Images ) The apocalyptic scenes serve as a warning that we must build more resiliency into our natural and built systems, especially as climate impacts become more frequent and severe in the decades to come. Rainfall can reduce the intensity of fires if there is enough of it. The moisture from the rain can reduce the intensity of the fire by wetting any existing fire fuel, such as trees and plants, the Western Fire Chiefs Association said in an explainer article. This makes it harder for the fire to spread and can help firefighters in their efforts to control and extinguish the flames. However, the association also warned that heavy rains can trigger landslides after a fire. The combination of intense wildfires followed by rainfall can increase the risks of flash floods, mudslides, and erosion in fire-affected areas, they said. This is because the fire destroys vegetation and damages the soil, reducing its capacity to absorb water. open image in gallery Surfers and swimmers have been told to stay out of the water until further notice ( Getty Images ) There is no significant rain forecast for the region in the immediate future. Experts also warned people not to go sifting through whats left of their homes to recover possessions because of the level of pollution. Residents should not, not, not, go home and sift through the debris, Katie Arrington, an environmental cleanup expert, told USA Today. It is highly toxic debris. Its the mixing all the materials together, along with it burning. Its not just your house, but your neighbors houses, your car in the driveway. Another expert likened the conditions of the Palisades and Eaton fires to the toxic burn pits used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan that have been linked to several cancers. In general, this is more similar to burn pit exposures than it is to forest fires, environmental toxicologist Luke Montrose told the outlet. Its just a pile of garbage thats being burned and when that fire rips through houses and cars and trees, its going to be putting out more and varied toxic chemicals You add in heavy metals, things like lead, all of your building materials, foams and plastics and carpet and asphalt. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Texas mans finger was severed clean off when the automatic door of a Porsche Panamera closed on his hand after he strapped his grandchild into their car seat, according to a harrowing new lawsuit. Beaumont resident Sylvester Plumbar Jr. was at his daughter and son-in-laws Houston home in May 2023 when the horrifying incident occurred, the complaint obtained by The Independent. states. As Plumbar, 67, was getting ready to leave, he decided to assist by securing their toddler in his car seat, according to the complaint, which was filed Tuesday in state court. Once the boy was strapped in, Plumbar stepped back but didnt move his hand away fast enough, the complaint goes on. His index finger became stuck in the door, it says. Instead of the door releasing, the doors power door close assist, or soft-close doors, continued to close, completely severing the index finger of Plaintiff. open image in gallery Sylvester Plumbar Jr. was left with just nine fingers following a harrowing incident involving a Porsche Panamera ( Getty Images ) The high-end feature uses an electric motor to gently shut the door and is designed to sense the presence of an unexpected object that gets in the way, such as a persons finger, in which case it is meant to immediately stop closing. However, Plumbars complaint claims the system malfunctioned and took his digit, leaving him with only nine fingers. The entry-level Panamera retails for just over $100,000 and can go as high as $226,500 for a top-end model. In an email on Wednesday, Porsche spokesperson Jennifer Bixler told The Independent, Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, we are unable to comment on ongoing legal proceedings. In 2021, an Arizona police officer sued Mercedes-Benz after he lost a thumb in the soft-closing door of his GLE 450. A once proud and independent man who protects the public from harm now relies on his wife to assist him with going to the bathroom, showering, brushing his teeth, getting dressed, and buttoning his shirt, according to the complaint filed on behalf of 69-year-old Pima County Chief Deputy Rick Kastigar, which deemed the motorized door a modern-day guillotine. open image in gallery Some 30,000 people in the US lose fingers each year; clearing debris from lawnmowers is a common cause ( Getty Images ) He has great difficulties holding a pen, feeding himself, tying his shoes, using tools, and assisting around the house with chores such as laundry and washing dishes, the complaint said. Kastigar and Mercedes later settled out of court. In 2016, a Long Island software engineer was also left thumbless thanks to the soft-closing door of his dream car, a $70,000 BMW X5. open image in gallery A Porsche spokesperson declined to comment on Sylvester Plumbars claim ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) With the front drivers door approximately one-foot ajar, the sensor activated the electric motor, which pulled the drivers door firmly, and not so softly snapped through the flesh, nerves, blood vessels, tendons, musculature and bone structure of Boatengs right thumb, Godwin Boatengs lawsuit read. Last June, following a years-long court battle, a jury awarded Boateng, 68, nearly $2 million in damages . Plumbar has requested a jury trial and is demanding a minimum of $250,000. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested in Georgia before flying to Chicago because he was intoxicated, according to authorities. David Allsop, 52, was arrested at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport around 7 a.m. Wednesday, records show. He was charged with driving under the influence. The pilot allegedly smelled of alcohol and was removed by airport police before he flew Southwest Flight 3772 to Chicago from Savannah, Georgia, a source told CBS News. Photos shared online show cops removing him from the cockpit of the plane. Further details of what led to his arrest have not been released. The flight took off nearly 5 hours after its scheduled departure, FlightAware data shows. open image in gallery Pilot David Allsop was arrested before flying from Savannah, Georgia to Chicago Wednesday because he was allegedly intoxicated ( Chatham County Sheriff's Office ) He was being held in Chatham County Jail on a $3,500 bond and has since been released, records show. The employee has been removed from duty, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told the outlet. Customers were accommodated on other flights and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers, the spokesperson added. In a statement to The Independent, the FAA said its regulations prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or from flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or greater. Its not immediately clear what his blood alcohol concentration was at the time of his arrest. The Independent has reached out to Southwest Airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Chatham County Sheriffs Office for more information. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The family of an OpenAI whistleblower have called for his death to be reinvestigated after it was ruled to be a suicide. Suchir Balaji, 26, a former OpenAI engineer who helped train the artificial intelligence systems behind ChatGPT and later said he believed those practices violated copyright law was found dead just days before he was called to be a witness in a case, his family said. Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26 in what police said appeared to be a suicide. No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation. The citys chief medical examiners office confirmed the manner of death to be suicide but a congressman has now backed calls for an FBI investigation into the death. His parents Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers, describing their son as a happy, smart and brave young man who loved to hike and recently returned from a trip with friends. In a new interview with KTVU, Ramarao insisted there were things out of place in his ransacked apartment where his body was found four days before he was due to be called as a witness to the OpenAI case. The pin drive is missing. His computer was messed up. His desktop was left on for three days. Its messed up, she added. They claim he was called as a witness for a copyright case against OpenAI four days before his death. open image in gallery ( Fox/Family Handout ) You can see how happy he is. We want the world to see his happy mood just before his death, said Ramarao. She added that there was some sign of struggle in the bathroom and looks like someone hit him in the bathroom based on blood spots. Ramarao says the family will conduct an independent autopsy after attention was drawn to the case by Tesla billionaire Elon Musk who posted an interview with Ms Ramarao labelling the case extremely concerning. On December 29, Musk posted: This doesnt seem like a suicide. Congressman Ro Khanna backed the familys calls for an investigation after being texted live on air by Conservative firebrand Tucker Carlson as he interviewed Balajis family. open image in gallery Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy said they are still seeking answers ( Fox News ) Khanna said: My heart breaks for Suchir Balajis family and his mother, Poornima Ramarao, who I spoke to yesterday. It is a tragic loss. I trust that the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies will conduct an investigation. Let them investigate and bring it out, rather than speculating about something. We want the truth to come out and a report from the authorities as to what could be the reason for his death, said Ms Ramarao. Suchir first raised his concerns around OpenAI with The New York Times, which reported them in an October profile of Balaji. He later told The Associated Press he would try to testify in the strongest copyright infringement cases and considered a lawsuit brought by The New York Times last year to be the most serious. Times lawyers named him in a Nov. 18 court filing as someone who might have unique and relevant documents supporting allegations of OpenAIs willful copyright infringement. He said gradually grew more disillusioned with OpenAI, especially after the internal turmoil that led its board of directors to fire and then rehire CEO Sam Altman last year. This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A United Airlines flight was forced to return to its gate after striking a coyote at Chicagos OHare International Airport. Flight 1727 en route to Phoenix, Arizona was about to take off Sunday morning when its landing gear struck a coyote, a United Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent. As a result, the plane was forced to return to the gate and was taken out of service. The 167 passengers and six crew members had to deplane. The airline arranged for them to take a later flight. United Airlines did not provide The Independent information on the condition of the coyote. This wasnt the first time a coyote made headlines this week, CBS Chicago reports. On Monday, a coyote got stuck in a refrigerated shelf at a local Aldi store after running into the store, according to the outlet. Chicago police responded, helping pull the animal from the shelves. The animal is now at the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation and could be soon released into the wild. Meanwhile, United Airlines was in the news last month after a body was found in a planes wheel well. Flight UA202 arrived at the Kahului Airport the afternoon of December 24. On the ground, officials discovered a body inside the wheel well. Upon arrival at Kahului airport in Maui a body was found in the wheel well of one of the main landing gears on a United aircraft, United Airlines said in a statement to CNN. The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. Hiding in a planes wheel well is the most common method used by stowaways, according to CNN. However, its often fatal, as stowaways can develop deadly hypothermia and hypoxia as the plane climbs, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Stowaways can also get crushed as the landing gear retracts. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy UnitedHealth has lost some $63 billion in value since the shocking murder of one of its top executives last month. The price of shares in the group have dropped by roughly $100 since December 4, the day that UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down on a New York City street by suspect Luigi Mangione. As of Wednesday, the stock price was valued at around $510 each, down from its $610 per share Dec. 4 mark However, despite Thompsons murder bringing concerns over the U.S. healthcare system into the spotlight, UnitedHealth posted a better-than-expected profit in the final quarter of 2024. Group bosses opened a call with analysts Thursday morning by offering thanks for condolences the company has received since Thompsons death. Brian helped build this company and forged deep, trusted relationships for over 20 years, and the positive impact he had on people will be felt for years to come, Chief Financial Officer John Rex said. open image in gallery UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was gunned down as he walked to the companys annual investor meeting in mid-town Manhattan on December 4. The healthcare company has lost has lost $63 billion in value since the murder ( AP ) UnitedHealth bosses said adjusted earnings for the three months ending in December came in at $6.81 a share, up 10.6 percent from the same period last year and 9 cents ahead of the Wall Street consensus forecast. Revenues reportedly rose 6.4 percent to $100.8 billion, just inside analysts estimates of $101.76 billion. UnitedHealth operates the nations largest health insurer, UnitedHealthcare, which covers more than 49 million people in the United States. It also operates a large pharmacy benefit manager that runs prescription drug coverage and a growing business that delivers care and provides technical support. The companys full-year profit, which had climbed every year for nearly a decade, sank 36 percent to $14.4 billion in 2024. The bottom line was hurt partly by costs tied to a massive cyberattack that hit its Change Healthcare business early in the year Last month it was also rocked by the sudden and shocking death of Thompson as he walked to the companys annual investor meeting in mid-town Manhattan. open image in gallery The suspected gunman, 26-year-old Luigi Mangione, faces federal and state charges in connection with the incident ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect, faces federal and state charges in connection with the shooting. Prosecutors have said Mangione, who was not a UnitedHealthcare customer, was carrying a notebook expressing hostility toward the health insurance industry and especially wealthy executives when he was arrested. The shooting gave rise to an outpouring of grievances about insurance companies. A survey conducted a few weeks after the shooting found that most Americans believe health insurance profits or coverage denials bear some responsibility for Thompsons death. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lamented that 61 Democrats voted to pass legislation authored by House Republicans that would deport undocumented immigrants convicted of sex crimes. On Thursday, the House passed HR 30, also known as the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which Republican Nancy Mace of South Carolina sponsored. The law would make it so that any non-U.S. citizens who are convicted of or admitted to committing sex crimes would be deportable and unable to come back to the United States. U.S. law already stipulates that migrants can be deported if they commit sex crimes, and the bills critics have charged that it could make victims of domestic abuse afraid of reporting crimes against their abusers. This bill is going to deport victims of domestic violence, she told The Independent. Overwhelmingly women who are being abused and battered are going to be targeted by this, and it is really sad. When asked if she was disappointed by fellow Democrats who voted in favor of the bill, Ocasio-Cortez replied, Of course. open image in gallery Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) saw many Democrats vote for her legislation that would make sex crimes a deportable offense, which already exists on the books. ( Getty Images ) The vote comes after 48 House Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the Laken Riley Act, which would allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for failures related to immigration enforcement. The bill also passed a key vote in the Senate last week, with 32 Democrats voting to allow for debate to move forward. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who represents El Paso, told The Independent it was disapppointing to see so many of her Democratic colleagues voting for Maces bill. I understand how hard it is to take the time to explain all of the unintended consequences, Escobar said of Mace. I'm going to give her grace and say that there are unintended consequences to legislation like this, you know, but I also respect my colleagues decisions. In addition to the many moderates who voted for the legislation, progressives like Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Sarah McBride of Delaware backed Maces bill. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, a Democrat and an immigrant, expressed disappointment as well. I think that people are going to take their own votes so I'm not gonna judge others, he told The Independent. I think, personally, we have to be much more stronger on rights for immigrants. I think it's really been fortunate that bill like this are proposed by Republicans. And so I think we've got to be very tough in our messaging and be a lot stronger. open image in gallery Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) warned that the bill is going to deport victims of domestic violence ( Getty Images ) Republicans, led by Donald Trump, aggressively attacked Democrats on the influx of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border during Joe Bidens presidency, flipping many majority-Hispanic counties in the Southwest. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas, said she understood why voters turned away from their party, but believes they were mislead. I think that we've got to do a better job of messaging, because there are definitely Democrats that felt as if we lost because of trans folk or we lost because of immigration, she told The Independent. I don't even think that they necessarily believe the votes that they cast it. I think that they are concerned about what the people in their districts believe. Crockett blamed Republicans for their messaging about immigration, saying we know that [Republicans] are very good at lying, but we also know that they are going to be put into a precarious situation. Republicans in the House and Senate hope to beef up spending on security at the border shortly after Trump takes the oath of office next week. But Crockett warned that it will not be easy to fix problems at the border. Theyre saying that they're going to solve all issues as it relates to immigration, she told The Independent. Well, good freaking luck. You have a Trump trifecta, you don't need the Democrats, so good luck getting it done, and lets see what happens and I can guarantee you that aint s*** gonna happen. The best of Voices delivered to your inbox every week - from controversial columns to expert analysis Sign up for our free weekly Voices newsletter for expert opinion and columns Sign up to our free weekly Voices newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President-elect Donald Trump is 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. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In his final address to the nation as president, Joe Biden called for the creation of a new Constitutional amendment to demolish the concept of presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president, is immune from crimes he or she commits while in office, he said in remarks from the Oval Office on Wednesday. The presidents power is not unlimited, he said. Its not absolute. And it shouldnt be. Last summer, the Supreme Courts conservative majority granted sitting presidents absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions stemming from official duties, and presumptive immunity for actions in the outer perimeter of the functions of the presidency. That ruling marked a seismic victory for Donald Trump, who argued that his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election are immune from prosecution in the sprawling federal criminal case against him. Joe Biden called for the creation of a new constitutional amendment that would reverse the Supreme Courts decision on presidential immunity ( Getty Images ) The Supreme Courts decision scrambled efforts from special counsel Jack Smith to prosecute the case against the former president, whose appeals on his immunity defense triggered a series of delays that ensured he would evade a trial before Novembers election. After his victory, Smith ended the case altogether, along with a separate case involving Trumps handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has repeatedly invoked immunity to try to dissolve cases against him in courts across the country. He urged the judge overseeing his so-called hush money trial to reject evidence he claims should be shielded by immunity, and then argued that the Supreme Courts immunity ruling demanded that a jurys 34-count guilty verdict be thrown out. After his election victory, Trumps attorneys claimed his immunity extended to his status as a president-elect, signalling how far he could test the limits of presidential power as he returns to the White House. Trumps Department of Justice and White House legal counsel is expected to be made up of criminal defense attorneys who advanced the immunity theory and argued to expand the scope of presidential power in front of the Supreme Court. Biden similarly warned the nation about the implications of the Supreme Courts decision in remarks that followed the ruling on July 1, saying that the ruling almost certainly means that there are virtually no limits on what a president can do. Its a dangerous precedent because the power of the office will no longer be constrained by the law, even including the Supreme Court of the United States, he said at the time. The only limits will be self-imposed by the president alone. Trump will be free to ignore the law, Biden said last year. Bidens farewell address largely warned against the new administration ushering in a new age of robber barons and an oligarchy that literally threatens our entire democracy with an unprecedented concentration of wealth and power. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Trump family is reportedly not fond of Donald Trump Jrs new girlfriend, 38-year-old social media influencer Bettina Anderson. Seven anonymous friends of the Trump family spoke to Mediaite, saying they were concerned about the relationship between Trump Jr. and Anderson. The two went public to start 2025 after Trump Jr. split from Kimberly Guilfoyle. Individuals close to the president have expressed growing concerns about the potential liability posed by his sons new relationship, one friend told the outlet on Monday. A friend of Trump Jr. added that they gave him a call to warn him that Anderson reportedly had a reputation for partying and dating wealthy men in Florida. Andersons representatives strongly rejected those allegations, according to Mediaite. I told him that shes not someone he should be around, and let him know about her past, the friend told the outlet. Several people told Mediaite that President-elect Donald Trump is also concerned about the association. A friend of the family claimed that Trump does not approve of the relationship and that her presence is seen as a liability rather than an asset. Donald Trump Jr. and Bettina Anderson. Family friends have reportedly warned the Trump family about the relationship ( Getty Images ) Allies of Trump are bringing him stories about Andersons past and telling him to stop her from being at the inauguration on Monday. A number of sources also said that two former partners of Andersons have contacted Trump Jr. to warn him. The idea that he might have the audacity to bring a casual partner on stage at the inauguration has been described as a potential misstep that could etch this relationship, and its questionable nature, into the history books, a family friend told Mediaite. The relationship between Trump Jr. and Anderson initially became public after he split with Guilfoyle, the former wife of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Guilfoyle has been nominated to serve as the U.S. ambassador to Greece in the next Trump administration. Family members are particularly worried about the optics surrounding Bettinas reputation and Trump Jr.s behavior, a family friend told the outlet. The friend cited a story in the Daily Mail about a packet of Zyn, a nicotine pouch brand, being seen in a photo of Trump Jr. and his children. The family friend told Mediaite the behavior deviates from [Trump Jr.s] typically cautious public image. The President, who has long viewed drug and alcohol use as signs of unnecessary weakness, finds this lack of discretion troubling. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy At least two American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza will be returned to their families as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, according to several reports. Israeli and Hamas officials reached a ceasefire agreement on Wednesday in the 15-month conflict in Gaza, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday. The deal has been confirmed by the U.S. and Qatar, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Wednesday the deal is not yet complete, according to the Associated Press. The Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack in Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. In response, Israel launched a 15-month offensive in Gaza, killing more than 46,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the Palestinian Health Authority. Seven Americans were taken hostage then by Hamas. Three are believed to be alive, while four are believed to have been killed and their remains have yet to be returned, CNN reports. Biden declined to reveal the identities of the American hostages set to be released. However, Reuters and CNN later reported their identities, citing senior administration officials, as Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen. open image in gallery President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announces the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. At least two American hostages are set to be released in the first phase of the deal, according to reports from several outlets ( REUTERS ) Siegel, 64, is a father and grandfather. Hes described by his family as an optimist and lover of the outdoors, according to the American Jewish Committee. He was taken hostage with his wife, who was released in 2023. Dekel-Chen, 35, is a father of three described by his loved ones as a builder and a creator. Siegel and Dekel-Chen are expected to be released during the first phase of the agreement. However, Dekel-Chens father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told The Independent he still has very little information about his sons status. Im a parent of a hostage who is completely in the dark, he said. We dont have solid information about Sagui or any of the other hostages, who is alive or who is not. He complained that Hamas has not allowed international aid groups like the Red Cross or Red Crescent to check on the status of the hostages. Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz during the Hamas attack, after he helped alert his fellow kibbutz residents when he spotted heavily armed Hamas fighters entering the area. Before he was captured, he was up early tinkering on his hobby, converting old vehicles into movable projects like food markets to serve under-resourced communities in southern Israel, his father told The Independent in 2023. The third American believed to be alive is Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli Defense Forces soldier from New Jersey. A senior Biden administration official told the Associated Press he will likely be released at a later date, during the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. We are committed to getting all Americans, these are American-Israeli citizens, all of them out of Gaza, whether living or remains. That is our commitment, a White House official told ABC News. open image in gallery Jonathan Dekel-Chen (center) told The Independent hes in the dark about his sons fate ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Phase one of the deal states that Hamas officials will release a total of 33 hostages, many of whom are children, women and people over 50. In return, Israeli officials will release 50 Palestinian prisoners held in their jails for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for other hostages held by Hamas. Phase two of the agreement will include negotiating a permanent end to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Biden said. During the next six weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war. Let me say it again: A permanent end of the war, he noted. Meanwhile, President-elect Trump claimed credit for the ceasefire, arguing it could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November. open image in gallery Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas militants, gather in favour of the Gaza truce in front of the Israeli defence ministry in Tel Aviv on January 16, 2025 (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) ( AFP via Getty Images ) It signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump said. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Trumps incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend. Outgoing White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also confirmed the Biden administration worked closely with Trumps team to secure the deal. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jared Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump have been given the go-ahead for their $1.4 billion luxury hotel project in Albania. The Albanian government has given its preliminary approval to a plan put forward by President-elect Donald Trumps son-in-law, according to The New York Times. The project involves building a luxury hotel complex at a small abandoned military base off the Albanian coast. The proposal is just one of a number connected to Trump and his family, which involves foreign governments as the family returns to the White House. Jared and Ivanka have both said they will not take official roles in the administration - but the son-in-law will advise Donald Trump on Middle East issues, according to reports. Albanias Strategic Investment Committee, which approved the project, is headed by Prime Minister Edi Rama and hands Kushner and his associates the right to proceed with negotiations to build the resort on 111 acres on the island of Sazan. The island will be connected to the coast via ferry. When previously asked about the projects, both the Albanian government and Kushner have said that the project is not influenced by Kushners connection to Trump or is an attempt to get favors from the the U.S., according to The Times. The fact that such a renowned American entrepreneur shows his interest on investing in Albania makes us very proud and happy, a spokesperson for Rama told the paper last year. open image in gallery Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner have gotten the go-ahead for their $1.4 billion hotel in Albania ( Getty Images ) Virginia Canter, a White House ethics attorney during the Clinton and Obama administrations, told The Times that any government deal with the Trump family gives the impression that theres an effort to gain influence with the president-elect. It all looks like favoritism like they are providing access to Kushner because they want to be on the good side of Trump, Canter told the paper. Albanian natives were quick to voice their concerns about the proposed deal in exclusive interviews with The Independent in the fall about the proposal. Arben Kola, a freelance Albanian tour guide, told of her fears over the selection and building of Trumps villas. Some of the public is blind to the danger these developments bring, people in Vlore dont want to talk about this out of fear, He told The Independent. They cant raise concerns out of fear of losing their businesses. The way tourism works for Sazan at the moment is it helps to preserve nature, not damage it. We shouldnt change that. However, Brunilda Licaj, a lecturer in tourism at the Aleksander Moisiu University, welcomed the proposal. Its a good idea for Vlore; its a beautiful project. Its a development for the future. Its a positive for Albanian people, it is bringing a new sort of tourism to the country and with it new income for the local people, she said. open image in gallery Residents along Albanias coast were split on the proposed development ( AFP/Getty ) Kushners private equity company, Affinity Partners, is supported by about $4.6 billion from Saudi Arabia and other sovereign wealth funds in the Middle East. The company is working on the project in Albania along with real estate executive Asher Abehsera, whom Kushner has previously worked with on projects in Brooklyn. A document recently shared online reveals that the Albanian government will work with its U.S. partners to remove any possible buried munitions from the proposed site for the hotel and that it will look into any other potential legal or environmental concerns. But the document, which is dated December 30, also states that the government has the right to revoke the decision, following the final negotiations for the project. Affinity Partners has said that they are planning to build a five-star eco-resort community and that they will convert a former military base into a vibrant international destination for hospitality and wellness. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President-elect Donald Trump has appointed actors Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone, and Jon Voight to be his special ambassadors to Hollywood, calling it a great but very troubled place. They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACKBIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE! Trump wrote on Truth Social on Thursday. These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest, he added. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood! The positions ar not officials government positions, and Hollywood is part of the U.S. so its unclear exactly what the three will do as special amabassadors. open image in gallery President-elect Donald Trump greets actor Sylvester Stallone onstage at the America First Policy Institute Gala. He is one of three movie stars appointed to serve as Trumps envoys to Hollywood ( Getty Images ) During an event at Mar-a-Lago last month, Gibson called the Biden administration, four years of thinly veiled Marxism. He added that the new Trump administration would lead to a four-year grace period. Well see how much this administration can claw back from the Philistines, Gibson said, according to The Daily Beast. While introducing Trump at the America First Policy Gala in November last year, also hosted at Mar-a-Lago, Stallone called Trump the second George Washington. Comparing his character Rocky to Trump, Stallone said, This man was going to go through a metamorphosis and change lives, just like President Trump, according to USA Today. open image in gallery Jon Voight and Mel Gibson will be the other two special ambassadors to Hollywood ( Getty ) open image in gallery During an event at Mar-a-Lago last month, Gibson called the Biden administration, four years of thinly veiled Marxism ( Getty ) Were in the presence of a really mythical character Nobody in the world couldve pulled off what he pulled off, so Im in awe, he said just over a week after Trumps election victory. When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world, Stallone said during the November 14 event. Because without him, you can imagine what the world would look like. Guess what, we got the second George Washington. Voight has backed a number of Republican politicians in the last several years, including Trump. After Trumps Access Hollywood comments about grabbing women by their genitals surfaced in 2016, Voight defended Trump, saying that he wasnt aware of too many men who havent expressed some sort of similar sexual terms towards women. In 2017, the Oscar-winning actor added that he didnt know if God could reverse all the negative lies against Mr. Trump, whose only desire was to make America great again. Two years later, in 2019, Voight called Trump the greatest president since Abraham Lincoln. Voight also supported Trumps false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, saying that it was a battle of righteousness versus Satan. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Ohio Republican Mike Turner as chairman of the powerful House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) on Wednesday in response to a direct request from President-elect Donald Trump, according to a report. Turner himself privately told colleagues that his ousting from the panel, which oversees the FBI and CIA, came at the insistence of the incoming commander-in-chief, according to The Daily Beast, citing a senior GOP lawmaker. Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant, the source told the publication, implying that the president-elect considers the representative insufficiently loyal to his MAGA wing of the Republican Party to be trusted to fall in line. Trump making demands to fire Turner just fractured the conference, another lawmaker told the Beast. It undermines his whole reconciliation agenda. Dumb move. We are a big tent or we are not. Looks like we are not. However, Speaker Johnson denied the claims about Turners ousting when asked about it by reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday. This is not a President Trump decision, this is a House decision and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman, he did a great job, but we just, the intelligence community and everything related to HPSCI is... It needs a fresh start and thats what this is about, nothing else, the speaker said. I have nothing negative to say about Mike Turner at all, hes a good man, a good colleague, I respect his work. Ohio Republican Representative Mike Turner, the now-former chair of the House Intelligence Committee ( AP ) Hes going to continue to be my appointee with everything regarding NATO. Turner is known for having an independent streak and said just last month that the Department of Justice (DOJ) committed a grave constitutional violation during the first Trump administration when it secretly obtained phone records and emails belonging to congressional members and staffers. He called the DOJs behaviour, exposed by a report from Inspector General Michael Horowitz, outrageous, a stance unlikely to endear him to the president-elect. Turner has also appeared on programs loathed by Trump like CNNs State of the Union and CBSs Face the Nation in the past to warn that his party had become infected by Russian propaganda and to vehemently disagree with the former and future presidents apparent eagerness to tear up the US Constitution. Turner responded publicly to his removal from the panel on Wednesday by saying in a statement: Im very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the committee, and Im honored to have served with them. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. While the congressman claims to bear no grudge, were he ultimately to feel otherwise and decide to step away from Congress, Speaker Johnson would find himself managing an already razor-thin majority down one representative in a crucial swing district. Johnson has yet to name a replacement for Turner on a committee for which the speaker is solely responsible, unlike others whose leadership is appointed by a steering committee. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A year after all native tribes in South Dakota banned Republican Governor Kristi Noem from their reservations, one is welcoming her back with open arms. On Tuesday, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe voted to rescind Noems banishment, which reservation leaders passed in May. The governor has been tapped as President-elect Donald Trumps pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and her confirmation hearing is scheduled for Friday. I wish you the best of luck during the Senate confirmation hearing on January 17, 2025, and believe that your dedication to the safety and security of the United States will benefit us all, President of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Anthony Reider wrote to Noem in a letter after the vote. The tribe has an estimated enrollment of 736 members. Noem was banned from entering nine South Dakota reservations last year after she made comments suggesting tribal leaders benefitted from cartel activity in the state. Weve got some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefiting from the cartels being there, and thats why they attack me every day, Noem said during a March forum. But Im going to fight for the people who actually live in those situations, who call me and text me every day and say, Please, dear governor, please come help us in Pine Ridge. We are scared. The entrance to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Noem also made comments regarding the future of native childrens lives. Their kids dont have any hope, Noem said about children on reservations. They dont have parents who show up and help them. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe was the last to ban Noem. When the resolution passed, tribe officials told the governor the ban was imminent. Tribe officials requested she refrain from making future blanket statements that offend the tribes within South Dakota. The tribe also told Noem the banishment could be resolved if she apologized for the comments which were deemed offensive by some, the letter states. In several meetings before and after the resolution was passed, you not only explained your position, but apologized if the comments offended the tribe, Reider wrote. You additionally sought advice on how to phrase such communications moving forward, which the tribe and I appreciate. In an emailed statement to The Independent, a representative for Noem said: The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe recognizes that Governor Noem will make America safe again as Secretary of Homeland Security. We appreciate their support and will continue working with them to make all of our communities safer, stronger, and freer. Noem is still banned from the remaining tribes, which are the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Yankton Sioux Tribe. Together, the tribes make up of thousands of members. More than 12 percent of the state is a reservation or land trust. Get Nadine White's Race Report newsletter for a fresh perspective on the week's news Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Get our free newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Gov. Patrick Morrisey, the new Republican governor of West Virginia, used his first full day in office this week to issue a barrage of executive orders, including one eradicating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives from state-run institutions and another granting students exemptions from school vaccination programs on religious grounds. Speaking at the State Capitol in Charleston on Tuesday, Governor Morrissey who succeed Jim Justice in the role after serving as West Virginias attorney general for more than a decade said of his assault on DEI that he was actually working to shield citizens from racial and gender discrimination, declaring that it was inappropriate for preferential treatment to be handed down to certain groups over others, whatever the intention. However, US Census data for 2024 indicates that West Virginias racial-demographic makeup is currently 93 percent white, making it one of Americas least racially diverse states in the first place, casting doubt on the need for striking out against diversity hiring policies. Morrissey defended his order by citing the US Supreme Courts 2023 ruling that race cannot be a factor in deciding college admissions, saying that his administration would be sending out letters to cabinet officials and agency bosses instructing them to conduct reviews to identify potential DEI that may exist within state government so that it can be rooted out. Before I start calling everyone out, I want to see the changes put in place, he said, declining to specify what initiatives in which agencies he wanted removed. His vaccine order, meanwhile, upends the states school vaccination policy, which has previously been applauded by medical experts as among the safest for children in the United States. West Virginias youth are required by law to receive vaccines for chickenpox, hepatitis-b, measles, meningitis, mumps, diphtheria, polio, rubella, tetanus and whooping cough but not Covid-19 before commencing their education. Morrisseys intervention now grants an exemption if parents write to the state Bureau of Public Health to outline their objections and marks a break with his pro-vaccine predecessor Justice, now a senator, who last year vetoed a sweeping vaccination bill passed by the Republican supermajority in the legislature precisely because it enabled opt-outs. open image in gallery West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey and his wife, Denise, greet people following his swearing-in at the state capitol in Charleston on Monday January 13 2025 ( Chris Jackson/AP ) Morrissey argued his new order was permitted under the Equal Protection for Religion Act, which the West Virginia legislature passed in 2023 and which stipulates that the state cannot substantially burden an individuals constitutional right to freedom of religion without a compelling interest. But his state, along with Mississippi, already has the worst health outcomes and lowest life expectancy rates in the union, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and its pre-pandemic vaccine rate for children of 95 percent has recently fallen to 92.7 percent. The governor stated that it was his role to ensure that the US Constitution is interpreted correctly and enforced the right way in West Virginia. But the states Democratic Party Chairman Mike Pushkin said he was not impressed with Morrisseys executive orders, calling them a troubling example of executive overreach that could harm us for generations. Pushkin accused the governor of using divisive rhetoric aimed at dividing people by race, stating that, in his opinion, Morrisey was trying to not just make laws, but also interpret them. The newly-elected governor of West Virginia needs to remember that hes the governor for all of us, even people who dont necessarily have the same beliefs as him and also people who dont look like him, he added. Like Morrissey, President-elect Donald Trump has promised to fire out a flurry of executive orders as soon as he returns to the White House following his inauguration ceremony on Monday and he too has complained about DEI and perceived wokeness in Americas public institutions. Trump has also nominated Robert F Kennedy Jr, a noted vaccine sceptic, to be his administrations secretary of health and human services. Additional reporting by agencies. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Nearly a million immigrants will continue to be allowed to live and work for the next two years in the United States under emergency legislation extended by Joe Biden in one of the last decrees of his presidency. With Donald Trump hoping to expand his America First agenda after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election with strong anti-migrant rhetoric, this latest move from Biden will likely be taken personally by the president-elect. The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension will cover those living in the United States from Venezuela, El Salvador, Sudan and Ukraine and will run until the fall of 2026. What is TPS? open image in gallery Undocumented Migrant Crossings Into US dropped to 4-Year low In November ( Getty Images ) A 1990 law signed by then-president George HW Bush allows the president (through the Secretary of Homeland Security) to grant immigrants in the United States the ability to live and work legally if their home countries arent safe because of armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. The extensions will allow people from those countries who are currently protected under TPS to apply for another 18 months of protection from deportation and work permits. TPS is granted for a given country for 18 to 24 months at a time, usually in the aftermath of a war, natural disaster, or other humanitarian emergency that prevent people from safely returning to their home countries. Under Biden, a Trump-era decision to end TPS for Salvadorans was rescinded after a group of Latino officials pleaded with the outgoing president to continue TPS for people from those countries with meritorious cases, citing horrific levels of violence that surged in recent years in Ecuador, along with the oppression of the Ortega regime that has controlled Nicaragua for decades and political and environmental conditions in El Salvador. Which nationalities are protected? Currently, 17 countries have TPS designations, with nearly 1.1 million foreign nationals protected by TPS, currently living in all 50 states: The Biden administrations moves postpone the Trump administrations ability to sunset TPS protections for these four countries. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants will benefit: the Biden administration estimates that 607,000 Venezuelans in the U.S. are protected by TPS, as well as 232,000 Salvadorans; 103,700 Ukrainians; and 1,900 Sudanese nationals. What has Trump said? Trump has repeatedly promised the largest deportation operation in American history, which would rely on a defunct, centuries-old and likely unconstitutional law infamously used to detain Japanese Americans during the Second World War. His invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 would target foreigners for removal, without a hearing or due process, based solely on their place of birth or citizenship. Asked if he would revoke Haitian migrants Temporary Protected Status, the president-elect said: Absolutely. Id revoke it, and Id bring them back to their country. Trump was then pressed on what he would do if Haiti refused to receive the migrants. Well, theyre going to receive them. Theyre going to receive them, he maintained. Haitian migrants are living and working in Springfield, Ohio, legally but have been thrust into an unwelcome spotlight after Trump and his running mate JD Vance peddled baseless rumours that migrants were abducting and eating peoples pets. Trump would direct his administration to deploy federal resources to use local law enforcement to arrest, jail and deport people living in the country without legal permission a plan that would be swiftly met with legal challenges. The operation would also require the construction of vast holding facilities detention camps to hold people marked for removal. People who have been removed from the country under that plan would face an automatic 10-year sentence in jail with no possibility of parole if they return, according to Trump. open image in gallery Michel Berrios fears deportation back to El Salvador under Trump ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Self-deportation Trump and his allies are counting on this self-deportation, the idea that life can be made unbearable enough to make people leave. Self-deportation helps Trump to achieve his goals without the government having to spend or do anything in such cases. Trump has long said he wanted to deport millions of migrants but never deported more than 350,000 a year in his first term. Only 41,500 detention beds are funded this year, so carrying out massive deportations has significant logistical hurdles. If you wanna self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and were gonna come and find you, Trumps incoming border czar Tom Homan has said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Millions of Americans will have to be blocked from posting on TikTok unless there is a last-minute intervention in the coming days. TikTok could be banned in the United States unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance, sells it to a U.S.-based company by January 19. The sell-or-ban proposition was enacted as part of legislation passed By Congres with bipartisan support in April. Now, the constitutionality of that law is being disputed at the Supreme Court and it seems justices are prepared to move in lockstep with Congress. If there is no sale, the ban will be enforced despite the app having 170 million monthly U.S. users. Heres how TikTok can avoid a full ban in the United States: President-elect Donald Trump refuses to enforce the ban Despite once advocating for the TikTok ban, Trump has said he wants to save the popular social media app and has asked the Supreme Court to delay the laws enforcement so he can work out a deal himself. If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, hes going to protect their data, Trumps pick for national security adviser Mike Waltz told ABC. Trump has privately floated the idea of refusing to enforce the ban when he assumes office on January 20 through an executive order. But that is one day after the ban is supposed to take place meaning he must rely on the Supreme Court or Congress to push enforcement until he is sworn in. Hes a deal maker. I dont want to get ahead of our executive orders, but were going to create this space to put that deal in place, Waltz added. While it is an idea, its unclear if the president-elect could successfully forego enforcement because he would be overriding Congresss decision to enact the legislation. He could, however, lower the urgency of enforcement. A lawyer for Trump filed a brief with the Supreme Court saying Trump opposes banning TikTok and is looking to find solutions through political means. The president-elect met with TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew in December. open image in gallery TikTok CEO Shou Chew faced tough questions from members of Congress last year when they were weighing the TikTok ban ( REUTERS ) TikTok may get 270 day extension TikTok could get some relief if Congress passes a new bill extending its January 19 deadline. Massachussets Senator Ed Markey said on Monday that he plans to introduce the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, which would give the company an extra 270 days to divest from ByteDance. The bill would not overturn the initial legislation but could give TikTok more time to make a deal or buy Trump some time to find a solution. Can Congress repeal ban? Congress could repeal the ban with legislation that passes in both the Senate and the House, but they would only have a matter of days to do so to prevent the ban from taking place. Congress voted in favour of the ban only nine months ago. In the House of Representatives, the ban passed by an overwhelming margin of 352-65. They could also do so after Trump takes office in January since both chambers will be Republican majority. Still, the prospect of repeal is unlikely, Lewis said, pointing to bipartisan support for the ban as well as other issues that appear to be a higher priority for Trump. This has been a game of chicken all along, said James Lewis, a data security expert at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. open image in gallery Donald Trump opposes a ban ( AFP/Getty ) Congress can always change its mind, but I dont think itll do it, Lewis said. If you were Trump, why would you spend your political capital to save TikTok? TikTok severs ties with Bytedance ByteDance has previously said it will not sell the short-form video platform, but some investors have been eyeing it, including Trumps former treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire businessman Frank McCourt. TikTok has already called reports it could sell its US business to X owner Elon Musk pure fiction. The law allows for a 90-day extension of the deadline for a TikTok sale, as long as the company is advancing toward an agreement. That would need to be approved by President Joe Biden. Sarah Kreps, the director of the Tech Policy Institute at Cornell University, told ABC News: It would be very difficult to disentangle the two companies. A motivated actor like Trump might say, We think this is fine, she added. open image in gallery US will be barred from posting content like this Grandma tasting Sabrina Carpenters signature drink ( TikTok/@crlchpmn ) Supreme Court moves to delay ban The highest court in the United States could issue a temporary injunction before Sunday to uphold the law while preventing the ban from taking effect. Trump has asked the court for this exact scenario but the government argued that a temporary injunction is not necessary unless justices thought TikTok had a chance of winning their case. But legal experts have warned an injunction its unlikely this would occur. The longer the court waits to issue an injunction, the less likely it is that the injunction will come, Saurabh Vishnubhakat, a professor at the Cardozo School of Law who studies tech-related issues said. Will sideloading be an option? Initially, it was believed that with a ban on Sunday, TikTok would be removed from Googles Play Store and Apples App Store. While it was thought sideloading, or downloading the app from other online sources, would offer users a way to skirt the ban, it now appears the app may become completely nonfunctional in the US altogether. A TikTok attorney explained last week that the act means all of the other types of service providers cant provide service either. So essentially, what theyre going to say is that I think, were not going to be providing the services necessary to have you see it. So its essentially going to stop operating. I think thats the consequence of this law, the attorney told CNN. Ariana Baio contributed to this report. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The state of New Jersey wants to defend against a group of Republican attorneys general seeking to strip the ability of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to access insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a brief filed in a North Dakota federal court on Wednesday, New Jersey argued on behalf of a group of 14 Democratic states that the incoming Trump administration cant be counted on to defend a Biden-era rule that opened Obamacare exchanges to members of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Undermining Dreamers access to healthcare not only hurts them and their American children, but it harms states like New Jersey too, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. We will never back down from fighting for our Dreamers, no matter who is in charge in Washington. In May of last year, the Biden administration announced the new ACA rule, which held that DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, were lawfully present in the U.S. and thus able to get Obamacare benefits. Im proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed, Biden said in a statement at the time. By August, a group that would swell to 19 Republican-led states, challenged the rule, arguing it violated both a 1996 welfare reform and the ACA itself. The Biden administration opened access to Obamacare to an estimated 100,000 DACA recipients ( Getty Images ) Illegal aliens shouldnt get a free pass into our country, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, who is leading the GOP coalition, said in a statement at the time. They shouldnt receive taxpayer benefits when they arrive, and the Biden-Harris administration shouldnt get a free pass to violate federal law. Federal officials estimate that the rule change could give 100,000 immigrants access to legal healthcare. The states seeking to intervene argue that giving Dreamers access to Obamacare exchanges will provide a group of chronically under-insured people access to care and lower state healthcare costs overall. Last month, a federal court ruled that Dreamers wont be able to get ACA coverage in states challenging the rule while the lawsuit goes forward. At the time that the states challenged the rule, some of them, like Kansas, Nebraska, and Virginia, allowed migrants other government benefits, including lower tuition rates at state universities available to state residents. During his first term in office, Donald Trump tried to end the DACA program but was blocked by the Supreme Court in 2020. This time around, Trump campaigned on carrying out the largest mass deportations in U.S. history but has also said hed like to find some way for childhood arrivals to stay in the U.S. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Upon his return to the nations capital, Donald Trump met with the Washington, D.C. mayor and groaned about the citys graffiti. The president-elect complained to Mayor Muriel Bowser when they met at Mar-a-Lago last month about the spray-painted walls he saw in a tunnel in D.C. in 2023, the Wall Street Journal reported. He had spotted the spray-painted scenery while he was on his way to the federal courthouse to plead not guilty to charges related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results - which were later dropped. Seeing the filth and the decay and all the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti, he said at the time. This is not the place that I left. Graffiti is a sign of the citys deterioration, he reportedly told the mayor at their meeting. After Trump takes office on January 20, he intends to turn the nations capital around, hoping to make it a more MAGA-friendly place, the outlet reported. Vandalizing property in the city can result in fines, jail time, or both. The recent meeting is not the first time Trump has been laser-focused on the citys graffiti. At a campaign rally in July, he also groaned about the spray paint. Were going to get all the graffiti off the marble. Were going to fix the roads and the medians, he said. He also called the city rat-infested and graffiti-infested before vowing to to take it away from the mayor. open image in gallery Graffiti reading expect us is seen on the base of the statue of US president Andrew Jackson at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. in 2021. President-elect Donald Trump reportedly claimed about the graffiti in the city and now wants to make the nations capital more MAGA-friendly ( AFP/Getty ) Some Republicans have also underscored the belief that the new administration will shake up the nations capital. Washington is going to get an onslaught like its never seen before, longtime Trump backer Steve Bannon told the Journal. Its much more of a concerted punch than before. Everything is going to be intense at a level people are not accustomed to. Doug Heye, a former top Republican aide, agreed with Trumps analysis of D.C., telling the outlet: Hes right, this city is a mess. But Heye warned that the tight margins in Congress could complicate his plans: But nobody is under any illusions that getting anything done via legislation is going to be simple. open image in gallery Protesters take photos of graffiti on the Treasury Department building behind recently erected security fences near the White House during George Floyd protests in 2020 ( Getty ) At the same July rally, Trump vowed to take over the nations capital and make the city beautiful again. We will take over the horribly run capital of our nation in Washington, D.C., and clean it up, renovate it and rebuild our capital city so there is no longer a nightmare of murder and crime, he said in Florida at the time. The 2024 GOP platform also mentioned plans to take control over the nations capital: Republicans will reassert greater Federal Control over Washington, D.C. to restore Law and Order in our Capital City. The platform stated the party wants to ensure Federal Buildings and Monuments are well-maintained. open image in gallery Trump has long spoken out about the dirty Washington, D.C. and wanting to clean it up ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Part of that promised change-up could also include a swift deportation of migrants in the city. The president-elect is also reportedly weighing raiding workplaces in the citys metropolitan area in the first days of his second term to target immigrants allegedly living illegally in the country, NBC News reported. Trumps team has reportedly discussed the ability to execute such raids with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials. Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in the history of the United States. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy When President Joe Biden used his farewell address on Wednesday to warn of a growing tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, he didnt expressly say who he was talking about. But with days to go until President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for a second term, Bidens ominous remarks about what he called a new oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy appeared to be a pointed swipe at centibillionaire Trump backer Elon Musk, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, among others. open image in gallery Elon Musk will reportedly have an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building ( Getty Images ) Musk, who spent roughly half a billion of his own funds to help secure Trumps 2024 election win over Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to play an outsized role in the 47th presidents incoming administration to the point of being reportedly given a coveted office inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building just steps from the White House. Come Monday, hell also be seated on the inaugural dais at the Capitol, just steps from where Trump will place his hand on a bible and swear the presidential oath of office at noon. Here are some of the other technology industry figures who are set to join him. open image in gallery Jeff Bezos speaks onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City ( Getty Images for The New York Ti ) Jeff Bezos Bezos, the founder and chairman of Amazon the worlds largest retailer is understood to be headed to Washington to celebrate Trumps swearing-in. Hes also the owner and CEO of Blue Origin, a private space exploration company that just launched its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time. The bookstore magnate turned suborbital space traveler clashed repeatedly with Trump during his first term thanks to Bezoss ownership of The Washington Post, a point of contention that he reportedly sought to soften by ordering the Post editorial board to nix a planned endorsement of Harris last year. open image in gallery Zuckerberg recently ordered his platforms to stop fact checking in a bid to curry favor with conservatives ( AP ) Mark Zuckerberg Zuckerberg was once firmly on Trumps enemies list thanks to his control of Facebook and Instagram, both of which banned Trump in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by a riotous mob of the then-presidents supporters. He was also a target of attacks from Trumpworld on account of his nonprofit foundations work to make it easier for Americans to vote during the 2020 election amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The combination of both factors was enough to get Trump to include a threat to imprison Zuckerberg in his most recent coffee table book. And the Meta founder appears to have gotten the message. Hes repeatedly travelled to Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence to dine with the incoming president, and he recently ordered his platforms to stop fact checking user posts and nixed rules against hate speech. Both decisions were a sop to right-wing critics who have long characterized both repealed policies as censorship. He also ordered Meta to nix internal diversity initiatives and has gone on a media tour on Trump-friendly podcasts such as the one hosted by Joe Rogan. open image in gallery Nadella reportedly had dinner with Trump in Florida recently ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Satya Nadella Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, is another leader who has made overtures to Trump since last years election. According to Semafor, he joined the president-elect, Vice president-elect JD Vance, and Elon Musk for lunch at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club this week. Sundar Pichai open image in gallery The Google CEO could benefit from a cozy relationship with Trump ( Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Pichai, the chief executive of Alphabet and its subsidiary Google, has also travelled to Mar-a-Lago in the weeks since the election to meet with Trump. According to Reuters, hell be at the inauguration on Monday. Tim Cook open image in gallery Tim Cook has also met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in recent months ( Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Cook, who Trump once mistakenly referred to as Tim Apple during a White House event, was never an antagonist of the former turned future president. But in the months since the election, hes reached out to the incoming leader and has donated to Trumps inaugural fund. Shou Chew open image in gallery The TikTok chief executive will be at Trumps inauguration on Monday ( Getty Images ) Perhaps none of the leaders on this list has as much at stake as Chew, whose Chinese-owned companys video sharing app is set to be banned from American app stores on the day before Trump takes office. According to The New York Times, Chew is set to be seated on the inaugural dais when Trump takes the oath of office next week. The Singaporean tech executive has reportedly mounted a charm offensive to court Trump, who once called for TikTok to be banned from the U.S., by pointing out the prevalence of pro-Trump content on the soon-to-be-verboten application. The incoming president has expressed a desire to save the app if he can, though legal experts arent sure if he can do so unilaterally under the law passed by Congress to effectively ban it last year. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump wasted little time in taking credit for the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, bringing a halt to the violence in Gaza after 15 months of brutal conflict. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, the president-elect wrote on his Truth Social platform. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World! Not everyone agreed with Trumps version of events, however. President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was asked about his successors response and answered: Is that a joke? Biden stressed that the ceasefire had been based on a framework he introduced last May and declared: This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration. I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure were all speaking with the same voice, he added. Because thats what American presidents do. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu pictured together in Jerusalem in May 2017 during the Americans first term in the White House ( AFP/Getty ) Bidens National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also told reporters on Wednesday the administration had coordinated very closely with the incoming Trump team. Doing so had enabled the US to present a united message to all the parties, which says it is in the American national security interest regardless of party, regardless of outgoing or incoming administration to get this deal done as fast as possible, Sullivan said. As part of that effort, Witkoff, the envoy alluded to by Trump, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend while reports from diplomats involved in the negotiations have revealed that the incoming president played a key role in brokering the agreement by piling pressure on the Israeli government to accept it, something Biden had appeared reluctant to do. Its not as if suddenly the terms have shifted significantly, its just that now you had an incoming US president that was willing to actually use some pressure, ex-State Department aide Annelle Sheline told The Independent. This is a deal that, in its basic form, has been on the table for many months, and it is an absolute travesty that the Biden administration never used any of the massive leverage it had to push it over the finish line, her former colleague Josh Paul added. He said it wasclear Trumps team played a role in brokering the agreement but added: How much of that was commission as opposed to Netanyahus desire to give Trump a win a desire that has probably been a consideration for him since very early in this conflict remains to be known. The president-elects GOP allies on Capitol Hill have also been rushing to pat him on the back, with Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma telling The Independent Trump deserved all of the credit for the agreement while Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska observed: People respect strength. Their Democratic counterparts, however, were, unsurprisingly, more inclined to acknowledge Bidens contribution to the effort. The Republican former and future president has a history of supporting Israel, relocating the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his first term as well as recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory and pushing for the signing of the Abraham Accords to promote more harmonious relations with the countrys Arab neighbor states. On the campaign trail last year, he also sought to shore up the American Jewish vote by warning the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas in September that Israel would be gone if Harris were elected president and repeatedly warned that Jews moved to vote Democrat need their heads examined. He was also critical of the war in Gaza, however, emphasizing his belief that it needs to come to an end as soon as possible. Youve got to get it over with, and you have to get back to normalcy, he told radios The Hugh Hewitt Show in April. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A false claim made by former Access Hollywood host Billy Bush to Tucker Carlson earlier this month has morphed into a full-blown MAGA conspiracy theory involving Chelsea Clintons wedding that was eventually amplified by the soon-to-be vice president. During an appearance on Carlsons right-wing podcast on January 6, Bush discussed the fallout over the infamous Access Hollywood tape that featured Donald Trump saying he could grab women by the p***y. The 2005 clip, which captured Bush and Trump speaking on a hot mic, surfaced just a month before the 2016 election and resulted in NBC firing Bush from the Today show just two months after hiring him. Bush, who now anchors the Hollywood gossip show Extra!, went on to tell Carlson how the tape made its way from NBCs vaults to the pages of TheWashington Post, where it was first reported by journalist David Fahrenthold, who now writes for The New York Times. According to the tabloid host, this all ties back to the Clintons. After saying NBC and The Washington Post colluded on the Access Hollywood story and set him up to be fired from Today, Bush pointed out that then-NBC chief Noah Oppenheim and Fahrenthold were classmates at Harvard University and worked together at the schools newspaper. If you want to begin the internal investigation, Noah Oppenheim is the president of NBC. Hes the general manager of the Today show, Bush said. His co-editor of the Harvard Crimson newspaper back when he was a Harvard man is a writer named David Fahrenthold from The Washington Post. Billy Bush is now pushing a false claim that the reporter who first published the Access Hollywood tape was a groomsman at Chelsea Clintons wedding ( Getty ) They ran the Crimson together. They were both groomsmen in Chelsea Clintons wedding, he continued, prompting a startled Carlson to ask: Actually?! No way! After Bush reiterated they were both at Clintons nuptials, he added that they were buddies with Clintons husband Marc Mezvinsky. So they were groomsmen in the wedding together, and that guys the one who released [the tape]. The paper trail is terrible, Bush exclaimed. The Extra! host who previously said the fallout over the tape made him a much nicer person also claimed that Fahrenthold was later given a sweet gig as an MSNBC contributor to pay him back for the hustle, adding that this is where hed start the investigation on how the tape was leaked. Bushs claims about Fahrenthold during the lengthy Carlson interview initially didnt gain much traction until The Federalist Editor-in-Chief Mollie Hemingway tweeted about them a week later. Pointing out that Fox News reported in 2016 on the collegial relationship between Oppenheim and Fahrenthold, Hemingway shared a clip of the Bush interview on January 13 while stating that the two men were both part of Clintons 2010 wedding. So apparently @briansflood reported this years ago but I missed it. The Access Hollywood tape was leaked by NBC in 2016 to the Washington Post, as we all know. (Billy Bush was collateral damage in the leak operation.) Anyway, he notes the head of NBC was this guy named Noah Oppenheim, she wrote. Oppenheims coeditor at the Harvard Crimson was none other than @Fahrenthold, the recipient of the leak. And they were both actual groomsmen in Chelsea Clintons wedding!? Shortly after running the information operation against Trump, Fahrenthold was given a contributing gig at MSNBC. However, the Fox story that Hemingway linked to did not place Fahrenthold at Clintons wedding, instead noting that Oppenheim and Mezvinsky were at each others side at their respective ceremonies. Furthermore, Oppenheims role in the Access Hollywood debacle has been the object of negative attention within Comcast, sources tell Fox News, as he is close friends with Fahrenthold from prestigious Harvard University, Fox News media reporter Brian Flood reported at the time. NBC has denied that Oppenheim leaked the tape to Fahrenthold -- who with Oppenheim is also tied from Harvard to investor Marc Mezvinsky, the son-in-law of Hillary Clinton. Oppenheim and Mezvinsky were groomsmen in each others weddings and continue to revolve in the same privileged social circles. With Hemingway trumpeting Bushs false claim while getting key elements of Fox News story incorrect, it wasnt long before Vice President-elect JD Vance who has said its okay to create stories so that the American media actually pays attention jumped into the fray. This is wild, Vance tweeted, sharing Hemingways post that has since collected over 7,000 retweets and 1.5 million views. Yet, as Wake Up Politics author Gabe Fleischer first noted on Monday, the entire theory that had made its way up to the incoming administration hinged on a falsehood, labeling it an Anatomy of a Lie. The only problem? The claim isnt true, Fleischer noted. No evidence exists online that places Fahrenthold at Clintons wedding to Marc Mezvinsky. A New York Times spox confirmed to me that Fahrenthold has never met Chelsea Clinton and was not at her wedding. The paper also told The Independent that Fahrentold has never met former President Bill Clintons daughter and did not attend her wedding. The Independent has reached out to representatives for Vance and Bush for comment. Suggesting that Bush may have garbled his words and misstated the Fox News report, Fleischer pointed out that the ex-Access Hollywood star made it sound like *Fahrenthold* was a groomsman at the Clinton wedding, which was then picked up by Hemingway with zero fact-checking. Two days after Fleischer first pointed out that Fahrenthold had no relationship with the Clintons and didnt attend the 2010 ceremony, Hemingway quietly added one of Fleischers tweets to her original thread alongside the caption: Update. As of publication, her original tweets are still up, as is Vances post. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Donald Trump rejected a role in a Saturday Night Live sketch because the costume made him look fat, according to a report. In November 2015, the then-Republican presidential hopeful hosted SNL. A sketch had cast him as a tree that would stand next to Shel Silversteins Giving Tree. At the end of the skit, Trumps character was supposed to call the Giving Tree a sucker, the New Yorker reported. But Trump refused to play the role, not because it portrayed him as heartless but because he worried that the tree costume made him look fat, the outlet wrote. The episode aired on November 8, 2015, a year before Trump won his first presidential election. Months later, in September 2016, Trumps doctor released a letter detailing his health, including that he was 6-foot-3 and weighed 236 pounds. open image in gallery Donald Trump hosting SNL in November 2015. He reportedly refused to play a role in a skit because he was concerned that a costume made him look fat ( YouTube/SNL ) Trump discussed the letter on The Dr. Oz Show, hosted by Dr. Mehmet Oz, now Trumps pick for Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator. Youre 63, 236 lbs. as I mentioned. Now, in my mind, Im thinking your body surface area and your BMI is high. Its probably close to 30, which is sort of the barrier for most people. Do your doctors or your family ever give you a hard time about your weight? Oz asked the then-GOP nominee. Yeah, I think I could lose a little weight, Trump replied. Ive always been a little bit this way. I think that if I had one thing, Id like to lose weight. Its tough because of the way I live. But the one thing I would like to do is be able to drop 15 to 20 pounds. It would be good. More recently, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trumps pick for Health and Human Services secretary, criticized Trumps food preferences, such as KFC and McDonalds: The stuff that he eats is really, like, bad. open image in gallery Trump works behind the counter during a visit to McDonalds in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania, during the campaign ( via REUTERS ) After Trump appeared on SNL, some at the time criticized the show for letting Trump host, asserting his appearance aided his election victory. In 2017, former cast member Taran Killam reflected on Trumps episode. The decision for Trump to host likely wasnt politically based, Killam told NPR at the time, but he also didnt think the implications of his appearance were considered. I think looking back ... theres nothing good I can take from that week. Because hes not an enjoyable person to be around hes from a different class; hes from a different way of life, the actor said. It was rough, Killam told the outlet. It was not enjoyable at the time and something that only grows more embarrassing and shameful as time goes on. SNL also took flack when Vice President Kamala Harris made a cameo on the show just days before the 2024 presidential election. The Independent has asked a representative from Trumps team for comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy President-elect Donald Trump has named and shamed 11 people who are on the White House blacklist to serve in his administration. The list includes some of Trumps well known enemies who served in his first administration and have since spoken out about the dangers of a second Trump term, including John Bolton and Mike Pence. In the rant, Trump called Nikki Haley a birdbrain, Liz Cheney a psycho, and accused those on the list of suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome. As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government, Trump wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday evening. In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), Dumb as a Rock John Bolton, Birdbrain Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, disloyal Warmongers Dick Cheney, and his Psycho daughter, Liz, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, General(?) Mark Milley, James Mattis, Mark Yesper, or any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS. open image in gallery Trump posted about the list of names who are banned from serving in his second administration on Truth Social ( @realDonaldTrump/Truth Social ) Bolton, who served as Trumps national security adviser from 2018 to 2019, has been particularly vocal about the dangers the president-elect poses in a second term. The risk of an international crisis of the 19th-century variety is much more likely in a second Trump term, he said at the end of last year. Given Trumps inability to focus on coherent decision-making, Im very worried about how that might look. Trump and Pence surprised onlookers at President Jimmy Carters funeral last week when they shook hands, but the president-elects latest outburst suggests he still holds a grudge against his former vice president. General Mark Milley, who served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under Trump, incurred the wrath of the president-elect when he warned that he is fascist to the core and the most dangerous person to this country ahead of the presidential election. open image in gallery The list includes some of Trumps well known enemies who served in his first administration ( REUTERS ) The Cheneys campaigned against Trump during the 2024 presidential election and rallied behind Kamala Harris, while the conservative group Americans for Prosperity initially backed Haley for the Republican presidential nominee over Trump. Trumps nominees to serve in his cabinet have begun their Senate confirmation hearings this week and his choices are fiercely loyal to him and his America First agenda. Bolton characterized Trumps cabinet choices as those who will be subservient to him. And the word loyalty is often used. I think thats the wrong word, Bolton said last year. Actually, I think what Trump wants from his advisors is fealty, really a futile sense of subservience. And you know, he may get that, but I will tell you that that will not serve him well over the course of his next term, and it certainly wont serve the country well. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Washington Post, which adopted the slogan Democracy Dies in Darkness after Donald Trumps first inauguration, is now pushing a new mission statement to its employees as Trump prepares to take office for a second time, The New York Times reported on Thursday. Concocted as an internal rallying point for staff and not currently meant to replace the papers public slogan, the new statement reads: Riveting Storytelling for All of America. Needless to say, once the Times reported on the new corporate strategy for the Post, whose newsroom has been embroiled in turmoil for months, the mission statement was immediately mocked online by critics and journalists. Quick dont look is this the statement for Disney Plus, Max, or The Washington Post, The Bulwarks Tim Miller tweeted. Forbes tech and innovation executive editor John Paczkowski, meanwhile, connected the motto with that of Amazon, whose founder Jeff Bezos also owns the Post. Wapo: Work Hard, Have Fun, Make History, he posted. Regular storytelling isnt gonna cut it folks. Gotta rivet people in Texas and Minnesota, The Hollywood Reporters media reporter Alex Weprin noted. open image in gallery Critics took aim at The Washington Post and owner Jeff Bezos after it was reported the paper unveiled a new mission statement: Riveting Storytelling for All of America ( Getty Images ) The Times also reported that a slide deck presented to executives detailing the genesis of the mission statement described how artificial intelligence would help bring more readers and subscribers to the paper. It describes The Post as an A.I.-fueled platform for news that delivers vital news, ideas and insights for all Americans where, how and when they want it, the Times notes. It also lays out three pillars of The Posts overall plan: great journalism, happy customers and make money. Semafor politics reporter Dave Weigel, meanwhile, reacted to the corporate language in the deck by stating the McKinsey is strong with this one. National Journal Hotline editor Kirk Bado similarly snarked: Another $650,000 to McKinsey for that one. Others were far harsher towards the Posts mission statement, describing it as pathetic and wondering if Bezos was trolling them, all while pointing out that this is a newspaper and not a YA fiction publisher. At the same time, observers sarcastically compared it to the we bring the boom catchphrase by the Costco Guys. Reporters also poked fun at the papers pie-in-the-sky projections of getting the majority of Americans to become paying readers of the Post. Has anyone thought of trying to get everyone to read the newspaper before, Slate culture writer Sam Adams wrote. According to the Times, Bezos has been looking to shift the papers focus for years now to attract more right-leaning readers from the heartland. Mr. Bezos has expressed hopes that The Post would be read by more blue-collar Americans who live outside coastal cities, mentioning people like firefighters in Cleveland, the Times noted. He has also said that he is interested in expanding The Posts audience among conservatives, the people said. Suzi Watford, the papers chief strategy officer, was behind the slide deck, which said that the papers storytelling could bring a relentless investigative spirit, backed by credible sources, to deliver impactful stories in formats the world wants. Furthermore, she stated that the long-term goal of the company should be to reach 200 million paying readers, which the deck described as a Big Hairy Audacious Goal, or B.H.A.G. Just for comparisons sake, most of the top-performing news sites in America including the Post generated fewer than 100 million regular monthly viewers last year, many of which were non-paying. Furthermore, the New York Times the most-read paper in the country has about 11 million paying subscribers. The Post currently has less than 3 million subscribers. Making matters more challenging for the paper is the number of crises the Post has suffered through over the past few months. Even before Bezos spiked the editorial boards presidential endorsement of Kamala Harris, prompting at least 250,000 readers to cancel their subscriptions and an exodus of top talent and editors, the newsroom was racked with drama over publisher Will Lewis hostility to the staff and journalists covering his past controversies. Discontent with Lewiss and Bezoss leadership has only grown in recent months, especially as Bezos has cozied up to Trump ahead of next weeks inauguration. Since Trumps November win, Amazon has donated $1 million to Trumps inauguration fund and l icensed a documentary on Melania Trump for $40 million. The mega-billionaire is scheduled to sit alongside Trumps Cabinet picks when the president-elect is sworn into office. Earlier this week, over 400 Washington Post reporters and editors sent a letter to Bezos urging him to meet with the newsroom in order to restore trust that has been lost that has led readers to question the integrity of this institution. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Massive social media app TikTok could be banned in the US unless its Chinese parent company sells it by Sunday. At the time of writing, the app remains active in the United States. The proposed ban was enacted by Congress with bipartisan supportin April. Now, that law is being disputed in front of the Supreme Court. The ban gave Chinese-owned ByteDance until 19 January to sell TikTok. If it fails to do so, a nationwide ban is set to come into force despite having 170 million US users. President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Court to delay its decision while he seeks a political solution. However, his second term will not begin until the day after the ban is scheduled to start. Meanwhile, the proposed ban has led to an increase in interest for another ByteDance app, Lemon8. The ban means that the app will not magically disappear from a persons phone but rather eventually cease to function thanks to a lack of updates. New users will not be able to download the app from the Apple or Google stores. President-elect Donald Trump has said he wants to find a political solution to the TikTok debate ( AFP/Getty ) Professor V.S. Subrahmanian of Northwestern Universitys Security & AI Lab told NBC Chicago that TikTok operates in a manner similar to a pipe, watching something on the app is requesting information from the app. And flowing down from the other side either a response to a request from me or of their own volition, theres data coming from the TikTok side to me and my phone. If that pipe is removed or blocked in the middle, then this flow cannot happen, Subrahmanian said. The proposed ban will put pressure on TikTok creators who will have to shift their focus to other platforms such as YouTube and Instagram. Jess Maddox, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama told CNN that the ban would be catastrophic for creators. A TikTok ban would be absolutely catastrophic for the creators and the small businesses who rely on it. Ive spent my career talking to creators and influencers, they are resilient, theyll pivot, but it will be a struggle in the meantime and take a hit to them financially. In April 2024, Congress passed a bill giving ByteDance nine months to find a US-approved buyer. The bill was signed into law by president Joe Biden. Lawmakers and officials says the company has links to the Chinese Communist Party, prompting concern that it could be forced to hand over data about American users to Beijing. The Justice Department has said that TikTok poses a national-security threat of immense depth and scale. TikTok and ByteDance have strongly denied the allegations. Both have fielded several legal challenges against the bill, saying that it is unconstitutional for the implications it would have on the First Amendement. The Supreme Court heard a final plea by TikToks lawyers on Friday, asking for the ban to be overturned, with owners saying even a temporary ban would have devastating effects on their business. Trump may seek to reverse the ban once he assumes office, meaning it could potentially be quite short-lived. Although the he tried to ban the app himself in 2020 during his first presidency, he has now called on the Supreme Court to delay the upcoming ban. His lawyer has filed a legal brief saying that Mr Trump opposes banning TikTok and is looking to find a solutions through political means once he takes office. The president-elect also met with TikTok boss Shou Zi Chew in December. But he will not assume office until 20 January, while the app is set to be banned on the 19th. A lawyer representing TikTok have said if the law is not suddenly changed before then, the app will simply go dark for its millions of US users. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Scientists in Australia say a group of unusually large funnel-web spiders is actually a new species in its own right. Researchers say they used anatomical and DNA comparisons to study different populations of the Sydney funnel-web spider one of the worlds deadliest spiders and found there were three species, only two of which were previously known to science. The study revealed the hidden diversity among funnel-web spiders, said arachnologist Stephanie Loria from the Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change in Germany. The classic Sydney funnel-web spider, Atrax robustus, is found from the Central Coast to the Sydney Basin; the Southern Sydney funnel-web, Atrax montanus, is common in the Blue Mountains south and west of Sydney; and the Newcastle funnel-web, which has now been dubbed the Big Boy for being the largest of the three, inhabits the city of Newcastle. The Newcastle funnel-web, Atrax christenseni Big Boy is a totally new species. The true Sydney funnel-web, Atrax robustus, centres on the North Shore of Sydney and the Central Coast while the Southern Sydney funnel-web is a resurrected species name from 1914, Dr Loria said. open image in gallery Big Boy funnel-web spider Atrax christenseni ( Kane Christensen ) The Latin name for the Big Boy species is derived from the Newcastle spider enthusiast Kane Christensen, who brought it to the attention of the research team. The study was launched after Mr Christensen, based at the Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales, collected a number of unusually large male funnel-web spiders as part of a venom programme, researchers say. Atrax christenseni is a superb and impressive funnel-web. The sheer size of the males, compared to the males of the other Atrax species, is simply astounding, Mr Christensen said. I am very passionate about funnel-webs and there is no greater compliment than to have another scientist name a funnel-web species after me. I am deeply honoured and accept it with great pleasure. open image in gallery New Big Boy funnel-web spider species Atrax christenseni ( Danilo Harms et al, BMC Ecology and Evolution ) In the study, published in the journal BMC Ecology and Evolution, the researchers collected new specimens of funnel-webs from across Sydney and examined their DNA. They then compared the spiders with museum specimens dating back to the early 1900s. None of these insights would have been possible without the use of historical collections and international collaboration, Dr Loria said. 10 Animals You Didnt Know Existed The reclassification may have practical implications for antivenom production. While funnel-web bites are the most severe among spiders, they are not very common. If you are bitten by a funnel-web spider, call an ambulance and go straight to hospital, toxicologist Geoff Isbister from the Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital said. Although no human fatalities have occurred since the development of antivenom in the 1980s, the antivenom for Sydney funnel-web spiders might be optimised by considering biological differentiation at the species level, said Danilo Harms, another author of the study. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A wild boar who was adopted by a French horse breeder his allowed to stay with her owner, a court has ruled, after threats by authorities to separate the pair and even euthanise the animal sparked a storm of international protest. Found as a tiny piglet near garbage bins outside the horse farm of Elodie Cappe in Chaource, central France, in April 2023, Rillette has now grown into a large sow with a bristly brown coat who runs around between the horses and dogs on the farm and loves to cuddle with her owners. After early attempts to release the boar back into the wild failed, Ms Cappe, who runs a riding stables in Chaource, had Rillette sterilised and vaccinated, provided her with an enclosure and put in several requests with the regional prefecture for authorisation to keep a non-domesticated animal. The requests were all rejected, with local authorities threatening to confiscate or euthanise the animal, and Cappe facing potential prison time and a fine of up to 150,000 (126,000) for capturing or detaining wild animals. The case pushed animal rights campaigners into action, made headlines and sparked a petition and a local demonstration. Even film icon Brigitte Bardot pleaded to let Rillette stay on the farm. In an open letter published in December, the actor and animal activist wrote: Help! I demand that Rillette be spared. What monsters are demanding she be put down this little animal has the right to live, indeed it is a duty. She is innocent. Euthanasia is a crime! We are governed by assassins. Meanwhile, the petition to save Rillette was signed by almost 200,000 people across the world. It read: This adorable boar is very close to humans and deserves to live in conditions as close to its natural habitat as possible. Although Mrs Cappe is doing her utmost to maintain these conditions, without increased support the future of our wild boar is uncertain. Now though, in a ruling published on Thursday, the Chalons-en-Champagne administrative tribunal ordered the prefecture to reconsider the application to keep the animal and ordered the state to pay 1,500 in damages to the hog's owner. This is a great victory, the court really wiped out the prefecture's arguments. The fact that we had the media behind us really made a difference, Ms Cappe said, adding that she will donate the damages paid to a charity. Ms Cappe said Rillette jokingly named after a regional dish of shredded pork was unfazed by the news. She is just playing, she does not care, Ms Cappe said. She belongs with us. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After forging unexpectedly fond ties with U.S. President Joe Biden, Italys right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni is poised to leverage a more natural alliance with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump that positions her as a key interlocutor between the U.S. and Europe. Weeks before his inauguration, Meloni met Trump at his Mar-a-Lago retreat, a visit that she said went beyond expectations. The trip, she said, "was an opportunity to confirm a relationship that promises to be very solid, adding diplomatically, I dont know if I can say privileged. A strong trans-Atlantic relationship between two conservative governments creates an added value, not only for Italy but for Europe as a whole, she told journalists this month. It remains to be seen to whose advantage the relationship will be, with some observers saying that Meloni could either become a Trump whisperer, exerting influence, or a Trojan horse in Europe for Trumps purposes. Its clear that if Trump is looking for a person to call in Europe when in need, Meloni is the one, said Franco Pavoncello, political science professor and president of Romes John Cabot University. Around her in Europe, it's a desert. Meloni projects stability Known for its rotating governments that rarely complete full parliamentary terms, Italy is in the unusual position of being the most stable government among major European and G-7 allies, as Germany, France and even Canada struggle. Meloni has led her once-fringe, post-fascist party from the extreme right to more mainstream positions, especially on foreign policy. She gained ground as a leading political figure in Europe after her far-right Brothers of Italy party scored a sound performance in the EU election last June. The 48-year-old Italian leader made the trip to Florida as her government was working to win the release from Iran of an Italian journalist who was arrested in mid-December. Within days of her return, the journalist, Cecilia Sala, was released in what Meloni described as diplomatic triangulation between the U.S., Italy and Iran. Four days later, Italy freed an Iranian citizen held on a U.S. warrant. While Meloni denied any direct Trump involvement in the deal, her defense minister said the images of Meloni standing alongside him reinforced her credibility at a critical juncture. Meloni and Trump as natural allies On ideological grounds, Meloni is a natural ally for the incoming U.S. president. She has taken on migration, seeking deals with African nations to discourage departures and is determined to vet male asylum seekers at two centers Italy built in Albania. Her government also has adopted conservative family policies, including a ban on surrogacy and has taken action meant to curb abortions. The personal chemistry between Trump and Meloni is also evident and reinforces her chances to become his go-to leader in Europe. The two were seen locked in discussions during celebrations for the reopening of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on Dec. 7, when they set in motion the Mar-a-Lago visit. Meloni also has a well-documented friendship with key Trump adviser, Elon Musk. The Italian prime minister is one of just a handful of world leaders who will likely attend Trumps inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20, confirming the strong ties with the U.S. administration. Common ground with center-left Biden More surprising was Melonis strong relationship with Biden, who initially viewed Melonis rise to power as a harbinger of a rightward shift in global politics. But Bidens concerns about her ideology were eased by her support for Ukraine in its effort to repel Russias grinding invasion and her openness to pulling back from Italys participation in Chinas infrastructure-building Belt and Road Initiative. The two met at least twice in Washington, highly unusual for an Italian leader in just two years in office. Biden had even planned to make his last overseas trip as president this month to Italy. That trip, however, was scrapped at the last minute so Biden could stay in Washington to oversee the federal response to wildfires devastating Los Angeles. Instead, Biden and Meloni spoke by phone last Friday. The White House said Biden expressed his appreciation to Meloni for Italys support for Ukraine as well as the countrys leadership at the G7, NATO and European Union. Risks of the Meloni-Trump relationship Melonis pro-Atlantic position, which secured her ties with Biden, may prove a challenge to a Trump relationship. Trump is pushing NATO allies to increase their spending to 5% of national output, with Italy one of just eight members that falls below the 2% defense spending target. On Ukraine, the Trump administration will try to find a way to dialogue with Russia to reach a solution and will likely ask Europe to do more, said Mario Del Pero, expert of transatlantic relations and professor of international history at SciencesPo in Paris. That will put Italy in a tough spot. Meloni has already been forced to comment on Trumps recent expansionist rhetoric, telling reporters that his comments about annexing Greenland, Canada and Panama were meant as a deterrent, a forceful message to other big global players rather than a hostile action. Italys economy would also be challenged by Trumps pledge of tariffs on exports, which at 10% could cost Italy's export-driven economy up to $7 billion, according to a study by the Prometeia risk analysis firm. Italy has a trade surplus of 42 billion euros with the United States, its second export partner after Germany. The bottom line, according to analysts, is that Meloni remains a true nationalist, who will protect Italian interests before all else. That could turn in Europes favor, for example in the case of trade tariff wars or defense spending clashes. But it may prove disruptive for European unity in the long term. Already a reported deal with Musk's SpaceX to provide communications through the Starlink technology to Italian institutions threatens to undermine the Iris2 orbital constellation of 290 satellites led by a European consortium that includes Italian defense contractor Leonardo. Its naive to imagine that shell be able to defend EU interests, while she will more likely act as a Trojan horse for Trump into Europe, said Nathalie Tocci, director of Rome-based Institute of International Affairs. When she faces tough choices, the euro-skeptic way is where she always ends up going, because its where her heart truly beats. ___ Aamer Madhani in Washington, D.C. contributed. There are simple things hikers can do to prepare for the possibility of being lost in the Australian wilderness. Outback Mike has pointed to the one life-saving thing Aussies need to take hiking with them. Source: Getty and Instagram/outback_mike As more and more Aussies tie on their hiking boots and head for the great Aussie bush, it's been revealed almost half of us would have no idea what to do if we got lost. But thankfully there is one very small, very significant thing we can do to "take the search out of search and rescue", survival expert Mike Atkinson told Yahoo News. "There's a long list of things you can do to help yourself but just put an emergency personal locator beacon (PLB) in your bag," Mike, known as Outback Mike, said. The hand-held devices connect to a "satellite that sits above Australia 24/7" and once activated, a helicopter can be hovering over you in a few hours. "It's smaller than a cigarette packet, it's waterproof and it floats... and importantly you can't annoy people with them either, it doesn't impose your bush time. It only works one way and it can certainly save your life." A personal locator beacon can help to take the 'search' out of search and rescue. Source: NSW National Parks His plea comes after the country held its breath during a string of lost hiker incidents last month, with three trail deaths in less than a week. The search and rescue mission of 23-year-old hiker Hadi Nazari also got national attention after he was found alive and well after being lost in the NSW Snowy Mountains for 13 days. ADVERTISEMENT Outback Mike reckons he'll definitely "take a PLB next time". The PLB did help save the life of sailor Luke Williams who went overboard from yacht Porco Rosso in the middle of night in rough conditions during the recent Sydney to Hobart race. He drifted about 2km from his boat but activated his beacon, which sent a message to rescuers who sent out a search aircraft before he was eventually found by his own crew. PLBs can be bought for a few hundred dollars and some states even provide free hire of the devices, including in 12 national parks in NSW. Hadi Nazari was able to keep himself alive for almost two weeks in the NSW bush. Source: ABC How can I avoid getting lost in the Aussie bush? Recent research from safety brand GME revealed almost half of Aussies wouldn't know what to do if they were lost and possess very few basic survival skills which makes the difference between life and death. ADVERTISEMENT Mike has two tips to help hikers avoid getting lost plan your route and tell a friend. There are many resources that hikers can use to plan their route. It's important to ensure there are water sources along the way, stick to what you set out to do, and tell someone where you'll be and what time to expect you back, that's crucial. Carrying water and matches are must-haves before setting off on a hike. It's always good to have them and not need them, Mike pointed out. And having bright clothing and equipment is a "dual purpose" decision. What do I do if I get lost in the bush If you don't have a PLB on hand, fight the instinct to try to find your way again. This can further disorientate you and push your further out of the search area once people realise you haven't safely returned. ADVERTISEMENT Finding a water source is vital and will likely be the first place rescuers will look for you. The general rule of thumb is hikers need four litres of water per person per day. This can change depending on the person, climate and general stress levels of the lost hiker, however, it's no surprise water is your friend. "Most people have Betadine in their first-aid bag and three or four drops per litre of water can help disinfect it, or you can boil it," Mike said. "But just drink it. We're not used to drinking water out of rivers and stuff, but it's really not that bad and you've got to stay hydrated, so just do it." And lastly, create a signal as best you can to flag your location. This is where matches come in handy. "Pile up at least a metre of green foliage and light it up. It smokes up this really thick smoke and it'll go right through any dark tree canopy. That's another great way to be found," Mike said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Anxious civilians in Gaza are counting the seconds until a ceasefire is enforced, as Israeli airstrikes continued to pound the besieged strip, killing dozens of people, according to local health officials. International diplomats and mediators scrambled to salvage the truce between the Hamas militant group and Israel, which was announced by US president Joe Biden and the Qatari leadership on Wednesday. Despite a wobble when Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas had attempted to extort last-minute concessions, the deal appeared back on track on Thursday night and is due to be ratified on Friday with fighting set to cease on Sunday. In war-ravaged Gaza, the health ministry said waves of Israeli airstrikes continued in the meantime, killing 77 people half of them women and children. We see and expect that the coming hours before the ceasefire will be bloody and harsh, said Dr Raed Musleh, 52, an internal medicine doctor, himself homeless and displaced in the southern city of Khan Younis, where he said medics lacked drugs to treat the wounded. We are used to the last hours being difficult and dangerous, he added. open image in gallery Palestinians watch TV as they await the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis ( AP ) Mahmoud Basal, from the Palestinian civil defence in north Gaza, urged the international community to intervene and stop the bombings so that more lives would not be lost so close to the potential end of the conflict. The coming hours will be very difficult if Israel continues this pace of bombing which has already killed 77 people since the agreement was announced, he said. Families in Gaza said what they fear most is that the far-right elements of the Israeli government will ultimately kill the deal. We are counting the minutes and even the seconds for the implementation of the ceasefire on the ground, said Rami Morjan, a university chemistry professor displaced from northern Gaza City to central Deir al-Balah. Fifteen months of bloody conflict has claimed the lives of around 46,700 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials, and 1,200 in Israel. More than 90 per cent of Gazas 2 million population has been displaced and swathes of the strip destroyed. Those anxiously waiting to see if the ceasefire deal will be approved, said that even if it was, the next nightmare is just beginning. open image in gallery Palestinians struggle for food at a distribution centre in Khan Younis ( AP ) Hanaa Ahmed, 64, said the bombing of Gaza City, where she is sheltering, has not stopped since the moment the ceasefire was announced. But she said even if the strikes do stop she is scared about the future. Famine still stalks parts of the strip, their homes are destroyed, and her family relies on farming in an area that may be engulfed in an Israeli buffer zone. We are very worried about permanently losing our lands that we bought and paid everything for, she added. Ibrahim Al-Muslimi, 75, a local community leader who has been displaced seven times from north Gaza, said Palestinians in the strip need every type of assistance after a long, harsh wave of hunger. He said even if they could go back to the north, there is nothing left, and his family would only be able to stake out the land where their home once stood if I can get a tent there. Dr Musleh, meanwhile, said they would not give up. Despite 15 months of living in hell, the people of Gaza are full of hope and optimism. We will start our life from scratch, from below zero. We have the will to bring back our life, and we have the potential to start again. open image in gallery Palestinians react as they wait for news of a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip ( Reuters ) The three-phased agreement will see the release of 33 hostages over the coming six weeks in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli withdrawal from many parts of the territory. It is supposed to pave the way for a long-term, permanent end to the fighting, and the return of Palestinians to their homes. Human rights groups say after such fierce bombardment, Gaza is experiencing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. A coalition of 18 NGOs, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, Oxfam, and Amnesty International, petitioned the UK government on Thursday to ensure that the truce turns into a permanent end to Palestinian suffering and serves as a starting point for justice and accountability, not an endpoint that allows the Israeli authorities to continue their blockade, occupation, and oppression of Palestinians. Action For Humanity said the ceasefire should also not give Israel a blank cheque to commit as many war crimes as possible in the lead-up. Israel has repeatedly denied committing any crimes in Gaza. Close Netanyahu thanks Trump for helping free Israeli hostages For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Israels top general has resigned, citing the security failures that allowed Hamas 7 October attack, as at least 10 Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin. The Jenin raid also left at least 40 wounded, Palestinian health officials said, as Israels fragile ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza entered its third dayChief of Staff Lt General Herzi Halevi became the most prominent Israeli official to step down over the militant groups attack when he announced his resignation on Tuesday. In Tel Aviv, four people were wounded in a stabbing attack on Tuesday evening, according to Israeli police, who said the attacker was killed by security forces at the scene. Meanwhile, Hamas official Taher al-Nunu has said four female Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday in return for Palestinian prisoners in the second such exchange under the truce, according to AFP. And US president Donald Trumps pick for ambassador to the UN, Elise Stefanik, has told a Senate confirmation hearing that Israel has a biblical right to dominion over the West Bank. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The US has said it is confident that the historic Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal will come into effect on Sunday, despite Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu having accused Hamas of backtracking on the deal. Mr Netanyahu had also delayed a vote by his cabinet to approve it. Americas top diplomat, secretary of state Antony Blinken, said at a briefing on Thursday evening: On the ceasefire, I am confident. I fully expect that implementation will begin ... on Sunday. He added it would take tremendous effort, political courage, compromise to ensure that the deal endures and that it brings to an end 15 months of war. Its not exactly surprising that, in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end, Mr Blinken said. Mr Netanyahu, who is no stranger to posturing over Gaza, claimed in a morning statement issued by the Israeli prime ministers office: Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions. He added the situation had created a last-minute crisis over the deal which was announced on Wednesday by mediator Qatar but did not elaborate. Minutes after that statement was released, senior Hamas official Izzat el-Reshiq said via the groups Telegram channel that Hamas was committed to the truce agreement. Hours later, Israeli media reported that the final hurdles had been cleared and that the Israeli cabinet was due to meet on Friday to sign off the truce. The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire, with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, and hostages taken by Hamas to be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners currently held in Israeli jails. open image in gallery A Palestinian child sits amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in Gaza City ( Reuters ) Hamas triggered the war in Gaza by attacking southern Israel on 7 October 2023, killing around 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. Israel says 94 of the hostages remain inside Gaza, but a third are now believed to be dead. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed almost 47,000 Palestinians and forced around 90 per cent of Gazas 2.3 million residents from their homes, often more than once. The latest intervention by Mr Netanyahu turned jubilant celebrations into extreme anxiety both in Israel and inside Gaza. In Gaza, where civilians are living in makeshift tents in the grip of one of the most acute humanitarian crises in the world, many fear there could be a surge in Israeli airstrikes in the hours before the ceasefire is formally enforced if it gets that far. In Israel, some of the families of the hostages, hoping their loved ones will be among those coming home after more than 466 days in captivity in Gaza, now fear that the truce could be scuppered before it comes into effect. In the first phase of the ceasefire, 33 hostages are due to be released, including all women and children as well as men over 50. Gil Dickmann, who has spent more than a year campaigning for the release of their cousin Carmel Gat, compared the wait and the indecision to psychological terror. Carmel, who was abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Beeri on 7 October, was among those on the list to be released in the first phase of the deal. However, she was found shot dead by her captors in September, when a previous attempt to get an agreement over the line failed at the 11th hour. Its very troublingweve all learnt to trust no one, Mr Dickmann told The Independent, adding the families of the hostages had just sent messages confirming the deal was not yet signed. Most of the families have just turned off their TVs and logged off social media, he added. Mr Dickmann said he didnt think Mr Netanyahu or Hamas would defy incoming US president Donald Trump, whose inauguration on Monday has been seen as the driving force and cut-off point for the deal. open image in gallery Shay Dickmann holds the image of her captured cousin, right, who will never make it home and the elderly male hostages who remain in Gaza and could be freed in the new deal ( Bel Trew ) Speaking at Hostages Square, a rallying point in Tel Aviv, his sister Shay said their family had experienced first-hand what happens when deals fall through - Carmel was due to be next on the list to be freed. This deal must go all the way, If this opportunity is missed you have no idea how long will be until the next time, you have no idea if they will make it out alive, she said breaking down into tears. I realise that it is too late for us, we will never get the hug from Carmel we were waiting for but others can. One of the hostages Kfir was just eight months when he was taken. He has never had a birthday outside he must come back. No one can be left behind. In Gaza, families said they were worried that Israels bombardment might get worse in the lead-up to any truce and that even if the guns go silent, they will not be able to go home. We all worry about the next 72 hours, said one man living in a tent, who asked not to be named for security reasons. We also worry we will have nothing to go home to. NGO Action for Humanity has warned that the prospect of a truce does give Israel a blank cheque for targeting Gaza. Israel airstrikes killed at least 77 people in Gaza overnight on Thursday, residents and authorities in the territory said, hours after the ceasefire was announced by lead mediator Qatar. The armed wing of Hamas also claimed that an Israeli strike had targeted a location where a female hostage set to be released in the first phase of the ceasefire deal was being held, but gave no details of her condition. open image in gallery Young people celebrate the ceasefire in Khan Younis, Gaza ( AFP/Getty ) Back in Israel, Udi Goren, whose cousin, Tal Haimi, a civil engineer, was killed during the 7 October attack his body is being held by Hamas said the stress was unbelievable for families. These are truly probably the most stressful days we have experienced in over a year, since the last deal [in November 2023, when a truce lasted a week and around 100 hostages were released]. Even though Trump said the deal is sealed, it hasnt been yet. For us, we have seen so many disappointments over these past 15 months that Ill believe it when I see it. It doesnt matter where you stand politically if you affiliate with Israel, if you care for the Palestinians but we must realise that if you want to end suffering on both sides, the key, the first domino stone that would set off this process, is bringing back all the hostages. Because only when the last hostage is back would hostilities end, would the war end, would we be able to start rebuilding Gaza. Mr Netanyahu has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages, but his far-right and hardline coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement even without those partners, but doing so would weaken his coalition. National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has come out against the deal, while finance minister Bezalel Smotrichs Religious Zionism Party said in a statement that its condition for remaining in the government would be a return to fighting at the end of the first phase of the deal, in order to destroy Hamas and bring all the hostages back. Mr Goren said that the pair should be ashamed. At this point, saying you stand between parents seeing their child for the first time in 15 months, something that could happen in three days... who are you? What kind of person are you? Its beyond me. They should be ashamed of themselves. That is really all that I can say about them. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A digital clock that towers over Hostages Square in Tel Aviv has been ticking for the last 466 days. It marks the seconds, minutes and days since families in Israel and beyond have been campaigning for the release of hundreds of their loved ones taken by the Hamas militant group into Gaza. It is a clock that these families hope will finally come to a stop. On Wednesday, mediators from the US and Qatar announced that they had reached a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, which will come into effect on Sunday. Negotiators hope it is the first step in ending the unprecedented bloodshed in Gaza, where Palestinians say Israels bombing has killed more than 46,000 people and laid waste to swathes of the Strip. open image in gallery Israelis in Tel Aviv celebrate news that a ceasefire has been agreed ( EPA ) open image in gallery The digital clock that towers over Hostages Square in Tel Aviv has been ticking for the last 466 days ( Bel Trew/Independent ) The hope is that it will also lead to the release of all the remaining 100 or so hostages held in Gaza and will lay the groundwork for the end of this nightmare that began on 7 October, when Hamas launched its bloody attack on southern Israel, killing more than 1,000 people according to Israeli estimates. The wording of the deal, which The Independent has seen, is complicated. It was described by one person, who is briefed by the negotiators, as an onion. That worries civilians in Gaza, living in tents, their homes completely destroyed and dozens of family members killed. They told The Independent they were cautiously celebrating, worried at the same time that the deal wouldnt hold. Its a strange feeling, says Nedal, from the north of Gaza, an area largely razed to the ground. We are sad for those who were killed and injured, and at the same time happy that the bloodshed has stopped. We hope our return is a matter of days. People are celebrating in the streets, shouting happily and gathering together. But they are also worried, as it will start on Sunday. There are still 72 hours to wait. open image in gallery Palestinians celebrate the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip ( AP ) open image in gallery Hostages Square in Tel Aviv is mostly empty late at night after the ceasefire deal announcement ( Bel Trew/The Independent ) Care International said the agreement is just the first step in stemming the overwhelming tide of suffering, adding: Palestinians have been killed on an incomprehensible scale. In Israel, families of the hostages also described a whirlwind of joy, hope, and deep anxiety that the agreement might collapse and not everyone would be brought home. Its mixed feelings happiness, sadness, grief, and worry, said Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat, 41, a hostage, was supposed to be part of this ceasefire deal. Carmel, an occupational therapist seized from her home in Kibbutz Beeri, was on the list of those set to be freed in an earlier draft of this deal that floundered in the 11th hour in the autumn. Carmel was shot dead by her captors in a tunnel shortly after negotiations collapsed in September. open image in gallery A man plays his guitar in Hostages Square as people watch on ( Bel Trew/The Independent ) open image in gallery Protesters calling for the return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip react following the news ( Getty Images ) She was even supposed to be part of the first days of the first phase, but the deal didnt come in time. So this was such a miss for us, for me, Gil added, his voice cracking. On the other hand, Im really so happy for my fellow hostage family members who are going to see, hug, and kiss their loved ones after waiting for such a long time. It feels like some of my family members are coming home too. In the first phase, 33 hostages, including women, the elderly, and the wounded, are expected to be released in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinians held in Israeli prisons. According to US president Joe Biden, it will see the withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza and a surge in humanitarian aid to the Strip, which has teetered on the brink of complete famine. open image in gallery Palestinians take to the streets of Gaza's Khan Younis to celebrate the upcoming ceasefire ( AP ) During that time, negotiations will start for the second and third phases, when the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, will be released and Israel will completely withdraw from Gaza. But many worry there are numerous steps that have to be taken before that can happen. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late on Wednesday that the ceasefire agreement with Hamas is still not complete and final details were being worked out. We are really, really worried. From what I understand, this was the same deal we had on the table since May. It wasnt signed before and the reason why it is signed now is because [Donald] Trump is now in the White House, Gil continues, echoing what people close to the negotiations have told The Independent: the pressure for a truce before Trumps inauguration on Monday was a watershed moment. Thanking Trumps team, Gil added he hoped the incoming US president understood that he had to finish what he had started. He should leave no one behind, he said. In Gaza, Nedal said despite the devastation and the loss, families were celebrating because there was a chance they could go home. People might be able to go back to the north. But of course, most homes were destroyed. But they are celebrating. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than a year after Hamas attacked southern Israel on 7 October 2023 killing around 1,200 people and taking another 250 captive around 80 hostages remain, although Israel believes around a third are dead. A ceasefire deal currently in place promises the release of the hostages held by Hamas and other Palestinian militants in Gaza. The first stage of the ceasefire to due to last six weeks and see a full and complete ceasefire while 33 hostages in Gaza and up to 1,900 Palestinian prisoners in Israel are to be freed. The hostages released will include women, the elderly and the sick. open image in gallery Female Israeli soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag were released as part of the first stage ( AFP via Getty Images ) open image in gallery Agam Berger, a soldier who was seized from her army base in southern Israel during the deadly October 7 2023 attack by Hamas, is reunited with her parents following her release ( via REUTERS ) Israeli government spokesman David Mencer said all but eight of the 33 were thought to be alive. In the second stage, the remaining living hostages, including men, would be released in return for more Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. After 21 hostages were released in the first weeks, Hamas announced an indefinite halt to hostage releases due to alleged Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement. Israel had delayed allowing displaced Palestinians from returning to northern Gaza, targeted Gazans with military shelling and gunfire and had stopped relief materials entering the territory, Hamas said. Three Israeli officials and two mediators told the New York Times anonymously that some of Hamas claims were accurate. In response, Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce, and threatened to pull out of the ceasefire agreement by open the gates of hell on Gaza if all Israeli hostages were not released by noon on Saturday. Additional troops were deployed to the border and leave for combat soldiers was cancelled. But on Thursday, Hamas announced it would release hostages as originally planned in the ceasefire deal, indicating that three more Israeli hostages will be released on Saturday. They have been named as Russian-Israeli Sasha Troufanov, 29, Argentinian-Israeli Iair Horn, 46, and US citizen Sagui Dekel Chen, 36. open image in gallery Israeli captives Ohad Ben Ami, Eli Sharabi and Or Levy were handed over to the Red Cross (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) ( AP ) The first three hostages, Romi Gonen, 24, Doron Steinbrecher, 31, and Emily Damari, 28, were released on 19 January, alongside 90 Palestinian prisoners detained in Israeli jails. Four more hostages were released on 25 January female Israeli soldiers Karina Ariev, Daniella Gilboa, Naama Levy and Liri Albag in exchange for 200 Palestinian prisoners who were being kept in Israeli jails. On 30 January, Israeli soldier Agam Berger, 20, Arbel Yehoud, 29, and Gadi Moses, an 80-year-old man were released. Ms Yehoud was believed to be the last remaining female civilian held hostage in Gaza. Another civilian woman, mother Shiri Bibas, remains in Gaza but the Israeli military has expressed grave concern for her life. Israel refused to open the Netzarim corridor to northern Gaza on 25 January, as scheduled, after Hamas declined to include Ms Yehoud in that days swap. After US, Egyptian and Qatari mediation, it was agreed Ms Yehoud would be swapped a few days later, breaking the tradition of the exchanges taking place on the weekends. The corridor was then opened, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return home to northern Gaza, though much of it has been destroyed. On Friday 31 January, Hamas named Yarden Bibas, 35, Keith Siegel, 65, and Ofer Kalderon, 54 as the next Israelis to be released. They were released on Saturday, with Mr Bibas and Mr Kalderon handed to the Red Cross in southern Gaza and Mr Siegel released separately in Gaza City, to the north of the Strip. Mr Bibas is the father of baby Kfir, only nine months old when he was kidnapped on 7 October, and Ariel, who was four at the time of the cross-border attack. He is the husband of Shiri Bibas. Shiri, Ariel and Kfir remain unaccounted for amid grave concerns over their wellbeing from the Israeli military, with the release of Mr Bibas marking a painful moment for the large numbers of Israelis and other supporters around the world who have long campaigned for the whole Bibas familys release. On 8 February, three more Israelis were freed. Ohad Ben Ami and Eli Sharabi, who were taken hostage from Kibbutz Be'eri during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and Or Levy, who was abducted that day from the Nova music festival, were led onto a Hamas podium by gunmen before being handed over to the Red Cross. The three men appeared thin, weak and pale, in worse condition than the 18 other hostages already freed under the truce agreed in January after 15 months of war. On Tuesday 11 February it was announced that Shlomo Mansour, an Iraq-born 86-year-old from Kibbutz Kissufim and believed to be the oldest hostage in Gaza, had been killed during the Hamas attacks on 7 October 2023. His body had been held in the enclave, Israel said. On Saturday 15 February, Russian-Israeli Sasha Troufanov, 29, Argentinian-Israeli Iair Horn, 46, and US citizen Sagui Dekel Chen were released from captivity. Scenes at the time of the release were more muted than previous exchanges, and the men appeared in a more healthy condition than those freed the week before. Hamas said 369 prisoners and detainees were due to be released from Israeli prisons the same day. open image in gallery Protesters calling for the return of hostages held in the Gaza Strip react after a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached on Wednesday ( Getty Images ) The Independent details who some of these remaining hostages are below. David Cunio (34) The 34-year-old is another of Ariels brothers and was also abducted from Nir Oz. His wife Sharon Aloni Cunio was released in November 2023, along with their twin daughters Ema and Yuly, three. Meanwhile, Sharons sister Daniele Aloni and her six-year-old daughter Emilia were also both freed then. Gali and Ziv Berman (27) The 27-year-old twins were abducted from Kfar Aza, with Ziv messaging a friend during Hamas attack. The brothers family said they had been told by the Israeli military that the pair are being held in Gaza. open image in gallery Kobi Ben Ami, 54, holds a picture of his brother of Ohad, 55, who is still being held hostage in the Gaza Strip by Hamas ( Bel Trew / The Independent ) Daniela Gilboa (20) The 20-year-old soldier was based at Kibbutz Nahal Oz. She was featured in a video published by Hamas in which she pleaded with the Israeli government to bring all the hostages home. Matan Angrest (21) The 21-year-old Israeli soldier was on duty on 7 October. It is assumed that he is still in Gaza. Other hostages include: Edan Alexander (20) Matan Zanguaker (24) Eitan Horn (38) Oded Lifshitz (84) Bipin Joshi (23) open image in gallery Chanan Choen, along with his wife, Edna Choen, hold up portraits of his sister, 77-year-old Margalit Moses, and her husband, 79-year-old Gadi Moses ( AP ) Omer Neutra (22) Itzik Elgarat (69) Nimrod Cohen (20) Tsachi Idan (50) Omri Miran (47) Ohad Yahalomi (50) Tal Shoham (39) A number of people were abducted from the Supernova music festival in southern Israel. Among them: Omer Shem Tov (21) Omer made a getaway in his car but was captured when he tried to rescue his friends, Maya and Itai Regev. All three were taken captive - the Regev siblings were released in November 2023. Avinatan Or (31) Avinatan was kidnapped along with his girlfriend, Noa Argamani. She was rescued from central Gaza in June, and revealed that they had been separated. Rom Braslavski (20) Rom was working on security for the festival. According to an account published by Hostages and Missing Families Forum, he was trying to rescue an injured person in the attack when he was caught in a volley of fire. He has not been heard from since. open image in gallery A woman visits an installation honouring those who were killed and kidnapped in the Supernova music festival ( AFP/Getty ) Bar Kuperstein (23) Bars family say they identified him in a video of Israeli prisoners, posted by Hamas. Since then, they have had no further information. Other Supernova abductees: Yosef Ohana (24) Guy Gilboa-Dalal (23) Eitan Mor (24) Alon Ohel (23) Maxim Kharkin (36) Segev Kalfon (26) Eliya Cohen (27) Elkana Bohbot (35) Omer Wenkert (23) Evyatar David (23) Hostages believed dead In November 2023, the bodies of 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano and 65-year-old Yehudit Weiss were found by Israeli troops in buildings close to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, according to the military. The next month, the Israeli military said soldiers had mistakenly killed three hostages in northern Gaza who had escaped from captivity. They were named as Yotam Haim, 28, Samer Talalka, 22, and Alon Shamriz, 26. The military expressed deep remorse. open image in gallery Soldiers carry the coffin of Noa Marciano ( Getty Images ) In August last year, the Israeli military announced that the bodies of Abraham Munder, Alex Dancyg, Yagev Buchshtab, Chaim Peri, Yoram Metzger and Nadav Popplewell had been found and returned to Israel. They said the six had died while held by Hamas. Less than a month later, the Israeli military said troops had recovered the bodies of six hostages: Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt Ori Danino. The military said it believed Hamas had killed them shortly before soldiers reached them. Earlier this year, the body of Yousef Zyadna, a 53-year-old Bedouin dairy farmer, was found by the Israeli military in an underground tunnel in the southern Rafah area. The military later said his son Hamza, 22, had been killed in Hamas captivity, after a forensic examination of remains. Yousef's other children, Bilal, 19, and Aisha, 17 had also been abducted but were released in November 2023. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After 15 gruelling months, a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas has been struck, finally bringing to an end the war in Gaza. Despite a day of wrangling with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Hamas of reneging on the deal, all obstacles appear to have been removed. As the fighting looks set to pause on Sunday, The Independent looks at the true cost of the brutal conflict. The war was triggered on 7 October 2023, when Hamas launched a terror attack into Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages into the Gaza Strip. open image in gallery The front page of The Independents daily digital edition ( The Independent ) Sign up to The Independents daily digital edition now. In retaliation, Mr Netanyahu launched a devastating bombing and ground campaign in Gaza, razing much of it to the ground. As a result, more than 46,788 Palestinians have been killed, with one in four of them children, according to latest figures from the Health Ministry in the Hamas-run strip. A further 110,453 people have been injured, the ministry has said. Around 1.9 million people, accounting for 90 per cent of the population, have been forcibly displaced several times and are now living in refugee camps while facing a food crisis. open image in gallery A woman and her child sit amid the rubble following the Israeli bombardment of Gaza City on 14 January ( AFP via Getty Images ) At least 50 per cent of hospitals across Gaza are only partially functional, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Up to 12,000 patients are currently in need of medical evacuation, as many of those suffering extensive burns and amputated limbs face limited access to lifesaving medical care, OCHA figures show. During a brief pause in the war last November, Hamas released around 100 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, but the war restarted after a week-long truce. open image in gallery Hamas took around 250 Israeli hostages into Gaza on 7 October. Israel says 94 remain, with over half believed to be dead ( AP ) The Israeli military has claimed to have hit over 40,000 targets in Gaza, saying that Hamas is using the population of Gaza as human shields. More than 8,200 rockets have been launched at Israel from inside the strip since that date, with another 12,000 fired from Lebanon, Israel said. Collecting data from a variety of sources, The Independent lays out the figures behind a conflict that has brought the entire Middle East to the brink of all-out war: 1,205 The number of people killed in the 7 October attack according to Israeli tallies, including hostages killed in captivity. 251 The number of hostages seized during the attack, of which 94 are still believed to still be in Gaza. Israel believes about half of those are still alive. 29 The number of locations the Israel-Gaza border fence was breached by hundreds of Hamas fighters during the Hamas attack. open image in gallery A woman looks at pictures and memorials for Israeli festival goers killed by Hamas at the site of the Supernova Music Festival ( EPA ) 150,000 The number of people evacuated from their homes in southern Israel, on or immediately after 7 October. There have also been 5,400 reported injuries across Israel since the Hamas attack, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. 46,788 The number of Palestinians killed in Gaza since 7 October, according to Gazas health ministry. At least 110,453 others have been injured. open image in gallery The daughters and wife of Palestinian Ahmed Alrawi, killed the previous day in an Israeli strike, mourn during his funeral in Jenin's refugee camp ( AFP via Getty Images ) 1.9 million The number of people in Gaza forced to leave their homes, many multiple times. That amounts to more than 85 per cent of those living in Gaza. 345,000 The number of people facing catastrophic hunger across Gaza, according to latest UN-backed reports. More than 96 per cent of Gazas population are facing a food crisis. 371 The number of aid workers killed inside Gaza since 7 October, according to the OCHA. At least 160 journalists have also been killed inside the besieged enclave, according to NGO Committee to Protect Journalists. open image in gallery Destroyed buildings by Israeli bombardments as seen inside the Gaza Strip from southern Israel ( AP ) 69% The percentage of buildings damaged or destroyed across the Gaza Strip, according to latest figures published by the OCHA. 8,200+ The number of rockets Israels military says has been fired at Israel from inside Gaza since 8 October. With another 12,000+ from Lebanon. 12,000 The number of patients that need medical evacuation from Gaza, according to the World Health Organisation. open image in gallery A Palestinian child sits amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in Gaza City ( Reuters ) 72 The average number of trucks that entered Gaza per day in December 2024 according to the OCHA. It was around 500 a day before the war. 1,303,452 The tons of aid delivered into Gaza since the war began, according to Israeli figures. That involved 65,000 trucks and 10,000 pallets. [Source: Israel]. 813 The number of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank killed by Israeli forces or settlers since 7 October, according to the UN. open image in gallery Mourners attend the funeral of Israeli soldier Sergeant Yahav Maayan who was killed in combat in the Gaza Strip ( AP ) 10,000+ The number of 2,000-pound bombs the US sent to Israel between 7 October 2023 and June 2024, alongside thousands of Hellfire missiles. In August last year, the US approved the sale of $20bn in fighter jets and other military equipment across years-long contracts. 40,000+ The number of targets Israels military says it has struck in Gaza since launching an offensive into the region on 8 October. 100m The amount of aid committed by the UK to Gaza and the occupied West Bank between 2023 and 2024, according to the UK Foreign Office. open image in gallery An injured woman reacts after identifying a member of her family among the dead at the al-Maamadani hospital, following an Israeli strike that killed more than 90 people on a school sheltering displaced Palestinians ( AFP ) 50% The number of hospitals (18 out of 36) only partially functional across Gaza, according to latest OCHA figures with the others having been made inoperable 658,000 The number of students with no access to formal education, according to the OCHA. At least 88 per cent of school buildings need rebuilding. 80.5% The percentage of Gaza under active Israeli-issued evacuation orders as the ceasfire deal was signed, according to the OCHA. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Jeff Bezoss giant New Glenn rocket has blasted off into space just days after the launch was scrapped at the last minute. The 30-storey tall Blue Origin rocket launched into earths orbit at around 7am GMT from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Thursday. The private space company hopes to offer launches of the kind provided by competitor Elon Musks SpaceX, which has pioneered reusable rocket technology. Its first attempt to launch on Monday was scrubbed around 3am ET (8am GMT) because ice had accumulated on a propellant line. The mission will include an attempt to land New Glenns first stage booster on a sea-fairing barge in the Atlantic Ocean 10 minutes after liftoff. open image in gallery The 30-storey tall Blue Origin rocket launched into earths orbit at around 7am GMT on Thursday ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Secured inside New Glenns payload bay is the first prototype of Blue Origins Blue Ring vehicle, a maneuverable spacecraft the company plans to sell to the Pentagon. Hundreds of employees gathered for the launch at Blue Origins Kent, Washington headquarters and its Cape Canaveral, Florida rocket factory, a company live stream showed. Residents of Floridas east coast also cheered from parks and camp sites several miles from the launchpad upon liftoff. New Glenn is named after the first American to orbit Earth, John Glenn. It is five times taller than Blue Origins New Shepard rocket that carries paying customers to the edge of space from Texas. open image in gallery The launch was scrapped on Monday after accumulated on a propellant line, the company said ( REUTERS ) In May last year, Bezoss company launched six tourists, including the first Black man to train as an astronaut, to the edge of space. The 11-minute suborbital flight lifted off from Blue Origins base in West Texas, launching the passengers into zero gravity so they could experience weightlessness and view the Earths horizon. The rocket took them over Karman Line widely considered to be the border between the Earths atmosphere and outer space before the six new astronauts landed safely back in a western Texas desert. The journey marked the first time Blue Origin the space travel company owned by Amazon billionaire Bezos has sent passengers into space in two years, after a failed launch attempt in December 2022 prompted a hiatus. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Amazon is saying goodbye to a popular Prime service. The Try Before You Buy option allowed Amazon's Prime members to try on select clothing items, shoes and accessories at home before completing a purchase. It is now set to wind down in the coming weeks. The last day eligible customers can place orders using the subscriber benefit is this Friday, 31 January, the company confirmed. Under the service, Prime members can order up to six select apparel items on a trial basis. Customers then have seven days after receiving the merchandise to return any unwanted items without being charged. In a statement, an Amazon spokesperson cited the program's limited reach and the growing use of improve sizing recommendations powered by artificial intelligence on the e-commerce platform. Given the combination of Try Before You Buy only scaling to a limited number of items and customers increasingly using our new AI-powered features like virtual try-on, personalized size recommendations, review highlights, and improved size charts to make sure they find the right fit, were phasing out the Try Before You Buy option," the spokesperson said. Seattle-based Amazon first began testing its trying before buying offering under the name Prime Wardrobe in 2017, and the program officially launched in 2018. Amazon Try Before You Buy ( Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) As more people shop online and take advantage of generous return policies, Amazon and other retail companies have worked to reduce shipping fees, processing time and other ballooning costs from returned products. Amazon said Monday that customers still will be able to get free returns across its apparel department and that phasing out Try Before You Buy would give shoppers a simpler experience with a bigger selection and faster delivery. The change comes as Starbucks also announced a change to one of its rules. The new code of conduct means if you want to hang out or use the restroom at a coffee shop in America you now have to buy something. The code of conduct warns that violators will be asked to leave, and says the store may call law enforcement, if necessary. Starbucks said employees would receive training on enforcing the new policy. Starbucks on Monday said it was reversing a policy that invited everyone into its stores. A new code of conduct which will be posted in all company-owned North American stores also bans discrimination or harassment, consumption of outside alcohol, smoking, vaping, drug use and panhandling. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect on Sunday requiring the shutdown of the platform used by 170 million Americans. President-elect Donald Trump has said he would most likely give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cant use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned, the message notified users trying to use the app late on Saturday night. Other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app CapCut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in US app stores as of late Saturday. What is Lemon8? ByteDance launched Lemon8 in Japan in 2020, and its seen a steady increase in popularity, hitting the U.S. market in February 2023. Its dominated by lifestyle content. Posts highlighted on the apps homepage include, How to become a 5 am girly and How to save $500 in a month. At the start of this year, it was ranked the number one free app on Apples app store. The future of TikToks sister app Lemon8 is also in jeopardy ( REUTERS ) The apps U.S. downloads increased 340 percent between June and August last year compared to 2023, according to data compiled by market research company Sensor Tower. By comparison, TikTok grew 20 percent year-over-year during the same period, according to the research. With the looming threat of the TikTok ban, ByteDance started to ramp up its advertising efforts with Lemon8 by targeting influencers and paying stars to post about the alternative app, the Wrap reported last year. Why was Lemon8 included in a TikTok ban? In April 2024, Congress passed a bill, signed into law by Biden, giving ByteDance nine months to find a U.S.-approved buyer. The law states the divest-or-ban requirement applies generally to apps that are owned or operated by ByteDance, TikTok or any of their subsidiaries. Lawmakers and officials say the company has links to the Chinese Communist Party, prompting concern that it could be forced to hand over data about American users to Beijing. The Justice Department has said that TikTok poses a national-security threat of immense depth and scale. The same concerns remain for Lemon8. There have been signs TikTok could make a comeback under Trump, who has said he wants to pursue a political resolution of the issue and last month urged the Supreme Court to pause implementation of the ban. Some experts have argued that the real danger the apps pose is societal, and not security. Even if the U.S. bans TikTok specifically, Bytedance the parent company is already migrating users to a competing very similar app that it also owns called Lemon8, Josh Constine of the venture capital firm SignalFire told CNN. And so it wouldnt solve the problem unless we basically ban all of ByteDances apps. President-elect Donald Trump has asked the Supreme Court to delay its decision while he seeks a political solution. However, his second term will not begin until the day after the ban is scheduled to start. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Chinese short-form video app called Xiaohongshu is now the top free app in the Apple App Store, as social media users look to get out ahead of a potential US TikTok ban set to take effect on Sunday. The app, known as RedNote in English, functions like a cross between Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, and boasts over 300 million monthly active users, considerably below the user base of TikTok. Launched in 2013, RedNote is one of the most popular apps in China. It is valued at over $3 billion and has raised nearly $1 billion in venture funding, according to TechCrunch. In April, the U.S. Congress passed a bipartisan bill to ban TikTok unless it finds a new owner. Federal officials have argued the site is a national-security threat of immense depth and scale because of alleged links with China and concerns about U.S. users data being shared unlawfully with the Communist government. TikTok stopped working in the United States on 18 January and disappeared from app stores ahead of law requiring shutdown of platform ( AFP/Getty ) TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect on Sunday requiring the shutdown of the platform used by 170 million Americans. President-elect Donald Trump has said he would most likely give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cant use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned, the message notified users trying to use the app late on Saturday night. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because its appropriate, Trump told NBC. If I decide to do that, Ill probably announce it on Monday. Trump tried to ban TikTok in 2020. President Joe Bidens White House reiterated on Saturday that it was up to the incoming administration to take action. We see no reason for TikTok or other companies to take actions in the next few days before the Trump administration takes office on Monday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. Users have taken to RedNote as the future of TikTok hangs in the balance. This is my new home now, wrote a user in a RedNote post, tagged with the words tiktokrefugee and sad. Creators have also taken to using another popular app, Lemon8, with similar features, which is owned by ByteDance. Aussie woman D'arci Hopper and her family are devastated to wave goodbye to their favourite holiday destination. D'arci Hopper and her family are devastated camping at Wauraltee Beach will soon be banned. Source: Instagram/rippinaroundoz As many popular beaches increasingly face camping bans along the Aussie coastline, families are left dealing with the "heartbreaking" reality that some of their favourite holiday destinations could be blocked from public access. One Aussie family who has been travelling for over eight months told Yahoo News the free camping spot at Wauraltee Beach in South Australia was "definitely our favourite" after exploring four states. But with camping banned there from February 3, they must now say goodbye. "It's honestly heartbreaking to see it closing. It's such a shame that so many people won't get the chance to enjoy this place the way we have," D'arci Hopper said. "Out of all the free camps we've stayed at, this has definitely been our favourite. We've had Wauraltee on our must-see list for two years, so we feel really grateful we got to experience it before it closes." Hopper explained free beach camping at Wauraltee and other similar sites brings "like-minded families together", and waking up to "stunning ocean views" is a pleasure Australia excels at. ADVERTISEMENT "With more free camps like this shutting down across the country, it feels like were losing these beautiful, accessible spots that bring people and families together." Camping at Wauraltee Beach in South Australia will no long be permitted from February 3. Source: Instagram/rippinaroundoz According to the state's Department of Environment, the decision has been made to ban camping from Wauraltee Beach due to the increased popularity of 4WD vehicles and the subsequent impact on the environment and local wildlife. Fine line of 'enjoyment' and 'protection' at 4WD beaches Authorities are striving to reach a balance between "visitor enjoyment" and "the need to protect native flora and fauna" on beaches across the state. "The new rules for vehicle access at Wauraltee Beach seek to ensure its environmental values are protected, while still allowing people to enjoy recreational activities such as boating and fishing," Jason Irving, National Parks and Wildlife Service National Parks Programs Director, said in a statement. ADVERTISEMENT "Wauraltee Beach is a special place but it will not stay that way for future generations if it is constantly damaged by a mass number of vehicles." It's a fine line that many state governments are trying to walk as the growing popularity of camping is boosting domestic tourism, according to Statista. However, the heavy traffic flow is undeniably placing pressure on local wildlife and the environment. Authorities are trying to balance tourism with wildlife protection. Source: Supplied/DarrenJew Repeated reckless acts on Aussie coastlines prompt threats A driver's reckless move at Goolwa Beach in South Australia prompted a stern threat from the council's mayor. He warned that 4WD access to the beach could be shut down forever after a driver was caught allegedly speeding down an empty stretch of Goolwa Beach before losing control and rolling over on Thursday. There have been a number of incidents involving 4WDs driving along sand dunes along Queensland's Cooloola coastline too, damaging their structure and jeopardising the safety of native turtles species using the dunes for nesting. ADVERTISEMENT Mackay Regional Council recently decided to ban 4WD and motorcyclists from Harbour Beach in a bid to protect the area. "Weve put a stake in the ground," Mayor Greg Williamson said. "Were shutting off vehicle access altogether south of the harbour beach area through to the mouth of the river... the impact of that damage over many years is threatening the ecological integrity of this area." Those who break the rules will face fines of $774. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy TikTok users in the US have reported receiving a warm welcome on other Chinese-owned apps amid a looming ban of the hugely popular social media platform. China-based Lemon8 and RedNote have both experienced a surge in downloads from US users as the 19 January deadline for the TikTok ban approaches, each topping the app charts. TikTok, which is owned by ByteDance, will be removed from Apple and Android app stores on Sunday if the Chinese firm fails to either sell the app to an approved buyer or convince the US Supreme Court to delay the ban. The Supreme Court has signaled that it does not plan to prevent the TikTok ban from coming into force, while ByteDance has given no indication that it intends to sell the app. In anticipation of the ban coming into force, TikTok users have been seeking out alternative social media apps. My roommate downloaded RedNote (the Chinese version of Pinterest/Insta) like six hours ago and hes already saying Big ups to Mao Zedong, wrote X user James Ray in a post on Tuesday. We are witnessing a moment. Chinese users have joked to the new US users about being spies, while others have shared pictures of their children and pets. This is a pretty strange moment, wrote one X user in a post on Tuesday. Its the first time in a very long time that Chinese and American netizens are freely interacting without an intermediary or VPN. I doubt it will last long before XHS (RedNote) splits them apart. But I hope they dont. Its genuinely beautiful. Some users have referred to it as 2025s Berlin Wall, with the newly-popular apps breaking through the cyber barrier of Chinas Great Firewall. Despite being owned by a Chinese company, TikTok is not actually available in China. Instead, ByteDance operates a similar app called Douyin in its home country, which is not available internationally. Other social media apps that are popular in the US, such as Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), are also blocked in China as part of the countrys strict censorship laws, meaning web users in either country rarely interact. TikToks upcoming ban is centred on national security concerns, with lawmakers claiming that its Chinese ties could result in spying or political manipulation of peoples feeds, but such concerns have not deterred US users from seeking out other Chinese-owned alternatives. TikTok has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that the US ban is unconstitutional and goes against Americans First Amendment rights. Close TikTok goes dark in the U.S. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy The Chinese-owned social media app TikTok has hailed President Trumps efforts as it confirmed it is back online in the U.S. following a brief shutdown. TikTok went offline in the U.S. at about 10.30 p.m. Eastern time on Saturday before the ban went into effect on January 19. But on Sunday morning President-elect Donald Trump intervened and vowed to issue an executive order on Monday in a bid to get TikTok back online again. When users logged in to the app on Sunday afternoon, they were greeted by the message: Welcome back! Thanks for your patience and support. As a result of President Trumps efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.! However, the app remained unavailable for redownload for many users in app stores as of Sunday late afternoon. The company behind the app released a statement crediting the president-elect for providing clarity to tech companies. We thank President Trump for providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers that they will face no penalties providing TikTok to over 170 million Americans and allowing over 7 million small businesses to thrive, TikTok said. During his first administration, Trump pushed for a ban on the app over national security concerns. Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy After amassing more than 170 million users in the country in less than seven years, TikTok has stopped working in the United States and disappeared from app stores. TikTok stopped working in the United States late on Saturday and disappeared from Apple and Google app stores ahead of a law that takes effect on Sunday requiring the shutdown of the platform. President-elect Donald Trump has said he would most likely give TikTok a 90-day reprieve from the ban after he takes office on Monday, a promise TikTok cited in a notice posted to users on the app. A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you cant use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned, the message notified users trying to use the app late on Saturday night. The US is not the first major market for TikTok to cut off the video-sharing app. In 2020, India issued a complete ban of the app that cut off around 200 million users. The Indian government cited privacy issues with the app, claiming that alleged ties between ByteDance and the Chinese government posed a threat to Indias sovereignty and security. Other countries and areas, including the European Union, have put partial bans in place, which prevent government workers and military personnel from installing the app on their devices. Various federal and state TikTok bans are already in place in the US, with lawmakers citing national security concerns. These fears have done little to stem TikToks growth in the US. The app has proved to be one of the most popular both in America and globally last year with 52 million downloads in the US and 733 million worldwide despite more than 3 billion people around the world being blocked from downloading it. This has helped bring the total number of TikTok users around the world to above 2 billion, with only Indias ban nearly three years ago slightly slowing its growth and only temporarily. A survey poll from the Pew Research Center last year found TikTok to be the fastest-growing platform in the US, as users beyond the social media apps typically young demographic began to adopt it. US adults who have TikTok accounts are increasingly using the app as a source of news, with roughly a third of people aged 18-29 regularly using it to consume news in 2023. The FBI claims that Chinese state ties to parent company ByteDance could allow the app to manipulate content in order to spread harmful propaganda. Fears around national security have been countered with questions about censorship, with the Electronic Frontier Foundation describing the prospect of a ban as a seed of genuine security concern wrapped in a thick layer of censorship. The US digital liberties group has called on people to resist a governmental power to ban a popular means of communication and expression. In its filing with the Supreme Court on Monday, TikTok alleged that banning the app would shutter one of the most popular speech platforms at a highly political moment. The act will shutter one of Americas most popular speech platforms the day before a presidential inauguration, TikTok wrote. This, in turn, will silence the speech of applicants and the many Americans who use the platform to communicate about politics, commerce, arts, and other matters of public concern. Under the law passed last year and upheld on Friday by a unanimous Supreme Court, the platform had until Sunday to cut ties with its China-based parent or shut down its U.S. operation to resolve concerns it poses a threat to national security. Bidens White House reiterated on Saturday that it was up to the incoming administration to take action. The United States has never banned a major social media platform. The law passed overwhelmingly by Congress gives the incoming Trump administration sweeping authority to ban or seek the sale of other Chinese-owned apps. Other apps owned by ByteDance, including video editing app CapCut and lifestyle social app Lemon8, were also offline and unavailable in U.S. app stores as of late Saturday. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Aviation industry regulations are as stringent as ever in 2025 but passengers should still consider the safety of operations when choosing who to fly with. Failure to follow operational protocols and meet internationally agreed safety standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) can land airlines on the UK Air Safety List of carriers banned from operating. Following its departure from the European Union in 2020, the UK Government agreed on a Future Trade Agreement from 31 December 2020 to establish a new framework for air travel. Pakistan International Airlines is not permitted to operate in UK airspace despite the EU lifting its four-year ban ( Getty Images ) Third-country operators are now required to hold a UK-Part TCO certificate and a Foreign Carrier Permit issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before any commercial flight can travel to, from or within the United Kingdom. According to advice from the CAA and the UK Air Safety Committee, 138 named carriers are currently prohibited from operating commercial flights in UK airspace due to poor safety performance. Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, said: In reality, there is no likelihood of the vast majority of these airlines ever flying to the European Union or the UK. But the list provides a handy guide of carriers to be wary of when travelling in the rest of the world. Here are the airlines banned from taking off for the UK to protect and inform travellers. Read more: Every country currently on the Foreign Office do not travel list The airlines banned from operating in the UK Afghanistan All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Afghanistan are banned from operating, including: Ariana Afghan Airlines Kam Air Angola All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Angola are banned from operating, including: Aerojet Air Jet Bestfly Aircraft Guicango Heliang Sjl These two airlines are exempt from the restrictions: Taag-Linhas Aereas De Angola, S.A. dba Taag- Angola Airlines Heli Malongo Aviacao e Servicos De Angola, LDA dba Heli-Malongo Armenia All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Armenia are banned from operating, including: Aircompany Armenia Armenia Airways Armenia Helicopters Atlantis Armenian Airlines Atlantis European Airways Mars Avia Skyball Comoros One carrier with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Comoros is prohibited from operating commercial air services within the UK: Air Service Comores Congo (Brazzaville) All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Congo (Brazzaville) are banned from operating, including: Canadian Airways Congo Equaflight Services Equajet Societe Nouvelle Air Congo Trans Air Congo Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are banned from operating, including: Air Fast Congo Air Katanga Busy Bee Congo Compagnie Africaine DAviation (CAA) Congo Airways Kin Avia Malu Aviation Mwant Jet Serve Air Cargo Swala Aviation Mwant Jet Djibouti All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Equatorial Guinea are banned from operating, including: Daallo Airlines Equatorial Guinea All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Equatorial Guinea are banned from operating, including: Ceiba Intercontinental Cronos Airlines Eritrea All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Eritrea are banned from operating, including: Eritrean Airlines Nasair Eritrea Iran The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Iran is banned from operating: Iran Aseman Airlines Iran Air, with the exception of their Fokker 100 and B747 aircraft, is permitted to operate into, within or out of the United Kingdom. Iraq The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Iraq is banned from operating: Iraqi Airways Kyrgyzstan All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Kyrgyzstan are banned from operating, including: Air Company Air Kg Air Manas Avia Traffic Company Sky Kg Airlines Tez Jet Liberia According to the UK Air Safety List, all air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Liberia are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the United Kingdom. Libya All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Libya are banned from operating, including: Afriqiyah Airways Air Libya Al Maha Aviation Buraq Air Global Aviation and Services Libyan Airlines Libyan Wings Airlines Petro Air Nepal All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Nepal are banned from operating, including: Air Dynasty Heli. S Altitude Air Buddha Air Fishtail Air Guna Airlines Heli Everest Himalaya Airlines Kailash Helicopter Services Makalu Air Manang Air Pvt Mountain Helicopters Mustang Helicopters Prabhu Helicopters Nepal Airlines Corporation Saurya Airlines Shree Airlines Simrik Air Sita Air Summit Air Tara Air Yeti Airlines North Korea Airline Air Koryo is permitted to fly in the UK when operating TU-204 aircraft with registration P-632 or P-633. All other aircraft operated by Air Koryo are banned. Pakistan All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Pakistan are banned from operating, including: Airblue Limited AirSial Pakistan International Airlines SereneAir Private Ltd. Vision Air International (Private) Ltd. The Russian Federation All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of The Russian Federation are banned from operating, including: Airbridgecargo Airlines Limited Liability Company Air Company Aviacon Zitotrans Aircompany North-West Llc Air Company Sirius-Aero Ltd Air Company Sky Gates Airlines Llc Atran Llc Aviacompany Aviastar-Tu Azur Air Limited Liability Company Erofey Limited Liability Company Fsbi Aviation Rescue Company Of Emercom Of Russia Gazpromavia Aviation Company Limited Joint Stock Company Air Company Yakutia Joint Stock Company Air Management Group Joint Stock Company Alrosa Air Company Joint Stock Company Azimuth Airlines Joint-Stock Company Iraero Airlines Joint Stock Company Jet Air Group Joint Stock Company Nordstar Airlines Joint Stock Company Red Wings Joint Stock Company Royal Flight Airlines Joint Stock Company Rusjet Joint Stock Company Siberia Airlines Joint Stock Company Smartavia Airlines Joint Stock Company The 224-th Flight Unit State Airlines Joint Stock Company Ural Airlines Joint Stock Company Uvt Aero Js Aviation Company Rusline Jsc Yamal Airlines Limited Liability Company Aviaservis Limited Liability Company Aviation Technology Investment Service Llc Aircompany Ikar Llc Nord Wind Ltd I Fly Meridian Air Company Pobeda Airlines Limited Liability Company Rossiya Airlines Joint Stock Company Russian Airlines Aeroflot Severstal Aircompany Ltd Tulpar Air Ltd Turukhan Aviation Utair Aviation Utair Limited Volga Dnepr Airlines Sao Tome and Principe All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Sao Tome and Principe are banned from operating, including: Africas Connection STP Airways Sierra Leone According to the UK Air Safety List, all air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Sierra Leone are banned from operating commercial air services to, from, and within the United Kingdom. Sudan All air carriers certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Sudan are banned from operating, including: Alfa Airlines Sd Badr Airlines Blue Bird Aviation Eldinder Aviation Green Flag Aviation Helejetic Air Kata Air Transport Kush Aviation Nova Airways Sudan Airways Sun Air Tarco Air Suriname The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Suriname is banned from operating: Blue Wing Airlines Venezuela The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Venezuela is banned from operating: Avior Airlines Zimbabwe The following air carrier certified by the authorities with responsibility for regulatory oversight of Zimbabwe is banned from operating: Air Zimbabwe (PVT) For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy An Australian tourist was sentenced to eight weeks in prison for threatening to crash his flight while waiting to board it at the Changi airport in Singapore. Moncrieff Marli Curtis Philip, 36, on Wednesday pleaded guilty to one charge of using threatening words to cause alarm last November. He reportedly had to abort his holiday plans in Phuket, Thailand, after being denied entry by Thai immigration authorities because a visa page in his passport was torn out. The court was told the tourist had been planning the trip for a while and it had cost him a lot of money. He was put on a flight to Singapore, where he was also denied entry for the same visa issue. At Changi, immigration officials helped Mr Curtis Philip retrieve prescription medication for anxiety and depression from his check-in luggage. He was then taken to a holding room to wait for a flight back to Perth, the Malay Mail reported. On 20 November, while being escorted to board a Jetstar flight to Australia, he remarked: "I want the aircraft to crash and kill everyone." He was reported to authorities after a flight attendant overheard his remark. The tourist was removed from the flight and airport authorities searched his luggage. They did not find anything suspicious, however, and informed the tourist that he would have to wait for another flight back to Australia. While talking to his girlfriend, Mr Curtis Philip reportedly again threatened to crash the plane if he were put on another flight. His conversation was overheard by an immigration and checkpoints authority officer who reported the incident. This agitated Mr Curtis Philip, who allegedly asked to be sent to prison. He was arrested later that day. The tourist later wrote an apology letter expressing regret for his actions and his remarks. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy London Heathrow airport has welcomed a Home Office U-turn on transit passengers needing online ETA permits simply to change planes. Since earlier this month, all non-Europeans intending to travel to Britain without a visa have needed to apply in advance online and pay 10 for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). Unlike almost all hub airports worldwide, the permit was deemed necessary even for passengers who were changing planes at Heathrow with no intention of going through passport control. Airport and airline bosses predicted the demand would send thousands of passengers each day to rivals in continental Europe, where no such rules exist for connecting travellers. Heathrow warned it could lose 4 million passengers each year. Labour had continued with the policy of Rishi Sunaks government, with ministers claiming airside transit without an ETA would increase the risk of illegal migration. But the Home Office has now caved to pressure from Heathrow and airlines. In a statement, it said: Following feedback from the aviation industry, the government has agreed a temporary exemption for passengers who transit airside, and therefore do not pass through UK border control. While the Home Office insists the exemption will be kept under review, few in the aviation industry believe that the demand for an online permit for connecting travellers will ever be brought back. Heathrows chief executive, Thomas Woldbye, said: The removal of airside transit passengers from the ETA scheme is the right decision and we welcome it. This is a critical move to ensure Heathrow and the aviation industry as a whole can continue to deliver for everyone who depends on our world-leading connectivity. It shows that the government is listening to industry concerns and is willing to make the necessary changes to strengthen the UKs competitiveness and drive economic growth. Heathrow handles the vast majority of passengers changing planes in the UK. Manchester airport also has a transit facility, but with far fewer users. The Home Office also announced a potential increase in the price of an ETA from 10 to 16. It is not known when a rise might take effect. Starting on 2 April 2025, all arrivals in the UK apart from British and Irish citizens, holders of UK visas and those remaining in airside transit will need an ETA. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered an investigation following criticism over a Pakistan International Airline advert showing a plane flying towards the Eiffel Tower in Paris. The national carrier had advertised its resumption of flights to Europe in January, starting with Paris, after the EU aviation regulator lifted a ban on it. The airline's authorisation to operate in the EU was suspended in 2020 over concerns about the ability of Pakistani civil aviation authorities to ensure compliance with global standards. The suspension came after Islamabad began investigating a scandal over the validity of pilot licences in the wake of a plane crash that killed 97 people. The advert showed a civilian aircraft flying towards the Eiffel Tower with the caption declaring: Paris, we're coming today. The unfortunate resemblance of the poster with the 11 September 2001 terror attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York, US, drew criticism on social media. Ishaq Dar, the finance minister, called the advert "stupidity" and said the prime minister had ordered an investigation. "The prime minister has directed to investigate who conceived this ad, he told a parliamentary session. He also expressed concern about the caption, Geo TV reported. Omar Quraishi, a former political media adviser, said he was truly speechless that the advert was approved. Did the airline management not vet this? he asked on X. "Is this advertisement or threat," asked an X user. "I guess you are going for no publicity is bad publicity," said another person. The US suffered its worst terrorist attack when terrorists crashed passenger jets into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon in Washington DC, killing nearly 3,000 people. The alleged mastermind of the attack, al Qaeda operative Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, was arrested in Pakistan in 2003. The leader of Al Qaeda at the time, Osama bin Laden, was killed in a 2011 American military operation in Pakistan. Outgoing president Joe Biden turned to a reporter with confusion after he was asked if Donald Trump should be receiving more credit for the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Mr Biden replied after a short pause, Is that a joke? During an address on the ceasefire, Biden stressed the agreement was one he introduced last spring, but said his team has been working closely with the incoming Trump administration in the final days of the deal negotiation. This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, he said, but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration. Britons have welcomed the announcement of a potential ceasefire and hostage release deal, which was announced on Wednesday night after months of mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US. Various commuters outside London Bridge station shared their views as they travelled into work on Thursday, 16 September. I think it's been a long time coming. It's very, very good news. Hostages have been freed, which was amazing. But also the bombings have stopped," says 24-year-old consultant Shiv Khiroi. The ceasefire accord, which is due to come into effect on Sunday, outlined an initial six-week halt to the 15-month-long Israel-Gaza war. Tourists were stunned to spot the sea lion fling the octopus around on the shore of Kangaroo Island. Source: Facebook/Luca Lovison A group of tourists got an eyeful while touring Kangaroo Island last week, witnessing an incredible act of nature play out on the shoreline. The flailing movements in the waves caught them off guard, and initially thinking it was one animal causing the commotion, it was only on further inspection they realised there were two involved. Tour guide Luca Lovison told Yahoo News it is "so rare to see" and was delighted to have caught the moment on camera. "We saw a sea lion playing with something. It was actually his lunch! A huge octopus, he was tossing it and pulling it to try to break it, I guess," he told Yahoo. The stunning photos show the sea lion in the throws of breaking down his lunch, swinging the octopus above his head and against the sand beneath him. The octopus being held in the sea lion's mouth while its eight tentacles are fanned mid-air creates a striking shape, making it difficult to distinguish the animals from one another. Sea lions eat a wide variety of marine animals but seeing it capture its meal up close and personal was 'rare'. Source: Facebook/Luca Lovison Endangered sea lion population on Kangaroo Island is dwindling It's well-known that sea lions eat a wide variety of seafood but Luca and his guests were lucky to catch sight of his dining quests "so close to the beach". ADVERTISEMENT The sea lions found on Kangaroo Island are an endangered species, with an entire estimated population of just 12,000. Roughly 800 live in Sea Bay on the island, with their small external ear flap making them their own species native to the country. The colony attracts more than 100,000 travellers to the island each year. The only research facility in the world dedicated to the species is situated on Kangaroo Island. However, over the last 20 years, the sea lion population has been dwindling. Both natural factors and environmental impacts of humans are contributing to putting them at risk. As the sea lions boost tourism and allow visitors to witness spectacular scenes like last week, those working in the research facility ask people to do their bit to minimise environmental impact while visiting. "When visiting Kangaroo Island you can do your bit by being mindful of your ecological footprint, picking up marine pollution on our beaches and visiting our breeding colony at Seal Bay to learn more about the species," Ashleigh Wycherley, Seal Bay Conservation Park research and operations coordinator, told Yahoo News Australia previously. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. The DAA has been given three more months to file additional information about a planned viewing platform for plane spotters at Dublin Airport, after the proposal got bogged down in the planning process. The DAA applied for permission last year to build the viewing platform, which would provide a permanent, sheltered facility for people who already use the layby on which it would be built to view aircraft. Enthusiasts have used the location at Collinstown for decades and its known locally as The Mound. Last year, the DAA, the semi-state company that controls Dublin Airport, filed a planning application to build a viewing platform to allow people to watch aircraft landing and taking off in more comfort. The facility will provide a comfortable and safe space on an elevated platform for the community to view aircraft movements, the DAA told the council. The DAA said the platform will offer a clear view of the airports south runway, 10R/28L, as well as the cross runway, 16/34, whilst providing facilities such as shelter, seating, parking and lighting. Following a pre-planning meeting, the council told the DAA to remove a planned coffee dock at the viewing platform. Despite there never being any facilities for the 30 years that the viewing area has been informally used, the council insisted that electric vehicle charging points be installed by the DAA if the viewing platform goes ahead. Aircraft observation facilities are a feature of many airports around Europe and the world, the DAA noted in its planning application. As well as providing a plane-spotting platform, the facilities also create an interface between the airport and the local community, helping aviation enthusiasts to engage with the airport by observing aircraft movements and airport operations. But despite extensive pre-planning interaction between the DAA and planners, Fingal County Council said weeks after the formal application had been received, that it was disappointing that no toilets were included in the proposal. It said it welcomed the proposal in principle, but that more details were needed. The council also wanted proposed bicycle parking moved closer to the viewing platform to better accommodate convenience of use and security. The councils transport section also asked that the DAA undertake a traffic survey. It also noted that there was no streetlighting at the location and that the DAA should install some. Fingals planning department has raised a number of concerns, and described the absence of toilets as disappointing and contrary to the ethos of universal design and quality placemaking. It said the DAA should consider putting in eco toilets or portaloos. Planners also proposed changes to the way would vehicles get in and out. Despite Roqu having no background in medtech, the HSE placed an order with it in March 2020 An Irish company that secured a major order from the HSE during the Covid crisis for 14m worth of ventilators that were never used, because they were non-compliant, is being wound up as it cant continue in business because of its liabilities. Roqu Group is controlled by Robert Quirke, whose address is listed as a luxury apartment in Malta. A notice in the official state gazette, Iris Oifigiuil, notes that the Roqu Group will be wound up because the company cannot by reasons of its liabilities continue in business. Another firm of which Mr Quirke is a director, Roqu Media International, is also being wound up. However, Roqu Holdings is not in liquidation and as of the end of 2021 had 4.1m in retained earnings. Mr Quirke had no background in the medical or healthcare sector and at the time the Covid pandemic erupted had been working in the Middle East, running music festivals. He established Roqu Group in April 2020, just weeks after the country went into lockdown. Despite Roqu having no background in medtech, the HSE placed an order with it in March 2020 Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 16th But the Irish Examiner newspaper reported in 2023 that Mr Quirke approached Irelands former chief medical officer, Tony Holohan, on March 16, 2020 via LinkedIn with a proposal for the State to buy ventilators from him. Mr Holohan referred Mr Quirke to the HSE. The HSE confirmed in 2021 that it engaged with Roqu Group in March 2020 in relation to the ventilators. Roqu agreed to ship two ventilators from China to Ireland for testing. Those two ventilators were found by Cork University Hospital to meet criteria set by clinical engineers and clinicians. The HSE subsequently began due diligence on Roqu. Due diligence included background checks on Roqu and these checks did confirm that Roqu had no background in medtech, either as a distributor or manufacturer, the HSE said in 2021. Notwithstanding, the HSE placed an order with Roqu in March 2020. It added: Roqu confirmed in writing to the HSE that in the event of the ventilators not being supplied as described and contracted by Roqu, the HSE would be refunded in full. That 14m order for 300 ventilators didnt work out. Roqu previously noted that it acted in good faith at all times. Just 72 of the 300 ventilators were ever delivered. But even those that were delivered werent used, as they didnt meet quality requirements. As of 2023, Roqu had refunded 3.8m of the 14m paid for the order to the HSE. Is DEI going to die? As US corporate culture shifts with the election of Donald Trump, initiatives here will also feel the pressure Critics say that it stands for didnt earn it, but diversity champions here stand firm on the idea that its about supporting workers One Republican politician said the Baltimore bridge disaster was a result of DEI policies. Photo: AP John Burns Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 03:30 Gobsmacking is how analyst Peter Cosgrove describes some recent criticisms of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in America. He recalls that when a container ship knocked down the bridge in Baltimore last year, one Republican politician claimed this is what happens when you have governors who prioritise diversity over the wellbeing and security of citizens. The Indo Daily: Why is even the mention of water charges like playing with fire for politicians? Sky Cinema; Cert TBC A family's vacation to a remote getaway takes an unexpected turn in 'Get Away' The jokey tagline covers the basics: Get ready for a killer holiday, Nick Frost and Steffen Haarss gory horror parody, Get Away, warns. It will all make sense in due course. Frost, a British comedy favourite who knows his way around a giddy chiller, is perhaps best known for his work in Edgar Wrights celebrated zombie apocalypse classic, Shaun of the Dead. He wont mind us comparing these films, and why should he? Released in 2004, Wrights film was a hit, an ingenious horror comedy that managed to be both freaky and hilarious, and weve seen a dozen filmmakers, maybe more, try to have their Shaun moment. Frost and Haar are at it again here. Dylan Moran, Kate Ashfield, Simon Pegg and Lucy Davis in 'Shaun of the Dead' Like Shaun, Get Away owes a significant debt to an acclaimed, big-screen nightmare show in this case, The Wicker Man but its also something of a spoof, crammed with both witty one-liners and blood-soaked killing sprees. To successfully master these opposing themes, you need a charming, committed cast and a tidy, disciplined plot. Get Away ticks only one of these boxes. We begin with a Cliff Richard tune. Susan (Aisling Bea) and her husband Richard (Frost) have taken their moody teenagers to Sweden. Sam (Sebastian Croft) isnt best pleased about the holiday or the hazy phone coverage, and Jessie (Maisie Ayres) refuses to eat. But hey, mum and dad seem to be enjoying themselves, and Susan is particularly excited about their trip to Svalta, a small Swedish island with a grisly history. The details are sketchy: something about a 19th-century flu epidemic, a harsh winter quarantine and starving locals resorting to cannibalism. Every 10 years or so, the islanders come together to re-enact their ancestors misery with an eight-hour play, and Susan who claims to have some sort of familial link to the island can hardly wait. First, she and her family will need to survive the ferry trip to Svalta. The weather is fine, and the waters are calm, but the other passengers arent pleased about pesky foreigners treating their home like some sort of gaudy tourist attraction. Klara (Anitta Suikkari), the unofficial spokesperson for the island, greets Susan and her family off the boat, and orders them to turn around. Will they listen? Nope. Are they concerned? Just a bit, and Jessie thinks theyre being watched. A family's vacation to a remote getaway takes an unexpected turn in 'Get Away' Aisling Bea and fellow cast arrive for Get Away premiere She may have a point: the bloke theyre renting a house from, Matts (Eero Milonoff), is a complete weirdo, and hes installed hidden cameras in every room of the house. Meanwhile, Susan and Richard decide to ignore the threats and to try and enjoy whats left of the holiday. She arranges swimming and hiking trips; he does some bird watching. What they dont know is that Klara and her neighbours have a terrifying plan up their sleeve. To reveal any more would be to risk spoiling a demented denouement. Some viewers will spot the twist from a mile out and it is a big one and Get Away is perhaps a more entertaining film because of it. Lets just say that Susan and Richard arent quite as innocent as they appear and that the sitcom-esque punchlines and spooky shenanigans eventually give way to a bonkers bloodbath. Its here that Frost and his co-stars finally have some real fun, and good luck to them. But there are cracks in the storytelling enormous plot holes and senseless diversions and it sort of spoils the mood. We do not expect a film of this nature to stay inside the lines, but its internal logic needs to be rock solid, and thats where Get Away stumbles. Its too loose, a tad underdeveloped even, and Frosts erratic, toneless screenplay promises more than it delivers. Some will appreciate the 86-minute run-time, and its true: short horrors are the best horrors. But thats too short, and the film feels hollow, incomplete, as if its missing entire scenes. Aisling Bea and Nick Frost at the UK premiere of 'Get Away'. Photo: PA We cannot fault the performances. Frost is a hoot, as always, and Suikkari chews up every ounce of scenery as the de facto leader of the Svalta oddballs. Bea, however, is slightly underused. She is, without a doubt, the most valuable player here a solid partner for Frost, a dab hand at horror comedy, and perhaps the only other performer in the room who fully understands the type of film theyre making. She lights this thing up, basically, and Get Away should have done more with her. A wasted opportunity. Two stars LATEST | Judge orders Conor McGregor to pay 100,000 upfront to Nikita Hand over civil rape claim and warns over release of CCTV Judge Alexander Owens says he does not intend to take any further action against MMA fighter over his social media posts criticising the jury case as being a kangaroo court, but said it was up to Ms Hand if she wished to take action against McGregor for his defamatory comments about her lying under oath Conor McGregor and Nikita Hand at a previous High Court hearing Mark Tighe Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 16:20 Conor McGregor has been ordered to pay Nikita Hand 100,000 of her 250,000 damages and 200,000 of her expected 1.3m legal costs ahead of any appeal the MMA fighter intends to take. See inside the home of tiger kidnapper Stefan Saunders as it is seized by CAB Gardai believe Saunders was one of the most prolific bank robbers in the country and amassed huge wealth from his criminal activities. Saunders' Dublin home Nicola Tallant and Niall Donald Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 14:27 The home of one of Irelands most notorious criminals has been seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) after a lengthy legal battle. A Defence Forces vehicle ploughed through the perimeter wall of a Cork barracks after apparently going out of control. Nobody was injured in the incident on Thursday afternoon which is now the focus of a military investigation. The Defence Forces confirmed the incident at Collins Barracks on the Old Youghal Road and that no injuries were involved. The Ford Transit van smashed through the concrete wall with pieces of masonry scattered out onto the roadway. Damage was primarily focused on the front right side of the van. No other vehicle was involved. Collins Barracks is the largest military facility in Munster and was a key installation for Britain, playing a central role in the War of Independence when it was known as Victoria Barracks. Bad behaviour on 4WD beaches across the country is having a detrimental effect on wildlife that call it home. 4WD tracks on the beach are the "greatest challenge" to turtle hatchlings, prompting fresh barricades along the popular beach. Source: Facebook Large stretches of a popular Aussie 4WD and camping beach have been cordoned off to drivers ahead of Australia Day weekend next week as wildlife advocates brace for the hatching of thousands of endangered sea turtles. Jan Waters from Cooloola Coast Turtle Care explained Teewah Beach, north of the popular Queensland tourist town of Noosa Heads, is known as a "rookery" for both green and loggerhead turtles with 19 known nests already in the area which are on the verge of hatching. Sadly, the "greatest challenge" to the tiny hatchlings as they make their way from the safety of the sand and out to sea is the deep 4WD tracks made by beachgoers who are allowed to use their vehicles along the sand. It has prompted an urgent plea to those hoping to visit the island in the coming days and weeks. "The hatchlings have to cross the deep 4WD tracks to reach the ocean [and] the tracks, created ... on the beach close to the dunes at high tide, are 25cm deep and 25cm wide," Waters explained to Yahoo previously. "The small hatchlings are only five centimetres, and once they're caught in the tracks, they will most likely perish." There are 19 known turtle nests with the areas cordoned off to drivers. Source: Facebook. 4WD beach visitors urged to stay off soft sand near dunes Beachgoers have since been asked to follow signs recently erected along the beach that indicate where the nests are. They are urged to avoid the soft sand adjacent to the dunes to protect the nests. ADVERTISEMENT "We are calling on all 4WD drivers and campers visiting Teewah Beech to avoid driving high on the beach, travel only two hours before and after the published low tide time, and avoid travelling at night," Waters asked people on Facebook. "Australia Day weekend attracts many, many visitors to Teewah Beach and Double Island, so please get on board and help these precious hatchlings." A long line of cars was spotted on a quiet residential street in Tewantin with hordes or holidaymakers hoping to visit a popular Queensland 4WD beach. Source: Facebook Grim traffic photos prompt calls for change The Cooloola Recreation ground is hugely popular among both local residents and tourists to the area with a recent image shared online last week showing a chaotic 2km traffic jam on a residential street in Tewantin, a town of Noosa. ADVERTISEMENT A seemingly endless line of outdoor enthusiasts could be seen bumper to bumper in their SUVs, 4WD and caravans on their way to ferry which takes them to the Great Sandy National Park known for its long white beaches, towering cliffs and oceanfront camping locations. The frustrating scene is all too familiar to some locals who say "it happens every year" despite a permit being required to visit prompting calls for change. It comes as 4WD drivers have been called out for bad behaviour in the area, including one driver caught zooming past other vehicles while towing a jet ski. The driver was in such a rush, that they risked travelling on the soft sand, where turtles nest, which ultimately left him bogged and in need of rescuing. Other drivers have been called out for the "tremendous damage" by travelling over the dunes during high tide. "It happens every night," Waters previously told Yahoo. "It's generally young, inexperienced drivers who don't stick to low-tide driving, so they retreat up in the dunes to drive home but they don't realise the damage they're doing. A ute was spotted speeding along the soft sand at Teewah Beach. Source: Sunshine Coast News Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube. After she realised a mechanical engineering degree was not the right fit, Megan Cromwell took the scenic route to the right course. She explains why more women should go into Stem, and her plans for the future Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Systems, DkIT Megan Cromwell completed the Steps: Engineering Your Future experience in Technological University Dublin during her Transition Year, and clearly thought she had found her career path. But in reality, she had to navigate a few hurdles to find the type of engineering that suited her best. Despite attending an all-girls secondary school with no engineering, technology or woodwork classes, she was determined to forge her path into the profession. Hailing from Co Meath, Megan initially enrolled at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) to study Mechanical Engineering, but quickly realised it wasnt the right fit. Read more CAO 2025: Your guide to all the points for all the courses She switched to a Level 5 Engineering Technology course at Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE), where she discovered her true passion electrical engineering. So I suppose you could say I took the scenic route to get here, she says. When nearing the end of her Level 5 Engineering Technology course, Megan started researching where she could go next. She discovered a part-time Level 6 course in Applied Electrical Engineering at DkIT. I loved college life and wanted to keep going. I hoped by completing this course I could get into the Electrical Engineering full-time course. From my Level 6, I could apply for advanced entry into second year, which was amazing, she says. Dont listen to anyone who says that, as a girl, you shouldnt go into engineering. Definitely go for it, theres so much support Megan thrived in the part-time course, which provided a solid foundation for her transition to the full-time Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Systems at DkIT last year. The hands-on approach, smaller class sizes and supportive lecturers made all the difference in her success. The practical elements are fantastic, and the smaller classrooms allow for more one-on-one learning, she notes. Another major attraction of the course for Megan was the placement opportunity at the end of the second year. The placement was a big reason I chose this course. It gives you hands-on experience and a better understanding of the industry, she says. Sustainable power is one of Megan's key interests. Photo: Getty As one of a select few third-level institutions in Ireland to have received the prestigious Athena Swan accreditation, DkIT is committed to increasing the intake of female students in the School of Engineering, and ensuring they have equal opportunities to succeed in engineering programmes. Megan wants to promote Stem to women, and is determined to break stereotypes in the engineering sector as she looks towards her future. Although the field is male-dominated, she encourages other women not to be deterred. Dont listen to anyone who says that, as a girl, you shouldnt go into engineering. Definitely go for it, theres so much support, she says. For those considering the course, Megan recommends fostering skills such as strong communication, teamwork and logical thinking, as well as the ability to think creatively. Looking ahead, Megan believes her studies will open up a wide range of career options. Shes particularly interested in solar power and electrical medical devices, and believes her studies will help her contribute to sectors such as renewable energy, product design and healthcare. The field is so broad; there are so many job opportunities. Right now, Im particularly interested in solar energy, but I could also imagine myself in a job making new electrical medical devices for hospitals that would help improve a patients health, she says. Application deadlines for the Higher Education Access Route and Disability Access Route to Education are coming up fast, so students should check if they meet the criteria Some students don't realise they are eligible for support from Hear or Dare, so it's worth checking the criteria. Photo: Getty Images In 2024, 10,255 CAO applicants made a Disability Access Route into Education (Dare) application and 8,267 made a Higher Education Access Route (Hear) application. These two important schemes support certain cohorts of CAO applicants to access third-level education on reduced points. The points reductions vary every year, and depend on factors such as the overall number of places on the course, the number of reserved Hear/Dare places and the number of eligible applicants for these places. In 2023, about 20pc of students who applied to the CAO on the basis of their Leaving Cert were assessed for Dare and/or Hear eligibility, according to the Irish Universities Associations latest summary report on the schemes. This led to 13,650 offers being made to applicants across the entire Irish higher education sector, with over 5,600 accepted. Disability Access Route into Education (Dare) Dare helps students (aged under 23 on January 1, 2025) whose second-level education has been impacted by a disability or illness. It covers a wide range of disabilities and illnesses, and criteria have been developed to decide the impact of each on a students educational experience. Interested students should indicate on their CAO application that they wish to be considered for Dare, and follow up with a completed supplementary information form. An educational impact statement must be completed in conjunction with the school usually through a guidance counsellor, deputy principal or an additional educational needs coordinator. Students should find out who the relevant staff member is and flag with them that they will be making an application. Along with the educational impact statement, applicants must also submit supporting evidence of disability documentation to the CAO. While eligible Dare applicants may be offered a college place on reduced points (there is competition for places), the scheme relates only to college entry. Many CAO applicants who do not qualify for Dare can still access support at third-level. Higher Education Access Route (Hear) Hear is for under-23-year-olds from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who are considered for a reduced-points place and extra college support if they meet certain criteria. There are six criteria, three of which must be met. These relate to income, medical card, means-tested social welfare payment, plus socioeconomic group, whether youre a Deis school pupil or live in a disadvantaged area. The income criterion is compulsory and, if its not met, there is no point moving on with the application. Hear applications must also meet the minimum entry requirements and any specific programme requirements to be considered for a reduced points offer. There are strict deadlines to consider. As well as registering with the CAO by February 1, applicants must indicate by March 1 that they wish to be considered for Hear/Dare. Supporting documentation must be submitted by March 15. If students qualify for both Dare and Hear, their application will be prioritised. Whether youre studying for a Level 6, Level 7 or Level 8 qualification, private institutions can offer what you need, while still giving that college experience Despite a smaller student population at many private colleges, you won't miss out on the third-level experience in terms of clubs, societies and other social activities. Photo: Getty There are many private college courses available on the CAO that require a certain amount of points. However, as well as offering entry via the CAO, private colleges have degree programmes for which application is made directly to the college and with no points requirement. Most private colleges are in Dublin, with some in other cities including Cork, Limerick and Galway. Well-established names include Griffith College, Dublin Business School (DBS) and Portobello Institute. A major benefit of private colleges is they are smaller in student population, and offer smaller class sizes compared to universities and institutes of technology. Many of the degree programmes are very popular and cover a breadth of areas including law, business, computing and creative arts Despite this, you dont miss out on the third-level experience in terms of clubs, societies and other social activities. Private colleges offer full- and part-time courses with qualifications at Level 6, Level 7 and Level 8. Many of the degree programmes are very popular and cover a breadth of areas including law, business, computing and creative arts. CAO courses in private colleges are generally available at lower points than would be required for a similar course at a university. For example, in 2024, to do Law in Trinity College Dublin you needed 578 points, compared to 261 points at DBS. Instead of paying a contribution fee, private college students pay tuition fees ranging from about 3,250 to 7,000 per year depending on the course and college. Fees between 3,000 per year and 7,000 per year are tax deductible at a rate of 20pc. Be warned though, private colleges are generally not covered by Student Universal Support Ireland and will usually not qualify for the grant or have fees covered by the State. As CAO application season unfolds, parents play a crucial role in guiding their children through this pivotal stage in their education journey while supporting independent thinking There's an important distinction between supporting your child in making big decisions and doing the work for them. Photo: Getty The CAO process can feel overwhelming for students, given the multitude of choices, deadlines and decisions involved. However, with the right support and approach, parents can make a significant and positive impact on their childs experience. One of the most important ways parents can assist is by being active partners in their childs research. Attending college open days and career talks together can provide valuable insights into various courses and institutions, enabling students to make more informed decisions. These events also allow parents to better understand the options available, and to discuss them constructively with their child. But while it is natural to offer guidance and share perspectives, it is crucial to remember that the ultimate decision must reflect the students own interests and aspirations. Encouraging your child to consult their school guidance counsellor is another valuable step, as they will have the expertise to help students navigate this complex process. As the CAO process is structured around key dates, parents can play an important role in helping their child to stay organised, with reminders and calendar notes. For instance, the early-bird application deadline is January 20, with a fee of 30, while the standard application deadline on February 1 costs 45. Additionally, students have until July 1 to use the Change of Mind facility, allowing them to revise their choices after the Leaving Cert exams. Parents should encourage their child to include Level 6 and Level 7 course options alongside their Level 8 choices, as these can serve as alternative pathways to their desired career, or provide additional flexibility if plans change. While the CAO is a common route, its not the only one available to students For students eligible for the Higher Education Access Route (Hear) or Disability Access Route to Education (Dare) schemes, parental support is often essential. These applications can be particularly detailed and require significant documentation. Familiarising yourself with the requirements early on ensures that deadlines are met and all necessary paperwork is submitted correctly. This will minimise stress for everyone involved. Another important consideration is addressing language exemptions. For students who have a language exemption, it is essential to check whether the colleges they are applying to require separate applications for this. Guidance counsellor Donnchadh O'Mahony. Photo: David Conachy While the CAO is a common route, its not the only one available to students. Discussing alternative options, such as Post-Leaving Certificate (PLC) courses, Earn and Learn apprenticeships or direct applications to tertiary degrees, ensures that students are aware of all possibilities. This broader perspective can be reassuring and empowering for students who may feel uncertain about their future path. Beyond the practicalities, the CAO process can be a source of stress for students. Parents can be there to provide emotional support, acting as a listening ear and offering encouragement and reassurance. Its vital to prioritise well-being throughout this period, and to remind students that seeking help from their guidance counsellor or other trusted adults is a sign of strength. Key dates to remember for 2025 college applications First-year students at University of Limerick and University College Cork share what motivated them to choose their courses, and what they would tell the class of 2025 For Mathuin Carey, now in his first year at the University of Limerick (UL), the decision about what to study and where to go to college was guided by a combination of academic options, practical considerations and a commitment to his passion for rugby. Mathuin is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) at UL, with a subject combination of Economics, Politics and International Relations, Geography and Sociology. These options were a key factor in his decision to choose UL, which offers a diverse and flexible curriculum that appealed to his varied interests. Not having studied Economics or Politics for his Leaving Cert posed no difficulty. Starting these subjects fresh was not an issue at all, says Mathuin. ULs Arts programme allows students to sample four subjects in their first year, before narrowing down to two for the remainder of their degree. Mathuin finds this approach ideal, as it gives him the freedom to explore his options and then focus on the areas he finds most engaging. He plans to continue with Economics, and Politics and International Relations in his second year. A significant factor in Mathuins choice of UL was its proximity to his home, allowing him to commute and maintain his commitment to rugby. Mathuin trains four nights a week and plays two matches each week with his clubs, Garryowen RFC and Clanwilliam RFC. This demanding schedule requires careful time management, especially with the added responsibilities of college assignments and part-time work. Rugby is a big part of my life, Mathuin says. Being able to balance my college commitments with my training and matches was very important to me. Its important to give yourself the opportunity to explore different areas before committing to a specific path ULs location made this balance achievable, providing easy access to both the university and his clubs. In addition to his studies and rugby, Mathuin works part-time in a pharmacy and a pub at the weekend. While this makes for a packed schedule, he views the jobs as vital to his independence. The income gives me freedom and the ability to manage my own expenses during college, he explains. Balancing these responsibilities is challenging, but Mathuin says a structured routine and passion for his activities keeps him on track. Reflecting on his experience, Mathuin has some advice for this years sixth-year students. If youre unsure about what career you want to pursue, keep your options general when filling out your CAO, he says. Its important to give yourself the opportunity to explore different areas before committing to a specific path. For Mathuin, ULs BA programme has provided just that a pathway to discover his interests and prepare for the future, while balancing this with his passion for rugby. Emma Cannon Lynch: Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) at UCC Now a first-year student at University College Cork (UCC), Emma Cannon Lynchs path to college was shaped by her interest in business and the convenience of studying close to home. Emma is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) degree, a choice influenced by her Leaving Cert subjects Economics and Business and her familiarity with UCC, as her sister also studied there. I knew I wanted to do a business degree, and UCC was just a 35-minute drive from home, Emma explains. This proximity allows her to commute daily while staying connected to her roots. Emma credits her guidance counsellor with helping her make an informed decision about pursuing Commerce, which she believes aligns with her career aspirations. Dont give up your pastimes. I stopped Irish dancing to focus on studying, and I regret that now Outside her studies, Emma has embraced college life by joining the UCC Commerce Society. Her active involvement, particularly managing the societys social media content, has provided her with valuable experience that aligns with her ambition to specialise in marketing. Joining societies is a great way to meet new people and explore your interests, she says. Its something Id recommend to all new students. However, Emmas journey hasnt been without its challenges. She works in retail on weekends to fund her college expenses a commitment that proved particularly demanding during the Christmas exam period. Working and preparing for exams was stressful, she says, but the obstacles helped with her time management and resilience. Reflecting on her Leaving Cert year, Emma offers some sage advice: Dont give up your pastimes. I stopped Irish dancing to focus on studying, and I regret that now. Keeping a balance is so important. As Emma continues her studies, she is excited about the opportunities ahead and plans to make the most of her time at UCC. Student Universal Support Ireland covers university expenses for those who meet the criteria Those who submit their Susi application before the July deadline receive priority processing. Photo: Getty Every year, thousands of students rely on support from Student Universal Support Ireland (Susi) grants to cover the expenses of going to college. Susi is the States awarding body for all higher and further education grants for school leavers or mature students on approved full- and part-time third-level courses. The grants are vital for many Irish students in providing essential financial support for fees, accommodation and daily expenses. In the 2024/25 academic year 79,742 students were awarded funding. Although it may be too early to apply for a grant for 2025/26, its not too early to be thinking about it. Read more CAO 2025: Your guide to all the points for all the courses There is an excellent resource on susi.ie called the Eligibility Indicator. It is quick and easy to use, and will tell you if youre likely to be eligible for funding. Applications open in the spring (usually April) and anyone who thinks they may qualify should look out for the opening date and make an application asap. Those who submit their application before the July deadline will receive priority processing, so they should know before starting college if they qualify and what level of financial support they might expect. Applications may also be submitted after this date, usually until November. It doesnt matter if a student changes their mind about their course choices the system allows Susi to follow the applicant to whatever course they accept Applicants must meet a number of criteria to be eligible. The fundamental criterion is household income, which must be below a certain threshold. Budget 2025 increased the income threshold for the special rate of maintenance grant from 26,200 to 27,400. Eligible students in further education, such as those doing a Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) course (including a PLC in a tertiary degree) receive a maintenance grant only. But undergraduate students may qualify for maintenance support as well as having their student contribution charge covered, or partially covered. Anyone applying for a course through the CAO can give the CAO permission to share their details with Susi. It doesnt matter if a student changes their mind about their course choices the system allows Susi to follow the applicant to whatever course they accept. Mature students in receipt of a back to education allowance are not eligible for a Susi maintenance grant. Undergraduate Susi applicants studying in the UK or Europe can be awarded the maintenance grant on approved courses, but there is no fee contribution for those studying outside the State. Tertiary degrees are a seamless route for students to enter third-level education without any CAO points. But how do they work, and which institutions are involved? Tertiary degrees allow more nursing hopefuls to stay in Ireland to complete their studies. Photo: Getty Images Ireland is known for its obsession with CAO points. This obsession can spiral into mental health concerns for many students who find it difficult to cope with the stress of needing to score as many CAO points as possible to compete for college places. Now entering their third cycle of applications, tertiary degrees offer a way around this. Students who are successful start out their course in a college of further education and finish it in a university, technological university or an institute of technology. The scheme is quite different to the traditional Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) route, where students complete a PLC course and then enter a CAO competition with other PLC graduates for a quota of places on a degree course. With tertiary degrees, youre guaranteed a seamless progression route to third-level, as long as your required learning outcomes have been achieved. The courses cover a wide breadth of disciplines including business, media production, tourism, general nursing, mental health nursing, IT, sustainable engineering, social work and industrial laboratory science to name a few. Students will benefit financially from spending a year or two of their degree studies in a local college of further education There are now 31 tertiary options available to applicants in 11 Education and Training Board regions that will lead to graduation in one of seven higher education institutions: University College Cork, Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), Dun Laoghaire, Munster Technological University (MTU), Atlantic Technological University (ATU), South East Technological University, Technological University of the Shannon and National College of Ireland. A route for aspiring nurses The nursing degrees have been particularly popular among applicants. Because of high demand and the difficulty in securing a place on a degree programme even after completing a PLC course a lot of Irish students went to the UK to study nursing. However, tertiary degrees allow nursing hopefuls to stay in Ireland to complete their studies. General nursing degrees are offered in MTU Kerry, ATU Castlebar, ATU St Angelas and ATU Donegal. These degrees are five years in duration, as is the mental health nursing degree offered at MTU Kerry. Students will also benefit financially from spending a year or two of their degree studies in a local college of further education. As well as delaying the need to find accommodation in a university town, they wont have to pay the student contribution fee while studying there. The application process for tertiary degrees is separate and different to the one for the CAO. Applications are submitted on nto.ie. There could be an invitation for an applicant to attend an interview, then a provisional offer is issued to the applicant, the applicant accepts the provisional offer and, finally, a confirmed offer is issued. Tertiary degrees are open to all for application, not just school leavers. Applications will open on February 1, and will be available until late September. Members of two trade unions representing more than 72,000 healthcare workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action. The announcement comes following a joint meeting of officers of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) and the health and welfare division of Forsa. In a joint statement, the unions said the vote in favour of industrial action comes following continued suppression of and non-filling of vacant posts in the public health sector. Both unions are set to ask their executives to endorse a plan for industrial action in the coming weeks, the statement read. The INMO Executive Council, made up of working nurses and midwives, will meet early next week to endorse a strategy regarding industrial action devised by the officers of both the INMO and Forsa trade unions, INMO president Caroline Gourley said. Stock image Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 16th We take the mandate received from our membership extremely seriously. It is clear from the HSEs Service Plan for 2025 that they intend to leave posts vacant and continue with their de-facto recruitment ban in the name of a Pay and Numbers Strategy. The new Government must confirm it will enact the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill and provide real measures to ensure safe staffing that delivers safe patients care. It is time to meaningfully engage with the health unions and give assurances that much needed posts that will ensure patient and staff safety will be filled. Other trade unions including Connect Trade Union, Unite and the Medical Laboratory Scientist Association have also voted in favour of industrial action. It is quite ironic that on the day the Government announce a new Programme for Government setting out their intention to recruit more staff and reduce agency spend, that two of the largest health unions have had to meet to discuss industrial action plans, the chairperson of Forsas health and welfare division Clodagh Kavanagh said. Our members have seen this doublespeak for what it is disingenuous and damaging to services. Our mandate is clear and we will now work with our colleagues in the INMO and other health unions to ensure that the current disastrous staffing approach is challenged. The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown A crime boss serving 20 years for killing 39 migrants who suffocated in the back of a lorry has had his home seized. A judge ordered Ronan Hughes' home to be confiscated to pay back over 180,000 (213,000) he made as a human trafficker. After his challenge to the compensation order was rejected, a judge ordered the proceeds be divided between the victims' families. Ronan Hughes, 45, had charged migrants 14,000 each on the run from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Purfleet in Essex and made 180,000 on just one trip. Trucker Maurice Robinson, 30, had found the bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals including eight women and three children in the refrigerated trailer in Grays, Essex, on October 23, 2019. Some had tried to break out using a pole as others wrote final heart-breaking text messages to loved ones as those around them sobbed in the darkness, knowing their final moments were near. Hughes, of Co Armagh, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter and one offence of assisting unlawful immigration for his part in facilitating the illegal immigration. In January last year a judge had ordered he pay 182,078.90 in compensation to the families of those killed in this terrible tragedy. Hughes, a ringleader in the people smuggling ring, was warned the penalty for defaulting on the order was two years in prison. He was told by The Recorder of London Mark Lucraft that the amount must be paid in full within three months. The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown Central to the confiscation order was the house Hughes built on his parents' farmland where his wife and children live. It was estimated that the asset is worth 175,000 based on a 50 per cent share of the house valued at 350,000. But Hughes appealed on the basis his mother Catherine Hughes would not surrender any part of the title to the land or grant right of way to anyone to access the house. In April the Court of Appeal ruled that there was no agreement that the land upon which the house was built would belong to him. Lord Justice Holroyde, Lord Justice Snowden and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ruled there was insufficient evidence to suggest Hughes had any proprietorial interest in the land. The original order was quashed and the case was sent back to the Old Bailey for a fresh hearing. Maurice Robinson admitted manslaughter and trafficking and was earlier jailed for 13 years and four months. Marius Draghici was jailed for 12 years and seven months for manslaughter and conspiracy to assist illegal immigration. Alexandru Hanga admitted conspiring to assist in unlawful immigration in relation to a single occasion separate from the fatal journey and was jailed for three years. Driver Eamonn Harrison was convicted of the 39 counts of manslaughter and jailed 18 years. Christopher Kennedy, of Corkley Road, Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and Valentin Calota, of Cossington Road, Birmingham, each denied but were convicted of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. Kennedy was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and Calota was jailed for four and a half years. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who led the second part of the investigation into the deaths, said the money will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. Following the conclusion of criminal proceedings and the group being sentenced to a total of 117 years in prison, our final act has been to pursue Hughes for his ill-gotten gains, Detective Chief Inspector Metcalfe said. We know he and his associates treated this operation as a lucrative business and it would not have been acceptable to anyone at Essex Police to conclude our work at this groups conviction. This money all 283,802.58 of it will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. It will do little to help heal their loss, I know this, but I do truly hope it will allow them to begin to move forward. Darren Fox, Specialist Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Hughes was the leader of a gang who profited from smuggling people into the country which ended in 39 people dying in the most horrific circumstances. The CPS worked with the Essex police to identify all the criminal benefits of the gang behind this tragedy and what assets they currently hold, Mr Fox said. As a result, over 280,000 has been ordered to be paid to the families of the Vietnamese victims who continue to suffer the terrible impact of this awful tragedy. In the last five years, over 450 million has been recovered from CPS obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. 88m of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation. Wind energy companies say they have saved Irish customers 840 million on their electricity bills but people only ever hear about the costs of going green. Wind Energy Ireland (WEI) says the savings, made since 2000, were due to declining reliance on costly fossil fuel imports over that time. The industry body calculates future savings, if renewables grow as planned, will jump to 610m a year by 2030 and continue at that level or above every year after. The figures are in a report commissioned by WEI as it seeks to ensure public and political support for the continued growth of wind projects. Under the Climate Action Plan, the aim is to have 80pc of the countrys electricity generated by renewables by 2030 but planning delays are putting that target at risk. The newly formed government yesterday recommitted to that target and pledged to tackle delays. As WEI meets in Dublin today for the start of a two-day conference, its chief executive, Noel Cunniffe, said consumers often only heard about the difficulties associated with rolling out renewables. Analysis commissioned by WEI from consultants, Baringa, attempts to show the positives. The Good For Your Pocket report calculates the cost savings to consumers that have come and will come from replacing gas and oil-fired electricity with renewables, even accounting for the costs of required new grid infrastructure. "This is a fundamental piece of work that we believe needs to be talked about more - the benefits of what renewable energy is bringing to electricity consumers, Mr Cunniffe said. A lot of the focus has been on costs in recent years and its nice to see the alternative viewpoint. Electricity bills soared in recent years, mainly because much of the countrys electricity is generated by burning gas and gas prices became exorbitant in the supply crisis that followed Russias invasion of Ukraine. Mr Cunniffe said bills would have been even higher if it had not been for wind power. When our electricity bills are among the highest in Europe it can be hard for families or small businesses, struggling to pay their bills, to feel the benefit of these savings, he said. The reality is our bills will remain too high for exactly as long as we choose and it is a choice to maintain our dependency on imported gas. GLOBALink | Industry insiders see strong potential in Beijing's exhibition industry Pub Date:25-01-16 10:09 Source:Xinhua "I think openness leads to collaboration. Collaboration then leads to innovation. I'm very optimistic for the businesses here in China." Industry insiders attending a roundtable in Beijing see strong potential in the city's exhibition industry. Editor:Qin Shuying Related News Legoland Shanghai Resort to open in 2025 China pledges efforts to expand opening-up... More Chinese firms travel abroad for busin... GLOBALink | Eyes on Hainan: Int'l brands e... A mother and baby home survivor has criticised Katherine Zappones Seanad bid, describing her as ignorant during her time as childrens minister. Sheila OByrne, who gave birth in a mother and baby home and whose son was given up for adoption, said Ms Zappone was very sarcastic and ignorant in dealing with survivors when she was in cabinet. She also criticised a collaborative forum of mother and baby home survivors, which was set up by Ms Zappone, calling it a sham. Ms Zappone is running for a seat in the Seanad elections on the Trinity College panel. Ms OByrne was sent to St Patricks mother and baby home on Dublins Navan Road in 1976 after becoming pregnant at the age of 19. She laid out her concerns this week in a letter sent to Trinity College electoral register members, as well as to the universitys students union. She headed off into the sunset without a care and left mother and baby home survivors in dismay, no answers for our living and our dead I have seen that previous minister Katherine Zappone has been nominated for a Senate position, she wrote. I am writing in my objection to her nomination. She headed off into the sunset without a care and left mother and baby home survivors in dismay, no answers for our living and our dead. Ms OByrne added that Ms Zappone never engaged with mothers and never allowed us to have our say. We found former minister Katherine Zappone very stern and bitter towards us, she said. We, the mothers, were never allowed to have our say of the living experiences while incarcerated and sentenced for the crime of breaking the original sin. We were punished by the church and State. I found former minister Katherine Zappone towards me very sarcastic and ignorant. Sheila O'Byrne, mother and baby homes survivor Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 16th In the letter, she also wrote about Ms Zappones involvement in controversies in 2021. The Seanad hopeful got caught up in a row when it emerged the cabinet signed off on her appointment for a UN special envoy role, which she later declined. Nobody else was considered for the role and it emerged that Ms Zappone had been lobbying senior ministers for a position. She later turned down a request to appear before the Foreign Affairs Committee to discuss what had happened. Her appointment resulted in a motion of no-confidence in Simon Coveney, who was foreign affairs minister. He was also forced to attend two foreign affairs committee meetings due to inconsistencies in his testimony. Ms Zappone was involved in another controversy when it emerged she planned a party in the Merrion Hotel, Dublin, six days before the appointment. It was attended by 50 people, including tanaiste Leo Varadkar, at a time when Covid restrictions were in place. It was a very difficult time and I decided that what I needed to do, again, was deeply reflect on that The government was subsequently forced to seek the advice of the attorney general, who said it complied with the rules at the time. Ms OByrne said Ms Zappone had invited professionals and people in government to a party while everyone else abided by the Covid rules. The campaigner printed out her letter, laminated it and held a protest outside the gates of Leinster House yesterday. Ms Zappone did not respond to a request for comment. She formerly served as an Independent TD and a minister in the 2016-2020 minority administration headed by Fine Gael. She told the Sunday Independent last week. It was difficult. In light of that job appointment experience, and then the response to my holding an event to thank the people who supported me all the years, especially without Ann Louise [her late wife]. It was a very difficult time and I decided that what I needed to do, again, was deeply reflect on that. Ms Zappone has written a memoir that is due to be published this year. Kinahan Cartel lieutenant Liam Byrne has been released from a UK prison just three months after being jailed for five years for a weapons plot. Gang boss Byrne was granted early release from Belmarsh Prison in London two weeks ago but has been placed under strict house arrest. Byrne has been formally issued a Serious Crime Prevention Order by UK police which will place serious restrictions on his movements and lifestyle. A spokesman for the National Crime Agency (NCA) said this will place restrictions on Byrnes activities. Liam Byrne He said: We can confirm a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) has been obtained against Liam Byrne. "SCPOs are designed to limit the ability of convicted criminals to engage in illegal activity once released from custody and contain restrictions deemed relevant by the court, and are granted by the court where it has grounds to believe they are necessary to protect the public. The Crumlin-born criminals early release comes as the British government face an overcrowding crisis in the prison system. This has lead to a large number of convicted criminals being allowed out of jail early to serve the rest of their sentences in the community often with electronic tags to allow police to monitor their movements. Liam Byrne Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 17th In October, Byrne (44) was sentenced to five years in prison his first lengthy prison term in nearly two decades for his role in a firearms plot. However, he had served nearly 18 months in custody after he was arrested in Spain in June 2023 and extradited to the UK last December. Byrne pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charges, alongside fellow cartel member Thomas Bomber Kavanagh - who is considered the head of the UK wing of the Kinahan Organised Crime Group. Kavanagh was sentenced to six years, a sentence he will serve consecutively to his existing 21-year sentence for drug trafficking offences. A third man, Shaun Kent also received a sentence of six years. Photo issued by National Crime Agency (NCA) of (left to right) Thomas Kavanagh, Liam Byrne and Shaun Kent who were involved in an arms cache plot to get Thomas Kavanagh out of jail early. "At the instruction of their leader Thomas Kavanagh, Shaun Kent and Liam Byrne orchestrated a cynical and dangerous plot to plant a cache of weapons so Kavanagh could direct the NCA to them and reduce his time in prison, National Crime Agency (NCA) Branch Commander Ty Surgeon explained. "These weapons were viable and deadly weapons that were in the hands of a criminal gang, loaded and ready for use in criminality. What this group didn't know is their Encrochat messages had been unveiled for law enforcement to see, showing every detail of their plan. Byrne had previously been described in the High Court as the leader of the Byrne Organised Crime Group, effectively the Dublin branch of the Kinahans international network, while his brother David was shot dead in the Regency Hotel attack in 2016, which sparked the Hutch/Kinahan feud. TDs Danny and Michael Healy-Rae are part of the new Government. Photo: Collins Government-supporting TDs will be able to run with the fox and hunt with the hounds, a meeting of the Dail's new Business Committee has been told. Sinn Fein launched a vigorous protest against Independent backers of the Government being attached to a technical group which would allow them the allocation of speaking time as if they were members of the Opposition. The Regional Independents have a technical group, in order to qualify for Dail speaking rights, and must be comprised of seven or more TDs. Ministers can not be part of a technical group which will soon rule out Michael Healy-Rae, Kevin Boxer Moran, Marian Harkin (all junior ministers) and super juniors Noel Grealish and Sean Canney. TDs Danny and Michael Healy-Rae are part of the new Government. Photo: Collins However, Danny Healy-Rae remains in the technical group, along with Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan and Gillian Toole, and all will support the Government. The group also includes Independent Carol Nolan and Aontu members Peadar Toibin and Paul Lawless, who are members of the opposition. With the normal allocation of speaking slots, the current situation could allow Michael Lowry, for instance, to raise a query under Leaders' Questions to which he already knows the answer, being on the inside track of the Government. Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy chaired the committee meeting The unresolved issue led to complaints today that it could enable Government supporters to design their own coverage of their Dail contributions while eating into Opposition time. Verona Murphy, the new Ceann Comhairle, chaired the meeting of the committee which, as its name suggests, is charged with the allocation of Dail business, its scheduling and speaking time for members. There was no agreement on the question, which will be further considered at another meeting. Details of what was said are so far scant. Sinn Fein TD Padraig MacLochlainn, who attended the meeting, said: "They want to have their cake and eat it. "It is outrageous. Standing Order 170 is absolutely clear, that a technical group is part of the Opposition. "This is an Opposition group where they will be looking for a press officer, a liaison officer, and they will also be looking for committee chair positions - it is ridiculous." Mr MacLochlainn said the proposed dual position of the Regional Independents could not be allowed to stand as it would have them halfway-in and halfway-out of Government. Meanwhile, it has emerged that new junior ministers will have their allowances enhanced. super juniors are in the same structure. Michael Lowry of the Regional Independent Group. Photo: Collins Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 16th Ministers lose their parliamentary allowance, related to travel from their constituencies, when they take up office. They get an additional allowance, however. Some junior ministers in the last Government complained, however, that they had more responsibility and were no better off when they accepted promotion because they then had to pay for their own travel and hotel expenses in Dublin. Depending on which travel band a TD is in, the parliamentary allowance could be worth nearly as much as the ministerial allowance for juniors. Mr Lowry today told the Irish Independent: There was never a meeting of the Business Committee where there wasnt s row. It wont be resolved without a big hoo-hah. Ms Murphy declined to comment on the behind-closed-door exchanges as she drove away from Leinster House this lunchtime. Attendee Paul Murphy TD of People Before Profit said: It is outrageous that backbench Government TDs would seek to take time and resources from the Opposition. It clearly makes no sense that Barry Heneghan could be a Government junior whip and yet speak in Opposition time. This is patently a political trick designed to diminish the space for the Opposition in the Dail." Rural Independents Group negotiator Michael Lowry speaks to the media after the programme was announced. Photo: Collins Senior politicians from Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, with the help of the Regional Independents Group, have spent weeks reaching a deal on what the next government will look like. Here are some of the promises made by the incoming government. Extra jobs An extra 300,000 jobs will be created by the end of the decade, the incoming administration says. Despite the country now being at full employment, these extra jobs will be supported by strategic investments, supportive enterprise policies, and a focus on fostering a vibrant economy. Vat debacle Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were at loggerheads during the general election campaign over Vat rates. Fine Gael had pledged to bring the 13.5pc rate down to 11pc while Fianna Fail said that this would hike household bills. The two main parties have now seemingly reached a compromise, with lower rates on electricity and gas to be extended. A new, pandemic-era lower rate of 9pc for the hospitality and food sector will be brought in. However, the programme for government document itself doesnt specify rates and suggests instead they will be reduced. Rural Independents Group negotiator Michael Lowry speaks to the media after the programme was announced. Photo: Collins We finally have a government - but can they now fulfill their election promises Abolishing carers means test Campaigners will be happy to see a pledge to phase out the means test in the lifetime of the next government. Renewed push for working from home Big employers are clamping down on working from home, but the new government says it will support remote work. The Programme for Government talks about the roll-out of high-speed broadband and says the increase in remote working following the Covid-19 pandemic has been hugely positive for rural Ireland, enabling people to live and work in their own community. We recognise the immense opportunities that connectivity can generate for work, education, health and rural development, it says. Watered-down money for newborns Fine Gael promised a savings account of 1,000 for newborns during the general election campaign as part of an acorn savings account, and 1,500 for families in receipt of child support payments. The pledge didnt exactly make it into the Programme for Government but a watered-down version of this promise did. Instead, the Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents government will look into setting up a managed savings account for newborn babies, with an initial once-off contribution by the State. The document doesnt say how much this will be. Occupied Territories Bill The document promises to progress laws that will ban products from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The proposed law would ban trade between Ireland and Israels settlements in the West Bank, making the import of goods or services originating from these lands a criminal offence. Childcare Both of the Civil War parties promised to cap childcare costs at 200 per month and this promise is included in the Programme for Government through the National Childcare Scheme. The document also promises to ensure childcare providers fees are open, transparent and equitable and readily available to parents. Tax relief for gym membership Measures will be looked at alongside the Department of Finance to encourage gym membership and active participation in sport and exercise. The initiative, previously proposed by a group of Fianna Fail TDs and senators, could be administered in several ways, through the Revenue Med1 form or a special voucher. We finally have a government - but can they now fulfill their election promises Rural Independent TDs have signed up to continuous annual increases in carbon taxes despite heavily criticising the measure previously when the Green Party was in government. Members of the Regional Independent Group (RIG) and the Healy-Rae brothers have been outspoken on the introduction of carbon taxes over recent years and tabled motions in the Dail opposing the climate action measures. However, the Programme for Government, which they have all agreed to support explicitly, says the coalition of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and Independents will continue with the planned carbon tax increases. The document also outlines how Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin will be taoiseach for the first three years of the new Government while Simon Harris will take the final two years. The Fine Gael leader will have to wait until November 17, 2027, until he becomes taoiseach. The coalition deal which allows two members of the RIG to attend Cabinet as super junior ministers and involves the Healy-Rae brothers becoming government TDs was published yesterday afternoon. The wide-ranging document makes a commitment to delivering actions to reduce carbon emissions by 51pc by 2030, which will include annual carbon tax increases. Three years ago, incoming junior minister Michael Healy-Rae tabled a motion calling for carbon taxes to be scrapped. This proposal was supported by the newly designated leader of the RIG Sean Canney and group member Marian Harkin. Both TDs also spoke out against carbon taxes during the debate. Mr Healy-Raes brother, Danny, has regularly dismissed climate change. Yesterday he told the Irish Independent: I will see what is proposed first of all. I have been very much against the carbon tax. I fully understand that the carbon budget is in place until 2029 and that it cant be dismantled. I have to see what is written down on paper after that. There has always been climate changes periods of persistent rain and what have you We have to work together. Where you cant get everything, you have to balance it out. Im prepared to give it (the Programme for Government) a fighting chance, and to take people at their word. However, he added: We are not afraid to stand up for our principles. There has always been climate changes periods of persistent rain and what have you. There have also been cold periods in the 1600s and 1700s when there were frozen rivers and subsequent floods, he said. Mr Healy Rae said 11 people had been washed away in a field of hay in a cloudburst in Kerry in the 1850s or 1860s. Danny and Michael Healy-Rae at Leinster House yesterday. Photo: Sam Boal/Collins In the 1890s, a whole bog was washed away into a lake so there are weather things that happened in the past, he said. Sean Canney, who will be a super junior minister at Cabinet, did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier yesterday, controversial Independent TD Michael Lowry abandoned a press conference with his RIG colleagues when he was asked whether he could reassure the public he would not engage in similar behaviour that resulted in damning findings made against him by the Moriarty Tribunal. Meanwhile, Micheal Martin is staking his reputation on resolving the housing crisis and making Irelands streets safer over the coming years. Fianna Fail will continue to hold the housing portfolio and will also control the Department of Justice. The Programme for Government sets out plans to fast-track the construction of 300,000 new homes over its term in office. It contains an array of measures aimed at boosting housing stock and cutting planning red tape. This includes introducing a land price register and urging the European Commission to revise state aid rules to provide government investment in affordable and sustainable housing. Micheal Martin. Photo: PA The Land Development Agency will also be given stronger compulsory purchase order powers to obtain land for development. The First Homes Scheme will be extended to second-hand homes and the Help to Buy tax rebate scheme will be revised and extended for a number of years. There will also be a new national land audit, which aims to help deliver 300,000 homes by the end of the decade through a regularly updated public audit of zoned, serviced, and unzoned land. The document reaffirms a commitment to work towards ending homelessness by 2030. Tenants will be able to see how much their neighbours are paying in rent under a new scheme Tenants will be able to see how much their neighbours are paying in rent under a new scheme. The new Coalition has promised to introduce a rent price register over the next five years. The renters tax credit will also be increased progressively and cost-rental accommodation will be earmarked for local workers in some cases. In justice, a new transport police force will clamp down on anti-social behaviour on trains and buses. The new force will fall under the National Transport Authority (NTA) and have similar powers to airport police and customs officers. There is also a pledge to recruit 1,000 new gardai every year. At least 5,000 new garda recruits and additional garda staff will be taken on over the next five years. The Department of Justice will also take on responsibility for asylum-seeker accommodation from the Department of Children. Asylum-seekers will have to contribute towards the cost of their accommodation costs. Supports will be withdrawn if International Protection applicants fail to comply with the rules of the process, commit a breach of the rules in their accommodation or where they have engaged in serious criminal behaviour. Simon Harris Separately, women who fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a state pension will be in line for new supports. Means testing for carers will also be phased out over the next five years. Spam text messages are to be banned, with the Government promising to look into a new SMS scam filter. The Government will look at establishing a saving scheme for newborns, the Programme for Government document promises. It will explore the establishment of a managed savings account for newborns with an initial once-off contribution by the State, ensuring lower-income families benefit most from its inception. During the general election, Fine Gael put forward the proposal of an Acorn Savings Scheme. The date of the next general election is essentially pinned down to late 2029 if the new Government lasts. After all the toing and froing over the election date during late 2024, the taoiseach may have less wriggle room next time. Taoiseach Simon Harris had mulled over the election being in winter 2024 or holding out until spring this year, with speculation dating back as far as last summer. However, the Programme for Government makes it clear five budgets have to be delivered before an election can be called. Under a heading called Ongoing Cooperation, the Programme for Government says: We agree that it is important to find a reasonable balance between the different priorities of our parties and the need to work effectively and with confidence within Government. This requires good faith and there should be no public discussion of government policy until there is agreement. Pfizer and Intel have sent warnings to the European Chemicals Agency which is considering the move Pfizer pharmaceuticals wrote that a total ban would threaten the viability of this sector. Photo: Getty Leading pharmaceutical and IT companies have said they will quit Ireland if a proposed ban on so-called forever chemicals is introduced. Pfizer, Intel and other major employers are among firms that have sent warnings to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), which is considering the ban jointly proposed by Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. Pfizer pharmaceuticals in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, wrote that a total ban would severely threaten the viability of this sector. Investment would more likely flow to outside the EU, where no such ban is applicable, such as to the USA or Singapore, it said. Intel Ireland, a major part of Intels global IT operations, said the ability to continue operating in the EU would simply not be possible. Forever chemicals are properly called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a collection of thousands of man-made chemicals added to plastics and other materials used in a multitude of everyday items and industrial processes. PFAS are widely used to coat everyday items to make them waterproof, stain-resistant, non-stick or fire-safe and are on clothing, furniture, cookware and many other common items. Pfizer pharmaceuticals wrote that a total ban would threaten the viability of this sector. Photo: Getty Today's News in 90 Seconds - January 16th They dont break down naturally and there are growing concerns about the health impacts of their build-up in the environment and in human tissue. Pfizer and other pharmaceutical companies say, however, that PFAS-coated surfaces are vital in their manufacturing processes. Purity is an essential parameter with pharmaceutical production, Pfizer wrote. Product contact surfaces must therefore be smooth and cleanable. Stainless steel was used in some processes, but it was prone to pitting and scratching. It is hard to envisage how such synthesis of small molecule pharmaceuticals could be completed in their [PFAS] absence, the company wrote. Intel Leixlip expressed similar concerns, highlighting the billions of euro in investment and thousands of jobs it had in Ireland. It said if a ban was introduced, the ability to maintain semiconductor manufacturing with the EU would simply not be possible. Such a scenario would lead to very serious consequences for the EU economy, EU citizens and indeed the many EU policy objectives, it said. Bausch & Lomb, Merit Medical, Linde, Firecomms and Zeus were among the other companies based in Ireland that made submissions, along with more than a dozen companies whose names were withheld as confidential. The ECHA is working its way through thousands of submissions and is due to make a recommendation to the European Commission later this year on whether a ban or limited restrictions or derogations should be introduced. Countries would then have to vote on whether to accept the recommendations. The Department of Enterprise, which oversees chemicals regulations in Ireland, said it had made no submission to the ECHA on Irelands behalf. It said, however, it encouraged stakeholders to engage with the public consultations. Their input/data can influence ECHAs recommendations ahead of their submission to the European Commission, it said. Earlier this week, a joint investigation by journalists in 16 countries revealed data gathered from governments and agencies across Europe that put the cost of cleaning up PFAS pollution at 1.9trn. The rise of the Irish matcha girlie: I was just trying to wean off my coffee consumption, and now Im obsessed The Japanese powdered tea has become a stalwart on cafe menus here but does it actually have health benefits and whats behind the rise of the cult coffee alternative? Elaine Fitzsimons Meadhbh McGrath Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 03:30 Cloda Scanlon is a self-proclaimed matcha girlie. Last summer, she tried the buzzy powdered green tea for the first time at a cafe in Dun Laoghaire, and from there, started experimenting with flavoured syrups and plant milks, until she found a real gra for the taste. There is much to be said for positive projection, but wishful thinking is seldom seen as a great foundation for public policy. A good government defines itself by giving the people what they need. Presenting an inventory of good intentions is not the same thing. The return of Micheal Martin as Taoiseach, with Simon Harris as Tanaiste, has a familiar, reassuring look to it. However, notice has been served by the public that applying the same approaches to national crises in housing and health in the 34th Dail as those we have seen over the past decade will not cut it. Those looking for new evidence of inspiration on how to tackle either in a more effective way may well be disappointed in the new governments freshly published programme. It intends expanding the Help-to-Buy scheme in housing and also addresses some issues for those in the rental sector. But the common denominator in both markets is still the lack of affordable housing due to chronic shortage. To quote economist John Maynard Keynes: The difficulty lies not in the new ideas, but in escaping from the old ones. The programme pledges that the new coalition will build 12,000 new social homes on average each year. It also commits to speeding up conveyancing and setting a target of eight weeks for the legal profession and to deal with probate more quickly. Laudable as this may be, how it might be enforced remains to be seen. The Land Development Agency is also to get more money and its powers of compulsory purchase are to be enhanced. Measures to tackle vacancy and dereliction are also mentioned, yet so much of this has been heard before. All will be judged on what is delivered. There is scarcely a village, town or city in the country that does not have empty, dilapidated, under-developed properties tumbling into the road. There has long been an understanding that state housing targets fall far behind in the context of population growth. The supply gap fuels the market, guaranteeing further price rises and more disappointment for people seeking to buy or rent. It should be noted that estimates for home completions have been revised upwards to 36,000 for last year and to 41,000 for this year, but a legacy of historic under-supply means this still will not be enough. It would be naive to expect one government to produce a silver bullet for problems that have built up over decades, but the vision, ambition and intent to deliver more homes must permeate all housing policy as an over-riding national priority. It is going to take massive incentives and inducements to inject the energy and industry required to mobilise the kind of response that might fix the dysfunctional market. A bolder, more imaginative and innovative narrative for the provision of new homes must be asserted. This problem can be solved. The appetite for national buy-in is there. A spirit of opportunity, not resignation, needs to be nurtured. What does a TikTok ban mean for us? Who will or wont be able access it? And what are the implications for the Irish workforce? JJ Clarke, producer, joined Adrian on this weeks episode of The Big Tech Show. The social media platform TikTok is set to be banned in the US. The ban says that TikTok must be sold by its Chinese owner, ByteDance, or be banned in the US and the deadline for it to be sold is this Sunday, January 19th. While the appeals in the courts have mostly been exhausted, there is a last-ditch attempt by the company underway in the US Supreme Court, however it is unlikely to succeed. You can listen to the full episode here on the Irish Independent website or wherever you get your podcasts. In Gaza and in Tel Aviv, fear and exhaustion turned to disbelief and jubilation on Wednesday evening as the announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas filtered through. And yet, despite the tears of joy and the loving embraces, Israel continued to drop bombs on Gaza in the hours that followed. By Thursday morning, the deal had yet to cross the line, with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement. Meanwhile, in America, a tale of two presidents adds another bitter chapter to this ugly war, as Joe Biden and Donald Trump fight for the lion's share of the credit for brokering the ceasefire. Fionnan Sheahan is joined on this extra episode of the Indo Daily by Irish Independent political correspondent John Downing to break down the details of the ceasefire announcement and to answer the following questions: can it last, what are the potential obstacles to the agreement, and how long might it take to rebuild Gaza? Construction began on the most homes in Cork County during the month of April Construction began on close to 4,000 homes in Cork County last year, with April the busiest month for housing commencements. Government figures on the number of residential homes commenced in Ireland each month shows that 3,952 homes were commenced in Cork County in 2024. This was the highest amount of commencements in the county over the ten-year period that home commencements have been tracked. The building of 2,403 homes began in Cork County across 2023. The lowest amount of commencements on record for the county is 209 in 2014. 243 homes were commenced in January 2024 while building began on 316 last February. Construction started on 450 units in March, 806 in April, 41 in May, 224 in June, 145 in July, 37 in August and 538 in September. 440 Cork County homes were commenced in October, 118 in November and 584 in December. Cork North-West TD Aindrias Moynihan said the commencement figures show positive momentum in housing supply in Cork. Over the past year, almost 4,000 new homes were commenced in the county, and, nationwide, a record 60,243 homes commenced construction, the Fianna Fail TD said. I am pleased that these statistics show we are making progress, that homes are being built and my focus will be on doing whatever I can to keep this positive momentum going. The Government figures show that a record high of 4,384 homes were commenced within the boundaries of Cork City last year, with the building of 2,394 getting underway in the busiest month of April. 1,186 commencements were recorded in the city last year, while the construction of just 19 homes got underway in 2014. Air quality issues come to the fore for residents of Cork city each winter, according to the local authority Cork City Council is inviting residents to participate in reducing air pollution on 'Clean Air Night' by reducing solid fuel burning in their stoves or fireplaces, or by lighting fires a little later in the evening. 'Clean Air Night' will take place on the evening of Friday, January 24. Cork City Council is inviting residents to play a part in fighting air pollution by reducing solid fuel burning in their stoves or fireplaces or by lighting fires a little later on Clean Air Night on Friday, January 24. Each winter, air quality issues come to the fore for residents of Cork City, according to the local authority. During this time, the annual increase in the burning of fossil fuels in Cork homes, compounded by winter atmospheric conditions, combines to negatively affect the air quality in the city. By making small changes, the council stated that everyone can help work towards improving air quality. Cork City Council is inviting city residents to participate in reducing air pollution on Clean Air Night by reducing solid fuel burning in their stoves or fireplaces, or by lighting fires a little later in the evening. Burning solid fuels coal, peat, briquettes, and wood releases pollutants into the air both inside and outside our homes, according to the local authority. Data from the European Environment Agency shows that air pollution can have negative impacts on our health, especially our lungs and hearts, with air pollution contributing to 1,600 premature deaths in Ireland annually. Cork City Council has outlined seven themes in its City Air Quality Strategy, under which improvements are being progressed to contribute to overall healthier air in the Cork City area. The council said it is cognisant of the issues surrounding energy poverty and is aware that some households may need to light their fires or stoves for heating purposes, especially during cold periods. Participation in Clean Air Night is completely voluntary and is part of ongoing initiatives to raise awareness about the wider health issues of air pollution. More information on simple steps for cleaner air is available at www.cleanairnight.ie The representative said the current economic and social needs of Cork must be considered before recommendations for the rejuvenation of the city are presented The new programme for government commitment to implement a city centre taskforce will help rejuvenate Cork, according to a Fine Gael TD. Deputy Jerry Buttimer said it is fantastic to see the inclusion of a taskforce for Cork in the programme for government. Cork has great potential, but we need the right plan and investment to see the city thrive, the Cork South-Central TD said. The taskforce would be similar to the Dublin City Centre Taskforce and would allow collaboration from a range of sectors. This is key to ensuring we create a future for Cork city that prioritises safety, investment, and a vibrant community. Deputy Buttimer said the current economic and social needs of Cork must be considered before recommendations for the rejuvenation of the city are presented. The programme for government also outlines that we will establish a new elective hospital, a surgical hub, and the expansion of trauma services in Cork. These services are vital people across the county attending for medical treatment in the city, he said. I also welcome the inclusion of working towards the completion of the long-awaited Cork Events Centre. This will help enhance Corks cultural landscape and boost the citys regeneration. The Fine Gael TD said it is essential that the taskforce is implemented so changes can be delivered to the city centre and residents can be proud to call Cork home. The people of Cork can be reassured from the programme for government that rejuvenating Cork is a priority for this new government, Deputy Buttimer said. Gardai were called to the scene of a fatal workplace accident at a concrete manufacturing facility outside Athlone yesterday evening following the death of a man in his early 70s. Health and Safety Authority (HSA) investigators are set to continue their inquiries today into the cause of a fatal workplace accident at a concrete manufacturing plant in the midlands yesterday that claimed the life of a man in his 70s. Gardai and emergency services rushed to the scene at Bealnamulla on the outskirts of Athlone after the alarm was raised at around 2pm. Follow Independent Roscommon on Facebook Despite those efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. A garda spokesperson has confirmed officials from the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have were notified ahead of a pending investigation by State agency chiefs. The scene itself was preserved for a number of hours in the wake of the tragedy in order to facilitate those inquiries. Follow Independent Westmeath on Facebook A male in his 70s was pronounced deceased at the scene, said the spokesperson. His body will be removed from the scene and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course. As those investigations continue, gardai are expected to prepare a file for the Coroner's Court. A spokesperson from the HSA told the Irish Independent efforts to establish the cause of yesterdays incident would likely continue over the coming days. The HSA are aware of the reported incident and have launched an investigation into the circumstances, said the spokesperson. "As such, no further information is available at this time. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has published data on the number of Commencements Notices (residential construction starts) for 2024. The data shows that between January and December 2024, there were 60,243 new homes commenced, up 84% from the 32,801 recorded in 2023. This equates to, on average, 239 new homes commenced every working day during 2024. This is the highest number of annual residential commencements since records began in 2014. In December 2024, Commencement Notices for 4,397 new homes were received by the Building Control Authorities. This is an increase of 39% from December last year when 3,167 units were commenced. The number of homes commenced in 2024 in Sligo was 440 with 101 in Leitrim, 778 in Mayo and 308 in Roscommon. Of all the homes commenced in 2024, 34% were in the four Dublin local authorities (20,712 homes). By Local authority, the most homes commenced in 2024 were in Dublin City (7,116) followed by Fingal (5,770) and South Dublin County (4728). The highest outside of Dublin was in Cork city (4,384). The lowest number of homes commenced were in Leitrim (101), Carlow (213) and Longford (248). Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien said: Strong figures on home starts in 2024 confirm that a robust stock of new housing is in the pipeline. "Government initiatives such as the development levy waiver and the Uisce Eireann rebate have had a positive impact in getting projects off the ground with the ultimate goal of increasing our housing supply to meet housing needs. This significant rise in housing supply will enable more people to become homeowners and also help increase access to a wider range of secure housing options. Minister of State, Alan Dillon said: The milestone of over 60,000 new homes commenced in 2024 is a testament to the effectiveness of targeted government measures aimed at addressing the housing challenge. This record figure of commencements will deliver new homes for families, couples and individuals right across the country. "Increasing supply is critical not only for homeowership but also for ensuring more secure and affordable housing options for everyone. The progress achieved this year reflects a collective effort, and its vital we maintain this momentum into 2025 and beyond. Some of the plants that were seized A man who was arrested in connection with the discovery of a sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation in Co Wexford is due in court this morning. The man, in his 30s, is scheduled to appear before Gorey District Court to face charges in connection with the investigation. Gardai attached to Wexford North Community Engagement supported by the local Crime unit conducted a planned search of a residential property in Courtown on Tuesday. During the search, a sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation was discovered. Gardai seized 170 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated street value of over 130,000 and a variety of cultivation equipment. The man who was arrested at the scene was detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drugs Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda Station in the Eastern Region. A Garda spokesperson said the operation was conducted as part of Operation Tara, an ongoing initiative targeting drug trafficking networks and related criminal activity. All items seized will be sent for further analysis to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). Investigations are ongoing, the spokesperson added. Bray Institute of Further Education (BIFE) is holding an open day on Friday, January 24, from 10am-3pm at its campus on Novara Road, Bray. This will be an opportunity for those sitting their Leaving Certificate this year to meet the tutors and view the campus, as well as sit in on career guidance lectures, find out about the courses that are on offer and, chat to some of the current students. The BIFE campus is considered a centre of excellence in the field of further education and training and is a constituent institute of the Kildare/Wicklow Education Training Board (KWETB) providing post-Leaving Cert courses at degree, diploma and certificate level. BIFE has also established links with third level colleges in Ireland and abroad enabling graduates to progress to higher education. Plans were also approved last year for a new building on the campus, which will bring together the educational provision of Kildare Wicklow ETB across the Bray and north Wicklow region into one sustainable and state-of-the-art building on the grounds. The redeveloped college will eventually accommodate more than 1,500 learners on-site and cater for up to 5,000 full-time, blended, and part-time equivalent learners. Meanwhile, for those who are looking to return to education, be it professionally or as a hobby, BIFEs night school returns on Monday, January 20, with courses for 2025 including new options in pyschology with criminology, holistic sound meditation and ukelele, along with favourites such as Tai-Chi, yoga, language classes (including Irish and English for speakers of other languages), bridge, beekeeping, first aid, graphic design, digital photography and art. You can enrol online for the evening courses at: bife.ie and go to part-time, evening classes. Wicklow Sinn Fein TD John Brady has criticised the upcoming rollout of the new phase (6a) of the BusConnects network redesign for Bray, which will take effect on Sunday, January 26, for failing to address key, manageable issues. Deputy Brady expressed particular concern over the cancellation of vital routes and what he believes is the failure to ensure there are adequate public transport connections for commuters and students. He highlighted the removal of the 143 and 144 routes, previously operated by Bray-based commercial operator Finnegan Bray, as a major misstep, as it leaves no public transport link between Bray and the Luas. The rollout of the 6a phase is a major redesign of the bus network for north Wicklow and Dublin, yet its difficult to understand how commuters in Bray will now lose direct access to the Luas in Sandyford following the termination of the 143 and 144 routes, he said. This is nothing short of a major backward step. Despite extensive planning and consultation, Transport for Ireland (TFI) has failed to provide an integrated public transport service for Bray and its surrounding areas. Crucially, the removal of these routes was never flagged during consultations. Deputy Brady also had concerns over the choice of buses proposed for the Bray looped routes. I welcome the new L14 around-the-town service in Bray, which I had campaigned for. However, I have concerns about the use of double-decker buses on this route. The introduction of the L14 is a positive development, but using double-decker buses is problematic. In areas like Palermo, where the 185 route has struggled with tight residential spaces and roadside parking, the large buses caused damage to cars and congestion. Smaller buses, like the Imp buses used in the past, are much better suited to these areas. Similarly, the decision to use double-decker buses on Meath Road is questionable, given its narrow layout with cars parked on both sides. A smaller, more practical bus would serve this route far better, he said. Deputy Brady said there was an opportunity to have a public transport link between Newtownmountkennedy and Kilcoole. So, extending the new L1 route to Newtownmountkennedy and Kilcoole is essential. Many secondary school students in Newtown must travel to Colaiste Chraobh Abhann in Kilcoole, and a direct bus service would meet an urgent need for this community. "The decision not to connect Bray with Luas stops in Cherrywood or Sandyford in the redesign is a serious shortcoming. We must have a public transport system that works and is connected. I will continue to work with Transport for Ireland on all these important issues to ensure that we have a public transport service that is fit for purpose, he concluded. Wicklow Comedy Club returns to OSheas Corner on Friday, January 24, for the first show of 2025 headlined by comedic heavyweights John Colleary and Fred Cooke. John is one of the busiest comedians in Ireland with countless TV appearances including on The Savage Eye, Tommy Tiernan Show and Pictorial Weekly. He is also Tommy Tiernans tour support act and completed his own sold out tour of Ireland in 2024. John is an all round funny comedian who mixes jokes and stories with impressions and crowd interaction. The second headliner is the hilarious Fred Cooke. Like John, Fred is no stranger to TV and is the host of the Tommy Tiernan show and can be seen regularly on RTE and Virgin Media, including Dances with the stars. Fred is a quirky musical act that guarantees huge laughs. MC for the night is the hilarious and charismatic Adam Burke, resident MC of the Hardy Har comedy club, The Bray comedy festival and Bingo Loco. The line-up due to take to the stage on January 24 is considered one of the best ever experienced at the Wicklow town venue, so be warned, tickets are expected to sell out fast. The Comedy Club starts at 8.30pm and tickets costing 22.42 are available for purchase from Eventbrite.ie. Do we really need to buy products to scrub away dead cells? We ask the experts Acids are like Mr Men books, they all have different personalities. And not all personalities work for everyone. The simple answer is, yes. If youre going for glow or you want your skincare and make-up to perform properly, you need to shift the dead skin cells that sit on the surface, looking dull and dried-out. Skin naturally exfoliates and sheds the top layer of dead skin cells, but this process slows down from our mid-20s, meaning a bit of help is required in the shape of either a physical or chemical exfoliation. Dr Jennifer Owens, owner of The Glow Clinic, with locations in Dublin and Cork, suggests that exfoliation should be approached as one would a new exercise regime. You start at a sensible pace and try out a few options to figure out what works. Social media has brought people closer to knowledge but expanded it so far that its now exceptionally confusing, says Owens. Ive seen so many broken skin barriers from people following TikTok skincare routines or using acids excessively and inappropriately. Which is better, physical or chemical exfoliation? Physical exfoliation is when you literally scrub away the dead cells or loosen them with a tool. At the most extreme end, think of apricot-kernel scrubs or similar of former days. These are notoriously bad, with unevenly crushed kernels or nut shells that are overly rough and can even create tiny tears in the skin. I wouldnt use them on my feet, Owens says. Scrubs with spherical, non-plastic microbeads such as jojoba can be used safely once or twice a week, while ingredients such as oat or rice powder also work as mechanical or physical exfoliants. Latterly, there are a lot of exfoliants that combine a gentle physical action which gives that instant super-clean and smooth feeling with a chemical ingredient. Chemical exfoliation is when acids or enzymes dissolve the cells at different speeds and depths and theres a mind-boggling choice of ingredients to consider. Whether using physical, chemical or enzymatic exfoliations, says Louise OBrien, education manager for Dermalogica Ireland, frequency is key and always follow with hydration and SPF. Which acids exfoliate best? Acids are like Mr Men books, says Owens, they all have different personalities. And not all personalities work for everyone. Glycolic acid (an alpha hydroxy acid, AHA) is screaming and shouting at cells to hurry up and move on, she explains. It speeds up the cycle of cell shedding, stimulates collagen production a small amount and is good for reducing pigmentation. Its efficacy means it also has the potential to be irritating, but if introduced slowly and tolerated well, the beauty of glycolic is its widely available and contained in a multitude of cost-effective products. Lactic acid is also an AHA, but it has a larger molecular structure, so it doesnt penetrate as deeply and remove as many cells at the same speed as glycolic. This makes it a gentler option and it manages to be both exfoliating and hydrating at once. Start slowly, but a lot of people will find it can be used daily in time. Polyhydroxy acid (PHA) has a larger molecular structure again, meaning it works on the very upper surface of the skin and is the least irritating. You can find it in the ingredients list as gluconolactone or lactobionic acid. Salicylic acid (beta hydroxy, BHA) is oil soluble, so it basically dissolves anything oil-based, hence its skill at clearing blackheads and blemishes. It is drying, however, and possibly best suited to younger skins. Should I spend a lot to find the right exfoliator for me? In terms of expense, you dont have to spend a fortune, but working out which exfoliant or acid type will suit your skin type will save you ending up with a collection of products that dont work for you. Over-exfoliation is the most common mistake, says OBrien. People often think that more is better, but overdoing it can lead to sensitivity, redness and dehydration. Harsh scrubs or layering multiple exfoliating products can also cause irritation. Stick to one thats designed for daily use and rotate other actives, like retinol, thoughtfully. Medik8 Press and Glow Tonic, 37.50, lookfantastic.ie What products might help? Medik8 Press and Glow Tonic, 37.50, lookfantastic.ie The key ingredient in this toner is the PHA gluconolactone, which gently but effectively exfoliates, along with prickly pear enzymes, which also work to dissolve dead cells. Aloe and acai hydrate and soothe, making this a product you can potentially build up to daily usage very quickly. Neostrata Smooth Surface Glycolic Daily Peel, 54.95, neostrata.ie Neostrata Smooth Surface Glycolic Daily Peel, 54.95, neostrata.ie This two-part product comprises a pot of 36 single-use pads and a bottle of peel, which contains an amino acid Aminofil, to boost hydration, and a solution of 10pc glycolic acid. This is a powerhouse of glycolic, when you consider that a 20pc solution is professional grade. Its a product that you ease into gently and potentially use as a booster a few times a year. Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, from 19.50-74, dermalogica.ie Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, from 19.50-74, dermalogica.ie This cult classic leads with finely milled rice-based powder that has that satisfying feel on the skin but dissolves on contact with water and will not drag or do damage. The scrubbiness is backed up by papain, a cell-dissolving fruit enzyme; salicylic acid and calming oat and licorice and is gentle enough to use daily. A rescued miner is carried in a stretcher by medical officials after being rescued at the mine shaft in Stilfontein. Photo: Reuters At least 78 dead bodies have been pulled from an illegal gold mine in South Africa where police cut off food and water supplies for months, in what trade unions called a horrific crackdown on desperate people trying to eke out a living. Indias Strategic Partnership with Croatia: A Brief India is diversifying its export destinations amid geopolitical shifts. Croatia is emerging as a key partner, especially for engineering goods and high-value products, highlighting a growing economic relationship. India is diversifying its trade and investment focus, capitalizing on emerging markets amid shifting global economic dynamics. Croatia, strategically located in Europe and a member of the European Union (EU), is becoming a key market for Indias high-value engineering goods. This growing partnership presents opportunities in technology, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and defense. Croatias demographics and ports in Rijeka and Ploce make it an ideal gateway for Indian businesses expanding into Southeast and Western Europe, strengthening a two-way economic corridor. Also Read: Indias Trade Performance in FY 2023-24 and Strategy to Explore New Export Markets During the Yugoslav era, Croatia played a pivotal role in fostering strong ties between India and Yugoslavia. Over two-thirds of the trade between the nations was facilitated through Croatia, including major ship purchases by India in the 1970s and 1980s. Post-independence, Croatia retained its amicable relations with India, despite its initial focus on addressing domestic ethnic conflicts and its subsequent integration into NATO (2009) and the EU (2013). Recent governmental engagements between India and Croatia Recent engagements between India and Croatia have strengthened bilateral ties. In March 2023, Croatian Foreign Minister Gordan Grlic Radman visited India for the Raisina Dialogue and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Defence Cooperation. The 10th and 11th rounds of Foreign Office Consultations (FoC) were held in November 2022 and April 2024, respectively, to review relations and explore collaboration in trade, defense, science, technology, and culture. In February 2017, Indias then Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman visited Croatia, leading to an agreement on economic cooperation, the renewal of the India-Croatia Joint Commission, and the establishment of the Joint Business Council. India and Croatia bilateral trade Bilateral trade between India and Croatia primarily involves India exporting pharmaceuticals, machinery, and textiles, while Croatia exports food products, wood, and machinery to India. India and Croatia Trade Relations Year-on-Year (Value in US$ Million) Trade FY 2019-20 FY 2020-21 FY 2021-22 FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 Indias export to 146.97 141.91 493.18 339.73 233.3 Growth % -3.44 247.53 -31.11 -31.33 Indias import from 57.18 42.81 59.43 117.54 58.06 Growth % -25.14 38.83 97.78 -50.6 Total 204.15 184.71 552.61 457.27 291.36 Growth % -9.52 199.17 -17.25 -36.28 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI Indias Export to Croatia (Value in US$ Million) Commodity FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 Growth % Organic chemicals 28.49 37.31 30.96 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers,and parts. 8.81 20.75 135.48 Ceramic products. 13.46 18.97 40.94 Optical, photographic cinematographic measuring, checking precision, medical or surgical inst. And apparatus parts and accessories thereof; 7.93 18.82 137.4 Iron and steel 13.47 14.79 9.85 Coffee, tea, mate and spices. 8.84 10.55 19.24 Pharmaceutical products 7.8 10.04 28.78 Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof. 8.37 8.01 -4.31 Oil seeds and olea. Fruits; misc. Grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal plants; straw and fodder. 4.79 7.68 60.23 Articles of apparel and clothing accessories, not knitted or crocheted. 5.45 6.5 19.22 Rubber and articles thereof. 4.75 5.4 13.66 Articles of iron or steel 2.37 5.36 125.98 Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes. 9.26 5.06 -45.43 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI Indias Imports from Croatia (Value in US$ Million) Commodity FY 2022-23 FY 2023-24 Growth % Nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances; parts thereof. 7.95 14.93 87.72 Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof; sound recorders and reproducers, television image and sound recorders and reproducers,and parts. 4.48 10 123.14 Inorganic chemicals; organic or inorganic compounds of precious metals, of rare-earth metals, or radi. Elem. Or of isotopes. 1.18 4.11 247.21 Organic chemicals 4.85 4.07 -16.13 Pulp of wood or of other fibrous cellulosic material; waste and scrap of paper or paperboard. 1.47 3.7 151.68 Wood and articles of wood; wood charcoal. 4.18 3.46 -17.05 Paper and paperboard; articles of paper pulp, of paper or of paperboard. 0.89 1.81 103.2 Rubber and articles thereof. 0.18 1.59 787.84 Man-made staple fibres. 0.45 1.44 220.14 Animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products; pre. Edible fats; animal or vegetable waxes. 0.66 1.41 114.25 Salt; sulfur; earths and stone; plastering materials, lime and cement. 1.72 1.26 -26.99 Iron and steel 0.53 0.96 81.48 Arms and ammunition; parts and accessories thereof. 0.18 0.93 426.52 Source: Department of Commerce, GoI India and Croatia Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement India and Croatia signed their double taxation avoidance agreement (DTAA) in 2014, aimed at promoting cross-border trade, investment, and economic cooperation. The agreement came into force on February 6, 2015 seeking to eliminate the risk of double taxation on income earned by residents of either country, ensuring that individuals and businesses are not taxed twice on the same income. Recipient Country Withholding Tax Rates (%) from Certain Types of Income Croatia Dividend Interest Royalty Fee for technical services 5;15 10 10 10 Source: Income Tax Department, GoI; India Briefing Key provisions of the DTAA include the allocation of taxing rights between the two countries, reduced withholding tax rates on dividends, interest, royalties, and fees for technical services, and mechanisms for dispute resolution to prevent tax evasion. India-Croatia investment flows and business ties India and Croatia have cultivated dynamic investment flows, reflecting shared economic interests and strategic collaboration. According to a Press Note issued by the Embassy of India, Zagreb, Croatia, Indian investments in Croatia are estimated at approximately 40.05 million, predominantly focusing on key sectors such as information technology, renewable energy, and agro-industries. However, Croatian investments in India, valued at 5.55 million, target complementary sectors, including infrastructure, tourism, and defense. Indian companies have made notable contributions to Croatias economy. Infosys, a leading IT firm, has strengthened its presence with an R&D center in Karlovac, employing over 100 engineers and supporting further technological advancements. Similarly, Mumbai-based pharmaceutical company ACG Worldwides acquisition of a capsule manufacturing company in Varazdin in 2013 positioned it as Europes third-largest supplier of gelatin capsules. Cipla, a major Indian pharmaceutical firm, expanded its European operations through the acquisition of Celeris, based in Zagreb, further solidifying Indias footprint in Croatia. Croatian companies, such as Altpro, Infobip, and Koncar, have actively engaged with Indias rapidly growing market. The renewable energy sector has been a cornerstone of cooperation. In 2011, Orient Green Power invested 17.4 million in wind power plants near Sibenik, showcasing Indias commitment to sustainable energy in Croatia. Similarly, TRIVENI Turbines played a vital role in Croatias biomass cogeneration plant in Virovitica, integrating Indian engineering expertise into the countrys energy infrastructure. Defense, digital initiatives, and startup ecosystem Defense cooperation between India and Croatia advanced in 2023 with the signing of a MoU. This agreement has created pathways for joint research, development, and market access, strengthening the defense partnership. In the digital space, the India-Croatia Startup Bridge, launched in December 2021, has become a cornerstone for connecting the entrepreneurial ecosystems of both nations. Programs such as the India-Croatia Startup Challenge have fostered innovation and collaboration, allowing Indian startups to gain recognition and market access in Croatia. Summary India and Croatia continue to deepen their partnership through initiatives in technology, trade, tourism, and talent. With shared aspirations and complementary strengths, the relationship holds promise for exponential growth across various sectors, strengthening the foundation for a sustainable and mutually beneficial alliance. Viduthalai Part 2 OTT release date: This Tamil political crime thriller, featuring Vijay Sethupathi in the lead role, made a strong impact during its theatrical release on December 20, 2024, receiving positive reviews. Now, it's coming to OTT. Here's everything you need to know before tuning in. When and where to watch Viduthalai Part 2 Viduthalai Part 2 is set to stream on Zee5 starting January 17, 2025, following its successful theatrical release on December 20, 2024. Fans who missed it in cinemas or want to experience the extended version can look forward to a 3-hour, 44-minute long saga that includes an additional hour of content exclusive to the OTT release. Viduthalai Part 2 story The film continues the gripping political thriller narrative, picking up where the first part left off after Perumal Vaathiyar's capture by the police. The story delves into his past, starting as a teacher, his involvement in communist ideologies, and his rise as a revolutionary leader. With strong personal beliefs, he becomes an outlaw fighting for social justice, until hes captured by Kumaresan's forces. He is depicted marrying fellow activist Mahalakshmi and continues to live by his principles, advocating for important causes. The second part explores his journey through a political and emotional transformation, focusing on his relationships and ideals. Viduthalai Part 2 cast and crew Directed by Vetrimaaran, Viduthalai Part 2 brings back familiar faces such as Soori, Vijay Sethupathi, and Gautham Vasudev Menon, with newcomers like Manju Warrier, Kishore, and Anurag Kashyap adding their talents to the ensemble cast. Cinematography by R. Velraj and music by Ilaiyaraaja contribute to the movie's exceptional production quality, with R. Ramar handling editing. The film is based on the novel Thunaivan by B. Jeyamohan and produced by RS Infotainment and Grass Root Film Company, distributed by Red Giant Movies. Viduthalai Part 2 reviews The theatrical release of Viduthalai Part 2 received highly positive reviews from both critics and audiences for its compelling story, intense performances, and powerful direction. The Times of India described it as "a solid political drama that ought to have been more powerful." The Indian Express describes it as a "mostly grim film" that "drives home the weight of a decision, and the weight of choosing a path." India Today says that the film "gives proper closure to the characters and the story, and it is a commendable effort." For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Saif Ali Khan stabbing incident: In a shocking turn of events, after being attacked at his house by an unidentified person, Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was taken to Leelawati Hospital in Mumbai. After the family members woke up, the robber allegedly left the scene, and authorities are attempting to track him down. The incident has left people in shock with many wanting to know why and how such an unfortunate incident happened. Saif Ali Khan stabbed in home invasion: Here's what happened Late last night, an unidentified person entered the home of actor Saif Ali Khan and got into a fight with the maid. Saif Ali Khan got injured after the intruder struck him when he tried to step in and defuse the situation. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident according to the Mumbai Police as stated by news agency ANI. ANIs tweet read, An unknown person entered Actor Saif Ali Khans residence and argued with his maid, late last night. When the actor tried to intervene and pacify the man, he attacked Saif Ali Khan and injured him. Police are investigating the matter: Mumbai Police. An unknown person entered Actor Saif Ali Khans residence and argued with his maid, late last night. When the actor tried to intervene and pacify the man, he attacked Saif Ali Khan and injured him. Police are investigating the matter: Mumbai Police (file photo) pic.twitter.com/pHgByuxqB9 ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Statement by Saif Ali Khans team As per Indian Express, the actors team confirmed the news and asked everyone to be patient. There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation, the statement read. The actor was admitted with six injuries, including one that was extremely close to his spine, between three and three thirty in the morning, according to a statement from the hospital's COO. For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was reportedly attacked by an unknown intruder at his Mumbai residence and is currently being treated at Lilavati Hospital. According to the latest reports, Mumbai police have detained numerous people, and an investigation is presently underway. Recently, Saif's co-star Jr. NTR reacted to the stunning news. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the Devara actor wishes Saif Ali Khan a 'speedy recovery'. He wrote, "Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health." Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Jr NTR (@tarak9999) January 16, 2025 Following this, Jr NTR's fans also wished the actor a speedy recovery. Many fans wished good health to the actor. Raj Nayak reacts Shocking and deeply unsettling! This marks the third such incident in the Bandra-Juhu area that Ive heard of recently. Just yesterday, my nieces boutique in Bandra was burgled. Whats truly alarming is the audacity of these robbers to break into homes while residents are https://t.co/OQDOvqTLwM Raj Nayak (@rajcheerfull) January 16, 2025 Media personality Raj Nayak reacted to the news on X citing other incidents that took place in the same locality. He wrote, "Shocking and deeply unsettling! This marks the third such incident in the Bandra-Juhu area that Ive heard of recently. Just yesterday, my nieces boutique in Bandra was burgled. Whats truly alarming is the audacity of these robbers to break into homes while residents are inside, fast asleep. Its both scary and a wake-up call for heightened security measures in our neighborhoods." Also read: Saif Ali Khan attacked: Kareena Kapoor informs 'rest of the family is okay', actor undergoes surgery For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. One of the most impactful short-seller firms of recent times is shutting down. Nate Anderson, the founder of Hindenburg Research, announced that his short-selling firm is winding down its operations. In a blog posted on Hindenburg Research's website, Anderson noted that the plan was to wind up after finishing the pipeline of ideas the firm was working on, and it was now. CREDIT: AP Hindenburg Research's journey Anderson, who started Hindenburg Research in 2017, is best known for exposing Trevor Milton and his Nikola Motors, which claimed to have developed a fully functional hydrogen-powered truck. Hindenburg has also exposed American activist investor Carl Icahn and Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Allegations against Adani Group But in India, he is best known for a report published in January 2023, accusing Adani Group and its founder Gautam Adani of pulling off the largest con in corporate history. CREDIT: Hindenburg Research The report resulted in billions of dollars in losses for the Adani Group, which denied all the allegations. However, the allegations continued to hurt Adani Group's image globally. Why is Hindenburg Research shutting down Without giving specific reasons for shutting down Hindenburg Research, Anderson said he has achieved his goals. So, why disband now? There is not one specific thingno particular threat, no health issue, and no big personal issue. Someone once told me that at a certain point a successful career becomes a selfish act. Early on, I felt I needed to prove some things to myself. I have now finally found some comfort with myself, probably for the first time in my life, he said. CREDIT: AP What is next for Nate Anderson Anderson also did not provide details on what is next for him but said his focus was on making sure everyone on his team lands where they want to be next. Some are going to start their own research firm, which I will strongly and publicly encourage, even as I will have no personal involvement," he said. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has reimposed Stage 4 restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-4) in Delhi and the National Capital Region amid the increasing pollution levels in the region. Following this, the Delhi Directorate of Education (DoE) on Wednesday directed all schools to conduct hybrid classes for students. CREDIT: BCCL Schools directed to conduct classes online According to the DoE, classes, except for students in Class X and Class XII, should be held in hybrid mode until further notice. "All heads of government, government-aided, unaided private schools under DoE, NDMC, MCD, and the Delhi Cantonment Board are directed to conduct hybrid classes for students up to Class 9 and 11, wherever online learning is feasible, effective immediately until further notice," the DoE said. GRAP-4 back in Delhi GRAP-4 restrictions were reimposed in Delhi just three days after the CAQM revoked Stage III measures, citing improvement in air quality. However, on Wednesday evening, the AQI was recorded at 396 due to a sharply increasing trend of pollutant concentrations caused by unfavourable conditions. CREDIT: BCCL The Supreme Court, in its earlier directives, had emphasised, "If the AQI crosses 400 on a given day, Stage-IV measures will have to be reintroduced." Restrictions under GRAP-4 Schools switching to hybrid mode is one of the many restrictions that have come into effect in Delhi NCR as part of GRAP-4. Stage 4 curbs include a ban on all construction activities, the entry of non-essential polluting trucks into Delhi, and the mandatory shifting of school classes, except for Classes 10 and 12, to hybrid mode. Non-essential diesel trucks are prohibited from entering Delhi, while Delhi-registered BS-IV and older diesel-run heavy goods vehicles are banned, except for essential services under Stage 4. CREDIT: BCCL Delhi receives widespread rains The development comes even as Delhi received widespread rains on Wednesday night. The rains are expected to bring down the air pollution levels in Delhi-NCR temporarily, even as the thick blanket of fog continues to engulf the region. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. A video has gone viral on social media showing the CEO of Bengaluru-based startup Stack Wealth abusing an employee when she was confronted about her full and final settlement (FnF) being withheld. In a video posted by Vishnu Prasad, a former Stack Wealth employee, CEO Smriti Tomar can be seen arguing with a group of workers who appeared to have been recently terminated by the company. CREDIT: AUDIENCE RESEARCH 'You are stupid' In the video, Tomar is heard telling the employees that they were terminated based on their performance. When a female employee tried to seek some clarification, Tomar rudely interrupted her, claiming she was not obliged to explain everything. "Any person who is not showing one sale a day, aren't they stupid," the CEO is heard telling the employee. When the employee objected to the CEO calling her stupid, Tomar doubled down and said, "If you were not stupid, you would not have been terminated." 'No FnF because you didn't meet targets' When another employee tried to ask a question, Tomar once again shot it down by saying, "There is nothing to discuss." In the video, Tomar is also seen telling employees that they wont be receiving their FnF since they havent done enough sales. CREDIT: LINKEDIN 'I will change the rules' Tomar, who claimed that there was no agreement stating that the employees would get their FnF, changed her stand to "Doesn't matter, I will change the decision," when one of the employees read out from an email that said the employees would get their FnF 45 days from the day of their resignation. Prasad, who posted the video on LinkedIn, said he was terminated from his job on January 4th without notice, a day before he was to receive his December salary. The video was posted a week ago, and until now, Stack Wealth or its CEO has not issued any clarification on the allegations. However, on LinkedIn, Stack Wealth has reposted a couple of posts by its employees, who described how wonderful a workplace it is. For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. US President Joe Biden, who is set to leave office in a couple of days, made his farewell address to the nation on Wednesday. Biden spoke about his achievements as President of the US and also offered a model for a peaceful transfer of power without mentioning his predecessor and successor, Donald Trump. CREDIT: AP However, the most striking part of Biden's address was where he expressed concern over the rise of oligarchy and the tech industrial complex in the US. Who are oligarchs? Oligarchs refer to extremely wealthy and politically connected business leaders in Russia and former USSR states who amassed undue wealth after the fall of the Soviet Union using their influence. Danger of oligarch is US Biden said a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of oligarchs in the US is threatening the country's democracy. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden said. CREDIT: AP Tech industrial complex Biden also made a reference to former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower's "military-industrial complex" remark and said that the potential rise of a tech industrial complex in the US is concerning. "Six decades later, I'm equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex. It could pose real dangers for our country as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power," he said. CREDIT: AP Rise of American oligarchs While Biden did not take names, it was abundantly clear who the oligarch and tech-industrial complex he mentioned were. The world's richest man, Elon Musk, who emerged as the biggest supporter of Donald Trump during the elections, has seen his wealth and influence skyrocket due to his proximity to the president-elect. Musk, along with another billionaire entertainer, Vivek Ramaswamy, has been tasked with cutting down government expenses and regulations. Another member of the 'PayPal mafia,' David Sacks, has been appointed as the new "White House AI and Crypto Czar." For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. Trust the internet to make a joke out of any situation. As the United States considers banning TikTok due to security concerns related to China, American users have flocked to another Chinese social media platform, Xiaohongshu, also known as REDnote. The app has shot to the top of the US Apple App Store's free download chart, with many users using it to poke fun at the situation and mock the US government's efforts to ban TikTok. US 'migrates' to Xiaohongshu amid looming TikTok ban American netizens have traded a 'Chinese app for a more Chinese app' as they 'migrate' to Xiaohongshu amid a looming TikTok ban in the US. As they explore the Chinese social media platform, they're discovering a whole new world of content, features, and cultural nuancesall while finding humor in everything. Some joked how they feel like learning Mandarin now, while Chinese users have managed to humor others. Many have now taken to X to share their experiences on Xiaohongshu, and to say the least, it's been one wild ride. From misinterpreting Chinese memes to accidentally posting in the wrong language and finding Luigi Mangione on their FYP, Americans are having a field day on the Chinese app. The American migration to Xiaohongshu (RedNote) may be the craziest accidental cultural exchange ever. Hundreds of thousands of users landed in an app not localized or in their language. One day in, and its already considered rude not to subtitle videos in the other language. pic.twitter.com/eG08cH1ID9 Olivia Moore (@omooretweets) January 14, 2025 this post from xiaohongshu literally transcended all language Im crying pic.twitter.com/mQfAXu2CDQ edy (@danielarmands) January 14, 2025 posted a picture of my cat on Xiaohongshu and someone replied with this they gave my ass a receipt pic.twitter.com/p2DAf8oRkI drea (@okaybrb) January 14, 2025 xiaohongshus for you page is infinitely cooler than any other apps for you page pic.twitter.com/XTQgWxAWJg Hurt CoPain (@SaeedDiCaprio) January 14, 2025 american tiktok users installing a chinese app (rednote) directly on their phone bc of the tiktok ban is hilarious pic.twitter.com/F9rfqarCLv is happy (@userbfIy) January 13, 2025 Chinese users ask Americans to do their English homework on Xiaohongshu. In a hilarious move, many Chinese users on Xiaohongshu are now asking Americans to help them with their English language homework for letting them take refuge on the app. An X who went by Miss Gina Darling shared screenshots of the cross-cultural exchange, and it's as funny as it is heartwarming. While one user asked, "Hey homie, could you help me do my homework?" another simply posted a picture of their English exercise book. The Chinese people on Xiaohongshu are now asking Americans for help with their English homework LMAOOOO pic.twitter.com/nAL3cedS85 Gina Darling (@MissGinaDarling) January 13, 2025 Reacting to the post, one X user commented, "This is how we make peace with China," and another added, "Plot twist: English homework with TikTok slang." A third called it 'The Reverse Uno Card,' meanwhile, a fourth said, "The world is healing." "That's hilarious. Globalization of homework help. Maybe it's time for a cultural exchange of homework help," added another user. Another suggested, "In return Americans should ask the Chinese to do their math homework." Will the US ban Xiaohongshu? As Xiaohongshu's popularity grows in the US, some are expressing concern that the app may eventually face the same fate as TikTok, with the US government potentially banning it due to security concerns. While it's definitely a possibility in the near future, netizens just want to have some harmless fun for now. With Gasgoo Daily, we will offer daily important automotive news in China. For those we have reported, the title of the piece will include a hyperlink, which will provide detailed information. smart partners with DeepRoute.ai on AI smart driving large model Autonomous driving tech company DeepRoute.ai recently announced a strategic partnership with smart. Their co-developed AI large model will be deployed onto the new generation of smart driving system, which uses end-to-end algorithms. GAC AION's HYPTEC HL flagship SUV to hit market in March At GAC Group's 2025 dealer conference on Jan. 13, GAC AION's HYPTEC brand revealed plans to put its luxury flagship SUV, the HYPTEC HL, onto the market in March. It will also release a flagship MPV in July. Photo credit: HYPTEC Honda Motor's annual China retail sales reach 852,269 units in 2024 Honda Motor reported retail sales of 111,870 vehicles in China for December 2024, which contributed to an annual total of 852,269 units sold throughout the year. New BYD Yuan PLUS revealed in MIIT's filing A recent filing in the latest batch of China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology's vehicle catalog unveiled BYD's new Yuan PLUS. JMEV's Yichi 05 model hits market, starting at 129,800 yuan On January 13, Jiangling Group New Energy Co., Ltd. (JMEV) officially put the Yichi 05 model onto the market. The vehicle is available in three variants, priced between 129,800 yuan and 179,800 yuan. China's Kankan Tech, Leadmove ink agreement to advance Level 2+ smart driving solutions On January 13, Chinese full-stack optical image solution provider Beijing Kankan Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (Kankan Tech) inked a strategic agreement with the ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) developer Leadmove to jointly advance Level 2+ smart driving solutions. BYD Han L unveiled in MIIT's catalogue The BYD Han L has been included in the latest filing released by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). China's Volant secures new fixed order for commercial passenger-carrying eVTOL aircraft On January 6, Chinese eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft developer Shanghai Volant Aerotech Co., Ltd. (Volant) secured a fixed order for commercial passenger eVTOL aircraft from Inner Mongolia Express General Aviation Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Jiangsu Asian Express Aviation Development Group Co., Ltd. (Asian Express Aviation), according to a post on Volant's WeChat account. This marks the first confirmed procurement order for eVTOL aircraft required by a leading private general aviation company in China. BYD chooses Durr as supplier of painting tech for Europe passenger vehicle factory Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) manufacturer BYD Company Limited ("BYD") has selected Durr, one of the world's leading mechanical and plant engineering firms, as the supplier of cutting-edge painting technology for its first Europe passenger car factory, according to a press release recently issued by Durr. Li Auto delivers over 200,000 L6 SUVs within 9 months On January 16, Li Auto announced that cumulative deliveries of its L6 SUV model have exceeded 200,000 units, less than nine months after its market debut in April 2024. KargoBot greenlighted for truck platooning test with driverless follow vehicles in Beijing Autonomous trucking solution provider KargoBot recently announced it secured approval to conduct the driverless truck platooning (with safety personnel onboard) road tests in Beijing High-level Automated Driving Demonstration Area (BJHAD). Nissan Motor sells over 690,000 vehicles in China in 2024 On January 9, 2025, Nissan Motor announced its December 2024 sales results for China. Across its passenger and light commercial vehicle businesses, the Japanese automaker achieved a total sales volume of 74,918 vehicles in the month. Dongfeng Motor launches self-developed 400kW fuel cell stack On January 15, Dongfeng Motor announced the launch of its in-house developed 400kW hydrogen fuel cell stack. The unveiling marks a significant milestone in the automaker's journey to advance R&D and applications of hydrogen energy technology, showcasing the company's growing expertise in both R&D and commercialization. Chinese conversational AI company AISPEECH nabs 500 million yuan in new funding round Chinese AI technology company AISPEECH recently secured 500 million yuan in a new funding, according to a post on the company's WeChat account. Nothing Phone (1) Gets Nothing OS 3.0 Update: Users of the Nothing Phone (1) have officially begun receiving the Nothing OS 3.0 upgrade, which brings a number of interesting new features and performance enhancements. With improved animations, quicker app loads, and smoother performance, this updatebased on the most recent version of Android 15improves the user experience overall. Users can anticipate other improvements aimed at enhancing the phone's use and customization in addition to current enhancements. Additionally, nothing has concentrated on enhancing battery life and refining the user interface to provide a smooth experience. Nothing's dedication to maintaining its gadgets' competitiveness and freshness is shown in the update. If you have a phone (1), look for the update in your settings and prepare to try out the newest Nothing OS version. What is this Nothing OS 3.0 update in Nothing Phone (1)? Nothing OS 3.0 is now rolling out to Phone (1). Experience smoother performance and new features. Head to the Nothing website to learn more. pic.twitter.com/e26SiGjKbJ Nothing Support (@nothingsupport) January 16, 2025 For the initial generation of phones, the UK-based Nothing smartphone business released Nothing OS 3.0 (1). The most recent version of Android 15 serves as the foundation for the new operating system, which has a number of additional features. Numerous enhancements will be made to the Nothing Phone (1), including a new quick setting, improved performance and graphics, updated typography, and an engaging pop-up view. Up until the start of 2025, the business has already confirmed that Nothing Phone (2), Nothing Phone (2a), Nothing Phone (2), and Nothing Phone (1) will all receive the Nothing OS 3.0 update. Nothing also verified that the upgrade would be available for CMP Phone 1. Nothing OS 3.0 features on Phone (1) Credit: Nothing The stable Nothing OS 3.0 upgrade is finally available for Nothing Phone (1) approximately one month after the beta release. Based on Android 15, the 3.0 version offers a number of new features, including shared widgets, an AI-powered Smart Drawer, increased customization, and modifications to the user interface. We will now examine the changelog and discover how to install OS 3.0 on a phone (1). Let's get started. Multiple users can share widgets like the Photo Widget on compatible Nothing devices. This implies that you and your loved ones could view the same widget on your device's screen. Nothing highlights that this is still in its early stages and may have issues. The AI-powered Smart Drawer in Nothing OS 3.0 automatically classifies apps and shows the most frequently used ones on top of the drawer. Additionally, you can pin your preferred apps to the top. You may personalise it by installing more widgets, selecting from the new clock face designs, and long-pressing the lock screen. Apps in pop-up view can be resized and positioned anywhere on the screen for better multitasking. By turning on the function under Settings > Special features > Pop-up view, you can even open incoming alerts in the pop-up view. Along with these UI improvements, the new OS includes data-richer UI elements like Network & Internet and Bluetooth, a more customizable Quick Settings panel, a more extensive widget library, and dot animation for fingerprint unlocking. To conserve valuable storage space, unused programs can be automatically archived. Only a section of the screen may be captured during screen recording. This technique, known as partial screen recording, can assist you in concealing private data. The predictive back gesture is added to more apps. How to update to Nothing OS 3.0? Credit: Nothing Go to setting Navigate to System Select System Updates Check if the update is available for your device If yes, then click to update To stay updated on the stories that are going viral follow Indiatimes Trending. After hours of the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, Mumbai Police has released a photo of the suspect caught on CCTV as he was fleeing the scene. The man is suspected of breaking into Khan's residence, stabbing the actor six times and injuring his hand, neck, and spine. The footage, captured at 2:33 AM on Thursday (January 16), shows the suspect near the stairs of the actor's building. In the released image, he is dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, with a backpack and an orange scarf slung over his shoulder. It shows him walking down the stairs while briefly looking at the camera. The photos of him has since gone viral across all social media platforms. ..The attacker was caught on CCTV camera attacking #Bollywood actor #SaifAliKhan and then running away. late night Saif Ali Khan's house was stabbed six times in an attempted robbery. Both Saif Ali Khan & the house maid are injured and are undergoing treatment #KareenaKapoorKhan pic.twitter.com/33dbM0Au7p Tariq Khan (@tariqkhansahara) January 16, 2025 Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khans attacker was captured on CCTV near the stairs while escaping his residence after the brutal attack. pic.twitter.com/FokxZSWQfV Sann (@san_x_m) January 16, 2025 Saif Ali Khan's residence The actor, along with his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and their children, reside in a spacious apartment spread across four floors in a 12-storey building in Bandra West. Reportedly, one of the house helpers, Eliyama Phillipes, also known as Lima, was the first to spot the intruder. She screamed, which alerted the actor. Khan confronted the man and attempted to fight him off but during the struggle, the attacker stabbed Khan six times, injuring his left hand and neck, and leaving a knife lodged in his spine. The actor was quickly rushed to Lilavati Hospital by his son, Ibrahim. Doctors confirmed that Saif Ali Khan is stable and no longer in danger. "A knife lodged dangerously close to his thoracic spine was successfully removed during neurosurgery," Dr Nitin Dange, one of the neurosurgeons said. The police have filed a case in connection with the attack, charging the suspect under sections related to robbery, trespassing, and "grievous hurt caused while committing lurking house-trespass." For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment. In a shocking incident, Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife at his Bandra residence in Mumbai during a burglary attempt at his house. To investigate the matter, Mumbai Police Officer Daya Nayak, who is an encounter specialist, was spotted arriving at Saif's house. According to reports, the encounter specialist was spotted, along with an entire team of crime branch officials. He was seen surrounded by the media outside the house when he was going back after the investigation, but he refused to comment on the matter. To investigate the attack, the Mumbai Police have formed seven teams to study the incident thoroughly. The Tara Rum Pum actor was stabbed multiple times during the attack at his Bandra West home around 2:30 AM. Currently, the actor is undergoing surgery and treatment at Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent the surgery. Following this, a case has been filed by the Bandra police. Amid all the buzz around the case, know who Daya Nayak is, an encounter specialist who is investigating Saif Ali Khans attack case. Mumbai Police Officer Daya Nayak leaves from the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai's Bandra pic.twitter.com/MafCHYKrNB Mudassir Goenka (@MudassirGoenka7) January 16, 2025 Who is Daya Nayak? Inspector Daya Nayak is widely known as an 'Encounter Specialist,' who holds a remarkable story of dedication and perseverance. The renowned police officer was born into a humble family in Karnataka. Facing multiple childhood hardships, Nayak completely moved to Mumbai in 1979, when he initially worked as a table cleaner in a hotel, reported OneIndia. Later in a dramatic twist, the owner of the hotel recognised his potential and offered him help to pursue his graduation. Before this, Daya Nayak worked as a plumber and used to make a modest salary of 3,000. Ffs has no clue Daya Nayak is still active,i thought he was suspended https://t.co/6px2Z7mB9x Pandemic Pep (@afc_anubhav) January 16, 2025 Daya Nayak conducted over 87 encounters The encounter specialist started his career as a police officer in 1995 with his first posting at the Juhu police station. His first encounter was with two underworld gangsters from the Chota Rajan gang on December 31, 1995. During this encounter, the gangster started an open fire at Daya, and in retaliation, they killed both the gangsters, which was his first-ever encounter. Since then, he has conducted over 87 encounters in Mumbai. A look at the popular movies based on Daya Nayak Apart from his real life, Daya Nayak has inspired many in reel life, as popular movies such as Ab Tak Chhappan by Shimit Amin and N Chandra's Kagaar are based on Nayaks personal life experiences. This was later remade into a Telugu version called Siddham and a Kannada version as the Kannada film Encounter Daya Nayak. Along with this, in 2007 a film called Risk by Vishram Sawant has overtones from Daya Nayak's life. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. On Monday, it was confirmed that Michelle Obama would not be attending the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. This marks the second time in a month that the former First Lady of the United States will miss an official event while her husband, former President Barack Obama, participates. This decision has sparked a wave of divorce rumours across the internet. The Office of Barack and Michelle Obama released a statement confirming, "Former President Barack Obama will attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies, while former First Lady Michelle Obama will not be present at the upcoming inauguration." This marks a departure from tradition, as former presidents and first ladies typically attend the swearing-in ceremony. The internet was soon filled with divorce rumors, with one post on X even referencing Barack Obama's 1982 letters, in which he confessed to having thoughts about being intimate with men. I think Barack and Michelle Obama are heading for divorce. His letters talking about how he fantasizes about sex with men "every day" had to be the icing on the cake for her. What woman wants to deal with that, especially in the public eye? Freedom Party! (@DavidJo1960) January 14, 2025 Yet others said that this is Michelle's way of making a very 'specific political statement.' I dont know anything about their marriage, but its very clear to me that Michelle Obama is making a very specific *political* statement with these absences. She would never choose Jimmy Carters funeral to announce her divorce. Lets be sensible here https://t.co/i9q4zpOIZd liz (@lizatliz) January 14, 2025 Are Michelle and Barack Obama headed for DIVORCE? Is he insinuating that Michelle LACKS grace? Wow!!!! pic.twitter.com/gCHgFDnWxS Madeleine Case Tweets (@McCannCaseTweet) January 14, 2025 Have you noticed Michelle Obama has been missing from public events? RUMORS ARE CIRCULATING THAT MICHELLE AND BARACK ARE IN THE PROCESS OF SPLITTING UP AFTER AN ALLEGED AFFAIR WITH THE CHEF WHO MYSTERIOUSLY DROWNED PADDLEBOARDING His body was discovered in 8 ft water in pic.twitter.com/vcka9199HE Matt Wallace (@MattWallace888) January 16, 2025 Barack Obama: Michelle come on, I told you we gotta get ready to go to Trumps inauguration Michelle Obama: pic.twitter.com/e8ByuxBoOl Meech (@MediumSizeMeech) January 14, 2025 There are strong rumors circulating about a possible divorce between Michelle "Big Mike" Obama and Barack Obama. Speculation is growing as Michelle has already missed Jimmy Carters funeral and will once again be skipping Donald Trumps upcoming inauguration, which Barack will pic.twitter.com/qP3V7jqh14 Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) January 16, 2025 How Barack and Michelle met Barack and Michelle Obama's love story began in 1989 when they met at the Sidley Austin law firm in Chicago, where Michelle was assigned to mentor Barack. Their relationship grew stronger over time, and after a couple of years of dating, Barack proposed to Michelle in 1991. They married on October 3, 1992, at the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Happy anniversary, @MichelleObama! 32 years together, and I couldnt have asked for a better partner and friend to go through life with. pic.twitter.com/04t41YYfN6 Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 3, 2024 They have two daughters: Malia, born in 1998, and Sasha, born in 2001. Over the years, Barack and Michelle have been open about the challenges they have faced, including balancing demanding careers with family life, but their love for each other has remained steadfast. To stay updated on the stories that are going viral, follow Indiatimes Trending. Recently, Anderson announced the closure of Hindenburg Research, citing personal reasons and the toll the work took on his health. Read on to learn more about his net worth, career, and family. Nate Anderson Hindenburg: Nathan Anderson is a prominent figure in the world of investment research, known for founding Hindenburg Research in 2017. He has gained recognition for his investigative work that often exposes fraudulent activities among large corporations. Andersons birth date isnt known, but he was reported to be 38 years as of the start of 2023, as per Wikipedia. Nathan has a background as a CFA, which highlights his expertise in finance and investments. While he has achieved significant professional success. Details about his personal life remain largely private. He has gained significant attention in the financial world, particularly for his critical reports on various companies, including high-profile firms like Adani Group. Nate Anderson Hindenburg: Educational Achievements Nate Anderson's educational background includes: Educational Background : He graduated with a degree in international business from the University of Connecticut. From March 2004 to January 2005, he worked as an ambulance driver in Israel. : He graduated with a degree in international business from the University of Connecticut. From March 2004 to January 2005, he worked as an ambulance driver in Israel. CFA Charterholder: He has earned two financial certifications: Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). Nate Anderson Hindenburg: Career Achievements Nate Anderson has had several notable achievements throughout his career: Founder of Hindenburg Research : Established in 2017, Hindenburg Research specialises in forensic financial analysis and has gained a reputation for its thorough investigations into publicly traded companies. : Established in 2017, Hindenburg Research specialises in forensic financial analysis and has gained a reputation for its thorough investigations into publicly traded companies. High-Profile Reports: Anderson is best known for his reports that have led to significant declines in the stock prices of companies he investigates. His work has been influential in uncovering alleged fraud and misconduct in various firms. Recent News: Founder Announces Shutdown of Hindenburg Research Nate Anderson, the founder of Hindenburg Research, recently announced that the firm will be shutting down. This decision comes after a series of high-profile reports that the company published, including its controversial investigation into the Adani Group. The shutdown has raised questions about the future of short-selling research in the financial market. Anderson stated that the firm will cease operations immediately, and he thanked his team for their hard work and dedication during their time at Hindenburg Research. Adani Group Controversy: In early 2023, Hindenburg Research released a report accusing Adani Group of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. This report led to a significant drop in Adani's stock prices and raised questions about corporate governance in India. The Adani Group has denied these allegations, calling the report baseless and misleading. Adani Group's Statements Media statement on a report published by Hindenburg Research. pic.twitter.com/ZdIcZhpAQT Adani Group (@AdaniOnline) January 25, 2023 Media statement II on a report published by Hindenburg Research pic.twitter.com/Yd2ufHUNRX Adani Group (@AdaniOnline) January 26, 2023 Adani Groups detailed response to Hindenburgs Unsubstantiated Accusationshttps://t.co/byWV8z9q6O Adani Group (@AdaniOnline) January 29, 2023 Hindenburg Research's Statements NEW FROM US: Adani Group How The Worlds 3rd Richest Man Is Pulling The Largest Con In Corporate Historyhttps://t.co/JkZFt60V7f (1/x) Hindenburg Research (@HindenburgRes) January 25, 2023 We have included 88 questions in the conclusion of our report. If Gautam Adani truly embraces transparency, as he claims, they should be easy questions to answer. We look forward to Adanis response.https://t.co/JkZFt60V7f (55/end) Hindenburg Research (@HindenburgRes) January 25, 2023 Our response to Adani: pic.twitter.com/6NcFKR8gEL Hindenburg Research (@HindenburgRes) January 26, 2023 Our Reply To Adani: Fraud Cannot Be Obfuscated By Nationalism Or A Bloated Response That Ignores Every Key Allegation We Raisedhttps://t.co/ohNAX90BDf Hindenburg Research (@HindenburgRes) January 30, 2023 The allegations made against Adani have led to: Legal Repercussions : The Adani Group has threatened legal action against Hindenburg Research, claiming that the report is an attempt to manipulate stock prices for profit. : The Adani Group has threatened legal action against Hindenburg Research, claiming that the report is an attempt to manipulate stock prices for profit. Public Debate: The situation has ignited a broader debate about corporate ethics, transparency, and the role of short-sellers in financial markets. Nate Anderson Hindenburg: Net Worth Nate Anderson's net worth is not publicly disclosed, but as the founder of a successful research firm that has gained international attention, it is speculated to be substantial. His earnings likely stem from both his professional activities at Hindenburg Research and investments he may hold. Nate Anderson Hindenburg: Family Life Nate Anderson's family is relatively private. He tends to keep personal details out of the public eye, focusing instead on his professional endeavors. Nate Anderson is a prominent figure in finance due to his role at Hindenburg Research and his impactful investigations into corporate practices. His recent work regarding the Adani Group has brought him into the spotlight, highlighting his influence and the controversies around. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. 8th Pay Commission: Central government employees have received significant news as the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission. This move marks a crucial step towards revising pay, pensions, and allowances for central government employees, continuing the legacy of structured pay commissions. Key Highlights of the 8th Pay Commission Announcement PM Modi Chairs Cabinet Meeting on 8th Central Pay Commission Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a vital Union Cabinet meeting where the decision to establish the 8th Central Pay Commission was confirmed. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the approval, stating, "Prime Minister Modi has approved the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission to benefit all central government employees." This proactive measure ensures that the recommendations will be reviewed and implemented in time, well before the 7th Pay Commission tenure concludes in 2026. Why Was the 8th Central Pay Commission Approved Early? Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw explained the importance of initiating the process ahead of time. He noted, "The 7th Pay Commission began in 2016, and its tenure ends in 2026. By starting the work on the 8th Pay Commission in 2025, we ensure sufficient time for thorough reviews and timely implementation of recommendations." This proactive approach underscores the governments commitment to addressing the needs of central government employees efficiently. Expected Benefits of the 8th Central Pay Commission Significant Salary Increase for Employees Reports suggest that employees may witness an 186% increase in their minimum salary. Currently, under the 7th Pay Commission, the minimum basic salary stands at Rs 18,000. With the proposed fitment factor of 2.86 under the 8th Pay Commission, the minimum salary could soar to Rs 51,480 per month. Pension Hike Projections Pensions are also set to rise significantly. If the fitment factor of 2.86 is approved, pensions will see an estimated jump of 186%, increasing from Rs 9,000 to Rs 25,740. These revisions will bring immense relief to over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners across the country. Historical Context: The 7th Pay Commission The 7th Pay Commission, formed in February 2014, brought substantial changes for government employees when implemented from January 1, 2016. Some key outcomes included: Raising the minimum basic salary from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000 . . Revising pay structures, allowances, and pensions. Introducing a health insurance scheme for employees and pensioners. While the formation of pay commissions every 10 years is a practice rather than a legal mandate, it remains a key government mechanism to enhance employee benefits. Whats Next? The governments decision to initiate the 8th Central Pay Commission signals its dedication to supporting central government employees. As the process begins, further updates on salary, pension structures, and allowances will follow, ensuring better living standards for millions of employees and pensioners. Stay tuned for more updates as the 8th Pay Commission unfolds! For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis met on Thursday with European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner. According to the Foreign Ministry, the discussion focused on the implementation of the Pact on Migration & Asylum, the situation in Africa & the Middle East given the new geopolitical realities. Gerapetritis stressed that as a front-line state, Greece attaches importance to the principles of responsibility and solidarity among member states, cooperation with third countries and returns, as well as facilitation of legal pathways of migration. iefimerida.gr The first vote for Greece's next President of the Republic has been scheduled for January 25, earlier than initially planned, following an announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Speaker of the House, Kostas Tasoulas. This adjustment ensures the process will conclude by February 12, allowing the newly elected president to assume office well before Katerina Sakellaropoulou's term ends on March 13. The electoral process, shaped by recent constitutional changes, separates the presidential vote from the risk of premature parliamentary dissolution. This allows a candidate to be elected with a simple majority in the later rounds of voting. Up to five voting rounds are permitted, with the first two requiring a supermajority of 200 votes, the third needing 180, the fourth 151, and the fifth determined by a simple majority. Each round will be held five days apart, with party leaders in Parliament entitled to propose candidates. Mr. Tasoulas is widely expected to secure the presidency during the fourth voting round on February 12. He is anticipated to receive backing from the 156 MPs of New Democracy and several independents, ensuring the necessary majority. Among independent MPs, attention is focused on former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, who shares historical ties to political figure Evangelos Averoff, a connection also associated with Mr. Tasoulas. While Mr. Samaras has not yet declared his intentions, his associates have stated that his position will be announced at the appropriate time. Marios Salmas, another independent MP and a former member of New Democracys parliamentary group, has already expressed his support for Mr. Tasoulas. This expedited process emphasizes a focused and efficient approach to selecting the next Head of State, paving the way for a smooth transition in the presidency. By Emmanuela Argiti iefimerida.gr A pregnant woman who was illegally detained by state vigilante service operatives on suspicion of theft has been rescued by the Anambra State Police Command. Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, said in a press statement on Wednesday after the video was intercepted by Commissioner of Police Nnaghe Itam. Ikenga stated that after viewing the video, the CP ordered a rescue operation and an investigation into the incident. He also condemned the detention and inhumane treatment of suspects by some members of the Anambra Vigilante Group in the state. Advertisement READ MORE: Bauchi Police Capture Two For Firearm Possession, Motorcycle Theft The statement read in part, The Anambra State Police Command has rescued a pregnant woman allegedly detained over a case of stealing by her husband in a security office at Okija. The report of the incident was intercepted in a trending video by the Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Itam, as he ordered rescue operations and an investigation into the report. Meanwhile, the CP frowns on such acts of indiscriminate detention and inhuman treatment of suspects by some members of the Anambra Vigilante Group. He assured the state that the root cause of the incidents would be addressed to avert future occurrence. He added that the CP has taken steps with the relevant authorities to address the misconduct of a few unprofessional AVG members in the state. Security personnel believed to be from the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested activist Mahdi Shehu again. According to Daily Trust , Mahdi was picked up by plain clothes security operatives at his clinic in Unguwar Dosa, Kaduna, around 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Buhari Mahdi, the activists son, confirmed the arrest, stating, We dont know if it was an arrest or an invitation. But they (DSS) picked him up at his clinic in Unguwar Dosa, Kaduna, around 11:00 a.m. Advertisement He declined to provide further details. READ ALSO: Police Raid Suspected Criminals Hideout, Kill Five In Anambra, Recover Dangerous Weapons This arrest comes just days after Mahdi was granted bail by the Kaduna State High Court on January 9, 2025, after being arrested and charged for sharing a misleading video on his social media handle. The court set the bail amount at 3 million and required two prominent clerics as sureties. Mahdi had recently broken his silence on his current travail, appreciating his supporters for their concern, support, and prayers. In a post via X, he said, During my arrest, detention, and incarceration spanning 12 days, I have a duty and obligation to thank the following classes of people.. Those who were genuinely worried, concerned, supportive, and prayerful. I felt your prayers, and they served the purposes they were meant for. Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Chinese AI technology company AISPEECH recently secured 500 million yuan in a new funding, according to a post on the company's WeChat account. The financing round involved prominent industry funds, state-owned platforms, and private equity firms, aiming to propel the company's "Cloud + Chip" strategy. The funds will support the scale deployment of the fine-tuned large model (DFM-2) and full-chain dialogue technology across intelligent automotive systems, IoT devices, and industry-specific scenarios such as conferencing, office solutions, and financial services. Photo credit: AISPEECH Renowned as a platform-driven conversational AI pioneer, AISPEECH develops advanced solutions through its self-built full-chain intelligent dialogue system customization platform (DUI Platform), its language computation large model (DFM), and AI voice chips. These offerings cater to diverse sectors, including smart home appliances, intelligent vehicles, and consumer electronics, combining software and hardware solutions. In the automotive sector, AISPEECH provides voice technology SDKs, the "Tianqin" in-car voice assistant, and an array of integrated hardware-software solutions. Since entering the factory-installed automobile market in 2019, AISPEECH has partnered with over 60 global automakers, including Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, BYD, Great Wall Motor, SAIC-GM-Wuling, and Chery. These collaborations have supported the market launch of more than 200 vehicle models. For instance, AISPEECH's smart voice language interaction technology powers Great Wall Motor's Coffee AI voice assistant, enabling continuous dialogue, multi-intent processing, contextual referencing, visible-to-speak commands, colloquial instructions, and precise multi-zone localization. This technology has been implemented in vehicles equipped with the Coffee OS 2, including HAVAL's H6, Second-generation Big Dog, Xiaolong MAX, and Menglong models. Beyond voice interaction, AISPEECH offers customizable intelligent cockpit solutions, covering smart instrument clusters, HUDs, infotainment systems, and in-car projectors. In the domain of smart instrument clusters, the company has forged partnerships with prominent automakers such as SAIC-GM-Wuling, SAIC MAXUS, Ruichi, and SERES' Landian, providing solutions for combination instruments, smart central control displays, and voice-integrated instrument panels. Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has insisted that he will not advice President Bola Tinubus government on how to tackle the economic challenges facing the country. Speaking at the 21st Memorial Lecture of Chief Gani Fawehimi held in Lagos on Wednesday, Sanusi said that he wont be assisting the government in tackling any problems again until the needful is done. He said: I can give a few points here about what we are going through and how it was predictable and avoidable. But I am not going to do that. Advertisement I have chosen not to speak on the economy, or reforms or to explain anything because if I explain it, it will help this government. RRAD MORE: Remember Judgement Day, Dont Be An Advocate Of Wrongdoers Emir Sanusi Tells Judges But I dont want to help this government. They are my friends, but if they dont behave like friends, I wont behave like a friend. The former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria tasked Federal Government to explain to the masses, reasons behind controversial tax reform bill. He added: They dont even have people with pedigree that can come and explain to the people what they are doing. I am not going to help. I started by helping, but I am not going to help. Let them come and explain to Nigerians why they are pursuing the policies that they are pursuing. Now, is everything being done correctly? No. When I am ready to talk about the economy, I will. Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal has described military airstrike in the Zurmi and Maradun Local Government Areas as unintentional. Speaking on Wednesday during an interview with Channels Televisions Politics Today, Governor Lawal commiserated with the affected families of the incident. He noted that he was aware of the operation before the tragedy, explaining that he had personally called for the Air Forces intervention to neutralise bandits attacking the area. Advertisement The Governor said: We have been battling issues within the last three days as a result of the airstrike. READ MORE: Gov Dauda Commends Air Force As Military Airstrike Mistakenly Kills Zamfara Villagers Let me say this, I have full information on what happened that fateful day, because we made the distress call to the Air Force in terms of some bandits attacking communities, and they quickly responded, and they were able to neutralise a lot of bandits. But on the second time when we made the same reports, unfortunately at that time, they were some what we call the CPGs and some of those communities that came to rescue those under attacks, and in the process, they were hit by the Air Force, and I believe it was not intentional. It was one of those things in this kind of situation, sometimes there may be collateral damage and that was what happened in less than 3 days. INFORMATION NIGERIA had reported that the Nigerian Air Force, in a successful airstrike over the weekend, targeted bandits attacking villages in Zurmi and Maradun Local Government Areas. It was gathered that some yet to be identified civilians were also mistakenly killed during the operation by the security agents. Jimi Lawal, an ex-aide to ex-governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has been charged to court for corruption and money laundering. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed a five-count charge against Lawal with charge number FCH/KD/16c/2025 by Dr. Osuobeni Ekpi Akponimishingha, the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, on January 15, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. Lawal, who served as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to former Governor El-Rufai, is charged alongside Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited. Advertisement The complainant alleged that, sometime in 2018, Lawal indirectly took control of the sum of N10,000,000 from the Kaduna State Accountant General Operational Account 0211139802 via the Guaranty Trust Bank Automated System (GAPS) and paid it into the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory. The ICPC further stated that the former aide to El-Rufai ought to have known that the funds were part of the proceeds of corruption. By doing so, the Commission noted he committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. READ ALSO: EFCC, ICPC Cannot Fight Nigerias Corruption Tunde Bakare In count two of the charges, Lawal is accused of indirectly taking control of N47,840,000 from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance through GTB Account 0130133086 in July 2018. Additionally, the ICPC alleged that in September 2018, while serving as a public officer in Kaduna State as Senior Special Adviser/Counsellor to Governor El-Rufai, he took control of N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue Account. The funds were said to have been domiciled in United Bank for Africa (UBA) Account 10200067882 and later transferred to the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory. The ICPC emphasized that he ought to have known the funds were proceeds of an unlawful act of corruption, which contravenes Section 18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. In another count, the ICPC alleged that in October 2024, Lawal made false statements to Messrs. Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson Daniel during their investigative duties. According to the complainant, Jimi Lawal claimed that the total sum of N64,800,562received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the Guaranty Trust Bank Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limitedwas paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko as estacode. The ICPC noted that Lawal knew the statement was false and, in doing so, committed an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. A ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, marking a significant breakthrough in the Gaza conflict that has lasted over a year. The agreement, disclosed by a Hamas official to Sky News, outlines a six-week initial ceasefire phase, including the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from central Gaza and the return of Palestinians to north Gaza. As part of the deal, Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including women, children, and men over 50. In return, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian detainees. Advertisement The agreement also requires 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the ceasefire, with 50 of them carrying fuel. The humanitarian aid will be allocated to different areas, with 300 trucks designated for north Gaza. Hamas will release female hostages, those under 19 years old first, followed by men over 50, while Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since October 7, 2023, by the end of the first phase. READ ALSO: Gaza War Will Last Many Months Until Hamas Is Wiped Off Israels PM Vows The total number of Palestinians released will depend on the number of hostages released by Hamas and could be between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including men, women, and children. Hamas will release the hostages over a six-week period, with at least three hostages released each week and the remainder of the 33 before the end of the period. The ceasefire will take effect on Sunday, Qatari prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, said. President Joe Biden said the agreement followed many months of intensive diplomacy and said he was thrilled that the hostages are being reunited with their families. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done, he added. Donald Trump, who will take office as US President in a few days, welcomed the agreement, saying, We have a deal for the hostages in the Middle East. They will be released shortly. The deal comes after President Joe Biden said a ceasefire agreement was on the brink in his final days in office. Implementation of the agreement will be guaranteed by Qatar, Egypt, and the US. Israels government will vote on the Gaza deal on Thursday. The agreement is a significant step towards ending the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced many more. A Nigerian woman, Patricia Masithela, has died after being attacked by a pack of hungry dogs in Latina, Italy. The incident, as disclosed by UK Mirror, occurred on Monday night when Masithela visited a male acquaintances abandoned villa in the Lazio region. According to reports, Masithela was unaware that her friend was not at home and was mauled to death by the dogs. Advertisement READ ALSO: Drone Operations Banned In North-East Over Security Concerns Military Her screams alerted neighbours, who called the police. The police intervened, shooting two of the dogs to allow emergency responders to access the scene. Masithela was rushed to Santa Maria Goretti Hospital, but she succumbed to her severe injuries and blood loss. The 27-year-old woman was a mother to a five-year-old daughter and her death has left her family and friends in grief. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, with local authorities working to determine how the starving dogs came to be in the area. Apostle Johnson Suleman, Senior Pastor of Omega Fire Ministries, has attributed the current suffering in Nigeria to the poor choices made by citizens during the 2023 elections. Suleman, as revealed by Daily Post, made this assertion while visiting Bauchi State for a two-day Recovery Conference 2025. During his visit, Suleman met with Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, at the Government House. Advertisement He commended the Governor for his leadership and hospitality, describing him as a man of honor. Suleman assured the Governor of his continued prayers for the leadership and people of Bauchi State. However, when asked about the state of the nation by newsmen, Suleman criticized Nigerians for their voting choices. READ ALSO: Lagos 2023: Leaders Now Beg For Votes, Says Apostle Johnson Suleiman What Nigerians are going through is partly what they deserve. Before the election, we cried out, we screamed, we yelled. The man (President Bola Tinubu) who came into leadership had no manifesto just a sense of entitlement with his its my turn mantra, he declared. Suleman expressed concerns about the state of the nation under Tinubus administration, citing policies and the mismanagement of the oil sector. The oil sector has been plundered. In the next 10 to 15 years, I dont think Nigerians will recover from the damage. Now, all we can do is pray, he stated. He urged Nigerians to reflect on their choices ahead of the 2027 elections, warning, If theyve suffered enough by then, perhaps theyll make better decisions. A yet to be identified local security man has been killed, following a brutal attack by some gunmen, suspected to be cultists in Ahoada town, Rivers State. It was gathered that the unfortunate incident occurred on Tuesday night, along Hospital Road in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the State. A resident of the area told PUNCH on Wednesday that the criminal elements initially opened fire on the victim, but when their bullets failed to penetrate, they resorted to using sticks, iron rods, and other dangerous objects to bludgeon him to death. Advertisement Confirming the incident, Spokesperson for the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said that a manhunt has been launched to track down the perpetrators. READ MORE: Rivers Police Arrest Couple For Alleged Rape, Assault Of Minor She said: Yes, I can confirm the incident. The victim was rushed to the hospital, where he was certified dead by the doctor on duty. His body has been deposited in the mortuary, and investigations are ongoing, Iringe-Koko. The Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, has ordered the Area Commander and tactical units to ensure that the culprits are arrested and brought to book. The Federal Government has responded to comments made by the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, regarding the economic reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration. In a statement on Thursday titled: We dont need Sanusis stamp of approval for our laudable policies, the government expressed disappointment at the Emirs alleged negative comments, which they attributed to a shift in loyalty. The Emir had stated that he would not offer advice to the government on how to tackle economic challenges, saying I dont want to help this government. They are my friends, but if they dont behave like friends, I wont behave like a friend. Advertisement READ ALSO: Economic Hardship: Tinubus Govt Lacks Pedigree, I Wont Help Them Emir Sanusi Insists The government, via Mohammed Idris Malagi, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, countered that the Emirs comments were amusing and that his decision not to speak the truth was due to personal interest hinged on imaginary antagonism. He emphasized that the reforms implemented by the administration were essential for securing Nigerias long-term stability and growth. The statement highlighted the progress made by the administration, including the unification of exchange rates, the removal of fuel subsidies, and increased investment in critical sectors. He also noted that projections from respected institutions, including the World Bank, showed an upward trajectory in Nigerias GDP. The government concluded that it did not need the Emirs stamp of approval, emphasizing that the reforms were widely recognized as essential by global experts. The Wanamaker Grand Court Organs landlord said Thursday that even as talks about the future of the organ continue, the company intends to keep the instrument in place. TF Cornerstone recognizes the historical and cultural significance of the organ in the Wanamaker Building, read a statement from the New York firm. Our company has a long history in New York as a partner to Carnegie Hall and understands the way music resonates through a city. We are committed to the preservation of the organ and ensuring it remains a cherished part of the space. Advertisement Left open are questions of access to and care of the instrument, as well as how often it would be played after the expected mid-March departure of Macys from the Wanamaker Buildings retail spaces. Macys has contributed toward upkeep of the enormous instrument, which is currently heard in twice-daily recitals every day except Sunday. With the department stores withdrawal approaching, TF Cornerstone said company officials were arranging to meet with the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ and look forward to working closely with them, Macys and other stakeholders to determine the best path forward for the organs future care and stewardship. Wow. Wonderful. Thats great, said Ray Biswanger, executive director of the Friends of the Wanamaker Organ, in response to the statement. TF Cornerstone pays us a great honor for the work were doing and we look forward to a long, successful partnership working with them preserving the Wanamaker Organ for the many generations in the future. Paul Steinke, executive director of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, said he had recently met with TF Cornerstone officials, and was optimistic about the future of the organ and its home, the Wanamaker Grand Court. We are encouraged by the tone and content of TF Cornerstones statement about the organ, Steinke said, and its squares with our own impressions of how they are approaching the future of the landmark Wanamaker Building and its history and traditions. Organ recitals are expected to continue at Macys in Center City, 1300 Market St., Monday to Saturday at noon and 5:30 p.m., through March 22 or 23. wanamakerorgan.com. Bucks County authorities said Wednesday a homicide suspect was in custody after an unidentified woman was found dead at a Bensalem motel earlier in the day. The investigation began when the Pennsylvania State Police in Trevose received information that a homicide may have occurred at a hotel or motel in Bensalem. Police searched hotels and motels in the area of Route 1 and found the dead woman inside a room at the Sleep Inn & Suites at 3427 Street Rd. A suspect was in custody at the Trenton Police Department, authorities said. Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and other officials were expected to release more information at a news conference Thursday morning. Firefighting aircraft have been key in Californias battle against the wildfires raging in Los Angeles over the past week. An array of aerial firefighters have dropped thousands of gallons of red fire retardant liquid on LA in recent days, but have you ever wondered what all that liquid might do to a car? Firefighters tackling the blazes in Los Angeles drop the vibrant red liquid on areas to both extinguish fires and prevent new blazes from cropping up. The liquid coats flammable materials in a substance that helps prevent ignition and can starve ongoing fires of fuel or oxygen, which are both essential to keeping a fire from burning. With each drop, aerial firefighters can drop as much as 19,600 gallons of firefighting liquid in one go, and that can cause a lot of damage to anything caught in the path. Advertisement Advertisement In a video, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection demonstrated exactly what could happen to a car thats caught in the path of one of its aerial firefighters. The clip features a firefighting Grumman S-2 aircraft, which can drop around 800 gallons of firefighting goop with each pass, and a first-generation Ford Expedition, which has enough space in the trunk for around 100 gallons of firefighting liquid. While flying low above the Hemet-Ryan firebase in California, the aircraft drops its load onto the Expedition with almighty force. The 9,000 lb load smashes into the side of the SUV, knocking it over to one side and caving in the roof. Once the dust has settled on the display, the entire rear quarter of the SUV is destroyed, the windshield has popped out and the driver-side doors have been blown open by the impact. Its a pretty bleak scene and shows the force that these aerial firefighters are playing with when they work to save communities from fires. Advertisement Advertisement The drop used in this demonstration is also comparatively small for firefighting aircraft at just 9,000 pounds. In contrast, firefighting planes like the McDonnell Douglas DC-10 and Boeing 737 are able to dump up to 170,000 pounds of firefighting liquid in a matter of seconds. Its for this reason that fire services call for evacuations in areas that they are working on, as the risk of serious injury if youre caught up in a drop is very high. If you want to find out more about the efforts of aerial firefighters in California, head here to learn what makes up the red liquid they dump on forest forest fires. Or head here to see some of the biggest firefighting aircraft that teams have at their disposal. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. SWAT Cpl. James O'Connor, 46, was fatally shot on the 1600 block of Bridge Street on March 13, 2020. Read more Two men pleaded guilty Wednesday to murder and racketeering charges in the fatal shooting of Philadelphia SWAT Cpl. James OConnor IV, admitting that the 2020 killing was part of a string of crimes they committed to advance the interests of a violent, Frankford-based drug gang. Hassan Elliott, 26, and Khalif Sears, 23, said little as they entered their pleas before U.S. District Judge Juan Sanchez. Advertisement OConnors widow, Terri, said the proceedings were nonetheless difficult to sit through, as the shooting death of her husband, a 46-year-old father of two, had ruined our lives. The crime was unfair, she said afterward while fighting back tears, robbing OConnor of time with his family. She said she used to look forward to celebrating occasions such as birthdays or anniversaries, but now views them as reminders of how long its been since her husband was killed. Elliott shot OConnor by firing more than a dozen rifle shots through the door of a Frankford apartment as OConnor and other SWAT officers sought to arrest him on a murder warrant. Sears didnt shoot at police but took part in the earlier killing with Elliott. And the two men were hiding out together in the cramped, drug-filled apartment when Elliott seeking to avoid apprehension started firing shots toward the SWAT team. In addition to killing OConnor, prosecutors said, Elliott, Sears, and several other men were part of a gang known as SG1700 that committed a host of other crimes throughout Frankford. In 2018 and 2019, prosecutors said, gang members including Elliott or Sears killed three other men and shot nine more people all to protect or advance the interests of their gang, whose members sold crack and marijuana. In exchange for pleading guilty, prosecutors recommended that Elliott who had been scheduled to go to trial next month receive a sentence of between 55 and 75 years. They said Sears should face a sentence of 35 to 50 years. Sanchez said he would determine the penalties at hearings this spring. The judge largely refrained from commenting on the facts of the case, but did tell Sears that his crimes were heinous and said he would take that into consideration when imposing a sentence. Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel attended Wednesdays court hearing, along with dozens of OConnors fellow officers, relatives, and friends. Bethel said that SWAT officers are often asked to take on the departments most dangerous assignments, and that the way to honor [OConnors] service is to get justice for him. Why did Elliott shoot OConnor? Elliott and Sears were arrested on the morning of March 13, 2020, shortly after Elliott shot OConnor inside the apartment building on the 1600 block of Bridge Street. SWAT officers had gone to that address to arrest Elliott in the 2019 slaying of Tyrone Tyree on the 5300 block of Duffield Street. Authorities had issued arrest warrants months earlier for both Elliott and Sears in connection with that crime. As SWAT officers sought out Elliott and climbed a flight of stairs inside his apartment building, he heard them, then grabbed a .22-caliber rifle and began shooting through a bedroom door, striking OConnor in the neck and arm. Officer Patrick Saba returned fire, hitting Sears and a man who was in a separate bedroom at the front of the apartment, police said at the time. OConnor was taken to Temple University Hospital and declared dead not long afterward. He was a son and father of city police officers, and his daughter was in the Air Force. He had also become a grandfather for the first time just a few months earlier, his wife said. Elliott, meanwhile, was taken into custody, along with Sears and two other men who were inside the apartment: Bilal Mitchell and Sherman Easterling. Police found 10 guns in the room, as well as crack cocaine and drug packaging materials, prosecutors said. The case quickly became engulfed in controversy when then-U.S. Attorney William McSwain blamed District Attorney Larry Krasner for OConnors death. Krasners office had dropped a drug case against Elliott a year before OConnor was shot, something McSwain said demonstrated Krasners leniency toward accused criminals. Krasner said the fate of the drug case was not significant because his office had simultaneously approved a murder warrant for Elliott when the narcotics prosecution fell apart. McSwain later filed federal charges against Elliott and the three others who were inside the Frankford apartment when he shot OConnor, accusing them of murder, possessing illegal weapons, and dealing drugs. What other crimes did they commit? Three years after that, McSwains successor, U.S. Attorney Jacqueline C. Romero, announced an expanded racketeering case against Elliott and Sears as well as two other men, Kelvin Jiminez and Dominique Parker saying they were part of the drug trafficking gang known as SG1700. They were charged with participating in four murders, including OConnors, nine shootings, and a host of drug offenses. The other killings were of Kaseem Rogers on Dec. 3, 2018; Tyrone Tyree on March 1, 2019; and Dontae Walker on Aug. 22, 2019. Prosecutors said Elliott shot Rogers, a perceived rival also known as Glizzy, after they exchanged insults on social media. Elliott and Sears fatally shot Tyree while trying to rob him as he bought drugs from them, prosecutors said. And Elliott and three others killed Walker, they said, in retaliation for an earlier shooting of a fellow SG1700 member. Gang members frequently boasted about their violent acts, prosecutors said, creating music videos and social media posts that taunted their enemies. And after his arrest, prosecutors said, Elliott wrote the names of some of his victims, including OConnor, on the wall of his jail cell. Two of the codefendants charged as part of the racketeering case, Jiminez and Parker, are still awaiting trial. Elliott and Sears are scheduled to be sentenced at the end of April. Orenthia Upshur will be charged with murder when he is extradited back to Bucks County, according to prosecutors. Read more A Trenton man killed his girlfriend during an argument inside a Bensalem hotel early Wednesday, police said, and hours later targeted one of her family members, firing at her as she got into an Uber in the capital city. Orenthia Upshur, 51, then barged into an apartment on Oak Lane in Trenton about 4:30 a.m. Wednesday and shot at police officers who came to investigate the violence they say he waged in two states, police said Thursday. Advertisement He remained in custody Thursday in Trenton, where he has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, burglary, and related crimes in connection with the standoff with police. He will be charged with murder when he is extradited to Bucks County in the coming days, according to investigators. Upshur fled to Trenton after shooting Maisha Coon, his longtime girlfriend, inside the Sleep Inn & Suites on Street Road in Bensalem in what Bucks County District Attorney Jenn Schorn described as a execution and an unimaginable death. Furthermore, he intended to harm Miss Coon even beyond the grave when he conveyed his murderous intentions to harm and take the lives of her family members in New Jersey, Schorn said. We will get justice for Miss Coon and her family members. Schorn said that Upshur shot Coon, 49, as she lay on the floor, and that the shot that killed her passed through into the hotel room below them. The occupants of that room were not injured. The motive for the shooting remained unclear Thursday, but officials said the couple had a history of domestic disputes, including as recently as a few days before the fatal shooting. The investigation into Upshur began about 5 a.m. Wednesday, when one of his relatives reported to Pennsylvania State Police that Upshur had visited him and confessed to killing his girlfriend, according to Bensalem Township Public Safety Director William McVey. Upshur told his relative he had killed Coon in a hotel in Bensalem, but did not specify which one, McVey said. The man said he had been on a phone call with Coon hours earlier in which he heard her say to Upshur: I didnt think you would harm me. Please dont do this to me. Using data from Coons cell phone, police were able to track her to a room at the Sleep Inn, according to McVey. She had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene. The couple had arrived at the hotel the night before, about 9 p.m., and Upshur was seen leaving the area shortly before 1 a.m., carrying a handgun, McVey said. While investigators were searching for Coon in Bensalem, Trenton police received information about a shooting on Parkside Avenue about 4:30 a.m., according to Capt. Lisette Rios. One of Coons relatives, whom police did not identify, said that Upshur had pulled up to the area in a gray pickup truck and fired at her three times as she got into an Uber, Rios said. Neither the woman nor the Uber driver was injured. Shortly after that shooting, Trenton police received a call about an armed man who had forced his way into a nearby apartment and shot at residents inside. When police arrived at that scene, Upshur began firing at them from a second-floor window, according to Rios. He was later taken into custody by members of the Mercer County Sheriffs Tactical Unit. Upshur was carrying a Glock handgun at the time, which investigators say they believe was the weapon he used to kill Coon. Hey Siri, play Reunited by Peaches & Herb ... In the midst of the postseason, as the Eagles continue their hunt for a Super Bowl, a moment of hope and happy endings reached Eagles fans everywhere after Tralee Hale-Ringo was reunited with her dog Mali on Monday. Advertisement Hale-Ringo, the mother of Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo, had her dog stolen from the Target store at 2701 Castor Avenue in Port Richmond on Oct. 28 as she was shopping for Halloween candy. When Hale-Ringo went to use the bathroom, leaving her shih tzu outside, she came out and Mali was gone. After 2 months apart, Mali returned to her rightful owner but now shes looking a little different. Hale-Ringo said Mali looked like she just got out of prison. The shih tzu was mangled, her trademark top knot was gone, and the noticeable pink color in her tail was removed to conceal her identity. READ MORE: Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson rep the Eagles at the Wells Fargo Center Despite a different look, Hale-Ringo knew it was her Mali. Her little arms and legs moved once she came around the corner with the detective. They were just moving a mile a minute. She was so excited. When Hale-Ringo first heard the good news, she let out a little squeak of excitement as she went shopping inside the Eagles pro shop, of course for more stickers to go under her eyes for her Mama Ringo look. I was super excited, Hale-Ringo said. I just had the conversation at lunch that I cant wait to get the phone call, and then 45 minutes later I get the actual phone call. I dont know if I manifested it. But Ive been waiting for the call, and Ive known that it was coming, and I just love how supportive the community has been. Eagles fans reached out and just said, hey, this is the city that people will be on the lookout. Mali was spotted by a worker at a Wawa in New Jersey. Apparently, the people who stole Mali had been going to this Wawa to show off their new dog. The employee noticed that Mali looked familiar and gave the license plate of the vehicle she was in to the police. Hale-Ringo believes this was only possible because of the release of the Target surveillance video. There was no word on possible criminal charges. In five weeks, the video from Target got released, Hale-Ringo said. And that video surveillance is literally the reason why Ive had the amount of confidence that Ive had, knowing that I was going to get my dog back. Ive literally told everyone its only a matter of time. The surveillance video showed a group of four young suspects leaving the store with the dog. In addition to the video, one person that Hale-Ringo turned to for help during the situation was Eagles chief security officer Dom DiSandro. I got Dom from the Eagles to call in to really make it a priority, Hale-Ringo said. Big Dom knows every detective in the city and he has so much of an influence. He is so well respected and looked up to. He takes such good care of the boys. Im thankful to have him. Hes definitely a perk. After the time apart consisting of a missed birthday, missed Thanksgiving, missed Christmas, and a missed New Years Mali has finally found her way home and just in time for the Birds' chase for a Super Bowl. Its perfect timing, Hale-Ringo said. We won our first playoff game of the postseason here on Sunday and then Monday I got my dog back. That was two wins, two days in a row for me. Go Birds. Im just hoping that Mali brings some good luck to the playoffs. And theres no need for fans to worry about Malis game-day look. Shell be cleaned up just in time for the Eagles' divisional-round matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. Shes on the table right now, getting combed out, washed, groomed, and dyed, Hale-Ringo said. Shes going to be kelly green here in a second and shes gonna be running around in a Ringo jersey, yelling, Go Birds! READ MORE: A.J. Browns sideline book hits No. 1 and gets some funny reviews from Eagles fans University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, seen here in 2018 during an appearance on C-SPAN. Read more University of Pennsylvania law professor Amy Wax, who was sanctioned in September for what Penn called years of flagrantly unprofessional conduct, has sued the school, alleging in the federal complaint that its speech policies are racially discriminatory and violate core principles of the First Amendment. The controversial professor who questioned Black students academic ability, invited white nationalist Jared Taylor to her classroom, and said the United States would be better off with fewer Asian immigrants was suspended for a year, among other sanctions, after a five-member board of tenured faculty found that Wax committed a major infraction and had a history of sweeping, blithe, and derogatory generalizations about groups by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and immigration status. Advertisement Wax vowed to stay at Penn but called the allegations totally bogus. READ MORE: The Amy Wax case explained: Heres what preceded the controversial law professors university sanctions On Thursday, she filed a federal lawsuit in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania accusing Penn of sanctioning her after a kangaroo-court-like process, and calling the universitys speech policies racially discriminatory. The complaint says that Penn breached its contract with Wax and violated civil rights law. Wax is asking a federal judge to find Penns speech policy illegal under federal antidiscrimination law and the First Amendment and to vacate the sanctions against her. Waxs attorneys did not respond to requests for comment. Penn declined to comment. The lawsuit says that Penn has been fixated with Waxs 2017 comment that she didnt think she had ever seen a Black student graduate in the top quarter of the class at Penn Law and rarely, rarely in the top half. Former Penn law school dean Theodore Ruger later said Waxs statements were inaccurate, but Waxs lawsuit said that she never received evidence that she was wrong. The lawsuit contrasts her comments and discipline with statements by faculty and guest speakers about Israel, such as a professor calling for an intifada revolution. Under [Penns speech] policy, some racial and ethnic groups such as Jews can be criticized with absolute impunity. But when the speech at issue concerns a group higher up the Universitys intersectionality pyramid, such as African Americans, the Universitys putative commitment to free speech quickly vanishes, the complaint said. Wax also accuses Penn of not taking disciplinary action against an English and cinema professor who posted on social media in support of Luigi Mangione, the Penn graduate charged with killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Jeffrey Kallberg, deputy dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, condemned the comment in a statement.) In arguing that Penns speech policy discriminates against Jews, the complaint cites Gov. Josh Shapiros statement that Penn lost its way in response to antisemitism on campus. Wax criticizes the disciplinary process Wax also argued that the disciplinary process was flawed, and that the universitys report on her conduct attributed to Wax beliefs she never endorsed. For example, Wax says that she didnt endorse the views of Taylor, the white nationalist who spoke in her class, and that Penn approved his appearance and reimbursed the expenses of his visit. And the complaint says that Penn violated the Americans with Disabilities Act when it failed to accommodate Waxs request to postpone the internal proceeding against her because of her cancer treatment. The lawsuit is the latest turn in the yearslong saga that involved the launch of the investigation against Wax in January 2022, following her remarks about Asian immigrants. Penn has previously condemned remarks by Wax, and in 2018 removed her from teaching mandatory classes. The university faced calls over the years from Penn Law community members, as well as lawmakers, to sanction the professor. READ MORE: Lawmakers call for Penn to revoke professors tenure after racist comments: We do not stand for hate speech A Penn hearing board recommended sanctions against Wax in June 2023 after hearing testimony from both sides, students, alumni, faculty, and experts. The five-member board made up of tenured faculty unanimously decided Wax committed a major infraction of the Universitys behavioral standards, according to an August 2023 letter from former Penn president Liz Magill explaining why she upheld the decision. The sanctions against Wax include: a one-year suspension at half pay with benefits intact, a public reprimand issued by university leadership, the loss of her named chair and summer pay, and a requirement to note in her public appearances that she is not speaking for or as a member of the Penn Carey Law school or Penn. Wax appealed the decision and Penns Senate Committee found in September that proper procedures were followed. The suspension is scheduled to take effect for the 2025-26 school year. Staff writer Susan Snyder contributed to this article. The Curtis Institute of Music has acquired the Art Alliance building, owned by the shuttered University of the Arts, under a bankruptcy proceeding approved in court Wednesday. The institute bid $7.6 million. Read more The Curtis Institute of Music will be permitted to purchase the Art Alliance building owned by the shuttered University of the Arts after the agreement was approved Wednesday afternoon in bankruptcy court in Wilmington. Curtis successfully bid $7.6 million for the building, which is close to the school on the east side of Rittenhouse Square, during a live auction Tuesday held by UArts bankruptcy trustee Alfred T. Giuliano. Bankruptcy Judge Brendan L. Shannon noted during the hearing there were no objections to the sale. Advertisement It is the first of nine buildings to be sold as university assets wind their way through bankruptcy following the abrupt June closure of the school. The attorney representing the UArts bankruptcy trustee said there are secured claims of approximately $67 million. READ MORE: Curtis outbids Temple for UArts building after developer Allan Domb drops out But the proposed sale of the Arts Bank to Quadro Bay LLC garnered more scrutiny as the state objected to its bid, arguing that the building should continue to be used for charitable purposes. The Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office had raised a similar objection to the Art Alliance building sale when real estate mogul Allan Domb had the top bid. (Domb did not bid during the live auction.) The attorney generals office cited a restrictive covenant from when the alliance and UArts merged that said the building had to be used for education and exhibition purposes. Christopher Momjian, a lawyer for the attorney generals office, said in court that the state no longer objected to that sale given the building was going to the nonprofit Curtis, which outbid Temple University during the auction. A lawyer representing the UArts bankruptcy trustee, however, contended that there was no such restrictive covenant on the Arts Bank building. READ MORE: Real estate mogul Allan Domb wants to buy UArts building for $6.5 million The trustee has a fiduciary duty to maximize value for all creditors, the lawyer argued. The judge said he needed more information to determine whether the proposed sale of the Arts Bank to Quadro Bay should be approved. Another hearing will be held next Wednesday. At the live auction, Quadro Bay outbid the Lantern Theater Company for the Arts Bank, at 601 S. Broad. The winning bid was $2.71 million. Lantern had initially bid $1.76 million. During the court hearing, Damien Tancredi, a lawyer representing Quadro Bay, said his client intended to use the building for residential purposes above the ground floor and possibly commercial on the ground floor. READ MORE: Bids are sought on nine UArts properties Hearing of the states objection to the Quadro Bay sale, Charles McMahon, artistic director of Lantern, said in a statement: Lantern Theater Company remains deeply interested in moving to the Arts Bank and preserving this important cultural asset for artistic and educational programming. The Arts Bank officially opened Jan. 18, 1994. It once housed the South Philadelphia National Bank, and, after the bank closed, the building was home to various businesses and occasionally hosted rock concerts. The acquisition and renovation of the building in the 1990s were financed by the William Penn Foundation, which provided $2 million for land acquisition, planning studies, and operating funds, plus $3.6 million for renovations, according to a 1993 article in The Inquirer. The Arts Bank was the first new project in the redevelopment of South Broad Street into the Avenue of the Arts, which eventually grew to include the entirely new Kimmel Center and new buildings for the Clef Club, the Wilma Theater, and other groups. Exactly what Curtis will do with the Art Alliance remains to be worked out, as does the cost of any needed renovations, a spokesperson said Tuesday. But with the acquisition, the school might shuffle around space in its current buildings on Locust Street and move some of those functions into the Art Alliance. The building at 251 S. 18th St. includes a small performance hall, exhibition galleries, and some outdoor space. Curtis purchase is being made possible by gifts from trustees and other supporters, many of whom pledged their support in recent hours and days. The school, considered one of the top music conservatories in the world, is celebrating its centenary this season. Staff writer Harold Brubaker contributed to this article. A West Philadelphia charter school owes the Philadelphia School District roughly $30 million for the number of students it has overenrolled during the last 14 years. The Pennsylvania Department of Education ruled recently that West Philadelphia Achievement Charter Elementary School, at 67th and Callowhill Streets, must repay the equivalent of what it has received for educating upward of 200 extra students a year since 2010. Advertisement Angela Fitterer, the states interim acting secretary of education, ordered WPACES to pay because of its failure to abide by an enforceable term of their charter. WPACES is not entitled to funds for students enrolled above the mutually agreed upon cap of 400 students , an order filed by the department on Dec. 24 said. The school currently educates about 650 students, and its enrollment has been as high as about 700. Charter schools receive per-pupil payments from their home districts based on the amount the school system spent on its students the prior year. For the 2024-25 school year, Philadelphia brick-and-mortar charters receive $12,754.11 per student and $40,053.17 for each student who receives special-education services. Stacy Gill-Phillips, the schools chief executive, said it will appeal the states decision to Commonwealth Court. This is a classic David vs. Goliath, Gill-Phillips said. I am just so saddened that were even here. A 15-year dispute The dispute started when WPACES, which opened in 2001, requested permission of the districts charter schools office in 2010 to move to its current location, Gill-Phillips said. They agreed and approved the new location, Gill-Phillips said. WPACES, according to case documents, received preliminary approval to relocate upon satisfaction of several conditions. Gill-Phillips said she told district officials at the time that WPACES would have to enroll more children to be able to afford the building, to pay our mortgage and hire educators. She said she received somewhat of a soft idea around, You can move into this building. The districts 2010 preliminary approval reminded WPACES that its 2006 charter was set to expire in 2011 and this preliminary approval of a new location for WPACES may not be interpreted in any way as a renewal of, or a promise to renew, the Charter, state documents say. In 2011, the School Reform Commission, the precursor to the current school board, passed a resolution authorizing a new charter for WPACES at its 2006 cap of 400 students. The SRC said that any requests for amendment to the Charter not addressed in this resolution are deemed denied. WPACES never signed that charter, or any other since. But it continued to enroll above and beyond its cap, billing the state directly for the additional students. The Department of Education paid, deducting the amount it annually sent WPACES for the over-enrollment from Philadelphias state funding. The ruling now requires WPACES to repay the district. The charter argued during that time that because the district did not include words of limitation in the enrollment cap, that cap was nonbinding. It also suggested a victory for the district would decimate WPACESs financial condition. Fitterer rejected the charter schools argument. This is not the only dispute the charter has had with the district. The charter sued the school system in 2014, charging that the SRCs move to limit enrollment, among other acts, was illegal. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ultimately sided with WPACES, but that dispute was about the reform commissions authority to suspend school code under state law. The SRC no longer exists; the school board replaced it in 2018. Our collective obligation Gill-Phillips said the district has refused to meet with her school lawyers to come to an agreement about enrollment, behavior thats tantamount to retaliation, she said. It became very apparent that they were exercising some form of blackballing. If I was a white male, I would not be in this situation. Gill-Phillips, who is Black, is part of the African American Charter School Coalition, a group that has publicly blasted the district for what it says is biased treatment of Black-led charter schools. (A 2023 independent report found no intentional acts of racial discrimination or bias, based on the race of a charter school leader, committed by any members of the Board of Education, School Reform Commission, or the Charter Schools Office, but members of the coalition took issue with the boards characterization of that report.) Other charters have been granted expansions since 2010, Gill-Phillips said, including a number of white-led charters. School board leaders, who have granted some expansions to Black- and Latino-led charters since 2010, have publicly said they will consider expansions only for charters that have a demonstrated track record of success. Because WPACES is operating on a 2006 charter, it does not participate in the same accountability systems that the districts 80 other charters do. The district does periodically review WPACES data, but only those which are available publicly. If an appeal is not successful, Gill-Phillips said, we would have to explore all our options. If it came down to a final we had to pay it back, we would just hope and pray that the district would be reasonable about a repayment plan. This money was spent on the children it was meant to be spent on. Theres no real owe here that money was spent on children, and its all taxpayer dollars. Peng Chao, the districts chief of charters, said officials believe the decision is significant. Charter agreements establish mutual clarity for the school district and charter schools as to our collective obligation to students, families, and the public, Chao said in a statement. Adherence to terms set forth in the legal agreements by the Board of Education and agreed to by charter schools is critical to the sustenance of the charter sector within our system of schools in Philadelphia. The William H. Dorsey painting at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in Philadelphia. Read more When Michiko Quinones first saw the framed, oval-shaped 1864 watercolor of a tiny Black man peacefully fishing near a mill, she cried. It wasnt the serenity of the running water or easy sway of the branches that put Quinones in her feelings. Nor, was it the image of a Black man enjoying a moment of peace at a time when African Americans both free and enslaved were terrorized without recourse. Advertisement It was the artists blocky signature etched into stones painted along the imaginary rivers edge W.H. Dorsey. W.H. Dorsey stands for William Henry Dorsey, a 19th-century artist, collector, and curator of the American Negro Historical Society collection. Although historians knew he was a prolific painter, they had never seen his work. There are so many Black artists from the 19th century whose work has been lost, said Quinones, whose 1838 Black Metropolis website is an interactive study of Philadelphias free Black society during the antebellum period. This painting is one more piece of evidence there was a thriving Black community that existed in Philadelphia before the end of the Civil War. The buildings are there, but the artifacts have been scattered. The untitled watercolor, part of the Historical Society of Pennsylvanias current exhibit, Voices, Visions, and Ventures: Recent Acquisitions, is a gift of Andy Robbins, who stumbled upon the painting at New Life Thrift in Glenside in 2023. What caught my eye was the frame, said Robbins, a 50-year-old human resource executive. It reminded me of something from the 1860s or 70s and the brushstrokes were just so well done. Scholars from W.E.B. Du Bois to Amy Jane Cohen, author of Black History and the Philadelphia Landscape, have documented the existence of a bustling Black community in Philadelphia during the 18th and 19th centuries. However, many of the eras artifacts paintings, silverware, furniture, and inventions are presumed lost. Many were destroyed in fires set by white mobs intent on stopping Black progress. Others disappeared through centuries of moves and involuntary displacement. Dorseys watercolors were featured in exhibitions at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in the 1860s, said David Brigham, librarian and CEO of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Quinones found evidence that three of Dorseys paintings were shown alongside the work of Henry Ossawa Tanner, the first Black American artist to achieve international acclaim, at a Progressive Workingmans Club Art Exhibition on South 11th Street. But art historians hadnt eyeballed Dorseys art until Robbins' serendipitous find. Brigham is hopeful more of Dorseys paintings are out in the world. I went on the websites of four museums and the Smithsonian to see if I could find any more of Dorseys work, Brigham said, his scholarly tone peppered with the excitement of a sleuth who just discovered the mystery-solving clue. We are hoping people who have a Dorsey in their private collection will come forward. Robbins hails from a family of artists and people who like to thrift his parents have been on the Antiques Roadshow. So, Robbins knows a thing or two about art. While still at New Life, Robbins googled W.H. Dorsey, realized hed discovered something valuable, and bought the piece for $10. He reached out to Quinones through 1838 Black Metropolis Instagram page and within days, was in conversation with the Historical Society. I knew this was bigger than me, said Robbins who gifted the painting to the Historical Society without appraising it. It deserved to be in a place where the public can see it. Dorseys life story is the fodder of epic American sagas, starting with his father, Thomas J. Dorsey, an enslaved man who escaped to Philadelphia from Maryland in the early 1800s. The elder Dorsey was in Philly for only a few months when he was captured by slave trackers and sent back South. His friends, however, raised $1,000 ($32,000 in todays money) to buy his freedom. Dorsey returned to Philadelphia. Thomas J. Dorsey found work as a waiter and eventually started a prosperous catering company, joining the ranks of wealthy caterers: Robert Bogle, Henry Minton, and Henry Jones. Dorsey married Louise Tobias, a free Black woman, and the couple had three children: Sarah, Mary Louise, and William, born in 1837. The Dorsey family lived in a mansion at 1231 Locust St., less than a block from where the Historical Society of Philadelphia stands today. William Dorsey grew up wealthy, yet, according to an 1896 article in the Philadelphia Times, he worked as a messenger for Mayor William S. Stokely. He inherited a fortune when his father died. So, although he was a married father of six, he could indulge in his passions: collecting art and painting. Dorsey was a meticulous scrapbooker, saving newspaper articles, minutes from church, abolitionist, and Black social club meetings, and photographs dating to the Revolutionary War. Du Bois consulted Dorseys scrapbooks in researching The Philadelphia Negro. Two rooms in Dorseys home on 206 Dean St. now South Camac Street were devoted, according to the Philadelphia Times article, to the history, progress, and productions of the African Race. In 1897, Dorsey joined 15 prominent Black men to form the American Negro Historical Society. Other members included Robert Adger, member of the Banneker Institute, and Henry L. Phillips, rector of the Church of the Crucifixion. The goal: to preserve the history of Black Americans. These men realized Black people were being erased from the canon, Quinones said, referring to Henry Simpsons 1859 text The Lives of Eminent Philadelphians, Now Deceased. That book did not include information about Mother Bethel founder Richard Allen or sailmaker and Revolutionary War hero James Forten. Dorsey served as curator of the American Negro Historical Society in its early years. Philadelphian and bibliophile Leon Gardiner was its steward through the early 1900s. In 1934, Gardiner donated the Leon Gardiner Collection to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Today Dorseys scrapbooks belong to Cheyney University but are housed at Penn State. A third grouping of the ANHS collection lives at Wellesley College. In a perfect world, the American Negro Historical Society collection and Dorseys scrapbooks would reside in one space for quick, easy reference. Meanwhile, Brigham encourages history buffs to visit the newfound Dorsey watercolor and the Leon Gardiner Collection for insight on Philadelphias Black history. Who knows what journey this watercolor made, Brigham said. Someone bought it, owned it, and loved it. Now its here, a few blocks away from where Dorsey lived. Its a mystery we might never solve, but we can celebrate. Voices, Visions, & Ventures: Recent Acquisitions at Historical Society of Pennsylvania. 1300 Locust St, Phila. Through Jan. 31. portal.hsp.org/exhibits A marcher holds up a sign referencing vasectomies during the "Defend Abortion Access" march from Daley Plaza on Saturday, Oct. 2, 2021, in Chicago. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune/TNS) Read more For nearly two years, in the wake of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Alexander W. Pastuszak and his wife grappled with growing anxiety about the implications of an unplanned pregnancy. As the parents of two children, with no desire to have a third, the Utah couple worried they might not be able to get access to an abortion if the unexpected occurred. Advertisement We werent thinking necessarily about a tomorrow timeline, but it was more about like, OK, well, what happens a year from now? said Pastuszak, 46. What happens two years from now if these services continue to get diminished? So in May, he underwent a vasectomy. Despite their state allowing abortion up to 18 weeks of gestation or later under certain circumstances, he worried that a national ban could be implemented. Are we going to fly to another country to have an abortion? I mean, that just seems ridiculous and unsafe, said Pastuszak, a urologist at the University of Utah School of Medicine. His decision reflects a growing trend across the country, with health experts predicting that more people will choose sterilization because of fears over restricted access to reproductive health care during a second Trump administration. Research shows a significant increase in vasectomies and tubal ligations in the months just before and after the Supreme Court ruled in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the 2022 decision that ended a constitutional right to abortion after nearly half a century. A study in the journal Health Affairs this month found that from May to August 2022, vasectomies surged by 95% and tubal sterilizations by 70% among adults ages 19 to 26. Researchers used medical records to analyze procedure codes and found that states likely to ban abortions after Dobbs experienced a greater increase in permanent contraception procedures compared with states unlikely to implement bans. The data tracked with that of a JAMA Health Forum research letter published this past spring, which noted a rise in permanent contraception procedures among adults ages 18 to 30 years following the ruling. "We know that young people, including young adults, are sensitive to major changes like the Dobbs decision, so it's not totally surprising to me that we would see some type of shift," said Julia Strasser, author of the latest study and an assistant research professor in the Department of Health Policy and Management at George Washington University. "I do think the magnitude of the change was somewhat surprising." Vasectomies involve cutting and sealing the vas deferens, the tube that carries sperm from the testes to the urethra, to prevent sperm from mixing with semen during ejaculation. While considered a permanent method of contraception, vasectomies sometimes can be reversed through surgery. Tubal sterilizations are irreversible procedures that either block the fallopian tubes, in the case of ligation, or remove them completely, an operation known as a salpingectomy. Womens health clinics are also reporting increases in people interested in sterilization. Planned Parenthood saw a dramatic jump in interest in tubal ligations, with visits to its main website skyrocketing the day before the 2024 presidential election. In-person queries are soaring at some of the organization's regional health centers, even in parts of the country where abortion remains legal and widely available. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England has 15 locations that log over 54,000 patient visits yearly. After Donald Trumps reelection in November, it saw a 368% increase in consultations for vasectomies, chief executive Nicole Clegg said. Its absolutely a phenomenon because urologists in our area had a six-month wait list, Clegg said. The clinic responded by expanding vasectomy services and hiring a second doctor just for that procedure. With nearly 20 states now banning or significantly limiting abortion, many Americans are also worried about future access to birth control. Health experts predict the number of people looking for a permanent solution will continue to grow if restrictions expand further. Marc Goldstein, a board-certified urologic surgeon specializing in male infertility at New Yorks Weill Cornell Medicine, said he has seen a big jump in the number of men and couples without children who are opting for sterilization. In 43 years of doing this, Ive seen maybe three or four couples who never had children or men who never had children, he said. But now were seeing a huge increase in the number of couples who think the world is too awful a place to bring children into. In Ventura County, Calif., 30-year-old Maelen Sallee had her fallopian tubes removed in December. That move, she said, reflected her own health issues, a decision not to have children and concerns over the countrys political stability once Trump returns to the White House. "When Roe v. Wade was overturned, it catapulted this kind of realization and awareness around my health," she said. Sallee takes medications for epilepsy that could severely compromise a pregnancy and would require full-time monitoring if she got pregnant. She chose sterilization as the best way to prioritize her health and safety, especially given the challenges her condition would pose during a pregnancy. Yet she was worried about finding a physician willing to perform the procedure. Some people have recounted facing questions and resistance from doctors, particularly if they are young and do not have children. Karen Tang, a gynecologist from Bryn Mawr, said she has seen a swell of patients wanting to undergo sterilization procedures since 2022 many of them citing concerns for their reproductive rights if they were to become pregnant. Every birth control can fail and you can, even if youre using reliable birth control, have an unintended pregnancy, Tang said. Jonathan Harrison, 33, is a bartender who lives in Palm Beach, Fla. He chose to have a vasectomy last year because there are not a lot of options for guys, and the options for women are harmful to their health. For him, the end of Roe v. Wade "definitely was a wake-up call and influenced me to get my vasectomy sooner rather than later." Some states impose waiting periods before the procedures. New York, for one, requires an individual to be 21 and to wait 30 days between signing the consent forms and undergoing sterilization. Some states allow health-care providers to refuse to provide such services, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit research center that supports abortion rights. To combat her states hurdles, OB/GYN Franziska Haydanek began curating a list of physicians across the country willing to perform sterilization procedures, regardless of a patients personal medical history or reasons for pursuing permanent contraception. Haydanek, who practices in Rochester, N.Y., said she recognized a growing need to support people seeking more control over their reproductive health. I didnt really realize how difficult it was for patients to find doctors willing to perform permanent sterilization procedures, she said. Many patients face significant barriers beyond restrictive policies, including providers judgments because of age, gender, or life circumstances. In Haydaneks view, They are adults, and they should be counseled appropriately on what the risks, the benefits and the alternatives are. Resident physicians at the Delaware-based ChristianaCare health system have voted to unionize. Read more Resident physicians and fellows at ChristianaCare voted on Wednesday to join a union, becoming the second group of doctors at Delawares largest health system to unionize in the last year. With their 111-52 vote in favor of unionization, ChristianaCare residents are the first doctors-in-training to unionize in Delaware, said the Committee of Interns and Residents, a division of the Service Employees International Union, in a news release. Advertisement Last summer, attending doctors at ChristianaCare who already completed their residency training also voted to unionize, joining the SEIU-affiliated Doctors Council. Their 500-doctor unit is the United States largest group of attending physicians in the private sector, the union said. In a statement, a ChristianaCare spokesperson said the health system respects the union vote and is committed to moving forward constructively through good faith bargaining with the union. We will continue to foster a collaborative environment and an exceptional educational experience for these physicians who are the next generation of health care, the spokesperson said, adding that the health system is also actively engaged in negotiating a contract with its attending doctors. ChristianaCare residents announced their plans to unionize along with thousands of other trainee physicians in the Philadelphia region in November. Residents at Temple University Hospital, Jefferson Health, and Einstein Healthcare Network, which is also owned by Jefferson, voted to unionize this month by large margins. On Thursday, residents at Nemours Childrens Hospital, who are affiliated with Jefferson, and Fox Chase Cancer Center, which is owned by Temple, also voted to unionize. Nemours residents voted 69-5 in favor of unionization and Fox Chase residents voted to unionize by 29 votes to 8. Doctors training at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia were the only group to reject the local organizing push when they voted against unionizing by 17 votes in late December. Union votes are expected to be counted in two more units at Temple Health on Thursday, CIR said. The successful votes in Philadelphia mean that about 81% of the citys resident physicians are now unionized. Residents are doctors completing the final phase of their medical training, and fellows have already completed residency and are receiving further training in medical specialties. Residents earn relatively low pay, about $61,000 a year, compared to other professions that require special training, working up to 80-hour weeks. The unionizing residents have said that they feel they often dont have a say in decisions about their work and that their grueling hours contribute to burnout and make it harder to care for patients. We look forward to partnering with Christiana to create a fair contract that promotes the well-being of our resident physicians and helps us to be the best physicians possible for our community, Layla Annous, a ChristianaCare resident in medicine and pediatrics, said in the unions news release. This most recent union drive in the Philadelphia area is part of a larger wave of organizing among resident physicians. Residents at Penn Medicine and the Rutgers University health system have both formed unions and reached contracts with their health systems in recent years. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct ChristianaCares vote and to add comment from ChristianaCare, as well as updates on union votes at Nemours Childrens Hospital and Fox Chase Cancer Center. Staff writer Abraham Gutman contributed to this article. Two executives from Reading-based Inperium Inc. have sued Impact Services Corp., a Kensington community development nonprofit, over their ouster from Impacts board of directors. The executives, George Contos and John Loyack, filed their lawsuit in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on Jan. 7, alleging that their termination from Impacts board on Dec. 30 violated Impacts bylaws. The bylaws say the board can remove a director for cause but did not give examples of appropriate reasons. Advertisement The executives asked for a court injunction returning them to the Impact board. Contos and Loyack had joined the Impact board in August, when Impact accepted a $1 million line of credit from Inperium and reached a preliminary agreement to be acquired by the fast-growing human services nonprofit, which completed its acquisition of Philadelphias nonprofit Resources for Human Development last month. At the Dec. 30 special board meeting, the Impact board also voted to end the planned takeover by Inperium, according to the lawsuit. The case was transferred to Orphans Court on Jan. 9. Orphans Court handles certain legal matters involving nonprofits. That board meeting happened on the same day Contos asked to see Impacts books and records. Contos wanted to assess Impacts financial condition, investigate potential mismanagement, and examine Impacts compliance with legal and contractual obligations, including binding agreements Impact had with Inperium, according to a copy of Contoss demand filed with the complaint. The demand by Contos came after Impact won a $5 million Bezos Day 1 Families Fund grant at the end of last year, the lawsuit said. The money is for programs to help families experiencing homelessness. The Orphans Court docket showed no response to the complaint by Impact. The Impact board of directors took action that was compliant with the bylaws and was in the best interest of Impact Services, the organizations CEO Casey ODonnell said in an email. Photo credit: NewsNation Stephen A. Smith wants Joe Biden to go quietly, and that means wishing the current president skipped his farewell address. Biden said goodbye to America and goodbye to his political career Wednesday night, after 50 years in public service, concluding with one term as president that will officially come to an end next Monday. And his farewell address didnt appear to leave Stephen A. Smith feeling great about Bidens presidential tenure, with the ESPN personality joining Bill OReilly and Chris Cuomo on NewsNation to analyze the speech. Of course, the president is entitled, and he should give a farewell speech. There is no question about that. Butsometimes you see something and you just say, Silence or a simple goodbye would suffice. And thats how I felt about the president. Stephen A. Smith pic.twitter.com/xrC6n0Cg8w Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) January 16, 2025 I was sad, Smith said. Of course, the president is entitled, and he should give a farewell speech. There is no question about that. But different times invade us all and when you see the times that we live in, sometimes you see something and you just say, Silence or a simple goodbye would suffice. And thats how I felt about the president. When we see what transpired, when weve witnessed what has transpired over the last year plus, he was supposed to step away, Smith continued. He was supposed to be a transitional president and you didnt do that. You decided that you wanted to stay in the race and then you got exposed because you showed up on a debate stage June 27 and you were not what people on the left have purported you to be. And then you ultimately was forced out by a party. Joe Biden was ultimately a transitional president, just not in the way he promised. Instead of handing the reins to a younger Democratic president, Biden bridged the gap from the nemesis he defeated in 2020, only to now relinquish power back to Trump. Smith has long been critical of Biden for not stepping aside sooner. Wednesday night, Smith criticized Bidens policies and claimed the current president usurped the Democratic Party by quickly endorsing Kamala Harris before Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi were ready to, as a way of getting back at them for pushing him out. Youre walking out of office when clearly, the mandate was more so against you than necessarily for Donald Trump, Smith said. Theres a lot of people out there that didnt want to hear what he had to say months ago when he was president. And unfortunatelytheres not a lot of Americans that were interested in hearing what he had to say tonight. Joe Biden used his address to warn the country of an oligarchy ahead of Trumps second inauguration. But the way Stephen A. Smith is attempting to portray it, Biden has himself to blame. TEL AVIV, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached, after his office said earlier there were last minute snags in finalizing a ceasefire that would pause 15 months of war. Netanyahu said he would convene his security Cabinet later Friday, and then the government to approve the long-awaited hostage deal. Advertisement Netanyahus pre-dawn statement appeared to clear the way for Israeli approval of the deal, which would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and see dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The deal would also allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the remains of their homes in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory on Thursday. READ MORE: Mediators herald Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Israel says final details are in flux Netanyahu said he had instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza, and that their families were informed the deal had been reached. Israel had delayed a vote Thursday on the ceasefire, blaming a last-minute dispute with Hamas for holding up approval as rising tensions in Netanyahus government coalition raised concerns about the implementation of the deal just a day after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. Netanyahus office had accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. In a briefing Thursday, David Mencer, an Israeli government spokesman, said Hamas new demands dealt with the deployment of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi corridor, the narrow strip bordering Egypt that Israeli troops seized in May. Hamas denied the claims, with Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, saying the militant group is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators. READ MORE: Trudy Rubin | Gaza deal will only succeed if leaders on all sides sacrifice for peace The ceasefire agreement has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahus far-right coalition partners, which the Israeli prime minister depends on to remain in power. On Thursday, Israels hard-line national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened to quit the government if Israel approved the ceasefire. There was no immediate comment from Ben-Gvir following Netanyahus announcement Friday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Israel and Hamas to implement a Gaza ceasefire plan without any delay in an exclusive interview Thursday with The Associated Press. Egypt has been a key mediator between the enemies for years and a leading player in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The deal announced Wednesday would pause the fighting with a view to eventually winding down a 15-month war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. The military campaign has leveled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast. Netanyahu faces heavy internal pressure The Israeli prime minister has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages, whose families have pleaded with Netanyahu to prioritize the release of their loved ones over politics. But Israeli divisions over the deal were on stark display Thursday, as Ben-Gvir threatened to resign, saying the ceasefire was reckless and would destroy all of Israels achievements. The departure of Ben-Gvirs Jewish Power party would reduce the number of the ruling coalitions seats in the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, from 68 to 62 leaving Netanyahus government with just the slimmest of majorities. Ben-Gvir said his party would return to the coalition if Israel resumes its war. Ben-Gvirs resignation would not bring down the government or derail the ceasefire deal. But the move would destabilize the government at a delicate moment and could lead to its collapse if Ben-Gvir were joined by other key Netanyahu allies. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for instance, is vehemently opposed to the agreement and has demanded that Netanyahu promise to resume the war against Hamas after the first phase of the ceasefire as a condition of his party staying in the coalition. A night of heavy Israeli strikes Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment Thursday. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. We were expecting that the (Israeli) occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports of progress in truce talks, said Mohammed Mahdi, who was sheltering in Gaza City. Gazas Health Ministry said the toll of 72 from Thursdays strikes only included bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City and the the number killed was likely higher. Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier, said Zaher al-Wahedi, a Health Ministry official. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites. Anxiety spread across Gaza on Thursday with the news of last-minute quarreling between Hamas and Israeli officials. We ask our brothers in Hamas to communicate with mediators to end the war, said Omar Jendiya, in Deir al-Balah. Enough with the destruction and killing. A phased withdrawal and hostage release with potential pitfalls Under the deal reached Wednesday, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to whats left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second and much more difficult phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Ceasefire leaves questions about Gazas future unanswered U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps Mideast envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trumps team took credit for the breakthrough. Longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. Hamas has come under overwhelming pressure from Israels invasion of Gazas largest cities and towns and seizure of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the 2023 attack, have been killed. But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. Katie Mai, 25, a Vietnamese American illustrator living in Fishtown, is the artist behind Target's Lunar New Year collection this year. Read more From an ornately decorated dumpling-making kit to an extra-large plushie snake throw pillow, Targets latest Lunar New Year collection features a range of brightly hued and fanciful designs and its thanks to this Philadelphia-based artist. Katie Mai, 25, a Vietnamese American illustrator living in Fishtown, is the artist behind the big-box retailers capsule collection and responsible for the bulk of the stores original designs for this years collection. She contributed 26 items, ranging in price from $5 to $30. Advertisement Mai was with her extended family on Christmas when a friend texted a photo of the Lunar New Year display at a Target in South Plainfield, N.J. Thats when some stores began slow-rolling their displays for the collection, with more formal promotions starting this month. I wasnt aware that it had hit stores yet, Mai recalled. At that moment, I felt a mix of excitement, pride, and anxiety. This is a huge milestone for my illustration career, and its real and its out there for everyone to see. The artist headed over to Target with her parents and grandparents weeks later to see the collection, which is available in-store and online. It all felt very surreal, Mai said. Inspired by the art Mai saw on her own trip to Vietnam, especially intricate mosaic work, she aimed to bring those elements into the collection for Target. One motif you may see repeated in the collection is the Mai flower, which is a celebrated plant in Vietnam and where my middle name comes from, she said. To me, their bright yellow blossoms are synonymous with Tet, or Lunar New Year. Best-selling items so far, according to the stores website, include a glazed ceramic rice bowl thats decorated with Mais illustrations of the 12 zodiac animals, retailing for $6, and a 40-inch dragon-shaped wall garland selling for $5. Mai said the collection took about a year to complete. Target initiated the collaboration, reaching out to Mai because of her illustration style, which she shares across social media channels. Mai has about 80,000 followers on Instagram. Targets team did an amazing job of bringing my illustrations to life, Mai said. Im honored to share parts of my Vietnamese heritage and traditions of Lunar New Year with a broader audience. The Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays across many Asian countries, including Vietnam, China, Korea, and the Asian diaspora. It marks the start of the new year in this case, the year of the snake according to the lunisolar calendar. This years celebrations start on Jan. 29. Target did not respond to a request for comment. Its unclear how long the collection will be available in stores and online. Sylvester Stallone waves to fans at the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps in Philadelphia, Pa. on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. On Sunday, the city of Philadelphia declared December 3 Rocky Day. Sylvester Stallone spoke to the large crowd for a few minutes. Read more Sylvester Stallone, best known for his Philly-based Rocky franchise, is slated to save Hollywood from foreign countries taking away movie business and usher in a new Golden Age of Hollywood. Jon Voight and Mel Gibson are expected to take part in this endeavor, too. No, this is not the plot of a new Expendables flick. Its the latest job announcement made by incoming President Donald Trump. Advertisement In a post Thursday on Truth Social, Trump said Stallone, Voight, and Gibson were going to be special ambassadors to Tinseltown tasked with bringing business lost over the last four years BACK, BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE! Just how much business foreign countries are taking away from the United States was unclear, as was how the Hollywood envoys would go about taking such business back the appointment announcement offered few details. Still, its no secret the United Kingdom and other European countries like Greece, Bulgaria, and Estonia are vying to become filming destinations for American productions. These countries offer production tax incentives and rebates as high as 40% with the hope tourists will visit and snap a selfie where the last James Bond action sequence was filmed. The efforts have been working to a certain extent, with the U.K. catching up to Los Angeles in studio space, according to a 2022 Deadline report. But that is far from Hollywoods only problem. Lesser-known actors, writers, and crews working behind the scenes have had an especially difficult couple of years, between pandemic shutdowns and high-profile strikes that froze productions. The actors strike lasted 118 days and the writers strike lasted 148 days. The wildfires devastating parts of California are the latest blow to the industry. According to the Hollywood Reporter, several productions shooting in the area temporarily paused filming due to the fires and evacuation orders. Just how many people in the industry were affected is not yet known. In his announcement, Trump did not make mention of these other issues affecting the industry. All three of the presidents appointees have been longtime supporters of his and no strangers to controversy. Stallone, who called Trump a second George Washington at a Mar-a-Lago event in November, was accused of creating a toxic environment on the set of the series Tulsa King. Voight made headlines last year when he accused his daughter Angelina Jolie of being influenced by antisemitic people over her calls for an immediate ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. Gibson had an infamous antisemitic rant during a DUI stop in 2006, followed by a 2010 incident where he made racist remarks to his girlfriend at the time. He has also been accused of making homophobic remarks. These three talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest, said Trump in his post. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood! Boat with crew making its way around ship. The decommissioned USS JFK aircraft carrier is being prepared to move from Navy Yard, south Philadelphia, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. Read more The decommissioned aircraft carrier formerly known as the USS John F. Kennedy has begun its final journey, departing from its long-held berth in South Philadelphia Thursday morning. Now, the retired U.S. Navy vessel will head to Brownsville, Texas, on a two-week trip that will end with its dismantling. Its departure from the Navys Inactive Ships Maintenance Facility in the Navy Yard, where it has been laid up since 2008, came a day later than initially planned due to high wind conditions, the Navy said in a statement. Advertisement The ships final voyage was to take it along the Delaware River to the Delaware Bay, and then out to the Atlantic Ocean before arriving on the Texas Gulf Coast for scrapping. It will be visible from waterfronts along its route, the Navy said. Known affectionately as Big John, the ship was commissioned in 1968 and was the Navys final conventionally powered aircraft carrier. It remained in service for nearly four decades, conducting 18 deployments around the world, including to the Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Ligurian, Aegean, and Adriatic Seas. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the USS JFK was used in a number of operations during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. It was later used as a training platform before being decommissioned in 2007. A new USS John F. Kennedy this one a modern, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is expected to enter service at some point this year. Meanwhile, another high-profile large ship in South Philadelphia, the SS United States, remains docked at Pier 82. That ship was scheduled to leave the city late last year, but its departure has since been postponed amid ongoing planning for its transport to Florida, where it is slated to become the worlds largest artificial reef. The USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier at the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. This decommissioned ship will leave Philadelphia. Read more South Philadelphia is slated to be down one very large ship starting Thursday morning. No, not that one. Advertisement The decommissioned aircraft carrier formerly known as the USS John F. Kennedy is scheduled to depart from the Navy Yard early Thursday, marking the start of what will be its final voyage on the way to the scrap heap. The 1,052-foot-long ship, which has been housed at the U.S. Navys Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility since 2008, will be dismantled in Brownsville, Texas, following a two-week journey. UPDATE: The USS John F. Kennedy begins its departure from Philadelphia ahead of planned dismantling The ship was initially set to take its leave of Philadelphia Wednesday morning, but windy conditions delayed its departure. Now, starting about 7:30 a.m. Thursday, it will move along the Delaware River to the Delaware Bay before making its way to the Atlantic Ocean, Navy officials said in a statement. The ship will be visible from waterfronts along its route, the Navy said. A historic Navy vessel, Big John, as the ship is sometimes called, was commissioned in 1968 and served as the Navys final conventionally powered aircraft carrier. Today, all American aircraft carriers use nuclear power, whereas the USS JFK was powered by marine diesel fuel. The ship remained in service for nearly four decades, conducting 18 deployments around the world, including to the Mediterranean, Tyrrhenian, Ionian, Ligurian, Aegean and Adriatic Seas. Following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the ship was also used in a number of operations during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Following the vessels time in the Middle East, the Navy used the USS JFK as a training platform before decommissioning it in August 2007. It arrived in Philadelphia in March 2008 and has remained in the Navy Yard ever since. Another Navy aircraft carrier has taken over the mantle of the USS John F. Kennedy and is slated to enter service at some point this year. But as the Navy aircraft carrier prepares to leave town this week, the timing for another famed ships departure from South Philadelphia remains uncertain. The SS United States was expected to head out from Pier 82 late last year, but its withdrawal has since been postponed indefinitely as logistical planning for its transport continues. The SS United States has been in Philadelphia since 1996, and has seen decades of ill-fated attempts at rehabilitation. Now, following the purchase of the ship by Okaloosa County, Fla., last year, it is expected to be sunk into the Florida Panhandle, where it would become the worlds largest artificial reef. Bad Bunny performs during his "Most Wanted Tour" stop at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia on Friday, April 19, 2024. Read more With his Jan. 5 album release, Debi Tirar Mas Fotos, Bad Bunny real name Benito Antonio Martinez Ocasio displays his love for his heritage and sends a clear message that Puerto Ricans are a unique and resilient people. After an island-wide power outage that lasted several days starting on New Years Eve, the project could not have landed at a timelier moment. Puerto Ricans have been subject to consecutive crises from a financial recession and bankruptcy, government corruption, earthquakes, hurricanes, and gentrification that present seemingly insurmountable challenges. And yet, Puerto Rican people have weathered these crises in a near-miraculous show of resilience and spirit of resistance. Advertisement Locally, the songs from the album can be heard playing at neighborhood businesses like Amys Pastelillos or blaring out of the windows of passing cars. I cannot count the number of interactions I have had in Philly where Puerto Rican community members come up to me (with a smile of pride) to ask which Bad Bunny song is my favorite or speak to me of the impact that songs like DTMF or Lo Que Le Paso a Hawaii have already had on them. Bad Bunnys lyrics speak to Latinos of all generations and all walks of life, conjuring their own experiences of migration and longing for home. But the albums strength and the reason why all of us are talking so much about it is that it is unapologetically Puerto Rican. In this sixth studio-produced album, the message cannot be more succinct: Puerto Rico se respeta. Puerto Rico demands respect. The album delves into a diverse cross-section of Puerto Rican musical traditions while telling poignant stories of migration, gentrification, adversity, and culture. The track list includes some familiar songs released in late 2024, along with new compositions. Bad Bunny builds an intentional narrative around gentrification on the islands of Puerto Rico. This is reinforced by the albums preview short, which features Puerto Rican actor and poet Jacobo Morales and a fictional animated character named Poncho an endangered species of Puerto Rican toad. The 12-minute film depicts a Puerto Rico where Boricuas themselves feel unwelcome, and are unable to afford basic necessities such as food, due to the encroachment of mainland American settlers. While Bad Bunnys depiction may seem hyperbolic, many residents of the archipelago are feeling the immense pressure of rising property values, privatization, and lack of public investment. In one of the albums most poetic tracks, Lo Que Le Paso a Hawaii, Bad Bunny characterizes Puerto Rico and Hawaii as cultures trapped in colonialism. In the song, he pleads with Puerto Rico to not allow annexation and privatization of its natural resources, rivers, and beaches. He also highlights Puerto Ricos incredibly corrupt government as a major factor in the mass exodus of the islands residents to the mainland U.S. due to its inability to deliver health, education, electrical power, and other public services needed to maintain society. The album also taps into some Boricua musical disciplines Bad Bunny hasnt previously delved into such as bomba, plena, and salsa while resuscitating the familiar reggaeton beats millennials who grew up in the late 1990s and early 2000s will not only recognize but embrace. Overall, the album is truly a love letter not just to Puerto Rican music, but to the people of Puerto Rico and its widespread diaspora. It has a message that is artfully synthesized and clear in its goals. Mainly, that Puerto Rico is unique, its culture is phenomenal, and its people will not be replaced. Rafael Alvarez Febo is the vice president for advocacy and community development at Esperanza. As details trickled out Wednesday of a ceasefire for hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, my mind ran through the many previous efforts at Israeli-Palestinian peace Id covered in the last 25 years. And why theyd failed. I can sum everything up in one word: leadership. Clear-eyed, realistic, pragmatic, committed leadership has been the key to successful Israeli peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan, aided by U.S. mediation in the case of Egypt. Advertisement The world cheered at the prospect of 33 Israeli hostages being returned Sunday, in the first of three stages of this deal, along with a ceasefire that permits hundreds of thousands of Gazans to return to their (shattered) homes. But leadership will determine whether the deal ever progresses to its second and third stages and galvanizes a wider regional peace. The main players involved are a strange bunch. Hamas leaders are mostly dead, and the deal rules them out as future leaders in Gaza (Egypt and Qatar handled direct negotiations while they stayed in the background). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, for his part, has sharply reversed his previous positions on Gaza after rejecting an almost identical deal proposed in May by President Joe Biden. He does so now to please President-elect Donald Trump but insists the terms of the ceasefire leave open the possibility of returning to war in Gaza after phase one. Trump himself makes clear he sees this deal as a stepping stone not only to end the Gaza war but to also expand the Abraham Accords that led to peace between two small Gulf states and Israel. His broader goal is to secure normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel and achieve a Nobel Peace Prize. READ MORE: Jimmy Carters historic peace deal between Israel and Egypt deserves more attention | Trudy Rubin But such a miracle wont be achieved by schmoozing with sheikhs and Bibi. To realize that dream, the new president will have to reverse many of his previously held positions on the Mideast and compel Netanyahu to do likewise while bolstering new Palestinian leadership that replaces Hamas. It would definitively mean confronting the dilemma of how to resolve Palestinian aspirations. Trump would have to be steady on, not expecting victory overnight or without lengthy involvement. This Gaza ceasefire, and a future Nobel Peace Prize, depend on whether Trump can rise to that height. Even though the president-elect famously dislikes reading or detailed briefings, he would be wise to bone up on the history of past Israel-Arab deals. A determined Jimmy Carter was able to force Israels Menachem Begin and Egypts Anwar Sadat to overcome their dislike for each other and to make serious concessions because both leaders devoutly wanted peace. Ditto for Jordans King Hussein and Israels Yitzhak Rabin, who needed no intermediary and admired each other. As for the Abraham Accords, brokered by first son-in-law Jared Kushner in 2020, those were far simpler to achieve. The small Gulf kingdoms of the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had long enjoyed close commercial ties with Israel, and Bahrain also hosted a major U.S. base. So they were willing to elevate those ties, with the UAE demanding in return that Israel not annex the West Bank. But a deal with Saudi Arabia, home to the most holy Islamic shrines, is of a different magnitude. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (known as MBS) was very interested, in return for closer defense ties with Washington, but shelved the idea after Israels invasion of Gaza. According to Bob Woodwards book, War, after Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack, Secretary of State Antony Blinken asked MBS what he needed from Israel to normalize relations. I need quiet in Gaza, replied the crown prince, and I need a clear political pathway for the Palestinians for a state. When Blinken queried whether this was more than lip service, since the Saudi royal family long disdained Palestinian leadership, MBS replied: Do I want it? It doesnt matter that much. Do I need it? Absolutely. Arab and Saudi youth, and Muslims worldwide, he said, were focused on the suffering of civilians in Gaza, and he could not move forward with Israel without responding to their concerns. Which brings us to the question of Trump, Netanyahu, and Palestinian leadership going forward and whether this ceasefire will last more than the initial six weeks, and whether the rest of the Israeli hostages will be returned. Trump never showed much interest in the Palestinian issue. His administrations 2020 proposal for the Israeli-Palestinian Deal of the Century basically echoed Netanyahus vision of small patches of disconnected West Bank territory connected by tunnels and bridges under the control of Israeli security (as would be Gaza). This non-state would have virtually no sovereign rights, nor would it have any part of Jerusalem as its capital. As for Netanyahu, he has stuck to the concept of a non-state Palestinian entity throughout his entire career (he outlined it to me in a 1996 interview in Jerusalem when he was out of power). The Israeli leader played games with Bidens virtually identical ceasefire/hostage deal, indicating he would accept it before doing a complete U-turn. READ MORE: Ethnic cleansing in Gaza wont bring peace or security to Israel | Trudy Rubin Biden was unable to push Bibi who was waiting for Trump, writes Haaretzs well-informed diplomatic correspondent Amos Harel. (As many have pointed out, this resembles Carters experience after negotiating through 1970 for the release of U.S. diplomats held hostage by Iran. The ayatollahs only released them when Ronald Reagan took office.) But phase one of the deal is the easy part. The second and third phases will focus, among other things, on the return of all Israeli hostages, a permanent end to the war, reconstruction of the strip, and who will ultimately govern Gaza. Gulf states, which are expected to foot most of the bill, wont do so if they expect the war to continue. Nor will any Arab or international force come to police the strip during the rebuilding unless Gaza is stable, and the fighting stopped. In a speech this week at the Atlantic Council, Blinken contended that Israel will have to accept reuniting Gaza and the West Bank under the leadership of a reformed Palestinian Authority (which currently, weakly, governs the West Bank). If the ceasefire continues, it will inevitably turn to negotiations over a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank. But despite an unusual note of optimism about the future, Blinken harshly criticized both Hamas and Israeli leaders for months of stonewalling. Thats a reminder that this ceasefire is still fragile and that working toward a Palestinian political solution and a wider Mideast accord all while ensuring Israels security will require intense work by the Trump administration. It will require commitment and attention from the president at a level he has never shown before. The question of the hour is whether Trump is truly interested in that Nobel Prize and capable of investing the energy of a Jimmy Carter or whether he only pressed for this ceasefire in order to proclaim a short-term triumph on Inauguration Day. Shou Chew, TikToks chief executive, will plan to attend President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration Monday as the popular social media platforms days are numbered in the United States. Chew will join other tech moguls, including Elon Musk, whose extensive campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania allowed him to become a key figure in the president-elects political orbit. Chews highly coveted invitation to sit in a position of honor on the dais comes as Trump could be the CEOs last hope to prevent the app from being banned in the U.S., the New York Times reported. Advertisement Though some legal experts say his options may be limited, Trump is considering an executive order to allow TikTok to continue its operations. Trump publicly reversed his position on TikTok late last year, soon after meeting with Jeff Yass, Pennsylvanias richest man and a GOP megadonor who owns a large share of ByteDance, the Chinese-based company that owns TikTok. Congress passed a law last year, citing worries over national security, that instructs ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company or cease its availability in the United States by Jan. 19. The Supreme Court is planning to rule on the law in the coming days. Trump, who tried to block the app in the United States and pressure a sale to U.S. companies during his first term, said they did not discuss the company during their meeting. But there has still been speculation as to whether Yass influenced Trumps change of heart. Representatives for Yass did not respond to a request for comment about whether he will attend the inauguration. Yass is a staunch supporter of Club for Growth, an antitax lobbying group that has advocated on behalf of TikTok in Washington, the Times reported. The group has hired people who work closely with Trump, including GOP advisers Kellyanne Conway and David Urban. As the cofounder of Bala Cynwyd-based Susquehanna International Group, one of Wall Streets largest trading firms, and a GOP megadonor with an approximate net worth of $49.6 billion as of Thursday, Yass has utilized his influence in other political landscapes, including in Pennsylvanias attorney general race, where Republican Dave Sunday was victorious. After reaching peak political popularity on the app during the 2024 election he currently has 14.8 million followers there and meeting with TikTok executives on Dec. 16 at Mar-a-Lago, Trump has come to embrace TikTok. However, his ability to save the app could be limited. Some legal experts say he likely could flex his presidential power only by using a part of the law giving him the authority to determine whether ByteDance has done enough to take TikTok out of the Chinese governments hands. Staff writer Joseph N. DiStefano contributed to this article. For John Lloyd, the simple act of voting for president on Election Day in November became an ordeal. The Moorestown High School English teacher stood in what seemed like an endless line from 6:30 to 10 p.m. to cast his ballot at Medford United Methodist Church. Advertisement It was crazy, said Lloyd, 50. You havent eaten since lunch, youre cold, youre standing, and youre breathing in all those wildfires that were still burning. It was like nothing Id ever seen. Lloyds experience was shared throughout Burlington County, geographically New Jerseys largest, on a Nov. 5 election that didnt end until after 1 a.m. the next day. To understand what caused what it deemed the unacceptable lines and voting times, the Burlington County Board of Commissioners appointed an independent special counsel on Wednesday to review the 2024 general election and provide recommendations for improvements. Burlington County residents deserve accountability and appropriate action to ensure the 2024 election failures are not repeated, said County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson in a statement. The county hired Connell Foley LLP, a law firm in Roseland, Essex County, to conduct the investigation. Representatives of the firm did not return calls for comment. The firms review will look at all aspects of the 2024 election, including the deployment of new voting machines that many believe may have contributed to the excessively long waits. The firm is also expected to study effects of the locations and makeup of voting districts, as well as poll worker training and management, county spokesperson David Levinsky said. In November, the countys commissioners had requested the superintendent of elections and the elections board delve into what caused the difficult day. But, Levinsky added, while both offices have gathered information, neither has the expertise to complete the review process. Representatives of the election offices did not offer comments on the voting problems. In a joint statement, chairs of both the Burlington County Democratic and Republican committees called for a review of what happened and why, said Democratic chairman Matt Riggins in a brief interview. Neither party complained that the voting troubles had disadvantaged one more than the other, county officials said. It was a bipartisan annoyance, said Riverton Mayor Jim Quinn, a Democrat, who clocked the last vote cast in his area at 1:10 a.m. on Nov. 6. Tyrus Ballard, president of the Southern Burlington County NAACP, concurred: Everyone suffered, he said. Ballard fielded numerous complaints from voters, some saying they had waited five hours in line. I had no clue it was going to be this bad, he said. Ballard and other NAACP members began showing up at several lines with chairs, water, and other refreshments, he said. Unfortunately, he added, we lost voters. Around 100 people left the line at the polling site at an EMS station in Mount Laurel Township. Im sure others left before voting, too. Ballard said he believed that there may not have been enough poll workers to handle the large turnout that typically accompanies a presidential election. Also, Ballard cited voter unfamiliarity with the more than 500 new voting machines. County officials are awaiting the Connell Foley report before commenting further. Its not clear when it will be released. Regarding the machines, Quinn said voters used touch screens to make their choices, which produced a printout that had to be walked over to a tabulator that scanned the results. It was only the second time voters had any experience with this machine, he said, which was first used in the June primary, which draws fewer voters. The county had conducted substantial outreach about the new voting system, sending out how-to videos on social media and displaying a new machine at the Moorestown Mall, among other efforts, Levinsky said. The switchover was necessary because the old machines that had been in use for 25 years. They were no longer being made and could not be repaired, Levinsky added. Though the new machines were troublesome, poll workers tried to make the experience easier, according to Tina Zappile, 48, of Medford, who was in line two hours while her husband waited for more than three. I felt bad for the poll workers who had to deal with the lines, said Zappile, a political scientist at Stockton University in Atlantic County. But they were excellent, talking to us, keeping our spirits up, never being negative. Metas strategy in context If Meta proceeds with its plan, it would join a lineage of companies attempting to improve performance through selective layoffs. Like Intuit, which recently cut 10% of its workforce to make room for fresh talent focused on AI-driven initiatives, Meta may be seeking to sharpen its competitive edge in areas critical to its growth. Such strategies often aim not at reducing costs but at reconfiguring talent pools to better align with future priorities. There's a gross unfairness and inequality for injured workers across Australia, he said. If somebody gets injured in New South Wales, for the same injury and for the same employer they could get different compensation benefits if they were in another jurisdiction, like Victoria. That means equipping them with the tools they need - sharing statistics, identifying the barriers they face, and connecting them with markets that can help, Shastri said. (Founders) focus should be on building a revolutionary product in the womens health space, not deciphering insurance. Our job is to collaborate and make sure they have the right coverage so they can concentrate on what matters most." Despite the relatively low uptake, over 90% of policyholders said they felt their insurance provided good value. However, the report also revealed that many New Zealanders remain financially unprepared for unexpected risks. On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to thank Phil and Paul for their great dedication and strong contributions to Swiss Re's strategic development over the past years. Their guidance and expertise will be thoroughly missed, and we wish them all the best in their future endeavors, de Vaucleroy said. In 2025, the LMA will therefore look closely at how to deliver this engagement alongside Lloyds and on behalf of our members, she said. We are continuing to develop this plan, but we know that a regulatory engagement strategy will be part of the story. We also know that it will be a priority. "After these catastrophic events, fraudulent contractors pour into hard-hit communities to take advantage of residents who have already lost everything. Residents need to be vigilant and know the signs of a fraudster, so they can avoid being victimized a second time, he said. Bigglestone Appointed Acting Commissioner of Vermont Department of Financial Regulation Vermont Governor Phil Scott named Sandy Bigglestone as acting commissioner of the states Department of Financial Regulation (DFR). Bigglestone most recently served as deputy commissioner of the captive insurance division. Bigglestone has worked in the captive insurance division of DFR for over 25 years, serving as deputy commissioner since 2022, responsible for regulating Vermonts captive Insurance companies. The division is comprised of 32 staff members with extensive careers regulating captive insurance companies. The appointment follows Commissioner Kevin Gaffneys retirement after serving as commissioner of the DFR since 2022. Protecdiv Welcomes Skowronski as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Protecdiv, headquartered in Philadelphia, appointed Steve Skowronski as executive vice president and chief financial officer. For the last five years, Skowronski served as chief financial officer on a part-time consulting basis. Skowronski is responsible for all finance, treasury and accounting functions, compliance, as well as human resources. Skowronski has over 35 years of experience in the property and casualty insurance and reinsurance industries. He served as managing director and partner at Grant Thornton and Smart & Associates and held leadership positions at QBE, Caliber One (former sub of PMA) and Reliance. DellaTorre Joins Alliant Insurance Services Employee Benefits Group Lianna DellaTorre has joined Alliant Insurance Services, headquartered in Irvine, California, as vice president within its employee benefits group and will work with clients nationwide. DellaTorre, who is based in Maine, has more than 10 years of experience in employee benefits, including roles on the carrier side of the business. Before joining Alliant, DellaTorre was senior vice president of employee benefits at USI Insurance Services. Topics Alliant Vermont Employee Benefits A Chambersburg, Pennsylvania soap and detergent manufacturer faces $161,310 in federal penalties after an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigation of a chemical gas release that sent a dozen workers to the hospital in July 2024. OSHA opened an inspection on July 11 after being notified by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and AFCO, the facilitys operator, about an incident involving a release of nitrogen dioxide gas. The release occurred when chemicals reacted during processing by AFCO employees. A manufacturing subsidiary of Zep, AFCO is based in Atlanta and specializes in maintenance, cleaning and sanitation solutions. OSHA inspectors determined the company failed to assess the impact of the release immediately and did not swiftly evacuate workers from the building as a precaution. Inspectors said they discovered that workers were exposed to nitrogen dioxide gas levels exceeding the chemicals ceiling limit, resulting in 12 employees being evaluated at a local hospital, with two of them requiring hospitalization. Additionally, inspectors determined that the company had no emergency response plan in place, and that its respiratory protection and hazard communication programs failed to meet federal requirements. OSHA has cited AFCO for one repeat violation, and nine serious and two other-than-serious violations. The company has 15 business days to comply, request an informal conference with OSHAs area director, or contest the findings before OSHAs review commission. AFCOs lack of urgency in addressing the hazardous conditions put employees at serious risk, said OSHA Area Director Kevin T. Chambers in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Employers have a legal responsibility to identify workplace hazards and take immediate action to protect their employees from harm. Since 2022, OSHA has cited Zep for four failures to protect employees at its Emerson, Georgia, facility from hazardous chemicals. Founded in 1937, Zep serves industrial, institutional, retail and food and beverage customers on six continents. Source: OSHA Topics Workers' Compensation Chemicals A judge has dismissed New York Citys lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon Mobil, BP and Shell liable for misleading the public about their products, and their commitment to renewable energy and fighting climate change. In a decision on Tuesday, state Supreme Court Justice Anar Patel said the city could not claim its climate-conscious residents were sensitive to how fossil fuels cause climate change, only to then be duped by the oil companies failure to disclose how their fossil fuel products contributed to it. The city cannot have it both ways, Patel wrote. Patel found no proof the oil companies and the defendant American Petroleum Institute conducted greenwashing campaigns, including statements about clean energy and alternative energy, to boost sales of fossil fuel products in the city. She also said general statements such as Exxons claim that its fuel helps people drive cleaner, smarter and longer were too vague to suggest the defendants products had nothing to do with climate change. With about 8.3 million people, New York City said the companies falsely portrayed themselves in ads and social media as climate change leaders despite minimal investments in clean energy such as wind and solar. It sought civil fines and an end to alleged deceptions. Nicholas Paolucci, a spokesperson for the citys law department, on Wednesday said the city is reviewing its options. Our complaint alleged that these defendants spent millions to mislead consumers to think that they, and their products, contribute to a clean energy future, he said. They do not. Companies that violate the citys consumer protection laws should be held fully accountable. New Yorkers deserve no less. In a statement, Exxon said: At some point, our hope is that political figures around the country come to understand that ideological hatred for us doesnt mean we did anything wrong. Shell declined to comment. BP did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Many U.S. state and local governments have sued oil companies over climate change, including the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Patel ruled one day after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to halt the city of Honolulus own lawsuit against Exxon, BP, Shell and several other oil companies. New York Citys lawsuit began in April 2021, three weeks after a federal appeals court rejected its lawsuit seeking to hold Exxon, BP, Shell, Chevron and ConocoPhillips liable to pay its costs from global warming. The American Petroleum Institute welcomed the latest decision. Climate policy is for Congress to debate and decide, not a patchwork of courts, said Ryan Meyers, the trade groups general counsel. The case is City of New York v. Exxon Mobil Corp et al, New York State Supreme Court, New York County, No. 451071/2021. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York. Editing by Franklin Paul and Stephen Coates) Topics Lawsuits New York Energy Oil Gas Climate Change The UKs push to deregulate its way to growth has got veterans of the last financial crisis worried that its sowing the seeds for another crash. Labour, for decades the political party that favored taming the City of London, now wants to be its champion and help it to foster much-needed economic growth. Chancellor Rachel Reeves declared in November that the crackdown on the finance industry since the 2008 crisis had gone too far. Ministers are due to hold their first gathering on Thursday with various regulators to discuss pro-growth proposals for the coming year, with subsequent sessions to include the Citys main watchdogs. While its not yet clear which rules will be stripped away in this pursuit of an economic boost, the rhetoric from Reeves was an uncomfortable reminder for those who dealt with the financial crisis. The tone was troubling, said John Vickers, a professor of economics at the University of Oxford who chaired the Independent Commission on Banking from 2010 to 2011. His recommendations led to the UK requiring retail banks to separate themselves from riskier investment banking operations, known as ring-fencing. What would bother me a lot is if they are going to water down capital requirements, or if they chisel away at the ring-fence. That would be a mistake, Vickers said. David Aikman, a 17-year veteran of the Bank of England who was involved in the response to the financial crisis and is now a professor at Kings Business School, said there was a sense that UK regulators feel political pressure from the new government to pull back on rules. Im sure the signals she has already sent and had sent even before the election is enough to make regulators ears prick up, he added. If they were thinking about tightening any regulation any further from here I suspect that would be less on the agenda than it was previously. Thats a problem because the world looks incredibly risky right now, according to Aikman. Its not an implausible statement to say that theres far greater risk now than we understood there to be in the years after the financial crisis. Risks Growing The BOE has warned repeatedly about rising financial stability risks, particularly in non-banks such as hedge funds and pension providers, where it promised to act after a review last year found that major firms could be underprepared to deal with crises. The Treasury has acknowledged that high regulatory standards are a pre-requisite for growth. In November, it called for evidence on ways to make the finance sector more competitive globally. Growth and driving more investment in the UK is our number one mission, and the only way to sustainably raise living standards, a Treasury spokesperson said. The financial services sector is a key part of that mission and one of the eight growth-driving sectors in the governments modern industrial strategy, financing investment and job creation across the country. City Minister Emma Reynolds, who was appointed after Tulip Siddiqs resignation this week, will be familiar with the demands of finance firms. Before being elected to parliament last summer, she worked for the lobby group TheCityUK. Political pressure on regulators to support businesses is not new. More than a decade ago, the coalitions war on red tape targeted thousands of regulations that ministers said held back growth. Britains previous Conservative government signaled to watchdogs they should be doing more, presaging Donald Trumps more dramatic promises to shake up antitrust enforcement and the central bank in the US. The UKs top financial regulators, including BOE Governor Andrew Bailey, the head of the BOEs Prudential Regulation Authority Sam Woods and FCA Chief Executive Officer Nikhil Rathi, have all made comments about the dangers of forgetting the lessons of the crisis when relaxing the rulebooks. You might think youve done it in terms of you think youve got a lot of regulations in place but youve never done it in terms of the risk has gone away, Bailey said in October. These remarks were as much for an international audience as a domestic one, as regulators across the world sense a collapse in political support for tough regulatory standards. Privately, top regulators say Labours stance has so far not led to the kind of clashes that occurred when the last government pushed the BOE to loosen the rules on insurance capital. More importantly, regulators say that the rhetoric has not yet prompted major policy changes. So far, initiatives include a plan to allow UK bankers to access their bonuses faster and new rules to make it easier for individuals to buy investment funds. Both have been billed as a shift away from European Union rules following Brexit. The UK also announced changes to soften the impact of global bank capital rules and reduce the frequency of bank stress tests measures regulators said would not hurt financial stability. The PRA and FCA have a pipeline of growth-friendly initiatives to be announced early next year, but none are a major change from the agenda set before Labour took power, according to people familiar with the plans. A review of ring-fencing was concluded last year, and further changes may come as officials look at ways to align the rules around ringfencing and those on resolution. More broadly, there are still a raft of EU-era rules that could now be revised, which regulators at the central bank think will allow them to cut red tape without increasing risk. The FCA, which regulates some 42,000 firms, has the extra challenge of protecting consumers across everything from funeral plan providers to big banks. The agency, which was founded in 2013 as part of a post financial-crisis overhaul, has already endured numerous scandals on its watch. About 18 months ago, it gave its firms a new consumer duty to act in the best interests of customers. Senior officials have spent months asking the government to acknowledge that loosening the reins will lead to higher consumer losses, and that the FCA should not be hauled over the coals for this. The campaign will continue into 2025, a person familiar with the plans said, asking not to be named as the discussions arent public. On the antitrust side, the Competition and Markets Authority will explore ways to avoid forced asset sales during company takeovers, Chief Executive Officer Sarah Cardell told a London gathering in November, in a speech that used the word growth 28 times. One sign of the watchdogs shift in approach was seen in December, when the CMA approved Vodafone Group Plcs 15 billion ($18.2 billion) merger with CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd.s UK unit Three. The deal that will create the countrys largest mobile operator by revenue comes with commitments to invest 11 billion in upgrading the network and protect consumers against price rises. This outcome would have been unthinkable in the recent past and doubtless reflects a CMA concerned to ensure the potential benefits of mergers can be recognized, Verity Egerton-Doyle, a partner at law firm Linklaters, said. Still, the agencys newfound focus on economic growth has not yet made it into any of the CMAs formal guidance, said Veronica Roberts, a partner at law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. The CMA will still balance the pro-growth agenda with competition concerns and it will not be a carte blanche for all merger plans, she said. The governments renewed focus on growth gives an opportunity for the CMA to drive the positive outcomes of effective competition, the regulators spokesperson said. Earlier this month, Cardell told a parliamentary hearing that I wouldnt say it is a radical change of approach, but I think it is about us taking a much more rounded, informed approach on how we are looking at particular deals. At the Margins Banks have responded cautiously so far. Several senior finance executives, who asked not to be named discussing their interactions with government, said they welcomed officials engagement in the subject, but they had not yet seen anything that would make them want to put more resources into the UK. While the planned relaxation of bonus rules is helpful at the margin, the real issue for investing in banks British operations is the core UK economy and its growth trajectory, which is uncertain, the executives said. One person also drew attention to regulators actually toughening rules in some areas, for example pushing for higher standards as they implement the global Basel rules on bank capital next year. Then there are questions about whether expanding the financial sector is the kind of growth that the UK needs. A group of prominent economists including Noel laureate Joseph Stiglitz warned Reeves last month that unleashing banks could jeopardize its industrial strategy. History has shown time and time again that beyond a certain point, the financial sector can only continue to grow by taking excessive risks and increasing the economys debt burden until the inevitable collapse. Photograph: The City of London. Photo credit: Betty Laura Zapata/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Legislation Europe London 90 years on, Long March's legacy inspires China's progress in the new era Xinhua) 08:13, January 16, 2025 GUIYANG, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- At No. 96 Ziyin Road in Zunyi, a city nestled between lush hills in southwest China's Guizhou Province, stands a building that elegantly blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. Its facade has been recently adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, as if anticipating a grand celebration. Between Jan. 15 and 17, 1935, during the Long March, the renowned Zunyi Meeting was held here, a landmark event in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it largely determined the fate of the Party at a critical juncture for its survival. Tourists visit the venue of the Zunyi Meeting in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 7, 2025. (Xinhua/Tao Liang) "Today, the spirit of this meeting is deeply ingrained in the city, as well as the country, inspiring generations to continue moving forward in the new era toward national rejuvenation," said Zhang Wen, a staff worker at the site, now a memorial museum, during a recent event commemorating the 90th anniversary of the meeting. HISTORICAL TURNING POINT The Zunyi Meeting took place at a critical crossroads for the CPC. In the harsh winter of 1934, the CPC was forced to retreat from the Central Soviet Area in east China's Jiangxi and move northwest after enduring a series of encirclement campaigns by rival forces of the Kuomintang party (KMT). The setback was the result of the left-leaning errors in military strategy and rigid Soviet-inspired dogmatism. After suffering a heavy loss in a battle along the Xiangjiang River in southern China, the number of the CPC-led Red Army soldiers dwindled from over 86,000 to around 30,000, who were depleted and short of food and ammunition. The failure sparked a backlash from the soldiers who demanded new leadership and revised strategies. The three-day meeting was thus convened after the Red Army seized Zunyi to draw lessons on why they were defeated by the enemy. The sessions often stretched late into the night, marked by passionate debates, criticisms and self-criticisms. In the end, many key issues were resolved, including the establishment of a new leadership within the Central Committee of the CPC, with Mao Zedong at the helm. The meeting later proved to be a crucial turning point in the Long March. "Mao Zedong displayed remarkable military prowess in the subsequent battles, ultimately leading the Red Army to complete the monumental feat of the Long March. This was a crucial moment that shifted the course of events," said Zhang Xiaoling, the deputy curator of the memorial museum. An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting the venue of the Zunyi Meeting in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2023. (Xinhua/Yang Ying) The communist army, under Mao's leadership, took fresh heart and eventually defeated the KMT. Fourteen years after the Zunyi Meeting, the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) marked the beginning of a new chapter in history. In his book "The Long March: The Untold Story," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Harrison Salisbury wrote: "Zunyi was over. The Long March continued. Mao was in charge. China's course had been set for at least half a century to come." LONG-LASTING INSPIRATION The Zunyi Meeting was the first time the CPC made important political and military decisions independently, without interference from the Comintern -- an international communist alliance mainly controlled by the Soviet, with the CPC just a branch. "This not only marked a turning point but also represented a historic leap toward the Party's independence and autonomy. Since then, the CPC has become increasingly steadfast on the path of independence and autonomy," said Li Zhongjie, vice chairman of the Chinese Society of the History of the CPC. The spirit of the meeting also inspires the Party to overcome severe difficulties and remain undaunted in the face of great challenges. In 2015 and 2021, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited Guizhou. Xi said that of all the places the Red Army reached, it spent the longest time and had the most extensive presence in Guizhou, leaving later generations an enduring spiritual legacy. The Zunyi Meeting's distinct features, including the establishment of the correct CPC Central Committee leadership, as well as innovative formulation and implementation of strategies that suited the Chinese revolution's characteristics, still have significance today, according to Xi. "No matter how times or conditions alter, we need to deeply understand the original aspiration and mission of communists from the spirit of the Long March and the Zunyi Meeting," Li Zhongjie said. NEW LONG MARCH Guizhou, where the Red Army regrouped and thrived during its most challenging times, has harnessed the Long March Spirit to drive its development. An aerial drone photo shows a cemetery dedicated to martyrs of the Red Army in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 9, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Xu) Once considered the "poorest" province, Guizhou has made remarkable progress, lifting over 9.2 million people out of poverty within a decade by 2021. Through unremitting efforts in ecological conservation, the province -- home to the largest area of rocky desertification in China -- saw its forest coverage rise to 63 percent by the end of 2023. From 2011 to 2021, Guizhou's economic growth ranked among the top three in provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland for 10 consecutive years. "The progress we've seen in Guizhou is a real testament to carrying forward and translating the spirit of the Zunyi Meeting into action," said Liao Zhengwei, a former official at the archives bureau of Tongzi, a once poverty-stricken county in Zunyi. Guizhou's development trajectory reflects the broader course of China's advancement to attain the Two Centenary Goals and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, which is labeled as the New Long March. The Two Centenary Goals refer to: completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the CPC's centenary in 2021, and building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful when the PRC marks its centenary in 2049. A great number of difficulties need to be handled at this critical juncture, including taking the economy to a high-quality development track. Take Guizhou for example. After decades of rapid growth, the province now confronts more profound and complex challenges, including uneven economic growth, insufficient consumption demand, weak scientific and technological innovation, as well as government debt and financial risks. China, too, is facing challenges that are more complicated, with sluggish global economic growth posing threats to global trade, and rising protectionism seeking to curb its development. All these problems must be solved by adopting new strategies. In July 2024, at a key meeting, the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. The main goals of the new round of reforms, as stated in the communique, are to keep enhancing and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to modernize China's system and capacity for governance, so as to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. Marxism theorist Xia Jinglei noted that, in order to fulfill these goals, people should further learn the historical experiences from the Zunyi Meeting, which illuminate that in the new era, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics must be independently and autonomously followed, instead of copying the Western system. "Sometimes to the east, sometimes west, sometimes on main roads, sometimes on side roads, sometimes on beaten paths, and sometimes on new ones. But there's only one goal: to win battles when conditions are in our favor." This passage, explaining the Red Army's military strategy during the Long March, is displayed on the exhibition board at the memorial museum, prompting visitors to ponder and reflect. A performance entitled "Great Turning Point" is staged at a theater in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Yang Wenbin) Today, the conference room of the Zunyi Meeting stands as a proud beacon of history. Visitors from across the country can now embark on a "cloud visit," immersing themselves in a virtual journey to that historical moment. Just a 10-minute walk away, a stage play called "Great Turning Point," crafted with holographic phantom technology, vividly transports viewers back 90 years. Since its premiere on Jan. 15, 2024, the show has attracted over 280,000 spectators. "The play really brings those tough but glorious times to life," said Ms. Mai, a visitor from Guangdong Province. "It's far more touching than watching a TV series. We should always be grateful and keep those revolutionary pioneers in our hearts." (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development and the two countries should jointly foster new highlights in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy and marine economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday. China's efforts in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's development, Xi said when holding talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit. Noting that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi said bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development over the past 68 years, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between different countries. With joint efforts, China and Sri Lanka have continuously promoted strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation in various fields have achieved fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, Xi said. The two countries should have a keen grasp of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, he said. Noting that China takes Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xi said that the country will continue to support Sri Lanka in maintaining its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. China supports Sri Lanka in exploring a development path suitable for its national conditions, and is willing to deepen political mutual trust, exchange governance experience, and enhance dialogue and communication between various departments of the two countries, Xi said. China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations to jointly address major issues concerning the whole of mankind, including climate change, Xi said. He called for pooling the joint efforts of the Global South for solidarity and development, contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Noting that Sri Lanka admires China's great development achievements in economy, science and technology, and infrastructure, Dissanayake said China has always been a reliable friend and partner of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relations with China. Sri Lanka firmly abides by the one-China principle, and appreciates China's invaluable support in safeguarding Sri Lanka's independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, Dissanayake said. Sri Lanka is committed to enhancing regional connectivity through the Belt and Road cooperation, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country, Dissanayake said, adding that Sri Lanka is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, finance, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism, marine industry and personnel training. China plays a significant leading role in the Global South, as well as a constructive role in international affairs, he added. The Sri Lankan side is willing to continue strengthening coordination and mutual support with China on multilateral occasions to safeguard common interests, said the president. Following the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents, in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, agricultural products, social welfare, and news and broadcasting. TKO Construction Services, a Minnesota-based staffing company that provides temporary employees for commercial, residential, restoration, heavy industrial and energy construction companies, will pay $300,000 and provide other equitable relief to settle a discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today. The EEOCs suit alleged that an employee, who worked for TKO as a recruiter, was told by TKO employees that the company did not hire women for construction jobs, Black workers in certain areas, or individuals who were over 40 years old, because some clients supposedly did not want them. The recruiter later spoke with TKOs president, who confirmed that it was TKOs practice to not hire women, Black workers and older workers, according to client preferences or requests. The recruiter felt forced to resign her employment because she was expected by TKO to engage in unlawful conduct, the EEOC said. The lawsuit also alleged that TKO failed to recruit, hire, assign or refer a class of aggrieved individuals for employment because of their sex, female; race, Black; and age, 40 years or older. The EEOC further alleged that TKO referred employees by sex and race, which resulted in women being referred to fewer hours and receiving less pay than men, and Black employees being referred to fewer hours and receiving less pay than White employees. The consent decree settling the suit requires TKO to pay $300,000 in monetary damages to be distributed to the employee and a class of aggrieved individuals who were discriminated against because they are women, Black or age 40 or older. The decree also requires that TKO implement a hiring process that provides equal employment opportunities to women, Blacks and individuals 40 years old and over. TKO must use objective, job-related criteria in hiring decisions going forward, and provide training on anti-discrimination laws to employees involved in the hiring and recruitment process. Additionally, TKO is required to identify and report to the EEOC information regarding all clients who made or make discriminatory requests for employees based on a protected status such as sex, race or age, and TKO must provide reports to the EEOC regarding complaints of discrimination based on sex, race or age. Source: EEOC Topics Talent Minnesota Holmes Murphy announced its expansion into a second location in the Des Moines metro area. The company officially signed a lease for space in the Arcadia building located at 7000 Vista Drive in West Des Moines. The Arcadia building is a newly refurbished, 270,000-square-foot building in the Country Club Office Plaza. Holmes Murphy will occupy approximately 75,000 square feet of the space. Holmes Murphys office building located at 2727 Grand Prairie Parkway in Waukee will remain the companys headquarters. The company says this second location is meant to help accommodate and guide its growth for the next several years. Holmes Murphy will join ITA Group as tenants in the Arcadia building. The anticipated move date for a portion of Holmes Murphys Waukee staff is Fall 2025. Bayer AGs Monsanto unit stopped making toxic PCBs a half century ago, but the legal fallout lingers even as many of the building materials made with the chemicals are no longer used in US homes, schools and factories. On Tuesday Bayer was hit with a $100 million verdict in the most recent case blaming it for students and faculty at a Seattle-area public school being sickened by exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, contained in aging fluorescent-light fixtures. The company faces billions of dollars in exposure from a growing number of lawsuits over PCB products filed by state and local governments, school districts and individuals. Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018 for $63 billion, already has agreed to pay almost $2 billion in settlements in PCB cases brought by states, cities and counties. Separate litigation over Monsantos Roundup weedkiller has created a drag on the German conglomerates shares, which have lost about 80% of their value since the acquisition. The company has reserved $16 billion for US lawsuits over Roundup and faces a wave of trials. Burgeoning Problem Analysts are casting a wary eye on Bayers burgeoning PCB problem. Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Holly Froum projected in November that it may cost Monsanto and two other companies embroiled in the litigation, Eastman Chemicals Solutia and Pfizers Pharmacia, as much as $3.9 billion to settle the remaining cases, up from her previous estimate of $2.5 billion. This is an unfortunate setback for Bayer, said Sebastian Bray, an analyst at Berenberg. He and others pointed to another case under review by Washington states supreme court as more of a bellwether. The stock was little changed in Frankfurt trading on Wednesday. US regulators banned PCB production in 1979 after research linked the chemical compound to cancer, liver damage and other ailments. PCBs are not a problem of the past for Bayer and Monsanto, said Ellen Griffith Spears, a University of Alabama professor who has studied the effect of the pollution on towns and cities. They are very much a problem of the present. Bayer acknowledges that its PCB caseload has grown in recent years, but says its confident the litigation wont mushroom into the kind of existential threat Roundup has posed. The manufacture of PCB-based products was concentrated in certain regions of the country, so we expect any potential future litigation to be limited as PCBs is not a 50-state issue, the company said in a statement. This weeks verdict in Washington state court marked the 10th time that students and faculty at Sky Valley Educational Center have taken Bayer to trial over claims they suffered brain damage and other injuries. The case featured 15 alleged victims, the largest group yet. Monsanto said it was pleased that the jury awarded damages to only four of the plaintiffs but also said it will challenge the verdict, which included $75 million in punitive damages. A lawyer for the plaintiff said he wasnt disappointed with the outcome, adding that every case is different. In earlier Sky Valley cases, about 20 of the 65 plaintiffs were awarded no damages, but Bayer was hit with a total of more than $1 billion in damages in those trials. PCBs used in electrical transformers, paints and sealants as well as building materials were once prized for their fire-resistant properties. The lawsuits against Monsanto allege that it knew PCBs were toxic to humans and wildlife and could cause contamination far into the future, but hid the risk and continued to make the product. Bayers Strategy Bayer is pursuing a strategy to recoup some of its litigation costs from other companies such as General Electric and Westinghouse Electric, now Paramount Global, that were large users of Monsanto PCB products. Bayer has hired a prominent personal injury lawyer, Mark Lanier, to try to enforce 52-year-old contracts that the company says require its corporate customers to indemnify Monsanto for payouts tied to PCB pollution. Among the settlements Bayer has reached, it agreed in 2020 to pay about $650 million to resolve waterway pollution claims by about 2,500 municipalities. Cities and towns argued Bayers PCBs poisoned their streams and rivers. It has also struck separate accords with Oregon for $698 million and with six other states and Washington, DC for a total of $456 million. The company still faces dozens of PCB lawsuits by school districts, states and cities over health exposure and environmental contamination in buildings, landfills and waterways, according to Bayers 2023 annual report. Bayer said in the report it could face considerable financial disadvantages if it loses those cases, which may force the company to take on more debt or divest assets to cover the costs. Photo: Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Lawsuits USA Trends Washington Pollution President Joe Biden on Thursday is set to issue an executive order aimed at strengthening the federal governments cybersecurity and offering it more tools to punish digital attackers. The order in the final days of the Biden administration is meant to reflect lessons US officials learned from the most critical breaches over the last four years, said Anne Neuberger, deputy national security advisor for cyber and emerging tech. The initiatives goals have bipartisan support, she said. Nonetheless, with President-elect Donald Trump set to return to the White House next week, the future of this and other of Bidens executive orders is unclear. Trump has vowed to pare back federal regulation and signaled that he intends to repeal another order on artificial intelligence. Bidens staff had been racing to complete the order to federal agencies during their dwindling days in office, as the government has grappled with what it says are breaches by Chinese state-backed hackers of the telecommunications industry and Treasury Department. The new executive order seeks to make it easier for the government to use sanctions to hit back at hackers, including those using ransomware. It further aims to require government vendors to provide proof that they are meeting cybersecurity standards and instructs federal workers to encrypt communications, including emails and videoconferences. Among other measures, the order also looks to give the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency access to more information about attacks across the US government. Photo: Photographer: Andrey Rudakov/Bloomberg Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber A blast of extreme cold is poised to descend on the central US this weekend before spreading to New York and the rest of the East Coast, testing power grids and threatening to break temperature records. Frigid conditions will sweep the Midwest and South, including Texas, starting on Saturday and then shift east early next week. The low in Dallas is poised to reach 21F (minus 6C) Monday night, while temperatures in Manhattan will drop near 10F late Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. The cold will start in the northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains and by Sunday spread all the way to the Gulf Coast and much of the eastern US, said Marc Chenard, a senior branch forecaster at the US Weather Prediction Center. There will be below-normal temperatures in Texas during the day on Saturday. Most of the state gets below freezing through Wednesday. Bonechilling weather across the densely populated areas of the central and eastern US will raise energy demand and could send utilities scrambling to meet the spike in consumption, since much of the South relies on electricity for heating. A winter storm four years ago killed more than 200 people and led to the collapse of Texas electric grid. Cold temperatures can also disrupt the production of oil and natural gas by causing water in wells and pipelines to freeze. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the state grid, has an advisory in place for Jan. 19 through noon on Jan. 23 because temperatures are expected to stay below freezing. Power demand is forecast to reach about 78.5 gigawatts on the morning of Jan. 21, which would edge over the record set last January. Still, Ercot expects to have enough supply to meet soaring electricity usage. PJM Interconnect, which manages the grid serving 65 million people from Washington to Illinois, has asked power producers to halt maintenance by Sunday at 6 a.m. to prepare for frigid conditions. Houstons daily average temperature will sink to almost 24F degrees below normal Tuesday, commercial forecaster Maxar said. In Dallas, readings will fall to 21F below the 30-year average on Monday. About 31 locations could see daily high temperatures cold enough to break or tie records on Monday, mainly in the South, according to the US Weather Prediction Center. A handful of records could fall in Texas on Tuesday. While the cold will start to ease by the middle of next week, Mondays presidential inauguration promises to be a chilly one, with temperatures in Washington dropping to 24F under partly sunny skies, according to the National Weather Service. However, wind gusts up to 25 miles (40 kilometers) per hour could make it feel much colder, Chenard said. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics USA Texas New York A recent decision and concurring opinion by a Florida appeals court may have upset years of practice and could raise costs for workers compensation insurers. Some claims that carriers were once ready to close out of due to the statute of limitations may now have to be reconsidered. I would say this is very detrimental for employers and carriers, said Jerry McKim, a workers comp defense lawyer in West Palm Beach. To complicate matters, the Dec. 23 Ortiz decision by Floridas 1st District Court of Appeals overturned the courts own 2023 ruling in the case. And a key assertion by one of the judges is not exactly binding and will likely require yet another appellate ruling before the two-year statute-of-limitations and its one-year tolling provision question is fully settled. The 1st DCA threw a monkey wrench into things with the first Oritz opinion, and now the new one doesnt fully settle it, said Joe Bilotta, a south Florida claimants lawyer. Bilotta has a similar case that he has appealed to the 1st DCA, which could ultimately nail down when the benefits window closes for injured workers and how long it should be propped open for further medical care. The 1st DCAs opinion did seem to make one thing clear: When a doctor mistakenly bills an injured workers group health plan for more than a year, that does not automatically mean a carrier or a judge can decide that the statute of limitations has run out on the claim. The case began more than 20 years ago. Annalie Ortiz was working at a Naples Winn-Dixie grocery, where she fell. The box she was carrying hit her side with such force that she later had to have a kidney removed. Winn-Dixie and its comp insurer, Travelers Insurance, agreed to the compensability of the injury and authorized long-term medical care for the woman. For years after the injury, Ortiz received regular follow-up care, including treatment for urinary tract infections that she believed were related to the loss of her kidney. Then, in 2019, the authorized physician sent three medical bills to Ortiz group health insurance plan. Ortiz testified that the doctors office said that it had not received authorization for those visits from the workers comp insurer, so had decided to bill the group insurer. A year or so later, a Sedgwick Claims Management adjuster noticed that Sedgwick had not received a bill from Ortiz doctor for more than a year. When the physicians office began billing Sedgwick again, in 2020, Sedgwick filed a denial of benefits, on the grounds that the two-year statute of limitations had expired in the aging case and the tolling period had ended. Ortiz filed a petition for benefits, asking the state Court of Compensation Claims to settle the dispute. A compensation court judge sided with Sedgwick and held that Ortiz was partly to blame for the misdirected medical bills. The injured worker was aware that the invoices had gone to her group health plan and she had not thoroughly questioned the change in procedure, compensation claims Judge Frank Clark noted at the time. Ortiz appealed and the 1st District Court of Appeals, the court that handles workers comp appeals, in 2023 initially upheld the administrative law judge, setting a guidepost for lawyers, insurers and claims firms to look to on the statute of limitations, attorneys said. But on a request for rehearing by Ortiz attorneys, the appellate judges saw things very differently. The December court found that Clark had misinterpreted the statute. Simply put, it was legal error for the JCC to conclude the three contested visits did not constitute the furnishment of care that tolled the statute regarding Ortizs kidney injury, the appeals court concluded. Even though the doctor had sent bills to group instead of the comp insurer, the treatment was identical to care that Sedgwick had already authorized, the court said. Ortiz follow-up care had never been deauthorized. The employer had not shown a break in causation, the opinion explained. The fact that Dr. Young suddenly stopped billing Sedgwickwithout any apparent communication to Ortiz from Sedgwick about deauthorizationcannot support the JCCs looking past that failure and dismissing the PFB (petition for benefits) as time-barred anyway, the appellate judges said. Further, the court underscored previous court rulings, which held that it is the furnishing of the treatment, not the billing, that tolls the statute. It was the last 11 pages of the opinion, though, that really caught the eye of workers comp stakeholders around the state. Appeals Court Judge Adam Tannenbaum, in a concurring opinion, argued that comp judges, insurers, claims handlers and some defense attorneys have for years been misinterpreting the limitations statute and its tolling provision. Florida workers compensation law allows a two-year statute of limitations on compensation claims. That means a claimant has two years from the time of the injury or knowledge of the injury to file a petition for benefits. But the law also allows the SOL to be paused (tolled) for one year after the last medical treatment. My hope is that, going forward, practitioners and JCCs (judges of compensation claims) will feel empowered by the Supreme Court decisions I have discussed to continue with their approach of analyzing tolling the way it plainly is meant to be; and was meant to be, starting in 1994: as a suspension of the limitation periodrequiring an assessment of the stops and starts impelled by the provision of benefitsbefore making the final determination of whether the statutorily established two-year limitation period has run, rather than just the one-year tolling period, Tannenbaum wrote. He noted that the way the law should be read is that each time a tolling period starts, the statutory limitation clock stops until the tolling period expires and then begins to run again, the judge wrote. He argued that in the Ortiz case, the SOL would not have even started until January 2019, when the misdirected billing to the health insurer began. To determine if a petition for benefits is time-barred, an administrative law judge can figure out the date when the statutory limitation period expires by adding days remaining in the original two-year limitations period (at the time the last tolling period began) to the date when the limitations period (last) began to run again, Tannenbaum explained. He noted that at least twice in the last 25 years, the 1st District Court has gotten it wrong by referring to a tolling period as an extension of the statute of limitations, rather than a pause. Until Tannebaums concurrence, employers/carriers were often able to assume that after two years the statute of limitations had pretty much run its course, McKim said. Its turned it on its head, McKim said. This changes everything. Fellow appeals court Judge Ross Bilbrey wrote in his own concurrence that he agreed with the majoritys opinion in the second Ortiz case. But he noted that Tannenbaums concurring opinion has no precedential value and is not the official opinion of the appeals court. Tannenbaum had addressed larger issues than the court needed to reach to resolve the Ortiz matter. The Ortiz case involved some of the heavyweights in Floridas workers comp legal field. Attorney William Rogner, on the insurance defense side; and Richard Sicking, now retired, and Mark Touby on the claimants side. They could not be reached for comment but another insurance defense lawyer, George Kagan, said that other cases, based on that original Oritiz interpretation, may now be thrown into question. Such JCC holdings are now unsupported and must be re-determined based on conventional, pre-Ortiz two years/one year SOL law, Kagan noted in a blog post. McKim, the West Palm defense attorney, who was not involved in Ortiz, agreed. He said hes already had questions from three employer/carrier clients about the impact of the decision. Before, with the first Ortiz opinion, I would have said that the statute of limitations had expired, McKim said Wednesday. But now I have to say, No, theyre still active cases. They cant be shut down.' At least one compensation court judge has signaled hes sticking with the direction offered by the first Ortiz decision. On Dec. 26, three days after the second Ortiz opinion, compensation Judge Gregory Johnsen explained that because Ortiz 2 had officially withdrawn Ortiz 1, and Tannenbaums concurring thoughts are not binding, he had to rely on other case law laid down by the appeals court in recent years. Based on that, Johnsen denied benefits for a worker who had tripped on a broken wheelchair ramp. That is Bilottas case, known as Estes vs. Palm Beach County School District and Davies Claims. Bilotta filed an appeal this week. Its likely that the appeal will put an official stamp on Tannenbaums unofficial interpretation of the statute of limitations, McKim said. Such a decision from the 1st District Court may not come for several months. Topics Carriers Florida Claims Workers' Compensation MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) An Alabama city will pay $750,000 to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit against a police officer who fatally shot one person and wounded another in 2019, after defendants appealed the original $4.5 million awarded by a federal jury almost a year ago. The jury found Birmingham officer Aric Mitchell used excessive force when he fatally shot Jamarcus Moore and injured Samantha Hardin just seconds after exiting his police car following a high-speed chase. All three are Black. Civil rights attorney Johnathan Austin said the settlement represented meaningful accountability for Moores family and Hardin, who sued the city jointly. The monetary value was not as important as the jury finding that the city was liable, and in particular, that officer Mitchell was liable for the death of Mr. Moore, said Austin. Our clients wanted justice, and justice was served. A spokesperson for the City of Birmingham did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment on Tuesday. U.S. District Judge Anna Manasco reduced the initial $4.5 million to $2.75 million in August. Attorneys for the city and the officer appealed that ruling shortly after, and last week the Birmingham City Council voted to approve a settlement payout of $750,000, according to city council meeting agenda. The city council did not discuss the decision in the public meeting. The settlement has not been signed by either party yet. Sometimes settlements will include the civil court version of a guilty plea, but in this case Austin said there will be no admission of liability by the city. On June 15, 2019, Mitchell attempted to pull Moore over after the officer said he smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle, according to the judges most recent ruling. Moore attempted to flee because he had a warrant out for his arrest, according to the complaint. Moore had pending charges related to drug possession, according to state court records. Moore led law enforcement on a chase that lasted approximately 20 minutes and spanned six municipal jurisdictions, according to body camera footage and court filings. Moore was finally stopped when Mitchell intentionally collided with Moores car, according to body camera footage. Mitchell initially told internal affairs investigators that Moore reached for the officers gun and that there was a physical struggle between the two men before Mitchell fatally shot Moore, according to a recording of Mitchells initial testimony obtained by WVTM 13 News. But body camera footage appears to show Mitchell firing multiple shots through Moores drivers side window from several feet away, within less than 10 seconds of exiting his police car. Moore was pronounced dead on the scene. Mitchell also shot Hardin, who was in the passenger seat, breaking her leg. Over the course of the four-day trial, court documents show that David Rockett, the Internal Affairs commander for the Birmingham Police Department, testified that there could have been an alternate ending to the fatal encounter in 2019. Mitchell should have given verbal commands for the subject to exit the car with their hands in the air and lay down on the pavement and be placed in custody, Rockett testified. Austin said that the settlement offered closure to Moore and Hardins families after six long years. Every Thanksgiving, every Christmas, every birthday, every holiday, every Valentines Day, theyre going to miss him but theyre not going to have to relive this in the public, said Austin. ___ Safiyah Riddle is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Auto Law Enforcement Alabama LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) Spirits giant Brown-Forman Corp. said Tuesday its reducing its global workforce by about 12% and closing its hometown barrel-making plant in Louisville. The cost-cutting moves come as American whiskey producers face stiff challenges from changing consumer trends and renewed tariff threats. The actions are projected to produce about $70 million to $80 million in annualized cost savings, a portion of which is expected to be reinvested as part of the companys growth strategy, said Louisville-based Brown-Forman, whose flagship brand is Jack Daniels Tennessee Whiskey. A cutback in production may come as some relief for property owners near distilleries. Residents in Kentucky and Tennessee in recent years have filed insurance claims, lawsuits and complaints about the apparent increase in whiskey fungus, a black growth that feeds on the ethanol emitted as the liquor ages. Read more here. Brown-Formans companys cooperage, where barrels are made to store and age its spirits, will close by April 25, affecting about 210 hourly and salaried employees, it said. The closure is part of the overall 12% reduction in the companys 5,400-employee global workforce. Laid-off workers will receive severance, outplacement services and other benefits, the company said. Brown-Forman said it will source barrels from an external supplier and expects to receive more than $30 million from selling cooperage assets. The company established its own cooperage in 1945 raising barrels and honing the craft of using wood to create distinct flavor characteristics to bourbon. Brown-Forman also announced changes in its executive team, including the appointment of Jeremy Shepherd as chief marketing officer. Shepherd previously led its USA & Canada commercial division. The actions reflect the venerable companys relentless focus on evolving our strategy, our portfolio and our organization to grow and thrive, said Brown-Forman President and CEO Lawson Whiting. Todays announcement will ensure we have the structure and teams in place to continue on this path, while also making investments that we believe will facilitate growth for generations to come. Last month, Brown-Forman reported a 5% decline in net sales for the first six months of its fiscal year compared to the year-ago period. The decline was largely due to its Finlandia and SonomaCutrer divestitures, the company said. Whiting said the results came amid challenging economic conditions but he predicted a stronger performance in the second half of the year. Brown-Formans many brands also include Woodford Reserve and Old Forester bourbons and Herradura and el Jimador tequilas. The companys cutbacks come as the overall American whiskey sector faces headwinds that coincide with massive inventories of aging whiskeys that will someday reach the market. In Kentucky, a record 14.3 million barrels of bourbon are aging, the Kentucky Distillers Association said last month. Industrywide challenges include indications that younger adults are drinking less alcohol and the threat of American whiskey getting entangled in another trade war. Meanwhile, U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy said recently that Americans should be better informed about the link between alcohol and cancer. The risk should be clearly labeled on drinks Americans consume, Murthy proposed. Republican President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose new tariffs with his return to the White House. During Trumps first term, American whiskey distillers got caught up in a trans-Atlantic trade fight, causing deep drops in exports to the European Union the industrys biggest overseas market. The EU imposed a retaliatory tariff on those spirits in 2018 in response to Trumps decision to slap tariffs on European steel and aluminum. A 2021 deal suspended those tariffs on American spirits, and U.S. distillers began clawing back lost market share in the EU. A looming return of EU tariffs at an even higher rate on American whiskeys would be devastating to distillers, said Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. The U.S. spirits industry is contending with a challenging U.S. marketplace, and tariffs would only exacerbate these challenges, Swonger said Tuesday. The EU is set to reinstate tariffs on American whiskey at a 50% rate in late March if nothing is done to head it off, the Kentucky Distillers Association said. Retaliatory tariffs from the EU and other countries have cost Kentuckys bourbon industry a half-billion dollars in exports since 2018, it said. Kentucky and Tennessee, where Jack Daniels is crafted, overwhelmingly backed Trump in last years election. We are up against a triple threat of back-breaking tariffs, snowballing taxes and shifts in consumer trends that have slowed sales, Eric Gregory, president of the distillers association, said recently. Photo: (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) Related: Whiskey Fungus, Liability, Tax Breaks Killing the Buzz for Residents Near Distilleries Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics USA Europe Tennessee There has been some question about whether Californias insurer of last resort the FAIR Plan has enough cash on hand to pay for its share of wildfire claims. As surplus is inadequate and reinsurance has a deductible that exceeds available cash, an industry assessment is inevitable, a Fitch analyst confirmed. FAIR Plan [Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan] doesnt have enough surplus for this level of loss the biggest California wildfire loss to date, said Gerald Glombicki, senior director at Fitch Ratings in an interview with Insurance Journal. This means insurers writing business in California ultimately will have to bolster FAIR Plans financial position, as will homeowners across the state. Nearly a year ago, FAIR Plan had $336 billion of property exposure with surplus of just $200 million, and $700 million of cash on hand, said Victoria Roach, who testified before the California Assembly Insurance Oversight Committee on March 13. (Editors note: Current figures for this year cannot be confirmed). According to FAIR Plan statistics, it has $5.9 billion of exposure to the Pacific Palisades (where the fires are raging) its fifth highest wildfire exposure concentration. By September, FAIR had listed its property exposure as $458 billion, a 61% increase from the previous year. While the total amount of claims the FAIR Plan will face are still undetermined, the overall industry insured price tag could hit $30 billion-$40 billion with economic losses of $150 billion to $275 billion, analysts estimate. Los Angeles Fires Become Existential Test for Californias Stopgap Insurer As of September 30, 2024, California FAIR Plan exposure in Los Angeles County was US$112.2 billion with a year-over-year growth of 53%. Los Angeles County exposure represents approximately 23.1% of the entire California FAIR plan portfolio, according to a blog written by Firas Saleh, director of product management at Moodys. In March of 2024, FAIR Plan had a surplus of only $200 million and it likely hasnt risen to sufficient levels over the subsequent year. (Some news reports indicate that the surplus has risen to $377 million). You can never go below your surplus level. If you do, you need an assessment or youre bankrupt, according to Glombicki. How does the assessment work? Glombicki explained that the insurance companies would get assessed a certain figure. If the assessment is $1 billion or less, insurance companies can only pass on 50% to their clients, he said. However, 100% of the first dollar (and up) after $1 billion can be passed along. Glombicki pointed to a problem with the assessments, which all California homeowners insurers must pay. You wont be necessarily in a fire zone, but you can be paying for that risk of being in the fire zone, he said. Another problem for the FAIR Plan is that there could be a reinsurance protection gap. FAIR Plans $2.5 billion reinsurance has a deductible of $900 million, higher than the $700 million cash on hand, which is quite crazy when one thinks about it, said one analyst who didnt want to be identified. According to Gallagher Re, FAIR Plans reinsurance structure details follow: $900 million per occurrence retention, Total reinsurance limit is $2.6 billion, Tower exhausts at $5.75 billion, which is the 102-year modeled return period. Glombicki explained that as a result of the structure of the reinsurance tower (see graphic above), FAIR Plan pays co-insurance throughout the $4.85 billion limit. External coverage comes to $2.63 billion. In other words, FAIR Plan shares the loss in the tower as well. (Editors note: the co-pays are shown in the graphic as the dark gray boxes on the right-hand side). Exponential Growth The FAIR Plan policy count has increased by 35% in the 12 months ending Sept. 30 to over 450,000. Why has there been such a large level of growth? Higher losses and regulatory pricing restrictions led many primary insurers to reduce their exposure to the California homeowners market or exit the state altogether. Insurers that operate in the state will contribute to the FAIR Plan based on market share, which helps spread the risk of high-loss events, said Fitch Ratings in its commentary titled Property Casualty (Re)Insurance Ratings Not Affected by California Fires, published on Jan. 13. Large catastrophic losses can strain the financial resources of the FAIR Plan, potentially leading to assessments or surcharges on participating insurers to cover deficits. Such large losses can lead to increased premiums or reduced coverage in the private market as insurers adjust to offset their increased liabilities from FAIR Plan contributions, the Fitch report continued. The long-term goal is to reduce the FAIR Plans market share, where policies are underwritten due to high-risk factors, such as wildfires. Coverage is capped at $3 million per policy, which can be inadequate to cover replacement costs, Fitch continued. Reduction of FAIR market share will only be successful if private insurers are not restricted from adequately pricing for wildfire risk. Recent regulation in the state aims to increase participation within the admitted market. Per recently issued regulation, major insurance companies must increase the writing of comprehensive policies in wildfire-distressed areas equivalent to no less than 85% of their statewide market share, whereas there had not been legal requirement for insurers to commit to providing any coverage in high-risk areas, Fitch explained, noting that smaller and regional insurance companies must also increase their writing. Further, the California insurance commissioner issued a mandatory one-year moratorium, effective Jan. 7, 2025, on insurance non-renewals and cancellations for homeowners insurance within or adjoining the ZIP Codes of the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County regardless of loss, said Fitch. In exchange for increasing coverage, the state will let insurance companies pass on the costs of reinsurance to policyholders. Previously, California was the only state that didnt allow the cost of reinsurance to be borne by policyholders. There may be some relief ahead for homeowners as well as the states insurers. On Jan. 9, a bill was introduced that aims to assist in issuing catastrophe bonds and help finance the costs of insurance claims, increasing the claims-paying capacity of the FAIR Plan. The FAIR Plan Stabilization Act (Assembly Bill 226) would authorize the FAIR Plan to request the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank to issue bonds if the FAIR Plan faces liquidity challenges in the event of a major catastrophe such as a wildfire. Glombicki said the bond scheme might work in terms of delaying the assessment on insurers. The question is the timing and how quickly can FAIR Plan get those funds if a bond is issued. Im not saying its impossible; its just the timing of doing that becomes more problematic, whereas an assessment is immediate. However, even the assessments take time because they would occur when homeowners renew their policies, he explained. Photograph: A home burns in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury, File) Related: Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters California Carriers Wildfire Claims Legislation Excess Surplus Reinsurance Homeowners The Eaton Fire in central Los Angeles County poses a potential credit risk to power provider Southern California Edison, which operates electrical lines in the area where the destructive blaze first started, Moodys Ratings said in a report on Thursday. Why Its Important Fire investigators have not released a cause for the deadly Eaton Blaze, which has burned more than 14,000 acres since starting on Jan. 7. Despite the uncertainty over what caused the disaster, several lawsuits filed against SCE this week accuse equipment owned by the largest Southern California electric utility of sparking the initial flames. Related: Edison Utility Sued Over Role of Equipment in Los Angeles Fire SCE, which is the main subsidiary of Edison International, has said it has not found evidence that its equipment is to blame for the fire. Whats Next Moodys said it believes a state wildfire fund and California utilities ability to recover fire-related costs will be supportive of SCEs credit. That could change if there is enough evidence to prove SCEs infrastructure caused the fire, which would make the company more vulnerable to lawsuits, Moodys said. Related: InsurTechs Highlight New Approaches to Wildfire Insurance Other factors that could harm SCE financially include a depleted wildfire fund, which provides reimbursements for some wild-fire related damage claims, or if the regulatory and political support for California utilities area begins to wane, Moodys said. Key Quotes We could also change our view based on an expectation of more frequent and more severe catastrophic wildfires that create greater risks to the companys credit profile, Moodys said. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Top photo: Photo from the Eaton Fire that started in the City of Los Angelas, January 2025. Souce: CalFire. Topics California Wildfire Louisiana Italian farmer Alessandro Mazzuoli might only produce just 1,000g of his star crop a year, but the revenue it brings in makes up around half of his income. Mr Mazzouli, who farms in Umbria, is the president of the Consortium for the Protection and Promotion of il Croco di Pietro Perugino, which takes its name from the famous Italian painter born in the nearby city Citta della Pieve in 1446. Mr Mazzouli was also a co-founder of the Association of Italian Saffron Producers, which operates at a national level. He explained saffron production in the city can be traced back as far as the Middle Ages, with some evidence it might have even been cultivated in Italy before the fall of the Roman Empire. Although, in early times it was mainly used for its pigment properties as a dye for clothing, with its reputation as a culinary delicacy only following in more recently. Today, there are around 50 growers in Umbria, but there are other growers in other parts of Italy, particularly Lombardy, Sicily, and Sardinia. Mr Mazzoulis 50-hectare organic farm includes five hectares of vineyards, 500 holly tree plants, olive trees, and cereal crops. Saffron farming in Italy. He started growing the crop as a pastime for his wife and children in 2002. But soon, it became one of the most important crops produced on my farm, he explained. In the years which followed, he has since devoted much of his life to promoting the crop, giving lectures, developing technical innovations in growing the bulbs, and has even built a museum dedicated to all things saffron. His holding produces around 1,000g of saffron a year on a 3,000sq m plot, rotated in a different area of the farm each year to avoid the build-up of fungal diseases in the soil, which is one of the biggest challenges for growers. Its important to change the production area every year because the bulbs grow better in virgin soil, he explained. In Iran, they will leave them in the same place for five to six years. It means less work, but the flowers are smaller, and the stigmas are smaller, too. Yields can also vary from year to year. Sometimes its slightly less, others slightly more. Last year, production was down because the climate is changing, he explained. Its a little part of my farm, but its 50% of my income. Its a crop so precious, its not counted in kilos, but instead in grams. Mr Mazzouli said that while you might see it cheaper in a supermarket, its usually not the true saffron, not in flower, is around 40/g. The price has remained the same for the last 10 years. But of course, with a premium like this, fraud has become a major challenge for producers. Its a big problem, particularly with the powdered form, where other yellow plants are often ground up and added, he said. There is nothing we can do about it. Its better to buy stigmas because then you know what you are getting. But in North Africa, the markets will sell another type of plant that is visually very similar to saffron. The word for saffron in Arabic means yellow. Sometimes, people will tell me they have bought one kilo of saffron for 10, but that is impossible for it to actually be saffron. Through the consortium, producers have come up with innovative packaging to make saffron more accessible to the public. All the producers in the consortium use this same packaging, and the only change is the name of the producer. These include a glass vial containing a quarter of a gram, and a pack of five sachets each containing a tenth of a gram in each the right amount to cook for four people along with a recipe from Italian TV chef Giorgio Barchiesi. We dont put 20g, 30g in the vial, because it is too much. So we sell a quarter of a gram thats enough for eight to 10 dishes because its very strong. You only need a little bit of saffron, Mr Mazzouli said. The boxes each contain a tenth of a gram because that is the right amount to cook for four people. It makes it easier to use. People normally dont know how to use saffron because they arent using it frequently. Customers like this one the most. We sell between 2,000 and 3,000 of these packs a year. If you dont make nice packaging and speak with people about how to use it, its difficult to get that 40 price, so the consortium helps us all to get that premium price. Labour intensive There are a lot of different kinds of crocus, but only one produces spice. Mazzouli uses the offspring from the same bulbs he bought 25 years ago. We plant the bulbs in August. And then in October, we harvest the flower, he explained. We have to pick the flowers every morning because they dont all flower together. Some days, you might pick 100 flowers; the day after, it might be 2,000 flowers. The day after, 5,000. It might seem like a strange way to break up the job, but growers have little choice when harvesting takes place as soon as the flowers appear. They must pick the flowers in the morning when the flowers are still closed because the wind and rain can damage the precious stigmas. Weather and growth stages dictate timing and progress. All the work is done by hand, and its a big job. Sometimes, we have to pick up 20,000 flowers. We pick in the morning, and in the afternoon we have to clean. In one hour, one person can clean 40-100 flowers, but not more, he said. Its a process which involves opening the flower and picking out the stigmas with tiny tweezers. Employs up to six people to help with. This must all be done in the same day we harvest, said. We cant wait because the quality will go down. If you dont have a passion, you cant produce saffron, he said. Its a lot of work. In 20 days, we have to pick all 100,000 flowers, so every day we have to work from early in the morning till late in the night and then begin again. Sometimes I go to the field in the morning, and I hope there are no flowers, he laughs. Ireland's upscaling of wind and solar farms has saved customers nearly 840m since the turn of the century, with spending on fossil fuels cut by 7.4bn in the same period. Industry lobby body Wind Energy Ireland's national conference, which begins today, will hear a new report which shows that even based on the most conservative estimate, the financial benefit of developing renewable energy has "significantly outweighed" all possible costs. Under targets which the Department of Enterprise say are "ambitious", Ireland is aiming to hit five gigawatts (GW) of grid-connected offshore wind plus an additional 2GW of non-grid-connected offshore wind in development by 2030. By 2040, there is an aim to deliver 20GW of offshore renewable energy, and by 2050, this will rise to 37GW, which is approximately six times our current peak electricity demand. An EU target of 300GW by 2050 is a key factor when it comes to Ireland's aims too. Wind and solar farms saved Irish electricity customers 840m since 2000, according to the 'Good for your Pocket' report, published on Thursday by consultants Baringa. Irelands wind generation capacity has grown since 2000 from 117 megawatts (MW) to more than 5,000MW installed across the country, and more than 600MW of solar generation has been connected in recent years. Last year, according to data from Green Collective, nearly 40% of the countrys electricity came from renewables. The upscaling of renewable energy sources since 2000 has also cut Irish spending on fossil fuels by 7.4bn and prevented the production of more than 47 million tonnes of CO2 up to the end of 2023. The savings produced by Irelands reduced reliance on imported fossil fuels exceeded the expense of support schemes, grid network development and other costs by close to 840m. Noel Cunniffe, CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, said that every wind turbine or solar panel that gets built helps Irish families and businesses cut costs. "Since 2021 alone, renewables have displaced almost 4bn worth of fossil fuels, insulating Irish consumers from the very worst of the impacts of the fossil fuel energy crisis. However, we should still be paying less. As long as we maintain our dependency on imported gas, we are letting the price we pay for electricity be dictated to us by international fossil fuel companies." Ireland currently spends over 1m every hour importing fossil fuels like oil and gas into the State. 'Incoming Government can save Irish consumers millions of euro' However, Mr Cunniffe pointed to the viable alternatives which could lead to a way to "keep the money at home". "We can build more wind and solar farms, reinforce our electricity grid, electrify our heat and transport systems and work with our EU partners to reform the common electricity market. "The incoming Government can save Irish consumers millions of euro, while also ensuring a clean, secure, domestic energy supply, and creating thousands of jobs. To this point, the Good for Your Pocket report found that should the price of gas remain as high as it is and Ireland manages to reach the agreed target under the Government's Climate Action Plan of 80% renewable electricity, consumer bills could fall by a further 610m from 2030. Mr Cunniffe said: "The next five years present an opportunity to make unprecedented progress in moving to relying on locally produced renewable energy and accelerating the next phase of Irelands economic development. By 2030 we can deliver cleaner and more affordable power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across Ireland and lay the foundation for Irish energy independence. Research published by Dublin City University in June found that at least two ports are needed to deliver Irelands 2030 offshore wind targets. In October, a new partnership was announced last month between the Port of Cork and the Irish Strategic Investment Fund to support the development of new infrastructure in Cork Harbour. This is expected to cost over 100m, but the Port of Cork recently secured funding through the EUs Connecting Europe Facility to assist with costs. Several other ports across Ireland already have plans to expand their infrastructure. It is hoped that they can be used to build and maintain our offshore wind farms. Conor McGregor must not disseminate any CCTV footage shown in the civil trial taken against him by Nikita Hand, and return any copies of the footage in his possession while deleting any copies he has on his personal devices, the High Court has ruled. Mr Justice Alexander Owens made the ruling as he was satisfied there was a real and demonstrable risk that Mr McGregor may provide the footage to an Italian business associate who had posted about the footage on social media. A District Court judge said she was well aware of the importance of the pub in rural Ireland and she commended a publican for driving his customers home in a case where he was prosecuted for having patrons on the premises after-hours. Publican and licensee of The Sportsmans Arms in Aherla, Dermot Forde, could not be in two places at the one time and this was the nub of the problem on the night, his solicitor Donal Daly explained at Cork District Court. Mr Forde pleaded guilty to having approximately 25-30 patrons on his premises shortly before 2am on a Saturday night/ Sunday morning, an hour after closing time. Licensing laws required him to stop serving at 12.30 and have the premises clear by 1am. Sergeant Brian Harte testified that at 1.30am that morning he was on patrol in the Aherla area when he encountered Dermot Forde in the village. The publican was in the process of dropping customers home in his own vehicle. Mr Forde told the sergeant he had stopped trading for the night and was in the process of dropping customers home. The sergeant went to the premises and found 25 to 30 people still drinking there and there were signs of freshly poured drinks. I spoke to the person in charge in the absence of Mr Forde. I told her to clear the premises. At 1.55am, I returned with Mr Forde who was coming back after dropping customers home. There were still 20 people on the premises consuming alcohol. At that stage Mr Forde pro-actively cleared the premises. It was clear at 2am. There was no aggravation and no drama. To be fair to him he was dropping patrons home, Sgt Harte said. Judge Joanne Carroll said: It is a very good thing to do bringing customers home. The judge said it was perfectly reasonable for the sergeant to request that the premises would be cleared and that the person Mr Forde left in charge at the time made little or no effort to do so". Mr Daly, solicitor, said of the person left briefly in charge: She would not have had the gravitas or capacity of Mr Forde. He does provide a crucial service in getting his customers home safely. A lot of publicans dont provide that service. To be fair to Mr Forde, he does. It is not an excuse but it is an explanation. The solicitor added that none of the customers was heckling the sergeant or anything like that. Sgt Harte agreed that there was no hassle of any kind. Judge Carroll imposed a 200 fine and said: I am aware of the importance of the pub in rural Ireland. This would be a far worse situation if he allowed a person to leave after consuming alcohol with the keys of his car and allowed him to drive home. Cork City residents have been asked to burn less solid fuel in their home fires as part of a one-night citywide initiative to improve air quality. Cork City Council said the occupiers of every household with a stove or fire can play their part in fighting air pollution if they get involved in its Clean Air Night initiative on Friday, January 24. It has invited people to reduce the amount of solid fuel they burn in their stoves or fireplaces on that evening, or to even consider lighting their fire a little later in the evening. Data from the European Environment Agency shows that air pollution can have negative impacts on human health, especially on the lungs and hearts, with air pollution contributing to 1,600 premature deaths in Ireland annually. Solid fuel use is one of the biggest sources of air pollution, with an estimated 1,300 of these deaths directly linked to the burning of coal, wood, peat and briquettes. In an effort to reduce its effects, the government introduced new solid fuel regulations in October 2022 to remove the most polluting fuels from the market by increasing the technical standards for fuels to ensure only lower smoke products are available for sale. But each winter, the annual increase in the burning of fossil fuels leads to a deterioration in air quality in Cork City, where certain winter atmospheric conditions such as temperature inversions and slack winds can combine to trap pollutants in the valley of the River Lee. A spokesman for the city council said: Cork City Council is cognisant of the issues surrounding energy poverty and is aware that some households may need to light their fires or stoves for heating purposes, especially during cold periods, he said. Many residents rely on solid fuel to maintain adequate levels of heat in their homes. Participation in Clean Air Night is completely voluntary and is part of ongoing initiatives to raise awareness about the wider health issues of air pollution. The council, which launched an air quality strategy in 2021, displays real-time air quality measures from a network of locations across Cork City using Irelands first citywide network of low-cost PM2.5 sensors, developed by the council in association with the Centre for Research into Atmospheric Chemistry at UCC. The sensors measure the hourly average concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometres the air pollutant most harmful to public health. See corkairquality.ie and cleanairnight.ie for more information on simple steps for cleaner air. The question yelled at Joe Biden by a reporter was unapologetically blunt: Who do you think deserves credit for this Mr President: you or [Donald] Trump? Biden had just finished announcing what he presented as his signature foreign policy achievement a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas to halt the bloody war in Gaza that has left 46,000 Palestinians and 1,700 Israelis dead. He wasnt in the mood for that debate. Is that a joke? the president asked and then walked away flanked by vice-president Kamala Harris and secretary of state Antony Blinken. Success has many fathers. When the ceasefire in Gaza was finally announced on Thursday, they all stood up to take the credit. Biden in a press conference said that the ceasefire was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. As he praised his diplomats, he grew wistful: The Bible says blessed are the peacemakers. Many peacemakers helped make this deal happen. But there was little public soul-searching about why the plan he had proposed in May the exact same plan as Biden reminded reporters was finally accepted only days before Donald Trumps inauguration. That fact did not escape the attention of president-elect Trump. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, he said in a post on Truth Social, a social media network. The truth may lie somewhere in the middle. According to a senior Biden administration official, Trump and Bidens teams forged an unlikely partnership to secure the complex ceasefire during a transition marked by animosity and distrust. As the deal was announced on Wednesday, there were even notes of bonhomie between the rival teams, with Biden administration officials praising the partnership between diplomat Brett McGurk and Trumps envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff. It was really quite remarkable, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. Palestinians watch TV as they await the imminent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip. Picture: AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi Biden had told Trump he wanted to work together to secure a deal when the two met in the Oval Office shortly after Trumps surprise victory in the November elections, according to the official. In the final days of the negotiation this month, Witkoff, who does not hold any formal position in government, was invited to travel to Doha alongside the Biden administration officials taking part in negotiations. In one extraordinary moment, the official said, Witkoff was dispatched on his own to Israel to meet with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a high-stakes gambit to convince him to take the ceasefire deal. The meeting between Witkoff and Netanyahu, which took place during Shabbat over the initial objections of Netanyahus aides, was described as tense, according to Israeli media. Reports said that Witkoff put pressure on Netanyahu to accept a ceasefire-for-hostages deal and agree to key concessions to halt the war sooner. I thought that was quite effective, the Biden administration official said. The Times of Israel, citing its own sources, put it less charitably for the Biden camp: Arab officials: Trump envoy swayed Netanyahu more in one meeting than Biden did all year. In his public statements on the deal, Netanyahu appeared to snub Biden, calling president-elect Trump first to thank him for his help in advancing the release of the hostages and helping Israel to bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families. After relaying plans to come to Washington to meet with Trump to discuss the situation around Gaza, he added a curt line about his work with Biden: Prime minister Netanyahu then spoke with US President Joe Biden and thanked him as well for his assistance in advancing the hostages deal. Leaked details of the meeting between Netanyahu and Witkoff may have elements of theater to give Netanyahu cover for finally accepting a deal, said Matt Duss, the executive vice-president at the Center for International Policy and a former foreign policy adviser to Senator Bernie Sanders. But also, I think the fact is that Netanyahu understands that Trump is coming into office. Hes made clear he wants this war to end, and Trump operates according to a very different calculus than Biden. Biden has always made clear that no matter what Netanyahu does, he will continue to have unconditional, unstinting American support, he said. Netanyahu cannot be sure of that with Trump. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. File picture: AP In the US, Biden has faced attacks from both the right and left on his handling of the war, as well as anger among officials who believed that the United States was not putting sufficient pressure on Israel to halt its campaign in Gaza. Dozens of officials at the state department have bristled in public and private at the administrations handling of the war, arguing that Biden and his aides refusal to threaten to halt deliveries of arms and other aid to Israel over the war may have prolonged the military campaign. A Pentagon official previously told the Guardian that the ceasefire was being driven by Trumps team and Biden, Blinken and the whole administration secured its legacy as enablers. Pro-Trump Republicans have been equally scathing about Bidens efforts to end the war, although they have targeted him as too soft on Hamas. Senator John Cornyn of Texas on Thursday said that the deal was encouraging but obviously we know that President Biden has not been the best negotiator when it comes to these deals". Trump had previously warned that all hell will break out in the Middle East if a deal was not reached before his inauguration. Asked whether those threats may have led to the ceasefire, Cornyn replied: I dont believe in coincidences. So I do believe that President Trump had an impact on this deal. And obviously the Biden administration is eager to wrap this up. Yet the sharpest anger against Biden over the war has been voiced by progressives, who have said that the administrations overwhelming support for Israel may have both prolonged the war and cost the Harris campaign crucial votes on the left in the November elections. The ceasefire had come too late, some said, and would do little to burnish Bidens legacy on foreign policy. No ones going to buy that Biden delivered this ceasefire. No one, said Duss. He continued to give Netanyahu political cover, even as Netanyahu repeatedly undermined the possibility of a ceasefire. Over the last two weeks, Israel has repeatedly attacked Syria destroying military facilities and occupying territory in clear violation of the United Nations Charter, which forbids the use of military force against foreign states except in self-defense or with the authorisation of the Security Council. While some countries have condemned Israel, the United States and most others are withholding criticism. They probably fear if Syrias weapons are not destroyed, they could fall into the hands of terrorist organisations. Never mind that international law does not allow for such exceptions; it has become another casualty of events. Israels strikes in Syria are hardly an isolated example. The ruins of international law are all around us. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014 and again in 2022, illegally annexed Ukrainian territory, committed atrocities against Ukrainian soldiers and civilians, and now faces accusations of genocide. China has used violence to expand its control over the South China Sea, and it now seems poised to invade Taiwan an outcome no one believes will be stopped by international law. Picture: AP /Chiang Ying-ying China has used violence to expand its control over the South China Sea, and it now seems poised to invade Taiwan an outcome no one believes will be stopped by international law. Moreover, the US military interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria, and elsewhere over the past few decades were all based on dubious legal theories. International crimes are occurring worldwide, in conflict-ridden places like Israel and Gaza, Myanmar, Ethiopia, and Sudan, and within authoritarian countries that are at peace. Nor are wars and violence the only indications of international laws decline. The same trend afflicts the global economy. With its appellate body unable to function, the World Trade Organization has sat by helplessly as the world turns to protectionism. Likewise, the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Courts feeble records make a mockery of their founders ambitions. The ICJ was supposed to prevent war, and the ICC to ensure justice for victims of war crimes. But neither court does much at all. A less visible, but equally important, development is that international investment law has provoked a backlash from its intended beneficiaries. Bilateral investment treaties were supposed to promote economic development in poorer countries by protecting foreign investors from expropriation. But there is little evidence the law has helped these countries catch up. Even the European Union, the most successful international organisation, has had to contend with illiberal governments in Hungary and, until recently, Poland, and faces new challenges as Eurosceptic far-right parties gain power in its member states. Instead, multinational corporations have used it to block developing countries from implementing economic reforms and environmental regulations that might cut into their margins. Meanwhile, international law protecting migrants has spurred a nativist backlash in many destination countries, especially those that have been flooded with asylum seekers. As democracy recedes around the world, human-rights law is in tatters. Many governments are stripping citizens of basic legal protections, and political repression is on the rise in countries once thought to be on the road to political freedom. Even the European Union, the most successful international organisation, lost the United Kingdom, has had to contend with illiberal governments in Hungary and, until recently, Poland, and faces new challenges as Eurosceptic far-right parties gain power in its member states. In the United States, Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election despite, or perhaps because of, his contempt for international law. In his first term, the US withdrew from more than a dozen international agreements and organisations relating to security, human rights, climate change, and migration. Now, Trump plans to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization, as benign an international institution as there is, on the first day of his next term. But Barack Obama and Joe Biden also did little to promote international law during their respective terms. US recalcitrance has been bipartisan. Why has this happened? The simplest explanation is that international law is a victim of the anti-globalisation backlash. Globalisation was once the promised path to freedom and riches, but today people associate it with uncontrolled migration, job loss, pandemics, financial crises, and conflict. The benefits it generated for global economic growth were not sufficiently large, widespread, or visible to offset the real or perceived harms. But international law was supposed to lock into place a liberal global order. In the 1990s, officials and commentators argued international law enforces itself: as it spreads, it is internalised by states through their bureaucracies and further entrenched by public opinion. In fact, international law exists only to the extent that states meaning their leaders, elites, and public are willing and able to enforce it. Enforcing international law is costly to the enforcer, who must impose sanctions, cut off diplomatic relations, or engage in other actions that may harm it as much as, or more than, the violator. As governments increasingly realised the law stood in the way of their objectives, which change in response to changes in domestic needs and international relations, the incentive to maintain it waned. It didnt help that by the 1990s, it was common to claim international law reached deep into states traditional jurisdictions, with provisions to regulate family relations, religious norms, cultural values, and the organisation of the economy. Supporters of international law believed it would spur countries to adopt common moral and political values; it obviously has not. They also believed countries would kneel to the Washington Consensus free trade and investment, property rights, robust markets, low taxes since all these things seemed to make sense in the US and the West in the 1990s. But such policies turned out to be hard to impose on other countries and we now know hard to sustain at home. National prosperity depends on stability, and stability requires the broad sharing of economic benefits, respect for local cultures and norms, and a sense among citizens that their political leaders answer to them, not to the foreign NGOs and international bureaucracies that have become convenient political footballs. In the past, international law focused on protecting sovereignty, establishing basic forms of coordination (such as borders, time zones, maritime rules, and communication protocols), and, with more limited success, restricting the most extreme forms of violence, especially in war. Quite a few states, and not just China and Russia, have long urged the world to return to this modest but sustainable approach. The US, championing liberal internationalism, stood in the way. Under Trump, it may join them. Eric Posner is a professor at the University of Chicago Law School Rudy Giuliani settled with two former Georgia election workers on Thursday in a deal that will let him keep his homes and personal belongings in return for compensation and a promise to never defame them again, lawyers and the women said. The trial was supposed to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings and was supposed to start in the morning with Giulianis testimony. But that never happened. An agreement was announced by all parties in the afternoon. The former election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, had been seeking all of Giulianis property as part of a 148 million US dollar (121 million) defamation judgment against him. The women won the defamation judgment after saying Giulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, left, reads a statement alongside Giulianis son, Andrew, outside the court (Heather Khalifa/AP) In a statement, the women said: The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. The amount of the compensation was not disclosed. On social media, Giuliani released a statement, saying that he had reached a resolution that will satisfy the judgment against him. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings, he said. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same, Giuliani said. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, said outside the courthouse that the deal resulted from long negotiations over the last three days that went into the wee hours of the night. The deal negated the need for a trial that was supposed to begin on Thursday morning in Manhattan federal court, where Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness. He never came to court. The former Georgia election workers won the judgment against him. Giuliani, 80, was to testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the womens lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, also was found in contempt last week in Washington DC. The judge there found that Giuliani continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. Giuliani had already surrendered a New York apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other assets. Today Windy with rain showers. High 64F. Winds W at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 50 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low around 50F. Winds W at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Mostly cloudy. High 64F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Higher wind gusts possible. Hours after a ceasefire and hostage release agreement was announced, Israel ramped up strikes on Gaza, according to residents and officials in the Palestinian enclave. Mediators have been working to reduce violence ahead of the truce, set to commence on Sunday. The intricate ceasefire agreement between Israel and the militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, came to fruition after months of mediation from Qatar, Egypt, and the US, following 15 months of conflict that has ravaged the coastal territory and exacerbated tensions in the Middle East. The agreement stipulates an initial ceasefire lasting six weeks and a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, an area where tens of thousands have perished. The deal includes provisions for releasing hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel. Israels acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the countrys security cabinet and government. During a press conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stated that the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday. Negotiators are collaborating with both Israel and Hamas to implement the agreement, he added. Donald Trump, the former president, is set to take office on Monday and has claimed credit for the breakthrough in Gaza. As per an Israeli official, the deals acceptance will not be confirmed until the countrys security cabinet and government approve it, with voting scheduled for Thursday. Despite some dissent from hardliners within Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus coalition government, the accord is anticipated to gain approval. While celebrations erupted in Gaza and Israel over the deal, reports indicated an escalation of Israeli military actions following the announcement, according to local emergency services and residents. Heavy Israeli bombardment, especially in Gaza City, claimed the lives of 32 individuals. Intense Israeli bombardment, particularly in Gaza City, resulted in the deaths of 32 people late Wednesday, as reported by medical personnel. Air strikes continued early Thursday, causing destruction to homes in Rafah, Nuseirat, and northern Gaza, residents disclosed. The Israeli military did not provide immediate comments, and there were no reports of Hamas launching attacks against Israel following the ceasefire announcement. A Palestinian official involved in the ceasefire negotiations indicated that mediators were attempting to encourage both parties to halt hostilities ahead of the ceasefires commencement. Jubilation in Gaza On social media, some residents of Gaza cautioned fellow Palestinians to be extra vigilant, fearing that Israel might intensify attacks in the coming days to maximize advantages before the ceasefire takes effect. Despite this, news of the ceasefire deal ignited celebrations in Gaza, where residents have endured severe shortages of food, water, shelter, and fuel. In Khan Younis, crowds filled the streets, cheering, waving Palestinian flags, and dancing amidst the blaring of car horns. I am happy. Yes, I am crying, but those are tears of joy, expressed Ghada, a displaced mother of five. News of the ceasefire deal sparked jubilation in Gaza. In Tel Aviv, families and friends of Israeli hostages expressed similar sentiments, stating in a message that they felt overwhelming joy and relief (about) the agreement to bring our loved ones home. In a statement on social media, Hamas hailed the agreement as an achievement for our people and a turning point. If the ceasefire is successful, it will end hostilities that have devastated much of densely populated Gaza, resulting in over 46,000 casualties and the displacement of most of Gazas pre-war population of 2.3 million, according to local authorities. This development could help ease tensions across the broader Middle East, where the conflict has intensified unrest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Iraq, raising apprehensions of all-out war between regional adversaries Israel and Iran. With 98 Israeli hostages still in Gaza, the initial phase of the deal involves the release of 33 hostages, including all women, children, and men over the age of 50. Among those set to be released in the first phase are two American hostages, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, a source noted. Read more: Israel, Hamas reach a Gaza truce and hostage release agreement. Food lined up at Gazas borders The terms of the agreement include a significant increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza, with the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross announcing preparations to enhance their aid operations. A ceasefire is the start not the end. We have food lined up at the borders to Gaza and we need to be able to bring it in at scale, stated Cindy McCain, executive director of the World Food Program, on X. The global response to the ceasefire has been enthusiastic, with leaders and officials from Egypt, Turkey, Britain, the United Nations, the European Union, Jordan, Germany, and the United Arab Emirates, among others, celebrating the news. Both Mr. Biden and Mr. Trump have claimed credit for the deal, which took months to negotiate but was pushed to completion by a Trump envoy. Mr. Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, participated in the Qatar negotiations alongside White House representatives, and a senior Biden administration official remarked that Mr. Witkoffs involvement was crucial to finalizing the agreement after 96 hours of intense discussions. Wounded individuals are transported to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for medical treatment, despite the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel in Gaza. Mr. Biden remarked that the two teams had been speaking as one. Families of Israeli hostages expressed concerns that the agreement may not be fully enacted and that some hostages might be left behind in Gaza. Discussions regarding the second phase of the agreement will commence on the 16th day of the first phase, which is expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, a lasting ceasefire, and the complete evacuation of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third phase aims to address the return of all remaining deceased individuals and the initiation of Gazas reconstruction, supervised by Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations. If everything unfolds smoothly, Palestinians, Arab states, and Israel must still agree on a vision for post-war Gaza, including the crucial question of who will govern Gaza after the conflict. Israeli forces entered Gaza following a Hamas-led assault on Israeli border communities on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 soldiers and civilians and the abduction of over 250 hostages, according to Israeli counts. by Brett Murphy ( ProPublica ) Empty Threats: Since Oct. 7, 2023, Biden has repeatedly issued threats that Israel ignored. U.S. officials tried to enforce consequences but they couldnt. Internal Dissent: The State Department disregarded its own experts and cracked down on leaks. Some human rights officials said they were prevented from pursuing evidence of Israeli abuses. Costs of Inaction: Experts say Bidens failure to follow through led to impunity for widespread human rights abuses, including blocking aid deliveries, even after explicit U.S. warnings. These highlights were written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story. In early November, a small group of senior U.S. human rights diplomats met with a top official in President Joe Bidens State Department to make one final, emphatic plea: We must keep our word. Weeks before, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the administration delivered their most explicit ultimatum yet to Israel, demanding the Israel Defense Forces allow hundreds more trucksloads of food and medicine into Gaza every day or else. American law and Bidens own policies prohibit arms sales to countries that restrict humanitarian aid. Israel had 30 days to comply. In the month that followed, the IDF was accused of roundly defying the U.S., its most important ally. The Israeli military tightened its grip, continued to restrict desperately needed aid trucks and displaced 100,000 Palestinians from North Gaza, humanitarian groups found, exacerbating what was already a dire crisis to its worst point since the war began. Several attendees at the November meeting officials who help lead the State Departments efforts to promote racial equity, religious freedom and other high-minded principles of democracy said the United States international credibility had been severely damaged by Bidens unstinting support of Israel. If there was ever a time to hold Israel accountable, one ambassador at the meeting told Tom Sullivan, the State Departments counselor and a senior policy adviser to Blinken, it was now. But the decision had already been made. Sullivan said the deadline would likely pass without action and Biden would continue sending shipments of bombs uninterrupted, according to two people who were in the meeting. Those in the room deflated. Dont our law, policy and morals demand it? an attendee told me later, reflecting on the decision to once again capitulate. What is the rationale of this approach? There is no explanation they can articulate. Soon after, when the 30-day deadline was up, Blinken made it official and said that Israelis had begun implementing most of the steps he had laid out in his letter all thanks to the pressure the U.S. had applied. That choice was immediately called into question. On Nov. 14, a U.N. committee said that Israels methods in Gaza, including its use of starvation as a weapon, was consistent with genocide. Amnesty International went further and concluded a genocide was underway. The International Criminal Court also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for the war crime of deliberately starving civilians, among other allegations. (The U.S. and Israeli governments have rejected the genocide determination as well as the warrants.) The October red line was the last one Biden laid down, but it wasnt the first. His administration issued multiple threats, warnings and admonishments to Israel about its conduct after Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. Government officials worry Bidens record of empty threats have given the Israelis a sense of impunity. Trump, who has made a raft of pro-Israel nominations, made it clear he wanted the war in Gaza to end before he took office and threatened that all hell will break out if Hamas did not release its hostages by then. On Wednesday, after months of negotiations, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal. While it will become clear over the next days and months exactly what the contours of the agreement are, why it happened now and who deserves the most credit, its plausible that Trumps imminent ascension to the White House was its own form of a red line. Early reports suggest the deal looks similar to what has been on the table for months, raising the possibility that if the Biden administration had followed through on its tough words, a deal could have been reached earlier, saving lives. Netanyahus conclusion was that Biden doesnt have enough oomph to make him pay a price, so he was willing to ignore him, said Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute whos focused on U.S.-Israel relations and a former official with the Palestinian Authority who helped advise on prior peace talks. Part of it is that Netanyahu learned there is no cost to saying no to the current president. So-called red lines have long been a prominent foreign policy tool for the worlds most powerful nations. They are communicated publicly in pronouncements by senior officials and privately by emissaries. They amount to rules of the road for friends and adversaries you can go this far but no further. The failure to enforce those lines in recent years has had consequences, current and former U.S. officials said. One frequently cited example arose in 2012 when President Barack Obama told the Syrian government that using chemical weapons against its own people would change his calculus about directly intervening. When Syrias then-President Bashar al-Assad launched rockets with chemical gas and killed hundreds of civilians anyway, Obama backpedaled and ultimately chose not to invade, a move critics say allowed the civil war to spiral further while extremist groups took advantage by recruiting locals. Authorities in and outside government said the acquiescence to Israel as it prosecuted a brutal war will likely be regarded as one the most consequential foreign policy decisions of the Biden presidency. They say it undermines Americas ability to influence events in the Middle East while destroying the entire edifice of international law that was put into place after WWII, as Omer Bartov, a renowned Israeli-American scholar of genocide, put it. Jeffrey Feltman, the former assistant secretary of the State Departments Middle East bureau, told me he fears much of the Muslim world now sees the U.S. as ineffective at best or complicit at worst in the large-scale civilian destruction and death. Bidens warnings over the past year have also been explicit. Last spring, the president vowed to stop supplying offensive bombs to Israel if it launched a major invasion into the southern city of Rafah. He also told Netanyahu the U.S. was going to rethink support for the war unless he took new steps to protect civilians and aid workers after the IDF blew up a World Central Kitchen caravan. And Blinken signaled that he would blacklist a notorious IDF unit for the death of a Palestinian-American in the West Bank if the soldiers involved were not brought to justice. Time and again, Israel crossed the Biden administrations red lines without changing course in a meaningful way, according to interviews with government officials and outside experts. Each time, the U.S. yielded and continued to send Israels military deadly weapons of war, approving more than $17.9 billion in military assistance since late 2023, by some estimates. The State Department recently told Congress about another $8 billion proposed deal to sell Israel munitions and artillery shells. Its hard to avoid the conclusion that the red lines have all just been a smokescreen, said Stephen Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard Kennedy School and a preeminent authority on U.S. policy in the region. The Biden administration decided to be all in and merely pretended that it was trying to do something about it. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Blinken disagreed and said Netanyahu has listened to him by softening Israels most aggressive tactics, including in Rafah. He also argued there was a cost to even questioning the IDF openly. Whenever there has been public daylight between the United States and Israel and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel, Blinken said, Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a ceasefire and the release of hostages. He acknowledged that not enough humanitarian assistance has been reaching civilians and said the Israelis initially resisted the idea of allowing any food and medicine into Gaza which would be a war crime but Netanyahu relented in response to U.S. pressure behind the scenes. Blinken backtracked later in the interview and suggested that the blocking of aid was not Israeli policy. Theres a very different question about what was the intent, he told the Times. For this story, ProPublica spoke with scores of current and former officials throughout the year and read through government memos, cables and emails, many of which have not been reported previously. The records and interviews shed light on why Biden and his top advisers refused to adjust his policy even as new evidence of Israeli abuses emerged. Throughout the contentious year inside the State Department, senior leaders repeatedly disregarded their own experts. They cracked down on leaks by threatening criminal investigations and classifying material that was critical of Israel. Some of the agencys top Middle East diplomats complained in private that they were sidelined by Bidens National Security Council. The council also distributed a list of banned phrases, including any version of State of Palestine that didnt have the word future first. Two human rights officials said they were prevented from pursuing evidence of abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. The State Department did not make Blinken available for an interview, but the agencys top spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in a statement that Blinken welcomes internal dissent and has incorporated it into his policymaking. The Department continues to encourage individuals to make their opinions known through appropriate channels, he added. Miller denied that the agency has classified material for any reason other than national security. Over the past year, reports have documented physical and sexual abuse in Israeli prisons, using Palestinians as human shields and razing residential buildings and hospitals. At one point early in the conflict, UNICEF said more than 10 children required amputations every day on average. Israeli soldiers have videotaped themselves burning food supplies and ransacking homes. One IDF group reportedly said, Our job is to flatten Gaza. Israels defenders, including those on the National Security Council, acknowledge the devastating human toll but contend that American arms have helped Israel advance western interests in the region and protect itself from other enemies. Indeed, Netanyahu has significantly diminished Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing many of the groups leaders. Then Irans axis of resistance received its most consequential blow late last year when rebel groups ousted Assad from Syria. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told the Times of Israel he worried that a generation of young Americans will harbor anti-Israel sentiments into the future. He said he wished that Israel had done a better job at communicating how carefully it undertook combat decisions and calling attention to its humanitarian successes to counter a narrative in the American press that he considers biased. The media that is presenting a pro-Hamas perspective is out instantaneously telling a story, Lew said. It tells a story that is, over time, shown not to be completely accurate. Thirty-five children were killed. Well, it wasnt 35 children. It was many fewer. You can Stand under my Umbrella, Digital, Dream / Dreamland v3 / IbisPaint, Clip2Comic, 2024 The children who were killed, he added, turned out to have been the children of Hamas fighters. The repercussions for the United States and the region will play out for years. Protests have erupted outside the American embassies in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia, the worlds third-largest democracy, while polls show Arab Americans grew increasingly hostile to their own government stateside. Russia, before its black eye in Syria, and China have both sought to capitalize by entering business and defense deals with Arab nations. By the summer, State Department analysts in the Middle East sent cables to Washington expressing concerns that the IDFs conduct would only inflame tensions in the West Bank and galvanize young Palestinians to take up arms against Israel. Intelligence officials warn that terrorist groups are recruiting on the anti-American sentiment throughout the region, which they say is at its highest levels in years. The Israeli government did not answer detailed questions, but a spokesperson for the embassy in Washington, D.C., broadly defended Israels relationship with the U.S., two allies who have been working together to push back against extremist, destabilizing actors. Israel is a country of laws, the spokesperson added, and its actions over the past 15 months benefit the interests of the free world and the United States, creating an opportunity for a better future for the Middle East amid the tragedy of the war started by Hamas. Next week, Trump will inherit a demoralized State Department, part of the federal bureaucracy from which he has pledged to cull disloyal employees. Grappling with the near-daily images of carnage in Gaza, many across the U.S. government have become disenchanted with the lofty ideas they thought they represented. This is the human rights atrocity of our time, one senior diplomat told me. I work for the department thats responsible for this policy. I signed up for this. I dont deserve sympathy for it. The southern city of Rafah was supposed to be a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who the IDF had forced from their homes in the north at the start of the war. When Biden learned that Netanyahu intended to invade the city this spring, he warned that the U.S. will stop sending offensive arms if the Israelis went through with it. It is a red line, Biden had said, marking the first high-profile warning from the U.S. Netanyahu invaded in May anyway. Israeli tanks rolled into the city and the IDF dropped bombs on Hamas targets, including a refugee camp, killing dozens of civilians. Biden responded by pausing a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs but otherwise resumed military support. In late May, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop its assault on the city, citing the Geneva Conventions. Behind the scenes, State Department lawyers scrambled to come up with a legal basis on which Israel could continue smaller attacks in Rafah. There is room to argue that more scaled back/targeted operations, combined with better humanitarian efforts, would not meet that threshold, the lawyers said in a May 24 email. While its not unreasonable for government lawyers to defend a close ally, critics say the cable illustrates the extreme deference the U.S. affords Israel. The State Department has a whole raft of highly paid, very good lawyers to explain, Actually this is not illegal, when in fact it is, said Ari Tolany, an arms trade authority and director at the Center for International Policy, a Washington-based think tank. Rules for thee and not for me. The administration says that it restrained Israels attack in Rafah. In a recent interview, Lew told the Times of Israel the operation ultimately resulted in relatively few civilian casualties. It was done in a way that limited or really eliminated the friction between the United States and Israel, he added, but also led to a much better outcome. Several experts told me international law is effectively discretionary for some countries. American policy ignores it when its inconvenient and adheres to it when it is convenient, said Aaron Miller, a career State Department diplomat who worked for decades under both Democratic and Republican presidents as an adviser on Arab-Israeli negotiations. The U.S. does not leverage or bring sustainable, credible, serious pressure to bear on any of its allies and partners, he added, not just Israel. Miller and others note that the barbarity of Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, galvanized domestic support for Israel and made it significantly easier for Biden to avoid holding the Israelis accountable as they retaliated. There are other likely reasons for Bidens unwillingness to impose any realistic limitations on Israels use of American weaponry since Oct. 7. For one, his career-long affinity for Israel its security, people and the idea of a friendly democracy in the Middle East is shared by many of the most powerful people in the country. (If this Capitol crumbles to the ground, the one thing that would remain is our commitment to our aid I dont even call it aid, our cooperation with Israel, Nancy Pelosi said in 2018, weeks before resuming her role as House speaker.) That rationale aligned with the Democrats political goals during an election when they were wary of taking risks and upsetting large portions of the electorate, including the immensely powerful Israel lobby. Immediately after the ICJs order about the Rafah invasion, officials in the State Departments Middle East and communications divisions drafted a list of proposed public statements to acknowledge the importance of the court and express concern over civilians in the city. But Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesperson, nixed almost all of them. He told the officials in a May 24 email that those on the White Houses National Security Council arent going to clear any recognition of the ruling or criticism of Israel. That was an early sign that the State Department was taking a back seat in shaping war policy. In its place, the NSC largely led by Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein assumed a larger role. While the NSC has grown significantly in size and influence over the decades, State Department officials repeatedly told me they felt marginalized this past year. The NSC has final say over our messaging, one diplomat said. All any of us can do is what theyll allow us to do. The NSC did not make its senior leaders available for an interview or respond to questions from ProPublica. Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser and brother to the State Departments counselor, said recently it was difficult, for much of the past year, to get the Israeli government to align with a lot of what President Biden publicly has been saying about Gaza. Sullivan said too many civilians have died there and the U.S. was frequently required to publicly and privately pressure Israel to improve the flow of humanitarian aid. We believe Israel has a responsibility as a democracy, as a country committed to the basic principle of the value of innocent life, and as a member of the international community that has obligations under international humanitarian law that it do the utmost to protect and minimize harm to civilians. During another internal State Department meeting in March, top regional diplomats voiced their frustrations about messaging and appearances. Hady Amr, one of the governments highest-ranking authorities on Palestinian affairs, said he was reluctant to address large groups about the administrations Israel policy and he took issue with much of it, according to notes of the conversation. He warned colleagues that the sentiment in Muslim communities was turning. From a public diplomacy perspective, Amr told them, the war has been catastrophically bad for the U.S. (Amr did not respond to requests for comment.) Another attendee at the meeting said they had been effectively sidelined by the NSC. A third said it was a huge amount of effort to even get permission to use the word condemn when talking about Israeli settlers demolishing Palestinians homes in the West Bank. Such sanitizing language became common. Alex Smith, a former contractor with the U.S. Agency for International Development, said that at one point the State Department distributed NSCs list of phrases that he and others werent allowed to use on internal presentations. Instead of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, for example, they were meant to say non-Israeli residents of Jerusalem. Another official told Smith in an email, I would recommend not discussing [international humanitarian law] at all without extensive clearances. A USAID spokesperson said in an email that the agency couldnt discuss personnel matters, but the list of terms was given to the agency by the State Department as early as 2022, before the war in Gaza. The list, the spokesperson added, includes the suggested terms that are in line with U.S. diplomatic protocol. Deference to Israel is not new. For decades, the U.S. has repeatedly looked the other way when Israel is accused of human rights abuses. One of the most conspicuous paper tigers in American foreign policy is the Leahy Law, experts say. Passed more than 25 years ago, the laws authors intended to force foreign governments to hold their own accountable for violations like torture or extrajudicial killings or their military assistance would be restricted. The law allowed precision targeting of individual units that faced credible allegations, so that the U.S. didnt need to cut off entire countries from U.S.-funded weapons and training. Its essentially a blacklist. Almost immediately, Israel got special treatment, records show. In March 1998, IDF soldiers fired on journalists covering demonstrations in the West Bank city of Hebron. Congress asked the State Department, then led by Madeleine Albright, to take action under the new law. An Israeli official informed the U.S. Embassy that the soldiers were disciplined after the incident, but was unable to provide further information, State Department officials responded in a letter more than two years later to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the laws namesake. It is the Departments conclusion that there are insufficient grounds on which to conclude that the units involved committed gross violations of human rights. While the country took action across the globe in South America, the Pacific Rim and elsewhere, the U.S. government has never disqualified an Israeli military unit under the law despite voluminous evidence presented to the State Department. In 2020, the agency even set up a special council, called the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, to assess accusations against the countrys military and police units. The forum is composed of State Department officials with expertise in human rights, arms transfers and the Middle East who review public allegations of human rights abuses before making referrals to the Secretary of State. While it had ambitious goals to finally hold Israeli units accountable, the forum became widely known as just another layer of bureaucracy that slowed down the process and protected Israel. Current and former diplomats told me that U.S. leaders are fundamentally unwilling to follow through on the law and cut off units from American-funded weapons. Instead, they have created multiple processes that give the appearance of accountability while simultaneously undermining any potential results, the experts said. Its like walking toward the horizon, said Charles Blaha, a former director at the State Department who served on the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum. You can always walk toward it but you will never ever get there. I really believed in the Israeli military justice system and I really believed that the State Department was acting in good faith, he added. But both of those things were wrong. A review of the vetting forums emails and meeting minutes from 2021 through 2022 shows even the most high-profile and seemingly egregious cases fall into a bureaucratic black hole. After the IDF was accused of killing Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022, videos circulated on the internet of Israeli police units beating pallbearers at her funeral. It is indeed very difficult to watch, a deputy assistant secretary wrote in an email to a member of the forum. Another member told colleagues, I think this would be what is actionable for the funeral procession itself as we wait for more info on circumstances of death and whether this would trigger Leahy ineligibility. Neither Aklehs killing, nor the funeral beatings, led to Leahy determinations against Israel. For years, lawmakers pushed the U.S. government to take action on Aklehs case. Tim Rieser, a senior foreign policy aide who helped draft the Leahy Law, recently held a meeting with State Department officials to discuss the case again. The officials in the meeting again punted. Were talking about an American journalist who was killed by an Israeli soldier and nothing happened, he said. They are walking out the door on Jan. 20th and they havent implemented the law. In another case considered by the forum, a 15-year-old boy from the West Bank said he was tortured and raped in the Israeli detention facility Al-Mascobiyya, or Russian Compound. For years, the State Department had been told about widespread abuses in that facility and others like it. Military Court Watch, a local nonprofit organization of attorneys, collected testimony from more than 1,100 minors who had been detained between 2013 and 2023. Most said they were strip searched and many said they were beaten. Some teens tried to kill themselves in solitary confinement. IDF soldiers recalled children so scared that they peed themselves during arrests. At the Russian Compound, a 14-year-old said his interrogator shocked and beat him in the legs with sticks to elicit information about a car fire. A 15-year-old said he was handcuffed with another boy. An Israeli policeman then walked into the room and beat the hell out of me and the other boy, he said. A 12-year-old girl said she was put into a small cell with cockroaches. Military Court Watch routinely shared its information with the State Department, according to Gerard Horton, one of the groups co-founders. But nothing ever came of it. They receive all our reports and we name the facilities, he told me. It goes up the food chain and it gets political. Everyone knows whats going on and obviously no action is taken. Even the State Departments own public human rights reports acknowledge widespread allegations of abuse in Israeli prisons. Citing nonprofits, prisoner testimony and media reports, the agency wrote last year that detainees held by Israel were subjected to physical and sexual violence, threats, intimidation, severely restricted access to food and water. In the summer of 2021, the State Department reached out to the Israeli government and asked about the 15-year-old who said he was raped at the Russian Compound. The next day, the Israeli government raided the nonprofit that had originally documented the allegation, Defense for Children International Palestine, and then designated the group a terrorist organization. As a result, U.S. human rights officials said they were prohibited from speaking to DCIP. A large part of the frustration was that we were unable to access Palestinian civil society because most NGOs nongovernmental organizations were considered terrorist organizations, said Mike Casey, a former U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem who resigned last year. All these groups were essentially the premier human rights organizations, and we were not able to meet with them. Miller, the State Department spokesperson, said in his statement that the agency has not blanketly prohibited officials from speaking with groups that document allegations of human rights abuses and they continue to work with organizations in Israel and the West Bank. After the raid on DCIP, a member of the forum emailed his superior at the State Department and said the U.S. should push to get an explanation for the raid from the Israelis and re-raise our original request for info on the underlying allegation. But almost two years went by and there were no arrests, while those on the forum struggled to get basic information about the case. Then, in the early months of the Israel war on Hamas, another State Department official reached out to DCIP and tried to reengage, according to a recording of the conversation. As you can imagine, its been a bit touchy here, the official said on the call, explaining the months without correspondence. The Israeli governments not going to dictate to me who I can talk to, but my superiors can. The IDF eventually told the State Department it did not find evidence of a sexual assault but reprimanded the guard for kicking a chair during the teenagers interrogation. To date, the U.S. has not cut off the Russian Compound on Leahy grounds. In late April, there was surprising news: Blinken was reportedly set to take action against Netzah Yehuda, a notorious ultraorthodox IDF battalion, under the Leahy law. The Leahy forum had recommended several cases to him. But for months, he sat on the recommendations. One of them was the case of Omar Assad. On a cold night in January 2022, Netzah Yehuda soldiers pulled over Assad, an elderly Palestinian American who was on his way home from playing cards in the West Bank. They bound, blindfolded and gagged him and led him into a construction site, according to local investigators. He was found dead shortly after. After the killing, DAWN, an advocacy group founded by the slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, compiled a dossier of evidence on the case, including testimony from family and witnesses, as well as a medical examiners report. The report found Assad had traumatic injuries to the head and other injuries that caused a stress-induced heart attack. The group delivered the dossier to the State Departments Leahy forum. The dossier also included information about other incidents. For years, Netzah Yehuda has been accused of violent crimes in the West Bank, including killing unarmed Palestinians. They have also been convicted of torturing and abusing detainees in custody. By late 2023, after the Oct. 7 attacks, the experts on the forum decided that Assads case met all the conditions of the Leahy law: a human rights violation had occurred and the soldiers responsible had not been adequately punished. The forum recommended that the battalion should no longer receive any American-funded weapons or training until the perpetrators are brought to justice. ProPublica published an article in the spring of 2024 about Blinken sitting on the recommendations. But when he signaled his intention to take action shortly after, the Israelis responded with fury. Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces! Netanyahu posted on X. The intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The pressure campaign, which also reportedly came from Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. and Lew, the ambassador, appears to have worked. For months, Blinken punted on an official decision. Then, in August, the State Department announced that Netzah Yehuda would not be cut off from military aid after all because the U.S. had received new information that the IDF had effectively remediated the case. Two soldiers involved were removed from active duty and made ineligible to serve in the reserve, but there is no indication that anyone was charged with a crime. Miller, the spokesperson, said the IDF also took steps to avoid similar incidents in the future, like enhanced screening and a two-week educational seminar for Netzah Yehuda recruits. In seven and a half years as director of the State Department office that implements the Leahy law worldwide, Blaha wrote shortly after the announcement, I have never seen a single case in which mere administrative measures constituted sufficient remediation. In its statement to ProPublica, the Israeli government did not address individual cases, but said, All of the incidents in question were thoroughly examined by the American administration, which concluded that Israel took remedial measures when necessary. Last summer, CNN documented how commanders in the battalion have been promoted to senior positions in the IDF, where they train ground troops and run operations in Gaza. A weapons expert told me the guns that Netzah Yehuda soldiers have been photographed holding were likely made in the U.S. Later in the year, Younis Tirawi, a Palestinian journalist who runs a popular account on X, posted videos showing IDF soldiers who recorded themselves rummaging through childrens clothing inside a home and demolishing a mosques minaret. Tirawi said the soldiers were in Netzah Yehuda. (ProPublica could not independently verify the soldiers units.) Hebrew text added to one of the videos said, We wont leave a trace of them. On Nov. 14, more than a year after the war started, Human Rights Watch released a report and said that Israels forced displacement of Palestinians is widespread, systematic and intentional. It accused the Israelis of a crime against humanity, writing, Israels actions appear to also meet the definition of ethnic cleansing. (A former Israeli defense minister has also made that allegation.) During a news briefing later that day, reporters pressed a State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, on the reports findings. Patel said the U.S. government disagrees and has not seen evidence of forced displacement in Gaza. That, he said, certainly would be a red line. Mariam Elba contributed research. ProPublica Brett Murphy has been a reporter on ProPublicas national desk since 2022. That year, he published a series of articles uncovering a new junk science in the justice system known as 911 call analysis. The reporting won a George Polk Award, among other honors. In 2023, he and colleagues revealed how a set of politically connected billionaires provided lavish gifts and travel to Supreme Court justices over many years. Those stories won the Pulitzer Prize gold medal for public service. Murphy joined ProPublica after working as an investigative reporter at USA Today, where he covered labor, criminal justice and the federal government. There, Murphy won several journalism awards, including the International Livingston Award for his investigation into a U.S. military attack on its own security forces in Afghanistan, which killed dozens of civilians, including as many as 60 children. Murphys stories on widespread labor abuses in Californias port trucking industry was a finalist for the 2018 Pulitzer Prize and spurred a raft of reforms. Before USA Today, Murphy covered courts and hurricanes for the Naples Daily News and other Gannett newspapers. He also co-founded the Local Matters newsletter, a weekly roundup of the best investigative and watchdog reporting from local newsrooms around the country. Murphy is based in Brooklyn. Over the past 15 months, the international community has failed to prevent genocidal atrocities in Gaza. Dismantling the UN refugee agency would perfect the nightmare. New York (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) Early in the year, State Department officials briefed Joel Rayburn from the Trump transition team there could be a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza when a new Israeli law barring contact with the UN refugee agency for Palestinians takes effect at the end of the month. The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) is the primary aid agency operating in the Gaza Strip. After more than a year of war, the UN and other aid organizations warn Gaza is close to uninhabitable. Tens of thousands of houses have been destroyed. More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed and over 107,000 injured. In the future, these numbers are likely to prove three to four times higher. And still worse could be ahead. During President Trumps first term, his administration gradually cut all U.S. assistance to UNRWA. The Biden administration later resumed U.S. aid to the agency. Last March, Congress passed a law that bans the U.S. from funding UNRWA until at least 2025. Why should the horrific policy errors of the past be compounded with monstrous new policy mistakes? The origins The fate of UNRWA is one of the many dilemmas I scrutinized while working on The Fall of Israel (2025). After achieving an initial truce in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, Count Folke Bernadotte, a Swedish diplomat, used it to lay the groundwork for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. Bernadotte tried to balance the different interests of the Israelis and Palestinians, the major powers in the region and the UN Partition Plan. Having witnessed the horrible outcome of the Jewish Holocaust in Europe and hoping to avert a catastrophe in Palestine, he also proposed that the UN should establish a Palestine conciliation commission and Arab refugees would have a full right to return to their homes in Jewish-controlled territory. Just hours after his proposal, Bernadotte was assassinated in Jerusalem by the Jewish paramilitary Stern group, while pursuing his official duties. One of those who planned the killing was Yitzhak Shamir, the future prime minister of Israel, and the predecessor and onetime mentor of Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels current PM. Ever since then, UNRWA has been a lifeline to generations of Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the adjacent Arab countries. Created as a purely temporary measure, UNRWAs mandate has been subject to renewal every three years ever since. Dan Steinbock, The Fall of Israel: The Degradation of Israels Politics, Economy & Military. Clarity Press, 2025. Click here to buy. Historically, the United States has been UNRWAs largest financial contributor, with more than $7.3 billion since 1950. From the start, these contributions have been subject to a variety of legislative conditions and oversight measures, however. Funding threats Decades of U.S. policy toward Israel and the occupied territories, however ambiguous, was reversed almost overnight, when the Trump administration executed a series of dramatic policy changes in 2018 and canceled nearly all U.S. aid to the West Bank and Gaza, plus $360 million in annual aid previously given to the UNRWA. Subsequently, the Biden administration restored much of the funding, yet provided Israel weapons and financing for the mass atrocities of those the UNRWA funding was supposed to help. After allegations surfaced connecting a few of the 30,000 UNRWA employees with the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks against Israel, the Agency fired nine staff members following a UN investigation. While it denied allegations that the agency has widespread links to Hamas, Congress enacted a March 2024 prohibition on U.S. funding to UNRWA (P.L. 118-47), which is set to last until late March, 2025. To put things into context: The Empire State Building is said to have 21,000 employees. Imagine what would happen if six of them would be suspected of terrorism and therefore the entire building would have to be dismantled and all employees fired? It would be an absurd collective punishment for the alleged crimes of a few. Worse, the Israeli laws passed on October 28, 2024 and scheduled to take effect 90 days later, would endanger the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, and Jerusalem. Millions of lives threatened The new U.S. and Israeli legal measures emboldened Jewish settlers, particularly the Messianic far-right. In May 2024 they launched several attacks on the UNRWA headquarters, setting fire to the perimeter of the building in East Jerusalem. The attacks against UNRWA came after months of far-right settler protests outside of the building, following Israeli claims of UNRWA-Hamas links; accusations that lacked verification, according to U.S. intelligence. Among the protesters was Aryeh King, a deputy mayor of Jerusalem and a prominent advocate for settlements, who called Palestinian Gazans Muslim Nazis, described them as sub-human calling for captured Palestinians to be buried alive in December 2023. By the year-end of 2024, some 265 UNRWA staff had been killed in hostilities since October 7, 2023. Despite a record-high number that suggests intentional targeting, those behind the Israeli strikes have not been prosecuted. More than 5.9 million Palestinians, including three of four in Gaza, are registered with UNRWA as refugees. The stakes In Gaza, nearly two million Palestinians are displaced and dependent on aid for food, water and medical services. U.S. officials say theres no serious backup plan for providing humanitarian supplies and services to Palestinians. With the new U.S.-Israeli laws, senior UNRWA emergency officers presage social order in the Strip could collapse. Here are some ways to preempt such disasters: The White House should pressure Israel to suspend and nullify the impending adverse acts against UNRWA S. Congress should lift current prohibition on UNRWA funding through March 2025 UNRWAs funding should be broadened by the U.S. and internationally in light of the devastation and genocidal atrocities caused in Gaza The Agencys existence should be premised on the implementation of all relevant and existing UN resolutions both the U.S. and the international community have voted for. How probable are such measures in the conceivable future? Highly unlikely. Whats the alternative? Far worse, far worse. By Scott Lucas, University College Dublin (The Conversation) After 15 months of bitter conflict on the Gaza Strip, a ceasefire deal has been agreed which promises an end to the fighting and will allow for the access of food and other desperately needed humanitarian aid to the civilian population. Since the Israel Defense Forces launched their ground operation in Gaza in October 2023 in response to the Hamas terror attack of October 7, more than 46,000 Palestinians are reported to have been killed, including 17,492 children. More than 1.9 million of the Gaza Strips 2.2 million inhabitants have been displaced and much of the infrastructure and housing has been destroyed or badly damaged. We asked Scott Lucas, an expert in the Middle East conflict at University College Dublin, to explain the key issues that have led to the agreement and what it means for the future of the region. What do we know about this ceasefire deal? Despite hopes for several days that a ceasefire might finally be agreed, there are still twists, turns, and uncertainty. Even as Qatar was announcing that its prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed al-Thani who is also the countrys foreign minister would hold a press conference, the Associated Press announced that the talks had hit a last-minute snag with Israel blaming Hamas. Just after 5pm GMT, Israeli as well as Hamas and Qatari officials said Israel and Hamas had accepted a three-stage deal. But an hour later, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said the agreement was still not confirmed. Under the agreement, in the first, six-week stage around 1,650 Palestinians will be released from Israeli prisoners. Meanwhile 33 of around 95 hostages some alive, some dead will be freed by Hamas and other groups such as Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israeli forces will withdraw from population centres, Palestinians will be allowed to start returning to their homes in northern Gaza. And there will be a surge of humanitarian aid, with around 600 trucks entering each day. In the second stage, Hamas has pledged to release the remaining living captives, most of them male soldiers, in exchange for release of more Palestinians and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. In the third phase, the bodies of remaining hostages would be returned in exchange for a three to five-year reconstruction plan in Gaza under international supervision. At 5.02pm GMT, Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social website confirming that a deal had been agreed: But if Israels prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu the long-time obstacle to a final agreement dropped his objections, he could face unrest within his cabinet from hard-right members. National security minister Itamar Ben Gvir has called on finance minister Bezalel Smotrich to join him again in thwarting an agreement. So the important caveat to any celebration is that the deal still has to be approved by Israels ministers. Weve been here before what has changed? The three-stage proposal was put forward last May and discussed through the summer. In September, one of Israels lead negotiators, Mossad head David Barnea, returned to Qatar amid hopes for a resolution. But Netanyahu then publicly imposed the condition that Israeli troops continue their occupation of two areas in Gaza, the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt border, and the Netzarim Corridor across the centre of the Strip. It is unclear why Netanyahu appears to have now decided to accept a ceasefire. Some reports cite a meeting with Steve Witkoff, the envoy of incoming US president Donald Trump. But Trump effectively gave Netanyahu a blank cheque in October, saying: Bibi, do what you have to do. The Israeli political environment is far more likely to be instrumental. Netanyahu has been under pressure for months from former members of his war cabinet, Benny Gantz and the now-dismissed defence minister, Yoav Gallant as well as from opposition parties and from sections of Israeli society, notably the families of hostages. Netanyahu had long resisted that pressure, preferring the open-ended war with the quest to absolutely destroy Hamas. He may now calculate that his agreement to stop, with Hamas far from destroyed now does not look like a capitulation to Hamas, the Biden administration, or his domestic foes. He may present the agreement as a pragmatic step, given the change of power in the US with a new president who will sing his praises. Still, he faces the risk that a ceasefire could mean early elections as his government fractures. That could mean a return of focus to his trial on bribery charges. And so, up to the last minute, he will hesitate, waver, and confuse. Israeli and Arab officials may be flattering Trumps ego with the portrayal of Witkoffs intervention swaying the prime minister. There has been no indication of what pressure or incentive that the envoy brought Netanyahu. One possibility is that the incoming Trump administration has signalled that it will accept an expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian West Bank. This would reinforce the position taken by Trump in his first term, and the hard-right Israeli ministers Ben Gvir and Smotrich could drop any ceasefire objections in return for an assurance of Washingtons support. Can Netanyahu make this deal stick at home? If Netanyahus cabinet votes to accept the agreement, the Israeli prime minister should be able to ride out the immediate opposition from the right-wingers. Opposition leaders have already backed the deal, and much of the Israeli population is weary of the military campaign and just wants the violence to end. Gaza Peace Agreement, Digital, Midjourney, 2024 Although Netanyahu cannot claim absolute victory over Hamas, which is his long-stated goal, he can point to the decimation of the organisations top ranks. Since the latest round of the conflict began in October 2023, Hamas has lost its military leader, Yahya Sinwar, its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, and Mohammad Deif, the planner of Hamas mass killings inside Israel on October 7, 2023. Most importantly, Netanyahu can present the return of all of the hostages. Hell hope for a boost, but just from the celebrations of the families of those still alive, but also from the families of the dead, who will have a chance at closure. How about the future of Hamas and Gaza? Hamas will have to rebuild, probably with Yahya Sinwars brother Mohammed as the new leader. Its political and military commands will have to reestablish themselves. But the group has survived inside Gaza. Not only has it not been expelled, but at this point there is no apparent alternative to its governance. So it will have to be involved at some level not only in the maintenance of the ceasefire but in the reconstruction operations. As for Gazas civilians, they have long been the expendable pawns in this conflict. They are the large majority of the more than 46,000 killed which is a conservative figure. At least 1.9 million, out of a population of around around 2.2 million, are now displaced and in dire humanitarian conditions. While the ceasefire would halt Israeli attacks and allow some people to return to their homes, the situation is likely to be precarious. The Netanyahu government could always threaten a resumption of airstrikes, if not ground assaults, or obstruction of humanitarian aid. Hamas, which was not enthusiastically supported before October 7 by many civilians because of economic and social issues, appears to have sacrificed most of Gazas civilians for its headline moment on October 7, 2023. It is not clear what long-term future they can offer those who have survived. Donald Trumps about to take power did that change things? Whether or not Trumps envoy Witkoff had a direct role in the move towards a ceasefire, the advent of Trump 2.0 could have mobilised all those involved in the talks to make a final push for a settlement. Given the unpredictable and often incoherent approach of Trump, and his propensity to sideline and dismiss senior advisors, there is no assurance over future direction of US policy after January 20. Netanyahu might have benefited from Trumps blank cheque, but all others Hamas and other groups in Gaza as well as the Arab States would likely be operating in a sphere of uncertainty. Meanwhile, as headlines swirled about the politics and the personalities, the 15-month reality continued. In the 48 hours leading up to the agreement being signed, at least 123 people have been killed and several hundred others injured by Israeli attacks across Gaza. Does the killing finally end? And for how long? Scott Lucas, Professor of International Politics, Clinton Institute, University College Dublin This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / January 16, 2025 /Galway Metals Inc. (TSXV:GWM) (OTCQB:GAYMF) (the "Company" or "Galway") is pleased to report assay results from 12 diamond drill holes from the South Deposit at the Company's 100%-owned flagship Clarence Stream high-grade gold project in New Brunswick, Canada. The Clarence Stream Gold Project has district-scale potential with approximately 65-kilometre strike length of highly prospective gold showings and anomalies; and a 2022 MRE of 12.4 Mt @ 2.3 g/t Au Indicated for 922,000 oz., and 16.0 Mt @ 2.6 g/t Au Inferred for 1.334 M oz. gold from the NI 43-101 technical report titled "Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd. The MRE contains an antimony resource in addition to gold. "High-grade gold intercepts near the margin of our current resource pit models show there is an enormous potential to expend these deposits along strike and at depth, as well as to enhance the gold continuity within the current resource pits. In 2025 we will continue to build and improve the potential economics of our deposits with drilling and on going economic and metallurgical studies" states Rob Hincliffe, President and CEO of Galway metals. He adds "In light of recent news regarding Chinese export restrictions on antimony, resulting in global antimony prices rising by 300% to the current level of US$15.00 per pound. Galway is keen to continue drilling the South and North Deposits, which contain over 25 million pounds of antimony stated in the 2022 Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Estimate." Highlights CS-414 intersected 26.9 g/t gold over 8.6 metres including 368.0 g/t gold over 0.5 metres CS-400 intersected 3.3 g/t gold over 3.0 metres including 10.9 g/t gold over 0.6 metres CS-399 intersected 1.9 g/t gold over 5.1 metres including 8.3 g/t gold over 0.5 metres Continuing to Add Ounces to the Potential South Deposit Starter Pit The reported assays from the 2024 drilling program (plan map) at the South Deposit confirm the potential to expand the resource by infilling drilling between known intercepts. CS-414 intersected a wide and high-grade zone on the western area of the South Deposit and CS-415 extended the mineralization to depth and the margin of the current resource pit shells (section 1). Historical drilling had limited and wide spaced section (100-200m) spaced drill sections, separating the western side of the South Deposit and the eastern side of the deposit. Galway drilled holes CS-397, 398, 399, 400, and 413 to test mineralization at depth below the known resource pits and between historical drilling intercepts. All five of those holes intersected mineralization, which will connect zones with deep spaced holes down dip (section 2). Drilling in 2025 is planned to follow up on 2024 drilling and target addition high-grade zones that fall within and near the margins of the current resource. For the complete assay and collar location for the reported assays, please click on the following link. Over 25 Million Pounds of Antimony at Clarence Stream On August 14, China announced export restrictions on antimony, following previous restrictions in place on Rare Earth Elements (REE's). Antimony is classified as a critical mineral in many countries including the United States, European Union, and China and is used to create flame-retardant minerals, military defence equipment and battery technology. Clarence Stream contains one of the largest antimony resources in New Brunswick, with a 2022 Mineral Resource Estimate (Link to Resource) of antimony having 9,605 t of indicated resource and 2,145 t of inferred resource (Technical Report on the Clarence Stream Mineral Resource Project, New Brunswick, Canada" dated March 31, 2022, by SLR Consulting Ltd.). The antimony resource at Clarence Stream is currently contained within the South and North Deposits. In 2025 Galway is planning on drilling both deposits to expand mineralization outside of the known resource pits shells as well as increasing the gold ounces contained within these pit shells, this work will mostly likely increase the antimony resource contained within these deposits. Historical Antimony Intercepts North Zone Intercepts South Zone Intercepts Hole ID Length (m) Sb (%) Hole ID Length (m) Sb (%) AD02-46 8.0 3.0 CS17-366 4.6 8.1 AD02-11 4.0 12.7 CS01-44 5.5 1.8 AD02-19 3.9 22.4 CS16-343 5.0 3.0 AD03-53 11.3 15.6 CS01-43 5.0 1.9 AD02-28 7.0 6.6 CS01-46 3.5 2.2 Geology and Mineralization The Clarence Stream deposits can be characterized as intrusion-related, structurally controlled, quartz-vein hosted gold deposits. These deposits consist of quartz veins and quartz stockwork within brittle-ductile fault zones that include adjacent crushed, altered wall rocks and veinlet material. The mineralized systems are hosted in intrusive and metasedimentary rocks within high strain zones controlled by regional fault systems. Pyrite, base metal sulphides, and stibnite occur in these deposits along with anomalous concentrations of bismuth, arsenic, antimony and tungsten. Alteration in the host rocks is confined within a few metres of quartz veins and occurs mainly in the form of sericitization and chloritization. A more complete description of Clarence Stream's geology and mineralization can be found at www.galwaymetalsinc.com. New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program Galway would like to acknowledge financial support from the New Brunswick Junior Mining Assistance Program, which will contribute up to $50,000 towards exploration drilling in 2024. Review by Qualified Person Jesse Fisher, P.Geo., Project Manager for Galway Metals, is the Qualified Person who supervised the preparation of the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release on behalf of Galway Metals Inc. Quality Control and Reports All core, chip/boulder samples, and soil samples are assayed by Activation Laboratories, located at 41 Bittern Street, Ancaster, Ontario, Canada, Agat Laboratories, located at 5623 McAdam Road, Mississauga Ontario, Canada L4Z 1N9 and 35 General Aviation Road, Timmins, ON P4P 7C3, and/or Swastika Laboratories situated in Swastika, ON. All four labs have ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation. All core is under watch from the drill site to the core processing facility. All samples are assayed for gold by Fire Assay, with gravimetric finish, and other elements assayed using ICP. The Company's QA/QC program includes the regular insertion of blanks and standards into the sample shipments, as well as instructions for duplication. Standards, blanks and duplicates are inserted at one per 20 samples. Approximately five percent (5%) of the pulps and rejects are sent for check assaying at a second lab with the results averaged and intersections updated when received. Core recovery in the mineralized zones has averaged 99%. About Galway Metals Inc. Galway Metals is a Canadian mineral exploration and development company focused on advancing its 100%-owned, high-grade, open-pitable flagship Clarence Stream gold project in southwest New Brunswick. Clarence Stream is an emerging gold district with an exploration strike length of approximately 65 kilometres and widths of up to 28 kilometres in certain areas. Galway Metals also has 100%-ownership in the Estrades project, a former producing high-grade, gold-rich polymetallic VMS mine in the northern Abitibi of western Quebec. Led by a management team with a proven track-record of creating shareholder value having sold Galway Resources for US$340 million, Galway Metals is focused on creating value for all its stakeholders. For additional Information on Galway Metals Inc., Please contact: Robert Hinchcliffe President & Chief Executive Officer Telephone: 1-800-771-0680 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.galwaymetalsinc.com Look us up on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn Cautionary Statement Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Toronto Stock Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein. This News Release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on information currently available to the Company, the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Risks, uncertainties and other factors involved with forward-looking information could cause actual events, results, performance, prospects and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Forward looking information in this news release includes, but is not limited to, the Company's objectives, goals or future plans, information with respect to the OTCQB listing, DTC eligibility, and broadening U.S. institutional and retail investors. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking information include, but are not limited to changes in economic conditions or financial markets, political and competitive developments, operation or exploration difficulties, changes in equity markets, changes in exchange rates, fluctuations in commodity prices capital, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from estimates and the other risks involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, an inability to predict and counteract the effects of COVID-19 on the business of the Company, including but not limited to the effects of COVID-19 on the price of commodities, capital market conditions, restrictions on labour and international travel and supply chains, and those risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on such information, which only applies as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, other than as required by law. LEWISVILLE, Ark., Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Standard Lithium Ltd. (Standard Lithium) (TSXV:SLI) (NYSE:A:SLI), a leading near-commercial lithium developer, and Equinor, a global energy leader, today announced that its jointly-owned U.S. subsidiary, SWA Lithium LLC, has closed the US$225 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Office of Manufacturing & Energy Supply Chains. The grant will support construction of Phase 1 of the South West Arkansas (SWA) project. Closing of the DOE grant is a testament to the caliber of the South West Arkansas project, said David Park, CEO and Director of Standard Lithium. SWA is one of the highest-grade lithium brine projects in North America, and through the use of DLE technology, a near-term, sustainable opportunity to help secure Americas domestic lithium supply chain. The U.S. Department of Energys support demonstrates the projects maturity and strengthens its financial robustness as we work towards a final investment decision. We look forward to working with Standard Lithium and alongside the local community to enhance the US lithium supply chain by deploying innovative technology, says Hege Skryseth, Executive Vice President for Technology, Digital & Innovation in Equinor. The SWA project is expected to be one of the worlds first commercial-scale Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) facilities. The project, located in Lafayette and Columbia Counties, Arkansas, is expected to produce 45,000 tonnes per annum of lithium carbonate, developed in two phases of 22,500 tonnes each. It is being developed in partnership with global energy leader Equinor, with ownership shared at 55% by Standard Lithium and 45% by Equinor. A Definitive Feasibility Study and Front-End Engineering Design for the Project are currently underway. The partnership is targeting a Final Investment Decision (FID) by the end of 2025 with Phase 1 production commencing as soon as 2028. As part of receiving the grant, the Project is subject to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and will require completion of an Environmental Assessment (EA). The Company expects to complete the EA this year, prior to reaching FID. More information, including the opportunity for public comment and review, will be shared as the process progresses beginning in 2025. David Park stated, Were committed to ensuring this project is a win for the Lewisville and southwest Arkansas communities. For us that means adding approximately 100 direct, long-term jobs and 300 construction jobs, with a commitment to hire at least 40% of the operations workforce locally. Additionally, this Project will further benefit the local community through infrastructure improvements, healthcare initiatives, educational partnerships, and workforce development programs. About Standard Lithium Ltd. Standard Lithium is a leading near-commercial lithium development company focused on the sustainable development of a portfolio of large, high-grade lithium-brine properties in the United States. The Company prioritizes projects characterized by the highest quality resources, robust infrastructure, skilled labor, and streamlined permitting. Standard Lithium aims to achieve sustainable, commercial-scale lithium production via the application of a scalable and fully integrated Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) and purification process. The Companys flagship projects are located in the Smackover Formation, a world-class lithium brine asset, focused in Arkansas and Texas. In partnership with global energy leader Equinor ASA, Standard Lithium is advancing the South West Arkansas project, a greenfield project located in southern Arkansas, and actively exploring promising lithium brine prospects in East Texas. Additionally, the Company is advancing the Phase 1A project in partnership with LANXESS Corporation, a brownfield development project located in southern Arkansas. Standard Lithium also holds an interest in certain mineral leases in the Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County, California. Standard Lithium trades on both the TSX Venture Exchange and the NYSE American under the symbol SLI; and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol S5L. Please visit the Companys website at www.standardlithium.com. About Equinor Equinor is an international energy company committed to long-term value creation in a low-carbon future. Equinors portfolio of projects encompasses oil and gas, renewables and low-carbon solutions, with an ambition of becoming a net-zero energy company by 2050. Headquartered in Norway, Equinor is the leading operator on the Norwegian continental shelf and is present in around 30 countries worldwide. Our partnership with Standard Lithium to mature DLE projects builds on our broad US energy portfolio of oil and gas, offshore wind, low carbon solutions and battery storage projects. For more information on Equinor in the US, please visit: Equinor in the US - Equinor Qualified Person Steve Ross, P.Geol., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for mineral projects, and Vice President Resource Development for Standard Lithium, has reviewed and approved the relevant scientific and technical information in this news release. Media Contacts: Chris Lang Standard Lithium Ltd. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ola Morten Aanestad Equinor This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain certain Forward-Looking Statements within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used in this news release, the words anticipate, believe, estimate, expect, target, plan, forecast, may, schedule and other similar words or expressions identify forward-looking statements or information. These forward-looking statements or information may relate to intended development timelines, future prices of commodities, accuracy of mineral or resource exploration activity, reserves or resources, regulatory or government requirements or approvals, the reliability of third party information, continued access to mineral properties or infrastructure, fluctuations in the market for lithium and its derivatives, changes in exploration costs and government regulation in Canada and the United States, and other factors or information. Such statements represent the Companys current views with respect to future events and are necessarily based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social risks, contingencies and uncertainties. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements or information to reflect changes in assumptions or changes in circumstances or any other events affecting such statements and information other than as required by applicable laws, rules and regulations. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FIREWEED METALS CORP. (Fireweed or the Company) (TSXV: FWZ; OTCQX: FWEDF) is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Harvest claims from Strategic Metals Limited ("Strategic Metals"). These claims are fully enclosed within the boundaries of Fireweed's Macpass Project, further consolidating the Company's position in the District. Highlights Acquisition of 42 Harvest Claims, encompassing an area of approximately 8.77 km 2 . . Claims situated on the northern side of the Macpass property (see Map 1) in a belt of known barite-zinc-lead-silver showings. Exploration potential includes significant zinc-in-soil anomalies and stratigraphic units prospective for high-grade massive sulphide mineralization. CEO Statement Peter Hemstead, Interim President and CEO, stated, The acquisition of the Harvest Claims addresses the only remaining gap within the core of the Macpass property, consolidating prime ground within the prolific Selwyn Basin and presenting strong potential for high-grade zinc mineralization. This acquisition aligns with our strategy to realize the full potential of our property, and we are eager to advance exploration on this highly prospective ground. Exploration Potential The Harvest Claims are strategically located within a belt of known barite-zinc-lead-silver showings, featuring the same barite-bearing stratigraphic interval hosting high-grade massive sulphide mineralization at the Boundary Zone. Historical soil sampling data reveals significant zinc-in-soil anomalies, with recent, high-quality soil data from adjacent Fireweed claims showing substantial lead, barium, silver, and zinc anomalies along strike. This area includes barite deposits that could act as chemical traps for mineralizing fluids. The claims also present modest potential for gold mineralization, with nearby gold targets indicating possible buried intrusions. Fireweed plans to conduct detailed soil geochemical surveys, prospecting, and reconnaissance drilling to unlock the full potential of these claims. Purchase Agreement Detail The agreement with Strategic Metals includes the following terms: A cash payment of C$150,000 to Strategic Metals Issuance of 147,888 Fireweed shares. A Net Smelter Return (NSR) royalty of 0.5% on base metals and silver and 2% on gold from future production at the Harvest property. Fireweed will retain the option to buy back 50% of the royalties (0.25% of base metal and silver NSR, and a 1% gold NSR), for C$1,000,000. No finder's fees were paid in connection with this transaction. Additionally, the transaction does not involve any Non-Arm's Length Parties, and there are no relationships between Fireweed, its Insiders, and the sellers of the asset. Map 1: Harvest Claims within the Macpass Project area. Qualified Person Statement Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Fireweed Senior Geologist, Ian Carr, P.Geo. (BC), a Qualified Person as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Carr is not independent of the Company in accordance with NI 43-101. About Fireweed Metals Corp. Fireweed is an exploration company focused on unlocking value in a new critical metals district located in Northern Canada. Fireweed is 100% owner of the Macpass District, a large and highly prospective 985 km2 land package. The Macpass District includes the Macpass zinc-lead-silver project and the Mactung tungsten project. A Lundin Group company, Fireweed is strongly positioned to create meaningful value. Fireweed trades on the TSX Venture Exchange under the trading symbol FWZ, on the OTCQX Best Market under the symbol FWEDF, and on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the trading symbol M0G. Additional information about Fireweed and its projects can be found on the Companys website at FireweedMetals.com and at www.sedarplus.com ON BEHALF OF FIREWEED METALS CORP. Peter Hemstead CEO & Director Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Statements Forward Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements and information (forward-looking statements). All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein, including, without limitation, statements relating to interpretation of drill results, targets for exploration, potential extensions of mineralized zones, future work plans, the use of funds, and the potential of the Companys projects, are forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects, "anticipates, "believes, "intends, "estimates, "potential, "possible, and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will, "may, "could, or "should occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to Company management and reflect the beliefs, opinions, and projections on the date the statements are made. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include but are not limited to, exploration and development risks, unanticipated reclamation expenses, expenditure and financing requirements, general economic conditions, changes in financial markets, the ability to properly and efficiently staff the Companys operations, the sufficiency of working capital and funding for continued operations, title matters, First Nations relations, operating hazards, political and economic factors, competitive factors, metal prices, relationships with vendors and strategic partners, governmental regulations and oversight, permitting, seasonality and weather, technological change, industry practices, uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and laboratory tests, and one-time events. The Company assumes no obligation to update forwardlooking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections or other factors, except as required by law. Contact: Alex Campbell Phone: +1 (604) 689-7842 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Vancouver, BC - TheNewswire - January 16th, 2025 Durango Resources Inc. (TSX.V: DGO) (Frankfurt: 86A1) (OTCQB -ATOXF) (Durango or the Company) is pleased to announce the acquisition of five critical metals properties in Canada, including one antimony project, one rare earth project, and three copper projects to compliment the Companys growing strategic resource property portfolio. Antimony Project The Company has acquired an antimony project that is 115.57 hectares and located in Haida Gwaii, northern British Columbia. Highlights hosts 5% stibnite (antimony mineral) and cinnabar. veinlets and fracture filling within a cherty argillaceous sandstone. showing is 2.5-3m wide and 10-12m long at surface. Historical Work The BC Minfile report (No 103F 059) states: Mineralization consists of up to 30 per cent realgar, 5 per cent stibnite, 5 per cent orpiment, with lesser pyrite, cinnabar and marcasite, occurring as massive pods, disseminations, veinlets and fracture fillings within a cherty argillaceous sandstone near the top of the turbidite unit. The mineralized horizon is structurally overlain by silicified argillite, chloritic wacke and chlorite-clayaltered sandy tuff. The mineralization is exposed over a width of 2.5 to 3 metres and a length of 10 to 12 metres. It strikes 110 degrees and dips 46 degrees north. Rare Earth Element Project The Company has acquired a 100% interest in claims located in the Lake Chapiteau region of Quebec which host a region of critical and rare earth elements in syenite pegmatite rocks. A mapping and sampling program was completed by previous owners Quest Rare Minerals (Quest). In 2010 Quest collected 12 rock outcrop samples which all host notable anomalous values for barium, barium, beryllium, fluorine, gallium, niobium, lead, rubidium, tantalum, thorium, uranium, zinc and zirconium averaging as per the table below. Critical Elements (ppm / grams per ton) Rare earth elements on the property have been averaged and broken down into light and heavy rare earths as per the table below: Rare Earth Elements (ppm / grams per ton) Three Copper Projects The Company has acquired a 100% interest in the historical Shefford Copper Mine located in the Ely Township of Quebec. The property hosted artisanal mining in 1881 and 1901 with total production of 11.3 tons of 11.0% copper (Cu) (SIGEOM, Geoscience Database of Quebec Government). The mineralization is described as chalcocite-bornite-calcite veins or in disseminations with historical values of 46.14% Cu and 37.50 g/t silver (Ag) assayed from grab samples made exclusively of copper-bearing minerals. (*Bancro, J. A., 1916. Rapport sur les gisements de cuivre des cantons de l'est de la province de Quebec. AP1916-01, p.267) Durango has also obtained a 100% interest in the historical Logan Copper Mine which is located about 8km south of the Shefford Mine in the Stukely Township of Quebec. Two pits were mined from 1850 until 1864, with a total production of 4.5 tons at 20% Cu. Two grab samples collected during a metallogenic study assayed 5.07 % Cu, 4.87 % Zn, 36.0 g/t Ag and 0.88 % Cd and 0.81 % Cu and 7.0 g/t Ag. (Gauthier, M., 1986. Synthese metallogenique de l'Estrie et de la Beauce (secteur centre-ouest), annexe no 1: fiches descriptives des gites metalliferes reperes sur le terrain en 1985. UQAM; MB 86-47, p.145) The third copper property the Company has acquired is a 100% interest in is the Bowers showing which is in Quebec in the Melbourne township. Initial exploration activities were completed prior to 1866 and consisted of trenches and pits with mineralisation of copper bearing, quartz calcite veinlets. The historical grab sample assays returned values of 24% and 19% Cu made exclusively chalcopyrite and bornite, respectively. A grab sample of 8.8 g/t Au was also mentioned in the same historical report. (Hinzer, J. B., 1987. Geological Report, Melbourne Property. Internat Thunderwood Expls ltd, GM 45788, p.27) Terms of the Acquisitions Durango has negotiated a cash payment of $5,000 upon signing and the issuance of four million (4,000,000) common shares of the Company (issuable upon regulatory approval) for a 100% interest in the properties to arms length vendors. All shares issued will be subject to a four-month and 1-day period from the date of issuance as per securities regulations. About Critical Metals Critical metals are essential components of modern technologies, including renewable energy systems, defense applications, and advanced electronics. Both the United States and Canada have identified specific lists of critical metals vital to their economic and national security. The U.S. Geological Surveys 2022 list includes 50 critical minerals, while Canada has designated 31 minerals as critical. Recent geopolitical developments have heightened concerns over Western supply chain security of these critical metals. China, which holds a dominant position in the production and processing of a number of critical metals, has implemented export bans affecting the West. Notably, China has recently restricted exports of gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States, citing their dual military and civilian uses. These actions underscore the strategic importance of diversifying Western supply chains and developing domestic sources for critical metals to mitigate geopolitical risks and ensure the stability of essential industries. About Antimony Antimony is a critical mineral primarily used as a flame retardant and alloying agent in lead-acid batteries, ammunition, and semiconductors. It also has strategic applications in defense and energy storage technologies, making it a high-priority material for many governments. The global antimony market is forecasted to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2023 to 2030, driven by rising demand in renewable energy storage and military applications. China dominates global antimony production, accounting for over 70% of supply, leading to significant supply chain risks. This concentration creates vulnerabilities for industries and countries reliant on antimony for essential applications. In December 2024, China banned exports of antimony to the United States, citing its dual military and civilian uses, further exacerbating supply chain concerns. The U.S. Department of Defense has designated antimony as a critical mineral due to its importance in national security, and governments are now prioritizing domestic production to mitigate supply chain disruptions. Projects exploring antimony sources in North America play a key role in addressing these challenges. About Rare Earths Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of 17 elements critical to advanced technologies, including wind turbines, electric vehicles, defense systems, and telecommunications. REEs are essential for the production of high-performance magnets, lasers, and batteries, with applications spanning both civilian and military sectors. The global rare earth market is projected to expand at a CAGR of 9.2% from 2023 to 2030, driven by their indispensable role in the energy transition and high-tech industries. Economic concentrations of REEs are geographically limited, with over 80% of global processing controlled by China. This concentration has led to geopolitical concerns about supply chain resilience, especially in light of rising demand and international trade tensions. While China has previously used its dominance in the rare earths market as leverage, as of now, there is no comprehensive export ban on rare earth elements to the West. However, the potential for such restrictions remains a concern for global supply chains. Western governments are currently investing heavily in rare earth mining and processing projects to reduce reliance on Chinese supply chains and support critical industries, making domestic exploration efforts increasingly significant. About Copper Copper is a cornerstone of modern infrastructure, powering everything from electrical grids and renewable energy systems to electric vehicles and telecommunications networks. As one of the most widely used industrial metals, copper is indispensable for its high conductivity, durability, and recyclability. The global copper market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.3% between 2023 and 2030, driven by surging demand in renewable energy and electric vehicle manufacturing. Copper is also recognized for its strategic importance in defense applications, including radar systems, naval vessels, and advanced weaponry. However, the copper supply chain faces challenges due to declining ore grades, production constraints, and geopolitical risks in key producing regions. To address these concerns, governments and companies are investing in new exploration and production initiatives to meet future demand and ensure long-term supply security, evidenced in part by its inclusion on the critical metals lists. Sources: 1. Critical Metals - U.S. Geological Survey 2022 Critical Minerals List, Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy, China Restricts Gallium and Germanium Exports 2. Antimony - Chinas Ban on Antimony Exports, Antimony in National Defense 3. Rare Earths - Rare Earth Elements Market Forecast, China and Rare Earth Export Controls 4. Copper - Coppers Role in Renewable Energy, Copper Market Trends and Growth Forecast Marcy Kiesman, CEO of Durango Resources, commented, We are excited to announce the acquisition of these promising critical metals assets, which we recognize as essential to powering the next generation of high-tech, defense, and other vital industries. Our new exploration strategy is anchored in the application of advanced, AI-driven technology, which we are confident will help us unlock the full potential of these properties with speed and precision. Coupled with our continued focus on advancing our recent gallium discovery at the NMX Critical Metals Project in Quebec, we are certain that the Company is increasingly well-positioned to help meet the growing Western demand and urgency for these elements. None of the historical information in the release has yet been verified by the Company and should not be relied upon. Melanie Mackay, PGeo, EGBC (Engineers and Geoscientists British Columbia) 35256, APEGA (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta 305012), is a director and qualified person for Durango and approves the technical content of this news release. About Durango Durango Resources Inc. is a Canadian natural resources company dedicated to exploring and developing critical and strategic metals assets. The Company owns a 100% interest in a portfolio of projects which include a recent gallium discovery at the NMX Critical Metals Project, Quebec, key properties in the Babine Copper-Gold Porphyry District, British Columbia, claims near the Troilus Gold Camp, as well as claims in the Windfall Lake Gold Camp. For further information on Durango, please visit www.durangoresourcesinc.com and www.sedar.com. Marcy Kiesman, CEO Telephone: 604.428.2900 or 604.339.2243 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Website: www.durangoresourcesinc.com Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forwardlooking information or statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, statements that address the upcoming work programs, and other statements relating to the business, financial and technical prospects of the Company. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking information reflects the Companys views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including those filed under the Companys profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The Company does not undertake to update forwardlooking statements or forwardlooking information, except as required by law. 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. Hughes Project in situ Mineral Resources Indicated: 10.47 Moz AgEq at 332 g/t AgEq contained in 0.98 Mt Inferred: 33.42 Moz AgEq at 418 g/t AgEq contained in 2.49 Mt Hughes Project Tailings Mineral Resources Inferred: 2.74 Moz AgEq at 68 g/t AgEq contained in 1.26 Mt Mogollon Project Mineral Resources Inferred: 32.08 Moz AgEq at 367 g/t AgEq contained in 2.72 Mt Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - January 16, 2025) - Summa Silver Corp. (TSXV: SSVR) (OTCQX: SSVRF) (FSE: 48X) ("Summa" or the "Company") is pleased to report inaugural mineral resource estimates (each an "MRE") for the Company's 100% owned projects in the United States - the Hughes Project in Nevada ("Hughes Project") and the Mogollon Project in New Mexico ("Mogollon Project"). Hughes Project: Indicated Mineral Resources (in-situ) are estimated to include 10.47 million silver equivalent ounces(1) (Moz AgEq) (5.94 Moz silver and 0.05 Moz gold) at a grade of 332 grams per tonne silver equivalent(1) (g/t AgEq) (188.0 g/t silver and 1.59 g/t gold) contained within 0.98 million tonnes (Mt). Inferred Mineral Resources (in-situ) are estimated to include 33.42 Moz AgEq (16.2 Moz silver and 0.19 Moz gold) at a grade of 418 g/t AgEq (202.7 g/t silver and 2.38 g/t gold) contained within 2.49 Mt. Inferred Mineral Resources in Tailings are estimated to include 2.74 Moz AgEq (1.79 Moz silver and 0.011 Moz gold) at a grade of 68 g/t AgEq (44.0 g/t silver and 0.26 g/t gold) contained within 1.26 Mt. Mogollon Project: Inferred Mineral Resources are estimated to include 32.08 Moz AgEq (12.12 Moz silver and 0.24 Moz gold) at a grade of 367 g/t AgEq (139 g/t silver and 2.72 g/t gold) contained within 2.72 Mt. Key Highlights: Clear Additional Upside at the Hughes Project: The mineralized zones remain open to expansion and the project includes the mostly unexplored 4 km eastern extension of the prolific Tonopah Mining District which is reported to have produced 175 Moz of silver and 1.86 Moz of gold at 679 g/t Ag and 7.3 g/t Au, respectively, along its original 4 km mined strike length (REF1). Step-Out Drilling is Underway at the Hughes Project: A fully funded drill program designed to both expand the known mineralized zones and explore for new veins on the eastern extension of the Tonopah mining district in currently underway at the Hughes Project. Step-Out Drilling has Intersected the Planned Target Horizons: The first drill hole, an 85 m step-out at the Ruby Zone, has intersected zones of epithermal-related quartz veins and breccias locally featuring visible silver-sulfide mineralization. Clear Additional Upside at the Mogollon Project: The mineralized zones at the Mogollon Project also remain open to expansion where the MRE partially covers only 2.4 km of the 77 km of known vein and prospective structure present on the project, the vast majority of which is unexplored by modern methods. Focus on Precious Metals: The mineral resource estimates are comprised exclusively of silver and gold, and do not contain base metals. Efficient Discovery: The Company's drilled discovery costs average USD $0.29 per silver equivalent ounce and each drill hole completed by the Company has added an average of 915,291 silver equivalent ounces to the Company's mineral inventory. American High-Grade Silver Deposits are Rare: Summa now owns two high-grade silver-rich precious metal deposits in the United States, both of which are clearly open to significant additional expansion. Notes: 1. Silver Equivalent (AgEq) grade is based on silver and gold prices of $25/oz and $2100/oz respectively, and recoveries for silver and gold of 90% and 97%, respectively for the Hughes Project and 97% and 97%, respectively for the Mogollon Project. AgEq Factor= (Ag Price / Au Price) x (Ag Rec / Au Rec); g AgEq/t = g Ag/t + (g Au/t / AgEq Factor). Galen McNamara, CEO, stated: "These mineral resource estimates represent a significant milestone for Summa Silver. I would like to thank all our shareholders and everyone who contributed to the Company since its founding. Exploring in these two storied American mining districts is a privilege and both clearly have a lot left to give. We aim to aggressively continue to add value on both projects in the months and years to come." Table 1. Summary of Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources for Summa Silver's Projects Summa Silver Projects Classification (6) Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) (1) (2) (3) Tonnes (kt) Grade Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t)(4) Au (oz) Ag (oz) AgEq (oz)(4) Hughes in situ Mineral Resources Indicated 190 982 1.59 188.0 331.7 50,000 5,936,000 10,473,000 Inferred 190 2,485 2.38 202.7 418.3 190,000 16,196,000 33,415,000 Hughes Tailings Mineral Resources Inferred 45 1,264 0.26 44.0 67.5 11,000 1,787,000 2,744,000 Mogollon Mineral Resources Inferred 175 2,716 2.72 138.8 367.4 238,000 12,117,000 32,083,000 1. Silver Equivalent (AgEq) cut-off grade for the Hughes Project in situ Mineral Resources is based on a silver price of $25/oz, recovery of 90% Ag, and cost assumptions including: USD$88.2/t average mining cost for approximately 70% longhole stoping and 30% cut and fill mining, USD$36.3/t processing cost, USD$9.7/t G&A cost, USD$0.20/oz Ag refining cost for a total mining, processing and G&A cost of USD$134.2/tonne. A 3% royalty has also been applied to the cut-off grade determination. 2. Silver Equivalent (AgEq) cut-off grade for the Hughes Project tailings Mineral Resources is contained within an optimized pit and based on a silver price of $25/oz, recovery of 90% Ag, and cost assumptions including: USD$2.25/t mining cost, USD$21.0/t processing cost, USD$9/t G&A cost, USD$0.50/oz Ag refining cost for a total mining, processing and G&A cost of USD$33.34/tonne. A 3% royalty has also been applied to the cut-off grade determination. 3. Silver Equivalent (AgEq) cut-off grade for the Mogollon Project Mineral Resources is based on a silver price of $25/oz, recovery of 97% Ag, and cost assumptions including: USD$83/t mining cost for longhole stoping, USD$36.3/t processing cost, USD$9.7/t G&A cost, USD$0.20/oz Ag refining cost for a total mining, processing and G&A cost of USD$129/tonne A 3% royalty has also been applied to the cut-off grade determination. 4. AgEq is based on silver and gold prices of $25/oz and $2100/oz respectively, and recoveries for silver and gold of 90% and 97%, respectively for the Hughes Project, and 97% and 97%, respectively, for the Mogollon Project. AgEq Factor= (Ag Price / Au Price) x (Ag Rec / Au Rec); g AgEq/t = g Ag/t + (g Au/t / AgEq Factor). 5. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent discrepancies between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. 6. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. There is no certainty that all or any part of the mineral resources estimated will be converted into mineral reserves. The quantity and grade of reported Inferred mineral resources in this estimation are uncertain in nature and there has been insufficient exploration to define these Inferred mineral resources as Indicated mineral resources. It is uncertain if further exploration will result in upgrading them to the Indicated mineral resources category. 7. The Mineral Resources were estimated in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), CIM Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, Definitions (2014) and Best Practices Guidelines (2019) prepared by the CIM Standing Committee on Reserve Definitions and adopted by the CIM Council. 8. There are no known environmental, permitting, legal, or other factors which could materially affect the MREs. Mineral Resources for both the Hughes Project and Mogollon Project are reported using cut-off grades determined by appropriate mining and processing costs, recoveries, and mining scenarios described in the footnotes of Table 1, which satisfies the requirements of reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. Tables 2 and 3 provide sensitivities to cut-off grades for the Summa properties. Table 2. Hughes Project Cut-off Grade Sensitivity Tables Hughes Project Indicated Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) (1) Tonnes (t) Grade Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t)(3) Au (oz) Ag (oz) AgEq (oz)(3) 150 1,387,000 1.38 158.7 284.0 62,000 7,077,000 12,664,000 160 1,279,000 1.43 165.3 294.9 59,000 6,798,000 12,128,000 170 1,147,000 1.49 174.8 309.8 55,000 6,446,000 11,428,000 180 1,062,000 1.54 181.3 320.6 53,000 6,193,000 10,950,000 190 982,000 1.59 188.0 331.7 50,000 5,936,000 10,473,000 200 903,000 1.64 195.2 343.7 48,000 5,668,000 9,979,000 210 832,000 1.69 202.5 355.6 45,000 5,415,000 9,508,000 220 771,000 1.74 209.3 366.8 43,000 5,185,000 9,086,000 230 714,000 1.79 216.1 377.9 41,000 4,962,000 8,679,000 240 662,000 1.84 222.9 389.2 39,000 4,745,000 8,286,000 250 615,000 1.89 229.6 400.3 37,000 4,539,000 7,912,000 275 513,000 2.00 246.4 427.7 33,000 4,064,000 7,056,000 300 412,000 2.15 267.1 462.0 29,000 3,540,000 6,121,000 400 210,000 2.61 343.3 579.4 18,000 2,320,000 3,916,000 Hughes Project Inferred Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) (1) Tonnes (t) Grade Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t)(3) Au (oz) Ag (oz) AgEq (oz)(3) 150 3,138,000 2.07 178.7 366.3 209,000 18,033,000 36,965,000 160 2,954,000 2.15 184.8 379.5 204,000 17,558,000 36,048,000 170 2,787,000 2.23 190.8 392.4 200,000 17,100,000 35,164,000 180 2,632,000 2.30 196.7 405.2 195,000 16,651,000 34,292,000 190 2,485,000 2.38 202.7 418.3 190,000 16,196,000 33,415,000 200 2,344,000 2.46 208.8 431.6 186,000 15,740,000 32,535,000 210 2,215,000 2.54 214.8 444.9 181,000 15,298,000 31,684,000 220 2,092,000 2.62 220.8 458.4 176,000 14,855,000 30,833,000 230 1,947,000 2.73 228.5 475.8 171,000 14,303,000 29,782,000 240 1,846,000 2.81 234.4 488.9 167,000 13,912,000 29,024,000 250 1,764,000 2.88 239.5 500.4 163,000 13,583,000 28,374,000 275 1,568,000 3.06 253 530 154,000 12,757,000 26,723,000 300 1,377,000 3.26 268.5 563.8 144,000 11,882,000 24,953,000 400 823,000 4.10 339.8 711.3 109,000 8,998,000 18,832,000 Hughes Project Tailings Inferred Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) (2) Tonnes (t) Grade Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t)(2) Au (oz) Ag (oz) AgEq (oz)(2) 30 1301967 0.26 43.4 66.7 10,749 1,817,240 2,790,331 35 1292543 0.26 43.6 66.9 10,710 1,810,878 2,780,501 40 1278757 0.26 43.8 67.2 10,645 1,800,121 2,763,806 45 1,264,000 0.26 44.0 67.5 11,000 1,787,000 2,744,000 50 1,209,000 0.26 44.6 68.4 10,000 1,733,000 2,658,000 55 1,099,000 0.27 45.7 70.0 9,000 1,616,000 2,473,000 60 959,000 0.27 47.0 71.8 8,000 1,449,000 2,213,000 1. Mineral Resources are shown in bold text. Additional estimates in the table are only included to demonstrate the sensitivity of changes in cut-off grade. 2. AgEq is based on silver and gold prices of $25/oz and $2100/oz respectively, and recoveries for silver and gold of 90% and 97%, respectively. AgEq Factor= (Ag Price / Au Price) x (Ag Rec / Au Rec); g AgEq/t = g Ag/t + (g Au/t / AgEq Factor). 3. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent discrepancies between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. Table 3. Mogollon Project Cut-off Grade Sensitivity Table Mogollon Project Inferred Cut-off Grade (AgEq g/t) (1) Tonnes (t) Grade Contained Metal Au (g/t) Ag (g/t) AgEq (g/t)(2) Au (oz) Ag (oz) AgEq (oz)(2) 150 3,263,000 2.45 126.8 332.7 257,000 13,298,000 34,912,000 160 2,986,000 2.59 132.1 349.3 248,000 12,683,000 33,536,000 170 2,800,000 2.68 136.6 361.6 241,000 12,298,000 32,552,000 175 2,716,000 2.72 138.8 367.4 238,000 12,117,000 32,083,000 180 2,632,000 2.77 141.0 373.5 234,000 11,935,000 31,607,000 190 2,473,000 2.86 145.6 385.6 227,000 11,577,000 30,661,000 200 2,325,000 2.95 150.1 397.7 220,000 11,218,000 29,735,000 210 2,197,000 3.03 154.2 408.9 214,000 10,889,000 28,889,000 220 2,081,000 3.12 157.9 419.8 209,000 10,563,000 28,085,000 230 1,948,000 3.23 162.2 433.1 202,000 10,160,000 27,128,000 240 1,830,000 3.33 166.4 445.9 196,000 9,792,000 26,234,000 250 1,751,000 3.40 169.7 454.9 191,000 9,556,000 25,613,000 275 1,584,000 3.54 177.6 475.3 180,000 9,041,000 24,202,000 300 1,428,000 3.70 184.9 495.7 170,000 8,490,000 22,761,000 400 861,000 4.44 220.4 593.4 123,000 6,103,000 16,434,000 1. Mineral Resources are shown in bold text. Additional estimates in the table are only included to demonstrate the sensitivity of changes in cut-off grade. 2. AgEq is based on silver and gold prices of $25/oz and $2100/oz respectively, and recoveries for silver and gold of 97% and 97%, respectively. AgEq Factor= (Ag Price / Au Price) x (Ag Rec / Au Rec); g AgEq/t = g Ag/t + (g Au/t / AgEq Factor). 3. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent discrepancies between tonnes, grade, and contained metal content. Mineral Resource Estimates The Hughes Project MRE is centered on the eastern extent of the historical Tonopah Mining district and includes 33,743 m of drilling in 66 holes drilled by the company between June 2020 and December 2023 at the Murray, Belmont, Halifax and Ruby vein-hosted target areas. Additionally, 5,411 m of drilling in 14 historic holes from east of the Belmont Mine, and 182 underground channel samples from the Belmont Mine were successfully verified by the Company's exploration work and are included in the Hughes Project MRE where mineralized. In the Tailings, 160 m of drilling in 55 hand-auger holes were completed between 2019 and 2020. The Mogollon Project MRE is centered on the project-scale Queen Vein and includes 9,033 m of drilling in 22 holes by the company between October 2021 and May 2024, and 15,581 m of drilling in 63 historical holes from the 1980s. Limited historical underground mapping and channel sampling at some of the target areas were also used in the interpretation of mineralized veins but these data are not included in the Mogollon Project MRE. The effective date of the MREs, completed by RESPEC ("RESPEC"), are October 22, 2024 for the Hughes Project MRE and November 22, 2024 for the Mogollon Project MRE. For both projects, RESPEC was supplied with three-dimensional vein shapes and geological models created by the Company. Silver and gold mineral resources were modelled and estimated as follows: Created three-dimensional wireframes of constrained low-, medium- and high-grade mineral-domains for both silver and gold snapped to drillholes. The grade domains were guided by the company's geological vein models and integrated other relevant geological information to create the shapes. For the tailings estimate at Hughes, a single domain wireframe was used which represented the geometry of the tailings pile. Coded a block model to the silver and gold domains using the mineral-domain wireframes. Composited drillhole assay sample data within the mineralized domains into 1.5 m length composites. Analyzed the modelled mineralization geostatistically to aid in the establishment of estimation and classification parameters. Interpolated grades into block models using the silver and gold mineral domains to explicitly constrain the grade estimations. RESPEC utilized Inverse Distance Cubed (ID3) interpolation for the estimation to obtain a localizing effect in the mid- and high-grade domains, and an Inverse Distance Squared (ID2) in the low-grade domains where mineralization is more diffuse for the Hughes Project. The low-grade domain at the Mogollon Project was interpolated with ID3 methods. All estimates at the Hughes Project are based on a block dimension of 1.5 m by 1.5 m by 1.5 m and at the Mogollon Project based on a block dimension of 2 m by 2 m by 2 m. Modeled historical underground workings provided by the company were coded to the block model and these volumes were subsequently removed from the Mineral Resource tabulation. Two technical reports are being prepared on the MREs in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 (the "Technical Reports") and will be available on the Company's website and on SEDAR+ within 45 days of the date of this news release. Discovery Metrics The Company has incurred USD $22.8 million(1) in exploration expenditures collectively on the Hughes Project and the Mogollon Project. This equates to a discovery cost per silver equivalent ounce of $0.29 across both projects. For the Hughes Project, the Company incurred $15.6 million in exploration expenditures yielding a discovery cost per silver equivalent ounce of $0.34. For the Mogollon Project, the Company incurred $7.2 million in exploration expenditures yielding a discovery cost per silver equivalent ounce of $0.22. Table 4. Breakdown of Discovery Metrics Hughes Project Mogollon Project Combined Cost (1) per silver equivalent (2) ounce discovered $0.34 $0.22 $0.29 Silver equivalent ounces discovered per meter drilled 1,382 3,552 1,840 Silver equivalent ounces discovered per hole completed 728,625 1,527,762 915,291 1. All figures are in USD 2. Silver equivalent is based on silver and gold prices of $25/oz and $2100/oz respectively, and recoveries for silver and gold of 90% and 97%, respectively. AgEq Factor= (Ag Price / Au Price) x (Ag Rec / Au Rec); g AgEq/t = g Ag/t + (g Au/t / AgEq Factor). About the Projects The Hughes Project, near Tonopah, Nevada, is centered on the eastern extension of historic Tonopah Mining district, covering a ~6.5 km east-west trend of epithermal-related, high-grade silver-gold targets. Central to the Hughes Project is the past producing Belmont Mine, which exploited a series of stacked, moderately to steeply dipping, southwest-northeast oriented high-grade veins. Drilling by Summa has targeted high-grade extensions of some of these veins and yielded intercepts highlighted by 522 g/t AgEq over 18.5 m (286 g/t Ag, 3.10 g/t Au; SUM20-06) and 3,912 g/t AgEq over 2.8 m (2,276 g/t Ag, 21.8 g/t Au; SUM21-30) at the Belmont target, 1,450 g/t AgEq over 3.0 m (813 g/t Ag, 8.41 g/t Au; SUM23-59) at the Ruby target, and 444 g/t AgEq over 6.1 m (253 g/t Ag, 2.53 g/t Au; SUM21-40) at the Murray target. In total 33,743 m in 66 holes were drilled by the Company at the main targets where mineralization remains open in numerous directions. The Mogollon Project, near Silver City, New Mexico, is host to numerous, epithermal-related silver-gold targets dispersed across ~77 km of near-continuous and complex vein-systems. Historical mining produced approximately 13.1 Moz Ag and 271 koz AuREF2, REF3, primarily from three mines; Fanney, Last Chance and Consolidated. Drilling by Summa across 500 m of strike length at the Consolidated Ext. target intersected broad zones of quartz-calcite breccias and stockworks with colloform banded veins. Drill highlights include 426 g/t AgEq over 31.5 m (123 g/t Ag, 3.70 g/t Au; MOG22-05). Drilling 1.4 km south of Consolidated Ext. near the historic Eberle mine intersected 393 g/t AgEq over 7.4 m (64 g/t Ag, 3.92 g/t Au) including 2,735 g/t AgEq over 0.5m (320 g/t Ag, 28.6 g/t Au; MOG23-20). In total, 9,033 m in 22 holes were drilled by the company and results suggest that vein-hosted mineralization remains open in multiple directions at all targets. *Silver equivalent is calculated using US$20/oz Ag, US$1,800/oz Au with metallurgical recoveries of Ag - 90%, Au - 95%. AgEq = (Ag grade x Ag recovery)+((Au grade x Au recovery) x (Au price / Ag price)). QA/QC All sampling is conducted under the supervision of the Company's geological staff, and a strict chain of custody from the project to the assay laboratory is implemented and monitored. For both the Hughes Project and the Mogollon Project, drill core and RC chip samples were sent to Paragon Geochemical Laboratories in Sparks, Nevada for preparation and analysis. Paragon meets all requirements of the International Accreditation Service AC89 and demonstrates compliance with ISO/IEC Standard 17025:2017 for analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish ("Au-AA30") and samples that assayed over 8 ppm were re-run via fire assay with a gravimetric finish ("Au-GR30"). Silver, and trace elements were analyzed via inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy after four-acid digestion ("49MA-MS"). Samples that assayed over 100 ppm Ag were re-run via fire assay for Ag with a gravimetric finish ("Ag-GR30"). At the Hughes Project, some samples were also sent to ALS Global Ltd. ("ALS") in Reno, NV for preparation and then to North Vancouver, Canada for analysis. ALS meets all requirements of International Standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and ISO 9001:2015 for analytical procedures. Samples were analyzed for gold via fire assay with an AA finish ("AU-AA23"), and 48 other elements, including silver, via a combination of atomic emission spectroscopy and mass spectroscopy after four-acid digestion ("ME-MS61"). Samples that assayed over 10 ppm Au via AU-AA23 were re-run via fire assay for Au with a gravimetric finish ("AU-GRA21"). Samples that assayed over 100 ppm Ag via ME-MS61 were re-run via fire assay for Ag with a gravimetric finish ("AG-GRA21"). In addition to Paragon and ALS quality assurance / quality control ("QA/QC") protocols, Summa implements an internal QA/QC program that includes the insertion of sample blanks, duplicates and certified reference materials at systematic and random points in the sample stream. Jeffrey Bickel, CPG has reviewed the sampling, assaying, and security procedures used at the Hughes Project and the Mogollon Project and it is his opinion that they follow industry standard procedures and are adequate for the estimation of the MREs and for use in preparing the Technical Reports. Mr. Bickel completed audits of the databases provided by Summa, performed a site visit for each property, and reviewed quality assurance and quality control data and procedures. After performing his review, he considers the assay data to be adequate for the estimation of the MREs and for use in preparing the Technical Reports. Qualified Persons The MRE for both the Hughes and Mogollon projects were prepared under the supervision of Jeffrey Bickel, CPG, an employee of RESPEC. Mr. Bickel has reviewed and approved the technical contents relating to the MREs in this news release. Summa Silver's exploration activities on the Hughes and Mogollon projects are conducted and supervised by Galen McNamara, P.Geo., the CEO and Director of the Company. Mr McNamara is a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. About Summa Silver Corp Summa Silver Corp is a junior mineral exploration company. The Company owns a 100% interest in the Hughes Project located in central Nevada and in the Mogollon Project located in southwestern New Mexico. The high-grade past-producing Belmont Mine, one of the most prolific silver producers in the United States between 1903 and 1929, is located on the Hughes Project. The Mogollon Project is the largest historic silver producer in New Mexico. Both projects have remained inactive since commercial production ceased and neither have seen modern exploration prior to the Company's involvement. References REF1. Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology Bulletin 92, Geology of the Tonopah, Lone Mountain, Klondyke, and Northern Mud Lake Quadrangles, Nevada, 1979 REF2.U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 787, Geology and Ore Deposits of the Mogollon Mining District, New Mexico, 1927 REF3. Blackhawk Mines corporate production records, 1942. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements This news release contains certain "forward looking statements" and certain "forward-looking information" as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "may", "will", "should", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "continue", "plans" or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management's current expectations and plans relating to the future. These forwardlooking statements or information relate to, among other things: he Company's strategic plans; estimates of mineral resource quantities and qualities; the timing of filing of the Technical Reports; timing and expectations for the Company's exploration and drilling programs; estimates of mineralization from drilling; geological information projected from sampling results; and the potential quantities and grades of the target zones. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the requirement for regulatory approvals; unquantifiable risks related to government actions and interventions; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; the ongoing conflict in Ukraine; and other related risks and uncertainties disclosed in the Company's public disclosure documents. Forward-looking information are based on management of the parties' reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on such management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management's best judgment based on information currently available. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual future results may vary materially. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. CALGARY TheNewswire - January 16, 2025 - San Lorenzo Gold Corp. ("San Lorenzo" or the "Company") (TSXV: SLG) is pleased to report that the initial phase of the recently announced diamond drilling program on the Cerro Blanco target of the Companys Salvador Gold/Copper Project in Chile - has been successfully completed. Drilling at Cerro Blanco included an additional hole that was warranted to further test the target. Cerro Blanco Drilling The drilling program was slated to begin with 2 holes on the Cerro Blanco feature - with a 3rd hole contingent on indicators from those first 2 holes. The 3rd hole was contingent insofar as it required additional access road construction. Based on indicators from the first 2 holes, it was concluded that additional access road construction was warranted, and the third hole should be drilled. All three holes have now been completed involving 1090 metres of drilling. The locations were chosen to correspond to chargeability anomalies identified in San Lorenzos induced polarity (IP) programs. Drilling Indicators San Lorenzos VP, Exploration, Terence (Terry) Walker stated, We are very pleased with the progress to date of the drilling program at Cerro Blanco. In the first two holes, significant alteration and sulphide mineralization was encountered at vertical depths of 190 and 140 metres respectively, below the leached cap. The appearance of sulphides corresponded exceedingly well with the IP chargeability anomalies, giving management high confidence that IP will serve to be a useful ongoing tool during additional exploration and future drill testing. The IP chargeability anomaly reflecting this zone is open beyond the current area where reconnaissance drilling has now been done - to the NW, SE and NE and at depth - warranting consideration for additional drilling to better understand the potential and extent of the zone. The third hole encountered sulphides at vertical depth of 150m below the leached cap. Again, the mineralization encountered corresponded very well with an identified IP chargeability anomaly. The sulphide mineralization intersected in all 3 holes consists primarily of fine-grained pyrite + chalcopyrite in the range of 1 - 10% and 1 - 3% respectively in stockwork veining and disseminated within the rock as well. All of the previous drilling at Salvadora to date - on 4 separate targets drilled before Cerro Blanco - indicate a consistent positive relationship between pyrite content and gold values. Iron and manganese oxide bearing stockwork veining and local copper oxides were also encountered within the leached cap. Figure 1 below indicates drill hole locations and outlines anomalous areas of IP chargeability. Figure 1: Drill Hole Location and IP Anomalies Map Readers are cautioned that while San Lorenzo has submitted samples to ALS, no assay results have been received and none are expected for a minimum of 4-5 weeks due to lab backlogs currently being experienced in Chile. Readers should not rely on sulphide mineralization indicators encountered in the holes but rather on assay results once received. The Cerro Blanco Target The Cerro Blanco feature at Salvadora has long been a priority target - not having been drilled in the past because of a lack of access. Cerro Blanco is highlighted by a strong leached cap over a strike length of over 2.5 km. The alteration zone is exposed on the valley wall formed by river erosion on the northern edge of the target zone. That valley wall is over 250 metres high. The alteration zone visible on that valley wall can be seen on Figure 2 below. Figure 2: View of exposed alteration visible on the 250-metre-high valley wall forming the north boundary of the Cerro Blanco feature Next Phase of Drilling With the first phase of drilling at Cerro Blanco completed, the diamond drilling rig has been moved to the Aro de Oro system to complete the second phase of the program. The second phase is designed to test extensions to the strike length of the Arco de Oro system. Details on the next phase of drilling, including specific locations, will be announced as drilling proceeds. About San Lorenzo Sam Lorenzo is focused on advancing its Salvadora property located in Chiles mega-porphyry belt. Results obtained from drilling programs already conducted on 4 different targets to date have convinced management that several significant gold and copper enriched epithermal and porphyry style systems underly the Salvadora property. San Lorenzo looks forward to continuing to provide updates on its activities at Salvador in the coming weeks. For further information, please contact: Terence (Terry) Walker, VP Exploration Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ph: + 56 9 5179 5902 Or: Roger Blair, Acuity Advisory Corp. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ph: +1-604-351-0025 Or: Al Kroontje Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Ph: 403-607-4009 Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for release, publication, distribution or dissemination directly, or indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release may contain forward-looking information that involves substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties, most of which are beyond the control of San Lorenzo. Included are references to indicators from drilling on the Cerro Blanco target. All statements included herein other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this release and, other than as required by applicable securities laws, San Lorenzo does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Premier American Uranium Inc. (PUR, the Company or Premier) (TSXV: PUR) (OTCQB: PAUIF) is pleased to announce the receipt of an additional Part 3 drilling permit (the Permit) for its Cebolleta Uranium Project located in Cibola County, New Mexico, US (the Project). The Permit was granted by the New Mexico Mining and Minerals Division (MMD) for drilling up to 25 boreholes utilizing 25 drill pad surface areas to explore for more uranium on the Project. This new Permit represents a significant milestone in the Project's advancement and development path and demonstrates the strength of PURs technical team in managing the permitting process as well as an effective working relationship with regulatory authorities. The Permit application, submitted in March 2024, was designed to facilitate the additional confirmation drilling anticipated to be required to validate historic drilling on the Project for inclusion in an initial Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE)*. In June of 2024, PUR completed the MRE ahead of schedule relying on the successful confirmation drilling completed in 2023 and negating the necessity for much of the additional confirmation drilling contemplated in this Permit application. As a result, PUR expects to realize substantial cost savings over its original confirmation drilling budget estimate under this Permit with increased flexibility and discretion on drilling. With the Permit now secured, PUR is contemplating drilling up to five technical confirmation holes in Area 3 (see Figure 1), while examining amending both this new Permit and the pre-existing Part 3 permit issued in 2023 for resource expansion drilling. The PUR technical team completed extensive archeological and biological clearance studies at the Project in fall of last year in support of amending this Permit for expansion drilling and can immediately begin the amendment process. PURs goals for 2025 for the Cebolleta Project include: Continuation of ongoing Cultural, Archeological and Biological studies in support of a Part 4 permit application (which allows for more robust and flexible drilling); Conduct drill work under the newly issued Part 3 permit; Update the Cebolleta MRE; and Materially de-risk the Project with completion of a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) targeting summer 2025. * The Technical Report (as defined herein) with an effective date of April 30, 2024, includes an Indicated Mineral Resource estimate of 18.6 million pounds of eUO (6.6 million short tons at an average grade of 0.14% eUO) and an Inferred Mineral Resource estimate of 4.9 million pounds of eUO (2.6 million short tons at an average grade of 0.10% eUO). See Qualified Person Statement below. Colin Healey, CEO of PUR, commented, The receipt of this Permit underscores the diligence and expertise of our team in navigating the permitting process efficiently and effectively. With multiple milestones achieved ahead of schedule at Cebolleta, we are now positioned to rapidly advance and de-risk the Project in 2025. We will aim to initiate certain technical drilling, as recommended in the NI 43-101 technical report on the Project, as well as potential resource expansion drilling (partly contingent on permit amendment), all in preparation for targeted delivery of an updated MRE and PEA this year. By leveraging a strategic and cost-conscious approach, we aim to deliver maximum value for our stakeholders, already materializing with the delivery of the MRE in June 2024, well ahead of plan and significantly reducing expected drilling costs and paving a path to establishing preliminary economics much earlier than we anticipated. We look forward to providing further updates on our plans as they are finalized. Figure 1: Location of the Cebolleta Project and Known Uranium Deposits The Project has been a cornerstone PURs portfolio since its acquisition in 2024. Uranium mineralization at the Project are the northern extension of the Jackpile-Paguate trend of uranium deposits, which is one of the largest sandstone-hosted uranium endowments in the world.1,2 Collectively, the mines of the Laguna mining district produced more than 100 million pounds of U 3 O 8 from the Jackpile-Paguate trend during the period from 1951 to 1983, as documented by geologists of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources and the US Department of Energy.2 The northern continuation of the Jackpile-Paguate trend of uranium deposits onto the southern part of the Project property is well established, but the extent of mineralization is not fully defined, representing several important potential exploration and growth opportunities for the Company. Qualified Person Statement The scientific and technical information contained in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mike Thompson, P.Geo., a consultant to PUR who is a Qualified Person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects). For additional information regarding the Project, including details of the MRE and data verification related to certain scientific and technical information described in this news release, please see the Technical Report titled Technical Report on the Cebolleta Uranium Project, Cibola County, New Mexico, USA dated June 17, 2024 and with an effective date of April 30, 2024 (the Technical Report), which is available under the Companys profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. About Premier American Uranium Inc. Premier American Uranium is focused on the consolidation, exploration, and development of uranium projects in the United States, aiming to strengthen domestic energy security and support the transition to clean energy. One of PURs key strengths is the extensive land holdings in three prominent uranium-producing regions in the United States: the Grants Mineral Belt of New Mexico, the Great Divide Basin of Wyoming and the Uravan Mineral Belt of Colorado. With current resources and defined resource exploration targets, PUR is actively advancing its portfolio through work programs. PUR benefits from strong partnerships, with backing from Sachem Cove Partners, IsoEnergy Ltd., Mega Uranium Ltd., and other institutional investors. The Companys distinguished team had extensive experience in uranium exploration, development, permitting, and operations, as well as uranium-focused mergers and acquisitionspositioning PUR as a key player in advancing the U.S. uranium sector. For More Information, Please Contact: Premier American Uranium Inc. Colin Healey, CEO This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Toll-Free: 1-833-223-4673 Twitter: @PremierAUranium www.premierur.com Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulations Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to planned exploration activities; the completion of an updated MRE and PEA and the anticipated timing thereof; expected cost savings in connection with the Companys planned exploration activities; the Companys ongoing business plan and intended strategic focus, including goals for 2025; and other activities, events or developments that are expected, anticipated or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as plans, expects, is expected, budget, scheduled, estimates, forecasts, intends, anticipates, or believes or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results may, could, would, might or will be taken, occur or be achieved or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information and statements are based on our current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about PURs business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Such forward-information and statements are based on numerous assumptions, including among others, that planned exploration activities are completed as currently contemplated, that the results of such exploration activities are as anticipated and will be reported when expected, the price of uranium, the anticipated cost of planned exploration activities, the completion, timing and results of planned exploration activities being consistent with expectations, the anticipated mineralization being consistent with expectations, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment and supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct the Companys planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner. Although the assumptions made by PUR in providing forward-looking information or making forward-looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of Premier American Uranium expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others: actual results of exploration activities being different than anticipated, the limited operating history of the Company, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of additional financing, delays or failure to obtain required permits and regulatory approvals, changes in mineral resources, no known mineral reserves, aboriginal title and consultation issues, reliance on key management and other personnel; potential downturns in economic conditions; availability of third party contractors; availability of equipment and supplies; failure of equipment to operate as anticipated; accidents, effects of weather and other natural phenomena and other risks associated with the mineral exploration industry; changes in laws and regulation, competition, and uninsurable risks and the risk factors with respect to Premier American Uranium set out in PURs annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2023 and the other documents of PUR filed with the Canadian securities regulators and available under PURs profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Although PUR has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by 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 forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. PUR undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. 1 Worlds Largest Giant Uranium Deposit in New Mexico. US Geological Survey Open File Report 82-539, 1982. (https://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1982/0539/report.pdf) 2 The Jackpile-Paguate Uranium Mine, Grants Uranium District: Changes in perspectives from production to superfund site Virginia T. McLemore, Bonnie A. Frey, Ellane El Hayek, Eshani Hettiarachchi, Reid Brown, Olivia Chavez, Shaylene Paul, and Milton Das VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /CNW/ -- Formation Metals ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE: FOMO), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce that, subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"), the Company has executed an option (the "Option Agreement"), dated January 15, 2025, for the right to purchase an undivided 100% interest in the N2 property (the "Property") from Wallbridge Mining Company Limited ("Wallbridge Mining"). The N2 property comprises 87 claims that cover ~4,400 ha of land within the Abitibi subprovince of Northwestern Quebec. The Property is just 25 km south of Matagami, Quebec and the claims are accessible year-round by provincial highways and logging roads (Fig. 1). Property Highlights The claims are situated along the Casa Berardi mine trend, which hosts numerous multiple million-ounce gold deposits (Fig. 1) [2] - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 Koz Au indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; Maple Gold Mines ) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 Moz Au ; Hecla Mining) - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; ) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 ; Hecla Mining) The N2 property hosts two historical non 43-101 compliant resources: 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central) and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~65,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone [1] . . Compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources Ltd. (now Wallbridge Mining) from 2010 to 2018 generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. The Property hosts six known zones of gold mineralization (Fig. 2), four of which yielded a historical resource of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au at a cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au; Cyprus, 1994, non-compliant with NI-43-101 standards)[1]. A separate historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of ~67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for a fifth zone, the RJ zone, located in the western part of the Property along strike to the Vezza deposit. In addition to the known zones, compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources from 2010 to 2018 (Mag, EM, HEM, VTEM, and IP) generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. The Property has not been drilled since 2008, and all known zones of gold mineralization remain open for expansion at depth and along strike. "We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of the N2 property in the jurisdiction of Quebec, the best mining province in Canada", stated CEO Deepak Varshney. He continued: "With a proven gold system and numerous areas with a high exploration upside, the N2 Property is in the perfect position to support immediate and sustained increases in value. Formation intends to implement a diverse work program that will confirm the historic gold resource and intercepts, whilst simultaneously advancing the numerous, less well understood gold zones on the Property to ensure our shareholders see the growth benefits of this Property in both the short- and long-term." Property Summary The Property has been explored primarily since the 1980s with the majority of the exploration work completed on the northern portion of the Property (Northway) where five zones of gold mineralization, related to shearing along volcanic-sedimentary rock contacts, were identified. The most extensive of these zones, the A Zone, was traced in shallow drilling for over 1.0 kilometre to depths of 25 to 350 vertical metres. All zones remain open to depth and several zones remain open along strike. In 1994, a historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 810,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for four zones (A, RJ East, East, and South), based on near-surface drilling of approximately 230 diamond drill holes. Preliminary metallurgical tests conducted on drill core from the A Zone recovered 91.7% of the gold in a flotation concentrate after a moderately fine-grind. A separate historical geological resource estimate prepared in 1994 (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for the RJ zone. In 2007, expansion and exploration drill programs led to the discovery of a new zone of gold mineralization in the hanging wall to the RJ Zone with similarities to the mineralization at Vezza. Follow-up geophysical surveys outline down-hole geophysical anomalies associated with this zone which remain to be tested. Balmoral Resources Ltd., which merged with Wallbridge Mining in 2020, acquired the Property in 2010. Thereafter, Balmoral conducted a property wide VTEM, data compilation, and an IP orientation survey of 14.4 km that covered the three known horizons of mineralization. The results from these surveys showed a strong correlation between chargeability response and known gold mineralization, and emphasized chargeability anomalies along trend from gold mineralization where no drilling had been previously conducted. Property Geology The area covered by the N2 claims is located in the east end of the Harricane Turgeon belt of the Abitibi subprovince. The bedrock geology of the claims is dominated by two major lithological packages - the Taibi Sedimentary Domain and the Cartwright Volcanic Domain which are separated by the Douay-Cameron Deformation Zone. The Taibi group metasedimentary rocks are host to other regionally significant gold deposits (Casa Berardi, Douay, Vezza), and contain the majority of the gold zones on the N2 property (Fig. 2). The Taibi sedimentary rocks dominates the northern portion of the claim group and consist mainly of siliciclastic turbidite sequences that contain less abundant horizons of iron formation, conglomerate and graphic argillite. Local felsic to mafic volcanic rocks are intercalated with the metasedimentary rocks. The Cartwright Volcanic Domain occurs in the claim's southern portion and is composed of primarily intermediate to mafic volcanic rocks that are locally pillowed or plagioclase-phyric, and also contains less voluminous clastic metasedimentary rocks and local ultramafic intrusions. Several diabase dykes crosscut both Archean rock packages at a northeasterly orientation. The Douay-Cameron Deformation Corridor is a regionally significant structure in the Abitibi subprovince (Fig. 1), stretching for more than 150 km, with a footprint up to 5 km wide. This major structural break is associated with numerous gold mines and deposits in the Abitibi, as well as some VMS deposits in the Joutel camp. In the N2 area this corridor consists of an anastomosing series of east-west striking shear zones that straddle the contact between the Cartwright and Taibi domains. In the northern part of the claim group, the Casa Berardi Deformation Corridor separates the turbidites of the Taibi group from rocks derived from a more proximal depositional facies. Exploration Strategy Formation intends to advance the Property by conducting property-wide surveys to assess the exploration upside and potential for continued discoveries prior to defining the gold resources reported in historic work. The orientation IP survey conducted by Balmoral Resources showed that the gold horizons on the N2 property yield a reliable response. To build off this success, Formation intends to add property-wide, or partial infill, grids over areas to identify chargeability and resistivity anomalies in the bedrock that can be followed up with diamond drilling. Once the groundwork has been laid to establish a pipeline of future discoveries, Formation plans to advance the known gold zones through drill programs designed to test extensions along strike and depth of the historical resources at the Property. The Terms of the Agreement Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Company may acquire a 100% interest in the Property by paying $550,000 cash, issuing an aggregate of 4,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company, and completing $5,000,000 of work expenditures as indicated in the table below: Payment Shares Cash Work Commitment Signing 1,000,000 $50,000 - 1st Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $400,000 2nd Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $600,000 3rd Anniversary - $100,000 $1,200,000 4th Anniversary - $100,000 - 5th Anniversary - $100,000 - 6th Anniversary 1,000,000 $100,000 $2,800,000 Total 4,000,000 $550,000 $5,000,000 Qualified person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Deepak Varshney, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical reports provided by the optionor were reviewed by the qualified person. The information provided has not been verified and is being treated as historic non-compliant intercepts. About Formation Metals Inc. Formation Metals Inc. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality critical metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. FORMATION METALS INC. Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director For more information, please call 778-899-1780, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.formationmetalsinc.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Note 1: A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Note 2: Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the geology of the Property. Forward-looking statements: This news release includes "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements respecting the Company's earn-in under the Option Agreement and the Company's plans for the Property. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Supporters and opponents of Donald Trump scuffle as they wait for a verdict in Trump's hush money criminal trial outside Manhattan Criminal Court on May 29, 2024 in New York City. Photo: Timothy A. Clary / AFP If there is a strong sense that there will be a before Trump II and an after for the United States as well as for the world this podcast will stand as how America was right before. It was recorded by our partners at Asymmetrical Haircuts last October, before Donald Trump won the U.S. presidential elections (and before the fall of Assad in Syria). Their guest is Carmen Cheung Ka-Man, the executive director of the Centre for Justice and Accountability (CJA), an NGO and a major actor in bringing cases of international crimes before U.S. courts. In short, a leading force behind universal jurisdiction litigation in the U.S. There has always been significant activity in the U.S. courts dealing with serious crimes committed abroad, using different legal avenues. In 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a bill was passed by the U.S. Congress strengthening the War Crimes Act to allow the U.S. to put on trial anyone in their territory suspected of war crimes, even if the crime was overseas and even if the victim was not American. Under previous version of that law , authorities in the U.S. could only prosecute war crimes if the alleged perpetrator or victim were a U.S. national. Prior to the 2022 amendment to the War Crimes Act, we still had federal statutes that allowed for jurisdiction over certain offences, such as torture. I think what the United States had up to that point was a patchwork of legislation, Cheung explained. It has for far too long relied on immigration law and administrative offences to address core international crimes. The fact that we did not have jurisdiction for grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions did create a loophole and a gap in coverage. And so the 2022 amendment does do that. However, it doesn't do everything that we needed to do. It might bring us in line with Geneva [Conventions], but it doesn't bring us in line with contemporary international criminal law and how we think of universal jurisdiction and how core international crimes should be prosecuted at the domestic national level. The big gap remains that the U.S. still has not enacted any sort of statute relating to crimes against humanity. But laws arent enough. Political will matters greatly, noted Cheung. While these laws give us more ability as a technical matter to bring these cases and to see these cases brought by the Department of Justice, there remains a real question about where's the political will in investigating the full range of crimes. And Cheung anticipated some of the challenges ahead with a Trump presidency. We use international human rights law in U.S. courts to litigate our cases. And our ability to do that really depends on the makeup of our judiciary. One of the key things that presidents can do is appoint federal judges or nominate federal judges for appointment. And so one of the things that I think we don't pay enough attention to is really the makeup of our courts and the impact that it has on our ability to domesticate international human rights law in U .S. courts. Surely that will justify to meet Cheung again in a couple of years from now, to assess how the U.S. international justice landscape looks like after Trump II. Recommended reading Why transitional justice in the U.S. must address both domestic and foreign policy Human Rights Watch on Thursday blasted the "craven unwillingness" of governments to defend international norms and institutions last year, while warning that Donald Trump's return to power will compound pressure on the world's "fraying" rights system. From Gaza to Sudan, Haiti and Ukraine -- 2024 saw rights violations "at the most extreme," HRW chief Tirana Hassan told AFP in an interview ahead of the Thursday release of the organization's annual report. Worldwide elections and deadly conflicts over the past year challenged the "integrity of democratic institutions and the principles of human rights and humanitarian law" -- but many governments "have failed the test," the 500-page document said. It noted mounting repression in Russia, India and Venezuela as well as continuing devastation from the wars in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine. These conflicts and other humanitarian crises, marked by the "craven unwillingness of many governments to stand up to suffering and abuse," exposed the "fraying of international norms meant to protect civilians and the devastating human cost when they are flouted," according to the report. It called out authoritarian governments -- including in Russia and Mali -- for violating democratic norms, while also slamming liberal democracies, saying they were "not always reliable champions of human rights at home or abroad." Hassan pointed to US President Joe Biden continuing to provide Israel with weapons, despite mounting evidence they have "been used in the commission of war crimes and the killing of civilians" in Gaza. She said 2024 showed "how inconsistent the commitment to human rights" has been. "That is very dangerous, because it sends a message that certain rights apply to some people and they don't to others," the Singapore-born lawyer said. - Trump 'vacuum' - With Trump's return to the US presidency, HRW expressed concern that his administration would "repeat and even magnify the serious rights violations of his first term." Renewed attacks by Trump on minority rights, international law and multilateral institutions risk "emboldening illiberal leaders worldwide to follow suit," it warned. Hassan said that a US retreat from multilateral systems under Trump's second term would create "a real vacuum, which is going to be filled by opportunistic actors like China" to advance their "anti-rights agenda." "But it's not all doom and gloom," she said, pointing to some progress last year in international courts, such as South Africa's case against Israel over its war in Gaza. Popular uprisings have also seen success in pushing back against authoritarian regimes, such as in Bangladesh, where longtime ruler Sheikh Hasina was ousted in August. "These resistance movements highlight a crucial reality: the fight for rights is often driven by ordinary people, fed up with injustice and corruption, bringing together their collective power to compel governments to uphold basic rights and serve the people instead of their own interests," the HRW report said. - 'Time to double down' - Hassan described the continued global fight for rights as "the challenge of our time." While people can feel "overwhelmed by the horrors" occurring worldwide, "this isn't a time to look away, if anything, this is a time to double down." "If there is one thing that 2024 taught us," Hassan said, it is that ignoring human rights violations is "not an academic exercise -- it is not simply a question of law. "People's lives are impacted. People are dying, people are starving, people are being hurt." HRW's report, which reviews the situation in about 100 countries, highlighted the "widespread atrocities" faced by civilians in Sudan, while Haiti has seen gang violence reach "catastrophic levels." It also called out Israel for committing "crimes against humanity" and possibly "genocide" during the Gaza war. At a ceremony to launch the report on Thursday, Hassan said "the heinous crimes" committed in the conflict "should not go unpunished." "While yesterday Israeli officials and Hamas agreed to a multi-phase ceasefire, the heinous crimes committed on and since October 7, 2023, should not go unpunished," she said. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - American actor, Alec Baldwin has filed a lawsuit against those involved in pursuing criminal charges against him over the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the film set of Rust. He is suing the defendants, including special prosecutor Kari Morrissey and Santa Fe District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies, for malicious prosecution and civil rights violations. Baldwin claims prosecutors were "blinded by their desire to convict [him] for all the wrong reasons". In a statement, Ms Morrisey said: "We look forward to our day in court." BBC News has contacted Ms Carmack-Altwies for comment. Baldwin's lawsuit alleges that prosecutors intentionally concealed evidence that would absolve the actor from blame and "sought at every turn to scapegoat" him to "maliciously bring about or advance" his trial and conviction. In a statement to BBC News, Ms Morrissey said: "In October 2023 the prosecution team became aware that Mr Baldwin intended to file a retaliatory civil lawsuit. We look forward to our day in court." The lawsuit was filed less than a month after Ms Morrissey withdrew an appeal over the court's decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin, following the 2021 fatal sho0ting of Ms Hutchins on the Santa Fe film set. Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer of the film, was pointing a gun when the revolver went off, killing the cinematographer and wounding director Joel Souza. The actor's involuntary manslaughter trial was upended in July when a judge threw the case out based on the misconduct of police and prosecutors over the withholding of ammunition evidence from the defence. After the lawsuit was filed, Baldwin's lawyers Luke Nikas and Alex Spiro said in a joint statement given to the PA news agency: "Criminal prosecutions are supposed to be about the search for truth and justice, not to pursue personal or political gain or harass the innocent. "Kari Morrissey and the other defendants violated that basic principle, over and over, and trampled on Alec Baldwin's rights. "We bring this action to hold the defendants accountable for their misconduct and to prevent them from doing this to anyone else." Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - A trial opening Monday, January 13, in London is set to determine whether US tech giant Apple abused the dominant position of its app store in the UK, with plaintiffs seeking more than one billion pounds in damages. The complaint, filed in May 2021, accuses Apple of breaching European and UK competition laws by excluding any other app stores from iOS devices such as iPhones and iPads. The plaintiffs argue that around 20 million Apple users may have been overcharged due to the companys ban on rival app store platforms. The claim also targets the 30 percent surcharge Apple imposes on apps purchased through its App Store, alleging that it comes "at the expense of ordinary consumers." The case has been brought by Rachael Kent, a Kings College London academic, alongside the law firm Hausfeld & Co. Apple has dismissed the case as meritless. The trial is expected to last seven weeks at the Competition Appeal Tribunal in London. Central to the case are accusations that Apple used the App Store to exclude competitors, forcing users to rely solely on its system and boosting its profits. Kent, who specializes in the digital economy, cited the example of the dating platform Tinder, noting that the surcharge affects most apps, including in-app purchases, but does not apply to apps offering physical products like Deliveroo and Uber Eats. Kent believes that any user who purchased apps or subscriptions in the British version of the App Store between October 1, 2015, and November 15, 2024, may be entitled to compensation. The plaintiffs are seeking estimated damages of 1.5 billion ($1.8 billion). Under British law, this type of class action includes all potentially affected individuals by default, who may benefit from any potential compensation unless they choose to opt-out. Apple has referred to a 2022 statement, asserting that 85 percent of apps on the App Store are free. The company maintains that the lawsuit is meritless and stands by its commitment to consumers and the benefits provided by the App Store. It also argues that the commission charged is "very much in the mainstream of those charged by all other digital marketplaces." Investigations into Apples App Store practices have intensified worldwide in recent years. The company is also facing a separate complaint worth 785 million related to rates charged to app developers. Last June, the European Commission accused Apple of violating digital competition rules by preventing developers from steering consumers to alternative channels outside the App Store. In response, Apple announced in August that iPhone and iPad users in the European Union could delete the App Store and use competing platforms. Kent emphasized the importance of collective actions in pushing companies to change, stating, "Theyre responding to these investigations and also being told what to do. I dont think theyre going to do it voluntarily, which I think is why its really important to bring these collective actions. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - A photo of Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho hanging out with former Liverpool star Mamadou Sakho in Dubai has emerged online. The photo was taken when Joho recently attended the launch party of Sakho's property business in Dubai alongside his billionaire brother Abu. The retired defender launched a luxury property business in Dubai, UAE, after leaving French Ligue 1 side Montpellier. Word has it that Joho and his brother helped him to acquire the luxury property. See the photo. Former Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho now has a luxury property business in Dubai pic.twitter.com/iea5lnqMZi ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) January 14, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - A US-based African woman, Princess Ada, has advised women to not let themselves be bullied into marrying poor men. The mother of two stated this on Sunday while reacting to the criticisms over her previous post advising ladies to focus on marrying rich men. I heard they are dr@gging me for this post! My ladies, this 2025 dont let anyone b00ley you into marrying p00r man o, they wii not suffer p0verty with you, she wrote. "If you are very young and looking to marry a man in his 20s, even if he is not r!ch yet, make sure he is ambitious and desire to be r!ch someday. Not dreamer o!!! Ambitious as in you can see him working hard towards it not just talking cos those ones that are always talking about making it without doing the work, they may be fr@dusters or future fr@udsters. "If you are my age or looking to marry men in their 30s and 40s and up, my dear make sure you see signs of success & wealth and confirm that he has the mindset to provide for you and take care of you financially as his wife before you marry any man. Life is hard, Marriage is hard and m0ney is needed to enjoy this life. Yes of course make your own money, but make it you goal to marry a man that will make money for you too. Let she who have ears hear. Thursday, January 16, 2025 Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa and her officials were forced to learn a bitter lesson yesterday. This is after patients took them hostage at their own event over the endemic failures of the new health scheme under the Social Health Authority (SHA). Deborah and ministry staff had organized a presser to update Kenyans on the Universal Health Coverage uptake in Nairobi before hell broke loose. The patients who had been keenly waiting for an opportunity with the health officials disrupted the press briefing, demanding answers over uncertainties and bureaucracies they have been subjected to over the use of the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF). The Patients had travelled from the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) and openly protested in the full glare of the cameras to Barasa over the Social Health Authority (SHA) system failure. Additionally, the patients, while shouting, expressed that their attempts to have their issues addressed were ignored by everyone in the chain of command, who instead redirected them to various offices, leaving them with no hope of assistance. As fate would have it, the patients maximised the opportunity to vent their frustrations to the CS who was at the time forced to patiently sit and listen to them. ''We are not the only ones who have come, several others are waiting for us at the gate. We have walked into the offices of NHIF, the ICT department and all other offices on these floors. They are not helping us,'' shouted a visibly angered patient. ''They have resorted to just making us go in circles knowing very well that if you go to a certain office where they have referred you, then there is no amount of help you would get,'' added another patient, who was holding her baby. The patients detailed to the CS that at some point, some of the people who had been frustrating them referred them to Principal Secretary of Medical Services Harry Kimtai. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 Former Police Spokesperson Charles Owino blasted Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi over his attacks on President William Ruto and his government over the abduction of his son. Speaking during an interview, Owino faulted Muturi, saying he was in the Cabinet, and publicly condemning the abductions was not in order. According to Owino, Muturis action amounts to a breach of trust bestowed upon him by President Ruto who appointed him. He noted that if Muturi was not comfortable serving in the Kenya Kwanza government, he should ship out. "Usually what happens in the Cabinet meeting is that when you leave and a decision is made, you have only two alternatives to go by that decision if not to resign," he stated. According to Owino, there are well-laid-out communication protocols between the President and security agencies like the National Intelligence Service (NIS), dismissing the claims that Ruto was directly involved in the abduction of Muturi's son. "NIS reports to the National Security Council as well as to the head of the republic and shares their security reports to the organs of the country, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the National Police Service," he explained, distancing Ruto from the abduction saga. While Owino acknowledged there might be divergent opinions in the cabinet, it is not proper for a CS appointed by the President to air the differences publicly. "The CS has been an attorney general and member of the National Security Council. He got the information that his child was with NIS and went to the president," he explained, noting it was a show of trust and respect. Owino defended the NIS, saying it is a crucial agency in the country. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Gay men can now become Catholic priests but only if they dont have sex, a new Vatican guideline suggests. In a shocking adjustment to practice in the Catholic Church, the new guidelines from Italian bishops will allow gay men to enter seminaries. The new guidelines, approved by Italian bishops, say openly gay men can now train to become priests. However, they will have to remain celibate a rule that already applies to heterosexual priests. "When referring to homosexual tendencies in the formation process, it is also appropriate not to reduce the discernment to this aspect alone, but to understand its meaning within the whole framework of the young person's personality," the guidelines say. It's not clear if the new guidelines will be reflected in other countries. However, previous teachings view homosexual activity as intrinsically disordered, while an instruction from 2016 said men who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies cannot become priests. Now the new guidelines say that the priest candidates sexual preferences should be considered in the application process but only as one aspect of personality, Euronews reports. The guide says: When referring to homosexual tendencies, its also appropriate not to reduce discernment only to this aspect, but, as for every candidate, to grasp its meaning in the global framework of the young persons personality. All women regardless of their sexuality remain barred from becoming Catholic priests. Only men can become a Pope. Pope Francis has previously been slammed for adopting a more accepting tone towards the LGBT+ community. Previously, he has publicly said that being a homosexual is not a crime. He also instructed priests to bless same-sex couples on a case-by-case basis, but the admittance of gay men into the priesthood has remained a taboo subject. How South Africa Will Lead Online Casino Trends in Africa in 2025 Johannesburg 16 January 2025 - The online casino industry in Africa is poised for rapid growth in 2025, and South Africa is at the forefront of this revolution. As one of the continents most advanced markets, South Africa is shaping trends that are set to influence how online gaming evolves across the region. From technological innovation to user-centric platforms, South Africa is cementing its reputation as a leader in the online casino space. 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Social media has been buzzing with theories after netizens noticed that Wavinya has wiped her Instagram and TikTok accounts clean of any photos with Kairo. She has also paused all social media activity since the scandal broke, sparking questions about whether shes deliberately distancing herself from her embattled husband. The couples whirlwind romance had captivated many, with Kairo publicly declaring Wavinya as the one just months ago and frequently gushing about her simplicity. However, the once-adoring and awe-inspiring posts have now vanished. Netizens are speculating that Wavinyas social media purge is a move to protect her image amid the scandal while others are questioning whether her love for Kairo was ever as genuine as portrayed at least until she breaks her silence and clears the air. For now, the public remains glued to this unfolding drama, waiting for Wavinya to break her silence. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - Dennis Itumbi, Head of Presidential Special Projects and Creative Economy, has defended the National Intelligence Service (NIS) against accusations of abducting and killing young Kenyans critical of President William Ruto. Since the Gen Z protest in June last year, over 61 Kenyans have been killed and hundreds abducted for criticizing Ruto. Over the weekend, Public Service Cabinet Secretary, Justin Muturi, linked NIS to the ongoing abductions and killings in the country. In a statement on Thursday, Itumbi defended the spy agency, explaining that in his interactions with them, one thing has always stood out: while they remain vigilant and silent, they cannot speak out about their work. He added that this nature makes the NIS an easy target. The truth is that it is very hard to love the National Intelligence Service (NIS), it is actually easier to hate and criticise them. Especially when the real target of the criticism is the Government or the President himself. NIS is always an easy target silent, vigilant, without a voice of their own, Itumbi said. He, however, noted that this does not mean the Intelligence agency should not be held accountable. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - City model Wavinya Maria has been conspicuously missing after her husband Khalif Kairo, a controversial car dealer, was arrested and charged with defrauding a client. While many people expected Wavinya to turn up in court and offer emotional support to her husband, she was nowhere to be seen, fuelling speculation about the state of their relationship. According to blogger Edgar Obare, the pretty model was reportedly spotted on a dating site preying on men. It remains unclear whether she has dumped Kairo who is currently facing financial challenges amid legal tussles. Kairo failed to raise Ksh 2 million cash bail which he was granted by the court, prompting him to spend 4 days in custody. Before Wavinya met Khalif Kairo, she was used to the soft life. She was always globe-trotting and displaying a lavish lifestyle online. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) has announced the resumption of operations after a 48-hour downtime that temporarily disrupted patient services and administrative processes. In a statement on Wednesday KNH CEO Dr. Evanson Kamuri reassured the public that normal operations have resumed following the alignment of the Social Health Authority (SHA) system with KNHs internal systems. "Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) wishes to acknowledge a slight lapse in patient care today and reassure the public that the Social Health Authority (SHA) system is now fully operational and aligned with the KNH system. "Normal operations have resumed, and patients are being attended to. "The recent system downtime experienced over the last two days temporarily disrupted some services, causing delays in patient clearance and administrative processes. "We deeply regret the inconvenience this may have caused to our patients and their families," the statement read. Kamuri extended an apology for the disruptions, noting that proper arrangements have been put in place to address the backlog caused during the system downtime. The statement comes hours after frustrated patients stormed the media press briefing by Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo to express their displeasure over delays in the new health system. During the incident, patients lamented over the downtime experienced in the system, claiming that hospitals were unwilling to treat them before getting pre-authorization. The Kenyan DAILY POST Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - A South African woman, Phindiswa Toshi Mpomposhe was stabbed to d3ath by her boyfriend, Mkhuseli Ludidi. Advocacy group Women For Change issued a statement on Thursday, January 9, 2025, regarding the incident in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, on New Year's Day. It was gathered that Phindiswa was murdered by Mkhuseli because she wore bum shorts at the beach. Phindiswa, along with her sister and friends, including her boyfriend, had gone to the beach for the New Year's celebration. An argument broke out after she changed into the bum shorts borrowed from her sister, which her boyfriend considered too revealing. Although it seemed like the argument had been resolved, the boyfriend stabbed her to death when they got back home. It is alleged that the incident stemmed from an argument between the couple, reportedly sparked by Phindiswa's choice of clothing and socialising with friends during a New Year's celebration, the statement read. "Witnesses stated that after the argument, everything appeared normal, and the group continued their celebrations before eventually going to bed. "The sisters left for the beach while the couple was still sleeping. A couple of hours later, the family received a call from the police. "According to the police, after the murder, the boyfriend arrived at the Harare police station in Khayelitsha covered in blood, claiming someone had been injured. "However, he fled before providing further details, prompting a police chase. "The boyfriend was arrested with two kitchen knives in his possession, and Phindiswa's lifeless body was later found in Kuyasa. The couple had allegedly been dating for eight months, and witnesses stated that Phindiswa endured abuse for a long time and was aware it had gotten physical. We are heartbroken over the loss of such a beautiful soul. Fly high, Sister. BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday called on China and Vietnam to step up connectivity, jointly build frontier platform for new quality productive forces cooperation, and build stable and smooth cross-border industrial and supply chains. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks during his phone talks with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee To Lam. Xi said he is glad to hold phone talks with To Lam at the turn of the year and on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties, recalling that during To Lam's state visit to China last August, the two leaders had in-depth exchanges and reached broad consensus on deepening relations between the two parties and the two countries, as well as jointly promoting the development of socialist cause. Over the past six months, the two sides have been active in implementation of the consensus, and the cooperation issues the two leaders agreed on have achieved positive progress, Xi said. The year 2025 marks the conclusion of China's 14th Five-Year Plan period, and a key year for the preparation of 14th National Congress of the CPV, Xi said, noting it is a year of great significance for both countries that serves as both a point of continuity and a new starting point. The two sides should continue to rejuvenate and strengthen the two parties, deepen exchanges of socialist theory and practical experience, and promote the development of the socialist cause amid great changes unseen in a century, said Xi. It is necessary to fully leverage the political guidance of high-level exchanges and continue to maintain close exchanges, Xi said, adding the two countries should push for more results in mutually beneficial cooperation. The two sides should carry out warm and down to earth people-to-people and cultural exchanges that connect people's hearts, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in areas such as media, culture and tourism, as well as between the youths of the two nations and at the sub-national level, creating more projects that win the hearts of the people, Xi said. The two countries should also strengthen international and regional coordination, safeguard international fairness and justice, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind, he added. Xi pointed out that since the 13th National Congress of the CPV, the CPV has united and led all the Vietnamese people to overcome various difficulties and challenges and make new achievements in the cause of socialist construction and renovation. It is believed that under the leadership of the Central Committee of the CPV headed by Comrade To Lam, the party, the state and the people of Vietnam will focus on ensuring the 14th National Congress a success, and firmly advance toward Vietnam's two centennial goals, Xi said. For his part, To Lam first extended sincere condolences over the heavy loss of life and property caused by the earthquake in China's Xizang Autonomous Region, expressing confidence that under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee with Xi at its core, China will overcome the damage caused by the earthquake at an early date. The Vietnamese side sincerely admires the tremendous development achievements made by the Chinese people under the leadership of the CPC, and believes that China will leverage its advantages in economic scale and development of new quality productive forces and continue to make greater achievements in development, To Lam said. He added that Vietnam actively supports the three major global initiatives proposed by Xi and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China within this framework. To Lam noted that over the past year, Vietnam has united the whole party and nation to overcome many difficulties and challenges, achieving significant new results in economic and social development. To Lam said that with the goal of preparing for the 14th National Congress of the CPV, Vietnam is set to embark on a new era of development, which envisions a prosperous, powerful, democratic, equitable, and civilized nation. In this process, Vietnam will learn from China's development experience as much as possible, especially the new theoretical and practical innovation of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, he added. To Lam said that Vietnam will continue to give top priority to developing Vietnam-China relations in its foreign policy, strengthen strategic communication between the two parties and two countries, enhance policy alignment with China, jointly host the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties, properly manage and resolve differences, and push forward the building of a Vietnam-China community with a shared future of strategic significance. Xi and To Lam jointly announced the official launch of the China-Vietnam Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and exchanged New Year greetings, wishing the two peoples good luck and well-being. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - A section of the Luhya community has warned President William Ruto's government against plans to impeach Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya. Natembeya faces impeachment for criticizing the Head of State and linking him to the ongoing abductions and killings of young Kenyans. In a statement on Wednesday, the Bukusu Council of Elders strongly opposed attempts to impeach Governor George Natembeya, warning of political repercussions if the motion proceeded Elder Kolia Chakali declared that any move to remove Natembeya would be seen as an insult to the Luhya community, vowing protests in Trans Nzoia. "We do not want any words to touch or interfere with our governor, George Natembeya. "We are the ones who elected him, and anyone who interferes with him is interfering with the elders and the people of Trans Nzoia; they are disrespecting us Luhyas completely. "That, removing him, we cannot accept at all. "We will remove those who want to remove our governor. We will remove them; we, the citizens, will rise and protest in Trans Nzoia to remove them," said Kolia. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 President William Ruto better do everything within his power to ensure nothing happens to Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya. This is after a section of the Bukusu council of elders warned him of dire consequences if he makes good his threat to impeach Natembeya for exposing him over the ongoing abductions. The elders, led by their Chairman Peter Masinde, threatened intense political repercussions if the motion to remove the Natembeya is tabled. Kolia Chakali, an elder, voiced the community's deep resentment over the impeachment motion. Dressed in traditional Bukusu regalia, Chakali passionately declared that the people of Trans Nzoia had spoken through the ballot, and any attempts to unseat their governor would be seen as an affront to the Luhya community. We do not want any words to touch or interfere with our governor, George Natembeya. We are the ones who elected him, and anyone who interferes with him is interfering with the elders and the people of Trans Nzoia; they are disrespecting us Luhyas completely. That, removing him, we cannot accept at all. We will remove those who want to remove our governor. We will remove them; we, the citizens, will rise and protest in Trans Nzoia to remove them," said Kolia. Another council member, Eliud Wafula, issued a stern warning to the MCAs allegedly behind the impeachment bid. He challenged their commitment to development, pointing out that focusing on a political manoeuvre like impeachment rather than serving their constituencies would not be tolerated. Wafula urged those behind the plot to seek forgiveness, threatening to put a curse on them. In a recent interview, Natembeya revealed that some leaders from the Kenya Kwanza coalition were reportedly plotting his ouster because of being vocal against Ruto. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - A young man from the Luo community has criticized President William Ruto for how he is handling his online critics. The agitated young man urged the Head of State to focus on more pressing national issues. The Kisumu resident described the president's response to online criticism as 'petty' and unbefitting of his office. He suggested that Ruto's battle against youthful critics on social media should be left to junior politicians, such as Members of County Assembly (MCAs), rather than the Head of State. The man pointed out the huge age gap between Ruto and his critics, adding that the Head of State should be the bigger man in the conflict. "President Ruto, stop being petty. There are so many issues you should be addressing. Leave matters that are meant to be handled by MCAs in the villages; you are bigger than this. "Now, a 20-year-old child and Ruto, who is 60, what is the difference if you are engaging in similar actions? "In my opinion, you are a parent, a leader, and a president," he said. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - A Zimbabwean man is currently on the run after allegedly setting his mother-in-laws hut on fire and brutally killing her with a machete in Montrose Village, Insiza North. The suspect, identified as 28-year-old Newton Mthethwa, reportedly committed the heinous act on January 8, 2025. According to police, Mthethwa set fire to the hut where his mother-in-law, 48-year-old Florence Msipha, was sleeping. When she and her 13-year-old daughter fled the burning hut, Mthethwa attacked Florence with a machete, inflicting fatal head injuries. Relatives revealed that Mthethwa's wife, identified only as Yvonne, had recently left him and returned to her rural home in Montrose Village. The couple previously lived in Fairbridge, Bulawayo, before the separation. Assistant Inspector Stanford Mguni, Acting Matabeleland South Provincial Police Spokesperson, confirmed the incident. The late Florence Msipha and her daughter realized their bedroom hut was on fire and managed to escape through the door. Upon exiting, they saw the suspect standing nearby, armed with a machete. He attacked Florence repeatedly, inflicting severe head injuries, Mguni stated. Florence's teenage daughter managed to escape and alerted nearby residents, who quickly informed the police. However, Mthethwa had already fled the scene before authorities arrived. Florence was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. The motive behind the brutal k!lling remains unclear, and authorities are urging anyone with information on Mthethwa's whereabouts to report to the nearest police station as investigations continue. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has advised President William Ruto to stop wasting his time endearing himself to Mt. Kenya because the region wont support him anymore. Taking to his social media, Kaluma cautioned the president that in 2022, the vote-rich region did not vote for him (Ruto) due to conviction, but to punish former Prime Minister Raila Odinga. President Williams Ruto, Mt. Kenya is gone, kabisa! They didnt vote for you; they voted against Raila due to their undone 1969 Wamera oath, he said. Kaluma further stated that a section of leaders from the region wanted Ruto to exclude other Kenyans from development and public service. He says Rutos decision to include other regions in government is the reason for his political fallout with Mt Kenya. In exchange for their (Mt Kenya) votes, they were to rule as you reign you were/are to repay their votes by excluding the other Kenyans, from development and public service, the statement read. He advised Ruto to heed his advice and act fast to consolidate other regions rather than focusing on Mt Kenya. No amount of projects and public service appointments will return them. Smell the coffee! Act fast to consolidate your new bases. Refuse to heed, and perish! he said. Last year, several lawmakers from the Mount Kenya region, including some from former Deputy President Rigathi Gachaguas Nyeri constituency, voted to impeach him, a decision that has not been well received by the local population. Following the impeachment, many of Rutos allies who attempted to hold public rallies in their constituencies are facing backlash, being heckled and in some cases even chased away. As a result, Rutos allies are facing an uphill battle in their bid for re-election in the 2027 polls. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Five suspects, including the grandson of former South African president, Nelson Mandela, were arrested following the recovery of a hijacked Uber vehicle at Mandela's historic Houghton residence in Sandton. The suspects were arrested on Wednesday, January 8, 2025. Four of the suspects, excluding Mandela's grandson, appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's court on Friday, January 10. The grandson, who is known to Independent Media but remains unnamed pending confirmation from the South African Police Service (SAPS), is embroiled in a case that raises concerns not only about the safety of citizens but the alarming state of a once-illustrious family home. According to police reports, the hijacked vehicle was taken last night in Benoni, with the suspects believed to have driven around while still possessing the vehicles driver. Details regarding the drivers fate remain unclear, although it has been reported that he is currently at a police station in Ekurhuleni, preparing to file an official hijacking case. The four suspects face charges of robbery with aggravating circumstance, kidnapping, and assault. Prosecutor Tshepo Mahange kaMzizi told the court that these were the preferred charges at this stage. He said five people were arrested but only four were appearing at this stage. According to Mahange kaMzizi, the prosecution will not be able to add the fifth person at this stage until further investigations. The charges relate to the robbery and assault of an Uber driver earlier this week, the court heard. Mahange kaMzizi asked the court to postpone the matter to next Friday, January 17, for an identity parade to be held over the weekend and further investigations. The four suspects opted to be represented by Legal Aid and their legal representative objected to the postponement, which he argued should not be more than seven days as this would violate their right to apply for bail. The Legal Aid representative said the ID parade should have been conducted there and then when his clients were arrested. Mahange kaMzizi said the State was entitled to seven days. The ID parade goes either way, it may assist applicants (accused) in that bail application or it may assist the state, the prosecutor explained. Magistrate Johan Herman remanded the matter until next Friday for bail application. The court ordered that the suspects not be identified in any manner including publishing their faces, names, race, and gender until their second appearance as requested by Mahange kaMzizi. In addition, Herman also ordered that Fridays court proceedings not be recorded live and the names of the suspects not disclosed to anyone. Mahange kaMzizi indicated that the prosecution will oppose bail and warned the suspects that they face between 15 and 25 years in prison should they be found guilty and whether the incident was their first, second, or third offence. Xolani Fihla, spokesperson for the Johannesburg Metro Police Department, whose officers arrested the group, referred inquiries about why the grandson did not appear in court to the SA Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority. Thursday, January 16, 2025 Former President Uhuru Kenyattas Jubilee Party has started preparations ahead of the 2027 General Election. The party intends to start an intense grassroots campaign to regain its lost glory in the next election. Speaking when he met the party members in Muranga, Jubilee Secretary General Jeremiah Kioni said the party will front candidates in all the elective posts in the coming general elections. However, he said they havent decided on the partys presidential candidate but they are open to work with like-minded political outfits. For now our presidential candidate is Ruto must go and its not a question of whether people hate him or not but who will replace him and how do we get the next president, he remarked. Kioni said the party will embark on driving the development agenda claiming that the current government has not delivered even a single project for the past two years. There is no other party this far that has a development track record in this country other than the jubilee party and the work that was done in the ten years that the party was in power, he remarked. The secretary general said the recruitment for the members will soon kick off across the country pointing out that getting more members will help in strengthening the party. He rallied the grassroots leaders to sell the party and its policies to the people saying this would help in getting more numbers. He promised a free and fair nomination process for all the candidates. The Kenyan DAILY POST. January, January 16, 2025 - One of the close confidantes of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has defended the National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director General, Noordin Haji, amid criticism from some quarters. In a statement on Wednesday, Narok County Senator Ledama Ole Kina, faulted those attempting to undermine Haji's leadership, noting such attacks were unwarranted and harmful to national security. "You can try all your dirty tricks to remain relevant, but when it comes to attacking the head of intelligence of a country, you have completely gone gaga!," Olekina said. He described Haji as "a fine gentleman-sober and a true pastoralist who is not easily cowed. He also praised his professionalism and resilience in the face of the mounting pressure. The Senator's remarks follow a series of criticisms from some political figures, including Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi. Some civil society organizations have also voiced similar concerns. Muturi recently dropped a bombshell linking NIS with the alleged abduction of his son, Leslie Muturi, last year. In a statement, the CS claimed that President William Ruto intervened to have the son released. This is after an intelligence officer allegedly confirmed to him that NIS officers were holding him. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party has thanked Public Service Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi for unmasking the people who are conducting abductions and killings of young people. In an interview with Spice FM on Wednesday, ODM Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, said Muturi did a good thing after exposing President William Ruto and National Intelligence Service (NIS) chief, Noordin Haji as the people heading abductions and killings of young people. Sifuna further expressed shock at those accusing Muturi of shirking collective responsibility. Its shocking to hear some people criticise him, asking about collective responsibility. Where was collective responsibility when a decision was made to go after his child? Sifuna said. Muturi is shedding light on issues we didnt know and advancing the call for freedom and democracy in this country, Sifuna added. The Nairobi County Senator claimed Muturis statement validates suspicions that President William Ruto was aware of the abductions, despite his denials. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - American rapper, Megan Thee Stallion has been granted a five-year restraining order against Canadian artist Tory Lanez, who is currently serving a ten-year prison sentence for assaulting her back in 2020. The ruling comes a month after her legal team informed the court about Lanez's continued "campaign of harassment" from behind bars. Addressing an LA courtroom via video on Thursday, Megan Thee Stallion reportedly detailed how she continues to suffer anxiety from the attack which saw Lanez fire five bullets from a semiautomatic weapon and wound both her feet, and that this has been made worse by harassment on social media that has been encouraged by Lanez. I havent been at peace since I been shot, and Im just trying to be un-harassed, not only by the person who shot me, but by the people hes been paying to continue to harass me, the three-time Grammy Award winner shared in a tearful testimony, according to Rolling Stones Nancy Dillon. I probably wont ever have my own peace about the situation, but I just really want the harassment from the person who shot me to stop. I feel like when he gets out of jail, its going to be worse. I feel like maybe hell shoot me again, and maybe this time, I wont make it, she said, according to Dillon. No matter how many people tell me I have to get past it, it just seems like I have to relive it every day. Im not good in social situations anymore because I think everybody hates me at this point because of everything that hes done and said about me after the shooting. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Richard Bloom have agreed with Megans testimony, stating that with a violent act like that, theres a ripple effect that continues on. Ms. Petes testimony is that the ripple effect has been significant. The order states that Lanez must stay at least 100 yards away from Megan, and refrain from harassing, intimidating or threatening her in any way until at least January 9, 2030. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - Kileleshwa Ward MCA Robert Alai has stated that the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) fully supports President William Ruto's re-election in 2027 and urged Kenyans to ignore statements made by the party's Secretary-General, Edwin Sifuna. Sifuna had earlier warned ODM members against praising Rutos government, saying ODM is preparing to challenge him during the 2027 presidential election. But Alai in an article in one of the local dailies on Thursday, claimed that Sifuna is attacking Ruto to please the Mt Kenya region electorate. Alai said Sifuna wants to please the Mt Kenya region so that they can vote for him during the 2027 Nairobi gubernatorial contest. Those people who are opposing have their own ambitions. "Like Senator Sifuna wants to be the Nairobi governor and he thinks without the Mt Kenya vote he cannot be Nairobi governor. "Everybody here (in ODM) has their own schemes, which they are trying to put in place, Alai wrote. He also stated that ODM is fully in support of Rutobroad-based government despite noises from some members like Sifuna. It was unanimous that we have to support the broad-based government of President William Ruto. "Senator Edwin Sifuna tried to impose his views but the majority prevailed. "He was told the party has its membership and leaders, so he cannot decide for us just because he is the partys secretary general, he stated. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Two nurses working at Chuene Clinic outside Polokwane were reportedly abducted and r@ped by an unknown assailant in the early hours of Friday, January 10, prompting a police investigation into the brutal attack. According to police spokesperson Brig Hlulani Mashaba, the incident occurred around 12:30 a.m. when the suspect gained entry to the clinic premises through the guardroom, where three security guards were on duty. The assailant allegedly tied up two of the three guards and forced the female guard to accompany him into the clinic. Upon entering, he found two nurses, aged 47 and 28, robbed them of their cellphones, and then took them to a nearby bush, leaving the female guard behind. He instructed them to undress, s3xually assaulted them, and fled the scene. The nurses managed to walk back to the clinic and were transferred to a hospital for treatment, Mashaba stated. Limpopo police commissioner, Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe, has condemned the attack and ordered a dedicated team to expedite the investigation and ensure the perpetrator is apprehended swiftly. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - Venezuelas Nicolas Maduro has been sworn in for a third presidential term despite the protests of the countrys opposition movement, and non-acknowledgement by Western powers. The ceremony occurred on Friday, January 10 in a small room of the National Assembly, a marked difference from previous ceremonies held in the buildings main hall. Maduro was sworn in by National Assembly leader Jorge Rodriguez, who placed the presidential sash on him, prompting thunderous applause from those in attendance. Weve achieved what we knew we would achieve, Maduro said during his first speech after being sworn in. The power given to me was not given by a foreign government, a foreign president or a gringo government, Maduro said at the event, which saw Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and Cubas Miguel Diaz-Canel in attendance. No one in this world can impose a president in Venezuela. China and Russia also sent representatives, with Russias State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin seen arriving late on a state media broadcast after the ceremony began ahead of schedule. Former Bolivian President Evo Morales expressed support for Maduro, writing on X that his nation salutes the Venezuelan people who once again defeated attempts to destabilize their government. Maduro was proclaimed winner of the countrys presidential election on July 28, by electoral authorities under the tight control of the ruling Socialist Party but Venezuelas opposition has published thousands of voting tallies claiming that their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, had actually won the vote with 67% against Maduros 30%. On a call previewing the announcement, the official told reporters that Maduro, stands mostly alone at this juncture, with few friends in the region and the world, noting calls from countries throughout the region and across the globe since July 28th to call on Maduro to respect democratic norms. The United Kingdom on Friday sanctioned 15 people associated with Maduro and what it called his contested regime, including leaders from Venezuelas Armed Forces and members of the Supreme Justice Tribunal. The European Union also issued sanctions against 15 people affiliated with Maduro, who have been accused of undermining democracy, rule of law or human rights in Venezuela. And Canada sanctioned 14 current and former senior officials who it said engaged in activities that supported human rights violations in the country. Maduro did not name any of Venezuelas opposition leaders in his speech but referred to the movement currently led by Maria Corina Machado and Edmundo Gonzalez as Guaido 2.0 a reference to Juan Guaido, who in 2019 proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela and was recognized by 50 countries, including the US. A Guaido 2.0 talks to the people in the streets, a new Guaido, and comes with the same baggage, we saw it, we saw their plans, we saw them yesterday, Maduro said, apparently referring to an opposition rally attended by Machado on Thursday. Guaido himself condemned the inauguration, writing on X that the president of Venezuela is Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. Maduro only confirms his usurpation and the coup detat they carried out on July 28, Guaido added. Venezuelan opposition coalition Plataforma de la Unidad Democratica echoed Guaidos remarks, saying, A new phase begins today in this fight for the freedom of Venezuela throughout the national territory and in all sectors that form our nation. Thursday, January 16, 2025 - Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has indicated that President William Ruto may never get re-elected come 2027. Speaking during an interview, Sifuna noted that the current administration is aware of the shifting allegiances and that chances of securing a second term are slim. After the political shift that happened, they know that they are living on borrowed time and Kenyans are just sitting there watching them. You cannot scare anyone. If the government was confident in its ability to convince people to give it another term, they would be speaking about the things that they have done between the election and now, Sifuna said. This particular time in our country, we want to talk about our software. It doesnt matter how many roads you build if you are going to abduct people for just criticizing you. Following weeks of protests that gave birth to a Gen Z uprising in the country, Ruto took the unprecedented step of firing almost all of his cabinet before reconstituting it afresh. The months after the protest saw several changes in the structure of government, which seemed like an attempt by Ruto to fix his dwindling popularity. Ruto extended an olive branch to his political nemesis Raila Odinga who offered five of his former party officials to be Cabinet Secretaries in the Kenya-Kwanza government. He equally met with former President Uhuru Kenyatta and has since coopted his allies into his government. However, Sifuna maintains that much is needed to be done and despite the presidents association with various leaders, his goose is cooked. The most important factor in politics is the people; as long as you have left the people behind, it doesnt matter how many leaders you have around you, Sifuna observed. The Kenyan DAILY POST. Wednesday, January 15, 2025 - AmaZulu Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela has filed a court application to stop her husband, King Misuzulu, from marrying another woman, arguing that such a marriage would be unlawful under South African law. The application, submitted to the high court on Friday, follows reports that King Misuzulu plans to wed his third wife, Queen Nomzamo Myeni, later this month. According to TimesLIVE, the king will perform umkhehlo, a traditional ceremony where the families exchange vows, at Queen Myeni's home in Jozini on January 24, followed by a traditional wedding ceremony led by the Nazareth Baptist Church two days later. The king's spokesperson, Prince Simphiwe Zulu, confirmed the dates for the "historic" wedding, which comes amid the monarch's ongoing divorce proceedings with Queen Ntokozo kaMayisela. In her court application, kaMayisela stated that she and the king were married in a civil union and that their marriage was in community of property. She argued that the king had already begun arrangements to marry another woman and had even set a date for the marriage. I humbly submit that the respondent (Misuzulu) herein cannot enter into a civil marriage and/or a customary marriage while our civil marriage still subsists, kaMayisela stated in her court papers. She further argued that South African law prohibits a person married under civil law from entering into multiple marriages simultaneously. I humbly submit that should the respondent proceed with the arrangement and the ceremony as he intends, he will be committing bigamy and will also be entering into a marriage that is null and void under South African law. It is my humble submission that this honourable court is empowered to stop the respondent from committing the offence of bigamy, she added. The court's decision on the matter is awaited as the royal family faces increasing public attention over the legal and cultural implications of the kings planned marriage. 1 of 1 : khaskhabar.com : , 16 2025 7:43 PM By David Young, PA A judge was wrong in law to order the British government to hold a public inquiry into the murder of a senior gaelic games official during the Troubles, a court has heard. Belfast High Court judge Justice Humphreys seized the discretion held by Northern Secretary Hilary Benn and exercised it himself when he ordered an inquiry into Sean Browns death, a UK government barrister claimed. In a Belfast Court of Appeal challenge against the ruling, Tony McGleenan KC characterised the judges decision as unprecedented, highlighting that there had never been another instance of a court making an order of mandamus compelling the British government to hold a public inquiry. Theres not a single example anyone will show you of a court doing that, he told the Appeal Court judges. Murdered GAA official Sean Brown (PA) Mr Brown, the 61-year-old chairman of Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club in Co Derry, was ambushed, kidnapped and murdered by loyalist paramilitaries as he locked the gates of the club in May 1997. No-one has ever been convicted of his killing. Stormont First Minister and Sinn Fein vice president Michelle ONeill and SDLP leader Claire Hanna were among supporters who accompanied the Brown family to the Court of Appeal in Belfast on Thursday to hear the British governments appeal against the public inquiry order. Last year, a coroner halted an inquest into the death, expressing concern that his ability to examine the case had been compromised by the extent of confidential state material being excluded from the proceedings on national security grounds. Preliminary inquest proceedings had already heard that in excess of 25 people had been linked by intelligence to the murder, including several state agents. It had also been alleged in court that surveillance of a suspect in the murder was temporarily stopped on the evening of the killing, only to resume again the following morning. Coroner Mr Justice Kinney called on the British government to establish a public inquiry into the loyalist murder. SDLP leader Claire Hanna and Sinn Fein First Minister Michelle ONeill arriving at Belfast High Court for the appeal (Liam McBurney/PA) Mr Benn decided against holding an inquiry, arguing that the case could instead be dealt with by a new Troubles investigatory body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). However, aspects of the legislation that underpins the work of the ICRIR was later found incompatible with human rights laws in a different Court of Appeal challenge separate to the Brown case. Mr Browns widow Bridie challenged Mr Benns decision not to order a public inquiry and Justice Humphreys found in her favour in December and ordered the Government to establish one. Northern Irelands Chief Justice Siobhan Keegan joined two other Court of Appeal judges Justice Treacy and Justice Horner in hearing the case on Thursday. Representing the British government, Mr McGleenan suggested that ordering a public inquiry was premature as he insisted Mr Benn remained committed to making the ICRIR compliant with human rights laws either by legislative changes or by successfully challenging the separate Belfast Court of Appeal judgment at the UK Supreme Court. The barrister said Justice Humphreys should have adjourned Mrs Browns case until the outcome of the appeal over the ICRIRs compliance ran its course. During exchanges in court, Justice Treacy told Mr McGleenan that a judges job was to make a ruling based on the state of the law at the time, and not on what the legal position might look like in the future. He suggested that a public inquiry was the only show in town in terms of a human rights compliant investigation when the judgment was handed down, as he predicted that British government moves to make the ICRIC compliant could take years. Sean Browns daughter Clare Loughran and his widow Bridie Brown arriving at Belfast High Court (Liam McBurney/PA). Mr McGleenan insisted that the ICRIR would be made human rights compliant by hook or by crook and it could then deal with the Brown case faster and cheaper than a public inquiry. He said Justice Humphreys was aware of the British governments commitment to make the ICRIR compliant when he ordered the public inquiry. Noting the familys long wait for justice, the barrister acknowledged that it was not a comfortable position for the British government to be mounting the appeal challenge. But he maintained that Justice Humphreys should not have ordered a public inquiry while the issues of considerable importance around the ICRIRs ability to hold a compliant investigation were still unresolved. Mr McGleenan said: We say, regardless of the emotive facts of this case, and one cant have but sympathy for the Brown family having to come here again to hear these arguments, regardless of that, theres a very important point of principle that is live before the appellate court, and in those circumstances, we say, it was an error for the judge to address the case in the way that he did and make a mandatory order. He said it was Mr Benns constitutional right to make the decision as how best to deal with the Brown case. Mr McGleenan said the Secretary of State made his decision not to hold a public inquiry, after weighing up live issues over the status of the ICRIR, and the judge then ruled that Mr Benn was completely wrong. The judge, by taking that approach, completely sidestepped the qualitative analysis of whether or not a public inquiry was warranted or not, he said. He seized the discretion from the hands of Secretary of State and exercised it himself without having regard to any of those factors. Responding to the barristers contention, Chief Justice Keegan said she did not understand why the British government did not appeal the judges decision not to adjourn the case at the time and before he got to the point of delivering his order. The case continues, with the Brown familys barrister due to address the court later on Thursday. Eva Osborne A man in his 30s, arrested in connection with the discovery of a cannabis growhouse in Co Wexford on Tuesday, is scheduled to appear before Gorey District Court on Thursday morning to face charges in connection with the investigtion. Gardai attached to Wexford North Community Engagement, supported by the local crime unit, conducted a planned search of a residential property in Courtown on Tuesday. During the search, a sophisticated cannabis cultivation operation was discovered. Gardai seized 170 cannabis plants at various stages of growth, with an estimated street value of over 130,000 and a variety of cultivation equipment. The man was arrested at the scene and detained under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drugs Trafficking) Act 1996 at a Garda Station in the Eastern Region. This operation was conducted as part of Operation Tara, an ongoing Garda initiative targeting drug trafficking networks and related criminal activity. All items seized will be sent for further analysis to Forensic Science Ireland (FSI). Eoin Reynolds A man and woman accused of murdering a man whose body was allegedly thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in Co Donegal last year have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. A jury of five men and seven women was selected on Thursday afternoon to hear the trial of Alan Vial (39) and Nikita Burns (22), who are charged with the murder of Robert 'Robin' Wilkin on June 25th, 2023 in Co Donegal. Ms Burns, of Carrick, Co Donegal, pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person for an arrestable offence. Mr Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, Co Donegal, pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice David Keane told the jury that the case has attracted some publicity as it is alleged that Mr Wilkin's body was disposed of by throwing it over the cliff edge at Sliabh Liag. He asked anyone familiar with the case or any of the parties involved to let him know as they may be ineligible to sit as jurors. The trial will begin on Friday and is expected to last up to three weeks. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA Northern Ireland has restricted animal imports from an area of Germany following an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), the region's Agriculture Minister has said. Following an Executive meeting on Thursday, Andrew Muir said the emergence of FMD in a herd of water buffalo in Brandenburg, north of Berlin, was of significant concern for farmers in Northern Ireland. FMD is a severe and highly contagious viral disease which can affect cattle, sheep and pigs. Mr Muir said: The emergence of FMD in Germany is a significant concern, not only for our livestock owners but also for the entire agricultural sector across the UK, Ireland and the EU. Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir said there was significant concern over the FMD outbreak in Germany (Liam McBurney/PA) My department has robust contingency plans in place to manage the risk of this disease to protect farmers and our food security and I want to set out what is happening to mitigate any risk. I understand that German officials have taken, and are continuing to take, steps to mitigate against onward spread of the disease, including the culling and safe disposal of all animals of susceptible species and the establishment of disease control zones. These steps are designed to ensure that the disease does not leave the area currently affected. The minister said to date German authorities have not detected any further cases. He added: To protect Northern Ireland, we have strict import controls in place prohibiting the movement of animals and animal products from FMD-affected areas. That means that all susceptible species and their products from disease control zones in Germany are restricted from moving to Northern Ireland. I am in regular contact with my DAFM (the Republic's Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine) counterpart, Charlie McConalogue, to discuss the approach across the island of Ireland and, recognising the importance of a co-ordinated approach, will be seeking a meeting with the incoming agriculture minister in the days ahead. I am also meeting next week with the Secretary of State for NI and the relevant UK Government Minister, Baroness Hayman, and will be working closely with my ministerial counterparts to ensure a collaborative response to this issue across the UK. Our chief veterinary officer, Brian Dooher, is also maintaining close contact with his counterparts across these islands. Mr Dooher said FMD can have devastating consequences for our farming community. He added: It is only through responsible sourcing and excellent biosecurity that we will keep foot-and-mouth disease out of Northern Ireland. Continued vigilance is vital livestock keepers are reminded to adhere to high levels of biosecurity and to remain alert and report any unusual symptoms promptly to a veterinarian or directly to DAERA. The DAERA website contains important information on clinical signs and the steps livestock keepers should take to protect their animals. On Wednesday, DUP MP Carla Lockhart raised concerns that the British governments ban on pig, sheep and cattle imports from Germany announced earlier this week did not apply to Northern Ireland, which through the Windsor Framework remains aligned to the EU in a number of areas, including animal and plant health rules. A WOMAN charged with having four bald tyres leading to an accident which left her seriously injured left court with the charges struck out after the judge learnt she had recently received a settlement after her employer accepted responsibility. Marina Sirichenko (63) of Yew Tree Square in Clane appeared in Naas District Court to face four charges of having bald tyres at Healys Bridge, halfway between Prosperous and Kilmeague, on 15 September 2020. The defendant appeared in court with the aid of a translator and crutches. Single-vehicle accident Sergeant Mary Meade explained that the vehicle was seen on the wrong side of the road, before being involved in a single-vehicle accident in which she went off the road and ended up in the ditch. The sergeant confirmed that all four tyres were illegally treadless and the fixed penalty notice that was issued on the day had not been paid, which had led to these charges. This was her employers van. She was told to drive the van and shed be looked after, said barrister James P OBrien. She received significant injuries, including a broken leg, and is still on crutches. My clients employer took responsibility and she received a substantial settlement in the High Court in July, he said, and Sgt Meade confirmed. These are extraordinary circumstances, so I will strike out all charges, declared Judge John Brennan. Wish your client well, he offered. The Kilkenny man at the head of the Vintners Federation of Ireland (VFI) has criticised Diageos decision to increase the price of their draught products by six cent per pint (ex VAT), effective from February 3. Pat Crotty, owner of Paris Texas, says the price hike will force many publicans to pass on the increase to consumers, further impacting already struggling pubs and loyal customers. Diageos announcement comes at a time when publicans are grappling with an unprecedented cost of doing business. Energy prices remain high, labour costs have surged and input costs have soared across the board. This price increase is a blow to an industry already on its knees. Publicans are being squeezed from every anglerising energy costs, higher wages and government-imposed charges, said Mr Crotty, who is VFI CEO. This latest price increase from Diageo adds yet another layer of financial pressure on pubs already struggling to keep their doors open. Our members understand that costs are rising across the board, but what they need now are meaningful supports to help absorb these increases. We need suppliers and the government to recognise the unique pressures facing publicans and work with us to find solutions that can sustain this vital sector. This isnt just about the price of a pint. Its about the survival of pubs across Ireland. The reality is that small, community-based pubs are at breaking point. Without additional support, particularly in rural areas, many will simply not survive. We know that Diageo and other suppliers value the role pubs play in Irish life, so its time to step up with concrete support measures. At the same time, we need government intervention to address the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the soaring costs faced by businesses. The VFI is calling on the next government to introduce targeted reliefs for the pub sector, including: A reduction in excise duty to ease the burden on publicans A reduction in the top VAT rate from 23% to 21% A lower VAT rate for pubs serving food. Employer PRSI reductions to help mitigate rising labour costs. Pat Crotty concludes: Our message is clear: publicans cannot keep absorbing these hits alone. The government and suppliers need to act now to ensure the survival of this vital part of Irish culture. The 2025 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year (ErOY) programme is officially open for nominations, with entrepreneurs from emerging, established and international businesses across all industry sectors in Kilkenny invited to submit their nominations between now and February 27. This year, the programme celebrates entrepreneurs from across the island of Ireland whose vision and innovation are creating long-term value and helping to shape the future with confidence. Business leaders that have the tenacity and determination to push conventional boundaries, think differently and create new solutions that change our collective future for the better are being encouraged to apply. EOY Alumni and winners of EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2024, Sharon Cunningham and Orlaith Ryan of Shorla Oncology commented: The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme is exceptional and far exceeded our expectations on every level. Having access to such a dynamic group of successful entrepreneurs coupled with the CEO retreat, in person events and engagement opportunities provides a unique and extremely beneficial experience. The infectious energy of the finalists and alumni network is unparalleled and is something we feel very privileged to be part of now and in the years to come. Roger Wallace, Partner Lead for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland said: We are very excited to invite entrepreneurs from across Ireland to submit their nominations for the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 programme. Now in its 28th year, the purpose of the programme is to acclaim, inspire and encourage entrepreneurship across our island. Geopolitics, technology and environmental concerns are redefining our world. Irish entrepreneurs are leaning into the uncertainty that the modern-day business world presents and are identifying and realising opportunities for growth and innovation. Through their ingenuity, resilience and vision, Irish entrepreneurs are future proofing the prosperity of our island and our people. They are shaping their future and the future of our island with confidence. Over the almost three decades that we have been running this programme in Ireland, we have seen first-hand just how impressively diverse the entrepreneurial community is on this island, and we are actively seeking and encouraging nominations from entrepreneurs of all ages and from all industries and locations across the country. There will be 24 finalists selected to take part in this years programme, who will participate in an exciting strategic growth programme over a 10-month period, including a week-long CEO Retreat to Tokyo, Japan. The finalists will also bewelcomed into our acclaimed alumni community of more than 600 of Irelands greatest and most successful entrepreneurs, where they will have the opportunity to forge valuable connections, learn from each other and in many cases do business together. About the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year programme is open to entrepreneurs from all sectors and growth stages in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The awards programme is divided into three categories - Emerging, Established and International - with eight finalists chosen per category. The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Sustainability Award will also be presented to one of the finalists in recognition of their business significant contribution towards achieving and ensuring environmental sustainability. Roger Wallace added: The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Sustainability Award recognises entrepreneurs that are providing sustainable solutions to todays most important environmental challenges. This award shines a light on the business leaders that are developing and executing innovative ideas that will help protect our planet for future generations. The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year alumni community comprises more than 600 entrepreneurs representing some of the greatest business minds across the island of Ireland. Collectively these businesses employ more than 250,000 people and generate revenues in excess of 25 billion. EOY Judging Panel The 24 finalists will be selected by an independent judging panel comprising of former winners and chaired by Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest. Speaking at the launch, Harry Hughes, CEO of Portwest and Chairperson of the EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Judging Panel said: Ireland has an incredible pool of innovativeentrepreneurswho are leading businesses that are achieving significant national and global success. Despite the challenges that face anyentrepreneurthey show relentless determination and resilience in their pursuit of excellence, continuing to create jobs, strengthen communities and bolster economies. We want these brilliantentrepreneursacross all sectors to submit their nominations for this years EYEntrepreneurOf The Year programme. As an alumni of the programme I can attest to its incredible value and I'm looking forward to welcoming the next generation of inspiring leaders from across the island to the programme." The EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Ireland programme is supported by Premium Corporate Sponsor Julius Baer International, and Government sponsors Enterprise Ireland and Invest Northern Ireland. Anyone interested can find out more or complete an online nomination form at www.eoy.ie. Those nominating someone else must do so with the entrepreneurs consent. Champion Kilkenny trainer Willie Mullins will seek to extend his record to ten wins at the latest renewal of the Goffs Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park next Thursday, January 23. His team of six entries looks set to include early market leader Nick Rockett and last year's runner-up Glengouly. Other potential call-ups from Mullins's yard include Klarc Kent, Chavez, Spanish Harlem, and MacDermott. Waterford-based Henry de Bromhead has two entries in the race: Eklat De Rire, who was favourite when finishing down the field in 2022, and Largy Debut, who has placed on two occasions over fences at Gowran Park. Wexford's Paul Nolan will be searching for his first Thyestes Chase win with his entry Daily Present. He was previously beaten on the line in the 2005 Thyestes Chase when his charge Kymandjen was pipped by future Grand National winner Numbersixvalverde. Pat Fahy's Stormy Judge has also been entered, having finished fourth place in last year's Thyestes. There's no doubt that he will be a crowd favourite if he lines up next Thursday. Little under half of the 30 entries are travelling down from the Royal County. Gordon Elliott has entered Coko Beach, winner of the Thyestes Chase in 2021. Coko is one of ten entries for the Cullentra team and an early top-weight for this year's race. His fellow Meath trainer and rival Gavin Cromwell will be looking to continue a rich run of form with two entries, Yeah Man and Velvet Elvis. While discussing the Goffs Thyestes Chase Day, Gowran Park's general manager Eddie Scally said, "Goffs Thyestes Day really kick-starts our season in Gowran Park and we really appreciate how racing enthusiasts from all over support this day every year in their thousands. The Goffs Thyestes Chase is this regions biggest and most iconic race where horses, trainers and jockeys have the chance to put their name in the history books. Goffs Thyestes Chase is a true highlight of the Irish National Hunt season and is a day with which we are very proud to be associated." Henry Beeby, group chief executive at Goffs, added that "Many of the greats have won the Thyestes over the years, none more so than the most famous Goffs graduate of all time in Arkle, after whom our market-leading store sale is named. Goffs Thyestes day is the perfect way to kick off the inspection period for the Arkle Sale, particularly given the Southeast is such a significant region for National Hunt breeders, vendors and buyers. Eddie Scally and the team at Gowran Park do a superb job each year, and we look forward to another top class Goffs Thyestes next week". CHECK OUT PICTURES FROM LAST YEAR'S THYESTES MEETING The Goffs Thyestes Chase takes place at Gowran Park Racecourse next Thursday, January 23. RTE will be broadcasting live from Gowran Park on the day. Gates open at 11am with the first race going to post at 1.03pm. Early bird tickets are available online at www.gowranpark.ie. Tickets are priced at 25 for adults and 20 for OAP/Students. Group discounts are available by contacting Gowran Park on 056 7726225. Courtesy buses will run from the gates of Kilkenny Castle at 11am on the day and will return one hour after the last race. Conor McGregor has been ordered by an Irish court not to share CCTV footage relating to a civil case against him, in which a jury found he had raped a woman in Dublin six years ago. Mr McGregor also faces a 1.3 million euro (1.1 million) bill for legal costs in the case, on top of damages of almost 250,000 euro (207,000) which were previously awarded. Nikita Hand, also known as Nikiti Ni Laimhin, won her claim for damages against Mr McGregor after accusing the professional fighter of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018. Ms Hand, 35, was awarded damages and costs after a three-week trial last year. Ray Boland SC, for Ms Hand, told the High Court on Thursday that the bill for legal costs was about 1.3 million euro. However, a stay was put on payment of the full amount after Remy Farrell SC, for Mr McGregor, said his client intended to appeal against the decision. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor was very well resourced compared with Ms Hand, and that she had had to stop her counselling for post-traumatic stress disorder due to financial constraints. He had sought between 20% and 50% of the costs payable now, while Mr Farrell cited examples when 10% of costs were granted pending appeal. Justice Alexander Owens, who said Mr McGregor was one of the wealthiest men in the country, ordered the Dubliner to pay 100,000 euro of the damages and 200,000 euro of the legal costs now, with the remainder deferred pending appeal. The costs was one of several matters decided in the court in Dublin on Thursday. Lawyers for Ms Hand and Mr McGregor made separate representations relating to key CCTV evidence which showed Ms Hand in the Beacon Hotel. The material was gathered by An Garda Siochana and provided on foot of a High Court order for preparing for and litigating the civil case. It was shown several times during the case and was the subject of media coverage. Lawyers for Ms Hand had sought assurances that Mr McGregor would not disseminate the material after newspapers reported on social media comments that claimed the footage would be released this month. The comments were attributed to Gabriel Ernesto Rapisardo, who Justice Owens said was a business associate of Mr McGregor. The judge said the comments suggested the publication of the CCTV would change the view of Mr McGregor, and that when Nikitas video is public you will judge for yourselves the facts. He said Mr Rapisardo and Mr McGregor had a business relationship in alcohol sales in Italy. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor intended to disseminate selected pieces of the evidence with a view to undermining and discrediting the findings of the court. Mr Farrell said such an order was not necessary as there was already an implied undertaking that material for the case would not be misused or disseminated. He said there was no basis for the assertion that the material had been disseminated after the verdict. Justice Owens said it was impossible to read the social media posts as anything other than a suggestion that Mr Rapisardo was privy to the possibility of the material being released this month. Mr Farrell said the basis for the application was hearsay upon a hearsay relating to some lad on the internet. Justice Owens said he was giving a direction to make sure Mr McGregor does not engage in contempt of court, adding there had been no undertaking offered on the fighters behalf which would have given him assurances. He said there was a real and demonstrable risk that the footage would be disseminated and, if that happened, it would be a breach of the implied undertaking not to misuse the material and would constitute civil contempt. He added that it would also be a gross breach of Ms Hands privacy. He said the material would quickly spread on the internet and reach the furthest corners of that dark hole. Justice Owens said: Such leaking would be a gross contempt of court. He said it was necessary to nip all of this in the bud and directed Mr McGregor to return all fobs or sticks containing the footage to his solicitor and arrange the permanent deletion of the files from computers and phones. The judge also directed him to make an affidavit indicating what copies had been made and how they were deleted. Mr McGregor would be allowed to see the footage again, if necessary, under supervision at his solicitors office. He was directed to retrieve the material from anyone who had received it through his actions, if that had occurred. Justice Owens stressed that the order was not an injunction. He also considered social media posts in which Mr McGregor was said to have scandalised the court after the jurys verdict. Mr Boland said Mr McGregor was in effect seeking to have the case litigated in the court of public opinion by using or abusing his considerable social media following, rather than by the jury that had no dog in the fight. He said Justice Owens was correct when he asked whether Mr McGregor had alleged that Ms Hand was a liar and that the proceedings had been a kangaroo court. The judge pointed out that if the appeal succeeded at a superior court, the matter would be back before another jury. He said surely you cant complain and give out that the other side is lying if you wanted another jury to hear the matter with all this swinging around the internet. Justice Owens considered whether taking action would only give oxygen and more publicity to this nonsense. However, Mr Boland said he would not see how that would act as a deterrent. Justice Owens said Mr McGregor had engaged in irresponsible commentary, and had been conclusively determined by the jury that he raped Ms Hand. He said it was not open to him to make contrary claims or use bits and pieces of evidence for such purposes, or to get another run of the case in the court of public opinion by calling Ms Hand a liar. He said any action on defamation would be a matter for Ms Hand and for her lawyers. He added that he would take no action on the kangaroo court comments as it would be a distraction and only keep him in the news cycle. Mr McGregor was given a week to return material to his solicitor. He was also given until February 12 to provide an affidavit to the court on steps he has taken to retrieve the material and prevent its dissemination, as well as any other application relating to the CCTV footage and other evidence. Ms Hand and Mr McGregor were not present for Thursdays proceedings. 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. && By Lee Gyu-lee K-pop girl group GFriend reunited to celebrate its 10th debut anniversary with the special album Season of Memories, about four years after the members parted ways when their exclusive contract with agency Source Music ended. The six-piece act Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB and Umji said the members always wanted to come back together as a full group, a dream that has now come true in time for their 10th anniversary. The members also expressed their appreciation to their fans for making it possible. Were happy that we've become a group that has received so much love for such a long time. Were grateful that we get to commemorate the meaningful milestone of our 10th debut anniversary with a special album and various projects, the group said in a written interview through Source Music. GFriend added that the members had faith in each other to carry out the celebration with an album and concerts. Whenever we met, we naturally talked about our 10th anniversary and had confidence that we would gather again someday. We particularly wanted to do so on the occasion of our 10th anniversary, the members said. It was possible because all six members had strong determination and trusted each other. We're proud of the members who made the concert and 10th debut anniversary project a reality when it was just a vague idea before." The group, which marks its 10th anniversary on Thursday, dropped the new album on Jan. 13 and will embark on an Asia tour through Osaka, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Kaohsiung and Taipei in March after three days of concerts in Seoul from Friday to Sunday. The members shared picking up the group act and working together after years allowed them to see a mature version of themselves. All the members' voices seem to have deepened and grown. Now, everyone has found their own color. However, when practicing the new song, it was impressive to see them trying to blend well as a team rather than showing off their individuality. Perhaps that's why the harmony of six voices still feels just as good even after all this time, Yerin said. Yuju added, Weve felt and learned new emotions through various experiences. So it seems the range we can use to express (our feelings) has broadened What hasn't changed is that we always focus on the fundamentals. SinB shared that her approach to working has changed compared to before. My attitude toward work seems to have matured. Ive become more assertive than before. What I havent changed until now is that I always watch and study our practice videos to ensure I don't fall below the standards we've set for ourselves, she said. The members expressed their hopes to embody the sentiments of youth for their fans. I want us to be remembered like youth that shines without fading. And I want us to remain as a group that's like a friend who brings comfort whenever you turn your head, as if we're always right there beside you, Yuju said. Umji added she hopes the groups 10th anniversary projects will come as a gift for their fans. Buddys (GFriend's official fandom) are GFriend's precious companions. They are grateful people with whom we've shared wonderful memories together. We hope this 10th debut anniversary project will be a good gift for all of you, she said. Seoul and Beijing have resumed their negotiations to expand their existing free trade agreement (FTA) to include the service and investment sectors, Seoul's trade ministry said Thursday. The talks, the 10th of their kind, began Wednesday in Seoul for a three-day run, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Seoul and Beijing implemented their bilateral FTA in December 2015, removing major tariffs on products. They had held nine follow-up meetings covering investment and service areas between 2018 and 2020. "Amid the weakening multilateral trade system, the importance of bilateral FTAs has been under the spotlight," said Kwon Hye-jin, South Korea's chief negotiator. "The government aims to hold regular follow-up talks with China to maintain the momentum in the negotiation." (Yonhap) By Baek Byung-yeul Lee Young-hoon, senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, aims to contribute to strengthening the United States-Korea alliance and promoting peace on the Korean Peninsula by attending the inauguration ceremony of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, according to the church on Thursday. The Seoul-based church said the senior pastor will leave for Washington, on Saturday to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new U.S. president. Lee is scheduled to participate in all official events taking place from Jan. 18 to Jan. 20 and his attendance was made possible through the assistance of his longtime acquaintance who is a key Republican figure and supporter. The senior pastor said his attendance at the inauguration events is seen as an opportunity to engage in private diplomacy and foster communication between the two nations. "Through this visit, I plan to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-Korea alliance, share opinions on establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula and contribute to building bridges of exchange and cooperation based on Christian values in U.S.-Korea relations," Lee said. Lee's itinerary includes attending the Cabinet Reception on Saturday (local time), the Make America Great Again Victory Rally on Sunday and the presidential swearing-in ceremony on Monday. He will also participate in the celebratory parade and inaugural balls following the main ceremony. The pastor's presence at these events is expected to provide a channel for dialogue and communication with the incoming Trump administration. Lee emphasized that he would focus on advocating for the U.S.-Korea alliance and highlighting the role of Christian values in bilateral relations during his interactions with American officials and dignitaries. This visit is expected to open new horizons for private diplomacy, beyond merely attending the inauguration ceremony, the church said in a statement. It is anticipated to be an example demonstrating diplomatic efforts based on U.S.-Korea relations and Christian values, while also presenting possibilities for cooperation and communication at the level of private diplomacy." According to Yoido Full Gospel Church, many Christian leaders are among Trump's inner circle, who received overwhelming support from conservative Christians. Notable figures include Donald Trump Jr., a devout Christian; Rev. Paula White, Trump's spiritual mentor, who delivered the invocation at his 45th presidential inauguration in 2017; and Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Rev. Billy Graham. Notably, Trump Jr. visited Yoido Full Gospel Church twice last year, in April and August. White is also a key speaker at the Church Growth International (CGI) conference, established by Yoido Full Gospel Church. White consistently participated in CGI events for over a decade and visited Korea last October. Since there is a common ground of Christian values at the foundation of U.S.-Korea relations, if I can be of help in this aspect, I will continue to play whatever role I can in the future," the senior pastor said. By Kim Hyun-bin The Sino-North Korean alliance, historically a cornerstone of Pyongyang's foreign policy, appears to be experiencing unprecedented strain. As North Korea's strategic embrace of Russia deepens, characterized by military cooperation and a growing ideological affinity, Beijing finds itself navigating a precarious balancing act, foreign relations experts said. They pointed out that bilateral relations have hit a low point, making any significant improvements unlikely in the foreseeable future. "The outlook is not easy to predict due to many variables," said Professor Park Won-gon of Ewha Womans University. "The primary variable is the Russia-Ukraine war, and the second is how quickly and at what level [U.S. President Donald] Trump, as he has announced, establishes a communication channel with Kim Jong-un. These two are the key factors." Park emphasized that China's stance of non-intervention in the Ukrainian conflict clashes with North Korea's active military support for Russia. This divergence in strategic approach has inevitably created a rift between the two allies. In October, North Korea deployed approximately 10,000 troops to Russia to bolster its military efforts in Ukraine. This move provided North Korea with financial benefits, addressing its need for foreign currency. However, this move also raises concerns about North Korea's escalating military capabilities, potentially destabilizing the regional security landscape, experts said. "North Korea has been talking about a new Cold War, as Kim Jong-un mentioned recently," Park added. "At a plenary meeting, North Korea continued to emphasize its bloc policy, which makes China uncomfortable. China has been opposing the formation of regional blocs and is trying to maintain a certain distance from North Korea." While acknowledging China's strategic interest in maintaining North Korea as a buffer zone, Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, emphasized the inherent dilemma Beijing faces in balancing its ties with both the North and Russia within the context of its broader geopolitical competition with the United States. "China cannot fully bring North Korea to its side nor can it push North Korea away. As North Korea-Russia relations become closer, China feels more isolated. Its quite an ironic situation. If North Korea receives advanced military technology support from Russia in return for military dispatches, this could make China very uncomfortable," Yang said. "With North Korea potentially enhancing its asymmetrical capabilities and conventional weapons with Russian support, China could find it harder to control North Korea, which is not a scenario Beijing desires. The provision of conventional weapons support from Russia to North Korea would be a significant concern for the U.S., South Korea, Japan and China," he said. Compounded by these challenges, experts do not foresee an immediate improvement in relations. "The situation will likely remain as it is. The relationship with China is already at its lowest point, so it is unlikely to get worse," Park said. Last year marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between North Korea and both China and Russia. In socialist countries, significant anniversaries, such as the fifth or 10th year, are held in high regard. North Korea declared 2024 as the "Year of China-North Korea Friendship." However, there appeared to be markedly fewer high-level exchanges throughout the year than before. The lack of meaningful events to commemorate this milestone between North Korea and China was telling. The most critical aspect was the absence of a meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kim, while, in contrast, Russia's President Vladimir Putin visited Pyongyang in June, even forging a new alliance treaty, according to the experts. On June 19, Putin and Kim met in Pyongyang, further solidifying the growing alliance between the two nations. The summit marked the first time in over two decades that a Russian president visited North Korea, signaling a deepening of military, economic, and diplomatic relations. North Korea has openly displayed its closeness with Russia. For example, the full text of a New Year's greeting from Russian President Vladimir Putin was featured prominently on the front page of the Rodong Sinmun, North Korea's state-run newspaper. Meanwhile, a New Year's message from the Chinese president was briefly mentioned alongside other world leaders' greetings. Additionally, while North Korean leader Kim Jong Uns reply to Putin was publicly disclosed, there has been no information on whether he sent a response to Xi. This disparity in engagement, coupled with reports of increased pressure on North Korean workers in China, paints a grim picture of a relationship teetering on the brink, according to experts. While a complete rupture is unlikely, the Sino-North Korean alliance, once a pillar of regional stability, now appears to be navigating uncharted and potentially turbulent waters, they added. Korea expressed hope Thursday for a diplomatic solution for peace and stability in the Middle East, following the announcement on the ceasefire deal committing to pausing the war in the Gaza Strip. The foreign ministry issued the commentary after the United states and Qatar announced the deal that would put a halt to the 15-month war in Gaza, a move clearing the path for a release of hostages and the improvement of the situation that has gripped the region for months since the outbreak of the conflict in October 2023. "We welcome the agreement reached on Jan. 15 regarding the ceasefire and the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, and highly appreciate the diplomatic efforts of the United States, Qatar and Egypt, which played a vital role in the conclusion of the agreement," ministry spokesperson Lee Jae-woong said. "We hope that the full and swift implementation of the agreement will lead to the release of all hostages and improvement of the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip," Lee said "We hope that the positive momentum created by the agreement will serve as a foundation for renewed discussions on diplomatic solutions for peace and stability in the region," he added. Lee said that as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council, Korea will continue to take part in international efforts to restore and promote peace in the Middle East. (Yonhap) Daegu Mayor Hong Joon-pyo plans to attend the inauguration ceremony of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, slated for Jan. 20, at the invitation of the 60th U.S. presidential inaugural committee, the city government said Thursday. Hong, a former right-wing presidential candidate, is scheduled to depart Sunday for Washington, D.C., where he will attend Trump's inauguration, inaugural parade and presidential dinner and the "MAGA (Make America Great Again) Victory" Rally, the city government said. The mayor is also scheduled to meet with key figures of the new Trump administration, the South Korean ambassador there and Korean American leaders before returning home on Jan. 23, it added. Earlier this month, Hong met with Trump's ex-campaign manager, Paul Manafort, in Seoul to exchange views on pending bilateral issues, the North Korean nuclear issue and the situation in Northeast Asia. (Yonhap) Korean Ambassador to the United States Cho Hyun-dong will attend the inauguration of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump next week, the foreign ministry said Thursday. "As per protocol, the ambassador to the U.S. plans to attend Trump's inauguration as the government representative," a ministry official told reporters. Cho's planned attendance is in line with the U.S. diplomatic practice where ambassadors and their spouses stationed in Washington are invited to the event, the official said. No invitation has reportedly been sent to Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. The official said Korea has been in talks with its ally to arrange in-person communication with Trump's side at the earliest date possible, including a potential visit by the foreign minister. In its policy plans for 2025, the foreign ministry has said the government will push for robust high-level exchanges with the incoming Trump administration this year to ensure the steady development of the bilateral alliance. (Yonhap) By Kwak Yeon-soo Kim Koo, chairman and CEO of the International Leaders Empower Federation (ILEF) Foundation, advised Korean companies to establish and strengthen relationships with members of the U.S. Congress in districts or states in which they operate to ensure the stability of business activities in the United States. He established the foundation in New Jersey in 2003 to amplify the Korean American political voice, nurture the next generation of leaders from ethnic minority groups and support their integration into mainstream American society. It later became a nonprofit organization of the United Nations Economic and Social Council. Korean companies often hire lobbying firms, public relations agencies or think tanks after the election results to increase their outreach to the U.S. But these efforts are not sustainable. Its difficult to form and build a long-term relationship with the U.S. administrations Cabinet because they would be in high demand by the time a new U.S. president is elected, Kim said in a recent interview with The Korea Times. He said creating a Super PAC (political action committee) or making donations, even a small sum of money, to members of Congress in districts or states could be effective in navigating the complex U.S. political landscape. Kim said he became the first Korean to establish a Super PAC in the U.S. in September 2023. A Super PAC in the U.S. is an organization that can freely collect and use funds for election-related political activities. He emphasized the importance of Super PACs in the U.S., saying that Korean companies need to seek preemptive measures to fund political activities to realize sustainable management in the U.S. Kim also stressed that the Korean government and companies should look beyond Donald Trump and start investing in the so-called "Make America Great Again" kids. We need to keep in mind who could potentially replace Trump in the next election. They include Marco Rubio, Donald Trump Jr., Elon Musk and JD Vance, he said. The CEO, who is attending Trumps inauguration on Jan. 20, said he aims to serve as a bridge between Korea and the U.S. When we say ROK-U.S. alliance, we tend to focus heavily on military and security terms. But soft power can have a significant impact in shaping state policies and actions. The ILEF is focused on embracing Korean American identity and strengthening community engagement through cultural education, he said. Kim said the government needs to implement a comprehensive strategy in seeking closer ties with the Trump administration. Now that we are dealing with a leadership void, the government needs to seek 1.5 track talks with the Trump administration and coordinate with the private sector, including conglomerates, research institutes and law firms, he added. Beef may be next US trade pressure item for Korea Impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's defense team on Thursday filed an insurrection complaint against the police investigation chief and the head of the anti-corruption agency investigating the president over his short-lived martial law bid. Yoon's lawyers said they have filed the complaint against Oh Dong-woon, the chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), Woo Jong-soo, chief of the National Office of Investigation, and others, with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors office. The lawyers accused them of illegally entering the presidential residence, which is a military secret by law, and detaining the president, arguing that this constitutes insurrection, as well as obstruction of official duties and a breach of military secrets. "They mobilized more than 3,700 police personnel to break into the presidential residence and arrested the president in violation of articles of the criminal procedure law," Yoon's legal team argued. On Wednesday, CIO and police investigators arrested Yoon in their second attempt to detain him for investigation after he had defied summons to appear for questioning three times on his aborted martial law on Dec. 3. The Constitutional Court began an impeachment trial on Tuesday to decide on Yoon's fate. (Yonhap) By KTimes A 64-year-old Swedish national passed away last month despite tireless efforts by Korean authorities and organizations to provide medical assistance, highlighting gaps in welfare support for foreign nationals in Korea. On Dec. 9, the Swedish Embassy in Korea called 112, requesting protection for the Swedish national, who was suffering from mental health issues. Police officers from the Seoul Station branch under Namdaemun Police Station found the Swedish national's circumstances dire. Having arrived in Korea in April last year on visa-free entry, the 64-year-old had been indicted for drug possession and placed under a travel ban. While acquitted in the first trial due to mental illness and lack of intent, his case was under appeal. More urgently, the Swedish national was suffering from severe gangrene in his left leg, which required immediate amputation to save his life. Without surgery, his condition was life-threatening. However, finding a hospital willing to perform the surgery proved to be an uphill battle. A race against time Sgt. Park Ah-ron, Korea's only police officer dedicated to assisting the unhoused, took charge of the case. Park contacted 21 hospitals in the Seoul metropolitan area but was met with refusals. Hospitals cited the 64-year-old's foreign nationality and the high cost of surgery as reasons for rejection. Efforts to reach his sister in Sweden were also unsuccessful, as she declined to cover the medical expenses. Finally, with the help of the Seoul Homeless Support Center, Park identified a hospital in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province Hyeogsin Seongmo Hospital that agreed to perform the surgery after consultations with its director. Using a translator to communicate with the Swedish national, Park obtained his consent for the surgery. On Dec. 16, the 64-year-old underwent a successful amputation. Despite the successful procedure, he passed away on Dec. 20 due to sepsis stemming from pneumonia. Hospital staff explained that his severely weakened immune system had contributed to his death. Before his passing, the Swedish national, who had diabetes, requested and enjoyed a piece of chocolate as a small comfort in his final moments. Exposing systemic gaps Park expressed frustration over the lack of welfare support for foreign nationals in Korea. I reached out to the local government for support with surgery costs, but foreign nationals are not eligible for medical aid as vagrants, he said. The total cost of his surgery was approximately 15 million won ($10,500), with 8 million won covered by the Swedish Embassy and the remaining amount from the hospitals foundation. Park extended his gratitude to the hospital and foundation for not turning away a vulnerable individual in need. This incident underscored the limitations of Koreas welfare system for foreigners. Lawyer Cho Jin-seok of Okims Law Firm said, The government needs to establish a system where it covers the costs upfront and later claims reimbursement from the individual or their home country. Park, who has assisted many homeless individuals at Seoul Station over the past five years, reflected on the tragedy. In a similar case in October, a 70-year-old Korean homeless man with gangrene in his leg was able to receive skin graft surgery and recover fully thanks to timely support. Watching him pass away due to a lack of systemic support has left me deeply troubled, Park said. The 64-year-old's ashes are set to be returned to Sweden in the coming days. This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times. Civic groups continued to stage rallies for or against impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday, a day after he was detained by investigators over his short-lived imposition of martial law. A network of progressive civic groups, including the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, one of the country's largest umbrella labor unions, said they will continue to hold weekly Saturday rallies near Gyeongbokgung Station until Yoon is removed from office. They also said they will deliver the voice of the public to the Constitutional Court while it deliberates whether to oust or reinstate the impeached president. Separately, conservative groups, including members of the Liberty Unification Party, were to stage a rally near the Constitutional Court to oppose Yoon's impeachment. A conservative group led by pastor Jeon Kwang-hoon said it would hold a rally in front of the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, 22 kilometers south of Seoul, where Yoon has been held since Wednesday night. (Yonhap) Impeached president repeatedly criticized for delivering lies, excuses By Lee Hae-rin During the 43-day saga of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's martial law fiasco, Yoon delivered a total of six televised addresses, all of which stunned the nation and outraged many. Here is a summary of what he said, from his martial law imposition on Dec. 3 to his detention on Wednesday. Dec. 3, martial law declared Yoon declared martial law in an emergency press briefing at 10:23 p.m., claiming the urgent need to eradicate what he called anti-state forces. "Dear citizens, I am proclaiming martial law to shield the Republic of Korea from the threats posed by North Koreas communist forces and to eradicate the shameless pro-North, anti-state factions that are undermining our peoples freedom and happiness. This is to safeguard the constitutional order of our nation," Yoon said during a five-minute live address. The announcement stunned the nation, while both the ruling and opposition parties strongly denounced the martial law declaration and voted to revoke the decree several hours later. Dec. 4, martial law lifted Yoon issued the second public address at 4:27 a.m., about three and a half hours after the Assembly unanimously passed the resolution to revoke martial law. "Last night, I declared emergency martial law with a resolute determination to save the nation in response to anti-state forces seeking to paralyze the essential functions of the state and undermine the constitutional order of liberal democracy, he said, referring to the Assemblys repeated moves to impeach top government officials and cut the budget for essential state functions. Dec. 7, first apology Three days later, with the Assemblys impeachment motion vote just around the corner, Yoon issued a two-minute public address in which he said he was sincerely sorry for causing public concern. I am sincerely sorry and apologize to the people who must have been very surprised, he said, explaining that he imposed martial law due to desperation as president. I will not avoid legal and political responsibility related to this martial law declaration, he said, vowing to leave all decisions, including his political future, to our People Power Party to stabilize the country. After the address, the ruling party solidified its stance against impeachment. All but three lawmakers were absent from the vote, helping Yoon escape the Assemblys first motion to oust him. Dec. 12, half-hourlong excuses Yoons fourth emergency public address ignited widespread disappointment and anger, as he defended his short-lived martial law, calling it a decisive act of governance that is not subject to investigation or judicial review and does not amount to treason. In a hastily planned 29-minute national address, he said he declared martial law to prevent the collapse of free democracy and the constitutional order and normalize state functions. What the hell is a two-hour rebellion? Is it insurrection to mobilize a small number of troops to maintain order? he said, rejecting the accusation of treason. He spent most of his address blaming opposition parties for attempting to topple the government by assembly dictatorship, again referring to the oppositions impeachment proceedings against key government officials and senior prosecutors at the opposition-controlled National Assembly. In response, opposition parties condemned his address to be extremely delusional, with many questioning his mental state and calling for swift passage of the impeachment. The address also weakened the ruling partys stance against the presidents impeachment. Dec. 14, impeachment motion passes Yoon released his fifth public address as the National Assembly passed the impeachment motion, in which he said, I will pause for a while, but I will never give up. I have been working with all my energy since then, without a moment of break, he said, stressing his achievements in state affairs such as the economy, politics and diplomacy since his debut declaration as a politician on June 29, 2021. I have come to a halt on my difficult but happy, challenging but rewarding journey, he said, I will pause for a short while, but I shall never give up and stop the journey to the future that I have walked with my people for the past two and a half years. Yoon made no remarks about the Dec. 3 martial law imposition, which triggered the Assemblys decision to impeach the president and began setting up his legal team. Jan. 15, final message before arrest Before heading to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) headquarters in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, Yoon released a sixth address to his supporters. In a three-minute speech, he explained that he had decided to voluntarily appear for questioning to prevent a violent clash between investigators and the PSS after an hourslong standoff. However, Yoon had rejected all of the CIOs requests to appear for questioning and blocked the execution of arrest warrants by mobilizing PSS personnel for over a week. He maintained that the investigation and warrant were illegal. As the president who must defend the countrys Constitution and legal system, responding to this illegal and invalid warrant execution is not an acknowledgment of the CIOs legal authority to investigate the case, but simply a desire to prevent clashes, he said. Yoon improvised the video message without prior consultation with his lawyers. The ruling People Power Party (PPP) decided Thursday to propose a special counsel probe bill into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol as its official party stance. On Tuesday, the PPP announced its decision to introduce its own bill to probe Yoon over his failed martial law bid, refusing to pass a similar bill proposed by the opposition parties. "All 108 lawmakers of the PPP have signed the special counsel probe bill on martial law and agreed to introduce it as the party's official line," PPP floor leader Kweon Seong-dong told reporters after a general meeting of the party's lawmakers. The bill will likely be introduced around Friday, according to Kweon. The PPP's decision comes as the main opposition Democratic Party ok Korea (DPK) and other opposition parties have been seeking to pass a new revised special probe bill at the National Assembly after it failed to do so by just two votes last week. "We agreed to introduce our own special probe bill because we believe that a less-than-ideal option is still better than the worst," he said, criticizing the opposition's bill as "unconstitutional and toxic." The DPK's second version proposes that the Supreme Court's chief justice recommend a special counsel to look into Yoon's allegations. It also includes allegations that Yoon committed "treason" and attempted to deliberately provoke a war with North Korea. The PPP has removed such allegations from its own version. (Yonhap) Constitutional Court rejects request from president's lawyers to delay proceedings By Lee Hyo-jin The Constitutional Court's second hearing on President Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment proceeded without his attendance on Thursday, as the detained president failed to appear. Yoon, who skipped the first hearing on Tuesday citing concerns about potential detention if he left his residence, was absent from the second hearing after those fears materialized. Investigators executed a detention warrant against him on Wednesday morning, allowing them to hold him for questioning for up to 48 hours. The suspended president faces impeachment trials at the Constitutional Court for his brief imposition of martial law on Dec. 3 last year. He also faces a separate criminal probe on charges of treason and abuse of power. Unlike the first hearing, which lasted only four minutes due to Yoon's absence, Thursday's hearing proceeded in accordance with due process. Under relevant laws, the court can continue deliberations from the second hearing and onward even if the president fails to attend. The National Assembly's impeachment investigation committee, acting as prosecutors in the trial, argued that Yoon should be ousted swiftly as he is unfit to serve as president, citing his lack of willingness to uphold constitutional order. They also claimed that his martial law declaration failed to comply with legal requirements or procedures. "The martial law decree, which labeled political opponents as anti-state forces and attempted to eliminate them, amounts to abolishing the liberal democratic order and declaring dictatorship," lawyer Lee Jin-han, legal representative of the Assembly, said. Yoon's defense team claimed that the martial law imposition was a legitimate exercise of presidential authority and that the emergency military rule, which lasted only six hours due to parliamentary pushback, did not constitute insurrection. Yoon has defended his actions in multiple public statements before and after his arrest, asserting that they were intended as a warning to opposition parties, which he accused of wielding excessive legislative power. In a written statement submitted to the court the previous day, Yoon's lawyers claimed that the controversial first clause of the martial law decree banning all political activities, including those of the National Assembly, local governments and political parties was the result of an "error." This clause has come under scrutiny because, while the Constitution allows special measures regarding freedom of the press, executive authority and the judiciary during martial law, it does not permit restrictions on legislative activities. Yoon's legal team explained that former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun, who drafted the decree, mistakenly copied those phrases from earlier martial law declarations issued during the military regime of the 1980s, when the president had the authority to disband the legislative body. Although a detainee can technically attend a hearing with the cooperation of investigators, Yoon apparently did not intend to do so for Thursday's hearing. Hours after he was detained for questioning at the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials (CIO) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, his lawyers requested a postponement of the hearing. They argued that, given Yoon's late-night questioning, it would be difficult for him to attend the court proceedings the following day. They also claimed that holding a hearing while the respondent is detained would infringe upon the president's rights to attend the proceedings. However, the court rejected the request. "After deliberation, the court decided not to accept the request for a date change. The decision was made through discussions among all members of the bench," court spokesperson Chun Jae-hyun said at a briefing on Thursday morning. The court's decision appears to reflect its intention to proceed swiftly with the trials, as Yoon's legal team has been apparently employing various tactics to delay the procedures. During the preparatory hearing stage, before formal hearings began, Yoon's legal team refused to accept court documents for over two weeks. Once formal hearings started, they filed multiple objections to the court, including one demanding the removal of Justice Jung Gye-sun for her perceived left-leaning stance. The Constitutional Court has about five months to decide whether to formally remove Yoon from office, in order to meet the 180-day deadline following the National Assembly's decision to impeach him on Dec. 14. The court said it will schedule three more hearings for Feb. 6, 11 and 13, in addition to the planned hearings for next Tuesday, Thursday and Feb. 4. By Imran Khalid As Australia's most critical military ally in the Asia-Pacific, the United States' role looms large in shaping Australian defense policy, particularly when considering the implications of Donald Trump's return to the White House on Jan. 20. In view of Trumps trademark foreign policy disgorgement over key global issues, there are growing concerns within the Australian government, reflected by senior officials, that Trump may rethink or even dismantle this strategic alliance. The early reactions from key Australian officials reveal underlying concerns. Foreign Minister Penny Wong, reflecting on Trumps second term, emphasized, "We look forward to particularly prioritizing AUKUS in our engagement with the Trump administration." AUKUS is the trilateral security alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Wong has been projecting AUKUS as a top priority in engaging with the next U.S. administration. She expressed a focus on AUKUS, describing it as the primary issue on Australia's radar, highlighting its swift evolution as a linchpin in the bilateral relationship. A mere three years ago, AUKUS was labeled as a relatively new venture with limited scope, but today, it has become the top priority in discussions with the U.S. government. For Canberra, it has swiftly eclipsed other major defense initiatives, as well as economic concerns. In this new political landscape, Australian leaders are understandably wary of how a Trump administration might approach their carefully crafted strategic ties. Will AUKUS remain a pillar of their security framework, or could it be redefined under a different American leadership? There is little doubt that the Australian government is now inordinately depending upon AUKUS as the most important plank of its defense strategy. However, there is growing concern within Australian leadership about the future of this agreement under Trump. The fear is not unfounded. Trump's foreign policy track record has consistently shown a desire to renegotiate agreements with allies he perceives as not pulling their weight. Throughout his first term, Trump criticized nations such as Korea, Japan and NATO members for not bearing their fair share of defense costs, urging them to increase their contributions, particularly for the U.S. military presence on their soil. These patterns suggest that Trumps approach to the AUKUS deal might mirror his stance on other defense partnerships pressuring Australia for additional financial commitments. Experts speculate that Australia could be asked to expand its investment beyond the existing 2.4 billion pounds (4.6 billion Australian dollars) for the U.K. and U.S. defense sectors, as well as the $3 billion (AU$4.6 billion) already committed to the defense industrial bases. This shift would mark a significant test of the strategic relationship, raising fundamental questions about the nature of shared defense costs and long-term cooperation under a Trump administration. The AUKUS agreement, as it stands, will remain at the mercy of the political tides, with little to prevent any of its signatories including Australia from exiting or altering its terms. Despite the formalization of the pact in a draft trilateral treaty, presented in August to Australias Parliament, the deal has yet to fully solidify. This treaty outlines a crucial legal framework for the sharing of U.S. and U.K. naval nuclear propulsion technology with Australia, positioning it as a foundational piece of the defense partnership. It is noteworthy that this treaty was not just confined to Australia; it was also laid before the U.K. Parliament in September and transmitted to the U.S. Congress in August. Once passed by all three legislatures, it would extend its validity through Dec. 31, 2075 unless terminated earlier. Yet, this formal milestone carries with it an undeniable vulnerability. Should Trump, or any future U.S. leader, decide to disrupt the accord, little legal recourse exists for the Australian government. As with many international security treaties, the terms allow for a withdrawal with just 12 months' notice, exposing the fragility of such agreements. Ultimately, the future of AUKUS hinges not on legal frameworks but on the political will of the leaders involved a far more volatile and unpredictable force than any treaty's provisions. While the political future of AUKUS under a Trump administration remains uncertain, there is still strong bipartisan support for the agreement in the U.S. Congress. Interestingly, in December 2023, crucial AUKUS legislation garnered impressive backing, including an 80 percent yes vote in an evenly divided Senate and a 75 percent yes vote in a Republican-dominated House. But the situation has seriously changed since the last vote on this agreement. At present, given the deeply polarized state of American politics, securing that approval appears far from assured. At the same time, the unpredictable nature of Trumps foreign policy makes it clear that AUKUS future will hinge not just on its legislative backing but also on the shifting priorities of an unpredictable political leadership in Washington. Trumps foreign policy team is taking shape gradually, with notable figures like Marco Rubio nominated for secretary of state, and Mike Waltz set to be national security adviser. Both have long been vocal about their hawkish stance toward China, signaling a shift toward a more Indo-Pacific-focused approach. In this framework, Australia would likely find itself occupying a pivotal role, alongside other U.S. allies in the region. Yet, the question remains: Is this role truly in Australias best interest? Though it's understandable to be concerned about AUKUS future, early signs suggest that U.S. disengagement is unlikely. In fact, the more pressing concern could be the entrapment of Australia and its allies in a conflict should tensions escalate. With U.S. policy veering toward a more aggressive stance in the region, the risk of abandonment seems less immediate than the challenge of being caught up in a larger geopolitical crisis. The future of the AUKUS partnership, particularly as it pertains to the next five, 10 or 20 years, remains uncertain. Most of the discourse surrounding Trump has centered on Pillar 1 the submarine component while the broader, more transformative developments under Pillar 2 have received less attention. The key question for Australia is how much flexibility it can tolerate before the financial and strategic costs of involvement become prohibitive. This conundrum will persist well beyond Trumps tenure, as it taps into the broader challenge of maintaining long-term alliances in an ever-evolving geopolitical landscape. Dr. Imran Khalid (immhza6@gmail.com) is a freelance contributor based in Karachi, Pakistan. By Mason Richey The U.S.-South Korea relationship is about to enter a period of uncertainty. On Jan. 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated for a second time as the 47th president of the United States. Judging by his first term, Trumps policy agenda and personal proclivities on international cooperation are likely to be misaligned with allies, including South Korea. On matters of trade, security and defense, diplomacy and the environment, the U.S. under Trump will pursue action to make America great again, action that may not be in the perceived interest of Seoul. Moreover, South Korea is currently leaderless, as it plods through the aftermath of Yoon Suk Yeols martial law decision. Seouls government is thus not positioned to vigorously defend the countrys interests over the next few months, a critical period to set the tone with Trump 2.0. The government under acting President Choi Sang-mok is trying to put a brave face on its provisional efforts to engage the incoming Trump administration, but Choi has admitted that political uncertainty has undermined those efforts. Even in an optimistic scenario, over the next few critical months South Korea will miss opportunities to shape Trump administration policy, and in the short-term, risks being sidelined from Washingtons focus. This is simply an artifact of not having a South Korean president and government who can speak with the mandate of the people, mixed with the reality that any political agreements made now by Seoul could be undone by a potentially incoming Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) president. Alternatively, in the worst case, Seouls leadership vacuum and consequent vulnerability might attract the predations of Trump, who could force the issue of renegotiating the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) or the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement during a period in which South Koreas government would have less leverage. Indeed the best hope for Seoul might be that Trumps team focuses on de rigueur policy reviews, domestic affairs, the Russia-Ukraine war and other issues peripheral to Korea and East Asia for long enough that South Korea can return to normal political functioning following a special presidential election (or, less likely, the restoration of Yoon to power). Regardless of the timing, however, South Korea will likely see a number of critical, challenging issues requiring attention to and cooperation and coordination with the U.S. The first and most obvious is Trumps tariff plans, which include 60 percent tariffs on imported goods from China, 25 percent on goods from Mexico and Canada, and 10 percent universally on imports from all other countries. Frankly, if South Korea does not already have government and private sector plans for dealing with this issue, it is probably too late. A second major issue is the aforementioned SMA under which South Korea provides host-nation support to the U.S. for its military presence on the peninsula. Trump and members of his security and foreign policy team have already indicated they are dissatisfied with the recently renegotiated SMA, and thus, may push for alterations. Given that eventuality, the Choi government as well as its successor would enter discussions with two tools at its disposal: the fact that South Korea is currently the top source of foreign direct investment into the U.S., and the importance of South Korea as a partner in balancing Chinas rise. Those planks are a solid foundation for arriving at a re-renegotiated SMA figure Seoul could find acceptable. South Korea should be careful, however, in overselling its role as an ally in balancing China. From a South Korean perspective, not only is the alliance still fundamentally about deterring North Korea, but South Koreas economic, diplomatic and security/defense exposure to China is significant enough that it does not want to antagonize Beijing. This could become tricky, however, as several Trump 2.0 senior officials are on the record demanding South Koreas greater implication in cooperating with the U.S. to contain China. This is arguably the area with the greatest potential for a Washington-Seoul clash, especially if the DPK which is more China-friendly and U.S.-lukewarm than the Yoon administration captures the presidency following a special presidential election. Beyond those three issues, there are many other challenges that will test South Koreas alliance management skills: moving forward (or not) trilateral relations with Japan and the U.S.; maintaining integrated, extended nuclear deterrence despite Trumps erratic rhetorical record on the topic; deciding whether to test the possibility of advancing South Koreas nuclear weapon latency and coordinating with the U.S. on policy toward North Korea, which could careen from crisis to diplomacy (and would have a different valence depending on whether the South Korean president is conservative or progressive). In some respects, all of the above issues in alliance management have already been present in one form or another, but rarely have they been present in such a complex international environment, and never after a failed self-coup attempt by a South Korean president. Not only has the current crisis weakened Seoul and tarnished its international image (which will negatively affect Trump 2.0s perception of South Korea), but the next weeks and months of Constitutional Court hearings and insurrection trials may produce revelations, notably about the potential misuse of the South Korean military during martial law, that could undermine U.S. faith in South Koreas reliability. This would be another headache for Seouls alliance managers. Mason Richey is a professor of international politics at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, president of the Korea International Studies Association and editor-in-chief of the Journal of East Asian Affairs. Allies should focus on denuclearization The recent comments by Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the Pentagon, have sparked controversy while mentioning North Koreas nuclear ambitions. In his response to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Hegseth referred to North Korea as a nuclear power, describing the countrys growing missile range, nuclear warhead capabilities and cyber threats. This reference, although not technically incorrect in describing a nation with nuclear weapons, carries important implications for the security situation on the Korean Peninsula and beyond. It also prompts crucial questions about the future of the U.S.-South Korea alliance and the larger goal of denuclearization in Northeast Asia. The term "nuclear power" has become a catch-all label for countries possessing nuclear weapons but that are not officially recognized as nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. This includes countries such as India, Pakistan and Israel. North Korea, having conducted multiple nuclear tests, clearly fits this description. However, referring to Pyongyang as a nuclear power is problematic. Not only does it shift the international narrative on North Koreas nuclear status, but it also undermines the decades-long effort led by South Korea and the United States to achieve the denuclearization of the North. For Seoul, the implications of labeling North Korea as a nuclear power are profound. Such a designation could erode the longstanding diplomatic and security framework that has guided U.S.-South Korea relations, which has focused on achieving the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization (CVID) of North Korea. A shift toward accepting North Koreas nuclear status would essentially abandon this critical objective, moving the conversation from denuclearization to arms control. The risk is that Washington and Pyongyang could eventually settle on a nuclear freeze rather than a comprehensive disarmament agreement, leaving South Korea and its allies to confront the reality of a nuclear-armed North Korea. This potential shift in the narrative would not just affect the U.S.-South Korea alliance, but could trigger a dangerous regional domino effect. If North Korea is recognized as a nuclear power, countries like South Korea, Japan and even Taiwan may reconsider their non-nuclear stances. A nuclear arms race in Northeast Asia would escalate security risks in a region that is already fraught with tensions. Such developments would dramatically alter the geopolitical landscape and introduce a new level of unpredictability into the regions security environment. Trump has publicly expressed an interest in engaging North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in direct talks, even suggesting that North Koreas nuclear weapons could be an asset if handled diplomatically. Some reports suggest that Trump may be willing to offer sanctions relief in exchange for a freeze on North Koreas nuclear program. This approach, while potentially easing tensions in the short term, risks legitimizing North Koreas nuclear status and pushing the region toward an era of nuclear proliferation rather than disarmament. In light of these concerns, it is critical that the U.S. and South Korea maintain a unified stance on the North Korean nuclear issue. Seoul has made it clear that it will not accept North Korea as a nuclear power, and it is imperative that the U.S. upholds this position. The Biden administration has reaffirmed its commitment to denuclearization, but there are fears that the policy could change under a second Trump administration. Given this uncertainty, it is crucial for Washington to consult closely with Seoul and strengthen their cooperative alliance to ensure that North Korea stays committed to the denuclearization process. To maintain stability on the Korean Peninsula and prevent further nuclear escalation, the U.S. must continue to lead the efforts on North Korean denuclearization while reinforcing its alliance with South Korea. This involves not only upholding the CVID framework but also strengthening nuclear deterrence capabilities to counter North Koreas increasing nuclear and missile threats. A strong alliance, built on mutual respect and shared interests, will be crucial in addressing the complex challenges posed by North Koreas nuclear ambitions. South Korea and the U.S. must work together to prevent the erosion of the denuclearization goal. A focus on maintaining the integrity of the CVID principle, alongside a strong and cooperative alliance, will help ensure that the Korean Peninsula remains free of nuclear weapons. Recognizing North Korea as a nuclear power would undermine these efforts and risk destabilizing the region. The time is now for Seoul and Washington to strengthen their alliance and continue the fight for a denuclearized North Korea. By Nam Hyun-woo Competition for an early lead in glass substrates for computer chip manufacturing is heating up, with component firms projecting that the commercialization of this so-called "next-generation material" could happen sooner than initially anticipated. According to the Korea Exchange, the stock price of chemical manufacturing company SKC jumped 44.4 percent from 109,700 won on Jan. 2 to 158,400 won on Wednesday, recording one of the sharpest increases among stocks listed on the benchmark KOSPI during the same period. The jump seemed to be driven by investor expectations on the commercialization of the companys glass substrate. Last week, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited the booth of SKC, an affiliate of SK Group, at the CES 2025 tech trade show in Las Vegas. He then stated that he just sold SKCs glass substrates. Since it was speculated that Chey had met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang just before visiting the booth, his comment was presumed to mean that SKC was close to signing a deal with Nvidia for glass substrates, despite the company still being in the pre-mass production phase. Glass substrates are believed to be the next-generation chip substrate, replacing conventional substrates based on plastic materials. Plastic substrates are lightweight and cost-effective, but have low heat resistance and are prone to warpage. To address these issues, manufacturers have been interposing silicon-based intermediate materials, called interposers, between chips and substrates. This method resulted in increased production costs and slower manufacturing processes. Instead, glass substrates excel in resistance to heat and warpage, while allowing more chips to be stacked on a single substrate. It also offers a smoother surface, allowing ultra-fine circuit patterns to be transferred on the surface. This results in semiconductor speeds increasing by up to 40 percent, while power consumption can be reduced by half. Experts often compare stacking chips on plastic substrates to building a house on sand, while using glass substrates is like building a home on a rock. As the chip industry increasingly focuses on stacking more chips on a single substrate, experts predict that the balance of power in the semiconductor sector could shift toward substrate manufacturers. Due to these strengths, Intel, AMD and Broadcom have announced plans to adopt glass substrates for their next-generation chips. Intel has since invested $1 billion in the development of glass substrates, aiming for commercialization by 2030. Among Korean companies, SKC is taking an early lead. To advance glass substrate technology, SKC established Absolics in 2021, a 70:30 joint venture with Applied Materials, the worlds largest semiconductor and display equipment company. Absolics completed the construction of the worlds first glass substrate mass-production facility in Georgia in the first half of last year, and received $75 million in production subsidies and $100 million in research and development (R&D) grants from the U.S. government. Citing the companys R&D capabilities, the number of patents, mass production capacity and prospective client base, Meritz Securities analyst Roh Woo-ho said in October last year that SKCs Absolics is the top-tier player and the company maintains a technological lead of more than three years over its competitors. The company is currently in discussions with global big tech firms and aims to commence mass production by the end of this year. Samsung Electro-Mechanics and LG Innotek are also accelerating their efforts in the glass substrate business. Samsung Electro-Mechanics has established a pilot line at its plant in Sejong and plans to supply prototypes to clients this year, with mass production expected to begin after 2027. During a press conference at CES 2025, Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO Chang Duck-hyun said that the [chip industrys] trend is moving from front-end [advanced chips] to packaging, substrates and the integration platform and the company is in talks with multiple clients [over glass substrates] with a plan of providing prototypes to two to three clients this year. Similarly, LG Innotek is setting up a pilot line at its plant in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, and aims to begin manufacturing prototypes this year in a small-scale production. Glass substrate is the way we should go, LG Innotek CEO Moon Hyuk-soo said in an interview with reporters at CES 2025. Glass substrates are expected to be commonly used in communication semiconductors within the next two to three years. For server semiconductors, they are projected to become a mainstream solution in about five years. By Nam Hyun-woo Employees at 17 of Samsung's affiliates are stepping up efforts to boost the domestic economy by purchasing agricultural and fishery products from affiliated small businesses through their respective online employee malls ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on Jan. 29 this year. According to the conglomerate, Samsung Electronics, Samsung C&T, Samsung Biologics, Samsung Life Insurance and 13 other Samsung companies are now running special shopping programs for the holiday. These programs are affiliated with small businesses and farmers in rural areas, enabling employees to purchase local specialties such as agricultural, livestock and fishery products, as well as products from smart factories supported by Samsung Electronics. This years Lunar New Year shopping program features more than 60 businesses running smart factories, offering products including red ginseng extract, dried seaweed and rice cakes. These smart factories were powered by Samsung Electronics automation technologies. Its convenient to purchase gifts for the Lunar New Year through the online mall, a Samsung Electronics employee said. The mall helps you find unique regional specialties that arent commonly available, and its also meaningful because it helps support local economies. For small businesses, the shopping program provides an opportunity to secure a valuable sales channel targeting a large customer base, as Samsung Electronics alone has more than 120,000 employees in Korea, currently. Since 2011, Samsung companies have been running special shopping programs for Lunar New Year and Chuseok, the nation's two major national holidays. The total amount spent by employees through special shopping programs during last year's Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays stood at 2.8 billion won ($1.93 million), contributing to expanding sales channels and increasing revenue for rural areas and small businesses. Along with the shopping program, Samsung announced its affiliates' plan to make early payments worth 560 billion won to partner companies, three weeks ahead of schedule, to help partner companies avoid financial difficulties before the holiday. Since 2011, major Samsung companies have been making payments to partner companies three to four times a month to assist vendors in their supply chains. A total of 11 companies will participate in the early payment program for this years Lunar New Year, including Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI, Samsung SDS and Cheil Worldwide. Mutual growth Samsung said it will continue making various efforts to establish a healthy industrial ecosystem to enable mutual growth with domestic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through the smart factory program, Samsung Electronics has been supporting more than 3,200 SMEs since 2015, transferring manufacturing know-how, providing unused patents for free, training workforces and integrating artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Also, Samsung Electronics and Samsung Display established a fund for partner firms worth 1 trillion won to help domestic partners overcome financial burdens in their efforts to incorporate environmental, social and corporate governance values in their management. By depositing a combined 1 trillion won in five major banks, Samsung Electronics enables SME partners to access loans of up to 2 billion won for up to three years without interest. Going forward, Samsung plans to operate various support programs to facilitate sustainable mutual growth with its partner companies, a Samsung official said. CEO expects major turnaround in 2025 By Lee Min-hyung LG Display launched its much-touted fourth-generation organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display panel optimized to present perfect black and accurate colors in an era of artificial intelligence (AI), the company said Thursday. The latest OLED features the worlds top level of brightness of more than 4,000 nits. It also improved energy efficiency by around 20 percent from its predecessor, according to LG Display. The super bright panels are crucial for state-of-the-art AI TVs, as they are designed to express images and content with more than 8K resolution. Under any circumstances, the fourth-generation OLED manufactured by LG Display is capable of realizing strong brightness levels, the company said. The panel is also compatible with any on-device AI systems equipped with latest TVs, according to LG Display. The fourth-generation OLED is equipped with LG Displays unmatched technologies, such as the Primary RGB (red, green and blue) Tandem and ultra-low reflection, and it is the pinnacle of displays that have surpassed limits of innovation, Lee Hyeon-woo, senior vice president at the company, said. The Primary RGB Tandem is a backbone technology for LG Displays fourth-generation OLEDs. The technology employs four-stack light-emitting elements, improving OLED brightness by more than 33 percent from its predecessor. LG Display CEO Jeong Cheol-dong expressed hopes for a major turnaround this year with the launch of the market-leading OLEDs. The company reported an operating loss of 560.6 billion won ($384.7 million) last year on an oversupply of displays and fierce market competition here and abroad. It is hard for us to pinpoint when exactly we will be able to turn a profit, but we will do our best with the four key phrases of timely rebound, unique value, market leadership and partnership with clients. Jeong took office as the head of LG Group's display arm in December 2023. He was tasked with revamping its business structure to ensure more profitability. However, he painted a pessimistic outlook for the global display industry this year. There are still opportunities ahead for AI, but it is tough for the firm to achieve a realistic outcome for the time being, Jeong added. The business environment will not take a turn for the better this year, he said. Last year, we placed our strategic focus on developing products and enhancing competitiveness in prime costs. LG Display will move forward to achieve a turnaround in 2025 with our differentiated capabilities. Slowdown in new projects reduces demand for steel products By Park Jae-hyuk Major steelmakers in Korea have suspended the production of rebar in an apparent attempt to cope with the falling demand caused by a prolonged slowdown in the domestic construction industry. According to industry officials, Thursday, distributors of rebar were informed that Dongkuk Steel will stop the production and shipment of the construction material from Jan. 24 to 31. The decision came after the steelmaker began halting the operation of its rebar factory during the day last July, cutting the plants output by about 35 percent and shifting production to nighttime hours. Operating from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m., the factory also changed its shift system in September. Last month, Dongkuk Steel curtailed the rebar factorys output by 50 percent. Industry officials expect Dongkuk to keep its rebar production low, as there are no signs of a recovery in the construction sector. Earlier this month, Hyundai Steel decided to halt output at its rebar plant in Incheon from Jan. 13 to 27 and at another factory in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, from Jan. 22 to 31. More than half of rebar produced in our factories have been sent to construction sites, a Hyundai Steel official said. Due to the plummeting demand in the aftermath of a domestic construction industry slowdown, we decided to cut the output ahead of the Lunar New Year holidays. Last year, the steelmaker also reduced output by decreasing its capacity utilization rate. The company is expected to consider an additional reduction in output next month. Korea Iron & Steel Association Chairman Chang In-hwa, who leads POSCO Group, acknowledged the crisis in the steelmaking industry, during the associations New Years greeting event held for the first time in five years on Tuesday. Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun urged steelmakers to focus on creating new demand in the electric vehicle and renewable energy sectors, rather than relying on the construction industry and conventional manufacturing. The government will also come up with a comprehensive plan to revitalize the countrys steel industry in the first half of this year, amid lingering business challenges, including oversupply from China. Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that mediators said would take effect on Sunday and include a release of hostages held there during 15 months of bloodshed that devastated the Palestinian enclave and inflamed the Middle East. The complex phased accord outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip, where tens of thousands have been killed. Hostages taken by militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. At a news conference in Doha, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the ceasefire would take effect on Sunday. Negotiators are working with Israel and Hamas on steps implementing the deal, he said. "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," U.S. President Joe Biden said in Washington. Despite the breakthrough, residents said Israeli airstrikes continued on Wednesday evening in Gaza, where more than 46,000 people have been killed in the conflict, according to local health authorities. Strikes on Gaza City and northern Gaza killed at least 32 people, medics said. A Palestinian official close to the talks said mediators were trying to get both sides to stop hostilities before the truce starts on Sunday. Palestinians responded to news of the deal by celebrating in the streets of Gaza, where they have faced severe shortages of food, water, shelter and fuel. In Khan Younis, throngs clogged the streets amid the sounds of horns as they cheered, waved Palestinian flags and danced. "I am happy. Yes, I am crying, but those are tears of joy," said Ghada, a displaced mother of five. In Tel Aviv, families of Israeli hostages and their friends rejoiced at the news, saying in a statement they felt "overwhelming joy and relief (about) the agreement to bring our loved ones home." Israel's acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the country's security cabinet and government, with votes slated for Thursday, an Israeli official said. The accord was expected to win approval despite opposition from some hardliners in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who repeated his condemnation of the agreement on Wednesday. Netanyahu called Biden and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to thank them and said he would visit Washington soon, his office said. In a social media statement announcing the ceasefire, Hamas called the pact "an achievement for our people" and "a turning point." Defusing regional tensions If successful, the ceasefire will halt fighting that has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza and displaced most of the tiny enclave's pre-war population of 2.3 million. That in turn could defuse tensions across the wider Middle East, where the war has stoked conflict in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, and raised fears of all-out war between arch regional foes Israel and Iran. Phase one of the deal entails the release of 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children and men over 50. Two American hostages, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, were among those to be released in the first phase, a source said. The agreement calls for a surge in humanitarian assistance to Gaza, and U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the "priority now must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict." Both the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross said they were preparing to massively scale up their aid operations. The pact follows months of tortuous, on-off negotiations conducted by Egyptian and Qatari mediators, with the backing of the United States, and comes just ahead of Trump's presidential inauguration on Monday. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed the agreement in a post on X as did leaders and officials from Turkey, Britain, the United Nations, Jordan, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, among others. On his Truth Social media site, Trump said the deal would not have happened if he had not won the U.S. election in November. Trump's Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff was in Qatar along with White House envoys for the talks, and a senior Biden administration official said Witkoff's presence was critical to reaching a deal after 96 hours of intense negotiations. Biden said that the two teams had "been speaking as one" though Trump's administration will largely handle implementation of the accord. Perilous path ahead The road ahead is complex, with political minefields likely. Israeli hostage families expressed concern that the accord may not be fully implemented and some hostages may be left behind in Gaza. Negotiations on implementing the second phase of the deal will begin by the 16th day of phase one, and this stage was expected to include the release of all remaining hostages, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third stage is expected to address the return of all remaining dead bodies and the start of Gaza's reconstruction supervised by Egypt, Qatar and the United Nations. Trump said he would use the ceasefire deal as momentum to expand the Abraham Accords - U.S.-backed agreements struck during his first presidency in 2017-2021 that normalised Israel's relations with several Arab countries. If all goes smoothly, the Palestinians, Arab states and Israel must still agree on a vision for post-war Gaza, a formidable challenge involving security guarantees for Israel and many billions of dollars in investment for reconstruction. One unanswered question is who will run Gaza after the war. Israel has rejected any involvement by the Islamist Hamas, which had ruled Gaza since 2007 and is officially sworn to Israel's destruction. But Israel has been almost equally opposed to rule by the Palestinian Authority, the body set up under the Oslo interim peace accords three decades ago that has limited governing power in the West Bank. Israeli troops invaded Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen broke through security barriers and burst into Israeli border-area communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 foreign and Israeli hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's air and ground war in Gaza has since killed over 46,000 people, according to Gaza health ministry figures, with hundreds of thousands of displaced people struggling through the winter cold in tents and makeshift shelters. (Reuters) Incoming U.S. national security advisor Mike Waltz has said the new administration will reinforce Washington's Indo-Pacific strategy including arms sales to Taiwan to deter Beijing's ambitions in the region. Speaking one week before Donald Trump's inauguration, Waltz pledged to leverage Indo-Pacific partnerships, including the trilateral security alliance with Australia and Britain on technology supply chains, to counter Chinese influence. His remarks offered the clearest signals yet since Trump's re-election in November as to what the incoming administration's strategy is likely to be regarding the Indo-Pacific region and Taiwan. The return of Trump, who has often attacked U.S. allies over their share of defense spending, unsettled many in Europe and Asia who fear he will not be as committed as his predecessor Joe Biden to regional security partnerships. Waltz was appearing at a "Passing the Baton" event alongside his predecessor Jake Sullivan at the United States Institute of Peace on Tuesday, when he made the clear affirmation that U.S. partnerships in the region would continue. "Where I certainly give this administration some credit is the trilateral dialogue between South Korea, the United States and Japan, and then also between the United States, Japan and the Philippines," Waltz said. These initiatives were "really helping those countries and those governments overcome historic animosities with a shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific," he added. "So I think all of those things will continue." Waltz also stressed that the incoming administration would make sure that the $20 billion backlog of U.S. weapons for Taiwan would be delivered "as a deterrent measure" an issue repeatedly dodged by Trump during the campaign. Beijing regards Taiwan as part of its territory, to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the U.S., do not recognize the island as an independent state. However, Washington is bound by the Taiwan Relations Act to support Taipei's defense capability and is its largest supplier of arms. On the campaign trail, Trump refused to answer questions about whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan in the event of a contingency. He also suggested that the island should pay the United States for its defense. The Indo-Pacific region has increasingly been a flash point in U.S.-China relations, with Beijing repeatedly warning that Taiwan is "the first line" that must not be crossed in the bilateral ties. These warnings have been delivered against a backdrop of continuing U.S. arms sales to the island, including a military assistance package worth $571.3 million unveiled by the Biden administration in December. The announcement included an additional $295 million in potential arms sales approved by the State Department. Beijing responded by lodging a serious protest with Washington. On Tuesday, the mainland blacklisted a further seven U.S. companies over weapons sales to Taipei. Turning to global tech supply chains, Waltz described the dependency on critical minerals from China as one of the most pressing national security challenges for Trump in his new term. He stressed that Indo-Pacific groupings like Aukus and the Quadrilateral Alliance, as well as partnerships in the western hemisphere another priority region for Trump should be incorporated into the U.S. strategy to tackle China in the tech supply chain. Competition has been fierce between the two powers in high technology, with both countries convinced it is key to their long-term ambitions. Washington continues to roll out export controls on advanced chips in a bid to curb technology developments in China that would also advance its military capabilities. In retaliation, Beijing has imposed controls on its exports of the critical minerals that are essential for making chips. China accounts for more than 60 percent of the world's rare earths production and upwards of 90 percent of refining in the area. To tackle China's rare earths dominance, the U.S. has been taking increasing measures to reduce its dependence on Chinese supplies, including forming critical mineral security partnerships with Indo-Pacific nations and with the EU. In his remarks, Waltz pointed out that China needed the U.S. market for its critical mineral production, which could actually be used as a "leverage." "The president-elect firmly believes we can avoid conflict with the Chinese Communist Party, because they need our markets, and we're going to use the leverage in a way ... that's aligned with our national security while we still can," he said. After four years in charge of Biden's national security strategy, Sullivan urged his successor and the incoming administration to get U.S. allies on board to "push back" on China's electric vehicle "overcapacity" and its activities in the South China Sea. "We can't take our eye off the ball of the long-term strategic competition with the People's Republic of China," he said. But Sullivan also suggested that the new administration should maintain strategic communications with China, as an effective way of managing the competition, adding that his talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had been "very valuable." "I have found it very valuable, as national security advisor, to have that strategic channel so that China understands what we're up to, and so we understand what they're up to," he said. "It's not about making compromises on our national security, our interests or values, but it's about having an open channel of communication to manage the competition." Read the full story at SCMP. *Between Jan. 15 and 17, 1935, during the Long March, the renowned Zunyi Meeting was held. * The meeting is regarded as a landmark event in the history of the Communist Party of China as it largely determined the fate of the Party at a critical juncture for its survival. * The spirit of the meeting inspires the Party to overcome severe difficulties and remain undaunted in the face of great challenges. GUIYANG, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- At No. 96 Ziyin Road in Zunyi, a city nestled between lush hills in southwest China's Guizhou Province, stands a building that elegantly blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. Its facade has been recently adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, as if anticipating a grand celebration. Between Jan. 15 and 17, 1935, during the Long March, the renowned Zunyi Meeting was held here, a landmark event in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it largely determined the fate of the Party at a critical juncture for its survival. "Today, the spirit of this meeting is deeply ingrained in the city, as well as the country, inspiring generations to continue moving forward in the new era toward national rejuvenation," said Zhang Wen, a staff worker at the site, now a memorial museum, during a recent event commemorating the 90th anniversary of the meeting. HISTORICAL TURNING POINT The Zunyi Meeting took place at a critical crossroads for the CPC. In the harsh winter of 1934, the CPC was forced to retreat from the Central Soviet Area in east China's Jiangxi and move northwest after enduring a series of encirclement campaigns by rival forces of the Kuomintang party (KMT). The setback was the result of the left-leaning errors in military strategy and rigid Soviet-inspired dogmatism. After suffering a heavy loss in a battle along the Xiangjiang River in southern China, the number of the CPC-led Red Army soldiers dwindled from over 86,000 to around 30,000, who were depleted and short of food and ammunition. The failure sparked a backlash from the soldiers who demanded new leadership and revised strategies. The three-day meeting was thus convened after the Red Army seized Zunyi to draw lessons on why they were defeated by the enemy. The sessions often stretched late into the night, marked by passionate debates, criticisms and self-criticisms. In the end, many key issues were resolved, including the establishment of a new leadership within the Central Committee of the CPC, with Mao Zedong at the helm. The meeting later proved to be a crucial turning point in the Long March. "Mao Zedong displayed remarkable military prowess in the subsequent battles, ultimately leading the Red Army to complete the monumental feat of the Long March. This was a crucial moment that shifted the course of events," said Zhang Xiaoling, the deputy curator of the memorial museum. The communist army, under Mao's leadership, took fresh heart and eventually defeated the KMT. Fourteen years after the Zunyi Meeting, the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) marked the beginning of a new chapter in history. In his book "The Long March: The Untold Story," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Harrison Salisbury wrote: "Zunyi was over. The Long March continued. Mao was in charge. China's course had been set for at least half a century to come." LONG-LASTING INSPIRATION The Zunyi Meeting was the first time the CPC made important political and military decisions independently, without interference from the Comintern -- an international communist alliance mainly controlled by the Soviet, with the CPC just a branch. "This not only marked a turning point but also represented a historic leap toward the Party's independence and autonomy. Since then, the CPC has become increasingly steadfast on the path of independence and autonomy," said Li Zhongjie, vice chairman of the Chinese Society of the History of the CPC. The spirit of the meeting also inspires the Party to overcome severe difficulties and remain undaunted in the face of great challenges. In 2015 and 2021, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited Guizhou. Xi said that of all the places the Red Army reached, it spent the longest time and had the most extensive presence in Guizhou, leaving later generations an enduring spiritual legacy. The Zunyi Meeting's distinct features, including the establishment of the correct CPC Central Committee leadership, as well as innovative formulation and implementation of strategies that suited the Chinese revolution's characteristics, still have significance today, according to Xi. "No matter how times or conditions alter, we need to deeply understand the original aspiration and mission of communists from the spirit of the Long March and the Zunyi Meeting," Li Zhongjie said. NEW LONG MARCH Guizhou, where the Red Army regrouped and thrived during its most challenging times, has harnessed the Long March Spirit to drive its development. Once considered the "poorest" province, Guizhou has made remarkable progress, lifting over 9.2 million people out of poverty within a decade by 2021. Through unremitting efforts in ecological conservation, the province -- home to the largest area of rocky desertification in China -- saw its forest coverage rise to 63 percent by the end of 2023. From 2011 to 2021, Guizhou's economic growth ranked among the top three in provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland for 10 consecutive years. "The progress we've seen in Guizhou is a real testament to carrying forward and translating the spirit of the Zunyi Meeting into action," said Liao Zhengwei, a former official at the archives bureau of Tongzi, a once poverty-stricken county in Zunyi. Guizhou's development trajectory reflects the broader course of China's advancement to attain the Two Centenary Goals and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, which is labeled as the New Long March. The Two Centenary Goals refer to: completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the CPC's centenary in 2021, and building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful when the PRC marks its centenary in 2049. A great number of difficulties need to be handled at this critical juncture, including taking the economy to a high-quality development track. Take Guizhou for example. After decades of rapid growth, the province now confronts more profound and complex challenges, including uneven economic growth, insufficient consumption demand, weak scientific and technological innovation, as well as government debt and financial risks. China, too, is facing challenges that are more complicated, with sluggish global economic growth posing threats to global trade, and rising protectionism seeking to curb its development. All these problems must be solved by adopting new strategies. In July 2024, at a key meeting, the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. The main goals of the new round of reforms, as stated in the communique, are to keep enhancing and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to modernize China's system and capacity for governance, so as to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. Marxism theorist Xia Jinglei noted that, in order to fulfill these goals, people should further learn the historical experiences from the Zunyi Meeting, which illuminate that in the new era, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics must be independently and autonomously followed, instead of copying the Western system. "Sometimes to the east, sometimes west, sometimes on main roads, sometimes on side roads, sometimes on beaten paths, and sometimes on new ones. But there's only one goal: to win battles when conditions are in our favor." This passage, explaining the Red Army's military strategy during the Long March, is displayed on the exhibition board at the memorial museum, prompting visitors to ponder and reflect. Today, the conference room of the Zunyi Meeting stands as a proud beacon of history. Visitors from across the country can now embark on a "cloud visit," immersing themselves in a virtual journey to that historical moment. Just a 10-minute walk away, a stage play called "Great Turning Point," crafted with holographic phantom technology, vividly transports viewers back 90 years. Since its premiere on Jan. 15, 2024, the show has attracted over 280,000 spectators. "The play really brings those tough but glorious times to life," said Ms. Mai, a visitor from Guangdong Province. "It's far more touching than watching a TV series. We should always be grateful and keep those revolutionary pioneers in our hearts." (Video reporters: Chen Qiang, Liu Qinbing and Cui Xiaoqiang; Video editors: Tan Yixiao, Zhao Xiaoqing and Wei Yin) ROSE and Bruno Mars' "APT." has achieved a feat previously only held by supergroup BTS with their song "Dynamite." "APT." has climbed into the top five of Billboard's Pop Airplay chart, a 40-song chart published weekly that tracks the most popular songs of pop music on over 150 mainstream top 40 radio stations monitored by Mediabase, with data provided to Billboard by Luminate. "APT." ascends two spots into the chart's top five on the latest weekly chart from January 18, marking an achievement that K-pop hasn't seen since BTS' "Dynamite" peaked at number five in December 2020. The feat also marks the first Pop Airplay chart entry for ROSE with her solo music, as BLACKPINK previously charted two songs, with a #21 best. Only five K-pop hits have ever climbed to the Pop Airplay top 10, with PSY's "Gangnam Style" kicking off the succession in 2021. "Gangnam Style" and "APT." are the only tracks to achieve the record under solo artists. The full list of top five K-pop hits on Pop Airplay top 10 here: Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Bijapur (Chhattisgarh), Jan 16 (PTI) Two commandos of CRPF's CoBRA unit were injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday, police said. The incident occurred in the wee hours in Basaguda police station area when a joint team of security forces was out on an area domination operation, a senior police official said. Also Read | Upcoming IPOs List January 2025: Stallion India Fluorochemicals IPO, Capital Numbers Infotech IPO and Kabra Jewels IPO. Personnel belonging to the 229th battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 206th battalion of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite jungle warfare unit of CRPF, were involved in the operation, he said. As per preliminary information, the personnel inadvertently came in contact with the pressure IED, triggering the blast and causing injuries to two of them, the official said. Also Read | India on Gaza Ceasefire Deal: We Welcome Ceasefire, Hostage Release Agreement Between Israel and Hamas, Says New Delhi. The injured constables, Mridul Barman and Mohd Ishaq, of the CoBRA 206th battalion, were evacuated and shifted to Basaguda CRPF camp where they were provided preliminary treatment, the official said, adding the duo was reported to be out of danger. They have been referred to a hospital in state capital Raipur for further medication, he said. Maoists often plant IEDs along the road and dirt tracks in forests to target security personnel during patrolling in the interior pockets of Bastar region, which comprises seven districts including Bijapur. Civilians have also fallen prey to such traps laid by ultras in the past in the region. On January 12, a 10-year-old girl was injured in Sukma district and two policemen suffered wounds in Bijapur district in similar incidents of IED blasts. On January 11, a CRPF jawan received injuries in a similar incident in Bijapur. On January 10, a villager was killed and three others were injured in two such incidents in Orchha area of the state's Narayanpur district. On January 6, Naxalites blew up a vehicle with an IED in Bijapur district, killing eight police personnel and their civilian driver. (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 16 (PTI) The Bharatiya Majdoor Sangh (BMS), an affiliate of the RSS, on Thursday hailed the Centre's approval to constituting 8th Pay Commission, saying it reflects the government's commitment towards welfare of employees. This came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved setting up the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of nearly 50 lakh central government employees and allowances of 65 lakh pensioners. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission Approved by PM Narendra Modi: Here's Timeline and Key Facts. "This shows the commitment of the government of India and its leader towards the workers," BMS general secretary Ravindra Himte said in a statement. He said the BMS had been demanding the formation of 8th Pay Commission for a long time. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Encounter: 12 Naxals Killed in Gun Fight With Security Forces in South Bastar. "Our representatives were continuously discussing this with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman," he said. "We had also raised the issue of early formation of the 8th Pay Commission during the recent pre-budget consultation with the finance minister," Himte said, thanking the minister for accepting BMS' "just demand". (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Patna, Jan 16 (PTI) Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor on Thursday withdrew his fast unto death after 14 days of protest over alleged irregularities in a competitive exam conducted by the Bihar Public Service Commission on December 13 last year. However, the former political strategist said his Satyagraha' would continue for the cause of civil service aspirants, and the youth of the state and also against the alleged authoritarian' attitude of the state government. Also Read | Infosys Reports 11.5% Increase in Net Profit at INR 6,806 Crore in Q3, Indian IT Firm Delivers Strong and Broad-Based Performance With 6.1% YoY Growth. The matter, seeking the cancellation of the BPSC's 70th Combined Competitive exam held on December 13, is being heard by the Patna High Court today. It's a coincidence that I am calling off my fast unto death on a day when the matter is being heard before the court. We are quite hopeful that job aspirants will get justice from the Patna High Court. If they don't get justice, we will knock on the door of the Supreme Court," Kishor said. He had started fast unto death on January 2, demanding cancellation of the BPSC exam. Also Read | Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: BJP's Fields Shikha Rai To Challenge Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj in Greater Kailash Constituency. Before withdrawing his fast unto death at the party's camp office here, Kishor took a dip in the Ganga river and offered puja. Kishor was offered fruit juice by his party workers as he withdrew the fast unto death. The party has set up its camp office at LCT Ghat on the bank of the Ganga river. (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 16 (ANI): Congress will hold a 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' rally in Karnataka's Belgaum on 21st January to demand Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over his statement on BR Ambedkar, KC Venugopal, AICC General Secretary (Organisation), said. The Belgaum rally was scheduled for December 27, but the Congress had to postpone it after the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Also Read | LTC Scheme: Centre Issues Order Allowing Government Employees To Travel on Tejas, Vande Bharat, Humsafar Express. "Today, we had the meeting to discuss the program for the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' rally on 21st January. Earlier we had decided to have a rally in Belgaum which was cancelled due to the sad demise of Manmohan Singh. Now we are doing that Belgaum rally on 21st January in a bigger way," Venugopal said after the meeting of general secretaries and state in-charges held at the new Congress headquarters 'Indira Bhawan' in Delhi. "The rally will culminate on 27th January in Madhya Pradesh. In this rally, we will demand the resignation of Amit Shah over his statement on Dr BR Ambedkar," he added. Also Read | Surajkund Mela 2025 Date, Time, Ticket: From Timings to How To Book Tickets, Here's All You Need To Know About Surajkund International Crafts Mela. Venugopal said that members of the Congress Working Committee, and PCC presidents were invited for the Belgaum rally. "Congress Working Committee members and PCC presidents have been invited to the Belgaum rally. Amit Shah insulted Ambedkar. He did not give an apology and has not given any clarification," Venugopal said. During the Winter Session of Parliament, Amit Shah had reportedly said in the Rajya Sabha, "If they (the Opposition) had taken the name of God as many times as they take Ambedkar's name, they would have secured heaven for seven lives." Following Shah's remarks, Parliament witnessed parallel protests from both the Treasury and Opposition benches outside the parliament last week, leading to a huge scuffle between the two sides, with BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput sustaining injuries. The ruling BJP MPs were protesting in Parliament's premises against the Congress party for "insulting" Babasaheb Ambedkar. INDIA Bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, held a protest in Parliament and demanded the resignation of Shah over his remarks on Ambedkar. During the scuffle in Parliament's premises, BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput were injured on their heads. Both parties have alleged that their members were pushed around. Furthermore, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi by the Delhi police regarding the incident. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): Green Genome India Pvt Ltd showcased the groundbreaking BHISHM Cube, a portable healthcare unit, at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. This innovative solution is part of Project Aarogya Maitri, a visionary initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revolutionize disaster management. The event highlighted the capabilities of the BHISHM Cube, one of the most critical components of the Aarogya Maitri initiative. Also Read | Maharashtra Government Approves Disbursement of INR 3,690 Crore To Transfer Installment of INR 1,500 for January of Ladki Bahin Yojana. The BHISHM Cube is designed to provide comprehensive medical care during emergencies, featuring advanced equipment such as - Handheld X-ray Devices: Compact and portable, enabling efficient diagnostic imaging in remote areas; Portable Ultrasound Machines: Ensuring immediate and accurate medical diagnosis; Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Devices: Providing instant test results for timely patient treatment and AI-Enabled Facial Recognition Applications: Streamlining healthcare delivery during crises by assisting in patient identification and medical history tracking. The BHISHM Cube and its associated equipment are envisioned to play a transformative role in India's disaster response mechanisms, emphasising the urgent need for nationwide installations of these life-saving kits. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing: Congresss Nana Patole Targets CM Devendra Fadnavis, Says Is There a Home Minister in Maharashtra or Not?. Participation by Global Delegates in the demonstration saw an impressive turnout, including ambassadors and dignitaries from countries such as Uganda, Mozambique, Mongolia, and South Sudan, among others. These representatives praised the initiative's innovative approach to providing rapid and effective healthcare solutions in disaster-stricken areas. The event served as a platform to exhibit India's capability to manufacture and deploy portable hospitals and state-of-the-art medical equipment. The ambassadors expressed their admiration for the initiative, noting its potential to significantly enhance global disaster management systems. The Aarogya Maitri demonstration featured an array of advanced medical equipment and technology. Some of the notable devices on display included Handheld X-ray Devices Compact and portable, these devices allow for efficient diagnostic imaging in remote and disaster-hit regions. Project Aarogya Maitri reflects India's commitment to becoming a global leader in disaster response and healthcare innovation. The BHISHM Cube is a portable healthcare unit equipped with essential medical tools, making it a vital resource for managing emergencies. Its modular design and ease of deployment make it suitable for use across varied terrains and disaster scenarios. The presence of ambassadors from various nations underscored the international interest in the Aarogya Maitri initiative. Many delegates expressed their desire to explore partnerships and adopt similar solutions in their home countries. Uganda's ambassador commended the project, calling it "a beacon of hope for countries struggling with limited healthcare resources during emergencies." Mozambique's representative highlighted the importance of global collaboration in tackling disaster management challenges, stating, "The Aarogya Maitri project is a testament to India's innovation and its willingness to share solutions with the world. This initiative has the potential to save countless lives globally." The demonstration at Maharashtra Sadan marked a significant milestone for Project Aarogya Maitri, bringing global attention to India's efforts in advancing disaster management technology. The event highlighted the importance of preparedness, innovation, and international collaboration in addressing the growing challenges posed by disasters. This landmark event reaffirms India's position as a leader in disaster response innovation, setting an example for other nations to follow. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the regular bail plea of Neeraj Sehrawat alias Neeraj Bawania in Jail Van double murder case. The High Court said that "the larger interests of society must prevail over the individual rights of an undertrial." Also Read | Pune Robbery: Trio Held for Committing Series of Thefts in Maharashtra, Stealing Jewellery Worth over INR 1 Crore. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani dismissed the bail application after hearing the submissions and due consideration of facts. Justice Bhambhani said, "In the present case the record shows that the petitioner has committed heinous offences while he was on bail in other cases, and he has been convicted for the offences committed while on bail. Also Read | Gurugram Shocker: 2 Held for Raping Minor Girl at Guest House Through His Friend on Pretext of Birthday Celebrations. "When there is a long list of serious criminal involvements, including convictions for offences committed while on bail in other cases, the apprehension that the petitioner suffers from recidivism cannot be dismissed as imaginary. In that view of the matter, the petitioner's submission that he has served sentence for those crimes offers scant comfort to the court that no one else will be harmed by the petitioner if he is enlarged on bail this time," Justice Bhambhani said. The bench said that it is also settled law, that bail can justifiably be denied when there is real risk of repeat offences being committed. Sections 437 and 439 of the Cr.P.C. contemplate that contingency. "As a sequitur to the foregoing, regrettably this court finds itself unable to allow the present bail petition, which is accordingly dismissed," the High Court said in the order passed on January 15. The High Court said that to reiterate, in the present case, bail is not being denied so as to inflict pre-trial punishment upon the petitioner, but in view of the petitioner's grave criminal antecedents and demonstrable recidivistic tendencies, as discussed above. "It may be said that the right to speedy trial derived from Article 21 of the Constitution of India is not a 'free pass' for every undertrial, demanding that he be enlarged on bail regardless of his criminal antecedents and the nature of the offence. In matters such as this, the larger interests of society must prevail over the individual rights of an undertrial," Justice Bhambhani held. While dismissing the bail application the HC said, " This court cannot help but express its consternation about the delay in conducting trial in the subject FIR, which has given to the petitioner a ground to seek release on regular bail. The completion of trial in the present case brooks no further delay. " "In the circumstances, without setting out any timelines, this court urges the learned trial court to conclude the trial in the present case without any further undue delay," the High Court urged. Senior advocate N Hariharan, and advocate Siddharth S Yadav appeared for Neeraj Bawania. This case is related to an incident where a violent quarrel erupted between undertrial prisoners while they were being ferried in a jail van from the Rohini Court lock-up to Tihar Jail, New Delhi, which led to two of the prisoners in the jail van namely Vikram and Pradeep being done to death by some of the other prisoners who were housed in the same compartment of the jail van as the two victims. At the relevant time, there were 9 prisoners in the jail van. The petitioner Neeraj Bawania was one of them. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, Jan 16 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate Thursday said it has attached an under-construction luxury hotel in Colombo's prime area and some other assets worth more than Rs 200 crore as part of a money laundering probe linked to a Gurugram-based realty company which is alleged to have duped homebuyers. The company named Krrish Realtech Private Limited is promoted by businessman Amit Katyal, who is believed to be a close associate of the family of RJD chief Lalu Prasad. Also Read | BPSC Exam Row: Prashant Kishor Ends Hunger Strike After Protesting for 15 Days (Watch Video). Katyal was arrested by the central agency in 2023 in a separate money laundering case related to the railways alleged land-for-jobs scam involving Prasad and his family. The ED said in a statement that it has issued an order to provisionally attach an under-construction luxury hotel and leasehold rights over 4 acres of land in the "Colombo 1" area of Sri Lanka apart from land rights for about 2.82 acres of Vicinity Hotels Pvt. Ltd., in the name of Good Earth Business Park Pvt. Ltd. located at Sector-66 in Gurugram. Also Read | 'Not Correct To Say Mumbai Is Unsafe': Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Reacts to Attack on Saif Ali Khan. The money laundering case of the ED stems from FIRs filed by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police and Gurugram police against Katyal and his associates. It was alleged in these police complaints that Krrish Realtech Pvt. Ltd. "defrauded" numerous investors and "illicitly" transferred hundreds of crores of rupees abroad "through a coordinated scheme involving cheating, deception and fraud". The company, the agency alleged, "duped and defrauded" numerous plot buyers by resorting to "cheating" and "misrepresentation" of facts relating to the project. The agency said the company floated a project to provide residential plots in the centre of Gurugram. However, the ED said, despite the lapse of more than 13 years no plots were provided to the buyers. The company had collected hard earned money of Rs 503 crore belonging to innocent plot buyers, it said. "Amit Katyal willingly siphoned off funds collected from various plot buyers and investors to a Sri Lankan company named The One Transworks Square (Pvt) Ltd. (formerly Krrish Transworks Colombo Pvt Ltd) which was developing a luxury real estate project in Sri Lanka." "For the said purpose, the promoter has resorted to diversion layering and concealment of funds and projected the funds as legitimate income," the ED statement said. The assets attached abroad (Colombo) are worth Rs 205 crore and this includes about 4 acres of land and leasehold rights of some buildings. In order to freeze these assets against sale and use, the ED sends a formal legal request to their foreign counterparts requesting them to help in executing the order issued as part of a criminal investigation. The ED also said that some of the funds were "siphoned off" to a company named NCR Business Park Pvt. Ltd., which is now known as Good Earth Business Park Pvt. Ltd. About 2.82 acres of land worth Rs 19.08 crore in Badshahpur and Ghasola villages in Sector 66 of Gurugram (in the name of the Good Earth Business Park Pvt. Ltd.) have also been attached. (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 16 (PTI) After the Cabinet approved the constitution of 8th Pay Commission on Thursday, a section of railway unions has pleaded with the government to reconsider its decision on Night Duty Allowance, which has a ceiling of pay level as well as a basic salary. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had on July 13, 2020 issued an office memorandum according to which the ceiling of basic pay for entitlement of Night Duty Allowance shall be Rs 43,600 per month, among other conditions. Also Read | Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Over 2.5 Million Devotees Take Holy Dip at Triveni Sangam on Fourth Day of Mahakumbh. According to the DoPT OM (office memorandum), even if an employee's basic pay is above Rs 43,600, his Night Duty Allowance (NDA) will be calculated presuming his basic pay as Rs 43,600 which is unfair and without any rationale," said North Eastern Railway Men's Congress assistant general secretary Vivek Mishra. The Railway Board, however, issued an instruction on September 29, 2020 and said that NDA would be granted to those employees, who are up to pay level 7 only. This eliminated the upper pay level employees of 8 and 9 to get any benefit of NDA. Also Read | Delhi Assembly Elections 2025: Congress Promises INR 500 LPG Cylinder, Free Ration, Electricity up to 300 Units. The Railway Ministry too didn't offer any rationale for imposing such a restriction. This is demotivating and discouraging. As the government has announced the constitution of 8th Pay Commission, I humbly plead to the DoPT as well as the Ministry of Railway to look into this aspect separately as the working of Railways is not like other government departments, Mishra said. According to the unions, Before 2020, all government employees used to get the said allowance for working between 10 pm to 6 am irrespective of their grade pay or any ceiling. But after the 7th Pay Commission report and when the DoPT issued an office memorandum fixing a ceiling, many safety department employees are deprived of NDA now." They say that several safety category staff such as station masters, train controllers and other senior supervisors work equally hard, however, this ceiling and pay level restriction have divided them into two categories - NDA and non-NDA. So a station master works for 8 hours from 10 pm to 6 am and gets the benefits of NDA because he falls in pay level 7. On the other hand, another station master who is promoted to level 8 or level 9 doesn't get the benefit despite doing the same duty hour even if he is more experienced than the one of level 7. Isn't it unjust and discriminatory? asked Northern Railway All India Station Masters' Association general secretary Sumeer Aima. Sushil Shally, Ex Chief Controller, Delhi Rail Division, too raised the similar issue in respect of controllers. The 13th July, 2020 OM doesn't have any rationale through which it can justify the ceiling. Neither the Railway Ministry's instruction which puts another restriction of pay level 7. Train controllers are also facing similar issues like station masters' and I believe it impacts the functioning, motivation level etc. Working against the natural hours must be rewarded irrespective of levels or grade pay, he said. When senior officers sleep at home, these safety cadre employees work relentlessly to help people reach their respective destinations safely. The government must consider the functioning of railways different from its other departments and treat them accordingly, said All India Train Controllers' Association (AITCA) ex-assistant general secretary Manoj Sinha. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, January 16: Google is celebrating the ongoing Maha Kumbh with a rose petal animation on its search screen. If one looks up 'Kumbh', 'Maha Kumbh', 'Kumbh Mela', 'Mahakumbh' or any similar iterations on Google, the screen plays an animation in the background showing a virtual shower of rose petals. Google also allows for the animation to be replayed or shared with others via email, Facebook, X, and WhatsApp. A third option allows one to dismiss the animation. "Google search engine uniquely celebrates the commencement of Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj. When you search Maha Kumbh it will shower petals on the screen in honour of Maha Kumbh," stated a message posted on the official X handle of the Maha Kumbh. Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Sadhus Snatch Police Batons, Attack 15 People Including 2 Contractors After Power Cut at Mahakumbh in Prayagraj; Complaint Filed. The Maha Kumbh -- one of the largest spiritual gatherings on the planet -- is being held on the banks of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers, in Prayagraj. The mega fair, where millions of pilgrims turn up for a holy dip in the Sangam in their quest for 'Moksha' and to cleanse their sins in the sacred waters, kicked off on January 13 and will continue till February 26. While nearly 5 crore people descended for the Maha Kumbh on the first two days itself, the Uttar Pradesh government, which is hosting the event, expects a footfall of 40 crore to 45 crore during the entire Mela period. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru, Jan 16 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ruled that suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who faces multiple allegations of sexual assault, can only examine digital evidence related to the complainant in the present case and not that of other women. Revanna had approached the court seeking access to all digital evidence collected by the State Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the cases against him. However, Justice M Nagaprasanna firmly rejected this request, stating that the law would not be bent in his favour. The images here, even of the victim, are obscene. Just because you are Prajwal Revanna, the law can't be bent for you, the judge remarked. Also Read | Padma Award Winners in Odisha To Receive Monthly Honorarium of INR 30,000 From State Government, District Collectors Directed To Gather Details. Revanna, accused in at least four separate cases of rape, sexual assault, and criminal intimidation, argued that the digital evidence he sought was not necessarily obscene. However, the court dismissed this claim, emphasising the importance of protecting the privacy of other victims. "You are entitled to evidence in the case related to Section 376 (alleged rape of a domestic worker), but if you are trying to extract material related to all the women you have had escapades with, that cannot be permitted. When they have not given any statements against you, why invade their privacy?" Justice Nagaprasanna said. Additional Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) B N Jagadeesha argued that Revanna's petition was a tactic to delay the trial. He informed the court that while copies of images and videos relevant to the four cases had already been provided to the defence, Revanna was now seeking access to over 15,000 images and 2,000 videos recovered from a Samsung phone allegedly belonging to his driver. Also Read | Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: Over 2.5 Million Devotees Take Holy Dip at Triveni Sangam on Fourth Day of Mahakumbh. Many of these files contain details of other victims, and disclosing them would not only delay proceedings but also risk exposing their identities before the trial court, the prosecutor cautioned. The High Court ruled that Revanna could inspect digital evidence and statements only with the present case, in line with Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (now part of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) and the Supreme Court's ruling in P Gopalakrishnan vs State of Kerala. The court also permitted the prosecution to withhold evidence as per legal provisions. "It is his right to ask under Section 207, but whatever he is entitled to will be per the Gopalakrishnan judgment," the judge clarified. Revanna, the son of former minister H D Revanna and grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is currently facing multiple charges of sexual assault. The SIT, which is investigating these cases, had earlier submitted a 2,144-page chargesheet in one of the cases. (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 16 (PTI) Congress MP from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur Imran Masood accused AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal of raising the issue of attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai to woo Muslim voters ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls. The Bollywood was stabbed six times by an intruder, who barged into his Mumbai home early Thursday. He is admitted to the Lilavati Hospital. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission Approved by PM Narendra Modi: Here's Timeline and Key Facts. Taking on the BJP over the issue, Kejriwal said, "When the BJP's double-engine government can't ensure the safety of celebrities like Saif Ali Khan, what can the common people expect?" "Such attacks are not new. There was a shooting outside actor Salman Khan's house and the killing of Baba Siddique, who was BJP's alliance partner, shows the law and order situation in the country," he added. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Encounter: 12 Naxals Killed in Gun Fight With Security Forces in South Bastar. Hitting out at Kejriwal, Congress MP Imran Masood said, "It is surprising that Kejriwal, who did not express any concern about the Muslims of Delhi in the past 10 years, is concerned about the Muslims of Mumbai." At least he is concerned about the Muslims outside Delhi, he said. "But the question that arises is that you will speak about the law and order of Mumbai but not of Delhi. Today you tried to woo Muslim voters in Delhi by taking the name of (Saif Ali) Khan. But when there was violence in Jahangirpuri, you did not utter a single word," Masood charged. "You were the chief minister at that time. If you would have gone to Jahangirpuri, then there would not have been so much of a loss. When the students were attacked during CAA/NRC (protest) at Jamia Millia Islamia, you were not ready to say anything," he said. Continuing with his barrage of attacks, the Congress MP said, "The punishment given to AAP MLA Naresh Yadav in the case of desecration of the Holy Quran is a serious matter. How does AAP justify keeping those who do such divisive work in the party? Have any steps been taken to ensure accountability in the party?" The Delhi Assembly elections are scheduled for February 5 and the results will be announced on February 8. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Lucknow, Jan 16 (PTI) The Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court will hear on Friday the case pertaining to a contentious piece of land declared as enemy property in Lucknow's posh Gomtinagar area. The state counsel on Thursday submitted in a sealed cover documents related to the case for the court's consideration. Also Read | Triple Murder in Kerala: 3 of Family Hacked to Death by Their Neighbour in Kochi, Accused Arrested. The court, hearing a plea by Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) MLA Abbas Ansari challenging the declaration of the land as enemy property, directed the continuation of the case on Friday. A bench comprising Justices Rajan Roy and B R Singh issued the order while hearing separate petitions filed by Abbas Ansari, Asma Hussain, Faraz Hussain, Nadim-Ur-Rahman and others. Also Read | Maha Kumbh Mela 2025: 7 Crore Pilgrims Bathed at Sangam from January 11 to 16 on Occasion of Mahakumbh. The case garnered national attention after the Supreme Court on January 9 expressed displeasure over delays in the high court proceedings despite its earlier directive for a timely hearing. The apex court had also ordered all parties to maintain the status quo on the disputed land. Abbas Ansari filed a petition in 2023 challenging an order passed by the Sadar sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) on August 14, 2020 cancelling his entry besides that of Omar Ansari and Mukhtar Ansari from Gata Number 93 located in Jiamau and declaring the property as enemy property. The land in question, measuring approximately five bighas and three biswas, was reportedly used by the Ansari family to construct a building without legal sanction. The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) alleged that the Ansaris secured the land entry through fraudulent means. Following the declaration of the land as enemy property, the government initiated a redevelopment project on the site, constructing houses for the underprivileged. The SDM's order noted that the Ansaris manipulated records to claim ownership, despite the property being designated as enemy property a classification for properties belonging to individuals or entities associated with enemy nations, which subsequently vests in the government. The high court decided to review the matter further after examining the sealed documents. The next hearing is scheduled for Friday and the court's decision is awaited on this politically sensitive and legally complex issue. (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 16 (PTI) Rajasthan's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), in coordination with Interpol, has arrested Sudha Kanwar, the wife of Amarjeet Vishnoi, an active member of the notorious Rohit Godara gang, an official said on Thursday. She was arrested by the local police on Wednesday from the Sicily area in Trapani city, Italy. Also Read | TG CETs Date Sheet 2025: TGCHE Releases Exam Schedule for Telangana Common Entrance Test at tgche.ac.in, Check Complete Date Sheet Here. In an official statement, Additional Director General of Police of the Anti-Gangster Task Force, Dinesh MN, said that the gang of Amarjeet Vishnoi and Sudha Kanwar extorts money from wealthy businessmen by making threatening calls. If the extortion money is not received, the gang members even open fire on the victim and their family. He added that Vishnoi, used to arrange Dabba Calls for Rohit Godara and other members of the gang. Vishnoi was arrested by local police in Italy on July 8 last year based on information provided by the AGTF and the extradition process to bring him to India is underway, Also Read | Odisha Shocker: Man Killed by Wife, Son Over Family Dispute in Bhadrak District; Body Found in a Pool of Blood. Dinesh MN further stated that Kanwar is originally from Merta City, Nagaur. After divorcing her first husband, she married Vishnoi and began assisting him in his criminal activities. She had helped Manish alias Bachhiya, one of the shooters in the murder case of Rajendra alias Raju Thehat in Sikar on December 3, 2022, by transferring money and providing weapons. Kanwar was arrested in this case on February 5, 2023 and sent to judicial custody. After getting bail from the court, Amarjeet called Sudha Kanwar abroad. The process to extradite Kanwar to India has also been initiated, police said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Ramgarh (Jharkhand), Jan 16 (PTI) Two multi-seater fully air-conditioned cruises, which were brought to Patratu Lake Resort in Jharkhand's Ramgarh district for G-20 delegates in March 2023, will be sent to Prayagraj for Mahakumbh devotees. The cruises a 65-seater and a 100-seater both currently in operation at the resort, will be transported to Prayagraj with the help of a mega trailer, according to a Jharkhand Tourism Development Corporation (JTDC) official on Thursday. Also Read | Maharashtra Government Approves Disbursement of INR 3,690 Crore To Transfer Installment of INR 1,500 for January of Ladki Bahin Yojana. JTDC had brought the 65-seater AC cruise from a Gujarat-based company. However, due to a traffic issue, it arrived a day after the delegates visited Ramgarh, resulting in the delegates missing out on the luxury ride. Now, the cruise will be repurposed for the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, an official added. Arun Singh, senior manager at Patratu Lake Resort, confirmed both the cruises will be dispatched to Prayagraj. "As a result, tourists visiting Patratu Lake Resort will not be able to ride the cruises for about a month, but other boating options, such as motorboats, paddleboats, and manually operated boats, will still be available," he added. Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing: Congresss Nana Patole Targets CM Devendra Fadnavis, Says Is There a Home Minister in Maharashtra or Not?. Shashank Kumar, senior manager at the Gujarat-based Antartica SeaWorld Company, said the loading work for dispatch is currently underway. (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 16 (ANI): The attack on actor Saif Ali Khan that has led to him suffering at least 6 injuries has resulted in a political battle with opposition leaders cornering the state government. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attacked the BJP-led state government over the incident and asked when artists like Saif Ali Khan are attacked then to what extent the common public is safe? Also Read | Delhi Weather Update Today, January 16: Delhiites Wake Up to Light Rain As Dense Fog Shrouds City; 29 Trains Delayed. The UBT MP questioned Maharashtra's Home Minister on the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Raut further claimed that such incidents are happening on a "daily basis" in slum areas but this incident came to light because a celebrity was attacked. Addressing a press conference, Raut said, "Saif Ali Khan is an artist; he has also been awarded Padma Shri. Saif Ali Khan and his family met him at the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago. The Prime Minister had invited him. Everyone sat with him for an hour and discussed. Saif Ali Khan was also very happy after meeting the Prime Minister. But yesterday the Prime Minister was in Mumbai and at this time Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife. Some people say the attacker was a thief, some say something else, but what is the law and order situation in this state? ... Where is our Home Minister?" Also Read | Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Mumbai Police Detain 3 Working in Bollywood Actor's House Following Attack on Him at His Residence in Mumbai. "If we speak, comments are made on us that you have no work. If you have work, you are busy as Home Minister, then what is happening in Mumbai and Maharashtra? ... In Mumbai, an artist like Saif Ali Khan is attacked in his most secure house ... How is the common public safe? Such incidents are happening every day in slums.... Saif Ali Khan is a celebrity, that is why you have come to know about this news," he added. UBT Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that it was a matter of shame for Mumbai that such an incident had happened. "What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names: - Baba Siddique ji's family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder. - Salman Khan forced to live in a bullet proof house. - Now it is Saif Ali Khan All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery," she posted on X. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday expressed his shock after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence. Kejriwal wished for a speedy recovery and strength to the family of actor Saif Ali Khan in this difficult time. "Shocked to hear about the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Wishing him a speedy recovery and strength to his family during this difficult time," AAP chief posted on X. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan suffered six stab wounds, two of which were deep, with one located near his spine and a foreign object was also identified near his spine, the Lilavati Hospital said in a statement after the latter was attacked by an intruder in his house. Dr Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lilavati Hospital, said that Saif was brought to the hospital at 3 am on Thursday. The Hospital also mentioned that the Bollywood actor is currently undergoing surgery under Dr Nitin Dange, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr Leena Jain, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Nisha Gandhi, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Dr Kavita Srinivas, Intensivist, Dr Manoj Deshmukh Consultant Radiologist. "The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is completed," Lilavati Hospital COO said. Earlier, Mumbai Police's Crime Branch officials arrived at the location to investigate the matter. The attack took place at the 'Satguru Sharan' building, where Khan resides. According to police reports, the intruder initially had a confrontation with Khan's maid. As the actor intervened to defuse the situation, the intruder became aggressive, resulting in a scuffle. A message from Saif Ali Khan's PR team confirmed the incident, describing it as an attempted burglary. The message read, "There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." Mumbai Police have launched an investigation into the attack. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam commented, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], January 16 (ANI): Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal distributed prizes of the 25th National Youth Parliament Competition, 2023-24 for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas on Thursday, at GMC Balayogi Auditorium, Parliament Library Building, Parliament House Complex in New Delhi. The Minister, Meghwal held an interactive session with the students during the programme. Also Read | Chhattisgarh Encounter: 12 Naxals Killed in Gun Fight With Security Forces in South Bastar. The Minister exhorted while interacting with the students that the younger generation should learn and adopt the democratic values and ethics of democracy and devote themselves to promoting the harmony and tradition of this democratic country. Meghwal also administered the "Life Pledge" to all the attendees of the function for protecting the Environment. Also Read | BPSC Paper Leak: Patna High Court Refuses To Cancel BPSC Preliminary Examination or Stay Result. While delivering the Welcome Address, the Secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, Umang Narula gave a clarion call to the students to popularise and inculcate the practices and processes of Parliamentary proceedings. Gyanendra Kumar, Joint Commissioner, Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti has stated that the National Youth Parliament competition plays a vital role in making our youths aware of our great democratic values, and traditions to strengthen democracy. On this occasion, the students of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chandrapur, Maharashtra (Pune Region) which stood first at the National Level in the 25th National Youth Parliament Competition, 2023-24 for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas presented an energetic repeat performance of "Youth Parliament" which was appreciated hugely by the august gathering. Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs has been organising Youth Parliament Competitions in Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas for the past 28 years. Under the scheme of the National Youth Parliament Competition for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, the 25th Competition in the series was organized during 2023-24 among 80 Vidyalayas spread over 8 regions of Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, all over India. The Youth Parliament Scheme provides young minds from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas across the nation to converge to showcase their eloquence, critical thinking, and leadership skills. Besides, the scheme also acquaints the students with the practices and procedures of Parliament, techniques of discussion and debate, and develops their self-confidence, quality of leadership, and the art and skill of effective oratory. This prestigious event will encourage some of the brightest and most articulate students from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas to engage in spirited debates on matters of national and global significance. In the Function, the Running Shield and Trophy for standing first at the National Level in the 25th Competition was awarded to Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Chandrapur, Maharashtra (Pune Region) by the Minister. Apart from JNV Chandrapur, Maharashtra, the following 7 regional winning Vidyalayas also received prizes from the Minister: Dr. Satya Prakash, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs delivered a Vote of Thanks to the Minister, Officers and all the agencies involved in the function. He also stated that our youth have to play an important role to make India as a developed Nation by 2047. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mahakumbh Nagar (UP), Jan 16 (PTI) After the successful completion of Paush Purnima and Makar Sankranti in the Maha Kumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government is now focusing on the preparations for the Amrit Snan on Mauni Amavasya falling on January 29. Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and Uttar Pradesh DGP Prashant Kumar visited the Maha Kumbh area on Thursday and chaired a high-level meeting to review and strengthen the arrangements, an official press statement said. Also Read | BPSC Paper Leak: Patna High Court Refuses To Cancel BPSC Preliminary Examination or Stay Result. The chief secretary said the arrangements and facilities during the previous festivals were commendable but emphasised the need for further refinement. He stated that preparations must also account for the anticipated visit of the prime minister to the Maha Kumbh, along with a possible cabinet meeting, it said. Also Read | Formula-E Race Case: BRS Leader KT Rama Rao Says 'Ready for Lie-Detector Test, if CM Revanth Reddy Also Comes Forward'. He instructed that all preparations should be completed promptly and directed that sector magistrates, police and officers from all departments ensure their presence in all sectors. Addressing the facilities provided by the Railways, he suggested improving the signage directing devotees to railway stations. "The signage should clearly indicate which station devotees need to go to and provide visible information about the availability of trains to their destinations. Key details about trains and stations should be displayed on digital screens, along with the distance to Sangam for the convenience of visitors," he said. The Railways must ensure that passengers departing from a station can return via the same station, he added. He further directed that train operations on Mauni Amavasya should begin early morning, even if it requires reducing the number of normal trains for that day, according to the statement. DGP Prashant Kumar said the running status of trains must be displayed at prominent locations in the city and under no circumstances should train platforms be changed. These measures aim to streamline the travel experience for devotees and ensure their convenience. While reviewing the facilities in the Mela area, the chief secretary emphasised the need for seamless telecom services during major bathing festivals and the Amrit Snan. He stated that the telecom infrastructure in the fair area is robust and under no circumstances should devotees face issues with phone connectivity. He instructed the Transport Department to ensure the operation of additional buses from Prayagraj for the convenience of devotees, with special focus on running regular services to Ayodhya, the official statement said. He directed the public works department to install sturdy iron railings along all pontoon bridges without any gaps to ensure safety. Regarding cleanliness, Chief Secretary Singh directed that there should be an adequate number of toilets and urinals at Sangam Nose. "There should be no complaint of overflow anywhere. VIP toilets should be provided in the Akhara area," he said, adding that all 1.5 lakh toilets should be installed by January 20. The chief secretary emphasised the importance of ensuring drinking water facilities across all public and private institutions within the fair area. He directed that tap connections be provided on a priority basis, ensuring sufficient water availability in all establishments, including Judges Colony and Media Colony. He also instructed the Irrigation Department to monitor and maintain the water level and purity at the ghats. The chief secretary stressed the need for an adequate police presence at all locations, including the fair area, and directed that police personnel must report to duty on time to ensure seamless security measures, the statement said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu, Jan 16 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday expressed satisfaction over the empowerment of more than 12,000 'Lakhpati Didis' in the Union territory and expressed hope that this number would grow significantly. He emphasised that financial independence for women not only strengthens individuals but also uplifts society as a whole. Also Read | 8th Pay Commission Approved: How Much Salary Hike Can Central Government Employees Expect Under 8th CPC?. A 'Lakhpati Didi' is a member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) who earns an annual household income exceeding Rs 1,00,000. Addressing a 'Lakhpati Didi Sammelan' here, Abdullah reaffirmed his government's commitment to the Umeed Programme, pledging to take all necessary steps, allocate required funds, and simplify procedures to ensure its continued growth and success. Also Read | January 16 Birthdays and Birth Anniversaries: Know About Famous People and Celebrities Born on January 16. "As I stand here today, my heart is filled with pride. I want to assure all of you our daughters, sisters, and mothers that the government is fully committed to supporting this programme. We will take every necessary step to ensure its continued growth, provide the required funds, and simplify procedures to empower more women," he said. Highlighting the programme's impact, the chief minister expressed satisfaction that over 12,000 'Lakhpati Didis' have been empowered under the initiative. "This programme (Umeed Programme), which began during my first tenure as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has exceeded expectations. Who would have thought that this initiative would lead to the emergence of Lakhpati Didis' in Jammu and Kashmir? "And yet, here we are, witnessing incredible stories of success, perseverance, and achievement, Abdullah said. Abdullah highlighted the program's evolution, noting that many women have not only achieved self-reliance but are also creating job opportunities for others. "You are no longer just beneficiaries of this programme, you are its leaders and torchbearers," he remarked. Acknowledging the potential of the Umeed Programme to serve as a national model, he urged the replication of its success stories in other states. He also announced plans for women entrepreneurs to receive training and skill development opportunities across India, with a batch of women already scheduled to travel to Ahmedabad for advanced training. On the occasion, Abdullah virtually launched several key initiatives to further empower women entrepreneurs under the Umeed Programme. These included the felicitation of 11,936 'Lakhpati Didis', the e-delivery of engagement orders for 650 banking correspondents, and the e-inauguration of four common training centres to build the capacity of potential Lakhpati Didis.' Additionally, the Chief Minister witnessed the e-disbursement of loans to 2,016 self-help groups and 165 cluster-level federations for establishing mini-custom hiring centres. (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 16 (ANI): Ahead of the US Consulate opening in Bengaluru, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with traditional Mysore Pak sweets and expressed gratitude to the Central Government for facilitating the consulate in Bengaluru. Bengaluru had been demanding a US Consulate for long with Surya persistently following up on the demand since being elected an MP in 2019. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June 2023, it was announced that the US would open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, and India would establish a mission in Seattle. The US Consulate will be dedicated to the city of Bengaluru on January 17 by the Ambassador of the US to India Eric Garcetti with other top dignitaries set to attend the ceremony on Friday. Also Read | Israel, Hamas Agree to Ceasefire Deal To Pause Devastating 15-Month Gaza War; 'Israeli Hostage Will Be Released Shortly', Claims Donald Trump. While the Consulate officials are yet to be named and the location too yet to be revealed, it has been reported that the Consulate would initially function with a limited number of officers from the JW Marriott hotel on Vittal Mallya Road, before moving to a permanent office. Late on Wednesday evening, Surya posted a video on X with the Foreign Minister welcoming the US Consulate. "It's been made possible only and only because of PM @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar's efforts. What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak!" the video caption read. Also Read | Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal: Last-Minute Dispute in Ceasefire Talks Has Been Resolved, Say Qatari Officials. https://x.com/Tejasvi_Surya/status/1879558007350252009 He further said, "Bengaluru having a US Consulate will benefit lakhs of students from the city. The city is the country's IT capital and home to many multinational companies. The Consulate will boost commerce and trade between the two countries and smoothen travel for businessmen and entrepreneurs. I thank the Modi Government for promoting the interests of Bengaluru at every given opportunity and fulfilling a long-pending request." In March 2023, Surya sought Jaishankar's support for the US Consulate in Bengaluru. Back then, Jaishankar had said, "Since you have put it so strongly and repeatedly, I assure you that the next time I meet Mr Anthony Blinken (then the US Secretary of State), I will hammer home that message with at least as much force as you have done (right now)." Back in November 2019, Surya met Jaishankar with a written request for a US consulate in Bengaluru. "There are around 750 Multi-National Companies situated in Bengaluru with about 370 of them headquartered in the United States. Bengaluru and Karnataka together account for a large pool for students and businessmen travelling to the United States. Having a fully functioning US Consulate in Bengaluru rather than the existing virtual consulate would be convenient for at least half a million people of Karnataka and would also ease the burden on the Consulates in Chennai and Hyderabad," he had written in a letter dated November 18, 2019. He had also placed a request with the Ambassador of the US to India, Dr Kenneth Juster, in March 2020. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sao Paulo, Jan 16 (AP) Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily restore his passport so that he could attend the inauguration in Washington of US President-elect Donald Trump next week. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who Bolsonaro frequently has called his personal foe, said in the ruling that Bolsonaro currently holds no position that would allow him to represent Brazil at the event and that the former president did not adequately prove to the court that he had been invited. Also Read | Pakistan: 4 Soldiers Died, 6 Terrorists Killed as Rocket Attack Targets Aid Convoy in Kurram District Amid Sectarian Unrest. Bolsonaro, under several wide-ranging investigations including over an alleged attempt to stay in office despite his electoral defeat, had his passport seized by federal police last February because he was considered a flight risk. Bolsonaro requested permission to leave the country from January 17 to 22 to attend the inauguration ceremony on January 20 and a Hispanic inaugural ball. Also Read | Turkey: Death Toll From Tainted Alcohol Rises to 30 in Istanbul, Dozens in Critical Condition. Bolsonaro, an outspoken admirer of Trump, said on his social media channels on January 8 that he was very happy with this invitation. I'll be representing the conservative, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people there in the United States, God willing, Bolsonaro said. When de Moraes asked Bolsonaro's lawyers for evidence of his invitation on Saturday, they forwarded an invitation letter signed by inauguration committee co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler. Still, de Moraes argued that Bolsonaro had not adequately proven that he was invited to the inauguration. In the ruling, de Moraes followed the recommendation of Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who said on Wednesday that Bolsonaro could not argue that his private interest in the trip outweighed the public interest of his prohibition to travel abroad. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not attend Trump's inauguration. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo, Jan 16 (AP) Japan on Thursday formally inaugurated an independent mission to the NATO military alliance as Tokyo and NATO seek to bolster cooperation amid escalating tension from Russia, China and North Korea. Previously, the Japanese embassy in Belgium also covered NATO. The new mission is led by Osamu Izawa, who takes over the role currently filled by the ambassador to Belgium, Masahiro Mikami. Also Read | TikTok Ban in US: Donald Trump Adviser Mike Waltz Says President-Elect Is Exploring Options To 'Preserve' TikTok. In Tokyo on Thursday, Japan and NATO held high-level consultations to discuss regional security issues in East Asia and Europe, according to the Foreign Ministry. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and closer ties between Moscow and Beijing, NATO has deepened its links with Japan and three other Indo-Pacific partners, Australia, New Zealand and South Korea, though not as part of the military alliance. Also Read | January 2025 Planetary Alignment: Know Dates, Best Viewing Times, Visibility, Skywatching Tips and More Details of Planet Line Up. Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has advocated a NATO-like security framework in Asia, though he has not given details. Countries with shared security concerns are strengthening ties as competition escalates between the United States and China. Beijing has criticised NATO's growing ties with the Indo-Pacific partners, worried that Washington may move to form a NATO-like alliance in the region. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Irbil (Iraq), Jan 16 (AP) The leaders of two previously rival Kurdish groups met in northern Iraq on Thursday in an apparent step toward reconciliation at a time when the political upheaval in Syria has left Kurds in the region facing an uncertain future. Hoshyar Zebari, a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party official, described the meeting between KDP leader Masoud Barzani and Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, as a significant achievement to strengthen Kurdish unity and position during Syria's transitional phase. Also Read | Pakistan: 4 Soldiers Died, 6 Terrorists Killed as Rocket Attack Targets Aid Convoy in Kurram District Amid Sectarian Unrest. The meeting in Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, came weeks after the fall of the government of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in a lightning offensive by insurgent groups and amid an intensified campaign by Turkiye-backed armed groups against Kurdish forces in northeast Syria. There was no official statement from the KDP or SDF regarding the meeting. Also Read | Turkey: Death Toll From Tainted Alcohol Rises to 30 in Istanbul, Dozens in Critical Condition. A senior KDP member, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorised to brief journalists, said that the talks between Barzani and Abdi focused on unifying the Kurdish position within Syria and exploring ways to separate the SDF from the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist militant group designated a terrorist organisation by Turkiye. He said that the KDP leader had argued that such a move could open doors for broader international support, particularly through KDP's relationships with both the United States and Turkiye. The official said that Barzani had also stressed the importance of presenting a united Kurdish front in Syria to negotiate with the new de facto Syrian government from a position of strength. He said that Kurdish political gains in Iraq, including constitutional recognition, could serve as a model for Syria's Kurds. The Kurdish-led SDF, which have controlled northeast Syria for the past decade, is under attack from the Syrian National Army, an umbrella of militias fighting on behalf of Turkiye, which regards the SDF as an extension of the PKK. At the same time, talks between politicians from Turkiye's pro-Kurdish party and jailed Kurdish leaders have been gathering steam as they try to end 40 years of fighting between the state and the PKK. In the security vacuum of Syria's new leaders trying to form a new national army following the fall of Assad, there are concerns about a resurgence of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Kurdish forces have played a key role in the fight against the militant group in both countries. The regional developments have created growing pressure for Kurdish factions to set aside their political differences. Earlier this week, Barzani's envoy, Hamid Darbandi, met with Abdi in Hasaka, in northeastern Syria. The KDP in Iraq has friendly relations with Turkiye and has been at odds with the SDF and other groups aligned with the PKK. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Peshawar, Jan 16 (PTI) A convoy of 35 vehicles carrying food and medical supplies to Pakistan's Kurram district, hit by sectarian violence, was attacked by rockets on Thursday, officials said. After the attack, the miscreants also burnt some of the vehicles carrying the relief material to Parachinar in the Bagan Bazar area of the strife-torn district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Also Read | TikTok Ban in US: Donald Trump Adviser Mike Waltz Says President-Elect Is Exploring Options To 'Preserve' TikTok. Sectarian clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes have claimed at least 130 lives since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades in the region. A peace agreement was reached on January 1, but the route connecting Parachinar remained blocked. Also Read | January 2025 Planetary Alignment: Know Dates, Best Viewing Times, Visibility, Skywatching Tips and More Details of Planet Line Up. Officials said rockets were fired from two sides on the aid convoy en route to Parachinar. Hangu Assistant Commissioner Saeed Mannan said the convoy comprising 35 vehicles had left from Thall and was on its way to Parachinar when it came under the rocket attack. The administration is working to bring the situation under control," he said. Four security personnel were injured in the attack, officials said. After the attack on the convoy, the miscreants also burnt some of the vehicles, they said. A senior security official from Peshawar said four vehicles were damaged in the attack, while the rest of the convoy has been safely evacuated and reached a point of safety crossing Chapri. On Monday, Mohammad Ali Saif, adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, said that under the peace agreement, the demolition of bunkers had begun in the Kurram district. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the situation in Kurram was returning to normal. On January 4, a government convoy was attacked near Bagan, injuring Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kyiv, Jan 16 (AP) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on Thursday, pledging to help guarantee the country's security for a century days before Donald Trump is sworn in as US president. The British government says Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a 100-Year Partnership treaty in Kyiv, covering areas including defence, science, energy and trade. Also Read | Chinese Migration in Lunar New Year 2025: Know All About Chunyun Period or Chinas Spring Festival Travel Rush, the Worlds Largest Annual Migration. Starmer's unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since he took office in July. He visited the country in 2023 when he was opposition leader, and has twice held talks with Zelenskyy in 10 Downing St. since becoming prime minister. One of Ukraine's biggest military backers, the U.K. has pledged 12.8 billion pounds (USD 16 billion) in military and civilian aid to Ukraine since Russia's full-scale invasion three years ago, and has trained more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Starmer is due to announce another 40 million pounds (USD 49 million) for Ukraine's post-war economic recovery. (AP) Also Read | Hindenburg Research Shutting Down: US Short-Seller Which Targeted Adani Group To Be Disbanded, Confirms Nate Anderson; Explains Reasons in 'Personal Note'. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Jan 16 (AP) Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has expressed interest in the Ohio US Senate seat that was vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance, two people with direct knowledge of the biotech entrepreneur's wishes told The Associated Press. The 39-year-old from Cincinnati had been weighing a campaign for Ohio governor in 2026 and hoped to build his policy portfolio as partner to billionaire Elon Musk leading a non-governmental effort to cut federal government spending, regulations and personnel. Also Read | Chinese Migration in Lunar New Year 2025: Know All About Chunyun Period or Chinas Spring Festival Travel Rush, the Worlds Largest Annual Migration. But in recent weeks, Ramaswamy had multiple conversations with President-elect Donald Trump about filling the Senate seat, according to one of the people. That person said Trump approached Ramaswamy to consider taking the seat as someone familiar with Trump's goal of slashing the federal bureaucracy. The people with direct knowledge of Ramaswamy's interest in the Senate seat spoke on condition of anonymity to disclose a private discussion. Also Read | Hindenburg Research Shutting Down: US Short-Seller Which Targeted Adani Group To Be Disbanded, Confirms Nate Anderson; Explains Reasons in 'Personal Note'. Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Ohio's Republican Gov. Mike DeWine will appoint the successor to Vance, who was elected to the Senate in 2022 but is scheduled to be sworn in as Republican President-elect Donald Trump's vice president on Monday. The person DeWine appoints will serve until December 2026. They would need to run again for the remainder of the term in November 2026. Neither Gov. DeWine nor our office has commented on any possible candidates for the pending appointment, Dan Tierney, a spokesperson for the governor's office, said in a statement. Ramaswamy waged an outsider bid for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination last year but suspended his campaign after a fourth-place finish in Iowa's leadoff precinct caucuses. Ramaswamy endorsed Trump, and became a regular surrogate for the campaign, headlining fundraisers in battleground states. Ramaswamy had expressed interest in the Senate seat after the election, but originally took his name out of consideration as he was asked to help lead the Department of Government Efficiency, an outside effort with Musk to drastically reduce the size and cost of government. A spokesperson for Ramaswamy did not immediately reply to a request for comment. Ramaswamy's renewed interest in the seat was first reported by The Washington Post. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) News / National by Staff reporter Daniel Francisco Chapo, 47, was sworn in as the fifth president of Mozambique during a public ceremony in Maputo's Independence Square today. The event, overshadowed by political tensions and contested election results, marked Frelimo's continued dominance since the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975 - a tenure now spanning 50 years.The inauguration, attended by approximately 2,000 guests, featured appearances by former Mozambican presidents Joaquim Chissano, Armando Guebuza, and outgoing head of state Filipe Nyusi. However, the absence of many Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders highlighted the region's unease. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, a close ally of Chapo, was notably missing, represented instead by Defence Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and other officials.South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embalo were the only regional heads of state present. Ramaphosa is mediating ongoing talks between Chapo and opposition leader Venancio Mondlane following Mozambique's contentious October 2024 election.Chapo's victory, officially declared at 65% by the Constitutional Council, has been fiercely contested by Mondlane, who garnered 24% of the vote. The opposition leader, supported by thousands of protesters, has rejected the results, citing irregularities and alleged interference. The political unrest deepened after Mondlane's lawyer and a Podemos party candidate were murdered on October 19, 2024. Mondlane himself survived an assassination attempt, prompting a brief self-imposed exile in South Africa before returning to Mozambique to lead renewed protests.In his inaugural speech, Chapo promised to implement significant administrative reforms, aiming to create a leaner, more efficient government. Among the proposed changes are a reduction in ministries and the replacement of deputy ministers with secretaries of state, who will report directly to ministers.It will be a smaller government, but one that is highly agile and efficient, Chapo said, pledging to reallocate resources to critical sectors.Despite Chapo's call for unity and reform, Mondlane vowed to continue the protests indefinitely.The people will not stop, even if it means demonstrating throughout Chapo's term, Mondlane said, addressing supporters who have flooded Mozambique's streets in recent weeks.Chapo's inauguration has drawn mixed reactions from international observers. While Mnangagwa faced criticism for prematurely congratulating Chapo before the official results were declared, other leaders have expressed concerns over Mozambique's volatile post-election environment.The unfolding political crisis casts a shadow over Chapo's presidency, as Mozambique grapples with deep divisions and escalating tensions. Ramaphosa's mediation efforts are expected to play a critical role in determining the country's path forward. New Delhi, January 16: With Hindenburg Research set to disband, the Congress on Thursday said its closure does not mean a clean chit for "Modani" and asserted that without a JPC, the "already-compromised" institutions of the Indian state will continue to act only to protect the powerful. The opposition party's assertion came after Hindenburg Research founder Nate Anderson announced that the US short-seller would disband. Hindenburg Research made international waves with allegations against billionaire Gautam Adani that wiped billions from the market value of his group companies. The Adani group had earlier denied all allegations against it. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "The closure of Hindenburg Research does not, in any way, mean a clean chit for Modani." Hindenburg Research Shutting Down: US Short-Seller Which Targeted Adani Group To Be Disbanded, Confirms Nate Anderson; Explains Reasons in Personal Note. The Hindenburg report of January 2023 proved serious enough to compel the Supreme Court of India to set up an Expert Committee to probe the allegation made in it against the Adani Group "whose prime patron is none other than the present Prime Minister of India", he said in a statement. "However the Hindenburg Report covered only one part of securities laws violations - of the hydra-headed Modani MegaScam. Out of the 100 questions on the Adani Mega Scam that the Congress party had asked of the PM in the Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series during January-March 2023, only 21 questions related to revelations made in the Hindenburg report," Ramesh said. "The matter goes far deeper. It involves the abuse of Indian foreign policy to enrich the PM's close friends at the expense of the national interest. It involves the misuse of investigative agencies to force Indian businesspersons to divest critical infrastructure assets and help Adani build monopolies in airports, ports, defence and cement," Ramesh alleged. He further said it involves the capture of once-respected institutions such as SEBI whose "discredited" chairperson continues in her position despite "clear evidence" of conflicts of interest and financial links to Adani. It is worth noting that a SEBI investigation that the Supreme Court gave two months to present its report has conveniently dragged on for almost two years with no end in sight, Ramesh said. "Modani may have -- and it has -- captured India's institutions, but criminality exposed outside the country cannot be covered up in this way. The US Department of Justice has accused Adani of bribing Indian officials to secure lucrative solar power contracts," he said. Hindenburg Research Shutting Down: Nate Anderson Explains Why He Has Decided To Disband Short Seller That Targeted Several Business Entities Including Adani Group. The Swiss Public Prosecutors Office has frozen several Adani-linked bank accounts operated by Chang Chung-Ling and Nasser Ali Shaban Ahli that are "suspected of engaging in illicit activities, including money laundering and embezzlement", Ramesh claimed, citing a Swiss Federal Criminal Court order. As evidence of criminality has emerged, many countries have cancelled their Adani projects, Ramesh said. "These are all serious acts of blatant favouritism and brazen criminality that can only be fully investigated by the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Without a JPC, the already-compromised institutions of the Indian state will continue to act only to protect the powerful and the PM's friends, while India's poor and middle classes are left to fend for themselves in a deteriorating economic environment," Ramesh said. Announcement of the closure by Anderson, 40, who started Hindenburg in 2017, came just days before Donald Trump's inauguration as the new President of the United States. While he cited the toll of the "rather intense, and at times, all-encompassing" nature of the work as the reason for his decision", critics were quick to link the shutting down Hindenburg's alleged ties with George Soros and the so-called deep state being under significant pressure from the incoming Trump administration. Adani Group CFO Jugeshinder Robbie Singh in a cryptic post on X said: "Kitne Ghazi Aaye, Kitne Ghazi Gaye". Hindenburg, in January 2023, published a report accusing the Adani group of "pulling the largest con in the corporate history", wiping out more than USD 150 billion in value of the group's shares at their lowest point. The Adani group vehemently denied all the allegations including that being "engaged in a brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud scheme over the course of decades" and improper use of offshore tax havens to shore up group share prices. Business tycoon Adani was ranked the world's fourth-richest and Asia's wealthiest person a day before the report was published. He slipped following the heavy selling witnessed in the group stocks. On Thursday, with a net worth of USD 75 billion, he was ranked at No.20, behind Mukesh Ambani (ranked 17th with USD 91.5 billion net worth). The Hindenburg report against Adani led to a political storm in India. But as months passed, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition from litigators based on it while the Adani Group recovered lost ground with strong operating performance and stock recovering most of the losses. Raveena Tandon has expressed shock over the news of Saif Ali Khan being stabbed at his Mumbai home and wished him a swift recovery. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), she voiced her concerns about the increasing crime rate in Bandra, particularly targeting celebrities. Raveena pointed out how the area, known for its glamour, has become a hotspot for such incidents, urging authorities to step up safety measures to protect residents and prevent further crimes from escalating. Raveena's X (formerly known as Twitter) post, Targeting celebrities and soft targets in what used to be a safe residential area has become rampant, with Bandra losing out to unruly elements. She added, Accident scams, hawker mafia, encroachers, land grabbers and criminal elements racing on bikes phone and chain grabbing. Need stronger measures. Wishing you a speedy recovery." Attack on Saif Ali Khan Pre-Planned by Religious Fanatics for Naming Son Taimur, Alleges Jitendra Awhad; NCP-SP Leader Demands Investigation. Raveena Tandon's Post (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.) A French woman, Anne, was allegedly scammed out of USD 850,000 (approximately INR 7.35 crore) by a fraudster pretending to be Brad Pitt. Over the course of a year, the scammer used AI-generated photos and sweet-talking tactics to make Anne believe she was in a relationship with the Wolfs actor. The fraudster convinced her that he needed financial assistance for medical treatments, citing his alleged divorce from Angelina Jolie as the reason. Trusting his words, Anne sent large sums of money to a foreign account. The scammer even sent her fake hospital pictures, further deepening her belief in the fabricated relationship. Anne's reality hit when she saw Brad Pitt publicly with his real partner, Ines de Ramon. A representative for Brad Pitt warned fans about such scams, urging them to be cautious of online impersonations. The statement read, Its awful that scammers take advantage of fans' strong connection with celebrities, but this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, especially from actors who have no social media presence. 'Brad Pitt Dating Scam': French Woman Duped of 80,000 Euros As Scamster Pretends To Be Hollywood Star Using AI-Generated Videos and Photos. Statement From Brad Pitts Representative Brad Pitts representative responds to news of a woman who was scammed out of $850k by an impersonator: It's awful that scammers take advantage of fans' strong connection with celebrities, but this is an important reminder to not respond to unsolicited online outreach, pic.twitter.com/Wp7Gm9q92n Pop Base (@PopBase) January 16, 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.) Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell was arrested on January 16, 2025, for possession of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Sacramento County Sheriff's Office Sgt Amar Gandhi revealed the investigation began after 18 files of CSAM were uploaded to an online platform, ultimately uncovering 134 videos linked to Bell's account. Investigators executed a search warrant at Bell's residence on Wednesday, confirming he owned the account. This case marks Sacramento County's first arrest involving AI-generated child pornography, following a new law that criminalised such material effective January 1, 2025. Bell, 49, is currently held at Sacramento County Main Jail on USD 1 million bail and is scheduled to appear in court on January 17. Paedophile Recorded Videos of Kids at Disney World To Create AI Child Abuse Images, Says Report. Darrin Bell Arrested in Child Porn Case WASHINGTON POST CARTOONIST ARRESTED FOR CSAM POSSESSION Darrin Bell, the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist behind 'Candorville' and 'Rudy Park,' has been arrested in California after authorities discovered 134 videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including pic.twitter.com/0S3F2MJVve Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 16, 2025 Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Darrin Bell, whose work appeared in the Washington Post and other newspapers, arrested for child pornography pic.twitter.com/kDrVOwlfZf BNO News Live (@BNODesk) January 16, 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.) L.A. city firefighter graduates are seen in August. Mayor Eric Garcettis overhaul of how the city hires new firefighters has so far failed to meet his aim of diversifying the LAFD. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcettis overhaul of how the city hires new firefighters - launched 16 months ago amid allegations of nepotism and bias - has so far failed to meet his aim of diversifying the LAFD and may require further reforms to succeed, according to interviews with city officials and a Times analysis of government data. In March of last year, the mayor halted hiring at the Fire Department after a series of Times reports prompted him to condemn the citys selection methods as fatally flawed. Soon after, Garcetti retooled the process, vowing to introduce more women and minorities to the ranks of an agency that remains primarily white and overwhelmingly male. Advertisement Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> But new data released by city officials show that the first four classes of recruits hired under the rebooted system have fallen far short of the numbers needed to achieve Garcettis goal of a department that more closely resembles the city it serves. The lack of progress has heightened calls, from both inside and outside City Hall, to reconsider a centerpiece of the mayors program: a blind lottery that now winnows down the massive pool of candidates seeking coveted slots in the city fire service. Under the Garcetti administration system, 202 recruits have entered the grueling boot camp that is the final step to becoming a city firefighter. Of those, virtually every racial group except white males is underrepresented when compared with the citys population. Advertisement The percentage of African-American firefighters, boosted in past decades by court orders and targeted hiring, is due to decline because only 13 black people have made it into the recent training classes, short of whats needed to offset retirements and attrition. Were looking at a dire situation, said Capt. Cheyane Caldwell, a leader in the Stentorians, a group that has represented black firefighters since the days of segregated firehouses. We have a lot of black chiefs hired in the 1980s - and once theyre out, our numbers will have a drastic decline. Advertisement There also has been little progress toward the decades-old goal of hiring more women at the department. Despite repeated calls from elected leaders for reform, the percentage of female LAFD firefighters remains at slightly less than 3% the same as in 1995. In past years, the LAFD has been roiled by allegations of gender bias, and advocates for increasing the number of female firefighters say the department needs to be more welcoming to women with the necessary skills. Thirteen women were selected as recruits in the four most recent academy classes, but only two have finished the rigorous boot camp where potential hires must pass drills that simulate a fire and manipulate heavy ladders, hoses and tools. Some remain in training, but several failed to graduate and two recent classes finished with no women remaining. The departments rank and file has become more racially diverse in recent decades, but about half of the roughly 3,200 uniformed LAFD employees are white in a city thats 28% white. Peter Sanders, an LAFD spokesman, said the agency is working hard to continually refine its recruiting process to better reflect the city that we serve. Battalion Chief Alicia Welch is leading an expanded recruitment effort, he said, adding that the department is partnering with the L.A. Unified school district on a first-ever high school magnet program that prepares students for city firefighter jobs. Advertisement Connie Llanos, Garcettis press secretary, restated the mayors commitment to having the LAFD and other city agencies reflect the makeup of the city. The steps being taken show decent progress, she said, but the department must continue to be aggressive in reaching out proactively to the best candidates from all backgrounds, to avoid the mistakes of the past. State law forbids governments from setting hiring quotas for women and minorities, and city officials say programs such as the new magnet school are the best hope of increasing future diversity by enticing more members of underrepresented groups to apply. There has been no shortage overall of applicants for firefighter positions, which offer a six-figure salary and generous pension. More than 10,000 people applied when the city restarted hiring last year after a hiatus. White men dominated the applicant pool. Only 5% were women, city data show, limiting the likelihood a large number would advance through testing and interviews to be hired. We dont have a recruitment problem. We have a problem recruiting certain types of people. Fire Commissioner Jimmie Woods-Gray We dont have a recruitment problem, said Fire Commissioner Jimmie Woods-Gray. We have a problem recruiting certain types of people. Advertisement Fire Chief Ralph M. Terrazas has delivered to the city Fire Commission a plan to revitalize the departments outreach efforts. The panel is scheduled to consider it Tuesday. Terrazas has vowed to double the number of women at the LAFD by 2020. His new effort would assign more staff to recruitment, hire an advertising firm to create a social media campaign, develop a program to better prepare female and minority candidates and send firefighters to connect with potential applicants at trade schools, military bases and womens professional sporting events. The changes have been welcomed by labor groups and city leaders, although some wonder whether they will be enough to significantly alter previous hiring patterns. This is not doing it, Caldwell said. They need to look at a way thats going to get the numbers to where they need to be. The previous recruit screening process was halted last year after The Times reported that thousands of candidates were excluded because key paperwork wasnt received by the city in the first minute of a filing period. Many applicants said they had no idea mere seconds would determine which candidates would advance. Nearly one-third of the 70 recruits eventually selected in that hiring round were related to LAFD firefighters, and the groups makeup was overwhelmingly white. It included only one woman, who later dropped out. Advertisement In response, Garcetti hastily backed changes to the hiring process that included the use of a lottery intended to winnow down the large applicant pool in a more impartial manner. Because the drawing does not take qualifications into account, candidates with relevant experience or those carefully groomed by the recruitment process have the same chance as anyone else. Why are we treating the public sector different from the private sector? said Capt. Steve Tufts, an LAFD veteran and former union head. Tufts and others say the city should consider more specific job qualifications to ensure that those best equipped are selected in the lottery. Candidates currently are given no advantage if they have a college degree, previous firefighting experience or certifications such as a paramedic license. Recruitment efforts targeted at qualified minorities would then stand a better chance of success, he said. The goal here is to bring in people who are really highly competitive, said Chaitra Hardison, the lead author of a Rand Corp. study on LAFD hiring commissioned by Garcetti last year. It would be better to find them before you do the lottery. Advertisement A new round of adjustments to the screening process may be coming as the citys Personnel Department prepares to issue a call for applicants next year, said Bruce Whidden, executive director of the citys civil service commission. I think [the lottery] was a little too radical for the city to adopt as a permanent solution. It was almost unprecedented, Whidden said. Theres going to be a change. The upcoming hires will join a force charged with fighting fires within the city limits, but also one that performs many less physically demanding tasks. The latter include handling 911 calls, enforcing the fire code and responding to the medical emergencies that have become the bulk of the departments work. In many other cities, those tasks are assigned to civilian employees, which, among other things, tends to result in more women being hired. Approximately 16% of uniformed officers of the San Francisco Fire Department are female, according to a department spokeswoman, and 911 calls are handled by civilian dispatchers, many of them female. In Los Angeles, all paramedics are firefighters. In San Francisco not all firefighters are paramedics. Thats why their numbers are so different. Bruce Whidden, executive director of the city civil service commission Advertisement In Los Angeles, all paramedics are firefighters. In San Francisco not all firefighters are paramedics. Thats why their numbers are so different, Whidden said. Here, they all need to be able to throw a ladder and carry someone over their shoulders. Like the LAFD, departments in other cities have faced long-running controversies over hiring. Costly court judgments that found discriminatory practices have been handed down in New York and Chicago in recent years. This is a nationwide issue. We do not have the silver bullet, Caldwell said. This is a conversation thats been going on since segregation. ben.welsh@latimes.com ALSO After days of protests, students occupy building at Occidental College No reliable way to track L.A. police on tax-free full salary injury leave, audit finds L.A. could fund sidewalk repairs in front of businesses On 15 January representatives from Mexicos business community met with their Canadian counterparts in Mexico City (CDMX), in the context of the recent political changes in North America. End of preview - This article contains approximately 398 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options IF JANUARY 16 IS YOUR BIRTHDAY: During the next four to six weeks your smart analysis of financial trends and business strategies could pay off. In March you may need to guard your temper and avoid being overly aggressive. You might race ahead without proper planning in an effort to win at any cost and step on someones toes. You may be inspired to reach for the brass ring during April. You could be eager to break away from the past and dive into something new and exciting. This might be a chance to implement changes that free you from obligations or try something unusual that adds joy to your life. In late May your creative talents and imagination may come to a peak. This may possibly be the time to launch your most precious plans and projects. You could make long term decisions about your future because you may feel wiser than usual. Consider listening to the advice of trusted advisors, welcoming any opportunities that come along, and having faith that your optimism will be rewarded. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You and a partner may reach a perfect understanding today by discussing key issues calmly. Being in sync with loved ones and attuned to the world around you could enhance your life for the better on many levels. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Precision may provide a path to perfect your creative efforts. You might take thriftiness to a new level. A new opportunity could provide you with a creative way to make more money by using your skills with a lot less effort. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Dreams might come true if you can imagine them. Visualize your goals and work quietly behind the scenes to achieve each one. Demonstrate your commitment and dedication to getting things right the first go round. ARIES (March 21-April 19): While peace and harmony can prevail, someone might be yearning for glamour and more romance. This weekend may offer a chance for deep reflection and inspiration. You might rethink an important issue and have a change of heart. TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Some people may expect you to jump through hoops and toe the line. However, that might be acceptable if youre focused on a worthy future prize. Concentrate on achieving your ambitions and consider collaborating with others. GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Take practical advice only if it seems aligned and genuine. Avoid starting big projects in the next few days, as they might become more trouble than theyre worth. Focus your attention on pursuing achievable goals. CANCER (June 21-July 22): Kindness is always the right choice. Consider showing more warmth and enthusiasm as you support others dreams and plans. Dont hesitate to offer a shoulder or a sympathetic ear to someone in need. Follow your heart. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): You might make headway if your leadership skills and commitment to success are accentuated. Any amount of hard work could be acceptable and soon pay off. Be invested in achieving something important and worthwhile. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Even the busiest person may take time for personal errands. Explore ways to allow your creativity and resourcefulness to flow freely. You might discover creative ideas that pave the way for a better and more stable future. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Being open and honest may bring new opportunities. You might anticipate an increase in funds, but this may not materialize if you are dealing under the table or participating in anything that isnt completely on the up-and-up. SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): You may feel called to put your business life on autopilot and focus on exploring creative outlets, romance and relationships. Take some time to reflect on what brings you the most happiness and joy then make time to pursue it with enthusiasm. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Instead of showing off, make an effort to show up the competition by doing the very best job possible. Exciting educational or professional opportunities could be a carrot that leads to further accomplishment. BIRTHDAY STAR: Actor Julie Ann Emery was born in Crossville, Tennessee, on this day in 1975. This birthday star portrayed Lara Featherstone on Preacher from 2017 - 2019. She also played Sylvia Reese on Bosch, and shes appeared on episodes of Elsbeth, The Rookie, and Better Call Saul. On the big screen, Emerys film resume includes roles in Christmas on the Coast, The History of Future Folk, and Nothing But the Truth. ________ Timing affects outcomes. Explore the power of actionable astrology with Helenas personalized Star-Timer calendars: https://bit.ly/4eClZHS 2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A driver involved in a crash along the Pennsylvania Turnpikes Northeast Extension pulled a woman from a car and fled in the stolen vehicle, state police said. Albert Abuchaibe, 38, of Wyalusing, Bradford County, is charged with two counts felony robbery; one count felony assault; one count felony theft; one count receiving stolen property; misdemeanor DUI of a controlled substance; and related offenses. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Anthony Petroski III, public information officer for Troop N, told lehighvalleylive.com the accident began just before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday. Abuchaibes vehicle collided with another in the southbound lanes at mile marker 86.3 in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County, he said. Abuchaibe then allegedly ran from the scene and pulled the woman from her vehicle while it was at a gas pump at Hickory Run Service Plaza, at mile marker 86. He fled in the stolen car with troopers pursuing him, ignoring repeated commands to stop, state police said. Troopers had to force a stop, which disabled the vehicle, police said. Abuchaibe was then arrested. Its unclear if he or the other driver suffered any injuries in the crash. A news release didnt specify why Abuchaibe fled. Abuchaibe was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Eric M. Schrantz, who set bail at $500,000. In lieu of bail, he was taken to the Carbon County jail. Court records did not immediately show attorney information for Abuchaibe. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. News / National by Staff reporter The Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) has announced the death of Major General (Retired) Solomon Siziba, who passed away this morning at the age of 67. He died at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Camp Hospital in Harare after a prolonged battle with cancer.In a statement, ZNA Deputy Director of Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Tichafa Mungofa, expressed the army's profound sorrow. "It is with a heavy heart that the Zimbabwe National Army announces the passing on of Major General (Retired) Solomon Siziba this morning at Josiah Magama Tongogara Barracks Camp Hospital in Harare," he said.Major General Siziba was a respected veteran of the liberation struggle and served with distinction in the Zimbabwe National Army before his retirement. His contributions to the defense of Zimbabwe and the development of the military are remembered with deep gratitude.Mourners are gathered at his residence, 572 Bulawayo Drive, Killarney, Bulawayo. Funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.The passing of Major General Siziba marks the loss of yet another key figure in Zimbabwe's history, and he will be remembered for his dedication and service to the nation. Authorities have identified the man killed during a party Sunday at a Monroe County rental home as a 22-year-old from Venezuela. Lionardo Hernandez Zarata was shot to death and two others were wounded. Monroe County Coroner Tom Yanac on Friday said Hernandez Zaratas manner of death was ruled a homicide. The cause, he said, is pending. Its unclear if a shooting suspect is in custody. Pocono Mountain Regional Police didnt immediately return a request for more information Thursday morning. Seven people involved in the incident have been taken into custody. They include: Victor Cesar Caldera Malpica, 26, Angel Paez-Seguera, 34, Johangel Farfan, 23, Jesus Antonio Olivero Sosa, 25, Heymar Padilla-Moyetones, 24, Yanny Suarez-Rodriguez, 21, and Friamar Vita-Grimar, 21, all believed to originally be from Venezuela. Caldera Malpica, with ties to the Bronx, and Paez-Seguera, with ties to Brooklyn, New York, each are charged with felony burglary, felony conspiracy to commit burglary, felony flight to avoid apprehension, felony criminal trespass, criminal criminal attempt to commit burglary and related charges. Farfan, also with ties to Chicago, and Padilla-Moyetones, Suarez-Rodriguez and Vita-Grimar, all with ties to the Bronx, each are charged with 10 counts felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, five counts misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance and other drug offenses. Sosa, with ties to New York City, is charged with four counts felony possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, five counts felony conspiracy possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and related drug offenses. All except for Sosa have been arraigned on the charges by a district judge, who denied bail. Each were taken to the Monroe County jail, where they remain Thursday. Court records indicate Sosa is awaiting to be arraigned on the charges. Additionally, Vita-Grimar is reportedly part of a May 22 investigation involving a similar shooting incident in Coolbaugh Township, Monroe County. Police Chief Chris Wagner said the shooting occurred at 4:40 p.m. Sunday at the rental property in the 1300 block of Clover Road in Long Pond. Farfan and another 25-year-old, also of Venezuela, were later found with gunshot wounds, according to police. Hernandez Zarata was pronounced dead at the scene by the Monroe County Coroners Office, Wagner said. Investigators simultaneously learned of an attempted home burglary in progress in the area of Mohegan Court in Long Pond just a short distance from Clover Road, according to police. Investigators then followed footprints in the snow and found a second attempted break-in. Officers continued the pursuit and found a third home that had been broken into, police said. Caldera-Malpica and Paez-Seguera were found in that residence and taken into custody, Wagner said. The pair also were connected to the Clover Road incident, he said. The others charged, except for Farfan, were arrested at police headquarters, the chief said. Farfan and the other shooting victim were taken to an area hospital and listed in stable condition, police said. Police found various weapons and drugs at the Clover Road home, according to police. Wagner said investigators believe the party was advertised by the renters. At some point during the early evening, an argument ensued and a gunfight erupted, police said. The shooting and burglary incidents remain under investigation by the Monroe County District Attorneys Office, Pocono Mountain Regional Police, Pennsylvania State Police and the Monroe County Coroners Office. Also assisting are Stroud Area Regional police, Bethlehem Township police and Fountain Hill police. All of those charged have preliminary hearings scheduled for later this month before district court judges. A judge will then determine is theres sufficient evidence to send charges to trial at the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. A plan for a million-square-foot warehouse has brought about mixed opinions, controversy, and community advocacy. Easton Commerce Park, proposed at 1525 Wood Ave. by Easton Wood Ave Propco LLC, received the approval of Wilson Borough Council in September. All thats left is approval from Eastons plannners, since the property is 90% in Wilson and 10% in Easton. The Easton Planning Commission first heard the pitch in September. After discussion, they decided to table the matter, citing a lack of Wilson Boroughs approval at the time and no traffic review from PennDOT. The commission was set to hear the plans again on Jan. 15, but it was removed from the agenda prior to the meeting. 1525 Wood Ave.s history Easton Commerce Park is not the first industrial facility 1525 Wood Ave. has seen. According to The Express-Times archives, it was first established as a pigment plant by C.K. in the late 1800s. Pfizer Corp. acquired it in 1962 and sold it to Harrisons & Crosfield in 1990. The facility was called Harcros Pigments, then Elementis Pigments. It eventually became part of Rockwood Holdings before being sold to Huntsman Corp. of Texas in 2014. Ventator Materials, a spinoff of Huntsman, closed in 2017. The plant produced rust-colored pigment. When it closed in 2017, 80 employees lost their jobs. In 2021, NorthPoint Development planned to develop the property into a warehouse. They proposed a 809,900-square-foot building at the time, and sought 13 zoning exceptions for the project relating to increased traffic, the environment and parking. Wilson Borough Solicitor Stan Margle said in August 2021 that the plans were put on hold after a dispute with a neighboring property. Venator Materials is closing its Wilson Borough pigment-making plant by the end of 2017. EXTEXT Plans for Easton Commerce Park Scannell Properties, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is now proposing a 1,006,880-square-foot warehouse on the Wood Avenue property. Lehigh Valley Planning Commission heard the plans in June of last year. Although only advisory, the LVPCs review described the project as a nightmare. Traffic concerns came up as one issue. According to LVPC staff, the road layout at the intersection of Wood and Hackett avenues makes it challenging for traffic to navigate. Additionally, trucks are likely to have difficulty accessing Route 22 from Wood Avenue, creating more traffic. LVPC said the development does not align with regional planning because it does not match development intensity with sustainable transportation infrastructure capacity. LVPC commissioners made their disdain for the project very clear at the June meeting. We have to stop just saying its not good, Commissioner Jack McGorry said at the time. We have to say its terrible. Wilson Borough still approved it despite the poor review. Margle previously said the approval of the warehouse was inevitable. Easton Councilman Frank Pintabone approached Wilsons council and asked them to put off their decision, but was turned down. According to Margle, the borough believes the warehouse would bring in significant tax revenue. He said it could create up to 300 jobs. Residents raise their hands during a discussion with developers of a proposed warehouse.Chelsea Kun | For Lehighvalleylive.com Opposition from the community A group of residents have taken a clear stance on the warehouse: they dont want it. The community has met at the Easton Area Community Center on several occasions to discuss the warehouse, with Pintabone and Easton Councilwoman Crystal Rose present. The group met initially in September to air their concerns. Not only did traffic concerns come up, but also environmental concerns. They established Stop Wood Warehouse. Lafayette professor Benjamin Cohen warned that the warehouse could lead to public health issues similar to those in southern Californias Inland Empire, where warehousing has contributed to asthma and pulmonary problems due to diesel emissions. A study named the Lehigh Valley as the worst U.S. metro region for asthma sufferers, further raising concerns. Another community meeting invited the developers to discuss the plans with the community, answer questions, and address concerns. Tensions were high, with residents making their opinion of the warehouse clear. Whats next? The community group plans to attend Easton Area School Districts Board of Education meeting on Jan. 28 to discuss the warehouse. As for Eastons planning commission, they will hear the plans at a future date that has not been confirmed. Chelsea Kun can be reached at ckun@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on instagram at @chelsealehighvalley. LEAD-Phillipsburg will not be funded by the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office in 2025, according to a spokesperson who also said the agency had been bracing itself for this outcome for months. We are in the process of figuring out next steps, said Pamela Clark, project manager for LEAD-Phillipsburg. We have a number of promising opportunities as a result of strong community support for LEAD and its principles. Nothing is definite as of now. The New Jersey Office of the Attorney General did not receive funding to continue or expand the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) Program piloted by the Prevention Is Key company, Clark explained. Funding for the program was made possible by the Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant Substance Use Program (COSSUP) via the federal Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA). That funding source was exhausted as of June 2024. The loss of support will impact LEADs offices across New Jersey: in Brick, Bridgeton, Elizabeth, Irvington, New Brunswick and Phillipsburg. The LEAD program is a public safety initiative. The programs mission is to reduce recidivism in New Jersey and minimize the impact that arrests and convictions can have on the stability needed to sustain recovery and rehabilitation, the New Jersey Attorney Generals Office said in 2022. The Attorney Generals Office did not respond to emails by lehighvalleylive.com. I hope that they can find the funding to support themselves, said Bob Frankenfield, director of Family Promise Warren County, the only homelessness resource center serving the county. They are addressing a real need in that community and it would be a shame if they were to go away. The two caseworkers at LEAD Phillipsburg currently work with 40 individuals, some of whom are chronically homeless. LEADs intervention can set them on the right path and, as a whole, reduce the number of residents who cycle in and out of jail through the punitive cycle, they said. In December, residents banded together to throw a holiday dinner for the people served by LEAD Phillipsburg and other individuals and families in the town who could benefit from a warm meal. The event was an overwhelming success, the organizer, Chef Joe Stout, said. Glenn Epps can be reached at gepps@lehighvalleylive.com or glenn_epps_on X (formerly known as Twitter.com), Facebook and Threads. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe to lehighvalleylive.com today. This winters been plenty cold in the Lehigh Valley, but continuing drought conditions have robbed us of the moisture needed for a decent snowfall. The small accumulations weve had include a couple deemed nuisance storms where you have to clean off your car, sidewalks and driveway but thats about the extent of impacts. Professor Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University, is urging graduates of the University to register for future Seanad elections. Registration is currently open for the new Higher Education constituency, which will elect six members of the Seanad in future elections. Graduates of Dublin City University, who are Irish citizens, are eligible to register for the new constituency. This includes graduates of former DCU-linked colleges St. Patricks College Drumcondra and Mater Dei Institute. The current arrangements, whereby three Senators are elected by graduates of NUI and three by graduates of the University of Dublin (Trinity College), will remain in place for the current Seanad General Election that is now underway. However, the new constituency, which will include graduates of DCU, will elect all six Senators as a single constituency in future elections. To be eligible for inclusion in the Register of Electors a person must be an Irish citizen, be over 18, and hold a degree (of any level) from one of the relevant institutions designated under the Higher Education Authority Act 2022. Speaking ahead of the DCU Alumni Awards 2025, Professor Daire Keogh said: The creation of the Seanad Higher Education constituency gives DCU degree-holders an important new opportunity to have their say in our democratic system. I want to encourage all eligible DCU graduates to register before the upcoming deadline so that they can cast their vote in the next Seanad elections. "The upper house of the Oireachtas plays a crucial role in our democracy, offering critical oversight of legislation and providing a forum where new and underrepresented voices can be heard. Therefore, I hope that DCU graduates will engage with this opportunity and help to inform the makeup of the next Seanad Eireann. Ross Munnelly, Director of Alumni Relations at DCU, said: At home and abroad, DCU graduates are known for being engaged, active citizens, who play their part in the University's mission to 'transform lives and societies'. By registering to vote in the Higher Education constituency our alumni will have the chance to elect senators who represent their values and priorities. The registration deadline is fast approaching but the application process is straightforward, so I would urge our alumni to take up this opportunity. DCU graduates will need to submit their applications and any required supporting documents either by post or directly on the application portal by the deadline of January 23. Tributes are being paid after a young woman living in Leitrim passed away at home this week. Sandra Vaitkeviciene passed away peacefully in her home following a long illness on January 12, 2025. She was from Drumsna, Co. Leitrim and formerly of Vainutas, Lithuania. Sandra was surrounded by her loving family, her husband Tomas and her two children Vakaris and Perla, at the time of her passing. She is deeply mourned by her mother Maryte and sisters Indre and Ernesta. Sadly missed by her mother-in-law Violeta, father-in-law Stasys, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, relatives, her colleagues in Lidl, neighbours and her many friends. Sandra's co-worker expressed her deepest sympathy on a Facebook post made by her husband, that read: READ NEXT: Historic Leitrim school house could see new life as apartments "Tomas, Vikaras and Perla absolutely heartbroken for you all...what a beautiful soul gone way too soon, Sandra will always be remembered, I am blessed and had the pleasure to have worked with her for many years, what a manager and worker she really was one of the best, no more suffering." Leitrim County Council have received a substantial allocation of a whopping 2.4 million for 20 projects under the Active Travel scheme. The Active Travel programme is an initiative supported by the National Transport Authority set out to encourage people to walk or cycle to their destinations. Communities up and down the country are set to benefit from the funding with projects such as Ballinamore Junction Upgrade, Manorhamilton Park, Carrick on Shannon - Attifinlay Roundabout to Summerhill Active Travel Scheme and Safe Routes to School (SRTS) R1 - St Clares National School. Over 500,000 has been provided under the Bus Stop Enhancement Programme for 2025. As part of the SRTS programme, St Clares National School in Manorhamilton will receive 350,000 and Mohill Community School will receive 250,000. Were delighted with the commitment from the NTA to allocate 350,000 in the Safe Routes to School programme, said Laura Tully, Principal of St Clares National School. My understanding is its currently at detailed design and procurement with the Council, but we are very optimistic that the work will be completed during the second quarter of this year. This will greatly enhance and improve our school entrance but most importantly it will provide for a much safer accessibility to our school grounds for our pupils and wider school community, Ms Tully concluded. Other Leitrim schools receiving SRTS funding include Ballinamore Scoil Chlann Naofa (30,000), Drumshanbo Vocational School (30,000) and Drumeela (60,000). In Carrick-on-Shannon, 10,000 will be allocated to Glas na hAbhainn Housing Estate Link, 140,000 for Attifinlay Roundabout to Summerhill Active Travel Scheme, 20,000 for Leitrim Road and 95,000 for Carrick-on-Shannon Junction tightening and pedestrian crossing. North of the county, Manorhamilton will receive 105,000 for the upgrade of Park Road. Drumshanbo will see 70,000 to upgrade the town junction and Dromahair will receive 35,000 for the Churchfield Active Travel link. 130,000 is to be allocated to upgrade Ballinamore junction and 55,000 for Tully Heights connection to Town Environs. Aughnasheelin Active Travel Link will receive 70,000, and Roosky Bridge Active Travel will see 20,000. 80,000 will go towards Carrigallen Active Travel Link. Cathaoirleach of Leitrim County Council, Paddy ORourke, has welcomed the funding allocated for Carrigallen, which will facilitate the installation of a pedestrian crossing and footpath at the Carrigallen Primary Care Centre. A Carrigallen resident, Cllr ORourke had put forward a motion before Ballinamore Municipal District in 2023 advocating for the provision of a pedestrian crossing. We are now going to see road safety works to be carried out at the Primary Care Centre along with road safety works also at Drumeela National School. The works will see speed reduction works carried out. The works in particular at Drumeela National School will come as a relief to teachers and staff who are too well aware of the dangers whilst picking up and dropping off children, Cllr ORourke concluded. Finally, 30,000 will go towards cycle parking infrastructure and 320,000 to Leitrim County Council for staff costs. READ MORE: Leitrim power outages spark calls for forestry action after recent storm Premier Workspaces Offers Free Virtual Mail Plan to Residents and Businesses Displaced by Historic Los Angeles Fires LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a longtime member of the Southern California community, Premier Workspaces is deeply committed to supporting neighbors in need. In response to the devastation caused by one of the worst fires in California's history, Premier is offering a free Virtual Mail Plan to anyone who has been recently displaced. Premier understands the importance of continuity and reliability, especially in challenging times. "Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by these fires," said Amy Fuller, President of Premier Workspaces. "We want to do everything we can to support the community that's given us so much, and something as simple as an address can help an individual or business regain stability and continue operations." The Virtual Mail Plan includes: A prestigious business address at one of Premier's Los Angeles area locations. area locations. Package and mail handling services, including acceptance and management of deliveries. Access to additional services, such as meeting rooms and day offices, at a discounted rate. Residents or businesses displaced by the fires are encouraged to contact Premier to set up their complimentary Virtual Mail Plan. As a company rooted in community values, Premier Workspaces is committed to being a resource for businesses in need and helping them rebuild and thrive in the aftermath of this disaster. For more information or to sign up for the free Virtual Office Mail Plan, please contact us at 877-697-8483. About Premier Workspaces: Premier Workspaces (formerly Premier Business Centers) (http://www.premierworkspaces.com) is a prominent operator within the executive suite, coworking, and shared workspace domain, maintaining an extensive network of locations across the United States. These locations are spread across including Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Washington, and the District of Columbia. With a history dating back to 2002, Premier Workspaces has overseen the ownership and operation of over 146 locations, encompassing a total commercial office space exceeding 2.6 million square feet. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/premier-workspaces/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/PWSpaces Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PremierWorkspaces Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/premierworkspaces SOURCE Premier Workspaces 15 january 2025 at 16:08 News published onand distributed by: CenterPoint readies for second major cold snap of 2025 and is deploying its cold weather readiness plan Pre-winter readiness actions completed by the company in December; crews performing readiness checklists for electric and natural gas systems Customers urged to have a plan and make preparations for potential freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation Since August 2024, CenterPoint has conducted approximately 3,500 miles of higher risk tree trimming and vegetation across the Greater Houston area HOUSTON, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With cold temperatures again expected to impact CenterPoint Energy's service territory in Texas over the holiday weekend and into next week, the company's Emergency Response and Preparedness and Meteorology teams are actively monitoring weather forecasts and preparing to support safe and reliable energy delivery during cold and potentially icy conditions. Both electric and natural gas teams across CenterPoint's Texas footprint are engaged in coordinated efforts to maintain readiness and address potential service impacts. Cold weather preparations The company has a cold weather action plan in place and has performed a series of proactive pre-winter preparedness actions to strengthen and winterize its electric and natural gas infrastructure across Texas, as well as inspect and test cold-weather critical equipment ahead of potential severe cold weather. CenterPoint is also deploying cold weather mitigations across its electric and gas infrastructure, developing plans to mobilize emergency response resources and coordinating with relevant local emergency responders and government officials in preparation. Additionally, as part of its on-going work to increase the resiliency of its system, CenterPoint teams and contractors have already trimmed approximately 3,500 miles of higher risk vegetation since August 5, 2024. CenterPoint's enhanced Emergency Response and Preparedness team continues to lead the company's preparedness efforts and coordination with public agencies and community leaders. The team provides regular updates to relevant agencies and government officials to communicate the company's pre-storm activities and readiness posture and provide critical updates. "We're continuing to monitor the severe cold weather expected across the communities we serve in Texas. We're keeping a particularly close watch on the potential for a major winter storm that could impact the Greater Houston area beginning on MLK Day and into next week. We will continue to actively monitor the models for any severe weather and urge our customers to stay alert in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions," said Matt Lanza, CenterPoint's Meteorology Manager and member of CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness and Response team. The current weather forecast for CenterPoint's Houston electric service territory indicates the potential for ice and snow accumulation early next week subject to updated forecasts., The company reminds customers and community members to always assume downed lines or wires are energized and potentially dangerous if contacted. Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines or fallen wires and keep a safe distance from objects touching downed lines (tree limbs, vehicles, fences, etc.). Immediately report downed power lines to CenterPoint. Critical winter electric and gas readiness actions taken in the Greater Houston area CenterPoint Texas submitted its annual declarations of winter readiness to both the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) and the Railroad Commission of Texas. These declarations demonstrate that CenterPoint has completed the regulatory requirements that were adopted in 2021 to prepare electric and natural gas infrastructure for winter storms and extreme cold weather. The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include: Inspecting and testing critical equipment , including all 270 substations, to prepare for high demand and cold temperatures; , including all 270 substations, to prepare for high demand and cold temperatures; Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across the Greater Houston area, including installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup; across the area, including installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup; Maintaining freeze protection equipment and enclosures for cold-weather critical components; for cold-weather critical components; Repairing damaged or degraded thermal insulation and water-proofing materials ; and ; and Conducting emergency training for hundreds of operational personnel and contractors to prepare for, mitigate and respond to the impacts of severe winter weather. "Our teams are well-prepared and ready to respond to any potential impacts from the forecasted colder temperatures. We have enhanced staffing plans in place and crews stationed across the communities we serve, so that our teams can safely and quickly restore service to any impacted customers. We will remain alert throughout the next week and continue to coordinate with local officials as our communities take steps to prepare. We urge our customers to stay weather alert and have an emergency plan in place," said Darin Carroll, CenterPoint's Senior Vice President of Electric Business. Natural gas system preparedness in Texas CenterPoint strives to provide natural gas service safely and reliably to its customers and initiates winter preparedness strategies to help protect its natural gas system. These include: Positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed. trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed. Reinforcing reliability by validating that all station set points are aligned with their cold weather settings and have technicians on standby coordinating closely with engineering and natural gas control. by validating that all station set points are aligned with their cold weather settings and have technicians on standby coordinating closely with engineering and natural gas control. Coordinating and communicating with the Railroad Commission of Texas to identify and ensure operations of critical gas infrastructure for natural gas reliability. CenterPoint's Energy role in Texas In Texas, CenterPoint Energy transports electricity across its transmission and distribution wires. Other parties bill for electric service. CenterPoint does not own any power plants and does not generate electricity in the state. On the natural gas front, CenterPoint buys gas, transports it and bills customers for both the gas cost and delivery charge. 2025 Winter Energy Guide CenterPoint recently launched its Winter Energy Guide, a comprehensive online resource hub that helps customers throughout the winter heating season. The guide features practical and important safety, energy savings and bill management tips to help customers stay safe and warm throughout the winter season. CenterPoint has a cold weather plan in place to respond quickly to potential impacts this winter, and the company encourages customers to use this helpful resource to create their own cold weather plans so that they're prepared for the colder weather ahead. To learn more about the Winter Energy Guide and to receive more important tips, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ReadyforWinter. Electric customers encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service CenterPoint electric customers are encouraged to enroll in the company's Power Alert Service to receive winter storm outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates by phone call, text or email. About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. As the only investor-owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio and Texas. With approximately 9,000 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com . For more information, contact Communications [email protected] SOURCE CenterPoint Energy 15 january 2025 at 18:49 News published onand distributed by: News / National by Staff reporter Several people sustained injuries in a traffic accident this morning at the busy intersection of Sam Nujoma Street and Robert Mugabe Road in Harare.The incident occurred when a speeding commuter omnibus, attempting to overtake a City of Harare refuse compactor, failed to clear the maneuver and collided with the vehicle. Eyewitnesses reported that the omnibus driver was trying to beat a red light when the crash happened.The force of the collision caused the omnibus to veer off the road, leaving multiple passengers injured and trapped inside the vehicle. The refuse compactor suffered minor damage.Ms. Dorcas Siziba, one of the first people at the scene, described the chaotic aftermath. "When we arrived to help, the passengers were trapped in the kombi. We couldn't push the truck until more help arrived. Eventually, we managed to release the passengers," she said.Another eyewitness, Ms. Betty Ngwerume, criticized the lack of caution among drivers, particularly given the malfunctioning traffic lights in the area. "Most traffic lights are not working, and drivers are not exercising patience. We need to give way to each other to prevent accidents," she said.Emergency services responded promptly, providing first aid to the injured before transporting them to Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the accident.This incident has reignited calls for improved traffic management and driver discipline in Harare, particularly at intersections where non-functioning traffic lights have become a frequent hazard. Campus Kalundborg announces DKK 320m expansion plan to become a leading hub for education, research and innovation within biomanufacturing and biosolutions SLAGELSE, Denmark, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DKK 320 million has been awarded for the development of a new campus that will provide the setting for close collaboration between educational institutions while offering students real-world experience through close interaction with industry. With the initiative, industry and educational partners are joining forces to make the Biotech city of Kalundborg an internationally leading hub for education, research and innovation within biomanufacturing and biosolutions. Central to the initiative is the establishment of a new 11,000-12,000m campus building (preliminary estimate) that will include a pilot plant, laboratories and creation spaces, providing the facilities needed to conduct cutting-edge teaching, research and development. The expanded physical campus settings will create a unique educational environment where students from a broad range of academic, vocational and professional programmes can collaborate across disciplines while gaining real-world experience through close interaction with industry professionals. The overall success criterion for the campus is to increase the local student population from approx. 500 students today to 1,500 by 2030. "With this initiative, Kalundborg prepares a significant step on the impressive journey towards becoming a leader in biotech and life science. The broad collaboration and the strong local support are both inspiring and a good example of how both education and business can be strengthened locally by connecting them more closely. With the government's new life science strategy and by opening up to more international students, I believe that we can help create a good framework for this brilliant local initiative," says Minister of Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund. Strong group of partners The new initiative has been developed in collaboration between numerous partners, including key organisations with activities in Kalundborg: University College Absalon, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Teknika, Nordvestsjllands Erhvervs- og Gymnasieuddannelser (NEG), Royal Danish Academy, Helix Lab, Knowledge Hub Zealand, Novo Nordisk, Novonesis, Novo Nordisk Foundation, the Municipality of Kalundborg, and AP Pension. The diverse group of partners ensures a comprehensive and collaborative approach to the development and implementation of the new initiative. AP Ejendomme, a subsidiary of AP Pension, will build and own the new campus building, which will be used by the education partners for education and research purposes. In addition to this, more than DKK 320 million has been committed to the Campus Kalundborg project. The Novo Nordisk Foundation is awarding up to DKK 202 million to fund the development of a unique teaching and training environment during 2025-2031. This includes establishment of new laboratories and makerspaces, the enhancement of recruitment and teaching activities, and the strengthening of collaboration with local industry for education and continuing education. Novo Nordisk A/S is awarding DKK 120 million to fund the rent, for a seven-year period, starting when the new campus building has been finalised. Speaking on behalf of the newly established Campus Kalundborg Association, which includes all partners involved in the initiative, the Chairperson who is also Director at Absalon Health and Science, Daniel Schwartz Bojsen notes: "We will establish an educational symbiosis across institutions, with industry as an active partner. Kalundborg is the ideal location, due to the well-established industry cluster and its world-leading model of the Kalundborg Symbiosis. In addition, the existing local educational initiatives have seen very positive results ? both regarding the recruitment of national and international students and the retention of graduates as employees in the industry. This is a truly visionary initiative, responding to several national agendas within education and research. This includes the importance of ensuring locally anchored educations in close proximity to and in collaboration with the industry, strengthening the pipeline for the growing life-science sector and Danish production industry in general as well as strengthening the pipeline for the vocational educations." Daniel Schwartz Bojsen concludes: "Now the search for an innovative and collaborative Campus Director will start. The Director will lead the project and ensure together with the newly established board of directors that the ambitious vision of the partners will be realised." Building on a legacy of collaboration The new initiative builds on a legacy of collaboration and success that spans 50 years. The Kalundborg Model, a unique culture of collaboration based on mutual trust and strong partnerships among public and private partners, has been the cornerstone of Kalundborg's growth and development. "This new initiative is taking our very successful partnership model to the next level. When the individual strength and competencies of each of these visionary partners come together, also taking into account the experience of operating educations in Kalundborg and the very strong collaboration between the industry and students in Kalundborg, I foresee that we will create a vibrant campus environment that not only fosters innovation and learning but also strengthens the vitality of Kalundborg's urban life, its educational landscape, its dynamic industries, and its engaged civil society. Together, these elements will create a community where knowledge, opportunity, and quality of life thrive side by side," says Mayor of the Municipality of Kalundborg Martin Damm. Press event today The Campus Kalundborg initiative will be launched at a press event today at 13.30-14.30 in Kalundborg, at Helix Lab, Campus Kalundborg 3, where the partners behind the initiative as well as the Danish Minister of Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund will be present. Journalists with a valid press pass are invited to attend. After the press meeting, it will be possible to interview the minister, the partners behind the initiative and students from the various educational programmes on offer at Campus Kalundborg. Key facts Kalundborg is the largest biotech industrial hub in Scandinavia with companies such as Novo Nordisk, Novonesis, Novo Nordisk Engineering (NNE), Unibio, Meliora Bio, Kalundborg Refinery and rsted. These companies, along with an extensive ancillary industry of highly specialised subcontractors and a growing ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises and start-ups, contribute to the vibrant industrial hub in Kalundborg. The Kalundborg Symbiosis, BIOPRO Research and Innovation partnership, and Biotech City Alliance are also integral to the ongoing success and development of the region. An impressive number of educational programmes from vocational to master's level have already been established at Campus Kalundborg: 1992: Vocational programme as process operator and industrial operator at NEG Kalundborg (in Danish) 2016: A specialisation in pharma and food ingredients on the vocational process operator programme at NEG Kalundborg (in Danish) 2017: BEng in Biotechnology at University College Absalon (in Danish and in English) 2018: Bachelor of Biomedical Laboratory Science at University College Absalon (in Danish) 2020: BEng in Mechanical Engineering at University College Absalon (in Danish) 2022: Helix Lab Research and Education Center2023: Bachelor of Technology Management and Marine Engineering at Teknika (in Danish) 2023: BA in Architecture at the Royal Danish Academy (in Danish) 2023: Industrial MSc in Biomanufacturing at DTU (in English) 2024: MSc in Biosolutions at UCPH (in English). Additional educational programmes are planned for the coming years. Quotes from individual contributors University College Absalon "This initiative strengthens the ties between education, industry and innovation, continuing the journey Absalon embarked on with the launch of our first educational programme in Kalundborg. Since 2017, we have been preparing students for careers in the biotech and industrial sectors, and over the years, this collaboration has proven the value of working together across sectors. We now look forward to contributing to this enhanced partnership and exploring new opportunities, such as expanding the international programmes offered at Absalon.", says Camilla Wang, Rector, University College Absalon Technical University of Denmark "At DTU we welcome this initiative, where different educational institutions and traditions can meet and inspire each other in close interaction with companies and industry. We look forward to exploring new ways of collaborating with Campus Kalundborg as a framework. The initiative fits well with DTU's vision of being present throughout Denmark and establishing close partnerships with private and public companies. This will contribute to filling more of the vacant engineering jobs throughout Denmark," says DTU's Senior Vice President Carsten Orth Gaarn-Larsen. University of Copenhagen At UCPH, we are excited to be part of the educational development in Kalundborg. Biosolutions is a rapidly expanding field that draws from several of our departments and key research areas. We are very keen on the tight industry collaboration opportunities, for both students and researchers, and we can already see the emergence of exciting new interdisciplinary research avenues with the other academic partners in Kalundborg. Finally, we see this as an option to further strengthen international recruitment to our MSc programmes and hence Danish industry, says Associate Dean at SCIENCE, Andreas de Neergaard. Teknika - Copenhagen College of Technology Management and Marine Engineering Rector Ulrik Bak Nielsen is pleased that Teknika can become part of a new joint campus in Kalundborg. He says: "As a student in technology management and marine engineering, it will be important to meet other disciplines already in your studies. A joint campus will make this possible. Furthermore, a joint campus will be able to present both good social communities and offer up-to-date teaching facilities. We look forward to working with all stakeholders." NEG "I look forward to offering our vocational programme students in NEG Kalundborg hands-on learning in an innovative campus with state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology, among students from various educational levels. This will not only enhance our students learning experience but also equip them with the skills to become the next generation of skilled professionals in Kalundborg," says Steffen Lund, Director at NEG. Royal Danish Academy "We see great potential in collaborating with businesses and other professions, both within research and education. A revolution is taking place these years within biogenic building materials. In this respect, we think that the proximity to the industrial symbiosis can create completely new opportunities in this area," states Jakob Brandtberg Knudsen, Dean of Architecture, Royal Danish Academy. Knowledge Hub Zealand "With the establishment of Campus Kalundborg as a cornerstone of the city's educational infrastructure, Knowledge Hub Zealand can now expand its focus to also attracting more research and innovation to Kalundborg. Just as the campus is designed to meet the local industry's educational needs, our efforts to draw in world-class research and cutting-edge innovation will align with the region's strategic goals. Research and innovation are essential components of building one of the world's leading clusters in biotech and biosolutions. While completing the campus remains a priority, integrating these elements is key to realising the full potential of Kalundborg's ecosystem," says Christian Beenfeldt, Project Director, Knowledge Hub Zealand. AP Ejendomme Peter Olsson, CEO of AP Ejendomme (subsidiary of AP Pension), says: "We already have a strong and valuable collaboration with both Novo Nordisk and Kalundborg Municipality, which has resulted in the construction of Helix Lab here on campus and Munkeshuse in the centre of Kalundborg. We look forward to participating in this ground-breaking project, and we are proud and happy to be able to contribute to the continuous development of Campus Kalundborg and Kalundborg as a city". Novonesis A/S "We are thrilled to be part of this initiative that further solidifies Kalundborg's position as a leading hub for education, research and innovation. By leveraging the strengths and expertise of our industry, the municipality and educational partners, we are creating a dynamic environment where education and innovation thrive. At Novonesis, we have for many years worked closely together with the educational programmes in Kalundborg, and we look forward to continuing the collaboration with Campus Kalundborg. This initiative not only benefits the local community but also strengthens Denmark's standing in the global biosolutions sector," says Steen Skrbk, Head of Bulk Operations Plant Kalundborg, Novonesis. Novo Nordisk Foundation "We are happy to support this initiative, which will strengthen the coherence and quality of education within the biomanufacturing and biosolutions sphere. Kalundborg provides the optimal location for bringing education at all levels together while ensuring close proximity to the industry," says Berith Bjrnholm, Senior Vice President, Education & Outreach, the Novo Nordisk Foundation. Novo Nordisk A/S "In this initiative, we are not just building a new campus. We are establishing a new way of collaboration between educational programmes as well as between teachers, students and industry. Kalundborg is known for its strong Public Private Partnership as well as for having the world's leading industrial symbiosis with the largest biomanufacturing cluster. We will build upon the unique results already achieved by the many stakeholders, educational institutions and the Municipality of Kalundborg. The initiative will become a leaver for technological development and growth for the industrial activities in Kalundborg but also for industry in Denmark as a whole", says Michael Hallgren, Senior Vice President, API Manufacturing, Novo Nordisk. 16 january 2025 at 02:00 News published onand distributed by: UCB Announces U.S. Availability of 320 mg/2 mL Single-Injection Administration Option for BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) is now commercially available by prescription in the United States in a 2 mL prefilled syringe and autoinjector, each containing 320 mg of BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) is now commercially available by prescription in in a 2 mL prefilled syringe and autoinjector, each containing 320 mg of BIMZELX The single-injection device offers convenience for patients requiring a 320 mg dose of BIMZELX with single-injection administration ATLANTA, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, announced today that a single-injection 2 mL prefilled syringe and autoinjector, each containing 320 mg of BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) is now available. These are in addition to the currently available 1 mL device administration options, each containing 160 mg of BIMZELX. With the new presentations, patients requiring a 320 mg dose of BIMZELX will have options for single-injection administration.1 "With five new FDA-approved indications for BIMZELX in just over a year, we've had the opportunity to reach a wider range of people living with chronic inflammatory conditions who have long been in need of new treatment options," said Camille Lee, Head of U.S. Immunology, UCB. "With the addition of a single-injection administration regimen, we are further expanding options and enhancing the treatment experience for individuals with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, active psoriatic arthritis with coexistent moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa who receive a 320 mg dose of BIMZELX." The approval of the 320 mg single-injection administration option in October 2024 was supported by data from studies evaluating the bioequivalence of BIMZELX 320 mg given as one 2 mL subcutaneous injection, and BIMZELX 320 mg given as two 1 mL subcutaneous injections, in healthy study participants.1 In the U.S., the indications for BIMZELX where a 320 mg dose is recommended are adults with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, adults with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with coexistent moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, and adults with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa.1* In all other indications, adults with active PsA, adults with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) with objective signs of inflammation, and adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a 160 mg dose is recommended.1 Through BIMZELX Navigate, UCB offers tailored patient support to patients who have been prescribed BIMZELX. Upon enrollment, patients will be offered support from a dedicated Nurse Navigator. This licensed, registered nurse will be available to discuss treatment goals, provide training assistance to patients on how to administer BIMZELX, connect eligible patients to copay support, and keep patients up-to-date about their BIMZELX shipment and insurance coverage status. Patients who have been prescribed BIMZELX may enroll in BIMZELX Navigate at https://www.bimzelx.com/patient-support. UCB is actively engaging in access conversations with payers, with a focus on our patient value strategy and keeping the patient at the center of these discussions. Based on these conversations, we are progressing well toward our goal to enable access to our medicines for people who need them, in a way that is sustainable for patients, society, and UCB. Full affordability information can be found at ucb-usa.com/Sustainability/Affordability/Bimzelx-Pricing-Info and http://www.BIMZELX.com. For additional medical information, patient assistance or any other information, please call UCBCares at 1-844-599-CARE (2273) or visit askucbcares.com. Notes to Editors: About BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) BIMZELX is a humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that is designed to selectively inhibit both interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interleukin 17F (IL-17F), two key cytokines driving inflammatory processes.1 IL-17A and IL-17F are key contributors of chronic inflammation and damage across multiple tissues, with IL-17F increasing over time.1, 2-4 IL-17F is over-expressed in skin and highly elevated in the serum of patients with PSO, PsA, nr-axSpA, AS, and HS.1, 2-5 The approved indications for BIMZELX in the U.S. are:1 Plaque psoriasis: BIMZELX is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy BIMZELX is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy Psoriatic arthritis : BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis : BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation Ankylosing spondylitis: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis Hidradenitis suppurativa: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa *The recommended dosage of BIMZELX in patients is as follows: Plaque Psoriasis: Administer 320 mg by subcutaneous injection at Weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16, then every 8 weeks thereafter. For patients weighing 120 kg or more, consider a dose of 320 mg every 4 weeks after Week 16. Psoriatic Arthritis: Administer 160 mg by subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks. For patients with coexisting moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, use the dosage and administration for plaque psoriasis. Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis: Administer 160 mg by subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks. Ankylosing Spondylitis: Administer 160 mg by subcutaneous injection every 4 weeks. Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Administer 320 mg by subcutaneous injection at Weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 16, then every 4 weeks thereafter. See full prescribing information for recommendations regarding missed doses, preparation and administration instructions. Please see Important Safety Information below and full U.S. Prescribing Information at http://www.ucb-usa.com/Innovation/Products/BIMZELX. BIMZELX U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Suicidal Ideation and Behavior BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) may increase the risk of suicidal ideation and behavior (SI/B). A causal association between treatment with BIMZELX and increased risk of SI/B has not been definitively established. Prescribers should weigh the potential risks and benefits before using BIMZELX in patients with a history of severe depression or SI/B. Advise monitoring for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal ideation, or other mood changes. If such changes occur, instruct to promptly seek medical attention, refer to a mental health professional as appropriate, and re-evaluate the risks and benefits of continuing treatment. Infections BIMZELX may increase the risk of infections, including serious infections. Do not initiate treatment with BIMZELX in patients with any clinically important active infection until the infection resolves or is adequately treated. In patients with a chronic infection or a history of recurrent infection, consider the risks and benefits prior to prescribing BIMZELX. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of clinically important infection occur. If a patient develops such an infection or is not responding to standard therapy, monitor the patient closely and do not administer BIMZELX until the infection resolves. Tuberculosis Evaluate patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to initiating treatment with BIMZELX. Avoid the use of BIMZELX in patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering BIMZELX. Consider anti-TB therapy prior to initiation of BIMZELX in patients with a past history of latent or active TB in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Closely monitor patients for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment. Liver Biochemical Abnormalities Elevated serum transaminases were reported in clinical trials with BIMZELX. Test liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin at baseline, periodically during treatment with BIMZELX, and according to routine patient management. If treatment-related increases in liver enzymes occur and drug-induced liver injury is suspected, interrupt BIMZELX until a diagnosis of liver injury is excluded. Permanently discontinue use of BIMZELX in patients with causally associated combined elevations of transaminases and bilirubin. Avoid use of BIMZELX in patients with acute liver disease or cirrhosis. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been reported in patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors, including BIMZELX. Avoid use of BIMZELX in patients with active IBD. During BIMZELX treatment, monitor patients for signs and symptoms of IBD and discontinue treatment if new onset or worsening of signs and symptoms occurs. Immunizations Prior to initiating therapy with BIMZELX, complete all age-appropriate vaccinations according to current immunization guidelines. Avoid the use of live vaccines in patients treated with BIMZELX. Most Common Adverse Reactions Most common (? 1%) adverse reactions in plaque psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, injection site reactions, tinea infections, gastroenteritis, herpes simplex infections, acne, folliculitis, other candida infections, and fatigue. Most common (? 2%) adverse reactions in psoriatic arthritis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, and urinary tract infections. Most common (? 2%) adverse reactions in non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, cough, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, tonsillitis, transaminase increase, and urinary tract infections. Most common (? 2%) adverse reactions in ankylosing spondylitis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, injection site pain, rash, and vulvovaginal mycotic infection. For further information, contact UCB: Investor Relations Antje Witte T +32.2.559.94.14 email [email protected] Brand Communications Nicole Herga T +1.773.960.5349 email [email protected] About UCB UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With approximately 9,000 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of ?5.3 billion in 2023. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCBUSA. Forward looking statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will", "continue" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions which might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of UCB, or industry results, to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms or within expected timing, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, competition from other products including biosimilars, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws, and hiring and retention of its employees. There is no guarantee that new product candidates will be discovered or identified in the pipeline, will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Movement from concept to commercial product is uncertain; preclinical results do not guarantee safety and efficacy of product candidates in humans. So far, the complexity of the human body cannot be reproduced in computer models, cell culture systems or animal models. The length of the timing to complete clinical trials and to get regulatory approval for product marketing has varied in the past and UCB expects similar unpredictability going forward. Products or potential products, which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences disputes between the partners or may prove to be not as safe, effective or commercially successful as UCB may have believed at the start of such partnership. UCB's efforts to acquire other products or companies and to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as successful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of UCB's products that implicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect on sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally, a breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB's data and systems. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any of such forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labelling in any market, or at any particular time, nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be or will continue to be commercially successful in the future. UCB is providing this information, including forward-looking statements, only as of the date of this press release. UCB expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report or reflect any change in its forward-looking statements with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless such statement is required pursuant to applicable laws and regulations. Additionally, information contained in this document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. References BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) U.S. Prescribing Information. https://www.ucb-usa.com/Innovation/Products/BIMZELX. Accessed January 2025 . Glatt S, Baeten D, Baker T et al. Dual IL-17A and IL-17F neutralisation by bimekizumab in psoriatic arthritis: evidence from preclinical experiments and a randomised placebo-controlled clinical trial that IL-17F contributes to human chronic tissue inflammation. Ann Rheum Dis. 2018;77:523?32. Gordon KB, Foley P, Krueger JG, et al. Bimekizumab efficacy and safety in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (BE READY): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised withdrawal phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;397(10273):475-486. Reich K, Papp KA, Blauvelt A, et al. Bimekizumab versus ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis (BE VIVID): efficacy and safety from a 52-week, multicentre, double-blind, active comparator and placebo controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;397(10273):487-498. Rumberger BE, Boarder EL, Owens SL, et al. Transcriptomic analysis of hidradenitis suppurativa skin suggests roles for multiple inflammatory pathways in disease pathogenesis. Inflamm Res. 2020;69(10):967-973. US-BK-2401977 Date of preparation: January 2025 BIMZELX, UCBCares, and BIMZELX Navigate are registered trademarks of the UCB Group of Companies. 2025 UCB, Inc., Smyrna, GA 30080. All rights reserved. SOURCE UCB 16 january 2025 at 07:00 News published onand distributed by: Air Industries Group Closes Fiscal 2024 with Record Bookings, Backlog - Preliminary Sales up Approximately 6.6% Air Industries Group ("Air Industries") (NYSE American: AIRI), a leading manufacturer of precision components and assemblies for large aerospace and defense prime contractors, today announced a recap of its fiscal 2024 results and outlined its strategic vision for continued growth and operational excellence in 2025 and beyond. 2024: A Year of Growth and Momentum Sales Growth Across the Company Fiscal 2024 marked a year of solid growth for Air Industries, with preliminary sales increasing by approximately 6.6% year-over-year. Each of our Centers of Excellence contributed meaningfully, and both facilities are expected to contribute significantly to Air Industries' continued success in 2025. Complex Machining Sector (CMS): CMS, based in Bay Shore, NY, consisting of Air Industries Machining Corporation and Nassau Tool Works, achieved record bookings. This is a testament to the revitalized focus on expanding opportunities with existing customers, success with new strategic customers and increased penetration in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) markets. In the third quarter of 2024 we announced the award of a $110 million commercial contract to CMS, representing the largest contract to date for Air Industries Group. The Long Island facility continues to serve as a cornerstone of Air Industries' business, providing complex machined components that meet the highest aerospace and defense standards. CMS, based in Bay Shore, NY, consisting of Air Industries Machining Corporation and Nassau Tool Works, achieved record bookings. This is a testament to the revitalized focus on expanding opportunities with existing customers, success with new strategic customers and increased penetration in the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) markets. In the third quarter of 2024 we announced the award of a $110 million commercial contract to CMS, representing the largest contract to date for Air Industries Group. The Long Island facility continues to serve as a cornerstone of Air Industries' business, providing complex machined components that meet the highest aerospace and defense standards. Sterling Engineering Company (SEC): Sterling Engineering, based in Barkhamsted, CT, delivered another year of exceptional performance. Preliminary year-end sales increased by 33% over 2023. This follows a 20% year-over-year increase from 2022, showcasing consistent growth. SEC's recently announced $33 million contract for CH-53K helicopter components is expected to increase production hours significantly. To support this ramp-up without impacting the existing operations, in December the company invested $2.1 million for two new state-of the-art machines in our Connecticut facility. Bookings and Backlog: A Record-Breaking Year and Reaching New Heights Air Industries secured unprecedented levels of new business in 2024, further strengthening its position in the aerospace and defense supply chain: Total bookings increased by 15% compared to 2023, building on a 55% increase in 2023 compared to 2022. The book-to-bill ratio improved to 1.30x as of December 31, 2024, up from 1.20x at the close of 2023 and 0.75x in 2022, reflecting a robust pipeline of new orders. Air Industries closed 2024 with its highest backlog levels in company history: Total Backlog (Funded and Unfunded): Total Backlog grew by $79 million, or 41%, from 2023, reaching over $270 million?54% higher than at the close of 2022. Total Backlog grew by $79 million, or 41%, from 2023, reaching over $270 million?54% higher than at the close of 2022. Fully-Funded Backlog: Fully-Funded Backlog increased by $19.6 million, or 20%, from December 31, 2023, to over $117 million at the end of 2024?37% higher than at the close of 2022. A Vision for the Future: Lou Melluzzo, Chief Executive Officer of Air Industries Group, commented: "Fiscal 2024 was a year of progress and opportunity. We successfully grew sales, expanded our customer base, and significantly strengthened our backlog, providing a clear runway for sustained growth. We continue to reshape and refocus our efforts to best align with the ever-changing requirements of the industry and our clients. Our Long Island facility experienced its largest booking year ever. Our Connecticut operation has gone through a formidable transformation with sequential double digit annual sales growth, and it is poised for even more explosive growth in 2025. These achievements position us to capitalize on future opportunities within large-scale defense programs." Melluzzo added: "Our strategic focus remains clear: to compete for and win long-term agreements that drive sustainable and profitable growth. We are committed to meeting the needs of our defense customers with the highest quality, reliable products that ensure mission success. "I am very proud of the dedication and hard work of our employees. They have faced and overcome the challenges of recent years, and positioned Air Industries Group for accelerated growth in the future. Progress may not be in a straight line. There may be set backs, but I have never been more confident about the future. With our increasing backlog and impeccable reputation as a trusted partner, we are well-positioned for 2025 and beyond." About Air Industries Group Air Industries Group is a trusted partner to the aerospace and defense industry, delivering high-quality, precision-engineered components and assemblies for mission-critical applications. With decades of experience, the company is dedicated to supporting U.S. military programs and global defense initiatives. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS Certain matters discussed in this press release are 'forward-looking statements' intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In particular, the Company's statements regarding trends in the marketplace, future revenues, earnings and Adjusted EBITDA, the ability to realize firm backlog and projected backlog, cost cutting measures, potential future results and acquisitions, are examples of such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, the timing of projects due to variability in size, scope and duration, the inherent discrepancy in actual results from estimates, projections and forecasts made by management, regulatory delays, changes in government funding and budgets, and other factors, including general economic conditions, not within the Company's control. The factors discussed herein and expressed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission could cause actual results and developments to be materially different from those expressed in or implied by such statements. The forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this press release and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA, a Non-GAAP financial measure as defined by the SEC, as a supplemental profitability measure because management finds it useful to understand and evaluate results, excluding the impact of non-cash depreciation and amortization charges, stock-based compensation expenses, and nonrecurring expenses and outlays, prior to consideration of the impact of other potential sources and uses of cash, such as working capital items. This calculation may differ in method of calculation from similarly titled measures used by other companies and may be different than the EBITDA calculation used by our lenders for the purpose of determining compliance with our financial covenants. This Non-GAAP measure may have limitations when understanding performance as it excludes the financial impact of transactions such as interest expense necessary to conduct the Company's business and therefore are not intended to be an alternative to financial measure prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company does not quantitatively reconcile forward looking Adjusted EBITDA target to the most directly comparable GAAP measure because items such as amortization of stock-based compensation and interest expense, which are specific items that impact these measures, have not yet occurred, are out of the Company's control, or cannot be predicted. For example, quantification of stock-based compensation is not possible as it requires inputs such as future grants and stock prices which are not currently ascertainable. Anyone wishing to contact us or send a message can also do so by visiting: www.airindustriesgroup.com/contact-us/ 16 january 2025 at 07:05 News published onand distributed by: Winshear Reports Drilling Results from the Coritiri Zone, Gaban Gold Project in Peru 4m grading 3.78g/t Au 21m grading 1.29g/t Au 4m grading 5.04g/t Au VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Winshear Gold Corp. (TSXV: WINS) (?Winshear' or the ?Company') is pleased to report the results of its 2024 maiden drill program testing the Coritiri Zone at the Gaban Gold Project, South-Eastern Peru. In late 2024, the company completed four diamond drill holes totalling 1,005 metres from two drill sites 100 metres apart (see previous release, Dec 10, 2024). The drill holes intersected numerous gold-bearing fracture zones hosting oxidized sulphides with variable amounts of quartz veinlets (a photo of the drill sites showing the trace of the drill holes is presented in Figure 1). Highlights from the drilling include: 4m grading 3.78 g/t Au from 93m, including 1m grading 14.74g/t Au in hole Gaban 24-02; 21m grading 1.29 g/t Au from 102m in hole Gaban 24-02; 4m grading 5.04g/t Au from 189m in hole Gaban 24-04 A summary of significant assay results is presented in Table 1 below. Richard Williams, Winshear's CEO, commented: "We are pleased to see that the first ever drill program at Gaban has confirmed the presence of both narrow high-grade and wider lower-grade zones of gold mineralization. We will spend the next few months planning the next steps for advancing the Gaban Gold Project." Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (ppm) Gaban 24-01 43 44 1 0.36 114 115 1 0.61 Gaban 24-02 58 59 1 0.40 93 97 4 3.78 (Including) 95 96 1 14.74 102 123 21 1.29 (Including) 102 113 11 1.56 (including) 115 123 8 1.22 126 130 4 0.26 173 174 1 2.839 Gaban 24-03 49 51 2 0.68 62 66 4 0.45 98 102 4 0.40 Gaban 24-04 88 95 7 0.25 122 123 1 0.24 131 133 2 1.70 135 136 1 0.29 189 193 4 5.04 (including) 203 205 2 0.328 Table 1. Significant Assay results at Gaban Gold project*. *Intervals were derived with a cutoff of 0.10 g/t Au grade. Maximum internal dilution of 1 metre was applied for all drill holes, except for the 21m intercept where a 2m internal dilution was applied. Further drilling is required to determine the true width of the intercepts. A complete table of intercepts with a 0.10 g/t Au cut off is presented at the end of this announcement. The drill program at the Coritiri Gold Zone confirmed the presence of a weakly to moderately sheared sequence of intercalated slate and fine siltstones with some crosscutting fine-grained microdioritic sills. The sequence contained sections with millimetre to centimetre sized quartz veins/veinlet zones hosting pyrite and pyrrhotite. Fine disseminated sulphide minerals were also observed in the sheared sedimentary host rock sequence. The Coritiri Gold Zone was initially identified from interpretation of airborne magnetic data, flown in 2018, which inferred the presence of an 8 km x 1 km NW-SE linear target adjacent to a 6.5 km x 3.0 km northwest-southeast trending magnetic high. The geophysical anomaly is coincident with a five (5) kilometre long series of gold-in-stream sediment anomalies located within the Yanamayo River catchment. The underlying geology of the area comprises sheared and deformed siltstones and slates with foliation typically striking northwest-southeast and dipping moderately to the southwest. There are several prospect pits and short adits on outcropping quartz veins where visible gold has been sampled and mapped, historical assays have ranged from below detection limits up to 32.35 g/t Au, (see NR July 06, 2021). Winshear set out to test several shear-hosted gold zones that have returned significant gold values in several surface channel sampling programs. Previous sampling campaigns have outlined a gold mineralized shear zone extending over a one kilometre by two kilometre area with quartz vein sampling returning gold assays ranging from below detection limit (<0.005 g/t) up to 11.2 g/t Au, (see Winshear NR Jan 18, 2021). The gold anomalous zone remains open along strike to the east and southeast. Gaban is located in the Puno Orogenic Gold Belt ("POGB") at the juncture of the San Gaban and Inambari Rivers, which then drain into the Madre de Dios basin where extensive alluvial gold mining covers an 1,800 square kilometre area (Figure 2). The Company is investigating Gaban as one of the potential hard-rock sources for the alluvial gold being mined at Madre de Dios and on the Gaban project itself. Winshear employs industry standard QA/QC and data verification protocols. The diamond drill holes were completed using standard HQ rods. The drill core was cut lengthwise into halves using a diamond-bladed saw, with one-half used for the assay sample and the other half retained in core boxes and archived at the company storage warehouse in Juliaca, Peru. Pulps and rejects are stored initially at the Certimin S.A. laboratories and later will be stored on site at the company's storage warehouse in Juliaca for archival purposes. Mineralized zones were generally sampled at 1m or 2m intervals depending on the geologist's observed strength of mineralization and geological variability. Each core sample was placed into a bag with a unique numbered sample identification tag. Two certified fine and coarse quality blank control samples were inserted between every 30 core samples and one certified standard was inserted every 20 samples using the same numbering sequence. Then samples were grouped into batches for shipping and laboratory submissions. Chain of custody records are maintained for sample shipments and the custody is transferred from Winshear to the laboratory upon delivery. Samples were shipped to Certimin S. A. Laboratories in Juliaca, Peru for sample preparation and pulps are then sent by Certimin to Lima for analysis. Samples were analyzed using customary four acid digestion and ICP-MS finish. A standard gold fire assay package was used to analyze gold. Laboratory Certimin S.A. is an independent laboratory accredited and certified by INACAL ? DA of Peru, Registro No LE-022. Drill Hole From (m) To (m) Length (m) Au (ppm) Gaban 24-01 26 27 1 0.19 43 44 1 0.36 46 49 3 0.13 52 53 1 0.10 63 64 1 0.20 99 101 2 0.10 108 109 1 0.11 114 115 1 0.61 181 182 1 0.14 Gaban 24-02 23 25 2 0.14 58 59 1 0.40 93 97 4 3.78 (Including) 95 96 1 14.74 99 100 1 0.19 102 123 21 1.29 (including) 102 113 11 1.56 (Including) 115 123 8 1.22 126 130 4 0.26 168 170 2 0.10 173 174 1 2.83 223 224 1 0.15 Gaban 24-03 49 51 2 0.68 62 66 4 0.45 87 89 2 0.16 98 102 4 0.40 120 121 1 0.13 152 154 2 0.11 Gaban 24-04 67 69 2 0.14 88 95 7 0.25 122 123 1 0.24 131 133 2 1.70 135 136 1 0.29 189 193 4 5.04 199 201 2 0.14 203 205 2 0.32 Table 2. Gold intercepts with a 0.10 g/t cut-off *. Technical Information J. Patricio Varas, P. Geo. is Winshear's President and is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. He has reviewed and approved the contents of this news release. Mr. Varas has visited Winshear's Gaban exploration project and has reviewed the data from sampling programs for the project. About Winshear Gold Corp. Winshear Gold Corp. is a Canadian-based minerals exploration company advancing the Gaban Gold Project in the Puno region of Peru. The Company considers Gaban to be one of the hard-rock sources of gold contributing to the 700 km2 Madre de Dios alluvial goldfield, located 50 km north of, and downstream from, the Gaban gold project. For more information, please contact Irene Dorsman at +1 (604) 200 7874 or visit www.winshear.com ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Richard D. Williams" Richard Williams, CEO Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautions Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain statements and information that may contain forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking statements and contain forward-looking information. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "intends" or "anticipates", or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "should", "would" or "occur". Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made and they are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, including the risks normally associated with mineral exploration. 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. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. 16 january 2025 at 08:00 News published onand distributed by: SentinelOne Brings the Power of Purple AI to Zscaler, Okta, Palo Alto Networks, Proofpoint, Fortinet and Microsoft Data SentinelOne (NYSE: S) today announced another first when it comes to generative AI and cybersecurity ? the company's award winning Purple AI security analyst can now be used with data from a growing list of the most popular third-party security offerings. Initial products supported include the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchangetm platform, Palo Alto Networks Firewall, Okta, Proofpoint TAP, Fortinet FortGate, and Microsoft Office 365. It's the latest innovation from SentinelOne to benefit from the Singularitytm Platform's advanced data and AI capabilities, and extends the speed, power and value of Purple AI to quickly stop today's increasingly sophisticated attacks. The company also introduced multilingual support for Purple AI, complementing its popular English-language version with new support for natural language queries and summaries in Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Thai, Malay, Indonesian and more. "Purple AI has rapidly become SentinelOne's fastest growing product, and customer uptake and feedback has been incredible. Far beyond just a great natural language querying mechanism, Purple AI is automating investigations, prioritizing threats, and slashing response times from hours to mere minutes," said Ely Kahn, Vice President, Product Management, Cloud Security, AI/ML and Core Platform, SentinelOne. "By extending Purple AI's capabilities across both native and third-party data in Singularity, customers can rapidly stop even the most sophisticated attacks in their tracks, while gaining more value from the full security stack and their collective security data." Overwhelming alert volumes, multiple data sources, increasingly sophisticated threat actors and expanding attack surfaces result in missed incidents and complex investigations. Disparate data schemas lead to limited visibility and threats falling through the cracks. And increasingly fast breakout times too often put defenders at a disadvantage of stopping lateral movement before the damage is done. Purple AI simplifies the data problem for security teams to empower simpler and more complete threat hunting, while speeding investigations and response. It's the only GenAI security analyst in the industry that leverages the Open Cybersecurity Schema Framework (OCSF) to query data that has been normalized on ingestion. As a result, customers benefit from instant querying of native and third-party data, correlations and context across their security stack, and scalability across expanding ever-expanding data sources for faster and more complete investigations. For example, take joint customers of SentinelOne and Zscaler, who can easily pull Zscaler Security Service Edge (SSE) logs into the Singularity platform via an out-of-the-box integration available on the Singularity Marketplace. Using this integration, which is configurable, these customers can use Purple AI to hunt across user or threat activity logs and data protection or zero trust policy violation logs and optimize investigations of security events that span network, endpoint, cloud and identity data, using simple, natural language queries like: "Using Zscaler logs, how many users have accessed cloud applications?" "Show me Zscaler logs where users have downloaded malware." "Have any DLP violations been detected in Zscalerlogs?" "Are any users performing FTP file transfers in Zscaler logs?" "Enriched by the extensive telemetry from Zscaler, the integration with SentinelOne significantly enhances the ability for SOC teams to leverage AI for threat hunting and complex investigations," said Amit Raikar, Vice President, Technology Alliances and Business Development, Zscaler. "Together, we're focused on helping customers strengthen their zero trust security in an increasingly complex risk environment, where closing gaps in hunting coverage with unprecedented speed and ease is more crucial than ever." Availability: The expansion of SentinelOne's Purple AI to third party data sources is available immediately for all Purple AI customers. Multilingual support is now open for early access to existing SentinelOne customers with Purple AI. Related Content: SentinelOne Blog: Unlocking New Possibilities with Purple AI New Log Sources and Multilingual Support About SentinelOne SentinelOne is a leading AI-powered cybersecurity platform. Built on the first unified Data Lake, SentinelOne empowers the world to run securely by creating intelligent, data-driven systems that think for themselves, stay ahead of complexity and risk, and evolve on their own. Leading organizations?including Fortune 10, Fortune 500, and Global 2000 companies, as well as prominent governments - trust SentinelOne to Secure Tomorrowtm. Learn more at sentinelone.com. 16 january 2025 at 09:10 News published onand distributed by: iKala Unveils Kolr's New Brand Identity, Pioneering the Next Evolution in AI Marketing iKala Partners with Causal AI Innovator to Expand into the North American Market TAIPEI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iKala, a leading AI transformation solutions provider from Taiwan, announced that its AI-driven data marketing platform, KOL Radar, has been officially rebranded as Kolr (pronounced "color"), debuting a fresh brand identity to expand its presence in global markets. The upgraded Kolr platform will continue to prioritize AI-driven innovation, with plans to launch key new features in the first quarter of this year, including the "Predictive Report" and the English version of "AI Search." Additionally, enhancements to the "Competitor Analysis" feature will further streamline the marketing process. These new capabilities will provide brands with a comprehensive, one-stop solution?spanning precise search, data analysis, and performance tracking?empowering brands to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in trend forecasting, marketing analysis, and campaign management. iKala Partners with Vizuro to Expand into the U.S. Market, Setting a New Global Business Strategy Looking ahead, iKala is joining forces with Vizuro, a pioneer in multimodal and causal AI technologies, to expand into the U.S. market and establish a broader global presence. By combining the power of Kolr, the world's largest AI-driven data marketing platform, with Vizuro's cutting-edge marketing attribution technology, the partnership aims to revolutionize ad placements, marketing predictions, and attribution analysis. Together, they will empower global brands to unlock new marketing opportunities and drive impactful results. iKala Business Development Director, Zara Yaqoob, stated, "iKala is in a period of rapid growth. We are dedicated to expanding strategic partnerships, enhancing our brand presence, and ensuring Kolr stands out in the global market. With its robust data capabilities and innovative technologies, Kolr delivers real value to brands, agencies, and influencers." iKala Co-Founder and CEO, Sega Cheng, remarked, "Since its launch in 2018, KOL Radar has approached the challenge of 'discovering influence' as a search problem, focusing on technological innovation. This commitment has enabled the platform to expand to over 190 countries and serve more than 50,000 brands, making it one of the world's largest AI-powered vertical search engines. We are thrilled to collaborate with our strategic partner, Vizuro, as the fully upgraded Kolr sets its sights on the global market with a fresh identity, dedicated to organizing the world's influence." Vizuro Co-Founder and CEO, Yu-Feng Wei, added, "We are thrilled to join forces with iKala to form 'Team Taiwan' and venture into international markets on the global stage. By combining our expertise, we strive to create a synergy where one plus one exceeds two, continuing to develop industry-leading marketing technologies that bring innovation and value to brands of all sizes worldwide." About iKala iKala is a leading AI transformation solutions provider, with a mission to "enable AI competencies" of enterprises by providing AI transformation solutions, to optimize their operational efficiency and increase customer engagement. iKala's solutions and SaaS products are available in 190+ countries, enabling over 1,000 enterprises and 50,000 brands and advertisers, including top-tier Fortune 500 companies, to transform their business. About Vizuro Vizuro is a leading innovator and provider of causal AI solutions, delivering powerful, actionable, and explainable applications across diverse sectors. Utilizing a proprietary self-learning AI platform, Vizuro offers managed, data-science-as-a-service solutions to swiftly deploy customized applications tailored to client needs. Founded in Boston, Vizuro specializes in addressing critical challenges in digital transformation, with solutions spanning healthcare, pharmaceuticals, marketing, manufacturing, and finance. Serving a global client base, from Fortune 100 enterprises to startups. SOURCE iKala 16 january 2025 at 10:12 News published onand distributed by: Latest Burford Quarterly explores key trends driving innovation in commercial disputes in 2025 NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Burford Capital, the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law, today releases its latest Burford Quarterly, a journal of legal finance that explores top trends at the nexus of law and finance. This Burford Quarterly examines the innovative ways in which businesses and law firms are reimagining their financial strategies around commercial disputes. Examples of this include law firms using creative billing structures as alternatives to hourly fees; companies choosing to opt out of litigation to maximize and accelerate recoveries; or businesses monetizing IP assets, allowing for continued investment in other vital areas of the business. Articles in the Burford Quarterly No.1 2025 include: The innovation engine: Legal finance for forward-thinking law firms As law firms launch into 2025, a year that promises continued disruption and opportunity, innovation is not a choice?it's an imperative. Forward-thinking firms are reimagining their financial strategies, moving beyond traditional models to embrace legal finance as a critical tool for transformation. In this article, Travis Lenkner and Emily Slater explore innovative ways legal finance is helping firms solve pressing challenges and accelerate growth. Healthcare antitrust opt-outs: Improving liquidity by monetizing valuable legal claims An increasing number of healthcare businesses are recognizing the value that legal finance provides in helping to mitigate the financial strain of high-cost litigation and expedite recoveries in high-stakes litigation. Ahead of a March 2025 opt-out deadline for claimants in the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) antitrust class actions, Charles Griffin summarizes insights from a recent webcast in which experts from Burford and Paul Hastings presented factors hospital networks and providers should consider in weighing their options. Legal finance and life sciences: Unlocking IP potential in pharma, biotech and medical devices Innovation in Europe's life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors is vital, but long R&D cycles and short profit windows pose challenges. Joshua Harris explains how legal finance helps companies protect and monetize IP assets, enabling continued investment in life-saving technologies. International arbitration in London : Next-Gen leaders' perspective Geoff Nicholas , Christiane Deniger and James MacKinnon lead a Burford roundtable with London -based arbitration lawyers. Partners from A&O Shearman, Debevoise & Plimpton, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Freshfields share their insights on key trends and challenges shaping international arbitration, including the use of technology and AI and arbitral efficiency. Aviva Will, President of Burford Capital, says: "While the legal industry may be slow to evolve, legal finance is a powerful tool to drive innovation in the business of law. This issue of the Burford Quarterly highlights key trends in commercial litigation and arbitration in 2025 and shows how litigation funding continues to shape the legal industry. By providing capital and mitigating risk, funding removes barriers for businesses and facilitates growth, and the latest Quarterly brings insights, analysis and real-world examples of tools to help business executives, GCs, CLOs and law firm attorneys recognize and harness the full potential of finance for law." About Burford Capital Burford Capital is the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law. Its businesses include litigation finance and risk management, asset recovery and a wide range of legal finance and advisory activities. Burford is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUR) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: BUR), and it works with companies and law firms around the world from its offices in New York, London, Chicago, Washington, DC, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.burfordcapital.com. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any ordinary shares or other securities of Burford. SOURCE Burford Capital 16 january 2025 at 10:34 News published onand distributed by: News / National by Staff reporter Seventeen individuals were arrested in Harare's central business district for taking photographs with their smartphones at the scene of a road traffic accident. The incident occurred at the corner of Robert Mugabe Road and Sam Nujoma Street after a commuter omnibus, whose driver was reportedly evading arrest, collided with a truck.Police swiftly intervened, rounding up the self-styled journalists and confiscating their mobile phones. The authorities have expressed concern over a growing trend of individuals recording and posting pictures and videos of accident scenes on social media. Law enforcement officials believe this practice fuels alarm and despondency among the public.In a statement, police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi emphasized the importance of respecting accident victims and adhering to legal boundaries when at such scenes. "We urge members of the public to refrain from unauthorized photography at accident sites. It not only interferes with police investigations but also perpetuates unnecessary panic through social media," he said.Eyewitnesses reported that the commuter omnibus driver had been attempting to evade arrest, allegedly for operating without proper documentation, when the collision occurred. Emergency services attended the scene, but no official updates on casualties or damages have been released.The arrests highlight the ongoing challenge for authorities to balance citizens' access to technology with the need to maintain public order and respect for victims. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form TONY Noonan's Christmas Lights in Templeglantine will reopen due to "popular request" tomorrow evening. Mr Noonan said they decided to reopen the display this weekend because many people couldn't attend their closing ceremony due to the snow, which they fully understood. He lights up the sky of West Limerick over the Christmas season every year to bring joy to the thousands of visitors at his family home in Tullig North, Templeglantine and has chosen to reopen due to "popular request." This year the festive lights display will raise money for four Mid-West region charities; Limerick Suicide Watch, Milford Care Centre, Sli Eile in Churchtown, Co. Cork - Irelands only residential mental health service and Recovery Haven Cancer Support House in Co. Kerry. The lights will be on for three nights from 5.30pm to 9.30pm from tonight until this Sunday. READ MORE: Lucky Limerick woman collects Christmas lotto win Mr Noonan added that people are "delighted" they decided to reopen the festive lights display. "Last weekend was our closing ceremony but we had to abandon it on account of the snow. " The Limerick man said he was the first person in Ireland to organise a Christmas lights display for charity. Mr Noonan has a special needs daughter who enjoys Christmas lights so he decided to establish the annual festive event. He has also set up a GoFundMe where the public can donate to the worthy causes here. The figure raised for the four charities will be revealed in April or May. Mr Noonan marked 25 years lighting up faces in 2024 with his wide array of festive light ornaments. A NEW cancer research node launched at University of Limerick (UL) will use data to save lives, it has been announced. The inaugural All-Island Forum for Cancer Data was held last Tuesday at UL, a landmark event that brought together world-renowned experts in cancer research, data science, genomics, the biomedical industry and patient advocates to explore innovative uses of data to advance cancer research and improve patient outcomes. Over 200 delegates were in attendance, including healthcare providers, researchers, policymakers, industry leaders, and patient organisations. The event was organised and hosted by the All-Island eHealth-Hub for Cancer and the Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre, which is based at UL. This All-Island eHealth-Hub for Cancer, funded by the North South Shared Island Programme, is led by Professor Aedin Culhane, Professor of Cancer Genomics at UL and Professor Mark Lawler, Professor of Digital Health, Queens University Belfast. Their goal is to strengthen cross-border data sharing and collaboration in cancer data research. At the event, the All-Island eHealth-Hub for Cancer announced the establishment of an Observational Health Data Sciences and Informatics National Node, the first collection of research institutes of its type on the island of Ireland. This will facilitate national and international cross border cancer data collaborations, empowering researchers from the island of Ireland to participate in large-scale, multi-centre cancer studies, while maintaining patient privacy and data security. Professor Aedin Culhane said: We are excited to organise and host this conference with the Limerick Digital Cancer Research Centre, which is innovating, tackling challenges head-on and pioneering an all-island approach to clinical genomics data infrastructure that will transform cancer care. By connecting data, we connect patients to innovative research, life-changing treatments, and clinical trials. READ MORE: Limerick musicians release song for charity to honour Dolores ORiordans anniversary This forum represents a unique opportunity for cross-sector collaboration examining innovative and affordable approaches to improve data-driven solutions to enhance outcomes for cancer patients across the island of Ireland. Building world-class infrastructure will take time. During this conference we have learnt best practices from world leaders. Through collaboration, we can harness the collective power of information to accelerate discoveries and improve outcomes for patients in the Mid-West and throughout the island of Ireland. Professor Mark Lawler said: This is a watershed moment for cancer patients on the island of Ireland. Establishing this national node promotes us to the premier league, positioning us to benefit from the latest advances in data-informed cancer research. This will empower us to share data across the island and deploy the insights that we uncover to achieve earlier diagnosis, deliver better and more tolerated treatments and ensure enhanced quality-of-life and re-integration back into society. Make no mistake data can save lives. The keynote address at the forum was delivered by Associate Professor Paul Nagy, Program Director of Informatics and Data Science, at Johns Hopkins University, USA, who focused on, 'How Connected Data Saves Lives.' Associate Professor Nagy's research focuses on developing biomarkers from medical imaging, his talk explored how connecting clinical imaging data siloes will accelerate clinical research in oncology. Medical imaging plays a crucial role throughout oncology from early detection, diagnosis, treatment planning, to assessing the effectiveness of treatment and monitoring. Unfortunately, imaging has traditionally been treated as an isolated silo of data managed separately from clinical treatment information, Associate Professor Nagy explained. Connecting medical imaging directly with clinical treatment data with open standards allows us to vastly accelerate the biomedical research cycle, he added. THERE are five Limerick hopefuls contesting the election to take a seat in the next Seanad - all of whom are women. With polling taking place at the end of this month, candidates have been travelling around the country in a bid to seal support. Unlike a Dail general election, the number of people who can vote in the contest for the Upper House is far more limited. Sitting Senator Maria Byrne, based in OConnell Avenue in the city, is seeking re-election on the agricultural panel, while Linda OShea Farren hopes to be returned to the National University of Ireland panel. READ MORE: 'Just one spot for every 10 children in Limerick on childcare waiting list' Although based in Dublin, Ms OShea Farren, hails from Limerick and was educated at Presentation Convent and Laurel Hill. The other three candidates will hope it is a case of third time lucky, having missed out in Dail, local and mayoral elections last year. Sinn Feins Joanne Collins, who is based in Cappagh near Askeaton is contesting the agricultural panel, having represented her party in the General Election and the local election. Castleconnells Dee Ryan, a former chief executive of Limerick Chamber is hoping to win a Fianna Fail seat on the Seanads industrial and commercial panel, having missed out in her bid for the mayoralty and Dail Eireann. Solicitor Michelle Hayes, who practices at Glentworth Street in the city is contesting the cultural and educational panel, having received a nomination from the Veterinary Council of Ireland. She also sought election for the local authority and the General Election last year. Elsewhere, veteran Shannon politician Tony Mulcahy will hope to make a return as he contests the industrial and commercial panel. Meanwhile, former Ireland South MEP Liadh Ni Riada, who also ran for Sinn Fein in the 2018 Presidential election is hoping to be elected onto the cultural and educational panel, and has promised to conduct her business in the Irish language if she is successful. Senator Paul Gavan, who won election in 2016 and 2020 and was for a time Limericks only Seanad representative, is listed as a candidate having received a nomination. But he has said he will not be actively contesting the election, after failing to receive an endorsement from his Sinn Fein party Across Ireland, 143 candidates are seeking election to the Seanad. In all, 60 seats are available in the Upper House. With 11 of those positions ringfenced for appointment by the Taosieach once he or she is elected, there are in reality only 49 available seats. These are split across seven panels - the National University of Ireland (three seats), the Dublin University/Trinity College (three seats), Cultural and Educational (five seats), Agricultural (11 seats), Industrial and Commercial (nine seats), Administrative (seven seats), and Labour (11 seats). Voting in Seanad elections is limited to graduates of certain universities, experts in particular fields, as well as members of the Oireachtas and councillors across Ireland. Limerick graduates - UL, TUS and MIC - have won the right to vote in Seanad Eireann elections following a Supreme Court decision. However, they will not be able to do this until the next Seanad election, which must take place up to 90 days following a general election. The election is conducted by postal ballot, and counting will commence in Dublin after polling closes on January 30. CONSTRUCTION of the Coonagh to Knockalisheen Road is set to get under way. It comes after Limerick City and County Council and Wills Brothers Ltd exchanged contracts on the building of the link, which will provide the estate of Moyross with a second entrance and exit. The deal was signed off in the presence of the Mayor of Limerick John Moran at the Moyross Community Centre this Wednesday. The works will include the construction of a new 2.1km urban dual carriageway, major improvements to existing roads, and the development of pedestrian and cyclist facilities. ALERT: Limerick Gardai in urgent appeal for information on missing man Construction of the link stopped suddely in early 2022 after the collapse of the previous contractor Roadbridge. It meant council had to retender for a firm to complete the project, sparking a delay of almost three years. The road project also involves associated works such as the diversion of live services, new sewer systems, and landscaping. It will be delivered in phases, with the dual carriageway between Coonagh and Knockalisheen scheduled to open after the first 12 months. The entire project is expected to be completed in just two years. Mayor Moran said: "This new road is a vital step forward for the future of Moyross. As I have previously stated, no community in Limerick should live on a cul-de-sac. The Coonagh to Knockalisheen Distributor Road Scheme will provide the necessary infrastructure to connect Moyross with the rest of Limerick city. This project will greatly enhance the quality of life for our residents and it is a proud moment for me to sign this long-overdue contract." The leader of Limerick's metropolitan district, where the project will take place, Cllr Kieran O'Hanlon added: "This project represents a major investment in the future of Moyross. It will not only improve transport links but also attract investment and development to the area. The support from the Department of Transport and the dedication of our engineering staff have been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition." Council director general Dr Pat Daly said: "The Coonagh to Knockalisheen Distributor Road Scheme is crucial for improving connectivity and supporting future economic development. This infrastructure will facilitate greater access to essential services, employment, and educational facilities, making a significant difference in the lives of the people in Moyross and surrounding areas." Limerick City and County Council said it is grateful for the support of the Department of Transport, the appointed consultants MRG and Roughan ODonovan, and the community for their continued patience and cooperation. News / National by Paul Ndou The recently introduced bankable deeds for state-owned land will not result in banks seizing control of large tracts of land, or in a de facto or de jure reversal of the Land Reform Programme.Speaking in the 15 January 2025 edition of "Face the Nation" on ZBC TV, the Chairperson of the Land Tenure Implementation Committee, Mr Kudakwashe Tagwirei, allayed fears that financial institutions would wrest land from land reform beneficiaries who failed to service loans extended on the basis of the new title deeds.The businessman also laughed off speculation that he was personally going to grab land from indigent or defaulting farmers, adding that the issuance of deeds would indirectly address aspects of multiple farm ownership.Outlining the processes and workings of government's Land Tenure Implementation Programme and Committee, he said it was impossible for banks to take ownership of what is essentially state land."The land belongs to the government, it does not belong to the bank, the land belongs to government. If you look at the total value of this land that we are talking about the actual value is around US$20 billion. There is no bank that can give a mortgage for that land."So what the banks are merely doing is administering the mortgage that this farmer is going to get (through government) on that piece of land. The ultimate owner of this land still remains government, it's not the bank that owns it."When the bank is 'repossessing' this land for whatever reason, maybe the farmer has failed to pay, remember that the owner is still the government ok? They (banks) will have to consult government, obviously, when they are doing that process."He continued: "One of the things that you must understand is that these farmers are supposed to be commercial farmers, not subsistence farmers. When you were applying to get that piece of land you were saying I want to be a commercial farmer."And the risks that are associated with being a commercial farmer are that you must make sure that you work the land so that you are able to pay back."Mr Tagwirei said because deeds were allocated on the basis of an individual's unique national identification number, this could help address public concerns about multiple farm ownership. He emphasised, though, that this was not his committee's core concern or its mandate."Section 289 of the Constitution says that any citizen of this country is allowed to have access to land. A citizen is a person, it's not an institution, it's a person. And a person is identified by an ID number. The ID number represents a person. You cannot have multiple ID numbers..."When an ID is given to an individual, to a citizen of this country, the ID is a unique identifier to an individual. When we are issuing title to a farmer, the main focus point is the ID number; we will issue it on the basis of that ID number."When the bank repossesses this land, - because a bank cannot take land - on behalf of government, the bank cannot then own the land because they have no ID number. "On claims that he would use his financial muscle to gain control of land, Mr Tagwirei said at an average valuation of US$2,000 per hectare of arable land, it was ridiculous to think he could purchase it."Some people have even said Kudakwashe Tagwirei wants to take all this land for himself because he can buy it, which I can't because I don't have US$20 billion to buy this land."Mr Tagwirei explained that banks would only administer a fund that would, among other things, provide affordable financing to farmers.President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the bankable deeds late last year as part of measures meant to unlock the value of Zimbabwe's agricultural land and to grow the economy in line with national development targets.The deeds are structured as per recommendations of the Land Tenure Implementation Committee, which brings together 14 experts from a variety of fields. Smaller community groups across Northern Ireland are set to benefit from a 3.6 million fund from dormant assets. The fund, which comes from dormant assets and bank accounts in the UK, will go to 25 network and anchor organisations. An estimated 500 small community and under-represented groups across Northern Ireland are set to benefit. Kate Beggs, Northern Ireland director of the National Lottery Community Fund which distributes dormant assets money in Northern Ireland, said it will boost invaluable work. The aim of dormant assets is to strengthen organisations by building their capacity and making them more fit for the future, she said. We know that smaller community and volunteer-led organisations need the help of network or anchor organisations to do this, which is why we have made this investment to boost the invaluable work that they do. We are fortunate to have dormant assets to build the capacity, resilience and sustainability of the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. We will be engaging with the sector in the coming months about the next phase of dormant assets. Age NI has received a 149,380 grant to build the capacity of age sector networks to better support groups working with older people. Its chief executive, Linda Robinson, said: Age NI provides infrastructure support to age sector networks which, in turn, supports older people and groups in local communities across Northern Ireland. We are delighted to receive this much-needed funding from Dormant Assets NI to deliver our leadership and capacity building programme to emerging and existing age sector leaders. Through this programme, our aim is to develop skills and capabilities within the age sector, encourage partnership working and enhance the sustainability of the important work they do. Stormont Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibald said she was pleased to meet with representatives from age sector networks to discuss the funding. Community and voluntary organisations play an important role in delivering vital services and providing support for some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society, including older people, she said. The funding being provided by the dormant asset fund, and being delivered by the National Lottery Community Fund and my department, will help to further grow capacity within the third sector and ensure 500 small community grassroot organisations can continue to provide practical support to people right across our communities. I was pleased to be able to meet with representatives from the age sector networks who will benefit from this funding and hear first-hand how the support from Age NI will make a difference to their groups. Dormant Assets NI funding comes from UK bank and building society accounts and other assets such as insurance and pensions that have been untouched for 15 or more years, where customers cannot be traced. The family of murdered GAA official Sean Brown have said they will not give up until they secure a public inquiry into his death. Family members, including Mr Browns 87-year-old widow Bridie, attended Belfasts Court of Appeal on Thursday for a Government legal challenge over a decision by the High Court to order a public inquiry into the 1997 loyalist killing. The hearing was told that it was the 57th time Mrs Brown had attended court as part of her long battle to secure answers about her husbands death. Speaking to the media after the hearing, she said: It has been a long day. I am tired. Secretary of State (Hilary Benn), do the proper thing. Mr Brown was shot dead after being abducted as he locked the gates of the Bellaghy Wolfe Tones GAA club. Intelligence material has linked state agents to the death of the 61-year-old. Mr Benn is appealing against a court ruling from December that a public inquiry should be held. The Governments barrister argued that ruling was wrong in law. Mr Browns daughter Clare Loughran said there was no alternative to a public inquiry. She said: We have been here 57 times. The Secretary of State really needs to do the right thing. We have two high court judges saying we need a public inquiry to get to the truth of Daddys murder. We have also the PSNI Chief Constable saying he would not stand in the way of a public inquiry. At this stage now we dont see any reasonable alternative. I dont understand why the Secretary of State continues to appeal this. My mother is 87 years of age. It has been a really long day and it has been a really long journey. We are almost 27 years since Daddy lost his life. At this stage now all we want is to get to the truth, that is all it has ever been about. That is why we continue to fight, and we will continue to fight. Ms Loughran said she hoped the appeal hearing would bring them a step closer to a public inquiry. She said: All we ever wanted to do, all Mummy ever wanted to do, is to find out the truth about why my father was targeted. He was an innocent man. We want to get to the bottom of this. We have endured an awful lot over the last 28 years and we are not going to give up. There is still a lot of truth to be got. The familys solicitor Niall Murphy said Mr Benn has to understand the legal and emerging political realities of this case. A NEW cost rental housing development has come to the market. On behalf of the Land Development Agency, Property Management Ireland (PMI) present The Square at The Mills in Castletroy. It's located beside the landmark Chawke's garage at Dublin Road, close to the Kilmurry Roundabout. Rents for the one-bedroom units start from 990 and go up to 1,235 for two-bedroomed apartments. READ MORE: UL ease to Fitzgibbon Cup opening round victory over SETU Waterford In simple terms, cost rental housing is designed to provide affordable accommodation for those who are above the threshold to quality for social housing, but have difficulty affording private rented homes. It's called cost rental because the rent paid is based on the cost of building, managing and maintaining the homes. It does not include any profit for a developer. This makes the rent cheaper than standard rents. The rent for cost rental homes must be at least 25% below regular market rents in an area. PMI has been appointed as both block and letting mangers by the LDA and it's the first LDA development in Limerick. This location is easily accessible to Limerick city centre, University of Limerick, Plassey Technology Park, Castletroy Town Centre, the M18 Motorway and a number of other local amenities including primary and secondary schools. The Square comprises 81 apartments. The rent under this Cost Rental application process is subject to meeting the eligibility criteria detailed on the LDA website www.lda.ie. The apartments are provided unfurnished with fully fitted kitchen and white goods, integrated wardrobes in double rooms. bathroom fittings, plus blinds and flooring throughout. A rated apartments, they have a centralised heating systems. People who want to register an interest in these properties have until Tuesday, January 21. For more information on this, please visit www.lda.ie and follow the online instructions. Applications are online only; registration of interest cannot be made by post, email or over the phone. As the new year kicks off, Lincoln University of Missouri is rolling out 25 in 25 points of pride to build on last years momentum and keep propelling the University to future success. Today, Lincoln University celebrated the 2025 Founders Day Convocation, a cherished tradition that honors the Universitys rich history and celebrates its enduring mission of education, diversity and service. This annual event commemorates Lincolns founding in January 1866 by Civil War veterans of the 62nd and 65th United States Colored Infantries. Lincoln Institute opened in Jefferson City on Sept. 17, 1866, with two students. In 1887, Lincoln added college-level classes to the curriculum. ROTC Cadet Jaylan Franks '27 and Lincoln University President Dr. John B. Moseley present the laying of the wreath, an LU tradition to honor the Universitys founders. Under the second Morrill Act of 1890, the school became a land-grant institution. A name change in 1921 to Lincoln University accompanied the schools expansion to a four-year institution; graduate studies were added in 1940. In 1954, the historically Black university opened its doors to all students and today serves a diverse student population with an array of academic offerings. "This annual day of remembrance and celebration is unique among other colleges and universities," said Lincoln University President Dr. John Moseley during the convocation. "Every day, we live out (our founders') dream on this campus. I am proud to stand here today and see the great student success for which our founders laid the foundation 159 years ago." The 22nd Mister Lincoln University Jesse Canamore 26 and the 100th Miss Lincoln University Yessnia Austin Dixon 25 welcomed students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Lincoln to the 2025 Founders' Day convocation. Dr. Jerome Offord, Jr., associate university librarian and chief diversity officer for the Harvard Library, delivered the keynote address during the convocation. Dr. Offord serves as president of the 62nd & 65th Regiments Legacy Foundation and is a 1993 LU graduate. When you walk past that Soldiers Memorial, remember you are here because of them, Dr. Offord said during his address. They gave us the roadmap to Lincolns success. You are the Soldiers Dream. We are the Soldiers Dream. As part of this years Founders Day celebration, Lincoln also honored its 2025 Family of the Year, Robert and Ruth Newton, members of the Class of 1968. Their recognition highlights the enduring impact and contributions of Lincolns alumni community. "Reimagining the Soldiers' Dream provides us with an opportunity to reflect on LUs history with a new and more empowering lens," Dr. Offord said. Stay tuned for the rest of the month with more of Lincolns 25 in 25. Sundar Pichai, Googles chief executive, recently told employees he believes the companys Gemini AI technology has surpassed the capabilities of competitors. Googles chief executive thinks his company has the best artificial-intelligence technology on the market. Now he has to get consumers to care. CEO Sundar Pichai recently told employees he believes the companys Gemini AI technology has surpassed the capabilities of competitors and he wants the chatbot built on it to be used by 500 million people by the end of 2025, said people familiar with the matter. Google hasnt said how many people currently use Gemini, but market leader ChatGPT has about 300 million weekly users. The Gemini app was the 54th most downloaded free app on iPhones Wednesday. ChatGPT was No. 4. Google was caught flat-footed by the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, despite being one of the pioneers of AI and spending years working on similar chatbots. The company has been scrambling to catch up ever since. Gemini isnt yet a serious moneymaker, but it is central to Googles push to stay on the cutting edge of AI, a technology already starting to reshape the companys core search and ads businesses. Googles newest AI technology jumped ahead of ChatGPT maker OpenAIs technology last month on the Chatbot Arena rankings closely watched by people in Silicon Valley. OpenAI dominated the rankings for much of the past year. Google launched the Gemini chatbot, formerly Bard, a few months after ChatGPT and has updated it with dozens of new features in an effort to gain ground. OpenAI, meanwhile, began directly targeting Google last summer when it added a web-search function to ChatGPT. The ChatGPT mobile app has been downloaded about 465 million times on Android and iOS devices, compared with 106 million for Gemini, according to Sensor Tower data. Most of those downloads came on Android phones. Until recently, Gemini was part of Googles search app on Apple devices. A separate Gemini app for iOS made its debut in November. Google said it was downloaded more than 10 million times through the end of the year. Usage of AI features built into other applications, such as Metas Facebook and Instagram, arent captured by publicly available measures. Until recently, the Gemini chatbot team reported to the executive in charge of search and ads, but a recent reorganization moved it to the Google DeepMind division that does advanced research. Pichai said at the time that the move would enable fast deployment of our new models in the Gemini app." Growth in search advertising has slowed in recent years, and Google has increasingly looked to new business lines including subscriptions. It offers a premium version of Gemini with more features for $20 a month, similar to other chatbots. But unlike its competitors, Google packages its Gemini subscription with perks including AI features in apps like Gmail and two terabytes of file storage. Sifei Han, a data scientist living in Philadelphia, upgraded to the Gemini premium plan last year after being offered a two-month free trial. He said he mainly uses it for the extra storage, not the AI features. Im more familiar with ChatGPTs style," said Han, who also pays for ChatGPT Plus. About 60% of Geminis paying users kept their subscriptions six months after first signing up, according to an Earnest Analytics analysis of debit- and credit-card data from millions of anonymous consumers. That was better than some competitors such as Character.AI and Perplexity, but lagged behind OpenAI and Anthropic, which makes the chatbot Claude. Subscriptions to Gemini were a fraction of the $10.7 billion in revenue Google parent Alphabet made from subscriptions, device sales and purchases in its mobile app store in the three months ended September. Googles core advertising business brought in $65.9 billion during the same period. The company hasnt introduced ads in Gemini. Gemini has been a source of controversy in the past. Google apologized to users and rolled back an image-generation feature last year after the chatbot produced images of Black soldiers in Nazi garb and sometimes refused to generate depictions of white people. It restored the feature six months later. In addition to the chatbot, Gemini is powering features that perform complex tasks for users, like preparing research reports and generating podcasts based on a set of documents. Google sells the technology that powers Gemini to developers, uses it for the AI overviews" that sometimes appear at the top of search results and recently began packaging it with the business versions of Gmail and Google Drive. Pichai has said all of Googles products with more than two billion users now have features powered by Gemini. The company has also tried to convince device manufacturers to make Gemini the default assistant on mobile phones, which it already does on its own Pixel phones. Motorola and OnePlus, which both use Googles Android mobile software, made Gemini the default on some of their phones last year. Write to Miles Kruppa at New Delhi: India's petroleum product demand continues to remain robust with consumption seen at a record 252.9 million tonnes for the next financial year (FY26), according to data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell. This is 4.65% higher than the 241.8 million tonnes projected for FY25, driven by key transport fuels petrol and diesel. Demand for petrol is projected to grow 6.64% in FY26 to 42.6 million tonnes from 39.98 million tonnes projected for this fiscal. Diesel consumption is projected at 94.12 million tonnes, higher by 2.77% than the 91.57 million tonnes estimated for FY25. This would be the third year in a row of India's petroleum product consumption hitting a record high. At a time when global oil demand is expected to taper down in the years ahead amid economic slowdown concerns and the transition towards electric mobility, India has emerged as among the few outliers. To be sure, the transition to electric mobility, having started only recently, is expected to gain pace and penetrate the automobile market in a significant way. The demand growth in India is already higher than in China, the world's second largest oil importer. During calendar year 2024, India witnessed the fastest growth in oil demand growth, surpassing China, according to S&P Global Commodity Insights, and this trend is expected to continued in 2025. In line with the growth in demand, oil refining capacity in the country is also expected to grow. The S&P report noted that India is set to see significant refining capacity growth in 2025 as India's first greenfield integrated refinery complex in nearly a decade is expected to be launched this year. Oil refining capacity India's oil refining capacity is expected to reach 309.5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2028, from the current 256.8 MMTPA. India is also an exporter of petrol and diesel among other petroleum products. The government's aim to make India a petrochemical manufacturing hub is also driving the focus on refining. Meanwhile, consumption of domestic cooking gas or liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is expected to grow 4.69% in the next fiscal to 33 million tonnes, from the projected 31.52 million tonnes in the current fiscal. Also read: Kuwait Petroleum explores storing crude in Indian strategic reserves The increase in LPG consumption has grow with the expansion of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, under which the government provides cylinders at subsidized rates to people below the poverty line. As of 23 December, 2024, a total of 103.34 million LPG connections were provided under the scheme launched in 2016. The high demand for petroleum products has largely been met by Russian crude available at deep discounts post sanctions by the West in 2022. During the April-October period of FY25, India imported crude oil worth $31.86 billion from Russiaabout 38.5% of India's total oil imports during the period. China and India have been among the top importers of Russian crude in the past few years as the West has halted imports from Russia and resorted to sanctions. However, the recent sanctions imposed by the US on two Russian oil producers along with several tankers may lead to India looking at further diversifying at sources. On 13 January, Mint reported that the fresh sanctions are unlikely to have an immediate impact on India for the next two months as the crude required for this period has already been loaded on vessels and is in transit. However, after this period, refiners will have to realign their supply arrangements. Given the high consumption of petroleum products, India imports about 85% of its annual oil requirement. The travel industry is expecting a windfall from this years Maha Kumbh Mela, expected to attract up to 400 million visitors to Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh over the next six weeks. The event, held every 12 years, is extra-special this year, as it marks the culmination of a dozen 12-year cycles, or 144 years. The worlds largest human gathering has attracted millions of devout pilgrims and eager tourists, from both India and across the world. Responding to the spike in travel demand, Tata Group-owned Air India on Tuesday opened daily flights between Delhi and Prayagraj for the entire duration of the event. Given the limited travel options, one-way airfares to Prayagraj from Delhi and Mumbai had shot up from around 6,000 to around 15,500. Travel agencies said airfares to Prayagraj have surged by as much as three times compared to last year, with cities such as Jaipur, Bengaluru and Mumbai seeing the sharpest increases. Flights to Varanasi, another key destination on the pilgrimage route, are 15% higher than a year ago, they said. The surge in numbers Travel and hotel booking platform Cleartrip said the numbers paint a striking picture of the travel boom. Hotel bookings in Prayagraj soared nearly 10-fold from last year, while accommodation costs are up 19% in Ayodhya and 6% in both Prayagraj and Varanasi, said Anuj Rathi, chief business and growth officer of Cleartrip, which is owned by Flipkart. The uptick in travel demand has also translated to a 65% rise in flight bookings to Prayagraj and a doubling of the average airfare, he added. Neighbouring cities such as Varanasi too have witnessed a rise in flight bookings and hotel reservations as pilgrims extend their itineraries to multiple sacred sites. Prices are up across the board as demand for transport and accommodation far outstrips supply. Also read: Hotels, travel companies expect domestic tourism to surge in hill stations this winter Weve seen a 20-25% rise in expenditure compared to the previous Kumbh Melas. While many of our customers are travelling to Prayagraj from India, NRIs and tourists from around the world are also keen to explore the Ayodhya-Varanasi-Prayagraj circuit," said Rajeev Kale, president and country head of holidays, MICE, and visas at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd. To meet the demand, the company has expanded its offerings, providing yatra packages spanning two to five nights with various types of accommodation, guided tours, and spiritual activities including yoga and meditation. Government-owned rail ricket and hotels booking platform IRCTC has introduced room and villa packages starting at 18,000-20,000 for double occupancy at tents it has set up on a portion of the 4,000 hectares the mela spans. Likewise, Divya Jyoti Jagriti Sansthan (DJJS), a spiritual organization, has set up a nine-acre camp in the city and expects to attract 1.5 million to 2 million visitors. Theres also a notable shift in demographics, according to S.D. Nandakumar, president and country head of holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel. What was once a senior-citizen-focused market is now expanding across all age groups," he said. "People today are seeking meaningful, transformative experiences, and the Kumbh Mela offers that in abundance." Demand is also spreading beyond major cities, with growing numbers of pilgrims from tier II and tier III towns, he added. Trade association CAIT estimates the festival has a budget of 7,500 crore and will generate revenue of 2 trillion if every visitor spends 5,000 a day. Of this, 2,500 crore will come from hospitality and another 300-350 crore from travel. Another 4,000 crore will come from milk and dairy products and 6,000 crore from vegetables and other groceries. Spirit in the sky Spiritual tourism has become a significant driver of Indias tourism industry, with events such as the Maha Kumbh Mela at the forefront of this boom. Rajeev Kale, president and country head of holidays, MICE, and visas at Thomas Cook (India) Ltd, said this years mela is seeing a sharp increase in both the number of visitors and their spending. Also read: India must envision and develop ambitious new tourism projects Andrew Fischer (38) from Germany, a self-described digital nomad, took a flight from Delhi to Prayagraj on Monday afternoon. He intends to travel for at least two weeks, taking in and documenting a festival of the kind he's never seen in Germany. "I'm excited but don't really know what to expect. Photography is my passion. Since I work from anywhere, and was in Delhi for a friend's wedding, I couldn't give up this opportunity," he told Mint. Ritu Sharma (62) from Noida is also among the first-time attendees. She signed up for a six-day trip to Uttar Pradesh, including two days at the mela, with a small travel agency that offers packages for groups of women. The group will arrive at Varanasi airport and spend a day or two visiting the citys temples, including the new Kashi Vishwanath Temple. From there they will travel to Prayagraj for the mela, and subsequently to Ayodhya and Lucknow. Also read: How tourists and NRIs can use UPI without an Indian bank account Theres also a notable shift in demographics, according to SD Nandakumar, president and country head of holidays and corporate tours at SOTC Travel. "What was once a senior-citizen-focused market is now expanding across all age groups," he said. "People today are seeking meaningful, transformative experiences, and the Kumbh Mela offers that in abundance." Demand is also spreading beyond major cities, with growing numbers of pilgrims from tier 2 and tier 3 towns, he added. Beneath its desolate, icy expanse, Greenland holds some of the worlds biggest untapped reserves of the raw minerals used to make everything from smartphones and electric cars to F-35 Lightning II jet fighters. Good luck getting them out of the ground. President-elect Donald Trump has said the U.S. needs Greenland for national security. Part of the islands allure are its rare earths, metals and other raw materials. America now mostly relies on China for its supplies of some key materials, and Beijing could wield its access to them as a weapon in a trade war. But Greenlands harsh climate, hazardous shipping, limited infrastructure and tiny local workforce have for years left a promised gold rush frozen in its tracks. Increasing geopolitical competition, rising need for rare elements and a warming climate are now fueling hopes for the development of a mining industry on Greenland. Any significant extraction, though, is still years away, experts and industry participants say. Greenland is starting to become much more attractive to those who are hoping to potentially break the very strong influence of China in rare earth exports, and climate change helps with some of the issues," said Marc Lanteigne, professor at the University of Troms and an adjunct lecturer at the University of Greenland. What does not change, though, is the overall conditions, including a lack of infrastructure and labor, that make mining considerably challenging and considerably expensive," he said. There have been many lofty plans but very little in the way of actual developments." Since winning the election, Trump has raised the idea of taking control of Greenland from Denmark and threatened to hit Denmark with tariffs if it doesnt cooperate. Most recently, the president-elect has refused to rule out the use of force to take the island, the worlds largest. Officials in Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, and Denmark, a U.S. ally and fellow North Atlantic Treaty Organization member, have rejected the idea of the island becoming part of the U.S. Local officials, however, have welcomed increased U.S. investment in mining in particular. The island has recently stepped up its push for independence from Denmark, which maintains some control over the island, including its foreign policy. On Monday, Greenlands Prime Minister Mute Egede said the island didnt want to be American. However, Egede added that he wanted to pursue deeper collaboration with the U.S. on defense, and welcomed U.S. investment in Greenlands mining industry. The share prices of Greenland-focused mining companies shot up in the wake of Trumps remarks. Mira Kleist, head of Greenland practice at advisory firm Kaya Partners, said she had been fielding increased interest from companies and investors in mining. She attributes the interest to geopolitical developments and advancing climate change, which could make it easier to operate as the land becomes free from ice for longer parts of the year. The retreating ice could also reveal new mineral-rich areas as it exposes bedrock that has lain icebound for millennia. Still, despite all the interest in Greenlands potential, the island has two active mines, and they arent involved in the extraction of critical minerals. The territory has extended around 100 active mining licenses, mostly for exploration, with some further along. High startup costs are a particular issue: Any mine would have to be built from scratch in Greenlands rugged terrain, with its deep fjords and ice sheets that can be up to a mile thick. The island doesnt have roads between settlements, while the floating sea ice off the coast makes shipping treacherous. The islands population of around 57,000 people likely means importing foreign workers. Greenlands decision to ban mining for uranium in recent years also spooked some investors, who want to see successful projects come to fruition before plowing in financing. There has always been a lot of hype, a lot of talk of the potential there," said Flemming Getreuer Christiansen, a geoscience consultant with decades of experience in the region. Trumps interest may wake up interest now, but the challenges remain the same." A Greenland government official acknowledged the challenges of attracting capital but said future cooperation with the U.S. would help uncover opportunities to tap in to the territorys potential. Around 7% of its ice-free area is covered by permits, leaving plenty of room for increased exploration," he said. The craggy hills along Greenlands coastal areas are endowed with a vast array of raw materials such as rare earths, graphite, copper and lithiumall critical commodities for green technologies, artificial-intelligence chips and military technologies. A SSN-774 Virginia-class submarine requires around 9,200 pounds of rare-earth materials while an F-35 Lightning II aircraft needs some 920 pounds of the materials, according to a 2013 U.S. Congressional Research Service report. The European Commission says that 25 of the 34 critical raw materials it identifies as strategically important" for Europes industry and green transition can be found in Greenland. China dominates production and export of many of those raw materials. The U.S. depends on China for 72% of its imports of rare earths and more than 40% for its graphite requirements, according to U.S. government data and S&P Global Mobility. The U.S. isnt the only world power jostling for Greenlands riches. In 2023, the European Union signed a strategic partnership with Greenland to cooperate in prospecting, extraction and processing of critical materials. Beijing has long sought to boost its economic presence in the area, including investment in mining operations in Greenland. The Pentagon worked successfully in 2018 to block China from financing three airports on the island. Especially at the moment the rare earth element deposits in Greenland have an immense interest for the U.S., but also to many others, because China has a near monopoly on the world market," said Marc Jacobsen, associate professor at Royal Danish Defense College. Some miners have decided the risks posed by the challenges are worth the potential payoff. U.S. company Critical Metals owns a controlling stake in the Tanbreez rare-earths project in southern Greenland. Chief Executive Tony Sage first bought a slice of the project in 2022, and bought the rest last year. The plan is to start extracting rare earths by 2027. Sage says he has held talks with the U.S. government about getting funding for the mine, and with Lockheed Martin over potential supply agreements. Sage plans to build an open-pit minemaking it easier and cheaper to mine than an underground operationand process the materials in the U.S. To counter some of the logistical hurdles, there should be more government intervention and state-level subsidies, says Rod McIllree, a geologist and executive director at 80 Mile, which is developing a nickel, copper and cobalt mine. Three new airports by the end of 2026, one of which has already opened, are also expected to ease some logistical strains. Write to Georgi Kantchev at georgi.kantchev@wsj.com and Julie Steinberg at julie.steinberg@wsj.com Stepping into 2025, the banking sector is recalibrating its approach to balance growth with stability. Guided by the Reserve Bank of Indias (RBI) measures to manage systemic risks and encourage prudent lending, banks are prioritizing deposit growth over aggressive lending strategies. This shift will help address challenges such as stress in unsecured loans and tighter net interest margins (NIM), setting the stage for a stable financial outlook. Armed with robust fundamentals, large banks are expected to weather these headwinds effectively. These include major players such as ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), and Axis Bank, which continue to inspire confidence and remain analysts favourites. Data from Bloomberg indicates that most brokerage firms maintain a Buy" rating for these banks, citing their strong fundamentals, proactive risk management, and resilience to market pressures. Improved profitability and a stronger capital base have been key drivers of the banking sector recently. As the busy season began in October, the advances of banks are likely to further pick up in the subsequent three months, particularly in the retail sector," said Jyoti Prakash Gadia, managing director at Resurgent India. However, Gadia cautioned that pressure on unsecured loan portfolios could impact short-term earnings. Anchal Kansal, research analyst at Green Portfolio, added, Due to the RBIs actions and guidelines, banks are focusing on faster deposit growth over loan expansion. This trend has led to higher deposit growth during Q3 but may compress NIMs and quarterly performance." Having said that, valuations have also turned appealing, potentially offering lucrative opportunities for value investors. A comparison of current and historical price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios reveals compelling discounts for these key players. ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, SBI, and Axis Bank are trading at P/E multiples of 18.4x, 18.1x, 9.35x, and 11.65x, respectively. This compares favourably to their five-year median of 20.7x, 20.2x, 11x, and 23.5x, translating to valuation discounts ranging from roughly 10% to as much as 50%. In terms of price-to-book (P/B) ratio, the one-year forward P/B for ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, SBI, and Axis Bank stands at 2.9x, 2.6x, 1.5x, and 1.8x, respectively, compared to their historical five-year median of 2.8x, 2.9x, 1.4x, and 2x. A look at these specific stocks to understand what could have promoted experts to take such contrarian calls. HDFC Bank: Strength in asset quality Despite a modest return of 0.1% over the past year, HDFC Bank maintains a premium valuation with a P/E ratio of 18.1x, significantly higher than the Bank Niftys 12.6x. This premium reflects strong investor confidence in the bank's future performance. Further reinforcing this positive outlook, HDFC Bank's financial health remains robust. The banks total capital adequacy ratio (CAR) improved to 19.8% in Q2FY25 from 19.5% the previous year, comfortably exceeding the regulatory requirement of 11.7%. A higher CAR strengthens a bank's ability to absorb losses and meet financial obligations. Its average CASA (current account savings account) deposits grew by 7.3% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 8,08,400 crore, while gross non-performing assets (GNPA) held steady at 1.36%. ICICI Bank: An impressive performer ICICI Bank has significantly outperformed its peer, delivering a 23% return over the past year compared to the Bank Nifty's modest 1.7% gain. While its P/E ratio of 18.3x remains above the sector average, strong growth across key metrics justifies this premium. In Q2FY25, average deposits grew 15.6% y-o-y and 3.6% sequentially, with CASA deposits up 10.4% on-year and 1.8% sequentially. The average liquidity coverage ratio (LCR) stood at approximately 120%. The domestic loan portfolio grew impressively by 15.7% y-o-y and 4.6% sequentially (as of 30 September 2024), driven by a 14.2% y-o-y and 2.9% quarter-on-quarter (q-o-q) increase in the retail loan portfolio, which now accounts for a 44.9% of the total portfolio. The banks gross non-performing asset (NPA) ratio improved to 1.97% in Q2FY25 from 2.15% in Q1FY25. ICICIs loan book is expected to grow by 15.4% y-o-y and 4.3% q-o-q, with deposits projected to rise by 15.9% y-o-y in Q3, said Deven Choksey, managing director of KRChoksey Financial Services Pvt. Ltd. Analysts highlight stable NIMs, robust loan growth, and proactive provisioning as key factors contributing to ICICI Bank's potential outperformance. SBI: Improved credit quality The state-run banking behemoth has delivered an impressive 18.5% return over the past year, significantly outperforming the market. With a P/E ratio of 9.4x, below the sector average, SBI presents an attractive value proposition. As of September 2024, SBI reported a yearly credit and deposit growth of 14.9% and 9.1%. Asset quality remained healthy, with a low slippage ratio of 0.51% (retail: 0.31%), credit costs at 0.38%, and a provision coverage ratio (PCR) of 75.7%. Its current account deposits grew by 10% y-o-y, and CASA deposits increased by 4.2%, helping to maintain a CASA ratio of over 40%. The bank is expected to post a double-digit deposit growth in H2FY25, supported by a 15% loan growth target for FY25," noted a Mirae Asset Sharekhan report. The bank is expected to sustain its steady performance in terms of growth and profitability in the near to medium term. Axis Bank: Navigating challenges While Axis Bank has faced a challenging year with a 6% negative return, its P/E ratio of 11x, below benchmark valuations, suggests potential upside. Q2FY25 saw positive developments: Gross NPAs declined to 1.44% from 1.54% in the previous quarter, consolidated return on asset improved by 9 basis points (bps) y-o-y and 22bps sequentially to reach 1.92%, and consolidated return on equity rose significantly by 140bps q-o-q to 18.08%. Operating profit surged by 24% and 6%, respectively, on a yearly and a sequential basis, driven by strong operating income growth and controlled operating expenses. Deposit growth remained robust at 14%, with new customer acquisitions increasing by an impressive 24% y-o-y. However, PL Capital anticipates potential headwinds. Loan growth may come in at 3% q-o-q, while NIM could see a marginal decline of 4bps to 3.96%. Operational costs and declining other income may weigh on pre-provision operating profit (PPoP), but provision costs are expected to improve." Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Opinion / Columnist Whoever read your today's article on Bulawayo24 is wondering on what planet you live on. I realized you live in USA: The hardships Zimbabwean are going through in that hellhole in Zimbabwe, you have no idea. You have fixed narratives about an independent Zimbabwe. Your rhetoric is immersed in a Zimbabwe that is liberated and is free: we must be eternally grateful and at best shup up. According to you, we must submit to the liberators who have plundered the nation, destroyed everything that was structured and well maintained during the colonial times. That is a fact. Do you know how Zimbabweans were taken for a dummy by liberation leaders, only to discover that freedom and independence in Zimbabwe belong to 1% of the whole population?I was in the struggle in Zambia with my mother: we lived rough, bombings were like rain in Zapu camps: we were consoled, were told it was part of the struggle: we were given the hope that when we gain freedom, we shall live in a country better than the colonial Smith regime in all aspects of our lives for us and our children and their children's children. What mess are we in today because of our liberators? Your article is an academic consumption: the reality on the ground is silent in your article. As a doctorate student in America, you are living large and able to research a topic that will incite academic discourse. However, when you look at the lives of Zimbabweans in a free country endowed with every mineral resource you can think of in the periodic system of chemistry, their lives are hell on earth. Have you ever been home to Zimbabwe of late, Innocent Mpoki?Your article or your academic research about Zimbabwe is removed from the reality on the ground. You quote the academic professor Mamdani who made extensive research on Zimbabwe. In the same vein please go home and see for yourself if you can be proud of independent Zimbabwe. People yearn for the past "glory" because it gave us a modicum of decent infrastructures: hunger was absent. The basic development that took place during the colonial times was developed using African labour and the nation's resources financed it. There is no money that came from England to develop Rhodesia, and the entire manpower was black workforce. You missed it in your article that the entire development in Rhodesia was possible because of cheap black labour. We are able to demarcate in our discussions what blacks did efficiently and if blacks they fail, we must say they are failing and making comparisons.The legacy of colonialism remains a stain in our societies you say: what about the legacy of Robert Mugabe who slaughtered 20,000 innocent Matabele people. Can you make a slender equation between Mugabe regime and that of Douglas Smith? The ghost of Mugabe regime haunts us equally, four decades long. We live in the now, in the present, Innocent Mpoki, languishing in foreign lands as if we do not have a home called Zimbabwe. Living in the now, marred by mismanagement about everything you can think of that could make life livable is a horror in the making. It is normal and human to say Ian Smith was better than our black government: a regime without any clue about good functional governance. Should we hallucinate "Amen", it's better to be misgoverned by blacks than to be governed by colonial masters. That is empty rhetoric devoid of any decency and it stinks to high heavens. Your academic input makes even decent people vomit with disgust."The colonial nostalgia and amnesia that has seized the minds of some Zimbabweans is not only a damning indictment on our country's education system". Here I quoted you verbatim. Education system you are talking about is now unreachable by the poor in Zimbabwe. This country has regressed to all time low in terms of education you are talking about. There are schools that report 100% failure results not in one school but dozens, countrywide. Zanu PF government misdemeanors will be excused by pushing everything on colonialism. This to me sounds academic than the reality on the ground. No trivialization in our political discourses regarding colonialism or coloniality. We discuss political economics mindful of the situation on the ground, and not on research in a posh American library. When you think inability to deliver good governance to slender 16 million citizens after independence can be the result of vestiges of past colonial regimes, you fail us; it's not so."It reflects the unresolved challenges of the Zimbabwean post-colonial state: how to find its place, define its destiny, and articulate its vision". close quote. My reply to this statement is that there was no time to unpack immediately after independence. From day one Mugabe put the nation in a state of war. Mashonaland Matabeleland war, Gukurahundi. How I wish your article should have been about lack of good leadership the early days of Zimbabwe independence. Even the education you are talking about was a prerogative of the people of Mashonaland and never about the people in Matabeleland and Midlands. Your article is removed of these painful facts but seeks to dwell on academic romance colonial vestiges. Such academic discourses make good read at evaluation sessions at universities in USA.I quote your jargon once more: "The question now is how as a country; did we reach a point where some people find it a noble and justifiable cause to glorify colonialism without compunction? I argue that this is a product of Stockholm syndrome and an inferiority complex born out of frustration and delusion". This is pure jargon in the sense of the word. I shudder to think where exactly is this statement is relevant to Zimbabwe. This argument is an insult to the nation of Zimbabwe. I still recall how all peoples were united in the fight for independence in the seventies and finally it was negotiated successfully. Mashonaland jubilated at independence. Very late in the historicity of free Zimbabwe, people realized that as a matter of fact, independence meant removing white colonial rule, replaced black colonial rule: Zanu PF. The much-heated political discourse nationwide today is that nothing has changed significantly in the lives of the general people. Replacing an oppressive white regime with another repressive black government cannot constitute independence for the many but for the ruling elite. Where does Stockholm syndrome come in if we are able to acknowledge this in discussions? What Zanu PF government is doing to us is not different from what Smith regime ruled this country. Ian Smith regime murdered opposition leaders, incarcerated dissenting voices. Zanu Pf mastered Ian Smith's script of murdering and incarcerating even innocent people. Where is my son Itai Dzamara? I want to know what happened to him: dead or alive. It is a black Zanu PF government that devoured him.In most cases we believe Zanu PF, be it Mugabe or Mnangagwa are worse than what the white regime did to the populations of Zimbabwe. The Gukurahundi, the farm invasions, the Murambatsvina, the election period of 2008 were our darkest historicity in living memory. Some citizens still live with those scars of the past. In your article, these events are silent, but you academically highlight our submission to the hidden glory of colonialism. You quote Mamdani in your article: "Mahmood Mamdani, describes the colonial state in Africa as a "Bifurcated State." It was a state with two orders: one for the white settlers and the other for the African natives". Close the quote. My reply to this statement is: the independent state of Zimbabwe is a state of two orders: one for the thin number of black ruling elite and the other for the majority poor and destitute citizens of all tribal ethnic groups the entire nation. Without inferiority complex, we can articulate this fact.I will not quote your article further: it is all retch no vomit. The people of Zimbabwe deserve honor and dignity. To insult them at the corridors of higher institutions of learning is wholly uncalled for. I lived the Smith's regime period. I had to leave Rhodesia and continued my secondary education in Zambia; I was never to return home even on holidays because of the bush war. My mother was incarcerated at Chikurubi Prison. Painful facts. To read your article that insults people who suffered during Smith's government and again during the black rule; to say it is insulting, is an underestimate. We write how it was during colonial regime of Ian Smith and how it is today, and we make informed comparisons: this kind of political discourse is normal and healthy. How can such discourses constitute an inferiority complex in us? Academic scholars and researchers can be insensitive in their analysis sometimes. Citizens' daily life is of struggles of putting bread (no butter) on their tables are painful enough.Ethnic tensions in this region predate colonialism. To push everything to colonialism era as the cause of tribal differences is dishonest. The colonialists used ethnic tensions that already existed, to their advantage. Hence, they managed to colonize us effectively. Dividing and controlling African populations on ethnic grounds was everywhere in Africa, an established fact in the history of colonialization of Africa. The issue of mandatory attendance at Indias colleges and universities made news recently when BITS Pilani vice-chancellor V. Ramgopal Rao lauded his institutions long-standing zero-attendance policy. In contrast, University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations stipulate that the minimum number of lectures, tutorials, seminars and practicals which a student shall be required to attend for eligibility to appear at the examination shall be prescribed by the university, which ordinarily shall not be less than 75% of the total." Most universities follow these regulations but are also known to make exemptions to the rule. The rule is controversial because it is not evident that it exists for the benefit of students. It is also not clear why the threshold is 75% and why the penalty for the student is nothing less than being disallowed to sit for the examination and lose a year. Neither the UGC nor universities provide a rationale. Further, there is a near-absence of India-specific research. In mid-2024, while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) filed after a law student at Amity University died by suicide in 2017 on being disallowed to take exams, the Delhi high court noted that education was no longer confined to classroom teaching and textbooks, and that there was a need to re-evaluate attendance norms. The court reasoned that global practices followed by leading educational institutions around the world" would need to be analysed to see whether mandatory attendance requirements are even required." The courts have not always been considerate. In 2020, the Supreme Court and earlier the Bombay high court dismissed petitions filed by students of Mithibai College, Mumbai, to relax the 75% attendance requirement; 551 students were affected. There was only sparse research on the relationship between attendance and academic performance at the college level until the 1990s. However, growing absenteeism prompted more interest, especially after a 1993 article by economist David Romer, Do Students Go to Class? Should They? Romer found that absenteeism was rampant in American classrooms, with about a third of students typically absent; attendance had a positive impact on student grades. Thus, Romer noted that steps to increase attendance, including making attendance mandatory, may deserve serious consideration." Subsequent research, primarily on American and European universities, indicates that attendance has a positive impact on student grades, though there are quibbles over how much. But there are some studies that find attendance not to matter in any significant way or at all. It is also disputed whether it is attendance per se or student engagement in class that improves performance. Despite the evidence, for a variety of reasons, notably student and faculty autonomy, most Western universities do not require mandatory attendance. Typically, they provide attendance guidelines for their faculty and leave it to them to decide. Such autonomy is unthinkable in India, where the UGCs shadow looms large and the autonomy of universities, faculty and students is far more limited. Yet, and despite the 75% attendance requirement, absenteeism is astonishingly high. Also read: NMC to start face authentication of medical college faculty to mark attendance after spate of fake thumb prints In October, the Bombay high court asked Mumbai University to respond to a PIL initiated by a faculty member Sharmila Ghuge demanding enforcement of the 75% attendance rule. According to Ghuge, attendance in many law colleges is between 0 and 30%. The situation is no different at many other institutions across the country. While mandatory attendance requirements are in place, they are routinely sidelined or manipulated. There are a common set of reasons for widespread absenteeism: student attitudes, course content, its difficulty, the quality of instruction, the ease of access to information and others. In the Indian context, the convenient answer is that students are immature, lack discipline or do not know better. Perhaps the more accurate answer is that students know better: that they can pass a course or even do quite well without attending lectures. Or that they consider many of their courses irrelevant. Mandatory attendance policies have some vocal critics. Varan Sahni, a former vice-chancellor of Goa University and University of Jammu, is of the view that mandatory attendance regulations only benefit incompetent and/or indifferent teachers." Dheeraj Sanghi, vice-chancellor of J. K. Lakshmipat University, is also unconvinced of the need for mandatory attendance and believes that the punishment for missing a few boring classes is very harsh with no consequence whatsoever to the teacher who delivered those boring lectures." Still, it may be a bit too radical to throw out mandatory attendance entirely. Instead, some changes could be considered. First, the 75% threshold is quite high. Why not lower the thresholdperhaps 50%and enforce it more strictly? Second, the punishment for failing the requirement is cruel. If its supporters really believe that attendance affects academic performance, they should be confident that the grades of absentee students will suffer, which is an adequate and well-deserved punishment. So, why not consider other penalties, such as compulsory on-campus volunteering or community service, in compensation for missed lectures? The author is director, The International Centre, Goa. Italian luxury group Prada may be evaluating a purchase of rival Versace, owned by Capri Holdings Ltd, as reported. Collaborations are all the rage in luxury indeed LVMHs Fendi teamed up with Versace three years agobut Pradace is one tie-up that should stay in the design room. Also Read: Leverage Affluent India narrative to blend Indian luxury traditions with global fashion Its not hard to see why Prada might be interested in the Italian house founded by Gianni Versace. For a start, Capri faces a challenging future, since its $8.5 billion sale to Tapestry was blocked by a judge last October and the two abandoned plans to become the Italian LVMH. Capri is now widely expected to sell Versace. Although the Michael Kors owner acquired the label back in in 2018 from the Versace family and minority shareholder Blackstone Group, it is still relatively rare for such assets to come onto the market. Versace is one of the most instantly recognizable fashion names in the world. Meanwhile, Prada has engineered a remarkable turnaround, as the creative vision of Miuccia Pradajoined by her co-creative director Raf Simonshas been augmented by top-class management under CEO Andrea Guerra. This has improved the nuts and bolts that sit behind the selling of luxury goods, such as serving top-end customers. Add in the success of Miu Miu, Pradas sister label that has become the watch word for cool-girl style, and the company has generated the sort of sales growth that most rivals can only dream about. Yet, with revenue of 5.4 billion in 2024, according to the Bloomberg consensus of analysts estimates, Prada is still about 30% smaller than Kerings Gucci. Adding Versace, which is expected to generate about $846 million of sales this year, would help Prada get closer to its rival. The additional revenue stream would also be useful if Miu Mius stratospheric growth starts to slow. Prada is known for its elegant clothing, and apparel still accounts for the bulk of Versaces business. But Pradas prowess in handbagsits real profit driverand footwear could turbocharge Versaces leather goods, which are still a relatively small part of the business. Add in the fact that the two Italian brands would be able to generate cost savings, and the combination has merits. But there would be some considerable hurdles to overcome to make the deal work. Capri paid a punchy $2.1 billion for Versace in 2018. Although sales initially expanded, growth has recently stalled. The label is expected to make an operating loss in the year to March. Meanwhile, luxury valuations have slumped, so price could be a sticking point. And while Versace regained its cool under former Burberry Group CEO Jonathan Akeroyd, further work is needed, which would take time and significant investment. On the face of it, that wouldnt be too much of a problemVersaces opulence isnt the hottest look right now so Prada would have time to develop the division before loud luxury makes a comeback. But this heavy lifting could be a distraction from ensuring that Prada and Miu Mius success continues. The junior label is already facing a future without its CEO Benedetta Petruzzo, who has been snapped up by LVMH to be managing director of Christian Dior Couture. And Prada has other opportunities, for example, introducing menswear at Miu Miu. Pradas last acquisition spree in the 1990s, when it was at the height of its previous success, didnt live up to expectations. It acquired Jil Sander and Helmut Lang in 1999, only to sell them seven years later. Although Prada is a very different company today, it may be reluctant to expand again. Finally, Versaces ostentation looks at odds with Pradas minimalist chic. Of course, Miuccia Pradas creativity combined with Versaces Italian glamour and incredible archive could have fashionistas salivating. Its possible that Prada has more success by adding a company that is complementary to its namesake brand, rather than overly similar, in the way that Jil Sander and Helmut Lang were. Even so, the mix of the two aesthetics risks a wardrobe malfunction. And where would Donatella Versace, the steward of Giannis legacy for the past 30 years, fit in? Other luxury brands may also be eyeing Versace. It could appeal to LVMH for example, although CEO Bernard Arnault tends to avoid turnaround situations as the investment in Moncler demonstrates. Interest from Valentino majority owner Mayhoola as well as private equity firms would also be logical. Kering likely has its hands full turning around Gucci, although it has acquired a minority stake in Valentino. So theres room for a revitalized Versace. But not with Prada Bloomberg Activist shareholders have revived the core competence debate and are targeting conglomerates to get more out of their businesses. Heeding long-standing shareholder demands, the management of ITC Ltd has finally carved out its hotels business into a separate entity. This demerger is expected to unlock some value for the ITC scrip, given that the hotel divisions capital appropriation from the companys cash flows was disproportionate to its contribution to the total revenue pie. While ITC has succumbed to shareholder pressure after years of resisting calls for a split-up, discovery of the true value of ITC shares is still some distance away; even after the hive-off, ITC still retains conglomerate characteristics, with consumer goods, its agri-business and paper division co-existing with tobacco products. Unilever is another conglomerate faced with break-up pressure from restive shareholders. This multinational has achieved top-line growth over the decades through a string of mergers and acquisitions. It now has an eclectic portfolio of nearly 400 brands, with money-spinners subsidizing others. When Unilever decided a year ago to hive off its ice-cream business, critics said it was not enough. Wall Street activists asked for a complete slice-up by market focus, arguing that the sum of its parts would be worth more than the whole. Time was when conglomerates were the accepted corporate structure. However, the rise of institutional and activist investors since the mid-1980s pitted this structure as antagonistic to emerging standards of corporate finance, which had started taking a closer look at returns on capital invested. There were two reasons. One, investors felt that managing diverse businesses diffused the managements focus, with less attention paid to winners; in addition, such a structure allowed the steady build-up of an unwieldy corporate bureaucracy, which hindered productivity and drained resources. Investors also argued that the consolidated value of a conglomerate not only camouflaged the true value of its constituent parts, but was also depressed by the weight of laggard businesses that soaked capital for meagre profits. Thus was born the conglomerate discount, or the capital markets way of valuing it as less than the sum of its parts. Core competence became a prominent leitmotif in management pedagogy. But, like all things in life, there are no absolute rules. Many companies opted not to abide blindly by the core-competence fad. General Electric under the leadership of Jack Welch stood out as an outlier; it did well by insisting that all constituent businesses figure in the top two or three in their respective sectors. Even Warren Buffetts Berkshire Hathaway, with many diversified businesses under its belt, has bucked the trend; it actually enjoys a conglomerate premium. Conglomerates are also common in emerging markets, especially in India. With the Indian corporate sector dominated by business families, such a structure offers some inherent advantages: clarity in succession dynamics for the next generation, efficiency in the allocation of capital to growth businesses, and proficiency in hedging the top-line against downturns in any one market category. A good example is Grasim Ltd. It is part of the Kumar Mangalam Birla Group and has a presence in viscose fibre and yarn, textiles, chemicals, insulators, paints and B2B e-commerce. Investors, thus, need to judge a company on its individual merits and not by transient market trends. Breast cancer rates, particularly among younger women, have been rising the past decade. The face of cancer in the U.S. is getting youngerand more feminine. Cancer rates for women in the U.S. have risen over the past half-century, particularly among women under age 65 diagnosed with breast cancer, the American Cancer Society said Thursday. Men, meanwhile, have experienced a decline in cancer rates compared with prior decades. If youre a woman under the age of 65, youre now more likely to develop cancer than a man" in that same age group," said Dr. William Dahut, the American Cancer Societys chief scientific officer. For decades, the cancer burden in the U.S. was higher for men, who started smoking en masse in the 20th century. Their rates of lung-cancer cases and deaths soared. Lung cancer remains the biggest cancer killer for men in the U.S., but case and death rates have dropped, after smoking rates declined. Women started smoking heavily later than men and have been slower to quit, so their lung-cancer decline started later and hasnt been as steep. That has had a significant impact: Lung cancer incidence among women under 65 was greater than among men for the first time in 2021. Women are also more likely to get diagnosed with lung cancer as nonsmokers. This is really a transformational change," Dahut said. The overall cancer death rate in the U.S. has dropped 34% since 1991, the report said, translating to nearly 4.5 million fewer deaths. The progress is largely thanks to the declines in cigarette smoking, as well as better cancer screenings and treatments. The number of averted deaths is twice as large for men than for women. About 1.1 men were diagnosed with cancer for each case among women in 2021. That is down from a high of 1.6 diagnoses among men for each woman in 1992. Mens overall cancer rates spiked in the early 90s, when widespread prostate-cancer screening led to a surge of small, low-risk prostate cancers, in addition to dangerous cases being caught earlier. When doctors pulled back on the tests, which look for levels of prostate-specific antigen in blood, case rates dropped nearly 40%, the report said. They remain below that peak. Were doing a better job detecting cancers that need to be tracked and followed," said Dr. Stephen Gruber, a cancer epidemiologist and geneticist at City of Hope in Duarte, Calif. Were not just blasting everybody with PSA testing." For decades, the cancer burden in the U.S. was higher for men, who started smoking en masse in the 20th century. Breast-cancer rates have increased about 1% each year over the past decade, with steeper rises among younger women, contributing to the flip in cancer risk. In 2007, cancer rates for women between 50-64 were 21% lower than for their male peers. In 2021, womens rates passed mens. Among adults under 50, women already faced a higher cancer risk. The cancer rate for these women was 82% greater than for their male peers in 2021, compared with 51% higher in 2002, because of thyroid and breast cancers. Increases in colorectal and testicular cancers among younger men were offset by declines in others including prostate. The change in cancer among women, especially younger women, is really shocking," said Dr. Karen Kim, a health disparities researcher and dean of the Penn State College of Medicine. More women having children later or not at all likely contributes to the trend, because having children at earlier ages and breastfeeding lower the risk of some kinds of breast cancers. Increasing obesity rates, physical inactivity and rates of heavy alcohol consumption among younger women are also potential factors, researchers said. The breast-cancer death rate has dropped 44% since 1989, thanks to better treatments and screening. It is still the leading cause of cancer death for women under 50. Write to Brianna Abbott at brianna.abbott@wsj.com The northern lights, also called the aurora borealis, are some of the most breathtaking natural displays in the world. As charged particles from the sun shower down on Earth's atmosphere, the gases are excited and glow green, red, pink and sometimes blue. As lucky aurorae observers know, snapping a great shot of the lights is extremely difficult to do well. Smartphones can aid us in spotting dimmer displays and are fun for sharing with friends and family on social media, but creating a picture you could hang on your wall? That's where some tips, techniques and key bits of camera gear come in. Last year, the northern lights appeared further south than expected, with aurora shows even seen in Cuba and Hawaii. This was a rare occurrence due to a powerful geomagnetic storm the likes of which Earth hasn't experienced for more than two decades. That, currently combined with a giant Earth-facing coronal hole means astrophotographers and stargazers have the perfect opportunity to capture the magic of the aurora borealis. Recommended camera gear You'll need: A mirrorless or DSLR camera capable of long exposures A wide-angle, fast lens, preferably a wide-zoom between 12-24mm focal length and as wide as f/2.8 or greater A tripod capable of supporting the payload of camera and lens Mirrorless / DSLR cameras (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes) Full-frame cameras are the best for astrophotography Noise-handling is important in a camera Check its ISO sensitivity range before buying The best camera for capturing the northern lights (Image credit: James Artaius) We have reviewed many of the best cameras for astrophotography and think the Nikon Z8 is the best camera for capturing the night sky. This mirrorless camera suits those who are advanced or professional photographers, offering high resolution and manual controls. However, beginners may be better off using the easier-to-navigate and cheaper Nikon Zf. It's crucial to have a camera that you can operate in manual mode, that way you have control over all three parts of the exposure triangle: Aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity. Ultimately, the bigger the image sensor, the more light can be collected (which is important when you're photographing the dim night sky). Cameras with very high megapixel counts (50MP +) may introduce more image noise compared with similarly-sized sensors with fewer megapixels, due to the increased interference on the chip. The Nikon Z8 is our top pick for astrophotography (we gave it 4.5/5 stars) because it offers a detailed 45.7 megapixel resolution, is compatible with a range of high-quality Nikon Z-mount lenses and even has a night vision mode for astrophotography. However, beginners might want to take a look at the Nikon Zf, Canon EOS R8 or the OM System OM-1 Mark II which we've each named as fantastic for astrophotography after our full reviews but are a little more budget-friendly. Sign up for the Live Science daily newsletter now Get the worlds most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors The common thread with all the cameras we highlight above are that they have fully manual modes to control the exposure triangle, (ideal for adjusting exposure lengths to capture the northern lights dancing through the sky), and are top-notch at handling high ISO noise (meaning clearer, nicer-looking nighttime photos). Camera lenses (Image credit: Getty Images) Check your camera lens mount first for compatibility Aim for wide-angle zoom (a focal length between 12-24mm, or wider) Get a fast lens (apertures of f/2.8 or wider, budget dependent) Alongside a quality camera, we'd recommend a wide-angle lens. There are three particular features to look for in a lens: The mount type, focal length and maximum aperture rating. You'll need to find a lens with the mount type appropriate for your camera, for Nikon mirrorless cameras that's the Z-mount system, for Canon it's an RF mount and for Sony it might be the E-mount. Check this first in your manual or online before purchasing. When shooting the northern lights, they have a habit of spreading all over the sky (if you're lucky) and therefore require a wide field of view to capture. This means you should have a focal length of between 12-24mm if you're hoping to capture the lights and foreground in your photo. You can go wider, but be aware that as you approach 10mm and 8mm lenses tend to distort straight lines into curvy lines so you may need an image editing software to remove this later, if undesired. A fast lens is one that has a wide aperture (the opening in the glass, created by the metal blades separating inside the lens). An aperture of f/2.8 or wider (f/1.8, f/1.4 etc) is ideal as it allows maximum light input to the image sensor. Be aware that wide apertures of f/2.8 and wider will cause some noticeable diffraction of the light and therefore can create a soft-looking image. Tripods (Image credit: Getty Images) Ensure the payload of the tripod is sufficient for your camera gear Carbon fiber is more expensive but usually a better option Check size is okay for you when fully collapsed Due to the dimness of the aurora borealis we need to take long exposures of several seconds, as previously mentioned. The camera must remain completely stationary during this period to ensure sharp images of any foreground you're including, plus to reduce risk of camera movement blur. The best way to do this is with a tripod. The style and size of the right tripod for you will depend on your preferences. However, you must check the tripod's (and tripod head's) maximum payload. This is the weight of the camera and lens, combined (plus any additional accessories attached to the camera). Make sure your gear is under the weight of the payload for the tripod and tripod head. Tripods usually come with a standard ball-head (tripod head) but you can purchase legs and heads separately so check both if you're doing this. Smaller, lightweight tripods are likely to have fewer leg sections (two to three), while larger and heavier tripods may have more (up to five). There's no photographic advantage to having fewer or more leg sections so long as the build of the tripod is solid but a tripod with more leg sections might mean it folds up smaller, making it easier to fit in a camera bag. Tripods are typically made out of two types of material: Aluminum and carbon fiber. Both are lightweight but strong and more expensive tripods usually offer a carbon fiber version because it is lighter than its aluminum counterpart. If the budget stretches, we'd recommend a carbon fiber tripod because it's both lighter and warmer. Warmer because aluminum, or most metals for that matter, thermally conducts better than carbon fiber and therefore will be much colder to the touch. Since the northern lights are generally in the colder regions nearer the pole, this is important if you're not wearing gloves. Camera settings (Image credit: Kimberley Lane) Whatever camera gear you're using we'd recommend following these golden rules: Shoot in manual mode Set the aperture to the widest available setting (f/2.8 or greater) Dial in ISO sensitivity to between 1000-4000 depending on your camera Keep shutter speeds between five-20 seconds, maximum Key settings Aperture: f/2.8 or wider Shutter speed: Between five and 20 seconds ISO: Between 1000 and 4000 Manual mode allows you to control aperture, shutter speed and ISO sensitivity independently of one another. This is important when shooting the night sky because we want to have full control over exposure length, as we'll discuss in a moment. The lens' aperture should be set to as wide as possible (e.g. f/2.8) to maximize light making it through to the image sensor in the camera. Go too wide though, (f/1.4 or greater) and the images will become softer and less defined due to diffraction, so it's a fine line to balance between. ISO sensitivity should be high because the dim star- and aurorae light that does make it through the lens will still be very dim compared to daylight and flash-lit subjects. We want to avoid high ISO image noise as much as possible because it makes photos appear grainy and pushing ISO higher can result in softer images in both shadows and highlights. We'd recommend between ISO 1000-4000 depending on your camera. If you're shooting with the full-frame 35mm Nikon Z8 you could opt for ISO 4000 or even higher and still retain great detail. Capturing with the Micro Four-Thirds OM System OM-1 Mark II? You might want to stick to nearer 1000. Shutter speed should rest between five and 20 seconds when shooting the northern lights. Any shorter and you risk underexposing the image because the night sky (and the lights) are too dim. Any longer and there may be a loss in definition in the northern lights, especially fast-moving displays that wash and dance around the sky. Northern lights colors and white balance (Image credit: Kimberley Lane) We've already given a full explanation of why the northern lights are different colors, detailing which gases the sun's charged particles excite in Earth's atmosphere. But the three commonest colors are: Green, pink and blue. There are a variety of shades and tones that burst into life depending on the intensity of the charged particles at any given time. We would recommend shooting stills photographs in RAW file format. This is an unprocessed, lossless image file format that allows white balance (and a variety of other camera settings) to be changed more easily after the fact. File formats like JPEG are processed, lossy image files that bake in the camera settings at the point of creation and are much harder to process in image editing software. Generally, we would recommend against shooting in JPEG wherever possible. When shooting in RAW, choosing the right white balance is less of an issue but for pleasing viewing on the back of the camera screen, we'd suggest a low color balance of between 3000-4000K (Kelvin) depending on your taste. Photography is as much an art as it is a science, after all. Finding the northern lights (Image credit: Juan Maria Coy Vergara via Getty Images) The aurora borealis is elusive for many due to a few reasons. First, the charged particles coming from the solar winds have to be strong enough to disrupt the Earth's magnetic field and make it down into the atmosphere to excite the gas molecules. Next, the weather has to play ball as we need clear, cloudless skies in order to see the northern lights. Then we need to be in the right place at the right time they don't appear all-over the globe (generally best at latitudes between 10- and 20-degrees) and there's not always land underneath the areas where they are displaying. Add all that up with the fact we can only see them at night (and there's much less night in the summer due to the northern latitudes and Earth's axial tilt) and we have a needle in a haystack situation. However, there are some resources that are useful when hunting for the aurora. A good aurora-alerting app or repository Decent weather reports for your local area Solar activity-tracking app or website There are many resources available and each photographer has their own personal choices when it comes to apps, websites and meteorological reports for hunting the northern lights. However, we'd recommend starting your journey with the My Aurora Forecast Alerts app, the reports from National Weather Service and SpaceWeatherLive. Additional information While we've given you the broad sweep of what camera gear to choose and camera settings that are ideal for capturing good aurorae photographs you still may have some unanswered questions. We have more information on what the northern lights are and where to see them, the geography of the arctic circle and an insight into whether there are aurorae on other planets, (spoiler alert, there are). Longford native Darragh Beirne, an Associate with engineering firm Arup, was recently honoured as a finalist for the 2024 Chartered Engineer of the Year Award. The event took place last November at Engineers Irelands offices in Ballsbridge. With over 15 years of experience in the railway industry, Darragh has built a distinguished career delivering large-scale infrastructure projects. He began his journey with TII (formerly RPA) in 2007, later moving to the UK in 2012 to work with Network Rail. Also Read: Longford Driver pleads guilty after crashing and leaving the scene Darragh joined Arup in 2014, and returned to Ireland two years later. A highlight of Darraghs career includes his innovative work on the value engineering and design development of the Tottenham Hale tunnel portal for Crossrail 2, the hybrid commuter rail and rapid transit route in South East England. The Chartered Engineer title, regarded as the gold standard in the profession, has been awarded by Engineers Ireland for over 50 years. It recognises engineers who demonstrate exceptional competence, innovation, and professional integrity. The annual award celebrates individuals who embody these values while contributing to a sustainable, efficient, and technologically advanced future. Also Read: Longford's Highfield House receives a stellar review in latest HIQA report Dr Roisin Buckley was named the overall 2024 winner. Darraghs recognition as a finalist highlights the exceptional talent emerging from Longford. His achievements serve as an inspiration to the local community, showcasing the vital role of engineering in shaping Irelands future. A man and woman accused of murdering a man whose body was allegedly thrown over the cliffs at Sliabh Liag in County Donegal last year have gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. A jury of five men and seven women was selected this afternoon to hear the trial of Alan Vial (39) and Nikita Burns (22), who are charged with the murder of Robert 'Robin' Wilkin on June 25, 2023 in Donegal. Ms Burns of Carrick, Co Donegal pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to impeding the apprehension or prosecution of another person for an arrestable offence. Mr Vial, of Drumanoo Head, Killybegs, Co Donegal, pleaded not guilty. READ ALSO: ALERT: Man arrested by gardai investigating allegations of human trafficking Mr Justice David Keane told the jury that the case has attracted some publicity as it is alleged that Mr Wilkin's body was disposed of by throwing it over the cliff edge at Sliabh Liag. He asked anyone familiar with the case or any of the parties involved to let him know as they may be ineligible to sit as jurors. The trial will begin tomorrow and is expected to last up to three weeks. Child income poverty has fluctuated more in Northern Ireland than in the Republic of Ireland, according to a report. The income poverty rate means a child who is living in a household with a disposable income that is less than 60% of median income. The report from the Economic and Social Research Institute examined which groups of children are most vulnerable to poverty, household labour market situation and social background, and the differences in policy approaches on both sides of the border. In the Republic of Ireland, child income poverty fell in the early 2000s then stalled from 2008 to 2017 before gradually falling again in the most recent period, where it has remained at about 14%. In Northern Ireland child income poverty has fluctuated much more but has stood at more than 20% for the entire period. There was a significant rise in child income poverty in Northern Ireland in the latest year but researchers cautioned that this came from smaller numbers in the Northern Ireland sample and that a two-year average again showed stability. The researchers also looked at material deprivation, which occurs when families are unable to afford at least two of five basic essentials such as paying their bills on time or keeping their home warm. The two jurisdictions show a much more similar trend in child material deprivation with both seeing a rise in deprivation from 2010 to 2013/2014 followed by a steady decline which halted in 2018/2019. The trends differ for the most recent period, with Republic of Ireland rates declining marginally while in Northern Ireland there was a steeper fall until 2022 before child material deprivation went back up again. Elsewhere on Thursday, the Childrens Rights Alliance is calling for billions of euro in Apple taxes to be invested in the futures of young Irish people. Ireland was to receive more than 14.1 billion euro in back taxes and interest from Apple as a result of a landmark ruling in the European Court of Justice last year, which found that Ireland gave undue tax benefits to the US tech giant, contrary to EU state aid rules. The Childrens Rights Alliance (CRA) said a portion of this massive sum should be ringfenced for future generations. The groups chief executive Tanya Ward said: These funds completely eclipse the total spend in many of the key areas of children and young peoples lives and the public services that they engage in. Even a portion of these funds could have a transformational impact on their future. The Government has been gifted this unprecedented opportunity that should inspire innovative and ambitious thinking. However, discussions on how we can invest this in the future of our country our children and young people have taken a complete back seat in the debate. She added: We are currently grappling with considerable societal challenges a spiralling housing crisis, a chronic shortage of places in early years and education. Investing in infrastructure needs to extend to educational settings. Every penny spent on education is well spent and helps children reach their full potential while also nurturing the talent of our future workforce the lifeblood of the economy. The group is calling for large-scale investment in education and early years infrastructure to break the cycle of poverty and broaden horizons for all children and young people. The CRA is partnering with the Community Foundation Ireland for an event in Dublin on Thursday. It comes a day after the publication of the draft programme for government. The document includes a range of pledges on investing in the future of children and young people, including reducing the cost of childcare and improving access to early years educators. Denise Charlton, chief executive of Community Foundation Ireland added: Investing in our children, putting in place the facilities which give them opportunities to grow, to learn and to be creative is not only the right thing to do, it also makes economic sense. The draft programme for government also pledges to set an ambitious child poverty target with a focus on inequality, as well as a new Youth Services Action Plan. In addition, the document says the next Government would explore the establishment of a managed savings account for newborns with an initial one-off contribution by the State, ensuring lower-income families benefit most from its inception. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: January 16 2025 Streamlines the Discovery Process To Ensure Fair Trials, End Procedural Delays and Hold Criminals Accountable. Governor Kathy Hochul today announced proposals to drive down crime and bolster the criminal justice system to keep New Yorkers safe as part of her 2025 State of the State. Governor Hochul proposes streamlining the discovery process by amending reforms passed in 2019, adding additional resources to fight transnational criminal networks, and fighting sexual assault and domestic violence. Public safety is my top priority, and Ill always do whatever it takes to keep New Yorkers safe, Governor Hochul said. While crime statistics show significant decreases in gun violence, theres more work to do to keep all New Yorkers safe. Thats why were going to fix the discovery laws, crack down on transnational gangs and support survivors of sexual assault. Streamlining New Yorks Discovery Process Right-Size the Connection Between the Discovery Law and the Speedy Trial Act To Promote True Justice New Yorks discovery reform introduced essential changes to enhance fairness in criminal cases but led to unintended consequences. Currently, if a prosecutors discovery compliance is later challenged successfully, the time between certification and challenge is retroactively counted against the prosecution, often resulting in dismissals unrelated to the merits of the case or the legality of the investigation. This loophole inadvertently incentivizes delaying discovery challenges, in order to have cases easily thrown out on technicalities. To address this, Governor Hochul proposes changes to eliminate the incentive to delay discovery challenges and to ensure that a discovery error is addressed in a manner proportional to the discovery error itself rather than as a technical mechanism to have an entire case dismissed. These changes will promote timely review that will improve case processing times, reduce delays that keep individuals incarcerated pre-trial, and prevent dismissals based on technicalities that can prohibit justice to victims and the people of the State of New York. Streamlining and Clarifying Discovery Requirements Governor Hochul also proposes a series of improvements to streamline the States discovery process. First, the Governor proposes clarifying that information requiring subpoenas in order to obtain is not necessary for certifying discovery compliance and that prosecutors may certify once they have disclosed all relevant materials in their actual possession. Next, Governor Hochul proposes expanding the scope of automatic redaction to include sensitive details such as witnesses physical addresses and personal data unrelated to the case, eliminating the need to engage in lengthy litigation to redact such material. Governor Hochul also proposes reducing the requirement for providing 48-hour notice before a defendants statements can be presented to a grand jury to 24 hours. This will help relieve the burden of counties that lack five-day grand juries and which, during extended weekends, do not have 48 hours before a case needs to be presented to a grand jury. These changes will ensure procedural fairness, streamline case processing and safeguard sensitive information. Fighting Transnational Criminal Networks Strengthening the States Response to Transnational Criminal Networks New York faces increasing challenges from transnational criminal networks operating along the northern border, including elevated levels of drug, weapon, and currency seizures. To address these growing threats, Governor Hochul will strengthen enforcement efforts by increasing the number of State Police and counterterrorism investigators at the northern border and deploying sophisticated technology to support their operations. Through these efforts and the strengthened Interagency Task Force on Human Trafficking, Governor Hochul will build investigations to target and hold accountable those working on behalf of these criminal organizations. Combatting Sexual Assault and Domestic VIolence Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault, Gender-Based Violence and Sex Trafficking Supporting survivors remains a top priority for Governor Hochul, as she continues to lead efforts to address sexual assault, domestic violence, gender-based violence and sex trafficking. Through historic investments and bold policy initiatives, New York is setting a national standard for protecting survivors and holding offenders accountable. Under Governor Hochuls leadership, New York has significantly strengthened its response to sexual assault and domestic violence. Last year, the state invested $35 million to enhance public safety efforts statewide and $5 million in direct aid for survivors and their children. These investments are complemented by measures such as the creation of a statewide rape kit tracking system and a first-in-the-nation sexual assault evidence storage facility, ensuring survivors have access to justice and resources. Governor Hochul has enacted bold initiatives to address gender-based violence, including the Adult Survivors Act and expanded protections against the misuse of intimate images. These efforts build on New Yorks legacy of advancing survivor protections and underscore the Governors commitment to fostering safe and equitable communities for all. The state is taking proactive steps to combat sex trafficking and support survivors. New York has strengthened anti-trafficking laws and programs while increasing access to services that help survivors rebuild their lives. These initiatives reflect the Governors dedication to disrupting trafficking networks and ensuring survivors receive the support they need. This year, Governor Hochul will pursue a comprehensive agenda to further expand New Yorks response to sexual assault, domestic violence, gender-based violence and sex trafficking, continuing her unwavering commitment to supporting survivors. Requiring Access to Trained Forensic Medical Examiners at All Hospitals Every victim of sexual violence deserves the highest standard of care upon arriving at a hospital. To ensure this, Governor Hochul will propose legislation mandating that all hospitals provide access to trained medical forensic examiners for sexual assault survivors, including pediatric survivors. Access to these trained medical professionals is essential to both usher survivors through an emotionally fraught process and to collect the evidence necessary to bring swift justice to perpetrators. One study of 100 sexual assault cases that moved forward to prosecution found that almost 75 percent of cases with a DNA match, regularly collected during hospital forensic examinations, led to a guilty plea or trial compared to less than one in three cases without a lab report. Governor Hochul will also contribute State funding to unlock federal support for raising the reimbursement rates to healthcare providers for the cost of forensic exams and courses of anti-HIV drug treatment. Combined with expanded enforcement by the Department of Health, and investments in technical assistance as well as expanded forensic examiner training offerings, this measure will raise the standard of care, improve the likelihood of justice in sexual assault cases, and position New York as a national leader in addressing sexual violence. Doubling Funding for Rape Crisis Programs Many areas in New York lack adequate access to rape crisis services, with nine counties having no certified rape crisis program within the county bounds. To address these disparities and bolster existing programs, Governor Hochul will implement the largest funding increase in the programs history. This investment will enhance hospital- and community-based services, expand geographical coverage, ensure support for culturally responsive programs and improve access to advocates for survivors of sexual assault. Expanding Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence To combat sexual violence comprehensively, Governor Hochul will propose expanding the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) initiative into a new program called STRIVE+. Initially launched in 2024 to address intimate partner and domestic violence, STRIVE+ will now include non-domestic sexual assaults and rapes. Administered by the Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), funding will support district attorneys, law enforcement, probation departments and community-based providers statewide. New York City and participating counties will develop comprehensive plans using evidence-based strategies to reduce sexual violence and hold offenders accountable. This expansion aims to provide broader support for survivors while implementing effective measures to combat sexual assault. Dispossessing Domestic Violence Abusers of Firearms New York law currently lacks a specific crime that fully aligns with federal requirements for reporting domestic violence convictions to the Federal Bureau of Investigations National Instant Criminal Background Checks System (NICS), allowing some abusers to evade firearm restrictions. To address this, a new crime of Domestic Violence will be created under the penal law, which can be charged concurrently with existing offenses, ensuring all elements necessary for federal reporting are automatically met. This change streamlines the process, eliminates factual inquiries, and ensures convicted abusers are entered into NICS, preventing them from accessing firearms. Creating Safer Workplaces for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence Gender-based violence impacts victims safety and productivity in the workplace, yet current protections under Executive Order 17 are limited to State employees and are not codified in law, leaving them vulnerable to future erosion. Since its issuance, Executive Order 17 has resulted in the establishment of nation-leading policies in State agencies, training of over 80,000 State employees, and assistance in over 100 cases, but private sector employees lack similar workplace protections. To address this, Governor Hochul will propose legislation to codify this policy into state law and require all state vendors to affirm they have a gender-based violence and workplace policy before receiving contracts. These measures aim to expand protections to private sector employees, improve workplace safety and ensure financial stability for victims and their coworkers. Improving Access to Public Assistance for Survivors of Gender-Based Violence Survivors of domestic and gender-based violence can face barriers when applying for public assistance, as certain eligibility requirements, like collecting child support, can increase their risk of harm. While the law allows for waivers for survivors of domestic violence, the existing screening process relies on districts assessing survivors credibility, an approach that is not trauma-informed and which may discourage disclosures, leaving survivors without critical protections. To address this, Governor Hochul will propose legislation to eliminate the credibility assessment, allowing survivors to self-attest that complying with eligibility rules would endanger them or their children. Additionally, a more comprehensive screening tool will be developed to better identify safety concerns and connect survivors to necessary services. These changes aim to reduce stigma, improve access to public assistance and provide safer pathways for survivors to achieve financial independence and stability. Eliminating the Statute of Limitations for Sex Trafficking Cases Despite the fact that trafficking survivors may delay disclosure to law enforcement for many of the same reasons that rape survivors would, and that sometimes it takes years for trafficking survivors to even know that they were trafficked, the statues of limitation for trafficking crimes were not included in the law change that extended and eliminated statutes of limitation for sex crimes. Instead, New York State trafficking crimes are subject to the same five-year statute of limitation as other felonies. Governor Hochul will propose legislation to provide sex trafficking survivors with the same protections as survivors of other B Felony sex offenses by removing the criminal statute of limitations for sex trafficking and sex trafficking of a child. Adding the Classification of Intellectual Disability as a Means of Trafficking A national school-based study showed that children in special education services are twice as likely to be trafficked, and those with cognitive disabilities are five times more at risk compared to other students. Governor Hochul proposes adding language to the penal law to classify coercing someone with an intellectual disability into prostitution activity as a form of trafficking. Cracking Down on Drugged Driving Strengthening Drugged Driving Laws Drugged driving causes more fatalities statewide than drunk driving, yet enforcement remains difficult due to outdated laws and limited resources. Governor Hochul will propose legislation to close critical loopholes, such as expanding the universe of prosecutable substances, authorizing penalties for refusal to participate in testing, enabling prompt license suspensions for drugged driving, and broadening the circumstances under which chemical tests can be compelled. The plan also includes increasing training for law enforcement and exploring the use of improved roadside screening and toxicology tools to enhance enforcement capabilities. These measures will equip law enforcement to better address the growing issue of drug-impaired driving. Expanding Law Enforcement Technology and Coordinating Capacity Expanding Support for Intelligence Sharing and Agency Coordination The Crime Analysis Centers (CACs) are vital to crime prevention and public safety in New York, providing significant tools like hot-spot analysis and real-time investigative support to law enforcement statewide. Under Governor Hochuls leadership, CAC funding has tripled, and the network has grown to 11 centers across the state. Additionally, the statewide Joint Security Operations Center (JSOC) was established as a 24/7 cybersecurity hub to coordinate responses to cyber threats. Building on these successes, Governor Hochul will propose the creation of the New York State Crime Analysis and Joint Special Operations Command Headquarters (CA-JSOC) doubling the State investment. This first-in-the-nation headquarters will unite over 100 local, state and federal agencies to track crime trends, share intelligence and coordinate responses in real time, further enhancing public safety across New York State. Securing Additional Funding for Law Enforcement Technology Last year, Governor Hochul provided record funding for the Law Enforcement Technology (LETECH) grants to support agencies statewide in acquiring critical technologies and equipment to enhance crime prevention and community engagement. To ensure law enforcement partners continue to have access to the tools needed to protect New Yorkers, Governor Hochul will secure additional funding for future rounds of LETECH grants. This investment will strengthen public safety and improve trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Tackling Root Causes of Crime Supporting Safe and Vibrant Communities Governor Hochul will address rising crime rates in the Bronx through the Governors Action Plan for Neighborhood Safety, led by the Division of Criminal Justice Services. This initiative will take a holistic approach to public safety by addressing root causes of crime, such as youth development and community opportunities. A key component will support the scaling of community-led violence prevention initiatives to provide pro-social activities, fostering safer and healthier neighborhoods. Reducing Reoffending Through Innovative Justice Initiatives Repeat offenses contribute significantly to overall crime rates in New York, with reoffending rates as high as 80 percent for individuals released from prison. Under Governor Hochuls leadership, programs like Jails to Jobs have reduced recidivism by connecting previously incarcerated individuals to education and job opportunities. Building on this progress, Governor Hochul will expand training in green energy and sustainable industries and enhance positive incentive programs like merit time to improve reentry success. Local News By Chris Boyle Published: January 16 2025 Team of 10 Forest Rangers Heading to Los Angeles to Join Firefighters Working to Contain Wildfires. Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that a team of 10 Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers is traveling to California to support ongoing efforts to contain wildfires raging in Los Angeles. The Forest Rangers flew out of Albany this morning for what is expected to be a two-week assignment. When other states and nations ask for New Yorks help, we are always prepared to send assistance, Governor Hochul said. New Yorks expert wildland firefighting Forest Rangers were eager to answer the call and will do what they can to help in response to the extraordinary devastation in and around Los Angeles. I thank them for their bravery and look forward to their safe return. New York State regularly deploys highly trained wildland firefighters to help battle fires in other states and nations as part of interstate and international firefighting compacts. In Southern California, the fires have killed an estimated 25 people to date, burned more than 40,000 acres, and destroyed more than 12,000 structures. The fires started on Jan. 7, fueled by Santa Ana winds. Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, DECs Forest Rangers are highly trained wildland firefighters who are prepared to use their expertise to assist communities in need whenever they get the call. I appreciate the Rangers stepping up to run toward danger and bolster the efforts of firefighters from across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and other nations to battle these destructive wildfires. In 1979, New York sent its first firefighting crew to assist western states with large wildfires. On average, one or two crews are deployed as needed to assist with wildfires every year. In addition to helping contain wildfires and minimize damage to people and property, these crews gain valuable experience that will be utilized fighting wildfires and managing incidents in New York. All personnel and travel expenses for the New York crews are either paid directly by the U.S. Forest Service or reimbursed to New York State based on a mutual aid agreement between states and federal land agencies. Authorities said theyve identified a Massachusetts woman who died after she was hit by a vehicle in the parking lot of a retail store in Rhode Island over the weekend. Kathleen Tascione, 74, of Bellingham, was struck by a vehicle in the parking lot of an Ocean State Job Lot at 1919 Diamond Hill Road on Jan. 11, Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates said in a statement. She was taken to Landmark Medical Center where she was pronounced dead, Oates said. The driver of the vehicle stayed on the scene. The accident is still under investigation by the Woonsocket Police Departments accident reconstruction team, Oates said in a statement. The driver involved is cooperating with the investigation. A Boston man pleaded guilty before a Suffolk Superior Court judge on Thursday in connection with the 2022 fatal stabbing of a Dorchester man, Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Haydens office said. Dwight Watson, 58, pleaded guilty on Thursday to second-degree murder. His sentencing is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 16. Opening statements and testimony began on Wednesday, Haydens office said in a statement. At around 1:03 a.m. on Saturday, July 16, 2022, Boston police found Urvin Gerald, 48, of Dorchester with a stab wound at the Mount Horeb Lodge, Haydens office said. He was taken to Boston Medical Center, where Gerald was pronounced dead. Investigators later learned of an earlier altercation between Gerald and Watson, also known as Dog Bite, the statement read. Gerald was a regular guest at the lodge. Lodge security broke up Watson and Gerald after their altercation with Watson was escorted out of the building, Haydens office said. About 30 minutes later, Gerald left the back of the lodge and into the parking lot, where Watson appeared. Watson stabbed Gerald in the neck and ran off, Haydens office said. Watson was later found by U.S. Marshals in Ohio on Jan. 27, 2023. Geralds family members are also expected to give impact statements. As wildfires scorch California and Massachusetts recovers from its historic increase in fires just two months ago, the question of whether a similar disaster could happen on this coastline looms and whether or not the Bay State is ready. Last October, Massachusetts saw a staggering 1,200% increase in wildfires across the state that continued into November and burnt a total of about 4,000 acres. While in California, wildfires have burned over 40,000 acres in under two weeks. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled and at least 24 people have been killed as of Jan. 15, according to reports from Cal Fire. Its bringing up these feelings from a couple of months ago when we experienced our own wildfire on a very, very different scale, said Northampton Mayor Gina Louise-Sciarra, whose city faced an eight-day, 52-acre blaze at its Fitzgerald Lake Conservation Area at the start of November. Could fires of the same magnitude as those in California ever happen in Massachusetts? The states Fire Warden said absolutely. Even in an area where you feel like you would never have an issue with a wildfire, anything is possible under the right conditions, said David Celino, Massachusetts State Fire Warden. However, preparation for wildfires is handled at the municipality level in Massachusetts. With Californias ongoing disaster and this past falls statistics, a wake-up call may have been sounded for Bay States town leaders to get their resources in order, Celino said. The beauty of this falls fire season is that everybody got sort of a heads-up ... [to start thinking], It would behoove us to really up our game and training so that were prepared, Celino said. How prepared are the towns? With a loss of 442 acres in just 24 hours on Mount Gilead, the Lynn wildfires last fall threatened properties and caused air quality issues. It was one of the most significant fires seen across the state in the drought period, and it had a real possibility of escaping its borders into the community, Celino said. Lynn was previously approved a grant for fire preparation funding by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) through its Bureau of Forest Fire Control in January 2024, according to Mayor Jared Nicholson. Now, in a broader, more comprehensive effort led by the citys fire department, Nicholson hopes to sign another grant for forest fire safety through the Department of Agriculture at the end of February. A Blackhawk helicopter flown by a member of the 126th Aviation Regiment of the Massachusetts National Guard picks up a load of water on Nov. 3, 2024. The helicopter was conducting water drops in Northampton and Montgomery in an effort to battle wildfires there, and it was drawing water from Fitzgerald Lake and the Westfield Reservoir. (Sgt. 1st Class Steven Eaton / Massachusetts National Guard)Massachusetts National Guard The grant would help produce a community wildfire defense plan, Nicholson explained, for the citys fire department, park ranger, department of public works and its urban forestry fellow to prepare for and respond to wildfires while managing community risk. In Salem, there were two separate fires in October 2024 one that burned 172 acres between Spring Pond and Highland Avenue and another burned 14 acres on the other side of Highland Avenue in Salem Woods. These damaged one garage at a camping ground, Mayor Dominick Pagnallo said, and residents complained of smoke for multiple days. As the city approaches its 400th anniversary in 2026, Pagnallo said it looks to invest in infrastructure that supports a functioning and safe community. That also means investing in our historic preservation in the face of a change in climate, Pagnallo said. Since at least 2021, Salem has hosted an annual Preservation and a Changing Climate conference, which focuses on the intersection of historic preservation, sustainability, and resilience for the citys neighborhoods, buildings, documents and other materials. As of January, the Salem Fire Department and town leadership are trying to learn from the work done in October to put out the fires, Pagnallo said. This includes some lessons from mutual aid departments like the DCR and Massachusetts National Guard who arrived with fresh fire equipment and forest fire equipment. Additionally, while already responsive, the fire department is looking to be flexible and responsive to the challenges were facing as a coastal community, by having members with backgrounds (in) urban forestry and forest firefighting, Pagnallo said. Difficult-to-reach locations for firefighters are something Revere has also prepared for, said Mayor Patrick Keefe, especially with its Oak Island area that received an updated water system after a failure during a brush fire two years ago. And in Northampton, where a big challenge with its Fitzgerald Lake fire last fall was its remote location, Louise-Sciarra is looking into whether her fire department can get their hands on all-terrain-vehicles (ATV) like the ones their mutual aid partners brought in. Im grateful we have access to resources if we need them from other communities, but Im looking at whether theres anything that we should have in our equipment that would make accessing, preventing or subduing fires quicker and easier for us, Louise-Sciarra said. How are wildfires different in other states? While Massachusetts and California have different conditions and fuel types, or causes of fire ignition, Celino said the Bay State still has the potential for severe and dangerous wildfires, as shown by history and recent events. He gave the example of a severe fire in Plymouth from 1957, which ravaged 15,000 acres and reached the ocean in less than 12 hours. Additionally, a fire driven by drought conditions in 2020 was contained at 20 acres but threatened the Pigeon Cove area of Rockport. And while both California and Massachusetts have leaf litter that can fuel fires, the topography of Massachusetts doesnt affect fire behavior the way Californias canyons and other features do, according to Celino. Massachusetts wind patterns can be influential, Celino said, as they were predicted to be potentially catastrophic in the Lynn fire. But the difference in the West Coast winds and its bushy plants are other factors that influence and set apart its fires from those on the East Coast. Still, with the right combination of Massachusetts fuel types leaf litter, drought seasons, high heat and wind theres room for disaster, Celino said. Thats why being prepared is so important, a notion the towns appear to have taken seriously, he said. The local fire departments really learned a lot from this and it will increase training for them, Celino said, adding his state agency has received training requests from departments in recent months. Last years fires pushed leaders to prop up our knowledge, vision and preparedness for the next time, Celino said, because we know that there probably will be a next time. A Dartmouth High School student was arrested Wednesday morning after police say they attempted to stab a fellow student inside the school. Police responded to the school around 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. Arriving officers learned two students were involved in an altercation in the hallway but separated when one fled to a nearby office. Officers determined a student approached another in the hallway and attempted to stab them using a pen with a screwdriver on the other end, police wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. The other student was able to get away without injury. The pair were separated when the school issued a shelter-in-place to allow school staff and responding officers to find the weapon, police said. The student who police say attempted to stab their peer was taken to a hospital and is being charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to murder, assault & battery and assault with intent to cause serious bodily harm, police said. Their name was not released. Thankfully, no one was hurt during this incident, said Dartmouth Police Chief Brian P. Levesque in the statement. Were grateful for the quick response and close collaboration between officers of the Dartmouth Police Department and staff at the Dartmouth High School to not only contain this incident, but for the professionalism and compassion displayed responding to a call for service of this nature. David Lynch, the director and writer of several surrealist films on crime, romance and Hollywood, one of the creators of the acclaimed series Twin Peaks, has died. He was 78. In a Facebook post requesting privacy at this time, Lynchs family announced his death. "Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us, the post read. But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole." The post concluded with a nod to videos Lynch posted on YouTube during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, in which Lynch ended most of his forecasts with: Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way. A lifelong smoker, Lynch announced last year that he was diagnosed with emphysema and said he did not expect to leave home or direct anymore. Born Jan. 20, 1946, in Missoula, Montana, Lynchs directorial debut came in 1977 with Eraserhead, starring Jack Nance. Lynchs films combined retro Americana with surreal, violent portrayals of the human condition. After Eraserhead, he would go one to release The Elephant Man, his own adaptation of Frank Herberts Dune, Blue Velvet, Wild at Heart starring Nicolas Cage, and The Straight Story. From 1997 to 2006, Lynch released a trilogy of film focused on Southern California, each receiving critical acclaim: Lost Highway, Mulholland Dr. and Inland Empire. At the 2001 Cannes Film Festival, Lynch received the Best Director award for Mulholland Dr.,' and he also later received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. Lynch was also one of the creators of the television series Twin Peaks, which premiered in 1990. After over a year, the show was canceled. He then directed a sequel/prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, which incorporated the shows cast, along with musician David Bowie. Lynch resurrected the show in 2017 with Twin Peaks: The Return. Lynch also founded his own foundation for transcendental meditation. I started transcendental meditation in 1973 and have not missed a single meditation ever since, Lynch wrote in the foundations description. Twice a day, every day. It has given me effortless access to unlimited reserves of energy, creativity and happiness deep within. This level of life is sometimes called pure consciousness it is a treasury. And this level of life is deep within us all. A former Falmouth flooring company bookkeeper who pleaded guilty to stealing over $1.3 million from her employer was sentenced to two years in prison, United States Attorney Joshua Levys office said Thursday. U.S. District Court Judge Leo Sorokin sentenced Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, to two years in prison, followed by another two years of supervised release. She must also pay $1,714,921.01 in restitution, Levys office said in a statement. Figuerido pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return in October 2024. In the period between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled over $1.3 million from her employer, Haydens office said. She wrote checks to herself and drew them from her employers bank account, where she did not record the checks she wrote to herself. Figuerido did not report or include the funds in her federal income tax filings, the statement read. This resulted in a tax loss of about $353,000. The Duxbury mother charged in connection with killing her three young children in January 2023 must undergo a psychiatric examination ahead of her trial next year, a judge ruled this week. Lindsay Clancys trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 5, 2026, and she plans to pursue a defense of lack of criminal responsibility for her childrens killings due to her mental condition. On Tuesday, a judge allowed a motion by prosecutors for Clancy to submit to a psychiatric examination, or multiple if necessary, by an expert chosen by the prosecution. Clancy intends to offer psychiatric evidence based on her own statements at trial about her mental condition, according to court filings. Clancys defense attorney claims her mental health suffered greatly in the days leading up to her childrens killings and that she suffered a psychotic episode on Jan. 24, 2023. The Plymouth County District Attorneys Office, however, argued she acted out a premeditated plan to strangle her children with exercise bands after sending her husband out on errands and then attempted to take her own life. Plymouth County authorities indicted Clancy on three counts each of murder and strangulation in the deaths of her three children: Cora, 5; Dawson, 3; and 7-month-old Callan. Kevin Reddington, Clancys attorney, previously said she was suffering from severe mental illness at the time of her childrens killings, dealing with overmedication and grappling with postpartum depression. By pursuing the lack of criminal responsibility due to her mental condition also known as the insanity defense Reddington argued that Clancy could not understand the consequences of her actions because of her mental state at the time. If Clancy is ultimately acquitted at trial because jurors determine she is not criminally responsible for her actions, she would be committed to a mental health facility or Bridgewater State Hospital. Her commitment would be reviewed after six months, and then each year. If at some point Clancy is deemed no longer mentally ill or dangerous, she would be discharged, pending a hearing. She obviously had no reason to kill those three beautiful children, Reddington said during a court appearance. You have to ask yourself why. Why? And when you ask yourself why, you consider all these factors, its readily apparent that this woman was a troubled soul. Clancy, who is paralyzed from the waist down a result of injuries she sustained after jumping from a second-story window at her familys Duxbury home after strangling her children is living day to day, Reddington said. She remains committed to Tewksbury State Hospital while her criminal case moves forward. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 7. Clancy is set to appear via Zoom. A Lowell man who was on the run from law enforcement for more than three years was arrested in January after federal officials said he conspired to distribute drugs in Massachusetts and other states with fellow gang members. Darasy Chhim, 39, is charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine base, fentanyl, MDMA, 500 grams or more of cocaine and 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy said. Chhim was charged by indictment along with 14 other people in June 2021, Levy said. He was on the lam until police found him in a Lowell home and arrested him on Jan. 10. Chhim was a One Family Clique street gang member, Levy said. Between February 2019 to June 2021, he and a dozen other people conspired to distribute drugs in and around Lowell, in other parts of Massachusetts and in other U.S. states, including Virginia and California. The group trafficked several substances in large amounts, Levy said. The substances included fentanyl and methamphetamine. Chhim was a leader of the One Family Clique, whose members engaged in trafficking firearms, laundering money, attacking rival gangs and other criminal acts, Levy said. Chhims charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million, according to Levy. The charge also includes that the government would seize property that was linked to the drug distribution offense. A Topeka woman who died on a flight to Bostons Logan International Airport was a master sergeant in the Air National Guard, a spokesperson confirmed. Barbara Dipoli, 53, was on an Air France flight traveling from Paris to Boston on Tuesday, according to a statement by Massachusetts State Police. Officials said her death was after a medical episode. She was on Air France Flight 334, which landed at Logan after a seven-hour flight from Charles de Gaulle Airport at 4:51 p.m., according to FlightAware. Investigators await the official cause and manner of death once it is released by the Chief Medical Examiners office, State Police said. Dipoli was a former member of the Air National Guard in Kansas, spokesperson Jane Welch said. She served from September 2015 until she retired last September, ABC affiliate KAKE.com reported. Dipoli rose to the rank of master sergeant. Troopers assigned to Troop F, Crime Scene Services Section and the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit are running the investigation. We offer our condolences to her family and loved ones, State Police said in their statement. A trial board hearing for suspended Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor ended Wednesday evening without any decisions and will continue next month. The second day of the hearing is scheduled to take place on Monday, Feb. 10, according to state police. The hearing will take place in person at General Headquarters in Framingham as they did on Wednesday. The hearings are not open to the public or the media. Proctor was relieved of duty and transferred out of the Norfolk County district attorneys office hours after Karen Reads first trial ended in a mistrial July 1, 2024. A week later, he was suspended without pay. He has remained suspended since July 2024 amid an internal affairs investigation into his conduct. During the Read trial, Proctor admitted to sending disparaging texts about her as he investigated the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John OKeefe. In text messages, Proctor called Read a whack job and said he hoped she killed herself. Proctor was subject to sharp cross-examination from Reads lawyers on alleged conflicts of interest, communications with non-involved civilian persons regarding the Read case, and statements regarding the defendant from which defense counsel argued a bias could be formed, Norfolk County prosecutors wrote in a court filing. At the close of any internal affairs investigation, State Police may pursue charges against a member of the department, which would then be adjudicated by a Trial Board. The board then makes recommendations to the superintendent, who would determine the final outcome of the investigation. Trial boards comprise three staff and/or commissioned officers appointed by the departments superintendent, in this case, Col. Geoff Noble, according to State Police regulations. The board will be overseen by one person appointed president by Noble. No members of the board are from the same troop/section/unit as Proctor. The State Police member facing the Trial Board is allowed to be represented by a lawyer, and can present evidence, call witnesses and cross-examine witnesses called to testify against them. Witnesses will testify under oath during the proceeding. Proctor is not the only State Police trooper to have faced discipline tied to the Read case. A pair of his supervisors, Sgt. Yuriy Bukhenik and Det. Lt. Brian Tully, were both ordered to forfeit accrued vacation time for failing to properly supervise or discipline Proctor. Tully, who led the detective unit assigned to the district attorneys office, was transferred out of that post. When she takes to the rostrum in the state House chamber for her second State of the Commonwealth address on Thursday night, Gov. Maura Healey will look backward as much as shes looking forward. With the Arlington Democrat rounding the bend on the halfway mark in her first term, Healey will plug the accomplishments of her first two years, even as she sketches out her priorities for the year to come. Some of them will be familiar: The states housing and migrant shelter crises will figure prominently, as will the Democratic administrations 2024 wins on economic development and climate change, according to a summary provided by Healeys office. Healey will also commit to proposing a Fiscal Year 2026 budget that prioritizes efficiency, action and impact. It will utilize every dollar to make a difference for people and ensure that government is working for them, a spokesperson for her office said in an email. The challenges facing Healey in the second half of her term are vast. They include solving the ongoing funding crunch for the MBTA and reining in the cost of the states chaotic and wildly expensive shelter system. The Democratic governor already has tipped her hand on how she plans to tackle both issues. Healey called for significant changes to the states Right to Shelter Law on Wednesday, including a residency requirement long sought by Republicans and stronger criminal background checks. In a statement, Healeys office said it had included its proposals in a letter to senior legislative Democrats pitching changes to a $425 million short-term funding proposal for the system her office filed last week. I have evaluated the Right to Shelter Law and regulations as well as the operational burdens on the system. Based on that review, and in the face of continued inaction by Congress and no assistance from the federal government, I believe these changes are appropriate and needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state shelter system in a way that aligns with the original intent of the law, Healey said. Legislative Democrats who control the states purse-strings greeted Healeys proposal with familiar refrains. Immigration is a federal issue that the administration and the Legislature have been forced to deal with because of inaction in Congress, Senate President Karen E. Spilka, D-Middlesex/ Norfolk, said in a statement. Spilka said she recognizes the shared goal of the Administration and the Senate to balance our states responsibility to support families in crisis with the need to responsibly manage taxpayer dollars. The Ashland Democrat added that she has long recognized our moral responsibility to keep families in crisis off of our streets, and will work with her colleagues to review this proposal with the gravity that it deserves. As they work through Healeys funding plan, House Democrats plan to remain focused on instituting further reforms centered around fiscal responsibility and safety, policies that will be informed by conversations with House members, through continued collaboration with the Healey-Driscoll administration, and by actions taken at the federal level, House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, said in a statement. And on Tuesday, the Democratic front office rolled out a 10-year, $8 billion kick-ass plan for transportation funding that shores up funding for roads and bridges, along with the MBTA and regional transit agencies. The T faces a $700 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2026 that could grow to $900 million by 2029 if left unaddressed, according to an analysis by the Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation. After last years approval and gubernatorial signature, of a $5.1 billion housing bond bill, Beacon Hill dwellers are watching Healey carefully for her next moves. The bill reflects a shared priority, Senate Minority Leader Bruce E. Tarr, R-1st Essex/Middlesex, told MassLive earlier this week, even as he urged restraint. I think both sides of the aisle know that we need housing. Depending on who you talk to, the number is either 100,000 units, 200,000 units, or 300,000 [new] units, Tarr continued. But whatever it is, its a serious thing, and we need to address it. What I would point out is that a lot of the money in that bill is bond money, and we still have some of the highest bonded indebtedness of any state in the union, the Gloucester Republican said. And so we need to think carefully and strategically about how were going to spend that money. Healey also has proposed scrapping brokers' fees paid by renters, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of renting an apartment. Theres interest in the Senate in the proposal, which got left out of the housing bill. Read More: Everything you need to know about MCAS heading into 2025 And with last years approval of a statewide ballot question eliminating the MCAS examination as a high school graduation requirement, Healey is expected to focus Thursday on evaluating how to ensure that Massachusetts schools continue to have a high, statewide graduation standard, her office said. Of all the pitches that Healey makes to lawmakers, this one may be the most closely watched by parents across the commonwealth. Healey delivers her speech to the joint session of the state House and Senate at 7 p.m. Stay with MassLive for additional coverage and analysis. SOUTHWICK Of the five articles on the warrant for Tuesdays Special Town Meeting the citizens petition to lower the speed limit on College Highway was the only one not approved. Greg Deily, who submitted the citizens petition, asked voters to say yes to his proposal to lower the speed limits on College Highway by 10 mph and install sidewalks at two or three places in the Town Center. A Planet Fitness will open in Worcesters downtown area in the summer of 2025, according to a press release from T.K. Skenderian of Conventures Inc. The press release reads that Core Development and Management, an independent franchisee of Planet Fitness, will open a 15,578-square-foot gym. Skenderian told MassLive the fitness center will be located at 90 Front St. Planet Fitness will be part of the Mercantile Center, a mixed-use property located downtown that includes 90 Front St., according to Skenderian. The building is also home to the Worcester Registry of Deeds and formerly housed a CVS pharmacy that closed in 2023. As we turn the page into 2025, were looking forward to working out alongside a growing base of neighbors and residents here in downtown, Chip Norton, managing director of Mercantile Center and Franklin Realty Advisors said in the press release. Gyms provide a convenient space for social and physical activity and few locations can engender a greater sense of community than Planet Fitness. Were delighted to welcome them to town and cant wait for the doors to open. The lease is for 12 years, according to the press release. As we meet Worcesters growing desire to stay healthy, our newest location will make our services more easily accessible for those who live and work downtown, said Bruce Edwards, CEO of Core Development and Management We are steadfastly dedicated to providing a high-quality gym experience for an affordable cost, and were greatly looking forward to further contributing to the Worcester area. Planet Fitness was founded in 1992 in Dover, New Hampshire, and has 88 locations in Massachusetts, according to the company website. There are currently two locations in Worcester, one at 535 Lincoln St. and the other at 68 Stafford St., the website reads. Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty is defending his conduct following accusations of misgendering and creating a toxic work culture from Councilor-at-Large Thu Nguyen. Nguyen announced on Jan. 15 that they would be taking a month-long hiatus from the council, citing transphobia and a toxic culture. Nguyen, who is the councils first non-binary and Southeast Asian-American member, wrote that they had been misgendered publicly on the council floor by Petty. Nguyen shared a video with MassLive of a March 15, 2022 meeting where the councilor was misgendered by Petty when Petty thanked Nguyen. In a statement released during the evening of Jan. 15, Petty said that once the mistake was brought to his attention, he quickly corrected himself and apologized. During my 13 years as Mayor, I have always tried to treat every councilor with the dignity and respect they deserve, Petty said in the statement. I would never knowingly say anything harmful, and I firmly believe everyone deserves the dignity of having their identity honored and respected. Petty suggested in his statement that another reason for Nguyens concerns was the decision to mandate in-person attendance at city council and sub-committee hearings. Nguyen participated remotely at the last city council meeting on Jan. 14. I will not apologize for holding myself and my colleagues accountable to the responsibilities entrusted to us by the people we serve, Petty said in the statement. Being available, accessible, and engaged is a fundamental expectation of our roles, and it is critical to the success of the city." Petty said he also shared Nguyens concern about the need for a safe environment. I will continue to work with the City Administration and [Worcester Police Department] to ensure the safety of all councilors during public meetings. Petty said. We are in a time of uncertainty, where members of the LGBTQIA+ community face real fears and challenges in simply being their authentic selves. In their statement on Jan. 15, Nguyen also accused Councilor-at-Large Kathleen Toomey of misgendering them and accused District 2 Councilor Candy Mero-Carlson of referring to them as it multiple times. In a post on X on Wednesday, Toomey wrote that she made an honest error' in addressing Nguyen. I did make an honest error in addressing the councilor and may have done so a few times, for which I apologized, Toomey wrote. I have been mindful to address the Councilor respectfully in the manner in which they identify over the past three years no differently or less respectfully than I address any of our colleagues. In response to accusations against her, Mero-Carlson wrote in a post that Nguyens claims misrepresent her character, record and values. In a statement shared by the Talk of the Commonwealth radio show on X, Mero-Carlson said Nguyen has chosen to distort the narrative and weaponize these accusations for political purposes, rather than engaging in constructive dialogue that serves the best interests of Worcesters residents. The shakeup in the city council has also drawn other responses from councilors. Following Nguyens statement, District 5 Councilor Etel Haxhiaj released a statement on X calling on those who have misgendered Nguyen to apologize and that Councilor Mero-Carlson be held accountable for their accused actions. City Councilors proclaim that hate has no home in Worcester, Haxhiaj wrote. I agree. Hate should have no home in city hall and in Worcester City Council as well. City Council Vice Chair and Councilor-at-Large Khrystian King said in a statement that Nguyens allegations are serious. As Vice Chairman, I envision a better future for the Trans and gender non-conforming folks, both within the City Council Chambers and in the wider community, King wrote. As public officials, we are called to equally commit to fostering a civic environment that protects our members and participants from any semblance of political hostility while denouncing any behavior that contributes to dehumanization or othering. Ngyuen confirmed to MassLive that they would take a months hiatus to prioritize their emotional and mental safety while also taking the time to forge a path to address this matter. 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On 13 January 2025, WHO informed its Member States and IHR State Parties of an outbreak of suspected Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) in the Kagera region of the United Republic of Tanzania using our secure web-based platformthe Event Information Site (EIS). Under the International Health Regulations, the EIS is used to issue rapid alerts to Member States of acute and rapidly developing public health risks and events with possible international implications. Summary of the situation On 10 January 2025, WHO received reliable reports from in-country sources regarding suspected cases of MVD in the Kagera region of the United Republic of Tanzania. Six people were reported to have been affected, five of whom had died. The cases presented with similar symptoms of headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhoea, haematemesis (vomiting with blood), malaise (body weakness) and, at a later stage of disease, external haemorrhage (bleeding from orifices). As of 11 January 2025, nine suspected cases were reported including eight deaths (case fatality ratio (CFR) of 89%) across two districts Biharamulo and Muleba. Samples from two patients have been collected and tested by the National Public Health Laboratory. Results are pending official confirmation. Contacts, including healthcare workers, are reported to have been identified and under follow-up in both districts. The Bukoba district in Kagera region experienced its first MVD outbreak in March 2023, and zoonotic reservoirs, such as fruit bats, remain endemic to the area. The outbreak in March 2023 lasted for nearly two months with nine cases including six deaths. Public health response National rapid response teams have been deployed to support outbreak investigation and response; surveillance activities have been intensified with contact tracing ongoing; laboratory samples from recent cases have been sent for confirmation at the National Public Health Laboratory. A mobile laboratory is located in Kagera region and treatment units have reportedly been established. WHO risk assessment The risk of this suspected MVD outbreak is assessed as high at the national level due to several concerning factors. The suspected outbreak thus far involves at least nine suspected cases, including eight deaths, resulting in a high CFR of 89%. Healthcare workers are included among the suspected cases affected, highlighting the risk of nosocomial transmission. The source of the outbreak is currently unknown. The reporting of suspected MVD cases from two districts suggests geographic spread. The delayed detection and isolation of cases, coupled with ongoing contact tracing, indicates lack of a full information of the current outbreak. More cases are expected to be identified. The regional risk is considered high due to Kagera regions strategic location as a transit hub, with significant cross-border movement of the population to Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Reportedly, some of the suspected cases are in districts near international borders, highlighting the potential for spread into neighbouring countries. MVD is not easily transmissible (i.e. in most instances, it requires contact with the body fluids of a sick patient presenting with symptoms or with surfaces contaminated with these fluids). However, it cannot be excluded that a person exposed to the virus may be travelling. The global risk is currently assessed as low. There is no confirmed international spread at this stage, although there are concerns about potential risks. Kagera region, while not close to Tanzanias capital or major international airports, is well-connected through transportation networks, and has an airport that connects to Dar es Salaam for onward travel outside Tanzania by air. This highlights the need for enhanced surveillance and case management capacities at relevant points of entry and borders, and close coordination with neighbouring countries to strengthen readiness capacities. WHO advice Human-to-human transmission of Marburg virus is primarily associated with direct contact with the blood and/or other bodily fluids of infected people. WHO advises the following risk reduction measures be taken as an effective way to reduce MVD transmission and control an outbreak. Prevention: Protective measures individuals should take to reduce human exposure to the virus include: Reduce the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their body fluids. Close physical contact with MVD patients should be avoided. People suspected or confirmed for MVD should immediately seek care in health facilities and be isolated in a designated treatment centre for early care and to avoid transmission at home. Community and family members should avoid caring for symptomatic individuals at home, and avoid touching bodies of people deceased with MVD symptoms. They should avoid touching other potentially contaminated items and surfaces. They should be encouraged to go to a health facility for assessment and treatment if they have symptoms. Reduce the risk of bat-to-human transmission arising from prolonged exposure to mines or caves inhabited by fruit bat colonies. During work or research activities or tourist visits in mines or caves inhabited by fruit bat colonies, people should wear gloves and other appropriate protective clothing (including masks). During outbreaks, all animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption. Coordination: Multisectoral coordination and pillar meetings at all levels and sharing of detailed situation reports is encouraged. Involvement of different stakeholders and partners in preparedness and response activities is also encouraged. To ensure an effective and sustained response, resource mobilization efforts within the government and with partners are recommended. Risk communication and community engagement: Raising public awareness and engaging with communities are important for successfully controlling MVD outbreaks. This includes raising awareness of symptoms, risk factors for infection, protective measures and the importance of seeking immediate care at a health facility. Sensitive and supportive information about safe and dignified burials is also crucial. This awareness should be increased through targeted campaigns and direct work with communities. Special attention should be given to high-risk groups, such as traditional healers, clergy, and community leaders, who may inadvertently facilitate disease spread, and who are important sources of information for the community. Misinformation and rumours should be addressed to foster trust and promote early symptom reporting. Surveillance: Active case detection, contact tracing, and alert management across affected and neighbouring regions should be intensified. Community-based surveillance systems should be strengthened to promptly identify and report new cases, particularly in high-risk areas. Close monitoring of healthcare workers, family members and individuals who have had contact with suspected cases or other high-exposure settings should be ensured. Surveillance capacities should also be intensified at relevant points of entry and borders to reduce the risk of further spread, including internationally. Infection prevention and control (IPC) measures: critical infection prevention and control measures should be implemented and/or strengthened in all health care facilities, per WHOs Infection prevention and control guideline for Ebola and Marburg disease, which highlighted the importance of the rapid implementation of the IPC ring approach including but not limited to IPC rapid assessment, decontamination of the health facilities and household and early detection and identification of the cases through the screening and isolation of the suspected cases to minimize the transmission risk. Health workers caring for patients with confirmed or suspected MVD should apply transmission-based precautions in addition to: standard precautions, including appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and hand hygiene according to the WHO 5 moments to avoid contact with patients blood and other body fluids and with contaminated surfaces and objects. Waste generated in healthcare facilities must be safely segregated, safely collected, transported, stored, treated and finally disposed. Follow the national guidelines, rules and regulations for safe waste disposal or follow the WHOs guidelines on safe waste management Patient-care activities should be undertaken in a clean and hygienic environment that facilitates practices related to the prevention and control of health-care-associated infections (HAIs) as outlined in Essential environmental health standards in health care. Safe water, adequate sanitation and hygiene infrastructure and services should be provided in healthcare facilities. For details on recommendations and improvement, follow the WASH FIT implementation Package Laboratory testing: The processing and analysis of samples should be expedited, with results promptly shared with responders and clinicians to guide patient management, containment strategies and broader response efforts. This includes genomic sequencing on positive samples. International referral of samples to a regional reference laboratory should be considered for inter-laboratory comparison. Evaluation of candidate medical countermeasures: There are no licensed vaccines or therapeutics against MVD. Several candidate vaccines are in the pipeline and outbreaks offer an opportunity to assess their efficacy and safety. There are protocols available and a network of experts in filovirus ready to support national researchers. Safe and dignified burials: Safe and dignified burial protocols should be implemented for people who have died to minimize community exposure. Additional training and equipment for healthcare workers and burial teams should be provided to ensure safe management of MVD-related fatalities. Thorough community engagement is required to ensure that affected communities are empowered to adhere to the protocol. Case management and mental health and psychosocial support: Isolation and treatment facilities should be adequately equipped to ensure the safety and efficacy of patient care, while simultaneously preventing the spread of the disease. Supportive care such as rehydration, symptom management, and psychological support for patients and their families is essential to improving survival rates and mitigating the outbreaks impact. Border health and cross-border coordination: Surveillance and response capacities should be strengthened at relevant points of entry, onboard conveyances, and in border regions to prevent further spread, including internationally. Cases, contacts and individuals in affected areas who present signs and symptoms compatible with case definitions should be advised not to travel in line with WHOs border health and points of entry technical guidance for filovirus disease outbreaks. Collaboration with neighbouring countries should be enhanced to harmonize reporting mechanisms, conduct joint investigations, and share critical data in real-time. Surrounding countries should enhance readiness activities to enable early case detection, isolation and treatment. Preparedness and Readiness: Readiness assessments in high-risk regions should be conducted to ensure response mechanisms, such as mobile labs and isolation units, are adequately equipped to manage new cases. Based on the current risk assessment, WHO advises against any travel and trade restrictions with the United Republic of Tanzania. Minister Darragh OBrien and Minister Alan Dillon have announced that 85 million in funding is to be made available through Irelands European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programmes to restore vacant or derelict heritage buildings in public ownership revitalising urban centres, bringing valued heritage buildings back into use as community assets and delivering on New European Bauhaus and Town Centre First policies. Grants are to be awarded to 26 town centres to support local authorities with the planning and design phase. Ballina is the only Mayo town included and received 200,000 in funding when the first call of this fund was announced last May. Building on the success of the initial funding round in 2024, Irelands Regional Assemblies are pleased to open the second call for applications under Strand 2 of THRIVE the Town Centre First Heritage Revival Scheme from January 16, 2025 with awards of up to 7 million available to refurbish, restore, and adapt publicly owned heritage buildings within town centres. THRIVE empowers local authorities to reimagine and adapt heritage buildings, preserving their historical and cultural significance while creating vibrant and sustainable urban spaces. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh OBrien TD, said: I very much welcome the launch of the new 85 million THRIVE call under the ERDF Regional Programmes. This funding gives local authorities the tools to bring Irelands heritage buildings into the 21st century, not only preserving and protecting these important heritage assets, but also ensuring their sustainable re-use for future generations. I look forward to seeing the regeneration benefits that will arise out of this funding and will strengthen the vibrancy of towns and cities throughout Ireland. Minister of State for Local Government and Planning, Alan Dillon TD, said: The THRIVE scheme underscores our commitment to tackling vacancy, promoting heritage-led regeneration, and delivering on the Town Centre First policy. The Town Centre First approach ensures that local authorities are engaged with their citizens in developing new plans to transform and celebrate these underutilised heritage buildings for the benefit of their communities, while breathing new life into towns and urban centres across the country. Cathaoirleach of the Northern and Western Regional Assembly, Cllr Jarlath Mullaney, highlighted the transformative potential of the THRIVE scheme, stating: By addressing vacancy and restoring our heritage buildings, we can turn town centres into vibrant hubs where people want to live, work, and visit. This funding represents a key step towards sustainable urban regeneration in our region. With 100 percent grant aid available, local authorities are encouraged to act swiftly, as this competitive funding opportunity promises to generate significant interest nationwide. Heritage buildings are defined as structures with unique architectural, historical, archaeological, or artistic qualities, or those that hold cultural and economic significance to their locations. Projects funded under THRIVE are required to embrace the values of the New European Bauhaus, incorporating sustainability, aesthetics, and inclusion. The initiative also encourages a citizen-centred, community-led approach to planning, design, and project selection within the Town Centre First framework. This scheme is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through Irelands European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Southern, Eastern and Midlands Regional Programme 21-27 and Northern and Western Regional Programme 21-27. The scheme has been co-designed by the Regional Assemblies and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to address European, national and regional policy objectives. The funding call will be managed by the ERDF Managing Authorities the Southern Regional Assembly and the Northern and Western Regional Assembly. Application guidelines and eligibility criteria are available on their respective websites at www.southernassembly.ie and www.nwra.ie. A man who crashed into a mini steam engine at a St Patricks Day Parade in Stradbally, Co Laois is living in extreme squalor and would have been rescued if he was an animal, a court was told. Raymond Barrett (60) of Luggacurran was convicted in his absence of two counts of dangerous driving, having no tax or driving licence and engaging in threatening or abusive behaviour at Main Street, Stradbally on March 17, 2024 at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court on January 2, 2025. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest when he failed to appear in court for sentencing on Tuesday, January 14. Garda Brian Kelly later brought the man to court where he appeared before Judge Andrew Cody. Brian Mallon BL said I think he was having trouble travelling to court but he is attending in a wheelchair. He said his client had been unable to attend before and had intended on pleading guilty. Mr Mallon said the man was living alone in extreme, for want of a better word, squalor in Luggacurran. He explained that the man suffered with severe mobility issues and was very unwell. He said his client wished to express his deepest apologies to the child and woman who had been injured in the collision and to the gardai for his behaviour on the day. He said a local shopkeeper, Sylvester Phelan, was trying to assist Mr Barrett. Mr Phelan, who is present, is making efforts to assist Mr Barrett in finding more suitable accommodation, said Mr Mallon. Mr Phelan took to the stand and explained that he ran a shop in Stradbally and knew Mr Barrett as a customer. He said the defendants living conditions are so bad it is a special case. It is an extreme case. If I may use an analogy, if Raymond Barrett was an animal he would have been rescued a year ago, he said. Mr Phelan brought a selection of photographs of the defendants living conditions. He said the man had come into town to get food and didnt intend to have an accident on the date in question. Mr Phelan said the man was let down by health board services and was living in very bad circumstances as he offered to show Judge Cody photographs. There is a young 12 year-old boy that needs skin grafts to his legs and that is no joke, said Judge Cody, who told Mr Phelan that he had to keep that in mind. Mr Phelan said the defendant was also traumatised by the accident. After this accident Mr Barrett told Garda Kelly to f off and described him in the most derogatory terms, that he was two ends of a prick, Judge Cody recalled. READ NEXT: Always the last place you expect! Gardai help tourist track stolen phone found in unusual place Judge Cody also noted the defendant had shown little or no concern for the injured parties on the date in question and displayed a very poor attitude to both Gardai and bystanders. He said the man had attempted to blame his dog and he didn't accept that excuse. He did accept that the defendant was unwell but said mobile phone footage of the St Patrick's Day collision show no brakes were applied when the crash occurred. He collided with the miniature steam engine and its two passengers, said Judge Cody. Regretably there comes a time in many peoples lives when their mobility is so compromised that they cannot drive safely, he said. Judge Cody noted the defendant had surrendered his driving licence in Athy District Court last September. He said the defendant needed to now avail of all of the services available to him so that he could live his life with some dignity. What he cannot do is continue to drive I wish him well but that simply has to stop, said Judge Cody. Judge Cody was told the man had two previous convictions. He fined the man 100 for dangerous driving and disqualified him for four years and fined him a further 100 for engaging in threatening and abusive behaviour and took the rest of the offences into consideration. The complainant in the trial of three men accused of rape and sexual assault has told the Central Criminal Court that she believes she was drugged. The three men, aged between 34 and 42, with addresses in Dublin and Wicklow have pleaded not guilty to a total of seven counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault of the woman at an unknown location in a car and in a Dublin house on August 31, 2019. The men cannot be named for legal reasons. READ ALSO: Michael Lowry: Who is the 'Kingmaker' of the next government? Giving evidence this Wednesday, the woman told Karl Finnegan SC, prosecuting, that she and her housemate went for some drinks to a local pub around 7pm on August 30, 2019. They then left and bought some more alcohol before going for dinner and drinks at another friend's house. The complainant said she and her housemate left around 12.30am, went to a pub for a drink, then on to a nightclub. She said they got to the nightclub around 1.30am or 2am and got drinks when they arrived. The woman said she and her housemate were dancing there and having a good time. She recalled talking to a group of men about nothing of significance, maybe just silly chat. She told prosecuting counsel that there were three or four men in the group, but she wasn't sure. The woman said her housemate told her she was leaving. I told her Id follow her home. She said things started to get a bit faded and hazy after her housemate left adding: I believe I was drugged. When asked by Mr Finnegan about her intentions after her housemate told her she was leaving, the woman said she wasn't ready to go home. I didnt think I was unsafe, I knew a few friends were out that night, she said. The woman said she couldn't remember how long she was at the nightclub after her friend left and assumed she had another drink, but couldn't say. When asked by Mr Finnegan if the men bought her a drink, she said they could have or handed her her drink. She said there was also a bag of white powder in the vicinity but she told prosecuting counsel she couldn't recall if she took any. She said she didn't remember leaving the nightclub. Her first recollection after leaving was sitting in the back of a vehicle, which she thought was a taxi. A man was sitting with her and three others were also in the car. She said her memory of the vehicle was hazy but I remember a male being on top of me. I couldnt move, I felt like my body was heavy, she said, adding that she was raped in the vehicle. The woman said she couldn't talk, but recalled hearing something about having a go next. She agreed with Mr Finnegan that she believed someone said this about me. The witness said she was raped for a second time in the car, but didn't know if it was the same person or one of the others. She said the car stopped at some point and the driver opened the door. She recalled the driver was playing with his zipper then there's nothing else from me until the house. The woman added that she doesn't remember entering the house or how she got there and her next memory was lying horizontally at the end of a bed. She told the court there were two others in the room, one of whom was on top of her. She said she tried to kick out her leg, but wasnt going to be able to fight. READ ALSO: WARNING: Gas water heaters recalled over fears of 'fire' and possible 'explosions' The woman said she passed out and when she woke the next morning, she was lying at the top of the bed, with her feet pointing downwards and a man was asleep beside her. She said she was panicking. She said she was dressed, but her jeans were haphazardly pulled up with the buttons open. The witness said she got out of the bed while trying not to wake anyone. She ran downstairs and grabbed a black jacket hanging from the stairs as she couldn't find her own. After she left the house, she walked to a nearby road and ordered a taxi. She also sent her housemate a pin drop of her location. The woman said she stopped to get cash to pay the taxi and food for her housemate, who knew something was wrong when she got back. She said she told her housemate she'd been raped. She said her friend called the rape crisis centre and she spoke to them. She said she then took some time to make my mind up if I wanted to go in to gardai. She said she went to her local garda station later that day and made a complaint. As there was no immediate appointment at the sexual assault treatment unit (SATU), she went with gardai to see if she could identify the area. I couldnt pinpoint the house, but I was pretty certain of the area. She said she was brought to the SATU, where she was examined and her clothes were taken. The first man, aged 39, with an address in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the woman at his home address and not guilty to one count of oral rape and one count of sexually assaulting her in a car. The second man, aged 42, with an address in Wicklow, has pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the woman in the car and one count of raping her in the house. The third man, aged 34, with an address in Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to orally raping the woman in the house and sexually assaulting her in the car. The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Burns and the jury. by Adam Buckman , Featured Columnist, January 16, 2025 The New Yorker devotes 13 pages -- a lot even for The New Yorker -- to a new profile of Lorne Michaels this week as his show, Saturday Night Live, marks its 50th anniversary this year. The story by Susan Morrison in the January 20 issue out this week is a great read with a multitude of sources from every generation of SNL weighing in with their observations about Michaels, now 80, who founded the show in 1975 and still runs it. The man himself was interviewed too, and he sheds light on his comedy influences, the creation of SNL, and what he learned about producing. Here are some highlights. [Lily Tomlin] was probably the formative influence on me, says Michaels, who produced three specials with Tomlin on CBS in the years just before SNL. advertisement advertisement Michaels paid close attention to Tomlins comedy style: She was freeing the form from punch lines [and] infusing sketches with psychological depth, writes Morrison. Theres almost nothing we did in the 70s that I could do now, the story quotes Michaels as saying in 2019. Among the sketches cited in the piece are the ones John Belushi did in the role of a Samurai warrior spouting Japanese gibberish, and a sketch called News For the Hard Of Hearing in which Garrett Morris interpreted the news basically by yelling. The idea that I could do a show in which the audience would see it at the same time as the network was thrilling, Michaels said of the networks decision to make SNL a live show. The live scenario also meant there would be a lot less meddling by network suits before the show as well. Its really difficult to make anger funny, says Michaels. What the English know is that if youre playing the greatest villain, make him charming. Paraphrasing Michaels, Morrison puts it another way: Idiots, he says, play better than assholes. In the piece, Michaels says he has long likened SNL to a Snickers bar. Writes Morrison: A Snickers bar isnt the very best candy bar, but pretty much everybody likes it. Michaels unabashedly considers the lives of some historical characters as parallel to his own. Of one of them, Thomas Edison, Michaels says: He didnt think he invented anything. He thought he perfected things, and that all the ideas he perfected were already in the air. Michaels also finds similarities between himself and William Shakespeare. I know he had a Belushi, says Michaels, imagining a group of actors who Shakespeare used again and again. Thats why Falstaff appears in three plays. Photo courtesy NBC: Lorne Michaels at the 2022 Emmy Awards. by Ray Schultz , January 15, 2025 Jeff Bezos has been sent a letter by 400 Washington Post employees asking for a meeting. They are concerned about the future of the Post and its current management, and have asked owner Bezos to respond to the situation, David Folkenflik writes on NPR. We are deeply alarmed by recent leadership decisions that have led readers to question the integrity of this institution, broken with a tradition of transparency and prompted some of our most distinguished colleagues to leave, with more departures imminent, says the letter signed by prominent reporters and editors. While no executive was named, the letter appears to take a swipe at Will Lewis, CEO and president. Just this week, columnist Jennifer Rubin resigned to start her own publication, The Contrarian. The Post staff claims that tens of thousands of subscribers dropped out after the Post declined to endorse a presidential candidate, and that it has lost 300,000 overall. Folkenflik writes, A clear vision to secure the Post's financial future remains elusive. by Colin Kirkland , January 16, 2025 If TikTok is banned by the federal government, the ByteDance-owned company plans to end all operations in the U.S. on Sunday -- effectively shutting out over 170 million American users, as well as users from other regions, according to new reports. Until now, American TikTok users have been under the impression that is a federal ban were to be finalized, TikTok would be removed from app stores on Sunday, but would still work on current users' smartphones. But if the controversial law is upheld, the China-owned company has reportedly stated that it will lock out U.S. users immediately, which aligns with what TikTok lawyer Noel Francisco told the U.S. Supreme Court last week: We go dark. Essentially, the platform shuts down. advertisement advertisement Under TikTok's plan, people attempting to open the app will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the ban, reports Reuters. The company also plans to give users an option to download all their data so that they can take a record of their personal information. The Supreme Court is expected to rule before Sunday on the law's constitutionality. According to TikTok, shutting down the app in the U.S. could also make it unavailable to users in other regions outside of the U.S., as hundreds of service providers in the U.S. make the platform accessible to users across the globe. TikTok has said that an order is needed to avoid interruption of services for tens of millions of TikTok users outside the United States. However, even if the Supreme Court upholds the law, the platform could still remain in the U.S. if there is a last-minute negotiation with a stateside buyer, or government officials extend the deadline by which TikTok must separate from China-based parent company ByteDance. President-elect Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated on Monday, January 20, has said that he will pursue a political resolution, potentially issuing an executive order to suspend the shutdown of TikTok for 60 to 90 days. Furthermore, despite TikTok's insistence that selling the company to a U.S. buyer would be impossible, there has been speculation this week that the Chinese government is weighing in on the decision, negotiating a potential sale with Tesla and X owner Elon Musk. However, a TikTok spokesperson promptly told Variety that TikTok can't be expected to comment on pure fiction, negating any chance of the sale. According to The Information, the company is preparing for a reversed decision later on, saying that the platform could be restored for U.S. users in a short amount of time, but estimates that one-third of its American user base would give up on the platform if the ban lasted a month. by Colin Kirkland , January 16, 2025 If the Supreme Court passes a law to ban TikTok in the United States, 170 million American users and creators may lose access to the app as soon as Sunday. While advertisers that depend on TikTok's algorithm and its Gen-Z-driven audience will lose a key targeting platform, other social-media platforms are preparing for TikTok's absence in the market. Several social-media platforms have been gaining popularity in the recent weeks leading up to a potential TikTok ban, including several newer alternatives. Chinese app RedNote or Xiaohongshu, for example, is currently one of the top apps on the Apple App Store -- a short-form video app that presents users with similar content that can be found on TikTok but with a layout more closely resembling Instagram or Pinterest. Despite TikTok users flocking to the app, it is likely that being a China-owned company, the platform would fall victim to the same national security fears that prompted the TikTok ban. advertisement advertisement According to Mashable, RedNote collects extensive personal data that it can share with third-party service providers and government authorities. Downloads of Triller -- another creator-focused short-form video app -- have also skyrocketed in recent weeks, jumping more than 100 spots on the Apple App download chart. This platform has gained notoriety for its Save My TikToks campaign, which uses AI to help creators migrate their TikTok content directly to their Triller profile, making for a more seamless transition away from TikTok for both the creator, their audience, and advertisers. In addition, ByteDance has its own TikTok alternative called Lemon8, which hit No. 1 in the Apple App Store's lifestyle category earlier this week. The platform, which has been described as a mix between Pinterest and Instagram, showcasing a variety of posts and products highlighted by a range of influencers. One reason people have been flocking to the app involves ByteDance's recent decision to launch account integration between Lemon8 and TikTok, promising the TikTok community more access to create, edit, upload, and share photo content with a larger swath of users. But like RedNote, it may be dangerous for advertisers to invest in a new platform that could result in a ban due to national security risks. Despite the rise of these newer short-form video apps, it is possible that American TikTok users will migrate instead to the apps they are already familiar with, like YouTube, Meta apps, Snapchat and Substack, which are all working to persuade users and advertisers to reinvest their time and budgets in their apps. The impact of a permanent ban will surely be significant, but it's unlikely that relatively unknown entities like RedNote or Lemon8, or even Bluesky or Mastodon, will be the biggest beneficiaries, Damian Rollison, the director of market insights at AI marketing company SOCi, told MediaPost. Instead, U.S. users will probably choose apps that will provide the readiest audiences and the most similar user experiences, which would be Instagram and YouTube Shorts. According to Rollison, these platforms -- and others like Snapchat that already have a strong foothold in the U.S. market -- will pivot to capture the TikTok user base by introducing more features that continue to mimic the TikTok user experience. YouTube, for example, has increased its Shorts feature -- originally copied from TikToks content model -- from 60 seconds to three minutes for all users, automatically labeling square to vertical videos three minutes or shorter as Shorts. Substack, the social newsletter app, is also throwing its hat in the ring by expanding its live video capabilities to all creators and offering a $25,000 TikTok Liberation Prize to one TikTok creator who convinces their audience to join them on Substack. However, Meta -- the largest and most powerful social media company in the world -- could also reap the benefits of a TikTok fallout. According to eMarketer, the tech giant is expected to capture nearly 40% of reallocated U.S. TikTok ad spend following a potential ban. And Metas AI-powered Reels feature also a TikTok clone -- has become the companys most popular content format, making up 50% of users time spent on Instagram, according to CEO Mark Zuckerberg. As the social media landscape continues to evolve, Scott Sutton, CEO of influencer marketing company Later, told MediaPost that the proposed TikTok ban would be devastating for many content creators who have built their livelihoods on the platform -- and that if enacted, to expect a massive shift as influencers and creators are forced to rebuild their audiences on alternative platforms. Its crucial for brands to be able to think holistically across all social platforms about how to drive meaningful engagement where their audiences may be migrating, Sutton added. Saif Ali Khans deep stab wounds, particularly near his spinal cord, pose serious risks, but timely intervention has helped stabilize his condition. Saif Ali Khan sustained six stab wounds during the violent break-in, including one dangerously close to his spine. Quick surgery has been crucial in preventing life-threatening damage. #saifalikhan #stabwounds #medindia Advertisement Nature of the Injuries Advertisement Medical Treatment and Surgical Response Advertisement Risk of Infection Psychological Impact Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, 54, was stabbed multiple times during a violent break-in at his Bandra residence early on Thursday morning. The actors quick intervention in defending his home resulted inThe incident, which occurred around 2:30 AM, has raised concerns due to the severity and location of his injuries, particularly one that wasAccording to Dr. Niraj Uttamani, the Chief Operating Officer of Lilavati Hospital where Khan was rushed, the actor sustained six stab wounds from a sharp object during a confrontation with the intruder.Two of these wounds are particularly severe. One is located near the actor's, while another is a, which may require plastic surgery The critical nature of these injuries highlights the importance of prompt medical intervention. Stab wounds near the spine, especially when deep, can lead to life-threatening complications, includingDr. Uttamani confirmed that Khans wounds were not immediately life-threatening but expressed concern over the risk of long-term complications, particularly with theUpon arrival at the hospital, Khan was immediately examined by a team of specialists. Dr. Nitin Dange, a renowned neurosurgeon, took charge of the procedure to assess any damage to the spinal cord. The wound near the spine required anEarly intervention was crucial to avoid further damage to the spinal cord, Dr. Dange explained. The foreign object seen in the CT scan near the spinal area could potentially cause additional injury, and we are carefully monitoring the actor's neurological status.In addition to the spinal injury, Khans left wrist wound is a significant concern.. The medical team is preparing for potential plastic surgery to restore function and appearance to the injured area.Although the actors condition is stable, doctors have emphasized the need for ongoing observation. At the time of the last update, Khan was still undergoing surgery. We expect the patient to recover, but the extent of recovery will depend on how well his body responds to the surgeries and rehabilitation , said Dr. Uttamani.The risk of infection is also a concern with stab wounds, especially when they involve deep tissues such as muscles and nerves. Infection control and monitoring for any complications, including signs of internal bleeding or damage to nearby organs, will be critical in the coming days.While Saif Ali Khan's physical injuries are being addressed,. Victims of violent attacks often experience post-traumatic stress , anxiety, and other emotional effects, which. The support of family, friends, and mental health professionals will play a key role in Khans overall recovery process.The attack occurred in the early hours of Thursday, when the intruder, suspected of intending to commit burglary, entered Khan's residence. During the altercation, Khan was wounded before the assailant fled.Police are currently investigating how the intruder bypassed security and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify the assailant. Three individuals connected to the residence have been detained for questioning.Saif Ali Khans attack underscores the serious medical implications of stab injuries, particularly in vulnerable areas like the spine and wrist. With prompt surgical intervention and ongoing medical care, the actor is expected to make a full recovery, though his condition will require continuous monitoring.The medical team at Lilavati Hospital is focusing on managing both the immediate physical damage and the potential for long-term complications, ensuring that Khan receives the best possible care for his recovery.Source-Medindia Sweet Home Residents of an apartment block face a terrifying situation as people turn into monsters, touching on isolation, fear, and the fight to survive against all odds. Saif Ali Khan was attacked at his Bandra (west) residence in Mumbai around 2:30 am on Thursday. According to the reports, he has endured multiple wounds with one of the knife blows close to his spine. Reports state Saif Ali Khan had a scuffle with the robber, causing these wounds. The police statement The police reported that the attacker fled the scene after assaulting the actor. Efforts are underway to locate him, with multiple teams deployed to apprehend the assailant. Authorities are also in the process of registering a First Information Report. X/Mid-Day A police officer said, We are investigating the matter. The Mumbai crime branch is conducting a parallel investigation into the incident. Saif was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital and is currently under observation. Niraj Uttamani, the Chief Operating Officer of Lilavati Hospital, stated that Khan was admitted at 3:30 am with six injuries, two of which were more severe. The doctor said, One of the injuries is closer to his spine. Neurosurgeon Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Leena Jain, and anaesthetist Nisha Gandhi are operating on him. We will be able to tell the extent of the damage only after the surgery is done. Tips Industries Many people expressed their concern about the incident. Jr NTR wrote, Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. One user commented, A fathers love knows no fear, even in the face of danger. Saif Ali Khan was stabbed while protecting his family during a robbery, with his two little kids inside the house. Praying for his recovery and strength for his family. The official statement The official statement by Saif Ali Khans publicist quoted, There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter We will keep you updated on the situation. Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times by an intruder who entered his house in the early hours of Thursday morning. While the actor was rushed to the hospital and had to undergo surgeries, fans and celebrities took to social media to express their shock at the incident. While some sent good wishes to the actor for a speedy recovery, others discussed the lack of security at such a high profile celebritys house. However, there were some fans who praised Saif for protecting his family like a hero from Bollywood films. Instagram/Kareena Kapoor Khan According to reports, Kareena and her kids, Taimur and Jeh, were also in the house at the time of the incident. Saif is said to have had an altercation with the intruder, for whom the househelp opened the door. After he was stabbed, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Saifs son from his first marriage with Amrita Singh, rushed the actor to the hospital. Heres how fans have reacted to the incident, calling Saif a real life hero. Hindustan Times reported that the actor was trying to protect his househelp when he was attacked by the intruder. It is unclear whether the attack was aimed at Saif Ali Khan or he sustained these injuries while trying to break a scuffle between the househelp and the intruder. Saif's team released a statement that read, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation." With the new Congress sworn in and President-elect Trump poised for his second inauguration, Republicans have queued up a number of bills that could widely expand veterans access to the private health care system, setting up the latest battle over VAs reliance on whats known as community care. Efforts to reform how the Department of Veterans Affairs provides health care to millions of veterans are heating up in 2025 as pressures to bring down costs and lower wait times for care mount. Republicans argue that VA is a bloated bureaucracy that is making a concerted effort to prevent veterans from accessing community care and forcing them to stick with the VA system to curb costs. Democrats, meanwhile, fear that the proposed legislation would strip VA of its ability to provide direct care, disrupting coordination and quality. Hanging in the balance are nine million veterans enrolled in VA health care, many of whom have frustrations with both VA and community care, and simply want medical care without long wait times and bureaucratic hurdles. We must keep the individual veteran as our North Star, Cole Lyle, a Marine Corps veteran and director of Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation for The American Legion, told the House Committee on Veterans Affairs during a December hearing. The MISSION Act of 2018 aimed to strike a balance of modernizing and strengthening VAs direct care service and offering community care, Lyle said, but the outcome so far has resulted in ballooning costs: The price tag for community care spiked from roughly $15 billion in 2018 to $28.5 billion in 2023. VA leaders worry that the level of spending will increasingly damage their ability to retain the staff, clinics, and hospitals needed to provide care. VA would not be referring so many veterans out in the community if they had the capacity to serve those veterans in house, Lyle says. So at the end of the day, the veteran still needs to get the care they need when they need it. Some veterans advocates want to see more money funneled toward improving VAs hospitals, clinics, scheduling systems, and health records, rather than continue to pour funds into the private sector. But a handful of bills that Republicans revived before the holiday is a shift in the opposite direction. They include: Securing Community Cares Availability: Republican Congressman Mike Bosts Complete the Mission Act 2024, in part, seeks to lock in distance and wait time standards that make veterans eligible for community care, rather than allowing VA to keep it as an internal policy that can be tinkered with every three years. The bill would also create a system for veterans to self-schedule community care appointments. Both Paralyzed Veterans of America and The American Legion acknowledge that this bill offers ideas worth exploring. Republican Congressman Mike Bosts Complete the Mission Act 2024, in part, seeks to lock in distance and wait time standards that make veterans eligible for community care, rather than allowing VA to keep it as an internal policy that can be tinkered with every three years. The bill would also create a system for veterans to self-schedule community care appointments. Both Paralyzed Veterans of America and The American Legion acknowledge that this bill offers ideas worth exploring. Health Savings Accounts : Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy would allow VA to offer health savings accounts that veterans could use for direct primary care services outside the VA system. : Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy would allow VA to offer health savings accounts that veterans could use for direct primary care services outside the VA system. No VA preapproval required : Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggss bill would greenlight a pilot program for veterans who could seek care in the community without VA preapproval, an idea the organization Concerned Veterans for America eagerly supports and says would truly revolutionize the way we deliver veterans health care. : Arizona Republican Rep. Andy Biggss bill would greenlight a pilot program for veterans who could seek care in the community without VA preapproval, an idea the organization Concerned Veterans for America eagerly supports and says would truly revolutionize the way we deliver veterans health care. Opening up Tricare: A bill proposed by Florida Republican Rep. Greg Steube would launch a pilot program to open Tricare Select, a government-sponsored insurance for active-duty military and retirees, to veterans with service-connected disabilities. Steube says this would give veterans true choice to use their Tricare insurance to seek out care in the communities where they live and not rely solely on VA. Suzanne Gordon, with Veterans Healthcare Policy Institute, a research and policy nonprofit, blasted the proposals as irrational policymaking intended to damage VA. The Hilton couldnt exist if the guests came in and [the Hilton] said, Oh, well pay for you to stay in the Marriott. Some Democrats and advocates are convinced the wave of bills is only the beginning in a larger effort to change the way VA pays for veterans care. Committee Republicans recent legislative hearing makes clear that they intend to fast-track legislation that would privatize more veterans health care in the next Congress, Rep. Mark Takano, a Democrat from California, told The War Horse. This is not whats best for veterans. In a recent interview with Military Times, Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican from Kansas, who will now chair the Senate Veterans Affairs committee, said hes determined to ensure access to community care, particularly for rural veterans. And Trumps nominee for VA Secretary agrees. Doug Collins, a former Republican Congressman from Georgia, is now scheduled to face his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday after a delayed background check thwarted his appearance this week. In a November interview, Collins told Fox News he strongly supports veterans choosing where they get medical care. Weve got to get back to a system that puts those veterans patients first, and if that means they want to go to their own doctors then so be it, he said. We give them that opportunity to do it. Whats become a political issue did not start out as one. In 2014, after an investigation uncovered the Phoenix VA hospital was concealing long wait times that led to the deaths of 40 veterans, Congress passed the Choice Act. It created access to community care if a veteran was unable to schedule a VA appointment within 30 days of their preferred date, or a veteran lived more than 40 miles away from a VA hospital or clinic. Four years later, a new bill, the Mission Act, expanded the number of veterans who could seek care in the private health care system. It also swapped drive time for the 40-mile rule because driving 20 miles in a big city can sometimes take longer than 40 miles in rural areas. Wait time guidelines have also been shortened in recent years. Since 2018, according to an internal VA report, community care referrals increased by an average of 15-20% every year, with a rising number of veterans seeking emergency care, geriatric care, and other forms of health care in the private sector. The report, generated by a panel of independent experts, also advised that VA focus on bringing veterans back into the VA system. VA has made efforts to do just that. The department experienced a 10% increase in health care appointments last year and the agency reported it had reduced average wait times, cutting the average wait time for primary care by 11% and mental health care by 7%. Congress also addressed the issue of VA wait times as part of a sweeping bill signed into law earlier this month. It requires VA to develop a plan that ensures a veteran can schedule an appointment the same day they contact the agency with a health issue, and, when possible, even see a clinician that very day. Still, its not hard to find veterans who say VA is actively trying to prevent them from accessing private care in the community. Lyle, of the American Legion, says he hears from veterans who have appointments with doctors outside of VA authorized and then abruptly canceled, and there are stories of life-saving care that for a variety of reasons VA does not approve at all. But last week, in his final news conference before Trump returns to the White House, VA Secretary Denis McDonough bristled at the suggestion that the department is purposely denying veterans access to community care. Thats patently, fundamentally, overwhelmingly inaccurate, he said. He did, however, express that community care cant keep growing exponentially without settling a larger debate about the risks that go with that, including, losing VAs ability to offer certain types of specialty care or nixing primary care services. Each of those would end up creating a different scenario for veterans, and each of those has significant costs, he said. Still, even supporters of expanded community care say their goal is not to completely wipe out VA, but rather shrink the massive bureaucracy, perhaps scale back VAs direct care, and let veterans skip the VA authorization process and choose their providers and specialists, an argument that appeals to many in the veteran population who are aging and increasingly in rural areas. If you live in Great Falls, Montana, and its a three-hour drive to the local VA, there are doctors in Great Falls, Montana. It might just be better for you, says John Byrne, strategic director for Concerned Veterans for America, an advocacy organization. But Joy Ilem, national legislative director for Disabled American Veterans, says diverting more and more care away from VA risks weakening a health care system thats made for veterans, many of whom have complex and layered health issues, like toxic exposures, high blood pressure, anxiety, and other ailments that she says are better served by clinicians and specialists under one umbrella. Without VA taking the lead on care, you lose a lot of that coordination piece, Ilem says, youre on your own. This War Horse story was reported by Anne Marshall-Chalmers, edited by Mike Frankel, and copy-edited by Mitchell Hansen-Dewar. Hrisanthi Pickett wrote the headlines. Editors Note: This article first appeared on The War Horse, an award-winning nonprofit news organization educating the public on military service. Subscribe to their newsletter. The Army is doubling down on its centralized screening program, which was established in 2020 to reduce bias during the selection process for the service's command leadership. Army Secretary Christine Wormuth issued a directive Thursday permanently establishing the Command Assessment Program, introduced as a pilot nearly five years ago to review officers and senior enlisted personnel in line for command billets or sergeants major jobs. Eligible service members go through a series of physical, mental and professional assessments, as well as a blind interview before a diverse panel directed to consider the candidate without conscious or unconscious bias regarding race, gender, service branch or military experience. Read Next: The Battle over Veterans' Health Care: How the Republican Majority Hopes to Reshape the VA Army officials say the program provides a "deliberate approach to identify, assess and select" the most qualified candidates. "For the past five years, CAP has successfully demonstrated itself to be a critical component of the Army's service selection process," Wormuth wrote in Army Directive 2024-14. "This directive formally institutionalizes CAP as an enduring program." Critics, including some general officers interviewed by Military.com, say the system is susceptible to favoritism and point to the recent firing of Gen. Charles Hamilton, former chief of Army Material Command, after he intervened in the evaluation process of a potential battalion commander who had been deemed unfit for the job and was ranked as one of the lowest-performing candidates in her peer group. Hamilton arranged a second evaluation, which the officer also failed, but she nonetheless was included on a list of eligible candidates. Following investigative reporting by Military.com in March, the officer was immediately removed from the command list, and Wormuth relieved Hamilton of his duties. CAP supporters say Wormuth's decisive response to the incident shows that the service is committed to a fair and rigorous selection process. In addition to establishing a permanent CAP, Wormuth also directed a review of the program to examine how it has affected demographic trends in leadership and the impact on officer retention. A recent report found that 54% of officers eligible for command chose not to participate in the selection process, compared with the 40% average rate since 2019. As a result of the review of the centralized process, the Army will publish selection rates, weighting criteria and other data annually "to reinforce the integrity and transparency" of the process, according to a statement. "As we face an increasingly complex and unpredictable global security environment, it is more important than ever that we select and develop the most qualified soldiers to lead our formations," said Cynthia Smith, the deputy chief for the Army's media relations division. According to the directive, the Army secretary will directly approve the weight of CAP-scored variables such as written and verbal communication, physical fitness, strategic potential and leadership effectiveness. The secretary or his or her representative will convene selection boards to establish an order of merit list for those screened successfully by CAP, which in turn will be approved by the Army chief of staff; previously, the Army chief largely was responsible for approving the list. The service also will establish an assessment directorate within Human Resources Command and will update all relative policies within a year to incorporate CAP into the command billet selection process for active-duty personnel and noncommissioned officers. Wormuth will step down effective Monday with the second inauguration of President Donald Trump. Daniel Driscoll, a former Army soldier and Iraq war veteran, with a background in private equity, is the Trump administration's nominee for the job. He will need to be confirmed by the Senate. Related: Army Secretary Fires 4-Star General Who Meddled in Promotion of Unfit Subordinate In one of their first concrete actions of the new congressional session, the chairmen of the committees that oversee the Department of Veterans Affairs introduced a bill Thursday aimed at making it easier to fire bad VA employees. The bill, called the Restore VA Accountability Act, would revive and retool expedited firing authorities that Congress first passed in 2017 but which were later gutted by court rulings and labor board decisions. "While VA employs some of the finest men and women, it only takes a few bad employees to disrupt the culture and service at the VA," Senate Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Jerry Moran, R-Kan., said in a statement. "This bill would restore the intent of Congress and help make certain that veterans receive the high-quality care and benefits they've earned and VA staff have the healthy workplace they deserve." Read Next: In Her Final Days in Office, Army Secretary Formally Establishes Service's Command Review Program Moran introduced the bill alongside House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill. The bill also has 12 co-sponsors in the Senate and 25 in the House, all Republicans. Bost and Moran previously introduced the legislation in the last congressional session, but it saw little progress. Last session, though, Moran was not the chairman of the Senate committee because the chamber was controlled by Democrats. As chairman, Moran will have more power to push the bill forward. Reintroducing the bill as one of their first acts in the new congressional session signals an intent by Bost and Moran to make it a priority. "We're going to restore the intent of Congress -- and President Trump -- by bringing accountability back for good, because America's veterans deserve to know that the employees who are providing them with the care and services they have earned are the best and the brightest," Bost said in a statement, referring to President-elect Donald Trump. During Trump's first term, Congress passed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act that gave the department's secretary the ability to fast-track the firing of employees accused of misconduct or poor performance. It was one of the pieces of veterans legislation Trump frequently touted as a top accomplishment, alongside the Mission Act that expanded veterans' access to non-VA doctors. But amid allegations that the Trump administration failed to bargain with employee unions over the implementation of the law in violation of union contracts, federal courts, the Federal Labor Relations Authority and the Merit Systems Protection Board issued decisions that defanged the law. As a result of the rulings, the Biden administration announced in 2023 that it would no longer use the authorities in the law. The VA also reportedly reinstated more than 100 employees it removed under the law and paid $134 million to 1,700 former VA employees as part of a settlement with the American Federation of Government Employees union. Bost and Moran's bill would again make it easier for the VA secretary to fire, suspend or demote a civil servant "if the secretary determines by substantial evidence that the performance or misconduct of the covered individual warrants such action," according to the bill text. It would also "strengthen the authorities VA has to discipline unsatisfactory VA middle managers [by] aligning its middle manager disciplinary process with the process currently in place for members of the Senior Executive Service," according to a summary from Bost's office. When a House Veterans Affairs subcommittee debated the bill in 2023, the Biden administration said it opposed the legislation because VA officials were "confident that the authorities currently available to the VA are sufficient to hold employees accountable for misconduct and poor performance." "VA is concerned this language will continue to be the subject of extensive litigation and constitutional challenges, creating uncertainty and potentially leading to a continued pattern of overturned disciplinary actions," the department added in written testimony. But the GOP-controlled House and Senate are likely to find more support for the bill in the incoming Trump administration. During his reelection campaign, Trump repeatedly vowed to "restore accountability" at the VA, in an apparent reference to reviving one of his signature laws. "On day one of my new administration, I will fully restore the use of VA accountability and direct my secretary of Veterans Affairs ... to fire every corrupt abuser of our veterans," Trump said at a June rally. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the number of co-sponsors the bill has in the Senate. Related: The VA's 2023 Hiring Spree: A Lot of Psychiatrists The widow of Matthew Livelsberger the Colorado Springs Green Beret who died by suicide in a rented Tesla Cybertruck seconds before the vehicle exploded on New Years Day in Las Vegas has broken her silence to refute what she believes are false and slanderous narratives about her late husband and their family. In an interview with "Speak the Truth" podcast host Matt Tardio, Jennifer Davis recounted the days leading up to Livelsbergers highly-publicized suicide, including what she called a fabulous Christmas, how she learned the devastating news about her husband and how she has been coping since. I wanted to ensure that I gave her a voice, Tardio, based in the Dallas area, told The Gazette on Tuesday. Matt did 19 years in the Army, with multiple deployments, and he did that for his country. Regardless of how this investigation turns out in the end, he served honorably, to my knowledge. I think it is important that her side of the story be told. Tardio, a retired Green Beret who mentioned that he briefly served with Livelsberger, said Davis reached out to him through a mutual contact, and that he confirmed her identity through several avenues before releasing the interview on his YouTube channel. Theres a lot of slanderous information that is out there that, in my opinion, is based on false information, he said. I do believe her statements to be true. Davis, who has declined to speak with local and national media, said she decided to speak out for the sake of the 7-month-old daughter she shared with Livelsberger. There has been so much misinformation out there about my family, Davis told Tardio. The couple, who married in July 2022, had a home in Colorado Springs and another home in Germany, where Livelsberger was stationed, Davis said. It worked best for our family to make sure that I also had a home to go to where I had my support system, she said. Livelsberger, a member of Fort Carsons 10th Special Forces group, came to Colorado Springs after being granted two weeks leave. Livelsberger had spent the majority of his 19-year military career at Fort Carson and on assignment in Germany, according to new information from the U.S. Army and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. He was super excited to be home, Davis said. He couldnt stop talking about it. He was so excited to see how big his daughter had gotten. This is the shock factor for me; there was no indication of any of this. Wanting to pack as many activities as possible into his two-week leave period, Livelsberger booked an Airbnb rental in Breckenridge for the family, Davis said. While there, he planned to meet with a Navy SEAL he knew, to pick up some drones to take back to Germany. On the morning of Dec. 26, after Livelsberger made Davis breakfast in bed, the family had planned to go on a hike, but Livelsberger begged off due to a stomachache, Davis said. We discussed going to Breckenridge after that, she said. That was the last time she saw her husband. While I was gone, he rented a car, and decided to leave, she said. He decided to head to Breckenridge by himself. I gotta be honest: I felt totally abandoned and upset. I will say now that I understand why, based on his surveillance log. Its obvious that he left to protect us. Excerpts from a journal retrieved from Livelsbergers phone suggest that he believed he was being followed. On Dec. 30, Livelsberger sent Davis an email saying that he needed to change the passwords on their shared online accounts to prevent me from finding him, because he believed that I would have tried, she said. Vacillating between worry for her husbands safety and anger at his impulsive actions, Davis had no idea about the Jan. 1 explosion in the valet area in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas until she received a phone call from Livelsbergers father. He was getting calls from reporters, she told Tardio. He asked, Do you know where Matt is? And I let him know (that I didnt). Part of me was like, Theres no way this could be my husband. At about 7:30 p.m. on New Years Day, Davis received a phone call from the FBI, requesting to meet with her in person. Even as she packed up her daughter and dog, she was in a space of denial, she said. When investigators asked Davis to identify some of Livelsbergers tattoos, and requested a DNA sample from their daughter for comparison, the terrible reality began to sink in. The entire time, I was still hoping that, as soon as I walked into the station, my husband was going to be there, Davis said, her voice breaking. And that wasnt the case. Since learning of her husbands death, Davis has been in Mama Bear mode, wrapping herself and her daughter in a private, protective cocoon, as she struggles to make sense of what happened, she said. She only decided to break her silence after hearing multiple reports that she had thrown Livelsberger out of their home before his suicide. There was speculation that I kicked him out of the house, Davis said. That was definitely not true. Davis points to various journal entries as evidence that Livelsberger believed he was acting in the best interest of his family. I think that Matt was protecting us until the very end, she told Tardio. He thought that he was being followed. He clearly thought about us until the very end. I think thats why he stopped communicating with us. Toward the end of the interview, Davis read part of a journal entry in which Livelsberger, 37, advocates for his familys well-being. I have a wonderful wife and 7-month-old baby girl, she read. All I ever wanted to do is have a family. My wife and daughter are the most incredible humans on this earth. Please physically protect my family, mostly because they are going to get caught up in all of this. Davis concluded by saying she wants the public to know about Livelsbergers dedication to his country, and his love for his family. I just want to make sure that people understand who my husband was. None of this makes sense. I hope at some point we will receive answers. 2025 The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Va.). Visit www.vagazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. TEL AVIV, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a "last-minute crisis" with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory. Netanyahu signaled there were issues with the deal shortly after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. That created a dual reality: War-weary Palestinians in Gaza, the relatives of hostages held there and world leaders all welcomed an agreement, expected to begin Sunday, even as Netanyahu said it was not yet finalized. It was not yet clear if Netanyahus statements merely reflected jockeying to keep his fractious coalition together or whether the deal was at risk. The Israeli Cabinet was expected to vote on the deal Thursday, but Netanyahus office said they wont meet until Hamas backs down, accusing it of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions, without elaborating. Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators. The deal announced Wednesday would see scores of hostages held in Gaza released and a pause in fighting with a view to eventually wind down a 15-month war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a fierce offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The military campaign has also leveled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed around 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million people from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast, according to United Nations officials. Netanyahu faces heavy internal pressure Netanyahus office earlier accused Hamas of backtracking on an understanding that he said would give Israel a veto over which prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages. The Israeli prime minister has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of hostages, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement even without those partners, but doing so would weaken his coalition. One of his far-right allies, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, has already come out against the deal. Another, Bezalel Smotrich, posted on X late Wednesday that he was demanding absolute certainty that Israel can resume the war later, calling the current deal bad and dangerous for Israel. The departure of both of their factions would seriously destabilize the government and could lead to early elections. A night of heavy Israeli strikes Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. We were expecting that the occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports on progress in the truce (negotiations), said Mohammed Mahdi, who fled his home a few months ago and is sheltering in Gaza City. Ahmed Mattar, who lives near the citys Al-Ahly hospital, said he heard massive airstrikes overnight. Gazas Health Ministry said Israeli strikes have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced. It said the toll from Thursdays strikes only includes bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City, and that the actual toll is likely higher. Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier, said Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministrys registration department. An Associated Press reporter on the Israeli side of the border near Gaza heard more airstrikes and artillery fire on Thursday. A phased withdrawal and hostage release with potential pitfalls Under the deal reached Wednesday, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to whats left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second and much more difficult phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Ceasefire leaves questions about Gaza's future unanswered Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the agreement, which came after a year of intensive talks with repeated setbacks. U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps Mideast envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trumps team are taking credit for the breakthrough. Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. Hamas, a militant group that does not accept Israels existence, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gazas largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have been killed. But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Sam McNeil in southern Israel contributed. President-elect Donald J. Trump has named his pick for Air Force secretary, finally announcing the last service secretary nominee under his administration. Trump said on social media Thursday that Troy Meink, currently the principal director of the National Reconnaissance Office, was his choice to be the 27th secretary of the Air Force, which also oversees the Space Force. "I am pleased to announce that Dr. Troy Meink will be the next United States secretary of the Air Force," Trump wrote Thursday in a social media post. "Troy will work with our incredible secretary of defense nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our nation's Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the world, as we secure peace through strength." Read Next: In Her Final Days in Office, Army Secretary Formally Establishes Service's Command Review Program Meink joined the Air Force through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at South Dakota State University in 1988. He served as a KC-135 Stratotanker navigator and instructor, as well as a lead test engineer for the Missile Defense Agency, according to his past service biography. Other roles he's held include deputy under secretary of the Air Force for space under President Barack Obama's administration and also director of signals intelligence systems acquisition for the National Reconnaissance Office. Meink also completed 100 sorties, eight combat and 29 combat support missions supporting Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort, his biography detailed. Policy and defense experts told Military.com on Thursday that Trump's selection of Meink showcases the importance that the president-elect puts on space in his national defense policy. He made creating the Space Force, which is under the Department of the Air Force, a major defense priority during his previous term. "Clearly, there is focus on space," retired Lt. Gen. Dave Deptula, the dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, told Military.com. "That's evident." Meink did not return a request for comment. A spokesperson for the National Reconnaissance Office declined to provide any information. The South Dakota native, if confirmed by the Senate, will replace Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who made a farewell speech this week and will leave office Sunday. In his last major public appearance, Kendall highlighted the need for a bigger Space Force to compete against adversaries like China and Russia. In an outgoing report he authored titled "The Department of the Air Force in 2050," Kendall wrote that "space will be recognized as the decisive domain for almost all military operations" Todd Harrison, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute who focuses on space policy, told Military.com that Meink would be the "first space-focused" Air Force secretary ever if confirmed, which he believes is highly likely. "He has a tremendous amount of experience with the Air Force, with the Space Force, with the intel community, and working in previous Pentagon positions. I think he is going to have a major bureaucratic advantage over the other service secretaries that have been nominated," Harrison said. "I don't think he's going to face headwinds at all." Aviation Week, which first reported Trump's pick for Air Force secretary, also named Matt Lohmeier, a former Space Force lieutenant colonel, as the president-elect's pick to be the service under secretary. Lohmeier was fired from his command of the 11th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado after making comments on a podcast promoting his self-published book that claims the military was being gripped by a neo-Marxist agenda, Military.com first reported in 2021. Lohmeier did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump had not announced the former Space Force officer's nomination as of Thursday evening. Editor's note: This story was updated to correct the year Meink joined the Air Force through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps program. Related: Air Force Secretary Kendall's Parting Advice: Military Needs a 'Much More Powerful Space Force' KYIV, Ukraine British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine's capital on Thursday with a pledge to help guarantee the countrys security for a century, days before Donald Trump is sworn in as U.S. president. The British government said Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a 100-Year Partnership treaty in Kyiv covering areas including defense, science, energy and trade. Starmers unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since he took office in July. He visited the country in 2023 when he was opposition leader, and has twice held talks with Zelenskyy in London since becoming prime minister. The war will be three years old next month. The Italian defense chief was also in Kyiv on Thursday, two days after Germanys defense minister visited and three days after Zelenskyy talked by phone with French President Emmanuel Macron. The flurry of diplomatic activity came in the run-up to Trumps inauguration next Monday, which is expected to bring a departure from the outgoing U.S. administrations pledge to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes to defeat Russia. Trump has also indicated he wants Europe to shoulder more of the burden for helping Ukraine. Starmer arrived at Kyiv railway station on a gray and frosty morning. Were a long way into this conflict, Starmer said. "We mustnt let up. During the visit, Starmer and Zelenskyy laid flowers at a wall of remembrance for those killed in the war. The wall outside St. Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery, a Kyiv landmark, is covered in photos of the slain, stretching for a city block. It has become a place of pilgrimage for families paying tribute to their lost loved ones. Starmer also visited a Kyiv hospital specializing in burn treatment. While Starmer was later meeting with Zelenskyy at the presidential palace, a car and a building were damaged elsewhere in Kyiv by debris from Russian drones shot down by Ukraine's air defenses, according to city adminstration chief Tymur Tkachenko. The U.K., one of Ukraines biggest military backers, has pledged 12.8 billion pounds ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid since Russias full-scale invasion three years ago, and has trained more than 50,000 Ukrainian troops on British soil. Starmer is to announce another 40 million pounds ($49 million) for Ukraines postwar economic recovery. But the U.K.s role is dwarfed by that of the United States, and there is deep uncertainty over the fate of American support for Ukraine once Trump takes office on Jan. 20. The president-elect has balked at the cost of U.S. aid to Kyiv, says he wants to bring the war to a swift end and is planning to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, for whom he has long expressed admiration. Kyivs allies have rushed to flood Ukraine with as much support as possible before Trumps inauguration, with the aim of putting Ukraine in the strongest position possible for any future negotiations to end the war. Zelenskyy has said that in any peace negotiation, Ukraine would need assurances about its future protection from its much bigger neighbor. Britain says its 100-year pledge is part of that assurance and will help ensure Ukraine is never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia, which seized Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 and attempted a full-scale invasion in February 2022. The deal commits the two sides to cooperate on defense especially maritime security against Russian activity in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and Sea of Azov and on technology projects including drones, which have become vital weapons for both sides in the war. The treaty also includes a system to help track stolen Ukrainian grain exported by Russia from occupied parts of the country. Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level, Starmer said ahead of the visit. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come. Zelenskyy said he and Starmer also would discuss a plan proposed by France's Macron that could see troops from France and other Western countries stationed in Ukraine to oversee a ceasefire agreement. Zelenskyy has said any such proposal should go alongside a timeline for Ukraine to join NATO. The alliances 32 member countries say that Ukraine will join one day, but not until after the war. Trump has appeared to sympathize with Putins position that Ukraine should not be part of NATO. As the grinding war nears the three-year mark, both Russia and Ukraine are pushing for battlefield gains ahead of possible peace talks. Ukraine has started a second offensive in Russias Kursk region, where it is struggling to hang onto a chunk of territory it captured last year, and has stepped up drone and missile attacks on weapons sites and fuel depots inside Russia. Moscow is slowly taking territory at the cost of high casualties along the 600-mile (1,000-kilometer) front line in eastern Ukraine and launching intense barrages at Ukraines energy system, seeking to deprive Ukrainians of heat and light in the depths of winter. A major Russian ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday compelled authorities to shut down the power grid in some areas. This story was originally published by ProPublica. ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. In early November, a small group of senior U.S. human rights diplomats met with a top official in President Joe Bidens State Department to make one final, emphatic plea: We must keep our word. Weeks before, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the administration delivered their most explicit ultimatum yet to Israel, demanding the Israel Defense Forces allow hundreds more trucksloads of food and medicine into Gaza every day or else. American law and Bidens own policies prohibit arms sales to countries that restrict humanitarian aid. Israel had 30 days to comply. In the month that followed, the IDF was accused of roundly defying the U.S., its most important ally. The Israeli military tightened its grip, continued to restrict desperately needed aid trucks and displaced 100,000 Palestinians from North Gaza, humanitarian groups found, exacerbating what was already a dire crisis to its worst point since the war began. Several attendees at the November meeting officials who help lead the State Departments efforts to promote racial equity, religious freedom and other high-minded principles of democracy said the United States international credibility had been severely damaged by Bidens unstinting support of Israel. If there was ever a time to hold Israel accountable, one ambassador at the meeting told Tom Sullivan, the State Departments counselor and a senior policy adviser to Blinken, it was now. But the decision had already been made. Sullivan said the deadline would likely pass without action and Biden would continue sending shipments of bombs uninterrupted, according to two people who were in the meeting. Those in the room deflated. Dont our law, policy and morals demand it? an attendee told me later, reflecting on the decision to once again capitulate. What is the rationale of this approach? There is no explanation they can articulate. Soon after, when the 30-day deadline was up, Blinken made it official and said that Israelis had begun implementing most of the steps he had laid out in his letter all thanks to the pressure the U.S. had applied. That choice was immediately called into question. On Nov. 14, a U.N. committee said that Israels methods in Gaza, including its use of starvation as a weapon, was consistent with genocide. Amnesty International went further and concluded a genocide was underway. The International Criminal Court also issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for the war crime of deliberately starving civilians, among other allegations. (The U.S. and Israeli governments have rejected the genocide determination as well as the warrants.) The October red line was the last one Biden laid down, but it wasnt the first. His administration issued multiple threats, warnings and admonishments to Israel about its conduct after Oct. 7, 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked Israel, killed some 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages. Government officials worry Bidens record of empty threats have given the Israelis a sense of impunity. Trump, who has made a raft of pro-Israel nominations, made it clear he wanted the war in Gaza to end before he took office and threatened that all hell will break out if Hamas did not release its hostages by then. On Wednesday, after months of negotiations, Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire deal. While it will become clear over the next days and months exactly what the contours of the agreement are, why it happened now and who deserves the most credit, its plausible that Trumps imminent ascension to the White House was its own form of a red line. Early reports suggest the deal looks similar to what has been on the table for months, raising the possibility that if the Biden administration had followed through on its tough words, a deal could have been reached earlier, saving lives. Netanyahus conclusion was that Biden doesnt have enough oomph to make him pay a price, so he was willing to ignore him, said Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute whos focused on U.S.-Israel relations and a former official with the Palestinian Authority who helped advise on prior peace talks. Part of it is that Netanyahu learned there is no cost to saying no to the current president. So-called red lines have long been a prominent foreign policy tool for the worlds most powerful nations. They are communicated publicly in pronouncements by senior officials and privately by emissaries. They amount to rules of the road for friends and adversaries you can go this far but no further. The failure to enforce those lines in recent years has had consequences, current and former U.S. officials said. One frequently cited example arose in 2012 when President Barack Obama told the Syrian government that using chemical weapons against its own people would change his calculus about directly intervening. When Syrias then-President Bashar al-Assad launched rockets with chemical gas and killed hundreds of civilians anyway, Obama backpedaled and ultimately chose not to invade, a move critics say allowed the civil war to spiral further while extremist groups took advantage by recruiting locals. Authorities in and outside government said the acquiescence to Israel as it prosecuted a brutal war will likely be regarded as one the most consequential foreign policy decisions of the Biden presidency. They say it undermines Americas ability to influence events in the Middle East while destroying the entire edifice of international law that was put into place after WWII, as Omer Bartov, a renowned Israeli-American scholar of genocide, put it. Jeffrey Feltman, the former assistant secretary of the State Departments Middle East bureau, told me he fears much of the Muslim world now sees the U.S. as ineffective at best or complicit at worst in the large-scale civilian destruction and death. President Joe Biden, right, talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, July 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File) Bidens warnings over the past year have also been explicit. Last spring, the president vowed to stop supplying offensive bombs to Israel if it launched a major invasion into the southern city of Rafah. He also told Netanyahu the U.S. was going to rethink support for the war unless he took new steps to protect civilians and aid workers after the IDF blew up a World Central Kitchen caravan. And Blinken signaled that he would blacklist a notorious IDF unit for the death of a Palestinian-American in the West Bank if the soldiers involved were not brought to justice. Time and again, Israel crossed the Biden administrations red lines without changing course in a meaningful way, according to interviews with government officials and outside experts. Each time, the U.S. yielded and continued to send Israels military deadly weapons of war, approving more than $17.9 billion in military assistance since late 2023, by some estimates. The State Department recently told Congress about another $8 billion proposed deal to sell Israel munitions and artillery shells. Its hard to avoid the conclusion that the red lines have all just been a smokescreen, said Stephen Walt, a professor of international affairs at Harvard Kennedy School and a preeminent authority on U.S. policy in the region. The Biden administration decided to be all in and merely pretended that it was trying to do something about it. In a recent interview with The New York Times, Blinken disagreed and said Netanyahu has listened to him by softening Israels most aggressive tactics, including in Rafah. He also argued there was a cost to even questioning the IDF openly. Whenever there has been public daylight between the United States and Israel and the perception that pressure was growing on Israel, Blinken said, Hamas has pulled back from agreeing to a ceasefire and the release of hostages. He acknowledged that not enough humanitarian assistance has been reaching civilians and said the Israelis initially resisted the idea of allowing any food and medicine into Gaza which would be a war crime but Netanyahu relented in response to U.S. pressure behind the scenes. Blinken backtracked later in the interview and suggested that the blocking of aid was not Israeli policy. Theres a very different question about what was the intent, he told the Times. For this story, ProPublica spoke with scores of current and former officials throughout the year and read through government memos, cables and emails, many of which have not been reported previously. The records and interviews shed light on why Biden and his top advisers refused to adjust his policy even as new evidence of Israeli abuses emerged. Throughout the contentious year inside the State Department, senior leaders repeatedly disregarded their own experts. They cracked down on leaks by threatening criminal investigations and classifying material that was critical of Israel. Some of the agencys top Middle East diplomats complained in private that they were sidelined by Bidens National Security Council. The council also distributed a list of banned phrases, including any version of State of Palestine that didnt have the word future first. Two human rights officials said they were prevented from pursuing evidence of abuses in Gaza and the West Bank. The State Department did not make Blinken available for an interview, but the agencys top spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said in a statement that Blinken welcomes internal dissent and has incorporated it into his policymaking. The Department continues to encourage individuals to make their opinions known through appropriate channels, he added. Miller denied that the agency has classified material for any reason other than national security. Over the past year, reports have documented physical and sexual abuse in Israeli prisons, using Palestinians as human shields and razing residential buildings and hospitals. At one point early in the conflict, UNICEF said more than 10 children required amputations every day on average. Israeli soldiers have videotaped themselves burning food supplies and ransacking homes. One IDF group reportedly said, Our job is to flatten Gaza. Israels defenders, including those on the National Security Council, acknowledge the devastating human toll but contend that American arms have helped Israel advance western interests in the region and protect itself from other enemies. Indeed, Netanyahu has significantly diminished Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing many of the groups leaders. Then Irans axis of resistance received its most consequential blow late last year when rebel groups ousted Assad from Syria. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told the Times of Israel he worried that a generation of young Americans will harbor anti-Israel sentiments into the future. He said he wished that Israel had done a better job at communicating how carefully it undertook combat decisions and calling attention to its humanitarian successes to counter a narrative in the American press that he considers biased. The media that is presenting a pro-Hamas perspective is out instantaneously telling a story, Lew said. It tells a story that is, over time, shown not to be completely accurate. Thirty-five children were killed. Well, it wasnt 35 children. It was many fewer. The children who were killed, he added, turned out to have been the children of Hamas fighters. The repercussions for the United States and the region will play out for years. Protests have erupted outside the American embassies in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia, the worlds third-largest democracy, while polls show Arab Americans grew increasingly hostile to their own government stateside. Russia, before its black eye in Syria, and China have both sought to capitalize by entering business and defense deals with Arab nations. By the summer, State Department analysts in the Middle East sent cables to Washington expressing concerns that the IDFs conduct would only inflame tensions in the West Bank and galvanize young Palestinians to take up arms against Israel. Intelligence officials warn that terrorist groups are recruiting on the anti-American sentiment throughout the region, which they say is at its highest levels in years. The Israeli government did not answer detailed questions, but a spokesperson for the embassy in Washington, D.C., broadly defended Israels relationship with the U.S., two allies who have been working together to push back against extremist, destabilizing actors. Israel is a country of laws, the spokesperson added, and its actions over the past 15 months benefit the interests of the free world and the United States, creating an opportunity for a better future for the Middle East amid the tragedy of the war started by Hamas. Next week, Trump will inherit a demoralized State Department, part of the federal bureaucracy from which he has pledged to cull disloyal employees. Grappling with the near-daily images of carnage in Gaza, many across the U.S. government have become disenchanted with the lofty ideas they thought they represented. This is the human rights atrocity of our time, one senior diplomat told me. I work for the department thats responsible for this policy. I signed up for this. I dont deserve sympathy for it. The southern city of Rafah was supposed to be a safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who the IDF had forced from their homes in the north at the start of the war. When Biden learned that Netanyahu intended to invade the city this spring, he warned that the U.S. will stop sending offensive arms if the Israelis went through with it. It is a red line, Biden had said, marking the first high-profile warning from the U.S. Netanyahu invaded in May anyway. Israeli tanks rolled into the city and the IDF dropped bombs on Hamas targets, including a refugee camp, killing dozens of civilians. Biden responded by pausing a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs but otherwise resumed military support. In late May, the International Court of Justice ordered Israel to stop its assault on the city, citing the Geneva Conventions. Behind the scenes, State Department lawyers scrambled to come up with a legal basis on which Israel could continue smaller attacks in Rafah. There is room to argue that more scaled back/targeted operations, combined with better humanitarian efforts, would not meet that threshold, the lawyers said in a May 24 email. While its not unreasonable for government lawyers to defend a close ally, critics say the cable illustrates the extreme deference the U.S. affords Israel. The State Department has a whole raft of highly paid, very good lawyers to explain, Actually this is not illegal, when in fact it is, said Ari Tolany, an arms trade authority and director at the Center for International Policy, a Washington-based think tank. Rules for thee and not for me. The administration says that it restrained Israels attack in Rafah. In a recent interview, Lew told the Times of Israel the operation ultimately resulted in relatively few civilian casualties. It was done in a way that limited or really eliminated the friction between the United States and Israel, he added, but also led to a much better outcome. Several experts told me international law is effectively discretionary for some countries. American policy ignores it when its inconvenient and adheres to it when it is convenient, said Aaron Miller, a career State Department diplomat who worked for decades under both Democratic and Republican presidents as an adviser on Arab-Israeli negotiations. The U.S. does not leverage or bring sustainable, credible, serious pressure to bear on any of its allies and partners, he added, not just Israel. Miller and others note that the barbarity of Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, galvanized domestic support for Israel and made it significantly easier for Biden to avoid holding the Israelis accountable as they retaliated. There are other likely reasons for Bidens unwillingness to impose any realistic limitations on Israels use of American weaponry since Oct. 7. For one, his career-long affinity for Israel its security, people and the idea of a friendly democracy in the Middle East is shared by many of the most powerful people in the country. (If this Capitol crumbles to the ground, the one thing that would remain is our commitment to our aid I dont even call it aid, our cooperation with Israel, Nancy Pelosi said in 2018, weeks before resuming her role as House speaker.) That rationale aligned with the Democrats political goals during an election when they were wary of taking risks and upsetting large portions of the electorate, including the immensely powerful Israel lobby. Trucks, carrying humanitarian supplies for the Gaza Strip, wait in line on the Egyptian side, at the Kerem Shalom Crossing border as seen from southern Israel, on April 25, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa, File) Immediately after the ICJs order about the Rafah invasion, officials in the State Departments Middle East and communications divisions drafted a list of proposed public statements to acknowledge the importance of the court and express concern over civilians in the city. But Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesperson, nixed almost all of them. He told the officials in a May 24 email that those on the White Houses National Security Council arent going to clear any recognition of the ruling or criticism of Israel. That was an early sign that the State Department was taking a back seat in shaping war policy. In its place, the NSC largely led by Jake Sullivan, Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein assumed a larger role. While the NSC has grown significantly in size and influence over the decades, State Department officials repeatedly told me they felt marginalized this past year. The NSC has final say over our messaging, one diplomat said. All any of us can do is what theyll allow us to do. The NSC did not make its senior leaders available for an interview or respond to questions from ProPublica. Sullivan, Bidens national security adviser and brother to the State Departments counselor, said recently it was difficult, for much of the past year, to get the Israeli government to align with a lot of what President Biden publicly has been saying about Gaza. Sullivan said too many civilians have died there and the U.S. was frequently required to publicly and privately pressure Israel to improve the flow of humanitarian aid. We believe Israel has a responsibility as a democracy, as a country committed to the basic principle of the value of innocent life, and as a member of the international community that has obligations under international humanitarian law that it do the utmost to protect and minimize harm to civilians. During another internal State Department meeting in March, top regional diplomats voiced their frustrations about messaging and appearances. Hady Amr, one of the governments highest-ranking authorities on Palestinian affairs, said he was reluctant to address large groups about the administrations Israel policy and he took issue with much of it, according to notes of the conversation. He warned colleagues that the sentiment in Muslim communities was turning. From a public diplomacy perspective, Amr told them, the war has been catastrophically bad for the U.S. (Amr did not respond to requests for comment.) Another attendee at the meeting said they had been effectively sidelined by the NSC. A third said it was a huge amount of effort to even get permission to use the word condemn when talking about Israeli settlers demolishing Palestinians homes in the West Bank. Such sanitizing language became common. Alex Smith, a former contractor with the U.S. Agency for International Development, said that at one point the State Department distributed NSCs list of phrases that he and others werent allowed to use on internal presentations. Instead of Palestinian residents of Jerusalem, for example, they were meant to say non-Israeli residents of Jerusalem. Another official told Smith in an email, I would recommend not discussing [international humanitarian law] at all without extensive clearances. A USAID spokesperson said in an email that the agency couldnt discuss personnel matters, but the list of terms was given to the agency by the State Department as early as 2022, before the war in Gaza. The list, the spokesperson added, includes the suggested terms that are in line with U.S. diplomatic protocol. Deference to Israel is not new. For decades, the U.S. has repeatedly looked the other way when Israel is accused of human rights abuses. One of the most conspicuous paper tigers in American foreign policy is the Leahy Law, experts say. Passed more than 25 years ago, the laws authors intended to force foreign governments to hold their own accountable for violations like torture or extrajudicial killings or their military assistance would be restricted. The law allowed precision targeting of individual units that faced credible allegations, so that the U.S. didnt need to cut off entire countries from U.S.-funded weapons and training. Its essentially a blacklist. Almost immediately, Israel got special treatment, records show. In March 1998, IDF soldiers fired on journalists covering demonstrations in the West Bank city of Hebron. Congress asked the State Department, then led by Madeleine Albright, to take action under the new law. An Israeli official informed the U.S. Embassy that the soldiers were disciplined after the incident, but was unable to provide further information, State Department officials responded in a letter more than two years later to Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., the laws namesake. It is the Department's conclusion that there are insufficient grounds on which to conclude that the units involved committed gross violations of human rights. While the country took action across the globe in South America, the Pacific Rim and elsewhere, the U.S. government has never disqualified an Israeli military unit under the law despite voluminous evidence presented to the State Department. In 2020, the agency even set up a special council, called the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum, to assess accusations against the countrys military and police units. The forum is composed of State Department officials with expertise in human rights, arms transfers and the Middle East who review public allegations of human rights abuses before making referrals to the Secretary of State. While it had ambitious goals to finally hold Israeli units accountable, the forum became widely known as just another layer of bureaucracy that slowed down the process and protected Israel. Current and former diplomats told me that U.S. leaders are fundamentally unwilling to follow through on the law and cut off units from American-funded weapons. Instead, they have created multiple processes that give the appearance of accountability while simultaneously undermining any potential results, the experts said. Its like walking toward the horizon, said Charles Blaha, a former director at the State Department who served on the Israel Leahy Vetting Forum. You can always walk toward it but you will never ever get there. I really believed in the Israeli military justice system and I really believed that the State Department was acting in good faith, he added. But both of those things were wrong. A review of the vetting forums emails and meeting minutes from 2021 through 2022 shows even the most high-profile and seemingly egregious cases fall into a bureaucratic black hole. After the IDF was accused of killing Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022, videos circulated on the internet of Israeli police units beating pallbearers at her funeral. It is indeed very difficult to watch, a deputy assistant secretary wrote in an email to a member of the forum. Another member told colleagues, I think this would be what is actionable for the funeral procession itself as we wait for more info on circumstances of death and whether this would trigger Leahy ineligibility. Neither Aklehs killing, nor the funeral beatings, led to Leahy determinations against Israel. Israeli police clash with mourners as they carry the coffin of slain Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh during her funeral in east Jerusalem, on May 13, 2022. (AP Photo/Maya Levin, File) For years, lawmakers pushed the U.S. government to take action on Aklehs case. Tim Rieser, a senior foreign policy aide who helped draft the Leahy Law, recently held a meeting with State Department officials to discuss the case again. The officials in the meeting again punted. Were talking about an American journalist who was killed by an Israeli soldier and nothing happened, he said. They are walking out the door on Jan. 20th and they havent implemented the law. In another case considered by the forum, a 15-year-old boy from the West Bank said he was tortured and raped in the Israeli detention facility Al-Mascobiyya, or Russian Compound. For years, the State Department had been told about widespread abuses in that facility and others like it. Military Court Watch, a local nonprofit organization of attorneys, collected testimony from more than 1,100 minors who had been detained between 2013 and 2023. Most said they were strip searched and many said they were beaten. Some teens tried to kill themselves in solitary confinement. IDF soldiers recalled children so scared that they peed themselves during arrests. At the Russian Compound, a 14-year-old said his interrogator shocked and beat him in the legs with sticks to elicit information about a car fire. A 15-year-old said he was handcuffed with another boy. An Israeli policeman then walked into the room and beat the hell out of me and the other boy, he said. A 12-year-old girl said she was put into a small cell with cockroaches. Military Court Watch routinely shared its information with the State Department, according to Gerard Horton, one of the groups co-founders. But nothing ever came of it. They receive all our reports and we name the facilities, he told me. It goes up the food chain and it gets political. Everyone knows whats going on and obviously no action is taken. Even the State Departments own public human rights reports acknowledge widespread allegations of abuse in Israeli prisons. Citing nonprofits, prisoner testimony and media reports, the agency wrote last year that detainees held by Israel were subjected to physical and sexual violence, threats, intimidation, severely restricted access to food and water. In the summer of 2021, the State Department reached out to the Israeli government and asked about the 15-year-old who said he was raped at the Russian Compound. The next day, the Israeli government raided the nonprofit that had originally documented the allegation, Defense for Children International Palestine, and then designated the group a terrorist organization. As a result, U.S. human rights officials said they were prohibited from speaking to DCIP. A large part of the frustration was that we were unable to access Palestinian civil society because most NGOs nongovernmental organizations were considered terrorist organizations, said Mike Casey, a former U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem who resigned last year. All these groups were essentially the premier human rights organizations, and we were not able to meet with them. Miller, the State Department spokesperson, said in his statement that the agency has not blanketly prohibited officials from speaking with groups that document allegations of human rights abuses and they continue to work with organizations in Israel and the West Bank. After the raid on DCIP, a member of the forum emailed his superior at the State Department and said the U.S. should push to get an explanation for the raid from the Israelis and re-raise our original request for info on the underlying allegation. But almost two years went by and there were no arrests, while those on the forum struggled to get basic information about the case. Then, in the early months of the Israel war on Hamas, another State Department official reached out to DCIP and tried to reengage, according to a recording of the conversation. As you can imagine, its been a bit touchy here, the official said on the call, explaining the months without correspondence. The Israeli governments not going to dictate to me who I can talk to, but my superiors can. The IDF eventually told the State Department it did not find evidence of a sexual assault but reprimanded the guard for kicking a chair during the teenagers interrogation. To date, the U.S. has not cut off the Russian Compound on Leahy grounds. In late April, there was surprising news: Blinken was reportedly set to take action against Netzah Yehuda, a notorious ultraorthodox IDF battalion, under the Leahy law. The Leahy forum had recommended several cases to him. But for months, he sat on the recommendations. One of them was the case of Omar Assad. On a cold night in January 2022, Netzah Yehuda soldiers pulled over Assad, an elderly Palestinian American who was on his way home from playing cards in the West Bank. They bound, blindfolded and gagged him and led him into a construction site, according to local investigators. He was found dead shortly after. After the killing, DAWN, an advocacy group founded by the slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, compiled a dossier of evidence on the case, including testimony from family and witnesses, as well as a medical examiners report. The report found Assad had traumatic injuries to the head and other injuries that caused a stress-induced heart attack. The group delivered the dossier to the State Departments Leahy forum. The dossier also included information about other incidents. For years, Netzah Yehuda has been accused of violent crimes in the West Bank, including killing unarmed Palestinians. They have also been convicted of torturing and abusing detainees in custody. By late 2023, after the Oct. 7 attacks, the experts on the forum decided that Assads case met all the conditions of the Leahy law: a human rights violation had occurred and the soldiers responsible had not been adequately punished. The forum recommended that the battalion should no longer receive any American-funded weapons or training until the perpetrators are brought to justice. ProPublica published an article in the spring of 2024 about Blinken sitting on the recommendations. But when he signaled his intention to take action shortly after, the Israelis responded with fury. Sanctions must not be imposed on the Israel Defense Forces! Netanyahu posted on X. The intention to impose a sanction on a unit in the IDF is the height of absurdity and a moral low. The pressure campaign, which also reportedly came from Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. and Lew, the ambassador, appears to have worked. For months, Blinken punted on an official decision. Then, in August, the State Department announced that Netzah Yehuda would not be cut off from military aid after all because the U.S. had received new information that the IDF had effectively remediated the case. Two soldiers involved were removed from active duty and made ineligible to serve in the reserve, but there is no indication that anyone was charged with a crime. Miller, the spokesperson, said the IDF also took steps to avoid similar incidents in the future, like enhanced screening and a two-week educational seminar for Netzah Yehuda recruits. In seven and a half years as director of the State Department office that implements the Leahy law worldwide, Blaha wrote shortly after the announcement, I have never seen a single case in which mere administrative measures constituted sufficient remediation. In its statement to ProPublica, the Israeli government did not address individual cases, but said, All of the incidents in question were thoroughly examined by the American administration, which concluded that Israel took remedial measures when necessary. Last summer, CNN documented how commanders in the battalion have been promoted to senior positions in the IDF, where they train ground troops and run operations in Gaza. A weapons expert told me the guns that Netzah Yehuda soldiers have been photographed holding were likely made in the U.S. Later in the year, Younis Tirawi, a Palestinian journalist who runs a popular account on X, posted videos showing IDF soldiers who recorded themselves rummaging through childrens clothing inside a home and demolishing a mosques minaret. Tirawi said the soldiers were in Netzah Yehuda. (ProPublica could not independently verify the soldiers units.) Hebrew text added to one of the videos said, We wont leave a trace of them. On Nov. 14, more than a year after the war started, Human Rights Watch released a report and said that Israels forced displacement of Palestinians is widespread, systematic and intentional. It accused the Israelis of a crime against humanity, writing, Israels actions appear to also meet the definition of ethnic cleansing. (A former Israeli defense minister has also made that allegation.) During a news briefing later that day, reporters pressed a State Department spokesperson, Vedant Patel, on the reports findings. Patel said the U.S. government disagrees and has not seen evidence of forced displacement in Gaza. That, he said, certainly would be a red line. Mariam Elba contributed research. DETROIT -- A Highland Park man has been charged in connection with the death of a Wayne State University employee who was killed while crossing the street last week. Antoine Bradley, 31, is charged with one count of reckless driving causing death after her allegedly hit Sharif AliDinar, 42, of Detroit with his car on Jan. 8. It is alleged that around 8:40 a.m., on the day of the crash, Bradley was driving northbound on Woodward Avenue near Warren Avenue at a high rate of speed when he ignored a traffic signal and hit AliDinar. When police arrived on the scene they found AliDinar in the nearby grass with a head injury. Once medics arrived AliDinar was pronounced dead. Bradley was arraigned on Jan. 11 in 36th District Court where bond was set at $50,000 cash/surety. Bradley is due back in court on Jan. 21 for a probable cause conference. MENOMINEE, MI Police have expanded their search for a woman who was last seen near an Upper Peninsula lighthouse. The Menominee Police Department has been trying to locate Lisa Janine Pipp since Tuesday to complete a welfare check. She is believed to have left her vehicle without her phone or jacket near the Menominee North Pier Lighthouse. Police said Wednesday that the search has expanded to the bay of Green Bay and that multiple agencies have been called in to assist with the search. Menominee is located on the Michigan-Wisconsin border. Pipp is 42 years old, 5-foot and 250-pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. She has a cross tattoo on her chest. Police shared updated images of Pipp on Thursday. Anyone with information is asked to contact police by phone at 906-863-5568 or by private message. By JOSEPH B. FREDERICK and MICHAEL HILL Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) Thinking about toasting Carrie Bradshaw with a cosmo while posing on the front steps of her Manhattan brownstone from Sex and the City? Think again. The citys Landmarks Preservation Commission approved an application for a gate Tuesday after Barbara Lorber, who has owned the building since 1978, lamented the endless presence of interest in my celebrity staircase. The stately three-story building in Greenwich Villages historic district was used for exterior shots of the apartment occupied by Bradshaw, played by Sarah Jessica Parker. Id hoped for literally decades that this would pass, Lorber told the commission during heartfelt testimony. But at this point, I think even someone as stubborn as I am has to admit that this isnt going away in the near future. The stoop has been chained off with a no trespassing sign. But one neighbor told the commission that the chain has failed to deter fans of the show, who create a nuisance on the block. Eight commission members unanimously approved the application, which is a necessary step in the historic West Village neighborhood. Lorbers architect will work with commission staff on a final gate design. Sex and the City followed the exploits and relationships of Bradshaw and her three pals for six seasons beginning in 1998. In the show, Carrie Bradshaw lived on Manhattans Upper East Side, which in real life is a decent cab ride away from the building used for exterior shots during filming. The show spawned two movies and the sequel series And Just Like That Anthony Gillbee of Melbourne, Australia, had a picture taken with his teen-age son on the sidewalk in front of the brownstone Wednesday to send to his wife. He said he understood that it would be annoying to have people out in front of your house all the time. But, you know, its an iconic venue, he said. And if you put a gate at the front, it would change the whole appearance of it. And so it wouldnt be Carrie Bradshaws house anymore. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI - A man has pleaded guilty to concealing the death of a woman whose body was found last year in Northfield Township. Fareed George Hajjar, 57, pleaded guilty to one count of concealing the death of Suzan Christian Barbosa Ferreira during a Wednesday, Jan. 15 hearing before Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Patrick Conlin. He had also originally been charged with disinterment or mutilation of a dead body. Hajjar is facing up to five years in prison, although he has a sentencing agreement with the prosecutors office, court records indicate. He waived his right to a preliminary examination in November. Ferreiras body was found June 30 by passersby in the 7700 block of Earhart Road in Northfield Township. She had been traveling in the U.S. for roughly a month and was originally from Minas Gerais in Brazil, according to her sister Renata Santana. Her family became concerned after they stopped hearing from her on June 23. Santana said this was unusual. Ferreira, Hajjar and another woman had been in Hajjars Dearborn home the evening of June 22, Mark Kriger, Hajjars Detroit-based attorney, previously said in court. Kriger identified one of the women as Ferreira and contended both women were escorts. When they were there, Kriger said, the three began drinking before Ferreira and Hajjar went into another room and allegedly began using cocaine. The other woman said she did not use drugs and decided to leave, Kriger said. Preliminary autopsy results showed Ferreiras death was consistent with homicide, Washtenaw County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jessica Blanch said during a July 18 hearing. No cause of death has yet been released. The Washtenaw County Medical Examiner previously denied a Freedom of Information Act request for Ferreiras autopsy, saying it would interfere with law enforcement proceedings. Hajjar has not been charged with homicide in either this case or in the 19th District Court, which has jurisdiction over Dearborn. Hajjar told police there was no cocaine present that night, Blanch said. Ferreira was also seen on video going into the home with a suitcase, which police have not been able to locate, she previously said. Ferreira was last seen June 22 entering Hajjars Dearborn home, Blanch said in court. Video shows Hajjars car lights turn on and off early in the morning, but he didnt leave the home at that time. He was seen leaving later that day, Blanch said. Ferreiras body was found a week later. When police first questioned Hajjar, he initially told police he did not know who Ferreira was, Blanch said. Hajjar is set to be sentenced March 12 before Conlin. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page, the Ypsilanti-area news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. MILAN, MI The FBI is investigating the death of a federal prisoner found dead in the prison Monday evening. George Michael Thayer, 54, was found unresponsive at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13 at the Milan Federal Correctional Institution, a low security facility located in southern Washtenaw County, according to a notice from the Federal Bureau of Prisons. WASHTENAW COUNTY, MI A mostly rural community in northern Washtenaw County has relaxed rules for keeping farm animals on smaller properties. However, some say the changes are not enough. Rule changes in Webster Township, about 10 miles from Ann Arbor near Dexter, include allowing chickens on the smallest residential properties, but adult roosters a point of debate will not be allowed on fewer than five acres. Following several years of discussion, the Webster Township Board of Trustees voted 5-2 Wednesday, Jan. 16, to amend a township ordinance that applies to non-commercial properties smaller than five acres. Township rules were relaxed a bit, so there are more options for people who want to raise animals, Sri Ravali Komaragiri, the township Planning and Zoning Administrator, said. The types of livestock and how many someone can keep depends on how large their property is in net acres, not including the road right-of-way. Residents living on at least one acre are allowed a certain number of small livestock, such as sheep or goats, and larger animals such as pigs and llamas are allowed on lots sized two or more acres. There are no limits to the number of farm animals someone can keep on more than five acres. But limitations, which until the changes prohibited livestock on non-commercial properties smaller than five acres, have riled up some residents. Over the years, some meetings have attracted crowds sharing criticisms and suggestions. RELATED: Residents still riled up over rules for chickens, livestock in rural Webster Township Residents' suggestions have fallen on deaf ears, said Peter Stevens, a resident who clashed with the township over the eviction of tiny home occupants who once lived on his property. RELATED: Tiny home residents outside Ann Arbor ordered to clear out There have been multiple expert voices in the public that have said these density requirements and allowances are arbitrary and do not meet any kind of standards for what is quality animal care, Stevens, who also ran unsuccessfully for township supervisor, said. While relaxing the rules is an improvement, he said, township officials decided to railroad through something that is not a compromise. Another point of contention has been using net acres which excludes the road right-of-way instead of gross acres to figure out whats allowed on a property. Per the amended ordinance, up to five chickens would be allowed on lots with a net area of less than one acre. Immature roosters are allowed on properties smaller than five acres until they reach maturity and start crowing. Lots sized one to 1.99 acres can have five poultry animals - including chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese - and rabbits per acre, as well as a maximum of two small livestock animals, such as sheep or goats. Lots sized two to 4.99 acres can have five poultry animals and rabbits per acre, two small livestock animals per acre, and a maximum of two large livestock animals, such as cattle, llamas and pigs. Additional young animals are allowed until they reach reproductive maturity. There could be exceptions. Residents may request the zoning administrator allow them to keep livestock for educational purposes, such as 4H. They may also request waivers from the planning commission. Want more Ann Arbor-area news? Bookmark the local Ann Arbor news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Ann Arbor daily newsletter. With Martin Luther King Jr. Day just around the corner, residents throughout mid-Michigan are preparing to celebrate and honor the civil rights leaders legacy on Monday, Jan. 20. Several events celebrating the holiday are scheduled throughout mid-Michigan in the next week. Here are eight MLK Day events set to take place in Genesee and Saginaw counties. Flint Institute of Arts Late Nights The Flint Institute of Arts, 1120 E. Kearsley St., will be hosting a Late Nights event in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day at 6 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17. The event will feature artist and Flint native Ed Watkins and the Cliff Joseph and the Power of Art exhibition which is currently on display at the institutes African American and African Diaspora gallery. Watkins will discuss the impact the civil rights movement and social injustice have had on his artwork thatll be on display during the event. The institutes associate curator, Rachael Holstage, will speak about activist/artist Cliff Joseph and how MLK inspired him to advocate for social change. After hearing from Watkins and Holstage, the public will be invited to ask questions or provide comments of their own. The institutes galleries, museum shop, and palette cafe will remain open until 8 p.m. The event is free for Genesee County residents. MLK Unity Celebration The Iota Chi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., in partnership with Delta College Black Faculty and Staff, will host the 29th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Birthday Celebration. The event will take place at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, at The Dow Event Center, 303 Johnson in downtown Saginaw. State Rep. Amos ONeal (D-Saginaw) will deliver the keynote address, focusing on the theme, Mission Possible: Protecting Freedom, Justice, and Democracy in the Spirit of Nonviolence. The celebration will also honor community leaders with awards, including Richard Dick Garber with the Dr. MLK Jr. Unity Award, Wilbert Long, Jr. with the James Pete Gaddis Service Award and Dr. Angela Guy-Lee with the Spirit of Dr. King Award. The day begins with a Unity March at 10 a.m. from downtown Saginaw to The Dow, followed by a luncheon expected to draw nearly 300 attendees. Tickets are $50 for adults and $20 for children under 12. For information, contact Larry Jones at 989-714-0709 or Smallwood Holoman at 989-859-2602. 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration Residents can stop by the Gloria Coles Flint Public Library, 1026 E. Kearsley St., on Saturday, Jan. 18, at noon for the librarys 40th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Community Celebration. The celebration will include music from local artists, and attendees will hear from community leaders and WJRT-TV news anchor Matt Franklin wholl deliver the events keynote address. The theme of this years celebration is Mission Impossible The event is free of charge. The events emcee will be Essence Wilson of Communities First, Inc., and a healing moment will be led by Terance Green, owner of Black Armor Yoga & Life. State of Black Saginaw town hall Saginaw CAP, community leaders and local residents will gather at Saginaw County CAC, 2824 Perkins Street in Saginaw, at 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, for the State of Black Saginaw town hall. The event, part of an ongoing series, will address topics important to Saginaws Black community, including education, public health, literacy, civic engagement and youth perspectives. Dawn Hinton will moderate the community-driven discussion, allowing for public comments and questions after each segment. Light refreshments will be provided. Schedule: Arrival: 5:30-6 p.m. Welcome and Introductions: 6:05 p.m. Moderated Discussion: 6:10 p.m. Public Comments/Questions: After each segment For information, contact Jeff Bulls at 989-443-0626 or email jbulls@saginawcap989.org. 19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mentoring Inspiration Breakfast Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flint and Genesee County will host its 19th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Mentoring Inspiration Breakfast on Monday, Jan. 20, at the St. Michaels Conference Center. Attendees can register at the center, 609 E. 5th Ave. in Flint, from 8:30-9 a.m. Monday, with the event beginning at 9 a.m. The breakfast will feature keynote speaker and Flint native Mama Sol, a hip-hop and spoken word artist, transition trainer, and humanitarian known in part for being the voice of the Detroit Pistons We Hustle Different campaign. Sol has performed as the opening act for Destinys Child, Rakim, MC Lyte, Mos Def, and other musical artists. More recently, Sol has been working with Dr. Mona Hanna, the leader of the Rx Kids program in Flint, to improve the health of mothers and infants in the city. Genesee County Commissioner and Berston Field House CEO James Avery will serve as the events emcee. United Way of Genesee County Day of Service United Way of Genesee County will host its Day of Service at the Dort Financial Center, 3501 Lapeer Road in Flint, on Monday, Jan. 20, in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.s advocacy for community service. The organization will pack a total of 200,000 meals during the event for Genesee County residents experiencing food insecurity. One in five families in the county deal with hunger, according to the organization. No experience is required to take part in the event. Anyone who is more than four years old is welcome to participate. All volunteers must register for the event at geneseeserves.org. The organization will provide lunch for volunteers. MLK Day Regional Celebration The 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Celebration will feature race and gender justice activist, the Rev. Nontombi Naomi Tutu, as the keynote speaker. This free event will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Malcolm Field Theatre in Curtiss Hall at Saginaw Valley State University. Rev. Tutu will share insights from her experiences growing up as a Black woman in apartheid South Africa and her journey as a motivational speaker and human rights activist. The evening will include the presentation of the MLK Scholarship Awards and the Regional Drum Major Awards. Registration is not required. New McCree Theatre Selma screening Cinephiles looking to learn more about MLKs life ahead of Martin Luther King Jr. Day can visit the New McCree Theatre, 4601 Clio Road in Flint, at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, for a screening of the film Selma. The 2014 film focuses on the racism and discrimination Black Americans continued to face, particularly in the southern U.S., following the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which made segregation illegal. The film is primarily set in 1965 in Selma, Alabama where King led efforts to end the suppression of black voters as he pushed for the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Selma was directed by Ava DuVernay and stars actor David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King Jr. The screening is free and open to the public. Want more Flint-area news? Bookmark the local Flint news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Flint daily newsletter. GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Gather the whole family because Nature Day is returning to the Grand Rapids Downtown Market on Saturday, Jan. 18. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the greenhouse and banquet room on the markets second floor, the kid-friendly event allows guests to get up close and personal with animals, learn about interesting artifacts and participate in hands-on activities. Now in its sixth year, the free event is being held in collaboration with local organizations like the Blandford Nature Center, N&N Exotic Reptile Rescue, John Ball Zoo, and more to offer attendees a chance to see and touch live animals. Were thrilled to bring back this popular event to kick off our new year, and so thankful for the West Michigan organizations that care for the amazing wildlife, said Mimi Fritz, president and CEO of the Grand Rapids Downtown Market. Our greenhouse is a beautiful space to enjoy during the cold of January, especially when its filled with exotic animals. The market hall opens at 10 a.m. for guests to grab a bite to eat before or after exploring the exotic creatures. Check out the following highlights to look forward to during Nature Day: Blandford Nature Center will bring animals from its rehabilitation program, including owls, turtles and other small mammals. Grand Rapids Public Library will bring hands-on activities and many books on animals and nature. The Humane Society of West Michigan will bring a collection of small animals from their facility. John Ball Zoo will bring Madagascar hissing cockroaches, millipedes and tarantulas. N&N Exotic Reptile Rescue will bring a collection of small and medium-sized reptiles. Outdoor Discovery Center will bring amphibians, reptiles, live birds of prey and mammals. For more info on the free and family-friendly event, visit downtownmarketgr.com/public-events/nature-day-2025. Want more Grand Rapids-area news? Bookmark the local Grand Rapids news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Grand Rapids daily newsletter. KOCHVILLE TWP, MI Last summer, a veterinarian alleged Saginaw County Animal Care & Control Centers unqualified staff were improperly euthanizing animals, violating state law in the process. His claims prompted an investigation, which concluded this happened on one occasion. Animal Control Director Rachel Horton was issued a counseling memo to address this and ensure such actions dont happen again. MLive obtained details of the investigations findings from the county through the Freedom of Information Act. The documents state the county hired attorney Gregory W. Mair of the ONeill, Wallace, & Doyle law firm to conduct the probe, to the tune of $5,580. Mair began investigating after Dr. Joseph Kline, a veterinarian since 1994 and veterinarian of record for the facility for the last several years, in late 2024 made public claims of shelter staff violating policy and state law. Kline alleged non-certified staff performed euthanasia, supply amounts were insufficiently monitored, and that other staff were retaliated against due to him speaking out. Kline said he noticed an issue when reviewing a log of drugs and those administering them to the animals. He said he found at least two individuals without certification performing euthanasia. Michigan administrative rules mandate non-veterinarians who sedate or euthanize animals with tranquilizers must have 16 hours of training, including four hours of practical training with a licensed veterinarian. The euthanasia process involves the use of controlled substances ketamine, xylazine, and pentobarbital. Saginaw County Animal Care & Control Director Rachel HortonCole Waterman Kline went to Director Horton and told her the agency was in violation of state law and the improper euthanasia had to stop. Horton took over the facility in February 2024 after predecessor Bonnie Kanicki retired. Kline on Aug. 21 brought up the issue at the regular meeting of the Animal Control Advisory Council. The next morning, he received an email from Horton stating his contract ended on July 22. She told him to return all keys and equipment and to submit his final invoice for any unpaid services he rendered. Kline perceived this as retaliatory, adding that while his contract had expired the prior month, he was still performing duties for the agency. Saginaw County Administrator Mary Catherine Hannah on Nov. 7 sent Horton a counseling memo outlining Mairs findings and recommendations. The investigation concluded Horton generally acted within the scope of her authority regarding euthanasia. Mair did not have any significant findings regarding the maintenance of supply levels or Hortons decision to restrict certain staff from being involved in euthanasia. Mair did find a single violation regarding the administration of a controlled substance during the euthanasia procedure. Horton in June 2024 directed an uncertified person to administer a sedative to an animal during the process, Hannah wrote. During the investigation, Mr. Mair noted that he believed you were genuine in your statements to him that you believed you could observe and direct an uncertified individual to administer a sedative as a part of a euthanasia procedure, Hannah wrote. This was a violation of shelter policy and operating procedures, she added. Hannah went on to remind Horton the law is clear in that an employee can only administer such drugs if they have completed euthanasia training given by a licensed veterinarian. You must follow shelter policy/operating procedure and state law at all times with respect to the euthanasia process and other shelter operations, Hannah wrote to Horton. To that end you are required to review all shelter policies/operating procedures and relevant state laws relating to euthanasia. Non-certified staff are allowed to assist in restraining animals but must not handle any of the drugs involved or access the cabinets in which theyre stored, Hannah wrote. Hannah warned Horton that further failure to adhere to policies and laws will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge. Saginaw County Board Chairman Christopher Boyd previously told MLive a review of inventory reports showed no irregularities. SAGINAW, MI A Florida man who is also a registered nurse is charged with trying to kill a man by stabbing him at a Saginaw bar between Christmas and New Years Eve. Police responded to the stabbing at Big Ugly Fish, 1418 State St., on the night of Dec. 28. Witnesses said a man was causing problems within the bar, calling the bartender vile names and being generally belligerent. Customers assisted staff in kicking out the man. Once they had him outside, the disruptive customer pulled a knife and a Taser and stabbed a 63-year-old man in his groin, prosecutors allege. The assailant fled on foot. Saginaw Police officers and Michigan State Police troopers searched the surrounding area and found the suspect nearby. They ordered him several times to surrender but he initially resisted. Police searched the man and found a bloody knife, Taser, and baton on him, prosecutors allege. Police identified the man as 46-year-old Aaron R. Gann of Plant City, Florida. Officers had arrested Gann at Big Ugly Fish a few days prior for being belligerent. He called the officers derogatory names and smashed his head and feet against patrol vehicle windows, prosecutors allege. Gann on Jan. 2 appeared before Saginaw County District Judge David D. Hoffman for arraignment on charges of assault with intent to murder, possession of a Taser, and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police. Hoffman set Ganns bond at $100,000 cash-surety or 10%, which Gann posted on Jan. 14. A condition of Ganns bond is he not visit Big Ugly Fish. Gann has been a registered nurse in Florida since 2017 and his license is set to expire April 30 of this year. Investigators believe Gann is working as a traveling nurse in the area and renting a temporary living space in Saginaw, prosecutors wrote in a bond recommendation. Gann is to appear for a preliminary examination on Feb. 6. When it comes to cold weather, a lot of us Michiganders tend to be pretty nonchalant. We grab our big coat, find a hat that covers our ears and head outside. Maybe we remember our gloves. But do we wrap ourselves in scarves, neck gaiters, earmuffs, or fleece face protectors? Not usually. What are we, crybabies from The South? But were going to need to up our winter wardrobe game next week. The bitterly cold air that will flow into Michigan between Sunday and Wednesday is going to send our daytime high temperatures plunging into the single digits. Wind chills and feels-like temperatures could drop to 25 below zero. And when the air is that cold, its dangerous. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued some reminders on the type of extreme weather warnings and advisories we could see next week as the coldest airmass of the winter spreads across Michigan. Here are examples of two we might see issued: The NWS team in Marquette used the Upper Peninsulas regions in their example: Cold Weather Advisory: Air temperature or wind chill down to -20 or lower in the east/Keweenaw and -25 or lower in the west. Extreme Cold Watch/Warning: Air temperature or wind chill down to -30 or lower in the east/Keweenaw and -35 or lower in the west. Bitter cold temperatures and wind chills can result in hypothermia and frostbite within minutes, NWS meteorologists said. You can prepare now by making sure winter car survival kits are up to date and batteries are charged. When the cold arrives, limit time outdoors and check in on vulnerable neighbors." This is not a forecast, but an explainer on the Extreme Cold Warnings that Michigan could see next week.Graphic provided by the NWS The Arctic blast were going to get next week is arriving courtesy of a Siberian Express - air actually coming in from the far reaches of frigid Siberia. MLive Chief Meteorologist Mark Torregrossa has explained it this way: If the air is really cold it will originate in Siberia, cross over the North Pole and then pour south into the Great Lakes and Northeast. Our Great Lakes will give us a little shelter from this cold bomb, but not much, he explained. We are probably just lucky the Great Lakes still have 35 degree to 40 degree surface waters, he said. This same Arctic outbreak of cold would take us 10 degrees colder if it happened with colder Great Lakes' waters. In looking at the pattern I wouldnt be surprised to see another Arctic outbreak in a week or two when the lake water is colder. Federal dollars may make up a small percentage of a city government's budget, but they play an outsized role in providing for some beloved programs, such as libraries and buses. But under a second Donald Trump presidency, existing federal spending programs, incentive programs and routine government expenditures could be seriously scaled back and, in some cases, dismantled. Thats according to Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, an international law firm that provides analysis on Trump 2.0, which predicts the incoming administration will likely try to divert appropriated funds to its preferred policy priorities or decline to spend funds appropriated by Congress to choke scorned agencies or offices and advance Trumps cost-slashing mission. In keeping with this mission, Trump recently unveiled the Department of Government Efficiency, which will operate as an advisory body, according to the BBC, and be run by tech mogul Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Musk has said he can cut more than $2 trillion, or about a third, of the federal governments spending. Where such ambitious cost savings might come from remains to be seen. But Trump has vengefully withheld funding before from states with policies that do not align with his own, and could feasibly do it again. In fact, Trumps incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has promised to slash federal funding to states that do not cooperate with the administrations vow to conduct mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, according to the BBC. Oregon was the first state in the country to instate sanctuary laws for immigrants. With all this in mind, municipalities and agencies in Linn and Benton counties and beyond face an uncertain future when it comes to those chunks of their budgets that traditionally come from the federal government. So how are local cities reacting? Some are anxious to push projects through to completion before the rug is ripped out from under them, while others are more inclined to play the wait-and-see game. Albany In Albany, city staff are always keeping their eyes peeled for factors that may influence the citys budget, because the citys biennial budget meaning it covers two years is intertwined with state and federal dollars. City officials are currently forecasting and making preparations for changes in funding that could affect anything from library programs to transit. And at least one line item was fast-tracked to help garner funds before the change in administration. The 2023-25 budget for the city of Albany totals $430 million. In 2024, the city received $4.5 million in federal dollars, both directly from the federal government and as pass-through funds, which are first allocated to the state which then distributes funding on the local level, according to Deputy City Manager Kayla Barber-Perrotta. We are required to create a balanced budget, and so changes in revenue sources that we're expecting can have very real impacts, she said. With every change in Administration, city staff forecast and anticipate changes with budget priorities, she said. For example, with the Biden Administration, there was more of a focus on energy priorities, Barber-Perrotta said. The city wont know exactly how things will play out until the new administration takes office, but there are areas in the budget officials are concerned may have less funding, given the priorities outlined in Project 2025, a political playbook published by a conservative think tank. Trump initially tried to distance himself from the policy agenda, but several authors associated with it since have been selected for his new administration. Forecasts are also based on impacts from the previous Trump term as well as what locals are hearing from the League of Oregon Cities, a lobbyist group that represents the interest of municipalities, from other lawmakers and priorities expressed in funding packages proposed. (Project 2025) very clearly spelled out that it wants to make significant reductions in what's called the Institute of Museums and Library Services, which is a primary funding source for library programs across the country, Barber-Perrotta said. Transportation funding is another area of concern. Albany Transit is funded by the Federal Transit Authority, she said. That's a substantial piece of money that could be disrupted. When we look at the funding packages that are being proposed, you can see that it is an area that they're looking to reduce funding, she said. During the Trump administration's first term there wasn't significant cuts to spending, but officials did noticed a slowing in the flow of funds across the board, Barber-Perrotta said. Barber-Perrotta wanted to be clear that this was based all on forecasting and defined areas of concern are not under direct threat at least not yet. In facing a significant lack of funding, the city would look for other sources, she said. Periods of previous financial drought coincided with many staff vacancies, which, when went unfilled, freed up money to plug financial holes. Albany's assistance programs that help low-income residents, like the loans for residents to maintain their homes, could also be impacted. Essentially, what happened last time is people got it way late, which is problematic, particularly because that's impacting some of our most vulnerable, she said. But with so much up in the air, Barber-Perrotta didnt want to raise alarm, especially for people who depend on those services. The city is engaging in these conversations now in preparation for what officials might see. Nothing is known yet, she said. But unlike 2017 to 2021, the city has a lot fewer vacancies this coming Trump term. The city can't rely on unfilled open positions again to back-fund, she said. The city can tap other revenue streams, she said. However, if a change was significant enough it would be up to the city's elected leaders, the City Council, to identify what to cut or prioritize, she added. Said Barber-Perrotta: Ultimately, if you can't come up with anything, the decision comes down to, does a program get released? In anticipation of possible actions by the incoming administration, Albany also fast-tracked signing the federal grant it was awarded earlier this year to build more electric vehicle charging stations. In May, Albany learned it will be receiving nearly $2 million to bring four EV charging stations to the city. The $1.84 million grant is part of a federal funding package. The bipartisan infrastructure law aims to establish zero-emission truck fueling networks across the region and support EV infrastructure projects. But some Oregon lawmakers are concerned that funding could be cut if the city doesnt move fast to legally bind the grant agreement. We are hearing that there could be an effort by the next administration to rescind unspent funding in the new year. You may hear this referred to as rescinding unobligated balances, Sophia Francia, a staffer in U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkleys office, wrote in a Dec. 3 email to Mayor Alex Johnson II. She encouraged the city to sign the grant agreements before the end of the year to safeguard funding. So the city of Albany put the grant's approval on the Jan. 8 City Council agenda ahead of the transfer of government. Electric vehicles and all of their surrounding components are not a priority and this funding may be at risk, Francia wrote. Lebanon The mid-Willamette Valley's third-largest city doesn't rely on much federal funding to operate but also likely won't expand much without it. Meanwhile, the city is either battling the federal government in court or awaiting new environmental regulations while trying to stay ahead of demand on its wastewater system, which is desperate need of an overhaul. Looking at the hard numbers, Lebanon projected the feds would cover about 1.3% of its projected expenses between 2024 and 2025. "That federal funding could dry up it just depends on what's out there and what to fund and not fund," City Manager Ron Whitlatch said in December. A lot of fees and grants make up the majority of the city's $39 million budgeted income. Most of that pays for the programs that created the revenue. And Lebanon's got taxes collected mostly from property owners at the Linn County Assessor's office on behalf of the city, then budgeted to pay for the libraries, police and senior services. Staffers, like maintenance workers and police officers, and administrators are paid from the city's $16 million general fund. Lebanon treats the balance like a checking account, arguably the squishiest part of the city's budget. About $1 million is noted as federal funding, earmarked mostly as grants or pass-through funding. Including county and state funds, Lebanon's total projected revenue from governments was nearly $8 million. That funding can take years to wind its way down from the U.S. Capitol to Oregon, then to cities. Whitlatch doesn't believe Congress would claw back infrastructure funds, he said. "I'm not so sure a lot of it will get pulled away it was congressionally done," he said. "It wasn't just done through executive orders." Some $358,000 of federal funds, for example, pays for the city's bus service LINX or Lebanon Inter-Neighborhood eXpress. Another some $145,000 is dedicated to the city's information technology services. The city passed $400,000 in U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds through its coffers to a nonprofit co-applicant. DevNW will spend the Community Block Development Grant funds to rehabilitate housing in Lebanon, but required a local government to apply. Whitlatch said one-time funding is the city's most important federal source, like those paying to improve streets. "That's your biggest asset and your biggest cost with the least amount of money," Whitlatch said. He said cities struggle to maintain roads without federal assistance. National highway funding filtered through Oregon's Statewide Transportation Improvement Program to pay nearly $300,000 for a public multi-use path; and the city is party to a multi-jurisdictional organization that seeks funding for regional projects. Oregon meets many of the goals in its own statewide transportation plan through targeted funding applications, and, Whitlatch said, grant writers and legislators haven't indicated the funding pool will shrink under Trump's incoming administration. "Doubtful that it would," Whitlatch said. "Hopefully, it would get bigger." Federal highway funding helped literally pave the way for economic expansion in Lebanon. In the late 1990s, the Oregon Department of Transportation estimated it would spend $10 million or more adding lanes and widening a section of Highway 34, west of the city. State planners identified the paving project as early as 1995 but didn't commit funding until transportation officials and business advocates from the mid-Willamette Valley petitioned ODOT. Crews finished construction in the fall of 2000, and Oregon continued highlighting the road's importance in planning documents as an expressway and freight route. It was enough to get the attention of Lowe's, which promised to build a 1.4-million square foot warehouse in 2005. Linn County that year promised $1 million to help build a roadway between Highway 34 and the site where Lowe's planned to build, off of Reeves Parkway near the city's northern edge. At the time, an elected official told the Albany Democrat-Herald the county was doing "the right thing" by spending the money on infrastructure to connect traffic from truck-friendly Highway 34 with jobs in Lebanon. "Adequate funding for roads is one thing we have," County Commissioner Roger Nyquist said. Trucks now access manufacturing and shipping facilities at Entek International, Laticrete and Pennington Seed from roads near the warehouse. But infrastructure is more than roads. The city applied in 2024 for grants to overhaul Lebanon's municipal drinking water system's pipes. "So, that's federal," Whitlatch said. Lebanon's pending projects will be subject not only to grant funding but to federal staffing levels as well. The sewage system is nearing capacity, and local officials are drafting guiding documents that call for anywhere between $35 million and $100 million worth of updates to Lebanon's wastewater treatment plant in the city's northeast. At a little more than 20,000 people, Lebanon's population has about doubled since the plant's construction in the 1970s, and the liquid waste they produce is approaching the system's limit. "We can probably skate by if we put in another secondary clarifier," Whitlatch said, referring to the tank used to remove solid particulates or suspended solids from liquid using gravity. Lebanon's plan is a 20-year strategy that outlines when and for how much the city will have to add pipes and aeration basins to its sewage system, or replace the plant's headworks. Except, they can't apply to fund those projects without the plan, and they can't finish the plan without an updated wastewater permit from Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, which has the city in a bind. "We were way, way behind on the permit," Whitlatch said. That state agency has to set a limit for how much pollution Lebanon can dump into the Santiam River. The Santiam empties into the Willamette River, where yet another regulator is deciding how much the total daily load of polluted runoff should be. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hasn't told polluters, including cities, how much their share will be in the total Willamette pollution maximums. But on another yet related front, Lebanon is taking the Army Corps to court. A federal judge in 2021 ordered the Corps to lower its dams on the Willamette to help baby salmon pass downstream as required by a federal document called a biological opinion. Drawn down to historic lows, muck from Green Peter Reservoir flowed into the waterworks in East Linn County cities in 2023, then again in 2024. "Quite honestly, if it hadn't been for Sweet Home's plant coming apart at the seams, I don't think it would have stopped," Whitlatch said. The city joined Sweet Home in filing a tort claim, alleging the federal government's attempts to meet its own salmon requirements put way more sediment, like clay, silt and algae, through Lebanon's membrane-like filters than they were designed for. City officials said Lebanon's filters, installed in 2019, already appeared worn out as the Army Corps began a second drawdown in the fall. The membranes were meant to filter water for a decade. "Can they do it? Yeah. But we've been a test case for these membranes," Whitlatch said. Local and state politicos called on Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek to cover the estimated $45 million in chemical costs and wear and tear in Lebanon and Sweet Home after the last drawdown, in 2023. She passed the blame to the feds. So Lebanon spent nearly $500,000 in 2024 to add filters and recoup overtime, declaring an emergency to quickly maneuver funds. Corvallis In general, Corvallis is not heavily reliant on federal dollars, according to Corvallis Finance Director James Inglis. In the 2023 fiscal year, Corvallis spent $9.7 million in federal dollars. The majority of that came from the U.S. Department of Transportation and from ARPA funding, a stimulus package designed to help the country recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The citys overall budget that fiscal year was $242.7 million. Pre-pandemic, in fiscal year 2019, the city of Corvallis spent $5.3 million in federal dollars. The vast majority, $4.6 million, came from the U.S. Department of Transportation. That was back when the citys overall budget was $157.9 million. Intergovernmental funding makes up 24% of the citys budget, Inglis said. Federal funding is 14% of that, and 8.5% of that federal funding is from ARPA, which is a one-time award. So when it comes to ongoing federal grants for which the city could be eligible each year, federal dollars fund more like 5.5% of the budget, Inglis said. The bulk of that last percentage goes to transportation, the Community Development Block Grants, and HOME Investment Partnership Programs. Corvallis puts its block grant funding toward homelessness and housing support, typically using it to support service providers. HOME performs a similar function, though Corvallis receives a smaller amount of funding from that program, created by the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990. As far as transportation, Corvallis utilizes Federal Aviation Administration grants to make large-scale improvements at its airport, and the citys transit system is subsidized by the Federal Transit Authority. If there was a large reduction in funding from the Federal Transit Authority, that could drastically impact our ability to continue the transit system in the way it is now, as far as number of routes or frequency of routes, that sort of thing, Corvallis City Manager Mark Shepard said. It could also result in a reduction of street repair projects, he said. But in general, Inglis said, its too early to say what programs might be cut if federal funding were to drop off. In that scenario, the city might have to phase out projects or reevaluate its priorities. That kind of analysis has not been done yet, he said. If federal funding were to change drastically under the incoming Trump administration, the city would be able to identify impacts as early as this spring, and how that trickles down, as state and county budgets are developed, would probably play out over the course of the following year and beyond. Because yes, despite the fact that only 5.5% of Corvallis budget comes from the federal government, states and counties receive federal dollars, too, and their budgets also impact cities not just financially, but also functionally. Agencies we rely on The Oregon Department of Transportation, for example, is a state agency that develops programs related to Oregons highways, bridges, railways and more. ODOT has a highly visible presence in cities like Corvallis, which regularly coordinates with ODOT on things like maintenance and improvements of transportation routes, according to Corvallis Public Information Officer Patrick Rollens. ODOTs budget is about $6 billion over two years, with about one-third coming from the federal government and the rest from the state. According to ODOTs Communications Director Kevin Glenn, most of the departments funding is fairly automatic and formula-based, and therefore not at quite the same risk level as some other federal funds might be. But there are specific grants that could be more vulnerable to changes in administration, such as one recently received for wildlife crossing, $33 million to help animals safely traverse Interstate 5 in Southern Oregon. ODOT has tried to move quickly to secure grant agreements in those instances. For some grants, funding comes in slices, which means future years portions could be at risk. For example, the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program, which directs funds to various vendors and partners to install electric vehicle charging infrastructure, is subject to this funding process, Glenn said. Federal agencies, similarly reliant on federal funding, also play a critical role in Oregons stewardship. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District, which falls under the Department of Defense, not only oversees the area's dams, it operates hydropower facilities along the Columbia River and Willamette Valley. About two-thirds of the civil works programs funding is congressional approximately $320 million to $350 million per fiscal year. In the past, Congress has also provided additional funds to address disasters and storms, or to fund additional infrastructure investments, according to Corps Senior Public Relations Manager Kerry Solan. The bulk of the remaining one-third, about $170 million per fiscal year, comes from the Bonneville Power Administration, a nonprofit federal administration within the Department of Energy. Federal funds are spread across operations, maintenance and other specific projects, such as improving fish passage in the Willamette Valley, Solan wrote in an email to Mid-Valley Media. Representatives of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Portland District declined to say what would happen if federal funding were to be altered drastically under Trump. We wont speculate or get ahead of plans and policies of the incoming administration and the next Congress, Army Major Spencer Garrison wrote in a statement to Mid-Valley Media. Ultimately, change comes with every new administration. Related stories: USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Globe Telecom hailed the arrest of two Chinese nationals for attempting to sell pre-registered SIM cards. The Philippine News Agency reported that the criminals violated the SIM Registration Act and were apprehended by the Philippine National Police (PNP)Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG). Around 1,700 Globe and 2,300 TM SIM cards were confiscated during the operation on January 9. Globes general counsel, Froilan Castelo, stated: We laud the PNP-CIDG for carrying out this operation, which led to a significant win against fraudsters. Let this successful police operation serve as proof that the SIM Registration Act is working and that it is a powerful tool against scammers. Buying or selling pre-registered SIM cards can result in imprisonment of six months to six years and/or fines ranging from PHP100,000 (US$1,700) to PHP300,000. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has reportedly issued an ultimatum for nine banks: pay up on their Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) codes or be disconnected before the end of this month. According to the Nigerian Tribune, a directive signed by NCC public affairs director Reuben Muoka said that the nine banks Fidelity Bank, First City Monument Bank, Jaiz Bank, Polaris Bank, Sterling Bank, United Bank for Africa, Unity Bank, Wema Bank and Zenith Bank must settle their outstanding debts to operators by January 27 or lose access to their USSD codes. As we reported last year, the USSD debt problem has been a source of friction between Nigerian banks and telcos for years. As of December 2024, 18 banks owed telecom firms NGN250 billion (US$160.8 million) for using their USSD services, according to local newspaper Punch, with some unpaid invoices dating back as far as 2020. It was only after the NCC and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervened that banks started paying their debts in June 2024, albeit slowly. According to local newspaper Punch, the NCC and CBN issued a Second Joint Circular in December 2024 that said 60% of all pre-API invoices [e.g. .before February 2022] must be paid as full and final settlement. Banks and telcos were required to agree on a payment plan by January 2, 2025. Plans involving instalments must be completed by July 2025. For post-API invoices, banks were required to pay 85% of all outstanding invoices by December 31, 2024, while 85% of all future invoices must be cleared within one month of issuance. The new directive from the NCC said that of the 18 banks involved, nine have complied with the Second Joint Circular, while the nine listed above have not. Those banks now have until January 27 to pay up, else their USSD codes will be taken away and reassigned, the Nigerian Tribune report said. The NCC also warned customers of those banks that they will not be able to use those USSD codes to make transactions after January 27, the report added. Nokia and Zain KSA announced on Wednesday they are partnering to deploy a 4G/5G femtocell solution for enterprise customers in Saudi Arabia to fill indoor mobile coverage gaps and optimise connectivity. The solution makes use of 4G and 5G Smart Nodes, as well as a package of Nokia products and services such as its IP Security Gateway, Femto Manager and end to end delivery services. Nokia said the femtocell solution is designed to be simple and cost-effective, featuring a plug-and-play setup that minimizes reliance on customer infrastructure. The solution is optimised to integrate into Zain KSAs network. Our smart node solution is uniquely positioned to help Zain KSA improve B2B time to market, enhance customer experience and offload traffic from [the] macro RAN, said Haitham Baba, Nokias Saudi head of enterprise mobile networks. He added that the femtocell solution is the first to be deployed not only in Saudi Arabia, but also the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. If youre looking to grow your business and attract more local clients, there are a few essential steps you need to take. Below are some key strategies to help your business stand out in local search results and build your online presence. Set up a google business profile The first thing I suggest is setting up a Google Business Profile for your business. This free tool ensures your business appears on Google Maps and in local search results, making it easier for potential clients in your area to find you. When someone searches for a service you offer, your business will show up in their search results, along with a map to guide them straight to you. More detailed explanation here: How to set up a Google Business Profile for small businesses Build a professional website While a Google Business Profile is crucial, having a professional website is just as important. It serves as your digital storefront and the first impression many clients will have of your business. A well-designed website builds credibility and shows potential clients that youre serious about what you do. READ: Easy-to-use website building tools Why a website matters: It establishes legitimacy and helps build trust with new clients. and helps build trust with new clients. Its easier for people to share your services and refer others to you. A memorable domain name and user-friendly site make it easy for clients to find and contact you. Optimize Having a website isnt enough if its not optimized for local search. When potential clients search for services in your area, you want your website to be among the first results they see. Local SEO is the key here. Make sure your website includes relevant local keywords and location-specific content to improve your visibility in search results. How to optimize your Google Business Profile: Upload high-quality photos of your work. Include a detailed description of the services you offer, using keywords people are likely to search for. Encourage your clients to leave positive reviews. The more good reviews you have, the more likely your business will appear in search results, increasing visibility and trust. READ: Secrets to creating a small business website that wows Leverage social media Dont forget to promote your business on social media platforms. Whether its Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn, social media helps you engage with your community and reach new clients. Share updates, showcase your work, and connect with your audience regularly. Verify your google business profile Once you have your profile set up and optimized, verify your Google Business Profile to ensure its official. This step adds credibility and makes it easier for potential clients to trust your business. By focusing on these key areassetting up and optimizing your Google Business Profile, building a professional website, and utilizing social mediayou can boost your local presence and increase your chances of attracting new clients. Remember, the goal is to make it easy for people to find you when they search for the services you offer in your local area. If you need help getting started, reach out for assistance in setting up your Google Business Profile, optimizing your website, or improving your local SEO. With the right strategy, youll be on your way to growing your business and securing more contracts. ALSO READ: Google pulled my business profile how to get it back ASAP Keep up to date with our stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. At a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on violations of international human rights law by Russia against Ukrainian POWs and civilian detainees, U.S. Deputy Representative to the United Nations Dorothy Shea warned members against becoming desensitized to what has occurred and is still occurring. For years we have heard unrelenting testimony of Russias shocking abuses and atrocities. We must not lose sight of how reprehensible and unacceptable they are. Ambassador Shea noted that reports from the UN Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, the OSCEs Moscow Mechanism Experts Mission, and a variety of NGOs and other experts have offered overwhelming evidence of inhumane treatment. Their reports document Russias abuses against detained Ukrainians to include physical, psychological, and sexual torture. The United States has credible evidence that Russia systematically holds detainees incommunicado, often without access to adequate food, sanitation, or medical services. ... The United States assesses Russian forces continue to regularly torture and kill Ukrainian POWs, and we have seen an increase in reports of Ukrainian POW executions over the past year. ... The executions include shooting surrendering Ukrainian forces at close range and the brutality of beheadings and dismemberments. Ambassador Shea emphasized that as long as Russia continues this course, there must be no business as usual with the Russian Federation. She called efforts by some members of the Security Council to offer political cover to Russia by urging Ukrainians to meet Russia half-way or take seriously Russias legitimate security concerns both absurd and wrong. A victim should never be told to meet their aggressor half-way. There is no equivalency in this conflict. Russia is the aggressor, Ukraine its victim. The Russian Federation must immediately cease its war of choice and its ill-treatment of prisoners of war and civilian detainees, said Ambassador Shea. Russia must hear and heed our calls to allow international humanitarian organizations access to POWs and civilian detainees, consistent with its obligations under the Geneva Conventions. Ambassador Shea underscored that as Security Council members, we must insist on Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. ... We must work together, she declared, to bring Russias unlawful invasion to an end and to support Ukraine in its pursuit of a comprehensive, just and sustainable peace consistent with UN Charter principles. Visitors take photos of a tri-colored glazed pottery work, which depicts a nomadic camel rider, at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors pose for a selfie at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) A docent guides the visitors at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. guide (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) A visitor takes photos of a tri-colored glazed pottery work, which depicts a nomadic camel rider, at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Editor: WRX Octavio Hernandez -- CCSO photo View Photo Jenny Lind, CA A standoff in Jenny Lind ended with the suspect being shot and killed this afternoon. Calaveras County Sheriffs officials say suspect 32-year-old Octavio Hernandez, of Valley Springs, fired at deputies, forcing them to shoot back. As reported on Tuesday morning, sheriffs officials put out an alert to the public about an armed suspect wanted in connection with a stolen vehicle and weapons charges at large in the 400 Block of Buena Vista Court in the community of Jenny Lind. When deputies located Hernandez late in the afternoon yesterday just south of that area in the Calaveras River Canyon, it turned into a standoff. Today the Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) continued its efforts to resolve the situation. They used a drone to get a cell phone to Hernandez so they could communicate better and try to get him to move away from his rifle voluntarily. A drone spotted a handgun on Hernandez and when CNT tried to get him to disarm, he refused and headed deeper into the canyon. Sheriffs spokesperson Greg Stark reports that he was making remarks intended to escalate the situation to a violent encounter with law enforcement while CNT members continued to try to get him to surrender. Stark recounted what happened next: At about 3:25 PM, the suspect chose to fire the weapon in his possession at law enforcement personnel located near his position. In response to this threat, the officers in the immediate vicinity were compelled to use their firearms for self-defense. The suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene. The deputies involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave. The California Department of Justice, the Calaveras County District Attorneys Office, and the Calaveras County Sheriffs Office will be conducting the investigation into the incident. This is an ongoing investigation and updates will be provided as investigators release more information. We extend our deepest sympathies to all affected by this tragic situation, added Stark. Sonora, CA The Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC) board of directors has officially appointed Tamera Blankenship to be the new Executive Director. We reported earlier that Blankenship emerged as the top finalist for the position following a series of interviews. She will oversee strategic long-term transportation planning, manage projects, and oversee public transit services. TCTC and the Tuolumne County Transit Agency are a joint entity that oversees transportation projects for Tuolumne County and the City of Sonora. Blankenship joins TCTC following her most recent role as a Housing Specialist in the Tuolumne County Community Development Department. She was instrumental in advancing housing initiatives and securing a $2.5 million MORE Grant to support home repairs for low-income residents. She has a masters degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and a bachelors degree in Sociology from California State University, Stanislaus. Meeting documents note that the starting salary for the Executive Director position is just over $143,000. Her appointment was made at a special meeting on January 10. She replaces retired Executive Director Darin Grossi. This undated file photo shows the Huizhou Daya Bay Petrochemical Industrial Park where the Huizhou Phase III Ethylene Project and the Polycarbonate Project are located, in Huizhou, south China's Guangdong Province. (Xinhua) GUANGZHOU, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A Sino-foreign petrochemical joint venture has finalized an investment decision for two projects with a total investment of nearly 60 billion yuan (about 8.35 billion U.S. dollars) in Huizhou City, South China's Guangdong Province. China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Shell plc's joint venture, CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals Company Limited (CSPC), announced Wednesday they would invest in the Huizhou Phase III Ethylene Project and the Polycarbonate Project, with both projects officially commencing full-scale construction. "Today's announcement of the final investment decision for the two projects marks a significant milestone. It represents CSPC's third major expansion," said Roelof Heezen, CSPC deputy general manager. The Phase III Project will build 16 sets of production units, including an Ethylene unit with a capacity of 1.6 million tonnes per year and other downstream units and supporting facilities. It is expected to be completed in 2028. Through project scope optimization and electrification of large compressor groups, the project will achieve an overall 20 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, promote the use of renewable green energy, and support the implementation of the country's "dual-carbon" strategy, according to the company. The Polycarbonate Project will debut Shell's proprietary technology globally, with the advantages of cost efficiency, low energy consumption, safety and environmental friendliness. To be completed in 2026, it will produce over 320,000 tonnes annually of high-performance specialty chemicals, including polycarbonate and carbonate solvents. These products will play a vital role in the transportation, construction, health care and consumer goods industries. According to CSPC, the investment in the two projects is also a testimony of the shareholders' confidence in CSPC, the local government and the overall growth of performance chemicals in China. Established in 2000, CSPC is one of the largest petrochemicals joint ventures and the largest single-site ethylene complexes in operation in China. Editor: JYZ The abolition of capital punishment in Zimbabwe has resulted in the resentencing of 48 inmates previously condemned to death. This significant legal shift, enacted on December 31st when President Mnangagwa signed the Death Penalty Abolition Bill into law, brings an end to a system that saw 105 executions since Independence, with the last taking place in July 2005. The resentencing process, expected to begin in the first quarter of 2025, will see these convicts brought before the High Court for a reassessment of their sentences under the new legal framework. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Mrs Vimbai Nyemba, confirmed the upcoming resentencing in an interview with The Sunday Mail: Please be advised that the processes for resentencing are anticipated to commence before the end of the first quarter of the year. The ministry is in the process of consulting relevant stakeholders, including the Judicial Service Commission and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS), to ensure a smooth transition. Mrs Nyemba emphasised the governments commitment to a fair and humane approach: Government will ensure that every individual previously sentenced to death is brought before the High Court for resentencing under the new legal framework. This critical change will substitute the death penalty with a more compassionate alternative, such as life imprisonment or long-term imprisonment, reflecting our commitment to justice and human rights. Among the 48 inmates facing resentencing are several whose cases garnered significant public attention due to the heinous nature of their crimes. Tafadzwa Shamba and Tapiwa Makore Snr were found guilty of the particularly brutal murder of seven-year-old Tapiwa Makore. High Court Judge Justice Munamato Mutevedzi, presiding over the case with assessors Mr Chakuvinga and Ms Chitsiga, detailed the horrific circumstances of the crime in his sentencing: Both accused shall be returned to custody and that the sentence of death be executed upon each of them according to law. They approached their task to kill the boy with animated fixation of a predator In this case, the accused persons heavily drugged the deceased with home-brewed illicit beer. He became completely sedated, both accused must have been aware of the brews toxicity and potency particularly on a seven-year-old. In reality they poisoned him into a comatose state of drunkenness. The demon which drove Shamba and Makore to commit this murder is relentless and could not be stopped. It can only be neutralised by death. Shamba was convicted of the murder, while Makore Snr was deemed an accomplice. Another high-profile case involves Rodney Tongai Jindu, convicted in August 2018 by Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo for the murders of Mboneli Joko Ncube and Cyprian Kudzurunga. Jindus crimes involved the shooting and dismemberment of Ncube, whose remains were burned and buried in multiple shallow graves. He then sent a deceptive message to Kudzurungas mother, pretending her son had left the country, after similarly murdering and burying him. Romeo Jambara (29) and Norest Tamangani (31), cousins convicted of the murder of taxi driver Taruvinga Mutiza, also face resentencing. They robbed Mutiza, assaulting him violently before dumping his body along Arcadia Road in Westgate after stealing his shoes, phone, and wallet. The car was later abandoned in Domboshawa. A third suspect in this case was acquitted. The resentencing process will also encompass ten individuals whose death sentences were upheld by the Supreme Court in May 2014. These individuals, Njabulo Tshuma, Vusa Mugobo Ndlovu, Zacharia Amos Simango, Nicholas Ncube, Michael Goodluck Nleya, Bright Kwashira, Cloudius Mutawo, Farai Lawrence Ndlovu, Wellington Gadzira, and Norman Sibanda, were convicted of various gruesome murders, including the killing of a nine-year-old boy (Nleya), the murder of a 71-year-old man (Kwashira), the murder of a 71-year-old father (Mutawo), and the poisoning deaths of two men (Ndlovu and Gadzira). The Supreme Court found no extenuating circumstances in their cases. The details of these cases highlight the range of violent crimes committed by those now facing resentencing. The abolition of the death penalty marks a significant shift in Zimbabwes legal landscape, prompting a complex process of reassessing the sentences of those previously condemned to death. Breaking News via Email Related Zimbabwe Latest News Pin Share Share 0 Shares By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Patient readers, brunch ran disgracefully late today, and so I will try to deliver a not-disgracefully thin Water Cooler, but it wont be immediately. In the meantime, talk amongst yourselves! lambert Bird Song of the Day Brown Thrasher, Sully Woodlands, Fairfax, Virginia, United States. I swear I hear an airplane, somewhere in the mix. * * * In Case You Might Miss * * * Politics So many of the social reactions that strike us as psychological are in fact a rational management of symbolic capital. Pierre Bourdieu, Classification Struggles * * * Biden Administration Why Biden May Matter [David Leonhardt, New York Times]. one major part of Bidens agenda has a decent chance of surviving. It was the idea that animated much of the legislation he signed namely, that the federal government should take a more active role in both assisting and regulating the private sector than it did for much of the previous half-century. This idea has yet to acquire a simple name. The historian Gary Gerstle has called it the end of the neoliberal order. Felicia Wong and her colleagues at the Roosevelt Institute, a liberal think tank, have used the term a new economics. Jake Sullivan, a top Biden adviser, has referred to it as a new consensus. Ive described it as part of a new centrism. The philosophy didnt originate with Biden, but he meaningfully shifted the country toward it, first as a candidate in 2020 and then as president. He moved the Democratic Party away from decades of support for trade liberalization and imposed tariffs on China. He pursued an industrial policy to build up sectors important to national security (like semiconductors) or future prosperity (like clean energy). And his administration was more aggressive about restraining corporate power than any in decades, blocking mergers, cracking down on junk fees and regulating drug prices. Trump will surely undo major parts of the Biden agenda, especially on climate change and some aspects of corporate regulation. In other ways, though, Trump is part of the shift away from neoliberalism. He romped through the 2016 Republican primaries partly because he was more hostile to trade, China and cuts to Medicare and Social Security than other Republican politicians. Some of Trumps second-term nominees, including for labor secretary and head of the Justice Departments antitrust division, are hardly small-government neoliberals. Neither is Vice President-elect JD Vance. Trump Transition Treasury pick Scott Bessent and Trump transition team deny allegations that he avoided taxes [NBC News]. That makes him smart. More: In a new memo obtained by NBC News, Senate Finance Democratic tax staff found that Scott Bessent avoided over $950,000 of self-employment taxes. In a review of the Treasury Secretary nominees tax returns from 2021, 2022, and 2023 and his financial disclosure form, the committee found that Bessent avoided paying $950,182 of SECA taxes (a tax on net earnings from self-employment as part of financing the social security and medicare trust funds) and SALT taxes (state and local). Despite IRS and Tax Court rulings that would require Bessent to pay SECA taxes, Bessent told the committee he maintains his position, which is that he was not liable for SECA taxes on income earned through his hedge fund, Key Square Group LP, since he was a state law limited partner. The committee argued Bessent was actively involved in his partnership at the hedge fund, and therefore, violated the Department of Treasurys own policies. I cant speak to the tax issues involved. But surely this is for the IRS to decide, not the Committee? * * * Everyones trying to kiss the ring: Trumps inauguration devours corporate cash, smashing records [Politico]. Not only are companies giving far larger amounts than they did to Trumps first inauguration when they didnt have a firm grasp of how to handle misgivings about the mercurial politician theyre doing so in a far more public fashion, announcing the donations months before they have to be reported to federal regulators. The stigma of a Trump donation, which was out there to some degree eight years ago, is no longer there, said Brian Ballard, a longtime fundraiser for Trump whos raised money for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Who knows whats going to happen two months from now? But for today, up and down, corporate America is solidly pro-Trump.' * * * Rep. Rick Crawford expected to serve as House Intelligence chair [Politico]. Johnson on Wednesday removed former Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) in a move that stunned even some Republicans on the panel. Now he has told people that he intends to replace him with [Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.)], a low-key veteran of the Intel panel Crawford is the most senior Republican on the committee and viewed as a less hawkish pick than Turner. He also holds more MAGA-friendly credentials representing a deep red district in Arkansas and voting against Ukraine aid last year. But Turner enraged the hard right over the chaotic reauthorization of a sweeping surveillance bill last year. Johnson, who has sole discretion in choosing the panels chair, cited Trump as a reason for the ouster. Hmm. Realignment and Legitimacy [sigh]: allegedly they're dividing the rednote servers into mainland and foreigner next week and people are making really sad posts about it :( pic.twitter.com/668O9Yfd6b Pipkin Pippa Phase-Connect (@pipkinpippa) January 15, 2025 For a brief shining moment, two hitherto entirely unmixed social media populations American, Chinese spontaneously interacting was the biggest story going (and gave me some hope for humanity). It couldnt last, sadly. (How unfortunate that there was no major American politician with the ability to interpret maybe for the strategic purposes of the Democrat party, if any the interactions between Chinese and American teenagers on social media for a wider audience, based on repeated, direct experience. Oh, wait.) Syndemics I am in earnest I will not equivocate I will not excuse I will not retreat a single inch AND I WILL BE HEARD. William Lloyd Garrison * * * Covid Resources, United States (National): Transmission (CDC); Wastewater (CDC, Biobot ; includes many counties; Wastewater Scan, includes drilldown by zip); Variants (CDC; Walgreens); Iowa COVID-19 Tracker (in IA, but national data). Infection Control, Emergency Management, Safety, and General Thoughts (especially on hospitalization by city). Lambert here: Readers, thanks for the collective effort. To update any entry, do feel free to contact me at the address given with the plants. Please put COVID in the subject line. Thank you! Resources, United States (Local): AK (dashboard); AL (dashboard); AR (dashboard); AZ (dashboard); CA (dashboard; Marin, dashboard; Stanford, wastewater; Oakland, wastewater); CO (dashboard; wastewater); CT (dashboard); DE (dashboard); FL (wastewater); GA (wastewater); HI (dashboard); IA (wastewater reports); ID (dashboard, Boise; dashboard, wastewater, Central Idaho; wastewater, Coeur dAlene; dashboard, Spokane County); IL (wastewater); IN (dashboard); KS (dashboard; wastewater, Lawrence); KY (dashboard, Louisville); LA (dashboard); MA (wastewater); MD (dashboard); ME (dashboard); MI (wastewater; wastewater); MN (dashboard); MO (wastewater); MS (dashboard); MT (dashboard) ; NC (dashboard); ND (dashboard; wastewater); NE (dashboard); NH (wastewater); NJ (dashboard); NM (dashboard); NV (dashboard; wastewater, Southern NV); NY (dashboard); OH (dashboard); OK (dashboard); OR (dashboard) ; PA (dashboard); RI (dashboard); SC (dashboard); SD (dashboard); TN (dashboard); TX (dashboard); UT (wastewater); VA (wastewater); VT (dashboard); WA (dashboard; dashboard); WI (wastewater); WV ( wastewater ); WY ( wastewater ). Resources, Canada (National): Wastewater (Government of Canada). Resources, Canada (Provincial): ON (wastewater); QC (les eaux usees); BC (wastewater); BC, Vancouver (wastewater). Hat tips to helpful readers: Alexis, anon (2), Art_DogCT, B24S, CanCyn, ChiGal, Chuck L, Festoonic, FM, FreeMarketApologist (4), Gumbo, hop2it, JB, JEHR, JF, JL Joe, John, JM (10), JustAnotherVolunteer, JW, KatieBird, KF, KidDoc, LL, Michael King, KF, LaRuse, mrsyk, MT, MT_Wild, otisyves, Petal (6), RK (2), RL, RM, Rod, square coats (11), tennesseewaltzer, thump, Tom B., Utah, Bob White (3). Stay safe out there! Look for the Helpers CR box makers: Though its amazing were still making CR boxes by hand, five years into the pandemic. What a market failure! Maskstravaganza They recommend when they should mandate. Nevertheless: The Maryland Department of Health is re-recommending universal masking among other precautions due to rising hospitalizations for COVID and flu. If you're in MD and have trouble with doctors masking you can inform them of this new recommendation. pic.twitter.com/QYsN840epg Covid Caution XEC, KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, MC.1, LF.7 (@CovidCaution) January 16, 2025 Vaccines I think [T]hese arrows are moving in the wrong direction (except for Alaska, Connecticut, and Maine, good job): Just incredibly depressing that humans spent so long trying to invent cures to diseases, succeeded against the odds, and that progress is now being erased by a small number of people spreading misinformation. pic.twitter.com/Fq0Jn5AiI3 Michael Thomas (@curious_founder) January 14, 2025 Measles are the M in MMR. In other words, the basics are under assault, not exotics recently added to the schedule. They were warned; Picks and Shovels Chapter One [Cory Doctorow, Pluralistic]. [I]ts natural and right that in the world, there will be people who want to revisit the received wisdom and best practices for how we live our lives, regulate our economy, and organize our society. But not a license to simply throw out the systems we rely on. Sure, maybe theyre outdated or unnecessary, but maybe not. Thats where Chestertons Fence comes in: Let us say, for the sake of simplicity, a fence or gate erected across a road. The more modern type of reformer goes gaily up to it and says, I dont see the use of this; let us clear it away. To which the more intelligent type of reformer will do well to answer: If you dont see the use of it, I certainly wont let you clear it away. Go away and think. Then, when you can come back and tell me that you do see the use of it, I may allow you to destroy it. In other words, its not enough to say, This principle gets in the way of something I want to do, so lets throw it out because Im pretty sure the inconvenience Im experiencing is worse than the consequences of doing away with this principle. You need to have a theory of how you will prevent the harms the principle protects us from once you tear it down. When RFK Jr kills your kids with measles or permanently disables them with polio, he doesnt get to say I was just inquiring as to the efficacy of a longstanding measure, as is right and proper. He was told why the vaccine fence was there, and he came up with objectively very stupid reasons why that didnt matter, and then he killed your kids. He was warned. And the same with Bill Clinton and Glass-Steagall. Ditto crytpo. Transmission: Covid About models: This is why I give preference to data series that have run a long time, ideally since the beginning of the pandemic: They make the baseline clear. But more importantly, with Gregory, I deprecate being reactive (this goes for personal practice and for infection control). Establish your protocol and stick to it. If and by if I mean when Infection Control HOCL sounds really interesting; I wasnt aware: I just learned some cool facts: Old news: Hypochlorous acid (HOCl) is a highly effective antimicrobial agent with a neutral to slightly acidic pH (4-6), making it safer for skin and surfaces while maintaining broad-spectrum activity. In contrast, bleach is highly alkaline (pH https://t.co/dOLmDqQVxW Dr. Sean Mullen (@drseanmullen) January 16, 2025 And this long thread: See the highlighted portion. Nukit is a good account, and granted, they are quoting the claims of another, but arent some of the highlighted claims a little over-enthusiastic? Like tumor suppression? * * * TABLE 1: Daily Covid Charts Yves here. Rajiv Sethi discusses how Bluesky subscribers are allowed not only allowed to mass ban followers of a member, but also a feature that amounts to more guilty by association ad hominem attacks if you are the sort that sees following bad people as an indicator the follower is suspect. Admittedly, as Sethi carefully explains, the ad hom feature is limited in reach; only people who follow the person making the charge can see the designation, and then only if one also activates the warning. The fact that merely following people who some Bluesky users think engage in wrongthink can be used to generate a content warning is the social media version of precrime. Bluesky has less than 1/10th the number of followers that Twitter has. One would like to think the enthusiasm, or at least tolerance, for censorship will put a ceiling on its reach. But the reality is well have to see how this struggle over social media content plays out. By Rajiv Sethi, Professor of Economics, Barnard College, Columbia University &; External Professor, Santa Fe Institute. Originally published at his site A recent article by Renee DiResta is interesting for a number of different reasons. To begin with, the audio accompanying the piece uses an AI voice generator from ElevenLabs that sounds quite human to me (though not much like DiResta herself). I imagine that it wont be long before books and articles are widely available in voices that are close to indistinguishable from those of their authors. Jointly written pieces could be available with a menu of voices corresponding to the various contributors, and the ability to switch between them midstream. The impact on employment and pricing in the audiobook industry would be significant. Second, DiResta observes that sorting across social media platforms is now being driven by ideology rather than preferences over features. The exodus from X to Bluesky following the November election was dramatic, and there may be a second wave coming in the wake of recent changes in content moderation policies at Threads. However, this great decentralization is operating at two different levels. In addition to ideological sorting across platforms, there is also greater sorting withinthem as content moderation becomes increasingly delegated. To illustrate, DiResta describes the reaction on Bluesky to a recent arrival: In mid-December, tensions erupted on the platform over the sudden presence of a prominent journalist and podcaster who writes about trans healthcare in ways that some of the vocal trans users on the platform considered harmful. In response, tens of thousands of users proactively blocked the perceived problematic account (blocks are public on Bluesky). Community labelers enabled users to hide his posts. The proliferation of shared blocklists included some that enabled users to mass-block followers of the controversial commentator Shareable blocklists, however expansive they may be, are tools designed to empower users. However, a portion of the community did not feel satisfied with the tools. Instead, it began to ref-work the head of trust and safety on Bluesky, who was deluged with angry demands for a top-down response, including via a petition to ban the objectionable journalist. The journalist, in turn, also contacted the modsabout being on the receiving end of threatening language and doxing himself. The drama highlights the tension between the increased potential for users to act to protect their own individual spaces, and the persistent desire to have centralized referees act on a communitys behalf. And, unfortunately, it illustrates the challenges of moderating a large community with comparatively limited resources. The journalist and podcaster referenced here is of course Jesse Singal, who quickly overtook Brianna Wu to become the most blocked person on Bluesky. As DiResta notes, those who decided to follow him ended up on lists that made it easy for others to block them en masse. In addition, their profiles began to carry a label placed in an entirely decentralized manner by a user on the platform. This badge is invisible to most people, but can be seen by anyone who subscribes to the community labeler and chooses to activate the content warning. Among those I follow, there are currently dozens of people whose accounts are labeled in this way. These include some of the most valuable and informative accounts on the platform, such as that of Dartmouth political scientist Brendan Nyhan: The Bluesky Elder badge (placed by a different community labeler) is meant in jest and dates to early experiments in labeling. It is applied to the first 800,000 Bluesky accounts. The Jesse Singal Follower badge is automated and appears on the profile of accounts that follow Jesse Singal, for informational purposes. Both badges also appear on DiRestas account and on my own, as well as on scores of others spanning the conventional ideological spectrum, from Ryan Grim on the left to Robert George on the right. Its worth dwelling a bit on what a label of this kind is meant to convey. There is a literal meaning, which is simply the statement of an indisputable and perhaps unremarkable fact. But there are also imputed meanings that arise from a shared understanding between the sender of the message and its recipient, much like the waving of a red handkerchief in court. In this particular case the badge will be interpreted by some as a warning that the flagged person might be tolerant of bigotry or harassment. In order to avoid having this ad hominem inference being made about their character, some users will unfollow the objectionable account, or refrain from following it in the first place. And these decisions will sharpen the meaning of the label, since those who continue to carry it will be presumed to find the inference tolerable. But if large numbers of people do not respond in this waybecause they reject the inference or are simply unaware of its existencethe meaning of the label will be diluted and the message conveyed will remain ambiguous. A third interesting aspect of DiRestas article is her use of Albert Hirschmans concepts of exit, voice, and loyalty to understand what is going on here. Block lists, badges, and even petitions calling for expulsion are examples of what Hirschman called voice, which he contrasted with exit in his analysis of organizations. One of his key insights was that entities such as firms, educational institutions, or political parties could recover from repairable lapses in performance provided that they had an adequate time and dollar cushion to allow for adjustments. If competing alternatives were readily available, those who relied on such organizations could easily jump ship in the face of a deterioration in quality, leading to their rapid collapse. But if exit were difficult or costly, then people would be more inclined to exercise voice instead. While this may be unpleasant for leaders of organizations to experience, it would not immediately threaten viability and could thus provide some breathing room for recuperation. Whether people express their dissatisfaction using exit or voice is mediated by loyaltygreater attachment to an organization slows exit and strengthens voice. But loyalty can be a consequence of simply having no other viable alternatives available. Hirschman used this idea to argue against the Hotelling-Downs model of political competition, which suggests that party platforms will converge towards the preferences of the median voter. He argued, instead, that someone without an exit option will be maximally motivated to bring all sorts of potential influence into play in order to prevent the party from doing things that are highly obnoxious to him. Those who have nowhere else to go are accordingly not powerless but influential. This doesnt always lead to greater organizational success, and Hirshman points to the nomination of Barry Goldwater by the Republican party in 1964 as an example. What applies to political parties also applies to social media platforms, though the analogy is obviously imperfect. For platforms, it is network effects rather than psychological attachments that make exit costly, but the implications are similar. Those who have nowhere else to go will be maximally motivated to exercise voice, and this is what we are seeing at present on Bluesky. DiResta argues that ideological sorting across and within platforms, facilitated in part by decentralized content moderation, will lead to increased polarization: The idealistic goal of federalism in the American experiment was to maintain the nations unity while enabling local control of local issues. The digital version of this, however, seems to be a devolution, a retreat into separate spaces that may perhaps increase satisfaction within each outpost but does little to bridge ties, restore mutual norms or diminish animosity across groups. What happens when divergent norms grow so distinct that we can no longer even see or engage with each others conversations? The challenge of consensus is no longer simply difficult, it is structurally reinforced. Im not as pessimistic. As discussed in an earlier post, shareable lists and labels are instruments that can just as easily be used to dissolve boundaries as to put up walls. They are part of the rough and tumble of free expression online. Such expressionas argued recently by Amna Khalid, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Killer Mikeoften serves as a weapon of the weak. But calls for expulsion are a different matter altogether, and I hope that the platform doesnt bend to these wishes. If one denies to all what is offensive to some, it is the least powerful among us who will ultimately pay the price. Because we are in the midst of what Lambert likes to call an overly dynamic situation, this post will be comparatively brief. As most of you know already, there was great excitement over the news of a ceasefire pact between Israel and Hamas, with the prospect that the horrific punishment of Gazans might stop, if not their suffering due to the physical destruction of Gaza and the deaths and maiming of so many of its inhabitants. However, despite widespread reports of a six-month ceasefire and phased withdrawal having been agreed, in fact the deal is still in play. Even with the Trump team trying to lower the hammer on the US-dependent Israel government, the agreement has not been approved by the Knesset. From Aljazeeras live stream: And a very fresh entry on the Times of Israel live stream has Netanyahus office trying to accuse Hamas of acting in bad faith. In fact many commentators (forgive me for not providing supporting links) have pointed out the outline of terms (save the duration of the ceasefire, which IIRC is longer than past proposals) is essentially the same as what Hamas agreed to before but Israel wriggled out of by repeatedly making last minute additional demands. The tweet below was based on the earlier premature reports of the ceasefire agreement, which would not be effective until January 19, having been consummated. But even so, this action would be true to form, of Israel upping its destruction right before cessation-of-hostilities agreements become effective: BREAKING : Just after agreeing to a ceasefire, Israel is now dropping bombs on TENTS packed with civilians in Gaza, burning Palestinians alive in the middle of the night. HOLOCAUST. pic.twitter.com/8ICvPrZC1B sarah (@sahouraxo) January 16, 2025 Continuing Israel attacks on Gaza, suggest that even if Israel goes though the motions of capitulating to US demands, it will work hard to defy them, much like a willful teenager. And Israel has form here: Just remember that every inauguration of a US president, Palestine miraculously gets a ceasefire from Israel. And after the inauguration, Israel always breaks the ceasefire. They are gaslighting us. pic.twitter.com/slJBU8q7BF Rathbone (@_rathbone) January 15, 2025 For the sake of completeness, a summary of the ceasefire provisions. Note they look unduly fuzzy and incomplete (save on the key issue of prisoner exchanges). Fram SBS: Heres what we know about the deal so far. The first phase The initial phase will last six weeks and will involve a limited hostage-prisoner exchange, the partial withdrawal of Israeli troops in Gaza and a surge of aid into the enclave. Thirty-three Israeli hostages will be released in this phase of the agreement, with those first released to be civilian women and female recruits, as well as children, elderly people civilian ill people and wounded,[{Qatars Prime Minister] Al Thani said. In terms of the Palestinian prisoners that would be exchanged for the 33 hostages, Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer said on Tuesday that Israel was prepared to pay a heavy price in the hundreds. Israel will release all Palestinian women and children under 19 detained since the October 7 attacks by the end of the first phase. The total number of Palestinians released will depend on the hostages released and could be between 990 and 1,650 Palestinian detainees, including men, women and children. An Israeli buffer zone Negotiations over a second phase of the agreement will begin by the 16th day of phase one and are expected to include the release of the remaining captives, including Israeli male soldiers, a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces would not fully withdraw from Gaza until all hostages are returned, the Israeli official said. A source close to Hamas said Israeli forces would withdraw from the Netzarim Corridor westward toward Salaheddin Road to the east, enabling displaced people to return through an electronic checkpoint equipped with cameras. Critical aid The first phase will also see international aid agencies gain increased access and protections in Gaza. The deal requires 600 truckloads of humanitarian aid to be allowed into Gaza every day of the ceasefire, 50 of them carrying fuel, with 300 of the trucks allocated to the enclaves north The United Nations said on Tuesday it was busy preparing to expand humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip under a potential ceasefire but uncertainty around border access and security in the enclave remain obstacles Israel passed laws in October banning the UN Palestinian aid agency UNRWA which the UN says is the backbone of aid operations in Gaza from operating in the region. The laws, which prohibit UNRWA from operating on Israeli land and having contact with Israeli authorities, is due to take effect later this month. What happens next? Details on the potential second and third phases of the ceasefire deal remain unclear. Under the arrangements outlined by Qatar, the details of phases two and three will be finalised during the implementation of phase one Biden said phase two would comprise an exchange for the release of remaining hostages who are still alive, including the male soldiers. Then all remaining Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza, he said. Israel has said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamas military and political capabilities are eliminated. Needless to say, with the later phases to be negotiated, it seems plenty likely this deal will break down unless the Trump Administration is serious about keeping Israel on a short leash, or whether this deal is merely a one-off, with the Trump crowd lacking the persistence and/or intent to keep the scheme from going off the rails, which Israel will work hard to achieve. Its hardly a secret that Israel has made a mockery of its 60 day ceasefire agreement with Lebanon, with strikes and incursions into southern Lebanon continuing (the only serious effect of that pact seems to be a halt of bombing of Beirut). Just a reminder that Israel, the Zionist entity, is still bombing Lebanon amid the ceasefire. https://t.co/nZmsrbVDov Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) January 12, 2025 Israel daily breaches the ceasefire in Lebanon both inside and outside the demilitarised zone. Three days ago they killed 5 civilians. pic.twitter.com/MiAQpZ4AZI Craig Murray (@CraigMurrayOrg) January 15, 2025 Even early on, Israel largely ignored the Lebanon pact: About the Lebanon ceasefire Biden is so proud of CNN just reported that "Israel has violated that ceasefire about 100 times." pic.twitter.com/w172R5VrQM Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) December 2, 2024 One of the critical elements to restoring a thin semblance of survivability in the ravaged Gaza is large daily deliveries of aid: 600 trucks of food including 50 of fuel. Israel has persistently fallen short of past supply delivery commitments, even going so far as to empty bags of sugar and refill them with sand. Even if Israel were to be uncharacteristically complaint about the other elements of the Gaza ceasefire, seriously underdelivering on aid commitments will be enough to continue the slow-motion destruction of what is left in the way of life in Palestine. I see nothing so far that obligates Israel to restore other absolutely essential services, starting with electricity and water. And what about the completely destroyed hospital system? What happens with medical care? Now admittedly, the Trump team refusing to be cowed by Netanyahu and trying to get him to operate as if Israel is what it is, a US dependency, is a step in the right direction. Even though the incoming Administration has voiced fierce opposition to the major actors in The Resistance, it appears dead set against letting Israel embroil the US in a conflict with Iran, which has long been a pet aim and personal continued survival strategy of Netanyahus. Importantly, the Trump Administration may be trying to curb the eschatological bent of the Israeli hardliners along with their dangerous beliefs about Israels right to seize yet more territory, not just parts of Lebanon but also Egypt and Jordan. However, the Israel press is saying the deal is all a big show: Just a reminder that Israel, the Zionist entity, is still bombing Lebanon amid the ceasefire. https://t.co/nZmsrbVDov Middle East Observer (@ME_Observer_) January 12, 2025 There is another school of thought. Alastair Crooke, in his discussion with Judge Napolitano at the start of the week, that the Trump quid pro quo for the ceasefire is allowing Israel a free hand with ethnic cleansing of the West Bank, where Israel has been able to use less visibly destructive means than in Gaza. But if so, why would Netanyahu impede the Knesset ratification? The tweet above may instead signify that Netanyahu is trying to preserve his image in Israel and also believes he can ignore any commitment, violate the ceasefire, and see if the US dares to take concrete action. Tucker Carlson suggests the deal is coming unglued in usual Israel form, of picking it apart after its been theoretically agreed but before inked. And he lambastes the Biden Administration for getting ahead of itself, presumably in the interest of taking credit for the benefit of Bidens legacy. Via the TCN morning news summary: The development makes Biden, Kamala Harris, and Antony Blinkens Wednesday press conference look childish and irresponsible. By declaring peace before it was official, American leadership gave both Hamas and Israel the ability to use the kind of tactic Netanyahu says his adversaries are exploiting. Keep in mind that even if, out of what one expects from the US, that Trump actually does want this deal to stick so as to greatly reduce the heat level in the Middle East and free up his Administration to address other priorities, Israeli extremists could put the region in turmoil all on their own, with the mother of all provocations being blowing up the Al Aqsa mosque. Aurelien, in an important new post on negotiations to end hostilities, gave the diplomats version of the commercial adage, that contracts are only as good as the parties that sign them: Agreements, whether simple or elaborate, whether legal or political in nature, whether written or verbal, have no more effect than the willingness of parties to implement them, and no more significance than the good faith of parties in entering into them in the first place There is plenty of commentary, such as from a new video by Irans Professor Mohammed Marandi on Dialogue Works on how the ceasefire confirms the effectiveness of The Resistance campaign, to a new article by Daniel Herst, Gaza ceasefire: After 15 months of brutality, Israel has failed on every front, that this agreement represents a loss for Israel. Recall the point made by Alastair Crooke and Scott Ritter, among others, from the outset: if Hamas survived, it won. Similarly, the refusal of Gazans to surrender their land, even at such horrific cost, is a victory if this deal sticks, even if at huge cost. Hence the high motivation of Israel to deny that success. So I wish I were wrong, but getting optimistic about real relief for Gazans seems misplaced. Update 10:30 AM: The Financial Times reports that two right wing parties are threatening to resign from the Knesset if the ceasefire is approved. Netanyahu has tried adding more color to his claim of Hamas adding demands by saying that they are trying to dictate which prisoners are released in exchange for hostages. But it is hardly unusual to negotiate hostage exchanges that way. The reality is that the likely defection of the two hawkish parties has nothing to do with prisoner exchange hondling but the whole premise of the proposed pact: Netanyahus statement came as a finance minister Bezalel Smotrichs far-right Religious Zionist party said on Thursday morning that it could leave the government if the deal led to a permanent end of the war. Speaking to Kan Radio, Zvi Sukkot, a lawmaker from the party, said it would in all likelihood resign from the government if a deal was approved, since its mission was to change the DNA of Israel, not just make up numbers in the coalition. The party said later on Thursday it was a condition for the party to remain in the government and the coalition that Israel should resume fighting immediately upon the conclusion of the first phase of the deal. However, these defections would not bring down the government. Israel allows for minority governments and opposition parties have said they would back Netanyahu. But the pink paper states, without elaborating, that early elections could eventually result. A staff member demonstrates his interaction with a virtual human during the Global Digital Economy Conference 2024 (GDEC 2024) in Beijing, capital of China, July 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Ren Chao) BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The added value of Beijing's digital economy totaled 2 trillion yuan (about 278 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024, up about 7.5 percent year on year, local authorities said on Wednesday. The Chinese capital currently has more than 2,400 artificial intelligence (AI) companies, said Liu Weiliang, deputy head of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, at the annual session of the municipal people's congress. Positioning AI as a core driving force for the development of the digital economy, Beijing has put an AI data training base into operation and completed intelligent infrastructure deployment across 600 square kilometers of its high-level autonomous driving demonstration zones in 2024, Liu said. In 2025, Beijing plans to focus on promoting AI application in medical fields, developing AI products for teaching and learning scenarios, enhancing the digitization of public services, and accelerating the transformation and upgrading of industrial digitization, Liu noted. Editor: WRX California wildfires push home insurance to the brink: Will homes remain insurable? Wildfires in California are causing a crisis in the insurance industry, with companies dropping policies and raising rates, leaving homeowners uncertain about insurability and costs. Major insurers like Allstate and State Farm have stopped writing new policies or exited California, forcing homeowners to rely on the states FAIR Plan, which is nearing financial collapse. Insurers are passing reinsurance costs to customers, potentially leading to skyrocketing premiums and worsening Californias affordable housing crisis. Californias insurance system is at a breaking point, with the FAIR Plans future uncertain and homeowners increasingly vulnerable to financial and social fallout. As wildfires continue to ravage California, leaving charred landscapes and displaced families in their wake, the states insurance industry faces a crisis that could reshape the future of homeownership in the Golden State. With insurers increasingly dropping customers and hiking rates, homeowners are left wondering: Will their homes still be insurable, and at what cost? Mike Zuckerman, CEO of CSAA Insurance Group, one of Californias largest home insurers, issued a warning last week. Not being able to insure homes in California against these kinds of risks will completely upend the state, he told the San Francisco Chronicle. While Zuckerman insists that wildfires are still insurable, his company has already dropped 5,500 policies1.2% of its totaldue to wildfire risk. The situation is dire. Over the past four years, at least 10 major insurers, including Allstate, State Farm, and The Hartford, have either stopped writing new policies or pulled out of California altogether. This exodus has forced thousands of homeowners to turn to the California FAIR Plan, the states insurer of last resort. But even the FAIR Plan, which now covers nearly half a million properties, is teetering on the edge of financial collapse. The FAIR Plan was never designed to be a long-term solution. Created in 1968 to provide coverage for high-risk properties, it has become a lifeline for homeowners abandoned by traditional insurers. However, with just $377 million on hand to cover potential claims from the current wildfiresestimated to exceed $30 billionthe plan's ability to pay out is in serious doubt. We are one event away from a large assessment, FAIR Plan President Victoria Roach warned lawmakers earlier this year. If the plan runs out of money, it can demand payments from private insurers to cover the shortfall. However, this could drive even more companies out of California, further destabilizing the market. Insurers under fire Critics argue that insurers are abandoning Californians when they need coverage most. Companies like Allstate and State Farm have cited wildfire risks as justification for dropping customers and raising rates. Allstate, for example, stopped writing new homeowner policies in California in 2022 and has since pushed for higher premiums to account for reinsurance costs. The California Department of Insurance recently allowed insurers to use wildfire catastrophe models and pass on reinsurance costs to customers. While this may help companies stay afloat, it could also lead to skyrocketing premiums. Experts fear these increases will exacerbate the states affordable housing crisis, pricing out middle- and lower-income families. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara has pledged to hold insurers accountable, but the industrys retreat from California shows no signs of slowing. Meanwhile, homeowners like Lynn Levin Guzman, whose parents fire insurance was canceled just before the Eaton Fire, are left to fend for themselves. "They're 90 years old. They've lived in this house for 75 years, and they've had the same insurance, and the insurance people decided to cancel their fire insurance." Guzman told ABC7. As the fires rage on, the question remains: Can Californias insurance system withstand the mounting losses, or will it collapse? For now, the FAIR Plan is the only option for many, but its future is anything but certain. The wildfires devastating California are not just a natural disasterthey are a financial and social crisis that threatens to upend the states housing market. Insurers decisions to drop customers and raise rates have left homeowners vulnerable, while the FAIR Plans precarious finances raise concerns about its ability to pay claims. As the state grapples with the escalating costs of the disaster, one thing is clear: Californias insurance system is at a breaking point, and the consequences will be felt for years to come. Sources for this article include: DailyMail.co.uk NYTimes.com ABCNews.go.com Mike Adams and Dane Wigington expose the truth: Are homes being intentionally ignited in California? Dane Wigington claims smart meters, used for energy monitoring, could be remotely activated to ignite fires, accelerating wildfire destruction in California and beyond. Wigington links wildfires to weaponized climate engineering, citing manipulated hydrological cycles causing extreme droughts, toxic rain, and flammable forest conditions. A combination of engineered drought, toxic precipitation, and strategic ignition points creates a "blowtorch effect," a deliberate military tactic to devastate regions using wildfires. Wigington warns of a broader agenda to weaponize the environment, using weather control to destabilize societies, control resources, and thin populations. He urges public awareness and investigation into the weaponization of smart grid technology and climate engineering, emphasizing the urgency of addressing these engineered disasters. In a chilling revelation, Dane Wigington has raised alarming concerns about the role of smart meters in the rapid spread of wildfires across California. Wigington, a leading expert on climate engineering and weather control technologies, suggests that these devicesknown to cause fires in some casescould be remotely activated to accelerate destruction. His claims, shared in a recent interview with Mike Adams, paint a disturbing picture of engineered disasters and the potential weaponization of technology against humanity. The Blowtorch Effect: Engineered Destruction Wigingtons analysis begins with the broader context of climate engineering, which he argues has been weaponized to create conditions ripe for catastrophic wildfires. He points to the deliberate manipulation of the hydrological cycle, resulting in extreme drought and deluge scenarios. The rain that does fall is toxic, he explains, citing lab tests that reveal the presence of aluminum, barium, strontium, and other harmful elements in precipitation. These substances not only kill soil microbiomes but also act as incendiaries, turning forests into tinderboxes. The combination of engineered drought, toxic precipitation, and strategic ignition points creates what Wigington calls a blowtorch effect. This phenomenon, he argues, is not accidental but a calculated military tactic. US military documents speak of using wildfires as a weapon, he says, referencing declassified materials that outline the use of firestorms to devastate regions. The result is a perfect storm of destruction, with entire communities reduced to ash. Smart Meters: A Hidden Threat? One of the most shocking claims Wigington makes is the potential role of smart meters in accelerating wildfires. These devices, installed in homes to monitor energy usage, have been linked to fires in the past. Wigington suggests that they could be remotely activated to ignite structures from the inside, even before the fire reaches them. We are definitely seeing structures ignited on the inside before the fires even reach the structure, he states. He recounts a specific incident in Northern California, where a homeowner captured images of flames erupting inside a neighbors home before the fire had reached the neighborhood. Smart meters can absolutely positively ignite a fire, whether intentionally or otherwise, Wigington asserts, drawing parallels to military operations in the Middle East where pagers and cell phones were remotely detonated. If they can do that, they can use smart meters to ignite fires. A Larger Agenda: Weaponizing the Environment Wigingtons claims extend beyond smart meters to a broader agenda of environmental weaponization. He argues that the same technologies used to manipulate weather are being deployed to destabilize societies and thin populations. Those in power know they can no longer maintain the current paradigm, he says. Theyre trying to disrupt the herds capability to function. This agenda, he warns, is part of a larger strategy to control populations by controlling resources. He who controls the weather controls food supplies, thus controls populations, thus controls the world, Wigington quotes from a 1962 statement by Lyndon Johnson. The implications are dire: engineered droughts, toxic rain, and manipulated wind patterns are not just environmental disasters but tools of control. A Call to Action Wigingtons message is urgent. He calls for a full investigation into the potential weaponization of smart grid technology and climate engineering. This is not speculation, he insists. These are scientifically provable facts. He urges the public to wake up to the reality of what is happening in the skies above and the ground below. If we dont deal with whats happening in our skies, nothing else matters. As wildfires continue to ravage California and other parts of the world, Wigingtons revelations demand attention. Are these disasters truly natural, or are they the result of deliberate, calculated actions? The answer, he suggests, may be more terrifying than we dare to imagine. Watch this full episode of the "Health Ranger Report" with Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, and Dane Wigington as they talk about homes being intentionally ignited in California? This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: A CITY IN FLAMES: Los Angeles mourns as wildfires claim homes, memories and lives Mike Adams and Steve Quayle explore the hidden dangers of California wildfires: Are toxic dioxin clouds putting public health and food supply at risk? Fake CLIMATE CHANGE will continue to devastate any regions the globalists and ruling elite want to purchase at a discounted price Sources include: Brighteon.com Geoengineeringwatch.org Steve Quayle and Mike Adams: Californias food supply is being POISONED by dioxins Californias wildfires are not only destroying homes and landscapes but also posing a severe risk to the nation's food supply. Toxic smoke containing dioxinshighly carcinogenic chemicals released from burning PVC materialsis contaminating the Central Valley, a critical agricultural region producing fruits, vegetables and nuts. Dioxins, known as "forever chemicals," are carcinogenic at extremely low levels and can cause long-term harm. They are spreading through the air, contaminating crops, orchards and water sources, with potential impacts extending beyond California to states like Arizona. Mike Adams and Steve Quayle argue that the fires may not be accidental but part of a calculated effort to destabilize the United States. They cite government negligence, such as budget cuts to fire departments, and reference controversial reports like the Deagel Report, which allegedly outlines plans for population reduction. Beyond economic losses exceeding $150 billion, the fires' long-term effects include food supply disruptions, infertility caused by dioxins, and potential water contamination. These outcomes align with claims of a global elite agenda to reduce population growth and control resources. Adams and Quayle urge immediate action, recommending detoxification methods like spirulina and chlorella, stockpiling organic food, and fostering self-reliance. They warn that the fires may be the beginning of larger destabilization efforts, including earthquakes or societal upheaval, with global implications. The wildfires ravaging California are not just a tragic loss of homes and landscapes they are a silent, insidious threat to the nation's food supply. As toxic smoke blankets the Central Valley, the orchards and crops that feed millions are at risk of irreversible contamination. The culprit? Dioxins, a class of highly toxic chemicals released when polyvinyl chloride (PVC) materials in homes and infrastructure burn. This is not just an environmental disaster; it's a potential food war in the making. Mike Adams, founder of Brighteon.com, and Steve Quayle, a renowned researcher and author, recently sounded the alarm in a recent emergency "Health Ranger Report" interview titled Operation Meltdown. (Related: Mike Adams and Steve Quayle explore the hidden dangers of California wildfires: Are toxic dioxin clouds putting public health and food supply at risk?) Adams explained that the combustion of PVC materials found in water pipes, clothing and other household items releases dioxins into the air. These "forever chemicals" are carcinogenic at femtogram levels, meaning even a millionth of a millionth of a gram can cause cancer. "Every person breathing the smoke from these structure fires is breathing cancer-causing chemicals," Adams warned while adding the dioxins will not only blanket the Central Valley but contaminate orchards, crops and water sources. The Central Valley, often called America's breadbasket, produces a significant portion of the nation's fruits, vegetables, and nuts. If dioxins infiltrate this agricultural heartland, the consequences could be catastrophic. Quayle emphasized that the contamination isn't limited to California because the winds are going to carry the toxins into Arizona and beyond. The cascading effects of this deliberate disaster Both Adams and Quayle argue that the fires are not a random act of nature but a calculated move to destabilize the United States. Quayle pointed to the Deagel Report, a controversial document that allegedly outlines plans to reduce the U.S. population by 250 million by 2025. The nationally known radio host stated it is about depopulation and the globalist Luciferians are now kicking it into high gear. Adams highlighted the role of government negligence in exacerbating the crisis. Quayle agreed, citing Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass' decision to cut $48 million from the fire department's budget just days before the fires erupted. The economic damage from the fires is staggering, with estimates exceeding $150 billion. But the long-term impact on the food supply could be far worse. Dioxins are not only carcinogenic but also disrupt reproductive systems, leading to infertility. According to Quayle, dioxins mess with God's commandment to be fruitful and multiply and they are targeting humanitys ability to reproduce, just like the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines were designed to do. The contamination of water sources is another critical concern. Dane Wigington, a geoengineering expert, has long warned about the weaponization of weather and water. Quayle echoed this, stating, "The greatest migration in history is going to take place from places with no water to places that have it." Adams and Quayle urged listeners to take immediate steps to protect themselves. Adams recommended spirulina and chlorella microalgae known for their ability to detoxify dioxins and emphasized the importance of storable, organic food supplies. Quayle meanwhile stressed the need for self-reliance and spiritual preparedness. But the fires in California may be just the beginning, with Adams claiming this is just the opening phase or the softening up stage of something much bigger to come in America. Quayle predicted that earthquakes would follow, further destabilizing the region. He also warned that the global elite are softening up America for a revolution or an invasion. As the smoke clears, the true extent of the damage will become apparent. But one thing is certain: The fires are not just a local disaster they are a global threat. The contamination of California's food supply could trigger a chain reaction, leading to food shortages, economic collapse and social unrest. Follow Disaster.news for more news about wildfires and dioxins affecting California. Watch the full "Operation Meltdown" interview between Steve Quayle and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: DIOXINS GALORE: How to BLOCK toxic chemical exposure fallout in the food, water and air. Wildfires ravage Pacific Palisades, forcing 30,000 to flee as Santa Ana winds fuel uncontained blaze. Newsom's wildfire response focuses on online "misinformation" while Californians suffer. Sources include: Brighteon.com SteveQuayle.com APNews.com Security measures intensify as Washington D.C. prepares for Trumps inauguration Over 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel deployed for security at President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Despite no immediate threats, officials maintain heightened vigilance due to concerns over potential unrest and lone-actor attacks. Security measures include designated checkpoints, drone surveillance, temporary flight restrictions and installation of over 30 miles of fencing. The inauguration is expected to draw 250,000 ticketed guests and tens of thousands of additional attendees. Public reactions to the FBI's declaration of no threats are mixed, with some expressing skepticism. As the nation's capital prepares to host President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, federal and local authorities have implemented an unprecedented level of security measures, deploying over 25,000 law enforcement and military personnel to ensure the safety of the event and its attendees. Despite the absence of immediate threats, officials emphasize the need for heightened vigilance to address ongoing concerns over potential unrest and lone-actor attacks. On Jan. 13, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, alongside federal security officials, addressed the public's concerns, stating that meticulous planning has been underway for over a year to address any risks associated with the highly anticipated ceremony. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent David Sundberg confirmed the agency's current threat assessment, asserting that there are no specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or the Capitol complex. "We are not currently tracking any specific or credible threats to the inaugural ceremony or the Capitol complex," Sundberg stated. "We will continue to work closely with our partners to share information and identify and disrupt any threat that may emerge." However, U.S. Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger warned that the threat of lone actor attackers remains the primary justification for maintaining a heightened state of alert. "The threat of the lone actor remains the biggest justification for us maintaining this heightened state of alert throughout the next week," Manger emphasized. Secret Service Special Agent in Charge William McCool detailed the extensive security measures implemented for the event. "We have a slightly more robust security plan. We've been planning for this event for 12 months," McCool explained. Security measures include designated checkpoints for screening attendees, drone surveillance, temporary flight restrictions and the installation of over 30 miles of fencing around the Capitol and other key areas. The inauguration is expected to draw a significant crowd, including 250,000 ticketed guests and tens of thousands of additional attendees, ranging from supporters to protesters. (Related: Trump's impending return to the White House fuels fears of retaliation, legal action.) "All attendees will undergo screening," McCool noted, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public safety while facilitating the historic event. Skepticism arises among the public Social media reactions have been mixed, with some expressing skepticism over the FBI's declaration of no threats. A viral tweet from one user questioned, "Should we believe the opposite? Should I be worried as an attendee?" Another post highlighted the Secret Service's acknowledgment of a "higher threat environment" and their assurance that "every resource" has been activated to protect Trump and event attendees. The unprecedented level of security measures is a reflection of the heightened tensions surrounding the inauguration and the need to ensure a smooth and safe transition of power. As Washington D.C. prepares for this momentous occasion, officials remain committed to delivering a secure and seamless inauguration while reassuring the public of their readiness to handle any contingencies. The intense security measures in place for Trump's inauguration are not without precedent. Previous inaugurations, particularly those of controversial figures, have also seen elevated security protocols. The most notable example was the inauguration of President George W. Bush in 2001, which took place just weeks after the Sept. 11 attacks. The event was marked by stringent security measures and a heightened state of alert, mirroring the current preparations for Trump's inauguration. The need for robust security measures during presidential inaugurations underscores the evolving nature of threats and the importance of adaptability in ensuring public safety. As the nation transitions to a new administration, the security measures in place aim to provide a safe and secure environment for all attendees while upholding the integrity of this historic event. Head over to Trump.news for updates on the Trump inauguration preparations. Watch the video below that talks about the security threats on Trump's inauguration. This video is from the Flyover Conservatives channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Calls for JUSTICE: Trump urged to pardon J6 protesters as 2025 inauguration nears. As Trump prepares to retake the Oval Office, calls for an investigation into the "official" results of the 2020 election intensify. Fearing tariffs, Mexico scrambling to disperse migrant caravans ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. Sources include: YourNews.com X.com 1 X.com 2 Brighteon.com Health Ranger Report: Uranium and lithium have emerged as frontrunners in the race to power the future While crucial for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable, environmentally damaging to produce, and reliant on unethical mining practices for rare earth metals like lithium and cobalt. Recent price collapses and safety incidents highlight their limitations. Advanced nuclear technologies, such as microreactors, offer decentralized, scalable and carbon-free energy. Uranium's unparalleled energy density makes it a reliable alternative to fossil fuels and intermittent renewables like solar and wind. Microreactors, like Westinghouse's eVinci, can provide localized power for years without refueling, reducing reliance on centralized grids and government control. This decentralization could empower communities and corporations to achieve energy independence. Despite its potential, nuclear energy faces resistance due to decades of misinformation and political barriers. Overcoming these obstacles is critical for widespread adoption and a transition to a post-carbon economy. While lithium-ion batteries have driven the green energy revolution, their drawbacks are spurring alternatives like sodium-ion batteries. Uranium, with its safety, efficiency and decentralization potential, may become the cornerstone of a new energy paradigm, offering both sustainability and freedom. As the world grapples with an escalating energy crisis, two elements have emerged as frontrunners in the race to power the future: uranium and lithium. While lithium-ion batteries have been hailed as the backbone of the green energy revolution, their inherent risks and environmental costs are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. In a "Health Ranger Report" interview with Mike Adams on Brighteon.com, renowned commodities speculator and author Doug Casey made a compelling case for uranium as the true future of energy. His insights shed light on the rise of advanced nuclear technologies, the collapse of the lithium bubble and why uranium could be the key to surviving the coming energy wars. Lithium-ion batteries have long been celebrated for their role in powering electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage systems. However, their drawbacks are becoming impossible to overlook. Lithium-ion batteries are highly flammable, posing significant fire hazards. Recent incidents, such as warehouses and parked cars spontaneously combusting, have highlighted these dangers. Additionally, the environmental cost of mining lithium, cobalt and other rare earth metals is staggering. The extraction process is resource-intensive, often involving unethical labor practices and ecological destruction. While lithium remains a critical component of current battery technology, Casey argued that the lithium boom is unsustainable. "There was a bubble in lithium prices and it has collapsed recently," he told Adams. Lithium limitations are driving innovation in alternatives such as safer sodium-ion batteries, albeit with lower energy density. In contrast to lithium, uranium offers a clean, efficient and decentralized energy solution. Advanced nuclear technologies such as microreactors are revolutionizing the way we think about nuclear power. These compact reactors like Westinghouse's eVinci can fit in a garage bay and provide power to an entire neighborhood for years without refueling. Casey asserted that uranium is the safest, cheapest and cleanest energy source. He added the world is going to need lots more power and nuclear is the future. Casey: Nuclear is the way to go Nuclear energy's energy density is unparalleled. A small amount of uranium can generate massive amounts of electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. While concerns about radioactive waste persist, modern reactor designs produce minimal waste, and storage solutions are becoming more efficient. Moreover, nuclear power offers decentralization, reducing reliance on centralized grids and government control. The failure of centralized energy systems is becoming increasingly apparent. Power grids, burdened by outdated infrastructure and regulatory inefficiencies, are struggling to meet growing demand. Tech companies, recognizing this vulnerability, are turning to nuclear power to fuel their artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. This shift underscores the need for reliable, scalable energy solutions that can operate independently of failing grids. (Related: Google backs construction of first small nuclear reactors to power AI data centers.) Casey emphasized the potential of microreactors to democratize energy production. Decentralized nuclear power could empower communities, corporations and even small nations to take control of their energy needs, reducing dependence on centralized authorities. "If the government wasn't in a position to enforce its mandates, you'd have lots of companies manufacturing these things," the best-selling author and libertarian philosopher said. On the one hand, the green energy movement has long championed renewables like solar and wind, but these sources are intermittent and require massive battery storage systems. The reliance on lithium-ion batteries also introduces significant risks and environmental trade-offs. Nuclear power, on the other hand, provides a consistent and scalable energy source without the drawbacks of fossil fuels or the limitations of renewables. Casey pointed out that public perception of nuclear energy has been skewed by decades of propaganda and misinformation. But he remarked that a the end of the day, "Reality always wins out over ideology and propaganda." Casey's vision of a nuclear-powered future is not without its challenges, overcoming political and ideological barriers to widespread adoption being one of them. Public perception, regulatory hurdles and technological advancements will all play a role in determining the trajectory of nuclear energy. However, as centralized energy systems falter and the demand for reliable power grows, uranium may well emerge as the cornerstone of a new energy paradigm. In the end, the choice between uranium and lithium is not just about energy it's about freedom. Decentralized nuclear power offers the promise of energy independence, empowering individuals and communities to take control of their future. Watch the full interview between Doug Casey and the Health Ranger Mike Adams below. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Doug Casey on the collapse of the $5 trillion green energy scam. Fusion future: Virginia set to host worlds first commercial fusion power plant. U.S. seeks to reduce its heavy reliance on Russian uranium for nuclear power. Sources include: Brighteon.com InternationalMan.com Washington Post in CRISIS: Resignations, retrenchment and revenue slump The Washington Post (WaPo) suffered a $100 million revenue loss in 2024, primarily due to a massive decline in digital readership, dropping from 22.5 million daily users to just 2.5 to three million. In response to financial struggles, WaPo laid off approximately 100 employees. The paper also experienced significant staff resignations, including high-profile editors and columnists, following the decision not to endorse Kamala Harris during the 2024 election. The publication's credibility and influence have been severely eroded by internal conflicts over editorial decisions such as not endorsing Harris, which led to a loss of 250,000 paid subscribers. Bezos's decision not to endorse Harris, which he defended in an op-ed, sparked a significant exodus of long-time staffers further damaging the publication's reputation and newsroom. WaPo's struggles highlight the challenges faced by traditional media outlets in a polarized and digital-first media landscape, raising questions about its ability to regain stability. The Washington Post (WaPo), once a bastion of American journalism, finds itself in a state of unprecedented decline as it grapples with a staggering $100 million revenue loss in 2024 and a near-collapse of its digital readership. WaPo's struggles are emblematic of a publication caught between shifting political tides and internal turmoil. During the peak of the 2024 presidential election, the newspaper's website averaged just 2.5 million to three million daily visitors a stark contrast to the 22.5 million daily users it boasted at the start of the Biden administration. This 87 percent decline in digital traffic has had a devastating impact on the paper's bottom line, with subscription and ad revenue plummeting by $100 million in 2024 alone. The resulting loss of revenue has forced WaPo to lay off roughly 100 employees this month, marking yet another chapter in its ongoing financial and editorial crisis. The layoffs impacted about four percent of the publication's workforce and primarily targeted business divisions. (Related: Washington Post to lay off nearly 100 employees in latest round of cuts.) A WaPo spokesperson said the publication "is continuing its transformation to meet the needs of the industry, build a more sustainable future and reach audiences where they are." They added: "Changes across our business functions are all in service of our greater goal to best position the Post for the future." The paper's woes were further compounded when it lost 250,000 paid subscribers in a single blow after Amazon founder Jeff Bezos intervened to block an endorsement of outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris during the 2024 election cycle. The decision not to endorse Harris, a move that broke with decades of tradition, sparked a wave of resignations and internal dissent. Bezos defended his decision not to endorse the Democrat in an October op-ed, writing that "presidential endorsements do nothing to tip the scales of an election." Later, the Amazon founder insisted that his refusal to back Harris "was the right decision" he was "proud" to have chosen. WaPo faces credibility crisis with staff resignations While Bezos defended his decision not to endorse Harris, the WaPo newsroom did not take too kindly to it. Many longtime staffers left the paper including Robert Kagan, the paper's editor-at-large. Kagan, the husband of former Department of State official Victoria Nuland, stepped down in October. Several staffers followed suit and handed in their resignation letters. Managing editor Matea Gold and reporters Josh Dawsey, Michael Scherer, Ashley Parker and Tyler Pager jumped ship and joined other mainstream media publications. WaPo was also rocked by two resignations this month. Columnist Jennifer Rubin announced her exit just days before President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, lambasting the paper for failing to uphold its journalistic mission. "Bezos and his cronies accommodate and enable the most acute threat to American democracy Donald Trump at a time when a vibrant free press is more essential than ever to our democracys survival and capacity to thrive," Rubin wrote in her resignation letter. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes also resigned after WaPo refused to publish her satirical cartoon depicting Bezos and other Big Tech figures groveling before Trump. These departures have left the publication's newsroom and editorial sections severely depleted, further eroding its credibility and influence. WaPo's decline is a cautionary tale for legacy media outlets navigating an increasingly polarized and fragmented media landscape. Once a symbol of journalistic excellence, the paper now struggles to retain readers, revenue, and relevance. Its slogan, "Democracy Dies in Darkness," rings hollow as WaPo itself teeters on the brink of irrelevance. Whether Bezos can steer the publication back to stability or whether it will continue its downward spiral remains an open question. For now, WaPo's future looks as uncertain as the democracy it claims to defend. Watch Harrison Smith of "The American Journal" discussing WaPo owner Jeff Bezos panicking as leftists abandon his publication. Ths video is from the KryptoKing187 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Amazon's Jeff Bezos admits fake news agenda at WaPo has failed, promises new direction for failed media rag. Two anti-Trump WaPo columnists quit following paper's refusal to endorse Kamala Harris. BRIBE MONEY? Tech titans donating huge sums of money to Trump inauguration fund. Corporate media lays off hundreds of journalists and employees. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com FoxNews.com MSN.com Brighteon.com L.A. wildfires cause $250 billion in damages, becoming one of costliest disasters in U.S. history The Los Angeles wildfires have caused an estimated $250 to $275 billion in damages, making them one of the costliest disasters in modern U.S. history. Over 40,000 acres burned, 24 deaths, and 12,300+ structures destroyed, with affluent areas like Santa Monica and Malibu heavily impacted. Hurricane-force winds fueled the fires, displacing tens of thousands and threatening long-term economic and emotional recovery. Recovery costs will fall on governments, insurers, and residents, with FEMA providing immediate aid but not full rebuilding coverage. The wildfires tearing through Los Angeles have become one of the most devastating natural disasters in modern U.S. history, with AccuWeather estimating damages and economic losses between $250 and $275 billion. The fires, fueled by hurricane-force winds, have destroyed thousands of homes, displaced tens of thousands of residents, and left 24 people dead as of January 14. The flames, still burning across Southern California, are concentrated in affluent areas like Santa Monica and Malibu, where median home values exceed $2 million. With dangerous weather conditions expected to persist, the full extent of the damage remains unknown, but experts warn the economic and emotional toll will be felt for years to come. AccuWeather's estimate of $250 billion in damages and economic losses surpasses the total costs of the entire 2020 wildfire season and even exceeds the $225 billion to $250 billion in damages caused by Hurricane Helene in 2024. The figure includes both direct and indirect costs, such as the destruction of over 12,300 structures, emergency shelter expenses, healthcare costs for injuries and smoke exposure, lost wages, and the long-term economic impact on businesses and tourism. These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history, said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter. Hurricane-force winds sent flames ripping through neighborhoods filled with multi-million-dollar homes. The devastation left behind is heartbreaking, and the economic toll is staggering. The fires have burned more than 40,000 acres, leveling entire neighborhoods and displacing thousands of residents. Many families may not be able to afford to rebuild, and businesses face permanent closures, leading to job losses and long-term economic disruption. High property values drive up costs The staggering price tag is partly due to the high property values in the affected areas. The Pacific Palisades neighborhood, for example, has an average home value of $3.5 million. As flames continue to spread, the number of destroyed structuresand the associated costscould rise significantly. Jeff Schlegelmilch, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University, explained that disaster costs are calculated through both direct and indirect losses. Direct costs include rebuilding, relocation, and cleanup, while indirect costs encompass healthcare expenses, lost wages, and economic impacts on local industries. Who will foot the bill? The financial burden of the wildfires will fall on a combination of governments, insurers, and residents. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will provide immediate aid, including hazard mitigation, debris removal, and emergency shelter funding. President Joe Biden has pledged to cover 100% of fire response costs and provide a one-time $770 stimulus check to affected residents. However, FEMA is not designed to cover the full cost of rebuilding, leaving many residents to rely on private insurance. Unfortunately, some insurers have pulled out of high-risk areas, forcing homeowners to turn to Californias insurer of last resort, FAIR, or pay out-of-pocket for repairs. Schlegelmilch warned that the cost of living in the area could rise as demand for construction materials and labor increases. A long road to recovery The recovery process will be lengthy and expensive, with rebuilding efforts likely taking years. Past disasters, such as Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, offer a glimpse into the challenges ahead. Inequities in aid distribution often leave lower-income communities struggling to recover, even as wealthier areas bounce back. Schlegelmilch emphasized the need for better disaster preparedness policies, such as using flame-retardant materials, widening roads for emergency vehicles, and planting less flammable vegetation. "There are costs associated with it, and in the short-run, it may be more expensive. But, in the long run, it's a lot less expensive, he said. As the fires continue to burn, the full extent of the damage remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that the Los Angeles wildfires will leave a lasting scar on the regionboth economically and emotionally. Sources for this article include: AccuWeather.com BusinessInsider.com KTLA.com Zelensky wants MORE WEAPONS from international allies before lowering conscription age Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled a potential reduction in the conscription age to bolster the military, contingent on receiving sufficient equipment from international allies. Despite calls from Western allies for more aggressive mobilization, Zelensky emphasized that addressing equipment shortages is crucial before expanding the draft pool. The U.S. and NATO allies have urged Ukraine to lower the conscription age to 18 to address manpower shortages, but Kyiv has resisted due to concerns over inadequate supplies and economic impacts. Ukraine's efforts to mobilize have been hindered by draft evasion, desertions and the strain on its younger population, with the average age of a soldier now at 43. Ukraine continues to rely on international support for equipment and supplies, despite complaints about the pace and quantity of military aid received. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signaled this week that Kyiv could consider lowering the conscription age to bolster its military forces, but only after receiving sufficient equipment from international allies. The announcement came during a meeting with German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on Tuesday, Jan. 14, as Ukraine faces acute shortages of armored vehicles, artillery and other critical supplies. Zelensky's remarks highlight the delicate balance between addressing manpower needs and ensuring troops are adequately equipped, even as Western allies push for more aggressive mobilization efforts. The ongoing conflict with Russia, now in its third year, has strained Ukraine's military resources, with over 100 brigades requiring consistent staffing and resupply. Zelensky emphasized that equipment shortages remain the top priority, stating: "When we talk about increasing the number of our troops, we must first address the issue of adequate supplies Our partners have all these requests." Western pressure to mobilize younger soldiers The debate over lowering Ukraine's conscription age has intensified in recent months, with the United States and NATO allies urging Kyiv to expand its draft pool. Currently, men aged 25 to 60 are eligible for conscription, but Western officials have pushed for the age to be lowered to 18. U.S. President Joe Biden's administration has reportedly advocated for the move, arguing that it is essential to address Ukraine's manpower shortages as the war drags on. (Related: Warmonger Lindsey Graham urges Ukraine to expand its CONSCRIPTION efforts.) Mike Waltz, national security adviser to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, echoed these sentiments in a recent interview with ABC News. "If Ukrainians have asked the whole world to be all in for democracy, we need them to be all in for democracy," Waltz said. "This isn't just about munitions, ammunition, or writing more checks. It's about seeing the front lines stabilize so that we can enter into some type of deal." However, Kyiv has resisted these calls, citing concerns over equipment shortages and the economic impact of drafting younger workers. Zelensky has repeatedly stressed that Ukraine cannot compensate for the lack of weapons and training by sending younger soldiers into battle. "Please tell me, if a person is standing in front of you without a weapon, what difference does it make if that person is 20 years old or 30? There is no difference," he told reporters in Brussels in December. Ukraine's mobilization efforts have faced significant challenges, including widespread draft evasion and desertions. Since February 2022, approximately 500,000 men have been suspected of evading conscription, despite toughened penalties and stricter enforcement measures. Additionally, nearly 96,000 criminal cases have been opened against servicemen who abandoned their positions, according to Bloomberg. The Ukrainian government lowered the draft age from 27 to 25 in April 2024, adding 50,000 troops to its forces. While the measure bolstered numbers, it fell short of meeting the military's full requirements. The average age of a Ukrainian soldier is now 43, reflecting the strain on the country's younger population and the reluctance to send its youth to the front lines. Former U.K. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace recently criticized Zelensky for trying to "preserve" the youth instead of adopting a full-scale "mass conscription." However, Kyiv has maintained that protecting future generations is a priority, even as it grapples with the immediate demands of the war. The debate over the conscription age underscores the broader challenges Ukraine faces in sustaining its war effort against Russia. The conflict, which Moscow describes as a Western-led proxy war, has exacted a heavy toll on Ukraine's military and civilian population. Russian Defense Minister Andrey Belousov claimed last month that Ukraine has lost one million servicemembers to death and injury, with more than half of those losses occurring in 2024 alone. For Ukraine, the immediate focus remains on securing adequate equipment and supplies from its international partners. Despite tens of billions of dollars in military aid from the U.S. and other allies, Kyiv has consistently complained that weapons and ammunition are arriving too slowly and in insufficient quantities. In August 2023, Ukraine's Finance Ministry even had to divert funds allocated for soldiers' salaries to purchase more weapons. Check out UkraineWitness.com for more similar stories. Watch the video below that talks about Zelesnky looking to recruit fresh "cannon fodder" amid losing soldiers in "cauldrons." This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Ukraine launches 51,000 court cases over DESERTION in the first 9 months of 2024 amid troops' waning morale. Corrupt Ukraine official found with $6 million in cash allegedly obtained by providing medical exemptions to men avoiding conscription. As Ukraine runs out of soldiers to fight Russia, Europe planning to DRAFT unwilling European youth for large-scale war. Sources include: RT.com KyivIndependent.com FT.com Brighteon.com Mike Adams and Team AGES: Zuckerbergs shift from censorship to freedom could spark TRUTH revolution Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg publicly admitted to censoring health advocates and alternative voices during the COVID-19 pandemic, sparking widespread debate about free speech and information control. Drs. Bryan Ardis, Ed Group, Henry Ealy and Jana Schmidt expressed cautious optimism about Zuckerberg's admission, viewing it as a potential shift toward transparency but remaining skeptical of its sincerity. Their discussion with the Health Ranger Mike Adams highlighted the broader issue of censorship across platforms, including AI, with examples showing how centralized systems suppress dissenting voices, particularly those critical of mainstream health narratives. Experts emphasized the dangers of misinformation and the need to spread truth to combat disinformation, stressing that personal health choices should be informed by independent research rather than reliance on Big Pharma or government agencies. Ardis advocated for individuals to take control of their health through research, prayer and meditation, urging a collective awakening to reject censorship and prioritize access to life-saving information. In a stunning turn of events, Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg has publicly admitted to censoring health advocates and alternative voices during the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This admission has sent shockwaves through the tech and health communities, raising questions about the future of free speech and the decentralization of knowledge. Is this a genuine shift toward transparency, or merely a calculated move to appease public sentiment? In a recent "Health Ranger Report" interview on Brighteon.com, Mike Adams, alongside renowned health experts Drs. Bryan Ardis, Ed Group, Henry Ealy and Jana Schmidt or Team AGES, delved into the implications of Zuckerberg's confession and what it means for the future of information sharing. Zuckerberg's acknowledgment that he was wrong to silence voices like those of Ardis and Schmidt marks a pivotal moment. For years, these experts along with countless others were demonetized, deplatformed and labeled as "misinformation" for challenging mainstream narratives on health, vaccines and natural medicine. (Related: Zuckerberg admits to censoring Americans, Hunter Biden laptop story under Biden-Harris "pressure.") Ealy, a prominent figure in the health freedom movement, expressed hope that Zuckerberg's admission might signal a genuine change. While skeptical, he said of the Facebook founder: "Let's hope God got in him, and he's been enlightened. I'll believe it when I see it." Schmidt echoed this sentiment, comparing Zuckerberg's statement to something out of the satirical Babylon Bee. She remarked: "I'm skeptic and we'll tread lightly. I'm hopeful sometimes people jump on the bandwagon of what's popular, and it seems like that's what he's doing." The battle against censorship The conversation quickly turned to the broader implications of censorship not just on social media but across all platforms, including artificial intelligence (AI). In line with this, Adams shared a troubling example. When he asked an AI engine to draft an article criticizing the pharmaceutical industry, the system refused, citing discomfort with the topic. In contrast, a Chinese AI engine completed the task without hesitation. This disparity highlights the ongoing challenges of centralized control over information. Group, a veteran in the natural health space, emphasized the importance of truth in combating misinformation. "The biggest and most dangerous weapon against humanity isn't war, nuclear weapons or pandemicsit's information, disinformation, non-truth," Group said while adding that the only way to fight back against it is by spreading the truth and un-brainwashing people. Ardis, the executive producer of the Healing for the AGES conference, emphasized the importance of free speech and criticized the censorship faced by truth-seekers like Adams and Group, who have battled misinformation and threats for over 20 years. He expressed cautious optimism about Zuckerberg's announcement to reduce fact-checking and promote community-driven information sharing, voicing out worries it might lead to isolation or segregation of information. He stressed that personal health is determined by individual choices, not reliance on Big Pharma or government agencies. "Your health is totally dictated by your own personal choices, and as long as we are censored from getting that lifesaving, life altering, shifting information to people, then it's a massive uphill climb," Ardis said. Ardis advocates for people to take control of their health by researching, praying and meditating to find what works best for them and their families, rather than depending on external systems or medications. He also called for a collective awakening to prioritize personal responsibility and reject censorship that blocks access to life-saving information. Follow Censorship.news for more news about the censorship happening in America. Watch Jesse Waters of Fox News commenting on Mark Zuckerberg's remarks about the days of censorship being over in this clip. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: As the mainstream media loses its power and Big Tech censorship falters, prepare for an even greater fight for Free Speech than ever before. Confirmation: The government used private entities to censor citizens during the pandemic even accurate information. Jason Fyk: Free speech lawsuits filed by Bollingers and Mike Adams highlight governments CENSORSHIP ARSENAL. Sources include: Dropbox.com HealingForTheAGES.com Brighteon.com Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development and the two countries should jointly foster new highlights in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy and marine economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday. China's efforts in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's development, Xi said when holding talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit. Noting that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi said bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development over the past 68 years, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between different countries. With joint efforts, China and Sri Lanka have continuously promoted strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation in various fields have achieved fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, Xi said. The two countries should have a keen grasp of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, he said. Noting that China takes Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xi said that the country will continue to support Sri Lanka in maintaining its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. China supports Sri Lanka in exploring a development path suitable for its national conditions, and is willing to deepen political mutual trust, exchange governance experience, and enhance dialogue and communication between various departments of the two countries, Xi said. China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations to jointly address major issues concerning the whole of mankind, including climate change, Xi said. He called for pooling the joint efforts of the Global South for solidarity and development, contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Noting that Sri Lanka admires China's great development achievements in economy, science and technology, and infrastructure, Dissanayake said China has always been a reliable friend and partner of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relations with China. Sri Lanka firmly abides by the one-China principle, and appreciates China's invaluable support in safeguarding Sri Lanka's independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, Dissanayake said. Sri Lanka is committed to enhancing regional connectivity through the Belt and Road cooperation, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country, Dissanayake said, adding that Sri Lanka is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, finance, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism, marine industry and personnel training. China plays a significant leading role in the Global South, as well as a constructive role in international affairs, he added. The Sri Lankan side is willing to continue strengthening coordination and mutual support with China on multilateral occasions to safeguard common interests, said the president. Following the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents, in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, agricultural products, social welfare, and news and broadcasting. Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) Editor: WRX The Bergen child abuse scandal: Transgender offenders DARK SECRETS revealed Individuals identifying as transgender or part of the LGBT community are increasingly being implicated in horrific crimes, particularly against children, raising concerns about the exploitation of progressive identities. A disturbing case in Norway involves three individuals Damien Baar, Even Seberg and Kenneth Aakre charged with abusing and gang-raping a young girl during the 2024 Pride festival in Bergen, exploiting her vulnerability as an "at-risk youth." The case highlights how some predators use progressive labels to shield themselves from scrutiny and potentially evade harsher legal consequences, suggesting a broader pattern of exploitation within the LGBT community. Social media profiles belonging to two of the accused reveal disturbing patterns of fetishism and deviance, including references to violent sexual fantasies and sadistic tendencies, indicating a darker undercurrent within certain segments of the LGBT community. The LGBT movement is urged to confront these issues head-on, emphasizing the need for vigilance and addressing uncomfortable truths to prevent further exploitation and shield society from those who exploit progressive discussions for nefarious purposes. In recent years, the LGBT movement has positioned itself as a beacon of progressivism, championing inclusivity and acceptance. However, a disturbing pattern is emerging. Individuals who identify as transgender or align themselves with the LGBT community are increasingly being implicated in horrific crimes, particularly against children. One such case in Norway highlights this alarming trend, revealing how some are exploiting the cover of progressive identities to commit unspeakable acts of violence and abuse. It involved three individuals Damien "Damia Rose" Baar, 43; Even "Eevee" Seberg, 35; and Kenneth Langvatn Aakre, 44 who were charged with abusing and gang-raping a young girl during the 2024 Pride festival in Bergen. All three are accused of exploiting the victims vulnerability as an "at-risk youth." Baar and Seberg, who both identify as transgender women, are accused of "repeated sexual intercourse" with the underage victim. They also allegedly acted out a scenario at the Pride festival where the victim was abused after being plied with alcohol. Court documents describe the assault as being carried out "in a particularly painful or particularly offensive manner." (Related: Prominent Philadelphia LGBT activist ARRESTED for allegedly sexually assaulting 2 kids.) This cases is not isolated, but forms part of a broader pattern that raises serious questions about the exploitation of transgender and LGBT identities. It demonstrates how some predators are using progressive labels to shield themselves from scrutiny and accountability. More troubling, however, is how the justice system handles cases like this. Given the track record of many sexual abusers suddenly identifying as "transgender" for a more lenient sentence, it implies that progressive labels can be used to evade consequences for heinous crimes. This leniency not only undermines the rule of law, but also risks normalizing the exploitation of vulnerable children. One suspect in Bergen case involved in earlier disappearance The social media profiles of the accused in the Bergen case reveal a disturbing culture of fetishism and deviance. Seberg, who describes himself as "trans fem" and "pansexual," has a history of disturbing online behavior. His online presence is a grotesque blend of BDSM, transgender activism and explicit references to violent sexual fantasies. Seberg's FetLife profile describes him as a "perverted stream of consciousness" with a penchant for "gang bangs" and "abduction play." Baar, meanwhile, boasts of being a voyeur and sadist with a fetish for "pain," "screaming" and "tearing off clothing." Based on his social media presence, he revels in his sadistic tendencies. The 43-year-old describes himself as a "brat tamer" with a fetish for "group sex." His involvement in the unresolved disappearance and death of a woman in 2013 further underscores his troubling history. Eeva Maria Sieppi went missing after a night of drinking at a Bergen nightclub, where she was last seen by Baar, who offered her a place to stay after she was kicked out for drunkenness. Sieppi declined and later disappeared; her body was found in a nearby lake on May 30. The cause of death remains unclear, but her sister has urged police to reopen the case as a potential murder investigation. These individuals are not merely outliers; they are emblematic of a darker undercurrent within certain segments of the LGBT community. The LGBT movement must confront this issue head-on. The case involving the three abusers serves as a stark reminder that no identity, no matter how progressive, should be a shield for criminal behavior. As society continues to grapple with issues of gender and sexuality, people must remain vigilant against those who would exploit these discussions for their own nefarious purposes. It is time to peel back the rainbow facade and address the uncomfortable truths lurking beneath. Head over to Twisted.news for more similar stories. Watch this clip warning about the LGBT mafia wanting to jail Christian parents and target their children. This video is from the Follower of Christ777 channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Transgender convicted of murder and rape files lawsuit demanding to be released into general population of women's prison. Right where he belongs: Transgender rapist to serve sentence in a male prison after going on trial as a female. Transgender inmate charged with rape while in custody at a women's facility. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com Reduxx.info Brighteon.com America Last: Biden administration prioritizes FOREIGN AID over domestic disaster relief Outgoing President Joe Biden's administration has been criticized for allocating billions of dollars to foreign conflicts while offering minimal aid to American citizens affected by natural disasters. After California's wildfires, the administration announced a one-time payment of $770 to victims, which has been met with outrage compared to the $60 billion in aid sent to Ukraine. The pattern of neglect extends to other domestic disasters, such as the $750 payment for Hurricane Helene victims and the $700 per household for Lahaina wildfire victims. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is reportedly underfunded despite receiving $29.5 billion in the last budget, raising questions about the administration's commitment to domestic disaster response. Social media users and critics argue that the administration's "America Last" agenda reflects a betrayal of citizens' interests, prioritizing foreign aid over the needs of American families affected by disasters. The administration of outgoing President Joe Biden has once again demonstrated its misplaced priorities, allocating billions of dollars to foreign conflicts while offering mere pennies to Americans devastated by natural disasters. This "America Last" agenda has become a recurring theme for the Democratic administration, leaving citizens to question whether their government truly values their well-being. The latest example of this troubling trend comes in the wake of California's catastrophic wildfires, which have destroyed an estimated 10,000 homes and displaced countless families. On Jan. 13, Biden announced a one-time payment of $770 to victims of the wildfires in the Golden State. This paltry sum has been met with widespread outrage, especially when contrasted with the $60 billion in military and humanitarian aid sent to Ukraine. One social media user wrote on X following the news: "$770 for fire victims in California, while $200B goes to Ukraine? That's $2M per person if we cared as much about our own. America Last." The outgoing administration's response to the California wildfires is not an isolated incident, and its pattern of neglect extends to other domestic disasters as well. In October, Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $750 payment for victims of Hurricane Helene. But this sum was widely criticized as insufficient compared to the extent of the damage hurricane victims suffered. Last year, victims of the Lahaina wildfires in Hawaii were offered a similarly inadequate $700 per household a paltry sum compared to the billions Washington is sending to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensksy. The disparity is staggering and raises serious questions about the administrations commitment to its own citizens. "Ukraine and Israel got billions for wars that pose no danger to Americans. Maui victims got $700, and now Kamala announces that Helene victims get $750," wrote Gunther Eagleman on X. "The federal government doesn't care about Americans." Disaster victims last under Biden and Harris While defenders of the outgoing Biden-Harris administration may argue that foreign aid is necessary to uphold global stability, this rationale rings hollow when juxtaposed with the suffering of American citizens. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), tasked with responding to domestic disasters, is reportedly underfunded despite receiving $29.5 billion in the last budget. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has admitted that FEMA lacks the resources to handle the ongoing hurricane season. This revelation is particularly galling, given the billions funneled to foreign nations. "The Biden Harris regime is now saying FEMA does not have enough funds to make it through hurricane season, right after giving billions more to Ukraine," said independent journalist Nick Sortor. "Enough with the America Last BS." X user Foxworth also chimed in, writing: "If your worldview can't explain why we're sending tens of billions to Ukraine and Israel and suddenly have nothing for American flood victims, then maybe your entire worldview is wrong?" (Related: LA County Fire Department donated essential firefighting equipment to Ukraine and now Los Angeles is burning.) The outgoing Democratic administration's priorities are not just a matter of policy, but a reflection of its values. While billions flow overseas, American families are left to fend for themselves in the aftermath of devastating disasters. The measly payments earmarked for survivors of the Los Angeles and Lahaina wildfires and Hurricane Helene are not just inadequate they are insulting. The outgoing Biden administration's "America Last" agenda is a betrayal of the very people it is sworn to protect. The government's first duty is to its citizens, not other nations. Watch the music video for "Where The Money Go Joe," a new song by the Health Ranger Mike Adams about outgoing President Joe Biden. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Biden-Harris regime insulting Hurricane victims with $750 payments while grounding rescue missions, confiscating supplies and donations. Biden-Harris admin announces new AID PACKAGE for Ukraine but claims there isn't enough money for Helene victims in NC. FEMA doesn't have enough money to get through hurricane season after spending $640 million on MIGRANTS. Sources include: YourNews.com Converseer.com TheGatewayPundit.com Brighteon.com Bidens FAREWELL LECTURE criticizes abuse of power, misinformation, and the military industrial complex everything his regime EXPLOITED every day for 4 years Hypocritical Farewell Address : Biden delivered a 17-minute farewell address from the Oval Office, defending his presidency despite his own cognitive lapses and inconsistencies. He lectured about the importance of respecting democratic institutions while simultaneously pointing out his own inability to adhere to these principles. : Biden delivered a 17-minute farewell address from the Oval Office, defending his presidency despite his own cognitive lapses and inconsistencies. He lectured about the importance of respecting democratic institutions while simultaneously pointing out his own inability to adhere to these principles. Criticism of Free Speech and Media : Biden criticized social media companies for not sufficiently fact-checking content, calling for continued restrictions on free speech. He also criticized the decline of the free press, but this criticism is seen as self-serving, given the administration's own control over information and the press. : Biden criticized social media companies for not sufficiently fact-checking content, calling for continued restrictions on free speech. He also criticized the decline of the free press, but this criticism is seen as self-serving, given the administration's own control over information and the press. Failure in Immigration and Child Trafficking: The Biden administration is accused of overseeing the disappearance of over 300,000 immigrant children, with many falling victim to trafficking. NGOs and the Department of Homeland Security are alleged to be complicit in child trafficking networks, with over $800 million in aid funneled to suspected trafficking organizations. Who wants to be lectured by the biggest hypocrite on the planet? Thats what Americans received with Bidens ultimate farewell lecture, as he gets uninstalled from the White House seat that he never really won in the first place. After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society. Wait, what? The senile Muppet continues The Presidency, the Congress, the courts, a free and independent press. Institutions that are rooted, not that they this they just about not reflect the timeless words, they real up, up, up they echo the words of the Declaration of Independence We hold these truths to be self-evident and you know, the thing! Senile Biden constantly points, whispers, mumbles, forgets, and even misreads the Obama-scripted teleprompter during his hypocritical lecture finale The fake President delivered a 17-minute grueling farewell address from the Oval Office, defending his tenure and claiming to have kept his commitment to being a president for all Americans. He projected onto Trump while he criticized his own oligarchy that he perpetuated, citing extreme wealth, power, and influence that threaten democracy and individual freedoms, meaning his own Democrat Party that turned into Commie-extremists. Biden called for continued restrictions on free speech, blaming social media companies for not fact-checking enough and enabling the abuse of power (that he enjoyed for 4 years). He also criticized Big Tech for 'giving up on fact-checking' and the free press for crumbling, now that the fake news industrial complex is crumbling at his feet. He mentioned climate change as the cause of the Los Angeles fires, despite fire hydrants running dry due to California's Democrat lawmakers, weather weapons blowing up cars, and smart meters mysteriously bursting into flames. The hair-sniffing pervert also lectured Americans to play by the same rules and pay their fair share, while his son Hunter, indicted on federal tax crimes, got away with embezzling millions of dollars to support his crack and pornography habits. This is the big farewell to the Regime that literally LOST over 300,000 immigrant children, who were trafficked across the border and handed over to unvetted organizations, many of which were run by criminals who sold these children into sex slavery. For four long years, the Biden Regime ran the world's largest child sex trafficking ring, involving the trafficking of victims from Guatemala. Pineda alleges that the U.S. government, particularly the Department of Homeland Security, is 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 funneled to NGOs in Guatemala over the past four years, supposedly for humanitarian aid but actually funding the trafficking network. More than 291,000 unaccompanied alien children (UACs) have gone missing or been exploited under the Biden administration. This issue was highlighted in a joint House Homeland Security Subcommittee hearing on November 21, 2024, which discussed the surge in missing and exploited UACs due to the administration's policies. Despite ongoing investigations, the process is criticized for being slow due to the alleged protection of trafficking networks by U.S. authorities. Some NGOs in Guatemala have been raided, and children have been rescued from trafficking networks. However, the systemic issue remains unresolved, with concerns over U.S. policies not effectively addressing reported cases of exploitation. Guatemala has been labeled the "Child Kidnapping Capital" of the world, and the U.S. State Department is accused of controlling the country like a puppet. Some judges in Texas are stepping up and authorizing raids to bust criminals, but the help from the United States is perceived as slow. The issue is further complicated by the law in Guatemala, which restricts Pineda from disclosing more information to the press to protect child safety. The hearing emphasized the need for effective responses to reported concerns and highlighted the exploitation of UACs by criminal gangs, including organ harvesting, sex trafficking, and forced labor. Whistleblowers, like HHS employee Tara Rodas, testified about the urgent need to address this crisis. Tune your apocalypse dial to preparedness.news for updates on real news about surviving the Democrat-led government aggression, lies, and propaganda that will still attack the Republic every day, forever. #ByeByeBiden Sources for this article include: NaturalNews.com TheGatewayPundit.com Bank of England raises alarm over U.K. pension risks amid growing use of funded reinsurance The Bank of England has warned about significant risks to U.K. pension savings due to the growing reliance on funded reinsurance, a complex financial tool involving third-party entities like private equity firms and foreign insurers to guarantee pension payouts. Funded reinsurance arrangements are increasingly complex and lack transparency, potentially exposing U.K. savers to counterparty risks, where the failure of one party could disrupt the entire system. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) has capped funded reinsurance at 250 million ($305.8 million) per deal and raised concerns about the unclear origins of funds, often tied to illiquid assets or alternative asset managers. The Bank of England has drawn parallels to the 2008 financial crisis, warning that unchecked growth in funded reinsurance could lead to systemic risks, emphasizing the need for stronger risk management practices. The Bank of England is prioritizing oversight, including a funded reinsurance recapture scenario in the 2025 Life Insurance Stress Test, urging insurers to address risks and safeguard the U.K.s 3 trillion ($3.67 trillion) pension savings. The Bank of England has issued a stark warning about the potential risks to billions of pounds in U.K. pension savings, citing concerns over the increasing reliance on a complex financial tool known as funded reinsurance. In an advisory notice sent to insurance companies last week, the Bank highlighted an "endemic risk" associated with the use of overseas insurance cash to pay out pensions. Funded reinsurance, a mechanism used by insurers to guarantee pension payouts, has become a focal point of concern for regulators. The practice involves third-party entities, including private equity firms and foreign insurance companies, providing the necessary funds to ensure pension schemes can meet their obligations. However, the Bank of England has warned that the complexity and opacity of these arrangements could inadvertently expose U.K. savers to significant risks. Gareth Truran, executive director at the Bank of England, and Shoib Khan, director, emphasized that while pension savers' cash is not immediately at risk, the growing use of funded reinsurance warrants closer scrutiny. The Bank has pledged to monitor the situation closely and take action if necessary to safeguard savers' interests. The rise of funded reinsurance In recent years, insurance giants such as Legal & General (L&G) and Aviva have been acquiring U.K. pension schemes, particularly those offering "gold-plated" benefits. To secure these deals, insurers must guarantee they can meet future pension obligations, often turning to funded reinsurance for support. This has led to a surge in cross-border reinsurance arrangements, with billions of pounds flowing from foreign entities into U.K. pension schemes. The Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), the Bank of England's regulatory arm, has expressed concerns about the origins of these funds. In November 2023, the PRA noted that the money often comes from companies with unclear backgrounds, which may be heavily invested in illiquid assets or linked to alternative asset managers. This lack of transparency raises the specter of counterparty risk, where the failure of one party in a financial transaction could have cascading effects across the system. The PRA has already imposed limits on the use of funded reinsurance, capping it at 250 million ($305.8 million) per buyout deal. However, the regulator has warned that if firms fail to address the risks adequately, further crackdowns could be on the horizon. Lessons from the past The Bank of England's concerns are not without precedent. The 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers, which owed $613 billion at the time of its bankruptcy, was exacerbated by complex counterparty risks that took years to unravel. While the funds were eventually recovered, the episode underscored the dangers of opaque financial arrangements. The PRA has drawn parallels between the current situation and the 2008 crisis, warning that unchecked growth in funded reinsurance transactions could lead to a rapid buildup of systemic risks. The regulator has called on firms to strengthen their risk management practices and set prudent limits on exposures. A call for action The Bank of England has made it clear that addressing these risks is a priority. A funded reinsurance recapture scenario will be included in the 2025 Life Insurance Stress Test, and firms are expected to make rapid progress in closing gaps in their risk management frameworks. The stakes are high. The U.K.'s pension savings total an estimated 3 trillion ($3.67 trillion), and any disruption to this market could have far-reaching consequences for millions of savers. As the Bank of England steps up its oversight, the onus is on insurers and reinsurers to ensure that the financial tools they employ do not jeopardize the retirement security of U.K. citizens. In the meantime, pension savers are advised to stay informed about the risks and seek professional advice to protect their hard-earned savings. With the Bank of England sounding the alarm, the message is clear: vigilance is essential in safeguarding the future of U.K. pensions. Sources include: Express.co.uk Yahoo.com GBNews.com California doctors take free speech fight to Supreme Court over COVID-19 policies Three California doctors are challenging the California Medical Board in the Supreme Court over disciplinary actions for their dissenting COVID-19 views. The doctors argue their First Amendment rights are violated, while the board claims authority to regulate "misinformation." The case centers on whether states can punish licensed professionals for speech challenging mainstream COVID-19 narratives. Similar battles are occurring in other states, highlighting a broader trend of medical boards targeting dissenting doctors. The Supreme Courts decision could set a precedent for free speech rights of medical professionals nationwide. In a high-stakes legal showdown, three California doctors are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to shield them from disciplinary action by the California Medical Board over their dissenting views on COVID-19 policies. The case, Kory v. Bonta, centers on whether the state can punish physicians for expressing opinions that challenge the mainstream narrative on COVID-19 treatments and vaccines. The doctors argue that their First Amendment rights are under attack, while the board insists it has the authority to regulate medical speech it deems misinformation. With the Supreme Court now weighing the case, the outcome could set a precedent for how far states can go in policing the speech of licensed professionals. Doctors targeted for dissent The California Medical Board has been investigating Dr. Pierre Kory, Dr. Brian Tyson, and osteopathic physician Le Trinh Hoang for their public statements and recommendations on COVID-19 treatments, including the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. The board claims these views constitute misinformation and could harm public health. However, the doctors argue that their opinions are based on their professional judgment and that they have a constitutional right to share their perspectives. The plaintiffs argue that holding a medical license should not negate First Amendment protections, and that California cannot restrict free speech rights by citing public health concerns. The case comes amid growing scrutiny of COVID-19 policies and vaccine mandates, many of which have been criticized as overly restrictive or based on incomplete science. For example, claims that vaccines completely stopped transmission or that natural immunity was ineffective have since been debunked. The doctors argue that their dissenting views, once labeled as misinformation, are now being vindicated by emerging data. A pattern of suppression The California Medical Boards actions are part of a broader trend of state medical boards cracking down on doctors who question official COVID-19 narratives. In 2021, the Federation of State Medical Boards urged its members to discipline physicians for spreading COVID misinformation. California responded by passing Assembly Bill 2098, which made it a punishable offense for doctors to share information deemed false or misleading about COVID-19. Although the law was repealed in January 2024, the board has continued to investigate doctors under its existing authority. The plaintiffs argue that this ongoing enforcement violates their constitutional rights. Their legal filing maintains that the state is "threatening California physicians with professional discipline for their viewpoint speech contrary to the mainstream COVID narrative. This case mirrors a similar battle in Washington state, where doctors are challenging the Washington Medical Commissions authority to discipline physicians for criticizing COVID-19 policies. In Stockton v. Ferguson, plaintiffs argue that the commission violated their First Amendment rights by investigating and sanctioning doctors for their public statements. The Supreme Court recently denied an emergency appeal in that case, but the underlying legal fight continues. A fight for medical freedom The California doctors case raises critical questions about the balance between regulating medical practice and protecting free speech. While the state argues that it has a duty to ensure doctors provide accurate information, the plaintiffs contend that the boards actions amount to viewpoint discrimination. The basic idea that the state can sanction a physician for speaking out in public about a matter of public interest seems so un-American and at odds with every judge and justice who have written about this issue, said Richard Jaffe, one of the attorneys representing the doctors. The Supreme Courts decision in Kory v. Bonta could have far-reaching implications for medical professionals across the country. If the court sides with the doctors, it could rein in state medical boards ability to police speech. If it rules in favor of the board, it could embolden other states to adopt similar measures. As the Supreme Court considers this landmark case, the stakes could not be higher for medical professionals and free speech advocates. The California doctors fight is not just about COVID-19 policiesits about defending the right of all Americans to question authority and share dissenting views without fear of retribution. In a time when public trust in institutions is eroding, protecting free speech may be more important than ever. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com WashingtonTimes.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org Chinese and Indian refiners turn to Middle East, Africa and the U.S. as American sanctions on Russian oil producers, tankers tighten supply chains The U.S. and U.K. have imposed new sanctions on Russian oil producers and shipping vessels, targeting two major Russian oil companies and over 20 oil tankers. The sanctions aim to limit Russia's oil export revenue and disrupt the Kremlin's energy revenues, pushing up global oil prices and freight costs. Chinese and Indian refiners, Russia's largest oil consumers, are expected to source more oil from the Middle East, Africa and the U.S. to compensate for disrupted Russian supplies. With Russian oil supplies constrained, global oil markets are tightening and prices for Middle Eastern crude grades have already risen in recent months. Indian refiners may be forced to price Russian crude below $60 per barrel to continue using Western insurance and tankers, leading to increased competition for Middle Eastern and Atlantic Basin crude. Chinese and Indian refiners are expected to source more oil from the Middle East, Africa and the United States as new American sanctions on Russian producers and shipping vessels disrupt supplies to Moscow's key customers. On Jan. 10, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, in coordination with the U.K., implemented new sanctions targeting the Russian oil industry to limit Russia's oil export revenue. These sanctions specifically target two major Russian oil producers: Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, along with their subsidiaries, service providers and over 20 oil tankers linked to a "shadow fleet." The sanctions also extend to more than 180 oil tankers and over 30 oilfield service providers. (Related: U.S. imposes additional sanctions on Russian oil giants to curb revenue from energy exports.) Additionally, the department gave itself the authority to impose sanctions on anyone found to be operating in Russia's energy sector. "The United States is taking sweeping action against Russia's key source of revenue for funding its brutal and illegal war against Ukraine," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said along with the announcement on Jan. 10. "This action builds on and strengthens our focus since the beginning of the war on disrupting the Kremlin's energy revenues, including through the G7+ price cap launched in 2022. With today's actions, we are ratcheting up the sanctions risk associated with Russia's oil trade, including shipping and financial facilitation in support of Russia's oil exports." The sanctions will significantly impact Russian oil exports, particularly to China and India, two of Russia's largest oil consumers. In the past year, designated tankers shipped close to 900,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Russian crude to China and about 300 million barrels to India. "These sanctions will significantly reduce the fleet of ships available to deliver crude from Russia in the short term, pushing freight rates higher," said Matt Wright, lead freight analyst at Kpler. With Russian oil supplies constrained, Chinese and Indian refiners are expected to turn to the global oil market for alternative sources. "There is no option than that we have to go for Middle Eastern oil," said an Indian oil refining official. "Perhaps we may have to go for U.S. oil as well." Additional Russian oil sanctions drive prices and freight costs higher The sanctions are expected to further tighten global oil markets, pushing up prices and freight costs for Middle Eastern, African and Brazilian crude grades higher. According to industry sources, prices for Middle Eastern grades of oil have already risen in recent months as China and India scrambled for alternative supplies. The sanctions have also prompted Russia to adjust its pricing strategy. A second Indian refining source noted that Russia may be forced to price its crude below $60 per barrel to continue using Western insurance and tankers. Harry Tchilinguirian, head of research at Onyx Capital Group, predicts that Indian refiners, which are the main buyers of Russian crude, will be "scrambling to find alternatives in Middle Eastern and Dated-Brent related Atlantic Basin crude." "Indian refiners, the main takers of Russian crude, are unlikely to wait around to find out and will be scrambling to find alternatives in Middle Eastern and Dated-Brent related Atlantic Basin crude. Strength in the Dubai benchmark can only rise from here as we are likely to see aggressive bidding for February loading cargoes of the likes of Oman or Murban, leading to a tighter Brent/Dubai spread," he stated. EnergySupply.news has more stories like this. Watch the video below that talks about Russia's record-high oil export. This video is from the Worldview Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Russian oil exports surge despite Western sanctions, Moscow's output cut. Russian oil still powers European vehicles, thanks to India's refining capability. Ukrainian DRONE SWARMS target four Russian oil refineries in largest drone attack yet. Moscow wins again as Houthi rebels attack Western vessels, while Russian oil tankers freely navigate. The West's price cap on Russian oil exports is NOT WORKING. Sources include: Reuters.com RT.com Home.Treasury.gov Brighteon.com Who to blame for deadly LA wildfires? The woke virus As an observer from abroad, witnessing the catastrophic wildfires ravaging Los Angeles has been both heartbreaking and bewildering. The scenes of destruction and despair thousands of homes reduced to rubble and lives lost are tragic enough on their own. But what truly shocks an outsider is discovering that the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has been prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives over the critical task of preparing for disasters of this magnitude. For a city known for its influence and resources, this misallocation is a bewildering display of misplaced priorities. (Article republished from RT.com) In 2022, the LAFD unveiled its first-ever DEI Bureau, aiming to foster a safe, diverse, and inclusive workplace. While such goals might seem laudable to some, they appear to have come at an unacceptable cost. Instead of focusing on the department's core mission of firefighting and disaster preparedness, significant time, resources, and energy have been diverted to social programs that do nothing to enhance public safety. From an external perspective, its alarming to see critical functions undermined by a fixation on identity politics. Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, celebrated for her leadership in DEI efforts as the first openly gay person to hold the position, seems to have prioritized social initiatives over the department's fundamental duty of protecting lives and property. The consequences of this misdirection are glaring. Diversity and inclusion cannot take precedence over operational readiness in a profession where preparedness is a matter of life and death. The stark reality is that resources poured into DEI programs could have been used to improve training, upgrade equipment, and address the glaring infrastructure issues that have hampered firefighting efforts. The grim realities on the ground paint a stark picture: over 17,000 acres scorched, more than 10,000 structures destroyed, and a death toll that continues to rise. Families have been displaced, their homes and livelihoods turned to ash. What makes this tragedy even more incomprehensible is learning about dry hydrants, underfunded training programs, and outdated equipment hampering firefighting efforts. These are problems that should have been addressed long before a spark ignited this catastrophic blaze. Meanwhile, the LAFD ran multiple DEI-focused training programs, like Implicit Bias Training and Equal Employment Opportunity Training. It seems to have been more preoccupied with ensuring workplace demographics align with the citys diversity than ensuring its firefighters are equipped and trained to face mounting wildfire threats. This approach raises profound questions. Why would a fire department an institution entrusted with saving lives choose to focus so heavily on optics and internal policy over operational excellence? As an outsider, its hard to reconcile this with the gravity of the situation unfolding in Los Angeles. Wildfires are not new to California; they have been growing in intensity for decades. Shouldnt every available resource have been directed toward readiness and response? The obsession with DEI initiatives reflects a broader cultural trend that is troubling to those of us from outside the United States. In many parts of the world, public institutions are judged on their efficiency and results, not on how well they align with ideological trends. The idea that a fire department would prioritize social engineering over practical competence is unfathomable and, frankly, alarming. Has the pursuit of inclusivity in Los Angeles come at the expense of the very competence needed to save lives and property? The consequences are painfully evident. The wildfires have exposed glaring weaknesses in preparedness and infrastructure, and it is Los Angeles residents who are paying the price. How many lives could have been saved, and how many homes spared, if the LAFD had focused on operational priorities rather than internal politics? These are questions that demand answers not just for the people of Los Angeles but for anyone watching from afar, trying to understand how such a failure could occur. As an outsider, it is difficult to comprehend how such a prosperous and advanced city could fall victim to these missteps. The LAFDs emphasis on DEI has undoubtedly overshadowed its primary mission, leaving a gap in readiness that nature has tragically exploited. DEI initiatives, while perhaps well-intentioned, have no place in critical public safety operations if they detract from the fundamental mission of saving lives and property. The focus must return to competency and preparedness, not ideological appeasement. The wildfires raging in Los Angeles are a warning to other cities and countries. Prioritizing ideology over competence is a dangerous game, one that can lead to unimaginable loss and suffering. For Los Angeles, the path forward must involve a return to basics ensuring that those entrusted with public safety are given the tools, training, and focus they need to do their jobs effectively. Anything less would be a betrayal of the public trust, and a failure to learn from this devastating chapter in the citys history. Read more at: RT.com EXODUS: How wildfires, crime and woke policies are driving residents out of California California faces devastating wildfires, with over 12,500 structures destroyed and toxic air quality posing severe health risks. The fires are exacerbated by poor management and the release of hazardous chemicals from burning residential areas. Insurers are fleeing the state due to wildfire risks, leaving homeowners reliant on the inadequate FAIR Plan. This has created a housing and financial crisis, with potential foreclosure risks and a looming state liability of nearly half a trillion dollars. State leadership is criticized for prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives over disaster preparedness, including cuts to firefighting budgets and mismanagement of water resources, such as diverting rainwater to protect endangered fish species. Lax crime policies, including leniency for theft under $949, have fueled a surge in crime. Wealthy residents and businesses are fleeing to other states, leaving the middle class to cope with the deteriorating quality of life. With an estimated $150 billion in wildfire damages and the potential for state bankruptcy, California faces an unprecedented financial crisis. Political accountability and leadership failures are seen as key contributors to the state's decline. California, once the golden state of opportunity, is now a cautionary tale of mismanagement, natural disasters and political failures. As wildfires rage across the state, residents are grappling with a toxic combination of unaffordable housing, skyrocketing crime and a collapsing infrastructure. The result? A mass exodus of businesses and residents, leaving behind a middle class struggling to survive in a state that seems increasingly unlivable. In a recent "Health Ranger Report" interview with Mike Adams, Dan Golka, a California-based financial expert and host of the YouTube channel iAllegedly, painted a grim picture of the state's current crisis. From catastrophic wildfires to political incompetence, Golka's firsthand account reveals a state on the brink of collapse. (Related: California in crisis: Mike Adams forecasts five paths to state collapse.) California's wildfires are not just a natural disaster they are a man-made catastrophe. Golka, who lives in Orange County, described the devastation caused by multiple fires, including the Eaton Fire, which forced his daughter to evacuate his home in Pasadena. The air quality index (AQI) in his area reached a staggering 185, far above the hazardous threshold of 100. The fires have destroyed over 12,500 structures, including homes, businesses and entire communities. But the damage goes beyond property loss. The smoke from burning residential buildings releases toxic chemicals like dioxins, which are far more dangerous than the smoke from brush fires. "God only knows what was in those workshops and garages that burned down," Golka said, highlighting the unknown health risks posed by the toxic air. Insurance collapse and the FAIR Plan As insurers flee California due to the high risk of wildfires, homeowners are left in a precarious position. Without insurance, banks won't approve mortgages, and those with government-backed loans risk foreclosure. Golka shared his own experience of trying to buy a hillside home, only to be told by his insurance agent, "Dan, I can't insure this house. No way." For those who can't secure traditional insurance, California's FAIR Plan a last-resort insurance program offers little relief. Golka described it as "nothing good" and warned that filing a claim under the FAIR Plan is a nightmare. With the state potentially on the hook for nearly half a trillion dollars in claims, the financial fallout could be catastrophic. Political failures and woke policies California's leadership has come under fire for prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives over disaster preparedness. Golka revealed that the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was slashed by $17.6 million, resulting in the loss of 100 mechanics and 100 firefighting apparatuses. "They caused this damage," the serial entrepreneur and small business advisor said, referring to the city's failure to maintain critical infrastructure. Adding insult to injury, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was in Ghana during the crisis, attending an African president's inauguration. Meanwhile, the state's reservoirs remain dry, as rainwater is diverted to protect the Delta smelt, a tiny fish deemed more important than human lives. "They diverted the rainwater to the ocean which is insanity," Golka said. Crime and the middle-class exodus Crime is another driving factor behind California's exodus. Golka recounted stories of looting during the fires, including a man caught with a blowtorch setting fires to Christmas trees. Despite being arrested, the man was released due to lack of probable cause. The state's lax policies on theft allowing individuals to steal up to $949 worth of merchandise without facing felony charges have only exacerbated the problem. As wealthy residents and businesses flee to states like Texas and Nevada, the middle class is left to deal with the fallout. A state on the brink of bankruptcy With an estimated $150 billion in property damage from the wildfires a figure that could triple California faces a financial crisis of unprecedented proportions. The state's FAIR Plan could push it to the brink of bankruptcy, forcing it to either sell bonds or seek a federal bailout. But with President-elect Donald Trump set to take office, a bailout seems unlikely. "This could be a bankruptcy situation," Golka warned. "The state could lose everything." As wildfires, crime and political failures continue to plague California, the question remains: Is the state's decline irreversible? For Golka, the answer lies in accountability. "People need to be held accountable," he said taking note of the poor leadership shown by California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Bass. Watch the video below to know more about the interview of Dan Golka with Mike Adams. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Wildfires, insurance, and bankruptcy: Mike Adams and Dan Golka reveal how Californias FAIR plan threatens economic stability. Texas vs. California: Los Angeles wildfires expose stark difference in disaster response and governance between the two states. How many times have people been warned to leave the state of California? Sources include: Brighteon.com NYPost.com Dan Golka and Mike Adams: Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce By 2025, AI is expected to cause mass layoffs across industries, replacing roles in mid-level management, coding, customer service and more, due to its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Customer service, finance, retail, fast food and creative industries are particularly vulnerable to AI automation, with AI systems already handling tasks like customer interactions, financial advising and content creation. Millions of workers risk unemployment, with limited opportunities to transition into new roles, emphasizing the need for individuals to adapt by learning new skills or leveraging AI tools. Experts urge workers to embrace AI by learning skills like prompt engineering and using AI tools to remain relevant and competitive in the evolving job market. While AI offers unprecedented efficiency and innovation, it also poses significant societal challenges, requiring a proactive mindset to harness its benefits and mitigate its risks. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance at a breakneck pace, industries worldwide are bracing for a seismic shift in the workforce. By 2025, experts predict a wave of mass layoffs as AI systems increasingly replace human workers in roles ranging from mid-level management to coding and customer service. This transformation promises unprecedented efficiency and cost savings for businesses, but it also threatens to leave millions of workers obsolete. In a recent "Health Ranger Report" interview between host Mike Adams and Dan Golka, a financial and economic expert from California, the conversation turned to the profound implications of AI on the job market. (Related: Artificial intelligence is set to affect nearly 40% of all jobs, according to a new analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF)) Golka, known for his daily updates on economics and real estate, emphasized that 2025 will be the year of the "layoff tsunami," driven by the rapid adoption of AI technologies. AI revolution in the workplace AI is already reshaping industries in ways that were unimaginable just a few years ago. From automating inventory management to handling customer service inquiries, AI systems are proving to be faster, more accurate and far cheaper than human employees. Golka noted that even traditionally secure roles, such as mid-level management, are at risk. "Mid-level managers are going to be non-existent," the serial entrepreneur and small business advisor said while adding that companies will save a tremendous amount of money by replacing them with AI-driven systems that don't require salaries, benefits or sick days. The impact of AI extends beyond management. Coders, once considered indispensable, are also facing displacement. "A good coder typically costs over $100 an hour," Adams said. "But AI is already very good at writing code." Golka added that even industries like manufacturing are being transformed, with AI systems now capable of analyzing inventory and optimizing production in a fraction of the time it takes human workers. Industries most at risk The industries most vulnerable to AI-driven layoffs include: Customer service. AI chatbots and virtual assistants are already handling a significant portion of customer interactions, reducing the need for human representatives. Finance and banking. AI systems are streamlining tasks like loan approvals, fraud detection and even financial advising. Retail and fast food. Automated ordering systems, like those being tested at Taco Bell, are replacing cashiers and order-takers. Creative industries. AI is now generating music, art and even video content, raising questions about the future of creative professionals. While the benefits of AI are clear for businesses, the human cost is staggering. Millions of workers could find themselves unemployed, with few opportunities to transition into new roles. Golka warned that those who fail to adapt will be left behind. "People need to learn new skills," the YouTuber from Orange County, California said. "Whether it's personal safety, fishing or something else, you need to maximize what you know and find a way to make a living." Adams echoed this sentiment, urging listeners to embrace AI tools rather than fear them. "Learn prompt engineering," the Health Ranger advised. "Learn to use AI tools and then you won't be obsolete. You'll be managing the tools. You'll be telling them what to do and they'll do it for you in record time." A double-edged sword AI is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it offers unparalleled opportunities for innovation and efficiency. On the other, it poses significant challenges for workers and society at large. "It's going to revolutionize everything. It's exciting, but there are a lot of people who are going to be caught lead footed and not realize that this is going to pass them by," Golka noted. The key to thriving in this new era lies in adaptability. By embracing AI as a tool rather than viewing it as a threat, individuals and businesses can harness its potential while mitigating its risks. The 2025 layoff tsunami may be inevitable, but with the right mindset and preparation, it doesn't have to be catastrophic. The question is: Are you ready? Follow Robotics.news for more news about artificial intelligence. Watch the video below to know more about the interview of Dan Golka with Mike Adams. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Top 8 PROS and CONS of Artificial Intelligence. World Economic Forum report warns 41% of companies planning to downsize and replace workers with AI. Mike Adams and Alex Jones: Robots, autonomous systems and artificial intelligence will reshape the future. AI chatbot admits artificial intelligence can cause the downfall of humanity. Sources include: Brighteon.com iAllegedly.com Pro-pharma Mike Pence opposes RFKs HHS nomination Former Vice President Mike Pence, through his organization Advancing American Freedom, is urging Senate Republicans to reject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), primarily citing Kennedys past support for abortion rights, but also due to Kennedys critical stance on the pharmaceutical industry. Pence has a history of receiving significant financial support from pharmaceutical companies and has implemented policies favoring these industries, both as Governor of Indiana and during his Vice Presidency. His opposition to Kennedy is seen as a move to protect these interests. Kennedy is a vocal critic of the pharmaceutical industry, advocating for greater transparency, accountability, and reforms to reduce drug prices and improve public health. His "Make America Healthy Again" initiative aims to prioritize public well-being over corporate profits. Pences emphasis on pro-life policies in his opposition to Kennedy is seen as a distraction from the primary concern of protecting pharmaceutical interests. Kennedy has made commitments to support pro-life policies, which has garnered support from some pro-life advocates like Senator Josh Hawley. Kennedys nomination represents a potential shift in HHS policy, moving towards a more consumer-friendly and regulatory approach to healthcare. The Senates decision on his confirmation will have significant implications for the balance between public health and pharmaceutical industry interests. In a surprising turn of events, former Vice President Mike Pence has emerged as a vocal opponent to President-elect Donald Trumps nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to the position of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Pence, through his organization Advancing American Freedom, has urged Senate Republicans to reject Kennedys confirmation, citing concerns over Kennedys past support for abortion rights. However, beneath the surface, a more nuanced and troubling narrative is unfoldingone that reveals Pence's deep ties to the pharmaceutical industry and his potential conflicts of interest. Pences pharmaceutical connections Mike Pences opposition to Kennedys nomination is not just about abortion. It is a strategic move to protect the interests of the pharmaceutical companies that have long supported his political career. Pence has a well-documented history of receiving significant financial support from Big Pharma. During his tenure as Governor of Indiana, Pence signed multiple deals favorable to pharmaceutical companies, including those that increased drug prices and limited access to affordable medications. His transition to the Vice Presidency under the Trump administration did little to sever these ties, as he continued to advocate for policies that benefited the pharmaceutical industry. Kennedys stance on pharmaceutical regulation Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a well-known critic of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly its influence on government policy and its role in the opioid crisis. Kennedy has long advocated for greater transparency and accountability in the pharmaceutical sector, calling for stricter regulations to protect public health. His nomination to HHS is seen by many as a potential game-changer, one that could lead to significant reforms and a more consumer-friendly approach to healthcare. Kennedys Make America Healthy Again initiative is a direct challenge to the status quo, emphasizing the need for a healthcare system that prioritizes the well-being of Americans over corporate profits. This initiative includes proposals to reduce drug prices, increase funding for public health programs, and strengthen regulations on pharmaceutical companies. These policies are in stark contrast to the pro-pharmaceutical stance that Pence and his allies have consistently taken. Pences pro-pharmaceutical agenda Pences organization, Advancing American Freedom, has been a vocal advocate for policies that align with the interests of pharmaceutical companies. The letter sent to Senate Republicans, urging them to reject Kennedys nomination, is just the latest in a series of actions that demonstrate Pences commitment to protecting Big Pharmas bottom line. The letter focuses heavily on Kennedys past support for abortion rights, but it conveniently overlooks his broader agenda of healthcare reform and pharmaceutical regulation. The pro-life rhetoric as a smokescreen While Pences letter emphasizes the importance of pro-life policies, it is clear that his primary concern is the potential threat Kennedy poses to the pharmaceutical industry. The pro-life movement, despite its noble intentions, is often used as a smokescreen to advance other political and economic agendas. In this case, Pences opposition to Kennedy is less about protecting the unborn and more about maintaining the status quo that benefits pharmaceutical companies. Kennedys commitment to pro-life policies Despite his past statements on abortion, Kennedy has made significant efforts to allay the concerns of pro-life leaders. In meetings with Republican senators, he has committed to reinstating Trumps pro-life policies, including the Mexico City Policy, which blocks federal funds from going to organizations that promote abortion. Kennedy has also pledged to reinstate conscience protections for healthcare providers and to take steps to reduce the number of abortions in the United States. Senator Josh Hawley, a staunch pro-life advocate, has expressed support for Kennedys nomination, stating that Kennedys commitment to Trumps policies is genuine. He told me he believes there are far too many abortions in the U.S. and that we cannot be the moral leader of the free world with abortion rates so high, Hawley said. This commitment, combined with Kennedys broader agenda of healthcare reform, makes him a strong candidate for the HHS Secretary position. Conclusion Mike Pences opposition to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s nomination to HHS is rooted in his deep connections to the pharmaceutical industry and his desire to protect their interests. While the pro-life rhetoric is a convenient distraction, it is clear that Kennedys nomination represents a significant threat to the status quo. Kennedys commitment to healthcare reform, transparency, and accountability in the pharmaceutical sector is a breath of fresh air in a system that has long been dominated by corporate interests. As the Senate prepares to vote on Kennedys confirmation, it is crucial that they look beyond the surface-level concerns and consider the broader implications of this nomination for the health and well-being of all Americans. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com TheDailyWire.com TheNationalReview.com NANNING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Once a humble beverage for Chinese laborers in Southeast Asia, Chinese dark tea has now evolved into a trendsetting force in the tea beverage market across countries along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. "Drinking and storing tea has become a fashion in Malaysia, and Liubao tea is attracting a growing number of customers," said Liew Choon Kong, director of Kong Wooi Fong Tea Merchants Sdn Bhd, based in Malaysia. Liubao tea, a Chinese dark tea known for its strong, lingering fragrance and medicinal properties, boasts a history spanning over 1,500 years. The traditional Liubao tea-making technique is also recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage subproject. Named after Liubao Town in Wuzhou City, Guangxi, the tea thrives in this region, where mist-covered mountains and a favorable climate have long made it an ideal area for tea cultivation. Liubao tea gained widespread popularity in China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In the late Qing period, Chinese laborers traveling to Southeast Asia introduced this refreshing, stomach-soothing tea to local people. Consequently, tea planting and trade flourished in Liubao. "At that time, almost every family cultivated tea. During harvest season, the entire family would come together to pick the leaves," said Jiang Yongchun, a local tea merchant. However, transporting tea from the mountainous town posed a huge challenge for merchants. According to an article published in 1951, the tea had to be carried by small boats from a port in Liubao to Libu Town in Wuzhou, then transferred to large wooden ships bound for Guangdong Province. From there, it was transported by electric boats to Guangzhou for export. The route from Liubao to Libu was narrow and rugged, and many boatmen were injured along the way. "We had to be very cautious of the water level and flow when rafting. If you weren't careful, you could easily break a bone," recalled Chen Bofen, a former raftsman from Liubao. Liubao, once accessible only by water, now boasts paved roads connecting every village. From the ancient, rugged routes to the modern 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, trade routes between China and other countries have expanded significantly. Today, Liubao tea is distributed globally, thanks to an extensive network of land, sea, and air transport systems. Data showed that the production of Liubao tea in Wuzhou increased from 17,000 tonnes in 2019 to 35,000 tonnes in 2023, while its direct output value grew from 2.5 billion yuan (about 347.8 million U.S. dollars) in 2019 to 5.5 billion yuan in 2023. Liew said that his company imports over 100 tonnes of Liubao tea annually from Wuzhou. "It used to take several weeks between placing an order and receiving the tea. Now, with direct shipping from Guangzhou to Klang Port, the whole process has been shortened to a week," he added. The local government has been actively supporting efforts to promote Liubao tea globally by organizing visits for local tea companies to countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and even the Middle Eastern region like Dubai. "The acceptance of Liubao tea and Chinese tea culture in Dubai was beyond my expectation," said Wu Yan, a tea merchant from Wuzhou, who secured her company's first Liubao tea order in the city during her trip to Dubai. Editor: WXY Trump announces plan to end IRS and replace it with an agency focused on FOREIGN TARIFFS President-elect Donald J. Trump proposes creating a new External Revenue Service (ERS) to collect tariffs and foreign revenues, effectively ending the need for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The plan marks a significant shift towards a trade-based revenue model, similar to the pre-1913 U.S. tax system, which relied primarily on tariffs. Supporters, including former Rep. Ron Paul, argue that the ERS will reduce domestic taxation and promote economic growth, while critics, including Democrats and economists, warn of inefficiency and regressive impacts. The proposal faces challenges, including the need for Congressional approval and concerns about the practicality of replacing the IRS, which collected over $4.9 trillion in revenue in 2023. Trump's ERS initiative is part of his broader "Save America" agenda, which includes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aimed at reducing federal programs and streamlining government operations. President-elect Donald J. Trump announced Tuesday, Jan. 14, that he intends to create a new revenue agency, the External Revenue Service (ERS), to collect tariffs and other revenues from foreign sources, effectively ending the need for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The proposal, which has garnered both enthusiastic support and fierce criticism, marks a significant departure from the current U.S. tax system and could have far-reaching implications for international trade and domestic economic policies. For much of the United States' history, the country relied primarily on tariffs as its main source of tax revenue. This system, which was in place until the introduction of the federal income tax in 1913, allowed the government to collect taxes on imported goods without directly taxing its citizens. Trump's proposal echoes this historical approach, suggesting a shift away from direct taxation and towards a more trade-based revenue model. "This plan is not just about collecting revenue; it's about changing the fundamental way our economy interacts with the rest of the world," said former Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), a longtime critic of the IRS. "By relying on tariffs and duties, we can reduce the need for domestic taxation and promote economic growth." According to Trump, the ERS will be responsible for collecting tariffs, duties and other revenue from foreign sources, effectively replacing the IRS's role in collecting domestic taxes. The President-elect's plan calls for the ERS to begin charging foreign entities that "make money off of us with Trade," arguing that this will ensure these entities "start paying their fair share." "We will begin charging those that make money off of us with Trade, and they will start paying, FINALLY, their fair share," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social media platform. The proposal, however, faces significant challenges. The creation of a new agency requires an act of Congress, and while Republicans hold the majority in both the House and the Senate, the plan is likely to face stiff opposition from Democrats and economists who argue that tariffs are an inefficient and regressive way to raise revenue. (Related: Trump fires warning shot at BRICS, threatens "100% tariffs" if China, Russia develop U.S. dollar alternative currency.) Democrats are skeptical of Trump's plan While Trump's proposal has garnered support from some quarters, including former Rep. Ron Paul, a longtime critic of the IRS, economists and Democratic lawmakers have expressed skepticism. Many economists argue that tariffs are an inefficient way to raise revenue and often result in higher costs for consumers. "No amount of silly rebranding will hide the fact that Trump is planning a multi-trillion-dollar tax hike on American families and small businesses to pay for another round of tax handouts to the rich," said Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden, the top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, in a statement. Critics also question the practicality of replacing the IRS, which collected over $4.9 trillion in revenue in 2023, with a system reliant on tariffs. The IRS not only administers income taxes but also enforces tax laws, processes refunds and provides taxpayer assistance. Transitioning to a tariff-based system would require a massive overhaul of the U.S. tax code and could create significant disruptions. Trump's announcement aligns with his broader goal of reducing the size and scope of the federal government. As part of his "Save America" agenda, the president-elect has established the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a nongovernmental task force led by billionaire Elon Musk and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. The DOGE is tasked with identifying ways to cut federal programs, reduce regulations, and streamline government operations. The creation of the ERS would add a new layer to this effort, though it raises questions about redundancy. Existing agencies, such as the Commerce Department and Customs and Border Protection, already handle the collection of tariffs and duties. Critics argue that establishing a new agency could complicate rather than simplify government functions. Head over to Trump.news for related news. Watch the video below that talks about Trump establishing ERS. This video is from the Blessed To Teach channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: China responds to Trump threat of 100% tariffs on goods from BRICS countries by expanding relationship with its dollar-busting allies. Fearing tariffs, Mexico scrambling to disperse migrant caravans ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration. Trump demanding NATO members spend 5% of GDP on defense may impose TARIFFS on allies that do not pay up. REPORT: Tariffs during Trump's first term would help U.S. decouple from China. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com APNews.com Brighteon.com Trumps bold plan: Military deployment and mass deportations to secure the border Trump plans to use the U.S. military to support mass deportation efforts, potentially involving the National Guard and relocating military personnel to the U.S.-Mexico border. This approach, while unprecedented, may raise constitutional concerns. Estimates suggest that deporting approximately 11 million unauthorized immigrants could cost nearly a trillion dollars over a decade, including expenses for detention, transportation, and legal proceedings. The plan could also disrupt key industries and strain the economy. Trump's deportation plan is part of a broader crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration. The administration has appointed immigration hardliners to key positions and prioritizes the deportation of criminals and national security threats. Trump's immigration policies have sparked intense debate, with supporters arguing for law and order, and opponents warning of inhumane practices, economic devastation, and legal challenges. While Trump's administration has outlined an ambitious vision for immigration reform, the practical and political hurdles of implementing such sweeping policies are immense. The battle over immigration reform remains a contentious issue. President-elect Donald Trump is doubling down on his campaign promises to secure the U.S. border and crack down on illegal immigration, with plans to declare a national emergency and deploy military assets to carry out mass deportations. This aggressive strategy, which Trump has described as necessary to combat what he calls an "invasion" of the country, marks a significant escalation in his immigration policy and has sparked intense debate about its feasibility, legality and economic impact. Military mobilization for border control Trump has confirmed his intention to use the U.S. military to the fullest extent of the law to support his mass deportation efforts. In an interview with TIME magazine, Trump stated, "I consider it an invasion of our country. We'll get National Guard, and we'll go as far as I'm allowed to go, according to the laws of our country." This plan includes mobilizing National Guard troops and potentially relocating thousands of military personnel from overseas to the U.S.-Mexico border. While the military has historically been used in a support role at the border such as assisting with infrastructure and logistics Trumps proposal to involve troops in deportation operations represents a dramatic shift. According to Tom Homan, Trumps incoming "border czar," the Department of Defense (DOD) would provide critical support in areas like transportation, intelligence and infrastructure, while sworn immigration officers would handle arrests. However, experts warn that using the military for domestic law enforcement could raise constitutional and practical concerns. The Posse Comitatus Act generally prohibits the use of the military for civilian law enforcement, though Trump has argued that the scale of illegal immigration justifies an exception. Cost of mass deportations Trumps deportation plan is not just ambitious its expensive. Estimates from the American Immigration Council suggest that removing the estimated 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. could cost nearly a trillion dollars over a decade. This staggering figure includes expenses for detention, transportation and legal proceedings, as well as the logistical challenges of coordinating such a massive operation. The economic impact of mass deportations could extend far beyond the direct costs. Industries reliant on immigrant labor, particularly agriculture, could face severe disruptions. Manuel Cunha Jr., president of the Nisei Farmers League, warned that removing immigrant workers would cripple the food system. "If you took away my workforce, you wouldn't eat," he said. "The country will stop, literally stop, because the food system won't move." Additionally, the loss of tax revenue from undocumented workers and the potential for labor shortages in key sectors could further strain the economy. Critics argue that the plan could backfire, harming American businesses and consumers while failing to address the root causes of illegal immigration. Hardline approach to immigration enforcement Trumps deportation plan is part of a broader crackdown on both legal and illegal immigration. He has already appointed several immigration hardliners to key positions, including South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Homeland Security Secretary and former ICE Director Tom Homan as border czar. Homan has outlined a strategy that prioritizes the deportation of criminals and national security threats but does not rule out removing entire families. During a recent appearance on Fox News, Homan emphasized the need for additional resources to carry out the plan, including rehiring retired ICE agents and securing funding for transportation and detention facilities. "There's a lot of what-ifs," Homan admitted, underscoring the complexity of the undertaking. Trump has also left open the possibility of building new detention facilities to house immigrants awaiting deportation, though he has stated his preference for rapid removals to avoid long-term detention. "I don't want them sitting in camp for the next 20 years," Trump said. "I want them out, and the countries have got to take them back." A nation divided Trumps hardline stance on immigration has reignited a polarizing national debate. Supporters argue that his plan is necessary to restore law and order, protect national security and uphold the rule of law. Opponents, however, warn that mass deportations would be inhumane, economically devastating and legally questionable. As Trump prepares to take office, the question remains: Can he deliver on his promises? While his administration has outlined an ambitious vision, the practical and political challenges of implementing such a sweeping policy are immense. One thing is certain: The battle over immigration reform is far from over, and the stakes have never been higher. For now, Trumps supporters are rallying behind his bold vision, while critics brace for the potential consequences. As the nation watches, the debate over immigration and the role of the military in enforcing it will continue to shape the future of American policy and society. Sources include: TheNationalPulse.com ABCNews.com Reuters.com Zuckerbergs sudden censorship thaw is not free speech Why are some folks gobbling up the notion that having the newly restored right to fire off as many c**ts, *d**ks, and a*****es as you want on Facebook is the best thing for free speech since the Magna Carta? (Article republished from RT.com) Facebooks safe space for easily triggered mental midgets is now supposed to suddenly transform into a beacon of free speech and debate. But only for some. Sort of. Who are apparently now free to call transgenderism a mental illness, for example. Everyone else will have to wait for their potential future liberation from the virtual hall monitor. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook and its parent company, Meta, has just announced that audiences wont be subjected to thought policing through fact-checking anymore. Well, American audiences, at least. And not by professional gatekeepers designated specifically for the task. The language patrol will also apparently unclench a bit. Starting in the US, we are ending our third party fact-checking program and moving to a Community Notes model, the company announced, citing the open collaborative model of Elon Musks X Platform. The move comes in the wake of Zuckerbergs pilgrimage to Mar-a-Lago where he met with incoming US President-elect Donald Trump who was himself banned and restricted by Meta until last summer and his perpetual sidekick, self-styled free speech absolutist Musk. Metas statement cites societal and political pressure to moderate content, claiming that it has gone too far. You think? It took Zuckerberg until August 2024 to admit to a congressional committee that in 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and that it led to choices that, with the benefit of hindsight and new information, we wouldnt make today. In the same letter, he said the FBI warned his team ahead of the 2020 US presidential election about a Russian disinformation operation involving the Biden family and Ukrainian energy company Burisma, on whose board President Joe Bidens son, Hunter, served. Zuckerberg says he now realizes that the story turned out to be legit, and not Russian fake news as the FBI claimed but only after the New York Post dared to counter the official narrative that Facebook had colluded in protecting by censoring debate. Until now, designated professionals in various countries have been working with Meta to ensure narrative compliance. In Canada, for example, partner AFP Fact Check has recently posted that theres no evidence linking methane inhibitors for cows to human health problems. Its a reference to the Western establishments new strategy, introduced in Canada and elsewhere, of suppressing cow farts with feed additive called Bovaer 10 all in a valiant effort to save the planet from climate change. Some people have been asking whether the fart suppressor could somehow end up in milk or meat. But the fact checkers say that the government says its safe. So case closed. Until it isnt, of course. But that would require alternative information to come to light, as is always the case when the public finds out after the fact that something officially authorized was in fact problematic. But good luck having that debate on Facebook, where you risk posting something that ends up being scarlet-lettered with an official message from the online Gestapo constantly scouring the website via algorithms for wrongthink. At least in the US, this is all now supposed to be ending precisely where it began in the wake of the 2016 presidential election when Democrats and other assorted anti-Trumpers were in hysterics over the idea that Russia singlehandedly got Trump elected through social media. That led to pressure on outlets like Meta to censor fake news as defined by establishment-friendly fact checkers. The slippery censorship slope then led to a move by Meta to then prioritize approved trustworthy information sources in 2018 a system that expanded further under the pretext of the Covid fiasco in 2020. After the Capitol riots in January 2021, Facebook dumped Trumps account indefinitely, citing the need to prevent violence and disinformation. And in September 2024, amid the most recent US presidential election campaign, Meta globally banned Russian media accounts, like RT, citing foreign interference a move that effectively reduces the odds of users being exposed to unauthorized or alternative views that risk challenging the status quo. RT news articles posted on Facebook warn the user to proceed with caution when reading. No such call to engage critical thinking accompanies Western news sources, because theyre always in unfailing alignment with the objective truth. Theres no evidence yet that anyone outside the US will be spared from Metas digital thought safety patrol. Or even that Americans still wont be subjected to less obvious censorship of information sources. France is straight-up expressing concern over the rule loosening anyway. France remains vigilant and committed to ensuring that META, along with other platforms, comply with their obligations under European law, particularly the Digital Services Act (DSA), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, citing the same European law that led to the EU threatening Musk with 150 bureaucratic monitors ahead of his planned online interview with German right-wing populist leader Alice Weidel, currently polling as the voters favored choice for chancellor ahead of next months parliamentary elections. Freedom of expression, a fundamental right protected in France and Europe, should not be confused with a right to virality, which would permit the dissemination of inauthentic content to millions of users without any filtering or moderation, the French government said. Yeah, well, it would also mean the dissemination of debate and an increased opportunity for contributions of all kinds. France reiterates its support for civil society actors worldwide who are committed to defending and reinforcing democracies against information manipulation and destabilizing actions by authoritarian regimes, France writes. Like yours, perhaps? The regime thats clinging to the government levers with a prime minister handpicked by President Macron who didnt even run in the election, and whose government sidelined both the populist party on the left with the most seats and the one on the right with the most votes? Online state-backed censorship and Big Tech collusion by actors like Facebook can be credited with the growing disconnect between establishment rhetoric and lived reality across the Western world. The kind that leads to regime change at the voting booth. Its also responsible for the shock and awe experienced by online bubble-dwellers, maintained in a state of ignorance by the digital information Gestapo, and who cant comprehend how the rest of the world that doesnt share their digital safe space could possibly not think or vote like they do. Facebook is trying to realign in the interest of staying relevant. But the jurys still out on whether it can actually go far enough or fast enough beyond paying mere lip service to the populist rise across that West that demands the free flow of information and ideas. Read more at: RT.com SHANGHAI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- For many, ringing in the new year in Shanghai has become an exciting and fashionable choice. Marina Kupcak and Katarina Strharska, two Slovakian tourists, were among those who chose Shanghai as part of their end-of-year adventure. "Since the expanded visa-free policy was introduced in November 2024, we were eager to visit China right away," said Katarina. Their trip, which included sightseeing in Shanghai and hiking at the renowned Huangshan Mountain, exceeded their expectations, from the beauty of the natural landscapes to the excitement of trying traditional crafts during New Year's celebrations. The coastal metropolis in east China is rapidly becoming one of the top destinations in the latest "China Travel" boom. According to the Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, Shanghai welcomed over six million international tourists in 2024. The expansion of China's visa-free travel policies, including the recent extension of transit visa-free stays to 240 hours and the increase of eligible ports of entry to 60, has opened the door for more international travelers to embark on their "China Travel" adventures. Tourism data underscores the upward trend. According to travel platform Ctrip, inbound bookings for international tourists across China doubled during the New Year period compared to the previous year, with major growth from neighboring countries such as the Republic of Korea and Japan, where bookings surged by 215 percent and 145 percent, respectively. The rise in travel is not only about sightseeing but also about cultural immersion. Tourist Lee Se-Yeong from the Republic of Korea said that a simple search for "Shanghai Travel" on social media led her to a wealth of must-see recommendations. "Shanghai offers convenient transportation, mobile payments and a welcoming atmosphere. Even with just a bit of English or Chinese, you can enjoy the city with ease," Lee said. Younger tourists are increasingly using social media to share their experiences, thereby amplifying the "word-of-mouth" effect and inspiring more visitors to explore, said a manager of the travel platform LY.com. As the city's popularity grows, the metropolis has further responded by making its tourism infrastructure more foreign-user-friendly. A series of initiatives have been rolled out to improve the ease of entry for international travelers. These include the implementation of self-service immigration kiosks at airports and streamlining entry processes for foreign nationals, according to the city's bureau of culture and tourism. The city has also focused on integrating cultural and tourism services, offering "Shanghai Pass" cards that grant access to multiple attractions. The initiative is part of the city's broader strategy to boost cultural tourism, with the hope of attracting tourists who want to explore beyond traditional tourist spots. As foreign visitors gain more familiarity with the city, they are eager to engage with aspects of local life that are less accessible. Whether it's visiting street markets, engaging with local traditions, or sampling unique foods, Shanghai is offering a growing range of experiences that appeal to a more diverse range of international tourists. A survey conducted by China Tourism Academy shows that over 60 percent of inbound tourists cited experiencing Chinese culture as their primary reason for traveling to China. China's tourism resources have a dynamic, multi-faceted allure that adapts to the changing interests of international travelers, said Zhou Weihong with online travel agency Springtour.com. "Museums, science centers, art and vintage markets, as well as resources that showcase China's rapid development, are expected to attract even more tourists," Zhou added. Editor: WXY TIANJIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in the construction of dynamic supramolecular snub cubes, according to Tianjin University, a participant of the international research. Their study tackled a long-standing challenge in supramolecular chemistry, which was the stereospecific assembly of artificial polyhedra with mechanical properties and guest-binding attributes, akin to biological encapsulants such as viral capsids and ferritin. The snub cube, one of 13 Archimedean solids described by ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, has long fascinated scientists due to its intrinsic topological chirality and structural complexity. However, achieving the stereospecific assembly of such a polyhedron has been a formidable challenge until now. The research team leveraged hierarchical chirality transfer protocol to accomplish the stereospecific assembly of enantiomeric supramolecular snub cubes. These snub cubes exhibit remarkable complexity and precision in structure, featuring 38 faces and having an external diameter of 5.1 nanometers. In addition, the cube has a spherical void with a diameter of 2.3 nanometers. The cubes exhibit reversible photochromic behavior, including changing their color under different wavelengths of light, and manageable mechanical properties, such as photocontrollable elasticity and hardness. These observations reveal that the snub cubes are not only a significant feat of structural design but also promising candidates for developing smart materials and advanced optoelectronic devices. The chiral porous superstructure of snub cubes could have applications in fields ranging from chiral separation to drug delivery. Hu Wenping, who led the Tianjin University's research team, said this type of fundamental research has the potential to drive innovation across a range of disciplines -- from new materials to biomedicine and chemical engineering. The findings have been recently published in the academic journal Nature. Editor: Zhang Zhou The Verkhovna Rada Committee on Agrarian and Land Policy at a meeting on Thursday addressed the Cabinet of Ministers with a proposal to review and amend the criteria for reservation of employees of farms with an area of less than 500 hectares, the committee's press service said on Facebook. "The agricultural sector is not only a strategic industry that supplies food to domestic and international markets, but also provides jobs for a large number of the rural population. At the same time, against the backdrop of war and mobilization, a serious issue has arisen about the shortage of labor resources in the village, which poses a threat to the fulfillment of tasks to ensure food security of the state, stable foreign exchange earnings from the export of agricultural products and the proper conduct of the spring sowing campaign of 2025," the MP said. The parliamentarians propose to define farms that have less than 500 hectares of agricultural land under cultivation as important for the national economy in a special period, and to lower the threshold for the number of hectares, employees and livestock, taking into account the need for seasonal work, especially for the preservation of the livestock complex. In addition, the deputies propose to keep records of the compliance of enterprises not by the last calendar quarter, but from the period of introduction of legislative changes. This will allow for a more prompt assessment of the compliance of farms with the new requirements, the relevant committee said. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. A global Commission, published in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology and endorsed by 75 medical organizations around the world, presents a novel, nuanced approach to diagnose obesity, based on other measures of excess body fat in addition to body mass index (BMI), and objective signs and symptoms of ill health at the individual level. The proposal is designed to address limitations in the traditional definition and diagnosis of obesity that hinder clinical practice and healthcare policies, resulting in individuals with obesity not receiving the care they need. By providing a medically coherent framework for disease diagnosis, the Commission also aims to settle the ongoing dispute around the idea of obesity as a disease, which has been at the center of one of most controversial and polarizing debates in modern medicine. Commission chair, Professor Francesco Rubino, King's College London (UK) said, The question of whether obesity is a disease is flawed because it presumes an implausible all-or-nothing scenario where obesity is either always a disease or never a disease. Evidence, however, shows a more nuanced reality. Some individuals with obesity can maintain normal organs function and overall health, even long term, whereas others display signs and symptoms of severe illness here and now. Considering obesity only as a risk factor, and never a disease, can unfairly deny access to time-sensitive care among people who are experiencing ill health due to obesity alone. On the other hand, a blanket definition of obesity as a disease can result in overdiagnosis and unwarranted use of medications and surgical procedures, with potential harm to the individual and staggering costs for society. Our reframing acknowledges the nuanced reality of obesity and allows for personalized care. This includes timely access to evidence-based treatments for individuals with clinical obesity, as appropriate for people suffering from a chronic disease, as well as risk-reduction management strategies for those with pre-clinical obesity, who have an increased health risk, but no ongoing illness. This will facilitate a rational allocation of healthcare resources and a fair and medically meaningful prioritization of available treatment options. With over one billion people in the world now estimated to be living with obesity, the Commissions proposal provides an opportunity for health systems globally to adopt a universal, clinically relevant definition of obesity and a more accurate method for its diagnosis. Commission member and Head of Monash Universitys Obesity and Metabolic Medicine Group in the School of Translational Medicines Department of Surgery at Alfred Health, Associate Professor Priya Sumithran said obesity was a growing problem in Australia that needed addressing. "The proposed definition and diagnostic criteria will help clinicians to provide personalized, timely and appropriate care," Associate Professor Sumithran said. Commission member and Chair of the Monash University Department of Surgery, School of Translational Medicine at Alfred Health, Professor Wendy Brown said. With the new criteria proposed by the Commission we finally have a medically meaningful way of diagnosing obesity meaning we can tailor the treatment plan according to the patients needs. Current approaches to diagnosing obesity are ineffective There is an ongoing debate among clinicians and policymakers over the current diagnostic approach to obesity, which is prone to misclassification of excess body fat and misdiagnosis of disease. Part of the issue is due to obesity being currently defined by BMI, with a BMI of over 30 Kg/m2 considered as an indicator of obesity for people of European descent. Different, country-specific BMI cut-offs are also used to account for ethnic variability of obesity-related risk. Although BMI is useful for identifying individuals at increased risk of health issues, the Commission highlights that BMI is not a direct measure of fat, does not reflect its distribution around the body and does not provide information about health and illness at the individual level. Relying on BMI alone to diagnose obesity is problematic as some people tend to store excess fat at the waist or in and around their organs, such as the liver, the heart or the muscles, and this is associated with a higher health risk compared to when excess fat is stored just beneath the skin in the arms, legs or in other body areas. But people with excess body fat do not always have a BMI that indicates they are living with obesity, meaning their health problems can go unnoticed. Additionally, some people have a high BMI and high body fat but maintain normal organ and body functions, with no signs or symptoms of ongoing illness, said Commissioner Professor Robert Eckel, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (USA). Beyond Body Mass Index Whilst recognizing BMI is useful as a screening tool to identify people who are potentially living with obesity, the authors recommend moving away from detecting obesity based on BMI alone. Instead, they recommend confirmation of excess fat mass (obesity) and its distribution around the body using one of the following methods: at least one measurement of body size (waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio or waist-to-height ratio) in addition to BMI at least two measurements of body size (waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio or waist-to-height ratio) regardless of BMI direct body fat measurement (such as by a bone densitometry scan or DEXA) regardless of BMI In people with very high BMI (e.g. >40 Kg/m2) excess body fat can be pragmatically assumed. Two new categories of obesity: clinical obesity and pre-clinical obesity The Commission also provides a new model for disease diagnosis in obesity based on objective measures of illness at the individual level. Clinical obesity is defined as a condition of obesity associated with objective signs and/or symptoms of reduced organ function, or significantly reduced ability to conduct standard day-to-day activities, such as bathing, dressing, eating and continence, directly due to excess body fat. People with clinical obesity should be considered as having an ongoing chronic disease and receive appropriate management and treatments. The Commission sets out 18 diagnostic criteria for clinical obesity in adults (see appendix figure 1) and 13 specific criteria for children & adolescents (see appendix figure 2), including: Breathlessness caused by effects of obesity on the lungs Obesity-induced heart failure Knee or hip pain, with joint stiffness and reduced range of motion as a direct effect of excess body fat on the joints Certain alterations of bones and joints in children and adolescents limiting movement Other signs and symptoms caused by dysfunction of other organs including kidneys, upper airways, metabolic organs, nervous, urinary and reproductive systems and the lymph system in the lower limbs Pre-Clinical obesity is a condition of obesity with normal organ function. People living with pre-clinical obesity therefore do not have ongoing illness, although they have a variable but generally increased risk of developing clinical obesity and several other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the future, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer and mental illness, among others. As such, they should be supported to reduce the risk of potential disease. People living with obesity need personalized care The Commissions reframing of obesity is designed to ensure that all people living with obesity receive appropriate health advice and evidence-based care when needed, with different strategies for clinical obesity and pre-clinical obesity. People with clinical obesity should receive timely, evidence-based treatment, with the aim to fully regain or improve the body functions reduced by excess body fat, rather than solely to lose weight. The type of treatment and management for clinical obesity lifestyle, medication, surgery, etc should be informed by individual risk: benefit assessments and determined by an active discussion with the patient. Health insurers worldwide often require evidence of other conditions associated with obesity (e.g. type 2 diabetes) to provide coverage of obesity therapies. As a distinct chronic illness itself, clinical obesity should not necessitate the presence of another disease to justify coverage. People living with pre-clinical obesity are at risk for future diseases but do not have ongoing health complications due to excess body fat. Accordingly, the approach to their care should aim at risk-reduction. Depending on the individual level of risk, this may require just health counselling and monitoring over time, or active treatment if necessary to reduce substantially high levels of risk. This nuanced approach to obesity will enable evidence-based and personalized approaches to prevention, management and treatment in adults and children living with obesity, allowing them to receive more appropriate care, proportional to their needs. This will also save healthcare resources by reducing the rate of overdiagnosis and unnecessary treatment. Professor Louise Baur, Commissioner, University of Sydney (Australia) The Commission involved 56 world leading experts across a broad range of medical specialties, including endocrinology, internal medicine, surgery, biology, nutrition and public health, representing many countries and diverse healthcare systems. The Commission also included people living with obesity and specifically considered the potential impact of the new definitions of obesity on widespread societal stigma. "Studies show that the way obesity is usually talked about adds to weight stigma, making it harder to prevent, manage and treat. The approach proposed by this Commission can help clear up misconceptions and reduce stigma. We also urge better training for healthcare workers and policymakers to tackle this issue," says Joe Nadglowski, patient advocate and Commissioner, Obesity Action Coalition (USA). A new artificial intelligence-powered tool called MISO (Multi-modal Spatial Omics) can detect cell-level characteristics of cancer by looking at data from extremely small pieces of tissue-some as small as 400 square micrometers, equivalent to the width of five human hairs. Constructed by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the tool analyzes reams of data and can apply insights to even the smallest spots on medical imaging. It could guide doctors to the individual therapies that work best for a variety of cancers, according to a new paper detailing MISO that was published today in Nature Methods. Using MISO, the researchers discovered new information about a variety of different cancers using data and imaging from donated patient tissue, including: Bladder cancer: MISO detected a specialized group of cells responsible for forming tertiary lymphoid structures, which are linked to improved responses to immunotherapy Gastric cancer: MISO distinguished between cancer cells and the mucosa inside of tissue Colorectal cancer: MISO identified different sub-classes of cancer cells that helped shine a light on the different malignant cells that make up even a single tumor Additionally, MISO was used to analyze the structures of non-cancerous brain tissues. All of these accomplishments can guide better therapies, increase survival, and are very difficult, if not impossible, to do without a massively powerful AI tool like MISO. MISO was developed to work in "spatial multi-omics," a field of study in which researchers attempt to gain insight on different conditions through considering the physical layout of tissue by looking at different "-omics" modalities, like transcriptomics (study of gene expression), proteomics (proteins), and metabolomics (metabolites and their processes), among others. "As the field of spatial omics advances, it has become possible to measure multiple -omics modalities from the same tissue slice, providing complementary information and offering a more comprehensive, insightful view," said Mingyao Li, PhD, the study's senior author and a professor of Biostatistics and Digital Pathology. MISO addresses a huge data challenge by enabling simultaneous analysis of all spatial -omics modalities, as well as microscopic anatomy images when available. It is the only method that is able to handle datasets like these with hundreds of thousands of cells per sample." Mingyao Li, PhD, Professor, Biostatistics and Digital Pathology, University of Pennsylvania When using spatial transcriptomics to look at an image, a single pixel in a single image contains 20,000 to 30,000 data points to be analyzed through the lens of -omics, and that number can double and triple if multiple -omics are being considered. MRI and CT scans have just one data point (shades of gray) per pixel to interpret. Without some type of artificial intelligence tool to assist them, doctors and researchers examining medical images would almost never be able to pick up on some of the insights that MISO can. The latest effort in -omics image tech MISO continues Li's work in developing artificial intelligence imaging techniques capable of seeing what even trained humans can't. Earlier this year, her team released a paper examining iSTAR, a tool that surveys genomics, and found traces of cancer-and the body's response to treatments for it-that would have otherwise gone unnoticed. While MISO looks at a much wider range of data than iSTAR-some components of which were even used to develop MISO-Li envisions them both being useful, but in different areas. iSTAR is useful for increasing the sharpness of imaging and virtually generating spatial-omic data that MISO could then analyze, while MISO supports insight into finer subjects (such as detecting high-endothelial venules, a special group of cells that recruit white blood cells to specific tissues). Moving forward, the team hopes to gather everything they've learned about spatial -omics and pathology imaging and improve MISO so that it could simultaneously analyze multiple tissue samples at once, exponentially increasing its findings output. Some data-like epigenetic marks (chemicals that regulate DNA but are influenced by the environment, not purely genetics)-has yet to be measured in large-scale ways, but MISO's AI system allows it to "learn" as it processes information, making it so that it could recognize this data as it becomes more available. "I anticipate that integrating these diverse data types will enable MISO to provide deeper insights into various aspects of cellular behavior," Li said. Thought Leader Mina Makar Senior Vice President, Global CVRM AstraZeneca NewsMedical spoke with Mina Makar, Senior Vice President of Global CVRM at AstraZeneca, about groundbreaking research in Heart Failure and Transthyretin-Mediated Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Mina shares insights on AstraZenecas mission to address unmet needs in cardiovascular care and the future of personalized medicine. Firstly, please introduce yourself and tell us about your career to date I hold the role of Senior Vice President, Global Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM) in the BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit at AstraZeneca. In this role, I address the unmet needs in four inter-related disease areas: metabolism, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and renal diseases, helping to drive our ambition to stop, reverse, and cure these chronic, progressive, and often devastating diseases by maximizing our medicines, delivering innovative solutions and advancing our pipeline. I began my 30-year career in healthcare as a pharmacist and have since helped to bring important medicines to people who have very few or limited options. Ive joined the CVRM team with deep experience in marketing and sales, payer and access strategies, and leadership and engagement. Recognizing the deep commitment we have in this important therapy area, I look forward to leading AstraZeneca into the future of CVRM care for the millions of people globally living with these conditions. Im so proud of the work we are doing to address existing unmet medical needs and set the future of CVRM care. Our collective success is what happens when our work reflects our passion. Image Credit: sasirin pamai/Shutterstock.com Click here to read more from AstraZeneca: Early Diagnosis and Intervention in Heart Failure with Prof. Martin Cowie & Dr. Lisa Anderson To start, could you give us an overview of AstraZeneca's broader vision of addressing the unmet needs across cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases, as well as how your teams work aligns with this mission? AstraZeneca is investing in the broadest and deepest portfolio and pipeline of CVRM medicines to slow and stop disease, protect vital organs and address major risk factors. We are uniquely positioned with a diverse portfolio based on novel and established biology, creating innovative combinations to address multiple risk factors/co-morbid disease in patients. For example, by building on the success of Forxiga (dapagliflozin), the first SGLT2 inhibitor to demonstrate a mortality benefit in chronic kidney disease (CKD) and heart failure (HF) regardless of ejection fraction (EF), we are now utilizing next wave innovation to assess the use of the drug in novel dual mechanism combinations across five indications, tackling the complex challenges and unmet needs of comorbidities in cardiorenal patients. These programs aim to provide more options for patients who may not benefit from existing treatment guidelines for interconnected CVRM disease. AstraZeneca has been presenting compelling data on amyloidosis. Next up is the CARDIO-TTRansform trial on transthyretin-mediated amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM). Could you explain the significance of this trial and its potential to reshape the treatment landscape for ATTR-CM? The phase 3 CARDIO-TTRansform trial is the largest, most comprehensive trial in ATTR-CM to date. With over 1,400 patients enrolled, it is designed to deliver the most robust data in a broad patient population, including those on or naive to stabilizers, representing the dynamic and evolving ATTR-CM treatment landscape. The trial's results, expected in 2026, will provide further insights into the safety and efficacy of eplontersen for treating cardiomyopathy in patients living with hereditary or wild-type amyloidosis. We hope this will help progress the development of a novel RNA-targeted treatment designed to reduce the production of TTR protein at its source in the liver. The CARDIO-TTRansform study includes a cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) sub-analysis, which is considered the largest CMR study in ATTR-CM patients. How might these findings impact the way we evaluate and treat cardiac amyloid burden in the future? The CARDIO-TTRansform phase 3 trial uses cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) with extracellular volume (ECV) imaging to track treatment response in patients with cardiac amyloidosis (ATTR-CM) by assessing changes in cardiac amyloid burden along with associated changes in structure and function. This non-invasive form of imaging navigates the limitations of other similar applications, provides accurate quantitative assessment readouts of key biomarkers, and is a viable option in renal failure, a complication often seen with amyloidosis. The use of this method provides an important source of diagnosis, therapeutic and prognostic decision-making in the clinic when assessing cardiac amyloid burden. Therefore, findings from this sub-analysis will not only provide us with more information about the potential of eplontersen in ATTR-CM, but it will also help inform our future programs in other interconnected CVRM diseases, bolstering chances of improving patient outcomes in the area. With real-world evidence from the OverTTuRe study indicating that the diverse presentation of ATTR-CM often leads to delayed diagnosis and treatment, what steps are AstraZeneca taking to improve early detection and patient outcomes? At AstraZeneca, our ultimate pursuit is to pioneer new therapies in CVRM to slow and stop disease, protect vital organs, and address major risk factors. The latest findings from the OverTTuRe study reinforce the gaps that remain between early clinical manifestations and definitive diagnosis of ATTR-CM that could make a meaningful difference to patients. To combat these challenges, we are transforming science and developing innovative screening and detection methods in partnership with healthcare practitioners, patient communities, governments, and policymakers to diagnose patients earlier. This is enabling us to advance our understanding of disease drivers through artificial intelligence and big data analytics while reshaping clinical trials to bring novel medicines to patients faster. One of the presentations at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 2024 Congress highlighted a 2.9x increase in the diagnosis of cardiac amyloidosis in the UK between 2004 and 2021. What are the key factors driving this increased awareness, and how can healthcare systems further improve diagnosis rates globally? We have already seen significant progress in heart failure research with translational advances resulting in increased therapeutic options for patients. As a result, we are now seeing the emergence of a range of engagement initiatives that are committed to cutting time to diagnosis and treatment intervention, particularly at the community level. Through our unique engagement approach with key external partners like academic institutions, we are developing screening and detection methods to diagnose patients early and advance our understanding of disease drivers through AI and big data analytics. For example, Project OPERA investigates the use of AI-assisted echocardiography, while our SYMPHONY program is set to enroll patients in community-based studies to expand operational efficiencies with AI. We are also working with the broader healthcare community to transform amyloidosis through our Accelerate Change Together (ACT) on Amyloidosis program. This program aims to halve the time to a heart failure diagnosis by 2028 and double the diagnosis rates of ATTR-CM by 2030. Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been a challenging condition to treat. With the growing understanding that ATTR-CM may be a significant underlying cause of HFpEF, how might AstraZenecas research influence the development of therapies for this subset of heart failure patients? The heart failure landscape has undergone significant transformation in recent times. Scientific advances have led to greater understanding of the disease. We now know that heart failure has many different stages and types, and our knowledge of the disease's genetics and biology has grown. These advances have allowed us to gain further insight into what is driving the disease, providing the possibility of tailoring treatment regimens for subgroups of patients with a specific combination of disease drivers. The latest findings from the OverTTuRe study suggest that many patients may have been presenting with early signs of ATTR-CM without being accurately diagnosed. This underscores the need to improve early detection and diagnosis to ensure patients receive appropriate treatment sooner. AstraZeneca is well-known for its commitment to addressing multiple interrelated risk factors in cardiovascular, renal, and metabolism diseases. How does the integration of research across these disease areas drive innovative solutions that can improve patient outcomes holistically? CVRM diseases affect 1.4 billion people globally, yet remain undiagnosed, undertreated, and their connections underrecognised. This makes the integration of research across these disease areas particularly important to help drive innovation and improve patient outcomes. At AstraZeneca, we understand the importance of integrating research across all areas of CVRM. By using technologies such as AI and big data analytics, we are bolstering clinical trials to help bring novel therapies to patients who need them the most. We are excited by our rich phase 2/3 pipeline, which employs next-wave innovation to address CVRM disease and associated comorbidities. Our emerging weight management portfolio is positioned to go beyond short-term weight loss with AZD5004, a potential first-in-class GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1 RA), and AZD6234, our long-acting amylin analog (LAA). Likewise, our oral PCSK9 inhibitor, AZD0780, aims to drive reductions in LDL-C levels not achievable by statins alone. As someone with extensive experience across multiple therapy areas, what do you find most exciting about the current trajectory of cardiovascular and heart failure research at AstraZeneca? I am extremely excited by recent developments in our cardiovascular portfolio and we are experiencing great momentum on the Wainua brand through our collaboration with Ionis Pharmaceuticals. The NEURO-TTRansform phase 3 trial has successfully served as the basis for approvals in the US and other markets for ATTRV-PN and is supporting Wainuas current review for the indication in additional countries worldwide. Simultaneously, our CARDIO-TTRansform phase 3 trial is fully enrolled, making it the largest ATTR-CM trial. Looking ahead, how do you see AstraZenecas advancements in ATTR-CM and the broader CVRM field shaping the future of patient care, especially as the company continues to focus on innovative therapies and personalized medicine? With double-digit growth year over year, we are confident in our existing medicines in the mid-term and the rich phase 2 and phase 3 pipeline in our hands today. We continue to strengthen our position in CVRM drug development predominantly through the success of Forxiga, which has established itself globally as the foundational treatment across three disease areas of chronic kidney disease, heart failure, and type 2 diabetes. This is important to our future pipeline as we expect that 60 million patients who currently use Forxiga will be eligible for one of our dapagliflozin combination therapies at the time of launch. We are taking a leading role in the CVRM field by highlighting the importance of rapid and accurate diagnosis and treatment intervention and expanding the range of innovative and personalized treatment options available to patients based on the success of our established portfolios. By putting these into practice, I believe we will go a long way to improving patient outcomes and reducing the increasing burden associated with this group of diseases. Where can readers find more information? Please see here for more information regarding AstraZenecas work in Heart Failure. About Mina Makar Mina Makar is the Senior Vice President and Commercial Lead of the Global Cardiovascular, Renal, and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals Business Unit at AstraZeneca. In this role, Mina addresses the critical unmet needs in four interconnected disease areas: metabolism, heart failure, cardiovascular disease, and renal diseases. Through expanding the use of medicines today and developing the next wave of innovations while advancing the pipeline, he drives the ambition to improve and save lives for the millions of people who are living with the complexities of CVRM diseases. His 30-year healthcare career began as a pharmacist and includes over two decades with AstraZeneca. He has experience in marketing and sales, payer and access strategies, leadership, and engagement. His previous role as SVP of US Respiratory & Immunology highlights a track record of achievement, including significant franchise growth and successful new product launches, such as the company's first respiratory biologic. Makar's dedication to the use of digital technologies and engaging with industry partners to transform science, has been pivotal to driving earlier diagnosis for CVRM patients, advancing understanding of disease drivers, and helping to bring medicines to patients faster. His leadership in CVRM extends to embedding sustainability into every initiative, from the laboratory to the patient to strengthen healthcare systems to be more accessible and resilient. Jen Fisher can do only so much to keep her son safe from the types of infections that children can encounter at school. The rest, she said, is up to other students and parents in their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee. Fisher's son Raleigh, 12, lives with a congenital heart condition, which has left him with a weakened immune system. For his protection, Raleigh has received all the recommended vaccines for a child his age. But even with his vaccinations, a virus that might only sideline another child could sicken him and land him in the emergency room, Fisher said. "We want everyone to be vaccinated so that illnesses like measles and things that have basically been eradicated don't come back," Fisher said. "Those can certainly have a very adverse effect on Raleigh." For much of Raleigh's life, Fisher could take comfort in the high childhood vaccination rate in Tennessee a public health bright spot in a conservative state with poor health outcomes and one of the shortest life expectancies in the nation. Mississippi and West Virginia, two similarly conservative states with poor health outcomes and short life expectancies, also have some of the highest vaccination rates for kindergartners in the nation a seeming contradiction that stems from the fact that childhood vaccination requirements don't always align with states' other characteristics, said James Colgrove, a Columbia University professor who studies factors that influence public health. "The kinds of policies that states have dont map neatly on to 'red' versus 'blue' or one region or another," Colgrove said. Advocates, doctors, public health officials, and researchers worry such public health bright spots in some states are fading: Many states have recently reported an increase in people opting out of vaccines for their kids as Americans' views shift. During the 2023-24 school year, the percentage of kindergartners exempted from one or more vaccinations rose to 3.3%, the highest ever reported, with increases in 40 states and Washington, D.C., according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data. Tennessee and Mississippi were among those with increases. Nearly all exemptions nationally were for nonmedical reasons. Vaccine proponents worry anti-vaccine messaging could accelerate a growing "health freedom" movement that has been pushed by leaders in states such as Florida. Momentum against vaccines is likely to continue to grow with the election of Donald Trump as president and his proposed nomination of anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Pediatricians in states with high exemption rates, such as Florida and Georgia, say they're concerned by what they see declining immunization levels for kindergartners, which could lead to a resurgence in vaccine-preventable diseases such as measles. The Florida Department of Health reported nonmedical exemption rates as high as 50% for children in some areas. "The religious exemption is huge," said Brandon Chatani, a pediatric infectious disease doctor in Orlando. "That has allowed for an easy way for these kids to enter schools without vaccines." In many states, it's easier to get a religious exemption than a medical one, which often requires signoff from a doctor. Over the past decade, California, Connecticut, Maine, and New York have removed religious and philosophical exemptions from school vaccination requirements. West Virginia has not had them. Idaho, Alaska, and Utah had the highest exemption rates for the 2023-24 school year, according to the CDC. Those states allow parents or legal guardians to exempt their children for religious reasons by submitting a notarized form or a signed statement. Florida and Georgia, with some of the lowest reported minimum vaccination rates for kindergartners, allow parents to exempt their children by submitting a form with the child's school or day care. Both states have reported declines in uptake of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which is one of the most common childhood shots. In Georgia, MMR coverage for kindergartners dropped to 88.4% in the 2023-24 school year from 93.1% in 2019-20, according to the CDC. Florida dropped to 88.1% from 93.5% during the same period. Andi Shane, a pediatric infectious disease specialist in Atlanta, traces Georgia's declining rates to families who lack access to a pediatrician. State policies on exemptions are also key, she said. "Theres lots of data to support the fact that when personal belief exemptions are not permitted, that vaccination rates are higher," she said. In December, Georgia public health officials put out an advisory saying the state had recorded significantly more whooping cough cases than in the prior year. According to CDC data, Georgia reported 280 cases in 2024 compared with 96 the year before. Until 2023, Mississippi was one of the few states that allowed parents to opt out of vaccinating their kids only for medical reasons and only with the approval of a doctor. That gave it among the highest vaccination rates in the nation as of the 2023-24 school year. "Its one of the few things Mississippi has done well," said Anita Henderson, a pediatrician who has practiced in the southern part of the state for nearly 30 years. In terms of health, she said, childhood vaccination rates were the state's one "shining star." But that changed in April 2023 when a federal judge ordered state officials to start allowing religious exemptions. The ruling has emboldened many families, Henderson said. "We are seeing more and more skepticism, more and more vaccine hesitancy, and a lack of confidence because of this ruling," she said. State officials have granted more than 5,000 religious exemptions since the court order allowing them, according to the state health department. Daniel Edney, the state health officer, said most of the requests have come from "more affluent" residents in "pockets" of the state. "Most people listen to the expert opinions of their pediatricians and family medicine doctors to stay on the vaccine schedule, because its what is best to protect their children," he said. West Virginia's vaccine law which hasn't allowed nonmedical exemptions also could soon change, Matthew Christiansen said in December before he resigned as the state's health officer. A bill that would have broadened exemptions made it through the legislature last year but was vetoed by outgoing Republican Gov. Jim Justice. The new governor, Republican Pat Morrisey, has been a vocal critic of vaccine mandates. And just a day after being inaugurated, he issued an executive order to propose provisions by Feb. 1 that could allow religious and conscientious exemptions. I want to send a message that if you have a religious belief, then were going to have an exception," he said at a Jan. 14 press conference. "Were not going to be the outlier." People asserting their personal freedoms to decline vaccines for their kids can ultimately curtail the ability of others to live full lives, Christiansen said. "Kids getting measles and mumps and polio and being paralyzed for their whole life is an impediment on personal freedom and autonomy for those kids," he said. Since the covid pandemic, anti-vaccine sentiment has been growing in Tennessee. One organization, Stand for Health Freedom, drafted a letter for constituents to send to their state lawmakers calling for the resignation of the medical director of Tennessee's Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization Program. The group said she demonstrated a "lack of respect for the informed consent rights" of the people. "They feel emboldened by the idea that this presidential administration seems to feel very strongly that a lot of these issues should be taken back to the states," said Emily Delikat, director of Tennessee Families for Vaccines, a pro-vaccine group. Ultimately, like many effective public health interventions, vaccines are a victim of their own success, said Henderson, the Mississippi pediatrician. Most people haven't seen outbreaks of measles or polio, so they forget how dangerous the diseases are, she said. "It may unfortunately take a resurgence of those diseases to raise awareness to the fact that these are dangerous, these are deadly, these are preventable," she said. "I hope it doesn't come to that." Photo: https://www.facebook.com/KeirStarmerLabour Keir Starmer has arrived in Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelenskyy for the first time since entering Downing Street, days before Donald Trump returns to the White House, The Guardian reports. The purpose of his unannounced trip is to sign an agreement to deepen existing defense relations and strengthen economic ties in non-military areas. "Starmer is expected to discuss what security guarantees the UK can offer Kyiv, including the possibility of British troops being part of a post-war peacekeeping force," The Guardian reports. Researchers from the National Healthcare Group (NHG)'s Institute of Mental Health (IMH) and Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) have made strides in understanding the connection between the immune system and resistance to antipsychotic medications in schizophrenia, using changes in immune cell populations to predict potential treatment resistance and initiate the most appropriate treatment sooner. Their paper, "Immunophenotyping schizophrenia subtypes stratified by antipsychotic response", published in leading psychoneuroimmunology journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity adds to a growing body of research suggesting that immune system dysregulation may underlie the development of the mental disorder. The study was supported by the Singapore Ministry of Health through the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Office, MOH Holdings Pte Ltd under the NMRC Clinician Scientist Award (MOH-000013). The exact cause of schizophrenia - a psychotic disorder affecting around 24 million people worldwide and 1 in 116 individuals in Singapore - remains unclear even today. While imbalances in dopamine levels in the brain are commonly observed in people with schizophrenia, not all patients with schizophrenia respond to standard antipsychotic drugs that target the dopamine pathway. In recent years, scientific studies on changes in the immune system and their association with the development of mental health conditions have emerged as a promising area of research. Globally, around 30% of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia are treatment-resistant. This means they do not achieve remission of symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, despite treatment. This debilitating condition affects both individuals (who also experience difficulties with their cognitive or thinking skills and have higher risks of poor health and poor quality of life), and their families in terms of caregiving burden. Currently, clozapine is the only psychiatric medicine indicated for treating treatment-resistant schizophrenia. With this study, we aimed to explore the relationship between the immune system, schizophrenia and treatment resistance. Our goal was to identify immune cell changes that could potentially be used to predict treatment resistance, allowing for earlier and more targeted interventions such as initiating clozapine treatment sooner for better clinical outcomes. A better understanding of how the immune system is involved can also help in developing immune-targeted therapies as additional treatment options for schizophrenia in future." Dr. Li Yanhui, NHG Psychiatry Resident at IMH, and lead author of the paper In this study, blood samples of 196 healthy participants and individuals with schizophrenia with varying degrees of treatment resistance were collected. Proportions of different immune cell types were compared across these groups, to identify possible biomarkers (markers that are associated with and may predict) for schizophrenia or treatment resistance. The researchers identified and compared 66 immune cell populations in the blood of 147 people with schizophrenia and 49 healthy individuals to explore the immune cell populations associated with the disorder and treatment resistance. They found significant differences in certain immune cell populations between healthy individuals and people with schizophrenia. Furthermore, those changes in immune cell populations also correlate with how resistant a patient with schizophrenia might be to treatment. Specifically, the researchers found that the ratio of CD4 to CD8 T cells was much higher, while the levels of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells were much lower in individuals with schizophrenia, especially in those with greater treatment resistance. Hence, the CD4/CD8 ratio has emerged as a potential biomarker to predict how well someone with schizophrenia might respond to treatment; whereas for MAIT cells, which are predominantly found in the gut where they contribute to immune defence and are closely linked to autoimmune processes, their lower numbers may signify immune dysregulation in schizophrenia. "The findings support the role of immune dysregulation in schizophrenia and in treatment resistance. It is also pertinent in making headway in precision medicine, with the potential to utilise certain immune markers as predictors of future treatment resistance. This offers hope in early identification of patients likely to be treatment-resistant, and guides clinicians in selecting more effective treatment strategies to achieve better outcomes," said Associate Professor Jimmy Lee, Senior Consultant with the Department of Psychosis, IMH, who led the study. "The complexity of schizophrenia and how variably it manifests in each individual make it a difficult disorder to diagnose, much less to administer the most suitable treatment on time. Through our collaborative efforts with IMH, we were able to bridge scientific methodologies with clinical practice, bringing to light immunological findings that may enable more decisive treatment applications to better meet patient needs and alleviate their burdens," said Dr Anand Kumar Andiappan, Principal Investigator, A*STAR Singapore Immunology Network (A*STAR SIgN), who co-led the study with Assoc Prof Lee. As the nation braces for potential policy shifts under President-elect Donald Trump's "Make America Healthy Again" mantra, the nation's most populous state and largest health care market is preparing for a few changes of its own. With supermajorities in both houses, Democrats in the California Legislature passed and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed laws taking effect this year that will erase medical debt from credit reports, allow public health officials to inspect immigrant detention centers, and require health insurance companies to cover fertility services such as in vitro fertilization. Still, industry experts say it was a relatively quiet year for health policy in the Golden State, with more attention on a divisive presidential election and with several state legislators seeking to avoid controversial issues as they ran for Congress in competitive swing districts. Newsom shot down some of legislators' most ambitious health care policies, including proposals that would have regulated pharmaceutical industry middlemen and given the state more power to stop private equity deals in health care. Health policy experts say advocates and legislators are now focused on how to defend progressive California policies such as sweeping abortion access in the state and health coverage for immigrants living in the U.S. without authorization. "I think everyone's just thinking about how we're going to enter 2025," said Rachel Linn Gish, a spokesperson with the consumer health advocacy group Health Access California. "We're figuring out what is vulnerable, what we are exposed to on the federal side, and what do budget changes mean for our work. That's kind of putting a cloud over everything." Here are some of the biggest new health care laws Californians should know about: Medical debt California becomes the eighth state in which medical debt will no longer affect patients' credit reports or credit scores. SB 1061 bars health care providers and debt collectors from reporting unpaid medical bills to credit bureaus, a practice that supporters of the law say penalizes people for seeking critical care and can make it harder for patients to get a job, buy a car, or secure a mortgage. Critics including the California Association of Collectors called the measure from Sen. Monique Limon (D-Santa Barbara) a "tremendous overreach" and successfully lobbied for amendments that limited the scope of the bill, including an exemption for any medical debt incurred on credit cards. The Biden administration has finalized federal rules that would stop unpaid medical bills from affecting patients' credit scores, but the fate of those changes remains unclear as Trump takes office. Psychiatric hospital stays for violent offenders Violent offenders with severe mental illness can now be held longer after a judge orders them released from a state mental hospital. State officials and local law enforcement will now have 30 days to coordinate housing, medication, and behavioral health treatment for those parolees, giving them far more time than the five-day deadline previously in effect. The bill drew overwhelming bipartisan support after a high-profile case in San Francisco in which a 61-year-old man was charged in the repeated stabbing of a bakery employee just days after his release from a state mental hospital. The bill's author, Assembly member Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), called the previous five-day timeline "dangerously short." Cosmetics and 'forever chemicals' California was the first state to ban PFAS chemicals, also known as "forever chemicals," in all cosmetics sold and manufactured within its borders. The synthetic compounds, found in everyday products including rain jackets, food packaging, lipstick, and shaving cream, have been linked to cancer, birth defects, and diminished immune function and have been increasingly detected in drinking water. Industry representatives have argued that use of PFAS perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances is critical in some products and that some can be safely used at certain levels. Immigration detention facilities After covid-19 outbreaks, contaminated water, and moldy food became the subjects of detainee complaints and lawsuits, state legislators gave local county health officials the authority to enter and inspect privately run immigrant detention centers. SB 1132, from Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), gives public health officials the ability to evaluate whether privately run facilities are complying with state and local public health regulations regarding proper ventilation, basic mental and physical health care, and food safety. Although the federal government regulates immigration, six federal detention centers in California are operated by the GEO Group. One of the country's largest private prison contractors, GEO has faced a litany of complaints related to health and safety. Unlike public prisons and jails, which are inspected annually, these facilities would be inspected only as deemed necessary. The contractor filed suit in October to stop implementation of the law, saying it unconstitutionally oversteps the federal government's authority to regulate immigration detention centers. A hearing in the case is set for March 3, said Bethany Lesser, a spokesperson for California Attorney General Rob Bonta. The law took effect Jan. 1. Doctors vs. insurance companies using AI As major insurance companies increasingly use artificial intelligence as a tool to analyze patient claims and authorize some treatment, trade groups representing doctors are concerned that AI algorithms are driving an increase in denials for necessary care. Legislators unanimously agreed. SB 1120 states that decisions about whether a treatment is medically necessary can be made only by licensed, qualified physicians or other health care providers who review a patient's medical history and other records. Sick leave and protected time off Two new laws expand the circumstances under which California workers may use sick days and other leave. SB 1105 entitles farmworkers who work outdoors to take paid sick leave to avoid heat, smoke, or flooding when local or state officials declare an emergency. AB 2499 expands the list of reasons employees may take paid sick days or use protected unpaid leave to include assisting a family member who is experiencing domestic violence or other violent crimes. Prescription labels for the visually impaired Starting this year, pharmacies will be required to provide drug labels and use instructions in Braille, large print, or audio for blind patients. Advocates of the move said state law, which already required translated instructions in five languages for non-English speakers, has overlooked blind patients, making it difficult for them to monitor prescriptions and take the correct dosage. Maternal mental health screenings Health insurers will be required to bolster maternal mental health programs by mandating additional screenings to better detect perinatal depression, which affects 1 in 5 people who give birth in California, according to state data. Pregnant people will now undergo screenings at least once during pregnancy and then six weeks postpartum, with further screenings as providers deem necessary. Penalties for threatening health care workers (abortion clinics) With abortion care at the center of national policy fights, California is cracking down on those who threaten, post personal information about, or otherwise target providers or patients at clinics that perform abortions. Penalties for such behavior will increase under AB 2099, and offenders can face felony charges, up to three years in jail, and $50,000 in fines for repeat or violent offenses. Previously, state law classified many of those offenses as misdemeanors. Insurance coverage for IVF Starting in July, state-regulated health plans covering 50 employees or more would be required to cover fertility services under SB 729, passed and signed last year. Advocates have long fought for this benefit, which they say is essential care for many families who have trouble getting pregnant and would ensure LGBTQ+ couples aren't required to pay more out-of-pocket costs than straight couples when starting a family. In a signing statement, Newsom asked legislators to delay implementation of the law until 2026 as state officials consider whether to add infertility treatments to the list of benefits that insurance plans are required to cover. It's unclear whether legislators intend to address that this session, but a spokesperson for the governor said that Newsom "clearly stated his position on the need for an extension" and that he "will continue to work with the legislature" on the matter. Plans under CalPERS, the California Public Employees' Retirement System, would have to comply by July 2027. This article was produced by KFF Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. Nearly 50 years ago, neuroscientists discovered cells within the brain's hippocampus that store memories of specific locations. These cells also play an important role in storing memories of events, known as episodic memories. While the mechanism of how place cells encode spatial memory has been well-characterized, it has remained a puzzle how they encode episodic memories. A new model developed by MIT researchers explains how those place cells can be recruited to form episodic memories, even when there's no spatial component. According to this model, place cells, along with grid cells found in the entorhinal cortex, act as a scaffold that can be used to anchor memories as a linked series. "This model is a first-draft model of the entorhinal-hippocampal episodic memory circuit. It's a foundation to build on to understand the nature of episodic memory. That's the thing I'm really excited about," says Ila Fiete, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, a member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the senior author of the new study. The model accurately replicates several features of biological memory systems, including the large storage capacity, gradual degradation of older memories, and the ability of people who compete in memory competitions to store enormous amounts of information in "memory palaces." MIT Research Scientist Sarthak Chandra and Sugandha Sharma PhD '24 are the lead authors of the study, which appears today in Nature. Rishidev Chaudhuri, an assistant professor at the University of California at Davis, is also an author of the paper. An index of memories To encode spatial memory, place cells in the hippocampus work closely with grid cells - a special type of neuron that fires at many different locations, arranged geometrically in a regular pattern of repeating triangles. Together, a population of grid cells forms a lattice of triangles representing a physical space. In addition to helping us recall places where we've been, these hippocampal-entorhinal circuits also help us navigate new locations. From human patients, it's known that these circuits are also critical for forming episodic memories, which might have a spatial component but mainly consist of events, such as how you celebrated your last birthday or what you had for lunch yesterday. "The same hippocampal and entorhinal circuits are used not just for spatial memory, but also for general episodic memory," Fiete says. "The question you can ask is what is the connection between spatial and episodic memory that makes them live in the same circuit?" Two hypotheses have been proposed to account for this overlap in function. One is that the circuit is specialized to store spatial memories because those types of memories - remembering where food was located or where predators were seen - are important to survival. Under this hypothesis, this circuit encodes episodic memories as a byproduct of spatial memory. An alternative hypothesis suggests that the circuit is specialized to store episodic memories, but also encodes spatial memory because location is one aspect of many episodic memories. In this work, Fiete and her colleagues proposed a third option: that the peculiar tiling structure of grid cells and their interactions with hippocampus are equally important for both types of memory - episodic and spatial. To develop their new model, they built on computational models that her lab has been developing over the past decade, which mimic how grid cells encode spatial information. "We reached the point where I felt like we understood on some level the mechanisms of the grid cell circuit, so it felt like the time to try to understand the interactions between the grid cells and the larger circuit that includes the hippocampus," Fiete says. In the new model, the researchers hypothesized that grid cells interacting with hippocampal cells can act as a scaffold for storing either spatial or episodic memory. Each activation pattern within the grid defines a "well," and these wells are spaced out at regular intervals. The wells don't store the content of a specific memory, but each one acts as a pointer to a specific memory, which is stored in the synapses between the hippocampus and the sensory cortex. When the memory is triggered later from fragmentary pieces, grid and hippocampal cell interactions drive the circuit state into the nearest well, and the state at the bottom of the well connects to the appropriate part of the sensory cortex to fill in the details of the memory. The sensory cortex is much larger than the hippocampus and can store vast amounts of memory. "Conceptually, we can think about the hippocampus as a pointer network. It's like an index that can be pattern-completed from a partial input, and that index then points toward sensory cortex, where those inputs were experienced in the first place," Fiete says. "The scaffold doesn't contain the content, it only contains this index of abstract scaffold states." Furthermore, events that occur in sequence can be linked together: Each well in the grid cell-hippocampal network efficiently stores the information that is needed to activate the next well, allowing memories to be recalled in the right order. Modeling memory cliffs and palaces The researchers' new model replicates several memory-related phenomena much more accurately than existing models that are based on Hopfield networks - a type of neural network that can store and recall patterns. While Hopfield networks offer insight into how memories can be formed by strengthening connections between neurons, they don't perfectly model how biological memory works. In Hopfield models, every memory is recalled in perfect detail until capacity is reached. At that point, no new memories can form, and worse, attempting to add more memories erases all prior ones. This "memory cliff" doesn't accurately mimic what happens in the biological brain, which tends to gradually forget the details of older memories while new ones are continually added. The new MIT model captures findings from decades of recordings of grid and hippocampal cells in rodents made as the animals explore and forage in various environments. It also helps to explain the underlying mechanisms for a memorization strategy known as a memory palace. One of the tasks in memory competitions is to memorize the shuffled sequence of cards in one or several card decks. They usually do this by assigning each card to a particular spot in a memory palace - a memory of a childhood home or other environment they know well. When they need to recall the cards, they mentally stroll through the house, visualizing each card in its spot as they go along. Counterintuitively, adding the memory burden of associating cards with locations makes recall stronger and more reliable. The MIT team's computational model was able to perform such tasks very well, suggesting that memory palaces take advantage of the memory circuit's own strategy of associating inputs with a scaffold in the hippocampus, but one level down: Long-acquired memories reconstructed in the larger sensory cortex can now be pressed into service as a scaffold for new memories. This allows for the storage and recall of many more items in a sequence than would otherwise be possible. The researchers now plan to build on their model to explore how episodic memories could become converted to cortical "semantic" memory, or the memory of facts dissociated from the specific context in which they were acquired (for example, Paris is the capital of France), how episodes are defined, and how brain-like memory models could be integrated into modern machine learning. The research was funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation under the Robust Intelligence program, the ARO-MURI award, the Simons Foundation, and the K. Lisa Yang ICoN Center. Smoking stubbornly remains a leading cause of disease, disability and death in Canada, even as prevalence rates have fallen significantly over the last 50 years. So what new smoking cessation initiative can save lives and billions of dollars in health-care costs? A highly compelling analysis by a uOttawa Faculty of Medicine health economist explores the long-term impacts of one bold smoking restriction proposal: a lifetime ban on tobacco products to individuals born after a specific date. This "smoke-free generation" concept is aimed at forging a generation of individuals who would never be able to legally purchase tobacco or nicotine vaping products. It proposes that preventing young people from taking up smoking is key since roughly 80 percent of people take up smoking by age 18, and nearly all smokers start by age 26. It's a policy measure that was seriously debated in New Zealand and has been recommended by smoking cessation experts in Canada. Dr. Doug Coyle suggests that if the Canadian government were to implement a "smoke-free generation" policy there would be massive health benefits. His study estimates that the policy would result in $2.3 billion less in health care costs and lead to 476,814 more quality-adjusted life years for Canadians over a 50-year timespan. The analysis assumed a perpetual ban on cigarette sales to anyone born after 2009 if imposed on Jan. 1, 2025. The research forecasting the long-term impacts of a SFG policy was featured today in the January edition of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, a publication of the Public Health Agency of Canada. One of the peer-reviewed journal's reviewers described Dr. Coyle's analysis as a "very important piece of work which could influence policy." An expert at researching health economics and applying analyses to health policy, Dr. Coyle says the study's "biggest finding is that introducing a SFG policy would lead to substantive health gains with significant health care cost savings." Current legislation is ineffective as most long-term smokers initiate smoking prior to the legal age for smoking. Thus, a SFG policy avoids the vast health losses occurring due to uptake of smoking earlier than legally allowed." Dr. Doug Coyle The published analysis took an existing model relating to smoking cessation and augmented it to assess the impacts of an SFG policy on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), life expectancy, health care costs, smoking-related taxes, and Canadian tobacco industry gross domestic product. The policy's overall impact for the entire Canadian population was assessed for time periods up to 90 years. While the study found that there would be significant health care cost saving and more quality-adjusted life years for Canadians, it also found the policy would also result in $7.4 billion less in smoking-related taxes and a $3.1 billion reduction in tobacco industry GDP. However, the study suggests that the combined value of health benefits gained and health care costs averted would surpass the hit of lower tax revenues and reduced GDP. "Although health care cost savings are lower than the combination of lost tax revenues and the decline in the GDP from the Canadian tobacco industry, the value of the health benefits realized outweigh the negative offsets," the study concludes. Dr. Coyle says that since taxes on tobacco smoking are regressive and impact poorer populations more proportionally than wealthier ones, the government could replace the lost tax with a "more progressive tax substitute" that "would be more fair and equitable." Dr. Coyle's decades of work have influenced the practice and methods of health economics and directly influenced policy in Canada and the UK. He's a Professor Emeritus of the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine's School of Epidemiology and Public Health (SEPH). He served as SEPH's interim director from 2016-18 and was previously director of the graduate program in epidemiology. First lay some Onions to keep the Pork from burning, Because in Chouder there can be no turning So begins the first known recipe for chowder, published in the 1751 edition of the Boston Evening Post. Chowder holds a special place in Boston's cultural heritage, once being a staple dish for the settlers docking at the port and now glorified in the annual Chowderfest festival. The dish's simplicity, made from ingredients like clams, potatoes, onions, and cream or milk, strikes a satisfying balanceoffering the warmth of comfort food with gourmet potential.1 However, this Boston mainstay conceals troubling contaminants, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), trace metals, and microplastics. Together, these can poison ecosystems and elevate the risk of myriad human diseases. Though it is relatively simple to analyze each ingredient individually, serving each ingredient together makes this evaluation challenging. Image Credit: SurrealSee/Shutterstock.com This year, Pittcon will explore the methods involved in unpicking this culinary conundrum through a series of talks from the "Energy and Environment" track. From sea to soup: The harmful trace metals in chowder Trace metals are naturally occurring elements found in small amounts in the Earth's crust, water, and living organisms. Some trace metals are essential for biological processes, but others are toxic even at low concentrations. For example, prolonged exposure to arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury can lead to severe health effects, including neurological damage, cardiovascular disease, and an increased risk of cancer.2 Below are some of the trace metals potentially present in chowder's ingredients: Clams : By filtering large volumes of water to feed, these shellfish are particularly vulnerable to accumulating trace metals, in particular cadmium and arsenic. Contaminants typically stem from sources like industrial waste discharge, agricultural runoff, coastal mining operations, and natural geological processes. 3,4 : By filtering large volumes of water to feed, these shellfish are particularly vulnerable to accumulating trace metals, in particular cadmium and arsenic. Contaminants typically stem from sources like industrial waste discharge, agricultural runoff, coastal mining operations, and natural geological processes. Potatoes : Cadmium's high transfer factor in potatoes, combined with its mobility and availability to potato plants, makes it a concern. Contamination can result from industrial and mining waste, the use of phosphorus fertilizers, organic amendments, and wastewater in agriculture. However, the extent of trace element uptake is highly dependent on both the plant species and the growing environment. 5,6 : Cadmium's high transfer factor in potatoes, combined with its mobility and availability to potato plants, makes it a concern. Contamination can result from industrial and mining waste, the use of phosphorus fertilizers, organic amendments, and wastewater in agriculture. However, the extent of trace element uptake is highly dependent on both the plant species and the growing environment. Milk and cream: Studies have reported elevated levels of lead in raw cow milk from Egypt and Slovakia, alongside high concentrations of cadmium and mercury. These metals typically enter milk through livestock grazing on contaminated pastures irrigated with industrial wastewater or drinking polluted water.7 ICP-MS: Trace element analysis for health and safety Trace element analysis safeguards public health, ensures regulatory compliance, and supports environmental monitoring and industrial safety by detecting toxic metals. A powerful technique for trace metal detection, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) uses a nebulizer to turn liquid samples into aerosols before a plasma torch atomizes and ionizes the samples. Ions are then separated based on their mass-to-charge ratio using a mass analyzer, where they eventually generate measurable signals at the detector. Pittcon 2025: Mar 1-5 Register for Pittcon 2025 Boston Convention and Exhibition Center Boston, MA ICP-MS is widely used in water quality testing, soil analysis, air pollution monitoring, and biological assessments. Its advantages include high sensitivity, broad elemental range, rapid analysis, and extremely low detection limits, ensuring precision and reliability.8 Clamoring for answers A presentation on trace metal analysis of clam chowder ingredients On March 2nd, Pittcon will feature a presentation by Michael Howe entitled Microwave Digestion of Difficult Food Matrices Common to the Northeast. This talk will delve into the measurement and comparison of trace metal concentrations across various ingredients in clam chowder, including an analysis of different clam species. The study discussed involves ICP-MS analysis to quantify trace metals following sample preparation via microwave digestion. With over two decades of experience at CEM, Michael Howe plays a pivotal role as an Analytical Product Specialist, assisting customers with overcoming challenges in microwave digestion. He has also been integral to the development of new features and systems designed to address the evolving requirements of this specialized field.9 A presentation on advanced microplastic analysis with glass expansion's HE-SIS Directly following the talk above, Pittcon will host a presentation by Dr Ryan Brennan entitled: From Seawater to Shellfish: Microplastics Find out what's slowly krilling you, and the best way to stay happy as a clam. This talk will explore the analysis of single particles, such as microplastics, using ICP-MS, focusing on the detection of carbon-based particles (13C). It will highlight the benefits of Glass Expansion's High-Efficiency Sample Introduction System (HE-SIS), which improves detection limits and transport efficiency through its innovative design. The presentation will showcase the HE-SIS's application in microplastic studies, single-cell analysis, and nanoparticle research, emphasizing its enhanced sensitivity, compatibility with various ICP-MS platforms, and ease of installation. With a PhD in analytical chemistry, Dr Brannan is the CEO of Glass Expansion Inc. and runs the USA office to support customers throughout North and South America.10 Please hold the microplastics; I'm PFAS intolerant Chowder ingredients, such as clams and sea salt, are vulnerable to microplastic contamination due to their exposure to polluted marine environments. Capable of filtering hundreds of liters of water each day, clams can accumulate microplastics from water, while microplastics in sea salt can derive from seawater evaporation as well as production processes.11,12 Analyzing microplastics is vital for health and safety as these particles can carry toxic chemicals and enter the food chain, posing risks to human health. Automated extraction systems, like EDGE PFAS, offer a seamless, rapid, and efficient method for PFAS from environmental samples.13 Shelling out the truth A presentation on microplastic analysis of Clam Chowder ingredients On March 2nd, Pittcon will feature a presentation by Alicia Stell, entitled: Automated PFAS Solvent Extraction of Difficult Food Matrices Common to the Northeast, which will discuss the challenges of accurately testing for PFAS in diverse food matrices using New England Clam Chowder as a case study. Dr Stell introduces the EDGE PFAS automated solvent extraction system, which streamlines PFAS extraction with high efficiency, reproducibility, and minimal cleanup, addressing contamination risks and ensuring reliable analysis. With extensive expertise in chromatographic analysis, Dr. Stell played a key role in the development of the EDGE solvent extraction system and its diverse applications, so she is a key voice in this field.14 A doggy bag of considerations Analyzing contaminants like trace metals, PFAS, and microplastics in complex food matrices such as chowder is crucial for safeguarding health and the environment. Pittcon's Energy and Environment track provides an essential platform for showcasing advanced techniques like ICP-MS and automated solvent extraction systems, which address the challenges of accurate testing and regulation. By fostering collaboration and innovation, Pittcon plays a pivotal role in advancing analytical science. For more information on Pittcon and its contributions to the field, visit www.pittcon.org. References and further reading Bose, S. (2022). Melvilles Chowder. [online] The American Scholar. Available at: https://theamericanscholar.org/melvilles-chowder/. Mielcarek, K., et al. (2022). Arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury content and health risk assessment of consuming freshwater fish with elements of chemometric analysis. Food Chemistry, 379, p.132167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.132167. Olmedo, P., et al. (2013). Determination of toxic elements (mercury, cadmium, lead, tin and arsenic) in fish and shellfish samples. Risk assessment for the consumers. Environment International, [online] 59, pp.6372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2013.05.005. Bachvarova, D., et al. (2022). Trace metal accumulation in tissues of wedge clams from sandy habitats of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. BioRisk, 17, pp.7381. https://doi.org/10.3897/biorisk.17.77290. Tack, F.M.G. (2014). Trace Elements in Potato. Potato Research, 57(3-4), pp.311325. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11540-014-9268-y. Molina-Roco, M., et al. (2024). Cadmium (Cd) Accumulation in Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Cropping SystemsA Review. doi.org/10.1007/s42729-024-01658-4 Olowoyo, J., et al (2024). Trace metals concentrations in fresh milk from dairy farms and stores: An assessment of human health risk. Toxicology Reports, 12, pp.361368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.toxrep.2024.03.007. Olesik, J.W. (2014). Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometers. Elsevier eBooks, pp.309336. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-08-095975-7.01426-1. Gulf Coast Conference. (2021). 2021 Michael Howe Bio. (online) Available at: https://www.gulfcoastconference.com/speakerBio.php?pid=7428&y=2021 (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025). Glass Expansion Quality By Design. (2018). Customer Support | Glass Expansion. (online) Available at: https://www.geicp.com/cgi-bin/site/wrapper.pl?c1=Aboutus_customer_support (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025). Lam, T.W.L., et al. (2023). Microplastic contamination in edible clams from popular recreational clam-digging sites in Hong Kong and implications for human health. Science of The Total Environment, (online) 875, p.162576. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162576. Thiele, C.J., et al. (2023). Microplastics in European sea salts An example of exposure through consumer choice and of interstudy methodological discrepancies. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 255, p.114782. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114782. EDGE PFAS Automated Extraction System. Available at: https://cemcontenttype.s3.amazonaws.com/content/media-library/downloads/brochure-edge-pfas-b181-english.pdf (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025). NEMC. (2023). Biography - NEMC. (online) Available at: https://www.nemc.us/meeting/2021/load_bio.php?id=105 (Accessed 16 Jan. 2025). About Pittcon Pittcon is the worlds largest annual premier conference and exposition on laboratory science. Pittcon attracts more than 16,000 attendees from industry, academia and government from over 90 countries worldwide. Their mission is to sponsor and sustain educational and charitable activities for the advancement and benefit of scientific endeavor. Pittcons target audience is not just analytical chemists, but all laboratory scientists anyone who identifies, quantifies, analyzes or tests the chemical or biological properties of compounds or molecules, or who manages these laboratory scientists. Having grown beyond its roots in analytical chemistry and spectroscopy, Pittcon has evolved into an event that now also serves a diverse constituency encompassing life sciences, pharmaceutical discovery and QA, food safety, environmental, bioterrorism and cannabis/psychedelics. Sponsored Content Policy: News-Medical.net publishes articles and related content that may be derived from sources where we have existing commercial relationships, provided such content adds value to the core editorial ethos of News-Medical.Net which is to educate and inform site visitors interested in medical research, science, medical devices and treatments. 8th Pay Commission For Govt Employees, Pensioners Gets Cabinet Approval | Check Details Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:47 IST 8th Pay Commission: The central government on Thursday approved the constitution of the 8th Central Pay Commission for government employees, which will submit its report by 2026. 8th Pay Commission. 8th Pay Commission: The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the constitution of the 8th Central Pay Commission to review and recommend salary adjustments for over one crore central government employees and pensioners. According to the reports, the 8th Pay Commission will come into force on January 1, 2026. During a Cabinet briefing, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said, Prime Minister has approved the 8th Central Pay Commission for all employees of Central Government." related stories Vaishnaw said that the chairman and two members of the 8th Pay Commission will be appointed soon. According to government sources, Around 50 lakh central government employees, including defence personnel will benefit. About 65 lakh pensioners, including defence persons, will also see an uptick in their pensions." About 4 lakh employees in Delhi will benefit, including defence and Delhi government employees, they said. This will provide a significant boost to the Consumption and economic growth, along with improved quality of life for govt employees," the sources said. The 7th pay commission saw an expenditure increase of Rs 1 lakh crore for FY 2016-17. The latest decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in the announcement. The 8th Pay Commission has been announced days before the Union Budget 2025-26, which will be presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1, 2025. 8th Pay Commission: How Much Salary Hike Will Govt Employees Get? Just before the Union Budget 2025, as central government employees have got a 8th Pay Commission bonanza, reports have earlier suggested that the central government employees might see a 186 per cent jump in their minimum salaries. However, this is just a speculation. The exact amount will be known only after the 8th Pay Commission report, which will be submitted by 2026. Prime Minister @narendramodi approves setup of the 8th Central Pay Commission for all employees of the Central Government.Since 1947, seven Pay Commissions have been constituted, with the last one implemented in 2016. As the 7th Pay Commissions term concludes in 2026, pic.twitter.com/t5ghZ7kkwU PIB India (@PIB_India) January 16, 2025 Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary (staff side) of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM), has earlier said he expects a fitment factor of at least 2.86. It is 29 basis points (bps) higher as compared with 2.57 fitment factor under the 7th Pay Commission. If the government approves the fitment factor of 2.86, the minimum salary of government employees will shoot up by 186 per cent to Rs 51,480, compared with the current payout of Rs 18,000, according to reports. Any further hike in fitment factor will lead to commensurate rise in the salaries. A hike in fitment factor raises both pension and salaries of the employees. Under the 8th Pay Commission, pensions are also expected to increase by 186 per cent to Rs Rs 25,740, compared with the current pension of Rs 9,000. This calculation holds true if the currently expected fitment factor of 2.86 gets through. Currently, the employees get a minimum basic salary of Rs 18,000 per month under the 7th Pay Commission, which was increased from the 6th Pay Commissions Rs 7,000. What Is A Pay Commission? top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A Pay Commission is a government-appointed body tasked with determining salary structures, allowances, and benefits for government employees. Its recommendations significantly influence the lives of millions of employees and pensioners across the nation. Since Indias independence in 1947, seven pay commissions have been established. Typically convened every decade, the Central Pay Commission evaluates and proposes adjustments to pay scales, benefits, and allowances for central government employees. These recommendations take into account various economic factors, such as inflation, to ensure fair compensation. First Published: January 16, 2025, 15:19 IST National Startup Day 2025: History, Significance, Celebrations, And Quotes Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 17, 2025, 09:25 IST National Startup Day serves as a reminder of the Indian government's dedication to fostering and honouring the startup community's important contributions to the advancement of the country. National Startup Day is celebrated with the theme of 'Let's shape the future together one innovative idea at a time'. (Image: Shutterstock) National Startup Day is observed on January 16. The day aims to celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship that boosts economic growth, innovation, and job creation. It provides a forum for honouring the work of startups that upend established marketplaces, transform industries, and motivate upcoming generations of businesspeople. This day serves as a reminder of the Indian governments dedication to fostering and honouring the startup communitys important contributions to the advancement of the country. It is celebrated with the theme of Lets shape the future together one innovative idea at a time. related stories National Startup Day: 2025 History Established on January 15, 2022, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the day highlights the vital role that startups play in stimulating innovation, boosting economic growth, and enabling entrepreneurial ambition. When the Startup India Scheme was introduced in 2016, the idea of recognising startups gained interest. Since then, the Indian government has launched a number of programs aimed at encouraging innovation and creating a welcoming atmosphere for new businesses. In 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi proclaimed January 16 to be National Start-up Day in recognition of the economic contributions made by entrepreneurs in India. The declaration, which highlighted the importance of entrepreneurial endeavours, was made during the inaugural Startup India Innovation Week. What the Industry Leaders Say Indian Startups: Bold Movements Shaping the Future, Led by Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurs Sameet Gupte, Co-Founder and CEO of EvoluteIQ, believes that Indian startups are not just businesses but movements" driven by bold ideas and a fearless commitment to creating extraordinary impacts, with entrepreneurs challenging the status quo and leading with purpose, making the ecosystem not only exciting but unstoppable as it shapes the future. These movements" are not just about technology innovation or funding these are about real life impacts. Its about the audacity of the Indian entrepreneurs to challenge the status quo and lead with purpose. It is this new age spirit of innovation that is making the Indian startup ecosystem not just exciting, but also unstoppable. Indias startups are shaping the future, and I am proud to be part of this incredible journey." Indias Startup Revolution: Pioneering Change and Creating New Opportunities in Web3, AI, and Crypto Vikram Subburaj, CEO of Giottus, highlights that Indias startup ecosystem, with over 1.5 lakh startups and more than 100 unicorns, has become a powerful engine of growth, creating millions of jobs and redefining industries. As we celebrate National Start-Up Day 2025, start-ups in sectors like Web3, AI, and crypto are at the forefront of this revolution. As new companies solve new-age problems, there is a paradigm shift in the way business is transacted, and value is created. Effectively, the start-up revolution has enhanced transparency, inclusivity, and efficiency. For example, crypto startups are unlocking new opportunities for digital wealth creation, cross-border remittances, and tokenizing of assets." The startup journey is a testament to the immense potential of visionary founders who challenge the status quo. If policymakers and stakeholders continue to collaborate and foster a supportive framework, Indias startup ecosystem will remain a beacon of progress for the country," he added. VIRGIO: Pioneering Sustainable Fashion and Innovation in Indias Startup Ecosystem According to Amar Nagaram, Founder & CEO, VIRGIO, National Startup Day serves as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential of innovation and bold reforms in Indias entrepreneurial ecosystem. At VIRGIO, we are harnessing the synergy between technology and sustainability to redefine fashionbringing high-end global trends to India while ensuring that style and elegance do not come at the expense of our planets well-being," he said. As an entrepreneur and former technologist, I firmly believe that while technology has transformed most industries for the better, fashion has largely been left behind. Through VIRGIO, I aim to drive positive change in one of the worlds largestand most pollutingsectors. From identifying global trends to delivering them in smart, sustainable fabrics, our AI-driven trend mapping system and innovation have made us one of the first brands to launch collections that are both stylish and responsible." A challenger mindset is what sets startups apart and helps them break through markets. Our journey has been fueled by an unwavering commitment to conscious consumption, balancing growth with reduced environmental impact. This is just the beginning of an exhilarating journey. Indias startup landscape is ripe for revolution, and we are thrilled to be an integral part of it." Tredences Shashank Dubey Highlights Indias Startup Ecosystem as Key to Achieving $5 Trillion Economy Goal Shashank Dubey, Co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer, Tredence said: Indias startup ecosystem, encompassing over 1,40,000 ventures, plays a pivotal role in the nations economic landscape, contributing 10-15% to GDP growth. Research underscores its impact in positioning India as a leading global innovation hub. This years theme, Startup India @ 2047 Unfolding the Bharat Story, emphasizes the transformative role startups are expected to play in realizing the ambitious $5 trillion economy goal, driven by their capacity to innovate, scale, and address critical market needs." The future of business lies in sustainable, inclusive growth powered by AI technology. While the critical last-mile problem continues to pose challenges in 2025, emerging tech companies are stepping up with innovative and effective solutions. Overcoming this challenge will unlock significant ROI and revenue opportunities for businesses." At Tredence, we are deeply committed to Indias growth story, inspired by the nations boundless potential for advancement, driven by its global talent pool, expansive and dynamic consumer base, indomitable entrepreneurial spirit, and unmatched innovation capabilities. With over 80% of our talent strategically based across five offices in the country, we take pride in being catalysts in the nations journey toward becoming a global technology powerhouse." National Startup Day: 2025 Significance The day is extremely important since it offers a specific forum for commemorating the achievements of the startup community. It gives business owners a chance to exchange ideas, talk about breakthroughs, and take stock of their experiences. Additionally, National Startup Day highlights the vital role that entrepreneurs play in promoting job creation and economic progress. National Startup Day: 2025 Celebrations National start up day is celebrated nationwide in following ways: Startup Exhibitions: Showcases of inventions from companies in a range of sectors, including sustainability, technology, healthcare, and agriculture. Workshops & Webinars: Information-sharing events with capitalists, industry experts, and successful business owners who shares thoughts on funding options, scaling plans, and startup methods. Networking Opportunities: Gatherings of mentors, investors, and entrepreneurs to form beneficial alliances and partnerships. Acknowledgement & Awards: Honouring exceptional startups with prizes for scalability, social impact, and innovation. Campus Outreach Programs: Using startup placements ,plans and mentoring sessions to inspire college students to consider entrepreneurship top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all National Startup Day Quotes The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams. Oprah Winfrey The best way to predict the future is to create it. -Alan Kay Its not about ideas. Its about making ideas happen. Scott Belsky The biggest risk is not taking any risk In a world thats changing quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks. Mark Zuckerberg A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business. Henry Ford A big business starts small." Richard Branson, English business magnate, investor, author, and philanthropistIf Plan A doesnt work, the alphabet has 25 more letters." Claire Cook Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning. Bill Gates A big business starts small. Richard Branson Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. Steve Jobs I knew that if I failed I wouldnt regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying. Jeff Bezos First Published: January 16, 2025, 06:00 IST 8th Pay Commission: Will Central Govt Employees See 186% Jump In Salary? Know What's Expected Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 15:52 IST 8th Pay Commission: If the government approves the fitment factor of 2.86, the minimum salary of government employees will shoot up by 186 per cent to Rs 51,480, compared with the current payout of Rs 18,000. The central government on Thursday approved the constitution of the 8th Central Pay Commission 8th Pay Commission: The central government announced on Thursday the formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission, tasked with reviewing and recommending salary revisions for central government employees. The commission is to submit its report by 2026. During a Cabinet briefing, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said, Prime Minister has approved the 8th Central Pay Commission for all employees of Central Government." related stories Vaishnaw further said the chairman and two members of the Commission will be appointed soon. 8th Pay Commission Minimum Salary Increase According to some earlier reports, central government employees are expected to see a 186 per cent jump in their minimum salaries. The employees currently get a minimum basic salary of Rs 18,000 per month under the 7th Pay Commission, which was increased from the 6th Pay Commissions Rs 7,000. Minimum Salary, Pension Under 8th Pay Commission Shiv Gopal Mishra, Secretary (staff side) of the National Council of Joint Consultative Machinery (JCM), has said he expects a fitment factor of at least 2.86. It is 29 basis points (bps) higher as compared with 2.57 fitment factor under the 7th Pay Commission. If the government approves the fitment factor of 2.86, the minimum salary of government employees will shoot up by 186 per cent to Rs 51,480, compared with the current payout of Rs 18,000, according to a Financial Express report. Any further hike in fitment factor will lead to commensurate rise in the salaries. A hike in the fitment factor raises both the pension and salaries of the employees. Under the 8th Pay Commission, pensions are also expected to increase by 186 per cent to Rs Rs 25,740, compared with the current pension of Rs 9,000. This calculation holds true if the currently expected fitment factor of 2.86 gets through. 7th Pay Commission: When Was It Formed? The 7th Pay Commission, which led to a substantial jump in government employees salaries, was formed in February 2014. Its recommendations were implemented from January 1, 2016. The key recommendations included raising the minimum basic pay from Rs 7,000 to Rs 18,000; revising the pay structure, allowances, and pensions; introducing a health insurance scheme for employees and pensioners; and revising the pension formulation for those retired before January 1, 2016. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Generally, a pay commission is formed every 10 years, though there is no legal provision for that. It is a practice. Currently, there are over 1 crore central government employees and pensioners. First Published: January 16, 2025, 15:30 IST CBSE Issues Show-Cause Notices To 29 Schools Over Violations During Surprise Inspections Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 20:08 IST CBSE has issued show-cause notices to 29 schools across India after conducting surprise inspections in December 2024. CBSE has issued show-cause notices to 29 schools across various locations in India. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has issued show-cause notices to 29 schools across various locations in India following surprise inspections conducted in December 2024. The inspections carried out on December 18 and 19, were aimed at assessing the schools compliance with CBSEs affiliation rules and guidelines. The schools in Delhi were inspected on December 18, while those in Bengaluru (Karnataka), Patna (Bihar), Bilaspur (Chhattisgarh), Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh), and Ahmedabad (Gujarat) were examined the following day, December 19. After reviewing the reports from the inspection teams, CBSE found significant violations in many of the schools. related stories According to CBSE, key violations identified include: Enrollment Irregularities: Several schools were found to have enrolled students beyond their actual attendance records, a practice that effectively endorsed non-attending" enrollments. Non-compliance with Academic and Infrastructural Norms: Many schools were found to be violating CBSEs established guidelines related to academic standards and infrastructural requirements. In response to these findings, CBSE has issued show-cause notices to all 29 schools, requiring them to submit explanations within 30 days. CBSE has taken serious note of these violations and has issued show-cause notices to all 29 schools involved. Each school has been provided with a copy of the respective inspection report and has been directed to submit their replies within 30 days," CBSE said in a notice. ALSO READ: NEET UG 2025 To Be Conducted In Pen-Paper Mode, NTA Issues Important Notice CBSE remains steadfast in its commitment to upholding the highest standards of education and will continue to take stringent measures against any violations of its regulations," the Board added. Here is the list of schools that have been issued show-cause notices: Delhi Hope Hall Foundation School, Sect-VII RK Puram Jagriti Public School, Ratiya Marg Sangam Vihar Oxford Public School, Opp. Block-4 Nehru Nagar J N Int School, Jagdama Colony Vill Aali Nav Gian Deep Public School, Vijaya Enclave Palam Road S D Memorial Vidya Mandir, Mahavir Enclave Dwarka Navyug Convent School, Sainik Encl-2 Jharoda C R Oasis Convent School, Najafgarh New Krishna Model Public School, Rawata Central Academy International School, Sect 10 Dwarka Deen Bandhu Public School Brahma Shakti Public School Indraprastha Convent School Richmondd Global School Glorious Public School Aakash International School Holy International School Holy World School, Arjun Park Ishwar Colony Najafgarh Karnataka Sri Chaitanya Techno School, Bengaluru Narayana Olympiad School, Bengaluru Uttar Pradesh Raj English School, Shivpurava Varanasi Happy Model School, Kurahuan 323 Chittupur Varanasi St K C Memorial English School, Naveda Jalhupur Varanasi Bihar Satyam International, Boriya Gaurichak Patna Eklavya Educational Complex, Palanga Patna Gujarat Nirman High School, Vastrapur Dashkroi Ahmedabad The New Tulip International School, Bopal Ahmedabad top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Chhattisgarh Modern Educational Academy, Bilaspur Intelligent Public School, Bilaspur First Published: January 16, 2025, 20:03 IST From MIT To Columbia University, Check Out The Top 10 Business Schools In US Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 19:51 IST These universities are renowned for their cutting-edge research, world-class leadership development, and superior business education. MIT holds the number one position in the US for management studies. (Image: MIT) The 2025 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, which offer a thorough assessment of universities worldwide that prioritise research, have been issued. Five main factorsteaching, research environment, research quality, worldwide outlook, and industry incomeare used to determine these rankings. This yearly publication is eagerly awaited since it features top universities in a variety of fields, such as management and business. The Sloan School of Management at MIT, the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley, and the Anderson School of Management at UCLA are just a few of the prominent business and management schools in the United States that are featured in these rankings. These universities have a stellar reputation for generating top-tier leaders, performing innovative research, and providing excellent business education. related stories Top 10 Business Schools In US Based on the most recent rankings, these are the top 10 business and management schools in the United States: 1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Rank 2 A range of business and management courses are available at the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These consist of the Master of Company Administration, Master of Finance, Master of Science in Management, and Executive MBA, among other specialised programs that focus on various facets of company innovation and leadership. Due to the renown of the university, these programs are known to have rather high fees. However, MIT is well known for its dedication to financial aid, providing work-study opportunities, grants, and scholarships to ensure that all students, regardless of financial situation, can access education. The proportion of overseas students at MIT is approximately 33 percent. 2. Harvard University Rank 3 Harvard Business School provides a variety of business management courses, including the Master of Business Administration (MBA), Executive Education programs, and many business professional-focused programs. In keeping with the universitys international reputation, the tuition fees are on the higher end. Nonetheless, Harvard maintains a strong financial aid program that strives to meet all of the admitted students proven financial needs, guaranteeing that access to high-quality education is not impeded by financial constraints. International students make up around 25 percent of Harvard Universitys student body. 3. Stanford University Rank 6 Programs offered by Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Business include the MBA, Executive Education, and other specialised courses aimed at improving business acumen and leadership. To ensure that education is still accessible, Stanford offers generous financial aid packages that are tailored to the admitted students proven financial needs. These packages include grants and scholarships. About 23 percent of students at Stanford University are from other countries. 4. California Institute of Technology (Caltech) Rank 7 Although Caltech lacks a business school of its own, students can still enrol in classes at UCLAs Anderson School of Management, which provides courses in specialised business, including the MBA and Executive MBA. Despite the high cost of tuition, Caltech provides competitive financial aid packages that include need-based aid and various support systems to make sure students can afford the entire cost of attendance. Approximately 32 percent of Stanford Universitys student body is international. 5. University of California, Berkeley Rank 8 The University of California, Berkeleys Haas School of Business provides a variety of courses, such as the Master of Financial Engineering and MBA, in addition to many specialised programs catering to various business fields. Despite being less expensive than private universities, tuition fee is still a significant expense. To help students manage the cost of their education, UC Berkeley offers a variety of financial aid alternatives, including loans, grants, and scholarships. Additionally, around 25% of students are from other countries. 6. Yale University Rank 10 Programs like the MBA, Executive Education, and other specialised business courses are available at Yale Universitys School of Management. Yale provides extensive financial aid packages, despite the relatively high tuition. To guarantee access to its esteemed programs, the university provides a range of financial aid options, such as grants and scholarships, to satisfy the complete documented financial need of every admitted student. Approximately 22 percent of Yale Universitys student body is international. 7. The University of Chicago Rank 14 The University of Chicagos Booth School of Business provides business courses including the MBA and Executive MBA in addition to several specialised programs designed to develop business knowledge and leadership abilities. Despite the high cost of tuition fee, the institution provides financial aid packages to students who have fully shown their need for financial assistance, enabling them to continue their studies without facing financial limitations. International students make up about 38 percent of the University of Chicagos student body. 8. University of Pennsylvania Rank 14 The MBA and Executive MBA are among the business management programs offered by the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School, along with some additional specialised courses aimed at fostering leadership and business acumen. Although tuition fees are expensive, Pennsylvania has excellent financial aid programs. To ensure that access to a Wharton education is not impeded by financial constraints, the university is dedicated to providing for all of the admitted students financial needs. Approximately 24 percent of University of Pennsylvania students are international students. 9. Johns Hopkins University Rank 16 Among the courses offered at Johns Hopkins Universitys Carey Business School are the MBA, Executive MBA, and many specialised programs that concentrate on business and management fields. Johns Hopkins tuition is comparatively less expensive than those of other prestigious universities. To help students afford their education, the institution offers a range of financial aid programs, such as loans, grants, and scholarships. The percentage of overseas students at Johns Hopkins University is about 32 percent. 10. Columbia University Rank 18 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For professionals wishing to advance their business knowledge, Columbia Business School provides a variety of business courses, such as the MBA and Executive MBA, in addition to some specialised programs. Given the renowned quality of the programs, tuition fees are expensive. Nonetheless, Columbia offers substantial financial help, using grants, scholarships, and other kinds of support to cover all admitted students fully established financial needs. When compared to the other universities on the list, Columbia University has the highest proportion of international students at 40 percent. First Published: January 16, 2025, 19:48 IST Ukraine has an ambitious goal to open 5-6 negotiating clusters with the EU this year, the president said during a meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian community in Poland. In Warsaw, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with the Ukrainian community and discussed important issues of unity, the state's European integration course, joint steps with partners to bring a fair world closer, as well as support for Ukrainians who currently live abroad. The head of state shared his expectations from the Polish presidency of the EU Council. Over these six months, Ukraine expects to open three negotiating clusters on joining the European Union. "We understand that our Polish colleagues are ready for two, but we will do everything to open three. Then - Denmark: we want to open three more clusters. But we will see how it goes. We have an ambitious goal of opening 5-6 clusters. In principle, everything can be opened this year, if possible. We will try to do all this," Volodymyr Zelenskyy summed up. Another topic discussed during the meeting was the work of the Ministry of National Unity and, in particular, the creation of units in Poland, and then in Germany and the Czech Republic. UCO Bank LBO Recruitment 2025: Application Begins For 250 Local Bank Officer Posts, Check Details Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:00 IST UCO Bank Recruitment 2025: The application process for these posts of the bank has started. A total of 250 posts are going to be filled through this recruitment drive by UCO Bank. UCO Bank Recruitment 2025: The selection process will consist of a written exam (Representative/File Photo) UCO Bank Recruitment 2025: UCO Bank has released the notification for the recruitment of Local Bank Officers at the organisation. Candidates who are eligible and interested may apply for these posts online by visiting the official website of UCO Bank, ucobank.com. The application process for these posts of the bank has started. A total of 250 posts are going to be filled through this recruitment drive by UCO Bank. The last date to apply is February 5, 2025. Eligible Candidates are required to apply Online as per the registration link available on Banks website https://ucobank.com ->career ->Recruitment Opportunities after carefully reading the advertisement regarding the selection process, eligibility criteria, online registration process, payment of application fee/intimation charges, process & pattern of examination/interview etc. and ensure that they fulfil the stipulated criteria and follow the prescribed processes," reads the official notice. related stories UCO Bank LBO Recruitment 2025: State-wise Vacancy Details Gujarat: 57 posts Maharashtra: 70 posts Assam: 30 posts Karnataka: 35 posts Tripura: 13 posts Sikkim: 6 posts Nagaland: 5 posts Meghalaya: 4 posts Kerala: 15 posts Telangana & Andhra Pradesh: 10 posts Jammu & Kashmir: 5 posts UCO Bank Recruitment 2025: Eligibility Criteria Educational Qualification: Candidates should have a graduate degree in any subject from a university recognised by the Government of India. A valid mark sheet/degree certificate is mandatory. Age Limit: For those who are applying for UCO Bank Recruitment 2025, the age limit of those candidates should be between 20 years to 30 years. UCO Bank LBO Recruitment 2025: Application fee Application fee for SC/ST/PWD candidates: Rs 175 Application fee for all other categories: Rs 850 Fee payment will be made through online mode and once paid, it is non-refundable. UCO Bank LBO Recruitment 2025: How To Apply? Step 1 Go to the official website at ucobank.com Step 2 Click on the recruitment link on the homepage Step 3 Enter the required details Step 4 Pay the application fees Step 5 Submit the form top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all UCO Bank Recruitment 2025: Selection process The selection process will consist of a written exam which will include questions from Reasoning and Computer Aptitude, General/Economy/Banking Awareness, English Language, Data Analysis, and Interpretation. First Published: January 16, 2025, 15:58 IST UP: Schools Closed In All Districts For Classes 1-8 Till Jan 17 Due To Cold Wave Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 13:43 IST UP Schools Closed: The UP Government has ordered the closure of schools for classes up to 8 due to cold weather conditions. All primary schools in Uttar Pradesh are closed until January 17 for classes up to 8. (Representative Image) Due to severe weather conditions, the winter vacation for primary and upper primary schools under the Department of Basic Education, Uttar Pradesh, has been extended until January 17. UPs Basic Education Minister, Sandeep Singh has announced that winter vacations will be observed on January 16 and 17 for students up to Class 8. He stated that the Basic Education Department made this decision following the Meteorological Departments forecast of a cold wave. related stories Basic Education Director Pratap Singh Baghel issued an order stating that, based on information from the Meteorological Department, the likelihood of a severe cold wave and rainfall in several districts prompted the declaration of school holidays from class 1 to 8 from January 16 to 17. Notably, the winter vacation ended on January 14, and schools in many districts reopened on January 15. ALSO READ: Schools Closed In Patna And Darbhanga Districts Amid Intense Cold Weather Delhi Schools To Go Hybrid From Today The Directorate of Education, Delhi has instructed schools in the national capital to conduct hybrid classes for students up to Class 9 and 11, in line with the GRAP 4 restrictions implemented by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). This directive applies to all schools in Delhi, including government, government-aided, unaided private schools, as well as NDMC, MCD, and Delhi Cantonment Board schools. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all All Heads of Schools of Govt., Govt. Aided, Unaided Recognized Private Schools of DoE, NDMC, MCD and Delhi Cantonment Board are directed to conduct classes in schools for children up to Class IX & XI in a Hybrid Mode i.e., both in physical and online mode (wherever online mode is feasible) with immediate effect until further orders," the DoE said in a circular dated January 15. The CAQM has decided to implement all measures under Stage 3 (Severe Air Quality of Delhi") and Stage 4 (Severe+" Air Quality of Delhi), in addition to the Stage 1 and 2 restrictions that are already in place. First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:50 IST Can Influence Voter Opinion: EC Tells Parties To Disclose, Label AI Content Used In Poll Campaigns Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 13:51 IST In a two-page advisory, the poll body urged parties to include disclaimers during dissemination of campaign advertisements or promotional content where synthetic content is utilised EC asked parties to include disclaimers in campaign advertisements or promotional content disseminated online or at other platforms, wherever synthetic content is utilised. (AFP) The Election Commission of India (EC) on Thursday issued an advisory to political parties for disclosing and labelling content generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI). In a two-page advisory, the EC urged political parties to ensure responsible and transparent use of AI in campaigning and asked them to include disclaimers during dissemination of campaign advertisements or promotional content where synthetic content is utilised. related stories The advisory was issued in light of the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence and synthetically generated content in political campaigning and their potential to influence voter opinions and trust, the poll body said. It added that advances in AI have enabled the creation of highly convincing synthetic content, including images, video and audio. With the increasing use of AI technologies in political campaigning, it is essential to maintain transparency and accountability, as the AI-generated content including images, videos and audio has the potential to influence voter opinion and trust," they said. For labelling AI or synthetically generated content, the EC asked parties to clearly label any image, video, audio or other materials generated or significantly altered by AI technologies with a notation such as AI-Generated", Digitally Enhanced", or Synthetic Content". For disclosure in campaign materials, the EC asked parties to include disclaimers in campaign advertisements or promotional content disseminated online or at other platforms, wherever synthetic content is utilised. Time and again, CEC Rajiv Kumar has cautioned against the potential of AI and deep fakes in compounding the malaise of misinformation. While announcing the Delhi assembly elections, he directed the administration to be on the alert to any attempts to spread misinformation and act swiftly to counter them, especially wherever it has the potential to erode trust in electoral processes. He had also urged political parties to maintain dignity and decorum in campaigning. Now, taking a step further, the advisory issued by the Election Commission introduced labelling and disclosure norms requiring parties to clearly label any images, videos, audio or other materials generated or significantly altered by AI technologies with a notation such as AI-Generated"/ Digitally Enhanced" /" Synthetic Content"," the EC said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all During the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the commission had issued guidelines for responsible and ethical use of social media platforms. The elections in Delhi will be held on February 5 and vote counting will be held on February 8. First Published: January 16, 2025, 13:51 IST From Tughlakabad To Kondli, Dissent Plagues Delhi BJP Over Candidate Selection For Polls Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pragati Ratti Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 11:27 IST Things went so bad that the BJP had to release a third list consisting of a single name after one of the candidates - Mohan Singh Bisht - openly rebelled against the party leadership. One of the main seats where dissent was noticed was Tughlaqabad a seat Ramesh Bidhuri represented for three terms as MLA since 2008. (Image: PTI) Ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced its two candidate lists for Delhi Assembly Election, there has been growing discontent and dissent within the ranks of the party over candidate selection. In fact, things went so bad that the BJP had to release a third list consisting of a single name after the said candidate Mohan Singh Bisht openly rebelled against the party leadership. From shouting slogans to accusing BJP leaders of being unaware of the ground situation, dissent overflowed, costing embarrassment to the party that takes pride in keeping its cadres disciplined. related stories PROTESTS OVER TUGHLAKABAD, KARAWAL NAGAR CANDIDATES One of the main seats where dissent was noticed was Tughlakabad a seat Ramesh Bidhuri represented for three terms as MLA since 2008. BJPs second list was released on Saturday. In this, the names of 29 candidates were announced. In this list, Rohtas Bidhuri has been fielded from the Tughlakabad seat. However, in the 2020 assembly elections, Vikram Bidhuri Ramesh Bidhuris relative contested this seat and he lost to Sahiram of Aam Aadmi Party by more than 13,000 votes, which is the reason he is not being given a ticket this time from Tughlakabad. But that did not stop his supporters from agitating. Protestors from Tughlakabad in South Delhi reached the Delhi BJP office and staged a protest at the gate. The protesting workers demanded a change of candidate for this seat. The matter did not stop at that. In highly dramatised optics that were bound to serve the AAP, angry protesters also raised slogans of Modi tujhse bair nahi, Rohtas teri khair nahi (We have no discontent with you, Modi, but, Rohtas, you wont be spared)". Afraid of an inside hit job at Rohtas Bidhuri, the current BJP candidate from Tughlakabad, the BJP tried not to take the disciplinary route and instead reached out to them saying, the party will ensure Rohtas will take everyone along once he wins, said sources. But this did not stop at pro-Vikram Bidhuri slogans. The BJP fielded former AAP minister Kapil Mishra from Karawal Nagar, disregarding the five-time MLA Bisht, forcing Bisht to turn rebel. Bisht an Uttarakhandi and Rajput face played the victim card. He openly criticised the BJP leadership and called fielding Mishra, whom he called aire gaire natthu khaire", a big mistake". The BJP thinks they will field anyone and he will win. This is a big mistake. Only time will tell what will happen in Burari, Karawal Nagar, Ghonda, Seelampur, Gokalpuri, and Nand Nagri seats," he threatened, forcing the BJP to open an overnight communication channel with him to assure Bisht that a third list bearing only his name would be put out. This is exactly what happened as BJPs third list, bearing only his name, was released announcing he would be contesting from Mustafabad. MEHRAULI, MADIPUR & MORE This is not the first time dissent oozed out during the run-up to Delhi election. After the list of candidates was released, the Delhi BJP office witnessed protests like those the party office witnessed by the pro-Vikram Bidhuri faction. Even after the release of BJPs first list, a similar protest was carried out by some party workers outside the Delhi BJP office against Mehrauli candidate Gajendra Yadav. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Protests were witnessed in Kondli and Madipur as well. In these two constituencies, the BJP feels, protests are being engineered by the partys upset" Dalit ticket aspirants who believe they have been deliberately denied", said a BJP functionary. Both these seats are reserved seats, and the BJP has fielded women candidates from both places. The saffron party has fielded Urmila Kailash Gangwar from Madipur and Priyanka Gautam from Kondli. Party sources say, the BJP, unlike other constituencies, have not been entirely successful in convincing the upset members of SC Morcha who were steering the protests in both these places. First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:27 IST 'No Charges Framed' In Excise Policy Cases, Owns No Car, Uptick In Wife's Assets: Arvind Kejriwal's Poll Affidavit Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 06:00 IST In 2020, Kejriwal and his wife, Sunita, who gets a pension, had wealth worth Rs 3.44 crore, which has increased to Rs 4.54 crore, mainly due to the uptick in the market value of gold and the properties they owned before 2020 AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal. (File pic/PTI) Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal filed his nomination papers on Wednesday as he prepares for a fourth electoral contest from the New Delhi assembly seat next month. As per his poll affidavit, he is facing 14 criminal cases, up from 13 in 2020. He is facing two cases related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policyone filed by the CBI and another by the EDfor which he went to jail in 2024 while serving as the chief minister. His affidavit claims that charges have not been framed against him in the matter. related stories Change in assets In 2020, Kejriwal and his wife, Sunita, who gets a pension, had wealth worth Rs 3.44 crore, which has increased to Rs 4.54 crore, mainly due to the uptick in the market value of gold and the properties they owned before 2020. The major jump has been in the asset value of Sunita. The couple doesnt have any loans or government dues pending. As was in the 2020 papers, Kejriwal owns non-agricultural land he purchased in 1998 in Ghaziabads Indirapuram. The 2,400 sq ft of land that he purchased for Rs 3.50 lakh has a market value of Rs 1.7 crore. His last affidavit has its value marked at Rs 1.77 crore. In 2020, he mentioned having inherited a non-agricultural plot of land in Haryana. The 2025 affidavit has no mention of it. Wife Sunita purchased a flat in Gurugram, Haryana, in 2010 for Rs 61 lakh. As against Rs 1 crore in 2020, the current market value of the 2,244 sq ft flat is Rs 1.50 crore. She owns about 1 kg of silver and 350 grams of gold. She continues to hold the same in 2025, though there has been a significant jump in the market value. The gold was valued at around Rs 12 lakh in 2020, which has doubled to Rs 25 lakh now. The silver was valued at Rs 40,000 in 2020 but now is worth Rs 92,000. On the contrary, the value of movable assets owned by Kejriwal has gone down from Rs 9.95 lakh in 2020 to Rs 3.44 lakh in 2025. The collective value of the movable assets of the couple stood at Rs 67.02 lakh in 2020, which has increased to Rs 1.34 crore in 2025. The value of the immovable assets has increased from Rs 2.77 crore to Rs 3.2 crore. While Kejriwal has no car in his name, his wife has a 2017 model Maruti Baleno Delta, the same as in 2020. Sunita is also investing money in PPF and mutual funds, where the value has increased. She had Rs 13.44 lakh in her PPF, which has increased to Rs 26 lakh now. She has an investment in mutual funds of Rs 26 lakh. In 2020, Kejriwal declared the annual income for the previous year (2018-19) at Rs 2.81 lakh, while Sunita had Rs 9.94 lakh. For the year 2023-24, Kejriwals total income was Rs 7.21 lakh, while Sunitas was Rs 14.10 lakh. Charges not framed in Delhi excise policy cases Projecting himself as the next chief minister of Delhi, Kejriwal is facing 14 pending cases, including two related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policyone filed by CBI and another by ED. He is facing two more cases from the ED for non-obedience to summons. Interestingly, although charges have been framed against him in December 2024 for skipping the ED summons, no charges have been framed against him in the main cases, his papers claim. He is facing six cases related to defamation. A total of two cases were filed against him in Uttar Pradeshs Amethi while he was campaigning for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he claims. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all One of the cases he listed was for the ruckus that took place in 2018 during the inauguration of the Signature Bridge in Delhi. Kejriwal will be contesting from the New Delhi assembly seat for a fourth time after consecutive victories in 2013, 2015, and 2020. All Delhi assembly seats will go for polls on February 5, and counting of the votes will take place on February 8. First Published: January 16, 2025, 06:00 IST Kate Middleton Is In Remission, Does This Mean She Is Cured? Why Some Cancers Come Back | Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 13:49 IST Remission doesnt necessarily mean that the cancer is completely removed from the body. Though it does mean that doctors can't find it after thoroughly testing for it. Some cancers like pancreatic, bladder, ovarian and brain cancers are notorious for coming back even after remission Britain's Princess Kate walks during a visit to The Royal Marsden Hospital, where she received her cancer treatment, in London, on January 14, 2025, England. (AP Photo) Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, announced on January 14 that she is in remission. Last March, she revealed that her doctors discovered her cancer unexpectedly when she had abdominal surgery. In September, she mentioned that she had completed chemotherapy treatment. There is a lot that people around the world still dont know about her case, what type of cancer she had. Let us understand what remission is, Kate Middletons journey and what the doctors and experts have to say about the treatment and cancer return. related stories What Is Remission? Cancer remission means that doctors have successfully reduced the signs and symptoms of cancer in some cases, to undetectable levels. Remission quite simply means that at that point, there is no detectable sign that cancer is in the body on all of the tests we have done," Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi, an oncologist and professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic, told TIME. Remission doesnt necessarily mean that the cancer is completely removed from the body. Though it does mean that doctors cant find it after thoroughly testing for it. According to Healthline, cancer remission is of three types: (1) partial a reduction of at least 50% in measurable tumour size or cancer cells; (2) complete all detectable evidence of cancer is gone; (3) spontaneous cancer enters remission without therapy. This is rare and happens after a fever or infection. How Does Remission Vary In Person To Person? Dr Kimmie Ng, associate chief of division of gastrointestinal oncology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said remission works differently in different patients, as quoted by The New York Times. Even if a cancer is cured", that is, no evidence of cancer in five years, it may not be vanquished. It is really scary. The amount of uncertainty is very hard", Dr Ng told NYT. The word remission is a very, very tricky word," says Dr. Marleen Meyers, professor of medicine and director of the survivorship program at the Perlmutter Cancer Center of NYU Langone Health. The common use of the wordeven among oncologists, if they say someone is in remissionis that it means we have knowledge that it could come back, but at the moment, there is no evidence of cancer." Can Cancer Come Back After Remission? Cancer is notorious for recurring even after remission and some are more likely to return than others. For example, as many as 75 to 80% of ovarian cancers can come back in an average of 14 to 16 months after a remission, depending on the stage the cancer had reached when it was found and on the cancers biology, according to Dr. Elena Ratner, a gynecologic oncologist at the Yale Cancer Center. Similarly, glioblastoma multiforme (a brain cancer), even if it is gone, can come back very soon", Ailawadhi told TIME. Even pancreatic cancer and bladder cancer have a very high risk of coming back despite treatment and remission. Doctors warn that once the cancer returns, it becomes a chronic disease. A patient will have to come back every three months for CT scans to keep an eye out for evidence that the cancer has returned. They need to be on and off chemotherapy for the rest of their life, warn doctors. According to Dr Christopher Flowers, chair of the department of lymphoma and myeloma and head of the division of cancer medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, remission is the most positive first step to be in remission". It is an important milestone in the cancer journey to know if the patient is on the pathway to cure". What Do We Know About Kate Middletons Case? Although Kate Middleton has updated people about her experience with cancer and treatment, she never revealed the extent of her illness or how advanced it was when it was discovered. However, she did say her chemotherapy was completed in September. She told a British news agency PA Media a small device or a port is implanted under her skin and attached to a catheter that goes into a large vein. It allows medicines like chemotherapy drugs to be delivered directly to veins in the chest, avoiding needle sticks. She told PA Media that chemotherapy was really tough." It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support. C," she wrote on Instagram. While Kate Middleton has not specified what kind of cancer she was undergoing treatment for, doctors say the most common types of cancer discovered through abdominal surgery are gastrointestinal, such as colon or stomach, genital or urinary. On Tuesday morning, she had spoken to cancer patients at the Royal Marsden in London with the empathy of her own first-hand experiences. She said, as quoted by BBC, You think the treatment has finished and you can crack on and get back to normal, but thats still a real challenge. Yes, there are side effects around treatment, but actually there are more long-term side effects Sometimes from the outside we all think youve finished treatment and you go back to things. But its hard to get back to normal." The Royal Marsden, which treats 59,000 patients each year, was founded as a specialist cancer hospital in 1851. A Look At Kate Middletons Cancer Journey A Timeline December 2023: Princess Catherine made her last public appearance before her cancer diagnosis during her familys annual Christmas church outing at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Sandringham. January 2024: Kensington Palace announced that Kate had undergone planned abdominal surgery" in mid-January. At the time, the palace said that Kate would be recuperating for two to three months after her surgery. Kate returned home to Windsor to continue to recover in late January. March 2024: In a March 2024 video statement, the Princess of Wales revealed that she was in the early stages" of preventative chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer. She did not specify the kind of cancer she had. June 2024: Kate Middleton released her first remarks on her cancer treatment since revealing her diagnosis. She shared that she was not out of the woods" with her treatment and that she still has a few more months" of chemotherapy left to go. On June 15, Kate made her first public appearance since her diagnosis at Trooping the Colour, an annual ceremony celebrating the kings birthday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all September 2024: She revealed that her chemotherapy was complete. January 2025: Kate Middleton announced shes in remission from cancer. She is still adjusting to a new normal," she wrote on Instagram. First Published: January 16, 2025, 13:42 IST What Is Spinal Fluid Leak? How Risky It Could Be In Saif Ali Khans Recovery Process | Doctors Explain Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 17:08 IST Saif Ali Khan knife attack: The spinal fluid leak acts as a soft pillow which protects the brain and spinal cord from bumps or injuries. Doctors say the leak is dangerous because there is a risk of infection spreading to both the spinal cord and... Read More Doctors told News18 that recovery depends on the extent of surgical intervention where physical activity is limited for two to four weeks to avoid re-injury or re-leak. (PTI File Photo) Actor Saif Ali Khan underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday to remove a knife from his spine and neck after being attacked by an intruder at his home in Bandra in the wee hours. Doctors informed the media about the surgery, adding that Khan had been moved to the intensive care unit (ICU). A doctor explained to reporters that a necessary procedure was performed to take out the knife lodged into the actors body, at the same time, addressed a spinal fluid leak" caused by the injury. related stories What Is Spinal Fluid Leak? The spinal cord is covered by Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) to protect the cord. This fluid is covered by a plastic layer called a durometer. When there is an injury, such as stabbing in Saif Ali Khans case, it may result in a dural tear, where the dura which is otherwise a tough protective membrane is ruptured. This tear can lead to a Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) leak, often described as a fluid-like discharge. This leak is dangerous because there is a risk of infection spreading to both the spinal cord and brain, a condition known as meningitis, which can be life-threatening," Dr Jayesh Sardhara, senior consultant neuro and spine surgery at Fortis Hospital, Mulund & Kalyan told News18. Besides meningitis, CSF leak can also result in arachnoiditis, which can lead to headaches, seizures, and in some cases paralysis." In the case of a minor leak, treatment may only require medications for eight to 10 days. However, in case of a major CSF leak, it is necessary to seal the tear. This procedure is called Duraplasty or Dural Closure, and it is the recommended treatment for a CSF leak." How Does The Cerebrospinal Fluid Protect Brain, Spinal Cord? The fluid acts as a soft pillow which protects the brain and spinal cord from bumps or injuries. It also provides floating support" to the brain reducing its weight and preventing it from pressing on the skull. Not just support it also provides nutrition supply to the brain and removes waste along with providing protection from infection. It keeps the brain and spinal cord clean and helps prevent infections. Its leakage can lead to debilitating symptoms such as intense headaches (often worse when standing), dizziness, nausea, neck stiffness, and sensitivity to light," explained Dr. Naveen S Tahasildar, a spine surgeon at SPARSH Hospital, Bangalore. The fluid also helps in controlling pressure inside the head and creates balance for the brain to work properly. In simple terms, CSF keeps the brain and spinal cord safe, healthy, and balanced. What Kind Of Care Is Needed Post Surgery? Treatment for a CSF leak depends on its severity and location. In many cases, according to Dr Tahasildar, conservative measures like bed rest, increased hydration (especially caffeine intake), and avoiding strenuous activities can help. There are other options as well to treat the leaking fluid, in case of lesser trauma or injury. Such as an epidural blood patch. In this case, injection of the patients own blood into the epidural space near the site of the leak. The blood forms a clot, sealing the leak," Dr Tarun Suri, senior consultant, spine surgery at Amrita Hospital, Faridabad. However, in Khans case, the extent of injury is unknown and probably use of surgical intervention was best suited. Techniques including suturing the dura, applying dural grafts, or using sealants can be used in surgeries," Suri added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Doctors told News18 that recovery depends on the extent of surgical intervention where physical activity is limited for two to four weeks to avoid re-injury or re-leak. In the long term, normal activities are gradually resumed over several weeks. Experts believe that most patients recover completely with the right treatment. First Published: January 16, 2025, 17:08 IST Why Is OYO Discriminating Against Customers Based On Their Marital Status? Explained Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Shilpy Bisht Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 11:27 IST In India, there are no laws against unmarried couples staying together at hotels or elsewhere. OYO, which earlier provided couple-friendly hotels on its apps, has reversed its policy in 2024 as part of a broader initiative to rebrand itself as a hospitality service As per the new policy, OYOs partner hotels can reject bookings from couples without proper proofs. The company said its policy follows 'local social sensibilities'.(News18 Hindi) Hotel room aggregator OYO Rooms had announced in 2016 that it would offer couple-friendly option on its website, allowing unmarried people to make bookings without worrying about being turned away at the reception. In 2024, when the world has become more technologically advanced and progressive, OYO Hotels chain backed by Softbank Group Corp, has decided to take reverse its stand. related stories OYO announced last week that it would no longer allow unmarried couples to check into its hotels in Meerut and might extend that policy to other towns. Bookings could in theory be cancelled if guests cant provide proof of their relationship. Whats OYOs Current Policy? The new policy that started in January required unmarried couples to provide proof of their relationship at check-in. Couple must show proper documents even with online bookings. As per the new policy, OYOs partner hotels can reject bookings from couples without proper proofs. The company said its policy follows local social sensibilities". In its statement, OYO said, OYO has received feedback in the past from civil society groups especially in Meerut urging action to address the issue. Additionally, residents from few others cities have petitioned for disallowing unmarried couples to check-in at OYO hotels". Pawas Sharma, Region Head, OYO North India, told PTI, OYO is committed to upholding safe and responsible hospitality practices. While we respect individual freedoms and personal liberty, we also recognise our responsibility to listen to and work with the law enforcement and civil society groups in the micro markets we operate in. We will continue to review this policy and its impact periodically". What Does The Law Say? In India, there are no laws against unmarried couples staying together at hotels, in their own cities or elsewhere. Despite this, hotel owners continue to deny them rooms, in several cases with the support of police or government authorities. In 2015, police raided several hotels and lodges near Mumbai, rounding up dozens of couples. In that case, the Bombay High Court said that the action of the police is in clear violation of right of privacy which has been protected by the Constitution of India and it is a facet of right to life which is guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution of India." In 2019, the Madras High Court also held that there are no laws or regulations forbearing unmarried persons of opposite sex to occupy hotel rooms, as guests". The Supreme Court has recognised individuals right to enter pre-marital relationships. In Shafin Jahan vs Asokan KM (2020), the court held that Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right of individuals to choose their partners whether within or outside marriage. Similarly, in Navtej Singh Johar vs Union of India (2018), the court recognised the right of all individuals to physical, emotional, mental, and sexual companionship. Under the constitutional scheme, fundamental rights enshrined in Part III of the Constitution are ordinarily enforceable against the State and its instrumentalities, not against non-State actors. In other words, citizens may seek constitutional remedies from courts when the State infringes upon their fundamental rights but not when a private party hinders their exercise. This is because constitutional rights are generally thought to apply vertically" (i.e., against the State) and not horizontally" (i.e., between private individuals or entities). While Article 15(2) would prevent OYO from denying its services to customers based on caste, religion, or the other grounds listed, it may not readily constitute a bar against discrimination on the ground of marital status. How Are People Reacting? Tejas Gowda, a member of Bajrang Dal, told media that he had appealed to the police commissioner and administration in Bengaluru to implement a similar law" banning unmarried couples from sharing hotel rooms. We should respect the tradition of our country," he said. By allowing unmarried couples inside the rooms there are many illegal activities happening inside the state as well as the country." Commonly we think of privacy as the right to be let alone or without interference or intervention but in the Indian cultural context, that actually goes against our cultural orientation, which is predominantly collectivist," Shagufa Kapadia, a professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies and director of the Womens Studies Research Center at Indias Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda told CNN. Youngsters argue that such a policy infringes on individual rights. Indian law does not prohibit unmarried couples from staying together, and many see this as an unnecessary restriction. Consenting adults should have the freedom to book a room without judgment," said Madhav Gupta, 23, a student at the University of Delhi. This rule is unfair to even travellers, including colleagues or friends, who might just need a budget-friendly place to stay," he added. How OYO Was A Game-Changer With Its Progressive Stance OYO, which was founded in 2012 by 19-year-old Ritesh Aggarwal, was one of the first platforms to offer a solution for the growing group of travellers, tagging hotels as couple friendly" on its app and website. Other start-ups such as Stay Uncle, Brevistay and Nestaway have since followed in OYOs footsteps and provide rooms by the hour that assure safe access for unmarried couples. By 2016, OYO had expanded significantly, claiming a presence in 100 cities in India and boasting over 5,500 hotels on its platform. This growth trajectory caught the eye of one of the worlds most influential investors, Masayoshi Son, founder of SoftBank. SoftBanks Vision Fund, one of the largest tech-focused VC funds in the world, had already invested in global titans like Alibaba, Uber, and ByteDance. Seeing the potential to disrupt the global hospitality industry, SoftBank decided to invest in Oyo, pouring in over $1.5 billion between 2015 and 2019, and making it the largest shareholder with nearly 47% stake. By 2019, OYO had partnered with over 19,000 hotels in China alone, surpassing Indias numbers, and expanded to 80 countries. This global reach catapulted OYO to become the third-largest hotel chain in the world, just behind Marriott and Hilton. The companys revenue surged from Rs 32.8 crore in FY16 to Rs 13,168 crore in FY20 a more than 400-fold increase in just four years. But this rapid expansion came at a cost. The companys approach to scaling caused friction with its hotel partners. OYO transitioned from a platform model to a franchise model, taking control of hotel pricing and inventory. By FY19-20, OYOs losses had ballooned to Rs 13,123 crore. The troubles did not end there. Legal disputes began to surface, with hotel owners suing OYO for changes in contract terms and the revenue-sharing model. When the pandemic struck, Oyo, whose business was heavily reliant on hotel bookings, saw a sharp decline in demand. In response, the company laid off thousands of employees and shut down non-profitable properties. Despite these setbacks, OYOs story took a dramatic turn in 2024. The company managed to post its first-ever profit of Rs 229 crore, a significant turnaround from the massive losses it incurred in the previous years. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all OYO, as one Indian columnist put it, democratised access to private spaces for a burgeoning young population". That was the companys core value that appealed to many. The new policy is part of OYOs broader initiative to rebrand itself as a hospitality service that prioritises safety, especially for families, students, business travellers, religious groups, and solo travellers. The company aims to strengthen customer loyalty and promote longer stays by aligning its services with customer expectations of safety and security. First Published: January 16, 2025, 10:33 IST 12 Naxalites Gunned Down By Security Forces In Chhattisgarh; January Toll Rises To 26 Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 20:09 IST The gunfight broke out at around 9 am in a forest of south Bijapur when a joint team of security personnel was out an anti-Naxalite operation and the intermittent exchange of fire lasted till late in the evening On January 12, five Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the Madded police station area of Bijapur district. (Image: PTI file) As many as 12 Naxalites were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarhs Bijapur district on Thursday, a senior police official said. The gunfight broke out at around 9 am in a forest of south Bijapur when a joint team of security personnel was out an anti-Naxalite operation and the intermittent exchange of fire lasted till late in the evening, he said. related stories Personnel belonging to the state polices District Reserve Guard (DRG) from three districts, five battalions of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action an elite jungle warfare unit of the CRPF) and the 229th battalion of CRPF were involved in the operation, he said. As per preliminary information, 12 Naxalites were killed in the gunfight. Further details were awaited as a search operation was still underway in the area," the official informed. No harm was reported to security forces, he said. With this, 26 Naxalites have been gunned down in separate encounters in the state so far this month. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all On January 12, five Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the Madded police station area of Bijapur district. Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in the state. Location : Raipur, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 20:06 IST CA Student Arrested In Jalandhar For Duping Delhi Woman Of Rs 18 Lakh Through Dating App Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 20:43 IST According to police, Jindal targeted young professionals and students, presenting himself as a fund manager and convincing them to invest in fake trading platforms The victim, a woman, approached the Cyber Police Station of Dwarka on December 18 last year. (Representational image) A 27-year-old CA student, who allegedly duped people through dating apps promising them high returns, was arrested from Jalandhar in Punjab, a police officer said on Thursday. The accused, identified as Nilesh Jindal, used his charm to gain the trust of unsuspecting individuals and swindle them out of large sums of money," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said. related stories According to the officer, Jindal targeted young professionals and students, presenting himself as a fund manager and convincing them to invest in fake trading platforms. He skimmed one of his victims for Rs 18 lakh. The victim, a woman, approached the Cyber Police Station of Dwarka on December 18 last year. She had been contacted by the fraudster on a dating application. Introducing himself as a fund manager with expertise in cryptocurrency and stock market trading, the accused assured her of significant returns on investments. Convinced by his persuasive tactics, she transferred Rs 18 lakh to his accounts, only to find that neither the promised returns nor her principal amount was forthcoming," the DCP said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As part of their investigation, police analysed call detail records, scrutinised bank account transactions, and tracked digital footprints to locate the fraud, which led to his arrest. During the operation, the team recovered a laptop and mobile phone used in the fraudulent activities. Further investigation is underway," said the DCP. Location : Jalandhar, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 20:42 IST A 100-year partnership agreement, which will, in particular, strengthen military cooperation in maritime security through a new framework to enhance the security of the Baltic, Black and Azov Seas and deter ongoing Russian aggression, will be signed between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the British government website reports. As reported by the Associated Press and Politico, the agreement will be signed during the visit of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who arrived in Ukraine on Thursday morning. The British government reported that Starmer on Thursday will announce new UK support for Ukraine, from lethal aid to economic resilience. The agreement also envisages the promotion of scientific and technical partnerships in healthcare, agribusiness, space and drone technology, as well as building lifelong friendships through educational projects. A new UK-developed scheme to track the movement of grain stolen from occupied Ukrainian territories will also be launched. "From working together on the world stage to breaking down barriers to trade and growth and nurturing cultural links, the mutually beneficial partnership will see the UK and Ukraine advocate for each other to renew, rebuild and reform for generations to come... The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks," the report notes. The government noted that the agreement would also secure the UK's status as a preferred partner for Ukraine's energy sector, critical minerals strategy and green steel production. The government announced a programme of cooperation between 100 schools in the UK and Ukraine in the coming months as part of a bilateral programme. During the visit, Starmer intends to visit a hospital in Ukraine where victims of Russian shelling are being treated. Delhi Elections: Congress Promises Rs 500 LPG Cylinder, Free Ration & Electricity Up To 300 Units Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 20:33 IST The announcement was made by Telangana CM Revanth Reddy who was addressing a press conference with AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin and Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav The free ration kit will contain five kg of rice, two kg of sugar, one litre of edible oil, six kg pulses and 250 grams of tea. (PTI photo) The Congress on Thursday said it would give Rs 500 LPG cylinder, free ration kits, and free electricity up to 300 units to the city residents if voted to power in Delhi. The announcement was made by Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy who was addressing a press conference here with AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin and Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav. related stories Congress threw out the minor partner in the liquor scam from power in Telangana and now it was the turn of the people of Delhi to throw out the major partner in the liquor scam, Arvind Kejriwal, from power in Delhi," Reddy said. He said that there was political pollution, environment pollution and pollution of lies" and the time has come for the people to make a decisive change by electing Congress to power. Congress will fulfil all its five guarantees if it is elected to power in Delhi," Reddy said. There is no difference between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal. They have done nothing for the national capital," Reddy said. He also said his government in Telangana waived farmer loans to the tune of Rs 21,000 crore in one year. Having earlier announced three promises, the Congress on Thursday announced two more. Yadav said the party came up with the promises on the back of the feedback it gleaned from its Delhi Nyay Yatra. We took out the Delhi Nyay Yatra and got to know about the issues of people which helped us come up with these five guarantees. Today we have announced two more guarantees Mehangai Mukti Yojana and Free Bijli Yojana. We will implement these five guarantees in the first cabinet meeting if we come to power," he said. Reddy said the Congress fulfilled all its promises within 13 months of coming to power in Telangana and it will do the same in Delhi. He said the rise in prices of commodities and unemployment had impacted the housewives the most. The free ration kit will contain five kg of rice, two kg of sugar, one litre of edible oil, six kg pulses and 250 grams of tea, he said. Reddy said three hundred units of free power will ease peoples financial burden. Modi talks about sending people to the moon, but he could not address the life-threatening air pollution in Delhi," he said. The Congress government under Sheila Dikshit carried out unprecedented work, including the creation of the largest metro rail network in the country, but Kejriwal only made false promises in his three tenures as the CM, the Telangana CM alleged. Yadav alleged that there was a scam in the AAP governments free electricity scheme. There was a big scam in Kejriwals 200-unit free power scheme with the money going through the power distribution companies as Kejriwal refused to audit the accounts of the Discoms due to his complicity with them. The Congress 300-unit free power will be implemented transparently through direct bank transfer (DBT)," he said. On January 6, the Congress announced its Pyaari Didi Yojana, promising a monthly monetary grant of Rs 2,500 to women, if it is voted to power. On January 8, the party announced its Jeevan Raksha Yojana, under which it promised to provide free health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The party on Sunday also promised to give Rs 8,500 every month to educated unemployed youths in Delhi every month for one year. Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8. First Published: January 16, 2025, 20:28 IST Delhi Wakes Up To Overnight Rains, Slight Improvement In Air Quality Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 07:52 IST On Thursday, the AQI was 356 in Delhi as per the Central Pollution Control Board There was a slight improvement in the air quality after Delhi-NCR received rains overnight. (Source: PTI) The air quality slightly improved in the Delhi-NCR after the region received overnight rainfall and there was also a slight increase in the temperature. Till now, there have been no reports of water logging and flooding in the national capital. related stories The rains reduced the dense fog which had blanketed the national capital yesterday and brought clarity to the air. VIDEO | Light rainfall lashes parts of Delhi. Early morning visuals from Mandi House.(Full video available on PTI Videos https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/AchAc1Te53 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 16, 2025 In an earlier forecast, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had said that the region will receive rainfall on January 15 and 16. #WATCH | Fresh spell of light rain lashes parts of the national capitalVisuals from Pandit Pant marg and Talkatora road pic.twitter.com/nkRXaqlyIo ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2025 The air quality improved and moved into the very poor category in Delhi-NCR. The Central Pollution Control Board recorded AQI at 356 on Thursday. CAQM Reimposes Pollution Curbs In Delhi On Wednesday, stricter pollution curbs under GRAP-3 and GRAP-4 were reimposed by the Commission for Air Quality Management in Delhi-NCR. The AQI of Delhi for 14.01.2025 which was reported as 275, exhibited a sharp increasing trend on 15.01.2025 and logging the AQI of 386 owing to dense foggy conditions and low temperatures leading to extremely low mixing height & ventilation coefficient for dispersion of pollutants," read the official order. The Sub-Committee further analysed the air quality scenario and noted that AQI has increased to 393 at 5:00 PM and 396 at 6:00 PM respectively owing to a sharply increasing trend of pollutant concentrations due to unfavourable conditions. AQI is further likely to breach the 400 mark as predicted by IMD/ IITM," it added. Delhi governments Directorate of Education also gave orders to carry out classes in hybrid mode from Class IX and XI. 29 Delhi-Bound Trains Delayed Due To Dense Fog Meanwhile, around 29 trains bound for Delhi have been running late because of dense fog in several areas of Northern India, according to the Indian Railways. 29 trains to Delhi are running late due to fog conditions in the national capital and parts of north India, as per Indian Railways pic.twitter.com/bMPA73BXzJ ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The visibility has been reduced because of the heavy fog and the trains have been consequently delayed causing discomfort to the passengers. First Published: January 16, 2025, 07:39 IST Explore Siachen, Galwan & Longewala: Govt Launches App For India's Battlefield Tourism Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:50 IST The tourists can now visit the battlefield sites where Indian Army scripted history in the different battlefields. The government has opened the doors of such sites for battlefield tourism. Govt launches battlefield tourism app (PTI File Image) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan app aiming to boost battlefield tourism in the country. The citizens, using the app, can now add several historical places, including Siachen the worlds highest battlefield and Galwan the site where the Indian and Chinese soldiers clashed in 2020 to their holiday plans. Longewala, the site of the 1971 India-Pakistan battle which was brought to the silver screen in JP Duttas iconic film Border, is a must-visit for tourists in Jaisalmer. The visitors at the War Memorial in Longewala pay respects to the fallen Indian soldiers and watch a documentary on the 1971 war. related stories The government, with the Bharat Ranbhoomi Darshan app, is aiming to attract tourism to the never-seen-before battlefield sites like Siachen and Galwan for tourists with the expansion of battlefield tourism. On Wednesday, 77th Army Day, Rajnath Singh launched the app aimed at boosting local economies and preserving military history. Bharat Rannbhoomi Darshan: Witness Valour Up CloseThe Indian Army is transforming border areas and historic battlefields into tourist destinations, offering citizens a chance to witness valour up close. Explore the hallowed grounds where gallant soldiers fought and serve the pic.twitter.com/F4hZmuEGaI ADG PI INDIAN ARMY (@adgpi) January 12, 2025 How Can You Explore Indias Battlefields? The app offers a comprehensive guide to tourists, which include historical insights, battle accounts, stories of bravery, and applications for permissions. Some significant sites include the Galwan Valley, and Doklam the site of a standoff over Chinese road construction in 2017. Other key sites include Siachen where tourists can visit the Base Camp up to 15,000 ft., and Kargil where Indian Army fought the Pakistani army and defeated them to recapture its spots. Kargil also has the Dras War Memorial where tourists can pay homage to the soldiers who laid down their lives in the battle. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Longewala is another historic site where the Indian Army thrashed the incoming enemy. The initiative also encompasses sites such as Kibithoo and Bum-La in Arunachal Pradesh, Rezang-La, and Pangong Tso in Ladakh, as well as the Cho-La clash site in Sikkim. It seeks to invigorate local economies, educate visitors, instill a sense of patriotism, and provide an authentic account of Indias military history. First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:47 IST 'Will Lead To Sustained Supply Of Assistance In Gaza': India Welcomes Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 10:59 IST A ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was struck to bring the war in Gaza to an end and release hostages under Hamas' captivity. India has welcomed the development in the Middle East. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar (PTI Image) India welcomed the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas and expressed hope that the latest development would lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance" to the people of Gaza where over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the 15-month-long war. We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. related stories The United States and Qatar announced the deal after months of negotiations led by Egyptian and Qatari mediators backed by the US. The development comes days before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump who has repeatedly warned the Hamas that it will have hell to pay" if hostages are not released before he takes over the office on January 20. How Would Ceasefire Agreement Be Implemented? The ceasefire would take effect on January 19 in three phases. The draft proposes a six-week ceasefire, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and a phased release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israel. The early phase focuses on a six-week ceasefire, during which 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children, and men above 50 years of age, will be released by Hamas. Israel, in turn, will also release the Palestinian prisoners. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Negotiations for the second phase will begin by the 16th day of the initial phase. All remaining hostages are expected to be released in this phase. It will also seek a permanent ceasefire and the complete withdrawal of the Israeli forces from Gaza. The third and final phase of the agreement is anticipated to center on humanitarian aid and reconstruction efforts. This phase will involve the return of all remaining deceased individuals to their families and the restoration of Gaza. International mediators, including Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations (UN), will oversee the process to ensure its effective implementation. First Published: January 16, 2025, 10:28 IST Kerala Lottery Results 16.01.2025: Karunya Plus KN-553 Winners Declared; Here's Full List! Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 17, 2025, 09:11 IST Kerala Lottery Results Live: Here's full list of winning numbers for Karunya Plus KN-553 lucky draw for Thursday, January 16, 2025. Kerala Lottery Karunya Plus KN-553 Results: The first prize winner of Karunya Plus KN-553 will get Rs 80 lakh. (Image: Shutterstock) KERALA LOTTERY KARUNYA PLUS KN-553 RESULT ON THURSDAY, 16.1.2025, LIVE UPDATES: The Kerala State Lottery Department has announced the results of the Karunya Plus KN-556 lucky draw for Thursday, January 16. The winner of the first prize will receive Rs 80 lakh, while the second and third prize winners will be awarded Rs 10 lakh and Rs 1 lakh, respectively. Check the Full List of Winning Numbers below. ALSO READ: Kerala Lottery Results: Nirmal NR-415 Winners For January 17, 2025; First Prize Rs 70 Lakh related stories FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA PLUS KN-556 WINNING NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE PA 586929 PB 586929 PC 586929 PD 586929 PE 586929 PF 586929 PG 586929 PJ 586929 PK 586929 PL 586929 PM 586929 WINNING NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKH IS PH 586929 WINNING NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 10 LAKH IS PC 556950 WINNING NUMBER FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKH ARE PA 618438 PB 819044 PC 835885 PD 160535 PE 160535 PF 884632 PG 671849PH 443010 PJ 898198 PK 621870 PL 899665 PM 121018 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE 0516 0804 1537 2669 5489 6055 6164 6601 6636 6662 6884 7147 7500 7750 7822 8355 8952 9169 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE 0134 0545 1282 1395 1651 2166 2291 2438 3138 3308 3412 3737 3813 4203 4403 5006 5010 5043 5283 5288 5498 5599 5612 5820 7100 7601 7743 8114 8385 9050 9077 9320 9652 9805 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE 0227 0261 0851 0929 1128 1287 1878 2003 2063 2068 2357 2430 2515 2541 2723 2923 3395 3406 3436 3437 3476 3478 3535 3662 3822 4004 4075 4198 4241 4383 4569 4648 4684 4940 4975 5083 5177 5254 5494 5653 5763 5839 5996 6028 6152 6220 6276 6318 6398 6497 6628 6903 7061 7124 7194 7289 7387 7420 7638 7652 7698 7797 7929 7949 8056 8098 8228 8241 8262 8312 8417 8977 9034 9271 9420 9467 9475 9620 9700 9793 WINNING NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE 0039 0160 0184 0312 0329 0398 0428 0465 0582 0631 0640 0755 0909 0927 1020 1066 1115 1138 1149 1157 1211 1224 1361 1422 1497 1516 1519 1601 1704 1880 1883 2097 2109 2129 2324 2442 2579 2625 2721 2781 2864 2881 2902 3046 3121 3128 3213 3578 3750 4045 4067 4069 4186 4201 4328 4420 4439 4465 4631 4663 4861 4893 4932 4964 5003 5020 5069 5074 5113 5190 5260 5285 5415 5465 5522 5597 5611 5699 5803 5875 5981 5983 6040 6119 6246 6282 6640 6686 6712 6744 6893 6924 7058 7070 7073 7074 7174 7198 7217 7227 7276 7339 7749 7979 8058 8138 8201 8214 8268 8421 8431 8457 8483 8590 8626 8660 8793 8963 9025 9192 9464 9490 9537 9579 9792 9848 KARUNYA PLUS KN-556 LOTTERY: PRIZE STRUCTURE 1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakh 2nd Prize: Rs. 10 Lakh 3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs. 5,000 5th Prize: Rs. 1,000 6th Prize: Rs. 500 7th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 HOW TO CHECK KARUNYA PLUS KN-556 RESULTS? Check the official Kerala Lottery website to view the Karunya Plus KN-556 results. Winning numbers can also be confirmed at the Kerala Government Gazette office. Reach out to the Kerala Lottery Department for precise and trustworthy details. HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE MONEY? Participants should cross-check their ticket numbers with the results listed in the Kerala Government Gazette. Prizes are awarded to those whose ticket numbers match the published results. Winners must claim their prizes within 30 days at the Kerala Lottery headquarters in Thiruvananthapuram. To claim the prize, winners must provide their winning ticket along with valid identification proof. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO CLAIM PRIZE MONEY? A self-attested photocopy of the winning ticket, displaying both front and back. Passport-sized photographs duly signed by a Gazetted officer. A signed photocopy of the participants PAN card. Fill out the online prize claim form and affix a revenue stamp before submission. Valid ID proof such as a voter ID, Aadhaar card, PAN card, or ration card. HOW TO DOWNLOAD A PDF WITH A FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS? Go to the official Kerala Lottery websites, keralalotteries.info or keralalotteryresult.net. Select the link to access the Karunya Plus KN-556 results. The winning numbers will appear on your screen. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Check the webpage for the download option. Click the download link to view the results in PDF format. Location : Thiruvananthapuram [Trivandrum], India First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:00 IST What Happened At Saif Ali Khan's House? Maid Screamed After Intruder's Attack, Actor Intervened Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 18:10 IST A fight broke out between the actor and the intruder. The intruder then stabbed the actor six times before escaping the spot. Saif Ali Khan Attack News: Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials at actor Saif Ali Khan's residence in Mumbai's Bandra. As the investigation into the incident of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan proceeds, the Mumbai Police on Thursday identified the primary suspect through CCTV footage. The police informed that the attacker, who stabbed Khan multiple times, entered the actors home to commit burglary. The probe revealed that the intruder entered the compound next to the building where the actor stays. The suspect gained access to the building using the staircase on the rear side of the building to reach the floor on which the actor lives. related stories The police stated that the intruder gained access to Khans apartment through a fire escape. According to reports, Khans house help Eliyama Phillipes alias Lima was the first to spot the intruder around 2 am last night. The actor heard noises when one of his female employees was attacked in Jehs room. This prompted Saif to intervene. Following this, a fight broke out between the actor and the intruder. The intruder then stabbed the actor six times before escaping the spot. Notably, CCTV cameras have captured him entering and exiting the building from the rear side. Meanwhile, a police investigation is underway. Saif Ali Khan Stabbed Actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times during a scuffle with a thief who reportedly broke into his home. The incident left the actor with multiple stab wounds, and he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Saif Ali Khan was admitted at 3:30 a.m. after sustaining six injuries inflicted by sharp objects, including two deep wounds. One of these injuries is near his spine. Later, the actors team released a statement confirming the attack and revealing that he was undergoing surgery at the hospital. In the statement, the team requested the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter," adding that the actor is now out of danger but is still hospitalised. First Published: January 16, 2025, 17:55 IST National Startup Day: Maharashtra Gets Rs 200 Crore Boost To Support Innovation, Entrepreneurship Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:10 IST The initiative aims to empower startups across Maharashtra with Rs 30 crore allocated to each regional division, underscoring commitment to fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem and spurring economic growth Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis announced plans for innovation cities across the state to serve as hubs for cutting-edge technology and entrepreneurship. (Image: News18) Boosting Maharashtras potential to become Indias startup capital, the Small Industries Development Bank of India announced a Rs 200 crore fund to support innovation and entrepreneurship. Unveiled on National Startup Day, the initiative aims to empower startups across Maharashtra with Rs 30 crore allocated to each regional division. The funding underscores the states commitment to fostering a vibrant startup ecosystem and spurring economic growth. related stories With 26,000 startups, including the highest number of women-led ventures, Maharashtra is not just a participant but a leader in Indias startup revolution," said Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at an event organised by the Maharashtra State Innovation Society at the Jio World Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) on Thursday. Themed Empowering innovation, elevating Maharashtra, the event was attended by skill development minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Nykaa CEO Falguni Nayar, and Marico Ltd chairman Harsh Mariwala. More than 1,000 startups representing diverse industries like technology, agriculture, and services showcased the states dynamic entrepreneurial spirit. Fadnavis announced plans for innovation cities across the state to serve as hubs for cutting-edge technology and entrepreneurship. He introduced a draft startup policy, encouraging entrepreneurs to contribute suggestions to make it a national benchmark. Highlighting regional contributions, he noted Mumbais position as a funding powerhouse, Punes rise as a technology hub, and the rapid development of Tier 2 and 3 cities like Nashik, Nagpur, and Kolhapur into thriving startup centres. Universities and incubators have become the backbone of this vision, enabling rural youth to transition from job seekers to job creators," he said. The event spotlighted women entrepreneurs with the Nykaa CEO praising Maharashtra for creating a safe and empowering ecosystem. The state leads in women-led startups, offering ample opportunities for growth," Nayar said. The chief minister further highlighted the states distinction in having the highest number of women directors in startups, reaffirming the governments focus on inclusivity. Additionally, he stressed on the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the states startup future, urging entrepreneurs to leverage it to drive innovation and employment. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The funding marks a collaborative milestone in Maharashtras journey in becoming a global startup hub. Fadnavis also inaugurated the Digital Media Centre of Excellence at ITI Govandi and honoured winners of the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Startup Competition. This is a mission to transform Maharashtra into a land of opportunities where startups thrive and innovation leads the way," he said. First Published: January 16, 2025, 23:10 IST Patrol Dogs, Thermal Cameras & Biometrics: How BSF Is Keeping Vigil At India-Bangladesh Border Reported By : CNN-News18 Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:03 IST Not only 24x7 forward patrolling, the force now has the latest technology to ensure no infiltration takes place from the neighbouring country which is in the throes of political instability Villagers who wish to go to their land for farming now need to provide their biometric details, which are matched with records before allowing them to pass through. (News18) The latest technology to nab intruders is now in the hands of the Border Security Force (BSF)s 102 Battalion, which is posted in Bengals Basirhat, where only 12 kilometres of the total 33-km-long India-Bangladesh border is fenced. Not only 247 forward patrolling, the force now has hand-held thermal imaging cameras to ensure no infiltration takes place from the neighbouring country which is in the throes of political instability. related stories The hand-held thermal imaging systems allow ground troops to detect differences in temperature between inanimate objects and enemy forces. These devices collect infrared radiation in the cameras field of vision and use it to create an image. Sources in BSF said the cameras are especially useful during heavy fog as well as for night patrolling. Apart from the cameras, night-vision devices are also being used by the force to keep vigil at the border. As one walks beside the partially fenced border, one can see a special net that has been attached to it. A senior BSF officer told News18 that the net placed across the fenced area ensures that no one can throw anything from the other side of the border. Not only jawans, but patrolling dogs too play their part in keeping vigil. Max, a 21-month-old German Malinois who has a master handler, alerts jawans about suspicious activity from across the border. The jawans said the canine had thwarted several cross-border smuggling and infiltration bids. Another step taken by the BSF is to start biometric authentication in the land patches outside the fenced area. Villagers who wish to go to their land for farming now need to provide their biometric details, which are matched with records before allowing them to pass through. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Nimai Das, a local villager from Kaijuri, told News18: Every day, the BSF matches my thumb impression and then opens the gate for me. Despite the tensions, the officers and jawans always help us." Shantana Biswas, another local who was standing in the checking queue, told News18: I dont have land but I work for others. They [jawans] keep my Aadhaar card and I take it back from them after I complete my work. We are okay with the setup and there is no problem here." Location : Basirhat, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:54 IST Saif Ali Khan Rushed To Jeh's Room As His House Help Screamed On Seeing Attacker: Report Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 15:19 IST Saif Ali Khan's female employee, Ariyama Philip (Lima), was attacked inside the actor's son's room. She is currently receiving treatment alongside Saif. Saif Ali Khan (L)/ Police at his Mumbai residence (R) (Photos: PTI) Hours after Saif Ali Khan was stabbed with a knife at his Mumbai residence, media reports have suggested the actor was injured while trying to protect one of his employees, who was attacked inside the house. According to IANS, Ariyama Philip, alias Lima, Saif Ali Khans female employee, was attacked inside the room of the actors younger son Jeh at nearly 2 am on Thursday. related stories An unknown individual entered the room and assaulted the housekeeper, prompting Saif to intervene. The attacker then injured both Saif and Lima with a sharp weapon, the report quoted sources as saying. Both, the actor and Lima, are presently undergoing treatment at Mumbais Lilawati Hospital. The report also stated Limas role in the incident and her statement will be recorded after she recovers. A report with Lokmat also suggested that the attacker was trying to enter Jehs room when a scuffle between him and the staffer began. Jehs caretaker saw him and shouted, and thats when Saif came rushing in," the report claimed. Later, speaking to reporters, Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Dixit Gedam said, Late last night, around 3 am, information came in that actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked. A police team was dispatched to the scene, and an investigation is currently underway." We cannot reveal further details at the moment, but we will provide updates as more information becomes available," he said. In a statement, Lilavati Hospitals COO Dr Niraj Uttamani said Khan was stabbed by an unidentified person at his Bandra home and brought to the medical facility at 3.30 am. Saif has six stabs and two are deep. Of this one is close to the spine. He is being operated upon by a team of doctors led by neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Dr Leena Jain and anaesthesiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi," Dr Uttamani said. One wound at the wrist is also deep. Its on the left hand and requires a plastic surgeon to repair it, he added. There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and (his wife and actor) Kareena Kapoor Khans residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine," Kareena Kapoors team said in a statement. We request the media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the police are already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern," the statement said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Saif Ali Khans public relations representative also in a statement said there was an attempted burglary" at his residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation," the representative said. First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:50 IST Mumbai Police Detain Floor-Polishing Workers In Saif Ali Khan's Building For Questioning In Stabbing Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:50 IST Actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed on Thursday morning during scuffle with the attacker. The Mumbai Police are questioning several people in connection with the incident. Actor Saif Ali Khan stabbed (PTI File Image) The Mumbai Police have detained floor-polishing workers for questioning in connection with the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case, the officials said on Thursday. Khan lives on the 12th floor of an elite residential society in Bandra where he was stabbed six times by a thief on Thursday morning. He was admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. related stories The police were already questioning three people in the incident domestic servant, lift man, and security guard. The police are also examining the CCTV footage of the building, based on which they have found two suspects, out of whom one could be the attacker, sources said. The police are attempting to ascertain their identities. They will also record the statements of seven house helps who stay at the actors residence all the time. The Mumbai Police have formed 15 teams to probe the case. Saif Ali Khan Undergoes Surgery, Out Of Danger The actor underwent surgery after sustaining six stab injuries in the morning, and he is now out of danger, his team said in an update. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Khan is recovering and the doctors are monitoring his progress. Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the incident. We would like to thank Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain, and the team at Lilavati Hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time," the team said in a statement. First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:27 IST Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has arrived in Kyiv, the Italian Embassy in Ukraine reported. "Minister (of Defense) Guido Crosetto has arrived in Kyiv on an official visit, during which he will hold a number of institutional meetings," the Italian Embassy said in a statement on the X social network on Thursday. 2024 Warming Doesn't Mean Paris Agreement Breached, Need Stronger Climate Action: WMO Chief | Interview Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 17:38 IST On the Los Angeles wildfires, WMO chief Professor Celeste Saulo said there is need for more climate attribution studies, but there is clear evidence that extreme weather events are increasing WMO secretary-general Professor Celeste Saulo reiterated the urgency to protect the Paris Agreement, under which nations committed to limit long-term global temperature rise to 1.5, and well below 2. (Image: News18) The annual warming of 1.55 degrees Celsius recorded in 2024 does not mean that the crucial Paris Agreement has been breached, rather it comes as a stark warning that there is a need to step up climate action, said WMO Secretary-General Professor Celeste Saulo. In an exclusive interview to CNN-News18 on the sidelines of the 150th commemoration event of the India Meteorological Organization (IMD) in New Delhi, Saulo reiterated the urgency to protect the Paris Agreement under which nations committed to limit the long-term global temperature rise to 1.5, and well below 2. related stories One year above 1.5 does not mean that we have breached the 2015 Paris Agreement because that is based on decadal averages. But, at the same time, we need to realise that it is a warning for us, an alert. We are making sure to call the attention of all decision-makers, governments and communities to do stronger climate action," she told CNN-News18. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) the specialised agency of the United Nations (UN) for coordinating global climate and weather observations as well as monitoring climate change has just declared 2024 as the hottest year on record globally. We have likely seen the first calendar year with a global mean temperature of more than 1.5 above the 1850-1900 average," the WMO announced last week. Saulo, who is the first woman and South American to head the organisation, also expressed concerns over the spate of extreme weather triggered by rising temperatures across the world. Asked about the recent Los Angeles wildfires, which have burned through tens of thousands of acres, displaced over a lakh people and incinerated homes, she pointed out that the science is quite clear. On the one hand, with the recent science related to climate attribution, we have to be completely sure that a phenomenon is explained by climate change. But, at the same time, there is clear evidence that extreme weather events are increasing, and they are becoming more severe in terms of intensity, frequency. So what we are really experiencing is quite clear," she said. Elaborating on the need for more research, she further said climate attribution studies can provide more scientific support for the claims made. But, we must not lose sight of the fact that there is clear evidence and manifestations that extreme weather is becoming more and more extreme," she added. ALSO READ | PM Modi Launches Mission Mausam To Make India Climate-Smart On IMDs 150th Foundation Day MORE EMPHASIS ON EARLY WARNINGS top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all At present, the WMOs top strategic priority is to ensure that everyone on Earth is protected by early warning systems, and its focus area is in India as well. WMO is working in strong coordination with national hydrological and meteorological services trying to improve the adaptation strategy and helping the countries build their early warning systems. We cannot avoid the occurrence of extreme weather events, but what we can do is to protect our population, their assets and means of living. That is why we are laying more emphasis on early warnings because it is something we can actually do, and save lives moving forward," said Saulo, who has previously served as the director of National Meteorological Service in Argentina since 2014 and as a former vice-president of WMO. First Published: January 16, 2025, 17:38 IST Celebrating National Startup Day 2025: Honoring the Spirit of Innovation and Resilience Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:02 IST On this National Startup Day, we celebrate the dreamers, doers, and disruptors shaping Indias future National Startup Day is celebrated with the theme of 'Let's shape the future together one innovative idea at a time'. (Image: Shutterstock) National Startup Day serves as a tribute to the entrepreneurial spirit that drives Indias innovation and progress. With a thriving ecosystem of over 160,000 recognized startups and more than 110 unicorns, India has emerged as a global hub for creativity and disruptive thinking. From technology to commerce, the startup wave is transforming industries, fueled by bold visionaries and resilient leaders. The Transformative Power of Startups related stories Mr. Rikant Pittie, CEO and Co-founder, EaseMyTrip, eloquently captures the essence of this dynamic ecosystem, At EaseMyTrip, we believe that the spirit of entrepreneurship is the foundation of innovation and progress. National Startup Day is a tribute to the bold spirit that drives thousands of startups across India to challenge conventions, disrupt industries, and create meaningful change." The remarkable growth of Indias startup ecosystem reflects the success of initiatives like Startup India, launched in 2016. These efforts have not only fueled economic growth but have also created job opportunities across diverse sectors. Despite challenges like the pandemic, the resilience and creativity of startups have underscored Indias potential as a global innovation powerhouse. EaseMyTrips recent partnership with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and the launch of their innovative product, ScanMyTrip, during the Startup Mahotsav, highlights their commitment to empowering startups. This initiative aims to bridge gaps between buyers and sellers, driving inclusive growth and strengthening the digital commerce landscape. Shaping the Future of Work Looking ahead to 2025, the startup landscape is set to undergo transformative changes, particularly in workforce management and talent acquisition. Kartik Narayan, CEO-Staffing, TeamLease, shares insights into this evolving trend: As we look ahead to 2025, startups will see a significant shift in how they approach talent acquisition and workforce management. The gig economy is set to expand dramatically, offering startups a flexible and cost-efficient way to scale operations without the commitment of long-term contracts. This growing trend of short-term, project-based work will be pivotal in industries that demand agility and adaptability." Narayan emphasizes the critical role of skilling and upskilling in the success of startup workforces. Startups are expected to prioritize training and retaining talent, ensuring long-term sustainability. With technology-driven sectors like AI, IoT, and cloud computing in high demand, the integration of gig workers and contract professionals will address skill gaps while maintaining flexibility. Policies to protect gig workers and ensure their social security, developed by central and state governments, will further support this evolving workforce model. Innovation and Policy Support Startups are not only reshaping industries but also benefiting from policy measures that encourage innovation and growth. Yuvraj Shidhaye, Founder and Director of TreadBinary, reflects on the supportive ecosystem, Startups are the architects of change, thriving in an ecosystem shaped by challenges and opportunities. In the ever-expanding landscape, startups are not just reshaping the IT sector but are driving innovation across industries." He highlights key advantages under the Startup India initiative, such as tax exemptions under section 80 IAC of the Income Tax Act. Recognized startups can avail of a tax holiday for three consecutive financial years within their first ten years of incorporation. Rebates on patent filings also facilitate smoother operational processes, enabling startups to focus on their core mission. National Startup Day 2025 reminds us to celebrate the indomitable spirit of entrepreneurs and the ecosystem supporting them," Shidhaye adds. Quoting Dhirubhai Ambani, he underscores the guiding mantra for entrepreneurs: Ideas are no ones monopoly. Think big, think fast, and think ahead." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A Vision for the Future As India continues its journey toward becoming a global innovation powerhouse, the focus on entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and ease of doing business is creating limitless opportunities. On this National Startup Day, we celebrate the dreamers, doers, and disruptors shaping Indias future. Their vision and determination are building a resilient, future-ready economy, ensuring that India remains a beacon of innovation and progress. First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:02 IST Egg Freezing: Empowering Women with Reproductive Freedom and Future Family Planning Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:10 IST As society becomes more accepting of fertility preservation, egg freezing continues to serve as an empowering tool for women to take control of their reproductive futures Egg freezing provides a solution by allowing them to preserve their fertility during their peak reproductive years. Egg freezing has progressed from being a niche and experimental procedure to becoming an acceptable mainstream fertility preservation choice. Initially limited to investigational protocols, egg freezing saw a breakthrough in 2013 when the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) declared it no longer experimental." This opened the door for its routine use, making it a popular choice among women seeking control over their reproductive timelines. Dr Sheetal Jindal, MBBS, MD OBG, EPHM (IIM Kolkata) Senior consultant and medical director, Director, Medical Genetics Program, Jindal IVF, Chandigarh shares all you need to know: One of the main reasons young women are opting to freeze their eggs is the desire for autonomy. Many women these days are focusing on developing careers or establishing themselves financially before beginning a family. Egg freezing provides a solution by allowing them to preserve their fertility during their peak reproductive years. It also serves as a backup for those who havent yet found the right partner or are not ready to have children at a certain stage in life. related stories In addition to personal and professional motivations, the increasing affordability of the procedure and growing accessibility through employer-sponsored benefits are driving more women to consider egg freezing. Some major companies, particularly in tech, now include it in their employee wellness programs, helping to normalize the choice for career-oriented women. Furthermore, insurance coverage for egg freezing is becoming more common, making the procedure more attainable for a broader range of women. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Fertility preservation is even becoming a standard part of medical care for young women at risk of fertility loss due to conditions like cancer. For women undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation, which can severely impact fertility, the option to freeze eggs, embryos, or ovarian tissue has become an essential part of treatment planning. Egg and embryo freezing are now standard practices, offering these women the chance to safeguard their fertility before facing potentially harmful medical treatments. Its also important to note that societal attitudes toward egg freezing have evolved notably. What was once seen as taboo, particularly in rural areas, is now widely recognized as a proactive measure, offering women greater reproductive freedom. This shift has empowered women to make informed decisions about when and how to start a family, allowing them to align motherhood with their personal, professional, and health goals. As society becomes more accepting of fertility preservation, egg freezing continues to serve as an empowering tool for women to take control of their reproductive futures without feeling constrained by age or timing. First Published: January 16, 2025, 23:10 IST Raashii Khanna Aces The Makar Sankranti Look In A Bright Kanjeevaram Lehenga Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 14:40 IST In a striking Kanjeevaram lehenga, the actress draws attention and sets fresh benchmarks for ethnic fashion. Raashii Khanna dazzles in a vibrant Kanjeevaram lehenga. Raashii Khanna is well-known for her nuanced performances in diverse films. Aside from acting, she is an avid social media user who frequently publishes peeks of her personal life and style. Raashii Khannas trendy style statements are worth bookmarking. She is capable of making an impression in traditional ensembles as well as gracefully decking up in bold outfits. One of her recent posts is circulating on the internet, causing a huge buzz among fashionistas. On the occasion of Makar Sankranti, the actress decked up in a bright lehenga, and this indeed is one of her best ethnic looks. The actress lifted up the festive spirit in a stunning Kanjeevaram outfit. She chose a stunning orange lehenga from Kavitha Guttas label, and her entire look was nothing short of mesmerising. The faint orange tones created a stunning contrast in the design. The saree has elaborate gold-toned embroidered borders throughout the pallu and hem lines. She enhanced the shine pairing it with a richly embroidered blouse. related stories View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raashii Khanna (@raashiikhanna) For her accessories, Raashii went for a matching pair of jhumka, finger ring and bangles. Her glam picks included well defined eyebrows, kohl laden eyes, mascara, contours around the face and matte lip shade. Earlier, Raashii Khanna stunned her fans in a sunshine yellow-hued outfit. She chose a gorgeous, toned lehenga with pastel pink accents. The sunflower patches on the skirt offered a fresh touch to her fashion-forward attire. Raashiis lovely outfit, along with a strapless, bustier-style blouse, was pure festive fashion goals. The outfit was from the shelves of Khokee India. She accessorised the look with only a choker necklace and left her open. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Raashii Khanna (@raashiikhanna) top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The actress was last seen in the Sabarmati Report. It stars Vikrant Massey and Riddhi Dogra and was released on November 15. It was directed by Dheeraj Sarna and produced by Ekta Kapoor, Shobha Kapoor, Amul V Mohan, and Anshul Mohan under the banner of Balaji Motion Pictures and Vikir Films Production. Prior to that, Raashii worked opposite Sidharth Malhotra in Yodha. It followed an airline hijacking in which a soldier assists the passengers by fighting the terrorists. His mission to assist is hindered by engine damage. Raashii is also known for her role in Madras Cafe. First Published: January 16, 2025, 14:40 IST Bandits In Bandra: With Attack On Saif, How Safe Is Mumbai's Star Hub? Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Pathikrit Sen Gupta Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 18:15 IST From the firing outside Salman Khans residence in Bandra West to the shocking murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Bandra East, and now the attack on Saif Ali Khanthe area seems to be grappling with a troubling law-and-order situation Actor Saif Ali Khan. File image Bandra, often referred to as the Queen of Suburbs", holds a unique place in Mumbais landscape. With its mix of colonial charm, modern high-rises, and celebrity residents, it has long been a hub of glitz and glamour. However, recent high-profile crimes have put Bandras safety under the lens. From the firing outside Salman Khans residence in Bandra West to the shocking murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Bandra East, and now the attack on Saif Ali Khanthe area seems to be grappling with a troubling law-and-order situation. These incidents have left both residents and outsiders asking, Is Bandra still safe?" The attack on Saif Ali Khan has brought the safety concerns in Bandra to the forefront. According to Mumbai police, the actor was attacked by an unidentified assailant inside his residence. CNN-News18 has now accessed a CCTV image of the accused. The attacker, who reportedly entered the building using the stairs, had the intention of committing a robbery. The actor sustained injuries, but Maharashtra home minister Yogesh Kadam assured the public, stating, Saif is safe. The portion of the weapon that was stuck in his back has been removed. As per preliminary investigations, this doesnt look like an act by any gang, but Mumbai police are probing all angles." Kadam also addressed concerns about Bandras safety. Bandra is sensitive since many celebrities stay here, and its our responsibility to protect all citizens," he said. related stories This incident comes on the heels of other shocking events. The recent murder of Baba Siddique in Bandra East sent shockwaves across political and social circles, with many demanding accountability for the lack of security. Just weeks earlier, Salman Khans security was compromised when unidentified individuals fired outside his residence in Bandra West. These consecutive incidents have raised valid concerns about whether Bandras famed allure is now marred by vulnerabilities in law enforcement and security. Mumbai police have intensified investigations into the attack on Saif Ali Khan. After analysing CCTV footage of his building and its surrounding areas, two suspects have been identified. Police sources revealed to News18 that one of the suspects was likely the attacker, who had entered the building with the intention to rob. A senior officer involved in the investigation disclosed, Preliminary findings suggest the attacker gained access to Saif Ali Khans residence through the stairs. His primary motive was robbery, but further details will be clear after his interrogation. Weve formed 15 teams to apprehend the suspect and are investigating all possible angles." One suspect has already been identified, and efforts are underway to trace and capture him. These developments indicate that the police are making headway, but questions about the larger safety of Bandra remain unanswered. Bandra is a paradox. On the surface, it exudes luxury, with its posh neighbourhoods, high-end restaurants, and celebrity residents. Yet, its status as a high-profile area also makes it a magnet for opportunistic crimes. With Bollywood stars, politicians, and other influential individuals residing in Bandra, it attracts heightened media scrutiny. State home minister Yogesh Kadam has acknowledged this dual identity, describing Bandra as sensitive." While this sensitivity partly stems from its celebrity density, the larger challenge is ensuring that the areas glamour does not overshadow the need for robust security measures. One of the pressing questions is whether these incidents represent a recurring pattern of lawlessness or they are isolated events blown out of proportion. Each casebe it the firing outside Salman Khans residence, Baba Siddiques murder, or Saif Ali Khans attackhas its own unique circumstances. For instance, the firing near Salmans home was allegedly connected to threats from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, a national-level criminal network. Baba Siddiques murder appears to have been politically motivated, while Saif Ali Khans case seems to be a robbery attempt gone wrong. Despite their distinct natures, these events collectively paint a worrying picture. They underline the vulnerabilities of a neighbourhood that should, by its very nature, be among the most secure in Mumbai. For Bandras residents, safety has become a growing concern. While celebrities often invest heavily in personal security, incidents like these show that even high-profile areas are not immune to breaches. For ordinary citizens living in Bandra, the situation is even more precarious, as they lack the same level of protection. However, its essential to view these incidents with nuance. As home minister Kadam emphasised, the media spotlight on Bandra amplifies the impact of any crime in the area. What happens in Bandra makes headlines, creating a perception of greater risk compared to other parts of the city. But perception aside, these incidents highlight systemic issues that need addressing. Surveillance infrastructure, neighbourhood policing, and residential security protocols in Bandra require immediate strengthening. For the Mumbai police and the state government, the recent events in Bandra are a wake-up call. Observers say while their swift action in Saif Ali Khans case is commendable, its equally important to focus on preventive measures. Policing a high-profile area like Bandra requires specialised strategies, including advanced surveillance systems, regular patrolling, and closer collaboration with residential societies. Home minister Kadams statement underscores the governments responsibility to ensure the safety of all citizens, not just celebrities. However, words must translate into action. Residents need to see tangible steps being taken to restore their faith in the areas safety. For Bandra to reclaim its reputation as a safe and serene suburb, a collective effort is needed. Authorities must prioritise both high-profile security and general safety measures. Residents, too, have a role to play by cooperating with law enforcement and adopting robust safety practices in their societies. While incidents like the attack on Saif Ali Khan are alarming, they should also serve as a catalyst for change. With the right measures, Bandra can continue to be the glamorous, vibrant neighbourhood it has always beenwithout compromising on safety. Bandra has long been a symbol of Mumbais allure, blending heritage with modernity and drawing the citys elite to its fold. But recent events have cast a shadow on its sheen. Whether these are isolated incidents or part of a deeper issue, they underscore the urgent need for proactive policing and security. As Mumbai police work to resolve these cases, the hope is that Bandra will emerge stronger and safer. For now, the glamour remains, but the spotlight is firmly on security. First Published: January 16, 2025, 17:58 IST Jr NTR 'Shocked, Saddened' After Devara Co-Star Saif Ali Khan Stabbed During House Break-In Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:43 IST Actor Jr NTR expressed his shock and sadness after hearing about the attack on his Devara co-star, Saif Ali Khan. Jr NTR and Saif Ali Khan worked together in Devara. Actor Jr NTR expressed his shock and sadness after hearing about the attack on his Devara co-star, Saif Ali Khan, who was stabbed during a break-in at his Bandra residence. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Jr NTR wrote, Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health." Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir.Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Jr NTR (@tarak9999) January 16, 2025 related stories The incident took place early in the morning, with Saif being attacked by an unidentified assailant. Saif suffered multiple stab wounds, two of which were deep, one being dangerously close to his spine. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where a team of doctors led by Neurosurgeon Dr. Nitin Dange and others are performing surgery to treat his injuries. Mumbai police are actively investigating the case, looking into possible leads and the involvement of anyone who may have aided the burglars. Saifs condition remains critical, and updates are awaited. Saif Ali Khan made his Telugu debut with Jr NTR in Devara. At the trailer launch of Devara in September 2024, Saif revealed Jr NTR and Koratala Siva watched the Vishal Bhardwaj film before calling him for Devara. I am glad that Tarak ji wanted me in it and Siva sir wanted me in it. I think theyd seen Omkara and remembered it. I should thank Vishal ji still," he had said. On the work front, Saif Ali Khan last impressed fans with his role in Devara: Part 1 which marked his Telugu debut. Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR played key roles in the film which was directed by Koratala Siva. Up next, he has Jewel Thief in his kitty, alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. The film will be released in 2025. First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:36 IST Kareena Kapoor Was With Friends Night Before Husband Saif Ali Khan Was Stabbed During Robbery Attempt At Mumbai Home Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 10:31 IST Kareena Kapoor was with sister Karisma Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor. Actor Saif Ali Khan Attacked: The incident took place at his residence in Mumbai's Bandra around 4am. Saif Ali Khan has been injured after a robbery attempt was made at his Mumbai home during the early hours of Thursday. The actor has been hospitalised after sustaining multiple stab wounds. Hours before the incident occurred, Kareena Kapoor was having a girls night with sister Karisma Kapoor and friends Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor. Kareena Kapoor took to Instagram a few hours before the incident to share a photo from her night in with Karisma Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor. While it is unclear if Kareena was at home at the time of the robbery or not, she spent Wednesday night with her close friends. related stories As per Mumbai Police, the robbery attempt took place around 4 am on Thursday. The police are currently searching for the suspect. At the moment, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch team are at Saif Ali Khans residence, conducting a search using CCTV footage. The police, in a statement, said, An unidentified person intruded in the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan. The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is going on." They mentioned that Saifs servant attempted to apprehend the thief, and during this commotion, Saif woke up. The actor got injured in a scuffle with the thief and was stabbed multiple times. As per Lokmat reports, he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment and his condition is being closely monitored. Fans are concerned about Saif Ali Khans safety and wellbeing and wish him a speedy recovery. The actor has issued a statement confirming the attempted robbery. In his statement, he requested the media and fans to remain patient as the matter is under police investigation, promising to provide updates. First Published: January 16, 2025, 08:39 IST Kareena Kapoor's Team Confirms Saif Ali Khan Has 'An Injury On His Arm', Is In Surgery: 'Family Is Fine' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:25 IST Saif Ali Khan has sustained six stab wounds and one is close to his spine, as per doctors. Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan got married in 2012. Kareena Kapoors team has issued a statement regarding Saif Ali Khans injuries after the actor sustained multiple wounds in a scuffle with a thief. A robbery attempt occurred at Saif and Kareenas Mumbai residence on Thursday morning and Saif Ali Khan has sustained several stab injuries. Kareenas team confirmed that the actor is currently undergoing surgery. The statement read, There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khans residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine." related stories We request media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the Police are already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern," the statement read. Saif Ali Khans team also stated, There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter We will keep you updated on the situation." Saif Ali Khans condition is being closely monitored at the Lilavati hospital. According to Dr Niraj Uttamani, the Chief Operating Officer of Lilavati Hospital, Saif was brought to the hospital around 3:30 AM after sustaining six stab wounds, two of which were deep. One of the injuries is reportedly near his spine. Saif is currently undergoing surgery, which is being led by a team of doctors, including Neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, Cosmetic Surgeon Dr Leena Jain and Anaesthesiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi. Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have confirmed that the incident occurred around 4 AM. The police are currently searching for the suspect. At the moment, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch team are at Saif Ali Khans residence, conducting a search using CCTV footage. Saifs servant attempted to apprehend the thief, and during this commotion, Saif woke up. The actor got injured in a scuffle with the thief. First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:25 IST Saif Ali Khan Issues Statement After Stabbing During Burglary Attempt At Mumbai Home, Asks Fans To Be 'Patient' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 08:57 IST Actor Saif Ali Khan was injured in a fight with a thief who allegedly broke into his home. Saif Ali Khan has been hospitalised. Actor Saif Ali Khan was injured in a fight with a thief who allegedly broke into his home. The actor suffered multiple stab wounds and was admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. According to Lokmat reports, Saif sustained several injuries during the scuffle, and his condition is under close medical observation. The disturbing incident has raised concerns among fans and the film industry about his health. Actor Saif Ali Khan has released an official statement confirming that there was an attempted burglary at his home. He is currently undergoing surgery in the hospital. He requests media and fans to remain patient as the matter is under police investigation, promising to provide updates. related stories Meanwhile, Mumbai Police have confirmed that the incident involved a thief, which occurred at 4 AM. The police are currently searching for the suspect. At the moment, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch team are at Saif Ali Khans residence, conducting a search using CCTV footage. Saifs servant attempted to apprehend the thief, and during this commotion, Saif woke up. The police, in a statement, said, An unidentified person intruded in the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan.The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is going on." The Mumbai Police and Crime Branch team are stationed at Saif Ali Khans house in Mumbais Bandra area. Incidentally, Saif Ali Khans wife, Kareena Kapoor, took to Instagram a few hours before the incident to share a photo from her night in with Karisma Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor and Rhea Kapoor. While it is unclear if Kareena was at home at the time of the robbery or not, she spent Wednesday night with her close friends. On the work front, Saif Ali Khan last impressed fans with his role in Devara: Part 1 which marked his Telugu debut. Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR played key roles in the film which was directed by Koratala Siva. Up next, he has Jewel Thief in his kitty, alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. The film will be released in 2025. First Published: January 16, 2025, 08:56 IST Saif Ali Khan Stabbed: Accused Caught On CCTV, First Video Out | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 18:03 IST Mumbai police have intensified their efforts to locate the suspect, forming multiple teams to ensure swift action. Saif Ali Khan is currently hospitalised. Hours after Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by a robber inside his Mumbai residence, the first photo of the accused is now out. CNN-News18 has accessed a CCTV video of the accused, who reportedly attacked the Bollywood superstar on Wednesday night. The CCTV video, in which the accuseds face is clearly visible, shows that he was on the staircase of the building at 2:33 am on January 16. Since the CCTV footage has provided critical leads, the police authorities are confident of apprehending the accused soon. related stories Saif Ali Khan stabbed: First visual of the accused out, watch the video here! pic.twitter.com/t530NRnK2J News18 Showsha (@News18Showsha) January 16, 2025 What Happened At Saif Ali Khans House On Wednesday Night? According to a report by IANS, the person who attacked Saif Ali Khan hid inside the house throughout the night. At around 2 AM, the actor heard noises when one of his female employees was attacked in Jehs room. This prompted Saif to intervene, which led to an altercation between the two and the attacker injured both Saif and the female employee. Dr. Niraj Uttamani, COO of Lilavati Hospital, revealed that Saif Ali Khan was admitted at 3:30 a.m. after sustaining six injuries inflicted by sharp objects, including two deep wounds. One of these injuries is near his spine, requiring immediate medical attention. Later, the actors team released a statement confirming the attack and revealing that he was undergoing surgery at the hospital. In the statement, the team requested the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter," adding that they would keep his fans updated on the situation. The Bollywood actor is now out of danger but is still hospitalized. Meanwhile, Mumbai police have intensified their efforts to locate the suspect, forming multiple teams to ensure swift action. During a press conference, officials disclosed that the suspect gained access to the building using the staircase. The Mumbai Crime Branch has also deployed seven specialized teams to assist in solving the case. Authorities have confirmed that a case has been filed at the Bandra Police Station, with the investigation in full swing. First Published: January 16, 2025, 17:15 IST URCS volunteers in Kramatorsk participate in liquidation of consequences of Russian air strike Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine The rapid response unit of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) in Donetsk region worked to eliminate the consequences of the Russian air strike on Kramatorsk on Wednesday. "A shell hit a multi-story residential building, causing significant damage. Volunteers quickly went door-to-door, providing the necessary assistance to the residents of the building affected by the shelling," the URCS wrote on Facebook on Thursday. In addition, volunteers organized the distribution of essential construction materials to residents, in particular tarpaulin, film and OSB boards for temporary repairs of damaged houses, and also distributed water. As reported, the Russians dropped a UMBP D-30 SN air bomb on the city on Wednesday, hitting a residential building on the seventh and eighth floors. Nine people were injured, including two children. A total of 24 civilian objects were damaged: five apartment buildings, a pharmacy, and 18 civilian cars. Saif Ali Khan Stabbed Multiple Times During Robbery Attempt At Mumbai Home, Undergoes Surgery Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 11:05 IST Actor Saif Ali Khan was injured during a scuffle with a thief who reportedly broke into his home. Saif Ali Khan has been admitted to the hospital. Actor Saif Ali Khan was injured during a scuffle with a thief who reportedly broke into his home. The incident left the actor with multiple stab wounds, and he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Reports in Lokmat suggest that Saif sustained several injuries during the altercation, and his condition is being closely monitored. The shocking incident has left fans and the film fraternity concerned for his well-being. Further details about the incident and his recovery are awaited. READ MORE: LIVE updates on Saif Ali Khan stabbed in Mumbai home related stories Mumbai Police have confirmed that the incident involved a thief, which occurred at 4 AM. The police are currently searching for the suspect. At the moment, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch team are at Saif Ali Khans residence, conducting a search using CCTV footage. Saifs servant attempted to apprehend the thief, and during this commotion, Saif woke up. According to sources, the person who attacked Saif Ali Khan reportedly stayed in his house throughout the night. At around 2 am, Saif heard an argument between the attacker and a female staff member. The police are now investigating several key questions: Was the attacker connected to the female staff? How did he gain access to the house? Was he attempting to steal? That apart, there is ongoing polishing work in the building, and the police are looking into whether one of the workers might be involved in the incident. The police, in a statement, said, An unidentified person intruded in the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan.The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is going on." The Mumbai Police and Crime Branch team are stationed at Saif Ali Khans house in Mumbais Bandra area. According to sources from the Mumbai police, authorities are working to determine the point of entry for the burglars and are exploring possible leads regarding who may have assisted them. While no arrests have been made so far, police are questioning individuals to gather information and trace the movements of those involved in the break-in. Police has brought in a sniffer dog as the investigation into the attack is underway. Last week, Saif Ali Khan was spotted with wife Kareena Kapoor khan heading to a new destination. The couple was spotted outside Mumbai airport. Kareena held her husband close while walking towards the terminal. On the other hand, Saif ensured to be by her side, safeguarding her from everyone. On the work front, Saif Ali Khan last impressed fans with his role in Devara: Part 1 which marked his Telugu debut. Janhvi Kapoor and Jr NTR played key roles in the film which was directed by Koratala Siva. Up next, he has Jewel Thief in his kitty, alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. The film will be released in 2025. First Published: January 16, 2025, 08:19 IST Last Updated: January 17, 2025, 23:39 IST As per the doctors at Lilavati Hospital, Saif Ali Khan had walked into the hospital on his own after getting stabbed. (PTI Image) Saif Ali Khan Stabbed News Updates: Various developments have taken place in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case since morning. The police have clarified that no one has been detained in the case and the doctors at Lilavati Hospital have shifted the actor to a special room from the ICU. In another development, sources told News18 that the suspect had recced Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khans house, Mannat, as well but had failed to barge in due to tight security. Saif Ali Khans wife Kareena Kapoor on Friday recorded her statement with Bandra police regarding the attack on her husband at their residence. So far, over 40 statements have been recorded in connection with the attack. In a press conference, the doctors further praised the actor for his bravery and said that Saif walked to the hospital after getting stabbed and did not even take a stretcher. Auto driver Bhajan Singh Rana, who took Khan to the hospital, recounted the tense journey to the hospital, saying the actor was bleeding profusely and asked, Kitna time lagega (How much time would it take?). Meanwhile, a report has quoted Mumbai police as saying that the quadruplex, where the actor stays with his actor-wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and children Taimur and Jeh, had no surveillance cameras inside or outside. This made it impossible to trace the intruders movements. There were no personal guards stationed at the entrance or inside the flat to monitor visitors or respond to any emergency. The building society too lacked a register logbook to track individuals entering and exiting the premises, a police officer was quoted by The Times of India. In the early hours of Thursday, Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times during a burglary attempt. A doctor at the Lilavati Hospital, where Saif Ali Khan underwent a surgery post the attack, told News18 that had the two-and-a-half inch part of the knife, which was removed from his back, had gone even a millimetre further inside, the actors life could have been in danger. Saif Ali Khan Stabbed, Salman Khan Threatened And Rakesh Roshan Shot: Shocking Attacks On Bollywood Celebs Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:41 IST Saif Ali Khan is undergoing surgery after an intruder stabbed him during an attempted burglary at his residence. Saif, Salman and Rakesh Roshan. In the wee hours of Thursday, January 16, actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked by an unidentified person at his Bandra residence. An intruder reportedly stabbed him multiple times during an attempted burglary. He was immediately rushed to the Lilavati Hospital and is undergoing surgery. Dr Niraj Uttamani, the COO of the hospital, confirmed that the actor was admitted and suffered six knife injuries, out of which two are deep and one close to his spinal cord. Shortly after the incident, Saif Ali Khans team released a statement confirming the theft attempt. In the note, the team requested the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter," adding that they would keep his fans updated on the situation. related stories This isnt the first time a Bollywood celebrity has been attacked. Previously, actor-filmmaker Rakesh Roshan was shot near his office in Mumbai, whereas Salman Khan has repeatedly received death threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Rakesh Roshan In the year 2000, Rakesh Roshan was shot by assailants in broad daylight in Mumbai right after he left his office. The incident took place just a week after the release of Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai, Hrithik Roshans debut film, which he directed. After being shot with two bullets, Roshan drove himself to the hospital. The attack was believed to be linked to the underworld, which had a strong presence in the film industry back then. Gauahar Khan Back in 2014, actress and model Gauahar Khan was slapped during the shooting of a reality show. A member of the audience reportedly attacked her on the stage of Indias Raw Talent for wearing a short dress. Police had arrested the man who attacked Gauahar, saying that being a Muslim woman", she should not have worn such a short dress. Sanjay Leela Bhansali When the renowned Bollywood filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali was shooting for his 2018 magnum opus Padmaavat, he was assaulted by a group of men. The intruders were activists of a Rajput community group called Karni Sena, who caused a huge ruckus and even slapped the director while the cast and crew were shooting at Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur. Gulshan Kumar In August 1997, Gulshan Kumar, the owner of T-Series, was shot dead while he was coming out of the Jeeteshwar Mahadev Mandir in Andheri, Mumbai. The attack was linked to his refusal to pay the underworld. Three assailants reportedly fired 16 bullets at him, killing him on the spot. This fatal attack on the music mogul left the entire industry in shock. Salman Khan Till today, Salman Khan has received multiple death threats from gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Last year in April, two men came on a bike and fired five rounds outside the actors residence in Bandra. One of the bullets reportedly landed on his balcony. First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:41 IST Saif Ali Khan Stabbed: Shah Rukh Khan Rushes To Meet Friend And Kal Ho Naa Ho Co-Star At Hospital | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 11:59 IST Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly on his way to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai to visit Saif Ali Khan. SRK's car was spotted. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is reportedly on his way to Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai to visit Saif Ali Khan, who was stabbed multiple times during an attempted burglary at his Bandra residence late Wednesday night. The shocking incident has sent shockwaves through the film industry and among fans. related stories Shah Rukh Khan shares a long-standing camaraderie with Saif, having worked together in the iconic Kal Ho Naa Ho. The actor also shares a close bond with Saifs wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, with whom he has delivered memorable performances in films like Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham and Asoka. Although Shah Rukh hasnt been seen, his luxury car was spotted by paparazzi heading to Lilavati Hospital, showing his quiet support for the family during this tough time. Saif Ali Khan, who sustained multiple stab wounds in the scuffle with the intruder, is currently under close medical observation at the hospital. Mumbai Police have confirmed that the incident involved a thief, which occurred at 4 AM. The police are currently searching for the suspect. At the moment, both the Mumbai Police and the Crime Branch team are at Saif Ali Khans residence, conducting a search using CCTV footage. Saifs servant attempted to apprehend the thief, and during this commotion, Saif woke up. Saif Ali Khan and Shah Rukh Khan share a strong friendship that has been visible both on and off-screen. Their bromance in the 2003 film Kal Ho Naa Ho became a fan favourite, with many wanting to see them together in more films. Theyve also been spotted at events, sharing laughs and moments. First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:59 IST CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Copyright Network18 Media and Investments Ltd 2024. All rights reserved. BJP Names 9 More Candidates for Delhi Polls, Shikha Rai Fielded from Greater Kailash Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:07 IST The BJP on Thursday named nine more candidates for the elections to the 70member Delhi assembly, fielding Shikha Rai and Anil Vashishth against from Greater Kailash and Babarpur, respectively. With the latest list, the BJP has named its 68 candidates. (PTI file photo) The BJP on Thursday named nine more candidates for the elections to the 70-member Delhi assembly, fielding Shikha Rai and Anil Vashishth against from Greater Kailash and Babarpur, respectively. While Rai is pitted against Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj, Vashishth will battle it out against Gopal Rai, also a minister in the AAP government. related stories With the latest list, the BJP has named its 68 candidates. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Soon after the BJP released its fourth list, its ally JU(U) named Shailendra Kumar its candidate from the Burari constituency. The BJP is pulling out all the stops to end the Aam Aadmi Partys 10-year-long reign in the national capital in the elections scheduled for February 5. The counting of votes is due on February 8. First Published: January 16, 2025, 16:07 IST Help Us Restore Peace, All Issues Can Be Discussed Politically: Manipur CM Tells People Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 18:53 IST Manipur CM Biren Singh appealed to the people of the state to help his government restore peace Manipur CM N Biren Singh (IMAGE: PTI) Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Thursday appealed to the people of the state to help his government restore peace and asserted that all core issues can be discussed politically and diplomatically. Conflict will not help resolve the issues, he said. related stories Speaking at a programme here, Singh said, "There must be a fault on our part as well. We have been working by taking advice from others. What is happening in the state is not good. However, with the cooperation and efforts of many, normalcy has mostly returned." More than 250 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence in Manipur since May 2023. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all "Lets hope full normalcy returns soon, lets pray to God for that. Without a division between the hills and the valley, lets try to restore peace. We are all Manipuris. We are all Indians," he said. Singh also said, "All the core issues can be discussed politically and diplomatically. Solutions must be found. Conflict cannot bring anything good." Replying to media queries on bomb attacks at Kangchup Phayeng in Imphal West district on Tuesday night, Singh said, "It is very unfortunate and a rare incident. In the last five or six months, no violence has happened. Police are investigating the incident and will find out who is involved in it. Necessary legal actions will be taken up." Location : Imphal, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 18:53 IST Lingayat-Vokkaliga Pressure, Surjewalas Advice: Why Karnataka Congress Is Dragging Its Feet On Caste Census Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Apoorva Misra Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 10:11 IST The caste census was initiated by Siddaramaiah in 2015 during his first stint as chief minister but was shelved by subsequent administrations The Siddaramaiah cabinet also appears divided over the caste census issue, with ministers from both the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities openly opposing the report. (PTI) Karnataka, for the fifth time in less than a year, has decided to postpone a cabinet decision on discussing the caste census report. The cabinet was scheduled to discuss the socio-economic and educational survey report to determine the backwardness of various communities on Thursday as announced by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. However, soon after the inauguration of the new Congress party office in New Delhi, Siddaramaiah told reporters that the cabinet will not be discussing the report as announced earlier. related stories Party sources gave News18 multiple reasons behind the move on Thursday. One minister said the advice for advancement came from AICC general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, while another leader attributed it to pressure from leaders of major caste groups i.e. Lingayats and Vokkaligas. The leaders of these two communities have been threatening to agitate for quite some time. It will be tabled at the right time. The BJP is trying to look for an issue to agitate as they are unable to keep their house in order. They should have released it when they were in power. Why didnt they?" asked a senior Congress leader. The loss in Haryana elections as well as the by-elections that Karnataka saw later in November also contributed to the decision to push the issue on the backburner. The move has triggered a war of words in the state, with the BJP accusing Siddaramaiah of using the caste census as a convenient tactic whenever he or his party face political challenges or to deflect from real problems, which include providing funds to support the governments guarantees. BJPs Leader of Opposition in the legislative council, Chalavadi Narayanswamy, termed the delay deflection tactics". They only believe in appeasement politics and when it comes down to the brass-tacks, they dont act upon it." The BJP had earlier called the Congresss promise to table and implement the controversial report as yet another guarantee gimmick" like their election promises, which they claimed to deliver but failed to follow through. The party had also accused the Congress of using the cate census as an issue to deflect from the MUDA and Valmiki controversies that had put the government in a spot at that time. TRACING THE ROOTS The caste census was initiated by Siddaramaiah in 2015 during his first stint as chief minister but was shelved by subsequent administrations. Although the issue resurfaced periodically, the Congress later criticised the 2015 caste data as unscientific" and directed the backward classes commission to rely on data collected by the H Kantharaj Commission to prepare a fresh report at a cost of around Rs 169 crore. Though the report was ready by 2016, it was shelved by successive governments. In 2020, the BJP government appointed Jayaprakash Hegde as the new commission chief, but the findings remained unpublished. However, they were finally submitted in a sealed envelope by Hegde to the Siddaramaiah-led government on February 29, 2024. Hegde, while submitting the report, had stated that it had recommendations on reservations in education and public employment along with targeted measures to uplift backward communities. As the Lok Sabha elections were on the anvil, it was decided that no decision would be taken on the report until, at least, July. FISSURES IN CONGRESS? The Siddaramaiah cabinet also appears divided over the caste census issue, with ministers from both the Lingayat and Vokkaliga communities openly opposing the report through petitions submitted by their respective organisations. Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, along with several Vokkaliga ministers, signed a petition against the findings in November last year, reflecting clear internal differences within the ruling Congress. The All India Veerashaiva Mahasabha, representing the Lingayat community, also called for a fresh survey, arguing that the current one which reportedly shows Dalits as the largest group challenges Karnatakas demographic perceptions. Minister Priyank Kharge clarified that the report is a socio-economic survey, not a caste census. It is not a caste census; it is a socio-economic survey we will know more once the report is tabled and when we take a look at the methodology," he said. Adding to the discord, the Veerashaiva-Lingayat community reiterated its disapproval last week by urging the government to scrap the existing report and conduct a fresh survey. State industries minister MB Patil, a prominent Veerashaiva-Lingayat leader and a Siddaramaiah loyalist, has also voiced opposition to the census. On January 12, Shivakumar asked Vokkaliga Sangha officials to postpone the meeting on caste census as it would create unnecessary confusion". It was soon after this advisory that the announcement of discussion on a later date followed. DEEPENING FAULT-LINES The Congress had made the caste census report a part of their partys promises during the 2023 assembly election campaign. Similar caste surveys in states like Bihar and Rahul Gandhis call for a nationwide caste census have further complicated Siddaramaiahs position. Karnataka, with a population exceeding seven crore, comprises nearly 1,500 castes, sub-castes, and various social groups. The Lingayats and Vokkaligas are the two most influential communities in the state. Lingayats claim to constitute 17-18 per cent of the population, while Vokkaligas estimate their share at 14-15 per cent. However, both communities have opposed the caste census as leaked data suggests their actual numbers may be significantly lower. Leaders feel the numbers of the Lingayats and Vokkaligas are very different and it may tilt the political structure. Experts say the leaked figures indicate both groups make up less than 10 per cent of the population, sparking concerns about their eligibility for social and welfare schemes. Both the Lingayats and Vokkaligas wield considerable political and economic influence in Karnataka. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Siddaramaiah, widely seen as the most prominent AHINDA leader in the state, belongs to the Kuruba community a shepherd caste listed under the 2A category of Karnatakas Other Backward Classes (OBC). BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa is a prominent Lingayat leader, while Union minister HD Kumaraswamy and his father former prime minister HD Deve Gowda as well as deputy CM Shivakumar are key representatives of the Vokkaliga community. The Kuruba community has long been demanding inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list. The Lingayats, one of Karnatakas largest caste groups, are classified under the 3B OBC category, with 5 per cent reservation. The Panchamasalis, a prominent Lingayat sub-sect, have been pushing for inclusion in the more beneficial 2A category. First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:57 IST 'Not Right To Say Mumbai Is Unsafe': Devendra Fadnavis Reacts To Attack On Saif Ali Khan Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:13 IST On the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis responded saying, "Wrong to call Mumbai unsafe based on one incident." Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis | File Image/PTI Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday responded to the ongoing uproar regarding the law and order situation in Mumbai city following the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and said that what happened was unfortunate, but it would not be correct to say that Mumbai is unsafe. Police has given all details regarding what happened. What kind of attack is this, what is actually behind this and what was the intention behind the attack is all before you," Fadnavis said while addressing media. related stories #WATCH | Mumbai: On the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, Police has given you all details regarding this. What kind of attack is this, what is actually behind this and what was the intention behind the attack is all before you." pic.twitter.com/8lMegAtxNJ ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Fadnaviss reaction came after the Opposition parties launched an all-out attack on the ruling BJP questioning Mumbai citys law and order situation. Opposition Attacks Maharashtra Govt Slamming the Mahayuti-led government in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi Chaturvedi said, If celebrities are not safe, who in Mumbai is." What a shame that Mumbai sees another high-profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names," the Rajya Sabha MP from Shiv Sena (UBT) said on X. NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule, who is also a friend of Kareena Kapoor Khans family, said the incident was worrisome. Saif Ali Khan Stabbed top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times during a scuffle with a thief who reportedly broke into his home. The incident left the actor with multiple stab wounds, and he has been admitted to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the incident," a statement released by his team read. First Published: January 16, 2025, 15:49 IST Photo: National Guard The Ukrainian Defense Forces shot down 34 enemy drones out of 55 that attacked Ukraine last night, and 18 UAVs were lost locally, the press service of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "On the night of January 16, 2025 (from 20:00 on January 15), the enemy attacked with 55 Shahed-type strike UAVs and drone imitators of various types from the directions of Millerovo, Orel, Bryansk, and Primorsko-Akhtarsk - Russia," the press service said in a message on Telegram on Thursday. It is reported that as of 09:00, 34 Shahed-type attack UAVs and other types of drones have been shot down in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Mykolaiv regions. A total of 18 enemy drone imitators were locally lost (without negative consequences). It is noted that several UAVs hit a farm in Chernihiv region, and private houses in Kharkiv and Poltava regions were damaged as a result of the fall of downed enemy drones. 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. Australian Woman Slams Chinese Restaurant For Charging Rs 32,000 For Live Lobster Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:09 IST After calling the restaurant the following day, Ho discovered that the lobster weighed 4.5 pounds (2.04 kg) and was priced at $120 (Rs 9,916) per pound. The restaurant claimed that the lobster weighed 4.5 pounds. (Representative Image) What was meant to be a pleasant Friday night for Reanna Ho turned into a shocking experience as she was presented with a staggering $944 (approximately Rs 50,605) bill at an Australian Chinese restaurant. The Perth resident took to the internet to express her dismay at receiving the exorbitant bill at Canton Lane Chinese Restaurant. The woman dined with a group of eight and ordered eight dishes in total, but it was the live lobster" that sent the bill soaring. The costly crustacean was priced at $615 (around Rs 32,968), reported the New York Post. The staff informed Ho that the price would vary based on weight and market price, but they did not disclose the specifics when the dish arrived. Reanna Ho claims the staff didnt inform her that the additional servings of noodles would cost $15 (Rs 803) each Though I paid the bill, I couldnt shake the feeling that something was off," she wrote in a Facebook post. related stories After calling the restaurant the following day, Ho discovered that the lobster weighed 4.5 pounds (2.04 kg) and was priced at $120 (Rs 6,431) per pound. But what was even more surprising was that she wasnt communicated with about this at the time of ordering. She went on to say, We didnt assume the lobster would be cheap, but based on common sense, the typical price per pound is usually around $60-$70 (approximately Rs 3,215-Rs 3,750). Even during the festive period, it seems unreasonable for the price to skyrocket to $120 (around Rs 6,431) per pound." Reanna Ho also questioned that if the lobster truly weighed 4.5 pounds, the head should have been significantly larger and more noticeable, but none of the diners observed this at the table. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In its defense, the restaurants management acknowledged that the communication about the price and weight of the lobster had not been made clearly but defended its method of cooking. They clarified that the head of the lobster is removed before cooking, explaining that this method has been in use since the opening of the restaurant. They further attributed the high cost to external factors, citing rising market prices due to the festive season and increased exports to China, which have driven up demand and, consequently, the prices. We do not see the point of wasting the meat of the head just for display purposes. We have been running this restaurant for 8 years and have been running it smoothly," the management exclaimed. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:38 IST Bengaluru Techie Describes 9-Year Journey At Infosys As 'Unchained Slavery' Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:00 IST The techie shared that when he left Infosys in 2017, his monthly salary was Rs 35,000. However, in his current role, he now earns Rs 1.7 lakh per month. The man joined Infosys as a fresher in 2008 and spent 9 years there. (Representative Image) A tech professional from Bengaluru recently shared his experience of working at one of Indias largest IT firms, describing it as unchained slavery." His Reddit post resonated with many corporate workers. The user, who began his career at Infosys as a fresher in 2008, spent nine years with the company. However, his perspective changed when he moved to one of the Big 4 firms" located in Ecospace, Bangalore. As a newcomer, the Redditor initially assumed that Infosys company policies were standard across the industry. But over the last 7+ years, working in other organizations has been a revelation," he mentioned in the post. He further shared some key takeaways" which according to him, would resonate with those building their careers in the corporate sector. related stories The man revealed that he had a monthly salary of Rs 35,000 when he left Infosys in 2017. But at present, he earns Rs 1.7 lakh which is nearly 400 per cent more. Whenever I refer ex-colleagues from Infosys to my current company, they often receive an 80-100% hike, which underscores how underpaid they continue to be," he added. The Redditor also pointed out the stark differences in workplace perks between Infosys and his current company. He revealed that at Infosys, he used to pay Rs 3,200 monthly for transportation, which is now free at his current organization. Additionally, he noted the affordability of food at his new workplace, with fresh fruit juice costing just 15-20, thanks to company-subsidized rates, while the same juice would cost 40 at Infosys. The Bengaluru man was left disappointed after knowing the reality of the annual salary hike. My low take-home salary at Infosys was largely due to single-digit annual hikes (4-6%) and wasted years in progression" stages," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to the person, Infosys had a 90-day notice period which is no doubt a huge barrier to switching jobs." He also alleged that his first company never adjusted salaries to match the market cap. The argument about Infosys providing unparalleled job security is overstated," the individual opined. Before signing off, the Redditor underlined the importance of the Minimum Wage Policy" in India for every role and sector. Labour policies must be revamped to ensure fair compensation and dignity for private sector professionals," he insisted. The post went widely viral, amassing thousands of upvotes on the platform. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:00 IST Do You Know Which Animal Gives Birth Through Its Mouth? Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 11:32 IST Organisms have their own traits to thrive in the changing environment. One such organism is the frog that incubates its eggs in its mouth and then releases the tadpole as they hatch Frogs incubate their eggs in their mouths. When the eggs hatch, tadpoles are released through the mouths above the water. (News18 Tamil) Evolution works through natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive, reproduce, and pass those traits on to future generations. Organisms are constantly evolving to survive by developing different traits that enhance their ability to thrive in their changing environment. Each species has its own unique traits or characteristics that help it thrive in its specific habitat. It can be physical traits like camouflaging or changes in hunting techniques or even migration. These adaptations are necessary for their continued existence on Earth as they allow organisms to cope with climate change and diseases, trap their food and even defend themselves against predators. related stories There have been certain revelations in wildlife that can really surprise you! Here are some of them: top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Gabriel Georgievich Cohen, a PhD student at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, has discovered that animals can start communicating while still inside their eggs. While all animals perceive sound with their ears, snakes perceive sound with their tongues. Bats can sense their environment with their eyes closed. Because they make ultrasonic sounds and sense the echoes from objects in front of them, they can fly with their eyes closed. They can also sense objects in the dark. We all know that bees can see the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Many more creatures have now been added to the list. Research has shown that animals such as cats, dogs, mice and bats can also see ultraviolet rays. We have already seen that creatures in the world lay eggs and hatch or give birth to their young. But did you know that there is an animal that is capable of giving birth through its mouth? It is the frog. They incubate their eggs in their mouths. When the eggs hatch, they release the tadpoles through their mouths above the water. Frogs that incubated eggs in their stomachs also existed in the past. But they became extinct in the mid-1980s. A particular frog species of this type is being raised in a small area of Queensland, Australia. Scientists are trying to save this species from extinction. First Published: January 16, 2025, 11:32 IST Missi Roti Named Among The 100 Worst Dishes In The World. Desis Are Ready To 'Riot' Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:37 IST A list shared by Taste Atlas ranked Missi Roti as one of the "worst-rated foods" in the world. Missi roti is a good gluten-free option. (Photo Credit: Instagram) India is renowned for its rich and diverse culinary heritage. From flavorful curries to an array of breads, Indian cuisine is celebrated for its variety. However, not everyone beyond Indian borders shares the same appreciation. Indians were recently left displeased when Missi Roti, one of the most popular breads, was ranked among the worlds worst dishes by Taste Atlas. Known for its nutritional value and distinct flavour, the addition of Missi Roti to the list stirred debate, as it became the only Indian food to feature in the ranking. Taste Atlas recently released a list titled Worst Rated Dishes In The World" in January 2025. Missi Roti was ranked 56th out of 100 worst dishes worldwide. The list featured jellied eels, frog eye salad, devilled kidneys and blodpalt, a blood dumpling. Missi Roti, a traditional flatbread made with spices, vegetables, and gram flour, is a popular dish in North Indian cuisine and is often considered a gluten-free alternative to conventional wheat rotis. related stories Many social media users expressed their surprise, calling Missi Roti a strange choice compared to the other dishes on the list. A post on Reddit read, Missi Roti ranks among the worlds worst dishes. We riot!" with many commenters sharing their disappointment and disbelief over the inclusion of the popular flatbread. Someone said, Looks like they felt compelled to throw in something from India just to avoid admitting that every Indian dish is an absolute masterpiece. Nice try, though." Another person added, I think they just tried roti without any curry. But whos gonna tell them!" Some users also pointed out that understanding Indian flavours can be challenging for people abroad. Someone commented, People who are addicted to toasted bread every day wont know the taste of Missi Roti," while another suggested, Ignore such rankings and you will be happier." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all An individual even questioned the credibility of the ranking system, asking, Whats the sample size and distribution? Im assuming a group tried every dish from all countries and rated them based on taste?" Meanwhile, another person humorously added, WE SHALL RIOT FOR OUR ROTI!!!" What do you think? Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:35 IST Mysterious, Beautiful And Challenging: Chinese Travel Vlogger After Exploring 4 Indian Cities Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 13:06 IST According to the Chinese man, India is a mysterious nation that some people may find admirable and others may not. The video features a Chinese man discussing India. (Photo Credits: X) People in the United States are swarming to Xiaohongshu, also called Rednote, a Chinese social media network, as concerns about a possible TikTok ban rise. Many people are reposting content that was first posted on Rednote and other social media platforms due to the platforms recent surge in popularity. One of these is a widely shared clip that shows a Chinese mans very straightforward" analysis of India. Chinese on their app where there is minimal Indian interaction are much nicer to India than many people in the West," a user recently wrote on X (formally Twitter) while resharing a clip initially shared on Rednote. related stories A Chinese man travelling across four Indian cities is shown in the video. His journey exposes him to both the positive and negative aspects of the nation. Despite his complaints about road trash, foul odours, and dirty street food, he also highlights Indias natural beauty, the friendliness of the locals, and the availability of nearly ten different forms of transportation. In the video, he makes it very evident that India is a mysterious" country that some people may find appealing and others may find repulsive. He serves as a reminder that China and India have quite different histories and cultures. He also encourages people to avoid making assumptions about the country based solely on the media. Dont think this country is just wild and scary. Dont think youll be attacked on every street or that every Indian who approaches you has bad intentions," the Chinese man says in the video. Chinese on their own app where there is minimal Indian interaction are much nicer to India Than many people in the west pic.twitter.com/jOATd3D9iC spicy takes (@spicy_memes4u) January 14, 2025 Shared on January 14, the video has collected over 71,000 views so far. As the video grabbed attention, it highly impressed desi social media users. A user commented, Yes, common Chinese people have that notion that Indians are dirty, which we are. Cant sugarcoat it. But most tourists roam around Tier-1 cities and do not even bother to visit Tier-2 cities. Tier-2,3,4 cities are relatively cleaner. Tier-1 cities have all types of people." Another called the video, Very straightforward." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all This is a very factual take," a user on X wrote. This is an apt description," another stated. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 13:06 IST Not A Flex: CEO Faces Backlash For Criticising Husbands Professional Achievements On LinkedIn Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:18 IST The woman compared her multiple clear-cut career accomplishments with her husband's zero achievements in the LinkedIn post. The CEO's husband shared a prompt response amid the backlash. (Representative Image) At a time when LinkedIn has emerged as one of the most used platforms for professionals to network, and showcase their skills and achievements, a CEO has taken to the platform to highlight her husbands zero achievements in the past year, only to spark a heated online debate. Stacey Champagne, CEO and founder of Hacker in Heels ignited an online debate with her controversial remarks that compare her professional achievements to her husbands lack of milestones in 2024. I had multiple clear-cut career accomplishments in 2024. My husband? Zero," she wrote further highlighting that he received no certification, awards, college courses, or documentary features. Stacey specified how she questioned her husband while sitting across the dining table, wondering how he was able to go through the entire year without doing any of these and still be okay but ended up receiving no response from him. The specific exchange in question with her husband gave Stacey much to reflect on and question her mindset, Specificallywhats standing in the way of MY ability to be content without conventional markers of accomplishment? My gut says that this is a question that many people, namely high-performing women, grapple with too. I dont have an answer, but Im curious what your thoughts are: Could you go a year without a single new certification, interview, award, or promotion and be OK with yourself for it?" she wrote, asking if anyone would think of their colleague, manager, friend, or spouse differently for not doing so. related stories As the post quickly went viral on social media, users shared their diverse reactions. Some criticised her choice of publicising her husbands lack of professional achievements. Others chimed in to share what works better for them. A user wrote, Putting your husband down publicly is not a flex. From the comments, you are also blaming the readers for your poorly worded post. If you didnt intend for it to be taken the way it was, that is on you. This is getting reposted on all social media platforms with thousands of views, and not for positive reasons. I would own up to your mistake and delete this," while another added, We are not taken aback by your keen insights"; rather, were horrified that this poor man has chosen to stay married." Whatever your intent, you put your husband on blast. You emasculated him so much online that he had to reply with a list of his accomplishments," another comment read. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The post flashed a lot of backlash from users, prompting a clarification post from her husband, Jesse Sciuto, who stepped up and offered his perspective. Explaining that Staceys post was to highlight her thoughts about finding contentment without any external validation, Jesse, a dual warfare qualified with a STEM Masters, added, First off: the point of Staceys post is that she approves of my lack of quals/certs and wishes she could reach my level of zen." Further in the comment, he elaborated on his experiences over the years and his journey with his wife. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:18 IST This Ice Cave Cafe In Himachal Village Is Internets New Obsession: Crazy For Real Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:36 IST This cafe in Kaza is built entirely from ice, with ceilings made of icicles and walls having small lights, creating a magical atmosphere. Locals spray water every night to help maintain the ice structure. (Photo Credits: Instagram) The Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh is a popular tourist spot, but not all tourists visit the hidden villages there. And one such place is the Lingti Village near Kaza, which has recently gained attention after a traveller shared a video of a unique cave cafe made entirely of ice. It features ceilings made of icicles and walls with small lights, creating a magical atmosphere. While the ambience is gorgeous, the hospitality offered by the locals was also appreciated by the traveller. By paying a small entry fee, visitors can enjoy snacks inside the chilly yet cosy cave. related stories Interestingly, locals spray water every night to keep the ice from melting and the structure intact. Sharing the video on Instagram, the traveller said, Were in Lingti, a small village in Kaza and I saw something crazy here. This cafe is all made up of ice, by the locals. You can visit this place, they charge Rs 30 and then you can have coffee, Maggi and basic stuff here." In the caption, he said, Ice Cafe in Lingti near Kaza, a stunning creation by locals who spray water every night to keep the ice intact. A must-visit if you are in Spiti during winters." Reacting to the post, a user wrote, Kaafi crazy." Another shared, This is so beautiful." All it takes is one of those decent size daggers falling on someones sitting under it," a comment read. An individual shared, Crazy for real." One more added, Ye toh free tha bhai? Kya faltu ki lights laga di yaar, natural beauty kharaab kar rahe. (This used to be free. Why did they put these useless lights? Ruining the natural beauty)." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Lingti is less known because it is a more secluded and quiet area, unlike Kaza, which is famous for its iconic attractions, like the Key Monastery, one of the oldest in the Spiti Valley. Lingti has its own unique experiences. Visitors can explore the Lhalung Monastery, witness the crystal clear waters of the Lingti River, enjoy the breathtaking Frozen Waterfall and visit the Pin Valley National Park. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 16:36 IST World's Most Famous Sperm Donor Says He Wants A Child In Every Country Curated By : Trending Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:49 IST As of now, the California man is the biological father of 87 kids around the world and is getting closer to reaching his target of having 100 children. Kyle Gordy offers his services for free through a website called Be Pregnant Now. (Photo Credit: X) Kyle Gordy, a man from California, is on a unique mission to become the father of 100 children by the end of 2025. As of now, he is the biological father of 87 kids around the world and is getting closer to reaching his target. Kyle offers his services for free through a website called Be Pregnant Now and hes ready to welcome 14 more children from countries like England, Sweden, Norway and Scotland. He feels proud to help women who thought starting a family wasnt possible and claims that hell keep having children until they no longer need his help. As per Mirror UK, he said, It feels great to be a dad of so many children. I love that Ive helped all these women start families when they thought this wouldnt be possible. But Im a long way off making a significant impact on the worlds overall population. And so, for that, Im only just getting started. If Im honest, though, I dont really have a goal number of children Id like to have. I think Ill keep making babies until women no longer need me." related stories Despite having many children worldwide, Kyle Gordy struggles to find true love. He did fall in love with Anika Philipp after appearing on 90 Day Fiance, but their relationship ended after eight months. Although Kyle is still hoping to settle down with a perfect woman, his focus remains on helping women worldwide. He has several trips planned this year, including visits to Japan, Ireland, UK, US and other European countries. Hes open to slowing down for the right person and not putting too much pressure on himself. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The California man claims he wouldnt mind marrying an Irish woman and spend the rest of his life in Ireland, a country he has visited multiple times. Interestingly, the mother of one of his children is from Dublin. According to Kyle, Its somewhere I can see myself moving to permanently, but Im leaving it up to the universe to make that decision for me. Of course, if the vibe is right, Im okay with them being from any country really, as travelling or moving anywhere if needed is no issue for me." Looking back on his journey, Kyle Gordy feels proud for helping people around the world have children. Although he has not yet donated in Japan, Ireland and South Korea, he hopes to make that happen soon. He remains positive that 2025 will be the year he reaches those countries. Location : Delhi, India First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:49 IST Benjamin Netanyahu Thanks Donald Trump, Joe Biden For Help With Gaza Hostage Deal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 07:56 IST Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to thank them for helping to secure a deal, his office said. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump to thank them for helping to secure a deal for the release of hostages held in Gaza, his office said. In his conversation with Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu thanked the US President-elect for supporting efforts to release hostages and his commitment to ensuring Gaza does not become a base for terrorism. The two leaders agreed to meet in Washington soon. related stories Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for advancing the release of hostages and ending the suffering of dozens of families," the Israeli prime ministers office said. Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked President Biden and President-elect Donald Trump for cooperating in this sacred mission. Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) January 12, 2025 Donald Trump reflected on the progress made even before his administration officially started. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote, This historic agreement signals the success of our victory in November. Weve achieved so much without being in the White House. Imagine what well accomplish once fully in power." The Israeli PM then spoke with Joe Biden to thank him too, the statement said. Joe Biden said that the deal is structured in phases and included a ceasefire, Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza as well as the release of hostages. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He said, This negotiation was one of the toughest Ive ever experienced. It succeeded because of the united pressure Israel and the United States applied on Hamas." Location : Israel First Published: January 16, 2025, 07:33 IST Divorce On The Cards? Heres Why Michelle Obama Is Skipping Trumps Inauguration Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 22:05 IST Michelle Obama and Barack Obama were not seen together at another high-profile event where former and current US presidents and first ladies were seen. Former President Barack Obama with former First Lady Michelle Obama. Michelle is skipping Donald Trumps inauguration. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE) A section of netizens are speculating if former US president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama are heading for a divorce after it was confirmed the former first lady will not attend US President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on January 20. I think Barack and Michelle Obama are heading for divorce," an X user said, and posted a screenshot of Barack Obamas old letters from 1982 where he admitted that he thought about making love to men. Another tried to defend the couple and said Michelle was mourning the loss of her mother, Marian Robinson, who died last May. related stories Social media sleuths pointed out that it is the second time in the space of a month that Michelle is skipping an official event. Her husband was seen attending former US president Jimmy Carters funeral by himself. His conversation with Donald Trump during the funeral drew attention from news outlets and social media and pictures and videos soon went viral. Former President Barack Obama is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies. Former First Lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," the office of the Obamas said. Deliberate Move? Barack and Michelle Obama started dating in 1989 and tied the knot in 1992. They are proud parents to two daughters. However, a report by the New York Post said Michelle Obamas skipping of the ceremony is deliberate. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shes never been fake and shes never been phony. Shes always been very deliberate about where and how she shows up," a person close to the Obamas told the newspaper. She showed up reluctantly for the election. They were united, but she doesnt have to unify around [Trump]. She doesnt have to say anything. Her absence speaks volumes," the person further added. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 16, 2025, 21:30 IST Ukrainian Defense Minister Rustem Umerov discussed issues of expanding cooperation with the Norwegian defense company Kongsberg, in particular, the possibility of integrating domestic air defense systems into the NASAMS system, as well as organizing the production of anti-drone systems in Ukraine. "I had a productive meeting with Eirik Lie, CEO of the leading Norwegian corporation Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and President of Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace," he wrote on Facebook on Thursday. Umerov noted that Kongsberg already provides significant support to Ukraine. "It is Kongsberg, together with American Raytheon, that is participating in the supply of NASAMS air defense systems, which reliably protect our cities from air attacks. We discussed the possibility of integrating domestic air defense systems into the NASAMS system, which will increase its effectiveness," he said. "Another important topic is counter-drone systems and the possibility of localizing their production in Ukraine. We also discussed the development of maritime capabilities," the minister added. Umerov expressed gratitude to Kongsberg for its support and willingness to develop cooperation. Forced Israel To Retreat, Great Victory For Palestinian Resistance: Iran On Gaza Accord Published By : Reuters Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 16:18 IST Ayatollah Khamenei took to X to claim that the Palestinian Resistance forced Israel out of the blockaded coastal enclave. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Iran-backed Resistance Axis forced Israel out of Gaza. (IMAGE: AFP) The ceasefire in Gaza represents a great victory" for the Palestinian resistance, Irans Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday, warning against any possible breach by Israel. Palestinian armed group Hamas and Israel reached a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza that mediators said would take effect on Sunday. The agreement provides for the release of Israeli hostages held there during 15 months of conflict that devastated the enclave and killed tens of thousands of Palestinians. related stories The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire on the Zionist regime (Israel) is a clear and great victory for Palestine and a greater defeat for the Zionist regime," a statement by the Guards said. Iran and its allied non-state armed groups in the region such as Yemens Houthis and Lebanons Hezbollah have supported Hamas throughout the conflict. The resistance remains alive, thriving, strong [] and has deeper faith in the divine promise of liberating the al-Aqsa mosque and Jerusalem," the Guards said, warning against any breach of the ceasefire by Israel and saying they maintain field preparations to confront new wars and crimes." On X, Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Palestinian resistance and Iran-backed Resistance Axis" succeeded in forcing Israel to retreat." The war in Gaza stoked conflict in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and Iraq, and raised fears of all-out war between arch regional foes Israel and Iran. In November, Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire weeks after the conflict escalated and led to the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli air strike in Beirut. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Western officials, including White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, have said the war opposing Israel and the Iranian-backed Resistance Axis" significantly weakened Tehran. Revolutionary Guards top commander Hossein Salami said last week that Irans enemies are having a false sense of delight" about recent regional developments, and that Tehrans missile forces are stronger than ever. Location : Tehran, Iran First Published: January 16, 2025, 16:18 IST 'Stand Guard': In Farewell Speech, Joe Biden Warns Of 'Dangerous Oligarchy' Under Donald Trump Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 07:29 IST In a somber farewell address, US President Joe Biden urged Americans to safeguard the nation's democratic values as Donald Trump prepares to take office. Joe Biden answers questions from the media at a briefing (Photo: Reuters) US President Joe Biden urged Americans Wednesday to stand guard" against a dangerous" oligarchy forming under Donald Trump as he delivered a dark farewell address before stepping down next week. In a primetime speech from the Oval Office at the end of his single term in office, the 82-year-old warned of an ultra-wealthy tech industrial complex" that could gain unchecked power over the American people. related stories Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy," the 82-year-old Democrat said. Thats a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people." Biden also lashed out at social media firms, with X owner and the worlds richest man Elon Musk set to play a key role in Trumps incoming administration and Meta boss Mark Zuckerberg courting the Republican. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power," said Biden. Biden also warned of the dangers of AI, saying that America must take the lead" over China on the transformative technology, and said that powerful forces" threatened his climate achievements. Signing off Trump returns for a second term on January 20, Biden told Americans: Now its your turn to stand guard." Bidens speech took a dark turn after he began by touting his legacy on the economy, healthcare, climate and tackling the gun violence that plagues the United States. Americas oldest ever president has spent much of his final months in office trying to burnish his reputation before he is replaced by the bitter political rival he defeated in the 2020 election a result Trump still disputes. Bidens efforts got a boost earlier Wednesday when Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal Biden said hed ordered his administration to cooperate with Trumps team to reach an accord. SOUL OF AMERICA However, his legacy was badly damaged by his decision to run for a second term despite his age. The Democrat was forced to drop out of the race last June after a disastrous debate against Trump, 78, who went on to a commanding victory over Bidens vice president, Kamala Harris. Polls show Biden remains an unpopular president. A CNN poll published Wednesday showed him with a 36 per cent approval rating, remaining at the lowest of his term. That puts him above Trump, who left office with a 34 per cent approval rating, according to the American Presidency Project. The lowest in recent times was Richard Nixon with 24 percent while the highest was Bill Clinton with 66 percent, followed by Barack Obama with 59 percent. In a letter previewing his remarks, Biden took an implicit swipe at Trump earlier Wednesday, saying that he ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake." And, thats still the case," Biden said in the letter. Biden added in the letter that I have given my heart and my soul to our nation" and that it had been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years." The White House also released a dossier of more than 100 pages setting out his achievements from the economy to healthcare and climate change. In a farewell interview in the Washington Post published Wednesday, outgoing First Lady Jill Biden took a dig at the Democratic Party for pressing Biden to drop out. Lets just say I was disappointed with how it unfolded," she said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Emotions ran high at the White House ahead of his speech. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre part of a team that brought back regular media briefings after Trump ended them during his first term fought back tears on her last appearance at the famous podium as she described the honour of a lifetime." Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 16, 2025, 07:17 IST 'Creating Last-Minute Crisis': Israel Accuses Hamas Of 'Reneging' On Parts Of Gaza Deal Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 15:07 IST The ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was announced on Wednesday, bringing an end to the war in Gaza. Israel has accused Hamas of "reneging" on parts of the deal. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu (AP Image) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office has accused Hamas of creating a last-minute crisis" that is delaying the completion of the ceasefire deal" with the Islamist militant group. Israel has accused Hamas of backtracking on parts of the Gaza ceasefire deal which was announced on Wednesday, bringing an end to the 15-month-long war in Gaza. related stories Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions", Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said in a statement, adding the situation created a last minute crisis". Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal The United States and Qatar announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, that would end the devastating war to an end. The deal will come into effect on Sunday, January 19, in three phases. The draft proposes a six-week ceasefire, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners from Israel. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The agreement has three phases: First Phase: A six-week ceasefire will take place. Hamas will release 33 Israeli hostages, including all women, children, and men over 50 years old. In return, Israel will release Palestinian prisoners. Second Phase: By the 16th day of the ceasefire, talks for the next phase will start. This phase aims to free all remaining hostages, establish a permanent ceasefire, and ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Third Phase: The final phase will focus on humanitarian aid and rebuilding Gaza. It will include returning the deceased to their families. Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations will oversee these efforts. Location : Israel First Published: January 16, 2025, 14:54 IST Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:51 IST Israel-Hamas Ceasefire News: In a massive development in the Middle East, Israel and Hamas have reached an agreement to stop the Gaza war that has killed thousands of Palestinians, creating a humanitarian crisis in the region. The United States and Qatar announced the deal which would put an end to the 15-month war and clear the path for dozens of hostages to go home. The Israel-Hamas war has so far killed over 46,000 Palestinians, including the militants, in Gaza, according to the health authorities. The war had begun after Hamas militants stormed into southern Israel and killed about 1,200 people on October 7, 2023, and took nearly 250 hostages. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on late Wednesday that the ceasefire agreement with Hamas was still not complete and the final details are being worked out. He has not explicitly said whether he accepts the announced deal. In a statement, Netanyahu said that he would only issue a formal response after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed. Joe Biden Administration Thanks Donald Trump After Gaza Deal: Critical In Getting Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 09:28 IST State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller thanked Donald Trump for working with the Joe Biden administration and said that his support was important for the deal. US President-elect Donald Trump (AP Image) The US State Department said that President-elect Donald Trump played a critical role in the truce deal between Israel and Gaza. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller thanked Donald Trump for working with the Joe Biden administration and said that his support was important for the deal. When it comes to the involvement of President-Elect Trumps team, it has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line. Its been critical because obviously, as I stand here today, this administrations term in office will expire in five daysWe, of course, thank the Trump team for working with us on this cease-fire agreement. We think its important that they were at the table," he said. related stories The work on the deal shows that when Americans rise above partisan lines, a lot can be done, he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all It shows that when Americans are willing to work together across partisan lines, as we were willing to do on this occasion because its in the national interests of the United States, a lot can get done," Matthew Miller said. Israel and Hamas agreed to pause the war which began on October 7, 2023 after signing a three-phase ceasefire deal. The deal includes the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel. Location : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: January 16, 2025, 09:28 IST Loose End Tied, Gaza Truce To Start As Planned, Confirms Blinken As Israel, Hamas Trade Blame Published By : Reuters Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:41 IST Israel blamed Hamas for the hold-up, accusing it of extorting last minute concessions. Palestinians walk past the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israeli strikes, ahead of a ceasefire set to take effect on Sunday, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. (IMAGE: REUTERS) The ceasefire in the Gaza Strip should start on Sunday as planned, despite the need for negotiators to tie up a loose end" at the last minute, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. Israel delayed holding a cabinet meeting to ratify the ceasefire with Hamas, blaming the militant group for the hold-up, even as Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza with airstrikes which Palestinian authorities said killed 77 people in the day since the truce was unveiled. related stories Hamas senior official Izzat el-Reshiq said the group remained committed to the ceasefire deal, scheduled to take effect from Sunday to halt 15-months of bloodshed. Its not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end," Blinken told a news conference in Washington. Were tying up that loose end as we speak." A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the last remaining dispute was over the identities of some prisoners Hamas wanted released. President Joe Bidens envoy Brett McGurk and President-elect Donald Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff were both in Doha with Egyptian and Qatari mediators working to resolve the issue, which should be cleared up soon, the official said. Israeli government spokesperson David Mencer told reporters Israeli negotiators were in Doha to reach a solution. The complex ceasefire accord emerged on Wednesday after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US to stop the war that began with deadly Hamas attacks on Israel and saw Israeli forces kill tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastate Gaza. The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Hostages taken by Hamas would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. It paves the way for a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza, where the majority of the population has been displaced, facing hunger, sickness and cold. Rows of aid trucks were lined up in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish waiting to cross into Gaza, once the border is reopened. Peace could also have wider benefits across the Middle East, from heading off war between Israel and Iran to ending disruption to global trade from Yemens Houthi movement which has attacked ships in the Red Sea. Israels acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the security cabinet and government. A vote had been slated for Thursday, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the meeting, accusing Hamas of making last-minute demands. The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," Netanyahus office said. Hardliners in Netanyahus government were still hoping to stop the deal, though a majority of ministers were expected to back it. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrichs party said its condition for remaining in the government would be a return to fighting at the end of the truces first phase. Far-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has also threatened to quit. In Jerusalem, some Israelis marched through the streets carrying mock coffins in protest at the ceasefire, blocking roads and scuffling with police. CALLS FOR FASTER IMPLEMENTATION Palestinians who rejoiced at the deals announcement were desperate for the bombing to stop as soon as possible. We lose homes every hour. We demand for this joy not to go away, the joy that was drawn on our faces dont waste it by delaying the implementation of the truce until Sunday," Gazan man Mahmoud Abu Wardeh said. The day after the truce announcement saw some of the most intense Israeli bombardment for months. Gazas health ministry said at least 81 people had been killed over the past 24 hours and about 188 injured. The Palestinian Civil Emergency Service said at least 77 of those were killed since the ceasefire announcement. An Israeli military spokesperson said the military was looking into the reports. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen burst into Israeli border-area communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all If successful, the ceasefire would halt fighting that has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza, killed over 46,000 people, and displaced most of the tiny enclaves pre-war population of 2.3 million, according to Gaza authorities. The first phase would see the release of 33 hostages from among around 98 still in Gaza alive and dead. Israel would free around 1,000 Palestinian detainees. Location : Doha/Cairo/Jerusalem First Published: January 16, 2025, 23:41 IST Over 40 Pakistanis Among Dead In Boat Capsize Near Morocco While En Route To Spain Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:46 IST Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif sought a report on the incident from authorities and said that strict action would be taken against those involved in the heinous act of human trafficking Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people a day earlier from a boat that had left Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis. (Representational image via AP) Pakistan on Thursday said that a boat carrying 80 migrants attempting to reach Spain capsized near Morocco, with over 40 Pakistanis reportedly among the dead. Migrant rights group Walking Borders said as many as 50 migrants may have drowned. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people a day earlier from a boat that had left Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis. related stories Forty-four of those presumed to have drowned were from Pakistan, Walking Borders CEO Helena Maleno said on X. They spent 13 days of anguish on the crossing without anyone coming to rescue them," she said. The Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement that its embassy in Morocco was in touch with the local authorities. Our Embassy in Rabat (Morocco) has informed us that a boat carrying 80 passengers, including several Pakistani nationals, setting off from Mauritania, has capsized near the Moroccan port of Dakhla. Several survivors, including Pakistanis, are lodged in a camp near Dakhla," it said. It added that a team from the embassy has been dispatched to Dakhla to facilitate the Pakistani nationals and provide necessary assistance while the Crisis Management Unit in the Foreign Ministry has been activated. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar instructed the relevant government agencies to extend all possible facilitation to the affected Pakistanis. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif sought a report on the incident from authorities and said that strict action would be taken against those involved in the heinous act of human trafficking. Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: January 16, 2025, 23:44 IST This Insect, Dormant For 17 Years, Will Awaken In 2025 To Impact 5 Crore Lives Curated By : Translation Desk Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 18:25 IST According to scientific report, billions of 'Brood XIV' cicadas will emerge this spring after 17 years underground. These insects are expected to surface across over 13 US states According to scientists these red-eyed insects, measure one to one and a half inches in size. (Representative/News18 Hindi) The existence of extraterrestrial life is a topic of perennial debate within the scientific community. However, this summer, residents of the eastern United States can witness a different kind of alien arrival: the emergence of periodical cicadas. These insects, with their unusual life cycles and striking appearance, are often perceived as otherworldly. After 17-year dormancy, this particular insect species is set to re-emerge in 2025, potentially impacting over 13 states. Scientists warn that its arrival could have significant consequences. related stories According to a scientific report, billions of Brood XIV cicadas are set to emerge after 17 years underground. These cicadas are currently active below the surface, preparing to emerge in more than 13 US states this spring. This year, the red-eyed insects are expected in New York, Georgia, Kentucky, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Scientists report that these red-eyed insects, measuring one to one and a half inches in size, typically emerge when ground temperatures surpass 64F. Their appearance between April and June has sparked widespread concern across America. The last time these insects flourished, their presence became a nuisance for many. To attract females, male cicadas produce a loud, piercing sound often compared to the whir of a lawnmower. The noise generated by these insects is so overwhelming that it has prompted numerous calls to law enforcement agencies across America. The Newberry County Sheriffs Office in South Carolina, inundated with complaints, was compelled to issue a public statement. Police reported numerous calls concerning an unusual aerial noise. Witnesses described it as a siren emanating from the sky or a groaning, roaring sound. However, the source was identified as cicadas, insects that emerge every spring. These intriguing creatures spend 1317 years underground before emerging from their eggs. While the cicadas noise is disturbing to some, they pose no danger to humans or animals. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to the University of Connecticut, their invasion is predicted to occur in 2025. Brood XIV, or Brood 14, represents the second largest type of cicada, measuring approximately two inches in length. Upon emergence, cicadas maintain activity for a period of four to six weeks. Subsequently, they vanish a swiftly as they appeared. Saad Bhamla, a professor at Georgia Techs College of Engineering, stated, They just climb trees and urinate." He further remarked that their impact is not anticipated to be as significant as it was two centuries ago. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: January 16, 2025, 18:25 IST This PM Got Down On One Knee For Italys Giorgia Meloni On Her Birthday| Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 12:22 IST In the clip, Edi Rama can be heard explaining to Italian PM Giorgia Meloni that the lightweight scarf was the work of an Italian designer who had relocated to Albania. Albanian PM Edi Rama went down on one knee to hand over the gift to Giorgia Meloni and sang tanti auguri (happy birthday). Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama presented a scarf to his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni as she celebrated her 48th birthday. Edi Rama went down on one knee to hand over the gift to Giorgia Meloni and sang tanti auguri" (happy birthday) as the two leaders attended the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi. The video of the moment was widely shared on social media. In the clip, Edi Rama can be heard explaining to the Italian PM that the lightweight scarf was the work of an Italian designer who had relocated to Albania. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all related stories Albanian PM Edi Rama knelt before Italian PM Giorgia Meloni during their visit to Abu Dhabi, presenting her with a scarf as a birthday gift and referring to her as Your Majesty".He also tried to place the scarf over her head like a hijab. pic.twitter.com/QSqEuuBexM kos_data (@kos_data) January 15, 2025 Giorgia Meloni struck a deal with Edi Rama last year to divert some of the migrants Italy picks up at sea to detention centres in Albania although there are legal challenges to the scheme. Location : Italy First Published: January 16, 2025, 12:22 IST UKs Starmer Signs Landmark 100-Year Accord With Ukraines Zelenskyy Published By : AFP Last Updated: January 16, 2025, 23:02 IST Keir Starmers agreement came during an unannounced visit to Ukraine and as blasts rocked Kyiv. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy shakes hands with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer after signing a 100-year agreement that pledges strengthening defence ties between the two countries following their meeting in Kyiv. (IMAGE: AFP) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a landmark" 100-year partnership agreement with Ukraine during an unannounced visit to the war-torn country on Thursday, seeking to shore up support for Kyiv before Donald Trump returns to the White House. Loud blasts and air raid sirens rang out over the Ukrainian capital after Starmers arrival as air defence systems in central Kyiv repelled a Russian drone attack, officials and AFP journalists reported. related stories In Starmers first official visit to Kyiv since taking office last July, he pledged steadfast support for Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion, and said any deal to end the fighting must guarantee" Ukraines security and independence. The visit is the latest meeting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is holding in a flurry of talks with his countrys allies before Trumps return next week. The incoming Republican has stoked fears in Kyiv and Europe that he will cut Washingtons vital military aid or force Ukraine to accept a ceasefire on terms that reward Russia for its February 2022 invasion. Starmer said he would work with all of our allies" to ensure any settlement was robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security, guarantee any possible peace and deter any future aggression." Under the 100-year agreement, London and Kyiv pledged to deepen defence cooperation" and boost Ukraines defence industry, recognising it as a future NATO ally." Speaking in Kyiv, Starmer hailed it as a landmark agreement, the very first of its kind, a new partnership between the UK and Ukraine that reflects the huge affection that exists between our two nations." Zelenskyy said ties with Britain were closer than ever" and called the new agreement truly comprehensive." Strongest possible position Starmer had kicked off the visit by laying wreaths with Zelenskyy to commemorate killed Ukrainian soldiers and visiting a burns hospital treating wounded servicemen. Ahead of their meeting, Zelenskyy said that he and Starmer would discuss the possibility of having Western troops stationed in Ukraine to oversee any ceasefire agreement, a divisive proposal initially put forward by French President Emmanuel Macron. Starmer did not say whether Britain would be willing to deploy troops. It is really important that Ukraine is put in the strongest possible position," he said in response to a question about whether Britain would send a military contingent to the country. The UK has been one of Ukraines biggest military backers, pledging 12.8 billion ($16 billion) in military and civilian aid since Russia invaded three years ago. London has committed 3 billion ($3.7 billion) of support every year for as long as it takes", and is also providing a 2.2 billion loan backed by profits on frozen Russian assets. The United States remains by far Ukraines biggest financial backer but that looks set to change when Trump arrives. His nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said Wednesday that the new administration would instead seek bold diplomacy" to end the war. There will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation but also by the Ukrainians," he said. Trump has previously vowed to end the war within a day, with his aides speaking of leveraging US assistance to Ukraine to force it into territorial concessions. Zelenskyy, who is pushing a peace through strength" message, said Kyiv was not considering security guarantees for Ukraine without the United States of America." As part of Ukraines whirlwind diplomatic programme, Italy defence minister Guido Crosetto announced on Thursday that he had also arrived in Kyiv on an official visit for a series of institutional meetings". In Poland a day earlier, Zelenskyy had called for the West to buy Kyiv weapons with some $250 billion of unallocated frozen Russian assets. Initiative The visits come at a precarious moment for Ukraine on the battlefield. Fighting has escalated before Trumps inauguration on Monday, as both sides seek to gain the upper hand in anticipation of potential negotiations aimed at settling the war launched by Russia in February 2022. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Zelenskyy conceded on Thursday that Russia had the initiative" in the east of the country, but pointed to Ukraines ongoing hold of Russian territory in its western Kursk region as a sign of his forces potential. At several key points in the northern Kharkiv and eastern Donetsk regions, Russian forces have exploited their advantages in manpower and resources to steadily advance. Location : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: January 16, 2025, 23:02 IST Photo: president.gov.ua Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declares that discussions on normalizing relations with the Russian Federation are unacceptable, commenting on the statements of Slovak politicians, and stressed the need to condemn aggression. "The leadership of Slovakia is playing very dangerous games. It is playing this game until the war comes to its home, and that's it. It does not understand this. I believe that evil must be punished," Zelenskyy said in an interview with Polish media on Thursday. According to him, he had a conversation on this topic with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico and cited the assassination attempt on him as an example of the inadmissibility of indulging in aggression. We were sitting, and he told me again: here we still need to understand where evil is, where it is not evil, and so on. I told him that murderers cannot be forgiven. And I believe that this should be a common position. And I told him that you were shot. Why didn't you forgive? Why did you arrest this person who shot at you, who wounded you? And I reminded him of this and said: we all, despite your position, we all condemned such steps, because they shot directly at a living person," the Ukrainian president said. "It is a sin to shoot, kill, cut, rob, and so on. And that is why Putin, he is the same, he shoots at living people. Yes, with the hands of others," Zelenskyy added. He believes that "in Slovakia, this is a political game." "And when he (Fico) plays like this, he begins to change public opinion in his country. He begins to change it, thanks to information platforms. If you speak every day, and you have people who listen to you, and you tell them every day, I spoke with Putin today, I met with Putin, he was provoked, he did not want war - this is very dangerous," the head of the Ukrainian state added. At the same time, he noted that this does not apply to all people, and in Slovakia, residents have "different opinions." "I believe that the biggest challenge is that politicians do not fully understand what war is," Zelenskyy noted. Photo: https://youtu.be/JJT0ACKR1Ro?si=sNPLjgGgF7kigzWY The leader of the European Solidarity party, People's Deputy of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko has said that he was once again was illegally prevented from going on a working trip abroad to Brussels, the political force's website reports. "January 16 is a historic day for the entire Ukrainian state. 11 years ago, in this hall, the curtailment of democracy in Ukraine was put to a vote and voted for by hand, which ultimately led to the implementation of the Revolution of Dignity... The curtailment of democracy today is also the fact that once again, as the leader of European Solidarity, who planned to meet in Europe with the leaders of the European People's Party, I was once again prevented from going to the border on the instructions of the head of the presidential security service," Poroshenko said, speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday. At the same time, he noted the anniversary of an example of heroism. "Some 10 years ago at the Donetsk airport the famous cyborgs showed the courage and resilience of soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, who continue to hold the front, destroying Russian invaders and protecting the state," he said. The US government clawed back more than $31 million in Social Security payments that improperly went to dead people, a recovery that one official said Wednesday was "just the tip of the iceberg." The money was reclaimed as part of a five-month pilot program after Congress gave the Department of Treasury temporary access to the Social Security Administration 's "Full Death Master File" for three years as part of the omnibus appropriations bill in 2021. The SSA maintains the most complete federal database of individuals who have died, and the file contains more than 142 million records, which go back to 1899, according to the Treasury. President-elect Trump's choice for attorney general sought to reassure Democratic senators Wednesday that her Justice Department would not prosecute anyone for political purposes, but she would not rule out investigations of his adversaries. Pam Bondi's often-testy confirmation hearing centered on concerns that Trump would seek to use the department to exact retribution against opponents, including the investigators who investigated him, the AP reports. Democrats pressed Bondi on whether she could maintain the department's independence and say no to the president if asked to do something unethical, while Republicans welcomed her as a course correction for a Justice Department they say has pursued a liberal agenda and unfairly pursued Trumpan effort that resulted in two indictments. Questions and answers included: The Transportation Department filed a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines on Wednesday, saying passengers were harmed by certain "chronically delayed" flights. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said airlines have "a legal obligation" to give customers realistic schedules to avoid deceiving them, the New York Times reports. "Today's action sends a message to all airlines that the department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections," he said in a statement. The flights cited were between Chicago Midway and Oakland, as well as between Baltimore and Cleveland, in 2022. They arrived late almost 200 times between that April and August, per CNBC . The government wants Southwest to pay more than $2.1 million in civil penalties in the case. The airline said it's disappointed that the department "chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago." Since the government policy went into effect in 2009, Southwest said, it's operated more than 20 million flights without violating it. A "chronically delayed" flight is one operated at least 10 times a month that's late by at least 30 minutes more than half the time. According to the aviation data provider Cirium, Southwest canceled fewer than 1% of its flights last year, though more than 22% arrived at least 15 minutes late. Delta, United, Alaska, and American posted fewer comparable delays. Frontier also was hit with a fine of $650,000 for operating chronically delayed flights, the government said Wednesday. Of that, $325,000 will be suspended if Frontier has no violations for the next three years. JetBlue Airways was fined $2 million earlier this month in a similar case. (More Southwest Airlines stories.) Israel sends several hundred EcoFlow to Ukraine for those in need Israel has sent several hundred EcoFlow portable charging stations to Ukraine to help Ukrainians cope with the winter and electricity problems, the press service of the Israeli Embassy in Ukraine reported on Thursday. "The Israeli Embassy in Kyiv and MASHAV (Agency for International Development Cooperation at Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs) will hand over the portable stations to families in need in different regions of Ukraine," the embassy's press service said in a statement. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom will join Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and some GOP governors around the country in directing US flags be raised to full height on Inauguration Day, the AP reports. Newsom's spokesperson Izzy Gardon confirmed Wednesday that the governor would temporarily direct the raising of flags at the state Capitol in Sacramento for President-elect Trump's inauguration. Flags at the US Capitol and at statehouses around the country have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the late former President Jimmy Carter. Newsom, who has become a foil for Trump over the years, will need federal help as his state recovers from devastating wildfires that have killed more than two dozen people. Cuba has begun releasing prisoners following discussions with the Vatican, coinciding with US President Biden's plan to remove the island from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism. Over a dozen individuals were freed Wednesday, including those convicted after participating in 2021 protests. One of the released, Reyna Yacnara Barreto Batista, a 24-year-old tattooist sentenced to four years for public disorder, shared her unexpected release with the Associated Press: "At three in the morning they knocked. I was sleeping (in the cell) and they told me to gather all my things, that I was free." The US informed Congress of its intent to lift Cuba's designation through a Vatican-facilitated agreement, aiming for prisoner releases before Biden's term ends on Monday. Cuba plans to gradually release 553 political prisoners, emphasizing the move as part of the 2025 Jubilee declared by Pope Francis, and not directly linked to the US decision. The Cuban foreign ministry signaled the decision aligns with humanitarian and legal considerations. The 2021 protests stemmed from economic difficulties, leading to widespread arrests which faced global criticism while Cuban officials blamed external forces. The Cuban Observatory of Human Rights reported 18 releases by 4pm EST, including Barreto Batista, who was cautioned about the nature of her release, confirming it wasn't a pardon. Meanwhile, US President-elect Trump is expected to reverse Biden's actions, with Secretary of State-designate Marco Rubio, a longstanding supporter of sanctions against Cuba, likely to take a firm stance once he assumes office. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) An independent forensic audit has unveiled a $1.8 billion accounting oversight in South Carolina's state funds, dispelling hopes of a financial windfall. This discovery, rooted in past errors and compounded over years, raises questions about accountability and transparency. The oversight began as the state transitioned computer systems in the 2010s, with the initial misstep occurring when state treasurer Curtis Loftis shifted accounts from the old to the new system. It was not discovered until 2018 but was not reported until even later. Republican state Sen. Larry Grooms, leading an investigative committee, highlighted the gravity of the mismanagement, comparing it to a private sector calamity that would result in job losses. Attention has turned to why the discrepancy was not addressed earlier, with calls for Loftis to step down or face impeachment. Loftis, under scrutiny for potentially providing false testimonies, defended his actions, asserting that state finances remain secure. Gov. Henry McMaster, expressing trust in current officials, described the situation as an unintentional and non-criminal error. Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission is examining whether this was merely a string of mistakes or a deliberate cover-up. The audit advises employing a third-party overseer to ensure state accounting accuracy. This revelation follows another major financial misstep, where $3.5 billion was erroneously accounted for due to double-posting by the recently resigned comptroller general. Lawmakers are expected to further investigate why the state's auditor failed to detect these issues earlier. Meetings are planned, with the Senate Finance Committee set to call Loftis to testify by month's end. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) A Texas sheriff's deputy was killed while attempting to serve an arrest warrant in Houston on Wednesday. Jesus Vargas, a 17-year veteran of the Brazoria County sheriff's department, was fatally shot, triggering a significant manhunt involving helicopters and K-9 units. The search concluded when law enforcement officers shot and killed the suspect near the initial shooting's location. Houston Mayor John Whitmire stated the suspect had an extensive criminal record, including charges of aggravated assault. Vargas and his partner were collaborating with a US Marshal's task force in their efforts to apprehend the suspect. Law enforcement authorities confirmed the suspect was dead hours after the original altercation. Brazoria County Sheriff Bo Stallman provided personal details about Vargas, noting his dedication to his work and community. He was married and the father of three children, leaving behind a bereaved family and colleagues. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP) In Sex and the City and its spinoff, Carrie Bradshaw glides down the steps of her Manhattan apartment to take on New York City. But coming and going isn't so easy for the person actually living in the brownstone in Greenwich's West Village. After "20-plus years" of watching fans of the show lounge on her steps, ring her doorbell, peer in her windows, and even carve their initials in her front door, Barbara Lorber, owner of 66 Perry Street, has received permission from the city's landmarks preservation commission to install an iron gate to block the steps leading to her home, the Guardian reports. Lorber acknowledges the fascination with her home is partly "my fault." She says she allowed the location to be featured in the original HBO show because she "felt sorry for the young location scout who was a recent grad from NYU Film School." "At the time, no one knew the show would turn into anything long lasting much less the iconic fantasy vehicle and touchstone for NYC's magic that it has become." Now, her home has become "a global tourist destination," Lorber says, per the Guardian. "At any hour of the day or night, there are groups of visitors in front of the house taking flash photos, engaging in loud chatter, posting on social media, making TikTok videos or just celebrating the moment." She says visitors failed to respect her "No Trespassing - Private Property" sign, leading her to request a more permanent barrier to the home built in 1866. "In order to regain a reasonable quality of life for our tenants and ourselves, we need to install a proper gate," says Lorber, who was backed by two architectural preservation groups and a neighbor, who described "personal property being attacked all day, every day," per the New York Times. The commission is now working with architect Isidoro Cruz on a minimalist gate design. As Lorber tells the Times, "Take all the pictures you wish standing on the street. But please don't climb into our space and into our windows." (More Sex and the City stories.) Smoke is a big concern for California residents in the wake of devastating wildfires. Another is ash. As the New York Times reports, one man who managed to save his home from the flames isn't going back inside due to the ash and dust blown inside. "My 5-year-old son, wife, dog and I don't want to be living in a toxic wasteland," the man says. Smoke and ash from the burning of human-made materials, including plastics, is especially toxic and can "adhere to rugs, sofas and drywall, creating health hazards that can remain for months," the Times reports. A windblown dust and ash advisory was in effect in Los Angeles County through Wednesday evening, per the Los Angeles Daily News. But just sifting through the destruction can throw hazardous ash into the air. And these particles are often too large to be reflected on the South Coast Air Quality Management District's air quality readings, which are based on common air pollutants, including particulate matter, smog, and carbon monoxide. "This is sort of a unique situation where we have a lot of ash down at levels where people live that could pose a health issue and won't show up," air quality assessment manager Dr. Scott Epstein tells the Daily News. The AQMD warns, "If you smell smoke or see ash, please take precautions." UCLA environmental health professor Yifang Zhu recommends wearing carbon cartridge respirators over masks, per the Times. Other experts say to remain indoors as much as possible and seal doors and windows, per ABC News. Fresh-air intake on central air systems should be turned off. If the problem is already inside, indoor air should be purified using a high-efficiency filter, like a MERV 13 or higher. And if you have to clean up ash yourself, wet it first to prevent it spreading into the air. See more tips here. (More California wildfires stories.) An ad from Pakistan International Airlines celebrating the return of its route from Islamabad to Paris has caused an outcry. The ad posted on X last week depicts a jet flying directly toward the Eiffel Tower, with the tagline "Paris, we're coming today." Social media users quickly noted that the imagery was reminiscent of the 9/11 attacks, the BBC reports, with one asking, "Is this an advertisement of a threat?" Ishaq Dar, Pakistan's finance minister, called the ad "stupidity" and said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had ordered an inquiry, reports the Guardian . "Did the airline not vet this?" Pakistani journalist Omar Quraishi asked in a post on X. "Did the idiot who designed this graphic not see a PIA plane heading for the Eiffel Tower?" he asked. "Do they not know that PIA is an airline owned by a country often accused of supporting terrorism?" Other critics asked if the airline was still using the same graphic designer it had in 1979, when an ad depicted the shadow of an approaching aircraft on the World Trade Center. The airline resumed flights to Paris this month after the end of a European Union ban issued after it emerged that more than 30% of the country's commercial pilots had fake credentials. It is still banned from flying to the US and the UK. (More Pakistan International Airlines stories.) Fairbanks, AK (99701) Today Considerable clouds this morning. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High around 25F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Some clouds. Low near 5F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. The European Commission says that the deliberate destruction caused by Russia to the energy infrastructure of Ukraine, including the above-ground facility of the underground gas storage facility, does not pose a risk to the energy security of the European Union. This is how the European Commission commented on information about the possible destruction of the Ukrainian gas storage facility by the Russians in Brussels on Thursday. "We have been informed about this latest attack on the above-ground facility of this underground gas storage facility in western Ukraine yesterday. And we are in continuous contact with Ukraine and in talks to assess the precise extent, first of all, of the damage, but also any indications to the security supply situation in Ukraine. According to our latest information that we have on this, there are no immediate risks for the EU security of gas supply," said European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen. She also said that the European Commission, together with the Energy Community Secretariat, continues to closely monitor the situation. At the same time, she noted that the EU has been observing attacks on Ukraines energy infrastructure for more than two years now. "We deplore Russia's relentless attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian energy system is under extraordinary pressure following the surgical relentless attacking by Russian armed forces. And it is foreseen, unfortunately, that Russia will likely continue targeting critical energy infrastructure. The EU is ready and prepared to help. We continue to stand by the Ukrainian people, and we continue to offer unprecedented amount of support to this regard," Itkonen added. During the visit, extensive talks were held between the two leaders, focusing on bilateral relations and regional cooperation. The visit from 14 to 15 January, and hosted by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, underscored the enduring fraternal ties between the two nations and set the stage for enhanced cooperation across various sectors. His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa concluded a state visit to the Sultanate of Oman yesterday in a historic step to strengthen bilateral relations. Joint statement A joint statement was issued following HM the Kings state visit with both leaders lauding the progress in joint efforts and the flourishing partnership between Oman and Bahrain. They emphasised the importance of diversifying economic collaboration and expanding the scope of investment opportunities. A key highlight was the establishment of the Omani-Bahraini Investment Company, which the leaders warmly welcomed, expressing their hopes for its success. Several agreements, memoranda of understanding, and executive programs were signed during the visit, spanning various fields aimed at boosting the partnership between the two nations. The leaders also praised the contributions of the Omani-Bahraini Joint Committee in advancing mutual interests, highlighting its active role in implementing joint projects and exploring new areas of cooperation. The discussions extended beyond bilateral issues to address regional and international matters. Both monarchs reaffirmed their commitment to the principles of dialogue and peaceful dispute resolution, advocating for enhanced international cooperation to ensure regional and global security and stability. They also called for greater consultation and coordination on issues of mutual concern, reinforcing the pillars of stability and prosperity for the region and the world. The leaders reviewed the progress of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), emphasising the importance of collective achievements in advancing the Gulfs shared vision. TDT | Manama Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com Prepare for a memorable Friday experience as The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain invites you to be a part of its Annual Farmers Market, every Friday from 8:30am to 2:30pm on January 24, 31 and February 7, 14, 2025. This Farmers Market celebrates the rich heritage of local farmers and artisans, showcasing a wide range of fresh seasonal produce, unique handcrafted items, and exciting family-friendly activities throughout the day. Curated by the hotels talented culinary team, led by Executive Chef Joergen Sodemann, and in collaboration with Food & Beverage Director William Fily and its dedicated team, the Farmers Market offers an exceptional culinary experience. Guests will enjoy a variety of traditional Bahraini flavors, with the option to indulge in either breakfast or lunch. Ukrainian paratroopers together with related units captured 27 servicemen of the aggressor state in Kursk region, the Telegram channel of the Airborne Assault Troops of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported on Thursday. "These are officers, sergeants and soldiers from motorized rifle units, marines, airborne troops and other military units, representatives of different regions of Russia and the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol. Finding themselves in a difficult combat situation, they made the right choice - they voluntarily laid down their arms, which saved their lives. All the wounded were immediately provided with first aid," the report says. OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 15, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced an investment of more than $900,000 to Integrity Reforestation for a major reforestation project that will help to restore wildfire-impacted land and caribou habitat in Ontario's Ogoki Forest. With this funding, Integrity Reforestation will: plant 800,000 trees, covering 450 hectares of the Ogoki Forest; rehabilitate ecosystems destroyed by wildfires using native species to restore the habitats of woodland caribou, moose and black bears; and create over 40 tree-planting jobs in the region. With this agreement, Canada and Integrity Reforestation are leveraging their shared commitment to habitat restoration and climate action. Canada will continue to work with provinces, territories, local communities, organizations and Indigenous Peoples to create a greener, healthier and more resilient Canada while reinforcing our country's ability to respond to wildfires, especially in the face of changing climate. Quotes "Trees are essential to our lives: they clean the air we breathe, they make the outdoors even more enjoyable, they give new habitats for wildlife, and they help us adapt to a changing climate. The funding announced today will play an important role in bringing these benefits to Ontarians and will help achieve our federal government's ambitious goal of planting two billion trees over the next decade. Through this project, we are showing how collaborative work with First Nations and the non-profit sector can ensure that the right tree is planted at the right place at the right time for the benefit of all Canadians." The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources "Trees planted as part of the 2 Billion Trees program will not only help tackle climate change but also support the expansion of Canada's forests and the restoration of important habitats, all while ensuring there is cleaner air and sustainable jobs in communities across Canada. The Government of Canada is pleased to be supporting Ontario's forests by funding the Ogoki Wildfire Reforestation Project, which will plant 800,000 trees in areas impacted by wildfires and provide countless natural benefits for years to come." Marc G. Serre MP for Nickel Belt, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages "We know that one of the best tools we have to fight climate change is nature. Trees are a critical part of our plan to combat climate change. By planting 800,000 seedlings in wildfire-impacted areas of the Ogoki Forest in Northern Ontario, we are working together to protect and conserve local ecosystems, supporting the habitat of woodland caribou, moose, and black bears and investing in a healthier planet." The Honourable Steven Guilbeault Minister of Environment and Climate Change "We are grateful for the Government of Canada's support in contributing funding to the Ogoki Wildfire Reforestation Project. This investment underscores the critical role of large-scale reforestation in restoring land devastated by the 2023 Ontario wildfires. Through this collaboration between First Nations-led Agoki Development LP, non-profits and the private sector, we are not only supporting nature's ability to regenerate we are also reinforcing the incredible dedication and hard work of our tree planters, who are on the frontlines of bringing this landscape back to life. Their relentless effort and commitment to reforestation are the driving forces behind this project's success. This initiative is a testament to what we can achieve when diverse partners unite with a shared commitment to sustainability, resilience and the restoration of Canada's forests." Matt McKernan Founder and CEO, Integrity Reforestation Inc. Quick Facts The 2BT program is part of the Government of Canada's broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. The program is dedicated to working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non- and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples across the country to ensure that the benefits of tree planting will endure for generations. broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. The program is dedicated to working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non- and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples across the country to ensure that the benefits of tree planting will endure for generations. As of September 2024 , the Government of Canada has secured or is negotiating agreements with partners to plant over 716 million trees. , the Government of has secured or is negotiating agreements with partners to plant over 716 million trees. The 2 Billion Trees program collaborates with partners to understand their plans for preparing sites, how they are selecting species and how they plan to monitor after planting. Partners report every year, and the program conducts site visits and will be using remote sensing to monitor the progress and the health of the trees. By ensuring the initial job is done well, nature can then thrive, maintaining the long-term health of forested sites. Related Information Follow us on LinkedIn SOURCE Natural Resources Canada Contacts: Natural Resources Canada, Media Relations, 343-292-6096, [email protected]; Joanna Sivasankaran, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Canada, [email protected] TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - For the first time in its 35-year history, legal strike action has been initiated by Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO), the union representing the province of Ontario's approximately 600 professional engineers and land surveyors, and continues as we enter the new year, affecting key Ontario infrastructure projects. Major provincial government initiatives described by the government as "full steam ahead", such as Highway 413 and the Bradford Bypass, have been impacted by PEGO's withdrawal of select project teams. PEGO on strike (CNW Group/Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO)) After 16 months of collective bargaining with TBS, PEGO initiated its legal job action in October 2024 with a work-to-rule campaign. Due to little movement by TBS, the union's action expanded with rotating withdrawals of service by key engineers and surveyors from some of Ontario's highest priority infrastructure projects. Now, as new groups of professional engineers withdraw on a rotating basis, the delivery of important transportation projects are being delayed across the province, in some cases by several years. Examples of delayed projects include: Highway interchange reconstruction on 400 series highways across Ontario Major rehabilitation and expansion projects such as highway widening and bridge replacements Electric vehicle charging stations across northern Ontario Property acquisition for construction of major infrastructure projects Environmental permitting for major industrial facilities and remediation of contaminated sites and brownfield properties Successful and timely construction is a result of strong planning and design work in the early stages of complex infrastructure projects work that PEGO engineers and land surveyors are engaged in every day. In recent weeks, PEGO members have held rallies in Downsview, St. Catharines, London (picture below PEGO rally outside London MTO offices, January 9th, 2025), on January 14th in Kingston, and on January 15 in Toronto. Earlier this week, PEGO reached out directly to Premier Doug Ford and his officials to outline the dispute and indicated that a settlement can be reached with continued effort. "Our focus has always been to address the root cause of Ontario's recruitment and retention challenges for professional engineers and land surveyors. PEGO members earn much less than the wider market for professional engineers and land surveyors in Ontario. This means that the expertise needed to deliver on the ambitious infrastructure agenda of the government has been short supply for far too long," said Nihar Bhatt, P.Eng., President of PEGO. "PEGO members design and oversee this critical work, saving the government money, protecting taxpayer interests, building public infrastructure smarter, safer, and more efficiently, and ensuring effective planning for the long-term interests of Ontarians". "The union and the government are actually now not that far apart on key compensation issues. A settlement is definitely achievable, but Ontario's Treasury Board needs to show flexibility and come to the table," said Bhatt. SOURCE Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO) Nihar Bhatt, P.Eng., President of Professional Engineers Government of Ontario (PEGO), [email protected] Photo: t.me/osirskiy The Russian army failed to achieve a strategic goal in any of the sections of the front, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrsky said in a telephone conversation with head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces, General Charles Brown. "During the conversation, I informed my American colleague about the situation on the front line, which is characterized by heavy fighting in most areas. Thanks to the courage and bravery of the Ukrainian military, the superior forces of the enemy failed to achieve a strategic goal in any of the sections of the front," Syrsky wrote on the Telegram channel. In addition, he thanked General Brown "for the positive dynamics in providing logistical assistance, especially in terms of deliveries of air defense systems, heavy equipment, artillery and aviation ammunition." "The head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the US Armed Forces assured that the steadfastness of Ukrainian soldiers will continue to be effectively supported by the United States," Syrsky noted. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/KeirStarmerLabour UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced the transfer of a batch of UK-made artillery and a new mobile air defense system to Ukraine. The Prime Minister said during a joint press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Thursday that in a few weeks Ukraine would receive 150 pieces of artillery made in the UK. He also announced the transfer of a new mobile air defense system, called Grateful, the production of which was financed jointly with Denmark. Starmer also spoke about the future plans of training Ukrainian servicemen jointly with allies. UK allocates GBP40 mln to Ukraine for economic development, GBP100 mln for humanitarian needs - MFA The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland announced the allocation of GBP100 million for humanitarian aid to Ukraine and GBP40 million to support the Ukrainian economy. "UK support to Ukraine continues: GBP100 million lifesaving humanitarian funding, including for UNOCHA, the Red Cross Ukraine? GBP 40 million to support the economy, unlocking millions in private lending to increase growth and trade," the department said on the X social network. The department also mentioned the signing of a historic agreement on a 100-year partnership between Ukraine and Great Britain. Different Kind of Virgo Moon In this unusual lunar week, the moon shifts from a wolf to a cat to the maiden who can take care of them both. Virgos capable energy makes quick work of what needs doing and leaves no detail untended. The grounded precision inspires confidence, making it a time of quiet but potent action. Execute tasks. The emotions will catch up. CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Because you revel in pleasures such as watching nature, enjoying good company and eating delicious food, you will be ready with the right receptive mindset for the kinds of experiences that happen today. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). The early stages of a relationship are the best time to use your powers of discernment. You make an effort to show up strong for the people you care about, so before you care about someone, you like to make sure they have similar values and qualities of good character. PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). Those who say you cant judge a book by its cover can speak for themselves because this doesnt describe you. Your powers of summation are strong, and youll make very impressive educated and uneducated guesses alike today. ARIES (March 21-April 19). People put forth the face they want the world to see. The only way to know the inside of a person or relationship is to experience the inside of ones own being and life. When you deepen your self-awareness, you naturally develop a clearer sense of others. TAURUS (April 20-May 20). Blending in serves you well right now. It will be easier for you to follow your curiosity when you play it low-key. Dont worry, you can do this and be interesting at the same time. Your thoughtful questions are quite engaging. GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Familiars dont always see your bright love because they are used to it. The appreciation you get from strangers and acquaintances feels important because its a reflection of the kindness and light you bring, even when youre running on empty. CANCER (June 22-July 22). Communicating well will be an exercise in listening. Youll observe more than talk, read between the lines and open your heart to subtle information. Youll intuit what is about to happen and act on your hunches. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Outside options are the best options. They tell you how to truncate the work. They point to the essentials and then bail. Your options are perfect. If you had any more, it would be confusing and hard to choose. VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). You have the sneaking suspicion that, like most people, you may be letting a petty fear or belief keep you stuck in a situation. You wont know specifically what it is, though, until you break out and get a different perspective. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Youve had to be so strong for so long, carrying the weight of relationships, work and self-reliance. Its not weakness to wish for freedom or relief; its human. Take it to the next step. Put action behind the wish. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Fairness is such a fragile idea -- idealized but rarely realized. Its the bedrock of so much outrage, hope, despair and perseverance. And yet, the world doesnt promote fairness. In fact, it shrugs at the concept. SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Emotions will involve labor. Its a labor to feel them, labor to express them, labor to deal with what comes of the process... which will be glorious for you. This work shapes your inner world into something richer, more vibrant and alive. TODAYS BIRTHDAY (Jan. 16). Your beautiful hopes will be grounded in real-world efforts to magical outcomes. Youll capitalize on your expertise, teach many and enjoy the perks that come with it. Sweet feedback will brighten your days. More highlights: a meaningful animal connection, honing your physicality and getting on top of financial habits to steer them in a direction that helps more than just you. Libra and Scorpio adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 12, 2, 20, 13 and 34. CELEBRITY PROFILES: Lin-Manuel Miranda composed the score for Disneys upcoming film Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel exploring the origins of the iconic character. The Pulitzer Prize, Grammy, Emmy and Tony Award-winning composer, lyricist and actor was born when the sun, moon and Mercury were in Capricorn, the sign of moguls. Hard-working Virgo and worldly Sagittarius are also strong energies in the chart of this champion of immigrants and advocate for diverse voices. Holiday Mathis debut novel, How To Fail Epically in Hollywood, is out now! This fast-paced romp about achieving Hollywood stardom is available as a paperback and ebook. Visit http://www.creatorspublishing.com for more information. Write Holiday Mathis at HolidayMathis.com. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM A 52-year-old man charged in a hit-and-run crash in South Jersey lied to authorities about who was driving when his car struck a man walking his dog, killing the animal and inflicting severe injuries on the pet owner, authorities say. Absecon police said Thursday theyve now charged 20-year-old Amir Jones with leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury after investigatorsalleged he was actually driving at the time both the man and dog were hit. Police initially charged Amir Joness father, Byron Jones, of Mays Landing, with offenses for driving the motor vehicle. He is instead now charged with hindering and making false statements to investigators, police said. Attorney information for both men wasnt available to NJ Advance Media. Amir Jones, of Mays Landing, also faces charges of striking the animal, failure to report a crash and numerous traffic violations, police said. The pet owner, a 25-year-old Absecon resident, was hospitalized after being hit by Amir Joness car on Nov. 30. The man and his dog were walking near Highland Boulevard and Marlborough Avenue when they were hit, police said previously. The man was left at the scene with life-threatening injuries, and his dog was killed by the impact, police said. Police did not comment on what led them to believe Amir Jones was actually driving, but said they used digital forensic analysis along with traditional investigative methods, to investigate the case. Byron Jones was arrested during a traffic stop after a motorist passing through the crash site dialed 911. Thank you for relying on us to provide the local news you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com. Julia Stiles isnt from New Jersey. But the New York native, who rose to fame as a teen actor in movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, spent plenty of time here filming her directorial debut, Wish You Were Here. Stiles, now 43, is headed back to Jersey this weekend for the opening of the Lionsgate movie. The director will be at The Clairidge in Montclair Saturday for a screening of the film and Q&A. Wish You Were Here, a romantic drama starring Mena Massoud (Aladdin) and Isabelle Fuhrman (Horizon: An American Saga), is based on the 2017 book by Renee Carlino, which was a USA Today bestseller. Logline: When the perfect night with a perfect stranger ends suddenly the next morning, Charlotte searches for answers and meaning in her disappointing life until she uncovers a secret that changes everything. Julia Stiles with producers Molly Conners and Amanda Bowers and author Renee Carlino at the premiere of "Wish You Were Here" in New York.Jaime McCarthy | Getty Images Stiles filmed the movie in Paterson, with locations including the Art Factory (now closed) and Great Falls Historic District, Van Houten Street, Market Street and private homes in both Paterson and Maywood. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority tells NJ Advance Media that the film spent $2,577,715 filming locally. Wish You Were Here also boasts a team of Jersey producers in Molly Conners (Birdman), Jane Sinisi and Amanda Bowers of Phiphen, a production company founded by Conners, who opened Phiphen Studios, a film postproduction facility, with Sinisi in Englewood Cliffs in 2022. READ MORE: N.J.s film industry is booming. These women saw a need for a new studio and built it. The postproduction work for Stiles film was completed there. The cast of the movie also includes Gabby Kono-Abdy (Bakers Dozen), another of the films producers, along with Jennifer Grey and Kelsey Grammer. Wish You Were Here, rated PG-13, runs 1 hour and 39 minutes and opens in theaters Friday, Jan. 17. Julia Stiles will be at The Clairidge in Montclair for a screening of the movie and Q&A Saturday, Jan. 18 at 2:30 p.m.; visit theclairidge.org for tickets and information. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. How does it feel? To be fined for improper parking? To be joining a social network in its twilight? Timothee Chalamet and Bob Dylan might be able to tell you. Chalamet, a frontrunner for an Oscar nomination for his performance as young Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown, apparently ran afoul of regulations at a recent event for the film. The actor was fined 65, or $79.50, when he improperly parked a bicycle he took to the London premiere of the Dylan film, per his recent interview on the French talk show Quotidien, as shared by The Hollywood Reporter. (Chalamet is fluent in French and his father hails from the country.) timothee chalamet just arrived on a lime bike pic.twitter.com/oJJZ5ktFFA (@chxlametcinema) January 14, 2025 Chalamet, 29, drew attention as always, for basically any reason when he chose to rent and ride an electric Lime bike directly onto the red carpet at the Jan. 14 film premiere. The actor said he had used the bike to beat London traffic on the way to the event. If he had taken a car, he may not have arrived on time. READ MORE: The Complete Unknown next door: N.J. actors on Bob Dylan movie filmed in Jersey But Chalamet lamented that his choice of transportation looked as if it was an advert for Lime. The actor and director James Mangold filmed A Complete Unknown in New Jersey last year. The Searchlight Pictures movie debuted in United States theaters on Christmas and has so far grossed more than $52 million worldwide. Meanwhile, Dylan, the subject of the movie, stayed true to form when he joined TikTok just as its about to possibly be banned in the U.S. The idea is that I have no idea there was a traffic jam and I actually wasnt allowed to park there and I got a 65 fine and actually its horrible because it was an advert for them ! #TimotheeChalamet at Quotidien today pic.twitter.com/fSXuaoVeNx Choupistick (@choupistick) January 15, 2025 The folk rock giant famously only started using X, formerly Twitter, more frequently after masses of people had already announced their departure from the platform since Elon Musk assumed control of the social network. Dylan, 83, or his people, announced his arrival on TikTok this week just as that social network was at real risk of being shut down. A Jan. 19 deadline thats Sunday requires TikToks parent company, Chinas ByteDance, to sell its stake ... unless the Supreme Court steps in. Dylans first TikTok video is a compilation of performance clips set to his 1965 song Like a Rolling Stone, his 1973 song Knockin on Heavens Door and 1975 song Hurricane. His social media move comes at a time when more young people are being exposed to Dylans music through Chalamets performance. (The actor sings as Dylan in the film.) Mangolds movie, set in the 1960s, tracks Dylans rise from a teen folk music enthusiast newly arrived in New York to a folk rock superstar who defied the expectations of folk traditionalists with his decision to go electric at the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. Chalamet rides another kind of bike a motorcycle in the film. READ MORE: Timothee Chalamets Bob Dylan movie A Complete Unknown spent $80M in N.J. heres every film location Theres a movie about me opening soon called A Complete Unknown (what a title!), Dylan said on X/Twitter in December. Timothee Chalamet is starring in the lead role. Timmys a brilliant actor so Im sure hes going to be completely believable as me. Or a younger me. Or some other me. Somehow, Dylans arrival on TikTok appeared to be right on time. Youve got 30 minutes king, one person said in response to his late-in-game debut. On Thursday, his account responded to the comment with a video of a younger Dylan, seemingly at a press conference. Good God, I must leave right away, he said in the clip, to uproarious laughter. Thank you for reading. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription. Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com and followed at @AmyKup on Twitter/X, @amykup.bsky.social on Bluesky and @kupamy on Instagram and Threads. For the first time, on the initiative of the Ukrainian side, a four-party meeting on prisoners of war (POW) was held with the participation of the Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets, the Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatiana Moskalkova, heads of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Ukraine Jurg Eglin and the ICRC delegation in Russia and Belarus Boris Michel. "Improving the conditions of detention of prisoners of war and their return to their homeland was the topic of a quadripartite meeting between me, Russian Commissioner for Human Rights Tatyana Moskalkova, heads of the delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Ukraine Jurg Eglin and the ICRC delegation in Russia and Belarus Boris Michel. Such a meeting took place for the first time precisely on the initiative of the Ukrainian side," Lubinets wrote on Telegram on Thursday. He spoke about the issues that were discussed during the meeting. In particular, according to him, the Ukrainian and Russian sides reported on the transfer of packages and letters for prisoners of war and agreed to continue this humanitarian mission in 2025. "The Ukrainian side has repeatedly stressed the need for the ICRC's access to all (!) places of detention of Ukrainian prisoners of war in order to fully ensure the fulfilment of the ICRC's mandate and the full implementation of the Geneva Conventions," Lubinets stressed. "The Ukrainian side once again insisted on the creation of a Russian joint medical commission to verify the seriously injured and seriously ill and their priority repatriation to their native land, in accordance with the third convention; they talked about the return of civilians who are being held in places of deprivation of liberty," Lubinets added. According to him, the parties also agreed to continue the mutual exchange of information on the search for missing prisoners of war. Two years after Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced a plan to end chronic homelessness in his city, he and others gathered on Wednesday to announce an expansion of outreach efforts encouraging unsheltered people to accept help and a new texting hotline enabling citizens to summon outreach workers when they encounter people living on the street. Some of us are comfortable with going to get the things left over in their refrigerator or the stuff people didnt eat at their restaurant, Baraka said during a press conference at the Newark Police Department Metro Division Substation on Market Street. It makes our conscience feel better. It makes us feel good that we have done something for people who we think are in less (fortunate) situations than we are. But we really havent done anything to fix a situation that creates homelessness. To do just that, Baraka launched a plan in December 2022 titled The Path Home: Collaborating Across Our Community, with a multi-pronged approach aimed at better tracking and sheltering people living on the street, making better use of shelters as entry points for mental health, employment, and housing placement services, and developing more affordable housing. For example, an ordinance adopted under Baraka requires 20% of new apartments in large projects to be reserved for people with low and moderate incomes. The plan relies on a combination of existing and new initiatives at all levels of government and the participation of local businesses and nonprofit organizations. Wednesdays announcement included an expansion of the outreach services that have been handled by staffers from the Mayors Office of Homeless Services, more than a dozen of whom were at the event dressed in their sky-blue Homeless Outreach Team sweatshirts and parkas, intended to be recognizable to the population they serve. Example of that expansion includes a mobile health care unit operated by Rutgers Community Health and a camper van that will park in homeless hot spots like Newark Penn Station, where outreach workers will fan out on foot, engaging with people on the street and asking if they need or would like free medical treatment or screenings. The new Texting hotline, created in partnership with the NJ 21 nonprofit referral center, allows anyone to text the words PATH HOME to the number 855-11, to report an unhoused person who needs assistance. The texts are relayed to outreach teams trained to assist homeless people and connect them with necessary services. Other new services announced under the expansion include: A newly formed Clinical Downtown Metro Outreach Team, in partnership with nonprofits, including the Newark Alliance, a business group involved with the Path Home plan since its launch. Its intended to provide stabilizing street treatment for people experiencing psychiatric episodes, specifically in Newarks downtown, and to connect those individuals with housing and support services. An expanded 24/7 outreach program involving staff from Bridges Outreach and the Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey, which will respond to situations throughout the city, and work with NJ Transit Police at Newark Penn and other stations. The addition of licensed social workers and drug counselors to the Office of Homeless Services Street Outreach Team. Although a ruling last June by the U.S. Supreme gave municipalities the power to dismantle tent cities or fine people for sleeping on public property, there are no such local laws in Newark, and unhoused people in the city must agree voluntarily to move off the street and into a shelter or treatment program. So outreach workers say they must earn the trust of people sleeping on sidewalks, park benches or bus shelters. Some people on the street are wary of homeless shelters due to past experiences, or they mistrust authority, or they have addictions they dont feel ready to overcome. Yet they fear they would have to if they accepted shelter, outreach workers say. And, they say, Many people living on the street have emotional or psychological-related issues. So an oft-repeated theme of Wednesdays event was that outreach work requires patience and persistence, a kind of courtship to establish the rapport outreach workers needed to convince people on the street to go with them to a hospital, shelter, referral center or another first-stop on the way to permanent housing. It does take time. Its not like a one-day thing, said Erica Graham, an outreach community coordinator with Rutgers Community Health, who had already been making runs on the mobile unit before Wednesdays announcement. They see us. They talk to us. They believe in us. And then, you know, they come. Nobody knows Jersey better than NJ.com Sign up to get breaking news alerts straight to your inbox. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com A veteran borough councilman in Gloucester County berated a police officer, spewed profanities and called the officers boss during a routine traffic stop captured by police body cameras earlier this month. Paulsboro Councilman Theodore D. Holloway II was stopped for allegedly running a stop sign shortly after 10 a.m. on Jan. 4 at Penn Line Road and West Adams Street in the borough, according to court records and body camera footage obtained by NJ Advance Media in response to an Open Public Records Act request. Im the one that hired you! Holloway yelled at the police officer after asking why he was stopped. You actually pulled over an elected official, Holloway added before calling the police chief from his car. Youre not pulling over a random. Youre pulling over your boss. I am literally your boss. When a supervising officer arrived at the scene to assist, Holloway said, You know who I am, right? He was eventually issued a citation for driving an unregistered vehicle. Holloway did not immediately return a call or emails seeking comment. He has served on the borough council since 2014, according to his LinkedIn profile. Paulsboro Mayor John Giovannitti said the entire borough governing body was briefed on the incident and discussions have been held with Holloway. Weve spoken to him with our legal team and went over the issues that we had, and I just think it was an unfortunate incident that shouldnt have happened, the mayor said. Its never happened in the past and it cant happen again. Its not the response that an elected official should share with our police, the mayor added. Giovannitti called Holloway a dedicated councilman who has served the borough for 12 years overall and has been supportive of the police. Paulsboro Police Chief Gary Kille declined to comment, saying the incident is an ongoing matter here. Police body camera footage shows the councilman was frustrated when the officer first approached his minivan after pulling him over near his home. You cant be serious. What exactly are you getting behind me for? Holloway asked. The officer told him he ran a stop sign, a claim that Holloway denied. The officer asked for his license, which Holloway provided. Dont think I aint going to talk to Gary about this, Holloway said, referring to the police chief. Whats that got to do with anything? the officer asked Holloway. Holloway angrily told the officer that, as a councilman, he was responsible for the cop having a job. You know me. You act like Im running around here mother gun toting, weed-smoking. Im the one that hired you, Holloway shouted. As Holloway continued to argue and look for his car registration, the officer asked, Why are you acting like this? Back in his patrol vehicle, the officer radioed a supervisor, telling him he had pulled over the councilman. Hes freaking out. I dont know whats going on with him, the officer told his supervisor. When the supervisor arrived and approached Holloway in his vehicle, the councilman was on the phone with the Paulsboro police chief. Seeing the supervisor, Holloway asked, You know who I am, right? I know who you are, sir, the supervisor replied. Holloway then resumed his call, saying, Anyway, chief, please talk with them. He went on to tell the chief that officers who stop elected officials should simply tell them what they did wrong then send them on their way. The police chiefs response is unclear in the audio on the body camera video. Youre wasting your time, youre wasting the taxpayer money that I pay you guys to do, for what? Holloway told the police officers. He was eventually issued a citation for driving or parking unregistered motor vehicle. The police officer told him he would not be ticketed for allegedly running the stop sign, according to the police body camera footage. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Two rock bands on a summer tour are always better than one. Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday are teaming up for a summer tour, which includes one stop in Holmdel at PNC Bank Arts Center on Aug. 29. This looks like its going to be one of the biggest joint rock tours of the summer, and you dont want to miss out. Here is how you can secure tickets to Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sundays joint summer tour. How to get tickets to Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sundays tour Tickets for Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sundays joint tour go on sale to the public on Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. If tickets happen to sell out, then you can secure tour tickets through sites, such as StubHub, Vivid Seats, TicketNetwork, SeatGeek and Viagogo. Plus, if you buy tickets through Vivid Seats, you can save $20 on ticket orders over $200 by entering promo code NJ20 at checkout. Currently, the cheapest ticket at the time of publication for their Aug. 29 concert in Holmdel, before any fees, is $24 on StubHub. You can find Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sundays full tour schedule here. Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday tour 2025: Dates, schedule & more The two rock bands will begin their joint summer tour on Aug. 16 in St. Louis and will wrap up on Sept. 21 in Seattle. Joining the summer tour as support will be the indie rock band Foxing. Before Coheed and Cambria embark on their summer tour with Taking Back Sunday, they will tour in the spring with Mastodon. Their tour with Mastodon will begin on May 10 in Salem, Va. and will wrap up on June 8 in Waukee, Iowa. Upcoming 2025 tours heading to PNC Bank Arts Center Coheed and Cambria and Taking Back Sunday are not the only artists performing at PNC Bank Arts Center this summer. Here are a few more tours you do not want to miss: Keith Urban, Thomas Rhett, Nelly and Goo Goo Dolls. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Billy Joel and Rod Stewart are ready to take over New York in July. The musical icons will perform a one-night-only concert at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, N.Y. on July 18, and its a show you really dont want to wait to get tickets for. With this being only one of two shows Joel has with Stewart in 2025 so far, tickets are bound to sell out fast, just like they did for his MetLife Stadium concert with Stevie Nicks on Aug. 8. If you want to see Billy Joel and Rod Stewart in New York this summer, here is how you can get tickets before they sell out. How to get Billy Joel and Rod Stewart 2025 concert tickets Billy Joel and Rod Stewart tickets go on sale to the public on Friday, Jan. 17 at 10 a.m. through Ticketmaster. There is a high chance tickets will sell out if you dont act fast during the general sale. If they do, you can still buy tickets on sites such as StubHub, Vivid Seats, TicketNetwork, SeatGeek, and Viagogo. Currently, the cheapest ticket we could find for the July 18 concert, before any fees, is $151 on Viagogo. Billy Joel and Rod Stewart 2025: Dates, schedule & more If you happen to miss out on getting tickets for the July 18 Billy Joel and Rod Stewart concert, then you will have a second chance to buy tickets for them. There is currently one other show scheduled for July 5 in Pittsburgh, Pa. You can also catch Billy Joel in New Jersey during the summer. Billy Joel and Stevie Nicks will be at MetLife Stadium on Aug. 8, but you dont want to wait on tickets, because they are flying fast. Tickets for that shoe are currently $225 a person. Rod Stewart will also have his own farewell tour for 2025. The One Last Time Tour kicks off in Atlantic City on Feb. 22 and ends on August 15 in St. Louis. 2025 Stadium Tours Billy Joel and Rod Stewart are not the only two artists preparing for huge stadium tours this year. Other big tours this year include Shakira, My Chemical Romance, SZA and Oasis. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Nicole Iuzzolino can be reached at niuzzolino@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. Rap superstar Drake filed a defamation lawsuit on Wednesday against Universal Music Group (UMG) for promoting rapper Kendrick Lamars Not Like Us diss song which he alleged has subjected him to physical threats and harassment. The lawsuit was filed with the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York in Manhattan, where one of UMGs corporate offices is located. Drake alleges that his record label defamed him by promoting Lamars song Not Like Us, and helped endorse a false narrative that he was a pedophile, Billboard reported. UMG intentionally sought to turn Drake into a pariah, a target for harassment, or worse, Drakes lawyers wrote in the lawsuit. UMG did so not because it believes any of these false claims to be true, but instead because it would profit from damaging Drakes reputation. On Thursday, the music label refuted the claims in a statement to BBC. Not only are these claims untrue, the statement said. But the notion that we would seek to harm the reputation of any artist, let alone Drake, is illogical. In the lawsuit, Drake alleged that his life was threatened due to UMGs helping to promote Not Like Us, citing a drive-by shooting at his mansion in Toronto on May 7, 2024. In the song, released on May 4, 2024, Lamar calls Drake a certified pedophile and implies that his name should be placed on neighborhood watch, according to Genius.com. UMGs greed yielded real-world consequences, Drakes lawyers wrote. With the palpable physical threat to Drakes safety and the bombardment of online harassment, Drake fears for the safety and security of himself, his family, and his friends. However, Drake is not suing Lamar in the newly filed lawsuit. UMG may spin this complaint as a rap beef gone legal, but this lawsuit is not about a war of words between artists, Drakes attorneys said. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that Lamar is signed to UMGs Interscope Records, and Drake is signed to UMG subsidiary Republic Records. In 2024, the artists were engaged in a rap battle that resulted in each releasing a diss track about the other, Vulture reported. According to Billboard., Not Like Us became one of 2024s biggest hit songs, debuting at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that the song has received five Grammy Award nominations, including Song of the Year and Record of the Year. In November, Drake filed a petition accusing UMG and the music streaming platform Spotify of using illegal methods to promote Lamars diss track. However, Variety reported that Drakes attorneys withdrew the petition on Tuesday. Mosaic staff writer Vashti Harris can be reached at vharris@njadvancemedia.com. Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom, on Facebook at MosaicNJcom, on Twitter (X) at @MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom. Editors note: Editors note: This story was shared as part of a content-sharing agreement between Mosaic.NJ.com and Chalkbeat. You can follow them on Facebook and Twitter (or X). Newark Public Schools leaders failed to quickly and consistently respond to racist and bigoted incidents against Black students and teachers at a city school designed to embrace world cultures, according to a draft of a scathing report that district officials have sought to keep private. A copy of the 39-page draft, obtained by Chalkbeat Newark, details harrowing examples of how Black students and teachers at the Newark School of Global Studies were subjected to acts of anti-Blackness and anti-Black racism. The review also highlighted how the schools response failed to address the problems, and in some cases, magnified racial issues. The May 2023 draft of the report written by the consulting firm Creed Strategies is the publics first look into the firms review of the cultural, racial, and religious dynamics at Global Studies that pushed some Black students to transfer and teachers to resign. The draft obtained by Chalkbeat is not the latest version of the report. But the district has fought to keep all versions of the report private, nearly two years after Newark school board leaders commissioned it. Attorneys for the district have argued in court filings that the report is a predecisional draft document and therefore exempt from the states public records law. If portions of the report were disclosed, it would have a chilling effect on the districts ongoing efforts to improve dialogue and sensitivity practices at Global Studies and other schools, according to a court record outlining the districts opposition to the Newark Teachers Union lawsuit seeking the release of the report. In 2023, the Newark Teachers Union filed two lawsuits against the district over the release of the report, but the union agreed to settle the lawsuits last fall without its release. The draft report paints a picture of a campus where Black students and teachers reported being called racial slurs by Latino students, the N-word was commonly used among non-Black students, and where complaints by Black students were often dismissed or minimized by administrators and non-Black staff. A male student was repeatedly called an anti-gay slur in class while a teacher was present, and other students made threats to take off and stomp on the hijabs of Black and Arab Muslim female teachers, according to the review. Many of the allegations in the draft report have been brought up in public, substantiated in Chalkbeat interviews, and are mentioned in lawsuits against the district. The issues also caught the attention of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who hosted a town hall to discuss unity among Black and brown communities months after students spoke publicly about their experiences. Former Global Studies teachers filed a lawsuit against the district alleging that school and district leaders created a hostile work environment where they experienced racial discrimination and retaliation, according to the lawsuit filed in Essex County Superior Court last spring. The lawsuit is ongoing. The former teachers also filed claims with the U.S. Department of Educations Office for Civil Rights. The department opened an investigation into the claim on Dec. 21, 2023, and it is ongoing. Paul Brubaker, the districts communications director, did not respond to Chalkbeats request to provide a copy of the full Global Studies report. Instead, in an emailed response, he reiterated the districts stance that the report is privileged and confidential. Brubaker said the school board reserves the right to take any and all appropriate action to prevent or redress injury to itself, district staff, school or students. Brubaker did not respond to questions about the districts efforts to fix the problems at the high school, how it changed its policies to address racial problems, and the professional support it has provided teachers with since the incidents at the school surfaced. Superintendent Roger Leon promised to fix the problems Staff, parents, and students were interviewed by Creed Strategies six-member review team about their experiences at the high school and were anonymously quoted throughout the draft report. The research team was made up of professors and education experts with experience in school leadership and representative of the demographics at Global Studies. In interviews with Creed researchers, Black students described a sense of betrayal when their peers and adults used racial slurs, according to the draft report. Most Black students felt stunned, at a loss for words, or angry when the incidents occurred, the report read. When asked by researchers about the reported incidents, some of the staff responded defensively, while others said they did not know about the issues until students spoke publicly in 2022, the review found. Teachers reported that the lack of transparency about the issues at Global Studies limited their ability to understand what was happening and eroded morale, the report read. Other staff said the aftermath of the issues becoming public caused some upheaval at Global Studies with very few attributing the chaos to the racist incidents Black students and teachers had described in 2022, the draft report stated. But emails obtained by Chalkbeat revealed that school administrators had known about the issues before they became public, and a parent begged state and district officials for an end to the harassment against her son. School leaders missed an opportunity to address the professional learning needs of teachers to be responsive to the incidents and create culturally responsive learning, according to the draft. Some interviewees cited in the report also framed Black women and girls as easily triggered and angry when discussing the incidents at the school, the review notes. Instead of focusing on the systemic racism that Black women and girls are speaking up against, there was a sense of defensiveness, the draft report says. In claims filed by former Global Studies teachers, they alleged they suffered harassment and racial hostility by students and supervisors and felt their worth as a teacher and human being has been diminished. Newark school board leaders commissioned the review of Global Studies at the start of 2023 in response to Black students speaking publicly about a pattern of racist harassment on campus. The May 2023 draft provided the district with three recommendations, which were released publicly, and meant to be proactively implemented to tackle anti-Blackness and build Global Studies understanding of diversity, the draft read. A mix of Global Studies parents, students, teachers, some board members, and community advocates have been calling on Superintendent Roger Leon to release the full report on the high school and address the problems. Leon promised students he would fix the problems at the school but he has not said what changes or efforts have been made at Global Studies, one of the districts top magnet schools. Deborah Smith Gregory, president of NAACP Newark, is one of the advocates who has called on Leon to release the Global Studies report but has been ignored, she said during a school board meeting last month. It seems that the rule of the superintendent is being sanctioned by the board with little oversight and question, said Smith Gregory in December. Despite calls for transparency, the Newark school board last month quietly sent a petition to the state to remove one of its longest-serving members after her daughter filed a legal claim against the district alleging racial harassment and discrimination during her time as a student at Global Studies. A New Jersey judge denied the petition but the states commissioner of education will issue a final decision by February. Jessie Gomez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at jgomez@chalkbeat.org. Welcome to Mosaic. Follow us on Instagram at @MosaicNJcom and on Facebook at MosaicNJcom and on YouTube at @MosaicNJcom. Its take two for a group of New Jersey towns trying to hold off the implementation of the states controversial new affordable housing law. The bipartisan coalition which is suing the state over a new law designed to create more affordable housing is once again asking a state judge to pause the start of the new rules in the latest legal twist in the bitterly-contested fight. Led by Montvale Mayor Michael Ghassali, the coalition, called Local Leaders for Responsible Planning, announced Tuesday it filed a new motion in court. The group is asking a judge to delay a Jan. 31 deadline for municipalities to either adopt the states newest guidance on how much affordable housing each municipality should have, or provide their own calculations. MORE: N.J. releases new affordable housing requirements through 2035. See your towns numbers. The lawsuit, which challenges the new housing law, was first filed in Mercer County Superior Court in September with nine municipalities serving as plaintiffs. Since then, the lawsuit has been amended five times and now includes 27 towns. Little Falls in Passaic County was the latest town to join the lawsuit. Ghassali is also named as an individual plaintiff in the case, in addition to his Bergen County borough. Warren Township in Somerset County will also be added soon, said Michael L. Collins, the groups attorney. We have a moral obligation to litigate this flawed approach to the Supreme Court, even if it takes us time to get there, Ghassali said. Mercer County Superior Court Judge Robert Lougy will hear the groups argument to the delay the law on Jan. 23. The hearing is just days before the judge is set to hear a different motion on Jan. 31 from Fair Share Housing Center, one of the lawsuits defendants, on dismissing the lawsuit entirely. This is the second motion the coalition of municipalities has filed in hopes of delaying the law. Last year, the group asked the judge to temporarily put the law on hold, but he denied the motion earlier this month. The coalition appealed the judges denial, which was later upheld by the appellate court. The groups latest motion to pause the laws implementation includes a different legal argument, this time alleging flawed rulemaking by the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and Administrative Director of the Courts, the group said in a release. The municipalities that signed on to the lawsuit are: Montvale, Denville, Florham Park, Hillsdale, Little Falls, Mannington, Millburn, Montville, Old Tappan, Totowa, Allendale, Westwood, Hanover, Wyckoff, Wharton, Mendham, Oradell, Closter, West Amwell, Washington (Bergen County), Norwood, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Wall, Holmdel, East Hanover, Cedar Grove and Franklin Lakes. Affordable housing advocates called the latest attempt to delay the law a second bite at the apple. Its outrageous that this small group of wealthy towns is continuing to expend tremendous amounts of taxpayer dollars to block the affordable homes New Jerseyans desperately need, said Adam Gordon, the executive director of Fair Share Housing Center. The trial court, Appellate Division, and Supreme Court already have correctly denied their attempt to derail New Jerseys landmark affordable housing law, he said. Just because they have thought of new arguments they could have brought before and failed to do so should not mean that they get a second bite at the apple. The affordable housing law (S50/A4) was signed into law in March by Gov. Phil Murphy, a Democrat. It standardizes obligations for municipalities throughout the state to build or renovate additional affordable housing units. It also gives towns more protections from lawsuits that aim to stop affordable housing from being built. The plaintiffs argue the law exceeds what is constitutionally required under the Mount Laurel Doctrine, which refers to a series of landmark state Supreme Court decisions that outlawed exclusionary zoning practices and required all towns in New Jersey to provide their fair share of the regions affordable housing. Last October, the state Department of Community Affairs released non-binding calculations on the number of affordable homes the states 564 municipalities are required to allow to be built or rehabilitated by 2035. Towns will also have until June 30 to adopt specific plans on how they will address adding the number of units. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Brianna Kudisch may be reached at bkudisch@njadvancemedia.com. A 45-year-old New Jersey man accused of sexting with a Utah girl remains jailed there while charges are pending against him, authorities said. Paul T. Carroll is charged with seducing/luring a minor by internet or text, a second-degree charge, and third-degree dealing in materials harmful to a minor, according to Cache County jail records. A spokeswoman for the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office confirmed Carroll is from Helmetta and that he was extradited from New Jersey on Dec. 14. The prosecutors office assisted Logan, Utah police by executing a search warrant at Carrolls home. He is charged in New Jersey with being a fugitive from justice. A lot of people are blasting President-elect Donald Trump for implying he might use force to make Greenland and Panama bend to his will. But a prior president already hit Panama with a far more excruciating tactic than mere military might. Thats right. Im talking about AC-DC. That Australian heavy-metal group became unwitting accomplices to the administration of George H.W. Bush in the effort to depose Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega in 1989. Amid the Cold War, Noriega was an asset of U.S. intelligence. But by 1989 the first Bush administration had become tired of him and his habit of annulling elections and murdering political rivals. So Bush sent in an invasion force to nab Noriega. That led Noriega to take refuge in the offices of the Papal Nuncio. Bush wasnt about to risk the Catholic vote by raiding the sacred territory of the Vatican. So the U.S. Special Forces decided to employ a very special force. Dont miss the best in editorials, opinion columns and commentary from NJ.com writers. Add your email here: They set up loudspeakers and blasted rock music at the building around the clock. Guns N Roses also figured heavily in the rotation. This had the desired effect on the man who was called the Pineapple because of a facial resemblance to that fruit. He surrendered. So its not as if Trump is the first American politician to engage in this kind of thing here in the Americas. As for Trumps stated attempt to acquire Greenland, thats hardly a first either. The Truman administration offered Denmark $100 million for it back in 1946. But Denmark decided to keep it. If youve ever seen it, you might wonder why. I was on a flight home from London a few years ago that took a northern route over Greenland. There nothing to see but rocks. From the air, you might conclude no one lives there. Actually only about 50,000 people live in a country thats three times the size of Texas. Most of them live in fishing villages. Greenland has great fishing. But thats not why Trump wants the U.S to take it over, according to Trump. 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, he wrote last month on his Truth Social site. A necessity? In fact the Arctic Yearbook lists the functions that the Thule Air Base which is pretty much the only institution on the island that would serve the interests of the U.S. would provide: An emergency landing strip, a weather station, a navigational aids station, an advanced radar station, a search and rescue station, and a base for sledge dog patrol units. I like sled dogs as much as the next guy. I once owned a husky. But I cant see acquiring a country just to take care of them. As for the rest of those services, we already have a deal with the Danes to permit us to pursue most of them. So I would rank this effort to be about as serious as Trumps effort to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. If he wants to call it the Gulf of America, thats fine. You can call a body of water anything you want. English writer Aldous Huxley called it the Mexique Bay in his classic travelogue of the 1930s. Germany is not the formal name of Deutschland and Holland is not the name of the Netherlands. Who cares? The fate of the Panama Canal is a thornier question. Part of the deal under which the late President Carter gave the canal to Panama called for the canal to be kept neutral and only the Republic of Panama shall operate the Canal and maintain military forces, defense sites and military installations within its national territory. Yet the Panamanian government has permitted the Chinese to erect ports on either side of the canal. One former CIA agent who follows this closely is Larry Johnson. He noted that the Chinese made these incursions mostly during the first Trump administration. But he said of Trumps stated goal, If he could get the Chinese out without firing a shot, that would be a good thing. Our liberal friends are having a grand old time making fun of Trump for this effort. (But its not the first time hes proposed it.) But they should be happy that he is confining his demands to his backyard without trying to run the whole neighborhood. In his second Inaugural speech 20 years ago, George W. Bush said that when it comes to foreign policy, he would seek the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. We saw how that worked out. Trumps goals are more achievable. I suspect this is proof that he simply means what he said about putting America first. Thats all to the good. We Americans have failed miserably at just about every attempt to export democracy. Lets try it at home for a change. BELOW: Cruel and unusual punishment? Regarding the article Only 25% of Americans say Bidens presidency was great or good: There should be a caveat appended to every poll issued to the public: These results may be affected by propaganda. Of course, the view of Bidens presidency is poor. He, and all Democrats, have been hammered every day for 30 years with constant misinformation from Fox News, now joined by right-leaning OAN and Newsmax networks. Fox News is ubiquitous in hotel lobbies, gyms, convenience stores, military bases and countless other venues. Citizens who do not have the time or inclination to seek out objective reality accept what they hear on that platform as truth. For example, Fox News attributed the New Orleans terror attack to an illegal immigrant, when it was actually done by an Isis-supporting U.S. citizen. President-elect Donald Trump spread the falsehood over his huge social media following, before Fox retracted it an hour and half later. Trump and his minions never retracted their mistake. Too often, the first media reports are incomplete, yet they remain in the audiences mind forever. The new Trump administration will be spewing falsehoods every day, reinforced by a vast media ecosystem. Americans who thought Trump would make their lives easier are about to find out what damage he and his billionaires can do. After all, during the 2024 campaign, Trump supporters completely erased his appalling mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the attempted Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection meant to keep him in power after losing the 2020 election. If Americans do not turn to unbiased sources, our great experiment in democracy is doomed. JoAnn D. Claps, Wharton Founded in 1872 by clergy members dedicated to providing health care for all, Christ Hospital in Jersey City has served a critical role as an essential healthcare resource for residents there and across Hudson County. The hospital has combatted epidemics and pandemics from influenza to COVID-19, and helped ensure that the diverse members of our community receive the care they need to thrive. Unfortunately, the hospital has suffered in recent years from fiscal management that has risked its continued viability. Indeed, in early November 2024, it was learned that CarePoint Health, which operated Christ Hospital, had filed for Chapter 11 reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Around the same time, CarePoints board approved an agreement with Hudson Regional Hospital to allow it to exercise exclusive options to acquire Christ Hospital and affiliated properties in Hoboken and Bayonne and to establish a Hudson Health System. Since then, Christ Hospitals leadership has said that the hospital needs to be rightsized, which may mean reducing beds and staff. This series of events raises serious concerns about Christ Hospitals future. Ultimately, leaders of Christ Hospital and Hudson Regional Hospital must understand that Jersey City residents expect and rightfully demand that Christ Hospital get its act together and return to providing critical care for the wellness of this community. Attempts to further undermine Christ Hospitals health care functions or potentially convert the property to uses other than hospital, medical, and long-term palliative care are inconsistent Jersey City residents needs. If elected as mayor, I will take action to make clear that it is in the interest of all city residents that Christ Hospital remain a fully functioning hospital for generations to come. Jim McGreevey, Jersey City Note: The writer is a former New Jersey governor, and is now one of several declared candidates running for mayor of Jersey City. Mikie Sherrill is a generational candidate In the world of sports, we often refer to a handful of generational stars. The political world has also produced a limited number of generational stars. In my lifetime, they would include Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. In the world of sports,we often refer to a handful of generational stars. The political world has also produced a limited number of generational stars. In my lifetime, they would include Presidents John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. I would now add U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., now running for governor, to that list. She was in the first class of women to graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy, and was a Navy helicopter pilot for 10 years, flying missions throughout Europe and the Middle East. She later received a law degree from Georgetown University, one of Americas premier law schools. She also has a masters degree in global history from the London School of Economics and Political Science. Before her election to Congress, she served in the U.S. Attorneys Office in New Jersey. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee and I consider her to be one of the most effective U.S. House members. I have reviewed biographies of candidates for years and I have never seen a background that matches that of Sherrill. As a lifelong Democrat, I am proud to endorse her for governor in the June Democratic primary. Robert R. Salman, Marlboro Food writers should take a chance on Central Jersey eateries Kudos to a fellow reader and letter writer who recently commented on the lack of inclusion of any central New Jersey restaurants in two recent N.J. Advance Media best of lists. I, too, read these lists and wondered why Central Jersey restaurants had been left out. One of our favorite things about living in Mercer County is the wide range of wonderful eateries that are within a 30-minute ride from casual to fancy and everything in between. We especially enjoy the BYOB-style restaurants, which allow us to bring in our beverages, while still providing great food and service without paying inflated prices for alcohol. I would invite the writers of these lists to take a chance on our local restaurants. Wed love to see you there! Linda Ialacci, Hamilton Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com The Star-Ledger/NJ.com encourages submissions of opinion. Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow us on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and on Facebook at NJ.com Opinion. Get the latest news updates right in your inbox. Subscribe to NJ.coms newsletters. One third of all combat clashes since midnight recorded on Pokrovsk axis The Ukrainian defense forces continue to hold back the Russian offensive, taking all necessary measures to prevent the occupiers' movement deeper into the territory of Ukraine, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine has said Thursday. A total of 89 combat clashes were recorded along the front line since midnight and as of 4 p.m., it said on the Telegram channel. The occupation forces attacked most actively on the Pokrovsk axis. Thirty-one attempts to push the defense forces from their positions were recorded there. Thirty assaults were repelled and there is one ongoing battle in the area. In Kursk region, eleven combat clashes with the Russian forces were recorded. The Ukrainian defense forces repelled eight attacks, and three battle continue in the area. The enemy made 250 artillery attacks, including on with MLRS, since midnight. On the Novopavlivsky axis, the invaders launched ten attacks, three of which were repelled and seven continue. The enemy actively uses frontline aircraft in the area. On the Lyman axis, the Russian army made nine attacks, six of which were repelled and another three continue. A now-former employee of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission pleaded guilty this week to attempting to influence a commissioner to advance his career, authorities said Omid Bayati, 43, of Hillsdale, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of second-degree conspiracy to commit official misconduct, officials with the Office of Public Integrity and Attorney Generals Office announced Wednesday. He was accused of trying to pay a Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission member to boost his pay and status within the public agency, officials said. The Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission is a state-run public utility agency tasked with managing pollution in the Passaic River and its tributaries. The agency serves 48 municipalities in Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson and Union counties, according to the agencys website. Authorities said that in 2021, Bayati attempted to pay a commissioner on two occasions in exchange for preferential treatment including a higher salary than he was qualified for based on his experience and position. On one occasion Bayati tried to pay the commissioner with a check left at a Fair Lawn restaurant and drawn from an account labeled PVSC PAC which was unaffiliated with the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, according to court documents. Written on the memo line was donation, officials alleged in court documents. The commissioner reported the incident to commission chairman, executive director and to law enforcement, officials said. During an investigation, Bayati gave the commissioner an envelope stuffed with $1,200 in cash at a Fair Lawn pub and asked the commissioner to push [his] salary a little bit while also suggesting other favors such as promotion requests, officials said in court documents. Bayati also said that he was looking for help securing promotions at the commission as well as in politics, officials said. Officials did not identify the commissioner Bayati tried to influence and did not provide additional details on the investigation. He was indicted by a grand jury on the conspiracy to commit official misconduct charge on June 30, 2021. Sentencing is scheduled for March 21. In exchange for his guilty plea prosecutors agreed to request a five-year prison sentence, authorities said Wednesday. Bayati was immediately suspended without pay from his role with the commission upon learning of the allegations and prior to learning of charges filed against him, the commissions attorney Michael D. Witt said Thursday. Bayati was eventually terminated on Jan. 14, 2021, according to Witt. Bayati faces a lifetime ban from public employment, as well as forfeiture of the money seized during the investigation that he gave to the commissioner, officials said. Attorneys for Bayati did not immediately return a request for comment Wednesday. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Matthew Enuco may be reached at Menuco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Matt on X U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) may have just signaled trouble for President-elect Donald Trumps controversial Cabinet picks. Trumps nominees for his top Cabinet roles began their confirmation processes this week by sitting for hearings in front of relevant Senate committees. Many of Trumps choices received criticism by both Democrats and Republicans after he announced a flurry of picks since winning Novembers election. But its not clear whether Trumps nominees have the full support of McConnell, the former longtime Republican leader of the upper chamber. Punchbowl Newss Max Cohen reported on Thursday: McConnell said he will support nominees whose professional experience is commensurate with the responsibility of the office and who demonstrate in detail their command of relevant policy. McConnell on Trump noms: Says he will support nominees "whose professional experience is commensurate with the responsibility of the office and who demonstrate in detail their command of relevant policy." Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) January 16, 2025 Many of Trumps nominees, including former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, former Fox News host Pete Hegseth and former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have been criticized for their lack of experience and expertise in the roles they were tapped for. Senators this week began to grill Trumps nominees with tough questions, even as most of the Senate GOP seems poised to green light the president-elects picks. Cohen also reported that McConnell said he will support nominees to senior national security roles whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities, in the pursuit of peace through strength. McConnell says he will support nominees to "senior national security roles whose record and experience will make them immediate assets, not liabilities, in the pursuit of peace through strength." Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) January 16, 2025 The post on social media platform X did not specify what nominees McConnell may have been referring to. However, Gabbard has faced intense scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats for her 2017 meeting with then-President Bashar Assad of Syria. In an open letter sent last year, nearly 100 former senior U.S. diplomats and intelligence and national security officials called for closed-door hearings in the Senate about Gabbards past actions. Its not clear when Gabbard, who Trump has nominated for Director of National Intelligence, will appear for Senate questioning. Hegseth, who Trump has selected to run the Defense Department, sat before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this week. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Senate will vote on nominees as soon as they are ready. First up could be Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a former Trump rival for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, who is now the president-elects choice for secretary of state. Rubio promised an America First foreign policy agenda during his own confirmation hearing Wednesday. As a well-known senator, he is expected to have broad support from Republicans, as well as Democrats. His confirmation vote could be as soon as Monday evening. Other nominees, including Hegseth, are expected to face a tougher path to confirmation. Republicans narrowly hold a majority in the Senate, 53-47, but they are down to 52 after Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned his seat last week ahead of taking office. That means Trumps nominees need support from almost every GOP senator for majority confirmation over objections from Democrats. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Former U.S. Rep. Tom Malinowski (D) insisted President Joe Biden could not have secured a ceasefire deal without President-elect Donald Trump. Biden and Trump announced a ceasefire agreement had been reached between militant group Hamas and Israel on Wednesday after 15 months of war in the region. Both Biden and Trump immediately took credit for the deal, but Malinowski suggested that it could not have been done without Trumps assistance. This was Bidens deal, but as much as I hate to say it, he couldnt have done it without Trump -- not so much Trumps performative threats to Hamas, but his willingness to tell Bibi bluntly that the war had to end by Jan. 20. And thats damning, Malinowski wrote Wednesday on social media platform X. He said that while Biden was the best president Ive ever seen at building our alliances w/European & Asian democracies, he was lousy at dealing with leaders who only speak thug. But Biden was lousy at dealing with leaders who only speak "thug" - repeatedly signaling fear of what they might do if we asserted our power (that they might escalate a war, or jilt us for China, or walk away from negotiations), rather than making them fear what we might do. 3/ Tom Malinowski (@Malinowski) January 15, 2025 Malinowski went on to suggest Democrats can learn from Biden and Trump. This is an oversimplification, and there are exceptions to the rule.But I think the problem with Biden is that he believed in our values but not our power. Whereas Trump believes in our power, but not our values. As Democrats, I hope we will learn hard lessons from both, he said. Former state Senate Republican Leader Tom Kean Jr. defeated Malinowski in a competitive race during the 2022 midterm elections. Malinowski had served in office from 2019 to 2023. Trump wasted no time in asserting he was the moving force behind the deal. Biden, meanwhile, stressed that the deal was reached under the precise contours of a plan that he set out in late May. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump wrote on social media. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Trump added that his incoming Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff who was participating in the talks in Doha, Qatar would continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. Biden said from the White House that my diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done. It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and weakening of Iran but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy, Biden said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. President-elect Donald Trump has a plan to bring MAGA to a very troubled Hollywood. Trump announced Thursday that he will be appointing actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson and Sylvester Stallone to be special ambassadors to Hollywood in his new administration. This comes after most of Hollywoods top stars backed Vice President Kamala Harris over Trump in last years election. It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California. They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACKBIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!" Trump said in a statement. These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest. It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood! he added. Harris garnered notable celebrity endorsements throughout her campaign after President Joe Biden announced he would be withdrawing from the race. His withdrawal came days after movie star and top Democratic donor George Clooney called on Biden to step aside. Its not clear what exact role these actors will play in the Trump administration. However, Trumps announcement comes after he frequently criticized Californias Democratic leadership over their handling of the deadly wildfires that have swept Los Angeles in the last week. On his Truth Social platform, Trump reposted an ominous meme of the Hollywood sign burning as the wildfires raged through Los Angeles. Instead of the iconic Hollywood sign, the image read: Trump was right. Donald Trump Truth Social Re-Truthed 01/12/25 pic.twitter.com/9fxnFj642P Donald J. Trump Posts From His Truth Social (@TrumpDailyPosts) January 13, 2025 Gibsons house is one of the many celebrities' homes that burned down in the fires that ignited last week. He told NewsNation that the loss of his Malibu home was devastating. The traumatized region made it through Wednesday without another major fire breaking out, after forecasters had warned of another round of particularly dangerous winds. Yet even with flames still leaping in two of the largest fires, which have killed 25 and destroyed more than 12,000 structures, government officials talked Wednesday of the epic job that will unspool over years: clearing Altadena, Pacific Palisades and other ravaged communities of toxic ash and debris, then rebuilding homes, restaurants, schools, boutiques, banks and houses of worship all while finding financing for it all. Because of the ongoing firefighting battle and the likelihood of dangerous refuse in burned areas, many anxious residents have yet to return to see what, if anything, is left of their homes. The losses range from multimillion-dollar ocean-view mansions to modest homes that once welcomed returning World War II GIs. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Update: Along with the 20% off Canada Goose: For Men flash sale, Gilt also has an Up to 60% off Canada Goose flash sale for women. If you see something you like, in your size, dont wait to grab it, because some of the best options are already selling out. If youve been waiting for a Canada Goose flash sale to land on Gilt, todays your lucky day! Per a teaser email from the luxury-for-less shopping destination last night, Canada Goose will be back on Gilt on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 12 p.m. ET in a 20% off Canada Goose: For Men flash sale. This particular event is called out for men, but its possible that the site will also host a parallel event for women, it just hasnt been promoted yet. If youre interested in womens styles, you can head to the brands Featured Designers page to see whats still in stock there for men, women, and children. While there are dozens of mens options up on site now, many of the most popular Canada Goose jackets like the Langford Down Parka, Chilliwack Down Bomber Coat, Expedition Down Parka, and Crofton Puffer only have a size or two left in stock. This soon-to-launch flash sale should refresh these best-sellers and hopefully introduce a new crop of stylish and incredibly-well-insulated coats to the designers regular Gilt rotation. Wed love to see the MacMillan Parka, Crofton Bomber, Paradigm Chilliwack Bomber, and Carson Parka show up, among other standouts and with the up to 20% off savings attached, some markdowns might even dip below $1,000 (fingers crossed!). Sign up for a free Gilt account, if you havent already, and filter by jacket size and category (men or women), first, to make your shopping search even easier (read: and not frustrating, because theres nothing worse than scoping out a coat youre obsessed with just to realize its not in stock in your size). Be one of the first to shop the latest Canada Goose flash sale when its live today, Jan. 16 at 12 p.m. ET. Current Canada Goose deals at Gilt Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Danielle Halibey can be reached at dhalibey@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. An Elizabeth man charged with killing his wife told the couples oldest son that only he and God know what happened to her, according to charging documents. Rolando Corte and his wife, Lucrecia Elizabeth Jadan Sumba, were having marital problems before he killed her Jan. 8 in their home on the 400 block of Elmora Avenue, authorities said. He later dumped her body in a trash receptacle in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, area. Investigators found suspected blood in the kitchen area and the hall outside their bathroom in Elizabeth, according to a criminal complaint charging Corte, 42, with murder. His wife died of sharp force injuries, officials said. The couples eldest son 21 told detectives of his parents disagreements after she didnt show up for work on Wednesday. Earlier, Jadan Sumba had dropped off the two youngest of her four children at school, the complaint said. Corte later admitted to a witness that he killed his wife, the charging document said. He drover her car to Coopersburg, Pennsylvania about 80 miles from Elizabeth to dispose of her body before it was found around 6 p.m. Saturday. License plate readers and cell phone pings indicated he traveled from Union County to Pennsylvania. Corte was scheduled for a first court appearance on Thursday. Attorney information wasnt immediately available. Jadan Sumba, 39, emigrated to the United States from Ecuador in 2021 and worked in a nail salon, according to a GoFundMe.com established to support her children and cover funeral expenses. The GoFundme.com described her as a loving mother who always made a positive impact of those around her bringing support, knowledge, happiness and worked always with enthusiasm. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed that the leader of the European Solidarity party, Petro Poroshenko, had indeed signed a business trip to a meeting of the Political Assembly of the European People's Party. "I was surprised to hear today that MP Petro Poroshenko went on a business trip last night to meet with the leader of the European People's Party, but he was not allowed to leave the country. Indeed, MP Petro Poroshenko had a business trip signed by me for a meeting of the Political Assembly of the European People's Party, which was held in Brussels on January 13-14. Taking into account the logistics, the MP in his statement asked to send him from January 11 (departure date) to January 15 (return date)," Stefanchuk said, the press service of the parliament said on the Telegram channel. He suggested that Poroshenko had independently decided not to go, as evidenced by his actual presence in the Verkhovna Rada meeting room during the days on which the business trip was scheduled. "From a legal point of view, a business trip should have a legal purpose. Therefore, the reason and the legal purpose for which MP Petro Poroshenko needed to leave Ukraine on the evening of January 15, allegedly for the meeting of the Political Assembly that ended the day before, are unknown to me," Stefanchuk stressed. As reported, Poroshenko, when speaking from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday, said that he was illegally prevented from leaving the Ukrainian border when he was on his way to a meeting with the leaders of the European People's Party in Brussels. The State Enterprise Document will issue the delayed documents to more than 80,000 Ukrainian citizens on the territory of Poland, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Iryna Vereschuk has said Thursday. "Yesterday in Warsaw, President [of Ukraine Volodymyr] Zelenskyy met with the Ukrainian community. Among other things, the issuing of passports by the State Enterprise Document was discussed. In Poland alone, more than 80,000 citizens have been waiting for their documents for a long time. The President has resolved the issue. The passports will be issued. And not only in Poland everywhere where they are stuck," she said on the Telegram channel. Vereschuk thanked the Interior Ministry of Ukraine and the Ministry of National Unity of Ukraine for cooperation. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have inspected drones designed by Ukrainian manufacturers in Kyiv on Thursday. As reported by an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent, at the end of his visit to Kyiv, Starmer, along with the delegation, saw Ukrainian developments, noting Ukraine's significant progress in the defense industry. The Prime Minister said that the 100-year partnership agreement concluded between Ukraine and the UK today is a statement of intent, which sends a message to both countries and to other countries. He also emphasized that it is really important to come and see the advanced technologies and the scale of change. Starmer assured that the UK will stand and cooperate with Ukraine for as long as it takes. He also described what he saw today as partnership in action. Zelenskyy thanked the UK and its Prime Minister for support and cooperation, emphasizing the importance of the 100-year partnership agreement, which will strengthen military, economic and humanitarian cooperation between Ukraine and the UK. The head of state also noted that Ukraine wants to develop and record number of drones and will develop this direction. The UK Prime Minister emphasized that the words that Ukraine must be in the strongest position possible cannot just be words, there must be action. He welcomed UK-Ukrainian cooperation on some technologies to support drone development. Among the drones on display that had UK components were the GOR and the Leleka 100M2. Starmer also saw a joint UK-Ukrainian product Bravery-M, designed in close cooperation between the Ukrainian company and the UK Ministry of Defense. Among other things, the Ukrainian President and the UK Prime Minister examined Ukrainian bombers R-34, Kazan E620, Vampire, Lucky Strike. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico plans to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the coming days, and the parties are working on choosing a suitable date. "We are looking for another date, which should take place in the next few days," Fico said, commenting on Zelenskyy's invitation to arrive in Kiyiv on Friday, iRozhlas reports. As reported, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico invited Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to a meeting near the state borders between Slovakia and Ukraine. The Vice-President announced his invitation during a video address to Zelenskyy posted on the Facebook page of Fico. Zelenskyy, in turn, invited Fico to arrive in Kyiv on Friday. The five-year agreement on the transit of Russian gas between Ukraine and Russia ended on January 1, 2025. Since seven o'clock in the morning, gas transportation from the Sudzha entry point on the eastern border to the western and southern exit points has been stopped. Earlier, Fico also threatened to veto a future package of military assistance to Ukraine from European allies. According to him, this is a response to the termination of the transit of Russian gas from Ukraine. Earlier, the Slovak Prime minister stated that Bratislava could stop supplying electricity to Ukraine if Kyiv didnt not agree to resume transit of Russian gas through its territory. Also last week, Fico called Zelenskyy a "beggar and a blackmailer." Slovak President Peter Pellegrini has said he refuses to pay an official visit to Kyiv because Ukraine has stopped the transit of Russian gas. On Sunday, January 12, a group of pro-Russian members of the Slovak parliament went on a visit to Moscow to meet with State Duma deputies and other representatives of the Russian government. Anti-aircraft gunners and pilots of the 63rd separate mechanized brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot down the Russian experimental reconnaissance drone Merlin-VR, Khortytsia operational-strategic group of forces said on Telegram. "It can take to the air as high as 5 km and be 10 hours there, which is many times longer than Supercam and ZALA. Interestingly, two FPV crews were hunting for this experimental Merlin reconnaissance aircraft," the report says. Officials representing Israel and Hamas said today that the two sides had agreed to a 42-day cease-fire that would coincide with the release of Israeli hostages who have been held captive in Gaza. The final details are still being worked out, but the tentative agreement raised hopes that there could soon be an end to the war. Heres the latest. The cease-fire is set to take effect on Sunday, according to Qatari mediators, who said that Israeli forces had agreed to withdraw to the east, away from populated areas. Some 33 of the roughly 100 remaining Israeli hostages would then be released over the course of the next 42 days. The Times obtained a copy of the provisional agreement. President Biden said that he was confident that the deal would hold, and that U.S. hostages would be released in the first phase. His aides worked closely with Donald Trumps representatives in pursuit of a cease-fire. The deal, which could be finalized as Trump takes office, is reminiscent of the 1981 Iran hostage crisis resolution. Officials said that the framework was similar to one publicized by Biden in late May. But one Israeli official told The Times that conditions for the deal had been created by Israels recent military breakthroughs, including the killing of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader, in October, and the weakening of the Iran-based proxy network that supported Hamas. The tens of thousands of people displaced by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area are increasingly anxious to know when they can return home or to what remains of their properties. Officials say crews are working to reopen closed areas, snuffing out hot spots and clearing hazardous debris, but no timeline has been announced for lifting the evacuation orders. Experts have warned that it could take weeks before people can return to the hardest-hit neighborhoods because of the amount of work needed to ensure the safety of residents. Firefighters are still trying to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, the biggest ones in the Los Angeles region, a prerequisite to allowing people to return. Both remained largely out of control on Wednesday evening, though their growth had slowed. Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said the timeline for people returning to their neighborhoods can vary. It depends on the extent of the damage, which needs to be mapped and carefully assessed in every impacted community, he added. There is also the threat of hazardous materials, such as asbestos and chemicals. We want people to have realistic expectations, Mr. Scott said. It took weeks in the aftermath of some previous destructive blazes for people to return. In 2018, the Camp fire destroyed most of Paradise in Northern California and killed 85 people. The final evacuation orders in that town were lifted more than a month after the fire started. Similarly, after a devastating fire in Lahaina on the island of Maui killed more than 100 people in 2023, it was nearly two months before the first of the thousands of displaced residents could return to their properties. The suppression of the fire is only one step in the process, according to fire officials. There are yet more safety and infrastructure issues to tackle. Workers need to clear and replace downed power lines, stabilize partially collapsed buildings and remove toxic ash from the ground. Thats why the orders are still in place, said David Acuna, a battalion chief with Cal Fire. Its not just about the fire. There are all these other elements to address. The grim search for human remains has further complicated efforts to clear neighborhoods. Officials are using cadaver dogs to comb through the thousands of structures damaged or destroyed in the fires to locate remains. We have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors, Sheriff Robert Luna of Los Angeles County said at a news conference on Monday. Please be patient with us. Even for those whose homes survive, the lifting of evacuation orders does not necessarily mean they can return to live in them right away, warned Michael Wara, a climate policy expert at Stanford University. Theres going to be smoke damage, he said. Theres going to be the fact that you dont have utilities. In Pacific Palisades, the recovery process was underway in its incinerated downtown. The air buzzed with the sound of jackhammers, bulldozers and tree shredders. Workers cleared debris, pulled down charred utility poles and ground up the skeletal limbs of burned eucalyptus trees. Ali Sharifi managed to inspect his lower Palisades home on Tuesday. Aside from a burned backyard fence, it was intact. Yet the destruction around it, including charred schools, churches and grocery stores, gave him second thoughts about returning. Who wants to live in a ghost town? Mr. Sharifi said. Erica Fischer, an associate professor at Oregon State University who studied the aftermath of the Camp fire, said that a fast recovery is not always a good one, especially if it means rebuilding in ways that contributed to the disaster. Of the ongoing evacuation orders in California, she said, I know its not convenient, and its disruptive, but it keeps people out of harms way. There was not a flame in sight when a team of firefighters, newly arrived from Mexico, set out on Tuesday to search through the brush-covered land above the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles. But their mission was essential: to look for traces of smoke and embers left behind by the Palisades fire, which had already burned through the area where they were searching but was still less than 20 percent contained. It is meticulous work. The long-sought, tortuously negotiated Gaza cease-fire deal announced on Wednesday came about in part through a remarkable collaboration between President Biden and President-elect Donald J. Trump, who temporarily put aside mutual animosity to achieve a mutual goal. The two presidents directed their advisers to work together to push Israel and Hamas over the finish line for an agreement to halt the fighting that has ravaged Gaza and release hostages who have been held there for 15 months. The deal is set to start on Sunday, the day before Mr. Biden turns over the White House to Mr. Trump. Each president had his own interest in settling the matter before Inauguration Day. For Mr. Biden, the deal, if it holds, represents a final vindication on his watch, what he hopes will be the end of the deadliest war in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict while freeing Americans as well as Israelis from captivity. For Mr. Trump, the deal, for now, takes a major issue off the table as he opens a second term, freeing him to pursue other priorities. The dramatic development, just five days before the transfer of power in the United States, cut against the natural grain in Washington, where presidents of opposing parties rarely work in tandem during a transition, even in the face of a major crisis. But the political planets quickly returned to their normal orbits as both sides argued over who deserved credit for resolving the standoff. George Bush lamented in 1993 that losing is never easy trust me, I know, after losing to Bill Clinton. Gerald Ford in 1977 allowed for the possibility of a political comeback after being defeated by Jimmy Carter (This report will be my last maybe.) Donald J. Trump was defiant in defeat four years ago, declaring that we will be back in some form. As far back as the 18th century when George Washington warned the young republic of the dangers of partisanship and called for national unity presidents have used their twilight days in office to reflect on their records and accomplishments, pleading for the nation to build on their legacies for generations to come. That parting message has been at times complicated by the outgoing commander in chief being succeeded by a political rival especially when being beaten out of a second term. The challenge President Biden navigated Wednesday night was similarly delicate, as he highlighted his achievements and reflected on Americas future even as he hands the reins of government over to Mr. Trump, an adversary whom Mr. Biden has declared a threat to democracy, and who has vowed to undo many of his policies. Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday removed Representative Michael R. Turner of Ohio from the helm of the House Intelligence Committee, in a shake-up that signaled he intends to align the pivotal national security panel more closely with President-elect Donald J. Trump. Mr. Turner, who emerged from a meeting with the speaker on Wednesday afternoon looking furious, has told people that Mr. Johnson informed him his ouster was the result of a request from Mr. Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to a person familiar with those conversations. The president-elect has long been suspicious of the intelligence community, claiming that its members were part of a politicized deep state that was out to get him. In jettisoning a Republican seen as insufficiently loyal to Mr. Trump, Mr. Johnson appeared to be paving the way for the president-elect to have tighter control over the committee that oversees intelligence matters. Mr. Turner, a mainstream conservative who has represented southwestern Ohio in the House for more than two decades, has at times been critical of Mr. Trumps actions. He broke with the majority of his party on Jan. 6, 2021, and voted to certify Joseph R. Biden Jr.s 2020 election. He has also been a leading proponent of supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, breaking with the America First stance of the president-elect and many others in his party. Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Andriy Yermak had a conversation with UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell on Thursday. "I also talked to UK National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell. Strategic partnership of our countries is at a high level and it is connected with both defense assistance and defense industry development as well as countering Russian disinformation, its cybercrimes and strengthening of sanctions. We will continue to strengthen all these directions," he said on the Telegram channel. Yermak also discussed Ukraine's diplomatic strategy with the country's Ambassador to the UK Valeriy Zaluzhny. The Canadian government is preparing billions of dollars in retaliatory measures on U.S. exports to Canada if President-elect Donald J. Trump makes good on a threat to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, setting up a potential showdown between two countries that are each others largest trading partners. Canada is assembling a list of measures, including tariffs on U.S. exports to Canada and levies or other restrictions on key Canadian exports to the United States, if Mr. Trump imposes a sweeping 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods. But the government made clear that it will wait to see what Mr. Trump might do before responding. Everything is on the table, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said during a news conference in Ottawa, flanked by senior members of his government and the leaders of most of Canadas provinces and territories. Mr. Trudeau spent most of Wednesday discussing with provincial leaders how to best prepare for potential U.S. tariffs. For now, Canadas government is working under the assumption that Mr. Trump is serious about tariffs, which he has linked to the flow of undocumented migrants and drugs across the U.S.-Canada border. When Hamas led the Oct. 7, 2023, raids into Israel, killing about 1,200 people, about 250 people were taken into Gaza as hostages, including citizens of Israel, the United States, Britain, Mexico, Thailand and other countries. Among the captives were the bodies of 37 people killed in the attack, Israeli officials said. Now, about 100 hostages, living and dead, are still being held in the enclave, officials say. The cease-fire deal announced on Wednesday between Israel and Hamas would begin with an initial phase lasting six weeks, and involve the release of 33 hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The agreement requires Hamas to release three female hostages on Day 1, four more on Day 7 and 26 more over the next five weeks, according to a copy of the document obtained by The New York Times. The deal still has to be formally ratified by Israels cabinet. Heres a closer look at the hostage situation in Gaza. How many hostages have already been released? Early in the war, Hamas released four hostages two Israeli-American women, Judith Raanan, then 59, and her daughter, Natalie Raanan, then 17, and two Israeli women, Nurit Cooper, then 79, and Yocheved Lifshitz, then 85, citing humanitarian reasons. More than 100 hostages were freed in November 2023 during a staggered truce between Israel and Hamas. In exchange, about 240 Palestinians held in Israel were released. The typical gallerist moving to TriBeCa spends a small fortune making their new space look like the derelict former warehouses that originally drew artists downtown because they were cheap. Its the kind of contradiction that makes the art world what it is an over-the-top luxury business with a disingenuous devotion to Minimalism. But it can feel a little grating sometimes, and thats why I was so delighted with the frank ostentation of Jack Shainman Gallerys new TriBeCa flagship at 46 Lafayette Street, and of its complementary opening show, Nick Cave: Amalgams and Graphts. Instead of looking merely to the 1960s, Shainman has jumped all the way back to the Beaux-Arts 1890s, when less wasnt yet more, and sited his new flagship in the landmark Clock Tower Building. Formerly known as the New York Life Insurance Building, the blocklong structure was designed by the architect Stephen D. Hatch and completed, after Hatchs death in 1897, by McKim, Mead & White. Shainmans new main exhibition space is this buildings magnificent bank hall, which features titanic white marble columns, sweeping staircases and an intricately molded, 29-foot-high coffered ceiling. Additional exhibition spaces in the building include a former meeting room renovated, under the lead of Shainmans husband, the painter Carlos Vega, working with the architect Gloria Vega Martin and the preservation specialists Higgins Quasebarth & Partners, to have entirely rounded corners and edges, and a secondary, street-level gallery on Broadway with a uniquely sinuous wall. Altogether Shainman has taken over 20,000 square feet, complete with offices, viewing rooms and many dramatic views of the courthouses and municipal buildings around Foley Square. Welcome to Best of Late Night, a rundown of the previous nights highlights that lets you sleep and lets us get paid to watch comedy. Here are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now. Bye Bye, TikTok Depending on how the Supreme Court rules, a federal ban on TikTok could take effect on Sunday. On Wednesdays The Daily Show, Jordan Klepper said Americans shouldnt be surprised if the ban is upheld because the Supreme Court is not exactly TikToks core demographic theyre more of a Walgreens app type of crowd. Follow live updates on the Supreme Court ruling against TikTok. As a TikTok ban looms, hundreds of thousands of Americans casting about for a new video-sharing app have migrated to Xiaohongshu, a social media platform that translates as Little Red Book, the American nickname for a classic compendium of quotations from Chairman Mao. It has all played out like a global practical joke on the American government: Threatened with exile from TikTok over concerns of Chinese interference, its users have simply scrolled to a different Chinese app, one whose name evokes the Chinese Communist Party. When I downloaded Xiaohongshu, widely called RedNote, it was ranked first among free apps in Apples U.S. App Store. (The second was Lemon8, another Chinese TikTok alternative owned by TikToks parent company, ByteDance.) I surrendered my phone number, reported my gender and ticked off some of my interests: baby care, calligraphy, snacks. Then I absorbed a selection of the apps algorithmically selected videos: A girl in a lace veil eating an ice pop the size of her head; a woman preparing dinner in the back seat of a minicar lined with animal plushies; a stirring fan edit of Luigi Mangione court appearances. Soon I started to see videos pitched directly at me welcome notes created for the American TikTok user who recently arrived on RedNotes shores. Inside the world of Xiaohongshu, the Americans downloading the app en masse have been branded TikTok refugees. Its existing Chinese users have jokingly advertised themselves as the Americans new Chinese spies, started administering Mandarin lessons and formed in-app group chats for refugees to get the lay of the land. They have warned that they intend to collect a tax from foreign users (the price tag: You must share a picture of a cat). Disputes delayed an Israeli vote on the cease-fire Israels cabinet said yesterday that it was unlikely to meet to ratify a cease-fire agreement that had raised hopes for an end to 15 months of devastating war in Gaza. At the time this briefing was sent, they were not expected to meet until at least today. Heres the latest. Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels hard-line national security minister, threatened to resign and remove his party from the government if the deal was approved. The office of Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, accused Hamas of trying to renegotiate parts of the deal. Netanyahus spokesman said that Hamas had demanded changes to the deployment of Israeli troops along Gazas border with Egypt, as well as the release of certain terrorists unacceptable to Israel. A senior Hamas official said the group was committed to the deal, but specific questions about the disputes went unanswered. The Biden administration said that its team was continuing to work with Israeli officials and mediators. I am confident and I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. Israeli government officials said they would wait at least until tomorrow before voting to ratify a deal to pause the fighting in Gaza and secure the release of dozens of Israeli hostages. The vote, which had been expected today, was delayed as diplomats raced to work through last-minute disputes between the two sides. The cease-fire agreement also received pushback from within Israels government. Itamar Ben-Gvir, a right-wing minister, threatened to resign if the cabinet approved the plan. This deal would effectively erase the achievements of the war, he said. But Israeli opposition leaders pledged to support the prime ministers effort to approve the truce. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today that he remained confident that the deal would go into effect as planned on Sunday. The U.S. and other mediators hope the deal which would begin with a 42-day truce and the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners will ultimately end the war that began with the Hamas-led attack in October 2023. In Gaza, the nearly uninterrupted fighting has left Hamas severely battered. Many Gazans reacted to news of the deal with wary hope mixed with sadness, exhaustion and fear. A test for Trumps cabinet pick For businesses and markets, perhaps the most important of the hearings for the incoming Trump administrations Cabinet picks starts on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Eastern. Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trumps choice for Treasury secretary, will likely be confirmed by the Senate. But the billionaire hedge fund manager is still expected to face tough questions about his bosss economic agenda, which has the potential to drastically disrupt global economies and trade. We can usher in a new, more balanced era of prosperity and rebuild communities and families across the country, Bessent is expected to say in prepared remarks to the Senate Finance Committee. Critics are skeptical. Bessent has spent his life helping the rich get richer, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Democrat of Massachusetts, told The Times. (Democrats intend to grill him on matters including how he collected earnings from his hedge fund that, they say, allowed him to avoid paying more than $900,000 in payroll taxes.) Before Marie Kondo captured the worlds attention with her exhortations to rid ourselves of items that did not spark joy, there was another Japanese guru of decluttering. Her name is Hideko Yamashita. And while Ms. Yamashita, 70, has never reached Ms. Kondos level of Netflix-induced fame, she is widely credited in Japan with spearheading the modern movement of decluttering our homes or, as it has come to be called overseas, kondo-ing. The two women, born three decades apart in Tokyo, both preach the idea that households amass too much stuff. Letting go of unnecessary items and creating minimalist, tidier spaces, they argue, can enhance mental well-being. Ms. Yamashita said she admired Ms. Kondo, 40, for taking these ideas to the Western world. A spokeswoman for Ms. Kondo acknowledged in a statement that Ms. Yamashita had been a leading figure in the tidying trend for years, but said Ms. Kondo had established her own philosophies. Josiah Best, a police officer who responded, administered several field sobriety tests. He wrote in his report that Mr. Allsop could not maintain his balance and was unable to follow a pen with his eyes. When Mr. Allsop refused to take a blood test, Mr. Best handcuffed Mr. Allsop and drove him to the Chatham County Detention Center, according to the report. In a statement, Southwest said the employee involved in the situation on Flight 3772 Wednesday morning from Savannah has been removed from duty. The passengers, who were on the flight to Chicago Midway Airport, were put on other flights, the airline said. The company did not provide further details about the pilots employment or experience. A spokeswoman for the airport police said on Thursday that she had no immediate comment. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, the union that represents more than 11,000 Southwest pilots, did not reply to a request for comment. Mr. Allsop could not be reached by telephone; it was not immediately clear if he had a lawyer. There were no further details about Mr. Allsops condition. The Federal Aviation Administration said its regulations prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty and from flying, or trying to fly, an aircraft within eight hours of consuming alcohol, or if they have a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater. Hank Sanders contributed reporting. The Director of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) of Ukraine filed a complaint with the High Council of Justice (HCJ) asking to bring to disciplinary liability a judge of Kyiv's Pechersk District Court, NABU said. "During the investigation into possible abuses by officials of the judicial system and law enforcement agencies, it was established that at the end of 2023, this judge made a number of decisions for which there are objective doubts about their compliance with the law," NABU said in a statement on its Telegram channel on Thursday. According to the Bureau, these are cases on the return of money seized during the investigation. "In the first case, the judge made a decision, thanks to which the money seized during the search was received not by the owner, but by an outsider who had nothing to do with these funds. In the second case, the situation was similar: the seized money was returned to the other party, who had no right to these funds," the NABU said. In total, as the bureau states, this about amounts of more than UAH 4.1 million and more than UAH 15 million. NABU also said the judge has already made "similar questionable decisions that became the subject of preliminary complaints to the High Council of Justice." The NABU report does not indicate the name of the judge. As a source in the anti-corruption agencies told the agency, this is about judge Tetiana Illieva. Follow live updates on the Supreme Court ruling against TikTok. Over the last week, the videos started appearing on TikTok from users across the United States. They all made fun of the same thing: how the apps ties to China made it a national security threat. Many implied that their TikTok accounts had each been assigned an agent of the Chinese government to spy on them through the app and that the users would miss their personal spies. May we meet again in another life, one user wrote in a video goodbye set to Whitney Houstons cover of Dolly Partons I Will Always Love You. The video included an A.I.-generated image of a Chinese military officer. The videos were just one way that some of TikToks 170 million monthly U.S. users were reacting as they prepared for the app to disappear from the country as soon as Sunday. The E.P.A. does not have the resources to test every vehicle sold in the United States and relies on manufacturers to provide emissions data for their products. Hinos violations were discovered after the agency conducted its own checks, the agency said. In a statement, the company said: Hino voluntarily disclosed these issues to U.S. authorities in 2019 and has provided what the U.S. Department of Justice has called exemplary cooperation with the D.O.J.s investigation. The agreements resolve all of the companys outstanding legal issues in the United States related to its legacy emissions issues. Diesel engines produce large amounts of nitrogen oxides, which are linked to asthma, cardiovascular problems and other serious ailments, and contribute to climate change. Automakers use technology to control the pollution, but adding it to engines makes vehicles more expensive and can affect their performance. Several automakers have been caught cheating. Hinos misconduct involved 110,000 motors that were imported and installed in trucks that the company sold in the United States from 2010 to 2022, the E.P.A. said. As part of a settlement, which must be approved by a federal judge, Hino will be barred from importing diesel engines to the United States for five years. It will also recall motors in trucks from the 2017 to 2019 model years and make modifications to bring them into compliance with emissions regulations. Hino also agreed to improve its internal controls to prevent future misconduct. And the company will finance programs designed to compensate for the excess pollution from its engines that, for example, will replace older diesel engines in 35 ships and train locomotives with cleaner motors. Doug Burgum, President-elect Donald J. Trumps choice to lead the Interior Department, said on Thursday he viewed Americas public lands and waters as part of the countrys financial balance sheet, with potentially trillions of dollars worth of oil, gas and minerals waiting to be extracted beneath the surface. Mr. Burgum, who served two terms as governor of North Dakota, insisted that the United States was in the midst of an energy crisis, even as it is producing more oil than any nation at any time in history and is the worlds leading exporter of liquefied natural gas. He said if confirmed he intended to realize Mr. Trumps vision of energy dominance, a phrase that is shorthand for more fossil fuel production, and called that the foundation of American prosperity. Testifying before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Mr. Burgum also assured lawmakers he cared about conservation, but declared that any curbs on energy production posed a national security threat to the United States. Five years ago, protein alternatives appeared poised to take on the primacy of red meat by offering an option that was healthier, more ethical and better for the climate. The market has since contracted and a shadow hangs over the sector, due in no small part to the saga of Beyond Meat. Since the company went public in a blaze of glory in 2019, its stock price has tumbled from $234 to less than $4 a share, and the company is more than a billion dollars in debt. Mr. Brown blamed attacks from the meat and livestock antibiotics industries and criticisms from whole foods purists. Plant based meats were also increasingly seen as woke, while a series of blistering ads linked with the former tobacco lobbyist and public relations strategist, Richard Berman, characterized the products as chemically laden. Between 2020 and 2022, the number of plant based meat consumers who believed the products to be healthy fell from 50 percent to 38 percent, according to FMI, the Food Industry Association, a trade group. Mr. McGuinness said the sector had also likely been too hot and overhyped, causing other companies to rush in with inferior products that failed, spurring critics to say plant based meat was a fad. Impossible Foods, which is privately held, is on surer footing than Beyond Meat, according to one analyst. Mr. McGuinness said it was on a path to profitability, with a strong balance sheet and no debt. Still, it faces similar challenges as Beyond Meat in trying to win over meat eaters, the vast majority of whom have never tried plant based products. Maricruz Salgado was bringing her diabetes under control. Thanks to a federal program that allowed health clinics that serve poor people to buy drugs at steeply discounted prices, she was able to pay less than $75 for all five of her diabetes medications every three months. But in July, the cost of three of those drugs soared. Ms. Salgado, who does not have health insurance, suddenly faced costs of hundreds of dollars per month. She could not afford it. Her doctor switched her to cheaper medicines. Within days of taking one of them, she experienced dizzy spells so severe that she said could barely keep up with her hectic daily schedule as a phlebotomist and an in-home caregiver. By the time she returned to the doctor in September, her blood sugar levels had ticked up. We were in a good place, said Dr. Wesley Gibbert, who treats Ms. Salgado at Erie Family Health Centers, a network of clinics in Chicago that serves patients regardless of their ability to pay. And then all the medicines had to change. Can you explain how Orbans attack on independent media has played out over time? By independent accounts, 85 percent of outlets are controlled by the Hungarian government. I think what the prime minister realized after you know, he was elected to office, he had a term and then he lost before coming back to office in 2010 and I think what he realized in that interim period was it wasnt enough to just control the economy. He also had to control the media in order to stay in power. And so what commenced was effectively oligarchs purchasing independent media outlets in bulk and then donating those outlets to a purportedly independent foundation called KESMA, and on the board of KESMA are all of the Fidesz party loyalists. And we know that the government provides direction to those media outlets as to what stories they should write. Just to give you a flavor of how pervasive this is: When I arrived here, I met with the two leaders of this entity called the National Judicial Council, which is effectively the organization of judges thats supposed to be the autonomous voices of judges within the system. And the day after I met with these two judges, they were on the front page, branded as traitors. These two guys who had no profile were suddenly everywhere. There are 3,000 judges in Hungary, and Ive subsequently spoken with many judges. And what I will tell you is that every single one of those judges heard about this, saw it and got a message that if they stepped out of line, they too would be made famous. So the control of the media is instrumentalized. When I walk away from this experience, one of the things that is most alarming to me is just how easy it is to actually control people. It doesnt take secret police. It doesnt take guns. It doesnt take gulags. The reality is that if you have the ability to overwhelm the media ecosystem with lies, you make the cost of engaging in public debate so high that it becomes an existential one. What you seem to be suggesting is that control of the media really is at the crux of a lot of whats happened in Hungary because it allows what people think to be controlled. Just to think about it domestically briefly: In the previous administration, if you think about the power of a single tweet imagine youre in an environment where its not about a single mean tweet. Its actually CBS, NBC, ABC, The New York Times, The Washington Post, MSNBC, Fox every single outlet is saying the same thing about the same person. Its so overwhelming, its so scary and it changes peoples behavior. Lets talk about the broader landscape, because its not only American conservative movements and Orbans party that have these alliances. Weve seen a sort of global movement on the populist right, cooperating, meeting, forming relationships, exchanging ideas. What do you think we should understand about that broader international movement? Institutionally, I have enormous respect for the Foreign Service and for the State Department. Ive served at the State Department now under three presidents. And the State Department trains its officers to engage in a form of diplomacy that is, as we were discussing earlier, sort of the opposite of what is actually needed to tackle and shape the choices of these proto-authoritarian governments like Viktor Orbans and those who are emulating him. Orban has described Hungary as a petri dish for illiberalism. And I think hes actually right. This is a petri dish. This is an experiment. But I guess my thought and reflection after being here for these years is, if Hungary is going to be a petri dish for illiberalism, and these other proto-authoritarian leaders are going to look to it to model their behavior, it also has to be the testing ground for new forms of engaging with that government to try to meaningfully shape their choices in a way that further strengthens democratic institutions and values. It requires things that are unnatural to traditional diplomacy. Rather, the control comes through mind games and gaslighting, through denying the plain truth the family can see before their eyes. Official government claims of Rubenss escape from confinement are obviously false (it took until 2014 for anyone to be charged with his death), and the family is left in limbo. Its infuriating to watch, all the more because it really happened, and not just to the Paivas. Im Still Here stretches its storytelling across decades, tracing the long arm of the disappearances and their effect on a country, even when some might prefer to move on, to forget the past atrocities committed by those who are no longer in power. When a reporter asks Eunice if they shouldnt just pay attention to more urgent issues than fixing the past, she firmly disagrees. Families should be compensated for the crimes, but more important, the country needs to clarify and judge all crimes committed during the dictatorship, she insists. If that doesnt happen, they will continue to be committed with impunity. Im Still Here was released in Brazil in November 2024. Despite far-right campaigns urging people to boycott the film, it has been a huge hit, the highest-grossing Brazilian film in the country since the Covid-19 pandemic. Some have noted that the film hits hard in a country that unlike Chile and Argentina has never officially pursued accountability for the militarys role in torturing and murdering citizens during the dictatorship. The movie was also released just as details emerged of a plotted coup to keep former President Jair Bolsonaro, who defended the military dictatorship, in power after he lost the 2022 election. So the films popularity is no mystery. Yet Im Still Here does not present as a simple polemic about a historical and political situation, and thats the secret to its global appeal. Its also a moving portrait of how politics disrupts and reshapes the domestic sphere, and how solidarity, community and love are the only viable path toward living in tragedy. And it warns us to mistrust anyone who tries to erase or rewrite the past. Throughout the story, Salles repeatedly shows the family shooting photographs and Super 8 film that preserve their memories. The director has said that movies are instruments against forgetting, and that he believes cinema reconstructs memory. With Im Still Here, hes aiming to make sure nobody can forget. Im Still Here Rated PG-13 for what happens during life under dictatorship, including sounds of torture. In Portuguese, with subtitles. Running time: 2 hours 16 minutes. In theaters. Rudolph W. Giuliani has reached a settlement with two Georgia election workers who he repeatedly, and falsely, claimed had helped to steal the 2020 election. The former mayor of New York was at risk of losing millions of dollars worth of personal mementos, valuables and real estate that he had gathered over his decades practicing law and then in public office. He had previously been ordered to pay down some $11 million of a $148 million judgment he owed the election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Shaye Moss, who he claimed had manipulated ballots. The full details of the settlement have yet to be released, but a letter signed by both sides in the case said that, once certain conditions were met, it would result in the conclusion of all litigation. Mr. Giuliani declared victory and said he was going to hang onto all of a treasure trove of items that included a 10-room apartment on the Upper East Side, a vintage Mercedes-Benz convertible and a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey. Mr. Adams, Mr. Cuomo and Mr. Stringer have all faced allegations of sexual misconduct, which they have denied, and they are hoping that voters are less concerned about potential #MeToo issues. Mr. Cuomo performed well in one recent poll at 32 percent, followed by Mr. Stringer at 10 percent. Several candidates have focused on improving child and after-school care. Zellnor Myrie, a state senator from Brooklyn, has pushed for years for universal after-school programs. Jessica Ramos, a state senator from Queens, has made universal child care a key issue in Albany. Brad Lander, the current city comptroller, has called on Mr. Adams to reverse his cuts to preschool and to make the program universal for 3- and 4-year-olds. Mr. Stringer has been one of the strongest fund-raisers in the field and announced on Wednesday that he had raised more than $4 million, including public matching funds. Mr. Stringer, who lives in Lower Manhattan with his wife and two sons who are 11 and 13, said in an interview that his family had navigated paying for the high costs of child care and juggling after-school schedules. He often talked about his sons during the 2021 campaign, weighing whether to send them back to school during the pandemic and hitting the trail on Fathers Day. The child care fund, which has been successful in Michigan and gained national attention, would cost about $300 million per year to reach 100,000 families in the first phase; extending the school day would cost about $500 million annually. Mr. Stringer said that about 60 percent of the funding for a longer school day would come from federal and state grants. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of Americans over the age of 65 grew faster than it had in more than 100 years. The American population is older than its ever been, with more than 55 million people over 65. But those fortunate enough to live well into late adulthood also face an unfortunate reality: There are not enough doctors to give them the care they need. There is about one geriatrician for every 10,000 older Americans. And its getting worse. The number of board-certified geriatricians has fallen from about 10,000 in 2000 to barely 7,400 in 2022. This is obviously bad news for the elderly. Just as the human body and brain are fundamentally different in childhood, so too do they differ in old age. Immunological functioning weakens, muscle mass declines, the kidneys become smaller and the body stores water differently. Medication functions differently in both the body and the brain. But many doctors dont learn enough about these differences in medical schools, the majority of which dont report requiring a geriatric rotation. This also means a missed opportunity for future doctors, who might find greater fulfillment and lower burnout in a specialty that centers the kind of mission-based, patient-centered medicine many aspiring doctors value. Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko visited Donetsk region, where he met with brigades of the National Guard, border guards, rescuers and police officers taking part in the fighting. "We have held a working meeting with the participation of the head of Donetsk Regional State Administration Vadym Filashkin and the head of the State Emergency Service Andriy Danyk. I listened to the report of the command of the National Guard units, the leadership of the National Police, and brigade commanders. In this difficult situation in Donetsk region, it is important to hear the operational information of the direction," Klymenko wrote on the Telegram channel following the trip. He noted that in the last week alone, the soldiers of the 18th Sloviansk Brigade killed and wounded almost 70 occupiers, defeated or destroyed more than 10 pieces of equipment, and destroyed 57 enemy drones of various types. The servicemen of the National Guard brigades Chervona Kalyna and Kara-Dag repelled more than 30 assault attempts. The total losses of the enemy amounted to more than 100 infantry, as well as enemy equipment and artillery systems destroyed. Last week, Pomsta border guards eliminated 66 invaders and injured 61 others. More than 50 pieces of equipment and 114 drones were destroyed. Fifteen ammunition and fuel depots were hit. "Police officers in Donetsk region are not only fighting, but also ensuring law and order and evacuating civilians. Since the evacuation was announced, more than 9,000 families have been evacuated from dangerous areas. These are, in particular, 13,350 children. Rescuers in Donetsk region eliminated more than 1,200 fires last year, evacuated 1,630 people, and delivered more than 19,000 cubic meters of drinking water," the minister added. "I thank everyone who serves here in Donetsk region. You are a protection not only for local residents, you are a protection for the whole country," he concluded. A few years ago, when I was part of a crew fighting a series of large wildfires in Californias wilderness, my bosses told me, This isnt normal. Climate change was making the wildfires bigger, faster and harder to stop. It seemed like only a matter of time before the conditions grew dangerous enough to threaten some of Californias biggest cities, including Los Angeles. Parts of Los Angeles have been burning for over a week, and with at least 12,000 structures damaged or destroyed, the Palisades and Eaton fires are among the most destructive in U.S. history. The science is clear: To prevent catastrophic fires like these, we must stop burning fossil fuels and use controlled burns to reduce the available kindling. But President-elect Donald Trumps incoming administration may hinder our ability to do either. By re-electing Mr. Trump, Americans have significantly increased the odds that such disasters will happen more frequently, and with more intensity, in the future. Mr. Trump plans to expand fossil fuel extraction, waive environmental protections, block renewable energy development and withdraw again from the Paris climate accord. So far, key designees for his cabinet have denied or misrepresented basic climate science, and those who have been named to wield the power to regulate the fossil fuel industry seem most likely to prop it up. To add insult to injury, Mr. Trump and his allies have used the Los Angeles wildfires as an opportunity to continue sowing division. Mr. Trump made false claims about the states water allocation. Elon Musk, who is co-leading the Department of Government Efficiency, an advisory panel, blamed the citys diversity initiatives for the fires. Nothing should be shocking after Jan. 6, 2021, when an American presidents scheming to overturn the legitimate results of a fair election culminated in the bloody breaching of the Capitol. Still, Im aghast at the audacity of what Republicans here in North Carolina are up to. They are following in their leaders footsteps and trying to steal an election. And if such an effort no longer seems as strange and sinister as it did before Donald Trump stormed onto the political scene and took a torch to whatever scruples still existed, thats all the more reason to examine it closely. We need to be clear about where things stand. With an election denier about to move back into the White House and his disciples emboldened, our democracy is in danger. Thats the moral of the North Carolina story. Its much, much bigger than this state. The details: On Nov. 5, a seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court was up for grabs, and the first official vote count showed that Allison Riggs, one of two Democrats among the courts seven justices, had won re-election by a slim margin. Her Republican challenger, Jefferson Griffin, demanded recounts. All in all, three separate counts gave Riggs a victory by slightly over 700 votes. Which, in a properly functioning democracy with candidates and elected officials who put civic order and basic decency above their rapacity for power, would be the end of it. Hah. Griffin wont concede. He continues to contest the result, which is being litigated simultaneously in state and federal courts. There wont be any resolution for weeks. In the third episode of Selling the City, Netflixs new Manhattan-based spinoff of Selling Sunset, the seriess star, Eleonora Srugo, attends an awards dinner for her brokerage. In a scene that has become boilerplate in the crowded genre of real estate reality television, Ms. Srugo wearing an $842 crystal-encrusted David Koma top that scoops down to her navel is surrounded by both allies and adversaries as she makes a toast. This is not the City of Angels, its the city of empires, she says, raising a glass of champagne. So heres to us. To breaking records and to building empires. One empire that Selling the City is building is the franchise itself. Its the third spinoff for Selling Sunset, which is now in its eighth season and continues to pull in millions of viewers for each episode. Selling the OC, set in Orange County, Calif., began its third season in May; Selling Tampa, which featured an all-Black cast on the Gulf Coast of Florida, was canceled after one season. They changed the way they searched for animal carcasses to scavenge, for example. The hominins found the ponds and streams that sprang into existence after storms. They didnt just drink at these fleeting watering holes. They hunted the animals that also showed up there, butchering their carcasses by the thousands. The hominins also adapted by upgrading their tools. They took more care when chipping flakes from stones to give them a sharper edge. Rather than just pick up rocks wherever they were, they preferred material from particular places. And once they made a tool, they carried it with them. They may have had strategies where they basically say, This is a good tool. I should bring it with me and be ready if we find food, said Paul Durkin, a geologist at the University of Manitoba who also worked on the study. Dr. Durkin and his colleagues found that Engaji Nanyori was at the southern edge of a vast belt of desert shrub lands that stretched out of Africa, across much of the Middle East and into Asia. Its possible that the adaptability that Homo erectus displayed at Engaji Nanyori helped them expand to other continents. Dr. Zeller and her colleagues have taken a different approach to studying hominins: creating large-scale climate models to figure out what conditions were like during our evolution. Their models, like the new study, suggest that Homo erectus may have thrived in environments that were once thought too harsh for species other than our own. Studies like the ones Dr. Zeller and the Engaji Nanyori team are conducting are all starting to tell the same story, she said. We definitely have to look further back in time to understand our adaptability. The seventh test flight of SpaceXs Starship rocket failed on Thursday as the vehicles upper stage experienced a catastrophic malfunction as it headed upward to space. SpaceX was able to achieve some success by repeating the feat of catching the gargantuan Super Heavy booster back at the launchpad. But then data indicated that some of the engines on an upgraded, longer version of the upper stage shut down prematurely. About 8.5 minutes after launch, communications between the ground and the upper-stage vehicle, which is known as Starship, were cut off. We can confirm that we did lose the ship, said Kate Tice, one of the hosts of SpaceXs video stream of the launch. A few miles from the rubble left behind by the Eaton fire, a Los Angeles art studio grew densely packed over the weekend with the supplies a teenage girl might need to start over. Sports bras and graphic T-shirts dangled from hangers. Converse sneakers were arrayed by size on the concrete floor. Clear plastic bins overflowed with deodorant, hair products and pastel pimple patches. All of the items collected in the airy warehouse in the Boyle Heights neighborhood were free to teenagers whose homes had been incinerated in the citys devastating wildfires. While many relief efforts for victims of the fires have focused on more acute needs like shelter and food, Avery Colvert, an eighth grader in Pasadena, started a donation drive called Altadena Girls last week with a slightly less obvious remit. She wanted to offer young women essentials they had lost, plus some of the everyday luxuries that might help restore a touch of normalcy to their lives. Relief organizations responding to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area are expecting donations of canned food, bottled water, personal hygiene products, blankets, baby formula, kitchen supplies and other necessities in the coming weeks. They will also receive clothing. Mountains of it. As aid workers well know, many Americans are eager to donate their used clothes. In the aftermath of natural disasters, the heartfelt desire to assist people in need seems to meet the opportunity to purge ones closet. When Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina last fall, causing floods and destroying or damaging more than 70,000 homes, volunteer workers there were in sore need of electric blankets and propane heaters to distribute as cold weather set in. What they often received, by the car and truck load, was used clothes. It became truly overwhelming, said Valentine Reilly, who lives in Boone, N.C., and co-founded State Line Resource Station, a rural distribution center that was up and running days after the storm. Theres no way we have the manpower to clean, sort and organize into sizes. At 222 Lafayette, the new location of Crispy Heaven, a SoHo bakery and cafe, the owner Fel Cassieli sells baguettes with a golden-brown crunchy crust, their insides meltingly soft. Crispy Heaven bakes all day, so a visitor is likely to get one fresh and warm from the oven. There are also loaves of sesame, raisin walnut, olive, and multigrain, along with potato caraway sourdough and dense dark rugbrot, the Danish-style rye that goes perfectly with smoked salmon. Cassieli was a model living in SoHo when she taught herself to bake. I didnt know what I was doing but it was so much fun, she says. Friends said, Why dont you open a bakery? I thought they were nuts. But I did it. In 2021, she opened on Grand Street, where she developed the breads and other dishes that she now serves on Lafayette from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.: scrambled eggs cooked in clarified butter and accompanied by a pile of bacon and bread with housemade seasonal fruit jam; bacon rolls with farm-fresh eggs and Gouda cheese; sandwiches with Italian ham or short ribs with caramelized onion on baguettes; spicy tuna salad. In a month or so, Casielli plans to add a dinner menu that will include her succulent roast octopus with saffron mayonnaise. And for dessert, theres her subtle almond cake, a chocolate ganache and a sky-high apple crumb cake served with a big bowl of homemade whipped cream. instagram.com/crispyheavennyc. From Ts Instagram Anduril, a technology start-up that designs autonomous systems and weapons for government agencies and the military, plans to build a $1 billion factory in Columbus, Ohio, the company said on Thursday. It said the factory, called Arsenal-1 and described as a hyperscale plant, would bring more than 4,000 job to Ohio and eventually produce tens of thousands of autonomous systems and weapons each year. We will be creating with our partners in Ohio something that does not currently exist at such a scale, Andurils chief strategy officer, Chris Brose, said in a briefing with reporters. The company has worked closely with state officials on the project and has secured tax breaks to locate it in Columbus. Anduril, based in Costa Mesa, Calif., is among a new wave defense start-ups working to build autonomous systems and weapons for the military using the latest artificial intelligence technologies. They includes flying drones, underwater vessels and surveillance towers that could be deployed along national borders or on a battlefield. The Biden administration on Thursday withdrew a proposal to expand protections for an endangered whale species. The rules would have required some ships along the Eastern Seaboard to slow down. North Atlantic right whales, a rare species conservationists have aimed to safeguard, have been injured or killed by collisions with vessels along the East coast. In August 2022, the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed rules to lower the risk of whale strikes by expanding existing slow zones and regulating more types of ships. But after bristling public debate over the rules and with just days left in President Bidens term, the agency canned the suggested change. The service received over 90,000 public comments on the rule change, according to the agencys filing, which was published in the Federal Register on Thursday. Despite its best efforts, N.M.F.S. does not have sufficient time to finalize this regulation in this administration due to the scope and volume of public comments, the agency said in the filing. On January 23, 2025 in Davos (Switzerland), the Victor Pinchuk Foundation and EastOne, will host the annual Ukrainian Breakfast discussion, their traditional event, which takes place on the occasion of the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF). The discussion will offer an urgent perspective on the shifts reshaping the global order and highlights Ukraine's crucial role at this pivotal moment. According to the organizers' press release issued on Thursday, the discussion panel will include Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary-General, Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, Edgars Rinkevics, President of the Republic of Latvia, Alexander Stubb, President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander De Croo, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Belgium, and Andrej Plenkovic, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia. The event will be livestreamed at 7:30 am (CET), available via this link: https://www.youtube.com/live/Sqnl47Nlkms. The organizers and this year's partners of the Ukrainian Breakfast 2025, the International Renaissance Foundation and Kyivstar, recalled that the Ukrainian Breakfast (Lunch) discussion at Davos has been held annually since 2005 with the aim of putting Ukraine on the international agenda and to bring Ukrainian and international leaders together. In addition to the traditional Ukrainian Breakfast Discussion, the Victor Pinchuk Foundation will host the project 'Your Country First Win With Us', combining an ongoing discussion program and an exhibition, which shows a world at an inflection point. Global political leaders, thinkers and activists will analyse geopolitical and other global implications of the war in Ukraine. The discussion program will show threats of the aggressor against countries far beyond Ukraine. The Project 'Your Country First Win With Us' will take place at Promenade 59, Davos, in a space shared with Ukraine House Davos. The Victor Pinchuk Foundation will also continue its commitment to promoting Ukraine as an investment destination at the WEF annual meeting, once again co-organizing the Ukraine House Davos (21-23 January, at Promenade 59, Davos) with partners UMAEF and Horizon Capital. Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at expediting the construction of temporary housing for the tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents who have been displaced by the wildfires in Southern California. The order, which also places strict limits on price gouging on rentals and hotels, is part of an effort by state and local officials to combat a frenzied run on real estate as thousands of displaced residents scramble to find rooms, apartments and homes. Today, we are expediting the creation of new temporary housing by removing roadblocks and strengthening protections against exploitation, Governor Newsom said in a statement. The initiative will ease restrictions on mobile homes and temporary housing, in part by allowing emergency agencies to more easily build those structures on burned lots, the governors office said. The order will also extend prohibitions on price gouging by property sellers, landlords and hotel operators, as the demand for temporary housing has set off bidding wars and eye-watering price increases for real estate. An earlier executive order from Governor Newsom had restricted unsolicited offers, property speculation and evictions in areas burned by the wildfires. It also capped rental increases to 10 percent for as long as the crisis persists. Eight shelters have been opened in Los Angeles by the Red Cross and other disaster relief agencies. Together, they can house around 800 people. As the Palisades and Eaton fires, the two largest in the area, have destroyed or damaged a total of more than 10,000 structures, it has laid bare the inequalities in what was already one of Americas least affordable housing markets. A man was arrested in connection with the Little Mountain fire, a fast-burning brush fire that was halted by firefighters near San Bernardino, Calif., on Wednesday, the police said. The small blaze was stopped on Wednesday by San Bernardino County fire crews, who said there had been no injuries or damage to structures reported. It had burned 34 acres as of Thursday morning, according to Cal Fire, in an area about 50 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. The San Bernardino police said in a statement that officers had arrested the man on suspicion of offenses including reckless burning, a felony. California officials have made other arrests for arson as wildfires have ravaged the Los Angeles area over the last two weeks. The Palisades and Eaton fires, which remain active, have killed at least 27 people and destroyed more than 10,000 structures. Their causes remain under investigation. Tens of thousands of residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders. As of Thursday morning, the Palisades fire near Malibu and the Pacific Palisades neighborhood was only 21 percent contained. The Eaton fire, burning near Pasadena, was 55 percent contained. Perdue Farms and JBS, two of the countrys biggest meatpackers, will pay a combined $8 million after the Department of Labor found the companies relied for years on migrant children to work in their slaughterhouses. The deals, announced this week, are part of a flurry of child labor settlements that have come in the last days of the Biden administration, which has been cracking down on the practice. It is rare for major brands to come under federal scrutiny for child labor. Many food-processing and manufacturing companies outsource cleaning and other jobs to third-party staffing firms, which technically employ the workers and shield companies from any violations. Federal investigators found that children had been working at a Perdue plant on Virginias Eastern Shore as far back as 2020. The children, who had been hired by a staffing firm, worked late hours and performed dangerous tasks with electric knives and hot sealing tools. James Skoufis, a little-known New York state senator whose long-shot campaign to lead the Democratic National Committee failed to catch fire, has dropped out of the race and endorsed Ken Martin, the Minnesota Democratic chairman who has drawn the most support so far. Mr. Skoufis, 37, had pitched himself as a party outsider with a track record of winning in a district full of voters who also backed President-elect Donald J. Trump. But his lack of prior relationships with the 448 members of the national committee made the task of winning commitments to vote for him in the partys Feb. 1 election too steep. I am throwing my full weight behind ensuring Ken Martin is the next chair of the Democratic National Committee, Mr. Skoufis said in statement circulated Thursday. I endorse Ken in the strongest possible terms and will use my time between now and Feb. 1 to make sure hes our next chair. Mr. Skoufiss decision was reported earlier by Politico. There are no public polls or tallies tracking the candidates support in the race to lead a party still reeling from a devastating defeat in November. But Mr. Martin, who in his own statement called Mr. Skoufis an effective, fresh messenger, has claimed to have the most support, an assertion backed up by Democratic officials who are watching the race closely. For much of the past decade, Democratic politics has revolved around opposing Donald J. Trump. But as he prepares to return to the White House again on Monday, some Democrats are exploring a different approach: carefully calibrated stabs at the idea of coexistence. In some of the nations most liberal bastions, mayors and state officials are emphasizing quality-of-life problems close to home and insisting they want to work with the incoming administration. On Capitol Hill, dozens of Democrats voted with Republicans to take a harder line on some undocumented immigrants, and Democratic senators released a video declaring that we are not here because of who we are against. And prominent Democratic governors are highlighting areas of potential agreement, while also signaling that they have some policy red lines. As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan put it in a speech on Wednesday, I wont go looking for fights. I wont back down from them, either. Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday appointed Representative Rick Crawford of Arkansas as the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, a move that was seen as aligning the powerful panel more closely with the agenda of President-elect Donald J. Trump. The appointment of Mr. Crawford came amid much consternation on Capitol Hill over Mr. Johnsons sudden and unexpected removal on Wednesday of Representative Michael R. Turner of Ohio, who had served for three years as the top Republican on the panel and had at times been critical of Mr. Trump. Mr. Turner had been an influential, and increasingly lonely, G.O.P. voice in support of Americas traditional role in intelligence-gathering operations and supporting allies abroad. But he had voted to certify President Bidens victory over Mr. Trump in 2020. Mr. Crawford, by contrast, voted to object to the 2020 election results. While Mr. Turner played a pivotal role in the Republican push on Capitol Hill to continue sending aid to Ukraine for its battle against Russian aggression, Mr. Crawford has at times voted against funding Kyivs war effort. The circular thought I experienced in front of that mural was absurd: that I would never live the life I wanted because I wouldnt be able to focus on anything except, well, worrying. But in that old Victorian house, I met Nate, and we quickly morphed from roommates into friends. We played guitar in the living room, prepared homemade dessert hummus and dissected our ongoing exoduses from the Judeo-Christian faiths in which wed grown up. Not only that, Nate was a meditation teacher and he gradually became mine. Early on, he introduced me to The Miracle of Mindfulness, a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, the late Vietnamese Zen master who popularized Buddhist meditation and mindfulness in the West. The classic, his second of more than 100 titles, celebrates its 50th year in circulation. In it, Thay (the Vietnamese word for teacher and what Thich Nhat Hanh is often called) offers simple steps to internal harmony amid uncertainty and discord. His teachings are rooted in mindful appreciation of the present moment, no matter its circumstances. In The Miracle of Mindfulness, he wrote: Meditation is not evasion; it is a serene encounter with reality. When I first read that line, every day seemed like one endless attempt at evasion.I was trying to temper my intrusive thoughts that Id swerve into oncoming traffic; or that if I didnt pray before a meal, I was morally at fault by using logic, facts and statistics. But doing that only perpetuated the worrying. I know now that many people have thoughts like these. The difference is that for people without O.C.D., these thoughts are fleeting. For people like me though, especially those who havent undergone treatment, these ruminations stick, even though we often understand that they make no sense. Scientists and public interest groups have raised concerns about the dye for decades. The F.D.A. even banned Red Dye No. 3 in cosmetics like lipsticks and drugs applied to the skin in 1990, after industry-funded research found that it led to thyroid cancer in rats. But it was still allowed to be used as an additive in food and drugs. In 2022, several public interest groups petitioned the F.D.A. to revoke its authorization of Red Dye No. 3 and pointed to studies that showed male lab rats that were exposed to high levels of the chemical developed thyroid cancer. Consumers should not be placed, as they have for the last several decades, in this situation where they need to check the package every time to see if this chemical that F.D.A. should have banned is still there, said Dr. Peter Lurie, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a group that petitioned the F.D.A. In announcing its decision, the F.D.A. noted that studies had not found a link to cancer in other types of animals. The agency added that any claims that people are at risk because of the use of the dye in food and ingested drugs are not supported by the available scientific information. Are there other concerns with Red Dye No. 3? Beyond the cancer risk, some research has found a link between consuming synthetic food dyes, including Red Dye No. 3, and behavioral issues like hyperactivity in some children. But there are limitations to those studies, including that many of the trials studying the question have been small. Sudans military has used chemical weapons on at least two occasions against the paramilitary group it is battling for control of the country, four senior United States officials said on Thursday. The weapons were deployed recently in remote areas of Sudan, and targeted members of the Rapid Support Forces paramilitaries that the army has been fighting since April 2023. But U.S. officials worry the weapons could soon be used in densely populated parts of the capital, Khartoum. The revelations about chemical weapons came as the United States announced sanctions on Thursday against the Sudanese military chief, Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, for documented atrocities by his troops, including indiscriminate bombing of civilians and the use of starvation as a weapon of war. The use of chemical weapons crosses yet another boundary in the war between the Sudanese military and the R.S.F., its former ally. By many measures, the conflict in Sudan has created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with as many as 150,000 people killed, over 11 million displaced and now the worlds worst famine in decades. There is arguably no statesman who cuts such a striking political resemblance to Donald J. Trump than Jair Bolsonaro, Brazils former president. The two men built their brash political brands on insulting rivals, attacking the press, doubting science and vowing to unroot political elites. When they were each running for re-election, they both warned that only fraud could cause them to lose. And when each lost, they both questioned the results and helped spark attempted insurrections in their respective capitols. Since then, however, their political paths have dramatically diverged. On Monday, Mr. Trump is set to return to the White House. Mr. Bolsonaro has been invited to attend the inauguration but he will have to watch from home. That is because Brazils Supreme Court confiscated his passport as part of sprawling investigations into what it says were his efforts to subvert democracy probes that could land him in prison this year. No one has the right to prevent Members of Parliament (MP) from traveling both within Ukraine and abroad, the lawyer of MP Petro Poroshenko (European Solidarity faction), Ihor Holovan, has said Thursday. "Petro Poroshenko was once again not allowed through the state border, important meetings to protect the interests of Ukraine were disrupted again. This time the officials of the 6th Volyn border guard detachment distinguished themselves, for whom an authoritative instruction is worth more than the clear and precise norm of Article 26 of the law on the status of People's Deputy of Ukraine, according to which the constitutional rights and freedoms of a people's deputy cannot be restricted even in conditions of martial law or state of emergency. No one has the right to prevent MPs from traveling both within Ukraine and abroad," he said on Facebook. The lawyer also said that the officials concealed the grounds for their actions. "According to their claim, Petro Poroshenko 'could not provide to passport control documents confirming the basis for traveling abroad.' What exactly was Petro Poroshenko 'unable to provide'? 'The highest permission'? Border guards are silent about it, and therefore we will again find out this secret in court," he said. As reported, Poroshenko during a speech from the rostrum of the Verkhovna Rada on Thursday said that he was illegally not allowed to cross the Ukrainian border when he was on his way to a meeting with the leaders of the European People's Party in Brussels. In response to Poroshenko's statement, Verkhovna Rada Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk confirmed that Poroshenko indeed had a signed business trip to a meeting of the Political Assembly of the European People's Party, which was held on January 13-14 in the city of Brussels. The trip was signed for the period from January 11 (departure) to January 15 (return). Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain met with President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine in Kyiv on Thursday, a show of solidarity four days before the inauguration of Donald J. Trump. The trip to Ukraine, Mr. Starmers first since he became prime minister over the summer, comes amid a flurry of diplomacy between Kyiv and its European allies, who are watching to see whether Mr. Trump maintains American support for Ukraine in the war against Russia. Britain is the third-largest provider of military aid to Ukraine, after the United States and Germany, and on Thursday Mr. Starmer and Mr. Zelensky signed a 100-year partnership between their two countries. We have reached a new level this is more than a strategic relationship, Mr. Zelensky told a news conference that the two leaders held. Mr. Starmer said that Britain would provide more military aid to Ukraine this year than ever before. In a dramatic show of the anger over American support for Israels war in Gaza, a farewell news conference by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken was interrupted by two pro-Palestinian journalists who accused him of enabling genocide. One shouted, Criminal! Why arent you in The Hague? as security officers carried him from the State Department briefing room. Another reporter was ejected from the room at the start of a rare appearance there by Mr. Blinken, who had come to summarize his four-year tenure and take final questions from reporters. At the news conference, Mr. Blinken said that, despite reports of last-minute snags, he was confident that the cease-fire deal reached this week by Hamas and Israel would begin to be carried out on Sunday as planned. Mr. Blinken otherwise covered largely familiar subject matter as he fielded questions largely focused on criticism of the Biden administrations continued supply of weapons to Israel as Palestinian casualties mounted, with Mr. Blinken noting that Hamas embedded itself among civilians. Some people say we did too much to restrain Israel, he said. Others say we did too much to enable. But the news conference was most memorable for the outbursts that punctured Mr. Blinkens opening remarks, the likes of which, Aaron David Miller, a former longtime diplomat, said on X he had never seen. The man picked up from his seat and carried away by several security officers was Sam Husseini, who identifies himself online as an independent journalist and writer who has been piercing through the establishments falsifications for 25 years and is known for his confrontational questions at department briefings. The other reporter was Max Blumenthal, a prominent left-wing journalist and fierce critic of Israeli policies, who asked Mr. Blinken, How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide? Then, referring to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, he added, You waved the white flag before Netanyahu! Such invective is by now all too familiar to Mr. Blinken, who most recently was shouted down and called a war criminal by protesters during remarks he gave on Gaza at a Washington think tank this week. In each case Mr. Blinken was largely unfazed, and continued his remarks once calm had returned to the room. Follow live updates on the deal for a cease-fire in Gaza. Israels military campaign in Gaza has delivered devastating blows to Hamas: It has killed top Hamas leaders and thousands of militants, pummeled the militant groups tunnel network and undermined its ability to threaten Israel with rocket fire. When Hamas launched its Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel, it had hoped to ignite a regional war that would draw in its allies and lead to Israels destruction. Instead, it has been left to fight Israel almost entirely alone. Its allies have been decimated in Lebanon, toppled in Syria and weakened in Iran. The Houthis in Yemen have only managed to inflict occasional rocket and drone attacks, most of which Israel has intercepted. Despite its isolation, however, Hamas remains the dominant Palestinian power in Gaza even after 15 months of Israeli bombardment, holding sway in displacement camps and refusing to surrender. Although many Palestinians have criticized the groups decision to carry out the October 2023 attack unleashing a war that has killed tens of thousands of Gazans and reduced cities to rubble it has faced relatively little popular unrest. Hamas has celebrated the provisional cease-fire agreement announced on Wednesday as an accomplishment, but its future role in Gaza remains uncertain. The deal calls for an eventual cessation of military operations and hostilities permanently, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has repeatedly suggested that he will resume attacking Hamas after some hostages held by militants are released. Yet if the full, multistage agreement is carried out, it could allow Hamas to rebuild its ironclad control over Gaza, or at least allow it to maintain an influential role in the territory. Analysts connected to Hamas believe that Israel will struggle to resume the war in the face of international pressure, and that Hamas will play an important role in the future of Gaza. Hamas will be present in every detail in Gaza, said Ibrahim Madhoun, an analyst close to the militant group who is based in Turkey. Trying to bypass Hamas will be like burying your head in the sand. Mr. Madhoun acknowledged that Hamass military wing, the Qassam Brigades, had suffered losses, but said it was still standing on solid ground and had recruited new people to replace those killed. Antony J. Blinken, the U.S. secretary of state, said this week that American officials had assessed that Hamas has brought in almost as many new fighters as it has lost in the war. More Americans, Risking Ruin, Drop Their Home Insurance Homeowners in places most exposed to climate disasters are increasingly giving up on paying their insurance premiums, leaving them exposed to financial ruin, according to sweeping new government data. The numbers show how climate change is eroding the underpinnings of American life by making home insurance costlier and harder to hang on to, even as wildfires, hurricanes and other calamities increasingly threaten what is, for many people, their most valuable asset. POLICIES CANCELED DUE TO NONPAYMENT, 2022 1% 2% 4% LOW OR NO DATA Wash. Maine Mont. N.D. Ore. Vt. N.H. Minn. Idaho Mass. N.Y. S.D. Wis. Conn. Mich. R.I. Wyo. Pa. Iowa N.J. Neb. Nev. Ohio Md. Del. Ind. Ill. Utah Calif. W.Va. Colo. Va. Kan. Mo. Ky. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ariz. S.C. N.M. Ark. Ga. Ala. Miss. Texas La. Fla. No data for Texas. Only partial information was available for seven other states. POLICIES CANCELED DUE TO NONPAYMENT, 2022 1% 2% 4% LOW OR NO DATA Wash. Maine Mont. N.D. Ore. Vt. N.H. Minn. Idaho Mass. N.Y. S.D. Wis. Conn. Mich. R.I. Wyo. Pa. Iowa N.J. Neb. Nev. Ohio Md. Del. Ind. Ill. Utah Calif. W.Va. Colo. Va. Kan. Mo. Ky. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ariz. S.C. N.M. Ark. Ga. Ala. Miss. Texas La. No data for Texas. Only partial information was available for seven other states. Fla. POLICIES CANCELED DUE TO NONPAYMENT, 2022 1% 2% 4% LOW OR NO DATA Wash. Maine Mont. N.D. Ore. Vt. N.H. Minn. Idaho Mass. N.Y. S.D. Wis. Conn. Mich. R.I. Wyo. Pa. Iowa N.J. Neb. Nev. Ohio Md. Del. Ind. Ill. Utah Calif. W.Va. Colo. Va. Kan. Mo. Ky. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ariz. S.C. N.M. Ark. Ga. Ala. Miss. Texas La. No data for Texas. Only partial information was available for seven other states. Fla. POLICIES CANCELED DUE TO NONPAYMENT, 2022 1% 2% 4% LOW OR NO DATA Wash. Maine Mont. N.D. Ore. Vt. N.H. Minn. Idaho Mass. N.Y. S.D. Wis. Conn. Mich. R.I. Wyo. Pa. Iowa N.J. Neb. Nev. Ohio Md. Del. Ind. Ill. Utah Calif. W.Va. Colo. Va. Kan. Mo. Ky. N.C. Tenn. Okla. Ariz. S.C. N.M. Ark. Ga. Ala. Miss. Texas La. No data for Texas. Only partial information was available for seven other states. Fla. POLICIES CANCELED DUE TO NONPAYMENT, 2022 1% 2% 4% LOW OR NO DATA Maine Vt. N.H. Minn. Mass. N.Y. Wis. Conn. Mich. R.I. Pa. Iowa N.J. Ohio Md. Del. Ind. Ill. W.Va. Va. Mo. Ky. N.C. Tenn. Okla. S.C. Ark. Ga. Ala. Miss. La. Fla. Wash. Mont. N.D. Ore. Idaho S.D. Wyo. Neb. Nev. Utah Calif. Colo. Kan. Okla. Ariz. N.M. Texas No data for Texas. Only partial information was available for seven other states. Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Federal Insurance Office, U.S. Department of the Treasury. Homeowners insurance is where many Americans are now feeling the financial effect of climate change directly, in their pocketbook, said Ethan Zindler, climate counselor at the Treasury Department. Nature doesnt really care whether people are living in a blue state or a red state or another state, or whether you do or dont believe in climate change. The rising cancellation rates are part of a broader trend captured by the Treasury Department, which analyzed information for 246 million insurance policies issued by 330 insurers nationwide from 2018 through 2022. The result is the most comprehensive look yet at the effect of climate change on the American home insurance market. Homeowners with mortgages are generally required by lenders to carry insurance. But people who own a house outright, perhaps because the property has been in a family for decades or generations, have the option of dropping insurance. The cost and frequency of insurance claims are rising quickly in the highest-risk parts of the United States, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to the numbers. They show that the financial stress on insurers is also growing. So, too, is the cost of insurance, which has risen far more in high-risk areas than elsewhere. As those trends worsen, more people are getting thrown off their insurance plans. That happens two ways. One is through cancellations, when insurers drop homeowners who fail to pay their premiums. Another is through nonrenewals, in which insurers refuse to renew the policies of homeowners who want to keep paying for coverage. The rates of both cancellations and nonrenewals are increasing, and those increases are most pronounced in high-risk areas. Total nonrenewals + cancellations nonrenewals nonpayment cancellations 2.5% 2.5% Very high 6.0% 2.0% 5.0% 2.0% 1.5% High Moderate Low 1.0% 4.0% Very low 1.5% 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Higher Risk, Fewer Insured Homeowners policies in the riskiest areas have been increasingly dropped by insurance companies or cancelled for missed payments. High risk 4.5% policies dropped Moderate Low 4.0% 3.5% 2018 2022 Higher Risk, Fewer Insured Homeowners policies in the riskiest areas have been increasingly dropped by insurance companies or cancelled for missed payments. High risk 4.5% policies dropped Moderate Low 4.0% 3.5% 2018 2022 Sources: National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Federal Insurance Office, U.S. Department of the Treasury; FEMA. In more than 150 ZIP codes around the country, insurers canceled at least 10 percent of home insurance policies in 2022, the most recent year for which numbers are available, because homeowners failed to pay their premiums, according to the data. Cancellation rates were highest in coastal areas in the Carolinas, including Hilton Head, Charleston and Myrtle Beach, which are especially exposed to hurricanes. They were also high in parts of West Virginia, Arizona and California. The data doesnt capture why homeowners chose to stop paying. But Nellie Liang, the Treasury Departments under secretary for domestic finance, said her team viewed it as an indicator of families facing growing financial stress worsened by climate change. Households are not able to bear the burden by themselves, Ms. Liang said. As for cases where insurance companies refused to renew policies even for their paying customers, those nonrenewal rates were also higher, and grew faster, in high-risk areas. The ZIP codes with the greatest share of nonrenewals in 2022 were in coastal South Carolina as well as parts of California, including in Sonoma County and Yuba County, which have been hit by wildfires. Areas of Tennessee that have suffered severe storms also saw high nonrenewals. The destabilization of the home insurance market doesnt hurt only homeowners, Ms. Liang said. It also threatens property-tax revenues that communities rely on, since tax receipts can decline if homeowners cant rebuild or if homes lose value. It also hurts local businesses that rely on homeowners as customers. Theres a lot to worry about, Ms. Liang said. The Treasury Departments effort to gather data was complicated by the political clashes over climate change, and also over who gets to regulate insurance companies. The department announced the effort in 2021 as part of the Biden administrations efforts to address the financial effects of climate change. Its original plan was to gather data directly from insurance companies. But some state insurance commissioners (which regulate the industry) objected, backed by Republicans in Congress. So the Treasury Department let state commissioners gather the data. Or not gather it: Seven states Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Indiana, Montana and North Dakota declined to participate. According to the Treasury Department, this meant that local insurance companies that happen to be headquartered in those states did not provide data. But national insurers still provided data for homeowners they cover in those states. (Another exception was Texas, where they did not provide some data.) In addition, the states that did participate chose to withhold some important information, including data from their state-mandated high-risk-insurance plans. Those plans, which are designed to provide insurance to people who cant buy it from regular insurance companies, are becoming more important as climate change worsens. Excluding those plans means the data doesnt capture the experience of many homeowners facing the highest risk from climate threats. And of the data that was collected, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which represents state commissioners and compiled data from them, shared only a portion with the Treasury Department. The association did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Treasury Department, as part of its report, called on state commissioners and the national association to keep working with the agencys Federal Insurance Office to gather and publish the data annually, and even expand that effort by including information for high-risk pools. The chances of that happening are unclear. Last month, Republican state insurance commissioners wrote to Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the leaders of what President-elect Donald J. Trump has called his new Department of Government Efficiency, urging them to scrap the Federal Insurance Office altogether. They argued that the offices work gathering data on climate change showed that the federal government was trying to exceed its authority and that, by moving ahead with releasing the new data, the office has chosen to proceed with flawed information, which risks misleading the public. The commissioners did not say why they viewed the information as flawed. 7:30 p.m. Party at the fish fry, then feast at a family grill On Friday nights, locals point visitors to Oistins, a town on the south coast, for its boisterous fish fry, lit up with flaming grills and crammed with rum-fueled patrons at long tables under porches and tents. You can break away from the throngs but still find a lively scene at Shakers Bar & Grill, a dinner-only restaurant that serves perhaps the best grilled lionfish on the island (45 dollars). The barbecue ribs (50 dollars) are delicious, too. The owners, husband-and-wife Amy and Wesley Gittens, converted the so-called chattel house small, wooden, movable houses that were built by the first freed, Black plantation laborers in the 1800s and are still prevalent on the island into a restaurant in 2006. He grew up in the neighborhood behind Rockley Beach and oversees the kitchen; she is a transplant from Maine schmoozing at the tables out front. Reserve ahead. Did Republicans Take Washington in a Landslide? Not So Much Soon after his victory in November, President-elect Donald J. Trump claimed a powerful mandate for his legislative agenda. Indeed, he swept all of the key battleground states and was the first Republican to win the popular vote in two decades. However, Mr. Trump won the popular vote by only 1.5 percentage points, the smallest margin since 2000. It was the fourth narrowest gap since 1900. Margin of victory in presidential popular vote since 1900 Color represents the winner of the popular vote in each election. Source: Carlos Algara and Sharif Amlani via Harvard Dataverse (1900-2020) and the Associated Press (2024) Note: Margins are based on the difference between Republican and Democratic shares of total votes. By The New York Times In this competitive era of elections, landslide victories in which one candidate receives overwhelming support rarely happen on the national level. Since 1988, the popular vote margin of every presidential election has been within 10 percentage points, a reflection of the countrys stark political divide. For much of U.S. history, particularly strong candidates could sway large numbers of voters to abandon their home party in presidential elections. Now, amid deepening political polarization, both parties increasingly use data to target voters and improve turnout. As a result, presidential landslide elections have become much less common, according to David Darmofal, a professor of political science at the University of South Carolina. We would expect that in that better-informed environment, the two parties should be roughly in equilibrium and getting close to each others percentage of the votes, he said. Big shift, slim margin Last year was notable because it was the first time that Republicans won the popular vote since 2004. The country swung about six points rightward toward Republicans, one of the more substantial shifts in the last two decades. How 2024s presidential popular vote shift compares Length of arrows represents the shift in margin from the previous election to the current one. Source: Carlos Algara and Sharif Amlani via Harvard Dataverse (1900-2020) and the Associated Press (2024) Note: Margins are based on the difference between Republican and Democratic shares of total votes. By The New York Times While Mr. Trumps gains were just enough for Republicans to win the popular vote, the victory does not stand out compared with much larger shifts in previous elections, like the 25-point turn toward Democrats in Jimmy Carters 1976 victory or the 23-point flip toward Republicans in Richard Nixons 1968 win. Throughout the 20th century, it was common for the popular vote margin to swing more than 20 points in a given election cycle. In the last several decades, shifts have dwindled to fewer than 10 percentage points. The continuity in voting patterns today is what separates our era of elections relative to the past, said Carlos Algara, an assistant professor of political science at the Claremont Graduate University. A lot of these counties are just off the table for Republicans or off the table for Democrats, and Trump has really accelerated this trend. A waning edge in the House In November, Republicans held on to the House and regained the Senate, handing Mr. Trump a government trifecta. The 119th sessions House of Representatives began with a margin of only four seats separating Republicans and Democrats, the narrowest start since the 1930s. Seat margin of the majority party in U.S. House Color represents the majority party at the beginning of each session. Source: U.S. House of Representatives Note: Margins are based on the difference between Republican and Democratic seats at the beginning of each Congress. Prior to 1913, the U.S. House had fewer than 435 members. By The New York Times Seeing 100-seat margins in the House and 20-seat differences in the Senate was not uncommon in the 20th century. Today, they are much tighter in both the House and Senate. The Republicans majority this session is expected to be even closer with Representatives Elise Stefanik of New York and Mike Waltz of Florida possibly joining Mr. Trumps administration. Slim margins in the Senate In the Senate, seat margins have decreased over the last several decades, and the result in 2024 is no exception. Republicans flipped four seats in the most recent election in the Senate, winning races in three red states (Ohio, Montana and West Virginia) and eking out a victory in Pennsylvania for a six-seat advantage. Seat margin of the majority party in U.S. Senate Color represents the majority party at the beginning of each session. Source: U.S. Senate Note: Margins are based on the difference between Republican and Democratic seats, including independent or third-party members who caucus with either party, at the beginning of each Congress. Margins do not include the Vice Presidential tie-breaking vote. Prior to 1959, the U.S. Senate had fewer than 100 members. By The New York Times The narrow margin does not necessarily mean it will be easier for Democrats to take back the Senate. They would have to flip four seats in the 2026 midterms. Gen Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) may have a rep as digital natives, but when it comes to searching out medical information, they have a surprisingly high level of skepticism about the quality of what they find online. According to Gen Z: Calling for Healthcare Connection and Change, a new study from Burson, nearly eight out of 10 (79 percent) of the 5,000 Gen Z adults surveyed reported that they have encountered false or misleading health information online. Social media is the biggest online offender, with 61 percent of respondents saying that they have found questionable health info on social media platforms. That hesitancy about the digital world extends to Gen Zs take on the healthcare experience itself. While more than a quarter of respondents (27 percent) have used telehealth services such as telephone consults and online video appointment over the past year, a considerable amount of them found some snags in the telehealth process. Among the problems cited are the lack of a personal touch (44 percent), limitation in physical examination capabilities (43 percent) and basic technical issues like glitches and poor internet connections (42 percent). In addition, about seven in 10 Gen Zers (69 percent) said its important that they feel like an individual and not just a number to providers. Almost as many (64 percent) say that prioritizing in-person visits over virtual one helps them to feel respected by healthcare provders. The survey respondents were also to open receiving health information from pharmaceutical companies. More than half (55 percent) said that pharmaceutical companies can meet needs of people in my age group. However, slightly fewer (51 percent) think that pharma communicates well with Gen Z, and an even smaller number (43 percent) say pharmaceutical companies care about people like me. Bursons study also finds that the perceived obsession with mental health amongst Gan Zers may be exaggerated. While 57 percent of respondents noted that they were concerned with mental health, almost an equal number (56 percent) noted concerns surrounding physical health as well. The study made use of Bursons new Decipher Health tool, which combines two cognitive AI models to predict responses to survey questions by forecasting their potential for impact. Burson says that Decipher Health AI forecasts reinforced the findings of its traditionally conducted Gen Z survey, especially with regard to the key issues affecting respondents. The 5,000 Gen Zers who responded to Bursons 16-question online survey conducted in September 2024 were from the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, China, India, the UK, France, Germany and Spain. Ronn Torossian With Donald Trump taking office next week, his communications strategy will likely reflect the same bold, direct and innovative approach that earned him both praise and criticism during his first term. Trump has always had a unique ability to communicate directly with the American people, and with the rapid advancements in technology, his second term will see a continuation of his unfiltered, no-holds-barred communication styleadapted to the changing landscape of media and technology. Here's what we can expect from Trumps communications strategy in a future administration: I. Reinforcing Direct Communication with the American People From the moment Donald Trump entered the political scene, he became a master of communicating directly with votersno middlemen, no filters. Whether through Twitter or rally speeches, Trump has always gone straight to the people, bypassing the traditional media, and this will only become more pronounced in his second term. 1) Embracing New Social Media Platforms: In his first term, Trump revolutionized political communication by using Twitter to share his thoughts and fight back against the media. In a second term, however, Twitter may not be his main vehicle for communication. Instead, Trump is likely to double down on alternative social media platforms such as Truth Social, which allows him to connect with his supporters without interference from the traditional, old-school formerly known as "mainstream media." These platforms allow Trump to speak freely, sharing updates, rallying his base, and addressing the nation directly. And with newer platforms becoming more sophisticated, Trumps ability to directly engage with his audience will only grow stronger. The Trump administration will also leverage social media analytics to ensure messages resonate with the right groups, allowing for targeted, effective outreach to key demographics. 2) Cutting Through the Noise: Trumps communication strategy has always been about dominating the news cycle, and a second term will see him continue to use social media and online platforms to bypass traditional news outlets. Whether it's through livestreams, video posts, or direct updates, Trump will stay in constant contact with the American people, making sure that his messages get through loud and clear, without the filtering or spin of biased reporters. Trumps communication will continue to be impactful, relying on fast-paced, direct messaging that reaches millions instantly. Traditional press conferences could be replaced with more direct communication to his base via livestreams and digital media, making it easier to rally support and share key policy ideas. II. Leading the Way with Cutting-Edge Technology In the fast-paced, tech-driven world of 2025, Trumps communications will adapt to new innovations in ways that maintain his dominance while staying ahead of the curve. His campaign team will harness the power of technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI), to help communicate more effectively with voters. 1) AI-Powered Messaging: Trump will undoubtedly use AI tools to supercharge his communication strategy. With the help of AI, messages can be crafted and tailored for individual voters based on their preferences, location, and issues that matter most to them. This hyper-targeted approach will allow Trump to speak directly to people in ways that traditional media cant, ensuring that his message reaches exactly who it needs to. This AI-driven approach could also allow for quicker responses to any challenges or negative narratives in the media, letting Trumps team counterattack in real-time. Whether its pushing out positive messages or debunking fake news, AI will ensure that the Trump administrations voice is heard above the noise. 2) Harnessing Deepfake and AI Technology: As AI technology advances, Trumps communication team could tap into tools like deepfakes and AI-generated content to create compelling media that supports the presidents message. For example, AI could create realistic videos that highlight the successes of Trumps policies, or debunk misleading stories spread by his opponents. The ability to create persuasive, high-quality content will be a powerful tool for influencing public opinion, making it harder for the opposition to spin their own narrative. Importantly, these tools will allow Trump to make sure his message is clear and compelling, even if the mainstream media tries to distort or twist the facts. Deepfake technology, for example, could be used strategically to combat disinformation campaigns and present Trump in a favorable light, ensuring his supporters always have the right information. III. The Trump Media Ecosystem: Strengthening Relationships with Supportive Media Throughout his first term, Trump made it clear that he has no interest in being held hostage by the biased media. Instead, he cultivated strong relationships with media outlets that aligned with his agenda, such as Fox News, Newsmax and Sinclair Broadcasting. In his second term, this strategy will continue to grow and adapt, with new and emerging platforms playing an even larger role. 1) Shaping the Narrative with Friendly Media Outlets: Under a second Trump administration, we can expect even more collaboration with media outlets that support the presidents agenda. Fox News and other right-leaning outlets will continue to be key partners in sharing Trumps message with the American people. These outlets, often sympathetic to his views, will serve as important channels for spreading the administration's policies and successes, counteracting negative press from more liberal outlets. This strategic partnership will ensure that Trumps supporters receive accurate, positive news about his administration. Additionally, with the rise of new conservative media platforms, Trumps team will be able to expand their reach even further, building a media ecosystem that reinforces the presidents message while providing an alternative to biased, mainstream outlets. 2) Using the Media to Hold the Line: Trumps strategy of fighting back against the media will likely remain a key element of his second term. His administration will continue to challenge the mainstream medias narratives, often labeling them as "fake news" when they attempt to push misleading or negative stories. In this new media landscape, Trumps bold, unapologetic stance will continue to resonate with millions of voters who feel that the media is not being honest or fair. Expect to see more confrontations with the press, but also more focused efforts to shift the conversation to Trumps accomplishments. As the media landscape becomes more fragmented, Trump will have greater control over the narrative, making it easier for him to push back against those who misrepresent his policies. IV. Expanding Virtual Engagement and Rallies While Trumps in-person rallies have been a hallmark of his political brand, his second term will likely see these events evolve to take advantage of digital tools and technologies. The future of Trump rallies will be virtual, immersive, and more widespread, allowing him to connect with his base like never before. 1) Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Rallies: Trumps virtual rallies will become more immersive and interactive with the use of technologies like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). These tools could bring supporters from all over the country into the room with Trump, allowing them to experience his speeches and policy announcements in new and exciting ways. Through VR, Trump can engage with his base on a level that feels just as real as an in-person rally, without the logistical hurdles of traveling to multiple locations. With VR, Trump could host town halls, fireside chats, or even virtual rallies where supporters could interact with him directly, asking questions and participating in the discussion. These digital experiences will bring the sense of community and excitement that his in-person rallies provide, but without the need for physical travel or large gatherings. 2) Expanding Digital Grassroots Movements: Trumps ability to mobilize supporters through digital platforms will continue to grow. In a second term, his campaign will be able to tap into new grassroots organizing tools that allow supporters to volunteer, donate, and spread the word about his policies from the comfort of their homes. This type of engagement will make Trumps base feel more connected to the campaign, creating a deeper sense of loyalty and commitment. Campaign volunteers can organize digitally, set up virtual phone banks, and engage in online advocacy, all with the help of AI-driven platforms. These digital tools will allow Trumps campaign to reach new voters, especially younger ones, and empower them to play an active role in the political process. V. The New Era of Political Discourse: Control Over the Narrative One of Trumps strengths is his ability to control the narrative, and in a second term, he will continue to do so with even more advanced tools at his disposal. With social media, AI, and virtual technologies, Trump will have the power to shape public opinion like never before. 1) Countering the Opposition with Precision: As the media landscape becomes increasingly polarized, Trump will continue to push back against opposition narratives. But with the power of AI and deepfake technology, Trumps communications team will be able to deliver his message in a more personalized and precise way, ensuring that supporters hear the right stories at the right time. 2) Maintaining Focus on Key Issues: Trumps communication strategy will remain focused on the issues that matter most to his basejobs, the economy, security, and American greatness. By controlling the narrative through digital media and AI-driven platforms, Trump can make sure that his supporters always have the information they need to stay engaged and motivated. A Bold and Innovative Future for Trumps Communications In Trumps second term, we can expect his communications to evolve while staying true to the principles that made his first term so successful. By embracing new technologies, partnering with sympathetic media outlets, and using digital tools to connect with voters in new and exciting ways, Trump will continue to dominate the political conversation and push forward his agenda. His administration will stay unfiltered, bold, and ready to take on the mediaensuring that his message is heard loud and clear, no matter the challenges ahead. With AI, social media, and virtual engagement tools at his disposal, Trumps second term will mark the next phase in the evolution of political communication in America. *** Ronn Torossian founded 5WPR and is an entrepreneur and author. Jessica Berk Ross Businesses, organizations and nations across the world are rapidly absorbing the coming changes as they anticipate the second presidential term of Donald Trump. The 2024 U.S. election has the potential to dramatically alter the regulatory and policy structures currently in place in the U.S. and may similarly shift geopolitical dynamics throughout the world. Were set to experience significant changes across every sector, from trade policy and tariffs, the regulation of food, financial services, to energy production to name a few. In crisis communications, weve always defined crisis as an event or circumstance that has the potential to disrupt business as usual. Policy and regulation help to create the conditions in the marketplace, so yes, the incoming administration has the potential to create crisis-like conditions across a range of sectors and drastically modify the conversations around many of the issues that have been dominant in the marketplace of ideas. Many clients weve spoken to are interested in future approaches to climate and sustainability, for example. Its definitely not the time to abandon key priorities, but some careful calculations must be made. For some companiesand indeed some industriesthe new administration will be a boon. For others, there will be new challenges and potential obstacles and roadblocks. But far from being a new phenomenon, this push and pull of creating runways versus erecting barriers is a long-standing political dynamic. They say that government shouldnt be in the business of picking winners and losers, but policy often does just that. And nows the moment to be looking ahead, clear-eyed at what may come next, because this new political and policy-making ecosystem will require adaptation. This article is featured in O'Dwyer's Jan. '25 Special Issue on Crisis Communications With many proposed cabinet and administration nominees, the candidates have signaled that they will bring a very different approach to how they will lead their agencies. The food industry is set to see both increased scrutiny of ingredients and labeling under the proposed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, who has vowed to Make America Healthy Again, as well as being very vocal in his opposition to vaccines. America First policies have the potential to impact foreign-owned companies doing business in the U.S., and that same lens applied to trade policy has many countries on high alert assessing the potential impact on the status of their trade relations and their exports to the U.S. They will also impact both bilateral relationships as well as regional considerations. The second Trump administration will bring a very different lens to current conflict zones, which will have reverberations across business sectors. So, what comes next for businesses, organizations and even countries? Weve been working doggedly with our clients in recent weeks to help them be more agile, to see around corners and to prepare for 2025whether that means crisis, chaos or shifting opportunities. Planning for change Review: Examine vulnerabilities around potential changes that will affect your sector, your company or the issues important to your organization. This strategic review can take the shape of a workshop that includes issue mapping and scenario identification. This includes taking stock of potential threats and risks. Flagging and response modeling is critical. At the same time, its essential to identify any opportunities that you may see on the horizon for positive change. Examine and double down on company or organizational strengths. Where can you lead? Where do you see blue sky? This visioning exercise is happening now and is the key to agile footing in what will be a rapid and dynamic roll-out. Rethink: We dont always hear the word creativity associated with Crisis Communication, but its an often-overlooked element of success. Many times, the most innovative solutions to external complexity come less from a sharpened pencil than from mental fingerpainting. A brilliant client of mine at one of the embassies in Washington, D.C. was in the midst of a trade deal that had the potential for backlash. He always insisted that in addition to our weekly meeting to review, program and progress, we would meet regularly outside of the office and the confines of the conference room or ZOOM to brainstorm over coffee: to foster blue-sky thinking, examine what-ifs and unabashedly turn over the crazy ideas. So often they turned into amazing vectors and effective strategies in our work together. Reset: Advanced crisis planning isnt just defensive. Adaptation requires urgent and immediate action, but also a vision for the long term. How can you shore up areas of weakness? In the face of political risk, how can you demonstrate value, support and positive impact? Is there messaging that needs to be revised, content that needs to be created, are there data that lends credence to your position, or consumer sentiment that can be quantified or demand signals that can be activated? Build your case: make it stronger and more resonant. Amass stories of impact. Show and tell with data. But also anticipate whats become a landscape fraught with disinformation and unexpected turns. FINN turns to simulation and modeling with our Media Forensics capability to help our clients prepare for the twists and turns that are part of todays digital landscapeonly exacerbated when filtered through the political lens. Revise: Viable crisis planning will also need to be iterative. Expect the unexpected. Build in checkpoints and opportunities for strategy revision, messaging review and tactical pivots. Broaden your tent: bring in thinkers, creators and strategists who can help you problem solve. Convergent thinking is essential. Our approach has been to bring in key team members with both policy and crisis chops, research, analytics and modeling, creative along with subject matter experts who know the issues and the business well. Cross-cutting thinking is a powerful tool. So, whether the coming changes in 2025 seem like a runway or an obstacle course, now is the time to build resilience and agility to be well-positioned in the coming years. Strategic planning, big ideas and innovative programs will help to navigate headwinds and ensure smoother sailing, whatever may come. *** Jessica Berk Ross is Managing Partner at FINN Partners. Exhibition on Tang Dynasty cultural relics in Shaanxi kicks off in Tianjin Xinhua) 08:20, January 16, 2025 Visitors take photos of a tri-colored glazed pottery work, which depicts a nomadic camel rider, at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors pose for a selfie at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) A docent guides the visitors at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. guide (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) A visitor takes photos of a tri-colored glazed pottery work, which depicts a nomadic camel rider, at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) Visitors view exhibits at National Maritime Museum of China in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 15, 2025. An exhibition featuring the highlights of Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) cultural relics in Shaanxi Province kicked off at National Maritime Museum of China in Tianjin on Wednesday. The exhibition brings together about 120 pieces (sets) of cultural relics from eight cultural institutions across Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Sun Fanyue) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) UN and partners appeal for US$3.32 billion in 2025 to support humanitarian and refugee response plans for Ukraine. UNHCR/Alina Kovalenko As the full-scale war in Ukraine approaches its fourth year, the United Nations and partners today launch twin humanitarian and refugee response plans for 2025, appealing for US$3.32 billion to support 8.2 million people affected by the crisis within Ukraine and across borders. The plans launched in Kyiv with the Government of Ukraine outline strategies to address the needs of people whose lives have been upended by the war. They also emphasize the importance of international solidarity to sustain critical humanitarian efforts in 2025. I am in awe of the Ukrainian peoples determination to carry on in the face of immense hardship, said UN Humanitarian Chief Tom Fletcher, who just concluded visits to several affected communities across Ukraine. Those communities are the frontline of the humanitarian response, and they need our support and solidarity as much as ever. Now, we need the international community to get seriously behind these plans so we can show the same sticking power as the people of Ukraine. This is not the time to forget the millions of Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes and, for too many of them, their country, said the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, returning from a visit to several frontline regions of Ukraine, meeting displaced and war-affected people. Countries hosting Ukrainian refugees abroad have done incredible work over the last 3 years to provide safety and a sense of normalcy to support these refugees in restarting their lives in their new communities, all the while hoping for conditions to change in Ukraine to allow them to go home. We must continue to sustain this hope. Strategies for 2025 Humanitarian organizations inside Ukraine aim to assist 6 million people in 2025 with food, healthcare, shelter, cash assistance, education in emergencies, protection and other vital services. With sufficient funding and access, aid workers can continue delivering help across the country, including in communities close to the front line. The humanitarian community stands ready to reach people in need wherever they are. Special focus will be given to the most vulnerable groups, including children, older people and people with disabilities, many of whom face isolation and barriers to accessing aid. The Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan requires $2.62 billion to address these needs. Humanitarian actors will support 11 host countries in the region as they extend protection and include more than 2 million refugees in their national systems in 2025 and 2026. This allows refugees to access housing, decent work, health and specialized legal and protection services. Partners will continue helping refugees access social protection and, for the most vulnerable, provide cash for their basic needs, while targeting help for children at risk and survivors of gender-based violence. The appeal is for $690.3 million in 2025, and $1.2 billion for 2025-2026. Achievements in 2024 Despite challenges in 2024, including underfunding and access constraints, humanitarian partners inside Ukraine provided essential assistance to millions of people: Nearly 3 million people received food aid. Some 5.8 million people, primarily in front-line regions, received water, sanitation and hygiene support. Two million people accessed health and medical services. Millions more were supported with shelter, education, protection services and cash assistance to meet urgent needs. In the refugee-hosting countries, partners continued to deliver with only one-third of financial requirements covered in 2024. They worked for refugees to find safety, access rights and ensure they were included in national systems. 1 million people received legal counseling, mental health support, services to counter gender-based violence and other protection activities. 330,000 people accessed housing, cash and other in-kind assistance to cover basic needs. 300,000 children at risk received specialized assistance to find safety. As the world enters 2025, the UN and its partners urge Governments, donors and individuals to contribute to the response plans. The people of Ukraine, both at home and abroad, need the world to stay the course with them to rebuild their lives and preserve hope for a better future. Resources (L-R) Ryan Brown, Jessica Sinn, Justin Zambuto 160over90 names EVPs Jessica Sinn, Justin Zambuto and Ryan Brown to jointly lead the Endeavor-owned cultural marketing agency. President Ed Horne will become chief operating officer at experience, hospitality and travel company On Location, while continuing to provide strategic support to 160over90. Sinn, who joined the agency in 2022 from Publicis-owned Team One, will be responsible for fostering greater collaboration among business development and the agencys verticals. Zambuto will oversee 160over90s global accounts, including experiential, partnerships, PR, social and creator verticals, in addition to assuming leadership over internal operations across the agency. Brown, who has been promoted from global head of branding to EVP, will have responsibility for the agencys branding, creative, video, strategy and media services verticals. Emily Luscombe ERM, a specialist sustainability consultancy, brings on Emily Luscombe as partner, tasked with building a new strategic communications and marketing agency across the EMEA region. Luscombe was previously chief client officer at strategic corporate and financial communications Instinctif Partners. She has also served as deputy managing director at both Golin and Bell Pottinger. Based in London, Luscombe will work with ERM clients to help them communicate their sustainability strategies, engaging with customers, investors, employees and regulators to influence behavior, mitigate risk and advance the ESG agenda. Emily brings the right knowledge and experience to really shift the dial on sustainability communications, delivering solutions that are backed by climate science and ERMs deep technical expertise, said ERM chief executive officer for EMEA Mathias Lelievre. Dan Wiley BizCom Associates, a Dallas-Fort Worth PR and marketing communications firm, promotes Dan Wiley to creative director. Wiley was previously director of video production at Brand Journalists, franchise marketing firm that is now part of BizCom. In his new post, Wiley will oversee BizComs creative strategy, and play a key role in mentoring creative talent within the organization. His dedication to excellence and his ability to inspire both our team and our clients make him the perfect choice to lead our creative efforts as we continue to grow and innovate, said BizCom co-founder and CEO Scott White. Stephany Verstraete Xometry, an AI-driven marketplace that connects enterprise buyers with suppliers of manufacturing services, appoints Stephany Verstraete as CMO. Verstraete was previously chief marketing and engagement officer at virtual healthcare company Teladoc Health. She has also held executive marketing positions at companies including Match.com, Expedia Group, and PepsiCo. Her experience spans B2B, digital marketplaces and direct-to-consumer businesses At Xometry, she oversees marketing, communications, and customer experience functions. After a period of intense and robust negotiations, the Regional Group of Independent TDs say they have significantly influenced and reached agreement on a comprehensive Programme for Government. This agreement paves the way for members of the group to enter a partnership Government, following exhaustive discussions led by North Tipperary TD, Michael Lowry. The Regional Group TDs have successfully shaped the Programme for Government, particularly in the areas of housing, health, disability, energy, agriculture and migration. The Independent TDs have been instrumental in ensuring that these critical areas receive the attention and resources they require and deserve. Addressing the cost of living with a disability and improving support for carers, was central to our discussions. The Regional Group successfully fought to ensure that the Programme for Government includes a clear message on the direction of energy security and renewable energy opportunities. Ensuring community access to renewable energy, grants and schemes is an important contribution from the Regional Group. Prioritising energy security, offshore energy projects and lower energy costs for families were of high importance. A key focus of our negotiations was to ensure that Government policy protected the family farm and the critical role of agriculture in our economy. Regional Group Members were instrumental in promoting balanced regional development, to ensure that all parts of Ireland benefit from economic growth and investment. The Regional Group also secured initiatives to support and promote the Irish language and the Gaeltacht, ensuring their preservation and growth. The Regional Group of TDs insisted on permanent supports for SMEs, including a reduction in VAT and a thorough review of the procurement process, to address the difficulties experienced by SMEs. The Group will actively advocate for the interests of SMEs in the budgetary process. The Groups contribution to the review of the National Development Plan and our input to the HSE Capital Plan, will be central to our ongoing work within Government. The Regional Technical Group emphasised the need for a stable Government, underpinned by clear policy direction, for the next five years. The Group fully understands that this stability is crucial to effectively address the significant challenges facing the Irish people and our economy. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan is taking steps to join the Istanbul Convention and studying the experience of Turkiye, Chairman of the Azerbaijani State Customs Committee Shahin Baghirov said during the 10th meeting of the heads of customs services of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Trend reports. "Bilateral cooperation during the meeting with the Turkish Customs Service has become an example of successful interaction. Meetings were organized on various issues, including the study of the Turkish experience in joining the Istanbul Convention on Temporary Admission. Taking this opportunity, we express our gratitude to the leadership of the Turkish Customs Service for providing such an opportunity to the Azerbaijani delegation. At the stage of joining the Istanbul Convention, the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan is taking the necessary steps," he added. Bagirov also emphasized that meetings are being held with the Turkish Customs Service to study their experience in data analysis and the application of risk management systems. "These activities aim to improve data processing efficiency and identify potential risks. We are confident that Turkiye's experience will be very useful to us," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The representatives of the Hungarian Tax and Customs Administration plan to visit Baku this year, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration Zsuzsa Kecskes said, Trend reports. She made the announcement during the X meeting of heads of customs services of the Organization of Turkic Speaking States (OTS). In cooperation with Azerbaijan, we highly esteem our relations and would like to maintain and strengthen them in the future. Recent years have been fruitful periods in this direction. At the invitation of Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Shahin Baghirov, our representatives plan to visit Baku later this year, she noted. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The protocol of the 10th meeting of the Heads of Customs Administrations of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has been signed in Baku, Trend reports. The meeting was chaired by the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan, Shahin Baghirov, and attended by the Secretary-General of the OTS, Kubanychbek Omuraliev; Deputy Chairman of the Committee for State Revenues of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan, Kairat Dzhumagulov; Chairman of the State Customs Service of the Ministry of Finance of Kyrgyzstan, Samat Isabekov; Deputy Minister of Trade and Head of the Customs Administration of Turkiye, Sezai Ucarmak; and Chairman of the State Customs Committee of the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan, Akmalkhuja Mavlonov (hereinafter referred to as "the Parties"). Reaffirming the purposes of the OTS as set out in the Nakhchivan Agreement, recalling the instructions of the Heads of State at the Samarkand, Astana, and Bishkek summits of the OTS, as well as expressing commitment to further expanding mutually beneficial customs cooperation within the framework of the "Turkic World Vision-2040" and the "OTS Strategy for 20222026," the Parties agreed on the following: 1. The Parties expressed their readiness on the further implementation of the Agreement on the Establishment of Simplified Customs Corridor among the Governments of the OTS and discussed the actions needed for the implementation of the Pilot Project as stipulated in Article 7 of the mentioned Agreement in order to elaborate the technologies of the exchange of information envisaged thereby. 2. Following the presentation made by the Azerbaijani side on the "Trans-Caspian Customs Transit Portal" and the Georgian side introducing the initiative for "simplifying transit between OTS countries + Georgia," the Parties discussed the need to create a legal framework for the implementation of the "Trans-Caspian Customs Transit Portal". This should contribute to improved transit, economic activity, and border crossings. The Parties committed to submitting proposals for the development of the draft Agreement on the establishment of the portal. 3. The Parties exchanged best practices in the field of facilitating trade and travel by reducing the number of stops made at border points and the time required to pass them. The Uzbek sides proposed concept of a "Single Window" was considered, and it was decided to submit proposals to the Secretariat, which will combine the received proposals and present a final document. 4. The Parties welcomed the Turkish sides readiness to conduct a field visit for experience exchange on implementing the Single Window and One Stop systems. The Turkish side will provide proposals for the dates and venue of the visit. 5. The Parties exchanged information on new technologies such as electronic seals and cargo tracking systems with the aim of their widespread use in OTS countries. 6. During the meeting, the Parties signed the following documents: - An Action Plan ("Roadmap") for the implementation of eTIR in accordance with the TIR Convention on international road freight transport (1975); - Technical conditions for information exchange between customs administrations of OTS member states under the Agreement on the establishment of the Simplified Customs Corridor, signed on November 11, 2022, in Samarkand. 7. The Parties agreed to organize in 2025: - Implementation of the Pilot Project stipulated in Article 7 of the Agreement on the Establishment of Simplified Customs Corridor, including the implementation of information exchange technologies; - A technical working group in February 2025 to discuss the results of the pilot project. 8. The Parties instructed the Working Group to refine the objectives and outline further actions for the Caravanserai Project in the context of the Silk Road initiative. 9. The Parties expressed gratitude to Azerbaijan for hosting the 10th meeting and accepted Kazakhstan's proposal to host the 11th meeting of OTS customs administrations in 2025. The exact date and venue will be determined through diplomatic channels. 10. The Secretariat will coordinate the implementation of the proposals and submit the outcomes to the next meeting. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. We condemn the baseless and slanderous statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia dated January 15, 2025, which claims about the lawlessness allegedly committed against Armenians in the Azerbaijani SSR, and the tone of the statement is reminiscent of Armenia's previous rhetoric before the Second Karabakh War, the statement of the Western Azerbaijan Community said, Trend reports. First of all, let us emphasize that the state that carried out ethnic cleansing is Armenia. The famous speech of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, whose years of government coincided with the period of occupation of Azerbaijani lands and implementation of a significant part of the policy of ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis, made by him as president in 1993, once again confirms that ethnic cleansing against Azerbaijanis was the state policy of Armenia. In addition, it would be appropriate to recall that Ter-Petrosyan stated in this speech that the resettlement of Armenians from the Azerbaijan SSR was organized by Armenia itself. Below is a relevant excerpt from Ter-Petrosyan's speech: If the movement had not started in time, there would be 500,000 Armenians left in Azerbaijan today. Even if they had not been physically annihilated, this would have been the most powerful lever that would have brought Armenia to its knees. A substantial part of them, more than 300,000 people, found refuge in Armenia. This was a national problem, a problem of great scale, which was solved thanks to our movement. This all proves that Armenia, by organizing the resettlement of Armenians from those regions of Azerbaijan, the occupation of which it considered impossible, pursued the goal of eliminating the practice of peaceful coexistence of representatives of the two peoples and creating a mono-ethnic state in Armenia. Instead of making slanderous and hateful statements, the Armenian government should put an end to its racist and mono-ethnic policy, create conditions for the return of Western Azerbaijanis, and restore a multi-ethnic environment there, the community's statement emphasizes. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Progressive Content Not Found Sometimes, authors delete their progressive content after publishing. To see if the progressive content was renamed or re-published, please click here. Censorship of new technology continues while water main breaks are reported in the Press, but the solution to stop water main breaks will not be published to large audiences. The Press keeps on providing us with false information, and I keep on fighting for the truth to stop water main breaks and resulting lead poisonings, fish kills, leaks, rusty water, and the trillion dollar destruction of our water supply system in 25 years. Mainstream press censorship again stonewalls the prevention of water main breaks. In the movie, "Cool Hand Luke", Paul Newman portrayed a prisoner who was forced to uselessly dig a deep hole and then refill that hole with dirt. Water main break repairs are similar, in that, more than 250,000 holes are uselessly dug and refilled every year, since breaks can be prevented. Garbage in - Garbage Out USA Today, CBS News, and others provide debunked theories for the causes of water main breaks, where 'officials told CBS News frigid temperatures and aging pipes are to be blamed for the water main break. ("Major water main break in Edison, New Jersey leaves thousands without running water", click here)'. Even professional editors join this censorship of proven technology ("The AWWA Promotes Junk Science That Destroys Our Water Systems and Threatens Our Lives" and " AWWA Censorship: Staunch Resistance to New Ideas Destroys our Water System and Risks Our Lives"). Montgomery county was the next victim of preventable water main breaks when pump startups after a power outage caused excessive pressures to break water mains. That is, power outages and subsequent pump startups directly destroyed water mains on December 9, 2024 ("Water main break leaves customers in Montgomery Co. without water", click here and "Power outages: Thousands without power in DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia as storm moves through", click here). To again counter debunked theories that significantly affect our lives, the following Op Ed was provided to USA Today, but publication was refused. The following Op Ed information has been previously published by OpEd News in a series of articles or has been published in peer reviewed engineering publications - however - this condensed version of more than a thousand pages of publications was written to reach the larger population influenced by USA Today. 'Op Ed Submission: NEVER GIVE AN INCH - WHEN WILL WE STOP U.S. WATER MAIN BREAKS? 12/29/2024 I have worked on perfecting this Op Ed through several revisions, since this important work condenses many years of my research and more than 1,000 pages of my published work.' At present, 'I am writing two contracted books and further piping failure analysis and explosion studies in 2025, where the importance of communicating this Op Ed to the public was worth setting aside my research and writing for a [week] on the following USA Today Op Ed submission. [Versions of this Op Ed were also refused by the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, the Atlanta Constitution Journal, and the Chicago Tribune.] NEVER GIVE AN INCH - WHEN WILL WE STOP U.S. WATER MAIN BREAKS? Robert A. Leishear, 12/29/2024 Entrenched falsehoods from the past and billions of dollars per year for the U.S. water main break repair industry stand in the way of stopping the destruction of our water mains. Stop the Breaks The technology is here to stop 250,000 U.S. water main breaks per year. Water hammers have been shown to be the primary cause of water main breaks, as discussed in a peer reviewed engineering publication, titled "Water Hammer Causes Water Main Breaks" by R. A. Leishear ( Click Here). If we stop water hammers, we stop water main breaks. Technology Was Invented to Stop the Breaks The basic science is that fire hydrant operations, water supply pump operations, and other water system operations create water hammers, which are high-pressure shock waves in water systems. These shock waves travel for miles in water systems at speeds near one mile per second. More importantly, these pressures accelerate corrosion in metallic piping and cause cracks in all types of water main pipes, whether metal, plastic, or concrete. Moreover, both corrosion and cracks are induced in pipes by excessive forces on pipe walls in the wakes of these shock waves. Complex physics and experimental proof supporting these conclusions have been published by the prestigious American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) in a peer reviewed book. titled "Fluid Mechanics, Water Hammer, Dynamic Stresses, and Piping Design" by R. A. Leishear, 2013 (click here). To background this book as part of 55 related publications, I earned master's degrees in mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering and a PhD in mechanical engineering to study piping failures, which include water main breaks (For related publications, see Click Here Technology Was Shown to Stop the Breaks The established scientific facts are conclusive - water main breaks can be stopped. Not only were extensive mathematical analysis and experimental measurements performed and published through ASME, but my invented theory was applied to stop water main breaks in operating nuclear facilities. In 2002, 30 years of water main breaks were stopped at the Department of Energy (DOE), Savannah River Site in South Carolina, and in 2017, 17 years of water main breaks were stopped at the DOE, Pantex nuclear missile assembly plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The fundamental physics of piping failures are the same whether water mains are used to protect nuclear facilities or to protect drinking water and water for fire protection of our homes, schools, and businesses. Stop Water Main Destruction Most water main breaks can be stopped, where nearly all water main breaks could have been stopped if many water mains were not already near their end-of-life due to water hammers. Repeated hammering cracks water mains in a process known as fatigue while the pipe walls are flexed in and out by water hammers. When the mains are finally cracked all the way through the pipe walls, water geysers erupt up through roadways, or water scours out the dirt below roads to collapse those roads. These facts shatter long-held misbeliefs that water mains break because they are old or cold. [Recent water main breaks were blamed on oldness and cold weather ("Recipe for disaster: DeKalb County dealing with 'aging pipes', multiple water main breaks", click here). The frost line in Atlanta is near 6 inches deep, and freezing temperatures cannot reach down to water mains. This 41 year old water main could mot fail simply because it is old. Otherwise high-rise buildings in U.S. cities would be falling down all around us. When will we stop this coverup?] Two of the most destructive water hammers in water systems act when water supply pumps are started up after power outages in winter and fire hydrants ae operated, which is proven by example in a peer reviewed publication, titled "Our Water Mains Contaminate Us with E. Coli, Lead and Copper - Preventable Illness and Death Follow" ( Click Here). [These water main break causes, and other causes, can be controlled to stop water main breaks.] [Stop the Leaks, Fire Hydrant Damage, and Rusty / Dirty Drinking Water Incidents Not only are water main breaks preventable, but all leaks, hydrant and valve damages, and nearly all rusty water incidents are preventable. These damages are all caused by water hemmer pressure waves that can be stopped. My home town of Aiken, South Carolina is an example of ongoing water hammer damages in a small city of 33,000. Table 1 shows that more than one water main typically breaks every week, an average of more than 3 water system leaks are repaired every week, and an average of 170 rusty water complaints are reported per year. Water main breaks are only part of this destructive and preventable problem. More importantly, water mains break year round ("The Aiken Chronicles, Water Main Breaks", enchronicles.com/water-main-breaks).] Water Main Break Health Effects Not only will water main breaks cost us $1 trillion over the next 25 years and cause fish kills, but such breaks threaten our health as well. When water mains are depressurized, diseases such as E. coli, Listeria and Legionella enter our drinking water to sicken or kill us. Calculations also show that fatigue will accelerate corrosion of lead to cause lead poisoning in water mains of our cities. While we work to replace our dangerous drinking water mains, water hammers can be controlled to stop cracks and reduce resultant lead poisoning. Again, we can stop water mains break year round ()https://aikenchronicles.com/water-main-breaks.. Never Give an Inch I have invested much of my time and money to stop water main breaks and other industrial disasters that are caused by water hammers. To date, my personal costs exceed 20,000 unpaid research and study hours plus $200,0000 for education, publication and research fees. I am currently writing a third contracted ASME book, which will include additional specifics for water main break prevention ("Fluid Transients, The Water Hammer and Gas Hammer Disaster"). Even though state, local and federal organizations refuse to act, the stakes are too high to ignore. This Op Ed is the next step to stop water main breaks. Author Biography Robert A. Leishear, PhD, PE, PMP, ASME Fellow, Senior Corrosion Technologist, and Certified Coatings Inspector, is the President and a Consulting Engineer for Leishear Engineering, LLC in South Carolina. As a piping failure analyst and piping explosion analyst, Dr. Leishear serves on international committees for piping design for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and the National Fire Protection Association, and he received recognitions by Who's Who and the Mensa Copper Black Award for Creative Intelligence ( Click Here and Click Here).' Addendum Along with multiple news sources, USA Today also printed a news article about Atlanta water main breaks ("Atlanta water trouble: Many under boil-water advisory as Army Corps of Engineers assists", click here ). I sent the following email to the Atlanta government to stop water main breaks. Atlanta staff did not respond. 'Atlanta Water Main Breaks Can Be Stopped!, 12/29/2024 Together, we can stop water main breaks in Atlanta. As a foremost worldwide expert in piping failures and water main breaks, I am uniquely skilled to work with Atlanta staff to stop water main breaks. Perhaps we could pursue a small business grant from the Small Business Administration to support this work. To date, I have written and published 55 publications to explain how pipes and water main breaks crack and burst (see Click Here). Of these publications, I wrote two engineering books for the prestigious American Society of Mechanical Engineers to explain why pipes break. Also, I am currently contracted by ASME to write a third engineering book in 2025, which will include much peer reviewed work to stop water main breaks. Additionally, I have submitted an "Industrial Water Hammer" chapter manuscript that briefly explains how to stop water main breaks. This chapter is included in the upcoming McGraw Hill, 2025, "Piping Handbook", which is an internationally recognized engineering technical resource for the piping industry. My water main break preventions include stopping 30 years of water main breaks in 2002 at the Department of Energy, Savannah River Site, S.C. nuclear facility, and stopping 15 years of water main breaks in 2017 at the Pantex nuclear weapons assembly plant in Albuquerque, N.M (see Click Here).' Again, Atlanta water main breaks can be stopped. A similar letter was sent to the Mayor of Edison, N.J. on 12/30/2024. He has not responded. References to this Op Ed were sent to both Atlanta and Edison water departments, stating that 'Today, I published an Op Ed that is highly critical of the operations of the Atlanta water supply.'. These referenced USA Today water main break reports are not unique and are only a few of the thousands of water main breaks reported by the press. Water main breaks affect every industrialized country and all of their cites in our world, and we fail to act. A brief list of actions to stop water main breaks was published earlier ("Water-Main Breaks in Mississippi and Across U.S. Can Be Stopped", click here). All of my scientific findings are published to others so that we can move forward to stop water main breaks. Addendum (1/15/2025) The following text message was sent to the AWWA. 'To:' 'AWWA President Water Main Breaks Can Be Stopped I have invested many years of volunteer research to stop water main breaks. What I ask is that I be allowed to publish these results in the AWWA Journal, whose Editor refuses to publish my research results. We can stop water main breaks. To this end, I have published ASME books on piping failure analysis, an ASME peer reviewed publication on water main breaks, and numerous articles on water main breaks. I am also writing another ASME book that will include and explain water main break destruction and prevention. Additionally, AWWA has provided limited support by allowing my water main break publications in the OpFlow Magazine, an OpFlow Conference, and an AWWA Annual Conference. However, my work has been repeatedly and continually blocked by the AWWA Journal. 'Accordingly, I have written a series of Op Eds criticizing such censorship by the AWWA Journal. Links to each Op Ed were then forwarded to the AWWA Vice President and the AWWA Journal Editor. My latest Op Ed on 1/25/2025 is titled "Never give an inch - When will we stop U.S. water main breaks?" ' Several years ago, the main speaker for the AWWA annual conference spoke of the resistance to new technology, and that speaker was later quoted by the main speaker at the following year's annual conference. As noted, my requests to publish new science in the AWWA Journal were denied. Proving that new ideas are fiercely resisted, AWWA stands in the way of new science. New technology should be allowed publication through the AWWA Journal. Robert A. Leishear, PhD, MSME, MSNE, PE, ASME Fellow, NACE Senior Corrosion Technologist Leishear Engineering, LLC' I continue my fight to stop piping system disasters that destroy our environment and our lives. (Article changed on Jan 19, 2025 at 11:21 AM EST) Publication of the already-ratified Equal Rights Amendment will save women's lives, especially in the face of the upcoming administration. President Biden can do it. If not, he condemns many American women to death. Here's my letter to President Biden. you can write one too, here. Dear President Biden, I urge you to tell the Archivist to publish the Equal Rights Amendment now to ensure the equity and equality of women and LGBTQIA+ people in this nation. You could do this in honor of Jimmy Carter who said, "I do not believe my daughter should have fewer rights than my sons." The ERA will save women's ensuring them to equal health care under the law. Ms Magazine is publishing a RUNNING LIST OF WOMEN'S DEATHS THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTABLE IF WOMEN HAD EQUAL MEDICAL RIGHTS UNDER THE LAW! click here HOW MANY MORE AMERICAN WOMEN NEED TO DIE BEFORE THEIR EQUAL RIGHTS ARE SECURED? HOW MANY MORE MOTHERS, WIVES, SISTERS, WILL YOU CONDEMN TO DEATH? Or will you publish the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) as the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution? The state of Virginia ratified the ERA in January of 2020 and, by the 28th Amendment's own language, should have been immediately published two years later. At a time when lawmakers and courts are rolling back the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ persons, we urge you to take the simple action of telling the Archivist to publish the Twenty-eighth Amendment without delay. We are counting on you to ensure equality for every American as a part of your presidential legacy. On December 29th, when news arrived of the passing of Jimmy Carter at age 100, I wrote the following preamble on my Facebook timeline in reference to a letter I had written 30+ years ago: "Today marked the end of the ONLY US POTUS I held with high regard in my entire time in this country. No one else even came close, and of course the Rs have been the absolute dregs of humanity's cauldron. "30+ years ago I wrote a letter to Discovery Magazine in support of, and admiration for Jimmy Carter, then needlessly maligned as 'ineffective' in war-making, a virtue in my books. The letter received some attention, including many favorable ones from ordinary Americans who wrote to me personally. There were a few negative ones also, from especially avowed muscle-flexers from the Reagan brigade. "I will have more to say later about a genuine, practicing 'Christian' who actually led a life guided by nobility and principles- a far cry from the religious whackos and charlatans polluting civilization and civility every single day. I will never forget JC declaring that he will 'remain alive in hospice care' only long enough that he could cast a vote for Kamala Harris in opposition to the orange monster and his dreadful, gutter-dwelling entourage. It is truly sad the monster was voted in, pushing the human world further towards self-destruction. JC was literally just around long enough to cast his vote- not too long after his devoted partner Rosalynn had also passed on." And then, about a week later, I wrote the following on my timeline in remembrance of my 1991 letter to the TDC Editor: "To add to my previous brief tribute to the dearly departed noble soul, Jimmy Carter, I am adding here a facsimile (in .jpg segments) of an older letter from me to The Discovery Channel (TDC) magazine, back in 1991, defending JC against needless slurs that appeared in the preceding edition of the magazine, describing him as an inept leader. I will attempt to combine this, along with a pro-Reagan, malignant letter that appeared in a follow-up issue of TDC ('he can be an effective carpenter for Habitat for Humanity', said the holy, muscular, manly American), with the previous tribute for a fuller version suitable for OpEdNews, I will post the negative rebuttal letter later" [ "2025 addendum: Unfortunately, at the time of this writing, I do not have that October issue of TDC to share that contrarian, anti-Carter letter- MRC"] [From the August 1991 issue of the TDC Magazine, transcribed version of letter images affixed] -- I take exception to the barrage of vicious epithets hurled at Jimmy Carter in the "Letters" section of your June issue. I found your "Carter debate" unmistakably biased against a man I consider the only American politician alive with noble and statesmanlike attributes. It is sad enough that the last ten years have seen the overwhelming return of McCarthyism in the disguise of patriotism and strength administered by jaded brute force and circumvention of the democratic process ["2025 addendum: may I state here how pertinent these comments seem 34 years later to ring to mightily true, amplified 10-fold in the gruesome age of maga and DJT, where vileness and crudeness are the order of the day- MRC"]. What makes this rampant decline of political ethics and simple human decency is the extent of popular support afforded to devious political propagandists sowing the seeds of mistrust and hatred ["2025 addendum: once again, so tragically pertinent today- MRC "]. The letters that appeared in your June issue are a testimony of the meanness of spirit fostered by the mean and bigoted politics of the last decade, complete with name-calling and unrelenting glorification of force and military adventurism. Jimmy Carter is a gentle humanitarian whose words come from the heart, who feels and cares deeply about ordinary human beings, not just here in America, not just in Hollywood's tinseltown, but everywhere. Jimmy Carter does not embark upon million-dollar speaking engagements, nor is he a trumped-up ["2025 addendum: note especially the relevance of the coincidental insertion of a properly reviled symbol of everything base- MRC "] "communicator" a la master showman sans an iota of substance. Perhaps these are not the times for honest and caring leadership. After all, we are caught up in a time frame where a small coterie within a government defies the laws of the nation to run an arms-trade operation, and comes out of it virtually unscathed. In light of more recent revelations, it would appear that the threads of that operation may reach into the 1980 presidential election itself, if only the truth were ever revealed. Compassionate and visionary Jimmy Carter may be vilified today (and history shows he is in pretty good company), but I have the utmost faith that in the centuries to come, Jimmy Carter will be fondly remembered and honored for his stand on human rights and dignity, his simple directness and honesty, his achievements at Camp David, and his sincere efforts to create a world at peace with itself, long after the misguided, feel-good years of Ronald Reagan have been forgotten. [signed] Monish Chatterjee, State University of New York, Binghamton, New York. .... Cover facsimile from TDC magazine (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 1 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 3 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 4 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 5 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 6 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 7 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 8 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 9 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 10 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA Pic 11 of letter (Image by Monish Chatterjee) Details DMCA I must mention here that in the past, upon the passing of impactful human figures around the world, I have written narrative poems (a partial list would include Harry Belafonte, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, Winnie Mandela and several others widely and not-so-widely known). For Jimmy Carter, I have much to say and write (as I have in the past for Howard Zinn, Gore Vidal and others), and hence this narrative text expressing my tribute. If I may mention here, there is a relatively small number of US Presidents I actually admire. They are essentially represented by these six: John Quincy Adams, Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D Roosevelt, Dwight D Eisenhower, John F Kennedy (with some minor reservations) and lastly, James E Carter, Jr. Out of this list, JC genuinely represents a truly Christ-like figure walking the earth in our own time. The sparkle in his eyes and the pure transparency of his heart are unlike anything I have seen in a political figure (only Lal Bahadur Shastri from India comes to mind as a parallel). In a life of 100 years- it is unimaginable how he most unassumingly spent his years serving his fellow humans across the world. It was all hands-on, it was right there on the ground. I have followed and contributed to both the Carter Center and Habitats for Humanity for several decades now- spurred mainly by the inspiring example set by JC (along with his lifetime partner, Rosalynn). Being that he took on the mantle of POTUS in a highly imperial and aggressive political setup which is the history of the US, resulted understandably in issues and actions from JC's presidency I may not (and in some cases, do not agree with; however, he truly walked and worked as close to a prototype of the exemplar Jesus Christ whom he served through his words and actions throughout his life. We cannot forget his courage in putting his thoughts regarding the oppression of the Palestinian people in a book, Palestine- Peace not Apartheid. This obviously did not endear him to many who (happily or by tacit nonchalance) vigorously support the genocide in Gaza and elsewhere in that artificially created pocket of conflict. Being popular or politically correct was not the code of life for Jimmy Carter. He went around the world monitoring the democratic electoral processes and offering advice. I simply cannot imagine how the absolute barbaric and crude flaunting of the rule of law, democracy and dignity in public life which has gone on in this country (beginning with Bush v. Gore, 2000, but turning into a frightful conflagration during the maga-DJT years) must have horrified this decent, humble, caring, learned and honest man who arrived to serve his country and the entire world. I still remember back in 1977, when I was still in India, reading about JC's Mother Lillian Carter's time in India as a volunteer for the Peace Corps; her letters exchanged with JC ("you should try their chai- black tea boiled with milk and sugar; it is delicious"). I have only recently found out more remarkable stories of JC's 1977/78 visit to India shortly after being inaugurated as POTUS. His life's actions bear testament to a commitment towards human rights and security and peace for all humanity. In summary, he actually lived the life of Christ. And even with my overall agnostic leanings, I greatly admire him for the example he set- riding at stratospheric levels compared with the Lilliputians scurrying around in US politics, business and elsewhere. Monish R Chatterjee, 2025 (Article changed on Jan 16, 2025 at 3:45 PM EST) (Article changed on Jan 16, 2025 at 4:16 PM EST) (Article changed on Jan 17, 2025 at 12:18 AM EST) (Article changed on Jan 17, 2025 at 12:21 AM EST) This article originally appeared at TomDispatch.com. To receive TomDispatch in your inbox three times a week, click here. As one politician, all too sadly, returns to Washington -- and you know just who I mean -- another, all too sadly, is leaving. Call it, if not the end of history, then at least the end of something that matters (and, of course, the beginning of who knows what else). Departing is Congresswoman Barbara Lee. She will be remembered forever (at least by me) for, in the immediate wake (and that's an all-too-appropriate word) of the 9/11 attacks, casting the only vote in Congress -- yes, the only one! -- against the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, or AUMF, that the rest of the House and Senate passed (420 to 1). It essentially turned the constitutional right to war-making over to the president just as what came to be known as the Global War on Terror began. For refusing to give George W. Bush and the presidents who followed him a blank check when it came to disastrous rounds of future war-making, she suffered much criticism and abuse. She was called a traitor, even a terrorist. One newspaper labeled her "a long-practicing supporter of America's enemies." As she said, looking back years later, "It was a very difficult decision, but I knew that I couldn't vote for that. And also I knew that, based on my background in psychology, you don't make hard decisions when you're upset, when you're in mourning. You have to think through the implications of any type of major decision. And then I was concerned about the issue of forever wars. It set the stage, and I knew it was going to do that. The military option could be the first option before we tried any other option to settle disputes, to respond to terrorist attacks." In some sense, you might say that the vote to send us into that Global War on Terror would end the moment in history following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991, when American officials came to consider the U.S. the "sole superpower" on Planet Earth. And you might even say that, so many years later, it also helped set the stage for Donald Trump's Make America Great Again movement and his first presidency. With the departure of an antiwar congressional great and the return of Trump to the White House -- you know, the man who, on January 6, 2020, tweeted to his followers, who had stormed Congress in the wake of his electoral loss, "We love you. You're very special!," then adding, "Remember this day forever!" -- let TomDispatch regular Andrew Bacevich, author most recently of the novel Ravens on a Wire (a vivid look at the post-Vietnam American military), consider what History may now be signaling to us. Tom Surprise! What I Learned After "The End of History" By Andrew Bacevich "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." So declared Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ah, if only it had proved to be so. Although my respect for MLK is enduring, when it comes to that upward-trending curve connecting past to present, his view of human history has proven to be all too hopeful. At best, history's actual course remains exceedingly difficult to decipher. Some might say it's downright devious (and, when you look around this embattled planet of ours today, from the Ukraine to the Middle East, deeply disturbing). Let's consider a specific, very recent segment of the past. I'm thinking of the period stretching from my birth year of 1947 to this very moment. An admission: I, too, once believed that the unfolding events during those long decades I was living through told a discernible story. Although not without its zigs and zags, so I was convinced once upon a time, that story had both direction and purpose. It pointed toward an ultimate destination -- so politicians, pundits, and prophets like Dr. King assured us. In fact, embracing the essentials of that story was then considered nothing less than a prerequisite for situating yourself in the ongoing stream of history. It offered something to grab hold of. Sadly enough, all of this turned out to be bunk. That became abundantly clear in the years after 1989 when the Soviet Union began to collapse and the U.S. was left alone as a great power on Planet Earth. The decades since then have carried a variety of labels. The post-Cold War order came and went, succeeded by the post-9/11 era, and then the Global War on Terror which, even today, in largely unattended places like Africa, drags on in anonymity. In those precincts where opinions are manufactured and marketed, an overarching theme informed each of those labels: the United States was, by definition, the sun around which all else orbited. In what was known as an age of unipolarity or, more modestly , the unipolar moment, we Americans presided as the sole superpower and indispensable nation of Planet Earth, exercising full-spectrum dominance. In the pithy formulation of columnist Max Boot, the United States had become the planet's "Big Enchilada." The future was ours to mold, shape, and direct. Some influential thinkers insisted -- may even have believed -- that History itself had actually "ended." Alas, events exposed that glorious moment as fleeting, if not altogether illusory. For several reasons -- Washington's propensity for needless war certainly offers a place to start -- things did not pan out as expected. Assurances of peace, prosperity, and victory over the foe (whoever the foe it was at that moment) turned out to be false. By 2016, that fact had registered on Americans in sufficient numbers for them to elect as "leader of the Free World" someone hitherto chiefly known as a TV host and real estate developer of dubious credentials. The seemingly impossible had occurred: The American people (or at least the Electoral College) had delivered Donald Trump to the pinnacle of American politics. It was as if a clown had taken possession of the White House. Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Antops Technologies Australia is revolutionising digital marketing by offering top-tier SEO solutions that empower businesses to achieve unparalleled online success. In the competitive digital landscape, standing out is no longer optional-it's essential. Antops Technologies Australia positions itself as a trusted partner for businesses seeking to improve their online presence through strategic search engine optimisation (SEO). With a focus on delivering measurable results, this SEO company in Sydney is helping brands climb A 64-year-old owner of a Coeur dAlene forestry management company was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining at least $2.5 million from a different forestry management business, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Wednesday. Douglas Worman entered, through his company, Worman Forest Management, into a factoring agreement in 2010 with J.S. Richards Forestry Management to sell millions of dollars of Worman Forest Managements accounts receivable that were based on invoices for work the business provided to its customers, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office District of Idaho, which cited court records and evidence at trial. Factoring is a form of short-term financing in which a business sells its accounts receivable to a third party at a discount. The seller of an invoice obtains funding from a buyer, and the buyer of an invoice earns a fee for providing the up-front financing. From 2015 to 2018, Worman submitted inflated, false and fraudulent invoices to J.S. Richards Forestry Management for factoring, purportedly for work Wormans business had performed for its customers, the release said. Between June and September 2018, Worman submitted over $2 million in fraudulent invoices for factoring to J.S. Richards Forestry Management. A federal jury convicted Worman of 17 counts of wire fraud for the factoring scheme after a six-day trial in August. Chief U.S. District Judge David Nye recently sentenced Worman, of Coeur dAlene, to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Worman must pay restitution, with the amount to be determined. This case sends a clear message that, along with our law enforcement partners, we will not tolerate fraud in Idahos business community, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit said in the release. I am grateful for the FBIs painstaking investigation of the defendants fraud and the tenacious work of our offices prosecutors to marshal the evidence for the jury. Hurwit commended the investigation by the FBI, which led to the charges. Douglas Worman is being held accountable for exploiting the trust of his victims, Acting Special Agent in Charge Albert Kelly of the Salt Lake City FBI office said in the release. The FBI is committed to protecting Idahoans by investigating and arresting those who seek to defraud others. We also encourage the public to report potential fraud to the FBI. 2025 The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Wash.). Visit www.spokesman.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A military doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing dozens of male soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to just over 13 years in prison, was ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and was dismissed from the U.S. Army. Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the bases Madigan Army Medical Center, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to 36 specifications, or counts, of abusive sexual contact and five of indecent viewing, said Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. The sentence imposed by the court holds Maj. Stockin accountable for every person he victimized through his crimes, Maj. Allyson Montgomery, prosecutor, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement. The results of this proceeding shine a light on the trauma caused by Maj. Stockin by allowing the voices of every victim to be heard in a public hearing. JBLM is the Armys fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles south of Seattle. The Madigan medical center is the Armys second-largest medical treatment facility. After his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified about the trauma and distress they endured because of Stockins abuse. Many said Stockin caused them to suffer negative emotional, physical, and psychological harm because of the crimes committed against them. The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated, said lead prosecutor Maj. Ryan Keeter. They have been living with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockins actions for years and the last 16 months of litigation on the way to this court-martial has not been easy. I thank them for their patience, their strength, and their determination for justice. Stockins lawyer, Robert Capovilla, said the doctor faced more than 300 years of prison, but his sentence was capped at just over a dozen years. Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions, and he made no excuses, Capovilla said in an email. The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Major Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives. Lawyers representing 22 of Stockins former patients have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints against the Army and Department of Defense on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the agencies were negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Stockin. Each is seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they say theyve suffered. Christine Dunn, representing the victims, said Stockins sentencing provides some sense of justice, but for our clients, real justice requires holding the Army accountable for its role in allowing this to happen. The Army failed their clients and other victims, scarring them for life, Dunn said in an email. During the sentencing hearing, victim after victim described the emotional impact the sexual abuse has had on their lives, Dunn said. These brave soldiers are now riddled with anxiety and shame many of them terrified to even seek medical attention. The Army launched an investigation into Stockin in 2022 after receiving multiple complaints, McCaskill said. He was suspended from patient care and was given administrative duties. He was formally charged in August 2023 with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel referred 52 charges and specifications, stemming from allegations by 41 male patients he treated between 2019 and 2022. Stockin will be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where hell serve his prison sentence, McCaskill said. Based on his crimes, hell be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements once released from prison. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The X meeting of the heads of customs services of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) is taking place in Baku, Trend reports. Various agreements are expected to be signed during the meeting. The Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Shahin Baghirov said that it's important to strengthen the coordination of customs services, introduce uniform standards and use modern technologies for the effective organization of global trade flows in the modern world. "The 10th meeting of the heads of customs services of Turkic states is of great importance for simplifying trade, enhancing regional initiatives, and deepening economic integration. The harmonization of customs procedures and optimization of transit routes open up new opportunities for realizing the economic potential of Turkic states and accelerating regional development. One of the key projects is the simplified customs corridor, which has strategic importance for expanding trade and strengthening economic ties in the region," he noted. According to him, the project to simplify transit customs procedures along the international Trans-Caspian East-West corridor by implementing the "single window" principle, proposed by the customs service, is an important step. "This project allows goods and vehicles to be moved along the corridor based on a single declaration, enables electronic data exchange, and uses the pre-submitted customs transit declaration as a transit document. This will contribute to a more efficient and simplified organization of trade processes, as well as achieving important goals such as enhancing the region's logistical potential. In the modern era, the automation of customs services, the implementation of electronic document management systems, and digital control mechanisms make a significant contribution to speeding up border crossing procedures, preventing illegal trade, and increasing transparency in trade processes. In this context, electronic seals and GPS-based tracking systems are of particular importance. These technologies not only ensure the safety of cargo transportation but also allow for reliable and effective monitoring of transit processes. Systems that enable real-time tracking of goods movement help build trust among trade participants and prevent illegal interference," added Baghirov. The OTS General Secretary Kubanychbek Omuraliev said that Turkmenistan is preparing to join the electronic permit system among member countries of the OTS. "In the face of global challenges such as the race for cross-border trade, rising transportation costs, lengthy document checks, and complex customs and transit procedures, addressing these issues is vital for the economic stability and development of our region. In line with our strategic document 'Turkic World Vision-2040', the OTS aims to simplify customs and trade processes between member states and along the Middle Corridor. Significant achievements of our member states include the successful operation of the electronic TIR system between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan in cooperation with UNICEF in 2022. We aim for the OTS region to become a leader in implementing the electronic TIR system," he mentioned. Omuraliyev noted that as an organization, the OTS is fully committed to supporting and developing this initiative in cooperation with member states, UNICEF, and IRU. "We are actively working on expanding the electronic permit system among our member countries. Turkmenistan is preparing to join this initiative, which will strengthen connections and deepen regional integration between Turkic states. Last year, we established the Union of International Road Transport Associations in the Turkic region, called OTS 'YURTA', as well as the Alliance of Logistics Centers and Cargo Carriers of Turkic States," added the secretary-general. Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan Kairat Dzhumagaliev mentioned that joint efforts to implement the E-TIR (Electronic International Road Transports) information system by member countries of the (OTS will create numerous benefits for carriers. He noted that Kazakhstan, as a full-fledged participant in global economic relations, is taking active steps to develop international supply chains and improve the transparency and efficiency of customs services. "Due to its geographical location, Kazakhstan is viewed as one of the transit countries connecting Europe and Asia. Our state's foreign economic policy is aimed at expanding the boundaries of international integration and global economic processes. The implementation and expansion of the use of the E-TIR information system is essential for simplified and accelerated cargo transportation between the member states of the OTS. Our joint efforts in implementing the E-TIR information system by our countries shall create numerous advantages for carriers," added Jumagaliyev. To note, the 9th meeting of the heads of customs services of the OTS was held in December 2023 in Tashkent. Will be updated Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez is keeping a busy to-do list as he settles into his second week in office. In a significant break from his predecessor, Vasquez said Wednesday his office would no longer support the leniency plea of Frank F. Swopes who has spent 32 years in state prison stemming from a deadly Portland home invasion and sought to get out three years early. A 32-year-old Albany man was convicted of sexually abusing two women at his tattoo shop and ordered to serve jail time and probation. Daniel Nunez-Rodriguez, owner of Majin Ink LLC, was arrested by Albany police in May 2023 following an investigation that officials said began in 2022. The victims, ages 19 and 24 when the crimes occurred, told investigators that Nunez-Rodriguez touched them inappropriately during tattoo sessions. He was charged with two counts of misdemeanor third-degree sexual abuse and three counts of misdemeanor physical harassment. One of the victims told an officer that she came to Nunez-Rodriguez for an outer leg and upper thigh tattoo in April 2023, noting that she has known his family since middle school, according to an affidavit. Once they were alone in the tattoo room, Nunez-Rodriguez had the victim pull down her pants, and while she waited for around half an hour, he reportedly lamented over a previous incident in which he was arrested on suspicion of touching a clients breasts and nipples without consent, saying it was a false accusation. Getting a sympathetic response from the victim, Nunez-Rodriguez went in for a hug, then reached around to grab the womans butt cheeks. I have to do this now to get it out of the way because I cant help myself, Nunez-Rodriguez said, according to the affidavit. The victim told police she was baffled and confused by the inappropriate touching after what Nunez-Rodriguez had just told her, saying she felt very uncomfortable about hurting his feelings and felt she couldnt leave. Wearing thong underwear due to the location of the tattoo, the victim lay down on the tattoo table on her stomach. Although the tattoo did not go past her hip/bottom, she said, Nunez-Rodriguez proceeded to remove her underwear without asking and did not give her anything to cover herself. As she was lying on the table, she was thinking to herself that she knew Daniel could see her vagina, the affidavit states. She kept telling herself that Daniel did not have ill intent and that he would not be inappropriate. However, Nunez-Rodriguez reportedly touched the womans behind several times throughout the appointment, and when he finished the tattoo, told her that he wanted to slap her butt cheeks because her ass looked so good. She said he also touched her vagina while wiping down the tattoo with a paper towel. She drove home feeling sick to her stomach and felt guilty, the affidavit states. She felt like Daniel used his story with the other girl to manipulate her and see how she would react to gauge what he could and couldnt get away with. Three days later, Nunez-Rodriguez messaged the woman on Instagram, asking to do touchup work, which she found suspicious as he had not seen the tattoo, and it was still healing. She refused. Nunez-Rodriguezs wife messaged her next, asking if he had done anything inappropriate, according to the affidavit. The victim told her what had happened, resulting in Nunez-Rodriguez and his wife blocking further communication with the victim on the social media platform. Prosecutor Ryan Lucke read a victims statement from the first victim at Nunez-Rodriguezs sentencing hearing, recounting what she described as the worst day of her life, when her trust was betrayed by a professional who is related to a close friend of hers: I remember every second of the most violating experience Ive ever had. I remember the painful realization that came over me when I finally understood what was happening to me. That pain never goes away, and over time I learned that pain was actually called grief. Never once did the perpetrator apologize to myself or (the second victim) for the atrocious acts that he inflicted upon both of us. He has carried out his life and business as if these events never occurred, while (she) and I have been battling grief, trauma and anger for the last two years. The second victim gave her own statement during the proceeding. An audio recording of the hearing was not immediately available. Nunez-Rodriguez pleaded no contest to the sexual abuse charges at the Linn County Courthouse on Jan. 9. Judge Thomas McHill sentenced him to four years of supervised probation, 90 days in jail and ordered Nunez-Rodriguez to register as a sex offender. During his time on probation, Nunez-Rodriguez is also required to have a third party present when performing tattoo work. 2025 Corvallis Gazette-Times, Ore.. Visit www.gazettetimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. As the nation celebrates the slain human rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr., various organizations host live events to commemorate the holiday. Also see our list of closed Federal and state offices, and service adjustments for the holiday. Don't Shoot PDX will hold a march through north Portland on Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Oregonian file photo. The Oregonian Events Keep Alive the Dream: This years theme, Beyond Resilience to Empowerment, strengthens the World Arts Foundations resolve and commitment to collaboratively work to develop innovative arts and education programming and opportunities for youth. The event offers speakers, live music performances, awards, and the Victory Village Marketplace, which highlights local businesses. 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Hyatt Regency, 375 N.E. Holladay St.; details: worldartsfoundation.org/event-details. SOLVE MLK Jr. Day of Service: Each year SOLVE marks this holiday by hosting volunteer projects that not only honor the life and legacy of King but also enhance the environment for all community members. Take part in one or more of the listed projects. Registration is usually required. There are several events available, but some have a low number of spots. One event with several openings is a Forest Restoration at Mary S. Young Park in West Linn. To see available events and open spots visit solveoregon.org/mlk. Reclaim Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Dont Shoot PDXs weekend to honor MLK Jr. starts with an art making workshop on Saturday, Jan. 18. Make art youll carry as you participate in the march on Monday, Jan. 20. Register for this free workshop here: eventbrite.com/e/community-art-build. The annual march for human rights and dignity begins at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, at 700 N. Rosa Parks Way. The march is open to all who support uplifting Black voices and the entire community. Details: dontshootpdx.org/community-events. Forest Grove MLK Day Art March: Last years event was held outside on a cold, snowy day, so organizers have moved it inside for 2025. This all-ages event features a large public art making session, take-home projects, a speech, and then a short march outside during which you can carry the art you made. 1-3 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Forest Grove Community Auditorium, 1915 Main St., Forest Grove; free. Hands On Portland: The agency has several volunteer opportunities pegged to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The Powell Butte Natural Area cleanup is open to all ages. There will also be opportunities to plant new botanicals. Meet up area will be emailed after volunteers complete the required online signup. 9 a.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Powell Butte Natural Area; sign up here handsonportland.org/opportunity. Clark College: The Vancouver campus of Clark Community College host two events focused on healing and honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The first is a reading and discussion of the book Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children, and How We Heal by Bettina Love. 10 a.m. Wednesday, Jan 22, Penguin Union Building 161, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way, Vancouver; free admission. And keynote speech by Love at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 23, Gaiser Student Center, 1933 Fort Vancouver Way; free; news.clark.edu/2025/01/celebrate. The Skanner Foundation: The foundation has announced it will not host a breakfast on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2025. BLM has waived day use fees in honor of MLK Jr. Day, 2025. Oregonian file photo. Bruce Ely/The Oregonian Regional events Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees for visitors on Monday, Jan. 20. The BLM invites the public to visit the unique and diverse natural landscapes and visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Highlighted sites include Steens Mountain, Cascade Siskiyou National Monument, and Sandy Ridge Trail System. Details: blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees. Also, Federal Parks admission is waved for the holiday. Get more information here: nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks. Yamhill County: The Chehalem Cultural Center hosts its 15th annual event featuring a one-hour dramatic presentation that uses live music, spoken word, and multimedia to commemorate Knock at Midnight, a book inspired by Kings sermons that call for Americans to serve others and better their communities. 6 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Chehalem Cultural Center, 415 E Sheridan St., Newberg; free; chehalemculturalcenter.org/mlk-day-celebration. Silverton: Silvertons People for Peace and KBOO Community Radio host the annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.s legacy. Expect a potluck meal with traditional southern foods including three-cheese baked macaroni, collard greens simmered in ham hocks, and apple pie. The event also features sing-a-longs and readings. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, Silverton Grange, 201 Division St., Silverton; donations requested; silvertongrange.org/22nd-annual-mlk-celebration. Oregon State University (Corvallis): The University hosts several events in honor of Martin Luther King Jr., including a breakfast on Monday, Jan. 20. There will also be a day of service Jan. 25 and a keynote address Jan. 30. Visit the OSU website for details: diversity.oregonstate.edu/MLKCommemoration. City of Portland offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. Oregonian file photo. Dave Killen / The Oregonian Governmental services Federal offices: Closed. U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon: Closed. Oregon and Washington state offices: Closed. Oregon and Washington state courts: Closed. Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas and Clark county offices, city of Portland and Vancouver offices, Metro Regional Center: Closed. Portland parking meters: Free except in city parks that charge for parking, including Washington Park, Oregon Zoo, and Willamette Park. Banks: Closed, some in-store branches may be open. U.S. Postal Service offices: Closed, no regular mail service. Multnomah County libraries: Closed. Washington County libraries: Most are closed. Each librarys on-site hours, on-site services and procedures, and book drop hours are different. Check with your local branch. Clackamas County libraries: Closed. Fort Vancouver Regional Library District: Closed. Transportation TriMet: Buses and MAX will be on Sunday schedules. If your bus does not operate on Sundays, it will not run Monday. WES has no service. Portland Streetcar will be on regular schedule. See trimet.org for details. C-Tran: All buses on regular schedules. Portland Aerial Tram: No service. Attractions Oregon Zoo: Open. Oregon Museum of Science and Industry: Open. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation Wednesday to deliver stark warnings of an oligarchy of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a tech-industrial complex that is infringing on Americans' rights and the future of democracy. Speaking from the Oval Office as he prepares to hand over power Monday to President-elect Donald Trump, Biden seized what is likely to be his final opportunity to address the country before he departs the White House to spotlight the accumulation of power and wealth in the U.S. among just a small few. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said, drawing attention to a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people. Dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Invoking President Dwight Eisenhowers warnings about the military-industrial complex when he left office in 1961, Biden added, Im equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers to our country as well. Biden used his 15-minute address to offer a model for a peaceful transfer of power and without mentioning Trump by name raise concerns about his successor. It marked a striking admonition by Biden, who is departing the national stage after more than 50 years in public life, as he has struggled to define his legacy against the return of Trump to the Oval Office. The president warned Americans to be on guard for their freedoms and their institutions during a turbulent era of rapid technological and economic change. His speech in the Oval Office is the latest in a series of remarks on domestic policy and foreign relations that were intended to cement his legacy and reshape Americans grim views on his term. Earlier in the day, he heralded a long awaited ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which could end more than a year of bloodshed in the Middle East. Itll take time to feel the full impact of what weve done together but the seeds are planted and theyll grow and theyll bloom for decades to come, Biden said, tacitly acknowledging that many Americans say they have yet to feel the impacts of his trillions of dollars in domestic initiatives. Biden sounded the alarm about oligarchy as some of the worlds richest individuals and titans of its technology industry have flocked to Trumps side in recent months, particularly after his November victory. Billionaire Elon Musk spent more than $100 million on helping Trump get elected, and executives like Metas Mark Zuckerberg and Amazons Jeff Bezos have donated to Trumps inaugural committee and made pilgrimages to Trumps private club in Florida for audiences with the president-elect. While Biden criticized social media companies for retreating from fact-checking on their platforms, Trumps incoming communications director and press secretary were sharing posts on X that falsely claimed it was a prerecorded speech. The incumbent president has blamed his poor standing among the public on misinformation on social media and the challenges he has faced reaching voters in the disaggregated modern media ecosystem. Biden isnt leaving the White House in the way that he hoped. He tried to run for reelection, brushing aside voters concerns that he would be 86 years old at the end of a second term. After stumbling in a debate with Republican Donald Trump, Biden dropped out of the race under pressure from his own party, and Vice President Kamala Harris became the Democratic nominee. The speech Wednesday night capped not Bidens presidency but his five decades in politics. He was once the countrys youngest senator at 30 years old after being elected to represent his home state of Delaware in 1972. Biden pursued the presidency in 1988 and 2008 before becoming Barack Obamas vice president. After serving two terms, Biden was considered to be retired from politics. But he returned to center stage as the unlikely Democratic nominee in 2020, successfully ousting Trump from the White House. As he highlighted his own commitment to ensuring a peaceful transition of power, including holding briefings with Trumps team and coordinating with the incoming administration on the Middle East negotiations, Biden also called for a constitutional amendment to end immunity for sitting presidents. That came in response to a Supreme Court ruling last year that granted Trump sweeping protections from criminal liability over his role in trying to overturn his 2020 defeat to Biden. Biden spoke from the Resolute desk, photos of his family visible behind him in the Oval Office. First lady Jill Biden, his son Hunter, some of his grandchildren, Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, sat watching. As Biden spoke about Harris, saying shed become like family, the first lady reached over and grabbed her hand. ------- By ZEKE MILLER, CHRIS MEGERIAN and COLLEEN LONG Associated Press The latest round of federal CHIPS Act awards includes $105 million for Analog Devices to upgrade its factories in the suburbs around Portland and Boston, the Commerce Department announced early Thursday. Analog Devices has a factory near Beaverton and another in Camas, Washington. It makes computer chips used in cars, industrial equipment, airplanes and in national defense. Semiconductor shortages during the pandemic constrained manufacturing in all those industries, creating global shortages. On Friday at 2:25 a.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated beach hazards statement valid from Saturday 1 p.m. until Sunday 6 p.m. for South Central Oregon Coast and Curry County Coast. The weather service comments, "A moderate risk of sneaker waves is expected." "Sneaker waves can run up significantly farther on beaches than normal, including over rocks and jetties. These waves can suddenly knock people off of their feet and quickly pull them into the cold ocean waters, resulting in serious injury or death. Waves may also lift driftwood logs, trapping anyone caught underneath," explains the weather service. "Avoid climbing on rocks and jetties. Stay away from the ocean and remain out of the water to avoid hazardous conditions." Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan said, Trend reports. "We hope all parties will respect the agreement and sufferings will be ended. Azerbaijan supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with respective UNSC resolutions, and will continue working with the international community towards that goal," the Ministry wrote on X. On January 15, a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip was reached after several hours of intense work by mediators. The first stage of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip will last 42 days, during which time the conditions for the next stage will be determined, according to the Qatari Prime Minister. He confirmed that Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first stage of the deal with Israel. The mediators act as guarantors of the continuation of negotiations to ensure the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Gaza Strip. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. First Deputy Minister of Defense Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev attended the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session in Brussels, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. Speaking at the session held with the participation of the Chiefs of Defence of the armies of NATO Allied and partner countries, Colonel General K. Valiyev highlighted the prospects for the development of Azerbaijan-NATO cooperation, Azerbaijans activities in the Resolute Support Mission and other operations, as well as the experience gained by the Azerbaijan Army in various NATO exercises and events. Emphasizing Azerbaijan's constant contribution to peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic area and beyond, Colonel General K. Valiyev stated that Azerbaijan intends to make a greater contribution to international peace and security as a partner that fully restored its territorial integrity and sovereignty. As part of the visit, the Chief of the General Staff is scheduled to meet with some colleagues participating in the session. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel More than a year has passed since Asus acquisition of the NUC brand from Intel, which marked the first major change the brand had seen since Intel launched it back in 2013. After more than a decade of continuity including last years transition year where Intel still had a say on design this will be the real first year in which Asus has done most of the groundwork, fronting up with its own designs and innovations. So how is the NUC different now in this new era? I spoke to Kuo Wei Chao, general manager of Asus IoT business unit, to find out. The new Asus NUC models and 2025 focus The Asus NUC lineup announced at CES 2025 in Las Vegas included the NUC 14 AI and the more premium NUC 14 Pro AI+ with 48 TOPS NPU AI power and a dedicated Copilot+ button for quick access to the AI assistant. They were on display alongside two new powerful mini-PCs for everyday use featuring the latest Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) chips: the NUC 15 and NUC 15 Pro+. A fourth model, the NUC 14 Essential is the efficiency workhorse, designed to provide maximum performance while sipping tiny amounts of power. Last but certainly not least, Asus ROG NUC makes a comeback with the most powerful CPU and GPU combination weve seen to date. Chao said Asus focus for its second year of NUC is threefold. Like other PCs at CES 2025, the addition of AI hardware is a big change allowing users a high degree of AI task mobility. Asus is also keen to communicate its commitment to improving performance while keeping NUC sizes as small as possible. The third focus reeks of Asus company ethos and is arguably the reason why it has been so successful with product lines like the Asus ROG gaming laptops. Chao said there has been a concerted effort to incorporate a lot of user feedback in the NUC range. In other words, it has added features and design elements that specifically tailor the NUC experience to what consumers want. But what does all that product talk actually mean? I picked one model, the 2025 ROG NUC to find out! The Asus NUC 14 Essential Asus The 2025 Asus ROG NUC leads the charge The Asus ROG NUC is perhaps the most impressive of the 2025 NUCs, and the best example of those Asus changes to the NUC brand in action. Here Asus has not only increased the performance power on offer by bumping the ROG NUCs CPU and GPU up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 mobile CPU and mobile Blackwell variant of the Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU, respectively both titans of Intel and Nvidias 2025 performance offerings but it has also made cooling, upgradability, and connectivity priorities in 2025. Asus didnt reveal what model of the Intel Core Ultra 9 (Series 2) chip it has used in the 2025 ROG NUC at CES, but based on the turbo clock speed of 5.5GHz in the specs sheet, I surmise that it can only be Intels flagship Arrow Lake mobile CPU, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX. No other mini gaming PC announced at CES is as stacked for performance, upgradable, overclockable, and yet so portable. The 2025 Asus ROG NUC. Asus It goes without saying thats one heck of a chip. It puts 24 cores of raw processing power at your disposal, including 36 TOPS of AI power to capitalize on innovations in AI. Personally, Im not sure what 5.5GHz looks like in a game, let alone the kind of performance Id get when thats paired with 16GB of fast DDR5-6400 memory and the 7,680 CUDA cores in the RTX 5080. But Im really excited to find out. The RTX 5080 GPU in particular is a great choice in hardware. It means the 2025 ROG NUCs GPU will be fully compatible with Nvidias new DLSS 4 AI technology so it can access a full suite of features including Nvidias Multi Frame Generation, which older Nvidia RTX GPUs cannot. More changes including overclocking Another cherry on top of the cake with this years ROG NUC is, wait for it overclocking! Yep, the bump up from an Intel H series chip in 2024 to an Intel mobile HX Series Arrow Lake chip in 2025 gives gamers more control over their NUCs maximum CPU speed, for the first time. Overclocking is accomplished in Asus Armory Crate software, where gamers can also control their fan speed settings. Among the other cascade of changes is a more comprehensive cooling system, Chao explained. It comprises an integrated triple-fan design with twin vapor chambers that not only provides enhanced cooling but also makes the 2025 ROG quieter than its 2024 counterpart, he said. It works in conjunction with a perforated chassis that provides more airflow than before, too. Asus NUC mini-PC lineup. The Asus ROG NUC is shown top left. Asus A new chassis size measuring 11.1 x 7.4 x 2.2 inches does make this years model slightly larger (3 liters versus 2.5 liters in volume), but the larger size provides users with more capacity to upgrade, Chao promised. We upgraded the CPU to support a higher TDP and reserved some buffers because we know that many gamers want to overclock and increase performance. So, gamers who want to upgrade, it will be easier to do that, he said. In regard to that upgradability, the 16GB starter RAM can be expanded to a whopping 96GB. Swapping out RAM is also made easier by a new single-screw design that allows gamers to access the internal components in seconds. Connectivity options galore The ROG NUC also hits the right note with connectivity. In fact, the I/O lists off like a fine wine menu, including no less than 6x USB-A 3.2 ports, 2x HDMI 2.1 FRL ports, and 2x DisplayPort 2.1 ports. It also has a Thunderbolt 4 port, a USB-C 3.2 Gen2 port, a 3.5mm combo jack, and a 2.5Gb Ethernet port. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 make up the wireless connectivity. The choice of Thunderbolt 4 port instead of the newer Thunderbolt 5 is an interesting choice considering that Asus own 2025 XG Mobile eGPU uses the latter this year. On that point Chao said: We listened and had many discussions with gamers. I think that Thunderbolt 5 would be very important in the long term. But I think right now, from an ecosystem perspective, its not so complete and in its infancy. So, we focused on what the majority want and the best choice for gamers in 2025 thats Thunderbolt 4. On top of all that, Asus ROG branding brings the device in line with Asus ROG portfolio aesthetically. If youre thinking Asus just won over a whole lot of gamers this year, you may be right. No other mini gaming PC announced at CES is as upgradable, overclockable, stacked for performance, and yet so portable. Lets hope it lives up to expectations. Duolingo reports that interest in learning Chinese (Mandarin) on the language learning app has increased by a whopping 216 percent among Americans compared to this time last year. This surge in interest comes as TikTok faces a ban in the US that will take place on Sunday, January 19. With TikTok potentially shutting its doors, American users are turning to a similar app called RedNote (also known as Xiaohongshu), a Chinese social media platform. Because the app is dominated by Chinese users, many of whom are overseas, most of its content is in Chinese so American TikTok refugees are learning the language to better participate in the community. The US government previously decided to ban TikTok because the video-sharing app allegedly collects data to be shared with Chinese authorities. TikToks owner ByteDance has consistently denied this. Its still possible that TikTok could remain active in the US if the app is divested and sold to a US owner. Its also possible that president-elect Donald Trump could extend the January 20 deadline for the sale. By Paul Walsh and Nicole Norfleet, Star Tribune (TNS) MINNEAPOLIS The second of four former Minneapolis police officers convicted in U.S. and state courts for the murder of George Floyd more than 4 years ago has been released from prison. J. Alexander Kueng, 31, left the low-security federal prison in Lisbon, Ohio, on Wednesday morning. Federal Bureau of Prisons spokesman Donald Murphy confirmed the release to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Kueng is on supervised release until March 2026 in connection with his sentence in Hennepin County District Court. Floyd, who was Black, died while pinned under the knee of officer Derek Chauvin, who is white, at the corner of Chicago Avenue S. and E. 38th Street in south Minneapolis in May 2020. Floyds death ignited days of protests and at times deadly and destructive riots. Chauvin was convicted in Hennepin County District Court in 2021 of second-degree murder and manslaughter. He later pleaded guilty to federal charges for violating Floyds civil rights and is serving a 20-year prison term concurrent with his 22-year state sentence. Hes due to be released from prison in November 2037, according to prison records. Former officer Thomas Lane, who held Floyds legs, was released from prison last summer. Former officer Tou Thao, who kept back bystanders as Floyd was restrained, remains imprisoned. He is scheduled to be released in November. Kueng also knelt on Floyds back during the arrest. He was sentenced at the state level to 3 years for aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter, which was served concurrently with a three-year federal sentence he received for violating Floyds civil rights. Kueng was in his third day on the job when Floyd was killed. He received his law enforcement license in August 2019. A 33-year-old Lebanon woman was arrested Monday after police said she handcuffed her 11-year-old son to an oil tank in the basement of a home. Lebanon County Regional Police were sent to the 600 block of East Kercher Avenue around 9:55 p.m. on Jan. 11. While investigating, officers determined the boys mother, Chazzity Candelario, handcuffed him to an oil tank in the basement. The police report did not say if Candelario was in the home while the child was handcuffed. According to WGAL, Candelario also admitted to locking the boy in a small utility closet and said she has difficulty controlling her children while she is at work. She is charged with unlawful restraint of a minor, false imprisonment of a minor and endangering the welfare of children. Candelario is incarcerated in the Lebanon County Prison after being unable to post her $100,000 bail. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23. By NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY, SYLVIE CORBET and MARYCLAIRE DALE, The Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) An American accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said So I raped you was extradited Thursday from France to the United States. Ian Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, arrived in the U.S. and was being flown to Pennsylvania, a U.S. Marshals Service spokesman said. Cleary had been detained in April in Metz, France, after a three-year search. A French appeals court later said he could be extradited. The Appeal Court prosecutors office in Metz, in northeastern France, said Cleary was handed over to U.S. authorities at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Former Gettysburg University student Shannon Keeler, who pursued the case for more than a decade, said the news gave her renewed faith in the justice system. This arrest and extradition give me renewed faith that, after many years of waiting, the justice system can work, when survivors persist with the help and support of family, friends, advocates and attorneys, Keeler said in a press release issued through her attorney. Cleary had been the subject of an international search since authorities in Pennsylvania issued a 2021 felony warrant in the case, weeks after an Associated Press story detailed the reluctance of local prosecutors to pursue campus sex crimes. The arrest warrant accuses Cleary of stalking the 18-year-old Keeler at a campus party in 2013, sneaking into her dorm and sexually assaulting her while she texted friends for help. He was a 20-year-old Gettysburg student at the time, but didnt return to campus. Keeler had a rape exam done the same day. She gathered witnesses and evidence and spent years urging officials to file charges. She went to authorities again in 2021 after discovering the Facebook messages that seemed to come from Clearys account. So I raped you, the sender wrote in a string of messages. Ill never do it to anyone ever again. I need to hear your voice. Ill pray for you. According to the June 2021 warrant, police verified that the Facebook account used to send the messages belonged to Cleary. The AP doesnt typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission, which Keeler has granted. It took an incredible amount of courage and unwavering resolve for Shannon to get this far, lawyer Andrea Levy said in the statement, and she is deeply grateful to law enforcement at every level who worked to locate, capture and extradite Ian Cleary. An Elizabeth, N.J., man charged with killing his wife told the couples son that only he and God know what happened to her, according to charging documents. Rolando Corte and his wife, Lucrecia Elizabeth Jadan Sumba, were having marital problems before he killed her Jan. 8 in their home on the 400 block of Elmora Avenue and dumped her body in a trash receptacle in the Allentown, Pennsylvania, area, authorities said. Investigators found what they believe to be blood in the kitchen area and the hall outside their bathroom in Elizabeth, according to a criminal complaint charging Corte, 42, with murder. His wife died of sharp force injuries, officials said. The couples eldest son 21 told detectives of his parents disagreements after she didnt show up for work on Wednesday. Earlier, Jadan Sumba had dropped off the two youngest of her four children at school, the complaint said. Corte later admitted to a witness that he killed his wife, the charging document said. He drove her car to Coopersburg, Pennsylvania about 80 miles from Elizabeth to dispose of her body before it was found around 6 p.m. Saturday, police said. License plate readers and cell phone pings indicated he traveled from Union County, N.J., to Pennsylvania. Corte was scheduled for a first court appearance on Thursday. Attorney information wasnt immediately available. Jadan Sumba, 39, emigrated to the United States from Ecuador in 2021 and worked in a nail salon, according to a GoFundMe.com established to support her children and cover funeral expenses. The GoFundme.com described her as a loving mother who always made a positive impact of those around her bringing support, knowledge, happiness and worked always with enthusiasm. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. A fifth-grade teacher at a Cape May County elementary school got pregnant after she repeatedly sexually assaulted a student who moved into her house with his brother, police said in a report obtained by NJ Advance Media. Middle Township School District Superintendent David Salvo received an anonymous tip on Dec. 12 saying a teacher identified Wednesday as Laura R. Caron, 34, of the Cape May Court House section of Middle Township may have sexually assaulted a student a few years ago, according to an affidavit of probable cause in the case. Salvo immediately contacted police, authorities said. Caron was a fifth-grade teacher at Middle Township Elementary School No. 2 in Cape May Court House before she was suspended, officials said. The tip to police cited a Facebook message posted by the students father, which said Carons 5-year-old child looks like him and his son, the affidavit stated. Carons child was born in 2019, when she was 28 and the student was 13 and living in her home, investigators said. The teenager told police this month that he is the father of his former teachers child. The teachers attorney could not immediately be reached to comment Thursday. Caron taught both the 13-year-old and his brother when they were in fifth grade, the boys father told police. The boys mother became friendly with the teacher, and the parents began allowing their children to stay at Carons home, the court documents said. The sleepovers would happen one or two nights a week at first, then the siblings moved into the teachers house full time from 2016 to 2020, investigators said. Details about what prompted the parents to allow the living arrangement were not disclosed in police documents. The boys sister, who also spent time at Carons home, told police on Dec. 16 her brother began sleeping at the house when he was 11 and that the children stayed in a shared room, authorities said. However, the sister told police she noticed her brother would often be in Carons bed when they awoke in the morning, the affidavit said. She also told detectives she would see Caron walk into the bathroom where her brother would shower and lock the door. The boys brother told investigators he witnessed Caron sexually assault his brother, court papers said. The sister provided police with a screenshot of a text between her and her brother in which he said he is the father of Carons child, the affidavit said. He asked his sister not to tell anyone so his former teacher would not get in trouble, police said. On Jan. 5, the teen told police Caron sexually assaulted him about twice a week while he lived with her, police said. The police documents do not indicate when the siblings stopped living with Caron. The boy at the center of the case told detectives he continued talking with Caron until his fathers Facebook post last month, according to the affidavit. Caron was arrested Wednesday and charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, the Cape May County prosecutors office said. She was taken to the Cape May County jail. School district officials said Caron was suspended when they learned about the criminal investigation. When the school district was first advised of the criminal investigation, Laura Caron was suspended, and removed from any contact with students, as we take allegations regarding employee misconduct seriously, the Middle Township school district said. Our school district is committed to continuing to work in the best interest of our children and to provide an excellent education in a healthy, safe, and secure environment. Hired as a public employee in 2014, Caron is paid an annual salary of $64,512, according to state pension records. I want to personally assure the parents of Middle Township that we are taking every step possible to ensure the safety of our children. Our department is working closely with the Prosecutors Office to ensure that every aspect of this case is thoroughly investigated, said Middle Township Police Chief Tracey Super in a statement, according to a report on 6abc.com. Staff writer Jeff Goldman contributed to this report. Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. A 66-year-old Northampton County woman is facing felony animal cruelty charges after investigators found a sick horse that had to be euthanized and a dead dog in a freezer on her property, state police said. Donna Giello-Turner, of East Shore Drive in Upper Mount Bethel Township, is charged with two counts of felony aggravated cruelty to animals, felony aggravated assault attempting or cause serious bodily injury, two counts of misdemeanor neglect of animals, two counts of misdemeanor cruelty to animals and related offenses. No attorney information was immediately listed in court records for Giello-Turner. Pennsylvania State Police in Belfast were called Giello-Turners property Saturday for a reported horse lying near the roadway in severe distress. Troopers contacted Giello-Turner to provide care to the horse. A day later, the horse remained in the same state, state police said. Investigators obtained a search warrant and raided the property Sunday with a veterinarian. Law enforcement and the veterinarian made a decision to euthanize the horse. Additionally, a dog was found in a freezer, police said. A total of 22 dogs, a horse, two birds and a cat were seized from the property, according to police. The horse and dog were transported for necropsies, police said. Also assisting in the investigation were the Northampton County District Attorneys Office and the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Giello-Turner was arraigned Sunday before Roy A. Manwaring II, who set bail at $25,000. In lieu of bail, she was taken to Northampton County Prison. She is due back in court for a preliminary hearing scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 24 before Manwaring. A judge will then determine if theres sufficient evidence to send the case toward trial at the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. More: Dog from well-known animal cruelty case dies: She fought until the end Pa. fur farm where animal rights activists released 1000s of minks is for sale 250+ charges filed against couple found in school bus filled with neglected, sexually abused animals Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The Concept of Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan has been approved, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev signed a decree in this regard. According to the document, it is established that the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan coordinates and controls the implementation of measures envisaged by the Concept approved by this decree. The functions of the operator of digital development envisaged by the Concept are carried out by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transportation of the Republic of Azerbaijan. The full text of the decree can be found here. Will be updated By NICOLAS VAUX-MONTAGNY and SYLVIE CORBET, The Associated Press PARIS (AP) French Appeal Court prosecutors said an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said, So I raped you, was being extradited Thursday to the United States. The Appeal Court prosecutors office in Metz, in northeastern France, said Ian Cleary was handed over to U.S. authorities at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was detained in April in Metz after a three-year search. He has been held in custody pending extradition proceedings since his arrest. The Appeal Court in Metz ruled in July that he could be extradited. Cleary had been the subject of an international search since authorities in Pennsylvania issued a 2021 felony warrant in the case weeks after an Associated Press story detailed the reluctance of local prosecutors to pursue campus sex crimes. The arrest warrant accuses Cleary of stalking an 18-year-old Gettysburg College student at a party in 2013, sneaking into her dorm and sexually assaulting her while she texted friends for help. He was a 20-year-old Gettysburg student at the time, but didnt return to campus. The accuser, Shannon Keeler, had a rape exam done the same day. She gathered witnesses and evidence and spent years urging officials to file charges. She went to authorities again in 2021 after discovering the Facebook messages that seemed to come from Clearys account. So I raped you, the sender wrote in a string of messages. Ill never do it to anyone ever again. I need to hear your voice. Ill pray for you. According to the June 2021 warrant, police verified that the Facebook account used to send the messages belonged to Cleary. The AP doesnt typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission, which Keeler has granted. By Julia Terruso, The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS) Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for U.S. attorney general, repeatedly brought up Pennsylvania as she declined to answer who won the 2020 presidential election in her Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. I accept, of course, that Joe Biden is president of the United States, Bondi said in response to a question from Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee. But what I can tell you is what I saw firsthand when I went to Pennsylvania, as an advocate for the campaign I saw many things there, Bondi said, adding later, I saw so much. Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, represented Trump during his first impeachment trial and was part of his legal team in 2020 that helped sow doubt about the results of that years presidential election. There was no evidence of widespread election fraud in Pennsylvania, the key battleground that helped seal the presidency for Biden that year. Bondis role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election has emerged as one of the primary points of Democratic opposition to her nomination, but its unlikely to prevent confirmation in the GOP-controlled Senate. Over nearly four hours on Wednesday, she fielded questions about defending the Justice Department against partisan influence, potential Jan. 6 pardons, and her comments about the 2020 election. Bondi traveled to Philadelphia for a news conference outside the Convention Center the day after the 2020 election, before a winner had been called in the close race. Flanked by Rudy Giuliani and Lara Trump, she falsely declared: Trump won Pennsylvania. Sen. Alex Padilla, D- Calif., asked Bondi about that statement during her hearing. At that moment there were at least a million ballots left to be counted in Pennsylvania, Padilla said, noting Biden went on to win by more than 80,000 votes. Do you have any evidence of election fraud or irregularities in the 2020 election, yes or no? Bondi started to answer but was cut off by Padilla. Yes or no? If you have no evidence to offer, will you now retract the previous statement that Donald Trump won Pennsylvania? When Padilla cut her off again, she accused him of bullying her. I guess you didnt want to hear my answer about Pennsylvania, she said. Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP The hearing also focused on whether Bondi would shield the Department of Justice from political influence, specifically whether she would push back should Trump try to prosecute political opponents. Bondi refused to explicitly say she would defy White House pressure, saying she wouldnt deal in hypotheticals. But she told lawmakers that politics will not play a part in her leadership of federal law enforcement. While Senate Democrats grilled Bondi in an hours-long hearing that included several heated exchanges, several Democrats acknowledged her likely confirmation, including Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who said he looked forward to working with her. The focus on Bondis comments about the 2020 election comes the same week as the release of a special counsel report detailing Trumps efforts to overturn the election. The report chronicles how members of Trumps legal team considered whether they could simply throw out hundreds of thousands of votes that had been legally cast in Philadelphia to keep Trump in power. The report quotes Giuliani then Trumps personal lawyer as saying the idea was to just flat out change the vote, deduct that number of votes declare those votes, 300,000 votes in Philadelphia, illegal, unlawful. As part of the confirmation hearing, Bondi was asked if she saw any factual basis to investigate the reports author, special counsel Jack Smith, whom Trump has repeatedly attacked on social media. Im sitting here as a nominee, senator, Bondi said. What Im hearing on the news is horrible do I know if hes committed a crime? Ive not looked at it. Bondi, who has represented Trump on and off for more than a decade, said the potential pardoning of defendants in the Jan. 6, 2021, siege of the U.S. Capitol was at the direction of Trump but committed to reviewing the cases. Asked by Coons if Trump could run for president again in 2028, Bondi said: Not unless they change the Constitution. By Lisa Mascaro, The Associated Press WASHINGTON One by one, all the president-elect' s men, and women, are falling into place in his Cabinet. While Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseths nomination was teetering toward collapse just weeks ago, he now appears on track for confirmation after a fiery Senate hearing that focused on his drinking, views of women in combat and lack of high-profile management experience for the top U.S. military job. President-elect Donald Trumps other nominees pushed Wednesday through a gauntlet of confirmation hearings with the help of allied Senate Republicans carrying them toward the finish line, despite Democratic objections. One of them, potential FBI director Kash Patel, popped into a private Senate GOP lunch Wednesday to say hello. These nominees are bold choices, said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the GOP whip, in earlier remarks. He predicted the Senate will begin start voting on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, to confirm Trumps picks. A long haul for some of Trumps picks To be sure, Trumps more controversial choices of Patel, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., have yet to come before senators for public questioning. Once they do, they face a long haul ahead in winning over skeptics from both sides of the political aisle, Republicans and Democrats alike. In a letter to Republican senators Wednesday, an organization headed by Trumps former vice president, Mike Pence, said it was deeply concerned over Kennedy over his views on abortion, and urged senators to reject him for secretary of Health and Human Services. But Hegseths ability to mount a political comeback, take the fight to his critics and turn his nomination into a litmus test of Trumps Make America Great Again movement stands as a powerful example of the incoming White Houses ability to get what it wants. The Trump teams allies, including billionaire Elon Musk and others, amplified support for Hegseth, pushing him forward. If anyone in the Senate GOP votes against confirming Pete Hegseth after his stellar performance today, there will be a primary challenge waiting for you, wrote Trump ally Charlie Kirk on X. You can take that to the bank. Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)AP Momentum for Hegseth and some others The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote on Hegseths nomination on Monday, sending it to the full Senate for consideration, with confirmation possible later that week. With a nod of support from GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor who initially had questions for Hegseth, the former Army National Guard veteran powered past his biggest potential roadblock. Ernst faced an onslaught of personal and political attacks as she wavered on supporting Hegseth, an early signal to others. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the criticism of Hegseth was not as powerful as the image of a warrior with dust on his boots whos actually done the things. On Wednesday, a half dozen more Trump nominees appeared before Senate committees as his team floods the zone, senators dashing between hearing rooms to participate in as many sessions as possible. Pam Bondi, the nominee for Attorney General, was grilled by Democrats probing whether she believed Trump lost the 2020 election, she said Biden won, or would stand up to presidential pardons for those convicted of crimes in relation to Jan. 6, 2021. You say the right things, that youre going to be the peoples lawyer, said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. But I believe being the peoples lawyer means you have to be able to say no to the president of the United States, he said. You have to be able to say Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, you dodged that question... You have to be able to say Jan. 6 insurrectionists who committed violence shouldnt be pardoned. Bondi responded: I dont have to say anything. I will answer the questions to the best of my ability, and honestly. Another Trump nominee, Russ Vought, a Project 2025 architect tapped to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget, was asked if he would commit to releasing congressional approved funding for Ukraine. He vowed to always commit to upholding the law. And California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla asked Trumps Energy nominee Chris Wright if he still believes wildfires are just hype, in the aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Wright said he stood by his past comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off. Republicans eye quick votes after Trumps inauguration On Monday, Trump is expected to come inside the Capitol after he is inaugurated to sign the paperwork to formally nominate his picks for top Cabinet and administrative positions, launching the confirmation process. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Senate will vote on nominees as soon as they are ready. First up could be Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a former Trump rival for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, who is now the president-elects choice for secretary of state. Rubio promised an America First foreign policy agenda during his own confirmation hearing Wednesday. As a well-known senator, he is expected to have broad support from Republicans, as well as Democrats. His confirmation vote could be as soon as Monday evening. Other nominees, including Hegseth, are expected to face a tougher path to confirmation. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be Secretary of State, appears before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)AP Republicans narrowly hold a majority in the Senate, 53-47, but they are down to 52 after Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned his seat last week ahead of taking office. That means Trumps nominees need support from almost every GOP senator for majority confirmation over objections from Democrats. Moreover, Democrats are expected to mount procedural hurdles that would require Hegseth and other nominees to go through multiple steps before final confirmation. Consideration of Hegseth and others could drag toward the end of next week. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer all but acknowledged Democrats, as the minority, are essentially powerless to prevent Trump from getting his desired team. Its important to have a record of these nominees, Schumer said Wednesday as the hearings pushed ahead. Even if they get confirmed in the end. Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Matt Brown, Farnoush Amiri and Josh Boak in Washington and Jennifer McDermott in Providence, Rhode Island, contributed to this report. A storm from western Canada is making its way to the Midwest and the northeastern parts of the United States, according to AccuWeather. The snow, which was falling over the eastern part of the Ohio Valley, central Great Lakes and western slopes of the Appalachians to start the day on Thursday, will bring some snow and slippery travel farther to the east from Virginia to Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and southern New England from later Thursday to Thursday night, AccuWeather reports. Much of the state of Pennsylvania is expected to see some snow although amounts vary with western Pennsylvania still expected to see the most. In the Harrisburg area, light snow is likely on Thursday afternoon. It is cloudy, with a high near 29. Chance of precipitation is 70%. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch is possible. Theres also a slight chance of light snow before 10 p.m. PennDOT has reduced the speed on Interstate 81 to 55 miles per hour between Exit 89 (the exit for I-78 EAST Allentown) and Exit 151A (the exit for I-80 East - Stroudsburg). In Somerset County, a winter storm warning is in effect until 7 a.m. Friday. Snow will fall moderate to heavy at times. Additional snow accumulations between two and six inches are expected with the higher amounts occurring on the ridges to the west of Route 219. Winds will be gusting between 25 and 35 mph at times. The National Weather Service issues a winter storm warning when a winter storm is producing or forecast to produce heavy snow or significant ice accumulations. A winter storm warning also remains in effect in the higher elevations of Westmoreland and Fayette counties. Heavy snow is expected. Total snow accumulations between four and 10 inches are expected. Winds will be gusting as high as 35 mph. A winter weather advisory remains in effect for Erie and Crawford counties until 7 a.m. Friday. Additional snow accumulations of two to four inches are expected. The National Weather Service issues a winter weather advisory when a low pressure system produces a combination of winter weather (snow, freezing rain, sleet, etc.) that present a hazard, but does not meet warning criteria. A winter weather advisory also remains in effect for Warren, McKean, Elk, Clearfield and Cambria counties until 7 a.m. Friday. Total accumulations between two and three inches are expected with slightly higher amounts on the ridge tops of Cambria and Warren counties. A winter weather advisory remains in effect until 4 a.m. Friday in Mercer, Venango, Forest, Lawrence, Butler, Clarion, Jefferson, Beaver, Allegheny, Armstrong, Washington and Greene counties as well as in the higher elevations of Indiana county. Additional snow accumulations of up to two inches are expected. The National Weather Service in State College has issued a hazardous weather outlook for parts of nearly 30 counties in Pennsylvania including Perry, Dauphin, Schuylkill, Lebanon, Cumberland, Adams, York, Lancaster, Potter, Cameron, Clinton, Centre, Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata, Bedford, Fulton, Franklin, Tioga, Lycoming, Sullivan, Clinton, Lycoming, Union, Snyder, Montour, Northumberland and Columbia counties. Periods of mainly light snow will accumulate around 1 inch in many locations and create slick travel on untreated roads and bridges this afternoon into tonight, the National Weather Service said. Heres a look at the National Weather Services forecast for the week in the Harrisburg area: BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan will completely abandon paper media, Trend reports. This is reflected in the Concept of Digital Development in the Republic of Azerbaijan approved by President Ilham Aliyev. The Concept is aimed at improving public administration, accelerating economic development, and improving the quality of life of citizens through the introduction of digital technologies. It is developed based on the principles of digital government, digital economy, and digital society. The main goal is to improve the welfare of citizens, modernize public services, and accelerate the digital transformation of the economy. The document envisages improvement of the ICT infrastructure and support of the business and startup ecosystem for the development of the digital economy. An important part of the Concept is the introduction of innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain. Public administration will be provided with more flexible and transparent processes based on digital technologies; a complete abandonment of paper and a transition to digital government will be realized, and such innovations as big data analysis, artificial intelligence, and cloud technologies will be introduced. The Concept also aims to increase the digital literacy of the population, ensure cybersecurity, train ICT specialists and modernize training programs, and increase the level of remuneration of ICT workers. Business processes will shift to digital platforms, public-private partnerships will be expanded, various sectors of the economy will be digitized using the technologies of the IV Industrial Revolution, and support will be provided for the development of startups and the innovation ecosystem. Within the framework of the National Cyber Security Strategy, preventive measures will be taken to protect state, business, and personal information, and state information systems and resources will be developed following modern security standards. The expansion of the government cloud, open data, and broadband Internet, as well as the implementation of 5G networks and the development of national data processing centers, are planned. As a result of the Concept's implementation, internal processes in government agencies will be improved, public services will be transformed into digital platforms, and economic activities will be adapted to new technological requirements. The Concept is also aimed at preserving human and technological capital within the country, which will increase Azerbaijan's competitiveness in global markets. To be invited to an important parade is awesome but to be invited to go the Rose Bowl Parade was incredible. University of Wyoming Western Thunder Marching Band received the initiation to attended Rose Bowl Parade. Jessica Weller and Carson Rabou had an experience of a lifetime. Being from a small town that does not have marching bands any more, two the graduated students of Pine Bluffs High School were able to get the opportunity. These two students have been playing music since they were able to walk. Weller and Rabou were able to step up their skills with this event. Not only do they have t... CHEYENNE, Wyo. Close to 70 Wyoming National Guard Soldiers and Airmen activate to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration on January 20 in Washington D.C. They will serve as part of a much larger military force comprised of U.S. military personnel from across the nation and will provide security, logistical and support operations for the inauguration. To get ready for their duties in the National Capitol Region, Cowboy Guard troops will participate in a comprehensive training regimen before their departure. This training will occur in and around the Cheyenne region over the next week. Mem... 250,000 Guaranteed in the 2025 GUKPT Manchester Main Event Matthew Pitt Senior Editor Copy link It is not a great time to be a fan of either of the Manchester-based Premier League clubs right now. Manchester City are a shadow of their former selves, while city neighbors Manchester United are hilariously 15th place in the table. Poker players from Manchester, however, are in a great spot because the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour (GUKPT) heads to the Grosvenor Casino Bury New Road from January 29 for the 2025 edition of GUKPT Manchester. GUKPT Manchester runs from January 29 to February 11. The festival bursts into action on January 29 with a 50 satellite awarding tickets to the 200 Opener and the 1,250 Main Event. Further main event satellites costing 140 run throughout the series, guaranteeing at least 55 seats combined. The 560 Midi Main is the first non-satellite event on the busy schedule. Cards are in the air on Day 1A from 12:00 p.m. GMT on January 30, with the champion reeling in the lion's share of the 100,000 guaranteed prize pool some time on February 2. Similar to other GUKPT stops, the Manchester leg features events such as the 250 Mini Main, 250 PLO 4/5/6 card, 1,650 High Roller, 200 Turbo, 550 GUKPT Cup, 150 Seniors, 330 PLO 4 Card Bounty, and the 200 Closer. The fun ends with a 110 buy-in, 25,000 guaranteed Online Closer at Grosvenor Poker on February 10-11. 250,000 Guaranteed Main Event The 1,250 GUKPT Manchester Main Event comes with a guaranteed prize pool of 250,000. Expect a much larger pot because this tournament has paid out more than 250,000 in ten of the last 18 editions. Day 1A commences at 1:00 p.m. GMT February 6. Day 1B and the turbo-structured Day 1C start at 12:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. GMT on February 7, respectively. This three-day event crowns its worthy champion on February 9. Vincent Meli is the reigning GUKPT Manchester Main Event champion, having outlasted 435 opponent in 2024. Meli defeated fellow Frenchman Tom Jarry heads-up and returned home with 83,897, the second-largest score of his live poker career. Vincent Meli Continues His Hot Form and Becomes a GUKPT Champion Read our recap 2025 GUKPT Manchester Schedule Date Time Event Guarantee Wed 29 Jan 7:00 p.m. 50 Opener + Mini Main Satellite Thu 30 Jan 12:00 p.m. 560 Midi Main Day 1A 100,000 6:00 p.m. 200 The Opener Day 1A 50,000 Fri 31 Jan 12:00 p.m. 560 Mini Main Day 1B 100,000 6:00 p.m. 200 The Opener Day 1B 50,000 9:00 p.m. 560 Midi Main Day 1C Turbo 100,000 Sat 1 Feb 12:00 p.m. 200 The Opener Day 1C 50,000 12:00 p.m. 560 Midi Main Day 2 100,000 7:00 p.m. 200 The Opener Day 1D Turbo 50,000 9:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 5x seats Sun 2 Feb 12:00 p.m. 200 The Opener Day 2 50,000 1:00 p.m. Midi Main Day 3 100,000 3:00 p.m. 250 Mini Main Day 1A 100,000 8:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 10x seats Mon 3 Feb 3:00 p.m. 250 Mini Main Day 1B 100,000 8:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 10x seats Tue 4 Feb 12:00 p.m. 250 Mini Main Day 1C Turbo 100,000 4:30 p.m. 250 Mini Main Day 2 100,000 6:00 p.m. 250 PLO 4/5/6 Card 9:00 p.m. 180 High Roller Cashout Satellite Wed 5 Feb 12:00 p.m. 180 High Roller Cashout Satellite 3:00 p.m. 1,650 High Roller Day 1 100,000 5:00 p.m. 200 Turbo 5:00 p.m. Mini Main Day 3 100,000 8:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 10x seats Thu 6 Feb 12:00 p.m. 1,650 High Roller Day 2 100,000 1:00 p.m. 1,250 Main Event Day 1A 250,000 7:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 10x seats Fri 7 Feb 12:00 p.m. 1,1250 Main Event Day 1B 250,000 2:00 p.m. 140 Main Event Cashout Satellite 10x seats 9:00 p.m. 1,250 Main Event Day 1C Turbo 250,000 Sat 8 Feb 12:00 p.m. 1,250 Main Event Day 2 250,000 2:30 p.m. 550 GUKPT Cup Day 1 50,000 Sun 9 Feb 12:00 p.m. Main Event Day 3 250,000 12:30 p.m. 550 GUKPT Cup Day 2 50,000 1:00 p.m. 150 Seniors 3:00 p.m. 330 PLO 5 Card Bounty 6:00 p.m. 200 Closer Mon 10 Feb 7:00 p.m. 110 Online Closer Day 1 25,000 Tue 11 Feb 7:00 p.m. Online Closer Day 2 25,000 The 2024 GUKPT Manchester Results As you can see from the table below, the mid-to-high-stakes GUKPT Manchester events performed admirably in 2024. Meli was the biggest winner, but Euan McNicholas and Mo Abdel-Kader also scooped 30,000+ prize by taking down the 1,650 High Roller and 250 Mini Main, respectively. Event Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize 1,250 Main Event 436 454,400 Vincent Meli 83,897 1,650 High Roller 110 158,400 Euan McNicholas 37,540 250 Mini Main 851 173,730 Mo Abdel-Kader 30,410 550 GUKPT Cup 199 95,520 Mike Humphreys 21,470 330 Mystery Bounty 440 63,630 Alex Montgomery 11,610* 250 PLO 114 24,620 Paul Rigg 5,840 200 Senors 135 16,850 Wayne Eadsforth 3,890 200 Closer 92 15,900 Calogero Morreale 3,860 200 Turbo 85 14,690 Thomas Cazaletz 3,660 330 PLO Bounty 84 12,100 Guillaume Soumier 3,010* *does not include bounty payments All the Past GUKPT Manchester Main Event Champions The GUKPT has stopped in Manchester since its first season in 2007. The late Dave "El Blondie" Colclough was the inaugural champion. Since Colclough's win, players like Rhys Jones, Ali Mallu, Andy Hills, Richard Trigg, and Calogero Morrale have been crowned king of Manchester. Year Buy-in Entrants Prize Pool Champion Prize 2024 1,250 426 454,000 Vincent Meli 83,897 2023 1,250 445 460,950 Calogero Morreale 106,700 2022 1,250 526 578,600 Trevor Reardon 141,000 2021 1,250 472 519,200 Richard Trigg 134,250 2020 1,100 317 310,600 Ben Dobson 75,510 2019 1,100 302 301,840 Benard Margedze 69,470 2018 1,100 24 241,000 Adam Lulat 68,930 2017 1,100 268 268,000 Andy Hills 46,988 2016 1,100 232 232,000 [Removed:474] 58,300 2015 1,090 198 200,000 Ali Mallu 59,000 2014 1,080 192 200,000 Rhys Jones 42,000 2013 1,070 180 200,000 Sunny Chattha 35,000 2012 1,070 171 171,000 Anonymous 49,600 2011 1,070 207 207,000 Peter McAdams 58,100 2010 1,070 192 192,000 Kully Sidhu 54,850 2009 1,070 298 298,000 Simon Moorman 88,630 2008 1,060 309 309,000 Marc Goodwin 90,420 2007 1,050 285 285,000 Dave Colclough 88,300 Share this article Photo: Press Service of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze will pay visit to Azerbaijan on January 17, Trend reports via the countrys governmental press service. The visit will include a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Georgia and Azerbaijan, which will be led by the prime ministers of both countries. The session will see participation from government officials of both nations. The Georgian delegation, headed by Prime Minister Kobakhidze, will include First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Bochorishvili, Minister of Environment and Agriculture David Songulashvili, Minister of Culture Tinatin Rukhadze, and Head of the Georgian Government Administration Levan Zhorzholiani. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with a Georgian delegation led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Maka Bochorishvili on January 16, the Azerbaijani MFA told Trend. According to the ministry, the meeting began with a one-on-one discussion and was followed by a broader format with both sides delegations participating. Minister Bayramov congratulated Minister Bochiorishvili on the successful parliamentary elections in Georgia held in October of the previous year, the formation of a new government, and her appointment as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Moreover, the sides addressed a range of issues, including the political, economic, and humanitarian dimensions of their strategic partnership, as well as current regional matters during the meetings. Both parties expressed satisfaction with the current state of relations, emphasizing that the active political dialogue at the highest level forms the foundation of their bilateral relations. They also highlighted the role of intergovernmental and inter-parliamentary cooperation, which further strengthens the strategic partnership. The ministers underscored their countries' collaboration in international and regional formats, based on mutual respect for each other's legitimate interests and mutual benefit. They noted the significance of large-scale regional projects, such as Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum, Baku-Tbilisi-Kars, and the Southern Gas Corridor, which contribute to the economic development and social well-being of the region. Discussions also included practical steps taken in the fields of green energy and communications. These initiatives not only enhance the countries' standing in these sectors but also provide an impetus for the long-term sustainable development of the economy. With the upcoming 10th meeting of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Georgia, scheduled for January 17 in Baku, the commission's pivotal role in strengthening bilateral and regional economic and trade relations was highlighted. The importance of the humanitarian dimension of Azerbaijan-Georgia bilateral and regional economic and trade ties, was also noted. The humanitarian aspect of the relationship was also discussed, with both sides stressing the importance of expanding cooperation in tourism, education, science, and culture. Minister Bayramov updated his colleague on Azerbaijans efforts to normalize interstate relations with Armenia and the signing of a peace agreement. He emphasized that these efforts aim to establish peace and stability, as well as inclusive regional cooperation and development in the South Caucasus. However, he also pointed out that Armenias constitutional and legislative acts still contain territorial claims against Azerbaijan, and its rapid militarization and revanchist tendencies threaten the peace process. Additionally, the ministers also exchanged views on other bilateral and regional issues of mutual interest. Following the meeting, both ministers addressed a press conference and responded to questions from reporters. William Campbell approached the lectern to explain how a bullet entered his home last summer at the Jan. 14 Mount Pleasant Town Council meeting. Maddy Quon covers Charleston County for The Post and Courier. Most recently from Tokyo, Japan, Maddy graduated from the University of Mississippi where she studied journalism. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan and Georgia have always maintained friendly relations, mutual support, and respect, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during a joint press conference with his Georgian counterpart Maka Bochorishvili, Trend reports. Bayramov emphasized that the results of these relations manifest in the present context. "We are witnessing the most dynamic phase of relations between our countries. Tomorrow, the prime minister of Georgia will visit Azerbaijan, and a series of meetings will take place during the visit," the minister noted. He also noted that the foreign ministries of Azerbaijan and Georgia maintain constant contact, with political consultations held annually between the two ministries. "Azerbaijan is one of the main investors in Georgia. The trade turnover between our two countries is approaching one billion, and I believe we'll soon see even larger figures," the official added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Two Nigerian organisations, NaFarm Foods and D-Olivette Global Enterprise, have achieved global recognition at the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize. The prize is celebrated for innovative contributions to solving critical global challenges. The awards, presented by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, were presented during the 2025 awards ceremony, which was held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). Zayed Sustainability Prize The Zayed Sustainability Prize, established to honour the legacy of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, celebrates advancements in six key categories: health, food, energy, water, climate action, and global high schools. This year, the organisers distributed $5.9 million to eleven winners from around the world, recognising transformative solutions that have proven to impact over 407 million lives since its inception in 2009. Among the standout winners was NaFarm Foods, based in Kaduna State, which secured victory in the food category. The organisations hybrid solar-powered dryers reduce post-harvest losses for Nigerian farmers by improving crop preservation and food security. These reliable and cost-effective dryers benefit agriculture-dependent communities even in cloudy weather. 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 Speaking at the event, Abdullateef Olaosebikan, the co-founder of NaFarm Foods, highlighted the critical role of technology in addressing Nigerias agricultural challenges. The ecosystem in Nigeria is causing a lot of businesses to shutter, especially in the agricultural space. We need more people like myself, trying to use technology to enhance food production, processing, and storage. We believe this can truly improve food sustainability in Nigeria. That is why we are hereto transform the food system in Nigeria, he stated. The co-founder further revealed that NaFarm Foods has impacted six northern states and plans to expand to sixteen more states with the support garnered from this recognition. D-Olivette Global Enterprise, a finalist in the Energy category, was recognised for their IoT and AI-assisted innovative waste management solution that improves collection efficiency by 40 per cent. The enterprise is an innovator in AI and IoT-enabled biodigesters that transform organic waste into renewable energy and valuable agricultural products. Its biodigesters, designed for households and farms, feature AI and IoT sensors with multilingual support in English and African languages. These tools empower women, farmers, and refugees to convert waste into clean cooking fuel, electricity, livestock feed, and organic fertiliser. Innovation, collaboration President Bola Tinubu, who is attending the summit, lauded the two Nigerian firms for their wins and innovative solutions. In a Facebook post, the President wrote, I joined His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, and other world leaders at the opening of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and the Zayed Sustainability Prize Awards Ceremony, where a Nigerian SME, NaFarm Foods, won the Zayed Sustainability Prize in the Food Category for their work developing scalable hybrid solar food dryers that preserve food and reduce CO emissions. Another Nigerian entrant, D-Olivette Global Enterprise, was a finalist in the Energy category and was recognised for their IoT and AI-assisted innovative waste management solution that improves collection efficiency by 40%. I congratulate both SMEs for doing Nigeria proud. Subsequently, in his seven-minute speech at the summit, he highlighted that the fight against climate change is an environmental need and an economic opportunity to reshape Africa and the global energy landscape. He stated that for Africa to succeed, it must innovate and collaborate globally, with international support, to build a sustainable and prosperous green economy. Other highlights This year, African innovations were recognised, with Ghanas Sakafia Islamic Senior High School winning the Global High Schools award for its aquaponics project, which combines fish farming with hydroponic vegetables. Tanzanias Open Map Development Tanzania (OMDTZ) won the Climate Action award for using drones and GIS to create flood risk maps. Other notable winners included Indias Periwinkle Technologies, Australias SkyJuice Foundation, and Bangladeshs Palki Motors for their health, water, and energy innovations, respectively. Schools from Mexico, Nepal, and New Zealand were also recognised in the Global High Schools category. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan praised the winners in his remarks: By nurturing these efforts, we are not only creating a more sustainable future for all but also honouring the legacy of Sheikh Zayed, whose vision for global progress and humanitarianism continues to guide us. The 2025 ADSW, running from 12 to 18 January, has drawn over 3,500 delegates, including policymakers, industry specialists, and sustainability leaders from 150 countries. The theme The Nexus of Next: Supercharging Sustainable Progress, emphasises the need to accelerate sustainable development, showcasing Africas potential for innovation and the value of local solutions to global challenges. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Yoruba movie star Kunle Afod says that in his 38 years of experience as an actor and director, he has learnt that there is no friend or foe anywhere. Afod, while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Lagos, said that nobody should be perceived as a permanent friend or enemy in life. He said: Someone believed as a friend can become a traitor, and another fellow perceived as an enemy may become instrumental to ones success. I have learned these two phases of life, which everyone should be aware of. I started acting in 1986 and learnt there are no friends or foes anywhere. I think people should be liberal. The person you see as your friend might come to stab you, and that fellow you see as your enemy might be the person who will help you. Afod disclosed plans to come up with a big screen production in 2025. This year, I am looking toward the big screen. I will also come up with a new proverbs challenge series this year. I like creating competitive content, he said. Afod advised up-and-coming actors and directors that they should improve their knowledge. 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 Directors should also be willing to conduct lots of research to improve their work and upgrade their knowledge from time to time, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Amid the turmoil of Africas silent wars conflicts that often evade international headlines the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stands as a beacon of hope and humanity. In a world increasingly marked by protracted crises and escalating violence, the ICRC stands as a steadfast protector of international humanitarian law. Patrick Youssef, the ICRCs Head of Africa, recently shared his insights with PREMIUM TIMES international security expert Pearl Matibe, offering a candid look into the organisations mission, priorities, and challenges in responding to conflicts across Africa, including Nigeria and Sudan. Were custodians of the Geneva Conventions, Mr Youssef said, shining a light on the ICRCs not only unique but vital role and mission in protecting people affected by armed conflict and violence across Africa. Mr Youssef described the ICRCs mission as a dual endeavour: providing life-saving assistance and advocating for the protection of civilians through the rigorous implementation of international humanitarian law. He noted that these principles of neutrality, impartiality, and independence form the backbone of the ICRCs approach, enabling the organisation to access conflict zones where few others can operate. Our work begins and ends with peoplethose displaced by violence, detainees, and communities caught in the crossfire of war, he explained, adding that the ICRC operates in over 20 African countries. The ICRCs approach is rooted in dialogue with all stakeholders, from governments to armed groups. Mr Youssef highlighted the need for increased international attention to meet the extraordinary needs of crises in Africa daily. He reiterated the importance of sustained international engagement, particularly in preventing the regional dimensions of African conflicts from spiralling further. ICRC works in Nigeria to address the humanitarian fallout from protracted conflicts in the north-east, particularly those caused by armed insurgency involving various armed groups. The organisation provides life-saving surgeries to thousands of victims of armed violence and supports over 37,000 farming families with essential seeds and tools to rebuild livelihoods destroyed by conflict. Additionally, the ICRC has delivered more than 124,000 messages to reconnect families separated by violence and displacement. This work is carried out through ICRCs presence in Nigeria, which extends emergency assistance and promotes the principles of international humanitarian law across the country. On broader regional challenges, Mr Youssef spoke of the escalating violence in Sudan, particularly in Darfur, where millions are displaced across a country spanning over 1.8 million square kilometres. Africas wars are relentless and Mr Youssef shared insightful anecdotes about the overwhelming humanitarian needs in Darfur and the continent of Africa. In Darfur, where violence has re-emerged with devastating consequences, the ICRC faces immense challenges in delivering aid amidst volatile security conditions. He described how Sudan epitomises the multi-layered crises we face across Africa: ethnic violence, political instability, and mass displacement, and warned of the conflicts potential to destabilise neighbouring states. While addressing the immediate needs of displaced communities, Mr Youssef stressed the importance of global solidarity in tackling the root causes of these crises. Sudan also featured prominently in Mr Youssefs discussion, particularly in the wake of renewed violence in Darfur. The humanitarian impact is staggering, with millions displaced across Sudans vast terrain, which spans over 1.8 million square kilometres. Sudans crisis is a microcosm of whats happening across Africa protracted, multifaceted conflicts with deep human consequences, Mr Youssef said. He expressed concern about the long-term trajectory of the crisis, noting that the regional dimensions of Sudans conflict could destabilise neighbouring countries like Chad and South Sudan. 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 On the financial front, the indispensable role of the ICRCs donors is key, particularly the United States, which provides approximately 25 per cent of the organisations funding through the State Departments Office of Population, Refugees, and Migration. The ICRC maintains that such contributions must remain voluntary to preserve the organisations independence and impartiality. Our relationship with donors isnt just financial its a partnership that allows us to champion the protection of vulnerable populations and ensure adherence to humanitarian norms, Mr Youssef said. In a significant milestone, the ICRC recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the African Development Bank (ADB), marking a new chapter in African-led solutions to humanitarian challenges. This is an example of an African institution participating in strengthening local capacities in conflict-affected regions. Flooding in West Africa, including in Nigeria, has also highlighted the ICRCs adaptability and reach. In response to severe floods, ICRC teams have ramped up humanitarian assistance, including providing emergency relief and essential supplies to affected families. Mr Youssef emphasised that such interventions are critical to addressing the growing impact of climate-related disasters on vulnerable communities already struggling with conflict. Under Mr Youssefs leadership, the ICRC continues to navigate Africas intricate humanitarian landscape with a mix of urgency, compassion, and steadfast commitment to its founding principles. From the battlefields of Nigeria to the displacement camps of Darfur, the organisation remains an indispensable lifeline for millions proof that, even amid chaos, humanity can prevail. In 2025, as Africa faces a year of escalating conflicts, Mr Youssefs message was clear: the ICRC remains committed to its mission, but the international community must act with greater urgency to address the root causes of these crises. From Nigeria to Darfur, the stakes are high, and the cost of inaction is measured not just in numbers but also in human lives. Pearl Matibe is a Washington, DC-based geopolitical analyst and correspondent covering Congress, the Pentagon, State Department, and White House, with expertise in foreign and defence policy. Follow her on Twitter: @PearlMatibe. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Minister of Defence, Muhammad Badaru, on Wednesday, condoled with his successor, Governor Umar Namadi of Jigawa State over the death of his mother and son last December. Governor Namadis son, Abdulwahab Umar-Namadi died in a road accident a day after the death of his mother, Maryam Namadi-Umar who died after a brief illness. Mr Badaru, the immediate past governor of the state, was accompanied during the visit by Katsina businessman, Dahiru Mangal. He arrived amidst a rousing welcome by residents and party faithful. The former governor gave the reason why it took him long to visit Jigawa and commiserate with his successor, saying, I came to condole with the governor for the loss of his mother and son, which occurred while I was away from the country. I was battling ill health at the time the incident happened, and I was unable to attend the funeral prayers in person immediately, but I sent delegations. I, however, offered prayers to the two deceased persons. May Aljanna Firdaus be their final abode, he stated. The defence minister added that the loss of a mother is a great one, especially since I knew the strong affection between the governor and his late mother. He said they adored each other, and that he knew how deeply the governor is mourning the loss. He said the governor believed in destiny, good or bad, and offered his prayers on behalf of his family members, who also accompanied him on the visit. Responding, Governor Namadi, who identified the defence minister as his leader, commended him for the visit despite sending a delegation to condole with him while he was recuperating in the hospital. 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 As the minister said, we believe that whatever God Almighty destined to happen will happen; we are grateful to God for any condition we find ourselves in; we can only offer prayers for the departed souls and may Allah have mercy on them and reward them with Aljanna Firdaus. And we prayed to Allah when our time comes, may he be pleased with us, Governor Namadi stated. He thanked the minister and Mr Mangal for finding time to visit him despite sending delegations to condole with him when the incident happened. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print President Bola Tinubus efforts to comprehensively reform Nigerias tax system got a major boost on Thursday when the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) declared strong support for it. The NGF, in a statement signed by its chairperson, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, reiterated its strong support for the comprehensive reform of Nigerias archaic tax laws. After a meeting with the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, the NGF said it took the position to deliberate on critical national issues, including the reform of Nigerias fiscal policies. President Tinubus tax reform proposal is currently at the National Assembly but has faced strong opposition, mainly from political, religious and traditional leaders in northern Nigeria. In the statement, the NGF said it supports the current legislative process in the parliament but suggested amendments to the tax bills. The governors endorsement of the bills is based on the condition that the sharing formula for VAT is reviewed. They maintained that VAT should be shared as follows: 50 per cent based on equality, 30 per cent on derivation, and 20 per cent on population. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The bill proposes that 60 per cent be allocated based on derivation, while population and equality are allocated 20 per cent each. The sharing of VAT has been the most contentious part of the bill. Several governors, particularly those from the North, have openly opposed the bill, stating that it would prevent them from paying salaries in their states. Many have called for the withdrawal of the legislation pending further consultation. Although the Chairman of the Presidential Tax Reform Committee, Taiwo Oladele, stated that the committee held extensive consultations with the governors, he noted that they (governors) turned down requests for further engagement. President Tinubu has remained adamant about the bill but has expressed openness to compromise. It is unclear if the president will comply with the conditions set by the governors. Other Conditions Another condition given by the governors is that the federal government should not increase VAT or reduce the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) at this time. They recommended that the bills section proposing the termination of funding for certain agencies through development levies should be discarded. Members agreed that there should be no increase in the VAT rate or reduction in Corporate Income Tax (CIT) at this time to maintain economic stability. The Forum advocated for the continued exemption of essential goods and agricultural produce from VAT to safeguard the welfare of citizens and promote agricultural productivity. The meeting recommended that there should be no terminal clause for TETFUND, NASENI, and NITDA in the sharing of development levies in the bills, the statement said. The governors added that they support the continuation of the legislative process at the National Assembly that will culminate in the eventual passage of the Tax Reform Bills. President Tinubu transmitted the four tax bills to the legislature for consideration in October last year. They are the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill. Bills status Meanwhile, the bills have since passed a second reading in the Senate and have been referred to the Committee on Finance for further legislative action. They are yet to be debated in the House of Representatives. Senators from the South-east have said they are not against the bills but need to consult with their governors and other stakeholders in the region. South-south senators warned people opposed to the tax bills to desist from introducing regional, ethnic or tribal sentiments when criticising them. However, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has assured that the National Assembly will do everything within its ability to ensure the passage of the tax bills. The Speaker of the House, Abbas Tajudeen, also expressed confidence in passing the bills on Tuesday. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Territorial claims against Azerbaijan in the Armenian Constitution are cause for concern despite big progress on the peace treaty, Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said during today's joint press conference with his Georgian counterpart Maka Bochorishvili, Trend reports. The minister emphasized that despite the fact that for many years the Azerbaijani territories were under Armenian occupation and ethnic cleansing was carried out against the Azerbaijani people, Azerbaijan invited Armenia to work on a peace treaty. "Armenia's rapid armament is a source of serious questions and concern on our part," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The federal government says it does not need the approval of the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, on how to tackle the nations economic challenges. Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this in a statement on Thursday in response to the emirs speech in Lagos in which he said he would no longer offer advice to the government. Mr Sanusi, a former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), had at the 21st Memorial Lecture of Gani Fawehinmi, on Wednesday, said he would no longer offer advice to President Bola Tinubu administration on how to tackle the countrys economic challenges. Some economic policies of the government, notably the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the exchange rates, have subjected Nigerians to hardship since their introduction. Mr Sanusi, who was recently restored to his position some years after deposition, said initially he tried to help the government but decided not to do so again. I have decided not to speak about the economy or the reforms, not to explain anything regarding them. If I explained, it would only benefit this government, and I dont want to aid this government. I chose not to help this government. You see, they are my friends. If they fail to act like friends, I will not act like one, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later In his statement, Mr Idris said Mr Sanusi, like any other Nigerian, has the inalienable right to express opinion on how the government is being run, the administration found it amusing that the traditional ruler would not say the truth because of personal interest hinged on imaginary antagonism. First, we acknowledge that Sanusi, and indeed any Nigerian, has the inalienable right to express opinion either in form of commendation or criticism on how the government is being ran. However, we find it amusing that a leader, more so one from an institution that ennobles forthrightness, fairness, and justice would publicly admit to shuffling off saying the truth because of personal interest hinged on imaginary antagonism, the minister said. He noted that it is deeply disappointing that reforms widely recognised as essential by global experts, including Mr Sanusi himself, are now being subtly condemned by him because of shift in loyalty. Mr Idris noted that given the background of the traditional ruler in economics, he has a unique responsibility to contribute constructively rather than undermine reforms aimed at collective progress because he feels estranged from his friends in government. He urge Mr Sanusi to rise above personal interests and partisan undertones and prioritise the greater good of Nigerians. Read the full statement by the Minister below Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation Press Release WE DONT NEED SANUSIS STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR OUR LAUDABLE POLICIES The Federal Government notes the recent remarks by His Highness, Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, regarding the economic reforms introduced under President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration, at a public event in Lagos.We note the emirs acknowledgement of the noble initiatives which, he said, he could explain away but for his decision not to help the government. First, we acknowledge that Sanusi, and indeed any Nigerian, has the inalienable right to express opinion either in form of commendation or criticism on how the government is being ran. However, we find it amusing that a leader, more so one from an institution that ennobles forthrightness, fairness, and justice would publicly admit to shuffling off saying the truth because of personal interest hinged on imaginary antagonism. It is pertinent to state that Nigeria is at a pivotal juncture where bold and decisive actions are necessary to tackle entrenched economic challenges. This administration has implemented transformative reforms not because they are easy, but because they are essential for securing Nigerias long-term stability and growth, as Emir Sanusi had consistently advocated. The temporary pains currently experienced from these inevitable decisions, as Sanusi himself acknowledged, are necessary consequence of decades of irresponsible economic management more than anything else. These reforms are already delivering measurable progress. The unification of exchange rates has bolstered investor confidence, which has contributed to increased foreign reserves and strengthened Nigerias ability to shield itself from external economic shocks. The removal of the fuel subsidy has freed up significant resources, allowing for greater investment in critical sectors such as infrastructure, education, and healthcare. Projections from respected institutions, including the World Bank, show an upward trajectory in Nigerias GDP, signaling that our economy is firmly on the path to recovery. Additionally, by addressing inefficiencies, the country has reduced its debt service-to-revenue ratio, creating a more sustainable fiscal framework for future generations. It is deeply disappointing that reforms widely recognized as essential by global expertsincluding by Emir Sanusi II himselfare now being subtly condemned by him because of shift in loyalty. His Highness, given his background in economics, has a unique responsibility to contribute constructively rather than undermine reforms aimed at collective progress because he feel estranged from his friends in government. We urge the Emir to rise above personal interests and partisan undertones and prioritize the greater good of Nigerians. Rebuilding Nigeria requires unity, focus, and sacrifice from all stakeholders. As a government, we urge esteemed leaders to refrain from rhetorics that undermine public trust. Instead they owe it a duty to champion the collective goal of a prosperous Nigeria. This is a critical time for our country, what is needed is collaboration, not unnecessary distractions. President Bola Ahmed Tinubus administration remains resolute in its mission to lead Nigeria towards economic inclusivity, sustainability, and shared prosperity. The challenges we face demand courage and collective effort, not divisive narratives. This administration is open to constructive dialogue with all well-meaning stakeholders, while remaining steadfast in putting the interests of Nigerians above all else. Let history record this moment as a turning pointwhen leaders and citizens alike choose to prioritize the nations destiny over personal gain. Together, we will deliver on the promise of renewed hope and a better Nigeria for all. Mohammed Idris, fnipr Honourable Minister January 16, 2025 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print This year marks the end of the Decade of African Seas and Oceans (2015-2025) an African Union (AU) initiative to promote the sustainable use and governance of Africas marine and coastal resources. By 2025, the continent should have benefitted from insights into best practices for combatting maritime threats, protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and biodiversity, and assessing the strengthening of institutional capacities. Instead, the past decade has exposed significant shortcomings at the AU level in tackling maritime priorities, with widespread gaps in implementation, coordination and political commitment. Progress must be urgently assessed and objectives refined. To correct course, the first step is revising Africas Integrated Maritime Strategy (AIMS 2050), which provides a vital institutional anchor for achieving Africas flagship economic growth and development projects. The strategy must address emerging threats, such as critical infrastructure vulnerabilities to cyberattacks, maritime terrorism and trafficking, which are outpacing capacities to respond at national, regional and international levels. The AUs Office of the Legal Counsel has had a mandate for over a decade to update AIMS 2050. The AU could explore options such as pooling existing budget allocations from other departments and sourcing external funds to avoid more delays. The updated strategy should reflect the dynamic nature of maritime security issues while incorporating technological advancements such as AI-driven surveillance and autonomous vessels. New continental leadership is also needed, along with greater African participation in organisations like the International Seabed Authority and International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Africa has many maritime initiatives such as the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, Yaounde Inter Regional Coordination Centre and Djibouti Code of Conduct. Nevertheless, AIMS 2050 remains essential, providing a continental cross-cutting framework for better maritime governance. But to secure concrete support from member states, the strategy must be more actionable. 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 A champion country is needed to lead and underwrite these efforts. Apart from Togo, which struggled to deliver some of its commitments made at the 2016 AU summit in Lome, an additional anchor state has yet to step forward. Although AIMS 2050 is vital, Africas maritime security demands practical readiness, not just a better strategy. So, the second step in correcting course is convening Amani Africa III the AUs training and evaluation exercise that assesses the African Standby Forces (ASF) capacity to plan, deploy and manage collective responses to continental maritime security threats. In 2022, the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) called for an ASF maritime command post-exercise, and several planning meetings followed in 2024. While the ASF relies on member states contributing assets like ships and personnel to undertake naval operations, training exercises can help build an adequate maritime security capability across Africa. Third, the Revised African Maritime Transport Charter must come into force and just three more countries ratifications are needed for that to happen. More modern maritime transport will enable the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to reach its potential and align Africas maritime framework with its economic aspirations. As AfCFTA advances, maritime transport and port infrastructure will become critical for intra-African trade. Once the charter is active, signatories are compelled to standardise maritime regulations, enhance port infrastructure and streamline cross-border trade. There are also massive implications for maritime security. For instance, the necessary surge in maritime traffic to facilitate economic growth including larger cargo volumes and new shipping routes will increase the need for surveillance and law enforcement in African waters. This is because the growth in shipping will inevitably attract illegal activities like smuggling, human trafficking and piracy. Fourth, the AU PSC must convene more frequently on maritime security. Proactive discussions will signal a commitment to African solutions to African problems, presenting a unified position that reduces dependence on external actors. The PSC should also use the three current African UN Security Council members (Algeria, Sierra Leone and Somalia the A3) to champion maritime issues. While the A3 should lead on coordination, any diverging priorities among them will weaken their collective influence on the council and need to be ironed out. This is especially pressing as the UN Security Council includes key maritime countries this year: Denmark, home to the giant global shipping company Maersk; Greece, which owns one of the worlds largest merchant fleets; and Panama, with the worlds largest ship registry and the site of the strategically vital Panama Canal. Fifth, rising sea levels, severe weather events and biodiversity loss underscore the vulnerability of African coastal zones and island states. The Third UN Ocean Conference in June provides a timely platform for Africa to highlight its ocean governance successes and advocate for greater investment in the blue economy. Showcasing innovative solutions and partnerships can attract much-needed resources for African maritime initiatives such as increasing public interest in healthier oceans and private investment in sustainable blue economic sectors. By emphasising its achievements, Africa can assert itself as a proactive contributor to global ocean governance, amplifying collective economic and environmental interests. Timothy Walker, Senior Researcher, Maritime, Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Pretoria (This article was first published by ISS Today, a Premium Times syndication partner. We have their permission to republish). Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has approved a N150 million donation as a welfare package for the widows of fallen soldiers in the state. Mr Eno announced the donation on Wednesday in Uyo during the laying of wreath ceremony to round up the Nigerian Armed Forces Remembrance Day. The governor also announced a donation of N100 million to widows of departed police officers in the state. He said that the Akwa Ibom State government would continue to celebrate and honour the sacrifices of the fallen heroes. In 2024, I announced a donation of N100 million to assist the widows dealing with the pain associated with the loss of their husbands and breadwinners. We will continue to intentionally do all we can to assist them as well as the Nigerian Legionnaire, Mr Eno said. READ ALSO: Gov Eno dissolves Akwa Ibom executive council Mr Eno also directed the Ministry for Women Affairs to collaborate with the Ministry for Humanitarian Affairs to absorb widows of fallen heroes in all local government areas empowerment programmes. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The governor, who paid tribute to the fallen heroes, commended the men and officers of the Nigerian armed forces for their patriotic zeal, gallantry, and bravery in safeguarding the nations sovereignty. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State says a conspiracy of silence by the people is fueling crimes such as kidnapping for ransom and ritual killings in the state. Mr Soludo said this after inspecting the guard of honour and laying of wreaths in commemoration of the 2025 Armed Forces Remembrance Day on Wednesday in Awka. We all need to rise up and speak against what can be described as a conspiracy of silence by the people, which appears to be fueling criminal activities, including kidnapping for ransom. These criminals are known and live among us; they are peoples husbands, brothers, fathers and relatives. Combating insecurity is a collective responsibility. If you see something, say something, to help our security agencies keep us safe. Our administration is committed to supporting our security agencies to do their utmost best in securing the state, he said. Governor Soludo paid glowing tributes to the fallen servicemen and women, taking a moment to reflect on the sacrifices they made for the nations freedom and security. 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 He encouraged Nigerians to actively support the servicemen who had served, including the gallant men and women who are still in service. Anambra appreciates the sacrifices of our security personnel who put their lives on the line to secure the state, enduring all manners of horrendous conditions. We pray that the labour and sacrifices of our fallen heroes will not go in vain but keep us united and strong as a nation, Mr Soludo said. At the end of the ceremony, a moment of silence and 21-gun salute were observed in memory of the nations heroes. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the governor first inspected the guard of honour mounted by the combined detachments of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, and the Nigerian Legion immediately after arriving at the ceremony venue. After the wreath-laying ceremony, the governor led others to the pigeon case, where he released the birds to signify peace and prosperity. NAN also reports that the Armed Forces and Remembrance Day is marked every 15 January in honour of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces who fought in the first and second World Wars. It was also to recognise those who had served or are still serving in various peace support operations worldwide including the living heroes. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The United Arab Emirates President, Mohamed bin Zayed, has accepted Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubus invitation to visit Nigeria this year. The Nigerian leader invited him Wednesday night during their bilateral talks on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025. President Tinubu arrived in Abu Dhabi on Sunday as a guest of the UAE President to participate in the Sustainability Week, a forum for exchanging ideas to support sustainable development worldwide and encourage collective action to address global challenges, such as climate change, water and energy crises. He delivered Nigerias position on climate and other challenges earlier on Wednesday and congratulated the UAE leader for the successful event. During the discussions, the UAE leader thanked the Nigerian leader for accepting his invitation and expressed the UAEs determination to strengthen economic cooperation between Nigeria and his country. The two leaders also explored attracting investment into Nigeria. President Tinubu said his governments economic reforms are yielding fruits and called on the UAE to partner with Nigeria to develop the economy. 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 He said the reforms had stabilised and grown the economy, encouraging foreign investors, including international oil companies, to announce billion-dollar investments, signalling renewed confidence in doing business with Africas most populous nation. President Tinubu thanked the UAE leader for the warm reception he and his aides received since their arrival over the weekend. Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu accompanied President Tinubu to the meeting at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abdullah bin Zayed; the Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, Hamdan bin Mohamed and Zayed bin Hamdan accompanied the UAE President. Other UAE officials at the meeting were: Reem bint Ebrahim, minister of State for International Cooperation; Sultan bin Ahmed, minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Salem Saeed, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria. Bayo Onanuga Special Adviser to the President (Information & Strategy) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Public Health Department of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced that the 2024 Spill-over Mass Administration of Medicine (MAM) to deworm children against schistosomiasis and soil helminthiasis would begin on 17 February. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative, which will run from 17 to 21 February, was discussed at a stakeholders meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday. NAN also reports that the MAM exercise will be carried out in four area councils of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Bwari, Gwagwalada, and Kuje, targeting children between the ages of five and 14. The campaign follows the suspension of the earlier MAM exercise in Abaji and Kwali in December 2024, which was delayed due to the planned strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The FCT Coordinator for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), Eunice Ogundipe, who was represented by Mrs Lami Ndayako, explained that the stakeholders meeting was aimed at sensitising the public to the upcoming MAM exercise. Mrs Ogundipe stressed that the medicine for schistosomiasis and soil helminthiasis should be administered to children only after they have eaten. She emphasised that local community stakeholders would play a crucial role in spreading awareness about the importance of the medicine. 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 ALSO READ: Centre donates machine to FCTA to combat cervical cancer These stakeholders are respected in their communities and will help ensure the exercise is successful, she said. Mr Achai Ijah, Programme Officer at the FCT Health and Development Support Programme (HANDS), noted that the involvement of key community leaders, including traditional and religious leaders, would help boost acceptance of the MAM programme. The Deputy Director at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Imaobong Okorie-Umah, said the ministry would review its approach and adopt new strategies to ensure that people accept the medicine. Mrs Okorie-Umah, who is also the Programme Manager for Schistosomiasis and Soil Transmitted Helminthiasis at the ministry, encouraged parents to ensure their children eat enough food before taking the medicine. The Coordinator of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), Joseph Agbana, promised to ensure that private school proprietors educate parents about the deworming campaign. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Mojisola Meranda has made history as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, marking a significant milestone for women in Nigerian politics. Since 1999, no woman has held the speakership position in any Nigerian law-making chamber. This reflects the persistent underrepresentation of women in politics, driven by cultural stereotypes, religion, and the patriarchal social structure of the country. Despite growing calls for gender equality, these factors have continued to hinder women from ascending to top government roles. An era of change The historic development follows the impeachment of Mudashiru Obasa, the former Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly. Mr Obasa was ousted from the position of Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly on Monday following allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office. His political reign ended, ushering in a new era of leadership. His deputy, Mojisola Meranda, 44, was swiftly elected to lead the House. However, beyond this significant achievement, many aspects of her life and career remain relatively unknown to the public. 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 Early life Mrs Meranda was born into the prominent royal families of Ojora and Oniru on 16 August 1980. Her late father, Taoreed Lawal-Akapo was a lawmaker and later the Ojora of Lagos, while her mother hails from the Oniru family. Her brother, a former Commissioner of Agriculture in Lagos State, Abdulwasiu Lawal, is the Oniru of Iru kingdom. Mrs Meranda began her education at St. Charles Nursery and Primary School before moving to Randle Primary School. She attended Anglican Girls Grammar School and Ansar-Ud-Deen Secondary School, where she held leadership roles as the library prefect and Secretary of the Press Club, according to Daily Champion. She pursued higher education at the Lagos State Polytechnic and earned a degree in Public Administration from Lagos State University. She also obtained a masters certificate from the University of Lagos (UNILAG). She was born Mojisola Lawal and adopted the name Meranda after marrying her husband, John Meranda. Started politics at 18 In an interview with City People, she said her family background ignited her interest in politics. I started politics when I turned 18. I was attending political meetings even though I had nothing in mind then in terms of aspiring for political office. But I would just attend the meetings with my brothers and cousins then. Her political career began professionally with Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin, who was an aide of President Bola Tinubu during his tenure as the governor of Lagos State. Between 2007 and 2008, Mrs Meranda worked in the oil and gas sector as a procurement manager for Cirrus Nigeria Limited. She later returned to public service in Apapa Local Government, holding positions such as Senior Special Assistant on Intergovernmental Affairs and Supervisory Councillor for Health. And that was the turning point for me because, I thought to myself and said, if I could excel and do so well as a Supervisory Councilor, why dont I aspire for something higher? And thank God, to God be the glory, I am here today. One in four women in ninth Lagos Assembly In 2015, Mrs Meranda was elected as a lawmaker from the Apapa constituency in the 40-member house. She was a one-time chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. She was re-elected in 2019. She served as Chief Whip and was appointed Deputy Speaker in 2023. Presently, she is one in four women in the state legislative chamber. The other women are Stella Osafile, Sangodara Rotimi and Omolara Olumegbon. In an interview with the Nigerian Tribune in 2021, she said it is challenging being a female lawmaker. When it comes to equal participation in politics, we are not there yet. We need to also get our priorities right as women, she said. It is not about the fact that we want the figures and the numbers. Let the capable ones come up. It is not a matter of having more male representatives. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the purported removal and replacement of Ali Odefa as the partys vice chairman (South-east). The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed the action in a statement on Thursday in Abuja. Some members of the PDP in the South-east zone, who described themselves as stakeholders, had written its acting National Chairman, Illiya Damagum, and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Adolphus Wabara, informing them of Mr Odefas removal and replacement with Mr Egwu. They accused the National Vice Chairman of anti-party activities. The letter was signed by Onwe Onwe, a former acting national secretary, Paulinus Nwagu, the 2023 Deputy Governorship Candidate, John Igboke, former Deputy National Youth Leader, Paul Okorie, and others. But Mr Ologunagba said the removal of Mr Odefa and replacement with Goodluck Egwu was not consistent with the partys constitution and therefore is null and void. He said no State Working Committee (SWC) has the power whatsoever to expel, suspend or take any disciplinary action against a National Vice Chairman being a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party without due recourse to the National Working Committee (NWC) as provided by the constitution of the PDP. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later Read the full statement The attention of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to the purported removal from office of Chief Ali Odefa as the National Vice Chairman, South East of our great Party. The NWC categorically declares the purported removal of Chief Ali Odefa and claimed replacement with another Party member, Hon. Goodluck Chidiebere Egwu as null and void and of no effect, not being consistent with provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down Rules of our great Party. For the avoidance of doubt, no State Working Committee has the power whatsoever to expel, suspend or take any disciplinary action against a National Vice Chairman being a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party without due recourse to the NWC as provided by the Constitution of the PDP. For emphasis, Section 57(7) of the Constitution of the PDP is clear in providing that Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the *National Executive Committee*, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly. The NWC affirms that Chief Ali Odefa remains the National Vice Chairman (South East) of the PDP and charges all leaders, critical stakeholders, members and supporters of our Party in the South East and the nation to disregard the purported replacement. The NWC restates that the PDP is a highly organized and ordered political Party governed by strict adherence to the provisions of its Constitution and Rules and will not allow any individual or group at any level to violate its Constitution and Rules under any circumstances whatsoever. The NWC calls on all Party members in the South East to remain united and continue to work together in the overall interest of our Party and the people. Signed: Hon. Debo Ologunagba National Publicity Secretary Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Veteran actress Ngozi Ezeonu is trending on social media following her passionate call for decency and professionalism among aspiring actors. For decades, Nollywood has been plagued by controversies surrounding indecent dressing, particularly during auditions for aspiring female actresses. Critics argue that this practice often influences casting decisions, with some actresses securing roles based on appearance and perceived allure rather than talent and skill. This raises serious concerns about the integrity of the audition process today and the industrys fairness and professionalism. Kanayo o Kanayo, Zack Orji, Patience Ozokwor, and others previously decried indecent dressing during auditions and in the industry. They maintained that such dressing can negatively impact the image of the industry and potentially influence young people. In a viral video obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, Ngozi not only joined the chorus of voices calling for decent dressing but also warned and vowed to take action against aspiring actresses caught in the act (dressed indecently). 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 Analysis In the 50-second video, the journalist-turned-actress, dressed in traditional attire and wearing sunglasses, was seen addressing two ladies who attended an audition where she served as a judge. The actress questioned the ladies about attending the audition without wearing bras. She vowed to disqualify, in the future, any aspiring actress who shows up at an audition under her supervision dressed inappropriately. The 2012 Best Supporting Actress nomination winner at the 8th Africa Movie Academy Awards emphasised that such attire contributes to the perception that actors are unserious individuals. The actress known for portraying archetypal matriarchs in movies said: Any other day, Im on an audition table, and I see a lady dressed like the two of you and coming in for an audition, Ill disqualify that person. How can you dress for an audition without a bra, with your cropped-up top? Its wrong. Who are you trying to impress? Thats why people see us as people who are not serious. I am a serious-minded actress; you cannot catch me dressed like this, even when I was young. Its wrong to leave your breasts without a bra. Reactions Meanwhile, the actresss action has sparked various reactions on social media. Many netizens applauded her for reprimanding the ladies, while others criticised her. Below are several comments the viral video has received. https://twitter.com/ibkzzle01/status/1879504744387067926 Ngozi Ezeonu did right by openly cautioning those kid-ladies. The caution wasnt for them only; it was for everyone else on her set. Its very disrespectful and immoral that these girls would show up at her movie location braless. Their intent wasnt to act; it's to seduce men. https://t.co/Pgeyc7vLwz Obiasogu David (@afrisagacity) January 16, 2025 https://x.com/Laurenkween1/status/1879809128614576325?t=8HPRLy62U6_BB2jUuDQNtQ&s=19 I understand that bras can be uncomfortable, and many girls with smaller breasts might prefer not to wear them. However, theres a time and place for everything. An audition is similar to a job interview, its your chance to make a strong first impression. Just like you wouldnt treazy (@Treazyblaq) January 15, 2025 who still wear bra? Bra that causes so much discomfort and back ache lmao. How does not wearing bra correlate with the audition Vivian (@VivianRora) January 15, 2025 https://x.com/Forexpatron/status/1879551842906145187?t=m8NVPRVn5J3AEyOqL7gCwA&s=19 https://twitter.com/SimoncoleB/status/1879466732911571446 Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. A number of attempts to interfere in the internal affairs of Georgia have been recently observed, Georgian Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili said during today's joint press conference with her Azerbaijani counterpart Jeyhun Bayramov, Trend reports. The minister noted that Georgia and Azerbaijan are quite strong states capable of responding to various threats and challenges. "Our partnership has always been aimed at further positive development of relations between the two countries, Bochorishvili added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Fire Service said the fire that gutted a popular Abuja hotel, Focus Holiday Inn, may have been caused by an electrical fault. In a statement on Wednesday, the spokesperson for the FCT Fire Service, Adebayo Amiola, said there was extensive damage to the top floor of a newly constructed annexe. PREMIUM TIMES reported that the fire started at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday. According to the report, it started from a section of the three-storey building and extended to other parts of the complex. Mr Amiola said the fire was suspected to have been caused by an electrical fault and that it affected some items. The cause of the fire is suspected to be an electrical fault. The fire affected the following items: mattresses, clothes, tables, chairs, electronics, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later He said firefighters from the Asokoro Fire Station, led by Ahmed Katsina, responded promptly to the distress calls. The team worked tirelessly and successfully brought the fire under control by 6:25 a.m., preventing further damage to the lower floors and adjacent properties, Mr. Amiola said. He said the Acting Director of FCT Fire Service, Adebayo Zacchaeus, commended the Asokoro and Garki firefighting units for their swift response despite the challenges of an early morning operation. He urged commercial building owners to conduct regular electrical inspections to prevent similar incidents. Self-help During a visit to the hotel on Wednesday afternoon, PREMIUM TIMES noticed remnants of the destruction: charred walls, burnt furniture, and debris scattered across the affected area of the building. Some staff members were also spotted carrying out repairs on the damaged structure. Although security operatives barred our reporters from entering the premises, some staff members, including women, were seen mixing cement and carrying materials upstairs to repair the burnt sections. The newspaper could not reach any of the hotels management staff to speak on the incident. A police officer stationed at the hotels entrance refused to comment. The situation escalated when a hotel security operative, identifying himself as a retired soldier, threatened these reporters. If you dont leave, Ill deal with you, he warned. A staffer, who refused to disclose her name, merely told this newspaper, I wasnt on duty today, but I came to help my colleagues when I heard about the incident. Panic as guests flee Meanwhile, it was gathered that guests lodged in the hotel were jolted from their sleep by thick smoke and flames at about 3 a.m. when the incident occurred. A source said most of them rushed to alert hotel staff, who immediately called for help. However, by the time firefighters arrived, significant damage had already been done to the annexe. This newspaper met with some guests who lost their belongings in the fire. While some were too frightened to speak, one guest collected the contact of these reporters but has yet to call back as promised at the time of filing this report. Partial resumption Despite the fire, the main building of Focus Holiday Inn remains operational, with some guests continuing their stay. However, new arrivals were turned away due to ongoing repairs and the lack of electricity in the hotel. We are doing our best to manage the situation while ensuring the safety of our guests, a male staff, who was not authorised to speak, told PREMIUM TIMES. READ ALSO: Popular Abuja hotel is on fire Previous fire incidents In October 2024, a fire incident destroyed Block A of the Federal Ministry of Works because of a faulty circuit breaker in the Electrical Control Room on the ground floor. In November 2024, a fire incident razed a fitness centre in Abuja. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The police in Ondo State have announced the restriction of vehicular and motorcycle movement from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday for the Local Government (LG) election. Wilfred Afolabi, Commissioner of Police in the state, announced this in a statement made available by the commands spokesperson, Funmilayo Odunlami, a chief superintendent of police, said the directive was for security reasons. According to him, commuters who may have a reason to use the state as passage are pre-informed of the restrictions to help adjust their plans ahead of the D-day. However, security personnel, health workers, firefighters and other essential service providers are allowed free movement to carry out their duties. Cases of emergency are also considered for movement. We urge all eligible voters to abide by the rules guiding the electoral process while carrying out their civic duties, he said. All intending miscreants who may want to cause mayhem on election day are warned to stay clear. All machineries are in place to nip any untoward act as they raise their ugly heads, he said. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The police commissioner also said that adequate security had been put in place for both human and material resources to ensure smooth passage of the electoral process. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has strongly opposed sections of the proposed Tax Administration Bill, citing its potential to undermine the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and the broader education sector in Nigeria. ASUU, at a press conference addressed by the zonal coordinator Abuja Zone, Salahu Lawal, said the bill, if passed, will reduce funding for TETFund for the first two years and dry it up completely by 2030. The union said that TETFund interventions have been instrumental to infrastructural development and training of Nigerian academics. It, therefore, noted it would reject all moves to take away funding from the agency, which was first established in 1993 following the unions persistent struggles and negotiations with the government. ASUU added that the bill currently before the National Assembly is injurious not only to tertiary education but the entire education sector. The survival of TETFund is a matter of national importance, Mr Lawal said at the press conference held at the University of Abuja on Thursday. The union called on the National Assembly to ensure that TETFund remains protected under the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024. Contentious section The academic union rejected the part of the proposed tax bill that repealed the three per cent education tax currently accrued to TETFund per the Finance Act (2023). 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 Instead, the bill proposed a flat four per cent development levy to be shared between TETFund, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). ASUU is principally upset by Section 59 (3) of the Nigeria Tax Bill, 2024, which recommends that only 50 per cent of the Education Tax (Development Levy) will be allotted to TETFund in 2025 and 2026. The remaining funds are to be shared among NITDA, NASENI, and NELFUND, the union said. Additionally, from 2030 onwards, TETFund would receive no allocation, with all proceeds redirected to NELFUND implying that TETFund will cease to exist: this is the dastard evil behind the Tax Reform Bill of 2024. ASUU, which has always opposed both the establishment and operation of NELFUND, said the shift in funding towards student loans may be an approach to force public tertiary education institutions to continue to hike fees payable by students. The phasing out of TETFund would cause a momentous danger to tertiary education in Nigeria, as its aids to the physical infrastructure and human capital development would eventually come to a stop. This move could also lead to students becoming protracted debtors, imitating the financial challenges faced by the nation itself, it said. TETFunds impact The union noted that in the Abuja zone, comprising five universities, TETFund has been the major financier for staff training, building of offices, classrooms, lecture theatres and laboratories. The universities in this zone are; Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, Niger State; Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, Ibrahim Babangida Badamasi University, (IBBU), Lapai, Niger State; Nasarawa State University (NSUK), and the University of Abuja. Listing TETFund interventions to the five universities, ASUU said in NSUK alone, over 30 major structures have been constructed and over 100 academics sponsored for higher degrees both in local and overseas universities all by the intervention agency. Similarly, over 300 staff have enjoyed sponsorship for international conferences spanning between 2010 to 2023, it said. At the Federal University of Lafia, the union said TETFund is responsible for the construction of over 90 per cent of the 55 physical structures on the universitys two campuses. It is also responsible for local and foreign staff training and building and equipping of laboratories since inception of the university. The only main library of the University was built solely by the Fund, it added. At the University of Abuja, it said over 70 per cent of all the physical structures including furnishing and equipping of laboratories were as a result of TETFund intervention. At FUT Minna, over 80 per cent of staff who obtained higher degrees between 2010 and 2023 were fully sponsored by TETFund, the union said. Similarly, the university benefitted from the construction of over 40 major physical structures including lecture theatres, offices, classrooms, laboratories and workshops. The union added that staff training at IBBU, Lapai as sponsored by the Fund stood at over 250 for both local and foreign postgraduate studies. Government defends bill Meanwhile, the federal government has defended the sections of the bill rejected by ASUU. In a statement in December, a presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, explained that the tax reform bills seek to consolidate the taxes into one and share them as appropriate. Mr Onanuga said the government was only trying to change how the agencies like TETFund and NITDA are funded and not end their existence. The proposal, as contained in section 59(3) of the Nigeria Tax Bill, only seeks to consolidate some of the earmarked taxes imposed on companies and replace them with a single tax to be shared with the key agencies as beneficiaries in a phased manner until 2030, he said. The time frame offers ample opportunity for the affected agencies to explore other funding sources in addition to budgetary allocations in line with the constitution and international best practices. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print A student of the University of Lagos Business School (ULBS), Aliyu Gafaar, has achieved a historic milestone by graduating with a perfect 5.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA). This feat is the first of its kind since the establishment of the business school in 2013. The Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Folasade Ogunsola announced this remarkable achievement on the third day of the 55th convocation ceremonies. A total of 6,725 students were awarded postgraduate degrees, comprising 6,659 from the School of Postgraduate Studies and 66 from the UNILAG Business School. Fifty seven students earned Master of Business Administration degrees, three graduated with Master of Non-Interest Finance, and six completed a Master of Public Health. The overall PhD Thesis and best PhD Thesis in Science was awarded to Adetoun Akitoye, PhD Chemistry; and the best PhD in Hummanities was awarded to Eniola Ladipo. Graduate reflects on achievement Reflecting on his record-breaking CGPA, the best graduating student of ULBS expressed his gratitude and shared the motivation behind his remarkable accomplishment with PREMIUM TIMES. 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 Mr Gafaar said he is filled with excitement, gratitude, humility, and inspiration. As the first person to achieve this remarkable feat, I am understandably thrilled, he said. He acknowledged the support of God, his family, professors, and classmates. Looking ahead, Mr Gafaar revealed his plans to give back by mentoring others. He said: The motivation for the feat was to be the best I could be. I intend to use the knowledge and skills gained to mentor and support those who follow in my footsteps as they strive for excellence. He revealed plans to further his academic journey, having enrolled in the ULBS Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme to mentor and facilitate the growth of other business professionals. Celebrating excellence The convocation ceremony also recognised various individuals who have retired but continue to contribute to scholarship and academia. Two distinguished professors, Babajide Alo, from the Department of Chemistry, and Olukayode Amund, Department of Microbiology, were awarded Professor Emeritus status for their ongoing contributions to the academia. Victor Ariole from the Department of European Languages was also awarded a Gold Medal for his outstanding contributions to the university and the nation. Also three personalities were conferred with honorary degrees: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the director-general of the World Trade Organisation (WTO); Fola Adeola, co-founder of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank Plc), and Kolawole Adesina, the group managing director (GMD) of Sahara Power Group. We are very honoured that these three personalities accepted our recognitions. Unfortunately, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala will be unable to attend in person this year, but we will confer on her at next years convocation ceremony, Mrs Ogunsola noted. Convocation highlights The 55th convocation ceremony featured a lecture delivered by Tayo Aduloju, CEO of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group (NESG), on 15 January. Mr Aduloju lecture titled Universities as Hubs for Development and Wealth Creation, emphasised the critical role of Nigerian universities in nation-building. The day also featured an exhibition showcasing innovations by UNILAG staff members and students, including the production of lithium batteries and alternate energy sources powered by sound. Also, three major projects were commissioned by the Pro-Chancellor, Wole Olanipekun, including the African Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development, and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS). ACEDHARS is a World Bank-supported initiative focused on developing indigenous plants for medical applications. Over the past two days, 9,865 graduates have been admitted to first degrees and diplomas from various faculties and the Distance Learning Institute. Two students from the Faculty of Science, Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Haroun Adebakin and Samuel Badekale emerged the overall best graduating students with a perfect CGPA score of 5.0. Olamide Idris Emida from the Faculty of Management Sciences emerged as the best-graduating student from the humanities with a CGPA of 4.95. The vice chancellor also highlighted the universitys commitment to inclusivity with six visually impaired graduating students. This year, six visually impaired undergraduate students (three male and three female) graduated two each from the faculties of Education Law, and Social Sciences, she said. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology has tasked the National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) on clear labelling of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) products. The committee, during the agencys 2025 budget defence session on Thursday in Abuja, said clear labelling was in line with global best practices. Rep. Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP-Rivers) insisted that clear labelling of GMO products would enable Nigerians to make informed decisions on what they consume. In an advanced environment, you have choices but here in Nigeria, we do not label. There is a question mark on Tela Maize so what we are saying is you have to do more research before adaptation. You are serving Nigerians what, ordinarily, if they have knowledge about, they would not consume and you are trying to justify it, he said. Earlier, the Director-General of the agency, Abdullahi Mustapha, said that 90 per cent of cereals from the United States consumed in Nigeria are all GMOs. 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 According to the director-general, not all Nigerians reject GMO products as being portrayed by some stakeholders. He said that the agencys proposed budget for the 2025 fiscal year was N5.3 billion including an overhead cost of N834.4 million and a personnel cost of N14.5 million. Mr Mustapha said the agency has a staff strength of about 4,000 spread across its 39 centres nationwide. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Rotary International Foundation has committed over $300 million in recent years to support Nigerias fight against polio. The Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the foundation, Mark Maloney, made this known on Thursday during a symbolic polio immunisation event at the Jahi Primary Health Centre in Abuja. Mr Maloney reaffirmed the foundations commitment to eradicating the disease. We have committed, over the course of many years, over $300m to polio eradication in Nigeria alone. And we are pleased to work with the Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, we are very pleased with the work that they are doing, he said. He emphasised the significance of continued efforts to eradicate polio, particularly in Nigeria, where 93 cases of Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) were reported in 2024. Polio eradication efforts Mr Maloney noted that the Nigerian government has made notable progress in combating polio, with the country being declared wild polio virus-free in 2020. However, the challenge posed by vaccine-derived polio type 2 remains significant. 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 He urged the Nigerian government to maintain its focus on polio eradication, noting that while Rotary has played a crucial role, continued success requires the involvement of the public sector. The chairperson also highlighted Rotarys allocation of tens of millions of dollars annually to polio eradication efforts, primarily through the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF). However, the exact amount for Nigerias 2025 allocation will be finalised after the International Polio Plus Committee meeting scheduled for 29-30 January, and final approval by the Rotary Foundation trustees on 8-9 February. Polio in Nigeria Polio, also known as poliomyelitis, is a highly infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. It can lead to paralysis, disability, and even death. There are two main types of polio: wild poliovirus and vaccine-derived poliovirus (VDPV). Wild poliovirus is the naturally occurring form of the virus, while VDPV emerges due to mutations in the virus contained in the oral polio vaccine. ALSO READ: Lagos launches polio response across 57 councils as new cases emerge In Nigeria, recent talks about polio have been centred around the countrys efforts to maintain its wild poliovirus-free status, which was achieved in 2020. However, the cVDPV2 remains a major concern, with 168 cases reported in 2022. To combat this, the Nigerian government, along with partners like the WHO, has been conducting mass vaccination campaigns. In August 2023, a campaign was launched in Niger State, targeting over 2.6 million children with the fractional inactivated poliovirus vaccine (fIPV). Beyond polio eradication Rotary Internationals efforts in Nigeria extend beyond polio. The foundation has committed $2 million to the Programme of Scale, a project aimed at reducing maternal and child mortality. Mr Maloney explained that the initiatives goal is to decrease birth-related mortality, particularly in underserved districts. He emphasised that Rotarys projects in Nigeria are tailored to the specific needs of local communities. These projects, often funded through global grants, involve collaboration between local Rotarians and their international counterparts. Polio eradication remains Rotarys number one global priority, he added. But, in terms of the large scale projects, polio eradication is Rotarys number one priority worldwide. A former District Governor and Chairperson of the Nigeria National Polio Plus Committee, Joshua Hassan, noted that immunisation efforts are carried out at the local level, with national immunisation days scheduled twice a year across the country. The National Coordinator, Together for Healthy Families in Nigeria, Emmanuel Lufadeju, highlighted that the Programme of Scale project is designed to reduce maternal mortality among women by 25 per cent. He said they are planning to implement a social behavioural change initiative, aiming to shift peoples attitudes and encourage them to give birth in healthcare facilities rather than at home. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Lukman Gbadegesin has asked Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to reverse the appointment of Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo and announce him as the replacement. Mr Gbadegesin made this demand in a pre-action notice issued through his lawyers to the governor, alleging six specific legal breaches characterising Mr Owoades appointment. He gave the governor 30 days to meet his demands or risk legal action. We request that the Governor and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs address the Issues raised and rectify these breaches within 30 days of receipt of this notice. Failure to do so will compel our client to seek appropriate legal redress In court, Mr Gbadegesins lawyer, Adekunle Sobaloju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, wrote in the pre-action notice. A copy of the letter seen by PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday is dated 14 January and bears an acknowledgement stamp of the governors office with the same date. The governor or the state government has yet to respond to the letter publicly. It contains what appears to be six prayers he is poised to pursue in court against the governor and other relevant government agents should they fail to meet his demands within the 30-day ultimatum. Alleged breaches Mr Gbadegesin, whom the Oyos Kingmakers, the Oyomes, unanimously selected on 30 September 2022 as the next Alaafin, contended that the governors actions, approving Mr Owoade instead of him to the Alaafin stool, contravened the provisions of the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961 and section 20 of the Oyo State Chiefs Law of 2000. 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 By announcing a different candidate, the Governor has usurped the powers of the Oyomesi, violating the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, which makes the Oyomesi the sole authority for the selection of the Alaafin. The Governors alleged reliance on Ifa consultation contradicts the judgement of the Oyo State High Court of 19th December 2022, which declared Ifa consultation in the selection process unlawful, as it is not provided for in the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961. Furthermore, the allegations of bribery by two Oyomesi members, raised over a year after the selection, lack credibility and were not formally communicated to the Governor or investigated, read parts of the six legal breaches the letter said the governor committed. Apart from these, Mr Gbadegesins legal team said other particulars of Mr Makindes legal preaches include the fact that even though he did not suspend, remove, or replace any Oyomesi member, he unilaterally usurped their roles to convene a meeting and announce a different candidate. The letter added that, of the five living Oyomes! members, only two have dissented, while the remaining three and two warrant chiefs still uphold the selection of Mr Gbadegesin, making the dissenting opinion a minority view. Suit in the making The letter contains possible prayers to be sought in court should the government fail to meet Mr Gbadegesins demands. His lawyers signalled in the letter that if his demands were not met, he would resort to legal action to seek the nullification of the appointment, approval, and presentation of the staff of office to Mr Owoade, which they argue were conducted in violation of established laws. The legal team also propose to seek an order setting aside the purported appointment, approval of appointment, and presentation of staff of office to Mr Owoade as Alaafin of Oyo, as it was done in violation of the provisions of the Chiefs Law of Oyo State, 2000, and the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961. These actions are unlawful, unconstitutional, invalid, null, and void. The lawyers also intend to seek the courts declaration that Mr Gbadegesin was validly selected and/or appointed by the Kingmakers of Alaafin of Oyo as the rightful candidate to fill the vacant stool of the Alaafin of Oyo in accordance with the Chiefs Law of Oyo State, 2000, and the Registered Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961. Therefore, his appointment is valid, lawful, and proper. They also look forward to asking the court to issue an order of inunction restraining Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade from parading himself as Alaafin of Oyo and or performing the functions of the Alaafin of Oyo or exercising the powers or authority attached to the office and or occupying the stool of the Alaafin of Oyo. They will also seek an order directing the Governor of Oyo State to Immediately and forthwith approve the appointment of Prince Lukman Adelodun Ayinia Gbadegesin validly selected and or appointed by the Kingmakers of Oyo. Controversial presentation of the Staff of Office On Monday, Governor Makinde presented the staff of office and certificate of appointment to the Alaafin-elect, Abimbola Owoade. The ceremony was held at the Governors Office, Agodi, Ibadan. The event was attended by the new Alaafin, high chiefs, and religious leaders from Oyo town. On Friday, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the move by the Oyo State Government ignited a firestorm of controversy. Some Oyo indigenes criticised Mr Makinde for bypassing the Oyomesithe traditional kingmakersin the selection process. Mr Owoade succeeds the late Alaafin, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, whose 50-year reign ended with his passing on 22 April 2022. The 46th coronation of the new Alaafin is set to take place in Oyo town in the coming days. How Gbadegesin emerged as Oyomesis original choice Following the late Alaafins demise, the Oyomesi, in line with the Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, began selecting a successor. With the governors approval in August 2022, the Atiba Local Government facilitated the process, screening 82 candidates from the Agunloye Ruling House. On 30 September 2022, the Oyomesi unanimously chose Prince Lukman Gbadegesin, grandson of Alaafin Bello Gbadegesin (19561966). The selection was formally communicated to the governor on 4 October 2022, per the Chiefs Law of Oyo State. No petitions were filed during the 21-day appeal period, and the Oyo State High Court dismissed a legal challenge by a dissatisfied aspirant on 19 December 2022, affirming the validity of the process. However, after the 2023 general elections, two Oyomesi members alleged bribery in Gbadegesins selection, though no evidence or formal complaints were submitted. Governor Makinde withheld approval of Mr Gbadegesins appointment for over a year before he announced Mr Owoade as the Alaafin-designate, a widely criticised decision violating customary practices and the law. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print OKOBI is a great way to empower people and create lasting change. For example, starting a palm oil trading business might only require N2 million and could employ ten people. With N3 million to N5 million (around $3,000 at todays exchange rate), the possibilities grow even further. Some philanthropists are already moving away from short-term giveaways and instead focusing on building small factories and businesses in their communities. These efforts are worth celebrating and emulating. In every society, elites exist in various forms. Many live outside their home state but still want to make their presence felt back home. For some, being an elite means having influence leading people and shaping their thoughts through gifts and connections. This is often what it takes to be considered a big man or big woman. Philanthropy, however, is not always about pure intentions. Sometimes, its a way to feel important or gain recognition. This is why people often choose easy, visible actions that bring quick praise, even if they dont truly help those they aim to support. Genuine charity, on the other hand, often goes unnoticed. Its more challenging but can make a more significant difference, like the biblical principle of giving without letting one hand know what the other is doing (Matthew 6:34). In many communities, poverty and hardship have grown beyond what people ever imagined. To help, the first reaction is often to hand out money or gifts, also known as palliatives. These temporary solutions feed people today but leave them hungry again tomorrow. Palliatives dont solve the underlying problems; theyre just short-term fixes. The downside of this approach is that it creates dependency. When people are always given things, they lose the chance to learn how to do things for themselves. In other words, palliatives give people fish instead of teaching them how to fish. While well-intentioned, this approach doesnt lead to lasting solutions. A better approach is to teach people how to fish. This is where elites can make a real difference. Instead of handing out gifts, they can empower others with skills and resources to become self-reliant. The Imo State governments One Kindred One Business Initiative (OKOBI) is a perfect example of this idea. OKOBI encourages group entrepreneurship to create jobs and sustainably improve peoples lives. Why is a programme like OKOBI necessary? 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 In Imo State, its hard to name even ten companies that employ more than 250 people. Finding five such companies would be a challenge. This shows that the states economy mainly comprises tiny businesses. From a distance, the situation might not look so dire, but when I started working as the Chief Economic Adviser to the Imo State Government in 2022, I was surprised to see how limited the job market really was. Imo State has a population of 5.5 million people, and about three million are in the labour market. Sadly, about half of these people are unemployed. This high unemployment rate has serious consequences for society, contributing to many problems that the state faces today. Some people suggest that attracting foreign investors is the solution. While this is a good idea in the long term, its not realistic in the short term. To fix unemployment quickly, the government would need to bring in 100 investors, each hiring 15,000 people, or 1,000 investors, each hiring 1,500. This is nearly impossible in the short term for an economy dominated by small businesses. The government has launched programmes to create jobs and opportunities to tackle unemployment. One is the Skill-up Imo programme, which aims to train 300,000 people in digital skills. The goal is to help them start their businesses or work remotely for companies anywhere in the world. The digital economy offers enormous opportunities, and the government wants people in Imo State to take advantage of them. Even if each trainee helps just two other people, this programme could positively impact 900,000 people. However, not everyone will go into digital work, no matter how promising it is. This is where OKOBI comes in. The programme helps people start businesses in farming, services, or manufacturing. So far, 350 businesses with over 7,000 members have been created through OKOBI. Its possible to grow this number to 20,000 businesses, each employing 15 to 20 people, in the short term. Thats why every community in Imo State is encouraged to create businesses through this initiative. OKOBI businesses must be formally registered, based in Imo State, and focused on creating jobs. These are not meant to be subsistence businesses they should be appropriately managed and profitable. Elites can play a key role here by providing financial support. But money isnt the only thing that matters. Mentorship and using their social connections to support these businesses are just as important. OKOBI is a great way to empower people and create lasting change. For example, starting a palm oil trading business might only require N2 million and could employ ten people. With N3 million to N5 million (around $3,000 at todays exchange rate), the possibilities grow even further. Some philanthropists are already moving away from short-term giveaways and instead focusing on building small factories and businesses in their communities. These efforts are worth celebrating and emulating. If you want to learn more about OKOBI or how to start a group business in your community, contact the Office of the Chief Economic Adviser to the Imo State Government. You can call +234-911-436-0076, send a WhatsApp message to +234-901-158-9113, or email tiesnetworks@gmail.com. Theyre ready to guide and support your ideas. Kenneth Amaeshi is a public philosopher and political economist from Imo State, Nigeria. He is currently a professor of sustainable finance at the European University Institute, Florence, Italy. He also holds a chair in business and sustainable development at the University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom. He tweets @kenamaeshi Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print As a Chinese saying goes, even mountains and seas cannot distance people with shared aspirations. No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will always be Nigerias most trustworthy friend, most reliable partner in pursuing development, and the strongest backing on the international stage. We are willing to take this visit as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in various fields and jointly serve as the pioneers in redressing the historical injustices From 8th to 9th January, HE Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs, paid an official visit to Nigeria. During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with President Tinubu and Foreign Minister Tuggar, which harvested fruitful results. After four years since Foreign Minister Wang Yis last visit to Nigeria, this latter visit occurred during the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the beginning of the implementation of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit 2024, and aims to build on past achievement and guide the future of the China-Africa and China-Nigeria relations. This is another high-level exchange between China and Nigeria, following the successive visits of Foreign Minister Tuggar and President Tinubu to China last year, which therefore is also a reunion between good friends. As the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, I had the honour and privilege to accompany and witness the visit, and I am happy to share my thoughts of this visit as follows. First, the visit bore extraordinary significance. It went along the established practice of Chinese diplomacy that the Chinese Foreign Minister would choose Africa as his first overseas destination at the start of every new year, in a tradition that has lasted over the past 35 years. It reflected the mutual support and original aspiration of the China-Africa friendship, which plays a unique role in the history of international exchanges. The visit also demonstrated Chinas resolve and commitment to working with Nigeria to implement the consensus reached by our two Heads of State and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, on building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, and leading the Global South in advancing solidarity and cooperation. The visit has greatly strengthened the synergies between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Ten Partnership Actions for China and Africa to jointly advance modernisation, and the Priority Areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu. The visit injected new impetus into our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, deepened our cooperation, and enhanced the international coordination between our two countries. Second, the two sides reached a broad consensus. During the visit, Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke highly of the China-Nigeria relations, stating that under the strategic guidance of the two Presidents, our bilateral relations have attained three outstanding achievements, namely a new leap in positioning of the relations, a new platform created through solidarity and collaboration, and a new height in international cooperation. The Nigerian side noted that our relations is rooted in traditional friendship and is unbreakable. Nigeria, particularly, reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle and supporting Chinas efforts in achieving national reunification, and its role on the world stage. Regarding regional issues, China reiterated that it would stand together with Nigeria to counter terrorism and maintain regional peace and stability in the Sahel region and West Africa. China also supports Nigeria in playing a more important role on the global stage. Both sides agreed to forge greater synergy in strategies, consolidate political mutual trust, jointly maintain regional peace and stability, strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs, and promote China-Nigeria relations to a higher level. Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit further consolidates the strategic nature of China-Nigeria cooperation. We will work together to translate the important consensus reached by the two leaders and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit into actions. We will step up synergy in development strategies to achieve common development, as well as to support the collective rise of the Global South. Third, the visit charted the way forward for our cooperation. Practical cooperation has always been the driving force of the China-Nigeria relations. Such mega projects as the Lekki Deep Sea Port, four major terminals, and the Ogun Free Trade Zone, have not only profoundly improved Nigerian peoples livelihood, but also constituted stellar examples in China-Africa cooperation. Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit further consolidates the strategic nature of China-Nigeria cooperation. We will work together to translate the important consensus reached by the two leaders and the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit into actions. We will step up synergy in development strategies to achieve common development, as well as to support the collective rise of the Global South. Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit also highlights the exemplary feature of China-Nigeria cooperation. Just before the visit, the Peoples Bank of China and the Central Bank of Nigeria renewed the currency swap agreement, which was valued at 15 billion or N3.28 trillion. The China Development Bank issued the first loan of 245 million to support the Kano-Kaduna railway project. Foreign Minister Wang Yi also reiterated Chinas support for the Nigeria railway modernisation project. Besides the traditional infrastructure cooperation, our two sides also exchanged views on deepening cooperation in such areas as trade, new energy, mining, agriculture, people-to-people exchanges, and security. In the days to come, China-Nigeria cooperation will embark on a broader and faster lane. I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Nigerian colleagues and friends, from the State House, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other departments for their hard work to make the visit a great success, and their warm hospitality extended to the Chinese delegation. Hereby, I would like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to Nigerian colleagues and friends, from the State House, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other departments for their hard work to make the visit a great success, and their warm hospitality extended to the Chinese delegation. As a Chinese saying goes, even mountains and seas cannot distance people with shared aspirations. No matter how the international landscape evolves, China will always be Nigerias most trustworthy friend, most reliable partner in pursuing development, and the strongest backing on the international stage. We are willing to take this visit as an opportunity to deepen cooperation with Nigeria in various fields and jointly serve as the pioneers in redressing the historical injustices, the co-workers for the rise of the Global South, and the doers for the improvement of global governance. 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 May our cooperation forever nourish, and our friendship never perish. Yu Dunhai is the Ambassador of the Peoples Republic of China to Nigeria. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print The collective rise of the Global South in this changing world brings China and Africa together in a common cause. China understands, through its own experience, that the biggest historical injustice against Africa is not only colonialism, but also bullyism and power politics. In the previous century, anti-colonial liberation and independence movements across the African continent gave rise to what many call Africas first awakening. Decades later, a growing number of African countries are revisiting their Western-style institutions and seeking greater self-reliance, sustainability and voice. Amid this second awakening in the words of some locals, Africa has a true friend in the Global South: China. The More the Visits, the Closer the Friend Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yis visit to four African countries at the beginning of 2025 continued an unparalleled 35-year tradition of the foreign minister going to Africa for the first overseas visit of the year. By doing so, China shows the world that regardless of changes in the international and regional landscape, it will always remain the most trustworthy friend of African brothers and sisters, the most reliable partner of African countries in their development, and the strongest supporter of Africa on the international stage, as Foreign Minister Wang told the press. A central topic throughout the visit was the implementation of the ten partnership actions for modernisation that Chinese President Xi Jinping laid out at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, and the translation of strategic common understandings into constant growth drivers for China-Africa relations. When meeting the press in Nigeria, Foreign Minister Wang welcomed Nigeria to issue panda bonds in China and expressed confidence in Nigeria, building on President Xis words at the Beijing Summit that China will encourage and support Africa in issuing panda bonds in China to enhance our results-oriented cooperation in all areas. While in Africa, Foreign Minister Wang reiterated support for redressing the historical injustice against Africa, opposition to foreign interference in African countries internal affairs, and support for special arrangements to meet Africas concern as a priority on the issue of the reform of the United Nations Security Council. When More is Shared, Much More Is Gained 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 In recent weeks, heartbreaking natural disasters have been reported in several places across the world. In his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu expressed sympathy over the earthquake in Chinas southwestern Xizang Autonomous Region and commended China for its swift and effective rescue efforts. This is not the first time African leaders have spoken highly of Chinas organisation and mobilisation capacity. Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, China has found a development path suited to its national realities. Stories of Chinese modernisation provide inspirations and alternatives for African nations seeking to accelerate development. Within the Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilisations, the first among the ten partnership actions for modernisation, China plans to work with Africa to build a platform for governance experience sharing, a China-Africa knowledge network for development, and 25 centres on China and Africa studies, and invite 1,000 members of African political parties to China. These measures will cement the intellectual bedrock for a time-honoured China-Africa friendship. Modernisation is not Westernisation. As Africa works toward its modernisation, which is part and parcel of global modernisation, its journey becomes more pleasant knowing that China is a true friend. When We Stand United, Our Voice is Stronger The collective rise of the Global South in this changing world brings China and Africa together in a common cause. China understands, through its own experience, that the biggest historical injustice against Africa is not only colonialism, but also bullyism and power politics. While in Africa, Foreign Minister Wang reiterated support for redressing the historical injustice against Africa, opposition to foreign interference in African countries internal affairs, and support for special arrangements to meet Africas concern as a priority on the issue of the reform of the United Nations Security Council. Looking ahead, the recent re-election of Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the director-general of the World Trade Organisation, who is the first African to hold this position, is a ray of hope for a land of promise. China and Africa can and must do more together for free trade and a more just and equitable global governance system as a whole. Modernisation is not Westernisation. As Africa works toward its modernisation, which is part and parcel of global modernisation, its journey becomes more pleasant knowing that China is a true friend. Yi Fan is a Beijing-based political commentator. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The relations between Azerbaijan and Georgia play a significant role in the region, said Maka Bochorishvili, Georgian Foreign Minister, at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov in Baku, Trend reports. Bochorishvili highlighted that Azerbaijan is one of Georgias largest economic partners. "We discussed important projects that benefit not only our countries but the entire region. We are capable of implementing larger strategic projects together. I hope for a forthcoming meeting between the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkiye, and Georgia to discuss further promising projects," she said. Only exceptionalism could have provided that chance. Only exceptionalism could produce an Obama and eight years later produce a Trump the one neo-liberal and the other neo-anything-is-possible In the days ahead, no one is exactly sure what to expect not pollsters, pundits, or even members of Trumps cabinet. But well see, one tweet at a time, just what is left of what has made America exceptional. On the eve of Donald Trumps inauguration as the 45th President of the US, on 19 January, 2017, I wrote an article I could easily write now. It was entitled A Memory of America on Obamas Last Day. With minor edits, its worth repeating as Trump happens again as the 47th President of the US. The peculiar aspect of the US is that everything is extraordinary. If any doubt remains, the election of Donald J Trump, who takes office on Friday as the 45th President of the United States of America, resolves the matter. Everything about Trump is unsettlingly peculiar. He has weakened his party, exploited voters most basic instincts, ignored the media, and mocked US allies. Nonetheless, he has secured a victory that has made him even more powerful and audacious. Everyone else, including the party and the nation, seems weaker, more bewildered, and divided. In Trump versus the rest of the world, Trump is the indescribable enigma. The rest are demystified and stranded. As the new Trump world order emerges, exceptionalism once a distinctly American concept assumes a different significance. I grappled with that word when I first encountered it from my lecturer, Ayo Akinbobola, many years ago in school. Exceptionalism. How do I explain it? Its that special quality for which most people love America; the idea that you can become whatever you wish to be, whoever you are, regardless of your background; that through hard work, persistence, and innovation, you can attain grace from grass; that America is the only place on earth that confronts its diversity with courage, not shying away from its own worst demons; that America is a land of both geniuses and demagogues, each pursuing their path, but within a system that also strives to protect the weak and vulnerable while, some would add, paradoxically creating its own weak and vulnerable. I learnt from my US-trained teachers in school and saw from the cowboy movies I watched growing up that this made America unique. 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 My first American friends embodied the generosity of spirit I had always heard about. Melvin and Paula Baker, whom my family and I met during a holiday in Florida over ten years ago, have consistently treated us like family, offering themselves and everything they have at our disposal whenever we visit. Melvin and Paula are white, but colour or creed has never been a concern whether we or they are visiting. Occasionally, Im amused to see them sweating over a meal of pepper soup, even when it contains the mildest spices. Yet, some say that it is precisely this exceptional quality that is the trouble with America. They say it is exceptionalism that produced an Obama who is not black enough to meet black expectations, not white enough to be accepted by whites, and not brown enough to attract the sympathy of those in between. America is exceptional not because it is perfect but because, despite its flaws, people like Melvin and Paula made it extraordinary. Then 9/11 happened. Fear took hold, and exceptionalism faced its most significant test since Vietnam. The political elite and the military leaders started a catastrophic war in Iraq by dressing up fear and suspicion as facts. That changed everything. Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIL and other terror franchises around the world were born by the mother of all wars, from which America and the world have not recovered. I felt the change around this time seven years ago when I visited the US before Christmas. A young Nigerian man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had planted a bomb in his pants to bring down a commercial plane over Detroit. Coming at Americas vulnerable moment, there was a severe backlash from that incident. During my visit in January 2010, many US airports and border posts opened a black book for Nigerian travellers. The intrusive body searches at these airports and the cold, hostile stares at non-whites left me in no doubt that something was changing in America. But Barack Obamas election was supposed to halt the tide; it was supposed to send a message that America had not wholly forsaken exceptionalism, that if a black guy with a funny Muslim-sounding name could become president in America, you could be what you want to be no matter who you are if you work at it. Thats Obamas story, which he calls the audacity of hope. How else could someone born to a Kenyan father and raised by an Indonesian stepfather become a senator and then the 44th president of the United States? Yet, some say that it is precisely this exceptional quality that is the trouble with America. They say it is exceptionalism that produced an Obama who is not black enough to meet black expectations, not white enough to be accepted by whites, and not brown enough to attract the sympathy of those in between. Eight years ago today, America was on its knees, broken by a catastrophic terror war and greedy Wall Street Globalisation was also taking its toll and would become a significant factor in US politics. To think that this was the moment when the country elected its first black president when the lines of failure seemed to have fallen in the most unpleasant places is hard to imagine now. Evangelicals regard him as the anti-Christ for endorsing stem cell research and despise him for his late remarks on gay rights. Millions of Nigerians will also not forgive him for never once visiting the worlds most populous black nation during his eight years in office, opting instead to throw stones from Ghana, the countrys backyard. Its a deep bucket, but who can deny that Americas exceptionalism produced a miracle that Martin Luther King could only dream of? Eight years ago today, America was on its knees, broken by a catastrophic terror war and greedy Wall Street. Globalisation was also taking its toll and would become a significant factor in US politics. To think that this was the moment when the country elected its first black president when the lines of failure seemed to have fallen in the most unpleasant places is hard to imagine now. But it happened, and Obama made the most of his lemons. In several ways, hes leaving America better than he found it: jobs growing, the country cured of its addiction to oil, its economy in better shape, and its youth unleashed and innovating. Obama is leaving without the scars of scandals that marred many of his predecessors. The dignity of his office is intact. Only exceptionalism could have provided that chance. Only exceptionalism could produce an Obama and eight years later produce a Trump the one neo-liberal and the other neo-anything-is-possible. In the days ahead, no one is exactly sure what to expect not pollsters, pundits, or even members of Trumps cabinet. But well see, one tweet at a time, just what is left of what has made America exceptional. Azu Ishiekwene is the Editor-in-Chief of LEADERSHIP and author of the new book, Writing for Media and Monetising It. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print On 6 August, 2024, one of the icons of our struggle passed away and was buried on 28 December, 2024. The life and times of Comrade Amah Thomas Amah, having associated with him for over four decades, could best be contextualised as that of a worker, student activist, trade unionist and journalist, as well as a political activist and community leader. In all these endeavours, one can safely say that since our meeting at the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in the early 80s, our paths have inexorably crossed while working and serving the cause of the working people. By the early 1980s, the University of Calabar was a beehive of activities and controversies. Things could not have been different, given the fact that the Vice-Chancellor at that time, Professor Emmanuel Ayandele, was considered Spartan in his bid to build the new school in a certain way, but was also very controversial, and so was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Okon Uya. Added to this was the vibrant student activism led by the Movement for Progressive Nigeria (MPN) and the ideological ferment hovering around the school in the Calabar metropolis. This atmosphere featured individuals like the erudite Marxist scholar, Professor Eskor Toyo; Dr Bene Madunagu, a feminist socialist and one of the founders of Women In Nigeria (WIN); and her spouse, Dr Edwin Madunagu, a Marxist intellectual and prominent newspaper columnist; as well as Comrade Bassey Ekpo Bassey, a renowned journalist and political activist. Professor Ayandele, the pioneer Vice-Chancellor of the university, who built the school from scratch and recruited the early academic, technical and administrative staff after the school became autonomous in 1975 from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), was credited with setting the schools philosophical tone and its high standards. But the Professor of History, who among others, had been accredited with championing indigenous and African historiography as a method of critical thinking, was a beleaguered man, who was not very happy. At the height of his frustration, he had declared that Cross River State, as it was then, was an atomistic society in perpetual conflict with itself. Ostensibly, this was to describe the squabbles in the school among the then ethnic groups in the State, comprising the Ibibios, Annangs, Efiks, Oron and the Ogoja people of the northern part of the State. Amidst this controversy that did not endear him to the people was the Oronphobia phenomenon that exacerbated the crisis, with Professor Uya as the fulcrum. Underling this hullabaloo was the case that the recruitment process had supposedly favoured the Oron people who dominated the professorial and administrative cadres. It was at the height of this ethno-political conundrum and ideological flourish that I met Comrade Amah in January 1980 in the Academic Division of UNICAL. While serving as a clerk, Amah was an executive officer, (EO). Our boss was Mrs Margaret Edet Uya, daughter of the first indigenous Inspector General of Police, Louis Edet and later, wife to Professor Uya, the then DVC. Our boss was a workaholic, setting high standards, and a stickler for discipline, with a combined sense of understanding and high cultural values. Despite being relatively young, gorgeous and coming from a privileged background, she displayed high sensitivity and maturity in handling staff matters. It was not a surprise that in later years, she attained the top job of Registrar of the university. However, in Amah she certainly found her match and collaborator. As our immediate supervisory officer, Amah could best be described as an overachiever, who was methodical and focused. He was a visionary leader who was hands-on and believed in collective leadership. Amah had an amazing reputation of not looking tired, bored, ruffled or confused, no matter the circumstances in the office. There sure were many instances, given the nature of the work with students, that would send many through the roof. But the unwritten mantra in the office, well exemplified by Amah and our boss, was, be cool no matter the provocation from the often complaining young adults. The Academic Division, a unit or directorate in the Registrars office, and considered the engine room in most universities, was involved in admissions and calculations and the release of students results. In the process it also handled what was considered JAMB casualties. These were students who had admissions, but did not have complete results to make supposed high profile courses such as medicine, law and political science, among others. Rather than miss out on the admission, they were counselled to take up other courses that would fit their qualifications. Not expectedly managing students undergoing this emotional trauma was no mean task. At first, we ran a rather closely knit, slim and effective administration with most staff being often overworked and stressed up. It was not about coming to work by 8 a.m. and going by 4.p.m. It was about delivering on your assignment in record time to meet the exigencies and dynamic deadline of the academic system, particularly at peak times. Thanks to the transformational leadership espoused by Mrs. Uya, but practically implemented by Comrade Amah, the work went on seamlessly, despite the sometimes unusual closing hours. There was certainly no dull moment. Of mention here to the smooth running of the unit, were two hyperactive senior clerks, Sunday Ufot and Prescott (fondly called). We were later joined by other new employees, prominent among them being Little John, affectionately called as he was physically challenged in height with a boyish mien, jovial with bulging stomach, but a prodigious intellectual, having been employed with a Masters degree. Of note was that all workers in the unit were fiercely members of the unions. 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 Despite the workload, Comrade Amah had introduced me to Malabo where the male students hostels were mainly located for lunch and binge on fresh palm wine. Here, the students were overly warm at our presence, apparently given our official interactions in the office and often compete in offering invitations to numerous parties both on and off campus. Incidentally, before associating with the duo of Chris Mammah and Kayode Komolafe at the level of the Patriotic Youth Movement of Nigeria, (PYMN), a national body of all socialists groups on campuses, we had the rare privilege of working on their exams results at UNICAL when they were students. While Mammah was a one-time President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), and later a renowned journalist and publisher, Kayode was the leader of the Movement for Progressive Nigeria (MPN), a socialist student movement in UNICAL, and currently an outstanding leftist columnist at ThisDay newspaper. We also had the opportunity in working on the files of a prominent journalist at Arise News, Reuben Abati, and Sonny Anyang, a distinguished Economist and one time Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, among others. Having not worked in an organised corporate setting before as my nascent experience were stints as a dockworker in Warri wharf and a freelance reporter at the Nigerian Observer, courtesy of Jake Orife, the then Bureau Chief of the newspaper in Calabar, my short but eventful sojourn in UNICAL with Amah had tremendous impact on my working life, including relations with workers. It certainly underscored working in the Labour movement in later years where unusual working hours, teamwork, candour, perseverance, collective leadership and coolheaded attitude were defining characteristics. The second encounter with Comrade Amah was at the level of students unionism. Almost at the same period, we had both left to go back to school. While I went off to UNN and became a leading student activist, Amah gained admission to study Philosophy at UNICAL where he was elected the President of the Students Union. For a previous near top bureaucrat in the university to be widely accepted by students to lead them might be considered strange, but in the circumstances it epitomised the leadership qualities of Amah and the positive services he had rendered to the students as an officer working in the Academic Division. As a worker, he was highly principled with zero tolerance for injustice, and would often go out of his way to fight for those members of staff or students considered unfairly treated or oppressed by the university authorities. The qualities of Amah and his contributions to the struggle as a student leader, were lucidly attested to by a former President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Lanre Arogundade, currently an activist Journalist and Executive Director of International Press Centre (IPC). According to him, given the principled stance on issues affecting students welfare and the working peoples as President of the University of Calabar Students Union in early 80s, Amah was entrusted with the December 1983 University of Jos Convention of NANS which produced me as President, despite fierce opposition by the Federal Government (civilian). Comrade Amahs courage and wisdom ensured their defeat, and we never ceased to recall and relish that battle that caused us to sweat in the Plateau cold. It was a banner he proudly and deservedly held, even as he joined us to resist education commercialisation by the military. As indicated above, NANS Conventions have usually been highly controversial and sensitive, given the overarching interest of the government to capture and control its leadership (as it is doing now). The emergence of the leadership of NANS, particularly the President and General Secretary, which was largely a product of PYMN members, pitted the socialists and progressive students against government supported candidates. To be the Chairman of NANS Convention means you have not only to be principled and courageous, you must be totally trusted not to sell out or buckle under state pressure. Though Amah was not known to have belonged to the mainstream socialist group on campus, he was a member of the student Reggae Movement and associated with the Directorate of Literacy a Calabar socialist vanguard that among other things, conducted weekly educational activities for trade unions and their workers. Among its conveners were Prof. Eskor Toyo, Bene Madunagu and Edwin Madunagu, Bassey Ekpo Bassey, Ebony Okpa, a frontline Trade Union leader and James Crentsil, a political activist and Akpan John, an activist Journalist and also a member of the Reggae Movement, whose members were also leaders of the campus Nigeria-Soviet Friendship Association. Other budding members in the ever evolving socialist groups in Calabar then were: Argmore Ebube, Professor Princewill Alozie, James Ibor (Esq), Nse Paulinus, Alphonsus Eka, Asim Ita, Angela Davies, and Felix Ekpenyoung. Though the Reggae Movement is famously known by its Rastafarian philosophy of spiritual awakening through songs of global peace, hope, unity and love, its pan-Africanist tendencies and political resistance of anti-imperialism and fight for social justice was best practiced on campuses, and were often partners with most radical students movement in the struggle for social justice. Prominent among progenitors of the Reggae Movement then was late Comrade Chima Ubani who was President of the UNN students Union and later Pro-democracy activist and General Secretary of the Civil Liberties Organisation, (CLO). The third encounter with Amah was in the Trade Union Movement in the early 90s. While I worked at the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Amah was among the crop of former student activists employed to work with Comrade Sani Zorro who was then President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, (NUJ). Other former activists who joined Zorro were: Chom Bagu, Tom Adanbara, Ben Edherue, and Akpan John as well as Bayo Bodurin. The emergence of Comrade Zorro as President of NUJ was the initiative of the New Trend, a pressure group within the NUJ that set out to radicalize the union and strengthen the defence of the rights of Journalists. Though largely Lagos based, it defied regional boundaries in the leadership of the NUJ by supporting Zorro (a Northern Journalist based in Lagos) against his opponent from Kano. Among those behind this revolutionary trend in the NUJ were, Owei Lakemfa, Kayode Komolafe, Ladi Lawal, Richard Akinola, Lanre Arogundade, and Tunji Bello. With a team of burgeoning activist journalists at the union Secretariat that created a hub of advisers to the NUJ leadership, capacity building and principled defence of the rights of Journalists had momentarily held sway and these underlined Amahs Journalism career and work at the NUJ. In our discussions on the trade union movement, he was known to be very passionate about workers education and organising Journalists to appreciate their role as trade unionists as opposed to only seeing themselves as professionals. He was of the view that given the poor pay and the near absence of sustainable Condition of Service in the media establishments, there was an urgent need for Journalists to prepare themselves through workers education for appropriate skills in negotiations and collective bargaining as well as organising for trade union actions. However, at the exit of Zorro and the advent of Boni Iwuoha who took over from Ladi Lawal as President of the NUJ, the days of these progressive cadres were numbered. They were either weeded out or frustrated out of the NUJ Secretariat ostensibly for supporting the former President. Our paths crossed again in the political arena at the ushering in of civilian rule. While Amah later took up a job as Protocol and Liaison Officer with the government of Governor Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom state, I was Secretary to the NLC Political and Civic Education Committee and later, National Secretary of the NLC National Political Commission. Despite the party inclination of the governor, Amah was still very fervent about the abysmal state of the working people and the need to deepen the struggle for social justice. We had often met in a group and had robust political discussions on the state of the nation with focus on the socio-economic travails of workers and the working people under civilian government and the need for a Third Force. Out of political incompatibility and frustration with the government of Godswill Akpabio the then governor of Akwa Ibom state, Amah had left the party or became less active in politics to concentrate on local community development. The product of this new endeavour was the founding of Mboho Akparawa Ibibio, a socio-cultural organisation that held government accountable and made incredible impact on empowerment and governance in Akwa Ibom State. Given his antecedents as a worker, student leader, trade unionist, political activist and community leader, Comrade Amah T. Amah, in the course of his life , had remained gallant and true to the ideals of social justice and made tremendous contributions and sacrifices in the struggle of the working people. Adieu, Comrade! Chris U. Antigha, a former deputy general secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was also a member of the Human and Trade Union Rights Coordinating Committee of ITUC-Africa. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print 16th January, 2025 On the Selection of the Alaafin of Oyo from the Atiba Dynasty Your Excellency, Like most people, I have noted your selection of Omooba Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo. I also understand that your choice, among other criteria, was based on the fact that Omooba Abimbola Owoade is from the Adelu Agunloye Royal House, whose branch has never been on the throne. Finally and most importantly, I look forward to your favourable action, by the use of the executive power of your office to sign and implement the 1976 declaration that will allow The Atiba Nine access their ancestral throne, just as the other Atiba princes. First, I would like to communicate to you that the nine sidelined Royal Houses of Atiba Dynasty, namely; Adelabu, Adesiyan, Adediran, Tella Agbojulogun, Baba Idode, Adeitan, Tella Okitipapa, Olanite and Abidekun, (famously known as The Atiba 9) HAVE NO PERSONAL ANIMOSITY towards Omooba Abimbola Owoade and Omooba Lukman Gbadegesin; they are our flesh and blood! Secondly, I commend your use of the executive power of your office to change the chieftainrcy law in 2024, prior to elevating some chiefs to Baales. In this light, it is my belief that you will work with Omooba Abimbola Owoade (whose situation was similar to that of The Atiba Nine, but is now benefiting from your kindness) and use the same executive power of your office to sign and implement the 1976 declaration that will allow The Atiba Nine to access the ancestral throne that was bequeathed by Alaafin Atiba to ALL his offspring. 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 should be noted that Omooba Abimbola Owoade is from the Lawani Agogo-Ija branch of the Adelu Agunloye Royal House that has previously ruled three times. The Lawani Agogo-Ija branch is one of 29 eligible branches within the Adelu Agunloye Royal House. It is this same ONE branch that is now ruling for the fourth time. As the oldest female vicegerent of Alaafin Atobatele Atiba and the mother of all of these princes, my role is to ensure that the principle of justice, equity and fairness is brought to bear on their equal access to their inheritance. In my view, your selection of Omooba Owoade (who is neither a Ladigbolu nor a Gbadegesin) seems to be a confirmation that ALL Atiba princes, including The Atiba Nine and the remaining 28 other branches of Adelu Agunloye Royal House (The Non-Lawani Agogo-Ija branches) are entitled to inherit the throne of their mutual ancestor. As the oldest female vicegerent of Alaafin Atobatele Atiba and the mother of all of these princes, my role is to ensure that the principle of justice, equity and fairness is brought to bear on their equal access to their inheritance. Your cooperation will go down in history, as the governor that supported the re-establishment of peace and justice in The House of Atiba. Finally and most importantly, I look forward to your favourable action, by the use of the executive power of your office to sign and implement the 1976 declaration that will allow The Atiba Nine access their ancestral throne, just as the other Atiba princes. Most Sincerely, Alhaja Chief Sidikatu Adebowale Ejide Olona (Yeyelua of Iseyin Land) The MATRIARCH ADELABU Royal House of Atiba Dynasty. Sidikatu Adebowale Ejide Olona is the matriarch of the Adelabu Royal House of Atiba Dynasty. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has approved the employment of 2,000 teachers across the state. The governor made the announcement while presiding over the State Executive Council meeting on Monday at the government house council chamber in Gusau. A statement by the governors spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, disclosed that the planned recruitment of teachers fulfills promises made during the campaign. The statement noted that education, being the second priority of Governor Lawals administration, has received significant attention and was already yielding desired results. Governor Dauda Lawal, in his commitment to revamping education in Zamfara State, has, on November 14, 2023, declared a state of emergency in the educational sector of Zamfara State. The emergency response by the Zamfara government under Governor Lawal includes the construction and renovation of more than 400 schools across the 14 local government areas of the State. Provision of two-seater desks for pupils and students, totaling over 12, 000 across schools in the 14 local government areas and equipping the constructed and renovated over 400 schools with over 700 tables and 1,000 chairs for teachers across the 14 local government areas. In his remarks at the council meeting, Governor Lawal said the recruitment of teachers is part of his governments activities in 2025. The government will employ 2,000 qualified teachers to help improve and revitalise the education sector. Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later The teachers are to be employed in phases to ensure that the right people of quality to address especially critical areas of need in our schools are employed without any wrongdoing. The recruitment is part of the AGILE Programme and aims to completely reverse the rot in the education sector and improve the quality of teaching and students in our schools throughout the state. We are starting with employing 500 teachers in the first quarter of this year. In the first instance, emphasis should be placed on teachers in critical subjects like English, Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, ICT, and Entrepreneurship studies. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Suspected cultists have reportedly killed a vigilante member providing security in Ahoada Town, Ahoada East Local Government Area of Rivers State. The victim has been identified as Precious Nnamdi. A witness, who identified himself as Princewill, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday that the assailants trailed the victim before killing him. The cultists shot Nnamdi while he was patrolling along Hospital Road in Ahoada Town. They fired multiple shots, but the bullets reportedly did not penetrate him, he said. Princewill said that after the gunfire failed, the gang resorted to using iron bars and sticks found nearby to attack the vigilante. The hoodlums stuck Nnamdi repeatedly until he succumbed to the injuries, and thereafter, they fled the scene, he recounted. NAN reports that the two dominant cult gangs in the area, Iceland and Greenland, have yet to claim responsibility for the killing. 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 Grace Iringe-Koko, spokesperson for the police in Rivers, confirmed the incident. Precious was pronounced dead by doctors after being taken to a nearby hospital. The deceased has been deposited in the mortuary, and investigation into this heinous crime is ongoing, she said. Mrs Iringe-Koko, a superintendent of police, further disclosed that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Olugbenga Adepoju, has directed the Police Area Commander and Tactical units in Ahoada to ensure the swift arrest of the fleeing suspects. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print In response to renewed hostilities between the Ifon and Ilobu communities in Osun State, which recently resulted in the shooting of two individuals, Governor Ademola Adeleke has imposed an immediate curfew on the affected areas. The governor also directed the deployment of security agencies to restore peace and prevent any further breakdown of law and order in the two communities. A statement issued by the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, explained that the curfew and movement restrictions aim to de-escalate tensions and avert further violence. The curfew will to be enforced between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. until further notice. After Tuesdays attack in Ifon, where gunmen shot two people and injured many others in the Odoje and Golden Gate areas, the Osun State government announced measures to ensure lasting peace between the warring communities. That a 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. curfew be imposed with immediate effect starting from today, Thursday, the 16th of January 2025, until further notice. That a contingent of all security personnel, comprising the Army, Police, and Civil Defence, has been deployed, accordingly to the warring communities, to forestall further anarchy. That all stakeholders in the areas are advised to cooperate with the state government to resolve the issues amicably at ensuring lasting peace. ALSO READ: Gunmen shoot two people as Osun communities renew hostility That an enlarged Committee of Stakeholders, which shall consist of the representatives of the Communities, the Service Chiefs, the representatives of the State Council of Obas, and other relevant bodies, be immediately constituted to resolve the issue permanently. 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 Finally, anyone or group of persons found or caught doing or instigating any further violence, knowingly or unknowingly, in breach of lasting peace would be made to face the full wrath of the law, via necessary prosecution, in line with the dictates of the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the statement added. Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print Security agents from different formations along the Badagry/Seme corridor on Thursday, mounted over 21 checkpoints in disregard to an approval of four by security stakeholders. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Zone 2 Police Command, comprising Lagos State and Ogun, announced that stakeholders during a security meeting held at its headquarters in Onikan on Tuesday, approved four checkpoints for the corridor. It stated that the approval was to address the alleged proliferation of checkpoints and extortion and also restore order on the corridor for economic growth. The meeting, chaired by the AIG in charge of Zone 2 command, Adegoke Fayoade, included representatives from the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Customs Service. The meeting also included representatives of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and the Nigeria Police Force. The approved checkpoints are Seme Point, Gbaji Point, Apa Point and Agbara Point. These points will be mounted by all security agencies to ensure watertight security along the border ways to foster synergy in fighting crime and give room for economic growth along the axis. NAN, however, reports that apart from the designated checkpoints, security agents were seen at other checkpoints stopping vehicles for random checks. 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 Four checkpoints were located at Oloko axis, comprising regular police and SWAT police. Apart from police, customs and the Nigerian army have one point each. NAN reports that at Gbaji, one of the approved checkpoints, police had four checkpoints, with customs, immigration and NDLEA points. At the Yard axis of the expressway, police from Seme Border Patrol Command had two checkpoints, while Seme police station command had one. At Sultan Beach, the Seme border patrol police command had two points with two other points at Bollington. NAN reports that there are two police checkpoints at Sito Gbethrome and another one at Ashipa along Seme expressway, with another one opposite the Seme police station. NAN also reports that two checkpoints belonging to police border patrol, Immigration points and Customs were situated at Seme. ALSO READ: Customs intercept 553 parcels of cannabis sativa in Seme Speaking on the issue, a senior officer in one of the security agencies, who pleaded anonymity, said that every agency at the border has its mandate and operation. We heard about the meeting on Tuesday, but we are waiting for direct orders. There is another stakeholders meeting at Area K Zonal office today to discuss the issue. We have just received invitation and we are going, he said. (NAN) Share this: Twitter Facebook WhatsApp Telegram LinkedIn Email Print BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The 11th meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on the Matters of Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan took place, Trend reports. The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Shahin Mustafayev, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mher Grigoryan, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, on January 16, 2025 on the border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia. During the meeting, the parties continued exchanging views on the prioritization of sections of the border line for delimitation and agreed to initiate comprehensive delimitation work from the northern sectionstarting at the tri-junction point of the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Armenia, and Georgiaand proceed southward to the border of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic of Armenia with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The parties also reviewed draft guidelines outlining the procedures for conducting delimitation work. The parties agreed to determine the date and location of the next meeting in working order. Agency experiencing lowest attrition and highest retention rates in its entire history, touts largest screening workforce since the agency's inception WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) marked another successful year, making significant strides to improve security and safeguard transportation systems, accelerate action and commit to our people. TSA and its partners remain ahead of threats to transportation security through a vigilant workforce, continuing to deploy technology, and new processes that increase security effectiveness, efficiency and the customer experience. The agency has also seen vast improvement in employee morale, retention and recruitment. "Last year, we reached a historic milestone with the highest passenger volumes and the largest screening workforce in the agency's history an achievement that reflects the dedication, resilience and vigilance of our people across the agency," said TSA Administrator David Pekoske. "In the face of record travel volumes and evolving threats to transportation, our workforce has risen to every challenge by remaining agile with unwavering professionalism, ensuring the safety of the traveling public and security of our transportation systems. I am immensely proud of their commitment to our mission, and the incredible support we continue to receive in our partnerships across government and the travel industry. We look forward to continuing this progress with more technology enhancements and better policies and procedures to increase security effectiveness, efficiency and the customer experience in 2025." In 2024, TSA: Screened 904 million passengers, a more than 5% increase from 2023 and increase of 17% from 2022. Screened 494 million checked bags and over 2 billion carry-on items. TSA set an agency record on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, the agency's busiest holiday travel period on record, screening 3.1 million people. Prevented 6,678 firearms from getting into the secure areas of airports and onboard aircraft. Trained and deployed more than 100 new explosives detection canine teams, joining more than 1,100 canine teams. Deployed canine teams to national security events such as Super Bowl LVII, Formula 1 Las Vegas and the Kentucky Derby. Decreased overall workforce attrition 6.7% from 2022 to 2024. Screening workforce attrition decreased 7.3% from 2022 to 2024. Hired over 8,760 new Transportation Security Officers and Security Support Assistants across the country. The TSA screening workforce is the largest it's ever been. Achieved a nearly 50% response rate on the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS). TSA's Employee Engagement Index, a key metric focusing on employee engagement and morale. Saw a 5% increase since 2022, and an overall 66% favorable rating the highest level in TSA's history. FAMS FEVS scores were among some of the most improved across TSA in 2024. Reached a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the American Federation of Government Employees. The agreement provides enhanced shift trade options for TSOs, increases uniform allowances and adds parental bereavement and weather and safety leave. Placed renewed focus on TSA's customer experience efforts to enhance TSA's security mission; better customer service leads to better security. The TSA Contact Center answered 2.2 million traveler calls and emails. AskTSA responded directly to three million inquiries, typically within two minutes, over social media and via text at 275-872. The TSA Cares helpline assisted 69,000 travelers with disabilities, medical conditions and other special needs. Published the People and Culture Roadmap that outlines TSA's strategy for developing a culture of trust, belonging and respect and published TSA's Communication Strategy, which guides the agency in communicating with TSA's audiences in a timely, accurate and transparent manner. Added facial recognition technology to 1,407 Credential Authentication Technology identity verification units, which improves security and accuracy, is faster and has strong privacy protections in place. Added 99 Computed Tomography X-Rays at checkpoints to improve security effectiveness, reduce physical contact and increase the customer experience and convenience. Total deployed Advanced Imaging Technology units, with improved algorithms that lessen the need for pat downs, rose to 1,100. Added 14 new airlines, enrolled 3.3 million new members, and renewed 2.1 million members in the TSA PreCheck Trusted Traveler Program. Reached a milestone of more than 20 million enrolled members (more than 40 million in the DHS Trusted Traveler Program) and added CLEAR as an enrollment provider, joining IDEMIA and Telos. Issued Next Generation Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) cards to the over 245,000 TWIC holders since July. Facilitated the expansion of mobile driver's licenses, a more secure form of identification compared to physical credentials, in seven additional states. TSA accepts digital IDs from residents of 15 states at select airport security checkpoints equipped with digital ID readers. Reissued five performance-based cybersecurity requirements for pipelines and railroads to continue to strengthen their resilience against cyberattacks. Continued to inspect more than 250 last points-of-departure airports (LPDs), using the highest aviation security standards, to ensure they meet these stringent security standards. Made significant progress in the One Stop Security program, which was authorized by Congress for TSA to conduct One Stop Security pilots at up to six foreign LPDs. TSA completed comprehensive aviation security screening assessments on four foreign airports with an eye towards commencing One Stop operations in 2025. Through the One Stop Security program, there is international cooperation and mutual recognition of security standards between United States and foreign countries and is designed to streamline the security process for passengers connecting through U.S. airports from select international locations, eliminating the need for additional TSA screening for passengers and their luggage. TSA to announce One Stop Security updates and locations in early 2025. and foreign countries and is designed to streamline the security process for passengers connecting through U.S. airports from select international locations, eliminating the need for additional TSA screening for passengers and their luggage. TSA to announce One Stop Security updates and locations in early 2025. Continued to strengthen industry partnerships. TSA collaborated with the U.S. Travel Association and newly established Commission on Seamless and Secure Travel through a series of field engagements and information sharing. Through the airport partnership program, airports donated over $90 million in checkpoint equipment to TSA. in checkpoint equipment to TSA. Announced final rules for the Frequency of Renewal Cycle for Indirect Air Carrier Security Programs, and Minimum Standards for Driver's Licenses and Identification Cards Acceptable by Federal Agencies for Official Purposes and Waiver for Mobile Driver's Licenses. Published Notices of Proposed Rulemaking ahead of published rule on REAL ID Phased Enforcement starting May 7, 2025 and Enhancing Surface Cyber Risk Management. and Enhancing Surface Cyber Risk Management. Published a final rule for the Flight Training Security Program to improve its efficiency and effectiveness, including the security threat assessment process for flight training students. As adversaries adapt their tactics and new threats arise, TSA's law enforcement arm continues to adjust approaches to transportation security to meet and defend against these threats, namely: The TSA Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS): Provided intelligence-based security on thousands of missions in both the air and on the ground. Supported other federal agencies with their unique security needs while still continuing to conduct our transportation security mission. Conducted 6,700 VIPR operations, trained over 5,700 crewmembers in self-defense and hosted 27 training program classes for new Federal Flight Deck Officers. Over the last two years, TSA FAMS: Hired over 500 employees, achieving more than 95% of hiring goals for both years. Improved FAMS employee satisfaction, which increased by 25% between 2022 and 2024. In the 2024 FEVS, over 54% of the FAMS workforce participated and 78% of respondents said they are satisfied with their jobs. Improved FAMS engagement in their jobs. Engagement increased by 8% between 2022 and 2024. Global satisfaction across FAMS increased by 25% between 2022 and 2024. Federal Flight Deck Officers covered over 1 million domestic and international flights. Special Agents developed evidence of human trafficking in 32 criminal specific and pre-employment examinations. They continued to partner with Homeland Security Investigations through the Computer Crimes Center (C3), Angel Watch, Center for Countering Human Trafficking, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Program and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Download the TSA 2024 Year in Review: By the Numbers infographic. SOURCE Transportation Security Administration WEPACK 2025, along with its seven series shows such as SinoFoldingCarton 2025, will be held at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from April 8-10, 2025. Organized by RX, the exhibition features seven series shows of a total exhibition area of 14,000+ square meters to pool together more than 1,500 exhibitors worldwide, and strives to advance deep integration of the global folding carton industry and bring new business opportunities. Since its initial edition, SinoFoldingCarton has not only gained widespread industry recognition and trust, but also emerged as a trendsetter leading industry development with its forward-looking vision and in-depth insights into global industry trends by consistently focusing on future industry development directions and committing to showcasing cutting-edge technologies, new business models, innovative concepts, and novel solutions. As an industry-leading showcase platform, it continues to drive industry progress, and provides trend guidance and inspiration for practitioners while bringing the industry to new peaks. Global Collaboration Builds New Industrial Heights With a profound influence in the global post-press market, SinoFoldingCarton helps folding carton post-press packaging and consumable suppliers gain high-quality development opportunities on multiple tracks and amid globalization via efficient global matchmaking services and resources. Supported by over 100 national and regional associations in groups, SinoFoldingCarton 2025 will welcome more than 30,000 packaging and printing industry visitors, including 2,500+ overseas visitors from 110 countries and regions. With 300+ overseas agents present, it will build a comprehensive international platform for exchanges and cooperation. Currently invited overseas visitors and agents are primarily from the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Finland, Japan, South Korea, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, UAE, Qatar, Poland, Czech Republic, Romania, Estonia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Nigeria, etc. Participating enterprises may showcase their products and technologies onsite, expand international markets, and enhance brand influence; global purchasers will have access to the most cutting-edge production technologies and solutions in the packaging and printing industry, expand quality purchase channels and improve purchase efficiency and quality, in order to create efficient connections between packaging and printing industry enterprises from different countries worldwide. Industrial Chain Exhibitors Gather for a Powerful Engine of the Folding Carton Industry Leveraging the advantage of seven series shows concurrent with WEPACK 2025 on brand owners' demand resources, SinoFoldingCarton 2025 will promote the enhancement of production equipment and processes in the folding carton processing link, luring more valuable trade buyers to visit. At the exhibition site, exhibitors from the whole folding carton processing industrial chain, across pre-press equipment, printing equipment, carton post-press processing equipment, rigid box processing equipment, bag-making equipment, plastic box processing equipment, food paper container equipment, paper, consumables, and accessories, etc., will gather to demonstrate their strengths in folding carton processing. Notably, this year's exhibition introduces three new themed zones: Automation and Digital Factory Zone, Environmental Protection and Carbon Neutrality Zone of Printing & Packaging, and High Value-Added Equipment Zone, focusing on the three major concerns currently facing packaging enterprises, namely automation, environmental protection, and high value-added, and providing the strongest engine for folding carton industry's newer and better development. A Summit of Intellectuals Ignites New Industry Brilliance SinoFoldingCarton 2025 will host multiple high-value concurrent events, where domestic and international experts, scholars, and enterprise representatives will engage in practical exchanges centered on packaging and printing industry development trends, technological innovation pathways, and application prospects, etc., in a bid to provide feasible recommendations and directions for industry development, while offering visitors rich intellectual resources and broad industry vision. TAP Trade Matchmaking Facilitates Efficient Order Conversion Throughout previous editions of SinoFoldingCarton, the organizer's TAP trade matchmaking service has enabled efficient exhibitor-visitor supply-demand connections through both online and offline channels, effectively nailing onsite orders. At SinoFoldingCarton 2025, TAP trade matchmaking service will continue to be offered to interested visitors and exhibitors, with a specialized docking platform built to assist in consulting collaboration with visitors, expanding resources, and securing orders for exhibitors. Additionally, the organizer has conducted in-depth global promotion and visitor invitation campaigns, held overseas press conferences/roadshows, and participated in local events, so as to gradually deepen communication with the folding carton industry worldwide, invite high-quality overseas buyers to visit and purchase at SinoFoldingCarton 2025, and thoroughly foster global packaging and printing industry exchanges and cooperation. Pool strengths to share opportunities. SinoFoldingCarton 2025 strives to craft itself into an authoritative platform for global packaging and printing industry new product and technology releases, a platform for scientific and technological achievement R&D and application exchange, and a convergence platform for innovation chains, industrial chains, and talent chains. We look forward to working with you for an infinite future of the folding carton industry and jointly composing a brilliant chapter. See you at the Shanghai New International Expo Center from April 8-10, 2025. CONTACT: Jessica Zhu [email protected] SOURCE RX (China) Investment Co., Ltd. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED SAO PAULO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Abra Group (the majority investor of Gol and Avianca) and Azul signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today with the intent to explore a combination of their businesses in Brazil, enhancing connectivity across the country by expanding national, regional and international flights, improving competitiveness, products and services, and strengthening the country's connections with the rest of the world. Gol is not a party to the MoU. Manuel Irarrazaval Gol and Azul's networks and fleet are complementary in almost 90% of routes, with each company flying aircraft of different sizes and serving different destinations. The parties expect that a business combination would result in efficiencies and cost reductions, directly benefiting consumers. Upon consummation of such a transaction, Gol and Azul companies would be expected to keep their independent brands and operating certificates, serving more than 200 destinations in Brazil and internationally with plans to expand their airline networks and connectivity and create additional job positions. "We are pleased to announce our intention to explore a combination of the businesses of Gol and Azul to craft a more competitive and resilient global aviation player and increase the democratization of the sector. As part of Abra's strategy to bolster the Brazilian market, this is an important opportunity to further intensify our presence in Brazil and empower our global network. In parallel, as Abra Group, we continue to be supportive of all the work that Gol management and the entire Gol team have been doing for the successful restructuring of Gol during its Chapter 11 process and are excited by its prospects to emerge as a well-capitalized standalone entity", says Manuel Irarrazaval, Chief Financial Officer of Abra Group. The parties have agreed to a business principle, to ensure adequate capitalization, that any combination will result in net leverage of the combined entity that will be comparable or better than the net leverage of Gol at the time of the Transaction, after consummation of its plan of reorganization. The closing of the transaction is subject to Abra Group and Azul agreeing on economic terms of the transaction, the satisfactory completion of due diligence, entering into definitive agreements, obtaining corporate and regulatory approvals (including from the Brazilian antitrust authorities), satisfaction of customary closing conditions, the consummation of Gol's Chapter 11 plan of reorganization and receipt by Abra of consideration thereunder. The MoU announced today is an initial stage of a negotiation process to explore the feasibility of a potential transaction. Thus, the strategy, conduct of business and operations of Abra Group and of Gol do not change as a result of the execution of the MOU. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen C Katz and Pinheiro Guimaraes are serving as legal advisors to Abra in connection with the potential Transaction. Caminati Bueno Advogados is acting as lead antitrust counsel. Further information for media: [email protected] About Abra Group: Abra Group, a UK-based company, is one of the most competitive air transportation groups in Latin America. It brings together the iconic Gol and Avianca brands under a single leadership, and a strategic investment in Wamos Air, anchoring an airline network that has one of the lowest unit costs in its respective markets, leading loyalty programs across the region (LifeMiles and Smiles) and other synergistic businesses. Additionally, Abra Group holds a convertible debt instrument representing a minority interest investment in Chile's Sky Airline. The Group consolidates a team of close to 30,000 highly qualified aviation professionals and a fleet of 300 aircraft with scheduled flights serving 25 countries and over 150 destinations. Gol is one of Brazil's leading airlines, operating a standardized fleet 138 Boeing 737 aircraft and has 13,900 highly qualified professionals. Avianca, the second oldest airline in the world, operates with more than 140 A320 and B787 aircraft passenger as well as 7 cargo aircraft, and has more than 14,000 employees. Finally, Wamos Air is a Europe-based leader in widebody ACMI operations operating 13 A330 passenger aircraft. For more information, visit www.abragroup.net. SOURCE Abra Group BRONX, N.Y., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Adam Kohn, Ph.D., has been named the chair of the Dominick P. Purpura Department of Neuroscience at Albert Einstein College of Medicine following an extensive national search. Dr. Kohn, whose research focuses on visual processing, has been acting as the interim chair of the department for the past two years. He is a professor of neuroscience, of ophthalmology and visual sciences, and of systems & computational biology, and the Isidor Tachna Professor of Ophthalmology at Einstein. "Dr. Kohn has demonstrated his exemplary leadership in recent years," said Yaron Tomer, M.D., the Marilyn and Stanley M. Katz Dean at Einstein and chief academic officer at Montefiore Einstein. "His exceptional research, clear dedication to advancing the needs of the faculty, postdocs, students and staff in his department, and collaborative approach made him the clear choice to assume the permanent role as chair." In addition to his leadership role, Dr. Kohn will continue his research at Einstein. His research team examines how visual information is encoded and processed by populations of cortical neurons, as well as how these processes are affected by recent stimulus history, or adaptation. His lab seeks to address issues of neural coding, cortical plasticity, corticocortical signaling, and the neuronal basis of visual perception. He is the principal investigator or co-PI on several grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Simons Foundation. Additionally, he is a recipient of an Irma T. Hirschl Career Scientist Award. Dr. Kohn has mentored numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows at Einstein. His students have won the Marmur prize, an Einstein award for best dissertation research. His trainees have gone on to run their own research programs at institutions in the United States and abroad. "I am honored to be appointed chair of this lauded department, one of the first neuroscience departments in the country and home to leading scientists in the field," said Dr. Kohn. "I look forward to working with Dean Tomer and members of the department to advance the outstanding research and mentoring for which our department is known." Dr. Kohn joined Einstein faculty in 2006 after completing a postdoctoral fellowship under Dr. J. Anthony Movshon at New York University. Prior to his fellowship, he had served as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute associate with Dr. Movshon, following the completion of his doctoral studies in neurobiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He earned his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of California, Berkeley. About Albert Einstein College of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2024-25 academic year, Einstein is home to 712 M.D. students, 226 Ph.D. students, 112 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and approximately 250 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 2,000 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2024, Einstein received more than $192 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health. This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in cancer, aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. For more information, please visit einsteinmed.edu, follow us on Twitter, Facebook , Instagram, LinkedIn, and view us on YouTube. SOURCE Albert Einstein College of Medicine Through competitive rates and robust partnerships, more than 2,700 jobs were created in Missouri and Illinois in 2024 ST. LOUIS, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren announced that the technical assistance it provided to expanding and relocating businesses created 2,700 new jobs in the company's two-state service territory throughout 2024. In total, 68 projects generated more than $3.6 billion in capital investment by those businesses. Ameren partners with several state and local economic development agencies and businesses to encourage growth and investment. This may include building new facilities or expanding operations that add jobs and support communities statewide. "Energy reliability and affordability are among the top attributes businesses consider when they are looking to grow or expand," said Rob Dixon, senior director, economic, community and business development for Ameren Missouri. "At Ameren, we are proud to serve as the energy partner in economic development to all our communities across Missouri and Illinois. Our teams help facilitate new projects throughout the entire development process including community assessments, site selection, infrastructure planning and incentive review." In 2024, businesses across Ameren Missouri's service territory created 1,574 new jobs and invested $3.1 billion. A few of those businesses include: Boeing , a leading global aerospace company, is building multiple advanced manufacturing facilities as part of its $1.8 billion expansion at its north St. Louis County operations. Boeing's partnership with Ameren Missouri enables the company's St. Louis operations to be run on 100% renewable electricity. , a leading global aerospace company, is building multiple advanced manufacturing facilities as part of its expansion at its north operations. Boeing's partnership with Ameren Missouri enables the company's operations to be run on 100% renewable electricity. Western Smokehouse Partners , a leading co-manufacturer of meat snacks, will open a facility in Mexico, Missouri next summer, investing more than $67 million and creating 280 new jobs. , a leading co-manufacturer of meat snacks, will open a facility in next summer, investing more than and creating 280 new jobs. Capital Sand, a supplier of frac sand, invested $6 million to open Missouri's first compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station in Cape Girardeau, Missouri in October 2024 . "Boeing is bringing the world's most advanced aerospace manufacturing facilities to the St. Louis region, and thanks to our partners at Ameren Missouri, we will create new production capacity and capability using energy-efficient and sustainable strategies," said Dan Gillian, vice president and general manager of Boeing's Air Dominance division. "We appreciate the partnership with Ameren Missouri for their expanded offerings that support our journey toward 100% renewable electricity across the enterprise, decarbonize the local electricity grid and support of the local workforce." In 2024, businesses across Ameren Illinois' service territory created 1,200 new jobs and invested $500 million. "Today's corporate decision makers have a wealth of comparative data at their disposal," said Eric Whitfield, director of economic development for Ameren Illinois. "Our job is to package up our region's assets and make a strong case that we can meet the power needs of the project more reliably and affordably than any other. It's the solution-oriented attitude of the team that helped deliver some big wins in 2024 for the communities we serve." A few of those wins include: Tillamook County Creamery Association , a west coast farmer-owned dairy cooperative opened its first manufacturing facility outside of Oregon . Tillamook invested more than $50 million in updating a former ice cream manufacturing facility in Decatur , creating 45 new jobs. The Decatur facility will be dedicated solely to the production of ice cream. , a west coast farmer-owned dairy cooperative opened its first manufacturing facility outside of . invested more than in updating a former ice cream manufacturing facility in , creating 45 new jobs. The facility will be dedicated solely to the production of ice cream. Manner Polymers , a manufacturer of plastic compounds, broke ground on their new manufacturing facility in Mt. Vernon . The facility will be powered by a 15-acre solar field located on-site. Manner Polymers plans to invest $54 million and create more than 60 jobs for the Southern Illinois region. , a manufacturer of plastic compounds, broke ground on their new manufacturing facility in . The facility will be powered by a 15-acre solar field located on-site. Manner Polymers plans to invest and create more than 60 jobs for the region. Sul4R-Plus broke ground on their new fertilizer production facility in Marissa at a former ready mix concrete plant, investing $40 million and creating 25 jobs. SUL4R-PLUS is a patented calcium sulfate based dry fertilizer engineered to enhance yield for a variety of crops. "Manner Polymers selected the City of Mount Vernon and the State of Illinois for our expansion for several reasons including logistics, geography and economics," said Sean Walker, vice president of sales for Manner Polymers. "The biggest factor that made Illinois and Mount Vernon stand out was the people we worked with. From the local Economic Development Corporation to the state government officials and our energy representatives at Ameren, we were given a resource team that helped us resolve any issues not only during the site selection process but also during the construction and startup phases of our expansion. We are very pleased with the support given to us and are excited to be opening our second facility in the State of Illinois." Ameren was also recently selected as one of Business Facilities Magazine's 2025 Top Utilities for Economic Development. About Ameren Corporation St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren. SOURCE Ameren Corporation NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Argus Research, an independent investment research firm, has launched Equity Report coverage on Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSEAM:AMBO). Click Here to view full Argus Equity Report. INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS: Excerpts (as conveyed by Argus Analyst Steve Silver) include: AMBO: An Emerging, AI-Driven Digital Education, Event and Corporate Productivity Solution In our view, Ambow's proprietary HybriU AI Digital Education Solution (HybriU) is well positioned to participate in the digitalization of the educational industry. HybriU features sophisticated, AI-powered software and hardware that create hybrid classrooms and event spaces with advanced technologies, including instant translation and simultaneous content creation, that can promote both online and offline adoption. Its AI engine enables precise offline image capture and accelerates the production of high-quality courses. In addition, the HybriU platform equips enterprises with solutions that promote enhanced collaboration and unified workforce training and cross-border efficiency. The HybriU Enterprise Synergy Suite is designed to promote AI-driven, collaborative solutions that enable organizations to centralize project brainstorming, decision making and implementation. The system can also help companies to build libraries for long-term practices. We see HybriU's capabilities enabling customers to significantly reduce operational costs by offering courses and events remotely, led by a central instructor or event leader. In addition, the platform enables instructors to focus on educational rigor, allowing the AI functionality to monitor and enhance user engagement. We expect Ambow to invest in the launch of HybriU in the U.S. by building sales infrastructure over time while also utilizing technology resellers and a partnering network. Outside the U.S., we expect it to license its technology. To that end, in October 2024 , the company entered into a $1.3 million nonexclusive licensing agreement with Singapore -based Inspiring Futures Pte. Ltd., granting licensing authorization in international markets. , the company entered into a nonexclusive licensing agreement with -based Inspiring Futures Pte. Ltd., granting licensing authorization in international markets. As of June 30, 2024 , the company had $9 million in cash resources on its balance sheet and $4.5 million in working capital to support the commercial rollout of HybriU. With minimal debt and a prudent, controlled growth strategy that achieved positive net income for the first half of 2024, Ambow Education has the potential, in our view, to achieve full-year profitability as early as the full-year 2024. BUSINESS DESCRIPTION: Click Here to view full Argus Equity Report. About Ambow Education Holding Ltd. (NYSEAM:AMBO) www.ambow.com Based in Cupertino, California, Ambow Education Holding Ltd. is an artificial intelligence (AI)driven, education and collaboration focused technology company. Through its dynamic, patented hardware and software solution and open-platform HybriU, Ambow seeks to empower educators, students, educational institutions and corporate organizations with advanced learning, lecture capture, connectivity, and 3D technologies. Ambow is at the forefront of integrating AI into education and events, leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform learning experiences, professional gatherings, and corporate organizational operations. For more information please contact: Piacente Financial Communications Tel: +1-212-481-2050 E-mail: [email protected] Ambow Education Holding Ltd. E-mail: [email protected] About Argus Research Corp. Headquartered in NYC, Argus Research (www.argusresearch.com) is a leading independent equity research firm (est. 1934) providing fundamental and quantitative research coverage on more than 1,600 companies across all 11 sectors of the S&P 500, as well as macroeconomic and equity market forecasts, thematic research, model portfolios and IPO research. In addition, Argus has recently committed to providing a company sponsored research solution for small & mid-cap companies seeking coverage. Argus's CSR Research Reports & earnings estimates (if applicable) are available on major research / earnings estimate aggregator platforms, including Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, Factset and S&P Global. For more Information please contact: Darrell Stone 646-747-5438 [email protected] Argus Research Co. has received a flat fee from the company discussed in this report as part of a Sponsored Research agreement between Argus and the company. No part of Argus Research's compensation is directly or indirectly related to the content of this assessment or to other opinions expressed in this report. Please refer to the full Argus report and the disclaimer for complete disclosures. SOURCE Argus Research PARIS, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As the world begins to take stock of the unprecedented volume of art destroyed in the fires that are ravaging Los Angeles, Artprice by Artmarket.com and its CEO/founder thierry Ehrmann wish to express their sympathy and solidarity with all those affected by this major catastrophe. Wildfires in Greater Los Angeles (PRNewsfoto/Artmarket.com) Wildfires in Greater Los Angeles, Artprice deplores an inestimable loss for the world's artistic heritage (PRNewsfoto/Artmarket.com) The damage caused by the fires that have raged for many days goes way beyond the material, and while we all naturally regret the loss of life and the destruction of whole neighborhoods, as art market professionals, we are shocked by the news of the scale of cultural and patrimonial destruction that has also occurred, and is ongoing. Indeed, as we write, millions of artworks have either gone up in smoke or are at risk of doing so. Hundreds of contemporary artists have lost their entire life's work as their studios have been burnt to the ground and many first-rate historical art collections have been completely decimated, leaving a very substantial hole in our collective global heritage. Christopher Wise, vice-president of Risk Strategies, told ARTnews : "tons of art has been destroyed. In value terms we are talking many billions of dollars". As art world professionals, collectors, and insurance companies try to evaluate losses directly resulting from the wildfires in California, Artprice by Artmarket has recently been handling numerous searches and valuation requests. As World Leader in Art Market Information, Artprice by Artmarket holds and offers the most comprehensive data available, and is therefore not surprised to see a +450% increase in traffic to our website. When it comes to getting the true price of Art, access to data from 861,000 artists and nearly 30 million sales results and Artprice indices, with the contribution of the proprietary AI Intuitive Artmarket now deployed in Premium mode, makes it possible to speed up procedures with insurance companies with the certainty of the price of the work destroyed in the tragedy of the Los Angeles fires. As the news emerges, we are both shocked and saddened to discover one of the biggest cultural losses that humanity has ever suffered, comparable to very few other historical events, such as the burning of the Library of Alexandria. Countless unique works will now only exist through photos that were taken for art history books and databases, including those of Artprice. "Our mission since 1987, beyond analyzing, producing and providing in complete transparency the prices of the Art Market, is to map the circulation of works across the centuries and on five continents." says thierry Ehrmann, president of Artmarket.com and founder of Artprice. "We are unfortunately witnessing a truly historic disaster and we wish to express our sympathy and support for all those affected by these fires and particularly for the artists and collectors who are today losing their and in many cases, some of humanity's most precious possessions. "Artprice takes this opportunity to restate its role as one of the new guardians of global artistic memory by recording and tracking all artworks as they pass through auctions all over the world. We will naturally do everything we can to help those impacted by very heavy losses and to assist the broader Art Market in integrating the new reality into its day-to-day activities after the destruction of so many masterpieces. We have mobilized our teams and experts to respond to searches and valuation requests to the best of our abilities. We are also opening access to our documentary collection of manuscripts and paper sales catalogs, from 1700 to the present day, with more than 180 million artworks listed and annotated by our art historians." Support is pouring in from around the world to help L.A., where arts culture is omnipresent. This New York Times article by Robin Pogrebin attests to the outpouring of generosity that is being organized: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/15/arts/design/california-fires-la-artists.html Major museums like the Getty and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, along with philanthropists like Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar and foundations like Steven Spielberg's, have raised $12 million for a fund to support the artists affected by the California wildfires. Among the organizations that have chipped in are the filmmaker George Lucas's Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation; Spielberg's and Kate Capshaw's Hearthland Foundation; the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation and the A&L Berg Foundation. Two of the world's largest galleries have contributed: Gagosian and Hauser & Wirth. Copyright 1987-2025 thierry Ehrmann www.artprice.com - www.artmarket.com Artprice's econometrics department can answer all your questions relating to personalized statistics and analyses: [email protected] Find out more about our services with the artist in a free demonstration: https://artprice.com/demo Our services: https://artprice.com/subscription About Artmarket.com: Artmarket.com is listed on Eurolist by Euronext Paris. The latest TPI analysis includes more than 18,000 individual shareholders excluding foreign shareholders, companies, banks, FCPs, UCITS: Euroclear: 7478 - Bloomberg: PRC - Reuters: ARTF. Watch a video about Artmarket.com and its Artprice department: https://artprice.com/video Artmarket and its Artprice department were founded in 1997 by thierry Ehrmann, the company's CEO. They are controlled by Groupe Serveur (created in 1987). cf. the certified biography from Who's Who In France: https://imgpublic.artprice.com/img/wp/sites/11/2024/02/2024_Biographie_thierry_Ehrmann_WhosWhoInFrance.pdf Artmarket is a global player in the Art Market with, among other structures, its Artprice department, world leader in the accumulation, management and exploitation of historical and current art market information (the original documentary archives, codex manuscripts, annotated books and auction catalogs acquired over the years) in databanks containing over 30 million indices and auction results, covering more than 861,100 artists. Artprice Images allows unlimited access to the largest art market image bank in the world with no less than 181 million digital images of photographs or engraved reproductions of artworks from 1700 to the present day, commented by our art historians. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, constantly enriches its databases from 7,200 auction houses and continuously publishes art market trends for the main agencies and press titles in the world in 119 countries and 9 languages. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/artmarketcom-artprice-and-cision-extend-their-alliance-to-119-countries-to-become-the-worlds-leading-press-agency-dedicated-to-the-art-market-nfts-and-the-metaverse-301431845.html Artmarket.com makes available to its 9.3 million members (members log in) the advertisements posted by its Members, who now constitute the first global Standardized Marketplace for buying and selling artworks at fixed or auction prices (auctions regulated by paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article L321.3 of France's Commercial Code). There is now a future for the Art Market with Artprice's Intuitive Artmarket AI. Artmarket, with its Artprice department, has twice been awarded the State label "Innovative Company" by the French Public Investment Bank (BPI), which has supported the company in its project to consolidate its position as a global player in the art market. Artprice by Artmarket publishes its 2024 Contemporary Art Market Report: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-contemporary-art-market-report-2024 See our 2023 Global Art Market Annual Report, published in March 2024 by Artprice by Artmarket: https://www.artprice.com/artprice-reports/the-art-market-in-2023 Summary of Artmarket press releases with its Artprice department: https://serveur.serveur.com/artmarket/press-release/en/ Follow all the Art Market news in real-time with Artmarket and its Artprice department on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/artpricedotcom/ (more than 6.5 million subscribers) twitter.com/artmarketdotcom twitter.com/artpricedotcom Discover the alchemy and the universe of Artmarket and its Artprice department: https://www.artprice.com/video whose head office is the famous Museum of Contemporary Art Abode of Chaos dixit The New York Times / La Demeure of Chaos: https://issuu.com/demeureduchaos/docs/demeureduchaos-abodeofchaos-opus-ix-1999-2013 La Demeure du Chaos/Abode of Chaos Total Work of Art and Singular Architecture. Confidential bilingual work, now made public: https://ftp1.serveur.com/abodeofchaos_singular_architecture.pdf L'Obs - The Museum of the Future : https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o : https://youtu.be/29LXBPJrs-o https://www.facebook.com/la.demeure.du.chaos.theabodeofchaos999 (more than 4.1 million subscribers) https://vimeo.com/124643720 Contact Artmarket.com and its Artprice department - Contact: Thierry Ehrmann, [email protected] Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2600015/Artmarket_1.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2600016/Artmarket_2.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2600017/Artmarket_logo.jpg SOURCE Artmarket.com Customers of Azul and Gol, will have access to more destinations, routes, products and services. The companies have almost 90% complementary routes, will maintain their independent operating certificates and brands SAO PAULO, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Azul and Abra, the majority investor of Gol and Avianca, have announced today they have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the intent to combine their businesses in Brazil. The intended structure, the result of a combination of Azul and Gol, will position Brazil at an increased level of global strength in a highly globalized sector. The purpose of the business combination is to promote growth in the Brazilian aviation industry, through more destinations, routes, connectivity and services to consumers, with an increase in the supply of domestic and international flights. The two companies have approximately 90% complementary and non-overlapping routes. Although the MoU provides for the unification of strategy, the airlines are expected to keep their operating certificates, and therefore their brands and operations, separate. The MoU, which includes governance and capital structure agreements, formalizes Azul and Abra's intention to move forward with the next steps in a combination of their businesses and marks the beginning of the process for regulatory approvals. The intention to materialize synergies between the airline networks and the use of the Azul and Gols fleets result in benefits for the consumer, such as more options and products; and for Brazil, with the increase of new destinations served by Brazilian aviation. "Azul was created with the aim of expanding the Brazilian airline market, seeking to increase Brazilians' access to air travel, regardless of where they are in the country, through expanded connectivity. This combination of forces would provide the opportunity to strengthen the sector, increasing the number of flights on offer, reaching more than 200 cities served in Brazil and the ability to compete in a highly globalized sector," says Azul's CEO, John Rodgerson. "Increased connectivity and job creation are some of the many positive results expected from this agreement, while also delivering high quality service and the search for the best value for money for the consumer," he adds. The proposed combination represents a major development for the national aviation industry and all the economic activity facilitated by a mode of transport of such importance for a continental country. With more than 220 million inhabitants and around 110 million air journeys a year, the Brazilian market is less developed than that of several neighboring countries and has enormous potential for expansion. The MoU announced today seeks to develop the industry in an accelerated manner. The parties have agreed to a business principle that any combination will result in net leverage of the combined entity that will be at least comparable to the net leverage of Gol at the time of the Transaction and after consummation of its plan of reorganization. The closing of the transaction is subject to Abra and Azul agreeing on economic terms of the transaction, the satisfactory completion of due diligence, entering into definitive agreements, obtaining corporate and regulatory approvals (including from the Brazilian antitrust authorities), satisfaction of customary closing conditions the consummation of Gol's Chapter 11 plan of reorganization and receipt by Abra of consideration thereunder. About Azul Azul S.A. (B3: AZUL4, NYSE: AZUL) is Brazil's largest airline in number of flights and destinations served, with over 1000 flights per day to more than 160 cities. With an operational fleet of more than 160 aircraft and more than 14,000 crew members, Azul flies more than 300 direct regional, domestic and international routes. In 2022, Azul was named the most on-time airline in the world, according to the OnTime Performance-OTP Review report by Cirium - the world's leading reference for operational data in the aviation industry. In addition, in 2020, Azul was elected the best airline in the world by TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice, being the only Brazilian carrier to be awarded with both prestigious industry recognitions. For more information, visit www.voeazul.com.br/imprensa. SOURCE Azul S.A. MORE HEARTFELT RESCUE STORIES THAN EVER BEFORE, ANIMALLEAGUE.ORG SHELTER PARTNERS IN CALIFORNIA WORKING TO SAVE PETS DISPLACED BY WILDFIRES NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Great American Family, a leading producer of high-quality Original movies, series, and specials, and the nation's #1 destination for faith and family content, and North Shore Animal League America, the world's largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, announced the network's 3rd annual "Great American Rescue Bowl," a two-hour Original Special, will once again take the field on Super Sunday, February 9, 2025 (12 p.m. 2 p.m. ET ) to showcase the plight of America's homeless animals. North Shore Animal League America is actively working with its shelter partners in California in response to the recent tragic wildfires. For pets who are microchipped, and in the shelter, owners are being contacted. Many local shelter partners have pets available to be fostered or adopted. Tax deductible donations are requested to continue the critical hands-on care being provided and to bring displaced and homeless animals to safety and provide transport to other states for animals that have been relinquished by their owners. To find the shelter near you and/or to donate go to animalleague.org. Courtesy of Great American Media Beth Stern / Great American Rescue Bowl 2025 "Great American Rescue Bowl 2025" will feature more heartwarming, heartfelt stories than ever before, including the successful adoption of three of Animal League America's longest-living senior feline residents to a new forever home TOGETHER. The adoption of these senior cats is the bedrock of what Animal League stands for, to care for and nurture shelter pets until the day each goes to a new forever home no matter how long the search takes. "Great American Rescue Bowl" also showcases the nation's passion and commitment to rescuing animals, featuring stories of saving pet lives through fostering, while honoring Animal League America and the lifesaving work of the organization's vast network of national and international shelter partners. Every year, an estimated 1.5 million homeless pets are euthanized. The goal of "Great American Rescue Bowl" is to create awareness for the act of pet adoption while highlighting the most beautiful pets in the world are available in shelters now in our own neighborhoods. "I have been honored to work with North Shore Animal League America for two decades in our shared mission to find homes for tens of thousands of shelter pets," said Bill Abbott, President & CEO, Great American Media. "Our original specials, like 'Great American Rescue Bowl' are uplifting and fun for the entire family and have contributed to changes in cultural norms related to how we find a new pet. I am grateful society has shifted values while also never forgetting that until the shelters are empty there is always work to be done on behalf of America's homeless pets," Abbott concluded. "North Shore Animal League America is deeply grateful to Great American Media for enabling us to be the voice for homeless animals," said Joanne Yohannan, SVP, Operations, North Shore Animal League. "They help us shine a light on the rescue work we do, nationally and locally, to save lives while supporting our commitment to rescue, nurture, adopt and educate. We are excited for people to tune into the Great American Rescue Bowl to see the inspiring, transformative stories of animals overcoming adversity and finding their happily ever-after's with just the right balance of cuteness, passion, and fun." ABOUT GREAT AMERICAN FAMILY As the flagship linear TV network of Great American Media, Great American Family is America's premiere destination for quality family-friendly programming, featuring original Christmas movies, rom-coms and classic series that celebrate faith, family and country. Founded in 2021, Great American Family is home to year-round seasonal celebrations the whole family can enjoy together, including Great American Christmas, the network's signature franchise featuring holiday themed movies and specials. Great American Family is available in 50 million households via cable and satellite providers; visit https://www.greatamericanfamily.com/channel-finder/or text FAMILY to 877-999-1225 to find your local channel. ABOUT NORTH SHORE ANIMAL LEAGUE AMERICA Over the past 80 years since its founding, North Shore Animal League America has saved more than 1.2 million lives. As the world's largest no-kill rescue and adoption organization, we understand that a rescue isn't complete until each animal is placed into a loving home. Our innovative programs provide education to reduce animal cruelty and advance standards in animal welfare. We reach across the country to rescue animals from overcrowded shelters, unwanted litters, commercial breeding facilities, natural disasters and other emergencies and find them permanent, loving homes. www.animalleague.org MEDIA CONTACTS : Pam Slay Network Program Publicity & Talent Relations 818.415.3784 [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE Great American Family BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on the border delimitation directions, Trend reports. "The 11th meeting of the State Commission on the Delimitation of the State Border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia and the Commission on the Matters of Delimitation of the State Border and Border Security between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan took place under the chairmanship of Shahin Mustafayev, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and Mher Grigoryan, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia, on January 16, 2025 on the border between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia. During the meeting, the parties continued exchanging views on the prioritization of sections of the border line for delimitation and agreed to initiate comprehensive delimitation work from the northern sectionstarting at the tri-junction point of the borders of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Republic of Armenia, and Georgiaand proceed southward to the border of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Republic of Armenia with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The parties also reviewed draft guidelines outlining the procedures for conducting delimitation work. The parties agreed to determine the date and location of the next meeting in working order," the statement reads. North America's Leading Blow Dry Bar Franchise Furthers Brand Footprint in Northeast with Multi-Unit Deal EAST GREENWICH, R.I., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With the beauty and wellness industry seeing an annual growth rate of 8% and expecting to reach $2.7B by 2030, the demand for accessible services continues to rise. Capitalizing on the booming industry, Blo Blow Dry Bar, North America's original blow dry bar and blow dry bar franchise, announces a signed three-unit agreement in Rhode Island. This strategic expansion is a significant milestone for Blo Blow Dry Bar as it marks the brand's debut into the state and continues to solidify its presence across the United States. Behind the Signed Agreement Maria Porreca: With two Bachelor degrees from Syracuse University and as a graduate of the Harvard Business School General Management Program, Porreca has more than a decade worth of experience in the finance industry having held esteemed Vice President and C-Suite roles where she gained experience building operational excellence for diverse clients to drive strategic growth. and as a graduate of the General Management Program, Porreca has more than a decade worth of experience in the finance industry having held esteemed Vice President and C-Suite roles where she gained experience building operational excellence for diverse clients to drive strategic growth. Porreca brings a wealth of expertise to her entrepreneurial journey with a proven track record of developing financial programs to support evolving business needs as well as leveraging technology solutions to enhance efficiency and streamline decision-making processes. A few years after making the decision to return to her home state of Rhode Island to be closer to family she decided to develop a portfolio career. As a result, Porreca researched multiple franchise opportunities. Having been a loyal customer of Blo Blow Dry Bar while she resided in New York City , she identified a need for the brand's concept in her community. to be closer to family she decided to develop a portfolio career. As a result, Porreca researched multiple franchise opportunities. Having been a loyal customer of Blo Blow Dry Bar while she resided in , she identified a need for the brand's concept in her community. Initially, it was the opportunity to capitalize on an untapped market that drew Porreca to Blo, but the leadership team's commitment to their franchise partners' success confirmed the brand to be a perfect fit for her. From prioritizing exceptional customer experiences to the use of research and top-of-the-line products, Porreca could not pass up the chance to be a part of a system that's solidified itself as a leader in the beauty industry. "Blo Blow Dry Bar is filling an important gap by providing women with a place to decompress and truly unwind. It's more than just a blow out it's a complete wellness experience," says Porreca. "As a mother of daughters, I'm excited to further Blo's mission in my community, while also giving my children the opportunity to witness this empowering journey firsthand." As first-time and existing entrepreneurs are recognizing the potential and seizing the opportunity to invest in the beauty and personal care industry, Blo Blow Dry Bar has identified Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania as target areas for growth. "As a strong advocate for women empowerment and having the passion for what our brand stands for, Maria Porreca is a wonderful addition to the system," says Vanessa Yakobson, CEO of Blo Blow Dry Bar. "Not only is this first-in-state deal a huge momentum push into 2025, it also underscores our commitment to providing the Blo experience to as many individuals as possible." Blo Blow Dry Bar is currently seeking single and multi-unit operators to join the brand's rapid expansion. For more information about franchise opportunities visit https://franchise.blomedry.com/ . About Blo Blow Dry Bar Blo Blow Dry Bar is North America's original blow dry bar and the world's largest blow dry bar franchise. The company transformed beauty norms and reinvented the salon industry when it launched the "no cuts, no color" concept: only blow outs. Since opening its first location in Canada in 2007, Blo has grown to over 165 locations across the U.S. and Canada and continues to expand rapidly. The brand has also evolved over time, adding makeup services, a membership program, and quality retail products to its bars. With a mission to enhance the lives of those in the community through the power of flawless blow outs and beauty services, Blo Blow Dry Bar offers perfectly styled hair and exceptional customer experiences seven days a week. For more information visit www.blomedry.com . Media Contact: Lauren Kirkley, Fishman Public Relations, 847.945.1300, [email protected] SOURCE Blo Blow Dry Bar DOWAGIAC, Mich., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bodwe-KVG JV, LLC, a newly formed Joint Venture between Bodwe Professional Services Group (Bodwe) and KVG announced today it was awarded a seat on Naval Supply Systems Command's (NAVSUP) Worldwide Expeditionary Multiple Award Contract (WEXMAC) latest iteration. This 10-year contract includes a five-year base period and five one-year option periods, with a base ceiling value of $225 million and an overall ceiling of $455 million. The award is in appreciation for Bodwe-KVG's commitment to delivering exceptional logistical, operational, and expeditionary support services in demanding environments worldwide. "We are honored to secure this critical award, which underscores the depth of expertise and the collaborative strength of the Bodwe-KVG Joint Venture," said Jeremy Berg, chief operating officer of Bodwe. "This win is a testament to the incredible work and dedication of our team and our partners at KVG, who have demonstrated unparalleled leadership and success in this program's previous iteration." The Joint Venture unites Bodwe of Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment enterprise and wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, with KVG, a globally recognized expeditionary logistics firm renowned for supporting critical U.S. Government missions. The Bodwe-KVG JV was formed to offer seamless solutions in contested environments and respond to complex mission requirements for federal agencies. This significant contract marks a milestone for the partnership and positions Bodwe-KVG as a key player in supporting the U.S. Navy's global expeditionary mission. "We are prepared to meet program requirements quickly, aiming to deliver efficient and innovative solutions in support of NAVSUP's global objectives," Steven Anderson, vice president, Global Support Services. "This achievement concludes a productive inaugural year for the Bodwe-KVG JV and paves the way for continued momentum in 2025." The WEXMAC 1.0 program set the foundation for this follow-on contract, on which KVG was the leading performer globally. The inaugural task orders are already out for competition amongst the awardees. "We are thrilled to continue our support of the WEXMAC program now with Bodwe, which not only reinforces the strength of our partnership but also highlights the trust placed in our joint capabilities," said Eli Abbott, president at KVG. "This award only begins to demonstrate our shared vision of efficiency, in addition to delivering immediately impactful results for NAVSUP." ABOUT BODWE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES GROUP Bodwe is the Professional Services Group of Mno-Bmadsen, the non-gaming investment enterprise and a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi. Bodwe teams provide architecture, interior design, master planning, environmental consulting, and structural, civil, and MEP engineering design, as well as federal consulting services. We partner with Indigenous, healthcare, federal and municipal government, community and private clients across the country. Learn more at: www.bodwegroup.com ABOUT KVG KVG is an SBA Certified, Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business headquartered in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, having served the United States Government as a Prime Contractor since 2013. KVG is a proven mission support provider internationally recognized for innovative, creative, and cost-efficient support solutions. With a strong presence at the front lines of defense activities worldwide, KVG excels at dynamic project execution support in rugged, austere, and challenging locations, offering an efficient combination of experience and capabilities in over 100 countries. ABOUT MNO-BMADSEN Mno-Bmadsen is a wholly owned instrumentality of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, launched in 2012 and independently managed with the mandate to diversify the Tribe's business interests, revenue streams, and wealth for future generations. The Mno-Bmadsen family of operating companies are organized under four actively managed investment portfolio sectors including a Professional Services Group, Construction Services Group, Manufacturing Services Group, and Commercial Real Estate Services. Mno-Bmadsen also has a number of real estate investments including several mixed-use properties, a hotel and other passive investments. Learn more at: www.mno-bmadsen.com ABOUT THE POKAGON BAND OF POTAWATOMI INDIANS OF MICHIGAN AND INDIANA The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi's sovereignty was reaffirmed under legislation signed into law by President Clinton in September of 1994. The Pokagon Band is dedicated to providing community development initiatives such as housing, education, family services, medical care, and cultural preservation for its more than 6,000 citizens. The Pokagon Band's ten-county service area includes four counties in Southwestern Michigan and six in Northern Indiana. Its main administrative offices are located in Dowagiac, Mich., with a satellite office in South Bend, Ind. In 2007, it opened Four Winds Casino Resort in New Buffalo, Mich., followed by Four Winds Hartford in 2011, Four Winds Dowagiac in 2013, and Four Winds South Bend in January 2018. The Pokagon Band operates a variety of non-gaming businesses through its investment enterprises, Mno-Bmadsen, and the Pokagon Development Authority. More information is available at www.pokagonband-nsn.gov, www.fourwindscasino.com and www.mno-bmadsen.com . SOURCE Bodwe Professional Services Group TAIPEI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With the PlayStation 5 Pro taking the gaming world by storm, Taiwan's leading gaming peripheral brand, Brook Gaming, is back with a groundbreaking new productWingman FGC 2 Converter. Designed exclusively for PS5 and compatible with the entire library of PS5 games, this adapter redefines gaming freedom with seamless cross-platform and cross-generation controller support for over 150 wired controllers. Wingman FGC 2 Converter supports various controllers for ps5 converter At Brook Gaming, we believe every gamer deserves the freedom to play their way. The Wingman FGC 2 gives players total control over their favorite controllers and fight sticks, eliminating hardware limitations so you can take full command of your gaming experience. Unmatched Compatibility, Unlimited Possibilities The Wingman FGC 2 supports a wide range of classic controllers, including all official licensed controller. And also support 3rd party brand controller from 8Bitdo, HORI, GameSir, Razer, Mad Catz, Qanba and BIGBIG WON. It's also compatible with the increasingly popular all-button arcade controllers, such as Hit Box and SnackBox MICRO, as well as the Switch Pro Controller and Xbox Elite Series 2. Beyond traditional controllers, it even supports flight sticks and Taiko no Tatsujin controllers, meeting the diverse needs of every gamer. Personalized Settings Made Easy Equipped with the exclusive Brook Converter Center software, the Wingman FGC 2 offers a highly intuitive and visual interface that replaces cumbersome manual configurations. Players can easily customize settings such as Turbo, Remap, Macro, and Stick functions, creating tailored setups for competitive matches or casual play with ease. Esports-Ready, Professionally Designed Built with esports professionals in mind, the Wingman FGC 2 is tournament-ready out of the box, adhering to strict competitive standards to ensure stability and fairness. It also provides advanced customization options, allowing players to fine-tune their controllers for optimal performance across different playstyles and challenges. Learn More: Visit Wingman FGC 2 ( https://brook.gg/newsfgc2 ) for the latest updates and details. Purchase Information: US retailer site: https://brook.gg/news-us-fgc2 UK retailer site: https://brook.gg/news-uk-fgc2 EU retailer site: https://brook.gg/news-eu-fgc2 AU retailer site: https://brook.gg/news-au-fgc2 Contact: Brook Gaming Katy Ho [email protected] http://www.brookaccessory.com SOURCE Brook Gaming (Zeroplus Technology Co., Ltd.) Effective January 1, 2025, Rosenzweig's leadership will drive the legacy organization's next chapter of innovation and impact to meet youth and families where they are today KANSAS CITY, Mo., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Camp Fire , a leading inclusive national youth development organization, proudly announces Shawna Rosenzweig as its new Chief Executive Officer effective as of January 1, 2025. A transformative leader with more than two decades of experience in Positive Youth Development (PYD), Rosenzweig brings a wealth of expertise in program innovation, organizational strategy, and culturally responsive leadership. Her vision for the future of Camp Fire builds on its rich 115-year history, expanding programming for youth while fostering equitable opportunities to thrive and broadening strategic partnerships that lay the groundwork for another century of relevance and impact. Rosenzweig first joined Camp Fire in 2013 as the Director of Program Delivery & Evaluation; she advanced to Chief Strategy Officer and then most recently, President; her expertise has strengthened Camp Fire as a leader in youth development, building national partnerships, and generating more than $10 million in investments for young people. "I am deeply honored to serve as Camp Fire's CEO," Rosenzweig said. "Growing up is hard. At a time when young people face greater mental health challenges, more disconnection, and aren't getting the resources and support they need to thrive, Camp Fire's mission is vital. My vision is to build on the organization's important work to date by further empowering our affiliates, elevating Camp Fire as a leader in the youth development space, and ensuring more young people feel seen, heard, and valued." Over the past 12 years, Rosenzweig has championed the organization's inclusion and belonging efforts by helping to address and end cultural appropriation ; she led the creation of The Camp Fire Journey , a research-based program framework unifying Camp Fire's approach to supporting youth to thrive, and expanded access to overnight camp for historically excluded youth through the C amp A ccessibility, M eaningful P articipation, and E qual R epresentation (C.A.M.P.E.R.) initiative ; Rosenzweig also launched Camp Fire's national STEM strategy, as well as a wide range of middle school and high school programs over the past decade. Last year, Shawna was recognized with the Worthy100 Award , presented by L'Oreal Groupe, for her significant contributions to the youth development sector. Before her time at Camp Fire, Rosenzweig worked with the Thrive Foundation for Youth, Sesame Workshop, and Global Kids in New York City; she also spent time in the Middle East developing conflict resolution programs for teens in the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. She serves on the board of directors for the National Afterschool Association and advises multiple national youth development initiatives. In 2025, she will speak on a panel at SXSW EDU about utilizing the outdoors as a solution for the youth mental health crisis. Rosenzweig's work ensures that Camp Fire affiliates across 24 states and Washington, D.C. are equipped to create inclusive, impactful programs serving more than 100,000 youth and families annually. Her transformative leadership and strategic vision promise to propel Camp Fire into an exciting new chapter of growth, driving the organization's mission of connecting young people to the outdoors, others, and themselves. ABOUT CAMP FIRE Growing up is hard. That's why Camp Fire connects young people to the outdoors, to others and to themselves. Founded in 1910, Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian, multiracial organization for girls; but today, Camp Fire is an inclusive national youth development nonprofit that serves all young people. By creating safe spaces where young people can have fun and be themselves, its 46 affiliates in 24 states provide affirming year-round youth-driven experiencesschool day programs, afterschool programs, leadership programs, camps and outdoor educationthat enable youth to develop essential skills that have long-term benefits and make a positive social impact on the world. MEDIA CONTACT Kara Prior, myWHY Agency [email protected] (312) 291-1099 SOURCE Camp Fire - Fast Casual Seafood Leader Achieves Global Expansion Milestone with First European Agreement - NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Captain D's, the nation's leading fast-casual seafood restaurant, has taken the next major step in its global expansion strategy by signing a 20-unit multi-unit franchise agreement for the United Kingdom. The agreement, signed with an experienced team of restaurant operators, will introduce Captain D's signature seafood offerings to Europe, starting with the first restaurant in the London area in 2025. This development marks Captain D's first venture into Europe and its second international development agreement, following the recent announcement of its Canadian expansion in Toronto. By entering the UK, Captain D's is advancing its vision to become a global brand while providing its franchisees abroad with the structure and support needed for sustainable success. "We are highly enthused to bring our unique brand to the United Kingdom. Captain D's will bring our craveable seafood to the guests of the UK.," said Phil Greifeld, CEO of Captain D's. "Entering the UK with experienced restaurant operators underscores our commitment to our thoughtful international growth. This is just the beginning of our expansion of Captain D's quality seafood and hospitality to seafood lovers around the world." "Our goal is not only to expand but to ensure we're building something sustainable and impactful," said Hair Parra, Senior Vice President of International Operations and Development for Captain D's. "The UK is a key market with immense potential, and by working closely with our master franchisees, we're confident that we'll deliver exceptional results. This agreement is a testament to Captain D's readiness to bring its proven model to the global stage." Captain D's flexible restaurant prototypes allow the brand to adapt to diverse real estate opportunities and market needs. Paired with its versatile seafood and chicken menu, which resonates with a wide variety of cultural tastes, Captain D's is uniquely positioned for success in the UK and other international markets. With more than 530 restaurants in 23 states, Captain D's is the fast-casual seafood leader and number one seafood franchise in America ranked by average unit volume. The company is currently seeking master franchisees and multi-unit operators to join in the brand's rapid international expansion, with a focus on Canada, Central and Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit www.captaindsfranchising.com or call 800-314-4819. For an exterior image of Captain D's, click here. About Captain D's Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Captain D's has more than 530 restaurants in 23 states. Captain D's is the nation's leading fast casual seafood restaurant and was named the #1 seafood chain in the QSR 50, ranked by AUV. Founded in 1969, Captain D's has been offering its customers high-quality seafood at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere for over 50 years. Captain D's serves a wide variety of seafood that includes freshly prepared entrees and the company's signature batter dipped fish. The restaurants also offer premium-quality, grilled items such as shrimp, Tilapia and Salmon, as well as hushpuppies, desserts and freshly brewed, Southern-style sweet tea, a Captain D's favorite. For more information, please visit www.captainds.com. Contact: Morgan Gordon Fish Consulting 754-888-6312 [email protected] SOURCE Captain D's IRVING, Texas, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) will release fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results at 5:30 a.m. CST on Thursday, Jan. 30. The full text of the release will be available at investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results and on PR Newswire. The release will be furnished to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) via a Current Report on Form 8-K in compliance with applicable SEC rules. Teleconference and webcast access: A real-time, listen-only teleconference and webcast of the quarterly results call that Caterpillar conducts with securities analysts and institutional investors will begin at 7:30 a.m. CST on Thursday, Jan. 30. Supporting materials will be available before the webcast at investors.caterpillar.com/events-presentations. In addition to the webcast, the one-hour conference call can also be accessed by telephone from both domestic and international locations, with a conference ID provided below: Conference ID: 8413516 Participant Toll-Free Dial-In Number: (800) 715-9871 Participant Toll Dial-In Number: +1 (646) 307-1963 The call can be accessed in real-time at investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results. Listeners should go to the website before the live event to download and install any necessary audio software. The transcript from the conference call will be available at investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results following the webcast. For those unable to participate in the live broadcast, the replay will be available at investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results shortly after the live event. There is no charge to access the webcast. A telephone replay will not be available. About Caterpillar With 2023 sales and revenues of $67.1 billion, Caterpillar Inc. is the world's leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. For nearly 100 years, we've been helping customers build a better, more sustainable world and are committed and contributing to a reduced-carbon future. Our innovative products and services, backed by our global dealer network, provide exceptional value that helps customers succeed. Caterpillar does business on every continent, principally operating through three primary segments Construction Industries, Resource Industries and Energy & Transportation and providing financing and related services through our Financial Products segment. Visit us at caterpillar.com or join the conversation on our social media channels at caterpillar.com/en/news/social-media.html. Caterpillar's latest financial results are also available online: https://investors.caterpillar.com/overview/default.aspx https://investors.caterpillar.com/financials/quarterly-results/default.aspx (live broadcast/replays of quarterly conference call) SOURCE Caterpillar Inc. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Chargebee, a leading subscription management platform, announced that its Retention solution now helps businesses meet the FTC's stringent new Click-to-Cancel requirements. The Federal Trade Commission's final update to its Negative Option Rule marks a watershed moment for consumer rights in subscription commerce. Chargebee Retention empowers businesses to transform these regulatory requirements into opportunities for increased customer trust and operational excellence. Understanding the FTC's Click-to-Cancel Rule The FTC's update mandates a straightforward cancellation process for consumers, targeting subscription services that use negative option features like automatic renewals, continuity plans, free-to-pay conversions, or pre-notification plans. The rule aims to curb unfair practices by requiring businesses to: Make the cancellation process as easy as signing up Halt charges immediately upon cancellation Clearly disclose all essential terms before sign-up Provide consistent cancellation options across all platforms This regulatory enhancement is designed to protect consumers from being unwittingly locked into recurring payments, making it easier for them to opt out of services they no longer wish to use. The rule was published in the Federal Register on November 15, 2024, with most provisions becoming enforceable 180 days post-publication in the Federal Register. How Chargebee Retention Simplifies Compliance and Improves the Customer Experience Recognizing the challenges and opportunities this new rule presents, Chargebee Retention offers a comprehensive solution to help businesses comply with the FTC's requirements without sacrificing customer engagement or retention. The user-friendly cancellation workflow powered by Chargebee helps businesses meet the FTC's requirements and provides valuable insights into why customers are leaving. This allows businesses to address underlying issues and reduce churn. "Our goal is to transform what could be seen as a regulatory burden into a competitive advantage," said Guy Marion, CMO of Chargebee. "By making the cancellation process transparent and straightforward, our customers can build stronger trust and loyalty among their subscribers, ultimately leading to better business outcomes." Chargebee's technology seamlessly integrates with existing digital infrastructures, offering a smooth transition for businesses adjusting to the new rule. With Chargebee Retention, companies can work to ensure compliance while focusing on what they do best: delivering exceptional products and services. About Chargebee Chargebee is a leading provider of recurring billing and subscription management solutions, empowering businesses worldwide to streamline operations, capture actionable insights, and drive growth. Visit our website for more information about how Chargebee can help your business comply with the FTC's Click-to-Cancel rule. Contact Information: Name: Erin Gunaratna Email: [email protected] Website: https://www.chargebee.com/ SOURCE Chargebee The Cyber AB's reauthorization enables Cherry Bekaert to perform CMMC Level 2 certification assessments and issue certificates of CMMC Status RALEIGH, N.C., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cherry Bekaert (the Firm) is pleased to announce its reauthorization as a Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) by The Cyber AB. This final reauthorization allows Cherry Bekaert to commence CMMC Level 2 certification assessments and issue Level 2 certificates of CMMC Status in accordance with Title 32, part 170 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The Cyber AB reauthorization allows Cherry Bekaert to conduct CMMC Level 2 assessments and issue CMMC certificates. Post this Cherry Bekaert proudly announces its reauthorization as a CMMC Third-Party Assessment Organization (C3PAO) by The Cyber AB, with Authorization ID C0125-CBA-034. This enables the Firm to conduct Level 2 certification assessments for U.S. Department of Defense contractors. This achievement highlights the Firms commitment to providing top-tier cybersecurity support and upholding the highest industry standards. Listed on the Cyber AB Marketplace with Authorization Identification Number (AIN): C0125-CBA-034, Cherry Bekaert is committed to delivering unparalleled support to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) contractors in securing their CMMC certification. "With our recent CMMC C3PAO reauthorization, Cherry Bekaert proudly reaffirms our unwavering commitment to supporting our clients' efforts to build trust through compliance and security," said Kurt Manske, Cherry Bekaert's Information Assurance and Cybersecurity Leader. "We extend our gratitude to our executive leaders and dedicated teams for their hard work delivering these essential services. This achievement highlights our dedication to upholding the highest standards in cybersecurity. Together, we continue to drive client success and commitments in protecting and securing our Nation's critical supply chains." In addition to its role as a C3PAO, Cherry Bekaert is also a recognized CMMC Registered Practitioner Organization (RPO), offering readiness assessment consulting services when independent to organizations pursuing CMMC certification. "As a Firm with over two decades of experience advising government contractors on compliance and regulatory matters, we have consistently transformed cybersecurity into a strategic asset for our clients," said Traci Shepps, Government Contracting Industry Leader at Cherry Bekaert. "Our leadership in NIST 800-171 compliance has seamlessly evolved to include CMMC readiness services. We are now pleased to support DoD contractors in achieving CMMC certification through CMMC Level 2 certification assessments." The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a unified cybersecurity standard for Department of Defense (DoD) acquisitions aimed at securing the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) supply chain by increasing the protection of controlled unclassified information (CUI) and federal contract information (FCI) and complying with the NIST SP 800-171 rev. 2 requirements. The CMMC framework comprises of three levels and may require an independent third-party certification by an accredited organization. The DoD plans to implement CMMC requirements in four phases over three years, mandating compliance from all DoD contractors bidding on contracts by the final phase. About Cherry Bekaert Cherry Bekaert, ranked among the largest assurance, tax, and advisory firms in the U.S., serves clients across industries in the U.S. and internationally. "Cherry Bekaert" is the brand name under which Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC, independently owned entities, provide professional services in an alternative practice structure in accordance with applicable professional standards. Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC is not a licensed CPA firm. Cherry Bekaert LLP is a licensed CPA firm that provides attest services, and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC and its subsidiary entities provide business advisory and non-attest services spanning the areas of transaction advisory, risk and accounting advisory, digital solutions, cybersecurity, and tax. We exercise a deliberate curiosity to know our clients' industries and work collaboratively to create shared success. For more details, visit cbh.com/disclosure. Cherry Bekaert LLP and Cherry Bekaert Advisory LLC are members of Allinial Global, an accountancy and business advisory global association. Visit us at cbh.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X or Instagram. 2025 Cherry Bekaert. All Rights Reserved. About The Cyber AB The Cyber AB is the official accreditation body of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and the sole authorized non-governmental partner of the U.S. Department of Defense in implementing and overseeing the CMMC conformance regime. With this reauthorization, Cherry Bekaert is well-positioned to assist government contractors in navigating the complexities of CMMC certification assessments, ensuring the protection of sensitive information and compliance with federal regulations. For more information about Cherry Bekaert's CMMC services, please visit cbh.com/cmmc or contact us at cbh.com/contact. SOURCE Cherry Bekaert JACKSON, Mich., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- CMS Energy announced today it will provide 2024 year-end results along with a business and financial outlook at 9:30 a.m. EST on Thursday, February 6, 2025. A webcast of the presentation will be available on CMS Energy's website, cmsenergy.com. An audio replay will be available approximately three hours after the webcast and will be archived for 30 days on CMS Energy's website in the "Investor Relations" section. CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS) is a Michigan-based energy company featuring Consumers Energy as its primary business. It also owns and operates independent power generation businesses. For more information on CMS Energy, please visit our website at cmsenergy.com. To sign up for email alert notifications, please visit the Investor Relations section of our website. SOURCE CMS Energy PHOENIX, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Community Medical Services (CMS), Key accomplishments: Provided care to 39,591 unique patients in 13 states. Opened 9 new clinics in 7 cities, providing treatment availability to 4500 people currently not receiving care. Distributed over 15,700 naloxone kits to CMS patients and community members, contributing to the decrease in overdose deaths nationwide. Operated 12 harm reduction vending machines in 11 CMS clinics, aiding over 1,100 individuals. Achieved 16 three-year CARF accreditations at our clinics. Delivered over 125,000 hours of individual counseling by our dedicated counselors. Expanded STI testing and treatment services, including Hep-C and HIV, meeting patients where they are. Led or participated in 11,000 outreach events. Received 1,073 five-star reviews for the exceptional care provided by our clinics. "These achievements highlight CMS's unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes and supporting our communities," said Nick Stavros, CEO of CMS. "We remain committed to our mission and look forward to continuing our efforts in 2025." For more information, please visit https://communitymedicalservices.org/2024-impact-report/ . SOURCE Community Medical Services BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan's strategic partnership with Israel has grown into one of the most stable relationships between a Muslim-majority state and the Jewish state, as highlighted by experts from the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies (BESA), Trend reports. Over the past three decades, the two countries have cooperated extensively on energy, military, and security issues, with Azerbaijan playing a pivotal role in ensuring Israels energy security and regional defense. "Azerbaijan is vital to Israel's security, especially in the context of its shared border with Iran," noted BESA. The strategic cooperation between Azerbaijan and Israel on military and intelligence matters has also been crucial. Furthermore, BESA underscores Azerbaijans unique position in the Muslim world as the only country where Jewish people coexist with Muslims in a manner that sets a model for others. "Azerbaijan serves as a successful model of coexistence between Muslims and Jews," the center concluded, highlighting the strong bond between the two nations. Azerbaijans role in facilitating Israel's relations with moderate Muslim countries is also pivotal, as it helped bridge the gap between Israel and Gulf states in the lead-up to the Abraham Accords. As Israel and Azerbaijan continue to strengthen their ties, experts from BESA assert that this partnership will remain integral to Israels strategic interests in the region. "Azerbaijan is not just a partner but a critical ally in Israels efforts to stabilize the region and counter shared threats," BESA concluded. BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cory Watson Attorneys, a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Alabama and Tennessee, announces the election of Brett Thompson as principal attorney, effective January 1, 2025. Cory Watson Attorneys Announces Brett Thompson as Principal Attorney Since joining the firm in 2017, Mr. Thompson has exemplified an extraordinary dedication to mastering the intricate legal and factual challenges inherent in the high-stakes litigation handled by his practice group. "Brett's exceptional analytical skills and attention to detail have made him an indispensable part of our team," said F. Jerome Tapley, Shareholder at Cory Watson Attorneys. "His efforts have laid the foundation for some of our practice group's most impactful cases." Mr. Thompson has been an integral part of Cory Watson's proven success in recovering more than $4 billion for firm clients and being recognized nationally for the firm's leadership in personal injury, environmental, and mass tort cases. He specializes in appellate and written advocacy, and has had successful appeals before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the Alabama Supreme Court. He has an undergraduate degree from the University of Mississippi and received his Juris Doctorate with honors from the Cumberland School of Law where he has been a voice of influence as the associate editor of the Cumberland Law Review. Mr. Thompson's numerous accomplishments have earned recognition across the legal community, including honors as a recipient of The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch (2022-2025), recognition as a Birmingham Business Journal "NextGen: Law (2024)," a Super Lawyers Mid-South Rising Star (2021-2022), and a National Law Journal's "Top 100 Verdicts" team member in 2020. In addition to his work with Cory Watson Attorneys, Mr. Thompson is deeply involved in the legal community as a member of the Birmingham Bar Association and Alabama Association for Justice. His bar and court admissions include the Alabama State Bar, United States District Courts for the Northern, Middle, and Southern Districts of Alabama, and the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. For more information about Brett Thompson or Cory Watson Attorneys, please visit https://www.corywatson.com/ . About Cory Watson Attorneys: Cory Watson Attorneys is a nationally recognized personal injury law firm with offices in Birmingham, Alabama; Memphis, and Nashville, Tennessee. The firm has recovered more than 4 Billion for clients across the country. Cory Watson attorneys are frequently at the forefront of major class actions and multidistrict litigations involving dangerous pharmaceuticals and product liability, and are often appointed to leadership positions in national cases. Firm practice areas include Personal Injury, Product Liability, Class Action, Asbestos, Business & Commercial Litigation, Dangerous Pharmaceuticals, Defective Medical Devices, and Environmental/Toxic Torts. SOURCE Cory Watson Attorneys NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Viral K-Beauty brand, COSRX has announced the launch of The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum Set at Costco , which includes two full size serums (150mL) and two mini serums (30mL) designed for all skin types. This limited-edition set was created to provide Costco members with an incredible cost-saving opportunity to experience one of COSRX's best-selling products. Combining both value and effectiveness, The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum Set is available for just $37.99 - a fraction of its $60 retail value if purchased individually. COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum Set Hits Costco for Ultimate Skincare Value Packed with an impressive 6 peptides, the derm-favorite The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum addresses a variety of skin concerns, including minimizing the appearance of pores, controlling excess sebum, improving firmness, smoothing fine lines, enhancing skin texture, and soothing irritationmaking it the ultimate solution for those seeking smooth, mirror-like skin. Its lightweight, water-based formula effortlessly layers into any skincare routine. Users can apply it multiple times for maximum hydration or use it as the first step to boost overall skincare results, with visible improvements in as little as 4 weeks. Now available on Costco.com , this exclusive bundle is expected to sell out fast, as the peptide serum is a fan favorite known for its high demand. Costco members are encouraged to act quickly, as the set is available only on a first-come, first-served basis. About COSRX: With its powerful yet affordable skincare solutions, COSRX has quickly become one of America's favorite skincare brands. Using a minimal number of highly effective natural extracts in concentrated doses, COSRX products deliver visible results by treating the skin with only the essentials it needs and nothing it doesn't. Find its best-selling skincare solutions at retailers nationwide, including https://www.cosrx.com , Amazon , ULTA , Revolve , Dermstore , Nordstrom and Target . COSRX is also on Instagram + TikTok . SOURCE COSRX Teamsters Fight for Fair Agreement as January 31 Bargaining Deadline Looms LONG ISLAND, N.Y., Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien, General Secretary-Treasurer Fred Zuckerman, Teamsters Warehouse Division Director Tom Erickson, and hundreds of Costco Teamsters rallied and engaged in a practice picket in Long Island, N.Y., as the final week of bargaining with the wholesale giant approaches. "We are going to win the strongest collective bargaining agreement in the history of Costco," O'Brien said. "Our members deserve nothing less. If we don't have an acceptable contract by January 31, this company will face the full force of the Teamsters Union. Costco has two weeks to come to the table with a contract offer that honors the hard work and dedication of our members or they will suffer the consequences of their inaction. If Costco fails to deliver, they'll be striking themselves." The last round of negotiations begins Monday near Costco's corporate headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. Costco Teamsters are demanding the strongest possible contract and are prepared to strike to secure it. The Costco Teamsters National Master Agreement expires on January 31, protecting more than 18,000 Teamsters. "Today, Costco is a massive, multibillion-dollar corporation one of the largest in the Fortune 500," Zuckerman said. "And like too many companies, they're putting profits over people. The Teamsters will not stand for it." Costco recently announced annual revenue of $254 billion and net profits of $7.4 billion a 135 percent increase from $3.1 billion in 2018. Despite the record gains, Costco has yet to match its workers' demands for fair wages and benefits. "If Costco fails to present an acceptable agreement one that reflects its record-breaking profits we will hold them accountable," Erickson said. "We do not want to strike, but if Costco refuses to meet us at the bargaining table with the respect we deserve, we are ready to do whatever it takes," said Lance Knowles, a Costco worker in New York and a member of Local 210. "We will not back down. We will not accept anything less than a contract that sets the standard in the retail industry." Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.3 million hardworking people in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. Visit Teamster.org for more information. Follow us on X @Teamsters and on Facebook at Facebook.com/teamsters Contact: Daniel Moskowitz, (770) 262-4971 [email protected] SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters MAUMEE, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Dana Incorporated (NYSE: DAN) announced today that the company was recognized as a 'Global Top Employer 2025' with further recognition in 25 countries. Dana was also selected as a Top Employer for its Asia-Pacific, European, and North American regions due to the high number of operations earning honors there. This prestigious award by the Top Employers Institute recognizes excellence in people practices with a particular emphasis on exceptional human resources programs including career development, work environment, learning, diversity and inclusion, well-being, and talent acquisition. "Recognition across so many countries is a testament to Dana's culture of supporting exceptional talent as we power the vehicles and machines that move our world," said Lisa Amend, Dana's Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer. "Dana is a 120-year-old company founded on strong beliefs where we value others, inspire innovation, and win together." This year, nine countries joined the growing list of Dana operations identified as being a Top Employer for creating empowering environments including Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, Germany, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. About Dana Incorporated Dana is a leader in the design and manufacture of highly efficient propulsion and energy-management solutions that power vehicles and machines in all mobility markets across the globe. The company is shaping sustainable progress through its conventional and clean-energy solutions that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer with drive and motion systems; electrodynamic technologies, including software and controls; and thermal, sealing, and digital solutions. Based in Maumee, Ohio, USA, the company reported sales of $10.6 billion in 2023 with 42,000 people in 31 countries across six continents. With a history dating to 1904, Dana was named among the "World's Most Ethical Companies" for 2023 and 2024 by Ethisphere and as one of "America's Most Responsible Companies 2023" by Newsweek. The company is driven by a high-performance culture that focuses on valuing others, inspiring innovation, growing responsibly, and winning together, earning it global recognition as a top employer. Learn more at dana.com. SOURCE Dana Incorporated WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- It is not too late to submit your nomination for the 2025 ACHP/HUD Secretary's Award for Excellence in Historic Preservation! HUD and the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) partner to honor developers, organizations, and agencies for their success in advancing the goals of historic preservation while (1) providing affordable housing to low- and moderate-income families and individuals and (2) supporting community and/or economic development. Not sure if a project is a good candidate for nomination? Take a look at this brief video message from ACHP acting chairman Jordan Tannenbaum for more details on the award and descriptions of past winners. Nominated projects or activities will be judged for the success they have achieved in preserving, rehabilitating, restoring, and interpreting our architectural and cultural heritage. Applications are due at 11:59 pm PT on January 22, 2025. Click here for more information and submit your nominations today. Contact: HUD User 1-800-245-2691 [email protected] SOURCE HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research BIRMINGHAM, Ala., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) welcomes the City of Columbus, OH, to the Sesquicentennial Club, recognizing cast iron pipes in the municipality's drinking water system that have been in service for at least 150 years. DIPRA Regional Director Paul H. Hanson, P.E. (left) presents the Sesquicentennial Club membership certificate to Tim Huffman, P.E., City of Columbus Division of Water. "The strength and resiliency of cast iron pipes never ceases to amaze," said DIPRA President David Cole. "For more than 150 years, people in Central Ohio have enjoyed clean, safe drinking water thanks to the foresight of those who designed the original water system. Through the years, the city's leaders, engineers, and others who work in and with the Division of Water have continued making smart decisions about their drinking water pipes to ensure their community's health. We're so excited to welcome the City of Columbus to DIPRA's Sesquicentennial Club and commend them for their diligence and expertise in maintaining their high-quality and high-performing system." The city installed the cast iron pipes in the current downtown area between 1870 and 1873. The pipes, which range in diameter from 4 inches to 20 inches, remain in service. The city's Division of Water does not replace water mains solely based on age but rather focuses on performance and other factors that necessitate an upgrade. "Our oldest cast iron mains in the Columbus water system have been our most robust and longest lasting pipe," Brian Haemmerle, assistant administrator in the Division of Water said. "Allowing communities to select the pipe material that is best for their community and their operations is important to Columbus and we continue to review our specifications on pipe materials, installation methods, and useful life as new technology emerges to ensure the residents of Central Ohio receive the best value for their rates." The Cast Iron Pipe Century Club was organized in 1947 to publicly recognize water utilities with Cast Iron mains that have provided service for 100 years or more. There are more than 550 water utilities in the United States and 35 water utilities in Canada that are members of DIPRA's Century Club. DIPRA also sponsors a Sesquicentennial Club, of which 27 utilities in the U.S. and five in Canada, are known to have had cast iron pipelines in service for more than 150 years. About DIPRA Founded in 1915, the Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) has served as a resource and technical advisor to the water industry. DIPRA also provides representation on standards-making committees as well as technical research on a variety of applications-based topics. While DIPRA member companies have different names and locations, they share a common commitment to produce and deliver the finest quality water and wastewater pipe material in the world, Ductile Iron Pipe, and at the greatest possible value to its purchasers. SOURCE Ductile Iron Pipe Research Association (DIPRA) Amid North America's data centre space crunch, new capacity directly linked to Harbour Centre boosts Vancouver's appeal. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Spencer Building Carrier Hotel, part of the Harbour Centre Complex, is excited to announce that it is expanding its facility within the iconic Spencer Building. In response to growing North American demand for data centre services, the expansion will feature two new data halls on the Spencer Building's sixth floor, offering a total of 5 MW of power and 23,000 square feet of contiguous space. This power is in addition to the existing 3 MW being consumed by existing data centre business in Harbour Centre. This development underscores Spencer Building Carrier Hotel's commitment to helping businesses of all sizes unlock their full potential all from the strategic location of the downtown core of Vancouver, Western Canada's premier connectivity hub. As available data centre space in North America shrinks and prices reach record highs, businesses are facing mounting challenges in finding affordable, high-quality data centre solutions. Spencer Building Carrier Hotel's expansion eases these pressures by delivering state-of-the-art high-density, secure colocation spaces directly linked to its already-existing Meet-Me-Room 5 (MMR5) and Colo5 infrastructure as well as all of Harbour Centre's existing MMRs. It's a significant injection of new capacity that positions Vancouver as a market of choice for businesses facing difficulties in increasingly competitive Tier 1 and Tier 2 North American regions. The rollout of the expansion will occur in two phases: Phase 1 Data Hall 1 : Offering 2.5 MW of power, this hall is designed with flexible build-to-suit configurations to accommodate unique client needs and scalable power options of up to 40 kW per cabinet. It is available now for concurrent buildout. : Offering 2.5 MW of power, this hall is designed with flexible build-to-suit configurations to accommodate unique client needs and scalable power options of up to 40 kW per cabinet. It is available now for concurrent buildout. Phase 2 Data Hall 2: Slated for 2027, this second hall will provide an additional 2.5 MW of capacity, further enhancing Spencer Building's infrastructure to support Vancouver's growing digital economy. "Today's businesses, whether global enterprises, cloud providers, AI developers, carriers or from other business verticals, face a dual challenge of having to address escalating data demands and rising costs for data centre services," says Scott Despot, Director of Business Development and Sales at Spencer Building Carrier Hotel. "That's why we're thrilled to offer new, customizable data centre options within the Spencer Building. It's a significant expansion that will empower businesses to scale efficiently in Vancouver and serve customers or business partners throughout the rest of Canada, the U.S., and APAC regions. With this, we're redefining what it means to establish a footprint in Vancouver." For more information, visit the Spencer Building Carrier Hotel website. About Spencer Building Carrier Hotel: As part of the Harbour Centre Complex, located in downtown Vancouver, Spencer Building Carrier Hotel is meeting demand for expanded connectivity and data centre capacity in western Canada. Strategically positioned as the nexus between Harbour Centre's established legacy and the cutting-edge potential of the 43,000 square feet of available space in the Spencer Building, Spencer Building Carrier Hotel provides enterprises, cloud providers, carriers, AI developers and a host of other companies with the room they need to unlock their full potential in Vancouver's growing digital market. With access to all major Canadian telecommunications providers, Tier 1 network operators, and peering exchanges, including a direct connection to VANIX, the Harbour Centre Complex continues to be a prime location for those seeking a strategic footprint on Canada's west coast. Media Contact Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA) [email protected] SOURCE Spencer Building Carrier Hotel BOGOTA, Colombia, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ecopetrol S.A. (BVC: ECOPETROL; NYSE: EC) ("Ecopetrol" or the "Company", and Ecopetrol and its subsidiaries, the "Ecopetrol Group") informs that the following changes will be made in its senior management: Walter Fabian Canova, who has been serving as Vice President of Refining and Industrial Processes, will perform his duties until January 15, 2025 and will terminate his employment contract by mutual agreement, after working at the Company for more than seven years. and will terminate his employment contract by mutual agreement, after working at the Company for more than seven years. Felipe Trujillo Lopez, current Vice President of Commercial and Marketing, will serve as Vice President of Refining and Industrial Processes until a permanent appointment is made. Felipe is an Industrial Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, a Specialist in Strategic Marketing from CESA and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Los Andes. He has 25 years of experience in commercial and marketing positions, of which 20 years have been in the oil and gas industry in the areas of marketing, commercialization, evaluation and structuring of new businesses. He has held different positions in Ecopetrol, including Commercial and Marketing Vice President, National Marketing Manager, Petrochemicals and Industrials Manager, New Business Manager, Gas Manager and Products and Petrochemicals Manager. In this last role, he was in charge of the marketing and trading of the fuels and petrochemicals and industrial products that Ecopetrol produces in its refineries and that it commercializes in the national and international markets. Felipe is an Industrial Engineer from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, a Specialist in Strategic Marketing from CESA and holds a Master's Degree in Business Administration from the University of Los Andes. He has 25 years of experience in commercial and marketing positions, of which 20 years have been in the oil and gas industry in the areas of marketing, commercialization, evaluation and structuring of new businesses. He has held different positions in Ecopetrol, including Commercial and Marketing Vice President, National Marketing Manager, Petrochemicals and Industrials Manager, New Business Manager, Gas Manager and Products and Petrochemicals Manager. In this last role, he was in charge of the marketing and trading of the fuels and petrochemicals and industrial products that Ecopetrol produces in its refineries and that it commercializes in the national and international markets. Julio Cesar Herrera will serve as Vice President of Commercial and Marketing in charge as of January 15, 2025 and until a permanent appointment is made. Julio has more than 30 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as a leader of transformation and growth strategies. He holds an accounting degree from Javeriana University, has studied marketing and sales at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago , and finance at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania . In his different roles at ExxonMobile, BP and Ecopetrol, he has participated in various international businesses in the Americas and the Caribbean , as well as in Europe , Africa , the Middle East and Australia . In recent years, he has focused in the marketing of crude oil and products in the Americas as General Manager of Ecopetrol US Trading. Ecopetrol express its gratitude to Walter Fabian Canova for his years of service, his valuable management, the contributions made to the Ecopetrol Group, and wishes him much success in his new professional affairs. Ecopetrol is the largest company in Colombia and one of the main integrated energy companies in the American continent, with more than 18,000 employees. In Colombia, it is responsible for more than 60% of the hydrocarbon production of most transportation, logistics, and hydrocarbon refining systems, and it holds leading positions in the petrochemicals and gas distribution segments. With the acquisition of 51.4% of ISA's shares, the company participates in energy transmission, the management of real-time systems (XM), and the Barranquilla - Cartagena coastal highway concession. At the international level, Ecopetrol has a stake in strategic basins in the American continent, with Drilling and Exploration operations in the United States (Permian basin and the Gulf of Mexico), Brazil, and Mexico, and, through ISA and its subsidiaries, Ecopetrol holds leading positions in the power transmission business in Brazil, Chile, Peru, and Bolivia, road concessions in Chile, and the telecommunications sector. This press release contains business prospect statements, operating and financial result estimates, and statements related to Ecopetrol's growth prospects. These are all projections and, as such, they are based solely on the expectations of the managers regarding the future of the company and their continued access to capital to finance the company's business plan. The realization of said estimates in the future depends on the behavior of market conditions, regulations, competition, and the performance of the Colombian economy and the industry, among other factors, and are consequently subject to change without prior notice. This release contains statements that may be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All forward-looking statements, whether made in this release or in future filings or press releases, or orally, address matters that involve risks and uncertainties, including in respect of the Company's prospects for growth and its ongoing access to capital to fund the Company's business plan, among others. Consequently, changes in the following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those included in the forward-looking statements: market prices of oil & gas, our exploration, and production activities, market conditions, applicable regulations, the exchange rate, the Company's competitiveness and the performance of Colombia's economy and industry, to mention a few. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. For more information, please contact: Head of Capital Markets Carolina Tovar Aragon Email: [email protected] Head of Corporate Communications (Colombia) Marcela Ulloa Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ecopetrol S.A. SAO PAULO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Embraer (NYSE: ERJ / B3: EMBR3), one of the global leaders in the aerospace industry, delivered 75 aircraft in 4Q24 or 27% higher than in the previous quarter (3Q24), when 59 aircraft were delivered, and equal to the volume of the same period of 2023 (4Q23). For the full year, 206 aircraft were delivered in 2024 a number 14% higher than the 181 recorded in 2023. With 31 deliveries in the last three months of the year, Commercial Aviation reached 73 new aircraft in 2024 (at the top of the revised 70-73 guidance range for the year, and inside the original 72-80 guidance). Meanwhile, Executive Aviation was responsible for another 44 jets in the quarter, and for the total of 130 deliveries in the year (at the midpoint of the original guidance). In comparison with 2023, growth in these business units was +14% and +13%, respectively. Last, but not least, Defense & Security also surpassed the previous year's result with the delivery of 3 new C-390 Millennium in 2024 versus 2 in 2023. Deliveries by Segment 4Q24 3Q24 4Q23 2024 FY 2023 FY 2024 Guidance Executive Aviation 44 41 49 130 115 125-135 Phenom 100 3 4 6 10 11 Phenom 300 19 18 24 65 63 Light Jets 22 22 30 75 74 Praetor 500 13 9 10 28 20 Praetor 600 9 10 9 27 21 Medium Jets 22 19 19 55 41 Commercial Aviation 31 16 25 73 64 70-73 E195-E2 18 10 17 39 38 E190-E2 2 2 1 8 1 E175 11 4 7 26 25 Total Commercial & Executive 75 57 74 203 179 195-208* Defense & Security - 2 1 3 2 C-390 Millennium - 2 1 3 2 A-29 Super Tucano - - - - - *Excludes C-390 Millennium and A-29 Super Tucano deliveries About Embraer A global aerospace company headquartered in Brazil, Embraer has businesses in Commercial and Executive aviation, Defense and Security, and Agricultural Aviation. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and markets aircraft and systems, providing Services and Support to customers after-sales. Since it was founded in 1969, Embraer has delivered more than 9,000 aircraft. On average, about every 10 seconds an aircraft manufactured by Embraer takes off somewhere in the world, transporting over 150 million passengers a year. Embraer is the leading manufacturer of commercial jets with up to 150 seats and the main exporter of high value-added goods in Brazil. The company maintains industrial units, offices, service, and parts distribution centers, among other activities, across the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. SOURCE Embraer S.A. NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Report with the AI impact on market trends - The global epinephrine autoinjector market size is estimated to grow by USD 2.44 billion from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of over 10.59% during the forecast period. Increasing prevalence of allergies is driving market growth, with a trend towards frequent product launches due to government pressure on vendors. However, product recalls and regulatory issues poses a challenge. Key market players include Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corp., ALK Abello AS, Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., BIOPROJET, Crossject, Halozyme Therapeutics Inc., kaleo Inc., Pfizer Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Viatris Inc.. Technavio has announced its latest market research report titled Global Epinephrine Autoinjector Market 2024-2028 AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View Free Sample Report PDF Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered Type (0.30gm, 0.15gm, and 0.50gm), End-user (Hospitals, clinics, and Homecare), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)) Region Covered North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Key companies profiled Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corp., ALK Abello AS, Amneal Pharmaceuticals Inc., Bausch Health Companies Inc., BIOPROJET, Crossject, Halozyme Therapeutics Inc., kaleo Inc., Pfizer Inc., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., and Viatris Inc. Key Market Trends Fueling Growth The Epinephrine Autoinjector market is experiencing significant growth due to the rising acceptance and increased awareness of these life-saving devices. These handheld devices, which include epinephrine pens and epipens, are essential for treating acute anaphylactic reactions caused by allergic responses to insect bites or stings. Healthcare professionals recommend Epinephrine Autoinjectors for prompt intervention during severe allergic reactions. Dosage and age group are crucial considerations in the Epinephrine Autoinjector market. These devices come in specific doses and are available for various age groups. Epinephrine, also known as Adrenaline, is a vital medication that counteracts the effects of anaphylaxis by constricting blood vessels and increasing blood flow. Amphastar Pharmaceuticals and other manufacturers offer generic versions of Epinephrine Autoinjectors, providing affordability and convenience for consumers. Innovative technologies, such as needle-free injectors, are also gaining popularity due to their ease of use. However, recurring product recalls can pose a challenge to market growth. Digital health platforms and autoinjector training programs are essential for patient awareness and self-administration. Epinephrine Autoinjectors are compact, user-friendly, and convenient, making them a preferred choice for individuals with allergies and anaphylactic shock. The burden of allergies and the rate of diagnosis continue to drive market growth. The US epinephrine autoinjector market is expected to experience several new product launches in the upcoming years due to increased pressure from the US government on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve more generic alternatives. For instance, following the price increase of Viatris EpiPen, US Governor Margaret Wood Hassan urged the FDA to consider approving other epinephrine autoinjectors, including generics. Companies like Bausch Health and ALK Abello, with significant European market shares, may enter the US market in response to this initiative. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, for example, launched the AJOVY in the prefilled YpsoMate 2 in March 2020. Insights on how AI is driving innovation, efficiency, and market growth- Request Sample! Market Challenges The Epinephrine Autoinjector market faces several challenges in providing effective solutions for acute anaphylactic reactions. Dosage and age group specificity are crucial considerations for allergic diseases affecting various age groups and triggers like insect bites or stings. Healthcare professionals and consumers alike require easy-to-use, needle-free Epinephrine Autoinjectors, such as epinephrine pens or epipens, for prompt intervention during severe allergic reactions. Manufacturers like Amphastar Pharmaceuticals offer pre-filled Epinephrine Autoinjectors, ensuring specific doses of this life-saving medication. However, challenges persist with recurring product recalls and the rising acceptance of generic versions. Innovative technologies, increased awareness, and consumer preference for convenient, self-administration devices are driving the market. Digital health platforms and autoinjector training are essential for patient awareness and effective use. Epinephrine, also known as Adrenaline, counteracts allergic responses by constricting blood vessels and increasing blood flow. Epinephrine Autoinjectors are compact, user-friendly handheld devices that can save lives during anaphylactic shock. The epinephrine autoinjector market has encountered challenges due to product recalls and regulatory hurdles. The FDA's approval process for these devices has been lengthy, allowing Viatris to dominate the US market. With Sanofi's exit, Viatris became the sole supplier, partially due to the FDA's limited approval of competitors' products and the lack of an automated manufacturing facility for Impax Laboratories' generic Adrenaclick. Given the critical importance of accurate epinephrine dose delivery during anaphylactic shock, product recalls are a necessary response. Insights into how AI is reshaping industries and driving growth- Download a Sample Report Segment Overview This epinephrine autoinjector market report extensively covers market segmentation by Type 1.1 0.30gm 1.2 0.15gm 1.3 0.50gm End-user 2.1 Hospitals 2.2 clinics 2.3 Homecare Geography 3.1 North America 3.2 Europe 3.3 Asia 3.4 Rest of World (ROW) Country US, Germany , UK, China , and Japan 1.1 0.30gm- The global epinephrine autoinjector market for the 0.30gm dosage segment is projected to experience significant growth due to increasing sales of generic options. Amneal Pharmaceuticals' Adrenaclick and Viatris' upcoming generic EpiPen have gained traction following price increases by key players. In Europe, market share for Viatris may decrease due to the availability of various brands. Additionally, the gradual price hikes by Viatris and the exit of competitors have encouraged research and development of alternative autoinjectors, ensuring market expansion for the 0.30gm dosage segment. Download complimentary Sample Report to gain insights into AI's impact on market dynamics, emerging trends, and future opportunities- including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) Research Analysis Epinephrine autoinjectors are handheld devices used to deliver a precise dosage of epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, during acute anaphylactic reactions. These reactions are severe allergic responses to allergens such as foods, medications, insect bites, or stings. Epinephrine autoinjectors are essential for individuals in the age group prone to allergic diseases, enabling them to self-administer the medication during emergencies. The devices come in various forms, including epinephrine pens and needle-free injectors, making them user-friendly for patients and healthcare professionals alike. Innovative technologies continue to emerge in the epinephrine autoinjector market, offering generic goods that cater to the rising acceptance of these life-saving tools. Dosages of epinephrine vary depending on the specific product and patient needs. Market Research Overview Epinephrine autoinjectors, also known as epinephrine pens or EpiPens, are handheld devices that deliver a specific dose of epinephrine, a life-saving medication used to counteract severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis caused by allergic diseases such as insect bites or stings. These devices are essential for individuals in the age group prone to such reactions, including children and healthcare professionals. The dosage administered by these autoinjectors can vary, with some providing a bronchodilator effect to improve blood flow and counteract the narrowing of blood vessels during anaphylaxis. The rising acceptance and increased awareness of epinephrine autoinjectors have led to the development of innovative technologies, including needle-free injectors and digital health platforms for autoinjector training. The convenience and consumer preference for self-administration devices have also driven the market growth. However, recurring product recalls and the burden of allergies, which necessitate the use of these devices, present challenges to the market. Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a hormone and medication used to treat acute anaphylactic reactions. It works by constricting blood vessels, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, and opening up airways to counteract the symptoms of anaphylaxis. Epinephrine autoinjectors are pre-filled with this medication and are compact, user-friendly devices that can be carried by individuals at risk of severe allergic reactions for prompt intervention during an emergency. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation Type 0.30gm 0.15gm 0.50gm End-user Hospitals Clinics Homecare Geography North America Europe Asia Rest Of World (ROW) Country US, Germany , UK, China , and Japan 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation ALK-AbellA A/S Amneal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Antares Pharma, Inc. Bausch + Lomb Incorporated Hospira, Inc. Impax Laboratories, Inc. Lincoln Medical Mylan N.V. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Extra Space Storage Inc. ("Extra Space") (NYSE: EXR), a leading owner and operator of self-storage facilities in the United States and a member of the S&P 500, today announced that its operating partnership, Extra Space Storage LP (the "operating partnership"), has priced a public offering of $350 million aggregate principal amount of additional 5.500% senior notes due 2030 (the "Notes"). The Notes will be issued as additional notes under the indenture pursuant to which the operating partnership previously issued $450 million of 5.500% senior notes due 2030 (the "Initial Notes"). The Notes will be treated as a single series of securities with the Initial Notes under the indenture and will have the same CUSIP number as, and be fungible with, the Initial Notes. The Notes were priced at 101.509% of the principal amount and will mature on July 1, 2030. Wells Fargo Securities, PNC Capital Markets LLC, US Bancorp, BMO Capital Markets, BofA Securities, J.P. Morgan, TD Securities and Truist Securities are acting as the joint book-running managers for the offering. Regions Securities LLC, Scotiabank, BOK Financial Securities, Inc., Citigroup, Huntington Capital Markets, Zions Capital Markets, Academy Securities, Fifth Third Securities and Ramirez & Co., Inc. are acting as the co-managers for the offering. The offering is expected to close on or about January 22, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The Notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed by Extra Space and certain of its subsidiaries. The operating partnership intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to repay amounts outstanding from time to time under its lines of credit and its commercial paper program, and for other general corporate and working capital purposes, including funding potential acquisition opportunities. The Notes will be issued pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale is not permitted. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, copies of which, when available, may be obtained from Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Attention: WFS Customer Service, 608 2nd Avenue South, Suite 1000, Minneapolis, MN 55402, by telephone at 1-800-645-3751, or by email at [email protected]; PNC Capital Markets LLC, 300 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, by telephone at 1-855-881-0697, or by email at [email protected]; or U.S. Bancorp Investments, Inc., toll free at 1-877-558-2607. A prospectus supplement related to the offering will also be available free of charge on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. About Extra Space Storage Inc.: Extra Space Storage Inc., headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust, and a member of the S&P 500. As of September 30, 2024, the Company owned and/or operated 3,862 self-storage properties, which comprise approximately 2.7 million units and approximately 296.0 million square feet of rentable storage space operating under the Extra Space brand. The Company offers customers a wide selection of conveniently located and secure storage units across the country, including boat storage, RV storage and business storage. It is the largest operator of self-storage properties in the United States. Forward-Looking Statements: Certain information set forth in this release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning the terms, timing and completion of the offering of securities by Extra Space and the operating partnership, including the anticipated use of proceeds therefrom. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "estimates," "expects," "may," "will," "should," "anticipates," or "intends," or the negative of such terms or other comparable terminology, or by discussions of strategy. All forward-looking statements are based upon our current expectations and various assumptions. Our expectations, beliefs and projections are expressed in good faith and we believe there is a reasonable basis for them, but there can be no assurance that management's expectations, beliefs and projections will result or be achieved. There are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking statements contained in or contemplated by this release. Such risks and uncertainties include without limitation those associated with market risks and uncertainties and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions for an offering of securities, as well as the risks referenced in the "Risk Factors" section included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and any subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements apply only as of the date of this release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking statements which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. SOURCE Extra Space Storage Inc. VANCOUVER, BC, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Formation Metals ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE: FOMO), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce that, subject to the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "Exchange"), the Company has executed an option (the "Option Agreement"), dated January 15, 2025, for the right to purchase an undivided 100% interest in the N2 property (the "Property") from Wallbridge Mining Company Limited ("Wallbridge Mining"). Figure 1: Regional claim ownership along the Casa-Berardi trend; 1: Maudore Minerals Ltd. MRE, 2012; 2. Hecla Mining Company Technical Report, 2024; 3. Maple Gold Mine NI-43-101, 2022; 4. Non-compliant with NI-43-101 Cyprus MRE, 1994 Figure 2: Geology and gold zones of the N2 claims; Geology after SIGEOM, 2024 The N2 property comprises 87 claims that cover ~4,400 ha of land within the Abitibi subprovince of Northwestern Quebec. The Property is just 25 km south of Matagami, Quebec and the claims are accessible year-round by provincial highways and logging roads (Fig. 1). Property Highlights The claims are situated along the Casa Berardi mine trend, which hosts numerous multiple million-ounce gold deposits (Fig. 1) [2] - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 Koz Au indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; Maple Gold Mines ) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 Moz Au ; Hecla Mining) - ~1.5 km east of the former-producing Vezza gold mine (Nottoway Resources) - ~30 km east of the Douay gold project (511 indicated, 2.53 Moz inferred; ) - ~120 km east of the Casa Berardi gold mine (P&P 1.3 ; Hecla Mining) The N2 property hosts two historical non 43-101 compliant resources: 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central) and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~65,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone [1] . . Compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources Ltd. (now Wallbridge Mining) from 2010 to 2018 generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. Figure 1: Regional claim ownership along the Casa-Berardi trend; 1: Maudore Minerals Ltd. MRE, 2012; 2. Hecla Mining Company Technical Report, 2024; 3. Maple Gold Mine NI-43-101, 2022; 4. Non-compliant with NI-43-101 Cyprus MRE, 1994 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599920/Formations_Metals_Inc_1.jpg The Property hosts six known zones of gold mineralization (Fig. 2), four of which yielded a historical resource of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au at a cut-off of 0.5 g/t Au (~810,000 oz Au; Cyprus, 1994, non-compliant with NI-43-101 standards)[1]. A separate historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of ~67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for a fifth zone, the RJ zone, located in the western part of the Property along strike to the Vezza deposit. In addition to the known zones, compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources from 2010 to 2018 (Mag, EM, HEM, VTEM, and IP) generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling. The Property has not been drilled since 2008, and all known zones of gold mineralization remain open for expansion at depth and along strike. Figure 2: Geology and gold zones of the N2 claims; Geology after SIGEOM, 2024 Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599918/Formations_Metals_Inc_2.jpg "We are thrilled to announce the acquisition of the N2 property in the jurisdiction of Quebec, the best mining province in Canada", stated CEO Deepak Varshney. He continued: "With a proven gold system and numerous areas with a high exploration upside, the N2 Property is in the perfect position to support immediate and sustained increases in value. Formation intends to implement a diverse work program that will confirm the historic gold resource and intercepts, whilst simultaneously advancing the numerous, less well understood gold zones on the Property to ensure our shareholders see the growth benefits of this Property in both the short- and long-term." Property Summary The Property has been explored primarily since the 1980s with the majority of the exploration work completed on the northern portion of the Property (Northway) where five zones of gold mineralization, related to shearing along volcanic-sedimentary rock contacts, were identified. The most extensive of these zones, the A Zone, was traced in shallow drilling for over 1.0 kilometre to depths of 25 to 350 vertical metres. All zones remain open to depth and several zones remain open along strike. In 1994, a historical geological resource estimate (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 18.2 Mt grading 1.48 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 810,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for four zones (A, RJ East, East, and South), based on near-surface drilling of approximately 230 diamond drill holes. Preliminary metallurgical tests conducted on drill core from the A Zone recovered 91.7% of the gold in a flotation concentrate after a moderately fine-grind. A separate historical geological resource estimate prepared in 1994 (non-compliant with NI 43-101) of 243,000 t grading 7.82 g/t Au (in-situ contained resource of 67,000 ounces of gold)[1] was reported for the RJ zone. In 2007, expansion and exploration drill programs led to the discovery of a new zone of gold mineralization in the hanging wall to the RJ Zone with similarities to the mineralization at Vezza. Follow-up geophysical surveys outline down-hole geophysical anomalies associated with this zone which remain to be tested. Balmoral Resources Ltd., which merged with Wallbridge Mining in 2020, acquired the Property in 2010. Thereafter, Balmoral conducted a property wide VTEM, data compilation, and an IP orientation survey of 14.4 km that covered the three known horizons of mineralization. The results from these surveys showed a strong correlation between chargeability response and known gold mineralization, and emphasized chargeability anomalies along trend from gold mineralization where no drilling had been previously conducted. Property Geology The area covered by the N2 claims is located in the east end of the Harricane Turgeon belt of the Abitibi subprovince. The bedrock geology of the claims is dominated by two major lithological packages - the Taibi Sedimentary Domain and the Cartwright Volcanic Domain which are separated by the Douay-Cameron Deformation Zone. The Taibi group metasedimentary rocks are host to other regionally significant gold deposits (Casa Berardi, Douay, Vezza), and contain the majority of the gold zones on the N2 property (Fig. 2). The Taibi sedimentary rocks dominates the northern portion of the claim group and consist mainly of siliciclastic turbidite sequences that contain less abundant horizons of iron formation, conglomerate and graphic argillite. Local felsic to mafic volcanic rocks are intercalated with the metasedimentary rocks. The Cartwright Volcanic Domain occurs in the claim's southern portion and is composed of primarily intermediate to mafic volcanic rocks that are locally pillowed or plagioclase-phyric, and also contains less voluminous clastic metasedimentary rocks and local ultramafic intrusions. Several diabase dykes crosscut both Archean rock packages at a northeasterly orientation. The Douay-Cameron Deformation Corridor is a regionally significant structure in the Abitibi subprovince (Fig. 1), stretching for more than 150 km, with a footprint up to 5 km wide. This major structural break is associated with numerous gold mines and deposits in the Abitibi, as well as some VMS deposits in the Joutel camp. In the N2 area this corridor consists of an anastomosing series of east-west striking shear zones that straddle the contact between the Cartwright and Taibi domains. In the northern part of the claim group, the Casa Berardi Deformation Corridor separates the turbidites of the Taibi group from rocks derived from a more proximal depositional facies. Exploration Strategy Formation intends to advance the Property by conducting property-wide surveys to assess the exploration upside and potential for continued discoveries prior to defining the gold resources reported in historic work. The orientation IP survey conducted by Balmoral Resources showed that the gold horizons on the N2 property yield a reliable response. To build off this success, Formation intends to add property-wide, or partial infill, grids over areas to identify chargeability and resistivity anomalies in the bedrock that can be followed up with diamond drilling. Once the groundwork has been laid to establish a pipeline of future discoveries, Formation plans to advance the known gold zones through drill programs designed to test extensions along strike and depth of the historical resources at the Property. The Terms of the Agreement Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Company may acquire a 100% interest in the Property by paying $550,000 cash, issuing an aggregate of 4,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company, and completing $5,000,000 of work expenditures as indicated in the table below: Payment Shares Cash Work Commitment Signing 1,000,000 $50,000 - 1st Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $400,000 2nd Anniversary 1,000,000 $50,000 $600,000 3rd Anniversary - $100,000 $1,200,000 4th Anniversary - $100,000 - 5th Anniversary - $100,000 - 6th Anniversary 1,000,000 $100,000 $2,800,000 Total 4,000,000 $550,000 $5,000,000 Qualified person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Deepak Varshney, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical reports provided by the optionor were reviewed by the qualified person. The information provided has not been verified and is being treated as historic non-compliant intercepts. About Formation Metals Inc. Formation Metals Inc. is a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company focused on the development of quality critical metal properties that are drill-ready with high-upside and expansion potential. FORMATION METALS INC. Deepak Varshney, CEO and Director For more information, please call 778-899-1780, email [email protected] or visit www.formationmetalsinc.com. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Note 1: A qualified person has not done sufficient work to classify the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. The Company is not treating the historical estimate as current mineral resources or mineral reserves. Note 2: Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the geology of the Property. Forward-looking statements: This news release includes "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation, including statements respecting the Company's earn-in under the Option Agreement and the Company's plans for the Property. Such forward-looking information reflects management's current beliefs and is based on a number of estimates and/or assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned that such forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain and volatile equity and capital markets, lack of available capital, actual results of exploration activities, environmental risks, future prices of base and other metals, operating risks, accidents, labour issues, delays in obtaining governmental approvals and permits, and other risks in the mining industry. The Company is presently an exploration stage company. Exploration is highly speculative in nature, involves many risks, requires substantial expenditures, and may not result in the discovery of mineral deposits that can be mined profitably. Furthermore, the Company currently has no reserves on any of its properties. As a result, there can be no assurance that such forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599924/Formations_Metals_Inc_Logo.jpg SOURCE Formations Metals Inc. Innovative and intelligent AI solutions will empower teams with fast and accurate information, increasing efficiency and driving revenue growth ORMOND BEACH, Fla. and NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Foundation Risk Partners, a client-focused leader in insurance brokerage and consulting, in partnership with Version 1, a leader in digital transformation, today announced ground-breaking developments with AI solutions that will allow for unprecedented quality, accuracy and speed in the processing of risk analysis reports. The innovation in this space through this unique collaboration will be unparalleled in its results, decreasing cycle times, automating low-level tasks with human validation, and significantly increasing prospect conversion rates. Foundation Risk Partners had a vision to actively investigate innovative technology and methods to alleviate time-consuming manual tasks and accelerate the speed and efficiency of client-facing deliverables. The results from a thorough discovery with Version 1 - leveraging AI, deep learning and traditional machine learning - have shown that by adopting tailored solutions, there has been up to a 90% decrease in cycle times for certain activities and an increase in prospect conversion rates of up to 50%. The added benefit of automating certain processes also results in increased accuracy across all levels of case complexity. Instead of spending time on back-office administration tasks, the team now has time to add real value to customers, performing the important tasks that only humans can, offering better customised counsel to customers and delivering those higher value tasks. "We knew there was a smarter way for us to deliver the exceptional service, growth and innovative expertise that we are respected for by our partners and clients," said John Turner, Chief Operating Officer at Foundation Risk Partners. "Through a vigorous process we selected Version 1 as our partner to make this happen. The solutions that we have developed with Version 1 give us the capacity to add the human touch where we need it, to make the best use of our teams, and in turn allow us to focus on our strategic growth. This has the potential to revolutionize our business model and facilitate strong growth across our entire partner network. Version 1 was able to drive a truly innovative and visionary approach to our goal. We appreciate the highly collaborative relationship we have developed." "It is always extremely rewarding to see how innovation through AI-driven platforms can enable huge cost efficiencies and transformational growth opportunities for our clients," said Brad Mallard, CTO at Version 1. "The work we have done with Foundation Risk Partners is a clear demonstration of how a complex business can be transformed, simply by harnessing the power of technology. The tangible benefits also come in the form of enhancing the experience for employees, clients and partners, giving everyone confidence that business critical tasks are completed accurately an efficiently, freeing up key resources to drive value add activities." About Foundation Risk Partners Headquartered in Ormond Beach, Florida, Foundation Risk Partners (FRP) is one of the fastest growing insurance brokerage and consulting firms in the United States. Through acquisition and organic growth, FRP continues to expand across all regions with a targeted growth strategy that ensures a complementary balance of industry expertise, coverage, specialized services, location, values and cultural alignment. With a fast-growing team of 2,500 professionals and $700M in revenue, Foundation Risk Partners is driven to achieving new levels of success for its partners, while delivering superior results for its clients. Financially backed by Partners Group, Foundation Risk Partners is a U.S. Top-25 ranked insurance brokerage. About Version 1 Version 1 is a leader in digital transformation, partnering strategically with global organisations to transform and adopt technology and drive innovation in a responsible way. With an end-to-end offer designed to address the most difficult challenges faced by clients, and supported by the latest cutting-edge technologies, Version 1 is focused on delivering successful client outcomes through the power of world-class teams. This pledge is underscored by the key principles of the organisation, a triangle of balanced priorities comprising customer success, empowered people, and a strong organisation. Version 1 is made up of a fast-growing team of 3400+ people across 4 continents, all innovating differently to drive value through sustainable transformation. SOURCE Version 1 WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "Help U.S. Retire," an advocacy campaign to protect the investment funds that middle-class Americans rely on to build their long-term financial security, launched today. The campaign is sponsored by the Investment Company Institute (ICI), the trade association representing mutual funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and other regulated investment funds. Help U.S. Retire Ad Screenshot "Help U.S. Retire" will mobilize the 120 million American investors that use mutual funds and ETFs as long-term savings vehicles, building a grassroots network to amplify their voices to Congress. As Congress considers the expiring 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, "Help U.S. Retire" will rally middle-class American investors to put Congress on alert: policymakers must protect Americans' ability to save for their futures by ensuring the tax treatment Americans rely on for retirement savings isn't used as a "pay-for" to finance other government spending or tax changes. "IRAs, 401(k)s, and similar plans are working for Americans, making retirement security a reality for the majority of U.S. households," said Eric J. Pan, ICI President and CEO. "By preserving the features of these retirement accounts that Americans rely upon and building upon their successes, policymakers can support a framework that strengthens the middle class today and for generations to come." "The 'Help U.S. Retire' campaign will harness the voices of the 120 million investors who use mutual funds and ETFs to build their financial security," said Erica Richardson, ICI Chief Strategic Communications Officer. "This initiative is not just about protecting financial futures; it's about empowering middle class Americans to have a say in the policies that shape their savings and retirement. This grassroots network will ensure their voices are heard on Capitol Hill." The campaign launch includes nationwide advertising airing on CNBC. You can watch the advertisement here. The promotions are designed to drive investors, policymakers, and industry professionals to the campaign website, HelpUSRetire.org, where they can find research about how retirement accounts have strengthened the middle class and given Americans of every income level and background a pathway to long-term financial security. The website also allows visitors to take action by writing their members of Congress. Other elements of the campaign will include national advertising buys, social media influencer partnerships, digital content, and grasstops engagement. Concerned Americans can visit the website here to participate in the campaign's advocacy. Visit HelpUSRetire.org to learn more. Contact us: [email protected] SOURCE Investment Company Institute GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Whether calculating a tip at a restaurant or cooking a favorite recipe, math is everywhere, making it an essential part of every student's school day. Despite its daily use, many students face anxiety around math, leading them to despise the subject. However, National Heritage Academies' (NHA) Math Curriculum Specialist Farina Sami explained that greater engagement from students and partnership with parents can help curb math anxiety. A student's attitude about math is formed early on, and Sami pinned math anxiety on a few different factors: past experience, intimidating concepts, and a fear of failure. Math lessons build upon one another, and bad memories make for a shaky foundation for students in the subject. "When these students get to fourth or fifth grade and haven't experienced successes, they seem to have more anxiety because now they think, 'I've done the worst that I can do, which ended in failure, and now I know that this is difficult,'" Sami said. "Self-doubt about math leads to a decrease in math performance." Shredding this self-doubt starts with engaging in math, and at NHA partner-schools, the interactive curriculum gets students involved from the start. At the beginning of lessons, teachers show a problem or prompt and let students work through solutions. This allows them to actively engage with the material before the teacher intervenes and guides conversation. Educators then talk through students' problem-solving experiences and process what challenges they faced. During this time, teachers can evaluate who needs help and how to guide them through roadblocks. Sami said a key to unlocking confidence in math is using visual models as concrete examples to lean on. She added that a student's confidence level improves when they connect what they're seeing to the reason it works. "Any time a student starts floundering, they need something to come back to," Sami said. "They might come across a difficult problem, but they can use the tools already in their toolbelt to help pull through. We're trying to make sure these tools are used throughout the learning process and in different ways." While NHA's curriculum is empowering students in class, Sami also highlighted parent partnership as a factor in increasing confidence levels. She said teachers can direct families on how best to tackle the material at home, sometimes even providing worksheets or games. Parents also can work with teachers to identify areas of improvement for their child. This teamwork with parents and educators supports student growth and encourages them to engage. "When there's a good partnership between parents and teachers, I love how it helps students grow," Sami said, adding that these supplemental materials aren't the only way to help children become more comfortable with math. Sami said that exposing students to real-world math utility, such as investing in the stock market or playing board games, reinforces concepts from class and shows how these skills are used in everyday life. One of Sami's favorite at-home activities is to cook together. Recipes, especially for baked goods, use fractions and are based on proportions. Kids are not only sharpening their math tools in the kitchen, but they are also spending quality time with their family. "When you partner up and show your student you have a good relationship and care about their education, then that student feels more secure, in my opinion," Sami said. This culmination of in-class and at-home approaches allows students more opportunity for engagement, equipping them to tackle math class with confidence. "When you put as much engagement into the material as you can, I feel like students are more likely to get something out of it," Sami said. "When you're engaged, you start taking that risk. When you ask and have conversations, your knowledge grows. You have a deeper understanding." About National Heritage Academies: National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 100 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder. SOURCE National Heritage Academies This news release constitutes a "designated news release" for the purposes of the Company's prospectus supplement dated August 12, 2024, to its short form base shelf prospectus dated June 21, 2024 RENO, Nev., Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - i-80 GOLD CORP. (TSX: IAU) (NYSE: IAUX) ("i-80 Gold", or the "Company") is pleased to announce that pursuant to its press release on December 31, 2024 it has completed the amendment and restatement of its convertible credit agreement (the "A&R Convertible Credit Agreement") with an affiliate of Orion Mine Finance ("Orion"). As a result, the conditions relating to the previously announced deferral of gold and silver deliveries, and the extension of the Orion Convertible Loan (collectively, the "Waiver Agreements") required to be completed to-date have been satisfied. Further to the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, Orion and i-80 Gold have extended the maturity date of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement by six months from December 13, 2025, to June 30, 2026, and have put certain security in place to secure the Company's obligations under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement. Additional security against the Company's Ruby Hill and Granite Creek projects is required to be put in place by March 31, 2025. In connection with the extension of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, the Company has issued to Orion five million common share purchase warrants (the "2025 Orion Warrants") with an exercise price of C$1.01 and an expiry date of January 15, 2029. The 2025 Orion Warrants will be subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws which will expire four months and one day from the date of issuance. Neither the 2025 Orion Warrants nor the shares issuable upon exercise of the 2025 Orion Warrants have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and are considered "restricted securities". The Company has agreed to grant Orion registration rights with respect to its securities. Additionally, the Company announces its intention to complete a prospectus financing of common shares (the "Common Shares") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of US$10,000,000 (the "Offering"). The Company has been advised by certain of its largest shareholders as well as its board of directors and management team that they anticipate participating in the Offering. The Common Shares will be priced in the context of the market. It is expected that the Offering will close on or about January 31, 2025. The Company anticipates using the net proceeds of the Offering for the development of the Company's projects in Nevada, and for working capital and general corporate purposes, as i-80 Gold works towards completion of the second phase of its recapitalization plan targeted for on or about March 31, 2025. The Offering will be made pursuant to a prospectus supplement to the Company's short form base shelf prospectus filed on June 21, 2024 (the "Shelf Prospectus"), which prospectus supplement will be prepared and filed by the Company with the securities regulatory authorities in each of the provinces and territories of Canada other than Quebec prior to the closing of the Offering, and will be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Company's U.S. registration statement on Form F-10 (Registration No. 333-279567), which includes the Shelf Prospectus and was declared effective by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on June 25, 2024. The consummation of the Offering remains subject to the receipt of regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange (the "TSX") and the NYSE American, and other customary closing conditions. No commission or finder's fee will be paid in connection with the Offering. Each of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement and the related issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants to Orion constitutes a "related party transaction" as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") as Orion is a "related party" of the Company given its greater than 10% beneficial shareholding of the Company (within the meaning of MI 61-101, which includes Orion's common shares, warrants and potential conversion rights in i-80 Gold securities under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement). The Company has relied on exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 in respect of the issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants, and Section 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101 from the minority shareholder approval requirement in respect of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement since neither the fair market value of the 2025 Orion Warrants nor the fair market value of the facility under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement exceeds 25% of the Company's market capitalization. Furthermore, a formal valuation is not required under MI 61-101 in respect of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement as the entering into of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement is not the type of related party transaction that requires a formal valuation. The Company has not filed a material change report 21 days prior to the closing of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement, including the issuance of the 2025 Orion Warrants, since the terms and conditions of the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement were not agreed upon until shortly prior to closing. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy, nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful before registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About i-80 Gold Corp. i-80 Gold Corp. is a Nevada-focused mining company with the third largest gold mineral resources in the state of Nevada. The recapitalization plan underway is designed to unlock the value of the Company's high-grade gold deposits to create a Nevada mid-tier gold producer. i-80 Gold's common shares are listed on the TSX and the NYSE American under the trading symbol IAU:TSX and IAUX:NYSE. Further information about i-80 Gold's portfolio of assets and long-term growth strategy is available at www.i80gold.com or by email at [email protected]. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" or "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including but not limited to, statements regarding: the Company's and Orion's agreement to place certain personal property and real property security in place to secure the Company's obligations under the A&R Convertible Credit Agreement; the Company's ability to satisfy all closing conditions and close the Offering within the announced timeline and announced gross proceeds; the Company's use of proceeds for the Offering; the Company's preparation and filing of the prospectus supplement in the announced provinces and territories, and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission by the closing; consummation of the Offering; the Company's ability to obtain the approval of the TSX and the NYSE American; and the Company's other future plans and expectations. Such statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the company, its projects, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements or information. Such statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "estimate", "scheduled", "forecast", "predict" and other similar terminology, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. These statements reflect the Company's current expectations regarding future events, performance and results and speak only as of the date of this release. Forward-looking statements and information involve significant risks and uncertainties, should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indicators of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in the forward-looking statements or information, including, but not limited to: material adverse changes, unexpected changes in laws, rules or regulations, or their enforcement by applicable authorities; the failure of parties to contracts with the company to perform as agreed; social or labour unrest; changes in commodity prices; and the failure of exploration programs or studies to deliver anticipated results or results that would justify and support continued exploration, studies, development or operations. For a more detailed discussion of such risks and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements, refer to i-80's filings with Canadian securities regulators, including the most recent Annual Information Form, available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. SOURCE i-80 Gold Corp MIAMI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial services sector is witnessing a surge in demand for virtual bookkeeping expertise as businesses grapple with a persistent talent shortage in accounting. This trend is driven by businesses seeking solutions to a persistent talent gap in the accounting sector, as many organizations face challenges in finding qualified professionals to meet their financial needs. The need for skilled virtual bookkeepers is surging globally, driven by increasingly complex financial landscapes and technological advancements. Businesses are increasingly seeking advanced expertise, with New York leading the way in adopting innovative solutions to meet the growing demand for skilled financial professionals. Virtual bookkeeping in New York is stepping in to fill this talent gap by leveraging advanced technology and providing access to skilled financial professionals. As businesses face ongoing challenges in recruiting qualified accountants, these services offer a reliable and efficient solution to maintain financial accuracy and support sustained growth. Book your 30-minute free consultation today and discover how virtual bookkeeper can simplify your business finances-https://www.ibntech.com/free-consultation/?pr=prnewswire Industry Challenges The growing reliance on virtual bookkeepers highlights the increasing demand for skilled professionals in major markets like New York. Businesses are navigating challenges such as financial inaccuracies, compliance risks, and delays in critical operations like payroll and tax filings. In 2025, the focus has shifted toward continuous professional development for bookkeepers, enabling them to adapt to evolving industry requirements and deliver efficient financial solutions. Technology as a Solution Cloud-based platforms, automation, and data analytics are becoming essential tools as businesses adopt innovative technology to address these challenges. These technological advancements are reshaping how virtual bookkeepers operate, with key metrics like accuracy and responsiveness now guiding service evaluations. A Strategic Asset for Business Growth Bookkeeping has transformed into a key strategic function, with professionals now tasked with providing actionable insights into cash flow management, financial forecasting, and long-term business growth strategies. "Virtual bookkeeping has shifted from a support function to a critical strategic asset," noted Mehta. "Today's bookkeepers drive financial agility and resilience, enabling businesses to thrive in a rapidly changing environment." Demand for Virtual Bookkeepers Soars in New York New York is seeing a growing demand for virtual bookkeepers as businesses increasingly turn to technology-driven solutions for efficient financial management. This growing scarcity has raised concerns about financial accuracy, compliance risks, and delays in crucial tasks like payroll and tax filings. To address these challenges, businesses are increasingly turning to advanced outsourcing solutions. Companies like IBN Technologies are helping businesses navigate these complexities by providing highly skilled accounting and bookkeeping services that ensure financial accuracy, regulatory compliance, and timely reporting. "To stay competitive in 2025, virtual bookkeepers in New York and elsewhere will need to continuously upskill and adapt to the latest technological developments," said Ajay Mehta, CEO IBN Technologies. " This is crucial for responding to the evolving demands of the industry and improving client value." Setting the Stage for Success in 2025 The growing need for specialized virtual bookkeeping services is reshaping how businesses manage their finances. Companies are looking to virtual bookkeepers not just to manage their day-to-day operations, but to provide crucial insights and drive long-term strategic growth. With technology playing an increasingly important role in bookkeeping services, the industry is poised for continued innovation and transformation in the coming years. As businesses seek to navigate complex financial landscapes and ensure compliance with ever-evolving regulations, the expertise of skilled virtual bookkeepers will be crucial in helping them achieve financial agility and operational success. About IBN Technologies IBN Technologies LLC, an outsourcing specialist with 25 years of experience, serves clients across the United States, United Kingdom, Middle East, and India. Renowned for its expertise in RPA, Intelligent process automation includes AP Automation services like P2P, Q2C, and Record-to-Report. IBN Technologies provides solutions compliant with ISO 9001:2015, 27001:2022, CMMI-5, and GDPR standards. The company has established itself as a leading provider of IT, KPO, and BPO outsourcing services in finance and accounting, including CPAs, hedge funds, alternative investments, banking, travel, human resources, and retail industries. It offers customized solutions that drive efficiency and growth. Contact Details: Pradip [email protected] +1 844 644 8440 USA: IBN Technologies LLC 66 West Flagler Street Suite 900 Miami, FL 33130 India: Global Delivery Centre IBN Technologies Limited Kohinoor House, 2nd floor, 691/A/1B, Plot no. 7, Bibwewadi Road, Pune-411037 Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2581946/IBN_Technologies_Logo.jpg SOURCE IBN Technologies iKala Partners with Causal AI Innovator to Expand into the North American Market TAIPEI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- iKala, a leading AI transformation solutions provider from Taiwan, announced that its AI-driven data marketing platform, KOL Radar, has been officially rebranded as Kolr (pronounced "color"), debuting a fresh brand identity to expand its presence in global markets. The upgraded Kolr platform will continue to prioritize AI-driven innovation, with plans to launch key new features in the first quarter of this year, including the "Predictive Report" and the English version of "AI Search." Additionally, enhancements to the "Competitor Analysis" feature will further streamline the marketing process. iKala announced today that its AI-driven data marketing platform, KOL Radar, has been officially rebranded as Kolr. These new capabilities will provide brands with a comprehensive, one-stop solutionspanning precise search, data analysis, and performance trackingempowering brands to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in trend forecasting, marketing analysis, and campaign management. iKala Partners with Vizuro to Expand into the U.S. Market, Setting a New Global Business Strategy Looking ahead, iKala is joining forces with Vizuro, a pioneer in multimodal and causal AI technologies, to expand into the U.S. market and establish a broader global presence. By combining the power of Kolr, the world's largest AI-driven data marketing platform, with Vizuro's cutting-edge marketing attribution technology, the partnership aims to revolutionize ad placements, marketing predictions, and attribution analysis. Together, they will empower global brands to unlock new marketing opportunities and drive impactful results. iKala Business Development Director, Zara Yaqoob, stated, "iKala is in a period of rapid growth. We are dedicated to expanding strategic partnerships, enhancing our brand presence, and ensuring Kolr stands out in the global market. With its robust data capabilities and innovative technologies, Kolr delivers real value to brands, agencies, and influencers." iKala Co-Founder and CEO, Sega Cheng, remarked, "Since its launch in 2018, KOL Radar has approached the challenge of 'discovering influence' as a search problem, focusing on technological innovation. This commitment has enabled the platform to expand to over 190 countries and serve more than 50,000 brands, making it one of the world's largest AI-powered vertical search engines. We are thrilled to collaborate with our strategic partner, Vizuro, as the fully upgraded Kolr sets its sights on the global market with a fresh identity, dedicated to organizing the world's influence." Vizuro Co-Founder and CEO, Yu-Feng Wei, added, "We are thrilled to join forces with iKala to form 'Team Taiwan' and venture into international markets on the global stage. By combining our expertise, we strive to create a synergy where one plus one exceeds two, continuing to develop industry-leading marketing technologies that bring innovation and value to brands of all sizes worldwide." About iKala iKala is a leading AI transformation solutions provider, with a mission to "enable AI competencies" of enterprises by providing AI transformation solutions, to optimize their operational efficiency and increase customer engagement. iKala's solutions and SaaS products are available in 190+ countries, enabling over 1,000 enterprises and 50,000 brands and advertisers, including top-tier Fortune 500 companies, to transform their business. About Vizuro Vizuro is a leading innovator and provider of causal AI solutions, delivering powerful, actionable, and explainable applications across diverse sectors. Utilizing a proprietary self-learning AI platform, Vizuro offers managed, data-science-as-a-service solutions to swiftly deploy customized applications tailored to client needs. Founded in Boston, Vizuro specializes in addressing critical challenges in digital transformation, with solutions spanning healthcare, pharmaceuticals, marketing, manufacturing, and finance. Serving a global client base, from Fortune 100 enterprises to startups. SOURCE iKala SAN RAMON, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Indiana Members Credit Union (IMCU), located in Indianapolis, IN, has selected Lumin Digital (Lumin), a top cloud-native digital banking provider, as its new platform to improve user experience and strengthen security. IMCU wanted a modern, intuitive, and efficient digital banking solution to provide its members with a more accessible and user-friendly banking platform. By choosing Lumin as its provider, IMCU will benefit from its comprehensive, cloud-native platform designed to streamline processes and increase user engagement. Meanwhile, IMCU's members will enjoy enhanced features such as gamification, robust risk management to safeguard against cyber threats, and a uniform experience across all devices. The platform's mobile-first, user-centric approach simplifies financial management for users while increasing operational efficiency. "As the banking industry undergoes rapid changes, financial institutions must evolve to match their members' shifting needs," said Kelley Michalik, Chief Commercial Officer at Lumin Digital. "We are pleased to have Indiana Members Credit Union join the Lumin Digital community as it aims to offer efficient, scalable solutions to remain competitive in the digital world." "Lumin stood out as a partner because of its cloud-native design ensuring top-tier reliability and scalability for our users," said John Newett, CEO of Indiana Members Credit Union. "Our members' needs are at the forefront of our business, and we are excited to continue evolving with such a strong online and mobile banking solution provider." This transition provides IMCU with a seamless and secure digital banking experience for its members with regular service upgrades, ensuring it remains competitive as new technologies emerge. About Indiana Members Credit Union Indiana Members Credit Union, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, was founded in 1956 on the campus of IU Indianapolis. IMCU has since grown to 31 branches, serving Central and Southern Indiana, offering consumer and business members a better financial alternative and a full array of products and services. Traditionally offering better rates on loans and deposits, IMCU maintains true to its roots by "Keeping It Simple" for members. For more information, please visit IMCU online at www.imcu.com. About Lumin Digital Lumin Digital is the leading, future-ready digital banking solution powering remarkable growth for financial institutions across the United States. Combining innovation, data, and speed, Lumin's disruption-proof platform was born in the cloud to stay ahead of the evolving expectations of retail and business banking users. With Lumin Digital's unique approach, our clients innovate and scale at their own pace, optimize digital banking ROI, and create a strong digital relationship with their customers. Lumin has received top marks from clients on the G2 Marketplace for digital banking software. For more information, visit lumindigital.com . SOURCE Lumin Digital Company expands its portfolio of gas conversion technologies and proprietary catalysts SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infinium, producer of the world's first commercially available ultra-low carbon eFuels, announced today that it has completed the purchase of gas conversion leader Greyrock Technology in conjunction with the close of the first tranche of a Series C Preferred Stock fundraise led by Brookfield Asset Management. Infinium announces acquisition of Greyrock Technology and new investors in its Series C fundraiser. Brookfield, alongside new investors Japan Hydrogen Fund, Development Bank of Japan, Japan Organization for Metals & Energy Security (JOGMEC), Mitsubishi Corporation, University of Michigan and RockCreek join existing investors Amazon, AP Ventures, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Neuman & Esser, SK and NextEra Energy Resources in the round. This new funding supports the growth of the Infinium project pipeline and enables the expansion of market offerings in the advanced energy solutions space. BofA Securities served as placement agent to Infinium on the fundraise. Infinium is the first eFuels provider in the world to produce and ship commercial volumes of ultra-low carbon eFuels to customers globally from its North American production site, known as Project Pathfinder. eFuels from Pathfinder are being used today in the United States and Europe. eFuels are drop-in synthetic alternatives to fuels and chemicals used in the transportation and manufacturing sectors today. These products are designed to reduce lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by over 90% compared to today's conventional fossil-based products. Industry leaders including Amazon, American Airlines, Borealis and airline consortium IAG are customers. "Infinium eFuels allow our customers to use their existing infrastructure planes, trucks, ships while dramatically reducing greenhouse gas emissions in hard to abate categories," said Robert Schuetzle, CEO of Infinium. "The continued confidence of our investors demonstrates the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions that give our customers flexibility to solve their greatest energy challenges." With the acquisition of Greyrock Technology, the Infinium portfolio now includes more than 250 patents worldwide, industry leading proprietary catalysts, and supports breakthrough intellectual property for Power-to-Liquids (PtL) and gas conversion solutions covering many application areas. About Infinium Infinium is a leading provider of gas conversion solutions and developer of eFuels projects. Its offerings include ultra-low carbon synthetic eFuels, technology enabling monetization of flare gas and RNG, and patented technology designed to support the rapidly evolving energy industry. Infinium is a company of "firsts"the first to produce commercial volumes of power-to-liquid clean eFuels; the first to develop and deploy modular gas conversion technology; and the only clean fuels innovator offering end-to-end solutions to customers at every step in their energy journey. Industry leaders including Amazon, American Airlines, Borealis and IAG are customers of Infinium. Learn more at www.infiniumco.com. Media Contact: [email protected] SOURCE Infinium BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. On January 15-16, a delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Yalcin Rafiyev visited Ethiopia to expand bilateral cooperation between the countries in political, economic, humanitarian and other fields, Trend reports, citing the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. During the visit, Yalcin Rafiyev met with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Alem Tsehai Paulos, Foreign Minister Gedion Timotheos, Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe, Minister of Agriculture Girme Amente, as well as with the heads of the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Ethiopian Investment Holding Company. Yalcin Rafiyev got acquainted with industrial parks and infrastructure projects in the country. During the meetings, it was emphasized that the discussions held during the meeting between Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev at the COP29 Leaders Summit in Baku opened a new page in the development of cooperation between the two countries and defined a roadmap Specific areas of cooperation in trade, investment, agriculture, tourism, education and other areas were also discussed, and there was made a decision to create a legal and contractual framework and working groups in the relevant areas. Satisfaction was expressed that Ethiopia has established citizen service centers based on the concept of the ASAN Service, which is a successful project of Azerbaijan in this area. It was noted that intensive work is continuing in this direction. The third meeting of the political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries was also held during the visit. The political consultations were led by Deputy Foreign Minister Yalcin Rafiyev from the Azerbaijani side and State Minister of Foreign Affairs Mesganu Arga from the Ethiopian side. During the political consultations, bilateral political and economic issues were discussed, as well as cooperation within the UN, the Non-Aligned Movement and other international organizations. The delegation included representatives of the Ministries of Economy and Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the State Agency for Public Services and Social Innovations under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, AZPROMO, Azerbaijan Investment Holding and SOCAR. Large deal TCV of $2.5 billion including 63% net new; Headcount increased by 5,591 including 63% net new; Headcount increased by 5,591 FY25 revenue guidance revised to 4.5%-5.0% BENGALURU, India, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, delivered strong and broad-based performance with $4,939 million in Q3 revenues, growth of 1.7% sequentially and 6.1% year on year in constant currency. Operating margin for Q3 was at 21.3%, increase of 0.2% sequentially. Free cash flow for Q3 was highest ever at $1,263 million, growing 90% year on year. TCV of large deal wins was $2.5 billion, with 63% net new growing at 57% sequentially. Headcount increased for second consecutive quarter. Revenues for YTD Dec'24 grew at 3.9% year on year in constant currency and in reported terms. Operating margin was at 21.2%, increase of 0.3% year on year. "Our strong revenue growth sequentially in a seasonally weak quarter and broad-based year on year growth, along with robust operating parameters and margins, is a clear reflection of the success of our differentiated digital offerings, market positioning, and key strategic initiatives. We continue to strengthen our enterprise AI capabilities, particularly focusing on generative AI, which is witnessing increasing client traction," said Salil Parekh, CEO and MD. "This has led to another quarter of strong large deal wins and improved deal pipeline giving us greater confidence as we look ahead," he added. 1.7% QoQ 21.30 % 11.4% YoY $2.5 Bn $1.3 Bn 6.1% YoY Operating Margin EPS Increase Large Deal Free CC Growth 0.8% YoY increase ( terms) TCV Cash Flow Guidance for FY25: Revenue growth of 4.5%-5.0% in constant currency Operating margin of 20%-22% Key highlights: For nine months ended December 31, 2024 For the quarter ended December 31, 2024 Revenues in CC terms grew by 3.9% YoY Revenues in CC terms grew by 6.1% YoY and 1.7% QoQ Reported revenues at $14,547 million, growth of 3.9% YoY Reported revenues at $4,939 million, growth of 5.9% YoY Operating margin at 21.2%, growth of 0.3% YoY Operating margin at 21.3%, increase of 0.8% YoY and 0.2% QoQ Basic EPS at $0.57, growth of 6.1% YoY Basic EPS at $0.19, growth of 9.6% YoY FCF at $3,196 million, growth of 57.1% YoY; FCF at $1,263 million, growth of 89.9% YoY; FCF conversion at 136.1% of net profit FCF conversion at 156.6% of net profit "We had another quarter of strong performance with revenue growth across segments and operating margin expansion, leading to 11.4% EPS growth year on year in rupee terms. Our structured approach to operating margin expansion yielded more results in Q3, particularly due to benefits from improving realization and scale benefits," said Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO. "Our sharp focus on cash flow is reflected in Free cash conversion to net profits of 157% in Q3 with free cash generation for 9 months of FY25 surpassing that of entire FY24," he added. 1. Client wins & Testimonials Infosys Compaz and Temasek, announced a strategic collaboration with StarHub to accelerate their operations and drive technology-led innovations. Tan Kit Yong , Head of Enterprise Business Group, StarHub , said, "At StarHub, we have always prided ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation. By collaborating with iCompaz, we are expanding our horizons to offer an even wider range of offerings and technologies that are co-created to address the unique needs of our customers. Aligned with our DARE+ strategy, this powerful synergy will better position us as the go-to full-service supplier for businesses that need connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, and other ICT services to accelerate their digital journeys." , said, "At StarHub, we have always prided ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation. By collaborating with iCompaz, we are expanding our horizons to offer an even wider range of offerings and technologies that are co-created to address the unique needs of our customers. Aligned with our DARE+ strategy, this powerful synergy will better position us as the go-to full-service supplier for businesses that need connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, and other ICT services to accelerate their digital journeys." Infosys announced the extension of its existing collaboration with Old National Bank to accelerate its operational and technological transformation. Jim Ryan , Chairman & CEO, Old National Bank, said, "At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional client and team member experiences. Infosys is expertly guiding us through business process enhancements, with a strong emphasis on efficiency and value generation. We greatly appreciate Infosys' commitment to our growth and success." said, "At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional client and team member experiences. Infosys is expertly guiding us through business process enhancements, with a strong emphasis on efficiency and value generation. We greatly appreciate Infosys' commitment to our growth and success." Infosys announced its collaboration with RheinEnergie to help enterprises drive their energy transition and sustainability agenda forward. Stephan Segbers , Chief Sales Officer and member of the board, RheinEnergie, said, "RheinEnergie firmly believes that innovative technological and digital solutions are intrinsic to achieving the 'Energiewende' and the 'Warmewende', Germany's planned transition to a low-carbon, nuclear-free economy. The powerful combination of Infosys' global expertise in energy transition and cutting-edge technologies such as cloud and AI, and RheinEnergie's extensive experience in providing energy services allows us to offer enterprises a comprehensive suite of solutions to help manage their energy costs and navigate their energy transition journey. We are excited about joining forces with Infosys and extend this innovative approach to businesses across various sectors. Together, we can accelerate the transition to a clean energy future for a healthier planet." "RheinEnergie firmly believes that innovative technological and digital solutions are intrinsic to achieving the 'Energiewende' and the 'Warmewende', planned transition to a low-carbon, nuclear-free economy. The powerful combination of Infosys' global expertise in energy transition and cutting-edge technologies such as cloud and AI, and RheinEnergie's extensive experience in providing energy services allows us to offer enterprises a comprehensive suite of solutions to help manage their energy costs and navigate their energy transition journey. We are excited about joining forces with Infosys and extend this innovative approach to businesses across various sectors. Together, we can accelerate the transition to a clean energy future for a healthier planet." Infosys announced the extension of its existing collaboration with Microsoft to help accelerate customer adoption of generative AI and Microsoft Azure, globally. Nicole Dezen , Chief Partner Officer at Microsoft, said, "Our expanded collaboration with Infosys will transform industries, enhance business operations, elevate employee experiences, and deliver new value for customers. Together, we will harness the power of generative AI to deliver innovative solutions, drive AI Adoption and enable unprecedented innovation for customers." said, "Our expanded collaboration with Infosys will transform industries, enhance business operations, elevate employee experiences, and deliver new value for customers. Together, we will harness the power of generative AI to deliver innovative solutions, drive AI Adoption and enable unprecedented innovation for customers." Infosys announced the launch of its small language models Infosys Topaz BankingSLM and Infosys Topaz ITOpsSLM built using the powerful NVIDIA AI Stack. Jay Puri , Executive Vice President, Worldwide Field Operations, NVIDIA, said, "Generative AI and the recent advancements in agentic and physical AI are ushering in a new era of innovation and productivity for enterprises worldwide. NVIDIA's full-stack AI platform combined with Infosys Topaz empowers businesses to build and deploy custom AI applications that will transform industries, helping businesses unlock their full potential." said, "Generative AI and the recent advancements in agentic and physical AI are ushering in a new era of innovation and productivity for enterprises worldwide. NVIDIA's full-stack AI platform combined with Infosys Topaz empowers businesses to build and deploy custom AI applications that will transform industries, helping businesses unlock their full potential." Infosys announced the launch of Google Cloud center of excellence, powered by Infosys Topaz, to foster enterprise AI innovation. Victor Morales , Vice President of GSI and Consulting Partnerships, Google Cloud, said, "Infosys and Google Cloud are committed to providing customers with the industry expertise and technology needed to accelerate digital transformation. The center of excellence is a testament to our strong collaboration and dedication to helping businesses innovate with breakthrough solutions powered by generative AI." said, "Infosys and Google Cloud are committed to providing customers with the industry expertise and technology needed to accelerate digital transformation. The center of excellence is a testament to our strong collaboration and dedication to helping businesses innovate with breakthrough solutions powered by generative AI." Infosys announced its strategic collaboration with zooplus to enhance its service capability and scalability. Geoffroy Lefebvre , Chief Executive Officer, zooplus SE, said, "At zooplus our growth strategy has always been focused on leveraging data-driven insights to meet our customers' demands. Our collaboration with Infosys to establish our new technology hub is a strategic decision driven by their AI-first strategies combined with expertise in delivering AI-powered solutions, with Infosys Topaz. We are confident that through this collaboration we will unlock greater operational efficiencies, enhance customer experience, and stay ahead in the competitive e-commerce landscape." said, "At zooplus our growth strategy has always been focused on leveraging data-driven insights to meet our customers' demands. Our collaboration with Infosys to establish our new technology hub is a strategic decision driven by their AI-first strategies combined with expertise in delivering AI-powered solutions, with Infosys Topaz. We are confident that through this collaboration we will unlock greater operational efficiencies, enhance customer experience, and stay ahead in the competitive e-commerce landscape." Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Kardex to transform its business operations using SAP S/4HANA. Thomas Reist , Chief Financial Officer of Kardex, said, "Our mission is to empower our customers to optimize their intralogistics operations, enhancing efficiency, agility, and overall success. By continually evolving our solutions and adapting to changing market demands, we aim to be the trusted partner of choice for companies seeking to boost their productivity. We are confident that our partnership with Infosys will propel us forward. With their extensive expertise in process transformation, supported by SAP solutions, and a proven track record of successful implementations, Infosys is the ideal partner to help us achieve our strategic objectives. We look forward to this collaboration as a means to advance our growth and further strengthen our position as a market leader." said, "Our mission is to empower our customers to optimize their intralogistics operations, enhancing efficiency, agility, and overall success. By continually evolving our solutions and adapting to changing market demands, we aim to be the trusted partner of choice for companies seeking to boost their productivity. We are confident that our partnership with Infosys will propel us forward. With their extensive expertise in process transformation, supported by SAP solutions, and a proven track record of successful implementations, Infosys is the ideal partner to help us achieve our strategic objectives. We look forward to this collaboration as a means to advance our growth and further strengthen our position as a market leader." Infosys announced its collaboration with Southwark Council to launch its digital learning platform - Springboard in the borough. Dionne Lowndes , Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Southwark Council, said, "Partnering with Infosys to bring the Springboard platform to Southwark is a significant step towards realising our ambitious three-year digital strategy. The initiative will not only empower our residents, but local businesses too, with vital digital skills and resources. By enhancing this kind of accessibility and fostering innovation, we are working to enable our community to thrive in an ever-advancing technological world." 2. Recognitions & Awards Brand Awarded Silver in the India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI) 2024 Received the 2024 UN Women's WEP India Award in the Gender-inclusive Workplace category Received multiple recognitions at The Asset ESG Corporate Awards 2024 - Platinum Award for Excellence, Best Investor Relations Team, Best Initiative in Environmental Responsibility, and Best Initiative in Diversity and Inclusion categories Received the Shorty Impact Awards in the Gender Equality category for the #SpotItToStopIt campaign AI and Cloud Services Received Binding Corporate Rules Certification from EU Data Protection Authorities Positioned as a leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP Services Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Automation Fabric Services, Q4 2024 Positioned as a leader in Microsoft Azure Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest Group Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Managed Cloud Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Adobe Experience Cloud Professional Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: AADA Quadfecta of Analytics, AI, Data Platforms, and Automation Services for Generative Enterprise 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Azure Ecosystem Services Providers, 2024 Key Digital Services Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Infrastructure Outsourcing Services, Q4 2024 Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Salesforce Implementation Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Digital Workplace Services 2024 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: European SAP Modernization Services 2024 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: IoT Service Providers, 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Sustainability Services, 2024 Rated as a leader in Quality Engineering NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall Recognized as a Market Maker in CapioIT Salesforce SI and Solutions Providers Ecosystem Capture Share Report, 2024 Infosys BPM won the 'Outsourcing Impact Champion' award at the Outsourcing Impact Review (OIR) 2024 for 'Project Genesis' Infosys BPM ranked as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens Quadrant Study on Procurement Services 2024 Infosys BPM recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Enterprise Analytics and AI Business Process Services for Finance and Accounting 2024 Vendor Assessment Industry & Solutions Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape Worldwide Life Science R&D ITO Services 2024 Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Smart Insurance Producer Management Applications Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Service Providers for Utilities Customer Operations 2024 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Healthcare Payer Services 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: The Best Service Providers for Commercial Banks, 2025 Infosys Finacle has been positioned as a Leader by Everest Group in the Wealth Management Products PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 Report Infosys Finacle has been positioned as a Leader by Everest Group in the Consumer Loan Origination Systems (LOS) Products PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 Report MEA Finance Banking Technology Awards 2024: Best Composable Banking Transformation - Emirates NBD and Infosys Finacle Read more about our Awards & Recognitions here. About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by the cloud. We enable them with an AI-powered core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, our future financial or operating performance, the McCamish cybersecurity incident and the related review and notification process are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the 'safe harbor' under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid working model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, the amount of any additional costs, including indemnities or damages or claims, resulting directly or indirectly from the McCamish cybersecurity incident and the outcome and effect of pending litigation. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. These filings are available at https://www.sec.gov/. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Infosys Limited and subsidiaries Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet under IFRS as at: (Dollars in millions) December 31, 2024 March 31, 2024 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 2,663 1,773 Current investments 933 1,548 Trade receivables 3,896 3,620 Unbilled revenue 1,318 1,531 Other current assets 1,428 2,250 Total current assets 10,238 10,722 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment and Right-of-use assets 2,183 2,323 Goodwill and other Intangible assets 1,508 1,042 Non-current investments 1,105 1,404 Unbilled revenue 301 213 Other non-current assets 956 819 Total non-current assets 6,053 5,801 Total assets 16,291 16,523 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Trade payables 429 474 Unearned revenue 988 880 Employee benefit obligations 336 314 Other current liabilities and provisions 3,050 2,983 Total current liabilities 4,803 4,651 Non-current liabilities Lease liabilities 667 767 Other non-current liabilities 465 500 Total non-current liabilities 1,132 1,267 Total liabilities 5,935 5,918 Total equity attributable to equity holders of the company 10,307 10,559 Non-controlling interests 49 46 Total equity 10,356 10,605 Total liabilities and equity 16,291 16,523 Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated statement of Comprehensive Income under IFRS for: (Dollars in millions except per equity share data) 3 months ended December 31, 2024 3 months ended December 31, 2023 9 months ended December 31, 2024 9 months ended December 31, 2023 Revenues 4,939 4,663 14,547 13,997 Cost of sales 3,444 3,274 10,103 9,755 Gross profit 1,495 1,389 4,444 4,242 Operating expenses: Selling and marketing expenses 218 204 671 633 Administrative expenses 224 229 693 692 Total operating expenses 442 433 1,364 1,325 Operating profit 1,053 956 3,080 2,917 Other income, net (3) 90 79 249 196 Profit before income taxes 1,143 1,035 3,329 3,113 Income tax expense 337 301 981 904 Net profit (before minority interest) 806 734 2,348 2,209 Net profit (after minority interest) 804 733 2,345 2,208 Basic EPS ($) 0.19 0.18 0.57 0.53 Diluted EPS ($) 0.19 0.18 0.56 0.53 NOTES : The above information is extracted from the audited condensed consolidated Balance sheet and Statement of Comprehensive Income for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2024 , which have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on January 16, 2025 . A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the Company can be downloaded from www.infosys.com. Other income is net of Finance Cost. As the quarter and nine months ended figures are taken from the source and rounded to the nearest digits, the quarter figures in this statement added up to the figures reported for the previous quarter might not always add up to the nine months ended figures reported in this statement. IFRS-INR Press Release : https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2024-2025/q3/documents/ifrs-inr-press-release.pdf Fact sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2024-2025/q3/documents/fact-sheet.pdf Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg SOURCE Infosys TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - INOVAIT, the Canadian image-guided therapy (IGT) and artificial intelligence (AI) network, is opening a call for applications for its Pilot Fund. The INOVAIT Pilot Fund is a reimbursement-based funding program to support collaborative research and development (R&D) projects that apply AI, machine learning, or big data to IGT technologies. The Pilot Fund aims to help initiate the most promising IGT-AI projects to help improve patient outcomes and fuel economic development in Canada. This funding supports short-term IGT-AI commercialization-oriented R&D projects. Applying organizations can request up to $150,000 of non-dilutive investment, with INOVAIT contributing up to one-third of eligible supported costs in reimbursement funding. To date, the INOVAIT Pilot Fund has committed just under $8M to support 65 IGT-AI projects across the country. Pilot Fund projects are selected based on their ability to demonstrate exceptional scientific, clinical, and technical merit, and their potential for high commercialization and economic impact. "The INOVAIT Pilot Fund is a proven medtech advancement program that accelerates the commercialization of Canada's most innovative and impactful medical technologies," states Kullervo Hynynen, Co-Executive Director of INOVAIT. "With each new round of the Pilot Fund, our enthusiasm grows as we discover and support groundbreaking medical technologies emerging from Canada's leading companies, hospitals and universities." Funding for INOVAIT is provided through the Government of Canada's Strategic Innovation Fund. This competition is open to Canadian corporations, academic institutions, hospitals, and not-for-profit organizations. To learn more about this funding opportunity, visit www.inovait.ca/funding. Interested applicants can apply by registering with the INOVAIT Funding Portal at http://inovait.smartsimple.ca. Interested parties must submit their proposal through this portal between February 5, 2025, and April 2, 2025. INOVAIT will host an online information session on February 12, 2025, at 2:30 pm Eastern Standard Time. Interested applicants are encouraged to register for this webinar to learn more about this unique funding opportunity. You can register for the webinar at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_HXlB_VMZRkaR7VsrFCH7EQ. The live webinar will be hosted in English only. A recording, with both English and French captioning, will be available after the webinar at https://www.youtube.com/@INOVAITCanada. About INOVAIT INOVAIT is Canada's image-guided therapy (IGT) and artificial intelligence (AI) membership network. INOVAIT supports Canadian IGT companies and academic institutions to develop and commercialize cutting-edge IGT technologies enhanced by AI. Through funding, networking, and training, the network builds upon Canada's strength in digital innovation, biomedical engineering, and clinical research to collaboratively assemble a critical mass of world-leading Canadian IGT companies and technologies. INOVAIT was established in 2020 by Sunnybrook Research Institute. INOVAIT is supported by the Government of Canada's Strategic Innovation Fund. About Sunnybrook Research Institute Sunnybrook Research Institute (SRI) is the research arm of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, an internationally recognized academic health sciences centre fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. With well-established programs in basic and applied sciences which span across three scientific platforms and ten clinical programs, SRI is developing innovations in care for the more than 1.3 million patients the hospital cares for annually. SOURCE INOVAIT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE, Va., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jess Chattin Management Co. is thrilled to announce Tyler Carlin as its new Sales and Marketing Manager. Tyler will focus on forging new brand relationships and connecting influencers and content creators with exciting partnerships that align with their unique personal brands, all expertly managed through Jess Chattin Management Co. Tyler Carlin, Sales & Marketing Manager at Chattin Management Co. Tyler brings a wealth of experience and creativity to the role. As the host of the Bacon and Eggs Podcast, Tyler has demonstrated exceptional consistency, innovation, and dedication, resulting in over 2 million downloads. His background in sales and marketing has honed his ability to turn ideas into measurable results, a skill set he is eager to apply to helping influencers secure meaningful partnerships. "Connecting with Tyler was a big winhe's incredibly well-connected and deeply understands the business inside and out. That's exactly what our clients and team need," said Jess Chattin, CEO and Chief Talent Officer. In his new role, Tyler will focus on reaching out to brands and building partnerships that resonate with each influencer's niche. This strategic approach will allow Jess Chattin Management Co. to onboard more influencers and expand its reach, benefiting clients and collaborators alike. "I'm excited to be joining a company that's dedicated to helping people grow," said Tyler. "I know how much work goes into building a platform, and I'm thrilled to help influencers get the opportunities they deserve. It's great to be part of a team that truly cares about its clients." "This is a significant step for us," added Jess. "We're doubling down on helping influencers succeed, and Tyler is a key part of that vision." About Jess Chattin Management Co. Jess Chattin Management Co. connects influencers with brands to create authentic, impactful partnerships. Led by Jess Chattin, who has built a reputation for trust and authenticity across the industry, the company simplifies life for content creators. From staying organized to negotiating fair deals, Jess Chattin Management Co. handles the details so creators can focus on what they do bestcreating. Based in Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, the company bridges the gap between brands and influencers, offering a personalized approach typically found in major media hubs like Los Angeles or New York City. Through its innovative efforts, Jess Chattin Management Co. continues to create opportunities that empower influencers and build lasting brand connections. Jess Chattin, Founder Jess Chattin Management Co. Phone: 540-516-4486 Email: [email protected] Website: jesschattin.com SOURCE Jess Chattin Management Co. WUHU, China, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- JETOUR, the fast-rising global automotive brand, has shattered industry records in 2024, achieving a remarkable 568,387 units in annual sales, marking an extraordinary 80.3% year-on-year growth. This outstanding performance positions JETOUR as a major player in the global SUV market, redefining the pace of success and setting a new standard for the automotive industry. From a promising startup six years ago to a global force, JETOUR is quickly reshaping global automotive landscape with innovative products, unmatched performance, and a customer-first approach. JETOUR Speed Takes Over Global Markets In 2024, JETOUR reached new heights in global markets, securing top rankings in the SUV sector in regions such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Peru. The JETOUR models have been lauded for their stylish designs, advanced technology, and superior performance, earning numerous accolades, including the "Recommended Model" from Chile's Recomendados Autocosmos 2024, as well as "Best Design" and "Best 7-Seater Car of the Year" awards in Egypt. JETOUR was also honored with the "2024 Red Dot Design Award", further establishing its reputation for excellence in automotive design. These achievements reflect JETOUR's commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative vehicles to global customers. JETOUR's growth is further evidenced by its expanding global footprint, now present in 65 countries with over 2,000 sales and service networks worldwide. With a fast-growing international presence, JETOUR has solidified its position as a globally recognized brand, offering products that cater to both everyday drivers and adventurous travelers. Innovative Products Tailored for Global Travelers JETOUR is always committed to meeting the needs of global travelers. The T2, JETOUR's first light off-road vehicle launched in early 2024, has captured the attention of consumers in markets like the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. With its sleek design and high-performance off-road capabilities, the T2 has quickly become a favorite among those seeking an exciting yet practical vehicle for their travels. As part of its sustainability efforts, JETOUR also unveiled the T2 i-DM hybrid model in December 2024, integrating advanced hybrid technology to offer a greener driving experience while maintaining JETOUR's signature performance. This hybrid model reflects JETOUR's commitment to reducing environmental impact while still delivering an exciting driving experience for customers seeking sustainable travel solutions. Building the International Traveler Community JETOUR's dedication to its customers goes beyond just providing vehiclesit is about building a lasting connection with travelers. The "Traveler" community was introduced to global users to share experiences and enjoy exclusive benefits. The platform offers global warranty services, exclusive travel perks, and a community where JETOUR users can exchange stories of their adventures. In 2024, JETOUR hosted its inaugural International Fan Festival in Qatar. The event highlighted JETOUR's commitment to fostering a strong, interconnected community of global travelers who share a love for adventure. Further strengthening its customer services, JETOUR established a large spare parts warehouse in Dubai, ensuring efficient after-sales services for customers across the Middle East. JETOUR's customer-first philosophy extends to its enhanced service offerings, ensuring a reliable ownership experience for customers worldwide. Global Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives In addition to its commercial success, JETOUR has remained deeply committed to social responsibility and community impact. In 2024, the company undertook several key initiatives, including rural road development in Kazakhstan to improve transportation for local communities, book donations for children in Saudi Arabia to support education, and a partnership with the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) to support cheetah conservation efforts in Africa. These efforts underscore JETOUR's dedication to making a positive and lasting impact on the communities it serves, further solidifying its reputation as a socially responsible brand that cares for both people and the planet. Looking Ahead: JETOUR's Vision for 2025 Looking ahead to 2025, JETOUR is set to expand its "Travel+" concept, offering even more tailored and personalized travel experiences for its customers. JETOUR aims for its leadership in the hybrid off-road vehicle segment, with various hybrid models set to launch in the coming years. These models will offer adventurers a sustainable way to explore the world without compromising on performance. JETOUR's expansion efforts will also focus on strengthening its global networks, ensuring that its innovative products and top-tier services reach even more consumers across the globe. "JETOUR's record-breaking performance in 2024 is a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction," said Mr. Ke Chuandeng, Vice President of JETOUR Auto. "As we look toward 2025 and beyond, we are excited to continue empowering global travelers with cutting-edge vehicles and unique travel experiences that enhance their journeys." SOURCE Jetour DALLAS, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Best Companies Group has named Lane Gorman Trubitt a recipient of an inaugural Best Companies Group's America's Best Workplaces in 2025 Award. The awards are held in partnership with BridgeTower Media. Best Companies Group's America's Best Workplaces Awards identify, recognize, and honor the best places of employment across the United States. It is a celebration of excellence in company culture that honors numerous employers and ranks the Top 10 workplaces in small, medium, and large business categories. Winners were previously recognized by Best Companies Group in at least one other data-driven recognition program. "We are honored to be recognized as an America's Best Workplaces winner by Best Companies Group," stated Dawn Moeder, Managing Member of LGT. "This award reflects the incredible culture our team has built - rooted in collaboration, growth, and genuine care for one another, where every individual feels empowered to succeed and make a difference. At LGT, we know that when our people thrive, our clients and communities do too." Best Companies Group managed the overall registration and survey process and also analyzed the data and used their expertise to determine the final rankings. About Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC With offices in Dallas and Houston, Lane Gorman Trubitt, LLC (LGT), a proudly Texas-based firm, was established in 1950. The firm, which is committed to helping the middle market, represents a wide spectrum of clients in many different sectors, from individuals to privately-held companies to not-for-profit organizations. In addition to a range of additional specialized services, LGT provides traditional accounting, audit/assurance, consulting, and tax services. The two affiliated companies, LGT Financial Advisors, LLC and LGT Insurance Services Inc. were established by the firm in an effort to continuously expand the range of services offered to its valued clientele. To learn more, visit www.lgt-cpa.com. For more information, press only: Darla Shaler, Marketing Coordinator, LGT (214) 871-7500 or [email protected] SOURCE Lane Gorman Trubitt NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Burford Capital, the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law, today releases its latest Burford Quarterly, a journal of legal finance that explores top trends at the nexus of law and finance. This Burford Quarterly examines the innovative ways in which businesses and law firms are reimagining their financial strategies around commercial disputes. Examples of this include law firms using creative billing structures as alternatives to hourly fees; companies choosing to opt out of litigation to maximize and accelerate recoveries; or businesses monetizing IP assets, allowing for continued investment in other vital areas of the business. Articles in the Burford Quarterly No.1 2025 include: The innovation engine: Legal finance for forward-thinking law firms As law firms launch into 2025, a year that promises continued disruption and opportunity, innovation is not a choiceit's an imperative. Forward-thinking firms are reimagining their financial strategies, moving beyond traditional models to embrace legal finance as a critical tool for transformation. In this article, Travis Lenkner and Emily Slater explore innovative ways legal finance is helping firms solve pressing challenges and accelerate growth. Healthcare antitrust opt-outs: Improving liquidity by monetizing valuable legal claims An increasing number of healthcare businesses are recognizing the value that legal finance provides in helping to mitigate the financial strain of high-cost litigation and expedite recoveries in high-stakes litigation. Ahead of a March 2025 opt-out deadline for claimants in the Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) antitrust class actions, Charles Griffin summarizes insights from a recent webcast in which experts from Burford and Paul Hastings presented factors hospital networks and providers should consider in weighing their options. Legal finance and life sciences: Unlocking IP potential in pharma, biotech and medical devices Innovation in Europe's life sciences and pharmaceutical sectors is vital, but long R&D cycles and short profit windows pose challenges. Joshua Harris explains how legal finance helps companies protect and monetize IP assets, enabling continued investment in life-saving technologies. International arbitration in London : Next-Gen leaders' perspective Geoff Nicholas , Christiane Deniger and James MacKinnon lead a Burford roundtable with London -based arbitration lawyers. Partners from A&O Shearman, Debevoise & Plimpton, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner and Freshfields share their insights on key trends and challenges shaping international arbitration, including the use of technology and AI and arbitral efficiency. Aviva Will, President of Burford Capital, says: "While the legal industry may be slow to evolve, legal finance is a powerful tool to drive innovation in the business of law. This issue of the Burford Quarterly highlights key trends in commercial litigation and arbitration in 2025 and shows how litigation funding continues to shape the legal industry. By providing capital and mitigating risk, funding removes barriers for businesses and facilitates growth, and the latest Quarterly brings insights, analysis and real-world examples of tools to help business executives, GCs, CLOs and law firm attorneys recognize and harness the full potential of finance for law." About Burford Capital Burford Capital is the leading global finance and asset management firm focused on law. Its businesses include litigation finance and risk management, asset recovery and a wide range of legal finance and advisory activities. Burford is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: BUR) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: BUR), and it works with companies and law firms around the world from its offices in New York, London, Chicago, Washington, DC, Singapore, Dubai and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit www.burfordcapital.com. This announcement does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any ordinary shares or other securities of Burford. SOURCE Burford Capital As you know, the shareholders of Power Nickel Inc. ("Power Nickel" or the "Company") held their Annual General and Special Meeting on November 22, 2024 (the "AGSM"). During the AGSM, the shareholders approved a special resolution for a plan of arrangement whereby the Company will spin-out its Golden Ivan property and certain Chilean exploration assets to Chilean Metals Inc. ("Chilean Metals" or "Spinco"), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (collectively, the "Arrangement"). On November 27, 2024, the Company obtained a final order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia approving of the Arrangement. Further to the Company's press release dated December 5, 2024, the Company expects that the Arrangement will become effective around January 31, 2025 or shortly thereafter. The Company will issue a further news release confirming the effective date of the Arrangement (the "Effective Date") and relevant date for which Power Nickel shareholders of record will receive, for each Power Nickel common share (a "Power Nickel Share") held: (a) one new common share of Power Nickel (a "New Power Nickel Share"); and (b) 0.05 of one Spinco common share (each whole common share, a "Spinco Share"). Outstanding stock options to purchase Power Nickel Shares will also be adjusted pursuant to the Arrangement, such that the holders of options will receive new options to purchase New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares, as described in more detail in the Company's information circular dated October 21, 2024 (the "Information Circular"). As set out in the Information Circular, Power Nickel has chosen to deal with its outstanding warrants for Power Nickel Shares outside of the Arrangement and under contractual adjustment provisions in the warrant certificates. The Company's transfer agent, Endeavor Trust Corporation, will act as depositary for the Arrangement (the "Depositary"). Additional information regarding the terms of the Arrangement, including a summary of the terms and conditions of the arrangement agreement, is set out in the Information Circular, which is filed under Power Nickel's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Management of the Company wishes to provide updated guidance to the Company's shareholders with respect to the procedures to exchange their Power Nickel Shares for New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares in advance of the Arrangement becoming effective. To assist in the understanding of why the Board has taken this step and to communicate in a less legalese way, please watch the following video which helps explain our thinking and the process. We recommend you watch this and act on our recommendations as soon as possible. Procedure to Exchange Power Nickel Shares The procedure for a shareholder to exchange their Power Nickel Shares for New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares depends on how their Power Nickel Shares are issued and registered. Shareholders that hold any Power Nickel Shares directly with the Company in their name (a "Registered Shareholder") should refer to the section below entitled "Registered Shareholders" for information concerning the procedure to exchange those Power Nickel Shares. Please note it is possible for a Registered Shareholder to also qualify as a "Non-Registered Shareholder". A Non-Registered Shareholder is a shareholder that owns Power Nickel Shares which are not registered in their legal name and are instead registered in the name of a nominee or intermediary, such as: (a) a brokerage firm, bank, trust company, brokerage firm, trustee or administrator of a self-administered RRSP, RRIF, RESP, TFSA, FHSA or similar plan or a clearing agency (an "Intermediary"); or (b) in the name of a depositary, such as CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. ("CDS & Co.") or the Depository Trust Company ("DTC"), of which the Intermediary is a participant. If you qualify as a Non-Registered Shareholder, please refer to the section below entitled "Non-Registered Shareholders" for information concerning the procedure to exchange Power Nickel Shares held in the name of an Intermediary or other depositary of which the Intermediary is a participant. Registered Shareholders The procedure to exchange Power Nickel Shares held by Registered Shareholders depends on whether their Power Nickel Shares are issued in: A certificated format, such as a share certificate evidencing Power Nickel Shares (" Certificated Shares "), in which case the Registered Shareholder is referred to the below section entitled " (1) Certificated Shares " for more information. "), in which case the Registered Shareholder is referred to the below section entitled " " for more information. An uncertificated format, such as a Direct Registration System advice statement (a " DRS Advice ") evidencing Power Nickel Shares (" Uncertificated Shares "), in which case the Registered Shareholder is referred to the below section entitled " (2) Uncertificated Shares " for more information. ") evidencing Power Nickel Shares (" "), in which case the Registered Shareholder is referred to the below section entitled " " for more information. In both certificated and uncertificated format (e.g., the Registered Shareholder has both share certificate(s) and DRS Advice(s) evidencing Power Nickel Shares), in which case the Registered Shareholder is referred to the below sections entitled "(1) Certificated Shares" and "(2) Uncertificated Shares" for more information. (1) Certificated Shares For a Registered Shareholder that holds Certificated Shares (below, a "Certificated Shareholder"), Power Nickel, through the Depositary, will mail a letter of transmittal (the "Letter of Transmittal") in respect of such Certificated Shares to each Certificated Shareholder, which will be used by the Certificated Shareholder to exchange their Certificated Shares for a share certificate or DRS Advice representing their New Power Nickel Shares and a DRS Advice representing their Spinco Shares. As soon as practicable following the Effective Date, such Certificated Shareholder must submit his/her/its Power Nickel Shares which are Certificated Shares to the Depositary with a duly completed Letter of Transmittal in order to receive their New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares in exchange for such Certificated Shares. Thereafter, the Depositary will cause to be delivered to such Certificated Shareholders, in accordance with the Letter of Transmittal, a share certificate or DRS Advice representing the New Power Nickel Shares and a DRS Advice representing the aggregate Spinco Shares to which such Certificated Shareholders are entitled to receive in exchange for their Certificated Shares. Until such Certificated Shares are exchanged by the Certificated Shareholder with the Depositary by using the Letter of Transmittal in accordance with the terms and conditions thereof, each share certificate representing Power Nickel Shares issued prior to the Effective Date will, after the Effective Date, represent only the right of the Certificated Shareholder to receive, upon surrender to the Depositary of the Certificated Shares in accordance with the Letter of Transmittal, a share certificate or DRS Advice representing the New Power Nickel Shares and a DRS Advice representing the Spinco Shares to which such Certificated Shareholder is entitled to receive in exchange for such Certificated Shares. If any Certificated Shareholder fails to deliver to the Depositary their Certificated Shares and all other required documents required to be delivered pursuant to the terms of the Letter of Transmittal on or before the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Effective Date, then on the sixth (6th) anniversary of the Effective Date: (a) such Certificated Shareholder will be deemed to have donated and forfeited to Power Nickel or its successor any New Power Nickel Shares or Spinco Shares held by the Depositary in trust for such Certificated Shareholders; and (b) any certificate representing Power Nickel Shares held by the Certificated Shareholder will cease to represent a claim of any nature whatsoever and will be deemed to have been surrendered to Power Nickel and will be cancelled. (2) Uncertificated Shares For a Registered Shareholder that holds Uncertificated Shares, the completion and submission of a Letter of Transmittal to the Depositary is not required to exchange such Uncertificated Shares for New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares. A Registered Shareholder will receive New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares in exchange for such Uncertificated Shares by way of DRS Advices evidencing the New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares to which they are entitled in exchange for such Uncertificated Shares. The distribution of such DRS Advices to the Registered Shareholders, in exchange for the applicable Uncertificated Shares, will occur automatically on the Effective Date as the Depositary will have custody of such New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares. Non-Registered Shareholders Alternatively, shareholders of the Company who qualify as "Non-Registered Shareholders" have a different procedure with respect to their Power Nickel Shares which are registered to an Intermediary or in the name of a depositary, such as CDS & Co., of which the Intermediary is a participant (the "Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares"). For a Non-Registered Shareholder, the New Power Nickel Shares and the Spinco Shares to which a Non-Registered Shareholder is entitled to receive in exchange for their Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares will be delivered to their Intermediary through the procedures in place for such purposes between CDS & Co., DTC or similar entities and such Intermediary. In particular, their Power Nickel Shares will be exchanged for: (a) New Power Nickel Shares using a permanent CUSIP; and (b) Spinco Shares using a temporary CUSIP assigned to the Spinco Shares for the purposes of facilitating the Arrangement. After completion of the Arrangement, due to the temporary nature of the CUSIP assigned to the Spinco Shares, the Spinco Shares will no longer be able to be registered in the name of a depositary, such as CDS & Co., of which an Intermediary is a participant. Accordingly, Intermediaries that hold Power Nickel Shares registered in the name of a depositary (e.g., CDS & Co. or DTC) of which they are a participant must obtain from the Depositary a DRS Advice representing the aggregate number of Spinco Shares to which all of the Intermediary's respective underlying Non-Registered Shareholders are entitled to receive in exchange for their Power Nickel Shares. Additionally, the Intermediary and its respective Non-Registered Shareholders may arrange to have such Spinco Shares re-registered either (1) directly in the name of its respective Non-Registered Shareholder, or (2) in the name of the Depositary to be held in a pooled trust account on behalf of the Non-Registered Shareholder. (1) Re-register the Spinco Shares directly in the name of a Non-Registered Shareholder For a Non-Registered Shareholder to have the Spinco Shares re-registered in their name, the following steps must be completed: (i) The Non-Registered Shareholder must complete and submit the attached stock power form (attached here as Schedule "B" ) or an acceptable instruction letter to their Intermediary. (ii) The Intermediary will then provide instructions to the Depositary to facilitate the re-registration of the Spinco Shares directly to the Non-Registered Shareholder's name as a Registered Shareholder. (2) Re-register the Spinco Shares in the name of the Depositary For a Non-Registered Shareholder to have the Spinco Shares re-registered in the name of the Depositary to hold the Spinco Shares in a pooled trust account on behalf of the Non-Registered Shareholder, the following steps must be completed: (i) The Non-Registered Shareholder must complete and submit the attached stock power form (attached here as Schedule "B" ) or an acceptable instruction letter to their Intermediary. (ii) The Intermediary will then provide instructions to the Depositary to facilitate the re-registration of the Spinco Shares directly to the Non-Registered Shareholder's name as a Registered Shareholder. (iii) The Non-Registered Shareholder must then complete and submit the attached stock power form (attached here as Schedule "C" ) to the Depositary to transfer the Spinco Shares from the Non-Registered Shareholder's name to the Depositary's pooled trust account. As soon as practicable following such process, the Depositary will cause to be delivered to the Intermediary or the Non-Registered Shareholders, as applicable, the DRS Advice(s) representing the aggregate Spinco Shares to which the applicable Intermediaries or Non-Registered Shareholders are entitled to receive in exchange for the applicable Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares. To facilitate the distribution of the Spinco Shares to Non-Registered Shareholders in exchange for their Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares, management of the Company advises that Non-Registered Shareholders send their Intermediary (or Intermediaries) a letter substantially in the form attached here as Schedule "A" requesting that their Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares be re-registered under their legal name, such that they become a "Registered Shareholder" holding Uncertificated Shares in advance of the Effective Date of the Arrangement. Please note that Non-Registered Shareholders who re-register such Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares will not be able to trade such Power Nickel Shares, or New Power Nickel Shares received in exchange, through the Intermediary unless such Power Nickel Shares, or New Power Nickel Shares received in exchange, are deposited back to the Intermediary. Company Report on Investigation into Improper Trading Activities Why does management provide this advice? Well, it's a long story. The objective of securities regulation is to protect investors from unfair, improper or fraudulent practices; to foster fair and efficient capital markets; and to reduce risks to the market's integrity and to investor confidence in the markets. Through our press release dated December 12, 2023, we have provided data of improper trading activities that has been used as evidence in 11 court cases that resulted in settlements for the plaintiff. We filed this data with appropriate authorities at FINRA and CIRO and other than acknowledgement letters, we heard nothing further. It is management's position that the review process on these complaints should be transparent and fulsome, and seek to uphold the objectives of securities regulation mentioned above. It is management's view that FINRA and CIRO have not properly investigated the complaints and the evidence submitted to them regarding improper trading activities. Nonetheless, this is our regulatory regime and pathway for recourse against possible naked short selling, other manipulative actions to lower share prices, and improper trading activity. This is something that Save Canadian Mining, an organization I founded with industry icons like Eric Sprott, Rob McEwen, and Keith Neumeyer, along with thousands of disgruntled investors are desperately trying to change. For more on Save Canadian Mining check out the following video where Terry Lynch and industry legend Eric Sprott and a number of legal and regulatory experts discuss the naked shorting problem: In addition, please watch the follow up video on the naked shorting issue and the identification of the SME Rule as the key regulation that needs change with Terry Lynch interviewed on Agoracom: While we are fighting this issue broadly with fellow miners, as the CEO of Power Nickel I am also fighting for our shareholders. Below is the monthly tally sheet from June 2024 to November 2024 on our common shares, created for the Company by Generation IACP, . The monthly tally sheet summaries below illustrate possible naked short selling as identified by following the trade balance sheets of the brokers trading our common shares. There are detailed daily and monthly records that break this out broker by broker. The possible naked short trades identified are out of the 50,562,796 traded on the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV") where we have the most comprehensive data. The Company is not able to correlate the alternative trading system (ATS) data with the anonymous trading. So approximately 29.5% of trading on the TSXV looks to potentially be naked shorts. We would expect the ATS trading to be potentially worse. In addition, the Company had a study conducted by Digital BD, Inc. of US trading data for Power Nickel Shares, which can be accessed here. The US data is considered to be a highly credible source in various legal disputes, including litigation involving short selling. The Canadian projection in the study relies on assumptions and is subject to certain qualifications and disclaimers as provided in the study. We consider the Generation IACP data more robust for a sense of the trading in Canadian markets. The only logical assumption is some way, some how millions of Power Nickel Shares in this seven month period alone have been sold but have not landed in any brokerage account. We couple this action and information with our successful drilling program as illustrated by cross section below from our recent press release dated December 18, 2024 on the Lion Zone: Legendary Mining All Star investors like Robert Friedland, Rob McEwen and Gina Rhinehart have invested because they see one of the most exciting mineral discoveries in recent years. Our shareholders ask us quite fairly: "why is there so much selling when the news is so good, why doesn't our stock perform better?" To us the black and white of it is somehow our system of trading is allowing the manufacture of counterfeit shares. Shares that do not have a DRS or share certificate associated with it. This selling suppresses and reverses stock price increases; it is evidence we believe of price manipulation. We believe this is accomplished through brokers allowing improper use of the Short Market Exempt (SME) Status. This status allows non-market makers to hit any bid with a sales order and not mark it as a short sale. Theoretically, they would need to complete the sale but Save Canadian Mining feels this is not happening in a compliant way. Trades are to be settled for a day. But who oversees this? I can't speak for the USA but in Canada it's not CIRO. If a trade is not settled in a day on a regular brokerage account a series of checks and balances come into play. This is not where the problem arises. SME trades have little to no checks and balances. CIRO only reviews failed trades. How are failed trades established for a SME trade? You won't believe the answer! A failed trade only happens when the bank that allowed it declares it as a failed trade. Not a great incentive to call a failed trade a failed trade. It's analogous to putting a fox in charge of the chicken house and trusting them on the security of the chickens. We believe that our research and data proves that there are counterfeit shares being traded; as management of Power Nickel, we feel it is incumbent on us to provide advice to our shareholders so they can best secure their Power Nickel Shares, as well as the New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares they should receive as part of the Arrangement. We have been working tirelessly with politicians, regulators and stock exchange officials on these matters and only because of the limited action and the overwhelming proof do we take this dramatic step to publicize our research and data. We know from working with Save Canadian Mining that Power Nickel is not the only company in this boat. Have you ever wondered why the TSXV is at or near all time lows despite commodity price increases? On a positive note, we believe industry and shareholders have only just begun to fight for our rights. We will use any and all lawful means to protect our shareholders and recover fair compensation for the damages caused, and additionally, where allowed, punitive damages. Our shareholders should take heart, and indeed shareholders of Canadian miners should take heart, because when we beat these malicious predatory naked short sellers we will see in our view the greatest mining boom in history. Join the fight, join Save Canadian Mining at https://savecanadianmining.com and support companies like Power Nickel as we fight to see our shareholders receive fair treatment. Power Nickel Engages Native Ads and Empire for Marketing Services In addition, the Company is please to announce that it entered into a service agreement with Native Ads, Inc. ("Native Ads") dated January 10, 2025 pursuant to which Native Ads will provide a marketing campaign for a total retainer of up to US$265,000, with a term of up to twelve months or until the retainer is depleted. Under the agreement, Native Ads will execute a comprehensive digital media advertising campaign for the Company, where approximately 75% of the campaign budget will be allocated to cost per click costs, media buying and content distribution, and search engine marketing. The remaining budget will be allocated for content creation, web development, advertising creative development, search engine optimization, campaign optimization, and reporting and data insights services. Native Ads is a full-service advertising agency based out of New York and Vancouver, BC. Native Ads and its principal Jon Malach are arms length to the Company and hold no interest, directly or indirectly, in the securities of the Company or any right to acquire such an interest. The engagement of Native Ads by the Company is subject to the approval of the TSXV. The Company has also entered into a service agreement with Empire Marketing Ventures LLC ("Empire") dated January 8, 2025 pursuant to which Empire will provide a market awareness campaign for a total retainer of up to US$150,000 with a term running until July 1, 2025. Under the agreement, Empire will provide services aimed at raising awareness, including articles, SMS and email campaigns, social media and digital media campaigns. Empire and its principals are independent of Power Nickel, operating at arm's length, and are not related parties. Neither Empire Market Ventures nor its principals hold any direct or indirect interest in Power Nickel's securities, nor do they have any right or intent to acquire such an interest. Empire is a full-service advertising agency based out of New York. The engagement of Empire by the Company is subject to the approval of the TSXV. About Power Nickel Inc. Power Nickel is a Canadian exploration company focusing on developing the High-Grade Nickel Copper PGM, Gold and Silver Nisk project into potentially Canada's next poly metallic mine. On February 1, 2021, Power Nickel (then called Chilean Metals) completed the acquisition of its option to acquire up to 80% of the Nisk project from Critical Elements Lithium Corp. (CRE: TSXV). The NISK property comprises a large land position (20 kilometres of strike length) with numerous high-grade intercepts. Power Nickel is focused on expanding the high-grade nickel-copper PGM, Gold and Silver mineralization with a series of drill programs designed to test the initial Nisk discovery zone, the Lion discovery zone and to explore the land package for adjacent potential poly metallic deposits. In addition to the Nisk project, Power Nickel owns significant land packages in British Colombia and Chile. Power Nickel is expected to finalize the reorganization of these assets in a related vehicle through the Arrangement. For further information, readers are encouraged to contact: Power Nickel Inc. The Canadian Venture Building 82 Richmond St East, Suite 202 Toronto, ON Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This message contains certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements" concerning the Company within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential," "indicates," "opportunity," "possible" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance, are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results or realities may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, without limitation, completion of the proposed Arrangement, the benefits of the Arrangement, the challenges created for naked short sellers and the Company's ability to combat malfeasance and improper trading activities, the creation of the greatest mining boom in history, are forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by Power Nickel, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors, both known and unknown, could cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements that are or may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and the parties have made assumptions and estimates based on or related to many of these factors. Such material risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, among others; the timing and completion of the Arrangement; whether TSXV and other regulatory approval of the Arrangement will be obtained; the benefits of the Arrangement; the cash and other assets and liabilities held by Spinco following the Arrangement; the ability to raise sufficient capital to fund its obligations under its property agreements going forward and conduct drilling and exploration; to maintain its mineral tenures and concessions in good standing; to explore and develop its projects; changes in economic conditions or financial markets; the inherent hazards associated with mineral exploration and mining operations; future prices of nickel and other metals; changes in general economic conditions; accuracy of mineral resource and reserve estimates; the potential for new discoveries; the ability of the Company to obtain the necessary permits and consents required to explore, drill and develop the projects and if accepted, to obtain such licenses and approvals in a timely fashion relative to the Company's plans and business objectives for the applicable project; the general ability of the Company to monetize its mineral resources; and changes in environmental and other laws or regulations that could have an impact on the Company's operations, compliance with environmental laws and regulations, dependence on key management personnel and general competition in the mining industry. SCHEDULE "A" [Your Name] [Your Address] [City, Province, Postal Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date] [Intermediary's Name] [Intermediary's Address] [City, Province/State, Postal/ZIP Code] [Attention: Chief Financial Officer] Dear [Intermediary's Name] (the "Intermediary"), Re: Procedure for Exchange of Power Nickel Shares and Request to Transfer I am writing to inform the Intermediary about the procedure for the exchange of common shares ("Power Nickel Shares") in the authorized capital of Power Nickel Inc. ("Power Nickel" or the "Company"), for new common shares in Power Nickel ("New Power Nickel Shares") and common shares in Chilean Metals Inc. ("Spinco Shares") in connection with the plan of arrangement of the Company (the "Arrangement"), which is expected to become effective on January 31, 2025 or shortly thereafter (the "Effective Date"). Additional information regarding the terms of the Arrangement is set out in the Company's information circular dated October 21, 2024 (the "Information Circular"), which is filed under Power Nickel's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. Additional information concerning the procedure for the exchange of Power Nickel Shares for New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares is set out in the Company's news release dated January 16, 2024. In connection with the Arrangement, I request that the Power Nickel Shares that [insert name of beneficial holder] beneficially owns and which are registered in the name of the Intermediary, be transferred or re-registered such that the Power Nickel Shares are registered in the name of [insert name of beneficial holder] in advance of the Arrangement becoming effective. Please advise the undersigned of any additional steps or requirements which need to be completed in order for the Intermediary to transfer or re-register the Power Nickel Shares. Registered Shareholders Power Nickel, through Endeavor Trust Corporation (acting as the "Depositary" for the Arrangement), will mail a letter of transmittal to Power Nickel's registered shareholders holding certificated Power Nickel Shares ("Certificated Shareholders"). This letter of transmittal will be used to exchange their share certificate(s) representing Power Nickel Shares for a share certificate or Direct Registration System advice statement ("DRS advice") representing their New Power Nickel Shares and a DRS advice representing their Spinco Shares. Until exchanged, each share certificate representing Power Nickel Shares will, after the Effective Date, represent only the right to receive, upon surrender, share certificates or DRS advices representing the requisite numbers of New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares for a period of six (6) years from the Effective Date. As soon as practicable following the Effective Date, such Certificated Shareholder must submit their Power Nickel Shares to the Depositary with a duly completed letter of transmittal. Thereafter, the Depositary will cause to be delivered to such Certificated Shareholders, in accordance with the terms described in the letter of transmittal, share certificate(s) or DRS advice(s), as applicable, representing the aggregate New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares to which such Registered Shareholders are entitled following the Arrangement. Power Nickel's registered shareholders that hold Power Nickel Shares in an uncertificated format, such as a DRS advice, are not required to complete and submit a letter of transmittal to the Depositary in order to exchange their Power Nickel Shares represented by such DRS advice. Such Registered Shareholders will receive New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares in exchange for such Power Nickel Shares by way of a new DRS advice evidencing the New Power Nickel Shares and a DRS advice evidencing the Spinco Shares to which they are entitled in respect of such Power Nickel Shares. The distribution of such DRS advices to registered shareholders will occur automatically on the Effective Date as the Depositary will have custody of such New Power Nickel Shares and Spinco Shares. Non-Registered Shareholders Alternatively, shareholders of the Company ("Non-Registered Shareholders") who beneficially own Power Nickel Shares that are held in the name of the Intermediary or a depositary in which the Intermediary is a participant ("Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares") have a different transmittal process. The New Power Nickel Shares and the Spinco Shares to which a Non-Registered Shareholder is entitled to receive in exchange for their Non-Registered Power Nickel Shares will be delivered to their Intermediary through the procedures in place for such purposes between CDS Clearing and Depository Services Inc. ("CDS & Co."), the Depository Trust Company ("DTC") or similar entities and such Intermediary. In particular, their Power Nickel Shares will be exchanged for: (a) New Power Nickel Shares using a permanent CUSIP; and (b) Spinco Shares using a temporary CUSIP assigned to the Spinco Shares for the purposes of facilitating the Arrangement. After completion of the Arrangement, due to the temporary nature of the CUSIP assigned to the Spinco Shares, the Spinco Shares will no longer be able to be registered in the name of a depositary, such as CDS & Co. or DTC, of which the Intermediary may be a participant. Accordingly, if the Intermediary holds Power Nickel Shares registered in the name of a depositary of which it is a participant, the Intermediary must obtain from the Depositary a DRS Advice representing the aggregate number of Spinco Shares to which all of the Intermediary's respective underlying Non-Registered Shareholders are entitled to receive in exchange for their Power Nickel Shares. Alternatively, the Intermediary and its respective Non-Registered Shareholders may arrange to have such Spinco Shares issued directly in the name of each Non-Registered Shareholder, or in the name of the Depositary which will hold such Spinco Shares in a pooled trust account on behalf of such Non-Registered Shareholders. As soon as practicable following such process, the Depositary will cause to be delivered to the Intermediary or the Non-Registered Shareholders, as applicable, the DRS Advice(s) representing the aggregate Spinco Shares to which the Intermediary or Non-Registered Shareholders are entitled to receive in. To facilitate the distribution of the Spinco Shares to Non-Registered Shareholders, management of the Company advised Non-Registered Shareholders to request their respective intermediaries to transfer or re-register the Power Nickel Shares held through intermediaries into their legal name, such that they become a "Registered Shareholder" in advance of the Effective Date of the Arrangement. As a result, we request commencing the process to transfer and re-register the Power Nickel Shares in the name of the undersigned Non-Registered Shareholder, the beneficial holder of Power Nickel Shares registered in the name of the Intermediary, in advance of the Effective Date. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, [insert name of beneficial holder] SCHEDULE "B" SCHEDULE "C" SOURCE Power Nickel Inc. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A suite of NASA scientific investigations and technology demonstrations is on its way to our nearest celestial neighbor aboard a commercial spacecraft, where they will provide insights into the Moon's environment and test technologies to support future astronauts landing safely on the lunar surface under the agency's Artemis campaign. Creating a golden streak in the night sky, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission One lander soars upward after liftoff from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 as part of NASA's CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative. The Blue Ghost lander will carry 10 NASA science and technology instruments to the lunar surface to further understand the Moon and help prepare for future human missions. Carrying science and tech on Firefly Aerospace's first CLPS or Commercial Lunar Payload Services flight for NASA, Blue Ghost Mission 1 launched at 1:11 a.m. EST aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The company is targeting a lunar landing on Sunday, March 2. "This mission embodies the bold spirit of NASA's Artemis campaign a campaign driven by scientific exploration and discovery," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy. "Each flight we're part of is vital step in the larger blueprint to establish a responsible, sustained human presence at the Moon, Mars, and beyond. Each scientific instrument and technology demonstration brings us closer to realizing our vision. Congratulations to the NASA, Firefly, and SpaceX teams on this successful launch." Once on the Moon, NASA will test and demonstrate lunar drilling technology, regolith (lunar rocks and soil) sample collection capabilities, global navigation satellite system abilities, radiation tolerant computing, and lunar dust mitigation methods. The data captured could also benefit humans on Earth by providing insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces impact our home planet. "NASA leads the world in space exploration, and American companies are a critical part of bringing humanity back to the Moon," said Nicola Fox, associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters in Washington. "We learned many lessons during the Apollo Era which informed the technological and science demonstrations aboard Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 ensuring the safety and health of our future science instruments, spacecraft, and, most importantly, our astronauts on the lunar surface. I am excited to see the incredible science and technological data Firefly's Blue Ghost Mission 1 will deliver in the days to come." As part of NASA's modern lunar exploration activities, CLPS deliveries to the Moon will help humanity better understand planetary processes and evolution, search for water and other resources, and support long-term, sustainable human exploration of the Moon in preparation for the first human mission to Mars. There are 10 NASA payloads flying on this flight: Lunar Instrumentation for Subsurface Thermal Exploration with Rapidity (LISTER) will characterize heat flow from the interior of the Moon by measuring the thermal gradient and conductivity of the lunar subsurface. It will take several measurements to about a 10-foot final depth using pneumatic drilling technology with a custom heat flow needle instrument at its tip. Lead organization: Texas Tech University will characterize heat flow from the interior of the Moon by measuring the thermal gradient and conductivity of the lunar subsurface. It will take several measurements to about a 10-foot final depth using pneumatic drilling technology with a custom heat flow needle instrument at its tip. Lead organization: Lunar PlanetVac (LPV) is designed to collect regolith samples from the lunar surface using a burst of compressed gas to drive the regolith into a sample chamber for collection and analysis by various instruments. Additional instrumentation will then transmit the results back to Earth. Lead organization: Honeybee Robotics is designed to collect regolith samples from the lunar surface using a burst of compressed gas to drive the regolith into a sample chamber for collection and analysis by various instruments. Additional instrumentation will then transmit the results back to Earth. Lead organization: Honeybee Robotics Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector (NGLR) serves as a target for lasers on Earth to precisely measure the distance between Earth and the Moon. The retroreflector that will fly on this mission could also collect data to understand various aspects of the lunar interior and address fundamental physics questions. Lead organization: University of Maryland serves as a target for lasers on Earth to precisely measure the distance between Earth and the Moon. The retroreflector that will fly on this mission could also collect data to understand various aspects of the lunar interior and address fundamental physics questions. Lead organization: Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC) will determine how lunar regolith sticks to a range of materials exposed to the Moon's environment throughout the lunar day. The RAC instrument will measure accumulation rates of lunar regolith on the surfaces of several materials including solar cells, optical systems, coatings, and sensors through imaging to determine their ability to repel or shed lunar dust. The data captured will allow the industry to test, improve, and protect spacecraft, spacesuits, and habitats from abrasive regolith. Lead organization: Aegis Aerospace will determine how lunar regolith sticks to a range of materials exposed to the Moon's environment throughout the lunar day. The RAC instrument will measure accumulation rates of lunar regolith on the surfaces of several materials including solar cells, optical systems, coatings, and sensors through imaging to determine their ability to repel or shed lunar dust. The data captured will allow the industry to test, improve, and protect spacecraft, spacesuits, and habitats from abrasive regolith. Lead organization: Aegis Aerospace Radiation Tolerant Computer (RadPC) will demonstrate a computer that can recover from faults caused by ionizing radiation. Several RadPC prototypes have been tested aboard the International Space Station and Earth-orbiting satellites, but now will demonstrate the computer's ability to withstand space radiation as it passes through Earth's radiation belts, while in transit to the Moon, and on the lunar surface. Lead organization: Montana State University will demonstrate a computer that can recover from faults caused by ionizing radiation. Several RadPC prototypes have been tested aboard the International Space Station and Earth-orbiting satellites, but now will demonstrate the computer's ability to withstand space radiation as it passes through Earth's radiation belts, while in transit to the Moon, and on the lunar surface. Lead organization: Electrodynamic Dust Shield (EDS) is an active dust mitigation technology that uses electric fields to move and prevent hazardous lunar dust accumulation on surfaces. The EDS technology is designed to lift, transport, and remove particles from surfaces with no moving parts. Multiple tests will demonstrate the feasibility of the self-cleaning glasses and thermal radiator surfaces on the Moon. In the event the surfaces do not receive dust during landing, EDS has the capability to re-dust itself using the same technology. Lead organization: NASA's Kennedy Space Center is an active dust mitigation technology that uses electric fields to move and prevent hazardous lunar dust accumulation on surfaces. The EDS technology is designed to lift, transport, and remove particles from surfaces with no moving parts. Multiple tests will demonstrate the feasibility of the self-cleaning glasses and thermal radiator surfaces on the Moon. In the event the surfaces do not receive dust during landing, EDS has the capability to re-dust itself using the same technology. Lead organization: NASA's Lunar Environment heliospheric X-ray Imager (LEXI) will capture a series of X-ray images to study the interaction of solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field that drives geomagnetic disturbances and storms. Deployed and operated on the lunar surface, this instrument will provide the first global images showing the edge of Earth's magnetic field for critical insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces surrounding our planet impact it. Lead organizations: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Boston University , and Johns Hopkins University will capture a series of X-ray images to study the interaction of solar wind and the Earth's magnetic field that drives geomagnetic disturbances and storms. Deployed and operated on the lunar surface, this instrument will provide the first global images showing the edge of Earth's magnetic field for critical insights into how space weather and other cosmic forces surrounding our planet impact it. Lead organizations: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, , and Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) will characterize the structure and composition of the Moon's mantle by measuring electric and magnetic fields. This investigation will help determine the Moon's temperature structure and thermal evolution to understand how the Moon has cooled and chemically differentiated since it formed. Lead organization: Southwest Research Institute will characterize the structure and composition of the Moon's mantle by measuring electric and magnetic fields. This investigation will help determine the Moon's temperature structure and thermal evolution to understand how the Moon has cooled and chemically differentiated since it formed. Lead organization: Southwest Research Institute Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment (LuGRE) will demonstrate the possibility of acquiring and tracking signals from Global Navigation Satellite System constellations, specifically GPS and Galileo, during transit to the Moon, during lunar orbit, and on the lunar surface. If successful, LuGRE will be the first pathfinder for future lunar spacecraft to use existing Earth-based navigation constellations to autonomously and accurately estimate their position, velocity, and time. Lead organizations: NASA Goddard, Italian Space Agency will demonstrate the possibility of acquiring and tracking signals from Global Navigation Satellite System constellations, specifically GPS and Galileo, during transit to the Moon, during lunar orbit, and on the lunar surface. If successful, LuGRE will be the first pathfinder for future lunar spacecraft to use existing Earth-based navigation constellations to autonomously and accurately estimate their position, velocity, and time. Lead organizations: NASA Goddard, Italian Space Agency Stereo Camera for Lunar Plume-Surface Studies (SCALPSS) will use stereo imaging photogrammetry to capture the impact of rocket plume on lunar regolith as the lander descends on the Moon's surface. The high-resolution stereo images will aid in creating models to predict lunar regolith erosion, which is an important task as bigger, heavier payloads are delivered to the Moon in close proximity to each other. This instrument also flew on Intuitive Machine's first CLPS delivery. Lead organization: NASA's Langley Research Center "With 10 NASA science and technology instruments launching to the Moon, this is the largest CLPS delivery to date, and we are proud of the teams that have gotten us to this point," said Chris Culbert, program manager for the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. "We will follow this latest CLPS delivery with more in 2025 and later years. American innovation and interest to the Moon continues to grow, and NASA has already awarded 11 CLPS deliveries and plans to continue to select two more flights per year." Firefly's Blue Ghost lander is targeted to land near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium, a more than 300-mile-wide basin located in the northeast quadrant of the Moon's near side. The NASA science on this flight will gather valuable scientific data studying Earth's nearest neighbor and helping pave the way for the first Artemis astronauts to explore the lunar surface later this decade. Learn more about NASA's CLPS initiative at: https://www.nasa.gov/clps SOURCE NASA New CEO James Park Delivers First Presentation at J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on "Advancing as a Global CDMO Leader" Unveiling of Next-Generation ADC Platform 'SoluFlex Link': Enabling High-Potency, High-Yield ADC Development and Manufacturing Incheon Songdo Bio Campus Plant 1 Under Construction, Targeting Commercial Production by 2027 SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- LOTTE BIOLOGICS (CEO James Park) announced on January 16 that it had presented at the "Asia-Pacific (APAC)" track of the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPMHC). James Park, CEO, presenting at 2025 JPMHC The 2025 J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference, now in its 43rd year, is the largest event in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Held in San Francisco, it runs from January 13 to 16 and brings together global pharmaceutical companies, biotech ventures, and healthcare investment professionals to discuss research and development (R&D), investment opportunities, and partnerships. In his presentation, CEO James Park highlighted the successful transformation of the Syracuse Bio Campus in New York into a CDMO facility and outlined the vision for the Songdo Bio Campus. Notably, he unveiled the company's innovative proprietary ADC platform, SoluFlex Link, and announced plans to collaborate with drug product partners in North America to provide a comprehensive one-stop ADC service. Through these initiatives, he expressed LOTTE BIOLOGICS' ambition to accelerate its growth in the global CDMO market. SoluFlex Link is a proprietary ADC platform featuring a linker technology jointly developed by LOTTE BIOLOGICS and Kanaph Therapeutics, a biotech venture specializing in drug-conjugation technology. SoluFlex Link overcomes the major challenge of instability in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics. Its flexible design supports compatibility with a wide range of antibodies and payloads, empowering ADC developers to innovate with diverse applications. Additionally, the platform is engineered to boost both production efficiency and therapeutic performance, positioning it as an ideal solution for next-generation ADC development and manufacturing. Meanwhile, LOTTE BIOLOGICS' Syracuse Bio Campus received a flawless quality evaluation last year, with no findings reported during inspections by Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) and a routine audit by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). CEO Park emphasized, "Even after the acquisition of the facility, we have maintained a high-quality production system, demonstrating our capabilities as a global CDMO company." He explained that this served as an opportunity to demonstrate that LOTTE BIOLOGICS has established a global quality management system capable of producing high-quality biopharmaceuticals in compliance with international standards. In addition, construction of Plant 1 at the Songdo Bio Campus began in March last year, with a total investment of $1 billion. The facility is currently under active development, aiming to commence full-scale commercial production by 2027. CEO Park stated, "The Songdo Bio Campus Plant 1, scheduled for completion this year, will be a flexible, large-scale production facility equipped with an optimized operational system. By incorporating automated production processes and advanced manufacturing technologies, and leveraging the geographical advantages of Songdo and New York, we will maximize operational efficiency. We are committed to becoming a global company that not only ensures customer satisfaction but also achieves competitive quality standards." Yu-Yeol Shin, Vice President and Head of Global Strategy at LOTTE BIOLOGICS, also attended the J.P. Morgan Conference for the first time since his appointment in late 2023. During the event, he participated in presentation sessions by companies such as Roche, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), and BMS to gain insights into pharmaceutical and biotechnology trends. Additionally, alongside CEO James Park, he actively engaged in business and partnership meetings with global pharmaceutical companies and potential clients, demonstrating a strong commitment to advancing LOTTE Group's new biopharmaceutical business. [Appendix: Summary of CEO James Park's 2025 JPMHC Presentation] Unveiling of the Next-Generation ADC Platform 'SoluFlex Link' In this presentation, CEO James Park unveiled LOTTE BIOLOGICS' innovative ADC platform, SoluFlex Link, for the first time. SoluFlex Link is an ADC platform with the flexibility to be applied to most linkers and payloads used in ADCs, meeting the diverse needs of various clients. CEO Park explained, "SoluFlex Link enhances the hydrophilicity of ADCs, demonstrating improved efficacy in terms of in vivo performance, stability, productivity, and pharmacokinetics. This makes it an effective and accelerated drug development solution for next-generation ADC development and manufacturing." He added, "A key advantage is that the Syracuse Bio Campus in New York can meet a wide range of client needs, from clinical development-scale production to large-scale commercial manufacturing." Establishing ADC End-to-End Service Partnerships Additionally, it was emphasized that with the operation of the ADC conjugation facility in Syracuse, the launch of the SoluFlex Link platform, and partnerships for ADC drug product (DP) manufacturing, the company is now capable of providing end-to-end ADC services within North America. At the Syracuse Bio Campus, antibodies and ADC drug substances (DS) will be produced and supplied to drug product (DP) CDMO partners located on the East and West Coasts of the United States. The collaboration is structured to handle all stages of ADC drug development and production, from process development to manufacturing. Accelerating Construction of the Songdo Bio Campus with Targeted Commercial Production by 2027 LOTTE BIOLOGICS also shared updates on the progress of the large-scale biopharmaceutical production facility under construction at the Songdo Bio Campus. CEO Park stated, "The construction of Plant 1 is progressing smoothly, with the goal of commencing full-scale commercial production in 2027." In addition, the "TiterFlex Quad Bioreactor System," designed to meet the demand for high-titer drug production, is currently undergoing Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT). Alongside this, automation technologies are being implemented to enhance efficiency from raw material handling to production, with a strong focus on optimizing operational efficiency. About LOTTE BIOLOGICS Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, LOTTE BIOLOGICS was founded in 2022 with a mission to deliver therapies that contribute to a healthier world. At the Syracuse Bio Campus in New York, LOTTE BIOLOGICS provides high-quality GMP manufacturing services for drug substances. The facility offers a total production capacity of 40,000L, supported by eight 5,000L stainless steel bioreactors. Additionally, the campus includes extensive analytical QC testing laboratories and warehouse facilities that have received approval from over 62 regulatory agencies worldwide. LOTTE BIOLOGICS is also advancing into a new area of expertise with Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs) conjugation services, expected to be fully operational by early 2025. With over $80 million invested in ADC modalities, including both drug substance and conjugation capabilities on-site, we offer a seamless, end-to-end service from drug substance manufacturing to conjugation. Looking ahead to 2030, LOTTE BIOLOGICS is constructing three advanced bio plants in Songdo, South Korea. With construction of the first plant already underway and expected to be operational by 2027, each facility will feature eight 15,000L stainless steel bioreactors for large-scale commercial production, along with multiple 2,000L single-use bioreactors to meet clinical production needs. Collectively, these plants will provide a manufacturing volume exceeding 360,000L in bioreactor capacity. More information about LOTTE BIOLOGICS, please visit: www.lottebiologics.com SOURCE LOTTE BIOLOGICS Enables one of India's largest media houses to keep its print and broadcast operations running 24/7 with reliable IT infrastructure BENGALARU, India and SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hitachi Vantara, the data storage, infrastructure, and hybrid cloud management subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd. (TSE: 6501), today announced that Malayala Manorama, India's second-largest newspaper by circulation, selected Hitachi Vantara's Virtual Storage Platform (VSP) technology and Hitachi Advanced Servers to enhance its growing media operations and ensure uninterrupted business continuity. This partnership has enabled Malayala Manorama to significantly improve total cost of ownership over the lifetime of storage arrays, with increased storage density reducing the physical footprint of storage arrays by 66%, and cutting power and cooling costs by 70%. For more information about Hitachi Vantara's Virtual Storage Platform, visit. www.hitachivantara.com/products/storage-platforms/data-platform Founded over 135 years ago, Malayala Manorama has transformed into a modern media powerhouse, with a diverse portfolio spanning print, broadcast, and online media brands. In today's era of 24-hour news and streaming media, Malayala Manorama's media operations depend on complete availability. Any disruption whether through system outages affecting journalists or interruptions in broadcasting and streaming poses a significant risk of audience attrition. To safeguard against such risks, Malayala Manorama appointed Hitachi Vantara, in partnership with Vertex Technosolutions Pvt Ltd, to implement a highly resilient IT architecture, including four major data centers and 11 local sites, all connected through a robust network. "Hitachi Vantara's solutions align perfectly with our goals of enhancing efficiency, scalability, and reliability," said V V Jacob, Senior General Manager IT at Malayala Manorama. "Their innovative products are at the forefront of storage technology, and their proactive support is second to none, which made them the ideal partner for our IT transformation. Their expertise and dedication have empowered us to achieve our objectives and position ourselves for future growth." The Hitachi Virtual Storage Platform and Hitachi Advanced Servers were implemented to address Malayala Manorama's critical IT requirements. The solution delivers exceptional performance, ensuring rapid data access and application responsiveness through low latency and high throughput. Moreover, its reliability and scalability guarantee maximum uptime and the ability to seamlessly accommodate growing data volumes and evolving business needs. To simplify management, Hitachi Ops Center Administrator centralizes storage resource management, reducing administrative overhead. With the new storage in place, Malayala Manorama was able to seamlessly migrate data from its legacy arrays in a timely manner. Today, the organization benefits from significantly faster performance, with users noting that applications that previously took several seconds to process tasks now respond almost instantly. "Total cost of ownership over the lifetime of the arrays has also improved significantly," said V V Jacob. "Storage density has increased dramatically, requiring 66% less rack space to house the same capacity, and we are saving 70% on our power and cooling costs." The new infrastructure has also delivered exceptionally high availability, thanks to the quality of the hardware and its ability to recover automatically from disk failures. The three-way replication between data centers ensures that the IT team can quickly switch over to a backup system in the event of a serious failure, minimizing potential downtime. "Hitachi Vantara is privileged to be associated with Malayala Manorama as a trusted partner for their mission-critical IT infrastructure. We are proud to support Malayalam Manorama in achieving their business goals and delivering exceptional value to their millions of readers. Our advanced storage and server solutions have been critical in ensuring 100% data availability and seamless services. As businesses embrace digital transformation, we remain committed to providing the innovative solutions needed for success in a rapidly evolving landscape," said Hemant Tiwari, Managing Director and Vice President, India and SAARC Region at Hitachi Vantara. "At Vertex, we take pride in collaborating with Hitachi Vantara to implement this transformative and highly resilient architecture for Malayala Manorama," said Bijoy R Nair, Managing Director, Vertex Technosolutions Pvt Ltd. "Hitachi Vantara's advanced storage and server technologies set a new benchmark for reliability and efficiency. The impressive results achieved by Malayala Manorama underscore the importance of leveraging robust, reliable solutions to ensure uninterrupted operations and position businesses for long-term success in today's data-driven landscape." Hitachi Vantara continues to lead in storage innovation, recently launching the Virtual Storage Platform One, designed to deliver exceptional energy efficiency and performance, earning top ENERGY STAR certifications. In parallel, Hitachi Vantara's cutting-edge AI-driven Ops Center is helping organizations streamline operations, automating up to 70% of tasks. With these advancements, Hitachi Vantara is empowering businesses to reduce their total cost of ownership, enhance performance, and optimize IT infrastructure for the future. To explore how Hitachi Vantara's solutions can transform your business, visit www.hitachivantara.com. Additional Resources Connect With Hitachi Vantara About Malayala Manorama The Malayala Manorama Company Limited (MMCL) is engaged in printing and publication of news daily and other magazines. The company's main daily Malayala Manorama is the most widely circulated regional daily in India. MMCL was founded by Mr Kandathil Varghese Mappillai in 1888, with the first issue of the newspaper appearing on March 22, 1890. The daily is currently being printed and published from 19 centers 11 in Kerala, one each in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Mangalore and three located at overseas locations, viz, Dubai (UAE), Manama (Bahrain) and Doha (Qatar). About Hitachi Vantara Hitachi Vantara is transforming the way data fuels innovation. A wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Vantara provides the data foundation the world's leading innovators rely on. Through data storage, infrastructure systems, cloud management and digital expertise, the company helps customers build the foundation for sustainable business growth. To learn more, visit www.hitachivantara.com. About Hitachi, Ltd. Hitachi drives Social Innovation Business, creating a sustainable society through the use of data and technology. We solve customers' and society's challenges with Lumada solutions leveraging IT, OT (Operational Technology) and products. Hitachi operates under the 3 business sectors of "Digital Systems & Services" supporting our customers' digital transformation; "Green Energy & Mobility" contributing to a decarbonized society through energy and railway systems, and "Connective Industries" connecting products through digital technology to provide solutions in various industries. Driven by Digital, Green, and Innovation, we aim for growth through co-creation with our customers. The company's revenues as 3 sectors for fiscal year 2023 (ended March 31, 2024) totaled 8,564.3 billion yen, with 573 consolidated subsidiaries and approximately 270,000 employees worldwide. For more information on Hitachi, please visit the company's website at https://www.hitachi.com. HITACHI is a trademark or registered trademark of Hitachi, Ltd. All other trademarks, service marks, and company names are properties of their respective owners. SOURCE Hitachi Vantara BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Today, another group of former internally displaced persons, consisting of families temporarily settled in dormitories, sanatoriums, pioneer camps and administrative buildings in various territories of Azerbaijan, was sent to the city of Jabrayil from the Garadagh district of Baku, Trend reports. At this stage, another 32 families (153 people) moved to the city of Jabrayil. Jabrayil residents thanked President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva for their comprehensive care and expressed gratitude to the valiant Azerbaijani Army, which liberated the lands from occupation. Currently, more that 30 thousand people live in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Among them are former internally displaced persons who have returned to these areas, as well as employees involved in the implementation of restoration and construction projects, employees of local departments of various government agencies, as well as specialists employed in healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy institutions that have resumed their activities. MELBOURNE, Australia, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Markel, the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), has announced the appointment of Scott Jordan as Claims Manager, Casualty Australia. Scott joins Markel after more than 12 years at Chubb, where he was most recently Team Leader of Casualty Claims. He has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance claims industry in the UK and Australia, where he has managed claims across all lines of business at companies including RBS Insurance, Marsh McLennan, and NFU Mutual. Scott Jordan, Claims Manager, Casualty - Australia at Markel Scott is an industry leader in the Casualty space, with deep experience managing complex and high value claims and proven strength managing a team of specialist claims handlers. At Markel, he will continue to focus on providing exceptional customer service while achieving the best claims outcomes for Markel's clients and stakeholders. Scott will be based in Sydney and report to Markel's Head of Claims in Australia, Lisa Mitchell, who commented: "We're delighted that Scott has chosen to join us at Markel. We feel fortunate that our vision and approach has attracted an extremely capable and proactive claims professional to be our inaugural Casualty Claims Manager in Australia. Scott's addition to our team reflects our commitment to serve our customers with local expertise and empowerment." Ahmed Farag, Head of Casualty, Australia at Markel, said: "We're absolutely thrilled to have Scott join Markel. With his specialisation in complex casualty claims and international experience, we're confident that Scott will be an important asset to the team. Scott also is a firm believer in putting our customers and brokers first, which is a true reflection of the Markel core values in action." About Markel We are Markel, a leading global specialty insurer with a truly people-first approach. As the insurance operations within Markel Group Inc. (NYSE: MKL), we operate the Markel Specialty, Markel International, and Markel Global Reinsurance divisions, as well as State National, our portfolio protection and program services operations, and Nephila, our insurance-linked securities operations. Our broad array of capabilities and expertise allow us to create intelligent solutions for the most complex risk management needs. However, it is our people and the deep, valued relationships they develop with colleagues, brokers and clients that differentiates us worldwide. SOURCE Markel Michael J. Sheppeard to Lead New York and New Jersey Business Law Department NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC is proud to announce that Michael J. Sheppeard has been named Chair of the firm's Business Law department. Drawing on over two decades of legal experience and an innovative mindset, Mr. Sheppeard is poised to drive impactful progress in this leadership role. Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC is proud to announce that Michael J. Sheppeard has been named Chair of the firm's Business Law department. Drawing on over two decades of legal experience and an innovative mindset, Mr. Sheppeard is poised to drive impactful progress in this leadership role. "Michael's extensive experience and proven ability to guide clients through critical challenges make him an ideal choice to lead our Business Law department," said Donald Scarinci, Founding & Managing Partner. "His leadership will undoubtedly enhance our ability to provide dynamic, client-focused solutions that help our clients maintain a competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving marketplace." Clients rely on Mr. Sheppeard's blend of strategic foresight and hands-on experience, trusting him to guide them through complex business-critical matters with confidence and clarity. Mr. Sheppeard's backgroundco-chairing a commercial litigation group while contributing significantly to a corporate practice in a prominent New York City firmgives him a keen understanding of corporate matters, but also the risks that can arise after transactions close, allowing him to proactively address issues and lay the groundwork for enduring stability and success. Mr. Sheppeard's practice includes corporate restructurings and turnarounds, high-value domestic and cross-border acquisitions and divestitures, as well as serving as comprehensive corporate counsel in diverse industries such as banks, secured lenders, automotive, emerging technologies, energy, fashion, and retail. Mr. Sheppeard has also served as lead counsel on a groundbreaking AI-based EEOC dispute, as well as spearheading other high stakes litigations, including several significant Federal Circuit Court victories. "It is an honor to step into this role," said Mr. Sheppeard. "My focus has always been on putting clients first, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with my colleagues to provide practical, forward-thinking support to our clients. I am also eager to work with Donald to recruit like-minded attorneys who share our commitment to client-centric values as we further expand our team and services. We expect 2025 to be a pivotal year of growth and evolution for both the Business Law department and the firm as a whole." About Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC Our New York and New Jersey Business Law teams are leading partners for businesses looking to thrive in a fast-paced economy. We offer a broad spectrum of servicesfrom corporate and business transactions to brand management, restructuring, franchising, emerging technologies, and labor and employment. Drawing on our attorneys' deep legal knowledge and extensive real-world experience, our teams craft tailored solutions that capitalize on emerging opportunities, while safeguarding clients' interests. Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC's other practice areas including Bankruptcy & Creditors' Rights, Commercial Real Estate, Corporate Governance and Regulatory Compliance, Emerging Technologies (blockchain, AI, cryptocurrency), Intellectual Property, Litigation, Mergers and Acquisitions, Tax, and Trusts & Estates further enhance our ability to support clients' broader business goals. Connect with us today to discover how our Business Law team, or another member of one of our other practice areas, can help drive your success. More information on our firm's expertise and range of practice can be found on our website: www.sh-law.com. Contact: Peter Moeller Telephone: 201-896-4100 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Scarinci & Hollenbeck, LLC TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Myant, a global leader in advanced materials and connected health solutions, proudly announces the acquisition of Toronto-based technology innovator, Bitnobi Inc. Spun out of York University with the support of Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners (TIAP), Bitnobi specializes in privacy-protected data-sharing software. Their groundbreaking platform facilitates secure collaboration between data owners and consumers without compromising raw dataa critical capability in today's healthcare landscape. This marks Myant's fourth strategic acquisition in just six months, each one bolstering its platform with new technologies, capabilities, and markets. Together, these moves are driving Myant closer to its bold mission: empowering people to live younger for longer through proactive, personalized, and precision healthcare solutions. The acquisition of Bitnobi fills a critical gap in the third pillar of Myant's strategy: safe and secure data sharing. By integrating Bitnobi's patented platform, Myant advances its ability to create a "digital human replica," an innovative approach to personalizing healthcare through insights generated from its smart material solution "Myant is building the equivalent of a fiber-optic connection to the human body which enables a true digital replica," said Tony Chahine, Myant's founder and CEO. "We aim to connect the human operating systemits rhythms, signals, and unique needsuse advanced materials, AI, and sensing to deliver proactive and preventative care. This acquisition strengthens our ability to provide precise and personalized support that goes beyond reactive healthcare." Expanding the Boundaries of Data Sharing and Collaboration Through this acquisition, Myant enhances its capacity to share and utilize healthcare data responsibly and effectively. The company will not only be able to share its proprietary data with researchers and clinicians but also securely access third-party data while respecting governance protocols. The partnership will also drive new data-sharing collaborations across Canada and internationally, unlocking valuable health insights and fostering innovation. "Bitnobi enables us to create seamless, secure pathways for data sharing that respect privacy while opening new doors for healthcare innovation," Chahine added. A Proven Platform for the Future of Precision Healthcare Since its founding in 2016, Bitnobi has supported significant initiatives, including Canada's Digital Health and Discovery Platform (DHDP). By enabling secure management of digital health data, Bitnobi is accelerating precision medicine for cancer and other diseases. Now, as part of Myant, Bitnobi's expertise in big data, cloud computing, and cybersecurity will amplify innovation across Myant's textile computing, smart materials, and data integration efforts. Hassan Jaferi, CEO of Bitnobi, emphasized the alignment of the two companies' missions: "Myant has created a global innovation hub in Toronto, where over 200 scientists, engineers, and researchers are driving breakthroughs in connected health. Joining forces will amplify our collective impact, ensuring that innovation in Canada's technology and healthcare sectors continues to thrive." Shaping the Future of Healthcare This acquisition underscores Myant's commitment to proactive, precision healthcare. By integrating advanced materials, intelligent interfaces, and secure data sharing, Myant is not only redefining health and aging but also positioning itself as a global leader in innovation. Together, Myant and Bitnobi are shaping a future where healthcare is proactive, personalized, precise and preventativeempowering individuals to live healthier, longer, and more independent lives. About Myant Myant is leading a new era of evolution where AI guardians enhance human capabilities through textile interfaces that function like a connected second skin. This second skin made possible by groundbreaking advanced materials blends naturally into our everyday lives, setting a new standard for seamless interaction with the digital world. About Bitnobi Bitnobi Inc. is a technology startup focused on the commercialization of a privacy protected, data sharing platform. Bitnobi was spun out of research from Dr. Marin Litoiu's laboratory at York University with full support from the Toronto Innovation Acceleration Partners and Innovation York. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Bitnobi has also received assistance from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Centres of Innovation, Seneca College, National Research Council of Canada's Industrial Research Assistance Program, Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, MaRS Discovery District and Canada's Digital Health and Discovery Platform. For more information, please contact: Charles Andreo [email protected] www.myant.ca Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2569573/5120589/Myant_Logo.jpg SOURCE Myant Corp. Annual Holiday on January 19th Advances Financial Wellbeing NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart people have at times embraced, promoted, and celebrated questionable investment ideas. Toews Asset Management, through the National Archives, established National Investment Risk Day (NIRD) to celebrate such folly through a discussion of the worst ideas in investing from the prior year. On Thursday January 23rd we will observe this esteemed holiday with Cinthia Murphy, Investment Strategist from Vettafi who has covered markets from Brazil to Wall Street for decades, Dr. Daniel Crosby, Ph.D. , Chief Behavioral Officer at Orion Advisor, Philip (Felipe) Toews, Founder of Toews Asset Management plus Eben Burr, President of Toews Asset Management and professional sceptic. National Investment Risk Day to Counter Investor Delusions Annual Holiday on January 19th Advances Financial Wellbeing Toews aims to make investors more aware that investment portfolios should be built for both best case and worst case scenarios, so they can stay invested toward their financial goals regardless of future market direction. National Investment Risk Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the growing influence of speculative narratives, ludicrous investment trends, emotional biases, and the allure of "get-rich-quick" schemes that often influence investment decision-making. "I traveled the country to talk about tulipmania in 1999. We are so much further out on the crazy scale from that, it's hard to comprehend. Seriously, Dogecoin has a market cap north of 70 billion," said Phillip (Felipe) Toews, CEO, Portfolio Manager at Toews Asset Management and author of the upcoming book, The Behavioral Portfolio. On this momentous day and beyond we encourage advisors and investors to pause and make sure they are on the right side of their left brain. Are you invested in things with great stories, but no substance? Will you look back with a pit in your stomach next year on NIRD after the excitement fades over the Bottled Unicorn Tear ETF? As we continue to work and advance risk management, we encourage advisors and investors to have real discussions around the risk of their portfolio and personal investment endeavors. While there is never a wrong time to talk about risk, we believe that the conversation is not happening often enough. "Investors, both individual and institutional, are increasingly susceptible to narratives that prioritize short-term gains over long-term sustainability. NIRD serves as a crucial reminder to prioritize human emotion, risk management, and pragmatic portfolio construction," added Jason Graffius, COO, Portfolio Manager for Toews. To educate, and offer actionable insights for advisors and investors, Toews organized a live, virtual panel with some of the industry's top voices in investments and behavioral finance: Anyone can register here for the National Investment Risk Day webinar at 10:00 AM EST Thursday, January 23rd. Toews encourages investors to: Question the Hype: Ask yourself, "Am I investing in what will one day be considered among the craziest ideas in all of investing history?" Ask yourself, "Am I investing in what will one day be considered among the craziest ideas in all of investing history?" Do Your Homework: Toews believes not losing money on your investments is almost as important as making money. Just because it has been ripping higher for a couple of years does not mean it will continue to fly. Is it the right thing for the plan? Toews believes not losing money on your investments is almost as important as making money. Just because it has been ripping higher for a couple of years does not mean it will continue to fly. Is it the right thing for the plan? Risk Matters: Sync portfolio allocations with financial goals, risk tolerance and time horizons. Boommore comfort and confidence, all rolled into one. Sync portfolio allocations with financial goals, risk tolerance and time horizons. Boommore comfort and confidence, all rolled into one. Plan for Curveballs: Ask yourself "If an investment is trending wildly higher, is it conceivable that it might also trend wildly lower? If yes, how am I preparing for the downfall?" Ask yourself "If an investment is trending wildly higher, is it conceivable that it might also trend wildly lower? If yes, how am I preparing for the downfall?" Get Real: When it comes to the real-life impact of the unexpected, having open, honest conversations between financial pros and investors is more important than ever. "National Investment Risk Day is our reminder to take a breather, reflect, and make smart decisions that actually align with long-term financial goals and life purpose," said Eben Burr, President of Toews Asset Management. About Toews Asset Management Founded in 1994, Toews offers innovative risk management with a suite of ETFs, funds and strategies that strive to capture upside market exposure while managing downside risk. Toews' Behavioral Investing Institute provides a program for financial advisors and institutions that wish to improve their practice management and client experience skills. Learn more at www.toewscorp.com . 7527312 MK Media Contact: Kelly Bradley 8003261950 [email protected] SOURCE Toews Asset Management With the support of our partners the MCJ Amelior Foundation, Port Newark Container Terminal, the Shipping Association of New York and New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health, Rutgers Health New Jersey Medical School, the Maher Foundation, and the Prudential Foundation, we are partnering with the City's Office of Homeless Services to facilitate the implementation of two innovative initiatives, the Downtown Metro Outreach Team and the 211 Path Home texting service. The Path Home texting service provides and tool for those who live, work and visit Newark to alert appropriate, qualified service providers when they see an unhoused person in need, by enabling residents to text "PATH HOME" to (855-11). The Metro Outreach Team uses a multidisciplinary outreach team to deliver psychiatric street treatment to unhoused Newarkers living downtown, with the goal of directly connecting residents to housing and supports. "The Metro Downtown Outreach Initiative is an important step in providing immediate and comprehensive support to those who need it most," said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka. "By enhancing this initiative with the Path Home Texting Service, we are creating a more effective system for our community to engage directly with those experiencing homelessness." With a total investment of $310,000, the Metro Downtown Outreach Initiative has received funding from The Prudential Foundation, Maher Charitable Foundation and RWJBarnabas Health. These contributions ensure that the initiative can provide essential services and sustained, long-term support. "The collaboration between the Newark Alliance, our funding and delivery partners demonstrates the power of cross-sector partnerships in addressing complex issues like homelessness," said Evan Weiss, President and CEO of Newark Alliance. "The Newark Alliance is dedicated to the equitable economic growth of Newark; and, aligned with that broader commitment, we continue to collaborate with the City's Office of Homeless Services to implement solutions that address chronic unsheltered homelessness." "We are proud to support the Metro Downtown Outreach Initiative and its role in addressing homelessness in Newark," said Balpreet Grewal-Virk, senior vice president of community health, RWJBarnabas Health. "At RWJBarnabas Health, we are committed to providing unhoused individuals with accessible, high-quality care. This initiative plays a key role in improving the health and stability of Newark's most vulnerable residents, helping them achieve a healthier quality of life." "We hope that this investment in the Metro Outreach Initiative will help to create an environment where Newark's residents can flourish, where individuals have access to essential services and where neighborhoods throughout Newark have the infrastructure needed to support long-term well-being," said Margarethe Laurenzi, Executive Director of Maher Charitable Foundation. "As an anchor institution in the City of Newark, we are dedicated to addressing critical social issues within our community," said Lata Reddy, senior vice president of Inclusive Solutions at Prudential Financial, chair of The Prudential Foundation and chair of the Newark Alliance Board of Directors. "Our support of the Metro Downtown Outreach Initiative underscores our commitment to helping Newark's most vulnerable residents gain access to essential services and achieve stability." ABOUT NEWARK For more information on the City of Newark, please visit our website https://www.newarknj.gov/. ABOUT NEWARK ALLIANCE The Newark Alliance, through the combined strength and collaboration of its members, drives inclusive economic growth for all of Newark, N.J. Our members comprise Newark's premier businesses, anchor institutions, and community partners, including Fortune 100 and 500 companies and several of the country's top universities, developers, hospitals, and arts institutions. United by a shared vision, the Alliance and its Members work collaboratively to cement Newark's status as one of America's most diverse, prosperous, exciting, and equitable cities. Visit us at www.newark-alliance.org. SOURCE Newark Alliance DENVER, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NexusTek , a leading provider of comprehensive, secure, and scalable IT services, proudly announces that CEO Hamilton Yu has been named one of CRN's "The 20 Biggest IT Executive Moves of 2024" . This recognition reflects his pivotal role in strengthening NexusTek's position as a trusted IT partner and innovation leader for mid- to enterprise-level organizations in hospitality, financial services, healthcare, biopharma, and other high-growth verticals. Hamilton Yu's appointment as CEO marked a turning point in NexusTek's growth strategy. Yu has guided NexusTek to provide AI-infused cloud, cybersecurity, data analytics, and IT management solutions, helping clients increase revenue, drive efficiency, and reduce risk. His strategic leadership has been instrumental in driving NexusTek's reputation as a forward-thinking, client-centric IT partner. "This recognition by CRN is an honor that reflects not just my journey, but the commitment of the entire NexusTek team to delivering innovative solutions that truly make a difference," said Hamilton Yu, CEO of NexusTek. "At NexusTek, our mission is clear: to empower businesses with secure, scalable, and cost-effective technologies that drive results, create lasting value, and help clients adopt AI safely and securely." NexusTek provides uniquely tailored, scalable hybrid cloud solutions with holistic cybersecurity and AI powered efficiencies, helping clients navigate digital transformation. From the IT challenges of today to implementing digital transformation strategies for long-term growth of the future, NexusTek remains committed to helping clients achieve sustained success. This accolade underscores NexusTek's ongoing commitment to excellence, operational innovation, and customer-first solutions. Hamilton Yu's leadership reflects the company's mission to provide businesses with the tools and guidance necessary to thrive in an increasingly complex digital environment. NexusTek is excited about this recognition and looks forward to continuing to serve its clients as a trusted partner for scalable digital solutions. About NexusTek Thousands of businesses depend on NexusTek to secure, manage, and optimize their IT and cloud environments for business continuity, productivity, operational efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. With an all-encompassing services portfolio, premier tech partnerships, and a dedicated team of certified experts, NexusTek delivers true end-to-end IT management and consulting services to organizations nationwide. For additional information, please visit www.nexustek.com . For media inquiries, please contact: Kyle Brand Director, Marketing [email protected] SOURCE NexusTek PG&E's Employee Resource/Engineering Groups Also Offer College Scholarships for Combined Total of $600,000 This Year OAKLAND, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The PG&E Corporation Foundation (PG&E Foundation) is inviting applicants for its annual Better Together STEM Scholarship Program for students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines. The PG&E Foundation will provide $350,000 in total funding for 60 scholarships in the amounts of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 awards for eligible students. Better Together STEM Scholarships are designed to give the next generation of Californians an opportunity to learn and succeed in higher education and support students who have made an impact in their community or who have overcome personal challenges. "For more than a decade, The PG&E Corporation Foundation has had the honor of helping students pursue careers as scientists, engineers and innovators powering California's clean energy progress and future. It is our privilege to play a part in helping these young people grow and succeed in their academic and professional endeavors," said Carla Peterman, PG&E Corporation Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs and Chief Sustainability Officer, and Chair of the Board of The Foundation. The Better Together STEM Scholarship program has evolved over the years to help lessen the financial burden of attending college for more students and their families. In 2023, The PG&E Foundation added a new $5,000 scholarship that expanded the program to 20 additional students up from 40 to 60 student recipients. In 2022, responding to a trend in applications from students admitted to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), eligibility expanded to students planning to attend HBCUs anywhere in the United States, in addition to California colleges and universities. Since 2012, the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program has awarded $7.45 million to accomplished students based on a combined demonstration of community leadership, personal triumph, financial need and academic achievement. See videos of prior STEM Scholarship recipients. Deadline and criteria Interested applicants can learn more and apply here. Deadline to apply is March 14, 2025. Scholarships will be awarded by August. Scholarships will be awarded based on academic achievement, demonstrated participation and leadership in school and community activities, and financial need. Students must pursue qualifying degrees in STEM disciplines include engineering, computer science/information systems, cybersecurity, environmental sciences, math and physics. Applications are open to: High school seniors or graduates Students who have received a GED certification Current undergraduate students Non-traditional students or military veterans returning to school or pursuing their first undergraduate degree Applicants must live or be a dependent of a resident in PG&E's service area in Northern and Central California ; plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study for the entire 2025-2026 academic year; and be seeking their first undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year institution in California or HBCU. PG&E Employee Resource Group scholarships In addition to the Better Together STEM Scholarship Program, PG&E's 11 employee resource groups (ERGs) and two engineering networking groups (ENGs) award scholarships to help offset the cost of higher education. The funds are raised entirely through coworker donations, coworker fundraising events and the company's coworker giving program. Since 1989, more than $6 million in ERG/ENG scholarships have been received by thousands of recipients. Apply here. About The PG&E Corporation Foundation The PG&E Corporation Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, separate from PG&E and sponsored by PG&E Corporation. SOURCE PG&E Corporation O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit to take place on Tuesday 4 March 2025 , 8:30-13:00 CET in MWC Barcelona Hall 8, Theatre 6, with free online broadcast , in MWC Barcelona Hall 8, Theatre 6, with free online broadcast The Summit will provide a comprehensive update on the state of O-RAN, insights on operational experience, regional views and initiatives, and applications in industry verticals The Summit will explore the future evolution of 3GPP and O-RAN ALLIANCE architectures towards 6G BONN, Germany, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The O-RAN ALLIANCE is pleased to announce its major industry gathering of the O-RAN community in conjunction with MWC Barcelona 2025: O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit Expanding O-RAN Adoption and Future Outlook. The Summit will take place on Tuesday 4 March 2025, 8:30-13:00 CET in MWC Barcelona Hall 8, Theatre 6, with free online broadcast. Join us for the O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit - Expanding O-RAN Adoption and Future Outlook, on March 4, 2025, 8:30-13:00 CET. Post this Banner O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit at MWC Barcelona 2025 This O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit at MWC will provide a comprehensive update on the state of O-RAN, sharing insights on operational experience, regional views on open RAN initiatives, and applications in key industry verticals. The Summit will explore the future evolution of 3GPP and O-RAN ALLIANCE architectures towards 6G. The event will feature more than 20 speakers from the diverse O-RAN community giving relevant views and insights on different areas of open and intelligent RAN specification, development and adoption. Attendees on-site need to have an MWC access pass and register through the MWC website. The event will be live-webcast to interested public through the O-RAN ALLIANCE website, with free access. "Join us for the O-RAN ALLIANCE Summit at MWC Barcelona 2025," said Abdurazak Mudesir, Chair of the Board of O-RAN ALLIANCE and Group CTO, Deutsche Telekom. "This event will underscore O-RAN ALLIANCE's progress and ongoing efforts to foster collaboration and innovation in the global RAN industry ecosystem, advancing the O-RAN mission to deliver open, intelligent, virtualized and fully interoperable RAN." About O-RAN ALLIANCE The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, the O-RAN ALLIANCE's mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN specifications enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN based mobile networks at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by mobile operators. To achieve this, the O-RAN ALLIANCE publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations. For more information, please visit www.o-ran.org. SOURCE O-RAN Alliance HOUSTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Patten Properties is providing families with a unique opportunity to secure generational wealth through Texas land ownership, offering homesites at or below market value. As demand for land in Texas rises, Patten Properties emphasizes the importance of building a legacy by investing in land that can be passed down through generations, bringing financial security, cherished family spaces, and a lasting sense of belonging. Patten Properties emphasizes the importance of building a legacy by investing in land that can be passed down through generations. "By becoming a land owner, families are building roots, security, and a legacy that supports future generations with a shared place to call home," says John Patten, CEO of Patten Properties. Forbes highlights that generational wealth includes assets, values, and financial education passed down through families, all of which can be fostered through land ownership. Texas, with its robust economy, low cost of living, and vast landscapes, is the ideal location for families looking to establish such a legacy. Patten Properties currently offers large acreage homesites in high-growth areas near Houston and Dallas, where population increases and economic opportunities are driving up land values. "Becoming a Texas landowner is about building a foundation for generational wealth that extends beyond the family," says John Patten, CEO of Patten Properties. "Families can support local businesses and contribute to community growth, creating a legacy that strengthens both their future and the community." The Estates of Texas Grand Ranch , one of Patten Properties' most sought-after communities, provides families with ample acreage surrounded by the national forest and bordering the state park. This encourages outdoor activities and a strong connection to nature. Patten Properties' communities offer access to recreational amenities and quality education options. For families ready to secure their future, now is the perfect time to invest in Texas land and begin a journey toward generational wealth. Patten Properties invites interested buyers to explore available homesites and take the first step toward a lasting legacy. For more information about Patten Properties' nature-inspired acreage communities visit www.PattenProperties.com ABOUT PATTEN PROPERTIES Patten Properties and its partners are recognized as being among the industry's foremost authorities on real estate investment and development across the nation. Our culture is founded on integrity and professionalism, which we proudly combine with a commitment to creating value and opportunity in today's exciting real estate environment. CONTACT: Heather Robison [email protected] SOURCE Patten Properties BANGALORE, India, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pellet Heating Stove Market is Segmented by Type (AIR <= 7Kw, AIR 7.01 - 9 Kw, AIR 9.01 - 12.00 Kw, AIR > 12.00 Kw, HYDRO <= 15 Kw, HYDRO 15.01 - 20Kw, HYDRO 20.01 - 30 Kw), by Application (Residential, Commercial, Industrial). The Global Pellet Heating Stoves Market was valued at USD 618.1 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 726.1 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 2.3% during the forecast period 2024-2030. Claim Your Free Report: https://reports.valuates.com/request/sample/QYRE-Auto-30X8823/Global_Pellet_Heating_Stoves_Market Major Factors Driving the Growth of Pellet Heating Stove Market Pellet heating stoves play a crucial role in maintaining optimal temperature conditions for the storage and transportation of perishable goods, ensuring product quality and safety. The market is characterized by continuous advancements in heating technologies, including energy-efficient designs, smart control systems, and eco-friendly fuel options, enhancing the performance and sustainability of heating solutions. Additionally, the rise of e-commerce and the expansion of cold chain logistics infrastructure further boost the demand for advanced heating solutions that can handle high volumes and ensure consistent temperature management. View Full Report Now! https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-30X8823/global-pellet-heating-stoves TRENDS INFLUENCING THE GROWTH OF THE PELLET HEATING STOVES MARKET: Air-cooled pellet heating stoves within the <=7kW and 7.01-9kW ranges drive the growth of the Pellet Heating Stove Market by catering to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that require efficient and reliable heating solutions. These stoves offer optimal performance for operations with moderate heating demands, such as warehousing, retail distribution, and light manufacturing. The flexibility of air-cooled systems ensures easy installation and maintenance, making them a cost-effective choice for businesses looking to enhance their operational efficiency without significant capital investment. Additionally, these stoves provide consistent and controllable heating, reducing energy consumption and operational costs. The increasing demand for efficient heating solutions in sectors with varying scale operations propels the adoption of air-cooled Pellet heating stoves within these power ranges, thereby driving market growth. High-capacity air-cooled and hydro-powered Pellet heating stoves (>12.00 kW and 20.01-30 kW) significantly drive the growth of the Pellet Heating Stove Market by meeting the demands of large-scale industrial operations. These stoves provide robust and consistent heating for extensive Pellet storage facilities, manufacturing plants, and cold chain logistics, ensuring optimal temperature maintenance for bulk goods. The superior heating capacity of these systems supports high throughput and scalability, allowing businesses to handle large volumes efficiently. Hydro-powered stoves, in particular, offer enhanced energy efficiency and sustainability, appealing to environmentally conscious industries. The ability to support intensive heating requirements and improve operational reliability makes high-capacity air-cooled and hydro-powered Pellet heating stoves essential for major industrial players, thereby propelling the market expansion. The residential segment drives the growth of the Pellet Heating Stove Market by providing efficient and reliable heating solutions for home storage and small-scale applications. Residential Pellet heating stoves cater to households and small businesses that require temperature-controlled storage for personal goods, food items, and other perishables. These stoves offer user-friendly features such as easy installation, compact design, and adjustable temperature settings, making them suitable for non-industrial environments. The increasing trend of home-based businesses and the need for effective home storage solutions boost the demand for residential-grade Pellet heating stoves. Additionally, the focus on energy-efficient and eco-friendly heating options aligns with consumer preferences, encouraging the adoption of residential Pellet heating stoves and supporting market growth. Energy efficiency is a crucial factor driving the Pellet Heating Stove Market, as businesses seek to reduce operational costs and minimize environmental impact. Modern Pellet heating stoves are designed with advanced technologies that optimize fuel consumption and maximize heat output, ensuring effective temperature management with lower energy usage. Energy-efficient stoves not only help in reducing utility bills but also contribute to sustainability goals by lowering carbon emissions and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. The implementation of energy-efficient heating solutions is particularly important in large-scale operations, where energy costs constitute a significant portion of overall expenses. The growing emphasis on green practices and the need for cost-effective energy solutions drive the adoption of energy-efficient Pellet heating stoves, thereby fueling market growth. Advancements in heating technology are key drivers of the Pellet Heating Stove Market, as they enhance the performance, reliability, and functionality of heating solutions. Innovations such as smart temperature controls, improved combustion systems, and enhanced thermal distribution ensure more precise and consistent heating. These technological improvements enable Pellet heating stoves to adapt to varying heating demands and provide optimal temperature conditions, enhancing their effectiveness in different applications. Additionally, advancements in materials and design contribute to the durability and longevity of heating stoves, reducing maintenance costs and extending their operational life. The continuous development of heating technologies ensures that Pellet heating stoves remain efficient and competitive, driving their adoption across various industries and supporting market growth. The increasing demand in cold chain logistics is a significant driver of the Pellet Heating Stove Market, as efficient temperature control is essential for the transportation and storage of perishable goods. Cold chain logistics require reliable heating solutions to maintain specific temperature ranges, ensuring the quality and safety of food products, pharmaceuticals, and other sensitive items. Pellet heating stoves provide the necessary thermal management to prevent spoilage, reduce waste, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards for temperature-sensitive shipments. The expansion of the cold chain infrastructure, driven by the growth of the food and beverage industry and the rise of e-commerce, intensifies the need for effective heating solutions. The critical role of Pellet heating stoves in maintaining the integrity of cold chain logistics drives their adoption and propels the market growth. Cost-effectiveness and return on investment (ROI) are critical factors driving the Pellet Heating Stove Market, as businesses aim to optimize their heating infrastructure while minimizing expenses. Pellet heating stoves offer a high ROI by providing efficient and reliable heating solutions that reduce energy consumption and operational costs. The durability and low maintenance requirements of modern heating stoves further enhance their cost-effectiveness, making them a valuable investment for businesses across various sectors. Additionally, the ability of Pellet heating stoves to improve operational efficiency and product quality contributes to increased profitability and customer satisfaction. The financial benefits associated with adopting cost-effective heating solutions encourage businesses to invest in Pellet heating stoves, thereby driving the growth of the market. Claim Yours Now! https://reports.valuates.com/api/directpaytoken?rcode=QYRE-Auto-30X8823&lic=single-user PELLET HEATING STOVES MARKET SHARE Ravelli, and England's Stove Works, Inc. The Top 5 players accounted for about 35% of the Global pellet heating stoves revenue market share in 2019. The revenue market for pellet heating stoves was divided into five geographic regions. Europe occupied the largest revenue market share with nearly 80% in 2019, leading countries such as Italy, France and Germany, etc. On the basis of product type, the Air Stove type segment is projected to account for the largest sales volume market share; this segment was estimated to account for about 75% share in 2019 in terms of volume. In the applications, Residential segment is the dominated application, and is estimated to account for the highest market share of 93% in 2019. Key Companies: EDILKAMIN Ravelli England's Stove Works, Inc. Stove Works, Inc. Hearth & Home Technologies Invicta SHERWOOD INDUSTRIES Palazzetti Rika THERMOROSSI Karmek One Ecoforest Piazzetta ExtraStove Olimpia Splendid US Stove Haas + Sohn MCZ Purchase Chapters: https://reports.valuates.com/market-reports/QYRE-Auto-30X8823/global-pellet-heating-stoves/1 SUBSCRIPTION We have introduced a tailor-made subscription for our customers. Please leave a note in the Comment Section to know about our subscription plans. DISCOVER MORE INSIGHTS: EXPLORE SIMILAR REPORTS! - Commercial Pellet Heating Stoves market was valued at USD 52.9 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 63.2 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 3.5% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Pellet and Wood Heating Stoves market was valued at USD 2886 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 3467 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 2.7% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Biomass Pellet Fuel Hot Blast Stove Market - Biomass Pellet Heating System market is projected to reach USD 11040 Million in 2029, increasing from USD 7441 Million in 2022, with the CAGR of 6.5% during the period of 2023 to 2029. - Wood Fuel Pellets market is projected to grow from USD 5826 Million in 2024 to USD 8311.2 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.1% during the forecast period. - Wood-Pellets Market revenue was USD 5879.9 Million in 2022 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 8943.2 Million by 2029 with a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period (2023-2029). - Plastic Pallet Pooling market is projected to grow from USD 861.8 Million in 2024 to USD 1174.8 Million by 2030, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5.3% during the forecast period. - Pellet Extruder market was valued at USD 744 Million in 2023 and is anticipated to reach USD 1024.2 Million by 2030, witnessing a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Electrical Heating Stoves Market - Air Pellet Heating Stove Market was estimated to be worth USD 618.1 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 1302.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 11.0% during the forecast period 2024-2030. - Electronic Heating Batch Reflow Ovens Market was estimated to be worth USD 325.1 Million in 2023 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 491.9 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 6.1% during the forecast period 2024-2030. 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GET A FREE QUOTE Valuates Reports [email protected] For U.S. Toll-Free Call 1-(315)-215-3225 WhatsApp: +91-9945648335 Website: https://reports.valuates.com Blog: https://valuatestrends.blogspot.com/ Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/valuatesreports/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/valuatesreports Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valuatesreports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@valuatesreports6753 https://www.facebook.com/valuateskorean https://www.facebook.com/valuatesspanish https://www.facebook.com/valuatesjapanese https://valuatesreportspanish.blogspot.com/ https://valuateskorean.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesgerman.blogspot.com/ https://valuatesreportjapanese.blogspot.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1082232/Valuates_Reports_Logo.jpg SOURCE Valuates Reports BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Nizami Ganjavi International Center invites young leaders to the XII Global Baku Forum, Head of the PR and IT Department of Nizami Ganjavi International Center (NGIC) Mehri Huseynli told Trend. For almost 10 years now, Nizami Ganjavi International Center has been implementing the Young Leaders Program (YLP), providing participants with a unique opportunity to speak at the Global Baku Forums and discuss the most pressing global issues. In this way, the Center affords young people from around the world a chance to present their ideas to influential leaders, including current and former presidents, prime ministers, heads of international organizations, and Nobel Prize winners. This platform allows participants to share their views as well as learn from world leaders by listening to their experiences. The young leaders, through such exchanges, broaden their understanding of international challenges, learn about global decision-making, and develop effective strategies for the development of the world, she noted. Huseynli stressed that since its establishment, the Young Leaders Program has gained wide international prestige and continues to be successfully implemented with the participation of more than 250 young leaders from 40 countries. I would like to note that the Center is preparing for the next XII Global Baku Forum. Registration of young leaders for the Forum, which will be held from March 13 to 15, 2025, is already open. The Center invites young people aged 18-35 from political, social, humanitarian, economic, environmental, legal, innovation, and scientific sectors who continue their professional activities in these fields to put forward their candidacies for participation in the Forum, she added. In line with the above realms, Huseynli also asserted that the Center has always paid special attention to gender issues. "As is known, the co-chair of the Center is former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, and the overwhelming majority of its members and board of directors are women. They also actively participate on the boards of leading gender organizations such as the LIMA Gender Program, GWL Voices, Vital Voices, and GIWPS, which further strengthens the Center's global commitment to promoting gender equality, she stated. She noted that the Center has always attached great importance to gender equality at the Global Baku Forums and High-Level Meetings around the world. I would especially like to highlight the 30th High-Level Meeting organized by the Centre in September 2024 during the UN General Assembly. In New York, ICSC co-organized with UN Women a panel discussion on Women's Role and Leadership in a Multi-Lateral System. The event featured influential women leaders, including UN Women Executive Director Sima Sami Bahous. Also, ICSC held various events within COP29 organized by Azerbaijan with the heads of international organizations, she underlined. The official added that such prominent women leaders as co-chair of the Center, former President of Latvia Vaira Vike-Freiberga, former President of Finland Tarja Halonen, 73rd President of the UN General Assembly Maria Fernanda Espinosa, the first woman President of Ireland Mary Robinson, former Prime Minister of the UK Theresa May, member of the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Chairman of the Committee on Family, Women and Children Affairs Hijran Huseynov, spoke at these events and discussed important topics related to the promotion of gender equality. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Transition finalizes a multi-year succession plan, positioning the affordable housing leader for continued growth PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pennrose, a national leader in the development and management of high-quality mixed income and mixed-use housing, has announced several strategic leadership changes as part of a multi-year succession plan. Pennrose has announced several strategic leadership changes as part of a multi-year succession plan. Former President Timothy Henkel will lead the organization as chief executive officer. Charlie Adams, past regional vice president of New England, has been named president. As part of the succession plan, Executive Chairman of the Board Richard K. Barnhart and former Chief Executive Officer Mark H. Dambly have transitioned from day-to-day responsibilities with the organization to active members of the Pennrose board. As chief executive officer, Henkel is responsible for overseeing Pennrose's more than 520 employees, as well as development and property management activities across 17 states, the District of Columbia, and the Caribbean. Henkel, who began his career with Pennrose more than 25 years ago, helped lead the strategic diversification of Pennrose's development pipeline and significant regional expansion of high quality, affordable housing across the country. "Richard and Mark's four decades of leadership has shaped Pennrose into the real estate owner, operator, and developer we are today," said Timothy Henkel. "Pennrose is well positioned to continue its role within the industry as a significant producer of affordable housing, steward of capital resources, and partner to local economic development leaders. We will continue to deliver impactful housing opportunities through the execution of the informed visions of our local partners." "Tim's commitment to innovation, sound leadership, and unwavering dedication to Pennrose's mission of community transformation make him uniquely qualified to lead the organization into this exciting new chapter," added Mark H. Dambly. "The transition is the next step of a thoughtful succession strategy, and we are confident Pennrose will continue to thrive with Tim at the helm." As president of development, Adams will oversee Pennrose's national development strategy. Since joining the company in 2016, Adams has been instrumental in Pennrose's expansion across the New England market, growing its footprint to more than 1,250 units across 20 communities. Senior Developer Karmen Cheung will succeed Adams as New England regional vice president, overseeing Pennrose's development activities in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. "I am honored and excited to continue the great work that Tim has done as president of development. He has created a culture that empowers our developers to see their work as being part of something greater than themselves and understand how high-quality housing and wrap-around supportive services can positively change the trajectory of families," said Charlie Adams. "As we look to the future, our mission to transform lives and deliver outstanding value to residents and partners remains at the forefront of everything we do." The strength, experience, and depth of the Pennrose team will ensure the company's continued success for many years to come. All senior leadership promotions are tenured Pennrose employees who bring a wealth of experience and institutional knowledge to their roles. In late 2023, Pennrose announced the promotions of Marsha Blunt to president of Pennrose Management Company (PMC) and Margot Elton-Ratliff to vice president of operations. Additionally, in June 2024, Pennrose announced the addition of Tricia Yarger, a veteran of the affordable housing finance industry, as the first vice president of capital markets. Since its inception in 1971, Pennrose has grown from a regional affordable housing developer to one of the country's largest producers of mixed-use, mixed-income multifamily development with more than 27,000 units across 350 housing communities. Today, Pennrose is nationally acclaimed for its innovative approach to development and commitment to localized partnerships to deliver transformative housing solutions tailored to meet the needs of individual communities. About Pennrose With more than 50 years of experience, Pennrose combines quality development and proven management to deliver exceptional lifestyle-centered communities for its residents. With the superior knowledge and unparalleled dedication to get the job done right, Pennrose develops and operates conventional, affordable, mixed-income, and mixed-use communities throughout the United States. For more information visit www.pennrose.com. SOURCE Pennrose Performance Brokerage Services, the leader in dealership buy-sell activity, announces the sale of Premier Toyota in Amherst, Ohio from Robert Fisher to Kevin Wuepper. IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Performance Brokerage Services, North America's highest volume dealership brokerage firm, is pleased to announce the sale of Premier Toyota in Amherst, Ohio from Robert Fisher to Kevin Wuepper. From left to right: Mark Shackelford, Jr., Kevin Wuepper, Bob Fisher, Mark Shackelford, Sr. Premier Toyota was founded in 2006 by Robert Fisher. Robert shared, "I want to thank Mark Shackelford, Sr. of Performance Brokerage Services. Four months ago, he and his son listed my dealership. We went from listing to close in four months. They found me a very specific buyer who met my criteria, and they marketed my store with confidence, confidentiality, and character. I really thank Performance Brokerage Services for an outstanding job with my life's work." Kevin Wuepper expressed, "Mark Shackelford, Sr., Mark Shackelford, Jr., and the entire Performance Brokerage Services team were outstanding to work with. They made it easy to purchase an Ohio Toyota dealership from California. I look forward to working with Performance Brokerage Services again in the near future." Over the last 5 years, Performance Brokerage Services has advised on the sale of over 300 dealerships, making it the highest volume dealership brokerage firm in North America. This transaction was a collaborative effort led by Mark Shackelford, Sr. and Mark Shackelford, Jr. of the Midwest Office East, along with Gershon Rosenzweig, Matt Wilkins, and Jacob Stoehr of the Northeast Office for Performance Brokerage Services. Collectively, they served as the exclusive sell-side advisors. Mark Shackelford, Sr. commented, "We want to thank Bob Fisher for entrusting us with his life's work and for allowing us to represent him in the sale of Premier Toyota of Amherst. Bob was clear about his goals, and working with him was a pleasure. We wish him the best of luck in whatever his next chapter holds." Mark Shackelford, Jr. added, "Congratulations to Kevin Wuepper on his new acquisition and entry into the Ohio market. Kevin was a pleasure to work with and demonstrated great diligence in ensuring the sale proceeded quickly and smoothly. We wish him the best of luck with this new acquisition and look forward to working with him on his next one." Premier Toyota will remain at its current location at 47190 Cooper Foster Park Road in Amherst, Ohio. About Performance Brokerage Services Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. is North America's highest volume dealership brokerage firm, specializing in buy-sell activity for automotive, RV, commercial truck, powersports, and equipment dealerships. With over 30 years of experience, 900 dealerships sold, and a 90% closing rate, the company's reputation is unmatched and governed by the utmost ethical conduct and integrity. The company offers a unique approach by providing complimentary estimates of value with no upfront fees or retainer, no reimbursement of costs, and paid a success fee only after the transaction closes. Headquartered in Irvine, California, and supported by 9 regional offices in Utah, Texas, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Alberta and Ontario, clients benefit from national exposure with local representation. As trusted and respected experts in the field, the company utilizes an extensive network of industry related attorneys, accountants, hundreds of registered buyers, and longstanding relationships with various vehicle manufacturers. For more information about the services offered by Performance Brokerage Services, visit https://performancebrokerageservices.com. Media Contact: Jesse Stopnitzky, Co-Owner (949) 309-2851 [email protected] SOURCE Performance Brokerage Services, Inc. Collaboration Expands Access to Advanced Nitrogen Innovation Across Logan Ag's Six-state Network ST. LOUIS and GRIGGSVILLE, Ill., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Pivot Bio, one of the world's leading innovative agtech companies, is proud to announce a retail distribution partnership with Logan Agri-Service, Inc., an independently owned and operated supplier of agricultural crop inputs headquartered in Griggsville, IL. Through this partnership, PROVEN 40, a microbial nitrogen solution powered by Pivot Bio's patented gene-edited technology, will be available across all of Logan Ag's locations, providing corn farmers throughout the network with an advanced nitrogen solution that complements Logan Ag's trusted lineup of products and services. "For more than seven decades, Logan Agri-Service has built a reputation for delivering exceptional service and full-system solutions tailored to their customers' needs," said Jason Hoag, head of North American commercial distribution at Pivot Bio. "By combining their deep agronomic expertise and extensive reach with our proprietary technology, we're creating more opportunities for farmers to optimize nutrient management and strengthen their operations for long-term resilience." Logan Agri-Service operates retail facilities in Griggsville, Winchester, and Perry, O'Fallon and Bowen, IL; Paris and Knox City, Monticello and Wayland, MO; and Pittsburg, OH. With a robust infrastructure and a skilled team of agronomists, Logan Ag is well-positioned bring PROVEN 40 to a wide range of farming operations. This collaboration reflects a shared commitment to providing farmers with agronomically sound solutions that drive productivity, boost profitability, and support their continued success. To learn more about Logan Agri-Service, visit LoganAg.com. For more information about Pivot Bio's solutions, visit PivotBio.com. About Pivot Bio Pivot Bio, one of the world's leading innovative agtech companies, delivers to farmers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility. Currently available in North America, the company's products are a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry's most promising climate solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by Time magazine on its annual list of best inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World's 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list of private companies, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list of startups driving social good and by MIT Tech Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com. SOURCE Pivot Bio, Inc The printing and shipping solutions company credits its franchise owners for its continued successes DENVER, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PostNet, a global leader in high-quality printing and shipping solutions, announced today it has been recognized as one of the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500, the world's first and most comprehensive franchise ranking. PostNet comes in at No. 326 on the 2025 Entrepreneur Franchise 500. For 46 years, achieving placement on the annual Entrepreneur Franchise 500 has been a highly sought-after honor in the franchise industry and is recognized as an invaluable resource for potential franchisees. The 2025 Franchise 500 ranks PostNet No. 326 for its outstanding performance in areas including unit growth, financial strength and stability and brand power. "Our inclusion in the Franchise 500 demonstrates our dedication to our franchise owners by strengthening our brand power and our financial security," said Bill McPherson, PostNet's vice president of retail network development. "Our franchisees are the backbone of our continued achievements, and it's our goal to ensure they have the tools they need to succeed in their markets." In Entrepreneur's continuing effort to best understand and evaluate the ever-changing franchise marketplace, the company's 46-year-old ranking formula continues to evolve as well. The editorial team researches and assesses several factors, including costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is given a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest cumulative scores become the Franchise 500 in ranking order. "The Franchise 500 is more than a list. It's really a collection of life-changing opportunities, featuring strong and resilient brands that future franchisees will be proud to be a part of," says Jason Feifer, editor in chief of Entrepreneur mag azine. "This year's honorees represent the bold ideas, operational excellence, and adaptability that make franchising a cornerstone of entrepreneurial success." To view PostNet in the full ranking, visit www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500. Results can also be seen in the January/February 2025 issue of Entrepreneur, which became available on newsstands on Jan. 14. For more information about PostNet, visit www.postnet.com or to learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.postnetfranchise.com. About PostNet PostNet opened its doors in 1993. With nearly 700 locations in North America, Central America, South America and Africa, PostNet is a global leader in printing and shipping solutions. In 2017, PostNet joined the MBE Worldwide family. Combined, MBE has nearly 2,600 locations in 44 countries. For more information about PostNet services, visit www.postnet.com. To learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.postnetfranchise.com. About Fortidia Fortidia is the brand identity of MBE Worldwide S.p.A. - a privately-owned company headquartered in Italy - and its affiliates. Fortidia is a global commerce enabler for SMBs and consumers thanks to its platform including brands providing e-commerce, fulfillment, shipping, marketing and print solutions: PrestaShop, Mail Boxes Etc. (outside the U.S. and Canada.), PostNet, PACK & SEND, World Options, AlphaGraphics, Multicopy, Print Speak, GEL Proximity, and Spedingo. In 2023, the combination of its physical platform - including 3,200 Business Solutions Centers in 60 countries with 14,000 associates - with its PrestaShop e-commerce platform served 1.1 mln business customers worldwide generating 1.4 bln (US$1.5 bln) of System-wide Gross Revenue and 22 bln (US$23.8 bln) of Gross Merchandise Value. For more information, visit the Fortidia Group websites: www.fortidia.com - www.prestashop.com/en - www.mbeglobal.com - www.mbe.it - www.mbe.es - www.mbe.de - www.mbefrance.fr - www.mbe.pl - www.mbe.pt - www.mbe.co.uk - www.postnet.com - www.packsend.com.au - www.packsend.co.uk - www.worldoptions.com - www.alphagraphics.com - www.multicopy.nl - www.printspeak.com - www.gelproximity.com/en - www.spedingo.com/en MEDIA CONTACT: Heather Ripley Ripley PR 865-977-1973 [email protected] SOURCE PostNet New Joint Venture Sets Stage for Cutting-Edge Hyperscale Data Center Campus in Louisville LOUISVILLE, Ky., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- PowerHouse Data Centers , a leading real estate developer for next-generation hyperscale data centers and division of American Real Estate Partners ( AREP ), along with Poe Companies are pleased to announce plans for their new 400 MW data center campus in Louisville, Kentucky. The first 130 MW will be available in October 2026. The development will set a new standard for data center infrastructure and reliability, addressing both cloud and AI computing to meet the growing hyperscale demand. The joint venture partnership between Poe and PowerHouse combines both companies' shared expertise, values, and vision for the campus and future development in the region. Poe is a distinguished real estate developer with a deep and proven record in delivering premium properties in Louisville and across the United States. Similarly, PowerHouse brings a successful track record of delivering thoughtful real estate strategy and development across major markets nationwide. The leadership of these firms, along with the forward-looking collaboration of the local community, the state of Kentucky and the local water and utility providers, establishes a campus that enables recruitment and fast-tracked operations for new hyperscale tenants that will benefit the entire region. "Louisville offers everything hyperscale users need..." -Doug Fleit, Co-founder and CEO of PowerHouse Post this Through legislative and executive branch cooperation, Kentucky recently approved a 50-year tax-exempt program for data center projects in Jefferson County. Kentucky and the surrounding area have emerged as a key location for data centers seeking low-latency peering. Kentucky is located at the crossroads between the Mid-Atlantic markets and the Midwest. "Louisville offers everything hyperscale users need immediate and reliable power at very attractive rates, water, connectivity and a business environment that encourages more hyperscale growth in the region," said Doug Fleit, Co-founder and CEO of PowerHouse, "The experience of working with Louisville Gas and Electric (LG&E), the utility serving the site, has been a model for other utilities in the country to follow as well as a testament to Poe Companies' relationships in the community and the market." "Poe Companies is honored to partner with PowerHouse Data Centers, a truly world-class data center developer, on this transformative project," said Steve Poe, CEO of Poe Companies. "Our combined expertise and shared vision for innovation continues to position Louisville as a key hub for cutting-edge digital infrastructure." Displaying one of its core strengths as a developer, PowerHouse and Poe have secured access to an initial power capacity of 335 MW for this campus with near-term expansion of up to 402 MW. The power supply will be supported by a new switch station to be built by LG&E and completed in September 2026, along with a dedicated on-site substation. "This new data center will create thousands of good-paying jobs here in Louisville," said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. "As the need for data centers grows, Louisville is perfectly positioned to meet the demands of the tech sector." The campus will also benefit from access to the Louisville Water Company's strong infrastructure system and excess capacity with its water treatment system and the Ohio River, with an average of 75 billion gallons flowing by Louisville daily, ensuring effective cooling and operational efficiency for high-density computing needs. With all essential zoning in place, the site will begin construction in 2025, and the first building is scheduled to be operational by Q4 2026. "We are proud to serve Kentucky's first hyperscale data center," said John R. Crockett, president of LG&E and KU and chief business development officer for PPL Corporation. "This groundbreaking project will be historic for Kentucky and a continuation of new economic announcements happening throughout the Commonwealth." Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, agreed. "This project is a game-changer, driving long-term economic growth in our major metropolitan center and boosting Kentucky as a regional business driver." "Attracting hyperscale operators to any location requires a different set of tools than most other industries," said Jeff Noel, Secretary for Economic Development. "This announcement is a critical milestone from great leadership to assure all elements needed to begin successful operations are available." This announcement marks the seventh new data center development project for PowerHouse in 12 months. The Louisville project adds to 87 data center buildings planned, underway or already delivered. About PowerHouse Data Centers PowerHouse Data Centers, a wholly owned division of American Real Estate Partners (AREP), is a developer and owner of next-generation data centers and provides technical real estate solutions for hyperscalers across the country. Starting in Northern Virginia's Data Center Alley, the world's largest data center market, before strategically expanding to key markets across the United States, PowerHouse owns its land sites, offering unparalleled fast-track approvals and zoning approvals in its full suite of development services. As an industry disruptor, PowerHouse provides flexible next-generation data center models with the quickest speed to market of any data center while meeting hyperscalers' growing market, data, utility, and space demands. The company has 87 buildings and 25.5M sqft currently in planning, underway or completed, representing over 5.9 GW of power in six major US markets. Operating as the data center division of AREP, PowerHouse is uniquely positioned as a leader in world-class data center development. With some of the industry's deepest real estate relationships, PowerHouse leverages its strategic joint venture partnerships, proven leadership, and best-in-class technical expertise to deliver innovative real estate solutions nationwide. Visit our newsroom for more information, and follow us on LinkedIn , YouTube , and X . About Poe Companies Poe Companies is a premier real estate development firm with over 37 years of experience in creating high-quality properties across the United States. Specializing in multifamily, industrial, and hospitality developments, Poe Companies has delivered over $2 billion in real estate projects, consistently setting the standard for innovative, high-barrier-to-entry developments in growing downtowns and affluent suburban markets. Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Poe Companies is known for its dedication to excellence, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to building vibrant communities. Visit poecompanies.com . SOURCE PowerHouse Data Centers LAGUNA HILLS, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prelude Corporation (PreludeDx), a leader in precision diagnostics for early-stage breast cancer, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Breakthrough Device designation for its DCISionRT test. DCISionRT provides individualized risk assessment and predicts the benefit of radiation therapy (RT) for women diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), also known as Stage 0 breast cancer. DCISionRT represents a significant advancement in DCIS patient care by combining tumor biology with clinicopathologic factors to deliver personalized results. The test analyzes seven protein biomarkers and four clinical factors to generate a Decision Score that helps physicians identify which patients are most likely to benefit from RT and can help reduce over- and under-treatment. "DCISionRT addresses an unmet need for DCIS patients by answering the questions, 'Do I need radiation therapy?', and 'will I benefit?'. DCISionRT helps patients and their physicians to make a better and more informed treatment decision." says Dan Forche, President and CEO of PreludeDx. The test is designed for women aged 30-85 with DCIS and: Predicts the benefit of radiation therapy after breast conserving surgery (BCS) Is Prognostic for 10-year risk of breast cancer recurrence Identifies patients with residual risk even after BCS and radiation therapy The FDA's Breakthrough Device designation is reserved for medical devices that provide for more effective treatment or diagnosis, and offer significant advantages over existing approved or cleared alternatives. Breakthrough Devices will receive priority review by the FDA, which can significantly shorten the time it takes to get approval. Forche continued, "We will continue to work closely with the FDA and we remain committed to providing access to advanced precision diagnostics in breast cancer care that improve patient outcomes through new and innovative tools." About DCISionRT for Breast DCIS DCISionRT is the only risk assessment test for patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) that predicts radiation therapy benefit. Patients with DCIS have cancerous cells lining the milk ducts of the breast, but they have not spread into surrounding breast tissue. In the US, over 60,000 women are newly diagnosed with DCIS each year. DCISionRT, developed by PreludeDx on technology licensed from the University of California San Francisco, and built on research that began with funding from the National Cancer Institute, enables physicians to better understand the biology of DCIS. The test provides a DecisionScore that identifies a woman's risk as low, elevated, or residual risk. Unlike other risk assessment tools, the DCISionRT test combines protein expression from seven biomarkers and four clinicopathologic factors, and uses a non-linear algorithm to account for multiple interactions between individual factors in order to better interpret complex biological information. DCISionRT's intelligent reporting provides a woman's recurrence risk after breast conserving surgery alone and with the addition of radiation therapy. In turn, this new information may help patients and their physicians to make more informed treatment decisions. About PreludeDx PreludeDx is a leading personalized breast cancer diagnostics company dedicated to serving breast cancer patients and physicians worldwide. Founded in 2009 with technology licensed from University of California San Francisco, PreludeDx has focused on developing precision breast cancer tools that will impact a patient's treatment decision. Our mission is to provide patients and physicians with innovative technologies that improve patient outcomes and reduce the overall cost burden to the healthcare system. Before making a treatment decision, Know Your Risk. For more information on how PreludeDx is making a difference for patients, please visit the Company's website: https://preludedx.com and follow us on Twitter @PreludeDx, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. PreludeDx, the PreludeDx logo, DCISionRT, the DCISionRT logo, DecisionTree, Decision Score, The DCIS Test, Know Your Risk and Your Biology, Your Decision are trademarks of Prelude Corporation or its wholly owned subsidiaries in the United States and foreign countries. Media Contact Investor Contact Chris Emery Andrew Wade [email protected] [email protected] SOURCE PreludeDx Record Number Celebrated in Conjunction with National Store Brands Month NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sales of store brands increased $9 billion to a record $271 billion last year compared to 2023, according to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) latest Circana Unify+ data. News of the record $271 billion in store brand sales comes during the January debut of Store Brands Month, which salutes the availability and quality of store brands across all retail channels. "Sales of store brands hit a record high last year, once again outperforming national brands," said PLMA President Peggy Davies. "These industry numbers without question add to the nationwide celebration of Store Brands Month promoting the quality, value and innovation of retailers' own brands." The latest numbers represent a 3.9% rise in dollar sales in all outlets from Jan. 8 to Dec. 29, 2024, versus the same period in 2023. Private label growth outpaced national brands, which grew 1% in dollar sales. Over the past four years, annual store brand dollar sales have increased by over $51 billion, a 23.6% gain. In addition, since 2021, store brand unit sales rose 2.3%, while national brands fell 6.8%. All 10 food and nonedible departments that Circana tracks showed store brand dollar growth over the year before. Refrigerated (+7.5%), General Food (+4.3%) and Beverages (+4%) had some of the highest growth. In unit sales growth, the top departments were Beverages (+3.5%), Pet Care (+3.5%) and Home Care (+3.3%). More detailed insights and statistical information, including top category sales and monthly trends, will be revealed in PLMA's 2025 Private Label Report, which will be released in February. About PLMA The Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) is a non-profit trade organization founded in 1979 to promote the store brands industry. With executive offices in New York and International Council offices in Amsterdam, PLMA represents more than 4,900 member companies worldwide. In addition to the Annual Private Label Trade Show in Chicago and its World of Private Label International Trade Show in Amsterdam, PLMA provides annual conferences, executive education and professional development opportunities. Follow PLMA on plma.com, plmainternational.com , and on social media: X , LinkedIn CONTACT: [email protected] SOURCE Private Label Manufacturers Association Statement from Kathy Crosby, CEO and President, Truth Initiative WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed rule to make cigarettes and certain other combusted tobacco products minimally or nonaddictive by limiting the level of nicotine represents a monumental step forward for public health. If implemented, this rule will shield future generations from addiction while offering millions of Americans who smoke particularly those disproportionately harmed by tobacco use a vital opportunity to break free from the cycle of nicotine addiction. The proposed rule underscores the need for better quitting resources, such as Truth Initiative's EX Program, a comprehensive, evidence-based digital smoking cessation program designed to help individuals quit nicotine and tobacco use. It offers proven, evidence-based tools designed to support quitting through personalized quit plans, interactive text messages, and 24/7 access to the nation's most established online quit community. For employers, health plans, government agencies and public health organizations, EX Program Enterprise delivers a proven-effective, customizable and HIPAA-compliant cessation solution that ensures businesses can play a critical role in helping people quit while fostering healthier workplaces. While smoking rates have dropped precipitously in the past few decades, tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., with more than 490,000 deaths annually attributable to cigarette smoking and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke about one in five of all deaths in the United States according to the U.S. Surgeon General's report and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . The new, proposed nicotine product standard which would cap nicotine at 95% lower than most products currently on the market would prevent 48 million people from starting to smoke and save more than 4.3 million lives by 2100, according to the FDA. Within just the first year, more than 12.9 million smokers would quit, with that number climbing to 19.5 million after five years. Without question, quitting nicotine is hard. This rule offers a chance to address the root of the problem the addictive nature of these products and save future generations from a lifetime of nicotine addiction. About Truth Initiative Truth Initiative is a national nonprofit public health organization committed to a future free from lifelong addiction, fostering healthier lives and a more resilient nation. Our mission is to prevent youth and young adult nicotine addiction and empower quitting for all. Through our evidence-based, market-leading cessation EX Program and national public education and prevention campaigns, we are leading the fight against youth and young adult tobacco use, which threatens to put a new generation at risk of lifetime nicotine addiction. Our rigorous scientific research and policy studies, community and youth engagement programs supporting populations at high risk of using tobacco, and innovation in tobacco dependence treatment continue to contribute to ending one of the most critical public health battles of our time. Based in Washington, D.C., our organization was established and funded through the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement between attorneys general from 46 states, five U.S. territories, and the tobacco industry. To learn more, visit truthinitiative.org . About EX Program EX Program is a proven-effective tobacco cessation program, developed by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic, that brings together the best evidence-based quitting approaches, interactive digital quitting programs, and the most established online quit community. EX Program has helped millions of youth and adults develop the skills and confidence to successfully quit. Truth Initiative research has shown that EX Program text messages can increase a user's odds of quitting by up to 40%. To learn more, visit exprogram.com . About EX Program Enterprise Developed by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic, EX Program Enterprise is the best strategic partner for employers, health plans, and public health organizations to end smoking, vaping, and nicotine use. Sponsored users receive multimodal quitting support, available in both English and Spanish. Clients get real-time dashboards to track performance, year-round promotions, and expert client success guidance. To learn more about available options visit exprogram.com/enterprise . SOURCE Truth Initiative PALO ALTO, Calif., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Adversarial actors are rapidly leveraging AI to launder funds, obscure payments, and commit financial crimes with growing sophistication. Financial institutions must catch up, adopting AI solutions with proven track records, robust controls, and rapid deployment. The right approach unifies accuracy, speed, and scale to combat these evolving threats. Today, Quantifind, the leader in AI-powered financial crime intelligence, announced raising $22 million in funding from Deloitte Ventures and Stephens Group as well as existing investors, Citi Ventures, S&P Global, DNS Capital, and USVP, after growing by 200% in 2024. This investment accelerates the global expansion of Quantifind's AI solutions delivered through its flagship platform, Graphyte, and powers the launch of Quantifind's Payments Risk Intelligence solution. Quantifind's advanced transaction screening for payments enables financial institutions to proactively detect and mitigate financial crime and sanctions risks while allowing the uninterrupted flow of legitimate payments. Outdated systems rely on rigid rules and static scenarios that often fail to detect sophisticated financial crimes, and legacy sanction screening relies on simple fuzzy matching, generating excessive false positives. These inefficiencies drain resources, create operational bottlenecks, and allow critical threats to go unnoticed. Most systems lack contextual analysis of counterparty relationships, assessing transactions in isolation and missing key risk patterns. These inefficient screening and detection solutions impact revenue as good customers and valid transactions are either turned away or delayed. Scalability limitations further compound the challenges. Traditional solutions struggle to handle increasing payment volumes, leading to performance bottlenecks, rising costs, and operational inflexibilityleaving institutions ill-prepared for today's fast-paced payment environments. "AI has become the weapon of choice for fraudulent and criminal actors within the financial services ecosystem," said Ryan Morrow, Managing Director at Stephens Group, "Our investment in Quantifind reflects our belief that Quantifind's AI Graphyte technology tips the balance back in favor of bank compliance and law enforcement." "Quantifind's AI technology continues to redefine how financial institutions address the ever-evolving challenges of financial crime," said Vibhor Rastogi, Head of AI Investments at Citi Ventures. "By delivering unprecedented speed, accuracy, and scale, Quantifind empowers organizations to operate with confidence and precision in an industry that demands constant vigilance." Quantifind Graphyte Platform: Comprehensive AI Innovation Quantifind's Payments Risk Intelligence solution combines speed, scale, and accuracy and includes cutting-edge technological advancements to address the dynamic and high-stakes nature of transaction and name screening: Name Science for AI Accuracy: Leveraging the latest GPU-based AI transformer models, Graphyte extracts, matches, and alerts on the correct entity by maximizing signals from metadata and hidden features. Other solutions create arbitrary distinctions between name matching and entity resolution and suffer high false positive rates. Leveraging the latest GPU-based AI transformer models, Graphyte extracts, matches, and alerts on the correct entity by maximizing signals from metadata and hidden features. Other solutions create arbitrary distinctions between name matching and entity resolution and suffer high false positive rates. Precise Language Models: Hidden relationships and dynamic risk typologies require the accuracy of large language models with the speed of real-time machine learning. Open-source solutions cannot offer the simultaneous speed and accuracy of Graphyte - and anything less cannot meet the bandwidth demands of payment screening. Hidden relationships and dynamic risk typologies require the accuracy of large language models with the speed of real-time machine learning. Open-source solutions cannot offer the simultaneous speed and accuracy of Graphyte - and anything less cannot meet the bandwidth demands of payment screening. AI Model Implementations for Enterprise Scale: Graphyte separates feature discovery from runtime decisions. At Tier-1 banks, Graphyte has proven the ability to screen tens of millions of entities in hours, with sub-100-ms API response times. Graphyte separates feature discovery from runtime decisions. At Tier-1 banks, Graphyte has proven the ability to screen tens of millions of entities in hours, with sub-100-ms API response times. Real-Time Data Engine for Fast AI: Quantifind's proprietary Real-Time Cluster (RTC) is a purpose-built, distributed query and storage engine optimized for speed and scale. Leveraging patented in-memory data management techniques and advanced name science, RTC enables rapid extraction of critical signals from terabytes of unstructured data, searching billions of documents in real-time with unparalleled efficiencydelivering insights at the speed modern compliance demands. Quantifind's proprietary Real-Time Cluster (RTC) is a purpose-built, distributed query and storage engine optimized for speed and scale. Leveraging patented in-memory data management techniques and advanced name science, RTC enables rapid extraction of critical signals from terabytes of unstructured data, searching billions of documents in real-time with unparalleled efficiencydelivering insights at the speed modern compliance demands. Built-in AI Controls and Oversight: From monitoring against AI bias to detecting model drift, Graphyte's machine learning operations (ML-Ops) are category-defining and provide transparency across the model process. Real-time monitoring and audit reporting keep managers informed and compliant. "Graphyte for payments transaction monitoring and screening represents the culmination of our commitment to delivering unmatched speed, accuracy, and scalability," said Ari Tuchman, CEO and co-founder of Quantifind. "By enhancing our Payments Risk Intelligence solution with real-time transaction screening, we empower institutions to meet modern compliance demands while staying ahead of sophisticated adversaries." "Quantifind's recent $22 million funding round reinforces the market need for true AI-native solutions in financial crime intelligence." Jay Crone, Managing Director of Deloitte Ventures remarked: "Throughout our due diligence, Quantifind's products stood out for their ability to leverage AI to deliver material efficiency improvements to their clients' highly resource-intensive screening processes." About Quantifind Quantifind is the leader in financial crime intelligence automation, providing purpose-built AI solutions that transform how organizations detect and mitigate risk. The Graphyte platform serves as an essential AI co-pilot, delivering real-time, accurate risk assessments by integrating internal data with complex, unstructured public information to uncover hidden threats and reduce false positives with unprecedented accuracy, speed, and scale. This empowers customers to collaborate with trusted entities, focus on critical risks, and strengthen compliance with greater confidence and precision. For more information about Quantifind's innovative solutions, visit www.quantifind.ai Media Contact Annalisa Camarillo EVP of Marketing Quantifind Email: [email protected] SOURCE Quantifind The Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) has opened registration for its annual meeting; register before June 8, 2025, for early-bird rates. Event dates: September 36, 2025 Location: Houston, Texas HOUSTON, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) has announced that registration is now open for its Thirteenth Annual Meeting, taking place September 36, 2025, in Houston, Texas. This premier event brings together global leaders in hematologic oncology to explore the latest advancements in the field, with a special focus this year on artificial intelligence (AI) and its transformative impact on research and treatment. The meeting will include keynote lectures, panel discussions, abstract presentations, and opportunities to network with thought leaders and colleagues from around the world. The theme of this year's meeting, 2025: A Hematology Odyssey Unleashing AI, Genomics, Targets, and Immune Engineering, was chosen by SOHO President Phillip Scheinberg, MD, PhD, chief of hematology at the Hospital A Beneficencia Portuguesa de Sao Paulo in Brazil. "These emerging frontiers are reshaping hematologic oncology, revolutionizing how we understand, diagnose, and treat hematologic malignancies, unlocking new possibilities for care and cures like never before," Dr. Scheinberg said. The meeting will feature three plenary talks by distinguished experts including: Wednesday, September 3 Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP Emory University Winship Cancer Institute Thursday, September 4 Jennifer R. Brown, MD, PhD Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Friday, September 5 TBA* Registrants are eligible for an early bird discount if registered before June 8. SOHO members enjoy a 40% discount on registration. Membership in SOHO is free, making it easy for professionals in the field to join and take advantage of this significant savings. For questions related to the SOHO Annual Meeting, please email [email protected]. SOHO 2025 offers a forum for industry sponsors to participate in the exchange of information and ideas surrounding cutting-edge developments in the field of hematologic malignancies. Sponsorship opportunities are available, and interested parties may visit soho.click/sponsors or may contact Belinda Melder at [email protected] with any questions. News from SOHO 2025 will be posted in SOHO's premier newspaper, SOHO Insider in print and online. Follow SOHO on social media for all the latest updates. About SOHO* The Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) was established as a nonprofit corporation in 2012 with aims to promote worldwide research, education, prevention, clinical studies and optimal patient care in all aspects of hematologic malignancies and related disorders. Since that time, nearly 10,000 members from 120 countries have joined the society. SOHO's mission is to expedite worldwide research and education through the exchange of scientific information. About SOHO Insider* SOHO Insider is the premier news source of SOHO. Launched in December 2024, SOHO Insider aims to be a resource for hematologic oncologist worldwide. *Not affiliated with Blood Cancers Today or Mashup Media/AMC Media Group/Formedics. SOURCE Society of Hematologic Oncology BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Kazakhstan has refused to comment on unverified theories surrounding Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash in Aktau, Trend reports. According to Kazakhstan's Ministry of Transport, the investigation into the cause of the crash is still ongoing. "The Ministry's Aviation Accident Investigation Commission is continuing its work to determine the cause of the incident. Until the Preliminary Report is published, the Commission will not comment on unverified information circulating online. The Commission will release the Preliminary Report in line with Kazakhstan's legal requirements and ICAO Annex 13 standards, the statement added," the Ministry added. On December 25, an Embraer 190 passenger plane belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) crashed just 3 kilometers from Aktau Airport while flying from Baku to Grozny. There were 67 people on board, including 62 passengers and 5 crew members. Earlier, Kazakhstans Ministry of Transport announced that the investigation commission had arrived in Astana with the decoded data from the plane's black boxes. The decoding was carried out by the Brazilian Air Force's Center for the Investigation and Analysis of Aviation Accidents. NEW YORK, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ridgewood Infrastructure ("Ridgewood"), a leading investor in essential infrastructure in the U.S. lower middle market, today announced the final close of its second fund, Ridgewood Water & Strategic Infrastructure Fund II LP ("Fund II"), with $1.2 billion in capital commitments, significantly surpassing its $1 billion target. Fund II attracted a diverse mix of leading institutional investors, including returning and new public and corporate pensions, insurance companies, endowment funds, and asset managers from North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. A continuation of Ridgewood's established strategy, Fund II is focused on investments in essential infrastructure businesses and assets that provide critical services in sectors including water, energy, transportation, and utilities. Ridgewood's operationally oriented, value creation approach emphasizes scaling, professionalizing, and enhancing the strategic positioning of its investments. "We are grateful for the continued significant support from our existing partners and are excited to welcome several new LPs from across the globe," said Ross Posner, Managing Partner of Ridgewood Infrastructure. "This is a meaningful milestone for our firm, and we are deeply appreciative of the trust our partners continue to place in our team and strategy." Michael Albrecht, Managing Partner, added: "We look forward to continuing to deliver value for our investors and the many communities in which our portfolio companies operate." Fund II has already made several notable investments, including the Prospect Lake Clean Water Center, the third-largest water public-private partnership in U.S. history, which will provide approximately 80% of Fort Lauderdale's fresh water under a 30-year concession agreement. Ridgewood has also had notable recent exits from its inaugural fund ("Fund I"). Last October, Fund I sold its controlling interest in the Vista Ridge Water Pipeline, America's largest water public-private partnership, which supplies approximately 20% of San Antonio's fresh water under a 30-year concession agreement. Earlier this month, Fund I also sold its controlling interest in SiEnergy, one of the fastest growing regulated utilities in America. "Our achievements reflect the exceptional capabilities of our team and the strength of the Ridgewood platform," said Matthew Swanson, Founding Partner of Ridgewood Infrastructure. "We look forward to building upon this strong foundation of success in the years to come." Eaton Partners, a Stifel company, acted as the placement agent, and Vinson & Elkins LLP served as legal counsel for the fund. About Ridgewood Infrastructure Ridgewood Infrastructure is a leading infrastructure investor in the U.S. lower middle market with sectors of focus including water, energy, transportation, and utilities. For more information, visit www.ridgewoodinfrastructure.com. Contact Information: Ridgewood Infrastructure 527 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor New York, NY 10022 Phone: (212) 867-0050 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Ridgewood Infrastructure Salv's next Bridge cohort will tackle cross-border APP fraud together, one of the fastest-growing financial crimes. Criminals exploit gaps in cross-border payment systems, using speed and fragmented regulations to steal funds. Salv Bridge connects financial institutions to close these gaps. Real-time collaboration stops fraud by protecting customers and disrupting criminal networks. Applications for the Bridge cohort are now open limited to just 30 companies. The deadline to apply is Monday 31 March, 2025 . LONDON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- European Regtech scale-up Salv is inviting applications for the next cohort of its acclaimed Salv Bridge network. This exclusive cohort of 30 banks, fintechs and crypto companies will share intelligence to tackle the growing issue of Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud. APP fraud , also known as account-to-account fraud, bank impersonation fraud or payments fraud, occurs when customers are tricked into sending money to accounts controlled by criminals posing as legitimate payees. Criminals are thriving on industry silos and regulatory gaps. With global losses from APP fraud projected to reach $7.6 billion by 2028, the financial industry is under immense pressure to find solutions. Salv Bridge is the first real-time collaboration platform for fraud prevention and recovery. Live for four years in Europe, the platform supports over 70 financial institutions across Europe that use the platform to share intelligence. Alerts sent by members through the Bridge platform have a true positive rate of over 90%, and companies see recovery rates as high as 80%. When there's a suspicion of APP fraud, fincrime investigators from different institutions share intelligence to track potentially stolen funds, safeguard customers, and disrupt criminal networks. "The companies in this cohort will play an active role in proactively combatting APP fraud," said Ester Eggert , Head of Product at Salv. "By uniting crime fighters across our industry within an intelligence sharing network, we can stop APP fraud before it's too late. Criminals work in networks, so it's high time the industry started working in networks too. It's criminals who should be out of pocket, not customers." Applications are now open and spaces limited to 30 companies. Financial institutions interested in joining the Salv Bridge cohort can apply by visiting the Salv website ( https://info.salv.com/bridge-app-fraud-cohort). Interested companies are invited to apply from today until Monday 31 March, 2025. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2597972/Salv_Logo.jpg MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) is pleased to announce the release of The Complete Compliance and Ethics Manual 2025an exhaustive reference for compliance & ethics professionals at all levels of experience. The publication is offered in two formats: in print as a softcover two-volume set, or as a searchable online resource through annual subscription. A print + online bundle is also available at significant savings. To purchase, visit the SCCE website. The Complete Compliance and Ethics Manual 2025 The manual, a comprehensive compliance resource for compliance and ethics professionals around the world, provides detailed analyses of critical aspects of a compliance and ethics program and includes practical tools, checklists, policies, and procedures to help compliance professionals improve program effectiveness and address a wide range of risk areas. The Complete Compliance and Ethics Manual 2025 contains 93 comprehensive articles with both new and updated content, organized to help you quickly find the information you need. New content includes: Auditing the Confidential Reporting Hotline and Case Management Program Effectiveness Navigating U.S. Privacy Standards: A Guide for Compliance Officers Managing the Ethics and Compliance Risks of Artificial Intelligence Compliance with U.S. Trade Regulations The Value of a Champions Network in Building a Culture of Compliance Updated titles include: Auditing and Monitoring Whistleblowing Legislation in the EU and Brazil Social Media Compliance The Relationship between Technology and Compliance Artificial Intelligence and Corporate Compliance The 2025 content additions and updates reflect the ever-changing compliance landscape and SCCE's dedication to providing the most current insights from industry experts to support the compliance profession. To purchase or learn more, visit www.corporatecompliance.org/CCEM About SCCE Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) supports compliance and ethics professionals across industry as part of the overarching mission of SCCE & HCCA, a nonprofit association with members in over 100 countries. Since 2004, SCCE has been championing ethical practices and compliance standards to promote the lasting success and integrity of organizations worldwide, offering educational conferences, publications, certification opportunities, and networking for career growth and program development. Visit the SCCE website at www.corporatecompliance.org or call 888.277.4977. SOURCE Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics (SCCE) LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- ScribbleVet, an AI-powered scribe used by thousands of veterinarians, is excited to announce that Dr. Jeff Werber renowned veterinarian, Emmy award winner, and veterinary innovator has joined the company as its Chief Veterinary Advisor. The company also announced several time-saving product enhancements that will be on display at VMX 2025. A celebrated thought leader in the field, Dr. Jeff Werber has more than 40 years of experience providing exceptional care to animals and advancing the veterinary profession. He founded the prestigious AAHA-certified Century Veterinary Group in Los Angeles, which won the Veterinary Economics Merit Design Award. Dr. Werber has served as president of the Association of Veterinary Communicators and as a contributor to DVM360. His work as the pet expert for CBS News in Los Angeles earned him an Emmy for his pet health reporting, and he continues to share his expertise as a frequent contributor to CNN, KTLA, and other national media outlets. "I am honored to join ScribbleVet in its mission to revolutionize the profession," said Dr. Werber. "Over the years, I've learned that clients don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care. ScribbleVet helps me focus on my clients and patients instead of administrative tasks, and I'm excited to collaborate with them to bring this benefit to all veterinarians." In his new role, Dr. Werber will leverage his unparalleled experience in providing high-quality care. "Dr. Werber is well-known for his passion and focus on the client experience," said Rohan Relan, Founder and CEO of ScribbleVet. "Unfortunately, veterinarians are often burdened with overhead that prevents them from being fully patient-focused. We believe that Dr. Werber's expertise will guide us in building AI that can enable every single vet to deliver exceptional client experiences." ScribbleVet is continuing to expand its product offering to improve veterinarians' day-to-day experience. Newly-announced enhancements to the company's AI scribe tools include: Practice-level collaboration and features which will enable the entire clinic to adopt AI and simplify workflows. An integrated outbound dialer to help veterinarians streamline note-taking during client callbacks. An AI summary tool that creates a quick synopsis of patient records and documents, so busy practitioners can view patient history at a glance and be well-prepared when they enter the exam room. These product enhancements will be available for demonstration at The 2025 Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX), booth 3728, Jan. 25 - 29, in Orlando, FL. About ScribbleVet ScribbleVet is the leading AI-powered scribe for veterinarians, designed to automate the time-consuming task of note-taking. Serving thousands of veterinarians across the country, ScribbleVet helps reduce burnout, improve workflow efficiency, and enable professionals to dedicate more time to patient care. For more information, visit scribblevet.com . Media Contact: Cathy Levendoski [email protected] 314-518-2535 Download images for media usage at ScribbleVet media kit . SOURCE ScribbleVet DENVER, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Scrum Alliance has released an all-new on-demand microcredential course, Agile for Marketing . This course addresses challenges that go hand-in-hand with the marketing industry, including the need to adapt quickly to shifting customer behaviors, deliver measurable results, and stay ahead in competitive markets. Agile principles encourage teams to embrace experimentation and rapid iteration, helping them test fresh ideas, learn from setbacks, and adapt swiftly to customer feedback. Scrum Alliance Agile for Marketing digital badge According to the 2023 Scrum Alliance Value Enhancement Report, 75% of marketing professionals expressed interest in learning more about applying agile principles, underscoring the relevance and necessity of accessible, practical training like the Agile for Marketing course. Scrum Alliance Chief Executive Officer Tristan Boutros said, "Speed and adaptability are essential across all industries, including marketing. To stay competitive, marketers need to test, learn, and refine their strategies quickly in response to shifting consumer preferences and market trends. Agile frameworks empower teams to adjust campaigns in real-time, make data-driven decisions, and optimize ROI. This approach not only enhances campaign effectiveness but also drives meaningful sales growth." Agile for Marketing is designed to equip marketing and sales professionals with the skills to thrive in a fast-paced and unpredictable environment. By adopting agile principles, they can experiment and learn faster, refine strategies using real-time feedback, and adjust campaigns to achieve measurable results. This course empowers learners to drive sales growth, discover effective tactics through iterative delivery, and focus on customer-centric solutions that foster stronger connections and better outcomes. Participants in the course will gain the tools to align their marketing efforts with agile methods. They'll learn how to evaluate and optimize campaign performance using agile metrics, develop data-driven strategies, and accelerate time to market. This new course is ideal for digital marketers, content creators, social media managers, PR teams, marketing analysts, and entrepreneurs seeking practical ways to streamline workflows, prioritize tasks effectively, and align their efforts with organizational goals. The Agile for Marketing course provides learners with a lifetime microcredential upon completion. New and lapsed members who purchase the course will also receive a two-year Scrum Alliance membership, unlocking additional resources and benefits. Current members can enjoy a discounted rate on the course, making it accessible to a wide range of professionals looking to sharpen their skills. Agile for Marketing is now available on demand. To learn more and enroll, visit Scrum Alliance . About Scrum Alliance As the first nonprofit focused on agile education and professional credentialing, Scrum Alliance has awarded more than 1.5 million agile credentials globally. It continues to advance its position of Agile for Anyone by equipping professionals and their organizations with the education, skills, and community needed to succeed in today's ever-evolving workplaces. For more information, visit scrumalliance.org. Connect with us: Media Contact: Tess Martin 9570973380 [email protected] SOURCE Scrum Alliance The Bears Ears Commission recognizes this groundbreaking partnership with federal agencies as a model for collaboration, unity, trust, and shared responsibility in land stewardship. BEARS EARS NATIONAL MONUMENT, Utah, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The five Tribes of the Bears Ears Commission proudly announce the finalization of the Bears Ears Resource Management Plan (RMP), a historic achievement for the management of Bears Ears National Monument that underscores the power of unity, trust, and shared responsibility in land stewardship. This moment represents a transformative step forward in fostering collaborative partnerships between Tribal Nations and the federal government. Developed through years of meaningful collaboration between the five Commission Tribes The Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, and Ute Indian Tribe of Uintah and Ouray Reservationworking with the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service, the RMP reflects a shared vision for preserving Bears Ears as a sacred cultural and ecological landscape. The plan emphasizes collaborative management, recognizing traditional knowledge and expertise, cultural preservation, ecological integrity, and responsible recreation, all while ensuring the protection of sacred places and resources for future generations. "Bears Ears National Monument embodies our ancestral ties and sacred landscapes," said Craig Andrews, Vice Chairman of The Hopi Tribe and Bears Ears Commissioner. "Our Navoti (knowledge) of Hopi presence, expressed through ceremony, prayer, and pilgrimage, reflects our deep connection to Hoon Naq'vu (Bears Ears). This management plan is a testament to the trust and cooperation that form the foundation of collaborative management, affirming Tribal knowledge and the shared responsibility of stewarding these lands together for future generations to come." The Bears Ears Commission appreciates the unprecedented unity and trust that shaped the RMP. It exemplifies how Tribal Nations and federal agencies can come together as partners to safeguard sacred landscapes. "This partnership is a powerful demonstration of what can be accomplished when we work together with trust and shared purpose," said Anthony Sanchez Jr., Head Councilman for the Zuni Tribe and Co-Chair of the Bears Ears Commission. "The collaborative management partnership sets a new precedent for relationships between Tribal Nations and the federal government, showing how mutual respect and understanding can create lasting solutions for public lands." As the Bears Ears Commission, and the Tribal communities they represent, celebrate this historic milestone, it remains steadfast in its commitment to the principles of collaborative management with federal agencies. The Tribes will continue to work with federal, state, and community partners to deepen public understanding of Bears Ears as a sacred cultural landscape and to ensure the plan's values endure amid future challenges. "Bears Ears is deeply woven into the cultural and spiritual heritage of the Ute Mountain Ute people, where the echoes of our ancestors can still be heard if we listen closely," said Malcolm Lehi, Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Councilman and Bears Ears Commissioner. "The Resource Management Plan embodies the collective dedication of the Tribes and federal agencies to honor and safeguard this sacred landscape. The finalization of this plan marks a significant step forward in ensuring that our voices and traditional knowledge remain central to the stewardship of these lands for future generations." "Shash Ja'a (Bears Ears) is part of our sacred mountains, embodying Hozhoharmony, balance, and beauty. Hozho is everything we carry in our Jish (medicine bundle)," said Curtis Yanito, Navajo Nation Council Delegate and Co-Chair of the Bears Ears Commission. "The Bears Ears Commissioners and federal agency partners who have worked to protect every sacred element outlined in the Resource Management Plan shall be honored for generations." The Bears Ears RMP stands as a living reflection of collaborative management, demonstrating that unity, trust, and shared responsibility are the foundation for protecting sacred landscapes. It marks a national milestone in Indigenous-informed land stewardship and serves as a model for collaborative management across the country. "Bears Ears is a sacred place that holds the wisdom and teachings of our people. Our identity is rooted in the landscape and is a place of healing for our peoplefrom the tiny tots to the elders," said Christopher Tabbee, Vice Chairman of the Ute Indian Tribe Business Committee and Bears Ears Commissioner. "The Resource Management Plan provides an opportunity for all of us to better protect and manage these lands for future generations. Our collaborative work at Bears Ears should be a model for the management of all federal public lands. In a time of increasing drought, wildfires, and other challenges we face, we need to incorporate Tribal knowledge and expertise in federal land management practices." About the Bears Ears Commission The Bears Ears Commission is composed of five Tribal NationsUte Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Zuni Tribe, The Hopi Tribe and the Navajo Nationwho work collaboratively with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service to manage and steward the Bears Ears National Monument. The Commission represents the first time in U.S. history that a coalition of Tribal Nations has collaborated with federal agencies to craft a management plan for a national monument. The Commission was established during the Obama administration, following the President's proclamation that established Bears Ears as a National Monument. About the Bears Ears Inter-Tribal Coalition (BEITC) : The BEITC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Resources Legacy Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which relies on charitable giving to support the Bears Ears Commission in fulfilling its collaborative management responsibilities. Follow the Coalition on Instagram , Facebook , and LinkedIn . SOURCE Bears Ears Commission To fully support the Ukrainian forces, Shield AI has established an office in Kyiv, creating a local presence in Ukraine with a dedicated team of engineers, mission operations personnel, and technical specialists. Shield AI has already begun working with USF operators, delivering training that will prepare them for deploying V-BATs to the front lines. During a recent field visit with troops and Shield AI's in-country team, a senior commander from the Unmanned Systems Training Group highlighted the importance of the training and support being provided: "The presence of Shield AI's team in Ukraine is a critical step in enhancing our operational capabilities. Their efforts are ensuring that our forces are well-prepared to meet the challenges of the frontline environment." V-BAT is a next-generation VTOL UAS designed for resilient operations in contested environments, delivering strategic capabilities on par with larger, more expensive platforms. It excels at deep-penetration targeting missions in GPS- and communications-denied conditions. Its performance in Ukraine has proven its ability to withstand advanced electronic warfare threats while maintaining reliability and adaptability. Most recently, V-BAT showcased its versatility during maritime operations in the Black Sea, underscoring its value for long-range missions across both land and sea. "V-BAT is the most cost-effective, strategic targeting drone there is. In Ukraine, it has targeted strategic Russian surface-to-air missile systems while GPS and communications were jammed. It doesn't require a runway, which everybody knows are large, stationary, first-strike missile sponges that will be destroyed on day one of any conflict," said Brandon Tseng, Shield AI's President, Co-Founder and a former Navy SEAL. "Drones are not the future of warfare; they are how warfare is waged today. It's just that much of the world is behind and still allocating resources to expensive, vulnerable systems that don't stand a chance on the battlefield. Our adversaries laugh behind closed doors when we spend tens of millions on legacy systems that get shot out of the sky by $1 million missiles." The Unmanned Systems Forces is the world's first dedicated military branch that employs unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based robotic systems, and marine surface and underwater drones to carry out a variety of tasks. By combining advanced technologies with modern asymmetric warfare strategies, the Unmanned Systems Forces aim to protect Ukrainian citizens and territorial integrity, destroy enemy forces, and significantly reduce their offensive capabilities. The USF's multi-level approach enables operations both on the battlefield and at strategic depths, targeting enemy assets hundreds of kilometers behind the front lines. About Shield AI Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company whose mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. In pursuit of this mission, Shield AI is building the world's best AI pilot. Its AI pilot, Hivemind, has flown jets (F-16; MQM-178 Firejet), a vertical takeoff and landing drone (MQ-35 V-BAT), and three quadcopters (Nova, Nova 2, iPRD). The company has offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington DC and abroad. Shield AI's products and people are currently in the field actively supporting operations with the U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. allies. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X and Instagram. Media Contact Lily Hinz, [email protected] SOURCE Shield AI STIRLING VAULT100 upright ULT features next-level temperature uniformity, energy efficiency and predictive diagnostics with improved free-piston engine and cabinet design. ATHENS, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stirling Ultracold , an innovative developer and manufacturer of ULT freezers, has announced the immediate commercial release of the company's new VAULT100 upright ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezer. The first freezer in the industry with a -100C to -20C temperature range, the VAULT100 features temperature uniformity of +/-3C at -80C throughout the interior cabinet with market-leading, steady-state adherence to setpoint. With a more robust M6D free-piston Stirling engine design, the VAULT100 also has a larger 10-inch touchscreen display and graphical user interface (GUI) that includes Onboard Predictive Analytics freezer diagnostics. Stirling VAULT100 Upright ULT Freezer Replacing the company's SU780XLE upright model, the Stirling VAULT100 provides the same storage capacity with matching external dimensions, maintaining the highest storage density and smallest footprint in its class. The wider temperature range gives customers more storage choices without compromising energy efficiency and is ideal for labs that frequently access samples from the freezer. Operating at the -100C setpoint, the VAULT100 interior cabinet remains below -70C when the door is open for up to 2 minutes. "We're very excited to introduce a ULT product with major temperature performance improvements and innovations like predictive analytics," stated Stirling Ultracold CEO, Clayton Newman. "The VAULT100 was designed to ensure sample integrity with tighter control over the ultra-low storage environment, which makes this new upright model the ideal storage solution for following Good Manufacturing Practice." Stirling Ultracold revolutionized the ultra-low freezer market in 2011 with the commercial introduction of the company's free-piston Stirling engine cooling technology, a highly efficient alternative to traditional compressor-based systems. The VAULT100 is powered by the new M6D Stirling engine that builds on those original advantages with a more robust design and new linear motor that allows lower power consumption at the control board. The M6D engine improves system reliability and energy efficiency over previous Stirling designs, allowing the VAULT100 to use only 5.8 kWh/day (steady-state) with a Maximum Daily Energy Consumption (MDEC) of 0.22 kWh/day/cu-ft, validated by ENERGY STAR-certification. A new Onboard Predictive Analytics section of the VAULT100's GUI is comparable to lights and notifications on a car's dashboard. This unique tool monitors and analyzes several Stirling M6D engine sensors to open a window into the overall health of the freezer, providing guidance for preventative maintenance and proactive recommendations, based on each unit's current operating conditions and stage of life. About Stirling Ultracold Stirling Ultracold designs and manufactures environmentally sustainable, ultra-low temperature (ULT) freezers for the global life science market from its headquarters in Athens, Ohio. Powered by the free-piston Stirling engine, as the first freezer manufacturer in the U.S. to use 100 percent natural refrigerants, Stirling's upright and undercounter ULT freezers use up to 70 percent less electric power than standard compressor-based ULT freezers, as validated by the industry's first ENERGY STAR rating for ULT freezers. The company also produces the industry's only portable ULT freezer solution, which is ideally suited for remote clinical trials and biologic drug delivery. For more information, please visit www.stirlingultracold.com or follow Stirling on LinkedIn. Stirling Ultracold Media Contacts: Lindsey Denney, Marketing Manager [email protected] Clayton Newman, CEO [email protected] Web: stirlingultracold.com SOURCE Stirling Ultracold Honoring 75+ Years of Excellence While Looking Ahead to the Future HEBRON, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Strait & Lamp Lumber, a cornerstone of central Ohio's building community for over 75 years, is excited to announce its rebrand to S&L LumberHebron Location. This change reflects the company's evolution while maintaining its long-standing commitment to exceptional customer service and top-quality building materials. The rebrand to S&L Lumber aims to promote greater brand recognition and simplicity, making it easier for customers to connect with the products and services they need. This change also reflects the company's alignment under its parent company, which manages a network of trusted lumber yards and millwork operations throughout central Ohio. Located at the corner of Route 40 and 37 in Hebron, S&L LumberHebron Location stands out as one of the largest independent lumberyards in the region. Known for its personalized service, extensive inventory, and state-of-the-art custom mill, the company is dedicated to meeting the diverse needs of builders and homeowners alike. "Our new name represents the same trusted service and quality our customers have relied on for decades, while also embracing a modern vision for the future," said Steven L Arnold: President of S&L Lumber. "This rebrand allows us to better connect with the evolving needs of our customers while maintaining the strong relationships that have always defined our business." The rebrand, complete with a redesigned logo, is part of a larger effort to strengthen the brand's connection to the community while providing the best possible service experience. The company's dedication to creating a family-like atmosphere for both customers and employees remains unchanged, ensuring that central Ohio builders and homeowners feel supported every step of the way. For more information about S&L Lumber, visit www.sllumber.com or call 740-928-4501. About S&L Lumber: Serving central Ohio for over 75 years, S&L Lumber (formerly Strait & Lamp Lumber) is one of the largest independent lumberyards in the area. With a focus on exceptional service and quality, the company offers a wide range of building materials, custom millwork, and a team of knowledgeable professionals dedicated to meeting customers' needs. SOURCE S&L Lumber Xplore Inc. To Deliver World-Leading Hyperspectral Images to Dual-Use Customers BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Xplore Inc., a dual-use space company providing satellite data today announced the successful launch, communications and control of XCUBE-1, its first hyperspectral satellite, which launched as part of the Bandwagon-2 rideshare mission mission with SpaceX via launch integrator Maverick Space Systems. XCUBE-1 was deployed to a mid-inclination orbit following its launch from Vandenburg Space Force Base in California on December 21, 2024, at 3:34am PST. This marks a critical milestone in Xplore's constellation deployment and service offerings. Xplore XCUBE-1 Satellite (far right) captured moments before deployment in Low Earth Orbit Credit: SpaceX XCUBE-1 satellite testing Falon 9 Rocket launching at Vandenburg Space Force Base Credit: SpaceX "XCUBE-1 is the cornerstone of our constellation of satellites delivering high-value hyperspectral data for a diverse range of applications," said Jeff Rich, Xplore Founder and Chief Executive Officer. He continued, "We are excited to begin providing our partners and dual-use customers with high-quality hyperspectral data. The launch and operation of our first satellite is a major achievement for Xplore's team." Post-launch, Xplore was able to immediately confirm deployment and establish communications with the XCUBE-1 satellite. Xplore is using its own cloud-based mission control software, Major Tom, to transmit commands and control the satellite with a network of ground stations around the globe. XCUBE-1 is designed to deliver high-value hyperspectral data products for applications including Earth observation, space domain awareness, maritime domain awareness and astronomy. Notably, Xplore was granted a Tier-3 license by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) signifying its position among the nation's most capable remote sensing systems. "With this launch, Xplore brings a new, cutting-edge hyperspectral monitoring capability into global geospatial data markets. This satellite imaging capability provides unique insights across a wide range of commercial and national security markets at a time understanding developments on Earth and in space is as important as ever," said Kevin O'Connell, Xplore's Strategic Advisor and Former Director U.S. Space Commerce Department. Xplore's satellite will capture world-leading 4.2-meter spatial resolution of Earth observation targets in a wide array of spectral bands. It will provide critical data to commercial companies in insurance, agriculture, finance, defense, intelligence, and civilian government agencies focused on disaster prevention for climate weather events. "We invite potential customers to explore how Xplore's hyperspectral data can address their specific use cases," said Lisa Rich, Xplore Founder and COO. She continued, "We are eager to collaborate and unlock the potential of this revolutionary technology." About Xplore Xplore provides unique remote sensing data products and insights derived from its constellation of advanced satellites. The constellation incorporates a range of sensors, including optical, video, and hyperspectral sensors to produce valuable data and insights for dual-use applications. Its edge computing capabilities enable the creation of data fusion products and insights extracted on-orbit, reducing latency and data transmission costs. Visit: https://www.xplore.com Contact: Lisa Rich | [email protected] | (425) 270-8481 SOURCE Xplore Inc. The Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC) continues to expand its international collaborations to establish itself as an equal partner among leading universities worldwide. As part of this ongoing effort, UNEC has taken a significant step by partnering with the United Kingdoms De Montfort University. During an official visit to UNEC, representatives of De Montfort University were introduced to the universitys infrastructure and academic programs. Following this introduction, a formal meeting was held between the Rector of UNEC, Professor Adalat Muradov, and the British delegation. The international visitors commended UNECs adherence to global standards in higher education and expressed their interest in establishing a partnership with the institution. The meeting also included discussions on potential areas of collaboration between the two universities. As a result of these discussions, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by UNEC Rector, Professor Adalat Muradov, and Mr. Neil Hart, Director of Transnational Education at De Montfort University. The memorandum encompasses key areas such as faculty and student exchange programs, the organization of symposiums and conferences on scientific research, the exchange of innovative teaching and management practices, the joint publication of scientific and methodological works, as well as the implementation of dual-degree, joint bachelors and masters programs, and mini MBA courses. For the first time, the memorandum also incorporates novel aspects of cooperation, including lifelong learning, inclusive education, environmental management, the development of joint academic programs, and the establishment of a joint faculty, in addition to the traditional partnership areas. WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a unanimous decision, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that disputes over overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) should be decided using the "preponderance of the evidence" standard, which requires a lower standard of evidence than the "clear and convincing" standard. This ruling underscores the importance of consistent burdens of proof that both employers and employees can count on in the labor relations context. "This decision represents a victory for judicial consistency and fairness," Jeff Schwaber, Stein Sperling Post this Pictured (L to R) Jeff Schwaber, Elda Devarie, Eduardo Garcia, and Andrew Schwartz standing before the Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C. Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC worked closely with its co-counsel, the prestigious law firm Williams & Connolly LLP, to present the case to the nation's highest court. Together, the legal team successfully demonstrated that the heightened evidentiary standard applied to employers in FLSA cases by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals for nearly forty years was inconsistent with federal law and precedent. "This decision represents a victory for judicial consistency and fairness," said Jeff Schwaber, co-counsel for EMD Sales, Inc. "Our client, Elda Devarie, is an entrepreneur and founder of a grocery distribution business. We are delighted for her. Elda exemplifies the resilience and dedication of so many small business owners who work hard to comply with labor laws and ensure fairness in their workplace. This ruling ensures a more consistent legal landscape for all employers and employees moving forward." The case, EMD Sales Inc. v. Carrera, centered on whether three employees classified as outside salespeople were entitled to overtime pay under the FLSA. The Supreme Court's decision rejects the Fourth Circuit's imposition of a heightened evidentiary burden on employers, bringing it in line with the majority of the federal circuits. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the Court, emphasized the importance of adhering to the preponderance standard, applied elsewhere in other employment contexts, stating, "Other workplace protections that vindicate important public interests remain subject to the preponderance standard This Court has held that a preponderance standard is appropriate for Title VII cases." "This decision ensures that the FLSA remains a tool for fairness without imposing an undue burden on businesses that seek to avail themselves of the statutorily permitted exemptions in appropriate circumstances," said Eduardo Garcia, co-counsel for EMD Sales Inc. "It strikes the critical balance between protecting workers and maintaining a legal environment where businesses can thrive." The ruling has significant implications for businesses and workers nationwide, clarifying that exceptions to the default evidentiary standard in civil cases are limited to specific statutory, constitutional, or Supreme Court precedents. Justice Neil Gorsuch, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas in a concurring opinion, reiterated that "courts apply the default standard unless Congress alters it or the Constitution forbids it." The case traces its origins to a 2017 lawsuit filed by three employees who argued they were misclassified as exempt employees and denied overtime wages. Prior to Stein Sperling's involvement, the federal district court in Maryland ruled in their favor, finding that EMD Sales did not meet the heightened clear and convincing evidence standard in establishing the exemption. Stein Sperling was hired to take the case to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and after the Fourth Circuit ruled that in applying the heightened standard in the Fourth Circuit, it would affirm the district court's decision, Stein Sperling added Williams & Connelly's superb Supreme Court practice group to the team and sought and obtained Supreme Court review, and ultimately reversal. During oral arguments in November 2024, the justices explored why the FLSA should not be subjected to a higher evidentiary standard than other employment statutes like Title VII. The U.S. Department of Justice, in a May 2024 amicus brief, urged the Court to overturn the Fourth Circuit's ruling, supporting the application of the preponderance of the evidence standard. The ruling underscores the importance of balance in labor law, ensuring protections for workers while providing clarity for employers navigating complex regulations. The case is EMD Sales Inc. et al. v. Carrera et al., case number 23-217, in the U.S. Supreme Court. About Stein Sperling Stein Sperling Bennett De Jong Driscoll PC is a nationally recognized law firm known for its innovative approach and dedication to delivering exceptional client service. With expertise across a range of practice areas, including employment law, business law, and trial and appellate litigation, Stein Sperling has built a reputation in the region for providing effective solutions and achieving outstanding results. Jeff Schwaber is the firm's Managing Partner and chair of the Civil Litigation Department. Eduardo Garcia is a partner in the Civil Litigation Department. SOURCE Stein Sperling For the 5th consecutive year, SDI delivers trusted resource of U.S. military events for media, communicators, and event organizers WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Public relations firm Susan Davis International (SDI) today announced the launch of its comprehensive, interactive calendar of military events and observances for 2025. Since 2020, SDI has provided this annual calendar as a public resource that has come to be relied on by media, professional communicators, event organizers, advocates who support service members and veterans, as well as their families and caregivers. "Since we started the SDI Military Events Calendar, we have heard from our clients, partners, and friends about how valuable it has become to their work, and we're extremely proud to have made such a positive impact on the military and veteran communities," said Susan Ann Davis, Chairman of Susan Davis International. "Our history as a firm is closely tied to the work we've done on behalf of our nation's military, veterans, and their families, so we understand the importance of sharing this resource to keep everyone informed about the multitude of military events." This year marks an especially important year for military events and anniversaries, as the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and U.S. Marine Corps will all mark their 250th anniversary with a plethora of planned celebrations. For decades, SDI has had the privilege of working with the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and many national military and veteran service organizations. With assistance from SDI clients and partners, the calendar was developed to provide a single source of accurate, relevant, and timely event information. The annual military calendar highlights observances, special events, and historic moments in military history, with links included for each event with additional information. Organizations may request that additional observances be included in regular updates of the calendar. For more information, please visit https://www.susandavis.com/military-events-calendar. About Susan Davis International Susan Davis International is a woman-owned small business and full-service international public affairs and strategic communications agency headquartered in Washington, D.C. SDI has a four-decade history of producing award-winning stakeholder outreach campaigns and special events worldwide and been named one of the "Top 5 Public Affairs Agencies" in the country. SDI serves a rich range of clients, from U.S. government agencies and foreign governments, to multinational corporations and trade associations, to small businesses and nonprofits. SDI is a Founding Partner of IPREX, a $508 million global agency network with more than 1,100 professionals in more than 100 markets worldwide that work across the spectrum of industries and practice disciplines. To learn more about SDI, visit www.susandavis.com. SOURCE Susan Davis International Opening Night Reception on February 7 at 6 p.m. COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Veterans Memorial and Museum (NVMM) today announced the opening of "Syd Solomon: Concealed and Revealed," which will run February 7 through May 11, 2025. Through this exhibition, Solomon's art explores the dualities of war concealment and revelation, chaos and order. By integrating these concepts into his abstract works, Solomon illustrates the complexities and nuances of military service, providing a visual representation of the psychological and emotional landscapes that Veterans navigate. Syd Solomon (1917-2004) was an American artist known for his abstract paintings. A common theme in his artwork is the exploration of abstraction and the interaction between nature and human experience. His paintings reflect his deep connection to the environment, with vibrant colors and dynamic compositions that evoke a sense of movement and energy. Born in Pennsylvania, Solomon began painting in high school. He joined the U.S. Army in July of 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. He utilized his artistic skills in camouflage for the Army. Solomon earned the Bronze Star during the Battle of the Bulge, where he also suffered from frostbite. His experience influenced his desire to join the abstract art movement when he returned to civilian life. After the war, he settled in Florida and became recognized nationally for his innovative techniques, including being one of the first artists to use acrylic paint and aerosol sprays. His work gained attention in the art world, with exhibitions and acquisitions by prestigious museums. His later years saw retrospectives and exhibitions honoring his work, including one that highlighted his WWII camouflage experience and its impact on his art. Solomon's work is held in numerous private and public collections worldwide, cementing his legacy in the art world. "Solomon's work frequently incorporates elements of the natural world, such as landscapes, seascapes, and weather patterns, interpreted through his unique abstract style," said Meagan McGowan, director of Exhibitions at the NVMM. "His experimentation with various techniques and materials, such as acrylic paints and aerosol sprays, demonstrates his continuous exploration of artistic expression and innovation. Solomon's art provides a unique lens into the Veteran experience by translating the themes of his military service into abstract expressionist works." Solomon's son Mike described his father's artistic journey: "Syd Solomon's involvement in camouflage began when Homer Saint-Gaudens asked him to join a camouflage battalion. My father was assigned to the 924th Engineers Aviation Regiment, specializing in surveillance and aerial camouflage. He became an expert on constructing and layering various temporary surfaces which served as camouflage and decoys in these scenarios. After the war, he relied on the skills he had developed to create paintings that involved a layering technique with the experimental media he used. Syd Solomon once called the sprays he used 'color bombs.' When he washed off the pastes, they saved the layers underneath from the spray or 'bombed' areas. The connection between his service to country during wartime, and his service to culture during peace, is one of the many reasons his work is so interesting." An Opening Night Reception will take place on Friday, February 7, at 6 p.m. Tickets are available to the public online for $20, or $15 for Veterans and active-duty service members. The evening will include a short program for attendees who will be able to view the exhibition before it opens to the general public the following day. About the National Veterans Memorial and Museum The National Veterans Memorial and Museum takes visitors on a narrative journey telling individual stories and sharing experiences of Veterans from all military branches throughout history. The National Veterans Memorial and Museum pays tribute to the sacrifices of men and women in service and their families. History is presented through a dynamic, participatory experience with photos, letters and personal effects, multi-media presentations, and interactive exhibits. Together, these elements link our national story of service to the larger context of the world. SOURCE National Veterans Memorial & Museum LONDON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Table 3 in Casablanca, Morocco, has been named the winner of the American Express One To Watch Award, as part of Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants 2025. This accolade recognises visionary restaurants that are rapidly rising in acclaim and Table 3 has been identified by the 50 Best team as having the potential to feature in a future edition of a MENA's 50 Best Restaurants list. Led by Chef Faycal Bettioui, Casablanca's Table 3 is named the winner of the American Express One To Watch Award as part of Middle East & North Africas 50 Best Restaurants 2025 Opened in June 2024, Table 3 marks Chef Faycal Bettioui's return to Casablanca, bringing a fresh vision to Moroccan fine dining. Blending French technique with Japanese simplicity, his menu honours Morocco's rich terroir with global precision. Located in Bettioui's childhood neighbourhood, Table 3 embodies both nostalgia and evolution, strengthened by local support for its dedication to Moroccan ingredients and contemporary artistry. The restaurant distinguishes itself within Casablanca's dining scene through its focus on detail and discipline. Its tasting menu highlights the best of Moroccan ingredients, presented with contemporary flair, offering an experience that is both rooted in tradition and forward-thinking in execution. William Drew, Director of Content for Middle East & North Africa's 50 Best Restaurants, says: "The American Express One To Watch Award celebrates the vision, creativity, and execution of restaurants poised to make a significant impact on the culinary world. Table 3, under the strong leadership of Chef Faycal Bettioui, is a great example of how regional flavours can be elevated to new heights with global techniques." Chef Faycal Bettioui says: "This recognition for Table 3 is profoundly meaningful to me. After over two decades abroad and countless restaurant openings, Table 3 holds a special place in my heart. It's not just a restaurant it's a dream I've nurtured for years, brought to life in the neighbourhood where my journey began. This accolade celebrates not only my passion but also the community and memories that have inspired me every step of the way." The MENA's 50 Best Restaurants awards ceremony will be hosted on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT), and will honour gastronomy and hospitality, while also promoting the culinary strength and diversity of the region. Media centre: https://mediacentre.theworlds50best.com/ Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2598536/50_Best.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2590208/MENA2025_Logo.jpg SOURCE 50 Best With $23M in funding raised to date, Teal aims to transform a critical women's health screening. SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Teal Health , a women's health company on a mission to eliminate cervical cancer in the US, announced today the close of an additional $10 million in seed funding to support the upcoming launch of the Teal Wand, which is currently under FDA review and on track to be the US market's first FDA-approved at-home self-collect cervical cancer screening device. This new capital brings Teal Health's funding to $23 million to date as the company accelerates its product development and readies go-to-market plans. This latest investment, led by Emerson Collective and Forerunner with continued support from existing investors, such as Serena Ventures, Metrodora, and new partner Labcorp, marks a pivotal step for Teal Health. It builds on the company's recent achievements, including a $1.68 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Cancer Institute and FDA Breakthrough Device Designation . These milestones will enable Teal Health to advance its go-to-market strategy for its thoughtfully designed, research-backed at-home cervical cancer screening, upon FDA approval. The emphasis on design ensures the device is effective and user-friendly, allowing more women to take control of their health. Teal Health was established to address the reality that today, 92 million U.S. women and people with a cervix are of screening age, but 1 in 4 are not screening routinely due to limited access and discomfort with the invasive exam. Cervical cancer screening is a key part of women's preventive health and the only cancer screening that starts as young as 21 and spans at least forty years of a woman's life, through some of the most busy and demanding years. With Teal Health's at-home screening device and telehealth platform, the company is uniquely positioned to dramatically increase the rate of screening engagement in the U.S., thus significantly improving women's health outcomes. Nicole Johnson, a partner at Forerunner, shared her excitement about co-leading this investment with Emerson Collective, underscoring the alignment with Forerunner's focus on companies that improve consumers' lives. "There is no shortage of reasons for wanting to improve on the traditional healthcare system, but one unequivocal truth is that many healthcare experiences are not built with the end consumer as the primary customer. This feels especially true for women's health, despite women accounting for ~80% of healthcare spending. Teal Health represents a unique opportunity to recreate the experience for one of women's most routine and critical health screenings, making cervical cancer screens remarkably more comfortable and convenient. Teal's debut product is a prime example of how a dramatically better experience could mean dramatically better adherence, quality of care, and outcomes." The industry has shifted toward Primary HPV testing for cervical cancer screening, and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has included self-collection in its recent draft recommendations , recognizing its role in increasing adherence to screening. The USPSTF highlights that self-collected HPV samples, which the Teal Wand is, are as accurate as clinician-collected samples and are particularly effective in reaching underscreened individuals and historically underserved populations. Most notably, evidence shows that at-home self-collection can significantly boost screening rates. Teal Health is dedicated to making self-collection screening easy and accessible from the comfort of one's home. With an abundantly clear demand for more user-friendly and convenient options, the Teal Wand is poised to transform the market. In a recent nationwide clinical study conducted by Teal Health, 94% of women across all demographics preferred at-home screening over traditional in-clinic screenings with a speculum and brush. By aligning with evidence-based guidelines and addressing barriers like convenience and comfort, Teal Health aims to allow more women to stay on track with critical cervical cancer screenings. "Cervical cancer is detectable and treatable if you can catch it early enough," said Matt Bettonville, Investor at Yosemite, which manages Emerson Collective's oncology investments. "Teal can take the next step towards rendering this disease non-lethalmaking the screening process easier and more convenient for millions of women in the U.S." Teal Health's FDA submission for the at-home cervical cancer screening device is currently under review a pivotal step toward delivering the first-of-its-kind solution that puts women's preferences and needs at the forefront of the healthcare experience. Kara Egan, CEO of Teal Health, commented on the significance of the funding round, saying, "This investment allows us to bring Teal Health's vision to life, getting our transformational screening solution into the hands of women. We're here to create a new path forward, enabling women to take control of their health with confidence and ease. We're deeply grateful to our investors, who are as committed as we are to eliminating cervical cancer and breaking down barriers to essential healthcare." With strong support from dedicated investors and a growing community of early advocates, Teal Health is on track to reshape cervical cancer screening in the U.S., ensuring that women across the country have access to the care they deserveon their own terms. For the month of January, in honor of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Teal Health is donating $1 to the American Cancer Society for every woman and person with a cervix who pledges to screen. See details on how to pledge on Teal's Instagram . About Teal Health Teal Health is on a mission to design a better healthcare experience for women - starting with cervical cancer screenings. By creating the option for a woman to screen for cervical cancer from the comfort of home and providing telehealth follow-up, Teal can increase access to this life-saving cancer screening. Teal Health is a member of the Cervical Cancer Roundtable, a joint collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the Biden Cancer Moonshot, a coalition of industry leaders with the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health concern in the US. To learn more, visit www.getteal.com . SOURCE Teal Health ASPEN, Colo., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Children's Oncology Support Fund (COSF) founded by film producer and philanthropist Thomas Pierce announced Jay Leno will host the 3rd Annual Aspen Snow Ball Gala. The "black tie fantasy" event honorary chairs include Brooke Burke, and Rachel Zoe. The star studded gala will honor Christie Brinkley with the Philanthropic Impact Achievement Award, and guests will enjoy a special performance by Swedish pop star Zara Larsson. The signature gala hosted by COSF is framed with five days of events for its gala guests now dubbed "Aspen Snow Ball Week". This year will include the first-ever Kick-Off Benefit Concert in partnership with the Aspen Art Museum harboring its connection to Art education and COSF's mission to ensure children have access to wellness programs such as Art Therapy. Robin Thicke and Chloe Jane are confirmed to perform. The curated week of events will foster connection, education, community and impact. Starting with Cloud Nine Alpine Bistro for a "pre-game" take-over of the famed slope side bistro, Aspen Art Museum will host a Kick-Off Benefit Concert, Snow Lodge Aspen will host a Apres Ski Soiree and the Night Before Benefactor Dinner with DJ's sets by Carlita. The St. Regis ballroom will be transformed into this year's theme 'Oh the Places You'll Go' inspired by Dr. Suess's book and "giving these heroic kids a chance to go places". The Official After Party and the Sunday closing Superbowl Party will be at the brand-new ZigZag Restaurant owned by COSF founding board members Scott & Carly Weber. "For our third annual signature gala we have raised the bar, offering curated programming for donors that lift the guest experience and fosters meaningful engagement to our mission. This year we aim to educate our guests, and inspire them to help push our impact forward. We want our motives to be clear of what we stand for and where we are going," says Pierce, COSF's Founding Chairman. We are honored to announce Children's Hospital Colorado as our chosen beneficiary. COSF will support the pediatric cancer center to fuel sustainability for the Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders (CCBD) Family Wellness Program through the COSF Fund for Advancement in Wellness. Specifically, these crucial funds will increase licensed social workers who provide psychosocial support and increase licensed art & music therapists. Notable attendees include: Jay Leno, Christie Brinkley, Rachel Zoe, Zara Larsson, Robin Thicke, Chloe Jane, DJ Carlita, Luke K, Mia Moretti, Brooke Burke, Adrian Brody, Karla Sofia Gascon, Edgar Ramirez, Jackie Cruz, Nolan Funk, Hunter Doohan, Serinda Swan, Ray Nicholson, Bryan Fogel, James Packer, Peter Brant Jr, Thomas Doherty, Michael Chow, Ashley Wyndham, and Keni Silva (more to be confirmed). Sponsors for 3rd Annual Snow Ball Gala include Co-Presenting Sponsors Velocity Black, Taittinger Champagne, with support from ZigZag, Aspen Valley Ranch, Weber Boxer Group, Horse Soldier Bourbon, PATRON El Alto Tequila, Streeter Flynn Gin, Aspen Vodka, Desolas Mezcal, Entourage Rose and Caymus Wines. To reserve tickets and tables, www.aspensnowball.com. To learn about COSF visit www.cosffoundation.org. About Children's Oncology Support Fund (COSF) Children's Oncology Support Fund's mission is to fund the development, research, and programs of less toxic therapies for pediatric cancer patients across the nation. COSF supplies grant funding, and pledge funding to donor dependent patient programs across the nation. COSF works directly with hospitals and established non-profits to build partnerships with its core values in mind; Transparency, Community, and Relevancy. MEDIA CONTACT: Denise Finnegan, [email protected] SOURCE Children's Support Oncology Fund Commitment to redefine the community experience and inspire conservation across generations NAPLES, Fla., Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is honored to receive a historic $25 million grant from the John & Carol Walter Family Foundation, the largest philanthropic commitment in the organization's history. This extraordinary grant builds upon 60 years of visionary donor support, enabling the Conservancy of Southwest Florida to transform the current Nature Center brand and public offerings into the new redefined John & Carol Walter Nature Experience. The goal is to inspire and invite the community to protect our shared natural environment that preserves our unique way of life enjoyed today, and into the future. This landmark grant will not only direct the transformation of the on-site educational experience but also dramatically expands the way the Conservancy engages with residents and guests alike, by creating new spaces, program offerings, and continuously evolving highly interactive exhibits for the greater good of the community. The John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will inspire individuals to take action and support the Conservancy's critical mission to preserve Southwest Florida's water, land, wildlife, and future, for generations to come. The new John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will feature: Interactive and Dynamic Learning Programs: Hands-on exhibits, guided tours, traveling exhibits, and state-of-the-art multimedia technology will make education engaging, memorable, and ever-changing. Visitors will gain a deeper understanding of local ecosystems and conservation challenges; Hands-on exhibits, guided tours, traveling exhibits, and state-of-the-art multimedia technology will make education engaging, memorable, and ever-changing. Visitors will gain a deeper understanding of local ecosystems and conservation challenges; Immersive Natural Settings: Carefully preserved diverse habitats and peaceful spaces will create new opportunities for visitors to connect with nature, reflect, and recharge; Carefully preserved diverse habitats and peaceful spaces will create new opportunities for visitors to connect with nature, reflect, and recharge; Conservation and Stewardship Education: Clear, accessible exhibits and materials will inspire action, showing visitors what they can personally do and contribute to preserving Southwest Florida's environment as members, volunteers, and advocates; Clear, accessible exhibits and materials will inspire action, showing visitors what they can personally do and contribute to preserving environment as members, volunteers, and advocates; Family-Friendly Features: Inclusive programs and facilities will be designed for all ages, with child-centered activities and accessible amenities to ensure a welcoming experience for everyone; Inclusive programs and facilities will be designed for all ages, with child-centered activities and accessible amenities to ensure a welcoming experience for everyone; Cultural and Community Engagement: Collaboration with local schools, artists, and organizations will continue to enrich the visitor experience, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and regional stewardship; Collaboration with local schools, artists, and organizations will continue to enrich the visitor experience, fostering a sense of shared responsibility and regional stewardship; Best-in-Class Sustainability Practices: A transformed guest experience featuring a new welcome center complex as the gateway to the Conservancy's mission, showcasing exhibits, thematic programs, and traveling exhibits; a sustainably designed building including a two-and-a-half-story parking garage with a solar panel roof; and a half-acre stormwater lake and enhanced filter marsh system to showcase innovative water quality enhancement efforts. A Lasting Legacy for Southwest Florida John and Carol Walter's generosity represents a new standard for philanthropic conservation leadership in Southwest Florida. The family's commitment to environmental stewardship further strengthens the Conservancy's long-term focus on education and engagement-for-action, elevating the organization's pursuit to its fullest potential to protect the region's water, land, and wildlife. "My family has become deeply connected to the natural beauty and our shared way of life here in Southwest Florida," said John Walter. "This area is important and holds great significance to all of us. We feel a great responsibility to get involved and care for our surroundings since they offer so much meaning and enjoyment. Like many, we want our community to thrive for future generations. It's our hope that the re-imagined Nature Experience will continue to positively transform this critical regional destination so that residents and visitors will better understand how fundamental the Conservancy's mission is to each of our personal lives. We hope our commitment inspires others to learn more and join us by investing in our way of life, which benefits all in Collier County." A Visionary New Chapter to fulfill the Mission of the Conservancy of Southwest Florida The John & Carol Walter Nature Experience and its programs, staff, and facilities will mark a bold new chapter, ensuring a thriving future for the Conservancy by creating two new permanent endowments for support. "This $25 million grant is not just a benefit for the Conservancy but for the entire Southwest Florida community. The John & Carol Walter Nature Experience will ultimately enrich the lives of residents and visitors, empower individuals to take meaningful action in conservation, and secure a brighter future for the region's unique ecosystems," Conservancy President and CEO Rob Moher says of the historic moment. "The more we connect with nature, the more likely we all are willing and able to protect it. John and Carol Walter's family passionately and purposefully understand the value of making that connection. We are truly grateful to the John & Carol Walter Family Foundation for their transformative grant and are pleased to offer appreciation and celebration for their continued commitment to the Conservancy's mission to enhance the quality of life we all enjoy in Southwest Florida." The opening of the John & Carol Walter Nature Experience is anticipated in the first half of 2028. To learn more, go to conservancy.org/natureexperience or follow the Conservancy's social media accounts to stay informed. About the Conservancy of Southwest Florida The Conservancy of Southwest Florida is a non-profit environmental protection organization with a 60-year history focused on the issues impacting the water, land, wildlife, and future of Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades counties. The Conservancy accomplishes this mission through the combined efforts of its experts in environmental science, policy, education, and wildlife rehabilitation. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida, world-class Nature Center, and von Arx Wildlife Hospital are headquartered in Naples, Florida at 1495 Smith Preserve Way. Learn more about the Conservancy's work and how to support the quality of life in Southwest Florida at Conservancy.org. About the John and Carol Walter Family Foundation John & Carol Walter Family Foundation is a private foundation founded in 2011 by John R. and Carol A. Walter of Naples, Florida. The foundation's mission is to support distinctive organizations and programs that foster meaningful community partnerships and promote energy, excitement, and transformational improvements to community life. The family's values and history reflect decades of invitation-only, strategic philanthropy given to preserve and protect conservation, advance the welfare of children and animals, promote health and well-being, and support the vitality of the performing arts and education. Media Assets Link: Conservancy-John & Carol Walter Nature Experience, Press Release Assets SOURCE Conservancy of Southwest Florida SUMMIT 2025 is Open for Registration Now, To be Held March 4-5, 2025, at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (TRCLC) introduces Summit 2025, a full day of new content that emphasizes the importance of creating an agile culture and driving employee loyalty in consideration of the changing work environment, announced Amanda Joiner, Global Vice President of the global consulting and advisory firm. Summit will be held at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas on March 4, 2025, with the option to attend A Culture of Excellence, a half-day course on March 5. "Summit 2025 is unlike anything ever presented by TRCLC. We're voicing new material in new ways, from leaning into never-before-revealed strategic ideas for innovation developed by The Ritz-Carlton, to a panel of TRCLC clients sharing their insights and outcomes following strategies they deployed using Ritz-Carlton methodologies," said Ms. Joiner. "Summit is designed to stimulate ideas and dialogue over and above our learning courses. If C-suite executives attend only one program with TRCLC this year, Summit is it." " If C-suite executives attend only one program with The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center this year, Summit 2025 is it." Post this Summit is relevant to new and existing customers of TRCLC, intended to equip leaders with actionable ideas to take back to their organizations, and is applicable across all industries. "We listened to organizations who've identified the need to revive their missions and motivate their teams to elevate performance in a workplace that has undergone so many changes in the past five years," said Ms. Joiner. "We believe empowered employees own the customer experience, so we developed Summit 2025 to meet these needs. Summit is completely different from our Symposium held in 2019, in content and purpose." On Day One, participants will be introduced to a proprietary five-step innovation process designed to stir ideas that inspire organizations to elevate the customer service experience. Attendees will be guided through an immersive activity originated from the renowned quality processes of The Ritz-Carlton and provided with a tangible innovation kit with elements to spark discovery with their own teams. This powerful learning experience will be facilitated by Janet Souter, Vice President of Luxury Quality and Performance Excellence at Marriott International. During her 11-year tenure as Vice President of Quality for The Ritz-Carlton, she played a pivotal role in elevating the quality and innovation strategies for The Ritz-Carlton and led the company's global guest engagement strategy. A moderated panel discussion comprised of clients from diverse industries will review outcomes that resulted from applying the methodologies learned from working with TRCLC. From aligning teams around a mission to implementing service strategies and transforming customer experiences, the variety of challenges, solutions and successes are evidence of the power of inspired clients and the best practices of The Ritz-Carlton Brand. On March 5, attendees have the option to attend A Culture of Excellence, a half-day deep dive into the methodologies of The Ritz-Carlton Brand proven to activate and sustain a culture driven by employee and customer engagement. Employee mindset has everything to do with whether a business survives or thrives, because engaged employees create engaged and loyal customers. During this course, attendees will examine The Ritz-Carlton Gold Standards: The Credo, Motto, The Three Steps of Service, The Employee Promise, and the 12 Service Values. Visit Summit 2025 for program details, registration and hotel accommodations or start enrollment now. The cost to attend Summit 2025 on March 4, is $2,495. The cost to attend A Culture of Excellence on March 5, is $1,295. Bundled pricing to attend both days is $3,400. Pricing is per person and does not include attendee travel and hotel. About The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center (TRCLC) is a global consulting and advisory firm dedicated to helping organizations create exceptional employee and customer experiences that drive competitive advantage. An extension of The Ritz-Carlton Brand, TRCLC leverages methodologies and best practices to unlock a sustainable business transformation founded on a culture of excellence. With onsite and virtual solutions ranging from immersive courses and interactive workshops to strategic advisory offerings, thousands of clients have engaged TRCLC as a trusted source to refine service excellence and deliver some of the biggest launches, innovations, and transformations across industries worldwide. TRCLC courses are approved by SHRM for Professional Development Credits (PDC) for recertification of SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP credentials. Visit www.ritzcarltonleadershipcenter.com or view our video for information, and join the conversation on LinkedIn. Press Contact Sandra Ryder The Sandra Ryder Company [email protected] The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center Contact Melissa Burin McCall [email protected] SOURCE The Ritz-Carlton Leadership Center SAN DIEGO , Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP announces that purchasers or acquirers of Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE: ZETA) securities between February 27, 2024 and November 13, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"), have until this upcoming Tuesday, January 21, 2025 to seek appointment as lead plaintiff of the Zeta Global class action lawsuit. Captioned Davoodi v. Zeta Global Holdings Corp., No. 24-cv-08961 (S.D.N.Y.), the Zeta Global class action lawsuit charges Zeta Global as well as certain of Zeta Global's top executives with violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. If you suffered substantial losses and wish to serve as lead plaintiff of the Zeta Global class action lawsuit, please provide your information here: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/cases-zeta-global-holdings-corp-class-action-lawsuit-zeta.html You can also contact attorneys J.C. Sanchez or Jennifer N. Caringal of Robbins Geller by calling 800/449-4900 or via e-mail at [email protected]. CASE ALLEGATIONS: Zeta Global is a marketing technology company. The Zeta Global class action lawsuit alleges that defendants throughout the Class Period made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (i) Zeta Global used two-way contracts to artificially inflate financial results; (ii) Zeta Global engaged in round trip transactions to artificially inflate financial results; (iii) Zeta Global utilized predatory consent farms to collect user data; and (iv) these consent farms have driven almost the entirety of Zeta Global's growth. The Zeta Global class action lawsuit further alleges that on November 13, 2024 Culper Research published a report entitled "Zeta Global Holdings Corp (ZETA): Shams, Scams, and Spam." On this news, the price of Zeta Global's stock fell by more than 37%. THE LEAD PLAINTIFF PROCESS: The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 permits any investor who purchased or acquired Zeta Global securities during the Class Period to seek appointment as lead plaintiff in the Zeta Global class action lawsuit. A lead plaintiff is generally the movant with the greatest financial interest in the relief sought by the putative class who is also typical and adequate of the putative class. A lead plaintiff acts on behalf of all other class members in directing the Zeta Global class action lawsuit. The lead plaintiff can select a law firm of its choice to litigate the Zeta Global class action lawsuit. An investor's ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff of the Zeta Global class action lawsuit. ABOUT ROBBINS GELLER: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP is one of the world's leading law firms representing investors in securities fraud cases. Our Firm has been #1 in the ISS Securities Class Action Services rankings for six out of the last ten years for securing the most monetary relief for investors. We recovered $6.6 billion for investors in securities-related class action cases over $2.2 billion more than any other law firm in the last four years. With 200 lawyers in 10 offices, Robbins Geller is one of the largest plaintiffs' firms in the world and the Firm's attorneys have obtained many of the largest securities class action recoveries in history, including the largest securities class action recovery ever $7.2 billion in In re Enron Corp. Sec. Litig. Please visit the following page for more information: https://www.rgrdlaw.com/services-litigation-securities-fraud.html Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Contact: Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP J.C. Sanchez, Jennifer N. Caringal 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101 800-449-4900 [email protected] SOURCE Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP NYSE American: UEC CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas, Jan. 15, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE American: UEC) (the "Company" or "UEC") announces that it has completed the acquisition of 107,142,857 common shares (the "Anfield Shares") of Anfield Energy Inc. ("Anfield") (TSX-V: AEC) for total consideration of $10.46 million ($15 million Canadian dollars). The acquisition was completed on January 15, 2025 pursuant to a subscription agreement between the Company and Anfield, whereby the Company subscribed for the Anfield Shares at a price of $0.14 per share (Canadian dollars). Immediately after the acquisition, the Company had beneficial ownership, and control and direction of, a total of 203,415,775 Anfield Shares, representing approximately 17.8% of the outstanding Anfield Shares on a non-diluted basis and approximately 24.2% of the outstanding Anfield Shares on a partially diluted basis after assuming the exercise of all warrants held by the Company. Immediately prior to the acquisition, the Company beneficially owned, and had control and direction of, 96,272,918 Anfield Shares and 96,272,918 share purchase warrants of Anfield, each exercisable into an Anfield Share at a price of $0.18 (Canadian dollars) per share until May 12, 2027, representing approximately 9.3% of the outstanding Anfield Shares at such time on a non-diluted basis and approximately 17.0% on a partially diluted basis after assuming the exercise of all of warrants held by the Company. The Anfield Shares were acquired by the Company for investment purposes. The Company will continue to monitor the business, prospects, financial condition and potential capital requirements of Anfield. Depending on its evaluation of these and other factors, the Company may from time to time in the future decrease or increase, directly or indirectly, its ownership, control or direction over securities of Anfield through market transactions, private agreements, subscriptions from treasury or otherwise, or may in the future develop plans or intentions relating to any of the other actions listed in (a) through (k) of Form 62-103F1 Required Disclosure Under Early Warning Requirements. In connection with the acquisition, the Company has undertaken that it will not exercise Warrants to the extent that it will result in the Company becoming a "Control Person" of Anfield, as defined by the TSX Venture Exchange policies, without written approval of the exchange, including any disinterested shareholder approval required by it. The Company has filed an early warning report under Anfield's profile at SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca in connection with the acquisition under Canadian National Instruments 62-103 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Requirements. To obtain more information or a copy of such report, please contact Josephine Man, Chief Financial Officer, at the contact details below. All ownership percentages herein are based upon the number of outstanding Anfield Shares disclosed by Anfield in its Management's Discussion and Analysis for the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The Company's head offices are located at 1030 West Georgia Street, Suite 1830, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 2Y3 and at 500 North Shoreline Boulevard, Suite 800N, Corpus Christi, Texas, 78401. Anfield's head office is located at 4390 Grange Street, Suite 2005, Burnaby, British Columbia V5H 1P6. About Uranium Energy Corp Uranium Energy Corp is America's largest and fastest growing supplier of uranium needed to produce safe, clean, reliable nuclear energy. UEC is advancing the next generation of low-cost, environmentally friendly In-Situ Recovery ("ISR") mining uranium projects in the United States and high-grade conventional projects in Canada. The Company has three hub and spoke platforms in South Texas and Wyoming with a combined licensed production capacity of 12.1 million pounds U 3 O 8 per year. These production platforms are anchored by licensed Central Processing Plants ("CPPs") and served by multiple U.S. ISR uranium projects. In August 2024, ISR operations began at the Christensen Ranch project in Wyoming, sending uranium loaded resin to the Irigaray CPP in Wyoming. The Company has diversified uranium holdings including: (1) a conventional pipeline of high-grade Canadian projects anchored by the worldclass Roughrider project; (2) one of the largest physical uranium portfolios of U.S. warehoused U 3 O 8 ; and (3) a major equity stake in Uranium Royalty Corp., the only royalty company in the sector. The Company's operations are managed by professionals with decades of hands-on nuclear fuel industry experience including the key facets of uranium exploration, development, mining and production. Stock Exchange Information: NYSE American: UEC WKN: AJDRR ISN: US916896103 Safe Harbor Statement Except for the statements of historical fact contained herein, the information presented in this news release constitutes "forward-looking statements" as such term is used in applicable United States and Canadian securities laws. These statements relate to analyses and other information that are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions of management. Any other statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans, "estimates" or "intends", or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and should be viewed as "forward-looking statements". Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such risks and other factors include, among others, the actual results of exploration activities, variations in the underlying assumptions associated with the estimation or realization of mineral resources, future mineral resource estimates may vary from historic estimates, the availability of capital to fund programs and the resulting dilution caused by the raising of capital through the sale of shares, accidents, labor disputes and other risks of the mining industry including, without limitation, those associated with the environment, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, permits or financing or in the completion of development or construction activities, title disputes or claims limitations on insurance coverage. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Many of these factors are beyond the Company's ability to control or predict. 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 contained in this news release and in any document referred to in this news release. Important factors that may cause actual results to differ materially and that could impact the Company and the statements contained in this news release can be found in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For forward-looking statements in this news release, the Company claims the protection of the safe harbor for forward-looking statements contained in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy securities. SOURCE Uranium Energy Corp BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. First Deputy Minister of Defense Chief of the General Staff of the Azerbaijan Army, Colonel General Karim Valiyev, who is currently visiting Brussels to participate in the Session of the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence from NATO Allied and partner countries, conducted a series of meetings, Trend reports via Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry. During his visit, Colonel General Karim Valiyev held meetings with the Chief of the General Staff of the Turkish Armed Forces, Army General Metin Gurak; the Chief of Defence of the Italian Armed Forces, Army General Luciano Portolano; and the Chief of Defence Staff of the Hungarian Defence Forces, Army General Gabor Borondi. The discussions focused on the current state and future prospects of military cooperation between the respective countries, as well as various other issues of mutual interest. The meetings were also attended by the Head of the Mission of the Republic of Azerbaijan to NATO, Jafar Huseynzada. The Love Kit features a variety of 20 Sliders, pickles, dessert and more The Love Kit can be shipped to all 50 states, allowing Cravers to turn their homes into Love Castles no matter their ZIP code! COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Love knows no bounds when White Castle, the innovator of The Original Slider and renowned consumer packaged goods (CPG) brand, is serving the nation's desire to celebrate Valentine's Day with a uniquely steamy twist. The super-popular "Love Kit" is back, baby. This year, the Love Kit is bigger, better, bolder and lovely-er! The one-of-a-kind Love Kit brings the experience of eating in a Love Castle to Cravers unable to visit a Castle. Post this The one-of-a-kind Love Kit is beefier in 2025, featuring 20 mouth-watering Sliders (they arrive frozen). The Love Kit is designed to serve up to five people. The one-of-a-kind Love Kit is beefier in 2025, featuring 20 mouth-watering Sliders (they arrive frozen). The super-popular Love Kit is back, baby. This year, the Love Kit is bigger, better, bolder and lovely-er! The Love Kit features a variety of 20 Sliders, pickles, dessert and more. The Love Kit can be shipped to all 50 states, allowing Cravers to turn their homes into Love Castles no matter their ZIP code! For 34 years, White Castle has transformed its restaurants on Valentine's Day into Love Castles, featuring special decor, hostess seating and tableside service. White Castle, which has sold its sells its Sliders in grocery and convenient stores nationwide for nearly four decades, expanded the tradition in 2024 with the Love Kit, a special Valentine's Day-themed meal that brings the tastes, aromas and experience of eating in a White Castle to Cravers unable to secure a reservation or drive to one of the 300-plus participating Castles. "The Love Kit is White Castle's way to meet lovers, and lovers of the Crave, wherever they may reside on Valentine's Day," said Jamie Richardson, vice president at White Castle. "Whether you live two blocks or 2,000 miles away from a Castle, the Love Kit lets you celebrate Valentine's Day with family or friends, or a steamy evening with a loved one without leaving the comfort of your home." What's in the "Kit"? The one-of-a-kind Love Kit is beefier in 2025, featuring 20 mouth-watering Sliders (they arrive frozen). The Love Kit is designed to serve up to five people. And this year's version is also packed with more variety to surprise that special someone or enjoy as part of a fun night in with family. 8 Classic Cheese Sliders (four 2 packs) The result of topping perfection with a slice of tasty, melty American cheese. (four 2 packs) The result of topping perfection with a slice of tasty, melty American cheese. 6 Original Sliders (three 2 packs) - There can only be one original, and this is it! Made with 100% beef and grilled to perfection on a bed of onions. (three 2 packs) - There can only be one original, and this is it! Made with 100% beef and grilled to perfection on a bed of onions. 6 Jalapeno Cheese Sliders (three 2 packs) For those looking to spice things up on Valentine's Day. (three 2 packs) For those looking to spice things up on Valentine's Day. 1 Pouch with pickles (7oz.) To top the Sliders just like they're prepared in Castles. (7oz.) To top the Sliders just like they're prepared in Castles. 10 Strawberry Cheesecake Desserts-on-a-Stick Can't have Valentine's Day without a little sweetness! Can't have Valentine's Day without a little sweetness! VIP Coupons Redeemable for up to 12 Sliders from your local freezer aisle when the Crave strikes again! "We were told to 'think outside of the box,' and the team did a masterful job filling this box with tasty and enticing menu items," said Richardson. "Because Sliders in the freezer aisle are the same you'll find at Castles, Cravers who can't drive to a Castle on Valentine's Day can still experience a lovely evening with their favorite people and food without any stress. And one might say the addition of dessert in this year's kit sweetens the experience!" A limited quantity of the White Castle Love Kit is available. Priced at $99 (shipping included), they are available to purchase only on White Castle's online store, HouseOfCrave.com. Local Love Castles are accepting reservations The tradition of transforming White Castle into an atmosphere full of fun, love and affordability is now in its 34th year. Since 1991, White Castle has been treating guests on Feb. 14 to a fine dining experience, without the costs associated with white table establishments. Cravers can find their closest participating Castle by visiting OpenTable and searching for reservations on Feb. 14 at White Castle. Special Offers All customers are welcome to join White Castle's free customer loyalty program, CRAVER NATION REWARDS, and get access to even more discounts and freebies on Valentine's Day: BOGO free dessert on-a-stick on Feb. 14 (limit 1) (limit 1) BOGO French Toast Sliders (limit 1), now through April 20 BOGO Breakfast Sliders (limit 1 a week), Feb. 1-28 Bonus Quest: Order on Valentine's Day and earn a BOGO Free Combo Reward About White Castle White Castle, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been making hot and tasty Sliders since 1921. Based in Columbus, Ohio, the family-owned business owns and operates about 340 restaurants as well as a retail division providing its famous fare in freezer aisles of retail stores nationwide. As part of its commitment to offering the highest quality products, White Castle owns and operates its own Slider Provider meat plants, bakeries and frozen-Slider retail plants. White Castle has earned numerous accolades over the years including Time magazine's "Most Influential Burger of All Time" (2014, The Original Slider) and Thrillist's "Best Plant-Based Fast-Food Burger" (2019, Impossible Slider). In 2021, Fast Company named the fast-food pioneer one of the "10 Most Innovative Dining Companies." White Castle is known for the legendary engagement of its team members and has received the Great Place to Work Certification for an extraordinary four consecutive years spanning 20212024. White Castle is beloved by its passionate fans (Cravers), many of whom compete each year for entry into the Cravers Hall of Fame. The official White Castle app makes it easy for Cravers to sign up for the CRAVER NATION REWARDS loyalty program, access sweet deals and place pickup orders at any time. For more information on White Castle and how to Follow Your Crave, visit whitecastle.com. SOURCE White Castle NEW YORK, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WHP Global, a leading brand management firm based in New York, announced the successful acquisition of the intellectual property of the iconic VERA WANG fashion brand. As part of the transaction, Vera Wang will continue in her role as Founder & Chief Creative Officer, and she is also a shareholder in WHP Global. WHP Global's brand portfolio includes more than 14 powerful consumer brands that generate over $7 billion in global retail sales annually across fashion, sports, and hardgoods. Vera Wang logo (PRNewsfoto/WHP Global) For additional background on the VERA WANG acquisition, please read the announcement press release here. ABOUT VERA WANG Vera Wang, a native New Yorker who has spent her career at the forefront of fashion, initiated a radical change in the wedding industry in 1990 with the opening of her flagship salon at the Carlyle Hotel in New York. Today, the Vera Wang brand reflects her vision of creating a lifestyle that goes beyond bridal fashion and ready-to-wear, and extends to celebrity dressing, fragrances, accessories and home. ABOUT WHP GLOBAL WHP Global is a leading New York-based firm that acquires global consumer brands and invests in high-growth distribution channels including digital commerce platforms and global expansion. WHP Global owns a portfolio of consumer brands that collectively generate over $7 Billion in global retail sales. The company also owns WHP+, a turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform, and WHP SOLUTIONS, a sourcing agency based in Asia. For more information, please visit whp-global.com or follow @whp_global on social. SOURCE WHP Global WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As global leaders convene here for President Donald Trump's second inauguration, one of the world's most influential Christian leaders, William F. Kumuyi, will be in attendance. Kumuyi, founder of Deeper Christian Life Ministry based in Lagos, Nigeria, is pastor of the world's third-largest church, renowned for his impactful Bible teaching and evangelistic ministry. "President Trump's stand for the gospel is not without recognition, not just by American Christians, but all Christians globally," said Pastor Kumuyi. "During his first term, Trump hosted the first ever meeting of foreign ministers focused solely on international religious freedom and, in his campaign, he promised to support Christian values and priorities." William F. Kumuyi, Pastor of World's 3rd Largest Church, to Attend President Trump's Inauguration. Post this During his U.S. visit, Kumuyi will meet members of Congress, American church leaders and media representatives. He is available for interviews from Jan. 17- 27 to discuss topics, including: The Global Shift of Christianity: Kumuyi can elaborate on a Lausanne Movement report about the epicenter of Christianity moving from the Global North ( Europe , North America ) to the Global South (Africa, Asia , Latin America ). Kumuyi can elaborate on a Lausanne Movement report about the epicenter of Christianity moving from the Global North ( , ) to the Global South (Africa, , ). Global Leadership: At the recent DCLM Global Leadership Strategy Congress, Kumuyi challenged nearly 20,000 church leaders from 120 countries to embrace 2025 as the "Year of Higher Ground ." At the recent DCLM Global Leadership Strategy Congress, Kumuyi challenged nearly 20,000 church leaders from 120 countries to embrace 2025 as the "Year of ." Faith in Practice: In a recent Christian Post Op-ed, Kumuyi called on American Christians to deepen their trust in God for daily concerns, urging, "Why is it that we can trust God for eternity but not for today?" "This moment in history reminds us that faith transcends borders and unites believers worldwide," Kumuyi said. "As we gather here, the global church stands together in prayer and purpose, advocating for faith-based dialogue to shape policies that uphold religious liberty and foster the growth of Christianity worldwide." About William F. Kumuyi: Kumuyi founded Deeper Christian Life Ministry in 1973 after a Bible study he began in his apartment with 15 students grew into a church plant that now averages 120,000 people in weekly attendance. Since then, Kumuyi's powerful Bible teaching has grown into a global ministry with thousands of local congregations in 120 nations, along with annual church leader conferences and monthly Global Crusade with Kumuyi evangelistic crusades that have reached over 6 million people, of which more than 730,000 have made a faith commitment. Media Contact: Jon Wilke, [email protected] SOURCE Global Crusade with Kumuyi QUINCY, Mass., Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XS Brokers (XSB), a leading independent insurance underwriting and wholesale brokerage group, announces the creation of a new product division for Cyber Liability to be led by Scott Burns, Senior Vice President. Scott Burns to Lead New Cyber Insurance Division for XS Brokers "At XS Brokers, it is crucial that we stay ahead of the evolving needs of our retail clients. Cyber Liability has emerged as one of the fastest-growing lines of coverage in recent years. Scott Burns joined our company in 2018 as a Cyber Liability Specialist. In a brief period, Scott significantly enhanced our capabilities and market access with leading-edge carrier partners, establishing us as a recognized provider of Cyber solutions nationwide. In his new role, Scott will be fully responsible for the Division's growth strategy, including expanding sales and ongoing collaborations with key carrier and retail partners," stated Eric Wirkus, President. "Scott is the ideal person to lead this new product line division he is collaborative, vigilant in driving product awareness, and remains at the forefront of this ever-changing product line." "With over 12 years in the industry, my time at XS Brokers has been both exhilarating and challenging. We have had to help clients meet their present needs while also looking to the future to understand and manage dynamic risk exposures. This task has been made easier thanks to XS Brokers' stellar industry reputation." said Scott Burns, Senior Vice President. "I am honored to have been appointed to build out the Cyber Liability division and look forward to contributing to the growth and success of the company. I am confident that, together with our divisional team, we will achieve remarkable growth milestones and create new opportunities with our retail and carrier partners." XS Brokers Insurance Agency (www.xsbrokers.com) is an independent binding authority and wholesale brokerage group headquartered in Massachusetts. With offices throughout the Northeast and Southeast, XSB is a full-service insurance group providing leading-edge coverage solutions exclusively to retail agents and brokers. Since 1978, XSB has focused on providing a broad range of personal and commercial lines solutions, service excellence, and market agility to help retail agents drive growth. Licensed in 50 states and with well over 30 binding authority facilities and strategic carrier appointments, XSB has consistently achieved 17% YOY growth for the past 10 years. SOURCE InStrategy Group, LLC BEIJING, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Yiren Digital Ltd. (NYSE: YRD) ("Yiren Digital" or the "Company"), an AI-powered platform providing a comprehensive suite of financial and lifestyle services in China, has earned its place in the China's Artificial Intelligence Industry Alliance (AIIA). The membership reflects the Company's commitment to driving cross-disciplinary innovation and fostering cooperation among key stakeholders, including leading companies, universities, research institutions, and organizations in the AI sector. The AIIA has been officially launched under the guidance and support of key government bodies, including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), and the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). Spearheaded by the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT) alongside various partner organizations, the alliance aims to establish a collaborative platform for industry, academia, research, and application. Its primary goals include advancing the development of China's artificial intelligence industry, fostering ecosystem growth, and driving the digital transformation of traditional industries through deeper AI integration across various sectors of society. Since its listing on the NYSE in 2015, Yiren Digital has grown from a fintech pioneer into an expansive leader in intelligent technology. By integrating advanced AI into its operations, the company has significantly enhanced key areas, including customer acquisition, marketing, customer service, and risk management. Through the development of proprietary AI platforms and systems, Yiren Digital has continually boosted operational efficiency, improved user experience, and strengthened its overall business ecosystem. With a business strategy of 'AI + diverse applications' and its continued efforts under the 'AI Lab' initiative, the company has developed a range of proprietary intelligent platforms, including DiTing Intelligent Decision-making Platform, QingNiao Intelligent Customer Service System, FengChao Intelligent Voice Interaction Platform, LingShu Intelligent Marketing Platform, and BaiZe Data Platform. These platforms and integrated technologies drive innovation in decision-making, marketing, customer service, and data management. To strengthen risk control, Yiren Digital has developed a comprehensive system that includes tools for emotion recognition, content review, and fraud prevention, ensuring regulatory compliance and protecting its users. The company has also implemented robust data security measures, including stringent data cleansing and declassification processes, to safeguard user privacy and maintain the integrity of its data-driven solutions. Beyond these technological advancements, Yiren Digital remains deeply committed to the ethical application of AI. Machine learning techniques, such as reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), are being deployed to enhance the objectivity of training processes, while retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) is used to improve the reliability of knowledge sources. The company's proprietary Model Factory and its efficient model parallel processing frameworks ensure the transparency and interpretability of its algorithms. Weeks ago, the company was also recognized as one of the 'Beijing Top 10 Financial Brands for the Year 2024' for its outstanding service quality and continuous technological innovations. About Yiren Digital Yiren Digital Ltd. is an advanced, AI-powered platform providing a comprehensive suite of financial and lifestyle services in China. Our mission is to elevate customers' financial well-being and enhance their quality of life by delivering digital financial services, tailor-made insurance solutions, and premium lifestyle services. We support clients at various growth stages, addressing financing needs arising from consumption and production activities, while aiming to augment the overall well-being and security of individuals, families, and businesses. SOURCE Yiren Digital MIAMI, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As a social media platform, ZEKOND fosters connections with loved ones, building communities, and supporting businesses in a dynamic and secure atmosphere that encourages growth. Amid the social media platform uncertainty in the U.S. with the impending TikTok ban set for January 19, 2025, social media users have been switching to ZEKOND, as this platform has so much to offer. With ZEKOND, social media chaos is a thing of the past. It's the platform where friends, families, and entrepreneurs can connect and share in a clean and professional environment. Businesses can utilize ZEKOND to market and showcase their products and services. In a recent interview, the company spokesperson stated that their goal is to create an open platform for individuals to share their life experiences, achievements, happiness, and faith. A safe space where people can freely express their thoughts and opinions without fear of censorship, regardless of current or past events. A place dedicated to promoting democracy. ZEKOND provides at no cost to users: Livestreaming. Internal Messaging System. Internal live calls. Digital Wallet. Internal Donation Portal on the App. ZEKOND app is available in Android, Apple, Amazon, and Windows. ZEKOND is AVAILABLE in over 125 countries around the world, and in over 25 different languages. ZEKOND has more than 200 functions. They have created traditional and special functions to make it the newest and most complete social network created so far: High Performance & High-Level Cache System Native streaming videos (zClips) RTL Support Easy & Nice-Looking URL Friends & Follow System Home/News Feed User Timeline Pages Groups Social Videos Support User Privacy Notifications Delete & Edit Posts API Many more functions About ZEKOND: ZEKOND was founded by the entrepreneur and visionary, Tonny Roberts. The idea came as the need for freedom and a better place for business without toxicity and new ways for business-minded people to connect. A place where faith-based communities feel welcome. For complete information, visit: https://zekond.com/unitedstates SOURCE ZEKOND BEIJING, Jan. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In Ningbo, Zhejiang, David W. Ferguson, honorary chief English editor at Foreign Languages Press, met Jin Lishen, the local Fruit and Vegetable King, and included Jin's story in his new book China's Development in the New Era - the Zhejiang Experience. In 1971, Jin was born in the small town of Andong, with a family whose local farming ancestry went back generations. After middle school, Jin first became a seafood fisherman, gathering cockles in Hangzhou Bay. At that time, he may not have imagined that he would become Fruit and Vegetable King of this place. The villagers had grown cottons, soy beans, and peppers, but they still struggled to sell their produce. Jin wanted to go out and find opportunities. He used to travel extensively within Zhejiang to promote Andong's agricultural produce. He steadily began to build a reputation as a middle man, but logistics were still problematic. Critical to changing the situation was the opening of the Hangzhou Bay Bridge in 2008. The bridge reduced the farmers' travel time to Shanghai from 10 hours to two hours, and transformed their potential markets. Jin's farms, as the tiger with wings, now reach overseas markets in Japan, Germany, the United States, Australia and Canada. Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599495/image.mp4 JABRAYIL, Azerbaijan, January 16. Another group of families of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) who arrived in Azerbaijan's Jabrayil city were presented with the keys to their new homes, Trend reports. According to the regional correspondent of the agency, following the meeting, employees of Azerbaijans Mine Action Agency (ANAMA) informed the residents about the dangers posed by landmines and unexploded ordnance (UXOs). They were advised to avoid contact with unfamiliar objects and report any such incidents to the relevant authorities. The key handover ceremony was attended by officials from the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the Jabrayil, Gubadli, and Zangilan districts, the State Committee for Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons, and other dignitaries. The families joyfully received the keys and moved into their new homes. All necessary conditions for their resettlement were provided in the newly constructed buildings in the city of Jabrayil, as directed by the President of Azerbaijan. To date, about 30,000 people are currently living in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur, along with former internally displaced persons who resettled there, working on the implementation of projects in the region, as well as performing official duties in local subdivisions of certain state institutions, working in resumed health care, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy institutions. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Societe Generale have announced a new initiative aimed at unlocking up to 8 billion euros in investments to support wind energy development across Europe, Trend reports. Central to the agreement is a 500 million euro counter-guarantee from the EIB, which Societe Generale will use to establish a 1 billion euro portfolio of bank guarantees for wind energy projects. The guarantees will support the development of new wind farms, strengthen supply chains, and improve power grid connections across the European Union. The initiative is expected to attract additional investment from other stakeholders, accelerating production and fostering growth in the renewable energy sector. This collaboration is part of the EIBs 5 billion euro wind power package, a program unveiled at COP28 in 2023 to help the EU achieve its target of generating 45% of energy from renewable sources by 2030. The program aims to facilitate the production of 32 GW of wind energy, a key component of the EUs broader goal of reaching 117 GW of wind capacity. EIB Vice-President Ambroise Fayolle highlighted the strategic importance of the initiative: Wind energy is crucial for Europes energy independence, but the sector faces challenges like high costs, supply chain disruptions, and global competition. This agreement demonstrates how the EIBs risk-sharing tools can address these hurdles, driving Europes green transition and enhancing industrial competitiveness. Anne-Christine Champion, Co-Head of Global Banking & Investor Solutions at Societe Generale, underscored the collaborative nature of the initiative: Adapting our economies to meet climate goals requires unprecedented investment. While Europe has been a leader in wind energy, the supply chain still faces challenges. This partnership showcases how public and private stakeholders can work together to advance a sustainable energy transition. By leveraging innovative financing solutions, the EIB and Societe Generale are paving the way for accelerated growth in the wind energy sector, reinforcing Europes leadership in renewable energy and supporting its ambitious climate goals. Brussels, Jan 16 : High-ranking European Union (EU) officials welcomed a ceasefire agreement in Gaza and called on both parties to fully implement the deal. "This brings hope to the entire region, where people have endured immense suffering for far too long," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on her X account, Xinhua news agency reported. "Both parties must fully implement this agreement, as a stepping stone toward lasting stability in the region and a diplomatic resolution of the conflict, "she added. "This is a major, positive breakthrough towards ending the violence," noted Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, also on X. Qatar announced Wednesday evening that Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire-for-hostages deal in Gaza. According to the agreement, Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase, spanning six weeks, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Implementation of the agreement will begin on Sunday, Jan. 19. The details of the second and third phases will be announced after the completion of the first phase of the agreement. Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal which could halt the war in Gaza and see the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, the US and mediators Qatar have said. It would be the most dramatic breakthrough in 15 months of war, which began when the armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said there were still several unresolved clauses, which he hoped would be finalised on Wednesday evening. A completed deal would see the war in Gaza stop and an exchange of hostages and prisoners. Hamas seized 251 hostages when it attacked Israel in October 2023. It is still holding 94 captive, although Israel believes that only 60 are still alive. Israel is expected to release about 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, some jailed for years, in return for the hostages. Beirut, Jan 16 : Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno announced that Spain will donate 10 million euros to the Lebanese Armed Forces. Bueno made the announcement after he met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace in Lebanon's capital Beirut, according to a statement by the Lebanese presidency. The visiting Spanish minister said his country would continue to support Lebanon in securing stability and facilitating humanitarian response, especially through aiding the army and participating in the UN Interim Force in Lebanon, Xinhua news agency reported. He said that the 10 million euros would be used to pay salaries and provide logistic support for the army. Bueno said his country condemns all attacks against civilians and infrastructure and supports the deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River for the safety of both Lebanese and Israeli citizens. He also noted that Spain would assist in rebuilding Lebanon, which has recently emerged from a 14-month deadly conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The top Spanish diplomat also extended an invitation to Aoun to visit Spain. Earlier in December, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez hosted his Lebanese counterpart Najib Mikati in Madrid to address pressing issues in Lebanon and the Middle East. The Spanish prime minister's office said that the meeting focused on Lebanon's challenging situation, just two weeks after the ceasefire agreement with Israel took effect and five days following the fall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Both leaders emphasised the importance of solidifying the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel into a lasting peace, paving the way for full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701. They stressed the need to end hostilities permanently to foster regional stability. Sanchez reiterated Spain's support for Lebanon and assured Mikati that Spain would contribute to reconstruction efforts, crucial for enabling displaced individuals to return to their homes. The leaders also highlighted the need for an orderly political transition that preserves Syria's territorial integrity. They agreed that a stable and peaceful Syria is essential for the broader region's benefit, particularly for Lebanon. New York, Jan 16 : President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, has mounted a strong defence of Kash Patel who came under withering criticism in a preview of the grilling he is likely to receive from a Senate panel. "I have known Kash, and I believe that Kash is the right person at this time for this job," Bondi said on Wednesday as several Democratic Party senators questioned his suitability to head the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). "What I do know is Mr Patel was a career prosecutor. He was a career public defender defending people. And he also has great experience within the intelligence community," she said. While Bondi was before the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation to become the attorney general, the spotlight was on Patel's controversial statements. His hearing before the panel has not been scheduled. Like most senior US government officials, the FBI director needs Senate approval. A Republican firebrand, Patel had written about an "enemies list" of government employees and politicians, said he would shut down the FBI headquarters on "Day 1," and made remarks about QAnon, an extremist right-wing movement that promotes bizarre conspiracy theories. As the head of the Justice Department, Bondi will oversee the FBI. She reassured the senators, "Mr Patel would fall under me and the Department of Justice and I will ensure that all laws are followed -- and so will he." A senior Democratic Party senator Dick Durbin brought up QAnon which he said had spread a conspiracy theory about a "cabal of Satanic, cannibalistic child molesters" working against Trump, and Patel's statements about it. Bondi said in exasperation, "I look forward to hearing his testimony about QAnon in front of this committee." A Republican senator, Thom Tillis came to their defence remarking, "You know, it's just absurd to kind of throw that stuff out there." He asked, "Does anybody honestly believe someone with a distinguished career like Kash Patel thinks that a cannibalistic cabal controlling the internals of government really exists?" Another Democrat, Richard Blumenthal, said that Bondi should disavow Patel's controversial statements, and he should also do so. "I am not familiar with all those comments. (and) I have not discussed those comments with Mr Patel," she said. Patel's book, "Government Gangsters" mentions an "enemies list" of people he said were conspiring against Trump. When it was brought up, Bondi said, "I don't believe he has an enemies list. He made a quote on TV that I have not heard." "There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice," she declared. The hearings signalled the opposition Patel would face in the Senate because of his closeness to Trump and his flamboyance. Towards the end of his first term, Trump wanted to appoint Patel as the deputy director of the CIA but was foiled by opposition from the then-head, Gina Haspel. He had served as the deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council, before becoming the chief of staff to the then-acting Secretary of Defence Christopher Miller. Trump named Bondi to be attorney general after his first nominee Matt Gaetz withdrew because of accusations that he paid women, including a minor, for sex and used drugs. A Congressional ethics committee later affirmed the allegations. Bondi is a former attorney general of Florida and Trump's lawyer during his first impeachment. Chennai, Jan 16 : The Southern Zonal Council meeting to be chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be held in Chennai on January 31. The meeting will witness the participation of the southern states -- Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The Southern Council meeting will address a broad range of issues, including, boundary-related disputes, security matters, infrastructure concerns such as road, transport, industries, water, and power, forest and environmental issues, housing, education, food security, tourism, and transport. The previous Southern Council meeting was hosted by the Kerala government in September 2022. A subsequent meeting, scheduled to be held in Telangana, was postponed. According to established procedure, the zonal council meeting is preceded by a standing committee meeting, during which agenda items are scrutinized and prioritised. These regional councils serve as forums for structured discussions on issues affecting one or more states or on matters between the Centre and the states. Sources in the Tamil Nadu Home Department revealed that the meeting will take place at a private hotel in Mamallapuram, near Chennai. The Tamil Nadu government is expected to bring up the pending Cyclone Fengal disaster relief funds during the meeting. The state has sought a permanent relief package of Rs 6,675 crore from the Central government but has yet to receive the amount. Tamil Nadu will press for an immediate sanction of the funds. Additionally, Tamil Nadu plans to highlight the delay in obtaining presidential assent for its anti-NEET Bill, which has been a long-standing demand of the state. The Tambaram Police Commissionerate will oversee security arrangements for the meeting. According to sources, the police have already conducted necessary security drills in preparation for the high-profile event. With Union Home Minister Amit Shah chairing the meeting, tight security measures will be in place, following the standard operating protocol (SOP). The country has five zonal councils established in 1957 under Sections 15-22 of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The Union Home Minister serves as the chairman of each of these councils, while the Chief Minister of the host state (selected on a rotational basis each year) acts as the vice-chairman. Two additional ministers from each state are nominated as members by the Governor. Seoul, Jan 16 : The science ministry here said on Thursday it will begin a five-year joint project with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) worth $30 million this year to foster digital innovation in the ASEAN region. The Ministry of Science and ICT said it will discuss the details of the project at the two-day ASEAN Digital Ministers Meeting to be held through Friday. The project is aimed at applying South Korea's advanced digital technologies in ASEAN nations to facilitate their digital transformation and foster economic growth, reports Yonhap news agency. In detail, the two sides will invest a combined $30 million from their cooperation fund until 2029 to create data and advanced computing infrastructure in the region. The fund will also be used to develop human resources and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions. "It is now time for all countries to accelerate their digital transformation to foster sustainable and innovative growth," Second Vice Science Minister Kang Do-hyun said in a press release. Meanwhile, Kang, who is attending the ongoing event, was set to hold a trilateral meeting with his counterparts from the United States and Japan to discuss cooperation in AI and other sectors, according to the ministry. South Korea's exports of information and communication technology (ICT) products jumped 24 per cent in December from a year earlier, helped by robust sales of semiconductors. Outbound shipments of ICT products came to $22.66 billion last month, compared with $18.25 billion a year earlier, the Ministry of Science and ICT said in a press release. The country's ICT imports in December stood at $13.32 billion, resulting in a trade surplus of $9.33 billion in the sector. By product, semiconductor exports jumped 31.1 per cent on-year to $14.51 billion on high demand for artificial intelligence-related chips. a"IANS na/ Tripoli, Jan 16 : The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said that it received $1.5 million in funding from the Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the UN global fund for education in emergencies, to address the urgent educational and psychosocial needs of Sudanese refugee children in Libya. "This contribution from the ECW allows us to tackle the critical education gaps for Sudanese refugee children in Libya, ensuring that no child is left behind," said Mohammad Fayyazi, UNICEF representative in Libya, in a statement. According to the statement, the program, set to reach 19,000 children across Libya, provides both formal and non-formal educational opportunities, ensuring children facing barriers, such as lack of documentation, can still access learning, Xinhua news agency reported. The statement added that the program also integrates mental health and psychosocial support to address the trauma and challenges faced by children affected by displacement and violence. According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of Sudanese refugees seeking safety in Libya has doubled, with an estimated 400 arrivals in the country daily since the start of 2024. The ongoing Sudan crisis has driven large-scale displacement across the region, with 8.4 million people internally displaced in Sudan and 3.1 million Sudanese refugees in neighboring countries, including an estimated 210,000 in Libya, the UNHCR said in late December. UNHCR has reported a sharp rise in the number of Sudanese refugees arriving in Libya, with daily arrivals reaching 400 and over 210,000 refugees now in the country. The Sudan crisis has caused widespread displacement, straining resources in Libya, particularly in remote areas like Alkufra, where refugees face high food prices, fuel shortages, and poor living conditions. UNHCR has provided lifesaving assistance, including healthcare, relief supplies, and support for documentation, while also strengthening access to local services. However, urgent needs for winter supplies such as blankets, warm clothing, and shelter materials are needed. UNHCR has called for increased international support to improve living conditions and expand humanitarian efforts, especially in health and education, to address the growing needs of refugees and host communities. Los Angeles, Jan 16 : Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is donating $1 million to help Los Angeles recover from the devastating wildfires. Los Angeles, Jan 16 (IANS) Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio is donating $1 million to help Los Angeles recover from the devastating wildfires. The Oscar winner announced on his Instagram Stories Wednesday, January 15 that he is donating $1 million toward relief efforts, reports people.com. "The Los Angeles wildfires are devastating our city. I am committing $1 million in partnership with @rewild's Rapid Response Program to support both urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts," he wrote. "Initial aid will immediately benefit the LA Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society, and SoCal Fire Fund organizations on the frontlines providing much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most," added the "Don't Look Up" actor. DiCaprio, who grew up in L.A., co-founded Re:wild, and he wrote that its Rapid Response Program is "uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies." The wildfires that sparked on Jan. 7 have become the most destructive in L.A. history, with thousands of people displaced and a death toll currently set at 25. Jamie Lee Curtis' family pledged to donate $1 million toward disaster relief efforts to support "our great city and state and the great people who live and love there," she said on January 9. Jennifer Garner, Jessica Alba, Halle Berry and more stars have volunteered to help first responders and families affected by the fires. Grammy-winner Beyonce is helping those affected by the Los Angeles fires through her BeyGOOD charity foundation. The charity foundation was said to donate $2.5 million to help families rebuild after they've suffered losses, reports variety.com. The Walt Disney Company pledged $15 million to relief and rebuilding efforts for communities, while Paramount and Fox Corp. donated $1 million with contributions to the American Red Cross and the Los Angeles Fire Department. Warner Music and Blavatnik Foundation announced an initial $1 million commitment to the Los Angeles area fire relief and rebuilding efforts. In addition to direct financial donations, Live Nation is planning to hold a FireAid benefit concert at Inglewood, CA's Intuit Dome on January 30. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The Minister of Digital Development and Transportation of Azerbaijan Rashad Nabiyev has met with the director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Cosmas Zavazava, who is visiting the country, the Azerbaijani Minister wrote on X, Trend reports. The discourse at the meeting encompassed the strategic collaboration between Azerbaijan and the agency. The parties engaged in a discourse regarding collaborative initiatives during COP29, which transpired in Baku the previous year, as well as the preparatory mechanisms for the forthcoming World Telecommunications Development Conference scheduled to occur in Azerbaijan this November. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Mumbai, Jan 16 : Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan's team has issued a statement requesting fans and the media to remain patient and refrain from speculation, as the police are currently conducting their investigations into Saif Ali Khan's stabbing case. A statement issued by the actress's team, said: "There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence last night." "Saif had an injury on his arm for which is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We request media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the Police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern. Team Kareena Kapoor Khan." "When the incident took place, all family members were in the house, including Kareena Kapoor Khan and both sons", according to the Mumbai police. Saif's team too had issued a statement, which read: "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. A source claimed that Saif fought with the thief without a weapon to protect his family. This happened in the middle of the night. He fought tough and saved his family from being harmed and he got injured in the process. While the guy had a weapon... Saif had nothing. The actor had "six stabs" out of which "two are deep", said the doctor from Lilavati Hospital. Dr. Niraj Uttamani, COO of Lilavati Hospital, said that Saif was stabbed by an unidentified person at his Bandra home and was brought in at 3: 30 am. Uttamani said that Saif has six stabs and two are deep. "This one is close to the spine.He is being operated upon by a team of doctors led by Neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Dr Leena Jain anaesthetiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi," said Uttamani. The Mumbai Police on Thursday detained three people working in Saif's house following an attack on him at his residence. The three were taken to the police station where they were being interrogated. Saif was allegedly stabbed by an intruder, who barged in his Mumbai house. The incident took place around 4.00 a.m. The actor is currently undergoing treatment at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. Police have started the investigation and an FIR against an intruder has been lodged at the Bandra Police Station. An intruder sneaked into Saif's house while he was sleeping with his family, according to police. A scuffle broke out between the actor and the intruder after he attempted to barge in, police confirmed. Later, the intruder allegedly attacked the actor six times and fled the crime scene. Paarl, Jan 16 : Rising star Lhuan-dre Pretorious is fast making himself an instant SA20 hero, scoring blazing half-century in Paarl Royals' Cape derby win over neighbours MI Cape Town at Boland Park. Paarl, Jan 16 (IANS) Rising star Lhuan-dre Pretorious is fast making himself an instant SA20 hero, scoring blazing half-century in Paarl Royalsa Cape derby win over neighbours MI Cape Town at Boland Park. Pretorius smashed three sixes and eight boundaries in a 52-ball 83 to follow up his 97 on debut at the same ground. The 18-year-old has certainly become a fan favourite of the Royals in quick time. Chasing down MI Cape Townas 158/4, Pretorius benefitted from two dropped catches to power the home team to victory by six wickets to avenge Monday nightas defeat at Newlands. The powerful left-hander struck the ball sweetly all around Boland Park but was particularly severe on left-arm spinner George Linde with a couple of sixes over the leg-side boundary. Pretoriusa innings was only ended through a magnificent piece of fielding from MI Cape Town captain Rashid Khan, who threw the stumps down with a direct hit. But Pretorius had already done the major damage, which allowed Royals skipper David Miller to comfortably take his team over the line with an undefeated 22. MI Cape Town had earlier battled towards a competitive total due to Rassie van der Dussenas 91 not out off 64 balls. Reeza Hendricks provided support with a solid 30, but once he was clean bowled for the second time by Royals mystery spinner Mujeeb-ur-Rahman, the home team took control. Mujeeb (2-27) along with Sri Lankan debutant Dunith Wellalage (0-17) and Joe Root (1-24), utilised the spin-friendly conditions to their advantage as they tightened the noose around the MI Cape Town middle order. It proved to be the difference on the night as the Royals moved into joint second place with the Joburg Super Kings on eight points. MI Cape Town remains top of the table with nine points but have played one game more than their two closest rivals. Guwahati, Jan 16 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is set to visit Morigaon district on Thursday to take stock of the progress of the semiconductor manufacturing plant that is coming up there which is expected to generate a good number of workforce in the state. Taking to X, CM Sarma wrote, "Will shortly reach Morigaon to chair the first outstation #AssamCabinet meeting of 2025. We will also review the progress of the Tata Semiconductor facility." Earlier, the Chief Minister said, "The northeastern region has received tremendous attention from the Central government in the last few years. Beginning of this year, three new trains were flagged off by the Union Railway minister which will add momentum to the state's overall growth." He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been steadfast in his efforts to build a developed India by 2047, driven by technological advancement and innovation, and has continually motivated the youth to pursue the dream of a prosperous nation. The CM highlighted the ongoing initiatives in India, including the establishment of the semiconductor industry, the promotion of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, blockchain technology, and more, which are crucial for India to take a leading role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. CM Sarma noted that the semiconductor plants in Gujarat and Assam, alongside upcoming projects in quantum physics and artificial intelligence, would be developed in India. He stressed that India would provide the skilled workforce needed in these sectors, not only for the nation but also for global demands. "To prepare for this, I urge the need to equip India's youth with the necessary skills. The semiconductor project at Jagiroad is progressing rapidly, with production expected to begin by the end of the year," he said. CM Sarma highlighted the importance of a skilled workforce for these initiatives, and he emphasized that the recently inaugurated National Institute of Electronics & Information Technology (NIELIT), now a deemed-to-be university, would play a pivotal role in nurturing this talent. He remarked that Assam's educated youth are already contributing significantly to the IT industries in states like Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The CM further emphasized that the Prime Minister's vision includes establishing high-standard institutions in Assam for semiconductor manufacturing, quantum physics, and artificial intelligence. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the beginning of his State Visit to India. This visit, his first as President of Singapore, coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Speaking to the reporters following his ceremonial welcome, the Singapore President said, "We will never forget that India was one of the first few countries to recognise Singapore's independence in 1965, and since then, our relationship has grown by bounce. It is a natural partnership between small country Singapore and large country India, but we find ways to cooperate in our mutual interests." Stressing the bilateral ties between the two nations, he mentioned that Singapore is the largest investor in India, and the defence ties between the two nations are also strong, continuing to grow further. "We are now on a new trajectory with India with the upgrade of our relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which was announced during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Singapore in September last year. We are exploring new initiatives going beyond the existing very active relationship that we have. We are working on cooperating in advanced manufacturing and semiconductors, new generation and net zero industrial parks, as well as on the skilling of the new industries that are involved," he mentioned. Stating the Indian and Singapore leaders "see eye-to-eye," Shanmugaratnam also stated that both countries are working together in the field of digitalisation and sustainability. "Singapore is invested in India's ambition to be a developed country --Viksit Bharat 2047," he added. Tharman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and engaged in high-level discussions on Wednesday. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the visiting President to discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation, including semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. "Delighted to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore today. Discussed our cooperation in semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. Confident that his State visit will add new momentum to our comprehensive strategic partnership," Jaishankar shared on X after the meeting. Accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, parliament members, and officials, the Singapore President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi later in the day. Following his engagements in New Delhi, he will visit Odisha on January 17-18. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the robust relationship between the two countries, emphasising that it is rooted in friendship, trust, and mutual respect. The ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Singapore in September 2024. Prime Minister Modi had previously acknowledged the strength of bilateral cooperation in various sectors during his visit to Singapore. He noted the potential for further collaboration, particularly in areas like social and digital investments and India's emergence as a leading global growth centre. President Tharman's visit is expected to strengthen the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, fostering deeper collaboration in key areas of mutual interest. Bhopal, Jan 16 : The Madhya Pradesh government will host the seventh Regional Industry Conclave (RIC) today in Shahdol district. The event, set to take place at the engineering college ground in Shahdol, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Beside addressing the gathering of industrialists, CM Yadav will also hold one-on-one meeting with many of them. It would be the last industrial conclave which was started in March last year. This is an initiative to bring economic and industrial growth in every part of the state. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav will also perform Bhoomi Pujan of 28 industrial units during the conclave, which will see an investment of Rs 570 crore and will create 2,600 employment opportunities. Apart from this, Torrent Power is likely to invest Rs 18,000 crore for a 1600 MW thermal plant. More than 4,000 participants and 2,000 industrialists will attend the event. Over 40 industrialists including Torrent Power's Executive Director Prakash Sajnani, ACCL's Managing Director Harish Dohan, Sharda Energy Limited's Chairman, Bajrang Power Limited, Orient Paper Mill's GM are expected to attend the Regional Industry Conclave. Hundreds of other industrialists have registered online for the event. According to reports, there will be seminars on agriculture and tourism during the event and an exhibition of various departments will also be held. Before that, six RICs were organised between March and Dec 2024 and the state government has received investment proposals worth more than Rs 3.75 lakh crore. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that the total investment proposals received from six RICs were expected to generate nearly 85,000 jobs in the state, besides ensuring industrial growth. For Shahdol's RIC, the state government has already received investment proposal of more than Rs 20,000 crore, said CM Yadav after a virtual interaction with investors on Monday. The total investment is likely to increase further after the conclave is organised. Notably, the first edition of the RIC was organised in Chief Minister Yadav's home district Ujjain on March 1 and 2, 2024. Later, the second edition was held in Jabalpur on July 20 and the third in Gwalior on August 28. The fourth edition of RIC was organised in the Sagar division on September 27, while the fifth edition was held in Rewa on October 23. The sixth edition was organised in Narmadapuram (Hoshangabad) division on December 7, 2024. Subsequently, the state government will kick-start preparation for 'Madhya Pradesh - Global Investors Summit' - 2025' to be held in Bhopal on February 24. CM Yadav said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Global Investors Meet. Notably, the state government has declared 2025 as the 'Year of Industry and Employment' to promote industrial development in Madhya Pradesh. For this, interactive sessions on investment opportunities are organised at national and international levels. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Infamous short-selling firm Hindenburg Research, which is now being disbanded as per an open letter from its founder Nate Anderson, has been under the radar of Indian regulators like the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) over its report against the Adani Group, which was dismissed by the Supreme Court. The Adani Group always vehemently rejected allegations by Hindenburg Research as "malicious, mischievous and manipulative selections of publicly available information" to arrive at "pre-determined conclusions for personal profiteering with wanton disregard for facts and the law". "For a discredited short-seller under the scanner for several violations of Indian securities laws, Hindenburg's allegations are no more than red herrings thrown by a desperate entity," according to the Group. The SEBI last year issued a show-cause notice to Hindenburg Research, Nate Anderson and the entities of Mauritius-based foreign portfolio investor Mark Kingdon for trading violations in the scrip of Adani Enterprises Ltd leading up to Hindenburg Report. The regulator alleged that Hindenburg and Anderson violated regulations related to fraudulent and unfair trade practices and the code of conduct for research analysts. According to the show cause notice, SEBI alleged that prior to the report release, short-selling activity was witnessed in the futures of Adani Enterprises and after the report the share lost 59 per cent between January 24, 2023 and February 22, 2023. The SEBI investigation revealed that K-India Opportunities Fund Class F opened a trading account and started trading in the scrip of Adani Enterprises before the release of the report. The FPI then squared off the positions in February making a profit of $22.25 million or Rs 183.24 crore. Hindenburg continued to defend its January 2023 report. The Adani Group denied allegations levelled by the short seller. The Supreme Court in July last year dismissed a review petition that was filed against its January 3 judgement in the Adani Group-Hindenburg Research case, wherein the court reposed confidence in SEBI's regulatory powers and ruled that petitioners could not provide enough material to transfer the probe to a special investigation team. In January last year, the Supreme Court refused to form any SIT or group of experts to conduct an investigation into the Adani-Hindenburg controversy, saying that the media and third-party reports were not conclusive proof. "SEBI should take its investigation to its logical conclusion in accordance with law. The facts of this case do not warrant a transfer of investigation from SEBI," held a bench presided over by then CJI, D.Y. Chandrachud. Despite continuous attacks from Hindenburg Research and other US-based entities in the past, the market cap of the Adani Group has increased to nearly Rs 12.80 lakh crore. Every attack made the Group even stronger, and every obstacle became a stepping stone for a more resilient conglomerate. In the recent past, there have been many positive developments about Adani Group's companies that boosted investors' confidence. Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 16 : The Kerala police on Thursday exhumed the body of a temple priest, Gopan Swami, whose mysterious death and burial in a concrete chamber at Aralumoodu, Neyyatinkara, stirred controversy and public curiosity. The incident came to light after Swamias family put up posters on January 10, claiming he had attained Samadhi, a state of spiritual liberation. The claim, coupled with the unusual burial method, raised questions among local residents. In response, the family maintained that Swamias burial was carried out as per his wishes. The situation escalated when a missing person complaint was filed, prompting the Neyyatinkara police to initiate an investigation. Early Thursday morning, a large contingent of police arrived at the burial site to secure the area and prevent any protests during the exhumation. Upon opening the concrete chamber, officials discovered the partially decomposed body seated in a meditative posture, surrounded by sacred ash and other ritual objects. After completing inquest procedures at the site, the body was sent to the Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital for a postmortem examination. The exhumation was carried out under the supervision of Sub-Collector O.V. Alfred and in the presence of forensic and fingerprint experts. Strict restrictions were imposed on public and media access to maintain order. Five municipal councilors from Neyyatinkara were also present. Earlier attempts to exhume the body on Monday faced resistance from the family and some locals, who argued that the process violated their religious practices. However, the Kerala High Court dismissed a plea from the family to halt the exhumation. Justice C.S. Dias ruled that investigative agencies have the authority to probe suspicious deaths or missing person cases. According to the investigation, Gopan Swami was a former head-load worker who had renounced his past life to embrace sainthood. He established an ashram and built a temple on his property in Kavuvilakam, Neyyatinkara. His family claimed that Swami had requested a private burial, believing he had attained Samadhi. Swamyas son, Rajasenan, told the media that his father walked to the burial site on January 9, late at night, and instructed the family to bury him discreetly without public involvement. The exhumation process was completed peacefully, with additional police personnel deployed to prevent unrest in the area. Ankara, Jan 16 : Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on his first official visit to Turkey. The meeting between Erdogan and Al-Shaibani addressed the most recent situation in Syria and steps to be taken to preserve the country's territorial integrity, Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement on the social media platform X, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the directorate, Erdogan said that "Turkey will support meeting the urgent needs of the brotherly Syrian people and the efforts to rebuild the country," emphasising the importance of lifting international sanctions on Syria. Erdogan also underscored that there is no room for terrorist organisations in Syria's future, the statement added. In a joint press conference following the meeting with Al-Shaibani, Fidan said "the international community could support Syria to rebuild state institutions and build capacity," calling for the removal of sanctions "to facilitate the provision of basic public services and accelerate normalisation." "This will create conditions enabling millions of Syrians to return home," the Turkish minister said. Fidan also reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to aiding the fight against terrorism, including operational support against the Islamic State (IS), emphasising that regional cooperation is vital. "We have already taken steps to assist and are prepared to help manage camps and prisons housing IS detainees," he added. He also reiterated Turkey's stance against the fragmentation of Syria. "We will never consent to the division of Syria. There is no place for terror in the region's future." The Turkish minister also announced that TArkiye's consulate in Aleppo would reopen on January 20. Al-Shaibani, for his part, described the visit as a turning point for Turkish-Syrian relations, saying "Turkey and Syria are writing a new history based on brotherhood." He underscored the importance of maintaining Syria's territorial integrity and the central government's control over all areas. "We believe Syria's northeastern regions must not pose a threat to Turkey and should be unified under our central governance," Al-Shaibani said. Calling on the international community and neighboring countries for support, Al-Shaibani said, "Syria urgently needs assistance for its reconstruction and the establishment of educational institutions. With brotherly cooperation, we can restore dignity and normalcy to the Syrian people." Turkey has voiced its commitment to Syria's post-conflict reconstruction, with Turkish officials signaling their willingness to provide logistical support, technical expertise, and investment in key sectors such as construction, agriculture, and energy. New Delhi, Jan 16 : More than 80 per cent of India Inc is in support of the Prime Minister's Internship Scheme 2024 and is making great strides to align their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives with the scheme, according to a report on Thursday. The report by TeamLease EdTech, based on insights from 932 companies, emphasise the growing role of internships in bridging skill gaps and advancing employability for youth in India. The report highlights that over 76 per cent of companies are prioritising technology roles within their internship programmes, showcasing the industry's focus on digitally skilled talent to meet evolving demands. In addition, 73 per cent of companies intend to absorb at least 10 per cent of their interns as full-time employees upon the completion of the internship programmes. The report also identified widespread support for expanding the scheme, with 81 per cent of companies advocating for its extension to all corporations. A majority of respondents (73 per cent) also consider short-to-medium-term internships, lasting 1-6 months, as optimal for balancing meaningful skill development with program efficiency. The scheme also underscores a financial commitment from India Inc, with 34.43 per cent of companies planning to allocate up to 20 per cent of their CSR budgets to internship programmes. The report revealed that 83.18 per cent of respondents recognise the alignment of the PM Internship Scheme with India's national goals of enhancing employability and workforce preparedness. "The PM Internship Scheme showcases the impact of public-private partnerships in addressing workforce challenges. With the majority of companies focusing on tech roles and committing to meaningful absorption rates, we're witnessing a strategic transformation that goes beyond traditional CSR," said Shantanu Rooj, Founder and CEO, TeamLease EdTech. "This initiative is effectively creating a sustainable talent pipeline while addressing India's critical employability challenges," Rooj added. Further the report showed that 32.43 per cent of companies have expressed a strong preference for partnerships with both universities and other corporates. In addition, 54.05 per cent of companies anticipate a measurable Social Return on Investment (SROI) from CSR-driven internships within 1-2 years, indicating optimism about the tangible benefits of these programmes. The PM Internship Scheme, introduced in the Union Budget 2024-25, mandates the top 500 companies to provide internship opportunities to one crore youth over the next five years. Each intern is entitled to a monthly stipend of Rs 5,000, with companies allowed to use CSR funds to cover a portion of this stipend and associated training costs. While primarily targeting large corporations, the scheme has sparked broader discussions on its potential expansion to include smaller companies, paving the way for a more inclusive and impactful approach to youth employability and workforce development. Patna, Jan 16 : Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to commence the third phase of his Pragati Yatra on Thursday, starting with a visit to Khagaria during which he will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various development projects totalling over Rs 410 crore. He will inaugurate an animal feed factory built for Rs 43 crore. This factory is expected to bolster livestock farming and related industries in the region. Kumar will also lay the foundation stone of a bridge in Alauli. It is a significant infrastructure project, with an estimated cost of Rs 100 crore, and is a long-awaited demand of the local population. The focus on Khagaria reflects efforts to meet regional demands for industries related to maize and milk production, potentially driving economic growth and development in the area. The third phase of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra, scheduled from January 16 to January 29, has been modified to include overnight stays in Madhepura. The revised schedule, detailed in a letter issued by the Cabinet Secretariat Department to senior officials, reflects adjustments to enhance engagement during the Yatra. On January 16, Nitish Kumar will visit Khagaria, and return to Patna on the same day. He will go to Begusarai on January 18 and return to Patna on the same day. In contrast to the original plan (issued January 9), the Chief Minister will now use Madhepura as an overnight base for multiple district visits, staying there for five nights. On January 20, Kumar will visit Supaul, followed by an overnight stay in Madhepura. He will do the same while visiting Kishanganj, Araria, and Saharsa, respectively on January 21, 22 and 23. CM Nitish Kumar will return from Saharsa to Patna on January 23. He will resume the Pragati Yatra on January 27 visit Purnea and return to Madhepura for the overnight stay. He will go to Katihar on January 28, and return to Madhepura for the overnight stay. On January 29, he concludes the Yatra in Madhepura and returns to Patna. The overnight stays in Madhepura aim to provide the CM with more time to interact with local stakeholders and address regional concerns. This updated itinerary is meant to underscore the Chief Minister's focus on ensuring thorough on-ground assessment and public interaction during the Pragati Yatra. Subscription to paid content Gain access to all that Trend has to offer, as well as to premium, licensed content via subscription or direct purchase through a credit card. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Opposition leaders in Maharashtra slammed the state government on Thursday over the "deteriorating" law and order situation after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked at his Bandra residence. Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut termed the attack on Saif quite unfortunate and slammed the state government, saying, "It is a reality that even a Padma Shri awardee is not safe in Mumbai as there is no fear about the police." "The common people are not safe in Maharashtra. Now thieves are breaking into the houses of artists and attacking them. This is a shock for Prime Minister Narendra Modi as 15 days ago Saif with his family met him. Prime Minister Modi spent an hour with his family. After that, Saif was attacked. No one is safe in this state. It has become difficult for women to walk on the streets. Nearly 90 per cent of the security and police of this state are for MLAs and people who have deserted their parties. Security is provided to traitors. The government has awarded Saif the Padma Shri. However, it is a reality that Saif is not safe in Mumbai," claimed Raut. "What is going on in Maharashtra?" There is no law and order in the state," he alleged. NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule termed the incident shocking and spoke to Saif's sister-in-law Karishma Kapoor over the phone, enquiring about the health of the actor and his wife and actress Kareena Kapoor. Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also attacked the state government and asked, "If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is?" In her post on X, Chaturvedi said, "What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names: Baba Siddique ji's family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder. Salman Khan was forced to live in a bulletproof house. Now it is Saif. All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is?" Further, AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon said on X, "God! If the elite can be attacked in their homes then what safety can the common man hope for? @Dev_Fadnavis and his Special Commissioners have made Mumbai lawless." Earlier, Saif was attacked at his Bandra residence and he is undergoing treatment after surgery at Lilavati Hospital. NCP-SP president Sharad Pawar said, "The attack on actor Saif Ali Khan is a sign of how law and order has deteriorated in Mumbai. Baba Siddique was killed in the same area and today another person was attacked, it is all worrying. The state government, especially Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, should look into this matter seriously." New Delhi, Jan 16 : BJP candidate from Karawal Nagar Assembly constituency, Kapil Mishra, is set to file his nomination on Thursday for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. Addressing a rally before filing his nomination, Mishra expressed confidence in his victory and the BJP's prospects in Delhi. Speaking to IANS, he said, "This time, it is an election for a change of power in Delhi. There is an anti-government wave. The BJP is going to form the government in Delhi with a huge majority, and we will win with a significant margin from the Karawal Nagar Assembly." "The people of Karawal Nagar will offer a big, fragrant saffron lotus to Prime Minister Modi on February 8," he added. BJP MP Manoj Tiwari also attended the rally and shared his confidence in Mishra's success. "The crowd, the love, and the support from the people are incredible. We will surely win Karawal Nagar by a huge margin, and we will win Delhi as well," Tiwari told IANS. During his speech, Mishra criticised AIMIM for fielding Tahir Hussain, the main accused in the 2020 Delhi riots and a former AAP councillor, as their candidate from the Mustafabad Assembly constituency. "He (Tahir Hussain) should not have been made a candidate. They (AIMIM) have done wrong by fielding a murderer. We are fighting the elections on the issues of electricity, water, and roads, but if someone fields a murderer like Hussain, it will not be appropriate," he added. He further alleged that AAP had given a ticket to someone who protected Tahir Hussain. "If such people are fielded, the people of Delhi and we will not tolerate it. We will respond strongly," Mishra said. Tahir Hussain will contest against BJP's Mohan Singh Bisht and AAP's Adil Ahmed Khan in Mustafabad. Bisht is also headed to file his nomination, tagging along with a crowd of supporters during his roadshow. The elections for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5, with vote counting on February 8. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's team has now issued an official statement saying that the actor is stable and is out of danger now. The actor is being monitored by a team of medical professionals as he sets out on the path of recovery. The team said in its official statement, "Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident". The statement further read, "We would like to thank Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time". The actor was stabbed multiple times in an attempt to fight off a burglar during the wee hours of Thursday. The actor sustained six stab wounds, two of which are said to be serious as they are closer to his spine. The incident took place at 2:15 am when the burglar allegedly barged into their Bandra home, and attacked their house help and then Saif when he intervened. At the time of incident, his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan was present at home along with other members of the family as they all were sleeping. Saif was woken up by the commotion in his son Jeh's room. He went inside the room to see the culprit arguing with their house help, looking at this, Saif intervened to save the house help with bare hands to fight off the culprit. The Mumbai police have started the investigation and are accessing the CCTV footage. Three accused have been reportedly detained, and are subjected to interrogation. Earlier, the actor's manager had issued a statement detailing the incident. The manager said at the time, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation". Kolkata, Jan 16 : A newborn baby of one of the five women, who fell sick last week at a state-run Midnipore Medical College and Hospital (MMCH) after being allegedly administered with expired Ringer's Lactate, died on Thursday. Last week Mamoni Ruidas, one of the five women, died at the same hospital. On Thursday, the newborn girl of Rekha Shaw, one of the other four surviving women, died at the state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata. Three of the four women were shifted to the hospital after their condition worsened. The baby soon after birth was kept under isolation and on ventilation in the same hospital. "We were shown the baby just once after the birth and since then was kept under isolation. Now we are told that the baby has expired," confirmed Rekha's mother-in-law Pushpa Shaw. On Wednesday, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari demanded that Central agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) be involved in the ongoing probe into the case which is being conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of West Bengal Police and a team of the state health department. Last week, five women had fallen sick at the said state-run medical college and hospital in West Midnapore district allegedly after being administered with expired Ringer's lactate. While Ruidas died last Friday, the four others then were kept under treatment at the critical care unit and intensive care units of the same hospital. However, later three of them had to be shifted to state-run S.S.K.M Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata following sharp deteriorations in their medical conditions. The incident raised serious concerns, especially as the expired RL saline allegedly came from Paschim Banga Pharmaceutical Limited, a company earlier banned by the Karnataka government and later by the West Bengal government. First, the state health department directed the medical superintendents-cum-vice principals of all medical colleges and hospitals and all the chief medical officers of the districts "to ensure total stoppage of existing stock of Compound Sodium Lactate Injection (RL) supplied by Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd in his/her jurisdiction". Later, the state government also directed the removal of stocks of all medicines supplied by the said company from all healthcare entities in the state. Ballary, Jan 16 : A rape accused, who tried to escape from police custody when he was taken to the crime spot to recreate the scene, was shot in the leg in Torangal town of Karnataka's Ballary district on Thursday. According to police, the accused attacked the police personnel when he was brought to the crime scene to conduct mahajar (documenting records regarding the details of a crime scene investigation). The accused was identified as 26-year-old Manjunath, a resident of Kamalapura in Vijayanagara district. The incident of rape had taken place on Monday. After getting the complaint, the police formed three teams and Manjunath was arrested in Hulagi of Koppal district. When he was brought to the crime scene as part of the investigation process, he assaulted police constable Raghupathy and tried to escape. Police Sub-Inspector Dakesh had opened fire on the accused and shot him in the right leg. The accused had been admitted to the VIMS Hospital. On January 13, the accused in an inebriated state lured the minor girl away and rape her. The accused Manjunath observed the girl's movements and took her away when she was playing in front of her house. The movements of the accused were captured on the CCTV. The child had suffered internal injuries and severe bleeding. After finding the girl, the people shifted her to a government hospital and the doctors conducted surgery on her. The police had registered a Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO). The girl who is being treated at the hospital is out of danger. An incident of rape and murder of a six-year-old girl was reported on Monday in Bengaluru. The incident was reported when the victim's father was out at work and his mother had gone to collect firewood lying on the fourth floor of the building. When the accused, who also worked as a mason, found the victim alone, he raped her in an inebriated state. The accused, identified as 25-year-old Abhisheik Kumar from Bihar, has been arrested. New Delhi, Jan 16 : The Ministry of Defence on Thursday signed a contract with Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL) for the supply of medium-range surface-to-air missiles (MRSAM) to the Indian Navy at a cost of approximately Rs 2,960 crore. The MRSAM system is a standard fit, onboard multiple Indian Naval Ships and is planned to be fitted on the majority of the future platforms planned for acquisition. The contract marks a critical milestone in the ongoing efforts to bolster Indiaas defence capabilities and indigenise advanced military technology, according to a Defence Ministry statement. With the emphasis on aAatmanirbhar Bharata, the missiles would be supplied by BDL under the aBuy (Indian)a category with largely indigenous content. The contract would generate employment of approximately 3.5 lakh man-days in the defence industry, including various MSMEs, the statement added. The contract was signed in Delhi by the officials of the Defence Ministry and BDL in the presence of Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh. The signing of the contract comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation three frontline naval combatants a" destroyer INS Surat, frigate INS Nilgiri, and submarine INS Vaghsheer - which will add muscle to Indiaas growing naval power. Acknowledging the adoption of Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) by Indiaas armed forces over the past decade, the Prime Minister lauded the commendable efforts to reduce dependence on other countries during crises. He remarked that the armed forces have identified over 5,000 items and equipment that will no longer be imported. He emphasised the enhanced confidence of Indian soldiers using domestically produced equipment. PM Modi noted the establishment of the countryas largest helicopter manufacturing factory in Karnataka and a transport aircraft factory for the armed forces. He highlighted the achievements of the Tejas fighter plane and the development of defence corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, which are accelerating defence production. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the Navy's significant expansion of the Make in India initiative, acknowledging the crucial role of Mazagon Dockyard. He mentioned the inclusion of 33 ships and seven submarines in the Navy over the past decade, with 39 out of 40 naval vessels being built in Indian shipyards. This includes the majestic INS Vikrant aircraft carrier and nuclear submarines like INS Arihant and INS Arighaat. The Prime Minister also congratulated the armed forces for propelling the Make in India campaign. He highlighted that Indiaas defence production has surpassed Rs 1.25 lakh crore and that the country is exporting defence equipment to over 100 nations. He expressed confidence in the rapid transformation of India's defence sector with continued support. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Post his surgery, Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan reached Lilavati Hospital to meet her husband Saif Ali Khan, who was stabbed multiple times by burglar during the wee hours of Thursday. Mumbai, Jan 16 (IANS) Post his surgery, Bollywood diva Kareena Kapoor Khan reached Lilavati Hospital to meet her husband Saif Ali Khan, who was stabbed multiple times by burglar during the wee hours of Thursday. A video of the actress stepping into the hospital with tight security is doing the rounds on social media. A statement was issued on behalf of the actor by his team post his surgery, which mentioned that the star is stable and is out of danger now. It also stated that Saif is being monitored by a team of medical professionals as he sets out on the path of recovery. "Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident," read a statement. The statement went on to thank the team of doctors taking care of Saif's treatment. "We would like to thank Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time". The 54-year-old actor sustained six stab wounds in an attempt to fight off a burglar during the early hours of Thursday. Out of the six wounds, two of which are said to be serious as they are closer to his spine. The incident took place at 2:15 am when the burglar allegedly barged into their luxurious Bandra home, and attacked their house help and then Saif when he intervened. At the time of incident, Kareena was present at home along with other members of the family as they all were sleeping. Saif was woken up by the commotion in his son Jeh's room. He went inside the room to see the culprit arguing with their house help, looking at this, Saif intervened to save the house help with bare hands to fight off the culprit. The Mumbai police have started the investigation and are accessing the CCTV footage. Three accused have been reportedly detained, and are subjected to interrogation. -- Except for the title, this story has not been edited by Prokerala team and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed January 16 : Excitement is building for Vidaamuyarchi, the upcoming thriller starring Ajith Kumar, as the official trailer will be unveiled today at 6:40 PM. The announcement was made via Lyca Productions' official handle, generating a buzz across social media platforms. The tweet read, "Hold tight! The VIDAAMUYARCHI & PATTUDALA Trailer is releasing today at 6:40 PM. Efforts Never Fail!" alongside the hashtags #Vidaamuyarchi and #EffortsNeverFail, hinting at the perseverance and dedication that went into the making of the film. Directed by Magizh Thirumeni and produced by Subaskaran Allirajah under Lyca Productions, Vidaamuyarchi is already drawing significant attention due to its high-profile cast, gripping storyline, and cinematic excellence. The film stars Ajith Kumar in a lead role, supported by an ensemble cast that includes Trisha Krishnan, Arjun Sarja, Arav, Regina Cassandra, and Ramya Subramanian. Based on the 1997 Jonathan Mostow-directed film Breakdown, the plot follows a husband's desperate search for his wife who mysteriously disappears during a vacation to Azerbaijan. The film promises to be a visual and auditory treat with music composed by the talented Anirudh Ravichander. Cinematography by Om Prakash and editing by N. B. Srikanth add to the anticipation, ensuring that the film will deliver on both emotional and action-packed fronts. Originally scheduled for a worldwide release during the week of Pongal in January 2025, Vidaamuyarchi has been delayed for undisclosed reasons. However, it has been confirmed that the film will be available for streaming on Netflix after its theatrical run, providing global audiences with access to the gripping thriller. Fans eagerly await the trailer, and with the premiere just hours away, the buzz surrounding Vidaamuyarchi is only set to intensify. Stay tuned for the trailer launch and prepare for an exhilarating cinematic experience. New Delhi, Jan 16 : A war of social media posts broke out between AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and his BJP challenger from New Delhi Assembly seat Parvesh Verma over alleged distribution of gifts to people and restrictions imposed on the former Chief Minister by court while granting him bail. Taking to social media platform X, Verma launched an attack on the AAP for misleading voters of Delhi by projecting Kejriwal as its chief ministerial face. Listing four conditions imposed on Kejriwal by a court while granting him bail in a money laundering case, Verma said, "Kejriwal can never become Chief Minister again in this life. So, who will be the Chief Ministerial face of the Aam Aadmi Party? Amanatullah Khan? Or Imran Hussain?" While asking if controversial AAP legislator from Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, and Delhi Minister Imran Hussain would occupy the top post in case of AAP victory, Verma said the court has said that Kejriwal cannot go to Delhi Secretariat, if he does then he will go back to jail. Enlisting the court restrictions that virtually rule out Kejriwal occupying the CM's seat again, Verma said in his post, "Accused Kejriwal cannot go to CM office, if he goes, he will go to jail. Accused Kejriwal cannot sign any government file, if he signs then he will be sent to jail. Accused Kejriwal cannot meet any officer, if he does then he will be sent to jail." Earlier, Kejriwal targeted Verma on alleged distribution of gifts and said in a post on X, "Poor Pravesh Verma is trying his best to get disqualified, but the Election Commission just doesn't agree." He was, apparently, referring to the Election Commission's clean chit to Verma on AAP's complaint against distribution of gifts ahead of filing his nomination. "The whole country saw this BJP leader distributing goods. All the media recorded it. It is very shameful that the DEO/DM could not see anything. The DEO/DM gave him a clean chit within a few hours of our complaint," he said in an earlier post. Verma followed up his post, highlighting Kejriwal's corruption and model of using money power to remain in power and distributing freebies. Verma said Kejriwal is absolutely right in saying, "Money comes from power and power comes from money. Indulge in corruption and usurp power by luring people with freebies. But Kejriwal ji, this policy of yours is not going to work anymore. Now the aware people of Delhi are going to put a complete stop to your dishonesty and lies." The voting for Delhi Assembly election will take place on February 5 and result will be declared on February 8. While Kejriwal is contesting his fourth election from New Delhi seat since 2013, Verma, a two-time BJP MP and son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, is campaigning aggressively. The third key candidate from the seat and Congress nominee Sandeep Dikshit, son of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, is trying his best to convert it into a tough triangular contest. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Congress candidate Sandeep Dikshit filed his nomination on Thursday for the New Delhi Assembly seat in the upcoming elections. Before submitting his papers, Dikshit led a nomination rally accompanied by senior Congress leaders, family members, friends, and party workers, rallying supporters along the way. Speaking to reporters, Dikshit slammed opposition parties for allegedly distributing goods to garner votes. "This election is supposed to be about Delhi's development. Some people are handing out free items to the public. If elections are conducted like this, what's the point of democracy? We might as well start a courier service where the one sending the most money to the public wins," he remarked. On the defamation cases he has filed against Delhi Chief Minister Atishi and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Dikshit stated, "The court has issued notices to Sanjay Singh and Atishi, asking them to present their side on January 27. If they fail to provide evidence, we will ensure they face jail time. It's been eight days, and no evidence has been submitted. If Atishi cannot provide proof, she will be sent to jail." Dikshit's family and Congress leaders expressed their confidence in his victory. Speaking to IANS, his wife, Mona Dikshit, said, "Sandeep is working very hard for this election. His plan is to visit every household in the New Delhi Assembly constituency. The last MLA, Arvind Kejriwal, did not visit his constituency even once. We aim to ensure no problem remains unaddressed." Congress state chief Devender Yadav told IANS, "Since Sandeep Dikshit's candidature was announced, both Kejriwal and the BJP have been on the defensive. This clearly shows that Sandeep is gaining strength and full support from the Congress. On February 8, he will not only emerge victorious, but Congress will also make a comeback in Delhi." Meanwhile, speaking to IANS, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "The workers are enthusiastic, and voters are eager to take revenge for the betrayal they felt over the past ten years. The people of New Delhi want to defeat Arvind Kejriwal, and they believe Sandeep Dikshit is the one who can do it." Congress leader Ajay Maken echoed the support, stating, "Congress will win in Delhi, Sandeep Dikshit is winning, and Kejriwal is losing." Dikshit faces tough competition from AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and BJP's Parvesh Verma. The elections for Delhi's 70-member Assembly are scheduled for February 5, with results to be declared on February 8. SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY JWR UPDATE. IT'S FREE. Just click here. Anyone who has undergone IVF will tell you that the process can be daunting. It involves weeks of mood-altering, bloat-inducing hormone injections to retrieve eggs so they can be fertilized in a lab before being implanted. That's followed by weeks of holding your breath to find out if all the discomfort, anxiety and many thousands of dollars will have been worth it. Finally, a cluster of biotech firms is reimagining that process, bringing previously fantastical science to a field that has been ignored for too long. With fertility rates dropping and more women opting to postpone parenthood, the need to make assisted reproductive health care more accessible and affordable couldn't be more urgent. What better sign of that momentum than a birth announcement? Gameto, a biotech company working on a less cumbersome IVF process, announced this month the arrival of a child born in Peru from an egg "matured in a lab (rather than in a woman's body) using its technology. It's an admittedly small step. Many more babies will need to be born for this new technology to prove itself and be widely embraced. And it won't magically solve everyone's infertility struggles. Still, a small step toward better options should be embraced especially considering how many people aren't able to access the existing ones. In 2021, about 2.3% of babies born in the U.S. more than 86,000 were conceived through some form of assisted reproductive technology nearly all of those involving IVF. And while that number has grown significantly over the last decade, in no small part due to the higher success rate of the process, it is minuscule compared to the millions of women experiencing infertility in the U.S. Gameto is trying to help nudge those numbers by making one part of the process easier. While working in the lab of famed Harvard geneticist and entrepreneur George Church , the company's chief scientific officer, Christian Kramme , figured out the right recipe meaning, the right combination of genes to tune up or down to coax pluripotent stem cells into becoming ovarian-like cells. Eggs retrieved after two or three days of hormone injections are nestled in with those ovarian-like cells, which send the right hormonal cues to prompt healthy maturation. Then, just like conventional IVF, the egg is fertilized before being frozen or implanted in the uterus. In theory, this process could save women a week and a half of expensive shots, not to mention spare them the side effects and life disruption of the lengthier process. (Most women must undergo two to three rounds of treatment to conceive successfully). The idea of maturing eggs in a lab isn't new. As Gameto Chief Executive Officer Dina Radenkovic points out, more than 10,000 babies have been born using some form of in vitro maturation since the early 1990s. Yet that's a tiny number compared to the more than 10 million babies that have been born via IVF in the last 45 years. The statistic underscores the limitations of current IVM methods, which expose immature eggs to hormones or proteins. Pregnancy rates are much lower than with conventional IVF, and few people have adopted the technique. Gameto believes turning the maturation to ovarian-like cells to orchestrate the process can turn people on to IVM. That will take a lot of convincing. Success with IVF is a bit of a numbers game, yet by nature, fewer eggs are retrieved with Gameto's process. Radenkovic says her company's early data suggests that their process' smaller number of eggs yields the same number of embryos as a typical IVF cycle. And more data is coming. The product is cleared for use in multiple countries, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to allow Phase 3 studies to begin in the first quarter of 2025. While promising, it won't be for everyone until that is proven on a larger scale not only with frozen embryos but with enough babies born using the technology to give people a sense of its success rate. Some people will continue to want as many shots on goal as possible. A couple undergoing IVF because both parents carry a mutation for a severe genetic disease, for example, walks into the process knowing a substantial portion of the embryos created will not be usable. Similarly, someone freezing their eggs will want to weigh the convenience of a shorter retrieval process with fewer eggs to choose from later. Still, that new options are in the works is an important advance for the millions experiencing infertility or wanting to preserve their fertility. Other biotech companies, meanwhile, are chasing far more ambitious goals ranging from prolonging fertility to creating human eggs from scrapes of skin cells, avoiding the ovaries altogether. While we wait for those to progress, plenty of things could happen right now to make life much easier for those people and prepare the health care system for future technologies. As anyone who has undergone IVF knows, the process is expensive and often not covered by insurance. A single cycle can cost anywhere from $15,000 to more than $30,000. Yet, according to the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans , only about a third of U.S. employers covered IVF in 2024, and just 16% paid for a woman to freeze her eggs. That's a vast improvement over a decade ago when those numbers were in the single digits, but we still have a long way to go. With so many millions of people struggling with infertility, help needs to come from all corners from scientific advances and from a health care system that recognizes the personal and societal importance of making it easier to have a family. Lisa Jarvis is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering biotech, health care and the pharmaceutical industry. Previously, she was executive editor of Chemical & Engineering News . (COMMENT, BELOW) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) have plenty of opportunities to expand customs and trade services, Deputy Minister of Trade and Head of Customs Administration of Turkiye Sezai Ucarmak said during a speech at the X meeting of heads of customs services of the OTS member countries, Trend reports. He noted that every country has certain standards, and it is quite difficult to change them at once. Another obstacle to trade is the misunderstanding of the connection between a product and its carrier. If we address this problem, I think some of the issues can be eliminated. We all participate in the World Customs Organization meetings. They have their programs and strategies. If we can adopt them and implement them in our trade practices, it will be beneficial to us. Although there are already several agreements between us, the expansion of cooperation in the field of trade will open new opportunities for each of the countries, he added. Baku is hosting the X meeting of the heads of customs services of the OTS member countries. Within the framework of the meeting, various agreements are expected to be signed. To note, the IX meeting of the OTS customs chiefs was held in December 2023 in Uzbekistan's Tashkent. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Bidar : , Jan 16 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a gang of robbers shot dead a guard, seriously injured another, and looted an ATM cash vehicle in broad daylight in Karnataka's Bidar city on Thursday. The incident occurred in front of the State Bank of India (SBI) Main Branch in Bidar city, with the robbers escaping with Rs 93 lakh in cash. The robbers, who were following the vehicle, attacked the cash van in front of the bank where the ATM was also located. One of the guards in the vehicle, Giri Venkatesh, died on the spot after being shot, while another guard, Shivakumar, sustained critical injuries. the doctors said that Shivakumar's condition was extremely critical. Before opening fire, the robbers threw chilli powder on the guards. According to police reports, two masked robbers fired five rounds at the ATM vehicle and guards. Following the attack, they made off with Rs 93 lakh in cash. Bidar Superintendent of Police (SP) Pradeep Gunti rushed to the scene and was overseeing the investigation. The attack occurred while the ATM was being filled with cash at Shivaji Chowk, located in the heart of Bidar city. The injured guard, Shivakumar, is being treated at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS). The robbers, who were riding two motorcycles, carried out the attack, took the cash box, and fled. Although locals raised an alarm, threw stones at them, and attempted to catch them, the robbers managed to dodge and escape. Sources revealed that both Giri Venkatesh and Shivakumar were employees of CMS Agency, a company that provides ATM cash-filling services. The robbers, dressed in black jackets and hats, carried backpacks during the attack. Police have obtained CCTV footage of the incident and launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits. Panic spread in the area after the attack and loot. More details were awaited. Aizawl, Jan 16 : Former Union Minister and Army chief, Gen Vijay Kumar Singh (retd) took oath as 25th Governor of Mizoram here on Thursday. Gauhati High Court Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Governor Singh in a simple ceremony at Raj Bhavan. Chief Minister Lalduhoma and his Cabinet colleagues, Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama, and top security, civil and military officials were present in the ceremony, conducted by Chief Secretary Khilli Ram Meena. Former Chief Ministers Lal Thanhawla (Congress) and Zoramthanga (Mizo National Front), church leaders, and representatives of different organisations were also present. Singh was appointed as the governor of Mizoram by President Droupadi Murmu on December 24. On Wednesday, the new Governor was welcomed by the Chief Minister, Assembly Speaker Lalbiakzama, Home Minister K. Sapdanga and other dignitaries after he arrived at the Lengpui Airport, around 30 km from Aizawl. The Governor, accompanied by his wife Bharti Singh and other family members, visited the revered Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati to seek the divine blessings of Maa Kamakhya before assuming the gubernatorial charge of Mizoram. "This act of devotion underscores the deep respect for the spiritual and cultural traditions of the region. During the visit, the Governor offered prayers to Maa Kamakhya, seeking her grace and guidance to serve the people of Mizoram with dedication, humility and integrity. The visit to one of the most significant Shakti Peeths is a gesture of reverence, symbolising the importance of divine inspiration in public service," an official statement said. Outgoing Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati, who held the post for more than three years and five months, left the state on January 2 and took up the gubernatorial charge in Odisha the next day. Born on May 10, 1951, General V.K. Singh (retd) served as the 24th Chief of Army Staff from 2010 to 2012 and after retiring from the army, entered politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament from Ghaziabad on a BJP ticket in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's first term, he served as the Minister of State for External Affairs, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), and Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation. In PM Modi's second term, he held the portfolios of Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways and Civil Aviation. Bengaluru, Jan 16 : Amid demands for replacing him as the Karnataka state chief of Congress, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Thursday that the party will remain strong irrespective of who stays or leaves, and leaders should refrain from making comments in public. Speaking to the media here, Shivakumar said, "This party didn't come to power solely because of D.K. Shivakumar. It is the result of the hard work and trust placed in us by workers and voters. We must preserve and protect this trust. The Congress party belongs to the workers and voters and has a long, proud history. Regardless of who stays or leaves, the party has the strength to sustain itself." "Mahatma Gandhi fought for the country's Independence and renounced power. Ambedkar drafted the Constitution -- did he hold any positions of power? We must remember such examples. Hence, I humbly appeal that the party's welfare is more important than making statements in the media. Anyone facing issues should discuss and resolve them with the high command," Shivakumar maintained. "For now, we are preparing for the Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Constitution convention. AICC in-charge Randeep Surjewala will visit Belagavi on Friday to oversee preparations. Any further questions can be directed to him," Shivakumar said. When asked about Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi's statement that the organisation is weakening and that a full-time KPCC president is needed, Shivakumar responded, "It is not for me to provide clarity on this matter. It is up to AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge. Questions on this should be directed to him. Questioning Mallikarjun Kharge's decisions is inappropriate," he concluded. "KPCC positions are not available in shops, nor can they be obtained by speaking to the media," Shivakumar stated. "Party leaders recognize and reward our work and efforts appropriately. Does anyone ask for positions through the media? This is something entirely new to me," he said. Shivakumar said, "If there is any significant development in party matters, I will personally call a press conference to share information. Right now, our focus should be on organising, saving, and growing the party. The Chief Minister and senior leaders have advised everyone to maintain discipline within the party. They have also instructed us not to discuss internal matters publicly." "Party issues should not be discussed in front of the media. Whatever the concern may be, approach the AICC President, Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister, or me directly. This advice isn't exclusive to Congress but applies to any party --be it BJP, JD(S), or farmers' associations. Internal matters must be resolved within the party," he stressed. "Even if I were to desire a particular position, would you (the media) grant it to me? Are these positions available in a shop? Speaking to the media will not help; in fact, it will have the opposite effect," he added. Sources stated that the infighting has begun following Dy CM Shivakumar's staking claim over the CM's post. CM Siddaramaiah's close associates Minister for Cooperation K.N. Rajanna, Minister for PWD Satish Jarkiholi, Minister for Excise R.B. Thimmapur and Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa openly made challenging statements targeting Shivakumar in support of CM Siddaramaiah. Shivakumar issued a warning through the KPCC Working President Manjunath Bhandary on Thursday to Ministers Satish Jarkiholi and H.C. Mahadevappa for their repeated statements regarding the change of power. The statement came as the infighting intensified in the party, and sources said this was a kind of warning note to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah camp. The infighting in the ruling Congress party has intensified with Home Minister G. Parameshwara stating that it is natural for leaders to demand the replacement of the current Karnataka Congress state president. "He (D.K. Shivakumar) is the president of the state unit and he also holds two big portfolios. In this background, leaders will naturally ask for a replacement," Parameshwara stated. Jaipur, Jan 16 : Rajasthan BJP in-charge Radha Mohan Das Aggarwal has called Congress leader Rahul Gandhi a fool over his treason remark against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat. In a post on social media platform X, Aggarwal said, "Any fool, who deliberately distorts the remarks due to poor mindset and accuses Mohan Bhagwat of treason, can only be Rahul Gandhi. I strongly condemn this." He also labelled Rahul Gandhi's comments as a reflection of a "poor mentality" and accused him of making such statements to defame the Sangh and the BJP. "Rahul Gandhi is crossing all limits... After being rejected by the country and political parties, he is targeting the RSS Chief to be in the news and to appease the minority community," the BJP leader said. RSS chief on Monday said, "The day of the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be celebrated as 'Pratishtha Dwadashi' as it marks the "true Independence" of Bharat". Taking exception to Bhagwat's remark, Gandhi said that the former's remarks undermined the freedom struggle and the Constitution and suggested it could be considered treasonous. He further argued that in any other country, such a statement would have led to Bhagwat's arrest and prosecution. Gandhi's 'treason' jibe at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief kicked up a raging row with top BJP brass, including Union Ministers and national spokespersons launching a broadside at the Congress leader. On Monday, the RSS chief said Ram Mandir was not an aandolan (movement) but a 'yagya' for the Hindu community. He said the temple should have been built much earlier but was delayed due to some forces. He said that the Ram temple movement was not started to oppose anyone but to awaken the 'self' of Bharat so that the country could stand on its own feet and show the path to the world. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto will visit India from January 25 to 26, serving as the chief guest for the 76th Republic Day celebrations at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Thursday. "This will be President Prabowo's first visit to India in his capacity as President, after assuming office in October 2024," the MEA statement said. Highlighting the historical ties between the two nations, the statement noted, "India and Indonesia share warm and friendly ties spanning over millennia. As a Comprehensive Strategic Partner, Indonesia is an important pillar in India's Act East Policy and our vision of the Indo-Pacific." The visit is expected to offer an opportunity for the leaders of both nations to review bilateral relations comprehensively and to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, according to the MEA. Prabowo Subianto, who was sworn in as Indonesia's eighth President in October 2024, shares leadership with Vice President Gibran Rakabuming, the son of former President Joko Widodo. Subianto previously visited New Delhi in 2020 as Indonesia's Defence Minister. His presidency has also faced scrutiny over past allegations of human rights violations, which he has repeatedly denied. India traditionally invites world leaders as chief guests for its Republic Day celebrations. In 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron graced the event, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi attended in 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented such invitations in 2021 and 2022. The decision to invite President Subianto reflects India's ongoing commitment to strengthening its ties with Southeast Asian nations under its Act East Policy. Notably, in 2018, Indonesia's then-President Joko Widodo joined the Republic Day parade along with other ASEAN leaders. President Subianto's presence is seen as a reaffirmation of the deepening strategic partnership between India and Indonesia. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Ananya Panday recently flew off to Bangkok, Thailand. Updating the netizens, the 'CTRL' actress took to the stories section of her IG handle and shared a picture of the city's beautiful skyline. Ananya Panday further revealed through her post that she will be making a stop in Bangkok only for 48 hours. Prior to this, the stunner visited the famous Golden Temple during her Amritsar visit. She was accompanied by her mother Bhavana Pandey and sister Rysa. Treating her Instafam with sneak peeks of her trip, Ananya Panday dropped a photo of herself standing in the Golden Temple with joined hands. In another photograph, the 'Liger' actress can be seen standing in front of the Gurudwara with closed eyes. Ananya Panday further posted a couple of stills from the Gurudwara. She also shared a still of herself relishing the delicious chole bhature and lassi during her Punjab visit. Her last picture was with her mother and sister. Posing in a white floral suit with a pink dupatta, the 'Dream Girl 2' actress captioned the post, aSabr. Shukr. Simran. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh." On the work front, Ananya Panday has been roped in to play the lead in Akshay Kumar and R Madhavan's next. Produced by Dharma Productions, the yet-to-be titled drama will be directed by Karan Singh Tyagi. The project will be based on the life of the acclaimed lawyer C Sankaran Nair, who fought a legal battle against the British empire back in the 1920s. In addition to this, Ananya Panday will also work on other projects including "Chand Mera Dil". She will be seen sharing screen space with 'Kill' actor Lakshya. The project will be made under the direction of Vivek Soni. Furthermore, Ananya Panday will also be seen reprising her role as Bella Chowdhary in the second season of the laughter ride "Call Me Bae". Bhopal, Jan 16 : Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday slammed Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "fighting Indian state" remark and sought an apology over the anti-national statement. "Rahul Gandhi should apologise for his anti-national statement. I believe that objections can be raised on policies, but people will not accept anti-national statements," CM Yadav said in a statement. CM Yadav's remarks come close on the heels of the Congres leader's treason comment against Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat, and the allegation that the BJP, RSS, and their affiliates have systematically captured India's institutions. The controversy erupted after the RSS Chief said, "The day of the consecration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be celebrated as 'Pratishtha Dwadashi' as it marks the "true Independence" of Bharat". The RSS chief said Ram Mandir was not an aandolan (movement) but a 'yagya' for the Hindu community. He said the temple should have been built much earlier but was delayed due to some forces. He said that the Ram temple movement was not started to oppose anyone but to awaken the 'self' of Bharat so that the country could stand on its own feet and show the path to the world. Condemning the RSS Chief's remarks, Gandhi urged people to "stop listening to the nonsense". "Bhagwat has the audacity to say this publicly, in any other country, he would be arrested and tried. To say that India did not get independence in 1947 is an insult to every single Indian person," Gandhi has said. Gandhi's 'treason' jibe at the RSS chief kicked up a raging row with top BJP brass, including Union Ministers and national spokespersons launching a broadside at the Congress leader. Notably, Gandhi and all senior Congress leaders are scheduled to visit Madhya Pradesh's Mhow, the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar on January 27. The Congress is set to kick-start 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' campaign on this occasion. New Delhi, Jan 16 : The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission, which will take up the issue of increasing salaries of Central government employees and payments to pensioners. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the formation of 8th Central Pay Commission for the benefit of all central government employees and pensioners," Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced, while briefing the press after the Cabinet meeting. "Since 1947, seven pay commissions have been formed. The 7th Pay Commission came into effect in 2016. Its tenure will conclude in 2026. By deciding to form the 8th Pay Commission in 2025, we have sufficient time to receive recommendations well before the completion of the period of 7th Pay Commission," Union Minsiter Vaishnaw said. "This process will involve wide consultations with state governments, central government, PSUs and different stakeholders. A chairman and two members will also soon be appointed for the commission," he said. According to officials, the move is expected to benefit around 50 lakh central government employees, including defence personnel, along with more than 65 lakh pensioners. Pay commissions are generally formed once in every 10 years to recommend the fitment factor, and other modalities for the revision of salaries of employees and pensions paid to the retirees. The 7th Pay Commission was set up by the Manmohan Singh government in February 2014, while its recommendations were implemented by the government from January 2016 onwards by the Modi government. The announcement on the formation of the 8th pay Commission comes amid persistent demands from the employee unions and staff associations, who have been calling for the formation commission at the earliest so that the salary revision takes from January 2026 onwards. "Since the last pay hike came into effect from January 1, 2016, the next salary should be revised from January 1, 2026 as the hike in salary of Central government staff takes place after 10 years," All India Railwaymen's Federation Secretary-General Shiv Gopal Mishra said. Mishra, who is also the secretary (staff side) of the National Council-Joint Consultative Machinery or NC-JCMa"an official platform to resolve the disputes between the government and its staff through dialogue. He said that the employees were expecting a fitment factor of "at least 2.86" to be recommended for the salary revision. The fitment factor of 2.86, as demanded by AIRF, would mean a 186 per cent hike in the salaries. The 7th Pay Commission had raised the wages and pensions of Central government employees based on a fitment factor of 2.57. Dhaka, Dec 16 : Bangladesh's former minister Lutfozzaman Babar, one of the main accused in the case of smuggling arms to fuel insurgency in India's northeast, was released from Dhaka's Central Jail on Thursday in yet another controversial move by the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government that analysts believe will further embolden radical elements the crisis-ridden country. Babar, who served as a Minister of State for Home in the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance government led by Khaleda Zia in 2004, was arrested in May 2007 for his involvement in cases of grenade attack on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the attempted smuggling of 10-truckloads of arms and ammunition via Chittagong to banned terrorist outfit United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) working to secede Assam from India. Put behind the bars under the Arms Act and the Special Powers Act, he was serving death and life sentences before the Yunus-led government took charge and began the process of acquitting him in several cases after the fall of Hasina government in August, last year. Last month, Babar and six others were acquitted by the High Court in the Special Powers Act case while ULFA chief Paresh Baruah's sentence was reduced from death to lifetime imprisonment. Severely criticising the decision, several Bangladeshis termed it as "another disgraceful act" orchestrated by the "illegitimate government and its puppet judiciary" in a country "where politicization of justice and lawlessness has become the norm". They asserted that the judiciary in Bangladesh has now been reduced to a "mere tool" for shielding BNP. "The High Courtas acquittal of Lutfozzaman Babar and others in the 10-truck arms haul case blatantly disregards overwhelming evidence of their involvement in one of South Asia's largest arms hauls. The weapons were meant for insurgent groups like ULFA and NSCN-IM, posing a grave threat to national and regional security. It (ruling) reinforces fears that the security and stability of the South Asian region is now at its most vulnerable in decades," Hussain Saddam, President of Bangladesh Students' League, posted on X. Earlier this week, Babar was also acquitted in the '10-truck arms haul case', thus clearing all legal hurdles and paving way for his release after 17 years on Thursday. As Bangladesh slides into the abyss, the Yunus government has been accused of giving a free hand to the Islamist forces in the country. Several reports cited last week that the interim government has set in motion the process to acquit Syed Zia-ul Haque, a sacked Major of the Bangladesh Army who is linked to Al Qaeda and is desperately wanted by the United States. In December 2021, the US Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, through its Rewards for Justice (RFJ) office, offered a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Haque (aka Major Zia) and Akram Hussain, who along with four other individuals were found to be involved in a February 2015 terrorist attack in Dhaka that left US citizen Avijit Roy dead and his wife, Rafida Bonya Ahmed, seriously injured. Both Bangladesh-born US citizens were visiting Dhaka to attend a book fair when they were attacked by assailants with machetes. Roy was killed while Ahmed survived with critical injuries. According to the US State Department, Ansarullah Bangla Team, an Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist group based in Bangladesh, claimed responsibility for the attack through its team in Dhaka. Zia, who reportedly fled to Pakistan later, was also wanted by the Bangladeshi authorities, which declared Tk 2 million for tracing him in 2016, in the murder cases of Jagriti Prokashon's Foysal Arefin Dipon and Kalabagan's Julhas-Tonoy. Previously, in 2011, he had also played a major role in the organisation of a failed coup attempt. The policy of mandatory security clearance required for Pakistani citizens seeking visas was relaxed comprehensively recently, thus facilitating Zia's return to Dhaka on a Pakistani passport. Reports cited that, immediately after his return, Zia formally applied for acquittal from all charges and removal from the 'most-wanted' list on December 29, 2024 while seeking to nullify all the convictions and withdrawal of the bounty. Interestingly, local media reported that Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, the head of the disappearance committee of the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) that will look into the entire matter, is Zia's father-in-law. Amritsar, Jan 16 : Just a day ahead of its release, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami on Thursday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saying Kangana Ranaut's film 'Emergency' "misrepresents Sikh history and could spark outrage" and should be banned in the state. Amritsar, Jan 16 (IANS) Just a day ahead of its release, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Harjinder Singh Dhami on Thursday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, saying Kangana Ranaut's film 'Emergency' "misrepresents Sikh history and could spark outrage" and should be banned in the state. In a missive, Dhami said, "If the film is released, it will incite anger and resentment among the Sikh community. Therefore, it is the government's responsibility to ensure the film is banned in the state." The SGPC has warned that it "will strongly oppose the film if it is released". Also, the SGPC chief has sent letters to all Deputy Commissioners regarding the imposition of the ban. "While lodging its protest, the SGPC has already sent its executive committee resolution to the state Chief Secretary in which it was clearly stated that the screening of this movie would not be allowed in Punjab because it has been made under a scheme to defame Sikhs," reads the letter. The resolution demanded the Punjab government ban the screening of the movie in the state. However, sadly, the Punjab government led by you (Bhagwant Mann) did not take any step in this direction. If the movie is released on January 17, it would enrage the Sikh world, which is natural. "By hiding facts related to attacks on the holiest shrine of the Sikhs, Sri Harmandar Sahib, the top temporal seat, Akal Takht Sahib, and other gurdwaras and the Sikh genocide (of 1984), this movie works to spread venom under an anti-Sikh agenda. So, we again demand a ban on screening this movie in Punjab. If released, we will be forced to strongly protest it," Dhami said. The SGPC, known as the mini-parliament of Sikh religion, manages gurdwaras in Punjab, including the holiest of all Sikh shrines, Harmandar Sahib (popularly known as Golden Temple) in Amritsar. After multiple delays, Kangana Ranaut has officially announced the new release date for her highly anticipated film 'Emergency'. The movie will hit theatres on January 17. The film was originally slated for release on September 6, 2024. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) made a record investment of over 2.4 billion euros in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region in 2024, surpassing 2 billion euros from the previous year, Trend reports. This investment, covering six economiesEgypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, and the West Bank and Gazahas a strong emphasis on green economy initiatives, which accounted for nearly half of the total investment. In Egypt, the EBRD invested over 1.4 billion euros, supporting 26 projects, with 84% directed toward the private sector. The Bank also helped launch Egypts first sustainability bond, which raised 485 million euros, allocating the majority to green projects like renewable energy and energy efficiency. Jordan saw 169 million euros in investment, with a significant portion going into sustainable infrastructure, including a wastewater treatment project that will benefit 200,000 residents in West Irbid. The Bank also continued to support small businesses in Lebanon and Morocco, with a focus on green transition initiatives and start-up support. Morocco received 530 million euros in investment, with a record 59% going to green projects. This included financing a climate adaptation initiative for OCP Group, aimed at enhancing water security through new desalination plants. Tunisias renewable energy sector also benefited from EBRD support, including funding for solar power plants in Sidi Bouzid and Tozeur. In the West Bank and Gaza, the Bank provided 67 million euros in loans and investments to support small businesses, marking its first equity investment in the region with the Bank of Palestine and Ibtikar venture capital fund. The EBRDs investment efforts were bolstered by strong donor support, including contributions from the EU, the Green Climate Fund, and other bilateral and multilateral donors, ensuring the continued development of small businesses and sustainable projects in the SEMED region. Seoul, Jan 16 : A Seoul court began on Thursday to review the legality of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention at the request of his lawyers after investigators took him into custody over his short-lived imposition of martial law, judicial sources said. The review of the legality of Yoon's detention came a day after the impeached president's legal representatives filed for a petition with the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after investigators detained him for questioning over his martial law declaration on December 3. The court has 48 hours to make a decision since receiving the review request by considering the documents from investigators and through questioning. If it finds Yoon's detention unlawful, he will be released from custody. The court is expected to come up with a decision on whether to grant or dismiss Yoon's petition as early as late Thursday. While the court review is in progress, Yoon's 48-hour detention period has been put on hold since about 2 p.m. when investigators submitted documents, including evidence, to the court. The detention period will remain on hold until the court returns the documents to the investigators, Yonhap news agency reported. Yoon did not attend the court's closed-door hearing, held as part of the review, citing security issues. Instead, three of his lawyers appeared on his behalf. Yoon's side has disputed the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO)'s investigation of him on insurrection charges, arguing that the office has no jurisdiction over such cases involving a president. Yoon's side has also argued the detention warrant against him, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, is invalid, insisting that the case should have been handled by the Seoul Central District Court instead. The CIO has refuted Yoon's claims, arguing that the court issuance of two detention warrants effectively affirmed its jurisdiction over the case. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that the state is not only participating in India's startup revolution but is also leading it. "There are 26,000 startups in the state. The state government has circulated a draft start-up policy seeking suggestions from the entrepreneurs. We are implementing a campaign in which women will be in all positions in startups. Maharashtra is the first state in the country to have the highest number of women directors. Maharashtra is among the top seven states in startups," the Chief Minister said during his address at the National Startup Day program organised by the State Innovation Society under the Department of Skill, Employment, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Nearly 1000 startups from various sectors including technology, agriculture, service sector, pharmaceuticals, and tourism from across Maharashtra and across the country attended the event. Fadnavis said that Maharashtra will be developed by empowering the innovations of new entrepreneurs and women entrepreneurs. When startups were started in the country, there were 471 startups, today there are 1.57 lakh in the country. "SIDBI (Small Industrial Development Bank of India) has made a provision of Rs 200 crore for start-ups. Each revenue division will be provided with a provision of Rs 30 crore. An innovation city will be established in the state," he announced. The Chief Minister said that entrepreneurs, visionary investors, policymakers, incubators, and universities are the pioneers of change in the industry sector. "Due to Ease of Doing Business, there is transparency which helps in the commencement of operation by industries in a short time. Maharashtra is the favoured investment destination and ranks top among other states," he said. He added that the government will further increase transparency in promoting more industries without human intervention. "Mumbai and Pune have a conducive environment for starting industries. Mumbai is at the forefront of funding, while Pune is a hub of technology and innovation. Our Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities are contributing greatly to the development of Maharashtra. Cities like Nashik, Nagpur, Aurangabad and Kolhapur are encouraging startups and creating an ecosystem," said Fadnavis. He added that the universities and incubators are institutions that strengthen Maharashtra's innovative startups, adding that the participation of young people with innovative ideas from rural areas will be increased in the industry, and incubators that provide services such as guidance, networking, legal support to entrepreneurs will be supported to start startups. "Government and private universities are institutions that strengthen future startups. Universities and incubators will make them job creators, not job seekers. AI will empower startups and become a centre of excellence. AI is the future of technology. AI technology will be a major contributor to startups. This will not only create opportunities for industrial development but also employment opportunities," said Fadnavis. He appealed to the entrepreneurs to work with the state government to bring the state to the forefront of startups. In his speech, the Skill Development Minister Mangalprabhat Lodha observed that Maharashtra will become the startup capital. Ranchi, Jan 16 : In a dramatic turn of events, two sisters from Hindpiri, Ranchi, were safely rescued from Karnataka after being kidnapped in connection with a love affair. Five individuals involved in the incident have been arrested. The case came to light when an FIR for the kidnapping of the girls was filed on January 11, causing widespread concern in Ranchi. At a press conference here on Thursday, Ranchi SSP Chandan Kumar Sinha gave details of the intricacies of the case. According to SSP Sinha, the main accused, Mohammad Ismail, a resident of Raichur, Karnataka, was in a relationship with Rahnuma Parveen. Ismail manipulated Rahnuma and her younger sister was made into becoming accomplice in his plan. To mislead the police and their family, the younger sister called their father, claiming that an auto driver was forcibly taking them away and had snatched their phones and purses. Immediately after this call, the sisters' phones were switched off. However, investigations revealed that this call was stage managed to confuse the police. The police initially searched jungle and hilly terrains based on phone location but faced challenges as the accused destroyed their phones and SIM cards. They started using new phones without SIMs, relying on railway Wi-Fi and mobile hotspots for communication. The sisters were taken from Ranchi in an Alto car to Chitarpur in Jharkhand, then to Koderma, and subsequently traveled by train through Gaya (Bihar), Varanasi, and finally to Karnataka. With assistance from Karnataka's ADG and local police, the girls were rescued, and the accused were arrested. Those apprehended include Mohammad Ismail (Raichur, Karnataka), Junaid Alam (Hindpiri, Ranchi), Qasid Feroz and Mazhar Alam (Chitarpur, Ramgarh) and Imran Khan (Garhwa). Recovered items include an Alto car, a scooty, five mobile phones, and fake Aadhaar cards. The successful operation involved a dedicated police team led by DSP Prakash Soy, K.B. Raman, trainee DSP Dusru Ban Singh, Prabhat Kumar Singh, Kotwali police station in-charge Adikant Mahato, Hindpiri police station in-charge Sunil Kushwaha, and 21 other officers. SSP Sinha announced that the team would be rewarded for their swift and commendable work. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams on Thursday stepped out of the International Space Station (ISS) for a spacewalk along with colleague Nick Hague, the US space agency said. This is Williams' first spacewalk in 12 years, and the eighth in her career, while it's Hague's fourth. The mission designated US Spacewalk 91, is expected to last around six and a half hours. Hague serves as spacewalk crew member 1 and is wearing a suit with red stripes. Williams is serving as spacewalk crew member 2 and is wearing an unmarked suit. The astronaut-duo is currently working to perform maintenance tasks and replace hardware, NASA said. "NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Suni Williams, step outside of the Space_Station to support station upgrades, including repairs to our NICER (Neutron star Interior Composition Explorer) X-ray telescope. In a blog post, NASA informed that Williams and Hague will work to replace a rate gyro assembly that helps provide orientation control for the station and install patches to cover damaged areas of light filters for NICER. They will also replace a reflector device used for navigational data on one of the international docking adapters. In addition, the pair will check access areas and connector tools that will be used for future maintenance work on the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. NASA also informed a second spacewalk, scheduled to begin at 8:15 a.m. on January 23. During the second mission, Wilmore and Williams will remove a radio frequency group antenna assembly from the station's truss, and collect samples of surface material for analysis from the Destiny laboratory and the Quest airlock to see whether microorganisms may exist on the exterior of the orbital complex. They will also prepare a spare elbow joint for the Canadarm2 robotic arm in the event it is needed for a replacement. Meanwhile, NASA has yet again delayed the mission to return Williams and Willmore to Earth, as the launch of SpaceX Crew 10 has been delayed to late March 2025. Williams and Willmore became the first to ride the Starliner, developed by Boeing. What began as an eight-day sojourn on the International Space Station (ISS) has extended to 10 months now in space for the astronauts, while the faulty Starliner, declared unfit for human travel by NASA, is back on Earth unharmed. The astronauts were scheduled to return to Earth onboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule in February 2025. However, NASA opted to delay Crew 10 to allow additional preparation time for the new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, to enhance the safety of the astronauts. Recently, Williams noted that she "wants to go home because we left our families a little while ago, but we have a lot to do while we're up here". New Delhi, Jan 16 : The Congress has filed an application before the Supreme Court seeking intervention in the batch of petitions challenging the validity of Places of Worship Act, which prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The plea stated that the Places of Worship Act was enacted by the Parliament, as it reflected the mandate of the Indian populace, and was envisaged prior to 1991 and the same was made a part of the Congress's then-election manifesto for the Parliamentary elections. It added that the 1991 Act was essential to safeguard secularism in India and the present petitions challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act appear to be a motivated and malicious attempt to undermine established principles of secularism. "The POWA (Places of Worship Act) plays a pivotal role in furthering the right to freedom of religion and protects secularism, which is an established basic feature of the Constitution," stated the application. Further, it said that the law promotes equality amongst all religious groups does not accord special treatment towards specific communities and is equally applicable towards places of worship of all religious groups and ascertains and affixes their nature as on August 15, 1947. The application also said that Congress, a recognised national party, is the oldest functioning political party of the country and is currently the principal opposition party in Parliament, adding that since its inception, it has fought for the rights and welfare of the Indian populace. The CJI Sanjiv Khanna-led Special Bench, in an interim order, passed on December 12, had ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act, 1991 in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders. The Special Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, had asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act, 1991. --IANS pds/dan Bengaluru, Jan 16 : A 24-year-old techie allegedly committed suicide in Bengaluru after being threatened by her close relative that he would share her nude photos with her parents if she did not follow his commands. The accused identified as Praveen Singh has been arrested. The victim's mother complained to the police against Praveen Singh and his wife Sandhya Singh. The victim spent most of the time at Praveen and Sandhya's residence and also went on trips with them during holidays, police said quoting the complainant. On January 12, at 8.40 p.m., the victim's mother was informed that she had sustained burn injuries and was being shifted to the Victoria Hospital. When the family reached the hospital, the victim was unconscious in an ambulance with burns all over her body. Later, she was declared dead by the doctors. As the victim's parents were clueless about her death, one of her friends met them on January 13 and revealed to her parents that Praveen had saved her nude photos and used them to sexually assault her. The victim's friend told her parents that she took the extreme step as she was unable to bear the torture. During the inquiry, police found that the victim set herself afire at a hotel located near Kundalahalli Metro Station. The victim's parents claimed that their daughter was not weak and ended her life due to torture by Praveen. A case has been registered under Sections 108, 3 (5) of the BNS Act. DCP (Whitefield) Shiv Kumar stated, "In HAL police station limits, a 25-year-old woman has committed suicide by burning herself. A case has been registered in this regard. The woman committed suicide out of fear after being threatened that the private videos and photos would be shown to her parents. The victim was known to the accused for six years." "The accused is a close relative. A room was booked at the Radha Hotel and the accused was forcing the victim to see the photos and videos. The victim reached the petrol and set herself ablaze," he said. However, sources said, the victim was developing closeness to another man, and irked over it, Praveen threatened her to share her private photos and videos with her parents. More details are awaited. Prayagraj, Jan 16 : As the Maha Kumbh entered its fourth day in Prayagraj, spiritual leader and head of Parmarth Niketan Ashram, Chidanand Saraswati on Thursday delivered a profound message on the importance of spirituality for success and unity in life. Speaking to IANS, Chidanand Saraswati emphasised that true success is not found in material gains, but in spiritual growth and emotional connection. He further asserted that unity is the essence of Sanatan Dharma. Saraswati reflected on the overwhelming presence of millions at the Maha Kumbh Mela, comparing the number of attendees to the populations of major cities around the world, such as Japan, Delhi, and Shanghai. He marveled at how over 5 crore people had gathered at the Sangam in just two days, placing Prayagraj at the centre of the world during this auspicious time. He spoke passionately about the Kumbh's power to unite, saying, "In Maha Kumbh, there is no caste discrimination, no division. Everyone's hearts are connected. When people come to the banks of the Sangam, they shed their differences, and the message is clearunity is the essence of Sanatan Dharma." Saraswati further described the Maha Kumbh Mela as a symbol of the timeless spirit of Sanatan, which is inclusive, eternal, and nurturing. "Sanatan does not divide, it does not fear, it protects. It is for everyonewhether they have come or not," he said. The spiritual leader also urged the youth to embrace spirituality as the path to peace and fulfillment. He praised the increasing number of educated young people attending the Kumbh, noting their growing awareness that material success alone cannot bring lasting contentment. "The youth of India are beginning to understand that peace comes from within, from spirituality. The world today is driven by technology, but here, in silence, people are finding their true connection," Saraswati remarked. The message was clearwhile technology and material pursuits are important, they should not overshadow the deeper quest for inner peace and connection with the divine. "The Maha Kumbh Mela is not just about taking a dip in the Sangam. It is about self-churning. It is a journey of self-realisation, of reconnecting with our roots, our culture, and our spirituality," he emphasised. Saraswati also took the opportunity to highlight the global interest in the Maha Kumbh, mentioning that countries like Pakistan, Qatar, UAE, and Saudi Arabia were among the most frequent searchers of the term "Mahakumbh" on the internet. He attributed this to the universal appeal of the Kumbh, a place where divisions are transcended, and humanity comes together in search of spiritual enlightenment. In a powerful metaphor, Saraswati spoke of the Kumbh Mela as a place of finding, not losing. "The Maha Kumbh is not about getting lost, but about finding oneself. It is about rediscovering what has been forgotten, and realising that even what is left behind has immense value," he said. He also acknowledged the challenges of modern life, where distractions like smartphones and social media often divert attention from the soul's deeper needs. "People are engaged in 'sadhna' of the phone, but here at the Kumbh, people are engaged in 'sadhna' of silence," he quipped. The spiritual leader also reflected on the fusion of science and spirituality, praising India's scientific achievements while urging the youth to balance their intellectual pursuits with a connection to their spiritual heritage. He quoted S. Somanath, who articulated the need for both scientific exploration and spiritual depth. "For outer space, we need science, but for inner space, we need spirituality," Saraswati echoed. He concluded with a call for unity, emphasising that the Maha Kumbh Mela is not just a religious gathering but a movement that embodies the spirit of Indiaits culture, values, and timeless traditions. "This is the Kumbh, where arrogance vanishes, where materialism is set aside, and where we come together in the spirit of unity, peace, and spiritual awakening." As the Maha Kumbh Mela continues to unfold, Saraswati's message serves as a reminder of the profound significance of spirituality in an increasingly material world. The Maha Kumbh, more than just a physical gathering, is a journey into the depths of the selfa journey of self-discovery, unity, and connection to the divine. Jaipur, Jan 16 : Rajasthan's Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF) has arrested 26-year-old Sudha Kanwar, wife of gangster Amarjeet Vishnoi, an active member of the Rohit Godara and Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Kanwar was apprehended on Wednesday in Trapani City in Italy's Sicily with assistance from local police. She had fled India on a tourist visa with help from her husband. Kanwar is accused of threatening businessmen, firing at them, and being involved in the Raju Thehat murder case. Additional Director General (ADG) Dinesh MN stated that the AGTF arrested Kanwar, a resident of Bichwal, Bikaner, with coordination from Interpol at the international level. The operation led to her capture in Trapani, Sicily, on Wednesday. According to ADG Dinesh MN, Kanwar and her husband, Amarjeet Vishnoi, were part of a gang that extorted money from businessmen through threatening calls. If the demands were not met, the gang would resort to violence, including firing at the victims and their families. The ADG said that Amarjeet Vishnoi was instrumental in arranging "dabba calls" (illegal phone calls) for Rohit Godara and other gang members. "He was arrested in Italy on July 8 last year following AGTF's efforts. Originally from Merta City, Nagaur, Sudha Kanwar entered the world of crime after divorcing her first husband and marrying Amarjeet Vishnoi," he said. He added that she actively supported her husband in his criminal activities. "On December 3, 2022, Kanwar facilitated Manish alias Bachhiya, a shooter involved in the murder of gangster Raju Thehat alias Rajendra, by transferring money and providing weapons. She was arrested on February 5, 2023, in connection with the case and sent to judicial custody," he said. He said that Sudha Kanwar was released from jail after securing bail from the court. Following her release, her husband, Amarjeet Vishnoi, called her abroad. "The AGTF received information that on October 10, 2023, Kanwar travelled to Italy via Sharjah on a tourist visa. In coordination with Interpol at the international level, her complete criminal record, dossier, search and arrest warrant, and court orders were shared," he said. He said that an Interpol red notice was issued against her, and reference communications were sent to authorities in Dubai and Italy. Sources confirmed that Kanwar was staying in Sicily, Italy. Upon verifying this information, Interpol issued a reference letter, leading to her arrest by local Italian police on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the extradition process for Amarjeet Vishnoi to India is underway. Efforts have also begun to extradite Sudha Kanwar to face charges in India. Bengaluru, Jan 16 : The Karnataka High Court looking into the sex video scandal involving the former JD-S MP and grandson of ex-prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, said on Thursday that the law cannot be bent just because the matter pertains to Prajwal Revanna. The bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna made the statement while hearing the petition by Prajwal for production of documents and electronic evidence collected by the investigators from his driver's personal mobile phone. "No breach of privacy of other women should be done. Forget about others. The victims' images are here, they are obscene to the core. Just because it is Prajwal Revanna, the law cannot be changed," the bench remarked orally. Prajwal Revanna had sought entire data from the mobile phone. The court stated that it can only allow inspection of images, and it can't permit inspection of data related to other women. The counsel for Prajwal Revanna submitted that the phone was thoroughly examined by the investigators. "Every investigating officer has examined the material. The electronic evidence and records should be treated as evidence. The prosecution objected to the demand for the entire data." However, the bench stated that if the petitioner wants data concerning other women, it can't be provided. "In cases pertaining to the privacy of the victim, the court can only arrange for inspection. Any means of inspection could be provided, but it can't be provided to you in the form of pen drive," the court said. The court further observed that barring the case in which petition has been filed, Prajwal cannot ask for data of other women. Everything is obscene here and there is a limit to obscenity. The court can't provide data of other women. "You are trying to pull the clock back," the bench stated. The petitioner's counsel maintained that it will cause serious prejudice on him and he should be allowed to inspect the device. The court further stated orally that copies will be provided protecting the identity of the women and disposed Prajwal's petition in this regard. The prosecution has charged Prajwal Revanna under Sections 354 (A) (sexual harassment), 354 (B) (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with an intent to disrobe her), 354 (C) (act of watching or capturing a woman's image while she is engaging in a private act), 376 (2) (N) (aggravated form of rape committed by police officers and other public servants in charge, repeatedly raping same woman), 376 (2) (K) (being in position of control or dominance over a woman, committing rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the IPC and Section 66 (E) of the IT Act. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the sexual assault videos case involving Prajwal Revanna submitted the 1,691-page charge sheet to the Special Court for MLAs/MPs. The charge sheet had mentioned that the victim was raped at gunpoint. The video was made of the rape incident and the victim was repeatedly sexually assaulted, threatening her of making her videos public. It is also mentioned that the victim had not dared to lodge a complaint out of fear. Bhopal, Jan 16 : All the members of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), formers and sitting Chief Ministers along with senior leaders of the grand old party will participate in 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' campaign which will be launched from Madhya Pradesh's Mhow on January 27. The campaign would be launched by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi from the birthplace of B. R. Ambedkar in Mhow, around 25 km from Indore. Notably, Mhow was officially renamed after Ambedkar (Nagar) in 2003 due to the birthplace of the architect of the Constitution, however, unofficially it is popular with its old name. "Along with Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi, all CWC members, former and sitting CMs (of Congress) and all senior leaders from across the country will visit Mhow to participate in Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim, Jai Samvidhan yatra," Madhya Pradesh Congress unit chief Jitu Patwari told media persons on Thursday. The preparation for the mega political event is in full swing. The party's state unit chief Jitu Patwari besides chairing meetings with the party's office bearers and workers, has been visiting Malwa-Nimar regions to encourage the local party workers to create momentum. Patwari said that he along with all senior Congress leaders in Madhya Pradesh are making their all efforts to make the programme successful. The party leaders are chairing meetings with grassroots-level workers, especially in the Malwa-Nimar regions. The meetings of the Corking Working Committee (CWC) members were already organised for three-day at the party headquarters in Bhopal two weeks ago, and now, the meetings to work out the finer details at the district and block level will continue until Jan 21, a senior party leader told IANS. "We have 10 days for the programme and all senior leaders are visiting in different Assembly seats and making appeal to the people to reach Mhow on January 27. It is not a political event, but the movement to protect Samvidhan, therefore, people's participation is a must," Patwari said during a visit to Ujjain on Thursday. Congress is organising the first such political event in Madhya Pradesh after the party witnessed a humiliating defeat in the state Assembly elections in November 2023, which prompted Congress' central leadership to replace veteran leader Kamal Nath with Jitu Patwari as new state unit chief. Congress also lost all 29 Lok Sabha swats to BJP in 2024. It is also the Congres's first big event in Madhya Pradesh under the leadership of Jitu Patwari, who belongs to Indore. --IANS pd/dan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Revenue Service of the Republic of Latvia on exchange of information and assistance in the recovery of tax claims, Mikayil Jabbarov, Azerbaijans Minister of Economy, said in a post on his official X page, Trend reports. During our meeting with Edgars Skuja, Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan, we discussed ways to strengthen economic relations between our two countries. As part of the meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Revenue Service of the Republic of Latvia on exchange of information and assistance in the recovery of tax claims. The implementation of this memorandum will stimulate effective cooperation and information sharing between the tax authorities of Azerbaijan and Latvia, the publication reads. To note, Azerbaijan acknowledged Latvia's independence on August 30, 1991. Latvia recognized Azerbaijan's independence on January 8, 1992. Azerbaijan and Latvia established diplomatic relations on January 11, 1994. Azerbaijan and Latvia enjoy excellent relations in all fields. The two countries maintain political interaction through high-level reciprocal visits. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Damascus, Jan 16 : Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani arrived in Damascus on Thursday, marking a significant moment in the flurry of high-level diplomatic visits to Syria since the fall of the previous government in December 2024, Syrian state television reported. The Qatari Foreign Ministry described the visit as a reaffirmation of Doha's "longstanding position of supporting our Syrian brothers." Meanwhile, Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, hosted Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in the capital. The simultaneous visits highlight Damascus's intensified efforts to rebuild international ties and secure foreign backing as the interim administration navigates the country's ongoing transition. Qatar, a regional power that severed relations with Syria's former government during the decade-long conflict, has joined a growing number of states re-engaging with Damascus. These diplomatic overtures signal a shift in regional dynamics as Syria works to reestablish its presence on the global stage, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier this month in Doha, Thani met with a high-level Syrian delegation led by interim Foreign Minister, Asaad Al-Shaibani, to discuss bilateral ties and the latest developments in Syria. The travelling delegation included Syria's Minister of Defence, Marhaf Abu Qasra, and the Head of the Intelligence Service, Anas Khattab. The Qatari Prime Minister had reaffirmed his country's unwavering stance in supporting Syria's unity, sovereignty, and independence, highlighting the importance of fulfilling the aspirations of the Syrian people. For his part, Al-Shaibani praised Qatar's prominent role in supporting the Syrian people, noting that Qatar would be a key partner in the peace phase. On December 21, 2024, Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus, Syria, becoming the second country to do so after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government. This marked the first time in 13 years that Qatar's national flag was raised over the embassy building. A military coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a major offensive from northern Syria on November 27, 2024, capturing Damascus and overthrowing al-Assad's government within 12 days. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Congress MP from Saharanpur, Imran Masood, has launched a broadside against former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of ignoring issues crucial to the Muslim community during his party's election campaigns in Delhi. "Kejriwal has remained silent on several incidents affecting the Muslim community," Masood said while speaking to IANS. He was silent on Jahangirpuri riots, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests, the release of Bilkis Bano's rapists, and the controversy over a party leader allegedly insulting the Quran. His party acts only when it senses potential vote banks," Masood told IANS. Earlier at a press conference on Thursday, Kejriwal criticised the BJP for its inability to ensure public safety, in view of the tragic stabbing of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence in Bandra but did not talk about the interests of Muslims in Delhi, Masood alleged. Masood, however, condemned the sanction to prosecute Kejriwal in the excise policy case, saying, "This is a direct attack on democracy in our country." The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) earlier approved to prosecute him and his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the case. Responding to Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav's declaration of support for AAP in the Delhi elections, Masood remarked, "It is his party's decision. Only he can explain his stance. But he should also clarify if this means he does not want Congress' support in Uttar Pradesh. Let us not forget, that we won 43 seats in UP on the strength of the Congress and Rahul Gandhi's leadership." Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav at a press conference clarified his party's support for AAP, saying that it did not signal an opposition to Congress. "Our strategy has always been clear -- the AAP is the party actively fighting in Delhi. The foundation of the INDIA Bloc was for regional parties to assert their strength where they have significant influence," Yadav stated. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Ahead of upcoming space missions, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, n Thursday approved the establishment of the Third Launch Pad (TLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre of ISRO at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. The launch pad is expected to be developed at a cost of Rs 3,984.86 crore in the coming four years. While India currently has two launch pads, it cannot support the new generation of heavier launch vehicles -- critical for upcoming space missions including the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS) by 2035 and an Indian Crewed Lunar Landing by 2040. "The Third Launch Pad project envisages the establishment of the launch infrastructure at Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh for the Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) of ISRO and also to support as a standby launch pad for the Second Launch Pad at Sriharikota," a Cabinet communique said. It "is highly essential so as to meet the evolving space transportation requirements for another 25-30 years", it added. The project will have a universal configuration that can support the NGLV and the Launch Vehicle Mark-3 (LMV3) with a semi-cryogenic stage, as well as scaled-up configurations of the NGLV. Led by the ISRO, the project will be established "with maximum industry participation", the communique said. It also aims to boost the launch capacity for future Indian human spaceflight missions. The project will boost the Indian space ecosystem by "enabling higher launch frequencies and the national capacity to undertake human spaceflight and space exploration missions", the communique said. Currently, India has two launch pads at Sriharikota. The Indian Space Transportation Systems are completely reliant on two launch pads. The First Launch Pad (FLP) was built 30 years ago for the PSLVs and it continues to provide launch support for the PSLVs and the SSLV. The Second Launch Pad (SLP) was established primarily for the GSLVs and the LVM3s. It also functions as a standby for the PSLVs. SLP has been operational for almost 20 years and has enhanced the launch capacity towards enabling some commercial missions of PSLV/LVM3 along with the national missions including the Chandrayaan-3 mission. SLP is also getting ready to launch the human-rated LVM3 for the Gaganyaan missions. Sofia, Jan 16 : Bulgarian National Assembly on Thursday approved a coalition government led by GERB-UDF's nominee Rosen Zhelyazkov, more than two months after the parliamentary elections. The new government, which replaced the caretaker cabinet led by Dimitar Glavchev, was backed by 125 legislators in the 240-member parliament. Zhelyazkov, a master of laws born in 1968, has served as Speaker of the National Assembly, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Secretary General of the Council of Ministers. Presenting his cabinet at the plenary hall, Zhelyazkov said Bulgaria has been in a political crisis for some time and expressed gratitude to the coalition partners with whom his political force reached an agreement, setting aside ideological and political differences. Zhelyazkov said his government's main priorities would be to improve people's quality of life, focusing on healthcare, education and labour market development, guaranteeing the rule of law and strengthening institutions. Other priorities include ensuring sustainable public finances and effective management of public investments, as well as a sustained increase in investment in research and development, Xinhua news agency reported. Tomislav Donchev was named deputy Prime Minister and minister of innovation and growth, along with two other deputy Prime Ministers. Seventeen other ministers were also elected. Zhelyazkov's was handed the exploratory mandate by Bulgarian President Rumen Radev. The coalition also includes the parliamentary groups of Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP)-United Left and There Is Such People, Zhelyazkov had said earlier, adding that it would be supported by Democracy, Rights and Freedoms - DRF when voted by the National Assembly, the country's parliament. Radev said while giving the mandate to Zhelyazkov that Bulgarians have been waiting too long for a way out of the political crisis. "Therefore, I have provided sufficient time for your party and your potential partners to consider possible options and find a working formula," Radev said. GERB-UDF and its partners have held tough and responsible negotiations, and "made great efforts to achieve the necessary compromises and agreement for nationally responsible governance of the country," Zhelyazkov said in turn. Bulgaria held a snap parliamentary election on October 27, 2024 following the failure to form a new government after the elections in June 2024. Patna, Jan 16 : Prashant Kishor, founder of Jan Suraaj Party, ended his hunger strike on Thursday after protesting for 15 days. Kishor had started his hunger strike on January 2, demanding the cancellation and re-conduct of the 70th Preliminary Examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) due to alleged irregularities. He had made 5-point demands including cancellation of the 70th BPSC Preliminary Examination, a re-examination to ensure transparency and fairness, accountability for alleged malpractices in the examination process, compensation to a candidate who had committed suicide after the examination. Kishor arrived at the Jan Suraaj Ashram at LCT Ghat in Patna on Thursday and took a holy dip in the river Ganga. After that he ended his hunger strike by eating a banana. He performed a havan (ritual offering to fire) and garlanded the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, paying tribute to the leader whose ideals he claimed he follows. Kishor reiterated his commitment to fighting for systemic reforms in Bihar. "I am walking on the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi. Now we will move forward from this ashram," he said. He added that the Jan Suraaj Ashram would serve as his base of operations, where he would lead efforts to address the issues faced by the people of Bihar. Kishor began the hunger strike at Gandhi Maidan on January 2 demanding justice for BPSC candidates. On January 7, Patna Police arrested Kishor in the early hours, but he was granted bail the same day. Despite the arrest and subsequent hospitalization due to deteriorating health, Kishor continued his hunger strike, emphasizing his commitment to the cause. Earlier, a delegation of BPSC aspirants met Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan to present their grievances. Meanwhile, the Jan Suraaj Party began constructing a tent city on private land at LCT Ghat. However, the district administration initially banned the construction, but later granted permission for a temporary camp. A tent city was eventually established, which has become the party's operational hub. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Reacting to the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan at his Mumbai house following which the Opposition claimed of a deteriorating law and order situation, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday stressed that the city is safe. "Police have given all information including the motive and why this attack happened. All these details are in front of you... Mumbai is safe," he said while countering the Opposition that asserted even a Padma Shri awardee is not safe in Mumbai as there is no fear about the police. "Not correct to say Mumbai is not safe," Fadnavis, who holds the Home portfolio, said. He was speaking to reporters after special screening of the movie 'Emergency', starring Kangana Ranaut. Fadnavis said: "Among all the megacities in the country, Mumbai is the safest. It is true that some incidents take place sometimes and they should be treated with seriousness but to say, based on one incident, that Mumbai is unsafe would not be correct. This tarnishes Mumbai's image. But the government is working to make Mumbai even safer." Earlier, Shiv Sena-UBT legislator and former minister Aaditya Thackeray said the incident highlights the poor law and order situation under the BJP-led government in the state. "The intrusion and knife attack on Saif Ali Khan is shocking. We are relieved to hear that he is stable and recovering, and we pray that tough times are over, and he bounces back to normalcy at the earliest." Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut alleged that "the common people are not safe in Maharashtra". "People are breaking into houses. Now thieves are breaking into the houses of artistes and attacking them... 15 days ago, Saif Ali Khan with his family had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi. PM Modi spent an hour with his family. After that, Saif Ali Khan was attacked. No one is safe in this state." Shiv Sena-UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also attacked the state government and questioned: "If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is?" In a post on X, Chaturvedi wrote: "What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police & the Home Minister." Maharashtra unit Congress chief Nana Patole said: "The brutal attack on the renowned Padma Shri award-winning actor Saif Ali Khan is a glaring example of the breakdown of law and order in Maharashtra. If such incidents occur in the bustling area of Bandra in Mumbai, who is safe in the city? Looking at the increasing crime rates in Mumbai, Pune, Beed, Parbhani, and Nagpur, one wonders if there is a Home Minister in the state at all. The BJP-led alliance government has allowed lawlessness to thrive, and the attack on Saif Ali Khan is a direct challenge to the state's law and order by criminals." Seoul, Jan 16 : South Korean impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's defence team on Thursday filed an insurrection complaint against the police investigation chief and the head of the anti-corruption agency investigating the President over his short-lived martial law bid. Yoon's lawyers said they have filed the complaint against Oh Dong-woon, the chief of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), Woo Jong-soo, chief of the National Office of Investigation, and others, with the Seoul Central District Prosecutors office. The lawyers accused them of illegally entering the presidential residence, which is a military secret by law, and detaining the president, arguing that this constitutes insurrection, as well as obstruction of official duties and a breach of military secrets. "They mobilised more than 3,700 police personnel to break into the presidential residence and arrested the President in violation of articles of the criminal procedure law," Yoon's legal team argued. The Constitutional Court began an impeachment trial on Tuesday to decide on Yoon's fate, Yonhap news agency reported. Earlier in the day, a Seoul court reviewed the legality of impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's detention at the request of his lawyers after investigators took him into custody over his short-lived imposition of martial law, judicial sources said. The review of the legality of Yoon's detention came a day after the impeached President's legal representatives filed for a petition with the Seoul Central District Court in southern Seoul after investigators detained him for questioning over his martial law declaration on December 3. The court has 48 hours to make a decision since receiving the review request by considering the documents from investigators and through questioning. If it finds Yoon's detention unlawful, he will be released from custody. Meanwhile, South Korea had been thrust into a period of political uncertainty following Yoon's short-lived martial law declaration on December 3, 2024, and his subsequent impeachment on December 14, 2024. Kolkata, Jan 16 : The Border Security Force (BSF) claims that it has strengthened security along the Indo-Bangladesh Border (IBB) in West Bengal, in the light of infiltration attempts on a regular basis. On Wednesday, five Bangladeshi nationals were 'chased away' from Indian territory in the districts of North 24-Parganas and Malda, an official said. On Tuesday, 13 Bangladeshi infiltrators were pushed back in these two districts, he said. "Infiltration attempts have increased over the last few months. We are pushing back illegal Bangladeshi migrants almost on a daily basis. During interrogation, the Bangladeshis said that they were on their way to cities like Mumbai and Bengaluru to work as labourers and housekeeping staff. The situation gets extremely volatile at times. There are women among such groups and sometimes they date the BSF jawans to open fire on them. Our troops are observing extreme restraint and in case a Bangladeshi infiltrator refuses to turn back, they are handing him or her over to the police for necessary legal action," the official said. According to another senior official of the BSF, as many as 40-45 Bangladeshis have been stopped from crossing over unfenced stretches of the IBB over the last five days. The BSF also took up this matter and the importance of a Single Row Fence (SRF) to control cross-border crimes at the BSF-BGB Sector Commander's Border Coordination Meeting at Benapole, Bangladesh, on Wednesday. Bangladesh has been objecting to such fencing. "The BSF has been strictly observing all ethics of border management. On Wednesday, our jawans came across a Bangladeshi who had crossed the IBB inadvertently. He was handed over to Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) as a gesture of goodwill. Attempts to smuggle cattle, banned cough syrup and other contraband have also gone up. The criminals are not even hesitating to attack our women constables. Under the circumstances, BSF troops are being forced to open fire in self-defence," the official added. Around midnight on Thursday, an on-duty mahila jawan spotted smugglers approaching the IBB from the Indian side with cattle. She challenged the miscreants and alerted her colleagues. When the smugglers, armed with sticks and sharp weapons, attempted to surround her, she fired two rounds in the air. This did not have the desired effect. Finally, she fired a round from her Pump Action Gun (PAG) at the smugglers. This forced them to disperse. A search of the area led to the recovery of two heads of cattle. While Bangladesh has been crying foul over the death of Bangladeshi smugglers due to firing by the BSF, the Indian border guarding force has maintained that such action becomes necessary to save the lives of troops who maintain vigil along the IBB against all odds. Mumbai, Jan 16 : LTIMindtree posted a 7.1 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 9,661 crore but the company's net profit fell during the October-December quarter of the current financial year amid rising expenses. The IT major announced a net profit of Rs 1,087 crore which was 7.1 per cent lower than the corresponding figure for the same quarter of the previous year. It also represented a 13.2 per cent decline over the net profit in the preceding quarter. LTIMindtree said it has 742 active clients as of December 31, 2024, and added 5 big clients in the $5 million to $50 million category on a year-on-year basis. The IT major now has 86,800 professionals on its rolls as of December 31, 2024, of which 2,362 were added in Q3 (October-December). The trailing 12 months attrition of the company stands at 14.3 per cent. The company's banking and financial services segment grew 7.5 per cent on-year, on the back of new deals with clients. LTIMindtree also said that it had won major deals for its AI platform which included a global manufacturer which chose the companyas aAI in Operationsa platform to manage its end-to-end IT landscape. A leading global investment firm has also selected LTIMindtreeas proprietary aAI in Infrastructurea platform to manage its end-to-end infrastructure services. Apart from this, the company struck two big deals in the Middle East with an oil and gas major and a nuclear energy firm. A New York-headquartered leading provider of credit ratings to implement AI in Application Managed Services. "Our differentiated AI strategy has helped us record our highest-ever order inflow of $1.68 billion, laying the foundation for future growth. Our ongoing investments in AI, including new partnerships and specialisations, and accolades, support our efforts to continue growing as we enter calendar year 25," said Debashis Chatterjee, CEO and Managing Director of LTIMindtree. Bhubaneswar, Jan 16 : The special court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) here has framed charges against individuals and entities involved in the multi-state Rose Valley chit fund scam, informed the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bhubaneswar Zonal office in a press release on Thursday. As per a press statement, the agency had earlier attached moveable properties worth Rs 332 Crore in 2014 and 2015 through provisional attachment orders in this case. The value of the attached properties is currently at over Rs 400 Crore, which includes the interest as well. "A Prosecution Complaint was filed in 2016 against Gautam Kundu and Shibamoy Dutta, promoters of the Rose Valley Group. On 15.01.2025, the Special Court framed charges against the accused paving the way for restoring the attached properties to legitimate claimants, with the court's approval. This marks an important milestone in delivering justice and protecting the rights of defrauded investors," informed the ED. The case against Rose Valley Group was also being investigated in the Kolkata Zonal Office, Guwahati Zonal Office and Agartala Sub Zonal Offices of ED. In Kolkata Zone, in one case Rs. 12.36 Crore, along with accrued interest totalling Rs. 19.40 Crore, has already been handed over to the Asset Disposal Committee (ADC) formed by Calcutta High Court and has been further resituated to the victims. Further properties worth Rs. 1,172.68 crores of the poniz firm, including Rs. 147.64 Crore in movable assets and immovable assets valued at Rs. 1,025.04 Crore have also been attached by ED Kolkata and are in the process of restitution. The value of immovable property, with a deed value exceeding Rs. 1,000 Crore at the time of purchase, is likely to be worth much more today. Similarly, in Guwahati, assets worth Rs. 38.30 Crore have been secured, while in Agartala, immovable properties worth Rs. 8.01 Crore have been attached. ED is expediting the framing of charges in these cases and is working in close coordination with the one-man Asset Disposal Committee for expedited monetization and restitution of these assets to the rightful claimants and victims of the fraud. Notably, the special court (PMLA) in Bhubaneswar has also framed charges in 9 other cases since September 2024. These cases relate to bribery scandals, extortion, chit-fund scams, builder investor disputes, bank frauds, narcotics trade, illegal wildlife trade etc. The total value of confirmed properties attached in these cases stands at approximately Rs 160 crore as of date. It is also important to mention here that ED, Bhubaneswar Zonal office has filed 75 Prosecution Complaints (Chargesheets) at the Special Court (PMLA) to date. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The X meeting of the heads of customs services of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) has been held in Baku, Trend reports. The member nations signed several key agreements to enhance regional cooperation and simplify trade processes during the meeting. The agreements include: - An Action Plan (Roadmap) for the implementation of the Electronic TIR Customs Transit System (eTIR) under the Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (TIR, 1975) - Technical conditions for information exchange between customs administrations in OTS member states, under the Simplified Customs Corridor Agreement signed in Samarkand in November 2022. Moreover, the Chairman of the State Customs Committee of Azerbaijan Shahin Baghirov said that it's important to strengthen the coordination of customs services, introduce uniform standards, and use modern technologies for the effective organization of global trade flows in the modern world. "The 10th meeting of the heads of customs services of Turkic states is of significant importance for simplifying trade, enhancing regional initiatives, and deepening economic integration. The harmonization of customs procedures and optimization of transit routes open up new opportunities for realizing the economic potential of Turkic states and accelerating regional development. One of the key projects is the simplified customs corridor, which has strategic importance for expanding trade and strengthening economic ties in the region," he noted. The project to make transit customs procedures easier along the Trans-Caspian East-West corridor by putting into place the "single window" principle, as suggested by the customs service, is an important step, in his opinion. "This project allows goods and vehicles to be moved along the corridor based on a single declaration, enables electronic data exchange, and uses the pre-submitted customs transit declaration as a transit document. This will contribute to a more efficient and simplified organization of trade processes, as well as achieving important goals such as enhancing the region's logistical potential. In the modern era, the automation of customs services, the implementation of electronic document management systems, and digital control mechanisms make a significant contribution to speeding up border crossing procedures, preventing illegal trade, and increasing transparency in trade processes. In this context, electronic seals and GPS-based tracking systems are of particular importance. These technologies not only ensure the safety of cargo transportation but also allow for reliable and effective monitoring of transit processes. Systems that enable real-time tracking of goods movement help build trust among trade participants and prevent illegal interference," added Baghirov. The OTS General Secretary Kubanychbek Omuraliev said that Turkmenistan is preparing to join the electronic permit system among member countries of the OTS. "In the face of global challenges such as the race for cross-border trade, rising transportation costs, lengthy document checks, and complex customs and transit procedures, addressing these issues is vital for the economic stability and development of our region. In line with our strategic document 'Turkic World Vision-2040', the OTS aims to simplify customs and trade processes between member states and along the Middle Corridor. Significant achievements of our member states include the successful operation of the electronic TIR system between Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan in cooperation with UNICEF in 2022. We aim for the OTS region to become a leader in implementing the electronic TIR system," he mentioned. Omuraliyev noted that as an organization, the OTS is fully committed to supporting and developing this initiative in cooperation with member states, UNICEF, and IRU. "We are actively working on expanding the electronic permit system among our member countries. Turkmenistan is preparing to join this initiative, which will strengthen connections and deepen regional integration between Turkic states. Last year, we established the Union of International Road Transport Associations in the Turkic region, called OTS 'YURTA', as well as the Alliance of Logistics Centers and Cargo Carriers of Turkic States," added the secretary-general. Deputy Chairman of the State Revenue Committee of the Ministry of Finance of Kazakhstan Kairat Dzhumagaliev mentioned that joint efforts to implement the E-TIR (Electronic International Road Transports) information system by member countries of the OTS will create numerous benefits for carriers. He noted that Kazakhstan, as a full-fledged participant in global economic relations, is taking active steps to develop international supply chains and improve the transparency and efficiency of customs services. "Due to its geographical location, Kazakhstan is viewed as one of the transit countries connecting Europe and Asia. We aim to expand the boundaries of international integration and global economic processes through our state's foreign economic policy. The implementation and expansion of the use of the E-TIR information system is essential for simplified and accelerated cargo transportation between the member states of the OTS. Our joint efforts in implementing the E-TIR information system by our countries shall create numerous advantages for carriers," added Jumagaliyev. To note, the 9th meeting of the heads of customs services of the OTS was held in December 2023 in Tashkent. Guwahati, Jan 16 : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Thursday to constitute a judicial enquiry commission into the Umrangso coal mine tragedy in which four labourers died and at least five others are feared to be dead. The specialised team has so far failed to rescue any of the trapped labourers alive. The CM also said that the government will come up with an SOP to issue a blanket ban on rat hole coal mining in the state. Sarma announced these decisions following a cabinet meeting today in the Morigaon district. Meanwhile, ex-gratia amount of Rs 10 lakh will also be given to next of kin to four labourers who died in the coal mine tragedy. Moreover, the families of the rest of the five labourers who also got trapped in the mine will also receive the same ex-gratia amount. "Rs 10 lakh ex gratia will be offered to the next of kin of the four deceased persons. Also, next of kin of the other five persons who are yet to be found will also be provided 10 lakh compensation, whether they are found to be dead or alive. "A judicial enquiry commission headed by Justice Anima Hazarika, former Judge of Gauhati High Court will be instituted to examine the matter and fix responsibility against responsible officers, individuals and institutions. An SoP will be framed regarding effecting a blanket ban on rat hole mining in the state," he added. Sarma also mentioned that an SIT will also be formed to look into the whole incident. He said: "An SIT will be constituted to enquire into the entire incident on the basis of the FIR already registered on the matter. The SIT will be monitored by Retd Justice Anima Hazarika." To recall, the bodies of three deceased labourers were recovered from the coal mine on last Saturday. Earlier, another body of a labourer was recovered. One of the three labourers whose bodies were recovered from the mine on Saturday was identified as 27-year-old Ligen Magar, a resident of Dima Hasao district. Magar's body was found floating on accumulated water in the mine after the Navy divers went to bring out the worker, an official said. The remaining two bodies recovered on Saturday were identified as 57-year-old Khusi Mohan Rai, a resident of Magargaon in Kokrajhar district of Assam, and 37-year-old Sarat Goyary, a resident of Thailapara, Batashipur in Sonitpur district of Assam. At least nine labourers have been identified who were trapped in a coal mine in Dima Hasao district more than a week ago. Tehran, Jan 16 : Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed readiness to engage in nuclear negotiations with the United States, provided discussions are conducted "on equal terms," the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The IRNA said that the Iranian President recently did an interview with the US NBC News in Tehran, during which Pezeshkian underscored that Iran would not bow to external pressure. "We are ready for negotiations. However, these talks must respect our honour and wisdom and be conducted on an equal footing. We will by no means submit to force," he said, according to the IRNA. The President attributed past negotiation failures to the US's lack of commitment, particularly its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We must be assured that the other side will adhere to what is written and signed," he emphasised, urging the West to lift sanctions. "They cannot impose sanctions one day and then expect us to negotiate the next." Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's stance on nuclear weapons, stressing that the country has no intention of developing nuclear arms and remains committed to international inspections of its nuclear facilities. "The international community is well aware of our position," he said, Xinhua news agency reported. On regional matters, the Iranian leader condemned recent "acts of aggression by Israel," blaming them for fueling instability in the Middle East. While reiterating that Iran does not seek conflict, he warned of a "crushing response" if the nation comes under attack. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear programme in return for the removal of sanctions. The United States, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to scale back its commitments under the deal. The talks to revive the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Despite several rounds of talks, no significant breakthrough has been achieved. Chennai, Jan 16 : The Erode East by-elections, scheduled for February 5, are shaping up to be a straight fight between the DMK and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) and both the parties' candidates are set to file their nominations on January 17. The filing of nominations for the by-election to the Erode East Assembly constituency began on January 10. However, nominations were not accepted on January 11 (the second Saturday) or on January 14, 15, and 16, which were government holidays due to Pongal celebrations. The deadline for filing nominations is January 17. For general category candidates, the deposit amount is 10,000, while it is 5,000 for candidates from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on January 18, and the last date for withdrawing candidatures is January 20. Counting of votes will be held on February 8, and the entire election process is expected to conclude by February 10. Actor-turned-politician Seeman, founder of NTK, announced M.K. Seethalakshmi, the party's women's wing state coordinator, as the candidate for the by-election. In a statement on his official X account, Seeman said, "The Erode East Assembly Constituency by-election in Tamil Nadu is scheduled to take place on February 5, 2025. I am pleased to announce that my dear sister, M.K. Seethalakshmi, who holds a Master's degree and M.Phil., will contest on behalf of the Naam Tamilar Katchi." He further called upon party members and office bearers to provide full support for her campaign, stating: "I sincerely request the cooperation of all state, zonal, district, and constituency-level office bearers, as well as members of Naam Tamilar Katchi, to ensure victory for the party in the Erode East by-election." The DMK has fielded senior leader V.C. Chandhirakumar as its candidate. Chandhirakumar, who serves as the DMK's Assistant Propaganda Secretary, was formerly associated with the DMDK, where he held the position of Propaganda Secretary. He joined the DMK in 2016 and has since risen through the ranks. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K. Stalin announced Chandhirakumar's candidacy on January 11. Stalin stated that Erode East is a Congress-held seat, but after discussions with the Congress leadership, it was decided that the DMK would contest the by-election. Chandhirakumar expressed confidence in winning the seat with a margin of one lakh votes. He attributed his confidence to the DMK government's welfare schemes, such as the Women's Rights Grant and free travel for women, which have reportedly gained widespread public approval. The AIADMK, DMDK, and BJP have opted out of the by-election. The AIADMK announced its withdrawal on January 11, citing concerns over alleged misuse of government machinery and money power by the ruling DMK in previous elections. The DMDK and BJP also cited similar concerns when they withdrew on January 12. The by-election was necessitated by the demise of Congress MLA E.V.K.S. Elangovan, who won the Erode East seat in the 2023 by-election with a margin of 66,087 votes. Elangovan had succeeded his son, Thirumagan Everaa, who passed away in 2021. In comparison, Thirumagan Everaa's victory margin in the 2021 Assembly elections was 8,904 votes. DMK candidate Chandhirakumar emphasized the party's commitment to fulfilling the promises made by former MLAs Thirumagan Everaa and E.V.K.S. Elangovan. He believes the DMK's developmental initiatives and effective campaign strategies will ensure a decisive victory for the party. --IANS aal/dan Chandigarh, Jan 16 : The Punjab government on Thursday announced to establishment of a security operations centre to ensure the protection of critical IT infrastructure, including applications and websites of the government. This significant decision was taken in the 19th meeting of the Board of Governors of Punjab State e-Governance Society chaired by Minister of Governance Reforms Aman Arora here. With the implementation of a security operations centre, to be established with an outlay of Rs 42.07 crore, Punjab will become one of the foremost states in northern India with high-level cyber security capabilities. In the digital age, cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated and pervasive so the need to establish a security operations centre is increasing. It will enable monitoring, detecting and responding to cyber security incidents in real-time for the protection of the critical IT infrastructure. After this meeting, the minister held a video conference meeting with all Deputy Commissioners to discuss and review the key governance reforms and strategies to further improve citizen service delivery. He said Punjab has 538 Sewa Kendras and 438 Government to Citizens (G2C) services are being delivered seamlessly. The state has successfully brought down the pendency in citizen service delivery from 27 per cent to less than 0.17 per cent. He also lauded the Deputy Commissioners of Amritsar, Jalandhar and Pathankot for maintaining a low pendency level in citizen service delivery, while asking all the DCs to ensure regular monitoring and review of district-level pendency to identify and resolve bottlenecks. Arora directed the DCs to identify and pull up the habitual delayers, who are sending applications back without solid reasons and putting unnecessary objections while emphasising the importance of providing clear objection remarks on pending applications to enhance transparency and accountability. While taking stock of the project of the online verification of applications by sarpanches, nambardars and municipal Councillors, the directed the Deputy Commissioners to ensure that all of them are on board on the eSewa portal by this month to eliminate the need for residents to make multiple visits for document verification. --IANS vg/dan Jaipur, Jan 16 : Rajasthan Principal Secretary of Mines, Geology, and Petroleum, T. Ravikant, on Thursday highlighted the critical need for accelerating mineral exploration during a seminar at the Rajasthan International Centre. He announced that updated data on critical and strategic mineral deposits, identified by organisations such as RSMET and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), will be made publicly available by January 31. This initiative aims to encourage active participation from both public and private sectors in mineral exploration. To achieve the vision of a developed India by 2047 and reduce dependence on foreign nations, including China, for critical minerals, Ravikant proposed a three-step roadmap including sharing updated exploration data through an online portal, facilitating collaboration between government and private entities via NMET and RSMET frameworks and adopting advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), in exploration and mining operations. Rajasthan, a leader in mineral resource development, has made significant strides in auctioning major mineral blocks. Ravikant praised recent state and central policy reforms for simplifying processes and promoting public-private partnerships to bolster the sector. Director of Mines, Bhagwati Prasad Kalal, revealed that while Rajasthan boasts over 42,000 square kilometres of mineral-rich land, only 5,000 square kilometres have been explored to date. Experts from GSI and NMET stressed the importance of collaboration to unlock Rajasthanas untapped mineral potential. The discussions highlighted successful AI-driven exploration projects, with Critical Mineral Trekkers' Director of Operations, Vikram K Y, sharing promising results from AI-based analysis in Nagpur, Maharashtra. NMET's Jayant Gupta detailed the licensing process and provisions to encourage private-sector participation in mining exploration. GSI Director Sanjay Singh pointed out Chinaas dominance in processing critical and strategic minerals, emphasising the need for coordinated efforts to capitalise on Indiaas deposits. GSI Director Uttam Kumar Pradhan underscored that Rajasthan holds 89 per cent of Indiaas potash reserves and significant deposits of other minerals. The event concluded with expert presentations covering revenue-sharing mechanisms, advancements in exploration technology, and the integration of quality assurance standards. Officials and participants expressed optimism about the collaborative approach, recognising its potential to position Rajasthan as a global leader in mineral exploration and development. Aizawl, Jan 16 : Mizoram Police in a major breakthrough has seized a large cache of arms and ammunition while these are being supplied to an insurgent outfit based in Myanmar to the rebel group in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) of southeast Bangladesh, an official said here on Thursday. A senior police official said that a huge cache of sophisticated arms and ammunition was recovered by Mizoram Police and sister intelligence agencies from the Saithah village in bordering Mamit District on Wednesday night. Quoting the preliminary investigation, the police official said that the confiscated arms and ammunition were intended for trade between the Chin National Front (CNF) from Myanmar, a prominent rebel organisation and the United People's Democratic Front (UPDF-P), another insurgent group active in the CHT. "This operation highlights the transnational character of illegal arms dealings and emphasises the ongoing threats to regional stability. With this catch, a serious threat to regional peace and stability has been neutralised," he pointed out. The official said that in connection with the arms seizure, five accused have been arrested. Among those detained is a top leader of the CNF, an insurgent group based in Myanmar. The arrest of such a high-profile individual is a significant achievement in counter-insurgency operations in Mizoram, the official said. He said that this operation is one of the largest arms recoveries in Mizoram, delivering a stern warning to illegal operators in the region. The arms and ammunition seized include six AK-47 rifles, 10,050 cartridges of AK-47 rifles and 13 Magazines. Mizoram Police has registered a case at West Phaileng Police Station in Mamit District. Further investigation to dismantle the arms smuggling network is underway. Mountainous northeastern state Mizoram shares unfenced borders of 318 km and 510 km with Bangladesh and Myanmar respectively. In mid-September 2022, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at two locations in Mizoram's Aizawl district in a case pertaining to the recovery of 2,400 kg of explosives including 1,000 detonators and 4,500 metres of detonating fuse wire, an official said. Cash amounting to Rs 73,500 and 9,35,500 Myanmar kyats were also seized. During the searches, incriminating material, including mobile phones, and bank documents were seized from the premises of the suspects. Investigations have revealed that the consignment of explosives was meant for the Myanmar-based outfit, CNF which has been accumulating arms, ammunition and explosives for armed struggle against the country's military and government. --IANS sc/dan Jaipur, Jan 16 : Rajasthan Mandapam will feature world-class facilities and shall host major events while Unity Mall will promote local products, said Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma on Thursday. Addressing a high-level meeting at the Chief Ministeras Office on Thursday, Sharma stated that Rajasthan Mandapam would become a prominent venue for cultural and business events while promoting the stateas rich art, culture, and tourism. He also directed officials to study the best convention centres in India and abroad to incorporate top-tier features, including a convention centre, exhibition halls, meeting spaces, and ample visitor parking. Sharma announced that Rajasthan Mandapam would be equipped with world-class facilities, setting an example for other states. He emphasised the importance of creating a robust action plan to ensure the necessary arrangements and infrastructure for hosting major events seamlessly. The Chief Minister also highlighted the proposed construction of Unity Mall in Jaipur to promote indigenous products under initiatives like aMake in Indiaa and aOne District-One Product.a This mall will serve as a one-stop marketplace for GI-tagged products, handicrafts, and other local goods. Designed with shopkeepersa needs in mind, the mall will include facilities such as a common training centre, open theatre, business meeting halls, and seminar rooms. During the meeting, officials presented the proposed action plan for Rajasthan Mandapam and Unity Mall. Industry and Commerce Minister Colonel Rajyavardhan Rathore, Additional Chief Secretary Shikhar Aggarwal, Principal Secretary Alok Gupta, senior RIICO officials, and other key stakeholders were in attendance. The Chief Minister reaffirmed the governmentas commitment to enhancing infrastructure that supports cultural heritage, economic growth, and local artisans, ensuring Rajasthan remains a frontrunner in cultural and business innovation. Ankara, Jan 16 : A high-ranking Syrian delegation, led by interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, wrapped up a landmark visit to Turkey this week, signaling a thaw in relations after more than a decade of estrangement. The visit marked al-Shibani's first official trip to Turkey, reflecting a shift in the bilateral dynamic following the recent change in Syria's leadership. Relations had soured during the Syrian conflict, with Turkey backing opposition forces against the government of Bashar al-Assad. In meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday, both sides struck an optimistic tone. Fidan reaffirmed Turkey's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity and expressed support for the country's reconstruction efforts. Al-Shibani described the talks as an opportunity to "forge a new history" between the two neighbours. Analysts see the visit as a significant move in recalibrating regional alliances. Batu Coskun, a non-resident fellow at TRENDS Research & Advisory, told Xinhua news agency the visit underscores "burgeoning strategic cooperation" as Turkey pursues a "comprehensive security strategic relationship" with Damascus. Coskun also noted that Syria's new administration appears intent on rebuilding ties with Ankara while fostering stronger relations with Gulf nations. Energy cooperation emerged as a focal point during the talks, with discussions on potential Turkish involvement in electricity transmission projects to alleviate Syria's power shortages. Further Turkish delegations may visit Damascus to explore reconstruction opportunities. Turkey, currently hosting nearly three million Syrian refugees, has expressed hopes for their eventual return. With its geographic proximity and infrastructure capabilities, Turkey is well-positioned to play a key role in Syria's post-conflict rebuilding. Despite signs of rapprochement, challenges loom. Clashes continue in northern Syria between Turkish-backed groups and the US-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Al-Shibani sought to reassure Ankara, emphasising that Syria's new leadership is committed to ensuring no threats to Turkey arise from its territory. Soner Cagaptay, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, said Turkey's significant "soft power" in Syria could be leveraged to expand its influence as ties improve. Syria's change of government last month has spurred a flurry of diplomatic activity. Turkish and Qatari delegations have visited Damascus, while al-Shibani has embarked on trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan. These efforts aim to rebuild ties with regional powers and advocate for the lifting of Western sanctions. Turkey, which severed diplomatic relations with Damascus in 2011, has voiced support for a peaceful transition in Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to back the new Syrian administration in establishing state structures and drafting a new constitution. New Delhi, Jan 16 : The BJP on Thursday gave two Assembly seats - Burari and Deoli - to its NDA allies Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) for the February 5 election, completing the announcement of all 70 candidates a day before the last day of nomination. Earlier in the day, the BJP had announced its fourth list of candidates carrying nine names taking the total of declared candidates to 68. When this report was filed, as many as 729 candidates had filed nominations for the election, said an aide of Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer. Among those who filed papers on the penultimate day of filing nominations were 22 BJP candidates. BJP Delhi President Virendra Sachdeva expressed confidence in their victory. He said a wave of change is evident across the city, with support coming from slum dwellers, auto drivers, women, and youth. The slogan is clear: "We will no longer tolerate this, we will bring about a change." Sachdeva asserted, "On February 8, a double-engine government will free Delhi from pollution. People will now reject the broom and embrace the lotus." BJP's Delhi election in charge Baijayant Panda said, "The Delhi state government has been absent for the past 10 years in terms of development. All major initiatives like Pragati Maidan Tunnel, PM Museum, Kartavya Path, and Eastern-Western Peripheral highways have been carried out by the Central government." He further added, "The public is weary of the corruption and incompetence of the Arvind Kejriwal government. Today's overwhelming support for BJP candidates is evidence of this frustration." Earlier, while announcing its fourth list of candidates the BJP) fielded advocate Shikha Rai, the first woman chairperson of the Standing Committee of the erstwhile South Delhi Municipal Corporation, against AAP government's Transport MinisterSaurabh Bharadwaj from Greater Kailash (GK) constituency. Anil Vashisth will fight against Environment Minister Gopal Rai in the Babarpur constituency in northeast Delhi. According to the latest list, the BJP has fielded Ravinder Kumar from Bawana reserved seat, Poonam Sharma from Wazirpur, Bhuvan Tanwar from Delhi Cantonment, Chandan Kumar Choudhary from Sangam Vihar and Ravikant Ujjain from Trilokpuri (SC). The party has fielded Sanjay Goyal Shahdara and Praveen Nimesh from Gokalpur (SC). New Delhi, Jan 16 : In a move that has brought joy to millions of Central government employees, the Union Cabinet has approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries and pensions for government workers. The decision, announced on Thursday, has sparked widespread celebration among railway employees, with many expressing their gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for fulfilling a long-awaited demand. Talking to IANS, several railway workers shared their excitement about the Cabinetas decision, calling it a significant milestone for all Central government employees. Khub Ram, a Railway employee, expressed his delight: "We are extremely happy that the Cabinet has approved the formation of the 8th Pay Commission. Itas a matter of great happiness for all of us. A wave of happiness has spread among everyone, as we were eagerly waiting for this announcement. PM Modi has truly given a wonderful New Year gift to all the Central employees, and we hope the report will come on time." Anupam Anand, another railway employee, added: "This decision is for all Central government employees, and there is a festive atmosphere today. Weave been waiting for this for a long time, and as soon as we heard the news, it felt like a celebration in the office. Everyone is sharing sweets. We are thankful to Prime Minister Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for this decision." Sanjeev Gupta, another railway employee, shared his excitement: "This is a big moment for us. Weave been waiting for the 8th Pay Commission for a long time, and today, PM Modi has made it official. Itas a huge gift for all government employees, and we are truly grateful to the Prime Minister and Railway Minister for this announcement." Sachin, a railway employee, echoed similar sentiments: "We thank Prime Minister Modi and Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for the announcement made today. The financial assistance we will receive from the 8th Pay Commission will be very beneficial for us." Dilip Kumar, Executive Director of Information and Publicity at the Railway Board, also expressed gratitude: "We extend our heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for todayas announcement regarding the 8th Pay Commission recommendations. This is a very welcome development." The Union Cabinetas approval of the 8th Pay Commission will address long-standing demands for salary and pension revisions among Central government employees and pensioners. The Commission, to be formed in 2025, will make recommendations well before the conclusion of the 7th Pay Commissionas tenure in 2026, ensuring timely adjustments for workers and retirees. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, while briefing the media, explained: "Since 1947, seven Pay Commissions have been formed, and the 7th Pay Commission's tenure will end in 2026. By forming the 8th Pay Commission now, we ensure that its recommendations will come before that, providing adequate time for implementation." Patna, Jan 16 : The Patna High Court refused requests to cancel the 70th Preliminary Examination of the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) or to stay the declaration of its results on Thursday. A total of 14 petitions had been filed against the examination, citing allegations of irregularities and malpractice. A bench led by Justice Arvind Singh Chandel heard arguments from the petitioners, as well as representatives of the Bihar government and the BPSC. The court ruled: "After hearing the arguments of all the parties as well as looking at all the facts and circumstances, we cannot give any kind of interim relief to the petitioners as demanded in the petition." While dismissing the request for immediate relief, the court directed the Bihar government and BPSC to submit a detailed reply by January 30, 2025. The court emphasised that the final decision on whether the results will stand or be cancelled will depend on the outcome of future hearings. The court scheduled the next hearing for January 31, 2025. The petitioners had sought the cancellation of the examination, alleging irregularities and a lack of transparency in the conduct of the exam. They also demanded a stay on the announcement of results until the alleged issues were resolved. The petitioners argued that mismanagement and malpractice had compromised the fairness of the examination, impacting lakhs of aspirants. The Bihar government and BPSC countered these claims, defending the conduct of the examination and asserting that the process was carried out in accordance with established guidelines. The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Y.V. Giri, pointed out irregularities occurred not only at the Bapu Examination Complex in Patna but at 28 other centres as well. "The question paper was leaked, and BPSC did not adequately prepare for the examination. Centres for several candidates were changed at the last moment, creating confusion and conducting the exam on two separate days (December 13 and January 4) was inherently unfair and benefited candidates appearing on the second day," Giri argued in the court. Advocate General P.K. Shahi and the lawyer representing BPSC refuted the allegations, asserting that only one of the 14 petitioners appeared for both exams at the Bapu Examination Complex, and no formal complaints about irregularities were received by the commission. A thorough video recording of the Bapu Examination Complex showed no evidence of widespread malpractice, except for one candidate who fled with a question paper during the December 13 exam. "A candidate at the Bapu Examination Complex on December 13 absconded with a question paper around 1:05 PM, with some of the questions later surfacing on social media," said the lawyer representing BPSC. He further argued that this was an isolated incident and did not constitute a systemic failure or leak affecting the integrity of the examination process. This individual's actions were isolated, and BPSC took immediate steps to address the incident. Allegations of a question paper leak were denied as baseless. Shahi also noted that a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the exam is pending, and it should be included in this hearing for a holistic resolution. New Delhi, Jan 16 : Sakshi Surana, the girl student from Maharashtra's Solapur district who overcame one of the most difficult moments of her life, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inspiring words serving as the anchor, spoke about the New Education policy on Thursday and elaborated on how this would serve as the 'building blocks' of New India. Sakshi Surana spoke to IANS, hours after the popular social media handle Modi Archive shared on X, about the impact of the Prime Minister's inspiring words on the once ailing girl and how it changed her outlook on life. In a special interaction, Sakshi Surana heaped praise on the New Education policy and said that this was more in tune with the demands of the 21st century. "The reason why I like the New Education policy is because of its flexibility and its preference for skill sets rather than a conventional approach. In this model, children will have more opportunities to engage in different activities. They can engage more deeply with the subject." she said. She also hailed PM Modi's call for 'Viksit Bharat' and said that the efforts and endeavor of all sections is required in realising this dream. She said that only jobs and employments will not power the country to new heights but also stressed the need for a vibrant start-up ecosystem. "Entrepreneurship and start-up enterprises will form the key ingredients of a robust and self-reliant Indian economy in the 21st century," she said. Sakshi Surana topped her school in Class 12 exams this year, however, she had to drop a year because of health issues, including severe migraines and back spasms. At that difficult hour, it was the Prime Minister's 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' initiative that kept her moving and help her succeed in endeavours. In that struggling year, PM Modi's words became Surana's anchor, reminding her that even in the face of setbacks, success was possible if you kept pushing forward. Surana, with a strong determination, not only topped her school in Class 12 exams but also aced economics, which she had once found a tough subject. Much to Surana's surprise, she also received an official letter from PM Modi congratulating her on topping the Class 12 exams and wishing her success in the future. In response, Surana also penned a poem for Prime Minister Modi expressing gratitude towards him and saying that words are failing her to describe such a great leader. "Modi Sir, it is insufficient to praise you. We cannot find words to describe our capable Prime Minister. Even the words in the dictionary are falling short. No matter how much is written for you, it still feels very little. How to describe the deeds of a visionary leader like you? This is a riddle I cannot solve," her poem read. Surana concluded her poem, saying: "How do we ever put into words the deeds of a leader like you? This is the riddle that I can never solve..." Bucharest, Jan 16 : Romania's presidential elections will take place on May 4, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday. Partial local elections will be held on the same day for positions including the leadership of a county council, a county capital city, three towns, and 13 communes, Ciolacu said during a government meeting. The government has approved new measures to ensure fair competition during the elections, including regulations aimed at preventing favouritism by social media platforms. Companies found violating the rules could face fines of up to 5 per cent of their turnover, potentially amounting to billions of euros for larger corporations. Romania's ruling coalition agreed on January 8 to conduct a two-round presidential election on May 4 and May 18. The coalition has reaffirmed its plan to endorse a single candidate for the presidency. The pro-European coalition government, comprising the Social Democratic Party (PSD), the National Liberal Party (PNL), the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), and the national minorities, was sworn in last December, ending a month of political uncertainty marked by the annulment of Presidential election results. Despite the difficulties ahead, Ciolacu had expressed confidence in his government's potential. "I trust all the members of this team. They are people with great experience and solid professional expertise," said Ciolacu, who also leads the PSD. He emphasised the benefits of political stability, noting that Romania's borrowing rates on international markets had already begun to drop following the Parliamentary vote, Xinhua news agency reported. Ciolacu's cabinet consists of the Prime Minister, 16 ministers, and three deputy Prime Ministers -- one from PSD without portfolio, and two with portfolios from PNL and UDMR. He had added that he would not run for any position in future PSD leadership elections. Tehran, Jan 16 : Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces announced on Thursday the arrest of 15 individuals accused of planning sabotage in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the official IRNA news agency reported. The IRGC's Quds Base said the arrests took place during the ongoing 'Martyrs of Security' operation. Security forces identified the group in the border areas between Iran and Pakistan and captured them through a coordinated ground operation, supported by intelligence officers, military helicopters, and drones, the IRNA reported. The operation also led to the seizure of a large cache of weapons and ammunition, Xinhua news agency reported. Sistan and Baluchestan, a province bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been the site of several terrorist attacks targeting both civilians and security forces in recent years. In November, the border security forces of Iran and Pakistan conducted a joint operation along the Pak-Afghan border in the province, aimed at targetting "Afghan and Tajik militants". The Iranian authorities had maintained that the joint military operation -- which was conducted in Rasik, Chabahar and Parwad areas -- resulted in the killing of at least 18 Afghan-Tajik suicide bombers. "The militants entered into Iran from Pakistan disguised as oil tanker owners," said Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. On the other hand, certain reports suggested that the killed militants were smugglers and the joint operation was not against militants, but other criminals. The Pakistan-Iran border has been used by smugglers, traffickers and militants for infiltration and other activities. In the past, the Iranian border security forces have even conducted operations inside the Pakistani territory while Islamabad has carried out air strikes inside Iranian territory targetting militant hideouts. Bengaluru, Jan 16 : Karnataka BJP has suspected terror link in an incident of a gang of robbers shooting down a security agency staffer, seriously injuring another, and looting an ATM cash vehicle in Karnataka's Bidar city on Thursday. Karnataka BJP State President B.Y. Vijayendra said that the deadly shooting attack on ATM staff in Bidar is an extremely concerning development. "The fact that criminals dared to launch such a brazen attack in broad daylight suggests this incident should not be dismissed merely as a robbery. The possibility of terrorist forces being involved cannot be ruled out. The government must take this case very seriously," he said. He added that the law-and-order foundation in the state has weakened. Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has said that Karnataka is turning into a lawless state, with crimes such as daylight robberies and heinous assaults on young children occurring regularly, leaving offenders fearless. He also demanded that the state government immediately take strict action against the culprits and impose severe punishments. Meanwhile, Minister for Forest and District In-charge of Bidar, Eshwar B Khandre stated on Thursday that he had directed the police to initiate immediate action against the accused who shot dead staff in a shootout in Bidar city. Earlier, a gang of robbers shot dead a guard, seriously injured another, and looted an ATM cash vehicle in broad daylight in Karnataka's Bidar city in the limits of Market police station on Thursday. The incident occurred in front of the State Bank of India (SBI) Main Branch in Bidar city, with the robbers escaping with Rs 93 lakh in cash. The SBI building is adjacent to the District Court and the office of the Deputy Commissioner. The robbers, who were following the vehicle, attacked the cash van in front of the bank where the ATM was also located when they were lifting down trunks containing cash from the vehicle. According to police reports, two masked robbers fired five rounds at the ATM vehicle and guards. Following the attack, they made off with a trunk loaded with Rs 93 lakh in cash. Before opening fire, the robbers threw chilli powder on the guards. One of the guards in the vehicle, 40-year-old Giri Venkatesh, a resident of Chidri locality in Bidar, died on the spot after being shot, while another guard, Shivakumar, sustained critical injuries. the doctors said that Shivakumar's condition was extremely critical. Shivakumar is being treated at the Bidar Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS). The attack occurred at Shivaji Chowk, located in the heart of Bidar city. The robbers, who were riding two motorcycles, carried out the attack, took the cash box, and fled. While carrying one of the trunks loaded with money, the robber falls off and later carries it on the bike. The entire sequence has been recorded on the camera of bystanders. Although locals raised an alarm, threw stones at them, and attempted to catch them, the robbers managed to dodge and escape. Sources revealed that both Giri Venkatesh and Shivakumar were employees of CMS Agency, a company that provides ATM cash-filling services. The robbers, dressed in black jackets and hats, carried backpacks during the attack. Police have obtained CCTV footage and cellphone recordings of the incident and launched a manhunt to apprehend the culprits. The police have formed three special teams and launched a hunt. The police have erected barricades and conducting inspections of the vehicles. The police sources say they suspect that the robbers are from Bihar and will be nabbed soon. Rajashekar, the driver of the ATM vehicle, stated that the attack happened when the cash was being filled into the ATM. "I was sitting in front and could not see the robbers. We brought money every day and filled the ATM with cash," he stated. "When the incident had happened, the gunman was not in the vehicle. The gunman had told us that he would join us one hour later. I do not know about the robbers throwing chilli powder on the staff," Rajashekar stated. The family of the deceased Giri Venkatesh cried foul play and questioned the absence of the gunman has raised many questions. They also staged a protest and demanded compensation from the government. Panic spread in the area after the attack and loot. Bidar SP Pradeep Gunti stated that the incident had occurred between 10.55 am and 11 am near the SBI main branch. While filling the ATM with cash, the bike-borne miscreants shot dead one staffer and another who suffered bullet injuries are being treated at the hospital. They had robbed away cash trunks. Mumbai, Jan 16 : For the family of Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, Thursday started with a violent commotion. The actor, who was woken up during the wee hours of Thursday, was in for a shock when he found that a robber had barged in his house through the room of the youngest member of the family, his son, Jeh. What he saw was enough to set his adrenaline pumping to fight off the assailant, who brandished a knife. In an attempt to save his house help, and his family, Saif dove head first and unarmed into a scuffle with the robber. The physical confrontation with the robber came with its consequences as the actor sustained six stab wounds, two of which would send his family into panic mode, with the knife inserted roughly 2.5 inches into the wound, Saif managed to fight off the assailant with bare hands as the latter ran off from the scene. With one trouble out of the window, the Khan family now had a bigger trouble to cater to, a heavily injured Saif with two stab wounds near his spinal cord. The actor was rushed to the Lilavati Hospital in the Bandra area of Mumbai by his domestic staff, as per a source. His wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, who had returned from a girls' party prior to the scuffle, held the fort at their residence, Satguru Sharan, as her husband went to the hospital. The actor was taken to the operation theatre for an emergency surgery to remove the foreign object from his body. By 8:30 am, the actor's manager issued a statement about his condition, as the manager said, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation". The next few hours at the Lilavati Hospital witnessed media personnel coming out in droves to get minute to minute updates on the actor. The preliminary probe set in motion by Mumbai police stated that the intruder did not force his entry or break into the actor's 12th floor flat in the actor's residence but possibly sneaked in at some point earlier in the night. By 9:30 am, Kareena's team shared a statement with the media urging the fraternity to not speculate further and wait for the police probe. A statement issued by the actress's team, said, "There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We request the media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the Police are already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern. Team Kareena Kapoor Khan". As the day progressed, Saif was pronounced out of danger and was said to be stable and on his path to recovery. As the actor was monitored closely by a team of medical professionals, they said, "Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident". Doctor Nitin Dange, who was part of the surgery, told the media, "Saif Ali Khan was admitted in at 2:00 am. He sustained major injury to the spinal cord, in the thoracic spinal cord due to the lodged knife in the spine. Surgery was performed to remove the knife and also repair the leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now and recovering well". However, the incident sparked a political debate with the opposition targeting the ruling Maha Yuti alliance over the law and order situation in the state capital as this was the second instance of an attack on a celebrity after politician Baba Siddique was gunned down in October last year incidentally in the Bandra area of Mumbai. NCP chief Sharad Pawar said, "It shows that the law and order situation in Maharashtra is deteriorating. Recently, a person was killed in the same area and now this incident. All these things are worrisome". UBT leader Sanjay Raut and Cong leader Varsha Gaikwaid also expressed shock over the incident and raised question over law and order under Maha Yuti aliance. The cops later identified the assailant after rummaging through the CCTV footage of the building. The case, classified as an attempted robbery, has prompted an extensive investigation involving 10 police teams. Mumbai police have also released the picture of the attacker captured in the CCTV footage to help nab the attacker through the help of local people. Later, in the evening when Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis was asked to comment on the law and order situation in the city, and the attack on the actor, he called it a serious incident but asserted that it would be wrong to label Mumbai as unsafe. The CM assured the media that police were taking action and the government would implement measures to enhance the safety of the nation's financial capital. He said, "Mumbai's image is tarnished by such remarks. However, the government is committed to making the city safer". With further developments awaited on the case, it's safe to say that the day was packed with intrigue, action and political drama for the city dwellers and the fans of the actor. In the FIR lodged at the Bandra Police Station, the caretaker who works at the actor's house revealed some chilling details about the incident to the police. She revealed that she heard some noises around 2:00 am, when she went to check, a man came out of the bathroom and started going towards Jeh's bed. As she went to pick up Jeh, he ran towards her with something like wood. When she asked him "what do you want?", he replied, "I need money". When asked how much, he said, "one crore". Upon hearing the commotion, Saif rushed to Jeh's room, where he was attacked by the robber wielding a wooden object and a hexa blade. Chennai, Jan 16 : Tamil Nadu CPI-M state secretary P. Shanmugam demanded a CB-CID investigation into the suspicious death of Prithidevi, a third-year BSc Agriculture student at Sethu Bhaskara Agricultural College in Sivaganga. Prithidevi allegedly fell from the college hostel terrace on January 7 and succumbed to her injuries the following day while undergoing treatment. Shanmugam highlighted several inconsistencies surrounding the incident and criticised the college administration for its handling of the case. He said that instead of promptly filing a police complaint, the college administration merely informed the student's parents that she had fallen from the terrace and was lying unconscious, leaving the responsibility of initiating a probe to the grieving family. Prithidevi was first admitted to Global Hospital in Karaikudi and later transferred to Madurai Meenakshi Mission Hospital, where she passed away on January 8. "Her father, Selvakumar, a resident of Veeramanikapuram in Tirunelveli district, was forced to file a complaint with the police at their direction, rather than the college filing a report themselves," Shanmugam added. The Left leader cited several unanswered questions raised by Prithidevi's parents and her native villagers. "Why did the college administration fail to file a report regarding her death? How did Prithidevi gain access to the locked terrace door? Why were there no CCTV cameras installed in the hostel? Why did no representative from the college administration visit Madurai Meenakshi Mission Hospital to support the grieving family?" he said. He added that given these circumstances, there is every reason to consider Prithidevi's death suspicious. The CPI-M leader further said that the conduct of the local police appears biased. "We urge the state government to transfer the case to the CB-CID for a thorough investigation and to provide appropriate relief to the student's family," Shanmugam stated. The Kallal police station in Sivaganga has registered a case under Section 194 of the Indian Penal Code, based on the complaint filed by Prithidevi's father, and an investigation is ongoing. --IANS aal/dan Washington, January 16 : The Crypto Ball, an event organised by the crypto industry to celebrate the return of President-elect Donald Trump next week, is reportedly one of the most sought after of the spate of such parties and dinners taking place around inauguration next week. The invitation calls Trump "the first Crypto President", according to a report by The New York Times on Thursday, which details several other such celebrations that are hosted by tech entrepreneurs, executives and investors who have also donated generously to the inauguration committee in a notable display of the close embrace of the incoming president by the tech industry. MAGA Inc., a pro-Trump super body, is hosting a "V.I.P. reception" at the Crypto Ball, with a $100,000-per-person entry fee, the Times reported. The ball also celebrates David Sacks, a venture capitalist and Silicon Valley podcaster, who Trump has named his czar for artificial intelligence and crypto. Sacks is also a key figure at a black-tie dinner being hosted by a leading tech figure Peter Thiel on Saturday. And the next day, Sunday, Sacks is holding a private party with co-hosts of "All In", a show that has a cult-like following among Silicon Valley conservatives. The Times reported that other companies hosting such celebrations include Spotify, Uber and X, which is owned by Elon Musk, who is Trump's most outspoken supporter and leading donor. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is hosting a post-ceremony event with megadonor Miriam Adelson, and Musk. The Times also reported corporations that have contributed $1 million or more to the Trump inauguration include tech giants like Amazon and Google; cryptocurrency upstarts like Ripple and Robinhood. Presidential inaugurations a" the event at which the incoming president is administered the oath of office a" often attract top-dollar donors and are marked by a spate of balls, parties and celebrations all around Washington DC's hotels and restaurants, in the run up to the big day, January 20 and after. The Trump team has announced three official inaugural balls: the Commander in Chief Ball, Liberty Inaugural Ball, and Starlight Ball. Trump will deliver remarks at each of them. There are at least 17 unofficial balls, according to one estimate. Guwahati, Jan 16 : During his day-long visit to Morigaon, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, accompanied by the Assam Cabinet Ministers, visited and reviewed the progress of Assam's inaugural semi-conductor integrated assembly and test facility at Jagiroad. An official statement said: "It may be noted that this endeavour heralds the dawn of a transformative revolution within India's semi-conductor sector, a vision set in motion with the laying of its foundation stone by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the 13th of March in the preceding year. Sarma himself had attended the Bhumi Pujan ceremony for this project, set to be established with an investment of approximately 27,000 crore rupees, on the 3rd of August last year." During his visit, the Chief Minister accompanied by the Assam Cabinet Ministers and senior officials from various departments, was briefed by Ashish Mishra, the Project Head of Tata's Semiconductor Assembly and Testing facility, through an insightful PowerPoint presentation. Sarma acknowledged that the state's efforts in good governance were beginning to bear fruit and observed that the Jagiroad semiconductor initiative has unlocked vast industrial potential for Assam. Emphasising the need for good governance to drive faster development, he also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has laid the foundation stone of three projects including Assam's semiconductor project at Jagiroad. He noted that if Assam's semiconductor plant begins production ahead of others, it would be a matter of immense pride. He also expressed optimism that Assam, through this venture, would capture global attention, positioning the semiconductor project as a pivotal force shaping the future. The Chief Minister stated that Assam's strategic geographical position is adequate but the unrest in neighbourhood countries and limited local market often deters large institutions from investing in the state. He expressed confidence that, through continued focus on good governance, Assam would attract more industries. Highlighting the state's proactive support for the Jagiroad project, from power, water supply, security arrangement etc., he stressed that these efforts have sent a positive message to the industrial houses. To showcase the power of collective action, the state arranged for Cabinet Ministers and senior government officials to visit the project site. He also emphasised that the key to building a prosperous Assam lies in ensuring good governance, noting the growing trust among companies looking to invest in the state. Sarma noted that the upcoming Advantage Assam 2.0 event in February will be bolstered by Tata Electronics' positive feedback on the government's support for the Jagiroad project, which has already drawn the attention of numerous investors. Reflecting on the state's evolution, he said that Assam has entered a transformative era, where collective efforts will propel it to new heights. The Jagiroad project, he noted, will serve as a shining example of the state's promising future. --IANS tdr/dan Kolkata, Jan 16 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, launched the scathing attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat over the latter's recent comments describing January 22, 2024, the date of Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, as the real "Independence Day" of the country. Kolkata, Jan 16 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Thursday, launched the scathing attack against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat over the latter's recent comments describing January 22, 2024, the date of Ram Mandir inauguration at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, as the real "Independence Day" of the country. "I do not know why he made such a statement. But in my opinion, this is an anti-national statement. I condemn such a comment and demand the withdrawal of such a statement," the Chief Minister told mediapersons on Thursday. The Trinamool Congress chief also said that no political party can distort the history of Indian freedom movement. "This is a very dangerous trend. Already several chapters in the history had been distorted with. There are been changes in certain chapters of the Indian Constitution. But the latest comments are simply unacceptable. The Independence Day of India is August 15, 1947. That day is India's pride," the Chief Minister added. Speaking to the mediapersons, she also termed the attack on Padma Shri awardee actor Saif Ali Khan as 'shocking'. "The event is simply shocking. I have already given my reaction on social media. Saif's mother Sharmila Tagore has the family lineage of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. I heard that previously similar death threats were given to Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan. Saif was not so far in the list. The matter is extremely concerning. I do not know whether the event was pre-planned or not? But all I can say is that prompt action should be taken in the matter," the Chief Minister said. Earlier on Thursday, Mamata Banerjee wrote on X: "It's very concerning to hear about the attack on noted actor Saif Ali Khan. I pray for his speedy recovery, trusting that the law will take its course and those responsible will be held accountable. My thoughts and prayers are with Sharmila Di, Kareena Kapoor, and the entire family during this difficult time." BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Discussions have taken place regarding the potential for expanding cooperation in the energy sector between Azerbaijan and Libya, Rovshan Najaf, President of the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR), said in a post on his X page, Trend reports. "During our productive meeting with Ali Salem Nasser, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Libya to Azerbaijan, we discussed the strengthening of bilateral ties in the energy sector and the expansion of the partnership between SOCAR and Libyas National Oil Corporation. The meeting also covered potential cooperation in trade and extraction projects, along with an exchange of views on other matters of mutual interest," the publication reads. Imphal, Jan 16 : Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Thursday said that his state topped the list of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) business registration among the northeastern states. Referring to the report of the Ministry of MSME, the Chief Minister said that Manipur alone has 12,438 MSME businesses, the highest in the northeast during the period from 2015 to 2019. Addressing the state-level workshop on UNNATI (Uttar Poorva Transformative Industrialization Scheme) and RAMP (Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance), he informed that 50 per cent of the MSME businesses are owned by women. Manipuras share in the national population is 0.2 per cent while Manipuras share in MSME businesses is 0.3 per cent, he added. The workshop was organised by the Department of Trade, Commerce and Industries of the state government. The Chief Minister stated that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the northeast is set to become the aGrowth Engine of New Indiaa. Highlighting that Manipuri people are highly enterprising, Singh said the BJP-led state government in the state has taken up various initiatives for the development of the state since its formation in 2017. He recalled that the 'One Family One Livelihood' mission was launched to offer financial support to families, enabling them to establish their own enterprises and become self-reliant. Under the scheme, the maximum loan amount available is Rs 10 lakh which is collateral-free, 30 per cent is provided as a grant, he added. He further maintained that the government is encouraging the youth to avail the opportunities of the government schemes to generate employment etc. The Chief Minister said, that under the Manipur State Credit Guarantee Scheme, around 2,575 entrepreneurs have benefited. Of the total fund allocation of around Rs 700 crore, about Rs 200 crore has been used so far, leaving Rs 500 crore unutilised, Singh said. He informed that seven successful start-ups in Manipur have created employment opportunities for around 300 violence-hit displaced persons, demonstrating the success of their enterprises. He further mentioned that the challenges faced by small enterprises are the lack of technical support and awareness. To help in the economic revival of the state, the Chief Minister informed that a cell has been set up under the planning department, particularly for agriculture and horticulture sectors, and acquired seasonal crop seeds of around Rs 6 crore. Singh said Manipur has been spending huge amounts of money on the import of essential commodities such as eggs, and fish. He elaborated that the state needs around 2 lakh eggs daily, costing over Rs 10 lakhs. To meet the requirement, the government has sought assistance from the North Eastern Council (NEC) for the procurement of machinery. New Delhi, Jan 16 : In one of the most significant meetings, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday evening met the President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam and held discussions on the 'futuristic sectors'. "Earlier this evening, met the President of Singapore, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam. We discussed the full range of the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," PM Modi wrote on X. PM Modi, added, "We talked about futuristic sectors like semiconductors, digitalisation, skilling, connectivity and more. We also spoke on ways to improve cooperation in industry, infrastructure and culture." Earlier, Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam was given a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This visit, his first as President of Singapore, coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Speaking to the reporters following his ceremonial welcome, the Singapore President said, "We will never forget that India was one of the first few countries to recognise Singapore's independence in 1965, and since then, our relationship has grown by bounce. It is a natural partnership between small country Singapore and large country India, but we find ways to cooperate in our mutual interests." Stressing the bilateral ties between the two nations, he mentioned that Singapore is the largest investor in India, and the defence ties between the two nations are also strong, continuing to grow further. Stating the Indian and Singapore leaders "see eye-to-eye," Shanmugaratnam also stated that both countries are working together in the field of digitalisation and sustainability. Tharman arrived in New Delhi on Tuesday evening and engaged in high-level discussions on Wednesday. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met the visiting President to discuss key areas of bilateral cooperation, including semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. "Delighted to call on President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore today. Discussed our cooperation in semiconductors, industrial parks, skilling, digitalisation, and trade development. Confident that his State visit will add new momentum to our comprehensive strategic partnership," Jaishankar shared on X after the meeting. Accompanied by a high-level delegation of ministers, parliament members, and officials, the Singapore President is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with President Murmu and Prime Minister Modi later in the day. Following his engagements in New Delhi, he will visit Odisha on January 17-18. The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted the robust relationship between the two countries, emphasising that it is rooted in friendship, trust, and mutual respect. The ties were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Prime Minister Modi's visit to Singapore in September 2024. Prime Minister Modi had previously acknowledged the strength of bilateral cooperation in various sectors during his visit to Singapore. He noted the potential for further collaboration, particularly in areas like social and digital investments and India's emergence as a leading global growth centre. Islamabad, Jan 16 : At least 10 Pakistanis have died in another tragic incident when a boat carrying at least 80 passengers capsized near Morocco. The boat was carrying passengers trying to enter Europe illegally. At least 36 Pakistanis have been rescued. As per details, at least 50 illegal migrants including Pakistani nationals have already drowned in the incident. Reports suggest that the boat was carrying people illegally into Spain's Canary Islands through West Africa. The latest incident occurred a day after Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people from a boat. Details revealed that the boat had left from Mauritania on the 2nd of January 2025 with 86 illegal migrants, 66 of them were Pakistani nationals. The incident has also been confirmed by the Pakistan Foreign Office, which stated that its embassy in Rabat has been directed to dispatch a team to facilitate the Pakistani nationals. "Several survivors, including Pakistanis, are lodged in a camp near Dakhla. Our embassy in Rabat is in touch with local authorities. Additionally, a team from the embassy has been dispatched to Dakhla to facilitate the Pakistani nationals and provide necessary assistance," read a press release issued by the Pakistan Foreign Office. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken serious notice of the incident and has directed authorities to take strict action against those involved in what he termed a heinous act of human trafficking. "No negligence of any kind will be tolerated in this regard. Strong steps are being taken against human traffickers," said PM Shehbaz Sharif. Among the rescued Pakistani nationals, one of the people contacted his family back home in Gujranwala, Punjab province, detailing the horrific tale of his anguish and suffering. "My brother told me that he was initially told that all passengers would be taken to Spain by air. But later on, after spending days in a safe house in Mauritania, they were boarded on a boat", said the sister of one of the rescued Pakistanis. "He told me that the boat was stopped in the middle of nowhere and everyone was told to call their families and ask them to send more money. After some time, they started throwing people in the open sea," she added. Pertinent to note that the human trafficking issue has become the centre of attention and concern for Pakistan after about 45 Pakistani nationals drowned and died in a boat capsizing incident in Greece while 36 were rescued in December 2024. Since then, the Pakistani government has been investigating and arresting human traffickers and their facilitators in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). At least 30 FIA officers have already been dismissed and arrested for their collusion with human traffickers. Mumbai, Jan 16 : Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khan has issued an official statement after her husband, actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked early on Thursday. The actress, who shares Taimur and Jeh with Saif, took to her Instagram, and penned a note in which she asked the media to not relentlessly pursue the family as it will put them on a greater risk thereby compromising with their security. She wrote, "It has been an incredibly challenging day for our family, and we are still trying to process the events that have unfolded. As we navigate this difficult time, I respectfully and humbly request that the media and paparazzi refrain from the relentless speculation and coverage. While we appreciate the concern and support, the constant scrutiny and attention are not only overwhelming but also pose a significant risk to our safety. I kindly request that you respect our boundaries and give us the space we need to heal and cope as a family". She further mentioned, "I would like to thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation during this sensitive time". Saif was reportedly attacked with a 2.5 inch knife by an assailant who barged into his Bandra house through his youngest son, Jehas room. As per media reports, doctors removed the 2.5 inches of knife from his wound. The actor, who underwent a surgery, has now been shifted to the ICU and is said to be out of danger. The actor was stabbed multiple times in an attempt to fight off a burglar during the wee hours of Thursday. The actor sustained six stab wounds, two of which are said to be serious as they are closer to his spine. The incident took place at 2:15 am when the burglar allegedly barged into their Bandra home, and attacked their house help and then Saif when he intervened. At the time of the incident, his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan was present at home along with other members of the family as they all were sleeping. Saif was woken up by the commotion in his son Jehas room. He went inside the room to see the culprit arguing with their house help, looking at this, Saif intervened to save the house help with bare hands to fight off the culprit. Agartala, Jan 16 : In a move to strengthen the police force and improve law and order in the state, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha announced that the state government would soon introduce new technologies, including AI-based control rooms, drone technology, smart CCTVs, and modernised technology at district and state level policing. Addressing an official function here, the Chief Minister said that his government is working for the welfare of the people as well as the police. "Law and order is one of the priority sectors of our government. The status of a state is judged based on its law and order," he said. Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, said that in the coming days, new technologies would be introduced at both district and state levels while AI-based control rooms, drone technology and smart CCTVs would be installed to improve the law and order management. A new police headquarters is being set up, and plans are underway to modernise the state's two main police stations -- East Agartala and West Agartala Police Stations. "During my recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he emphasised the reconstruction of old police stations and residential quarters," the Chief Minister stated. Noting that Tripura Police is a pride for Tripura as one of the oldest forces in the country as it celebrated 150 years last year, he said: "When people are in distress and helpless, they come to the police. Police personnel must work with honesty and strive to earn the faith of the people." Saha said that Tripura is now on the path of progress and development. He further informed that Tripura Police and Tripura State Rifles (TSR) have organised over 25,000 social work initiatives in the last three years, benefiting more than five lakh people. The government has also increased ration allowances, dearness allowance and uniform allowances. --IANS sc/dan Patna, Jan 16 : Union Minister of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday criticised Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav over his 'DK tax' remarks. Reacting sharply, Manjhi questioned the media's focus on Tejashwi Yadav's statements. He also dismissed Tejashwi Yadav's allegations as baseless and emphasised that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, with his extensive experience, is a better leader. Manjhi appeared to side with Nitish Kumar, highlighting his years of governance and implicitly downplaying the credibility of Tejashwi Yadav's claims. Tejashwi Yadav, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, has been actively targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and the Bihar government over the issue of "DK tax." In his recent public appearances, especially during press conferences, Tejashwi Yadav has been consistently raising the topic of the 'DK tax', claiming that it is a serious issue involving corruption within the state government. Earlier, Tejashwi Yadav alleged that 'D.K. Boss' is the actual beneficiary of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra which was undertaken to review development projects and interact with people across the state. "The so-called 'D.K. Boss' is the actual beneficiary of the Pragati Yatra. Nitish Kumar's Pragati Yatra is a facade for corruption. D.K. Boss is amassing wealth through this initiative. I have evidence about how 'DK tax' is being imposed and I will reveal it soon," said the LoP. Tejashwi also criticised the government for spending a massive 2.25 billion on the Pragati Yatra, calling it a waste of public money. He referred to it as a Durghati Yatra (a journey of misfortune) instead of a Pragati Yatra (a journey of progress). He alleged that the Pragati Yatra is merely an opportunity for retired officials and bureaucrats accompanying Nitish Kumar to indulge in corruption, claiming that the journey symbolises "officers' freedom to loot." The opposition leader also accused Nitish Kumar of lacking a concrete vision or blueprint for Bihar's development while highlighting the absence of discussions around Bihar's demand for special state status during the Pragati Yatra. "The state has become a Gangaotri of corruption under Nitish Kumar's leadership," Yadav said. Jaipur, Jan 16 : Rajasthan unit BJP president Madan Rathore has criticised Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's recent statement, calling it irresponsible and questioning the remarks' alignment with national interests. Madan Rathore accused Rahul Gandhi of disregarding his oath to uphold the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India, suggesting that his actions and remarks betray loyalty to the country. Rahul Gandhi had recently said: "We are fighting BJP, RSS, and the Indian state itself." "Rahul Gandhi's statements reveal where his true loyalties lie -- toward Italy rather than India," said Rathore. He further alleged that Rahul Gandhi's comments against the Indian state either reflect poor word choice or a deliberate expression of his inner sentiments. Rathore questioned the intent behind the Congress leader's statement about "fighting with the Indian state", asserting that such rhetoric does not align with the principles of nationalism. He emphasised that every citizen strives to elevate the spirit of nationalism, and while political opposition is a vital part of democracy, issuing statements that challenge the nation itself is unacceptable. Criticising the Congress' inconsistencies, Rathore pointed out that leaders of the Rajasthan Congress unit have expressed interest in emulating RSS-style organisational structures. "If they are genuinely inspired, I invite them to visit RSS branches, where they can receive proper training," Rathore said. He praised the RSS as a nationalist organisation that operates solely in the nation's interests, fostering patriotism in its members' conduct and activities. Rathore urged Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, to refrain from making statements that tarnish Indiaas image. "A true leader's words and deeds should reflect loyalty to the nation, not animosity towards its system," he said. He also advised Congress to learn from the example set by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi's grandmother, in subjects related to national unity. Rathore concluded by reiterating that any rhetoric against the Indian state undermines the essence of national character and urged the opposition to act responsibly in their political discourse. Patna, Jan 16 : The Bihar State Level Recommendation Committee has recognised the exceptional contributions of the late Acharya Kishore Kunal in the field of social service by recommending his name for the prestigious Padma Vibhushan Award for the year 2025. The recommendation was made on Thursday and has been formally forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs by the Cabinet Secretariat of Bihar. In a letter sent on behalf of the Cabinet Secretariat Department, Additional Secretary Suman Kumar addressed Joint Secretary Gopalaswami Parthasarathy of the Ministry of Home Affairs, urged the government to honour Acharya Kishore Kunal with the Padma Vibhushan, Indiaas second-highest civilian award. Acharya Kishore Kunal, known for his impactful work in social service, was a highly respected figure who dedicated his life to uplifting marginalised communities and contributing to societal welfare. Acharya Kishore Kunal, a highly respected social reformer and former IPS officer, passed away on December 29, 2024, due to a heart attack. His demise was deeply mourned across the nation, with prominent leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressing their condolences. Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi also paid tribute to Kunal and urged the Central government to honour him with the Bharat Ratna. Kishore Kunal was an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the 1972 Gujarat cadre. He served as Superintendent of Police in Anand and later became Deputy Commissioner of Police in Ahmadabad by 1978. In 1983, he was appointed Senior Superintendent of Police in Patna. In 2001, he voluntarily retired from the IPS to dedicate himself to social service and religious endeavours. Post-retirement, Acharya Kishore Kunal served as the Chairman of the Bihar State Religious Trust Board and the Secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust, Patna. As Secretary of the Mahavir Mandir Trust, he spearheaded the templeas renovation from October 30, 1983, to its inauguration on March 4, 1985. Under his leadership, the Mahavir Mandir Trust established multiple healthcare facilities, including Mahavir Cancer Institute, a state-of-the-art cancer treatment centre, Mahavir Arogya Sansthan in Kankarbagh, a hospital aimed at providing affordable healthcare and Mahavir Netralaya, a facility dedicated to eye care for those in need. The trust also supported several other hospitals and extended financial assistance to economically disadvantaged individuals. Hyderabad, Jan 16 : The Manager of a private travel agency was injured when two men, suspected to be involved in a Rs 93 lakh robbery in Bidar town of Karnataka, opened fire in the Afzalgunj area in Hyderabad on Thursday. The incident sent panic in the crowded area and police sounded an alert to nab the assailants, who escaped after firing two rounds. The incident occurred when a team of Karnataka police were trying to nab the suspects, who had boarded a private bus to go to Raipur. Jahangir, ticket manager of Roshan Travels, was injured when the assailants opened fire. Moazzam told the media that two persons came to the agency office at 3.30 to book tickets to Raipur in the name of Amit Kumar. They boarded a minibus which was to take them and other passengers to the city outskirts, from where the bus for Raipur was to start. As the two men were found to be suspicious, the ticker manager insisted that they open their bags when they boarded the bus. One of them tried to hand over a bundle of currency notes to silence him. However, Jahangir refused to take the money and ordered them to open the bags. One of them pulled out a weapon and opened two rounds on Jahangir. The assailants escaped towards Osmania Hospital. A couple of policemen from Karnataka were also on the bus. They were also going to Raipur for an investigation into another case. An injured Jahangir came running to the office of the travel company and he was shifted to Essra Hospital. He was stated to be out of danger. Police rushed to the spot and launched a hunt for the assailants. B. Balaswami, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East Zone) said that special teams have been formed to track down the robbers. Police were scanning the CCTV footage and gathering other clues. Police suspect that the assailants were involved in the sensational robbery in Bidar town earlier in the day. The bike-borne assailants shot six rounds killing two security guards before decamping with Rs 93 lakh intended for loading at a State Bank of India (SBI) ATM at Shivaji Chowk in Bidar. The incident occurred around 11.30 am as cash-loading staff arrived at the busy ATM location. Bidar police have formed multiple teams to track down the suspects. As the assailants were believed to have headed towards Telangana, an alert was sounded on the inter-state border. --IANS ms/dan Hyderabad, Jan 16 : Cyberabad Police on Thursday claimed to cracked the double murder case with the arrest of all three accused in Madhya Pradesh. Rahul Kumar Saket, a driver and the main accused, and two others Raj Kumar Saket and Sukhendra Kumar Saket, all natives of Sidhi district in Madhya Pradesh have been arrested. The bodies of a male and a female were found on a hillock near Ananta Padmanabha Swamy temple in Puppalaguda under the limits of Narsingi Police Station. The police had later identified them as Ankit Saket and Bindu, natives of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh respectively. Both were aged 25 and the missing cases were registered in two different police stations. The preliminary investigation by police indicated that the extramarital relationship between them led to the double murder. One Diwakar had complained to Vanasthalipuram police on January 8 that his wife was missing. On January 11, Gachibowli police registered a missing case on a complaint by Saket's brother. Their bodies were found on January 14. They were stabbed and their heads were smashed with boulders. Saket brought Bindu to Nanakramguda on January 8 and kept her in a friend's room. The couple went to the hillock after receiving a phone call on January 11. Ch. Srinivas, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Rajendranagar, said the investigations revealed that the deceased woman recently started engaging in commercial sexual activity. Rahul Kumar Saket engaged her twice and tried to take a video during their private time. She had raised an objection and informed Ankit who had warned Rahul. Following by few altercations, Rahul decided to kill Ankith and took the help of two other accused. On January 11, he engaged the woman again through Ankith for a 4000. All five persons went to the hillock where Sukhendra Kumar Saket was allowed to spend time with the female. Rahul and Raj Kumar Saket took Ankit to some distance, stabbed him and smashed him with a boulder. After this, Rahul and Raj came to the woman, who was with the third accused. They killed her too. The next day, the trio left for their native places in Madhya Pradesh. A police team from Cyberabad arrested the accused and recovered the mobile phones of the deceased from their possession. They were being brought to Hyderabad on transit warrants. --IANS ms/dan Patna, Jan 16 : Four policemen from the Sultanganj police station were arrested for allegedly storing liquor bottles within the premises of the police station. The incident has come as a serious violation, particularly in Bihar, where the prohibition of alcohol has been strictly enforced since 2016. City SP of Patna (East), K Ramdas, confirmed the development, stating that an FIR had been lodged against the accused policemen. "Following their arrest, the four policemen were presented before the civil court, which subsequently sent them to judicial custody," Ramdas said. The arrest of four policemen from Sultanganj police station in Patna has shed light on a serious breach of duty and corruption within the law enforcement system. The arrested individuals have been identified as ASI Murari Singh, Constable Nagendra Paswan, Constable Santosh Paswan, and driver Shailesh Kumar. "On December 14, a team led by ASI Murari Singh apprehended four individuals transporting 46 bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) in a WagonR car. However, the team released the car driver along with the vehicle, a clear violation of procedure. Moreover, they have registered FIR only against three persons and revealed 30 bottles of liquor described as seizures," Ramdas said. During interrogation, the arrested suspects revealed that four individuals were in the car, but the police team had deliberately released the driver and vehicle. "We had conducted a thorough search of the Sultanganj police station premises and uncovered 16 liquor bottles buried under clay near a Peepal tree within the station grounds. The liquor bottles were seized immediately," he said. He added that an FIR was registered against the four accused policemen who have also been arrested. "Their actions have been described as a case of corruption in uniform, violating the strict liquor prohibition laws enforced in Bihar since 2016," he said. The case highlights the Bihar government's firm stance on enforcing the liquor ban, even against those within law enforcement who are found violating the rules. In a New York magazine cover story about Neil Gaiman published on Monday, multiple women accused the British fantasy writer of sexual assault and misconduct. The interviews were the first granted to a major publication following reporting from the U.K.based podcast network Tortoise Media last year. On the whole, his agents and publishers have been slow to address the accusations, although HarperCollins, Marvel, and W.W. Norton confirmed that they do not have future books planned with the author. Gaimans literary agent, Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House, did not respond to requests for comment by press time, nor did his public speaking agent, Steven Barclay of the eponymous agency, leaving it unclear as to whether either has dropped him as a client. On Gaiman's website, a page called Contacting Neil, which had listed both agents alongside his Hollywood representation, is now down, although the Internet Archives Wayback Machine indicates that it was live as recently as last month. At present, it is unclear if Gaiman, the author of nearly 50 books that have sold more than 50 million combined copies worldwide, has any new forthcoming titles currently under contract, although some publishers have confirmed that if he does, it is not with them. On the trade book side, a spokesperson from HarperCollins, Gaiman's primary publisher in the United States, told PW that it does not have any new books by Neil Gaiman scheduled. A spokesperson for Norton, which released Gaimans 2018 book on Norse mythology as well as an illustrated version last year, confirmed to PW that Norton will not have projects with the author going forward. (Notably, in 2021, after multiple allegations of sexual misconduct were leveled at author Blake Bailey, the publisher ceased publication of Baileys Philip Roth: The Biography and took that book, and one other by Bailey, out of print.) Dark Horse Comics, which has published a number of comics and graphic novel titles by Gaiman as well as the Neil Gaiman Library series, wrote in a statement on January 26 that Dark Horse takes seriously the allegations against Neil Gaiman and we are no longer publishing his works, and confirmed that the Anansi Boys comic series and collected volume have been canceled. Marvel Comics told the New York Times that it has no books in the works with Gaiman. DC Comics, the publisher of Gaiman's Sandman series and many of his other comics titles, did not respond to requests for comment; DC had previously announced plans to reprint a classic work by Gaiman in a new format in September. Accusations of sexual assault were first made against Gaiman in July 2023 on a six-episode podcast from U.K.-based media outlet Tortoise, which detailed allegations from four different women, with a fifth woman making her accusations on a separate podcast. The New York magazine expose reviews these allegations in depth as well as those from four additional women. Several adaptations of Gaiman's books were halted or canceled following the initial allegations. On Tuesday, Gaiman responded to the accusations on his blog, writing: I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever. He added: "As I reflect on my past and as I re-review everything that actually happened as opposed to what is being alleged I don't accept there was any abuse. On social media, authors from the science fiction/fantasy and comics and graphic novel worlds, including some of Gaimans longtime friends, weighed in with a mixture of anger, anguish, and disgust, as well as compassion for the women involved. All those f*ckers in SF/fantasy who made excuses for Neil Gaiman on the last round of allegations really are the worst. You were so invested in the whole "he was nice to me" bullshit or invested in how *invested* you'd been in him to care about the truly disgusting behavior on display. Jeff VanderMeer (@jeffvandermeer.bsky.social) January 13, 2025 at 12:31 PM There are layers and layers of vicious ugliness in New York Magazines piece on Gaiman. Broad outlines have been known since July, but this adds sickening detail, including psychological abuse of his own child. Ill join others in urging caution to the vulnerable as to reading it. Guy Gavriel Kay (@guygavrielkay.bsky.social) January 13, 2025 at 11:42 AM This is just so fucking gross. https://t.co/xVvBytEoMp Gail Simone (@GailSimone) January 13, 2025 The truth is, it is quite likely everyone knows an abuser and are not aware of it. Its a terrible feeling, even if you never met the person and only know them by their work. [image or embed] Gail Simone (@gailsimone.bsky.social) January 14, 2025 at 3:56 AM A personally difficult story for us, but a necessary one. My statement below, for the record [as an image+alt text, so it all fits on one page]. It's all I can manage at this time. [image or embed] scottmccloud (@scottmccloud.bsky.social) January 14, 2025 at 3:33 PM This article has been updated with further information. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Azerbaijan and the Maldives have discussed potential collaboration in the field of green energy, Trend reports citing the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO). The talks took place as part of a meeting with representatives from the Maldives Investment Agency (Invest Maldives). The discussions focused on exploring new opportunities for economic cooperation between Azerbaijan and the Maldives, as well as the implementation of joint initiatives. AZPROMO Executive Director Yusif Abdullayev highlighted the prospects for collaboration in sectors such as real estate, green energy, tourism, and transportation. In turn, Invest Maldives CEO Nuha Mohamed Riza shared the investment potential of the Maldives, particularly in tourism and green energy, and emphasized existing opportunities for Azerbaijani companies to invest in the Maldives. Additionally, both sides agreed to further expand cooperation through the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (WAIPA). AZPROMO was founded in 2003 by the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan to facilitate foreign investment in the non-oil industry and promote exports of non-oil products. The agency's primary objective is to enhance the nation's economy by soliciting international investment and fostering exports in the non-oil sector. To date, the agency has conducted 33 export trips to international destinations under the "Made in Azerbaijan" initiative. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, January 16. The Foreign Ministers of Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan discussed key issues on the two countries' foreign policy agenda, Trend reports. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Murat Nurtleu and Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov held a phone talk. During the conversation, the ministers addressed the current state and future prospects for the development of bilateral and regional cooperation, as well as collaboration within the UN and other international organizations. They also reviewed the schedule for upcoming high-level events this year. Diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan were established on August 27, 1992. Kazakhstan has an embassy in Ashgabat, while Turkmenistan has one in Astana. Both countries are members of the EAEU, OSCE, CIS, and the UN, and they actively cooperate within the OTS. Porterville, CA (93257) Today Showers and thundershowers likely. High 51F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Showers early, then cloudy overnight. Low around 40F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. On Thursday, Jan. 16, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., the LHAC held an Artist Reception to celebrate the opening of two new exhibitions: Twist, works by Carol John, and Distillations, works by Patti Roberts-Pizzuto and Johntimothy Pizzuto. A third exhibit titled fast tracks, ski masks, and plaid slacks by Tim Root was also on display at the reception. Attendees hold up signs while listening to Trey Holloway speak at Tate Plaza in Athens, Georgia on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2024. Many members of the United Campus Workers of Georgia brought signs, and their leader delivered a speech before the march began. (Photo/Valor Lekas, @photosbyvalor) Hero MotoCorp anticipates a big rebound in two-wheeler (2W) sales in rural India over the next four to eight quarters, driven by favourable factors such as a decent monsoon, rising crop prices, improved employment conditions, and increasing consumer confidence, its chief executive officer (CEO) Niranjan Gupta said on Wednesday. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters Amid tepid rural sales, he stated that there is a strong case for GST (goods and services tax) on entry-level two-wheelers, which are under 125 CC, to be moved down from 28 per cent to 18 per cent as they are used by masses. They (2Ws) are not seen as goods or luxury goods. "They provide mobility to the masses in India. They also help generate a lot of direct and indirect employment. "So, whichever way you look at it, there is a strong case for at least two-wheelers up to 125 CC to move down to 18 per cent GST, he mentioned during a media roundtable. Hero MotoCorp, Indias largest two-wheeler maker, saw its volume sales jump by about 7 per cent to 5.9 million units in 2024. About 55 per cent of the companys sales come from rural areas. On the rural market, Gupta said: The crop has been decent. I would say the monsoon has been decent. "The MSP (minimum support price) of the crops has been going up. "That's why I would say that all the ingredients of rural consumption have moved in the right direction. "But have you seen the entirety of the rural results? I would say the answer is no. We have seen green shoots, and the ingredients are there. "That's why in the next four to six or eight quarters, we could actually see rural areas bouncing back in a big way. The second Covid-19 wave impacted the rural areas the most. Medical costs went up and consumer confidence went down. Medical costs are what they are and the confidence is slowly coming up. "Employment, which was lost during the second Covid wave, is slowly coming up, he mentioned. Gupta said that the electric scooter market is at a nascent stage and it is too early to declare winners and losers. Right now, just 5 per cent of the total two-wheeler market is electric. "Subsidies are being phased out and the price competition is intensifying. "It will take at least a couple of years before there is some stability in the electric vehicle (EV) segment, he stated. Ola, TVS Motor, Bajaj Auto, and Ather Energy are the top four players in the electric scooter market right now. Hero, which is at number five position, sold 43,695 electric scooters in 2024, recording a 292 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) growth, according to the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada). Gupta said that in the next four quarters, the company would launch its entire electric scooter portfolio, and spread its charging infrastructure and sales outlets across India. We are still not pan-India with Vida (Heros electric scooter brand). "We have more than 10 per cent share in the majority of the 200 cities we are present in. "However, our overall share is less than 5 per cent as we are not present across India yet, he mentioned. Winners and losers cant be decided with 5 per cent of the two-wheeler market. "One company will go up in one month and it will go down in another. This will continue for some time, he noted. Companies are right now building the electric scooter category. Someone is expanding distribution, someone is expanding service, and someone is building the portfolio. Until it all settles down, we cant decide the winner, he stressed. The Janata Dal-United on Thursday asked its ally Bharatiya Janata Party to act against Shehzad Poonawalla, a national spokesperson of the ruling party, for his comments targeting an Aam Aadmi Party leader which, the regional party said, has caused deep displeasure among people from Purvanchal. IMAGE: BJP's national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla. Photograph: ANI Photo In a statement, JD-U spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan Prasad said, "Poonawalla has made a mistake. His comments have caused deep displeasure among people from Purvanchal. The JD-U seeks action from the BJP's leadership against Poonawalla for his comments." In a heated discussion during a news channel debate on Wednesday, Poonawalla had played on AAP MLA Rituraj Jha's surname to take a jibe at him, a remark slammed as abusive by Delhi's ruling party. His swipe had come after Jha played with the BJP spokesperson's surname to take a dig at him. The BJP leader has insisted that he never abused anyone and accused the AAP of spreading "lies" and his character assassination. BJP's Purvanchali face and North East Delhi MP Manoj Tiwari had also condemned the remarks by his party national spokesperson and said both he and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal should apologise for using objectionable words against members of the Purvanchali community. In a video message posted on X, Tiwari said members of every party should refrain from targeting anyone for their caste, state or community. "I strongly condemn the words spoken by Shehzad Poonawalla (in the TV debate). No matter how much anyone provokes you, the party expects its workers to remain sensitive and maintain decorum... The party will take cognisance, I believe, and I want Shehzad Poonawalla to apologise without any further comments," he said. In Delhi, Purvanchal is loosely referred to the eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Voters from the region reside in large numbers in the national capital and they have become increasingly electorally influential. Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in Delhi on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8. The contest is being seen as a straight fight between AAP, in power since 2015, and the BJP, with the Congress trying hard to regain its lost ground in the city which it ruled for 15 uninterrupted years till 2013. The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) will not be part of the upcoming Republic Day flypast as the entire fleet of the military choppers has been grounded following a crash of one of them this month. IMAGE: Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal AP Singh in fighter (right) and Vice Chief of the Army Staff, Lieutenant General NS Raja Subramani and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan in two seater trainer (left) fly in the indigenously manufactured LCA Tejas during the ongoing Indian Air Force's first multinational air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024, at Air Force Station Jodhpur, September 9, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo The Army, the Indian Air Force, the Navy and the Coast Guard are operating around 330 ALHs. A Coast Guard ALH crashed at Gujarat's Porbandar on January 5 following which the armed forces grounded the entire fleet of the twin-engine choppers. The ALH Dhruv will not be part of the Republic Day flypast over Kartavya Path on January 26, an IAF official told reporters. The choppers are likely to remain grounded till a high-level probe panel finds the root cause of the crash that killed two Coast Guard pilots and an aircrew diver. The helicopters have been part of the Republic Day flypasts for nearly one-and-half decades. The ALH-Dhruv, produced by state-run aerospace major Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) is a multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter in the 5.5 ton weight class. The official cited above also said that locally developed single engine Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will also not feature at the Republic Day flypast. The IAF has stopped flying single engine aircraft at the R-Day parade. Manufactured by the HAL, the Tejas aircraft is a potent platform for air combat and offensive air support missions while reconnaissance and anti-ship operations are its secondary roles. In February 2021, the defence ministry sealed a Rs 48,000 crore deal with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd for the procurement of 83 Tejas MK-1A jets for the IAF. In November last year, the ministry accorded an initial approval to procure an additional batch of 97 Tejas jets for the IAF. The official said the Republic Day flypast will feature 22 fighter jets, 11 transport planes, seven helicopters, and three Dornier surveillance aircraft. A Rafale fighter jet will also be part of the flypast. The IAF's marching contingent at the parade will comprise 144 personnel. Supreme Court judge Justice K V Viswanathan on Thursday recused himself from hearing coal scam cases, paving way for a fresh three-judge bench to decide a crucial issue arising from previous orders that barred the high court from entertaining appeals. IMAGE: Supreme Court judge Justice K V Viswanathan. Photograph: www.sci.gov.in The apex court passed two orders in 2014 and 2017 restricting the accused from approaching the high court and had directed that appeals against trial court proceedings in the coal scam cases could only be filed in the top court. The intent behind the orders was to expedite trial processes by preventing delays and to stall the proceedings by the accused seeking relief in high courts. While taking up the pleas seeking modification of its earlier orders, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and Viswanathan, at the outset, said a fresh bench will be set up to decide the issue in the week commencing February 10. Justice Vishwanathan said he was in the Common Cause (the NGO which had filed the PIL in coal scam cases). This case was of the ED (Enforcement Directorate), but still. The bench deliberated upon the scope of appeals and the applicability of earlier orders restricting high courts from hearing these cases and asked the apex court registry to prepare a comprehensive compilation of all pending petitions related to 2014 and 2017 judgments that had barred the high court from hearing interlocutory appeals. The registry shall prepare a compilation of all cases where the special leave petitions (SLPs) are filed in terms of judgments of this court in 2014 and 2017 The fresh bench shall exclude Justice Vishwanathan and shall be formed in the week commencing February 10,2025. Key question will be: Whether or not one who seeks stay of trial will not go by the procedure of CrPC but instead file a SLP in the Supreme Court, the order said. During the hearing, senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, informed the court that 45 complaints, including supplementary ones, are currently pending under the PMLA. He said 20 cases are before the top court as well. Singh highlighted concerns that when discharge orders are passed for one individual, they may have a cascading effect on others in related cases. Senior Advocate RS Cheema, who appeared for the CBI, said out of 50 cases, which are prosecuted by the CBI, 30 have been decided. Cheema emphasised the need for clarity on whether appeals should be directed to the high court or the Supreme Court. The bench stressed the need to streamline procedures, stating that appeals against discharge orders should ideally go to the high court. Lawyer Prashant Bhushan, appearing for NGO Common Cause', underscored that the top court's jurisdiction should primarily address stays on trials, while other matters could be resolved at the high court level. Earlier, the bench had asked the CBI saying, Is this the stand of the CBI that everything should come to us. We also want to have the benefit of Delhi High Court orders passed in these cases," the bench had said. Bhushan had said the earlier orders were passed to ensure that the trial does not get impeded by the accused by moving the high court against interlocutory orders passed by the trial court. The top court in 2014 quashed 214 coal blocks allocated by the Centre between 1993 and 2010 after taking note of the PILs and ordered a trial by a special CBI judge. The bench had directed that any prayer for a stay or to impede the investigation or the trial could only be made before the Supreme Court, effectively barring other courts from entertaining such pleas. Another bench headed by Justice Abhay S Oka earlier issued a notice to the Enforcement Directorate seeking clarification on whether the bar imposed by its earlier decision restricting any prayer for a stay or impeding the progress of investigation/trial in Coal block allocation cases to the top court alone also applies to complaints filed under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It was submitted whether the bar outlined in earlier orders needed clarification, particularly whether it extends to cases under the PMLA linked to the coal block allocation scam. The CBI filed 57 cases in the coal scam. Several consequential money laundering cases were also filed. India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. IMAGE: A demonstrator with Lebanese and Palestinian flags celebrates news of a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, in Berlin, Germany on January 15, 2025. Photograph: Liesa Johannssen/Reuters The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza. In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. "We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," it said. Photo: The US Department of the Treasury BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 16. The US Department of the Treasury, through the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), has imposed sanctions on Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank, Trend reports. The bank is accused of coordinating with Russian officials and a US-designated Russian bank, Promsvyazbank (PSB), to facilitate a scheme to evade sanctions. Since the summer of 2024, authorities at OJSC Keremet Bank, situated in the Kyrgyz Republic, have engaged in strategic coordination with Russian officials and the U.S.-designated Promsvyazbank Public Joint Stock Company (PSB) to orchestrate a sophisticated sanctions evasion operation. This initiative involves Keremet Bank serving as a conduit for cross-border financial transactions on behalf of PSB, the statement reads. Furthermore, the Keremet Bank scheme is believed to have involved Ilan Mironovich Shor, a Russian-Moldovan oligarch under US sanctions. In 2024, the Kyrgyzstan Ministry of Finance sold a majority stake in the bank to a firm with strong ties to the Russian government. This purchase is said to have been part of an effort to establish a hub for sanctions evasion, allowing Russia to conduct payments for imports and exports while avoiding sanctions. The US sanctions target Keremet Bank for conducting or facilitating significant transactions that involve Russias military-industrial base, which includes the sale, supply, or transfer of items to the Russian Federation. The National Bank of Kyrgyzstan commented on the sanctions, stating that the banking sector is currently stable. The bank is taking appropriate measures to minimize the negative impact of the sanctions on the country's banking system and to ensure financial stability. As needed, the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic is ready to implement additional measures and tools to maintain the resilience and stability of the banking system and to protect the interests of depositors and creditors, the statement said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Thursday alleged that the gang of Dhananjay Munde has devastated the family of Beed sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh who was murdered last month. IMAGE: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange. Photograph: ANI Photo Jarange claimed that all this gang cares about is making money from politics and playing politics with money, referring to Walmik Karad, an associate of Nationalist Congress Party leader and Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde. Deshmukh, 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 Beed district. The police said Karad was in contact with his killers when the crime was executed. The slain sarpanch's brother Dhananjay Deshmukh met Jarange in Beed on Thursday, a day after Karad was sent to the custody of a Special Investigation Team of the Maharashtra police. The gang of Dhananjay Munde has devastated the family of Santosh Deshmukh. This gang will be under a curse for this crime, Jarange said. Minister Munde has been facing calls for his resignation from the Opposition, a demand supported by ruling Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Suresh Dhas, due to his links with Karad. The gang of Munde doesn't understand humanity. It only cares about making money from politics and playing politics with money. Some gangs are also protesting demanding the release of the accused (Karad). The acts of such gangs are tainting the state's image, Jarange said. The sarpanch murder has acquired a caste conflict angle as Deshmukh was a Maratha, while most of the accused are Vanjari, a dominant community in the Beed region. Santosh Deshmukh's brother Dhananjay Deshmukh said that since Jarange wasn't well, he had come to meet the Maratha activist. We just want the inquiry to be done properly and justice served, he said. The knife attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder shows that not even celebrities are safe in the state, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has failed to maintain law and order, Opposition leaders said on Thursday. IMAGE: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan with his wife-actor Kareena Kapoor Khan. Photograph: ANI Photo "No one is safe. Let alone ordinary people, even celebrities who have their own security are not safe," said Shiv Sena-UBT MP Sanjay Raut. Khan is a Padma Shri recipient and had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi along with his family, Raut noted. Police in the state are mostly deployed for the security of politicians, "especially those who defect", Raut said, adding, "There is no fear of law. The government stands exposed." Another Shiv Sena-UBT Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the incident at Saif's residence is another "high profile attempt on life" after the firing outside superstar Salman Khan's home and the murder of NCP leader Baba Siddique. "The attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police & the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names... "All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery," she wrote on X. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state, and the incidents in Beed -- where a village sarpanch was brutally killed for allegedly thwarting an attempt to extort money from an energy firm -- showed that the administration is working for anti-social elements. If people like actors Saif Ali Khan and Salman Khan who live in high-security zone were being attacked and needed to install bullet-proof windows, it means nobody trusts the government, the Congress leader said. A bullet-proof glass panel was recently installed outside the balcony of Salman Khan's Bandra flat. Two members of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang had opened fire outside Salman's house last April. "If such big people are not safe, what about common people? Even the hometown of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has witnessed many murders and rapes in last ten days," he said, referring to Nagpur. Chief Minister Fadnavis also holds the home portfolio. "It clearly indicates that Fadnavis has completely failed in maintaining law and order in Maharashtra," Londhe said. NCP-SP Lok Sabha member Supriya Sule expressed concern over the attack on Khan, terming the incident as "worrisome". Another NCP-SP leader and former home minister Anil Deshmukh said an attack on a big star like Saif Ali Khan was very unfortunate, and the police department should take strict action. It is the responsibility of the government to provide an environment free from fear for artistes, he said. The Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) Thursday slammed the Punjab government for the arrest warrants issued against 25 farmers and the insertion of an attempt to murder charge in the FIR in connection with the 2022 prime minister security breach matter in the state. IMAGE: Security breach in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy near Hussainiwala in Ferozepur district, Punjab, January 5, 2022. Photograph: ANI Photo Leaders of the farmers' body said they came to know about the insertion of Section 307 (attempt to murder charge) of the Indian Penal Code in the FIR after the bail plea of one of the protesting farmers was rejected by a court in Ferozepur. On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy was stranded on a flyover due to a blockade by protesters in Punajb's Ferozepur after which he returned from the state without attending any event, including a rally. Later, the Supreme Court appointed a five-member committee, headed by former apex court judge Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach incident. The police had then lodged an FIR in the matter. Initially, the police had registered an FIR against 150 unidentified people at Kulgarhi police station under Section 283 (danger or obstruction in public way) of the IPC. Farmers said following a probe by a three-member Special Investigation Team, additional charges -- Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault on a public servant), 186 (obstruction of duty), 149 (unlawful assembly), 341 (wrongful restraint) and Section 8-B of the National Highway Act -- were inserted in the FIR by the police. The police pressed these charges against 25 farmers by name. Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) president Baldev Singh Zira said the bail plea of one of the protesters Kanwaljit Singh was rejected by Sessions Court on Tuesday. "The state government is apparently working under the pressure of the Union government. It has been three years since the incident. The farmers were actually going towards the district administrative complex to hold a protest, however, the police blocked their way near the bridge," he claimed. Zira claimed the farmers had no idea that the prime minister was coming via the same road. "Since the farmers were not allowed to move forward, they squatted there, and started a protest near the bridge", Zira said, adding the prime minister's cavalcade was at a distance of around one km from the protesting site during which no protesters went there." "The police had earlier booked unidentified people under section 283 of IPC, but later due to some kind of pressure, they added serious sections like 307 of IPC in that FIR," he said. The Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) president said, "Police booked 25 people, including me, by name. But no information was shared with us, neither did we receive any notices or summons." "Now, the court is issuing non-bailable warrants for non-appearance. This is just a conspiracy to demoralise and weaken 'Kissan Morcha 2.0'. But we will not let that happen," Zira added. Farmer leader Surjit Singh Phul, who is part of the ongoing protest at Shambhu and Khanauri border points, strongly condemned the Punjab Police for pressing the attempt to murder charge against farmers. "Arrest warrants have been issued against 25 farmers. The Punjab government is working under pressure from the Centre," he said. On January 5, 2022, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to lay the foundation stones of development projects worth over Rs 42,750 crore, including the Delhi-Amritsar-Katra expressway and a PGIMER satellite centre. When his convoy reached close to the Piareana village on the Ferozepur-Moga road, around 30 km from the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala, some protestors blocked the road following which the cavalcade was halted for almost 15-20 minutes. The PM had returned without dedicating developmental projects and addressing a rally. The incident had triggered a major political row with the BJP alleging that the then ruling Congress in Punjab "tried to physically harm" the prime minister, while other parties too attacked the state government over the law and order issue. Congress on Thursday said it would give Rs 500 LPG cylinder, free ration kits, and free electricity up to 300 units to the city residents if voted to power in Delhi. IMAGE: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy announces Congress's schemes ahead of Delhi polls. Photograph: @devendrayadvinc/X The announcement was made by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy who was addressing a press conference in New Delhi with AICC Delhi in-charge Qazi Nizamuddin and Delhi Congress chief Devender Yadav. "Congress will fulfil its five guarantees if it will be elected to power in Delhi," Reddy said. On January 6, the Congress announced its 'Pyaari Didi Yojana,' promising a monthly monetary grant of Rs 2,500 to women, if it is voted to power. On January 8, the party announced its 'Jeevan Raksha Yojana,' under which it promised to provide free health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh. The party on Sunday also promised to give Rs 8,500 every month to educated unemployed youths in Delhi every month for one year. Polling for the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held on February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8. The Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in New Delhi was inaugurated on Wednesday, as the grand old party turned a page in its history after operating from its iconic 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years. IMAGE: Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurates the 'Indira Bhawan', the new headquarters of the party, in New Delhi on Wednesday. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge are also seen. Photograph: ANI Photo Congress parliamentary party chief Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the plush five-storey building in the presence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and general secretaries Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Jairam Ramesh and K C Venugopal, among other senior leaders. Indira Gandhi Bhawan, constructed by L&T and designed by Hafeez Contractor, narrates the tale of the party's 139-year-old history with its walls adorning pictures from the freedom struggle to the party's governance achievements. The five principles of the Congress -- democracy, nationalism, secularism, inclusive growth and justice -- are inscribed on one of the walls of the building. As one enters the building, the wall in front adorns the pictures of the party's first president W C Benerjee and current chief Kharge. While Dr B R Ambedkar's picture with an inspirational quote adorns a wall, several other rare pictures showcasing India's struggle for independence and the Congress leaders' contribution are also put up across the five storeys. From Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to Subhas Chandra Bose and from Rabindranath Tagore to Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, their contributions are highlighted. The party's 139-year history is showcased throughout the building on the walls, in a unique blend of traditional and the modern. Achievements of Congress prime ministers are also highlighted including Jawaharlal Nehru's push for development of science and technology, Lal Bahadur Shastri's support for 'Kisan and Jawan', Indira Gandhi's nationalisation move and the 1971 win over Pakistan, Rajiv Gandhi's peace pacts and IT revolution, P V Narasimha Rao's opening up of the economy and Dr Manmohan Singh's welfare schemes. The library in the building is named after Dr Manmohan Singh who passed away last month. The event saw party leaders hoist the party flag at the new headquarters and the singing of Vande Matram and the national anthem. Sonia Gandhi then inaugurated the building, asking Kharge to join her in cutting the ribbon at the entry of the building. The Congress president thanked Priyanka Gandhi Vadra who is said to have overseen the work of construction and completion at the party's new headquarters. The new state-of-the-art All India Congress Committee headquarters -- Indira Gandhi Bhawan - symbolises the Congress's continuing mission to uphold the vision of its stalwarts, the party had earlier said. "It is time for us to move ahead with the times and embrace the new," AICC general secretary, organisation, Venugopal had said. The construction of Indira Gandhi Bhawan started during Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress chief. "Situated at 9A, Kotla Road, New Delhi, the Indira Gandhi Bhawan is designed to meet the evolving needs of the party and its leaders, featuring modern facilities to support administrative, organisational, and strategic activities. "This iconic building reflects the Congress party's forward-looking vision while paying homage to its extraordinary past, which has shaped the political and social fabric of India," the party had said. Sources have said the party will not vacate its present 24, Akbar Road office, which has been its headquarters since 1978 after the Congress (I) was formed, and it will continue to house some of its cells. The construction of the new AICC headquarters was delayed by several years owing to 'paucity of funds' ever since the Congress lost its government at the Centre. The Bharatiya Janata Party has also not vacated its old party headquarters at 11, Ashoka Road, even after shifting to its new headquarters at Deendayal Upadhyay Marg. Congress old-timers and romantics agree that modern amenities and a larger area are the need of the hour but the emotional connect and unfolding of history associated with the 24, Akbar Road address will always stay strong. The Akbar Road bungalow once housed Sir Reginald Maxwell, who was a member of Viceroy Lord Linlithgow's executive council. It was also home to a teen Aung San Suu Kyi in 1961 when her mother was appointed ambassador to India. The Congress has been its mainstay though. More than just an office for the party, the premises set in expansive lawns was witness to the tenure of seven Congress presidents. Brattleboro, VT (05301) Today Sun and clouds mixed. High 48F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Evening clouds will give way to clearing overnight. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. About 70 people gathered at the North Barn at Retreat Farm on Jan. 11 to learn what they can do to support asylum seekers and immigrants in Vermont. Robert Beck of Peterborough, N.H. served for 30 years overseas with the United States government in embassies in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He now teaches foreign policy classes at Keene State Colleges Cheshire Academy for Lifelong Learning. The opinions expressed by columnists do not necessarily reflect the views of Vermont News & Media. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, January 16.Kyrgyzstan's Keremet Bank, sanctioned by the US for helping Russian officials and Promsvyazbank evade sanctions, plans to challenge the decision by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), Trend reports. "The bank will appeal to OFAC to challenge the statement made by the (OFAC), which alleges violations by our bank. OJSC Keremet Bank continues to operate as usual, fulfilling its obligations to clients and partners with unwavering commitment to the principles of transparency, reliability, and responsibility," the bank's press service stated. The bank further noted that these events would not affect its operations. It continues to fulfill all obligations to depositors, with all branches operating according to schedule and its operational activities fully intact. "We are open to dialogue and willing to cooperate with regulatory authorities, including international auditors. We will keep our partners and clients informed as new information becomes available," the bank's press service added. On January 15, the US Department of the Treasury, through OFAC, imposed sanctions on the Kyrgyzstan-based OJSC Keremet Bank. The agency reported that, since the summer of 2024, the bank had been facilitating cross-border transfers on behalf of Promsvyazbank, which has been under US sanctions since 2022. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, January 16. Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon and Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed the potential use of the Iranian Chabahar and Bandar Abbas ports during a meeting in Dushanbe, Trend reports via the Tajikistan president's press service. During the meeting, the significance of these ports as optimal nodes for the logistics of goods and products was underscored. Rahmon also highlighted an emerging trajectory in bilateral commerce between the two nations in recent years and underscored the imperative to strategically leverage the extensive logistical and transit capabilities of both parties. The Tajik president emphasized the need for greater efforts from both countries' relevant authorities to fully implement the long-term Trade and Economic Cooperation Program through 2030 and its Roadmap. Interest was expressed in developing investment cooperation with Iran. In this context, it was noted that the extensive use of Tajikistans free economic zones aligns with the interests of both sides. Tajikistan also highlighted the broad potential in sectors such as mining, construction, food, and pharmaceuticals, as well as energy, transport, technology, agriculture, and other areas of mutual interest. As a result of the high-level talks between Tajikistan and Iran, 23 new cooperation agreements were signed on January 16. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The war in Ukraine has prompted western nations to crack down on the export of AI and other technologies that could be used against them. However, those decisions are being made by a subset of allied western nations rather than collectively because of a lack of international consensus on the issue, discussions before Parliaments foreign affairs and trade committee indicate. New Zealand belongs to various international agreements such as the Wassenaar Arrangement and the Australia Agreement that govern such exports, Ministry of Foreign Affairs deputy secretary of Europe, Middle East, Africa and Australia Paula Wilson told the committee in December. There are international discussions that identify the goods which can be used for dual purposes, which could be used either for civilian or military, she told the committee. Normally, New Zealand relied on those discussions to result in an agreement that certain goods should be added to our Strategic Goods List, however that process was now disrupted with the parties unable to reach agreement. We have found that recently Russia, in particular, is preventing those discussions from reaching agreement, Wilson said. So we and various other partners have agreed to add a very small number of goods to our New Zealand Strategic Goods List because we believe they can be used for military purposes. 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." With the approval of a new coalition government, Bulgaria's parliament has ended a prolonged stretch of political instability, during which the country was largely governed by caretaker cabinets and underwent seven elections in four years. Despite finishing first in the October 2024 elections, the country's dominant political force, the center-right GERB party, did not have a majority to govern alone. But after long and involved negotiations, it has finally managed to scrape together a coalition with the former communist and pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party; the populist There is Such a People party; and a faction of the Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which has traditionally represented Bulgaria's ethnic Turks. Guiding the new coalition will be Prime Minister Rosen Zhelyazkov, a senior GERB official with extensive government experience, having previously served as both a minister and parliamentary speaker. The coalition has already drawn criticism from opposition leaders and political analysts who have questioned its commitment to fighting corruption and maintaining the country's pro-Western stance. Borisov's Return For many Bulgarians, the GERB party, led by Boyko Borisov, is synonymous with corruption. A linchpin of Bulgarian politics, Borisov served as prime minister three times between 2009 and 2021 and was widely criticized for presiding over a system defined by widespread graft, a captured media, and alleged misuse of EU funds. Borisov eventually stepped down in 2021, shaken by months of massive anti-corruption protests. Despite winning elections since, his GERB party struggled to find willing coalition partners. Of particular concern is GERB's relationship with Delyan Peevski, a powerful and influential tycoon who has been accused of corruption and influence peddling and sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom. Instead of distancing itself from Peevski, as many Bulgarian politicians had urged, the coalition eliminated wording from earlier drafts of the political agreement that would have curbed his influence. This decision prompted the reformist We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria alliance to withdraw from negotiations and stay out of the coalition. Despite Prime Minister Zhelyazkov's ambitious agenda, which includes enacting EU-mandated reforms, pursuing eurozone membership, and bolstering the rule of law, many Bulgarians are not convinced. That's partly due to the coalition's inherent contradictions -- particularly its attempt to bridge pro-Western and pro-Russian interests. The pockmarks of compromise and political expediency are already showing. The phrase "pro-European" has been stripped from the coalition's opening statement, and commitments regarding Ukraine and Russia have been watered down to accommodate the historically pro-Russian Bulgarian Socialist Party's reluctance to support aid to Kyiv. It's worth remembering that the There is Such a People party started life as an anti-GERB and anti-corruption movement. With the last four years defined by political paralysis and reforms never getting off the ground, money from the European Union has almost dried up. Restoring this crucial financial pipeline might not be easy given that it requires implementing EU-mandated reforms and anti-corruption measures -- overhauls that the increasingly euroskeptic coalition member There Is Such A People has previously blocked. Will Bulgarian Continue Its Pro-European Path? Nevertheless, under the new government, Bulgaria is unlikely to shift its orientation away from the EU and the West. The country is a newly minted member of the Schengen visa-free zone and has pledged to avoid cooperation with "anti-European parties." Speaking on January 16, Zhelyazkov said he would ensure continuity in the country's geopolitics, mentioning the eurozone as a priority. There are also some checks and balances. Addressing parliament on January 16, Nadejda Iordanova from We Continue the Change-Democratic Bulgaria, said that the opposition parliamentary group would be watching to see if the government stuck to a pro-European path. "We will support the path to the euro, energy independence, and the modernization of the army," Iordanova said. "[We] will be the opposition, we will be consistent, we will work for the modernization and strengthening of institutions." The last four years have been characterized by political inertia and stagnant reform -- something that won't necessarily change now that Bulgaria has agreed on a government. What many Bulgarians fear now is not just that things will stay the same but that things will get worse, a return to what they see as a particularly unscrupulous and corrupt decade under the rule of Borisov and GERB. The accusation was as blunt as it was serious: Russia is plotting terror attacks against unspecified targets utilizing aircraft, Poland's prime minister said. "I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland but against airlines around the world," Donald Tusk told a news conference on January 15. Though shocking, the Polish leader's comments were not out of the blue: there's been a growing number of suspicious, alarming, and unexplained incidents in recent months. Some involved international airlines, and allegations that Russia was seeking to plant secret explosives on cargo flights; some involving ships that have disrupted undersea cables. In a growing number of European capitals, meanwhile, it's increasingly clear who the culprit is and what is going on: Moscow is waging a shadow campaign against the West. The increasing seriousness of the problem was underscored further by reports that U.S. intelligence officials intercepted communications from Russian military intelligence officials discussing the bomb plot and that President Joe Biden had instructed two top national-security advisers to warn off Russian officials. Moscow has routinely denied Western accusations of terror attacks, including arson, break-ins, poisoning, and attacks on individuals in the West. What You Need To Know Last July, a package shipped from Lithuania unexpectedly ignited at a DHL storage facility in the eastern German town of Leipzig, sparking a fire. The blaze was contained quickly; damage was minimal. It wasn't the only one. Around the same time, 1,300 kilometers to the west, a similar incendiary device ignited at a DHL warehouse in Birmingham, England. It had arrived on a DHL plane. Also at around the same time, a device at a transport company facility in Jablonow near the Polish capital, Warsaw, also exploded and caught fire. It took firefighters two hours to put it out. Taken together, the three fires traced a clear pattern -- someone was deliberately putting incendiary devices on cargo flights. It all set alarms sounding at law enforcement and intelligence agencies across Europe and North America. Not Just Bombs The incendiary packages coincided with news of another incident that's stoked suspicions. In early 2024, Armin Papperger, the chief executive officer of German industrial giant Rheinmetall, was the subject of a foiled assassination plot, according to reports by the Financial Times, CNN, and The New York Times. The company is one of the world's biggest producers of artillery and tank shells. More importantly, since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the company has dramatically expanded production of shells for Ukraine. U.S. officials informed Germany about the plot, The New York Times reported, prompting German intelligence services to provide security for Papperger. There's also been a series of events at sea -- mainly the Baltic Sea -- in which various ships have broken or damaged undersea telecommunications or power cables. Last month, Finnish authorities detained an oil tanker, the Eagle S, which was sailing from St. Petersburg, Russia, to Port Said, Egypt. Authorities later determined that the ship had dragged its anchor and damaged a cable in the Gulf of Finland. Though the ships involved were not Russian -- they were flying "flags of convenience" from countries other than the country of ownership -- officials in Finland and elsewhere have accused them of belonging to Russia's "shadow fleet." That's a fleet of vessels -- some unmarked, many using "flags of convenience" -- that the Kremlin has reportedly built up since its 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine as a way to get around Western sanctions. Most of Russia's oil is now being sold abroad via this shadow fleet, according to Ukrainian researchers. The "shadow fleet" may also be helping Russia conduct intelligence surveillance. One report published after the Eagle S was detained said it was equipped with "special transmitting and receiving devices that were used to monitor naval activity." "This year there were 500 suspicious incidents in Europe," Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said last month before a meeting of NATO ministers. "Up to 100 of them can be attributed to Russian hybrid attacks, espionage, influence operations." What's Happened As A Result? Earlier this month, Finnish authorities seized the Eagle S, declaring it unseaworthy. Another Chinese-owned ship, the Yi Peng 3, was stopped, and later boarded, in international waters near Denmark and Sweden, amid suspicions that it had dragged its anchor and cut two telecom cables. The ship was ultimately released to continue sailing to Egypt. In October, meanwhile, Poland's Prosecutor-General's Office issued a statement about the airline package devices, announcing that four people had been detained "for participation in an international sabotage-diversionary group," and that it was looking for two others. "The group's activities consisted of sabotage and diversion related to sending parcels containing camouflaged explosives and dangerous materials via courier companies to European Union countries and Great Britain, which spontaneously ignited or detonated during land and air transport," a spokeswoman said. "The group's goal was also to test the transfer channel for such parcels, which were ultimately to be sent to the United States of America and Canada." Hints of a wider plot were also alluded to by Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency, who told lawmakers there had been a significant increase in Russian espionage and sabotage activities in Germany. If the Leipzig package that ignited had started burning during a flight, Haldenwang told lawmakers in September, "it would have resulted in a crash." Sometime after last August, as U.S. and European officials began working with top airline executives to implement new screening procedures for cargo flights, Biden ordered two of his top security officials -- CIA Director William Burns and national-security adviser Jake Sullivan -- to contact top aides to Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and, according to the Times, warn them off. U.S. intelligence agencies also obtained intercepts of conversations between top officials at the Russian military intelligence agency known as the GRU, the Times reported. The conversations described how the ignited packages -- which included small electronic consumer items -- constituted a test run for other efforts. In October, the head of Britain's main domestic counterintelligence agency, MI5, specifically called out the GRU, saying they were on "a sustained mission to generate mayhem on British and European streets: We've seen arson, sabotage and more. Dangerous actions conducted with increasing recklessness." Hue And Cry Though he gave no details, Tusk's comments, made alongside visiting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, were striking given his prominence: The head of government lodging a public, incendiary allegation, all but accusing Moscow of terrorism. They also echoed comments from other Western officials, who have said they suspect Russia of trying to wage a "shadow" campaign -- including sabotage, espionage, disinformation -- across Europe and North America. The goal? To destabilize the West and undermine its support for Ukraine as it defends against the ongoing Russian invasion. For its part, Russia has repeatedly and vocally denied any involvement in the aircraft cargo devices, or the shadow fleet cable damage. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reporting about the airline sabotage plot an example of a "vague fabrication." Before Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, Ukrainian businessman Illya Lif flew model planes as a hobby and ran a successful coffeehouse chain. These days, he runs a military drone unit for the Ukrainian Army in the Donetsk region. The man, now using the call sign "Izya," says he has no regrets about leaving his profits and yacht behind to join the fight. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The Organization of Turkic States (OTS) plans to organize a multimodal transport forum in Uzbekistan in May this year in cooperation with logistics centers and cargo carriers, Secretary General of OTS Kubanychbek Omuraliyev said during the X meeting of heads of customs services of OTS, Trend reports. Will be updated Eva Osborne 73 per cent of office workers believe their employer holds staff personally responsible either through disciplinary action or unfavourable treatment for cybersecurity incidents. This is according to a study from IT.ie and SonicWall, which also revealed 29 per cent of office workers report that at least one person in their company has been fired for accidentally causing a breach in the last 12 months. The research of 1,000 office workers based in Ireland was carried out by Censuswide on behalf of IT.ie and SonicWall. More than a third (38 per cent) of respondents believe their company 'always holds employees responsible for cybersecurity incidents, while 35 per cent said they do so sometimes. Given this stance, the survey explored the personal impact of cybersecurity threats and incidents on workers. It found that 50 per cent of office workers feel stressed about cybersecurity in their job. This is despite the fact that the majority (60 per cent) of respondents believe employees are not to blame for unintentional breaches and incidents. The personal toll of causing a cybersecurity breach is so great that almost two-thirds (64 per cent) of office workers said they would leave, or consider leaving, their job if they were to cause a breach. Meanwhile, 79 per cent advocate for organisations providing mental health support to those who fall victim to cybersecurity attacks. Despite the mounting pressure felt by employees to circumvent a growing volume of increasingly sophisticated threats, the research found that many do not feel comfortable reporting cybersecurity concerns to the relevant people. More than a third (36 per cent) of those surveyed admitted that they have neglected to report a breach in the last 12 months, with the top reason for this cited as embarrassment, followed by fear of repercussions. One in give said they would not be comfortable reporting a concern to upper management. Founder and managing director at IT.ie, Eamon Gallagher, said: This research shows that businesses are, understandably, under enormous pressure due to the growing threat posed by cybercriminals. "However, that pressure is wrongly being felt on a personal level by employees. While it is on all of us to be vigilant, the average office worker is not a cybersecurity expert; the onus is on business and IT leaders to ensure they have taken every step possible to safeguard their business and people. Stringent cybersecurity measures will become legally binding for EU organisations who fall under the NIS2 directive later this year. It places the responsibility back on senior leaders to oversee training, security and business continuity measures that ensure that if, and when, a breach does happen, its impact is minimal." Regional director for Northern Europe at Sonicwall, Stuart Taylor, said: Our research underscores a critical issue in workplace cybersecurity culture. Blaming individuals for breaches not only fails to address the root causes of cyber incidents but also creates an environment of fear that can restrict transparency. "It's important for organisations to build a positive atmosphere where employees feel empowered to report concerns without the fear of repercussions. As cyber threats evolve, so must our approaches to securityprioritising collective responsibility and proactive measures over a culture of blame. By investing in security training, businesses can better equip their teams to navigate the complex cybersecurity landscape and protect themselves from the increasingly sophisticated tactics of cybercriminals. "It's equally important to stay ahead by implementing the latest cybersecurity defences, ensuring comprehensive protection against emerging threats." By Jonathan McCambridge, PA A lawyer representing influencers Andrew and Tristan Tate has said there was no threat referred to in social media posts from his clients about Sorcha Eastwood, other than in a political sense. However, the legal team of the Northern Ireland MP responded by calling this an attempt to to trivialise the relevant offensive postings. Kevin Winters of KRW Law said, earlier this week, he had been instructed by Ms Eastwood to begin legal action against the brothers over social media posts. The posts were made last week, a day after the Lagan Valley MP had told the UK House of Commons she was a survivor of abuse and had received rape threats. Solicitor Kevin Winters said he had been instructed by Ms Eastwood to begin legal proceedings against the Tate brothers (Liam McBurney/PA) In a statement, Andrew Ford of Holborn Adams, who represents the Tate brothers, said: No legal proceedings have been commenced at this stage. A letter was received from KRW Law which alluded to a potential claim. Mr Ford said the letter from Mr Winters had been sent in response to a letter sent on behalf of Tristan Tate which raised concerns about a tweet sent by Ms Eastwood. He added: It only takes someone to read the tweets sent by my clients to realise that there is no threat referred to, directly or indirectly, other than in a political sense (ie the threat of changing the shape of politics in the future). In response, Mr Winters said: Our letter to Holborn Adams is unequivocal. It makes it clear our client will be issuing a claim. Mr Winters rejected the claim that the letter was sent in response to a letter of claim received by Ms Eastwood, stating it was sent on an entirely standalone basis. He added: We can confirm we did send a second separate letter in response to the letter of claim in which we rejected the allegations made. It is a matter of concern that the solicitors acting for Mr Tate have sought to trivialise the relevant offensive postings as amounting solely to threats of a political nature. Ms Eastwood told the House of Commons last week: I am a survivor of abuse myself. Northern Ireland is one of the most dangerous places in Europe to be a woman. She added: We previously did a lot of visits to the Northern Ireland Parliament building, Stormont, whenever I sat there in the Northern Ireland Assembly, and during one school visit a member of the public came up and said they wanted to rape me. And there were two people there and we just kind of were paralysed with the response, and that was not the right response. Not from me, but from the people around. Andrew Tate has previously been banned from TikTok, YouTube and Facebook after the platforms accused him of posting hate speech and misogynistic comments, including that women should bear responsibility for being sexually assaulted. But he remains popular on X, with almost 10 million followers, many of them young men and schoolchildren. Eva Osborne Irish and Spanish-based hotels, resorts, and property group FBD Hotels and Resorts (FBDH&R) has reached an agreement to acquire the Grand Hotel in Malahide, Co Dublin, for a sum of approximately 55 million. The Grand Hotel, which employs over 200 people, dates back to 1835 and has been in the ownership of the seller, the Ryan family, since 1974. It is a popular destination, conference, and wedding venue. The agreement, subject to approval by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC), will see the Grand Hotel become the seventh property in FBDH&Rs luxury four-star and four-star superior hotels and resorts portfolio. FBDH&R currently owns and operates four hotels in IrelandFaithlegg Hotel, Waterford; the Heritage Hotel and Spa, Laois; Castleknock Hotel, Dublin; and Killashee Hotel, Kildare. As with previous acquisitions, FBDH&R signalled that it plans to invest in upgrading the Grand Hotel over the coming period. This will include upgrades to the hotels rooms, bar and dining facilities, conference, wedding and leisure offerings, as well as IT infrastructure, marketing, and professional development. FBDH&R Chief Executive, David Kelly, said: We are delighted to have reached agreement with the Ryan family. The Grand Hotel in Malahide is an iconic hotel located in one of Irelands most unique settings. "We are honoured to be entrusted with the stewardship of this historic hotel, whose rich heritage and enduring legacy have made it a symbol of excellence in hospitality." Sean McCarthaigh The family of a Laois man has expressed dismay that he suffered a fatal fall at his home four years ago which fresh evidence has indicated was linked to an undiagnosed medical condition. Raphael Scott (65), a married father of two from Esker, Ballyfin, Co Laois, sustained severe injuries when he suddenly fell onto the ground about eight feet below from a loft where he had been loading hay. Mr Scott, a retired schoolteacher, suffered a cardiac arrest from his injuries and died on March 20th, 2021 at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where he had been transferred by ambulance. At a resumed hearing of the inquest into his death at Dublin District Coroners Court on Thursday, evidence was heard that Mr Scott had posthumously been diagnosed with amyloidosis a rare disease when a protein called amyloid builds up in organs and which can affect the functioning of the heart. The inquest had been adjourned at a previous sitting to allow for more tests to be done on the deceaseds body to ascertain if he had suffered from some type of medical condition that has caused his sudden fall. His wife, Bernie, who had witnessed the fall said the incident was utterly out of keeping for her husband. A pathologist, Helen Barrett, said the main finding of the original postmortem was that Mr Scott had died as a result of multiple traumatic injuries from a fall including bruising and swelling of the brain as well as bleeding near the brain. Coronary artery disease However, Dr Barrett said the results of further tests on tissue samples from the deceaseds body had found evidence of coronary artery disease. The pathologist said an analysis by a specialist laboratory in London had confirmed the presence of amyloidosis in the tissue samples taken from Mr Scott. However, she also said the results from the UK lab did not support a finding that the amyloidosis was related to a hereditary condition which was important information with implications for his relatives and their own health. Dr Barrett said amyloidosis could result in a cardiac arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat) which could cause someone to fall. Based on the fresh evidence, the coroner, Aisling Gannon, said she would record the cause of death as traumatic head injuries due to presumed cardiac arrhythmia and return a verdict of death due to natural causes. Key factor in case She noted ordinarily that the verdict in the case of someone who had died from a fall in similar circumstances to Mr Scott would be recorded as an accidental death. Ms Gannon said there was no evidence that Mr Scott had suffered a heart attack and it had to be presumed he suffered a cardiac arrhythmia as such a finding could not be established by a postmortem. Amyloidosis is a key factor in this case, the coroner observed. Speaking on behalf of her family, the deceaseds daughter, Claire Scott, thanked Dr Barrett and the coroner and her staff for taking the time to fully examine all the facts about her fathers death and the reasons for his passing. He was a very considerate and thoughtful person and would have appreciated your detailed work, she added. Ms Scott, who is political correspondent with the Sunday Times, said it was now clear to her family that he had suffered from a number of the key symptoms of amyloidosis in the years preceding his death for which he had never been referred for testing relating to this condition. It is devastating to learn that despite regular check-ups with his doctors, he did not receive a correct diagnosis which may have prolonged his life, said Ms Scott. Accompanied by her mother and sister, Joanne, she said it was their hope that her fathers caretakers would take stock of what this postmortem has revealed and their future patients may benefit from this information. Mr Scott, who was a native of Mountmellick, Co Laois, started his career in teaching in Patrician College, Ballyfin in 1981 and worked at a number of schools in the local area until he retired from his job as a mathematics teacher in Mountrath Community School in 2013. The death has occurred of Fr Donal Morris, parish priest of Kilbegnet and Glinsk. Fr. Donal, who died this morning (January 16th), was the youngest Irish-born priest of the Diocese of Elphin. Donal grew up in Ballinaheglish, in the parish of Oran, where his parents, Kathleen and Eamonn still live. "We offer our condolences and prayers to them, as well as to Donals beloved sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews and his wider family," said Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran. Donal studied at CBS Roscommon and, following his Leaving Certificate, began his journey to priesthood by undertaking the pre-seminary formation year at Donamon, in the same parish where he has served for the past five years. He subsequently completed his formation for the priesthood at St. Patricks College, Maynooth and was ordained on June 4th, 1995. His first assignment was as a curate in Kilmurry in the parish of Tulsk, after which he served as chaplain at Castlerea Prison for seven years. On completing his service in the prison, he was assigned to the parish of Knockcroghery, and later to St. Josephs Parish, Boyle. In 2014 he went as administrator to the parish of Loughglynn. "His final assignment was to the parish of Kilbegnet and Glinsk where, in spite of his declining health, he gave himself very generously in the service of his parishioners up to the time of his death," said Bishop Doran. "St. Paul tells us that there are many gifts, but all from the same Spirit. One of Donals gifts, which was already noticed during his years in seminary, was his preoccupation with doing things properly. This was probably one of the reasons for his decision to undertake studies in Canon Law, graduating with an MA from Milltown Institute and a JCL from the University of Leuven. He could be formal, and he could be challenging, but he also had a great sense of humour," remarked Bishop Doran. "Donal carried his illness with great courage. As he commented recently, there was no point in speaking words of faith at the death-beds of others, if he didnt reflect that faith in his own dying. He deeply appreciated the care that was given to him, especially in the Hawthorne Unit at St. Vincents Private Hospital, which he jokingly described as his local. "The diocesan identity was important to Donal. He was instrumental in procuring vestments with the diocesan crest for all the priests, so that we would be well turned out for special occasions. He was always very concerned that those who had served as priests in the past would not be forgotten after they died. We will certainly not forget him anytime soon," added Bishop Doran. "As I offer condolences on behalf of the Diocese to Donals family and to his fellow priests, I also want to mention his parishioners in Kilbegnet and Glinsk. I had the privilege of celebrating Mass with them last Sunday, which was offered for Fr. Donal, and I know that they will greatly miss him. "May he Rest In Peace." Druid have announced that Three Short Comedies by Sean OCasey will play at Roscommon Arts Centre on Friday, February 7th and Saturday, February 8th as part of a national tour. Three Short Comedies features three hilarious one-act plays by the great Irish playwright, Sean OCasey. Set in a post office, A Pound on Demand (1939) is the tale of Jerry and Sammy who badly need a quick injection of cash to continue their night on the town. In Bedtime Story (1951), poor John Jo Mulligan learns the hard way that inviting members of the opposite sex to Miss Mossie's lodging house comes with serious consequences. All hell breaks loose in The End of the Beginning (1937) when Darry Berrill and his wife Lizzie agree to swap their household roles - and that's before Darry's clumsy friend Barry arrives. These short tales of misadventure will be directed by Ballaghaderreen native Garry Hynes and performed by a cast of six including Druid ensemble members Marie Mullen, Rory Nolan and Marty Rea, alongside Venetia Bowe, Caitriona Ennis and Liam Heslin. This new tour continues Druids fruitful relationship with the works of Sean OCasey. They previously toured these classic, rip-roaring one-act plays in 2021 to great acclaim. Three Short Comedies features three hilarious one-act plays by the great Irish playwright, Sean OCasey. Pic: Ste Murray Since 1975, Druid have been criss-crossing the country to bring world-class theatre to audiences in their own communities. This upcoming national tour marks the beginning of their 50th anniversary programme in 2025. Ballaghaderreen natibe Garry Hynes, director of Three Short Comedies and Druids Artistic Director explained that touring around the country is the lifeblood of Druid so it feels absolutely right for us to begin our 50th year with a national tour, and to be touring with plays by the great Sean OCasey makes it even better. These three one-act plays are full of farce, biting satire and joyful theatre-craft, performed by a cast of six actors including three members of the much loved Druid Ensemble. Three Short Comedies will be produced in Druids home city of Galway, with costumes created at the companys Nuns Island Costume Department and sets constructed in its Ballybane Set Workshop, in line with Druids commitments to sustainability and local employment. SGPC protests against release of Emergency in Punjab, writes letter to govt SGPC has warned that it will strongly oppose the film if it is released. SGPC Demanding Ban of Emergency Latest News Today: SGPC demands a ban on Kangana Ranauts film Emergency in Punjab, set to release on Jan 17, 2025. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami writes a letter to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, stating the film misrepresents Sikh history and could spark outrage. The letter states that if the film is released, it will provoke anger and bitterness among the Sikh community. Therefore, it is the governments responsibility to ensure the film is banned in the state, it demanded, The SGPC has warned that it will strongly oppose the film if it is released. Additionally, demand letters have been sent to all Deputy Commisioner. Advertisement SGPC Demands Ban on Kangana Ranaut's 'Emergency' in Punjab The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has demanded a ban on Kangana Ranaut's film 'Emergency' in Punjab, citing misrepresentation of Sikh history and a potential strong reaction of anger. In a letter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami stated that the film's release could provoke anger and bitterness among the Sikh community. The SGPC has warned that it will strongly oppose the film if it is released, and demand letters have been sent to all Deputy Commissioners in Punjab regarding this issue. The film, set to release on January 17, 2025, has been at the center of controversy, with Sikh groups accusing it of pulling historical facts and keeping negative stereotypes about Sikhs. Controversy Surrounding 'Emergency' The film's trailer sparked outrage among Sikh groups, who claimed that it misrepresents the community and its history. The SGPC has objected to the film's portrayal of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a prominent Sikh leader, and has demanded that the filmmakers remove objectionable scenes and issue an apology to the Sikh community. Advertisement Kangana Ranaut, who directs and stars in the film, has faced criticism for her comments on Sikhs and her portrayal of Indira Gandhi, the former Prime Minister of India. The film's release has been delayed several times due to controversy and censorship issues. (For more news apart from SGPC Demanding Ban of Emergency Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Fourth batch of farmers to march to Delhi on Jan 21 Farmer leader Sarwan Pandher revealed that 101 farmers have already embarked on their journey to Delhi. Farmers Delhi March Protest Latest News Today: The farmers, protesting at the Shambhu border, have made a significant announcement in a press conference regarding their upcoming march to Delhi. They have declared that the fourth delegation will move towards Delhi on January 21. Farmer leader Sarwan Pandher revealed that 101 farmers have already embarked on their journey to Delhi. On the other hand, the SKM political and SKM non-political organisations are scheduled to hold a meeting on January 18 and if, a consensus is made to join hands in a protest against the Centre, the protest might get intensified. Advertisement He mentioned that since the central government is not yet ready for talks, they will intensify their conflict. According to him, all the farmers' demands are in the national interest and should be implemented. This declaration comes after previous attempts to march to Delhi in December failed. Haryana police had put up barricades to stop the farmers and resorted to tear gas and water cannons. As the date approaches, all eyes are on the farmers' next move and the government's response to their demands. Advertisement Currently, farmers are protesting at the Haryana-Punjab border and Jagjit Dallewal has been on a hunger strike for the past 52 days. The situation is critical, with 111 farmers supporting the hunger strike from January 15. The farmers are determined to continue their protest until their demands are met. (For more news apart from Farmers Delhi March Protest Latest News Today, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman) Punjabi Girl Dies Due To Heartattack in Canada Every year, young people from Punjab travel to abroad in search of a better future. Punjabi Girl Rupinder Kaur Death in Canada News: Every year, numerous people from Punjab travel abroad in search of a better future. Unfortunately, many also face severe hardships, sometimes even leading to their untimely deaths. A recent tragic incident that came from Canada highlights this harsh reality. A young woman from Punjab, identified as Rupinder Kaur, passed away due to a heart attack. Rupinder, originally from Bahadar Nagar in Tarn Taran district Punjab, bid adieu to the heavenly abode. Advertisement She moved to Brampton for her studies about thirteen months ago. She tragically died due to a heart attack yesterday. Her family is deeply saddened by the news of her passing. (For more updates apart from Punjabi Girl Rupinder Kaur Death in Canada News, stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman ) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. A multilateral document should be developed on mutual recognition of the status of operators between the member countries of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), Chairman of the State Customs Committee under the Ministry of Economy and Finance of Uzbekistan Akmalhoja Mavlonov said during the 10th meeting of the heads of OTS customs services today, Trend reports. According to him, GPS seals should replace physical escorts. "We support the initiative to implement electronic seals to simplify transportation. Studying optimal practices in OTS countries in this area is of great interest to us. In Uzbekistan, the procedure for granting the status of an authorized economic operator, the requirements for inclusion in the registry of categories, and a list of benefits for them are established by law," Mavlonov explained. He mentioned that, to date, there are 61 participants in Uzbekistan's Authorized Economic Operator registry for foreign economic activity. "This is very few for a large country. We have signed international agreements on mutual recognition of authorized economic operators with China, Russia, and Belarus. In this regard, we support further development of national programs for authorized economic operators in OTS countries and propose developing a multilateral document on mutual recognition of the status of these operators between OTS member states. We also consider it advisable to create a working group to coordinate efforts in this direction," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The UN human rights chief Volker Turk has described the unbearable suffering of former detainees under the deposed Assad regime and insisted that he stands with the people of the war-torn nation as they "rebuild a country that works for all Syrians". Speaking from Damascus after meeting the leader of the caretaker authorities, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Turk said that he had been "assuredof the importance of respect for human rights for all Syrians and all different components of Syrian society". Syria's de facto leader, who spearheaded the overthrow of Bashar Al Assad on December 8 as the leader of opposition fighters Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS), also underscored "the pursuit of healing, trust building and social cohesion, and the reform of institutions", the High Commissioner said. "But the challenges are immense," he told reporters, pointing to the "hundreds of thousands of lives" lost, the fact that much of the country lies in ruins". Today, nine in 10 Syrians are "mired in poverty, the system is on its knees and many schools are closed," Turk said. "Millions are still displaced both inside and outside the country. The rights to food, health, education and housing are fundamental human rights, and there must be prompt, collective and concerted efforts to guarantee them." The UN rights chief called on the international community to urgently consider lifting the ongoing sanctions on Syria. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has launched his visit to Ukraine Thursday with a promise to put that country in the "strongest possible position" in 2025. Arriving in capital Kiev six months after leading the Labor party into power in the U.K., Starmer assured his government's long-term support to Ukraine in its fight against Russia's "illegal and barbaric invasion". He laid flowers at a wall of remembrance for the martyrs of the war in the presence of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. "Putin's ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level," Starmer said. The Prime Minister's Office said that during his visit, Starmer will sign a "landmark 100-year partnership" deal that would ensure UK's economic and military support to Ukraine. The treaty will bolster military collaboration on maritime security through a new framework to strengthen Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security and deter ongoing Russian aggression. It will bring together experts to advance scientific and partnerships in areas such as healthcare and disease, agri-tech, space and drones, and build lifelong friendships through classroom projects. New UK-built Grain Verification Scheme will also be launched to track stolen grain from occupied Ukrainian territories. The Treaty and political declaration, which form the 100 Year Partnership, will be laid in Parliament in the coming weeks, according to 10 Downing Street. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia released a report on Thursday showing a substantial turnaround by regional manufacturing activity in the month of January. The Philly Fed said its diffusion index for current general activity skyrocketed to a positive 44.3 in January from a negative 10.9 in December, with a positive reading indicating growth. Economists had expected the index to jump to a negative 5.0. With the significantly bigger than expected increase, the Philly Fed index surged its highest level since hitting 44.4 in April 2021. The spike by the headline index partly reflected a substantial turnaround by new orders, as the new orders index soared to a positive 42.9 in January from a negative 3.6 in December, reaching its highest level since November 2021. The shipments index also skyrocketed to 41.0 in January from 1.7 in December, reaching its highest reading since October 2020. The employment index also climbed to 11.9 in January from 4.8 in December. The report also said the prices paid index rose to 31.9 in January from 26.6 in December, while the prices received index jumped to 29.7 in January from 5.6 in December. Looking ahead, the Philly Fed said the diffusion index for future general activity jumped to 46.3 in January from 33.8 in December, suggesting more widespread expectations for overall growth over the next six months. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York released a separate on Wednesday showing regional manufacturing activity unexpectedly declined in the month of January. The New York Fed said its general conditions index slumped to a negative 12.6 in January from a positive 2.1 in December, with a negative reading indicating contraction. Economists had expected the index to inch up to a positive 3.0. Meanwhile, the New York Fed said firms grew more optimistic conditions would improve in the months ahead, with the index for future business activity jumping to 36.7 in January from 26.9 in December. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released new osteoporosis prevention guidelines, recommending all women aged 65 and older, and at-risk postmenopausal women under 65 to undergo screening for osteoporosis to prevent fractures. "Too often, the first sign of osteoporosis is a broken bone, which can lead to serious issues," USPSTF member Dr. Esa Davis, senior associate dean of population and community medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in a statement. "The good news is that for women 65 years or older, as well as younger women at increased risk, screening can detect osteoporosis earlybefore fractures happenhelping women maintain their health, independence, and quality of life." Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens the bones, caused by decline of bone mineral density and bone mass. The skeletal disease primarily effects older population with around 10 million people in the U.S. over the age of 50 suffering from it, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The new recommendation was supported by 145 unique studies assessed in a systematic evidence review, showing that osteoporosis screening was associated with reduced hip fractures and major osteoporotic fractures compared to standard care. However, the USPSTF noted that it is yet to find enough evidence to support whether osteoporosis screening and current treatments prevent fractures among men. "The Task Force continues to call for more research in men and encourages anyone concerned about their bone health to speak with their clinician," stated USPSTF vice chair Dr. John Wong, chief of the Tufts Medical Center Division of Clinical Decision Making. The updated guidelines, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also noted certain inequalities related to osteoporosis screening with risk assessment tools having some limitations in predicting fracture risk among Black, Hispanic and Asian people. "It is important that clinicians be aware of these limitations," the task force said in its statement. "Clinicians may also want to consider additional risk factors to help inform discussions with their patients and determine whether screening or treatment for osteoporosis is needed." For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News TASHNKENT, Uzbekistan, January 16. Uzbekistan's mining and metallurgical complexes are preparing to issue eurobonds in 2025, Trend reports. This was revealed at a videoconference chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on key investment issues. The Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex (AMMC) is planning to issue eurobonds worth $1 billion, aimed at financing its significant expansion projects. Similarly, the Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Complex will issue eurobonds valued at $500 million, strengthening its capacity within the mining sector. In addition, the Navoiyuran and Uzmetkombinat companies are set to release eurobonds, each targeting $300 million. These issuances are expected to help the companies fund essential projects, improving their global competitiveness and further expanding Uzbekistans industrial base. Uzbekistan is also focusing on attracting $700 million from external markets through international ratings for its aviation and infrastructure sectors, including Uzbekistan Airways and Uzbekistan Airports. Earlier, Uzbekistan's Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company completed the settlement of its inaugural $1 billion dual-tranche Eurobond offering, which garnered significant attention from global investors. The offering, consisting of $500 million in 4-year notes at a yield of 6.70 percent and $500 million in 7-year notes at a yield of 6.95 percent, attracted an impressive order book of $5.5 billionmore than 5.5 times oversubscribed. This marks the largest order book for any issuer from Uzbekistan since the sovereign debut in 2019. Other council business Councilors met in closed session for about an hour to discuss personnel matters and ongoing litigation, including the future of the Soldiers Monument, the search for a new city manager and Public Works and Utilities Director John Dupuis, who has been on unpaid leave since being arrested in late December. City Attorney Erin McSherry said the city received 10,824 records requests in 2024, just 24 off from an estimate made by Inspection of Public Records Act Manager Katherine Garcia-Gallegos. Councilors voted to deny a land-use case appeal by attorney Karl Sommer on behalf of Ferran Properties, LLC. The appellant had requested the city take enforcement action against Brian Gutierrezs company Mr. Gs Auto Sales, LLC on Baca Lane. As part of the consent agenda, councilors approved a budget adjustment of $4.1 million for additional work on the wastewater treatment plant on Paseo Real. As part of the consent agenda, councilors voted to increase the citys contract with the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe by $90,000 to $390,000 for the city-sponsored New Years Eve and Dia de los Muertos events. At a Jan. 8 committee meeting, interim Tourism Director Jordan Guenther said the increase was needed due largely to the need for increased security. As part of the consent agenda, councilors approved a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the purchase of an additional vehicle for the citys Alternative Responsive Unit and for new laptops. As part of the consent agenda, councilors approved a $7 million contract with Vital Consulting Group LLC for the demolition and reconstruction of a terminal ramp at the Santa Fe Regional Airport. Councilor Amanda Chavez introduced legislation allowing the city to enter into a grant agreement with the state Department of Transportation for $100,000 for the design and construction of a new pedestrian underpass on St. Michaels Drive. Councilors approved a $95,000 grant agreement with the state Department of Transportation under the Que Linda Beautification Program to be used for litter reduction and beautification work. Councilors voted 7-1 in favor of a resolution sponsored by Councilor Signe Lindell to amend the citys firework display requirements. Under the change, legislation is not needed to approve permits for individual public firework displays and identifies the International Fire Code as the standard for the permitting of public displays of fireworks in the city. The bill also requires operators to be certified and approved by the fire department. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 16. Uzbekistan decided to create a dedicated Emergency Task Force led by the Prime Minister to work closely with financial bodies, Trend reports. This was revealed at a videoconference chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on key investment issues. Uzbekistan plans to implement projects worth $5.2 billion, funded by international financial institutions. The newly formed task force will focus on each project in detail, carrying out specific tasks and holding weekly discussions to monitor progress and ensure timely implementation. Among the projects, plans are in place to work on $1.1 billion in projects with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and $1 billion with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) this year. The authorities have been instructed to work closely with these two major international banks, visiting various regions and increasing the number of projects that can be implemented without state guarantees for entrepreneurs. For each project, dedicated officials will be assigned to oversee the execution, and support will be provided to entrepreneurs in attracting necessary funding. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan envisions increasing its gross domestic product to $120 billion in 2025. The nation has also set its sights on cranking up exports to a whopping $30 billion and ramping up investments to more than $42 billion. Furthermore, the aim is to whip up 5 million new jobs and pull 1.5 million people out of the poverty pit. The snow leopard (Panthera uncia) is a large feline unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its surrounding areas. How this apex predator gradually adapted to the extreme environments remains unexplored due to the scanty fossil record in Tibet. In new research, scientists examined five outside-Tibet records of the snow leopard lineage. Their results suggest that the snow leopard dispersed out of the Tibetan Plateau multiple times during the Quaternary period. The anatomy of the modern snow leopard shows adaptations to the steep slope and cold/high-altitude environment. The new results suggest that the snow leopard experienced a gradual strengthening of such adaptation, especially since the Middle Pleistocene (0.8 million years ago). The snow leopard is one of the iconic animals of the Tibetan Plateau and distributes also in the ranged mountainous regions of central Asia as the Mongolian Plateau. It has distinctive features, e.g., long and dense pelage, long tail, short face, steep and wide forehead, large cheek teeth etc., that clearly distinguish it from the other members of the genus Panthera. The snow leopard typically inhabits within high alpine regions, above 3,000 m, or above the tree line, but may also occur at much lower elevations below 1,000 m in some areas of Siberia. The status of the snow leopard in IUCNs Red List is Vulnerable, with 4,000 individuals. However, under global warming, its distribution is expected to be substantially affected, as moving northward or upward to a higher altitude. While the distinctive characteristics of the snow leopard have long been acknowledged, the correlation between these traits and its adaptation to the Tibetan Plateau environment, as well as their evolutionary history, remains largely unexplored, said Dr. Qigao Jiangzuo, a researcher at the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Peking University, and colleagues. This gap in understanding is primarily due to the scarcity of snow leopard fossils in the Tibetan Plateau and its surrounding regions. In the study, the researchers described snow leopard fossils from five sites: Longdan in Gansu, China; Arago in France; Zhoukoudian locality 3 in Beijing, China; Manga Larga in Portugal; and Niuyan Cave in Mentougou, Beijing, China. Except for the fossil from Niuyan Cave, which can be classified as a modern snow leopard, the others show significant differences compared to existing snow leopards. The scientists concluded that the snow leopards found outside the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are not an independent lineage but rather comprise small offshoots from the main snow leopard branch. It is likely that these offshoots represent multiple dispersals of snow leopards out of Tibet at different times. To study the evolution of important morphological features, the authors conducted a systematic analysis of the functional morphology of modern snow leopards using anatomy, geometric morphometrics, and finite element analysis. Their findings indicate that snow leopards have large eye sockets and highly developed binocular vision, suggesting they possess advanced stereoscopic vision that allows them to quickly focus on prey in complex terrain. Snow leopards have a short snout and a steeply angled jaw, with canines that feature a nearly round cross-section, the researchers said. This structure enables them to exert powerful forces to subdue strong prey, although it may also compromise flexibility. Furthermore, snow leopards well-developed frontal sinus system warms inhaled air and enhances respiratory efficiency, making them animals well-adapted to cold, low-oxygen environments. Moreover, snow leopards possess a pronounced tympanic bulla, which increases their sensitivity to infrasonic waves, allowing them to detect prey sounds from greater distances in open areas. Their large cheek teeth (i.e., premolars and molars) also enable them to consume most meat from prey before it freezes in the cold environment. In addition, these teeth improve snow leopards ability to chew already frozen carcasses. While the scapulae and pelvis of snow leopards are relatively small, their distal limb bones are elongated. This indicates that their forelimbs have less muscular power but greater flexibility in movement, making them suited for running and jumping in mountainous regions. Most of these features represent adaptations to mountainous environments and to their primary prey, the Caprinae (sheep and related species), which tend to have slower speeds but short, robust limbs and strong horns for resistance. Only a small portion of snow leopard adaptations pertains to high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions. The scientists also studied the functional morphology of fossil snow leopards by correlating various morphological features with their functions. They discovered that early snow leopards, including the Early Pleistocene Panthera aff. pyrenaica from Longdan and the Early Middle Pleistocene Panthera pyrenaica from France, had mandibles that were already steeply angled but had not yet shortened. Additionally, their cheek teeth had not increased in size. This suggests an initial adaptation to Caprinae prey; however, no significant specializations for cold environments were apparent at this stage. Later fossils, such as the Late Middle Pleistocene Panthera aff. uncia from Zhoukoudian locality 3 and the Late Pleistocene Panthera uncia lusitana, were found to be very similar to modern snow leopards, displaying comparable adaptations. However, certain features, including the development of the ectotympanic chamber and the extent of forehead expansion, were generally less pronounced in the European Panthera uncia lusitana compared to contemporary snow leopards. Bayesian analyses of morphological evolution rates indicate that snow leopards began to change rapidly in the Middle Pleistocene, the authors said. This timeframe coincides with the emergence of large ice sheets on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Since the Middle Pleistocene, global climate variability has increased, resulting in more severe and prolonged glacial periods. These conditions allowed snow leopards to expand their range beyond the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Notably, the Middle Pleistocene also marks the period when many members of the Caprinae subfamily began to migrate from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau into North China and Europe, paralleling the movement of snow leopards from the plateau. To determine if fossil snow leopards had similar ecological adaptations to modern snow leopards, the researchers analyzed the relationship between the distribution of modern snow leopards and climate data. They employed a random forest approach, training a model known as species distribution modeling to predict how snow leopards might adapt based on climate conditions. Subsequently, they applied climate data from the Last Glacial Maximum to evaluate the potential maximum distribution of modern snow leopards during that time period. The results indicate that the potential suitable distribution for snow leopards during the Last Glacial Maximum was significantly larger than it is today, the scientists said. However, regions such as Europe and Beijing were outside the areas deemed suitable for their distribution. This suggests that fossil snow leopards may have developed ecological adaptations distinct from those of modern snow leopards. Consequently, the distribution of fossil snow leopards cant be entirely predicted using modern snow leopard models. Additionally, it is important to note that while these fossil sites are generally located at relatively low elevations (below 500 m), they were situated in mountainous environments and typically contained Caprinae fossils. The only exception is the site in Portugal, which lacks faunal records. This observation suggests that mountainous terrain and the availability of related prey may have been more critical for snow leopards than the high-altitude, low-oxygen conditions. Niuyan Cave is the only known site in the world containing both snow leopard and leopard fossils. Since we know that snow leopards today occasionally share habitats in transitional zones near the forest line, the Niuyan Cave discovery suggests that similar environmental conditions may have existed there when the fossils were deposited. By integrating paleobiology, molecular biology, finite element analysis, and species distribution modeling, we were able to trace the evolutionary history and functional morphological adaptations of the snow leopard, a key target of ecological conservation on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Our findings reveal the evolutionary path of snow leopards, suggesting that mountainous terrain may have played a more critical role in their survival than climate factors alone. These insights are important to ongoing snow leopard conservation efforts and also prove the usefulness of preservation paleontology. The analyses we have carried out lead us to conclude that surely the high altitude and snow would not have been the limiting factor for the distribution of the species, but rather the presence of open and steep spaces, said Dr. Joan Madurell Malapeira, a researcher at the Universita di Firenze and the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. In other words, the snow leopard has always been adapted to live in the mountains, but not necessarily at high altitudes and with snow. And this, in a context of climate change like the current one, is encouraging to ensure their survival. The teams paper was published in the journal Science Advances. _____ Qigao Jiangzuo et al. 2025. Insights on the evolution and adaptation toward high-altitude and cold environments in the snow leopard lineage. Science Advances 11 (3); doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adp5243 TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 16. Uzbekistan will establish a new export-oriented economic zone in Namangan, focusing on the textile industry, Trend reports. This was revealed at a videoconference chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on key investment issues. This decision comes as part of Uzbekistans strategy to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and expand exports. Moreover, the new zone will specialize in the production of high-quality textile goods, incorporating foreign brands and targeting international markets. This approach has proven successful in foreign markets, and it is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the region. The establishment of this zone marks a major step in the countrys efforts to transform its free economic zones into hubs for export-driven industries. Authorities have instructed economic leaders to review the current system and submit proposals for further specialization toward exports. The Namangan economic zone is expected to attract investments, create jobs, and contribute to Uzbekistans overall economic growth, particularly in the textile sector. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 16. Uzbekistan will establish a separate factoring organization to provide exporters with working capital, with a funding allocation of $100 million, Trend reports. This was revealed at a videoconference chaired by the President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev on key investment issues. Additionally, part of the costs for bringing products in line with international certifications will be covered, up to $20,000. Lab equipment imported for research and development centers will be exempt from customs duties. A total of $2 million will be allocated to promote local products through international marketplaces. Responsible authorities have been tasked with analyzing the external market potential of each industry and developing a three-year export strategy. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan will establish a new export-oriented economic zone in Namangan, focusing on the textile industry. This decision comes as part of Uzbekistans strategy to enhance its manufacturing capabilities and expand exports. Paul Schneider Paul Schneider Paul Schneider more people buying electric cars Michigan Maritime Maritime (M3) Initiative Vern Kulman, Macomb County Blakes Farms Fairway Packaging Gordy Hall Bridge Barry Skutt, Chief Executive Officer for the Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi State Rep. Carrie Rheingans (D-Ann Arbor) Dorie Rios, NHBP Tribal Council Chairperson The News in Brief Friday, January 17, 2025 The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) issued an interim ruling on January 14, 2025, instructing Georgian authorities to halt the extradition of critical Azerbaijani journalist Afgan Sadigov to Azerbaijan for seven days. Sadigov, who fled his home country and has resided in Georgia since December 2023, faced extradition after the Tbilisi City Court ruled against him on November 28, 2024.On January 15, 2025, the Tbilisi Court of Appeal rejected Sadigov's appeal against Georgia's refusal to grant him refugee or humanitarian status. With this decision, Sadigov has exhausted all domestic legal avenues in Georgia, leaving the ECtHR's interim measure as his only immediate protection from extradition.Anticipating the Court of Appeal's decision, the Social Justice Centre (SJC), a local human rights organization, preemptively applied to the ECtHR on January 10 for an interim measure under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court. The ECtHR granted the request, urging Georgia to suspend Sadigov's extradition until January 21, while prioritizing the case under Rule 41.The SJC has since announced its intention to seek an extension of the interim measure, pending a substantive ruling by the ECtHR.The SJC has urged Georgian authorities, including Georgian Dream's Justice Minister Anri Okhanashvili, to respect the ECtHR's decision and prevent Sadigov's extradition, citing the risk of severe human rights violations if he is returned to Azerbaijan.Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) visited Gldani prison during their official trip to Georgia, where they met with imprisoned actor and activist Andro Chichinadze. The meeting focused on Chichinadze's circumstances, broader issues of political imprisonment, protest movements, and alleged abuses by law enforcement.Chichinadze's lawyer, Tornike Migineishvili, described the meeting as a critical moment, stating, "They asked about Andro'ss condition, how is the actor today, when he is locked in four walls, and then they heard directly the details regarding the case, as well as the protest... They also heard his assumptions, expectations, and explanation of why, in his opinion, he is in prison, because in reality, there is no legal leverage or factual circumstances for this."Migineishvili added that the delegation appeared to understand the gravity of the political and human rights situation in Georgia, noting, "The impression was left that the members of the delegation correctly assess the events developed in Georgia and the gravest picture that we have."According to Chichinadze, the actor's imprisonment is emblematic of the challenges faced by those advocating for democratic reforms and alignment with European values.Migineishvili concluded with optimism, expressing hope for Georgia's future: "This is a wave of protest that protects the European future... We expressed the assumption and expectation that we will meet these people again, but in Europe that the Georgian people are striving for." BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Iran and Belarus can develop cooperation in economic and trade spheres, Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade Mohammad Atabek said at the 17th meeting of the Joint Commission of Iran and Belarus held in Belarus on January 15, Trend reports. According to him, the two countries will develop their relations based on national interests and mutual respect. Atabak noted that Iran and Belarus have conditions for developing cooperation in petrochemicals, industry, mining, agriculture, food processing, health and pharmaceuticals, engineering services, and tourism. He emphasized that Iran is interested in developing cooperation with Belarus in all fields. Recently, a free trade agreement between Iran and the Eurasian Economic Union has been ratified. There is hope that this agreement will be utilized to increase the trade turnover of the two countries. The Iranian minister added that the export of oil, petrochemical products, and related equipment is one of the areas of cooperation between the two countries. Iran and Belarus also cooperate in the construction, repair, and equipping of power plants. To note, the Iranian Minister of Industry, Mines, and Trade visited Belarus on January 14. The visit featured the opening of an Iranian trade center in Belarus. A memorandum of understanding was also signed following the 17th meeting of the Iran-Belarus Joint Commission. The trade turnover between Iran and Belarus for eight months of the current Iranian year (from March 20 through November 2024) stood at about $38 million. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Shares in Richemont soared on Thursday, after third-quarter sales at the luxury goods giant smashed expectations. The Swiss owner of Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Piaget, Chloe and Net-A-Porter, among others, said sales in the three months to December end had come in at 6.2bn, its highest-ever quarterly sales and a 10% hike year-on-year. Analysts had been expecting a far more modest 1% uptick. The only region not to show a notable improvement in sales was Asia Pacific, dragged down by challenging conditions in China. Sales in the region fell 7%. In contrast, they soared 22% in the Americas and by 19% in Europe and in Japan. Richemont said it had been a "very solid end" to the calendar year, with a marked improvement over the first half across all business areas. In its core jewellery division - Richemonts biggest unit by some distance - third-quarter sales rose 14% to 4.5bn, boosted in part by a strong festive season. As at 1000 GMT, the Swiss stock had soared 17%. The upbeat sentiment spread to rival European luxury brands, with Hermes International trading 5% higher following the update, and LVMH, Kering and Burberry Group all 9% stronger. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "Investors [have taken] Richemonts update as a signal that the slump in the luxury goods sector is over. "Investors were previously caught off guard when they presumed the cost of living crisis would not impact wealthy people, and therefore the luxury goods sector could continue to thrive, but this turned out to be incorrect. "Richemonts jewellery brands have enjoyed a big comeback, as lucky individuals were treated to something sparkly at Christmas. "The bullish nature of the trading update has got investors searching for opportunities." The UK housing market ended 2024 on a strong note, industry data showed on Thursday, with prices rising across the country. According to the latest residential market survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the house price balance was 28 in December, up from 24 in November. It was the highest reading since September 2022. That was the last survey before Liz Truss disastrous mini budget, which led to soaring borrowing costs, a spike in mortgage rates and a slump in house purchases. In addition, all parts of the UK saw house prices move higher in December, Rics noted, though the strongest growth continued to be seen in Northern Ireland and Scotland. The number of new buyer inquiries eased, with the balance falling to 5 from 11 posted in both November and October. But sales volumes improved, with a net balance of 7 indicating sales growth - compared to just 1 in November - while new instructions jumped, with a balance of 14. Rics said the increase in new instructions, the sixth consecutive month, was likely due to upcoming changes to stamp duty. Simon Rubinsohn, chief economist at Rics, said: "The latest survey points to a further improvement in sentiment in the housing market, despite concerns about the impact of rising bond yields on borrowing costs. "Most significantly, the signals from the survey around expectations over the next 12 months also remain solidly positive for now. "However, the resilience of the uplift in market mood could be tested if the mortgage rates do begin to climb in a material way over the coming months. That, critically, would also be a concern for developers, who will want to see a solid market as a backdrop for ramping up house building." Government bond yields rose through December and the start of the 2025. The yields on 30-year gilts are the highest since 1998, although so far the spike has not had a major impact on mortgages. Advanced transport testing, simulation, and measurement specialist AB Dynamics reported solid trading performance for the first four months of the 2025 financial year on Thursday, in line with expectations. The AIM-traded company, which was holding its annual general meeting, noted strong order intake, particularly from the Asia-Pacific and North America geographies, supported by ongoing tenders for long-term testing services contracts in China for the 2026 period and beyond. It said its order book provided good visibility into the second half of the year, adding that the integration of Bolab Systems, acquired for an initial cash consideration of 4.2m, was progressing as planned. As of 31 December, AB Dynamics reported a net cash position of 23.2m, down from 28.6m in August due to the acquisition payment. The company said it remained well-positioned to invest in organic growth and pursue value-enhancing acquisitions. Despite potential challenges related to the timing of pipeline conversion and automotive sector disruptions, AB Dynamics said it expected to deliver financial and strategic progress for 2025. Long-term growth prospects were underpinned by structural and regulatory drivers in active safety, autonomous systems, and vehicle automation. The company reiterated its confidence in meeting full-year expectations, highlighting the continued strength of its market position and order pipeline. At 1402 GMT, shares in AB Dynamics were down 2.41% at 1,820p. Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com. Homeware retailer Dunelm backed its full-year profit expectations on Thursday as it reported an uptick in first-half sales despite a challenging environment. Sales grew 2.4% to 894m in the first half. In the second quarter, sales were up 1.6% to 490m in what the retailer called a "challenging market". Dunelm said FY25 pre-tax profit was still expected to be within the range of market expectations of between 207m and 217m, "against the market backdrop and ongoing cost challenges facing our sector". The company said that while it is "mindful" of the impact of the Autumn Budget on it and its suppliers and customers, it expects initiatives to drive productivity to mitigate the upward pressure on costs in the medium term. Chief executive Nick Wilkinson said: "We're pleased with our performance in the first half; we are growing sales and volume, with customers again responding well to the value and choice we offer across our ranges. "At the same time, we've made significant strategic progress across multiple initiatives which are helping us to improve our attractive, specialist offer and continue to gain market share. We have taken our first steps outside the UK with the acquisition of 13 stores in Ireland, opened our first inner London store in Westfield, and made further improvements to our online customer experience which is contributing to continued strong digital growth. "As we move into the second half of FY25, we have successfully launched our Winter Sale which is being well received by customers seeking amazing value across a wide choice of relevant products for the colder months. As we navigate this challenging environment, we see even more opportunities to harness our unique business model, raise the bar on our proposition and fulfil our ambitions as The Home of Homes." At 1300 GMT, the shares were down 4.1% at 987.50p. Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell, said: "Dunelms mediocre festive trading update went down poorly with the market. Sales growth was minimal which has to be disappointing given it should have done well with people looking for good value homeware products to give as Christmas presents. "Stronger margins and good growth with click and collect are positive factors. Its also interesting to see Dunelm test the water with new initiatives such as a store inside a busy central London shopping mall and an acquisition to open more doors in Ireland. Expanding the brands reach is important to take the business to the next level. "However, the fact the core business is only recording marginal gains would suggest Dunelm faces an uphill battle this year. Pressure on costs from Budget-related initiatives and a fragile consumer backdrop means the retailer will have to work extra hard to stay on track. "The fact it has maintained full-year profit guidance comes across as slightly ambitious. There is a real risk that Dunelms trading deteriorates in the coming months because of the market backdrop rather than any fault of its own. It might have been better to take an ultra-cautious view of the outlook than hope for the best and subsequently disappoint the market." The UK government has promised a record 410m investment in nuclear fusion which could help construct a world-leading fusion power project on the site of an old coal plant in Nottinghamshire. Ministers hope the funding, which will be made available for the coming financial year, will support the rapid development of the UK fusion energy sector and deliver a future powered by limitless clean energy. Guardian A slump in trade with the EU should spur ministers to negotiate a fundamental rewrite of post-Brexit rules to more closely align the UK with Brussels, a leading left-of-centre thinktank has said. Donald Trumps arrival in the White House next week should also encourage the government to get on the front foot in trade agreement talks with the US to support the growth of UK exports, said the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Guardian BT has scrapped a major electric car charging scheme after installing just one charging point. The telecoms giant last year outlined plans to convert old broadband street cabinets into electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Around 60,000 cabinets had been earmarked for possible conversion in what bosses described as a once in a lifetime opportunity to boost the number of chargers across the country. Telegraph Sales of Murphys Irish stout have skyrocketed amid claims of a nationwide Guinness shortage. Heineken, which owns Murphys, said sales of the 169 year-old stout had enjoyed a 632pc rise in British pubs and bars in December compared with a year earlier. Telegraph Dyson has scrapped plans to move into a 100 million technical and research centre in Bristol and will move all its staff in the southwest into one location. The vacuum and hairdryer maker, which announced the centre in 2023, will move 180 staff to its Malmesbury campus 30 miles away in Wiltshire, home to the Dyson Institute, where undergraduate and postgraduate engineers study while working for Dyson. The Times Thanks to a group of contributors, donations made to the Book Industry Charitable (Binc) Foundation to help bookstores, comic stores, and their employees affected by the wildfires in Southern California and other natural disasters will be matched up to $45,000. The contributors are Dav Pilkey, Forefront Books, Ingram Content Group, Macmillan Publishers, and Mad Cave Studios. This follows a $10,000 matching fund announced late last week by Bookshop.org. which has already been met. Binc noted that the California wildfires have "closed dozens of book and comic stores, forced many book and comic people to evacuate or shelter in place, and Binc is already aware of seven booksellers who have lost their homes. Free mental health wellness is being offered to anyone in need and the calls for help continue amidst widespread and ongoing devastation." Binc executive director Pam French said, "We were still hearing from book and comic people devastated by hurricanes Helene and Milton last fall when the calls started to come as a result of the wildfires that hit just a week into the new year. We know from experience that the need will continue to grow as damage is assessed, the fires are contained, and the cleanup begins. We are so grateful for the support of our partners who quickly rallied to provide this generous matching gift." --- Zibby's Bookshop in Santa Monica, Calif., is organizing clothes and children's book giveaways in support of people affected by the devastating wildfires that broke out in Southern California last week. The bookstore is partnering with nearly 30 clothing brands to provide free clothes to people who have lost their homes. Per Zibby's Bookshop owner Zibby Owens, the team will begin distributing donated clothes from the bookstore once they arrive, likely within the next week or two. Owens and her team will also be giving away "all our children's book inventory to any families who would like the comfort of a familiar story during this horrific time," and they are working with local schools to organize book drives. Zibby's Bookshop was in a mandatory evacuation zone in Santa Monica and has been closed since last week due to the Palisades fire. Owens reported that the store and her employees are all safe, and "we hope to reopen soon." Saying it is "heartbroken for everyone who has been affected by the fires" in Los Angeles, Books Are Magic, Brooklyn, N.Y., is "putting its heartbreak" into several ways of helping. It's already been sending books to mutual aid groups "to help kids and families rebuild their home libraries, and to offer some small comforts for the long days ahead." And now it's launched a fundraiser selling a special L.A. T-shirt, with all proceeds going to World Central Kitchen's operations in Los Angeles. (To order, click here.) "We love L.A. We love Skylight and Vroman's and the Last Bookstore and Octavia's Bookshelf and Book Soup and Diesel and Now Serving, each a vital, vibrant community hub," the store wrote. "We love the L.A. writers we've hosted over the years, always wanting to sneak ourselves into their suitcases. If there's a city full of magic, creative and transportive and hopeful, it's Los Angeles.... We love you, L.A. Always have, always will." Books Are Magic added, "If you've been displaced and need a care package, please let us know." As detailed in a shocking expose published by New York magazine this week, eight women have accused bestselling author Neil Gaiman of sexual assault. Neil Gaiman (photo: Beowulf Sheehan) The article describes a pattern of predatory behavior going back decades, typically involving young women in their 20s who were fans of the author, and expands on allegations first made last summer in Master, a podcast series produced by Tortoise Media. In a statement posted to his website Tuesday, Gaiman denied the allegations, saying that he thought these relationships were consensual and that he has "never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone." The New York Times noted that although a number of upcoming TV and film projects related to Gaiman were canceled after the original allegations were made, "the responses from his publishers, agents, and professional collaborators have been far more subdued." Katherine Kendall, one of the women who went on the record with New York, told the Times there was a "culture of secrecy" around Gaiman's behavior, and that "Neil's works were his bait, and promotional events were his hunting ground. As long as his publishers and professional collaborators remain silent, Neil will continue to have unrestricted access to vulnerable women." Kendra Stout, whose account is also featured in the New York article, is quoted in the Times as saying: "The silence of the community around him--his fandom, his publishers--is loud and disturbing. I've heard that it was an open secret that he was a predator, but that whisper network did not reach me." Following Gaiman's post on Tuesday, Stout shared a statement on behalf of several of the women who have come forward that said, per the Times: "we are disappointed to see the same non-apology that women in this situation have seen so many times before." Photo: Press service of the president of Tajikistan BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. A Memorandum of Understanding and 22 documents were signed today January 16 in Dushanbe in the presence of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Trend reports. The mentioned 22 documents cover cooperation in the field of transport development, cooperation in the joint fight against corruption, cooperation in the field of customs training, digital technologies, standardization, food safety, agriculture, communications, and other areas. To note, on January 15, the president of Iran began a two-day visit to Tajikistan. A number of senior Iranian officials accompanied the president during the visit. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel India's real-money gaming companies have demanded rational tax policies and have also asked for redressal of taxation issues in the Union Budget 2025 to sustain the sector's growth. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the budget for the financial year 2025-26 on February 1. "In the Union Budget 2025-26, we urge the government to prioritize rational tax policies that could enhance the sector's contribution to the economy while ensuring player protection and responsible gaming practices", said Anuraag Saxena, chief executive of E-Gaming Federation (EGF), a skill-gaming industry body. "With the potential to contribute Rs 75,000 crore in GST over the next five years, the online gaming industry is a crucial catalyst for economic advancement," he said. Saxena said while the recent goods and services tax (GST) reforms have provided much-needed clarity to the industry, the retrospective tax demands have "introduced uncertainty and adversely impacted investor confidence", thereby creating challenges for the sector's growth. EGF, which speaks for India's top online rummy and poker operators, including Games24x7, Head Digital Works, and Junglee Games, said it also presented a representation to the finance ministry during pre-budget consultations. "The sector continues to face a precarious future due to uncertainties surrounding taxation", Saxena said in the December submission. He also added that any potential solution must not lead to revenue loss to the exchequer and that the revenue department issuing retrospective tax notices to real-money gaming companies can lead to the shutdown of legitimate businesses. He also emphasized the point that formulating any possible solution must not lead to revenue loss to the exchequer, and such revenue loss might occur if legitimate businesses get shut down based on retrospective tax notices issued by the revenue department to the companies engaged in real-money gaming. Also read: GST collections from real-money gaming jump 412% to Rs 6,909 cr in 6 months under new tax rates, says FM Sitharaman This, however, was not enough, as the finance ministry warned in Parliament in December 2023 that as many as 71 show-cause notices were issued to real-money gaming companies for alleged GST evasion amounting to Rs 1.12 lakh crore, excluding interest and penalties, for the period before October 1, 2023. On January 10, the Supreme Court granted a stay on these notices till the final disposal of the cases. The matter is now listed for final hearing on March 18. Roland Landers, chief executive of skill-gaming industry body All India Gaming Federation (AIGF), also echoed similar sentiments. "We hope that the government will think of bringing the GST rate down and retrospection, which would provide much-needed clarity to continue further growth and innovation", he said. "With further effort, we envision a future where more Indian developers and gaming studios create world-class games and content, and help make India a global leader in gaming", Deepak Gullapalli, founder of skill-based gaming firm Head Digital Works, said the upcoming budget might also rationalize TDS norms on winnings from these real-money games by bringing them at par with other sectors. "That would be great for consumers. It will allow them to use the money better because of increased liquidity, while also ensuring that one is not deviating from slightly lower TDS rates", he said. government in Budget 2023 brought forth changes related to TDS such as removal of the threshold amount of Rs 10,000 for winnings and introduced a new mechanism to compute TDS on net winnings. Net winnings is calculated by taking away the aggregate amount withdrawn in the financial year from the total amount deposited in the year. It also considers the amount that has already borne TDS during the current financial year and the deposit balance as on April 1 of the financial year. Thebrought forth changes related to TDS such as removal of the threshold amount of Rs 10,000 for winnings and introduced a new mechanism to compute TDS on net winnings. Net winnings is calculated by taking away the aggregate amount withdrawn in the financial year from the total amount deposited in the year. It also considers the amount that has already borne TDS during the current financial year and the deposit balance as on April 1 of the financial year. WinZO Games co-founder Paavan Nanda also requested for regulation and taxation to reflect Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision to attract a large share of global FDI (foreign direct investment) to the sector. This would help drive investments in developing and exporting high-quality games, while also building the right talent for the sector, he said. According to a report by the gaming and interactive media venture fund Lumikai, the Indian gaming industry has reported revenues of $3.8 billion for the financial year 2024, up 22.6 percent from $3.1 billion in FY23. The real-money gaming segment accounted for about $2.4 billion of the $3.8 billion revenue. The report added that the industry is expected to reach $9.2 billion in revenue by FY29, growing at a 20 percent CAGR over the next five years. Shri. M Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance, chaired a review meeting with heads of Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and MD&CEOs & Senior officers of Private Sector Banks, in New Delhi. The review meeting was also attended virtually by senior executives of SIDBI, Mudra Ltd, IBA and NCGTC. During the meeting, Shri Nagaraju reviewed the progress under various Financial Inclusion schemes including Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY), Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY), Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY), Stand Up India and PM Vishwakarma. He also reviewed the progress of opening of brick & mortar branches of banks in unbanked villages and stressed upon augmenting of Banking Infrastructure in the country with special focus on North Eastern States. He also emphasized the need for Banking expansion in far flung areas by resolving the issues of connectivity and infrastructure. Shri Nagaraju said that significant progress has been made in expanding social security and deepening financial inclusion in the country through various flagship schemes of the Government, and further urged the Public Sector and Private Sector Banks to dedicatedly work towards bringing more and more people in the fold of Financial Inclusion Schemes so as to further strengthen financial inclusion initiatives taken by the Government. Secretary, DFS also stressed upon extending the loans to SC/STs under Stand-Up India Scheme and achieving the allocated targets under MUDRA scheme. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has achieved a historic milestone by successfully achieving satellite docking under its Space Docking Experiment, or SpaDeX. India is now the fourth country in the world to master space docking technology. In a post on X, ISRO detailed the process, stating, "Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed". Union Minister Jitendra Singh lauded ISROs accomplishment, calling it a landmark for the nation. SPADEX has accomplished the unbelievable and it is all indigenous Bharatiya Docking System. This milestone paves the way for ambitious future missions, including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, Chandrayaan 4, and Gaganyaan, he said, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modis support for Indias space ambitions. The SpaDeX mission launched on December 30, 2024 aboard the PSLV C60 rocket, placing two small satellites called SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target) as well as 24 other payloads into orbit. Each of these satellites weighed in at about 220 kilograms. The satellites attained a circular orbit at 475 kilometers altitude only 15 minutes after liftoff from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. SpaDeX was tested extensively before the successful docking. A key preparatory maneuver on January 12 brought the spacecraft to within three meters of each other. Earlier attempts on January 7 and 9 were postponed for further refinements. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A man driving stolen cars led police on wild chases on the Staten Island Expressway and the streets of our borough, including one pursuit that led to a crash where the defendant fled on foot, authorities allege. When Luis Valdez, 27, of Mundy Avenue in West Brighton, was arrested earlier this month, he was already on probation for a three-mile chase in September. Police say that the arrests involved two different stolen Acura TLX sedans. Valdez was allegedly driving a stolen Acura with a Florida license plate when he was arrested on Jan. 5 at about 11 p.m. at Bay Street and Maryland Avenue in Rosebank in connection with a chase in December. Valdezs license was revoked or suspended when he was arrested on that date, according to the criminal complaint. Less than three weeks earlier, Valdez was driving that Acura on Dec. 19 at about 8:45 p.m. in the vicinity of Clove Road and Narrows Road North in Concord, police said. An officer checked the license plate and determined that it was not registered to the Acura, then activated lights and sirens in an effort to pull over the vehicle, according to the complaint. Valdez did not comply and instead turned onto Clove Road and drove in excess of 60 mph in an area where the posted speed limit was 35 mph, the complaint alleges. As the defendant merged onto the Brooklyn-bound Staten Island Expressway, police say drivers in multiple vehicles had to stop short in order to avoid collisions. Authorities detail September pursuit It was his second arrest on similar charges in just a few months. On Sept. 19, Valdez was sitting in the drivers seat of an Acura TLX parked and idling in front of a fire hydrant on Forest Avenue near Greenleaf Avenue in West Brighton around 9 p.m. The Acura previously was reported stolen from the 108th Precinct in Queens, according to the complaint. An officer activated his lights and sirens on a NYPD vehicle in an effort to initiate a car stop. However, the complaint alleges that Valdez hit the gas, forcing the officer to drive at over 60 mph in the 30 mph zone in order to keep pace. The defendant allegedly made a series of turns without signaling, careening from Delafield Avenue to Manor Road to Ravenhurst Avenue and onto Jewett Avenue. While speeding along Jewett in Westerleigh, Valdez allegedly blasted through a series of red lights at the intersections of College Avenue, Kieber Court and Leonard Avenue. The defendant didnt signal and blasted through a red light onto busy Victory Boulevard, then drove the wrong way on Victory, causing an MTA bus and other vehicles to swerve out of the way, the complaint alleges. The defendant turned left onto Bradley Avenue and then ran through a red light at the intersection of Purdy Avenue in Meiers Corners before turning right onto North Gannon Avenue and speeding onto the Staten Island Expressway, New Jersey bound, police allege. The complaint alleges that officers had to drive at over 90 mph in a 55 mph zone in order to keep pace. Drivers on the expressway were forced to suddenly brake to avoid colliding with the Acura. The Acura finally stopped when it collided with a gray 2017 Audi Q5, whose driver suffered chest pain, according to the complaint. Valdez allegedly abandoned his inoperable vehicle and fled to Gauldy Avenue and Bee Court in a residential area of Graniteville near the expressway. He was arrested that same day. In connection with the September pursuit, Valdez pleaded guilty to second-degree reckless endangerment and was sentenced to three years probation. A full order of protection was secured for the victims. Status of Jan., Dec. cases For the incidents in January and December, Valdez has been charged with criminal possession of stolen property, reckless endangerment, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges and his bail has been set at $30,000/$15,000 cash. He is due back in state Criminal Court in St. George on Feb. 27, according to public records. An attorney for the defendant did not immediately respond to a request for comment. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. The NYPD is seeking the publics assistance in identifying two men sought in connection to a grand larceny case in New Springville. It was reported to police that this incident took place in the vicinity of Monahan Avenue and Evans Street around 9 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2024. At the time, the NYPD says two unidentified individuals removed two HVAC air conditioners from a 24-year-old female victims driveway. The two unknown men then fled northbound on Monahan in a white van, according to law enforcement. The NYPD is seeking the public's assistance in identifying two men sought in connection to the grand larceny of two HVAC units from a New Springville driveway back on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Courtesy of the NYPD)(Courtesy of the NYPD) No injuries were reported from this incident. Police describe one of the men as last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants and black sneakers. The other man was seen wearing a red sweatshirt, black sweatpants, black knit hat and black sneakers, said the NYPD. Images of the individuals sought in connection with this case were provided to the media. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or, for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. The NYPD is seeking the public's assistance in identifying two men sought in connection to the grand larceny of two HVAC units from a New Springville driveway back on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2024. (Courtesy of the NYPD)(Courtesy of the NYPD) BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The increase of annual trade turnover between Iran and Tajikistan up to $500 million is easily achievable, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a joint press conference with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe on January 16, Trend reports. According to him, the two countries have great potential to supply each other with necessary products. Therefore, it is necessary to achieve strategic cooperation in all fields, especially in economy and trade. Pezeshkian asserted that the 22 documents and one MoU signed between the two countries today will give impetus to the rapid advancement of the cooperation process between Iran and Tajikistan. The Iranian president stated that remarkable progress has been made in the development of cooperation between the two countries in recent years. To note, the Iranian President paid a two-day visit to Tajikistan on January 15. During the visit, the Iranian President is accompanied by high-ranking officials. Today, 22 documents and one memorandum of understanding on cooperation have been signed between Iran and Tajikistan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. New York City has opened applications for free, all-day pre-K and 3-K for the 2025-2026 school year. The programs, which provide free, full-day care and education, are part of a broader effort to create more high-quality early care and education programs for children from birth to 5 years old. Here are eight things to know before you apply. Who can apply? 3-K In New York City, you can apply to 3-K in the calendar year that your child turns 3, or children born in 2022 are eligible, according to the city Department of Education (DOE). Seats are limited, and residents of school districts offering 3-K for All programs have priority to attend programs in their own district. Pre-K In New York City, children begin pre-K in the calendar year they turn 4, or children born in 2021. There is a pre-K seat for every 4-year-old across all five boroughs, according to the DOE. The city welcomes all children of this age to participate in pre-K admissions: current 3-K students at public district schools, Pre-K Centers, and NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs); current students in 3-year-old programs at charter schools, private schools, parochial schools, or other preschools; children with disabilities; children with accessibility needs; children learning English; children in temporary housing; LGBTQ and gender non-conforming children; and children who are new to NYC public schools. Children do not need to be toilet trained to attend pre-K. How do I apply? You can apply to both 3-K and pre-K in one of three ways: Online with MySchools.nyc. By phone at 718-935-2009. Call Monday-Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Contact a Family Welcome Center. Learn how at schools.nyc.gov/FWC. The online application is available in 10 languages (English, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic, Korean, Haitian Creole, Bengali, Urdu and French), and families can submit an application over the phone in over 200 languages. When are the deadlines to apply? The deadline to apply to 3-K and pre-K is Feb. 28. What are the different types of settings for 3-K? There are four types of settings for 3-K programs. According to the DOE, you can choose to apply to programs in one setting or across two, three, or all four settings. Each setting offers the same DOE high-quality, play-based curriculum to New York Citys 3-year-old children. NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs): These are community-based organizations with early childhood expertise. They partner with the DOE to provide 3-K programs. Consider NYC Early Education Centers if your child currently attends the center, has a sibling also attending the program, or your family receives social services from the organization that runs the center. Some NYC Early Education Centers also offer up to 10 hours of 3-K programming, all year round for families that qualify. District Schools. Some DOE public elementary schools offer 3-K programs. Consider this option if your child has an older sibling already attending the school, or you want your child to attend a program in an elementary school setting. Pre-K Centers. Pre-K Centers are run by DOE staff and only offer grades before kindergarten. Consider Pre-K Centers if you want your child to attend a 3-K program with only young children. These are DOE early childhood centers that only offer grades below kindergarten. Family Child Care (Home-Based Programs). Home-based programs, also known as family child-care programs, offer 3-K in a home setting by a licensed, qualified provider. In this setting, 3-K children are served in mixed-age groups with other children from birth to 3 years old. What are the different types of settings for pre-K? There are three types of settings for pre-K programs. You can choose to apply to programs in one, two, or all three settings. Each setting offers the same DOE high-quality, play-based curriculum to New York Citys 4-year-old children. NYC Early Education Centers (NYCEECs). These are community-based organizations with early childhood expertise. They partner with the DOE to provide pre-K programs. Consider NYC Early Education Centers if your child currently attends the center, has a sibling also attending the program, or your family receives social services from the organization that runs the center. Some NYC Early Education Centers also offer up to 10 hours of pre-K programming, all year round for families that qualify. District Schools. Some public elementary schools offer pre-K programs. Consider these DOE public schools if your child currently attends 3-K at the school, has an older sibling already attending the school or you want your child to attend a program in an elementary school setting. Pre-K Centers. Pre-K Centers are run by DOE staff and only offer grades before kindergarten. Consider Pre-K Centers if your child currently attends 3-K at the Pre-K Center, or you want your child to attend a program with only young children. What are the different seat types? There are three 3-K and pre-K seat types: School Day, Extended Day and Year, and Head Start. A 3-K program may offer one, two, or all three of these seat types. You can learn which programs offer which seat types in MySchools. Different seat types have different eligibilities, so check to make sure you are applying to the correct seat type(s). School Day seats are open to all NYC children born in 2020. These seats are free and provide early care and education for six hours and 20 minutes per day during the school year, typically from September to June. Extended Day and Year seats are free or low-cost and provide care for up to 10 hours of early care and education a day, year-round, including the summer. Eligibility for these seats is based on family income and needs. If you receive an offer to an Extended Day and Year seat, you will need to confirm your childs eligibility by completing a Child Care application. Head Start seats are free and provide 10 hours of early care and education a day, year-round. Eligibility for Head Start is based on family income and needs. If you receive an offer to a Head Start seat, the program will work with you to confirm your childs eligibility. are free and provide 10 hours of early care and education a day, year-round. Eligibility for Head Start is based on family income and needs. If you receive an offer to a Head Start seat, the program will work with you to confirm your childs eligibility. When will I get an offer letter? Pre-K and 3-K admissions are not first-come, first-served. All applications submitted online or by phone by the deadline are treated the same based on admissions priorities. Families who submit an application by the deadline will receive an offer in the spring. Pre-K offers will be released on Tuesday, May 13, and offers for 3-K are slated to be released on Tuesday, May 20. What about waitlists? Programs use waitlists to fill open seats after offers are made. This means your child will be automatically added to the waitlist for any program you ranked higher on your pre-K application than the program where your child got an offer. You also have the option of adding your child to additional program waitlists. Programs will contact you directly if they are able to offer your child a seat from the waitlist. Visit www.schools.nyc.gov for more information on enrolling to these programs. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. - Discover exciting events happening neat you this weekend, including an open mic poetry night, a comic convention, and more! Friday Poetic Drip Open Mic / Jan. 17, 7-8:30 p.m. Poetic Drip Open Mic invites all art forms to flow freely. Experience the creative energy as performers take the stage. Share, create and amplify your voice. For more information, contact the host, Cynthia Rodriguez, at Createdbycyn@outlook.com. Admission cost: $5 suggested donation Location: Everything Goes Book Cafe, 208 Bay St. Saturday Immersive Storytelling Hike / Jan. 18, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Join the Urban Park Rangers for an adventure through High Rock Park to Paulos Peak. Experience a theatrical story told by the Rangers you traverse there and back again into the forest, leaving reality behind and chasing a land of mysticism and magic. Location: Nevada Avenue Parking Lot in High Rock Park, 200 Nevada Ave. Admission cost: Free Film Screening: They Shall Not Grow Old (2018) / Jan. 18, 2-4 p.m. Join the screening and discussion of the documentary film They Shall Not Grow Old this Saturday in the St. George Library auditorium. Refreshments will be provided, and a discussion will follow the film. Admission cost: Free Location: St. George Library Center, 5 Central Ave. Pongal Festival / Jan. 18, 4:30 p.m. Staten Islands Tamil community will be celebrating their annual Hindu harvest festival called Thai Pongal. Appetizers are offered from 4:30 to 5 p.m. with dinner at 7:30 p.m. Admission cost: Free, but RSVP to Bala at 347-235-2604 or Kohulan at 917-596-9415 Location: Port Richmond High School Sunday Comixcon 2025: Movie Screening of Black Panther / Jan. 19, 1-5 p.m. The St. George Theatre and Cavey Comix proudly present the Second Annual COMIXCON, a thrilling celebration of comics, pop culture, and community for fans of all ages. Explore a variety of vendors offering comics, collectibles, and memorabilia, and showcase your creativity in the fan-favorite costume contest with exciting prizes. At 5 p.m., enjoy a screening of the 2018 Marvel blockbuster Black Panther. Admission cost: $20 / $15 for SGT members Location: St. George Theatre, 35 Hyatt St. The NYPD is asking for the publics assistance in identifying an individual wanted for questioning in connection to several incidents of arson that allegedly occurred in Manhattan and Queens. It was reported to police that on Friday, Jan. 10, at approximately 2:20 a.m., an unidentified male allegedly sparked a fire that damaged a marked NYPD emergency vehicle that was parked in front of 254 Broadway. According to authorities, the same individual allegedly lit another fire around 15 minutes later at 2:35 a.m., in front of 14 Murray St. that damaged another unoccupied vehicle. Not long after, at approximately 2:55 a.m., the unidentified individual allegedly set a paper cup on fire and threw it into a garbage can in the vicinity of the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall Train Station, according to a statement from the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information. At approximately 03:40 a.m., the unidentified individual allegedly set fire to a pile of garbage alongside a sleeping passenger inside a northbound J train inside the Woodhaven Avenue train station in Queens before fleeing the location on foot to parts unknown. No injuries were reported, police said. The NYPD released surveillance images of the sought individual. The four incidents are being investigated by the departments Arson and Explosion Unit. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call the NYPDs Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). The public can also submit tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/, or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are strictly confidential. UPDATE, 2:13 p.m. -- A settlement was reached Thursday between Rudy Giuliani and two former Georgia election workers to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings, which were sought to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment against him. The deal negated the need for a trial that was supposed to begin Thursday morning at a federal court in Manhattan, where Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness. He never came to court. The former Georgia election workers won the judgment against him. Terms if the settlement were not immediately disclosed. ------------------------------ NEW YORK A trial to decide whether Rudy Giuliani must give up his Florida condominium and three World Series rings or turn them over to satisfy a $148 million defamation judgment was delayed until at least Thursday afternoon after the former New York City mayor didnt show up to testify. The trial, heard without a jury, was supposed to begin Thursday morning at a federal court in Manhattan to decide whether Giuliani must surrender the assets to two former Georgia election workers who won the judgment against him. Messages seeking comment were left for Giulianis lawyer and spokesperson. Giuliani, 80, was to testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the womens lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J. Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, also was found in contempt last week in Washington, D.C. The judge there found that Giuliani continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. During the wait, Giuliani posted a video on social media showing a dog named Vinny on the grounds of Trumps Palm Beach, Florida, estate. The dog, the post said, loves hanging out at Mar-a-Lago but is ready to spend a lot more time in Washington, D.C., supporting Trump. It wasnt clear when the recording was made. The latest proceeding will not be to relitigate whether Giuliani defamed the women or the amount of the judgment against him, both of which are issues that have been decided, but rather to determine whether he will get to keep certain valuable assets instead of turning them over. Among them is his condominium in Palm Beach, Florida, which he can hang onto if he can prove it is his homestead. The former mayor says he established residence there in January 2024, but lawyers for the election workers say he continued to operate as if his New York apartment was his residence until it was surrendered in the fall as part of the judgement. Also at stake are three World Series rings that Giuliani says he gave to his son, Andrew, in 2018. At a recent hearing, Giuliani said he is not impoverished but does not have access to most of his remaining assets. Everything I have is tied up. I dont have a car. I dont have a credit card. I dont have cash. I cant get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do, he said. Lawyers for the election workers say Giuliani listed the Manhattan apartment as his residence and the rings as his property when he filed for bankruptcy in December 2023, an application that was dismissed six months later by a judge who accused him of uncooperative conduct, self-dealing and a lack of transparency. Giuliani said during a deposition last month that George Steinbrenner, the late New York Yankees owner, gave him the rings in 2002, although he insisted on paying for them and told Steinbrenner: These are for Andrew. He testified that he gave one to Andrew immediately and kept three others for safekeeping. He estimated their total worth at $27,000. Lawyers for the election workers say Giuliani, a lifelong Yankees fan who wore the rings sometimes, never listed them as a gift to his son in tax records even though he was meticulous about listing gifts when he reported taxes. And they say the son never obtained insurance for the rings or reported them in his own tax records. Giulianis total assets are not expected to amount to much more than $10 million. The Palm Beach condominium is believed to be worth more than $3 million. He has already surrendered a New York apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other assets. The election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, won the defamation judgment after saying Giiulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. Support the Peninsulas only locally-owned newspaper. Subscribe! Subscribing annually brings you big savings. We also offer monthly and weekly subscriptions. Premium Subscription As low as $8.25 per week Premium Includes: -- Access to the Daily Journals e-Edition: a digital replica of our daily newspaper including crossword puzzles, games, comics, classifieds and ads. You can download a digital replica of the Daily Journal for offline reading. You can also clip & download articles or images from the e-edition to share with others The most recent 90 issues are available at any given time. -- Unlimited access to our award-winning online content -- Commenting access on all stories as a valued member of the DJ community -- NEW! Access to our online-only digital crossword puzzle. A new puzzle every day, seven days a week! BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The meeting of the Joint Economic Commission between Iran and Tajikistan will be held soon, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at a joint press conference with President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon Dushanbe on January 16, Trend reports. According to him, the meeting will feature extensive and detailed discussions on economic development. The Iranian president noted that many regional issues, including Afghanistan, have been discussed between Iran and Tajikistan. Afghanistan is an important neighboring country. Maintaining stability and security in this country is of great importance. To note, the Iranian President paid a two-day visit to Tajikistan on January 15. During the visit, the Iranian President is accompanied by high-ranking officials. Today, 22 documents and one memorandum of understanding on cooperation have been signed between Iran and Tajikistan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel I came to this country to find refuge from antisemitism. There are many people, including Holocaust survivors, who say to me they cease to recognise our country any more. Its changing before our eyes. Premier vows to stamp out barbaric, animalistic attacks Premier Chris Minns said the government would do everything in its power to catch the animals responsible for what he labelled a hate crime. Honestly, I never thought I would see this kind of naked racism and antisemitism repeating itself on the streets of Sydney in such an organised, horrifying manner, Minns said. The truth of the matter is that incidents of antisemitism, violent behaviour, are increasing in our community, and collectively ... we have to stand together to condemn it unambiguously and send a clear message to these animals that these actions will not be tolerated. I was struck by how resilient and strong and absolutely fortified [Ryvchin] is in his commitment to the cause that hes been associated with, to his leadership position and his resoluteness. I found it truly remarkable and a true insight into his character. Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the top priority was cracking down on antisemitic attacks, and police stood ready to pivot resources if needed. NSW Police have dedicated 20 detectives attached to Strike Force Pearl, including from the counterterrorism command, to investigate rising cases of antisemitic attacks in Sydney. Police have so far arrested 179 people in connection with 452 offences as part of Operation Shelter which was launched after the October 7 attack to address community tensions. Those people out there who are thinking about being involved in this sort of behaviour, we might not come knocking tomorrow, and it might not be the next day, but we will come knocking. You will be arrested, and you will be charged, McKenna said. The Dover Heights home was sold in 2022. The new owners are not Jewish, the Herald has been told. Shocked residents wake to cars exploding Military Road resident Shannon Lancour, 41, and her partner were startled awake by a loud bang. My boyfriend looked out the window and said he thought it was a fire. We ran to the balcony and the fire crew was just arriving. It was completely ablaze, she told the Herald on Friday. I think we woke up to the sound of the gasoline tank exploding, but then we kept hearing pops and whistles. The flames just kept getting bigger. It took the fire crew 40 minutes to get it out, she said. The more water they sprayed, the bigger the flames got. Lancour, who is not Jewish, said it was absolutely heart-wrenching to see the community targeted. Loading Were very friendly, everyone waves and smiles. Its such a brilliant community, its a community full of love and acceptance, she said. Jewish leaders, politicians denounce attacks Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said Sydneys Jewish community was being targeted by masked criminals aiming to menace and intimidate. The hate-filled criminals who are perpetrating these crimes need to know that their campaign of domestic terrorism will not succeed, he said. The Jewish community is resilient, strong and unbowed and will continue to be so. The incident comes just a week after two hooded figures were captured on CCTV spraying slurs and swastikas on the Southern Sydney Synagogue at Allawah. Loading Since then, another synagogue in Newtown and a home and several cars in Queens Park have been vandalised with similar slurs. Meanwhile, a western Sydney man could face up to a decade in prison for allegedly threatening to kill Jewish community leaders. The charges are the first laid by a federal operation announced after the firebombing of a synagogue in Melbourne in December. Operation Avalite targets high-harm, recidivist antisemites, AFP assistant commissioner Stephen Nutt said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the incident was an outrage that goes against everything that we stand for. In an interview on ABC Radio National, Albanese called for calm ahead of anticipated protests this weekend. What we need to do is to lower the temperature in the community, Albanese said. Australians want to see the conflict end, they want to see hostages released they dont want to see conflict brought here to Australia. NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said those responsible for the vandalism of Ryvchins former home deserve swift, harsh punishment. With a fragile Gaza ceasefire brokered just yesterday, its devastating to see yet another disgusting antisemitic attack early this morning, involving arson and vandalism, this time in Dover Heights, Speakman said. Hatred has no place in our society. Loading Wentworth MP Allegra Spender said she backed calls for a national cabinet on antisemitism and that more needed to be done to prevent attacks on the Jewish community. Its not just an attack on the Jewish community, its an attack on what it means to be an Australian and what is great about this country. Ryvchin is the second Jewish leader to be the subject of antisemitic abuse. Commuters in the citys north-west are set for a reprieve from clogged parking lots and poor transport connections to metro stations. Following a months-long community campaign of complaints and feedback, Transport for NSW will shift to a more frequent timetable with extended bus routes for services around stations at the end of the north-west metro line. For much of 2024, locals around Tallawong, Box Hill, Schofields and North Kellyville complained about a chronic lack of bus services connecting to metro stations, forcing them to walk on roads, order costly Ubers or drive into commuter car parks that get full by the early hours. Commuters entering Tallawong car park face significant congestion. Credit: Nick Moir But from January 19, many routes including the 732, 740, 742, 745, 746, 747 and 748 will become more frequent, and additional buses for use during peak times will be deployed on the 601, 605 and 643 routes. A five-year-old boy is in a critical condition in hospital after an old parking meter at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre fell on him on Wednesday. Three St John Ambulance crews were called to the museum just after 10.30am, and paramedics treated the boy before he was rushed to Bunbury Regional Hospital. The incident happened at 10.30am on Wednesday at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre. Credit: City of Bunbury It is understood he was later flown to Perth Childrens Hospital, where he remained in a critical condition on Thursday. City of Bunbury chief executive Alan Ferris said he was deeply saddened to learn about the incident, which had also impacted staff and community members who provided immediate assistance. Beach rescues at several popular northern suburbs swimming spots have reached a shocking all-time high, sparking an urgent warning from lifeguards. The City of Stirlings beach services team performed an unprecedented 374 rescues in the month of December alone more than usually seen in an entire year. The City of Stirlings beach services team performed an unprecedented 374 rescues in December alone, sparking warnings from lifeguards. Credit: Nine News Perth. Stirling the only local government in Western Australia providing its own beach patrols 365 days a year employs four full-time beach inspectors and up to 16 casual lifeguards who bolster these patrols from the September school holidays to the end of April. The city manages 7km of coastline, reserves and surf beaches from Peasholm Street Dog Beach to Watermans Bay, including the popular snorkel destination Mettams pool. A Perth office is encouraging its staff to nap openly on the job as new data reveals more than half of the nations employees turned up to work exhausted in the past year. The annual sleep survey conducted by CoreData on behalf of HIF found that up to one in five workdays were being affected by poor sleep, with significant economic impacts. Ryan Miller takes a nap at work. Credit: HIF Of the 1003 working Australians surveyed for the 2024 Sleep Index Survey, 54 per cent admitted they had turned up to work exhausted, and almost nine in 10 said it was impacting their productivity. Moreover, nearly three in 10 Aussies have faked a sickie because they were too tired to work, and 15 per cent had taken a sneaky nap at work or during work hours. The prospect of a ceasefire in Gaza should, by rights, calm the immense pressures that have led to a long and debilitating argument in Australia about peace in the Middle East and the right of Israel to defend itself. It should, by rights, bring an end to the ugly displays of antisemitism being witnessed on Australian streets. The reasoning is simple: if the warring sides in Gaza and Israel can reach an agreement to end the fighting, the combatants in the Australian debate should be able to scale back their hostilities as well. But the ceasefire sets out an uncertain future. It is due to begin on Sunday and will take at least six weeks for anyone to be sure it has accomplished what is being promised in its first stage. And it does not abolish the enmities that drive so many of the global and local arguments about Israel and Palestine. A truce in Gaza, in other words, will not bring peace to Australian politics. Illustration by Simon Letch Credit: One point is essential from the start: the ceasefire is a bright moment in a dark time. If it is honoured by both sides, it should save lives and bring more aid to civilians in a war zone. It should stop bombs falling on Palestinian homes and rockets landing on Israeli neighbourhoods. A second point is that a successful ceasefire could ease some of the anger in Australian communities about the conflict and bring a pause to the aggressive public protests that have troubled authorities. The fact is that Jewish families feel unsafe, Jewish schools are being patrolled by guards, and synagogues need around-the-clock security a situation that should be unthinkable for Australia. They were the three words that convinced Eli Bibas that something terrible had happened to his family. I love you, his son Yarden wrote to him in a text message on October 7, 2023, as Hamas terrorists stormed through the kibbutz in southern Israel where he lived with his wife and two young children. Bibas, who lived in another kibbutz 20 kilometres away, pleaded for his son to tell him more. He received no response. Watching news of the attacks on television, Bibas saw that his daughter-in-law Shiri and two grandchildren had been captured and abducted into Gaza. So, he would later learn, had his son. Yarden gave himself up to Hamas in the mistaken belief it would prevent his wife and children from being kidnapped, Bibas was later told by a now-released hostage who met his son in Gaza. Eli Bibas son, daughter-in-law and grandchildren were taken hostage during the October 7 attack in 2023. Credit: Kate Geraghty Bibas grandchildren, with their distinctive red hair, quickly became some of the most famous and beloved Israeli hostages because they were so young. Ariel, aged four at the time of the attack, adored tractors, bicycles and the superhero Batman. Kfir, aged just nine months, was the youngest person taken hostage on October 7. He had only just begun to crawl when he was abducted. I spend every day, every minute, every hour thinking about them, Eli Bibas told photographer Kate Geraghty and me in Tel Aviv in October on the eve of the first anniversary of the attacks. I hope we wont need to wait another year for them to come home. BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. Hungary proposes to organize a meeting of heads of customs services of the member countries of the Organization of Turkic Speaking States (OTS) in Budapest, Deputy Head of the International Relations Department of the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration Zsuzsa Kecskes said, Trend reports. She made the remark during the X meeting of the heads of customs services of the OTS member countries. According to her, Hungary aims to be an active participant in the OTS community on many fronts. We would like to organize a meeting in Budapest, bringing together the heads of customs administrations of the OTS countries. We believe that it will be a great platform to discuss further steps to strengthen cooperation, especially in areas such as customs modernization, digital trade, and regional trade facilitation. Considering that the informal summit will also be organized in Hungary, this would be a great opportunity to link it with the Customs Leaders' Meeting. Working together, we can ensure that our regions are better connected and better prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, Kecskes stated. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The ceasefire agreement has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahus far-right coalition partners, on whose support he depends to remain in power. Israels hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to quit the government if Israel approves the ceasefire. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Israel and Hamas to implement a Gaza ceasefire plan without any delay. Egypt has been a key mediator between the enemies for years and a leading player in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. People in Tel Aviv take part in a rally calling for the return of hostages held in Gaza amid reports of a ceasefire and hostage release deal being reached. Credit: Getty Images The deal announced on Thursday AEDT would see scores of hostages held in Gaza released and a pause in fighting with a view to eventually wind down a 15-month war that has destabilised the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Hamas triggered the war with its October 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed about 1200 people, with 250 others taken hostage. Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. The military campaign has levelled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed about 90 per cent of Gazas population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast. Netanyahu faces heavy internal pressure The Israeli prime minister faces great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages, whose families have pleaded with him to prioritise the release of their loved ones over politics. But Israeli divisions over the deal were on stark display as Ben-Gvir, a key government coalition partner and cabinet member, threatened to resign, saying the ceasefire was reckless and would destroy all of Israels achievements. The departure of Ben-Gvirs Jewish Power party would reduce the number of the ruling coalitions seats in the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, from 68 to 62 leaving Netanyahus government with just the slimmest of majorities. Ben-Gvir said his party would return to the coalition if Israel resumes its war. Ben-Gvirs resignation would not bring down the government or derail the ceasefire deal. But the move destabilises the Israeli government at a delicate moment and could lead to the governments collapse if Ben-Gvir is joined by other key Netanyahu allies. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for instance, is vehemently opposed to the agreement and has demanded that Netanyahu promise to resume the war against Hamas after the first phase of the ceasefire as a condition of his party staying in the coalition. A night of heavy Israeli strikes Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. We were expecting that the [Israeli] occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports of progress in truce talks, said Mohammed Mahdi, who is sheltering in Gaza City. Loading Gazas Health Ministry said the toll from Thursdays strikes only includes bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City and the actual toll is probably higher. Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier, said Zaher al-Wahedi, a Health Ministry official. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites. Anxiety spread across Gaza on Thursday with the news of last-minute quarrelling between Hamas and Israeli officials. We ask our brothers in Hamas to communicate with mediators to end the war, said Omar Jendiya, in Deir al-Balah. Enough with the destruction and killing. A phased withdrawal and hostage release with potential pitfalls Under the deal reached, 33 of about 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to whats left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second and much more difficult phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group, and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Ceasefire leaves questions about Gazas future unanswered US President-elect Donald Trumps Middle East envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trumps team are taking credit for the breakthrough. Longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. PHILIPSBURG:--- Amid ongoing financial challenges, Member of Parliament and Leader of the United People's Party, Omar E.C. Ottley, has voiced concern over the government's decision to allocate $1.4 million to the Soul Beach Festival. MP Ottley questioned the government's priorities by highlighting the island's critical issues, including a reduced education budget, unpaid justice workers, increasing gun violence, and deteriorating infrastructure. "The dark days described by the coalition government are becoming darker as they prioritize a festival over essential needs such as food, safety, and the future of our nation," he said. While the festival has been promoted as a potential boost for tourism, MP Ottley raised concerns about its financial justification. Originally planned as a joint venture with French St. Martin, recent reports suggest the French side may not contribute, leaving St. Maarten to shoulder the entire cost. Adding to the controversy, $500,000 has already been spent, but the source of these funds remains unclear. "Where are the priorities of this government?" MP Ottley asked, emphasizing the lack of transparency in approving the festival budget without parliamentary debate or inclusion in the national budget. During a parliamentary discussion on the 2025 budget, MPs criticized the government for failing to address critical issues such as public infrastructure, education, and employment opportunities. Following the Meeting, MP Ottley clarified his position in a press release stating that he was not opposed to the Soul Beach Festival. "However, there are too many things that deserved urgent attention, especially during challenging economic times, for the government to justify spending US$1.4 million now amidst drastic budget cuts." "The timing of this expenditure could not be worse," he said. "This money could have been better used to address urgent needs," he stated. "If we are truly facing our darkest days, how can the government justify spending on a festival instead of investing in solutions that improve the lives of our people?" Growth and tourism are important, but they cannot come at the sacrifice of the people who make this island what it is." MP Ottley called for the government to prioritize long-term solutions over short-term distractions, urging leadership that focuses on lifting the nation out of its current challenges. Willemstad:--- Against the backdrop of the picturesque Boutique Hotel t Klooster in Willemstad, students from The Hague University of Applied Sciences immersed themselves in the world of policy advising during a visit to the Social and Economic Council (SER) of Curacao. The visit offered a unique blend of insights into the councils fundamental role in Curacao and practical opportunities to contribute as interns. The students, all enrolled in the Minor in Kingdom Relations, were introduced to the multifaceted work of the SER of Curacao, which serves as a critical advisory body on socioeconomic issues. During an engaging presentation, the technical staff of the council outlined the key functions of the SER, including advising the government and Parliament of Curacao and, on a technical level, supporting labor negotiation platforms such as the Central Committee of Trade Unions (CCvV) and the Central Organized Civil Servants Consultation (CGOA). This deep dive into the councils operations illuminated the intricate policymaking processes that drive the development of a small but dynamic economy within a broader kingdom context. One of the most anticipated aspects of the visit was the discussion of internship opportunities at the SER. The students learned how they could gain valuable hands-on experience by contributing to the councils daily operations, aligning their academic studies with real-world impact. The session was intentionally interactive, with students engaging in discussions on topics ranging from policy formation, advising, and economic collaboration to the SERs role in fostering stronger ties across the Kingdom and with international partners. These exchanges underscored the mutual benefits of collaboration between The Hague University and the SER. The formal program concluded with an informal lunch, providing a relaxed setting for students and representatives of the staff of the SER to network and exchange perspectives. The conversation extended beyond the mornings agenda, offering students a rare opportunity to deepen their understanding of the councils mission and Curacaos socioeconomic landscape. This visit, the fourth in a series of annual exchanges, highlights the importance of experiential learning and the exchange of knowledge between different parts of the Kingdom. By fostering these connections, the SER aims to not only introduce young talent to the unique challenges of Curacao but also empower them to contribute actively to its development. Both The Hague University and the SER of Curacao expressed satisfaction with the outcomes of the visit and look forward to strengthening this tradition in the coming years. Together, they are preparing future professionals to take on roles that enhance the Kingdoms shared prosperity while advancing the social and economic progress of Curacao. Large deal TCV of $2.5 billion including 63% net new; Headcount increased by 5,591 FY25 revenue guidance revised to 4.5%-5.0% Infosys (NSE: INFY) (BSE: INFY) (NYSE: INFY), a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting, delivered strong and broad-based performance with $4,939 million in Q3 revenues, growth of 1.7% sequentially and 6.1% year on year in constant currency. Operating margin for Q3 was at 21.3%, increase of 0.2% sequentially. Free cash flow for Q3 was highest ever at $1,263 million, growing 90% year on year. TCV of large deal wins was $2.5 billion, with 63% net new growing at 57% sequentially. Headcount increased for second consecutive quarter. Revenues for YTD Dec 24 grew at 3.9% year on year in constant currency and in reported terms. Operating margin was at 21.2%, increase of 0.3% year on year. Our strong revenue growth sequentially in a seasonally weak quarter and broad-based year on year growth, along with robust operating parameters and margins, is a clear reflection of the success of our differentiated digital offerings, market positioning, and key strategic initiatives. We continue to strengthen our enterprise AI capabilities, particularly focusing on generative AI, which is witnessing increasing client traction, said Salil Parekh, CEO and MD. This has led to another quarter of strong large deal wins and improved deal pipeline giving us greater confidence as we look ahead, he added. 1.7% QoQ 21.30 % 11.4% YoY $2.5 Bn $1.3 Bn 6.1% YoY Operating Margin EPS Increase Large Deal Free CC Growth 0.8% YoY increase (? terms) TCV Cash Flow Guidance for FY25: Revenue growth of 4.5%-5.0% in constant currency Operating margin of 20%-22% Key highlights: For nine months ended December 31, 2024 For the quarter ended December 31, 2024 Revenues in CC terms grew by 3.9% YoY Revenues in CC terms grew by 6.1% YoY and 1.7% QoQ Reported revenues at $14,547 million, Reported revenues at $4,939 million, growth of 3.9% YoY growth of 5.9% YoY Operating margin at 21.2%, growth of Operating margin at 21.3%, increase of 0.3% YoY 0.8% YoY and 0.2% QoQ Basic EPS at $0.57, growth of 6.1% YoY Basic EPS at $0.19, growth of 9.6% YoY FCF at $3,196 million, growth of 57.1% FCF at $1,263 million, growth of 89.9% YoY; YoY; FCF conversion at 136.1% of net profit FCF conversion at 156.6% of net profit We had another quarter of strong performance with revenue growth across segments and operating margin expansion, leading to 11.4% EPS growth year on year in rupee terms. Our structured approach to operating margin expansion yielded more results in Q3, particularly due to benefits from improving realization and scale benefits, said Jayesh Sanghrajka, CFO. Our sharp focus on cash flow is reflected in Free cash conversion to net profits of 157% in Q3 with free cash generation for 9 months of FY25 surpassing that of entire FY24, he added. 1. Client wins & Testimonials Infosys Compaz and Temasek, announced a strategic collaboration with StarHub to accelerate their operations and drive technology-led innovations. Tan Kit Yong, Head of Enterprise Business Group, StarHub, said, At StarHub, we have always prided ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation. By collaborating with iCompaz, we are expanding our horizons to offer an even wider range of offerings and technologies that are co-created to address the unique needs of our customers. Aligned with our DARE+ strategy, this powerful synergy will better position us as the go-to full-service supplier for businesses that need connectivity, cloud, cybersecurity, and other ICT services to accelerate their digital journeys. Infosys announced the extension of its existing collaboration with Old National Bank to accelerate its operational and technological transformation. Jim Ryan, Chairman & CEO, Old National Bank, said, At Old National, we are committed to creating exceptional client and team member experiences. Infosys is expertly guiding us through business process enhancements, with a strong emphasis on efficiency and value generation. We greatly appreciate Infosys commitment to our growth and success. Infosys announced its collaboration with RheinEnergie to help enterprises drive their energy transition and sustainability agenda forward. Stephan Segbers, Chief Sales Officer and member of the board, RheinEnergie, said, RheinEnergie firmly believes that innovative technological and digital solutions are intrinsic to achieving the Energiewende and the Warmewende , Germany s planned transition to a low-carbon, nuclear-free economy. The powerful combination of Infosys global expertise in energy transition and cutting-edge technologies such as cloud and AI, and RheinEnergie s extensive experience in providing energy services allows us to offer enterprises a comprehensive suite of solutions to help manage their energy costs and navigate their energy transition journey. We are excited about joining forces with Infosys and extend this innovative approach to businesses across various sectors. Together, we can accelerate the transition to a clean energy future for a healthier planet. Infosys announced the extension of its existing collaboration with Microsoft to help accelerate customer adoption of generative AI and Microsoft Azure, globally. Nicole Dezen, Chief Partner Officer at Microsoft, said, Our expanded collaboration with Infosys will transform industries, enhance business operations, elevate employee experiences, and deliver new value for customers. Together, we will harness the power of generative AI to deliver innovative solutions, drive AI Adoption and enable unprecedented innovation for customers. Infosys announced the launch of its small language models Infosys Topaz BankingSLM and Infosys Topaz ITOpsSLM built using the powerful NVIDIA AI Stack. Jay Puri, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Field Operations, NVIDIA, said, Generative AI and the recent advancements in agentic and physical AI are ushering in a new era of innovation and productivity for enterprises worldwide. NVIDIA s full-stack AI platform combined with Infosys Topaz empowers businesses to build and deploy custom AI applications that will transform industries, helping businesses unlock their full potential. Infosys announced the launch of Google Cloud center of excellence, powered by Infosys Topaz, to foster enterprise AI innovation. Victor Morales, Vice President of GSI and Consulting Partnerships, Google Cloud, said, Infosys and Google Cloud are committed to providing customers with the industry expertise and technology needed to accelerate digital transformation. The center of excellence is a testament to our strong collaboration and dedication to helping businesses innovate with breakthrough solutions powered by generative AI. Infosys announced its strategic collaboration with zooplus to enhance its service capability and scalability. Geoffroy Lefebvre, Chief Executive Officer, zooplus SE, said, At zooplus our growth strategy has always been focused on leveraging data-driven insights to meet our customers demands. Our collaboration with Infosys to establish our new technology hub is a strategic decision driven by their AI-first strategies combined with expertise in delivering AI-powered solutions, with Infosys Topaz. We are confident that through this collaboration we will unlock greater operational efficiencies, enhance customer experience, and stay ahead in the competitive e-commerce landscape. Infosys announced a strategic collaboration with Kardex to transform its business operations using SAP S/4HANA. Thomas Reist, Chief Financial Officer of Kardex, said, Our mission is to empower our customers to optimize their intralogistics operations, enhancing efficiency, agility, and overall success. By continually evolving our solutions and adapting to changing market demands, we aim to be the trusted partner of choice for companies seeking to boost their productivity. We are confident that our partnership with Infosys will propel us forward. With their extensive expertise in process transformation, supported by SAP solutions, and a proven track record of successful implementations, Infosys is the ideal partner to help us achieve our strategic objectives. We look forward to this collaboration as a means to advance our growth and further strengthen our position as a market leader. Infosys announced its collaboration with Southwark Council to launch its digital learning platform Springboard in the borough. Dionne Lowndes, Chief Digital & Technology Officer, Southwark Council, said, Partnering with Infosys to bring the Springboard platform to Southwark is a significant step towards realising our ambitious three-year digital strategy. The initiative will not only empower our residents, but local businesses too, with vital digital skills and resources. By enhancing this kind of accessibility and fostering innovation, we are working to enable our community to thrive in an ever-advancing technological world. 2. Recognitions & Awards Brand Awarded Silver in the India Workplace Equality Index (IWEI) 2024 Received the 2024 UN Women s WEP India Award in the Gender-inclusive Workplace category Received multiple recognitions at The Asset ESG Corporate Awards 2024 Platinum Award for Excellence, Best Investor Relations Team, Best Initiative in Environmental Responsibility, and Best Initiative in Diversity and Inclusion categories Received the Shorty Impact Awards in the Gender Equality category for the #SpotItToStopIt campaign AI and Cloud Services Received Binding Corporate Rules Certification from EU Data Protection Authorities Positioned as a leader in Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP Services Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Automation Fabric Services, Q4 2024 Positioned as a leader in Microsoft Azure Services PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 by Everest Group Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Managed Cloud Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Adobe Experience Cloud Professional Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: AADA Quadfecta of Analytics, AI, Data Platforms, and Automation Services for Generative Enterprise 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Azure Ecosystem Services Providers, 2024 Key Digital Services Rated as a leader in The Forrester Wave: Infrastructure Outsourcing Services, Q4 2024 Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Asia/Pacific Salesforce Implementation Services 20242025 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Digital Workplace Services 2024 Vendor Assessment Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: European SAP Modernization Services 2024 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: IoT Service Providers, 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Sustainability Services, 2024 Rated as a leader in Quality Engineering NEAT 2024 by NelsonHall Recognized as a Market Maker in CapioIT Salesforce SI and Solutions Providers Ecosystem Capture Share Report, 2024 Infosys BPM won the Outsourcing Impact Champion award at the Outsourcing Impact Review (OIR) 2024 for Project Genesis Infosys BPM ranked as a Leader in ISG Provider Lens Quadrant Study on Procurement Services 2024 Infosys BPM recognized as a Leader in the IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Enterprise Analytics and AI Business Process Services for Finance and Accounting 2024 Vendor Assessment Industry & Solutions Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape Worldwide Life Science R&D ITO Services 2024 Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Smart Insurance Producer Management Applications Recognized as a leader in IDC MarketScape: Worldwide Service Providers for Utilities Customer Operations 2024 Vendor Assessment Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: Healthcare Payer Services 2024 Positioned as a leader in HFS Horizons: The Best Service Providers for Commercial Banks, 2025 Infosys Finacle has been positioned as a Leader by Everest Group in the Wealth Management Products PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 Report Infosys Finacle has been positioned as a Leader by Everest Group in the Consumer Loan Origination Systems (LOS) Products PEAK Matrix Assessment 2024 Report MEA Finance Banking Technology Awards 2024: Best Composable Banking Transformation Emirates NBD and Infosys Finacle Read more about our Awards & Recognitions here (https://www.infosys.com/about/awards.html). About Infosys Infosys is a global leader in next-generation digital services and consulting. Over 300,000 of our people work to amplify human potential and create the next opportunity for people, businesses and communities. We enable clients in more than 56 countries to navigate their digital transformation. With over four decades of experience in managing the systems and workings of global enterprises, we expertly steer clients, as they navigate their digital transformation powered by the cloud. We enable them with an AI-powered core, empower the business with agile digital at scale and drive continuous improvement with always-on learning through the transfer of digital skills, expertise, and ideas from our innovation ecosystem. We are deeply committed to being a well-governed, environmentally sustainable organization where diverse talent thrives in an inclusive workplace. Visit www.infosys.com to see how Infosys (NSE, BSE, NYSE: INFY) can help your enterprise navigate your next. Safe Harbor Certain statements in this release concerning our future growth prospects, our future financial or operating performance, the McCamish cybersecurity incident and the related review and notification process are forward-looking statements intended to qualify for the safe harbor under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties relating to these statements include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties regarding the execution of our business strategy, increased competition for talent, our ability to attract and retain personnel, increase in wages, investments to reskill our employees, our ability to effectively implement a hybrid working model, economic uncertainties and geo-political situations, technological disruptions and innovations such as Generative AI, the complex and evolving regulatory landscape including immigration regulation changes, our ESG vision, our capital allocation policy and expectations concerning our market position, future operations, margins, profitability, liquidity, capital resources, our corporate actions including acquisitions, the amount of any additional costs, including indemnities or damages or claims, resulting directly or indirectly from the McCamish cybersecurity incident and the outcome and effect of pending litigation. Important factors that may cause actual results or outcomes to differ from those implied by the forward-looking statements are discussed in more detail in our US Securities and Exchange Commission filings including our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2024. These filings are available at https://www.sec.gov/. Infosys may, from time to time, make additional written and oral forward-looking statements, including statements contained in the Company s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and our reports to shareholders. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements that may be made from time to time by or on behalf of the Company unless it is required by law. Infosys Limited and subsidiaries Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet under IFRS as at: (Dollars in millions) December 31, 2024 March 31, 2024 ASSETS Current assets Cash and cash equivalents 2,663 1,773 Current investments 933 1,548 Trade receivables 3,896 3,620 Unbilled revenue 1,318 1,531 Other current assets 1,428 2,250 Total current assets 10,238 10,722 Non-current assets Property, plant and equipment and 2,183 2,323 Right-of-use assets Goodwill and other Intangible assets 1,508 1,042 Non-current investments 1,105 1,404 Unbilled revenue 301 213 Other non-current assets 956 819 Total non-current assets 6,053 5,801 Total assets 16,291 16,523 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY Current liabilities Trade payables 429 474 Unearned revenue 988 880 Employee benefit obligations 336 314 Other current liabilities and provisions 3,050 2,983 Total current liabilities 4,803 4,651 Non-current liabilities Lease liabilities 667 767 Other non-current liabilities 465 500 Total non-current liabilities 1,132 1,267 Total liabilities 5,935 5,918 Total equity attributable to equity holders 10,307 10,559 of the company Non-controlling interests 49 46 Total equity 10,356 10,605 Total liabilities and equity 16,291 16,523 Extracted from the Condensed Consolidated statement of Comprehensive Income under IFRS for: (Dollars in millions except per equity share data) 3 months ended 3 months ended 9 months ended 9 months ended December 31, December 31, December 31, December 31, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Revenues 4,939 4,663 14,547 13,997 Cost of sales 3,444 3,274 10,103 9,755 Gross profit 1,495 1,389 4,444 4,242 Operating expenses: Selling and 218 204 671 633 marketing expenses Administrative 224 229 693 692 expenses Total operating 442 433 1,364 1,325 expenses Operating profit 1,053 956 3,080 2,917 Other income, 90 79 249 196 net (3) Profit before 1,143 1,035 3,329 3,113 income taxes Income tax 337 301 981 904 expense Net profit 806 734 2,348 2,209 (before minority interest) Net profit 804 733 2,345 2,208 (after minority interest) Basic EPS ($) 0.19 0.18 0.57 0.53 Diluted EPS ($) 0.19 0.18 0.56 0.53 NOTES: 1. The above information is extracted from the audited condensed consolidated Balance sheet and Statement of Comprehensive Income for the quarter and nine months ended December 31, 2024, which have been taken on record at the Board meeting held on January 16, 2025. 2. A Fact Sheet providing the operating metrics of the Company can be downloaded from www.infosys.com. 3. Other income is net of Finance Cost. 4. As the quarter and nine months ended figures are taken from the source and rounded to the nearest digits, the quarter figures in this statement added up to the figures reported for the previous quarter might not always add up to the nine months ended figures reported in this statement. IFRS-INR Press Release : https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2024-2025/q3/documents/ifrs-inr-press-release.pdf Fact sheet: https://www.infosys.com/investors/reports-filings/quarterly-results/2024-2025/q3/documents/fact-sheet.pdf Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/633365/Infosys_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/infosys-strong-growth-of-6-1-yoy-in-cc-80-bps-yoy-operating-margin-expansion-302353184.html Contact: Investor Relations, Sandeep Mahindroo, +91 80 3980 1018, Sandeep_Mahindroo@infosys.com, Media Relations, Rishi Basu, +91 80 4156 3998, Rajarshi.Basu@infosys.com, Harini Babu, +1 469 996 3516, Harini_Babu@infosys.com Original-Content von: INFOSYS, ubermittelt durch news aktuell BAKU, Azerbaijan, January 16. The negative reaction of Armenia to statements made by Russian journalists regarding the Zangezur Corridor is puzzling, Spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova said during today's weekly briefing, Trend reports. "We have always heard from Yerevan that Armenia is committed to freedom of speech, so the reaction in Yerevan is puzzling. The official position of Russia is well known to Yerevan: Russia consistently speaks about the unblocking of all transport and economic links based on trilateral agreements. This position has been clearly outlined," she also said. Previously, General Director of the Rossiya Segodnya agency, TV presenter Dmitry Kiselev, called the Zangezur Corridor vitally important for Baku and noted that Yerevan is ignoring Azerbaijans demand to open the corridor. In this regard, the Russian ambassador to Armenia, Sergei Kopyrkin, was summoned to the country's foreign ministry and given a note of protest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Estonia, Lithuania slam US curbs on AI chip exports Tallinn, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Estonia and Lithuania on Thursday criticised a US decision to curb exports of chips used for artificial intelligence to some allies, including the Baltic states. The outgoing US administration unveiled the new export rules on Monday in its latest effort to make it tough for China and other rivals to access the advanced technology. But the rules do not treat all members of NATO and the European Union equally, as certain countries including France and Germany are exempted while many others including Estonia, Lithuania and Poland are not. "A decision made by the outgoing US administration to restrict advanced AI chip exports to some allies is completely thoughtless and harmful," Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said on X. "In developing AI, allies must expand cooperation instead of imposing restrictions on each other," he said. Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda condemned the decision to single out certain countries, saying "the European Union should be indivisible". "I hope that these decisions are not final and that they will change in our favour," he told reporters on Thursday. Earlier this week, the European Union also expressed concern over the new export rules, saying the bloc was "not a security risk" for the United States. Washington has expanded its efforts in recent years to curb exports of state-of-the-art chips to China, concerned that they could be used to advance Beijing's military systems and other tech capabilities. EU lawmakers urge Brussels to act over Musk interference Brussels, Belgium, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Dozens of EU lawmakers on Thursday expressed "deep concern" over Elon Musk's interference in European politics as they called on Brussels to protect member states. Tech billionaire Musk has drawn fire for a string of attacks on European leaders as well as his support for the far-right German AfD party, whose head he hosted on his X social media platform last week. It has also sparked a flurry of letter-writing by EU lawmakers -- both in support and against Musk. The latest on Thursday took umbrage with his X posts on European politics. "We are writing to express our deep concerns about Elon Musk's interference, particularly in the German election campaign and, previously, in Ireland," 38 MEPs wrote in the letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well respective EU tech and justice chiefs Henna Virkkunen and Michael McGrath. Virkkunen is expected to take part in a headline debate next week in the European Parliament on the bloc's Digital Services Act (DSA) and its enforcement -- amid concerns the commission is moving away from its previously bullish approach to social media platforms. In Thursday's letter, the MEPs from parliamentary groups across the political spectrum noted that Musk "isn't just a foreign billionaire" but also a future member of the incoming US administration under president-elect Donald Trump. The lawmakers, including Greens and liberals, accused Musk of artificially making his posts more visible to promote his personal views as well as "misleading content". "The European Commission must examine the compliance of Musk's recent smear campaigns with the Digital Services Act," the lawmakers said. The EU in December 2023 launched a DSA probe into X but has yet to make any formal decision on how the platform tackles illegal content and information manipulation. A rival letter circulated chiefly among right-wing lawmakers is calling for Musk to be invited to address the parliament, while MEPs were also encouraged to sign a proposal nominating him for a Nobel Peace Prize. raz/ec/bc Israel accuses Hamas of backtracking on fragile ceasefire deal Jerusalem, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Israel accused Hamas on Thursday of backtracking on parts of a fragile ceasefire and hostage release deal in the Gaza war, and carried out fresh air strikes ahead of an expected vote by the cabinet. The truce, announced by mediators Qatar and the United States on Wednesday, would take effect on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be finalised. But the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Hamas had "reneged on parts of the agreement reached... in an effort to extort last-minute concessions". It also said that the Israeli cabinet, which has yet to approve the agreement, "will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement". Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zuhri said there was "no basis" to Israel's accusations. In Gaza, the civil defence agency said Israel had pounded several areas of the territory since the announcement of the deal, killing at least 73 people and wounding hundreds. The agreement followed months of fruitless negotiations to end the deadliest war in Gaza's history, and, if finalised, would pause hostilities one day before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. Netanyahu spoke with both US President Joe Biden and Trump on Wednesday, the Israeli leader's office said, thanking them for their help securing the agreement but also cautioning that "final details" were still being worked on. The war was triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. During the attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's ensuing campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,788 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable. - Mixed feelings - In Israel and Gaza, there were celebrations but also anguish. Saeed Alloush, who lives in north Gaza, said he and his loved ones were "waiting for the truce and were happy", until overnight strikes killed his relatives. "It was the happiest night since October 7" until "we received the news of the martyrdom of 40 people from the Alloush family", he said. In Tel Aviv, pensioner Simon Patya said he felt "great joy" that some hostages will return alive, but also "great sorrow for those who are returning in bags, and that will be a very strong blow, morally." Two far-right party leaders in Netanyahu's cabinet have publicly opposed the agreement. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said it was a "dangerous deal", while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it "disastrous". Israeli media said the government's ratification of the agreement may be delayed in part due to disagreements within the ruling coalition. Citing a source close to talks, Kan public broadcaster said Netanyahu wanted to protect the integrity of his government but that Smotrich was presenting a "real threat". The deal followed intensified efforts from mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announced on Wednesday that the "two belligerents in the Gaza Strip have reached a deal". "We hope that all parties will commit to implementing all the terms of this agreement," he said, adding that the three mediators would monitor its implementation. During an initial 42-day ceasefire, 33 hostages would be released, the Qatari prime minister said, including women, "children, elderly people, as well as civilian ill people and wounded". Also in the first phase, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza's densely populated areas and allow displaced Palestinians to return "to their residences", he said. - Aid needed - Announcing the deal from the White House, Biden said he was "deeply satisfied this day has come", calling the negotiations some of the "toughest" of his career. He added that the second phase of the agreement, if finalised, would bring a "permanent end to the war". Envoys from both Trump's incoming administration and Biden's outgoing one had been present at the latest negotiations, with a senior Biden official saying the unlikely pairing had been a decisive factor in reaching the deal. Trump on social media hailed the "EPIC ceasefire agreement". Biden said the deal would "surge much needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families". Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi underscored the "importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid" into Gaza. Egypt's state-linked Al-Qahera News cited a security source as saying coordination was "underway" to reopen the Rafah crossing on Gaza's border with Egypt to allow the entry of aid. The UN's Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, facing an Israeli ban on its activities set to take effect later this month, welcomed the deal. "What's needed is rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access and supplies to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by this war," UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. burs-ser/ami France, Norway say jet fighter deliveries to Ukraine 'on schedule' Oslo, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 France and Norway, two of the handful of countries that have pledged jet fighters to Ukraine, will meet their commitments on schedule, the two countries' defence ministers said Thursday in Oslo. Norway has promised Ukraine six US-made F-16s to help it fend off Russia's invasion, with deliveries spread out across 2024 and 2025. France has meanwhile said it would provide an unspecified number of French-made Mirage 2000-5s during the first quarter of 2025. "The timetable I gave is being met," said French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu, declining to comment on reports that three aircraft were to be delivered by January 20. "The delivery of jet fighters to a country at war is, by definition, sensitive... What has been promised will be delivered," he said. His Norwegian counterpart Bjorn Arild Gram meanwhile confirmed that Norway's "first batch" of F-16s had been delivered, but refused to disclose any "operational details". "We are on schedule," he said. The two ministers also signed a letter of intent aimed at bolstering their military cooperation, notably regarding the protection of underwater infrastructure, amid the threat of so-called hybrid warfare posed by Russia. The French navy has placed an order with Norway's Kongsberg Maritime for the Hugin seabed exploration vehicle, capable of diving to a depth of 6,000 metres (20,000 feet). Competing in a tender with the United States, Britain and Germany, France also hopes to sell five so-called defence and intervention frigates to Norway. Gram confirmed that Oslo would announce its choice "this year". Hamas warns continuing Israeli 'aggression' endangers hostages Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Hamas's armed wing warned on Thursday that Israel's continuing air strikes and shelling in Gaza after the announcement of a ceasefire deal was risking hostages meant to be released. "Any aggression and shelling at this stage by the enemy could turn the freedom of a prisoner into a tragedy," the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said on Telegram, referring to the dozens of Israeli hostages held in Gaza since the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. Without offering details, Abu Obeida, spokesman for the armed wing, said an Israeli strike had hit a place where one of the women to be freed "in the first stage of the ceasefire deal was located". On Wednesday, mediators Qatar and the United States announced that both Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Since then, Gaza's civil defence agency reported that Israel had "escalated" its strikes across the territory, reporting at least 80 killed and hundreds more wounded. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal said on Thursday that its teams had recovered the bodies of five children after a strike on the northern city of Jabalia. The Israeli military said that it had conducted strikes on "approximately 50 terror targets across the Gaza Strip" since late Wednesday. US sanctions leader of Sudan's armed forces Washington, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 The United States unveiled sanctions Thursday against the head of Sudan's armed forces over the military's "lethal attacks" against civilians, just days after it designated his rival and former deputy. The US Treasury Department said in a statement that it had sanctioned Abdel Fattah al-Burhan over attacks by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) following the outbreak of war in 2023 between Burhan and his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The United States sanctioned Daglo and the RSF on January 7, accusing the group of committing "genocide" in Sudan's Darfur region. On Thursday, the Treasury Department accused the SAF of committing attacks against schools, markets, and hospitals, denying humanitarian access, and "using food deprivation as a war tactic." "Today's action underscores our commitment to seeing an end to this conflict," said US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo. "The United States will continue to use our tools to disrupt the flow of weapons into Sudan and hold these leaders responsible for their blatant disregard of civilian lives," he added. The US Treasury also announced sanctions against Sudanese-Ukrainian national Ahmad Abdalla, and Hong Kong-based firm Portex Trade Limited for allegedly procuring weapons for the SAF on behalf of a sanctioned supplier. Earlier Thursday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he regretted his inability to end the brutal war in Sudan and voiced hope that President-elect Donald Trump's administration would keep trying to do so. "It is for me, yes, another real regret that when it comes to Sudan, we haven't been able on our watch to get to that day of success," he said at a farewell news conference. US 'confident' Gaza truce will go ahead as Israel launches new strikes Jerusalem, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 The United States said Thursday it was "confident" that a fragile Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal would take effect on time, even as Israel carried out new air strikes ahead of a cabinet vote on the accord. The truce, announced by mediators Qatar and the United States on Wednesday, would begin on Sunday and involve the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners, after which the terms of a permanent end to the war would be finalised. However, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Hamas had "reneged on parts of the agreement... in an effort to extort last-minute concessions". It also said Israel's cabinet, which has yet to approve the agreement, "will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement". An Israeli official later told AFP the cabinet was scheduled to meet Friday to decide on the deal. Hamas political bureau member Sami Abu Zuhri, meanwhile, said there was "no basis" for Israel's accusations. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has been involved in months of mediation efforts, said he believed the ceasefire would go ahead on schedule. "I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday," he said. The foreign ministry of fellow mediator Egypt said in a statement the ceasefire must "start without delay". Gaza's civil defence agency said Israel pounded several areas of the territory after the deal was announced, killing at least 80 people and wounding hundreds. The Israeli military said it had hit about 50 targets across Gaza since late Wednesday, targeting Palestinian militants. Hamas's armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, warned that Israeli strikes were risking the lives of hostages due to be freed under the deal, and could turn their "freedom... into a tragedy". The war was triggered by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. During the attack, the deadliest in Israeli history, Palestinian militants also took 251 people hostage, 94 of whom are still being held in Gaza, including 34 the Israeli military says are dead. Israel's ensuing campaign has destroyed much of Gaza, killing 46,788 people, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry that the UN considers reliable. - Mixed feelings - The ceasefire agreement followed intensified efforts from mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States, after months of fruitless negotiations to end the deadliest war in Gaza's history. If finalised, it would pause hostilities one day before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump. Envoys from both the Trump team and the outgoing administration of President Joe Biden were present at the latest negotiations, with a senior Biden official saying the unlikely pairing had been a decisive factor in reaching the deal. In Israel and Gaza, there were celebrations welcoming the truce deal, but also anguish. Saeed Alloush, who lives in north Gaza, said he and his loved ones were "waiting for the truce and were happy", until overnight strikes killed many of his relatives. "It was the happiest night since October 7" until "we received the news of the martyrdom of 40 people from the Alloush family", he said. In Tel Aviv, pensioner Simon Patya said he felt "great joy" that some hostages would return alive, but also "great sorrow for those who are returning in bags, and that will be a very strong blow, morally". Two far-right party leaders in Netanyahu's cabinet have publicly opposed the agreement. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said it was a "dangerous deal", while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir called it "disastrous". Israeli media said the government's ratification of the agreement may be delayed, in part, by disagreements within the ruling coalition. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, announcing the agreement on Wednesday, said an initial 42-day ceasefire would see 33 hostages released, including women, "children, elderly people, as well as civilian ill people and wounded". Also in the first phase, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza's densely populated areas and allow displaced Palestinians to return "to their residences", he said. - Aid needed - Announcing the deal from the White House, Biden said he was "deeply satisfied this day has come". He added that the second phase of the agreement could bring a "permanent end to the war". Biden said the deal would "surge much needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families". Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also underscored the "importance of accelerating the entry of urgent humanitarian aid" into Gaza. Cairo said it was ready to host an international conference on reconstruction of the Gaza Strip, where the United Nations has said it would take more than a decade to rebuild civilian infrastructure. The World Health Organization's representative in the Palestinian territories, Rik Peeperkorn, said Thursday that at least $10 billion would probably be needed over the next five to seven years to rebuild Gaza's devastated health system alone. The UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, facing an Israeli ban on its activities set to start later this month, welcomed the ceasefire deal. "What's needed is rapid, unhindered and uninterrupted humanitarian access and supplies to respond to the tremendous suffering caused by this war," UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini wrote on X. burs-ser/ami/smw/srm Blinken voices regret at failure to end Sudan war Washington, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he regretted his failure to end the brutal war in Sudan, as the United States imposed sanctions on the head of the country's armed forces. The Sudanese army has been at war with rival paramilitaries since April 2023 in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted more than 12 million, including millions who face a worsening hunger crisis. "It is for me, yes, another real regret that when it comes to Sudan, we haven't been able on our watch to get to that day of success," Blinken said at a farewell news conference. There have been "some improvements in getting humanitarian assistance in through our diplomacy, but not an end to the conflict, not an end to the abuses, not an end to the suffering of people," he said. "We'll keep working at it for the next three days, and I hope the next administration will take that on as well," he said. The US Treasury Department announced Thursday that it had slapped sanctions on Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the leader of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), over the military's "lethal attacks" against civilians. The US Treasury accused the SAF of committing attacks against schools, markets, and hospitals, denying humanitarian access, and using food deprivation as a war tactic. "Today's action underscores our commitment to seeing an end to this conflict," US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said in a statement. "The United States will continue to use our tools to disrupt the flow of weapons into Sudan and hold these leaders responsible for their blatant disregard of civilian lives," he added. Since 2023, the SAF has been locked in a battle for control of Sudan against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), led by Burhan's former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Earlier this month, the United States also imposed sanctions against Daglo and the RSF, accusing the group of committing genocide in Sudan's Darfur region. Across the country, more than 24.6 million people -- around half the population -- face "high levels of acute food insecurity," according to a recent review by the UN-backed Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. Armies, jihadists kill civilians 'with impunity' in W.Africa: HRW Abidjan, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Jihadist groups and national armies have been killing civilians across west Africa with "impunity" in the past two years, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday. The worst affected countries were Burkina Faso and Mali, both riven by armed groups and led by officers who took power in military coups, an annual report published by the rights group said. "Armed groups and government forces in West Africa have committed atrocities with impunity in 2024," the HRW report said. Burkina Faso's army and volunteer fighters had killed at least a thousand civilians in the first half of 2024, HRW said, citing figures from conflict monitoring group ACLED. Neighbouring Mali's security forces and their mercenary allies from Russia's paramilitary Wagner group were likewise responsible for "serious human rights violations against civilians as part of counterinsurgency operations against abusive Islamist armed groups". Mali's armed forces and its allies were responsible for 1,021 civilian deaths between January 1 and October 11, said HRW, again citing ACLED figures. That nearly doubled the toll from 2023, when 632 people died. The Malian junta systematically denies any accusations of abuses by the army. Meanwhile, the desert borderlands straddling junta-led Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have become the scene of attacks by armed groups linked to the Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, the report added. Niger's neighbour Nigeria has not been spared jihadist and army violence, with HRW reporting numerous kidnappings and murderous attacks on civilians by Boko Haram and its Islamic State-aligned splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The rights group also pointed to two air strikes carried out by the Nigerian army in December 2023 and September 2024, supposedly targeting "bandits" and which killed 85 and 24 people respectively. "Civilians have borne the brunt of the fighting between government forces and armed groups," said Mausi Segun, Africa director at Human Rights Watch. "The authorities in Nigeria and the Sahel used unchecked power to commit rights violations with impunity," Segun said. Peter Burton, a man with cancer, met with Princess Kate Middleton of Wales during her visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London. The 60-year-old patient spoke with her in private and later told reporters that the Duchess in real life is different from her reserved image in front of the cameras. ADVERTISIMENT Middleton, who recently underwent treatment for cancer, took her husband's hand when she was in his room. According to Burton, he felt like the only person in the room when she visited him, the Mirror reports. "I was told we would be meeting a VIP and I thought it was going to be Prince William, but to my surprise it was Her Royal Highness," the man said. "Talking to Kate, who has had cancer herself, was really special - I felt like she genuinely empathized with me and what I was going through. When you see the royal family on TV, they play a role, but Kate was extremely friendly, genuinely interested in what I had to say and took time one-on-one with me and each patient." ADVERTISIMENT According to Burton, Middleton visited the hospital's day care unit, where she was undergoing treatment herself. The man, who is battling bone marrow cancer and has undergone chemotherapy, is sure that Kate came because she really wanted to meet the patients, not just for the opportunity to take a photo. "We talked about how people think more about the cancer patients than the families who care for them, and that can be difficult," the patient added, "She felt the same way about her husband and children. It was also nice to know that Kate had been treated at the Royal Marsden herself." As a reminder, Kate Middleton publicly announced that she had cancer in March 2024. In September, the Princess of Wales successfully completed chemotherapy. Earlier, OBOZ.UA wrote that Middleton is going to return to the public during the BAFTA 2025 awards in February. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Ukrainian actress and presenter Kseniia Mishyna has commented for the first time on her dismissal from the TET TV channel, where she hosted the patriotic project "I Love Ukraine." The reason for this could have been a scandalous interview with a celebrity in Russian, but she did not reveal the real reason. ADVERTISIMENT On InstaStories, she commented for the first time on the end of her cooperation with the TV channel, but she did so in a somewhat veiled manner. The TV presenter said that she "did everything in her power." "I'm doing well, the channel is doing well. All stories begin and end. As for some rumors and loud headlines, our country is going through a difficult period. So are many people. It's like a cage of cannibals. Our own people are trying to devour their own. Bile, darkness, and those who are just waiting for the moment to bite there is enough of it. Someone succumbs to all this, someone realizes that this is only a separate layer of society, which, by the way, has every right to live this way," she noted. ADVERTISIMENT Kseniia Mishyna also called for less reading of scandalous news, and "sowing love and gratitude," probably with a hint of her work at the TV channel. "Read less of all this dirt, fill yourself with useful, pleasant information, collect good and positive things. Sow love and gratitude. And then many people will not have any questions about how to get off their knees. I am grateful for this period and I did everything in my power," the actress added. As a reminder, in early November 2024, Mishyna refused to talk about the Russian-language video she posted on her page in March. She reacted sharply to a journalist's question about the scandalous podcast. "We're not going to talk about it. Seriously, do you want to talk about it?" the TV presenter was indignant and left the frame. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed and an excuse for poor behaviour I'm sorry, but ADHD has become a scam that is wildly overdiagnosed The wildfire destruction has halted many events, with speculation growing that the Critics Choice Awards are set to be postponed for a second time while there was also suggestion that the Oscars ceremony may be impacted. Addressing the LA wildfires, he told those in attendance at the screening: Thank you everyone for being here, thanks for taking the time, we were supposed to be here with Elle (Fanning) and James Mangold, obviously y'know Jim and I think all of us who live in LA are affected by what's going on over there so anybody and everybody's thoughts [that] have come in from London or anywhere really, are deeply appreciated. She added: In the past I have experienced animosity towards me due to being transgender, but never thought that someone would have so much hatred for me and want to assault me in the way they did. If the EU has tariffs imposed on it and Brexiteers celebrate that, that shows they dont understand economics, because those tariffs on Europe will hurt us here, and so weve got to be really careful about that, and thats one of the reasons why (we) need to work with others in the EU and elsewhere, he said. With ever-increasing threats to Europes security, now is the time to take our partnership to the next level, so we can ensure were tackling the big issues that rebound on the British people at home from Putins aggression to the vile people smuggling gangs trading in human misery. He said "those conversations will continue for many months ahead", adding: "We will play our part when it comes to guaranteeing Ukraine's security but we must never lose sight of the absolute need for Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position as we go into 2025." According to the latest Steam Hardware Survey, from December 2024, there are still a lot of people using Windows 10. Out of the players on the digital distribution service, 54.96 per cent of them were on Windows 11, 42.39 per cent on Windows 10. And you might imagine Steam users would be, on average, more techy than the PC baseline. Mary Laing, 66, chairwoman of the Alva Development Trust, said: It was so lovely, we are so proud of what we do and we were the first people in Scotland to receive the Kings Award. It is so nice to get appreciated. Inddian police have reviewed the CCTV footage outside Khan's house but, within two hours of the attack, no one was visible in the lobby, the two lifts or entering the building. The culprit may have entered the flat on the 12th level by using the building shaft, a senior police officer informed the Indian Express newspaper. During a meeting place for old friends in Nanning, South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, an unexpected encounter is unfolding. Upon arrival, guests from ASEAN countries are captivated by the warmth of the Zhuang ethnic people and find familiarity with the lively dragon and lion dances. Just as there are many cultural resonances between China and ASEAN countries, these similarities are like the unspoken understanding between old friends. Click the video to join this reunion of the old friends of China and ASEAN in Nanning! Throughout his life, Mauro Morandi, who has been called the Italian Robinson Crusoe, has been the inspiration for books, songs, and documentaries. The fact is that at a fairly young age, the man made a unique decision for himself: to abandon comfortable, modern conditions and move to a desert island. ADVERTISIMENT According to The New York Times, the Italian settled on the island of Budelli, located near Sardinia. He lived in absolute solitude for 32 years until he was forced to return to civilization. Mauro Morandi was born on February 12, 1939. After completing his education, he worked as a high school physical education teacher. Over time, the Italian even tied the knot with his beloved woman, who gave birth to three children. At some point, however, their feelings cracked, and the marriage ended. The Italian Robinson Crusoe had a pretty good life in civilization, but it seems that his heart wanted something else. In 1989, Mauro Morandi moved to the deserted island of Budelli because he was fascinated by its incredible beauty. Since he lived on an uninhabited piece of land, he had no access to running water or electricity. Mauro Morandi lived in an abandoned hut from the Second World War. ADVERTISIMENT Sometimes the Italian had to leave his place of residence and travel to a big city. During these short trips, he bought a lot of books and other necessary things. "I read and think a lot. I think that a lot of people are afraid to read because if they start to do so, they will try to meditate and think about different things, and this can be dangerous. If you start to see things from a different angle and be critical of them, you will end up seeing what a miserable life you have," the man said in an interview. Interestingly, Mauro Morandi had modern technology on the island, such as a cell phone and a tablet. He charged his gadgets using a car battery and solar energy. The Italian saw his main task as protecting Budelli from ill-mannered tourists. He led vacationers along special paths and told interesting stories about the island. The man also removed garbage from the beach and carried out certain types of maintenance. ADVERTISIMENT However, in 2021, Mauro Moranda had to leave his beloved Budelli. The fact is that the ownership of the island was transferred to the state, and the territory became part of the Maddalena Archipelago National Park. At first, the Italian Robinson Crusoe did not agree to leave the desert island. He campaigned against his eviction on social media and gave hundreds of interviews. However, after 5 years of litigation, he gave up. "I hope that in the future, Budelli will be protected as well as I have been for 32 years," he wrote on Facebook. Unfortunately, Mauro Morandi's life was cut short on January 3 at the age of 85. The cause of death was a cerebral hemorrhage. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! As well as contributing to overpopulated streets and placing a strain on natural landscapes, mass tourism also tends to negatively impact housing, with family homes being sublet as short-term holiday homes. Skyrocketing prices have prompted anti-tourist protests in some regions as locals attempt to reclaim their cities from the throngs of tourists. Hong Kong is a city that impresses with its dynamism, economic power, and architecture. Located on the southern coast of China, this special administrative region has a high level of urbanization and the highest population density. ADVERTISIMENT Mong Kok, known as the most crowded district in the world, is not only a commercial center but also a place where you can feel the true spirit of Hong Kong. The Express publication told why it is worth visiting Hong Kong. Hong Kong used to be a small fishing village, but in the early 19th century, during the Anglo-Chinese War, Britain gained control of the territory. Hong Kong became a British colony in 1842 and then expanded through the leasing of nearby land. After more than a century of British rule, Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, but under the principle of "one country, two systems." This means that Hong Kong has considerable autonomy, especially in matters of economy, finance, and law. Mong Kok is one of Hong Kong's most famous and vibrant neighborhoods, attracting millions of tourists and locals alike with its energy, cultural diversity, and intense atmosphere. It is a place where you can find everything from traditional Chinese markets to modern shopping centers and impressive skyscrapers. The area is located in the southern part of the Kowloon Peninsula and is one of the most densely populated places on the planet. ADVERTISIMENT Even the name, which locals shorten to MK, means "crowded corner" in Cantonese. With a population density of 130,000 per square kilometer, Mong Kok is indeed teeming with life. In comparison, London is the most densely populated city in the UK, but it has only 5,960 people per square kilometer. Even Shanghai, a huge city, has about 3900 people per square kilometer. Thousands of people live in so-called coffin apartments tiny spaces that can only fit a bed. ADVERTISIMENT Mong Kok is known for the famous Temple Street night market. There are also streets dedicated to specific items, such as Sneaker Street, Electronics Street, and even Photocopy Street. This makes it easy to take a walking tour, depending on what you're looking for. One of the most prominent facilities in the area is the SkyBridge, which provides convenient access between different parts of Mong Kok and helps to avoid a large number of pedestrians and traffic congestion. Hong Kong is famous for its world-class street food, and Mong Kok is no exception. Local specialties such as siu mai (dumplings with shrimp or pork), takoyaki (octopus), or curry fish balls are worth trying. ADVERTISIMENT Hong Kong is one of the main financial centers of the world. The city combines Chinese traditions and Western lifestyle. Here you can see old Buddhist temples next to modern shopping centers. The city has an open economy, low taxes, and excellent infrastructure, which attracts a huge number of international companies and investors. One of the main sectors of the economy is the financial sector, including banking, investment banking, insurance, and stock markets. Hong Kong is an important hub for trade with other Asian countries and the world. In addition, the city is actively developing high technology and innovation, which makes it a powerful competitor in the global market. Subscribe to the OBOZ.UA channels in Telegram and Viber to keep up with the latest events. Recently, a new seven-episode project "Black Warrant" has appeared on the Netflix platform. This is an Indian series that tells the story of one of the country's most terrifying prisons. ADVERTISIMENT The brutal scenes and violence made the show restricted to users under 16. OBOZ.UA will tell you what we know about the drama series, whose trailer was watched by 17 million viewers in 9 days. The story tells about an officer who, despite his mother's warnings, agrees to work as a warden in Tihar prison. It has the highest level of security in India and is one of the largest in Asia. This place is surrounded by cruel rumors about the treatment of prisoners. However, the protagonist believes that the problems are not as global as they are said to be. He goes on duty and, to his horror, learns about the atrocities inside. When he sees how deeply corruption is rooted in the prison, he vows to change the situation. Currently, the film is only available in the original language, English, Polish, Tamil and Telugu. However, Ukrainian subtitles are already available. Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Don't fall for fakes! Calin Georgescu says that he was asked to participate in the inauguration ceremony of American President Donald Trump, but he refused "for very clear reasons", informs Agerpres. Present on Thursday at the Supreme Court, Georgescu was asked by journalists whether he was invited to the U.S. to participate on January 20 in the inauguration ceremony of President Donald Trump. "I was asked to go, but I refused, for very clear reasons", answered Calin Georgescu. The Ambassador of Romania to the U.S., Andrei Muraru, recently stated that "Mr. Calin Georgescu was not invited to the inauguration ceremony, his name is not among the persons officially invited by the Inauguration Committee and by the U.S. State Department". Calin Georgescu participated on Thursday in the lawsuit at the High Court of Cassation and Justice in which he challenges the annulment of the presidential elections. "The evidence does not exist on the part of those who abusively annulled the will of the people and, by way of consequence, what I can say today is that human rights, the right to choose and the right to be chosen, are guaranteed, they cannot be judged. The moment you judge human rights, it is like violating any kind of creation and I believe that is the idea of what is happening today. It is an action and a fight against God, it is a fight against the right of the Romanian people and against the most basic right to freedom - the free vote. Basically, we judge that we voted freely. This is the essence. The High Court will remain in deliberation and we will probably know the result tomorrow", said Georgescu, upon leaving the court. Asked whether he would be allowed to run again in the presidential elections, Georgescu reiterated that the authorities had no evidence to cancel the elections. Calin Georgescu and the Coalition for the Defense of the Rule of Law sued the Central Electoral Bureau (BEC) and several institutions (the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff of the Defense, the Government, the General Prosecutor's Office, the Constitutional Court, the Romanian Intelligence Service), but also the president Klaus Iohannis and Elena Lasconi, the president of USR, requesting the annulment of two decisions of the BEC by which it was decided the resumption of the presidential elections from scratch, based on the decision of the Constitutional Court. On December 31, 2024, the Bucharest Court of Appeal rejected the action brought by Calin Georgescu, but he appealed. On December 6, 2024, the Constitutional Court annulled the results of the first round of the presidential elections, won by Calin Georgescu, based on documents declassified by the Supreme Council for Country's Defense. A mission of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will visit Bucharest February 3-7, 2025, Geoff Gottlieb, IMF Senior Regional Representative for Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe, announced in a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday. "The Fund's team will meet with the representatives of the new Romanian Government and the National Bank of Romania to review recent economic and financial developments and update the macroeconomic outlook. The mission will be headed by Mr. Joong Shik Kang, who has replaced Mr. Jan Kees Martijn as Romania mission chief. Mr. Martijn has been assigned to a new post in line with the IMF's internal policies.' Currently, Romania does not have an ongoing financing agreement with the International Monetary Fund, but the financial institution annually assesses the evolution of the Romanian economy based on Article IV consultations. The president of Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), Kelemen Hunor considered on Thursday as "embarrassing" the press release made public by the Ministry of Energy in connection with the transaction through which a Hungarian state company intends to acquire the gas and electricity supply division of E.ON Energie Romania, informs Agerpres. Kelemen Hunor was asked by Digi 24 TV station what he can say about the question marks raised by the minister of energy in connection with the sale of E.ON. "I have rarely seen a more embarrassing release [of the Ministry of Energy]. It is a commercial matter between a German company and a Hungarian company. Of course, the Romanian state has the ability to verify if there is something to be verified, but not through public releases something like this is solved. On the other hand, we expect Mr. Burduja to come up with solutions for the vulnerable consumer because in April the capping of the energy price ends and he must to come up with a proposal, because we all want at least the vulnerable segment to be protected. (...) The dependence of certain states, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, to some extent, on Russian gas, has been known for 100 years. That is not something discovered by Burduja," argued Kelemen Hunor on Digi 24. He added that Romania is in a much better situation and it can change for the better not only its fate, but also the fate of other neighboring countries. "That release, as it is formulated, is not ok. The minister of energy should not issue such a release. You either give a lot of additional information, or you don't leave the suspicion. It's not about the interests of some or others. Unfortunately, Romania sold this business to the Germans many years ago," stated the UDMR leader. The Ministry of Energy notified the Commission for the Examination of Direct Foreign Investments (CEISD) in connection with the transaction through which the Hungarian state company MVM Zrt. (MVM Group) intends to acquire the gas and electricity supply division of E.ON Energie Romania. In a press release sent on Wednesday, the Ministry of Energy said that, following a rigorous analysis, it identified multiple topics for in-depth analysis regarding the impact of the possible transaction on Romania's national security. Thus, the main reasons for reporting to CEISD are the Hungarian company's ties with the Russian Federation, the risk of the subsequent transfer of E.ON Energie Romania shares to non-EU entities, risks to the company's data and the personal data of over 3 million users, but also buyer transparency issues. The Ministry of Energy recalled that MVM Zrt. has extensive commercial relations with Gazprom and Rosatom, Russian companies under international sanctions, through which Hungary maintains a high dependence on natural gas and nuclear technology from Russia. Save Romania Union (USR) Chair Elena Lasconi draws attention to the fact that, according to the regulations on the organization of the May 4 presidential election, the polls abroad will close on Sunday at 9:00 p.m. Romania time, which, she argues, represents "a discrimination and a serious violation of the right to vote". Therefore, Lasconi considers that the People's Advocate should promptly notify the Constitutional Court on this, informs Agerpres. "At 9:00 p.m. in Bucharest, the time in Los Angeles is 11:00 a.m., in Montreal it is 2:00 p.m. We are witnessing discrimination and a serious violation of the right to vote of Romanian expats," the USR leader wrote on Facebook on Thursday, stressing that PSD Chairman Marcel Ciolacu received "very few" votes from the diaspora and that Thursday's decision represents "a measure against the voters abroad and their options", which prevented Ciolacu from making it to the second round. "The People's Advocate should urgently notify the Constitutional Court. I demand that Marcel Ciolacu and Electoral Authority head Toni Grebla come out publicly to explain why the polling stations should be open for a Romanian in Japan for longer than for a Romanian in the U.S.? These changes will anger people even more and fuel the extremist wave. Just stop it!," Lasconi wrote. On Thursday, the government approved May 4 as the date of the presidential election, with the campaign period beginning on February 18. The Executive also decided that voting abroad shall take place over three days, with polling stations closing on May 4 at 9:00 p.m. Romania, not local time, as so far. In a modern city, there is a growing need for compact and comfortable cars that can easily maneuver in tight streets and parking lots. Small cars are becoming more and more popular among citizens due to their efficiency and practicality. ADVERTISIMENT They allow you to avoid traffic jams and save time on your daily commute. In addition, compact models often impress with their efficiency and stylish design. TopGear.com experts have named the best cars for city life that combine compactness and comfort. Toyota Aygo X A compact hatchback that is part of the updated Toyota Aygo series released in 2022. One of the main features of the model is its urban crossover design, which combines compact dimensions with increased cross-country ability. Aygo X has a stylish and modern look, in particular, thanks to its aggressive body lines and high stance, which gives it a sporty appearance. ADVERTISIMENT The car is equipped with efficient gasoline engines that provide economical fuel consumption and good dynamics. The interior of Toyota Aygo X is comfortable and equipped with modern technologies, such as a multimedia system, smartphone connectivity, and various driver assistants. Thanks to its compact dimensions, Aygo X is easy to maneuver in urban environments and is a great option for daily travel. This car combines practicality, style, and reliability, making it a popular choice for those looking for a compact but bright car for the city. Fiat Panda A compact car manufactured by the Italian automaker Fiat since 1980. It has become popular due to its practicality, economy, and ease of use. Panda has a small footprint, making it ideal for urban environments where maneuverability and easy parking are important. ADVERTISIMENT The latest model offers stylish design, modern technology, and a high level of safety. Panda is available in several body styles, including hatchback and off-road crossover. The car is equipped with economical engines that ensure low fuel consumption and environmental friendliness. The Fiat Panda combines compactness with comfort, making it a great choice for daily city driving. Kia Picanto A compact hatchback produced by the South Korean automaker Kia since 2004. This car is known for its economy, convenience for city travel, and affordable price. The Picanto is small in size, which makes it easy to maneuver in tight city conditions and park in limited spaces. ADVERTISIMENT Despite its compact dimensions, the car offers comfortable interior space and modern equipment. Kia Picanto is equipped with economical engines that provide low fuel consumption and good dynamics. The latest car models offer a variety of technological solutions, such as multimedia systems and driver assistants to improve safety. Thanks to its stylish design and reliability, the Kia Picanto is a popular choice among urbanites looking for affordable and functional transportation. Hyundai i10 is a compact hatchback produced by the South Korean automaker Hyundai since 2007. The model is known for its affordable price, economy, and compact size, which makes it ideal for the urban environment. The i10 combines stylish design, modern technology, and comfortable use even in tight spaces. The car is equipped with economical gasoline engines that provide low fuel consumption and good dynamics. ADVERTISIMENT Despite its small size, the Hyundai i10 offers space for passengers and luggage, as well as modern multimedia systems and safety features. The latest models are equipped with driver assistants such as collision warning and lane keeping assist. The Hyundai i10 is a reliable and practical car for those looking for convenient and economical transportation for daily city trips. Fiat 500e This is an electric version of the famous Fiat 500 compact hatchback that combines stylish retro design with eco-friendly mobility. Launched in 2013, this car has become popular among those looking for an economical, compact, and environmentally friendly car for the urban environment. The 500e is equipped with a powerful electric motor that provides a fast and quiet ride and also delivers a long range on a single charge. Its size makes it ideal for maneuvering in tight urban environments and parking in tight spaces. The interior of the Fiat 500e retains the classic styling of the 500 series but is complemented by modern technologies such as multimedia systems and driver assistance features. The car is charged through standard electrical outlets or fast charging stations. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. ST. LOUIS A woman died Wednesday morning when a tractor-trailer plowed into the back of her car on eastbound Interstate 44, pushing it into a snowbank and onto Vandeventer Avenue below, police said. Police said the crash was reported just after 6 a.m. The 35-year-old woman died at a hospital. Police spokesman Mitch McCoy did not immediately release her name. McCoy said the truck driver told police he had looked down to pick up a drink and when he looked back up, he saw the woman's Toyota Prius. Police had yet to determine whether the car was moving or if it had stopped due to a vehicle issue, McCoy said. The St. Louis Police Department's accident-reconstruction team is investigating the crash. The driver of the truck told firefighters he didn't want medics to take him to a hospital. Police said the truck driver cooperated with police. He was detained by police, and his blood was drawn at a hospital as part of the investigation. The Missouri Department of Transportation said some eastbound lanes of the interstate were closed for the investigation. ST. LOUIS Leaders of the St. Louis Board of Education defended their oversight of the school district after a member resigned for what she called unethical behavior and mismanagement of taxpayer funds. Sadie Weiss, who was elected to a four-year term in April 2023, said the final straw was the lack of concern for $53,567 charged to the credit card of the boards executive assistant. The charges were part of $1.6 million spent on 21 credit cards issued by St. Louis Public Schools from July 2023 to July 2024, mostly for travel expenses. Most of that was professional development for the staff, said board president Antionette Toni Cousins on Tuesday after Weiss read her resignation letter. The credit card charges included Cousins seven trips to conferences in Boston, Washington, San Diego, Atlanta and Dallas including three flight upgrades, a violation of district policy. Cousins also regularly socialized with Superintendent Keisha Scarlett and interim Superintendent Millicent Borishade, including at 801 Chophouse in Clayton, where $3,613 was charged on district-issued cards over six visits. This is not about President Cousins. I know this is about an attack on SLPS, Cousins said at the boards monthly meeting. But hey, you wanna hit me for a $40 upcharge on Southwest airline? Come on, yall. But nobody ever factored in that I have to use PTO my vacation time when Im going on those conference trips and bringing back information of the positive things that were actually doing for this district, continued Cousins, who is CEO of the nonprofit development group North Star Community Partners. Weiss said her request for documentation supporting the credit card spending on board members was ignored. It became apparent that the board was OK with not doing anything in regard to these expenses, Weiss said in her resignation letter. I can no longer serve on a board, in good conscience, that isnt acting ethically and upholding our responsibility to the public to thoroughly evaluate and report on the districts mismanagement of funds. Weiss also said Cousins and vice president Matt Davis worked outside of their bounds as board members, getting involved in the operations of the district. Closed-door meetings were often derailed by angry outbursts directed at board members, she said. It has been difficult to serve in this role when asking questions and trying to hold ourselves accountable is seen as problematic. Davis said he was disappointed that Weiss resigned from the board but that he understood. This has been a very difficult and challenging time, Davis said at the meeting. Governance has been very difficult. A recent survey of the school board showed that all seven members believe they follow the norms for conduct, but their colleagues do not. Only one member trusts the others, according to the anonymous evaluation conducted by the Missouri School Boards Association. Tension on the school board has been high since their vote in July to place Scarlett on leave for an investigation of hiring and spending practices during her one-year tenure. The board fired Scarlett in September, and she has vowed to sue for wrongful termination. Soon after, board member Emily Hubbard said Cousins and Davis should resign for their roles in approving more than 20 staff hires and consultants connected to Scarlett, who was terminated in September. A state audit of SLPS is ongoing. When the Board of Education realized that our superintendent was not following through on her job, we held her accountable and thats really all we can do, Davis said Tuesday. Board secretary Donna Jones, who has served for 19 years, also defended her colleagues and said only the strong survive after Weiss resigned. Im so proud to be able to sit up here with the strong because there have been so many lies and mistruths that have been spread about the board, Jones said. This board has fought hard to make sure that the privatizers, the people who want to get rid of (or) dismantle SLPS are not successful. Public comments were cut short at the end of the meeting after SLPS critic Chester Asher violated district policy by naming Cousins in his remarks. You all fired the superintendent you fired her for the same things that Toni Cousins does, Asher said before his microphone was shut off. Asher, who has no known connection to SLPS and is a former charter school director, sued Cousins and the district this month after they banned him from board meetings in half of 2024 for disrespectful and profane comments. The school board has not announced its plans for appointing a replacement for Weiss, whose term ends in April 2027. There are also three school board positions up for grabs in the April election including those of Cousins, who is a candidate. The other two incumbents Davis and Natalie Vowell opted out of running. Troy Meink, the principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, listens to a briefing at Schriever Space Force Base, Colo., in 2022. Meink was nominated Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next Air Force secretary. (Tiana Williams/U.S. Space Force) WASHINGTON President-elect Donald Trump has selected Troy Meink, an Air Force veteran and the principal deputy director of the National Reconnaissance Office, to serve as the next Air Force secretary. Troy will work with our incredible secretary of defense nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our nations Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the world, as we secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. Meink, who is from Lemmon, S.D., entered the Air Force in 1988 through the ROTC program at South Dakota State University. He began his military career as a KC-135 tanker navigator and instructor before leaving active-duty service in 1993. He completed eight combat missions and 29 combat support missions during the Desert Shield, Desert Storm and Provide Comfort operations, according to his old Air Force profile. He then spent much of his career as an Air Force civilian worker in various jobs in space operations, including as deputy undersecretary of the Air Force for space. Meink was appointed to his current job at the NRO in October 2020. The intelligence agency is part of the Defense Department that works closely with Space Force. He also worked as the NRO director of geospatial intelligence systems acquisition, overseeing a budget of more than $15 billion. Selecting Meink could signal space operations will be a focus during the Trump administration. Trump championed the creation of Space Force during his first term, and SpaceXs CEO Elon Musk is a close adviser to the president-elect. Selecting Meink completes Trumps picks for the service secretaries. He previously announced John Phelan, a businessman and mega donor, for Navy secretary, and Daniel Driscoll, a former Army veteran who has been serving as a senior adviser for Vice President-elect JD Vance, to lead the Army. Pete Hegseth, an Army National Guard veteran and former Fox News host, had his confirmation hearing earlier this week to be the next defense secretary. Trump has also chosen billionaire financier Stephen Feinberg to be deputy defense secretary and Elbridge Bridge Colby to be undersecretary for policy at the Defense Department. Two U.S. B-1B Lancers are escorted by South Korean 15K Slam Eagles and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2s in airspace between South Korea and Japan, Jan. 15, 2025. (Stephanie Serrano/U.S. Air Force) Japanese and South Korean fighters escorted U.S. bombers on a display of air power Wednesday in the skies over the Sea of Japan, or East Sea, according to Air Force Global Strike Command. Two Mitsubishi F-2s of the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and two F-15K Slam Eagles of the South Korean air force escorted a pair of Air Force B-1B Lancer bombers in a show of deterrence and interoperability, the command said in a news release that day. The military uses the term interoperability to refer to the ability of one nations armed forces to use the equipment and training methods of another countrys military. The escort flight was the first air power demonstration of the year by the three countries, according to the release. The flight builds upon a history of strong trilateral cooperation, enabling an immediate coordinated response to regional security challenges. This increasingly steady and sophisticated trilateral interoperability of our aerial and maritime forces strengthens our collective deterrence and defense posture, the release states. Escort flights of this nature sometimes follow missile tests or other demonstrations of military strength by North Korea. In this case, the North on Tuesday tested several short-range ballistic missiles, according to the Japanese and South Korean militaries, which said they tracked the launches. North Koreas communist regime also fired an intermediate-range ballistic missile on Jan. 6, its first test of the new year. The state-run Korean Central News Agency described the missile as a hypersonic weapon, but the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff expressed skepticism of that claim in a statement that said the description was likely exaggerated. The Air Force did not identify the Lancers home station, but it routinely sends bombers on long flights from the United States called bomber task force missions to demonstrate its ability to respond globally on behalf of its allies. Two Lancers last flew in South Korea on air support drills at Pilsung Range, 100 miles southeast of Seoul, in October. One Lancer dropped bombs there in June during a live-fire exercise. The flight occurred a day before President Joe Biden made his televised farewell address from the Oval Office. His administration strengthened military cooperation between Japan and South Korea as a response to security challenges from China, and diluting decades of hard feelings between the two lingering since World War II. The Kyiv District Court of Odesa has issued a ruling to conduct searches of companies operating in the port of Odesa. This decision has blocked the activities of dozens of companies, and they have been unable to operate since December 19, 2024. ADVERTISIMENT This was reported by the Gordon publication, citing a statement made by company representatives at a press conference at the Interfax-Ukraine agency. It is noted that the court ruling is valid until February 3, 2025. According to the newspaper, the companies' representatives believe that the detectives of the Bureau of Economic Security (BES) are actually seizing property, but are only authorized to conduct searches. Entrepreneurs claim that in personal conversations, law enforcement officers warned them in advance of an agreed decision to block the work of their companies. During a press conference, they stated that a number of businesses are suffering financial losses and plan to sue law enforcement agencies. Entrepreneurs suspected that the blocking of the companies' work was related to pressure on the GNT Group agricultural holding due to its conflict with the creditor Argentem Creek Partners. ADVERTISIMENT The Gordonua website, citing statements by participants in the press conference, notes that Sunolta, which owns Attollo Granum LLC, has no relation to GNT Group or the conflict, but became the target of a media attack after officially applying to the with a proposal to buy out the debt in order to continue its business activities. Entrepreneurs claim that Argentem Creek Partners' actions are aimed at satisfying the interests of an unnamed third party interested in controlling the Odesa port and, in particular, obtaining assets such as GNT Group and Sunolta. Speaking at a press conference, representatives of the companies said that there is no other way to explain the fund's actions. They emphasize that Sunolta has repeatedly stated and is now declaring its readiness for negotiations, but is not ready to take all financial losses due to the war on itself - then the business will simply be destroyed, and more than 1,000 employees will lose their jobs. ADVERTISIMENT The newspaper writes that Sunolta is now planning to go to court and to a number of media outlets to stop the black PR campaign initiated by ACP. Representatives of the companies stated that due to the blocking of their work in the port of Odesa, the losses of each company reach UAH 750 thousand per day. Such losses directly affect the companies' ability to pay taxes to the budget and salaries to employees, the speakers emphasized. "They added that the BES detectives are not conducting any investigative or search activities. The heads of the companies said they had filed complaints with the President's Office, the Prosecutor General's Office, the BES of Ukraine, the State Bureau of Investigation of Ukraine, and the Council for Support of Entrepreneurship of Ukraine," the publication writes. Army Maj. Michael Stockin arrives at his court-martial at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., on Jan. 10, 2025. (KOMO News) Maj. Michael Stockin, an Army doctor, was sentenced Wednesday to 164 months in prison for sexually abusing 41 patients under the guise of providing medical care at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington. Col. Larry Babin, the military judge of the trial, said he had deliberated more than 12 hours before reaching his decision to sentence Stockin, 39, to the maximum amount of prison time allowed under a plea deal made with Army prosecutors. Babin also ordered Stockin forfeit all future pay and benefits and be dismissed from the Army the equivalent of a dishonorable discharge for officers. As a result of the conviction, Stockin will lose his medical license and be required to register as a sex offender. As a felon, hell be barred in many states from voting or owning firearms. Stockin showed no emotion Wednesday in court as Babin issued his ruling. Stockin, dressed in a dark blue service uniform with a fresh high-and-tight haircut, was accompanied by his attorneys to the back of the courthouse where military police were waiting to take him into custody. The 15-minute court session was a short, sharp end to a three-year investigation and prosecution of what Army legal officials have said is the largest known case of sexual abuse in U.S. military history. Twenty-two of Stockins 41 known victims testified or gave statements in the court-martial. The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated, said Maj. Ryan Keeter, the Armys lead prosecutor in the trial. They have been living with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockins actions for years. Robert Capovilla, the lead defense attorney, issued a statement after the trial noting Stockin faced a maximum sentence of more than 250 years in prison had he not agreed to the negotiated plea deal. Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions, and he made no excuses, Capovilla said. The defense hopes and prays that the victims and Maj. Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives. Stockin was taken into custody by military police and was being held at the Northwestern Joint Regional Correctional Facility at Lewis-McChord, according to base officials. Stockins conviction is automatically sent for review to the Army Court of Criminal Appeals at Fort Belvoir, Va., said Michelle McCaskill, a spokeswoman for the Army Office of the Special Trial Counsel. If the conviction is upheld, Stockin would then be dismissed from the Army. Once service members begin post-trial confinement, they are an inmate and no longer receive the privileges associated with their rank, McCaskill said. Stockin joined the Army in 2013 and previously was assigned to Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He also served a six-month deployment in Iraq. Stockin was assigned to Lewis-McChord in 2019. After complaints about sexually abusive behavior, he was removed from seeing patients in February 2022. Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Army Maj. Michael Stockin, a pain management doctor at the hospital, has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing 41 service members under the guise of medical treatment. (U.S. Army) An 18-month Army investigation led to 23 charges against Stockin in August 2023. The charges expanded to 54 by January 2024. A two-month trial on the charges was scheduled for January 2025. But a plea deal was reached in September 2024 in which Stockin agreed to plead guilty to 36 counts of sexually abusive contact for fondling patients genitals during medical appointments. He also pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent viewing telling patients to disrobe and expose their genitals. Stockin had agreed to be tried by a judge alone, waiving his right to have his fate decided by a panel of officers serving as a jury. The plea deal limited the range of the prison sentence that the judge could impose to a minimum of 118 months and a maximum of 164 months. The charges stated Stockin acted with intent to arouse and gratify his sexual desire by making a fraudulent representation that the sexual contact served a medical purpose. Ryan Guilds, a lawyer representing seven victims in the court-martial case, said his clients felt the judges decision to give Stockin the maximum sentence sends the right message. Maj. Stockin showed disdain in the way he treated the Army and the uniform that he should have been honored to wear, he said. But Guilds said the Pentagon still needs to pursue a thorough investigation into how Stockin was able to molest patients for so long before action was taken to remove him from duty. What did the Army, the medical professionals, the ones who are responsible for providing a safe environment what did they know, what did they do? he asked. The investigations have been in skips and starts. I have deep concern that the overall process is broken. Several former patients have filed federal claims seeking $5 million from the Army for its failure to properly manage Stockin and allowing his crimes to continue after initial complaints. As of Wednesday, at least 26 patients had filed claims, totaling $130 million. The claims are the first step in gaining the legal right to sue the federal government in civil court. Additional patients could file claims. Stockin has been sentenced for his role now the Army must also be held accountable, said Christine Dunn, an attorney who represents some of the victims pursing civil claims against the government. The Lewis-McChord correctional facility is considered a medium-security prison and is used for pretrial confinement and service members serving five years or less for their crimes, according to an Army profile of the prison on the Defense Department website. Male service members convicted of crimes with sentences of 10 years or more are sent to the U.S. Disciplinary Barracks at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., according to the Defense Department of Defense website on military criminal procedures. Fort Leavenworth has served as the site of the main U.S. military prison since 1874. From left to right: Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George and Stacy Davis pin Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis, U.S. Army Recruiting Command commanding general, with his third star promoting him to lieutenant general during his promotion ceremony, Jan. 15, in Waybur Theater at Fort Knox, Kentucky. Stacy is the wife of Lt. Gen. Davis. (Shatara Riis/U.S. Army Recruiting Command) The commanding general of U.S. Army Recruiting Command, Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general in a ceremony held at Fort Knox, Ky., on Wednesday, according to a command press release. Davis began his military career decades ago with the 24th Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, Ga. He later deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan, and also served in leadership roles as the commanding general of U.S. Forces Korea, Joint Modernization Command and Army Cadet Command. Davis assumed leadership of Recruiting Command in October 2022, around the time the Army reported missing its recruiting goal for the fiscal year by 25%. Since then, the services recruiting has seen significant progress. In 2022, we tasked Johnny to lead the Armys most pressing challenge Army recruiting, said Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Randy George, who presided over the ceremony, per the release. In fiscal year 2024, we exceeded our target. In fact, we went over our active-duty goal, George said. In true Army fashion, we upped our goal for 2025. Right now, I am proud to say USAREC is already halfway to our goal for this year and doing great. Davis, whose promotion was confirmed by the Senate in December, expressed gratitude to his family, friends and the personnel in his command. My USAREC family my superstars they are what motivate me each and every day, Davis said, according to the release. Marine Corps Cpl. Jeremy Rojas shaves before a howitzer live-fire event at Fort Barfoot, Va., on Oct. 20, 2024. (Nicholas Pilch/Department of Defense) WASHINGTON Gen. Eric Smith, the Marine Corps commandant, said Marines are different, even when it comes to beards. Smith told reporters Wednesday that the service would not make any changes to its regulations that would allow Marines to grow beards. Were Marines, and were different. We dont have beards, he said during a Defense Writers Group discussion. The Marine Corps has a brand, and were making our recruiting mission. Weve always made our recruiting mission, and what we dont want to do is tinker with the ethos of the Marine Corps you joined us, we didnt join you. You knew that coming in. You signed up. We dont have beards, and you knew that coming in. Some Marines can grow a beard through a waiver process for pseudofolliculitis barbae, which causes painful razor bumps and disproportionately affects Black men. Thats a medical waiver, not a fashion waiver, Smith said. Its not a Well, I decided I wanted to. All military services have faced growing legal and internal pressure to relax grooming standards as debates on social media and in various other forums highlight the struggle to balance tradition and uniformity with individual rights. Military officials have argued facial hair could prevent a perfect seal of a gas mask. When I retire, Im going to grow one, Smith added. I wont have to deal with a mask. Gen. Eric Smith, commandant of the Marine Corps, talks with reporters of the Defense Writers Group at the Fairmount Washington Hotel in Washington on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Chloe McAfee/U.S. Marine Corps) In December 2022, a federal appeals court ruled three Sikh men should be allowed to go through Marine Corps recruit training with their turbans and beards intact. The panel ruled the Marine Corps had not proved that allowing the recruits to keep their beards and turbans for religious reasons would threaten cohesion and uniformity. Currently, airmen are not required to shave only if they have a religious exemption or a medical waiver for conditions such as pseudofolliculitis barbae. In the latest National Defense Authorization Act, the annual must-pass bill that sets policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon, Congress wants the Air Force to examine the pros and cons of allowing airmen to grow beards, with a prospective April 1 deadline for service leaders to deliver findings to lawmakers. The House Armed Services Committee in May approved an amendment requiring the Navy to brief committee members on a 2023 study by the Naval Health Research Center on the effect of beards on gas mask seals, with the briefing due by March 1. For years, military branches have carried out various studies on the beard issue to determine whether regulations could be loosened for the rank and file. So far, no branch has taken the step beyond special exceptions. In the case of the Army, soldiers being clean shaven became a requirement just before World War I when chemical weapons were deemed a serious threat. The Navy and the Coast Guard were the last branches to ban beards, doing so in 1985 and 1986, respectively. A crane used to drive test piles floats in Oura Bay at the site of a future U.S. Marine Corps runway at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, July 9, 2024. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes) CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa A construction vessel leaked oil at the site of a future Marine Corps airfield in northern Okinawa this week but caused no environmental damage, according to Japans coast guard. Hydraulic oil spilled at 11:40 a.m. Wednesday from a drill on a vessel that was boring into the seabed in Oura Bay, according to a coast guard news release on the same day. The vessel was working on construction for the airfield in waters about 4,400 feet north-northeast of Cape Henoko in Nago city. The airfield is under construction at the Marines Camp Schwab on reclaimed land to replace Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in densely populated Ginowan city. The U.S. and Japanese governments agreed to move the base in 1996, but the Okinawa prefectural government has repeatedly delayed construction. Oil seepage was confirmed on the ocean surface around noon, and contractors installed an oil fence and an oil absorption mat to recover the spill, according to the release. Recovery work was successfully completed at 1:10 p.m. An investigation is underway to determine the cause and how much oil was spilled, a coast guard spokesman said by phone Thursday. Some Japanese officials speak to the press only on condition of anonymity. Contractors hired by the Okinawa Defense Bureau, an arm of Japans Ministry of Defense, began ground improvement work in Oura Bay on Dec. 28, the bureau announced in a news release the previous day. The work involves solidifying the soft seabed to ensure stability for the airfield by laying sand at the required locations on the seabed and driving sand piles, the bureau said. In July, contractors drove test piles into the seabed to prepare the site for steel pipes that will support the seawall. The construction zone is divided into two main sections: 279 acres on Schwabs north side and 91 acres in the south, according to Okinawa Prefectures website. Work on the Oura Bay side, or north side, had been on hold since April 21, 2020, when Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki, citing safety and environmental concerns, refused to approve design changes meant to solidify the seabed. Tamaki filed, and lost, three lawsuits, culminating in a September 2023 defeat at the Supreme Court. Japanese Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Tetsuo Saito approved the construction permits Dec. 28, 2023, after Tamaki ignored a deadline from Fukuoka High Court. The destroyer USS Gravely launches Tomahawk missiles in response to a Houthi militant attack in the Red Sea on Jan. 12, 2024. The Navy has defended against nearly 400 drones and missiles since the group began its assault on commercial and military ships in the Red Sea more than a year ago, according to Vice Adm. Brendan McLane. (Jonathan Word/U.S. Navy) NAPLES, Italy The U.S. Navy has defended against nearly 400 attack drones and missiles in the Red Sea since Iranian-backed Houthi militants began their assault on commercial and military ships more than a year ago, a pace that has seen the service firing back at levels comparable to World War II battles. Navy forces have fired more than 200 missiles against those attacks since the Houthis began their campaign in the strategic waterway in November 2023. Destroyers and cruisers also have fired more than 150 artillery rounds, said Vice Adm. Brendan McLane, commander of Naval Surface Forces. Many of the munitions were fired in larger-scale battles, said McLane, speaking Tuesday during a panel discussion at the Surface Navy Association conference in Arlington, Va. Weve done the analysis with what we used to shoot in World War II, and were at about two rounds per incoming missile to shoot (Houthi strikes) down, he said. That matches the current rates of fire to those of the historic battles fought more than 80 years ago, he added. Sailors aboard the destroyer USS Carney stand watch in the ships Combat Information Center during an operation to defeat a combination of Houthi missiles and drones, in October 2023. (Aaron Lau/U.S. Navy) In a recent attack, the destroyer USS Spruance was in a fight where they shot down three anti-ship ballistic missiles, three anti-ship cruise missiles and seven one-way (aerial drones) that were coming towards them, said McLane, who didnt specify when Spruance was attacked. On Nov. 11, Spruance and the destroyer USS Stockdale came under Houthi fire, fending off at least eight drones and eight missiles while transiting the Bab el Mandeb, a strait that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. Over the past 15 months, the Navy has fired 120 SM-2, 80 SM-6, and 20 Evolved Sea Sparrow and SM-3 missiles, as well as 160 rounds from its 5-inch guns. Those weapons defeated 380 Houthi attack drones and ballistic and cruise missiles, McLane said. Those missile expenditures have cost the Navy hundreds of millions of dollars. SM-2 missiles are priced at about $2.1 million apiece while the SM-6 missiles cost about $3.9 million each. SM-3 missiles range from $9.6 million to $27.9 million, according to Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance data. McLane acknowledged the expense, saying that modest threats increasingly were being addressed with lower-cost alternatives such as guns, electronic countermeasures and aircraft. But commanders shouldnt be considering the cost of a weapon when responding to a threat, McLane said speaking separately during a status of the forces address at the convention. The Navy has sent 26 vessels into the Red Sea and nearby waters since November 2023, including the aircraft carriers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Harry S. Truman, to protect ships. USS Dwight D. Eisenhower conducts flights in the Red Sea on Jan. 12, 2024, in response to Houthi militant attacks. (Zachary Elmore/U.S. Navy) The Houthis have vowed to disrupt shipping until there is a cease-fire in Gaza. It wasnt clear Thursday whether they would end their attacks should a ceasefire negotiated between Israel and Hamas, the warring parties in Gaza, begin Sunday. Since Nov. 19, 2023, there have been at least 111 reported attacks, attempted attacks, hijackings and suspicious behavior incidents involving ships in the Red Sea. Two vessels have been sunk, four mariners have been killed and two others were severely injured in attacks, according to Joint Maritime Information Center data. There have been no injuries or damage to Navy sailors or ships from Houthi actions. But in an apparent friendly fire incident, the cruiser USS Gettysburg shot down an F/A-18 Super Hornet on Dec. 22 as the fighter jet was responding to a Houthi drone and missile attack on U.S. forces in the Red Sea. Both aviators aboard were rescued, with one suffering minor injuries. Houthi tactics have evolved from the use of inexpensive drones and cruise missiles shot in irregular intervals to a marked escalation in the scale and complexity of enemy techniques and capabilities, McLane said. Those advanced techniques include the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles and roving, one-way aerial attack drones in preassigned three-dimensional target areas, also known as kill boxes, he said. That weapons engagement zone has taught sailors valuable lessons in the use of drones and directed energy weapons, such as high-energy lasers, McLane said. Weve sped up our own learning and teaching so that our deploying ships are always prepared with the latest (tactics, techniques and procedures) before they go over the horizon, he said. A silicon wafer. (Liesa Johannssen-Koppitz/Bloomberg) China will investigate allegations that the U.S. dumps lower-end chips and unfairly subsidizes its own chipmakers, in potentially one of Beijings strongest retaliatory moves against American technology sanctions. The government will look into the question of whether the U.S. is giving its chipmakers an unfair advantage through incentives and grants, or illegally undercutting Chinese products, the Commerce Ministry said in a statement Thursday. The probe was begun in response to protests from local industry players, the agency said. Chinese chipmakers have complained about the U.S. Chips Act, which provides funding of some $39 billion to entice firms like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and Samsung Electronics Co. to build high-end chipmaking capacity in America. On Thursday, Chinas chip industry body took aim at a cornerstone of the Biden administrations policy. The U.S. Chips and Science Act violates the fundamental principles of a market economy and caused profound and significant impact on the global semiconductor supply chain, the China Semiconductor Industry Association said in a WeChat statement. The Commerce Ministry didnt name any company, but several U.S. firms including Texas Instruments Inc. and Analog Devices Inc. rank among the leaders in lower-end products such as power and analog chips. Those are ubiquitous in modern devices from cars to appliances, helping regulate power flows or translate digital signals. Beijings investigation echoes a longstanding U.S. complaint, that Chinas government openly bankrolls its domestic firms in contravention of global trade agreements. U.S. and European officials have also warned of the risk that Chinese companies, whichre building capacity in mature nodes at a rapid clip, could eventually flood global markets with cheap chips. Its unclear what the consequences could be for any company found violating antitrust or anti-dumping regulations. The government could impose higher or company-specific tariffs, depending on its findings. Beijing has also in the past threatened U.S. companies with either product bans or hefty fines. Qualcomm Inc. a decade ago changed some of its key business and licensing practices and paid up a 6 billion yuan ($975 million) fine to put an end to a yearlong antitrust case. Micron Technology Inc. warned in 2023 that about half of its sales tied to China-headquartered clients may be affected by a cybersecurity probe being carried out by the Chinese government. And Beijing in late 2024 launched an investigation into whether Nvidia Corp. violated antitrust laws during an acquisition four years ago. The European Union was at one point considering a formal review of how widely its businesses use mature or lower-end chips from China, joining the U.S. in flagging a potential risk to national security and global supply chains. In May, Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. Chinas largest chipmaker warned that prices are set to fall as chipmakers increase capacity, raising the alarm about growing price competition globally. China imported close to 550 billion integrated circuit units in 2024, worth $385.6 billion, customs data showed. The majority of those were older-generation chips powering products from washing machines to electric vehicles. Beijings announcement on Thursday follows an unusually intense month for U.S. trade sanctions against its geopolitical rival. Just this week, the Biden administration unfurled regulations intended to curb the supply of AI accelerators to China. Nvidia and other tech firms have protested the regulations, saying they hurt American innovation and were rushed into being in the final days of the departing administration. Washington also added a number of key Chinese players to a trade-restrictions blacklist intended to curtail the sale of American technology. Those included Tencent Holdings Ltd.-backed startup Zhipu, one of a handful of fledgling firms considered frontrunners in the race to develop an answer to OpenAIs ChatGPT. With assistance from Jessica Sui and Vlad Savov. U.S. and Philippine service members train during the annual Kamandag exercise at Camp Cape Bojeador, Philippines, Oct. 16, 2024. (Shaina Jupiter/U.S. Marine Corps) Japan and the Philippines plan to remind the new U.S. administration about the need for continued American commitment to Indo-Pacific security, according to the U.S. allies foreign ministers. The two nations have boosted security cooperation with the United States under outgoing President Joe Biden amid aggressive actions by China in disputed areas of the South China and East China Seas. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya, during a Wednesday press conference in Manila with his Philippine counterpart, Enrique Manalo, said the pair are committed to communicating with President Donald Trumps administration after he takes office Monday. We will approach the next U.S. administration to convey that constructive commitment of the United States in this region is important also for the United States itself, Iwaya said, according to a video of the press conference posted on YouTube. A Philippine journalist asked whether Trump might scale back or put a price on commitment to the region. Maintaining and strengthening the multilayered cooperation among the U.S., Japan and the Philippines is important amid the increasingly severe strategic environment, Iwaya said. The three nations are cooperating on maritime security, resistance to economic coercion, resilient critical infrastructure and cyber security, he said. Iwaya noted the strategic importance of sea lanes in Southeast Asia and economic growth in the region. Manalo told reporters that the Philippines and Japan would work with like-minded states, including the U.S., to uphold a rules-based international order and work for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The diplomats comments follow reports that Chinas monster coast guard cutter, the 541-foot-long CCG 5901, has been operating in Philippine waters since Jan. 4. In recent days, the vessel came within 70 nautical miles of Zambales province, home of the former U.S. naval base at Subic Bay on the Philippines main island of Luzon, the state-run Philippine News Agency reported Monday. Philippine assets are challenging Chinese vessels in its territorial waters daily, Philippine National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya told reporters the next day. Right now, we have two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels shadowing them, closely monitoring them, he said, according to the Philippines News Agency. We have sent assets also from our forces and from the PCG aerial assets to continue monitoring them. Beijings territorial claims in the South China Sea are legitimate concerns for the international community because they link directly to regional peace and stability, Iwaya said at Wednesdays press conference. Japan strongly opposes any attempt to unilaterally change the status quo by force or build up tension in the region. We strongly ask for easing of tensions, said Iwaya, who is scheduled to attend Trumps inauguration in Washington, D.C. Japan and the Philippines plan to move forward on agreements to facilitate their troops training in each others territory, he said. This spring, Japan for the first time will join the annual, large-scale Balikatan military exercise in the Philippines. Details about the training are being finalized, a spokesman for Japans Joint Staff said by phone Thursday. U.S. Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Eric M. Smith speaks with Defense Writers Group journalists at the Fairmount Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C., Jan. 15, 2024. (Kelsey Dornfeld/U.S. Marine Corps) The commandant of the Marine Corps warned this week that a plan to move thousands of troops from Okinawa to Guam would position forces too far away to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific, according to media reports. Gen. Eric Smith, at a Defense Writers Group meeting Wednesday in Washington, D.C., said the plan puts us going the wrong way, according to reports from news websites military.com and Task & Purpose. Guam puts us on the other side of the International Date Line, but it puts us a long way from the crisis theater, from the priority theater, Smith said, according to the reports. Every time you give China a foot, they take a mile. They only understand one thing, which is a credible deterrent force. And that credible deterrent force has to be present to win, which to me means being [in] the first island chain, he said, according to military.com. The chain includes the Kuril Islands north of Hokkaido; Japan itself; the Ryukyu Islands, which include Okinawa; Taiwan; and the Philippines. A full transcript of Smiths remarks was not available Thursday. However, U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters spokeswoman Capt. Brenda McCarthy confirmed the accuracy of Smiths comments in an email Thursday to Stars and Stripes. More than 4,000 Marines are expected to move from Okinawa under the Defense Policy Review Initiative, a 2012 agreement between the U.S. and Japan to reduce the military presence on Okinawa, which hosts nearly 30,000 of the 55,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan. About 100 logistics support troops from III Marine Expeditionary Force began moving from Okinawa to Guam last year, according to a Dec. 14 joint statement by the Marine Corps and Japans Ministry of Defense. Camp Blaz on Guam is expected to house 1,300 members of III MEF and another 3,700 Marines as a rotational force. The base is still under construction. Smith told reporters Wednesday that he is not sure the plan is in the best strategic interest of America. Were committed to coming down to about 10,000 on Okinawa and getting ourselves to Guam, he said, according to military.com. But Guam is a challenge. I mean, Apra Harbor [at Naval Base Guam] still has to be refurbished; [it] has to be redone to allow for big decks to get in there. The service supports the tenets outlined in the DPRI agreement and the plan for the movement of units from Japan to Guam or Hawaii starting in 2024, McCarthy wrote in a separate email Wednesday. The Marine Corps will continue to explore options for the best location for the future force in the region. The Pentagon identified China as an aggressive presence in the East and South China seas and a global pacing challenge in its 2022 National Defense Strategy. The Marines Force Design plan calls for the service to better defend the small islands east of Taiwan and to counter China. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet each other before their meeting in New Delhi, India on Dec. 6, 2021. (Manish Swarup/AP) NEW DELHI The death of an Indian man working for the Russian army in Ukraine has brought renewed focus to the Kremlins use of foreign nationals on the front lines from North Koreans to Cubans and revived a thorny issue in the otherwise thriving relationship between New Delhi and Moscow. Nearly 100 Indians have been lured to Russia by offers of jobs or education, only to find themselves forced into service by the army, according to Indian government statements and interviews with families of men sent to fight in Ukraine. This month, Binil Babu, a 32-year-old electrician from the southern state of Kerala, became at least the 10th Indian to die in the war, drawing a sharp response from officials here. The matter has been strongly taken up with the Russian authorities in Moscow as well as with the Russian Embassy in New Delhi today, a spokesman for Indias Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement Tuesday. We have also reiterated our demand for the early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals. Moscow has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has promised to release Indians from its armed forces. The Russian Government has at no point of time been engaged in any public or obscure campaigns, more so in fraudulent schemes to recruit the Indian nationals for military service in Russia, the Russian Embassy in New Delhi said in an Aug. 10 statement. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in July that he would not comment on this topic in any way, and there have been no other official Russian statements about it, though Russian media reported that it was discussed in meetings between the countries leaders. Despite the close coordination between the two governments, Indian recruits like Babu are unable to escape the fighting, reportedly because the Russian military is unwilling to let them go. The allegedly fraudulent recruitment has emerged over the past year as a recurring point of tension between India and Russia, even as the two countries have expanded their economic and military ties. It is very painful to see innocent Indians still getting caught up in the conflict there, said Ashwin Mangukiya, whose 23-year-old son, Hemil, was the first Indian to be killed in the war last year. The Indian government has failed to stop this by arresting the agents who take advantage of peoples ignorance to lure them into dangerous jobs. Families say most of the unwitting recruits were duped by an international network of employment agents and social media influencers, who promised them high wages for low-skilled jobs such as driving, cooking, plumbing and electrical repairs. Two Indian men reached by phone in Ukraine last year told The Washington Post that upon arriving in the war zone, they were made to sign Russian documents they could not read and their passports were confiscated. They said they were later forced to fight alongside Russian soldiers with very little military training. After several Indian citizens were killed on the front lines last year, Indian officials took up the issue with their Russian counterparts and secured the release of dozens of men pressed into military service. In a July meeting with President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin, Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanded the early release of those who had been misled. Yet some remain entangled in the conflict. Last month, responding to a question in Parliament, an Indian government official confirmed that 19 Indian citizens were still serving in the Russian army. The lingering issue has been a rare sore spot in a relationship that has grown considerably in recent years. Trade between India and Russia has increased since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, helping to blunt the impact of Western sanctions on Moscow. India is now the second-largest importer of Russian crude oil, after China, with purchases amounting to $46 billion in the last fiscal year, according to statistics released by Indias Commerce Ministry. Before his death, Babu had been pleading for months with the Indian Embassy in Moscow to secure his release from the Russian army, the Indian Express newspaper reported. His brother-in-law, Saneesh Scaria, told The Post by telephone from Kerala that the Indian Embassy in Moscow asked Binil to tell his commander that Prime Minister Modi had canceled all their agreements. But the commander told him he could only go after their one-year contract was complete. Nearly a year ago, Indias Central Bureau of Investigation launched a human-trafficking probe against at least 19 individuals and private companies accused of luring workers to Russia, according to the official complaint. In addition to preying on those seeking employment, agents targeted Indian students for admission in dubious private universities in Russia, investigators said in their complaint. Four arrests were made in May, on charges of fraud, human trafficking and criminal conspiracy, but the suspects have since been released on bail, and there has been no reported movement in the case since. We have lost what was written in our fate, said the father of Hemil Mangukiya, who was recruited for a support role but then was killed on the battlefield. The government must do something. The new Mercedes CLA, which will be fully disclosed in March 2025, will be the cheapest electric car of the German company. The main secret of the long-awaited car has been revealed online. ADVERTISIMENT The details became known to Motor1. The 3rd generation Mercedes CLA model will be the first car with an operating system based on Google Cloud's Automotive AI Agent that integrates Gemini artificial intelligence. The new Automotive AI Agent tool is fully integrated into Google Maps. Voice search will allow you to conduct complex dialogues with the system to effectively interact with secondary functions of the car. The new Mercedes-Benz CLA for the 2026 model year will receive a wide range of powertrains. And in the EV version, it will become the brand's most affordable electric car. Thanks to the use of the modern Mercedes Modular Architecture (MMA), the next CLA will receive an all-electric powertrain (270-380 hp) for the first time in addition to a range of gasoline engine and hybrid versions. The tubes of an Israeli Iron Dome battery on display in Tel Aviv, Israel, in 2020. Israel is spending $5.2 billion from an American aid package approved by Congress last year to fortify its missile interception systems, the Israeli Defense Ministry said Jan. 16, 2025. (Lisa Ferdinando/Defense Department) Israel will upgrade the layered system shielding it from aerial attacks under a new contract made possible by American funding, according to a statement Thursday by the Israeli Defense Ministry. The $5.2 billion deal with defense technology firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems is the first of its kind under a U.S. aid package approved by Congress last year. Israel will strengthen the Iron Dome and Davids Sling systems as a result of the contract, which the ministry announced Thursday on X, formerly known as Twitter. The deal also covers work on Iron Beam, a laser system Israel is developing to shoot down missiles. The news comes amid talks of a ceasefire with Hamas to halt the fighting in Gaza. Negotiations were delayed by a last-minute crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday. Iron Dome was designed to defend against short- and medium-range rockets and missiles as well as drones. It demonstrated exceptional performance during the war with Hamas, the Defense Ministry statement said. The U.S. has been a key partner in the production of Iron Dome, in addition to helping develop and produce the Arrow Weapon System and Davids Sling, which target medium- to long-range missiles, the ministry said Thursday. Maj. Gen. Eyal Zamir, director general of the Israeli Defense Ministry, thanked the United States, which he credited with making the contract possible through the aid package it provided. The defense system upgrades are part of a larger $8.7 billion U.S. aid package Israel secured last fall to support its ongoing military efforts. Israeli forces continue to use the defense systems against attacks from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. In October, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin deployed a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, missile battery and a crew of military personnel to assist Israel against incoming fire. A defense official confirmed to Stars in Stripes in late December that THAAD had been used in the region recently but did not provide further details. Long known as Fort Bragg, named for Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg in 1918, the Armys largest installation was changed to Fort Liberty in 2023 after a yearslong process mandated by Congress at the end of President-elect Donald Trumps first term to rid the military of ties to the Confederacy. Trump promised on the campaign trail last year that he would reinstate Fort Bragg as the North Carolina Army posts name and work to return Confederate-linked names to eight other southern Army bases changed in 2023. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes) President-elect Donald Trump has made no attempt to hide his disdain for the name changes to nine southern Army installations in 2023, which grew out of a yearslong, multimillion-dollar effort that began in his first administration. In October, at a Fayetteville, N.C., campaign event held less than 10 miles from the gates of the Armys largest post, Fort Liberty, Trump promised a crowd of supporters that he would return the installation to its previous name Fort Bragg. Until it was officially renamed Fort Liberty in a ceremony just off the 172,000-acre Army posts main parade grounds on June 2, 2023, that base had carried the name of Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg since its inception as a small artillery training post in 1918. Heres what we do: We get elected [then] Im doing it, Trump told his supporters at the town hall event, drawing cheers and applause from the crowd. Im doing it. Im doing it. We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg, right? So, this is not a time to be changing names, and were going to do that. Were going to do everything we can, and were going to get it back. Some of Trumps supporters have long cheered his calls for Confederate names to remain on or return to Army posts, and some veterans who served at these installations have vowed to never recognize the official name changes that were conducted in ceremonies between March and October 2023, when Fort Pickett, Va., became Fort Barfoot; Fort Lee, Va., became Fort Gregg-Adams; Fort A.P. Hill, Va., became Fort Walker; Fort Hood, Texas, became Fort Cavazos; Fort Rucker, Ala., became Fort Novosel; Fort Polk, La., became Fort Johnson; Fort Bragg became Fort Liberty; Fort Benning, Ga., became Fort Moore; and Fort Gordon, Ga., became Fort Eisenhower. Pete Hegseth, left, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for defense secretary, has joined the incoming president, right, in calls to return Fort Bragg and eight other southern Army bases to their previous Confederate-linked names. Current law bars a defense secretary or Army secretary from naming any military assets, including installations, for those who served as Confederate soldiers or leaders. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes, Allison Robbert, Pool Photo via AP) Trumps choice for Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth, a former Fox New host who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army National Guard officer, is among those who have criticized the changes. In interviews, he has called the effort a sham, garbage, and urged officials to change it back. Critics of Trumps campaign promise to return Confederate-linked names to those bases said it would revert the military to honoring treasonous Confederate soldiers who killed American troops and undo a Congress-mandated process that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. It would also strip honors from the Army leaders and war heroes for whom the installations except for Fort Liberty were renamed, said retired Army Brig. Gen. Ty Seidule, who served more than three decades as an armor officer and later as a professor and leader of the history department at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Why wouldnt we want to name it after the great heroes that we do have in the U.S. Army? said Seidule, who served as the vice chairman of the Naming Commission, the bipartisan board created by Congress to identify Confederate associated items across the Defense Department inventory and recommend the changes ultimately implemented by the Pentagon. They reflect the best of America. Inspirational people with inspirational stories. The new names include multiple Medal of Honor recipients for combat heroics ranging from the Civil War to the Vietnam War, trailblazing soldiers and other accomplished Army leaders. As Trump returns to the White House on Monday, it is unclear precisely how the president-elect plans to undo the name changes, or whether he legally can revert those names back. Seidule and other members who served on the Naming Commission believe current law bans the Defense Department from naming any item in the military inventory, including its installations, for any person who served the Confederacy. Bringing back Fort Bragg The effort to remove Confederate names from the military, especially the southern Army posts named for Confederate officers in the 1910s and 1940s during the souths Jim Crow era, began amid a nationwide racial reckoning after the Memorial Day 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. Pentagon leaders, including then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who had long opposed renaming installation names, signaled at the time that they were open to change. Congress included the effort in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act the annual must-pass bill that sets Congress policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon creating the Naming Commission and encoding into law that the Pentagon rid its posts of Confederate names. Though Trump vetoed the bill, calling it an effort to rewrite history as a part of a new left-wing cultural revolution, Congress easily overrode his veto in a bipartisan New Years Day 2021 vote. But about one year before Congress approved that controversial plan, a little-noticed amendment included in the 2020 NDAA effectively barred Pentagon officials from naming any military assets for anyone and anything associated with the Confederacy. The language in the 2020 NDAA, which Trump signed into law in December 2019, entitled Prohibition on names related to the Confederacy, received little media attention at the time, but legal experts and Naming Commission members believe it ensures Congress would have to change the existing law to allow Trump to revert Army bases to their former, Confederate-linked names. In naming a new asset or renaming an existing asset, the secretary of defense or the secretary of a military department may not give a name to an asset that refers to, or includes a term referring to, the Confederate States of America including any name referring to a person who served or held leadership within the Confederacy; or a Confederate battlefield victory, the 2020 NDAA reads. The legislation further defined assets as including any base, installation, facility, aircraft, ship, equipment, or any other property owned or controlled by the Department of Defense or a military department. Despite the law, some officials conceded, Trump might attempt to make his promised changes via executive order. It was unclear Thursday whether Trump would include fulfilling that promise among his priorities on the first day of his second administration, as he plans to sign dozens of new orders, according to media reports. Trumps transition team did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the issue. A staffer for the Senate Armed Services Committee said the law was somewhat ambiguous given that it does not directly bar the president from renaming an installation. Typically, a president would issue an order like that to the defense secretary who would then order the service secretary to carry out the presidents order, said the staffer, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The law, written as it is, would not allow the [defense secretary] or the Army secretary to make that change. It is also unclear whether there is enough support in Congress for changing the names, even with Republicans controlling both chambers by slim majorities. Stars and Stripes sought comment from more than a dozen lawmakers including those representing the installations impacted by the name changes and leaders for the Senate and House Armed Services committees but received few responses on the issue. One Republican, Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska, said the issue was fairly considered in Congress and should be treated as settled law. Everyone had input on this including President Trump, said Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general and an Armed Services committee member. The law is straightforward and speaks for itself: the Department of Defense will no longer honor officers of the Confederacy who betrayed their oaths and engaged in an armed rebellion against the United States and were defeated by naming important military bases after them. Instead, Bacon said U.S. military bases should be named after heroes. Army Maj. Gen. Curtis Buzzard, the commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Julie Moore Orlowski, Hal and Julia Moores daughter, unveil the new welcome sign for Fort Moore, Ga., during a ceremony May 11, 2023, to mark the change in name of the former Fort Benning. (Corey Dickstein/Stars and Stripes) Costly, tedious process Military officials have said the process to change the names of the nine Army posts and two Navy ships and to rename or remove thousands of other items across the Pentagons vast array of installations was tedious, time-consuming and expensive. Officials at posts including Fort Liberty and Fort Moore told reporters that their staffs spent months inventorying every item on the post to ensure all remnants of the installations former names were removed, as the law prescribed. The Army spent about $9.3 million just to rename its nine installations, according to a service spokesperson. That total does not include money spent on other related efforts, such as changing street, building and training range names. The service spent about $342,000 for Fort Barfoot, $715,000 for Fort Novosel, $1.4 million for Fort Gregg-Adams, $2.2 million for Fort Cavazos, $825,000 for Fort Moore, more than $2 million for Fort Liberty, $265,000 for Fort Johnson, $352,000 for Fort Walker and more than $1 million for Fort Eisenhower, according to the Army. The costs were about 56% lower than the Naming Commissions estimated costs, the spokesperson said. The Pentagon money wasnt the only taxpayer funding spent on the effort. States spent millions of dollars altering or posting new road signs reflecting the name changes. North Carolina spent about $450,000 to update 86 highway traffic signs from Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. Changing the names back would require a new funding authorization from Congress, the Senate staffer said. It could prove nearly as costly as the first renaming process and would render the past money spent to strip the Pentagon of Confederate honors utterly wasted, according to the staffer. History vs. commemoration Trump has often said the effort of removing Confederate base names disrespected the veterans who trained at those bases, especially those who died in battle. His December 2020 statement announcing his veto of the 2021 NDAA said the bases had taken on significance to the American story and those who have helped write it that far transcends their namesakes. Hegseth said removing the Confederate-linked names broke with a long tradition that links generations of soldiers who served at those posts. But the topic did not come up this week during his contentious confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee. We should change it back. We should change it back, Hegseth said on The Everyday Warrior Podcast in June 2024 before he was nominated for the top Pentagon post. We should change it back because legacy matters. My uncle served at Bragg. I served at Bragg. It breaks a generational link. But Seidule, the Naming Commission vice chairman, rejects that argument. He said he tells detractors of the effort that they need to understand the difference between history and commemoration. Installation names, he said, do not reflect history but do serve as a commemoration. To commemorate is about our values, about what, who we think is representative and who we honor, he said. And so, when you know the full story of these people [the Confederate generals], you cant honor them. And, now, their stories are out there about who they were and what they did. The Pentagon on Jan. 5, 2023, instructed all Defense Department organizations to begin working to remove names and items associated with the Confederacy as recommended by a congressional commission. This includes nine Army bases named for Confederate generals shown here. The bases were Fort Polk in Louisiana, Fort Benning and Fort Gordon in Georgia, Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Fort A.P. Hill, Fort Lee and Fort Pickett in Virginia, Fort Rucker in Alabama, and Fort Hood in Texas. Officials have said they would not recommend a name change for Camp Beauregard in Louisiana, which was also named for a Confederate general, because it is owned by that states National Guard. (Library of Congress) Braxton Bragg is a good example, according to Seidule. Bragg graduated from West Point and served in the U.S. Army as an artillery officer for some 19 years before resigning his commission to purchase a sugar plantation in Louisiana, including more than 100 slaves. He took a commission as general in the Confederate Army after the Civil War began and ultimately earned a reputation for losing critical battles with poor military tactics and losing the respect of his men. Some of the other Confederates who were previously honored with installation names never even served in the U.S. Army, including Henry Benning, Edward Rucker and John Gordon, Seidule said. The thing they did do was kill U.S. Army soldiers, he said. They committed treason for slavery and then they killed U.S. Army soldiers. Seidule argued that should be enough to convince any American patriot that Confederate names have no place on todays Army posts. I hate people who killed U.S. Army soldiers, he said he tells detractors of the name-changing efforts. I wore U.S. Army blue for almost 36 years. I dont like the enemy. I love this country. I served in war and peace and to think that youre going to honor someone that tried to destroy this country that we serve terrible. The new names Names now honored on installations include Lt. Gen. Hal and Julia Moore, the Distinguished Service Cross recipient for heroics in the first major battle of the Vietnam War and his wife who worked to improve the Pentagons casualty notice process and advocated for Army spouses and families. Others recognize Gen. Richard Cavazos, the Armys first Hispanic general who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Korean War and the Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam; Col. Charity Adams, the first Black female officer in the Womens Army Auxiliary Corp; and Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg, the services first Black three-star general, who enlisted initially in a segregated Army. Fort Libertys name was chosen in honor of the bedrock American value, which was suggested by a North Carolina Gold Star mother, Patti Elliott, who told officials during the renaming process that her son, Army Spc. Daniel Lucas Elliott died for liberty, when he was killed in combat in Iraq in 2011. The name-change effort even found support among at least some descendants of the Confederates that the base names previously honored. Denise Rucker Krepp said Wednesday it would be shameful if Confederate Col. Edward Ruckers name was returned to the Armys aviation training base in southern Alabama. Krepp, a lawyer who works as a Navy civilian employee and former Coast Guard officer, had long sought to see her distant cousins name removed from the base. She said she avoided following her parents both retired Army officers into the service because she did not want to discuss her last name and its ties to the Confederacy. Krepp said her family is also distantly related to Benning. When Fort Rucker became Fort Novosel named for Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel she was ecstatic because it finally meant Vietnam veterans such as her father were being recognized at such a high and visible level. She said she would implore Trump not to restore her familys name or those of the other Confederate leaders to U.S. installations. A reversion, she said, would anger her. My family committed treason. My family killed U.S. soldiers. My family owned human beings, Krepp said. Why are we recognizing people like this? I want to honor Vietnam veterans, and Im getting really frustrated by the disrespect thats being shown for them with this attempt to take their names off these bases. If Trump does move to strip the new names of the nine Army bases in favor of their former monikers, Krepp vowed to fight back. Seidule coauthored a forthcoming book, A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nations Military Bases, about the individuals whose names now adorn the renamed Army posts. He said if the base names are reversed it shows he and other historians have a great deal more work to do. Im not going to cry in my cornflakes if Trump undoes the Naming Commissions work, Seidule said. Im going to continue to work as a historian and as an American to tell the story of our great heroes and also to tell the story of why we cant go back to naming things after people who tried to destroy this great country. We have to commemorate out great heroes, not traitors who killed American soldiers. An undated photo of Nancy Leftenant-Colon, the first African American commissioned into the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after it was desegregated in the 1940s. She died Jan. 8, 2025, at the age of 104. (CAF RISE ABOVE) Retired Maj. Nancy Leftenant-Colon, the first African American commissioned into the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after it was desegregated in the 1940s, has died at the age of 104. Leftenant-Colon died peacefully at a nursing facility in her hometown of Amityville, N.Y., on Jan. 8, her nephew, Chris Leftenant, told National Public Radio on Wednesday. Lefty, as she was known to many, was lauded for breaking down racial barriers and for her lifelong dedication to preserving the legacy of African American military pioneers. Born on Sept. 29, 1920, near Charleston, S.C., Leftenant-Colon was one of 12 children of James and Eunice Leftenant and the granddaughter of a freed slave, according to her official biography. Her family left the Jim Crow South for Amityville in 1923. After graduating from nursing school in 1941, Leftenant-Colon attempted to join the military but was told Black nurses werent allowed. She kept trying, and in January 1945, she was accepted into the Army Nurse Corps as a reservist with the rank of second lieutenant. Black nurses were still prohibited from joining the regular Army at the time. Her first assignment took her to Lowell General Hospital in Fort Devens, Mass., where she treated World War II casualties in the final months of the conflict. President Harry Truman signed an executive order abolishing segregation in the military in 1948. Upon hearing the news, Leftenant-Colon applied for regular Army Nurse Corps status and became the first Black woman integrated into the Corps. She was assigned at the time to the 332nd Station Medical Group at Lockbourne Army Air Base, now Rickenbacker Air Force Base, in Ohio. It was the same base where the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of primarily African American military pilots and service members who fought in World War II, were stationed. Leftenant-Colon chose to transfer to the Air Force when the service split from the Army after the war. She was deployed overseas during the Korean and Vietnam wars. In addition to helping set up field hospitals in war zones, she was a flight nurse on the first medical evacuation flight during the battle of Dien Bien Phu in Vietnam, according to her biography on the Tuskegee Airmen website. Leftenant-Colons final assignment was to McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., where she retired as chief nurse in 1965. This is what I wanted, and this is what I went after, Leftenant-Colon said of her career in a 2023 interview with CBS. Leftenant-Colon wasnt shy about speaking of the racism she faced during her career, which overlapped with the civil rights movement. While she served, there was always fear and discrimination; however, I was determined that it would not deter me, according to a quote in her biography on the National Association of American Veterans website. She married Air Force Reserve Capt. Bayard K. Colon after retirement. Colon died of a heart attack in 1972. The couple had no children. Leftenant-Colon continued to break down barriers after her military career, becoming the first, and so far only, woman to be elected president of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., an organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the historic group. She held the post from 1989 to 1991. Nancy Leftenant-Colon, seen here at her brother Samuel Leftenant's memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery in 2016, died Jan. 8, 2025, at the age of 104. Leftenant-Colon was the first African American commissioned into the U.S. Army Nurse Corps after it was desegregated in the 1940s. (Rachel Larue/Arlington National Cemetery) She was an amazing little lady, rest easy Nurse Nancy, the groups national office said in a Facebook post Jan. 9. Five of Leftenant-Colons siblings also were in the military, including her younger brother Sam Leftenant, a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen who was killed in a midair collision in April 1945. His remains have yet to be found and identified. Following her military service, Leftenant-Colon worked as a school nurse at Amityville High School, the same school she graduated from in 1939. A new media center at the school was named after her in 2018. Leftenant-Colon, along with selected members of the Tuskegee Airmen, received the Congressional Gold Medal from President George W. Bush in March 2007. I really feel that I was put here for a reason, Leftenant-Colon told CBS in 2023. Life has been really very good to me. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on Thursday, January 16, with a promise to help secure the country for a century. He and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will sign a 100-year partnership agreement in Kyiv. ADVERTISIMENT The document covers areas such as defense, science, energy, and trade. This was reported by the Associated Press, citing information from the British government. It is noted that Starmer's unannounced visit is his first trip to Ukraine since taking office in July 2024. Although he already visited the country in 2023, when he was the leader of the opposition. The politician has also held talks with the Ukrainian leader twice since becoming prime minister. Earlier, the media announced that Starmer would make his first official visit to Ukraine in the coming weeks to discuss the possibility of deploying an international peacekeeping force after Russia's war ends. Bloomberg wrote that on January 10, he met with French President Emmanuel Macron at the British prime ministers' country residence in Chequers, and the situation in Ukraine was at the center of their dialogue. Now it is reported that the two sides are discussing the idea of sending British and French troops to Ukraine as part of a peacekeeping mission that could take place after a possible peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia. As reported by OBOZ.UA, the Presidential Office explained that Ukraine and Britain have reached the final stage of negotiations on signing a "centennial agreement" on the transition to a deeper partnership. The negotiations are continuing within the framework of the agreements reached during a telephone conversation between Zelenskyy and Starmer on December 23, 2024. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Victoria Wisniewska was running to a friends car at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre A young girl who claimed she sustained a gash on her forehead when she struck the glass side of a bus shelter at a shopping centre has settled her High Court action for 86,000. Victoria Wisniewska was running to a friends car at the Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin when it is claimed she struck the glass panel and fell back to the ground. The girl's barrister Conor Kearney, BL told the court she has been left with a nasty scar on her forehead as a result of the incident two years ago. He said she had been to the cinema to see the Barbie movie with a friend. It was dark and raining when they came out of the centre and they ran to get in the car. Victoria (14), Maynooth, Co Kildare through her father Wojciech Wisniewski, sued Liffey Valley Management Ltd. The settlement which includes 82,000 in general damages and the rest in special damages was recommended by the Injuries Resolution Board. The settlement is without an admission of liability. In an affidavit, Victorias father, Wojciech Wisniewski said his daughter was, on August 13. 2023, running towards her friend's mother's car and ran into the glass side of the bus shelter. He claimed she was unable to see this as there was allegedly no lighting and it was allegedly not evident that there was a glass panel in her path. All of the claims are denied by Liffey Valley Management Ltd. Victoria was brought to hospital where the cut was cleaned and closed with glue and steri strips and she was prescribed antibiotics. Mr Wisniewski said she was discharged home and is now left with a 5cm scar on her forehead. The gash is well healed but she may require revision surgery when she is older. Mr Wisniewski said he was happy with the assessment by the Injuries Resolution Board. Approving the settlement Ms Justice Nuala Jackson who examined the scar said the incident had been upsetting for all involved. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that Nathan McCarthy (25) of Lower Kimmage Road, Terenure, Co. Dublin was foaming at the mouth when assaulting one of the officers A carpenter who bit a garda, assaulted another garda and two other men while intoxicated, has been jailed for 18 months. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court previously heard that Nathan McCarthy (25) of Lower Kimmage Road, Terenure, Co. Dublin was foaming at the mouth when assaulting one of the officers. The gardai had been called when he attacked two men eating a takeaway in their car in South Dublin, after he had been refused food by a takeaway restaurant. McCarthy had pleaded guilty to six charges, including three assaults causing harm, one ordinary assault, one criminal damage, and one unauthorised taking of a car. They all arose out of an incident on November 1, 2023 at Ballymount Lower in Walkinstown. Imposing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan noted McCarthy was intoxicated on the night and had behaved in a disgraceful way. The judge said it was serious misbehaviour to attack four people in the way he did and to cause criminal damage as he did was a serious matter. People are responsible for their own actions, intoxication is no excuse, Judge Nolan said. Having considered McCarthys personal circumstances and the mitigation, the judge imposed a three-year sentence, with the final 18 months suspended on strict conditions to encourage rehabilitation. Judge Nolan said McCarthy was a young man with a future, but a person cant behave in the way he has and not undergo a custodial term. The judge noted that McCarthy acknowledged he was intoxicated and said he had no recollection of events. However, Judge Nolan said McCarthy was still responsible for his actions. If you render yourself so intoxicated you commit crime, you must pay a price for that crime, Judge Nolan said. The court previously heard that McCarthy had entered Hillbillies Takeaway shortly before it was due to close at 10pm. He repeatedly shouted at the manager: Wheres my food?, became aggressive and punched the counter. He was told that he hadnt ordered any food and that gardai would be called if he didnt leave. He then grabbed the card machine and pulled the screen of the till from its wires. He banged it a few times before throwing it and smashing a glass lampshade, which prevented it hitting the manager. McCarthy then left the takeaway and approached two men sitting in a parked car, having their takeaway. He aggressively asked them where they were from, said he had a knife and that he would kill them if they didnt get out of the car. They tried to close the door, however, he lunged in and began choking one of the men, who became lightheaded but managed to get out. They managed to lock him in the car, during which time he moved it slightly by letting off the handbrake. He caused 1,500 worth of damage to the interior and a window; the court saw CCTV footage of him smashing the drivers window with his feet and climbing out. He then ran straight at one of the men, who tried to flee, but tripped. McCarthy began kicking him on the ground and choked him again. He also threw punches at the other man before gardai arrived. One of the gardai gave chase, and McCarthy punched him three times to the head. He continued to lash out, even after the garda withdrew his baton and struck him with it. The second garda arrived and withdrew his incapacitant spray. Warning him and deploying the spray had no effect on him, and gardai observed that he had white froth coming from his mouth. He then bit one of the officers in the forearm, drawing blood. He was arrested, and when eventually fit to be interviewed, he claimed no recollection, saying he had drunk two bottles of wine. He was shown CCTV footage and commented: Its f***ing not on, I shouldnt have done it. The court heard that he had 21 previous convictions for road traffic matters, and none for violence. The garda who sustained the bite received booster injections for infectious diseases. McCarthys barrister said that there was no particular motivation for the attack, that he seemed to have snapped. He didnt get his food, remarked Judge Martin Nolan. His barrister suggested that a confluence of factors ran up to this incident, and handed in a letter of apology from him. A letter from his grandmother, who had raised him, set out that it was out of character for him. The court heard that he had 20,000 drug debt at the time. His barrister said that hed had a breakdown of sorts, but he is currently in full-time employment and has cleared his drug debt. He brought 200 in compensation to court as a small token of remorse. The aggressor country wants to reduce the Ukrainian army. However, our country will never agree to such demands. ADVERTISIMENT This was stated by President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his media statements following a meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. In addition, he emphasized that peace must be through strength. This is the only way Ukraine can defend its independence and protect its people. "Our Victory Plan described all this in detail. And these are not loud words. There is a strong Ukraine. It can defend its independence and protect its people. It has all this. In particular, a package of weapons to strengthen us on the battlefield, taking into account our army, without reducing it by several times, as the enemy wants," Zelenskyy said, answering a question about the possibility of strengthening Ukraine to achieve peace. The president also emphasized that in any diplomacy, defense is the number one issue for Ukraine. And it involves maintaining the size of the army that exists today. Earlier it became known that President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a historic agreement on a 100-year partnership. The document regulates cooperation between the two countries in the defense sector. As a reminder, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on January 16 with a promise to help secure the country for a century. As reported by OBOZ.UA, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron are negotiating the deployment of British and French troops to Ukraine. It is a peacekeeping mission that may take place after a possible peace agreement between Kyiv and Moscow. Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Mob associate insists he has no plans to return to Ireland A POSH-boy protege of Christy Kinahan sr has told the Criminal Assets Bureau he has no intention of coming back to Ireland. Ciaran Sam OSullivan is at the centre of a CAB case after it emerged in the High Court orders have already been granted against him. He was previously named in a High Court case last year as the link man between a Chinese money- laundering operation and Irish drug gangs. This month he did not appear at the hearing when called and it was heard that he had been contacted by phone and said he had no plans to return to Ireland from Spain. The bureau had been given permission to serve him legal notice of the proceedings against him by email and the case is expected to go to hearing in early 2025. Christy Kinahan Snr Now in his late 40s, he grew up in a south Dublin suburb but got involved with the Kinahan mob as it began to emerge as a major player in the Netherlands and later on the Costa Del Sol. OSullivan was found to be part of the Chinese money-laundering operation after the criminal network was targeted in an intelligence-led Garda operation in 2020. A series of raids were carried out in Dublin and Wicklow in June that year, shortly after Dutch and French police hacked the encrypted Encrochat service used by criminal gangs all over Europe. During the search operations by gardai targeting the Chinese gang in 2020 OSullivan was spoken to by gardai but later left for Spain, according to source. Assets seized as a result of this garda operation are now being targeted by CAB in the latest court case. No details of the property CAB are seeking to have declared the Proceeds of Crime were aired in court. The Sunday World previously revealed how Sam OSullivan had supplied Encrochat phones to the Kinahan mob in Ireland. Bernard Clancy, who has been sanctioned in the US This year it emerged police there believe he had also been selling the encrypted phones to criminal gangs in France. According to files seen by the Sunday World, OSullivan and barman Robert Noctor sold up to 380 handsets to drugs and weapons dealers. The French document identifies Noctor as the sole salesman of the phones into the French underworld. The French Gendarmerie are currently focused on a bid to prosecute EncroChat executives who ran and sold the devices. Despite his well-to-do upbringing in south county Dublin, OSullivan had served time in Spain, where he was convicted in 2004 of drugs offences. He had also been arrested in The Netherlands over amphetamines and guns and has associated with top Irish mobsters including US-sanctioned Bernard Clancy. Lawyers described difficulties in obtaining the services of psychiatrists or delays in receiving reports Limited psychiatric services within the State are causing increased trauma to families, including in the "sensitive" case of a mother charged with the murder of her six-year-old son, a judge at the Central Criminal Court has said. Mr Justice Paul McDermott was managing 20 murder and serious sexual offence cases today where lawyers are trying to engage psychiatrists to assess whether a mental condition could have played a role in their clients' alleged offending. In a number of cases, lawyers described difficulties in obtaining the services of psychiatrists or delays in receiving reports. A lawyer acting for Ruth Purcell Healy (37), who is charged with the murder of her six-year-old son Matthew on February 9 last year, said they are trying to engage a psychiatrist and "may have an update" soon. Mr Justice McDermott described the case as "very sensitive" and one in which psychiatric issues "loom very large". Lawyers have spent several months trying to procure the services of a psychiatrist but through no fault of their own, he said, they have been unsuccessful. The judge added: "It goes back to the difficulties in obtaining psychiatric reports... The longer they take, the more trauma is caused. We are dealing with very difficult issues and very sensitive issues and it points to the limitations in the services available in the State to deal with difficult cases of this kind." Ms Purcell Healy of Bishops Field, Williamstown, Waterford, was charged with murder after her son Matthew Healy was found unresponsive around midnight on February 9th, 2024, near Rathmoylan Cove, Dunmore East, and was later pronounced dead at University Hospital Waterford. Last year, Mr Justice McDermott noted that psychiatrists at the Central Mental Hospital were often unavailable to carry out reports for the courts due to the "burden of work" placed on them by their day to day jobs. Lawyers also complained that in some instances psychiatrists were unwilling to take on cases due to the low fees being offered by the Department of Justice. In many cases, lawyers have had to seek the services of psychiatrists in the UK and elsewhere due to the lack of available psychiatrists in Ireland. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan described this as a serious offence A Malaysian national has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for bringing over 360,000 worth of cannabis into the country. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Lee Zhu Xuan (21), from Pereak, Malaysia, pleaded guilty to the importation of cannabis at Terminal 2, Dublin Airport, on June 5, 2024. He has no previous convictions. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan described this as a serious offence. He stated that there is a mandatory minimum of a ten-year prison term for this offence. Judge Nolan said that he could depart from this ten-year sentence due to the mitigating factors. He said that this defendant has no previous convictions, entered an early guilty plea, was cooperative and made admissions to both customs and the gardai. He also acknowledged that he is a foreign national far from home. Judge Nolan sentenced him to three and a half years in prison, backdated to June 5, 2024, when Xuan went into custody. Garda Alex Murphy told George Murphy, BL, prosecuting, that a Revenue officer observed Xuan on the day in question and noted that he was acting suspiciously. He told the officer that he had travelled from Malaysia. The officer searched his bag, and 36 vacuum-packed bags were found. The court heard the Xuan was brought to an interview room and cautioned. He told Revenue officers that a friend gave him the bag and that he did not know what was in it. He further stated that he was due to stay in Ireland for five days. Gda Murphy said Xuan had a return ticket and had told officers that he was due to meet someone outside the airport and give them the bag. He said a friend had booked and paid for the flight. Tests were carried out on the vacuum-packed bags, and cannabis valued at just over 360,000 were confirmed. Xuan stated that he did not take drugs and had no drug debt and that he had only met his friend, who gave him the bag and booked the flights a week earlier. He was promised the equivalent of 2,800 for his role. During his garda interview, he said that he met this person online, and they stated that they were looking for people to bring counterfeit goods and bird nests into the country. He said he was studying music and had high educational fees. When he was shown the drugs and told that they were cannabis, he said he deeply regretted that I did something stupid. Gda Murphy agreed with James Dwyer, SC, defending, that his client cooperated with customs and acted as a courier. The garda agreed with counsel that Xuan gave his name and address and was due to meet someone with the bag. The court heard that bird nests are a delicacy and are of high value. Mr Dwyer said his client planned to return home and continue his studies. He said that Xuans father was a fruit farmer, and all the family's financial burden fell on him. He said he was trying to help his family. He said his client was working in the kitchen in Cloverhill Prison and studying in prison. Counsel handed the court a very positive governor's report, an educational report, and a letter of apology from Xuan. A letter from his father was also handed into the court. Mr Dwyer asked the court to consider his clients early guilty plea, his cooperation and that he made admissions. He asked the court to be as lenient as possible. Raymond ONeill is serving a minimum 22-year sentence A man jailed for murdering a mother-of-three in west Belfast is attempting to discredit forensic evidence as part of a legal bid to overturn his conviction. Lawyers for Raymond ONeill revealed today that they will be writing to a regulatory body to question the accreditation of an expert who testified at his trial for killing Jennifer Dornan. Details emerged as his appeal was listed for a new hearing in May. ONeill, 47, is serving a minimum 22-year sentence for stabbing Ms Dornan to death and then setting fire to her home in August 2015. O'Neill The fatal knife attack was launched after the 30-year-old victim was followed back to the house at Hazel View in the Lagmore area. ONeill denied killing Ms Dornan and claimed that he suffered from memory loss due to being poisoned by prison staff in Dublin. But in 2022 he was unanimously convicted of murder and arson at Belfast Crown Court. Jurors were shown CCTV footage of Ms Dornan walking home, and a man climbing over a fence to enter the property a short time later. The prosecution successfully argued ONeill was that intruder. Victim: Jennifer Dornan His legal team have now prepared a series of grounds for the attempt to get the murder conviction quashed. Martin ORourke KC told the Court of Appeal today that an expert from a forensic service company who testified at a separate trial in Belfast did not have the proper accreditation. He confirmed plans to send a letter to the Forensic Science Regulator (FSR), seeking clarification about the status of another representative from the same firm who appeared as a prosecution witness against ONeill. The barrister also questioned a method put to the jury to back the case that the person identified in evidence was his client. A forensic expert at the scene of Jennifer Dornan's death in Lagmore, Belfast It seems to us that the matter runs deeper than personal credibility, it goes fundamentally to the admissibility of this type of evidence, Mr ORourke submitted. We propose to write to the Forensic Science Regulator, asking it about the matters that emerged from the evidence. He added: None of this was argued in the trial because we werent aware of it. Based on the FSRs remit only covering England and Wales, prosecution counsel David McDowell KC predicted that the body will not comment on any potential breach of the code in Northern Ireland. Lady Chief Chief Dame Siobhan Keegan urged both sides to ensure no further delays in dealing with the appeal. Listing the case for a two-day hearing in May, she said: Im not happy about the lack of progress. We need to get on with this. He was found with severe injuries on Hampton Wood Way in Finglas last June A Dublin man who suffered fatal injuries in an altercation in Finglas last year died as a result of a stab wound to the neck or upper chest, an inquest has heard. Michael Chino Ryan (51) of Domville Woods, Santry was found with severe injuries on Hampton Wood Way in Finglas shortly after midnight on June 20, 2024. He was rushed by the emergency services to the Mater Misericordiae Hospital in Dublin where he was pronounced dead a few hours later. At the opening of an inquest into Mr Ryans death at Dublin District Coroners Court on Wednesday, the deceaseds sister, Liz Kavanagh, gave evidence of identifying her brothers body to gardai at Dublin City Mortuary in Whitehall. Garda Craig Shields told the coroner, Aisling Gannon, that he had witnessed Mr Ryan being attended to by paramedics from Dublin Fire Brigade at Hampton Wood Way. Ms Gannon informed the hearing that post-mortem examination results had attributed the cause of death to a stab wound to the neck or upper chest. The coroner said there were no other contributory features to Mr Ryans death. Detective Inspector Dara Kenny applied for an open-ended adjournment of the inquest under Section 25 (2) on the basis that criminal proceedings have been instituted in the case. Ms Gannon granted the application and adjourned the inquest until a date to be fixed following the conclusion of related criminal proceedings. Joseph Lawlor (38), an unemployed man of Hampton Wood Road, Finglas was charged with the murder of Mr Ryan at a sitting of Dublin District Court on June 22, 2024. The court heard that the accused made no reply when charged with the offence and Judge John Hughes remanded Lawlor in custody. Narcotics kingpin prepares for a new stint behind bars after brandishing weapon Notorious drug baron Liam Fat Boy Mooney is facing jail once again after threatening a man with a knife during shocking road rage attack. The 55-year-old, named by this paper more than 20 years ago as one of Ulsters Seven Deadly Sinners drug bosses, pulled out a knife and confronted another driver during the incident in south Belfast in November 2023. Given his previous convictions for crime, hes almost certainly going to jail when hes sentenced later this year. Mooney was one of the first major drug dealers to flood Northern Ireland with Class A drugs like ecstasy, as well as tons of cannabis, along with his brother Mickey who was murdered by the IRA. Indeed, Liam Mooney is believed to have survived at least three serious attempts on his life by the IRA in the late nineties and early noughties as the terror group tried to reassert control of republican areas in the aftermath of going on ceasefire. Masquerading under their murder gang Direct Action Against Drugs (DAAD), the Provos tried to kill him a number of times. Mickey Moneybags Mooney who was shot dead by the IRAs DAAD group outside a Belfast bar Once gang members went to a house he owned in Carryduff posing as window cleaners, carrying their guns in a bucket. Fortunately for Mooney, he wasnt in at the time. Mooneys brother, Mickey Moneybags, was the first major drugs godfather to suffer at the hands of the DAAD. He was gunned down at a Belfast bar in 1995 as he was making a drug deal on his mobile phone and its understood Liam witnessed it. After Mickeys murder, Liam took over the reins of the family business including the lucrative drug routes in Europe. Fat Boy took over his contacts, including then Amsterdam-based gangster Tommy The Zombie Savage, and arranged drugs shipments from Holland. He was once photographed by the Sunday World in Dublin Airport arriving back from an Amsterdam drug trip. Scene of the murder of Mickey Mooney at the 18 steps bar in Belfast city centre As reported in Court News NI, Liam Mooney appeared at Ards Magistrates Court and admitted charges of possessing an offensive weapon a knife with intent to commit assault and causing criminal damage to a car. Luckily for Mooney, the more serious charge of making a threat to kill the other motorist was dismissed. A prosecutor said around 6pm on November 30, 2023, there had been a road rage incident at Saintfield Road. The defendant was in a vehicle and flashed and sounded the horn towards victim for them to pull over. She added: He signalled for them to pull over. Both parties were not known to each other. The prosecutor said Mooney proceeded to shout from his vehicle and offered the victim physical violence. He proceeded to hold up a knife and threatened him. Both vehicles stopped at lights. The defendant had exited his vehicle with the knife in his hand. He approached the drivers window and banged the glass, causing damage to the victims vehicle. He then drove away, said the prosecutor. A defence barrister claimed that both persons pulled over and stopped and the complainant in this case is not entirely innocent either. He is the one who beckons him over. District Judge Mark Hamill said that who was the aggressor could be worked out by who left the car. He told the barrister: Not only did your client leave his car to proceed to the other persons car, he armed himself with a knife in the process. The judge adjourned the case to February 18 for a pre-sentence report. If Mooney goes to jail, it wont be for the first time. For years he was on the run from gardai after he jumped bail in 1999 and then three years later gave the PSNI the slip when he fled Northern Ireland too. He was due to go on trial alongside fellow dealer Stephen Brunt Smith in connection with a 200,000 cannabis haul found in Dublin. Another dealer, Kevin Maxi McAlorum, had paid 40,000 bail for the two which he lost after they disappeared. Mooney floated between a plush apartment on the Lisburn Road and Amsterdam but eventually the law caught up with him and he was jailed for his drug-smuggling exploits. He was jailed for just under five years at Antrim Crown Court for his role in a 30kg cannabis haul. His sentencing brought to an end an international manhunt for the drugs godfather who skipped Northern Ireland in 2002. The court heard that Mooney, who confessed to undercover cops hed been smuggling blow for more than 15 years, fled Northern Ireland on a fake passport in his brother-in-laws name to Amsterdam to organise the operation in 2002. For more than six years, the police Drugs Squad hunted Mooney across international lines but without success. However, the PSNI Drugs Squad was tipped off by that Fat Boy was staying at a rented home in Carryduff, Co. Down. Judge David Smyth said it was apparent that Fat Boy had been the Amsterdam connection for the smuggling operation and that he was effectively stung by an undercover police operation. Tomas Cypas, a father of one from Lithuania, has lived in Ireland for over 20 years Tomas Cypas at Blanchardstown District Court yesterday, where he was denied bail. Photo: Collins A scaffolder has been charged with the murder of his friend who died from blunt force head trauma in a house in Lucan, Dublin in October. Following an investigation into the death of Juris Kokenbergs, the case was upgraded yesterday after gardai received directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Responding to a call, emergency services went to a house at Old Bridge Park on October 28 and found the body of the 49-year-old Latvian national. Two days later, Tomas Cypas, 33, was charged with causing serious harm to Mr Kokensbergs and remanded in custody. He faced his latest hearing yesterday when he appeared before Judge William Aylmer at Cloverhill District Court. Detective Garda Neil McGrath said he charged the accused with the murder of Mr Kokensbergs on a date unknown between October 26 and 28 last, contrary to common law. The original charge was withdrawn. Mr Cypas "made no reply", the detective said. The DPP has directed that he must face trial on indictment in the Central Criminal Court. Judge Aylmer remanded the accused in custody while prosecutors prepare a book of evidence, which must be served on him before a trial order is granted Mr Cypas has been given free legal aid and will appear again next Thursday. However, a further adjournment will be sought to complete the book of evidence. Mr Cypas, a father of one from Lithuania, has lived in Ireland for over 20 years and has an address at Foxborough Road, Lucan. Juris Kokenbergs He could not apply for bail in the District Court because a murder charge requires an application before the High Court. At his previous bail hearing, Detective Garda McGrath said Mr Kokenbergs suffered head and facial injuries. It was claimed that he lost consciousness and was placed on a couch in the kitchen but was found deceased on the floor beside the sofa the following day. Detective Garda McGrath said that Dublin Fire Brigade had responded to a 999 call, and they had contacted gardai. The bail hearing was told that a preliminary post-mortem found that Mr Kokenbergs suffered blunt force trauma, significant injuries and swelling to the brain, and intense bleeding. At that stage, the accused was solely charged with causing serious harm to the deceased. A defence solicitor had said Mr Cypas lived most of his life in Ireland, had a job and family here, did not run, and indicated that he acted in self-defence. At Ennis District Court today, Ross Culligan pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of local man, Michael Neylon A 19-year old Leaving Cert student has pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of a man in his 60s at a protest against a rumoured new accommodation centre for asylum seekers in Co Clare last year. At Ennis District Court today, Ross Culligan of Connolly Villas, Ennis, pleaded guilty to the assault causing harm of local man, Michael Neylon at Scool, Corofin contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act on May 22nd 2023. Solicitor for Mr Culligan, Tara Godfrey confirmed her client's guilty plea. She said: I have spoken to my client. He is an Irish speaker - only 19 and re-sitting his Leaving Cert. Judge Gabbett told Ms Godfrey that her client is very young and I would like to get a Probation Report for the sentencing hearing. Ms Godfrey said that Mr Culligan has completely removed himself from certain influences that he was under at the time. After viewing video footage of a stand-off between Mr Neylon and an unidentified man with a Northern Ireland accent in the build up to the alleged assault last month, Judge Alec Gabbett ruled that the case could be heard in the district court on a plea of guilty only. The video footage did not feature Mr Culligan and Judge Alec Gabbett commented the clip doesnt show the actual incident resulting in the dent to the eye. Judge Gabbett said that the footage sets the scene quite nicely Previously outlining the State case against Mr Culligan, Sgt John Burke stated that a blockade was mounted against a rumoured centre for asylum seekers and Mr Culligan was one of those protesting Sgt Burke said that the alleged injured party, Mr Neylon, engaged with people in the blockade at the location "and there were verbals back and forth". Sgt Burke said that during the course of this, Mr Neylon was allegedly assaulted by Mr Culligan, who turns 20 this month. Mr Neylon suffered a facial injury as a result of the alleged assault. Sgt Burke stated that the blockade was mounted over false reports and there were no plans to establish accommodation for asylum seekers at that location. The protest in Scool, Corofin, Co Clare took place after it was organised via social media, in response to, as it turned out, false claims asylum seekers were going to be housed in the area. These came about after a video was circulated online in which men toured a house containing multiple beds in each bedroom, claiming that it was going to house asylum seekers in the locality. At the time, the Minister for Integration, Roderic OGorman (Green Party) ruled out the use of the Scool property for asylum seekers. On RTE radio, Minister OGorman said at the time there had been detailed misinformation about the property being put into use. He said: This is entirely as the result of misinformation thats been circulated on social media detailed misinformation, setting out indicative numbers, indicative genders. He added: We are not using the site that has been identified in Corofin. Its never been offered to us and I suppose I cant be clearer than that. Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to March 26th for sentencing. Man (20) and woman (19) jailed for their part in late night assault The assault took place on Wellington Quay in Drogheda. A woman and two male companions who took a moment to do a decent turn by picking up a handbag they found ended up being viciously assaulted by a group of other young people in the early hours of the morning. The females face will never be the same again after she was stamped on by the owner of the handbag, Shannon Boland (19), who was aged 16 at the time of the incident at Wellington Quay, Drogheda, on January 30, 2022. She was one of six defendants who appeared before the circuit court for sentencing after evidence had been heard previously and the case put back for probation reports and finalisation. Ms Boland pleaded guilty to assault causing serious harm, while David Devlin (20), St Finians Park; Aaron McCabe (22), Knockbrack Downs; Jake Hanratty (22), St Finians Park; Caitlin Connor (21), The Hazels, Avoureen, all Drogheda; and Kerrie Kealy (21), Stanley Heights, Slane, Co. Meath, each admitted one count of violent disorder. Other charges were taken into consideration. None of the accused have previous convictions. Shannon Boland was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months, the last two-and-a-half years suspended. Judge Dara Hayes said that the suspended portion was greater than normal because she was going to be separated from her child. David Devlin received 3 years and 3 months, the final 21 months suspended. The other four defendants avoided jail time. Aaron McCabe was handed a fully suspended 18-month sentence; and Jake Hanratty a fully suspended sentence of 2 years and 9 months. Kerrie Kealy and Caitlin Connor were ordered to complete 240 hours community service in lieu of three years imprisonment. Reviewing the evidence Judge Hayes said that at 3.30am the three friends were returning home after a night out in Drogheda when they did the decent thing and picked up a handbag they found. They were initially approached by three individuals one of whom, David Devlin, produced a knife and threatened to stab the two men. The gang grew in numbers to nine, not all of whom were involved, but each of the six defendants were. The attack was broken up when nearby security staff intervened. The female victim had a piece of flesh taken from her face and has been left with a permanent and disfiguring scar. She also suffered multiple lacerations to skin and muscle. Her two companions were not as seriously injured, though they were repeatedly punched and kicked on the ground. Judge Hayes described David Devlin as the main aggressor and principal instigator. He kicked and punched one male while he was on the ground. He threw what he said was a blunt butter knife into the River Boyne. Garda divers had been unable to recover it. Gardai used CCTV footage as part of their investigation. Mr Devlin made limited admissions and was reported as having little understanding of the impact on his victims. He was ashamed of his actions. Originally from Dundalk, he was the youngest of three children and had been in care since the age of 12. Aaron McCabe can be seen trying to stop the incident developing. He did give a single kick to the back of one of the men as they lay on the ground. He had the lowest culpability of the sixaccused. He made full admissions, expressing his disgust and remorse. It was his first time with this group, and it was accepted this was out of character and that he had learned a lesson. Mr McCabe came from a good family, was working, and had 2,000. Jake Hanratty, who is in a long-term relationship with Ms Boland with whom he has a child, was highly aggressive on the night, swinging his arms and jumping up and down. He admitted punching one of the men. His involvement was at the lower end and as the attack escalated he appeared to pull back and did seek to calm the situation. Mr Hanratty was working. His son was his focus. Judge Hayes continued that Kerrie Kealy was heavily involved and the most violent. She used her shoe as a weapon to strike one of the men on the head and punched the other male injured party nine times. She was uncooperative initially and refused to watch the CCTV footage during garda interview. A probation officer reported that she accepted responsibility, was remorseful and deeply embarrassed. She was working and had distanced herself from the others. She had 4,000. Caitlin Connor was described as an aggressor throughout. She pulled the female victim to the ground, punched and slapped her. CCTV didnt capture all her involvement as a pole was in the way. She didnt cause the most serious injury. She was in full-time employment in her mothers coffee shop. Her parents were concerned about the company she was keeping. Ms Connor had accepted responsibility and expressed remorse. She had 4,000. The court heard that Shannon Boland made at least one stamp to the head of the other woman, and the judge said that the consequences could have been even worse. She had denied involvement in a prepared statement until her plea of guilty last year. Hers was the only clothing from that night not recovered by gardai. The Probation Service reported that Ms Boland placed greater value on loyalty to her friends. She now accepted full responsibility. She had displayed uncontrolled anger on the night, and Judge Hayes noted the dangers a cocktail of drink and drugs can have. This defendant had 10,000 which her female victim was willing to accept. Reflecting on the Victim Impact Statements, Judge Hayes said that the young lady spoke of one of the worst nights of her life when she tried to do a nice thing. Her face would never be the same again which has a significant impact for a young woman. Clumps of her hair had been pulled out and she also sustained psychological injuries. One of the men had a scar at the base of his head and suffered from flashbacks, while his friend whose injuries were less serious was nervous for some time after. Judge Hayes said that the trio who were not present in court - had taken a moment to do a decent turn and for their trouble were savagely set upon by an intoxicated group. He said when the woman looks in the mirror she will be reminded of what happened. The money that four of the defendants had was not compensation, the judge added, nor was it produced at the direction of the court. Judge Hayes wished the three victims the very best. Abraham Adeniyi (22) from Golden Ridge Mews, Rush in Co Dublin pleaded guilty to money laundering Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Abraham Adeniyi (22) from Golden Ridge Mews, Rush in Co Dublin pleaded guilty to money laundering at an unknown location on September 15, 2021. He has no previous convictions. Passing sentence today, Judge Martin Nolan said, This man, who was 18 at the time, made a bad judgement and allowed his bank account to be used. Judge Nolan said that Adeniyi Is doing very well now, and I think it would be unjust to imprison him. Judge Nolan sentenced Adeniyi to nine months in prison but suspended it in full under the condition that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for nine months. Garda Paul Kelly told Marc Murphy, BL, prosecuting, that the injured party in this case received a message on her phone from whom she believed was her bank. The message stated that there was a difficulty with her bank account, and she clicked on the link provided. The following day, the woman received a call from her bank informing her that 9,517 had been transferred from her account. The court heard that the woman knew nothing about this transaction and the bank was able to recall the full amount of money and return it to her. The bank account which the money had been transferred to was Adeniyis and he was unknown to the injured party. Gda Kelly said gardai were made aware of the incident and they obtained financial records from the injured party. A court order was obtained for Adeniyis bank account, and he was later arrested. During his interview with the gardai, he was cooperative and said he had allowed his bank account to be used by a third party and he had been used as a money mule. The court heard that Adeniyi was eighteen years old at the time. It was also outlined to the court that Adeniyi did not send the initial message to the injured party. Gda Kelly agreed with Oisin Clarke, BL, defending, that he was unlikely to see Adeniyi before the courts again. Mr Clarke said his client was a young man who made a stupid mistake. Counsel said Adeniyi is now employed and working two jobs and is in his third year of a four-year course. In the temporarily occupied Crimea, Russian air defense officer Igor Pashkov was imprisoned for three years for "friendlier fire". In October 2023, the occupier shot down a Russian Mi-8 military helicopter, allegedly mistaking it for a drone of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. ADVERTISIMENT As a result, three crew members were killed, according to propaganda publications. The decision was made by the Sevastopol Garrison Military Court. The Russian media claim that the captain of the air defense unit was sentenced to two years and ten months in a penal colony in a case of negligence that led to the death of three people (parts 1.1 and 3 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code). The incident occurred on December 18, 2023. Pashkov was on duty in one of the units in the occupied Crimea when he received a report "about the detection of a low-speed, low-flying air target." The occupier decided that the target was a Ukrainian UAV and ordered it to be destroyed. The object turned out to be a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, it crashed into the Black Sea, killing three crew members. The Russians write that Pashkov "made a mistake by not listening to the assessment of the head of the air defense calculation." The prosecution demanded seven years in prison. However, the court of first instance gave him three years, and as a result of the appeal, the sentence was reduced to 2 years and 10 months. In addition, the invader was ordered to pay five million rubles to the Ministry of Defense of the aggressor country, as well as one million to each of the widows of the deceased occupying pilots. The Russian agency estimated the downed Mi-8 helicopter at 204 million. Only verified information on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Tributes have been paid to Ms Heyneman (55) who was found in an unresponsive state at her home on the outskirts of Ballyconnell on Saturday evening Mother-of-five Annie Heyneman who died following an incident at her home in Co Cavan last weekend has been described as a woman with a huge heart of gold. Tributes have been paid to Ms Heyneman (55) who was found in an unresponsive state at her home on the outskirts of Ballyconnell on Saturday evening. Her Dutch born husband, Henk, remains in a stable condition in Cavan General Hospital having sustained serious injuries during the same incident. Danny Heyneman (31), Kilnavart, Ballyconnell, Cavan has since appeared in court charged with the murder of his mother and the attempted murder of his father In a notice published on RIP.ie it states that the death has occurred suddenly of Annie Heyneman, Kilnavart, Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan. Predeceased by her parents Maureen and Dan McLaughlin, the notice reads, she will be sadly missed by her loving husband Henk, her children, brother and sisters, future son-in-law, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, relatives, neighbours and a large circle of friends. The notice adds that funeral arrangements will be announced later. People have flooded the condolences section with messages of sympathy. One addressed to Annie reads: You will be missed so much by so many. Your smile, your energy, your laugh, your presence...an amazing mother, wife, friend and neighbour with a huge heart of gold. Another offers sincere sympathy to Henk and your family on the sad passing of your dear Annie. Thinking and praying for you all at this very difficult time. Another person wrote they were sending my sincere sympathy to Annies family, extended family, friends and all in Tus Nua on her sad passing. A lovely lady who was always a pleasure to meet. May her gentle soul rest in peace. One person wrote how, from a very young age it was evident that her joy, kindness and presence would touch so many lives. Rest in peace Annie. One said Annie always had a beautiful smile while another said she was a pure joy to be around. A moment spent in Annie's company lifted your spirits, this person wrote. I had the pleasure of working alongside her at Santas Magical Kingdom for a few years, endless laughter, lots of devilment and much kindness shown to all. She enhanced our show and our lives. Tinsel, theres never a Christmas when Elf comes on that I smile and think of you and your antics. Memories I will now cherish forever. Danny Heyneman was brought before Judge Raymond Finnegan at a sitting of Monaghan District Court yesterday morning. Detective Sgt Sharon Walsh gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. She said Mr Heyneman made no reply after arresting him at Cavan Garda Station at 9:45pm last night. Judge Finnegan was told the accused made no comment when the charge of murder and attempted murder contrary to common law at Kilnavart, Ballyconnell, were put to him less than 30 minutes later. Mr Heyneman, who sported a bandage over his left hand, wore blue jeans and a black hoodie to court as he sat impassively with his head bowed in the custody suite throughout the three minute hearing. Defence solicitor Damien Rudden made no application for bail as the District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in murder cases which require an application to go before the High Court. He did, however, request for Mr Heyneman to be remanded to Castlerea Prison in an application Judge Finnegan declined, insisting the accused was required to be transferred to the local remand prison in Cloverhill. Judge Finnegan told Mr Rudden a further application could be made at a later date as Mr Heyneman was remanded in custody to appear via video link at a sitting of Cavan District Court on Friday. He is currently on remand awaiting sentencing for assault causing serious harm to a woman found injured near Dublin Airport in 2023 Armed gardai had to increase patrols around a Dublin womans home while a dangerous prisoner was at large from custody. Cabra man Keith Macken (43) fled from Tallaght Hospital on Saturday morning where he was receiving treatment and was arrested in the Lusk area on Monday morning. He is currently on remand awaiting sentencing for assault causing serious harm to a woman found injured near Dublin Airport in 2023, a charge that carries a sentence of up to life imprisonment. The Irish Independent has learnt that while he was at large, gardai increased armed patrols around another womans home in north Dublin who is known to Macken. One source said: He is a dangerous individual and unpredictable. Given the fact that he was at large, the serious crime he has committed and that he had previously made threats to this woman, a decision was made to have armed gardai patrol around her home for her own safety. This woman is not connected to the assault case for which Macken is awaiting sentence. It can also be revealed that the crime Macken is on remand for is the brutal attack on a woman who was discovered lying on the side of a road near Dublin Airport. Emergency services were alerted to the incident at the R108 on the morning of October 20, 2023, and rushed the victim to Beaumont Hospital where she was treated for serious head injuries. Gardai based at Dublin Airport launched an investigation and Macken, of St Attracta Road in Cabra, was later arrested. He was subsequently charged and has since been convicted of causing serious harm to the woman. Macken is due back before the Circuit Court next month to be sentenced for the attack. In a statement earlier this week, a garda spokesperson confirmed that gardai arrested the escaped inmate in the early hours of Monday morning and returned him to prison authorities. Gardai believe Saunders was one of the most prolific bank robbers in the country and amassed huge wealth from his criminal activities. The home of one of Irelands most notorious criminals has been seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) after a lengthy legal battle. Officers from the crime-fighting agency took possession of tiger kidnapper Stefan Saunders plush five-bedroomed detached home in Clonee, north Dublin, on Thursday morning. Gardai could be seen entering the home in Hazelbury Park where they were due to change the locks and shutter the windows. Saunders' plush Dublin home Nicola Tallant goes inside the home of Stefan Saunders as CAB seizes tiger kidnapper's home. These images show the inside the home which Saunders and his wife fought to hold onto for years. Kitchen presses and bathroom fixtures remained in place although all the furniture and fittings had been removed. The house sits at the end of a cul de sac and will be a much sought after family home when it goes on the market. It comes complete with a Jacuzzi bath and a large garage workshop to the side. The seizure brings to an end a mammoth legal battle which saw CAB target relentlessly target Saunders ill-gotten assets. Gardai believe Saunders was one of the most prolific bank robbers in the country and amassed huge wealth from his criminal activities. Stefan Saunders The house at Hazelbury Park , which was decorated at huge expense with marble and high-end fittings, was understood to be the pride and joy of Saunders and wife Tammy. Before being targeted by CAB, the couple regularly showed off the stunning home on social media postings. Saunders is suspected of being the most-prolific tiger kidnapper in the country and gardai put huge efforts into nabbing him over the years, eventually catching him as he plotted a robbery. In 2018, he was jailed for seven-and-a-half years after gardai foiled a cash-in-transit armed robbery in 2016. He is also suspected by CAB of being involved in the 1.8m Brinks Allied security van robbery in Artane, Dublin, in 2005. Saunders was also the chief suspect in a 2015 tiger kidnap involving the family of a security guard. He had walked free in 2010 on tiger kidnap charges when a search warrant used was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Inside the house in Clonee He had pleaded not guilty to the kidnap of a family in that case. Gardai have been on the trail of Saunders money for years and at one point during a search on his home in Hazelbury they even checked the cavity walls of the house believing that he may have stored cash there, but they found nothing. During a previous court hearing, a judge found the proceeds of crime were used to buy the house in Hazelbury Park and a second buy-to-rent property at Mayestown Lawn, Finglas, Dublin. Saunders was also found to have used crime proceeds to fund a number of businesses and to buy expensive cars, including a 98,000 BMW X5. Tammy Gillard Saunders is also the registered owner The couple spent some 120,000 on extending Hazelbury which included expensive sanitary ware, furnishings, projector screens and the Jacuzzi, the court heard. Mr Justice Alexander Owens was satisfied he was a member of a gang of robbers who funded a "spending spree" on these assets by himself and his wife Tammy Saunders between 2005 and 2008. Between 2003 and 2006, the couple had "access to amounts of money grossly out of kilter with possible sources of legitimate earnings", the court said. Saunders home at Hazelbury Park in Dublin The "spending spree", which included the extensive renovation of the two properties, came from funds which cannot be explained except by reference to access to proceeds of crime, the judge said. The Sunday World previously revealed how just five months before that attempted robbery Saunders was stopped by UK police at Heathrow Airport, who suspected him of watching a cash-in-transit flight to Dublin. Interpol alerted gardai in a criminal intelligence report that Saunders and two other associates were suspected of carrying out surveillance of the cargo plane. Saunders and another man were spotted by police parked in a blacked out vehicle before being searched and questioned about their identity and reasons for being in the area. Although Tammy Saunders was never prosecuted and has no convictions, CABs case stated that gardai believed she was also part of the robbery gang. Watson was jailed following undercover sting that revealed extreme and radical beliefs A convicted terrorist who showed a willingness to kill for the Islamic State (IS) relocated to Ireland after being released from a UK prison. An Garda Siochanas counter-terrorism unit has been monitoring the activities of Ismael Watson (34), who served a five-year jail term for preparing terrorist acts. He planned to travel to the Middle East in 2017 to join IS but was arrested following an investigation by British security agents who conversed with him online undercover. The conversations revealed his hatred for Western society while the judge who presided over his trial remarked that Watson demonstrated a willingness to kill for IS and held extreme and radical beliefs. It can now be revealed that following his release from prison, Watson travelled to Ireland last year. He lived at a property in the South Circular Road area of Dublin for some time. The Special Detective Unit (SDU), which investigates threats to national security, was aware of the would-be jihadis presence here and were monitoring his activities. His presence was flagged immediately given his history Efforts by the Sunday World to contact Watson at his last-known address were unsuccessful. It is understood that he left Ireland in recent weeks. One source stated: He is a UK citizen, so there was nothing to prevent him from entering here, but the SDU were on to him and made it clear that they knew exactly who he was and where he was. His presence was flagged immediately given his history. Despite his terrorism conviction and links to IS, Watson did not come to any adverse garda attention in Dublin, apart from his interactions with the SDU. Born Jack Watson to a non-Muslim family, he later converted to Islam and changed his name to Ismael. He became radicalised in 2015 after watching IS videos online. By the following year he began making arrangements to travel to Syria, then an IS stronghold, and spoke with people online about travelling there. However, the men he was speaking to were undercover British agents. Watson was arrested by Turkish police in 2017 and returned to the UK. He opted to defend himself during his trial at the Old Bailey in London, but refused to attend court and was convicted in his absence. Ismael Watson Convicted terrorist who showed willingness to kill for the Islamic State (IS) relocated to Ireland after being released from UK prison Prosecutors outlined how he made preparations to travel to Syria so that he could join and fight for IS. The court also heard evidence of the encrypted communications which revealed the extent of his hatred for Western society and his avowed intent to take part in terrorist activity. Gardai are continuing to monitor a handful of extremists linked to the terror organisation and its offshoot groups, while several people are under investigation on suspicion of fundraising for IS. The most recent figures show that in 2023, a total of nine people were arrested as part of investigation into Islamist extremism, with these relating to terrorism financing offences. A number of recent global atrocities have been linked to the terror group, including last years concert hall attack in Moscow that claimed 145 lives. That attack was carried out by IS-Khorasan, an offshoot of the terror group based in south-central Asia. South East Antrim faction protecting Sewell in Maghaberry prison while he serves life sentence for murder of Ian Ogle UVF killer Mark Sewell is being given protection behind bars by South East Antrim UDA. Sewell, a one-time senior figure in the East Belfast UVF crime gang, is almost a year into a life sentence for the brutal murder of prominent loyalist Ian Ogle in 2019. Sewell is a divisive figure and is thought to have been concerned for his safety because of his close association with East Belfast but also his role in the Ogle murder. The Sunday World understands he has found sanctuary with SEA, who have told him they have his back while hes in Maghaberry. Having been cast aside by alleged East Belfast UVF chief Stephen Matthews, according to sources, he is not welcome on the UVF wing and has turned to SEA. Matthews denies links to criminality. Loyalist sources say Sewells drug-dealing connections with elements of the Kinahan gang who also supply SEA smoothed his path. At one stage he was also close to former SEA stalwart Adrian Price. Price was SEAs kingpin in north Down but was forced to flee his Newtownards bolthbole after he was disowned by UDA brigadier Gary Fisher, but Sewell managed to maintain his links with the breakaway unit. At one stage Sewell was seen as the natural successor to Stephen Matthews, it is claimed. Sewell headed a breakaway unit inside the organised crime gang and was prepared to challenge the leadership. There was a level of disquiet at the iron fist of the leaderships control and Sewell saw an opportunity. It was intensified when Matthews allegedly stood him down in February 2019, a month after the Ogle murder. East Belfast UVF came under fire for the involvement of members in the murder, and Matthews hoped that expelling or standing down a number of people believed to have been involved would restore the groups reputation. Sewell was the highest profile casualty but, despite being a major suspect in the Ogle killing, he went on the offensive. Initially he fled to Benidorm in Spain and defied repeated orders to return from his sun-kissed bolthole. Stephen Matthews Assassin Sewell was once one of Matthews most trusted lieutenants and was so close to the East Belfast boss that he was dubbed The Child. He was one of the chosen few who had Matthews complete trust but the relationship soured amid growing unrest at the UVFs continued involvement in the drugs trade and campaigns of intimidation not to mention the Ogle murder. Sewell is believed to have sanctioned a number of attacks, with residents and veteran members in the Newtownards Road having grown increasingly disillusioned and angry. According to sources, Matthews made his move against Sewell in an attempt to stem the rising tide of resentment. Such was the extent of the breakdown in their relationship that Sewell was convinced he would be in danger should he ever set foot in his home city. However, with increased police scrutiny on East Belfast UVF, Matthews could not make a move and Matthews arrest and subsequent charges in relation to an alleged paramilitary show of strength in Pitt Park in 2020 further curtailed any prospect of action. Sewell is one of five people convicted of the Ogle murder. Ian Ogle Mr Ogle was 45 when he was beaten and stabbed 11 times just yards from his Cluan Place home in the east of the city in January 2019. Sewell and Jonathan Brown had already pleaded guilty to murder by the time three others Glenn Rainey, Walter Ervine and Robert Spiers came to be sentenced last November. On the evening Mr Ogle was attacked, he and his son had been involved in an assault on another man on the Beersbridge Road. The judge said this had been a precipitating factor in the fatal attack later that night. CCTV footage indicated Mr Ogle had been the victim of a 30-second attack. Witnesses said he was attacked with a baton and a knife, and his head was stamped upon. A local pastor Kevin Sambrook, who had been speaking with Mr Ogle before the attack and gave evidence during the trial, described the killers as acting like a pack of hyenas. A judge ordered Ronan Hughes' home in Ireland to be confiscated to pay back over 180,000 he made as a human trafficker The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown A crime boss serving 20 years for killing 39 migrants who suffocated in the back of a lorry has had his home seized. A judge ordered Ronan Hughes' home in Ireland to be confiscated to pay back over 180,000 he made as a human trafficker. After his challenge to the compensation order was rejected, a judge ordered the proceeds be divided between the victims' families. Ronan Hughes, 45, had charged migrants 14,000 each on the run from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Purfleet in Essex and made 180,000 on just one trip. Trucker Maurice Robinson, 30, had found the bodies of 39 Vietnamese nationals including eight women and three children in the refrigerated trailer in Grays, Essex, on October 23, 2019. Some had tried to break out using a pole as others wrote final heart-breaking text messages to loved ones as those around them sobbed in the darkness, knowing their final moments were near. Hughes, of Co Monaghan, Northern Ireland, admitted 39 counts of manslaughter and one offence of assisting unlawful immigration for his part in facilitating the illegal immigration. In January last year a judge had ordered he pay 182,078.90 in compensation to the families of those killed in this terrible tragedy. Hughes, a ringleader in the people smuggling ring, was warned the penalty for defaulting on the order was two years in prison. He was told by The Recorder of London Mark Lucraft that the amount must be paid in full within three months. The container lorry in which 39 people were found dead in Grays, Essex. Credit: Aaron Chown Central to the confiscation order was the house Hughes built on his parents' farmland where his wife and children live. It was estimated that the asset is worth 175,000 (150,000) based on a 50 per cent share of the house valued at 350,000 (300,000). But Hughes appealed on the basis his mother Catherine Hughes would not surrender any part of the title to the land or grant right of way to anyone to access the house. In April the Court of Appeal ruled that there was no agreement that the land upon which the house was built would belong to him. Lord Justice Holroyde, Lord Justice Snowden and Mr Justice Jeremy Baker ruled there was insufficient evidence to suggest Hughes had any proprietorial interest in the land. The original order was quashed and the case was sent back to the Old Bailey for a fresh hearing. Maurice Robinson admitted manslaughter and trafficking and was earlier jailed for 13 years and four months. Marius Draghici was jailed for 12 years and seven months for manslaughter and conspiracy to assist illegal immigration. Alexandru Hanga admitted conspiring to assist in unlawful immigration in relation to a single occasion separate from the fatal journey and was jailed for three years. Driver Eamonn Harrison was convicted of the 39 counts of manslaughter and jailed 18 years. Christopher Kennedy, of Corkley Road, Keady, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, and Valentin Calota, of Cossington Road, Birmingham, each denied but were convicted of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. Kennedy was sentenced to seven years imprisonment and Calota was jailed for four and a half years. Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, who led the second part of the investigation into the deaths, said the money will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. Following the conclusion of criminal proceedings and the group being sentenced to a total of 117 years in prison, our final act has been to pursue Hughes for his ill-gotten gains, Detective Chief Inspector Metcalfe said. We know he and his associates treated this operation as a lucrative business and it would not have been acceptable to anyone at Essex Police to conclude our work at this groups conviction. This money all 283,802.58 of it will be divided between the Vietnamese families who continue to feel the devastating loss of their loved ones. It will do little to help heal their loss, I know this, but I do truly hope it will allow them to begin to move forward. Darren Fox, Specialist Prosecutor of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Hughes was the leader of a gang who profited from smuggling people into the country which ended in 39 people dying in the most horrific circumstances. The CPS worked with the Essex police to identify all the criminal benefits of the gang behind this tragedy and what assets they currently hold, Mr Fox said. As a result, over 280,000 has been ordered to be paid to the families of the Vietnamese victims who continue to suffer the terrible impact of this awful tragedy. In the last five years, over 450 million has been recovered from CPS obtained Confiscation Orders, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. 88m of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation. Nadine is grateful for the chance shes got to turn her life around and away from addiction at Coolmines Ashleigh House As Nadine Dineen cradled her newborn son in her arms for the first time, she knew it was time to embrace a better life for them both. Having struggled with drug addiction for a decade, Nadine says she had a light switch moment where she dreamed of a happier future for herself and Marty. Though there have been challenges along the way, Nadine spent her first Christmas with her son at Coolmine Therapeutic Communitys Ashleigh House, where she has successfully completed phase one of her recovery. The minute that I had him, its like the mother instinct just kicked in for me, she recalls now. Its like the minute I had him and I was in the hospital, the minute that he was laid on my chest when he was born, it was just like a light switch moment for me where I said: Right, Nadine, something has to change here. Having spent time in care herself, Nadine says she was adamant that the time had come to build a better future for herself and her child. And they have just spent a hopeful Christmas at Ashleigh House, where electrical company CJK was determined to light up the house and grounds to deliver some festive magic. Remarkably, some of the workers have had their own experiences with addiction and wanted to give something back. It was magical really, because I have a little son, says Nadine. Its my first Christmas being clean and sober and being able to be present there for my son without having substances. So it was just out of this world, really. I went down along the courtyard with him, and he just kept pointing his finger. They would have had people up here putting up the lights, who would have had struggles with addiction themselves. So it was nice to talk to people that were putting efforts in for other people who struggle. "Sometimes its nice just to be able to give something back to people without expecting something in return for it. Just to be able to do something for somebody with no expectations. Olympic rowing champion Fintan McCarthy with Pauline McKeown, CEO Coolmine, TD Jack Chambers, and Jenny Courtney, CEO of Belvedere Youth Coolmine Therapeutic Community and CJK Electrical Engineering have forged a partnership over the past six years, with CJK leading the Pathways to Work Programme for eight of those years. This collaboration bridges recovery and career growth, enabling individuals from Coolmine to reintegrate into the workforce while simultaneously addressing employer needs. Several Coolmine participants have gone on to work for CJK, with many achieving notable professional success, such as becoming qualified electricians. Its a mutually beneficial model, where employers gain motivated and career-focused employees, and participants find stability and purpose in their lives. Through structured recovery phases and tailored career pathways, Coolmine participants transition from therapy to employment, supported throughout by Coolmines Continuum of Care Manager. Being a drug user for over ten years has been hugely difficult for Nadine, and she is glad to have turned a corner a recovery she never takes for granted. Having a relapse in the early days is also a part of her story, she says. I would have been sleeping in tents, never had a stable home. For me, my turning point would have been December 2023 when my son was born. Just when he was born, actually, there was a kind of: Do I want this? moment. Do I want him to be put into care, or do I want to stop the drugs and be a mother and support him? Its just like something changed in me. For me, it was a case of instantly wanting to stop using, because I would have been in care myself for 18 years. I would have been through the system for 18 years, and it was something that I wanted to prevent, no matter what. I had social worker involvement, very good social workers who were all for if I could prove myself and how much I wanted to be a mother, that they were willing to give me a chance. They would have been in contact with Coolmine and I was like, how am I going to do treatment and be a first time mother? she adds, aware of the enormity of the challenge she was facing. She is frank about the fact that she relapsed about ten weeks into her recovery programme, and that this is part of her story. It was part of my journey, because it made me the person that I am today. My social worker is absolutely brilliant. Im very lucky with the one I got. The pull for me to be a mother compared to the pull of the drug, it was so different. I didnt want to use. I was using against my will. I wanted to come back in. And I did it. I came back. She describes her relapse as a bit of a reality check of: Nadine, youre not just going to get handed things and do what you like. Theres consequences in life, and you have to take ownership of them. As 2025 gets underway, she says she feels a sense of hope for her and her boys future. Its literally given me my life back, completely given me my life back. The staff, the support from social workers, the creche on site. Im putting the work in and Im doing what I meant to be doing, and Im getting back what Ive lost for so many years. Its being able to give him that time, and do things with him and at the same time Im working on myself. So really, my future, it looks good. It really does look good. The pedestrian was brought to University Hospital Limerick for treatment for what are described as serious injuries A man in his 40s has been seriously injured after being hit by a car in Gortnagowna, Co Tipperary last night. Gardai and emergency services attended the scene of the road traffic collision involving a car and a pedestrian on the N62 at approximately 10.30pm. The pedestrian was brought to University Hospital Limerick for treatment for what are described as serious injuries. In a post on their X account, gardai said that following a collision last night on the N62 at Gortnagowna, the road between Roscrea and Templemore is closed this morning. Local diversions are currently in place via Clonakenny village. HGVs are asked to avoid the area if possible or divert via Dunkerrin. behind the scenes | Nicola Tallant goes inside tiger kidnapper Stefan Saunders home as CAB move in Nicola took a tour inside the impressive home which includes a Jacuzzi bath and a large garage workshop to the side. Nicola Tallant goes inside the home of Stefan Saunders as CAB seizes tiger kidnapper's home. Owen Breslin Thu 16 Jan 2025 at 18:13 Nicola Tallant was on the scene today as CAB seized the family home of tiger kidnapper Stefan Saunders after a lengthy legal battle. The West Cork town is the birthplace of the fictional Bandon Banshee Controversial English author JK Rowling has popped up in West Cork where she is visiting one of her oldest and dearest friends. Rare sighting of a Bandon banshee, the Harry Potter writer posted on X with an Irish tricolour emoji alongside a pic of her by a sign for the town. As well as hosting the Banshee Festival, the West Cork town is the birthplace of the fictional Bandon Banshee, mentioned by Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. It was a rare visit for Rowling who had been in Ireland in 2008, when she made a special trip to UCD to receive a James Joyce Award. However, Bandon has long celebrated its links to the book series and in 2018 hosted Harry Potter-themed childrens scavenger hunt. Fans speculated that she is visiting Ireland as part of research for her upcoming eight instalment of her book series Cormoran Strike, written under her pen name Robert Galbraith. But Rowling clarified: "I'm here visiting one of my oldest and dearest friends, and she took me to visit Bandon!" Since December 2019, Rowling has hit the headlines for her views on transgender issues. She has always strongly denied being transphobic but has been criticised by fans for her social media posts about the issue. In 2022, gardai said they had not received any formal complaint after JK Rowling revealed how she was the subject of a death threat on Twitter. The controversial author posted a picture of the threat that featured her familys address - that she blacked out, an image of a pipe bomb and a bomb-making handbook. The threat was posted by an alleged Irish account. The Harry Potter writer said the account remains active, naturally and added the hashtag #BeKind. However, the account has since been shut down. It appears that the Rebel County is a popular haunt for celebrities at the moment with actor Richard E Grant visiting the area recently in the company of chef Clodagh McKenna. And last month, Gladiator II and Normal People actor Paul Mescal was spotted with rumoured girlfriend Gracie Abrams in a Clonakilty supermarket . The pair stopped by Scally's Supervalu on a weekend afternoon where Mescal approached one staff member to ask where the eggs were. David Lynch, the visionary director who reshaped independent cinema in the United States in the 1980s, has passed away. His death was confirmed by his family on Facebook, with a statement reflecting on Lynchs legacy as the creator of iconic works like Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man, and the cult TV series Twin Peaks. Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us, the post said. But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. Last year, Lynch revealed that he was suffering from pulmonary emphysema, but that he would continue to smoke (and work) despite the news. David Lynch was 78 years old. Lynchs family has not disclosed the cause of death. They concluded the brief statement with Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way. This phrase pays tribute to Lynchs weather reports, which he began doing in 2005 for an independent radio show hosted by Joe Escalante, the drummer for The Vandals. The reports were later shared on YouTube. During the pandemic, they were picked up and amplified by local public radio. In Southern California, listeners would hear Lynchs distinct nasal voice emerge between songs, describing what was plainly visible to anyone looking out their window. The anecdote captures the essence of an unclassifiable artist one who painted, composed music, experimented with video, and proudly claimed never to have lived a day without practicing transcendental meditation. While his cinema created a unique aesthetic, marked by atmospheres steeped in mystery and surrealism, Lynch refused to limit himself to the label of filmmaker. In August of last year, he released Cellophane Memories, an album recorded with his frequent collaborator, artist Chrystabell. Lynch who played guitar on the album shared that the project was inspired by a nightmare that came to him during a late-night walk. This album, the eighth and final in his discography, revisited a recurring theme in his work: What is a mystery? This question defined Twin Peaks, one of Lynchs best-known productions. The surreal soap opera, centered on how the murder of Laura Palmer disrupts a small town in the northwestern United States, debuted on ABC in February 1990. Critics hailed the eight-episode first season, co-created with Mark Frost, as audacious and maddeningly different. It became an opportunity for Lynch to experiment beyond the typical time constraints of filmmaking. There are certain kinds of moods, especially in getting at the mood of a murder mystery, that take time to conjure up, he said at the time. ABC approved a second season of 22 episodes, which concluded in 1991. Angelo Badalamenti, the composer behind the series iconic soundtrack and a frequent collaborator of Lynch, passed away in 2022. In 2017, amidst the remake boom in Hollywood, Twin Peaks returned with 18 new episodes produced by Showtime, once again starring Kyle MacLachlan. Lynch, who was initially set to direct the nine episodes of the season, left the project after failing to reach a salary agreement with the studio. This was not the first time the artist had clashed with a studio. Perhaps the most famous instance was his 1987 adaptation of Dune, Frank Herberts science fiction classic. Due to contract terms, Lynch lost control over the final version of the film. What audiences saw on screen was a version edited and approved by executives that Lynch despised. The frustration was so intense that Lynch, known for his difficult reputation on set, vowed he would never watch Denis Villeneuves version. The impossible-to-classify Inland Empire, released in 2006, was Lynchs last feature film. The movie prioritized visual and sensory experimentation over narrative, a trend that continued in the years that followed as Lynch created dozens of short and medium-length films. One of these, What Did Jack Do, was released on Netflix in 2017. Inland Empire carried forward the path Lynch had started with Mulholland Drive, his 2001 film that has since become a contemporary classic. It tells the story of two actresses who embark on a surreal journey through Los Angeles after a freak car accident. The film was actually Lynchs adaptation of a TV movie he made in 1999, starring the same actors. The movie version went on to receive two Oscar nominations, one of which was for Lynchs direction. Lynch won the Palme dOr at Cannes in 1990 for Wild at Heart, starring Nicolas Cage and based on the novel by Barry Gifford, who enjoyed several adaptations of his work during that decade. Lynch was nominated for an Oscar four times. The first two nominations came in 1980 for The Elephant Man, which marked his entry into the American mainstream following his debut with Eraserhead (1977). Six years later, he was nominated for Best Director for Blue Velvet, though he lost out to Oliver Stone for Platoon. His final nomination was for Mulholland Drive, a film that helped launch actress Naomi Watts into Hollywood fame. In 2019, the Academy awarded Lynch an honorary Oscar, recognizing his groundbreaking career and for fearlessly breaking boundaries in pursuit of his singular cinematic vision. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Raipoia Brightwell says it is hard to sum up the feeling which was in the air at Lake Karapiro during the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals in Cambridge. She says the competition is more than a sport it is an opportunity for paddlers and their whanau for manaakitanga [hospitality] and whanaungatanga [building relationships]. Brightwell would know. She is one of a select few who have been to every Waka Ama Sprint Nationals competition since the event began 35 years ago alongside Corrina Gage, Hoturoa Kerr, Louise Henderson, Raipoia and her husband Matahi Brightwell. Raipoia is a stalwart of Mareikura Waka Ama Club in Gisborne the first club to restart the sport in Aotearoa in 1985. She says connecting through waka ama is essential to our life. This sport goes far beyond competing with each other. Its linked to our mental health and who we are, says the Tahitian, who is a Waka Ama Hall of Fame inductee. It runs in the family, as Matahi was instrumental in helping bring the sport back to Aotearoa from Tahiti in the 1980s. In 2025, paddlers and their whanau from all over Aotearoa will celebrate 35 years of waka ama, the Maori form of outrigger canoeing. Brightwell is looking forward to the milestone and continuing her legacy at the event. She has played a leading role in inspiring members of her club and padders from Tairawhiti to take up the sport. The 67-year-old has no plans to hang up her paddle just yet. Theres no age in waka ama, she says. Im currently competing in the open division. Its for life. You just need to have the skill and fitness, and you can keep going. I just love being out on the water. The Waka Ama Sprint Nationals, held annually on Lake Karapiro, is the biggest event of its kind in the world. Photo / dji camera The Waka Ama Sprint Nationals is an annual week-long event held in January at Lake Karapiro, Cambridge. It has come a long way since the humble beginnings of the first meeting in 1990. Around 380 races are held over the seven days, making the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals the biggest event of its kind in the world. Waka ama as an event is truly unique, Waka Ama New Zealand chief executive Lara Collins says. Multiple generations of one whanau can compete at the same event, from tamariki through to kaumatua. Thats what makes waka ama ma te katoa, mo ake tonu [for all, for life]. Over 70 of the 90 Waka Ama NZ-affiliated clubs will attend the event, as well as more than 3200 competitors and over 8000 spectators and whanau from around the motu. This includes adaptive paddlers competing in specific adaptive (Para vaa) races, more wahine than tane taking part, and all ethnicities and cultures competing. Over the years, waka ama events have been predominantly made up by 70% Maori and Pasifika peoples. Andy Milne, ACCs deputy chief executive of strategy, engagement and prevention, says they are proud to support the Waka Ama Sprint Nationals. Were committed to supporting kaupapa like waka ama that promote the health and wellbeing of whanau of all ages, says Milne. ACC will host a Whanau Zone for supporters, paddlers and wider whanau to relax and watch the racing, as well try rongoa [traditional Maori healing practices]. The Crown entity will also have a stall to provide information about their kaupapa Maori services Hapai and Te Ara Tuhono, culturally grounded care developed to improve outcomes for whanau after injury. Community events like Waka Ama help us to raise awareness and build understanding around ACC services that improve access and health outcomes for Maori. Waka Ama Sprint Nationals When: January 12-18, 2025. Where: Lake Karapiro, Cambridge. What: More than 3200 competitors and 8000 spectators and whanau from around the motu. It is supported by mana whenua Ngati Koroki Kahukura and Ngati Haua. Rotoruas Leo Schweizer simply wanted something useful to do during his holidays while at Otago University, so he enlisted in the New Zealand Army Reserve Force. He signed on the dotted line, donned a green uniform and by the end of the year he was the Reserve Forces top recruit. He recently graduated alongside 83 other soldiers who completed the six-week course which prepares civilians to become part-time soldiers. I tried hard to apply myself to all aspects of the training so to receive this award is a real honour as we had some really capable people on the course, Schweizer, who is a private, said. Recruits ranged in age from 18 to mid-40s and had various skills and a broad range of life experiences. During the course they learned a range of foundational soldier skills, including navigation, living in field conditions, firing weapons by day and night and living in close quarters. Private Schweizer stands at ease while the platoon wait for the command to stand to attention and prepare to march onto the parade ground for the graduation parade. Photo / supplied Building resilience is a big part of the training, which sets them up for a successful part-time NZ Army career. Schweizer is studying commerce and law. He enlisted in the Reserve Force because he wanted something meaningful to do during his university holidays and beyond, where he could learn unique skills and give back to the community. He said highlights of his training were learning how to move tactically, working as a team and digging shell scrapes. Our section worked well together and Ive made some great new mates. Although everyone came with different strengths, you need to be taught a certain way so youre almost beginning from scratch. Its new for everyone, so dont worry about what you dont know - if youre sitting on the fence, Id say sign up and youll learn everything you need to know along the way. Schweizer said he was now looking forward to attending training as part of 2/4 Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, which is the South Island Reserve Force Battalion. Colonel Brendon Jull, Assistant Chief of Army (Reserves), presents Private Schweizer the Top Recruit award. Photo / supplied Each Reserve Force company has its own training programme in line with its battalions training focus. Company level training typically occurs one weekend a month with platoon level training occurring once a week. Reservists from around the country also take part in annual Exercise Tauwharenikau, which is a training activity that brings many reservists together to work as part of a NZ Army military operation. Personnel conduct offensive and defensive operations to hone their skills in safely and effectively using all the weapons and capabilities used by the NZ Army. It includes operating in and with armoured vehicles, artillery and mortars, technology systems, logistics vehicles and if available helicopters and aircraft from the Royal New Zealand Air Force. It may also on occasion include participants from other regional armies like Australia. This year Exercise Tauwharenikau is planned for Waiouru in July. Any Defence Recruiting inquiries can be made by phoning 0800 1 FORCE or visit the Defence website. Some Western Bay of Plenty residents are optimistic about the traffic on State Highway 2, despite renewed frustration at congestion on the highway. A section of SH2 between Te Puna and Aongatete is having chipseal works done along the corridor, said NZ Transport Agency, Waka Kotahi. SunLive has been contacted by people who use the highway voicing their concerns and explaining the impact the works have had on traffic this week. Josh Hein videoed the traffic congestion on Tuesday, which he said started about 500m south of Pahoia School and ended around Bethlehem. This is our route home from work which is going away from Katikati. If we were to travel back at that time in the morning (7am) it would add at least three hours to our trip, said Hein. They believed the traffic tailback was around 15km long. In response, NZTA said contractors are working to minimise the impact to traffic by completing most of the works during the night and implementing temporary speed limits and other traffic management during the day to slow traffic. SH2 is an incredibly sensitive piece of road and any reduced speed limits from work or incidents near or on this road sees changes in traffic flow, said NZTA BOP system manager Sandra King. An agency statement on Thursday said the chip seal works between Tauranga and Katikati were due to be done by January 24, and Katikati to Athenree Gorge by January 31 weather allowing. Keeping traffic moving slowly over the new seal was crucial to helping the waterproofing set properly. On Wednesday, SunLive approached residents and business owners around State Highway 2 to gauge their reactions to the works and received a have mixed emotions. Whakamarama Automotive staff member and Greerton resident Craig, who didnt want to have his last name published, said the traffic had been good on Wednesday. Whakamarama Automotive staff have mixed feeling about the State Highway 2 traffic. Photo / Ayla Yeoman When asked what the peak hour traffic was like, he said that there wasnt any. He believes people have decided to stay home and off the roads due to the traffic they experienced on Monday and Tuesday. Monday was terrible, he said. Craig said it usually takes him 25 minutes to get to work in the morning from Greerton, but on Monday, it took him an hour. Whakamarama Automotive customer and Omokoroa local Eve Grimley said she came in half an hour early to get to her appointment. They are making progress, she said. Eventually well have a roundabout, so youll see the improvement in the traffic. Grimley is optimistic and hopeful about the road works and the Omokoroa roundabout that she believes will have a positive impact on the traffic flow. After living in Omokoroa for 10 years, she knows the back roads and shortcuts to use when traffic is really bad. Whakamarama Automotive owner Mathew Donachie is less optimistic about the road works and traffic its creating. Donachie lives on the far side of Katikati, meaning he drives into the traffic. When asked for his opinion, he said he was Pissed off, but it has to be done doesnt it. Theres no other road to get into Tauranga. Unfortunately, its something thats got to be fixed. I dont know how they could get around it without causing the trouble that they do. Its the only road, unless you want to go around the back of the Kaimai area and over the top of the Kaimai Range. It usually takes Donachie 25 minutes to half an hour to get to work in the morning. Tuesday morning it took me an hour to get from Pahoia School to here, and that was leaving half an hour earlier. Wednesday was better, and yesterday was a little bit better, but the traffics actually flowing today. Weve got six weeks of it yet. Donachie also believes this could be because people are deciding to stay home rather than enter the traffic. Im just annoyed at the fact that they should have done something to these roads 10-15 years ago when they were going to build the highway along there. Donachie believed the biggest reason for the heavy traffic on SH2 usually is because of the developments in Omokoroa along with the lack of development of the roads. Theyve done all this massive development in Omokoroa, and theyve done nothing with the roads. What did they really expect was going to happen? You put in another 5000 homes in Omokoroa, every homes got an average two cars, and youve still got the same old single highway road. In a statement to SunLive, NZTA said the traffic volumes are 15,000 vehicles on the corridor per day from Waihi to Te Puna and 20,000 per day from Te Puna to Tauranga. These numbers are growing by around 2-3% each year. Western Bay of Plenty mayor, James Denyer said he believes the roads should have been updated when the Omokoroa developments were being done. Western Bay of Plenty mayor James Denyer. File / Photo. He said the issue is the differing priorities that different governments have had. It was planned for the upgrade of the State Highway from Omokoroa to Tauranga to have been done some years ago, and then the project was cancelled and then reinstated. That has been a frustration for council and for residents. We are obliged by government to accommodate growth and provide housing. Were struggling to do that, to be honest. We want people to live here, and we need to keep up with the infrastructure. Denyer said there have always been plans in place, but they have been delayed by government decisions, and he is hopeful things will start to get moving now that a plan is in place. The Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty council are keen to sign up for a regional deal, its a new government initiative, and thats all about getting that coordination between a local government and central government as partners. He said a long-term partnership agreement would make things more aligned. The cry of Go Hannah has been common in recent years. Bay of Plenty multisport legend Hannah Berry will be back on the start line of the Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half this Saturday to defend the title on her home course. Hannah Berry is seeking her fourth title in the iconic event after wins in 2019, 2020 and 2024. She heads into this Saturdays elite womens race after a stellar year in 2024, which included fourth overall placing for the Ironman Pro Series, first in the Ironman Asia-Pacific Champs in Cairns, and 10 at Ironman World Champs in Nice. Racing in my home town is the best way to start the year, Berry said. While I have been in my off-season after a big 2024, I couldnt miss the opportunity to race the Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half. Berry looks forward to sharing the course and weekend with her friends and celebrating her sport and community. The Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half is iconic for the triathlon and Bay of Plenty community, with crowds lining the cafe filled streets of Mt Maunganui to cheer on the athletes. While Berry starts as the favourite to claim a fourth title in Mount Maunganui, she faces strong competition from UK triathlete Fenella Langridge and NZ triathletes - Samantha Kingsford, Fiona Gallagher and Hannah Knighton. Kingsford and Gallagher have been the top five finishers in the event in recent years, while Knighton has made a strong transition to the mid-distance after a top career in short-course triathlons. British triathlete Fenella Langridge has built a storied career in long-distance triathlon since starting in the sport in 2018. She was a latecomer to triathlon, only starting in the sport in her final year of university, having previously competed in biathlon and cross-country. Despite not owning a bike until her father bought her one at 18, Langridge has made up for lost time. Fenella Langridge has built a fine collection of long-distance triathlon medals in her six years in the sport. In her debut at the World Ironman Champs in Kona, she led the bike leg at one stage before finishing in an impressive sixth placing. In December 2023, she won her first full-distance event at Ironman Western Australia, setting a new course record. I am so grateful to be starting my 2025 season in New Zealand, Langridge said. Tauranga & Mount Maunganui is a triathletes playground, and I cant wait to have fun, race hard, and show all the folks back home how cool it is here, too. Festival Director Julia Tilley said they are stoked to have to have Bay of Plenty multisport legend Hannah Berry for this years Loan Market Oceanside Tauranga Half. We look forward to the crowds coming back out to support the athletes, Tilley said. An infant death from whooping cough has highlighted the urgent need for vaccination against the disease, especially for pregnant women and vulnerable infants. New Zealands ongoing whooping cough epidemic has led to 1232 reported cases and 101 hospitalisations since October 2024. The recent death, the first since the national epidemic was declared in November, has intensified calls for greater awareness and immunisation efforts. Matt Reid, a public health medicine specialist with Health New Zealand, Te Whatu Ora, expressed condolences to the family and emphasised the critical importance of immunisation for at-risk groups. Whooping cough is highly contagious and can be deadly, particularly for babies under 6 weeks old, who are too young to receive the vaccine, he said. Health authorities are urging pregnant people, infants, children, and older adults to receive vaccinations, especially as the disease affects vulnerable populations. Immunisation for pregnant people is available from 16 weeks, while children should be vaccinated at ages 6 weeks, 3 months, 5 months, and again at 4 years. A booster is recommended at age 11 and for adults aged 45 and over. The best protection for you and your whanau against whooping cough is to get vaccinated particularly pregnant people, baby [pepi], tamariki and older adults at higher risk. Reid also warned that symptoms of whooping cough can worsen rapidly in infants, urging caregivers to seek medical advice if their child experiences severe coughing, difficulty breathing, or vomiting. Immediate medical attention is necessary if your babys condition worsens, he said. As New Zealand navigates this epidemic, health services emphasise the importance of early detection and vaccination to prevent further tragic losses. The whooping cough pregnancy vaccine is free and is best given from 16 weeks of pregnancy. The vaccine should also be given with each pregnancy to protect each baby. Adults are eligible for one free booster from age 45 (if they have not had four previous tetanus doses) and one free from age 65. New Zealand residents can call the Vaccination Healthline or visit the official website for more information on vaccinations or to book an appointment. Parents should also seek urgent medical advice if their coughs: New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has awarded a $20,000 grant to QE Health Gym in Rotorua to upgrade their rehabilitation training machines and gym equipment. QE Health head of private sector services Peter Nash says, Securing this generous funding from NZCT means we can continue to play a pivotal role in our holistic approach to wellbeing and rehabilitation. This grant helps provide our community with clean, fully functional equipment to improve and maintain their health across rehabilitation, high-performance sports, and overall wellbeing. QE Health Gym in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied For more than 80 years, QE Health has supported thousands on their journey to better health and wellness. The facility, known for its state-of-the-art gym, is vital to many residents, offering a space for physical and mental recovery. Brian Eckersley, 80, who has been a member for over 20 years, says, Since getting a new heart six years ago, keeping fit is essential. I love using the rowing machines at least three times a week. Sheryl Armstrong, 53, who has attended for more than 10 years, adds, The QE Gym helps me destress from work. New Zealand Community Trust (NZCT) has awarded a $20,000 grant to QE Health Gym in Rotorua. Photo / supplied After a long day, I recharge on the stationary bikes and work on my strength and balance. NZCTs general manager of grants, marketing and communications, Ben Hodges, says, We are proud that with the funds raised through our responsible gaming partnerships with our Rotorua hospitality venues, we are able to support organisations that make a real difference in Rotoruas health and wellbeing. Syracuse, N.Y. Two Syracuse defense attorneys were called to testify against their former clients in a racketeering trial on Wednesday. It is highly unusual for lawyers to be brought in to testify against former clients. Attorneys William Sullivan and Susan Carey took the stand to detail events that led to a mistrial in the December 2023 murder and attempted murder trial where they represented Carl Newton Jr. and Synike White. Both attorneys were taken off the new case to avoid possible conflicts of interest. Related Article: Lawyer taken off Syracuse racketeering case after witnessing alleged crime In the 2023 trial, Newton and White were charged with the attempted murder of Donta Albert during a shooting on the 200 block of Allen Street on July 28, 2021. Newton was also charged with the murder of Jarrette Johnson, who was shot in the 700 block of North Alvord Street on Aug. 15, 2021, and died less than a month later. The trial ended in a mistrial after allegations of tampering with potential jurors. Newton, 38, and White, 32, are now on trial for aggravated enterprise corruption, a New York state law similar to the federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization Act) law. The charge is rarely used in the state. Prosecutors will have to prove Newton and White each committed three separate pattern acts within a span of 10 years to advance the goals of the Uptown gang. The attempted juror tampering allegation is one of the acts that Newton is accused of. White is not accused of being involved in the incident. During Sullivan and Careys testimony, they detailed interactions with a friend of Newtons, Kawan Woodley, who is charged separately with juror tampering. Sullivan, who was Newtons attorney at the time, told the jury that he was the first to leave the courthouse on Dec. 11, 2023, after the first day of jury selection. When he was standing outside of the courthouse on State Street, Woodley approached him, Sullivan said. Woodley expressed concerns about Black potential jurors being dismissed, Sullivan said. He testified that Woodley was expressing sentiments similar to those raised by Newton during a private sidebar in court. During cross-examination, Sullivan confirmed that Newton was not present during the conversation and was still inside the courthouse. He also told the jury that it was Newtons right to participate in jury selection. Carey also had an interaction with Woodley shortly after she left the courthouse. Woodley told Carey and another attorney they should stop getting rid of Black people and said we know how to talk to them, she testified. Woodley also mentioned a juror who Carey challenged and had removed from the pool. He said that he had seen her at the casino, which Carey took to mean he planned to pay the woman for her service on the jury. Carey said Woodley also told her and another attorney to block one potential juror as he saw the juror exiting the courthouse. Carey said Woodley did not appear to be speaking on behalf of anyone other than himself. The prosecution have alleged that Newton encouraged or had knowledge of Woodleys actions. The day after the incident, Carey reported what happened to the judge as did one potential juror. After an inquiry with each juror, Judge Ted Limpert declared a mistrial. Newtons current attorney, Graeme Spicer told Judge Matthew Doran that prosecutors presented no evidence that Newton was aware of Woodleys actions, let alone encouraged them. He pointed to both attorneys testifying that Newton was not present when these incidents occurred. District Attorney William Fitzpatrick told the judge the jury would have to make that determination. The prosecution rested their case shortly after the attorneys testimony. Newton and White both face a maximum 25 to life if convicted of the aggravated enterprise corruption charge. Both men are being held in the Onondaga County Justice Center jail. Staff writer Anne Hayes covers breaking news, crime and public safety. You can reach her at ahayes@syracuse.com. The war on drugs has triggered the latest clash between Mexico and the United States with less than a week to go before Donald Trump returns to the White House. Marco Rubio, the next head of U.S. diplomacy, did not hold back at his appearance in the Senate on Wednesday for his confirmation hearing, where he said that organized crime dominates large portions of Mexican territory, despite the messages of containment sent by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaums government. They basically have operational control over huge swaths of the border regions between Mexico and the United States, said Trumps choice for Secretary of State. Rubio spoke again and again of the terror caused by drug trafficking organizations and insisted on the plan to designate the cartels as terrorist groups, a particularly thorny point between both countries due to the possibility that it could serve as justification for the use of military force by Washington. It is an option the president has at his disposal, said the Cuban-born politician. It is important for us to not just go after these groups but identify them and call them what they are, Rubio stressed. The next Secretary of State made it clear that the most urgent priority with Mexico is security, an issue that means essentially two things from Trumps perspective: drug trafficking and the migration crisis. [The cartels] are terrorizing America with mass migration and a flow of drugs, he said. Sheinbaum, meanwhile, has been adamant in her rejection of equating drug trafficking with terrorism, and has been especially cautious in order to avoid the possibility of unilateral action by Washington on Mexican territory which, despite being justified under U.S. laws, would be contrary to international law. In Mexico, the issue has divided opinion among experts, and the debate on narcoterrorism has entered fully into the political arena, with the opposition using the term after each spike in violence while the government entrenches itself in the other corner. The crisis of violence in Mexico has been worrying both U.S. Democrats and Republicans and has fueled doubts in Washington about the control that Mexican authorities really have over various areas of the country. Despite the harshness of some of his comments, there were also several nuances in Rubios remarks. He noted that, although the use of force is a tool that the president has at his disposal, it is not the preferred option of the State Department. Regarding the designation of the cartels as terrorist groups, he admitted that it was an imperfect tool and suggested that the measure was not enough to fulfill the promise of ending criminal organizations. Rubio also said that the scenario in an ideal world would be cooperation with the Mexican authorities, which opens the door to a new front of negotiations between both countries. [The cartels] are terrorizing and undermining the Mexican government and Mexican sovereignty and the health and well-being of the Mexican people, he said. There is a lot we can and will continue to do with our allies in Mexico. There is more they can do to confront this challenge. The former senator for Florida had already acknowledged in an interview before the November elections that a military intervention against criminal groups was not viable without the endorsement of the Mexican Armed Forces, a fact that has not prevented him from criticizing the Mexican authorities for the porosity of the border and the lack of decisive action against organized crime. Pam Bondi, Trumps pick for attorney general, also joined the ranks of those in favor of designating the cartels as terrorist groups at her own confirmation hearing before the Senate. They are a grave and violent threat to our country, said the former California attorney general, who pledged to do everything in her power against criminal organizations. Despite the attention it has received in recent weeks, the idea of equating drug trafficking with terrorism has been around in Washington for at least a decade, even under Democratic administrations. Faced with this attitude, Sheinbaum has adopted a proactive stance and has sent signals in recent months that she is sensitive to Trumps concerns. Her government announced in early December the largest seizure of fentanyl in the countrys history, the equivalent of 20 million doses. She also moved Omar Garcia Harfuch, the architect of her security policy, to Sinaloa, where a cartel war has been raging for four months that has left more than 650 murders in official records. The president has publicly insisted that she is open to working with U.S. authorities, although she has also outlined her administrations red lines against pressure from Washington. Cooperation without subordination, the president has insisted in recent weeks. We will always hold our heads high. Mexico is a free, independent and sovereign country, she said to her followers last Sunday, while giving a report on her first 100 days in office. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Washington Former Rep. Brandon Williams on Thursday landed a job in President-elect Donald Trumps administration, where hell serve in a post within the Department of Energy. Trump posted on social media that Williams will be the undersecretary for nuclear security and administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration. Brandon is a successful businessman and veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served as a nuclear submarine officer, and strategic missile officer, Trump wrote. He is a graduate of Pepperdine University, and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Congratulations Brandon! Williams, a one-term Republican congressman from Central New York, took a strong interest in energy issues as chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Energy. Williams used his position on the committee to challenge President Joe Bidens energy policies aimed at reducing U.S. reliance on fossil fuels. Williams also took an interest in promoting the use of nuclear energy. In his new job, Williams will have oversight of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile and nuclear propulsion for the U.S. Navy. The National Nuclear Security Administration was established by Congress in 2000 as a semi-autonomous agency. Williams would replace Jill Hruby who has served in the post since July 2021. Hruby worked for 34 years at Sandia National Laboratories before retiring in 2017 as director of the laboratories. Williams, 57, of Sennett in Cayuga County, lost the 22nd Congressional District election in November to Democrat John Mannion. The 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 The agreement in principle for a ceasefire in Gaza announced on Wednesday, and which Israels Cabinet has yet to vote on, represents the most hopeful step toward a possible end to a war that has claimed more than 46,700 lives in the Palestinian enclave, which lies in ruins and shaken by the most serious humanitarian crisis in its history. Never before in the more than 15 months of conflict following the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, which killed some 1,200 people in Israel, had both sides, driven by negotiators from Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, been closer to a cessation of hostilities. The last truce, a brief pause in the midst of a never-seen-before conflict with consequences throughout the Middle East, was agreed in late November 2023. Until now, the war plans of Benjamin Netanyahu and the attempts at a ceasefire have been two sides of an irreconcilable coin. The main obstacle to opening the door to a possible peace process and the reconstruction of the Strip has often been the Israeli prime minister. Netanyahu had placed his institutional and judicial survival ahead of achieving an agreement that could free the nearly 100 remaining hostages many of them already dead who remain captive in the Strip and end the siege of 2.3 million Gazans. To date, both external and internal pressures have been of little use in oiling the wheels of negotiations. Late Wednesday, loose ends remained and some disagreements still lingered, but it is certain that progress has never been so significant. At Netanyahus insistence, according to a statement from his office, Hamas folded on its last-minute demand to change the deployment of IDF forces in the Philadelphi Corridor [which separates Gaza from Egypt]. However, several items in the framework have yet to be finalized. However, on Thursday morning, the Israeli Cabinet delayed a meeting to discuss and vote on the proposal, claiming Hamas was seeking 11th-hour concessions. A senior member of Hamass Political Bureau, Izzat al-Rishq, was quoted by Reuters as stating that the Palestinian party-militia remains committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators. According to reports from the various parties involved, these had been on the verge of reaching a successful conclusion on several occasions in recent months, although plagued by challenges and threats. The final obstacle had almost always been the same Netanyahu even when the highest Israeli authorities had been extremely optimistic. What has now been agreed in principle by the two opposing sides had been on the table since at least last summer. The change of direction that has led, pending the official signing of a truce, to the silencing of weapons and the acceptance of the release of hostages has occurred, not uncoincidentally, on the eve of Donald Trumps inauguration as president of the United States on January 20. Netanyahu celebrated Trumps resounding victory last November. The Israeli prime minister, along with the most extremist members of his government, understood that this was a safe-conduct to continue with his war plans. But ahead of the inauguration next Monday, contacts have accelerated in which even the Republicans entourage has participated to reach a truce. This does not mean, however, that the new Republican administration will not promote the Israeli policy of the occupation of Palestine, with the army and the settlers at the head. But Trump has already given clear signals that, in his own way, he wants to end this war and the one in Ukraine. As time went by and the number of dead Israeli soldiers and hostages increased, so too did the protests in the streets and the grave consequences of the conflict, adding to the pressure on the Israeli Prime Minister. Netanyahu has finally had to give in and accept a ceasefire without achieving his objective of completely eliminating Hamas, something that was considered utopian from the beginning even by some of his closest associates. But that was the essential pillar of what he termed total victory, and that he has now had to shelve. Hamas continues, at least for the moment, to govern the Strip and to confront Israeli troops on the ground after almost 500 days of intense fighting, while it has sat at the negotiating table with the hostages as its trump card to try to bring about an end to the conflict. This the gradual return of hostages is seen as one of the keys that will determine the fate of what has been agreed in the coming weeks. Clinging to the blockade, the Israeli prime minister has remained firm all this time before members of his own government, senior army officers and part of Israeli society, with the families and supporters of the captives at the forefront. On the other hand, he has also ignored pressure from the international community, including from his main ally, the United States, and the European Union. At the same time, accusations have been mounting from institutions such as the International Criminal Court (ICC), the United Nations, and numerous humanitarian organizations that have witnessed the horror on the ground. Since the end of November 2023, when hostilities were halted for a week and the first exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners took place, the negotiations have failed to bear fruit. Two Hamas leaders have been assassinated by Israel, Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar; several Israeli ministers, including Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant, have been dismissed by Netanyahu; nearly 500 Israeli soldiers have been killed, the most recent five in the north of the Strip last Monday, as well as dozens of hostages and over 46,700 Gazans, most of them women and children. What began as a military operation in the face of the Hamas-led massacre of some 1,200 people in the attack on October 7, 2023, has morphed into an out-of-control campaign. Under the justification of the right to self-defense and of militarily and politically ending the Islamist movement that planned and carried out the most serious attack in Israels history, its authorities have launched the largest offensive in the history of the region, provoking accusations of violating the norms of international law. The reproaches come from different quarters under the accusation of genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity. In response to these accusations, the ICC has ordered the arrest of both Netanyahu and his former defense minister. There are also question marks about the logic of having taken the military campaign in Gaza to the extreme, where Hamas has consistently managed to reorganize itself in areas where Israel claimed to have wiped out the militia throughout the war. These doubts ended Gallants tenure as minister and, together with the abandonment of the hostages, also led to more than 100 soldiers making their complaints public and refusing to wear their uniforms. Another of the pillars on which Netanyahu continues to rely is the decision to target the largest UN agency in the area, UNRWA, the main source of support for millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, whose ban has been approved by parliament. The future of this United Nations institution, with 13,000 of its 33,000 employees deployed in the Strip, will also mark the peace process and the reconstruction of the enclave. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. A day after a ceasefire agreement to end 15 months of war in Gaza was announced by the mediators in the conflict Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt and applauded by the international community, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that it would not submit it to a vote before his government (as was expected to happen during the day) until the negotiators in Doha resolve the last-minute discrepancies that have arisen over its implementation. Later in the day, sources said that the agreement is scheduled to be reviewed and voted on Friday. Netanyahu, backed by two far-right coalition partners opposed to the pact, accuses the Islamist movement of trying to backtrack on previous commitments and extract concessions. No independent information points in that direction and Izzat al-Rishq, a senior member of Hamass Political Bureau, underlined his groups commitment to the agreement on the social network Telegram. Since the announcement of the ceasefire, which sparked scenes of jubilation in Gaza, Israeli airstrikes have killed 73 people in the Strip. Netanyahu is one of the few leaders who has not publicly commented on the deal. His office made it clear on Wednesday night that he will only do so when everything has been finalized. The last-minute complications do not center on the text itself, but on the process of selecting the Palestinian prisoners who would be released in exchange for the gradual return of the nearly 100 remaining hostages in the Strip who Hamas has held since its attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. Netanyahu accused Hamas on Thursday of creating a last-minute crisis and breaching parts of the agreement [] in an effort to extract last-minute concessions. The Israeli Cabinet will not meet until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement, his office added. On the Israeli side, the official green light for the agreement does not come from the mediators in Doha, but from the security cabinet and then from the government as a whole. The first meeting was initially scheduled for Thursday morning. It was then postponed to the afternoon and is now up in the air. The impasse jeopardizes the timetable that Qatars Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani himself presented when he announced the agreement at a press conference in Doha: it was hoped it would come into effect as early as Sunday. The Israeli delegation, headed by Mossad chief David Barnea, is still in Qatar and will only take part in the meeting via video conference, reported the Yediot Aharonot newspaper. The numbers of the government vote suggest that it will be approved without any difficulty. In fact, it is expected that a large majority will vote in favor as the opposition has been asking for a cessation of hostilities for some time. Only Netanyahus two far-right coalition partners are opposed: Religious Zionism and Jewish Strength. The leader of the former, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, has called the agreement bad and dangerous, but has been ambiguous about whether he would leave the coalition if it is approved, which is the real key to the matter. The ultra-nationalist party is meeting to assess its next steps and hundreds of people have started a march against the pact. The Israeli president, Isaac Herzog, has asked the members of the Knesset to ratify the agreement because there is no greater moral, human, Jewish and Israeli task than bringing back the hostages. That task is covered in the first and second phases of the agreement. The text states that the first stage will last six weeks, during which Hamas will hand over 33 hostages: women, children, the sick and wounded, and men aged over 50. The first hostages to be returned will be three civilian women and, seven days later, a further four. When the hostages who are still alive have been returned, it will be the turn of the corpses, whose number is unknown but is estimated at a third. During that month and a half, Israel will begin a gradual withdrawal of its troops from Gaza, will start releasing Palestinian prisoners (some of whom will have to go into exile) and will allow displaced people from northern Gaza to return to their homes. Despite the last-minute issues, the Israeli army has already begun setting up a compound near Gaza so that the hostages can be reunited with their families as soon as they are released. However, it is assumed that some are injured and will need urgent medical attention, and these will be immediately transferred to hospitals. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition nuew BHPian Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Wayanad Posts: 57 Thanked: 207 Times Re: Work Culture in India's Corporates Straight out of college, I worked for a Bangalore based company which used to make us work way beyond the "official" 6:30 PM. The deadlines were set so that we were tasked with twice or thrice the work the could be done within that timeframe. We used to start our shift at 9 AM and be at the office till 10 PM - 3 AM. We were working on weekends as well to meet the deadline. There was no overtime pay and according to the management, we were considered inefficient for spending so much time in the office despite the heavy workload. There was a big metal plaque stating the employee rights and labour laws at the reception which felt like openly mocking us. There were employees facing family problems and mental issues because of the work hours and stress. The company was so toxic that all competitors started to follow the same. As I didn't want to spend my life like that, I switched my career and went to the Middle East. The country and company I worked for followed strick labour laws. The work hours was fixed at 8 hours and we would get overtime pay for extra hours, weekends and public holidays in case we needed to work extra. As company policy changed as they were not it favour of overtime, the manager's attitude was just finish what you can in 8 hours and leave the rest for the next day. If it's piling up, it's up to the higher management whether to pay overtime rates or hire more people. That was a stark difference in what I had experienced in India. Now in Canada, the work culture here is again different from both my previous experiences. People, mostly Canadians, prioritise personal and family life over work. Work is just something to pay the bills. Canadians who work for hourly wages sometimes leave work early just to spend more time with the family. Many don't like to take up stressful jobs and make requests to move from managerial to associate positions. They don't mind the pay cut. Peace of mind is priceless. Some, especially expats, work in multiple jobs. Bank employees can be seen working in short shifts or off days at Tim Hortons to earn a bit extra and some managerial staff at major companies can be seen making pizza or burgers at fast food chains during the evening. This is the first time I'm experiencing something called Dignity of Labour. Even the communication between CEO and someone like a housekeeping staff is with utmost respect to each other. One reason could be that even the CEO must have done a similar job at some point in his/her life at least as a part timer to pay for the college tuition and understands that everybody is here to make a living. thanixravindran BHPian Join Date: Feb 2022 Location: Chennai Posts: 644 Thanked: 3,188 Times Re: Watching Flamingos and Migratory Birds along the ECR Very nice find and great pics. Few years ago, one can spot Flamingos in Kovalam itself in large numbers. I guess now only Egrets and Cormorants remain like Perumbakkam and Sholinganallur lakes. And near Odiyur, one can visit the Alampara fort (ruins) and it's secluded beach around 10 - 15 years ago with absolutely no one around by paying the fisher men there. Only TV serial shooting use to happen in the evenings. Everything is stopped there due to Gang violence few years ago. TN tourism department can at least organize guided tours in bird season. This is not Commercial advertisement but if anyone interested, try Hertiage Inspired who organize guided tours based on Tamil Land classification - Kurunji, Mullai, Marutham, Neidhal etc. This Sunday theme is Neithal and going from Adyar to Pulicat. So good chance of Flamingo sighting there. Mods - Please delete if it's not appropriate here. I am not associated with them. Why it matters: After a decade of robust growth from 2011 to 2021, the gaming industry has hit a plateau, creating a climate of caution and reduced investment. However, amidst this stagnation, PC gaming has emerged as a bright spot, continuing its upward trajectory and now representing the majority of non-mobile content revenue. Both PC and console gaming sectors have expanded substantially since the early 2010s, with consumer spending on these platforms increasing by nearly $50 billion in 2024 compared to 2011 levels, according to a presentation by Epyllion CEO Matthew Ball ("The State of Video Gaming in 2025"). Yet, a divergence in growth patterns has become apparent since 2021. The console gaming market has experienced a noticeable slowdown, particularly reflected in sales figures for the Xbox Series and PlayStation 5. After 49 months on the market, Microsoft and Sony's current generation of consoles has sold almost 7 million fewer units than their predecessors. In contrast, PC gaming has sustained its upward momentum. While console gaming has plateaued since 2021, PC gaming revenue has surged by 20 percent. Ball attributes this growth to several factors, including a more extensive and backward-compatible game library, instant access to web browsers, social platforms, and livestreaming software, as well as superior high-end performance capabilities. Ball's analysis suggests that PC gaming's momentum is likely to continue, driven by trends such as the cross-release of console exclusives, advancements in portable PC gaming devices like SteamOS, and the influence of platforms like Roblox. The latter, in particular, may dissuade younger gamers from investing in expensive consoles, as hundreds of millions of children growing up on Roblox are unlikely to request a $500 console to play AAA games. Other analyses of market share distribution between consoles and PCs, however, have arrived at different conclusions. For example, Newzoo reported in August 2023 that console games generated $56.1 billion in consumer spending, compared to approximately $40 billion for PC games. When PC Gamer inquired about this discrepancy, Ball explained that he primarily relied on IDG data, which is widely regarded as the industry standard for sales tracking. He also noted that other sources, such as Pelham Smithers, estimate PC gaming to be 50 percent larger than console gaming. Ball theorizes that variations in market research data may stem from differences in tracking game sales in China, where PC gaming dominates the AA/AAA market. For his analysis, Ball consulted publishers and cross-referenced multiple sources, including IDC and Bloomberg. Despite discrepancies in market share estimates, Ball remains confident in PC gaming's growth potential. He emphasized the potential for Steam to expand into the living room and handheld markets, which could further solidify PC gaming's dominance. In context: While tires may never steal the spotlight from more glamorous automotive components, their importance and the sophistication of their development should not be underestimated. The marriage of advanced simulation and real-world testing promises to deliver safer, more efficient, and better-performing tires. In the world of automotive engineering, tires often take a backseat to more exciting components. While car enthusiasts might obsess over horsepower figures and average consumers prioritize smartphone connectivity, it's the humble tire that serves as the crucial interface between vehicle and road. As Chris Helsel, Goodyear's Chief Technology Officer, succinctly put it to Ars Technica, "Without them, no one is going anywhere. At least not very far." The tire industry has come a long way from the days when tire composition was shrouded in mystery. Today, companies like Goodyear have amassed vast amounts of data, allowing them to create highly accurate simulations that significantly reduce development time. Helsel, who joined Goodyear in 1996 as part of a small team focused on computer tire simulation, recalls the early days of this technology. "At Goodyear in '96, it felt like almost late to the party in terms of doing what we call finite element analysis, which is basically breaking a large structure down into little parts," he said. Simulating tire behavior is an incredibly complex task. Helsel described several challenges, including tire deformation, the tire-road interface, tire-rim contact, and the complexity of tread patterns. "A tire deforms 40 percent every time it rotates, so that huge amount of displacement, or change, causes those elements to displace, and that causes numerical instability," Helsel said. He also pointed to the difficulty of solving the friction equation at the point where the tire meets the road and accurately representing the intricate details of tire tread patterns in geometric models. Over the years, tire simulation capabilities have expanded dramatically. From simply predicting contact patch shapes in the 1990s, Goodyear can now model tires in full fidelity, including various climatic conditions. Simulating snow conditions, for instance, can be very complex, Helsel said. "Snow is connecting, then it's breaking apart. That's a really challenging numerical problem." Goodyear has taken tire simulation to the next level with the introduction of driver-in-the-loop simulators. It now has two one in Akron, Ohio, in 2021, and another in Luxembourg in 2024. These advanced systems, similar to those used in motorsports, allow for dynamic tire testing without the need for physical prototypes. These facilities have dramatically accelerated the tire development process. Helsel notes that in the late 1990s, tire development could require up to 10 physical iterations. With improvements in footprint simulation, this number was halved. The introduction of high-fidelity tire modeling and simulators has further reduced it to just one physical build and test confirmation. This efficiency gain translates to significant savings in resources. Steve Rohweder, VP of Technology Development at Goodyear, estimates that the new process eliminates the need for approximately 13,000 tires and 60,000 miles of test track driving for each development cycle. "We've done variation in studies with sizes when we're setting targets working with the manufacturer before they start the vehicle development," Rohweder explained. "Tire dimension is easy to adjust. Compound, major design changes when you have the data and you prepare it, you can go into the simulator environment and quickly move around in the design space to find out what the driver feels is most effective and best for shooting on that target." In a nutshell: Apple's Tim Cook is one of the most recognizable and well-known CEOs. But he rarely talks about his daily routine or life outside of the world's most valuable company. Now, Cook has revealed some interesting details about his day-to-day schedule, personal interests, and where he gets his incredible work ethic. He also revealed that an Apple Watch saved his father. Cook spoke to Table Manners podcast hosts Jessie and Lennie Ware when he was visiting London in December. He revealed that he still employs the hardworking values instilled in him as a child, which include waking up before 5 am to start work. Cook's early morning begins with answering emails. He says he responds to employees and customers, noting how several people from the latter group have thanked him after an Apple Watch saved their lives via its feature that detects irregular heart rhythm (atrial fibrillation). Cook also revealed that when his father was alive, the Apple Watch fall detection feature alerted emergency services when Cook senior fell over while alone at home. "He didn't respond to the door and so they kicked the door down and it was a good thing they did because he was not conscious at the time." When asked if Cook's dad thanked him for the device that saved his life, he replied, "No, he was focused on the door, to be honest [...] He was more upset, 'they kicked out my door!'" Cook says the reason why he answers emails so early is because "it's the part of the day that I can control the most. As the day starts to unfold, it becomes less predictable." "And so I love the part of the day that I can kind of block out the world and focus on a few critical things and just be silent for a while." Cook also talks about how Covid changed the global view of working from home. Apple was one of the first companies to tell employees to return to the office after the lockdowns, leading to a petition from workers. Cook says Covid taught us that people can do the same amount of work online but also "taught us the value of being together." Apple now asks most employees to be in the office three days per week. Cook says he's in there four times a week and off Friday as it's the day most people stay home. He reasoned that the office is "depressing when nobody's there." Cook has been working since he was 11 or 12, back when he started a paper route. His next employment was flipping burgers for a local fast-food restaurant, called Tastee Freez, at the age of 14. "I wore a little hat, and I wore an apron, and I was making $1.10 an hour at the time, it was sub-minimum wage, which was legal at that point in time." Cook has come a long way since then. His total compensation from Apple rose 18% last year to $74.6 million, making him one of the highest-paid CEOs in the world. Talking about some of the things he enjoys, Cook said he often eats at a Palo Alto restaurant called Ethel's Fancy, where he enjoys the octopus he eats a lot of fish in general. Other details Cook revealed include his love of dark chocolate and Chardonnay. He eats most of his meals during the week at Apple Park's Caffe Macs, and likes to vacation at national parks. In the podcast tradition of asking guests about their last meal, Cook said he would choose an appetizer of hamachi crudo with jalapeno, a branzino for a main dish, broccolini as a side, and anything chocolate for dessert. Gone are the days when generative artificial intelligence platforms are scraping websites illegally, particularly the Big Tech companies who have faced these complaints, with Google's latest move partnering with the Associated Press (AP). This latest partnership successfully granted Google a way to feature the news stories from AP, securing the license for Gemini AI. With this move, Google ensures that users who are searching for information via Gemini AI will get the chance to access real-time and updated information from the Associated Press, complete with the world's latest developments. Google Successfully Licenses Associated Press For Gemini AI Google announced its latest venture towards growing more of Gemini AI's content, with the company going the proper route of licensing news and other types of content via its latest partnership with the Associated Press. AP is best knownto be one of the most credible and trusted sources on global happenings, with Google now getting access to everything from its publication for AI users to enjoy. It was revealed that Google has long worked with the Associated Press regarding the delivery of timely news and real-time information to users, but they are now working towards sharing this content via Gemini. According to AP Senior Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer Kristin Heitmann, "AP and Google's longstanding relationship is based on working together to provide timely, accurate news and information to global audiences." Gemini to Feature Real-time and Updated AP News Content With this latest collaboration, Google's Gemini is getting access to a feed of real-time and updated content from the Associated Press, featuring their renowned news pieces and more. While there is still no confirmation on how this feed will appear to users, it will first be available to paid users who are subscribed to Google Workspace's Business tier subscribers starting today, with Enterprise users getting the experience later this month. That being said, it was not revealed what tiers on the personal Gemini subscription will get access to AP's news and other licensed content as of this writing. News Publications License Their Content to Gen. AI OpenAI was among the first to offer licensing deals to news publications and companies which invite them to a dealwhere they will get paid, in exchange for their content that would be available to access via ChatGPT. The company forged massive partnerships with the likes of Axel Springer, which owns the likes of Business Insider and Politico, and later expanded with Vox Media and more. The United Kingdom's BBC (British Broadcasting Channel), on the other hand, took new steps that offered their human-made content for AI companies to license, going alongside their plans to expand their content using generative AI. However, the government-funded outlet is known for still holding out against OpenAI after the company's alleged and unconsented data scraping. Google is known for going massive on licensing content from the internet for the development and improvement of its artificial intelligence models, particularly as it signed a deal with Reddit worth $60 million to use its data for training. Now, Google is working towards licensing news content for Gemini AI to feature and bring directly to users, forging a licensing deal with the Associated Press. Opinion articles written in the style of their author. These texts are to be based on verified facts and must be respectful towards people, even though their actions may be criticized. All opinion articles written by individuals from outside the staff of EL PAIS shall feature, along with the authors name (regardless of their greater or lesser renown), a footer stating their office, academic title, political affiliation (if any) and main occupation, or the occupation related to the topic being assessed Last Friday, as expected, Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a third term as Venezuelas president. The regime he presides lacks both domestic and international legitimacy. It has been reduced to a virtual police state, relying on repression and terror to keep itself in power. The inauguration was a travesty. It was fitting that only two Latin American presidents attended: Daniel Ortega and Miguel Diaz-Canel, Maduros fellow dictators in the region. The day before, Maria Corina Machado Venezuelas most popular political figure was forcibly detained while speaking at an anti-government protest. Her quick release revealed divisions within the regime. It appears that Diosdado Cabello, Venezuelas hardline Minister of the Interior, had ordered police to capture her, only to have the decision countered, presumably by Maduro. In this way, Maduro was able to avoid the costs for the regime that would come with jailing the countrys foremost symbol of resistance. Most Venezuelans would have preferred that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia the candidate Machado selected after she was barred from running had taken the official oath on January 10. After all, it was Gonzalez, not Maduro, who won decisively the presidential election nearly six months ago. On July 28, the will of the Venezuelan people was clearly expressed and brazenly violated in one of Latin Americas most egregiously fraudulent elections. Since then, repression aimed at opposition and civil society leaders has escalated, and Cabellos position within the government has strengthened. Despite its extremely low legitimacy both at home and abroad, the regime will be able to sustain itself if it can continue to count on the support of the armed forces. The military is the fundamental pillar of a government that relies on sheer repression. There are varied interpretations about how strong and unified the Venezuelan military is today. Signs of dissent within the armed forces are evident, as reflected in instances of cooperation with opposition efforts around the election. But in some respects, it remains a black box, difficult to decipher from the outside. Yet, any warnings or threats directed to the military from the exterior especially from the United States could backfire, resulting in the institution closing ranks behind Maduro. This is precisely what happened almost six years ago with opposition leader Juan Guaido. Post-inauguration, attention has now turned to Donald Trump, whose January 9 message supported freedom fighters Machado and Gonzalez. Based on various accounts, there are at least two competing policy proposals of the incoming team. The first is a version of the maximum pressure strategy that the first Trump administration pursued in 2019. But the harsh economic sanctions put into effect failed to dislodge Maduro, and indeed only aggravated humanitarian conditions and fueled migration. The second idea would be an attempt for the United States to strike a deal with Maduro. There would be an agreement on migration Trumps top priority with Maduro prepared to cooperate with the U.S. on deportations. It would also enable the U.S. to take advantage of business opportunities in the petroleum sector. This more transactional approach would in effect recognize Maduro as the de facto president. Advocates for each position will be represented in the new U.S. administration. It is unclear which of these or perhaps some combination of the two will take hold. Of course, Trump, always hard to predict, will make the decision. But the countrys democratic future will be determined by dynamics within Venezuela and not by any external actor. At best, external actors in this case, the United States can help shape a more favorable environment to help bring about positive political change, but its impact is usually limited and often indirect. In Latin America, the roles of Brazil and Colombia in helping to foster a democratic transition in Venezuela have been erratic and have not produced any clear changes. In light of the regimes terror campaign and the countrys shrinking space for civic action, it is understandable that the opposition has devoted much of its efforts in the United States, Europe and Latin America. It may be nearly impossible now to carry out serious organizational and political work in Venezuela under such conditions. But that work will be essential to improve the prospects for a democratic transition, and to make whatever outside support there is for the democratic cause more effective. The U.S. should denounce Maduros authoritarian practices and avoid threats and harsh economic sanctions that are often counterproductive and only strengthen his hand. It should also do whatever is possible to support the opposition, always in concert with Latin American and European allies, while avoiding anything that would involve the use of violence. For its part, the opposition will have to confront a series of questions about political strategy and leadership. It will need to decide whether to participate in regional elections that are scheduled for later this year. It will also need to focus on developing a united position and consistent message about what it wants from the international community, including the United States. The sad reality is that, despite Machados fearless and inspiring leadership, democratic change remains elusive. Maduro, though illegitimate, has begun his third term, consolidating his brutal rule. He has proven his ability to adapt to changing circumstances and pressures and, after nearly a dozen years in power, to survive. To be sure, Maduro has vulnerabilities. There are divisions within the regime. His terror campaign does not exactly reflect a strong or confident leader. The sudden collapse of Bashar al-Assad highlights that seemingly stable dictatorships can quickly crumble. But in 2025, with the denouement of the long anticipated presidential election cycle, Venezuela may be beginning a new chapter that calls for a reassessment of political strategy. Some lessons from successful democratic transitions in Latin America and Europe are useful, but Venezuela has many particularities that set it apart from others. Democratic forces are not only contending with ruthless authoritarian rule. They are also dealing with a country dominated by an oil economy and massive criminality and corruption, complicating any transition. There is no substitute for intensifying political pressure internationally and particularly in Venezuela. In this epic Latin American tragedy, the task ahead is not only to rebuild a democracy that has been destroyed. It is also to rebuild an economy, a society, a country. Pension funds now have cryptocurrency, particularly Bitcoin, in their portfolios. Pension funds are known to be quite conservative. Pension funds, therefore, diversified their portfolios and started putting small percentages of their investment in Bitcoin as a result of the tremendous growth potential and volatility in the market that this cryptocurrency offers. This is how pension schemes integrate Bitcoin and how this impacts retirement savings. Pension Funds Finally Dip into Bitcoin In general, pension funds are considered conservative so this means they only have a low-risk appetite. However, the cautious investors finally decided to start testing the water with Bitcoin due to the asset's remarkable growth in the previous years. According to Financial Times, two particular pension schemes out of Wisconsin and Michigan emerged as some of the biggest owners of crypto-based US stock market funds. Those dollars would then be reinvested in a regulated US exchange-traded fund, which watched the price of widely recognized cryptos like Bitcoins and Ethereum and their movements. Many conservative fund managers recently realized that prices of Bitcoin will go to very high levels even to $100,000 per unit in the year 2023. Record-Breaking Bitcoin Performance Drives Pension Funds This performance has been attributed to the rising popularity of Bitcoin among pension funds. For example, by the end of September, the Wisconsin State Investment Board had become the 12th largest shareholder in BlackRock's Bitcoin ETF with a stake valued at an impressive $155 million. Michigan has also made tremendous strides by becoming the sixth-largest holder in Grayscale's Ethereum ETF, valued at more than $12 million. These investments have become more valuable due to a 50% increase in Bitcoin prices over the past few months. The US is not the only country where pension fund managers are interested in Bitcoin. Pension funds in the UK and Australia have also allocated their funds. AMP, a major Australian pension fund manager, recently entered Bitcoin futures to boost returns on its portfolios. The Risks and Rewards of Bitcoin for Pension Funds Of course, investment in Bitcoin is also attractive because of the potential for high returns. Pension funds, however, are well aware of the volatility and regulatory uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrencies. Dangers were shown by past failures, like the collapse of the FTX exchange in 2022 when its investment worth $95 million was lost to the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan. However, the current crypto boom, fueled by the possibility of a pro-crypto US administration, has renewed interest in the space. With a potential doubling of Bitcoin's value, some analysts predict that the trend of pension funds investing in crypto will continue to grow. Conservative Approach to Bitcoin: Cautious But Curious Even as more people begin to take interest in Bitcoin, pension funds remain extremely cautious with regard to the cryptocurrency market. Several funds opt for investing in Bitcoin through ETFs or derivatives that provide access to the asset class without necessarily exposing themselves to the volatility associated with it. Pension fund managers have even begun establishing Bitcoin-specific funds that aim to address the demands of investors interested in exposure to crypto assets but at lower risks. Sam Roberts, director of investment consulting at Cartwright, notes that while the pensions industry has been "slow-moving," more pension schemes are considering crypto as a viable investment. In fact, Cartwright has been advising on Bitcoin allocations for smaller schemes, with some opting to allocate a portion of their funds directly to Bitcoin, in hopes of achieving better returns. While Bitcoin is still a speculative and volatile asset, the interest from pension funds is a sign that retirement portfolios are being managed differently. The growing adoption of cryptocurrencies by conservative investment bodies reflects their potential as high-return assets, despite the risks. So pension funds seeking to balance growth with stability are most likely to look further for Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as part of their portfolios. Technology may mature and regulatory frameworks most probably change and develop, but crypto may indeed become a part of the pension strategy in the following years. Hopping on to your smartphone or computer for watching YouTube and experiencing endlessly buffering, playback problems, black screens is one of the worst feelings. In frustration, you would have questioned yourself, why is youtube not working on my computer? Or why are youtube videos not playing? Thankfully, the nagging issues with YouTube on smartphones and computers can be fixed. However, pointing out the actual cause behind youtube not working is somewhat difficult. Consequently, go through every single solution shared in this article for resolving your YouTube problems. Why Is Youtube Not Working/ loading, How To Fix? Here are the steps that you can follow to fix the youtube issues if it is not working on your phone or PC. These fixes are tested and found to be working and resolve the issue in most cases. 1. Inspect If Theres Some Problem With Your Internet Connection At times due to poor connectivity or slow internet speed, YouTube wont load. Therefore before checking out the other solutions for YouTube videos not playing, inspect and verify if theres any problem with your internet. Performing a basic google search or opening any website is more than enough for this inspection. If the website loads up normally move on to the next solutions. However, if the website doesnt load up then theres some issue with your Internet. To solve the internet issues you may check the internet settings of your PC, restart the router, or simply contact your ISP. 2. Check If YouTube Is Down On very rare occasions, YouTube experiences a complete outage. Although, regional outages are somewhat common. As a result, check whether or not YouTube is down in your region. If the service is down in your region, you are bound to face the YouTue not working problems. In order to check if theres any problem at YouTubes end, you may use the website outrage.report. 3. Restart Your Computer I have written plenty of troubleshooting guides, and through my experience, I can say that simply restarting your computer might fix YouTube not playing issues. When you restart your computer it closes all unnecessary programs and anything that might be causing YouTube playback problems is also terminated in the process. After restarting your computer, open YouTube on any web-browser, and if YouTube still wont load then move on to the next step. 4. Delete Cache, Cookies, And Data Expired cookies and corrupted data can be another reason why YouTube is not working on your computer. To resolve this problem, paste the URL chrome://settings/clearBrowserData and hit enter. In the dropdown of the time range select All Time. Lastly, relaunch your browser and open YouTube. Generally, browsers install the latest updates automatically. That said if you are running an older verison of Chrome then the latest build of YouTube might not be compatible with your web browser. In such a case, you have to update your browser. To do so, paste chrome://settings/help in the URL bar and Google Chrome will automatically start updating itself. Once the update process is completed, relaunch Chrome. 6. Remove Suspicious Extensions Extensions modify the way we use our browsers. If YouTube is not working on your computer properly then an incompatible extension might be the reason. To solve this problem, I advise you to cross-check all of your installed extensions by pasting chrome://extensions/ in the URL Bar. One by one disable each extension and check whether YouTube starts opening properly or not. The process is a bit tedious but you might get an answer to why isnt youtube working by following this procedure. 7. Re-Install Your Web-Browser If any of the browser-based fixes for youtube is not working didnt work for you, then you should try re-installing your web-browser. The process of re-installing any program is self-explanatory. A word of advice, before uninstalling your web browser ensure that you have downloaded the setup file of the browser. To do so you can use Microsoft Edge. 8. Verify Browser Compatibility Almost every mainstream browser supports YouTube. However, there are certain browsers that are no longer compatible with YouTube. One of the prominent among the bunch is the Pale Moon open-source web browser. Google is planning to incrementally make the Pale Moon browser incompatible with YouTube. Moreover, certain web browsers are also incompatible with 4K YouTube streaming. For instance, you can only stream a maximum resolution of 1080p on Apples default Safari web browser. 9. Install The Latest Video Drivers Updating your graphics drivers can instantly resolve the YouTube black screen and white screen problems. The latest graphic drivers can be directly downloaded from the manufacturers website. Once downloaded, follow the on-screen instructions to install these drivers. Well, if you are unable to locate and download your graphics card driver online then follow these simple steps. Open Device Manager Locate the Display Adapters section Select the graphics card of your choice and right-click to update the driver. In a matter of a few minutes, the graphics card will be updated automatically. After updating the graphics card driver, restart your computer. 10. Inspect YouTube Website Settings Its impossible to stream a YouTube video without Javascripts and if you are facing the youtube not opening issue then try enabling Javascript. To open the Javascript settings, paste chrome://settings/content/javascript in the URL bar. Next up, on the Javascript option enable Allowed (recommended). If everything goes will YouTube will now function properly on your computer. It might sound awkward, but the wrong timezone or region settings on your device can cause syncing and YouTube-related issues. Similar to other YouTube videos not playing fixes shared in this article, rectifying the date, time, and region settings are also simple. To do so locate the time-related section in the settings of your device. Next up, ensure automatic time and date are turned on. After making the changes, restart your device. 12. Enable/Disable Hardware Acceleration For streaming high-quality videos, YouTube utilizes the system resources of a computer to its full potential. That said if you have a low-powered laptop or an old house desktop then disabling hardware acceleration can fix YouTube wont work on my computer issue. On the other hand, if the hardware acceleration is accidentally disabled on your computer then also YouTube wont work on your system. To disable or enable hardware acceleration find its dedicated section in Chrome settings chrome://settings/system. In addition to updating the browser, you can even update Windows. Microsoft releases Windows updates regularly. A majority of these updates have some issues associated with them. In fact, users have reported that certain versions of Windows 10 render some of your apps and games unusable. So the next thing that I would advise you to do is update Windows 10. To do so, open Settings and then click on the Update & Security icon. In the WIndows update panel click on Check for updates. 14. Check Whether YouTube Is Blocked Or Not If you are accessing YouTube on an office or an educational institute computer then there are very high chances that the administrator might have restricted access to YouTube. Even though its fairly difficult to surpass such a restriction but you can try using a VPN or Youtube Proxy sites. 15. YouTube Sound Problems Streaming Youtube videos without sound are undoubtedly frustrating. In order to resolve the YouTube sound problem firstly ensure that your system sound and the video volume slider are not muted. Next up, paste the URL chrome://settings/content/sound in the address bar and ensure that Allow sites to play sound is enabled. YouTube sound problems can also be caused by an outdated flash player. These fixes can also be used if YouTube video loads but wont play. 16. YouTube Upload Problems YouTube upload problems are also quite common these days. If you facing problems while uploading a YouTube video then firstly check your upload speeds. Next up, ensure that your exported video adheres to the strict limits set by YouTube in terms of size, length, and format. YouTube Not Working Fixes For Android And iOS Devices In the next section of the article, I have shared three easy ways to fix YouTube not working problems on Android and iOS smartphones. 1. Restart Your Smartphone Similar to your computer restarting your smartphone or tablet can easily fix the youtube not playing issue. To restart your device hold the power button and select the restart option. Once restarted, relaunch YouTube, and if it still doesnt open move on to the next step. 2. Clear The App Cache And Data Is Youtube not loading on your device? Deleting YouTubes cache and data on your Android device can also fix the loading problem with YouTube videos. To clear YouTube cache and data, open settings and in the Apps section locate YouTube. Tap on the storage option and select clear cache/ clear data. Additionally, you can even bring back YouTube to the factory version by uninstalling updates. 3. Install The Latest Version Of YouTube App Is youtube app not working for you? Google updates the official YouTube application on a regular basis. Consequently, its advised to keep the YouTube app updated. In order to do so, open Google Play Store, and in the My apps & games section tap the Update button right next to YouTube. Apart from the aforementioned solution ensure that your smartphone is connected to the Internet, the date and time are set correctly, and lastly, if theres any software update available for your smartphone install it. Even after going through all of the troubleshooting steps shared in this article, you are unable to playback YouTube videos, then reach out to YouTube on Twitter. While tweeting your problem tag the official support handle of Twitter i.e. @TeamYouTube. Quake-stricken Vanuatu heads to polls in snap election Sydney, Jan 15 (AFP) Jan 15, 2025 Voters in the Pacific nation of Vanuatu began casting ballots Thursday in a snap general election, a contest dismissed by some as a "distraction" while weary citizens rebuild from a deadly tremor last month. A 7.3-magnitude earthquake rumbled through Vanuatu on December 17, rupturing roads, toppling buildings in capital Port Vila, and killing at least 14 people. "Instability will not help Vanuatu right now, especially after the earthquake. The whole nation has been affected by the earthquake," Port Vila candidate Mike Esrom Kaun told AFP. Vanuatu has for decades been beset by political instability, swapping prime ministers 20 times between 1991 and 2017. The tumult reached crisis levels at the end of 2023, when three prime ministers rotated through the top office in the space of a month. Many in Vanuatu have grown "frustrated" with the current crop of lawmakers and the country's near-constant democratic wobbles, Kaun said. Vanuatu's parliament was dissolved in November before disgruntled MPs could launch a "no confidence" motion designed to topple Prime Minister Charlot Salwai. The motion reportedly cited a grab bag of grievances including the flagging fortunes of national carrier Air Vanuatu, a teachers' strike, and financial transparency questions. Vanuatu's 52-member parliament is typically dominated by independents and micro-parties, which clump together in coalitions that rarely last a full term. Salwai will be joined by former prime ministers Ishmael Kalsakau and Bob Loughman among the 217 candidates running for office in the election. Polls close at 4:30 pm local time (0530 GMT). - Election 'distraction' - There are concerns the constant threat of instability has shifted attention away from natural disasters, the country's faltering economy, and the ever-present threat of climate change. Pacific analyst Riley Duke said Vanuatu's political squabbling had derailed progress in crucial areas like health and education. "The election really is another distraction from development priorities," said Duke, from Australia's Lowy Institute think tank. "Vanuatu is a developing country with huge challenges. Its key indicators -- income, health outcomes and education performance -- have been declining in recent years," he told AFP. The volcanic archipelago -- population 330,000 -- is also highly vulnerable to natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, flooding and earthquakes, according to the World Risk Report. Like many of its South Pacific neighbours, Vanuatu has been trying to balance ties with traditional security partners in the West, and an increasingly generous China. State-backed Chinese companies have carried out a slew of infrastructure projects across Vanuatu, while Beijing last year picked up the tab for a new presidential palace. About 40 percent of Vanuatu's external debt is owed to Chinese banks, according to the Lowy Institute. Before gaining independence in 1980, Vanuatu was a colony known as the New Hebrides that was carved up between the British and the French. Tunisian rehab barge offers hope for vulnerable sea turtles Kerkennah, Tunisia, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 On a barge hundreds of metres off the Kerkennah Islands in southern Tunisia, a group of students watches intently as Besma, a recovering sea turtle, shuffles towards the water and dives in. The barge, used to treat injured loggerhead turtles, is the first floating rehabilitation centre for the species in the Mediterranean, its organisers say. Harbouring netted enclosures underwater, it allows the threatened species to receive care in saltwater, its natural habitat. "It is important that the sea turtles recover in their natural environment," said Hamed Mallat, a marine biologist who heads the UN-funded project. "We place them in a space that's large enough for them to move and feed more comfortably," he added. Mallat, a member of the local Kraten Association for Sustainable Development and the International Sea Turtle Society, founded the project last month and said the rehab barge was refashioned from a sunken aquaculture cage. It can hold up to five sea turtles at a time, each in its own enclosure, and spans 150 square metres (1,610 square feet) at the surface, with netting below to allow the convalescing animals to reach the sea floor. The loggerhead sea turtle, also known as Caretta caretta, is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Every year, around 10,000 loggerheads are caught by trawlers and in fishing nets in the waters off Tunisia. - 'Educational value' - Life Medturtles, an EU-funded sea life conservation project, estimates that more than 70 percent of sea turtle deaths in the Mediterranean are caused by gillnets -- large nets used for mass fishing. It is often the fishermen themselves who bring the injured turtles to the barge, said Mallat. The project is also an opportunity to teach younger generations about preserving sea life, he added. "This is a direct application of the things we study," said 24-year-old Sarah Gharbi, a fisheries and environment student at the National Agronomic Institute of Tunisia (INAT). "It's also a first interaction with marine species that we usually don't see as part of our study or in our laboratories. It's something new and enriching." Her teacher, Rimel Ben Messaoud, 42, said the barge's "educational value" was in giving students a first-hand experience with marine life conservation. Due to rising sea temperatures, overfishing and pollution, a number of marine species have seen their migratory routes and habitats shift over time. Mallat said the project could help study those patterns, particularly among loggerhead sea turtles, as Besma now bears a tracking device. "It gives us a significant advantage for scientific monitoring of sea turtles, which is somewhat lacking in scientific research in Tunisia," he said. Mallat said he also hoped to attract the islands' summer tourists to raise awareness about the vulnerable species. Herbicide under US scrutiny over potential Parkinson's link Washington, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 First came the slow hand movements, then the tremor, and now the looming fear of what lies ahead. David Jilbert's devastating Parkinson's diagnosis three years ago changed his life irrevocably. It's a condition the 65-year-old farmer believes he wouldn't have if it weren't for paraquat, a herbicide he once relied on to control weeds in his vineyard in the midwestern US state of Ohio. "Now it's not just about me, I'm part of this community -- let's get something going," Jilbert said during a recent hearing in the US Congress where he was joined by others claiming the same link. Banned in more than 70 countries -- including Britain, where it is manufactured; Switzerland, home to the Syngenta company that owns the brand; and China, where the state-run conglomerate that owns Syngenta is based -- paraquat remains available in the United States. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long maintained that the herbicide is safe for use under strict regulations -- something Parkinson's advocates vehemently disagree with and are pressing to change. The agency is set to issue a final report on the issue by January 17 -- this Friday -- after considering 90 new scientific studies submitted by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. - Maker denies causation - "We have great sympathy for those suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson's disease," a spokesperson for Syngenta said in a statement to AFP. "However, it is important to note that the scientific evidence simply does not support a causal link between paraquat and Parkinson's disease, and that paraquat is safe when used as directed." Multiple credible studies have found that agricultural workers who handle paraquat -- or live near areas where it is applied -- face a higher incidence of Parkinson's disease, which can eventually turn even the simplest movements into daunting challenges. Animal research further underscores paraquat's toxic effects on nerve cells, although proving direct causation for individuals affected by Parkinson's remains difficult. "I find it extraordinarily frustrating that the chemical companies have hidden behind the concept of being able to show causation, and they've used that as an excuse," Australia-based neurologist David Blacker said in an interview with Pesticide Action UK. "That's where the precautionary principle comes in," he added. "If there is a doubt, especially if there are alternatives, it then becomes, in my mind, ethically and even morally unsound to continue." - 'It's scary' - Jilbert, a longtime environmental engineer and environmental safety inspector, dreamed of becoming a farmer after retirement. In 2011, he purchased his land and, over the following years, began using paraquat -- often sold as Gramoxone -- to manage his weeds. By the end of the decade, he noticed his hands moving slowly and his gait turning into a shuffle. When his Parkinson's diagnosis finally came, he was horrified and wondered if he'd been condemned to a "death sentence." His condition is more manageable for now, thanks to medications, but he said he feels disappointed in his own government for not looking out for him. "You think if you use the stuff in the way the label tells me to use it, then I'm not going to get sick," he said. Like Jilbert, 85-year-old Charlene Tenbrink -- who owns a 250-acre farm in Dixon, California -- also trusted that the chemicals available to farmers were safe when handled properly. She sprayed paraquat on her prune trees in the 1990s and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2020. Tenbrink, Jilbert and thousands of others are now suing Syngenta in federal and California state courts. Sarah Doles, a lawyer and co-lead for that federal litigation, compared it to the cases against Big Tobacco. She contends Syngenta had an obligation to disclose harms it knew about paraquat from research going back decades, but hid from consumers. "It's a legal duty of what they knew and then failed to do -- they concealed the information," she told AFP. Regardless of which direction the EPA rules, these legal cases will continue. Tenbrink said it's vital to get the product off the market, and admits she's terrified for her own future. "This is a terrible disease and we know there's no cure, we know it's going to get worse. It's scary," she said. Indonesian rescuers evacuating thousands after volcano erupts Ternate, Indonesia, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Hundreds of islanders have been evacuated, with thousands more awaiting their turn following increased volcanic eruptions in eastern Indonesia, officials said on Thursday. Mount Ibu, located on the remote island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, erupted on Wednesday, sending a column of smoke up to four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the sky. The volcano's alert status was immediately raised to the highest level by Indonesia's Geological Agency, prompting local authorities to call for the evacuation of 3,000 people living nearby. As of Thursday morning, 517 residents from the village closest to the volcano had been evacuated, with the remaining residents scheduled to be moved later in the afternoon. "The evacuation shelters have been prepared by the local administration, and today a thorough evacuation will be conducted for all residents in six villages," said a spokesman of local disaster management agency, Irfan Idrus. He added that evacuations began on Wednesday at 6:00 pm (1100 GMT) but were delayed due to administrative and logistical issues. Rainfall since Thursday morning further hampered the process, he said. According to an AFP reporter, residents were still carrying out their daily activities in their respective villages as trucks prepared for evacuation. "Of course, there is some fear and concern, but we are already used to the eruptions here," 32-year-old resident Rista Tuyu said. "In a week, eruptions could happen three to four times, but the biggest ones occurred this week," she said. She added that she hoped the volcano would calm down soon so the village community could resume to their daily lives. Mount Ibu has shown a significant increase in volcanic activity since last June, following a series of earthquakes. In the first weeks of January alone, the volcano, which is one of Indonesia's most active, erupted nine times. Residents living near Mount Ibu and tourists have been advised to avoid a five to six kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano's peak and to wear face masks in case of falling ash. As of 2022, around 700,000 people were living on Halmahera island, according to official data. Indonesia, a vast archipelago, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Last November, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores erupted more than a dozen times in one week, killing nine people in its initial explosion. Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted more than half a dozen times last year, forcing thousands from nearby islands to evacuate. Nepal's top court bars infrastructure in protected areas Kathmandu, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Nepal's Supreme Court has scrapped controversial laws allowing hydropower and hotel projects in protected nature reserves, a lawyer said Thursday, calling it a win for the Himalayan republic's conservationists. A fifth of Nepal's lands are designated as protected areas. But both hydropower projects and tourism are major earners, and the government passed laws last year to allow infrastructure projects in national parks, forests and other conservation areas, except in highly sensitive zones. "The controversial decision was made with deception," environmental advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha, one of the petitioners challenging the changes to the law, told AFP. "It clearly shows how our government is working just to appease investors because it lacks farsightedness." Shrestha said that the verdict, which was issued on Wednesday, offers "justice to preserve ecology and biodiversity". Kathmandu has been praised worldwide for its efforts to protect wildlife, allowing it to bring several species back from the brink of local extinction, including tigers and rhinos. Nepal's protected habitat laws have helped to triple its tiger population to 355 since 2010 and to increase one-horned rhinoceros from around 100 in the 1960s to 752 in 2021. After decades of rampant logging, Nepal also nearly doubled its forest cover between 1992 and 2016. "The laws should have never been passed," said Rampreet Yadav, former chief conservation officer of Chitwan National Park, Nepal's most important conservation area. "If development projects are allowed in protected areas, it will destroy our nature, it will destroy the habitats of animals." Nepal is eager to develop its hydropower industry after a dam-building spree in the past two decades that has given it an installed capacity of more than 2,600 megawatts. It signed deals with India and Bangladesh last year to export thousands of megawatts of hydroelectricity. Tourism is also a major earner for Nepal, which saw a million foreign visitors last year after a post-pandemic bounceback, with the government pumping investments into infrastructure including airports. Thousands refuse evacuation despite Indonesia's volcano eruptions Ternate, Indonesia, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 Thousands of people declined on Thursday a government-led evacuation in eastern Indonesia where a volcano has been spewing smoke and ash, arguing that they are accustomed to the eruptions. Mount Ibu, located on the remote island of Halmahera in North Maluku province, erupted on Wednesday, sending a column of smoke up to four kilometres (2.5 miles) into the sky. The volcano's alert status was immediately raised to the highest level by Indonesia's Geological Agency, prompting local authorities to call for the evacuation of 3,000 people living in six villages. "So far, only one village has been evacuated, while people in the remaining five villages have refused to evacuate," said a spokesman for the local disaster management agency, Irfan Idrus. He added that the residents who chose to stay argued they were used to Mount Ibu's eruptions. As of Thursday morning, 517 residents from the village closest to the volcano had been evacuated. According to an AFP reporter, residents went about their daily activities in their respective villages as trucks waited to move them to safe areas. "We are already accustomed to the eruptions of Mount Ibu, and so far, there has been no impact on our village. That is why we do not want to be evacuated," said 43-year-old resident of Todoke village, Milka Sehe. Meanwhile, Rista Tuyu in Tuguis village said she hoped the volcano would calm down soon so the community could continue with their lives. "Of course, there is some fear and concern, but we are already used to the eruptions here," the 32-year-old said. "In a week, eruptions could happen three to four times, but the biggest ones occurred this week," she said. Irfan, the disaster management official, said: "We will continue to coordinate with the local officials and community leaders to ensure that the residents of the five villages are evacuated, as they are within the restricted zone". Mount Ibu, which has shown a significant increase in volcanic activity since last June, continued to erupt multiple times on Thursday, as its peak was covered with thick smoke rising as high as 400 meters above its summit. In the first weeks of January alone, the volcano, one of Indonesia's most active, erupted at least nine times. Residents living near Mount Ibu and tourists have been advised to avoid a five to six-kilometre exclusion zone around the volcano's peak and to wear face masks in case of falling ash. As of 2022, around 700,000 people were living on Halmahera island, according to official data. Indonesia, a vast archipelago, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity as it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Last November, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores erupted more than a dozen times in one week, killing nine people in its initial explosion. Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted more than half a dozen times last year, forcing thousands from nearby islands to evacuate. French PM survives first no-confidence vote in parliament Paris, Jan 16 (AFP) Jan 16, 2025 French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou on Thursday survived his first vote of no confidence in parliament after the motion, brought by the leftist opposition, failed to gain traction with the far right. The challenge in the National Assembly came after Bayrou's statement this week on his government policy agenda, in which he opened the door to fresh talks on a 2023 pension reform "without taboo" but also said that France's "excessive" deficits needed to be cut in this year's budget. The speech sparked condemnation from most of the opposition in parliament where Bayrou -- in the job only since last month -- is well short of an absolute majority, making his government highly vulnerable to any no-confidence vote that, if successful, would force it to resign. Jordan Bardella, the leader of the far-right National Rally (RN), dismissed it as "idle talk" by "a man of spineless continuity". But the backers of the no-confidence motion, submitted by the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party, failed to win the RN's backing. "We don't think a no-confidence vote should be a gadget to create a buzz," RN deputy Jean-Philippe Tanguy said ahead of the vote. The RN's vice-president, Sebastien Chenu, added before the vote that his party would judge the government "not by its words, but by its actions". Tanguy warned, however, that the RN might still come for Bayrou over his budget for 2025, which is overdue after the previous government of Michel Barnier was toppled over its austerity plans. The new government's budget announcement would be a "moment of truth", Tanguy said. - 'Another path' - The near-certainty of defeat as the vote neared did little to diminish LFI's combativity. "Mr Prime Minister, the days of your government of unhappiness are numbered," said LFI coordinator Manuel Bompard as the debate on the no-confidence motion began. "And when it falls, the monarch will follow," he said, in a reference to President Emmanuel Macron, who only last month appointed Bayrou as France's fourth prime minister within a year. Bayrou, meanwhile, accused the hard left of trying to take France down the path of "infighting". The prime minister welcomed the decision of the Socialists to deny the LFI motion their backing, despite having been allied with the LFI since last year's general election. The Socialists' defection showed that "another path towards understanding is opening up", Bayrou said. The LFI's firebrand leader Jean-Luc Melenchon on Thursday evening vented that Bayrou "has just scored a point" thanks to "those who are running the Socialists today and have weakened us". But he denied that the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) alliance had cracked despite the Socialists' refusal to back toppling Bayrou. For their part, the Ecologists and Communists, who are both part of the NFP, made it clear that they intended to continue discussions with the government despite voting in favour of the motion. The no-confidence vote won the backing of 131 deputies, well short of the 288 it needed to pass. French politics was plunged into chaos last year when Macron called an election to break political deadlock but the vote returned a hopelessly divided lower chamber. Macron has acknowledged his decision to dissolve the National Assembly had led to "divisions" and "instability". Constitutional rules mean new legislative elections cannot be called until July. burs-jh/phz/sbk/bc KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 23:00 | All, World, Japan The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- Ex-MUFG Bank worker evaded access systems in brazen daytime thefts TOKYO - A former MUFG Bank employee who was arrested for stealing gold bars from customer safe deposit boxes is believed to have circumvented an access control system and undertaken the thefts when the bank was both open and closed, an investigative source said Thursday. Yukari Imamura, 46, has told investigators that she turned off the system's power source before entering the safe deposit box room, the source said, a move she likely hoped would conceal her actions. ---------- Trump's pick for top diplomat urges China not to destabilize Asia WASHINGTON - U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state on Wednesday warned China not to further destabilize the Indo-Pacific region, including areas around Taiwan and the Philippines, so that Washington and Beijing can keep cooperating to avoid conflict. In a confirmation hearing for the post, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is almost sure to become the top U.S. diplomat under the second Trump administration, urged China "to stop messing around with Taiwan and with the Philippines, because it's forcing us to focus our attention in ways we prefer not to have to." ---------- S. Korea president's lawyers say he will refuse questioning: reports SEOUL - South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol's defense team said Thursday he will refuse further questioning at the headquarters of the country's anti-corruption body, according to local media reports, a day after he was detained over accusations of inciting insurrection through his declaration of martial law on Dec. 3. The president "fully explained his position" Wednesday, one of his lawyers was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency. Yoon underwent questioning after being transported to the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials, which is leading the probe into Yoon's short-lived imposition of martial law. ---------- Japan hails Israel-Hamas cease-fire deal as key step toward stability TOKYO - Japan on Thursday welcomed a cease-fire and hostage release deal reached between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, describing it as an "important step" toward tackling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and restoring calm to the region. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the agreement should be implemented "steadily and sincerely," adding that Japan will make diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and promote long-term peace and stability in the Middle East. ---------- Baseball: Ichiro joins Japan Hall of Fame before U.S. announcement TOKYO - Ichiro Suzuki, who had a total of 4,367 hits between Japan and the United States, was announced as one of the newest members of the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame on Thursday. The former Seattle Mariners outfielder was elected in his first year of eligibility in Japan before the U.S. National Baseball Hall of Fame announces its new members Tuesday, from a slate of candidates among recently retired players, including him. ---------- Osaka Expo participating countries question ticket booking system HIMEJI, Japan - The advance reservation system for admission to the World Exposition in Osaka starting in April was one of the key issues raised at a meeting of participating countries and companies held in western Japan, officials said Thursday. The two-day meeting in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture came as advance ticket sales remained slower than organizers expected at 7.5 million tickets as of early January, short of their target of 14 million. ---------- Lao PM to visit Japan next week as diplomatic ties mark 70th anniv. TOKYO - Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone is scheduled to visit Japan early next week, the government in Tokyo said Thursday, as the two nations mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. During his planned three-day visit from Tuesday, which will mark his second trip to Japan as prime minister of Laos, Sonexay is set to meet with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba, according to the government. ---------- Japan mission to NATO launches in Brussels as separate entity BRUSSELS - The Mission of Japan to NATO was officially launched Wednesday in Brussels, separating its function from the Japanese Embassy in Belgium. The move comes as Japan, which established its mission to NATO in 2018, seeks to boost cooperation with the alliance amid China's growing military assertiveness and Russia's prolonged invasion of Ukraine. Video: Prestigious Akutagawa and Naoki literary prize winners announced in Tokyo Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy China-based RedNote has experienced a huge surge in downloads from users in the US and worldwide as the 19 January deadline for the US TikTok ban approaches. The app, a mix of Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, is one of the most popular in China and reached the top spot in the UK app download charts this week. Those migrating to the platform, officially called Xiaohongshu, or Little Red Book, have been warmly welcomed. Chinese and Western users collaborate on the app, teaching each other English or Mandarin, helping with homework, or sharing jokes about the looming TikTok ban. TikTok will disappear from Apple and Android app stores on Sunday unless its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, either sells the app to an approved buyer or convinces the US Supreme Court to delay the ban. The ban stems from national security concerns, with lawmakers claiming that ByteDances ties to the Chinese Communist Party could enable spying or political manipulation through users feeds. Both TikTok and ByteDance have strongly denied the allegations and mounted several legal challenges against the bill. But even if the ban is enforced, is it simply pushing users toward another app with similar risks? open image in gallery Both TikTok and ByteDance have strongly denied the allegations and mounted several legal challenges against the bill. ( Getty Images ) Like TikTok, RedNote is owned by a Chinese company, Xingyin Information Technology. Chartered security expert James Bore says that, like most social media platforms, RedNote prioritises growth and engagement over user privacy. However, the platforms governance under Chinese law sets it apart. The difference is that China has a law that the government must have a stake in companies, he told The Independent. This is not a secret, its written into Chinese law so that they can overrule things and make sure theres nothing that threatens the Chinese state. Thats a level of interference in companies that were not really used to in the West. Cybersecurity expert Rob Pritchard added: I doubt there is a particular risk to individuals, but the broader implications are interesting. Its not the effect the US government wanted to achieve, Im sure. When users sign up for RedNote, they must accept terms and conditions presented only in Mandarin, leaving many unaware of what theyre agreeing to. I saw the terms and conditions for this app and I just clicked it. I didnt even try to read that, said new RedNote user Kelsey Higginbottom in a clip. open image in gallery Like TikTok, RedNote is owned by a Chinese company, Xingyin Information Technology. ( Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images ) Translated sections reveal strict content rules, banning anything that destroys the unity of the nation-state, violates the bottom line of the socialist system, or edits the vision of the nation. TikTok was run out of the US for the most part so it conformed to Western norms, Pritchard said. You could have talked about things like Tiananmen Square but you cant do that on RedNote. The content and speech people from the West put on there will be subject to the same controls that you see in China. He added: You probably will be exposed to some kind of propaganda in the sense you will only see the Chinese state line which is very controlled. Even with all the arguments weve had over censorship of Twitter it is still not controlled in the same way the Chinese government controls censorship. open image in gallery Translated sections reveal strict content rules, banning anything that destroys the unity of the nation-state, violates the bottom line of the socialist system, or edits the vision of the nation. ( Getty Images ) Western users posting prohibited content are unlikely to face legal repercussions, but their accounts may be banned. Meanwhile, the influx of Western users appears to have raised concerns within China itself. On Wednesday, RedNote released an update allowing users in China to browse the app without seeing content from outside the region. It seems they dont want cultural contamination. That reason is hypothetical, but the update has gone out, Bore said. He added that the update is currently optional but could be made automatic in the future. RedNote collects personal data, including location, browsing activity, and device-specific information like IP addresses, and can share this data with third parties or government authorities. Experts note that this practice is not unusual for social media platforms. RedNote is broadly as safe as much as any other social media platform, Bore said. Pretty much all of them are established with not being concerned with users privacy and welfare. So yes, there have been concerns about TikTok and RedNote, but the same concerns apply to pretty much every other platform out there too. KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 13:00 | All, World, Japan Japan on Thursday welcomed a cease-fire and hostage release deal reached between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, describing it as an "important step" toward tackling the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and restoring calm to the region. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said the agreement should be implemented "steadily and sincerely," adding that Japan will make diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and promote long-term peace and stability in the Middle East. "We have been calling for improvements to the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip and the easing of tensions. The agreement is an important step toward the goal," Hayashi, the top government spokesman, said at a regular press conference. The three-phase deal, announced by the United States and Qatar, is set to come into force Sunday. It aims to put an end to the conflict in Gaza, which started after Hamas launched an attack in Israel and took hostages in October 2023, prompting massive Israeli retaliation. Hayashi said the Japanese government highly values the contributions of all parties involved in facilitating the deal, including the United States, Egypt and Qatar. "We will actively engage in international efforts to improve the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, as well as its reconstruction and governance," while staying in close contact with relevant parties, Hayashi said. The cease-fire deal came days before U.S. President Joe Biden is due to be replaced by Donald Trump early next week. A senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said, "The role played by the United States was significant. We hope the situation in the Middle East will stabilize." Related coverage: Israel, Hamas agree to cease-fire deal Japan emperor calls for unity in 2025 in face of ongoing challenges A potential $254 billion mega-merger between Rio Tinto and Glencore would create a mining behemoth with a powerful position in the crucial copper market, but any such deal could face challenges from regulators and environmentally conscious investors, analysts said. Rio Tinto shares fell 0.7 per cent to $118.74 on Friday, after Bloomberg reported that Rio had been involved in early-stage merger talks with Glencore, a deal that would create a mining superpower. Its unclear if the talks remain active, as Rio and Glencore both declined to comment, and analysts said the report of the early-stage talks was a surprise. But industry observers said copper a vital mineral for the green energy transition - would have been a key part of the talks. A deal would potentially create a $US158 billion behemoth to leapfrog longstanding industry leader BHP, which is worth about $US126 billion. Credit: Getty If the giants did merge, the combined business would leapfrog BHP worth $203 billion to become the worlds largest mining company, and the second largest copper producer. In a sea of dandies bobbing beneath felt fedoras in Florence, at the most influential menswear event on the fashion calendar, two Australian labels are preparing to sink or swim. At Pitti Uomo this week, veteran Sydney tailor Joe Farage and Melbourne menswear designer Kerrin Schuppan are playing David to immaculately dressed Goliaths in double-breasted suits from Londons Savile Row, Milan and Paris. For mens fashion, this is the mecca, says Farage. Everyone here has such an individual style. I have travelled to Pitti Uomo for years seeking inspiration, but this is the first time I have been on the other side, and taken a collection. Sydney tailor and Two.One designer Joe Farage at Pitti Uomo 2025, held in Florence, Italy. The style of Pitti peacocks, with exquisitely knotted ties and perky pocket handkerchiefs, can be intimidating. The Italians have a word for this casual elegance: sprezzatura. (A step-up from the closest Australian word: snazzy.) Advertisement Afterwards, a young church member drove his car at us, stopping centimetres from our shins. The following morning, we received a legal letter accusing us of trespass. Thus motivated, I embarked on what turned out to be a long career of writing about Hales, his world-wide flock and the political influence they like to wield under the radar. It led to a book, Behind the Exclusive Brethren, and plenty more legal threats. One in 2015, from another Sydney solicitor, described me as a professional defamer of members of the Exclusive Brethren church, including Mr Hales. Exclusive Brethren gather at a Universal Fellowship meeting with Bruce Hales in Ermington, NSW, in April, 2024. The man pictured is not Bruce Hales. Credit: Rhett Wyman That letter came after Id sent questions to Hales about his preaching that a mentally troubled young member of his flock, Braden Simmons, should kill himself. He might as well get a shot of whats the best thing to kill you quickly? ... whats the stuff? Cyanide? No, not cyanide, Hales told his global audience. Arsenic. How do you get arsenic into you? ... hed be better to take arsenic, or go and get some rat poison or something, take a bottle of it. Loading In Hales eyes, Simmons crime was sending occasional emails to his sister, who had left the Brethren fold. Simmons had breached the doctrine of separation. After I published that story, the Brethren circulated their monthly Prayer Agenda, asking the saints to pray that: Journalists who are publishing defamatory material against Christians may be silenced. Advertisement Other letters have warned me off breaching Victorias racial and religious tolerance act and of defaming the churchs schools, which receive $40 million a year in federal funding. Twice the church acted on its threats and took legal action. Both lawsuits came after I wrote in 2016 about how it had covered up the sexual abuse of children. One of the sources for that story was the churchs former spokesman, Tony McCorkell, who went on the record to admit hed done some of the dirty work involved in the cover-up. Former Exclusive Brethren spokesman, and whistleblower, Tony McCorkell. Credit: Paul Harris As those cases against me and The Age and Herald made their way through the courts, Australian Brethren assemblies prayed for the removal the deaths of McCorkell and me. But in case Gods wrath was not enough to tip the scales, the PBCC also took earthly precautions. It paid McCorkell to stay silent. Three days after the defamation writ lodged, a senior church elder, now its spokesman, Lloyd Grimshaw, signed an agreement to pay McCorkell $920,000 over 10 years to keep his mouth shut. Impatient for the money, McCorkell renegotiated the deed for cash upfront and received $275,000. It prevented him from providing any information about the church to one person me, Michael Bachelard. It also purported to prevent McCorkell from giving evidence in the defamation case. Advertisement When I approached the Brethren for comment on the story at the time, they responded with, predictably, a legal warning this one suggesting I might be in contempt of court. I wrote about the payment anyway and the other bribes proposed by the church over the years to keep me quiet. The court case was ultimately settled. A church spokesman now says they have never paid anyone to not speak to anyone else, and that the deal with McCorkell was for services. Worse was to come, though. One morning a couple of years after that story, I opened a parcel mailed to me at The Age office. Inside was a small, blonde female doll. Its head had been ripped from its shoulders. It came with a note which named the victim survivor of the sexual abuse Id written about and said she had BETTER NOT. I can only surmise that the young woman was contemplating further legal action against the church over her treatment. The PBCC is not part of the national redress scheme for victims of institutional sexual abuse, so suing would have been her only option for compensation. I reported the apparent death threat against the woman to the police. I still do not know if anyone was found responsible. An apparent death threat mailed to Michael Bachelard after he wrote about how the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church covered up child sexual abuse. The note had the name of a victim-survivor on it. Weve obscured it for legal reasons. Credit: Michael Bachelard The church spokesman said, to his knowledge, the police had never contacted the church about this threat. They were very sad to hear that something like that may have happened. Leaving the Brethren is a difficult and fearful undertaking. Making accusations against it is even more hazardous. Some former members report being followed by private detectives after they have left. They also have a (very real) fear that their former co-religionists will strip their assets and their families from them. Advertisement Sometimes the PBCC has been able to persuade worldly authorities including police, lawyers and the courts to help them. In recent years in the UK, Europe and New Zealand judges have granted extraordinary powers under whats known as Anton Piller orders, allowing lawyers working for companies owned by senior Brethren members to mount pre-dawn raids on former members. These orders authorise lawyers to force their way into peoples houses, conduct compulsory searches and seize documents and devices. One target of such a raid was Braden Simmons the young man for whom Hales recommended rat poison. By 2020, Simmons had been kicked out of the church and joined his sister in the free world. On July 11 that year, lawyers and IT specialists working for two Brethren-linked business forced their way into his Auckland house. Businessmen, who were also senior elders of the church, had convinced a New Zealand judge that Simmons had hacked their business computers and obtained an archive of confidential notes about church members affairs. He had not. Lawyers and investigators working for the Exclusive Brethren in a predawn raid at the house of former member Braden Simmons in 2020. The raid was an extraordinarily aggressive legal tactic, intrusive and intimidating. The case was settled recently, but the mystery remains whether the worldly courts should have authorised elders of an extremist religious sect to take this extraordinary action against a young man who had escaped it. The church spokesman said the case had nothing to do with the church. Advertisement Virgin Airlines has lost its bid to overturn a ruling by the nations workplace tribunal in which it was found to have unfairly sacked a cabin crew member for consuming a glass of prosecco more than seven hours before his shift. Perth cabin crew member Dylan Macnish was dismissed in February 2024 after being accused of breaching company protocol by consuming alcohol less than eight hours before clocking in to work on a red-eye flight to Sydney an error he self-reported for a shift he had offered to cover. The Fair Work Commission handed down the ruling this week. Credit: The Fiji Times While acknowledging Macnish had breached Virgins policies by not adhering to the eight-hour rule, Fair Work Commissioner Pearl Lim concluded there was no valid reason for him to be dismissed. In making the ruling in August, Lim found the airlines drug and alcohol manual did not contain a blanket prohibition on drinking eight hours before a shift and that Macnish had not breached regulatory guidelines. Record numbers of Victorian families are seeking help with the soaring cost of sending their children back to school this year. As the states 1600 government schools prepare to reopen on January 29, not-for-profit agency State Schools Relief says it has never been busier, as financial pressures and the rising cost of living push back-to-school costs beyond the reach of many families. Charlotte Alilech is struggling to meet the cost of sending her children (from left) Yasin, 17, Sanaa, 10, and Salma, 12, back to school this year. Credit: Wayne Taylor The not-for-profit group says requests for help from families in November and December were up 40 per cent on the same period the previous year, and that demand had not even begun to peak for this years school intake. It is part of a broader long-term trend. State Schools Relief received 56,000 applications for help with school uniforms, shoes and even socks and underwear in 2018. In 2024, the figure had risen by nearly 70 per cent to more than 94,000. Travel quiz: In which Australian state can you visit Wineglass Bay? Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss Rome: Italian prisons must allow inmates to make love to visiting partners, the countrys top court ruled. The Constitutional Court said a prisoners right to have sex with a spouse or partner should only be denied for reasons of security or maintaining order and discipline, or by the danger of the inmate or judicial reasons. One love room would not be enough to cater to the more-than-1000 inmates of Regina Coeli prison in Rome. Credit: AP The ruling triggered calls from rights activists for officials to create love rooms inside prisons for more comfortable conjugal visits. It comes amid wider prison reforms rolled out in Italy by Giorgia Melonis government. Washington: US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both claiming credit for Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal in Gaza after the White House brought Trumps Middle East envoy into negotiations that have dragged on for months. Trump wasted no time in asserting he was the moving force behind the deal, whose final details were still being ironed out, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office. Biden, meanwhile, stressed the deal was reached under the precise contours of a plan he set out in late May. Joe Biden and Donald Trump: The outgoing and incoming US presidents are both keen to be remembered for helping to possibly end the Gaza war. Credit: AP This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signalled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump wrote on social media. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Trump added that his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was participating in the talks in Doha, Qatar, would continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 05:02 | All, World Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire deal, including a release of hostages, U.S. President Joe Biden and the Qatari government, also a mediator in the negotiations, said Wednesday. The three-phase deal, set to begin Sunday with the first part lasting six weeks, is expected to put an end to the conflict in the Gaza Strip that started after Hamas abruptly attacked Israel and took hostages in October 2023, followed by massive retaliatory offensives by Jerusalem. The two sides reached the accord through last-minute negotiations ahead of the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday. "This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity," Biden said in a statement. Biden told a press conference at the White House that the accord was based on an initiative his administration proposed in May last year. The deal includes "a full and complete cease-fire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages," including women as well as elderly and wounded people, Biden said. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase. Biden said Israel will release "hundreds of Palestinian prisoners." Biden said Palestinians will be able to return to their neighborhoods "in all the areas of Gaza" during the first phase. Trump, for his part, promoted his efforts before the cease-fire agreement, saying on his own social media that it "could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November." U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed the cease-fire agreement and commended Egypt, Qatar and the United States for their efforts in brokering it. "I call on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this deal is fully implemented," he said in a statement. Hamas made a surprise attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, leaving some 1,200 people dead and taking hundreds of others captive. Israel immediately launched counterattacks in the Gaza Strip. The death toll in the region has topped 46,000, according to health authorities in Gaza. Related coverage: Japan emperor calls for unity in 2025 in face of ongoing challenges OPINION: Tune in to American populists That there are no winners in war seems particularly apt for Gaza. Another chapter in the tragedy of this troubled place has been written. Hamas has suffered a grievous defeat because of an ill-conceived and brutal terrorist attack against Israel. While its defenders portray themselves as brave fighters, there was no honour in slaughtering unarmed young men and women at a music festival, killing children in cold blood and kidnapping others to subject them to prolonged abuse and trauma in tunnels. Or in parading before leering crowds the lifeless bodies of women they killed and brought back to Gaza. The death of the attacks architect, Yahya Sinwar, alone on a couch among the smoking ruins of a society nearly destroyed by his actions, seemed fitting. People wave Palestinian flags while celebrating the announcement of a ceasefire in Ramallah in the West Bank. Credit: NYT Israel had no choice but to exact a heavy toll on Hamas for its brutality. But in doing so, the nations own international reputation has been damaged. Most right-minded countries and individuals never questioned Israels right to take on Hamas; it was the way it went about it that concerned the international community. Hamas has spent years committing war crimes by building networks of tunnels in and among the civilian population, knowing that civilians would have to die in order to kill Hamas fighters. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus promise to destroy Hamas was an impossible mission and inevitably influenced the way it was conducted. Jeffrey Epsteins once vast estate art, jewellery, lavish properties and investments was meant to be drained by settlements to his many sexual abuse victims and payments to resolve other legal claims. But now it appears that two of his most loyal business associates, who are serving as executors of his estate, stand in line to potentially reap a big benefit. At one point, one of those executors predicted the estate would shrink to less than $US40 million ($65 million) from its original $600 million once all the payments were made. But after a $US111.6 million tax refund from the Internal Revenue Service late last year, the estates assets have swelled to $US145 million, a probate court filing in the US Virgin Islands shows. A villa on Jeffrey Epsteins Little Saint James Island in the US Virgin Islands. Credit: AP And with most large claims against the estate having been settled, that newfound cash isnt likely to make its way to victims of the disgraced financier. Instead some of his assets could be distributed to the co-executors, along with other beneficiaries chosen by Epstein before his death, most of whose identities remain largely shrouded in secrecy. Hyundai Home The Hyundai Home Marketplace is a one-stop shop for Hyundai EV customers home electrification needs. On the Marketplace, customers can arrange for the delivery and installation of their complimentary home EV charger, as well as purchase solar panels and home energy storage systems if they choose. Hyundai Home can help customers live more sustainable lives, lower their energy bills, and make their homes more resilient with solar panels, energy storage systems, and electric vehicle chargers. Hyundai has partnered with Electrum to operate the Hyundai Home Marketplace. This collaboration leverages Electrums home energy expertise and national network of certified installers with Hyundais leadership in electric mobility. Through this partnership, Hyundai customers have access to Electrums Energy Advisors who can help walk them through the entire process, overcome roadblocks and answer any questions, creating a smooth process for going electric. Hyundai Motor America Hyundai Motor America offers U.S. consumers a technology-rich lineup of cars, SUVs, and electrified vehicles, while supporting Hyundai Motor Companys Progress for Humanity vision. Hyundai has significant operations in the U.S., including its North American headquarters in California, the Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama assembly plant, the all-new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, and several cutting-edge R&D facilities. These operations, combined with those of Hyundais 835 independent dealers, contribute $20.1 billion annually and 190,000 jobs to the U.S. economy, according to a recent economic impact report. For more information, visit www.hyundainews.com. Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | TikTok ### [i] Eligible customers who purchase or lease a new 2025 IONIQ 5 vehicle (Vehicle) from a participating Hyundai dealer between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2025 can receive either a hardwired Level 2 ChargePoint Home Flex EV charger (Charger) or a $400 out-of-home charging credit with ChargePoint (Charging Credit). Customer must take delivery of Vehicle from new retail stock and execute lease or purchase contract by December 31, 2025. Charger offer cannot be redeemed in AK. Depending on the offer selected, customer will receive a coupon code for the Charger or Charging Credit. Coupon code will be sent via email within approximately five business days of offer redemption. Customers who select the Charger offer have 60 days from Vehicle lease or purchase contract date (and no later than December 31, 2025) to redeem the Charger offer. Paid installation through Hyundai Home is required to receive the Charger. Hardwired installation of the Charger must be scheduled through the Hyundahttps:// HyundaiHomeMarketplace.com ) and completed within 120 days of Vehicle lease or purchase contract date. Installation is conducted by third party electricians sourced through Hyundai Home and contracted by customers. Initial deposit required and additional costs apply. Hardwired installation available on select residential property only. Customers who select the Charging Credit offer have 60 days from Vehicle lease or purchase contract date (and no later than December 31, 2025) to redeem the Charging Credit offer. Customers will have two (2) years from the date of redemption to use the Charging Credit. Coupon code is non-transferable and not available for cash. See your Hyundai dealer and www.hyundaiusa.com/us/en/ special-programs/hyundai-home- charging-package for full terms and conditions. Offers end December 31, 2025. [ii] Home EV charger is manufactured and offered by third parties. Installation services are provided by third-party electricians sourced through the Hyundai Home service and contracted by customers for their projects. KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 18:50 | World, All U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state on Wednesday warned China not to further destabilize the Indo-Pacific region, including areas around Taiwan and the Philippines, so that Washington and Beijing can keep cooperating to avoid conflict. In a confirmation hearing for the post, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is almost sure to become the top U.S. diplomat under the second Trump administration, urged China "to stop messing around with Taiwan and with the Philippines, because it's forcing us to focus our attention in ways we prefer not to have to." Rubio said China wants to establish preeminence in the region, which will have "historical ramifications" for smaller countries. He asserted that China basically believes "all roads lead back to Beijing," but noted that countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and Vietnam do not view themselves as "tributary states." The 53-year-old Republican, who has served in the Senate since 2011, said that ensuring "a proper geopolitical balance between the United States and China" should be at the core of Washington's strategy to prevent any sort of conflict. His nomination hearing at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee lasted about five hours, during which questions about China dominated. Regarding Taiwan, he said the United States must make China understand that the cost of invading the self-ruled island would be higher than the benefit. "I think that's critical, not just to defending Taiwan (but) to preventing a cataclysmic military intervention in the Indo-Pacific," he said. In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said at a press conference Thursday the United States "needs to have a right perception of China" and urged Washington to "stop its groundless smears and attacks" on Beijing. On Taiwan, Guo called on the United States to "honor its commitment of not supporting Taiwan independence" and "stop interfering in China's internal affairs." Beijing views the democratic island as a renegade province that is to be unified with the mainland, by force if necessary. If confirmed, Rubio, born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, would be the first Latino to assume the post. Known as a prominent hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, he has extensive experience on diplomatic and intelligence issues, including being a longtime member of the Senate committee. Unlike many of Trump's Cabinet nominations, Rubio's selection is uncontroversial and has won backing even from Democrats, making him likely to win confirmation without a hitch. In his opening statement at the committee, he underscored that prioritizing U.S. national interests above all else is not a stance of isolationism. "While America far too often continued to prioritize the global order above our core national interests, other nations continued to act the way nations have always acted and always will, in what they perceive to be in their best interest," he said. "We welcomed the Chinese Communist Party into the global order, and they took advantage of all its benefits...(and) ignored all its obligations and responsibilities," he said. "Instead, they have repressed and lied, cheated and hacked, and stolen their way to global superpower status, and they have done so at our expense and at the expense of the people of their own country," he added. Related coverage: Chinese Premier Li welcomes visit by Japan PM Ishiba to China: lawmaker Japan working toward Ishiba-Trump meeting in U.S. before mid-February FOCUS: China to weather Trump tariffs, seek better ties with Japan in 2025 By Akbar Novruz Inara Valiyeva, the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, has been dismissed. The agency announced that Farid Osmanov has been appointed as her replacement. Prior to this appointment, Osmanov served as an advisor to the minister and previously held the position of General Director of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) from 2020 to 2024. Osmanov graduated with honors from the Faculty of Finance and Credit of the Azerbaijan State University of Economics (UNEC), earning both bachelor's and master's degrees. He also completed a degree in information technologies in the world economy from the Faculty of Informatics and Management at UNEC and later obtained a master's degree from the University of Manchester, UK. In 2019, he was awarded the "Progress" medal in recognition of his contributions to the development of banking and to mark the 100th anniversary of central banking in Azerbaijan. KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 12:00 | Japan, All, World The U.S. government said Wednesday it has approved the sale to Japan of additional air-to-surface missiles and related equipment for an estimated cost of $39 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the plan concerning the extended-range standoff missiles, also known as JASSM-ER, earlier in the day. In the face of rising security challenges posed by China and North Korea, Japan has been beefing up its defense capabilities. Such missiles are capable of targeting adversaries from outside their strike range. In late 2022, Japan updated its key defense documents to acquire so-called counterstrike, or enemy base strike, capabilities in a major policy shift under the country's war-renouncing Constitution. The approval came after the Japanese government asked to buy up to 16 of the missiles, according to the agency. "This proposed sale will support the foreign policy goals and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region," it said in a statement. The missiles will be mounted on Japan's Air Self-Defense Force F-15 and other fighter jets. Related coverage: South Korea, U.S., Japan run joint air drills after North Korea ICBM launch Japan working toward Ishiba-Trump meeting in U.S. before mid-February North Korea claims successful test-firing of new hypersonic missile KYODO NEWS - Jan 16, 2025 - 22:48 | All, Japan A former MUFG Bank employee who was arrested for stealing gold bars from customer safe deposit boxes is believed to have circumvented an access control system and undertaken the thefts when the bank was both open and closed, an investigative source said Thursday. Yukari Imamura, 46, has told investigators that she turned off the system's power source before entering the safe deposit box room, the source said, a move she likely hoped would conceal her actions. Imamura was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing around 20 kilograms of gold bars worth around 260 million yen ($1.6 million) deposited by two male customers at the bank's Nerima branch in Tokyo around September. MUFG, the main banking unit of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc., said Thursday that Imamura stole assets, including cash and gold bars, worth around 1.4 billion yen from the safe deposit boxes of some 70 customers at two of its branches. It has compensated 40 customers a total of some 700 million yen to date and is considering filing a damages lawsuit against Imamura. Police are continuing their investigations and estimate the total market value of the stolen items to exceed 1.7 billion yen. Imamura, who has admitted to stealing the gold bars, is believed to have incurred significant losses from foreign exchange margin trading and on horse racing, according to police. MUFG has decided to cut 30 percent of CEO Junichi Hanzawa's salary for three months over Imamura's actions. Chairman Naoki Hori and three other executives will also be subject to pay cuts as a disciplinary measure, the bank said. The bank also intends to install security cameras in rooms containing safe deposit boxes, as well as make its screening process for promotions to managerial positions more stringent. Imamura, who was an acting branch manager, managed safe deposit boxes and is believed to have accessed spare keys stored in sealed envelopes at the Nerima branch and then resealed them with glue. Although a large portion of her alleged thefts were committed after bank counters closed at 3 p.m., there were occasions she is believed to have stolen during bank hours, according to the investigative source. She also allegedly took photos of the safe deposit boxes prior to opening them so she could return them to their original state, with around 800 such images found on her phone, the source said. Related coverage: Former MUFG Bank staff member arrested over safe deposit box thefts Japan's MUFG Bank suffers online banking glitch, hints at cyberattack Judge on loan to Financial Services Agency suspected of insider trading Universities are custodians of our knowledge, collectiveness, culture Our Correspondent BILASPUR, Vice-President of India Jagdeep Dhankhar honoured the students who achieved academic excellence in undergraduate, postgraduate and diploma examinations for the academic years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 during the 11th convocation ceremony in Guru Ghasidas Central University (GGCU) here on Wednesday. Governor of Chhattisgarh Ramen Deka, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, National Secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas, New Delhi Atul Kothari and Chairman of AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) Professor TG Sitharam graced the occasion as distinguished guests. The Vice-President also planted saplings in memory of his late mother Kesari Devi at the university premises. Additionally, research scholars who qualified for their PhD degrees between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024 were also awarded. The convocation conferred PhD degrees on 122 research scholars and gold-plated medals on 157 students. The medals included University Medals, Chancellors Medals, University Medals and Donor Medals. In lines with Indian cultural heritage, the convocation featured traditional attire. To highlight the local culture of Chhattisgarh, special emphasis was placed on the use of Kosa fabric. Separate attire was designated for the dignitaries in the ceremonial procession, gold medalists and PhD awardees. Addressing the gathering Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar congratulated all the students and wished them for their future endeavour. He said that the significant achievement of the students were proof of their hard work, dedication and academic excellence. He said that universities are more than just institutions. Universities are the custodians of our knowledge, collectiveness and culture. There are places where history is preserved and literature analysed with connecting students to diverse fields of thought and enriching ideas about humanity. The education policy of the Government represents a vision and aims to equip the youths with skills and knowledge to move ahead in an increasingly dynamic world. For Chhattisgarh, this policy brings a wave of progressive reforms and is set to have a profound impact on our educational institutions. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai told that the curriculum run in the university should not only be dynamic and responsive to emerging trends and technologies but should also include the rich heritage of Indian tradition to contribute to the overall development of our state and nation. India has always been a world leader in the field of knowledge and we have to strive to bring universities back to that reputation. The education policy has been formulated keeping in mind the future scenario. He said that the university has grown rapidly opening opportunities for growth and advancement in higher education as well as the legal field. Vice-Chancellor Alok Kumar Chakrawal presented the annual report of the university. Dignitaries including Governor Ramen Deka, Union Minister Tokhan Sahu, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, MLAs Amar Agarwal, Dharamlal Kaushik, Dharamjit Singh and Sushant Shukla, Chairman of District Panchayat Arun Singh Chauhan, Divisional Commissioner Mahadev Kavre, Inspector General of Police Dr Sanjeev Shukla, District Collector Awanish Sharan, Superintendent of Police Rajnesh Singh, professors, lecturers, students besides others were present on the occasion. We are fighting Indian state Rahuls remark triggers row NEW DELHI : Rahul has exposed Congs ugly truth, says BJP Gandhi and his ecosystem have close links with urban Naxals, says Nadda What for are you carrying a copy of the Constitution in your hand?, asks Nirmala Rahul declared an open war. This is straight out of George Soross playbook, says Malviya Rahul should focus on his own mental well-being, suggests Hardeep Puri CONGRESS leader Rahul Gandhis remarks that we are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself triggered a row on Wednesday with the BJP claiming that the Congress ugly truth has been exposed by its own leader and that his statement was straight out of George Soros playbook. Addressing party leaders after the inauguration of the Congress new headquarters at 9A, Kotla Road here, Gandhi said, Do not think that we are fighting a fair fight. There is no fairness in this. If you believe that we are fighting a political organisation called the BJP, that we are fighting a political organisation called the RSS, you have not understood what is going on. The BJP and the RSS have captured every single institution of our country. We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian state itself, he said. Reacting sharply against Rahuls statement, BJP President J P Nadda claimed that the Congress ugly truth has been exposed by its own leader. Nadda alleged on X that it is not a secret that Gandhi and his ecosystem have closelinks with urban Naxals and the deep state who want to defame, demean and discredit India.Hesaid,Gandhis repeated actions have also strengthened this belief. Everything he has done or said has been in the direction of breaking India and dividing our society, Nadda said. I compliment Mr. Rahul Gandhi for sayingclearlywhat the nation knows- that he is fighting the Indian state! he said. The BJP President charged that the Congress has a history of encouraging forces that want to weaken India. Hitting back at Nadda, Congress media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said, Nothing is more rotten thanyoucalling theideology of Gandhi and the ideology that freedIndia from the tyrannicalBritishrule.Time is up for the Rotten Secret Society. Tagging a video clip of Gandhis remarks, Union Minister and seniorBJPleader NirmalaSitharamansaid,The LoP, who was sworn in by taking oath on the Constitution, is now saying, We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself. So, @INCIndia and @RahulGandhi, what for are you carrying a copy of the Constitution in your hand? Sharing a video clip of Gandhis remarks, BJP IT departmentheadAmitMalviya said, Rahul Gandhi has now declared an open war against the Indian State itself. This is straight out of George Soross playbook. Meanwhile, UnionMinister HardeepSinghPurihit back at RahulGandhi, suggesting that Gandhi should focus on his own mental well-being. Tell him to go get his mentalstabilitychecked,Puri said tersely, without elaborating further on the context of Gandhis remarks 77th Army Day Capable to deal with any situation: Army chief By Kunal Dutt and Sandip Kolhatkar : PUNE ARMY Chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday said the situation along the northern border is stable but at the same time sensitive, asserting that whatever was done in Galwan should not get repeated. He also said that his force is fully ready and capable to deal with any situation. In his address at the 77th Army Day celebrations here, the Army chief underlined that special attention has been given to develop modern equipment and critical infrastructure at the northern border. We have to make sure that whatever was done in Galwan should not get repeated, he told reporters after the 77th Army Day celebrations here. It means our eyes and ears and a whole-of-nation approach should be focussed towards that. Whether its a diplomatic effort or military effort or even MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs), in terms of CAPF effort, we all should converge on this issue and make sure that we should not get any such surprises in the future, the Army chief said. The eastern Ladakh military stand-off between India and China began in May 2020 and a deadly clash at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in ties between the two neighbours. To a query about the situation along the northern border, he said, The northern borders are safe because the Indian Army is sitting there with required deployment to hold the fort. An agreement was recently firmed up between India and China on patrolling and disengagement of troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, a breakthrough to end the over four-year stand-off. In his address at the Army Day celebrations here, the Armychiefalsosaid thatceasefire is maintained along the Line of Control (LoC) but attempts to infiltrate continue. Sustained efforts by security forces in the inner areas of Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in decrease in violence there. We will continue on the path to make the Indian Army a modern, agile, adaptable, technology-enabled and a capable force in the future, General Dwivedi said. The parade saw the display of some of the cutting-edge platformsoftheArmy,a fly-past by three Su-30 aircraft, beside severalmarchingcontingents. An all-girl contingent of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) and an all-woman Agniveer contingent of the Corps of Military Police (CMP) Centre and School, and 12 marching roboticmules registered their presence in the Army Day Parade for the first time. The Army chief said the 77th Army Day Parade taking place in Puneholdsspecialsignificance as it has been a place of valour since the Maratha rule. PLAN TO TAKE ARMY DAY PARADE CELEBRATION TO SMALLER CITIES: CHIEF of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi on Wednesday said they areplanning to take the Army Day Parade event to smaller cities andhaveshortlistedGuwahati, Jabalpur, Jaipur andBhopal for consideration aspossible venues. GAZA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 Palestinians were killed and many others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, hours after Qatar announced a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which takes effect on Sunday. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense, said Israeli warplanes had intensified raids across multiple areas of Gaza. One strike, near the Engineers' Syndicate in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of western Gaza City, killed 18 people and injured 20 others. He added that seven Palestinians were killed in a strike on a house in northern Gaza, and another one targeting a home in the Al-Daraj area in eastern Gaza City resulted in three more deaths. In addition, local sources at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, reported two fatalities in an attack on a house in the Qizan Rashwan area south of the city. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the recent attacks. The airstrikes followed an announcement by Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Wednesday evening that Hamas and Israel had reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, along with a deal for hostage release. This agreement marks a breakthrough after about 15 months of devastating conflict. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has waged a large-scale war against Hamas in Gaza, resulting in over 46,000 Palestinian deaths to date. The conflict began after a Hamas attack on southern Israel that killed around 1,200 people and the taking of about 250 hostages. Alerted by cops about possible attack, youthmurdered by rivals Deceased Karan Naynewkar Staff Reporter : Detained on December 31 by Dhantoli Police after receiving intelligence about a possible attack, a youth was murdered by his rivals on Wednesday. Since his release the next day, the cops were protecting him for the last one month. After losing his father during Diwali, the youth was involved in frequent quarrels with the accused as he was suspecting their involvement in his fathers death. The deceased was identified as Karan alias Lucky Rajesh Naynewkar (21), a resident of Takiya Dhantoli, Zenda Chowk. The accused have been identified as Kunal Raut, Kunals wife, Kunals maternal uncle Rupesh, and Yogesh Kowe. According to police, Karan was living with his mother Kanchan (45) and younger brothers Himanshu (18) and Sachin (14). Since his fathers death, Karan had suspected involvement of the accused persons, and frequently quarreled with them. On Tuesday night, after dinner, Karan got into an argument with Yogesh Kowe on the ground near the Gymkhana Club. During the quarrel, Kunal, his wife, and uncle arrived at the scene. Himanshu also rushed to the spot and tried to intervene. However, the accused began attacking Karan. They stabbed him mercilessly and even struck him on the head with bricks. They also attempted to attack Himanshu and his friend. Himanshu and his friend fled the scene. Upon their return, they found Karan lying in a pool of blood with stab wounds to his stomach. They rushed Karan to a hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. Offences of murder and common intention under the BNS were registered by Dhantoli Police against the accused persons. Further investigations are on. Devotees at Maha Kumbh brave biting cold to take holy dip MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, BRAVING the biting cold, devotees brimming with energy and enthusiasm converged at the Triveni Sangam to take a holy dip at the Maha Kumbh on Wednesday. Chants of Har Har Mahadev, Jai Shri Ram and Jai Ganga Maiyya were heard as the devotees took a dip in the bone-chilling water. It was for the first time that I took a dip in Sangam. After taking the dip, I really felt refreshed, said Nibar Chaudhary, a resident of Uttar Pradeshs Basti district. The 62-year-old was escorted by two persons, as he walked towards the Sangam area to take a dip. Shivram Verma, who accompanied Chaudhary, said that his experience was good, adding the administration here has made proper arrangements for the devotees. Lucknow resident Nancy, who came here for the first time, echoed similar sentiments. My experience at the Maha Kumbh has been good so far, she said. Abhishek, a resident of neighbouring Fatehpur district, said the overall experience was good and added that he did not face any problems. Vijay Katheria, a resident of Kanpur, lauded the security arrangements made at the Maha Kumbh. My experience was good. Proper safety arrangements were made for the devotees and adequate police force was maintained from the security point of view, he said. Despite Wednesday being a non-major bathing day, the religious from across the country and abroad gathered here in large numbers to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela taking place in the vicinity of Sangam - the confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. Kaushambi resident Mahesh Pasi, who took the holy dip along with his brother Naresh and other family members, said that his family decided to come here after Makar Sankranti due to the cold weather. Initially, the children in our family wanted to take a dip at the Sangam on Paush Purnima and Makar Sankranti, but the elders suggested that staying there under the prevailing cold weather may result in children falling ill and the massive turnout of people will also result in family members getting separated from one another. So, it was decided that we will come a day after Makar Sankranti, he said. He added that this family would come here again if the weather condition improves on Basant Panchami. Mohit Kumar, a resident of Sitapur district, said that he had planned to come here with his sisters. But unfortunately two weeks ago, my grandmother broke her leg. So, my sisters have postponed their plans for the time being. Hopefully, they will be able to take a dip either on Basant Panchami or on the day of Maghi Purnima, said Kumar, who works in Lucknow. Gonda resident Sushil Kashyap, who came here with his family members late Tuesday night, said that they had the privilege of taking a dip during sunrise. However, we were not able to offer our pranaam (salutation) to the Sun God in person as the sky was cloudy. But we did perform the puja as per the timing mentioned in the panchaang (traditional Hindu calendar), he added. Earlier on Tuesday, the seers belonging to various akharas took the first Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh on the occasion of Makar Sankranti. Around 3.5 crore devotees took a dip in the Triveni Sangam on Makar Sankranti. Leading most of the akharas were ash-smeared Naga sadhus, who mesmerised the onlookers with their mastery of traditional weapons. From skilfully wielding spears and swords to energetically playing the damru, their demonstrations were a vibrant celebration of age-old traditions, an official statement said. In addition to the male Naga sadhus, female Naga ascetics were also present in significant numbers. The present edition of the Kumbh is being held after 12 years, though seers claim the celestial permutations and combinations for the event are taking place after 144 years, making the occasion even more auspicious. 21-member team from 10 countries to take holy dip today MAHAKUMBH NAGAR, Jan 15 (PTI) AS THE ongoing Maha Kumbh captures global attention, a 21-member delegation from 10 countries invited by the Centre will take a sacred dip at the Sangam on Thursday, the Uttar Pradesh Government said on Wednesday. The international delegation includes representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The delegation has been invited by the MEA. Arrangements for the delegations stay have been made at the Tent City in Arail, developed by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation, it said. On Wednesday, the delegation will tour the Maha Kumbh Mela area. A heritage walk, scheduled from 5 pm to 6:30 pm, will allow members to explore the cultural and historical heritage of Prayagraj. In the evening, dinner and rest arrangements will be provided at the Tent City, the Government said in a statement. The international delegation will take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam at 8 am on Thursday. ED arrests ex-Cgarh Minister Lakhma, son in Rs 2,161 cr liquor scam Former Minister Kawasi Lakhma being taken to the court in Raipur. Staff Reporter Raipur, The ex-Minister, his son were remanded to ED custody until January 21 for further interrogation. ED counsel reveals scam proceeds used for construction of Congress Bhawan, Harish Lakhmas house, and PoC worth Rs 72 crore. Former Chhattisgarh Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhma and his son Harish Lakhma were arrested by the Enforcement Directorates Raipur Zonal Office (ED-RPZO) on Wednesday, in connection with the Rs. 2,161 crore liquor scam. Following their arrest, they were produced before the special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Raipur, which granted the ED a seven-day custodial remand to interrogate the duo until January 21. The ED argued in court that custodial interrogation was essential to unravel the broader financial network of the scam, track the flow of illicit funds, and examine the roles of accomplices. Heavy security was deployed around the ED office at Pujari Park Complex, near Pachpedi Naka in Tikrapara, as well as the court premises, to prevent any disruptions. ED counsel Saurabh Pandey, addressing the media after the proceedings, disclosed damning details about the flow of funds. Arvind Singh (an accused) revealed in his statement that Kawasi Lakhma received Rs 50 lakh per month from the liquor cartel. Another statement from Arun Pati Tripathi, a former IAS officer who is also under arrest, confirmed an additional payment of Rs 1.50 crore per month. This totals Rs 2 crore monthly, and over 36 months, the proceeds of crime amount to Rs 72 crore, Pandey said. Pandey furtherrevealed that excise officers Iqbal Khan and Dewanganadmitted they facilitated thecollectionand transfer of these funds to Lakhma. Searches conducted at the premises of Jagannath Sahu and his son unearthed digital evidence linking Rs 2 crore to the construction of Harish Lakhmas private residence and the Congress Bhawan in Sukma. The funds were disguised as untainted property to evade detection, Pandey added. The ED has also intensified its focus on Lakhmas chartered accountant (CA), who is suspected of laundering the proceeds of crime through complex financial transactions. Despite being summoned, the CA has not yet joined the investigation. An ED official stated, The CAs involvement is pivotal in understanding how the illicit funds were layered and routed. His absence raises concerns abouthisrolein thelarger syndicate. The liquor scam involved systematic bribes collected from distillers to secure contracts through the Chhattisgarh State Marketing Corporation Limited (CSMCL), the state body overseeing liquor procurement and distribution. These bribes were recorded in kuccha entries, informal records maintained to conceal the transactions. In addition, the sale of unaccounted kuccha liquor through state-runoutlets generated significant off-thebooks revenue, enriching syndicatemembers while depriving the state exchequer of substantial funds. ERA OF SPACE START-UPS Pixxel, Digantara satellites launchedto monitor Earth, space objects BENGALURU/NEW DELHI : Pixxel: First private Indian company to have its own constellation of satellites that allows observation of the earth in over 150 bands Digantara: Worlds first commercial satellite for surveillance of objects as small as 5 cm orbiting the earth to ensure safer space operations. TWO Indian space start-ups -- Pixxel and Digantara -- on Wednesday announced the launchof theirsatellitesonboard a SpaceX rocket to closely monitor the Earth and objects orbiting around it, marking a new era for the private firms in the space sector. Pixxel became the first privatecompanyinIndia tohave itsownconstellationof satellites using the cutting-edge hyperspectral frequency that allows observation of the earth in over 150 bands,atechnology that is useful in sectors as diverse as agriculture and defence. Digantara Aerospace announced the launch of the worlds firstcommercial satellite - Space Camera for Object Tracking (SCOT)-for surveillance of objects as small as 5 cm orbiting the earth to ensure safer space operations. Surveillance of outer space or situational space awareness (SSA) is important to ensure the safety of spacecraft as orbits around the earthbecomecrowdedwith artificial satellites aswell as space debris. Pixxels three Fireflies, currently the worlds highest-resolutioncommercial-gradehyperspectral satellites, are six times sharper than the 30-meter standard and are capable of capturing fine details previously invisible to conventional systems. For the first time a 5 meter hyperspectral is available. That is what makes it unique, not just in India, but globally, Pixxel cofounder and CEO Awais Ahmed told PTI. Pixxel plans to launch three more Firefly satellites over the next two months and follow it up with 18 more in future. This milestone by Pixxel, marksa significant step forward, as hyperspectral satellite imaginghas apotentialtoplaya transformative role for many use cases, especially the defence sector. The advanced hyperspectral imaging capabilities of these satellites are poised to unlock new possibilities, Lieutenant General A K Bhatt, Director General, Indian Space Association (ISpA), told PTI. Japan will become country partner of Global Investors Summit: CM Dr Yadav Staff Reporter : Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav announced significant plans and initiatives during a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, highlighting key events and policies for the State. The next Cabinet meeting, dedicated to the 300th birth anniversary of Lokmata Devi Ahilya Bai Holkar, will be held on January 24 in Maheshwar. The Chief Minister also directed exemptions in motor vehicle taxes for the Gwalior Fair and Vikramotsav in Ujjain. Dr Yadav extended his congratulations to the Swami Vivekanand Yuva Shakti Mission, acknowledging its alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modis focus on empowering youth, farmers, women, and the poor. He emphasised the forthcoming implementation of the Garib Kalyan Mission, aimed at uplifting the underprivileged sections of society. Additionally, the Chief Minister revealed that the next Regional Industry Conclave will be held in Shahdol to boost industrial activities and attract investment. He also informed that Japan will be the country partner for the upcoming Global Investor Summit in Bhopal on February 24-25. To further bolster investment opportunities, Dr Yadav announced a planned visit to Japan from January 27 to February 1. In terms of investment policies, Dr Yadav disclosed that 11 departments have been instructed to finalise their investment policies for the Global Investor Summit. Currently, 21 policies are under development, including the Madhya Pradesh Investment Promotion Policy 2025, MP Logistics Policy, and Madhya Pradesh Export Promotion and ODOP Policy 2025. Additionally, the MSME Department is working on the MSME Development Policy 2025, MP Startup Policy, and Land Development Allotment Policy for MSMEs. Special focus will also be given to renewable energy with the MP Pump Hydrostorage Policy 2025, Biofuel Promotion Policy 2025, and MP Urban Gas Distribution Policy 2024. Dr Yadav also highlighted policies designed to accelerate technological growth, including the MP Semiconductor Policy-2025, MP Drone Promotion Policy-2025, and the MP Global Capability Center Policy-2025. These initiatives will facilitate decision-making for investments during the summit. The Chief Minister also mentioned the MP Aviation Policy-2025 and the Madhya Pradesh Tree Plantation Policy-2025, along with policies for medical colleges under Public Health, and tourism initiatives like the Madhya Pradesh Film Tourism Policy-2025. All these policies are being developed with the goal of making investment decisions more efficient and rapid during the upcoming Global Investor Summit. Kite Manjha claims life of 20-year-old student in Indore Himanshu Solanki Senior Special Correspondent : Yet to ascertain whether the string was Chinese or not Despite repeated instructions and advisory issued by authorities, in a tragic incident a 20-year-old died after his throat was slit by a kites string (Manjha) in Indore district, a police official confirmed on Wednesday. The incident took place on Phooti Kothi Bridge under Dwarkapuri police station while the student was riding a bike. A 20-year-old died after his throat was slit by a kites string (Manjha) in Indore district, a police official said on Wednesday. The incident took place on Phooti Kothi Bridge under Dwarkapuri police station while he was riding a bike on Tuesday. The youth was identified as Himanshu Solanki, a resident of Manawar in Dhar district and he was studying as well as working here in Indore, the police told to The Hitavada over phone. He was taken to the hospital in an ambulance but could not be saved. Solanki was a second year BA student. The police reached the spot and also recovered Manjha from the spot. Prima facie it cannot be determined whether or not it was Chinese Manjha. The family members claimed that it was a Chinese Manjha and it should be considered in their statements. After recording their statements, we are going to register a case against an unknown person into the matter and investigate the matter further, the officer said. Three labourers trapped inside well die in Chhindwara Our Correspondent CHHINDWARA, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav expressed grief and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the bereaved families After untiring efforts by the rescue team that lasted for about 22 hours in Khunajhir Khurd village of Chhindwara district, the lives of three workers trapped under the the debris of a well collapse could not be saved. However, the bodies could not be taken out of the well till the filing of this report. The NDRF team was trying to take out the bodies of workers. On the tragedy, Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav has expressed grief and announced financial assistance of Rs 4 lakh each to the families of deceased workers. CM Yadav in a post on X said police, Home Guard personnel and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) team immediately started the rescue work and made every possible effort to bring out the workers safely, but they could not be saved. Sad news has been received about the untimely death of 3 workers in an accident caused by soil collapse during the digging of an old well on a private land in village Khunajhir Khurd under Chhindwara district, he said. Meanwhile, the well deepening work was going on in the field of one Aishrav Vastrane in Khunajhir Khurd village of Chhindwara. For this, the contract was given to the team of Rajasthan and Bhopal. Workers from Raisen and Budhni had come here to work. During the excavation at around 4 pm on Tuesday, debris and stones fell from above. Three workers, including mother and son, were buried under it. The name of deceased are Wasid, son of Kallu Khan, 18 years, resident of Sultanpur, Raisen, Rashid, son of Nanhe Khan, 18, resident of Tulsipar, Budhni and Shahzadi, wife Nanhe Khan, 50, resident of Tulsipar Budhni. A man visits the "23rd Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show" in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 15, 2025. An international textile trade fair has kicked off in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka with the view of displaying cutting-edge technologies and products to global industry insiders. The "23rd Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show" is jointly organized by CEMS-Global USA and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The exhibition, one of the most established and leading international exhibitions focusing on yarn, fabric, trims and accessories, began Wednesday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) and will continue until Saturday. (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) DHAKA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- An international textile trade fair has kicked off in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka with the view of displaying cutting-edge technologies and products to global industry insiders. The "23rd Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show" is jointly organized by CEMS-Global USA and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The exhibition, one of the most established and leading international exhibitions focusing on yarn, fabric, trims and accessories, began Wednesday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) and will continue until Saturday. Over 325 exhibitors from more than 15 countries, deployed at the show's hundreds of booths, have displayed a wide range of fabrics including denim, knitted, woven, printed, and dyed fabrics, and showcased their products and technologies, offering industry insiders a one-stop sourcing platform for all aspects of their business. Anwar Hossain, vice chairman and CEO of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and administrator of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said at the event that its interim government is paving the way for businesses to open new ventures and have more foreign investment partners. Song Yang, economic and commercial counsellor at the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, addressed the event, saying that the year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Bangladesh diplomatic relationship and the China-Bangladesh Year of People-to-People Exchanges. China will work together with Bangladesh and stay committed to the principles of mutual respect, mutual support, equality and win-win cooperation, he said, adding that China will continue to work with Bangladesh on the path to modernization, promote the implementation of the eight major steps to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and carry out the construction of major landmark projects and "small and beautiful" livelihood projects. "We will also encourage more Chinese companies to invest in manufacturing industries and promote the integrated development of the industrial chain and supply chain between the two countries," he said. People visit the "23rd Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show" in Dhaka, capital of Bangladesh, Jan. 15, 2025. An international textile trade fair has kicked off in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka with the view of displaying cutting-edge technologies and products to global industry insiders. The "23rd Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show" is jointly organized by CEMS-Global USA and the Sub-Council of Textile Industry, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. The exhibition, one of the most established and leading international exhibitions focusing on yarn, fabric, trims and accessories, began Wednesday at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) and will continue until Saturday. (Photo by Habibur Rahman/Xinhua) YANGON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from the collapse of a jade mine in Kachin state of northern Myanmar has reached 32 as of Jan. 15, an official from the local administration office told Xinhua on Thursday. "A total of 31 bodies have been recovered after three days of search efforts, and a person who was injured on the first day of the accident has died in the hospital," the official said. Currently, the mud around the buried houses is being cleared, and the roads blocked by the mudslide have now been reopened, the official added. Although some people are still listed as missing, the search operation has been suspended, he said. The fatal incident occurred on Monday after a mud pond in the jade mine area of Hpakant township collapsed. BEIRUT, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Lebanese army has worked to dismantle dozens of Hezbollah military sites and facilities on Thursday and confiscated the weapons inside them, a Lebanese security source told Xinhua. "These weapons are being collected at one of the border points located in the western sector of southern Lebanon," the source added, noting they were "in preparation for destruction under the supervision of the five-member committee supervising the ceasefire agreement." The source said the army, in coordination with the United Nations forces operating in southern Lebanon, has intensified its inspection for Hezbollah military sites south of the Litani River until the area is cleared of weapons and militants. A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hezbollah came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024, bringing an end to the confrontations that erupted between the two sides on Oct. 8, 2023. The agreement stipulates that Israel withdraw from Lebanese territory within 60 days, with the Lebanese army deploying along the Lebanese-Israeli border and in the southern region, assuming security responsibilities and preventing any presence of weapons or militants in the area. However, despite the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army still carries out strikes in Lebanon, some of which resulted in deaths and injuries. Israel also accuses Hezbollah of ceasefire violations. SHANGHAI, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Two major automobile export ports in the Chinese metropolis of Shanghai saw record-high exports of over 1.66 million vehicles in 2024, up 26.6 percent year on year, the local customs bureau said on Wednesday. The Shanghai Haitong International Automotive Terminal is an important port for the overseas business of domestic car manufacturers, and it has had an annual export volume exceeding 1 million vehicles for three consecutive years, according to Shanghai Customs. The Shanghai Nangang port is another important auto import and export hub. The two Shanghai ports epitomized China's booming vehicle exports in 2024. The country's auto exports increased 23 percent year on year to a record high of 6.41 million vehicles last year, according to the General Administration of Customs. *The ceasefire agreement has brought a rare moment of hope for peace to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and the wider Middle East. *The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in Gaza, and facilitating the departure of patients and the wounded to receive treatment. *While the widely-anticipated deal represents a step toward restoring peace in the region, analysts argue that, since it does not address the deep-seated issues fueling the Israel-Palestine conflict, the path to long-lasting peace in the Middle East remains fraught with uncertainty. DOHA/GAZA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been reached, offering a glimmer of hope for ending the 15-month-old bloodshed in the enclave. In a press conference on Wednesday in Doha, where the truce talks were held, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said the agreement, which will take effect on Sunday, includes the exchange of hostages and prisoners and return to sustainable calm that would lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. While the widely-anticipated deal represents a step toward restoring peace in the region, analysts argue that, since it does not address the deep-seated issues fueling the Israel-Palestine conflict, the path to long-lasting peace in the Middle East remains fraught with uncertainty. THREE-PHASED CEASEFIRE According to the mediators, which include Qatar, Egypt and the United States, the agreement consists of three phases towards a "permanent ceasefire between the parties." The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in Gaza, and facilitating the departure of patients and the wounded to receive treatment. Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) The first stage also includes intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, rehabilitating hospitals, health centers and bakeries, bringing in civil defense supplies and fuel, and bringing in shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war. The details of the second and third phases will be announced after the completion of the first phase of the agreement. RARE MOMENT OF HOPE FOR PEACE The ceasefire agreement has brought a rare moment of hope for peace to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and the wider Middle East. "I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza," United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas, urging all parties to ensure the full implementation of the deal. (Photo by William M. Reilly/Xinhua) "This deal is a critical first step, but we must mobilize all efforts to also advance broader goals, including the preservation of the unity, contiguity and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory," Guterres added. Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling for strict adherence to the terms of the agreement. "The agreement must lead to a complete and final cessation of the Israeli war on Gaza," Aboul-Gheit said in a statement. "Many have been hoping for this moment for the past 15 months," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said on X. As the agreement finally came through after multiple rounds of negotiations, Gazans took to the streets to express their excitement and relief over the truce. "Now, we can sleep without fearing more loss," said Fatima Abu Riash, a displaced mother of three from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. As the ceasefire draws near, many Palestinians are remembering their loved ones who lost their lives in the conflict. Ever since Israel launched its large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in response to the latter's sudden attack on the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. "I am grateful for the ceasefire, but I cannot forget those killed or the destruction of my home," Mohammed Abu Ramadan, a father of six from Gaza, said as he joined the street celebrations. CHALLENGES REMAIN The timing of the ceasefire deal coincided with changes in the broader regional landscape, said Nimrod Goren, president of Mitvim, the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies. A woman places a candle amid reports of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, in a square in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Jan. 15, 2025. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal following intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Qatar's prime minister announced on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Chen Junqing) "Israel, having achieved significant military successes against Hezbollah and in Syria, felt more secure in its position. Hamas, facing sustained pressure, likely recognized the need for a temporary reprieve to recalibrate its strategy. These factors, combined with external mediation efforts, created a moment where both sides were more willing to accept terms they had previously rejected," he said. Ismat Mansour, a Palestinian expert based in Nablus, the West Bank, said that the ceasefire agreement could establish initial calm and serve as a first step toward alleviating the grave humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Israeli political analyst Amos Harel wrote in Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the agreement could pave the way for a new political reality in Gaza, potentially involving the moderate Arab states. However, Goren warned that the deal "will not bring an end to the broader conflict," highlighting that "(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's reluctance to fully withdraw from Gaza, as demanded by Hamas, suggests that the ceasefire may be fragile and temporary." A ceasefire in Gaza "does not address the root causes of the conflict," and "a comprehensive peace in the Middle East requires significant progress toward a two-state solution, which the current Israeli government strongly opposes," he said. Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said, "While the deal might temporarily ease tensions, it does not preclude future Israeli actions against Iran." "The parties (Hamas and Israel) still lack trust, and both sides are doing their best to defeat the other, and this would put the deal in danger at any time," noted Mansour. Ghassan Khatib, a professor of international relations at Birzeit University in the West Bank, cautioned, "The real challenges will arise during the implementation of the agreement and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, given the absence of clear arrangements for the political and administrative management of the Gaza Strip, which will further complicate the situation." (Video reporters: Yang Yiran, Wang Shang, Yu Fuqin; Video editors: Yu Jiamin, Zhao Xiaoqing) VIENTIANE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Authorities in northern Laos' Luang Prabang province are hoping to attract at least 2.3 million visitors in 2025, targeting more than 1.2 billion U.S. dollars in revenue. The province expects to attract over 520,000 domestic visitors and over 1.7 million foreign tourists, Lao National Radio reported on Thursday. To reach its goal, the province will upgrade infrastructure and enhance popular tourist attractions, modernizing facilities to improve the overall visitor experience. Tourism authorities are also enhancing the skills of hospitality staff to ensure high-quality services. These efforts aim to strengthen Luang Prabang's status as a top tourism destination in Laos. Luang Prabang province, some 220 km north of Lao capital Vientiane, is one of the most well-known provinces in Laos and a top tourist destination for its old temples, scenic attractions and rural landscapes. The Lao government has recognized tourism as a key economic sector, emphasizing its role in job creation, income generation, and foreign currency inflows, which significantly contribute to the country's economic and social development. Laos is also developing a plan to boost tourism by promoting high-quality, internationally competitive experiences. GAZA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 30 Palestinians were killed and many others injured in Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip, hours after Qatar announced a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, which takes effect on Sunday. Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Palestinian Civil Defense, said Israeli warplanes had intensified raids across multiple areas of Gaza. After leaving the White House, the Biden administration thought for a long time about what to do so that life would not seem like a raspberry to the new president. How would you mess up? Sprinkle broken glass on the path, put a button on the chair, change the password on the nuclear briefcase, or apply universal glue to the door handle? There were many options. But all of them paled in comparison to the degree of harmfulness that the legacy of the strategic partnership with Armenia carried. This was indeed a sophisticated revenge for the lost elections. Now Trump has to live with it. The Charter on Strategic Partnership between Armenia and the United States, signed by Mirzoyan and Blinken in Washington on Tuesday, contains a lot of nonsense that does not deserve attention. Strengthening economic and energy ties, building a "crossroads of the world," nuclear cooperation, and more. Armenia will also help the Americans defeat ISIS, otherwise they cannot cope without it. It will be interesting to see how the "Armenian economic miracle" built on re-export will collapse when the United States begins to control Armenia's imports and exports provided for in the charter. This point is the work of the Americans. But the "crossroads of the world" was squeezed into the charter by the Armenian side, hoping to put pressure on Azerbaijan with American hands on the issue of communications. What and how the Armenians will "cross" with the Americans on this isolated piece of land is their concern. The Biden administration deliberately left this signing for the last days of its stay in the White House, so that it would not have a headache later. The main reason for signing this document was to legalize American military involvement in "strengthening border security." A special group will leave for Armenia next week to strengthen this security. And let Washington just try to dodge what is written in the charter - the diaspora and the lobby will be quickly returned to the right path. Now the Armenians have a paper that they will stick under the nose of the American administration whenever it pays insufficient attention to Armenian interests. It's like a prenuptial agreement that defines the relationship down to the smallest detail, down to the number of, sorry, coitus per week. Recall that the same "prenuptial agreement" was signed by the United States with Georgia in January 2009. And it contained almost the same thing that Blinken and Mirzoyan signed last Tuesday, with the exception of additions made by Yerevan in the form of samples of Nikol Pashinyan's near-political creativity. This is a standard document that, by and large, does not bind the strong party to anything and does not strain it in any way. The weak side gets additional inferiority complexes. It is not serious to talk about an equal partnership between the United States and Armenia. It's generally ridiculous to talk about the upcoming Euro-Atlantic integration. Nevertheless, the Armenian Ambassador to the United States, Lilit Makunts, called for the charter signing day to be declared a holiday. There is a joyful upsurge in the Armenian expert community. According to some, Armenia has taken a historic step in the light of the approaching new world order. It will be great to enter this new world on the shoulders of a superpower and be at the front of the queue when handing out buns. Against the background of the registration of a "marriage" with Washington, Armenia does not even rule out the possibility of returning the Karabakh issue to the international agenda "with a new redistribution of the world." And very unnecessarily. Because Armenia is already too late for the future new world order. Let's say even more. No matter who Yerevan signs charters with, if the current principles on which peace rests are scrapped, if the inviolability of borders ceases to be a fundamental pillar of preventing chaos, Armenia itself will have to urgently start searching for its true historical homeland. As you know, it is located far from the Caucasus. Armenian dreamers appeal to the division of the world conceived in the last century, without taking into account how the world has changed over the decades. They still hope that there will be another "Woodrow Wilson" who will start cutting up borders to please the Armenians, and this process of cutting and sewing will be carried out by her "Christian brothers" and in the interests of Armenia, because she will buy everyone and because she has signed a strategic partnership with the States themselves. As a makeshift state entity that never had real sovereignty for a single day, today's Armenia differs little from Armenia a century ago. But the world around her has changed. It is surrounded by independent, strong countries making their own policies. She was the only one behind the times. Although, I must say, the Armenians have something to be proud of - it started the humiliation of international law. However, the Armenians have failed to properly manage the global support resource they had, and they are somehow keeping afloat today only because someone needs it. Speaking of the new world order. This process began in September 2020 and Azerbaijan started it. He broke all the generally accepted ideas about how a small-power state should behave. According to these ideas, which had the unspoken status of rules, a state from this category does not have the right to liberate its lands without asking permission from the "elders". First, the Powers must weigh their own interests in one outcome or another, and the resolution depends on the results of this weighing. The Karabakh conflict and the occupation of Azerbaijani territories by Armenia were also unleashed with the permission of the world forces, who saw this bloody experiment as beneficial for themselves. The powers needed the conflict, but no one needed de-occupation, on the contrary, it deprived world circles of an instrument of influence on the region. Azerbaijan destroyed all these ideas by liberating its lands after thirty years of occupation. No one expected this, but it happened. The results of the 44-day war and the anti-terrorist operation of September 2023 are already a fait accompli. To the horror of the Armenian side, no one was able to win back the situation. Powerful forces, unceremoniously pursuing their policy as they please, have failed to stop Azerbaijan or force it to leave at least something to the aggressor. Many who had not dared to speak out and defend their rights before asked themselves the question "why was it possible?". It turns out that it is possible. It's just that someone had to have the courage to be the first. So Armenia is already too late to redefine the world. Its main task in changing circumstances should be to take care of the preservation of illegally obtained square kilometers. And for this, Yerevan must behave well. Even Santa Claus only brings gifts to those who have been good all year. Armenia has not yet earned its gift in the form of a peace treaty. And Baku is not a mass worker from the house of culture, in front of which it is enough to read a poem to get a candy. The state of uncertainty and the lack of a delimited border is fraught with great problems for the region. These problems come from Armenia, or rather, from those who stand behind it. In the context of geopolitical perturbations, it is impossible to count on lasting peace at all, and even more so if there are no borders marked by boundary pillars between neighbors. Yerevan is not advised to sign a guaranteed document in order to leave a loophole for the future and try to take revenge under favorable circumstances. Everyone understands perfectly well how this will end for Armenia, but they continue to "amicably" push it towards the abyss. The Biden administration has been doing this for all four years of government, and the Armenians are confident that after signing the charter, Donald Trump will take over the baton. We can say with full confidence that, regardless of who Armenia's ally is and what the new world order will be like, it has only two options. Either it stops its territorial encroachments against Azerbaijan forever, or the Armenians will really have to start searching for their real historical homeland, as we have already noted. Every nation should have a historical homeland, and the Armenian people probably have one somewhere. And if he doesn't want to live in peace and harmony with his current neighbors, let him look for others. Armenia, looking at its patrons, hopes for their protection in the new division of the world, while it is unknown what will happen to these countries themselves. Look, Canada has actually fallen out of the loop. The Armenian theme for Canadians was tied only to Trudeau. This topic will also be removed from the agenda after Macron's expulsion from the post of president of France. And it's really funny to see how some Armenian experts are trying to draw parallels between Donald Trump's statements on Greenland and the Armenian claims on Karabakh. Meanwhile, the agenda of the South Caucasus in the new redistribution of the world, which the neighbors are counting on, will be as follows: any attempts to raise the issue of Karabakh will end very badly for Armenia. Armenia should come to a new world order by sticking to Azerbaijan, not France or charters with an overseas power. This is the only way it can preserve its ephemeral statehood. Although, to tell the truth, why does Armenia need statehood? Our neighbors obviously don't know what to do with it. Those who created this state, apparently, did not attach instructions. NIAMEY, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A dozen "active accomplices of terrorists" have been apprehended, and a significant quantity of weapons have been seized through various operations across Niger, the country's military said Wednesday. Among those arrested, three individuals are suspected of participating in the recent sabotage of the pipeline responsible for exporting Niger's crude oil at Mountseka, located in the Tahoua region, the military said in a news bulletin. Operations carried out between Sunday and Wednesday resulted in the discovery of two improvised explosive devices, it added. Niger is currently grappling with security challenges posed by terrorist organizations operating from neighboring countries, particularly Libya. The situation has worsened since 2011, when a NATO-led military operation toppled Muammar Gaddafi's regime, leaving a security vacuum that terrorist groups have exploited. BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Just days before the potential enforcement of a U.S. government ban on TikTok, American users have responded by migrating to an alternative Chinese social media app -- RedNote. The app, known as Xiaohongshu in China, is a popular lifestyle app where users share their lives and offer tips on travel, fashion and beauty. The app has now become crowded with foreign newcomers, mainly Americans, who call themselves "TikTok refugees," eagerly sharing their lives and interacting with Chinese users. Experts observed that American users have shifted to RedNote as an act of defiance against Washington's action on TikTok. Here is what to know about the migrant phenomenon and why RedNote has gained popularity among Americans. WHAT HAPPENED? As TikTok faces a possible ban on Jan. 19, RedNote has suddenly surged in popularity among American users. The app climbed to the top position on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store on Monday. Within two days, more than 700,000 new users joined RedNote, according to Reuters. The hashtag "tiktokrefugee" garnered over 700 million views and over 10 million comments by Thursday morning. The sudden migration of U.S. TikTok users to RedNote has created a platform for Chinese and American users to directly interact with each other. Many newbies expressed their respect for the user community, while "native" RedNote users warmly welcomed the newcomers and offered useful tips to navigate the app. "I just want to reassure you that we want to try to find a way to communicate with you, and be respectful to your community," one American user said. A playful term -- "cat tax" -- emerged as many Chinese users joked that foreigners must share pet pictures, preferably of cats, as a "tax" to continue engaging on the platform. Foreign users eagerly joined in, posting cat photos with captions like, "Here's me paying my cat tax." Some Chinese pupils even seized the opportunity to ask for help with English homework. The new American users had "unexpectedly created one of the most organic forms of cultural exchange between the U.S. and China we've seen in recent years," CNN reported. "Users are finding creative ways to transcend language barriers, navigate cultural differences, and co-exist in fascinating ways," the report continued, saying this community building happening in real time could have a lasting impact. RedNote "opened my world up to China and its people," said Sarah Fotheringham, a 37-year-old school canteen worker in Utah, as quoted in a BBC report. "I am now able to see things I never would have seen," she said. "Regular Chinese people, finding out about their culture, life, school, everything, it has been so much fun." WHY MIGRATE? One of the biggest reasons is the looming ban on TikTok by the U.S. government. For years, some U.S. politicians have sought to ban TikTok, citing unfounded national security concerns and alleged risks to data privacy. Last year, U.S. Congress passed legislation that would force TikTok's China-based parent company ByteDance to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban. U.S. President Joe Biden signed the legislation into law in April, giving ByteDance until Jan. 19 to divest from TikTok. On Dec. 6, the company lost its first legal challenge when a panel of three federal judges unanimously rejected TikTok's argument that the law violated the First Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to uphold the law and allow TikTok to be banned on Sunday. Anxiously waiting for the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court and any changes the incoming Donald Trump administration might bring, many content creators originally from TikTok have begun to embrace the Chinese platform as a form of protest and an alternative where they can still create content they like and interact with others. Industry insiders say the choice of RedNote is a vivid example of the backlash against U.S. claims of national security, which is probably why many U.S. netizens didn't flock to U.S. apps like Instagram or Facebook instead. "They tried to ban TikTok (for national security concerns), so everybody now goes to an actual Chinese app," said a self-claimed "TikTok refugee" on Xiaohongshu, via a short video post. WHAT'S REDNOTE? Founded in 2013, RedNote initially focused on overseas shopping advice but has since evolved into a comprehensive lifestyle platform that combines elements of Instagram, Pinterest and e-commerce platforms. In recent years, it has become a go-to search engine for its 300 million-plus monthly active users looking for product reviews, travel tips and personal experiences through text, images and short videos. RedNote offers a single version of its app, unlike many other Chinese apps that provide separate versions for local and international users. It primarily serves Chinese-speaking users, with a limited number of users overseas. While users can change the app's language, most of the content to date has been in Mandarin. The platform's success can be attributed to its unique blend of social media and e-commerce features. Users can open their own online shop selling goods through the platform, and others can purchase products directly through the app and post feedback, creating a seamless shopping experience. RedNote's user base consists primarily of young, urban Chinese women, with 70 percent of its users reportedly born after 1990. However, the recent influx of American users has begun to diversify its user demographics. In a post by an American user named Brecken Neumann which has gained over 64,300 likes, he published a photo holding his lovely daughter and wrote: "This is me and my daughter saying hello to all and look forward to all the new friends we make across the sea!" Many Chinese users followed below by welcoming him and posting their own happy family photos. One Chinese user commented, "That's how the world should be." This photo taken on Oct. 19, 2024 shows the floating ice near Nuuk, capital of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory. (Photo by Luo Yizhou/Xinhua) Frederiksen confirmed that Trump did not retract his threats during their conversation. OSLO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen on Thursday described the situation surrounding Greenland as "serious" following a phone conversation with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday. Their 45-minute discussion covered Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, as well as bilateral trade, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Middle East, and NATO. Speaking to reporters after briefing the parliament's Foreign Policy Committee, Frederiksen acknowledged the ongoing tensions over Greenland. "We are in a serious situation," she said. "We are doing everything we can to handle this as wisely and well as possible." Trump said on Jan. 7 that he would not rule out military or economic measures to acquire Greenland and threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark "at a very high level" if it resisted his offer to acquire the territory. Frederiksen confirmed that Trump did not retract his threats during their conversation. Manipur needs to affirm her tribal roots (ST Hills and ST Plains) | Hijam Monarsingh Dallo Rihmo In the passages of the many books that details the account of the authors, one will find curious mention of the Meitei King and his connection to his tribal roots. If Sikhism is the bridge between Hinduism and Islam, then Manipuri, it would seem, is a bridge between the dominant cultures - the Indian and the Asian. An amalgamation of so many influences that shape the mesmerizing culture we know today. Tribal by looks, Hindu by religion, Asian by culture, Hill-men by spirit it seems as though it is a new born civilization, the one we so fondly call The Manipuri. In Manipuri, there is the Shan element, the Burmese, the Hindu influence, the Mosul and predominantly the Tribals. It is in fact, the tapestry of the people that actually makes the capitalImphal. The Mei-teis, it would appear (the amalgamation, & different from Khuman, Moirang or Luwang) are a product of the Shans, and many other people who came across the valley, possibly settling and establishing the kingdom of Manipur, with its center at modern day Imphal. The Meiteis will amalgamate all other chiefdoms in the valley and bring about a uniform language and culture, each clan perhaps contributing an element in the tradition we know today. The Manipur Valley, unlike the hills, is an open space in the midst of the hills. And if history is anything, anytime the valley was in danger or under attack, the population would seek shelter in the hills. This happened even in the AngloManipuri war, and also during the Seven Years devastation, wherein the valley of Manipur underwent massive de- popu- lation. Many of its inhabitants fleeing westward, as far as Sylhet, just like how the current crisis in Manipur is also driving away hordes of its affluent population. Manipur appears to be experiencing this symptom from time to time. The crisis now however, resulting in massive economic repercussions the negation of wealth. The capital in certain years, was recorded to be Keke Moirang. This fact is supported by how the Revivalist centers in Imphal now, confirm that there were many Kanglas in the past, indicating the capital or chiefdoms of each principality. This also tells us the valley of Manipur was a marshy swamp grassland earlier, with parts of the higher ground appearing as habitable dry land (The Kanglas). The Meitei identity is so unique due to the intermingling of different races. They have inadvertently become a new breed of highland people. The younger generations without affinity to its past heritage, Tribal, but unable to come to terms with it. Afterall, the valley is the heart and therein, everyone converges and mingles, resulting in assimilation and leading to her more modern civilized nature. From chaos, conquest and amalgamation to cultural domination and assimilation, and with them, the birth of new surnames within the Meitei Society, losing its old self and reborn into the Meitei fold. The Meitei itself appears a mixed race of which the tribals in the hills are perhaps the most that contributed to the mix (Inter community marriages and inter-tribal marriages). While the occasional dominance of other advanced cultures resulted in paradigm shifts - religion, architecture, rituals, food all these, while maintaining a bit of her former self in the making of the Meitei Culture. The story of Kangla itself is of one, wherein the King moved from the traditional residence of a Naga House into the more Shan-like residence. Its inhabitants later imitating the courtyard-architecture, just like the Shans. From wooden houses to the wattle and doab' as the Ahoms. The similarities, all too telling. Manipur as a Hill State politically should have all its inhabitants designated as Tribals. It is only correct to curb the hardening divide between her own people. There is however, the apprehension from her less-privileged people who live in the hills to this idea. It is only natural to feel so. But laws are made my man and in the course of time and evaluation of what is good and what is wrong, are born ethos and values, that shape the society. For Manipur, perhaps, the arrangement can be made if all Manipuris are recognized as tribals that they are; but to address the competition that may arise, there is a need to differentiate the population into Scheduled Tribe (Hills) and Scheduled Tribe (Plain). (Note : Assam SC & ST (Reservation in vacancies and posts in services) Act, 1978 as amended in 2012.) With the above Act, Assam State has made differentiation in the Tribal groups. It affords inclusive development, but also avoids the competition within the same group. The ST (Plain) would also mean it will have a defined territorial limit, the reservation however, based on their population percentage. It is ideal and can be replicated in the State of Manipur. Perhaps, this needs more deliberation from the stakeholders together to discuss and understand each others problems and apprehensions. Manipur, unlike the other states, have much work to do including introducing a Permanent Land settlement system for her tribals and creation of wealth in the hills. A prosperous hill district is after all a prosperous valley. The growth and development of the hill and valley being interdependent. I pray to all the leaders in the hills and valley, the women and youth, to give peace and development a chance. After all, how long does a man live ? It is in the best interest of all to live a better life. Everyone deserves to live a dignified life. Subsidised flight tickets for all Easing the burden of all | This is perhaps the first time that a State Government has reached out and appealed to the Centre to keep a check on the soaring flight ticket prices and while no one knows whether the Union Civil Aviation Ministry would take heed of the appeal and prevail upon the different private airlines operating on the Imphal sector to keep a check on the ticket fare, it is a profound statement on how hopelessly cut off Imphal is with the rest of the country. And if Imphal has to bear the cost of taking the air route everytime the people need to step outside Manipur, the Kuki-Zo folks have to either travel all the way to Aizawl by road or proceed to either Dimapur or Guwahati to catch a flight to Delhi or Kolkata, to name just two cities. This has been the reality since the evening of May 3, 2023 and the absurdity of it all can be seen in the absence of any worthwhile efforts being taken up to break the ice and put things on track, the track to normalcy. From the moment Manipur went up in flames in the evening of May 3, 2023 thousands of additional troops have been rushed in here but it is more than obvious that the pumping in of thousands of security personnel has not been able to make any difference at the ground level. No Meitei would dare take the Imphal-Dimapur stretch by road and no Kuki-Zo folk would dare to step inside Imphal or any of the valley districts. In fact the buffer zones drawn up under the line, You be in charge of the valley, I will look after the hills is complete in the sense that today Manipur is divided into the areas settled by the Meiteis and the areas settled by the Kuki-Zo people. And it has been like this for over 20 months now. It is in the face of such a reality that the Government approached the Union Civil Aviation Minister to monitor the price of flight tickets and while this is a sign of taking the reality into consideration, it pains to see that a situation like this has been allowed to develop to such a stage. As noted, the move made by the State Government is acknowledged and is something which could have been taken up earlier, but it is positive to see Imphal acknowledging the sufferings of the people, particularly those who belong to the lower middle class families and have to move outside Manipur for some work or the other. Moreover thousands of young students study outside Manipur and the huge burden on the parents and elders of the family just to arrange the flight fares of their young children is something which need not be spelt out. Given this background and the immense pressure on the people, the launch of addition flights by Alliance Air with highly subsidised flight tickets went on to occupy prime space in all the Imphal based dailies. The ticket pricing, under Viability Gap Funding, sounds extremely attractive coming as it does with the rate pegged between Rs 2000 and Rs 5000 on the Imphal-Guwahati-Imphal, Imphal-Kolkata-Imphal, Imphal- Dimapur-Imphal routes. Not clear if the said fare structure would be applicable on the Imphal-Delhi route, but it is good to see the State Government tying up with an airline to ease the burden of the people. The efforts taken up should be noted and perhaps this is the first time that Imphal has done something which would directly ease the burden of the people. At the same time, it should not be forgotten that the tie up with Alliance Air cannot be for posterity and the Government cannot overlook the urgency of working out something which would be acceptable to people on either side of the clash divide. This is precisely the reason why the coming of the new Governor has elicited so much interests. The new man at the Raj Bhavan has already visited Churachandpur and Moreh and next in line could be Kangpokpi. Early days yet, but the Governor has already made it clear that the Solution first, peace later slogan is not within reach for peace should precede everything else. One also wonders whether there would be any follow up on the October 15 Delhi meeting of 2024. Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress (NPC) Standing Committee, met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in Beijing on Thursday. China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, with a focus on building a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, while deepening their strategic cooperative partnership based on mutual assistance and lasting friendship. The NPC of China appreciates the Sri Lankan Parliament's active support for the friendly cooperation between the two countries and is willing to continue to deepen exchanges between the two legislatures at all levels, strengthen exchanges of experience in legislation and supervision, and contribute to each other's national development and bilateral practical cooperation. Noting that Sri Lanka and China enjoy a time-honored friendship, Dissanayake said Sri Lanka is willing to deepen practical cooperation with China in various fields including economy, culture, education and tourism, strengthen exchanges between legislative bodies, and elevate bilateral relations to a new high. Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress Standing Committee, meets with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Weibing) The Gangasagar Mela witnessed an overwhelming influx of pilgrims this year, with the numbers surpassing 1.1 crore, as revealed by state minister Aroop Biswas during a Press conference on Wednesday. Calling it a sea of humanity, he highlighted the unwavering faith that drew people in massive numbers, even in harsh winter conditions. Pilgrims gathered at the confluence of the Ganga and the sea as early as 6 a.m. to participate in the final holy dip even today. Advertisement The holy dip for Makar Sankranti, which began on Tuesday at 6.58 a.m., continued through the following days. Unfortunately, the event saw a tragic loss of life, as Natha from Uttar Pradesh passed away and death toll rose to 6. Additionally, some pilgrims who fell critically ill were airlifted to hospitals for immediate medical attention, according to government sources. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, drawing a comparison with the Mahakumbh, described the Gangasagar Mela as not less than Kumbh Mela, but even bigger. She noted the vast reach of the event, which attracts devotees from across the country. To accommodate the diverse crowd, announcements were made in multiple languages. Minister Biswas emphasised that this years pilgrimage began on 1 January and would continue until Makar Sankranti. However, concerns have arisen over the significant plastic waste from Ghat No. 1 to Ghat No. 6, despite ongoing Clean Ganga efforts. The administration announced a large-scale cleanup drive starting Thursday at 11 a.m. Advertisement Considered the largest gathering after the Allahabad Kumbh Mela, the Gangasagar Mela has also brought challenges, including waste management and security. The massive congregation has resulted in a build-up of plastic and other litter across the event area. Amid this, heightened security measures have been implemented due to rising tension in Bangladesh. Reports indicate an influx of people crossing the border into India without passports. Authorities are working to identify and address illegal infiltrations. To ensure safety and prevent any potential threats, patrol units equipped with sniffer dogs, Bosco and Maxie, have been deployed across the Gangasagar Mela. Despite the challenges, the faith and resilience of the pilgrims stand as a testament to the spiritual significance of Gangasagar Mela. A special court of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in Kolkata, on Wednesday, granted bail to former state food and supplies minister Jyotipriya Mallick in connection with the ration distribution case in West Bengal. Mallick was arrested in 2023 just before the Durga Puja festival by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which was conducting an investigation into the ration distribution case. Advertisement He was granted bail against a personal bond of Rs 50 lakh as well as a bail bond of Rs 50,000 exactly 14 months after his arrest by the ED officials. Advertisement Mallick is the third person to be granted bail so far in the ration distribution case. Earlier, his close associates and businessmen Babikur Rahaman and Shankar Adhya were also released on bail. ED counsel had earlier opposed his bail. He pointed out at the court that initially when the central agency started an investigation in the ration distribution case Mallicks name was not there in the enforcement case information report (ECIR) filed in the matter. However, the ED counsel informed the court that as the investigation officials carried out their probe process they secured several documents that not just proved Mallicks involvement in the case but also on how he acted as the mastermind in the alleged scam. The judge of the special court finally did not accept the arguments of the central agency counsel and observed that since there was no chance of immediate beginning of the trial process in the matter there was no point in keeping the former minister behind bars. However, the judge of the special court imposed certain conditions on Mallick. The first condition was that he would not be able to leave the state without the prior permission of the court. The second condition was that he would have to submit his passport to the investigating officers and also cooperate with the latter in the matter. The third condition was that he would not try to influence the witnesses in the case. Finally, Mallick will not be able to speak to the media on any matters related to the case. A 38-year-old critically injured online-food-delivery boy finally got admitted to SSKM Hospitals trauma care centre after rushing from one hospital to another seeking a berth for emergency treatment for about nine hours since 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Abinash Majhi, a resident of Shyamnagar in North 24-Parganas district, sustained severe injury on his left leg with profuse bleeding after a truck dashed his two-wheeler in Barrackpore from behind in which he was riding to deliver food to his consumer around 10.30 p.m. on Tuesday. Advertisement He was rushed to the state-run B N Bose State General Hospital for emergency treatment but he was allegedly denied treatment there by doctors who were on duty at the emergency. Advertisement His family members alleged that the doctors advised them to take him other hospital. He was then taken two other private hospitals in the Barrackpore area but he could not be admitted to the two private healthcare facilities respectively. He was then rushed to the government R G Kar Medical College Hospital where doctors advised him to amputate his left leg. Getting scared with the advice of the doctors at the teaching hospital his family members took him to another private hospital along the E M Bypass around 3.30 a.m. on Wednesday. But they could not get the patient admitted to the private hospital because of highly expensive treatment charges. He was then taken to the SSKM Hospital around 4 a.m. where he was given preliminary medical attention. He was kept lying on a trolley there at the SSKM Hospital. The family members alleged that around 5 a.m. the SSKM Hospital authorities informed them about non-availability of beds there. Finally, around 9.30 a.m. he was given a berth at the hospital after lying on the trolley with severe pain and bleeding for five hours since 4 a.m. when he was brought to the premier government hospital. Doctors at the hospital advised him for an emergency surgery to amputate his left leg. Despite the ongoing Mahakumbh in Uttar Pradesh, the Gangasagar Mela on the shores of the Bay of Bengal has once again proven its status as one of Indias premier pilgrimage destinations. Bankim Chandra Hazra, minister of Sundarban affairs, highlighted this while participating in a beach clean-up drive on Thursday. Mr Hazra remarked that pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, where the Mahakumbh is being held, have flocked to Sagar Island for the auspicious Makar Sankranti dip. Alongside him, Snehasis Chakraborty, minister of transport, Pulak Roy, minister of public health engineering, and South 24-Parganas district magistrate Sumit Gupta also joined the clean-up campaign. Advertisement Lauding chief minister Mamata Banerjees efforts, Mr Hazra said, Despite limited financial resources, the state government has managed the Gangasagar Mela with remarkable efficiency. The central government should take lessons from this. However, this years fair has seen fewer Naga sadhus, with many heading to the Mahakumbh, instead. Swami Paramatmananda, associated with the Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara, stated, This years Mahakumbh, occurring after 144 years, has drawn most of the saints and sadhus, leaving many akharas at Gangasagar inactive. Allegations of overcharging pilgrims have surfaced, with some claiming that Rs 700 and Rs 500 are being charged per person for accommodations in pilgrim sheds, which is for free. BJP leader Abhijit Das criticised the state government, alleging, TMC leaders are exploiting the Gangasagar Mela for personal gain. They should learn from Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath how to uphold the sanctity of pilgrimage sites and serve the interests of devotees. Addressing these accusations, Mr Hazra stated that action had been taken against culprits, with several arrests already made to ensure a smooth and safe experience for pilgrims. While the Gangasagar Mela continues to attract large crowds, it remains under scrutiny as pilgrims hope for a hassle-free and sacred experience. Advertisement A man reportedly killed his wife after she objected to his drinking in Ausgram of East Burdwan. Locals said that Som Hansda, a daily wager of Jadugoria village returned home drunk on Monday late night, leading to a tiff with his wife. During this, the man picked up a shovel and hit her on the head, killing her instantly, said Sayok Das, SP, East Burdwan today. Two minor daughters of the couple witnessed the incident. Advertisement The womans decomposed body was exhumed from the family courtyard last evening. Advertisement After his wifes death, Som allegedly locked his daughters into a room and dug another room in his courtyard and buried Lakshmi (31). On Tuesday morning he freed his daughters and drove them out of the house before absconding. The daughters narrated the incident to their neighbours, who informed the police. The police then exhumed Lakshmis body and recorded version of the minor girls. The police arrested Som, tracking his cell phones tower location from an abandoned house in the farthest end of the village last night. Guwahati will host 2nd edition of Indian Direct Selling Conference and Expo which focuses on topics such as industry growth, regulatory frameworks, consumer awareness, reforms, policy advocacy, and empowerment of women and youth through direct selling opportunities. The Indian Direct Selling Association (IDSA) said the event will feature a grand exhibition showcasing products, services, and innovations from IDSA member companies. Advertisement Other key attractions include recognition of women entrepreneurs for their achievements in the Northeast region to celebrate entrepreneurial success and interactive sessions with direct selling entrepreneurs and students of colleges and universities. Advertisement The Expo will further witness a unique showcase of Northeast culture and innovations in the direct selling industry through a product ramp walk by models adorned in northeast attire, it added. Indias direct selling industrys growth, with a market size exceeding Rs 21,282 crore, ranking 11th globally. The sector demonstrated a 12 per cent growth rate in 202223 and boasts a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 8 per cent. Northeast India, with a market share of 8.7 per cent, contributes over Rs 1,800 crore to the national turnover while providing self-income opportunities to over 4.2 lakh direct sellers in the region, the press statement added. Assam, being the 9th largest direct selling market in the country, leads with Rs 1,009 crore in sales and a 4.7 per cent market share, supported by over 2.4 lakh direct sellers. The contribution of the other seven northeastern states includes Manipur (Rs 288 cr), Nagaland (Rs 227 cr), Mizoram (Rs 156 cr), Arunachal Pradesh (Rs 78 cr), Tripura (Rs 72 cr), Meghalaya (Rs 19 cr), and Sikkim (Rs 5 cr). The industry contributes over Rs 270 crore annually to the regions state exchequer. IDSA is of the strong view that the 2025 Northeast Direct Selling Expo is expected to serve as a platform for fostering growth, innovation, and collaboration, further solidifying the Northeasts pivotal role in Indias direct selling sector. The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Adani Group, Jugeshinder Singh, made a cryptic social media post on Thursday, hours after Hindenburg Research announced its sudden shutdown. In a post on social media platform, X, Singh wrote kitne ghazi aaye, kitne ghazi gaye, which loosely translates to many conquerors came, many conquerors have gone. The announcement by US-based short-seller, Hindenburg Research, founder Nate Anderson on Thursday caught many by surprise. I have made the decision to disband Hindenburg Research. The plan has been to wind up after we finished the pipeline of ideas we were working on, Anderson said. Advertisement Nearly 100 individuals have been charged civilly or criminally by regulators at least in part through our work, including billionaires and oligarchs. We shook some empires that we felt needed shaking, he said. Advertisement At that time, the Chief Financial Officer of the Adani Group, had called the report a malicious combination of selective misinformation and stale, baseless and discredited allegations. The timing of Hindenburgs closure has also sparked speculation. It comes days before Donald Trumps anticipated inauguration as the US President. Adani group stocks were ruling higher in stock market trade after the shutdown report came. Adani group stocks surged up to 9 per cent intraday. Adani Power soared by 9 per cent to Rs 599.90, with Adani Green Energy up 8.8 per cent, Adani Enterprises rising 7.7 per cent, and Adani Total Gas gaining 7 per cent. Hindenburg, infamous for its reports on global business giants, including the Adani Group, played a controversial role in shaping market narratives. Their allegations of financial mismanagement against the Adani Group triggered massive market losses and global headlines. Adani had denied the claims, calling them calculated attacks on Indias growth. The Supreme Court of India eventually cleared the conglomerate, branding the allegations baseless. Nate Anderson has studied international business management at the University of Connecticut and lived in Jerusalem before returning to the United States where he took a consulting job with a financial software company. Later, he founded the Hindenburg Research. The Reserve Bank of India, in collaboration with the central government, has reviewed current regulations under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999. In a statement on Thursday, the central bank said the move is to promote cross-border transactions in rupees and other local or national currencies. Advertisement The amendments made to the existing FEMA guidelines are that the authorised dealer banks overseas branches can now open INR accounts for residents outside India, facilitating the settlement of all permissible current and capital account transactions with residents in India. Advertisement It also said that the residents outside India can use the balances in their repatriable INR accounts, such as the Special Non-resident Rupee Account (SNRA) and SRVA, to settle legitimate transactions with other non-resident individuals. Further, the residents outside India can use their repatriable INR account balances for foreign investments, including Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in non-debt instruments. Indian exporters are now allowed to open foreign currency accounts abroad to settle trade transactions, receive export proceeds, and use those funds to pay for imports, it said. Notably, the Reserve Bank has also signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central banks of the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Maldives, to encourage cross-border transactions in local currencies. Further, in December 2023 the Foreign Exchange Management (Manner of Receipt and Payment) Regulations were revised to enable cross border transactions in all foreign currencies (including local currencies of trading partner countries) and INR. To further encourage the use of the Indian rupee (INR) in international trade, the Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA) was introduced in July 2022. KHARTOUM, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Sudan and Egypt on Wednesday agreed to activate joint mechanisms, especially the dialogue and consultation mechanism between the foreign ministries of the two countries and the quartet mechanism of foreign and irrigation ministers. The remarks were made when Chairman of Sudan's Transitional Sovereign Council and Commander of the Sudanese Armed Forces, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, met with visiting Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Badr Abdelatty in Port Sudan, in the presence of Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yousif, the sovereign council said in a statement. "It was agreed to activate the joint mechanisms and the dialogue and consultation mechanism between the foreign ministries of the two countries, where a meeting will be held in this regard next month, besides holding the quartet meeting between the foreign and irrigation ministers of the two countries next month too," Yousif told reporters. He noted that the meeting between Al-Burhan and Abdelatty reviewed Egypt's role in supporting Sudan and the ongoing efforts to achieve peace and reconstruction. For his part, the Egyptian foreign minister told reporters that the meeting discussed the situation in Sudan, the regional challenges and conflicts, the situation in the Horn of Africa region, and the water issue. "There are identical positions on the importance of safeguarding the water rights and working to reach a binding legal agreement regarding the operation of the Ethiopian dam," Abdelatty said. He emphasized the need to maintain continued coordination between the two countries in all regional and international forums regarding the water issue and continuing to support the Nile Basin Initiative. Abdelatty said he delivered a message from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi to the Chairman of the Sovereign Council, dealing with bilateral relations and means to enhance them as well as issues of common concern. The message emphasized Egypt's keenness to continue supporting Sudan and its institutions to uphold its unity, pointing to Egypt's hosting of the Sudanese citizens and offering them all possible care. He said the meeting also discussed means of supporting the reconstruction of Sudan. "We hope that, after reaching a ceasefire and launching a comprehensive political process, an international conference involving broad international and Arab participation will be convened to address the reconstruction and rebuilding," he said, stressing Egypt's readiness to host such a conference. Abdelatty arrived in Port Sudan earlier Wednesday on an official one-day visit to Sudan. Congress candidate from New Delhi Assembly seat, Sandeep Dikshit and Delhi Minister and AAP candidate from Greater Kailash seat, Saurabh Bharadwaj filed their nomination on Thursday. Dikshit is pitted against AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and BJPs Parvesh Sharma in a triangular contest. Advertisement Sandeep Dikshit told reporters here that he people are disappointed with AAP and Arvind Kejriwal. As you only talked for 10 years and that too your agents came among people, not your candidates, then the anger in people is obviousAs far as BJP is concerned, there is not much hope for that. The people are seeing a new opportunity in Congress Advertisement On Samajwadi Party supporting AAP in Delhi Assembly elections, he said, It might be the case that Akhilesh Yadav is liking their (AAPs) excise policy or he might be also wanting to build a grand house for himself. If a person supports someone in politics, it means they are supporting their policies On the defamation complaint filed by him against CM Atishi and AAP MP Sanjay Singh, Dikshit said, I have filed a case. They should now give the evidence. The Chief Minister has not been able to provide proof that we have taken funding (from BJP). I am saying that if Atishi ji does not provide proof, then it will be our responsibility to send her to jail. Party leader Ajay Maken expressed the hope of winning polls, saying , Sandeep Dikshit is going to win the elections and Arvind Kejriwal will lose. In Delhi, AAP is going to lose the elections because of corruption, Sheeshmahal and excise policyThe people of Delhi will bring back the legacy of former CM Sheila Dikshit Delhi Minister Bharadwaj offered prayers at Kalkaji Temple ahead of filing his nomination. He said, Kalka Maa is the Isht goddess of our village and we take blessings of Maa before doing any big work. Today I will file my nomination. May Kalka Maa keep blessing us and the people of Delhi Ahead of filing his nomination, BJP candidate from Karawal Nagar Constituency, Kapil Mishra said, BJP will win on February 8 and BJP will get a huge victory in Karawal Nagar too AIMIM MLA candidate from Okhla Assembly constituency, Shafa ur Rehman Khan, who is on parole, was brought to the DMs office for filing of nomination papers for the Delhi elections. He has been granted custody parole for the purpose of nomination. He is an accused in 2020 Delhi riots case. BJP Candidate from Moti Nagar Assembly Seat, Harish Khurana said, PM Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and JP Nadda have entrusted me with the responsibility to lead the BJP in Moti Nagar I am going to file the nomination today People of Moti Nagar are my family and their enthusiasm shows that BJP is coming to Moti Nagar in place of AAP BJP will restart the development works which have been stopped Meanwhile, the Election Commission of India (ECI) urged political parties for responsible and transparent use of Artificial intelligence (AI) in campaigning. The commission asked the political parties & candidates to appropriately disclose and label AI generated synthetic content. The New Delhi district electoral officer (RO), on Thursday, ordered the Delhi Police to probe the allegation against BJP nominee from New Delhi Pravesh Verma that he was engaged in distributing goodies among female voters of his constituency. The DEOs move came in the wake of a video surfaced on a YouTube channel Red Mike wherein he is accused of violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Advertisement Replying to the post by a freelance journalist on X, the DEO stated, A YouTube video has surfaced, allegedly revealing that sarees were being distributed at the residence of Parvesh Verma, BJP candidate from New Delhi Assembly Constituency, which constitutes a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). Advertisement On receipt of the information, the Flying Squad Team (FST) was immediately directed to verify the spot. But during verification, no such activity was detected. However, the video clearly indicates that sarees were being distributed. In light of this evidence, a formal complaint has been lodged with the police by the Returning Officer (New Delhi AC). The police have been requested to investigate the matter thoroughly and initiate action under the relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and other applicable laws, the post mentioned. On AAPs call for an impartial inquiry into the allegation, the DEO mentioned in his post these allegations are baseless, untrue, and without merit. He remained committed to ensuring strict compliance of the MCC and addressing any violations promptly and decisively. Meanwhile, the Delhi Police lodged a Non-Cognizable Report (NCR) in connection with allegations against BJP leader Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma for violating the model code of conduct by allegedly distributing cash, and shoes. BJP MP from New Delhi Bansuri Swaraj accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders of repeatedly playing sympathy card by issuing statements to portray themselves as victims in front of the public. Responding to AAP leader Sanjay Singhs comments on Arvind Kejriwals arrest in the liquor policy case on Thursday, she said the AAP leaders should verify from their lawyers that the Union Home Ministrys (MHA) permission to prosecute a chief minister is required only when the court takes cognizance of the chargesheet in the matter concerned. The same is happening now, she added. Advertisement Swaraj, herself a lawyer, explained that the arrest of the accused CM is just a part of the process of the investigation, and if a FIR is filed and a CM doesnt cooperate in the probe despite adequate opportunity, the investigating agency has the right to arrest. Advertisement The BJP leader pointed out that Kejriwal had challenged the legality of his arrest in courts to no avail. She said after the Centres approval of the prosecution of Kejriwal, Sanjay Singh tried to create an impression that his arrest was made illegally. Swaraj, taking a dig at the AAP leader, stated that the AAP has a team of good lawyers, it would have been better if Singh had consulted them before making comments on the legality of Kejriwals arrest. The attack on Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan has quickly gained a political angle with offence and defence pouring in. Following flack from opposition calling Mumbai unsafe, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis weighs in on the issue. Meanwhile, the group leader of the opposition NCP in the Maharashtra assembly, Jitendra Awhad says that the attack on the actor could be a pre-planned conspiracy. Saif Ali Khan suffered injuries during his scuffle with an intruder in his Mumbai abode late on Wednesday Night. During the confrontation, the perpetrator stabbed the actor. Subsequently, Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate treatment. A doctor from the hospital revealed that the actor suffered six injuries with one being very close to his spine. As per the latest reports, Saif is now out of danger and is recovering. Advertisement Also Read: Saif Ali Khan attack: stabbed in spine, wounds on neck and arm Advertisement Following the incident, CM Devendra Fadnavis issued a statement reacting to the backlash his government is facing. He said, Among all the megacities in the country, Mumbai is the safest. It is true that some incidents take place sometimes and they should be treated with seriousness but to say, based on one incident, that Mumbai is unsafe would not be correct. This tarnishes Mumbais image. But the government is working to make Mumbai even safer. #WATCH | Mumbai: On the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, Police has given you all details regarding this. What kind of attack is this, what is actually behind this and what was the intention behind the attack is all before you. pic.twitter.com/8lMegAtxNJ ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi was among the first to lash out at the ruling government. She questioned, If celebrities are not safe, who in Mumbai is?. Taking to X, she penned, What a shame that Mumbai sees another high-profile attempt on life. The attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names. Adding another angle to the backlash is NCP leader Jitendra Awhad who believes the attack was an orchestrated conspiracy. He said, The attack on Saif Ali Khan could be part of a pre-planned conspiracy. Given the way Saif Ali Khan has been targeted for the past several years for naming his son Taimur, it is necessary to investigate whether this attack was carried out by religious fundamentalists or not. He added, Because preliminary information suggests that Saif Ali Khan was stabbed a total of six times. Two of them are believed to be serious. One was stabbed on his neck, causing serious injuries to his skull. Judging by the attackers method of stabbing, it appears at first glance that the stabbing was done with the intent to kill. However, the government has rebuffed his theory. Minister of State for Home and Shiv Sena leader Yogesh Kadam urged refrainment from giving the incident a communal undertone. Kadam slammed the opposition for politicising and communalising the incident. He said, If the opposition is doing politics just because Saif Ali Khan has the surname Khan, I feel sorry for them. The people of Maharashtra have placed you on the opposition benches. Meanwhile, details about the perpetrator are awaited. Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan suffered injuries during his scuffle with an intruder in his Mumbai abode late on Wednesday Night. During the confrontation, the perpetrator stabbed the actor. Subsequently, Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate treatment and his family soon arrived to be by his side. A doctor from the hospital revealed that the actor suffered six injuries with one being very close to his spine. As per the latest updates, Saif is now out of danger and is recovering. In his statement to the media, Dr Nitin Dange shared the details. Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with an alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. Advertisement The medical professional added, A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now. Another doctor iterated the actor is on the path to recovery. The recovery should be 100 per cent as per our understanding. Advertisement Prior to the surgery, the doctors revealed that the actor was suffering from six injuries. Saif has six stabs and two are deep, Dr Niraj Uttamani told PTI earlier. Of this, one is close to the spine. He is being operated upon by a team of doctors led by neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange, cosmetic surgeon Dr Leena Jain and anaesthesiologist Dr Nisha Gandhi. The doctor elaborated, He sustained six injuries, two are minor, two intermediate and two deep injuries, one of the injuries is on the back which is close to spine. For more details, read: Saif Ali Khan stabbed by intruder, recovering at Lilavati Hospital While the culprit managed to escape, Saifs eldest son, Ibrahim rushed him to the hospital. Since a car was not available, Ibrahim helped his bleeding father into an auto to take him to the hospital. Meanwhile, the Police stated that they had identified an accused. Ten teams have been formed to catch him. Preliminary investigation suggests he entered Saif Ali Khans house using the stairs with the intention of committing robbery. Further details will be disclosed once the accused is taken into custody. Further details about the intrusion are awaited. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained minor injuries following a confrontation with an intruder at his Mumbai residence late Wednesday night. According to reports, the incident occurred when an unidentified individual entered the premises and engaged in an argument with a member of the actors household staff. Advertisement When Saif intervened to diffuse the situation, the intruder turned violent, leading to a scuffle. The actor sustained injuries during the altercation and was promptly taken to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Advertisement While his injuries are not severe, Saif is reportedly undergoing surgery as a precautionary measure. Mumbai Police have launched a full investigation into the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam confirmed, The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing. The intruders motives are still unclear, but early reports suggest it may have been an attempted burglary. Saifs PR team released a statement requesting privacy during this time, emphasizing the matter is under police investigation. The incident has sparked discussions about safety in Mumbais Bandra area, where the actor resides. Actress Pooja Bhatt expressed her concerns on social media, urging authorities to enhance security in the locality. Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice? We need more police presence in Bandra, she wrote. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in Devara Part 1, an action-drama released in September 2024. The film, which starred Jr. NTR and Janhvi Kapoor, was a multilingual release in Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. Saifs next project, Jewel Thief The Red Sun Chapter, directed by Robbie Grewal, is generating buzz for its intense storyline featuring a battle of wits between Saif and Jaideep Ahlawat. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khans team has now issued an official statement saying that the actor is stable and is out of danger now. The actor is being monitored by a team of medical professionals as he sets out on the path of recovery. The team said in its official statement, Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident. Advertisement The statement further read, We would like to thank Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time. Advertisement The actor was stabbed multiple times in an attempt to fight off a burglar during the wee hours of Thursday. The actor sustained six stab wounds, two of which are said to be serious as they are closer to his spine. The incident took place at 2:15 am when the burglar allegedly barged into their Bandra home, and attacked their house help and then Saif when he intervened. At the time of incident, his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan was present at home along with other members of the family as they all were sleeping. Saif was woken up by the commotion in his son Jehs room. He went inside the room to see the culprit arguing with their house help, looking at this, Saif intervened to save the house help with bare hands to fight off the culprit. The Mumbai police have started the investigation and are accessing the CCTV footage. Three accused have been reportedly detained, and are subjected to interrogation. Earlier, the actors manager had issued a statement detailing the incident. The manager said at the time, There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter. We will keep you updated on the situation. Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor Khans team has asked fans and the media to exercise patience and refrain from jumping to conclusions, following an alarming stabbing incident at her and husband Saif Ali Khans Mumbai residence. The family is currently dealing with a police investigation into what is being described as an attempted burglary, which led to Saif being injured. Advertisement In an official statement, Kareenas team confirmed that an attempted break-in occurred at their Bandra home late last night. Advertisement Saif had an injury on his arm and is currently in the hospital undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We kindly request the media and fans to avoid further speculation as the police are conducting their investigation, the statement read. It concluded by thanking everyone for their concern. Sources have revealed that Kareena and their children were at home when the incident unfolded. Saifs team also issued a statement, echoing the request for patience from the public. There was an attempted burglary at Mr. Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently undergoing surgery. We ask for privacy as this is now a police matter, it stated. Details about the attack have started to emerge, with a source revealing that Saif fought the intruder without any weapon to protect his family. The break-in took place in the middle of the night, and despite the intruder being armed, Saif confronted him. #NewsUpdate: An unknown person entered Actor #SaifAliKhans residence and argued with his maid, late last night. When the actor tried to intervene and pacify the man, he attacked Saif Ali Khan and injured him. Police are investigating the matter: #MumbaiPolice.#BreakingNews pic.twitter.com/yWym7jFbjD The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) January 16, 2025 The actor sustained multiple stab wounds in the process, with reports indicating that Saif was stabbed six times, two of which were deep and close to his spine. Dr. Niraj Uttamani, the Chief Operating Officer at Lilavati Hospital, where Saif is being treated, confirmed the extent of the injuries. He explained that Saif was rushed to the hospital around 3:30 a.m. and is currently under the care of a medical team led by Neurosurgeon Dr. Nitin Dange and cosmetic surgeon Dr. Leena Jain. Two of the six stab wounds are deep, Dr. Uttamani said, adding that one of the injuries was dangerously close to Saifs spine. The Mumbai Police have detained three individuals who were working at Saifs residence at the time of the attack. These individuals were taken into custody for questioning as part of the ongoing investigation. According to police reports, the intruder sneaked into the house while Saif and his family were asleep. When the actor confronted the intruder, a violent struggle ensued. The intruder allegedly stabbed Saif multiple times before fleeing the scene. An FIR has been lodged at the Bandra Police Station, and authorities are continuing their efforts to track down the attacker. The investigation is still in its early stages, and the police have assured the public that they are working diligently to uncover more details about the crime. Filmmaker Siddharth Anand, accompanied by his wife Mamta Bhatia-Anand, reached Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai on Thursday morning to visit actor Saif Ali Khan, who is receiving treatment after a violent confrontation at his Bandra home. The incident, which took place late Wednesday night, has left the film industry and the public in shock. Advertisement According to police reports, the altercation began when an intruder attempted to break into Khans residence in the Satguru Sharan building. Advertisement The intruder first confronted Khans maid, and when the actor stepped in to intervene, the situation escalated into a physical struggle. During the confrontation, Khan sustained several injuries, which led to his hospitalization. Khans public relations team later confirmed the attack, describing it as an attempted burglary. In a statement, they said, There was an attempted burglary at Mr. Saif Ali Khans residence. He is currently undergoing surgery in the hospital. We request the media and fans to be patient as this is a police matter. Kareena Kapoors team issued an official statement after #SaifAliKhans attack. The team urged media and fans not to speculate anything, citing ongoing police investigations. Saif is currently undergoing surgery at #LilavatiHospital.#KareenaKapoor #Bollywood #TheStatesman pic.twitter.com/THGgK1Osgq The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) January 16, 2025 Dr. Niraj Uttamani, the COO of Lilavati Hospital, provided further details on Khans condition. He explained that Ibrahim and the caretaker brought Saif to the hospital at around 3 a.m. The actor had suffered six wounds, believed to be caused by sharp objects such as knives, with two of the injuries being deep, including one near his spine. Doctors discovered a small foreign object near his spine, and Khan is currently undergoing surgery with a team of specialists. Siddharth Anand, who has worked with Saif Ali Khan in films such as Salaam Namaste (2005) and Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007), as well as producing the upcoming heist thriller Jewel Thief The Red Sun Chapter, arrived at the hospital to offer his support. Khan is ready to star in the film alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. The attack has sparked widespread concern, with several celebrities expressing their shock and urging increased security in the area. Actress Pooja Bhatt took to X (formerly Twitter) to call for greater police presence in Bandra, writing, Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice? We need more police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the suburbs have never felt so unsafe before. Chef Kunal Kapoor also shared his concern on Instagram, praying for Khans speedy recovery. Stunned to hear about the attack on Saif. Praying for his speedy recovery, he wrote. Actor Jr NTR, who recently worked with Khan in Devara Part 1, also expressed his sorrow, tweeting, Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has launched an investigation into the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, confirmed that the altercation between Khan and the intruder had left the actor injured, and authorities are continuing their investigation into the matter. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan recently starred in Devara Part 1, a high-octane action thriller that hit theaters in September 2024. Soha Ali Khan was seen leaving Lilavati Hospital with her husband, Kunal Kemmu, after visiting her brother, Saif Ali Khan, who was recently hospitalized following a shocking robbery attempt at his Bandra residence. The incident, which occurred on January 16, 2025, left the actor with six stab wounds as he attempted to stop a burglar who had attacked the house help. Advertisement The burglar reportedly broke into the house in the early hours of the morning, and when Saif heard the commotion, he rushed to intervene. Advertisement At the time of the attack, Saifs wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and other family members were at home but were asleep. Saif was immediately rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery. His family, including Soha, Kareena, and their children, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan, have been constantly by his side. Kareena, who also visited Saif, was with heightened security as she made her way into the hospital. In an official statement, Saifs team reassured his fans that he is out of danger following the surgery. Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery, and the doctors are closely monitoring his progress. All family members are safe, and the police are investigating the incident, the statement read. The team also thanked the medical professionals at Lilavati Hospital, including Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, and Dr. Leena Jain, for their swift and effective care. The attack has left the film industry and fans in shock, with many celebrities expressing their concern for Saifs well-being. His Devara co-stars, Jr. NTR, Chiranjeevi, and Pooja Bhatt, among others, have all sent their wishes for his speedy recovery. Many have also raised concerns about safety in Mumbai following the incident. The Mumbai police have arrested three suspects in connection with the attack, and investigations are ongoing. SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's constitutional court on Thursday held the second hearing for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was arrested the previous day over his martial law imposition. During the second formal hearing, the court justices adopted evidence and witnesses and dismissed Yoon's defense counsel's claim that the evidence and witnesses were illegal. Jung Chung-rae, head of the Legislation and Judiciary Committee of the National Assembly, urged the justices to promptly remove Yoon from office. The parliament side argued that Yoon lacked the will to uphold the Constitution and was unqualified to serve as president. On the other hand, Yoon's legal team argued that declaring emergency martial law was not illegal and constituted a "high-level executive action" beyond the scope of judicial review, claiming that the impeachment motion was aimed at "seizing presidential power" and that there were procedural flaws in the two impeachment motions initiated and passed by the National Assembly. Yoon's side on Wednesday requested to postpone the second hearing, citing his arrest and the ongoing investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO). However, the court on Thursday rejected the request. The next hearings will be held on 21 and 23 of January and on 4, 6, 11 and 13 of February. The court held its first hearing of Yoon's impeachment trial on Tuesday. The debate ended in about four minutes due to Yoon's absence. Under South Korean law, if Yoon fails to appear for the second hearing, the court is authorized to proceed with the trial in his absence. Bollywood diva Shilpa Shetty has created a name for herself in the Indian film industry following her breakthrough with Baazigar opposite Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Following her successful debut, the actress started taking over screens with her charms, enigmatic dance moves, and electric screen presence. Since her debut, the actress and fitness queen has delivered several hits. These include Dhadkan, Life in a Metro, and Mein Khiladi Tu Anari, among others. Despite gaining international fame after winning Big Brother Season 5 in 2007, she hasnt led a Hollywood flick. Moreover, the actress has no intention of going West in the future as well. During her conversation with Hindustan Times, Shilpa Shetty was probed if she wished to venture into Hollywood. To this, she said, I dont think I am so ambitious. I am [simply] complacent, and I am enjoying this phase of my life. I have worked so hard and I am very content. So, I dont think I can go and audition there (Hollywood). Moreover, after carving her mark in Bollywood, Shetty is not keen on starting from scratch. Advertisement Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shilpa Shetty Kundra (@theshilpashetty) The actress iterated, After working for 30 years, I dont have the patience to start as a newcomer. If you want to see my talent, go and see my old films! And if you feel I fit the bill, then okay. I am not doing auditions for anyone! Additionally, for the food enthusiast, family always trumps work. Its always family over work. I cannot leave my children for so many days. I am very clear about my priorities. Theres a lot happening for me here. On the work front, Shettys last was Sukhee. The title released in theatres in 2023 and received mixed reception. Directed by Sonal Joshi, the film also featured Amit Sadh, Dilnaz Irani, Kusha Kapila and Pavleen Gujra. Also Read: Saif Ali Khan attack: CM Devendra Fadnavis reacts; Jitendra Awhad cites conspiracy Moving ahead, the actress next is the Kannada film KD-The Devil. The upcoming film also stars Sanjay Dutt, Dhruva Sarja, Nora Fatehi, Reeshma Nanaiah, V. Ravichandran, Ramesh Aravind and Jisshu Sengupta. Prior to KD-The Devil, Shetty had also worked in several Kannada films. These include Preethsod Thappa, Ravichandras Ondagona Baa, and Auto Shankar. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unearthed proceeds of crime (POC) worth Rs 72 crore accumulated over a 36-month period (20192022), allegedly used to fund the construction of the Congress Bhawan in Sukma and former Excise Minister Kawasi Lakhmas son Harishs house. The revelations come amid the agencys probe into the Rs 2,000 crore liquor scam that reportedly flourished under the Congress-led government in Chhattisgarh. Advertisement ED lawyer Saurabh Pandey disclosed that Lakhma allegedly received monthly commissions of Rs 2 crore, with the funds linked directly to the illicit liquor syndicate. Following his questioning at the ED office in Raipur on Wednesday, Lakhma was arrested, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation. Advertisement The alleged use of ill-gotten funds to construct the Congress Bhawan has raised eyebrows and sparked outrage. According to reports, key accused Arunpati Tripathi and Arvind Singh revealed during interrogation that bribes were regularly routed to Lakhma with the facilitation of excise department officers Iqbal Khan and Jayant Devangan. The ED further stated that Tripathi managed the operations and ensured Lakhmas involvement by obtaining his signatures on critical documents. The BJP has seized the opportunity to lambast the Congress, accusing it of exploiting public funds for political gain. Senior BJP leader and Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap called the Congress Bhawan a monument to corruption, alleging that former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel masterminded the scam. This is not just about Kawasi Lakhma; its about a systemic plunder of public resources under Congress rule. The Sukma Congress Bhawan was built with funds meant for the people, and the ultimate beneficiaries were Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Kashyap alleged. Lakhma has denied the allegations, asserting his faith in the judicial system. His lawyer, Faizal Rizvi, questioned the EDs evidence, noting that no significant cash was recovered during the raids. If Rs 2 crore was being paid monthly, why wasnt even a fraction of that found in Lakhmas residence? The EDs claims are inconsistent, Rizvi said. However, ED officials argue that the scam involved sophisticated methods, including duplicate holograms on liquor bottles, illegal commissions from distillers, and the sale of spurious country liquor, all orchestrated to siphon off public funds. The allegations surrounding the Congress Bhawan and Lakhmas sons house have dealt a severe blow to the Congress in Chhattisgarh, especially in tribal-dominated Bastar, where Lakhma wields influence. The BJP has intensified its demands for a comprehensive investigation into the alleged involvement of former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and other senior Congress leaders. The Congress on Thursday asserted that the closure of Hindenburg Research is not a clean chit for Modani and reiterated its demand for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the matter. Notably, in 2023, the Hindenburg Research report had alleged the Adani Group engaged in stock manipulation and accounting fraud schemes over the course of decades. The Adani Group had refuted the allegations. Advertisement Nate Anderson, the founder of Hindenburg Research, on Thursday announced that he has decided to close down the operations of his investigative firm. Advertisement Congress general secretary in-charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh said, The closure of Hindenburg Research does not, in any way, mean a clean chit for Modani. The Hindenburg report of January 2023 proved serious enough to compel the Supreme Court to set up an Expert Committee to probe the allegation made in it against the Adani Group whose prime patron is none other than the present Prime Minister (Narendra Modi). The Hindenburg report covered only one part securities laws violations of the hydra-headed Modani Mega Scam. Out of the 100 questions on the Adani Mega Scam that the Congress party had asked of the Prime Minister in the Hum Adani ke Hain Kaun (HAHK) series during January-March 2023, only 21 questions related to revelations made in the Hindenburg report, he said. Asserting that the matter goes far deeper, the Congress MP said, It involves the abuse of Indian foreign policy to enrich the Prime Ministers close friends at the expense of the national interest. It involves the misuse of investigative agencies to force Indian businesspersons to divest critical infrastructure assets and help Adani build monopolies in airports, ports, defence and cement. It involves the capture of once-respected institutions such as SEBI whose discredited chairperson continues in her position despite clear evidence of conflicts of interest and financial links to Adani, he alleged. These are all serious acts of blatant favouritism and brazen criminality that can only be fully investigated by the JPC. Without a JPC, the already-compromised institutions of the Indian state will continue to act only to protect the powerful and the Prime Ministers friends, while Indias poor and middle classes are left to fend for themselves in a deteriorating economic environment, Ramesh said. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will pay a state visit to India on 25-26 January at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the Chief Guest for Indias 76th Republic Day celebrations, it was officially announced on Thursday. This will be President Prabowos first visit to India in his capacity as President, after assuming office in October 2024. Advertisement India and Indonesia share warm and friendly ties spanning over millennia. As a Comprehensive Strategic Partner, Indonesia is an important pillar in Indias Act East Policy and our vision of the Indo-Pacific, the Ministry of External Affairs said while announcing the visit. Advertisement The visit will provide an opportunity to PM Modi and President Prabowo to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral ties as well as to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest. In a historic move, the ISRO on Thursday successfully completed the docking of satellites as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), thus making India the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to accomplish the feat Undocking and power transfer checks to follow in coming days, the space agency said in a post on X. Advertisement Spacecraft docking successfully completed! A historic moment. Lets walk through the SpaDeX docking process: Manoeuvre from 15m to 3m hold point completed. Docking initiated with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Retraction completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Docking successfully completed, it said in another post. Advertisement With the successful docking of satellites, India has become the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to accomplish the feat. ISRO has launched two small spacecraft SDX01, the Chaser, and SDX02, the Target in a low-Earth circular orbit on December 30 and set them apart at a distance of around 20 km in space to facilitate a gradual rendezvous through the closing of the distance for a final docking. The satellites launched by the space agency on December 30, earlier missed two docking schedules on January 7 and 9 due to technical issues. The postponement of the SpaDex docking schedules had come also amid the announcement of a change of guard at ISRO. Distinguished scientist V Narayanan took charge as ISROs new chairman on January 14. A trial attempt was carried out on January 12 to bring the two satellites up to 15 meters and 3 meters from each other and capture photos of each other. The SpaDex (Space Docking Exercise) mission is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission for the demonstration of in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by PSLV. According to the ISRO website, after the docking and undocking events, the spacecraft will be separated and used for application missions. Lauding the achievement, Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the team at ISRO. Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for Indias ambitious space missions in the years to come, he wrote on X. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in-charge of science and technology, also congratulated the space agency. Finally made it. SPADEX has accomplished the unbelievable docking complete and it is all indigenous Bharatiya Docking System. This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, Chandrayaan 4, and Gaganyaan. PM Sh @narendramodis continuous patronage keeps the spirits soaring here at Bengaluru, he wrote. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also hailed ISROs achievement as historic and noted that this success is a moment of pride for the entire nation. Bharat has become the 4th nation to successfully achieve space docking, marking a giant leap in our space capabilities. The SpaDex docking process was executed with flawless precision, he said. He called this milestone a proud moment for India and credited ISROs dedicated and talented scientists for their hard work and sacrifice. He said this achievement showcases their expertise and commitment to advancing space technology. This is a moment of pride for India. Jai Hind! he wrote. The first actual Indian mission requiring the docking capability is likely to be Chandrayaan-4, which is supposed to bring lunar samples back to Earth. The re-entry module of this mission, which will be designed to withstand the heat of re-entry to the Earths atmosphere, is planned to be launched separately. The transfer module carrying samples from the Moon will come and dock with the re-entry module in the Earths atmosphere. The Thiruvananthapuram Rural Police on Thursday unearthed the body of Gopan Swami, a native of Neyyattinkara near here, who was entombed in a concrete chamber by his family after they claimed that he reached the pinnacle of spirituality and attained Samadhi. The exhumation process began around 7 a.m. under heavy police security. The action followed a ruling by the Kerala High Court on Wednesday,which refused to stay the exhumation of the body of Gopan Swami. The family moved the court asserting their fundamental right to bury Gopan according to their religious practices. They said in their plea that there is no law in existence in India which prohibits death by Samadhi and for preserving the worldly body by construction of a Samadhi Peedam. However, Justice C.S. Dias questioned why the family had failed to register his death or obtain a death certificate, emphasizing that police had the authority to investigate deaths under suspicious circumstances. Advertisement When police opened the burial site, Gopans body was found in a sitting position, covered with ash (bhasmam), incense, and aromatic compounds. Subsequently, it was taken to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College for a post-mortem examination. Advertisement The inquest report confirmed that the exhumed body showed no visible injuries or wounds indicating unnatural causes. However, the exact cause of death will be confirmed after the detailed post-mortem report is released. Doctors said three key tests must be carried out to determine the cause of death. Analysis of lung secretions will assess whether inhaled ashes at the burial site caused suffocation, potentially triggering a heart attack. Histopathology will examine darkened marks on the head, partially obscured by decomposition, to determine their nature. The death, and the subsequent entombment, came to light after Gopans sons announced on January 9 that their father had attained samadhi (blissful death) through posters displayed around their residence. The exhumation of the body of Gopan Swami, who was placed in a samadhi or entombment by his family for forensic and post-mortem examination , was halted on Tuesday following strong protests by the family and a section of local residents Gopan Swami (78), a native of Neyyattinkara, was on Thursday secretly buried by his sons, who claimed he had attained Samadhi, used to refer to the death of holy men who have reached the state of ultimate spiritual realization With Milkipur assembly bypolls around the corner, the Samajwadi Party has again raked up the issue of alleged grabbing of poors land in Ayodhya by BJP leaders. SP President Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday hit out at the BJP government and alleged that in Ayodhya, the land of poor and farmers was taken at cheap prices and sold at expensive prices. Advertisement Lord Shri Ram will not spare those who took the land of the poor and farmers, he told reporters here, adding that instead, the land of the poor should have been taken at market rates. But there was uneven distribution of land, he said. Advertisement He alleged that everything is being taken away from the farmers of Ayodhya and the government is deliberately snatching away the land. Farmers are not against development because they also want to be partners in development. Farmers should get compensation at market price. We are grateful to the farmers that they have come to SP even at a time when officials are trying to intimidate them. The way the government is working, people of the BJP also know that the party is not their supporter. People all over the world have faith in Ayodhya but it should not be destroyed like this. Farmers should be compensated by increasing the circle rate six times. If the BJP government does not give, then whenever the SP government is formed, compensation will be given at the market rate, he announced. The SP President said hotels are being built where ashrams should be built. Five star hotels are being built there. Will there be bars? If there are no bars, will it get five star status? SP will make Ayodhya world class, he said. Referring to Lok Bhavan, he said that the office where the CM sits is also the gift of the SP government. Talking about the Milkipur by-election, Akhilesh Yadav said it will be the most important election in the country. There is a demand from the government to set an example of transparent functioning in this election. The truth is that even in Milkipur, people are being uprooted. You(media) should not promote us too much otherwise the government will deploy even those in khaki uniform. Every section is with us, he said. Akhilesh Yadav termed the Yogi governments claim of nine crore people taking a dip in the Maha Kumbh as fake. He said that the government figures are fake. On the support of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi Assembly elections, he said ,We are not against Congress. This is part of our strategy. AAP is giving competition to the BJP in Delhi, hence we are supporting AAP. Before this, the farmers who came from Ayodhya said that the authority there was taking land from the farmers but not giving adequate compensation. Former SP MLA Pawan Pandey said that it is being said that the farmers land will be taken without compensation. Farmers are worried. Government land is being taken and given to capitalists. Earlier too, land was taken from poor farmers at a cheap rate and is being given at an expensive price for the hotel. Farmers are not against development in Ayodhya but are against taking away land at throwaway prices. Thousands of bighas of land already taken is vacant. Hundred percent of the farmers are saying in writing that they would not sell their land and will sell it to the people at the same price at which the land is being sold to the industrialists. The land of farmers who have been farming for 100 to 200 years is being taken for free on the pretext of Nazul. Rajeev Tiwari of Ayodhya told that Awas Vikas acquired and sold land for residential use after they bought from them for Rs 5 lakh and sold for Rs 1.81 crore. One Pooja Verma told that she is a native of Ayodhya and her husband died during Covid. She purchased land with the money received from insurance. Housing developments are acquiring land at very low prices. No one is listening to us. How will I be able to educate my children? Daughter has to get married, she said. Farmer Ram Yadav told that the government is uprooting 2,000 farmers in Maya Jamtara and land is being taken on the pretext of Nazul. Nazul land is government-owned land that is used for public purposes. Ayodhyas business leader Ratan Jaiswal alleged that his land is also being forcibly taken by housing development. They are buying it at the price of Rs 5 lakh and selling it for crores, he claimed. The BJP on Tuesday nominated Chandrabhan Paswan as its candidate for the Milkipur bypoll, while the Samajwadi Party has fielded Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasads son Ajit Prasad. Awadhesh Prasad was the MLA of Milkipur before he got elected to the Lok Sabha necessitating the bypoll. The Congress has decided not to field its candidate and instead support the nominee of the SP, a constituent of the INDIA bloc. The bypoll is scheduled for February 5 and votes will be counted on February 8. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has finalized a contract with Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Navy, valued at approximately Rs 2,960 crore. The agreement was signed here on Thursday, with Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh overseeing the proceedings. The MRSAM system will be integrated into several Indian Naval Ships, with plans to deploy it across future naval platforms. Advertisement This contract is a significant step in strengthening Indias defence capabilities while advancing the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative by promoting indigenous production. The project is expected to generate around 3.5 lakh mandays of employment, benefiting the defence sector, including various MSMEs. Advertisement The Advanced Soil and Leaf Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Soil Science and Water Management at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni in Himachal Pradesh has been awarded National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation. A spokesperson of the University said here on Thursday that this prestigious recognition was awarded in accordance with the ISO/IEC 17025:2017 standard, confirming the labs compliance with general requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. Advertisement Established as part of the World Bank-funded HP-HDP project, the laboratory specializes in comprehensive soil and leaf analysis, including testing for micronutrients and macronutrients, he said. Advertisement It also conducts manure and compost analysis in accordance with Fertilizer Control Order (FCO) specifications. Serving as both a resource generation and facility-sharing platform, the lab has already attracted numerous clients from within and beyond the state, said the spokesperson. Soil Science and Water Management Department Professor and Head Laboratorys Quality Manager, Dr. Uday Sharma, highlighted the rigorous process involved in achieving the certification. The lab underwent a thorough evaluation by the Quality Council of India, which involved testing its reliability through the analysis of unknown samples before granting accreditation for its comprehensive soil testing across 11 parameters, he added. Nauni University Vice Chancellor Prof. Rajeshwar Singh Chandel congratulated the Department of Soil Science team for this significant achievement, noting that the accreditation would enhance the credibility of the laboratory and further solidify the trust of farmers and institutions in its analysis. The University Director of Research Dr. Sanjeev Chauhan commended the teams efforts and stressed the importance of maintaining the high-quality standards set by the lab moving forward. Since becoming fully operational in 2021, the lab has analyzed over 6,000 samples, contributing significantly to both the universitys revenue and its reputation as a leader in soil science research The Indian Navy will commemorate the Year of Naval Civilians on Friday at Dr DS Kothari Auditorium in DRDO Bhawan. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will honour the dedicated contributions of naval civilians. A statement from the Naval spokesperson stated that the celebration will feature an inspiring agenda, including a curated exhibition of photographs and paintings that showcase the pivotal roles and achievements of Naval Civilians. The exhibition will offer attendees a unique glimpse into the lives and work of these essential personnel in support of naval operations. Advertisement A key highlight of the event will be the recognition of recipients of the Prime Ministers Shram Awards, who have excelled in their respective fields with exceptional skill and dedication. To further honor this workforce, a short commemorative film capturing the spirit and contributions of Naval Civilians will be screened. Advertisement The event will also feature the debut of an exclusive Naval Civilians Song, Jee Jaan Lagan Se, composed by Naval Civilian employees. The song will be performed live by the team led by Cdr Satish Champion, Director of Music (Navy). The defence minister will confer meritorious awards and cash prizes on select Naval Civilians, acknowledging their exceptional service across six categories. This celebration reflects the Indian Navys steadfast commitment to appreciating the efforts of both its uniformed and civilian personnel, recognizing the crucial role Naval Civilians play in strengthening the Navys operational capabilities, the statement read further. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- UN relief agencies and humanitarians, led by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on Wednesday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire accord reached between Israel and Hamas, and called for a massive scaling up of humanitarian operations. Guterres said the world body's priority must be to ease suffering caused by the conflict once the ceasefire takes effect, scheduled for Sunday, calling for rapid, unhindered, and safe humanitarian relief for all needy civilians. "It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support. The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels," he said. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Tom Fletcher, the UN relief chief, said in a statement that the ceasefire agreement offers much-needed hope to millions of people whose lives have been devastated by the conflict. Anticipating the accord, he said that humanitarian agencies have been mobilizing supplies outside Gaza to scale up aid delivery across the strip. "We will do our utmost to respond with the ambition, creativity, and urgency this moment demands, despite the significant security and political challenges to our work," Fletcher said. "To help us save lives, we urge all parties to adhere fully to international humanitarian law." He said that means protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure, allowing aid workers safe, unfettered access to people in need, whoever and wherever they are, and removing all obstacles to the entry of essential aid. Fletcher said it will be critical for the Israelis to enable entry of commercial supplies in addition to admitting to Gaza UN humanitarians and their partners. Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), welcomed the ceasefire announcement long overdue for the children and families of Gaza who have endured more than a year of bombardment and deprivation and for the hostages in Gaza and their families in Israel. "UNICEF and partners are ready to scale up our response," she said. "The ceasefire must, finally, afford humanitarian actors the opportunity to safely roll out the massive response inside the Gaza Strip that is so desperately needed." The aid response must include unimpeded access to all children and families with essential food and nutrition, health care and psychosocial support, clean water, sanitation, education, learning, cash assistance, and the resumption of commercial trucking operations, Russell said. Citing the collapse of essential services across Gaza, Russell said it is urgent for action to save lives and help children recover. "Less than half of Gaza's 36 hospitals are functional, increasing the risk of infectious disease outbreaks and putting children at risk," she said. "Water production is at less than 25 percent capacity. Nearly all of the territory's 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity. And 95 percent of Gaza's school buildings have been damaged or destroyed." Russell added that a secure environment is necessary to allow UNICEF to increase the screening and treatment of children suffering from malnutrition, facilitate vaccination catch-up for 420,000 children under 5 years, and support the prevention of disease outbreaks, including polio, measles, and cholera. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported earlier Wednesday that there are continuing efforts to scale up aid operations despite the continuing challenges. Humanitarians have long complained of Israeli authorities in Gaza blocking or impeding aid deliveries. Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, told reporters at a regular briefing that Israeli authorities continue to deny UN-led efforts to reach the North Gaza governorate, where Palestinians have been under siege for more than three months. He said attempts made Tuesday and Wednesday to reach besieged areas to deliver critical humanitarian assistance were denied. Across Gaza, the UN planned 21 coordinated humanitarian missions. Less than half were facilitated. Seven were denied outright, and four were impeded. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday underscored the role of Indian startups in solving global challenges while at the same time creating employment opportunities and boosting our quest towards self-reliance. His comments came as India marks nine years of its flagship initiative for startups Startup India launched in January 2016. Advertisement Modi said the initiative has propelled India to become one of the largest and most vibrant startup ecosystems globally. Advertisement It is a landmark initiative that has redefined innovation, entrepreneurship and growth, he said in a series of posts on X, describing the programme as very close to my heart as it has emerged as a powerful way of furthering youth empowerment. Over the past nine years, this transformative program has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful Startups. People would doubt Indias ability to thrive in this system just a decade ago, he added. Over the past nine years, the government has recognised 1.59 enterprises as startups under the Startup India initiative spanning 55 industries including agriculture, IT, biotech, fintech, education, and renewable energy. According to the government, startups recognised by DPIIT have created over 17.2 lakh direct jobs. According to the official data, the IT services industry leads with 2.04 lakh jobs, followed by healthcare and lifesciences with 1.47 lakh jobs and professional and commercial services with around 94,000 jobs. Moreover, the count of unicorns or startups with a private market valuation of USD 1 billion or above has grown to over 100, with a collective valuation of around Rs 30 lakh crore. The prime minister said this transformative programme has empowered countless youngsters, turning their innovative ideas into successful startups. From tech-driven solutions to rural innovations, healthcare advancements to biotech breakthroughs, Fintech to EdTech, clean energy to sustainable technology, Indian startups are solving global challenges while at the same time creating employment opportunities and boosting the countrys quest towards self-reliance, he added. Underlining his governments commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that uplifts every dream and contributes to Aatmanirbhar Bharat, he said his dispensation has left no stone unturned to encourage a culture of startups. He said his governments policies have focused on Ease of Doing Business, greater access to resources and, most importantly, supporting them at every juncture. Assuring the emerging entrepreneurs of government support, the Prime Minister said, We reaffirm our commitment to continue fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that uplifts every dream and contributes to Aatmanirbhar Bharat. I compliment every youngster in the startup world and urge more youngsters to pursue this. Its my assurance you wont be disappointed. He said, We are actively promoting innovation and incubation centres so that our youngsters become risk-takers. I have personally been regularly interacting with upcoming startups. In a major breakthrough amidst the ongoing war against drugs waged on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Tarn Taran police has busted a Pakistan-backed drug trafficking cartel with the arrest of a kingpin and seized 5 kg heroin from his possession, Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav said on Thursday. The arrested accused has been identified as Rashpal Singh, a resident of village Bhai Ladhu, Tarn Taran. Apart from recovering heroin, police teams have also impounded his motorcycle. Advertisement DGP Yadav said the accused was in direct contact with multiple Pakistan-based smugglers and had been receiving consignments of drugs from across the border. Probe revealed that the Pak-based smugglers were exploiting drones to ferry drugs across the border, he added. Advertisement The DGP said further investigations are going on to establish backward and forward linkages in this case. More arrests and recoveries are likely in coming days, he added. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Tarn Taran, Abhimanyu Rana said acting on reliable information, a police team under the supervision of SP(D) Ajayraj Singh, DSP (D) Rajinder Minhas and DSP Sarbjit Singh Bajwa led by CIA Staff in-charge Inspector Amandeep Singh, conducted a targeted operation and apprehended Rashpal Singh in the area of Village Bhai Ladhu and recovered 5 kg heroin from his possession. The SSP said that efforts are being made to uncover the entire network of suppliers, dealers, and buyers, as well as to ascertain the total quantity of drugs purchased by the arrested individual so far. A case under FIR No. 06 dated January 15, 2025, has been registered under Sections 21(c) of the NDPS Act at Sadar Patti Police Station, Tarn Taran. Further investigation is on. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held a telephonic conversation with the UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, today, to discuss ongoing defence cooperation between India and the United Kingdom. Both Ministers emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum in their bilateral relationship. During the call, the defence minister, and Healey reviewed the significant progress made in specialised areas of defence technology, such as Electric Propulsion and jet engines. They expressed satisfaction with the recent signing of the Statement of Intent on Electric Propulsion, which marks a key milestone in their cooperation. Advertisement The two leaders also discussed the ongoing programme for the exchange of military instructors between the two nations training institutes, aiming to further strengthen defence ties. With the UKs growing focus on the Indo-Pacific region, both sides agreed to explore opportunities for joint initiatives and enhanced maritime engagements throughout 2025. Advertisement The police on Thursday constituted an SIT to investigate the mysterious deaths in the Budhal village of Rajouri where the toll has increased to 15 with another child losing her life last evening. The J&K government in a statement said that these deaths were not due to any communicable disease of bacteria or viral origin. Toxins have been found in samples by CSIR-IITR. The toxicological analysis conducted by CSIR-IITR has detected toxins in multiple biological specimens. Advertisement Fifteen of the 38 affected persons, including 12 children, have died since 7 December when five children showing symptoms of food poisoning died. Five children shifted here in the SMGS Hospital have died in the past three days. A 9 year girl, Zabeena, died in the hospital yesterday evening. Advertisement The other four other children, who died earlier this week in the SMGS Hospital were, Zahoor Ahmad (14), Mohammad Maroof (10), Safina Kousar (6) and Naveena (8). One more girl was undergoing treatment in the hospital. A government spokesman said that the situation was being closely monitored in village Budhal where an unexplained illness has claimed these lives. Investigations and samples empirically indicate that the incidents are not due to a communicable disease of bacterial or viral origin and that there is no public health angle. Pertinently all samples have tested negative for any viral or bacteriological etiology. The tests were conducted on different samples in some of the most reputed labs of the country. These include National Institute of Virology Pune, National Centre for disease control New Delhi, National Institute of Toxicology and Rsearch Lucknow, Defence Research Development Establishment Gwalior, the Microbiology Department of PGIMER Chandigarh besides the ICMR-Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory, GMC Jammu. The spokesman said that the incident came into notice on 7 December 2024, when a family of seven got ill after a community meal, resulting in five fatalities. On 12 December, a family of nine got affected, claiming three lives. The third incident occurred on 12 January, involving a family of ten who fell ill after consuming another community meal, with six children requiring hospitalization. Responding promptly, the Government took a number of steps to find the root cause of the unusual illness. The Minister for Health and Medical Education, Sakina Itoo, visited the spot along with other cabinet colleagues, besides chairing several meetings with the Health and Medical Education Department, District Administration, and other related departments to find the cause of the illness and provide necessary healthcare facilities to the affected. Chief Secretary J&K, Atal Dulloo, also chaired a series of meetings with health authorities, administration, technical experts from across the country, and police to ensure thorough fact-finding and provide the best healthcare facilities to the affected, the spokesman said. The department of Health and Medical Education has been providing the best possible treatment and management to the patients besides reviewing the situation on a daily basis. Experts from some of the most reputed institutions of the country have been arranged to manage the situation and understand the causative factors of the deaths. Secretary, Department of Health Research, MOHFW and DG ICMR Government of India Dr. Rajeev Bahl, held a video conference to discuss strategies and steps to rule out any epidemic. The Government took several steps immediately after the first incident on 7 December, including deputing a medical team along with the food safety department to collect food and water samples, organizing medical camps, establishing mobile medical units, door-to-door screening, and deploying rapid action teams, the spokesman said. A team of the state rapid response experts, including epidemiologists, microbiologists, and others from DHS Jammu, GMC Jammu, and Rajouri, visited the area to conduct detailed screening and collect contact tracing samples. Experts from NCDC, NIV Pune, and PGI Chandigarh also visited the area to assist in containing the situation. Clinical reports, lab investigations, and environmental samples indicate that the incidents are not due to a communicable disease. Meanwhile Rajouri police has formed a SIT for investigating the deaths. Efforts are on by the J&K police to investigate the incident. The Government is committed to safeguarding the lives of people and is taking all necessary steps in the matter, the spokesman added. Lauren Powell, wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, has left the Mahakumbh. Sources here on Thursday said she came here for 10 days, but went back within three days. It has been reported that Lauren Powell had some allergy problems which forced her to leave the Mela. Advertisement Now Jobs had left for Bhutan on Wednesday afternoon , where she will stay for a few days. Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of Apple co-founder and billionaire businessman Steve Jobs, arrived to participate in the Mahakumbh here on January 13. She stayed in the camp of Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of Niranjani Akhara. Advertisement She also wanted to take a bath on Makar Sankranti, but due to ill health she could not take it. On Wednesday morning, she took initiation from her guru Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri. Lauren Powell has been initiated into the Beej Mantra of Mahakali and she will chant Om Krim Mahakalika Namah. Acharya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri said that all the questions revolve around Sanatan Dharma and she gets great happiness and satisfaction in the answers. Laurens search for spirituality led her to Mahakumbh and here she has been given a new name Kamala. She is very simple, gentle and her search for spirituality brought her here. The way she conducts herself in the arena makes it clear that despite being one of the richest and most famous people in the world, she is devoid of ego and does not show off, the saint said. The saint said , she had come here to see our eternal and timeless Sanatani culture, the origin of all consciousness. Here she she met the guardians of Sanatani faith, sages and saints. Puri said that Lauren has come to Mahakumbh for the first time. Before coming to Mahakumbh, Lauren Powell visited Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi. According to media reports, in 1974, Apple founder Steve Jobs wrote a letter in which he had expressed his desire to come to India. Jobs wanted to go to Kumbh Mela, but it could not happen. It is believed that now his wife Lauren Powell was in India to fulfill Jobs wish. This letter written by Steve Jobs has been sold for Rs 4.32 crore. BJP MLA Suresh Dhas said in Beed on Thursday that Ujjwal Nikam, who was the government prosecutor in the 9/11 attacker Abdul Kasab case, is likely to be made the government prosecutor in the Beed village sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh murder case. The Chief Minister has informed me that Ujjwal Nikam is to be appointed as the government prosecutor in the Beed case. I think he will meet Ujjwal Nikam before or after going to Delhi, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas said. Advertisement Whether or not Minister Dhananjay Munde resigns is an internal issue of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Therefore, I will not speak about issues internal to the NCP. However, has the NCP increased pressure on anyone or not? Or is there no pressure on anyone? Senior leaders of the NCP like Sunil Tatkare, Praful Patel and Chhagan Bhujbal should decide about Dhananjay Mundes resignation, Suresh Dhas said. Advertisement Even if there is a single mistake by the police in the murder case of Santosh Deshmukh, there will be no mistake in the judicial investigation. So, whoever is behind the murder will get the death penalty. In this case, the boss is not an easy boss. He was using 17 mobile phones. Therefore, the boss can do anything. He was sending money to certain people every month, BJP MLA Suresh Dhas said. Meanwhile, the wife of murder accused Valmik Karad, Manjili Karad, has made allegations against BJP MLA Suresh Dhas and MP Bajrang Sonawane at a press conference in Beed on Thursday. She said, Those who have tried to trap my husband have done so by using MCOCA in the wrong manner. From whom should I seek justice? As a Maratha, I also appeal to my brothers from the Maratha community and brothers of the Vanjari community that I also want justice. I seek justice from Manoj Jarange who is a Maratha reservation activist. Just like you, I am also a Maratha. You have trapped my husband by exposing things step by step through a media trial. I will also begin exposing those who exposed my husbands affairs step by step in front of the media. I will expose the deeds of BJP MLA Suresh Dhas, Sharad Pawar-led NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar, Sharad Pawar-led NCP Lok Sabha MP Bajrang Sonawane as well as Anjali Damania. I will not stop without bringing out their stories, Manjili Karad said. When asked to comment about Manjili Karads statements, Suresh Dhas said, I wont like to respond to such allegations. Every so often, a prominent business leader calls for extraordinary sacrifices from employees, citing the need for national progress or corporate growth. The latest in the saga is the call for a 90 hour work week with no off days. These proclamations, often absurd in their expectations, are met with justifiable outrage from professionals already grappling with long hours and inadequate compensation. However, this recurring up roar obscures a deeper, more uncomfortable truth: while we condemn workplace exploitation, many of us perpetuate similar injustices in our homes, revealing a selective approach to labour rights. The professional class, which champions workplace dignity and fairness in corporate settings, often fails to extend these principles to domestic workers. These workers, who form the backbone of urban households, navigate a world of arbitrary rules, inconsistent pay, and systemic discrimination. From being banned from using lifts to being denied access to common spaces, their treatment reflects the feudal hierarchies that have persisted for generations. Advertisement It is a grim paradox that those who demand progressive policies in their offices of ten replicate exploitative systems in their homes. This hypocrisy is not just an individual failing but a societal norm reinforced by cultural and class biases, where domestic workers are seen as tools of convenience rather than individuals with rights. The scale of domestic labour in India underscores the urgency of this issue. While official estimates suggest that there are 4.75 million domestic workers, more realistic figures are over 20 to 50 million. These individuals, predominantly women, are often for ced to work in multiple households just to earn a living wage. Despite their significant contributions, they remain excluded from key labour laws and protections, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation. This legislative gap is not accidental ~ it is a reflection of societal apathy toward this workforce. In dias failure to ratify international conventions protecting domestic workers rights highlights a reluctance to disrupt the status quo. In the absence of written contracts or fixed working hours, employment terms are dictated by employer whims. The pandemic further exposed this inequity, as domestic workers were summarily dismissed or had their wages cut without any form of severance. Criticisms of excessive corporate demands often centre on their impact on personal lives and mental health. Yet, in our homes, domestic workers are expected to be perpetually available, often without additional pay or consideration for their well-being. Advertisement This duality ~ where we oppose exploitation when it affects us but ignore it when we are the exploiters ~ reveals a deeper moral failing. True advocacy for labour rights demands introspection. It requires us to recognise that our homes are not exempt from the principles of fairness and dignity. Until we confront the exploitation within our own households, our outrage against corporate overreach will remain shallow. The path to a more equitable society begins with acknowledging the humanity of all workers, whether in boardrooms or kitchens. Only then can we claim to stand for justice in its truest sense. A high-powered enquiry committee set up to investigate activities of some organised criminal groups, terrorist organisations and drug peddlers who undermined the security interests of both India and the US, has submitted its report to the Government, recommending legal action against an individual, the Ministry of Home Affairs detailed on Wednesday. The committee was set up in November 2023 by the Indian government on receipt of information provided by the US authorities on a foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani separatist on American soil. Advertisement The ministry stated that the enquiry committee conducted its own investigations, and also pursued leads provided by the US side, receiving full cooperation from the US authorities as the two sides also exchanged visits. Advertisement The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection. After a long enquiry, the Committee has submitted its report to the Government and recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry, read a statement issued by the ministry on Wednesday. The Enquiry Committee has recommended that the legal action must be completed expeditiously. The Committee has further recommended functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen Indias response capability, ensure systematic controls and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this, it added. IANS reported in October 2024 about the visit of an Indian committee to Washington and its meeting with the US counterparts to share the findings. The US had then mentioned that the presence of the team in Washington DC reflected the seriousness with which New Delhi was taking the case. The fact that they sent an inquiry committee here, I think, demonstrates that they are taking this seriously, John Kirby, a spokesman for the US National Security Council, said at a news briefing. Miller had also said that the investigation does not dent the overall relationship between the two sides. India continues to be an incredibly strong partner of the US. We work with them on a number of matters, including our shared vision for a free, open, prosperous Indo-Pacific. And when we have concerns, we have a relationship where we can take those concerns to them and have very frank, candid conversations about those concerns, he said. Uganda is on high alert following a suspected Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak in neighboring Tanzania that has left eight people dead, a health official said here Wednesday. Henry Kyobe Bosa, incident commander at Ugandas Ministry of Health, told Xinhua news agency over the telephone that health authorities have heightened surveillance and implemented precautionary measures at the border points with Tanzania to prevent the importation of the highly fatal virus into Uganda. According to the ministry, no case of MVD has been reported within the country. Advertisement The World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday informed its member states of suspected cases of MVD in Tanzanias Kagera Region, with symptoms of headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhea, vomiting with blood, body weakness, and external bleeding. Advertisement We are following WHO risk assessment to put in place measures for early detection and response, and should there be a need, to undertake active case search in view of the classified risk in the region and globally, Bosa said. According to the WHO, the regional risk is considered high due to the strategic importance of the Kagera Region as a transit hub, with significant cross-border movement of people to Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In March 2023, Tanzanian health authorities announced that an outbreak of Marburg viral disease that had killed five people in the Kagera Region was under control. MVD is a highly virulent disease that causes hemorrhagic fever, with a fatality rate of up to 88 per cent, according to the WHO. The highly fatal, zoonotic hemorrhagic disease is caused by the Marburg virus, and human-to-human transmission occurs through direct contact with body fluids from infected persons or contact with equipment and other materials contaminated with infectious blood or tissues, body fluids of infected people, and contaminated surfaces or materials. A press conference on the construction of mobile houses and risk identification for geological disasters after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County is held in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan) LHASA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A total of 5,152 makeshift houses have been set up since a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County in southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region last week, to shield the affected residents from the bitter cold, according to a press briefing held on Thursday. Currently, 13,000 makeshift board houses have been secured, with 6,135 delivered to the quake-hit zone and 5,152 units already assembled. Additional housing units are en route to the quake zone. Keeping the quake-affected individuals warm during the current resettlement stage is the top priority for the emergency management department of the autonomous region, said Wei Jun, deputy head of the department, at the press briefing. On Jan. 7, a 6.8-magnitude earthquake hit Dingri, home to the northern base camp of the world's highest peak, Mount Qomolangma, claiming 126 lives. With a population of over 60,000, Dingri is one of the most populous border counties in Xizang. There are 27 villages and about 6,900 people within a 20-km radius of the epicenter. The quake zone, situated at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters above sea level, is experiencing its coldest time of year. Materials to combat the cold, including electric stoves, electric-heating blankets, cotton-padded apparels, have been delivered to the quake-affected individuals in time, according to Wei. Meanwhile, water conservancy authorities have inspected 14 reservoirs (hydropower stations) in the quake-stricken area, and identified localized cracks along with other risk signs at five of them. Three reservoirs have been drained of water, according to the press briefing. In the endangered La'ang Reservoir in Changsuo Township of Dingri, authorities are increasing the discharge flow to mitigate the risk of dam failure, according to Wei. To safeguard the lives and property of affected residents, approximately 1,500 people from six villages downstream of the reservoir have been safely relocated to nine emergency shelters located at higher elevations, away from riverbanks. In another development, rescue teams in the disaster area have recovered cash totaling about 6.96 million yuan (about 968,000 U.S. dollars). Preliminary statistics indicated that as of Wednesday afternoon, donations from all sectors of society had totaled around 1.64 billion yuan, including 1.53 billion yuan in funds and 106 million yuan in goods. According to the regional department of civil affairs, these contributions are primarily used for the relocation and resettlement of affected communities and for ensuring basic living necessities. The department has allocated over 6.63 million yuan in central government funding to Dingri County. A press conference on the construction of mobile houses and risk identification for geological disasters after a 6.8-magnitude earthquake jolted Dingri County is held in Lhasa, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Jiang Fan) remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. CANBERRA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Australia's unemployment rate rose slightly in December to 4.0 percent from 3.9 percent in November, as participation in the workforce reached a record high. According to official labor force data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday, the total number of employed Australians grew by 56,300 between November and December, but the number of unemployed people -- meaning those who are not employed and are actively looking for a job -- increased by 10,300 in the same period. The participation rate, which measures the proportion of the working-age population who are either employed or actively looking for work, increased from 66.9 percent in November to a record-high 67.1 percent in December. "This was 0.5 percentage points higher than a year ago, and 1.6 percentage points higher than March 2020," Bjorn Jarvis, head of labor statistics at the ABS, said. The employment-to-population ratio, the percentage of the working-age population that is employed, grew from 64.3 percent to a record-high of 64.5 percent in December. Jarvis said the figure was 0.5 percentage points higher than in December 2023 and 2.3 percentage points higher than before the COVID-19 pandemic period. Ahead of the Delhi elections, the Union government announced the setting up of the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of central government employees and allowances of pensioners. Addressing a cabinet briefing, Union Information and Broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved setting up of a commission to revise the salaries. This a major announcement as it impacts over 32 lakh pensioners, excluding the defence pensioners, and close to 49 lakh government employees. PM @narendramodi Ji has approved the 8th Central Pay Commission for all Central Government employees. pic.twitter.com/4jl9Q5gFka Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 16, 2025 The chairman and two members of the Commission will be appointed soon. The 7th Pay Commission was set up in 2014, and the recommendations were implemented by the government in 2016. Its term will end in 2026. So, the proposed commission will get one year to hold consultations with the employees, state governments, PSUs and other stakeholders to prepare its recommendations. Once accepted by the government, the employees' salaries will be revised. #WATCH | Delhi: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "Prime Minister has approved the 8th Central Pay Commission for all employees of Central Government..." pic.twitter.com/lrVUD25hFu ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 The last commission had submitted its report in 2015. It was headed by Justice Ashok Kumar Mathur and had members including Vivek Rae, Dr Rathin Roy and Meena Agarwal. Studying the pay structure, proposing new grades and keeping in mind the fiscal condition of the government so as to leave room for social welfare measures, is a massive exercise the commission will have to undertake. The government will come out with a new order appointing the commission chairperson and members apart from laying the terms and reference of the pay commission. As this is going to be the eighth pay commission since Independence, the panel may be asked by the government to consider the emerging situation to keep the massive workforces salaries in tune with the times. Last time, under the 7th pay commission, the minimum salary was set at Rs 18,000 from the earlier Rs 7,000 under the 6th pay commission. After the government had accepted the recommendation of the 7th Commission, the armed forces objected to its certain proposed pay structure. After the recommendations are accepted by the Union government, there is pressure on the state governments to implement the recommendations for the state employees too. As the proposed commission will undertake a massive exercise all eyes will be on how it will adhere to the governments thinking of keeping the workforce shorter to keep the salary and pension bills under check. As most of the central government employees and pensioners are based in Delhi, they have an impact during the polls. Sources said the government had got the decision cleared by the election commission before the announcement. As polls in Delhi are keenly contested, the BJP is trying to break the 25-year jinx of being out of power. Tata Motors has been the undisputed king of electric passenger vehicles in India, with a market share of around 62 per cent in 2024. But its dominance seems to be under threat as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai India, Mahindra and JSW MG Motor India are all gearing up to take on Tatas popular electric models. JSW MGs Windsor EV, the spacious tech-laden MPV launched in September 2024, was the companys best seller in the last three months of the year. It sold around 10,000 units, which accounted for half of its total sales. JSW MG Motor India sold 21,464 EVs in 2024 (it has the Comet and the ZS eV, in addition to the Windsor), which was a 125 per cent increase from 2023. Hyundai has already launched the electric Creta, which has inherited all good things from its much-loved ICE version. If priced rightly, it will be a formidable player in the space. While Hyundai already has a presence in the Indian EV market with the Kona and Ioniq 5 models, neither is for the mass market, unlike the Creta EV. Hyundai is accelerating the volume game with plans to launch at least three EVs that sit below the Creta soon. Mahindra & Mahindra, which sold around 7,000 EVs in 2024a 66 per cent increase from 2023recently launched two head-turnersthe XEV.9e and the BE.6e. Both SUVs are built on its modular, born-electric INGLO platform and come with locally produced battery packs. They look sharp and are powerful and feature-rich. While the BE.6e competes with the Tata Curvv, the XEV.9e will rival the upcoming Tata Harrier EV and Tata Safari EV. Maruti-Suzuki, which has been waiting and watching, recently teased the production-ready e Vitara, its first electric compact SUV. It will be showcased at the Auto Expo. It will take on the Creta EV. Indias largest carmaker is expected to flex the muscle soon with more models. Tata Motors is not shying away from the competition. It will soon be adding the Sierra EV and the Harrier EV to its robust line-up of five EVs (Nexon, Curvv, Punch, Tigor and Tiago). In an insightful discussion on AI moderated by Mathew T. George, news editor at THE WEEK, sector stakeholders and young entrepreneurs weighed in on how disruptive large learning models (LLMs) are changing the way major industries operate. As influential names in businesses descended to the island of Bolgatty on Thursday to attend the Malayala Manorama Sampadyam Kerala Business Summit 2025, delegates were treated to a wide variety of sessionsa testament to the states move to position itself as one of the sought-after destinations for entrepreneurship, startup innovation, and AI adoption. The automotive sector, with AI technology and LLMs aiding autonomous driving and tech adoption in both ICE vehicles and EVs, has been a benefactor of the advent of artificial intelligence. ALSO READ: 'More local businesses should do IPOs': Anoop Moopen, Aster DM Healthcare director, at Kerala Business Summit 2025 Ramanunni, cofounder and CEO of Chargemod, asserted that the age of the legacy manufacturer in the automotive sector is over. The legacy manufacturer is no more, announced the technocrat, the way in which cars are sold and driven has changed. Cars running on solo and siloed CPUs are making way for automobiles that are GPU-driven with parallel processing, enhanced by AI, added Ramanunni. The current set of people who use AI understand what they are doing. But the next set of people who will use AI may not even realise they are using it, added the Chargemod CEO, as he mentioned how the latest in technology has seamlessly become a part of our day-to-day lives. Genrobotics MD Vimal Govind recalled how he always wanted to integrate machine learning and deep learning into his life and his profession since the early days of his career in the 2010s. However, back then, the technology was just in its nascent stages. READ MORE: Without technology, you are dead: Rajeev Chandrasekhar at Kerala Business Summit 2025 With the leaps and bounds in AI over the past few years, Govind noted how he successfully integrated AI. In my personal life, one place I use AI now is in learning, he said, highlighting how he used the latest in tech to condense information and learn new things. I have a chatbot, which I connected to my WhatsApp. If I am not available, this chatbot will answer (for me), the Genrobotics MD revealed. He said that the latest deep learning models help in natural communication. To this, THE WEEKs George, on a lighter note, wondered if the news editors recent conversations with Govind leading up to the event were indeed with him or with the bot. Govind also revealed that AI has now become a mainstay in Genroboticswhich recently made news with a scavenging robot for sewage cleaning and its assisted posture correction offeringespecially in coding in basic testing, marketing, customer service, and social media. Denny Kurien, CEO of Keiretsu Forum, expressed how impressed he was with young technocrats and entrepreneurs adopting AI with much vigour. He said that many firms, such as McKinsey & Company, have benefitted from AI, and have seen a marked improvement in productivity. Human intelligence is levelling out and reaching a plateau, and this is why AI is more relevant than ever, Kurien added. The Kerala Business Summit, in its second edition, was held at the Grand Hyatt Bolgatty in Kochi on January 16, 2025. The event was supported by Muthoot Fincorp, along with the Bank of Baroda, DBFS, and CIAL. On a balmy morning at the Bolgatty island in Kochi, some of the best minds in business met at the Malayala Manorama Sampadyam Kerala Business Summit 2025. In his inaugural address, former Union Minister and entrepreneur Rajeev Chandrasekhar announced that whatever the sector of business, without technology, you are dead, as he highlighted the latest trends in the Indian economy. Investments, today, will go where the talent is, and talent goes where the opportunities are, Chandrasekhar added, highlighting the need for Kerala to create future-proof talent and retain them in the state. (From left) Varghese Chandy, VP of marketing at Malayala Manorama; Jayant Mammen Mathew, Executive Editor and Director of Malayala Manorama; former Union Minister and entrepreneur Rajeev Chandrasekhar; Sreejith Kottarathil, GM and Zonal Head of Bank of Baroda; Shaji Varghese, CEO of Muthoot Fincorp and Prince George, MD of DBFS | Malayala Manorama Doubling down on the transitional time the country is going through, Chandrasekhar talked about how even global events such as Donald Trump taking oath as the new US president in the coming week have a major international impact. Chandrasekhar stressed the need to embrace technology, recalling how the Brazilian government invited him to discuss their ongoing digitisation strategy. He recalled how digitisation was driving a major change in the Indian economy, especially since 2014. Before it, India, and Kerala, were centred around 5-10 conglomerates The country was dependent on the public sector and just these conglomerates and globally on the WTO, making China a major influencer across the globe. However, the architecture of the Indian economy has changed and is thriving on the backbone of a larger ecosystem of entrepreneurs, companies, and technocrats. Internationally, more and more nations, including India, adopted a larger China plus one strategy, thereby reducing the Chinese influence on global trade and commerce. Thanking Malayala Manorama and Jayant Mammen Mathew, Executive Editor and Director of Malayala Manorama, the former minister talked about the relevance of the Grow Global, Think Global summit, especially in such changing times of India, and Kerala, in particular. Mathew addressed the gathering, talking about how Kerala has always been a pioneer state in entrepreneurship and resources, especially in the fields of gold, finance, and the startup ecosystem. GM and zonal head of Bank Of Baroda, Sreejith Kottarathil, was felicitated at the inauguration, and he lauded the event for bringing the best minds of business together. The second edition of the Kerala Business Summit was supported by Muthoot Fincorp, along with the Bank of Baroda, DBFS, and CIAL. In what is being billed as a "critical milestone" in the efforts to enhance Indias defence capabilities and indigenise advanced military technology, a contract was signed between the ministry of defence and ammunitions and missile systems manufacturer Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) for the supply of Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) for the Indian Navy. MRSAM system is a standard fit onboard multiple Indian Naval Ships and is planned to be fitted on the majority of the future platforms planned for acquisition. ALSO READ: How multi-purpose vessel INS Utkarsh is set to enhance Indian Navy's combat capabilities Capable of engaging multiple targets at ranges up to 70 kilometres, MRSAM provides air defence against aerial threats like fighter aircraft, UAVs, guided and unguided munitions and cruise missiles. The contract, worth approximately Rs 2,960 crore, was signed by the officials of MoD and BDL in the presence of Defence Secretary Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh in New Delhi on Thursday. "With the emphasis on Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the missiles would be supplied by BDL under Buy (Indian) category with largely indigenous content. The contract would generate employment of approx. 3.5 lakh mandays in the defence industry, including various MSMEs," the dfence ministry said in a release. A few days ago, Russia reportedly delivered six Su-30SME multirole fighter aircraft to Myanmar Air Force under a $204 million contract signed in 2018. Developed as an export variant of the Su-30SM, Su-30SME is a twin-engine, two-seat aircraft manufactured by the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, featuring advanced capabilities for air-to-air combat, ground strikes, and reconnaissance missions. Now, unconfirmed reports emerge that the delivery of the fighter jets coincided with the delivery of six elephantsfive female elephants and one maleto Russias Great Moscow State Circus. Russia received a "gift" from Myanmar six elephants. According to sources, these elephants are part of a deal involving the acquisition of 6 Su-30SME. However, these claims remain speculative. There has been no official statement from either side regarding such a barter. pic.twitter.com/ggizLDazTD Wazn (@waznblog) January 16, 2025 This was part of the "elephant diplomacy strategy of Myanmar, as the delivery marked the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Although this may be a symbolic gesture as elephants are seen as a symbol of power and good fortune in Myanmar, some reports suggest that this was done as part of the payment agreement for the fighter jets. "Personally overseen by junta leader Min Aung Hlaing, the elephant donation comes in exchange for six SU-30 fighter jets, which were delivered to Myanmar this year worth $400 million, a deal financed by a Russian loan," a report in the Radio France Internationale read. It is to be noted that there is no official confirmation or concrete evidence to support these claims. Besides, according to Russian news agency TASS, the contract is worth around $204 million. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova was seen feeding the elephants in a photograph. Brad Pitt not only made headlines recently regarding his high-profile settlement with Angelina Jolie but also due to a horrifying scam affecting one of his fans. While the actor was busy battling it out legally, a fraudster seized this opportunity to scam a 53-year-old French woman out of over 830000 euros. In the aftermath of this shockingly sad event, Brad Pitt cautioned his fans to be keen and careful with online outreach. His representative told a US outlet on January 15th that unsolicited setups should not be responded to at all, particularly when they involve celebrities who are inactive on social media platforms. Brad Pitt does not have any public social media accounts, including Instagram, TikTok, and X. The victim, Anne, a French interior designer, was first contacted via Instagram by an account claiming to be Pitts mother. "She told me that her son needed someone like me," Anne explained to TF1. At first, she was sceptical, dismissing it as a fake message, but her lack of experience with social media led her to engage further. Soon after, an account claiming to be Brad Pitt himself reached out to her directly. "At first, I thought it was ridiculous. I didnt believe it," Anne explained further to TF1. But Im not used to social media, and I didnt fully understand what was happening. The scammers brainwashed Anne into believing that Brad Pitt needed financial help for his kidney treatment and that he could not access his own funds as his bank account was frozen due to his ongoing divorce proceedings with Angelina Jolie. To further deceive her, the fraudsters even sent AI-generated images of Brad Pitt lying in a hospital bed in a way that made Anne believe it was real. Anne was convinced that she was in some sort of romantic connection with the actor and gave away her life savings, which was about 850k$ towards their bank account and even went as far as getting a divorce from her husband so she could be with Pitt. Anne only learned she had been conned when she came across a news clip of Pitt with his real-life girlfriend, Ines de Ramon. She instantly filed a report with the police. "I keep asking myself, why did they choose me? What did I even do to deserve this? I have never harmed anyone. Those people deserve hell." Anne told TF1. This incident offered a reminder to all regarding the hazards of online fraud and to be cautious of any unsolicited contacts, especially those concerning high-profile celebrities. Actor Saif Ali Khan was injured after an intruder allegedly barged into the home he shares with his wife and actor Kareena Kapoor and their two children. The incident happened on Monday around 2: 30 am at the Satguru Sharan building where he resides. Unconfirmed reports suggest three people have been detained in connection with the incident. #WATCH | Mumbai Police Crime Branch officials arrive at the Bandra residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan to investigate the attack on the actor by an intruder at his home pic.twitter.com/JetkzWMfUL ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 #WATCH | Mumbai | Police present at the Bandra residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan after he was attacked by an intruder pic.twitter.com/IhCraiK2k3 ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 According to Bandra Police, an intruder sneaked into Saif Ali Khan's house while he was sleeping with his family. A scuffle broke out between Saif and the intruder following which the latter stabbed Saif with a sharp weapon and fled the crime scene. There are also reports that the unknown person was arguing with his maid following which Saif had to intervene. The actor reportedly tried to pacify the man who began attacking the actor. He was immediately rushed to the Lilavati Hospital. He suffered six stab wounds, out of which two are deep. One is said to be near his spine. His injuries are not severe. Police have started an investigation into the matter. Meanwhile, Saif has issued a statement confirming the burglary attempt at his house. After learning about the terrifying attack on Saif Ali Khan, several stars from Bollywood and other film industries reacted to the incident, expressing their shock and grief. The actor was stabbed at least six times by the attackers on Thursday at 2.30 am.Two of the wounds are said to be deep and he was admitted to Lilavati Hospital in Bandra at 3.30 am. The hospital said Saif is out of danger after surgery. Local police are our first preventers/grass root defenders. It is law enforcements duty to create an environment in which people with a criminal bent do not feel comfortable to operate. The Beat officer must act as a deterrent in preventing criminal activity. @CPMumbaiPolice Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 16, 2025 Tagging Mumbai Police and the city police commissioner, Pooja Bhatt asked if such attack could be put to an end, adding that more police personnel should be deployed in Bandra. "The city & especially the queen of the subburbs, have never felt so unsafe before," she posted, tagging Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar. Law & Order. We have laws.. what about order? Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 16, 2025 In another post, Pooja asked, "We have laws. what about order?" In a third one, she questioned the inability of the police in preventing the attack. "It is law enforcements duty to create an environment in which people with a criminal bent do not feel comfortable to operate," she wrote, "The Beat officer must act as a deterrent in preventing criminal activity." Police have formed seven teams to probe the incident. However, the investigators have ruled out any links to the threats against Salman Khan from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. Last year, politician Baba Siddique was shot dead by gangsters over his support for Salman Khan in the black buck case. Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh wished the injured star a swift recovery, praying for his family. "This is very sad indeed !! May your bravery and love for your family be rewarded with healing, strength, and peace," he added. Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Jr NTR (@tarak9999) January 16, 2025 'RRR' star Junior NTR expressed his shock and grief after learning about the attack on the Bollywood actor. He also wished him speedy recovery. Kunal Kohli also reacted to the "scary" attack, praying for the actor's health while Chiranjeevi said he was "deeply disturbed" by the incident. by Hummam Sheikh Ali DAMASCUS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Growing up, I was enthralled by sci-fi shows about time travel, where characters leap years ahead yet still recognize their city's landmarks, only to find themselves in an unfamiliar reality. Lately, I can't help revisiting those tales, as they seem to be unfolding here in Syria where everything has changed dramatically in such a short period. Before the political upheaval of Dec. 8, 2024, the day when Bashar al-Assad's government fell, Syrian people were often startled by unexplained gunshots echoing from a distance. A month later, strolling through Damascus feels more reassuring. The city appears unchanged on the surface, yet the difference is unmistakable. The streets, once hemmed in by checkpoints, have opened up: vendors now sell fuel at spots formerly guarded by soldiers, with people snapping photos and exploring presidential palaces and other landmarks that they used to watch only on national television. In the absence of traffic police, young men wearing reflective vests -- some in their 20s -- have stepped up as volunteers to keep vehicles moving amid appreciative honks and waves from passing drivers. Cafes are bustling again, and shoppers pack the reopened souks. Some previously unavailable and banned items are now on the market -- drones, for instance, are sold openly, and so are the latest phone models at competitive prices. Foreign chocolate and biscuit brands have appeared on store shelves, and cars -- once prohibitively expensive under high import duties -- are now listed at much lower prices. Some basic necessities, however, are costlier than before, and electricity shortages persist in many areas. State institutions have yet to fully resume operations. Talking with friends, I sense we are all in flux, trying to reinvent ourselves for this new phase. The Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which led the takeover of Damascus and much of Syria, promises not to discriminate by religion or ethnicity and condemns revenge killings. While the new interim authority champions co-existence among communities, we remain cautious. Rumors of retaliatory violence against unnamed victims unsettle many in the country, including my friend Ihsan, who belongs to a minority group. "We want to turn the page, but we need to move beyond this stage of uncertainty and feel safe, especially after all these years of hardship," he said. Another friend, Ibrahim, recently heard shooting from his apartment window -- an apparent act of vengeance -- before security forces arrived. He kept talking about it for days. Such episodes show how fragile stability can be in this altered reality. For many of us, each day feels like existing in two overlapping worlds: one is the old Damascus, deeply etched into our memories, and the other is this evolving reality, brimming with both promise and uncertainty. Between friends, we share a day-to-day determination to adapt and cling to small scraps of hope. Here in Syria, the landmarks remain unchanged, yet beneath them lies a whole new world that is steadily taking shape, guided by people's determination and true desire for a better future. Amid this scene, foreign diplomats come and go, meeting with leaders of the Syrian interim government. Their visits spark optimism about Syria's potential reintegration into the global arena and the prospect of lasting stability in the country. "Good things are coming," says Samara, another friend of mine, who is optimistic about the future. It is a minefield of misinformation on social media, especially when it comes to matters of health. It has pitted friends against each other and created an unspoken divide within families. It has seeped so much into our daily lives that researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center, University of Pennsylvania, recently did a study to find the best way to tackle misinformation. They found that using the bypassing technique to counter misinformation works better than factually correcting the same. The bypassing technique essentially involves providing positive, true counterclaims instead of negative rebuttals. But there are, of course, limitations to that technique as wellit is better used to keep the peace at family dinners than to change someones belief. Also, factually correcting a myth can work wonders if backed by science and explained in laymans terms. And, that is what orthopaedic surgeon Dr Manan Vora set out to do when he first started making content online during the second wave of Covid-19. It has earned him more than 400k followers on Instagram. Also read | From brown bread vs white to exercising while on period: Four health myths busted! He, however, realised that there was just too much misinformation out there and he could not put out a reel or video countering each one of them. Also, the lifespan of reels was short, even if they went viral. And so, he wrote a bookhis firsttitled But What Does Science Say: 101 Health Myths Busted. Vora, who has won the prestigious Edinburgh Surgery Global Scholar Award from the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, started writing the book in November 2023, poring over 1,400 research papers and turning them into short, crisp chapters with a generous dash of humour and Hindi filmi dialoguesall in 10 months. His informal style of writing may appeal to a generation that prefers bite-sized information. And, Vora has ensured that there is something for those who want to go into the detailsa QR code at the end of the book takes you to his research references. Vora wears many hatssports medicine specialist, health and longevity educator, co-founder of NutriByte Wellness and strategic partner and adviser to various health tech startups. But he is not all work and no play. He dedicates 90 minutes to workout and another 90 minutes to some quality time with loved ones. In an interview with THE WEEK, Vora talks about his book, work-life balance and debunking myths. Excerpts: Q: Your bio at the beginning of the book does give a fair warning against asking you this question. I cannot help but ask: how do you do it all? A: I take a lot of pride in how I manage my time. So I think one thing that works for me is that I have incorporated, be it my own health or spending time with loved ones or different ways of enjoying your day-to-day life, as actual daily or weekly tasks; I have made them habits.... So that is something I find time for, even if it means a potential loss of income or an odd opportunity. That is okay with me. Similarly, I am a father to a five-month-old baby. So this journey of fatherhood is very new to me. I have cut back on my practising hours and on a few other things because, as a parent, I want to be there as much as possible. Of course, I cannot match up to the level of hard work and commitment that a mother has to put in, but at least I can be there as much as possible rather than miss out on these moments that I may repent later on. Q: You have quite a following on social media. So why write a book when you already have an audience? A: When I started making content online in 2021 and 2022, I had significant growth during that time. It was more novel and more unique for a doctor to come on social media and gather information. People also received it much better. Cut to 2023, and we saw a massive surge in non-health qualified people making health information and finding a way to go into the algorithm of the audiences and grow very, very fast. Some of them have gone past the followers that I have and I respect their journey as well. But they were kind of intentionally using techniques to garner attention or use a little bit of fear-mongering where it was not required, or just trying to find a way to make a video viral and then kind of sacrifice the kind of information that you should be giving. So they were easily cutting those corners because they didn't really have a credibility to live up to; they didn't have a qualification or a practice to live up totoday if I say something dodgy, I am worried a patient will judge me and not come to me as their caregiver.... So when I saw that happening, I was like, What can I do as a doctor? I cannot sit and remix every video and say that this is wrong, this is right, and defame people. That is not something that goes well with me. So this [writing a book] is an idea that I got. Penguin reached out to me at a similar time. And we had a discussion about let's take 101 of the most debated health topicswe did our research for thatand let's tell the audience what science says from a doctor's point of view, from someone who is qualified and someone who you should rather be listening to.... So that was the thought process behind it. We also noticed that it is very easy for a good video to be forgotten in two days. Today, an Instagram reels lifespan is about 48 hours, unless it goes significantly viral, it will go on for a week, very few go on for two, or three weeks, and then they still die out. So why not create something that outlives me? Q: What were the challenges you faced while writing the book? How different is busting myths in print than on social media? A: It was a huge challenge because I had never written it like a manuscript before. So I was watching YouTube videos on how to write a book, how to write a prepare a manuscript, and how to prepare a first draft. And I was learning along the journey. I have no shame in admitting that I actually wrote 5 per cent of the book and shared it with five people and took their input. I had them as a focus group giving me their feedback. My end product is actually very different from that first 5 per cent. So the two main challenges were: one was that I was addressing the common man who was not science-heavy or technical-heavy. I didn't want to address medical students or doctors, that was not my aim.... So the first thing was to basically, in a very polite way, dumb it down. That is not to say that doctors are smart and others are dumb, but I had to use simple language. Now, this is something that I have done in my videos as well. So it is not like I was alien to the process of making complex things simple. The second challenge was to make it interesting for the reader.... There are so many sources online that also write articles for the common man. So that is where the second challenge was. And I took that on with a little bit of feedback and helped to make this a day-to-day incident, a conversational style format... And I think the end product is pretty nice. Q: You spoke about adopting a conversational style. You also brought in humour and Bollywood dialogues. Was it specifically tailored to a generation that prefers bite-sized information? I will be very honest when I say I just played to my strength because, at the end of the day, I am a short-form video creator. I am not a long-form video creator. I am not a long-form text creator as well... I said, Look, short-form works for me. This is what I have three years of experience in, so why not divide a 55,000-page book into 101 short articles? So that is the strategy I have gone for. At some point in my life, I want to write a book that is not going by this format, because that would be challenging for me. Coming to the point where you mentioned humour or Bollywood dialogues, very honestly, that I have just played to my personality. If you have seen my recent videos, I have changed my video style to a more serious look. But if you scroll down to my 2021-2022 videos, I used to have a lot of Bollywood references, I used to try and add a sense of humour and make it infotainment. But of late, I have noticed that people also want serious medical advice. So I have changed my strategy. But this is who I am as a personI am known for my sense of humour among friends.... It was not an attempt at humour or an attempt at trying to fit into a generation, it just came naturally to me. Q: There is no escaping misinformation. What do you think is a sure-shot way of fighting it? A: Well, for the 101 topics, there is my book. So that is sorted for you guys. But on a serious note, we are living in an age where you cannot escape social media.... So these things are going to pop up on your feed. One thing I want people to do is, and this probably applies to a lot of fields, but let's talk about health specifically, I want everyone to consume information as awareness, not as a decision-making tool. And this includes my videos as well. I want you to critique my video as well. I want people to watch my videos and say, Oh, today, Dr Manan spoke about this, let me read up more about it, and not Today, Dr Manan spoke about this, I am doing this from today. And this is not a doctor versus non-doctor influencer debate, because I have seen non-doctors put out videos that are absolutely accurate and doctors put out videos that are sometimes inaccurate or not as well-researched. In fact, I have in my three years of content creation, put two videos that I created I thought were absolutely great, and when I was constructively criticised, I took those down myself. I put a story saying that maybe I should have read up more about this. So I want people to view health information from an awareness point of view, not from a decision-making point of view. I want everyone to view any video or any information or any WhatsApp message, and the only question that should come to their mind when they read it is: But what does science say? Book: But What Does Science Say: 101 Health Myths Busted Author: Dr Manan Vora Published by: Ebury Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House Pages: 309 Price: Rs 299 CLAIM: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the leading cause of sudden deaths among young gym-goers during exercise FACT: While Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy could be one of the many reasons for such cases; however, there are many other factors to consider including chronic stress, increased adrenaline, and other congenital or genetic conditions, among others. In recent times, there have been multiple cases of young gym-goers succumbing to heart related diseases, sometimes in the middle of a workout, raising concerns among fitness enthusiasts and others. An Instagram reel posted by @dr.arshad01 claims that such sudden deaths could be attributed to a genetic condition called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). The video starts with a news clip, where the news anchor says that a man collapsed and died in seconds, after getting a heart attack while at the gym. Dr Arshad, then explains that the condition, characterized by an unusually thick heart wall, can lead to fatal consequences during intense physical exertion, when blood flow demand increases sharply. Recently, there have been cases of young people dying suddenly in gyms, and everyone thinks it's due to heart attacks. But that's not entirely true, the presenter says and then goes on to explain the reason behind such sudden deaths. This condition is called Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, a genetic problem where one wall of the heart becomes abnormally thick. Typically, people with this condition don't experience any issues, but when they engage in heavy exercise at the gym, their body demands more blood. At this point, the thick heart wall can obstruct the heart's pumping mechanism, causing the heart to fail and resulting in instant death, he explains. His treatment: So, how can you prevent this? You can undergo an echocardiography test, which can detect hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, allowing for timely treatment and precautions. If you're a gym enthusiast, consider getting this test done, he suggests. The video has garnered 4.1 million views, 141,000 likes and more than 166,000 shares on Instagram, as such sudden deaths among seemingly fit gym goers has raised concerns among people over the past few years. What is the fact? Although HCM is traditionally considered one of the leading causes of heart attack, medical experts and studies dont see it as the only condition responsible for cardiac events among young gym-goers. Sudden cardiac death is typically caused by ventricular fibrillation, a condition where the heart loses its rhythm, Dr Shiv Kumar Choudhary, a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgeon at Fortis Hospital in New Delhi, told First Check. Two primary reasons for ventricular fibrillation are heart attacks and Idiopathic Hypertrophic Subaortic Stenosis (IHSS), which is closely related to HCM. In addition, factors like excessive stress, which can lead to coronary artery issues and blockages, must be considered, particularly in younger individuals. Dr. Choudhary highlighted that the unaccustomed strenuous exercise can strain the heart, causing a mismatch in blood supply, plaque rupture, or abnormal rhythms, leading to heart attacks or collapse. Genetic heart conditions like obstructive cardiomyopathy can also trigger these issues, but it is rare, he added. "We lack comprehensive data from India to confirm how common HCM cases are in India. However, aggressive exercise can exacerbate this condition in predisposed individuals, Dr. Choudhary said. My advice is for those engaged in intense physical activity to undergo a screening echocardiogram, although it may not be mandatory for everyone. Rising stress levels among young people could be contributing to the increasing occurrence of heart attacks, the heart specialist pointed out. Modern medicine often overlooks stress as a significant factor, Dr Choudhary said. Chronic stress can cause issues in coronary arteries, potentially leading to blockages and, subsequently, heart attacks. A 2022 study estimated that 0.2-0.5% of the global population has HCM, though most cases (80-90%) go undiagnosed. Applying this to Indias population of 1.43 billion, the study suggests 2.86-7.15 million Indians may have HCM. A US-based study has found that about 16% of indoor sudden cardiac arrests occurred at exercise facilities. Another study attributed the events to rise in heart rate, blood pressure and adrenaline hormone levels due to intense exercise, which can lead to a plaque rupture, precipitating a heart attack. Yet another study that investigated the phenomenon among athletes found that Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD), while rare, is caused by different factors depending on age. In older athletes, SCD is primarily linked to coronary artery disease (CAD) and related complications. In younger athletes, it is often due to congenital or genetic conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), coronary artery anomalies, systemic hypertension or arrhythmogenic disorders. A study examining HCM-related SCD in a large, unselected population found that events in individuals aged 10 to 45 are much lower than previously reported, with most cases occurring in undiagnosed individuals, and SCDs are rarely linked to exercise. Further studies are needed to understand the incidence of HCM-related SCD and its risk factors. There is no comprehensive data to confirm the prevalence of HCM cases in India, making it difficult to support this claim. This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS. In a shocking incident, a security guard was gunned down by unidentified bike-borne robbers in Bidar in broad daylight on Thursday morning. The masked men fled with cash worth Rs 93 lakh after opening fire at the two security personnel who were offloading cash from the van to deposit in the ATM. The deceased were employees of a private security agency hired by the State Bank of India (SBI) to refill cash into their ATMs. According to eyewitnesses, two masked men arrived on a bike, opened fire killing the man on the spot. The injured guard was rushed to the BIMS hospital succumbed to injuries. Shockingly, the attack happened outside an SBI main branch located in the vicinity of the deputy commissioner's office and the district court. The CCTV footages revealed the two armed robbers trying to flee with a heavy cash chest after shooting at least seven rounds at the security personnel. The passersby who ran for cover saw the two accused trip and drop the box at least twice before the pillion rider finally managed to lift and place the chest on the petrol tank before fleeing. Congress has moved a plea in the Supreme Court challenging petitions seeking to amend the Places of Worship Act. The party argued that any alterations to the Act would hurt the communal harmony in the country. Moving an intervention application challenging Bharatiya Janata Party leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyays plea questioning the constitutional validity of the Act, the Congress said the Act is essential to safeguard secularism in India. The Places of Worship Act was passed during in 1991, during then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Raos regime. "The applicant seeks to intervene in this matter to emphasize the constitutional and societal significance of the Places of Worship Act, as it apprehends that any alterations to it could jeopardize India's communal harmony and secular fabric thereby threatening the sovereignty and integrity of the nation," Bar and Bench reported quoting the petition. Congress said the motive behind Upadhyays petition was questionable. The key opposition party said any alteration to the Act could threaten the sovereignty and integrity of the nation. The Congresss petition comes as the apex court is set to hear pleas questioning the constitutionality of the Act. While the Hindu side argues certain provisions of the Act are against the Hindus, the Muslim side has opposed the move to amend the Act and said any changes to the Act will be catastrophic. The Supreme Court has restricted courts across the country from registering new pleas challenging the Act or passing interim orders in matters under trial. IIT baba Abhay Singh aka Abhey Singh from Juna Akhara who became viral during the Mahakumbh mela after speaking to a Hindi new channel earlier this week is once again hitting headlines. Singh's father Karan Grewal, a lawyer, said he wants his son to come back home. While speaking to NDTV, he pointed out that it would not be easy for him to return. #WATCH | Prayagraj, UP: #MahaKumbh2025 | Baba Abhay Singh who is from Juna Akhada and was also an IIT student once, says, " I come from Haryana, I went to IIT, then changed to Arts from Engineering, that also didn't work so I kept changing and later I arrived at the final truth. pic.twitter.com/Li6EwgCXbU ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2025 Grewal, who is based in Haryana's Jhajjar, said Singh's mother want him back home to take care of the family. However, the IIT baba said it is impossible. The lawyer said his son was academically inclined since childhood. Singh, who did aerospace engineering from IIT Bombay, decided to take a different road by pursuing a masters in design. He also tried a hand at photography at a popular organisation. He worked in Delhi and later moved to Canada. However, he came back and spent time in Shimla, Mussoorie and Dharamshala. He later took to spirituality in a bid to find the ultimate truth. He followed the teachings of Iskcon and J. Krishnamurti. The father said he last contacted Singh six months ago, following which the latter stopped talking to him and blocked his number. Earlier, Singh told NDTV that his parent fought regularly when he was a child and the domestic violence led him to embrace spirituality. The IIT baba said in order escape from the constant fights, he would study late at night. He added that the fight between his parents also led him to choose a bachelor life. Singh also said his family mocked him when he pursued photography. Such experience from family members often prompted him to leave home often resulting in depression and sleepless nights. He sees yoga and Vedic sutras as the way to salvation. The Indian Railways decision not to introduce a direct train service between Srinagar and Delhi has dampened excitement surrounding the long-awaited project. The service is expected to launch around Republic Day. This service follows over two decades of effort by engineers and construction workers to complete the 272-long Udhampur-Baramulla- Srinagar-Railwayline (USBRL). Also read | J&K: CRS inspects Katra-Reasi rail section, trial run on Jan 8 Passengers travelling from Srinagar to Delhi will alight at Mata Vaishno Devi Station (MVDS) in Katra, Reasi, for a fresh security check before boarding another train for Delhi. Similarly, passengers travelling from Delhi to Srinagar will undergo the same process at MVDS, making the Srinagar-Delhi service indirect. Also read | Modi inaugurates Jammu Railway Division, J&K LG calls Chenab railway bridge a symbol of Indias engineering excellence According to railway officials, the requirement for passengers to change trains has been necessitated by security concerns. The Katra-Srinagar Vande Bharat Express is scheduled to depart Katra at 8:10 am and arrive in Srinagar at 11:20 am. The return service will depart from Srinagar at 12:45 pm reaching Katra by 3:55 pm. Bashir Ahmad Basheer, Chairman of the Kashmir Valle Fruit Growers And Dealers Union (KVFGADU), a body representing Kashmirs fruit growers, has expressed disappointment over the arrangement. We were excited about the train service, hoping it would address logistical challenges and promote the horticulture industry, he said. But it is unfortunate that the system has proven to be a joke. He said the train service from the Katra-Srinagar route neither benefits passengers from Kashmir to Delhi nor the fruit growers and dealers. Gowhar Malik, President of the Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Association(KHARA) hoped the indirect service is a temporary measure. Extra effort has to be made to ensure security. This is no rocket science. A direct train service to Kashmir is workable if an effort is made, he said. I am sure they dont want to keep it like this permanently. He said there are security checks in place for passengers boarding trains anywhere in India. A little extra effort can make the service direct, he said. He said the people are justified to feel sad about disembarking at Katra to board another train for onward journey. Tariq Ahmed, a trader from Srinagar, suggested that the decision might be influenced by ongoing agitation in Katra over the proposed ropeway project to the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine (MVSDS). He said shopkeepers, hoteliers and porters in Katra have opposed the project, fearing it would impact their livelihoods. It seems the government has taken this decision in light of the anger in Katra against the ropeway project, he said. However, he warned that this arrangement would inconvenience passengers travelling between Delhi and Srinagar. After waiting for more than two decades, it is unfortunate there is still no direct train service between Delhi and Srinagar, he said. Political leaders from Kashmir have criticised the move. One leader posted on X, saying, While we understand the need to secure the train and the passengers, making passengers change trains defeats the very purpose of the line and renders the investment of thousands of crores pointless. He urged railway authorities to consider alternative security measures that would not compromise travel convenience. Check the train passengers in Katra or Jammu, sure, but no change of train will be supported by us, he said. Safety must come first, but convenience cannot be ignored. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) also criticised the decision. For years, we were told that train services to Kashmir would benefit the common masses and ease travel. This latest directive proves that Kashmiris are far from experiencing travel convenience. The train services, inaugurated amid great fanfare are turning out to be nothing more than a facade, said PDP general secretary Mohammad Khurshid Alam. The police and forensic experts on Thursday exhumed the body of a Kerala spiritual man, who "attained samadhi". The exhumation came after the Kerala High Court gave the go-ahead to exhume the remains to conduct a post-mortem examination after local people alleged foul play in the death. The controversy surrounding the death of 76-year-old spiritual figure Gopan Swamy of Neyyatinkara in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram district broke after his family put up a poster, stating he "attained Samadhi" on January 7. After relatives and neighbours filed a mass petition seeking an investigation, the police and local authorities initiated steps to exhume the remains from the tomb. Exhumation process When exhumed to conduct the inquest process, the body was found in a sitting position inside the concrete chamber, designed as a tomb. The remains had to begun to partially decompose, especially around the mouth area. "The exhumation process began at 7 am and continued till 9:30 am. The slab which covered the chamber did not touch the head. The body was intact and we could identify it was Gopan Swamy though his face was slightly disfigured. Ash was smeared all over his body. The whole chamber smelt of camphor. The officials removed the body and kept it on a table," according to local councillor S Prasanna Kumar. The state of the body was reportedly the same as Swamy's family mentioned to the police. The body has since been moved to the Medical College Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram for the post-mortem examination. The cause of the death will be revealed only after the examination. Authorities will also conduct a DNA test to ascertain whether the remains are indeed Gopan Swamy's. A heavy police posse was deployed near the house premises to avoid any law and order situation. The police had also banned the entry of local people into the compound. A makeshift tent was erected before the exhumation began. However, Swamy's family objected to the move, stating that their father had "attained samadhi" and "was not dead". Tension prevailed in the area after attempts to exhume were met with protests from some religious organisations too. The family also approached the High Court seeking relief but the court did not stay the proceedings and instead questioned the family's intention in stalling the exhumation process. The five-year-long standoff between Ladakh and the Centre over conditional guarantees for the region following its separation from Jammu and Kashmir is heading for a resolution. A significant breakthrough was achieved during a 15 January meeting between leaders of the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Sub-Committee on Ladakh. The LAB and KDA represent political, social and religious organisations of Leh and Kargil and joined forces to fight for the rights of Ladakh. The meeting marked a turning point as the Centre demonstrated flexibility on several key demands raised by Ladakhs representatives, including domicile safeguards, reservation of 95 per cent of jobs in Ladakh for locals, domicile laws and filling all senior vacancies by the UPSC in Ladakh at the earliest. Tashi Gyalson, Chairperson of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh, expressed optimism about the outcome. "The talks are moving in the right direction, and progress has been positive. Our major demands have been addressed to a large extent, and only a few final issues remain to be resolved," Gyalson told THE WEEK. "If the assembly demand is met, then it would resolve most of our concerns including demand for Sixth Schedule and Statehood. During the discussions, representatives of LAB and KDA indicated a willingness to show flexibility on their demand for Sixth Schedule status or statehood if the Centre agreed to grant assembly status to Ladakh. The Centre, in turn, assured the delegation that all options would be considered to arrive at a viable solution. According to Gyalson, the issue of the Sixth Schedule has limited applicability to Ladakh under Article 244, as it was originally designed for certain states with tribal-majority areas. "While the sentiment behind the Sixth Schedule demand is valid, applying it to Ladakh is not entirely practical, he said. The government is committed to providing constitutional safeguards that meet Ladakh's unique needs. He said that existence of two Autonomous Hill CouncilsLeh and Kargil remains a potential challenge in integrating assembly governance. However, he sounded confident that the remaining issues would be resolved in next a few months. "Over the past three to four years, our struggle has borne fruit. Nearly 90% of our demands have already been fulfilled, and I believe the remaining issues will be resolved in the next four to five months," Gyalson said. The meeting underscored the growing alignment between the Centre and Ladakhs leadership, with the two sides focusing on dialogue. Representatives from Kargil and Leh have praised the government's responsiveness while reiterating the need for clarity on liabilities, resources, and the functioning of central schemes if assembly status is granted. As the Centre and Ladakh move closer to a resolution, the breakthrough offers hope for a governance model that addresses Ladakh's aspirations while maintaining its distinct identity. "This is a pivotal moment for Ladakh, and we are optimistic that a comprehensive solution is on the horizon," Gyalson said. Organisers of the Reclaim the Night movement during the RG Kar protests took out a march in Kolkata on Thursday to demand justice for the trainee doctor who was brutally raped and murdered. A delegation of five protesters also met the principal secretary of the law department at the Writers Building. Kolkata Police had earlier denied permission to hold the march, which was initially planned to end at Rani Rashmoni Road at Esplanade. A team of protesters also intended to visit Nabanna, the state secretariat, but after being denied, they challenged the police's decision in the Calcutta High Court. The court eventually permitted them to march until College Square. The protesters walked under the banner of Reclaim the Night Trans Queer Unity Forum from central Kolkatas Wellington to College Square, where they would stage a sit-in protest throughout the night, replicating their Reclaim the Night protest from August 14 last year. Members from 'Abhaya Mancha', a civil society group formed during the RG Kar protests, were also present. They called for the immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of all those involved in the RG Kar crime, as well as the suspension of individuals who attempted to manipulate or destroy evidence. In addition to seeking justice for the RG Kar case, the protesters also called for institutional and systemic reforms, including 24/7 free public transportation for economically disadvantaged women and individuals from the trans and queer communities. The protesters also called for the establishment of internal complaint committees (ICCs) in all organised sectors and the publication of an annual report on the functioning of existing ICCs across institutions. They further demanded that the state government form a commission to examine the operations of the current ICCs and local complaint committees (LCCs), with a report to be issued within a month. Additionally, the protesters asked the state government to establish anti-sexual harassment and gender awareness cells in all educational institutions. Six days after the maternal death at Midnapore Medical College & Hospital (MMCH) which created a political uproar, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is also the states health & family welfare minister, made her first official remarks on the issue. On Thursday, she claimed that the negligence of doctors led to the death at MMCH. Consequently, the state has suspended 12 doctors, informed the chief minister during a press conference, also attended by chief secretary Manoj Pant and Narayan Swaroop Nigam, the secretary of the health & family welfare department. They disclosed that preliminary investigations by the health department's 13-member expert committee and the CID had determined that the negligence of on-duty doctors was responsible for the maternal death and the severe illnesses of others after their caesarean surgeries. There were allegations that the maternal death and the subsequent illnesses of others were caused by Ringers Lactate saline produced by the blacklisted company Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Limited. However, the health secretary asserted that the saline from the batch sent to MMCH had been properly tested. [The saline used] from this batch was repeatedly tested. But since we have an SOP for this kind of incidents, we have sent it for testing again. We have stopped using the saline and we are also not taking any item from the saline company, Nigam said. ALSO READ: Midnapore saline issue: Calcutta HC orders government to submit report, compensate victim families Among the suspended senior doctors were Dr Soumen Das (residential medical officer, MMCH), Dr Dilip Kumar Pal and Dr Himadri Nayek (assistant professors), Dr Md Alauddin (HOD, gynecology), Dr Jayanta Kumar Raut (medical superintendent and vice principal, MMCH), and Dr Pallabi Banerjee (senior resident, MMCH). Additionally, six post-graduate trainees (PGTs) were suspended: Dr Moumita Mondal, Dr Bhagyashree Kundu, Dr Sushanta Mondal, Dr Puja Saha, Dr Manish Kumar, and Dr Jagriti Ghosh. If those responsible for shaping people's destinies and bringing children into the world had performed their duties with honesty, the mothers life could have been saved, CM Banerjee said. She added, Individuals lacking the skills to perform caesarean surgeries were entrusted with the task, and those untrained in administering anesthesia were assigned that responsibility. The chief minister remarked that if CCTV cameras had been installed outside the operating theatre (OT), the culprits could have been caught. She directed the health secretary to ensure the immediate installation of CCTVs, adding, "Doctors oppose the installation of cameras outside the OT, but if they continue to do so now, ask them to leave." The chief secretary stated that the RMO and the on-call doctor, who were responsible for the surgeries, failed to attend to the patients. He also accused senior doctors of violating SOPs. The operations were performed by first assistant and second assistant, he said. Chief Secretary Pant further mentioned that preliminary investigations have shown that patients' families were asked to sign a declaration acknowledging the possibility of "a probable adverse drug reaction." Black-faced spoonbills arrive at wetland in China's Hainan for wintering Xinhua) 08:42, January 16, 2025 A flock of black-faced spoonbills are pictured at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A flock of black-faced spoonbills forage at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A flock of black-faced spoonbills fly over a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A black-faced spoonbill flies at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 15, 2025 shows a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 15, 2025 shows planted mangroves at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A black-faced spoonbill forages at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) A flock of black-faced spoonbills forage at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) Birdwatchers take photos of black-faced spoonbills at a wetland in Danzhou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 13, 2025. A large number of black-faced spoonbills, an endangered waterbird under first-class national protection in China, have arrived at the wetland for wintering. In recent years, Hainan has been strengthening the protection of wetlands and birds to boost biodiversity. (Xinhua/Pu Xiaoxu) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra has performed a spectacular concert at the State Academic Philharmonic Hall, Azernews reports. Doctor of Philosophy in Art Criticism, and musicologist Alena Inyakina informed the audience about the concert program. The concert soloist, laureate of republican and international competitions Sharif Baghirov (clarinet) delighted the audience with his magnificent performance. Sharif Baghirov performed Under the direction of the artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Azerbaijan Fakhreddin Karimov and accompanied by the State Chamber Orchestra. The concert program included Serenade for Strings op.11 by S. Barber, Concerto for Clarinet and Orchestra in A major by W.A. Mozart, Serenade No. 1 in D major by R. Fuks (first performance in Baku), Prelude and Scherzo for String Orchestra op. 11 D. Shostakovich. Note that the Azerbaijan State Chamber Orchestra was created in 1964 on the initiative of outstanding Azerbaijani composers Fikrat Amirov and Gara Garayev. The orchestra has performed with many foreign conductors, such as Salim Akcil (Turkiye), Hakan ?ensoy (Turkiye), Simon Camartin (Sweden), Fabien Theerikson (France), Vladimir Runchak (Ukraine), Riccardo Averbakh (USA), Vladislav Bulakhov (Russia), Roland Freisitzer (Austria), Alexander Ivashkin (England). In 2007, the orchestra was awarded the Khumay National Prize for promoting Azerbaijani classical music around the world. The Philharmonic Hall is a unique centre of classical music that perfectly unites seven performing groups, including the State Symphony Orchestra, the State Choir Capella, the State Chamber Orchestra, the State Piano Trio, the State String Quartet, the State Folk Song and Dance Ensemble, as well as the State Orchestra of Folk Instruments. Numerous international projects, music festivals, and concerts by local and foreign musicians are regularly organised here. In 2020, Russia's TurStat listed the Azerbaijan State Philharmonic Society among the best philharmonic halls in the CIS countries. The rating was based on the popularity of philharmonic societies and offers of online concerts. The list also included the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic Hall, the St. Petersburg Academic Philharmonic Society, the Belarusian State Philharmonic, the Kazakh State Philharmonic, the State Philharmonic of Uzbekistan, and the Kyrgyz National Philharmonic. BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Thursday met with diplomatic envoys of 10 ASEAN countries in Beijing. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China-ASEAN relations have provided valuable stability for the region and the world, which is worth cherishing. China will continue to firmly support ASEAN's centrality, and is willing to work with ASEAN to maintain the healthy and sustainable development momentum of China-ASEAN relations and continue to contribute to regional peaceful development, Wang said. "We are ready to deepen our partnership with ASEAN countries, advancing from peaceful coexistence to a shared future, and playing a leading role in building a community with a shared future for humanity," Wang said, noting that ASEAN countries are welcome to seize the new opportunities of China's new development, and work together to realize the modernization of Asia and the world. Diplomatic envoys of ASEAN countries in China said that this year marks an important milestone for the establishment of diplomatic ties between many ASEAN countries and China. ASEAN countries look forward to taking this opportunity to tap the potential of bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and investment, connectivity, digital economy, green transformation and sustainable development, continue to make the year of people-to-people exchanges a success, and push ASEAN-China relations, as well as bilateral relations, to a new level, they added. A division bench of the Calcutta High Court, led by Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, on Tuesday heard two public interest litigations (PILs) concerning the controversy over the use of banned Ringers Lactate saline at Midnapore Medical College and Hospital. A woman died on January 10 after childbirth, and several others fell critically ill, allegedly due to receiving the banned saline. The incident sparked political outrage, with opposition questioning the use of saline from a company, named Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Limited which was blacklisted in December last year. The court directed the West Bengal Health and Family Welfare Department and Chief Secretary Manoj Pant to submit detailed reports on the issue. The division bench also instructed the state government to compensate the victim families. It also asked the central government to provide an action taken report outlining measures taken against the saline manufacturer, Paschim Banga Pharmaceuticals Limited. The reports have to be filed within two weeks, the court instructed while hearing the two PILs, filed by senior advocate Phiroze Edulji and advocate-cum-BJP leader Koustav Bagchi. The Chief Justice-led division bench has listed the matter for the next hearing on January 30. West Bengals Advocate General (AG) Kishore Datta informed the court that a 13-member expert committee has been formed to investigate the incident. Additionally, a CID probe has been launched to examine the matter further. In response to Chief Justice Sivagnanam's inquiry, AG Datta stated that 30,000 bottles of saline were delivered in three batches to most state government-run medical facilities. Hospitals have been instructed not to use the saline. Samples have also been sent to laboratories within the state and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in Mumbai for testing, he added. Senior advocate Edulji alleged in the court that several years ago, a doctor in North Bengal raised concerns about the saline, but instead of addressing the issue, the state government took action against the doctor. The shocking attack on actor Saif Ali Khan by an unidentified person at his residence in the early morning on Thursday has sparked off a political war of words with the opposition targeting the Devendra Fadnavis government over the law and order situation in Maharashtra. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said the incident showed the deteriorating law and order situation in the state and urged the chief minister to take them more seriously. "It (attack on Khan) shows that the law and order situation in Maharashtra is deteriorating. Recently, a person was killed in the same area and now this incident. All these things are worrisome," Pawar told reporters at Baramati in Pune. "The state government, especially the chief minister, who holds charge of the home department, should pay attention to these things more seriously," he said. #WATCH | Actor #SaifAliKhan's children, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan leave from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Saif Ali Khan is admitted here following an attack on him. pic.twitter.com/K5hv6NqIRn ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said the government stands exposed after the incident. "No one is safe. Let alone ordinary people, even celebrities who have their own security are not safe." Another Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the attack on Saif raises questions about Mumbai police and the home minister. What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police & the Home Minister, she wrote on X. #WATCH | Actor #SaifAliKhan's mother, veteran actor Sharmila Tagore leaves from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai. Saif Ali Khan is admitted here following an attack on him. pic.twitter.com/98IxsXTlgI ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Congress state president Nana Patole also targeted the government and demanded the resignation of Fadnavis as the home minister. If such incidents occur in the bustling area of Bandra in Mumbai, who is safe in the city? he asked. After the life-threatening attack on Saif Ali Khan, rather than addressing the issue, Fadnavis was busy promoting films, Patole added, referring to the chief minister attending the special screening of Emergency directed by Kangana Ranaut. Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe said the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state, and the incidents in Beedwhere a village sarpanch was brutally killed for allegedly thwarting an attempt to extort money from an energy firmshowed that the administration is working for anti-social elements. If people like actors Saif Ali Khan and Salman Khan who live in high-security zone were being attacked and needed to install bullet-proof windows, it means nobody trusts the government, the Congress leader said. CCTV footage of the suspect who allegedly attacked Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan.#SaifAliKhan pic.twitter.com/20JzD5ilk8 Anil Thakur (@Ani_iTV) January 16, 2025 Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, too, took potshots at the BJP government over its failure in protecting the people of the country. "A gangster sitting in a Gujarat jail is acting fearlessly. It seems like he is being protected," the former Delhi chief minister sid in a reference to gangster Lawrence Bishnoi lodged in Gujarat's Sabarmati jail. The attack on Saif Ali Khan came months after former minister Baba Siddique was shot dead by three persons in the Bandra area. Before that, in April last year, there was a firing outside actor Salman Khan's apartment building in the posh suburban area. A bulletproof glass has now been installed on the balcony of his home. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, meanwhile, dismissed the oppositions allegations and said Mumbai is the safest mega city in India. I think Mumbai is the safest among mega cities in the country, Fadnavis said. "It is true that some incidents take place sometimes, and they must be taken seriously. But to say that Mumbai is unsafe due to such incidents is not right, he said. Opposition in Maharashtra slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government over the life-threatening attack on Bollywood actor Saif Al Khan and questioned the law and order situation in Mumbai. The opposition charged the attack was a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai. Highlighting recent incidents, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said the attack on Saif raises questions about Mumbai police and the home minister. What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police & the Home Minister, the Maharashtra MP said in a post on X. #WATCH Mumbai Police Officer Daya Nayak leaves from the residence of Actor Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai's Bandra pic.twitter.com/bXcNk2MDEW ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 The Uddhav Sena leader said the attack happened in an area with adequate security. Chaturvedi added, ...a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names: Baba Siddique jis family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder; Salman Khan forced to live in a bullet-proof house; Now it is Saif Ali Khan; all in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery. Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson of Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party charged there is no fear of law in Mumbai due to leniencies in the recent past. Attack on Saif Ali Khan is a cause for concern because if such high profile people with levels of security can be attacked in their homes, then what could happen to common citizens? Fear of law seems to be at a low in Maharashtra due to leniencies in the past couple of years, Crasto alleged on X. NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule also expressed concern over the attack and termed the incident worrisome. Sule, who is also a close friend of the family said the actor is recovering and safe in hospital. In a statement, actor and wife of Saif, Kareen Kapoor Khan, said, There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and (his wife and actor) Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which he is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We request the media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern. Saif Ali Khan was attacked during the early hours of Thursday, around 2.30am, by an intruder who allegedly barged into the actors residence at the Satguru Sharan building. The actor suffered six stab wounds, out of which two are deep; one is said to be near his spine. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday upbraided the alleged attempts to brand Mumbai as an unsafe city in the wake of the knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan. I think Mumbai is the safest among mega cities in the country, Fadnavis said. "It is true that some incidents take place sometimes, and they must be taken seriously. But to say that Mumbai is unsafe due to such incidents is not right". #WATCH | Mumbai: On the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis says, "Police has given you all details regarding this. What kind of attack is this, what is actually behind this and what was the intention behind the attack is all before you." pic.twitter.com/8lMegAtxNJ ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 The chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, assured that the government would take every step to make the city safer. He was talking to the media after attending a special screening of Emergency directed by Kangana Ranaut. Khan was stabbed in the wee hours of Thursday by an unidentified person at his house in Mumbais Bandra area. Police have formed ten teams to investigate the incident while the actor is recuperating at the Lilavati Hospital. Doctors successfully conducted a surgery to remove a 2.5-inch piece of knife from the actors spine. "We wish to inform you that fortunately Saif Ali Khan's surgery has been done very well. He is on the recovery path. He has been shifted to the ICU. Maybe in a day or two he will be shifted to the ward," said Lilavati Hospital's Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dr Niraj Uttamani. The opposition Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) targeted the government over the law and order situation. What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police & the Home Minister, Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote on X. Congress state president Nana Patole demanded the resignation of Fadnavis as the home minister. 'Encounter specialist' Mumbai Police officer Daya Nayak has been roped in to, reportedly, lead the investigation in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case. The 54-year-old Bollywood star was stabbed multiple times inside his apartment in Mumbai's Bandra area early on Thursday morning. Khan, who lives on the 12th floor of Satguru Sharan apartments, was allegedly injured during a robbery attempt. He is undergoing treatment at Lilavati Hospital and is out of danger. A police complaint has been lodged for trespassing and attempt to murder. VIDEO | Here's what Union Minister Ramdas Athawale (@RamdasAthawale) said after meeting actor Saif Ali Khan at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. "His health is good. I also talked with him, and he told me that he is fine. Whatever happened was not good. Saif Ali Khan is a famous pic.twitter.com/07jiO1YNlS Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 16, 2025 Khan's wife and Bollywood actor Kareena Kapoor Khan, and their two children are safe. Police officers were seen at Khan's apartment complex as part of the investigation into the attack. Among them was 'encounter specialist' Daya Nayak. Who is Daya Nayak? Born in Karnataka's Udupi district, Nayak moved to Mumbai after class 7 due to extreme poverty. He worked as a cleaner, and plumber, before clearing the Maharashtra Public Service Commission examination and joining the Mumbai Police as a sub-inspector in 1995. ALSO READ: A look at Daya Nayak's career (THE WEEK ARCHIVES) He was posted at the Juhu police station, and on December 31, 1996, he killed two members of the Chhota Rajan gang. He was soon drafted into the anti-gangster squad, and by 2004, had killed more than 80 Mumbai underworld gangsters in the 1990s, and three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists. He was with the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) for three years. Controversies in Daya Nayak's life VIDEO | Attack on Saif Ali Khan: Mumbai Police inspects nearby area of actor's residence. (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7) pic.twitter.com/lWAbHzsoNw Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 16, 2025 Nayak is no stranger to controversies. A Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court ordered a probe into his disproportionate wealth in 2004. He was arrested, and suspended for nearly six-and-a-half years, before being reinstated in 2012 as additional commissioner of police (West) control room. In 2014, Nayak was transferred to Nagpur, but he refused to go citing safety concerns. In July next year, he was suspended from service for not reporting for duty. He was reinstated in service on January 14, 2016. Nayak, who was serving as in-charge of Unit-9 of the crime branch, was promoted as senior police inspector, earlier last year. Films such as Ab Tak Chhappan and Kagaar were based on Nayak's life as an 'encounter specialist'. Bomb Saravanan, one of the key suspects in the murder of Bahujan Samaj Party leader K. Armstrong, was arrested by the Chennai police from Chittoor near the Andhra Pradesh border on Wednesday night. He was brought to Chennai and taken to MKB Nagar godown to identify the weapons linked to the Armstrong case. Police captured Saravanan, a known history-sheeter, after a brief encounter. He hurled a country bomb at the cops while trying to escape, but fortunately, it failed to detonate. As he tried to throw another bomb, the police opened fire and shot him in the leg. In their attempt to overpower the accused, Inspector Ambedkar and Sub Inspector Mani were injured and admitted to the Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital in Chennai. Saravanan was also taken for treatment to the Stanley Medical College Hospital. The police recovered four country-made bombs, a sickle, a sword and five kilos of ganja from Saravanan when they arrested him. Saravanan is wanted in 33 criminal cases including the murder of his brother and a BSP member Thennarasu. Saravanan is also accused in the 2023 Jayaseelan murder case. Armstrongs murder in July 2024 sent shock waves across Tamil Nadu, raising a huge question on the law and order situation in the state. The BSP leader was murdered with heavy weapons when he was walking towards his home in North Chennai. Police have arrested several history-sheeters allegedly linked to the murder. Weeks after Armstrongs death, Thiruvengadam, one of the accused, was killed in a police encounter when he allegedly tried to evade arrest and escape. Earlier, the police had arrested Rowdy Nagendran, another accused in the case. According to police sources, Saravanan had revealed during the investigation that he and his associates had launched a plot to eliminate Nagendran. Saravanan was brought to locate a hidden stash of weapons at MKB Nagar in North Chennai. The Ministry of External Affairs welcomed the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that will see a pause in the 15-month-long war in Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," the ministry stated. Ministry of External Affairs releases statement on agreement for release of hostages and ceasefire in Gaza "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian pic.twitter.com/bzAEO50UgC ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 The Indian government expressed hope that the ceasefire will allow supply of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The Centre reiterated its continued stance on solving the conflict through dialogue and diplomacy, leading to the release of hostages and a ceasefire. Besides Israel and Hamas, mediating nations the US, Egypt and Qatar confirmed the truce deal. The ceasefire agreement will come to effect on January 19, when the release of hostages will begin, said Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The initial phase will last for 42 days, during which IDF will withdraw troops from Gaza. At total of 33 women, children, the elderly and the sick will be released by Hamas in exchange of 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners. Three hostages will be released on Sunday while four more will be returned on the seventh day. Following this, three hostages will be released every seven days. The remaining 14 will reach Israel in the final week. At least 65 more hostages would still be in Hamas captivity and they would be released once the two sides agree on the second phase. After Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office claimed that Hamas reneged on some of the agreements, officials in the militant group dismissed the allegations. The Israeli PMO stated that Hamas backtracked on certain understandings, which has resulted in a last-minute crisis. Netanyahu's office said the Israeli cabinet will convene and approve the ceasefire deal only after Hamas accepts all demands. The premier's office claimed Hamas wanted to dictate the identity of the Palestinian security prisoners who are being released in exchange of the Israeli hostages. The deal, as per a leaked version, says the prisoners would be released as per the list agreed by both sides. Though US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump said the deal has been reached, Netanyahu insisted that final deal is yet to be signed. Following this, senior Hamas official Izzat el-Risheq slammed the allegations, adding that the group is committed to the ceasefire deal. A senior Israeli official earlier said that Israel would not pull out from the Philadelphi Corridor, which is the border between Gaza and Egypt. The 42-day first phase will see 33 women, children, the elderly and the sick being released by Hamas. In return, Israel will release 1,000 Palestinian security prisoners. Israel and Palestine militant group Hamas have reached a ceasefire deal in Gaza after 15 months of war that saw thousands die in the Palestinian enclave and escalate tensions in the Middle East. The deal which includes the release of hostages outlines a six-week initial ceasefire that will see a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip. Hostages taken by militant group Hamas, which controls Gaza, would be freed in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Thirty-three hostages, both living and dead, will be released in six weeks and these include all women (civilians and soldiers), all children and men over the age of 50. As Israeli troops withdraw from Gaza, displaced Palestinians will be allowed to return to the north. During this period, Israel will release 30 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for each kidnapped civilian and 50 for each female soldier released, according to Israeli news media Ynet. The first three hostages will be released on Sunday. The women and children will be released first, followed by men over 50. The release of hostages will be carried out over 42 days, with at least three each week. On Palestinian prisoners languishing in Israeli jails, all female prisoners held since October 7, 2023, will be released first. All male prisoners under 19 who were arrested since the start of the war will also be released. Between 990 and 1,650 terrorists are expected to be released. But, the final number will depend on the number of live hostages who return as part of the deal. Talks on the second phase of the cease-fire pact will begin on the 16th of the first phase. In this phase, all remaining hostages, including soldiers, will be released. This also marks the full withdrawal of IDF soldiers. The third phase is expected to include the return of all remaining hostages and the beginning of the reconstruction of Gaza under the supervision of Egypt, Qatar and the UN. Israel will release a list of Palestinian prisoners who will be released after a political-security cabinet which will convene Thursday morning. This will be followed by a government meeting, at the end of which the list will be published. The IDF is preparing to return the hostages, and the name given to the operation is "Wings of Freedom." Though Hamas is seeking to dictate the names of Palestinian prisoners who they want out, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel has a veto over the release of "mass murderers who are symbols of terror." Mission ShakthiSAT being launched today is an ambitious initiative featuring an all-girls spacecraft mission to the lunar-to-lunar orbit. This historic and interesting project aims to inspire young girls globally to explore and excel in space science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The mission is being launched by Space Kidz India (SKI), a Chennai-based Indian aerospace startup. The same company had developed AzaadiSAT, which involved young women in satellite development and space exploration. Over the past seven years, the SKI launched 19 Near Space Launch Vehicles, 3 Suborbital Payloads, and 5 Orbital Satellites. The highlight of ShaktiSAT is the planned launch of the student-built satellite as part of ISRO's Chandrayaan-4 mission in 2026. This will provide the girls with a unique opportunity to contribute to a real space mission and see their creation journey to the Moon. Through Mission ShakthiSAT, we aim to create a global platform where young women can lead, innovate, and excel in the space sciences. This project symbolises the limitless potential of women and their pivotal role in shaping the future of space exploration, remarked Srimathy Kesan, Founder and CEO of Space Kidz India. ShakthiSAT: Peace and Power ShakthiSAT is a groundbreaking global mission that unites 12,000 young girls from 108 countries to collaboratively build a lunar satellite. This inspiring initiative is more than just a space missionit's a movement to empower the next generation pic.twitter.com/B2356hnOk1 Space Kidz India (@SpaceKidzIndia) September 19, 2024 Meridian Space Command, a UK-based space company, has joined hands with ShakthiSAT to bring this project to life. As part of this collaboration, Meridian will provide comprehensive mission management, operations, and transportation services using its UK-developed orbital transfer vehicle, a cost-effective technology designed to transport small payloads efficiently between Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) and Low-Lunar Orbit (LLO). The UK company has expertise in mission management and in-space transportation. Based at Space Park Leicester in the United Kingdom and supported by the UK Space Agency, Meridian Space Command offers mission management and in-space transportation services, empowering teams with tools and skills for sustainable success. Its orbital transfer vehicle bridges the gap between LEO and LLO, expanding access to space for research, education, and commercial ventures. The Lunar mission will be launched by September 2026 through the PSLV vehicle. The Orbiter and Lander will be built with scientific experiments and we are collaborating with the Meridian Space Command, UK for an Electric Transfer Vehicle to carry the orbiter and lander to the Lunar orbit. We are intending a crash landing on the Moon. Currently, we have onboarded 97 out of the 108 countries, remarked Kesan. ShaktiSAT programme provides a comprehensive online training curriculum covering various aspects of space science, including fundamentals of space technology such as understanding orbits, satellites, and space missions. This will also involve payload development that includes learning about the instruments and experiments carried by satellites. It will also be about spacecraft systems which will involve gaining knowledge about the design and operation of spacecraft and will provide hands-on experience in building a satellite. Following the online training, 108 girls (one from each participating country) will be selected for an intensive hands-on training programme in India. They will collaborate to design, build, and test a small satellite, gaining invaluable practical experience. In November 2024, President Droupadi Murmu unveiled its official poster in November 2024. GAZA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Hamas on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to a ceasefire agreement with Israel, hours after Israeli officials accused the Palestinian militant group of attempting to alter the deal's terms at the last moment. "We are committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators," said senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq in a statement, responding to claims from Israel's Prime Minister's Office that Hamas had reneged on key aspects of the arrangement in a bid for last-minute concessions. Israeli officials stated that the cabinet would not convene until mediators confirm Hamas's full acceptance of the deal. The Israeli cabinet session to ratify the agreement has been delayed, according to Israeli public radio. Negotiators remain in Doha, working to finalize the list of Palestinian prisoners slated for release, even after Qatar announced a breakthrough agreement on Wednesday. Meanwhile, violence has escalated. Palestinian civil defense officials reported that at least 77 Palestinians, including 21 children and 25 women, were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Thursday. These strikes occurred despite Qatar's announcement of a ceasefire set to commence on Sunday. "Despite the agreement, the Israeli army continues its bombing until this moment, in clear violation of the ceasefire," said Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gaza's Civil Defense Authority. The Israeli military has not yet commented on the allegations. Hamas senior official Sami Abu Zuhri denounced the strikes as a "desperate attempt" by Israel to undermine the deal, urging the United States to ensure Israel's adherence to the agreement. Meta, McDonald's, Walmart, Boeing, and Fordan expanding roster of American giantsare retreating from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This growing trend signals a significant shift among corporate leaders, especially in Silicon Valley, as Donald Trump is returning to the presidency. Is corporate America swiftly realigning their policies to court favour with the incoming administration? DEI policies have long been viewed as a counterweight to discriminatory practices in the American corporate world. Their foundation can be traced back to the civil rights movement, which sought to eradicate racial segregation and discrimination. Key legislative milestones, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, prohibited discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, or national origin. In the 1970s and 1980s, affirmative action emerged as a tool to promote equal opportunity in employment. By the 1990s, a significant cultural shift saw American organisations embrace multiculturalism, leading to a sharp increase in corporate spending on diversity initiatives by the early 2000s. During his 2016 presidential campaign, Donald Trump vowed to scale back DEI initiatives. True to his promise, in September 2020, the Trump administration issued an executive order restricting the federal government and its contractors from offering diversity training, which Trump labelled as "divisive" and "un-American." In contrast, the murder of George Floyd in May 2020 ignited widespread civil unrest, sparking the largest protests against racial injustice since the civil rights movement. In response, many companies made substantial commitments to DEI efforts, leading to a surge in funding during that period. In the 2020 presidential election, Donald Trump lost, and on January 20, 2021, his first day in office, Joe Biden revoked the restrictions on diversity training for federal agencies and contractors. Back then, nobody anticipated a political comeback for Trump. However, Trump made a comeback, and during his 2024 campaign, he clearly articulated his intention to dismantle DEI initiatives at the federal level. He announced plans to fire government employees involved in DEI programs and pledged to direct the Department of Justice to pursue civil rights cases against educational institutions that he claimed engaged in racial discrimination under the guise of equity. Trump also declared that he would hold universities accountable for what he described as unlawful discrimination disguised as equity efforts. Notably, on June 29, 2023, the US Supreme Court ruled against affirmative action in college admissions, striking down race-conscious admissions policies at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina. And, now companies like Meta have cited this ruling as justification for rolling back their DEI programs. The legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the United States is changing. The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signalling a shift in how courts will approach DEI. It reaffirms longstanding principles that discrimination should not be tolerated or promoted on the basis of inherent characteristics. The term "DEI" has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others, read the METAs memo to its employees as reported by Axios. Notably, many believe that it is not just the legal and policy landscape but also the changed political climate that is influencing firms like Meta to alter their policies. Figures like Elon Musk are playing a significant role in shaping this new landscape empowering conservative voices. In September, Musk declared, "DEI must die," arguing that such programs create new forms of discrimination rather than addressing existing inequalities. In January, following the widespread destruction caused by wildfires in Los Angeles, Musk seized the opportunity to criticise DEI. He supported conservative activist Robby Starbuck's claim that DEI initiatives worsened the fire damage by diverting funds from essential services needed to combat wildfires. Back in July 2024, when Trump survived an assassination attempt, conservatives had attacked DEI efforts at the US Secret Service highlighting videos and photos where the female agents appeared slow to react during the shooting incident in Butler, Pennsylvania. US Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle, who had been targeted by the conservatives for her DEI initiatives in the agency, had to finally step down taking responsibility for not preventing the attack against Trump. It is undeniable that many, including some from the Indian-American community, see Trumps promises as efforts to establish meritocracy as the defining yardstick of American life. However, another group believes that the upcoming Trump administration's ultimate goal could be the elimination of all programs aimed at addressing historical inequalities in American societyfrom schools to corporations. Which argument holds true? Only time will tell. Peshawar, Jan 16 (PTI) A convoy of 35 vehicles carrying food and medical supplies to Pakistan's Kurram district, hit by sectarian violence, was attacked by rockets on Thursday, officials said. After the attack, the miscreants also burnt some of the vehicles carrying the relief material to Parachinar in the Bagan Bazar area of the strife-torn district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Sectarian clashes between Shia and Sunni tribes have claimed at least 130 lives since November, with food and medicine shortages reported due to weeks-long road blockades in the region. A peace agreement was reached on January 1, but the route connecting Parachinar remained blocked. Officials said rockets were fired from two sides on the aid convoy en route to Parachinar. Hangu Assistant Commissioner Saeed Mannan said the convoy comprising 35 vehicles had left from Thall and was on its way to Parachinar when it came under the rocket attack. The administration is working to bring the situation under control," he said. Four security personnel were injured in the attack, officials said. After the attack on the convoy, the miscreants also burnt some of the vehicles, they said. A senior security official from Peshawar said four vehicles were damaged in the attack, while the rest of the convoy has been safely evacuated and reached a point of safety crossing Chapri. On Monday, Mohammad Ali Saif, adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Information, said that under the peace agreement, the demolition of bunkers had begun in the Kurram district. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said the situation in Kurram was returning to normal. On January 4, a government convoy was attacked near Bagan, injuring Kurram Deputy Commissioner Javedullah Mehsud. Jodhpur, Jan 15 (PTI) Granted interim relief in a 2013 rape case, self-styled godman Asaram returned to his ashram in Jodhpur's Pal village, police said on Wednesday. "He had been admitted in an Ayurveda hospital of the city for the past few days on parole and left for his ashram late on Tuesday," a police officer said. Rajasthan High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail till March 31 to the self-styled godman, who is serving life imprisonment. A lower court had sentenced Asaram to life imprisonment in April 2018 for raping a minor at his ashram in 2013. A large crowd of supporters gathered outside the hospital after hearing the news of his interim bail and garlanded Asaram when he came out. He was also accorded a resounding welcome upon his arrival at the ashram. His counsel Nishant Bora said Asaram would be free to take treatment at a place of his choice during this bail period. He would, however, have to adhere to the bail conditions. Last week, the Supreme Court granted Asaram a similar relief till March 31 in a another rape case, observing that he was suffering from various ailments and needed treatment. Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) A special court here has refused bail to a man arrested for allegedly robbing a restaurant owner in the city last May by posing as a police officer. Premchand Jaiswal, the accused, has been booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). The court passed the order on Wednesday. As per the prosecution, Jaiswal and five others entered the house of Naresh Nayak, owner of Mysore Cafe in Sion area of Mumbai, claiming they were from the Mumbai crime branch. The men allegedly threatened Nayak, saying he had black money stashed in his house, and took away Rs 72 lakh in cash and some gold coins. Jaiswal and others were arrested after the restaurant owner filed a police complaint. Chief Public Prosecutor Jaysing Desai, opposing the bail, argued that seven cases of similar nature were registered against Jaiswal in the past, and hence the application of the MCOCA (which requires history of similar offences) was valid. Special judge for MCOCA cases B D Shelke rejected the bail plea, noting that prima facie there was evidence to show his involvement in the crime. "At this stage there is sufficient material showing his complicity in this crime," the court said. The accused did not satisfy the twin conditions laid down under the MCOC Act for bail -- reasonable grounds for believing that the accused is not guilty and not likely to commit any offence while on bail, the court held. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk accused Russia on Wednesday of planning acts of sabotage worldwide that included acts of air terror against airlines. Tusk spoke at a news conference in Warsaw alongside Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy. I will not go into details, I can only confirm the validity of fears that Russia was planning acts of air terror, not only against Poland, but against airlines around the world, Tusk said. The Kremlin has dismissed previous Western claims that Russia sponsored acts of sabotage and attacks in Europe. Western security officials suspect Russian intelligence was behind a plot to put incendiary devices in packages on cargo planes headed to North America, including one that caught fire at a courier hub in Germany and another that ignited in a warehouse in England last year. Late last year, Azerbaijan accused Russia of unintentionally shooting down an Azerbaijani airliner that crashed in Kazakhstan on Dec. 25, killing 38 people. Russian President Vladimir Putin apologized to his Azerbaijani counterpart for what he called a tragic incident following the crash, but stopped short of acknowledging that Moscow was responsible. The pro-European Union government in Warsaw says that Russia is pursuing acts of hybrid war against Poland and other Western countries in retaliation for their support for Polands neighbor Ukraine in its struggle against Russias full-scale invasion. The government has accused Russia, and its ally Belarus, of fomenting a migration crisis on the EUs eastern border with Belarus in order to create chaos and division in the EU. Last year, Polands foreign minister ordered the closure of one of three Russian consulates in the country in response to acts of sabotage, including arson attacks that he said were sponsored by Moscow. (AP) Florida Sen. Marco Rubio on Wednesday painted a dark vision of the consequences of Americas unbalanced relationship with China, echoing President-elect Donald Trumps anti-globalist rhetoric as he vies to be confirmed as his secretary of state. While touching on issues plaguing the Middle East, Latin America and eastern Europe, Rubio focused much of his five-hour Senate confirmation hearing warning that without swift and substantive policy shifts, China will remain the biggest threat to American prosperity in the 21st Century. If we dont change course, we are going to live in the world where much of what matters to us on a daily basis from our security to our health will be dependent on whether the Chinese allow us to have it or not, Rubio testified to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Asked about NATO, the 75-year-old security organization that Trump has repeatedly criticized, Rubio affirmed its value, calling it a very important alliance. But Rubio endorsed Trumps view that some European allies should be contributing more to their collective defense, adding that the U.S. must decide whether it wants a primary defense role or to be a backstop against aggression. The 53-year-old Republican made the case against China and other U.S. adversaries to his colleagues on the Foreign Relations panel where he served for 14 years. He received a warm welcome from both sides of the aisle, making jokes about how surreal it was to be on the other side of the dais. I hope I can earn your support, whether its because you believe I would do a good job, or because you want to get rid of me, Rubio joked as part of his opening statement. But in between the niceties, Rubio blamed Americas vulnerability to China on the shift to globalism, which he says is now a weapon being used against us. He said the U.S. must begin placing our core national interests above all else. Its a remarkable opening salvo from Rubio, who was born in Miami to Cuban immigrants and who, if confirmed, would become the first Latino to serve as the nations top diplomat. The confirmation hearing begins a new chapter in the political career of the third-term senator, whose relationship with Trump has evolved over the last decade. Once rivals trading schoolyard insults as they campaigned for president in 2016, the two men became close allies as Trump campaigned for another White House term last year. Rubio first came to Washington as part of the tea party wave in 2010 and once advocated for allowing a path to citizenship for immigrants in the country illegally. But like other Republicans, Rubios views on immigration have shifted toward the hardline stance of Trump, who has pledged to aggressively pursue deportations once he takes office on Monday. Unlike many of Trumps Cabinet selections, Rubio is expected to easily win confirmation, notching support not only from Republicans but also Democrats who endorse him as a responsible pick to represent the U.S. abroad. Many expect he will be among the first of Trumps Cabinet picks approved. Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz, who served alongside Rubio on the Foreign Relations Committee, said he has high hopes that the Florida Republican will reject the isolationist approach of other Trump allies. I think Marco is a hawk, but hes also an internationalist, and I think the challenge for him will be to maintain the long bipartisan tradition of America being indispensable in world affairs, the Hawaii lawmaker told The Associated Press. And there are people in the Trump world who want us to run away from being the leaders of the free world. And Im hoping that Marcos instincts towards American strength will win the day. Rubios approach to foreign affairs is grounded in his years of service on the Foreign Relations committee and the Senate Intelligence panel. In his speeches and writings, hes delivered increasingly stern warnings about growing military and economic threats to the United States. If confirmed, Rubio will become the leader of U.S. foreign policy though his role will surely remain secondary to Trump, who relishes the global stage and frequently uses the bully pulpit against Americas allies. Even before taking office, Trump has stirred angst in foreign capitals by threatening to seize the Panama Canal and Greenland and suggesting he will pressure Canada to become the nations 51st state. When asked about the canal Wednesday, Rubio testified that while he hasnt looked at the legal research, he is compelled to suspect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over has been violated. But, he added, that Panama is a great partner in a lot of other issues and I hope we can resolve this issue. A Biden administration decision to rescind Cubas designation as a state sponsor of terrorism with just days left in office is likely to have irked Rubio, who has long supported tough sanctions on the communist-run island. When asked by Sen. Ted Cruz, Republican from Texas, if he believed Cuba should have remained on that list, Rubio replied: without a question. He also indicated that the new administration would reverse plans by the Biden administration to remove Cuba from the state of sponsor of terrorism list. Nothing that the Biden administration has agreed to in the last 12 or 18 hours binds the next administration, which starts on Monday, Rubio said. Secretaries of state have played a key role in formulating the foreign policy of the country since its founding, starting with the first one, Thomas Jefferson, who served in the top Cabinet position under President George Washington. Since then, Jefferson, as well as his 19th century successors James Madison, James Monroe, John Quincy Adams, Martin Van Buren and James Buchanan, have all gone on to be elected president. More recent secretaries of state have been less successful in their political ambitions, including John Kerry, who lost the 2004 presidential election to President George W. Bush before becoming the top diplomat, and Hillary Clinton, who lost the 2016 election to Trump. The most successful secretaries of state have been known for their closeness to the presidents whom they serve, notably James Baker under George H.W. Bush, Condoleezza Rice under George W. Bush and, to some extent, Clinton under Barack Obama. Like Clinton, Rubio was once a political rival to the president-elect who nominated them. However, the Clinton-Obama relationship during the 2008 Democratic primaries was not nearly as hostile as that between Trump and Rubio in the 2016 GOP primaries, which was marked by name-calling and personal insults. Trump had an acrimonious relationship with his first secretary of state, Rex Tillerson. Trump fired him from the position via a social media post less than two years into his term. (AP) One by one, all the president-elect s men, and women, are falling into place in his Cabinet. While Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseths nomination was teetering toward collapse just weeks ago, he now appears on track for confirmation after a fiery Senate hearing that focused on his drinking, views of women in combat and lack of high-profile management experience for the top U.S. military job. President-elect Donald Trumps other nominees pushed Wednesday through a gauntlet of confirmation hearings with the help of allied Senate Republicans carrying them toward the finish line, despite Democratic objections. One of them, potential FBI director Kash Patel, popped into a private Senate GOP lunch Wednesday to say hello. These nominees are bold choices, said Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the GOP whip, in earlier remarks. He predicted the Senate will begin start voting on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, to confirm Trumps picks. A long haul for some of Trumps picks To be sure, Trumps more controversial choices of Patel, Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., have yet to come before senators for public questioning. Once they do, they face a long haul ahead in winning over skeptics from both sides of the political aisle, Republicans and Democrats alike. In a letter to Republican senators Wednesday, an organization headed by Trumps former vice president, Mike Pence, said it was deeply concerned over Kennedy over his views on abortion, and urged senators to reject him for secretary of Health and Human Services. But Hegseths ability to mount a political comeback, take the fight to his critics and turn his nomination into a litmus test of Trumps Make America Great Again movement stands as a powerful example of the incoming White Houses ability to get what it wants. The Trump teams allies, including billionaire Elon Musk and others, amplified support for Hegseth, pushing him forward. If anyone in the Senate GOP votes against confirming Pete Hegseth after his stellar performance today, there will be a primary challenge waiting for you, wrote Trump ally Charlie Kirk on X. You can take that to the bank. Momentum for Hegseth and some others The Senate Armed Services Committee is expected to vote on Hegseths nomination on Monday, sending it to the full Senate for consideration, with confirmation possible later that week. With a nod of support from GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a combat veteran and sexual assault survivor who initially had questions for Hegseth, the former Army National Guard veteran powered past his biggest potential roadblock. Ernst faced an onslaught of personal and political attacks as she wavered on supporting Hegseth, an early signal to others. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., said the criticism of Hegseth was not as powerful as the image of a warrior with dust on his boots whos actually done the things. On Wednesday, a half dozen more Trump nominees appeared before Senate committees as his team floods the zone, senators dashing between hearing rooms to participate in as many sessions as possible. Pam Bondi, the nominee for Attorney General, was grilled by Democrats probing whether she believed Trump lost the 2020 election, she said Biden won, or would stand up to presidential pardons for those convicted of crimes in relation to Jan. 6, 2021. You say the right things, that youre going to be the peoples lawyer,' said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. But I believe being the peoples lawyer means you have to be able to say no to the president of the United States, he said. You have to be able to say Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, you dodged that question You have to be able to say Jan. 6 insurrectionists who committed violence shouldnt be pardoned. Bondi responded: I dont have to say anything. I will answer the questions to the best of my ability, and honestly. Another Trump nominee, Russ Vought, a Project 2025 architect tapped to lead the White House Office of Management and Budget, was asked if he would commit to releasing congressional approved funding for Ukraine. He vowed to always commit to upholding the law. And California Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla asked Trumps Energy nominee Chris Wright if he still believes wildfires are just hype, in the aftermath of the devastating Southern California fires that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Wright said he stood by his past comments. He then said climate change is real before Padilla cut him off. Republicans eye quick votes after Trumps inauguration On Monday, Trump is expected come inside the Capitol after he is inaugurated to sign the paperwork to formally nominate his picks for top Cabinet and administrative positions, launching the confirmation process. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said the Senate will vote on nominees as soon as they are ready. First up could be Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a former Trump rival for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination, who is now the president-elects choice for secretary of state. Rubio promised an America First foreign policy agenda during his own confirmation hearing Wednesday. As a well-known senator, he is expected to have broad support from Republicans, as well as Democrats. His confirmation vote could be as soon as Monday evening. Other nominees, including Hegseth, are expected to face a tougher path to confirmation. Republicans narrowly hold a majority in the Senate, 53-47, but they are down to 52 after Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned his seat last week ahead of taking office. That means Trumps nominees need support from almost every GOP senator for majority confirmation over objections from Democrats. Moreover, Democrats are expected to mount procedural hurdles that would require Hegseth and other nominees to go through multiple steps before final confirmation. Consideration of Hegseth and others could drag toward the end of next week. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer all but acknowledged Democrats, as the minority, are essentially powerless to prevent Trump from getting his desired team. Its important to have a record of these nominees, Schumer said Wednesday as the hearings pushed ahead. Even if they get confirmed in the end. (AP) by Burak Akinci ANKARA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A high-ranking Syrian delegation, led by interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, wrapped up a landmark visit to Turkiye this week, signaling a thaw in relations after more than a decade of estrangement. The visit marked al-Shibani's first official trip to Turkiye, reflecting a shift in the bilateral dynamic following the recent change in Syria's leadership. Relations had soured during the Syrian conflict, with Turkiye backing opposition forces against the government of Bashar al-Assad. In meetings with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday, both sides struck an optimistic tone. Fidan reaffirmed Turkiye's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity and expressed support for the country's reconstruction efforts. Al-Shibani described the talks as an opportunity to "forge a new history" between the two neighbors. Analysts see the visit as a significant move in recalibrating regional alliances. Batu Coskun, a non-resident fellow at TRENDS Research & Advisory, told Xinhua the visit underscores "burgeoning strategic cooperation" as Turkiye pursues a "comprehensive security strategic relationship" with Damascus. Coskun also noted that Syria's new administration appears intent on rebuilding ties with Ankara while fostering stronger relations with Gulf nations. Energy cooperation emerged as a focal point during the talks, with discussions on potential Turkish involvement in electricity transmission projects to alleviate Syria's power shortages. Further Turkish delegations may visit Damascus to explore reconstruction opportunities. Turkiye, currently hosting nearly three million Syrian refugees, has expressed hopes for their eventual return. With its geographic proximity and infrastructure capabilities, Turkiye is well-positioned to play a key role in Syria's post-conflict rebuilding. Despite signs of rapprochement, challenges loom. Clashes continue in northern Syria between Turkish-backed groups and the U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Al-Shibani sought to reassure Ankara, emphasizing that Syria's new leadership is committed to ensuring no threats to Turkiye arise from its territory. Soner Cagaptay, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, said Turkiye's significant "soft power" in Syria could be leveraged to expand its influence as ties improve. Syria's change of government last month has spurred a flurry of diplomatic activity. Turkish and Qatari delegations have visited Damascus, while al-Shibani has embarked on trips to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the UAE, and Jordan. These efforts aim to rebuild ties with regional powers and advocate for the lifting of Western sanctions. Turkiye, which severed diplomatic relations with Damascus in 2011, has voiced support for a peaceful transition in Syria. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged to back the new Syrian administration in establishing state structures and drafting a new constitution. [Moldova, January 5, 2025] Moldovas Jewish community celebrates a transformative milestone with the opening of Mikvah Liel; a beautiful, state-of-the-art mikvah that reflects the resurgence and growth of Jewish life in the region. For years, the community relied on an outdated mikvah that no longer met the needs of its frum population. The renaissance of Moldovas native Jewish community, combined with the arrival of students from Israel, Jewish tourists, and Ukrainian refugees, has made the construction of a modern mikvah essential for this flourishing and diverse community. Event Recap: At the heart of this initiative is the memory of Liel Dina Namdar, whose parents, Maya and Effy Namdar, transformed their personal grief into an act of light and hope. Speaking at the opening, Effy shared a deeply emotional moment, describing the pain of entering the third year since Liels passing. He likened it to the third day of a bris, as described with Avraham Avinu, when the pain is at its peak. When I came to the mikvah, Effy said, the pain subsided, and I could finally breathe again. There wasnt a dry eye in the room as his words touched the hearts of everyone present. Watch full speech: This mikvah is a beacon of faith and renewal, a testament to how we can channel pain into building something truly profound, said Rabbi Mendel Axelrod, Chief Rabbi of Moldova. Weve been striving to build this mikvah, and now weve created the most beautiful and kosher mikvah, a true reflection of who Liel is. Yet, in essence, the mikvah will not be fully complete until Moshiach comes. This historic milestone continues the legacy of Rebbetzin Leah Abelsky, Europes most senior Chabad emissary, who began the rebirth of Jewish life in Moldova in 1991. With unwavering dedication, she, together with her husband Rabbi Zalman Abelsky AH, worked tirelessly to rebuild and strengthen Jewish identity, laying the foundation for the thriving community that exists today. Their efforts paved the way for Mikvah Liel, which embodies the growth and spiritual renewal they inspired. Chana and Shneur Zalman Tiefenbrun, who recently joined the three other permanent Shluchim families in Moldova, worked tirelessly to ensure this momentous event reflects the dignity and sanctity of the occasion. Rabbi Zushe Abelsky, reflecting on the communitys journey, shared, The Jewish landscape in Moldova has completely changed. Weve grown so much, and our young women deserve a mikvah that reflects the dignity and beauty of this mitzvah. This project was made possible through the generous support of organizations such as Mikvah Tahara, RCE (Rabbinical Center of Europe), and GJRN (Global Jewish Relief Network). Mikvah Tahara provided seed funding and dedicated oversight of the project, ensuring the highest standards of kashrus and the successful completion of this vital initiative. Mikvah Liel stands as a cornerstone of Jewish life in Moldova, enabling women to perform this sacred mitzvah with pride and fostering flourishing Jewish families rooted in tahara (purity). It is a powerful testament to the strength, resilience, and unity of Moldovas Jewish community, as well as the global partnerships that made this dream a reality. The Chareidi parties slammed the new clause introduced by Defense Minister Yisrael Katz in an outline of a Chareidi draft law he presented to the Knesset on Tuesday, which states that if Chareidi enlistment target numbers are not reached, personal sanctions will be implemented against lomdei Torah. The Hebrew-language Yated Neeman and Hamodia newspapers published reports on Wednesday morning decrying Katzs decision to include the clause in the draft bill. The Yated report stated: The Chareidi sector reiterates that it will stand with all its vigor and means at its disposal to ensure that any ben yeshivah who desires to devote himself to Torah can learn Torah without disturbance. It is inconceivable that in a Jewish state, lomdei Torah would be punished in any way for exercising their right and duty to immerse themselves in Torah, which is a protection and salvation, especially during a time when Klal Yisrael is in danger. In light of the developments, the representatives will consult with the Gedolei Yisrael to receive instructions and guidance on how to act in the existing circumstances so that every ben yeshivah and avreich kollel can devote themselves to limud Torah, without interference and without threats of punishment and attempts to diminish the Torah among Klal Yisrael, chas vchalilah. The Hamodia article stated: The Chareidi representatives reiterate that it is inconceivable that in a Jewish state, sanctions would be imposed on lomdei Torah. Well act with all our might and means at our disposal to ensure that every ben yeshivah whose soul longs for Torah can toil in Torah without interruption, especially at a time when everyone is yearning for Chasdei and Rachamei Shamayim, and Torah is a shield and salvation. The Charedi representatives made it clear: [no tool you create will succeed] and when the matters are presented clearly and comprehensively, they will be brought before the Gedolei HaDor, who will decide on this matter concerning the very essence of faithful Yahadus. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) In a sermon delivered at the Middle Ground Muslim Center in California, Imam Marc Manley made a baffling claim linking the devastating Los Angeles wildfires to divine judgment from Allah. According to Manley, the fires were a punishment targeting people who support Israels war in Gaza, an assertion that has drawn widespread ridicule and criticism for its glaring detachment from reality. Manley suggested that the fires were Allahs way of exacting revenge on Zionists and supporters of what he described as oppression and evil in Gaza. He compared the destruction in Los Angeles to scenes of devastation in Gaza, framing the blazes as divine retribution. For all those horrible people, Manley said, this was a warning from Allah and a foreshadowing of what its going to be like on the Day of Judgment. However, a quick glance at the facts makes his argument difficult to take seriously. The majority of the people affected by the fires are everyday Californianshomeowners, firefighters, familieswho have little to no involvement in the Middle East conflict, let alone in anything resembling Zionist policies. From small business owners in Malibu to retirees in Santa Clarita, the victims of these wildfires are primarily people fighting to save their homes and livelihoods from a natural disasternot political figures orchestrating global conflicts. Social media users were quick to mock the imams sermon. Blaming wildfires on geopolitics is as ridiculous as blaming a traffic jam on the rain in London, one user commented. Others pointed out that linking natural disasters to divine punishment has been a frequent trope in conspiracy theories, but rarely one grounded in logic or empathy. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The IDF on Wednesday announced that its troops have confiscated more than 3,300 weapons and enemy assets from Syrian territory as part of ongoing efforts to secure Israels northern border. The operation is spearheaded by the 210th Division, which is tasked with defending the Golan Heights and safeguarding Israeli residents in the area. In collaboration with the Enemy Assets Confiscation Unit, operating under the Technological and Logistics Directorate, the IDF has seized a range of military equipment, including Syrian Armed Forces tanks, anti-tank missiles, RPGs, shells, mortars, observation equipment, and other weaponry. This operation is part of a larger campaign to neutralize threats across all combat zones where Israel faces hostilities. According to the IDF, more than 170,000 enemy assets have been confiscated to date in regions including the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria. The 210th Division plays a critical role in maintaining Israels security along the Syrian border, an IDF spokesperson said. Every confiscated weapon is one less threat to the safety of Israeli citizens. The confiscated items are being examined, with the intention of either neutralizing or repurposing them to bolster Israels defense capabilities. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller denies claims that American pressure played a decisive role in securing a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas. Miller emphasized that the agreement was not the result of external pressure on Israeli officials but rather stemmed from Hamass weakened position in the ongoing conflict. It is not because of pressure that we have seen brought to bear by any party on the government of Israel in the last few days that has gotten us to a deal, Miller said in a press briefing, attributing the breakthrough to Hamass need for a respite from fighting. The statement stands in contrast to reports from senior Arab diplomats and sources familiar with the negotiations, who told The Times of Israel that a critical turning point occurred during a tense meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff. The sources described the meeting as pivotal, with Witkoff applying substantial pressure on Netanyahu to make the compromises necessary for an agreement. According to the Arab diplomats, the level of pressure exerted by Trumps envoy during this single meeting surpassed that of numerous conversations held by Biden administration officials with Netanyahu throughout the conflict. Miller acknowledged the Trump teams involvement in the effort but rejected claims that their pressure was instrumental in achieving the agreement. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) Despite vocal opposition from Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a proposed hostage release deal with Hamas is expected to secure a majority in the Israeli government and move forward. Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionist Party, condemned the agreement as both bad and dangerous for Israels national security during a statement Wednesday evening. While celebrating the potential return of hostages, Smotrich argued that the deal undermines Israels wartime achievements and could lead to further bloodshed. We strongly oppose it, Smotrich declared. Our continued presence in the government depends on absolute certainty of resuming the war with full forceon a broad scale and with a renewed strategyuntil we achieve a decisive victory, including the complete destruction of Hamas and the safe return of all hostages to their homes. Smotrich met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday to discuss the proposed agreement. He has demanded assurances that the IDF will resume operations in Gaza following the deal, with a focus on intensifying the fight against Hamas, dismantling its infrastructure, and overseeing the distribution of humanitarian aid in the region. Ben-Gvir, leader of the Otzma Yehudit party, also expressed strong opposition to the deal. A spokesperson for Ben-Gvir stated that he is pressuring political officials to block what he described as an irresponsible deal. The proposed agreement reportedly includes significant concessions by Israel, such as the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including terrorists serving life sentences, and a partial withdrawal of IDF forces from Gaza. The deal also allows for the return of Palestinian civilians to northern Gaza under a yet-to-be-detailed security mechanism. Despite resistance from Smotrich and Ben-Gvir, the deal is expected to pass votes in both the National Security Cabinet and the government plenum. Even if the Religious Zionist Party and Otzma Yehudit vote against the agreement, other parties in the government are likely to ensure its approval. The question now is whether Smotrich and Ben-Gvir will escalate their opposition by threatening to leave the government. If they do, it could raise the possibility of a political crisis, including a vote to dissolve the Knesset and trigger new elections. For now, the deal moves forward, with its implementation potentially marking a critical juncture in Israels ongoing conflict with Hamas. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) The lineup for President-elect Donald Trumps January 20 inauguration features a glaring juxtaposition of values and alliances, as Rabbi Dr. Ari Berman, president of Yeshiva University, and Imam Husham Al-Husainy, a controversial figure with ties to pro-Hezbollah activities, are slated to deliver back-to-back benedictions following Trumps inaugural address. Berman represents the values of Yeshiva University, Americas flagship Jewish college. Since becoming the universitys fifth president in 2016, he has overseen significant growth in its educational and community impact. Sharing his thoughts on participating in the ceremony, Berman wrote on X: It is a profound privilege to offer a prayer of unity and hope on behalf of Yeshiva University and for all Americans at this historic moment. In stark contrast, Imam Al-Husainys presence raises questions about the events messaging. The leader of the Karbalaa Islamic Center in Dearborn, Michigan, Al-Husainy has refused to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization and attended a 2006 rally supporting the Iranian-backed group during its conflict with Israel. At the rally, Al-Husainy held up a photo of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike last September. Al-Husainy has also drawn criticism for his invocation at the Democratic National Committees 2007 winter meeting, where he prayed for an end to oppression and occupation in Iraqa statement widely interpreted as a condemnation of U.S. forces. When pressed on Fox News about his stance on Hezbollah, Al-Husainy denied any affiliation but refused to denounce the group, instead describing it as a Lebanese organization with biblical connotations. The inclusion of both figuresone representing a staunchly pro-Israel institution and the other with a history of support for terrorists opposed to Israelunderscores a profound contradiction. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) As negotiations for the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continue on Thursday morning, the Defense Ministry has recently begun the construction of stone walls next to the Gaza border yishuvim out of fear of anti-tank missile fire, Channel 12 News reported. The walls are currently being constructed in the Sderot area. According to the report, residents of the Gaza border area are furious, viewing the construction of the walls as a violation of the promises made by defense officials that residents who returned to the area after the October 7 massacre would be able to live safely without the constant fear of rocket fire. One resident said: Were back at the same place we were before October 7. After the massacre, the IDF promised we wouldnt need walls and we would be able to live here peacefully. It was all a bluff. Were back to the walls and the same threat. Another resident who lost his son in the October 7 massacre, said. As soon as I saw the walls, I realized that nothing has changed and nothing will change here. Were back to October 6 the same security situation. If were building walls, the security perception hasnt changed. They neglected our security needs then and theyre neglecting us now. The IDF spokesperson stated: The IDF is engaged in various efforts to enable the return of train operations to Sderot, including targeted military operations and ongoing assessments. This stems from the understanding that the train is an important national strategic infrastructure and a central factor in the rehabilitation process of the western Negev. At this time, defensive construction work is being carried out to strengthen the defense layer to allow safe train travel. The IDF is working and will continue to work for the safe return of the residents to their homes. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) The Religious Zionist party headed by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich held a meeting on Thursday to reach a decision about leaving the government due to the impending ceasefire/hostage release deal. At the end of the meeting that lasted several hours, the party issued a statement saying that while we yearn for the return of all our hostages, the Religious Zionism party vehemently opposes any deal. The party stands behind the demands of its chairman, Minister Betzalel Smotrich, to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to ensure Israels return to the war to destroy Hamas and the return of all the hostages, by changing the perception of deterrence and victory, immediately after the first phase of the deal, as a condition for the partys continued presence in the government and the coalition. Party member Tzvi Sukkot told Kan News earlier on Thursday that the party is likely leaving the government. Ending the war is a step backward, he said. We are in discussions with the prime minister to secure guarantees that the war will continue and are awaiting answers. Sukkot added that the party does not simply want to fill positions in the government but wants to transform the State of Israel. Smotrich has publicly decried the deal as catastrophic and dangerous to Israels security. According to reports, he is also concerned that the ramifications of the deal will mar his reputation in the same way that the Oslo Accords haunted Shas chairman Aryeh Deri. Netanyahu held a long meeting with Smotrich on the issue on Wednesday. Following the meeting, Smotrich stated: Along with the immense joy and excitement over the return of every hostage, this deal reverses many achievements of the war, which cost us much blood and it will tragically cost us more blood. We will not be silent as the voices of our brothers blood cry out to us. A clear condition for our continued participation in the government is the absolute certainty of a return to warfull-scale, intensified, and in a new frameworkuntil total victory, including the destruction of Hamas and the return of all hostages. Over the past two days, the prime minister and I have had intensive talks. He knows the detailed demands of the Religious Zionist Party, and the ball is in his court. A senior official explained: Smotrich is in a very difficult position. Hes driven by ideology and this is a matter of conscience for him. Everything hinges on agreements between Netanyahu and Smotrich, a Religious Zionist Party source said. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Authorities in Israel have indicted a 16-year-old from the southern region of the country on charges of committing security offenses inspired by terrorist groups, according to a police spokesperson. The teenager was arrested in December on suspicion of plotting to join the Islamic State (ISIS) and manufacturing explosives for use in potential terror attacks. Investigators revealed that the suspect had allegedly planned to travel abroad to join ISIS but had also considered forming a terrorist squad within Israel to carry out attacks targeting Jewish civilians. Further investigations uncovered that the youth had engaged in activities aimed at preparing explosive devices. The case is being handled by the police and the Shin Bet security agency. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) announced on Thursday that it firmly opposes the measures taken by the Biden administration to prohibit the sale or import of connected vehicles linked to China. On Jan. 14, the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security announced a final rule prohibiting certain transactions involving the sale or import of connected vehicles integrating specific pieces of hardware and software, or those components sold separately, with a sufficient nexus to China. Both China and the United States are leading nations in the advancement of intelligent connected vehicles, and cooperation and exchange are essential for mutual benefit, the CAAM said in a statement. The Biden administration's move severely interferes with global automotive collaboration, undermines the development interests of various countries, violates international trade rules, threatens the stability of the global supply chain, and is detrimental to the establishment of a secure, shared and transparent global automotive industry system, it said. The CAAM strongly opposes the Biden administration's misconduct, which disrupts the global intelligent connected vehicle ecosystem. The Biden administration's unilateral imposition of administrative restrictions, which forcibly sever economic and industrial ties with specific countries, not only undermines fair competition in the global automotive market, but also has profound and adverse impacts on the global supply chain, and will ultimately harm the interests of the American industry and consumers, the CAAM said. The CAAM urged the Biden administration to objectively evaluate economic and trade issues, and to abolish the regulations targeting China. The global automotive industry should deepen cooperation and jointly promote healthy and sustainable development of the intelligent connected vehicle sector, the CAAM added. Ten IDF soldiers were injured Wednesday night when a weapon unexpectedly exploded during a training exercise at the Engineering Corps Training Base in the Negev, the IDF announced on Thursday. Three soldiers sustained moderate injuries, while seven others were lightly injured in the incident. All were promptly evacuated to a hospital for medical treatment, and their families have been notified. The explosion occurred around 9 p.m. during a classroom workshop on explosive threats. The session included a display of Hezbollah weapons, such as explosive devices, intended to educate trainees about potential threats. According to the IDF, a rocket from the display detonated inside the classroom, causing the injuries. In the aftermath of the incident, the base commander and other officers initiated an evacuation of the injured and launched a preliminary investigation. The IDF has suspended training at the base for 24 hours to facilitate a comprehensive review. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A judicial face-off developed on Thursday between Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara and Justice Minister Yariv Levin regarding the appointment of liberal justice Yitzchak Amit as the President of the Supreme Court. As YWN reported on Monday, a Ynet report revealed serious allegations against Amit regarding a number of cases he presided over as a judge in which he did not disclose clear conflicts of interest. Following the report, Levin requested that the meeting of the Judicial Selection Committee to appoint Amit as president of the court, which was scheduled for today, be delayed to allow a thorough investigation into the allegations. Meanwhile, Israel Polices Investigations Department announced on Thursday that it has decided not to request that the Attorney-General open a criminal investigation against Amit, stating that there is no evidence nor basis for suspicion that requires the Attorney General to request a criminal investigation. It should be noted that the absence of evidence necessary to open a criminal investigation does not mean that Amit adhered to the ethical standards required of a Supreme Court judge. Following the polices decision, Minister Levin announced that he would file a criminal complaint against the judge: The entirety of the events presents an apparent picture of a serial and knowing misconduct by Judge Amit in violating ethical rules. I believe that the accumulation of the cases as detailed above, along with the questions that require clarification, necessitate initiating proceedings to file a complaint against Judge Amit. However, Baharav-Miara immediately backed the police decision and is now demanding that Levin convene the Judicial Selections Committee today to select Judge Yitzhak Amit as President of the Supreme Court, claiming that there are no grounds to delay the meeting of the committee and postpone the appointment of Amit as President of the Supreme Court. Baharav-Miara claimed that if Levin wants to further investigate the allegations, he must do in the presence of the committee. The Supreme Court issued a decision on the matter on Thursday evening, giving Levin an extension of 10 days to to appoint a Supreme Court President. (YWN Israel Desk Jerusalem) Right-wing activist Yair Ansbacher caused a stir on Thursday when he hung signs on the Kosel, including one reading, ! and another displaying the symbols of the Shevatim. Ansbacher claimed that his actions were intended to bolster the morale of Klal Yisrael during a challenging time, following the announcement of the ceasefire and hostage agreement with Hamas. The deal will see 33 hostagesalive or deceasedreleased initially, with the remaining 65 contingent upon further agreements to end the war. Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, the Rav of the Kosel and other mekomos hakedoshim, issued a strong statement condemning the actions. This is a painful protest against the chillul hakodesh of the Kosel, an unprecedented act by a Yid who acted contrary to halachaboth in his ascent to Har Habayis and by climbing the avanim hakedoshim of the Kosel to hang these signs, said Rabbi Rabinowitz. Such actions, like others recently, are against halacha and the psakim of the Chief Rabbinate. Ansbachers attorney defended his client, insisting that Ansbachers intent was purely lesheim shamayimto uplift the spirit of the nation during a difficult tekufah. This act was meant to strengthen Klal Yisraels morale, but my client found himself detained by the police. His pain is real, and he should be released immediately following clarification. (YWN World Headquarters NYC) A US activist trying to take over seven London-listed investment trusts is betting on complacency from thousands of private shareholders to secure victory, a fund manager has said. Saba Capital wants to replace the boards of the trusts with its own nominees. The hedge fund, which is run by Wall Street financier Boaz Weinstein, has called meetings at seven firms Herald Investment Trust, Baillie Gifford US Growth, Edinburgh Worldwide, European Smaller Companies, Keystone Positive Change, CQS Natural Resources and Henderson Opportunities to ask shareholders to vote on its plans. Fears are mounting in the industry that a low turnout among private investors who own shares in the trusts will hand Saba victory. At an investment conference yesterday, Ali Dibadj, chief executive of Janus Henderson, which manages two of the trusts, said: An inconsequentially small, very aggressive hedge fund has come in and decided to bet on you and your clients not voting, to take over those funds, to take advantage of the management fee. Theyre betting on complacency. Please, please dont be complacent, dont let them take over. Shake-up: Saba Capital, which is run by Wall Street financier Boaz Weinstein (pictured), is aiming to oust the boards of the trusts and replace them with its own nominees The comments came as the head of a group representing the investment trust industry said private investors would need to act quickly if they wanted to have their say on the outcome. While Saba has stakes in each firm ranging from 19 per cent to 29 per cent, the trusts also have large numbers of retail investors whose votes will prove crucial in deciding the outcome. The US firm needs to win at least 50 per cent support from voting shareholders to succeed. As a result, it will win if other investors do not actively vote against its proposals. Richard Stone, head of the Association of Investment Companies, warned that time was running out for retail investors to register to vote through investment platforms such as AJ Bell, Hargreaves Lansdown and Interactive Investor. For the first meeting at Herald Investment Trust, set to take place on Wednesday, investors will need to register to vote with the platforms by the end of tomorrow. If youre a shareholder in one of these trusts, time is running out for you to vote, Stone said. Shareholders need to act now. TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed readiness to engage in nuclear negotiations with the United States, provided discussions are conducted "on equal terms," the state-run IRNA news agency reported. The IRNA said on Wednesday that the Iranian president recently received an interview with the U.S. NBC News in Tehran, during which Pezeshkian underscored that Iran would not bow to external pressure. "We are ready for negotiations. However, these talks must respect our honor and wisdom and be conducted on an equal footing. We will by no means submit to force," he said, according to the IRNA. The president attributed past negotiation failures to the U.S.'s lack of commitment, particularly its withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear accord, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We must be assured that the other side will adhere to what is written and signed," he emphasized, urging the West to lift sanctions. "They cannot impose sanctions one day and then expect us to negotiate the next." Pezeshkian reaffirmed Iran's stance on nuclear weapons, stressing that the country has no intention of developing nuclear arms and remains committed to international inspections of its nuclear facilities. "The international community is well aware of our position," he said. On regional matters, the Iranian leader condemned recent "acts of aggression by Israel," blaming them for fueling instability in the Middle East. While reiterating that Iran does not seek conflict, he warned of a "crushing response" if the nation comes under attack. Iran signed the JCPOA with world powers in July 2015, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions. The United States, however, pulled out of the deal in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to scale back its commitments under the deal. The talks to revive the JCPOA began in April 2021 in Vienna, Austria. Despite several rounds of talks, no significant breakthrough has been achieved. Irish premier Simon Harris has welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal following 15 months of immense human suffering and destruction. Mr Harris said he hoped the deal will now receive the formal approval of the Israeli government. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal which promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. Mr Harris said: The brutal war we have witnessed has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, including more than 17,000 innocent and vulnerable children. More than 100,000 have been physically injured or maimed, many of them losing limbs or suffering other life-altering injuries. Hostages have been held in captivity for more than 465 days, away from their families and loved ones. They too have endured the most horrific suffering and distress. I hope that all sides will seize this opportunity, fully honouring their commitments, allowing hostages to return to their families and the people of Gaza to begin rebuilding their lives and I hope that it will lead to a permanent arrangement. The Taoiseach said the international community must play its part by working to put a process in place that can lead to lasting peace. He added: This will only be achieved through a two-state solution, with the state of Israel living in peace and security alongside a sovereign state of Palestine. Irish deputy premier Micheal Martin said it had been a long-awaited development. He said: We need to see a massive scale-up of humanitarian aid into Gaza, return of basic services and a clear framework under which those displaced as part of the conflict can return. Palestinian Authority governance is crucial in this regard, as is the role of UN and humanitarian agencies, including UNRWA, who must be allowed to operate fully and without hindrance. I commend the facilitators, notably the US, Egypt and Qatar, for their sustained efforts over recent months and urge that these discussions are sustained with a view to ensuring full implementation of this agreement. Irish President Michael D Higgins said the agreement would be welcomed by those at the edge of survival itself. He added: The agreement has been anxiously awaited by the families who have had to wait since the attacks by Hamas on 7th October 2023 for news on the wellbeing of their relatives who had been taken hostage. In some cases, the coming days may bring news of the death of family members which will be a matter of the deepest grief. All those in Gaza who have mourned their relatives or who are searching in the rubble for news of their relatives will equally have welcomed this ceasefire. Most importantly, this agreement must be utilised to deliver the massive scale up in humanitarian aid which is urgently needed to save more lives. Micheal Martin has said he is absolutely committed to serving three years as taoiseach as he hailed the ambition of a new draft programme for government, which is expected to lead to the formation of Irelands next government. The programme was published on Wednesday as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael held parliamentary party meetings to sign off on the 162-page document. Smaller class sizes, reduced childcare costs and more gardai are among the measures included. The governmental plan, agreed between the two main parties and independent TDs, also confirms that Mr Martin will hold the office of taoiseach until November 16 2027. It will then rotate to the leader of Fine Gael, Simon Harris for at least two years. It will now be the subject of approval by the party memberships over the coming days before a new taoiseach is nominated next Wednesday. Mr Martin told RTE that he hoped to become Irish premier for the second time. He added: I am absolutely committed to serving out the term because there is an agenda of change and I will work every day of those three years to do what I can to get this programme for government delivered to make life better for people. The current Tanaiste described the draft programme for government as ambitious and denied that environmental issues would be less of a priority than in the previous government. He said: The programme is as ambitious as the last programme was in respect of the need to address climate change and the challenges of biodiversity. He also predicted the new blueprint would deliver in terms of new houses being delivered more quickly. Mr Martin said: We have seen progress on housebuilding, but not enough and it needs to be faster. We have got to get the agencies of state and the mechanisms available to the public service to deliver housing faster. We have a Planning Act that we didnt have at the commencement of the last government. That will hopefully enable us to get decisions more quickly in respect of housing and other infrastructure. That is the other big piece of this programme for government, infrastructure delivery in terms of roads, public rail and so on. Among its measures include the aim to reduce the general pupil-teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government; creating a new public transport security force that would have similar powers to the existing airport police; and reducing the cost of childcare to 200 euros per month per child. The draft document includes a pledge to establish a new unit for future planning as well as commitments on a focus on reform at the heart of all Government. A new public sector pay deal will be linked to the reform agenda, it said. On housing, the programme includes a pledge to ramp up construction capacity to meet new targets of more than 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030. Elsewhere on health measures, the Government says it will explore restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children as well as ensuring the administration of dermal fillers is only undertaken by trained healthcare professionals. It also pledges to roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport and keep fares low and affordable. Turning to migration, the Government said that those who are processed under the border procedure will not be authorised to enter Ireland. Their applications, appeals and removal decisions must be processed within three months, and this includes will include people who have arrived by crossing the land border with Northern Ireland. The agreement came following negotiations by teams from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Regional Independent Group. Regional Independent Group member Noel Grealish will take up the role as super junior minister in the Department of Agriculture, while Sean Canney will be the super junior minister at the Department of Transport. Meanwhile, Longford-Westmeath TD Kevin Boxer Moran will take up a junior role in the Office of Public Works, while Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin will take a junior role in the Department of Higher Education. Speaking on behalf of the Regional Independent Group, Michael Lowry said: Weve worked hard, weve put in a long stint, and we have got a result that is very satisfactory for us. Boxer will take up his position in the Office of Public Works. Hes very familiar with it. He did a fantastic job the last time he was in the Office of Public Works. For Boxer to lose his seat at the last election, to bounce back, command the respect and support of the people of his constituency and to come back here on his first week to be appointed to the Office of Public Works is a massive personal achievement. Earlier on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae will take a junior minister post in the next government. The Kerry TD refused to say which department he will be in, adding it is a matter for the incoming taoiseach. Mr Healy-Rae, who will take up a position in Government for the first time, also declined to say if he had secured any deals for his constituency but that the people of Kerry will see the benefits of having the Healy-Rae brothers in Government. Speaking on Wednesday morning, he said that after many years in opposition, he and his brother Danny want to work in government to better their home county of Kerry. Asked which department he will be in, Mr Healy-Rae said: At the end of the day, the giving out of any positions, its obviously a matter for the incoming taoiseach, we will respect that role. It is fair to say that there is an arrangement in place where there will be a role at a department at a minister of state level for the Healy-Raes. Its fair to say that that role will be going in my direction but as for what thats going to be, thats obviously for the direction of the incoming taoiseach. The support of the Healy-Raes now brings the number of TDs backing the next government to 95 TDs. The document took several weeks to compile following a lengthy negotiation process. SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's constitutional court on Thursday held the second hearing for the impeachment trial of President Yoon Suk-yeol, who was arrested the previous day over his martial law imposition. During the second formal hearing, the court justices adopted evidence and witnesses and dismissed Yoon's defense counsel's claim that the evidence and witnesses were illegal. Next hearings will be held on 21 and 23 of January and on 4, 6, 11 and 13 of February. Two newly appointed justices filled two of three vacancies in the nine-member bench, performing their duties earlier this month. To oust Yoon from office, at least six justices of the court are required to uphold the impeachment. Yoon was arrested in the presidential residence Wednesday, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested. After being questioned at the anti-corruption agency's office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, Yoon was taken into custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just 5 km away from the office. The impeachment motion against Yoon was passed in the National Assembly on Dec. 14 last year and was delivered to the constitutional court to deliberate it for up to 180 days, during which Yoon's presidential power is suspended. Yoon, who was named by investigative agencies as a suspected ringleader on an insurrection charge, declared a martial law on the night of Dec. 3, but it was revoked by the National Assembly hours later. TEHRAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Ground Forces announced on Thursday the arrest of 15 individuals accused of planning sabotage in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan, the official IRNA news agency reported. The IRGC's Quds Base said the arrests took place during the ongoing "Martyrs of Security" operation. Security forces identified the group in the border areas between Iran and Pakistan and captured them through a coordinated ground operation, supported by intelligence officers, military helicopters, and drones, the IRNA reported. The operation also led to the seizure of a large cache of weapons and ammunition. Sistan and Baluchestan, a province bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan, has been the site of several terrorist attacks targeting both civilians and security forces in recent years. DOHA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire agreement after over 15 months of conflict. The devastating humanitarian crisis has resulted in the loss of more than 46,000 Palestinian lives and more than 1,200 Israelis, according to health authorities in Gaza and Israel. The following is a timeline of major events since the conflict began in October 2023. -- On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. -- On Oct. 8, 2023, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a "state of war" and vowed to dismantle Hamas, initiating widespread airstrikes on Gaza. -- On Oct. 27, 2023, Israel launched a large-scale ground invasion into Gaza. -- On Nov. 24-Dec. 1, 2023, a temporary four-day ceasefire brokered by Qatar and other mediators took effect, briefly pausing hostilities. The ceasefire was extended by two days, with another extension to Dec. 1. During this period, more than 100 hostages were freed from Gaza, while Israel released 240 Palestinian detainees. Israel's airstrikes on Gaza resumed on Dec. 2 after the ceasefire ended. -- On Dec. 11, 2023, Israel signaled its willingness to negotiate a humanitarian ceasefire in exchange for the release of hostages, while Hamas demanded a halt to Israeli military operations before further discussions. -- On March 31, 2024, ceasefire talks resumed in Cairo, with Israeli and Hamas representatives working through mediators. -- On Aug. 15-16, 2024, a fresh round of ceasefire negotiations was held in Doha with representatives from Israel, Qatar, the United States and Egypt. Mediators described the talks as "constructive," but Hamas criticized the proposals as favoring Israel and prolonging Palestinian suffering. -- On Nov. 9, 2024, Qatar said it had suspended mediation efforts, citing a lack of serious intent from both sides. It stated that talks would resume when conditions were more favorable. -- On Dec. 7, 2024, Qatar announced that momentum for renewed negotiations has returned, leading to the resumption of mediation efforts. -- On Jan. 15, 2025, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire-for-hostages deal that will start on Sunday. According to the agreement, Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase, spanning six weeks, in exchange for the release of Palestinian detainees. This photo shows a view of the Gwacheon Government Complex Building, where the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is located, in Gwacheon, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025. A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua) SEOUL, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. The Seoul Central District Court reviewed the legality of Yoon's arrest at the request of his defense counsel, refusing to accept it as there was "no reason" to call for the legality review. Yoon's counsel claimed that the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) has no jurisdiction over Yoon's case while the arrest warrant should be issued by the Seoul Central District Court, not by the Seoul Western District Court. Yoon did not appear in the closed-door hearing for security issues, but his lawyers defended on his behalf. During the court review, Yoon's 48-hour arrest period had been put on hold from about 2:00 p.m. local time (0500 GMT) when the joint investigation unit submitted relevant documents to the court. Yoon was arrested in presidential residence Wednesday, becoming the country's first sitting president to be arrested. After being questioned at the anti-corruption agency's office in Gwacheon, just south of Seoul, Yoon was taken into custody at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, just five km away from the office. Supporters of the arrested South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol gather outside the Seoul Detention Center during a rally in Uiwang, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025. A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua) This photo shows a view of the Gwacheon Government Complex Building, where the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is located, in Gwacheon, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025. A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua) Police officers stand guard in front of the Gwacheon Government Complex Building, where the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO) is located, in Gwacheon, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025. A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua) Police officers stand guard at the Seoul Detention Center in Uiwang, South Korea, Jan. 16, 2025. A South Korean court on Thursday rejected arrested President Yoon Suk-yeol's request for release, according to multiple media outlets. (Photo by Jun Hyosang/Xinhua) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a Boeing B787-9 aircraft of Mongolian Airlines parking at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) Customs officers conduct an on-site inspection of an inbound airplane at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 16, 2025. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) Staff members of Grand China Aviation Maintenance Co., Ltd. (GCAM) examine an inbound airplane at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 16, 2025. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) A staff member of Grand China Aviation Maintenance Co., Ltd. (GCAM) examines an inbound airplane at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 16, 2025. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) A staff member of Grand China Aviation Maintenance Co., Ltd. (GCAM) examines inside an inbound airplane at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 16, 2025. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) Customs officers of Meilan International Airport examine an inbound airplane at the one-stop aircraft maintenance base of Hainan Free Trade Port in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, Jan. 16, 2025. This aircraft is to receive examination and maintenance services here, which marks the maiden order for maintenance of inbound aircraft at Hainan Free Trade Port for the year 2025 and also the first of such services for aircraft from Mongolia. The services kicked off on Thursday, eligible to preferential treatments of the free trade port including exemption of cash deposite as well as duty-free fuel and maintenance supplies. (Xinhua/Zhang Liyun) By Qabil Ashirov Azerbaijan welcomes the ceasefire and hostage release agreement in Gaza, Azernews reports, citing a post shared by the Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry on its official X account. It was noted that Azerbaijan hopes all parties will respect the agreement and bring an end to the suffering. The post reads: "Azerbaijan welcomes the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza. We hope all parties will respect the agreement and sufferings will be ended. Azerbaijan supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in line with respective UNSC resolutions, and will continue working with the international community towards that goal. The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip will come into force on January 19 and will last for 42 days. The release of hostages will be the first phase of the agreement. It is expected that Hamas will release 33 hostages in the first phase. ISTANBUL, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from bootleg alcohol in Istanbul has reached 30, local media reported on Thursday, sparking a crackdown on illicit production and sales. The NTV reported that 30 people, including foreign nationals, died in the past 72 hours after consuming counterfeit alcohol, while 49 others remain hospitalized, 31 in critical condition. The Istanbul Governor's Office announced raids at multiple sites, detaining six suspects linked to large-scale counterfeit alcohol distribution. Two were charged with intentional homicide and imprisoned, while legal proceedings continue for the others. Authorities compared those involved in the counterfeit trade to "terrorists who kill people" and confirmed the seizure of 29 tonnes of illicit alcohol and the closure of 64 illegal businesses this year. In a related move, the Turkish government tightened regulations on alcohol storage on Thursday, requiring official approval for storage facilities and banning shared or improperly located warehouses. The governorate reported 110 hospitalizations and 48 deaths in 2024 from tainted alcohol. Kansas City Dead-tree media proposes compromise and tech solutions against rising crime. Local newsies press the question: WILL TURNING AWAY FROM CASH PROTECT KANSAS CITY SMALL BIZ?!?! There's good reason to be skeptical about the tactic . . . A downtown coffee shop tried this move only to close months later. Sadly . . . Here's another beloved institution and unique destination that fights for survival against worsening break-in robberies . . . Soon, to help dissuade future break-ins, Hi Hat coffee shop owner T Philip Jensen said he will be putting up signs on yet another new front door (this one with glass, but also steel) meant to send a message as much to would-be burglars as to customers: No Cash Accepted and No Cash on Premises. When he does, he will be joining a growing number of small business owners in the Kansas City area, who sick of what they view as a rising spate of breaks-ins hope that accepting no cash and having no cash on their premises will lead to no more burglaries. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . by Xinhua writer Lu Jiafei BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel is a welcome relief and a crucial step toward regional stability. It provides an opportunity to halt the bloodshed and ease the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. However, its success hinges on one key factor: a genuine commitment to peace. Past experiences in the Middle East have shown the fragility of such agreements. For this ceasefire to hold, both sides must fully implement its terms. Tragically, just hours after Qatar announced the ceasefire, which is scheduled to take effect on Sunday, at least 30 Palestinians were killed, and many more were injured in Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday in the Gaza Strip. This underscores the challenges that lie ahead. Without good intentions and genuine efforts to de-escalate and protect civilians, the newly announced ceasefire risks becoming yet another fleeting pause in an enduring cycle of violence -- if it goes into force at all. Furthermore, while a ceasefire temporarily halts the bloodshed, it does not suffice for a long-term settlement. The international community should also show a genuine commitment to peace by working collectively to bring about a fair and just solution to the Palestinian question. The failure to implement UN resolutions is at the core of the problem. A true peace process must restore justice. Commitment to the two-state solution should not be compromised at will. China firmly supports the establishment of an independent state of Palestine that enjoys full sovereignty based on the 1967 borders and with East Jerusalem as its capital. China supports Palestine's full UN membership and calls for a more broad-based, authoritative and effective international peace conference. More countries, including Western ones such as Norway, Ireland and Spain, have announced formal recognition of Palestine's statehood. This growing international support underscores the legitimacy of the Palestinian cause and highlights the urgent need for a just solution. Washington's continued reluctance to back Palestinian sovereignty and its unconditional support for Israel's violence against Palestinians undermine the credibility of Washington's claim as a neutral broker in the Middle East peace process. Its consistent use of veto power at the UN Security Council to shield Israel from accountability has further entrenched the status quo and fueled resentment and instability in the region. If Washington truly aspires to foster peace and justice, it must align its policies with UN resolutions, which reflect the collective will of the international community. Peace in the Middle East demands more than a ceasefire. It requires the courage to address the root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Only then can the region break free from the cycle of violence and move toward lasting stability. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (R) and Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani attend a joint press conference in Ankara, Turkiye, on Jan. 15, 2025. Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday on his first official visit to Turkiye. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) ANKARA, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday on his first official visit to Turkiye. The meeting between Erdogan and Al-Shaibani addressed the most recent situation in Syria and steps to be taken to preserve the country's territorial integrity, Turkiye's Communications Directorate said in a statement on the social media platform X. According to the directorate, Erdogan said that "Turkiye will support meeting the urgent needs of the brotherly Syrian people and the efforts to rebuild the country," emphasizing the importance of lifting international sanctions on Syria. Erdogan also underscored that there is no room for terrorist organizations in Syria's future, the statement added. In a joint press conference following the meeting with Al-Shaibani, Fidan said "the international community could support Syria to rebuild state institutions and build capacity," calling for the removal of sanctions "to facilitate the provision of basic public services and accelerate normalization." "This will create conditions enabling millions of Syrians to return home," the Turkish minister said. Fidan also reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to aiding the fight against terrorism, including operational support against the Islamic State (IS), emphasizing that regional cooperation is vital. "We have already taken steps to assist and are prepared to help manage camps and prisons housing IS detainees," he added. He also reiterated Turkiye's stance against the fragmentation of Syria. "We will never consent to the division of Syria. There is no place for terror in the region's future." The Turkish minister also announced that Turkiye's consulate in Aleppo would reopen on Jan. 20. Al-Shaibani, for his part, described the visit as a turning point for Turkish-Syrian relations, saying "Turkiye and Syria are writing a new history based on brotherhood." He underscored the importance of maintaining Syria's territorial integrity and the central government's control over all areas. "We believe Syria's northeastern regions must not pose a threat to Turkiye and should be unified under our central governance," Al-Shaibani said. Calling on the international community and neighboring countries for support, Al-Shaibani said, "Syria urgently needs assistance for its reconstruction and the establishment of educational institutions. With brotherly cooperation, we can restore dignity and normalcy to the Syrian people." Turkiye has voiced its commitment to Syria's post-conflict reconstruction, with Turkish officials signaling their willingness to provide logistical support, technical expertise, and investment in key sectors such as construction, agriculture, and energy. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani during their meeting in Ankara, Turkiye, on Jan. 15, 2025. Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday on his first official visit to Turkiye. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) BRATISLAVA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two individuals were killed, and one remains in critical condition following a high school attack by a student in a Slovak town, local media reported on Thursday. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Explore: Samsung Year-Round Galaxy Trade-In Program Samsung Electronics two days ago announced a new Galaxy Trade-In Program, which allows trade-in of Samsung Galaxy devices at any time of the year on Samsung.com, even if customers do not purchase a new phone Thursday January 16, 2025 11:50 PM , ummid.com News Network Korea: Samsung Electronics two days ago announced a new Galaxy Trade-In Program, which allows trade-in of Samsung Galaxy devices at any time of the year on Samsung.com, even if customers do not purchase a new phone. The program underscores Samsungs commitment to boost the value of Galaxy devices for users in long-term by continuing to provide not only the premium quality of Galaxy phones, but the amazing savings being unlocked though the simple and secure trade-in process. Were excited to launch our brand-new year-round Galaxy Trade-In Program in an effort to enrich the value of Galaxy devices for users and contribute to a circular economy, said Jun Kim, EVP and Head of Galaxy Value Innovation team, Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. We believe customers can greatly benefit from the value of their devices in the market and the ability to trade-in safely with the support of secure transactions", Kim said. The new Trade-In Program will pilot in Korea and France starting today and expand to more regions through 2025. Partnered with Samsung, the program will be managed and operated by Likewize. Why Samsung Trade In? The Samsung Trade-In Program allows customers to trade in an eligible device and receive an instant trade-in credit toward the purchase of a new qualifying Galaxy device. The instant trade-in credit for trading in a smartphone or a tablet applies only to New Samsung Devices. First, phones are graded into categories: Excellent, Good or Recycle. Then, an appropriate amount is paid out to the customer, based on the grade. Samsung Trade-in also offers credit on a new mobile device for your cracked device. In its sole discretion, from time to time Samsung may offer to accept certain model devices with cracks to the glass on the front (and back, if applicable) as devices that are eligible for trade-in (Cracked device Offers). The Offer is only available if the Trade-In Value for your selected Trade-In Device displayed on Samsungs website or the App states that the value displayed is for the specified model device with a crack. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Saudi hospital performs world's 1st robot assisted artificial heart pump implantation King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has claimed performing the worlds first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump Thursday January 16, 2025 9:58 PM , ummid.com News Network [Image source: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre] Riyadh: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has claimed performing the worlds first robotic-assisted implantation of an artificial heart pump. HeartMate 3, the artificial heart pump, is developed by Abbott - an innovative medical devices and health care solutions provider. The groundbreaking procedure that marks a significant advancement in medical technology and patient care was performed on a 35-year-old man. The patient had been hospitalized for 120 days due to advanced heart failure, which had also led to kidney and lung function deterioration. The procedure was led by Dr. Feras Khaliel, Head of Cardiac Surgery and Director of the hospitals Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery Program. Reduced admission, recovery time The patient spent only four days in the intensive care unit, a stark contrast to the 26-day average for similar procedures performed with traditional surgical methods. Recovery time is also expected to be significantly reduced, with discharge anticipated within 10 days instead of the usual 63 days required for conventional interventions. Dr. Khaliel emphasized the precision and safety of robotic-assisted surgery, noting that the patient experienced no infections or bleeding during or after the operation. "The patient was amazed at the minimal scarring, reflecting the advanced capabilities of robotic technology," he said. In 2024, KFSHRC had made headlines by performing the first fully robotic heart transplant in the world and the first fully robotic liver transplant . The KFSHRC has been ranked first in the Middle East and Africa and 20th globally in the list of the worlds top 250 Academic Medical Centers for the second consecutive year and has been recognized as the most valuable healthcare brand in the Kingdom and the Middle East, according to the 2024 Brand Finance rankings. Commenting on the King Faisal Hospital's latest achievement, Dr. Bjorn Zoega, Deputy CEO of KFSHRC, said it further solidifies Saudi Arabias position as a global leader in medical innovation. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. Welcome Guest! You are here: Home SC suggests clubbing of petitions challenging CLAT 2025 The Supreme Court of India Wednesday January 15, 2025 suggested the seven petitions challenging in various High Courts should be clubbed in one and heard before a single court Thursday January 16, 2025 3:22 PM , ummid.com News Network New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India Wednesday January 15, 2025 suggested the seven petitions challenging in various High Courts should be clubbed in one and heard before a single court. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLU), comprising as many as 26 representative universities, had conducted CLAT 2025 on Sunday December 01, 2024. The Consortium had released CLAT answer keys on December 03, 2024 and the result and merit list on December 07, 2024. The Consortium released the CLAT 2025 result and merit list despite petitions filed in Supreme Court and High Court seeking a stay. Following this, petitions were filed challenging the CLAT 2025 result and seeking a stay on the CLAT counselling in as many 7 high courts including Punjab & Haryana, Delhi, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Bombay, Jharkhand and Rajasthan. A petition challenging CLAT 2025 Answer Keys was also filed in the Supreme Court of India . The Apex Court had however declined to entertain the petition, in turn asking the petitioners to approach to high court. While hearing the matter on Wednesday January 15, 2025, the SC Bench headed by CJI Sanjiv Khanna suggested transferring all matters to the Punjab and Haryana High Court, where the first petition was filed. The SC later dropped idea as Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta preferred Karnataka High Court while some lawyers favoured Delhi High Court which had passed order regarding discrepancies in the answer key of CLAT 2025 question paper. The SC has now posted the matter for further hearing in the first week of February 2025. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language To Read in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic. DAMASCUS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani arrived in Damascus on Thursday, marking a significant moment in the flurry of high-level diplomatic visits to Syria since the fall of the previous government in December 2024, Syrian state television reported. The Qatari Foreign Ministry described the visit as a reaffirmation of Doha's "longstanding position of supporting our Syrian brothers." Meanwhile, Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, hosted Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares Bueno in the capital. The simultaneous visits highlight Damascus's intensified efforts to rebuild international ties and secure foreign backing as the interim administration navigates the country's ongoing transition. Qatar, a regional power that severed relations with Syria's former government during the decade-long conflict, has joined a growing number of states re-engaging with Damascus. These diplomatic overtures signal a shift in regional dynamics as Syria works to reestablish its presence on the global stage. A group of professors and students at an Alabama university are on the move to block a new state law that bars colleges from operating diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, as well as restricting talks on race and gender. Plaintiffs claim that the law runs afoul of the First Amendment by curtailing educators' speech rights and targets Black students in its aim at race-related issues and programs they are likely to benefit from. Filed by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the ACLU of Alabama, CBS 24 reported that the lawsuit aims to declare the law unconstitutional and prevent its enforcement. This explains how faculty members felt compelled to cancel class discussions or change curricula to avoid violating the law. The law also requires closing or rebranding DEI offices and bans events or training that focus on the identities of specific groups. Critics also view the legislation as a step backward, erasing hard-won initiatives that foster diversity and support underrepresented groups in higher education. It is following similar legal fights in other states. Just recently, a federal judge partially blocked a Florida law limiting race-related discussions in colleges last month. The ruling of the Alabama case may hold considerable implications for the DEI programs across the nation, particularly because such measures are gaining popularity in other Republican-led states. Supporters of the DEI Ban in Colleges Supporters of the law, such as Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, believe that DEI programs only encourage division and promote a biased political agenda. The law bans classes or training involving eight "divisive concepts," including assigning guilt or blame based on race, religion, or gender. Last year, the University of Alabama has already scrapped its DEI programs. A University Herald article explained that they will focus on promoting access and engagement rather than diversity in colleges. Alabama Republican Will Barfoot stated that this was the first step of higher education in the US going back to normal. Ahead of newly-elected US President Trump's inauguration, other public universities are following suit to divest DEI funds or ban them completely to align with the new administration's vision in education. Weeks after Trump secured his second administration, universities were sending notices for international students to return to campus ahead of his January 20 inaugural. Besides them, however, undocumented college students, especially the 100,000 in California, are feeling increasingly more anxious about their status due to the increased threat of immigration enforcement. For undocumented students, pursuing higher education has become as hard as living with fears of being deported. While some take home in sanctuary states and have taken advantage of benefits such as in-state tuition and legal aid, deportation is loudly hanging over them under President Trump's upcoming policies. Do Colleges Protect Undocumented Students? According to Teen Vogue, colleges in California have taken their share of protections for undocumented students. Free legal aid, limited access to the ICE without warrant, and safeguards of privacy through FERPA, all together are meant to provide a safe environment. Other states, like Texas, however, have fewer protections in place, which makes college attendance more alarming. With Trump entering office, there is fear of potential override of these federal policies. The students are inquiring whether college is even a viable option. Advocates like Madeleine Villanueva of Immigrants Rising are worried that fear of the possibility of revealing themselves or their families to immigration enforcement will dissuade some students from college at all. Those without DACA protections are more vulnerable nationwide. Since 2021, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has not accepted new applications, leaving those students without legal protections. Trump's mixed messages about deporting Dreamers and preserving families have added to the confusion and fear. California Attorney General's guidelines and institutional policies would ease fear by indicating how colleges can respond to inquiries from the ICE and maintain their students' private information. Employees in schools like California State University, San Marcos, explain that they are always concerned about student safety. The undocumented students are still very scared for their future. (@ChaudhryMAli88) ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Jan, 2025) The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has signed an agreement with nema the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative to promote responsible consumption across the tourism and hospitality sectors. The agreement was signed by Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry, Director-General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, and Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of Emirates Foundation and Secretary-General of the nema National Steering Committee. The national food loss and waste initiative is at the core of the UAEs efforts to ensure food security and address climate change, and this collaboration aims to drive transformative change in the travel and hospitality sectors, contributing to the National Food Security Strategy 2051 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, aiming to reduce food loss and waste in the UAE by 50 percent by 2030. Saleh Mohammed Al Geziry said, "As Abu Dhabi continues to grow as a leading global destination, it is essential that we advance our commitment to sustainable development, establishing our emirate as a responsible hub for tourism and events. The partnership with ne'MA sets out a roadmap for meaningful action to reduce food loss and waste while creating awareness among travellers and stakeholders about responsible consumption. As part of the agreement, DCT Abu Dhabi will encourage restaurants, hotels, and tourism establishments, to adopt sustainable practices such as portion control, menu optimisation, and creative use of surplus food; and develop educational campaigns for tourists and residents to highlight the environmental impact of food waste and the importance of responsible consumption. Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais said, The MoU with DCT Abu Dhabi marks an important step toward promoting sustainable practices within the UAEs hospitality and tourism sectors. Through this collaboration, nema will work with hotels, restaurants and tourism establishments to adopt key food waste reduction initiatives such as portion control, menu optimisation, and the innovative use of surplus food. nema will also spearhead educational campaigns that engage both residents and tourists, emphasising the environmental impact of food waste and the importance of mindful, responsible consumption. DCT Abu Dhabi will also facilitate the redistribution of surplus food to charitable organisations, food banks, or for composting, in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain; collect data on food waste within the tourism sector to identify trends, hotspots, and areas for improvement, thereby informing future strategies; and promote broader sustainability initiatives, including reducing single-use plastics, supporting local food producers, and minimising transportation-related emissions. DCT Abu Dhabi partnered with nema for its inaugural Retrofit Summit to support the objective of reducing the events carbon emissions by taking actions to minimise food waste and improve food related operational efficiency. As a result of this partnership, 89 kgs of food waste from the event was diverted from landfill with 17.8 kgs of compost created to support local farmers. Abu Dhabi Convention and Exhibition Bureau (ADCEB) also collaborated with nema at the ICCA Congress where key elements of nemas Zero Food to Landfill framework were adopted to ensure sustainable operations, raising awareness amongst delegates, reducing food waste. NEW DELHI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- India Thursday welcomed a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza," India's foreign ministry in a statement said. "We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy." The agreement includes an initial 42-day phase during which more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza will halt. The Israeli military will withdraw from populated areas to the outskirts of Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their residence in the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid will flow in, with 600 trucks entering Gaza daily, including 50 carrying much-needed fuel to restore electricity in the territory, according to Israel's state-owned Kan TV news. ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Jan, 2025) SHUAA Capital psc today announced the execution of a new financing facility for its OSV operations under Stanford Marine Group and Allianz Marine and Logistics Services Holding Limited that are held via a SHUAA-managed fund. The Fund, domiciled in the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) and referred to as the "SHUAA-managed fund", is managed by SHUAA GMC Limited, a wholly owned FSRA-regulated subsidiary of SHUAA. The business executed a seven-year finance facility of up to US$300 million from the National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) and The Arab Energy Fund (TAEF), formerly known as APICORP, a leading multilateral impact financial institution focused on the MENA energy sector. The deal is expected to be completed in the coming days, subject to closing procedures. Owed to the quality and outperformance of SHUAA's OSV platform, the financing facility is one of the largest Secured Overnight Funding Rate (SOFR) based facilities for the OSV sector in the region. As a single facility across the Stanford and Allianz OSV operations, acquired by the SHUAA-managed fund in 2020 and 2022, respectively, it further integrates the two units and supports the continued growth of the businesses. Wafik ben Mansour, Chief Executive Officer of SHUAA Capital, said, "We look forward to working with management and all stakeholders to further develop Stanford and Allianz businesses and contribute to the long-term growth of the offshore oil & gas industry in the UAE and the region." Adnan Anwar, Chief Executive Officer of NBF, said that this deal is a testament to the strong relationship with SHUAA and reflects the bank's confidence in the strength of Stanford and Allianz and their ability to capitalise on growth opportunities. Nicolas Thevenot, Chief Banking Officer at TAEF, stated, "This financing marks a strategic milestone in our commitment to strengthening the energy value chain in the MENA region." ABU DHABI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Jan, 2025) H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, has welcomed the announcement of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, and the release of detainees, hostages, and captives. H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan commended the efforts of the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt, and the United States to achieve this agreement. He has also expressed his aspirations for the agreement to bring an end to the suffering, prevent further loss of life, and resolve the crisis and the tragic conditions in the Strip. Sheikh Abdullah affirmed the necessity of both parties adherence to all agreements and obligations to end the anguish of the Palestinian captives and Israeli hostages. Moreover, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah underscored the UAEs unwavering position that calls for the importance of the urgent, sustainable, and unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid through all means to civilians in need who have lived through critical humanitarian conditions for over 15 months. He stressed the importance of the international communitys support for all efforts aiming to advance the peace process in the middle East, as well as end illegal practices that undermine the two-state solution, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. His Highness reiterated the UAEs steadfast commitment to fostering peace, justice, and the realisation of the rights of the Palestinian people. (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Jan, 2025) NEW YORK, 15th January, 2025 (WAM) The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has welcomed the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. I commend the mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States of America for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. Their unwavering commitment to finding a diplomatic solution has been critical in achieving this breakthrough. I call on all relevant parties to uphold their commitments and ensure that this deal is fully implemented," he said in a statement. "From the outset of the violence, I have called for an immediate ceasefire and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages," he added. (@Abdulla99267510) PTI founder and former Prime Minister says such engagements are crucial for country's stability RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-Jan 16th, 2025) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday termed the meeting between PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur and Army Chief General Asim Munir as a positive step. After meeting Imran Khan at Adiala Jail, Barrister Gohar spoke informally to the media outside the jail and said, I have just returned after meeting the PTI founder in Adiala Jail. Barrister Gohar stated that Imran Khan told journalists about a meeting he had at a certain place. He further explained that Whenever I meet someone, I only disclose it when Khan Sahib instructs me to do so. Barrister Gohar emphasized that Wherever I go and whatever I do, it is solely for the PTI founder and according to his directives. He added that Imran Khan considers the meeting as a positive step, saying that Such engagements are crucial for the country's stability. Dialogue for stability Barrister Gohar stated that Our doors for dialogue were always open, but the other side had closed theirs. If talks have now begun and progress is made, it will be beneficial for the countrys stability,. He reiterated PTIs two key demands including formation of judicial commission and investigation into specific incidents that took place on May 9 and November 24 to November 27. Direct negotiations with establishment PTI Chairman confirmed his meeting with the Army Chief, saying: Ali Amin Gandapur and I met the Army Chief in Peshawar. We presented our entire case before him. Barrister Gohar Ali Khan described direct negotiations with the establishment as a positive step, stating that the other side has shown a constructive response. If dialogue has begun, it is a good sign. All our demands have been presented. PTI leadership engages in further discussions After meeting Imran Khan, Barrister Gohar proceeded to Parliament House, where he met PTIs negotiation committee head, Omar Ayub. During this meeting, Gohar conveyed a special message from the PTI founder to the negotiation committee. According to the reports, Omar Ayub is expected to hold an important press conference soon. An occasional look at issues facing Wyoming business owners and entrepreneurs from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming. By Kayley Achi, market researcher, Wyoming SBDC Network Market Research Center Artificial intelligence (AI) can seem like an overwhelming, complicated topic. Nearly every day, theres news about companies like Google and Microsoft investing in AI or incorporating AI tools into their daily operations. But theres little information out there for business owners wondering how AI can help them run and grow their business. The best way to learn about AI is to try it. If you havent started your AI journey, I recommend starting with a user-friendly generative AI tool like ChatGPT, Anthropic Claude, Gemini or Perplexity. Generative AI tools are made to learn and analyze data and patterns to create new content like text, images or code. As the viral strawberry problem showed this summer, generative AI tools still have a long way to go. But they can be great for brainstorming, drafting, summarizing and comparing. Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are not great for creating final drafts because, as intelligent as AI is, you should treat all AI tools like interns. You might let an intern write a social media post or two without making changes, but you wouldnt necessarily let an intern write your entire business plan or bid for a government contracting opportunity. Artificial intelligence needs humans in the loop machine learning to ensure that outputs are accurate, fair and trustworthy. People also are going to be more imaginative and creative than AI. So, if you want something truly unique, youll need to add elements to whatever AI comes up with. As youre trying generative AI tools, my recommendations are to: Be aware of the risks and ethical considerations. If you know anything about AI, its likely that AI is not always right or accurate. People in the industry call these false answers hallucinations, and its something to be aware of as you try out various AI tools. Dont fully trust any answer and be precautious. Confirm the outputs. AI systems can inherit and amplify the biases that exist in the data they are trained on, which can reflect biases in our world. Data privacy and intellectual property are additional concerns. The risks and ethics of AI deserve much more consideration, so I recommend reviewing our Using AI for Business: Ethics and Cybersecurity Concerns webinar. Build clear, specific prompts. Vague prompts tend to lead to poor results. How do you create good prompts? You practice. There isnt one right way to write prompts because you can use the same prompt on different days or platforms and get entirely different results. The main thing is to be clear about what action youd like AI to conduct. For example, you may use action words like summarize, organize, analyze, translate, create, edit or solve. If you need the output in a specific format, such as a table, be clear about that, too. I provide example prompts throughout this article to help you get started, but feel free to edit and experiment with prompts on your own. Check the outputs. The great thing about AI is that its typically quick when providing answers or outputs. You may be thinking AI is not saving me time if I have to review and edit it anyway, so I may as well do it myself. That could be very true for certain tasks, but there are tons of time-intensive tasks where AI can save you time -- even if youre confirming the results or making tweaks after. The goal is to save 80 percent of your time and use the other 20 percent to review. Content creation. Generative AI tools can be useful for creating content for your website, blog, e-newsletters or social media pages. I often use these tools for brainstorming and editing written content, but image generators like DALL-E have significantly improved in recent months. So, I recommend trying AI image generators, too. Here are some examples: Social media post prompt: Write an Instagram caption promoting a special Valentines Day dinner where we will serve a set menu of dry-aged prime rib, truffle mac and cheese, and chocolate lava cake. I run a steakhouse in Cheyenne, and my audience is local couples. I want to mention they should call to reserve a table. Blog post prompt: I need ideas on topics for a new blog post on my website link. I want it to be about sustainability trends in child care centers. Editing an article prompt: Review the following article and provide specific feedback on clarity, coherence and whether it has a professional tone. Identify any areas that could be improved, such as sentence structure, word choice or overall organization. Provide suggestions on how I can include key words pertaining to search engine optimization throughout the article. Drafting Business Plans and Proposals. AI wont know your business as well as you do, but it can be a handy tool for drafting documents required for your business. If you are concerned about confidentiality, I recommend reviewing the tools privacy policy or removing the elements that are of highest concern, such as your business name or financials. Consider breaking up large documents into sections to get the most out of the AI tool and its feedback. Document drafting prompt: Im hoping to open Redacted Dining Co., a full-service, single-location restaurant in Lander. The restaurant will serve fine dining food with a focus on French cuisine. The restaurant also will serve premium cocktails, a curated wine list and a small collection of French desserts. I want the focus of the restaurant to be locally sourced and seasonal ingredients. The restaurant will have a romantic atmosphere with art installations on the wall, candlelit tables and occasionally live classical music. My target market will be tourists and millennial or older locals in high-income households. Ive attached a market research report that will provide additional information on the industry. Using the information provided, create a draft of the consumer segments section of the Business Model Canvas. Competitor and Trend Analysis. You can use generative AI tools to see whats popular, whats happening in your area, and what your competitors are doing. Please note that hallucinations can be common, and some trend information may be outdated if the AI tools dont have access to real-time data. The best way to know if the AI information is up to date is to ask. You can see Geminis response to my question about data availability below. The free versions tend to have older data than the paid versions. Competitor analysis prompt: What dog grooming businesses serve the Casper area? Please include their prices. Trend analysis prompt: I need some ideas for my blog on solar energy innovations. Please give me a list of trending topics concerning solar energy innovations. Please give me a list of trending topics concerning solar energy in the United States today. Provide links to your sources. Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the business landscape, so now is the perfect time to learn and explore generative AI tools. Ask questions; find ways where it can make your life easier; and compare tools to find the right one for your business. AI can create social media calendars, develop buyer personas and analyze your financials. But, as Gemini puts it, AI is not a magic wand. Remember to use AI ethically and responsibly by verifying the information, because the outputs can be vague or just plain wrong. Understand its limitations and potential to get the most out of it. For personalized guidance and support, reach out to your Wyoming SBDC Network adviser and unlock the full power of artificial intelligence for your business success. The Wyoming SBDC Network offers no-cost advising and technical assistance to help Wyoming entrepreneurs think about, launch, grow, reinvent or exit their business. In 2024, the Wyoming SBDC Network helped Wyoming entrepreneurs start 46 new businesses; support 1,870 jobs; and bring a capital impact of $2.9 million to the state. The Wyoming SBDC Network is hosted by UW with state funds from the Wyoming Business Council and funded, in part, through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, email wsbdc@uwyo.edu, or write Dept. 3922, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071-3922. BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- The Biden administration's sanctions, containment and suppression will not impede China's progress, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Wednesday. Such measures, instead, will only bolster China's confidence and capabilities in self-reliance and technological innovation, the MOC said. Under the pretext of national security, the Biden administration has intensified its trade restrictions against China during its remaining time in office. Measures include tightening export controls on semiconductor technology and restricting the use of Chinese connected vehicles, along with their software and hardware, in the United States, the ministry said. The Biden administration has launched security reviews on drone systems from China and other countries concerning information and communication technology and services. Multiple Chinese companies have been sanctioned, and many Chinese entities have been added to a "notorious markets" list, according to the MOC. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firmly opposes such actions, the ministry said. The Biden administration's measures have gravely infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, disrupting market rules and international trade order. These actions have posed a serious threat to the stability of global industrial and supply chains, causing harm to businesses worldwide, including those in the United States, the MOC said. Many major American companies and industrial associations have openly opposed some of these measures, while multiple countries and regions have expressed confusion and disagreement, the MOC said. Such measures are typical of economic coercion and bullying tactics, which are neither rational nor responsible. They harm not only China-U.S. economic relations but also global economic stability and development, according to the ministry. In response to the Biden administration's trade restrictions, China will take measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, the ministry added. Vietnam Briefing has developed into a premium source for insight on doing business in Vietnam. It publishes business news concerning foreign direct investment into Vietnam, including the most important tax, legal and accounting issues. The Vietnam Briefing Magazine was first published in 2009, and is contributed to by investment professionals based in Vietnam. Transcript: The Inside Story: Transition in America Episode 179 January 16, 2025 Show Open: Unidentified Narrator: This week on The Inside Story: Wildfires rage across Southern California. And President Biden gives his farewell address... days before the Trump administration returns to Washington. Now on The Inside Story: Transition in America. The Inside Story: JESSICA JERREAT, Press Freedom Editor: Welcome to the Inside Story, Im VOA Press Freedom Editor Jessica Jerreat, here in Washington. On todays show we look at preparations for a second Donald Trump presidency. But first. A series of fires have been burning in and around Los Angeles County since January 7. More than a dozen people have been killed as the fires, stoked by Santa Ana winds blowing in from the sea, spread. 12-thousand homes, and other structures, have been destroyed... and over 100 thousand are under evacuation orders. For over a week, exhausted firefighters from California and further afield have been fighting the infernos. Officials say more than 7,000 structures have gone up in flames in the Eaton Fire, burning near Pasadena. One of the homes destroyed belonged to firefighter Isaac Baeza. GENIA DULOT, VOA Correspondent: Isaac Baeza and his family survey the ruins of their home, which burned to the ground during the Eaton Fire in the city of Altadena. Baeza, a Cal Fire firefighter with more than 20 years of experience, says this fire has been unprecedented. Isaac Baeza, Altadena Resident: Ive never seen a force of nature like this, the winds and the dryness. GENIA DULOT: Baezas wife, Rosary, recalls how they received an evacuation notice Tuesday evening but didnt think much of it: the fire was far away and small. Still, they packed just a few items, not expecting they would return to nothing. In the morning, Baeza and his friend came back to try to save the house, but there was no water. Isaac Baeza, Altadena Resident: We were just like, Oh my God! We can actually save this, and we went for the hose and there was no water, and so before you knew it, just more things started catching on fire, and I drove away, and I remember looking in my rearview mirror and I could see the backside of the house going up in flames and just thinking - man! Maybe! Maybe if I had water, I wouldve been able to put these little spot fires out and prevented my house from burning up. GENIA DULOT: Fire crews have encountered dry hydrants or low water pressure in efforts to extinguish the Eaton Fire along with another large wildfire known as the Palisades Fire. California Governor Gavin Newsom announced an investigation into the issue. Currently fires in Los Angeles, including the Palisades Fire, cover about 150 square kilometers, with more than 150,000 people under evacuation orders. GENIA DULOT: Baezas family is staying with friends, waiting for the payout from insurance companies, and have set up a GoFundMe site to raise money for expenses. The Baezas say they are planning to rebuild. Rosary Villegas, Isaac Baezas Wife: We said were all going to come back and rebuild and bring back our neighbors. This is the community. Our kids would play at the end of the cul-de-sac with the other kids. We would invite each other to birthday parties. We were very close. GENIA DULOT: The Los Angeles community overall is coming together in a time of disaster to help displaced families, as well as to support firefighters. Emergency shelters and fire stations are overflowing with food and clothes, to the point that authorities have had to issue a notice they now are only accepting monetary donations. Genia Dulot, VOA News, Los Angeles. JESSICA JERREAT: Genia joins us now from Los Angeles, where the wildfires have been called historic. Genia, thank you so much for being with us today. GENIA DULOT: Hi, Jessica, JESSICA JERREAT: Genia,what can you tell us about the extent of the damage and the death toll from these fires? GENIA DULOT: We are looking at 12,000 buildings that have been burned, 7000 here in Pacific Palisades, and you can see one of the buildings behind me. 5000 buildings have been burned in the eaten fire, and we're currently looking at 24 people dead and a dozen missing. A lot of firefighters that we spoke over the course of last days, they're calling these fires unprecedented. Those people who have been fighting fires for 20, 3040, years, they say that, you know, they haven't seen anything like this in their lifetime. And plus amount of damage, amount of destruction. We're looking at 100 square miles thats been burning. JESSICA JERREAT: That's so much. What can you tell me about the response from local and international responders who are responding to these? GENIA DULOT: The response has been immense. I've never seen that many firefighters in my life here in City of Los Angeles, and especially firefighters coming here from all over the country. Yesterday, I spoke to fire truck that drive drove all the way from Portland, Oregon. Also, we have firefighters from Mexico, from Canada. Everyone is impressed about Water Bomber, bombers from Canada that's been dropping the water on the fires and effectively dealing with them. JESSICA JERREAT: What have you seen like, personally that's really affected you in terms of your coverage out there in LA, GENIA DULOT: I've been covering the fires and talking to a lot of victims, people who lost their houses. all these people love their community, and they all say, we're going to come back, we're going to rebuild. We're not going anywhere. And that's been impressive for me JESSICA JERREAT: Do you know when residents might be able to realistically return to their neighborhoods? When will the rebuilding efforts start? GENIA DULOT: The area is not safe. There's a lot of electrical wires around here. So we're there's no prognosis as of now where people can return to their homes. And we, we do not know when, realistically, this can be rebuilt, but it will take years. JESSICA JERREAT: Thank you so much, Genia. GENIA DULOT: Thank you so much, Jessica. JESSICA JERREAT: President Joe Biden has pledged disaster aid for California. The fires come amid the transition to president-elect Donald Trumps second term. Biden this week delivered his farewell address to the nation, laying out his accomplishments and the challenges ahead for the U.S. Our White House Bureau Chief, Patsy Widakuswara, brings us this report. PATSY WIDAKUSWARA, VOA White House Bureau Chief: U.S. President Joe Biden will leave the White House when his term ends on January 20th. In his farewell address Wednesday evening, he left a warning. President Joe Biden: The dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people. The dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedom. PATSY WIDAKUSWARA: The president did not say who he meant by oligarchy. But some of the nations biggest billionaires, including Elon Musk, have forged close ties with President-elect Donald Trump. Without naming anyone, Biden made a jab at the recent decision by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg that the social media company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, would stop working with fact checkers. President Joe Biden: The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. PATSY WIDAKUSWARA: Biden ended his term on a high note on foreign policy. Just hours earlier, he announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a ceasefire-and-hostage agreement in Gaza. The deal will largely be implemented by the incoming administration. President Joe Biden: That's why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because that's how it should be, working together as Americans. PATSY WIDAKUSWARA: In a letter released Wednesday, Biden reflected on how his administration began in the shadows of COVID and the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of Trump supporters intent on overturning the result of the 2020 election that Biden won. Biden is leaving office after one term, with only a 39% approval rating, according to Gallup. How his legacy will be remembered may also depend on his successor. Thomas Schwartz, Vanderbilt University: If Trump really proves to be as dangerous to democratic norms as Biden and other Democrats suggested, then I think he [Biden] may be seen as very prophetic. But otherwise, I think if things are less apocalyptic with Trump, and you see a more or less, a more normal presidency that runs into problems and has some achievements, I think Biden will be more remembered for what he actually accomplished. PATSY WIDAKUSWARA: Bidens accomplishments, the White House said, include leading a strong economic recovery. And while Biden attempted to wind down foreign entanglements, he is criticized mostly for the chaotic U.S. exit from Afghanistan. Biden ended by thanking the nation for the privilege to serve. President Joe Biden: I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. Nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now it's your turn to stand guard. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA News, at the White House. JESSICA JERREAT: Just a week before Trump is inaugurated as President... parts of a long-awaited report on his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election were released to Congress and the public. Special prosecutor Jack Smith stated that his office had sufficient evidence to obtain and sustain a trial conviction of Trump for efforts to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. In the report, Smith said Trump resorted to a series of criminal efforts to retain power after it became clear that he had lost, and that legal challenges to the results had failed. In the words of the report: This included attempts to induce state officials to ignore true vote counts; to manufacture fraudulent slates of presidential electors in seven states that he had lost; to force Justice Department officials and his own Vice President, Michael R. Pence, to act in contravention of their oaths and to instead advance Mr. Trump's personal interests... And, on January 6, 2021, the report says, Trump was responsible for directing a mob to the Capitol to obstruct the certification of the presidential election and then, quote leverage rioters. Trump responded by calling Smith a lame-brain prosecutor. After Trump defeated Harris, the Justice Department dropped the cases against him, citing a longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting U.S. leader. The Senate has held over a dozen confirmation hearings this week for Trumps picks to staff key administration posts. The choice for Secretary of State is former Florida Senator and ex-presidential rival Marco Rubio. The 53-year-old is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. The U.S. role in Ukraine and the Middle East will be a big part of his diplomatic portfolio. KATHERINE GYPSON, VOA Congressional Correspendent: Republican Senator Marco Rubio vowing to put America first as secretary of state for President-elect Donald Trump Sen. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Pick: Placing our core national interest above all else is not isolationism. It is the common realization that a foreign policy -- centered in our national interest -- is not some outdated relic. KATHERINE GYPSON: Rubio received a positive reception from both Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee where he has served for the last fourteen years. Sen. Rick Scott, Republican: President-elect Trump and Senator Rubio are clear-eyed and understand that where freedom and democracy exists, America has strong allies and trusted trade partners. Marco has a strong record of holding the regimes in communist China, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, accountable for their repression and tyranny. He will work with President Trump to punish communist regimes for their crimes. KATHERINE GYPSON: Trump has said he will seek an end to Ukraines war against Russian aggression as soon as he takes office. Democratic senators asked Rubio to outline what that deal would look like. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat: What do you think is important for us to do in order to ensure that there is the strongest possible negotiating position if Ukraine and Russia do get to the negotiating table? Sen. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Pick: I think it should be the official position of the United States that this war should be brought to an end. And the question becomes, what role can we play? And I think the first is by making that abundantly clear, and my differences with the Biden administration throughout this process is, they never clearly delineated what the end goal of the conflict was. KATHERINE GYPSON: Rubio also addressed the possibilities opened up by the ceasefire in Gaza. Sen. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Pick: There are opportunities available now in the Middle East that did not exist 90 days ago - whether it's what's happened in Lebanon, whether it's what's happened in Syria, whether it's what hopefully will happen with the ceasefire and the release of hostages after horrifying detention and unjustifiable actions by Hamas. Whether its any of these three things or all in combination, there are now factors at play in the Middle East that I think we can build upon and may open the door to extraordinary and historic opportunities. KATHERINE GYPSON: And looking ahead, Rubio said the greatest threat to the United States was the Communist Party of China. Sen. Marco Rubio, Secretary of State Pick: They have elements that the Soviet Union never possessed. They are a technological competitor, an industrial competitor, an economic competitor, geopolitical competitor, a scientific competitor now and in every realm. It is an extraordinary challenge, its one that Iibelieve will define the 21st century. KATHERINE GYPSON: The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio would be the first Latino secretary of state if he is confirmed, as expected. That vote could come in the U.S. Senate as early as next week. Katherine Gypson, VOA News, Washington. JESSICA JERREAT: For more on how a Rubio confirmation could affect diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia, I spoke earlier with Eastern Europe Bureau Chief Myroslava Gongadze in Warsaw. Miroslava, thank you for being with us today. MYROSLAVA GONGADZE, VOA Eastern European Bureau Chief: Thank you for inviting me. JESSICA JERREAT: I just wanted to start off by getting a sense of what's the latest in the war in Ukraine. MYROSLAVA GONGADZE: Ukraine continuing defending itself from the Russian aggression, but Russia is taking Ukrainian territory inch by inch. It's dominating in manpower, in technology, and it can sustain a big loss. Russia is losing almost 1000 troops daily at this point. Ukraine is leaving under daily bombardment, daily sirens, nightly sirens. There are not, not, not enough energy resources. People are very, very tired, and in November of last year, public opinion both showed for the first time that 52% of Ukrainians are ready for some kind of negotiation, and Ukrainians are looking for brave and as much as they want to maintain their sovereignty and identity, they do look for some kind of peace solution as well. JESSICA JERREAT: What is Ukraine anticipating with this Donald Trump presidency, which starts on January 20? MYROSLAVA GONGADZE: The statement from the President Elect, President elect Trump, about possibility of ending this war was taken as hope, but as well as they were afraid that it would be a pressure for Ukraine to give up its territory. Now it's clear that, as the Donald Trump said, that he will end the war on the on the first day of his time in the White House, it's not possible, and even his representative to Ukraine this week said that they will try to finish or to end this Congress in the first 100 days of Trump administration. So Ukraine is trying to be hopeful. Ukraine is trying to tell the administration that peace through strength will work, and they hope that that administration would understand the position Ukraine in and would not pressure Ukraine to give up for Russian demand. JESSICA JERREAT: Marislava, thank you so much for your insights today. We really appreciate it. MYROSLAVA GONGADZE: Thank you. JESSICA JERREAT: Another part of Rubio's portfolio will be the Israel Gaza war. We now go to Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem for the latest on that conflict. Linda, thank you for joining us. LINDA GRADSTEIN, VOA Correspondent: Thank you, JESSICA JERREAT: Linda. We've just started to hear details of a possible new ceasefire. What can you tell us about that? LINDA GRADSTEIN: So the cease fire has been reached after 407 days of war, with the mediation of Qatar and Egypt and the United States, and according to the deal in the first stage, which is going to last six weeks, the there will be the release of 33 Israeli hostages, most of them alive. Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. There will be a ceasefire. The Israeli army will pull back from some parts of Gaza, but will remain in Gaza, and there will be the beginning of negotiations for a long term, final Cease fire. Now this is basically the same deal that's been on the table since May, but for Israelis, the fact that of these 33 hostages. These include women, children, elderly people, sick people, and it's been extremely emotional for Israelis. In what's called hostage square, as the deal was announced, people started cheering, and so it's only the first stage of a three stage deal that said it does seem that after 15 months of war between Israel and Hamas, they are moving towards a cease fire. About a million Palestinians had to leave their homes in northern Gaza and go to southern Gaza, They will be allowed to come back. However, Gaza is completely destroyed. So it's not clear where all these people will go back to. They've been living in tents in the winter in very, very difficult conditions. The Palestinians in Gaza, and now perhaps there will be a chance for a lot of humanitarian aid to get it, including shelters for the winter, but it's going to take a huge, huge international effort to rebuild Gaza. JESSICA JERREAT: And this all happens against the backdrop of an incoming US administration. What are the hopes for that new White House administration under Trump? LINDA GRADSTEIN: Well, in fact, it president elect Trump was the first person to announce it on social media, saying, we have a deal. Before it was announced in Qatar, where the mediation talks have been going on for months and months and before it was announced in Israel and President elect Trump had warned repeatedly that if the hostages were not released before he took office, he said several times, there will be hell to pay. So I think you know both that Israel is hoping for a cease fire, and kind of a new Middle East. I mean, one of the things that Israel very much wants, and apparently the United States wants as well, is in normalization of relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. That, from Israel's perspective, would be a game changer in terms of its acceptance in the Middle East. And the Saudis have said that that couldn't happen until there was a cease fire in Gaza and at least movement towards a Palestinian state. JESSICA JERREAT: Foreign Policy will be a key issue in coming months. Among those held unjustly overseas as the former US Marine and free lunch, journalist, Austin Tice has been missing in Syria for 12 years, it will fall to Trump's pick as hostage envoy to secure his release, Cristina Caicedo Smit has more. CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT, VOA Press Freedom Reporter: He is a Wharton School alumnus, the founder and managing partner of the health care investment firm Rubicon, and a Middle East expert. And if Adam Boehler is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he will become President-elect Donald Trumps pick as the special envoy for hostage affairs, with a personal rank of ambassador. The 45-year-old Boehler is a familiar face in the U.S. government. He served in the last Trump administration, including during the coronavirus pandemic, and was the first chief executive officer of the International Development Finance Corporation. In that role, Boehler accompanied former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner on diplomatic travels. Adam Boehler, Trump Pick for Hostage Envoy: And we came because we saw the commitment to change, and because of our belief in the strength of the region. CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT: Boehler was also part of the Abraham Accords, helping the negotiating team normalize relations between Israel and several Arab states. If approved by Congress, Boehler will lead the Office of the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, which works with the government and the private sector to secure the release of Americans held hostage or wrongfully detained abroad. In interviews, Boehler has talked about the tough approach the new Trump administration will take, saying countries need to free U.S. hostages or, quote, 'We are going to take action.' Securing the release of seven American hostages held in Gaza by Hamas will be a priority. Russia, China, Cuba and Afghanistan are among the countries where many American citizens and residents are held by state or non-state actors, says the Foley Foundation. Nonprofit organizations like Hostage Aid Worldwide welcome Trumps pick, and say a holistic approach is needed. Ali Arab, Hostage Aid Worldwide: Not addressing the issue effectively can only result in further growth of this business model and potentially turning it into a warfare tool, which we are witnessing right now. CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT: Hostage Aid Worldwide is currently on the ground in Syria looking for Austin Tice, a former Marine-turned-freelance journalist who has been held for over 12 years. Nizar Zaka, Hostage Aid Worldwide: One of the main challenges in Damascus is that more advanced, [as] more days go [by], more restrictions there is on us going into facilities, into places. We have to use many tricks to go into prisons. CRISTINA CAICEDO SMIT A main ask of nonprofits to the special hostage envoy is better communication with families and civil society partners on the process of bringing Americans safely back home. Cristina Caicedo Smit, VOA News. JESSICA JERREAT: Thats it for this edition of the Inside Story. Im Press Freedom Editor Jessica Jerreat in Washington. For the latest news stay up to date at V-O-A-News.com Thanks for watching and join us next week for a new episode of The Inside Story. ### As U.S. President-elect Donald Trump prepares to be sworn into office, African analysts weigh in on what governing for the second term-president may feel like for the continent compared to his first term. U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps first term included the launch of some initiatives for Africa. However, many people remember him for referring to the continent using degrading language. Edgar Githua is a professor of international relations at Strathmore University in Kenya. He called Africa a shithole, excuse my French, said Githua. Estimated at over 1 billion people, Africas population is growing fast and expected to reach 2.5 billion by 2050, according to various estimates. Its a big market that plays a key role in the global economy, Githua said, and in terms of business and trade, Trump may be interested in Africa but only because of the inroads China has made here. Since China is hellbent on capturing Africa as a business destination, Trump will come to Africa not so much because he cares about Africa but because hes coming to counter Chinese influence on the African soil. So that fight, that proxy war, that geopolitical repositioning, in my view, is what could probably benefit Africa, he said. But Trumps first term saw the birth of initiatives such as Prosper Africa, aimed at facilitating economic engagement between the U.S. and African nations. Since its launch in 2019, the U.S. has helped close nearly 3,000 deals across 49 countries for a value of more than $120 billion, according to figures shared on the initiatives website. While every American president establishes his own policies, many programs - including Prosper Africa; AGOA or the African Growth and Opportunity Act; and PEPFAR or the U.S. Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief continue beyond the end of presidents terms because they have solid bipartisan support in Congress. No matter whos in power in Washington, countries need to redefine what they want and how they want to work with the new administration, Rwandan economic analyst Teddy Kaberuka told VOA. And while Trumps America First policy may suggest more focus on America, some emerging economies in Africa still can benefit, he said. Because, if hes focused on boosting domestic production, obviously, the U.S. will import a lot of raw material from all over the world and most likely in Africa, being in minerals, being in agriculture, he said. Kaberuka said the Ukraine war has hurt African economies, especially the grain supply disruption it caused, triggering a shortage of about 30 million metric tons of grain in Africa in the first year of the war alone, according to the Atlantic Council, a policy research organization based in Washington. He said Trump didnt engage in wars during his first term and complimented the president-elect for publicly stating he aimed to help end to the Ukraine war shortly after he takes office. As an African and someone who has that overview of the global economy, of the African economy, the war we are facing, the consequences, I would say that people like me are excited because from the experience, [during] the Trump administration, there were less wars, said Kaberuka. In the Sahel, a region recently plagued by coups, the U.S. closed two military bases and withdrew from Niger last year at the request of a junta that staged a coup the prior year. Their presence, U.S. officials said, was to help the regions counterterrorism efforts. Analyst Rida Lyammouri, whos done field work in the Sahel/Lake Chad Basin, is a senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, a Moroccan-based policy research firm in Washington. We are increasingly seeing this narrative, this perception that is changing, toward the West, accusing the West of being one of the problems why Africa has not seen significant ... economic development. The priority for the Trump administration is to find ways to keep a positive image toward the U.S. and avoid what is currently happening, for example, to France in Francophone Africa, he said. Lyammouri said he doesnt think the Sahel will be a priority for this new administration but if that was to be, what happened in Niger should be a lesson. Its a message to the U.S. going forward not to take things for granted. I think Niger has been a reliable partner in the region, but this decision shows that it doesn't mean its guaranteed that the partnership is going to be forever, he said. Trump will take the oath of office January 20. President Joe Biden capped off his half-century political career on Wednesday evening with a final Oval Office speech, hoping to seal a legacy that has been overshadowed by Democrats' failure to stop Donald Trump from returning to the White House. In his farewell address, Biden warned of the dangers of the concentration of power and wealth, highlighting the emergence of an "oligarchy" and a "tech-industrial complex." How will Bidens legacy be perceived in years to come? We spoke with Nancy Kassop, Distinguished Professor of Political Science Professor at SUNY New Paltz State University in New York. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Premier Li Qiang met with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit, in Beijing on Thursday. During the meeting, Li emphasized the enduring friendship between China and Sri Lanka, which has lasted for over a thousand years. China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to implement the strategic consensus reached by the two heads of state, continue the traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and jointly build a community with a shared future, Li said. "Over the past 68 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relationship between the two countries has withstood the test of international changes and has maintained a steady and healthy pace of development," Li added. He said that China is ready to strengthen the docking of development strategies with Sri Lanka, jointly work for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, promote cooperation projects such as the Colombo Port City and Hambantota Port, expand cooperation in green development, the digital economy, agriculture and maritime sectors, and continue to enhance economic and trade exchanges to achieve more fruitful results. China is willing to import more high-quality products from Sri Lanka, and encourages capable Chinese enterprises to invest in Sri Lanka, Li said, adding that China hopes Sri Lanka will continue to optimize its business environment and provide more convenience and security for Chinese enterprises. The two sides should continue to deepen exchanges in culture, tourism, youth, sports, media, and other areas, he added. China is willing to work with Sri Lanka and other Asian countries to practice true multilateralism and safeguard common interests, Li said. Dissanayake said that the Chinese government attaches great importance to the well-being of the people, has made remarkable achievements in economic and social development, and has fostered state-to-state relations based on mutual respect and mutually beneficial cooperation. China has made important contributions to global peace and development, which Sri Lanka deeply admires, Dissanayake added. Sri Lanka thanks China for its valuable assistance in realizing national independence and economic and social development, Dissanayake said, adding that the Sri Lankan government attaches great importance to relations with China, always abides by the one-China principle, and appreciates and supports the three global initiatives put forward by the Chinese president. Dissanayake said Sri Lanka is willing to learn from China's experience in poverty alleviation and industrial development, push for more substantive results in bilateral cooperation in fields such as economy, trade, investment, energy, science and technology and infrastructure construction, strengthen communication and coordination in international multilateral affairs and write a new chapter in bilateral relations. Chinese Premier Li Qiang meets with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Bin) Elon Musk, the worlds richest person, will be among several billionaires attending Donald Trumps second presidential inauguration. Tesla CEO Musk was instrumental in Trumps reelection with his contribution of over a quarter of a billion dollars to Trumps campaign coffers, according to Forbes. Musk is set to head Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency, along with Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur. Reports say that Musk is slated to be seated at the inauguration with fellow billionaires Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. While it is not customary to invite foreign leaders, Trump has invited several. Argentinian President Javier Milei is expected to attend, according to Bloomberg. Milei was the first foreign leader to meet with Trump after he won Novembers election. Trump has also invited Chinese President Xi Jinping who is sending an envoy. Far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also received an invitation, but she has said she is not sure her schedule will allow her to attend. It is customary for all the living presidents to attend the inauguration. Outgoing President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend Mondays ceremony. When Biden was sworn in four years ago, following Trumps losing reelection bid, Trump did not attend because he held on to the belief that he had won the election. Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton will also attend Trumps inauguration. Bush and Clinton are set to be there with their wives, Laura Bush and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. "Former first lady Michelle Obama will not attend the upcoming inauguration," the Office of Barack and Michelle Obama said in a statement. It will be the second time in recent weeks, following her absence at President Jimmy Carters funeral, that she has not attended a public ceremony with other former presidents and their wives. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, second gentleman Douglas Emhoff, are also expected to be at the ceremony Monday. Harris was the Democratic candidate in last years presidential election. Brazil's Supreme Court on Thursday denied a request by former President Jair Bolsonaro to temporarily restore his passport so that he could attend the inauguration in Washington of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump next week. Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who Bolsonaro frequently has called his personal foe, said in the ruling that Bolsonaro currently holds no position that would allow him to represent Brazil at the event and that the former president did not adequately prove to the court that he had been invited. Federal police seized Bolsonaros passport last February because he was considered a flight risk. He is the subject of several wide-ranging investigations, including over an alleged attempt to stay in office despite his electoral defeat. He denies the allegations against him. The former Brazilian president requested permission to leave the country from Jan. 17 to 22 to attend the inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20 and a Hispanic inaugural ball. Bolsonaro, an outspoken admirer of Trump, said on his social media channels on Jan. 8 that he was "very happy with this invitation." "I'll be representing the conservative, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people there in the United States, God willing," Bolsonaro said. His lawyer did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press after the court ruling. When de Moraes asked Bolsonaro's lawyers for evidence of his invitation on Saturday, they forwarded an invitation letter signed by inauguration committee co-chairs Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler. Still, de Moraes argued that Bolsonaro had not adequately proven that he was invited to the inauguration. In the ruling, de Moraes followed the recommendation of Prosecutor-General Paulo Gonet, who said Wednesday that Bolsonaro's private interest in the trip did not outweigh the public interest in prohibiting from traveling abroad. De Moraes said Bolsonaro remains a flight risk and added that he has advocated that his supporters who face legal troubles in cases involving their political allegiance should leave the country and seek asylum. Hundreds of Bolsonaro's supporters involved in the Jan. 8, 2023, riots in capital Brasilia have left Brazil to avoid prosecution. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva will not attend Trump's inauguration. Federal police seized Bolsonaro's passport during a raid related to the investigation into whether he and top aides plotted to ignore the 2022 election results and stage an uprising to keep the defeated right-wing leader in power. Brazil's Supreme Court previously has denied a Bolsonaro request to retrieve his passport, in March 2024, following an invitation from Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In November, federal police formally accused Bolsonaro and 36 others, including high-ranking military officers, of attempting a coup. Gonet, the prosecutor-general, will decide whether to charge Bolsonaro or toss the investigation. Legal experts believe Bolsonaro could be charged and stand trial in the second half of 2025 at the Supreme Court for allegedly falsifying his COVID-19 vaccination status. Analysts also say there's a reasonable chance he stands trial before 2026 over allegedly embezzling jewels gifted by Saudi Arabian authorities. The former president denies that he tried to stay in office after his narrow electoral defeat in 2022 to his leftist opponent, Lula. The Brazilian ambassador to the United States, Maria Luiza Viotti, will attend Trump's inauguration, the government told The Associated Press on Thursday. President Lula was not officially invited to the ceremony. Trump has invited some global leaders to his inauguration, including Chinese President Xi Jinping and Argentinian President Javier Milei. Britain announced Thursday a treaty with Ukraine that includes military collaboration, science and technology partnerships, and an effort to track stolen Ukrainian grain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is visiting Kyiv to sign the pact with Ukrainian leaders. Starmer is also announcing a new round of lethal military aid for Ukrainian forces, his office said. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come, Starmer said in a statement. Starmer said Russian President Vladimir Putin has failed to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners, and instead has left Ukraine and its allies closer than ever. The agreement includes cooperation on maritime security in the Baltic Sea, Black Sea and the Sea of Azov to deter Russian aggression, Starmers office said. Outside of military collaboration, the two countries will work together on agricultural technology, healthcare and space issues. Aerial attacks Ukraines military said Thursday that Russian drone attacks caused damage at a farm in the Chernihiv region, while debris from drones destroyed by Ukrainian air defenses damaged houses in Kharkiv and Poltava. Chernihiv Governor Vyacheslav Chaus said on Telegram the farm damage included a hangar used to store corn, and that there were no casualties from the attack. Dnipropetrovsk Governor Serhiy Lysak said on Telegram his region was targeted by Russian drones, missiles and heavy artillery, killing one person, injuring another and damaging about three dozen homes. Ukrainian air defenses shot down 34 of the 55 total drones Russia launched overnight, Ukraines air force said. Intercepts took place over the Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kirovohrad, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Poltava, Sumy, Zaporizhzhia and Zhytomyr regions. Russias Defense Ministry said Thursday its air defenses destroyed 27 Ukrainian drones over the Belgorod, Voronezh, Tambov and Kursk regions. Voronezh Governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram that a Ukrainian drone attack caused a fire at an oil depot, but no casualties. Some information for this story came from Reuters. China initiated a new round of diplomatic outreach to Japan and the European Union this week as Washington prepares for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. A delegation of Japanese lawmakers traveled to Beijing and a Chinese military delegation went to Japan for the first time in five years. Meanwhile, the European Councils new president held his first phone call with Chinas leader, Xi Jinping. Analysts say China is trying to test the alliance between Washington and its allies through the diplomatic efforts. Senior Chinese officials believe the incoming Trump administration will be more hawkish toward China, so Beijing needs to try to take U.S. allies out of Washingtons orbit, Chen Yuhua, a China studies professor at Akita International University, told VOA in a video interview. Other experts, however, say the effectiveness of Beijings strategy remains unclear. While China is improving relations with everyone, they are not willing to fundamentally change their external behavior. We dont know how long [this trend] will last, said Stephen Nagy, a professor of politics and international studies at Tokyo's International Christian University. Seafood and soldiers On Monday, lawmakers from Japans ruling Liberal Democratic Party, or LDP, and its coalition partner Komeito began a three-day visit to China. During the trip, Japanese lawmakers met with top Chinese leaders, including Premier Li Qiang and Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The Japanese side urged China to lift import bans on Japanese seafood at an early date and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals living in China. Hiroshi Moriyama, the secretary general of the LDP, said during his keynote speech on Tuesday that China and Japan need to boost mutual understanding between their peoples and strengthen dialogue at various levels to improve their ties. Moriyama also reiterated Tokyos concern about rising tensions in the East China Sea and Beijings detention of several Japanese nationals under espionage charges. During his meeting with the Japanese delegation Tuesday, Wang said Japan and China face important opportunities to improve and develop bilateral relations. On Wednesday, Li said Beijing and Tokyo should focus on exploring economic cooperation in areas such as the digital economy and green development, while increasing people-to-people exchanges at the sub-national level. At the same time lawmakers were visiting Beijing, a Chinese military delegation started a five-day visit to Japan. During the trip, the Chinese delegation was expected to meet their Japanese counterparts and visit some military units, according to a statement from Chinas Defense Ministry. Japanese government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a press conference on Tuesday that the Chinese delegations visit helped to resume exchanges among troops and contributes to the peace and stability of the region. Chinas Defense Ministry said the visit is expected to strengthen mutual understanding and trust while advancing defense exchanges between the two countries. The latest bilateral exchanges between Japan and China follow Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwayas trip to Beijing on Dec. 25, during which Tokyo and Beijing agreed to facilitate Wangs trip to Japan and hold high-level economic and security dialogues. Despite Japan and Chinas attempts to improve bilateral relations, Nagy said the efforts cant be sustained. China thinks Japan and other countries growing alignment on issues such as the South China Sea dispute, economic security and resilience policy are against its core interests, he told VOA by phone. So while they can have exchanges with Japan, it doesnt take away their concerns about these issues, Nagy said. Driving a wedge Apart from mending ties with Japan, China has also been trying to improve relations with the European Union amid rising trade tensions in recent months. During his first phone call with European Council President Antonio Costa on Tuesday, Xi said there are no clash of fundamental interests or geopolitical conflicts between China and the EU, making them partners that can contribute to each other's success. China remains confident in the EU and hopes the EU will also prove to be a trustworthy cooperation partner for China, he said, adding that both sides should expand mutual openness, consolidate existing cooperation mechanisms and foster new growth points in their cooperation. Costa said he had a constructive phone call with Xi, during which he highlighted how Russias war against Ukraine threatens global peace and agreed with Xi that China and the EU should work together to tackle global challenges. The EU and China are important trading partners. Our relations need to be balanced and based on a level-playing field, Costa wrote in a post on the social media platform X. The call between Xi and Costa comes amid rising trade tensions between China and the EU. Last October, the EU decided to impose tariffs of up to 45.3% on imported Chinese electric vehicles. The move prompted Beijing to impose "temporary anti-dumping measures" on brandy imported from the EU. Experts say Chinas outreach to the EU is part of Beijings attempt to weaken the alliance between Washington and Brussels ahead of Trumps return to office. China always has this anxiety that the U.S. and EU would work together to deal with China, so the upcoming regime change in Washington presents an opportunity [for Beijing] to exploit the anxiety that European countries have about the second Trump administration, Matej Simalcik, executive director of the Central European Institute of Asian Studies, told VOA in an interview in Taipei. In his view, while Chinas approach is unlikely to soften the EUs tough trade approach against Beijing, it could present challenges to the blocs foreign policy agenda by leveraging its influence over certain EU member states. There are a lot of policy areas where EU member states have to agree on them unanimously and China could use its friendly relationship with certain member states to veto certain parts of the EUs foreign policy agenda, Simalcik said. While the effectiveness of Beijings diplomatic outreach to U.S. allies remains unclear, Chen in Japan said these efforts show Chinas foreign policy approach has become more sophisticated. Compared to their wolf warrior diplomacy during the first Trump administration, Chinas current diplomatic approach has become more delicate, he told VOA. Chinese authorities in Tibet have detected problems, including cracks, at five out of 14 hydropower dams that they have inspected since a magnitude 6.8 earthquake rocked the southwest region last week, an emergency official said Thursday. Of the five affected dams, three have since been emptied, the Tibet emergency management official told a news conference. In the county of Tingri, the quake's epicenter, the walls of one hydrodam have tilted, prompting the evacuation of about 1,500 people from six villages downstream to higher ground, he said. At another hydrodam, monitoring devices have been installed as it is being drained. The earthquake, which has killed at least 126 people and injured hundreds, was a reminder of the risks from a hydropower-building spree by China and India in one of the world's most remote, quake-prone regions. Earthquakes have damaged dams in the past, particularly by setting off landslides and rockfalls. A massive earthquake in Nepal in 2015 shuttered almost a fifth of its hydropower for more than a year. The Jan. 7 quake in Tibet, the fifth-deadliest in China since the 2008 Sichuan temblor, destroyed more than 3,600 houses and damaged religious structures, with aftershocks of up to 5.0 in magnitude still shaking the area. Southwestern parts of China, Nepal and northern India are often hit by earthquakes caused by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Tingri, which sits atop the zone where the Indian plate pushes under Tibet, is particularly vulnerable. A court in the Democratic Republic of Congo has sentenced three Chinese nationals to seven years in prison for engaging in activities related to illegal mining. The court, in Congos eastern city of Bukavu, the capital of Congos gold-rich South Kivu province, sentenced the men late Tuesday for the illegal purchase and possession of minerals, money laundering and other offenses. The suspects were found in possession of $400,000 in cash and a substantial amount of gold on Sunday, raising concerns about the scale of their operations and the potential involvement of organized networks. Speaking to reporters on Monday, the governor of South Kivu province, Jean Jacque Purusi, said people there are tired of those who plunder the country's resources. This is only one-tenth of what they have already taken from us. We will not let it go. This is the wealth of the people of South Kivu. We are determined to go all the way because enough is enough, Purusi said. Jean Paul Kasinga a local official, told VOA that it was unusual for someone to be moving around with that much money. They didnt have any official document allowing them to work and without government knowledge. Etienne Mutware, a lecturer at the Evangelical University in Africa in Panzi, Bukavu, said that illegal mining activities rob the local community of potential revenue. Partnerships are meant to bring mutual benefits like infrastructure, schools, and development. However, fraud, corruption, and illegal mining in the Congo have thwarted these expectations, resulting in a significant loss for both the population and the nation, Mutware told VOA. Purusi halted mineral mining in July to curb illegal mining and ensure that mining operations are conducted in a regulated and sustainable manner. In December religious groups and civil society members in South Kivus Mwenga territory took to the streets, voicing their concerns over the activities of Chinese mining companies. Protesters demanded infrastructure development and accountability from foreign companies. These Chinese companies in (the towns of) Lugusha, Kitutu, Kaboke, Suguru, and Mitobo have failed to fulfill their promises. They promised to build schools, bridges, roads, hospitals, and a stadium, and to provide scholarships for our students. But they have done nothing, one protester told VOAs Central Africa Service. This story originated in VOA's Central Africa Service. Some information also came from Reuters and Agence France-Presse. Thousands of Ukrainian soldiers have died fighting since Russia invaded the country in February 2022, and some of them have been women. Tetiana Kukurika met with two families who lost loved ones in the war. Anna Rice narrates her story. VOA footage by Sergiy Rybchynski. Video editing by Vitaliy Hrychanyuk and Anna Rice. The prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire deal that promised the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and the return of hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to their homes. The ceasefire deal was reached after mediation by Qatar and Egypt. U.S. President Joe Biden welcomed the deal. "The deal is structured in three phases. Phase one will last six weeks. It includes a full and complete ceasefire, withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and elderly and the wounded. And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase one as well." On the streets of Gaza, Palestinians celebrated the ceasefire, which will end the fighting for 42 days, see the release of dozens of Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and provide more humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza who have been suffering a humanitarian crisis. The Palestinians in Gaza have paid the heaviest price for the war with Israel, which began almost 16 months ago when Hamas militants attacked Israel. The Hamas-run Health Ministry says Israel has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians since then. Moatasem al-Namrouti, a resident of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, welcomed the ceasefire. We have been waiting for this joyful moment, he said. We have been at war for a long time. In a televised address, acting Hamas leader Khalil al Hayya said that Israel failed to achieve its goals in Gaza. On the streets of Tel Aviv, some also celebrated. The Hostage Family Forum called it a significant step forward that brings closer the return of all those held captive. However, they said in a statement, they also have deep anxiety and concern regarding the possibility the agreement might not be fully implemented, and hostages would be left behind. Demonstrator Nofar Honigman said she was cautiously optimistic. "We really hope that no one will mess it up, not on our side, not on their side. And we really wait for this very, very needed thing to happen, for the war to stop, for the hostages to come home." The Israeli government is expected to approve the deal on Thursday, and it will take effect on Sunday. Israeli press reports say that on Sunday, the first three hostages are to be released. Hamas has refused to say how many of the 33 women, children and elderly who are to be freed in the first stage of the deal, are still alive. Human Rights Watch has found that African governments continue to crack down and wrongly arrest political opponents, critics, activists and journalists. The rights group also says armed forces and armed groups in some African countries have targeted civilians, killing them and driving them from their homes. The conflicts in Sudan and Ethiopia feature prominently in a Human Rights Watch report released Thursday. The report says that in Sudan, the war between the armed forces and the rebel Rapid Support Forces has displaced 12 million people, destroyed infrastructure and blocked humanitarian assistance. In Ethiopia, rights group investigators found that government forces in the Amhara region committed widespread attacks against medical professionals, patients and health facilities. Mausi Segun, head of the Human Rights Watch Africa Division, said armed conflict is not the only form of rights violation on the continent. "On top of all of that, you have civic space restriction abuses, including intolerance for freedom of expression, intolerance for freedom of association and assembly, Segun said. Protests are being clamped down on, and people who are pushing for their rights or even commenting on government policies and measures are being hunted down. Here in East Africa, we are seeing very disturbing trends towards abductions. Kenya has captured the attention of human rights groups for recent alleged abductions of anti-government protesters and activists from foreign countries, some of whom have been deported to Turkey and Uganda. The HRW report also focuses on the seemingly endless conflict in the Congo, where civilians are killed, women raped, and attacks on camps for the internally displaced push more people into neighboring countries. Congo has accused Rwanda of supporting M23 rebels, an allegation Rwanda denies. Clementine de Montoye, Human Rights Watch senior researcher, said the expansion of conflict worsens civilians' harm, adding, "we are not seeing significant signs of pressure on the different parties to the conflict to reduce violations and harms to civilians." The report says that countries in West Africa ruled by the military like Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger have cracked down on opposition and dissent, freedom of expression, and backsliding in the fight against corruption. It notes that in Southern Africa, Mozambique is grappling with post-election violence in which hundreds of people have been killed. Elizabeth Kamundia, deputy director of disability rights at Human Rights Watch, said conflict and violence are causing a rise in physical and psychological issues. "We have seen a rise in the number of people acquiring injuries that lead to disabilities, Kamundia said. We've seen increased psychological distress and mental health impacts on people, families and communities as a result of war and conflict. We've seen difficulties with access to medication for people who have mental health conditions, and therefore, they are forced to stop their treatment." Human Rights Watchs newly-released World Report reviewed human rights records of more than 100 countries, including 25 in Africa. Despite the widespread abuses and violence against people in Africa, HRW notes that, like the rest of the world, African people are resisting and pushing back against autocratic rule and abuse of their rights. It notes they are mobilizing on social media and streets to demand an end to the abuses and bad governance that has contributed to divisions and conflict among communities. In an uneven year for democracy and rights globally, the Asia-Pacific region saw some encouraging signs, Human Rights Watch says in its World Report 2025, released today. The organization cited citizen action by Indian voters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the toppling of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by students, and a peoples protest blocking a bid by South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to disempower political opponents by using martial law. However, at the same time, Myanmars junta continued to jail and bomb its opponents nearly four years after it seized power from the elected government; in Afghanistan the Taliban rolled back years of gains on womens rights; and China, under President Xi Jinping, continued its descent into repression, the New York-based group said in the report. Taken together the message is clear, according to HRW Executive Director Tirana Hassan. When rights are protected, humanity flourishes, she said in her introductory essay. "When they are denied, the cost is measured not in abstract principles but in human lives. This is the challenge and the opportunity of our time," she said. Bangladesh In Bangladesh, Hasina was ousted and fled the country amid student-led protests in August after 15 years of increasingly repressive government. Supporters of her Awami League party and police attacked peaceful demonstrations by students initially aimed at a government job quota plan, the HRW report said. The crackdown imposed an internet blackout and a curfew with a shoot-on-sight" order. Nearly 1,000 people, including over 100 children, were reportedly killed in the violence in July and in reprisal violence after Hasinas ouster, the report said. The report adds that since Hasina fled, the interim government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has released thousands of people who were detained during the protests, restored order and set the country back on the path toward democratic elections. Accountability is at the heart of Yunus efforts, with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights invited to send a fact-finding team to investigate abuses during the protests and their root causes, HRW reported. India and South Korea Another example of what the rights organization called meaningful democratic resistance occurred in June in neighboring India, the rights organization said, as voters turned away from the populist and often anti-Muslim rhetoric of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, denying him an electoral majority. That showed that even in the face of systemic challenges, democracy can still put a check on power, Hassan said. As the year ended, South Koreas president, Yoon, stunned the world with a declaration of martial law to fend off mounting discontent with his administration, but the move backfired as thousands marched on the National Assembly, which overturned the decree a few hours later as the specter of a coup quickly evaporated. These resistance movements highlight a crucial reality, Hassan said. The fight for rights is often driven by ordinary people, fed up with injustice and corruption, bringing together their collective power to compel governments to uphold basic rights and serve the people, instead of their own interests. China and Hong Kong Xis China took the opposite turn in 2024, according to HRW, which said a slumping economy has seen heightened repression throughout the country, from the jailing of hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs to the decline in civil liberties in Hong Kong. There is no independent civil society, no freedom of expression, association, assembly or religion, and human rights defenders and other perceived critics of the government are persecuted, the report said. As Chinas economy loses steam, Xi has intensified his smothering of dissent, including by the arbitrary detention of economists, artists and civil society leaders, the study said. Hong Kongs handpicked judiciary tightened controls, HRW said, with 14 activists and former lawmakers jailed for four to 10 years for conspiracy to commit subversion because of organizing an unofficial primary poll in 2020. Media freedom took more hits with the ongoing trial of outspoken 76-year-old tycoon Jimmy Lai, under national security laws and the jailing of two journalists in September for 21 and 11 months, respectively, for alleged sedition. While foreign governments recognize the Chinese governments worsening rights record, they have not confronted Beijing, the report said. Afghanistan Rights were stripped from women and girls in Afghanistan last year, as a resurgent Taliban banned secondary and university education and restricted employment and free movement of women. An August law promoting virtue and preventing vice banned women from traveling or using public transport without a male companion. Under the law, women and girls are required to cover their faces in public and are prohibited from singing in public or letting their voices be heard outside the house, the report said, adding women and girls had been detained for alleged breaches of draconian new dress codes. Myanmar and Singapore Meanwhile, in Myanmar, the junta continued to pound civilian areas with airstrikes and artillery and jail opponents, while it forced young conscripts into an army facing heavy losses across the country. HRW noted the International Criminal Courts issuance of an arrest warrant for junta leader Min Aung Hlaing for crimes against humanity committed in a crackdown on Rohingya Muslims in 2017. But enforcement of ICC warrants is an ever-present hurdle making consistent support of ICC member countries, [which] is critical for securing justice, almost always a long game, the report said. Across Southeast Asia, HRW underlined Singapores continued use of the death penalty, mainly for drug offenses, and the limits of Thailands democracy after the 2023 election-winning Move Forward Party was dissolved by the courts in August. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has done little to improve respect for fundamental freedoms and resolve outstanding human rights problems, the report said, although it pointed to Thai recognition of same-sex marriages, the first such move in the region, as one positive step. TIANJIN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Scientists have achieved a major breakthrough in the construction of dynamic supramolecular snub cubes, according to Tianjin University, a participant of the international research. Their study tackled a long-standing challenge in supramolecular chemistry, which was the stereospecific assembly of artificial polyhedra with mechanical properties and guest-binding attributes, akin to biological encapsulants such as viral capsids and ferritin. The snub cube, one of 13 Archimedean solids described by ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, has long fascinated scientists due to its intrinsic topological chirality and structural complexity. However, achieving the stereospecific assembly of such a polyhedron has been a formidable challenge until now. The research team leveraged hierarchical chirality transfer protocol to accomplish the stereospecific assembly of enantiomeric supramolecular snub cubes. These snub cubes exhibit remarkable complexity and precision in structure, featuring 38 faces and having an external diameter of 5.1 nanometers. In addition, the cube has a spherical void with a diameter of 2.3 nanometers. The cubes exhibit reversible photochromic behavior, including changing their color under different wavelengths of light, and manageable mechanical properties, such as photocontrollable elasticity and hardness. These observations reveal that the snub cubes are not only a significant feat of structural design but also promising candidates for developing smart materials and advanced optoelectronic devices. The chiral porous superstructure of snub cubes could have applications in fields ranging from chiral separation to drug delivery. Hu Wenping, who led the Tianjin University's research team, said this type of fundamental research has the potential to drive innovation across a range of disciplines -- from new materials to biomedicine and chemical engineering. The findings have been recently published in the academic journal Nature. India became the world's fourth nation on Thursday to achieve the feat of space docking, a technological milestone that underscores its ambitions to expand its share of a rapidly growing $400-billion global space market. Target and Chaser, two satellites of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) that are each roughly the size of a large refrigerator, successfully latched onto each other Thursday morning, an agency spokesperson said. The indigenous technology, crucial for satellite servicing, space station operations, and interplanetary missions, positions India for a key role in commercial and exploratory space efforts. "India has ambitious missions planned and to achieve those, this is an important technology," astrophysicist Jayant Murthy said. "Various missions, like building a space station, need assembly in space, which is not possible without space docking." ISRO said the two satellites participating in its Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), will now be controlled as a single object, with power transfer checks made in the next few days. The mission had been postponed twice, first because the docking process needed further validation through ground simulations, and then to resolve an issue stemming from excess drift between the satellites. SpaDeX, launched on Dec. 30 from India's main spaceport, deployed the satellites in orbit with an Indian-made rocket. Among 24 payloads and experiments were eight cowpea seeds, sent to space to study plant growth in microgravity conditions, which germinated within four days of the mission's launch. Scientists say this is a critical step demonstrating that food can eventually be grown in space during long missions. The mission also will demonstrate the transfer of electric power between docked spacecraft, key to applications such as in-space robotics, composite spacecraft control and payload operations after undocking. Such techniques are essential for missions requiring multiple rocket launches. Space exploration and commercialization is a key part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to position India as a global superpower. The successful SpaDeX mission "is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come," Modi said on X. On Thursday, India approved the setting-up of a third launch pad in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, to be completed in four years at a cost of $461 million, giving a further boost to its space plans. ISRO is focused on deep-space exploration and enabling private companies to commercialize the sector, with projects ranging from solar studies to orbital astronaut missions and planetary defense, in collaboration with NASA. With the global commercial space market expected to reach $1 trillion by 2030, India aims to grow its share to $44 billion by 2040, up from $8 billion, or a slice of just 2%, now. Israel and Hamas strike a deal to exchange hostages for prisoners; a ceasefire could be next. Reaction to the deal from inside Israel and the Muslim-American community. Amid the good news of the hostage deal, President Biden gives his farewell address to the nation. A look at the American economy, and in Europe, Russia faces accusations that it is planning terrorist attacks against Ukraines allies. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Cabinet was expected to vote Thursday on a ceasefire deal with Hamas, while Palestinian medics said Israeli forces carried out multiple deadly airstrikes in the Gaza Strip. If the multiphase ceasefire gets final approval, it is set to go into effect Sunday, halting more than 15 months of war. U.N. agencies said they were ready to surge humanitarian aid into Gaza, where the United Nations says at least 1.9 million of the 2.3 million population have been displaced and 92% of housing units have been destroyed. Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered his strong support for the ceasefire after the deal was announced Wednesday. As the President of the State of Israel, I say in the clearest terms: This is the right move, he said. This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us whether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest. But one of the main opponents of the deal in the government, minister of finance Bezalel Smotrich, called it a bad and dangerous deal for the national security of the State of Israel. The first phase of the agreement includes a 42-day ceasefire, the release of 33 hostages from Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel, a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and an increased flow of aid for Palestinian civilians. During the first phase, there will be negotiations on the details of a second phase focused on bringing a permanent end to the conflict with the release of the remaining hostages and a full Israeli withdrawal. A final phase concerns rebuilding Gaza, with a new governing and security structure. The war in Gaza began when Hamas sent its fighters into Israel in a stunning Oct. 7, 2023, terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people and abducted more than 250 people. Of those hostages, just under 100 are thought to remain in Hamas custody and a third are believed to be dead. Gazan authorities say more than 46,700 Palestinians most of them children and women have been killed in Israeli military operations. In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which includes the families of 98 hostages, said Wednesday they welcomed with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home. However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind, the statement continued. We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out. A senior Biden administration official told reporters that two of the living American hostages Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen will be among the first hostages released. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, as customary in such briefings. Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages return home to their families, U.S. President Joe Biden said as he announced the ceasefire deal Wednesday at the White House. Biden urged his successor, President-elect Donald Trump, to implement the agreement, as Biden prepares to hand over power on Jan. 20. Trump said, on his social media network, that he was thrilled and that his administration would build upon the success of this deal to expand U.S.-mediated Abraham Accords to normalize Arab-Israeli relations. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, he wrote on Truth Social. Analysts say Trumps fiery threats last week of all hell breaking loose unless there was a deal before his inauguration may have played a role. President-elect Trump has been very, very clear, he said he would unleash hell on Hamas if the hostages weren't released, said Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute. I mean, really, there isn't very much more hell that you could unleash on the current inhabitants of Gaza. They're already in hell, but there's also the feeling that he must have placed some pressure on [Israeli] Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu as well. And this is why we are now moving forward. What about the day after? Some analysts looking to the proverbial day after expressed doubt the next administration can reach the big goal, which is the U.S.s vocal longtime support of a two-state solution. I don't see it under the Trump administration and that's not squarely a criticism of the Trump administration or anyone else, said Jonathan Ruhe, director of foreign policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. I think both the Israelis and Palestinians are so far off on making the sort of the hard agreements necessary to achieve a two-state solution I don't think there's the political will on either the Israeli or Palestinian side. But as Biden and Qatars prime minister laid out in explaining the newly inked agreements, the deal is complex enough. Biden on Wednesday also emphasized how arduous the negotiations have been, and he used that point to underscore his administration's strong support for Israel, which has provoked tension between the U.S. and its closest allies. This is one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced, the president said. And it reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. One of the buildings that survived last weeks severe and deadly fire in California city of Pacific Palisades houses a local American Legion Post. The fire destroyed more than 5,000 structures and killed at least eight people. Today, U.S. veterans belonging to this chapter want to help the community recover from the disaster. VOAs Genia Dulot has the report. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday he is confident that a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal agreed to by Israel and Hamas will start as scheduled on Sunday to end 15 months of fighting despite a last-minute dispute between the warring parties. "I am confident, and I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday," Blinken told reporters in Washington at his farewell news conference as America's top diplomat. Two developments Thursday appeared to threaten the start of the ceasefire and the initial release of hostages. First, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the militants of backtracking on parts of the agreement. A statement from Netanyahu's office said Hamas was trying to "extort last-minute concessions." Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of backtracking on an understanding that he said would give Israel a veto over which Palestinian prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages held by the U.S.-designated terror group. A short time later, Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group "is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators." Second, Israel's far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said he would resign from Netanyahu's government if it ratified the ceasefire deal. In a televised statement, he said the deal was "reckless" and would "erase the achievements of the war." Netanyahu said his Cabinet would not meet to give necessary approval to the agreement until the militant group accepts all the elements. One Israeli official said the vote was likely to occur on Friday. "It's not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end," Blinken said. "We're tying up that loose end as we speak." Even with the prospective ceasefire days away, Palestinian medics said Israeli forces carried out multiple airstrikes Thursday in Gaza, killing at least 77 people. If the ceasefire takes hold, U.N. agencies said they were ready to surge humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza, where the United Nations says at least 1.9 million of the 2.3 million people living there have been displaced and 92% of housing units have been destroyed. Israeli President Isaac Herzog offered his strong support for the ceasefire after the deal was announced Wednesday. "As the president of the State of Israel, I say in the clearest terms: This is the right move," he said. "This is an important move. This is a necessary move. There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to us whether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest." The first phase of the agreement includes a 42-day ceasefire, the release of 33 hostages from Gaza, the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israel, a phased Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza and an increased flow of aid for Palestinian civilians. During the first phase, there will be negotiations on the details of a second phase focused on bringing a permanent end to the conflict with the release of the remaining hostages and a full Israeli troop withdrawal. A final phase concerns rebuilding Gaza, with a new governing and security structure. The war in Gaza began when Hamas sent its fighters into Israel in an October 7, 2023, terror attack that killed more than 1,200 people and led to the abduction of about 250 hostages. Of those hostages, just under 100 are thought to remain in Hamas custody but about one-third are believed to be dead. Gaza authorities say nearly 47,000 Palestinians most of them children and women have been killed in Israeli military operations. Israel, without providing evidence, says the death toll includes 17,000 militants it has killed. In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which includes the families of 98 hostages, said Wednesday it welcomes "with overwhelming joy and relief the agreement to bring our loved ones home. "However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind," the statement continued. "We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out." A senior official with the outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden told reporters that two of the living American hostages Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen will be among the first hostages released. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity, as is customary in such briefings. Some information for this story was provided by The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. As part of its drive to expel Afghan citizens from the nations capital, Pakistan has deported dozens bearing UNHCR-issued documents, the agency told VOA Thursday. Authorities in Islamabad deported 285 Afghans between Jan. 1 and 15, according to the refugee agency. Its Pakistan representative, Philippa Candler, told VOA that 80 of those deported were in possession of preliminary documents the agency had given them. Although initial documentation issued by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees does not give legal cover to Afghans, it can show the agency may be determining their refugee status, or that a person may be in the early stages of the resettlement process, Candler explained. Candler said that in the past, Pakistani authorities generally refrained from deporting those possessing any agency-issued papers. We could by and large get Afghans with our documents released, Candler said, referring to actions against Afghans since Pakistan launched a nationwide drive in October 2023 to expel undocumented residents amid rising terrorism. Candler attributed past leniency to goodwill. Expulsion order The tougher action comes after Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi announced in November that all Afghan citizens would require a no-objection certificate, or NOC, from the city administration to stay in the capital past the end of the year. The minister alleged Afghan citizens took part in a protest that saw thousands of supporters of incarcerated former Prime Minister Imran Khan descend on Islamabad between Nov. 24 to 26. At least four security personnel were killed before authorities launched a crackdown that Khans party says killed at least 12 supporters. Raids Its not a nice experience, said Enayatuallah Omid, who said he was detained for hours along with others at a police station in Islamabad after law enforcement authorities raided his neighborhood Jan. 5. An Afghan journalist, Omid arrived in Pakistan in July 2022 on a medical visa to flee Taliban repression. He said the constant fear of deportation is deeply hurting his family. My wife has attempted suicide three times. Every time the pressure builds up, she tries to kill herself. Quoting her, Omid said, What kind of a life is this? Amnesty International has decried the requirement of NOC for Afghan refugees as an onerous obligation. Omid said, though, that the process of applying for a no-objection certificate was easy. They behaved nicely, he said, referring to the officials at Islamabad district commissioners office. But Omid has only a receipt showing he has applied for the NOC. He said he did not know if he would receive any more documentation allowing him to stay in the capital. International pressure Candler told VOA that her office is working with Pakistani authorities to help Afghans who are registered with UNHCR. However, she said the Afghan Talibans claim that Pakistan detained more than 800 Afghans in the first week of the year could not be confirmed. The Afghan Talibans envoy in Islamabad, Mawlawi Sardar Ahmad Shakib, met Wednesday with Candler to convey concerns about Pakistans detention and deportation of registered Afghan refugees from Islamabad and neighboring Rawalpindi. Islamabad authorities deny targeting documented refugees and registered Afghan citizens, or those awaiting third country repatriation. Responding to reports of mistreatment, officials have said teams abide by the law during raids. Recent press releases from Pakistans interior ministry show that envoys from Washington and London discussed the expulsion of Afghans from the capital with Naqvi. Thousands of Afghans in Islamabad are awaiting repatriation to the United States and Britain. Mohsin Naqvi stated that no illegal foreigner will be allowed to stay in Pakistan, according to a handout issued Thursday after the ministers meeting with the outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan Donald Blome. Minister highlighted that no action is being taken against any foreign national holding valid documents, said an interior ministry statement after Naqvi met Saturday with the British high commissioner to Pakistan, Jane Marriott. Pakistan is home to 3.1 million Afghans. More than 800,000 are undocumented. This includes Afghans born in Pakistan, as well as those who fled their country after the Talibans return to power in 2021. More than 813,000 Afghans have returned to their home country since September 2023, including about 300,000 last year. More than 38,000 have been deported in almost 15 months, according to the U.N. Israel ranks second only to China as the country jailing the most journalists globally, according to a report released Thursday. The number of journalists held by Israel has more than doubled from last year, with 43 behind bars, all of whom are Palestinians, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, or CPJ. The annual CPJ report, which represents a snapshot of journalists jailed for their work as of Dec. 1, 2024, found 361 journalists behind bars around the world. Thats the second-highest number that CPJ has documented since it started keeping track in 1992. That increased criminalization that were seeing of journalists is a deliberate tactic by governments to silence journalists, CPJs CEO Jodie Ginsberg told VOA. With Israel, the number of journalists in custody reflects a broader crackdown on the media throughout the Israel-Hamas war, according to Ginsberg. What weve seen since the start of the war is a pattern of censorship by Israel, Ginsberg said. Unfortunately, this imprisonment number is part of that pattern. The Israel-Hamas war has been the deadliest conflict on record for the media, with at least 165 journalists mostly Palestinians killed, according to CPJ. Israel has also blocked broadcasts by the Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera inside the country and shuttered its bureau in the occupied West Bank, citing issues of national security. The Palestinian Authority has also suspended Al Jazeera broadcasts for alleged incitement. The action came after the network covered disputes between the territorys security forces and militants. Israels foreign ministry and military did not reply to VOAs emails requesting comment. The Israeli military has previously denied targeting journalists. On Wednesday, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire that is scheduled to come into effect on Sunday. I really hope that this ceasefire brings a complete and radical change to the treatment of journalists and the treatment of information coming out of Gaza and the West Bank, Ginsberg said. But, she said, governments often use emergency situations to justify the detentions of journalists, and sometimes those detentions continue even after the emergency has ended. China maintained its status as the worst jailer of journalists in the world, with 50 behind bars. But thats likely an undercount, CPJ said, since censorship and surveillance mean families are often afraid to talk about a relatives detention. Another lesson from this years census is just how quickly press freedom can decay, according to Ginsberg. The speed with which we can lose our freedoms is a really important takeaway, she said, pointing to Hong Kong as an example. Hong Kong was once lauded as a press freedom stronghold, but media freedom has rapidly deteriorated in the city after Beijings national security law came into effect in 2020. In Hong Kong, the pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai has been on trial for more than a year on national security charges that are widely viewed as politically motivated. The British national faces life in prison on charges that he rejects. His health has gotten much worse, as you can expect when you put a 77-year-old man in solitary confinement for four years. But his spirit is holding strong. His mind is holding strong, Lais son Sebastien told VOA in November. A spokesperson at China's Washington embassy told VOA that the Chinese government protects freedom of speech. "The achievements made in the development of China's news industry are obvious to all," Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson, said in the emailed statement. Included in the 361 journalists jailed globally are reporters and contributors from VOA and its sister outlets. They are held in Myanmar, Belarus, Russia, Vietnam and Azerbaijan, all of which rank among the top 10 worst jailers of journalists. Journalism is not a crime, yet journalists worldwide including many from USAGMs networks are increasingly persecuted for reporting the truth, USAGM CEO Amanda Bennett told VOA in a statement. Their harassment must end. USAGM demands the immediate release of all who are wrongly imprisoned, and the right to report without fear of retribution, Bennett added. Myanmar ranked third on the 2024 prison census, with 35 journalists behind bars, including Sithu Aung Myint, who contributes to VOAs Burmese service. Since a 2021 coup, Myanmars military has embarked on a harsh crackdown on independent media, forcing many to flee into exile. Those who stay risk arrest. Myanmar was followed closely by Belarus, where the government jailed 31 journalists, including Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty journalists Ihar Losik and Andrey Kuznechyk. Two American journalists RFE/RLs Alsu Kurmasheva and the Wall Street Journals Evan Gershkovich were released from wrongful detention in Russia in a 2024 prisoner swap, but Russia still ranks fifth-worst, with 30 journalists behind bars, including two RFE/RL journalists. Almost half of those held by Russia are Ukrainian, according to CPJ. In sixth place is Egypt, with 17 journalists behind bars. Eritrea, Iran and Vietnam tied for seventh place, with 16 jailed journalists each. Four Radio Free Asia contributors and one VOA contributor are jailed in Vietnam. Azerbaijan ranks eighth on the census, with 13 journalists behind bars as of Dec. 1. After the census was taken, one of those journalists was released, but six more were jailed, bringing the current total to 18, according to CPJ. Azerbaijan has been cracking down on independent media for well over a decade, Ginsberg said. It doesnt often get the attention that it deserves. Among those jailed in Azerbaijan is economist and RFE/RL journalist Farid Mehralizada. My arrest highlighted how authoritarian governments, like Azerbaijans, fear the power of numbers and the reality they reveal through statistics, Mehralizada told VOA in December, in a message relayed via his wife. Rounding out the top 10 jailers are Turkey, with 11 behind bars, and Saudi Arabia, with 10. Not all countries jail high numbers of journalists but thats not always a good sign, Ginsberg said. In Latin America and the Caribbean, CPJ counted three journalists jailed in Venezuela, and one each in Nicaragua, Cuba and Guatemala. And when CPJ conducted the census, there were no journalists jailed in Mexico but Mexico is still one of the most dangerous places to be a journalist outside war zones. In some cases, a low number of jailed journalists in a repressive regime is actually an indication of how successful that regime has been in repressing them, Ginsberg said. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused the United States of obscurantist hypocrisy for allowing inmates to fight Los Angeles wildfires. Russias state-owned news agency RIA Novosti cited Zakharova on January 12, saying that the use of prisoners as firefighters is no different from Chinas use of forced labor, which the U.S. has been condemning for years. "Hundreds of prisoners have been recruited to fight wildfires in southern California In recent years, U.S. officials have repeatedly criticized China for using forced labor, especially in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region [W]ill Congress impose sanctions on the California government, private companies, and ordinary Americans for using prison labor to fight fires." The claim is false. In California, inmates voluntarily join firefighting crews if they meet the programs qualifications, which consider physical fitness and behavioral records. Participation is entirely optional, ensuring only willing and eligible inmates take part in the program. That is opposite of Chinas use of forced labor. Since 2017, China has arbitrarily detained up to 1.8 million Uyghurs, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. Detainees face torture, political indoctrination, and severe human rights abuses in extrajudicial mass internment camps and formal detention facilities. The use of forced labor in China violates international human rights agreements that the government has signed. The U.S. Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, aims to prevent American entities from funding forced labor involving ethnic minorities in Chinas Xinjiang region. Following his press officers false claim, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov used Los Angeles fires to repeat one of the Kremlins key disinformation narratives aimed at convincing Americans that by aiding Ukraines defense against Russia, the U.S. government is impoverishing its own citizens. Speaking at a January 14 press conference on the results of Russian diplomacy in 2024, Lavrov said, that Americans burned almost all of California, and the damage is estimated $250 billion, which is comparable to what the U.S. pumped into Ukraine with poverty at every step in the U.S. There U.S. has not yet announced preliminary damage estimates, but Lavrov accurately cited the unofficial numbers, like those by AccuWeather, a weather and impact analysis company, which predicted the economic cost of up to $275 billion. The U.S. pledged to Ukraine about $66.2 billion in security assistance between 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea, and February 2022 when Moscow launched a war, and about $66.5 billion since. Lavrovs claim that by aiding Ukraine the U.S. government is impoverishing its own citizens is a divisive topic in the U.S. society, in part due to the Russian propaganda influence. Experts, however, argue that opposite to draining American economy, the large portion of the Ukraine aid is being reinvested domestically, boosting defense manufacturing industry and sustaining jobs. Russian propaganda exploited the Ukrainian angle in the Los Angeles fires trying to spread false accusations against Ukraines military command of misappropriating the Western aid. Russias newly emerged group of social media influencers nicknamed milbloggers as most members are either Russian combatants or pro-war reporters from the battle lines in Ukraine, played key role in creating and spreading such false claims. Russian Telegram channel Voennyj obozrevatel' (Military Observer) alleged on January 11, that eight mansions worth a total of $90 million owned by high-ranking Ukrainian military officials, were destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires. According to Ukrainian sources, 8 mansions owned by high-ranking Ukrainian military personnel were burned during large-scale wildfires in Los Angeles. The total value of these properties amounts to $90 million and was allegedly purchased with funds provided by the West as part of economic aid to Kyiv after the war began. Russian state-controlled news sites and media outlets, including Gazeta.ru, Lenta.ru, EADaily, News.ru, Komsomolskaya Pravda, Tsargrad, and Rossiyskaya Gazeta used the post in their news coverage. Multiple fact-checking outlets and even some Russian news media debunked the post as lacking merit and unsubstantiated. Yet the claim about the luxury villas of Ukrainian generals allegedly burning down in Los Angeles spread on X the following days, receiving millions of views and thousands of reposts. In another disinformation plot, on January 13-14, Russian state-owned news sites sought to undermine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's decision to send Ukrainian firefighters to Los Angeles to help put out the wildfires. State-owned RIA Novosti, RT, and others used an X post by Ukrainian journalist Diana Panchenko, who wrote responding to Zeleskyys announcement: "I am glad that hundreds of men will have the opportunity to leave Ukraine these days." Russian news outlets generalized the post, speculating it signaled that Ukrainian journalists oppose Ukraine's fight for independence and the Ukrainian men are desperate to leave the country. In fact, Reporters Without Borders exposed Diana Panchenko as Russian propagandist working for the Kremlin. The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. President-elect Donald Trumps choice to serve as secretary of state faced questioning from lawmakers Wednesday. Republican Marco Rubio told senators that if confirmed he would make U.S. national interest a priority. VOA Congressional Correspondent Katherine Gypson reportss from Capitol Hill. President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the CIA signaled substantial changes are in store for Americas premier spy agency, telling lawmakers that it must be more aggressive both in collecting intelligence and pushing back against Washingtons adversaries. John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence at the end of Trumps first term, told the Senate Intelligence Committee during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that the CIAs human intelligence collection capability isnt where it needs to be. "We will collect intelligence, especially human intelligence, in every corner of the globe no matter how dark or difficult, Ratcliffe said of his plans for the spy agency, should he be confirmed. "We will conduct covert actions at the direction of the president, going places no one else can go and doing things no one else can do," he added. Ratcliffe promised the CIA would deliver insights and information free of personal and political bias, and said that if confirmed, he would hold accountable employees and analysts who fail to perform up to standard and eliminate programs that shift focus from the CIAs key responsibilities. "If you have a politically motivated, bureaucratically imposed social justice agenda that takes up part of your attention, that can distract from the core mission of collecting human intelligence that matter and providing it to you in a timely way," he said. "To the brave CIA officers listening around the world, if all of this sounds like what you signed up for, then buckle up and get ready to make a difference," Ratcliffe said. If it doesn't, then it's time to find a new line of work. Republican approval Ratcliffes comments were met with approval from Senate Intelligence Committee Republicans, who praised his experience and his plans to refocus the CIA. The CIA needs to get back to its roots, said committee chairman Tom Cotton. Stealing secrets. The nation needs a strong, capable and aggressive CIA, Cotton said, calling Ratcliffe the right man for the job. I believe the men and women you will lead want to serve in just that kind of agency. They joined the CIA after all, not a church choir or a therapy session, he added. Democrats on the committee were, at times, more skeptical, asking Ratcliffe for assurances that officers and analysts will not be subjected to political loyalty tests. Mr. Ratcliffe today is your opportunity to reassure the men and women of the CIA that they [need] not fear reprisal for speaking truth to power the most critical role of the IC [intelligence community]," said Democrat Mark Warner, the committees vice chair. I need your commitment that you will not fire or force out CIA employees because of their perceived political views, and that you will not ask these employees to place loyalty to a political figure above loyalty to country," he said. Ratcliffe responded, assuring lawmakers that he would not oversee a purge of the agency. CIA role "If you look at my record, and my record as DNI, that never took place," Ratcliffe said. That's not something anyone has alleged and something I would ever do." Other lawmakers raised concerns about Trumps history of mistrust of the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies, fueled in part by U.S. intelligence assessments that Russia sought to intervene in the 2016 U.S. presidential election to help Trump win. It seems to me you have an initial task that's a little unusual but also very important, and that is to restore the confidence of the president-elect in the intelligence community," said Senator Angus King, an independent. "You need to get him to a place where he does have confidence in the judgments that are coming to him, King added. Ratcliffe said that was likely why he was chosen to lead the CIA. "I think one of the reasons I have this opportunity for you all to consider me for confirmation is because President Trump knows and wants me to lead with integrity," he told the committee. Still, some former U.S. intelligence officials have taken a dim view of Ratcliffes qualifications to lead the spy agency despite his time as the nations top intelligence official. Lingering doubts As DNI, Ratcliffe repeatedly demonstrated that his first priority was to advance Donald Trump's political interests rather than to function as an apolitical intelligence chief, said Paul Pillar, a former senior CIA officer who now teaches at Georgetown University. As examples, Pillar pointed to Ratcliffes decision to release a Russian intelligence assessment that seemed to back Trumps allegations about nefarious activity by his opponent in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Democrat Hillary Clinton. Pillar also noted that Ratcliffe also shunned transparency, refusing to attend Congress annual worldwide threats hearing because the previous year's assessment reported facts that Trump didn't like. To politicize the role of CIA director in a similar manner is just as damaging to the proper role of intelligence as politicizing the role of DNI, Pillar told VOA. There is no reason to expect Ratcliffe to perform any differently in this respect in the CIA job than he did as DNI. But other former officials saw Ratcliffes performance during the hearing Wednesday as a positive step. Ratcliffe performed well and should rightly obtain an easy confirmation, said Larry Pfeiffer, a former CIA chief of staff and former senior director of the White House Situation Room. He said all the right things about the importance of analytic and operational integrity and about the technical challenges facing CIA today, Pfeiffer told VOA. More importantly, he offered assurances he would assiduously avoid and counter politicization of the agency. This will be reassuring to anyone inside CIA today who is nervous about the incoming Trump administration. Top threats Ratcliffe told lawmakers the list of threats and challenges facing the United States is long, topped by an ever more aggressive China that is committed to dominating the world economically, militarily and technologically. He also cited threats from transnational criminal organizations and drug cartels, Iran and its proxies, North Korea and multiple terror groups. And he acknowledged the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine. "The Russia-Ukraine war rages on, spreading devastation and increasing the risk of the United States being pulled into a conflict with a nuclear power, Ratcliffe warned. But he also said that Russia, unlike China, is unable to confront the U.S. across multiple domains at once. Russia "falls into that category" of "countries that can't compete with the United States in terms of kinetic firepower across the board," Ratcliffe said. "The Russians have to decide where they're going to compete, he said, noting that Moscow has chosen areas like hypersonic missile technology at the expense of overall troop readiness. Ratcliffe further promised lawmakers he would ensure the CIA seeks answers to the cause of Havana Syndrome the name given to a series of brain injuries and other serious health ailments that have struck hundreds of U.S. diplomats and intelligence officials. And he voiced support for maintaining controversial U.S. surveillance authorities under Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, calling it an indispensable tool, going as far to reject calls to require a warrant before accessing certain communications or data a view that conflicts with positions previously espoused by other Trump nominees. You're going to need to share your experience and your wisdom with the nominees for FBI and director of national security, Republican Senator John Cornyn told Ratcliffe, because we've had these conversations as well, and I think there's some confusion. Vehicles are parked near the rescue operation site of an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa, Jan. 16, 2025. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. "We cannot say for sure that the operation has been called off at this stage," SAPS national spokesperson Athlenda Mathe told Xinhua. She made the remarks after volunteers involved in the rescue operation told the media that there were no more survivors or bodies underground. Mathe said the Mine Rescue Service, which has been responsible for the operation in Stilfontein, would send a cage underground on Thursday morning "to see if any illegal miners resurface with the cage." "We will rely on the Mine Rescue Service to confirm this with their state-of-the-art equipment. That will hopefully be able to give us a picture of what is happening underground," she clarified. "We have indicated that as the SAPS, we have to verify this." The spokesperson added that the police would provide further updates on the rescue operation Thursday morning. The situation at the disused mine shafts in Stilfontein has been developing since August 2024, when small groups of illegal miners began emerging from the shafts. Since then, at least 1,576 illegal miners have come to the surface and been arrested, with the majority of them being foreign nationals from neighboring countries, according to earlier police statements. Many gold mines in South Africa that were closed over the decades due to declining production have been taken over by illegal foreign miners who reopen them in search of gold. Vehicles are parked near the rescue operation site of an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa, Jan. 16, 2025. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows the rescue operation site at an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows the rescue operation site at an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a mobile rescue winder at the rescue operation site of an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows the rescue operation site at an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) Rescue vehicles are seen at the rescue operation site of an abandoned gold mine in Stilfontein, North West Province, South Africa, on Jan. 16, 2025. A total of 246 survivors and 78 bodies have been brought to the ground over three days of rescue operation at an abandoned gold mine in South Africa, the police said Wednesday night. In a statement issued at 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, the South African Police Service (SAPS) said that 246 illegal miners had been retrieved alive from underground and had been arrested since the rescue operation commenced on Monday at the Stilfontein mine in the North West Province. The number of bodies recovered stood at 78, the same as the previous update released at 4:00 p.m. (Xinhua/Zhang Yudong) As Russias war with Ukraine approaches the three-year mark in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is emphasizing his countrys hope for continued U.S. support under the incoming Trump administration. We are waiting for the inauguration of the U.S. president. I think the whole world is waiting because the United States is a strategic partner in global stability, Zelenskyy said this week during a joint press conference in Warsaw with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Zelenskyy described the U.S. as the largest donor supporting Ukraine in its war for survival against Russian aggression and expressed optimism for deepened cooperation under the principle of peace through strength. He also said his administration is already coordinating with Washington regarding possible meetings with President-elect Donald Trump, who assumes office on Monday. Our teams are working on the details of this crucial discussion. We want to end this war, but on the terms of a just peace, he said. The key focus for Ukraine in future peace negotiations will be securing robust and comprehensive security guarantees to prevent any future Russian aggression. Trump has voiced skepticism of continued U.S. military support for Kyiv, repeatedly vowing that he would end the war before assuming the presidency on Jan. 20. In recent days, however, his aides have said the new timeline for ending the war is in the first 100 days of his administration, which would be by the end of April. Trump's nominee for secretary of state, Marco Rubio, said during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday: "Even if the conflict ends, Ukraine must have the ability to defend itself." He added that this is a matter of long-term security and stability for Ukraine. Tusk, standing alongside Zelenskyy in Warsaw, said Ukraine's best security guarantee would be membership in Euro-Atlantic institutions. But, he pointed out, the thought of Ukraine joining NATO remains controversial among some states, making it vital for the Western alliance to provide Ukraine with a tangible solution to secure peace in Europe. Ukrainian military troop strength Ukraine cannot engage in "games" by reducing the size of its military, Zelenskyy also said, rejecting any proposals to do so. He said a strong defense force is "the only security guarantee" ahead of potential peace negotiations with Russia. His remarks referred to Bloomberg News reports that Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to push for Ukraine to sever ties with NATO and adopt a "neutral state" status with a limited military during any discussions with Trump. Highlighting the current strength of Ukraine's military, Zelenskyy said that it now comprises 880,000 soldiers tasked with countering an estimated 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in specific regions. According to the president, Ukraine produces more than 30% of its military equipment, mainly drones. He has called for allies and partners to invest in military production in Ukraine. Russia and Ukraine target each other daily with aerial strikes. Thousands of Ukrainian civilians have been killed in the Russian attacks, alongside vast casualties among both Ukrainian and Russian troops since Russias February 2022 invasion. European security initiatives Part of the proposed option for security guarantees involves French President Emmanuel Macrons idea of deploying European forces to Ukraine. During his visit to Warsaw, Zelenskyy confirmed that he had discussed the proposal. Answering questions from VOA, the Ukrainian president said that even though the idea remains in early stages, the initiative, in his view, could be part of Ukraines broader security guarantees. We support the idea of a contingent involving our allies and strategic partners as part of the security guarantees. However, this alone will not suffice, Zelenskyy said. As a first step, the Ukrainian president said it would be effective to send Western instructors to Ukraine with a comprehensive training plan to strengthen forces on the ground. Zelenskyy also said he plans to discuss the idea with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who arrived in Kyiv on Thursday with a pledge to help guarantee Ukraines security. Britain and Ukraine agreed on a 100-Year Partnership treaty covering defense, science, energy and trade. The other security guarantees Zelenskyy noted involve additional sanctions, continued weapons shipments, and investments in its military production. He called for urgent international action, including utilizing frozen Russian assets to support Ukraines defense. The strongest support for the Ukrainian army would be to allocate $250 billion from frozen Russian assets to purchase weapons Ukraine urgently needs, he said. EU aspirations Polish and Ukrainian leaders embraced Ukraine's European Union aspirations as part of the peace process. Poland, which holds the rotating EU presidency, reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating Ukraines European integration. Tusk described the EU presidency as an opportunity to break the impasse and expedite Ukraines accession. We will work unconditionally with Ukraine and our European partners to speed up this big and essential task, he said. Tusk noted that Ukraine's EU membership will add to European security, and he promised to make the issue a priority. We will break the standstill we have in this issue, he said during the joint press conference. We will accelerate the accession process. The United Nations is appealing for $3.2 billion to provide humanitarian assistance for 8.2 million Ukrainians whose lives have been upended by Russias invasion of their country nearly three years ago. This has been a period of huge tragedy and despair, destruction and disruption, Tom Fletcher, U.N. undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, told journalists in Kyiv at the launch of the U.N. appeal with the government of Ukraine. We must be here at the side of the Ukrainian people as they respond to the consequences of a devastating war, he said, noting that the needs are great. We have to respond by showing a real, genuine, sustained international engagement. We have to respond with heart. And when I say sustained, I mean that we will be here with the Ukrainian people for as long as it takes to meet these needs, Fletcher said. The lions share of the twin humanitarian and refugee response plans for 2025 $2.62 billion will be used to support 6 million people out of more than 12 million people inside Ukraine who need humanitarian aid. We are prioritizing the most vulnerable. This is vulnerability driven and needs driven, and our aim is to support people wherever they are, Matthias Schmale, U.N. resident and humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, said. It is not geography-based. It is vulnerability and needs-based. Inevitably, a big part of the needs are along the front line. We are supporting those who have chosen to stay near the front line particularly people with disabilities and older people who find it difficult to move, he said. A smaller amount of money $ 1.2 billion will provide relief and protection over the next two years for more than 2 million Ukrainians who have been forced to flee their homes and have taken refuge in 11 eastern European host countries bordering Ukraine. There are almost 7 million Ukrainian refugees outside the country, said Filippo Grandi, U.N. high commissioner for refugees. He explained that the current appeal does not cover all host countries because national governments, mainly in western Europe, are able to support the Ukrainian refugees. But the 11 border states of asylum such as Poland and Moldova, really need extra support from the international community. So, we are very grateful for what all governments hosting refugees these 11 countries and others have done to give refugees access to health services, to education, to the labor market, he said. But of course, we are about to enter the fourth year of this hospitality, and it is important that this generosity continues. At the same time, Grandi stressed that the objective is not to make sure that these people are refugees forever. The objective is for this to create the conditions for these people to return to Ukraine. This is what the majority of the refugees want. Last July and August, the UNHCR surveyed more than 11,150 refugee households across Europe and inside Ukraine among internally displaced people and returnees. It found that 61% of Ukrainian refugees and 73% of internally displaced people surveyed still plan and hope to return home one day. Fletcher urged the international community to stay the course with the people of Ukraine. The needs we have described are great. We are conscious, obviously, that the president, the government, are seeking negotiations, seeking ways to try to end this war. But just because you end a war does not mean the needs go away," Fletcher said. We recognize the needs will change. But even if we get progress, even if we get good news in the period ahead, we will still need to be here alongside our Ukrainian partners supporting the Ukrainian people, he said. Most people encounter Customs and Border Protection agents when they enter the United States at land border crossings or airports. But those agents are also responsible for inspecting goods leaving the country. VOAs chief national correspondent, Steve Herman, reports from the Port of Baltimore about a significant trade in stolen vehicles leaving the U.S. for Africa. Videographer and video editor: Mary Cieslak Most Americans and visitors to the United States encounter Customs and Border Protection agents when they enter or return to the country at land crossings or airports. But CBP also is responsible for inspecting goods leaving the country, which creates a nearly impossible assignment of trying to intercept all stolen automobiles being shipped out of the U.S. At the Port of Baltimore, CBP scrutinizes several hundred vehicles every day, and on average will find one illegal export nearly all headed to a particular region of the world, says Adam Rottman, CBPs director at the Port of Baltimore. He acknowledges that CBP has neither the time nor manpower to inspect every shipping container. Id say 90 to 95% of every one of our stolen automobiles is headed to West Africa, he tells VOA. Alex Piquero, a professor of criminology at the University of Miami, said, There are people who are stealing cars and car parts to sell them very quickly in the local markets. And then there are people literally stealing cars and putting them on containers and selling them, shipping them all over the world, not just to Africa, but also to the Middle East and to Asia. On any given day at the Port of Baltimore, CBPs manifest of seized vehicles resembles the inventory of a small used car lot: a Kia purchased fraudulently at auction in New Jersey is bound for Ghana; a Mercedes-Benz valued at $48,000, purchased with a stolen identity in Ohio, is slated for shipment to Togo; a $75,000 Ford Raptor inside a container with one or two additional stolen vehicles and boxes of new power tools is headed for West Africa. Rottman peeks inside one container for which no vehicles are listed. Its supposed to be only household goods in there, he says. In this example, theres at least three, probably four cars in that container. Rottman walks to another container opened for inspection. This container, we just opened today. The vehicle on the top there, that Honda, weve already verified through the VIN (vehicle identification number) that the car is stolen. Theres two [vehicles], more in the back, he says. CBP operates giant mobile X-ray trucks, the VACIS M6500s, which in minutes can scan shipping containers and determine if they should be opened for a closer inspection. A growing problem Auto theft is a problem accelerating across the United States. While the early part of the 2010s saw a decline in vehicle thefts, there has been a notable increase since 2020, influenced by factors that include the coronavirus pandemic and social media videos demonstrating how certain car models can easily be stolen. The criminals frequently rent cars for a 30-day period and immediately drive them into a nearby container and paste a fake VIN over the real one. The car will not be reported stolen by the rental agency for a month. By then, it may already be on a ship. Rottman stands in front of the container that has the expensive Ford Raptor inside. Theyll take the VIN number on the dashboard on your windshield. Theyll make a fake VIN. Theyll put it over the top, glue it on, so it would come up [on computer databases] clean, or its not on file when we look it up, he explains. But right away, we noticed the checked digit on the VIN doesnt match whats supposed to be on a Ford truck. For some buyers in Africa or on other continents, unwittingly acquiring a car stolen in the U.S. may seem like a good deal, but some of the vehicles are known to have been in accidents and could be unsafe, including airbags that no longer work. You could be putting your family members in danger by driving some of these stolen cars, says Rottman. There is also a moral hazard. When they purchase a car like this thats been stolen, theyre funding these transnational criminal organizations. And criminal organizations are willing to do anything to make money, Rottman says, noting that such activities by car theft gangs include human trafficking, drug smuggling and even terrorism. Authorities in some African countries are working with Interpol and other transnational law enforcement agencies to seize some of the stolen vehicles that slip through American ports. Cooperation is not consistent because of government corruption in some countries. Some governments will play nicer, and other governments won't, and you can't search every container. And that's why the security at the port is so critically important, Piquero of the University of Miami told VOA. With so many buyers seeking a deal on a used car often with no questions asked there is unlikely to be a slowdown anytime soon in the global traffic of stolen vehicles. A move by South Korean opposition leaders to launch an independent probe of embattled President Yoon Suk Yeol over Seouls use of loudspeaker broadcasts into North Korea is raising questions among some U.S. experts about the future direction of Seouls approach toward Pyongyang. Yoon, who was impeached and suspended from his duties last month for imposing emergency martial law on his unsuspecting country, was arrested Wednesday after a weeks-long standoff with investigators at the presidential compound. Yoon, the first sitting president of South Korea to be under criminal investigation, faces a trial at the countrys Constitutional Court, which has the final say on whether he should be completely removed from his presidential responsibilities. The countrys opposition Democratic Party, which holds a majority in parliament, and other smaller opposition parties introduced a revised bill last week to launch a special counsel investigation into Yoons alleged insurrection attempt during his short-lived declaration of martial law on Dec. 3, 2024. The revised bill accuses Yoon of blasting loudspeaker broadcasts toward North Korea and sending propaganda leaflets to Pyongyang. They were cited as cases of provoking aggression from outside the country. The South Korean Defense Ministry rejected the oppositions allegations that the countrys military activities, including the use of loudspeakers, are intended to provoke North Korea. Our military has deterred North Koreas provocations through a consistent policy toward North Korea while maintaining firm military readiness, the ministry said Monday in a statement, adding that some people are distorting the normal activities of our military. VOA Korean sought comment from the U.S. State Department on the latest controversy over South Koreas information campaigns toward North Korea but did not receive a response. However, a State Department spokesman said in an email on June 10, 2024, to VOA Korean that the United States supports the North Korean peoples right to access information from outside. We continue to promote the free flow of information into, out of, and within the DPRK [North Korea], the spokesperson said, a day after the South Korean military resumed loudspeaker broadcasts on the inter-Korean border for the first time in six years in response to North Koreas trash balloon offensive. It is critical for the people of North Korea to have access to independent information not controlled by the DPRK regime, the spokesperson said. Gittipong Paruchabutr, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told VOA Korean by phone Wednesday that loudspeaker broadcasts are a low-risk, effective tool for communicating with North Koreans. Absolutely, its a critical capability. Its a low-risk capability that when we want to communicate to North Koreans, not just soldiers, but anybody within audio range. And I say low risk because it doesnt really put Korean soldiers lives at risk, Paruchabutr, who also served as chief of psychological operations for U.S. Forces Korea, said. Paruchabutr added that in the past, South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts usually played K-pop songs and rebroadcasts of South Korean domestic news that included social topics promoting human rights, rather than information that directly criticize North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family. Controversy over accusation Sydney Seiler, former national intelligence officer for North Korea at the National Intelligence Council, pointed out that the allegations that Yoon provoked North Koreas aggression is a political claim that ignores the threats North Korea is posing to South Korea. The accusation that these are treason is ludicrous, nothing short of ludicrous, Seiler said Tuesday by phone. This is a democratically elected government taking seriously its responsibilities for the national security of the Republic of Korea. This is not treason. This is just political maneuvering on the opposition parties part, Seiler said, using the official name to refer to South Korea. David Maxwell, vice president of the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy, said the opposition parties assertion stokes concerns of an extreme naivete about the strategy of the Kim family regime. This is really troubling. They are sending the message that they do not think South Korea should be sending information into North Korea. Thats fundamentally what theyre talking about, Maxwell, a former U.S. Special Forces colonel, told VOA Korean by phone on Tuesday. Others shared more cautious views, saying more details are needed before determining whether Yoons policy decisions were legitimate or not. Evans Revere, a former acting U.S. assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, highlighted the need for an investigation. The idea of propaganda balloons going into North Korea. The idea of loudspeakers blasting music and news and propaganda into North Korea thats been going on for many years, and it hasn't been regarded by most people as an attempt to instigate a conflict or a confrontation, Revere told VOA Korean by phone on Tuesday. But now, the opposition is using that as one of the charges against [Yoon], and it needs to be looked into. It needs to be investigated, Revere said. The question thats probably weighing on the minds of a lot of policymakers in the United States right now is the question of whether there was some effort on the part of the Yoon administration to provoke a confrontation with North Korea. Thats a very serious charge, he added. Meanwhile, Bruce Klingner, senior research fellow for Northeast Asia at the Heritage Foundation, said South Koreas Democratic Partys criticism of the information warfare reflects its thinking on policy toward North Korea. The main impact will be that if a Democratic Party government came in as a result of a special election, the Democratic Party would indeed have very different foreign security policies, would be much more conciliatory, if not concessionary, towards China and North Korea, Klingner said Tuesday by phone. VOAs Sangjin Cho contributed to this report. Iraqi and Kurdistan Regional Government security forces launched a joint operation in the Gharaw Palkana area of Khurmatu district, a known Islamic State stronghold connecting several provinces. The operation involved ground forces and airstrikes targeting ISIS positions, with heavy explosions reported. Officials emphasized the strategic importance of disrupting ISIS movements and logistics in this region. Click here for the full story in Kurdish. A dispute over salaries and budgets between the Kurdistan Regional Government and the Iraqi government has resurfaced, coinciding with Sunni Arab leaders uniting and Shiite parties expressing skepticism about regional developments. Meanwhile, financial disagreements between the KRG and Baghdad persist, with each side accusing the other of violating agreements. Click here for the full story in Kurdish. Taiwan plans to spend $4.56 billion to boost its startup ecosystem and has set up a liaison center in Silicon Valley designated to attract American venture capital and talent to Taiwan. Liu Chin-ching, minister of the National Development Council of Taiwan, told VOA of the importance of the bridge between the U.S. and Taiwan, adding that the Taiwan government would support new tech sectors such as quantum computing, silicon photonics and next-generation drones. Click here for the full story in Mandarin. Amid ongoing tensions across the Taiwan Strait, academic exchanges between Taiwan and China have recently risen unexpectedly. Taiwan's political and academic circles have interpreted this differently. While some scholars view it positively, believing it could help ease cross-strait relations, others worry that such interactions might provide China with more opportunities for United Front efforts against Taiwan and exacerbate internal divisions within the island. Click here for the full story in Mandarin. The chief of the Indian army this week said that India is not yet looking to reduce troops at the India-China border in the winter season. The comment comes days after both countries agreed on six principles to ensure peace and stability at the border in a meeting in Beijing. But analysts believe a lack of trust and differences in strategic objectives would make the resolution process extremely difficult. Click here for the full story in Mandarin. By Akbar Novruz On January 15, a joint meeting took place between the Council of Elders of the West Azerbaijan Community and the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, focusing on strategies to address the realities of Western Azerbaijan and the return of Azerbaijani compatriots to their ancestral lands. Aziz Alakbarli, Chairman of the Board of the West Azerbaijan Community and Member of the Milli Majlis (Parliament), detailed the history, goals, and objectives of the community, including its Return Concept, initiated at the recommendation of President Ilham Aliyev. He emphasized the importance of raising international awareness about the return process and highlighted the Council of Elders of Azerbaijans potential role in these efforts. Chairman of the Council of Elders of Azerbaijan, Eldar Guliyev, reflected on President Ilham Aliyev's recent remarks on Western Azerbaijan, stressing the collective moral responsibility to address this issue. Academician Abel Maharramov called for more events on Western Azerbaijan at local and international levels and highlighted the importance of engaging with youth to preserve cultural heritage. Similarly, academician Ahliman Amiraslanov emphasized the councils' shared goal of involving youth in returning to Western Azerbaijan. President of ANAS, Isa Habibeyli, presented books on Western Azerbaijan published by ANAS to Aziz Alakbarli, highlighting efforts to create a library dedicated to the region. Additional proposals included organizing events in Uzbekistan and Turkey, preparing a roadmap for Western Azerbaijans ideology, and publishing more literature to promote the region's history internationally. The meeting concluded with exchanges of gifts and books, symbolizing the commitment of both councils to the cause of Western Azerbaijan. XIAMEN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- China and the Philippines held the 10th meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism (BCM) on the South China Sea in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province on Thursday, with the two sides agreeing to properly handle maritime disputes and differences. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong and Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro co-chaired the meeting. The two sides had a candid and constructive exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea. At the meeting, China lodged solemn representations with the Philippines over its recent maritime infringement and provocation activities, and its hyping up of China-Philippines maritime disputes. China has urged the Philippines to strictly abide by the provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), properly handle differences with China through dialogue and consultation, jointly manage the maritime situation, and bring bilateral relations back to the right track at an early date. The two sides reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, believing that it serves the common interests of countries in the region, including China and the Philippines. The two sides also agreed to strengthen maritime dialogue and communication, properly handle maritime disputes and differences, and continue to advance maritime practical cooperation in various fields, including the coast guard, marine science and technology, and marine environmental protection. A group of families of those killed and injured in the police crackdown on the 2022 "Bloody Friday" protests in Zahedan and Khash issued a statement rejecting Iranian court rulings that require the officers responsible for the shootings to pay compensation to the victims' families. In a statement, the families described the crackdown as "an example of brutal repression and widespread human rights violations." Click here for the full story in Persian. The Association of Families of Flight PS752 Victims announced on Wednesday that it is actively pursuing a criminal case with the Canadian Federal Police to advance the investigation of Iran's downing of the flight over Tehran five years ago. Click here for the full story in Persian. Ukrainians formerly imprisoned by Russia testified at the United Nations this week about the torture they were subjected to in captivity. Ukrainian journalist and activist Maxym Butkevych, who spent more than two years in a Russian prison in an occupied Ukrainian town, described how he was deprived of fresh air and sunlight, subjected to beatings and electric shocks, denied medical assistance and forced to appear in recorded videos under duress. Click here for the full story in Russian. Firefighters from Mexico are in the mountains of Southern California, helping to fight the blazes. They are tackling the flames with the goal of saving property. Click here for the full story in Spanish. Bernardo Arevalo assumed the presidency of Guatemala a year ago Wednesday, a period marked by advances in the social area and significant difficulties in advancing his anti-corruption agenda, in the midst of a complex environment. Click here for the full story in Spanish. A Zanu PF parliamentarian has confirmed that efforts are being made by the ruling party and a faction of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) to amend the Zimbabwe Constitution in order to extend the term of office of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, legislators and councilors by at least five years. In a statement, Zanu PFs Bikita West Member of Parliament Energy Mutodi said a proposed motion on presidential, parliamentary and local government term limits was untimely leaked to the media. Mutodi said the proposed draft motion circulating on social media is authentic and work in progress, which will become official when signed by the Speaker of Parliament Jacob Mudenda and its proponents. Mutodi, who allegedly authored the draft motion with CCCs Charles Moyo, said due process will be followed in accordance with the Standing Rules and Orders and the Constitution of Zimbabwe leading to a properly approved motion. But Moyo distanced himself from the leaked document saying, I have nothing to do with that and the only person to speak about this issue is our senate leader Hon. Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa. The latter said her party has nothing to do with the draft motion and make no mistake, we will oppose it as much as we can because I support constitutionalism and not somebody who wants to change the constitution to suit himself. However, backers of the draft motion said to be at least 22 CCC parliamentarians and a large number of Zanu PF legislators, are confident that they will table it when parliament opens in February. Mutodi and his colleagues have already informed Justice Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi about their intentions. The minister was not available for comment as he was unreachable on his mobile phone. There is a lot of resistance in the ruling party about any constitutional amendments relating to presidential terms. A senior Zanu PF official, who requested not to be identified in fear of being victimized, said, I think I can honestly say it's madness! There's no reason to extend ED's term and it's insanity for the opposition to openly advocate for the ruling party to continue ruling. I know that as a party, we are really good at intelligence and corrupting the opposition, but this is brazenly ridiculous. Constitutional expert Lovemore Madhuku, who is also leader of the opposition National Constitutional Assembly party, told Studio 7 that Zimbabweans should take to the streets to block any constitutional amendments that would lead to the extension of the term of office of the president. Madhuku said, This is a year where we ought to face directly and bluntly this whole nonsense about 2030 and it must be buried whether alive or dead and once we bury it we are able to move forward with the politics of the country. This thing must be removed from our political processes. Mutodi and his colleagues are planning to move a motion for the introduction of a constitutional amendment bill that seeks to amend Section 95(b) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe to allow the term of the president to be extended by any period not exceeding 5 years as shall be determined by parliament. The proposed bill, according to the draft motion, will seek to also amend Section 91(2) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe to allow parliament to determine an additional period of time the president may continue to hold office at the expiry of his or her second term. They want parliament to amend Section 143(1) and 158(1)(a) to extend the term of office for parliamentarians by such period parliament may determine for the sake of economic development, peace building and the restructuring of government including addition or abolition of government posts. The proponents of the motion are also suggesting the amendment of Section 328(7) which bars a sitting president from seeking a third term, arguing that the current supreme law does not conform to the needs of Zimbabweans as there is need to hold a referendum before any constitutional amendments. According to the lawmakers, some of the constitutional provisions do not meet the current aspirations of the people of Zimbabwe who would like to see the current national development trajectory continue under Mnangagwa. They claim that there is a lot of toxic politics in Zimbabwe, which calls for a comprehensive electoral reform process, dialogue and consensus by all citizens. The proponents of the draft motion also claim that Mnangagwa deserves an extension of his term beyond 2028 when his two terms expire as he has worked hard for Zimbabwes social and economic development. Some members of a faction of the CCC led by Welshman Ncube, including the self-imposed party secretary general Sengezo Tshabangu, are allegedly backing proposals for amending the constitution in order to extend the term of office of the president. Tshabangu was recently suspended by CCC for allegedly attempting to make some parliamentary leadership changes without following proper party procedures. He has dismissed his suspension as nonsensical. KUNMING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- With a wooden pole resting on her shoulder to help carry two wicker baskets of vegetables, rural vendor Zhao Shuying boards the No.5652 train with its old-fashioned green livery, heading for a nearby city to sell her fresh produce. Unlike the sleek, silver-white bullet trains commonly seen on China's railways, the retro-looking No.5652 train operates at a lower speed, and departs from Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, on a journey of 261 km, which terminates in neighboring Guizhou Province. However, this relatively slow train offers a much lower price compared with the speedy bullet trains. The most expensive ticket on the No.5652 train costs only 36.5 yuan (about 5 U.S. dollars), while the cheapest fare is just 6 yuan. For Zhao and rural vendors like her, who get off in the city of Qujing with baskets on their shoulders or backs, the green train offers a very cost-effective ride to a bustling market where they can sell fresh produce at a better price, especially with the Spring Festival drawing near. "We all take the slow train to get here," said Zhao in an interview with Xinhua, while pointing to vendors beside her. "Thanks to a favorable policy in the market, we set up our stalls free of charge, while our products sell pretty fast here at a higher price." As one of the green trains operated by the China Railway Kunming Bureau Group Co., Ltd., the No.5652 is a public-interest oriented train serving people from all walks of life, ranging from small vendors like Zhao to migrant workers and students -- especially those from rural and mountainous areas. In addition to the low fares these trains offer, the Kunming bureau group has also launched a variety of both volunteer and convenient services for passengers in recent years. While China boasts the world's largest network of high-speed railways, which handled nearly 3.3 billion passenger trips throughout 2024, it has also maintained the operation of green-painted trains to provide a more affordable and budget-friendly travel option. In northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, another such train travels through cities including Urumqi, Turpan, Korla, Aksu, Kashgar and Hotan via its 30-hour trip to the southern part of Xinjiang. With an average speed of less than 80 kilometers per hour and a minimum fare of only 4 yuan, this train is affectionately dubbed the "little slow guy" by its passengers. Thanks to its affordable fares, the train has become somewhat of a school bus for students living along the route, while serving as a shuttle bus for farmers and herders needing to work outside. To help local people in southern Xinjiang sell their agricultural products, this train also features regular "mobile bazaars" in designated carriages. During the harvest seasons in summer and autumn, local villagers board such carriages to peddle their fruits, vegetables and other local specialties, or to travel to markets in nearby counties and townships to sell their produce. With the Spring Festival approaching, this train is now also carrying more people home to reunite with their families. According to Xinjiang's local railway department, in the first nine days of 2025, the southern Xinjiang railway had transported a total of 326,200 passengers, an increase of more than 14,000 people compared with the same period in 2024. Were fire walking with him. Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic This article originally ran on September 6, 2017. Were republishing it following David Lynchs death. All of David Lynchs projects are disturbing and brain-scrambling to varying degrees but in real life, tales about the director exude far more warmth as opposed to being unsettling. Did you know about his days as an amateur weatherman? Or how about the 20 cups of instant coffee he would drink daily? What a guy! If youre looking for some postTwin Peaks: The Return reading, look no further than this collection of amusing David Lynch stories. He loves Mad Men so much, he refuses to call the actors by their real names. Back when the AMC drama was still on TV, Lynch had the opportunity to meet Peggy Olsen and Don Draper (or, Elisabeth Moss and Jon Hamm) at a party. Theyre great characters and whoever cast that show did a sensational job. Its great writing, great atmosphere, he said, refusing to acknowledge Moss and Hamm as separate entities. Thats who they are to me. I called Peggy, Peggy. Naturally, the duo didnt mind, according to Lynch: No, not a bit. I met them in Cologne, Germany, and my wife and I had drinks with Peggy in Paris. A few years later, Moss relayed her side of the story during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! From the very beginning of the drinks, he called us by our character names, Don and Peggy. It kept going and we went with it, she explained. Then he emailed me afterwards and he wrote Dear Peggy and finished it with Give my love to Don. He used a cow to campaign for Laura Derns Inland Empire Oscar nomination. While it sadly proved to be unsuccessful, Lynch used an unconventional method to put Dern in the awards-season spotlight for Inland Empire: He sat at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and La Brea in Los Angeles for an entire day, next to a live cow and a large poster of Dern. You know, there are a bunch of Academy members and all sorts of other awards activity going on out there. And people solve problems with money normally. Well, I dont have any money, he later told Wired. Honestly, Im out there with the cow, and meeting the greatest bunch of people. It was so beautiful, such a great day, out with Georgia the cow, beautiful piano music, meeting so many great people. Photo: Chris Pizzello/REUTERS He did the Ice Bucket Challenge with iced coffee. Ever the charitable fellow, Lynch accepted the ALS-fundraising challenge from both Laura Dern and Justin Theroux in the summer of 2014, in which he played Somewhere Over the Rainbow on a trumpet and got soaked with iced coffee and regular ice water. He nominated Vladimir Putin to do it next. He was very, very sweet when he declined directorial duties for Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Before Cameron Crowe ultimately settled on Amy Heckerling to direct his seminal coming-of-age film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, the screenwriter, intrigued by Lynchs work in The Elephant Man and Eraserhead, initially offered him the gig. Lynch hadnt a damn clue why this would be a good idea. He had a very wry smile on his face as I sat talking with him. He went and read it. We met again, Crowe recently explained. He was very, very sweet about it, but slightly perplexed we thought of him. He said this was a really nice story but Its not really the kind of thing that I do, but good luck. He got into the white VW bug and drove off. He spent many years (unofficially) reporting on the weather. If you were a lucky subscriber to Lynchs website in the mid- to late-2000s, you wouldve been privy to occasional weather reports he recorded from his home, where he marveled about the muted golden sunshine or the sub-white clouds encompassing Los Angeles on any given day. Its a shame he stopped, but hey, the Twin Peaks revival was calling. He used to drink 20 cups of instant coffee a day. The obsessive coffee consumer starting knocking back cups of Joe when he was a teenager, eventually reaching a point in adulthood where he would drink 20 large cups of instant coffee a day. (Hes since dialed it down to about seven.) In fact, the caffeinated bean is such an important part of Lynchs life that he was inspired to write all about it in a Huffington Post essay. Coffee became tied to what I called The Art Life. I loved to go to diners and drink coffee and try to catch ideas for the work. Coffee has always seemed to facilitate thinking and catching ideas. Not only that, but the flavor of coffee is beyond the beyond good, he wrote. Even bad coffee is better than no coffee at all. He pissed Mattel off with a coffee commercial. In 2011, Lynch began selling a legitimate and apparently quite tasty coffee line called David Lynch Signature Cup. He promoted the caffeinated beverage with a humorous video that showed a Barbie dolls head talking in the palm of his hand. As it turns out, Mattel didnt love seeing one of its products utter phrases like Is it organic? and Can I have some? The company kindly asked Lynch to remove the video from the posted outlets. He loves eating quinoa so much, he created a surrealist video all about it. So you, too, can experience the joys of quinoa. Quinoa is something that I like to have for dinner every chance I get, he explained before launching into a 20-minute tutorial. Watch the whole thing and youll even get his recipe! He really felt the Bern. While Lynch maintains an official Twitter account he begins every tweet with Dear Twitter Friends hes not an active user, mostly choosing to send out messages into the social-media sphere when he wants to raise awareness for his foundation or other charitable causes. But in 2016, he got so jazzed up about Bernie Sanders running for president, he sent out a slew of tweets to excitedly voice his support. As he perhaps puts it best here: YAY! BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT!!! Dear Twtter Friends, YAY! BERNIE SANDERS FOR PRESIDENT!!! David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) March 29, 2016 California for Bernie !!! Please !!! Bernie is for the people !!! David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) June 3, 2016 He is very good at text messaging. Lynchs sense of humor perhaps best comes across in a texting exchange with his longtime friend Naomi Watts about an afternoon meeting, which soon turns into a fake narrative about Twin Peaks: The Returns Jones family. Im Janey-E and I will come when I want to!!! she texts Lynch. Of course, he responds. Jeez what was I thinking please dont be mad at me should I go up with Dougie to say goodnight to Sonny Jim? Wattss cheeky insistence on bothering Lynch during his me time soon warrants a reprimand: Dear sweet Janey-E. Im trying to meditate now. Im sorry darling but this is sort of trying my patience STOP IT BITCH!!!! Lynch would have been 79 on January 20. Photo: Michael Kovac/FilmMagic David Lynch, the legendary director, writer, and artist behind totemic American works like Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, has died at the age of 78. On the afternoon of January 16, his family posted a statement to his official Facebook page announcing his death, writing, Theres a big hole in the world now that hes no longer with us. But, as he would say, Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole. Its a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way. Born in Missoula, Montana, in 1946, Lynch began his career as a visual artist in Philadelphia in the 1960s, which is where he met his first wife, Peggy Reavey, and had his first child, filmmaker Jennifer Lynch. At the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Lynch combined his painting with animation and filmmaking techniques, leading to a series of early short, experimental films, which in turn led to the development of his first film, Eraserhead, which has become a cult classic and midnight-movie staple since its release in 1977. It was an early example of his unique stamp as a filmmaker, evoking the sort of uniquely haunting dream logic, Surrealism, and strange humor that would go on to make the his very name an adjective. Off of the underground success of Eraserhaed, Lynch made The Elephant Man, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director. This was the first of three Best Director Oscar nominations that Lynch would garner in his lifetime (the others were for Blue Velvet in 1987 and Mulholland Drive in 2002). In the 2022 Sight & Sound critics poll, Mulholland Drive was named one of the top-ten films ever made. Beyond film, Lynch had a celebrated career in television, working with Mark Frost to co-create the beloved ABC series Twin Peaks in 1990, which he followed in 2017 with his final major work, the critically acclaimed and medium-defying Showtime series Twin Peaks: The Return. He acted in both iterations of the series, as well as in the 1992 film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, playing the lovable, hard-of-hearing FBI agent Gordon Cole. In an interview with Sight & Sound in 2024, Lynch revealed that he could no longer work on a film set, as he was suffering from emphysema, but that didnt mean that he would stop directing entirely. I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it, he said. On January 9, 2025, Lynch was evacuated from his home due to the L.A. wildfires. At the time, producer Sabrina Sutherland confirmed that he was safe. Lynch was married four times and is survived by his four children. Photo: Nick Wall/Paramount+ with SHOWTIME Michael Fassbender isnt necessarily the best fit for The Agencys leading man, an elite CIA operative brought back to the London office after years undercover in Sudan. In a mid-season scene, Martian, as hes code-named, has to let an adversary thoroughly beat his ass so as not to blow his cover as a bookish teacher turned novelist. But this is Fassbender were talking about, all gritted teeth, the body of a Greek god. Wouldnt you clock this guy in a crowd? Wouldnt his assailant break a toe kicking that six-pack? Fassbender may be too obviously statuesque for real spycraft, but his performance of an agent cracking under the weight of existential turmoil is so hypnotic that one forgives the incongruous casting choice. An American remake of the great French spy drama Le Bureau des Legendes (also known as The Bureau), The Agency draws from the familiar tradition of spies distorting and destroying everything they touch, not least themselves. Compared with the recent boom of espionage series subverting the traditionally self-serious genre Slow Horsess lovable losers, Black Dovess anarchic sense of humor, The Day of the Jackals soap-opera goofiness this preoccupation seems damn near old-fashioned. But every element of The Agency, from its tangible depiction of spywork to gunmetal-cool cinematography to a killer cast, is operating at the highest possible level. Spy thrillers dont get much better than this. The pilot opens with Martians uneasiness returning to his old life after spending so long in the field. As he juggles the responsibilities of his new management role, he pines for Sami (Jodie Turner-Smith), the lover he left behind in Sudan. Glimpses of their past suggest its the stuff of swooning action-packed romance: A flashback shows the couple evading danger after armed men crash a protest Sami was speaking at. When Martian learns Sami is in London for secret talks over the future of Sudan, he becomes the latest victim of his professions essential contradiction: Risk national security to reunite with his love, or eschew a chance at happiness for the sake of his country? Fassbender sells the conflict with an uneasy stillness betrayed by his persistently searching eyes. Even alone in the dark of his apartment, Martian cant settle in. Its as if his original identity, the one he just returned to, is just another temporary cover. The Agency takes its time to depict the technical pitter-patter of espionage: swapping vehicles in underground parking lots, staring at spreadsheets for targets, sweeping an apartment for bugs. This attention to detail is oddly compelling, feeding the sense youre watching a finely tuned system populated by capable operators, all of whom bring their own personalities and quirks to the enterprise. Because as much as The Agency hums along on Martians existential drama, its also, quietly, a workplace sitcom. Station chief Bosko, despite being imbued with Richard Geres star power, is fundamentally a grumpy bureaucrat pushing his team for results at the behest of Dominic Wests pugnacious CIA director, and theres real delight in watching Gere flip off a subordinate as he takes a reprimand from another superior. Jeffrey Wrights Henry, a gentler middle-management soul, has the misfortune of being longtime mentor to the subtly megalomaniacal Martian while suffering the everyday indignities of corporate life, including rats in his office. These interpersonal politics add a verisimilitude thats central to The Agencys allure: For all the grandiose mythology surrounding state espionagework, its still just a job. Professional spies might be dealing with life-or-death stakes on a daily basis, but theyre also people who jockey over meeting rooms, too. This is all true to The Agencys source material. Led by showrunners Jez and John-Henry Butterworth, the Showtime series is an American adaptation of the critically acclaimed French series The Bureau, which ran for five seasons between 2015 and 2020. Indeed, for large swaths of the show, The Agency is even a beat-for-beat remake; an early sequence in which Martian runs a new employee through a quick trial at a cafe re-creates the same scene in the French series almost word for word. This isnt a bad thing. The Bureau, for my money, ranks among the best television ever made largely for the same reasons The Agency works so well: Its cerebral; its sweeping; it feels like a plausible facsimile of real-world espionage concerns. But the heights of The Bureau also stem from how its so very French. That Malotru (Mathieu Kassovitz), the French counterpart to Martian, is willing to throw aside patriotism for love is very New Wave. Watching operatives from the DGSE, the French equivalent to the CIA, skulk around the gorgeous streets of Paris is half the fun, and you can even see something approximating the French self-image of a country in tune with lifes finer comforts in the many expository sequences of DGSE spies chatting over better-than-average cafeteria salads. As The Bureau progresses through its seasons, the series emerges as a kind of meditation on postcolonial France, a country that must deal with geopolitical crises in regions tied to its imperial history without getting stomped on by the Americans. This context makes The Agencys near-beat-for-beat closeness to its source material a little curious. It appears intent on seeing out The Bureaus course, albeit with modernizing tweaks and American flourishes: Theres more rah-rah action; the CIAs digs are much grander than the DGSEs; an operation set in Algeria during The Bureau now takes place on the front lines of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. But there are unavoidable key differences that shift the original series thematic texture. The Bureau told the story of a spy adrift, working in the shadow of a faded empire. Over the course of that series, Malotru tumbles deeper into ambiguity over whose loyalties he ultimately serves. The Agency seems to be telling the same story but swapping in America for France adds a poignant timeliness. Watching The Agency, which is set in 2023, in the lead-up to a second Trump administration with all of the president-elects neoManifest Destiny gesticulations toward acquiring Greenland and the Panama Canal as well as the further dissolution of world order that his return to power portends is uncanny. As Martian inches closer to the line of throwing his country aside, whats pulling him forward is the dream of his own life. But watching the world around us, its hard not to sense hes being pushed, too. NEW DELHI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- At least two paramilitary troopers belonging to India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were wounded Thursday after a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said. The IED explosion took place in the forest area of Putkel village of Bijapur district, about 367 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh. "This morning, a blast took place in the forest area of Putkel under Basaguda police station limits wounding two CRPF personnel," a police official said. "The CRPF personnel, part of a joint contingent, were out on an area domination duty when the pressure IED planted by the Naxals exploded." According to police, the wounded personnel were immediately removed from the hospital and undergoing treatment there. Last week, eight policemen and a driver were killed after a vehicle they were traveling in was blown up by an IED blast triggered by Naxals in the district. Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India. India's former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh once termed the Naxalite movement as India's "greatest internal security challenge". New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds. The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of poor inhabitants homeless. Lufthansa acquires 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways. Italy and Lufthansa reached a deal on Wednesday for the German airline to acquire a minority stake in state-owned ITA Airways, following two years of talks. Lufthansa has acquired a 41 per cent stake in ITA Airways, the successor to Alitalia as Italy's flag carrier, through a 325 million capital raise. The remaining 59 per cent is still held by the Italian ministry of economy and finance however Lufthansa's stake is set to gradually increase to 100 per cent by 2033, for a total investment of 829 million. Under the agreement, Lufthansa has operational control of ITA Airways although the Italian state retains the right of review over strategic decisions. A five-member board of directors of ITA Airways was named on Wednesday, with Joerg Eberhart appointed as CEO and Sandro Pappalardo chairman. Eberhart, a former CEO of Air Dolomiti, is currently head of strategy for Lufthansa, while Italian air force pilot Pappalardo is a member of the board of directors of Italy's state tourism agency Enit. Last summer the European Commission approved the ITA Airways deal, which dates back to 2023, subject to certain conditions to protect EU competition laws, including the sale of flight slots in Milan. Photo credit: Santi Rodriguez / Shutterstock.com. By Cate McCurry, Cillian Sherlock and Jonathan McCambridge, PA Micheal Martin has said he is absolutely committed to serving three years as taoiseach as he hailed the ambition of a new draft programme for government, which is expected to lead to the formation of Irelands next government. The programme was published on Wednesday as Fianna Fail and Fine Gael held parliamentary party meetings to sign off on the 162-page document. Smaller class sizes, reduced childcare costs and more gardai are among the measures included. Simon Harris will take on the role of Taoiseach from mid-November 2027 (Niall Carson/PA) The governmental plan, agreed between the two main parties and independent TDs, also confirms that Mr Martin will hold the office of taoiseach until November 16th, 2027. It will then rotate to the leader of Fine Gael, Simon Harris for at least two years. It will now be the subject of approval by the party memberships over the coming days before a new taoiseach is nominated next Wednesday. Mr Martin told RTE that he hoped to become Taoiseach for the second time. He added: I am absolutely committed to serving out the term because there is an agenda of change and I will work every day of those three years to do what I can to get this programme for government delivered to make life better for people. The current Tanaiste described the draft programme for government as ambitious and denied that environmental issues would be less of a priority than in the previous government. He said: The programme is as ambitious as the last programme was in respect of the need to address climate change and the challenges of biodiversity. He also predicted the new blueprint would deliver in terms of new houses being delivered more quickly. Mr Martin said: We have seen progress on housebuilding, but not enough and it needs to be faster. We have got to get the agencies of state and the mechanisms available to the public service to deliver housing faster. We have a Planning Act that we didnt have at the commencement of the last government. That will hopefully enable us to get decisions more quickly in respect of housing and other infrastructure. That is the other big piece of this programme for government, infrastructure delivery in terms of roads, public rail and so on. Among its measures include the aim to reduce the general pupil-teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government; creating a new public transport security force that would have similar powers to the existing airport police; and reducing the cost of childcare to 200 euros per month per child. The draft document includes a pledge to establish a new unit for future planning as well as commitments on a focus on reform at the heart of all Government. Members of the Regional Independent Group Michael Lowry and Gillian Toole, Kevin Boxer Moran, Noel Grealish, and Barry Heneghan speaking after a deal was reached to form Irelands next government. (Brian Lawless/PA) A new public sector pay deal will be linked to the reform agenda, it said. On housing, the programme includes a pledge to ramp up construction capacity to meet new targets of more than 300,000 new homes by the end of 2030. Elsewhere on health measures, the Government says it will explore restrictions on the sale of high-caffeine energy drinks, including a ban on their sale to children as well as ensuring the administration of dermal fillers is only undertaken by trained healthcare professionals. It also pledges to roll out contactless fare payments on all public transport and keep fares low and affordable. Turning to migration, the Government said that those who are processed under the border procedure will not be authorised to enter Ireland. Their applications, appeals and removal decisions must be processed within three months, and this includes will include people who have arrived by crossing the land border with Northern Ireland. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin (Cillian Sherlock/PA) The agreement came following negotiations by teams from Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Regional Independent Group. Regional Independent Group member Noel Grealish will take up the role as super junior minister in the Department of Agriculture, while Sean Canney will be the super junior minister at the Department of Transport. Meanwhile, Longford-Westmeath TD Kevin Boxer Moran will take up a junior role in the Office of Public Works, while Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin will take a junior role in the Department of Higher Education. Members of Regional Independent Group (left to right) Michael Lowry, Barry Heneghan and Kevin Boxer Moran after a deal was reached to form Irelands next government (Brian Lawless/PA) Speaking on behalf of the Regional Independent Group, Michael Lowry said: Weve worked hard, weve put in a long stint, and we have got a result that is very satisfactory for us. Boxer will take up his position in the Office of Public Works. Hes very familiar with it. He did a fantastic job the last time he was in the Office of Public Works. For Boxer to lose his seat at the last election, to bounce back, command the respect and support of the people of his constituency and to come back here on his first week to be appointed to the Office of Public Works is a massive personal achievement. Earlier on Wednesday, it was confirmed that Independent TD Michael Healy-Rae will take a junior minister post in the next government. Danny Healy-Rae and Michael Healy-Rae speak to the media outside Leinster House, Dublin, after it was confirmed that Michael will take up a junior role in the new government (Cate McCurry/PA) The Kerry TD refused to say which department he will be in, adding it is a matter for the incoming taoiseach. Mr Healy-Rae, who will take up a position in Government for the first time, also declined to say if he had secured any deals for his constituency but that the people of Kerry will see the benefits of having the Healy-Rae brothers in Government. Speaking on Wednesday morning, he said that after many years in opposition, he and his brother Danny want to work in government to better their home county of Kerry. Asked which department he will be in, Mr Healy-Rae said: At the end of the day, the giving out of any positions, its obviously a matter for the incoming taoiseach, we will respect that role. It is fair to say that there is an arrangement in place where there will be a role at a department at a minister of state level for the Healy-Raes. Its fair to say that that role will be going in my direction but as for what thats going to be, thats obviously for the direction of the incoming taoiseach. The support of the Healy-Raes now brings the number of TDs backing the next government to 95 TDs. The document took several weeks to compile following a lengthy negotiation process. The next Government has committed to working towards establishing six new surgical hubs across the country, including the delivery of the in-progress hub Waterford, in the draft Programme For Government (PfG) - which is not a surprise as it's already under construction at Maypark Lane in the city. The proposed coalition Government has pledged to deliver two surgical hubs in Dublin and one each in Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The Government has also committed to exploring adding a seventh additional surgical hub for the North West, in a timely manner. In addition to adding to the southeast's surgical capacity, the PfG states that it will work on "building on the existing National Cardiovascular Policy, we will develop a new and more ambitious plan enhancing patient care and timely access across all regions". Waterford TD John Cummins, one of the lead negotiators for Fine Gael in the Government formation talks, said that "while not specifically referencing UHW, there is a significant nod to the further expansion of cardiac care within the Programme for Government" in the commitment given. The draft Programme for Government was presented to the party memberships on Wednesday following an agreement between Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin with the support of the Independent Regional Group. The proposed coalition Government has also promised to "further reduce waiting times, targeting all patients to be seen within the Slaintecare target of 10 and 12 weeks" as more than 350 children currently wait for care, for more than 18 months, at University Hospital Waterford. The proposed Government has also pledged to increase national hospital capacity by between 4,000 and 4,500 new and refurbished inpatient hospital beds across the country, with 100 new ICU beds and to work to deliver more community beds. Sinn Fein MEP for Ireland South Kathleen Funchion has called on the next Government to deliver on the upgrade project for the Port of Waterford. It is now inevitable that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, propped up by Independents, will form the next Government," MEP Funchion said from Brussels. "Whilst I do not believe this is good news for workers or families, I would still urge the incoming government to deliver the policy changes needed to help those who are struggling and to help our regions develop," she added. She also urged the next Government to prioritise the upgrade of Waterford Port: One such project I believe the next Government must prioritise is the upgrade for Waterford Port." The MEP for Ireland South said that she met with the management of the Port of Waterford and said it was "clear to see their ambition for the region". "The Port can play a role in helping us meet our climate objectives, and boost economic activity in the region," she said. I would therefore urge the next government to finally deliver on the Port of Waterford upgrade so that the entire region can benefit. The chief investor in Waterford Airport has described the inclusion of the regional airport's development project in the Programme for Government as a "massive step forward". "This is a massive step forward, this really is a massive step for us," said William Bolster, the largest shareholder of the airport, a member of the board and the owner of the Bolster Group, who believes this is a positive indicator for the future of the project to develop the airport. The proposed coalition government comprised of Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the Independent Regional Group has committed to work to "quickly progress the Waterford Airport project" in the draft Programme for Government published today, Wednesday, January 15. The Programme for Government commits to work with all stakeholders to quickly progress the Waterford Airport project to lengthen and widen the runway, building on the previous government decision of 2019". This comes on the back of pre-election promises from both major Government parties to progress the development of the airport following a scandal in which Fianna Fail Minister of State James Lawless described the business case as a "pig in a poke". "It's thanks to Deputy John Cummins and [Minister of State] Mary Butler that we have this good news, but the work only begins when we find out who the Minister [of Transport] is," the airport investor stated. Mr Bolster said that "things went very quiet for a while" regarding the airport but that he expects the issue to regain attention "when the government is formed". The draft Programme for Government was presented to the party memberships today following an agreement between Fine Gael leader Simon Harris and Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin, with the support of the Independent Regional Group. It will now be the subject of approval by the party memberships over the coming days. JAKARTA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia started to export steel products in the form of welded beams to New Zealand with a volume of 1,210 metric tons worth 1.5 million U.S. dollars on Wednesday. "Today's export to New Zealand reinforces Indonesia's position as the world's seventh-largest supplier of iron and steel products, with export values reaching 28.41 billion U.S. dollars," said Budi Santoso, minister of trade, during the export release in Bekasi. According to the ministry, iron and steel are among Indonesia's main non-oil and gas exports, with an average growth rate of 38.79 percent over the last five years. The ministry promotes national steel exports by fostering market growth and implementing zero percent tariffs, especially under the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement scheme. To support steel industry stakeholders, extensive trade promotions are being conducted through exhibitions, trade missions, and business-to-business matchmaking with international buyers. The largest IRA engagement that occurred in east Waterford during the War of Independence was commemorated recently in a ceremony organised by the Waterford Sinn Fein McGrath O'Brien Cumann. The event, held to commemorated the 104th anniversary of the Pickardstown ambush, was chaired by Conor Donegan, from the Cumann. Among those in attendance were Deputies David Cullinane and Conor McGuinness, along with other party members and the general public. Cllr. Pat Fitzgerald read the East Waterford Roll of Honour, which lists all members of the East Waterford Brigade IRA who laid down their lives in their country's cause between the years 1916 and 1923. Robert Clancy, who died in the Curragh internment camp in 1941, was added to the Roll of Honour in 1997. Family members laid their wreaths on the shrine as the piper, Tony Wallace, played a lament and the colour party dipped their flags. A minute's silence followed. Jim, Billy and Oisin Heylin also laid a wreath in honour of Billy's father, Vol. James Heylin, who participated in the ambush and survived. James was a close friend of Vol. Michael McGrath, who alongside O'Brien was the other fatality of that tragic night The Proclamation of Poblacht na hEireann was read by Cumann member Sharon Walsh and the oration was then jointly delivered by Deputies Cullinane and McGuinness. Deputy McGuinness closed his contribution by reminding the gathering that: ''The only fitting tribute we can give Michael McGrath, Thomas OBrien and all that generation of visionary Irish men and women is to build the Republic they dreamed of and fought for - a truly independent and sovereign state with fairness for all, and the welfare of its people as its driving force." "Sadly, it seems the incoming Government will not bring us any closer to that goal," he said. "Lacking both the will and the policy to bring about the political change our country needs so desperately," he added. Deputy McGuinness went on to comment: "Against this backdrop of more-of-the-same, our task must be to keep working towards political change and a Republic worthy of the great sacrifices made here at Pickardstown Cross''. Eithne Skehan, John Quinlan and Seamie Skehan were in attendance remembering their relative Vol. Thomas O'Brien, who sacrificed his life in the course of the ambush. They laid a wreath on the shrine in his honour The commemoration was brought to a close by the singing of our the national anthem and the piper and colour party led the procession back down to the cross. Following the formalities of the ceremony the attendees retired to Raglan Road for a social function. The events at Pickardstown, a location close to Tramore, took place on the night of January 7, 1921. The ambush was conceived by Paddy Paul, the leader of the IRA East Waterford Brigade at the time. He gathered volunteers from around the local area, including from within Waterford City units, and also members of the West Waterford flying column led by George Lennon. In total 50 volunteers were involved in the ambush who faced off against 40 British troops. The ambush resulted in two IRA members being killed, Michael McGrath and Thomas O'Brien, with two more members being injured. On the British side one soldier and one Black and Tan, were also injured. For more information about the event visit the website here Gardai in Waterford are seeking the publics help in identifying two people who forced a young man with learning disabilities to withdraw money from an ATM. At approximately 1.50pm on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, a 21-year-old man with learning disabilities, was walking up John Street in Waterford City Centre. As he neared the Centra on Johns street, he was stopped by a male and a female, who he did not know. They demanded cash from this young man and then walked to an ATM opposite the Kazbar and forced him to withdraw a sum of money. The man is described as a white male, around 27 years old, with brown hair, facial hair on his chin, 5ft 9in in height, chubby build, wearing a light black jacket and black tracksuit. The woman is described as a white female, around 25 years old, with blonde hair, 5ft 8in in height, with distinctive eyebrows. She was wearing a cream-white jacket with no sleeves. Gardai at Waterford Crime Unit are looking to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and may have observed this incident to contact them on 051 303500 you can also use the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111. Did you ever get the ominous feeling that the powers that be have their eye off the ball yet again? Thats what hit me, yet again, during last week when I spotted two ships on the horizon in clear view of the shoreline, off the coast of Tramore. I was sitting in the freezing conditions of post-New Year and minding my own business when the general chat around me turned to a few questions about the large ship activity in the bay recently. Who, what and why, they asked. The chat quickly spread around the crowd in Mollys enjoying the cold sunny day. Maybe its to do with those wind turbines? one man said. Can you imagine what our lives will be like when the bay becomes an industrialised zone? said another. I will tie myself to the Metal Man rather than let that happen? said one of my granny friends. Lets not lose the run of ourselves I thought. Well those ships could be there for anything? I said. But no one wanted to hear that. Already there is some alarm at what influence or power any of us have to understand the reach and impact of the changes that need to happen to feed our lifestyles. The conversation turned to energy. We have to have alternative energy, we all agreed, but it has to safeguard our precious coastline. Holy cow (and other phrases) came to mind as I walked away wondering if I had been half asleep about all this. I knew that the wind turbines were a possibility, but I suppose I thought that the Government would ensure that our most precious amenities and our marine wildlife would be protected? Having immersed myself in the proposals now Im not so sure. Are we all half asleep when it comes to facing our future? There is no doubt that we will have to change our way of life and everything that we could assume before when climate change forces us. We need alternative sources of energy. We have to act to catch up on our carbon reduction targets. We cant just keep saying not in my backyard. So I now understand that the wind turbine project will happen. Talking to everyone I meet, I get the impression that we have all accepted that. The general plan for these 300 metre tall turbines (think of the Eiffel Tower as a size guide) have already been approved in principle. But heres where the sticking point is. There are four agreed sites off the coast of Waterford, Tramore and the Copper Coast. We may not like any of this but in general we accept the three that are 22-29 kilometres from our beautiful coastline, our homes and businesses, Zone B, C and D. Zone A, which is to be built 12.4 kilometres from our shores, is far too close to everything that we hold dear as a community! I for one will be joining my granny friend and tying myself to the Metal Man if they even attempt to grant planning permission for turbines that are so close to our homes, our beaches and our thriving businesses! Its not a time to sit back and hope for the best. There is no point in building something that is already out of date. Our protected marine life, our incredible local amenities, our whole lifestyle here needs far more attention and protection. Im listening out for our new TDs to comment, but there seems to be a deafening silence. Only recently I was writing about the fact that Tramore residents once lived with a dump right in the middle of the lake behind the Prom. What were they thinking! When that had to be moved it was put just behind the beach only to be moved again when people copped on yet again. We now have a stunning Eco Park there. Can you imagine how half asleep we all were then? Lets not make any more similar and huge mistakes! Time to wake up! As I am still only catching up with what has been happening I would like to see all of the objections made public. Listen to me now Eirgrid! Your website and Submission Portal might as well be down in a dark well! How on earth are ordinary people supposed to engage with this process through that labyrinth? What is going to happen, if we are not careful, is that the few people who understand how to sift through all of this will simply become more and more isolated and the rest of us will be left behind. Meanwhile, back to the crowd outside of Mollys trying to get their heads around what might be happening. Well we met up again. This time we were armed with more information. Now we agree that we would like to see an Environmental Impact Study as to the possible effects of this whole development on our environment, on fishing, on tourism and on nature. We would also like to know who amongst our politicians, local councillors and activists will stand against this unsuitable location of Zone A? We welcome the opportunity for real clean, sustainable energy but not in Zone A, no matter how shallow or convenient that area is. Thanks to Blue Horizon (www.bluehorizon.ie/) for raising this exact issue all along and being our eyes and ears when we needed it. By Jonathan McCambridge, PA Taoiseacj Simon Harris has welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal following 15 months of immense human suffering and destruction. Mr Harris said he hoped the deal will now receive the formal approval of the Israeli government. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal which promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and would allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. Mr Harris said: The brutal war we have witnessed has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of civilians, including more than 17,000 innocent and vulnerable children. More than 100,000 have been physically injured or maimed, many of them losing limbs or suffering other life-altering injuries. Hostages have been held in captivity for more than 465 days, away from their families and loved ones. They too have endured the most horrific suffering and distress. I hope that all sides will seize this opportunity, fully honouring their commitments, allowing hostages to return to their families and the people of Gaza to begin rebuilding their lives and I hope that it will lead to a permanent arrangement. The Taoiseach said the international community must play its part by working to put a process in place that can lead to lasting peace. He said: This will only be achieved through a two-state solution, with the state of Israel living in peace and security alongside a sovereign state of Palestine. Tanaiste, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence, Micheal Martin said the ceasefire deal had been a long-awaited development (Brian Lawless/PA) Tanaiste Micheal Martin said it had been a long-awaited development. He said: We need to see a massive scale-up of humanitarian aid into Gaza, return of basic services and a clear framework under which those displaced as part of the conflict can return. Palestinian Authority governance is crucial in this regard, as is the role of UN and humanitarian agencies, including UNRWA, who must be allowed to operate fully and without hindrance. I commend the facilitators, notably the US, Egypt and Qatar, for their sustained efforts over recent months and urge that these discussions are sustained with a view to ensuring full implementation of this agreement. A Queensland social media influencer has been charged with torture, with police alleging she deliberately poisoned her daughter to post about the sick 12-month-old to solicit donations and online followers. The child was put through such severe emotional and physical distress, police allege, that she could have died. On Thursday, child protection detectives formally charged the 34-year-old woman with five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things, and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud. A Queensland mother stands accused of torturing her daughter to boost her social media presence. Police allege the woman, a social media influencer, poisoned her daughter to solicit donations and followers. Credit: QPS It is alleged the crimes occurred between August 6 and October 15 last year. A young Melbourne woman was house-sitting for her brother and his wife, taking care of their dog while the couple were away on their honeymoon, when the unthinkable happened. About 2am on Thursday, the 27-year-old made a panicked call to triple zero. She told the operator the house she was staying in Truganina, in the citys outer west, was engulfed in flames and she was trapped inside. But it was too late. Hours later, police would stand outside the blackened, scorched remains of the three-storey townhouse and tell reporters they believed the woman had been killed in an intentional attack though she was not the target. It gives us a little bit of hope but anything could happen, Shachar said. With Hamas, you can get a sign of life, they can tell you one thing, and five minutes after it can be a completely different situation. No one really knows. We are waiting to see Naama back home. Until we see that, its still the same thing for us. That feeling is familiar to Melbourne man Dan Monheit, whose relative Margalit Moses was released unexpectedly after 49 days in Hamas underground tunnels after being abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz. Now his family hopes her ex-husband, Gadi, in his 80s, will be released as part of the ceasefire deal. Dan Monheits relative Margalit Moses was released after 49 days by Hamas. Now hes waiting for Margalits ex-husband Gadi to be free. Credit: Chas Mackinnon Under the terms of the reported ceasefire agreement, 33 hostages will be released in the first 42 days. There are about 100 Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza of about 250 initially seized, but it is unknown how many are still alive. As part of the ceasefire, Israel will allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza, withdraw its troops from parts of the enclave, and release Palestinian prisoners. The second stage of the ceasefire is intended to include a more permanent end to the war that has claimed about 46,000 Palestinian lives according to the Gaza health ministry and began after Hamas October 7, 2023 attack that killed about 1200 Israelis. Loading Monheit said news of the ceasefire created a very strange feeling. In one regard, you feel relief and joy but there have been moments where it felt close before. So theres this sort of trepidation of not letting yourself get too happy or excited until our family have crossed the border and are actually in safe arms, he said. Monheit will not celebrate yet. His familys lives have been on hold for 15 months while campaigning for Gadis release. But we dont know if hes alive or dead. This is part of the psychological torture these organisations inflict on us. He was in a proof of life video some months ago, but weve got no idea, he said. The father-of-two said he was also feeling dread about the future security of his family and of Israel due to what he said was a terrible deal because Palestinian prisoners would be released too. Melbourne woman Keren Zelwer, who has been advocating for the release of all hostages, also had mixed feelings after a restless night on Wednesday. Its a great thing thats happening, that theyre coming home. But we still have heavy hearts, Zelwer said. Its not a perfect deal, we would love to see them released all at once but this is the deal thats available, and I do think it needs to be taken. Were not giving up until we get them all home, were not going to stop advocating. So its not over. Palestinian woman Hadil Albarqi had stopped waiting up for news about a possible ceasefire because she had lost hope it would happen. Palestinian woman Hadil Albarqi has been in Australia for four years. Her mother and brother remain in Gaza. Credit: Jason South Its been going on for a long time, all these ceasefire talks. And they always fail. You get your hopes up, and then it just fails, she said. Albarqi was overwhelmed when she awoke in Melbourne, where she has lived for four years to study, thinking of her mother and brother in Khan Younis. Youre kind of relieved that hopefully there is no more killing. People get to rest and breathe again. And maybe its just the beginning of something better. But at the same time: at what cost? With all the loss, the pain and everything, you cant celebrate or enjoy the news, Albarqi said. Albarqi said her mother did not intend to leave Gaza, despite everything. This is where she lived all of her life, and this is her home, she said. Loading But they dont know what that will look like. The situation is disastrous. For other Palestinian families, even though an end to the conflict could be ahead, returning home is not. Rami Tarazi, who arrived in Sydney with his wife, son and parents last June, hoped Thursdays news meant his extended family would soon be able to join them. Their homes in Gaza were destroyed and his in-laws and sisters have been sheltering in a church, while the children have been forced to suspend their education. We call them daily, to make sure they are breathing and theyre still alive, he said. His own trigger to flee was the struggle to find formula milk cans for his son, now aged two. LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. private space technology company Blue Origin launched its massive New Glenn rocket early Thursday on its first test flight. The uncrewed mission is intended to carry Blue Origin's Blue Ring Pathfinder payload to orbit. The rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the U.S. state of Florida at 2:03 a.m. Eastern Time (0703 GMT). About three minutes after launch, Blue Origin confirmed the main engine cut-off and stage separation. Later, the company confirmed New Glenn's second stage and payload were in orbit. The rocket's first stage failed to land on a platform located downrange in the Atlantic as planned. The Blue Ring Pathfinder will remain onboard New Glenn's second stage for the duration of an expected six-hour mission. Pathfinder is a payload that will test key technologies for Blue Origin's Blue Ring orbital transfer vehicle. During the mission, it will validate Blue Ring's communications capabilities from orbit to ground. The mission will also test its in-space telemetry, tracking and command hardware, and ground-based radiometric tracking that will be used on Blue Ring's future space vehicle, according to Blue Origin. "This is our first flight, and we've prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations is a replacement for flying this rocket," Blue Origin said on the social media platform X. "Our key objective today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake," said the company. New Glenn stands more than 98 meters high and features a seven-meter payload fairing, enabling twice the volume of standard five-meter class commercial launch systems. Its reusable first stage is designed for operating at least 25 missions and is powered by seven of Blue Origin's BE-4 engines, the most powerful liquid oxygen (LOX)/liquefied natural gas (LNG)-fueled oxygen-rich staged combustion engines ever flown, according to Blue Origin. Washington: Departing US President Joe Biden addressed the nation twice on the same day: once to farewell Americans after a political career spanning half a century, and once to announce a hostage deal his administration had been working on for months. On both occasions, he was overshadowed by Donald Trump. Joe Bidens presidency began in the shadow of Donald Trump and is now ending in much the same way. Credit: Marija Ercegovac After more than 15 months of war, and with only five days left in Bidens presidency, a ceasefire in Gaza has finally been reached. The agreement, as he pointed out, was the exact framework of the three-phase proposal his team put forward in May, starting with a six-week ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza and the release of some hostages held by Hamas. On 15 January 2025, the World Customs Organization (WCO) held its 2nd Symposium on Removing counterfeits from e-commerce. This event was aimed at discussing issues arising from substandard, counterfeit and falsified medicines and medical devices traded through e-commerce. The Symposium, held in a hybrid mode, was organized thanks to the financial support of the Customs Cooperation Fund of Japan (CCF/Japan). Some 1193 participants, representing the voices of a diverse range of stakeholders, registered for the event. This confirms the importance of holding discussions on the issue of intellectual property right (IPR) infringements involving goods traded via e-commerce. In his opening remarks, the Representative of the WCO Secretariat highlighted the main objectives of the WCO IPR Strategy 2020. This Strategy emphasizes the need to ensure engagement by all the relevant stakeholders when addressing the issue of counterfeit goods and, more specifically, stakeholders affected by the sale of medicines via e-commerce. Taking the floor next, the Representative of Japan Customs underlined the significance of the event and welcomed the WCO's continued efforts to address IPR issues in e-commerce as this was one of the major emerging challenges facing Customs. Professor Saifuddin Ahmed, Department of Population, Family and Reproductive Health at the Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University opened the first session with a keynote speech on the rise of substandard, counterfeit and falsified medicines sold through e-commerce and the challenges this poses. He went on to explain the growing global problem of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, underscoring the gravity of this challenge which went far beyond the realms of healthcare, touching the lives of millions of people and threatening the very fabric of public trust in pharmaceuticals. The ongoing threat to consumer safety posed by the consumption and use of substandard, counterfeit and falsified medicines and medical devices sold online was a key topic during the Symposium. The four speakers on the panel, from the Australian Border Force (ABF), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), Amazon, and La Poste Group, shared well-informed views on the topic. Discussions focused on the scale of the phenomenon; the need to protect consumers from criminal networks that exploit the proliferation of social media and the internet to sell substandard, counterfeit and falsified medicines and medical devices online with impunity; and the importance of Customs engagement to counter this threat successfully. The Representative of the Secretariat brought the event to a close by summarizing the main outcomes of the Symposium and confirming that all the issues related to the threat posed by the sale of counterfeit goods through e-commerce would continue to be monitored closely under the WCO IPR Programme. For further details on the WCOs activities in this area, please contact us at: IPRteam@wcoomd.org. KUALA LUMPUR, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Maybank Investment Bank has said that the tourism upcycle has begun in Malaysia, underpinned by Chinese, Indian and domestic tourists. The research house said in a note on Wednesday that, funded with a record tourism promotion budget and barring major incidents, it is positive for the Malaysian tourism industry. "History tells us that Malaysian tourism industry upcycles begin not during Visit Malaysia Years (VMY) but the years preceding them... We expect Chinese, Indian and domestic tourists to drive growth," it said. According to Maybank, China and India are the only two major source markets that have sent more tourists to Malaysia in 2024 than in 2019. For the first 11 months of this year, Chinese tourist arrivals are 4 percent higher compared to the same period of 2019. It noted that the continued growth in Chinese and Indian tourist arrivals started with Malaysia granting 15-day visa-free access to both nationalities in December 2023. In December 2024, Malaysia announced that it would extend the visa-free access period for Chinese and Indian tourists to 30 days, along with an extension of the visa-free program itself to Dec. 31, 2026, to facilitate VMY 2026. With Malaysia assuming the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) chairmanship this year, it also gathered that more high-yield business travelers from both countries will also visit Malaysia this year. The research house also highlighted that domestic tourism also accelerates in VMYs. This is because the government encourages Malaysians to tour domestically during VMYs to augment the Malaysian tourism industry. According to Maybank, the Malaysian government has set aside 550 million ringgit (122 million U.S. dollars) for tourism promotion this year, the largest budget in history. "Although VMY 2026 is a year away, we are already positive about the Malaysian tourism industry," it said. (1 ringgit equals 0.22 U.S. dollars) BRATISLAVA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two individuals were killed, and one remains in critical condition following a high school attack by an 18-year-old student in eastern Slovakia, local media reported on Thursday. The student carried out the knife attack at a high school in the town of Spisska Stara Ves on Thursday afternoon. The suspect was detained shortly after the incident, according to Presov law enforcement officers. This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a scene of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) NANNING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Mayors, representatives and experts from China and ASEAN countries have gathered in Nanning, capital of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, to discuss urban openness and cooperation during a dialogue that opened Thursday. Themed "Building a China-ASEAN Community of Friendship: Urban Openness and Cooperation," the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event has attracted attendees from ASEAN countries such as Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam. During the event, the participants conducted discussions and exchanges on topics including urban openness and economic cooperation, cultural interactions and integration, and experiences in urban governance. "The economic and trade cooperation between China and ASEAN has grown increasingly close, with bilateral trade volume rising from over 600 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to nearly 1 trillion dollars in 2024," said Nong Shengwen, Party chief of Nanning. "The two sides have achieved deep integration of their industrial, supply and value chains," Nong added. "We understand that friendship is the most valuable aspect of peace and security in a community that will work together to achieve stability, prosperity and sustainable development by encouraging openness and collaboration between cities," said Atsaphangthong Siphandone, governor of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, at the event. This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a performance during the intervals of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a scene of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a scene of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a performance during the intervals of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a performance during the intervals of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows a performance during the intervals of the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) This photo taken on Jan. 16, 2025 shows the official release of the Nanning Initiative during the "Global Mayors Dialogue -- Nanning" event in Nanning, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Lu Boan) SHENZHEN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Siemens Healthineers, a German health technology company, has begun construction on a new manufacturing and research facility in south China's technology hub Shenzhen. With a total investment exceeding 1 billion yuan (about 139.12 million U.S. dollars), the new facility will cover 63,000 square meters and is expected to be operational by the end of 2027. It will focus on the research and production of angiography equipment and core components for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. The new facility will complement the existing healthcare base in Shenzhen, established in 2002, and further enhance its overall capacity. The Shenzhen base is one of Siemens Healthineers' largest research and production sites outside of Germany. China has always been a source of growth and innovation for Siemens Healthineers, said Elisabeth Staudinger, a member of the Siemens Healthineers managing board. The company is excited to further expand its footprint in China with the establishment of the new production and R&D base, she added. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Uisce Eireann has been fined 4000 for its role in a fish kill in a well-known Mayo lake. Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) brought the case against Uisce Eireann at Castlebar District Court for causing deleterious matter, namely effluent discharge from the Mayfield pumping station, to enter Clare Lake in Claremorris. David Harrington, Senior Fisheries Environmental Officer at IFI, gave evidence of receiving a report of a fish kill and water pollution at the lake on April 26, 2024, which he said was a high-value public amenity and a popular angling location. There had been a discharge from the pumping station at this location following a spell of heavy rain. Mr Harrington took three samples from three locations within the lake for further analysis. The first sample came from near the site of the discharge where the officer observed noxious conditions such as bubbles of gas indicating a lack of oxygen and the growth of sewerage fungus. There were nutrients present that simulated the growth of plant life such as algae but this had a negative impact upon the fish, said Mr Harrington. Another sample came from a location that again had excessive nutrients and the presence of sewerage fungus and was devoid of aquatic life. The third sample came from further upstream and had clearer water clarity and aquatic life present. The samples taken near the site of the discharge had elevated levels under the four parameters that Mr Harrington was examining: biological oxygen demand, ammonia, phosphorous and orthophosphate. One of the more than 900 fish killed as a result of the pollution incident. The consequence of this was a significant fish kill with 945 fish, such as roach, perch and bream hybrids, recovered by IFI staff over the course of the next two weeks. Mr Harrington said it was the "worst case scenario" from his view as an environmental officer and it could take between five and ten years for the fish population to recover naturally. He added that IFI is not restocking the lake. Mr Harrington told the court that Uisce Eireann was fully cooperative with the investigation and has taken mitigating steps. He added that no further fish kill has occurred at this location since, and while angling has been significantly reduced at Clare Lake, it still attracts local fishers on a regular basis. Solicitor for IFI, Jonathan Moore with Fieldfisher LLP, said that Uisce Eireann has had 15 previous convictions nationally arising from IFI prosecutions under this same act since 2019. Aoife Sheehan BL, representing Uisce Eireann, said her client took over all wastewater infrastructure in Ireland in 2014 and is actively working to upgrade systems around the country. She said a spell of bad weather put the system at the Mayfield site under pressure. Ms Sheehan said works had been already underway to address infiltration issues at the pumping station and Uisce Eireann has committed "significant resources" and an expenditure of 1.5 million to address the root cause of the issues at Clare Lake. Judge Fiona Lydon imposed a fine of 4,000. In a statement issued after the court case, Uisce Eireann said it is "committed to safeguarding public health and protecting the environment in all our activities". "Following an overflow incident in April 2024 which regretfully resulted in a fish kill in the Clare Lake, Claremorris, we put in place a number of measures to reduce overflows at Clare Lake and ensure such an incident does not recur." Referring to the investment of 1.5 million in infiltration works, the utility company said these included: Rehabilitation of 2km of sewer pipelines in Claremorris town to reduce the volume of ground water entering Mayfield pumping station. Replacement of foul pumps to increase throughput at Mayfield Pumping Station. Improvements to telemetry and monitoring at Mayfield and connection to the INTS (National Telemetry system). The company added: "In addition, Uisce Eireann also recently completed works to reconstruct a section of sewer near Mayfield where significant ground water infiltration was occurring. Reinstatement works on site will be completed shortly." I thought I might say a few words for the crow. The crow generally gets a bad press. Even Aesop, that famed philosopher and creator of childrens fables showed up the poor humble crow in a bad light with his story of how the wily old fox tricked the crow out of his supper by inviting the crow to sing and thus let his chunk of cheese fall to the fox who licked his lips and devoured the appetiser. Hitchcock, in his horror film The Birds, had plenty of our feathered friends that could have been vilified but he chose to put the horror spotlight on the benighted crow. Perhaps, like the swallow, if the crow was to fly south to the sun for six months, he might be more appreciated. Its the time of year when I spend some time watching the Newport House crows searching for signs of the weather. I have outlined here previously how the Newport House crows build their nests higher up in the trees when they foresee a good summer coming. The higher up the tree the greater the light that shines on the nests to keep young chicks warm. Its just common crow sense. Some of my more astute and critical readers have observed in the past that the Breaffy House crows and their corvine cousins in Coolcronan House maintain their rookery at the same level every year and it does not interfere with the summer weather. Such people do not give credit to the superior intellect of the Newport House crow. It may have something to do with the sea air which the Newport House crows have in abundance. I have seen crows engage in aerobatic displays, dipping and diving, swooping and swaying in mock aerial combat and displaying a graceful precision that would put the Red Arrows to shame. The pigeon which has a coo as against the crows caw is not in the same class. It gets a better press than the crow possibly because its breasts have filled the plates of the aristocracy and abominable shooters for generations, but, apart from being a tasty morsel, it has little to recommend it. It does have a more varied colour pattern but can it compare with the unsullied raven black of the crow? The pigeon nests in greater greenery at much lower levels than the crow and creates a much greater mess. Its smaller cousin, the dove, revered in religious iconography, has been given a new lease of life in recent times at grand wedding ceremonies, but the less said about that particular outrage the better. The little robin with his/her/their warm red breast is everyones favourite and a calendar pin-up, particularly at Christmas time, but he can be a contrary customer especially at this time of year as he protects his territory from invaders who might seek to get on the inside track with an amorous female. David Attenborough, the British broadcaster and naturalist, has not, as far as I know, been bothered to bring his wisdom and natural curiosity to bear on the crow. He has travelled the world and brought attention to the bizarre courting habits of birds (and other animals) as they strut their stuff and plumage in far-flung exotic places. I would not mind travelling to some far-flung places myself in search of enthralling stories but here I have my crow. Its caw may not excite the musical purists but it pleases the female of the species and when it fans its tail feathers it is quite an inviting sight. The crows social interactions are a bit like our own. They stay faithful for life to their partners but they have been known to stray (a bit like some of ourselves, present company excluded!) and engage in extramarital copulations. So, you can see the crow deserves a bit more consideration and perhaps Robert Frost got it right when he penned these words: The way a crow Shook down on me The dust of snow From a hemlock tree Has given my heart A change of mood And saved some part Of a day I had rued. Its a small thing that can lift our mood and Frost spotted the crows good deed. You might ask what the crow has to do with anything in this world but, as Frost observed, its the small things that can lift our spirits and while I was tuned in to Sky News the other afternoon (with nothing better to do!) I came across Mr Donald Trumps (as US President Elect he is entitled to the respect of his proper title) interview and I must say he lifted my spirits with a truly hilarious performance. He had me chuckling away at almost every throwaway line he uttered. He was just brilliant. The issue sensible and highly regarded politicians around the (free) world just could not figure out was how serious Mr Trump was. Could he be serious when he promised to bring hell on earth to Gaza? He couldnt. How could he visit hell on earth to a people who have had hell on earth already visited on them by Netanyahu and the people of Israel. He was just giving the message to Hamas to release the hostages and to Israel to get in and complete the carnage before Joe Biden leaves the stage. Gaza is a mess he just does not want to deal with. He then went on to ruffle the feathers of the people of Denmark by suggesting that he could invade Greenland as it is vital to American economic and defence interests. After all Greenland is close to Russia and, as Putin is the worlds number one terrorist following the invasion of Ukraine, it would make sense for the US to invade Greenland and see off the Putin threat. So, of course he could not rule out the use of force. Mr Trump could not leave the Chinese out in the cold without some mention. The Chinese, according to Mr Trump, have taken over the Panama Canal which is vital to US economic interests, so he could not rule out the use of force to secure the canal. Im sure the Chinese, whatever about the Panamanians, are shivering in their boots at the prospect. He refrained from threatening to invade Canada and Mexico (thought he did not rule it out; he just didnt mention it) but he left both countries in no doubt that they would face severe economic sanctions and just in case anyone was not taking him seriously he renamed the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America. Mr Trump is taking no prisoners as he sets about Making America Great Again and he is not even waiting until he gets into the White House. Fair play to him, he had the worlds press salivating on his every word and, in the view of this humble scribe, it was just brilliant how he played them for the gullible accomplices they are. He failed to mention Ireland. RTE must not have been invited to the press conference and so he did not add to the hysteria that already exists around the threat of economic policies that could see an end to the windfall taxes that have underpinned the wonderful economy we have. A jolt of reality might do our politicians no harm. A jolt of reality might do the people of this country no harm. We might of course curry favour with Mr Trump by booking into the Trump Doonbeg resort. Thought for the Day No one ever damaged their eyesight by looking on the bright side. The Programme for Government and the ceasefire agreed in Gaza makes the front pages of Thursday's papers. The Irish Times leads with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael denying there has been any special deals agreed for Independent TDs who have agreed to form a coalition. The Irish Examiner leads with Micheal Martin set to become Taoiseach next week following the coalition agreement. The Echo also leads Micheal Martin becoming Taoiseach, as he says his priorities are housing, infrastructure, and the reform of disability services. The Irish Independent leads with a poto of celebrations in Gaza after a ceasesfire was agreed between Israel and Hamas. The Belfast Telegraph also leads with a photo of reaction to the ceasefire in Gaza. Their main story is Gerry Adams' potential compensation could be capped at 1. The Irish Daily Mail leads with Junior ministers set for thousands worth of expenses as part of a coalition agreement. The Irish Daily Mirror leads with a Holocaust survivor saying they will not attend a memorial service if President Michael D Higgins speaks at the event. The Irish Daily Star leads with Michael and Danny Healy Rae joining the coalition, as the price of Guinness is set to increase once again. British papers A ceasefire in Gaza leads Thursdays front pages. The i, the Financial Times and The Times splash on Gaza and Tel Aviv amid news of a deal stuck deal between Israel and Hamas. Thursday's front page: Ceasefire: Israel and Hamas reach deal to end war and free hostages#TomorrowsPapersToday Latest from @KieronMonks: https://t.co/bdvNfxml0X pic.twitter.com/bJs3oOhFdU The i Paper (@theipaper) January 15, 2025 Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Thursday 16 January https://t.co/tFx2JRGn4u pic.twitter.com/V2GoIszeni Financial Times (@FT) January 15, 2025 The Times: Ceasefire joy on both sides #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/DAInBh3nxj George Mann (@sgfmann) January 15, 2025 Meanwhile, The Guardian reports the agreement will see the first group of hostages freed over the weekend in exchange for Palestinian detainees. The Guardian: Hope of end to dark chapter with Israel-Hamas ceasefire #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/hT6H3He8f0 George Mann (@sgfmann) January 15, 2025 Back on British soil, the Daily Mail writes dead patients are lying undiscovered for hours in A&E because staff are too overstretched to notice amid news of a damning 460-page report into the state of the NHS. Daily Mail: THE SHAME AND HORROR OF NHS CORRIDOR CARE #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/JrF4mgg1ZS George Mann (@sgfmann) January 15, 2025 The Daily Mirror leads on claims from a nursing union that the NHS is in its worst state ever after 10 years of underfunding. And heartbroken nurses have described harrowing scenes of dying patients crammed in hospital corridors, according to the Daily Express. Daily Express: LIKE WATCHING A HORRID FILM I CANT STOP #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/O1iO8jGv8x George Mann (@sgfmann) January 15, 2025 The Sun leads on an exclusive about the 2008 murder of schoolboy Jimmy Mizen. Metro reports wrongly convicted Andy Malkinson has still not received compensation two years after he was cleared of a crime he did not commit. Tomorrow's Papers Today A DOUBLE INJUSTICE As appeals chief claims 'I'm a scapegoat,' wronged Andy still waits for payout over 17yrs jail#tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/68tYGA27CA Metro (@MetroUK) January 15, 2025 Lastly, the Daily Star splashes on the best way to eat a Cadbury Creme Egg. Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) "The ceasefire brings hope, but we need unrestricted movement of humanitarian teams and supplies to reach those in need," the World Food Programme said. UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- With the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas offering a ray of hope to millions of people in the Gaza Strip after nearly 15 months of devastating conflicts, UN aid agencies continue to provide assistance while mobilizing for a surge in relief deliveries. The Gaza ceasefire agreement announced on Wednesday will take effect on Sunday, although some last-minute challenges have popped up, possibly threatening the effective date as hostilities continue. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Thursday it continues to receive reports of Palestinians killed due to the ongoing bombardment of Gaza. The World Food Programme (WFP) reported that it is standing by to bring food into Gaza. "We have 80,000 tons of food waiting outside Gaza or on its way in," WFP said in a post on social media platform X, adding the food is enough to feed more than 1 million people for about three months. "The ceasefire brings hope, but we need unrestricted movement of humanitarian teams and supplies to reach those in need," WFP said. However, aid isn't only delivered in the form of food. Palestinians are seen among the rubble at the site of destroyed houses after an Israeli bombardment in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, on Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) OCHA said the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners facilitated the medical evacuation of 12 patients and nearly three dozen companions from the Gaza Strip. Most are suffering from cancer and immunological disorders, and they will receive treatment in Albania, France, Norway and Romania. WHO said that as the ceasefire takes hold, more countries must step forward to receive additional patients for specialized treatment. More than 12,000 people are awaiting medical evacuation outside Gaza, where the health system has been shattered by more than 15 months of conflict. The UN relief agency for Palestinians (UNRWA) reported that over 1,070 UNRWA health staff work in health centers, temporary clinics and medical points across Gaza, providing more than 16,000 health consultations daily. The office said UNRWA's medical teams also ensure specialized support for patients. On Jan. 11 alone, they provided care for nearly 1,100 pregnant and post-natal women at high risk, dental and oral health services for almost 600 patients, and physiotherapy for more than 300 patients. Alleging UNRWA is infiltrated with members of Hamas, Israel passed a law barring the agency from operating in Gaza effective the end of this month. Spokespersons for the United Nations have repeatedly said that UNRWA, employing 30,000 people in the region, will continue to provide aid in the strip and that the world body is not planning to withdraw. By Qabil Ashirov On January 14, 2025, Colonel Jalil Khalilov, the Chairman of the Organization of War, Labor, and Armed Forces Veterans, met with a group of veterans of the 44-day Patriotic War. During the meeting, Colonel Jalilov answered the veterans' questions and spoke about the historic heroism demonstrated by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces under the leadership of the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev during the 44-day Patriotic War. The chairman of the organization noted that in the 44-day Patriotic War of 2020, the courage and professionalism of Azerbaijani soldiers, the unity of our people, and the military genius of President Ilham Aliyev led our country to victory in this historic trial, liberating the occupied territories from Armenian fascists. Colonel Jalilov thanked the veterans for their heroism in the Patriotic War and emphasized the necessity of continuing to unite closely around the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief. He stated that in the current post-war period, maintaining our unity and supporting the President's every call is the main guarantor of future successes. After the meeting, the veterans were familiarized with the Organization of War, Labor, and Armed Forces Veterans, and visited the corners dedicated to the Great Leader Heydar Aliyev and the victorious Supreme Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev. Membership cards were presented to the veterans who joined the organization. CAIRO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Countries in the Middle East have welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, urging for full implementation of the deal in the hope that it would alleviate the suffering of the people in Gaza Strip and bring long-term stability to the region. In a statement on Thursday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the ceasefire agreement, saying, "It ends the tragic reality in Gaza," and allows the return of displaced Palestinians to their homes. Aoun considered that Israel's commitment to the terms of the agreement requires follow-up by the sponsoring countries and the United Nations, reiterating the Palestinians' right to an independent state with sovereignty over the 1967 borders, according to the statement released by the Lebanese presidency. King Abdullah II of Jordan welcomed the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire, calling on the world to intensify efforts to alleviate the tragedy caused by the war by enhancing humanitarian response, the state-run Petra news agency reported. The king affirmed that Jordan will continue to stand by the people of Palestine, provide aid, and work toward peace, Petra added. The Libyan Foreign Ministry expressed "great welcome and overwhelming happiness for the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip," it said in a statement, hoping that the agreement would "end the suffering of the brotherly Palestinian people from unjust aggression that lasted more than a year." The ministry called on all concerned parties to commit to the terms of the agreement, and prevent any "circumvention or inaction" to prolong the crisis. In a statement by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Kingdom welcomed the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip and appreciated the efforts made by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, expressing hopes that the agreement will "permanently end this brutal war," the official Saudi Press Agency reported. The statement stressed the need to adhere to the agreement, and highlighted the importance of "addressing the root causes of the conflict by enabling the Palestinian people to claim their rights, foremost among them is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital." Algeria said it welcomes the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip, calling it a long-awaited step to ease Palestinian suffering and end the Israeli assault. In a statement on X, the Foreign Ministry said the deal "must be followed by further measures for the reconstruction and unification of Palestinian territories, and concrete steps toward establishing an independent and sovereign Palestinian state," which is "the only just, lasting, and definitive solution" to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. On Wednesday, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling for strict adherence to the terms of the agreement. "The agreement must lead to a complete and final cessation of the Israeli war on Gaza," Aboul-Gheit said, according to a statement from the pan-Arab organization. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi welcomed on Wednesday the ceasefire agreement that was reached "after more than a year of arduous efforts under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States." The Egyptian leader emphasized "the urgency of facilitating the swift delivery of critical humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza to address the current catastrophic humanitarian crisis," according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency. "This effort must continue until enduring peace is achieved through a two-state solution," Sisi added, The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday expressed its strong support for the newly announced ceasefire agreement, along with the release of detainees, hostages, and captives. UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for both parties to honor their commitments to the agreement, underscoring the need to alleviate the plight of Palestinian detainees and Israeli hostages. Iran's Foreign Ministry on Thursday said the achievement of a ceasefire is considered a "historic victory" for the Palestinian people. In a statement, the ministry extended congratulations to the Palestinian people and resistance as well as all supporters and proponents of the resistance axis in the West Asia region and the world on the ceasefire deal. In a press conference on Wednesday in Doha, where the truce talks were held, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that Hamas and Israel had reached a ceasefire agreement in Gaza, marking a breakthrough after about 15 months of devastating conflict. The agreement, which will take effect on Sunday, includes the exchange of hostages and prisoners and a return to sustainable calm that would lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with diplomatic envoys of 10 ASEAN countries in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that China stands ready to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries to crack down on cross-border online gambling and telecom fraud, when meeting with diplomatic envoys from 10 ASEAN countries in Beijing on Thursday. Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that the recent vicious cases of online gambling and telecom fraud along the Thailand-Myanmar border have threatened and harmed the vital interests of citizens of China and other countries, a situation that demands a great deal of attention. Wang said it is hoped that the relevant countries will take responsibility and strong measures to resolutely crack down on these crimes, safeguard people's safety and property, and never allow criminals to evade punishment. China is willing to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation on law enforcement and security with ASEAN countries to provide a safe environment for people-to-people exchanges and sound order of cooperation among neighboring countries, said Wang. CAIRO, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The growing China-Egypt ties were highlighted in a reception held Wednesday evening in Cairo by the Chinese embassy in Egypt to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival. The reception gathered hundreds of diplomats, scholars, businessmen, and experts from both China and Egypt. In his remarks to the guests, Zhang Tao, charge d'affaires of the Chinese embassy, said China-Egypt and China-Arab relations have been constantly growing and making significant progress. Amid the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation through Chinese modernization, China-Egypt and China-Arab relations will usher in broader prospects, Zhang told the attendees. "Egypt and China share deep and diverse historical relations. Bilateral ties have witnessed remarkable development in recent years across various fields including politics, economy, trade, investment, and cultural exchange," Ahmed Shaheen, Egypt's assistant foreign minister for Asia-Pacific, Australia, and New Zealand affairs, said in his speech. During the reception, Chinese traditional dance and folk music performances were staged. China's Spring Festival falls on Jan. 29 this year, marking the beginning of the Year of the Snake. Land Labour Life Simon Gushs visual art and academic research are interconnected. He has explored how South Africans relate to land and labour through documentary films, fine art exhibitions, his Masters degree and through current research for his PhD at Wits Society, Work and Politics Institute. Gush explains how he came to think about the nature of work and the role that it plays in South African life through his own experience. Unable to make a living as a full-time artist, he created only in the evenings and on weekends, and despite its precariousness, he realised that work remains central to how we perceive ourselves and our place within society. His current project collaboration, based at SWOP and titled Land Labour Life, continues his exploration of these themes, expanding on the anecdotal personal histories of his 1820 Settler ancestors, their acquisition of land in South Africa, and how subsequent communities were impacted by land policies and are dealing with restitution. His work and art also deal with his experiences working in and navigating Johannesburg, a city that thrived on migrant labour and remains a hub for a large proportion of the South African workforce. For Gush, the subject matter, whether personal reflection or public commentary, art or academic, is intense. While he admits that there isnt much room for levity in his work, he allows that the art does sometimes offer other ways of doing things that aren't always so heavy. Drawn to Jozi Growing up in Pietermaritzburg, Gush longed to live in Johannesburg, particularly in town. After spending time at the Hoger Instituut van Schone Kunsten in Gent, Belgium, and in Cape Town as a fellow at the Gordon Institute for Performing and Creative Arts, he eventually realised that dream by moving to the city. Reflecting on life in Johannesburg, he explains: That feeling of belonging is always a little bit uncertain or contested, like you can't quite settle. There is, however, he says something about the city that feels like home as well. Whenever I go on trips and come back, there's something nice about driving into the city. Its got something to do with the space, but its also the community to which I am connected. Johannesburg is a little more politicised than other parts of the country, and a little bit more aware of what's going on, and so talking about these things is part of our everyday conversation. Aside from people and place, living in South Africa provides Gush with a sense of self he cant tap into elsewhere. I struggle to make work outside of South Africa because it just feels like I sit on the surface too much, he says. If Im not here, I dont have the understanding I need to go deeper with the work. Much of what Gush does is concerned with asking questions about work, belonging and identity questions that cant easily be answered by statistics or through surveys. This is especially true in the South African context where Gush feels that more conversations around land ownership and restitution need to be both had and heard. Blending art and academics He believes that land is central to so many peoples sense of self and community. Land is not just a piece of ground; it is deeply tied to belonging, heritage and the scars of displacement. Trying to understand labour without first understanding this countrys battles for land over hundreds of years, doesnt do justice to our fraught history. His academic work at SWOP reflects this approach; a collaborative, research-driven practice that doesnt fit neatly into the art world but that draws heavily on his extensive experience. He explains, There are some concepts that naturally lend themselves to visual metaphors, where other things are more easily explained in text. For my PhD, its important to use these two different ways of making, and to explore what an interdisciplinary body of work might look like. Breaking from academic conventions also allows me to connect with people in different ways. Considering that for many years the focal point of his work has been land dispossession and the process of restitution in Salem, in the Eastern Cape, and his own ancestral involvement in it, building trust within the community has been central to his methodology as both a filmmaker and a researcher. He speaks about the importance of time, from both an historical and personal perspective, in establishing authentic relationships that go beyond quick, extractive conversations. Commitment to the process You have got to go back again and again, spend time with people thats the crux of it and ask many open-ended questions. Im not the most sociable person, and as much as I fear going off and doing these things, I understand that its important and central to my work. Each space has different requirements, and in each place, people are looking for different things. There's ongoing work that needs to be done, whether the outcome is academic or art or both, there's a long-term commitment once I start. Gush is hoping that these outcomes will contribute to a broader conversation about labour, land, and who we are as a society. During my research, I started talking about what it means to receive land in a process of restitution, and what it means to go back and work that land, he says, going deeper into his thinking around work and land and how they were intertwined prior to colonialism, in a way in which in todays capitalist world, theyre not. Theoretically, I know how the process of restitution informs the return of land, but practically, in the different places in which I'm doing research, there are some commonalities around land and work, and there are also different experiences around land and work. Ultimately, Id like my work to get people to think more deeply about these issues, and maybe to see themselves and their communities reflected in these questions. JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- South African Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana on Thursday called for a concerted effort by government and business to use the upcoming World Economic Forum (WEF) to raise the country's global profile and showcase its G20 presidency. The Annual Meeting 2025 of the WEF will take place in Davos, Switzerland, from Jan. 20 to 24. Speaking on Thursday at the Pre-WEF Breakfast Briefing Session in Johannesburg, the largest city and economic hub of South Africa, Godongwana emphasized that this year's WEF is "particularly significant" for the country. "This presents a golden opportunity to not only strengthen South Africa's visibility on the world stage but also to profile our G20 presidency," he said. South Africa assumed the G20 presidency in December 2024 and will host the G20 Leaders' Summit later this year. Godongwana revealed that President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the South African delegation to the WEF for the first time in many years. The delegation will highlight South Africa's G20 presidency, which, under the theme "Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability," reflects the essence of the country's vision for global leadership. The finance minister also noted that this year's WEF theme, "Collaboration in the Intelligent Age," aligns with South Africa's focus on innovation and inclusion to address its economic and social challenges. In order to leverage this opportunity, Godongwana emphasized the need for cooperation between business and government as South Africa prepares to present its story on the global stage. "It is essential that we align our key messages to showcase our country's strengths, address misconceptions, and advance our collective priorities," he said. "By presenting a unified message, we can enhance South Africa's standing and influence in the global community." "In conclusion, as we prepare to represent South Africa in Davos, let us remember the strength that lies in collaboration. Together, government and business can drive the messages that matter most, which are those of resilience, opportunity, and shared prosperity," he added. BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Brunei launched the latest version of the BruHealth app on Thursday, featuring an integrated national cervical cancer screening program. The National Cervical Cancer Screening Program was initiated by Brunei's Ministry of Health in partnership with Borneo Genomics Innovations, a joint venture with Chinese biotech giant BGI Genomics in Brunei. "Screening can be done easily by booking an appointment in the BruHealth app," Brunei's Minister of Health Haji Mohammad Isham was quoted by the local daily Borneo Bulletin as saying. The minister urged eligible women to undergo screenings to detect and treat HPV before it progresses to cancer. The program aimed to enhance early detection and eliminate cervical cancer in Brunei, and BGI Genomics' HPV DNA testing can help Brunei efficiently carry out large-scale HPV screening, according to Du Yutao, chief operating officer of BGI Genomics. Brunei is an oil-rich Southeast Asian country located in the northern part of Borneo Island, with a population of 340,000 and a high level of social welfare. NEW DELHI, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) on Thursday successfully docked its SpaDeX satellites, namely SDX01 (Chaser) and SDX02 (Target), in space, confirmed the agency in a post on X (erstwhile Twitter). The process of docking was delayed at least twice in recent weeks, and was finally scheduled for Thursday. According to the space agency, post docking, the control of two satellites as a single object, was successful, and unlocking and power transfer check will follow in the coming days. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the country's scientists on achieving the feat, saying "It is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come," in a post on X. India became the fourth country to achieve space docking after Russia, the U.S. and China. JAKARTA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Seven people reportedly went missing after a fire broke out on Wednesday evening in a shopping mall in the Indonesian city of Jakarta, police said on Thursday. The incident occurred in Glodok Plaza at around 9:20 p.m. local time in the densely populated area of Tamansari sub-district. Many visitors were reportedly in the mall at the time of the fire. The city's fire department has deployed over 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters to combat the fire at the shopping mall. As of Thursday afternoon, embers remain in one of the buildings, despite the extinguishing efforts having entered the cooling stage. The city's police spokesperson, Ade Ary Syam Indradi, told local reporters that firefighters and police personnel are still at the location to investigate the main cause of the blaze. PHNOM PENH, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will lead a delegation to participate in ASEAN foreign ministers' retreat in Langkawi, Malaysia, on Jan. 18-19, the Cambodian Foreign Ministry said in a press release on Thursday. Under the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability", the retreat will discuss the latest developments on the 44th and 45th ASEAN summits and related summits held in Vientiane, Laos, in October 2024, and priorities of Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, the press release said. "The ministers will also exchange views on ASEAN external relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest and concern," it said. On the sidelines of the retreat, Sokhonn, who is also a Cambodian deputy prime minister, is expected to have bilateral meetings with some of his ASEAN counterparts on further deepening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, it added. ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. TASHKENT, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Uzbekistan exported plums worth 26.4 mln U.S. dollars over 11 months last year, local media reported on Thursday, citing the country's statistics agency. The country's statistics agency reported that from January to November 2024, Uzbekistan exported 32,900 tons of plums valued at 26.4 million dollars. Russia became the biggest importer of Uzbek plums, accounting for 20,712 tons of the product. Kazakhstan ranked second with an import volume of 10,522 tons, while Kyrgyzstan was the third, purchasing 1,486 tons of plums. According to the agency earlier, Uzbekistan exported cherries worth 70.3 million U.S. dollars from January to November 2024, local media reported on Monday, citing the country's statistics agency. SINGAPORE, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Singapore's maritime industry demonstrated robust growth in 2024, achieving record highs in annual vessel arrival tonnage, total tonnage of ships under the Singapore flag, container throughput, total bunker sales, and alternative bunker fuel sales. In a release on Wednesday, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) reported that annual vessel arrival tonnage at the port of Singapore increased by 0.6 percent, reaching a record 3.11 billion gross tonnage (GT), up from 3.09 billion GT in 2023. Key shipping categories -- bulk carriers, container ships, and tankers -- each accounted for nearly one-third of the total, collectively contributing to over 90 percent of the vessel arrival tonnage. Cargo throughput at the port rose to 622.67 million tons, a 5.2 percent increase from 592.01 million tons in 2023. Container throughput crossed the 40-million twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) milestone for the first time, growing by 5.4 percent to a record 41.12 million TEUs, compared to 39.0 million TEUs in 2023. Approximately 90 percent of Singapore's container throughput was for transshipment, indicating its position as the world's largest container transshipment hub, the MPA said. Despite challenges posed by strained global supply chains, Maritime Singapore has maintained strong growth momentum in 2024 and looks forward to continued steady growth in 2025, said Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai. JAKARTA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia welcomes the Gaza ceasefire agreement and urges its early and comprehensive implementation to stop casualties, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. "The Indonesian government hopes this ceasefire becomes a momentum to promote peace in Palestine, which can only be achieved if Palestine is independent and sovereign in line with the two-state solution," said Sugiono, the country's foreign minister. He said that peace in Palestine cannot be reached without an end to Israeli occupation and concerted efforts towards a two-state solution based on agreed-upon international standards. The ministry also noted that Indonesia is prepared to help Gaza's rehabilitation through international assistance, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) support, and reconstruction initiatives to better the lives of the region's residents. 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... Click the photo and watch the video. * Between Jan. 15 and 17, 1935, during the Long March, the renowned Zunyi Meeting was held. * The meeting is regarded as a landmark event in the history of the Communist Party of China as it largely determined the fate of the Party at a critical juncture for its survival. * The spirit of the meeting inspires the Party to overcome severe difficulties and remain undaunted in the face of great challenges. GUIYANG, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) At No. 96 Ziyin Road in Zunyi, a city nestled between lush hills in southwest China's Guizhou Province, stands a building that elegantly blends Chinese and Western architectural styles. Its facade has been recently adorned with lanterns and festive decorations, as if anticipating a grand celebration. Between Jan. 15 and 17, 1935, during the Long March, the renowned Zunyi Meeting was held here, a landmark event in the history of the Communist Party of China (CPC) as it largely determined the fate of the Party at a critical juncture for its survival. Tourists visit the venue of the Zunyi Meeting in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 7, 2025. [Xinhua/Tao Liang] "Today, the spirit of this meeting is deeply ingrained in the city, as well as the country, inspiring generations to continue moving forward in the new era toward national rejuvenation," said Zhang Wen, a staff worker at the site, now a memorial museum, during a recent event commemorating the 90th anniversary of the meeting. Historical Turning Point The Zunyi Meeting took place at a critical crossroads for the CPC. In the harsh winter of 1934, the CPC was forced to retreat from the Central Soviet Area in east China's Jiangxi and move northwest after enduring a series of encirclement campaigns by rival forces of the Kuomintang party (KMT). The setback was the result of the left-leaning errors in military strategy and rigid Soviet-inspired dogmatism. After suffering a heavy loss in a battle along the Xiangjiang River in southern China, the number of the CPC-led Red Army soldiers dwindled from over 86,000 to around 30,000, who were depleted and short of food and ammunition. The failure sparked a backlash from the soldiers who demanded new leadership and revised strategies. The three-day meeting was thus convened after the Red Army seized Zunyi to draw lessons on why they were defeated by the enemy. The sessions often stretched late into the night, marked by passionate debates, criticisms and self-criticisms. In the end, many key issues were resolved, including the establishment of a new leadership within the Central Committee of the CPC, with Mao Zedong at the helm. The meeting later proved to be a crucial turning point in the Long March. "Mao Zedong displayed remarkable military prowess in the subsequent battles, ultimately leading the Red Army to complete the monumental feat of the Long March. This was a crucial moment that shifted the course of events," said Zhang Xiaoling, the deputy curator of the memorial museum. An aerial drone photo shows tourists visiting the venue of the Zunyi Meeting in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Aug. 13, 2023. [Xinhua/Yang Ying] The communist army, under Mao's leadership, took fresh heart and eventually defeated the KMT. Fourteen years after the Zunyi Meeting, the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) marked the beginning of a new chapter in history. In his book "The Long March: The Untold Story," Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Harrison Salisbury wrote: "Zunyi was over. The Long March continued. Mao was in charge. China's course had been set for at least half a century to come." Long-Lasting Inspiration The Zunyi Meeting was the first time the CPC made important political and military decisions independently, without interference from the Comintern an international communist alliance mainly controlled by the Soviet, with the CPC just a branch. "This not only marked a turning point but also represented a historic leap toward the Party's independence and autonomy. Since then, the CPC has become increasingly steadfast on the path of independence and autonomy," said Li Zhongjie, vice chairman of the Chinese Society of the History of the CPC. The spirit of the meeting also inspires the Party to overcome severe difficulties and remain undaunted in the face of great challenges. In 2015 and 2021, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, visited Guizhou. Xi said that of all the places the Red Army reached, it spent the longest time and had the most extensive presence in Guizhou, leaving later generations an enduring spiritual legacy. The Zunyi Meeting's distinct features, including the establishment of the correct CPC Central Committee leadership, as well as innovative formulation and implementation of strategies that suited the Chinese revolution's characteristics, still have significance today, according to Xi. "No matter how times or conditions alter, we need to deeply understand the original aspiration and mission of communists from the spirit of the Long March and the Zunyi Meeting," Li Zhongjie said. New Long March Guizhou, where the Red Army regrouped and thrived during its most challenging times, has harnessed the Long March Spirit to drive its development. An aerial drone photo shows a cemetery dedicated to martyrs of the Red Army in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 9, 2025. [Xinhua/Liu Xu] Once considered the "poorest" province, Guizhou has made remarkable progress, lifting over 9.2 million people out of poverty within a decade by 2021. Through unremitting efforts in ecological conservation, the province home to the largest area of rocky desertification in China saw its forest coverage rise to 63 percent by the end of 2023. From 2011 to 2021, Guizhou's economic growth ranked among the top three in provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland for 10 consecutive years. "The progress we've seen in Guizhou is a real testament to carrying forward and translating the spirit of the Zunyi Meeting into action," said Liao Zhengwei, a former official at the archives bureau of Tongzi, a once poverty-stricken county in Zunyi. Guizhou's development trajectory reflects the broader course of China's advancement to attain the Two Centenary Goals and realize the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation, which is labeled as the New Long March. The Two Centenary Goals refer to: completing the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects by the CPC's centenary in 2021, and building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful when the PRC marks its centenary in 2049. A great number of difficulties need to be handled at this critical juncture, including taking the economy to a high-quality development track. Take Guizhou for example. After decades of rapid growth, the province now confronts more profound and complex challenges, including uneven economic growth, insufficient consumption demand, weak scientific and technological innovation, as well as government debt and financial risks. China, too, is facing challenges that are more complicated, with sluggish global economic growth posing threats to global trade, and rising protectionism seeking to curb its development. All these problems must be solved by adopting new strategies. In July 2024, at a key meeting, the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted a resolution on further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization. The main goals of the new round of reforms, as stated in the communique, are to keep enhancing and developing the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to modernize China's system and capacity for governance, so as to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects by the middle of this century. Marxism theorist Xia Jinglei noted that, in order to fulfill these goals, people should further learn the historical experiences from the Zunyi Meeting, which illuminate that in the new era, the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics must be independently and autonomously followed, instead of copying the Western system. "Sometimes to the east, sometimes west, sometimes on main roads, sometimes on side roads, sometimes on beaten paths, and sometimes on new ones. But there's only one goal: to win battles when conditions are in our favor." This passage, explaining the Red Army's military strategy during the Long March, is displayed on the exhibition board at the memorial museum, prompting visitors to ponder and reflect. A performance entitled "Great Turning Point" is staged at a theater in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, Jan. 8, 2025. [Xinhua/Yang Wenbin] Today, the conference room of the Zunyi Meeting stands as a proud beacon of history. Visitors from across the country can now embark on a "cloud visit," immersing themselves in a virtual journey to that historical moment. Just a 10-minute walk away, a stage play called "Great Turning Point," crafted with holographic phantom technology, vividly transports viewers back 90 years. Since its premiere on Jan. 15, 2024, the show has attracted over 280,000 spectators. "The play really brings those tough but glorious times to life," said Ms. Mai, a visitor from Guangdong Province. "It's far more touching than watching a TV series. We should always be grateful and keep those revolutionary pioneers in our hearts." (Source: Xinhua) Editor: Wang Shasha Click the photo and watch the video. * Chinese travelers packed into cars, trains and planes on Tuesday, kicking off the landmark chunyun, or Spring Festival travel rush. * Authorities expect an unprecedented 9 billion inter-regional trips during the 40-day travel period. * More electric car owners and foreign tourists are expected to join. BEIJING, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) As the Spring Festival draws near, Chinese travelers packed into cars, trains and planes on Tuesday, kicking off the landmark chunyun, the world's largest annual human migration. Chinese authorities expect an unprecedented 9 billion inter-regional trips during this year's chunyun, or Spring Festival travel rush. The 40-day travel period began on Tuesday and will continue through Feb. 22. More electric car owners and foreign tourists are expected to join the annual travel frenzy, traditionally featuring millions of migrant workers and others living far from their hometowns who head back to reunite with family and celebrate China's most important festival. A child holds a placard reading "go home for the New Year" aboard train K4159, the first train to depart from Beijing for this year's Spring Festival travel rush, at Beijing West Railway Station in Beijing, capital of China, late Jan. 13, 2025. [Xinhua/Ju Huanzong] This is the first year 22-year-old construction site technician Yang Bo has joined chunyun. He chose to drive home, setting off with his dog early on Tuesday morning. Yang works in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, which is over 1,000 kilometers away from his hometown of Qianjiang, a city in central China. The drive will take more than 10 hours. To save on travel costs, Yang began searching for carpool partners online in late December and has found three co-passengers on the long journey home. "We might even become friends along the way. Plus, one of them is bringing a pet too, so my dog won't feel lonely," he told Xinhua. Kicking into Gear This year, road trips are expected to dominate the annual travel rush, accounting for about 80 percent of all inter-regional journeys. An estimated 7.2 billion road trips are projected, with highways likely to experience record-breaking single-day traffic peaks. The rise of carpooling has also become evident on Chinese social media platforms. On the Xiaohongshu lifestyle app, posts marked with the hashtag "carpooling home for Spring Festival" have garnered over 5.6 million views and nearly 180,000 comments. New energy vehicles (NEVs) are set to be a key feature of this year's homeward journeys. As of November 2024, a total of 33,100 charging stations have been installed across the country's highway service areas, with 97 percent of these areas now equipped with charging facilities, according to Gao Bo, an official of the Ministry of Transport. To accommodate the travel surge, highway service areas are promoting ultrafast charging stations, optimizing placement based on traffic volume, and introducing intelligent solutions such as charging robots, Gao said. An aerial drone photo taken on Jan. 14, 2025 shows bullet trains at a maintenance base in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. [Photo by Yang Suping/Xinhua] China's railway and civil aviation authorities have also increased travel capacities to ensure smoother transportation. Over 510 million passenger trips will be handled by the country's railways during the period, with an average of 12.75 million trips daily, an increase of 5.5 percent compared with the previous year. About 10.3 million train trips are expected to be made on Tuesday. China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. plans to operate more than 14,000 passenger trains daily, providing an additional 500,000 seats per day. Ahead of the Spring Festival travel rush, a total of 185 new Fuxing bullet trains have been put into service nationwide, capable of reaching speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour. On Tuesday, Shenyang railway station was abuzz with activity as travelers bustled through the halls, many rolling suitcases and some laden with gifts for family reunions. "Although it is only the first day of the Spring Festival travel rush, the daily passenger flow has already hit 53,000," said Cai Jiakun, who works at the railway station. Meanwhile, China's civil aviation sector is set to handle a record of 90 million passenger trips during the holiday travel season. The sector will operate an average of 18,500 flights per day, an 8.4 percent increase from 2024. Passengers queue up to check in at Wuhan Tianhe International Airport in Wuhan, central China's Hubei Province, Jan. 14, 2025. [Xinhua/Wu Zhizun] New Trips, New Faces This year marks the first Spring Festival travel rush since the Lunar New Year was added to UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list, as well as the first with an extended eight-day Spring Festival holiday. "The combined effect of these factors will further stimulate demand for travels related to family reunions and tourism," said Yang Zhusong, an associate researcher at Tsinghua University. In the city of Wuhan, a key transport hub in central China, the Wuhan Tianhe International Airport is expected to handle 3.76 million passenger trips during the holiday travel rush, up 14.6 percent year on year. "Ice and snow destinations such as Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang, as well as sunny coastal locations like Haikou, Sanya, Hong Kong and Singapore, are the most popular routes from Wuhan," said Wu Chengkai, deputy general manager of the airport. Online travel giant Ctrip reported a 51-percent year-on-year increase in searches for overseas trips ahead of chunyun. Japan, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Southeast Asia emerged as the top destinations. Searches for Japan and the ROK more than doubled from last year. Interest in long-haul travel is also growing, with searches for destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America increasing by more than 50 percent. Staff members provide consultation services to passengers from Spain at a service center in Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 8, 2025. [Xinhua/Ju Huanzong] The Spring Festival is also seeing an increase in foreign visitors, with travel orders from international tourists surging by 203 percent compared to the same period of 2024, partially thanks to China's expansion of its visa-free transit policy to permit eligible foreign travelers to stay in the country for 240 hours. An improved payment environment, bilingual signage and various other supports have enhanced the convenience of traveling in China for foreign tourists. The 12306 China Railway online ticketing platform, now accessible to international users, enables them to explore both bustling urban centers and remote destinations with ease. On Tuesday, Polish student Ratajczak Paulina Magdalena boarded a flight from Shanghai to northeast China's Liaoning Province. "This is my first time experiencing the Spring Festival travel rush," she said. "There are a lot of people but they are in good order." She plans to bring her mother and friends to explore different cities, and to celebrate the Spring Festival by visiting festive fairs and enjoying lantern displays. German businessman Wolf Steffen, 58, and his wife drove more than 1,400 kilometers from Nanjing, the capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, to Fuxin in Liaoning for their Spring Festival vacation. His car is a NEV. "NEVs are environmentally friendly and China's infrastructure is very good," he said, explaining his chosen transportation method. Steffen has been impressed by chunyun. "It was spectacular. Everyone is heading home, just as what we did for Christmas. The tradition is heart-warming." For Liu Limei, a professor at the Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics, the significance of chunyun goes beyond the journey itself. "Amid the 9 billion journeys being made, we see the advancements in transportation, the growth of the economy, a longing for home and a yearning for a better life." (Source: Xinhua) Editor: Lei Yang Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. Xi held talks with Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, in Beijing on Wednesday. [Xinhua/Ding Lin] BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development and the two countries should jointly foster new highlights in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, as well as cooperation in modern agriculture, digital economy and marine economy, Chinese President Xi Jinping said here Wednesday. China's efforts in further deepening reform comprehensively to advance Chinese modernization will bring new opportunities for Sri Lanka's development, Xi said when holding talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is in China for a state visit. Noting that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a traditional friendship, Xi said bilateral relations have maintained healthy and stable development over the past 68 years, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between different countries. With joint efforts, China and Sri Lanka have continuously promoted strategic cooperative partnership featuring mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship. High-quality Belt and Road cooperation and cooperation in various fields have achieved fruitful results, bringing tangible benefits to the two peoples, Xi said. The two countries should have a keen grasp of bilateral relations from a strategic perspective and jointly build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future, he said. Noting that China takes Sri Lanka as a priority in its neighborhood diplomacy, Xi said that the country will continue to support Sri Lanka in maintaining its national independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. China supports Sri Lanka in exploring a development path suitable for its national conditions, and is willing to deepen political mutual trust, exchange governance experience, and enhance dialogue and communication between various departments of the two countries, Xi said. China is willing to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka within multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations to jointly address major issues concerning the whole of mankind, including climate change, Xi said. He called for pooling the joint efforts of the Global South for solidarity and development, contributing to regional peace, stability and prosperity. Noting that Sri Lanka admires China's great development achievements in economy, science and technology, and infrastructure, Dissanayake said China has always been a reliable friend and partner of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lanka attaches great importance to its relations with China. Sri Lanka firmly abides by the one-China principle, and appreciates China's invaluable support in safeguarding Sri Lanka's independence, sovereignty and legitimate rights and interests, Dissanayake said. Sri Lanka is committed to enhancing regional connectivity through the Belt and Road cooperation, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in the country, Dissanayake said, adding that Sri Lanka is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, finance, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism, marine industry and personnel training. China plays a significant leading role in the Global South, as well as a constructive role in international affairs, he added. The Sri Lankan side is willing to continue strengthening coordination and mutual support with China on multilateral occasions to safeguard common interests, said the president. Following the talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents, in such areas as Belt and Road cooperation, agricultural products, social welfare, and news and broadcasting. Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen] Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhang Ling] Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Huang Jingwen] Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Yao Dawei] Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 15, 2025. [Xinhua/Zhang Ling] (Source: Xinhua) Editor: Wang Shasha WELLINGTON, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand welcomes the ceasefire deal to end hostilities in Gaza, stressing protection of civilians and the release of hostages "must be at the forefront of effort," Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Thursday. "Over the past 15 months, this conflict has caused incomprehensible human suffering," Peters said in a statement. "The terms of the deal must now be implemented fully. Protection of civilians and the release of hostages must be at the forefront of effort," he said, adding there now should be a massive, rapid, unimpeded flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. Calling on the parties to take meaningful steps towards a two-state solution to achieve a durable and lasting peace, Peters said political will is the key to ensuring history does not repeat itself. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal following intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced on Wednesday. Weather Alert ...WIND ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM FRIDAY TO 4 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...South winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts 45 to 50 mph expected. * WHERE...Portions of southern Illinois, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. * WHEN...From 1 PM Friday to 4 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...The strong winds may combine with loose soils and result in reduced visibilities at times. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. && BUCHAREST, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Romania's presidential elections will take place on May 4, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on Thursday. Partial local elections will be held on the same day for positions including the leadership of a county council, a county capital city, three towns, and 13 communes, Ciolacu said during a government meeting. The government has approved new measures to ensure fair competition during the elections, including regulations aimed at preventing favoritism by social media platforms. Companies found violating the rules could face fines of up to 5 percent of their turnover, potentially amounting to billions of euros for larger corporations. Romania's ruling coalition agreed on Jan. 8 to conduct a two-round presidential election on May 4 and May 18. The coalition has reaffirmed its plan to endorse a single candidate for the presidency. Clinical staff care for a patient with coronavirus in the intensive care unit at the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, England, May 5, 2020 [AP Photo/Neil Hall Pool via AP] Britains National Health Service (NHS) is experiencing one of its most severe winter crises. A so-called quad-demicsimultaneous surges in flu, COVID-19, norovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)is exacerbating the strain on already overburdened healthcare services. Hospitals in England face enormous pressures managing an average of 5,408 new flu patients daily, including 256 in critical care, 3.5 times higher than the same period last year. The situation in just as acute in Scotland and Wales. The surge in flu and other illness brought on or exacerbated by the low temperatures means Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments are experiencing unmanageable patient volumes, with overcrowding and long wait times: in some cases of up to two days in emergency departments. A combination of overwhelming demand, insufficient available beds and critical staff shortages has forced almost 20 hospitals to declare a critical incident. These include three in Birmingham, the UKs second largest city, two in Liverpool and three in the South West. The impact of such a declaration means that the hospital focuses resources to prioritize emergency care and critically ill patients. Elective care is delayed, with planned procedures, surgeries, or outpatient appointments being postponed, further extending already bulging waiting lists. In response to the shortage of beds, one hospital trust has even advertised for corridor nurses, to care for patients who face prolonged periods waiting in passages and walkways before they can be admitted to a suitable ward. The Times reported, Across the country, doctors and nurses have reported NHS trusts installing power sockets and oxygen lines in corridor walls, in anticipation of large numbers of patients needing to be stacked there on trolleys while they wait for a bed. Dr. Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, called the degrading, dehumanising and dangerous situation a total acceptance of failure, adding, Let me be clear, it is not possible to provide truly safe patient care in environments such as corridors and cupboards. The organisations vice president Ian Higginson commented that Corridor nurses and care in corridors utterly normalised Almost every hospital is treating patients in corridors and car parks. Writing in the Independent, Dr. Sarah Williams, who works in emergency medicine in a London hospital, described the scene she and her colleagues confront daily: Cubicles are full in emergency departments before the morning shift has even begun. With no space on the wards to move admitted patients, we start to bottleneck at the front door. Resuscitation cubicles are frequently shared by two patients, with a screen in between to try and maintain some level of dignity. Trolleys rapidly fill any corridor space that becomes available. Another nurse, Lorraine, told the BBC: The prime minister should actually sit in the waiting room, see the abuse that we get, the poor old ladies and pensioners, the young people that are trying to kill themselves, people collapsing, people having cardiac arrests in the waiting room. Its 2025we shouldnt be seeing this. Fifteen healthcare worker and patient groups have now written an open letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting demanding figures be released on the number of patients being treated in inappropriate settings, a year-round scourge in our hospitals. The lack of reporting, they write, is a significant omission, effectively continuing to hide the issue from the public, whilst in some cases silencing the staff forced to routinely deliver compromised care. It leaves the NHS and government without accurate data to understand how many patients are affected, why and for how long, and the extent to which it harms care outcomes. The NHS in England has consistently been unable to meet its A&E waiting time target, which aims for 95 percent of patients to be seen, treated, admitted, or discharged within four hours of arrival. This target itself was adjusted down from the original 98 percent in 2010, with the argument this would allow greater time for complex investigations. In recent years, performance against the target has severely declined. For instance, in 2023/24, only 72 percent of people were seen within four hours in A&E. The last time the four-hour target was met was almost a decade ago in July 2015. The situation in Scotland is no better, which last achieved the target in July 2017, with subsequent performance also declining. With hospitals overflowing, ambulances are unable to hand over patients. More than 3,500 times a day, paramedics cannot respond to an emergency 999 call because they are stuck in a queue. Over 1,000 patients a day are estimated to experience some kind of additional harm because of the delays. Years of cuts and underfunding have seen a drastic reduction in the number of available beds in Britain. Over the past 30 years, the total number of NHS hospital beds in England has more than halved, decreasing from approximately 299,000 in 1987/88 to around 141,000 in 2019/20. This reduction has been observed across various categories, including general and acute care, as well as mental health. Research by the Health Foundations REAL Centre indicates that, due to rising levels of chronic disease and an aging population, the NHS may require an additional 23,000 to 39,000 beds by 2030/31 to maintain pre-pandemic standards of care. This represents a 2035 percent increase in bed capacity. As of September 2023, the overall NHS vacancy rate was 8.4 percent, equating to approximately 121,000 unfilled full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. High levels of vacancies exist in almost every occupational group. Nursing remains a critical area of shortfall, with around 31,773 unfilled posts, representing a 7.5 percent vacancy rate. There are approximately 7,768 vacancies in medical roles, accounting for 4.9 percent of all medical posts. Specific vacancy numbers for Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) are harder to ascertain. But evidence suggests this group, which includes physiotherapists, radiographers, and occupational therapists, is also experiencing staffing gaps, which further worsen overall care. In 2020 and 2021, during the early waves of the COVID-19 pandemic, the then Conservative government Prime Minister Boris Johnson stood clapping on the steps of Downing Street and cynically hailed health workers as heroes. The terrible conditions under which nurses, doctors and other health staff worked to provide care meant many paid a high price with their own health, if not their lives. The acute work pressures and almost constant distress saw a rise in NHS workers facing a range of debilitating mental health issues. Even in 2024, sickness absences remained above the pre-2020 level, with mental health conditionsincluding stress, anxiety, and depressionaccounting for over a quarter of them. Dr. Boyle told the press bluntly, We dont have the resilience in the system to cope with these levels of pressure... We need to increase capacity within our hospitals. However, the response of the Labour government is to attack the NHS and its workforce in terms previously only used by the most venal elements of the Tory Party. Health Secretary Wes Streeting has proudly boasted, We are not going to have a something-for-nothing culture in the NHS with Labour, and threatened, Im not prepared to pour money into a black hole. Rather than provide funds to improve the NHS, recruit more staff and address the chronic bed shortage, Labour is set on pushing forward with further privatisation. Streeting is quite prepared to pour billions into the private health conglomerates, whose profits then flow directly into the bank accounts of the shareholders and directors. More than 100,000 scores, in addition to the complete musical and personal archive of 20th century composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874-1951), have been lost in the Pacific Palisades wildfire. The fire destroyed the home of Larry Schoenberg, the composers 83-year-old son, as well as a separate building in which the Schoenberg archive was stored. Belmont Publishers is the publisher of the composers works, and the losses in the fire include its entire inventory of scores and other works, as well as manuscripts, correspondence and other memorabilia. Arnold Schoenberg in Los Angeles, late 1940s [Photo: Florence Homolka] Schoenberg, the composer of such late Romantic works as Verklarte Nacht (1899) and Gurrelieder (1900-03), and later the developer and proponent of the 12-tone system of composition, was born in Vienna in 1874. He came to the United States after the rise of Hitler to power, and settled in southern California, where he died. Belmont Music Publishers, founded in 1965, issued a statement promising to create digital versions of all of the composers work. In a press release, the company called the loss not just a physical destruction of property but a profound cultural blow. While we have lost our full inventory of sales and rental materials, we are determined to continue our mission of bringing Schoenbergs music to the world, said the statement. We hope to rebuild our catalog in a new, digital format that will ensure Schoenbergs music remains accessible for future generations. We will keep you posted on our progress through this website or you can reach out to us by email, and we will contact you with updates. It added that its digitization plans would provide access to scholars, performers, and music enthusiasts through online platforms. This shift toward digital distribution will not only help preserve the catalog for future generations but also ensure that Schoenbergs groundbreaking music continues to inspire and challenge musicians worldwide. Arnold Schoenberg, Egon Schiele, 1917 The original scores are safe and remain at the Arnold Schoenberg Center in Vienna, having been transferred from the University of Southern California almost 30 years ago. Belmonts losses could lead to difficulties or delays for musical ensembles who have relied upon it to supply scores and other materials, however, and who have plans to perform the music of Schoenberg in the coming months. There is also the deeper impact of the loss of correspondence, manuscripts and other memorabilia, of use to scholars and members of the general public interested in Schoenbergs life and work. As Leon Botstein, the well-known president of Bard College and also music director of the American Symphony Orchestra (ASO), told the New York Times, Its a catastrophe. It was an indispensable resource. The ASO relied upon Belmont Publishers for the scores to Schoenbergs Gurrelieder, which it performed at Carnegie Hall last year. They were the lenders, they were the ones who helped you out, he added. Schoenberg was a brilliant musician, a complex and contradictory figure who had wide-ranging interests and a very wide circle of pupils, friends and acquaintances. He devoted time to painting, for instance, and knew such artists as Oskar Kokoschka and Wassily Kandinsky, to whom he was particularly close for a period of time. At this time and later, Schoenberg engaged in lengthy and lively correspondence, and influenced many by the force of his ideas. His rejection of musical tonality, beginning around 1908, reflected in part the growing social and political tensions of the early 20th century that would erupt in the first world war just a few years later. Schoenbergs well-known works from this period include Erwartung (1909) and Pierrot Lunaire (1912). Arnold Schoenberg, Man Ray, 1927 [Photo by Arnold Schonberg Center / CC BY 2.0 In the aftermath of the war, Schoenberg developed the 12-tone method of composition, in which all 12 notes of the scale are given more or less equal importance. This method was one that was notoriously difficult for listeners, and has never found a wide audience. Schoenberg influenced many others, however, including his pupils Anton Webern and Alban Berg. Berg somewhat modified the system, and found a wider audience for such works as Wozzeck (1924), Lyric Suite (1924-26) and Lulu (1935). In the Los Angeles area beginning in the 1930s, Schoenberg played a very active role as part of the emigre community that sought refuge from Nazism. He socialized with Erich Korngold, Bruno Walter, Alma Mahler and others. He befriended many, including American composer George Gershwin, who was a neighbor, and actor Charlie Chaplin. Among guests whom he welcomed to dinner were Harpo Marx and the actor Peter Lorre. Among his friends in these emigre circles at this time was also Hanns Eisler, another one of his pupils. Eisler, who had earlier turned demonstratively against Schoenbergs teachings, nevertheless acknowledged his debt to him as a teacher. During this period he also softened somewhat as far as his earlier dogmatic insistence on 12-tone composition. He continued to compose as well as to teach, and among his works from this period were some that returned to tonality. His quite correct conceptions about the nature of the creative process are reflected in his well-known tribute to Gershwin, which he wrote after Gershwins early death, in 1937, and which the WSWS referenced in the year marking the centenary of Gershwins birth. The destruction of Schoenbergs archive highlights the all-encompassing significance of the wildfires, the latest and biggest disaster produced by human-induced climate change. The contradictions of capitalismthe anarchy of production and the conflict between the global economy and the nation-state systemare endangering human culture as they threaten war and dictatorship. 2024 was Australias second hottest year on record since national observations began in 1910, as reported by the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). This is a further confirmation that the predicted climate change effects of extreme weather and soaring temperatures are currently affecting the population and will continue to do so unless fossil fuel emissions are drastically curtailed. The BOM is Australias national weather and climate agency, a branch of the federal governments Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. They have yet to release their full Annual Climate Statement for 2024, expected in February this year. The reports of previous years analyse and summarise long-term climate trends related to not just temperature, but also rainfall, atmosphere and ocean metrics. The raw climate data that will inform the reports, however, have already been released, and allow for a preliminary assessment of Australias climate. The average national temperature for 2024 was 1.46C higher than the 19611990 average. It has only been surpassed so far by 2019, which holds the record at 1.51C above the long-term average. Australian mean temperatures in 2024 compared to historical levels. [Photo: Australian Bureau of Meteorology] When compared to the pre-industrial level Australian erausing nineteenth century data that is less reliablethe average temperature of the Australian continent last year is estimated at nearly 2C warmer than that period. The national average maximum temperatures were 1.48C above the long-term twentieth century average, the fourth warmest on record. The average minimum temperatures, however, were recorded at 1.43C above the long-term average, the highest ever observed since reliable records began in 1910. The spring season in particular (August-November) was the hottest Australian spring on record, coming in at 2.08C warmer than the twentieth century average. Impacts varied somewhat by state, with Queensland observing its hottest year on record, while South Australia and Western Australia had their second hottest year. The capital of Western Australia, Perth, also had its hottest year on record, for the first time reaching average temperatures above 20C. The temperature of last year is only fractionally behind that of 2019, with a difference of 0.05C. The high temperatures observed in these recent years are not an anomalous event, but are instead becoming ever more regular as climate change continues unabated. Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate scientist from the Australian National University, told the Guardian: It is not physically possible for us to have really cool years anymore. With all that warming baked in, to have a year a lot cooler than average is virtually impossible. The ten hottest years on record in Australia have all occurred since 2005. This is a reflection of a global pattern, since the high temperatures of Australia observed in recent years are a local expression of record-shattering global temperatures. The ten warmest years for Earth on record have all occurred in the past decade. On January 10, the Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed 2024 as the hottest year on record, with global temperatures reaching 1.6C above pre-industrial levels, exceeding the previous warmest year on record, 2023, by 0.12C. 2024 thus marks a historic and unsettling milestone in the development of the climate crisis. It is the first calendar year to surpass the established 1.5C target set by international agreements such as the 2015 Paris Accords. The reaching of this milestone is directly linked to the effects of climate change, which is in turn rooted in the unsustainable burning of fossil fuels and the subsequent emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Beyond the year-to-year records, on average the world has so far warmed approximately 1.3C since pre-industrial times. The increasing likelihood of substantially overshooting the 1.5C target is significant in part because it is the approximate temperature at which many climate tipping points are likely to be activated, such as the collapse of the West Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets, which could accelerate the rate of global warming beyond what is predicted from fossil fuel emissions alone. Bush fires near Toowoomba, Queensland on October 30, 2023. [Photo: Facebook/Queensland Fire and Emergency Services] If fossil fuel burning continues at the current rate, the world will be expected to reach between 2.6C and 3.1C by the end of the century. Citing these figures is necessary to demonstrate the full extent of the climate crisis, for both Australia and internationally. But it is insufficient to explain the impact that climate change is currently having, and is projected to have, on the human population. Part of the reason for this is that because the Earths oceans warm much slower than land surfaces, it skews the global average down. This applies just as much to a local study of the Australian climate, or any other region of the world. Thus, as explained by Adam Schlosser, a senior climate scientist from MIT: Just about every human lives on a large land region. This means that almost everybody will experience a stronger warming than what the global climate talks suggest when they reference global warming averages of 1.5 or 2 degrees Celsius. And this has impacts beyond ourselves: it has major implications for our food, water and resource systems. These implications as they relate to Australia were discussed in the State of the Climate report, a collaborative report between the BOM and Australias national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). As the World Socialist Web Site reported in December 2024: Among the future impacts for Australia that the report forecasts are increased heat extremes, longer drought times, a longer fire season for the southeast, continued warming and acidification of the oceans surrounding Australia, more frequent and severe coral bleaching events, and fewer but more intense tropical cyclones. All these impacts have the potential to cause catastrophic damage and loss of life. The report concludes, in line with the vast body of scientific literature on the subject, that there must be a substantial and urgent reduction of global GHG emissions if temperatures are to be stabilised at 1.5, and the worst of those future impacts mitigated. What has been the response of the federal Labor government under Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to these severe warnings? The dismissal of scientific evidence on climate change, the disregard for the working-class population who will be most affected by its impacts, and the doubling down on securing the profit interests of the fossil fuel and mining corporations. This was all most recently demonstrated in the announcement late last year by Labor that it would significantly expand at least three coal mines, with a combined estimated 936 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent over their lifetime. The decision brought the number of coal mine approvals by the current Labor government to ten, a program that is completely incompatible with stabilising average temperatures at 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. The necessary task of halting the climate crisis and implementing scientifically informed safeguards to protect the environment falls not to Labor, or any other capitalist party. It is a task that can only be carried out by the international working class, the sole social force on the planet capable of overturning the capitalist system, the root cause of climate change and the threat of disastrous levels of warming. Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani, Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and intelligence chief Anas Khattab of the new Syrian governmentwhich is rooted in al-Qaedapaid an official visit to Ankara on Wednesday. The delegation met first with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then with their counterparts. In a joint press conference, Fidan and Al-Shaibani stressed their defence of Syrias territorial integrity. Fidan expressed his governments intention to support the new Syrian government in dismantling the US-backed Kurdish forces and said, There is no place for terrorist organisations in the new Syria. We have experience in cooperation with third countries in the fight against terrorist organisations. We are ready to use all our means. We commit to ensuring that Syria does not pose a threat to any country, especially our neighbouring country. Shaibani said, backing Ankaras claim. [Photo: Syrian Foreign Ministry/Facebook] The new administrations first visit to Ankara comes amid an intensifying struggle for the partition of Syria between the states behind the overthrow of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, backed by Russia and Iran, by jihadists led by the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Turkey directly supports its proxy force, the Syrian National Army (SNA), against Kurdish forces (YPG/SDF) in the north of the country. On the other hand, Ankara has considerable influence over the HTS, which has seized power in Damascus. The US and European imperialist powers, Israel, which is expanding its occupation in the south of the country, as well as the Gulf countries have taken different initiatives in the last few days to advance their interests and to increase their influence on the new government. The US last week eased restrictions on emergency humanitarian aid and some energy supplies for six months, while Europe is likely to take similar steps later this month. Following a visit to Damascus by the German and French foreign ministers representing the EU, the foreign ministers of the US, UK, France, Germany and Italy met in Rome on January 9 to try to define a common position on Syria. Qatar, which along with Turkey is considered the most influential power over HTS, quickly sent a naval tanker full of gas to Syria after the US decision to ease sanctions and offered to support the salaries of public sector employees. On January 12, Riyadh hosted a meeting on Syria attended by 11 Arab League member states, including Syria, as well as Turkey and Western states. While nothing concrete came out of the meeting, Arab and Western media commented that by hosting the event, Saudi Arabia demonstrated Riyadhs willingness to play a leading role in the reconstruction of Syria, along with Turkey and Qatar. In the past, Saudi Arabia and Turkey have supported various groups opposed to Assad. At the meeting in Riyad, Annalena Baerbock, the German foreign minister, said, Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power, and we continue to help those in Syria who have nothing, as we have done all the years of civil war, we will provide another 50m for food, emergency shelters and medical care. The struggle for influence over Syria continues on the ground. Israel has destroyed most of Syrias military infrastructure after the fall of the Assad regime and is expanding its occupation of Syrian territory. The Israeli army, which advanced its occupation to the Beddua region near the Mezzeh Military Airport on the outskirts of Damascus, came within about 20 kilometres of the capital. The London-based, anti-Assad Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday that Israel struck an HTS military convoy for the first time, killing three people, including a civilian. Ankara is uncomfortable with Israels growing power in Syria, while Tel Aviv has made no secret of its displeasure with Turkeys influence over HTS. On January 6, the Nagel Commissions report, which was presented to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defence Minister Israel Katz and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, stated that Turkey has become the most influential power in Damascus and that the Sunni-Turkish axis has replaced Irans Shiite axis. Turkeys interests in turning Syria into a client state and thereby increasing its regional influence are clear. It should be prepared for actions on the ground and potential threats that could escalate rapidly, the report said, arguing that military capabilities should be strengthened in preparation for a possible conflict with Turkey. In July, Turkish President Erdogan announced that Turkey might intervene militarily against Israel in order to protect the Palestinians, and in early October, in his speech at the opening of the Turkish parliament, he warned of a war between Israel and Turkey, saying, The Israeli leadership, acting with the delirium of the promised land and with a purely religious fanaticism, will set its sights on our homeland after Palestine and Lebanon. Israel has declared the SDF, which controls most of the energy resources and granaries in north-eastern Syria, its ally. Turkey, on the other hand, has announced that the SDF, which it sees as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which it has been trying to suppress for 40 years, must dissolve itself in subordination to the Damascus administration or it will launch a military operation. The position of Kurdish forces in Syria has also increased tensions between Turkey and France. Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said that France would not abandon freedom fighters like the Kurds who are allies of the West in the war on terror in Syria, while SDF foreign affairs officer Ilham Ahmed called for France to send troops to the region, saying, The US and France can indeed secure the entire border. We are ready for this military coalition to assume such a responsibility. Journalist Fehim Tastekin said that France has a small number of troops in the Kurdish-dominated areas of Syria and in US bases; he reported through the Al-Mayadeen channel that the SDF has acquired French-made UCAVs for the first time. On January 10, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, without mentioning any names, reacted with contempt to NATO ally France. Fidan said, I dont believe the policies developed by some small European countries, who participate in certain operations under Americas umbrella and then speak out from there, contribute either to themselves or to the region. Legitimising the presence of US imperialism in the region, which has been destroying the Middle East for almost 35 years, Fidan said, If they can come to the region and carry out operations and deploy military forces without USs involvement, lets see. But we know thats not the case. He also added that Our interlocutor on this matter [on Syria] is the US. We are talking to the US, not the countries trailing behind it. Ankara believes that the overthrow of the Assad regime has tipped the balance in its favour and is trying to oblige the Kurdish forces to liquidate the de facto autonomous administration without obtaining any legal status. To this end, through PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned in Turkey for a quarter of a century, it wishes to force the PKK and its sister organisations in Syria to lay down their arms. Deputy Srr Sureyya Onder, a member of the Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) delegation that met with Ocalan, made a statement on the negotiations on Tuesday, revealing that the talks carried out with the claim of peace are part of the imperialist struggle for carving up the Middle East. Onder asked, Will the power put its state mind into action in the sense we attribute to it and make peace with the Kurds in the face of uncertainty and try to become the main actor in the Middle East in this way, or will it engage in a fierce conflict with the Kurds in Syria with an iron fist in a velvet glove? The main point to be reached at the moment is to decide between these two options. If negotiations with the United States, whom Fidan sees as the only interlocutor, fail to produce results and Turkey launches a military operation against Kurdish forces in the region, where 2,000 American troops are stationed, the two NATO allies could come into dangerous confrontation in Syria. Public housing residents in the Melbourne suburbs of Flemington and North Melbourne are being targeted by a relentless state Labor government disinformation campaign ahead of the planned destruction of their homes. Public housing tower in Flemington, Melbourne In an unprecedented assault on public housing stock, the government of Premier Jacinta Allen intends to demolish every high rise public housing tower in Melbourne over the next two decades. The 44 public high-rise towers under threat currently house 10,000 people in 6,600 apartments. Most of these are in inner suburban areas, prime real estate that has long been targeted by corporate real estate speculators. Tranche 1 of the government plan, slated to begin early this year, involves tearing down five towers in Flemington and North Melbourne, with the land given over to developers to build expensive apartments for private buyers. Only part of the new constructions will be allocated to social housing, which is typically more expensive and less secure than public housing allotments. Numerous residents in the initially targeted towers do not want to move. Many are among the most vulnerable sections of the working classthe elderly, refugees, survivors of domestic violence and victims of substance addiction. The close community bonds, and local network of social service providers, that have developed over decades will be smashed up by the Labor governments so-called redevelopment plan. State government entity Homes Victoria has mounted a glossy advertising campaign to pressure residents into accepting that they have no choice but to accept relocation. To divide and rule the affected communities, posters featuring photos of some residents have been put up in the foyers and lifts of the targeted towers. Accompanying text features honeyed phrases to sugar-coat the bitter pill that whole communities are being destroyed. One ad stated: Homes Victoria is retiring older social housing high rises. There will be support every step of the way, from the choice to stay close, to helping you move. Posters in the foyer of the public housing tower This is to foment the lie that the public housing towers are no longer fit for habitation. Independent architects have established that refurbishment of the existing towers is entirely feasible, contrary to government claims. Homes Victorias boasts about help and support are also untrue. Residents cannot necessarily stay close to local amenities, and many have been offered alternative accommodation only in outlying suburbs such as Werribee or Kings Park, more than an hour away by public transport. Residents encouraged to move this far away include those with children attending local schools, who would have their education disrupted by such a move. One public housing resident, whom we shall call Mary to protect her from potential reprisals, was angered by the advertising campaign. She told the World Socialist Web Site: They came to us to ask us for interviews and to have our photos taken. They said they would give us money. If you said, I dont want a photo, there would be no money. They wanted the photos to prove that you are happy. Not only mefour or five of us said no to that. She spoke about the relocation drive: The new social housing they are offering, they are too small. Ive seen those places, you have to put furniture outside on the porch. The little rooms are very small. In the sitting room you would only fit a sofa, if you are lucky. The kitchen can only fit a small fridge. Are they going to buy a new fridge for us? No. According to where you are moving to, you have to get new furniture and a new fridge. The people who have moved there have to come back here to even do their washing. And if you accidentally set off a smoke alarm when you are cooking, there will be a $1,500 fine. A lot of people are crying. It is a disaster, to be honest. We have anxiety. We used to say hello to each othernow it is just, Have you moved? What are you doing? Did they offer you a place? People are unhappy and they are confused. Some people have been shown three or four places, but they are not near here, not near hospitals or schools. And if you have children at school, what are they going to do, move schools in the middle of the year? It is just money that the government is doing this for. But money is not coming with you to the grave. Are you rich when you die? I hate it. Today even if youre working, you cant afford rent. Ive lived here over 20 years. This is my house. I was paying rent for those 20 years. Poor people dont have any place. Mary also spoke about the implications for residents in the shift from public to so-called social housing: With community housing, if you miss one days rent, they take you straight to VCAT [the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, a disputes resolution body]. But on the other hand, if everything needs repairs, but they dont fix anything, we cant take them to VCAT. They tell us that in three or four years we can come back here. But then it will be community housing, not Housing Commission. Im staying here. When you refuse, if you dont want what they offer, they call another person, to try and make you agree. The Homes Victoria pitch is part of a sustained, corporate-led campaign against the public housing residents. KPMG, a global accounting company, was paid more than $150,000 to June 2024 for High Rise Redevelopment Communications and Engagementengagement with renters. KPMG was also paid $300,000 from May 2024 to December 2024 for High Rise Redevelopment Market Research to provide strategic insights based on research findings. Think HQ, an advertising agency, was paid $250,000 from June 2024 to September 2024 for: Delivery of a campaign strategy (including advertising tactics) and associated content that supports the State Governments program of works related to public housing, in particular its commitment to retire and redevelop 44 high-rise public housing towers across inner urban Melbourne, also known as the High Rise Redevelopment Project. Residents of the public housing towers should not believe a word coming from the state Labor government or from Homes Victoria. They face the urgent task of forming a rank-and-file neighbourhood committee to fight for the basic social right of all to a secure, affordable and habitable home, against the governments promotion of the profit interests of the property developers. President Joe Biden, center, with Vice President Kamala Harris, left, and Sec. of State Anthony Blinken, right, speaks at the White House on the announcement of a ceasefire deal in Gaza. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) In a video statement Wednesday afternoon, US President Joe Biden announced that a ceasefire agreement had been reached between Hamas and Israel and would be implemented on Sunday. A ceasefire and a hostage deal have been reached between Israel and Hamas, Biden said. Biden claimed that the first phase of the agreement would include the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas. Israel reacted to Bidens announcement by continuing to massacre dozens of people in Gaza. More than 30 people were killed in bombings on refugee camps, residential neighborhoods and hospitals Wednesday following the announcement, on top of 50 that had been killed earlier in the day. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following Bidens announcement, An official statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be issued only after the completion of the final details of the agreement, which are being worked on at present. It subsequently said in a statement, The Israeli negotiations team in Doha reported to Netanyahu of a last-minute attempt by Hamas to withdraw from a clause in the agreement, adding, Netanyahu instructed the negotiations team to uphold the understandings that were agreed upon and to reject the last-minute blackmail attempts by Hamas. Regardless of whether an agreement is finally reached and whether Israeli troops formally withdraw from Gaza, any ceasefire would continue the illegal Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the brutal apartheid regime to which the Palestinians are subjected. Notably, the Israeli ceasefire with Lebanon worked out in November has been followed by almost daily bombardment of Lebanese territory by Israel, and there is every reason to believe this would be the case for Gaza as well. In fact, if the Israeli military pulls back from Gaza, it is because it will have achieved its aim of leveling the majority of buildings and massacring a significant portion of its population. More than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed since the beginning of the genocide, according to official figures. But these figures are broadly considered a major underestimation, with two reports published in the Lancet estimating the deaths at between 70,000 and 186,000or more. In announcing the ceasefire, Biden boasted of the military objectives achieved by the US-backed Israeli onslaught on Gaza and its rampage throughout the Middle East. Because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas backed by the United States, Hamas longtime leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed, Biden said, boasting of having murdered the leader of the political organization Israel was negotiating with. Biden said he organized the coalition of nations to support Israel against Iran and enabled strong Israeli attacks on Iran, destroying Irans air defenses. He added, then Hezbollah, another of Hamas strongest backers, was significantly weakened on the battlefield, and its leadership was destroyed. Biden was referencing the systematic murder of virtually all of the leaders of one of the largest political organizations in Lebanon, including the September 27, 2024, murder of Hassan Nasrallah using 20 massive US-provided bunker buster bombs. Thousands of people were injured, and dozens killed, in a mass terrorist attack by Israel throughout Lebanon on September 17 and 18. Biden boasted, And so now the terror network that once protected and sustained Hamas is far weaker. ... Iran is weaker than it has been in decades. Hezbollah is badly degraded, and after more than 15 months of war, Hamas senior leaders are dead. Thousands of Hamas fighters are dead, and the military formations have been destroyed with nowhere to turn. In these remarks, Biden made clear the military motivations of the USs support of the Gaza genocide. The systematic and deliberate massacre of the Palestinian people was carried out to shape what Netanyahu proclaimed as the New Middle East. In his remarks before the United Nations on September 27, 2024, Netanyahu showed a map of the Middle East with the Palestinian territories subsumed into Israel, and with Israel and its Arab partners forming a land bridge connecting Asia and Europe. Biden used virtually the same language as Netanyahu in his remarks Wednesday, declaring that the war created the conditions for an economic corridor from India across the Middle East to Europe. He declared, That vision can now become a reality. The Gaza genocide is the latest and most horrific crime in the decades-long imperialist-backed drive by Israel to fully annex Palestinian territories. In the 31 years since Yasser Arafat and Yitzhak Rabin shook hands at the signing of the Oslo Accords, Israel has carried out a relentless and escalating onslaught against the Palestiniansfacilitated by the bourgeois Arab regimes. Concluding his remarks, Biden declared, This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration. In these past few days, weve been speaking as one team. Last week, Trump threatened that all hell will break out in the Middle East unless Hamas surrenders, while his vice president, JD Vance, has vowed to enable Israel to knock out Hamas. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump White House is preparing a major attack on Iran, a claim that Trump refused to condemn. The White House has sought to claim that a ceasefire is Bidens legacy. No, his legacy is sponsorship of the Gaza genocide, and turning over the White House to a fascist who will only further intensify the imperialist bloodbath throughout the Middle East and around the world. Homes are seen burned while a few still stand, Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, in the Pacific Palisades section of Los Angeles [AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill] With the official death toll standing at 25 and expected to rise, the fires which began last week continue to burn across Los Angeles County Wednesday. The damage and economic impact of the firestorm is now projected by Accuweather to reach $275 billion. This would make it one of the costliest disasters in US history. These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter noted Tuesday. Hurricane-force winds sent flames ripping through neighborhoods filled with multi-million-dollar homes. The devastation left behind is heartbreaking, and the economic toll is staggering. The Palisades Fire, the largest of the fires, is now 21 percent contained, and the second largest, the Eaton Fire, has only been 45 percent contained. These two fires are responsible for every confirmed death and the destruction of at least 12,000 structures, mostly homes, but also schools, small businesses and other buildings. Many across the region of more than 10 million residents have been exposed to the toxic fumes produced by burning homes, cars and various chemicals, which will impact health outcomes on a mass scale for months. At least 88,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders. Few can afford temporary housing due to the illegal price gouging on rentals, leaving them to stay in shelters, which are mostly recreation centers. Reporters from the World Socialist Web Site spoke to a few of the victims of the fire on Wednesday in the Pasadena and Altadena neighborhoods. Mary Fosters family lost everything in the fire. Even though her home has been in the family for over 50 years, she noted that their fire insurance had recently been cancelled. Mary Foster On January 7, we were notified to evacuate. And we had little to no time to just grab anything. So I just grabbed my kids, and we just left with the clothes on our back. By January 8 we received a picture of our neighborhood on fire. So we tried to come back and when we got through, our house was completely gone. Weve been sleeping in our car, staying in motels. We had to get storage because people were nice enough to give us donations and stuff for our kids and clothes and stuff, but we have nowhere to store it because we only have a little SUV, and were a family of seven. Now were utilizing Airbnb. That was made possible through help from the Red Cross. Its not money. Its Airbnb credit. Were grateful for that. It was $3,400; its not much, but its something. Its enough to at least house us for like two or three weeks. Its not even a month, because housing is like $4,500 a month just to rent. Elaine and Cal, both retired landscape architects, also lost their house. They told the WSWS they had spent the last 20 years creating a beautiful home. We did most of the remodeling by ourselves. Elaine and Cal They housed six of their relatives and had to find temporary housing for them all. Luckily their insurance has not been cancelled. As for their neighborhood, the short term is how are people going to be compensated for this disaster? Altadena is a community like many others which is socially stratified. You have wealthy layers, and then you have a lot of people who are just working class. They also spoke about what resources should be provided to wildfire victims. Everybody should be made whole. When there is an economic crisis, if you look at the housing crisis in 2008, if you look at sort of the beginning of COVID in 2020, theres trillions of dollars immediately made available to the banks. We should, regardless of what peoples insurance coverage is, they should all be made whole. Everybody should have a chance to rebuild if theyd like to or start out fresh somewhere. The severity of the inferno in Southern California is caused by the ongoing and accelerating capitalist-induced climate crisis. Even the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has been forced to admit: The frequency and severity of wildfires, as well as the duration of the fire season, are increasing in many regions of the world. The occurrence of extreme wildfiresi.e., wildfire events that are particularly severe in terms of their size, duration, intensity and impactsis also on the rise. In Australia, the average wildfire frequency has doubled since 1980. In the forests of the western United States, wildfire severity, i.e., the degree of ecosystem impacts caused by a fire, increased eightfold between 1985 and 2017. The duration of the fire weather season has increased by 27% globally since 1979. The American oligarchy, on the other hand, embraces the drill, baby, drill philosophy of President-elect Donald Trump. His choice for Energy secretary is climate change-denier and fossil fuel executive Chris Wright. He recently claimed that the concern over wildfires was just hype, rejecting the broadly understood scientific consensus. For his part, Trump has sought to tie the ongoing debate over the US debt ceiling with federal aid for the LA fires, effectively holding the metropolitan area of 18 million people hostage for political jockeying. This is in addition to the cuts by Democratic LA Mayor Karen Bass of tens of millions of dollars to the Los Angeles Fire Department, which has crippled the departments ability to fight the current fires. While posturing about his concern over climate change, President Joe Biden approved more oil drilling permits than Trump did in his first term, setting up even more fossil fuel emissions, greater global warming and thus even more devastating wildfires in the future. Every administration in the last half century has poured hundreds of billions into wars of imperialist conquest around the world and collectively trillions have been spent to bail out the banks and super rich. The Socialist Equality Party demands instead the implementation of measures to support the victims of the wildfires. Build emergency shelters, and use eminent domain to requisition unused properties. There are enough vacant housing units in Los Angeles to provide shelter for every evacuee. Provide full income protection for all affected workers and close non-essential workplaces and schools. UCLA has ignominiously kept the campus open, poisoning students and staff. Carry out an emergency national response to stop the spreading fires. California must halt the conscription of prisoners who are paid pennies for risking their lives. Instead, firefighters must be well compensated and fully equipped and trained for their tasks. There are over 10,000 firefighters employed by private companies that are members of the National Wildfire Suppression Association. Many of them are currently being used by LA billionaires to protect their properties at the expense of the population. Fully compensate for all losses by workers, middle class families and small businesses. Instead of bailouts for wealthy bankers and Wall Street traders, hundreds of billions of dollars must be made available to make the impacted population of Los Angeles whole. On Tuesday, the Federal Electoral Committee certified the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party, SGP) to stand in the German federal election on February 23. The certification of the SGP is of great significance. Of the 56 parties that had submitted a notification of participation, only 31 were certified, significantly fewer than the 44 that had been admitted to the 2021 federal election. SGP representatives Tamino Wilck (left) and Christoph Vandreier (right) at the meeting of the Federal Electoral Committee on January 14, 2025 [Photo: Screenshot BundestagsTV] In order to gain ballot access, parties must collect 2,000 signatures for each state list they wish to put forward and submit them to the respective state electoral committee. These will then decide on the certification of the respective lists in the coming week. Because the deadlines for the new election were extremely shortened, but the required number of signatures was not lowered, only very few smaller parties can stand nationwide. The very process of determining party eligibility at the Federal Electoral Committee is deeply undemocratic. The majority of its members are representatives of the parties already represented in the Bundestag (federal parliament), who are allowed to decide which of their competitors they will allow to stand for election and which not. To prove their party status, the smaller parties have to fulfil numerous conditions and, for example, prove that they exert influence on the political will-forming process, what the scope and stability of their organisation is, that they have enough members and that they are publicly active. In addition, they must have submitted a detailed statement of accounts in the last six years so that they do not lose their party status. Many parties have been excluded from participating in the February election due to minor formal errors. In the case of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Germany (MLPD), a Maoist organisation, the Federal Electoral Committee initially decided, in an extraordinary session, that the party could not submit a valid notification of participation because, according to its statutes, it only elects its executive committee every four years and not every second calendar year as prescribed, and therefore did not have an executive committee capable of acting. As a result, the MLPD first had to elect a new leadership at a special party congress in order to be admitted to the February election. The SGP could not be excluded from the election because it has fulfilled all the formal criteria and there can be no doubt about its party status. In a 31-page document submitted in advance, the party demonstrated its extensive work over the last four years. It has intervened with a socialist perspective in numerous workplaces and strikes, where it distributed tens of thousands of leaflets, conducted interviews and initiated rank-and-file action committees in a wide range of areas. At universities, it has led a fight against the pro-war policy with its youth and student organisation, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE). In the last student parliament elections at Berlins Humboldt University, it achieved a record result of 7.7 percent. It has organised several public events with hundreds of participants on major political developments, such as NATOs war against Russia and the genocide in Gaza. The World Socialist Web Site, which is published in German by the SGP, has a wider reach than most other party publications in Germany. Numerous bourgeois media outlets have also reported on the work of the SGP and the IYSSE in recent years. There can be no doubt about the partys character, said SGP leader Christoph Vandreier at the Federal Election Committee meeting. We are very active against the all-party coalition for war and cuts, which has also gathered here to decide on the admissibility of its challengers. We have held dozens of rallies against the genocide in Gaza, organised dozens of events against the escalation of the war against Russia and put forward a socialist perspective. The SGP must therefore be admitted, Vandreier demanded. This was approved unanimously by the election committee. Following the meeting, Vandreier said that the party would put forward a slate of candidates at state level in Berlin and would also field numerous constituency candidates. Our participation in this election is of great significance. The SGP is the only party to oppose the insane pro-war policy being pushed by all the parties represented in the Bundestag. Above all, the SGP openly states that social cuts and war cannot be stopped without overcoming capitalism. The big banks and corporations must be expropriated and placed under democratic control. Such a socialist programme requires the mobilisation of the international working class, that is, all those who create all the social wealth and have to bear the full brunt of war and crisis. This is the goal of our election campaign. We want to revive socialist consciousness among workers. More information about the SGPs election campaign can be found here. Register to support the election campaign and become a member of the SGP! Elevenlabs AudioNative Player Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to be defense secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. [AP Photo/Ben Curtis] On Tuesday, the Senate Armed Services Committee held its first and only hearing on the confirmation of President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for secretary of defense, Fox News commentator and defender of war criminals Pete Hegseth. Following the hearing, corporate media reports indicated that Hegseth was likely to be confirmed, given that the Republicans control the Senate 53-47 and no Republicans have declared opposition. Hegseth openly advocates the commission of war crimes and likely participated in them firsthand as an infantryman in a unit notorious for murdering prisoners and as a guard at the Guantanamo Bay prison camp. In his confirmation hearing, Hegseth stated that his experience at Guantanamo Bay makes him an expert on a form of torture known as waterboarding, which he has openly advocated. During his confirmation hearing, Hegseth railed against the Geneva Conventions, declaring, We would all have to acknowledge that the way we fought our wars back when the Geneva Conventions were written is a lot different. That Hegseth has been nominated to head the Department of Defense, let alone his likely confirmation, speaks to the fact that American democracy is reaching its calamitous nadir. The crimes committed during decades of perpetual war waged by the United States, which legitimized torture and the mass killing of civilians, followed today by US sponsorship of the Gaza genocide, are being brought home. The criminal activities of the US military all over the world will be the basis for domestic political repression. Of all Trumps nominees, Hegseths politics are perhaps the most overtly fascist. He has openly defended war crimes and advocated the use of the military against domestic political opponents. The nomination of Hegseth is a demonstration of Trumps complete contempt for any constitutional check on his use of military force, either at home or abroad. Hegseths selection by Trump, based on personal loyalty to the incoming president and a record of public lobbying in support of US soldiers guilty of war crimes, is an ominous warning of an impending explosion of American military violence against countries targeted by Trump and against popular opposition at home. The role of the Democratic Party is to whitewash and facilitate the lurch of the ruling class toward dictatorship. In the over four-hour hearing, not a single Democrat on the committee once uttered the word fascist. Nor did the Democrats warn the population that the person seeking the nomination to head an organization teeming with nuclear weapons, stealth bombers, missile submarines and hypersonic weapons has repeatedly indicated his support for using the military against domestic enemies. In addition to his support for war criminals, rejection of the Geneva Conventions and support for Trumps failed coup, Hegseth has a series of fascist tattoos on his body, including the Latin phrase Deus Vult (God wills it). This slogan, with its origins in the medieval Crusades, has been embraced by todays white supremacists, Christian fascists and Islamophobes. Notably, during Tuesdays hearing, not a single Democrat questioned Hegseth over his tattoos. After over two hours, North Dakota Republican Senator Kevin Cramer raised the issue but only to provide Hegseth an opportunity to advance his fascistic warrior ethos. The central thesis of Hegseths most recently published book, The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free, is a variation of Adolf Hitlers stab in the back theory, which blamed Germanys military defeat in World War I on a traitorous home front infected with Judeo-Bolshevism. According to Hegseths book, a variation of which was repeated during the hearing, while he and other patriots were fighting the US imperialist wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, Americas domestic enemies at home... pounced. The Left didnt fight the wars. They stayed home and wrecked our house. America-wreckers, all of them, he wrote. The domestic enemies include the radical Left, Antifa, BLM and now Hamas supporters and other progressive storm troopers (a slander against those opposing Israeli genocide in Gaza). Hegseth wrote in the book that the expectation is that we will defend [America] against all enemiesboth foreign and domestic. Not political opponents, but real enemies. (Yes, Marxists are our enemies.) During the hearing, Hegseth repeatedly attacked what he termed woke policies that were harming recruitment and retainment and pledged that as Trumps secretary of defense he would place lethality first. Republican Senator Eric Schmitt (Missouri) thanked Hegseth for offering clarity and vision for the Department of Defense, in restoring an ethos, a warrior ethos, which is in stark contrast to the ethos of the last four years, which has been weakness and wokeness. Schmitt claimed the military had been infected with DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), which, he said, was rooted in cultural Marxism. In response, Hegseth claimed, less than two weeks after two US Army veterans launched violent New Years Day attacks that left dozens injured and over 14 people killed, that extremism in the US military was a made-up boogeyman to begin with. The term warrior ethos, which has been developed within the American military over the past two decades, in essence denotes unlimited and unrestrained brutality and criminality to advance the interests of the American oligarchy. Its glorification of warfare and the militarization of society has direct roots in Nazi ideology. The Democrats never addressed Hegseths promotion of a warrior ethos or exposed its fascist content. They could hardly do so having supported wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East and particularly the Israeli genocide in Gaza. As a diversion from the substance of imperialist military policy and its bloody methods, they focused almost all of their questions on Hegseths previous statements criticizing women in the military, allegations of sexual infidelity, and his obvious inexperience managing large organizations. In championing the role of women, they all accepted as a matter of course that in the coming years American soldiers will be sent into battle en masse, and that the American military must be built up to accomplish this task. The only digression from the focus on issues of gender, personal transgressions and managerial competence came when Democrat Jacky Rosen of Nevada asked if America First foreign policy is America alone? Does that include abandoning our allies and partners such as NATO, Taiwan, Israel and others? Hegseth assured Rosen that our friends in the world have had no better ally... than President Donald Trump, who has reinvigorated the NATO alliance and stood behind Israel in every way, in ways this administration has not. Rosen followed up, Is Donald Trump going to stand behind Ukraine?... Are you going to stand behind Ukraine? Here is the key to the policy of the Democratic Party. As long as Trump maintains the US commitment to the war against Russia in Ukraine, even at the risk of a nuclear conflagration, the Democrats, as one of the two parties of American imperialism, are prepared to collaborate in every other area. MOSCOW, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Moscow supports any agreement that could lead to a ceasefire in Gaza, Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday. "Any settlement that leads to a ceasefire and an end to the suffering of the people in Gaza, that contributes to Israel's security, can only be welcomed," Peskov said, commenting on the deal at a daily briefing. Israel and Hamas have agreed on a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal after intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the United States, Qatar's prime minister announced on Wednesday. The agreement includes an initial 42-day phase, during which more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza will halt. Former Florida Attorney General and Trump's pick for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, speaks at a Trump campaign rally at First Horizon Coliseum, Nov. 2, 2024, in Greensboro, North Carolina. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon] Pamela Bondi, Donald Trumps nominee for attorney general, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee at a confirmation hearing on Wednesday. As reported previously on the World Socialist Web Site, Bondi was picked in late November when former Congressman Matt Gaetz withdrew his nomination at Trumps request after leading Republicans came out against him. In the wake of Gaetzs demise, Bondi was selected as one of the far-right political figures, fascists and oligarchs in Trumps cabinet. Bondis credentials as a Trump loyalist are well established. She was on Trumps legal team during his first impeachment and Senate trial. She supported Trumps Stop the Steal campaign and his attempted coup in January 2021. She went on TV after the 2020 election and stated that Trump had won Pennsylvania, which he had lost by more than 80,000 votes. After the failed coup attempt, Bondi became head of the legal arm of the Trump-aligned America First Policy Institute, and she was involved in lawsuits filed in advance of the 2024 election intended to facilitate another coup if Trump lost the vote in November. Bondis appearance before the Senate was one of six confirmation hearings on Wednesday. The other nominees who appeared were Marco Rubio for Secretary of State, John Ratcliffe for CIA director, Sean Duffy for Secretary of Transportation, Chris Wright for Secretary of Energy and Russell Vought for director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). During her hearing, Bondi steadfastly refused to answer important questions while making pro forma statements about not allowing politics to interfere with Department of Justice (DOJ) investigations. However, she was given a friendly welcome by Democrats and Republicans alike, and congressional leaders of both parties predicted that the former attorney general from Florida (2011-2019) would be easily confirmed. On the claims of a stolen election in 2020, Bondi refused to state clearly that Joe Biden won the presidency and that Donald Trumps Stop the Steal campaign was based on lies and falsifications. When asked by the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, whether she believed that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, Bondi responded with a tautology, President Biden is the president. When asked by Senator Alex Padilla, Democrat from California, about her appearance in 2020 alongside the eventually disbarred Rudy Giuliani and her declaration that Trump was the victor in Pennsylvania, Bondi defended her actions and said she was representing the campaigns position at that time. Bondi absurdly claimed she would maintain the Justice Departments independence from the convicted felon Donald Trump and his plans to investigate his political opponents. She repeatedly said she would not politicize the DOJ, saying she would uphold the Constitution and the rule of law. When Senator Durbin asked if she could say no to Trump, given her previous service as one of his personal attorneys during his first impeachment trial, Bondi simply lied, saying that Every case will be prosecuted based on the facts and the law that is applied in good faithperiod. Politics have got to be taken out of the system. When asked what she would do if Donald Trump told her to do something illegal, Bondi refused to give a straight answer. Senator Adam Schiff, Democrat from California, asked Bondi whether she would investigate Jack Smith, the DOJ special counsel who brought two indictments against Trump. Bondi responded, I havent seen the file. ... I havent looked at anything. It would be irresponsible of me to make a commitment regarding anything ... without looking at the file. In other words, she was open to investigating Smith. Senator Mazie Hirono, Democrat from Hawaii, asked the nominee to reject Trumps characterization of supporters arrested in the January 6, 2021 insurrection at the US Capitol as hostages or patriots, but Bondi refused, claiming, I am not familiar with that statement. Republican senators, including committee Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, sought to bolster Bondis bogus arguments that under her leadership, partisanship, the weaponization, will be gone, and America will have one tier of justice for all, thereby endorsing Trumps claims that the cases brought against him were examples of politically driven persecution by the Biden White House. Grassley reviewed a list of complaints by Republicans that the Democrats had politicized the DOJ by prosecuting Trump over the past four years. The corporate media is bending over backwards to present the hearing as a rigorous inquiry by the Democrats into Bondis role as a lawyer who participated in Trumps 2020 coup attempt. In fact, the pro forma performance and Bondis imminent confirmation amount to a further rubber stamp by the entire political establishment and, in particular, the Democratic Party, of the pervasive criminality of the incoming government and its dictatorial character. The Sri Lankan government has intensified its police-state repression of school development officers (SDOs) who have been campaigning for integration into the countrys teacher service. A section of protesting School Development Officers in front of the Ministry of Education on December 2 2024. [Photo by Supplied by protesters] Eight SDOs have been charged over claims that three police officers were injured during a demonstration of about 1,000 SDOs on December 2 outside the Education Ministry in Battaramulla, Colombo. The latest, H. K. G. B. Nelson, an SDO working as a teacher at Janapada Maha Vidyalaya school in Weeraketiya in southern Sri Lanka, was detained on January 7. He was arrested and charged at Talangama police station, after the police sent a letter to his school principal telling him to report to the station and make a statement. Nelson was brought before a magistrates court in Kaduwela and placed on remand until January 15. The 42-year-old is a graduate from the University of Sri Jayawardenepura and a father of two children. His pregnant wife is about to have a third child. According to an SDO who spoke to the World Socialist Web Site and the Collective of Workers Action Committees (CWAC), Nelson reported to the police, after being intimidated over recent weeks, including by several plain-clothes officers who allegedly threatened his family members. Two media outlets have published baseless claims that police investigations identified Nelson as the person who injured police officers during the December 2 protest. A report published January 9 in Dinamina, a pro-government Sinhala-daily, was headlined: It was Nelson Sir who cut police officers at the protest near Isurupaya: Talangama police arrest him. Divaina, another Sinhala daily, published a report on the same day titled: Development Officer in Weeraketiya who cut three police officers during the protest outside Isurupaya remanded. The two publications effectively convicted Nelson even before he had been brought before an identification parade or the courts. About 16,000 SDOs, who have been teaching in schools for five years, have been fighting for full integration as teachers over an extended period. Last months protest was because successive governments have ignored their demands. The newly installed Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)/National Peoples Power (NPP) government reacted to the SDO protest by deploying several hundred police to brutally disperse the demonstrators. The administration then launched a major witch-hunt. Four SDOs were arrested at the demonstration on bogus charges of unlawful assembly, obstructing traffic and injuring police officers. When put in an identification parade on December 7, none of the injured police officers identified them as suspects. On December 15, three more SDOs were virtually kidnapped from their homes and taken into police custody on the same charges. One was presented to an identification parade but not identified as a suspect by the injured police officers. While the seven SDOs were released on bail, they face imprisonment and fines if convicted. At the December 2 protest, SDO protesters identified and caught a suspicious person and handed him over to the police. He was later identified as an army intelligence officer. In contrast to the rough physical treatment by the police of the SDOs arrested and bundled into jeeps, TV news footage showed that the suspicious individual was taken away by police, under full protection. Lawyers appearing for the arrested SDOs told the media that he had a sharp weapon in his hand. On December 12, the Office of Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) issued a media release claiming the suspect was not an army intelligence officer. It now appears that the police are intensifying their witch-hunt against SDOs to divert attention from this individual and cover up the real story. Who is this person? Why did he come to the protest and on what basis was he released? While the police have freed this individual without answering any of these basic questions, they, and the pro-government media, now insist that the SDO who injured police officers was identified and have arrested Nelson. An SDO teacher from a school located near Nelsons school denounced the police witch-hunt and rejected claims that Nelson had been hiding. Claiming that Nelson had been absconding from police is false, he told the World Socialist Web Site. During the vacation, he reported for duty on every working day. Plain-clothes police officers came several times to his home, intimidating his wifes family members and inquiring of his whereabouts. They also followed his wifes sisters. In one incident, Nelsons wife, who is pregnant, was rudely questioned by police at her preschool. She fainted and a preschool function was interrupted due to that, he said. The teacher also denounced media reports for claiming, without any proof, that Nelson had committed a crime. Schoolchildren are even saying that he has been put behind bars. Ive not seen anything like this before, he added. The police attack on SDO protesters and the ongoing repression demonstrate that the JVP/NPP government is determined to crush any struggle by the working class against its International Monetary Fund (IMF)-dictated austerity program. Another acute expression is the recent banning of the lecture, How to fight the IMF austerity program, organised by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE). The event, which was due to be held at Peradeniya University on January 3, was sponsored by the Political Science Students Association. The IMF austerity program includes the privatisation or restructuring of more than 400 state-owned enterprises and the slashing of the state sector workforce by half a million. The Value Added Tax (VAT) and Pay As You Earn tax (PAYE) are to be continued and major cuts made to education and health expenditure. The legitimate demands of the SDOs for their integration into the teachers service and for the recruitment of more than 30,000 unemployed graduates into state sector jobs means these educators are coming into direct confrontation with the government and its austerity measures. In the education sector, there are more than 50,000 teacher vacancies in schools. While the JVP/NPP government is escalating its repression against the SDOs, the trade unions covering teachers and principals are either openly endorsing the police actions or turning a blind eye. Mahinda Jayasinghe, general secretary of the JVP-controlled Ceylon Teacher Service Union and now deputy minister of labour, accused the SDOs of injuring police officers. He made the claim in parliament without providing any evidence. The United Teachers Union, which is controlled by the fake-left Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), and the Inter University Students Federation are maintaining a total silence. These unions have also lined up behind the governments fraudulent claims that special competitive exams must be held before SDOs are recruited into the teaching service. These unions falsely claim concessions can be obtained by pressuring governments. During last years elections, they supported the JVP trade unions, which said an NPP government would solve Sri Lankan workers problems. They also did all they could to dissipate working-class struggles, including by SDOs, over wages, jobs and conditions. The SDO trade union bureaucracy has no fundamental differences with these unions. Hostile to any independent political struggle by the working class, they have isolated their members, exposing them to further attacks by urging them to put their faith in the establishment parties, so-called civil organisations and the courts. The CWAC published a statement on December 26 titled, Sri Lankan workers and teachers must defend school development officers. It outlined the basis for a struggle to win the demands of the SDOs and to take forward the broader struggle of the working class against IMF austerity. The statement explained: The Collective of Workers Action Committees (CWAC) calls on workers to reject the wait and see policy of the trade union bureaucracies and their attempts to disarm workers politically. In order to organise a struggle for their social and democratic rights, workers urgently need to form action committees in every workplace, as well as the plantations and all the major economic centres. Rejecting the trade union leaders appeals to the capitalist parties and so-called civil society groups, SDOs need to organise their own action committees and turn to other sections of the working class. Rosen Zhelyazkov speaks at the Bulgarian National Assembly in Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 16, 2025. Bulgarian National Assembly on Thursday approved a coalition government led by GERB-UDF's nominee Rosen Zhelyazkov, more than two months after the parliamentary elections. (Xinhua/Lin Hao) SOFIA, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Bulgarian National Assembly on Thursday approved a coalition government led by GERB-UDF's nominee Rosen Zhelyazkov, more than two months after the parliamentary elections. The new government, which replaced the caretaker cabinet led by Dimitar Glavchev, was backed by 125 legislators in the 240-member parliament. Zhelyazkov, a master of laws born in 1968, has served as Speaker of the National Assembly, Minister of Transport and Communications, and Secretary General of the Council of Ministers. Presenting his cabinet at the plenary hall, Zhelyazkov said Bulgaria has been in a political crisis for some time and expressed gratitude to the coalition partners with whom his political force reached an agreement, setting aside ideological and political differences. Zhelyazkov said his government's main priorities would be to improve people's quality of life, focusing on healthcare, education and labor market development, guaranteeing the rule of law and strengthening institutions. Other priorities include ensuring sustainable public finances and effective management of public investments, as well as a sustained increase in investment in research and development. Tomislav Donchev was named deputy prime minister and minister of innovation and growth, along with two other deputy prime ministers. Seventeen other ministers were also elected. Bulgaria held a snap parliamentary election on Oct. 27, 2024 following the failure to form a new government after the elections in June 2024. Members of Bulgaria's new cabinet led by Rosen Zhelyazkov are seen in Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 16, 2025. Bulgarian National Assembly on Thursday approved a coalition government led by GERB-UDF's nominee Rosen Zhelyazkov, more than two months after the parliamentary elections. (Xinhua/Lin Hao) Rosen Zhelyazkov (L) and Bulgaria's caretaker Prime Minister Dimitar Glavchev are seen after the new cabinet was approved in Sofia, Bulgaria, Jan. 16, 2025. Bulgarian National Assembly on Thursday approved a coalition government led by GERB-UDF's nominee Rosen Zhelyazkov, more than two months after the parliamentary elections. (Xinhua/Lin Hao) BEIJING, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- An investigation has found that U.S. company PVH Corp. has engaged in improper practices related to China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Thursday. The investigation, launched by China's unreliable entity list work mechanism in September 2024, is progressing in an orderly manner, said a spokesperson with the MOC. The investigation has repeatedly heard statements and defenses from PVH Corp. and reviewed the written materials submitted by the U.S. company. Preliminary results show that the company has engaged in improper practices regarding Xinjiang, according to the MOC spokesperson. The mechanism's office plans to meet with PVH Corp. again soon. The final investigation results will be made public in accordance with the law, said the spokesperson. China has always handled issues related to its unreliable entity list with caution, and the list targets only a handful of foreign entities that jeopardize China's national security, according to the spokesperson, adding that law-abiding foreign businesses should have no concerns. The Chinese government, as always, welcomes enterprises from around the world to invest and operate in China, and is committed to providing a stable, fair and predictable business environment for law-compliant foreign companies, said the spokesperson. LONDON (Reuters) - Apple and Amazon have successfully fought off a mass lawsuit in Britain over alleged collusion between the tech giants to remove resellers of new Apple products from Amazon's website, a tribunal ruled on Tuesday. The lawsuit was brought by consumer law academic Christine Riefa on behalf of around 36 million British consumers who had bought Apple or Beats products. Riefa's lawyers alleged that Apple and Amazon reached an agreement in 2018 to bar the vast majority of resellers of Apple and Beats-branded products from Amazon's marketplace in the United Kingdom, reducing competition for those products. Apple and Amazon said the case, valued at 494 million pounds ($602 million) plus interest, was without merit and asked the Competition Appeal Tribunal to refuse to let it proceed. The tribunal ruled that the case could not continue because Riefa had not demonstrated "sufficient independence or robustness" to represent the claimant class, in relation to third-party funding for the litigation. Riefa's lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did spokespeople for Apple and Amazon. The Competition Appeal Tribunal's refusal to certify the case, an early step in such litigation, is unusual as the bar for certification is relatively low. (Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Catarina Demony and Emelia Sithole-Matarise) By Eduardo Baptista BEIJING (Reuters) -China will launch an investigation into U.S. government subsidies to its semiconductor sector over alleged harm caused to Chinese mature node chipmakers, the commerce ministry said on Thursday. Unlike the cutting-edge chips that power artificial intelligence models, mature node chips are cheaper, easier to manufacture, and used for less complex tasks, including home appliances and communications systems. The investigation is the latest salvo in Beijing's policy of retaliating against Washington's ever-broadening scope of restrictions targeting China's semiconductor industry, which the Biden administration has alleged could go on to dominate global supply chains and help the Chinese military become technologically superior to its U.S. counterpart. "The Biden administration has given a large amount of subsidies to the chip industry, and U.S. enterprises have thus gained an unfair competitive advantage and exported relevant mature node chip products to China at low prices, which has undermined the legitimate rights and interests of China's domestic industry," China's commerce ministry said in a statement. Soon after the commerce ministry's announcement, the China Semiconductor Industry Association published its own statement supporting the probe. The association, whose board is made up of executives from the country's largest chip companies, said the Biden administration's CHIPS and Science Act, which in 2022 pledged $52.7 billion in subsidies for U.S. semiconductor production, research, and workforce development, "seriously violated the basic laws of the market economy". Beijing's accusation echoes the Biden administration's reasoning for announcing a tariff hike on all Chinese chip imports in September, and a probe into China's mature chip node industry last month, which U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said had expanded capacity, artificially lowered prices and hurt competition using Chinese state funds. Washington has also over the past three years tightened export controls targeting the sale of advanced U.S.-made AI chips to China. It is unclear what retaliatory action will come out of the Chinese government's probe but U.S. firms such as Intel that sell mature node chips to the Chinese market could be affected. Intel did not immediately respond to a request for comment. While China's semiconductor industry overall lags behind that of the United States, Beijing is widely seen to have retaliated against Washington's chip curbs using measures such as limiting exports of rare earth metals and launching an investigation into U.S. AI chipmaker Nvidia over suspected violations of its anti-monopoly laws. (Reporting by Eduardo Baptista and Beijing Newsroom; editing by David Evans) Sometimes, cruise lines can negotiate better deals for their passengers when it comes to the fees various countries charge for port visits. That's because the cruise line will be bringing so many people to that destination, that it has some leverage because it could opt to visit that port less often. That's currently impacting the proposed $42 fee that Mexico wants to add per passenger for any ship stopping in the country. If that happens, Mexico would become the most expensive port on the Caribbean and both Royal Caribbean and Carnival could reconsider how often they stop there. Related: Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean fix huge passenger problem Royal Caribbean may also rethink its investments in building a private beach club in Cozumel and a second Perfect Day in Costa Maya. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's impractical to think cruise ships would skip Mexico entirely, but they could schedule fewer ships to stop there, which would quickly make the new tax a money loser not a revenue driver. In other cases, however, new rules, taxes, and fees are well beyond what cruise line's can impact. Carnival Brand Ambassador John Heald recently talked about this in a video he posted to his popular Facebook page. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Heald explained some changes for visitors to the United Kingdom and the European Union.Image source: John Heald/Facebook Carnival warns of two new fees you have to plan for Transcript: So, those of you talking about Legend, we're cruising in Europe this year, this last year, 2024. And I hope you had a brilliant time. Carnival Miracle is going to be doing the European season in this year, 2025 and Legend will return to Europe in '26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus we have a couple of ships doing transatlantic cruises pre-dry dock. So they're heading to Barcelona. So this will apply to you. Now we will be sending you Chris, our chief communications officer and his team will be sending out notifications to you in the coming days. But we've also already added this onto the website. Now, for those of you coming to the UK this year, there is now something called an ETA that you have to complete, an electronic travel authorization. When I come as a, as a Brit to the United States, I have to do something called Esther. And this is now the other way around. It's kind of payback, I guess. I don't know why we're doing it, but we are anyway. So very basically, if you're coming to the UK to sail out of Dover, all travelers as of January the 8th. So we're already a little bit behind who do not have, I'm behind telling you, I should say who do not hold a passport of the United Kingdom or Ireland must obtain an electronic visa known as the UK travel authorization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, this is all on our website. You go to the www.gov.uk and you can apply for it there. It takes about three days to obtain. It's an electronic visa. It lasts for two years and all guests traveling, including children and infants, need to apply for this ETA. It's very easy. I do it every year. There is a small charge when I do it. I think it's about $15 to do an Esther and I think it's roughly the same for the UK electronic travel authorization for that. So those of you going to Dover, but if you're cruising from Dover or if you're cruising from ... you're cruising from Rome, you will also need the European version of this, which is called the European travel information and authorization system, which means if you do not have a passport from, see if I can do this in one breath, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Switzerland, Sweden and Cleveland, Ohio. You will also need to go on to the website travel Europa, blah, blah, blah. And this is all on our website now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So you're basically going to need this. If you're going to cruise to from Dover to the European ports, you need to do both. If you're cruising from Dover and you're just doing British Isles, you need to do just the British visa. If you're sailing from Barcelona or from Rome, you will need to do the European visa. And it's all right there. It's simple. It takes a couple of days and you can go ahead and put that right there for you. OK. And I hope that you will enjoy a wonderful European season. (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise). Have questions about booking a cruise? Schedule a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me's Travel Agent Partner Postcard Travel Planning. Cabins are selling quickly like they are, as I said, on every ship. Many of the cruises are sold out. But don't forget this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's your chance to explore the British Isles, Europe, the Mediterranean, Turkey, Ireland, Greece, Italy, France, Holland, Germany, Scotland, etc., etc., all the way through. And it's going to be another brilliant European season. Now, that's some of the things that are applicable to the ships sailing from Europe this year and from the United Kingdom. Are you taking a cruise or thinking about taking one? Visit our Come Cruise With Me website to have all your questions answered. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Nicole Lovett I am so close to a lion that I can hear the snap and crunch of bones as it eats its kill. I've been told the carcass lying in a muddy puddle in front of me was once a male buffalo, but with little more than a ribcage and spine left, I'll have to take my guide's word for it. Having arrived by light aircraft on the world-famous Maasai Mara only minutes ago, it's fair to say as a mainly city person, frankly that I am astonished to be confronted with the sight of two young lionesses finishing off the gristly remains of a two-day-old kill, as a male with a shaggy, golden mane looks on. With their faces smeared with both mud and blood, the two enjoying their lunch look almost comically gruesome. I can hear their sighs and pants as they gnaw through bone. Nearby, opportunistic jackals are biding their time, waiting for their chance to steal a bite of the buffalo. I should probably be terrified. Instead, as I sit in a jeep only a short distance away from the scene, I am totally transfixed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was an encounter that would set the tone for my week-long adventure through Kenya's most extraordinary wilderness areas, each stop revealing not just wildlife spectacles, but the intricate dance between conservation, community, and tourism. Breakfasts at Roca River are often accompanied by a chorus of hippos wallowing in the Mara river | Credit: Roca River Camp Breakfast with the hippos at Roca River Camp Life at Roca River Camp, just a 45-minute flight from Nairobi, flows along with the continual hum of the African bush. Mornings unfold beneath sprawling acacia trees, where hearty al-fresco breakfasts are accompanied by an unusual dawn chorus the resonant grunting of hippos wallowing in the nearby Mara River. Hosted by Ross and Caro Withey, whose roots in Kenya are life-long, this luxurious retreat offers more than just proximity to one of Africa's most iconic safari destinations. From July to October, the camp provides front-row seats for nature's greatest spectacle: the Great Migration, when millions of wildebeest, zebras, elands and gazelles surge northward from the Tanzanian Serengeti in search of greener pastures. Yet even in November, outside the migration window, the Mara's drama seems to unfold continuously. And the guests at Roca River camp are witnesses to it thanks to Roca Rivers expert guides such as eagle-eyed local guide Julius Naurori who seems to have an almost uncanny ability to spot lions from staggering distances. Perhaps slightly easier to spot were the elephant herds shepherding playful calves through quiet groves, and the giraffes loping gracefully across the horizon. Rarely seen thankfully are other visitors. Indeed, perhaps the most precious gift of a November visit is the sense of solitude on the Mara. While peak season can bring a parade of vehicles to each sighting, Ross and his team have perfected their timing, ensuring Roca's guests are often the first, and frequently only, witnesses to these remarkable wildlife encounters. In the quieter months, the Mara belongs to the animals and the rare few eager enough to seek them out. A pride of lions sleep on the plains of the Masaai Mara | Credit: Nicole Lovett Beyond serving as a gateway to wildlife encounters, Roca River Camp stands as a beacon of community engagement. Its relationship with the Anne K. Taylor Fund, which is dedicated to maintaining the delicate balance between conservation and community development within the Maasai Mara ecosystem, exemplifies how tourism can contribute to positive change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fund's initiatives include an innovative project supporting local women in producing reusable sanitary pads a seemingly simple intervention that ripples outward, addressing broader issues of female empowerment, education retention, and economic independence in Maasai communities. Guests at Roca River Camp can arrange visits to meet these remarkable, pioneering women, and witness at first hand how tourism's pounds and dollars can flow beyond game drives and sundowners to nurture meaningful community projects. Transformative travel Behind all these extraordinary scenes lies the meticulous planning of Explorations Company, whose team has spent over three decades weaving together the threads of wildlife, culture and conservation across Africa, Asia and beyond. The mastermind behind my safari adventure is Kate Pirie, a senior travel specialist who has worked with Explorations Company for more than 20 years and prides herself on having "never done the same trip twice". Speaking to Kate, it's clear that what sets Explorations Company apart is its unwavering commitment to purposeful, transformative travel. That means more than just selecting luxury accommodations though the camps and lodges they partner with are undeniably exceptional. Instead, it's about creating connections that touch Kenya's local communities as well as its wildlife. Each camp and lodge in the portfolio has been carefully vetted not just for comfort and location, but for their tangible contributions to conservation and community development. Otherwise, Kate tells me definitively, they're off the books. Credit: Nicole Lovett Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Midnight theatre in the Shompole Wilderness A short flight transports guests from the Mara's expansive plains to the intimate sanctuary of Shompole Wilderness Camp, a gorgeous family affair close to the Great Rift Valley. The camp's true distinction lies in its ground-breaking community partnerships, such as the camp's collaboration with the SORALO ranger program. Guests here can visit the rangers, and are invited to learn about the important community and wildlife protection work they do. Among these impressive guardians is Sylvia Nashipae, who broke barriers as Shompole's first female ranger. Today, she is one of 12, their presence challenging traditional gender roles in their communities while strengthening the bonds between wilderness protection and local communities. Sylvia Nashipae (far right) with her all-women team of rangers | Credit: Sorcha Bradley But visitors looking to get their wildlife fix need not fear. One of the camp's most striking features is its hide, about three miles away, which is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers alike. Cleverly designed and backlit for optimal shots, the hide complete with comfortable beds, and a well-stocked drinks cooler brings you astonishingly close to the action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From this privileged vantage point, nature's grand theatre plays out in startling proximity: the iridescent flash of superb starlings, a family of warthogs with their comical radio-antennae-like tails, all sharing space with elder bull elephants, whose tusks gleam in the moonlight as mountain peaks loom in the distance. Even those armed only with a smartphone are capable of capturing remarkable images here although a professional camera is advised for those wanting to capture the finer details of these incredible animals. A photographer's dream: Shompole Wilderness Camp's hide | Credit: Shompole Wilderness camp Spotting elusive predators at Lion's Bluff My trip ends with an all-too-brief stay at Soroi Lions Bluff Lodge, where 12 luxury suites perch above the rust-red expanse of Tsavo National Park. The lodge maintains strong ties with nearby villages, supporting a digital lab at the local school and fish farming projects that help reduce pressure on wildlife, among other projects. At Lion's Bluff we are treated to night drives which reveal a world hidden to safari-goers who explore only in the sun. Our spotlight catches movement in the grass, and we see an African wildcat, one of the continent's smallest and most elusive predators, freeze mid-hunt. We pass giraffes gently grazing in the dark (others appear to have mastered the trick of sleeping standing up), and later a barn owl emerges, its eyes glowing from within the grasses of the wilderness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's a side of Tsavo that some visitors never get to experience, and a reminder that some of Africa's most extraordinary moments come to life only after sunset. In many ways, these nocturnal adventures mirror my time with the Explorations Company, revealing that beyond the well-trodden narratives of safari adventures lies a somewhat more hidden, complex story of communities and wildlife learning that coexist in an ever-changing landscape. And they're inviting visitors to help pen this next chapter for Kenya's extraordinary wilderness. Lion's Bluff: enjoy unbeatable views from the infinity pool | Credit: Soroi Lion's Bluff Sorcha Bradley travelled as a guest of Explorations Company. A nine-night itinerary starts from 10,494 per person, including domestic flights, airport transfers and full-board accommodation and activities at all safari lodges. Looking to trade the winter chill for sunshine? A new study by Arka has revealed the top ten warm-weather destinations for a perfect winter escape in 2025. The ranking was based on key factors including average winter temperatures, hours of sunshine, and sea temperatures to determine the best climates. It also considered popularity and affordability, using data on annual international visitors, hotel prices for luxury stays, and Instagram hashtags to gauge travel trends and social buzz. The Maldives The Maldives takes the number one spot with an impressive score of 91, thanks to its balmy average winter temperature of 81F and its reputation for luxury. Though hotel rates average $726.30 per night, making it a splurge-worthy destination, it continues to attract high-end travelers seeking unparalleled tropical beauty. Visitors to the Maldives can enjoy a range of activities, from snorkeling and diving in coral reefs full of marine life to indulging in private overwater villa experiences. Phuket, Thailand Phuket, Thailand, secures second place with a score of 90.6, attracting an impressive 36 million international visitors each year, the highest among the top destinations. Its inviting sea temperatures of 82F and more affordable luxury stays, averaging $343.80 per night, make it a popular choice for sun-seekers. With 12.4 million Instagram hashtags, Phuket is frequently featured by travelers around the world. Bali, Indonesia Dimitri Dim / Pexels In third place is Bali, Indonesia, with an overall score of 90.4. Bali stands out as the most Instagrammed destination on the list, with a staggering 74.3 million hashtags. Visitors can explore Balis rice terraces in Ubud, relax on beaches like Nusa Dua and Seminyak, or marvel at the iconic sea temple of Tanah Lot. Bali also offers excellent value, with luxury accommodations averaging just $130.10 per night. The best warm-weather escapes: The full list Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Maldives Phuket, Thailand Bali, Indonesia Goa, India The Seychelles Boracay, The Phillippines The Bahamas Cape Town, South Africa San Pedro, Belize Maputo, Mozambique The post A new study reveals the best warm-weather escapes for 2025 appeared first on The Manual. Two Kentucky destinations have landed on Southern Living's Top 25 Places to Go in 2025 list. Bernheim Forest and Arboretum in Clermont, Kentucky gets a big shout-out as one of the top five places to visit in the South. The publication ranks the Kentucky location high on its list of must-see locations because of its larger-than-life wooden sculptures of giants resting in the middle of a lush forest. Southern Living also highlights Bernheim Forest's latest development, L+A+N+D, which represents the intersection of landscape, art, nature, and design through a series of ever-changing and immersive outdoor installations. Coming in at No. 21 is Come Home Month in Lexington, Kentucky, which includes a series of events to celebrate Kentucky's second largest city's 250th anniversary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To compile its list, the publication scoured the South for whats new, notable, and next in 2025. From have-to-see-to-believe natural wonders to milestone theme park openings to luxury, experiential stays, these are the 25 best places to visit in the South this year. Samantha Brown, host of PBS' 'Samantha Brown's Places to Love' travel show, visited Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest and its iconic Forest Giants for an upcoming episode highlighting Louisville and Kentucky. The top five include stargazing domes in Terlingua, Texas (No. 1), mid-century train cars outfitted for a cozy night stay in Chattanooga, Tennessee (No. 2), a bluegrass festival at an innovation museum in Bentonville, Arkansas (No. 3), Bernheim Forest and Arboretum (No. 4), Royal Caribbean's newest ship, and Star of the Seas Cruise based out of Cape Canaveral Florida (No. 5). As you make your travel plans for the new year, check out the January/February issue of Southern Living and read the full list online. Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky spots on Southern Living's Top 25 Places to Go in 2025 list NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) One person was injured in a shooting at an apartment complex on Lebanon Pike Wednesday night. Metro Dispatch confirmed authorities responded to a shooting call at the City Side Flats apartments in the 1400 block of Lebanon Pike at about 10:20 p.m. Wednesday night. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee Responders on the scene told News 2 a 34-year-old man was shot and taken to Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He reportedly sustained two gunshot wounds to his lower extremities. Police added his injuries were non-life-threatening and he told officers he did not want to prosecute because he was leaving town as soon as he got released from the hospital. No further details have been immediately released. 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. 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. The Office of the President of Ukraine has published the text of the agreement on a 100-year partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, signed during the first visit of new UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Kyiv. Source: European Pravda Details: The document was signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The introductory part of the document mentions, among other things, support for Ukraine's European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations and Britain's support for Ukraine's "irreversible path to NATO membership". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also notes that Ukraine "will continue to build its capability to prevent and tackle corruption throughout the public and private sectors, in line with its commitments in the Agreement on Security Co-operation, including by continuing its support to independent and well-resourced anti-corruption agencies". The main part of the agreement consists of 14 articles, in particular, on strengthening defence capabilities; enhancing security and building consensus on Ukraine's membership in NATO; building maritime security partnerships; increasing economic and trade cooperation; strengthening energy, climate, and clean energy transition cooperation; increasing justice and accountability cooperation; and combating foreign information manipulation and interference. The article on strengthening defence capabilities states that Ukraine and the UK will deepen cooperation in this area, strengthen their military and defence-industrial capabilities, develop cooperation between defence-industrial bases, strengthen Ukraine's defence procurement system and transfer technologies for joint production of defence products. Quote: "The Parties shall build on areas that benefit Euro-Atlantic peace and stability well beyond the war, recognising Ukraines integral role in Euro-Atlantic security, with a focus on Ukraines inter-operability and contribution as a future NATO Ally." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The article on maritime security declares the intention to work to address long-term systemic threats and challenges to maritime security in order to restore freedom of navigation. Quote: "The Parties shall establish a maritime security partnership, including with the objective of strengthening of Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea security." Details: Article 6 declares the intention to take measures to bring to justice states that commit gross violations of international law. The article on migration states that the parties will take gradual steps to facilitate travel of citizens and visits to each other's countries "where the conditions for well-managed and secure mobility are in place". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full text of the document is available here. The agreement will remain in force for 100 years from the date of its entry into force, unless terminated by either party in accordance with the specified procedure. The document may be amended by mutual agreement of the parties. The parties may enter into additional agreements or arrangements to implement this agreement. Background: On 12 January 2024, a bilateral security agreement between Ukraine and the UK was signed as a follow-up to the G7 declaration on "security guarantees" for Ukraine the first of its kind. Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived in Kyiv to sign it. Support UP or become our patron! (Reuters) -Oil and gas producer Civitas Resources is exploring a sale of part or all of its assets in the Denver-Julesburg Basin in Colorado, which could be valued at more than $4 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday. The company is working with a financial adviser to gauge buyer interest and would be open to divesting fully from the basin if it receives a sufficiently attractive offer, the report said, citing people familiar with the matter. Civitas did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. "A potential sale would remove the market/investor stigma associated with Colorado, which is weighing on the valuation, and turn Civitas into a pure-play Permian company," said Gabriele Sorbara, analyst at Siebert Williams Shank. In 2023, Civitas acquired some Permian assets from private equity firm NGP Energy Capital Management for $4.7 billion and some acreage in the Midland Basin from Vencer Energy for about $2.1 billion. The company's average daily production in the Colorado basin stands at about 169,000 barrel of oil equivalent. Colorado, the fourth-largest oil producing state in the U.S., is a frequent battleground for the oil industry and environmentalists, who over the years have pushed for tougher regulations on fossil fuel production. The industry reached a compromise with environmental groups last year, which included charging a fee that fluctuates with market prices on every barrel of oil produced in the state. "Investors do not want to touch Colorado-focused E&Ps (exploration and production companies) even though they are in the clear until 2028," Sorbara said. Besides, while a "valuation north of $4.0 billion is reasonable", the company would be "shrinking not just in market cap and enterprise value, but also lower capital returns, which may not be well received in a market that places value on scale", Sorbara added. The company's shares were up nearly 2% in premarket trading. (Reporting by Pooja Menon in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar) MEMPHIS, Tenn. A 10th-grade student at Raleigh-Egypt High School died on Monday, according to sources. The student was identified as Cornelius Perry. During a Wednesday board meeting, the Memphis Shelby County School Board had a moment of silence in honor of Perry. They said Perry died after collapsing after school. His cause of death has not been released. Corneliuss uncle, DAngelo Perry, said his nephews positive energy was unmatched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man, he was one of the sweetest kids that Ive ever come across. In my eyes he could do no wrong, Perry said. No one is perfect, but he was the ideal child. Good in school, never got in any trouble or anything like that. Cornelius Perry (photos courtesy family) A donation page has been set up to fund Perrys funeral expenses. Friday, students, teachers, and staff will gather at Raleigh-Egypt High School for a balloon release for Cornelius. 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. For Chrishell Stause, fleeing the LA fires triggered a memory she hadn't expected: watching her house burn down as a kid. Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images For over a week, numerous fires have raged across parts of Los Angeles County. As of Wednesday afternoon, the primary two fires, the Eaton and Palisades fires, remain active, alongside the Hurst Fire. There is also the Auto fire ongoing in neighboring Ventura County. Mario Tama / Getty Images According to ABC News, these fires are among the worst-ever for the area across several metrics. AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty IMages The Selling Sunset star, who is currently competing on Peacock's reality show The Traitors, appeared on Sherri Shepherd's talk show Wednesday, where she opened up about her experience evacuating her home last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sherri began her interview by thanking Chrishell for appearing on the show in light of the LA fires. She then asked how Chrishell was leaning on her partner, G Flip, to get through the experience. Jerod Harris / WireImage / Getty Images This prompted Chrishell to reveal that not only did she watch her home burn down as a child, but also that memory flooded her mind while evacuating last week. "There was a fire right in our backyard. It was just immediately you gotta go. I just got frozen in fear," she said. "I had forgotten when I was 12 I did watch my house burn down. But that's something you don't think about, you know what I mean?" she continued. "It happened so long ago." Chrishell noted that G Flip rose to the occasion while she was stuck "still standing in the same place" and ran her through what they needed to do to evacuate. Joseph Okpako / WireImage / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You don't know how you're going to react. I think I would have liked to have thought I'm good in an emergency case, but this showed me I needed a little kick in the butt," she said. "G was there to keep me focused, so it was just nice." According to the Daily Mail, Chrishell also detailed the memory in an Instagram story the day after evacuating, noting her home survived the fire. JC Olivera/Variety via Getty Images "Last night reminded me when I was 12 years old watching my house burn and everything I owned in it, which wasn't a lot obviously at the time," she said, per the publication. Rachpoot/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images / Getty Images "A little PTSD from that whole experience that I completely forgot about until last night as I'm standing there in shock," she said, again thanking G Flip for rising to the occasion. Steven Simione / WireImage / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chrishell grew up in Kentucky and attended Murray State University before making her way to California, where she got her start in soap operas and became a household name as a real estate agent on the reality show Selling Sunset in 2019. Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images You can watch her appearance on Sherri here and donate to fire relief efforts here. Over the past 15 months, Terry Ahwal has lived through a nightmare. The Farmington Hills woman of Palestinian descent has been an advocate for Arab Americans for more than 40 years, often speaking out against violence in the Middle East. But nothing prepared her for what she went through over the past year. "It's been a horror," Ahwal, 68, said. "We lived in a state of shock, horror, disgust, because the dehumanization of the Palestinian people has become evident, and anger at our complicity because it is our bombs that basically killed these children and doctors and journalists and mothers and fathers. ... I've had almost 50 years of advocating on behalf of the Palestinians, but I have never seen the carnage that took place in the last 15 months. And I have never seen how our government is completely complicit in this." Supporters of Free Free Palestine wave Palestinian flags during the community rally in support of freeing Palestine at Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn on Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. Hamas militants attacked Israel on Saturday, killing more than 900 people, including at least 14 Americans. Israel has responded with a siege and heavy bombing of the Gaza Strip resulting in over 1500 deaths total. Now, Ahwal and others in metro Detroit with roots in or religious ties to the Middle East are hoping the Israel-Hamas ceasefire announced Wednesday by President Joe Biden and incoming President Donald Trump can end the bloodshed and eventually lead to a lasting peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Cautiously optimistic" is how she described her reaction to the ceasefire deal. "We'll welcome any stoppage in the violence, but we must continue to demand justice for the people of Gaza." Michigan has the highest percentage of residents of Middle Eastern ancestry among all states in the U.S. Three cities in Wayne County Dearborn, Hamtramck, and Dearborn Heights have the highest percentage of Arab Americans among all cities in the country. And so the war in Gaza and the West Bank was especially felt in this region. In Dearborn alone, there were more than 80 protests in support of Palestinians from October 2023 to October 2024, as well as numerous protests in Detroit, Ann Arbor and other cities across the state. Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud and U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Detroit, became national spokespeople for the Palestinian cause and for Arabs under attack in Lebanon and Yemen. Dearborn, the only Arab majority in America, had to endure bigoted stereotypes of the city over its support for Palestinians. Metro Detroit also has an established Jewish community that has been active since the 19th century. It held rallies in support of Israel in Oakland County, which drew support from leaders like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and U.S. Sen. Gary Peters. Jewish leaders in Michigan said Wednesday they hope for peace and an end to terrorism from groups such as Hamas. Whitmer once canceled a visit to Dearborn amid anger over her support for Israel. "I'm hopeful (the ceasefire) will come to fruition so that the hostages will be freed and the war will stop," Allan Gale, of Farmington Hills, a longtime Jewish activist in Michigan, said. "Need peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians and an end to terrorism and extremism." Gale helped organize a protest in April over the Interstate 696 highway to bring attention to the plight of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Kurzmann, a senior director at The Jewish Federation of Detroit, the largest Jewish umbrella group in Michigan, has been active over the past year advocating for Israel. He said many in the Jewish community in metro Detroit have family members and friends in Israel. Hamas' attack on Oct. 7, 2023, was the deadliest against Jewish people since the Holocaust. Today, we are cautiously optimistic and welcome the news that dozens of hostages may be coming home," Kurzmann said. "For the Jewish community, seeing the safe return of hostages held captive for the past 467 days will be a moment of relief. ... We are hopeful the first phase of this agreement will create a pathway for all hostages to be welcomed home by their families. Thousands of members of the Jewish faith and their supporters gathered at Congregation Shaarey Zedek on Monday, Oct. 9, 2023 for a rally in support of Israel after an attack by Hamas began over the weekend. In a statement, the Jewish Federation of Detroit said it "welcomes news of a deal to release dozens of hostages, create a framework for releasing all the hostages, and allow Israel a path forward to protect the safety and security of its citizens." The Jewish Federation raised almost $28 million in the month after the Oct. 7 attacks and has worked to maintain close ties with Israelis in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Prayers, pain and hope: Faith communities in Michigan reflect on year of strife The Federation added: "Every day for over 15 months, our community has held the hostages in our hearts, wept for their plight, prayed for their safe return, and mourned for those who we lost." The war in Gaza was one of several conflicts in the Middle East over the past year that was felt in Michigan. The battle in Lebanon between Hezbollah and Israel led to several deaths and greatly affected cities like Dearborn, where Lebanese Americans are the largest Arab group. Several Palestinians said they had family members killed by Israeli strikes, including an Ann Arbor man, Mahmoud Habeel, who said about 50 members of his extended family died in Gaza. Mahmoud Habeel, of Ann Arbor listens to other speakers after speaking of losing 50 family members in the Gaza war during the From Gaza to Detroit memorial service held at Greenfield Manor in Dearborn, Mich. for families grieving the loss of loved one in Gaza on Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. Habeel came to the United States from Gaza at 19 years old. What makes the past year painful for Ahwal and other Arab Americans is that the country they live in was actively supporting Israeli attacks with money and weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There was so many opportunities to stop it," Ahwal said. "There was so many opportunities to stop the carnage, and we just let it go. We continued to support it, adding fuel to the fire, sending bombs, sending armaments, allowing a criminal (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu) to come to our White House, to come to our Congress, and we applaud them." There was hope last year that the growing number of protests and Michigan being a swing state in the presidential election could draw attention to their concerns. The Biden administration sent several high-ranking officials to Dearborn to meet with Arab Americans last year to hear their concerns. Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer apologized last year in a private meeting in Dearborn to Arab Americans about how the Biden administration has talked about Palestinians; Biden once said Palestinians aren't telling the truth about the death toll. Amid anger over Gaza, Trump ended up winning Dearborn, Dearborn Heights and the heavily Arab precincts in Hamtramck. After Trump won, Arab Americans asked Trump to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon and Gaza. The Lebanon ceasefire was reached on Nov. 27th and the Gaza ceasefire this week. Haaretz, one of Israel's largest newspapers, reported that Trump's pressure on Netanyahu led to the ceasefire agreement that was previously resisted by Israel when Biden led the efforts. "President-elect Trump delivered the ceasefire," said Imad Hamad, a longtime Arab-American activist in Dearborn born to Palestinian refugees who were forced out of Sufsaf, a small village in what is now northern Israel in 1948. "It would not have been a reality at this point of time without president-elect Trump. I think the credit goes to him. ... We were hoping that President-elect Trump will deliver, and he did deliver, and that's a tribute to him. Terry Ahwal, Palistinian activist Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahwal happened to be helping host a Palestinian delegation visiting Michigan this week through a State Department program when the ceasefire was announced. "Their nerves are so shattered," Ahwal said of the visiting group of Palestinians. "They don't know what's going to happen. The uncertainty of their life is just beyond description." Hamad said he hopes for "a lasting peace, a genuine peace." "We welcome such a long-awaited, overdue ceasefire," Hamad said. "We were hoping that this could be done way before to save lives. We lived a nightmare for over 15 months, people lived a nightmare that nobody had an idea how it will end." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Palestinian Christians in Michigan struggle to celebrate Christmas amid Gaza war More than 46,000 Palestinians were killed over the past 15 months, according to the Associated Press, citing figures from the Gaza Health Ministry. About 1,200 Israelis were killed on Oct. 7, 2023, in Hamas' attack and an additional 840 Israeli soldiers were killed. Arab American activists say the Palestinian death toll is higher than reported. "It's very tragic that the ceasefire was reached after 60,000 people killed, murdered, slaughtered, over 100,000 injured," Hamad said. "And now, when the ceasefire takes effect, I think this is where the real horror is to be seen. I think the real disaster is yet to be seen. When people start going to the destroyed areas, look at the rubble, these numbers of casualties are expected to double, if not more. So it's a very tragic situation. I'm not in a position even to express any word of gratitude to President Biden and his administration." Hamad is executive director of the Dearborn-based American Human Rights Council, which released a statement saying "the ceasefire comes as a relief to the Palestinians who have been brutalized by the Israel war machine. ... Without peace, it will be one cycle of violence after another. The council called for an end to unconditional aid to Israel. And it commended Trump for his role in the ceasefire, saying he should now also push for a two-state solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Palestinian Americans, there are "no words that can describe what we went through day by day, hour by hour, it was like a very heavy cloud" hanging over us, Hamad said. For local Jews, the past year has also been challenging. "We've held close our Israeli brothers and sisters who have suffered, been displaced, fought in reserves, struggled to keep their businesses afloat, and worked to keep their families and communities alive," said the Jewish Federation of Detroit. Palestinian-American activists added that any peace has to come with justice for Palestinians and an end to the occupation of them in Gaza and the West Bank. Ahwal said the U.S. and other nations should enforce the International Court of Justice's ruling in November that issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and a former defense official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The International Court of Justice has indicted the leaders of Israel with the crime of genocide," Ahwal said. "We must pursue that and ceasefire should not be a word. It should be enforced by the international community." Contact Niraj Warikoo:nwarikoo@freepress.com or X @nwarikoo This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Arab American and Jewish communities in Michigan welcome ceasefire KENTUCKY (FOX 56) The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) is asking Kentucky residents to be on the lookout for a missing Florida teen. According to NCMEC, Collin Kirk, 16, was last seen around 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 in Hastings, Florida. MISSING IN KENTUCKY His stepmother, Jessica Kirk, said Collin had been watching a movie with his siblings and stepped outside to turn on a heat lamp for the familys dogs. But Collin never returned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NCMEC said that home security footage shows Collin tending to the dogs, but his movements afterward are unclear. Collin Kirks was last seen in his backyard, pictured here (NCMEC) Collin Kirk, 16 (Jessica Kirk) Collin Kirk, 16 (Jessica Kirk) Authorities believe that Collin left willingly and may have traveled to the Wallins Creek, Kentucky, area, more than 600 miles away from his home, the NCMEC said. Jessica told officials that the family is extremely worried for Collins well-being. He has never gone missing before and has made no attempts to contact his family since his disappearance, a news release from NCMEC said. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: The Kirk family provided this message, hoping it might reach their son. Collin, we want you to know that we love and miss you so much. We will never stop searching for you, even if it kills us. You are heavy in our thoughts and our hearts and always will be. A week has gone by in our search for you, and we will not stop searching until we find the truth. For those that know something about our boy, please find it in your heart to let us know he is OK. Please speak up in truth. Not knowing how he is or what hes going through is torturous for us. We are tormented daily at the idea that something has happened to him. We as a family are taking this so hard. Your siblings have no idea what to think or how to feel. They dont understand how or why something like this could happen. A part of our family is missing. We need you, and the sooner you can come home to us, the sooner we will feel whole again. The Kirk Family Collin is described as being 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing 125 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have any information about Collin or his disappearance, please contact NCMEC at (800) 843-5678 or the St. Johns County Sheriffs Office, Florida, at (904) 824-8304 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 56 News. 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: Anita Christine Hightower. Image courtesy Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum. We want to remember Anita Christine Hightower, 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. HOWARD COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Howard County Police Department (HCPD) is asking for the communitys help in their investigation after a 17-year-old boy was found dead inside a vehicle Tuesday night. Police said that on Jan. 14, around 8:30 p.m., officers were called to the 6000 block of Helen Dorsey Way for a suspicious call. There, Howard County police found 17-year-old Lance Carrington, of Columbia dead in the drivers seat of a parked vehicle. According to the Howard County police, Carrington was shot at least once. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bowie police searching for suspects who stole 2 cars from luxury apartment garage Detectives believed that the shooting was targeted and was possibly drug-related, but they are still working to learn what time the incident took place. As of Thursday, HCPD has not identified a suspect. Anyone with information about what led to the shooting is urged to call police at 410-313-STOP or send an email to HCPDCrimeTips@howardcountymd.gov. Howard County police said it is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information on the case. Tips can remain anonymous. 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. EAST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) A 17-year-old has been sentenced to eight years in prison on Wednesday for the 2023 stabbing of a teen outside of an elementary school in East Haven, according to the Division of Criminal Justice. North Branford teen fatally stabbed during fight outside East Haven elementary school Jeter Simmons fatally stabbed 15-year-old Dustin Cecarelli of Northford during a fight outside of Tuttle Elementary School in East Haven. Simmons used a knife to stab Cecarelli in the chest one time before fleeing the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He will serve eight years in prison suspended after three years served for his crimes. 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 WTNH.com. An 18-year-old woman has been sentence after pleading guilty to charges connected to a crash that killed a Butler County high school student. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] A Butler County judge sentenced Rebecca Kumar to two years in prison for a Middletown crash that killed Laith Masri, 14, of Liberty Township, according to our news partner WCPO in Cincinnati. As previously reported by News Center 7, Kumar pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault back in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from a single-vehicle crash in an area of N. Verity Parkway and Hughes Street in Middletown in March. TRENDING STORIES: When officers got to the scene, Middletown police found a 2015 black Cadillac SUV carrying six people. It had gone off the road and overturned into a wooded area. Prosecutors said in court that Kumar had been driving nearly three times the speed limit before the crash, reaching speeds of 103 mph in a 35 mph zone, WXIX and WLWT previously reported. A crash report stated she failed to negotiate a curve. Masri, 14, died from his injuries, News Center 7 previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Masri was a freshman at Lakota West High School. The other five people suffered injuries ranging from minor to life-threatening. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Two suspects were taken into custody Wednesday night after allegedly entering someone elses home and hiding from police. According to the Terre Haute Police Department (THPD) around 8:00 p.m. Wednesday, officers were called to the 1400 block of Spruce St. on the report that two known individuals entered a residence and threatened a victim with a knife. According to a media release, officers arrived on the scene, confirmed the suspects identities, and then quickly located their vehicle in the 100 block of N. 22nd St. The release states that the address was associated with one of the suspects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to THPD, a search of a nearby apartment led to the discovery of the two suspects hiding. One was found in a closet and the other under a pile of clothes. Both were taken into custody without incident. 58-year-old, Graylon D. Bell, of Terre Haute, was arrested on charges of Residential Entry, Intimidation, and an outstanding warrant for Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon. 49-year-old, Taiwan D. Richards, of Terre Haute, was arrested and faces charges of Residential Entry and an outstanding warrant for False Informing. Both suspects were transported to the Vigo County Security Center and are scheduled to appear in Vigo County Court on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 MyWabashValley.com. By Akash Sriram and Marie Mannes (Reuters) -Polestar's new CEO said on Thursday it would take longer for the Swedish electric-vehicle maker to be profitable and delayed its expansion of sales to more countries. The company's U.S.-listed shares fell nearly 14%. Polestar, backed by China's Geely, has struggled to increase sales amid declining EV demand and intensifying competition from manufacturers such as Tesla and Volkswagen Group. As a result, Polestar last year appointed industry veteran Michael Lohscheller as CEO and several other new executives, including a head of design, board chair, finance chief and chief operating officer. The company on Thursday announced results of a strategic review, saying it expects positive free cash flow after investments in 2027, later than its previous forecast of the end of 2025. Polestar previously expected flat revenue for 2024, but now expects a mid-teens percentage decline and negative gross margin. The company secured more than $800 million last month in 12-month term loan facilities, part of which will be used to repay old loans. The new funding will take the company's current debt to about $4.4 billion, it said. It is also working to secure an additional 12-month loan facility of $400 million that is expected to be available to the company later this month. Polestar's shares have declined 90% since going public in June 2022 and the company received a deficiency notice from Nasdaq last year for falling below the $1 mark. To resolve this, the company said it is considering a reverse stock split, which typically boosts prices by reducing the number of outstanding shares. PATH FORWARD Polestar's ambitious market expansion has also been delayed. The company will start sales in France this year, but delayed its earlier plan to enter more countries this year to 2026 and later. The EV maker's updated business plan foresees compounded growth in vehicles sold between 30% and 35% in the next three years, with positive adjusted core profit expected this year. To avoid major tariffs imposed on cars made in China, Polestar has started shifting some manufacturing from the country. Polestar produces cars in the U.S. and China, and said it is on track to make its Polestar 4 in South Korea in the second half of 2025. The company said it expects its Polestar 7 compact SUV to be produced in Europe. Following the launch of Polestar 7, the company said it will move to a single vehicle platform to streamline its business to reduce capital investments and development time. Polestar was spun off from Sweden's Volvo Cars, which ceased funding last year. DENVER (KDVR) Lone Tree police chased and arrested two suspects in a shoplifting case Tuesday after a single $600 item was stolen from a Dillards at the Park Meadows mall. The theft was reported at about 6:17 p.m. on Tuesday, and officers were able to respond to the area quickly. The adult male suspect was seen running on foot west from the store where he approached an SUV, forcibly removed a female from the drivers seat and drove away. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lone Tree Police Department officers deployed a tire deflation device and one of the cars tires slowly deflated as officers followed the vehicle. The driver lost control of the vehicle, which was traveling on three wheels at that point, near the intersection of Yosemite Street and East Panorama Circle in Arapahoe County. The SUV ended up on its side, and officers took the male suspect into custody. Officers learned the male suspect had been with the female suspect, and also arrested her. The suspects were identified as a 32-year-old man, who was charged with theft, motor vehicle theft and eluding in addition to a warrant for a previous eluding charges; and a 37-year-old woman, who was charged with theft, false reporting to authorities, possession of drug paraphernalia and several outstanding warrants. The Lone Tree police said no one was injured in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 2 arrested after traffic stop for stolen vehicle, drug possession, and child neglect: FHP DAVENPORT, Fla. (WFLA) Two people were arrested for a stolen vehicle, drug possession, and child neglect in Polk County, the Florida Highway Patrol announced. According to FHP, troopers conducted a traffic stop on Wednesday, Jan. 15, after noticing a grey Chrysler Pacifica that was reported stolen traveling westbound on Ernie Caldwell Boulevard. (FHP) During the traffic stop, the driver, Stephanie Niccole Hanley, 33, of Davenport did not have a valid drivers license and told troopers that she took possession of the vehicle on Dec. 26, 2024, to take her son to school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man caught with marijuana outside Auburndale school says he sells it because its hard to get a job: FHP A search of the vehicle was done and troopers located a black backpack with several controlled prescription medications in a plastic bag as well as methamphetamine inside the backpack, according to FHP. Hanley was placed under arrest and charged with: Burglary to an unoccupied conveyance-unarmed Grand theft of a motor vehicle Possession of a controlled substance without a prescription-felony Possession of methamphetamine with intent to deliver or distribute Possession of controlled substance-misdemeanor Possession of drug equipment Operating a motor vehicle without a valid license As troopers were arrested Hanley, a grey Hyundai arrived on the scene where the driver, Giovanne Junior Rivera Torres, 36, of Orlando told troopers he was Hanleys Husband. Troopers checked the Florida tag attached to the Hyundai and found it was not assigned to that vehicle, according to FHP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 dead after shooting at Circle K in Thonotosassa, deputies say Rivera Torres then asked troopers how long this would take, because he left Hanleys four-year-old daughter unattended at home, FHP said. Troopers responded to the home to find the four-year-old alone and unattended for over an hour. Rivera Torres was placed under arrest for child neglect without great bodily harm. Hanley and Rivera Torres were taken to the Polk County Jail. 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. SIOUX FALLS SD (KELO) Two people have died while ice fishing on the Missouri River in Walworth County. Parents in Huron react to 6 day care closures According to Craig Melhoff, a vehicle fell through the ice on the Missouri River near Akaska, which is south of Mobridge. Melhoff is the president of the South Dakota Walleye Classic hosted in Akaska. The Walleye Classic announced on their Facebook page that the Kids Fishing Tourney has been postponed to a date unknown, due to accident, in Akaska, SD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Walworth County Sheriff told KELOLAND News at 9 a.m. Thursday they are still investigating the incident and no information would be shared at this time. According to the Indian Creek Recreation Area, ice conditions continue to change with warming and cooling weather conditions. This past weekend, two vehicles fell into the ice in the same location at Bitter Lake. Officials said both drivers were unharmed but both vehicles were driving on the ice while it was dark. As of 7:00 p.m. the search was called off by Walworth County officials and will continue Friday. This is a developing story. Stay with KELOLAND News for more coverage online and on air. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KELOLAND.com. LOS ANGELES (AP) Two men convicted of lesser crimes connected to the killing of former General Hospital actor Johnny Wactor were sentenced to state prison on Wednesday. Neither Leonel Gutierrez nor Frank Olano was charged with killing Wactor, who was shot when he interrupted three thieves stealing the catalytic converter from his car in downtown Los Angeles on May 25. Gutierrez, 19, received four years in California state prison after pleading no contest to grand theft and attempted robbery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olano, 22, who was not at the scene of the killing, was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison after pleading no contest to being an accessory after the fact and receiving stolen property. Two co-defendants, Robert Barceleau and Sergio Estrada, both 18, are charged with the murder in the death of Wactor. Earlier this month, a judge found that there was enough evidence for them to go to trial. Both have pleaded not guilty. Police and prosecutors said the 37-year-old Wactor had left work at a downtown LA rooftop bar with a coworker when he saw three men who had hoisted his car. One of them fired at him and killed him, authorities said. After a long investigation that included police requests for help from the public and pleas for an intensified probe and prosecution from Wactor's family and friends, the four men were arrested in August. Two people have died after a boat overturned in southeast Georgia, according to deputies. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 12:46 p.m., on Wednesday, Screven County dispatch received a call about a boat overturning in a pond off Poor Robin Road. When deputies arrived, they met with a young boy, who told them he had been in a boat with two other young boys, when their boat overturned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boy was treated and released. TRENDING STORIES: The sheriffs office said other agencies joined in to help with the search. Deputies said after a five-hour search in 46-degree water, the victims bodies were found in the pond. While officials continue to investigate the circumstances that led up to their deaths, no foul play is suspected at this time. The victims ages and identities were not released. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Crossing a viaduct near Davos, Switzerland. Credit - Roberto MoiolaSysaworld / Getty Images When I talked to Borge Brende recently about what 2025 has in store for us, he started by looking not forward but backward. Seeking to understand our new horizonsthe theme of this issuethe World Economic Forum president compared this year to 1918, 1945, and 1989. We are, in his view, living at a moment of seismic change. There is a new order on its way, he said, but we dont know exactly where it is. Following a year of global elections, marked by rising populism and fury at the establishment, we enter into 2025 alert to new challenges and opportunities ahead, and aware that they can come swiftly. As has been the case since 2018, we are partnering with the World Economic Forum to mark the annual gathering of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland; this year, the resulting special issue was overseen by TIME senior editor Ayesha Javed. It is our effort to gather leading voices, as well as reporting from our staff around the world, to highlight the themes and ideas that we think will truly matter this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TIME owner and co-chair Marc Benioff, the CEO and co-founder of Salesforce, writes about what he sees as an unlimited age, one of growing productivity, made possible by the arrival of autonomous artificial intelligence agents. Youll see a few of those agents have joined WEF founder Klaus Schwab, Argentinas President Javier Milei, Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, and World Trade Organization director-general Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on our special Davos cover, painted as in years past by Tim OBrien. This years annual meeting kicks off on the same day as Donald Trumps Inauguration as the 47th U.S. President. His return to office will be Topic A in Davos this year, and he crashes this years cover too. Illustration by Tim O'Brien for TIME Joining the AI theme, TIMEs Billy Perrigo writes about the position that the U.K. has seized to make this digital transformation safer. We also welcome leading voices from outside TIME on the subject of our digital future, including Arm CEO Rene Haas, Nvidias Rev Lebaredian, and Google DeepMinds Lila Ibrahim. Geopolitical shifts will be front and center at this years meetings. Ian Bremmer writes about the future of two wars that have dominated global concern: the expanding fronts in the Middle East and Russias ongoing invasion of Ukraine, which will mark its third anniversary next month. TIMEs Charlie Campbell traveled to the roof of the world, reporting from Bhutan, as the country embarks on an original experiment in capitalism, all the while seeking to maintain balance between neighboring India and China. Happiness and well-being of people must be the purpose of capitalism, Bhutans Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay tells Campbell. We are talking about creating a new paradigm, an entirely new system of urban development. Austrian philanthropist and advocate Marlene Engelhorn, a 2024 TIME100 Next honoree, joins the call for rethinking capitalism. The climate remains a primary focus for us too. In 2024, we recognized fashion designer Gabriela Hearst with TIMEs Earth Award. Here, she writes about her concerns for the future of our planet and how her upbringing in Uruguay has shaped her work. I come from a culture where you are expected to leave your children better off than yourself. Unfortunately, this is not the current state of affairs, Hearst writes. Like the others in the issue, hers is a voice we must heed, no matter what awaits us in 2025. Write to Sam Jacobs at sam.jacobs@time.com. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Midland Chamber of Commerce held its annual State of Oil and Gas luncheon, with a wide array of topics from investors in oil and gas, including the importance of the Permian Basin on the global stage, and the long-term viability of the industry. ICYMI: Texas oil and gas companies prepare for coldest January in over a decade, could affect production It was really interesting. It gave a great future broadcast for the region. I also talked about the expectations with the new administration coming in, so it was a great conversation, and Im really pleased that everybody seemed to enjoy it today, explained Even Thomas, President of the Midland Chamber of Commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas pointed to the City of Midland itself, and how its adapted to the growing oil and gas business. Midland, whenever it started really ramping up, the size of the city may have been a little constrained for the growth that we are seeing, but that has grown into itself. The amenities have increased, the service base, and Im talking about hotel, restaurant, things like that are increasing. So, you see a city like ours thats actually growing into its economy. Thats basically what they said. So, it really is good and theyre expecting future growth, which is fantastic, said Thomas, said the President and Chief Financial Officer of Diamondback Energy, Kaes Vant Hof. 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 Yourbasin. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) The Mystick Krewe of Louisianians has announced the theme of this years Washington Mardi Gras. Chairman Congressman Troy Carter and King Rico Alvendia announced on Thursday that the theme for this years festivities will be Duty, Honor, Louisiana. Music lineup announced for 2025 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Krewe leaders said this years theme will pay tribute to the United States military, veterans and first responders while showcasing Louisiana culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year in DC, our Washington Mardi Gras Chairman Troy Carter and I invite everyone to join us in celebrating the people who keep us safe our troops and police, overseas and at home, who have given so much to protect our lives and our freedom, said Alvendia in a news release. New Orleans Audubon Zoo welcomes two new giraffes Part of the festivities will include a USO concert hosted by Alvendia featuring performances from a major country music artist, West Point Band and bands from Edna Karr and L.B. Landry high schools. In addition to the concert, the Love One Louisiana Foundation will honor members of the New Orleans Police Department for their service and bravery during the New Years Day attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Krewe leaders said Alvendia also chose the Mars Hero Fund for his 2025 charity, which covers the cost of riding in the Legion of Mars Parade and other events during the year for active duty military, veterans and first responders. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 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 WGNO. NORWICH, Conn. (WTNH) A 22-year-old man was charged with disorderly conduct on Wednesday in Norwich after he allegedly assaulted a female, according to police. Hartford HealthCare receives clothing donations for sexual assault survivors Officers responded to the area of Boswell Avenue and 10th Street for the report of a male who had assaulted a female and was in possession of a loaded firearm. Police said that they identified a 17-year-old female outside of the residence. The suspect, Bryan Miller, surrendered without incident and it was found that he did not have a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller was charged with disorderly conduct and assault in the 3rd degree. The female, who was not identified due to her age, was also arrested, but it was not specified on what charges. 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 WTNH.com. SAINT CLAIR, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Police say three people have been charged after a shot was fired inside the Saint Clair Walmart. A warning shot was fired into the air in the Christmas section of Walmart on November 10, 2024, according to police. How much snow will Pennsylvania get Thursday? Police say it started from an incident where two men, Jaheim Gregory, 22, and Tyre Dunn, 36, assaulted a man while they were in the store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Official documents say Dunn and Gregory fought the victim until he fired a warning shot while inside the store. Dunn and Gregory fled the area after the shot was fired. Dunn and Gregory have been charged with assault and other related charges. The victim was charged for carrying a firearm without a license. 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 PAhomepage.com. Chris OBrien becomes the companys first president. (Photo: Armada Sunset Holdings) Supply chain solutions provider Armada Sunset Holdings (ASH) announced Tuesday the appointment of Chris OBrien as president, a new role at the company. ASH, which has rapidly expanded operations in recent years, is looking to build on its past acquisitions and further enhance its service offerings to meet clients evolving needs. In an interview with FreightWaves, OBrien explained that he was drawn to the new role due to the strong customer-first cultural alignment and fit with the leadership team, as well as the companys growth goals and strategic direction, which aligned well with his experience. As chief commercial officer at C.H. Robinson, OBrien was known for his ability to drive customer-centric initiatives, leading teams responsible for sales, marketing, public relations and customer management. He brings expertise in these areas plus deep knowledge of global supply chain operations as he leads ASH into its next phase of growth. ASH, which includes Armada Supply Chain Solutions, Sunset Transportation and ATEC Logistics (formerly known as ATEC Systems), has seen significant expansion in recent years through strategic acquisitions. In 2022, the company acquired Sunset Transportation, a 3PL that serves various verticals, including freight brokerage, international logistics and transportation management. This acquisition was a critical move, allowing Armada Sunset to broaden its service offerings and enhance its position in the 3PL market. Building on the momentum of the Sunset acquisition, ASH strengthened its portfolio in 2023 with the acquisition of ATEC Systems, a global supply chain solutions provider focused on the food and beverage industry. The acquisition of ATEC allowed ASH to again expand its reach into new markets and diversify its service offerings, particularly in global inventory management, procurement and distribution. ASH operates across North America and serves clients in more than 60 countries, including some of the largest restaurant brands in the U.S., according to the company. OBrien says he is optimistic about the opportunities still ahead for ASH. Part of my background is figuring out how different offerings fit and interact together and how to best leverage the strengths of all different parts of the business for each customer. Im looking forward to executing our growth story, and I feel like I can help move things faster, said OBrien. The logistics industry, while facing challenges such as supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, continues to evolve, creating new avenues for growth. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Livingston Parish Sheriff Jason Ard said three men accused of preying on children online were arrested after an investigation. Ard said these investigations, conducted in December 2024, were supported by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigations, the attorney generals office, Louisiana Homeland Security Investigations and the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office. Detectives are identifying individuals who are preying on naive and innocent children on social media platforms and online gaming servers. The LPSO ICAC Task Force works tirelessly to identify these predators, Ard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana TikTok star Mr. Prada murder case to be heard by grand jury Arrest warrants were issued and three suspects were taken into custody. Norman Buddy Cutrer, 35, of Ponchatoula, was charged with three counts of indecent behavior with juveniles, three counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor and one count of possession of methamphetamine. Randy Gilleo, 28, of Prairieville, was charged with two counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and two counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. Nathaniel Walsh, 34, of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, was charged with two counts of indecent behavior with juveniles and one count of computer-aided solicitation of a minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office encourages anyone with information related to online child exploitation to contact the ICAC Task Force or local authorities immediately. 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 Louisiana First News. A 33-year-old man died hours after Phoenix police used force to get him handcuffed and arrest him, according to Sgt. Rob Scherer with the Phoenix Police Department. Scherer said Turrell Dantae Clay was arrested for an outstanding felony warrant near Thomas Road and 39th Avenue on Jan. 10. Clay ran from officers with a gun and climbed onto the roof of a nearby home, Scherer said. Officers used less lethal tools when Clay wouldn't come down from the roof and they struggled to handcuff him, according to Scherer. Once Clay was down from the roof, officers used physical force during a struggle to get him handcuffed, Scherer confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once in custody, officers called for paramedics to assess Clay. Scherer said that the Phoenix Fire Department released him before he left. Clay then told officers he was having trouble breathing. Scherer reported that they drove him to the hospital. A private ambulance company then transferred him to a cardiac hospital for advanced care. Doctors performed surgery, which Clay did not survive, Scherer said. The Maricopa County Examiner's Office will determine why Clay died, and detectives are launching a death investigation, according to Scherer. Phoenix police will release a briefing video within the next two weeks as part of their transparency protocol, Scherer confirmed. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix PD: Man dies after having trouble breathing following arrest PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) WPRI 12, FOX Providence and The CW Providence are once again teaming up with Meeting Street and Cardis Furniture for the 49th Annual Meeting Street Telethon. Its an evening of fundraising and fun co-hosted by 12 News Shannon Hegy, Mike Montecalvo and Tony Petrarca, along with students from Meeting Streets schools. Watch live on WPRI 12 from 710 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, or stream the telethon right here on WPRI.com. The annual telethon raises money for Meeting Street, a Providence nonprofit that operates multiple schools in Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts with the aim of providing educational, therapeutic and developmental services for children of all ages with disabilities and special needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2024 Meeting Street Telethon raised more than $630,000 for the schools programs. Donate Now! Telethon Online Auction Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025 WATCH LIVE STREAMING 7-10 PM: 49th Annual Meeting Street Telethon Watch also on WPRI 12 Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Special Coverage & Notices 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 WPRI.com. WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) Five Massachusetts college students made their first appearances in court Thursday, accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through a dating app and then seizing him as part of a Catch a Predator social media trend. The students, all teens at Assumption University, a private, Roman Catholic school in Worcester, were arraigned on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester District Court. Automatic not-guilty pleas were entered for all of them, and they are due back in court on March 28 for a pre-trial conference. The defendants in the case are Kelsy Brainard, 18; Easton Randall, 19; Kevin Carroll, 18; Isabella Trudeau, 18; and Joaquin Smith, 18. There is a sixth defendant who is a juvenile who was expected to be arraigned separately. Kelsy Brainard appears district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Isabella Trudeau appears at district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Joaquin Smith appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Kevin Carroll appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Easton Randall appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Police said Brainards Tinder account was used to correspond with the man. She faces an additional charge of witness intimidation. A male student in the group also faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The target a 22-year-old active-duty military service member told police that he was in town for his grandmothers funeral in October and just wanted to be around people that were happy, according to a campus police report. He said a student whose Tinder profile said she was 18 invited him over and led him into a basement lounge. A few minutes later, a group of people came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile, accusing him of wanting sex with 17-year-old girls, according to the report. The man told police that he broke free and was chased by at least 25 people to his car, where he was punched in the head and his car door was slammed on him. He fled and called the city police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campus surveillance video shows a large group of students, including the woman, all with their cellphones out in what seems to be a recording of the whole episode, the police statement said. They are seen laughing and high-fiving with each other in what appeared to be a deliberately staged event, and there was no evidence to indicate the man was seeking sexual relations with underage girls, the police report said. After the assault, Brainard reported the man to the police as a sexual predator and said she was frightened by him. She said he had come to campus uninvited and that she texted a male friend who chased him away. All of this was false, campus police concluded after reviewing surveillance recordings and finding that first person perspective videos were being circulated among students. The teens were ordered in court to have no contact with the targeted man. A lawyer for Brainard, Christopher Todd, said, Were just looking forward to having the process play out. The lawyer for Trudeau, Robert Iacovelli, said afterward his client is innocent and he filed a motion seeking dismissal of the charges against her. Other attorneys were not immediately reached for comment about their pleas. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Five Massachusetts college students are scheduled to make their first appearances in court Thursday, accused of plotting to lure a man through a dating app into visiting campus last fall and then seizing him as part of a Catch a Predator trend on social media. The students, all teens at Assumption University, a private, Roman Catholic school in Worcester, face arraignment on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester District Court. One of the students, a woman who texted with the man on Tinder, also faces a charge of witness intimidation. A male student in the group also faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. A sixth student was charged as a juvenile whose records are confidential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man a 22-year-old active-duty military service member told police that he was in town for his grandmothers funeral in October and just wanted to be around people that were happy, according to a campus police report. He said a student whose Tinder profile said she was 18 invited him over and led him into a basement lounge. A few minutes later, a group of people came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile, accusing him of wanting sex with 17-year-old girls, according to the report. The man told police that he broke free and was chased by at least 25 people to his car, where he was punched in the head and his car door was slammed on him. He fled and called the city police. Campus surveillance video shows a large group of students, including the woman, all with their cellphones out in what seems to be a recording of the whole episode, the police statement said. They are seen laughing and high-fiving with each other in what appeared to be a deliberately staged event, and there was no evidence to indicate the man was seeking sexual relations with underage girls, the police report said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the assault, the woman, who is 18, reported the man to police as a sexual predator and said she was frightened by him. She said he had come to campus uninvited and that she texted a male friend who chased him away. All of this was false, campus police concluded after reviewing surveillance recordings and finding that first person perspective videos were being circulated among students. In a statement, Assumption University said in part, The behavior described in the court filing is abhorrent. Boston 25 News reporter Bob Ward briefly spoke to the victims father who said his son lives out of state. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) promised to make the State Department relevant again during his confirmation hearing to lead the agency, facing a receptive audience among Senate colleagues he has served with for more than a decade. Rubio is expected to receive broad bipartisan backing, with a number of Senate Democrats expressing full-throated support for his confirmation to be Americas top diplomat. Ive always been struck working with Senator Rubio on this committee, since I came to the Senate in January 2013, that he has a very well-developed sense of the world and a passion and interest in all corners of it, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) said during the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kaine later announced hed be a Yes vote on Rubios confirmation. It marked a stark contrast to his grilling of Pete Hegseth, Trumps pick to lead the Pentagon, the previous day. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a business meeting Monday to vote to advance Rubios nomination to the Senate floor. I hope I can earn your support either you think Ill do a good job, or you are trying to get rid of me, Rubio said to laughs. The result is the same, Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho) joked. Lawmakers were largely receptive to Rubios stances on Americas foreign policy priorities, and they barely touched on controversial issues such as Trumps imperialistic threats to Canada, Greenland and Panama; conflicts of interest over the president-elects global business ties; and likely reversals to some of President Bidens foreign policy decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are five key takeaways from Rubios hearing. Rubio wants to make State Department relevant again We want the State Department to be relevant again, and it should be, Rubio said, arguing the agency has lost influence to leaner, more agile agencies like the National Security Council because it takes so long for the State Department to take action. But Rubio is likely to have competition within the Trump administration when it comes to foreign policy maneuvering, and not only from Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), the incoming national security adviser. Trump has announced a number of special envoys for key foreign policy issues, most of whom have relatively close ties to the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richard Grenell, Trumps former acting director of national intelligence, has been assigned the undefined role of presidential envoy for special missions. Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg was appointed special envoy for Ukraine and Russia, Steve Witkoff will be Trumps special envoy for the Middle East and Massad Boulos will be the president-elects senior adviser on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. How I anticipate it works, these envoys work for the president in coordination with us, Rubio said. Rubio said he had worked well with all those men, except Boulos, whom he only met once. Rubio said special envoy positions are most successful when there is a complex issue, with a defined goal and expression of presidential authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under a law passed in 2022, special envoys that technically report to the State Department require confirmation by the Senate, although its unclear if Trumps envoys will get around the need for confirmation if housed under the purview of the White House. Says Cuba is without a question State Sponsor of Terrorism Rubio pushed back on President Bidens eleventh-hour decision to remove Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, which occurred nearly four years exactly after Trump, in his first term, imposed the designation on the country. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants to the U.S., said Cuba without a question deserved the designation in response to a question from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who is also the son of Cuban immigrants. I hope on that very first day you will reverse that determination, Cruz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio said such a decision is up to Trump, but he added that nothing Biden has done is irreversible or binding on the new administration. The president sets our foreign policy, and my job is to execute it, he said. Calls NATO important, says Ukraine needs to make concessions Lawmakers supportive of Ukraine pushed Rubio on Trumps plans to end Russias war of aggression, concerned about the president-elects promises to hold back U.S. support for Kyiv, undermine its security and force a concession on territory. Rubio said Trumps policy is to push for an end to the war between Russia and Ukraine, but he said its not going to be an easy endeavor. Putins goal now is to have maximum leverage. By the same token, I think its important Ukrainians have leverage, but also have to make concessions to make this agreement, he said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, asked Rubio if he maintained support for a 2023 law he authored that blocks any president from withdrawing from the NATO alliance without the approval of Congress. The NATO alliance is important, I believe that, Rubio said, adding he supports Congresss role of controlling the money that funds U.S. participation to the alliance. Pressed on Trumps global business ties Rubio was pushed into awkward territory when Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) brought up the Trump familys foreign business connections, questioning whether those ties could cause a conflict of interest and complicate diplomacy in a second Trump term. Trump and his family have become more deeply dependent on revenue from Middle Eastern governments during and after his first White House stint, Murphy said, pointing to the Trump Organization planning new real estate projects in Saudi Arabia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My understanding is the president doesnt manage that company. His family members do, and they have a right to be in the business, Rubio said. The Trump Organization, the family company overseeing its hotel and real estate endeavors, is helmed by the president-elects two sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. Touches on Canada, Greenland and Panama Rubio also took questions about two regions making headlines as President-elect Trump talks about potential territorial expansion in his second term. Trump has doubled down in recent weeks on suggestions that the U.S. should acquire Greenland, the self-governing Arctic territory under Denmarks control, and the Panama Canal, a key waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were an Arctic power. The Russians are an Arctic power. The Chinese are not, Rubio said when asked by Shaheen about what the U.S. posture in the region should be. Putting aside all the things that are going on in the media, I think we need to understand that Greenlands been strategically important to the United States and to the West for a very long time, Rubio said. His comments come after Trump last week refused to rule out using military action to acquire Greenland or the Panama Canal. Rubio also said theres a very legitimate issue with the Panama Canal and raised concerns about foreign influence on the trade route, echoing Trumps warnings that China is controlling it though the Panama Canal Authority has dismissed these claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While, technically, sovereignty over the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, in reality, a foreign power today possesses, through their companies which we know are not independent the ability to turn the canal into a choke point in a moment of conflict, and that is a direct threat to the national interest and security of the United States, Rubio 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 The Hill. Jan. 16The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's Higher Education Department provides information on how eligible Choctaw Nation tribal members can get financial assistance for the Spring 2025 semester. More information can be found by visiting www.choctawnation.com/services/higher-education/ 1 Who is eligible to receive assistance? Tribal members are eligible if they are actively pursuing a higher education degree at an accredited institution and are enrolled at least three credit hours and must maintain a 2.0 GPA or higher in the previous semester to receive scholarship funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 Is this program open for concurrently enrolled high schoolers? Yes, as long as the student is meeting requirements. 3 Do I have to apply every semester? Yes, a complete online application must be submitted through the online Chahta Achuffa portal each semester along with provided required documentation to receive assistance. 4 What are the required documents? Required documents include college class schedule, college transcript or high school transcript (if new applicant), student ID number documentation (renewing students only) 5 When are applications accepted? The online application is available through the online Chahta Achvffa during the following application periods: Spring: Jan. 2 March 1 Summer: May 1 June 15 Fall: Aug. 1 Oct. 1 Derrick James BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) A 53-year-old man was arrested in relation to a sexual assault case that was investigated Jan. 3. According to the Birmingham Police Department on Wednesday, Birmingham resident Willie Sims was arrested and charged with first-degree sodomy, trafficking in marijuana, trafficking in cocaine, trafficking in amphetamines and unlawful possession of a controlled substance. Alabama man indicted in child sex abuse case dating back 40 years Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Birmingham police investigated a sexual assault case in west Birmingham and identified Sims as a suspect. During their investigation, detectives executed a search warrant at a west Birmingham residence and located drugs during their search of the property. They seized weed, cocaine, mushrooms and different prescription pills. Sims is in custody of the Jefferson County Jail with a bond set at $1.51 million. 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 CBS 42. (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has prepared a lawsuit against Deere & Co alleging the company's agricultural equipment repair practices violate competition laws, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report also said the FTC was prepared to file the case as soon as this week, over concerns that the farm equipment maker had withheld key information and diagnostic tools from farmers and independent repair shops. The FTC's commissioners have not taken a final vote on whether to file a case, according to the report. Deere and the FTC did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. The investigation was first authorized in 2021 and made public in October through a filing by data analytics company Hargrove & Associates Inc, which sought to quash an FTC subpoena seeking market data submitted to it by members of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. At the time, a Deere spokesperson said the company was cooperating with the FTC. Hargrove's filing said the FTC was probing whether Deere violated the Federal Trade Act's section 5, which prohibits unfair or deceptive practices affecting commerce. The investigation looked into restrictions placed on customers' "right to repair" the hardware or software they have purchased. Deere also faces lawsuits from farmers on the same issue. In June, Harley-Davidson persuaded a judge to dismiss a proposed class action claiming the company restricted customers' "right to repair" while Tesla beat a similar lawsuit in November 2023 alleging that the automaker monopolizes repairs. (Reporting by Aishwarya Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath) Jan. 15AUSTIN Responding to high demand for new telephone numbers in the greater Houston area, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) has approved an additional area code for the region. The new 621 area code will encompass the greater Houston metropolitan area and surrounding communities such as Baytown, League City, Missouri City, Pasadena, Pearland, Sugar Land, and The Woodlands, reaching from Harris County into Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, and Waller Counties. Existing area codes 281, 346, 713, and 832 will remain in use. Beginning January 23, 2025, telephone customers requesting a new phone number in the 281/346/713/832 area code overlay region may be assigned a number beginning with 621. Whether they're requesting new service, adding a line, or in some cases, moving their service, customers could be assigned one with the new 621 code. Telephone customers should know the following key facts about the 621 area code: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Existing telephone numbers will not change. The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change due to the new area code. What qualifies as a local call now will remain a local call. Customers in the new area code region will continue to dial 10 digits for local calls within and between the Houston-area overlay area codes, and 1+10 digits for long distance calls. Customers can still dial just three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 611, 711, or 811 if those services are currently available in their community. Telephone customers should continue to identify their telephone number as a 10-digit number (3-digit area code + 7-digit telephone number) and include the area code when sharing the number. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customers should ensure the accurate area code is reflected across their devices and personal identification. This includes any equipment that uses their phone number (ie. automatic dialing equipment, wireless phones, PBXs, fax machines, internet dial-up numbers, speed dialers, call forwarding settings, voicemail services, medical alert devices, safety alarm security systems and gates, ankle monitors). It also includes printed communications including websites, personal and business stationary and printed checks, advertising materials, contact information, and personal or pet ID tags. For more information, contact your local telephone service provider. Texas consumers with questions or concerns about their telecommunications service should contact their provider first. If they do not feel the provider's response adequately addressed their needs, they should contact the PUCT's Consumer Protection Division using the contact information listed here: Consumer Protection. COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) Seven individuals are receiving assistance after their home and most personal belongings were destroyed by a fire on Tuesday afternoon. A person in the home called 911 at 12:38 p.m. saying a fire had sparked in a back bedroom by a heater, according to Colleton County Fire-Rescue. Those in the home were able to exit safely, and no injuries were reported. When fire crews arrived, the flames had traveled to the attic. Responders entered through the front door initially, but the roof began collapsing and they had to exit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the fire grew, additional resources and water were requested. Colleton Fire said the flames were under control within 35 minutes, but crews stayed on the scene for four hours to perform overhaul duties. The American Red Cross was contacted to assist the individuals who lost their homes. Officials said most personal items were destroyed in the blaze. Credit: Colleton County Fire-Rescue Credit: Colleton County Fire-Rescue Credit: Colleton County Fire-Rescue Credit: Colleton County Fire-Rescue Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Credit: Colleton County Fire-Rescue 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 WCBD News 2. WASHINGTON Six of President-elect Donald Trump's big-office nominees faced Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday, previewing a parade of policy and political fights that will define his second term. The picks Pam Bondi for attorney general, Marco Rubio for secretary of state, Sean Duffy for transportation secretary, John Ratcliffe for CIA director, Chris Wright for energy secretary and Russell Vought for director of the White House Office of Management and Budget largely avoided the kind of fireworks that can sink confirmation chances. At the same time, they collectively laid out visions for the agencies they hope to lead that comport with Trump's campaign promises and political grievances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are seven takeaways from the hearings. No one ruined their confirmation chances Democrats poked and prodded each candidate to try to expose extreme views or daylight from Trump. But they don't have enough votes to block any of the nominees on their own in the Senate, where Republicans will have a 53-47 edge once all their seats are filled. So the big question about the hopefuls was whether they would say anything that would cost them Republican votes. The answers won't be clear until the full Senate considers their nominations after Trump takes office next week. But none of them appeared to lose support from the GOP side Wednesday, portending an easy road for Wednesday's cluster of picks. The toughest sells former Democrats Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, to serve as secretary of health and human services and director of national intelligence, respectively, and Kash Patel for director of the FBI havent yet had confirmation hearings. Bondi wouldn't say Trump lost in 2020 Bondi pointedly refused to say Trump lost the 2020 election fair and square under questioning from Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., at her hearing before the Judiciary Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States," Bondi said. "There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024. Durbin, the top-ranking Democrat on the panel, noted that Bondi didnt give him a yes-or-no answer. Later, Bondi declined to retract her past statement that Trump had won Pennsylvania in 2020 and pushed back against Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., for interrupting her. Im not going to be bullied by you," she told Padilla. William Barr, Trump's attorney general during the 2020 election, incurred Trumps wrath by refusing to use the Justice Department to back false claims of election fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Republicans are unlikely to vote against Bondi because of her views on the 2020 election. Democrats grill Bondi over Trump's and Patel's influence Bondi told Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., that she wouldnt use the attorney general's power to target political adversaries even though Trump has often called for investigating and prosecuting his rivals. "There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice," Bondi said. Last month, Trump told "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker that decisions about whom to investigate and whom to prosecute would fall to Patel and Bondi, assuming that they are confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patel has said judges, lawyers and journalists should be prosecuted for perceived impropriety in pursuing investigations of Trump after the 2020 election. Bondi defended Patel on Wednesday to an extent. "I dont believe he has an enemies list, Bondi said, adding that "Kash is the right person at this time for this job." But she told senators they would have to ask Patel directly about his promotion of QAnon conspiracy theories. Rubio seeks 'concessions' from Ukraine and Russia As a senator from Florida, Rubio has been a vocal opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin. As Trump's pick to be America's top diplomat, he has been more measured in talking about the war between Russia and Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio told the Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that he, like Trump, wants a quick end to the war. And that, he said, will require Ukraine to give ground, either literally or figuratively. It is important for everyone to be realistic," Rubio said. "There will have to be concessions made by the Russian Federation, but also by the Ukrainians." The comments were consistent with what Rubio has been saying since Trump's election, but they signal an even more firm commitment to forcing a negotiated settlement at a time when it isnt clear how much leverage Ukraine has. Vought previews a potential major spending fight Vought, seeking a return engagement as the White House budget director, suggested he doesnt see the 1974 Impoundment Control Act as a binding law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law, designed to prevent the president from refusing to spend money appropriated by Congress, has been upheld as constitutional by the Supreme Court in the past, and it was at the center of the House's first impeachment of Trump. Among other things, Trump was accused of improperly withholding appropriated funds from Ukraine to force its president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to announce an investigation into Joe Biden, who was then considering a presidential bid. "I don't believe it's constitutional," Vought told Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. "The president ran on that view." "Youre saying that youre just going to defy the courts?" Blumenthal asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The incoming administration is going to take the presidents view on this as he stated on the campaign, work it through with the lawyers at the Department of Justice," Vought said, "and put that through a policy process, and I cant prejudge that policy process, but I certainly cant announce the parameters of what it would produce." Vought's answers portend a battle over who controls the country's purse strings. Former lawmakers steer clear of controversy Ratcliffe and Duffy, both Republican former House members, generated little fanfare in their public hearings before the Intelligence and Commerce, Science and Transportation committees. The Intelligence Committee also met with Ratcliffe behind closed doors to discuss classified or sensitive national security matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the public part of his hearing, Ratcliffe said he believes China interfered in Trump's 2020 re-election bid a view he has long held, which he readily acknowledged was at odds with that of most of the intelligence community. The minority opinion was that they were, he said. I agreed with the minority opinion, but what I did was not try to substitute my judgment for the community." Duffy committed himself to provide more robust oversight of the aviation industry through the department's Federal Aviation Administration and he said he believes whistleblowers should be listened to. I 100% do, he said. Energy nominee pressed about past wildfire comments Wright, an oil and gas executive, stood by a social media comment about the "hype" over wildfires during his hearing to lead the Energy Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hype over wildfires is just hype to justify more impoverishment from bad government policies, Wright wrote on LinkedIn over a year ago. Expressing "great sorrow" over the ongoing wildfires in Southern California, Wright told Padilla he wouldnt retract his comment. But he said Wednesday, "Climate change is a real and global phenomenon." Aside from several protests by climate activists that interrupted the hearing, the exchange with Padilla was the most notable moment. That's a good sign for his chances. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A last-ditch push from Democratic lawmakers to get President Joe Biden to grant TikTok a reprieve appeared to die Thursday as the White House said the president didnt have the authority to do it, leaving a vacuum three days before the deadline for the app to be sold or banned in the U.S. Our interpretation of the law that Congress passed is that absent a credible plan from the company on how they will divest, the President does not have statutory authority to trigger the 90 day extension, a White House official told POLITICO, speaking on condition of anonymity. The company has not only not advanced such a plan, they have signaled they have no intention of selling it to an American owner. This poured cold water on a dash from Democrats in Congress, which included an unsuccessful bill, a late-Thursday letter to Biden from Democratic Sens. Ed Markey (Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Cory Booker (N.J.) as well as a phone pitch from California Rep. Ro Khanna. Should Biden decline to extend the deadline, only a sale or the Supreme Court could avert a ban of the app a day before inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The absence of a clear plan ahead of the ban has sent Congress, the White House and possibly federal enforcers into unknown territory. Bidens White House implied it will not enforce the ban, which imposes high fines on companies like Apple and Google that continue to host the app on their platforms. Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement, the White House official said. Incoming President Donald Trump, who once tried to ban TikTok by executive order, has said he wants to save TikTok potentially putting his Justice Department in the position of not enforcing a federal law. As evidence of Trumps ties to TikTok, the video apps CEO Shou Zi Chew will be a guest of honor at his swearing-in, and the company is sponsoring an inauguration party for influencers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bipartisan scramble to give TikTok more time comes less than a year after lawmakers of both parties overwhelmingly voted for the TikTok bill, and Biden quickly signed it into law, warning that the apps Chinese ownership posed a threat to national security. TikTok has denied the claims and challenged the law at the Supreme Court, where justices heard arguments last week. It now appears neither party wants to face a public reckoning for banning an ultra-popular app with 170 million U.S. users. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who had been largely quiet on the issue for months, issued his own plea to give TikTok an extension. It's clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers, said Schumer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump already asked the Supreme Court for more time to broker a deal. But its legally questionable whether the incoming president can use the 90-day extension after the ban is already in place, and the justices have yet to grant a stay since they heard TikToks challenge last week. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), soon to be Trumps national security advisor, said Wednesday on Fox News, Were going to find a way to preserve [TikTok] but protect people's data and that's the deal that will be in front of us. Waltz had voted earlier to force the apps sale. Even as some Democrats argue for extra time, a number of Republican China hawks insisted Biden carry out the TikTok law to the letter. Based on the law, to delay it by 90 days, Biden would have to certify to Congress that TikTok has a path to divestiture and provide evidence of significant progress made toward it, including relevant binding legal agreements. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), who sits on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, told POLITICO, Divestiture is the way it has to be done. He set a high bar for the idea of Biden or Trump granting the company an extension. No more time unless they actually have a legitimate buyer in the works, and then it'll be for an extension of not more than 90 days." Rounds said he hasn't talked to Trump about the prospect of an extension after Mondays inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) told reporters Thursday that Biden would have to demonstrate that enough progress had been made toward a sale to grant TikTok an extension. Based on what I know at this time, I dont see that the White House could do that, he said. It doesnt mean they wont. Markey tried unsuccessfully on Wednesday to pass a bill extending the deadline to sell TikTok, citing the serious hardship and unintended consequences of a ban. Senate Intelligence Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) blocked Markeys attempt. TikToks owners had plenty of time to find a buyer. And there were plenty of willing buyers as well, Cotton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caitlin Legacki, a former Biden Commerce Department official, referred to the situation as a game of chicken and said both parties were searching for a last-ditch solution to avoid political backlash. Somebody is going to find a way to strike a deal, and they will be regarded as the hero of a TikTok generation, she said. Democrats see the writing on the wall here, but I do think it speaks to a failure of both parties to actually explain to voters why this was necessary, and as a result, we're going to probably roll back what was the correct policy. DENVER (KDVR) A 72-year-old Denver man was convicted by a federal grand jury of robbing two banks, two credit unions and a taco shop between May and July 2023. According to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Colorado, Flozell Beasley dressed like a construction worker in each robbery, then threatened each establishments employees with a high-quality replica gun, before fleeing with the money. Students, parents react to Department of Justice investigation into Douglas County schools Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was arrested on July 11, 2023, after he robbed the Vectra Bank at 1001 E. 17th St. Employees had placed a GPS tracker inside the money stolen from the bank. The U.S. Attorneys Office said Beasley then boarded a nearby Regional Transportation District bus and was arrested 12 minutes later, where he was sitting on the bus. Law enforcement found the tracker, stolen money, replica gun, construction vest and construction helmet in a bag at his feet, officials said. This individual is a previously convicted felon who was released from prison and returned to robbing banks and a restaurant when his chosen bank was closed, said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. Michalek said Beasleys actions attracted the attention of the FBI Denver Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force, leading to his arrest in cooperation with the Denver Police Department and RTD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beasley is scheduled to be sentenced on April 2 and was remanded into the custody of the U.S. Marshals on Jan. 9, according to federal 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 FOX31 Denver. At 10:30 a.m. Thursday in Ocklawaha, retired FBI agent Doug Jones stood before a small crowd in front of the Bradford-Ma Barker House and spoke softly beneath a gloomy sky. Around the same time 90 years ago when the house sat on the other side of Lake Weir the last echoes of automatic gunfire crackled through the air. Kate Ma Barker and her son Fred lay dead on the second floor of the house, marking the demise of the notorious Barker-Karpis Gang after four-and-a-half hours of what is still the longest shootout in the history of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. On Friday, reporters, local dignitaries and high school students were invited to see the gangs rented hideout, which still has its interior pocked with bullet holes from that period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ninety years ago, anywhere from 15 minutes to 45 minutes from now, the shooting stopped. Heroic agents of the FBI ended that crime wave, Jones said as he presented a plaque from the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI, commemorating the infamous history of the two-story wooden-framed house. The marker was unveiled nearly eight years after the house was moved across the lake on a barge. It has since been remodeled to remove alterations, restore its porch and more closely resemble its historic appearance, marking its new status as a museum. George Albright III, the Marion County tax collector, spearheaded the effort to preserve the house after the owners of the lakeside property where it originally stood decided to demolish it. The house and its furnishings were instead donated to the county on the condition that it be relocated. For people to know where theyre going, they have to know where theyve been, Albright said, explaining his desire to save the structure. Period artifacts now adorn its rooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barkers exit in a blaze of glory was the stuff of legend at a time when the fledgling FBI, then called the Bureau of Investigation, tackled a rogues gallery of well-known roving gangs while waging its War on Crime. With Barkers gang on the lam following a series of violent robberies and kidnappings, agents were clued to the houses location after arresting another of her sons, Arthur, during a Chicago raid where they found a map pointing to Lake Weir. At 5 a.m. on Jan. 16, 1935, the feds surrounded the house, believing there to be from eight to 10 people inside. In reality, just Ma and Fred Barker were there after Alvin Karpis and other gang members had left the house three days earlier. Though staggeringly outnumbered, they would not surrender. According to eyewitness accounts, someone in the house shouted, All right, go ahead, seconds before gunfire erupted. Its estimated up to 2,000 rounds were fired into and out of the house in the hours that followed, with an arsenal of Thompson submachine guns and other weapons later recovered inside. Later, the crates carrying the guns were mysteriously emptied as they were transported to Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting ended with no agents being injured, and essentially ended the era of idealized gangsters in America, FBI Special Agent Kristin Rehler of Jacksonville said Thursday. The Bradford-Ma Barker House represents more than just a violent confrontation, she said. It encapsulates the myths and realities of the Great Depression era. Terry Turner, a tour guide for the last five years, is an encyclopedia of information about the house and Depression-era outlaws, regaling guests with tales of famed gangsters from Charles Pretty Boy Floyd to Bonnie and Clyde. Their photos sat among those of Barker and others illustrating a bygone era of criminal terror. While a force to reckon with in her own right, criminal matriarch Barker, found curled up dead next to a Thompson, was also the object of embellishment by Hoover, Turner said. Hoover called her the most vicious, dangerous, and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats straight from out of his behind, like a lot of things he said, Turner joked. It was a myth started by Hoover possibly to mitigate backlash against the bureau for killing an older woman, but it was later repeated by numerous Hollywood depictions of Barkers life. The real head of the gang, Turner said, was Karpis, a prison-mate of Fred Barker nicknamed Creepy for his disorienting smile. Historians lated opined that while Ma Barker certainly knew of the gangs activities and protected its members, she most likely played no role in planning or carrying out its misdeeds. As for preserving the house, advocates said thats far from a glorification of an era in which gangsters were household names, one which Albright called a huge cancer on commerce in America. Instead, its a recognition of an infamous history in an otherwise quiet town, offering a cautionary tale against violence and criminality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the public can see the house, but must book a tour in advance (Be warned: There is a lengthy waitlist). We in no way are embellishing crime here, quite the opposite, Albright said. This is a great story and testament to law enforcement. They used the techniques that were cutting edge to stop this trash from going on, and fortunately weve never seen anything like it since. NEWARK, DELAWARE The large cardboard box in Debra Lynchs living room contained enough pills for 162 medication abortions. Last summer, such a shipment would last a month. Then she needed to reorder every two weeks. Now she goes through a box like this every week. Were mailing a lot to Texas, said Jay Lynch, who handles most of the packaging and postage for Her Safe Harbor, an abortion-drug-by-mail service spearheaded by his wife. Debra Lynch, a nurse practitioner, prescribes the pills via telehealth under Delaware law. Her husband drops the medications into white, bubble-padded envelopes that will cross state lines and defy state bans to reach the hands of anxious women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the kitchen table in the couples split-level suburban home, Jay Lynch thumbed through the shipping labels for the next two dozen orders: Alabama. Indiana. Georgia. Several in Florida. And plenty in Texas: Tomball. Houston. Beaumont. Fulshear. Everybody Aid Access, ourselves, some of these other small groups we are all shipping to Texas, Debra Lynch said. The orders kept coming in I just got one from El Paso, Jay Lynch told me later that afternoon, after his laptop and cellphone chimed underscoring the inescapable fact that Texas bans have not erased Texans demand for abortion. Scores of telehealth abortion providers have cropped up since the U.S. Supreme Courts Dobbs decision in 2022 allowed states to prohibit the procedure. Some telehealth providers serve patients only in states that allow abortion. But some including major players Aid Access and the Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, as well as smaller startups like Her Safe Harbor are designed to serve patients anywhere. In short order, these providers have had a seismic impact. Not long ago, in April 2022, about 1 in 25 abortions in America were from pills prescribed via telehealth. By June 2024, it was 1 in 5, according to the latest #WeCount report from the Society of Family Planning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly half of those prescriptions went to patients in states with abortion bans or restrictions on telehealth abortion. A shipment containing enough pills for 162 medication abortions is unpacked Dec. 5 at Delaware-based Her Safe Harbor. The telehealth provider goes through a shipment of this size every week. Texas has outlawed most abortions (providers risk up to 99 years in prison and at least $100,000 in fines) and forbids sending abortion medication through the mail. That didnt stop about 2,800 Texans per month from receiving abortion medication by mail in the first half of 2024 more than any other abortion-restricted state, according to #WeCount data. (Notably, Texas criminalizes only the act of sending the pills, not receiving them.) Looking at the national picture, more than 1 million Americans terminated pregnancies in 2023 the highest number in more than a decade despite the fact that 12 states have outlawed abortion and four others ban the procedure after six weeks, before many people know theyre pregnant. About 170,000 Americans (including more than 34,000 Texans) flew or drove across state lines in 2023 to get an abortion, according to the Guttmacher Institute, which supports access to abortion. But many others ended their pregnancies with pills that came in the mail. Some are even buying pills preemptively, just in case they're needed later. In the living room of his Delaware home, Jay Lynch assembles 22 medication abortion packages for Her Safe Harbor. His wife, nurse practitioner Debra Lynch, founded the telehealth service to reach patients in abortion-restricted states. All of which makes these pills a central target for those who oppose abortion. Texas lawmakers and members of the incoming Trump administration could try to curb access, and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has been escalating the fight. A week after I visited Her Safe Harbors Delaware operations in early December, Paxton sued a similar provider in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Texas, we treasure the health and lives of mothers and babies, and this is why out-of-state doctors may not illegally and dangerously prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents, Paxton said in a statement then. When I caught up by phone with Debra Lynch, she was unsurprised and undeterred. I don't fear Ken Paxton, she said. I don't fear getting arrested or anything like that. What scares her the most is the possibility that Texas women might do something dangerous to themselves because they feel desperate and isolated, she said. I want women to know that there are people out there working to help them. More: Examining first test of shield laws and what it means for Texas women seeking abortions Two events supercharged telehealth abortion Debra Lynchs nursing career led her to hospitals, hospice care, homebound patients and even the subway tunnels of Philadelphia, where she offered checkups and COVID-19 vaccinations to people experiencing homelessness. By the time Lynch grew worried about another set of patients cut off from care those living under abortion bans two events made it possible for her and other organizations to reach across state lines to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, the pandemic prompted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to drop the requirement for an in-person visit for patients to obtain mifepristone, the first pill in the medication abortion regimen for patients up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy. (Patients take the second medication, misoprostol, on their own 24 to 48 hours later.) Then in 2022, as the Dobbs decision came down, some states started passing shield laws to protect medical providers in their communities from investigations or lawsuits if they provided abortions to patients from other states. Now, 23 states and the District of Columbia have shield laws of varying degrees. New Yorks shield law, for instance, prohibits its agencies from cooperating with an out-of-state investigation, honoring subpoenas or extraditing defendants. That makes it virtually impossible for a prosecutor or civil attorney to build a case against an out-of-state doctor, according to the anti-abortion Charlotte Lozier Institute, which says shield laws enable "pro-abortion states" to "force abortion on life-affirming states." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aid Access, which got its start serving U.S. patients from overseas, moved into five shield law states in June 2023. The Massachusetts Medication Abortion Access Project, led by Cambridge Reproductive Health Consultants president and co-founder Dr. Angel Foster, launched a few months later. We're now serving about 2,500 patients a month, Foster said of her program, better known as the MAP. About a third of those patients are from Texas, and 95% of our patients are from states where there are abortion bans, restrictions or bans on telemedicine. Illustrating the impact of this effort, Foster pointed to Mississippi, which had about 3,600 abortions a year before the Dobbs case shuttered the states last abortion clinic. Now, with the combined efforts of Aid Access and the MAP, well probably provide care to over 4,500 patients in Mississippi in 2024, she said. And that care is more affordable, too: The MAP uses a pay-what-you-can model starting at $5, and Aid Access charges up to $150, while clinic-based medication abortions typically cost more than $500. Jay Lynch holds a sealed bottle of misoprostol, the second set of pills used in a medication abortion regimen. Numerous telehealth providers, including Delaware-based Her Safe Harbor, send abortion drugs to patients in abortion-restricted states like Texas. Thats not to minimize the harm inflicted by abortion bans, including the fact that some patients still cant access care, Foster said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is easier and cheaper to get a medication abortion in Mississippi today than it was four years ago, she said, and I think that is a pretty incredible thing that's happened because of the shield laws in the post-Dobbs environment. Both sides planning countermoves Joe Pojman, the founder and executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, is also astonished by the rise of telehealth abortion for entirely different reasons. It makes no sense that any responsible doctor would send pills to a woman out of state without ever examining that person personally, and without having a license to practice medicine in Texas, said Pojman, who also asserted that medication abortion is dangerous, despite more than 100 studies finding it to be safe and effective. If it were happening in any other specialty of medicine, I think people would be outraged. He applauded Paxtons lawsuit against the New York doctor, hoping the courts will strike down the shield laws. But no one is confidently placing bets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I asked abortion law expert Mary Ziegler, a professor at the University of California at Davis School of Law, whether shield laws are likely to withstand judicial scrutiny, she replied, I think the short answer is who knows, combined with a fair amount of it depends. The Austin Womens Health Center is one of many former abortion clinics struggling to keep its doors open since the Dobbs decision, but they continue to give women other forms of reproductive health care: providing birth control, managing miscarriages and testing for sexually transmitted infections. Many Texans seeking abortion care have to turn to out-of-state telehealth providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, Texas lawmakers are looking to fortify the states abortion bans. One proposal, House Bill 991 by Rep. Steve Toth, R-The Woodlands, aims to cut off access to medication abortion by empowering private citizens to sue internet service providers who fail to block such websites in Texas. Plan C, one of the websites singled out by name in HB 991, provides state-by-state information and links to places people can obtain pills. Plan C co-founder and co-director Elisa Wells said the site typically receives about 5,000 to 6,000 visitors a week from Texas. That number shot up to 23,000 the week that Donald Trump won the presidential election. I think everybody is planning for the worst, Wells told me. I mean, you have to assume that what's written in the Project 2025 plan is something that will be a road map for the Trump administration. The plan, written by the Heritage Foundation and other conservative groups, calls for immediately reinstating the requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in person, essentially outlawing telehealth abortion; and ultimately revoking the FDA's approval of mifepristone, which would take that drug off the market entirely (something the U.S. Supreme Court declined to do in 2024). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project 2025 also argues the feds should reanimate the Comstock Act a long-dormant anti-obscenity law from 1873 to prosecute anyone who sends abortion-related items through the mail. Asked last month on "Meet the Press" whether his administration would restrict the availability of abortion pills, Trump said, The answer is no. But he refused to make a firm commitment, noting things change. Anti-abortion demonstrators cheer President Donald Trump at a rally before the start of the March for Life in Washington on Jan. 24, 2020. Wells said if the feds crack down on the mailing of abortion pills, there are alternate routes of access that we know about that we've been researching for the last 10 years, that we believe will still be operational. Theyre already listed on the Plan C website: Telehealth providers based outside the U.S.; websites that sell pills without providing medical support; and volunteer-run community support networks that provide pills for free. Under Texas law, patients cannot be charged for seeking or obtaining an abortion. The bans target providers. Still, there are legal risks. Anyone helping a patient say, a partner or relative paying for the pills could be sued in Texas for abetting an abortion. And in rare cases, authorities overreach: Starr County prosecutors in 2022 charged a South Texas woman with murder for a self-induced abortion, subjecting her to public humiliation before the charges were dropped three days later. But at the end of the day, there is just this absolutely relentless network of activists and organizations all over the country who are dedicated to helping people access abortion, no matter what the law says, said Amelia Bonow, founder of the advocacy group Shout Your Abortion. And that's not going anywhere. 'There's almost a pleading in their voice' From the kitchen table headquarters of Her Safe Harbor in Delaware, Debra Lynch told me she planned to order as many pills as she could before Trump takes office. If the landscape changes and she needs to move outside the country to continue this work, she said, she will. No matter what obstacle might come down, we're trying to think ahead and make sure that we can figure out another way around it, said Lynch, who has more than a dozen volunteers helping with Her Safe Harbor. Because the ultimate goal is to make sure the medication is available to the women who need it. It was time for Lynch to call a young woman who had sent a worried message through the website. The patient had finished the second step of the abortion medications four days ago and was still cramping and bleeding heavily. Is this normal? the patient wondered. Lynch asked detailed questions of the woman, who agreed that I could listen to the call. I didnt know her name or location. Her soft replies of yes, maam suggested somewhere South. Lynch finally told the patient to rehydrate with a drink packed with electrolytes and then plan on taking another dose of misoprostol in a few hours. Would you be OK if I did a check-in call with you tonight? Lynch asked. Yes, the woman said, relieved that she wasn't on her own. That would be great. Nurse practitioner Debra Lynch holds one of the personalized notes she wrote Dec. 6 to a patient who will receive an abortion medication packet from Her Safe Harbor. "It lets them know that there's a person on the other end," Lynch said. When they hung up, Lynch turned to me. She has two daughters, now in their 20s. She hears their voices, scared and alone, on these patient calls. You can hear them trying to steel themselves and not let their voice shake, Lynch said. But then there's also almost a pleading in their voice, like, Please tell me whatever you can to make me feel cared for, that somebody is going to make sure I'm OK. She stewed over the emptiness of the abortion bans. They hadnt stopped her from mailing the medications. They hadnt stopped patients from receiving them. They just created hundreds of miles between patients and providers. They left women feeling isolated and afraid to access a procedure thats legal in half the country, and which had been legal everywhere in the U.S. for half a century. Theyre truly alone. That frightens the hell out of me, Lynch said. The mom in me, the grandma in me, wants to reach through the phone and hold these girls during all of this. The patient reached out again two hours later, saying her cramping and bleeding had lessened immensely after she rehydrated. Lynch told her the additional misoprostol wouldnt be needed. The womans uterus had finished contracting on its own. Lynch still urged the patient to get checked out for a possible respiratory infection, as the woman had mentioned having difficulty taking deep breaths. Do you know where you plan on going to get that (chest) X-ray? Lynch asked. Ill probably just do it at my local Baylor Scott & White, the woman said. The hospital chain serves Central and North Texas. By the numbers: 4,700 : Abortions provided in Texas per month in 2019, before any bans 5 : Abortions provided in Texas per month, on average, in 2023, once state laws allowed the procedure only to protect the mother's life 2,850 : Texans traveling out-of-state each month for abortions in the second half of 2023 2,800 : Telehealth abortions obtained each month by Texans in the first half of 2024 Sources: Texas Health and Human Services; Guttmacher Institute; #WeCount report Grumet is the Statesmans Metro columnist. Her column contains her opinions. Share yours via email at bgrumet@statesman.com, or via X or Bluesky at @bgrumet. Find her previous work at statesman.com/opinion/columns. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Abortion pills by mail surge despite Texas' bans. Will it last? | Opinion Critically lacking manpower on the front lines where Russia continues to use its vast manpower advantage to make grinding advances, Ukraine has been scrambling specialists into the infantry in an effort to replenish losses. Criticized widely by soldiers and experts for a wasteful use of specialist troops that have spent years honing their skills, the short-term solution has frequently led to their death or injury, according to soldiers interviewed by the Kyiv Independent over 2024. Ukraine has been struggling with a manpower shortage especially in the infantry while Russia has intensified its offensive in Donetsk Oblast since the summer of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue of sending specialist troops to infantry units had largely been hidden in the shadows until a video surfaced online on Jan. 14, prompting responses from President Volodymyr Zelensky, and the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces. 'A real challenge' In the almost three-minute-long video, around a dozen Ukrainian servicemen from the Air Force stand, as one reads aloud a message about what they describe as a real challenge that could destroy the very foundation of our aviation. Since 2014, we have been preparing and maintaining the aircraft, ensuring combat missions in the most difficult conditions, both day and night, defending our homeland from the enemy, the speaker of the group all wearing masks says. A Ukrainian Tactical Aviation pilot poses in the cockpit of his MIG-29 fighter jet at sunset in eastern Ukraine on Aug. 1, 2023. (Libkos / Getty Images) The aviation and technical personnel, who say that they have been fulfilling missions on Soviet-era MiG-29 fighter jets for over a decade, said they received an order to send "almost all technicians to the infantry, which means we will be left without technical personnel to service our aircraft." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian military command was trying to transfer 218 specialists to the infantry when the video was released, and 250 were previously transferred, according to the speaker. The technical staff is actually being destroyed, and without us, the aviation will not be able to function, he says. Read also: How Ukraine captured a North Korean POW, told by the soldiers who took part '40% killed' According to the Ukrainian online newspaper Ukrainska Pravda, Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi issued an order on Jan. 11 to transfer over 5,000 Air Force personnel to Ground Forces units. A senior Air Force officer, speaking anonymously to the outlet, said transfers began in spring 2024 and have now reached a "critical level," with unit staffing dropping to 50%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Air Force serviceman speaking on the condition of anonymity to the Kyiv Independent, painted an even grimmer picture. He said around a couple thousand Air Force servicemen had already been transferred to the infantry since the beginning of the full-scale war, with about 40 % being killed, and 40% wounded in the first days if they were directly sent to the front, while some were still fighting. He added that these are often people who studied for around four years, and further built their knowledge over years of service, stressing the issue dampens morale. 'There were no plans' In a rare example of a public outcry reaching the Ukrainian authorities, Zelensky on Jan. 14 tried to reassure that such transfers wouldnt be made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has been much concern and discussion today regarding these reassignments," he said in his evening address. "I have instructed that everything be explained to the public and not to reduce the ranks of specialists critical to the Air Force aviation, air defense, and mobile fire units." The General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces also insisted on the same day that "there were no plans to transfer the acute shortage of specialists of the Air Forces engineering and aviation service who maintain aircraft to infantry units." President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference during the European Council Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 19, 2024. (Pier Marco Tacca / Getty Images) Instead, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is increasing the number of technical and flight personnel, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acknowledging the "not easy" situation on the front, and that "many areas lack infantrymen," the General Staff said the transfer of some personnel is "a necessary step" to strengthen defense by reinforcing combat brigades with soldiers from other branches of the Armed Forces. But it stressed that Syrskyi prohibited the transfer of high-tech specialists and those trained abroad on foreign models of weapons and equipment. Read also: How Trump could use sanctions in negotiations with Russia 'It's just a number, not people' Understanding the complexity of the issue, some soldiers however remain pessimistic about the prospect of possible improvements going forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The core issue is that no one is bearing responsibility, according to the anonymous Air Force serviceman. He said that the order comes to transfer a certain number from a specialist unit, and the local commander has to pick whom to send, which he said is often difficult because we need everyone and there is no replenishment. Maybe for them (in the military leadership), it's just a number, not people, the Air Force serviceman said, adding there should be a responsibility and accountability mechanism for the generals making the decisions. Glen Grant, a former British army lieutenant colonel who has advised the Ukrainian Defense Ministry, and closely observes military issues in Ukraine, said that resource management problems persist due to the lack of competent generals, and the inability to learn from mistakes. You just don't take your technicians and put them into harm's way because you need them as technicians, the Latvia-based military expert told the Kyiv Independent. A Ukrainian MiG-29 performs a combat mission in eastern Ukraine on Aug. 1, 2023. (Libkos / Getty Images) Maintenance staff perform routine upkeep of MiG-29 aircraft after the flight in eastern Ukraine on Aug. 2, 2023. (Libkos / Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You may strengthen one area, but then you weaken another area, so the compensation is lost. You're still back where you are, except you are actually twice worse off because you probably lose the technicians, dead. A couple of recent appointments, such as that of General Mykhailo Drapatyi as the commander of Ukraine's Ground Forces in November 2024, offers hope, according to Grant, but it is still unclear whether it will be enough to change the overall dynamics of the Ukrainian military leadership. The message is clear that the people don't value soldier's lives if they're going to send them into the front line without being properly trained, Grant said. The message is clear that the people don't value soldier's lives if they're going to send them into the front line without being properly trained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian military expert Mykhailo Zhyrokhov on the other hand said he was skeptical of the number of specialists that the Air Force members said were being transferred to the infantry. He argued that the situation is ambiguous because there is no confirmation that such a number is thrown into the front-line trenches, and he doubts the Ukrainian military leadership would shoot itself in the foot and destroy aviation as has been claimed. It is typical human behavior nobody wants to go to the front, despite the fact that they are professional soldiers, they are contract soldiers, and they have been there all this time, these last twenty years defending the sky, Zhyrokhov told the Kyiv Independent. He also raised questions about how the servicemen obtained the numbers when the information was secret. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the Air Force gradually Westernizing its Soviet-era models of aircraft, there is a surplus of specialists who are only familiar with the older versions who would be sent to the reserves if the country was not at war, according to Zhyrokhov. He said he believed that the surplus, such as the guards based at the airbases, would be sent to non-combat roles as a solution. Mentioning Air Force personnel who fought in hot spots in the east in 2023, such as in the Battle of Bakhmut, Zhyrokhov argued that Air Force servicemen have to immediately get used to the grim realities of the war, just like civilian-turned-soldiers. In wartime, such cases exist, have existed, are present, and will continue to exist, Zhyrokhov said. Ukrainian open-source war monitoring website DeepState, which said that it received a hundred reports from soldiers about the issue concerning the transfer of Air Force and Air Defense specialists to the infantry after the scandal came to light, said that a large number said they received only a few days training before being sent into brigades and "the picture there is not the best. The deliberate sending of specialists who have specific skills, knowledge and experience and their absence directly affects the work of the unit, DeepState said in a Telegram post. Summarizing it an absurd phenomenon, DeepState said the effectiveness of the transfer of specialists to infantry has always been minimal and also resulted in the loss of some servicemen who attained valuable skills abroad. Read also: Theyve overcome the shock North Korean soldiers adapting to war in Russias Kursk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Jan. 15A man who as a teenager was convicted as an accomplice to a 2007 murder in Manchester now has the opportunity to get out of prison by 2030 after a judge reduced his sentence by another two years. During a hearing in November, Michael Soto, 35, sought to have the remaining seven years of his sentence suspended. He was found guilty of giving a handgun to a friend who shot and killed Aaron Kar in Manchester. He was originally sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He was 17 at the time of the crime and has been in prison since 2009. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Supreme Court in 2012 ruled that a mandatory life sentence without parole was unconstitutional for anyone under the age of 18, so Soto had to be sentenced a second time. He was given 25 years to life. Judge Daniel Will suspended two additional years of Soto's sentence in an order granted earlier this month. Soto's prison record remains unblemished, Will said. The Attorney General's Office say it respects the judge's decision, but continues to believe that Soto should serve the full terms of his sentence. "This was a violent crime, justice for the victim and their family remains our priority which the State advocated would be best served by the defendant serving his sentence," the office said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soto's lawyers, Charles Bookman and Ghazi Al-Marayati, told Will during the hearing that Soto has sought additional educational and opportunities to better himself while in prison, but the Department of Corrections has none to offer him. He is in group sessions on post-traumatic stress disorder, socialization, social skills and coping mindfully. Earlier this year, he took a course called "Dealing with Feelings" at the prison, according to court documents. Prosecutor Ben Agati opposed the request for a further suspended sentence suggesting Soto has shown no remorse. He said Kar's family objected to the request for an early release. Will noted much of Soto's progress and achievement came before his second sentencing, but also said a tool for early release under state law is designed to incentivize the behavior Soto has displayed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted Soto receiving his GED and the "cavalcade of programming" he has been engaged in and that he is generally seen as a model prisoner. "The defendant presents as a person who has grown and matured through his own initiative, taken virtually every opportunity for self-improvement, and avoided disciplinary infractions and the type of conduct that leads to them," Will wrote. "The defendant's comments to the court during the hearing confirm that he takes full responsibility for the conduct that led to his incarceration, that he continues to feel remorse for it, and that he has been diligently working toward being ready when his release date arrives." Under the order, the two years will be suspended for a period of 20 years. TEL AVIV For relatives clinging to hope for the past 16 months, there were mixed emotions about the news that Israel and Hamas had struck a deal to free their loved ones. Some of the hostages are due to come home, but in some cases only their remains will return. Im really happy about everybody, but on the other hand we have four American hostages that were murdered on Oct. 7, said Adi Alexander, father of 21-year-old Edan Alexander one of three Americans thought to be alive in the Gaza Strip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hopefully the parents will get their loved ones for the proper burial and we will get our loved ones to live happily ever after, he told NBC News Nightly News anchor Lester Holt on Wednesday. Adi and Yael Alexander, whose son Edan Alexander remains in captivity. Edan Alexander, who grew up in New Jersey and volunteered to serve with the Israeli military, was taken hostage near the Gaza border during the Hamas-led terrorist attack Oct. 7, 2023, when Israeli officials say 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage. Adi Alexander said the last he had seen of his son was in a video that Hamas released late last year captioned Time is running out. The footage showed a tearful Edan Alexander urging President-elect Donald Trump to strike a deal to end the war. Now, Adi Alexander said he just wanted to hug and hold him and just to hear what he experienced in the last 16 months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow live coverage Inside Israel, the mood was somber late Wednesday at the Tel Aviv plaza that has come to be known as Hostage Square, where many have gathered on a daily basis to call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government to secure the release of the captives. Netanyahu has faced fierce criticism from detractors who say he has prioritized his own political survival and the unity of his fractious right-wing Cabinet over bringing the hostages home. More than 46,500 people, most of them women and children, have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its military offensive in the enclave, according to local health officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But despite criticism of the deal from hard-right police minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, there appeared to be broad support for the deal and Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a statement Thursday that it was the right thing to do. Among those at Hostage Square on Wednesday was Jimmy Miller, whose cousin Shiri Bibas was taken hostage from kibbutz Nir Oz in southern Israel, along with her husband, Yarden Bibas, and their sons, Ariel, 5, and Kfir, 1. This Saturday, Kfir will be 2, Miller, 48, told NBC News in Tel Aviv. This kid never celebrated his birthday with his family, with his parents. Its a terrible thing to think about. Kfir may well be among the 33 hostages set to be released by Hamas during the first phase of the deal, which is set to come into effect Sunday if it is approved by Netanyahu and his government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel said Thursday that its Cabinet will not meet to approve the deal, claiming that Hamas was creating a last-minute crisis and reneging on the truce agreed Wednesday, but Netanyahus office did not elaborate on what Hamas had done. Hamas said it was committed to the ceasefire agreement. Despite having had their hopes dashed before, the families of the hostages remained cautiously optimistic that they would see their loved ones again. Rita Lifshitz's 84-year-old father-in-law, Oded Lifshitz, may also be among those freed children and the elderly are likely to make up a significant proportion of those initially freed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a lot of emotional feelings around this, Rita Lifshitz, 59, said in a WhatsApp voice message late Thursday. So many things can happen until the last hostages will be released, she added. Yocheved and Oded Lifshitz. Oded, a human rights and peace activist, was taken from kibbutz Niz Or with his wife, Yocheved Lifshitz, 85, who was freed in October 2023, after 17 days in Hamas captivity. We do not know if we will come back alive or in a box, Rita Lifshitz said, adding that she hoped the deal would be agreed to in Israel and that the relatives of the freed captives could share in the happiness. For some families, though, the deal is too little too late. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gil Dickmann, whose cousin Carmel Gat was killed in Gaza, said Thursday that he had mixed feelings about the deal and that he was sad for the fact Carmel could have been here and shes not. Gat, a 40-year-old occupational therapist from Tel Aviv, was kidnapped from her parents home in kibbutz Beeri. Her body was recovered from Gaza by the Israeli military in August. Dickmann also questioned why a deal similar to the one currently on the table wasn't approved in May. Gat was supposed to be part of [that] deal. And they didnt sign it in time, so shes not because she was murdered in captivity, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But on the other hand, he added. Im just here with my fellow family members of hostages and were celebrating we are because this news is so good. Gabe Joselow and Chantal Da Silva reported from Tel Aviv, and Henry Austin from London. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Semiconductor companies in Guangzhou's Nansha district are betting on regional synergies in the Greater Bay Area to meet the increasing industrial demand for next-generation chip materials, company executives said at the China Conference hosted by the South China Morning Post on Wednesday. Nansha, located in the south of Guangdong's provincial capital, is capitalising on local industrial policies and its proximity to major economic centres to build a world-class semiconductor cluster, with a focus on silicon carbide (SiC) - a critical material for next-generation semiconductors. One major player in the regional hub is AscenPower Semiconductors, the largest SiC chip manufacturing project in China, which focuses on chips for the car industry. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The company counts a number of Chinese carmakers as clients, including Geely Auto and Chery. AscenPower chairman David Xiao said two features of the area augmented by local government policy have given the company an edge: a comprehensive industrial supply chain and solid foundation in research and development. Xiao, who also leads lighting devices supplier APT Electronics, Nansha's first semiconductor company, noted the benefits of the bay area concept, as he can attend conferences in Guangzhou and Hong Kong on the same day. "When I started a business with my mentor from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology two decades ago, I didn't expect there would be the concept of GBA," Xiao said at the annual conference, which was held in Nansha for the first time this year. APT Electronics together with three other semiconductor start-ups that Xiao's team founded have now grown to around 4,000 people with an economic output of 4 billion yuan (US$545.5 million) in 2024, according to the executive. The company's initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong last November was oversubscribed 5,678 times by retail investors, making it the second-hottest IPO in the city last year. Yu Guojian, deputy general manager of Guangzhou Summit Crystal Semiconductor, speaks during the panel "Transforming the Future: Advanced Manufacturing in the Greater Bay Area" at the China Conference on Wednesday. Photo: Nora Tam alt=Yu Guojian, deputy general manager of Guangzhou Summit Crystal Semiconductor, speaks during the panel "Transforming the Future: Advanced Manufacturing in the Greater Bay Area" at the China Conference on Wednesday. Photo: Nora Tam> The John J. Moran Medium Security Facility at the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston as seen on Oct. 24, 2024. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) People incarcerated at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI) in Cranston can now trust that confidential mail they get from their attorneys will not have been opened by correctional officers first. Thats according to an announcement Wednesday from the ACLU of Rhode Island, which last October filed a lawsuit against the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (DOC) in Providence Superior Court claiming the states prison system informally adopted a new practice governing mail and attorney visits in the past year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACLU also challenged a policy that took effect last June requiring adult visitors to the ACI to have their photograph taken, with images maintained in the DOCs database. The ACLU alleged prison officials violated the states Administrative Procedures Act after informally adopting the new practices. Both practices have been halted, the ACLU said. A hearing for a preliminary injunction originally scheduled for Friday in Providence Superior Court has been canceled. The case will continue, but the urgency has dissipated with their revision of the proposed rules to protect the attorney-client privilege under the emergency rules they have filed, ACLU Executive Director Steven Brown said in an email to Rhode Island Current. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under state law, state agencies must publish a notice on the agencys website and file a notice with the Secretary of State at least 30 days before adopting, modifying or repealing a rule. The law provides for a public comment period of at least 30 days. ACLU attorneys have argued that the updated policies have allowed correctional officers to routinely confiscate and inspect letters sent to inmates, including confidential letters sent from their lawyers. DOC spokesperson J.R. Ventura said in a statement that correctional staff had to balance visitation rules with the need for additional security over a reported nationwide spike in overdoses across prisons nationwide. As a national leader reducing overdose deaths during the opioid crisis, the RI Department of Corrections takes the threat of drug contraband very seriously, Ventura said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prison officials are concerned that paper laced with the highly addictive, synthetic cannabinoid K2 could be sent in the mail to prisoners at the ACI. I know theyve used an excuse of having a drug problem inside, but maybe they need to do a better job doing their job, Stop Torture R.I. Coalition campaign manager Brandon Robinson, a former ACI inmate, said in an interview Wednesday. Two wrongs dont make a right. According to the ACLU, mail will remain unopened and be scanned through a machine that can purportedly detect the presence of drug-laced paper. After 120 days, the temporary emergency rules will expire and be subject to a public hearing. Robinson celebrated the halt in the sudden policy change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RIDOC should be held accountable, he said. They basically have been going unchecked about the things theyve been doing. Robinson is also calling on the General Assembly to create an oversight committee to monitor prison policy. If policy was not followed, we need to have the right to review, he said. This story was updated to clarify what mail was subject will no longer be inspected and to add comment from Rhode Island Department of Corrections spokesperson J.R. Ventura. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEW YORK The field looking to unseat Mayor Eric Adams is becoming financially competitive with the embattled incumbent, new campaign filings show. City Comptroller Brad Lander, a left-flank Democrat promising to tackle subway homelessness, reported raising $221,599 since Oct. 7, which marked the end of the last filing period. With the nearly $3 million in public matching funds he was granted Wednesday, he has $3.2 million to spend, having shelled out $930,649 on staff, consultants and events. Lander netted support from civil servants, attorneys and donors working for nonprofits and the arts. Among his notable contributors this cycle were civil rights lawyer Ron Kuby and the head of the Coalition for the Homeless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landers predecessor, former City Comptroller Scott Stringer, reported raising $197,428 since October, with contributions from real estate figures and restaurant workers. Stringer was the first candidate to qualify for matching funds, which injected $2.2 million into his coffers last month. That brings him to $2.9 million raised. He has also spent $568,039, leaving him with $2.4 million on hand. Adams reported raising $270,291 since October, bringing his total contributions to $4.4 million with a balance of $3.1 million. Among the donors was cryptocurrency mogul Brock Pierce, who hosted a fundraiser for Adams in Puerto Rico and gave $3,700 above the legal limit for any candidate receiving matching funds. Adams' campaign paid $113,249 to former fundraiser Brianna Suggs, an aide whose house was raided by the FBI in late 2023 in connection with Adams previous campaign. The mayor also forked over $418 to his favorite nightlife haunt, Zero Bond, for a fundraising event. While his haul over the last three months put him on par with that of Lander and Stringer, Adams was not expecting to fundraise at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, the campaign board denied Adams matching funds, citing the federal criminal case against him involving straw donors and the campaigns failure to provide requisite documents to the board. The decision, which Adams can appeal, left his warchest with a $4.3 million hole. Meanwhile Adams legal defense trust, set up to raise for legal bills, netted just $2,200 over the last quarter from two donors, attorney Alan Sclar and businessperson Tzvi Odzer. Odzer was caught up in a straw donor scheme decades earlier, charged with making illegal donations in his childrens name to then-Rep. Anthony Weiners campaign in 1999 and ordered by a federal judge to pay a $12,000 fine. Adams meager donations were not enough to bring the trust into the black. The fund reported $873,770 in expenses since October, with the majority going to his defense attorneys at WilmerHale. The trust also reported a $200,000 advance retainer to Quinn Emanuel, the law firm of Adams lead trial attorney, Alex Spiro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorneys bills are certain to grow as they prepare for Adams April trial. The fund was already in debt as of the last filing deadline in October. And with so few donations coming in, the deficit has ballooned to more than $735,000. Adams campaign attorney Vito Pitta declined to comment. During the three months since the last filing deadline, state Sen. Zohran Mamdani outraised the rest of the Democratic primary field several times over. The democratic socialists campaign reported $641,816 from 6,518 donors more than any of his rivals. Mamdanis supporters gave $98 on average, the lowest figure of any candidate. He has not qualified for matching funds and has $415,555 in the bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Zellnor Myrie reported $183,640 in contributions over the last three months, bringing his total receipts to $647,998. He has not received public matching funds, and his expenditures put his balance at $262,040. Myrie has been positioning himself as the candidate most open to building housing. To that end, he received a $400 contribution from Two Trees Management Chief Executive Jed Walentas, who serves as the chair of the Real Estate Board of New York. Jim Walden, who is planning to run as an independent in the general election, raised $630,214. With the $500,000 he loaned his campaign and his expenses factored in, he has $899,377 left, according to the board. Most mayoral campaigns will wait until closer to the June 24 primary to spend substantially, but donations at this stage are a sign of strength and momentum. The address available in the local 911 system does not match the address number posted on the home of 63-year-old Douglas Harless, the victim of the Dec. 23 officer-involved shooting. Laurel County PVA Don McFadden provided insight Monday regarding a possible explanation as to why officers ended up at Harless home, where the shooting occurred, during their search warrant. London Police officers obtained a search warrant for 489 Vanzant Road, though the numbers posted on Harless home read 511 Vanzant Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is known that 489 was the intended address due to dispatch audio from the night of the shooting. In the recording, a dispatcher states the address 489 Vanzant Road several times. However, KSP would report 511 Vanzant Road as the actual location at which Harless was shot and killed. WKYT obtained a neighbors surveillance footage from the night of the shooting. It begins at 11:50 p.m., with the police banging on Harless door and announcing themselves. Shortly thereafter, officers can be seen scattering throughout the yard before five gunshots are fired. Harless was pronounced deceased on scene by Laurel County Coroner Doug Bowlings office after the incident. PVA McFadden noted that the addresses of mobile homes such as Harless can become inaccurate if the homeowner relocates the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That address is probably supposed to be 489, McFadden stated. Its .489 miles from that intersection back up there. The Sentinel-Echo was unable to confirm that Harless home had been moved but The Lexington Herald-Leader reported Friday that Monty Hart, who manages the property for his father, said the addresses were assigned before he took over though he believes his father would have relied on some authority such as the US Postal Service to designate the addresses. According to the newspaper, another mobile home some 250 feet from the Harless home has the street address of 489 Vanzant but shows up in the PVA system as 525 Vanzant Road. There is no 511 Vanzant on the PVA map. That addressing just is not science, McFadden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LPD officers were on Vanzant Road of the Lily community after Hobert Buttery, 49, had been charged for theft and informed them that he had taken one of the items a weed eater to a house in Lily. Court records show Buttery previously resided at 515 Vanzant Road. Butterys arrest citation states that he was arrested at 7:34 p.m. Dec. 23 on one count of theft by unlawful taking $1,000 or more but less than $10,000. The items were stolen from 508 Taylor Drive in London the property of Laurel County Judge Executive David Westerfield. Westerfields nephew placed the initial call to law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sentinel-Echo obtained audio last Friday of the Dec. 23 dispatch call from Charles Bo Hensley. Although Hensley only states his first name as Bo on the recording, Westerfield confirmed Friday that the caller is his nephew. Im calling for David Westerfield, Hensley states in the dispatch audio. Somebody had broke into his garage up here on Taylor Drive. 508 Taylor Drive. When the dispatcher asks if there were cameras at the property, Hensley responds that there are no cameras and the doors were open. The call only lasts 49 seconds before Westerfield calls Hensley, ending the recording. The Sentinel-Echo had sought 911 dispatch recordings in regard to the theft and initially received audio of a Dec. 24 dispatch call that confirmed Judge Westerfield had reached out to law enforcement regarding the theft as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That call was posted to the Laurel County News Youtube page Wednesday, but has since been removed. When the Sentinel-Echo previously spoke with Westerfield, he said that he did not reach out to law enforcement regarding the issue. Westerfield would also go on to say, Nothing they stole was mine. It was all his. He made similar statements to the Herald-Leader. The Dec. 24 dispatch audio, taking place after Harless shooting, revealed that Judge Westerfield was directed to speak with LPD Officer Jared Hale in regard to the ongoing investigation. In the call, Westerfield informed Hale that he had been over to his property to see what items were gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They called me at 1 a.m. this morning and told me all about it, Westerfield said in regard to Harless passing. Im not going to worry about my stuff unless he sold to somebody and its laying in a pile and I could identify it, but I cant make a list, Westerfield said. Im not going to worry about it but I would like to see Charles, my nephew, get his stuff back, if at all possible. Ofc. Hale affirmed to him in the call that it was being looked into and that the case had been turned over to Sergeant Elbert Riley. In addition to the heater, items stolen from Westerfields property include four backpack blowers, three weed eaters, and a pole saw. According to the uniform citation, Buttery only acknowledged taking the heater and a Stihl weed eater from the backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The items were appraised as a little over $4,000 making the act a Class D felony. According to the arrest report, Buttery took the belongings at 10:01 p.m. Dec. 22. Butterys preliminary hearing in Laurel County District Court included testimony that there were no witnesses to the crime. Chief District Judge John Paul Chappell found probable cause and the case was sent to for grand jury consideration on Jan. 17. LPD announced on Dec. 26 that the unnamed officer who fatally shot Harless has been placed on administrative leave. The post said the officer fired after the occupant of the residence produced a firearm and pointed it at officers. The officer-involved shooting remains under investigation by Kentucky State Police, whose Post 11 in London was requested by LPD at 11:53 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23 to investigate in accordance with standard policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KSP collected pieces of evidence Dec. 24, which could benefit the investigation. During KSP Detective James Royals search of Harless property, he found five used .223 shell casings, a light bulb security camera, a Nokia cell phone, and a Taurus nine-millimeter handgun and holster. According to Det. Royals search warrant, the light bulb security camera and cell phone could better show what occurred that night when LPD officers approached Harless home. This remains a developing story. Editors note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Business Journal. Doug Harcombe, CEO of AdventHealth Central Florida South Market and AdventHealth Lake Nona, said AdventHealth Celebration is in a much better place than it was in 1997. The former CEO of the hospital held up an October 1997 magazine cover citing issues the hospital had at its start. The $150 million hospital, known at the time as Florida Hospital Celebration Health, was built without the then-required certificate of need from the state, which had delayed its opening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: Volusia County Sheriff seeks evidence to pursue charges in dog attack that killed young boy They said Celebration needed luck to be successful, Harcombe said. Well, look at where we are standing today. Click here to read the full story on the Orlando Business Journals website. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Students from Kamehameha Schools observed the opening of the legislative session from the gallery on Wednesday at the state Capitol. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM Students from Kamehameha Schools observed the opening of the legislative session from the gallery on Wednesday at the state Capitol. Dozens of advocates fought through heavier-than-usual downtown traffic and hard-to-find parking around the state Capitol on Wednesday, the opening day of the legislative session, to learn about the workings of government, push for the changes they hope to see and inspire their peers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to make a complaint, said Brett Kulbis, former chair of the Oahu Republican Party, who came to the Capitol from Ewa Beach. The government parking lot over here, you have to pay with coins, even though theres limited parking, Kulbis said. Theres no coin dispenser. The public parking behind the palaceprobably about 10 stallswere reserved with cones in the general public parking. Kaile Oleyar, treasurer of the student nurses association and a senior at the University of Hawaii-Manoa, knew what to expect and rode TheBus from campus. Why pay $5 and fight for parking when I can just bus ? she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joy Logana UH professor of Latin American literature and cultural studiesunsuccessfully went to four or five parking lots before finding a spot, she said. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Her colleague, Lucia Arandaa professor of Spanish and translation studiessaid, We thought we left really early but spent 40 minutes looking for parking. We thought there would be some more guidance around where to park or someone helping people with that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan and Aranda attended their first opening-day session of the Legislature to support their former student, Alan Cota, who has since become office manager for new House Speaker Nadine Nakamura. Hes now working for the new speaker andbecause he had taken classes with me and Lucia where we talked about womens issues, we talked a lot about politics, of course, in Latin American studies and he said its a historic moment and he thought it would be nice if we were there to share itso he invited us to come, Logan said. We were happy to be able to share the moment with him. Aranda called their first time in the House chamber very exciting. It was beautiful. And, watching Nakamura sworn in as Hawaiis first female House speaker, was very exciting for us that it was a woman, Aranda said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eight students from Kamehameha Schools Kapalama Campus and members of the Hawai i Sustainable Development Goals Youth Council attended the Capitol to build relationships and collaborate on sustainable futures with lawmakers. Were here because we want to continue to engage in our community, said 16-year-old council member Cooper Long. We want to stay up to date with the issues that are affecting us the most. We want to create relationships and connections so that we can work towards sustainable futures together with the U.S. Legislature. Long said he and his peers were tasked with researching the senators and representatives for their respective districts. Our goal today is to touch base with them, talk with them and share what our mission and purpose are as a pathway, Long said. What were really here to do is take note of whats happening in our communities and the changes being made. This way, we can bring that to a global stage and share it with the world, because Hawaii has all the solutions needed to solve global problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elijah Sagon, a 13-year-old student from Ke Kula o Ehunuikaimalino on Hawaii island, arrived in Honolulu with four of his peers and two teachers at 8 a.m. and headed straight to the Capitol to learn more about the legislative process. The Hawaiian language immersion school also participated in last years legislative session opening day. I am vice president of my school, so I am here to learn about the Legislaturewhat representatives and senators do, Sagon said. Last quarter, we learned about the three branches of government, and that really sparked some interest in me. My plan is to be one of the worlds greatest chefs. But if that doesnt work out, I might actually try something in the Legislature. Michael Gatbonton, a senior at Punahou School, came to the Capitol to engage young people and organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of us are focused on various climate activism, and as youth, its one of the biggest issues that we face and will continue to face, he said. Gatbonton encouraged his peers who want to see change to try any method you can, whether it be talking to teachers and principals in school, creating clubs with classmates and friends or even testifying in the committee hearings throughout the legislative session. I want to see more youth involvement, he said. I think theres somewhat of a defeatist attitude right now with the youth, by saying, if something doesnt happen once, then it doesnt happen ever. But thats not the case. Bills die a lot of times. And the first time a bill is introduced, its probably going to die, but you have to try in the next legislative session. And thats something I also want to focus onencourage people to have hope, have people see that change is possible, because that is why were here, to make change. Londons annual Martin Luther King Celebration will return for an 18th year next Monday. The Martin Luther King Celebration hosted by the African American Heritage Center is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20. The event, beginning in 2007, has been held in London for nearly two decades. Wayne and Selena Riley play major roles in orchestrating the event each year. I think its important that we continue to live the dream of Dr. King, where we should be united and there should be unity in our lives, Mr. Riley stated. I think thats one reason why I continue to push it so hard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also organizing the event is Youth Leader Debbye Allen. This is history in the making, Allen commented. This is something that Martin Luther King Jr. wanted. He wanted unity. Though the celebration will maintain many of its traditions, this years celebration will kick off differently with breakfast provisions from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the African American Heritage Center. The center is located at 119 Short Street in London. Childrens activities are next, beginning at the London Community Center around 10 a.m. This will include worksheets, coloring sheets, and the choice to write an essay about Dr. King. Children will also have the option to enter their essay into a competition for the chance to win a prize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The activities will come to a close around 3 p.m. A program at the Laurel County Courthouse will follow at 5:15 p.m., before a march back to the London Community Center. An evening program at the community center will bring festivities to a close. The evening program is planned for 5:30 p.m. It will feature two guest speakers, as well as a presentation of colors. Among the speakers will be Rev. Steve Jones of Consolidated Baptist Church in Hazard. Those at the African American Heritage Center encourage the public to attend the community event. Hummingbird Resources has finalised a $16.4m (13.43m) agreement with Mali's military-run government to operate the Yanfolila gold mine under the countrys 2023 mining code. Malis 2023 mining code allows the state to increase ownership in new mining projects. The latest agreement, executed by Hummingbird subsidiary Societe des Mines de Komana and a government commission, resolves audit issues and provides a framework for ongoing operations and development at the mine. As part of the agreement, Hummingbird will pay the settlement in two instalments and benefit from a 2% reduction in Mali's special tax on certain products. Furthermore, the company has consented to relinquish historical value-added tax credit claims of the same value and will put forward a plan to boost production and prolong the mines operational life. Hummingbird interim CEO Geoff Eyre said: "This agreement represents a significant milestone in our relationship with the Government of Mali and provides a stable framework for our continued operation and development of the Yanfolila Gold Mine. Through constructive dialogue with the government, we have addressed historical matters while securing important operational agreements that support our long-term investment in the country. The renewal of exploration permits and extension of our mining permit perimeter demonstrates Mali's commitment to our partnership." The latest move follows Hummingbird's agreement for its acquisition by Nioko Resources, a subsidiary of its creditor CIG. This deal is aimed at helping Hummingbird bring in additional financing as it battles financial difficulties and operational hurdles. In September 2024, both Allied Gold and B2Gold reached agreements with the Malian Government over operation of the Sadiola gold mine and Fekola mine, respectively. Earlier this month, the government gave the green light to Allied Golds Korali-Sud project, granting the company a 35% stake under the new mining code. Korali-Sud forms part of the Sadiola gold project. Meanwhile, Barrick Gold recently halted operations in Mali after its government reportedly seized gold stockpiles valued at $245m (C$352.18m). "Hummingbird enters deal with Mali Government on Yanfolila mine" was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) Representatives from the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office told WKBN 27 First News Thursday that they are optimistic about the work being done to reopen Sharon Regional Medical Center even though two parties who were part of a recent deal to open it are at an impasse. The Attorney Generals Office issued this statement: The Office of Attorney General of is working with the city of Sharon, Tenor Health, and MPT on a process to reopen Sharon Regional Medical Center. We are encouraged by everyone working in good faith to achieve the goal of accessible healthcare for the many people impacted by the recent closure. Office of the Pennsylvnaia Attorney General Serious doubts about the deal played out Wednesday when The Board of the Buhl Legacy Trust said that it would not comply with a stipulation of Tenor Health Foundations deal with Medical Properties Trust (MPT) to take over Sharon Regional Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPT followed up with that decision by saying the deal was off. The contention surrounds a $25 million claim the Trust had against Steward and MPT for not investing in the hospital which it says played a role in the hospitals closing. Sen. Michele Brooks, (R-50th District) said she is also hopeful a deal can be reached. Medical Properties Trust does have the option to move forward with the sale, and I hope that they for the best interest of the community, the hospital, health care and 75 jobs that they choose to do so, Brooks said. MPT owns the property the hospital sits on and Tenor Health would operate the facility, but a court case playing out in Mercer County Common Pleas Court brought by the AG contends that the Trust is the true owner because Steward and MPT breached their contract by not investing in the hospital according to the deal when the property was transferred from Community Health Systems to Steward in 2017. A hearing in that case is set for Jan. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Attorney Generals Office did not give specifics on any new avenues the deal may take but remains optimistic one will be made. Tenor was the second buyer who came forward to operate the hospital. Meadville Medical Center (MMC) almost sealed a deal several weeks ago to operate the facility but that fell through, too. The sale was supposed to be pretty much iron-clad. The Commonwealth supported it and even ponied up millions of dollars to keep the hospital open while details of the deal were hammered out, but what was happening between potential funders and MPT put cracks in the deal and ultimately prevented the sale from closing. According to MMC, it needed $45 million, a number MMC said they were upfront about with everyone at the table trying to broker the deal, including the Pennsylvania attorney general, the governor and the Buhl Regional Health Foundation (BRHF), who was promising to put up a large portion of the money to push the sale forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the end, the two sides could not come together on a dollar amount or a comfortable risk situation for BRHF. At that time, Buhl said it plans to work with all community partners to help keep the hospital open. Sharon Regional officially closed on Jan. 6. Patients were transferred to other hospitals and other healthcare systems picked up the slack, namely UPMC. UPMC Horizon and UPMC Jameson have set up a hotline for people in the community whove recently lost access to their physician and health care services and need a new primary care provider or specialist, lab and imaging services or to reschedule surgery. A team of scheduling specialists will connect them with care by calling 724-994-4747 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brandon Jaces and Gerry Ricciutti contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Donald Trumps pick to head the CIA, John Ratcliffe, took a lucrative spin through Washingtons revolving door after his time in the first Trump administration, according to a disclosure with the Senate. In recent years, Ratcliffe has worked as a consultant and advisor for several defense contractors. Two of the companies make technology for autonomous aircraft, something that the CIA has long used in a covert program for targeted killings. Hes also consulted for private equity and venture capital firms. In his Senate questionnaire, Ratcliffe wrote that none of his jobs or business relationships would create a conflict of interest if hes confirmed as CIA director. During his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday, Ratcliffe said the top spy agency would take a more aggressive approach. He said that the CIA would be apolitical and would take a focus on China, something that could appeal to hawkish Democratic lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past, Trump has attacked intelligence agencies and the deep state. Ratcliffe, who was Trumps director of national intelligence from 2020 to 2021, is very likely to be confirmed. Ratcliffes work with artificial intelligence companies aligns with Trumps support from defense contractors in Silicon Valley. Palmer Luckey, who founded defense contractor Anduril Industries, and Peter Thiel, who founded Palantir, which works with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on data mining to help arrest migrants, are both Trump supporters. Elon Musk, Trumps pick for the Department of Government Efficiency, heads SpaceX, which works with a U.S. intelligence agency on surveillance satellites. Trumps support from this sector suggests a move toward newer defense technology over more established contractors. From 2023 to present, Ratcliffe has served on the advisory board for Arctop, which claims that it uses AI for a very futuristic purpose. We interpret brain signals to seamlessly translate thoughts into speech and digital action, the company says on its website. The company recently received a contract to work with the Air Force to monitor cadets brain activity while they are in training. Latent AI, where Ratcliffe is also on the advisory board, has worked with the Army and Navy with its AI technology. The defense contractor also provides intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance for drones and aircraft. It says that its technology allows for faster decision-making. Ratcliffe has worked with them since 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another AI company Ratcliffe has worked with is Shield AI. In 2022, the company received a $950 million contract from the Air Force to use artificial intelligence to pilot autonomous aircraft, or drones. The companys Hivemind software flies aircraft on its own, in a way that is, Shield AI claims, similar to a human pilot. He was a consultant for the company from 2021 to 2022. Ratcliffe is a consultant for Perot Jain, an investment firm whose portfolio includes defense companies that contract with the government. He wrote that he has consulted for them since 2022. Ratcliffe has separately consulted for private equity giant Blackstone Inc., the worlds largest alternative investment firm. He is also on the advisory board for Coherent Logix, which has partnered with the Defense Innovation Unit, a part of the Defense Department focused on emerging commercial technologies. Coherent Logix creates processors for computer systems, including for work in outer space. Finally, Ratcliffe is a senior advisor to American Global Strategies, LLC, an advisory firm that works with clients in the defense industry. The firm was founded by Robert C. OBrien, a national security advisor under Trump, and Alex Gray, National Security Council chief of staff under Trump. He has worked in this capacity since 2022. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Aid organizations said they were planning to quickly expand their operations in the Gaza Strip once the newly agreed ceasefire comes into force. International Rescue Committee (IRC) boss David Miliband said the organization would expand the "scale and impact" of its work in the Gaza Strip "as conditions allow." "The scars of this war will be long-lasting, but a surge of aid is desperately needed to provide immediate relief to civilians," Miliband said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This will take flexible funding and the free flow of aid and aid workers. Done right, it can lay the foundations for the even harder work of development and peace." Catherine Russell, executive director of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), stressed that the scale of humanitarian needs in Gaza "is enormous." "UNICEF and partners are ready to scale up our response," Russell said. "The ceasefire must, finally, afford humanitarian actors the opportunity to safely roll out the massive response inside the Gaza Strip that is so desperately needed." There are currently an estimated 17,000 children who have lost their parents or have been separated from them. Nearly 1 million children are no longer living in their homes, according to UNICEF figures. (Reuters) - Air defences were engaged in Ukraine's capital of Kyiv on Thursday to repel a Russian drone attack, officials said, and Reuters witness reported explosions in the city while British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was visiting. City officials said there were no casualties as a result of the attack, but a car was damaged by falling debris in one of the districts. Russia regularly launches drones across Ukraine. On Thursday, Ukraine's air force said it downed 34 out of 55 drones launched in an overnight attack, with a further 18 failing to reach targets. (Reporting by Yuliia Dysa; Editing by Alex Richardson) TOPEKA (KSNT) A retired member of the Kansas Air National Guard hailing from Topeka died while on an international flight earlier this week. Massachusetts State Police (MSP) told 27 News troopers and Suffolk County State Police detectives responded to an unattended death on board an Air France flight from Paris to Boston on Tuesday, Jan. 14. First responders identified the deceased as Barbara DiPoli, 53, of Topeka. The MSP said the initial investigation into her death shows she suffered from a medical episode while on the international flight. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Massachusetts will make the final determination into her cause of death at a later date. Photo of Barbara DiPoli. (Photo Courtesy/Kansas Air National Guard) New Kansas state license plate productions are delayed, heres why Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 27 News reached out to Jane Welch with the Kansas Adjutant Generals Office for more information about DiPoli. She said DiPoli served in the Kansas Air National Guard from 2007 to 2024, eventually retiring from it in September 2024. Welch said DiPoli spent the last several years working for the Air National Guard in Washington, D.C. but still retained her status as a member of the Kansas Air National Guard. DiPoli was promoted to the rank of Chief Master Sergeant in July 2022 and was stationed with the 190th Air Refueling Wing in Topeka prior to leaving for Washington, D.C. Card skimming device found at Topeka Dillons grocery store 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf 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 KSNT 27 News. MYRTLE BEACH S.C. (WBTW) Nineteen aircraft maintenance technicians turned their tassels Wednesday morning at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics 2025 graduation ceremony in Myrtle Beach. Many of the graduates, thrilled to soon enter the world of aviation, will help fill the increasing number of vacancies in the airline Industry. The industry has seen a nationwide shortage of AMTs, putting their skillsets on high demand for aviation industries across the country with employment rates over 89%. Originally from Indianapolis and starting his career with Endeavor Airlines to work for Deltas smaller regional airplanes in Minneapolis after graduation, Anthony King said he thinks one of the reasons younger generations may not be entering the industry is because theyre simply not thinking about what goes on behind the scenes of flying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Kings father being a pilot for United Airlines, he said it only made sense for him to be an unsung hero for aviation. You know, everybody knows theres pilots. Not everybody knows theres a lot of mechanics working on that plane, he said. I dont think a lot of families are talking about the mechanics that are behind the scenes and working on the planes. But its one of those things where I think we really need to work on getting the word out that this is an opportunity for a lot of people that they may have never thought about. King said the industry is a career that is forever evolving to keep people safe. A career, he said, that is taken very seriously. Its one of those things where you put in the hours because if you dont, it only takes one mistake, he said. And if youre not willing to put in the hours and effort to master your craft in this industry, it could cost people their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campus Director Michael Basara said another reason he believes fewer people are becoming AMTs is because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During COVID, we lost a lot of experience, a lot of personnel due to early retirements. Not only that but the years of knowledge that were lost, Basara said. If we take a look at the AMP schools throughout the nation, if everyone would graduate, it still does not fill the gap that is left by what is needed in the industry. Working in the aviation industry for over 35 years, Basara said that its an industry that requires a lot of hard work and dedication. As soon as the 2025 class walked through the doors, Basara said they were ready to get to work and learn the aviation world. He said in the school, being students, they were constantly learning. One of them is to own up to your mistakes to prevent big problems from occurring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this industry, if you see something wrong, you got to say something about it. And that is a big thing, Basara said. If somethings not being done right you have to have the guts and gumption to be able to go to somebody and say, This isnt right, lets do it right.' Starting her career with Embraer Airlines in Nashville Tennessee, Riley Fulk said following Wednesdays ceremony, each graduate would be required to take their final Airframe test. A test, she said, will allow them to perform maintenance on planes outside of P.I.A. Its a big test, so you have your A and P license, thats what the schools for. So you get your airframe and your power plan. You take your power plan written and orals and practicals, and then your airframe written and orals and practicals, she said. So your written is a 100 question test. Your orals is a test where you sit down in front of an instructor, DME their license to test you and they ask you about 30 questions for your airframe and you have to explain the systems. You have to know it. So they really want to make sure that you know what youre doing before you go and work on something. Originally going to Penn State for environmental engineering, Fulk said after visiting P.I.A. in Myrtle Beach, she knew she was meant to come here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last minute, I actually changed when I toured here and I was looking at the CF6 six in a hangar and I was like, This is a giant engine and I dont know anything about it, but I want to know like I want to take things apart and learn about it, she said. With the industry constantly evolving, Basara said he cant even imagine what each student will work on in their aviation career. Thats something Fulk takes seriously and is excited to do for the rest of her life. Millions of people are flying all the time. And, you know, theyre taking flights, getting to their destinations, Fulk said. And you have to make sure that the plane is put together, its safe. And so, its a really important job. * * * Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here. Copyright 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. An airline pilot from New England was arrested Wednesday at Georgia airport on a charge of driving under the influence just moments before his flight was scheduled for takeoff, authorities said. David Paul Allsop, 52, of Bedford, New Hampshire, was arrested at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport around 7 a.m. after he allegedly showed up to work intoxicated, according to a Chatham County Sheriffs Office arrest report. The report didnt indicate the type of substance Allsop is accused of using. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allsop was set to pilot Southwest Flight 3772 from Savannah to Chicagos Midway Airport when police boarded the aircraft, entered the cockpit, and escorted him off the plane, CNN affiliate WTOC-TV reported. In a statement, the FAA said, Regulations prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or if their blood alcohol concentration is 0.04% or greater. To see that and know that thats why I did not fly to Midway this morning, it definitely left a little odd feeling in my stomach, Southwest passenger Robert Newmerch told WTOC. Allsop has since been removed from duty, Southwest said in a statement obtained by Boston 25s sister station WSB-TV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The employee has been removed from duty, the statement read. Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the safety of our employees and customers. Allsop was granted a $3,500 bond. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) Alabama legislators are considering changing the way the state funds public schools. North Alabama lawmakers met in Huntsville Tuesday to discuss their plans for the 2025 legislative session. Education is top priority for many, and Sen. Arthur Orr said he wants to look at how the state pays for each student. Alabama volunteers to aid in California wildfire relief Currently, Alabama funds K-12 schools based on the number of students who attend. There is a set dollar amount per student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Orr, the majority of other states are taking into account individual students education needs. Its called a Student-Based Funding Formula, and Orr said funding amounts take into account student characteristics. What type of students are they? Orr said. Do they come from a poverty background? Are they an English language learner? Are they a Special Ed students? All those students require more money to educate them and get productive outputs. Well be discussing that in the legislature for sure. Alabama House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels said he is interested in learning more about this type of education funding model. He said he wants to make sure the legislature is making valuable investments in the states students. Lawsuit by college professors and students challenges Alabamas anti-DEI law Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several changes have been made to the way Alabama funds K-12 education over the past few years, including the passage of the CHOOSE Act. The program will provide $100 million toward Education Savings Accounts that will help families cover the cost of tuition for private, independent schools and even homeschooling programs. 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. Chevron has announced that its exploration well, Kapana 1X, located in Namibia's Orange Basin, did not yield commercial hydrocarbon reserves. The well, situated in Block 2813B, governed by petroleum exploration license (PEL) 90 block, is operated by Harmattan Energy, an indirect subsidiary of Chevron. Operations provided valuable insights into key aspects of the basin, boosting confidence in the future programme for PEL 90, the company stated. PEL 90 covers an area of 5,433km in offshore southern Namibia. The licence area lies in water depths ranging from 2,300m to 3,300m. Harmattan is the operator of PEL 90 with a 52.5% interest. Sintana holds a limited carried interest in the PEL 90 licence. Trago Energy, a subsidiary of Custos Energy in which Sintana holds a 49% indirect interest, owns a 10% working interest in PEL 90. Qatar Energy holds a 27.5% interest, while the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia holds a 10% stake. Sintana director Knowledge Katti said: The geologic insights and improved confidence in the future programme on PEL 90 from these operations provides strong support for continued progress and value in our portfolio in Namibias Orange Basin, the worlds exploration hotspot. Sintana CEO said Robert Bose said: We look forward to the many opportunities ahead to further unveil the quality of our unmatched position in the heart of the Orange Basin including the future activity on PEL 90 and the ongoing activity on PEL 83. The recent exploration activities in Namibia have attracted significant interest from oil companies, with some notable offshore discoveries. However, not all explorations have been successful. Shell recently disclosed a $400m (328.04m) write-down for an offshore discovery in Namibia that was deemed commercially unviable. Namibia's national oil company signed a development agreement with Chevron in April 2024, granting the company an 80% operating working interest in an offshore block (PEL 82) within the Walvis Basin. Despite the under-explored nature of Namibia's offshore region, which has seen only 19 wells drilled along its 1,600km coastline, the presence of quality source rocks and reservoir intervals has been confirmed. "Kapana 1X exploration well offshore Namibia yields no commercial hydrocarbons" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. TIRANA (Reuters) - Albania's government has granted strategic investor status to a company linked to Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to build a luxury resort on an uninhabited Mediterranean island that was once a military outpost. The Balkan country's Strategic Investment Committee, headed by Prime Minister Edi Rama, on Dec. 30 accepted a proposal by Atlantic Incubation Partners LLC for the 45-hectare project on the small island of Sazan, involving a planned investment of 1.4 billion euros ($1.4 billion). In the written decision, seen by Reuters on Thursday, the committee said the project complied with legislation on strategic investment and on the number of jobs required by the legislation, saying it would employ an estimated 1,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the law, the granting of strategic investment status allows companies to implement an investment project that is deemed strategic as part of a strategic sector of the economy such as tourism. "The form of the state's participation in this investment will be realised through the establishment of a joint legal entity," the committee said, adding that it would include the state-run Albanian Investment Corporation. Reuters could not immediately reach Atlantic Incubation Partners for comment. Last year, Kushner announced plans to build a tourist resort in Zvernec in southern Albania as part of a wider investment by his Affinity Partners in the Balkans that also includes the project on Sazan, off the Albanian coast, and a project in a former army headquarters in the Serbian capital Belgrade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kushner, who served as a top aide to Trump during his father-in-law's first term as U.S. president, set up the investment firm in 2021. Trump is due to be inaugurated for a second term on Tuesday. The projects could boost local economies by enticing visitors, but the company faces opposition from critics who say they will harm the environment or, in the case of Belgrade, threaten sites of cultural significance. ($1 = 0.9715 euros) (Reporting by Florion Goga, writing by Daria Sito-Sucic; Editing by Timothy Heritage) This is an adapted excerpt from the Jan. 14 episode of Alex Wagner Tonight. Los Angeles is in its second week of fighting the largest fires the city has ever seen. The fires have already collectively burned an area more than twice the size of Manhattan, displaced more than 100,000 people and killed at least 27. While those fires are still actively burning and authorities are still searching burned-out houses for the dead how is the Republican leader of the House, Mike Johnson, responding? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, hes threatening to hold hostage federal disaster aid. I think there should probably be conditions on that aid, Johnson told reporters Monday. Thats my personal view. Well see what the consensus is. I havent had a chance to socialize that with any of the members over the weekend because weve all been very busy, but itll be part of the discussion. Mind you, Johnson represents the disaster-prone state of Louisiana. In 2022, the last year for which we have data, Louisiana received $34 billion more from the federal government than the state paid the federal government, according to the Rockefeller Institute of Government. In that same year, the report found California paid $83 billion more to the federal government than the state got in return. And 2022 isnt an anomaly. California is the fifth-biggest economy in the world, on its own. The state literally subsidizes the rest of the country, year after year. But because California is a blue state, Republicans want it to bend to the will of the GOP in order to get disaster relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just Johnson. Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said that he expects there will be strings attached to money that is ultimately approved. Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa said that in order for the federal government to help the thousands who have lost their homes, they expect the state to change bad behavior. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said California doesn't "deserve anything unless they show us theyre gonna make some changes. Not to belabor the point, but all of those lawmakers are representatives of red states that receive far more money from the federal government than they give the federal government. Just last month, Congress allocated $100 billion in disaster relief to help the six states impacted by hurricanes Helene and Milton. All but one of those states is led by a Republican governor. That aid didnt have conditions. Apparently, the moral calculus was very clear. But now that the blue state of California needs help, Republicans seem to think disaster relief should be a bargaining chip. Allison Detzel contributed. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com More than a month after their arrests, a federal judge in New York on Wednesday ordered the detention of three wealthy brothers from Miami Beach before trial on sex-trafficking charges that allege the Alexander siblings drugged and raped dozens of women over the past two decades. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni reached her decision on the pre-trial fate of twins Alon and Oren, 37, and older brother Tal, 38, after a three-hour hearing in the Southern District of New York. In denying bonds, the judge found the brothers posed a danger to the community and a risk of flight if they were released on bail proposals in excess of $100 million each. They are facing very serious charges, Caproni said, noting that the brothers could face from 15 years to life in prison if convicted at trial. This will be a horrible trial for their family to sit through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brothers, represented by defense teams from Miami and New York, were not present for the bail review in Manhattan federal court, as they were being held at a federal detention center in Miami. During the hearing, Alon and Tal appealed a pair of Miami judges orders denying bonds while Oren faced his initial bail review. Lawyers for all three argued that the brothers were neither dangerous nor flight risks, saying their parents were willing to pledge the familys high-priced real estate assets in Bal Halbour, Miami Beach, the Bahamas and Tel Aviv to secure their bail while each brother stayed in different Miami high-rise apartments guarded by private security around the clock. The parents, Shlomo and Orly Alexander, were in the New York courtroom Wednesday. Shlomo Alexander, left, and Orly Alexander attend the bond hearing of their twin sons, Oren and Alon Alexander, 37, at the Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in Miami, Fla. But Caproni said their bond proposals amounted to the Alexander family setting up a private jail, an option not available to indigent defendants accused of similar serious crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three brothers were arrested last month in Miami Beach on a charge of conspiring to commit sex trafficking between 2010 and 2021 in Manhattan, the Hamptons and South Florida, as well as on a charge of sex trafficking a woman [victim-2] in New York using force, fraud or coercion in September 2016. Separately, Tal Alexander faces a charge of sex trafficking a woman [victim-1] in New York in July 2011. Each of the three charges carries up to life in prison, but the two sex trafficking counts carry a mandatory-minimum sentence of 15 years. The brothers prospects of obtaining bonds and their freedom before trial were expected to be remote given that the same U.S. Attorneys Office in New York prevailed in blocking bail for other idefendants accused of sex trafficking, from the late Manhattan financier Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide while in detention in 2019, to rap mogul Diddy, who is awaiting trial behind bars. Read More: Months after dramatic raid, Diddy indicted in connection to sex trafficking probe Orens polygraph exam Before Wednesdays hearing, Orens defense team took the unusual step of offering as evidence a polygraph examination administered by a former FBI agent. James Orr, the retired Tampa-based agent, concluded Oren was truthful when the defendant answered no to the following four questions: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1. Did you have sex with [victim-2] when you knew she had been covertly given drugs? 2. In New York, did you have sex with [victim-2] when you knew she had been covertly given drugs? 3. Did you have any kind of sex with [victim-2] when you knew she had secretly been given drugs? 4. In New York, did you have any kind of sex with [victim-2] when you knew she had secretly been given drugs? In his examination, Orr found that Oren displayed no significant reactions indicative of deception in answering the questions. His twin brother, Alon, was also asked by the former FBI agent in a polygraph exam whether he had sex in New York, Florida or elsewhere with any woman when you knew she had been covertly given drugs. Alon answered no. Again, the ex-agent found his responses truthful. Horrific sexual violence by brothers: feds Before Wednesdays hearing, federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York filed a hard-hitting court document, saying that each defendant has separately been accused of forcible rape by at least ten women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors restated allegations that over 40 women have reported to the FBI that they were forcibly raped or sexually assaulted by at least one of the Alexander brothers between 2002 and 2021. At trial, numerous victims ... are expected to testify about the horrific sexual violence committed against them by the Alexander Brothers, prosecutors Kaiya Arroyo, Elizabeth Espinosa and Andrew Jones wrote in a letter to Judge Caproni. Their testimony will be corroborated by non-victim witnesses along with electronic, physical and documentary evidence. Moreover, the victims accounts strongly corroborate each other, recounting similar experiences of sexual violence from the Alexander Brothers despite occurring in different settings, states, and even different decades, the prosecutors wrote to the judge. Sex videos found in Tals NY apartment In pushing for no bonds for the brothers before trial, prosecutors revealed that FBI agents executed a search warrant on Tals Manhattan apartment that he previously shared with his brother, Oren, on the date of the three brothers arrests at their Miami Beach homes, Dec. 11. Real estate brokers Tal, right, and Oren Alexander outside their home on Miami Beach on Friday, Feb. 1, 2019. The two were arrested in December 2024 in Miami Beach and charged with sex trafficking, along with Orens twin brother, Alon. Agents found a hard drive with photos and videos showing twin brothers Oren and Alon with other men recording images of themselves with women in states of intoxication and undress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Alexander brothers videos show them having sex with impaired women: feds. Defense: consensual In multiple videos, the women appear initially unaware that they were being recorded and became upset and attempted to hide or flee from the camera after realizing they were being filmed, the prosecutors wrote to the judge. Multiple other videos found in Tal Alexanders apartment depict Alon, Oren, and other men engaged in sexual contact with women who are visibly under the influence of alcohol or other substances, their letter continues. In some instances, at least one defendant [Alon or Oren] and another man physically manipulated the womens bodies in order to have sex with them while the women did not actively participate in the sexual activity or turned away. In the letter, prosecutors urged the Manhattan federal judge to detain the three Alexander brothers before trial. They said Oren and Tal, once-celebrated luxury real estate brokers in New York, and Alon, an executive in the familys security business in North Miami and Orens twin, are a danger to the community and a flight risk possibly to their parents native country, Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Wednesdays hearing, however, defense attorneys fired back, saying the seized videos show no illegal conduct. One of Orens defense lawyers, Richard Klugh, said the case against the brothers was extremely weak, as he characterized the video evidence of the alleged rapes as orgying not sexual assault. Judge: If a woman is visibly incapacitated it is likely rape. In one video discussed in court, a young woman is shown lying naked on a bed and mumbling. One of the brothers positions her body in a way that allows him to penetrate her. Afterwards, she briefly stands, then collapses on the bed. Klugh argued that because she was able to stand she wasnt incapacitated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the judge scoffed at that notion. You lose on that argument that just because someone can stand up that doesnt mean they are not incapacitated, Caproni said. Earlier in the hearing, the judge also commented on the same video, saying to another defense attorney, Deanna Paul: In my view, if a woman is visibly incapacitated it is likely rape. Before the hearing, lawyers for Tal Alexander issued a statement condemning the prosecutions claim that the video evidence was incriminating. The government points to lawful sexual behavior that it finds offensive, but is absolutely not illegal, said Paul, whose law firm, Walden Macht Haran & Williams, is representing Tal. It should be focused on legality, not morality. That were even talking about these videos shows the complete lack of evidence to support any of the three charges in the indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors noted they have other video recordings made by Oren Alexander showing him and Alon engaging in sexual activity with at least one identified victim. They said all three brothers drugged victims, rendering them incapable of either consenting or resisting then, when the victims were physically compromised or incapacitated, the defendants held them down and forcibly raped them. Defense: Sex was consensual, women money grabbers Defense attorneys for the three Alexander brothers argued in court papers that they committed no sexual assaults, and that their relationships with the alleged victims were consensual and sometimes involved text messages to get together again. Their attorneys also claimed some of the accusers of pursuing lawsuits last year just to make money off the brothers and of never bringing their complaints to authorities in real time dating back years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Wednesdays hearing, they described the accusers as money grabbers. But the judge scolded them for attempting to try the case at the bail hearing, pointing out that their credibility can be argued at trial. Federal prosecutor Andrew Jones countered that the sheer number of women who have accused the brothers over 40 flies in the face of a conspiracy to extort the brothers. Jones also undercut defense arguments that the brothers had not been accused of any rapes since 2021, noting that the most recent victim in the governments case alleges she was assaulted by one or more of them that year. He also pointed out that just because no accusers have alleged crimes since 2021 doesnt mean the brothers suddenly stopped, since it often takes assault victims many years to be willing to talk about their trauma. Still, the brothers lawyers proffered that the women that have come forward remember very little of what happened, and it will be a challenge for prosecutors to prove that the sex with the brothers wasnt consensual. In some cases, the women remained in contact with the brothers even after the alleged rapes and no one reported them to police, defense lawyers said. One woman said, I have no idea what happened, Klugh recounted. Family pledged any amount to release them Klugh argued that pre-trial detention is meant for mafia bosses and cartel drug lords not the Alexander brothers, who have pledged any amount of money to secure bonds while paying for private security guards to watch over them at high-rise apartments in Miami. Pretrial detention is meant for serious criminal organizations and their leaders, designed to address uncontrollable violent criminal activity and risks that cannot be quelled with any reasonable limitations, Klugh wrote in a letter to Judge Caproni. Here there is a material dispute as to whether any federal or other crime happened at all, and whether conduct in a social event was consensual or not. Lawyers for Alon and Tal Howard Srebnick and Milt Williams echoed those arguments in court filings in Manhattan federal court as well during court hearings in Miami. The governments opposition, like the Detention Order [in Miami], greatly overstates the risk of flight, which our proposed bail conditions completely and fairly eliminate, Tals lawyer, Williams, wrote in a letter to the judge in New York. Critically, the government ignores the fact that Mr. Alexander and his brothers, Alon and Oren Alexander, all of whom have no criminal history, knew of this criminal investigation since July and made no attempt to flee. Instead, the government attempts unfairly to detain Mr. Alexander for reasons that stem directly from the familys lawfully earned wealth. All three Alexander brothers were arrested on charges of luring women to swank locales in New York City, the Hamptons, Aspen and Miami Beach by paying for their travel and then plying them with drug-laced drinks before allegedly raping them. According to the FBI and federal prosecutors, 42 women have accused at least one of the three brothers of sexual assault in the sex-trafficking conspiracy indictment, which was filed in Manhattan federal court. All three are expected to enter not guilty pleas at their eventual arraignments in New York City. Family has properties in Tel Aviv, the Bahamas The defense prepared a document with all of the Alexander familys assets for review by the court and prosecutors, a record entered under seal from public scrutiny. The full extent of the familys wealth isnt known, but a Miami Herald analysis of public records identified residential and commercial properties with an assessed market value of more than $74 million including the Bal Harbour home of their parents. Read More: How much is the Alexander family worth? All of the properties are owned by members of the family or companies tied to them, though they still have outstanding mortgages on some of them. However, the Heralds analysis did not include the parents properties in Tel Aviv and the Bahamas, which were eventually disclosed in court. This story was updated to accurately reflect defense attorney Richard Klughs characterization of the governments video evidence during the Alexander brothers detention hearing in New York on Wednesday. An alleged Moroccan spy has been detained at Frankfurt Airport after being transferred from Spain, German police said on Thursday. The man, a Moroccan national, was held in Spain on December 1 on the basis of a European arrest warrant issued in February 2023. He was transported to Germany on Wednesday, where he was met by federal police. The German Public Prosecutor's Office has accused the man of spying for a Moroccan secret service since January 2022. An investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice ordered pre-trial detention for the man. The head of Southern California Edison said Wednesday that winds blowing in Eaton Canyon on Jan. 7 were not strong enough to merit de-energizing a powerful electrical transmission line that is now being investigated as a possible ignition point for a fire that devastated a large swath of Altadena. Residents who live near Eaton Canyon reported seeing flames erupt at the bottom of the tower as the fire got underway and took photos and videos of the scene. Over the weekend, investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection were at the tower and said the area was off-limits because it was part of the investigation into what sparked the Eaton fire. Chief Executive Steven Powell reiterated in an interview with The Times the company's assertion that its data showed no abnormalities in the 12 hours leading up to the ignition of the Eaton fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Investigators study Eaton Canyon electrical tower area as possible origin of Altadena fire The National Weather Service had warned of life-threatening and destructive winds for the day fire broke out in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Powell said Edison was monitoring the weather closely Jan. 7 but said the winds did not meet the threshold the company uses for de-energizing transmission lines. Power lines in Eaton Canyon are under review in an investigation into the fire's cause. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Usually winds would have to be 60 to 80 mph for the company to consider the de-energization of transmission lines, Powell said, adding that the readings Edison saw were lower than that. The Eaton fire was first reported just after 6:11 p.m. At around 6 p.m., the weather service recorded wind gusts of 59 mph at Edisons Eaton Canyon monitoring site, which is at the southern end of Eaton Canyon Park near the corner of New York and Altadena drives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higher gusts were recorded at that site before and after, according to weather service data: 63 mph at 2:20 p.m. and 70 mph at 9:30 p.m. It's unclear what the wind readings were at the tower, which is located in the hills of the canyon. Transmission lines are the more powerful part of the electrical grid as opposed to distribution lines. Distribution lines refer to the electrical poles, often wooden, that directly serve neighborhoods and residents. The transmission lines are more structurally sound, usually served by metal towers, and they transport higher voltage at higher speeds. Read more: Four lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over Eaton fire Powell added that the towers in the area were built in the 1970s and 1980s and that both the lines and towers had most recently been inspected in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do an aerial inspection that's either helicopter or most often we're using drones," he said, "because you can get up close and get great images of every little piece, and then our inspectors are going on the ground with binoculars and looking at them." The Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center burns Jan. 7, 2025, during the Eaton fire. (Josh Edelson / AFP/Getty Images) Investigators have not determined a cause for the fire which burned an estimated 7,000 structures and killed at least 16 and have declined to say what evidence they found around the tower. Still, numerous lawsuits have been filed this week naming Edison as a defendant and claiming the utility caused the Eaton fire. Powell said he understands the frustration and conclusions that residents have come to after seeing early images of the fire burning under one of Edison's towers. He felt the same way when he saw the videos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My heart sank because you see that, and immediately you have to, you know, anybody's mind would if they saw that was the beginning stages of the fire ... from there you can't see anything else around, your mind will go [to thinking it was caused by Edison electrical equipment] absolutely," he said. Read more: Edison under scrutiny for Eaton fire. Who pays liability will be 'new frontier' for California But the data don't bear out the footage, Powell said, though he couldn't say with certainty that the fire was not caused by Edison lines. Powell said Edison might be responsible for the ignition of the Hurst fire near Sylmar. The CEO said there was a downed power line at the site of the Hurst fire's ignition, though data show that abnormal electrical activity was spotted at 10:11 p.m. Jan. 7, a minute after the fire started at 10:10 p.m. Steven Powell is chief executive of Southern California Edison. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Powell said it's not clear whether the downed power line caused the fire or whether the power line was downed because of an already burning fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edison has been found to have caused deadly fires in the past. The company's power lines ignited the Thomas fire in 2017, a Ventura and Santa Barbara County fire that killed two and created the conditions that led to a mudflow in Montecito that killed 21 people. That fire was caused by a "line slap," which occurs when power lines hit each other and cause sparks. Powell spoke from Edisons "laydown yard" near the Eaton fire zone, where the company is coordinating its power restoration efforts. Even as investigations into Edisons possible responsibility for causing the fire get going, the company is hyper-focused on getting power and service back to residents in the fire zones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company is focused on restoring power to areas where some houses remain, Powell said. In parts of the Eaton fire zone where entire blocks were razed by flames, it is less of a priority to get power back on. He said some parts of Altadena could have power back in days to a week, while other areas may take weeks to months. State regulators had criticized Edison just months before the Los Angeles County fires broke out, questioning whether the utility's repairs to aging transmission lines were holding up. But Edison has said its maintenance work has reduced the likelihood that its equipment might cause wildfires by more than 85%. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. ROCK ISLAND, Ill. (WTVO) UPDATE: 2:57 p.m. Authorities in Rock Island say Blessing Aoci has been located and is safe, and has been reunited with her mother. She will be evaluated by EMS and further details are forthcoming, police said. ORIGINAL STORY: Police are asking residents of Illinois and neighboring states to be on the lookout for a 4-year-old girl who was abducted near her home in Rock Island on Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Rock Island Police Department, around 6 a.m. on January 16th, Blessing Aoci was taken near the intersection of 14th 1/2 Street and 13th Avenue. Police said her mother left a vehicle running, with Blessing in a booster in the back seat, and went into a house to get another child. In the seconds that elapsed while she was inside, the vehicle was stolen by an unknown suspect. The vehicle was recovered around 6:24 a.m. at 8th Street and 15th Avenue, but Blessing was missing from the vehicle. Blessing Aoci. Photo: Rock Island Police Department Blessing is described as Black, 50 pounds, with black hair with twists, and brown eyes. She was wearing a pink jacket, blue pants, and pink boots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information about her location is asked to call 911. At a press conference Thursday morning, Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud said several vehicles were stolen in the area overnight, and said it is possible that Blessing was transferred to another car. Authorities said the primary vehicle of interest is a white Dodge Dart with Illinois license plate E692693. Police also said other stolen vehicles have not been recovered yet, including a tan Chevrolet Malibu with Iowa license plate MMU635, a grey Nissan Rogue, with Virginia plate UEV4867, and a black Kia Sportage, stolen from Rock Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. The fires burning in the Los Angeles area are a powerful example of why humans have learned to fear wildfire. Fires can level entire neighborhoods in an instant. They can destroy communities, torch pristine forests and choke even faraway cities with toxic smoke. Over a century of fire suppression efforts have conditioned Americans to expect wildland firefighters to snuff out fires quickly, even as people build homes deeper into landscapes that regularly burn. But as the LA fires show, and as journalist Nick Mott and I explored in our book This Is Wildfire: How to Protect Your Home, Yourself, and Your Community in the Age of Heat and 2021 podcast Fireline, this expectation and our societys relationship with wildfire need to change. Over time, extensive fire suppression, home construction in high fire-risk areas and climate change have set the stage for the increasingly destructive wildfires we see today. The legacy of fire suppression The way the U.S. deals with wildfires today dates back to around 1910, when the Great Burn torched about 3 million acres across Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia. After watching the fires swift and unstoppable spread, the fledgling U.S. Forest Service developed a military-style apparatus built to eradicate wildfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. got really good at putting out fires. So good that citizens grew to accept fire suppression as something the government simply does. A ranger and forest guard on fire patrol duty near Thompson Falls, Mont., in 1909. Forest Service photo by W.J. Lubken Today, state, federal and private firefighters deploy across the country when fires break out, along with tankers, bulldozers, helicopters and planes. The Forest Service touts a record of snuffing out 98% of wildfires before they burn 100 acres (40 hectares). One consequence in a place like Los Angeles is that when a wildfire enters an urban environment, the public expects it to be put out before it causes much damage. But the nations wildland firefighting systems arent designed for that. Wildland firefighting tactics, such as digging lines to stop a fire from spreading and steering fires toward natural fuel breaks, dont work in dense neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades. Aerial water and retardant drops cant happen when high winds make it unsafe to fly. At the same time, the regions municipal firefighting forces and water systems werent designed for this sort of fire a conflagration engulfing entire neighborhoods quickly overwhelms the system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long ago, Southern Californias scrub-forest ecosystems would periodically burn, limiting fuel for future fires. But aggressive fire suppression and inattention to urban overgrowth have left excessive, easy-to-ignite vegetation in many areas. Its unclear, however, whether prescribed burning could have prevented this catastrophe. This is primarily a people problem. People have built more homes and cities in fire-prone areas and done so with little regard for wildfire resilience. And the greenhouse gases released by decades of burning fossil fuels to run power plants, industries and vehicles have caused global temperatures to rise, compounding the threat. The wildland-urban interface starts on the edges of cities where homes are built closer to forests and grasslands. Courtesy of Jessy Stevenson Climate change and wildfires The relationship between climate and wildfire is fairly simple: Higher temperatures lead to more fire. Higher temperatures increase moisture evaporation, drying out plants and soil and making them more likely to burn. When hot, dry winds are blowing, a spark in an already dry area can quickly blow up into dangerous wildfire. Given the rise in global temperatures that the world has already experienced, much of the western U.S. is actually in a fire deficit because of the practice of suppressing most fires. That means that, based on historical data, we should expect far more fire than were actually seeing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortunately, there are things everyone can do to break this cycle. What fire managers can do First, everyone can accept that firefighters cant and shouldnt put out every low-risk wildfire. Remote fires that pose little threat to communities and property can breathe life into ecosystems. Frequent, natural fires can also help avoid catastrophic fires that occur when too much underbrush has built up for fuel. And they create fuel breaks on the landscape that could halt the advance of future flames. Controlled burns are used to clear out undergrowth that can fuel catastrophic blazes under dry, windy conditions. U.S. Forest Service Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fire managers have advanced mapping technology that can help them decide when and where forests can burn safely. Thoughtful prescribed burning meaning low-intensity fires intentionally set by professionals can offer many of the same benefits as the flames that historically burned in forests and grasslands. The Forest Service is aiming to ramp up its prescribed burning on more acres in more areas across the country. However, the agency struggles to train adequate staff and pay for the projects, and environmental reviews sometimes cause yearslong delays. Other groups offer beacons of hope. Indigenous groups across the country, for example, are returning fire to the landscape. Adapting homes to fire risk More than one-third of U.S. homes are in whats known as the wildland-urban interface the zone where houses and other structures intermingle with flammable vegetation. This zone now includes many urban areas where wildfire risk was not considered when their cities were developed. The biggest risk to homes comes from burning embers blowing on the wind and landing in weak spots that can set a house ablaze. Those embers can ride high winds for multiple miles to nestle in dry leaves or pine needles clogging a gutter, a wood-shingle roof, or shrubs, trees and other flammable vegetation close to a structure. Owning a home in the wildland-urban interface means paying attention to fire risks. Risks are highlighted on the left and solutions on the right. Courtesy of Jessy Stevenson Some of these vulnerabilities are easy to fix. Cleaning a homes gutters or trimming back too-close vegetation requires little effort and tools already around the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grant programs exist to help harden homes against wildfire. But enormous investment is needed to get the work done at the scale the fire risk requires. For example, nearly 1 million U.S. homes in wildfire-prone areas have highly combustible wooden roofs. Retrofitting those roofs will cost an estimated US$6 billion, but that investment could save lives and property and reduce wildfire management costs in the future. Homeowners can look to resources such as Firewise USA to learn about the home ignition zone. It describes the types of vegetation and other flammable objects that become high risks at different distances from a structure and steps to make properties more fire resilient. For example, homes should not have flammable plants, firewood, dried leaves or needles, or anything burnable, on or under decks and porches within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of the house. Between 5 and 30 feet (9 meters), grasses should be mowed short, and the tree canopy should be at least 10 feet (3 meters) from the structure. The key takeaway is that homeowners must begin to view their homes as potential fuel for a wildfire. Rebuilding right A possible outcome of Californias devastating fires is that states and communities could enact forward-looking wildfire resilience policies. These can include developing zoning rules and regulations that require developers to build with fire-resistant materials and designs. Or they might prohibit building in areas where the risk is too high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Californias move to fast-track reconstruction, if it isnt planned with wildfire safety requirements, will just set up the state for more fire disasters. The International Wildland-Urban Interface Code, which provides guidance for safeguarding homes and communities from wildfire, has been adopted in jurisdictions in at least 24 states. California is not one of them. Protecting homes from wildfires includes maintaining a safe perimeter clear of potential fuel for a fire. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Living in a world with wildfire Prevention and suppression will always be critical pieces of wildfire strategy. Though promising new firefighting technologies are being developed, adapting to a fiery future means everyone has a role. Educate yourself on how wildfire is managed in your area. Understand and address risks to your home and community. Help your neighbors. Advocate for better wildfire planning, policy and resources. Living in a world where more wildfire is inevitable requires that everyone see themselves as part of solving the problem. It means we must accept that some fire is natural and essential and that some places we love might be too dangerous to protect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an updated version of an article originally published Aug. 22, 2023. 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: Justin Angle, University of Montana Read more: Justin Angle 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. About a year after I completed my Ph.D. in modern literature, during which time Id had no luck landing employment, I approached a well-known literary scholar for his counsel. Greg, he said conspiratorially, have you ever thought about working for the company? Dr. ___, I dont really want to go into private industry. No, Greg; I mean the company. I can get you in. Gobsmacked, I thought to myself, This guy doesnt know his audience. Neither our politics nor my skills. Hard pass. My assumption that humanist academics were all on the left was foolish, of course. But so was my defeatist certainty that grad school hadnt trained me for anything useful. In fact, as Elyse Graham shows in her snappy and entertaining Book and Dagger: How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II, humanists and their comma-hunting, cross-referencing, collecting, and cataloging ways made pivotal contributions to Americas war effort in Europe, and may well have ensured its success. With few exceptions, these scholar-spies did their work not in the uniformed branches but in the Office of Strategic Services, or OSS, the precursor to the CIA and the countrys first dedicated intelligence agency. Officially created about six months before Pearl Harbor and led by the World War I hero General Wild Bill Donovan, the OSS was initially an information-gathering and analysis agency, but by mid-1942 had expanded into operations: spy work. The books central figures are Joseph Curtiss, a mild-mannered English professor from Yale; Adele Kibre, a University of Chicago classicist; and the blustering and profane, not-at-all-mild-mannered Yale history professor Sherman Kent, who later held a high national security position in the Eisenhower administration, though Graham also recounts the stories of dozens of others librarians, archivists, mathematicians, and anthropologists who lent their brains to the OSS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although we likely picture ingenious feats of deception and infiltration when we think of the OSS, in this book Graham persuasively argues that the spy agencys most consequential achievements were in fact its innovative and resourceful methods of collecting, organizing, and weaponizing information, much of which was already publicly available. There was no way, she claims, that the OSS could have caught up to its much more experienced rivals and adversaries when it came to spy work, so instead they reinvented intelligence by finding information that others dismissed or ignored and letting the tweed brigade work their wonders on it. These scholar-spies expandeddramaticallywhat counted as intelligence and what kind of person would make a good spy. In so doing, the OSS reshaped espionage in ways that would later influence the design of the CIA and other intelligence-gathering agencies during the Cold War, and did so in the American way: welcoming strangers, seizing the practical gains of diversity, finding common cause between aristocrats and thieves. It was the humanists, in other words, who won the war. Adele Kibre was, Graham claims, the Allies greatest agent. In 1942, the OSS sent Kibre to the American legation in neutral but German-leaning Sweden, ostensibly on a book-collecting mission for the Library of Congress unrelated to the war. That wasnt far from the truth, as her actual job was to hoover up literally everything printed she could find, everything the Swedes and Germans were putting into circulation, internally and within the occupied territories. Microfilm copies of entire newspapers scientific journals that Allied scientists could no longer acquire, underground newspapers from Norway, secret photographs of sabotage in Occupied Europe all found their way to Kibres pouches. With experience as a Hollywood actress and a cover as a tunnel-visioned librarian, Kibre could charm just about anything out of her targets. (As the recent film Oppenheimer dramatizes, one of those scientific journals revealed to the Manhattan Project scientists how the atom had been split.) But she wasnt just collecting obviously strategic material; the OSS wanted even the most mundane and banal publications, such as atlases, telephone directories, business registries, banking regulations, metallurgical and chemical journals. Why? Because, Graham points out, the right piece of paper, in the right hands, might hold the secret to winning the whole war. And the United States really didnt have much of the information it would need to fight an overseas war. In 1941, for example, the whole of the U.S. contained only two portfolios of maps showing all of Japan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The OSS wanted even the most mundane and banal publications, such as atlases, telephone directories, business registries, banking regulations, metallurgical and chemical journals. But how to turn this mass of data into useful information? That was the job of the so-called chairborne division, the heart of the early OSS. Initially housed in one E Street complex near todays Kennedy Center, and later in buildings and Quonset huts across Washington, OSSs Research and Analysis Division, or R&A, was an entirely new innovation in intelligence: an enormous team of researchers and eggheads pulled from humanities departments in universities and told to do their thing. Officials dumped all of the material gathered by Kibre, Curtiss, and others on these professors and told them to find out, for instance, which Swedish plants were manufacturingand selling to the Nazisball bearings, where those plants were, and who their employees were, so Kibre or someone like her could trick a middle manager to share an annual report. They asked them to figure out whether the Allied estimate of German tire production was correct. (No, it was overstated by a factor of five, and 70 percent of that was from just five vulnerable factories.) Or they just let these intellectuals act naturally and sift through all of these papers, maps, and magazines to try to find patterns, rhymes, significance. R&A insisted that you can get vital combat intelligence from all kinds of unpromising sources and so pulled usable intelligence on every aspect of the war from the snips and scraps that crossed their desks. A society column in a local newspaper might offer clues to the location of a hidden German unit, or changes in a freight-rail timetable might indicate which munitions factories were ramping up production. This was scholarship, just on different primary texts. The central conceit of intelligence analysis, Graham explains, is that intelligence work should follow the university model with analysts working separately from policymakers and striving for the highest degree of objectivity. And the OSS was, she claims, the first intelligence agency anywhere to reach out to the people who did this kind of research for a living. Graham does, though, dismiss Donovans patronizing postwar praise of his amateurs in intelligence. Scholars like Curtiss, Kent, and Kibre werent amateurs, she insists. They were experts in intelligence. Its just that the intelligence world didnt know it yet. Id add to Grahams roll call another Yale scholar-spy, Norman Holmes Pearson. (Alec Baldwin plays a character partly inspired by Pearson in the 2006 Matt Damon film The Good Shepherd.) Pearson, whose biography I have just published, appears nowhere in Grahams book but was as important a member of this crowd as Kent, or Kibre, or Curtiss. In fact, when the OSS needed a tweedy academic to do Kibre-style work in Switzerland, Pearsonwho studied the works of Nathaniel Hawthornewas their first option; Curtiss ultimately got the post because his German was better. In the spring of 1943, Donovan plucked the preternaturally shrewd and ingratiating Pearson from his R&A desk and flew him to Ayot St Lawrence, near the British intelligence hub at Bletchley Park, where he and three other men designed X-2, the OSSs counterintelligence branch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The British had demanded the creation of an independent X-2 as a precondition for sharing the ULTRA intercepts, information gleaned from breaking the German Enigma code machine, because the upper-class toffs who dominated British military intelligence didnt trust bumbling American spies not to tip their hands. In his two postgraduate years at Oxford, Pearson had learned how to mix the perfectly blended cocktail of imitation and deference that English aristocrats responded to, and so as head of X-2 became the primary channel through which this invaluable intelligence made it to the American brass (even as his airs got under Kim Philbys skin). Like his friend Curtiss, who ultimately would report to him, Pearson applied his lit-scholar skills in the service of his countryafter all, analyzing ink and paper stock to determine whether an intercepted letter is real or a plant isnt all that different from assessing which of several drafts of a Hawthorne story was the authors final one. And like his colleague Kent, Pearson also helped meld elite academia and the national security state in the early Cold War. For many years he was the primary recruiter of Yale men (English and American Studies majors, mostly) for the CIA, ensuring that humanists and their methods would continue to guide American intelligence gathering and analysis. (And for years the CIA used the training program he designed while in OSS to prepare its new counterintelligence agents.) Kibre, Kent, Curtiss, Pearson, and the rest didnt just find intelligence gold where nobody else was looking. The OSS and its grab-bag, try-anything, humanist approach proved far more agile and able to process and react to contradictory information than the conformist, closed system the Nazis built. Authoritarianism is a catastrophic intellectual handicap, in the scholar Robert Hutchingss words, for ultimately it is only the Leader, or the ideology, that determines what is true and what is not, what is of use and what is useless. Any seeming facts that contradicted Nazi ideologyabout the inadvisability of invading the USSR, for instancewere seen as lies or plots to undermine the Fuhrer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hitler also reviled what he called Tintenritter, or ink knights: academics, writers, librarians. What could they offer to the mighty Wehrmacht? As it turns out, the seemingly pointless and definitely un-martial labor of OSSs scholar-spies and the Chairborne Division gave the U.S. essential intelligence about German infrastructurethe kind of intelligence that Graham writes the Nazis never bothered to develop about Britain, and that would have made its bombing raids even more devastating. Perhaps its time for Hollywood to tell the story of the scholars and archivists who made victory possible, set in a reading room or in front of a wall of card-catalog shelves. Hitler and the Nazis, of course, predicated not just their rule but their epistemology on excluding the ideas and work produced by those of inferior races and ethnicities. The Nazi purge of Jewish scientists and Jewish science ensured that the U.S. would win the race for the atomic bomb. But at least in Grahams telling, the OSS gladly welcomed anyone who could help. Dozens of naturalized Americans and refugees from Hitlers empire (like the Romanian statistician Abraham Wald, whose equations showed the Army Air Corps how to better armor its planes) enter Grahams story, making crucial contributions to intelligence gathering and analysis. As opposed to the uniformity and intellectual homogeneity of the German intelligence services, such as the Sichhertsdienst, the OSS was built to capitalize on Americas diversity and openness to immigrants. In Donovans own words, The vast pool of linguistic skills and special racial and regional knowledge became one of our prime assets. There is something undeniably Hollywood about Grahams conclusions about what made the U.S. approach to intelligence so successful. The OSSs successes came from the ingrained American traits of pragmatism, cleverness, making-do, reckless optimism and confidence, and diversity. Quite a few ragtag bands of misfits who succeed against all odds populate Book and Dagger, and why not? Its always been the movies story about Americas World War II success in Europe, from Oppenheimer through Inglourious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, Kellys Heroes, all the way back to 1945s A Walk in the Sun. But perhaps its time for Hollywood to tell the story of the scholars and archivists who made victory possible, set in a reading room or in front of a wall of card-catalog shelves, for as Graham concludes, the war may have been fought on battlefields, but it was won in libraries. The U.S. governments unconditional financial and diplomatic support of Israel is harming Americas global standing, national security and domestic interests, according to a new report by a policy group focused on U.S. policy toward the Middle East. A New Policys report, first obtained Wednesday by HuffPost, describes more than a dozen reasons why the countrys unconditional support for Israel, particularly its actions toward Palestinians in Gaza over the last 15 months, is not in Americas national interest, contrary to bipartisan political messaging. Whether were talking about American taxpayer money or whether were talking about American freedoms, theres this assumption across much of the political establishment, again on a bipartisan basis, that unqualified support for Israel is the right thing. And the answer is, not for America its not, said Josh Paul, who with Tariq Habash co-founded the lobby group A New Policy after they resigned from the Biden administration in protest of its Gaza policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why were putting out this paper is in order to help Americans engage in that conversation and understand how the policy approaches and the political approaches that have been taken have been so harmful, Paul said. U.S. President Joe Biden (right) talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office on July 25. Susan Walsh via Associated Press The reports release comes just one day after Israel and Hamas agreed on a long-awaited ceasefire that involves pausing the violence in Gaza and exchanging captives. Though the deal has brought a sense of relief to those desperate to see the fighting end, some are more cautious about whether Israel will hold up its end of the agreement and for Palestinian Americans like Habash, frustration that the Biden administration could have helped achieve such a plan months ago. Joe Biden, coming into office, was expected to reestablish Americas role on a global stage, right? He was supposed to bring us back into the fold, to bring honor back to America, Habash said. And yet, despite that, ends his presidency overseeing and facilitating indirectly, directly, however you want to say it a genocide of the Palestinian people. There was no immediate response Wednesday night to a HuffPost request for comment from the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in a speech Tuesday before the Atlantic Council, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington, Secretary of State Antony Blinken affirmed President Joe Bidens stance on Israel, saying: Americas allies and partners, particularly in the Middle East, have taken note of who they can rely on to stand by their friends and who they cannot, which powers work to defuse crises and which powers stand back and do nothing or make problems worse. As the U.S. prepares again for an incoming Trump administration, both Paul and Habash stressed that the arguments in their report against unconditional support for Israel transcend political parties and individual short-term leaders. Instead, they said, the U.S. requires a much bigger upheaval of its foreign policy that over the past year has led to the countrys isolation at the United Nations, projected weakness for letting Israel cross red lines without accountability and loss of international credibility for acting in defiance of the democratic values it preaches. I think now what you have enabled is the world to believe that they have to move forward without the United States and I think that is extremely dangerous for America on a global stage, when people feel like America should not be the first ally they think about, Habash said. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield speaks on Nov. 18 at a United Nations Security Council meeting on the conflict in the Middle East. Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images The U.S. sends billions of dollars to a foreign countrys military, a military that has never been held accountable for harming an American. But at home, Americans who feel as if their government has failed them in its Mideast policy can face punishment for criticizing Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the day, there is no American interest or value more fundamental than the freedoms available to the American people. And when those are jeopardized when students cannot peacefully protest, when academics cannot peacefully write papers, when members of Congress cannot freely speak their mind, when people lose their jobs because of what they say that is, first of all, undermining of the ability to even get to a set of policies that are in our interest, Paul said. And, second of all, it is very concerning as a precedent because what is applied first to the debate around policy on Israel and Palestine will be applied to debate in other areas, he said. And that is something that should send a chill down the spine of every freedom-loving American. Related... Hong Kong's capital market plays a key role in the city's financial system and national strategies but it falls short in many areas, according to Qi Bin, the deputy at the central government's liaison office in the city. "Compared with international best practices, Hong Kong still has shortcomings in market regulation, transaction costs and corporate governance," Qi said in a speech at the Hong Kong Capital Markets Forum on Wednesday. "Hong Kong could explore researching and developing a capital market white paper, proposing improvements benchmarked against the highest global standards." Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. The white paper could solicit input from all stakeholders, including global institutions to boost investor confidence, benchmarking it against top financial centres like New York and London to elevate Hong Kong's capital market, Qi said. Some 100 companies are in Hong Kong's IPO queue, Finance Secretary Paul Chan told the Capital Markets Forum on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters alt=Some 100 companies are in Hong Kong's IPO queue, Finance Secretary Paul Chan told the Capital Markets Forum on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters> He highlighted the significance of the city's capital market, which last year performed remarkably well, with the initial public offering (IPO) market regaining its vitality. "Revitalising Hong Kong's economy hinges on finance, and strengthening Hong Kong's financial sector hinges on the capital market," Qi said, emphasising its strategic role in areas such as supporting the development of artificial intelligence and advancing the Greater Bay Area's growth. Qi, 57, who studied abroad and has extensive experience ranging from Wall Street firms to China's securities regulator, is considered by many as one of the "brightest financial minds" in the industry. Before assuming his role at the liaison office last November, he spent eight years at China Investment Corporation, the sovereign wealth fund with more than US$1.3 trillion worth of assets under management. On Monday, Pan Gongsheng, governor of the People's Bank of China, in a speech to the Asia Financial Forum in Hong Kong, emphasised Beijing's commitment to supporting the city's growth as a top global hub. "The prosperity and development of the capital market are at the core and foundation of Hong Kong's status as an international financial centre," Pan said. French Appeal Court prosecutors said an American man accused of sexually assaulting a Pennsylvania college student in 2013 and later sending her a Facebook message that said So I raped you was being extradited Thursday to the United States. The Appeal Court prosecutors office in Metz, in northeastern France, said Ian Cleary was handed over to U.S. authorities at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. Cleary, 31, of Saratoga, California, was detained in April in Metz after a three-year search. He has been held in custody pending extradition proceedings since his arrest. The Appeal Court in Metz ruled in July that he could be extradited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Gettysburg University student Shannon Keeler, who pursued the case for more than a decade, said the news gave her renewed faith in the justice system. This arrest and extradition give me renewed faith that, after many years of waiting, the justice system can work, when survivors persist with the help and support of family, friends, advocates, and attorneys, Keeler said in a press release issued through her attorney. Cleary had been the subject of an international search since authorities in Pennsylvania issued a 2021 felony warrant in the case, weeks after an Associated Press story detailed the reluctance of local prosecutors to pursue campus sex crimes. The arrest warrant accuses Cleary of stalking the 18-year-old Keeler at a campus party in 2013, sneaking into her dorm and sexually assaulting her while she texted friends for help. He was a 20-year-old Gettysburg student at the time, but didnt return to campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keeler had a rape exam done the same day. She gathered witnesses and evidence and spent years urging officials to file charges. She went to authorities again in 2021 after discovering the Facebook messages that seemed to come from Clearys account. So I raped you, the sender wrote in a string of messages. Ill never do it to anyone ever again. I need to hear your voice. Ill pray for you. According to the June 2021 warrant, police verified that the Facebook account used to send the messages belonged to Cleary. The AP doesnt typically identify sexual assault victims without their permission, which Keeler has granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It took an incredible amount of courage and unwavering resolve for Shannon to get this far, lawyer Andrea Levy said in the statement, and she is deeply grateful to law enforcement at every level who worked to locate, capture and extradite Ian Cleary. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW At least two American hostages held by Hamas in Gaza will be returned to their families as part of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, according to several reports. Israeli and Hamas officials reached a ceasefire agreement on Wednesday in the 15-month conflict in Gaza, President Joe Biden announced Wednesday. The deal has been confirmed by the U.S. and Qatar, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said late Wednesday the deal is not yet complete, according to the Associated Press. The Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack in Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 250 people hostage. In response, Israel launched a 15-month offensive in Gaza, killing more than 46,000 Palestinians, the majority of whom were women and children, according to the Palestinian Health Authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven Americans were taken hostage then by Hamas. Three are believed to be alive, while four are believed to have been killed and their remains have yet to be returned, CNN reports. Biden declined to reveal the identities of the American hostages set to be released. However, Reuters and CNN later reported their identities, citing senior administration officials, as Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen. President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, announces the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. At least two American hostages are set to be released in the first phase of the deal, according to reports from several outlets (REUTERS) Siegel, 64, is a father and grandfather. Hes described by his family as an optimist and lover of the outdoors, according to the American Jewish Committee. He was taken hostage with his wife, who was released in 2023. Dekel-Chen, 35, is a father of three described by his loved ones as a builder and a creator. Siegel and Dekel-Chen are expected to be released during the first phase of the agreement. However, Dekel-Chens father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told The Independent he still has very little information about his sons status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a parent of a hostage who is completely in the dark, he said. We dont have solid information about Sagui or any of the other hostages, who is alive or who is not. He complained that Hamas has not allowed international aid groups like the Red Cross or Red Crescent to check on the status of the hostages. Dekel-Chen was kidnapped from Nir Oz kibbutz during the Hamas attack, after he helped alert his fellow kibbutz residents when he spotted heavily armed Hamas fighters entering the area. Before he was captured, he was up early tinkering on his hobby, converting old vehicles into movable projects like food markets to serve under-resourced communities in southern Israel, his father told The Independent in 2023. The third American believed to be alive is Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old Israeli Defense Forces soldier from New Jersey. A senior Biden administration official told the Associated Press he will likely be released at a later date, during the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are committed to getting all Americans, these are American-Israeli citizens, all of them out of Gaza, whether living or remains. That is our commitment, a White House official told ABC News. Jonathan Dekel-Chen (center) told The Independent hes in the dark about his sons fate (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Phase one of the deal states that Hamas officials will release a total of 33 hostages, many of whom are children, women and people over 50. In return, Israeli officials will release 50 Palestinian prisoners held in their jails for every Israeli female soldier released by Hamas, and 30 Palestinian prisoners for other hostages held by Hamas. Phase two of the agreement will include negotiating a permanent end to the Israel-Hamas conflict, Biden said. During the next six weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war. Let me say it again: A permanent end of the war, he noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, President-elect Trump claimed credit for the ceasefire, arguing it could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November. Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas militants, gather in favour of the Gaza truce in front of the Israeli defence ministry in Tel Aviv on January 16, 2025 (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images) It signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, Trump said. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Trumps incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend. Outgoing White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also confirmed the Biden administration worked closely with Trumps team to secure the deal. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Oscar Renee Sandoval, the man accused of fatally shooting his wife back in April 2024 in Mesilla, New Mexico, was found guilty of first-degree murder and aggravated assault, according to the Dona Ana County District Attorneys Office on Wednesday, Jan. 15. Manhunt for man accused of fatally shooting his wife ends in Juarez As KTSM previously reported, on April 1, 2024, Sandoval, 59, allegedly shot and killed his wife Shiereen Al-Jibury, 39, on University Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandoval also threatened a witness with a gun and fled the scene, the DAs Office said. Sandovals vehicle was found in Sunland Park, and he was later apprehended in Juarez, Mexico on Tuesday, April 9, the DAs Office said. Sandoval was subsequently extradited to U.S. Marshals the following day. Report: Man accused of fatally shooting wife apprehended in Juarez Its a good day for justice. Our hearts go out to everybody who was affected by this horrible act, Chief Deputy District Attorney Melissa Garcia said. Im so thankful that we were able to get justice for the community and the families that were touched by this tragedy, Chief Deputy District Attorney Spencer Willson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Thousands of years ago, people on what is now the Danish island of Bornholm threw hundreds of mysteriously carved stones into a ditch before burying them. The purpose of these so-called 'sun stones', and the reasons for throwing them into ditches en masse, have been something of a mystery but ancient ice excavated from Greenland may have the answer. Some 4,900 years ago, a volcano erupted so massively that it would have blotted out the Sun prompting the ritual sacrifice of sun stones in a bid to restore it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We have known for a long time that the Sun was the focal point for the early agricultural cultures we know of in Northern Europe," says archaeologist Rune Iversen from the University of Copenhagen. "They farmed the land and depended on the Sun to bring home the harvest. If the Sun almost disappeared due to mist in the stratosphere for longer periods of time, it would have been extremely frightening for them." Two of the Vasagard stones, carved with field and plant motifs. (Rene Laursen, Bornholms Museum/Iversen et al., Antiquity , 2025) Sun stones or "solsten" in Danish have been found in great numbers at an archaeological site on Bornholm called Vasagard. The site, in use between around 3500 BCE and 2700 BCE, is thought to have been a religious complex; more specifically a place of Sun worship, as the entrances to the complex line up with the Sun at the time of the solstices. Buried in ditches next to a causeway that runs through the site, archaeologists have excavated more than 600 whole or fragmented sun stones. These are mostly palm-sized, usually flat, rounded stones that are engraved with lines that radiate out from center, like the rays of the Sun, although there is some variation in the shape of the stone and the patterns engraved upon them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken together, they represent hours upon hours of painstaking carving. Such deliberate work must have had a purpose, and archaeologists believe that this purpose was spiritual, concerning the Sun, fertility, and growth. "Sun stones were found in large quantities at the Vasagard West site," Iversen says, "where residents deposited them in ditches forming part of a causewayed enclosure together with the remains of ritual feasts in the form of animal bones, broken clay vessels, and flint objects around 2900 BCE. The ditches were subsequently closed." The clustering of these stones in time and space suggests a specific purpose or event. Iversen and his colleagues believe that they have identified what that event might be in an ice core extracted from the Greenland ice sheet, annual sediment layers from ancient lakebeds, and tree rings that formed around the same time. In the ice core, in a layer deposited around 2900 BCE, a significant amount of sulfate can be seen, a signature that is seen when a volcano massively erupts, and its ejecta settles onto an ice sheet and is buried by subsequent ice layers. Some of the different patterns seen on the stones. (Bente Stensen Christensen/Iversen et al., Antiquity , 2025) Annual sediment layers from Germany, known as varves, indicate two periods of low sunlight, with one significantly occurring around 2900 BCE. And tree ring data from bristlecone pines in the western US show very thin rings around the same time period associated with very cold, dry conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We know that large enough volcanic eruptions can cause widespread problems for several years, such as a period of cooling, low sunlight, crop failure, and subsequent famine. All these lines of evidence, Iversen and his team believe, point to a connection between a volcanic event and the sun stones at Vasagard. "It is reasonable to believe that the Neolithic people on Bornholm wanted to protect themselves from further deterioration of the climate by sacrificing sun stones or perhaps they wanted to show their gratitude that the Sun had returned again," he says. There's one more significant clue. In the years following the deposition of the stones, the design of the site changed significantly. At the same time, plague ravaged the region, and the culture was undergoing a major shift as mass migration took place across Europe. The location of Vasagard on the island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. ( University of Copenhagen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the devastation wrought by a volcanic eruption had come and gone, and with other large changes happening, it's not a large leap to infer that the changing needs of the locals led to the rejigging of their gathering space. "After the sacrifice of the sun stones, the residents changed the structure of the site so that instead of sacrificial ditches it was provided with extensive rows of palisades and circular cult houses," Iversen says. "We do not know why, but it is reasonable to believe that the dramatic climatic changes they had been exposed to would have played a role in some way." The research has been published in Antiquity. Related News By Simon Lewis and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The flagship U.S. aid program on HIV/AIDS is in jeopardy, a senior Republican warned on Thursday, after U.S. officials said four nurses in Mozambique performed abortions that are banned under the multibillion-dollar program that has saved millions of lives globally. Service providers that get funding through the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are barred from providing abortion services under rules against U.S. foreign assistance being used for abortion-related activities, but the program has still faced criticism from anti-abortion Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A review of service providers in Mozambique - where abortion is legal - found that four nurses performed a total of 21 abortions since January 2021, said three U.S. officials who briefed members of Congress on the matter on Thursday in a bid to show transparency and demonstrate that measures to ensure compliance with the ban on abortions were working. The officials said it was the first time a PEPFAR-funded provider had been found to have provided an abortion in the program's 20-year history. "That's why we wanted to notify Congress right away," said one of the officials, who is involved in administering PEPFAR at the State Department. "It also is an important indication that the compliance measures we have in place have been effective, but could be further strengthened." PEPFAR-funded programs often help HIV-infected women have babies without the virus using antiretroviral drugs. In Mozambique, nurses are routinely trained to provide abortions because it is legal in the country but measures are taken to ensure those funded by PEPFAR do not provide them, the officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PEPFAR began in 2003 under Republican President George W. Bush and enjoyed bipartisan support until recently. Republican opponents of abortion rights blocked a five-year reauthorization in 2023, alleging without evidence that the program had been hijacked by the Biden administration to empower pro-abortion non-government organizations. Republican Senator Jim Risch, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that oversees the program, said the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democrat, had allowed taxpayer dollars to be used to perform abortions and called for an investigation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the key agencies implementing PEPFAR. "This violation means that the future of the PEPFAR program is certainly in jeopardy," Risch said in a statement. "I will not support one dollar of American money going towards abortion anywhere in the world, and I will do all I can to ensure this never happens again." Responding to Risch, Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said "using this unfortunate error as pretext to end funding for PEPFAR, which has saved millions of lives by combating HIV around the world, would be a grave mistake." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funding for PEPFAR was extended for one year in March. Officials warn that millions of lives would be at risk if the program is not extended further. The State Department says PEPFAR, through which the United States has spent more than $100 billion, has so far saved more than 26 million lives globally. The U.S. officials said the investigation in Mozambique was launched in late October when routine compliance measures found that some of the 2,751 PEPFAR-funded nurses operating in the country had not received required training on the prohibition of abortion in U.S.-funded services. Only four were found to have performed abortions, they said. U.S. officials immediately froze funding to the providers in question when informed of a potential issue, and going forward would require all staff to sign an attestation that they have been trained and understand the prohibition on abortions, the officials said. (Reporting by Simon Lewis and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Mark Porter and Christopher Cushing) Just weeks after the proposed ban on mountain lion hunting in Colorado was rejected by voters, anti-hunting orgs petitioned the Arizona Game and Fish Commission to ban dog pack hunting under the guise of protecting endangered species like jaguars, wolves, and ocelots. The 17-page petition dated Nov. 25 and written by the Center for Biological Diversity with support from the Mountain Lion Foundation and the Sierra Club seeks to end hunting with dogs in Arizona for species like mountain lions, bears, bobcats, foxes, and other wildlife. While this particular petition excludes upland and duck dogs, it specifically targets rabbit and squirrel hunting with dogs. Packs of hunting dogs let loose on public lands cause significant harm to native ecosystems and wildlife, a CBD spokesperson claimed in a statement. Their prohibition in Arizona is long overdue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Arizona Department of Game and Fish couldnt immediately provide comment on the practice of hunting with hounds, an agency spokesman did note that the petition failed to be considered for a Commission meeting agenda on a technicality. (The CBD sought to change two rules in Arizona hunting regs; protocol requires a separate petition for each.) The petition will likely be re-submitted in the coming months, AGFC tells Outdoor Life. In anticipation of the coming fight, hunters gathered at the December ADF Commission meeting to speak on behalf of hunting with hounds, according to an AZCentral article. I dont have any doubt that the Commission will do their job to protect Arizonans best interest in conservation and wildlife management. So my message here today is more for the groups that have brought forth the petition, Arizona Working Dog Alliance founder Chris Watson said, according to the news outlet. Arizona sportsmen know what is coming and who is bringing it. And Im here to warn those that are bringing it, we are not just one sportsman anymore. We are many. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the fourth attempt in recent years to target big cat hunting in Arizona, according to the Sportsmens Alliance, though the first time endangered species are cited as a major reason. The presence of just seven jaguars in the state have been confirmed over the last three decades with between zero and two of the big cats ranging into the state from Mexico at any given time. For the ignorant, leveraging endangered species is a great argument, says Brian Lynn, vice president of marketing and communications for the Alliance. Its an emotional play. We saw that exact tactic in Colorado where the latest ballot initiative was going to end lynx hunting. Its already illegal to hunt lynx in Colorado because theyre endangered. You cant hunt jaguars in Arizona. I would be very surprised if theres been a jaguar treed by mountain lion hunters in Arizona in the last hundred years. Its not reality, but its a good argument that sways public opinion, and an excuse for any commissioner or politician to latch onto if theyre so inclined to want to pass this kind of stuff. Thats what we see here in Washington state. The playbook is predictable: Antis start off at the Commission level. Though historically trickier to persuade, state game commissions are becoming increasingly easier to sway. Next, antis will attempt to introduce legislation to address the change they want to see. Then, if they cant get anything passed and its a friendly state, with all the political winds blowing correctly, then theyll try to run a ballot initiative, says Lynn. Most of the time all you need is to convince voters in a major city. In Arizona, all they need is Phoenix. Lessons from Houndsmen in Other States For years Lynn has tried to remind all hunters that hunting with hounds is an easy target for antis to begin their larger agenda of ending hunting altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dogs are easy to latch on to because of the misconceptions and stereotypes people have about hunting with dogs, Lynn says. Even in hunting circles, people look at hounds with a negative eye or dont understand it. So its easier [for antis] to divide and conquer. Virginia is one such state thats experiencing rampant infighting between hunters who disagree over how to pursue deer and bear. Currently, diehard hound hunters (as theyre called there) are at odds with property-rights advocates who want to ban the practice. At a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission meeting last week, CPW carnivore and furbearer program manager Mark Vieira noted one of the biological benefits of using hounds to pursue mountain lions. Oregon and Washington are the two states that have lost the use of hounds, said Vieira, noting that elk and deer hunters with lion tags are often harvesting cats opportunistically. Those female harvest rates are in the 50 percent, sometimes getting as high as 60 percent. [But] mountain lions arent on the landscape in a 50-50 proportion, particularly in hunted lion populations. There are far more females on the landscape. Thats how they regulate themselves So if youre to be walking across the landscape without dogs, opportunistically encountering lions, [theres a] much higher chance of coming across a female lion and in those states, harvesting it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vieira cited broad numbers to make his point: About 66 percent of Colorados cat population is female and 33 percent is male. And Colorado cat hunters, who are allowed to use hounds, reported a female harvest rate just 29 percent this season, according to last weeks numbers. That, to me, really demonstrates the very selective nature of hound hunting and decision making by folks in the field, said Vieira. Read Next: Supreme Court Declines to Hear Utahs Public-Lands Lawsuit The anti-hound petition filed in Arizona deals in unsupported accusations that hunting with hounds isnt fair chase, GPS collars are unethical, and so on. It even goes so far as to claim that dogs are sometimes purposely starved by their owners to increase their prey drive (an apparent perversion of the veterinary recommendation to not feed dogs prior to exercise) and that hounds in the heat of a hunt have been known to attack people recreating on public lands. We are not villains, United Houndsmen of Colorado president Justin Angelovich said during the CPW the public comment session. We are dog-loving adventurers in love with the mountain lion that walks our landscape. [We] hunt with the respect and admiration that cant be achieved without a true level of struggle, difficulty, and commitment. BOSTON (SHNS) A network of 23 anti-poverty agencies are requesting a $2.5 million boost in the forthcoming fiscal 2026 budget from Gov. Maura Healey, who for the past two years has not recommended any funding for their line item. In a letter to Healey, the Massachusetts Association for Community Action (MASSCAP) urged the governor to fund the antipoverty line item (7002-0025) at $7.5 million in her budget bill that is due next Wednesday. Advocates said that amount would restore the account to the funding level from fiscal 2023 and 2024, and overcome a 30% reduction in the fiscal 2025 budget that steered $5 million to community action agencies that serve over 600,000 low-income residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This reduction has impacted CAA services to residents in need and resulted in curtailment of critical programs including food pantries, homelessness prevention and emergency assistance services, MASSCAP Executive Director Joe Diamond wrote on Jan. 9. Any further reduction to this line item in FY 26 would result in significant cutbacks to all those services and more that are essential to helping low-income residents meet their basic human needs. The state poverty level is at a troubling 10.4%, Diamond said, and Bay Staters are likely to continue facing affordability challenges in the coming years. A Healey spokesperson did not directly answer News Service questions about whether the governor intends to fund the line item in her budget pitch and if it would be at the requested $7.5 million amount. The Healey-Driscoll Administration has deep respect for the important work that Community Action Agencies do to serve children, families, veterans and people with disabilities across the state, Healey spokesperson Karissa Hand said. We are committed to supporting their work while also ensuring a balanced, fiscally-responsible budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Healey and lawmakers face tough budget choices as they plan around a modest 2.2% increase in state tax revenue. Pam Kuechler, MASSCAP president and CEO of People Acting in Community Endeavors in New Bedford, called last cycles budget reduction devastating. She said it forced all antipoverty agencies to curtail or eliminate services that are essential to the health and well-being of the people we serve. Healey vetoed the entire line item that lawmakers added to the fiscal 2024 budget, explaining the money was tied to the pandemic. While the Legislature overrode that veto, MASSCAP dealt with a monthslong delay to receive the money but it was not affected by Healeys subsequent midyear budget cuts. Diamond said the line item offers an enormously helpful and flexible resource for organizations to tackle poverty and emerging issues, including the migrant crisis and food insecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We think its a really worthwhile investment in the states only federally mandated antipoverty network, Diamond told the News Service Wednesday. We are very hopeful that both the administration and the Legislature would come together on this. 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 WWLP. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lamented that 61 Democrats voted to pass legislation authored by House Republicans that would deport undocumented immigrants convicted of sex crimes. On Thursday, the House passed HR 30, also known as the Preventing Violence Against Women by Illegal Aliens Act, which Republican Nancy Mace of South Carolina sponsored. The law would make it so that any non-U.S. citizens who are convicted of or admitted to committing sex crimes would be deportable and unable to come back to the United States. U.S. law already stipulates that migrants can be deported if they commit sex crimes, and the bills critics have charged that it could make victims of domestic abuse afraid of reporting crimes against their abusers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill is going to deport victims of domestic violence, she told The Independent. Overwhelmingly women who are being abused and battered are going to be targeted by this, and it is really sad. When asked if she was disappointed by fellow Democrats who voted in favor of the bill, Ocasio-Cortez replied, Of course. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) saw many Democrats vote for her legislation that would make sex crimes a deportable offense, which already exists on the books. (Getty Images) The vote comes after 48 House Democrats joined with Republicans to pass the Laken Riley Act, which would allow states to sue the Department of Homeland Security for failures related to immigration enforcement. The bill also passed a key vote in the Senate last week, with 32 Democrats voting to allow for debate to move forward. Veronica Escobar of Texas, who represents El Paso, told The Independent it was disapppointing to see so many of her Democratic colleagues voting for Maces bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I understand how hard it is to take the time to explain all of the unintended consequences, Escobar said of Mace. I'm going to give her grace and say that there are unintended consequences to legislation like this, you know, but I also respect my colleagues decisions. In addition to the many moderates who voted for the legislation, progressives like Rep. Ro Khanna of California and Sarah McBride of Delaware backed Maces bill. Rep. Robert Garcia of California, a Democrat and an immigrant, expressed disappointment as well. I think that people are going to take their own votes so I'm not gonna judge others, he told The Independent. I think, personally, we have to be much more stronger on rights for immigrants. I think it's really been fortunate that bill like this are proposed by Republicans. And so I think we've got to be very tough in our messaging and be a lot stronger. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) warned that the bill is going to deport victims of domestic violence (Getty Images) Republicans, led by Donald Trump, aggressively attacked Democrats on the influx of immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border during Joe Bidens presidency, flipping many majority-Hispanic counties in the Southwest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat from Texas, said she understood why voters turned away from their party, but believes they were mislead. I think that we've got to do a better job of messaging, because there are definitely Democrats that felt as if we lost because of trans folk or we lost because of immigration, she told The Independent. I don't even think that they necessarily believe the votes that they cast it. I think that they are concerned about what the people in their districts believe. Crockett blamed Republicans for their messaging about immigration, saying we know that [Republicans] are very good at lying, but we also know that they are going to be put into a precarious situation. Republicans in the House and Senate hope to beef up spending on security at the border shortly after Trump takes the oath of office next week. But Crockett warned that it will not be easy to fix problems at the border. Theyre saying that they're going to solve all issues as it relates to immigration, she told The Independent. Well, good freaking luck. You have a Trump trifecta, you don't need the Democrats, so good luck getting it done, and lets see what happens and I can guarantee you that aint s*** gonna happen. Mercure, a midscale hotel chain owned by French hospitality group Accor, has debuted in Nepal with the opening of a new property in Kathmandu. The hotel combines modern amenities and a traditional Nepali experience across its accommodation options. Guests can enjoy views of the city, mountains, and the Himalayas from the comfort of their rooms. Accor Asia Premium, Midscale and Economy chief operating officer Garth Simmons said: The opening of Mercure Kathmandu Sukedhara Heights is a key milestone in Accors expansion journey across Asia. "This hotel reflects our commitment to bringing distinctive and immersive experiences to travellers while celebrating the rich culture and heritage of the destinations we serve. Mercure Kathmandu Sukedhara Heights perfectly embodies our mission to unveil the treasures of each locale. Mercure Kathmandu Sukedhara Heights also caters to business and social events with its event spaces and dedicated team, along with diverse dining options. The hotel's rooftop infinity pool and fitness centre, complete with steam and sauna facilities, provide guests with a place to unwind while taking in the views of the Kathmandu Valley. Mercure is collaborating with The Metropolitan Hotel for this project. The Metropolitan Hotel chairman Desh Bandhu Basnet (Ajit) said: We are proud to collaborate with Mercure to bring this esteemed brand to Nepal. This partnership signifies our shared vision of delivering exceptional hospitality while embracing Nepals vibrant culture and traditions. Mercure Kathmandu Sukedhara Heights is a true embodiment of our commitment to creating extraordinary guest experiences that celebrate both international standards and the rich heritage of Nepal. Since 1973, Mercure has been committed to revealing the stories and experiences of each destination. The brand continues to grow with a global portfolio exceeding 1,000 hotels in over 60 countries and more than 220 properties in development. "Mercure debuts in Nepal with new hotel in Kathmandu" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. NEW ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL, Egypt (AP) Egypts chief diplomat on Thursday called on Israel and Hamas to implement a Gaza ceasefire plan without any delay, raising pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accept the deal. Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty delivered the message at a sensitive time in efforts to end a devastating 15-month conflict. A day after President Joe Biden and other international mediators announced the ceasefire agreement, Netanyahu was still insisting there was no deal. However, a pre-dawn statement on Friday appeared to have cleared the way for the deal to be voted on by Israel's security cabinet. If approved Israel said the deal could go into effect on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Abdelatty said a deal had been reached thanks to deep involvement by American, Qatari and Egyptian mediators, including officials from the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. We have a deal. Whats very important is to start implementation, Abdelatty said from the foreign ministry's headquarters in The New Administrative Capital, a newly built sprawling city about 45 kilometers (28 miles) east of Cairo that houses government offices. What we are doing now is to push for final approval and implementation, without any delay. Egypt, which has a peace agreement with Israel and shares a border with Hamas-ruled Gaza, has been a key mediator between the enemies for years and a leading player in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cairo is supposed to be the location for continued talks between the U.S., Qatar and Egypt on implementing the deal. Abdelatty said the talks were set to begin soon, and that the mediators would have an operation room overseeing the deal in the Egyptian capital. We are fully committed to fulfill our own commitments and we are expecting that others to fulfill their own commitments, he said. Egyptian and Israeli officials said an Israeli delegation from the military and its Shin Bet internal security agency were going to Cairo Friday to discuss the reopening of the Rafah crossing. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the negotiations. Hamas has suffered heavy losses during the war, but the group appears to remain intact. Its fighters have continued to stage deadly attacks against Israeli troops and its government continues to provide some basic services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abdelatty declined to discuss Hamas' capabilities, but signaled it will not play a role in governing Gaza after the war. He said the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, which governs from the occupied West Bank after being ousted by Hamas in 2007, is the proper Palestinian entity to lead postwar Gaza. We have to empower the Palestinian Authority, he said, adding that Egypt is ready to work with the U.S. to empower the Palestinians and the Palestinian police in order to provide security in Gaza. He said the only solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that includes the West Bank and Gaza. The outgoing Biden administration has called for a revitalized Palestinian Authority to return to post-war Gaza, an idea Netanyahu and his far-right partners reject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the emerging deal, hundreds of truckloads of desperately needed humanitarian aid are expected to flow into Gaza through Egypts Rafah border crossing. The crossing, Gazas main gateway to the outside world, has been closed since the Israeli army took over the area last May. Abdelatty said Egypt aims to open the crossing as soon as possible to allow in 600 trucks a day "because people are starving on the ground. He said arrangements are still being worked out, but that Egypt would welcome the return of civilian observers from the European Union. An EU operation helped run the crossing, in coordination with Israel and the Palestinian Authority, for two years until Hamas seized control of Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Brussels, European Commission spokesman Anouar El Anouni confirmed Thursday that the EU is considering a return to the crossing. Egyptian officials said an EU mission is expected in Cairo next week. The EU presence would be of great importance, Abdelatty said. Egypt has also been harmed by the ongoing war, with seaborne attacks by Houthi rebels in Yemen halting much of the shipping traffic through the Suez Canal. Abdelatty said Egypt has lost about $600 million in revenue each month as a result of the ongoing tensions. He said the presence of an estimated 10 million refugees and migrants including tens of thousands of Palestinians from Gaza has created an additional burden. We are not a rich country, he said. Jan. 15ANDERSON Anderson police are investigating a drive-by shooting that sent an 18-year-old man to an Indianapolis hospital in serious condition. According to a press release, police responded to a shooting that took place at 8:19 p.m. in the 1600 block of East 38th Street. A caller advised Central Dispatch that he was transporting his friend to the hospital. Officers went to the hospital while others went to the scene on East 38th Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A preliminary investigation indicated the victim was traveling west on 38th Street when another vehicle pulled up alongside and fired multiple rounds into the car. The victim was riding in the front passenger seat and was rushed to a local emergency room. He was later transported to an Indianapolis hospital. Anyone with information is being asked to contact Detective Christopher Christian at 765-648-6089 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477. Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863. Police asked for the publics help Thursday to find a man who went to work at an Apple Valley Dominos but has been missing since he went to deliver pizzas Tuesday. Shuefaub Shue Xiong, 42, left the Dominos on 141st Street off Pilot Knob Road to make four deliveries that were scheduled for around 6 p.m., according to Apple Valley police. Officers checked the areas of each missed delivery, but didnt find Xiong or his car. Xiong may have been in Richfield around 6:45 p.m. Tuesday and used another persons phone to try to contact his family, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xiong was driving a red Toyota Camry with Minnesota plate CWT-545. He is described as an Asian man who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and 215 pounds. He is bald, with a dark mustache and beard, and brown eyes. Apple Valley police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 952-953-2700 or Dakota County dispatch at 952-322-2323. Related Articles Apple has come under intense scrutiny for rolling out an underbaked AI-powered feature that summarizes breaking news while often butchering it beyond recognition. For over a month, roughly as long as the feature has been available to iPhone users, publishers have found that it consistently generates false information and pushes it to millions of users. Despite broadcasting a barrage of fabrications for weeks, Apple has yet to meaningfully address the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is my periodic rant that Apple Intelligence is so bad that today it got every fact wrong in its AI a summary of Washington Post news alerts," the newspaper's tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler wrote in a post on Bluesky this week. Fowler appended a screenshot of an alert, which claimed that Pete Hegseth, who's been facing a confrontational confirmation hearing for the role of defense secretary this week, had been fired by his former employer, Fox News which is false and not what the WaPo's syndication of an Associated Press story actually said. The AI alert also claimed that Florida senator Marco Rubio had been sworn in as secretary of state, which is also false as of the time of writing. "It's wildly irresponsible that Apple doesn't turn off summaries for news apps until it gets a bit better at this AI thing," Fowler added. The constant blunders of Apple's AI summaries put the tech's nagging shortcomings on full display, demonstrating that even tech giants like Apple are failing miserably to successfully integrate AI without constantly embarrassing themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AI models are still coming up with all sorts of "hallucinated" lies, a problem experts believe could be intrinsic to the tech. After all, large language models like the one powering Apple's summarizing feature simply predict the next word based on probability and are incapable of actually understanding the content they're paraphrasing, at least for the time being. And the stakes are high, given the context. Apple's notifications are intended to alert iPhone users to breaking news not sow distrust and confusion. The story also highlights a stark power imbalance, with news organizations powerless to determine how Apple represents their work to its vast number of users. "News organizations have vigorously complained to Apple about this, but we have no power over what iOS does to the accurate and expertly crafted alerts we send out," Fowler wrote in a followup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, the BBC first filed a complaint with Apple after the feature mistakenly claimed that Luigi Mangione, the man who killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, had shot himself an egregious and easily disproven fabrication. Last week, Apple finally caved and responded to the complaint, vowing to add a clarifying disclaimer that the summaries were AI-generated while also attempting to distance itself from bearing any responsibility. "Apple Intelligence features are in beta and we are continuously making improvements with the help of user feedback," a company spokesperson told the BBC in a statement. "A software update in the coming weeks will further clarify when the text being displayed is summarization provided by Apple Intelligence." "We encourage users to report a concern if they view an unexpected notification summary," the company continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disclaimer unintentionally points to the dubious value proposition of today's AI: what's the point of a summarizing feature if the company is forced to include a disclaimer on each one that it might be entirely wrong? Should Apple's customers really be the ones responsible for pointing out each time its AI summaries are spreading lies? "It just transfers the responsibility to users, who in an already confusing information landscape will be expected to check if information is true or not," Reporters Without Borders technology and journalism desk head Vincent Berthier told the BBC. Journalists are particularly worried about further eroding trust in the news industry, a pertinent topic given the tidal wave of AI slop that has been crashing over the internet. "At a time where access to accurate reporting has never been more important, the public must not be placed in a position of second-guessing the accuracy of news they receive," the National Union of Journalists general secretary Laura Davison told the BBC. More on AI slop: Behold the AI Slop Dominating Google Image Results for "Does Corn Get Digested" The Arkansas Capitol on Nov. 14, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Wednesday appointed a former Republican lawmaker to the states prison oversight board and a current legislators wife to the state library board. Grant Hodges will replace Board of Corrections member Rev. Tyrone Broomfield, who had nearly three decades of experience on the board and was vice chair when his term ended on Dec. 31, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hodges appointment was one of more than three dozen Sanders announced Wednesday. Among those, Rep. Brit McKenzies wife, Sydney, was appointed to the Arkansas State Library Board. She will replace Donnette Smith, whose term ended in 2024. Sydney McKenzie stands beside her husband, Rep. Brit McKenzie, R-Rogers, as hes sworn into his second term in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Jan. 13, 2025. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Sydney McKenzie, who lives in Rogers, will serve until 2031. She had not responded to a request for comment through her husband by the time of publication. Hodges term on the prison board will also end in 2031. Were grateful to Reverend Broomfield for his years of service and dedication to the Board. He brought a lot of insight and wisdom, and his words carried a lot of weight. I enjoyed serving with him and wish him the best, Chairperson Benny Magness said in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hodges was first elected to the state House of Representatives in 2015, but he resigned in 2020 and took a job at Northwest Arkansas Community College. Voters elected Hodges, a resident of Centerton in Benton County, again in 2022, but he did not seek reelection in 2024. Republican Nick Burkes of Bentonville was sworn in this week as Hodges successor. Former State Rep. Grant Hodges, R-Centerton (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate) Hodges marks Sanders third appointment to the seven-member correctional body since she assumed office. Her other appointments include Brandon Tollett and Lona McCastlain, whom Sanders also appointed to lead the departments Post-Prison Transfer Board. Board members serve seven-year staggered terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hodges did not immediately respond to a request for comment about his appointment. According to the Department of Corrections website, the boards responsibility is to manage correctional resources in the state such that offenders are held accountable for their actions, victims needs are addressed in a positive manner and the safety of society is enhanced. The boards expressed authority, especially regarding prison expansions, was the subject of a public dispute among state officials in 2023 that led to the firing of Sanders Corrections Secretary appointee, Joe Profiri. Broomfield was one of five board members who voted to oust Profiri. Rev. Tyrone Broomfield (center) looks through paperwork during a July 26, 2024 Board of Corrections meeting in North Little Rock. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Afterward, Sanders hired Profiri as a senior adviser and he remains involved, to some degree, with the ongoing controversy over building a new state prison, which is planned for Franklin County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Profiri told locals who attended a town hall meeting shortly after the prison site was announced that the location was selected about three months before the public was informed. He said officials kept the deal private to avoid a bidding war, and the cost of the prison will depend on the chosen design. The Legislature has set aside $330 million for the project, and theres another $75 million in reserves, Profiri said at the time. The state purchased 815 acres in Franklin County for nearly $3 million, and the prison board contracted with a management company to oversee the construction and design of the prison for $16.5 million. A handful of Arkansas lawmakers plan to push back against the states prison plan in the 95th General Assembly, which began Monday. Sen. Bryan King has presented an alternative to a potentially billion-dollar prison and a bipartisan group of lawmakers attended a short press conference where a local coalition raised concerns about the prison on Tuesday. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) South Dakota state government has met the December 31, 2024, deadline for obligating the more than $1 billion of aid received from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. State Finance Commissioner Jim Terwilliger delivered the 27-page progress report on Thursday to the Legislatures Joint Committee on Appropriations. Haeder: Unclaimed property is Russian roulette Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report showed that South Dakota state government received $1,090,377,496 through the American Rescue Plan Act, which Congress passed and U.S. President Joe Biden signed into federal law on March 11, 2021. The federal deadline for spending the obligated funds is December 31, 2026. More than $570.1 million had been spent as of December 31, 2024, according to the report. The ARPA dollars are grant money coming from the feds, Terwilliger said. South Dakota received other large amounts of federal aid during the coronavirus pandemic. One of the recipients of ARPA funding is the new mens state prison that is planned in rural Lincoln County as a replacement for the penitentiary in Sioux Falls. The Legislature last year earmarked $10 million of the remaining ARPA funds for water and sewer work at the construction site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We thought it was a good use of the funds rather than state general funds, Terwilliger told the committee on Thursday. Republican Sen. Mykala Voita asked for more explanation. She narrowly defeated the incumbent senator, Erin Tobin, in the Republican primary election last June. At this time, by the end of January, this would be fully expended, Terwilliger said. A local group opposes the site of the new prison, which is between Harrisburg and Canton, roughly 10 miles south of Sioux Falls, and has sued the state Department of Corrections in an attempt to stop the project from being located there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. Ernie Otten, who chairs the joint panel, told lawmakers that the new prison would be discussed during the state Department of Corrections budget hearing next week. There is a mix of opposition and support among members of the Legislature on where the prison should be built and how much it should cost. Republican Rep. Mike Derby, in his role as House Appropriations chair, has sponsored legislation this session on behalf of the state Department of Corrections that would give final authorization for the project. 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 KELOLAND.com. Archaeologists discovered more than a dozen mummies older than 2,000 years with tongues made from golden amulets. Ancient Egyptians idea behind the golden tongues was that they would help the deceased speak in the afterlife. The modern-day discovery of ancient golden artifacts in Egyptian tombs can be rare thanks to the prevalence of looting, so taking a peek inside the jaws of history is a stroke of luck. Painting your tongue gold doesnt do much good here on Earth, but ancient Egyptians believed giving the deceased a golden amulet in place of a tongue would allow them to speak in the afterlife. Archaeologists in Egypt discovered literal evidence of the practice, opening tombs dating from the Ptolemaic era (305 B.C. to 30 B.C.) in the ancient city of Oxyrhynchus that featured 13 mummies with gold amulets in place of tongues. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities wrote in a translated statement that the gold tongues werent the only finds in the tombs, which are located near modern-day Al-Bahnasa, as the team discovered ritual texts, colorful inscriptions and artwork, scarabs and amulets representing deities, canopic jars, and, yep, even more gold (including golden fingernailsanother symbol of afterlife protection). The site also featured four fully intact limestone sarcophagi. Archaeologists found a total of 52 mummies, which they dated to the Ptolemaic era, as part of the discovery. These findings provide new insights into the religious practices and funerary traditions of the Ptolemaic era in Al-Bahnasa, said Mohamed Ismail Khaled, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, according to Ahram. Finding gold within ancient tombs has become increasingly rare in modern times, thanks to centuries of grave robbers nabbing anything considered monetarily valuable from tombs and ruins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The archaeologists buoyed their discovery of the tongues and fingernails with other, more typical discoveries, including a scarab positioned over the heart of one mummythough, unique about this find was that the scarab was folded into the mummy wrappings. The joint mission between Barcelona University and the Institute of the Ancient Near East in Germany uncovered the never-before-seen tomb that featured dozens of mummies side-by-side, likely indicating a communal burial. The team first found a rectangular stone burial shaft, but it opened to a main hall with three burial chambers where the mummies were arranged, said Esther Pons Mellado, co-leader of the team. In all, the 52 mummies from the Ptolemaic era were found as part of a larger collection of roughly 300 mummies. The golden adornments were often decorative as well, tied to depictions of a variety of deities. These vibrant scenes offer an unprecedented glimpse into the regions ancient funerary art, Maite Mascourt, co-leader, said. The artistry didnt stop with the mummies, as the team reported that the tomb includes plenty of colorful artwork, often showing local families in the presence of gods. The ceiling features the sky goddess Nut amidst stars and boats ferrying other gods. You Might Also Like LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Thursday she wants to impose work requirements on some Medicaid recipients, hoping to revive and expand a restriction that was blocked by the courts but could get a new life under the Trump administration. Sanders' comments come as fellow Republicans in several other states are seeking similar requirements along with other cuts or restrictions to Medicaid, which covers about 80 million people nationally. More than 18,000 people lost coverage when Arkansas previously enacted work requirements under Sanders' predecessor, Asa Hutchinson, in 2018. The requirement, which only applied to able-bodied adults on the state's expansion program, was blocked by federal courts and the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders said she wants a broader requirement that would cover able-bodied adults on traditional Medicaid, as well as on the expansion. I have more confidence because it's a new administration that I think will be more supportive of things like work requirements, Sanders told reporters. They've already publicly stated that, and I think a greater willingness to work with states to make changes. Sanders is among a growing number of Republican governors who say they are planning on seeking similar requirements for the program. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds this week said she will seek a similar mandate for able-bodied Medicaid recipients, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has asked the states health agency to request its work requirement be reinstated as soon as Trump takes office. Another round of states imposing work requirements would likely spark a new round of litigation over the restriction. The renewed push for requirements comes as advocacy groups are worried about Republicans in Congress seeking broader cuts to the Medicaid program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans in Washington have long sought work requirements for program, and a provision passed by the House in 2023 would have left more than half a million of the poorest Americans without health insurance. Joan Alker, executive director of the Georgetown Center for Children and Families, said work requirements are counterproductive by creating a new obstacle for low-income adults. When people are able to address their health conditions, they're more likely to be able to work, she said. I think the policy gets it backwards while supporting a goal that most Americans support. The only state currently with a work requirement for some Medicaid recipients is Georgia. Gov. Brian Kemp said he wants to let parents and guardians of kids up to age 6 in households at or below 100% of the federal poverty level enroll in Medicaid without meeting the requirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans are seeking cuts in other states such as Idaho, where some GOP lawmakers want to repeal the state's expansion. Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is heading in the other direction, calling this week on the GOP-dominated Legislature to expand Medicaid. But Republican leaders are likely to block it. Sanders, meanwhile, said she wants to keep Arkansas' Medicaid expansion in some form. Arkansas was one of a few Southern states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and more than 200,000 people are on the program. I don't think we're in a place where you can at this point do away with the expansion, Sanders said. We're too far down the road." ___ Associated Press writers Charlotte Kramon, Hannah Fingerhut, John Hanna and Jeffrey Collins contributed to this report Rep. Jeremiah Moore, R-Clarendon (at podium), promotes House Bill 1150 at a press conference in the Capitol rotunda on Thursday, January 16, 2025. The bill would forbid pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from holding or acquiring interest in retail pharmacy permits. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) A proposed Arkansas law would forbid pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) from holding or acquiring interest in retail pharmacy permits, the latest effort from state officials to crack down on the companies said to be bleeding pharmacies dry nationwide. Lawmakers and pharmacy advocates promoted the newly filed House Bill 1150 at a press conference in the Capitol rotunda Thursday. They said the policy would eliminate anticompetitive business practices by PBMs, which negotiate prescription benefits among drug manufacturers, distributors, pharmacies and health insurance providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For far too long, pharmacy benefit managers have rigged the system to enrich their own interest at the expense of the nation, said Rep. Jeremiah Moore, R-Clarendon, the bills lead sponsor. PBMs rank prescription drugs, with the highest-tiered products costing consumers the lowest out-of-pocket costs. The Federal Trade Commission released an interim report in July 2024 saying these conglomerates are eliminating competition and increasing drug prices at the expense of patients. OptumRX, Express Scripts and CVS Caremark the three largest PBMs are each owned by much larger corporations that each also own a top-10 health insurer. Together they control about 80% of the U.S. prescription market, according to last years FTC report. Republican Rep. Brandon Achor and his wife are independent pharmacy owners in Maumelle and have both received cancer treatment in the past two years. He said Thursday that the drugs that treat his wifes cancer are among those which the FTC report said PBMs unfairly raise prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I see and I feel the abuse of vertically integrated health care on a daily basis, Achor said at the press conference. The tangible threat to Arkansas patients, Arkansas businesses and Arkansas families ends now, and I am honored to be a part of the team here to tip the first domino in what will be a series of sweeping [prescription drug] reforms. PBMs routinely force patients to use their affiliate pharmacies rather than their competitors, locally-owned independent pharmacies, Moore and John Vinson, CEO of the Arkansas Pharmacists Association, both said. The companies also have historically reimbursed their affiliates at a higher rate than non-affiliates, Vinson said. This practice is prohibited in Arkansas by Act 1 and Act 3 of 2018, which became law after a special legislative session. House Bill 1150 would close the loopholes where the Insurance Department doesnt have authority currently, Vinson said in an interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It should improve the market where [PBMs] would have to fairly contract with their market competitors, because they no longer would be a market competitor, he said. Several PBMs are affiliated with interstate mail-order pharmacy operations, and House Bill 1150 includes mail-order pharmacy permits among those that PBMs would be prohibited from holding. Vinson said some PBMs force consumers to receive their medications via mail, which costs more than receiving them over the counter. House Bill 1150 would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026, if it receives approval from the Legislature and is signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Past regulation attempts Act 900 of 2015 required PBMs to pay pharmacies at least as much as the national average of what drugstores pay wholesalers for drugs. Despite this, pharmacies sent the Arkansas Insurance Department (AID) roughly 3,000 complaints in 2024, claiming PBMs either illegally paid them below this national average or paid them at or just above this amount, AIDs general counsel told lawmakers last year. Independent pharmacists made similar claims in September, saying they were struggling to stay open in rural areas with limited healthcare resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After more than a century serving Benton, Smith-Caldwell Drug Store closed in August 2023 due to financial insolvency and transferred its clients to Walgreens, a national chain. Republican Sen. Kim Hammer, who represents Benton and is co-sponsoring House Bill 1150, said Thursday that the closure is proof the issues facing pharmacies arent exclusive to rural areas. Brad Lawson, a Little Rock-based healthcare supervisor for Walgreens, agreed when he told lawmakers in December that unfair PBM reimbursements have forced the company to close several locations and plan further closures nationwide. Lawson and Vinson supported a new AID rule that requires PBMs to include dispensing fees in their reimbursements for prescription drugs. Lawmakers spent hours debating the rule last month, and some agreed with representatives of PBMs and insurance providers that the cost would fall on consumers instead of the drug middlemen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arkansas Legislative Council approved the rule a day after its Administrative Rules subcommittee rejected it. The Pharmaceutical Care Management Association, which opposed the rule, challenged Act 900 of 2015 in federal court upon its passage. The U.S. Supreme Court reviewed and upheld the law in 2020. Attorney General Tim Griffin expressed support for House Bill 1150 at Thursdays press conference and said he will defend it in court if need be. He also said he hopes Congress will introduce and pass the same legislation on the federal level. In June 2024, Griffin sued two of the nations three largest PBMs, Express Scripts and OptumRX. The suit alleges that the companies used data from drug manufacturers and distributors to maximize their financial gain instead of using it to mitigate the opioid addiction epidemic. In August, AID fined Caremark, Express Scripts, Magellan and MedImpact $5,000 per violation of Act 900, which totaled $1.47 million across the four companies. Dr. Alonzo Williams, a gastroenterologist and medical director of the Arkansas Diagnostic Center, at an Arkansas State Medical Board hearing into his practice in Little Rock on Aug. 8, 2024. (Photo by Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) A member of the Arkansas State Medical Board this week sued his former colleague, a gastroenterologist who lost his medical license after a prolonged board hearing last year. Dr. Brian McGee filed a 22-page lawsuit against Dr. Alonzo Williams in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Jan. 14, alleging improper practices, fraudulent billing, sexual misconduct, racial discrimination and retaliation under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other defendants in the case include Suzette Siegler, a nurse manager who worked with Williams, and United Surgical Partners International, which acquired the company that provided management services to Arkansas Diagnostic Center, Covenant Physician Partners. The lawsuit alleges Siegler defamed McGees practice by maliciously filing a false complaint against him with the state medical board in 2023. It also alleges negligence, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty and retaliation under the Arkansas Civil Rights Act against Covenant Physician Partners. McGee has asked the court for a jury trial for all claims triable by a jury. McGee is one of 13 members of the Arkansas State Medical Board, a body responsible for granting medical licenses and receiving complaints about medical professionals, which can result in investigations and disciplinary action if the Medical Practices Act is violated. Dr. Brian McGee, a gastroenterologist who practices in Little Rock. (Photo by Janet Warlick) McGee recused himself from a two-day hearing last year regarding Williams practice and allegations of sexual misconduct and improper opioid prescription. After testimony from a dozen witnesses in August, the board approved 16 of 17 charges against Williams, many of which were related to gross negligence or ignorant malpractice for the over-utilization of medical procedures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only charge the board didnt approve was related to sexual misconduct, though an Advocate analysis of board complaints showed Williams had a 30-year history of such allegations. The board revoked Williams license, and the Arkansas Diagnostic Center has since closed. According to the lawsuit, McGee worked at the Arkansas Diagnostic Center from 2018 to 2023, invested $2.4 million into the Little Rock-based practice and intended to take over the practice when Williams, who was medical director, retired. But while McGees experience at the workplace was initially positive, the lawsuit says, he later experienced a hostile work environment, witnessed an abuse of power from Williams and Siegler and a variety of improper medical practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Williams and Siegler began to schedule an excessive number of appointments, creating patient volume, traffic and care quality issues, the lawsuit says. Dr. Williams and Ms. [Siegler] were triple booking Dr. Williams appointments, and he often did not conduct an office visit with the patient himself, instead sending a medical assistant to talk with the patient. Suzette Siegler, a nurse manager who works with Alonzo Williams, testifies before the Arkansas Medical Board on Aug. 8, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) The lawsuit claims Williams prioritized profit over patient care and often scheduled unnecessary procedures so he could bill the patient, insurance provider or Medicaid. The volume of patients that Williams or an unqualified medical assistant saw led to a prioritization of Williams patients, according to the lawsuit. McGees patients faced longer wait times, which was detrimental to his practice, the lawsuit says. The lawsuit notes McGee also noticed female medical assistants were required to perform physical-level medical care and were offered a $100 bonus if they scheduled a certain number of procedures within a specified timeframe. The lawsuit provides the example of 150 procedures in three days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medical assistants were allegedly not permitted to record overtime work, and the lawsuit also claims Black women employees were being paid less than their colleagues. Case against Covenant The lawsuit alleges that Covenant Physician Partners did not uphold its contractual and fiduciary duties to the Arkansas Diagnostic Center and its affiliated surgery centers, even after McGee reported his concerns about racial discrimination to leadership and a representative visited the medical facility in 2023. The Covenant representative spoke to several ADC employees but did not talk to Dr. McGee during her visit despite knowing that Dr. McGee possessed valuable information about the conduct of which the ADC employees were complaining, according to the lawsuit. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The alleged improper care, fraudulent billing and employee abuse continued after the representatives visit, according to the lawsuit. If Covenant was following its contractual obligations, the lawsuit claims officials would have recognized Williams was in violation of the law and against the best interests of his patients and employees. Company leadership would have also known if Black medical assistants were being unfairly compensated if Covenant was overseeing payroll, as contractually required, according to the lawsuit. Other issues, like overbooking and a misrepresentation of how many patients Williams was seeing should have also been identified through the companys required oversight, the lawsuit said. Covenant, a chain of ambulatory surgery centers, was acquired last year by United Surgery Partners International, another chain of ASCs that in turn is owned by Tenet Healthcare Corp., a health care giant based in Dallas. Sexual misconduct allegations The lawsuit makes several claims that Williams engaged in improper sexual activity with medical assistants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Womens employment, bonuses and other assistance were based on their willingness to engage in sexual activity with him, the lawsuit says. Dr. Williams required female medical assistants to work without pay, perform sexual favors for him, practice medicine without proper qualifications, and work in a hostile work environment, according to the lawsuit. The female medical assistants were afraid to refuse Dr. Williams and lose their jobs. The lawsuit also claims that Siegler promoted and facilitated sexual misconduct. Retaliation claims According to the lawsuit, McGee was pressured to resign from his job in 2023 after his five-year contract was up for renewal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams and Siegler allegedly bonded together and filed a false complaint against McGee to the Arkansas State Medical Board, stating that he created a hostile work environment and did not act in the best interests of his patients. The medical board cleared McGee in October 2023, but as the complaint was still pending Williams informed McGee that his contract would not be renewed because of the complaint, according to the lawsuit. A threat of a report to the National Practitioner Data Bank that Williams told McGee would be a dark stain of a practitioners career ultimately led to McGees resignation, the lawsuit states. As a result of Dr. Williams and Ms. Sieglers retaliation against Dr. McGee for making complaints to Covenant about the mismanagement of ADC, Dr. McGee lost his current employment, his future plans to take over Dr. Williams practice at ADC when Dr. Williams retired, and his 2.4-million-dollar investment in the Surgery Center, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGee is currently the medical director for a digestive care practice in west Little Rock. Attempts to reach Williams on Thursday were unsuccessful. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NEW YORK (Reuters) - Pfizer on Tuesday appealed a federal judge's refusal to award the drugmaker $75.2 million from a more than decade-old insider trading settlement involving billionaire Steven A. Cohen's former hedge fund, SAC Capital Management. The money was left over from SAC's $602 million settlement in March 2013 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission over trades in drugmakers Wyeth and Elan by Mathew Martoma, who worked at an SAC unit and was later convicted. Pfizer said it deserved the $75.2 million because a neurologist who tipped Martoma about a 2008 Alzheimer's drug trial owed a fiduciary duty to Wyeth, which Pfizer bought in 2009, because he had been a consultant there. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero in Manhattan, however, ruled in November that Wyeth was not a victim of Martoma's trading, and thus Pfizer was not entitled to funds left over after Wyeth and Elan investors who lost money were compensated. Pfizer appealed Marrero's decision to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan. The appeals process often takes several months or longer. Cohen was not criminally charged. He changed SAC Capital's name to Point72 Asset Management in 2014, and is now worth $21.3 billion according to Forbes magazine. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler) (NewsNation) Officials say they are making progress fighting the Los Angeles-area wildfires that started last week. However, problems still linger, not only for the thousands who have lost everything in the fires but also for those whose homes and businesses are still standing. About 82,000 people are under evacuation orders. Some California residents are defying those orders to protect their property, as well as that of their neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mel Gibson: They didnt tell LA firefighters the reservoir is empty One woman who talked to NewsNation said she is going into her neighbors houses and cleaning out refrigerators so they wont smell. Altadena resident EveAnna Manley is keeping herself armed in an attempt to scare looters away. To be looting during a natural disaster is the lowest form of human behavior, Manley said. Manley has a sign in her yard that warns: If you are looting, we are shooting. What Project 2025 says about the first 180 days of a presidency Its a bit of a joke, but its to remind someone please dont just steal my freaking Starlink, Manley told NewsNation. I know what the laws are as well, and Im trying to make sure Im always legal with my firearm control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities have made multiple looting arrests. On Monday, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced charges against 10 people in four separate incidents during the wildfires onset. Two people were charged with first-degree residential burglary, looting and grand theft for allegedly stealing over $200,000. Security has been heightened in the areas hit by wildfires, with people having to go through several different checkpoints to get through the area. 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. After spending a year working on pilot programs for a future battlefield command-and-control capability, the U.S. Army is on the brink of starting an effort to competitively prototype a next-generation system, according to the services program office in charge of the activity. Next-Generation Command-and-Control, or NGC2, as the Army calls it, represents a new approach to providing commanders and units an open and modular command-and-control, or C2, ecosystem across hardware, software and applications with access to a common and integrated data layer, the Army said in a statement. The services Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Network, seeking industry feedback ahead of launching the prototyping effort, released a request for information Monday to industry addressing its NGC2 priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal of NGC2 is to help organize and operationalize data for warfighting applications including real-time operational modeling of the potential outcomes of commanders decisions and courses of action, as well as the ability to tailor and reconfigure elements to meet their missions, the Army said. The service launched a pilot in roughly a year ago to examine what could realistically be achieved for C2 using a clean sheet design. Entirely ignoring all current C2 capabilities, the Army partnered with industry to provide soldiers with an agile system capable of functioning off of laptops inside a tank, for example, rather than consisting of giant server stacks in climate-controlled tents easily detectable to the enemy. I think were learning that we can probably go pretty quick on this given where technology is at, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George told Defense News in an interview last fall. The Army needs to move away from big systems and server stacks and all of that stuff, he said. That can all be an app. As a major element of the pilot, the Army focused not just on how a fresh C2 system might bring capabilities to the soldier in the field but how to transport data to enable all of those functions, according to Doug Bush, the Armys acquisition chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ability to move the data around at speed, at a vast scale and under attack by an enemy, that is a very difficult challenge, Bush told Defense News in an interview last fall. The good news is, this time around, the tech is much closer to being able to enable that. A request for NGC2 proposals is expected to be released in late February, according to the RFI posted to federal contract opportunities website Sam.gov. The service plans to award contracts by May, with the delivery of initial prototypes within six months of award. The planned contract awards are structured to enable multiple opportunities for defense companies to contribute to NGC2, the Army said, with the service intending to onboard new vendors for additional components available after the initial prototyping awards. Specifically, the Army emphasizes tailorable and intuitive capabilities and agility in requirements and governance for the next-gen technology, according to Army Futures Commands NGC2 character of needs statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent updates to the character of needs statement include a focus on mission partner interoperability, operating in challenging tactical communications environments and an integrated tech stack approach that reaches from the communications transport layer through compute, integrated data and applications layers, the Army said. We have an incredibly tech-savvy formation, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, director of AFCs Command and Control Cross-Functional Team, said in the statement. Commanders understand the network better than they ever have, and divisions are eager to be a part of the process and part of the user-informed solution. SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Its a homecoming surprise the Land children are sure to remember. The Lands were told their dad, Josh Land, would be returning from Kuwait in February. He had been stationed there for the past nine months, working as the second in command on a chemical unit. He wrapped up his fourth deployment, but has one more mission to complete surprising five out of their six children at District 6 schools on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were many hugs and happy tears, applause from classmates and the eager children were ready to leave school early to hang out with dad. Land said surprisingly, it never gets easier. Because for me time stopped, Land said. But at home, time doesnt stop and so having to figure out how to integrate again is one of the hardest things about having to come. He and his wife, Kayla, explained how important is was to their family to video chat every single day. Theres a nine-hour time difference, so making a point every day to have that five or ten minute phone call or video call is to keep that communication line and to let them know that Im okay, and for me to see that theyre ok, said Land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His wife said those calls meant everything to them. It was hard, she said. It was hard, but like he said the communication was key. We very much talked every day. I mean, he would wake up at five so that he could talk to us before we went to bed. They said between six kids, the schedule is hectic and that dad will be thrown right back into everything. He said that all he could ask for. When asked what he was most excited to return to he said seeing the house in chaos. Oh man, this is going to sound crazy, but the house chaos, Land said. The kids lives, the kids involvement, my wife and just all of that stuff is what just keeps bringing you back home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WSPA 7NEWS. A military doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing dozens of male soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to just over 13 years in prison, was ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and was dismissed from the U.S. Army. Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the bases Madigan Army Medical Center, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to 36 specifications, or counts, of abusive sexual contact and five of indecent viewing, said Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. The sentence imposed by the court holds Maj. Stockin accountable for every person he victimized through his crimes," Maj. Allyson Montgomery, prosecutor, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement. The results of this proceeding shine a light on the trauma caused by Maj. Stockin by allowing the voices of every victim to be heard in a public hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JBLM is the Armys fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles (75 kilometers) south of Seattle. The Madigan medical center is the Armys second-largest medical treatment facility. After his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified about the trauma and distress they endured because of Stockins abuse. Many said Stockin caused them to suffer negative emotional, physical, and psychological harm because of the crimes committed against them. The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated," said lead prosecutor Maj. Ryan Keeter. "They have been living with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockins actions for years and the last 16 months of litigation on the way to this court-martial has not been easy. I thank them for their patience, their strength, and their determination for justice. Stockin's lawyer, Robert Capovilla, said the doctor faced more than 300 years of prison, but his sentence was capped at just over a dozen years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions, and he made no excuses, Capovilla said in an email. The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Major Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives. Lawyers representing 22 of Stockins former patients have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints against the Army and Department of Defense on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the agencies were negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Stockin. Each is seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they say they've suffered. Christine Dunn, representing the victims, said Stockin's sentencing provides some sense of justice, but for our clients, real justice requires holding the Army accountable for its role in allowing this to happen. The Army failed their clients and other victims, scarring them for life, Dunn said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the sentencing hearing, victim after victim described the emotional impact the sexual abuse has had on their lives, Dunn said. These brave soldiers are now riddled with anxiety and shame many of them terrified to even seek medical attention. The Army launched an investigation into Stockin in 2022 after receiving multiple complaints, McCaskill said. He was suspended from patient care and was given administrative duties. He was formally charged in August 2023 with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel referred 52 charges and specifications, stemming from allegations by 41 male patients he treated between 2019 and 2022. Stockin will be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where he'll serve his prison sentence, McCaskill said. Based on his crimes, he'll be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements once released from prison. A military doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing dozens of male soldiers at Joint Base Lewis-McChord was sentenced Wednesday to just over 13 years in prison, was ordered to forfeit all pay and allowances and was dismissed from the U.S. Army. Maj. Michael Stockin, an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at the bases Madigan Army Medical Center, pleaded guilty on Jan. 8 to 36 specifications, or counts, of abusive sexual contact and five of indecent viewing, said Michelle McCaskill, spokesperson with the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. The sentence imposed by the court holds Maj. Stockin accountable for every person he victimized through his crimes, Maj. Allyson Montgomery, prosecutor, Army Office of Special Trial Counsel, said in a statement. The results of this proceeding shine a light on the trauma caused by Maj. Stockin by allowing the voices of every victim to be heard in a public hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JBLM is the Armys fifth-largest base and is about 47 miles (75 kilometers) south of Seattle. The Madigan medical center is the Armys second-largest medical treatment facility. After his plea, 22 of the 41 victims testified about the trauma and distress they endured because of Stockins abuse. Many said Stockin caused them to suffer negative emotional, physical, and psychological harm because of the crimes committed against them. The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated, said lead prosecutor Maj. Ryan Keeter. They have been living with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockins actions for years and the last 16 months of litigation on the way to this court-martial has not been easy. I thank them for their patience, their strength, and their determination for justice. Stockins lawyer, Robert Capovilla, said the doctor faced more than 300 years of prison, but his sentence was capped at just over a dozen years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions, and he made no excuses, Capovilla said in an email. The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Major Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives. Lawyers representing 22 of Stockins former patients have filed Federal Tort Claims Act complaints against the Army and Department of Defense on behalf of the servicemen, claiming the agencies were negligent in hiring, supervising and retaining Stockin. Each is seeking $5 million in damages for the emotional distress they say theyve suffered. Christine Dunn, representing the victims, said Stockins sentencing provides some sense of justice, but for our clients, real justice requires holding the Army accountable for its role in allowing this to happen. The Army failed their clients and other victims, scarring them for life, Dunn said in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the sentencing hearing, victim after victim described the emotional impact the sexual abuse has had on their lives, Dunn said. These brave soldiers are now riddled with anxiety and shame many of them terrified to even seek medical attention. The Army launched an investigation into Stockin in 2022 after receiving multiple complaints, McCaskill said. He was suspended from patient care and was given administrative duties. He was formally charged in August 2023 with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact. In January 2024, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel referred 52 charges and specifications, stemming from allegations by 41 male patients he treated between 2019 and 2022. Stockin will be transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, where hell serve his prison sentence, McCaskill said. Based on his crimes, hell be required to register as a sex offender and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements once released from prison. MCINTOSH COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) The McIntosh County Sheriffs Office (MCSO) has made an arrest in connection with the December 15 killing of Tony James Ferguson, a 41-year-old McIntosh County native George Big Head Shawn Humphreys a 33-year-old resident of Brunswick, Georgia, was arrested Wednesday afternoon by the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in Jacksonville, Florida. Humphreys has been charged with felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during certain crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The McIntosh County Sheriffs Office Criminal Investigations Division has led the investigation, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Deputies from McIntosh County and emergency medical personnel from McIntosh County EMS responded to the initial scene. Our thoughts remain with Mr. Fergusons family during this difficult time, added Sheriff King. We hope this arrest provides a measure of reassurance, knowing that progress is being made in this case. Humphreys is currently in custody and awaiting legal proceedings. The investigation remains active, and the Sheriffs Office encourages anyone with additional information to contact the McIntosh County Criminal Investigations Division at (912) 437-5140. 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 WSAV-TV. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Nearly nine months after a gunshot victims body was found at an east Columbus construction site, police released new information which led to an arrest Wednesday. According to the Columbus Division of Police homicide investigators executed several search warrants in connection to the death of Danyaze Evans-Kourouma, who was found dead on April 25, near the intersection of Noe-Bixby Road and Carbondale Drive in the Walnut Hills neighborhood. Truck driver dies after being struck twice by separate vehicles on Fisher Road Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers responded to reports of a suspicious death near a construction site at 2:05 p.m., where Evans-Kourouma was found by workers in the area. She was pronounced dead at 2:18 p.m. by the Columbus Fire Department. An autopsy was performed the following day, and it was determined that Evans-Kourouma had suffered from a gunshot wound resulting in her death, although the circumstances surrounding the shooting remained unknown. Witnesses told police that the victims body was not at the construction site when they left around 5 p.m. the previous evening. Almost nine months later, police identified Dayshawn McCrary, 23, as a suspect. Detectives were able to obtain phone records tying McCrary to Evans-Kourouma after a phone call was placed at 11:07 p.m. on April 24. A digital forensic mapping of the phone call placed Evans-Kourouma near the intersection of Lilley Avenue and East Livingston Avenue. One hour later, police said the phone was traced to the location where her body was found. The phone was then traced to a home on Brinwood Place, McCrarys listed address, located just over a mile from the crime scene. Police said McCrary, 23, declined to provide a statement to CPD, which recovered at least one handgun and several other firearm parts inside his residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCrary was arrested Wednesday and taken to Franklin County Jail. He is charged with murder and was issued a $1.5 million bond in Franklin County Municipal Court during an arraignment hearing. 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) A Columbus man is facing a murder charge in connection with a fatal shooting in November. Devon R. Ford, 26, was arrested by Columbus police Wednesday for allegedly shooting two people on Nov. 9 near Fitzroy Drive and Walford Street on the north side of Columbus. Watch a report on the shooting in the video player above. According to police, officers responded to the area at approximately 8:21 a.m. for a report of a shooting. At the scene, they found Abdulrahman Mohamed, 40, and one other victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mohamed was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:27 a.m., while the second victim was hospitalized in critical condition. A warrant for Fords arrest was issued the same day as the shooting. He is being held in Franklin County Jail and scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal Court on a murder charge Thursday. 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) An arrest was recently made in a fatal crash that resulted in one death nearly six months ago. On Thursday, the Grand Junction Police Department arrested Pablo Madrid, 29, in connection to a single-vehicle crash near North Avenue and I-70B on June 25. Madrid was the alleged driver when the car struck a traffic signal pole at the intersection. The vehicle became fully engulfed in flames as one person died in the crash while two others were transported to the hospital with serious bodily injuries. The Grand Junction Fire Department was able to extinguish the blaze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madrid was remanded to the Mesa County Detention Facility and charged with: Vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol or drugs Vehicular homicide while driving in a reckless manner Vehicular assault-DUI Vehicular assault reckless Driving under the influence per se with three-plus priors Tampering with physical evidence Aggravated driving with a revoked license After months of several interviews and evidence collection, GJPD was able to identify and arrest Madrid on Wednesday. He is due in court at 1:30 p.m., Thursday. The police department said it believes this is an isolated incident and theres not further information at the moment. 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) The Longview Police Department said an arrest has been made after multiple shots were fired at a Longview Amtrak station on Wednesday afternoon. East Texas man sentenced after brutally killing wife with axe Longview Public Information Officer LaDarian Brown said that a man, identified as Joshua Lawson, 23 of Arkansas, walked into the Amtrak station and fired multiple shots. It is unclear to Brown what caused the suspect to open fire. Mugshot of Joshua Lawson, courtesy of the Gregg County Jail. Brown confirmed that nobody inside the building was harmed. Lawson fled, however, officers were able to detain him and arrested him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawson was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, deadly conduct discharge of a firearm and two counts of deadly conduct. He is being held at the Gregg County Jail on a $70,000 bond. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. (Bloomberg) -- Nothing, a smartphone maker backed by Googles venture arm and iPod creator Tony Fadell, is seeking to raise at least $100 million in funding to expand its operations, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg The London-based startup, which launched in 2021 to fanfare from technology enthusiasts, kicked off the Series C round in recent days, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans havent been announced. Several newcomers have tried to challenge Apple Inc.s iPhone with new devices, but few outside of China have come close to rivaling the well-capitalized market leaders. Nothing previously raised about $100 million in 2023. Nothing has gained fans with the unique design of its smartphones, which feature a transparent back. The startup is run by Carl Pei, one of the creators of OnePlus, a popular China-based phone maker. Nothing sells phones ranging from $250 to $700, as well as several different earbuds and a smartwatch. In 2024, Nothing doubled its annual revenue to more than $500 million and recently crossed $1 billion in lifetime sales, the people said. It has also told investors that its margins have improved from a year ago and that it has sold 7 million units across all product categories to date. A Nothing spokesperson declined to comment. Though customers in the US can buy Nothing devices, the company primarily sells its phones overseas. Nothings biggest market is India, followed by Germany and the UK, the people said. The top market for the companys audio gear is the US, followed by the UK, Germany and Japan. Nothing is focused on ramping up sales outside the US this year, but plans to make a bigger push into the American market in 2026. Its also exploring an expansion into additional product categories. The company has about 600 employees and manufactures devices in China and India. Like most non-Apple smartphones, the Nothing devices run the Android operating system. The startup is working on overhauling its software to add more artificial intelligence features, with the enhancements set to launch in the first half of the year. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. ST. LOUIS Earlier this week, a St. Louis Circuit Court judge signed an arrest warrant for a Glasgow Village man accused of starting a fire last summer inside a senior apartment building. The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Demonte A. Russell, 21, with first-degree arson and first-degree burglary. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, Russell set the fire July 25, 2024, at Senior Living at Renaissance Place in the citys Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Police said Russell and a juvenile co-defendant entered the building and started a fire in an unoccupied apartment. The fire set off the sprinkler system. Between the fire and the sprinkler system, the apartment sustained significant damage. At present, Russell is on probation in three separate cases in St. Louis County for stealing, tampering with a motor vehicle, and drug trafficking. 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. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, grilling President-elect Donald Trumps choice for defense secretary over whether he had the breadth and depth of knowledge needed to lead international negotiations, asked Pete Hegseth if could name one member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, describe what type of agreement the U.S. had with the countries and how many nations were in the bloc. Hegseth responded at the heated Senate confirmation hearing that he couldnt tell Duckworth the exact number of ASEAN nations, but that I know we have allies in South Korea and Japan in AUKUS (a pact between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.) with Australia. None of those three countries are in ASEAN, responded Duckworth, a Democrat from Illinois. I suggest you do a little homework. What is ASEAN and why is it relevant to the US? ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. An 11th country, East Timor, is set to join soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Established in 1967, its goal is to promote regional economic and security cooperation, leveraging a combined population of more than 650 million people with a GDP of more than $3 trillion. Duckworths question came after Hegseth had noted the strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific, a region where Chinas influence has been rapidly growing and Beijing has become increasingly assertive in pressing territorial claims. ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei are locked in maritime disputes with China over its claims of sovereignty over virtually all of the South China Sea, one of the worlds most crucial waterways for shipping. Indonesia has also expressed concern about what it sees as Beijings encroachment on its exclusive economic zone. What does ASEAN have to do with the US secretary of defense? The U.S. is treaty partners with ASEAN members Thailand and the Philippines, and Washington has sought to harness ASEANs regional influence as it seeks to counter Chinese influence and promote what the White House has called a free and open region that is connected, prosperous, secure and resilient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Joe Biden said ASEAN was at the heart of my administrations Indo-Pacific strategy and hosted a meeting of ASEAN leaders in Washington in 2022. ASEAN also holds top-level meetings annually, this year in Malaysia, which holds the rotating chair of the group. Its defense meetings are typically attended by the U.S. defense secretary, and its foreign minister meetings by the U.S. secretary of state. The meetings culminate with an annual summit, which is regularly attended by the sitting U.S. president. Both Biden and Donald Trump have participated. Why else is ASEAN important? Despite some members territorial conflicts with China, many in the bloc have close relations with Beijing as well, and top-level Chinese officials also attend ASEAN meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. in 2022 was elevated to the top-level comprehensive strategic partnership with ASEAN a largely symbolic status that put Washington on the same level with China, which was granted the distinction the year before. ASEAN emphasizes noninterference and personal diplomacy, and its breadth of membership and partnerships makes it uniquely positioned as a forum to address major geopolitical issues. Beyond China and the U.S., ASEAN has formal relationships with Russia, India, Australia, the European Union, Britain, Japan, South Korea and many others. It hosts annual ASEAN Plus Three meetings with the leaders of China, South Korea and Japan, ASEAN Plus Six talks that add in the leaders of Australia, India and New Zealand, and the East Asia summit, which includes the six plus Russia and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ASEAN nations are also central to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, a free trade agreement that was signed in 2020, creating the largest trade bloc in history. The 10 nations plus China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand account for more than 30% of the worlds population and about 30% of global GDP. Conceived at ASEANs 2011 summit, the agreement includes commitments on trade in goods and services, investments and other areas. Several ASEAN countries are also part of the Pacific rim trade pact known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, whose members also include Mexico, Canada, Australia, Britain, Chile, Peru and Japan, and whose economies make up more than 14% of global GDP. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A 57-year-old political bloc got a rare mention in the halls of the U.S. Senate on Wednesday. During the confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trumps choice for Secretary of Defense, Sen. Tammy Duckworth asked the nominee for factual details about the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including its membership and the U.S.'s relationship with member countries. Hegseth responded that he was unable to name the exact members of ASEAN, yet pointed out U.S. security relationships with South Korea, Japan and Australianone of which are members of the group in question. (Duckworth suggested Hegseth do a little homework) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Duckworths question was recognition that Southeast Asia is becoming a key area of geopolitical interest for the U.S., due to its economic dynamism, natural resources, manufacturing strength, and proximity to China, increasingly seen by Washington as the U.S.s key geopolitical rival. So what is ASEAN? The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, is an intergovernmental organization that comprises 10 states based in Southeast Asia. Five countriesThailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Singaporefounded the group in 1967. The bloc has since expanded to include Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia. The bloc covers a total GDP of around $4.2 trillion and a total population of close to 700 million. The group aims to promote cooperation among its members on both economic and security matters. Yet in practice, the group has tended to focus on the former. ASEAN prioritizes consensus among its members, and it has proved difficult to reach agreement on security-related issues like ownership of the South China Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ASEAN member states cover the full range of government types and levels of economic development, such as the oil-rich absolute monarchy of Brunei, the multiparty democracy of the Philippines, and the one-party socialism of Laos. Why Southeast Asia matters Economists believe Southeast Asia is poised to become one of the worlds most dynamic economic regions. A little over 200 million Southeast Asians are youths, which means the region is set to enjoy a growing labor force and consumer pool. The International Monetary Fund predicts that Southeast Asias GDP will expand by 4.7% this year, compared to 4.5% for China and 2.2% for the U.S. The Asian Development Bank and commercial banks like HSBC and Citigroup also have a positive outlook for the region. The region has benefited from the reordering of global supply chains. Countries like Vietnam and Malaysia have gained as companies moved manufacturing out of China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southeast Asia also has a significant presence in strategic sectors like chips and green energy. Both Malaysia and Singapore have had a semiconductor industry since the late 1960s; Fortune 500 chipmakers like Intel and Micron have well-established manufacturing in these two countries. Indonesia sits on vast reserves of natural resources, including nickel, used to make batteries for electric vehicles. Why the U.S. cares about Southeast Asia Southeast Asia has also emerged as a zone of geopolitical interest due to its position between major powers like China, the U.S. and India. ASEAN professes non-alignment as an organization, yet China is the largest trading partner for many ASEAN economies. Chinese companies see Southeast Asia as a key growth driver, as growth in China slows and as geopolitical tensions threaten to close off access to the U.S. economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several ASEAN nations also maintain strong defense ties with Washington. The U.S. has a mutual defense treaty with the Philippines, and the U.S. military conducts regular training exercises with Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore. Washington and Hanoi, once former enemies, have also expanded their security relationship, and U.S. navy ships have made port calls in Vietnam in recent years. Some Southeast Asian nations are locked in a territorial dispute with China regarding the South China Sea, which houses one of the worlds busiest shipping routes. About one-third of all shipping passes through the region. China, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia all claim part, if not all, of the South China Sea The U.S. conducts regular freedom of navigation exercises through the South China Sea, and has backed the Philippines in its territorial dispute with China. Yet ASEANs policy of consensus has limited its ability to act on the issue, in part due to countries like Cambodia, which leans more towards Beijing. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has tapped Ashley Moody, the states attorney general and a Trump loyalist, to replace outgoing senator Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate. Touting her record for opposing affirmative action, Covid-19 protocols, gender-affirming care for minors, environmental protection regulations, loose immigration policies and more, DeSantis introduced Moody on Thursday as the Florida senator nominee who will deliver results. Moody, 49, is a staunch conservative who has become closely aligned with DeSantis and President-elect Donald Trump in the five years shes served as attorney general. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has championed many of Donald Trumps policies especially on immigration (REUTERS) Her proximity to the two has made her a frontrunner to replace Rubio as a senator from Florida since Trump nominated Rubio to serve as Secretary of State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about Moody. Who is Ashley Moody? Moody is a Florida native who started her career as an attorney in commercial litigation before being appointed as an assistant attorney for the Middle District of Florida. She has family roots in the legal world as her father, James Moody Jr., was also a judge for the Middle District of Florida. Moody was a registered Democrat until 1998 when she switched her party to Republican. In 2006, at the age of 31, Moody was elected to serve as a circuit court judge in Hillsborough County making her the youngest in the state. Moody, pictured alongside DeSantis, at a press conference in 2021. The two have worked closely together since rising to prominence in the state (AP) She ran for state attorney general in 2018 to replace Pam Bondi Trumps nominee for U.S. attorney general. Both Moody and DeSantis won their respective elections in 2019 and were re-elected in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moody is married and has two sons. What has Moody done? Nearly all of Moodys legal pursuits are aligned with Trumps policies. She even joined a Supreme Court lawsuit in 2020 to invalidate election results in several states where Biden won. Politico once called her one of Donald Trumps biggest surrogates. She supported Trumps attempts to have the Affordable Care Act repealed and championed his hard-line immigration and border policies a must-have for an incoming GOP senator. Shes filed, or supported, countless lawsuits against the Biden administration including its rules on gender-affirming care for minors, restrictions on cruise ships operating during the pandemic, requirements for gun sellers, regulations on carbon emissions and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, Moody asked the FBI to investigate Michael Bloomberg and other high-profile people who raised millions to pay off court fees for 32,000 people convicted of felonies in order to restore their voting rights. In 2019, Moody opposed a constitutional amendment that would ban most semiautomatic rifles. The National Rifle Association gave her an A rating in 2022. I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States Senator that I have bright as Floridas attorney general, Moody said on Thursday. She told reporters she doesnt think of her work as a job but as a calling. Why is she being appointed senator? Moody is being appointed because Rubio has been nominated to serve as Secretary of State. Governors may appointe senators to serve in vacancies until the next statewide election. Moody will be in Rubios seat for two years since the state has an election in 2026 she could then be re-elected to serve until 2028 or someone else may replace her. DeSantis named his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, to replace Moody as state attorney general but will have to wait until Moody takes office in Washington. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced who will replace Marco Rubio as Florida's representative in the U.S. Senate. Ashley Moody, Florida's attorney general, was DeSantis' choice. He made the announcement at a news conference in Orlando Thursday, Jan. 16. President-elect Donald's Trump nominated Rubio to be the next secretary of state. Rubio went before the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. DeSantis names his pick to replace Marco Rubio in US Senate Who is Marco Rubio? Who is Ashley Moody? Moody, 49, was born March 28, 1975. She was the second woman to become Florida's attorney general. She succeeded Pam Bondi, who is Trump's pick as U.S. attorney general. She's also undergoing confirmation hearings in Washington, D.C. Moody was born and raised in Plant City, according to her website. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's education Moody attended the University of Florida, where she earned her bachelors and masters degrees in accounting and law degree. She later attended Stetson University College of Law earning a Masters of Law in International Law. Moody's litigation career includes time as circuit judge in Hillsborough County Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. Moody began her legal career with the law firm of Holland & Knight where she practiced commercial litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After joining the U.S. Attorneys Office, she prosecuted drug, firearm, and fraud offenses. She was elected circuit judge in the 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County in 2006, becoming the youngest judge in Florida at age 31. She became Florida's attorney general in 2019. Ashley Moody recognized for her legal work While a federal prosecutor, Moody was commended by the DEA for "prosecutorial excellence and outstanding initiative in drug law enforcement," according to her website. She was also recognized by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for her lead of Operation Round-Up, a targeted prosecution of violent and repeat offenders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, she was recognized by the National Legal Services Corporation for her "significant contributions to pro bono legal service" and was awarded the Florida Supreme Courts Distinguished Judicial Service Award. Is Ashley Moody married? What about her family? Moody and her husband, Justin, a federal law enforcement agent, have two sons, Brandon and Connor. Their eldest son, Brandon, is serving in the United States Army, according to the National Association of Attorneys General. She's a fifth-generation Floridian. Her father, James Moody Jr., is a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her brother, James Moody III, was appointed as a judge on the 13th Circuit Court by DeSantis in 2022, the same court Ashley Moody was appointed to in 2006. How does Ashley Moody get along with Donald Trump? Moody has been a staunch ally of Trump, backing his legal challenges to the certification of election results in a handful of states in 2020. The challenges were rejected by the courts. That record suggests shell be a reliable vote for Trumps agenda in the Senate, taking a hardline on immigration enforcement, which was one of DeSantis' requirements in a Senate appointee. Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nations fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results, DeSantis posted on X in November after the election. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ashley Moody is Florida senator pick by DeSantis to replace Rubio Democrats grilled Russell Vought, who was tapped to be President-elect Trumps next budget chief, for his ties to Project 2025 and the powers of the executive branch as senators weighed his nomination. Vought testified before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday afternoon. He previously served as head of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under Trump during his first term and has recently garnered attention as a co-author behind a blueprint produced by the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation that was often the target of Democratic attacks during the 2024 presidential election cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Gary Peters (Mich.), the top Democrat on the committee, pressed Vought at the top of the hearing over previous actions under the Trump administration to freeze security assistance for Ukraine, a move he called illegal. The Government Accountability Office [GAO] concluded that all these actions that were a violation of the Impoundment Control Act, and that your actions then forced Congress to reappropriate the funds, Peters said before asking Vought where he would commit to follow the law and not allow OMB to withhold funding from programs that Congress has appropriated? Vought pushed back, saying he disagreed with the characterization and that, in his time at OMB, we followed the law consistently. Peters then asked Vought if he thought it was within the law to withhold funds that are appropriated by Congress, to which Vought argued funds were not inappropriately withheld and that the administration was engaged in the policy process with regard to how funding would flow to Ukraine at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GAO said in a 2020 report that the Trump administration was found to have violated the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) when its OMB withheld military assistance to Ukraine the prior year an effort seen at the time as a way to advance Trumps priorities and not a programmatic delay. The ICA, enacted during the Nixon administration, put guardrails on the presidents powers to cut funding approved by Congress. The law has been cited more frequently by Republicans in recent months as conservatives have ramped up calls for its repeal. GOP critics say the measure is unconstitutional and say its rollback would help Trump pursue further cuts to government spending. However, Democrats have criticized the push as a threat of executive overreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) asked Vought during the hearing if he believes the Impoundment Control Act is constitutional after also pressing the nominee on whether he would release funding to Ukraine, if confirmed. No, I dont believe its constitutional, he said. The president ran on that view. Thats his view,, and I agree. Blumenthal fired back that Vought was saying he was simply going to take the law into his own hands, arguing prior Supreme Court cases have proved the ICA is constitutional. I did not say that, nor did I imply that on behalf of the incoming administration, Vought retorted. I said earlier to a question from Sen. Peters that the incoming administration is going to have to take the presidents view on this, as he stated in the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blumenthal said he was astonished and aghast that someone in this responsible a position would, in effect, say that the president is above the law and that the United States Supreme Court is entitled to their opinion, but mine should supersede it. Its just baffling that we are in this, I think, unprecedented moment in the history of this country. And I think our colleagues should be equally aghast, because this issue goes beyond Republican or Democrat. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), committee chair, said after Blumenthals line of questioning that he was sympathetic to arguments made by the Connecticut Democrat and Peters on the power of the purse. But he also argued Congress has not done a good job with clear parameters. But theres a great deal of latitude, and part of this, and this is going to be as it moves forward, if we want to limit what the president does with moving money around, which Im sympathetic to, we should have the power of the purse, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got to write better legislation, Paul added, arguing that every piece of legislation that we put out has a presidential waiver for national security. During the hearing, Vought was also pressed about past comments in a video uncovered by ProPublica, in which he notably said he wanted some federal workers to be put in trauma. We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected, he said in the video. When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, because they are increasingly viewed as the villains. We want their funding to be shut down so that the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] cant do all of the rules against our energy industry, because they have no bandwidth financially to do so. Vought said Wednesday that, in those comments, he was referring to the bureaucracies that I believe have been weaponized, arguing there are portions of weaponized bureaucracies across the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His response came during questioning by Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.), who also pressed Vought about his implementation of a measure known as Schedule F that can make it easier for federal employees to be fired. Project 2025 also makes the case for the measures return. At the end of your term as OMB director, you implemented Schedule F, and you implemented that as well at OMB. Do you remember what percentage of personnel at OMB you categorized as Schedule F? Kim asked. Vought testified that the measure was not to fire anyone but to change their classification and that it was implemented at 90 percent. He said the move was to ensure that the president, who has policy-setting responsibility, has individuals, who are also confidential policymaking positions, are responding to his views, his agenda, and it works under the same basis that most Americans work on, which is they have to do a good job or they may not be in those positions for longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schedule F, however, would end merit-based hiring protections for any member of the civil service whose position is converted. It would make the civil service more akin to political appointees, who can be swiftly hired and fired, raising concerns it would politicize the federal workforce. Asked if the president-elect has had conversations about restarting Schedule F once hes inaugurated, Vought said he doesnt speak to the conversations that I have with the president. Rebecca Beitsch contributed. 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. Jan. 15SAN ANGELO Angelo State University's College of Graduate Studies and Research has been awarded a $2.89 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand and enhance the college's resources for student success, with a focus on unlocking opportunities for low-income and underserved student populations. The five-year program, titled "GradQuest: Navigating Your Graduate Program," will provide a comprehensive suite of support services that will directly benefit all ASU graduate students, thus ensuring that more students from low-income and underserved populations have the support to succeed in their academic and career endeavors, a news release said. GradQuest will be built upon a multifaceted approach, including: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A university-wide graduate student orientation Additional scholarship opportunities Specific support for health professions students Faculty professional development and instructional design support Wraparound support services, including academic and program support, professional and career development, financial literacy programs, networking opportunities, and holistic health and wellbeing initiatives Dr. Gina Heep, assistant professor of curriculum and instruction, is the principal investigator (PI) and co-director of the GradQuest project. "By reinforcing the foundation of all our graduate programs, we can provide all ASU graduate students with enhanced tools to navigate graduate school and beyond," Heep said in the release. "GradQuest directly aligns with the university's mission to provide highly competitive graduates, while also meeting the growing educational, economic and workforce needs of the region and the state." Dr. David Bixler, dean of the College of Graduate Studies and Research, oversees all graduate programs under the GradQuest program; and Dr. Kinsey Hansen, associate professor of curriculum and instruction, serves as co-director of GradQuest. ASU offers 34 graduate degree programs, including four doctoral degrees. More details are available at angelo.edu/gradstudies. The Atlanta Police Department says theyre investigating an aggravated assault after a womans head was grazed by a bullet early Thursday morning. According to police, they responded to a report of shots fired on Eleanor Terrace NW. When they got to the scene, they met with a woman who had a graze wound to the head. Officers canvassed the area where the woman was struck and found a bullet defect and multiple shell casings outside the home, APD said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The preliminary investigation into the incident showed the shots looked to have been fired from outside of the home. The suspect involved, who was not identified, drove away, police said. The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of her injury and police say they are still investigating. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) The kitchen area of a multi-unit residence in Atlantic Beach sustained significant damage in a fire Wednesday night, according to Horry County Fire Rescue. Crews responded at 11:18 p.m. to the 400 block of 30th Avenue. The fire was quickly put under control. There were no injuries, and no other units in the building were damaged, HCFR said. The cause of the fire will be under investigation, and the American Red Cross of South Carolina will be offering assistance to any displaced residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * * * Jordan White is a Digital Producer at News13. She joined the News13 team in August 2024. Jordan, a Myrtle Beach native, graduated from St. James High School in Murrells Inlet and is a graduate of Coker University. Follow Jordan on Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here. Copyright 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) A longtime Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) employee is taking his supervisors to court over claims that hes being retaliated against for publicly criticizing the agencys handling of a pension settlement. Robert Tassoni, who works as a highway maintenance field operations superintendent, filed a whistleblower lawsuit last month accusing RIDOT chief of staff John Igliozzi, as well as his supervisors Norman Marzano and Glenn Cabral, of violating his First Amendment rights. The lawsuit claims Tassoni was punished for questioning RIDOTs minimal contributions to the retirement fund created by the Laborers International Union of North America (LIUNA) Local 1033. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tassoni and his father, who used to be RIDOTs chief highway maintenance supervisor, reported back in 2021 that the state wasnt properly withholding amounts from the paychecks of LIUNA members. The lawsuit notes that, as a result of a collective bargaining agreement between Tassoni, his father and Igliozzi, RIDOT was forced to make a back payment of more than $4 million to the LIUNA retirement fund. RELATED: RIDOT employee accuses supervisors of retaliation Tassoni continued to speak out after RIDOT failed to adhere to that agreement, advocating for himself and others by being vocal in the community with respect to [RIDOTs] treatment of employees, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Tassoni] really went out on a limb to advocate for this particular issue, Deyoe said. It appears very clearly that hes being targeted because of that. The lawsuit accuses Marzano, Cabral and Igliozzi of singling out Tassoni and his team, denying him overtime and disciplining him. Tassoni was repeatedly asked for documentation about his workers and their actions, which the lawsuit states no other superintendent was required to provide. Robert Tassoni, whos worked at RIDOT for 14 years, claims his supervisors are retaliating against him for speaking out. Tassoni was kicked out of his office and moved into the main floor of a building without the proper equipment and storage for confidential materials as well, according to the lawsuit. He doesnt have an office now and those documents are not being adequately protected, Deyoe said. It is just an ongoing situation where, every time he thinks he has something fixed and this is going to stop, it continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit adds that RIDOT allowed one of Tassonis subordinates to harass and then violently verbally attack him without consequence. He had been physically violent in the workplace previously, Deyoe said, referring to the subordinate. He was going to be removed and discharged. But instead of having him report to human resources for that, he was allowed to come into the general workplace, where he went after [Tassoni]. Though Tassoni is seeking compensatory damages, Deyoe said the main goal of the lawsuit is to put an end to the retaliation. He deserves the same playing field that everyone should get as a worker of the state, she said. He shouldnt be treated differently because he dared to speak out. Its just not fair and hes looking for a fair working environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the lawsuit, Tassoni is still pushing for RIDOT to correct course and properly contribute to the retirement fund. He cares and he doesnt just want to walk away, Deyoe said. Deyoe also hopes this lawsuit will open RIDOTs eyes to just how hostile the working environment is becoming for its employees. You can only go so far with mistreating [employees], Deyoe said, adding that workers will eventually stand up for themselves. Tassoni is being mistreated and he shouldnt be. Thats the overall message. RIDOTs Charles St. Martin declined to comment on the pending litigation and deferred to Attorney General Peter Neronhas office, which is representing the state. 12 News reached out to Neronhas office, to which a spokesperson offered no immediate comment regarding the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deyoe said the state has until Feb. 8 to respond to the lawsuit. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. By Rishav Chatterjee (Reuters) -The boards of Thailand-based mobile carriers Advanced Info Service and Thaicom have asked investors to reject offers to acquire the firms under the merger of their respective controlling entities, the companies said on Thursday. In July 2024, power producer Gulf Energy Development, the largest shareholder of Thaicom, and Intouch Holdings, which controls Advanced, announced their intent to merge to create a new company for maximizing benefits for both the firms and improving operations and investments. A merger of Gulf and Intouch, already approved by shareholders of Thai billionaire Sarath Ratanavadi's power company, would create a new entity valued at 1.037 trillion baht ($30 billion). Sarath has a net worth of $15.1 billion according to Forbes and is the country's fifth richest person. Gulf owns about 47.4% stake in Intouch, followed by Singapore Telecommunication (Singtel) which has an around 25% interest. Gulf has a joint venture with Singtel and Advanced to set up data centres locally and is expected to begin operations this year. A tender offer was launched for Advanced, by Gulf Energy, Intouch and Singtel, valuing the firm at 216.30 baht per share, with the offer later being lowered to 211.43 baht. Gulf, in an emailed response to Reuters said its tender offer price was final and it does not intend to revise that. The independent financial adviser's recommendations to reject the offers will not impact the merger process, Gulf added. Advanced said its financial adviser found the revised price to be lower than its estimated valuation range of 229.55 baht to 285.70 baht. Shares of Advanced closed 1.1% higher at 290 baht apiece on Thursday. A Singtel spokesperson told Reuters that the firm does not intend to revise its offer either. "The announcement by both the companies was expected by the market. The price of both the stocks are higher than the tender offers and so the boards suggested investors to reject the tender offer. This does not post a major risk to the proposed merger," said Varorith Chirachon, head of investment research group at SCB Asset Management. As part of the restructuring, a similar tender offer was launched, under which, Gulf Energy, Intouch and Sarath offered to buy 58.9% of Thaicom at 11 baht apiece. Thaicom said its rising stock price since the merger announcement is the primary reason it is asking shareholders to vote against the deal. Its shares ended flat at 12.3 baht on Thursday. ($1 = 34.5700 baht) (Reporting by Rishav Chatterjee in Bengaluru; Additional reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and David Evans) ST. LOUIS A December audit highlights clocked hours a St. Louis County health inspector, responsible for inspecting restaurants and pools, did not work. Police are now investigating the government timekeeping scandal. The audit states that the false timekeeping appeared to have started in 2021 and involved an unnamed supervisor and the health inspectors own mother, who is also a manager. Citizens are seeking answers after the audits releaselike Aniya Phillips, who spoke outside the health department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They shoulda noticed something way beforehand because you can tell when people are messing up, Phillips said. Watchdog Tom Sullivan added, a lot of questions being asked about how this was able to happen, especially since the employees supervisor and a manager were also involved in the payroll falsification. So, you have to wonder, whats going on in the health department. Tom said. The health department notes the employee in question left in March and that her two accomplices are also facing potential discipline. The audit covers another recent controversy within the health department. In July 2024, a different St. Louis County health department worker pleaded guilty in federal court to bribery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She threatened a store called Mallys telling them shed shut them down if they didnt pay her under the table. The health department declined an interview but said in a statement, The Saint Louis County Department of Public Health has reviewed the insights provided through the recent audit and we value these recommendations as opportunities to strengthen our operations and enhance our service to the community. These actions underscore our commitment to continuous improvement and our dedication to serving the residents of Saint Louis County effectively. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Aurora Public Schools will delay school start times for the rest of the week after suspicious activity caused a districtwide internet and phone outage. The district shut down its network after detecting the activity early Monday morning, according to APS spokesperson Corey Christiansen. There is also now a potential restoration timeline for the network systems. Potential suspicious activity shuts down internet, phone service at Aurora schools Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All schools will start two hours later than normal on Thursday and Friday, and morning preschool is canceled due to the delay, Christiansen said in an email to FOX31 Wednesday. While we are making progress in addressing the issue, additional time is needed to fully restore our internet and phone service and ensure a smooth transition back to regular operations, Christiansen said. The district anticipates internet and phone services to be restored by the time school returns Tuesday after being off Monday for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Our technology teams, along with third-party experts and partners, are continuing to work diligently to resolve the outage and ensure all systems are fully operational, Christiansen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, the district is still investigating, and security officers are still monitoring and supporting schools during the outage. 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. DENVER (KDVR) Aurora Public Schools announced Wednesday that school start times would be delayed through the rest of the week due to a lack of internet and phone services in the buildings, and teachers said theyre worried about security during the outage. On Wednesday, FOX31s Kasia Kerridge spoke with teachers at Aurora Public Schools who asked to remain anonymous. The teachers said they were afraid of losing their jobs if they spoke out and had been told not to speak publicly about their concerns. Kerridge asked APS for comment, but the district did not offer any interviews, instead just noting that the districts camera system is not fully functional. Previous coverage: Aurora schools will delay start times Thursday, Friday after network outage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district said camera access is still in place in critical spots in district buildings. One teacher told Kerridge that the only functional security system in their building is the camera on the front door and staff keycard access. The outage first began Monday, and teachers told Kerridge that the district instructed them to use personal hotspots, but only if teachers had unlimited data plans. My school is in the middle of nowhere, one teacher explained. I dont have any cell signal, so any time the hotspot has worked its been a miracle. The teacher said their carrier informed them after just a day and a half that they had used 75% of their 5GB mobile hotspot data for the billing cycle. On Wednesday, teachers said the district provided hotspots, but the issues remain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My school staff is well over 75 people; we will all be sharing at most three hotspots. We have 800 students; none of them have been able to access anything online. The district is pushing us towards online digital assessments, but now students arent able to access those. There hasnt been any discussion of changing expectations and deadlines going forward, a teacher explained. Students, parents react to Department of Justice investigation into Douglas County schools Teachers also said the districts security systems are completely down. We dont have any outside cameras. We have no way to see what students and staff are doing inside the building. After-school activities have continued, leaving our building, staff, students and families extremely vulnerable once the sun goes down, the teacher said. We dont have a fence around our school. We dont have a school resource officer. Now that this has become a public issue, people are aware that we are vulnerable. A vast majority of our students walk home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats to stop anyone from kidnapping a child? Or entering through a side door with a gun? Or breaking into staff cars in the parking lot? We have no way to even go back and get photographic evidence to catch an individual should something happen, the teacher added. A teacher also called the districts two-hour delayed start the most useless thing they could have done, noting that teachers still have to report to their buildings at their normal start times. To do what, Im not sure. Theyve given us one copier that can only make copies from a hard copy. I cant print anything from my computer. I cant plan any activities that I dont already have materials for, the teacher explained. And now, I cant even use my personal hotspot. I dont need time to plan. Ive been planning on my feet for literally 24 hours now. Im exhausted. I need a break. I need my employers to care more about their staff than their bottom line. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One anonymous parent of a student in the district also told FOX31 they were concerned about the districts lack of internet and phones. Monday it was like, Oh we have no internet, nobody thought anything of it. Then Tuesday, again we didnt have any internet, the parent said. Its all back to the stone ages on paper, its concerning. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) The Austin Fire Department said crews rescued 10 puppies and their mother after a fire broke out at a northwest Austin house. AFD said all the animals appear to be doing OK. Puppies rescued following fire at NW Austin home (AFD photo) Puppies rescued following fire at NW Austin home (AFD photo) Puppy rescued following fire at NW Austin home (AFD photo) According to AFD, fire crews responded to the 10800 block of Thicket Trail shortly before 1 a.m. Thursday with reports of fire and black smoke coming from the garage. Crews extinguished the fire, which AFD said kept to the garage and resulted in minimal damage to the rest of the house. Inside the garage, crews found and rescued the 10 puppies and their mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to AFD, the cause of the fire was attributed to space heaters, which crews said were too close to combustibles. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) On Wednesday, Austins Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) hosted an emergency preparedness pop-up event at the John Gillum Branch Library. This comes after the KXAN First Warning Weather Team expects the Austin area to see a drop in temperatures leading to a potential freeze early next week. On Wednesday, Austins Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) hosted an emergency preparedness pop-up event at the John Gillum Branch Library from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (KXAN News/Frank Martinez) On Wednesday, Austins Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) hosted an emergency preparedness pop-up event at the John Gillum Branch Library from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (KXAN News/Frank Martinez) On Wednesday, Austins Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) hosted an emergency preparedness pop-up event at the John Gillum Branch Library from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (KXAN News/Frank Martinez) On Wednesday, Austins Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management (HSEM) hosted an emergency preparedness pop-up event at the John Gillum Branch Library from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (KXAN News/Frank Martinez) HSEM said the pop-up was designed for city departments and other emergency partners to educate the public on what to do during a severe weather event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pop-up events are part of a monthly series hosted by HSEM in each city council district throughout the year on the third Wednesday of each month, according to the city. If you missed out on participating in the pop-up, you can learn more about what to do during a severe weather event by visiting HSEMs preparedness hub. 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. An Australian influencer has been charged with poisoning and torturing her 1-year-old daughter in an effort to make her sick and then leverage her illness online for donations and social media followers. The Queensland Police Department announced the charges against the 34-year-old woman on Thursday, alleging that the womans infant daughter was being subject to immense distress and pain while her mother filmed and posted videos of the child in order to drum up sympathy and attention online. Australian authorities, who did not identify the suspect by name, announced it will charge the mother with five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things, and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will do everything in our power to remove that child from harms way and hold any offender to account, Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said in a statement. There is no excuse for harming a child, especially not a one-year-old infant who is reliant on others for care and survival. Queensland police alleged the abuse began in early August 2024 and lasted until Oct. 15, 2024, when medical staff at a hospital in Brisbane contacted police with concerns that the 1-year-old girl was being poisoned by her mother. Detectives soon discovered that the woman was using unauthorized and old medications to give to her daughter while disregarding medical advice in an alleged effort to make the young girl more ill, according to police. 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 mother would then post videos of her daughter online, police said, pocketing donations and gaining social media followers. The mother had raised roughly $60,000 in Australian dollars, or about $37,000 USD, the BBC reported. GoFundMe is working to refund the donations, according to the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is alleged the content produced exploited the child and was used to entice monetary donations and online followers, Queensland Police said in its news release Thursday. The woman was arrested Thursday after testing on the unauthorized medicines returned a positive result last week. The mother is expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. PEOPLE was not immediately able to reach an attorney for her. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People A woman in Australia has been arrested on allegations she gave a 1-year-old girl a variety of drugs to make her sick over a period of several months, then posted videos of the infant online for sympathy and donations, local police said. The child was subjected to "immense distress and pain" for over two months, between August and October of last year, the Queensland Police Service said in a news release Thursday. The relationship between the 34-year-old woman, who police didn't identify, and the girl wasn't immediately clear. Police said that the woman "went to lengths to obtain" unauthorized medication, including "old medicines" for another person in their home, and that she "carefully concealed" her efforts to give the child that medication, including while inside a hospital in Brisbane where the child was hospitalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hospital staff eventually discovered what the woman was doing and reported her to police last October, authorities said. On Jan. 7, tests performed on the child returned positive results for unauthorized medication, police said. According to BBC News, Detective Inspector Paul Dalton told reporters the woman raised 60,000 Australian dollars, equivalent to about $37,000, through GoFundMe donations. She was arrested Thursday at her home in Morningside, a suburb of Brisbane, on five counts of administering poison with intent to harm, three counts of preparation to commit crimes with dangerous things, and one count each of torture, making child exploitation material and fraud, police said. Per BBC News, Dalton told reporters the child was now "safe and doing well," and no one else was charged in the alleged abuse. NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury How a design concept may help save homes from wildfires WINCHESTER, Ky. (FOX 56) Severe winter weather is a force to be reckoned with and can lead to nightmare situations. As bitter cold temperatures linger, water companies are urging customers to take action to avoid freezing pipes that could burst. Staff members at Maka Mia Pizza on Main in Winchester said they have been worried all week about how the snow and ice may impact them. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: That was the first phone call I got was we had frozen pipes, the restaurants co-owner, Dana Williams, said on Wednesday morning. Lee Purcell, who serves as a shift leader, said the restaurant had no running water when he showed up to open the restaurant Wednesday morning, which is far from ideal for business. Youre not supposed to have your dining room open if you dont have a restroom, said Purcell. And if you dont have water, you cant really wash your hands. You kind of cant do anything without water. He said the pipes in their basement froze, cutting off their main water source. That forced them to serve carry out only for a period of time. Meanwhile, Purcell and others worked to dethaw the pipes with heat and fortunately avoided damage. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then all the water kicked on it once, he said. And then I had water coming out all the drains, and it was like, oh, good. Yeah, I have water again. Susan Lancho with Kentucky American Water said pipes that do burst can lead to expensive repairs. You have damage with your walls and other things in your home from that, from that water running, said Lancho. And certainly, theres restoration costs, replacement costs, perhaps drywall that needs to be repaired, plumbing fees, etc. To avoid this, Lancho recommends wrapping exposed pipes with insulation, opening cabinet doors to keep pipes warm, and letting faucets drip to keep water moving. These are steps Maka Mia Pizza plans to take from now on. We do have a heat source readily available now to where, if we did have something unforeseen to happen, like that, that we will be more prepared and more quickly, said Williams. And while some may worry about how extra running water could impact their bill, Lancho said it could save you in the long run. Latest central Kentucky weather forecast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can assure you that the cost of a burst pipe and the damage it can cause is going to cost you more to fix than the cost of that water that youre dripping through the evening. 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 56 News. Gov. Kelly Ayotte addresses reporters in her office on Jan. 15, 2025 (Photo by Ethan DeWitt/New Hampshire Bulletin) Gov. Kelly Ayotte appears to be moving ahead with a two-year budget that does not include further cuts to New Hampshires business taxes, despite some Republicans wishes. Our budget proposal will be based on the revenue structure we have today, Ayotte said at a press gaggle in her office Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came as House Majority Leader Jason Osborne, an Auburn Republican, has co-sponsored a bill with other top House Republicans to reduce the business enterprise tax. That tax applies to all compensation, dividends, and interest paid by a business. It is currently a 0.55 percent tax; Osbornes bill, House Bill 155, would lower it to 0.5 percent. Lawmakers have reduced New Hampshires two business taxes continuously since 2015. The states business enterprise tax was lowered from 0.75 percent to 0.55 percent, while the business profits tax was dropped from 8.5 percent to 7.5 percent. Of the two taxes, the business profits tax produces far more revenue. In state fiscal year 2024, which ran from July 2023 to June 2024, the state took in $209.5 million from the business enterprise tax and about $1 billion from the business profits tax, according to the Department of Revenue Administration. The business profits tax haul made up just under half of the states overall $2.2 billion revenue in that year. In the past decade, Republicans have pushed for business tax cuts, arguing it will make New Hampshire more attractive to businesses from surrounding states and that the resulting economic activity will keep state revenues high. Democrats have opposed them, countering that businesses do not need them and that state programs will suffer from lower funding in the long run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After recent years in which the business profits and business enterprise taxes brought in higher revenue sums than anticipated, the taxes are now underperforming expectations, leading Ayotte and other Republicans to call for reductions to state spending. Reducing the business enterprise tax could also result in lower revenues, opponents say. Even while suggesting the tax cuts wont appear in her proposed budget, Ayotte didnt rule out the proposed tax cut Wednesday. The New Hampshire way is really to align our revenues with whats coming in and whats going out, she said. Ill look at every single bill and look at whether it makes fiscal sense for the state of New Hampshire, and Im always going to be looking to make sure that were returning as much money as we can to taxpayers. Also on Wednesday, Ayotte suggested that while she supports the goal of universal education freedom accounts a proposal that would see the voucher-like program extended to families of all income levels she might not push for them to be made universal right away. Instead, Ayotte appeared to entertain a more gradual approach in which the program is expanded to families with higher incomes in steps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her inaugural speech Jan. 9, Ayotte vowed to find general cost reductions in state government, a message she repeated Wednesday. Without giving details, she said she has been working with state commissioners to try to find areas to reduce as she finishes her budget. If you look at over the last biennium and before that, but particularly look at the last biennium, there was a fairly robust increase in spending and general fund dollars in that, she said. So I look at this as: We really do have to recalibrate. The governor, who has held her position for about a week, is due to present her draft budget to the House and Senate in February. She said Wednesday she will be using a baseline budget crafted by her predecessor, former Gov. Chris Sununu, in the final months of his administration, and building from there. Lawmakers will then assume the budget writing process. BAKU (Reuters) - Azerbaijan has refused to renew its cooperation agreement with The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said on Thursday, accusing Washington of using USAID to pursue its political agenda. Bayramov, who was speaking at a news conference with his Georgian counterpart, said that Baku had suspended cooperation with USAID in June 2024. USAID was not immediately available for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Azerbaijan began criticising USAID in late 2023 after Samantha Power, the agency's head, said that Azerbaijan's military operation to return its breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh had "forced more than a hundred thousand people to leave their homes and move into neighbouring Armenia." In response to Power's statement, Hikmet Hajiyev, a foreign policy adviser to President Ilham Aliyev, said that USAID "has no place in Azerbaijan anymore." USAID describes itself as the U.S. government agency which leads international development and humanitarian assistance efforts to partner countries. On its website it says its mission is also to "promote and demonstrate democratic values abroad, and advance a free, peaceful, and prosperous world" in support of American foreign policy. Azerbaijan is not the first country in the post-Soviet space to stop cooperation with USAID. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2012, the agency's activities were halted in Russia, and in 2023, Abkhazia, a Russia-backed breakaway region of Georgia withdrew from USAID projects. (Reporting by Nailia Bagirova; Editing by Andrew Osborn) (Bloomberg) -- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. projected quarterly sales and capital expenditure ahead of analysts estimates, fueling hopes that spending on AI hardware should remain resilient in 2025. Most Read from Bloomberg The main chipmaker to Apple Inc. and Nvidia Corp. foresees spending $38 billion to $42 billion on technology and capacity this year, or up to 19% more than analysts anticipated. It predicted revenue of $25 billion to $25.8 billion in the March quarter, as much as 6% above projections. Shares in TSMC rose the most since October, and the projected spending helped fuel a rally among US and European chip equipment companies including Applied Materials Inc. and ASML Holding NV. TSMCs strong performance buoyed optimism around an unprecedented AI spending cycle that drove the likes of Nvidia to new heights. The advent of ChatGPT spurred a frenzied datacenter build-out over the past two years, benefiting a host of companies that provide the piping and brains of the AI boom. Still, the lack of a big profit-generating AI application so far stoked concerns about a potential bubble. And like much of the industry, TSMC is grappling with uncertainties stemming from a US-China tech conflict that threatens to disrupt supply chains and stem the flow of chips around the world. The US this month announced new export control rules on AI chips to curtail their supply to China. Follow Chip Giant TSMCs Quarterly Results in Real Time: TOPLive Away from AI, TSMC remains heavily reliant on consumer electronics and smartphones, given Apple remains its largest customer. IPhone sales have proven muted, though the industry expects mobile AI features to expand over time, driving the broader market. On Thursday, Chief Executive Officer C.C. Wei warned that smartphone unit growth will remain in the low-single-digits in 2025. But he added that there would be mild recovery in segments other than AI. TSMC depositary receipts in New York rose as much as 7.3%, the biggest intraday gain since Oct. 17. Shares in Applied Materials were up 4% in New York and semiconductor equipment provider ASML rose 2.6% in Amsterdam. In Asia, Tokyo Electron Ltd. also gained. The worlds biggest chipmaker reported a better-than-expected 57% rise in net income. A Maricopa County infant died this week after being hospitalized for several days with multiple injuries, which charging documents state his father admitted to having committed. Nicholas Tyler Perkins, 24, of Waddell, was charged on suspicion of child physical abuse and aggravated assault, both felonies, according to court documents. These charges were filed before the infant died Monday afternoon, according to court records and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office. A Sheriff's Office spokesperson said the agency was investigating whether additional charges will be filed in the case. About 2 a.m. Jan 5, sheriff's deputies responded to a call about a 3-month-old who was not breathing in the area of North 181st Avenue and West Hatcher Road in Waddell, court documents show. Deputies located the baby, his parents and grandfather inside the home and paramedics found the child was unresponsive before he was taken with life-threatening injuries to Phoenix Children's Hospital in Avondale, according to court documents. The parents told deputies the boy was constipated and had been born prematurely due to a medical condition, the court documents mention. He was flown to Phoenix Children's in Phoenix, the documents added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later that morning, a social worker with the hospital told the Sheriff's Office she wanted to report "non-accidental" injuries the child had, according to court documents. These injuries, as described in the charging documents, included bruising on the left side of the face, multiple fractures in different healing stages and hematoma, or clotted blood as a result of a broken blood vessel. Detectives with the Sheriff's Office special victims unit spoke with a doctor who said the baby had internal decapitation and multiple skull fractures with swelling to the head, court documents detailed. Charging documents indicate some of these were in the healing stage. Detectives were informed the child might not survive, according to court documents. The child's mother told detectives she and Perkins live separately, court documents said. According to the documents, the mom said she was visiting Perkins and the baby on the night of Jan. 4 when the child was handed over to the grandfather while she and the dad were in the room. At about 1 a.m., Perkins picked up the child from the grandfather and took the baby upstairs when she heard the child crying, adding he was being "fussy," according to the court documents. She heard the baby stop crying and heard Perkins speed-walking down the stairs calling for the grandfather, the court documents said. Perkins said the same but later recanted and told detectives he slipped on the stairs and hit the infant's neck at the end of the step, and though the baby cried, he did not think much of it, charging documents detailed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When confronted with the reported injuries being in a healing state, Perkins said the baby fell off the bed in late November or early December and hit his legs, according to court documents. Upon being told the child's injuries were not consistent with his explanation, he further reported he took the baby upstairs and became frustrated because the infant would not stop crying, the documents continued. Perkins said he forcefully shook the baby after he lost control and blacked out, according to charging documents. He admitted that he thought that was how the infant sustained his injuries, demonstrating how he shook the baby, court documents said. Perkins was booked Jan. 5 and was being held on a $350,000 bond, according to court records. His next court appearance is Jan. 22, court records show. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Waddell baby dies after dad jailed in Maricopa County MARSHALL, Texas (KETK) A 22-month-old baby was rescued from a burning house on Wednesday, the Marshall Fire Department said. The fire took place at a home in the 2220 block of Pinecrest Drive at around 5 a.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found a single-story home burning with flames and heavy smoke visible from the windows. Texans On Mission helping California churches, families recover from wildfires Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Firefighters immediately initiated rescue operations to get the residents out of the house where they located a 23-year-old woman trapped under a fallen dresser. According to the Marshall Fire Department, she was removed and checked out by EMS. Courtesy of the Marshall Fire Department. Officials said the homeowner safely evacuated from a bedroom door before firefighters arrived, and informed them that a 22-month-old infant was still in the house. Fire crews conducted an extensive search and located the infant in a void space between furniture in another bedroom, Marshall FD said. Popular Tyler BBQ restaurant catches fire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the infant and 23-year-old were safely removed from the home, authorities said they were transported to a local hospital for further evaluation and treatment. The fire was eventually extinguished, however the house sustained significant damage from the fire. Approximately half of the building was destroyed while the remaining areas were affected by smoke and heat damage, officials said. Multiple agencies assisted in the emergency including Marshall Police Department, local emergency medical services, SWEPCO and Public Works personnel. The cause of the fire was reportedly determined to be unintentional and electrical in nature. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) News of the Gaza War ceasefire was met with a great sense of relief Wednesday by Bakersfield community members with religious, political and personal investments in the conflict. But the quest for peace and justice? Thats something else entirely. Jonathan Klein, rabbi at Bakersfields Temple Beth El, said the ceasefire announcement is great news, but so much needs to be addressed. How do Israel and Palestine move toward true, lasting stability without future bloodshed? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials tout Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal as Israel says details still in flux I dont think any Israeli imagines that they are completely safe, Klein said. That being said, the only true solution will have to be diplomacy. Theres no other way than to take the bite out of the violence based approach. Avital Anders and Rabbi Klein went to Israel in 2023, mere days after the brutal Oct. 7 Hamas raid that precipitated the siege of Gaza. For the dual U.S. Israeli citizen, the war has been heartbreaking. The twin sons of a high school classmate are among the hostages. She says the human toll outweighs politics and nationalism. When Oct. 7 happened, it felt like a part of my life, she said. And people were like, Why would you go? And I was like, My friends are there. My family is there. Why wouldnt I go? Even though my home is here now, that is also home for me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But distrust lingers. Chris Holland, a Bakersfield College communications professor who describes herself as a repentant Zionist, is not convinced the ceasefire assures any kind of meaningful peace. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage They are human beings just like you and I, she said. They all bear Gods image just like you and I. This is just a small step. I really think in all honesty there needs to be a lot of repentance on the part of the United States because they totally funded all of the murder thats been happening in Gaza since Oct. (7). The three are not alone in their hope and doubt. The world waits and watches, all too cognizant that this has been a 6,000 year conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 News. BALTIMORE The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners is suing Eli Lilly and Co., UnitedHealth Group, CVS and several other drug manufacturers for allegedly colluding to inflate the cost of insulin. Baltimore City Schools offers health insurance to more than 9,000 employees and their dependents, and one of the benefits is paying a substantial share of the purchase price of their pharmaceutical drugs, including the diabetes medication, according to the complaint. The city school system alleges that drug manufacturers raised the price of insulin to win the business of pharmacy benefits managers intermediary companies that negotiate prices between drugmakers and pharmacies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like other government agencies, Baltimore City Public Schools is taking legal action against the Insulin industry to recover the excessive amounts paid by City Schools due to its overcharging for diabetes medications that its employees need to stay healthy, Baltimore City Schools said in a statement to The Baltimore Sun. The Federal Trade Commission recently alleged that the insulin industrys overcharges are unlawful. City Schools complaint is the first complaint filed on behalf of all school districts nationwide with self-funded health plans. According to the lawsuit filed Friday, the manufacturers pay these middlemen illegal kickbacks, falsely labeled as rebates, administrative fees and other payments. In return, the PBMs protect the drug manufacturers from competition and abdicate [but still tout] their role to generate savings for health plan sponsors (and patients), the suit says. When choices were available between lower- and higher-priced drugs, the manufacturers and PBMs colluded to raise the price of prescriptions and exclude the cheaper options, according to the lawsuit. This practice resulted in Baltimore City Schools paying millions of dollars more than they otherwise would, lawyers for city schools allege. Diabetes medication is the poster child for the drug manufacturers and PBMs drug pricing scheme, the complaint reads. As a result of their collision in the prescription drug market, while the average cost of consumer goods and services has risen 1.75-fold over the past twenty years, the cost of some diabetes medications has risen more than tenfold. And the reason is the Defendants Insulin Pricing Scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendants are pushing back at the allegations. CVS officials said the company has led the way in driving down the cost of insulin for all patients: insured, uninsured and underinsured. For example, members on average pay less than $25, below list prices and the Biden administrations $35 cap for seniors on Medicare, the company said. In addition, CVS said it provides access to $25 insulin to every American through its ReducedRx program at each of its more than 9,000 pharmacies and 67,000 network pharmacies, which are part of a group contracted with a health insurance company to provide medications at a specific price. Pharmaceutical companies alone are responsible for the prices they set in the marketplace for the products they manufacture, CVS spokesperson Shelly Bendit said in a statement. Nothing in our agreements prevents drug manufacturers from lowering the prices of their insulin products and we would welcome such an action. Officials with Eli Lilly said the company has been working for years to reduce insulin out-of-pocket costs for people with diabetes, against the headwinds of those who choose higher-list-price medicines over cheaper options. Lilly officials said it was the first and still only company to cap what people pay at $35 per month for all insulins. The company cut insulin prices by 70%, and the average monthly out-of-pocket cost for insulin is just $17.16, the company said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These copycat allegations are baseless, Eli Lilly spokesperson Jared Shapiro said in a statement. In the only three cases where insulin pricing allegations have been put to their proof, the plaintiffs have either dropped their case, lost their motion to proceed as a class action, or settled for no money. The outcomes speak for themselves. Drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk, another defendant, is also disputing the lawsuit.The company added in a statement: While we will not comment further about pending litigation, we recognize that not all patient situations are the same and we have a number of different insulin affordability offerings available through NovoCare. Importantly, we continually review and revise our offerings as well as work with diverse stakeholders to create solutions for differing patient needs. Optum Rx also called the lawsuit baseless and said it demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of how drug pricing works. For many years, Optum Rx has aggressively and successfully negotiated with drug manufacturers and taken additional actions to lower prescription insulin costs for our health plan customers and their members, who now pay an average of less than $18 per month for insulin, Optum spokesperson Tamara Rocha said. PBMs, like Optum Rx, are the key counterweight to pharmaceutical companies otherwise unchecked monopoly power to set and raise drug prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UnitedHealth Group did not respond to a request for comment. The price of insulin has surged by more than 1,000% since 2003, according to officials with Frantz Law Group, a firm representing the Oceanside Unified School District in San Diego in a similar case. In the fall, dozens of school districts across multiple states, including Oceanside Unified, filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey against several pharmaceutical companies, PBMs and UnitedHealthcare, also accusing them of colluding to inflate insulin prices. Like many organizations with self-funded health plans, the Oceanside Unified School District should not be forced to pay inflated and unreasonable insulin prices created by a scheme between big pharma and benefits managers to engage in unfair and deceptive trade practices, James P. Frantz, CEO of Frantz Law Group, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And this isnt the first time these companies have faced legal challenges in Maryland. In March, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and the Baltimore City Council filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of Maryland against Eli Lilly and 17 other companies, including CVS and Novo Nordisk. The lawsuit alleges that the drug companies and pharmacy benefit managers conspired to unjustly enrich themselves by purposefully driving up the price of life-sustaining medications and insulin. That case became multidistrict litigation, meaning a group of civil cases were transferred to a single district court this one in New Jersey for pretrial proceedings, according to Sara Gross, chief of the Affirmative Litigation Division for the Baltimore City Department of Law. The case is ongoing. The high cost of health care has been at the forefront of national headlines, underscored by the case of Luigi Mangione. The Towson native is accused of gunning down UnitedHealth Care CEO Brian Thompson last month over disillusionment with rising health costs. --------- A large service provider outage is impacting Bank of Oklahoma customers trying to do online banking. The outage was first announced by the company Wednesday, and has continued into Thursday morning, according to Bank of Oklahoma's social media posts. The outage is also affecting 26 other banks, the company said. "A large outage covering much of Little Rock, AR has impacted one of our service providers," Bank of Oklahoma said Wednesday. "This outage is impacting a number of our systems, but we are working with the provider to resolve." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a Thursday morning update, the bank said the outage is impacting ExpressBank, its online banking system. Bank of Oklahoma clients can contact or visit the nearest in-person bank for assistance, the update said. Bank of Oklahoma is working to resolve a large service provider outage that affects mobile banking. "On behalf of our clients, we are deeply frustrated with this situation and committed to making sure your transactions are processed quickly, accurately and securely when systems are back online," the company said. Outage affecting 26 banks across U.S. On Wednesday, Citibank said its app was experiencing technical issues after hundreds of customers reported receiving fraud alerts and difficulties accessing their accounts. On Thursday, Capital One users were reporting issues with receiving their deposits. Capital One replied on social media and said the company was working to resolve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Down Detector, an online database logging outages, over 2,000 people had reported issues with Capital One banking by 8 a.m. Thursday morning. What banks have been affected by outage? While many of these have not publicly addressed the outage, and some may be back online now, here are some of the banks and financial institutions customers have reported issues with in the last 24 hours according to DownDetector: This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Bank of Oklahoma, others affected by widespread outage: What to know LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas' Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom have little in common ideologically, but the two have both been vocal supporters of an idea that's been rapidly gaining bipartisan ground in the states: Students' cellphones need to be banned during the school day. At least eight states have enacted such bans over the past two years, and proposals are being considered in several more states this year. Here is a look at the push by states for such bans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why are states banning cellphones at schools? The push for cellphone bans has been driven by concerns about the impact screen time has on childrens mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms about their effects on young peoples lives, has said schools need to provide phone-free times. Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kim Whitman, co-founder of the Phone Free Schools Movement, said the issue is catching on because parents and teachers in both red and blue states are struggling with the consequences of kids on mobile devices. It doesn't matter if you live in a big city or a rural town, urban or suburban, all children are struggling and need that seven-hour break from the pressures of phones and social media during the school day, she said. What states are enacting bans? At least eight states California, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia have enacted measures banning or restricting students use of cellphones in schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The policies range widely. Florida was the first state to crack down on phones in school, passing a 2023 law that requires all public schools to ban cellphone use during class time and block access to social media on district Wi-Fi. A 2024 California law requires the states nearly 1,000 school districts to create their own cellphone policies by July 2026. Several other states haven't banned phones, but have encouraged school districts to enact such restrictions or have provided funding to store phones during the day. Sanders announced a pilot program last year providing grants to schools that adopt phone-free policies, and more than 100 school districts signed on. Sanders said she now wants to require all districts to ban cell phones during the school day, but the proposal will leave it to the districts on how to craft the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers know (cellphones are) a huge distraction, but much bigger than that is that it is impacting the mental health of so many of our students, Sanders told reporters on Thursday. Other governors recently calling for bans include Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who was sworn in this month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has suggested she'll seek a statewide policy, but has not offered specifics. What is the opposition to the bans? The cellphone bans have faced opposition from some parents who say they need to be able to contact their children directly in case of emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some parents have pointed to recent school shootings where having access to cellphones was the only way some students were able to communicate with loved ones for what they thought might be the last time. But supporters of the bans have noted that students' phones could pose additional dangers during an emergency by distracting students or by revealing their location during an active shooter situation. Parents opposed to the ban have also said they want their children to have access to their phones for other needs, such as coordinating transportation. Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, said she agrees about the dangers of social media on children but that the bans sought by states are taking too broad of an approach. Banning the devices during the school day is not going to solve underlying issues like bullying or the dangers of social media, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have not done our job as grown-ups to try to teach our kids the skills they need to actually navigate this technology, she said. We've just kicked the can down the road and thrown them into the deep end of the pool when they're by themselves after school. ___ Associated Press writers Hannah Fingerhut, Margery Beck, Holly Ramer and Anthony Izaguire contributed to this report. PHILIPPI, W.Va. (WBOY) The Leer South Mine in Barbour County, West Virginia will be closed for several months after an underground fire broke out there this week. A press release from the Core Natural Resources, which assumed control of the mine on Tuesday, said that the company is taking steps to temporarily seal the Leer South mines active longwall panel to help extinguish the fire, which broke out early Monday morning. Additionally, water and nitrogen will be added to help stop the combustion-related activity, the release said. Core CEO Paul A. Lang said the fire is isolated to the longwall area and that it does not pose a threat to longwall equipment at this time. However, longwall mining will not resume until mid-year, and continuous miners will not return to Leer South for several months, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Homeowner dead after Nicholas County fire On behalf of the Core management team, I want to commend Leer South personnel for their exceptional efforts in managing a challenging situation safely and effectively, and I want to thank the regulatory agencies for their great support during this process, Lang said in the release. After the fire is completely extinguished, the company will construct new ventilation controls and proactive mitigation systems before re-starting mine operations in multiple phases. No one was injured in the fire. 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 WBOY.com. MADISON, Wis. (AP) The Wisconsin Supreme Court heard arguments Thursday over whether a Republican-controlled legislative committees rejection of a state agency rule that would ban the practice of conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ people was unconstitutional. The challenge comes amid the national battle over LGBTQ+ rights. It is also part of a broader effort by the Democratic governor, who has vetoed Republican bills targeting transgender high school athletes, to rein in the power of the GOP-controlled Legislature. Here are things to know about the case: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is conversion therapy? So-called "conversion therapy" is the scientifically discredited practice of using therapy to convert LGBTQ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender expectations. The practice has been banned in 20 states and in more than a dozen communities across Wisconsin. Since April 2024, the Wisconsin professional licensing board for therapists, counselors and social workers has labeled conversion therapy as unprofessional conduct. Advocates seeking to ban the practice want to forbid mental health professionals in the state from counseling clients with the goal of changing their sexual orientation or gender identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fair Wisconsin, the only statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights and political advocacy organization, has heard about conversion therapy happening across the state, said the group's executive director Abigail Swetz. However, accurate data about how often it is happening is hard to come by, she said. There would be some data if the ban is enacted and the state is able to take action against licensed practitioners, but that wouldn't include attempts at conversion therapy made by religious institutions, Swetz said. What is happening in Wisconsin? The provision barring conversion therapy in Wisconsin has been blocked twice by the Legislatures powerful Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules a Republican-controlled panel in charge of approving state agency regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case before the liberal-controlled Wisconsin Supreme Court will determine whether the ban survives. The court will also determine if that legislative committee has been overreaching its authority in blocking a variety of other state regulations during Democratic Gov. Tony Evers' administration. The lawsuit brought by Evers targets two votes by the joint committee. One deals with the Department of Safety and Professional Services' conversion therapy ban. The other vote blocked an update to the state's commercial building standards. Republicans who supported suspending the conversion therapy ban have insisted the issue isnt the policy itself, but whether the licensing board had the authority to take the action it did. Evers has been trying since 2020 to get the ban enacted, but the Legislature has stopped it from going into effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justices question how far legislative power goes Liberal Justice Jill Karofsky focused on the conversion therapy rule, calling the practice beyond horrific. There are real lives that are at risk here, she said. This is hurting people. Other justices focused on whether the Legislature or the governor has the power to issue administrative rules. The Legislature's attorney Misha Tseytlin said decades of precedent are on his side, including a 1992 Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling upholding the Legislatures right to suspend state agency rules. Overturning that ruling would be deeply disruptive, he argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers, in arguing that the ruling should be overturned, said in court filings that by blocking the rule, the legislative committee is taking over powers that the state constitution assigns to the governor. The 1992 ruling conflicts with the constitution and has proved unworkable, Evers said. Conservative Justice Rebecca Bradley said the state constitution clearly gives the power to the Legislature. Nowhere do I see that the people ever consented to be governed by an administrative state instead of their representatives in the Legislature, she said. The issue goes beyond conversion therapy The conversion therapy ban is one of several rules that have been blocked by the legislative committee. Others pertain to environmental regulations, vaccine requirements and public health protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers argues in the lawsuit that the panel has effectively been exercising an unconstitutional legislative veto. The court sided with Evers in one issue brought in the lawsuit, ruling 6-1 in July that another legislative committee was illegally preventing the state Department of Natural Resources from spending money on a land stewardship program. The issue related to state regulations was broken out and heard Thursday. The court, controlled 4-3 by liberal justices, will issue a written ruling in the coming months. Bluffton, S.C. (WSAV) In the Lowcountry, a heated competition has unfolded between two major health care providers over a proposed hospital in the Bluffton area. Last week, Novant Health announced plans to build a $320 million community hospital in Bluffton, a project that has now sparked opposition from Beaufort Memorial Hospital and its affiliate, South of Broad Healthcare. Beaufort Memorial called for a public hearing with the South Carolina Department of Public Health to challenge Novants plans for the new hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell Baxley, president and CEO of Beaufort Memorial, spoke to WSAV about his concerns over the shift in the landscape of health care in the area. Novant Health aims to address affordable housing crisis through new development Something has changed. What has changed is unclear, Baxley said. That case was not made as to why in the last seven years, Beaufort Memorial should not have been allowed to build a hospital, but now somebody else should be. Beaufort Memorial had its own plans for a micro-hospital in 2018, but those plans fell through due to a six-year opposition battle with the previous owners of Hilton Head Hospital and Coastal Carolina, Tenet Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baxley said that Novant opposed their plans back then, a point that president of Novant Health South Carolina Jason Bernd refuted and said that Novant did not own the organization at the time. I think both organizations believe and understand that there is a need for additional facilities in the Bluffton area, and so we are supportive of adding new hospital facilities in this area, Bernd said. We are very excited about that opportunity to work with the communities to grow deeper. Meanwhile, Beaufort Memorials original hospital plan has shifted focus. Instead of a traditional hospital, they said that they are now planning a community medical campus which will break ground in February. This new facility will be located at the intersection of Bluffton Parkway and Buckwalter Parkway, just over a mile from Novants proposed hospital site, Buckwalter Parkway and Lake Point Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the proximity of Novant Healths proposed site, Baxley said, I think imitation is the biggest form of flattery. As both organizations presented their cases, the South Carolina Department of Public Health is set to make a decision on Novants proposed hospital by March 22. 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 WSAV-TV. By Manya Saini (Reuters) -The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Thursday ordered payments firm Block to pay a penalty, citing fraud and weak security protocols on its mobile payment service Cash App. The regulator said Block, which is led by Twitter Co-founder Jack Dorsey, directed Cash App users who experienced fraud-related losses to contact their banks for transaction reversals, which Block subsequently denied. The regulator also alleged the company deployed a range of tactics to suppress Cash App users from seeking help in order to reduce its own costs. Cash App is one of the largest peer-to-peer payment platforms in the U.S. and allows consumers to send and receive electronic money transfers, accept direct deposits and use a prepaid card to make purchases. "When things went wrong, Cash App flouted its responsibilities and even burdened local banks with problems that the company caused," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. In response, Block said the issues raised by the regulator were "historical" and did not "reflect the Cash App experience today". "While we strongly disagree with the CFPB's mischaracterizations, we made the decision to settle this matter in the interest of putting it behind us and focusing on what's best for our customers and our business," the company added. The move is one of the final regulatory actions under the Biden administration as Washington awaits the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Billionaire Elon Musk, who is slated to co-head a new government agency to slash government spending, has called for the elimination of the CFPB. The regulator's order includes up to $120 million in compensation and a $55 million penalty to be paid into the CFPB's victim relief fund. "The CFPB has made a few last-minute moves to aid consumers ahead of the incoming Trump administration including action against Zelle and the current settlement with Block," said Michael Ashley Schulman, partner and CIO at Running Point Capital Advisors. Last month, the agency filed a lawsuit against banking giants JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo tied to payments platform Zelle. Block's gross profit rose 19% to $2.25 billion in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, with Cash App accounting for $1.31 billion of the total income. It had 57 million active customer accounts. Under the enforcement action, the CFPB has also ordered Block to set up a 24-hour, live-person customer service to investigate unauthorized transactions and provide timely refunds, where appropriate. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) From an art gallery to a music recital, and even to a workshop, there is a lot happening with the Gulf Coast State College Visual and Performing Arts department over the next few weeks. On Friday, January 24th, the colleges newest art gallery, featuring sculptures, will open and be free to view. Then on Saturday, January 25th, the college will host a solo and ensemble workshop designed for local middle and high school students who may be participating in competitions soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, on Sunday, January 26th, the department will host their bi-annual faculty and friends music recital at 2:30 p.m. Dont get caught missing out on viewing The Mousetrap All these events give residents the chance to immerse themselves in the local art scene. I think the community is hungry for it and I think we want to share what were doing here, said Gulf Coast State College Visual & Performing Arts Chair Jennifer McAtee. Its not fun to just keep it to ourselves. I think us being able to share and also as a department chair, I want to share my faculty and all of their skills. I want everyone to see what great faculty we have, how talented they are, because so many times theyre in the classroom spending all their time sharing that with the students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The art gallery will be open through February 21st. Friday, January 17th is the final day to register for the workshop where youll meet with Gulf Coast professors one-on-one. 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 mypanhandle.com. LANCASTER, Pa. (WHTM) Community leaders and behavioral health advocates celebrated the opening of a new Behavioral Health Center at the Lancaster General Hospital (LGH) Thursday morning. According to Penn Medicine, the new Behavioral Health Center will be Lancaster Countys first center for low-risk behavioral health patients seeking care for depression, anxiety, substance-use disorders, and other mental health concerns that do not require inpatient or emergency care. The new center will feature two standout features including a Crisis Walk-in Center as well as Interventional Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Local Business Beat Penn Medicine says the new Crisis Walk-in Center will provide immediate behavioral health assessments, treatments, and support while also building a bridge to ongoing care that may be needed for patients ages six and up. The Crisis Walk-in Center will also connect patients to additional support services such as counseling and medication management. The Crisis Walk-In Center will operate Mondays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to Penn Medicine, the Behavioral Health Centers Interventional Services also includes the LGHs Interventional Psychiatry Program. This program specializes in treatments for psychiatric conditions that do not successfully respond to typical first-line treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a referral from a patients provider, the new Interventional Services can offer Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), Intranasal and IV ketamine therapy, and Electroconsulve therapy (ECT). The hours of operation for Interventional Psychiatry are Mondays through Fridays from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., by appointment only. Get daily news, weather, breaking news and alerts straight to your inbox! Sign up for the abc27 newsletters here Penn Medicine adds that funding support for the new Behavioral Health Center was provided by the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RCAP), Joy Allen, High Foundation, and the Capital Area Behavioral Health Collaborative (CABHC). abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 ABC27. Berks County property owners interested in appealing their tax assessments will need to move more quickly than normal this year. The county commissioners adopted a resolution Thursday authorizing the modification of the 45-day assessment appeal period, moving the start date up two weeks to June 15 from July 1. Each year, property owners have the opportunity to appeal their real estate assessments in an effort to reduce their tax burden. Those appeals are reviewed by the county board of assessment appeals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the property owner isnt satisfied with the boards decision, it can be appealed in county court. The board approved the move following a presentation at its operations meeting earlier this week where Sue Kissling, chief assessor for the county, and Edwin Stock, solicitor for the assessment appeals board, requested the change. Kissling told commissioners that moving the appeal period up by two weeks would give her staff more time to get the appeals filed and scheduled before the annual Oct. 31 deadline when all appeal decisions must be finalized. We are struggling to get all the appeals scheduled by the beginning of October so we can get everything completed by the end of that month, she said. Its a hardship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She explained that the county usually receives the majority of appeals near the end of the period. That has especially been true lately, she said, as law firms specializing in assessment appeals have been dumping them on the county at the last minute. Typically, at the end of the period is when everyone tries to get their appeals in, including what we call our ambulance chasers who file more than 300 appeals at the last moment, she said. The prevalence of ambulance chasers has also pushed up the total number of appeals the county receives each year. That number had been hovering around 500, she said, but over the last two years jumped to around 900. Stock said he believes the growing number of appeals is largely due to attorneys sending out mass mailings to taxpayers suggesting that if they appeal their assessment they will save money on property taxes. The firms then take a portion of the savings as a fee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vast bulk of the appeals are historically filed closer to the deadline, he said. Also at the meeting, the board adopted a resolution declaring an emergency with respect to repairing a water main break at the Berks County Youth Center in Bern Township. The county opened the facility in August to provide temporary housing and services for children with complex mental and behavioral challenges who have nowhere else to go. The declaration will waive all requirements of procurement law related to the replacement at a cost not to exceed $100,000. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Received a text about parking citations in San Diego? Local officials are warning the public to be aware of a phishing scam impersonating the citys webpage. The fraudulent text message via SMS, which contains the official city logo, contains instructions to click a link and pay the balance online, San Diego officials said in a news release Wednesday. The text also threatens additional penalties if the fine is not paid. Anna Marie DeLeon, a Temecula resident, recently got one of these texts, claiming she owed $4.35. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I looked closer, I realized it was a scam, DeLeon said. She immediately blocked the number. Pedestrian, 22, injured after being hit by MTS bus San Diego police lieutenant Travis Easter said the scam is under investigation and that the city does not issue parking citations via text message. Police discovered that the scam texts included a phone number with a Canadian area code and a link to an unsafe website. Easter noted that, while the small fine of $4.35 may seem insignificant, scammers rely on people paying without questioning the legitimacy of the message. Unfortunately, it happens, Easter said. Getting the word out can help prevent it from happening to others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that real parking tickets issued by the City of San Diego are almost always placed on vehicles and include official contact information for payment or disputes. This isnt the first time scammers have targeted San Diego drivers. In December, police warned about criminals placing fake parking tickets on vehicles, directing recipients to make donations to a number of organizations like the San Diego Police Foundation in lieu of a payment. The city says it is working with authorities to take down the fraudulent webpage tied to the latest scheme and identify those behind it. In the meantime, it encourages anyone who receives the parking citation to avoid clicking the link or entering any payment information. One dead, two others injured in East County three-vehicle crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delete it, block it, and dont click on any links they send you, DeLeon said. The city has provided additional tips on what to do if presented with the message: Verify the status of a parking citation or make a payment safely online through the City of San Diegos website; Call parking administration at 866-470-1308, the phone number is monitored between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Friday; Remain vigilant of cybersecurity threats; Learn more about cyber-enabled crime. 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. The worlds second richest man has now got a rocket in space alongside the worlds richest man, after Jeff Bezos Blue Origin rocket entered orbit. The spacecraft, called New Glenn, passed the Karman linethe internationally recognised boundary of spaceat around 2 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday after taking off from Cape Canaveral Space Force station in Florida. The New Glenn Rocket, widely seen as a potential competitor to Musks Falcon 9, was due to be blasted into space in the small hours of Monday morning, only for the launch to be called off during the final minutes of the countdown due to unspecified technical difficulties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the tech bro space race is now on, after the craft reached its intended orbit, according to an X post from the company. This received a congratulatory message from SpaceX founder and CEO, and Bezos main space rival, Elon Musk. Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! he wrote, tagging the Amazon founder. Thank you! Bezos responded, with a folded hands emoji. It wasnt all success for the Blue Origin team, however. The New Glenn lost its bizarrely named booster So Youre Telling Me Theres a Chance, which was due to be safely guided to a landing pad in the ocean. We lost the booster during descent. We knew landing the first stage on the first try was ambitious. Well learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch in the spring. Were thrilled with todays outcome, the company said on X. To reiterate our objectivesthis is our first flight, and weve prepared rigorously for it. But no amount of ground testing or mission simulations is a replacement for flying this rocket. Our key objective today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the pic.twitter.com/LSt0GoZXkj Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 16, 2025 Im incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt, said Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin. Well learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes after Bezos insisted that he saw no threat to his space race ambitions from Musk having the ear of the incoming president, Donald Trump. Musk had called on the incoming U.S. government to prioritize his own aspirations for sending a mission to Mars rather than Bezos ambitions of launching a second crew to Earths moon, following the first landing back in 1969. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A bicyclist who was hit and killed in downtown Grand Rapids Saturday evening was a longtime stagehand who worked big events at venues like Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place. Steve Dowhan, 53, of Walker, had just finished breaking down the Bridal Show at the convention center and was riding his bicycle on Pearl Street NW around 6:35 p.m. Saturday. An eyewitness told News 8 she had visited the World of Winter at Ah-Nab-Awen Park and was walking west on Pearl when she spotted a vehicle flying off the US-131 north exit ramp, which turns into Scribner Ave NW. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police: Bicyclist hit by car, killed in Grand Rapids She said the driver ran a red light at Pearl and slammed into Dowhan as he tried to cross Scribner. The stagehand died at the scene. The drivers vehicle ended up on against a curb on the west side of Scribner, just south of Michigan Street NE. Grand Rapids police reported officers arrested an adult male on suspicion of operating while intoxicated. News 8 is not identifying the driver because he has yet to be charged officially, but the suspect is reportedly in his thirties and lists an address in Wyoming. Michigan Secretary of State records show this isnt his first drunk driving case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wyoming man was arrested in August 2023 and charged with operating with a high blood alcohol content at .17. YOU COULD COUNT ON HIM The hole that Steve leaves is immeasurable, said Josh Roskamp, Business Agent at the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) Local 26. You could count on him to be at every gig on time and ready to work It wont be the same without him. An undated photo of Steve Dowhan. (Courtesy) Co-workers also described Dowhans love for music. He was such a music aficionado, said Tom Burke, president of IATSE Local 26. It didnt matter what type of music or what band you liked, he probably owned their album I would wear the most obscure concert shirts from the 80s, and he would say, Oh, I know that, and I saw them. So, you had to love him for that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the direct cause of Dowhans death was a suspected drunk driver, the union that represented him and more than 500 other backstage workers is frustrated over a lack of affordable parking near downtown venues. Grand Rapids may end free parking in some areas So many of our coworkers will ride bikes miles away in order to save on parking, said Jessica Westra, First Vice President at IATSE, because if youre only making $25 an hour, you cant spend $25 on parking. The union acknowledges it does not know if Dowhan was riding his bicycle Saturday to avoid parking fees. The 53-year-old was health conscious and loved riding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just the fact that weve been asking for parking for a few years now, said Burke, attempting to put it in contracts Instead, we pay about one hour of our wages so we can go to work downtown and people are forced to try to find ways around that. Westra doesnt think backstage workers receive the respect they deserve. Our union will set up every Broadway (show) that comes to town, said Westra. All of the big concerts at Van Andel, all of those massive events that draw thousands of people downtown. Were the ones who set those up We dont feel like were supported if we dont have safe access to parking so we can get to and from those events. Target 8 contacted ASM Global, which manages the arena and convention center, for a response to the unions parking concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No comment, said a spokesperson with the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority and ASM Global. IN 2023 ARREST: A TESLA STRUCK A CURB In the August 2023 arrest of the driver who later hit and killed Dowhan, a GRPD officer had spotted a white Tesla eastbound on Leonard Street NW near Hamilton Avenue NW. (The) officer recognized the driver of the Tesla as someone he saw thirty minutes prior, wrote an officer in the 2023 probable cause affidavit. (The) officer advised that he originally saw the white Tesla Park in the middle of the street on 2nd Street NW. He advised that the driver at the time appeared intoxicated. The officer told the driver to have a sober person move the car. It appeared the driver had failed to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on this observation officers activated their lights to initiate a traffic stop, an officer reported in the affidavit. The Tesla failed to pull over and crossed the fog line and struck a curb. The vehicle eventually pulled over on US-131. According to secretary of state records, the August 2023 arrest was resolved in March 2024 with a conviction for Operating While Intoxicated. A MOMENT OF SILENCE At the Grand Rapids Gold game Tuesday night, the announcer paid tribute to Dowhan. Ladies and gentlemen, this past Saturday, Steve Dowhan, a proud local member of IATSE Local 26, passed away suddenly after being struck by a car while riding his bike. Since he joined the local in the early 2010s, Steve always held himself to the highest standards. He used to climb around in this very ceiling setting up your favorite concerts and shows as a rigger. Steve was a true professional. He took great pride in every gig, every cue that was assigned to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcer extended condolences to Dowhans family, friends and union brothers and sisters, before observing a moment of silence in Dowhans honor. 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. The Biden administration doesn't plan to take action that forces TikTok to immediately go dark for U.S. users on Sunday, an administration official told ABC News. TikTok could still proactively choose to shut itself down that day -- a move intended to send a clear message to the 170 million people it says use the app each month about the wide-ranging impact of the ban. But the Biden administration is now signaling it won't enforce the law that goes into effect one day before the president leaves office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: How TikTok can still avoid a ban, according to experts "Our position on this has been clear: TikTok should continue to operate under American ownership. Given the timing of when it goes into effect over a holiday weekend a day before inauguration, it will be up to the next administration to implement," a White House official told ABC News in a statement. PHOTO: TikTok logo on a smartphone. (Antonin Utz/AFP via Getty Images) The way the law works, TikTok isn't required to go dark on Jan. 19. It's the app stores and internet hosting services that could be on the hook if they keep providing their services to TikTok. The law gives the Justice Department the power to pursue fines of up to $5,000 per user, an enormous potential liability given the app's popularity. So even if President Joe Biden -- or President-elect Donald Trump -- say they won't enforce the ban, tech companies will still be liable as long as TikTok is owned by ByteDance. Apple, Google and Oracle have so far not responded to or declined to comment to ABC News about what they will do on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the reality is that both presidents have limited options to put the ban on hold. The law states the president can grant a one-time extension delaying the ban for up to 90 days under three very specific conditions: TikTok must show it's on a "path to executing" a divesture from its Chinese owner; there must be "evidence of significant progress" toward a sale; and that progress must be sealed with "relevant binding legal agreements." MORE: Supreme Court appears likely to uphold TikTok ban unless China-owned ByteDance divests At this point, there is no sign that any of those conditions have been met. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A group of Democrats in the House and Senate introduced a bill on Tuesday that would have given TikTok's parent company ByteDance an additional 270 days to sell or divest but Republican Sen. Tom Cotton, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, cited national security concerns in objecting to a request by sponsor Sen. Ed Markey for the Senate to unanimously approve the extension on Wednesday. PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer talks to reporters following the weekly Senate Democrat caucus policy luncheon at the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 14, 2025, in Washington. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor on Thursday that it was "stunning" that Cotton blocked Markey's effort. "It's clear that more time is needed," Schumer said. "We will continue to work to find a responsible solution to keeping TikTok going, protect American livelihoods, and protect against Communist Chinese Communist Party surveillance. We must and can do all three." Schumer's office said he had also spoken directly to Biden to appeal for an extension. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden signed the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, which was part of a massive, $95 billion foreign aid package passed by Congress in April of last year. Biden and some congressional leaders argued that the ultimatum against TikTok was necessary because of security concerns about ByteDance and its connections to the Chinese government. Trump originally tried to ban TikTok in his first term, but has since reversed course, vowing during the 2024 presidential campaign to "save" the app. In a news conference in December, the president-elect said he had a "warm spot in my heart" for the app and gave it credit for helping him win over young voters. Later in December, he asked the Supreme Court to delay the deadline so that he could work out a "negotiated resolution" that would save the app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump met with TikTok CEO Shou Chew at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida last month and he plans to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, sources told ABC News. PHOTO: President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Republican governors at Mar-a-Lago, Jan. 9, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (Evan Vucci/AP) On Wednesday, Florida Rep. Mike Waltz, Trump's pick for national security adviser, told Fox News that Trump was looking for options to "preserve" TikTok. Waltz was asked about a Washington Post report that Trump was considering an executive order to suspend enforcement of the law. Sources familiar with the discussions confirmed to ABC News that Trumps team has been talking about a plan, including a possible executive order, to keep TikTok available. "If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, he's going to protect their data," Waltz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He's a deal maker," Waltz added. "I don't want to get ahead of our executive orders, but we're going to create this space to put that deal in place." A majority of justices on the Supreme Court last week appeared inclined to uphold the law. During oral arguments, concerns about intelligence threats posed by China and potential future weaponization of the app seemed to override concerns about potential infringement on free speech rights. "Are we supposed to ignore the fact that the ultimate parent of TikTok is doing intelligence work?" Chief Justice John Roberts asked the company's attorney. -ABC News' Rachel Scott and Mariam Khan contributed to this report Biden administration will leave it to Trump to implement TikTok ban originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Biden administration believes that large-scale sanctions have been more effective politically than designating Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism, Ukrinform reported on Jan. 16, citing U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. "We do not consider this [recognizing Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism] to be the most effective way to achieve existing political goals when we talk about Russia, Miller said at a press briefing. He noted that recent US sanctions, including measures targeting Russia's energy sector, have had tangible effects, such as halting tankers carrying Russian oil worldwide. Miller also said that labeling Russia as a terrorism sponsor could hinder international humanitarian efforts and complicate operations in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest round of U.S. sanctions was passed on Jan. 15. The U.S. Treasury imposed new sanctions on a total of over 150 entities and individuals, including companies in Russias defense industry and those supporting it, as well as dozens of entities across multiple countries that help Russia evade U.S. sanctions. The Treasury also expanded measures against almost 100 entities already under sanctions for their cooperation with Russias military-industrial complex. Read also: Trump advisers draft sanctions plan to pressure Moscow toward peace, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -Elon Musk was sued on Tuesday by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which accused the world's richest person of waiting too long to disclose in 2022 he had amassed a large stake in Twitter, the social media company he later bought. In a complaint filed in Washington, D.C. federal court, the SEC said Musk violated federal securities law by waiting 11 days too long to disclose his initial purchase of 5% of Twitter's common shares. An SEC rule requires investors to disclose within 10 calendar days, or by March 24, 2022 in Musk's case, when they cross a 5% ownership threshold. The SEC said that at the expense of unsuspecting investors, Musk instead bought more than $500 million of Twitter shares at artificially low prices before finally revealing his purchases on April 4, 2022, by which time he owned a 9.2% stake. Twitter's share price rose more than 27% following that disclosure, the SEC said. Tuesday's lawsuit seeks to force Musk to pay a civil fine and disgorge profits he didn't deserve. Musk eventually purchased Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, and renamed it X. Alex Spiro, a lawyer for Musk, in an email called the SEC lawsuit the culmination of the regulator's "multi-year campaign of harassment" against his client. "Today's action is an admission by the SEC that they cannot bring an actual case," he said. "Mr. Musk has done nothing wrong and everyone sees this sham for what it is." Spiro added that the lawsuit addresses a mere "alleged administrative failure to file a single form--an offense that, even if proven, carries a nominal penalty." OTHER LAWSUITS OVER TWITTER PURCHASES Musk, an adviser to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, is worth $417 billion according to Forbes magazine, through businesses such as the electric car maker Tesla and rocket company SpaceX. He is worth nearly twice as much as Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos, the world's second-richest person at $232 billion, Forbes said. The SEC sued Musk six days before Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration. SEC Chair Gary Gensler is stepping down that day, and Paul Atkins, who Trump nominated to succeed him, is expected to review many of Gensler's rules and enforcement actions. Musk has also been sued in Manhattan federal court by former Twitter shareholders over the late disclosure. In that case, Musk has said it was implausible to believe he wanted to defraud other shareholders, and that "all indications" were that his delay was a mistake. By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden boosted security ties with Cyprus on Wednesday by issuing a presidential memorandum that makes the eastern Mediterranean island eligible to receive American defense articles and military sales. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Relations between the U.S. and Cyprus have become closer in recent years, as the island has firmly pivoted its focus to the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their strengthening relationship is being watched closely by Turkey, which is a NATO ally of Washington and in September criticized the signing of a roadmap to boost two-way defense cooperation between the United States and Cyprus. Turkey said the roadmap was detrimental to the interests of Turkish Cypriots in the breakaway north of the island. KEY QUOTE "I hereby find that the furnishing of defense articles and defense services to the Republic of Cyprus will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace," Biden, who leaves office on Jan. 20 when Republican President-elect Donald Trump takes over, said in the memorandum. CONTEXT Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States and Cyprus had agreed to boost cooperation in late October, amid a backdrop of increasing turmoil in the neighboring Middle East. A strategic dialogue, which the two countries agreed upon in June 2024, encompassed a range of topics from security and law enforcement to energy cooperation, education and investment. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Nia Williams) 36,706 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? 36,706 people played the daily Crossword recently. Can you solve it faster than others? The Biden administration forgave $4.5 billion for more than 261,000 student loan borrowers in one of its final actions before departing office. In a statement released by the Department of Education (DOE), the Biden administration said the forgiveness was distributed to 261,000 borrowers who attended Ashford University, a largely online school, from March 2009 to April 2020. The recipients attended the formerly for-profit university, which the DOE determined had made widespread misrepresentations about students ability to obtain needed licensure, transferring credits, the cost and total of financial aid and the time it would take people to earn a degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The forgiveness stemmed from a successful lawsuit brought by DOE against Ashford University and its parent company, Zovio Inc. Numerous federal and state investigations have documented the deceptive recruiting tactics frequently used by Ashford University, U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal said in a statement. In reality, 90 percent of Ashford students never graduated, and the few who did were often left with large debts and low incomes. The latest student loan forgiveness increases the total to $34 billion for borrowers whose schools took advantage of them, have since closed or are part of court settlements, the DOE said. Ashford borrowers will be sent emails from the department in the coming days to notify them that their outstanding balances will be discharged. Borrowers will not need to take further action to receive the relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wednesday announcement comes just days after President Biden said his administration would forgive student loans for more than 150,000 borrowers. The move brings the total number of people impacted by student loan forgiveness and relief during Bidens term to more than 5 million. Four years ago, President Biden made a promise to fix a broken student loan system. Today, life-changing student debt relief is possible for more than five million borrowers more than any other administration in history, Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona 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 The Hill. When President Joe Biden used his farewell address on Wednesday to warn of a growing tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, he didnt expressly say who he was talking about. But with days to go until President-elect Donald Trump is sworn in for a second term, Bidens ominous remarks about what he called a new oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy appeared to be a pointed swipe at centibillionaire Trump backer Elon Musk, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, among others. Elon Musk will reportedly have an office in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building (Getty Images) Musk, who spent roughly half a billion of his own funds to help secure Trumps 2024 election win over Vice President Kamala Harris, is set to play an outsized role in the 47th presidents incoming administration to the point of being reportedly given a coveted office inside the Eisenhower Executive Office Building just steps from the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Come Monday, hell also be seated on the inaugural dais at the Capitol, just steps from where Trump will place his hand on a bible and swear the presidential oath of office at noon. Here are some of the other technology industry figures who are set to join him. Jeff Bezos speaks onstage during The New York Times Dealbook Summit 2024 at Jazz at Lincoln Center on December 04, 2024 in New York City (Getty Images for The New York Ti) Jeff Bezos Bezos, the founder and chairman of Amazon the worlds largest retailer is understood to be headed to Washington to celebrate Trumps swearing-in. Hes also the owner and CEO of Blue Origin, a private space exploration company that just launched its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time. The bookstore magnate turned suborbital space traveler clashed repeatedly with Trump during his first term thanks to Bezoss ownership of The Washington Post, a point of contention that he reportedly sought to soften by ordering the Post editorial board to nix a planned endorsement of Harris last year. Zuckerberg recently ordered his platforms to stop fact checking in a bid to curry favor with conservatives (AP) Mark Zuckerberg Zuckerberg was once firmly on Trumps enemies list thanks to his control of Facebook and Instagram, both of which banned Trump in the wake of the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by a riotous mob of the then-presidents supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also a target of attacks from Trumpworld on account of his nonprofit foundations work to make it easier for Americans to vote during the 2020 election amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The combination of both factors was enough to get Trump to include a threat to imprison Zuckerberg in his most recent coffee table book. And the Meta founder appears to have gotten the message. Hes repeatedly travelled to Trumps Mar-a-Lago residence to dine with the incoming president, and he recently ordered his platforms to stop fact checking user posts and nixed rules against hate speech. Both decisions were a sop to right-wing critics who have long characterized both repealed policies as censorship. He also ordered Meta to nix internal diversity initiatives and has gone on a media tour on Trump-friendly podcasts such as the one hosted by Joe Rogan. Nadella reportedly had dinner with Trump in Florida recently (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Satya Nadella Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, is another leader who has made overtures to Trump since last years election. According to Semafor, he joined the president-elect, Vice president-elect JD Vance, and Elon Musk for lunch at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club this week. Sundar Pichai The Google CEO could benefit from a cozy relationship with Trump (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Pichai, the chief executive of Alphabet and its subsidiary Google, has also travelled to Mar-a-Lago in the weeks since the election to meet with Trump. According to Reuters, hell be at the inauguration on Monday. Tim Cook Tim Cook has also met with UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in recent months (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Cook, who Trump once mistakenly referred to as Tim Apple during a White House event, was never an antagonist of the former turned future president. But in the months since the election, hes reached out to the incoming leader and has donated to Trumps inaugural fund. Shou Chew The TikTok chief executive will be at Trumps inauguration on Monday (Getty Images) Perhaps none of the leaders on this list has as much at stake as Chew, whose Chinese-owned companys video sharing app is set to be banned from American app stores on the day before Trump takes office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The New York Times, Chew is set to be seated on the inaugural dais when Trump takes the oath of office next week. The Singaporean tech executive has reportedly mounted a charm offensive to court Trump, who once called for TikTok to be banned from the U.S., by pointing out the prevalence of pro-Trump content on the soon-to-be-verboten application. The incoming president has expressed a desire to save the app if he can, though legal experts arent sure if he can do so unilaterally under the law passed by Congress to effectively ban it last year. (Bloomberg) -- The Biden administration advanced a plan to limit oil drilling and infrastructure across more of Alaskas National Petroleum Reserve, a bid to lock in land protections and conservation requirements days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Most Read from Bloomberg The Interior Department move Thursday represents the latest step by outgoing President Joe Biden to enshrine protections that could complicate Trump plans to rapidly expand oil and gas development across US federal lands and waters. In recent weeks, Biden also has designated new national monuments and ruled out the sale of drilling rights in more than 625 million acres of US coastal waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the latest action, the Interior Department is proposing new special area designations that would restrict drilling and other activities across more than 3 million acres of the Indiana-sized reserve in northwest Alaska. The move comes on top of on an existing policy, finalized last year, that barred drilling across nearly half of the NPR-A. The rugged terrain once earmarked for energy development contains an estimated 8.7 billion barrels of recoverable oil, but its also an important habitat for caribou, grizzly bears and migratory birds. And its a prized resource for Alaska Natives who have long relied on the land for subsistence hunting and fishing. The Interior Department immediately imposed measures meant to avoid damage to those areas even while theyre being considered for protection, effectively raising hurdles for building roads and other infrastructure across the tracts. Although Trump could cast aside his predecessors proposed special areas and ignore the interim safeguards imposed in the meantime, the action could be challenged in federal court. The report and memo unveiled Thursday bolsters the government record for those safeguards, providing potential fodder for any future legal battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Environmentalists said they hoped the effort would create a bulwark against Trumps plan to unleash American oil development. The Biden administration clearly understands that the oil and gas industry is not entitled to these precious public lands and is taking steps to ensure they survive, said Bobby McEnaney, director for land conservation at the Natural Resources Defense Council. The move could have implications for companies that have had holdings or interests in the reserve, including ConocoPhillips, Santos Ltd., Repsol SA and Armstrong Oil & Gas Inc. Although the Interior Departments actions do not affect valid, existing rights within the NPR-A, the recommended special areas overlap with current leases, including some held by ConocoPhillips and Oil Search Ltd., which was acquired by Santos in 2021. And they encroach on territory around ConocoPhillips 600-million-barrel Willow oil development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The targeted areas effectively form a donut of protections around the Willow project, said Athan Manuel, director of the Sierra Clubs Lands Protection Program. The initiative was blasted by oil advocates, including Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican from Alaska, who said on X the Biden administration had willfully ignored federal law to try to convert the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska into de facto federal wilderness. ConocoPhillips Alaska decried what it called an 11th-hour effort to impose interim measures by the outgoing administration. Theyre based on an unlawful regulation thats already being challenged in federal court, is depriving local stakeholders influence over the NPR-A and should immediately be rescinded, the company said in an emailed statement. The Interior Department received tens of thousands of comments after asking the public to nominate parcels for protection last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 23-million-acre site was first set aside for oil supply needs roughly a century ago. When Congress authorized its commercial development in 1976, lawmakers said the government should ensure maximum protection for some areas of it. (Updates with comment from ConocoPhillips and other details starting with the third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. US President Joe Biden mentioned Ukraine in his brief farewell speech in the context of his foreign policy achievements and how he "strengthened NATO". Source: Biden in his farewell speech, quoted by CNN Details: Biden delivered a farewell speech in the Oval Office of the White House as he prepares to end his presidential term next week. Reflecting on his legacy and the achievements of his administration, Biden said he hopes they will continue for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "It will take time to feel the full impact of what weve done together. But the seeds are planted and theyll grow and theyll bloom for decades to come." Details: He listed some of the accomplishments of his presidency, including lowering the price of medicines for seniors, passing gun safety laws, and helping veterans get healthcare. Biden also boasted of foreign policy achievements and pointed to how he had "strengthened NATO". Quote: "Ukraine is still free, and weve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more." Background: Earlier, Biden mentioned Russia's war against Ukraine when summarising his administration's foreign policy and reiterated that Moscow had not achieved its "strategic goals". Support UP or become our patron! President Joe Biden warned of a looming oligarchy and a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few wealthy people that he said is threatening Americas democracy, in his farewell address on Wednesday. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America, extreme wealth, power and influence that really threatens our entire democracy, basic rights, freedoms and a fair shot for everyone, he said. We see the consequences all across America, and weve seen it before, more than a century ago, that the American people stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trust. They didnt punish the wealthy. Just made the wealthy pay and play by the rules everybody else had. The outgoing presidents forceful words were an ominous endcap to his administration, which will give way next week to a Trump presidency already rife with billionaire influence from the likes of Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, Larry Ellison and other unelected tech and financial titans who wield outsized power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden elsewhere touted his administrations accomplishments on job growth, gun control and healthcare coverage. He began his 20-minute remarks with the cease-fire hostage deal between Israel and Hamas that he said was the result of eight months of nonstop negotiation. Biden explained, This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and it will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. Thats why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, if thats how it should be, working together as Americans. Going on to speak of more highlights of his term, the president said, It will take time to feel the full impact of all weve done together, but the seeds are planted, and theyll grow and theyll bloom for decades to come, before listing some of his successes: At home, we created nearly 17 million new jobs, more than any other single administration a single term, more people have health care than ever before, and overseas, we strengthened NATO. Ukraine is still free, weve pulled ahead of our competition with China. Im so proud of how much weve accomplished together with the American people, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His well-wishes for the incoming Trump administration were paired with the warnings of some things that give me great concern, among them the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Biden also warned of the downsides of AI and an avalanche of misinformation, as well as the potential rise of a tech industrial complex. He continued, Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation, disinformation enabling the abuse of power. Free Press is crumbling Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies for power and for profit. We must hold the social platform accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power. He frequently referenced the Statue of Liberty as a symbol of hope and the soul of our nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In closing, he said, Ive always believed, and Ive told other world leaders, America can be defined by one word: possibilities. Only in America do we believe anything is possible. He referenced his own modest beginnings as a kid with a stutter to becoming president. Thats the magic of America. Its all around us. Biden closed by thanking Vice President Kamala Harris, his wife Jill Biden, members of his administration and service members and their families. Its been the highest honor of my life to lead you as commander-in-chief, he concluded. The post Biden Warns of Oligarchy and a Dangerous Concentration of Power in Farewell Address | Video appeared first on TheWrap. When he ran for President, Joe Biden promised to restore the soul of the country after four years of Donald Trumps divisive and chaotic leadership. Now, in a few short days, hes handing the Oval Office back to Trumpthough he clearly feels like his work is unfinished. In a 20-minute farewell address to the nation Wednesday night, Biden said he was optimistic about the promise of America. But he warned about a dangerous concentration of power in the country in the hands of a few, a tech-industrial complex that spreads false information for profit, and the need to end anonymous donations in politics. Today an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said. Biden didnt name the worlds richest man, Elon Musk, or the other billionaires who have supported Trumps return to power. But he had a message for them nonetheless. He said that Americans stood up to the robber barons who consolidated power over a century ago. They didnt punish the wealthy, just made the wealthy play by the rules, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sitting behind the Resolute Desk for the prime time address, Biden ticked off his work in office jump-starting the U.S. economy after the pandemic, boosting American manufacturing, creating millions of jobs, and trying to steer the countrys industrial sector away from fossil fuels. He said that Americans dont have to choose between protecting the environment and improving the economy. We are doing both. Biden highlighted turbulent forces that are changing American culture and politics and diluting the power of working Americans. He took aim at social media companies, like Musks X and Mark Zuckerbergs Meta, that have decided to allow false information to spread freely on their platforms. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit, Biden said. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, others are disappearing, social media has given up on fact checking. Biden had some prescriptions for the ailments he diagnosed. He called for 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices and said that dark money donations hidden behind campaign contributions need to be rooted out of politics. He said that the dawn of artificial intelligence could have tremendous benefitslike improving the treatment of cancerbut needs safeguards to protect our basic rights. After nearly half a century as a public servant, Biden wished success for his successors administration, he said, because he wants the country to succeed. Thats why Ive held my duty to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition of power, Biden said, a duty that Trump did not follow when Biden came into office in the wake of Trumps unwillingness to acknowledge the 2020 election results and his repeated efforts to overturn Bidens win. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure, Biden said, before leaving Americans with this final task: Its your turn to stand guard. Contact us at letters@time.com. President Biden will sign an executive order on Thursday intended to boost the privacy of Americans amid continued cyberattacks against the U.S. Adversary countries and criminals have increasingly targeted the U.S. government, corporations and individual Americans with cyberattacks that disrupt critical services, businesses and individual lives, costing billions of dollars as well as damages, a senior administration official told reporters on a call Wednesday previewing the order. The executive order lays out a series of initiatives to help the federal government defend against cyber attacks that threaten the privacy of Americans digital identities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Security Council (NSC) acknowledged on Wednesday the U.S. stands alone among major economies when it comes to the countrys digital identity infrastructure. Americans encounter about $56 billion in fraud each year, the NSC said. Part of the executive order will lower the bar for sanctions imposed by the U.S. government to punish cyber attackers. The goal is to make it costlier and harder for China, Russia, Iran and ransomware criminals to hack and to also signal that America means business when it comes to protecting our nation, from our economy and employment to infrastructure and innovation, the administration official said, adding later, It means more tools to publish them, to publicly name, sanction and penalize these individuals, whether theyre working independently or for [a] foreign government. The order will also speed up the rollout of private-sector technology to increase government efficiency and reduce fraud. It promotes the use of privacy-preserving digital identity documents like mobile driver licenses and the launch of an early-warning fraud pilot that will notify Americans of potential fraud incidents involving their public benefits and payments, the NSC said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also establishes new requirements for software providers for the U.S. government. It comes just weeks after the Treasury Department informed lawmakers Chinese state-sponsored actors hacked into the agency early last month and stole a key from a third-party software service provider. Building upon Bidens first cyber executive order, in which federal agencies were required to implement new practices to protect themselves from cyberattacks, Thursdays order will further this goal by advancing the use of modern technologies that are resistant to phishing in federal agencies. It will also promote the visibility of attack activity across government agencies for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) to more efficiently do its job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we find one particular technique that a foreign government has used to hack one particular federal agency, this now tasks CISA and invites CISA centralized visibility to hunt across all agency systems to ensure were defending against this attack broadly, the administration official said. In addition, the development and use of artificial intelligence (AI) will also be accelerated under the order, along with further research of AI-based cybersecurity tools and post-quantum technologies. The component echoes that of Bidens national security memorandum issued last October, which encouraged government agencies to seize on the most advanced AI systems to boost national security. The order additionally brings attention to the protection of space-based systems, pointing to the devastation from Russias attack on Ukraines military satellite communications system ahead of its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Numerous foreign adversaries carried out hacking operations in the U.S. last year, further raising alarm about the countrys ability to fend off such attacks. Among the attacks was the unprecedented Salt Typhoon, operation, during which China-backed actors hacked into more than half a dozen telecom firms in the U.S. Among those targeted in the Salt Typhoon hacks were some involved in the government or political activities, officials said earlier this year. While officials have not revealed exactly how many were targeted, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance were among the phones reportedly targeted. The highly anticipated order comes at the tail-end of the Biden administration and follows two AI-related orders issued by the president earlier this week. It remains unclear whether Trump will choose to keep or repeal Thursdays order when he is sworn back into the Oval Office next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. (Reuters) - Warner Bros Discovery has appointed Anthony Noto, CEO of fintech giant SoFi, and Joey Levin, the outgoing chief executive of IAC, to its board, the company said on Tuesday. The media giant is undergoing a restructuring to separate its declining cable TV businesses, such as CNN, from streaming and studio operations, setting the stage for a potential sale or spinoff of its TV business, as more cable subscribers cut the cord. Noto joined the board on Jan. 8 and Levin is slated to join on Feb. 1. Both will be up for election at the company's 2025 annual stockholder meeting. Levin will step down as CEO of the media and internet company IAC, after the spinoff of its majority stake in home services unit Angi, IAC said on Monday. He will transition to the role of executive chairman of Angi. Levin previously served in senior roles across IAC's mergers and acquisitions group, operations and business management teams over the past two decades. His leadership has steered IAC through its initial IPO and subsequent spinoffs of Match Group and Vimeo. Noto, who was appointed the CEO of SoFi in 2018, also brings four years of executive experience with Twitter, now called X, where he initially served as finance chief before taking on the role of chief operating officer. "Both Anthony and Joey are accomplished leaders with considerable experience in relevant industries and exceptional track records of driving growth, innovation and shareholder value," said David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros Discovery. Last month, Warner Bros Discovery said Li Haslett Chen, a member of its board and the company's nominating and corporate governance committee, will resign from her positions. Following their appointments, the board will have 13 directors, 12 of whom are independent. (Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Mohammed Safi Shamsi) President Joe Biden used his farewell address to warn Americans about a scourge of misinformation and social media giants failure to stop it, unleashing a blistering criticism as tech companies such as Facebook and X embrace the incoming Trump administration. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling an abuse of power, Biden said Wednesday from the Oval Office. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media has given up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. President Biden uses his farewell address to warn about " an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation" and that "social media is giving up on fact checking." pic.twitter.com/jehyXc4PEf Ken Klippenstein (@kenklippenstein) January 16, 2025 His remarks come amid a shocking retreat from fact-checking on major social media platforms. CEO Mark Zuckerberg said earlier this month that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, would end its fact-checking program and replace it with a community notes model similar to that used by Elon Musks X (formerly Twitter). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his announcement, Zuckerberg claimed Metas fact-checking teams had become too politically biased. The shift is part of a large effort by tech executives to woo Republicans and the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. Amazon, Google, Meta, Apple and Microsoft have all given $1 million to Trumps inaugural fund, and many of their leaders have made overtures in an effort to thaw an at-times frosty relationship with the president-elect. Biden compared the rise in the billionaire class to the era of robber barons during Americas Gilded Age. Unchecked, the president warned, an oligarchy could arise that threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. We must hold the social platforms accountable, to protect our children, our families and our very democracies from the abuse of power, he said. Related... Many White House officials believe that Joe Biden missed an opportunity by not making a friend of Elon Musk, according to a report. While Biden in his Wednesday farewell address warned of the emergence of oligarchs in the United States, some of his aides told CNN that his decisions may contributed to the creation of one. Musk, who has emerged as one of Donald Trumps most powerful allies, was previously a Democrat and did not back the now-president-elect until his near-miss assassination attempt in July. Musk has emerged as one of Trumps closest and most powerful allies. / Brandon Bell / Getty Images Specifically, the aides pointed to the exclusion of Musks electric car company, Tesla, from a 2021 event celebrating EV manufacturers. Encouraging electric vehicle use as an renewable, environmentally friendly form of transportation was one of Bidens key efforts as a president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources told CNN that Musk was left off the guest list because workers at his company werent unionized. One White House official went so far as to compare Biden snubbing Musk to Barack Obama infamously mocking Trump at the 2011 White House correspondents dinnera moment some have suggested inspired Trump to run for president years later. CNN noted that Musk wasnt quick to forget the incident. He tweeted about it at the time, and even brought it up at a Pennsylvania town hall in 2024 while campaigning on Trumps behalf. At least on Biden administration official, former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, did engage substantively with Musk about policy. The two met for over an hour in Austin, Texas, in 2022. But when Musk later invited Walsh to visit him in California, the trip never came to fruition, according to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One senior White House official criticized the decision to keep Biden from meeting with people, like Musk, who shared different viewpoints from him. They made a mistake, the unnamed source told CNN. I think they miscalculated. The White House did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts request for comment on CNNs report. Biden: "I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. That's the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape" pic.twitter.com/3JFO40udS3 Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 16, 2025 Without referring to Musk by name, Biden cautioned against the political influence of the hyper-wealthy in his parting address on Wednesday. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said. When Trump assumes control of the White House on Monday, he will bring Musk along with him. The worlds richest man, who Trump has named head of the made-up Department of Government Efficiency, will try to make good on his promise to cut needless government spendingand hold the presidents ear. President-elect Trumps and President Bidens teams worked hand in hand for a hostage and ceasefire in Gaza deal, according to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew. In the wake of Novembers election, the Trump and Biden teams began working together, Lew told Reuters in a Thursday report from the outlet. I think a lot of progress has been made. The fact that you have an outgoing and an incoming administration that have worked hand in hand to make the case for urgency, I think, has been noticed by all parties, the ambassador told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas was unveiled Wednesday. It is expected to begin Sunday, with its first phase including a six-week ceasefire, as well as Hamas releasing 33 hostages out of an estimated 94 people, both alive and dead, it has held captive for more than a year. Biden hailed the agreement Wednesday, saying getting to this deal has not been easy. Ive worked on foreign policy for decades. This was one of the toughest negotiations Ive ever experienced, he said, adding they reached the deal because of the pressure Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alleged Thursday that Hamas had reneged on parts of the agreement. He said in a statement that his Cabinet isnt going to sign off on the deal until the Palestinian militant group agrees to every part of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that [Biden] and the president-elect use different language in this case may create constructive tension, because they have the same goal, and [Trump] has used language that makes people say, Whats going to happen next? If we were working at cross-purposes, it would be perhaps a different situation. But were not. Theres no daylight between what were trying to accomplish, Lew 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 The Hill. When Qatars prime minister emerged Wednesday to declare at long last that a ceasefire-for-hostage deal had been struck in Gaza, representatives for two American administrations were on hand in Doha to bask in the victory. The cooperation between the two was almost unprecedented, a senior Biden administration official said after the deal was clinched, made possible by a rare intersection of interests between bitter rivals who both saw an opening following Trumps victory. Brett McGurk, the longtime Middle East negotiator for President Joe Biden, had been planted in the Qatari capital for weeks in the hopes of a final agreement. He was joined in recent days by President-elect Donald Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, for the final push. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At points, McGurk and Witkoff divvied up meetings across the Middle East to push the deal across the line, including critical talks between Witkoff and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week that McGurk joined by phone. If McGurk was focused primarily on the parameters of the deal, Witkoff was on hand to emphasize Trumps desire to see a deal finished by Inauguration Day. After the agreement was announced, both the incoming and outgoing president took full credit, a sign the poisonous relationship between them endures. Ultimately, however, the deal enables both Biden and Trump to claim victory. It notches a final bit of positive news for a president who is poised to leave office with the lowest approval rating of his term. And it bolsters the bonafides of a president-elect who vowed all hell would break out in Gaza if the hostages were not released before his second inauguration. The reality of who is responsible for the deal is complex. Biden administration officials say momentum toward a deal began before the election, after a separate ceasefire was struck between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The contours of the final agreement with Hamas map closely with a proposal Biden first unveiled in May, but was unable to complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking at Trumps Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month, Witkoff said Bidens team was the tip of the spear in the talks. No one has pride of authorship. We are totally outcome oriented. Lets get them home, Witkoff, a former real estate investor, said then. Still, after the deal was struck, even Biden officials acknowledged the deadline of Trumps entry into office was a motivating factor in finally finding success after months of failure. And Trump, who was monitoring developments from Florida, was quick to declare the agreement was only made possible by his win. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, he wrote on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden was more circumspect. Its a very good afternoon, Biden said Wednesday from the White House Cross Hall, steps from where members of the incoming Trump team were meeting with their Biden administration counterparts in the West Wing to discuss national security matters. The president, who has decades of high-level foreign policy experience, described the talks that led to the ceasefire deal as one of the toughest negotiations Ive ever experienced. He said his team had been speaking as one with Trump officials. But asked as he was stepping away from the podium who deserves credit for Wednesdays deal himself or Trump the president flashed his annoyance: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is that a joke? he said before walking away. Months of talks starting, stopping By the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign, few inside the White House believed a hostage deal could be achieved before the results of the election were known. American and European officials saw Netanyahu as biding his time, waiting to see which US president hed be dealing with going forward and keeping his options open for any outcome. Hours of angry phone calls between the White House and Netanyahus office had yielded little progress, and even the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar did not immediately shake loose a deal. Trumps victory widely seen inside the White House as Netanyahus preferred result was hardly the outcome any Bidens aides were hoping for. In their loss, though, some saw a fresh opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So during a post-election meeting with Trump in front of a roaring Oval Office fire, Biden had a request for the man whod be replacing him in a few months: Work with the administrations team to get the hostages out of Gaza. In conversations between the incoming and outgoing national security teams, Bidens aides made clear that whatever acrimony existed between the two men and despite their friendly chat in the Oval Office, they remained bitterly opposed the issue of the hostages was a place they must work together. Were prepared to work with the incoming team in common cause on a bipartisan basis to do everything in our collective American power to secure the release of the hostages, both living and deceased, Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the week after the November election. A mutually beneficial agreement In their fireside conversation, Biden and Trump came to an agreement that the hostage matter could and should be resolved before the hand-off of power on January 20, according to people who heard about the meeting afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The timing suited both men. Trumps advisers have long felt that any agreement struck after his victory, but prior to him taking office, would enable him to take credit for it. It would also take the issue off his plate as he begins a second presidency squarely focused on fulfilling his campaign pledges on immigration, tariffs and dismantling Biden-era regulations. For Biden, having finally secured the hostage deal hes spent more than a quarter of his presidency trying to cement would validate time and energy and political capital lost to the cause. And so, with both mens blessing, the two opposing sides set to work on a final, last-week push to achieve what had for so long seemed impossible. Late nights and final demands A critical sticking point that had emerged over the past several months was Hamas refusal to acknowledge how many hostages it was still holding, or to identify which hostages it would release as part of the first phase of the deal, according to the senior administration official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American officials made clear to Hamas through its intermediaries that no agreement could be realized without a full list of hostages that would be released as part of the deal. The pressure appeared to work. By late December, Hamas had agreed to provide the list, accelerating talks to reach the final-stage negotiations toward a deal. McGurk remained in the Middle East working toward completing the complex agreement, including finalizing details on the sequencing of how and when prisoners would be released. Holed up inside a building in Doha, negotiators from the US, Israel, Qatar and Egypt, along with Hamas officials, talked until 3 a.m. as the sides attempted to finalize what had been a frustratingly elusive deal to end the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas raised a number of last minute demands during the final negotiations. But the American and Israeli sides held firm as they pushed Hamas to agree. Implementation of the deal could begin as early as Sunday, an official said. As the reality of the deal sank in, Netanyahu got on the phone with his American counterparts. His first call was to Trump, to thank him and arrange a meeting in Washington. Next, he called Biden and thanked him as well, according to a statement from the prime ministers office. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By Howard Goller and James Mackenzie JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Significant progress was made on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal once the administrations of Joe Biden and Donald Trump began working hand in hand to make the case for urgency, outgoing U.S. Ambassador to Israel Jack Lew told Reuters. Lew's 15 months as President Biden's envoy overlapped with a war that began on Oct. 7, 2023, with a Palestinian Hamas attack on Israel followed by an Israeli assault on Gaza. He spoke on Tuesday before a deal was reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lew, 69, will hand over the ambassador's role to Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister and former Arkansas governor, when Trump returns to the White House on Monday. He gave Reuters interviews in December and on Tuesday to mark the end of his tenure. A Washington veteran and a Democrat, Lew said the bipartisan U.S. cooperation began right after the Republican Trump's election as president two months ago. Lew said U.S. national interests were best served by what he called a "warm handoff" and a constructive transition. "I think a lot of progress has been made. The fact that you have an outgoing and an incoming administration that have worked hand in hand to make the case for urgency, I think, has been noticed by all parties," Lew said. Lew credited Biden's significant time commitment to the deal as his term neared an end and welcomed the engagement of Trump, who had said there would be "hell to pay" unless Hamas freed the hostages before he takes over from Biden on Jan. 20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The fact that he (Biden) and the president-elect use different language in this case may create constructive tension because they have the same goal, and he (Trump) has used language that makes people say, 'What's going to happen next?' If we were working at cross-purposes, it would be perhaps a different situation. But we're not. There's no daylight between what we're trying to accomplish," Lew said. Despite sharp differences between their bosses that emerged during a bruising year in U.S. politics, Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff and Biden's envoy Brett McGurk have worked along with mediators from Egypt and Qatar to close a long-elusive ceasefire deal that would include a release of hostages and of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Nominated before Hamas killed 1,200 people and abducted more than 250 by Israel's count on Oct. 7, 2023, Lew arrived in Jerusalem a few weeks after Israel launched a subsequent Gaza assault in which Palestinian officials say more than 46,000 people have been killed. Biden's administration angered many of its own supporters over its backing for Israel in Gaza, where it provided not only weapons and material help but also diplomatic support against accusations of war crimes and genocide from countries opposed to the war. Israel and the United States deny the accusations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as Israel's relentless campaign continued and Palestinian casualties mounted, U.S. unease over Israeli tactics turned to open calls for restraint. Relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu were strained to the limit. Asked if he was satisfied Israel was doing enough to ensure a minimum of civilian deaths in Gaza, Lew said: "You know, we have an awful lot of questions that we've asked, some of which have been answered, some of which will take time to answer." He said Israeli policies were designed to limit civilian harm but mistakes were made in every war, and Israel at the highest level had reassured the U.S. that if mistakes were made, people would be held accountable. Lew, who like Biden favors a peace deal envisaging a future Palestinian state next to Israel, was cautious in assessing his relationship with Netanyahu, who steadfastly opposes a Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I felt very comfortable saying things where I disagree and offering views that I think are in the best interest of how to achieve the shared goal. I don't know what they say when I leave the room, but nobody's unpleasant to me. They don't not invite me back," Lew said. AN ELUSIVE SAUDI DEAL When Lew was approached for the job last year, the expectation had been that he would be working to expand Israel's Abraham Accords with Arab states to include normalizing ties with major power Saudi Arabia. With the war underway, the agenda had to be reformulated when he arrived on Nov. 3, 2023, he said, but the focus remained. He said he hoped the U.S. under Trump, who hammered out the Abraham Accords in his first term, would pursue policies that foster normalization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saudi normalization will only happen if there is quiet in Gaza and an alternate governing body to Hamas, but to maintain quiet there has to be a path to Israeli security along with Palestinian self-governance and the recognition normally constituted in a state, Lew said. Lew was ambassador during a period of exceptional cooperation between Israel and its closest ally, but also of extraordinary strain. He said it was hard to understand why Israelis would turn small differences with the U.S. into large ones, because it only undermined Israeli security and strengthened Hamas. Lew voiced concern over what he called the "on-off switch" in the way Israel relates to the U.S. "What I have, looking back you know, some real concerns about is the on-off switch: 'you are a friend; you're not a friend' at a moment when the question you're asking kind of touches a nerve. You don't stop being a friend when you ask a very hard question," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said it was a failure of Israel's political leadership not to provide its citizens with an ability to grapple with Middle East complexities at a moment of huge emotional trauma. "What you hear back is, 'How can you talk about a two-state solution and give Hamas a reward for Oct. 7, and you give Iran a victory?' And that's actually pretty easy to answer, because the last thing in the world that either Hamas or Iran want is a two-state solution that takes the conflict and puts it to rest." It troubled Lew when some in Israel characterized U.S. opposition to the use of 2,000-pound bombs in densely populated urban areas as an arms embargo when on the same day deliveries of the 2,000-pound bombs stopped, precision-guided missiles were shipped. Lew said he saw it as America's role to defend a friend facing dramatic world criticism while holding it accountable to the moral and legal standards the two countries share. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A White House chief of staff and Treasury secretary under Democratic President Barack Obama, Lew said U.S. support for Israel remained overwhelmingly strong but it was important for Israel to maintain bipartisan U.S. support. Lew said this was all the more important at a time when Israeli policies have raised strong concerns among what he described as a relatively small part of the Democratic Party and a strong isolationist movement is forming among Republicans. (Reporting by Howard Goller and James Mackenzie; Editing by Daniel Wallis) President Joe Bidens warnings Wednesday night about social media misinformation, the tech-industrial complex and the concentration of wealth and power struck many as a not-so-subtle shot across the bow at Elon Musk, the worlds richest man whos also become President-elect Donald Trumps closest consigliere. But within the White House, many officials are grappling with a missed opportunity to cultivate Musk as an ally, whose interests as an electric vehicle manufacturer often aligned with the administration, a staunch supporter of clean energy initiatives. Worse, some have wondered whether their actions to exclude Musk may have emboldened the entrepreneur to back Trump and pour a quarter-billion dollars into efforts to reelect him. Musk, a former Democrat, had not backed either candidate until Trump survived a mid-July assassination attempt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One incident in particular stands out. In 2021, Biden held an event celebrating electric vehicle manufacturers. Tesla was not included, despite being the largest EV manufacturer in the world. At the event, Biden praised the work of General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis despite EVs being a small fraction of their overall business. Musk, according to people involved in the planning, was left off the invitation list because Tesla workers were not unionized. One White House official equated the move to former President Barack Obamas roasting of Trump then a private citizen at the 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner, a singular event that has since been said to catalyze Trump to run for president years later. At the time of Bidens White House event, Musk called out the snub and has not since forgotten it, raising the issue again at a Pennsylvania campaign town hall in 2024. His mom, Maye Musk, said in a live conversation on X that Bidens decision to exclude Musk and claiming GM was leading the way in electrifying automobiles was the worst thing that happened between her son and the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marty Walsh, Bidens former labor secretary, visited Musk at one of his factories outside Austin, Texas, in 2022 a meeting that spanned more than an hour and touched policy, politics and Musks varied businesses. Musk invited Walsh the only administration official to engage closely with Musk to California, but that visit never materialized. As Musks criticism throughout the term grew louder, the White House clapped back instead of trying to quiet it. There were people excluded from conversations that they shouldnt have done that to, said one senior official of the decision to isolate Biden from people with opposing views. They made a mistake. I think they miscalculated. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his farewell address on Wednesday, Biden warned of a developing oligarchy in America as he stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working- and middle-class citizens. I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous concern. And thats the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people, Biden said. He added, Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. He did not name the subjects of his warning, but his targets seemed clear: Trump and Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president made reference to the concentration of power over a century ago in the hands of robber barons, which was broken through antitrust practices, an issue Biden has made a priority during his administration over a century later. They didnt punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had to. Workers wanted rights to earn their fair share, Biden said. They were dealt into the deal, and it helped put us on a path to building the largest middle class and the most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen. Weve got to do that again. Taken together, the warnings amounted to a challenge to the incoming president and his team to live up to the populist promises of the campaign trail ones Biden and many Democrats view as empty. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Joe Biden on Wednesday warned that a new Gilded Age of robber barons was in danger of eroding Americans hard-won freedoms unless the government takes steps to ensure that the ultra-wealthy pay a fair share of taxes and arent allowed to exercise outsized power. In remarks deliberately tailored to echo President Dwight Eisenhowers warnings about the dangers of the military-industrial complex, Biden said he was just as concerned as Eisenhower had been about what he described as a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country. That, combined with a dangerous concentration of technology, power and wealth, he added, is forming a new oligarchy of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power, said Biden, who decried the end of fact-checking efforts by top social media platforms as letting the truth be smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platform accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power, he continued, adding that the rise of AI the most consequential technology of our time, perhaps of all time needs safeguards to prevent it from being able to spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation, said the president. We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy, and good for all humankind. In the age of AI, its more important than ever that the people must govern, and as the land of liberty, America, not China, must lead the world in the development of AI, he emphasized. He called on Americans including future presidents, legislators, jurists, journalists and the public to confront these powerful forces by reforming the tax code, getting big money out of political campaigns and enacting term limits for the highest court in the land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presidents speech from the Oval Office, delivered from behind the iconic desk hewn from timbers salvaged from H.M.S. Resolute and gifted to then-president Rutherford B. Hayes by Queen Victoria in 1880, was his fifth from the Oval Office. The most recent speech before his farewell remarks was the address he delivered to explain his unprecedented decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race and cede his partys nomination to Vice President Kamala Harris. Bidens stark warning of a tech-fueled oligarchy seizing outsized power and threatening Americas deepest-held values comes just days before Trump is set to take office after having won the 2024 election with the aid of the worlds richest person, Elon Musk. In the months since the 2024 election, other technology figures who once were seen as bulwarks against Trump including Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos have donated vast sums of money to the 47th presidents inauguration. Zuckerberg, who once was seen as a reliable donor to liberal causes, has in recent weeks taken a hard-right turn and ordered the end to fact-checking efforts at his companies as well as diversity initiatives and even an end to rules banning hate speech from his platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden called on Americans to stand up against this rising tech threat just as Americans stood up to the robber barons back then and busted the trusts during the last Gilded Age over a century ago. They didnt punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had to. Workers want rights to earn their fair share. You know, they were dealt into the deal and helped put us on a path to building the largest middle class, most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen. Weve got to do that again, he said. We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, the future of our children and our grandchildren. We must keep pushing forward and push faster. Theres no time to waste, Biden added. Biden concluded with his eternal thanks to Americans and said he was giving them his word that he still believes in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strengths of our institutions and the people matter and must endure. He added: Now, its your turn to stand guard may you all be the keeper of the flame. President Biden used his farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday to warn Americans of an oligarchy taking shape in the U.S. while issuing warnings of other threats to the nation as he prepares to depart the White House. After touting some of his accomplishments and lauding a ceasefire that has emerged between Israel and Hamas earlier in the day, Biden in a primetime speech turned his attention to some things that give me great concern. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve seen the consequences all across America, and weve seen it before, Biden added. He used his speech to more broadly warn about the risks of concentrating power in the hands of just a few individuals or corporations. He spoke of a tech-industrial complex and called for a constitutional amendment to ensure presidents would not be immune from prosecution for crimes committed in office. In a democracy, theres another danger to the concentration of power and wealth, Biden said. It erodes a sense of unity and common purpose. It causes distrust and division. Participating in our democracy becomes exhausting and even disillusioning. We have to stay engaged in the process. Bidens remarks came as President-elect Trump prepares to take office after his decisive victory in November against Vice President Harris, who took over the Democratic ticket when the president dropped out of the race. Biden has repeatedly painted Trump as a threat to democracy on the campaign trail and warned his economic plans would overwhelmingly benefit the very wealthy and large corporations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But his farewell address was the first time since the election that Biden revisited those grim warnings, after welcoming Trump to the White House after the election and promising a peaceful transition of power. Biden did not name Trump during his address. But one of Trumps most influential advisers is billionaire Elon Musk, who has been tasked with slashing government spending and regulations. Other tech billionaires, like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, have traveled to Florida to meet with Trump in recent weeks and have expressed a greater desire to work with the incoming president. In his other warnings, Biden said that misinformation and disinformation are top issues facing the American public, calling out technology companies for ending fact checking programs. Zuckerberg, Metas CEO, announced last week that his company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, would end its fact checking program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans are being buried in an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabled in the abuse of power. A free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing, social medias giving up on fact checking, Biden said. The truth is smothered by lies, both for power and profit. He also warned about artificial intelligence and reiterated his support for a congressional stock trading ban. The president closed his remarks and brought to an end his five decades of public service that culminated with his one term as president with a call to Americans to protect the idea of the nation. After 50 years of public service, I give you my word, I still believe in the idea of where this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and much endure, he said. Now its your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America, you love it too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president throughout his remarks also made nods to the importance of democracy. Our system of separation of powers, checks and balances, may not be perfect but its maintained our democracy for 250 years, longer than any other nation in history whos ever tried such a bold experiment, he said. I wish the incoming administration success because I want America to succeed, he added, referring to the Trump administration. The president began and ended his address with the image of the Statue of Liberty, highlighting the symbolism of the New York landmark having been built by many people and swaying a few inches but she never falls into the current below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president was joined in the Oval Office by first lady Jill Biden, Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff. Bidens son, Hunter Biden, and his family were also present and about a half dozen senior administration officials, including press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, chief of staff Jeff Zients, and top adviser Bruce Reed. 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 Joe Biden's pointed warning about the U.S. becoming an oligarchy of tech billionaires will be illustrated at Donald Trump's inauguration, when the world's three richest men will sit on the dais as Trump is sworn in for a second term. Elon Musk, the world's wealthiest person, took an unprecedented, hands-on role in the final stretch of Trump's campaign, spending some $200 million through a super PAC. Musk has a new role reshaping government in the upcoming administration and will be joined on the dais by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Both men's companies have enormous contracts with the federal government. Rounding out the trio is Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who recently changed his companys priorities to align with Trumps and has cozied up to the president-elect less than six months after Trump threatened to imprison him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three men are worth nearly $1 trillion combined and will be joined at the inauguration by the chief executive officers of OpenAI and the social media platform TikTok, which is scheduled to be shut down in the U.S. over the weekend under a new law that Trump opposes. Meta, Amazon and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman donated $1 million to Trumps inauguration fund. The mega-rich have long had a prominent role in national politics, and several billionaires helped bankroll the campaign of Trump's Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden recently gave the presidential medal of freedom to George Soros, a billionaire donor to liberal causes. But the inaugural display highlights the unusually direct role billionaires have in the incoming administration. Biden's use of the word oligarchy was no accident it's a direct reference to the form of government in Russia, whose leader Trump has long spoken warmly about. Russian President Vladimir Putin preserves the uber-rich's wealth and keeps them under control with threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's a look at the dynamics of the incoming administration and the mega-rich: A new level of wealth Inequality in the U.S. actually dropped during most of Biden's term and is slightly lower than it was 10 years ago, but remains quite high historically. Consider that the wealthiest 0.1% of Americans about 131,000 households owned nearly 14% of the nations wealth as of last fall, or more than $22 trillion in stocks, bonds, real estate and other assets, according to the most recent data from the Federal Reserve. That is up from up from 10% two decades ago. The bottom half of the U.S. population or about 65 million households collectively own just 2.4% of the nation's wealth, or just under $4 trillion, according to Federal Reserve data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A relatively new development, however, is the stratospheric levels of wealth of a handful of the country's several hundred billionaires. Musk, for example, is worth $450 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bezos, at $242 billion and Zuckerberg, at $212 billion, have also reached new heights. They are the only people worth more than $200 billion in the world. All but two of the top 10 wealthiest people in the world are technology moguls. The exploding levels of affluence have led Democrats to try to revamp the U.S. tax code to target wealth. Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren proposed a wealth tax during her unsuccessful 2020 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Democrats in 10 states last year unsuccessfully tried to create wealth taxes. Several Democratic-leaning states impose higher taxes on those making more than $1 million as a way to address income inequality. An oligarch who argues he'll disrupt oligarchy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance who worked as a venture capitalist with conservative Silicon Valley billionaire, Peter Thiel and others in their inner circle identify themselves as men of the people, promising to wrest back power from interest groups and elites and restore it to Americans. Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative influencer, has repeatedly called the U.S. government an oligarchy that rejects the will of the citizens for its own military and financial interests. Trump, of course, is himself a billionaire. And part of his pitch has always been a billionaire-focused form of populism. He and his allies have argued that a vast array of intellectual elites lawyers, executives, journalists and academics have held back the country's lower and middle class and that rich entrepreneurs can free them. That tension came out Thursday during the confirmation hearing of Trump's nominee to be Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent. Vermont's Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders noted high levels of wealth inequality in the country and the control the mega-rich have over social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Would you agree with President Biden that an oligarchy is taking shape in America? Sanders asked Bessent. The nominee replied: The billionaires you listed make the money themselves." Bessent, a hedge fund manager, is one of several billionaires Trump has tapped for his Cabinet. Americans skeptical of billionaires influence If the growing involvement of Musk and other uber-wealthy tech executives in the nations politics has caught the attention of the public, its not necessarily in a positive way. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll finds that about six out of 10 Americans believe it would be somewhat or very bad for the president to rely on billionaires for advice on government policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sentiment was most pronounced among Democrats, according to the survey taken earlier this month. Republicans were less skeptical of billionaires advising presidents, with 44% having no strong opinion and about 2 in 10 saying it would be somewhat or very good. The Russia example The term oligarch has been most associated with Russia in modern times. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, a group of businessmen took advantage of the privatizing of state industries under then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin to quickly snap up vast holdings. They became known as oligarchs, and by the time Putin came to power in 2000, they had amassed both vast wealth and power while millions of ordinary Russians had struggled through turbulent economic times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Putin took office, he met with top oligarchs at a closed-door meeting in the Kremlin and reportedly offered a deal: Stay out of politics and your wealth wont be touched. Russian oligarchs who didn't end up imprisoned or dead became uber-wealthy and largely remain under Putin's control. The risk in the U.S. The U.S. is a long way from Russian-style oligarchy, with a diverse, strong economy and resilient institutions. The risk is that if wealth is increasingly determined by executives' relationships with the government, it can increase inequality and lead to stagnation for most. That's the cautionary tale of Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some worry that's starting to happen in the U.S. as Trump prepares to take office. Just look at the technology sector, with which Trump spent much of his first term feuding with and vowing to retaliate against if he returned to office. Google and Microsoft both reportedly donated $1 million to the president-elects inauguration fund. Zuckerberg is cohosting a reception with wealthy Republican donors next week for the inauguration, and Microsoft's chief executive officer had lunch with Trump and Vance at Trump's Florida headquarters at Mar-A-Lago this week. And Amazon recently bought exclusive rights to a documentary about Trumps wife, incoming first lady Melania Trump. Brooke Harrington, a sociologist at Dartmouth College who studies the worlds wealthiest people, dubbed the new wave of Trump tech supporters broligarchs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not going to be good for democracy anywhere in the world, Harrington said of their rise, because they have essentially acquired so much wealth that theyre more powerful than the governments of individual nations. ___ Associated Press writers Josh Boak, Gary Fields, Fatima Hussein, Zeke Miller, Christopher Rugaber and Amelia Thomson-DeVeaux in Washington, D.C., David Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, Harriet Morris in Tallinn, Estonia, Matt OBrien in Providence, Rhode Island, and Michelle L. Price in New York contributed to this report. __ The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about APs democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden in his Wednesday farewell speech to the nation warned that American democracy was sliding into an oligarchy of tech billionaires. But what exactly is an oligarchy? What is an oligarchy? In short, an oligarchy is an elite few who control the government's actions. By using the pointedly negative term oligarchy, Biden equated this moment when the world's wealthiest men are feting President-elect Donald Trump with some of history's more brutal regimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to cohost a Trump inaugural reception with wealthy Republican donors next week. Amazon Prime Video, which was founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, got exclusive licensing rights to stream and theatrically release first lady Melania Trump 's new documentary. Meta, Amazon and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last month donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. And billionaire Elon Musks super PAC spent around $200 million to help elect Trump. But Biden made a complicated assertion as both Republicans and Democrats have relied on Silicon Valley fortunes to boost their political ambitions. What are the term's origins? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many words in politics, oligarchy originates from Ancient Greek and quite literally means that few command. But unlike an aristocracy, an oligarchy is more closely tied to wealth than nobility and family lineage. The philosopher Aristotle wrote in his book Politics that democracy is safer and more free from civil strife than oligarchy; for in oligarchies two kinds of strife spring up, faction between different members of the oligarchy and also faction between the oligarchs and the people. What are some examples of oligarchies? Multiple countries have been labeled oligarchies by academics. After the break-up of the Soviet Union in 1991, former state assets and other institutions came under the control of increasingly wealthy businessmen who became known as billionaire oligarchs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mix of profits and politics that began under then-Russian President Boris Yeltsin gave way to crackdowns by President Vladimir Putin, who has his own favored oligarchs and pledged to let them keep their fortunes so long as they are loyal to him. With its legacy of colonialism and powerful families, the Philippines has been accused of being an oligarchy, with its former President Rodrigo Duterte claiming to have dismantled the system. Critics said he simply gave preferences to a different set of oligarchs. Apartheid-era South Africa was also seen by some academics as having a white racial oligarchy. Even before Biden's speech, the rising wealth gap in the United States as well as in China raised concerns about whether the world's two largest economies were becoming oligarchies. Associated Press writers Lindsey Bahr and Dan Merica contributed reporting. BIG SPRING, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Big Spring Police Department is investigating after responding to a gunshot Thursday morning. According to officials, at about 10:40 am on Thursday, January 16, officers responded to the Advantage Inn in response to a gunshot that was fired during an altercation between two individuals. Big Spring Police said both the victim and the suspect left the scene. The Big Spring Police Department said there is no active threat to the public. This incident remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 Yourbasin. The CEOs of several of the worlds biggest technology companies are planning to attend President-elect Trumps inauguration Monday. The leaders of Amazon, Google, Meta, Tesla, TikTok and OpenAI are all set to appear at the Capitol to watch as Trump is sworn in for a second time, amid an apparent push by the tech industry to mend fences with the president-elect. Heres whos planning to attend: Elon Musk Musk, who has become a close ally of Trump since pouring a quarter of a billion dollars into boosting his campaign last year, is set to attend the swearing-in ceremony Monday, according to a source familiar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tesla and SpaceX CEO said Tuesday he was honored on his social platform X, in response to a post saying he would be seated alongside Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the inauguration. The tech billionaire has taken on an increasingly prominent role at Trumps side. He is set to co-chair a brand-new cost-cutting panel known as the Department of Government Efficiency with tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. However, Musk has also gained political clout of his own in recent months, leading the charge to kill a bipartisan funding deal at the end of last year. He has also begun to weigh in on foreign politics, backing far-right parties in the United Kingdom and Germany. Jeff Bezos Bezos will also attend Trumps inauguration, a source familiar told The Hill. The former Amazon CEO, who bought The Washington Post in 2013, often feuded with Trump during his first administration due to his ownership of the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amazon sued after it lost a $10 billion Defense Department contract to Microsoft in 2019. The e-commerce giant argued that Trumps disdain for Bezos, who he at one point nicknamed Jeff Bozo, had affected the bidding process. Bezos also feuded with Musk on social media in the weeks after the election, when the Tesla CEO accused the Amazon founder telling people Trump would lose for sure and advising them to sell their stock in Musks companies. The two often have clashed over their competing space companies. Bezos owns Blue Origin, which has struggled to keep up with Musks SpaceX. Bezos said Sunday that he was very optimistic about Trumps space policy and was not concerned about Musks closeness to the president-elect. Mark Zuckerberg Zuckerberg will be in attendance at Mondays swearing-in ceremony as well, according to a source familiar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Meta CEO has frequently faced Trumps wrath in recent years, after Facebook banned the former president in the wake of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Meta is the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and Threads. However, Zuckerberg has earned the president-elects praise in recent months as he has sought to extricate himself and his platforms from politics and sided with conservatives in debates over content moderation and censorship. Last week, the Meta CEO announced a major overhaul of his companys content moderation practices, including the elimination of its third-party fact checking program. Trump touted the social media giant, saying it had come a long way. Shou Zi Chew TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew will also attend Trumps inauguration, a source familiar told The Hill. His appearance comes as the fate of his popular video-sharing platform hangs in the balance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A law requiring TikToks China-based parent company ByteDance to divest from the app or face a ban from U.S. networks and app stores is set to go into effect Sunday, unless the Supreme Court or the Biden administration intervenes. Trump has vowed to save the platform. He filed a friend-of-the-court brief late last month, urging the Supreme Court to put the law on hold so he can negotiate a deal once in office. However, the justices, which heard oral arguments in the TikTok case Friday, appeared skeptical of the platforms First Amendment defense. Sundar Pichai Google CEO Sundar Pichai will join his fellow tech leaders at the Capitol for Mondays ceremony, according to a person familiar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Google became one of the latest companies to donate $1 million to Trumps inauguration last week, following similar contributions from Amazon, Meta and Microsoft. The search giant has not been a frequent target of Trump, compared to other tech firms of similar standing. However, in September, the former president threatened to prosecute Google, accusing the company of manipulating search results to hurt his campaign. Sam Altman OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also plans to attend Trumps inauguration, a company spokesperson confirmed to The Hill. Altman has had a rocky relationship with Musk in recent years, a precarious position given the Tesla CEOs close relationship with Trump. Musk helped found OpenAI in 2015, before leaving the artificial intelligence (AI) company in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The billionaire sued Altman and fellow co-founder Greg Brockman last year, accusing them of manipulating him into supporting the AI startup by promising to create safe and transparent AI. Musk argues OpenAI has since deviated from this founding mission. 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. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) Its been a contentious topic for years, phones in schools. Now, days until the next legislative session, one lawmaker has filed a bill that would incentivize school districts to limit student cellphone use. Story continues below You know, this isnt a partisan issue and this is a problem that were seeing nationwide. Its a growing movement across the country limiting cell phone use in the classroom, said Sen. Crystal Brantley (R-Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna & Sierra Counties.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know, on average, the American teen now spends over five hours on cell phone, on social media alone, and thats too much, said Sen. Brantley. Sen. Brantley filed a bill that would incentive school districts to do just that. You know, as a mother, Ive seen firsthand, as a senator, I hear from countless parents, the negative impacts that these phones and social media are having on our children, said Sen. Brantley. Brantley blames cellphones for ailing mental health and declining performance. She said something needs to be done to help students be engaged in the classroom. It will help with social interaction, so that our kids, and most importantly, it will help with academic success, to get them focused on the teachers, on the curriculum, in the classroom, and log off online, said Sen. Brantley. The bill would offer $10,000 to the New Mexico Public Education Department to come up with programs to limit cellphone use. One example is from Los Angeles, which requires students to put their phones in a pouch that locks during class. It unlocks once they exit the room. If theres an emergency, students are still to be able to access their phones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have some successful programs in other states that have locked bags, and as they exit the classroom door, a magnet can release the locked bag, and so for in-between changing class periods, or perhaps on the commons area during lunch, students can access their phone, said Sen. Brantley. Sen. Brantley said this non-partisan issue would put students mental health and performance at the forefront of education. Not only are we targeting their educational value there at school, but this is also an opportunity to tackle the mental health crisis that were seeing among our teens. Hope Christian has already banned phones during school hours. Albuquerque Public Schools has restrictions on cellphone use and Santa Fe Public Schools is considering a policy to keep phones off and out of sight during class. 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. Bill Burr is fired up. The comedian and actor, 56, blasted insurance companies and praised accused UnitedHealthcare CEO-shooter Luigi Mangione while speaking about the LA fires during his Tuesday appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Burr said that, like many people in Los Angeles, he had to evacuate after flames threatened his home. I got lucky, he said. You know, the winds moved. Bill Burr on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Disney And I think everybody did a great job. Unlike the internet, he added, alluding to the rapacious criticism of state and local officials response to the fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burr went on to mock online critics who liken themselves to fire experts and bemoan how the fire was mismanaged. Mismanaged? Like some idiot on the internet knows how to manage the worst fire in LA? Sitting there in his underwear? he continued. Turning to speculation about what caused the many fires that tore through Southern California, Burr said, I love how all the chatter out there is about bans on illegal immigrants and homeless people lighting fires. Burr blasted critics of officials response to the LA fires. Disney They light fires every day, he added. Theyre living outside, its fking cold. From Burrs perspective, the media has its eye on the wrong topic and target. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know, and then theyre talking about looting. But CNN and Fox News are not going to bring up the insurance companies that are just gonna keep everybodys premiums and still give themselves a bonus, he said to applause from the audience. Yes! Free Luigi! he exclaimed over the clapping, Luigi Mangione, 26, who is accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione has pleaded not guilty. Luigi Mangione Fox News Digital Drawing laughter from Kimmel and the crowd, Burr stuck to talking about Mangione. I love how they acted surprised, How could that happen? he said, imitating media pundits (and likely insurance company executives). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The killer] wrote on the bullets why it happened, Burr added. According to law enforcement, the bullets fired at Thompson were inscribed with the words deny, defend and depose, allegedly referencing the book of the same name about Why Insurance Companies Dont Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It. Mangione at his arraignment at Manhattan Criminal Court in December. Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Free Luigi! Burr told Kimmel. John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock A jovial Kimmel responded, Were still on Luigi? I never left Luigi! Burr replied. The Old Dads star has been vocal about Mangione before. The funny thing when that CEO got whacked was watching CEOs have to be uncomfortable, Burr said in an interview with Variety published Tuesday. Burr has been outspoken about Mangione and the murder of Thompson recently. Getty Images for The Recording A Im sure they didnt learn anything, but its like: This is how you make everybody feel day to day as you apply pressure because thats how business is done, he also told the site. How you leave this burning wreckage of destroyed lives as you restructure and consolidate. It was fun to see them worry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burr also criticized the medias coverage of Thompsons murder last month on an episode of his Anything Better? podcast. Theyre gangsters dude, fking gangsters, and then when one of them gets whacked or something theyre like, Oh my God, he was such a good guy, he said of CEOs in the health care industry, which he labeled a dirty game. Burrs rage over home insurance companies follows recent reports that thousands of LA homeowners were dropped by their insurance companies in the days before the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out. Meanwhile, US insurers raked in record profits in 2023 $87.6 billion from their property and casualty business alone according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, as reported by the Guardian. Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, on the Idaho House floor on March 25, 2024. (Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) A bill to implement a minimum $300 fine for adults possessing three ounces of marijuana or less is moving forward to the Idaho House floor. After two hours of testimony and lengthy debate among committee members, the Idaho House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee on Wednesday in a 10-4 vote moved House Bill 7 forward with a recommendation that it pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill sponsor Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, said the bill would help deter people from possessing drugs in Idaho. We heard some extremely compelling arguments in testimony today that dealt with the use of medicinal marijuana, and honestly, maybe thats a conversation that this body should have for some folks that are dealing with some extremely tough issues, Redman said after hearing testimony. But thats not what this bill does. This bill simply sets a minimum fine. Opponents discuss medical marijuana, impact on low-income people Seven people testified in opposition to the bill, including veterans, individuals with disabilities and criminal defense attorneys. One of the most compelling testimonies came from Jeremy Kitzhaber, a veteran who is disabled who previously served in the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineer and first sergeant. Kitzhaber has stage four cancer and has done about 150 rounds of treatments, he told the committee. Jeremy Kitzhaber, a veteran who is disabled, testified in opposition to House Bill 7 to the Idaho House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee on Jan. 15, 2025. (Screenshot courtesy of Idaho Public Television livestream) My oncology teams have told me plenty of times that if they could legally allow me to use medicinal cannabis, they would, and it would be beneficial for my circumstances, he said, noting it would have been used to ease pain and stimulate his appetite when he lost more than 40 pounds during chemotherapy treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kitzhaber said he is prescribed three different types of opioids for his pain. Despite his constant discomfort, he said he doesnt risk getting marijuana for medical use because hes afraid to lose his veteran benefits. Somebody under chemotherapy thats almost starving to death shouldnt get the $300 fine, just like somebody else who wanted to get high, he said. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, asked him if he had considered moving to a state where medical marijuana is allowed. It does cross my mind, but its impossible financially, he said, pointing out that he lives on disability and veteran retirement pay and can barely afford his home in Boise. He said he cannot afford to move to states with Veteran Affairs offices such as Colorado or California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monica Gray, the managing attorney of the Ada County Office of the Idaho State Public Defender, testified that this bill would unfairly affect indigent defendants who cannot afford to hire their own counsel. This includes students who are working to further their education, those on disability, struggling with mental or physical health issues, and those simply struggling to make ends meet in todays economy and high cost of living, she said. Additionally, Gray said there are no mandatory minimum fines for other misdemeanor charges, such as DUIs, battery, assault, domestic violence or injury to a child. Possession of marijuana misdemeanor less than three ounces would be likely the only everyday, common misdemeanor that we see in court that would hold a mandatory minimum fine, Gray said. Support for mandatory minimum bill comes from law enforcement, Idaho GOP Ten individuals testified in support of the bill, including representatives from the Idaho Family Policy Center, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and the Idaho Republican Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho Republican Party Executive Director Ryan Thompson told the committee about a resolution passed during the partys January winter meeting titled A resolution to support uniform penalty for drugs harmful to Idaho youth. Im just here to report that it was passed overwhelmingly by all the state committee members at the meeting, Thompson said. (Idaho GOP chairwoman) Dorothy (Moon) was not able to be here, so Im speaking on her behalf. Individuals in law enforcement also testified in favor of the bill including Idaho Sheriffs Association President Chris Goetz, Nampa Police Department Lt. Jason Kimball and Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram. If people are choosing to use narcotics that are already illegal substances, then they can, in our associations opinion, pay for that fine, Ingram said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before voting the bill forward to the Idaho House floor, the committee voted on a motion to hold the bill in committee. That proposal by Rep. Dan Garner, R-Clifton, failed in a 6-8 vote. The second motion, approved by the committee, clears the way for the bill to make it to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives for consideration at a later time. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, on the Idaho House floor on March 25, 2024. (Photo by Kyle Pfannenstiel/Idaho Capital Sun) A bill to implement a minimum $300 fine for adults possessing three ounces of marijuana or less is moving forward to the Idaho House floor. After two hours of testimony and lengthy debate among committee members, the Idaho House Judiciary, Rules and Administration Committee on Wednesday in a 10-4 vote moved House Bill 7 forward with a recommendation that it pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill sponsor Rep. Jordan Redman, R-Coeur dAlene, said the bill would help deter people from possessing drugs in Idaho. We heard some extremely compelling arguments in testimony today that dealt with the use of medicinal marijuana, and honestly, maybe thats a conversation that this body should have for some folks that are dealing with some extremely tough issues, Redman said after hearing testimony. But thats not what this bill does. This bill simply sets a minimum fine. Opponents discuss medical marijuana, impact on low-income people Seven people testified in opposition to the bill, including veterans, individuals with disabilities and criminal defense attorneys. One of the most compelling testimonies came from Jeremy Kitzhaber, a veteran who is disabled who previously served in the U.S. Air Force as a civil engineer and first sergeant. Kitzhaber has stage four cancer and has done about 150 rounds of treatments, he told the committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My oncology teams have told me plenty of times that if they could legally allow me to use medicinal cannabis, they would, and it would be beneficial for my circumstances, he said, noting it would have been used to ease pain and stimulate his appetite when he lost more than 40 pounds during chemotherapy treatment. Kitzhaber said he is prescribed three different types of opioids for his pain. Despite his constant discomfort, he said he doesnt risk getting marijuana for medical use because hes afraid to lose his veteran benefits. Somebody under chemotherapy thats almost starving to death shouldnt get the $300 fine, just like somebody else who wanted to get high, he said. Rep. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, asked him if he had considered moving to a state where medical marijuana is allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It does cross my mind, but its impossible financially, he said, pointing out that he lives on disability and veteran retirement pay and can barely afford his home in Boise. He said he cannot afford to move to states with Veteran Affairs offices such as Colorado or California. Monica Gray, the managing attorney of the Ada County Office of the Idaho State Public Defender, testified that this bill would unfairly affect indigent defendants who cannot afford to hire their own counsel. This includes students who are working to further their education, those on disability, struggling with mental or physical health issues, and those simply struggling to make ends meet in todays economy and high cost of living, she said. Additionally, Gray said there are no mandatory minimum fines for other misdemeanor charges, such as DUIs, battery, assault, domestic violence or injury to a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Possession of marijuana misdemeanor less than three ounces would be likely the only everyday, common misdemeanor that we see in court that would hold a mandatory minimum fine, Gray said. Support for mandatory minimum bill comes from law enforcement, Idaho GOP Ten individuals testified in support of the bill, including representatives from the Idaho Family Policy Center, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and the Idaho Republican Party. Idaho Republican Party Executive Director Ryan Thompson told the committee about a resolution passed during the partys January winter meeting titled A resolution to support uniform penalty for drugs harmful to Idaho youth. Im just here to report that it was passed overwhelmingly by all the state committee members at the meeting, Thompson said. (Idaho GOP chairwoman) Dorothy (Moon) was not able to be here, so Im speaking on her behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Individuals in law enforcement also testified in favor of the bill including Idaho Sheriffs Association President Chris Goetz, Nampa Police Department Lt. Jason Kimball and Caldwell Chief of Police Rex Ingram. If people are choosing to use narcotics that are already illegal substances, then they can, in our associations opinion, pay for that fine, Ingram said. Before voting the bill forward to the Idaho House floor, the committee voted on a motion to hold the bill in committee. That proposal by Rep. Dan Garner, R-Clifton, failed in a 6-8 vote. The second motion, approved by the committee, clears the way for the bill to make it to the floor of the Idaho House of Representatives for consideration at a later time. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Idaho Capital Sun, like Oregon 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. Idaho Capital Sun maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Christina Lords for questions: info@idahocapitalsun.com. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) An Oklahoma lawmaker has again filed a bill that would require school board elections to be held on the same day as presidential or gubernatorial elections, which he says would help voter turnout and save school districts money. Opponents say it would politicize what are supposed to be nonpartisan school board races. This week, State Rep. Chris Banning (R-Bixby) filed House Bill 1151, which would require public school districts in Oklahoma to hold their school board elections at the same time as November general elections, every other year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OKLAHOMA POLITICS: Marriage and child incentive bills look to curb divorce rate Banning filed HB1151 this year after he ran a similar bill last year, which did not pass. I love public schools with all my heart, Banning told News 4. But Banning says, in recent years, hes felt like some members of his local school board havent been listening to him. I saw some of the school board votes that were really getting out of the way of community standards, Banning said. By community standards, Banning says he means things he feels a community wouldnt want in their schools. There are some books that some parents thought were inappropriate, Banning said. A few school board members decided that they were going to vote to keep those books in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That, he says, spurred him to start doing some research and decided that the current way Oklahomans choose their school boards doesnt lend itself well to getting people who fit his community standards elected. The way things work now, school districts hold school board elections once a year, in February or April, depending on the year. Depending on the district, board members serve either a three or five-year term. School districts have to cover the cost of holding those elections. Voter turnout is usually fairly low, typically only bringing out people who are highly motivated to vote. Banning thinks that has led to candidates who dont fit his idea of community standards, getting elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont need a school board member with a doctorate in education, Banning said. Thats not what were looking for. He says thats why hes running HB 1151. Under HB 1151, school board elections would only be held every other yearon the same day as general elections in November, when people vote for things like governor or president. He says more people tend to turn out for those elections, so it would help more voters have a say in school board races. Board members would move to four-year terms. Since school board elections would fall on the same day as a general election, school districts wouldnt have to pay costs to run the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Bannings House bill, State Senator Ally Seifried (R-Claremore) introduced a similar bill in the Senate. While not identical to Bannings, Seifrieds bill also proposes moving school board elections to November. OKLAHOMA POLITICS: Proposed bill aims to help more Ok students qualify for free, reduced-price lunches In a statement, she told News 4, in part: School boards are a critical part of shaping education policy and reform, yet Oklahoma consistently sees single-digit voter turnout in these elections. Moving school board elections to the general election ballot would significantly increase both voter participation and engagement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the idea to force school board elections onto general election ballots faces a lot of opposition. School board elections are nonpartisan elections, said State Senator Mark Mann (D-Oklahoma City), who used to be an Oklahoma City school board member. Mann argues theres a good reason school board elections are held apart from the general election, and moving them to November would defeat that purpose. Its going to turn the races into a partisan race, Mann said. If you have someone running for school board in an area thats heavily Democrat, theyre going to cater to the Democrats and theyre going to say, Im a Democrat and Im going to go take care of our kids and Im going to do this, this, and this. And likewise, if theyre in a Republican area, theyre going to do that. Whereas right now, that doesnt happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Jacob Rosecrants (D-Norman) argues that if school board elections got lumped in with national and state elections, voters who turn out may not prioritize and research school board races as much as those who turn out for school board elections currently, when theyre all that is on the ballot. When you put it on another election where theres so many other big races, rather, it could be state or federal elections, then I think that people start thinking less about, okay, this is for school board and more about, okay, this is who Im going to vote for, for president or governor, and then just kind of vote that way down ballot, Rosecrants said. As for Banning, he says his main motivator for the bill is the cost savings for school districts, whod no longer have to pay to run school board elections. And thats what this bill does, Banning said. It actually repurposes millions of dollars back in the school system while increasing voter turnout, Banning said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Last summer, fishermen in Florida and Georgia were surprised to find out their Atlantic red snapper recreational season boiled down to just one single day - and one single fish. The new shortened federal season and regulations were put in place by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to help protect the red snapper population. Read: Advocates fear constitutional right to hunt and fish could have unintended consequences Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursday, Jacksonville Congressman John Rutherford (FL-05) introduced a new bipartisan bill to force new population number analysis before any more restrictions are put in place. He argues the current numbers are outdated, and that the population has bounced back significantly. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] For over a decade, the South Atlantic fishing community has worked hard to rebuild the red snapper stock, a highly sought-after reef fish that plays an integral role in our local economy, said Rutherford. Thanks to their concerted efforts, anglers are seeing more red snapper off the coast of Northeast Florida than ever before. Widespread bottom closures that threaten Northeast Floridas fishing economy are not the answer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: DeSantis picks Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Marco Rubios senate seat Also co-sponsoring the bill is Jacksonville congressman Aaron Bean, Georgia congressman Buddy Carter and Senator Rick Scott. The Red Snapper Act (H.R. 470) would prevent NOAA from making sweeping management decisions until the ongoing South Atlantic Great Red Snapper Count is complete and new information can be integrated into the stock assessment. The Great Red Snapper Count is an independent study Congress has funded over the last five years that will deliver new data on the red snapper stock in 2025. Also similar bill was introduced in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Floridas anglers deserve dependable access to red snapper fishing and its on us to ensure they do, said Rutherford. Let Floridians fish. Read: We all slept on the streets: Tenants at Kingsland hotel forced out after utilities go unpaid [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. The dome of the Montana Capitol, with the statue of Mike and Maureen Mansfield in the lower center (By Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). A bill to restrict bathroom use and define sex as strictly male and female passed the House floor on Wednesday on party lines despite concerns about legal enforceability and costs including possible increases in property taxes. A couple of Republicans said they hope House Bill 121 can be improved in the Senate, but Democrats said it isnt needed at all and runs contrary to Montana values. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opposing the bill, Rep. SJ Howell, D-Missoula, said it shows the body has strayed from the states uncomplicated, apolitical values. Love thy neighbor. Mind thy business, Howell said. But sponsor and Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, R-Billings, said its needed to protect women and children, and it would put common sense boundaries in place, a refrain from proponents. Girls should not feel uncomfortable or afraid to use a restroom or locker room at school, Seekins-Crowe said. If passed, the bill would define sex, require public restrooms for males or females, and ensure people use restrooms designated for their sex and external genitalia present at birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Minority Leader Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, rose a couple of times during the debate to request decorum be followed and legislators speak only to the bill. Speaker Pro Tempore Katie Zolnikov, R-Billings, cautioned legislators to do so. Rep. Brad Barker, R-Red Lodge, said he supports the idea to keep women and children safe, but he raised concerns about legal enforceability and cost, criticisms opponents of the bill also aired in committee meetings. The bill, which passed on a 58-42 vote, would cover bathrooms and changing rooms in correctional centers, juvenile detention facilities, local domestic violence programs, public buildings, public schools, and other places. A fiscal note said immediate costs are expected to be minimal, and able to be absorbed within agency budgets. However, a similar failed bill from a previous session identified nearly $1.8 billion in costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fiscal note, an analysis of impacts by legislative staff, also points to a possible price tag for other jurisdictions and agencies, and opponents have said the local costs would translate into even higher property taxes. This bill could cause significant local fiscal impact in school districts where facility renovations are required, said the fiscal note. The (Office of Public Instruction) does not have data available to determine local impact. The fiscal note identified technical concerns for other state agencies, such as the Department of Public Health and Human Services. It said the health department probably wouldnt have to pay a lot more to designate restrooms as being for single sex use, but the bill raises legal and financial exposure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The analysis said the Department of Corrections could face allegations of legal noncompliance based on federal law, such as the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which requires prisons to assign transgender and intersex inmates on an individualized basis. It said costs of such legal challenges are unknown. One Democrat and former lawyer, Rep. Ed Stafman, read a fictional dialogue between a lawyer for an agency covered by the bill and a local official wanting to comply with the law. What are reasonable steps? Stafman said the local official would ask. Well, the bill doesnt say, he said the lawyer would answer, even though the sponsor was asked repeatedly in committee meetings and wouldnt say. Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, speaks on the House floor against a bathroom bill. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan) Rep. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, said in other states, similar bills have put the lives of transgender people in danger simply for walking into the bathroom. She said people who testified made it clear that bathrooms were not a problem for cities or the Montana University System. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zephyr defended transgender people on the House floor in 2023 in a speech that led to a fight over decorum with Republicans and drew international attention. I would ask you to leave trans people alone, Zephyr said Wednesday. Let me be the woman I am happy to be. In support of the bill, Rep. Kathy Love, R-Hamilton, said many women are assault survivors, and it would be traumatic for them to share a bathroom or locker room with a biological male. Where is our safe space? Love said. A similar bill from 2023 that aims to define sex was found to be unconstitutional based on its title. A separate judge temporarily blocked it in a separate case because it affects transgender and cisgender people unequally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement after the hearing, Speaker of the Montana House of Representatives Brandon Ler, R-Savage, praised the vote by Republicans. The bill will need to pass third reading to advance. HB 121 reflects the values that define Montanarespect for individual dignity and a firm commitment to safety. I am confident that the Montana Senate and Gov. Greg Gianforte will recognize the importance of this legislation and will move quickly to sign it into law, Ler said. Monday in his State of the State address, Gianforte said he would welcome such legislation on his desk. Editors note: This story has been corrected to note this bill requires one more vote by the House to advance. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Three bills filed with the Arkansas legislature on Wednesday afternoon address several talked-about issues in the state. The bills address the standardization of private schools, ending name, image, likeness (NIL) raffles and access to reproductive health. The three bills were all filed in the house after 2 p.m. Bill filed in Arkansas legislature to allow NIL 50/50 raffles by colleges, universities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 1144 would require any school participating in the Arkansas Childrens Education Freedom Account, a cornerstone of the LEARNS Act, to meet the same reporting requirements as any public school. It is sponsored by Rep. Jim Wooten (R-Bebee). House Bill 1143 would prohibit raffles to fund student-athletes NIL. NIL allows student-athletes to be paid as scholastic athletes. Wooten also sponsors this bill. House Bill 1142 would create the Reproductive Empowerment and Support Through Optimal Restoration (Restore) Act. The act would center on access to restorative reproductive medicine, which identifies and treats reproductive issues for women, including mandating insurance coverage. It is sponsored by Rep. Alyssa Brown (R-Heber Springs) with cosponsor Sen. Jim Dotson (R-Bentonville). Educators reflect on first year of Arkansas LEARNS Act Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the bills have yet received their first reading on the House floor, the next step in the process after being filed. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOODO) A Republican-backed package of bills that would preserve the tipped wage system in Michigan has moved out of committee. House Bills 4001 and 4002, which would keep the tipped wage in place and make small businesses exempt from certain sick time reforms, were approved Thursday by the Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses, according to a release from chair Rep. Bill Schuette, R-Midland. They now go before the full Michigan House of Representatives. Servers push for preserving tipped wage at Michigan House hearing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the state only weeks away from beginning to phase out the tipped wage and increasing the amount of sick time that employers must offer, the bills were high on Republicans to-do list when they regained control of the Michigan House last week. Their future is uncertain in the Democrat-controlled Senate. The office of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, also a Democrat, told News 8 it had no comment on the issue as of Wednesday. In 2018, the GOP-controlled Legislature adopted citizen-led ballot initiatives that would have increased the states minimum wage and paid sick time. The petitions had gathered hundreds of thousands of signatures to make it onto the ballot. To sidestep that process, lawmakers approved the changes themselves but later gutted the reforms, a practice known as adopt-and-amend. Last year, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that practice is unconstitutional. That means the initial reforms passed by the Legislature will take effect Feb. 21. They will slowly increase the states minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2028 and expand how much sick time employers must offer. At a committee hearing earlier this week, a number of servers spoke in favor of preserving the tipped wage, saying they believe theyll take home less under the new system. Restaurant owners said the pending changes to the system would require them to raise prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Fair Wage, the group behind the 2018 ballot initiative, has argued that the change would make servers pay more reliable and help them make ends meet. With Legislature divided, Whitmer open to suggestions on road funding Opposing the bills, Michigan League for Public Policy President and CEO Monique Stanton said in a Thursday statement that they would weaken Michigans minimum wage and earned paid sick time laws and threaten to erode essential protections for workers, harm families, and jeopardize public health. Increasing the minimum wage is essential to ensuring workers are paid fairly and can afford basic necessities like housing, food and healthcare, Stantons statement continued. Livable wages also benefit local economies because people are more likely to spend their earnings at small businesses, stimulating growth and reducing employee turnover. And we also know tipped workers stand to benefit from the elimination of the tipped wage. Evidence from other states shows that tipped workers in states with a single fair minimum wage fare as well as or better than their counterparts in states with subminimum tipped wages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Schutte, the chair of the commission that advanced the bills, said in his release they will protect livelihoods and keep many small businesses across Michigan from having to close their doors for good. This is a major step in the right direction to protect our workers and local, family-owned businesses, Schuette said in a statement. As we heard over this week, if the Legislature fails to act, the impacts are clear. People will be put out of work, prices will go up and family-owned small businesses will close. 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. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Three West Precinct patrol officers with the Birmingham Police Department were injured after a suspect crashed a stolen SUV into three parked police cars Wednesday night, according to the BPD. The incident occurred just after 10 p.m. When officers approached the driver of the SUV, he became confrontational. The suspect was taken into custody after a brief struggle. Two officers were injured in the crash, while the third was injured during the struggle with the suspect. Birmingham Fire and Rescue personnel arrived and aided all parties involved in the incident. Two of the officers were transported to a local hospital for additional treatment. All three BPD patrol cars involved were significantly damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blountsville Police chiefs attorneys say town is retaliating against him BPD officers later learned that the SUV had been stolen during a domestic burglary in East Birmingham earlier that evening. The suspect was taken to UAB Hospital, where he was discharged. The suspect was then taken to the Birmingham City Jail and placed on a 48-Hour Felony Extension for Assault 1st Degree. The suspect also faces charges for the earlier Domestic Violence incident. BPD Special Victims Unit and BPD wreck investigators are investigating this incident. Art this time, all officers have been discharged and are recovering from their injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 CBS 42. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) The Birmingham Public Library is hosting a book talk-signing event with the citys mayor, Randall Woodfin, on Jan. 24. Woodfin will be discussing Son of Birmingham with co-writer Edward T. Bowser, who serves as the deputy director of communications for the city. Javacia Harris Bowser of See Jane Write will facilitate the conversation. The book will be released Tuesday. Community-based initiative to honor victims of racial violence in Jefferson County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the BPL, the event surrounding Woodfins debut memoir will dive into the books examination of Birminghams identity, the citys issues with gun violence and the South. The writing process behind the book will also be discussed. The book signing will start at 5 p.m. in the BPL Central Branch, and then at 6 p.m., the conversation will start. Thank You Books will be selling the memoir at the library. The event is free, and those who wish to attend it can register by clicking 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 CBS 42. Tracy L. Barnett Contributor to Buffalo's Fire The waters flowing from South Dakota's Black Hills have been sacred to the Lakota people for uncounted generations. After decades of resistance to mining interests, tribal nations and their allies have won a significant victory in protecting at least a portion of these waters from modern-day gold prospectors. On Dec. 26, in the waning days of her tenure, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first American Indian cabinet member, delivered a 20-year ban on new mining claims around Pactola Reservoir and the Rapid Creek watershed. The response protects more than 20,500 acres tribes have long fought to spare from gold exploration and other mineral development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak ratified the moratorium after the U.S. Forest Service filed for the special designation under his supervision with the Bureau of Land Management. The BLM, an agency of the Interior Department, has jurisdiction over mineral rights, while the Department of Agriculture manages the land's surface. "The He Sapa are very sacred for us Lakota - they hold our creation story, our coming into being as human beings," says Lakota grandmother Carla Rae Marshall, board member of the Rapid Creek Watershed Action and member of the Black Hills Clean Water Alliance. "This land is our 'Church,' where we put our prayer altars. It is known to us as 'The Heart of Everything That Is.'" For Marshall and other tribal members, protecting these waters constitutes more than safeguarding a drinking water source for Rapid City and Ellsworth Air Force Base. It's about defending a relativeMni Wiconi. It entails preserving sacred spaces where tribes have gathered medicines, held ceremonies and collected traditional foods since immemorial memory. Buffalos Fire published extensive reporting on advocacy efforts in December 2023. Public sentiment has overwhelmingly favored protected status. During public comment periods, 98 percent of responses supported the mineral withdrawal, which blocks a controversial gold exploration project proposed by Minneapolis-based F3 Gold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is one step in the right direction," says Oglala Sioux Tribe Water Resources Director Reno Red Cloud, who has been actively involved in water protection efforts. "I think what we could do is acknowledge that this is progress, and then look at identifying all the watersheds in the Black Hills that are critical for drinking water and domestic uses." The struggle over mining in the Black Hills dates to 1874, when Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer led a military expedition that sent out "glowing reports of gold," said Oglala Sioux Mario Gonzalez, a longtime tribal attorney. Despite trespassing on Indian lands being a criminal offense at the time, President Ulysses S. Grant secretly instructed officials not to enforce the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty, allowing miners to flood the territory. "Congress attempted to buy the Black Hills in 1876, but the Sioux refused to sell," Gonzalez says. Failing to obtain the required signatures of three-fourths of adult male tribal members, "Congress enacted the so-called Agreement of 1877, confiscating the Black Hills in violation of the treaty." The impact of mining continues to concern tribal members and their neighbors. "A lot of these foreign corporations come down from Canada and elsewhere, pollute our water, and then go back," Gonzalez notes. "And then we have to live with the results." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reno Red Cloud agrees, pointing to abandoned uranium mines from the 1940s near Edgemont that still contaminate the Cheyenne River. "These guys get their money and they get rich and then they don't really reclaim the area," he says. "The annual hydrological cycle goes right back into the Cheyenne River." There's growing unity in the fight to protect these waters. "More recently, everybody's come to the realization that we're all in the same boat," Gonzalez says. "A lot of the non-Indian communities are joining with the Sioux tribes in opposing mining in the Black Hills because they have to live with the results of mining that pollutes the water table." The Native nations also assert priority legal guarantees to these waters. "The Sioux tribes have water rights in the Black Hills rivers and groundwater under the Winters Doctrine," Gonzalez explains. Based on a Supreme Court ruling and subsequent case law, the doctrine establishes that tribes retained access to enough water for present and future needs when the federal government imposed the Indian reservation boundaries. Looking ahead, tribal members express both hope and concern. The withdrawal can be renewed after 20 years, but only Congress can make it permanent. With a change in federal administration approaching, Reno Red Cloud worries about potential challenges to the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The mindset of the government's going to be interesting in the next four years," he says. "But if we're going to be water protectors, we've got to identify, respond, and try to resolve it. The direction we take is trying to protect the sacred water because that's in our culture." For Marshall, protecting these waters represents a crucial step in preserving cultural heritage. "I believe the He Sapa holds eons of memory in our DNA," she wrote in testimony for the public hearings. Water is our main entityMni Wicozani. Water is Life. Water is Alive. Water is Sacred." Reno Red Cloud envisions this victory as a blueprint for broader protections. "Maybe in the future, we could look at identifying all the watersheds in the Black Hills that are critical for drinking water and domestic uses," he says. "But it's all going to be based on what kind of national government we have." In a statement following the decision, the NDN Collective emphasized both the victory and the work ahead: "This is a win for Mother Earth, tribal sovereignty, Indigenous rights, religious freedom, and for the countless organizers and community members who fought for these protections. There's more work to be done in ensuring the protection of ALL of the Black Hills; however, this is a step in that direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reno Red Cloud, whose sixth-generation grandfather, Chief Red Cloud, was a signatory to the Fort Laramie Treaties that guaranteed the Black Hills to the Lakota, feels the weight of this moment. "We've got to look down the road, five, six, seven generations and see what kind of life we're going to have for our children." This story was published via AP Storyshare A Black passenger who flew with American Airlines in 2022 claims in a lawsuit that he and his white wife were wrongly imprisoned after crew members reported to local authorities that they suspected him of trafficking his wife. On Sept. 13, 2022, retired police officer Anthony Williams boarded a flight from Phoenix to Miami for his honeymoon with Katsiaryna Shasholka. A fellow passenger told American Airlines employees that he believed Shasholka was being trafficked, according to the lawsuit filed last week in the Southern District of Florida. The airline employees who took the passengers report did not question Williams or his wife but instead reported him to law enforcement, the lawsuit says. When they landed in Miami, Williams and Shasholka were escorted off the plane by American Airlines employees. Katsiaryna Shasholka and Anthony Williams in a photo provided by the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where their lawsuit was filed. U.S. District Court; Southern District of Florida Williams and his wife say they were humiliated and confused as other passengers walked past them as they were made to wait at the airport, according to the lawsuit. The two were then questioned together by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Airlines did not immediately respond to a HuffPost request for comment. Now Williams and Shasholka are seeking damages in excess of $75,000 from American Airlines, the passenger who accused him and the employees who reported him to police. The couple is being represented by civil rights attorney Jasmine Rand, who had represented the families of Trayvon Martin, a black teen killed by a white vigilante in Florida in 2012, and George Floyd, a black man murdered by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020. My client is a retired police officer. He spent his life fighting crime, and now to be accused of a crime so heinous as trafficking his own wife is unfathomable, Rand told HuffPost in an email. He is committed to fighting for justice for himself and for others that have suffered racial discrimination at the hands of American Airlines. According to Rand, acts of racial discrimination are widespread throughout American Airlines. She alleged that there is a clear failure to train its employees and to hold them accountable when they engage in discriminatory misconduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit mentioned other incidents of alleged racial profiling by American Airline employees, including in 2023, when Black musician David Ryan Harris was accused of trafficking his own biracial children. American Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from HuffPost. Related... We all knew a lawsuit from Justin Baldoni against Blake Lively was coming over what did or did not go down on the friction-filled set of It Ends With Us and the PR aftermath, and now it has with a $400 million price tag attached. At bottom, this is not a case about celebrities sniping at each other in the press, says the complaint filed Thursday in New York federal court by the movies co-star and director, his Wayfarer Studios, PR team Melissa Nathan, Jennifer Abel and others against Lively, Ryan Reynolds, PR chief Leslie Sloane and Sloanes Vision PR. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeking a jury trial and citing claims of defamation, extortion and more, Baldoni wants in no event less than $400,000,000 from Lively, Reynolds and the other defendants. This is a case about two of the most powerful stars in the world deploying their enormous power to steal an entire film right out of the hands of its director and production studio, the 179-page filing from Los Angeles-based attorney Bryan Freedman and NYCs Meister Seelig & Fein PLLC says of Reynolds and spouse Lively. Then, when Lively and Reynolds efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat. Tolerating a year and a half of their behavior while remaining polite and professional at every turn offered Badoni and Wayfarer no protection. Click to read Justin Baldonis $400M lawsuit against Blake Lively & Ryan Reynolds here. Adding to the star power on display here, Taylor Swift (who provided a tune to the Lively edit of It Ends With Us that was released by Sony last year to good box office and is now on Netflix) makes an uncredited cameo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a section of Baldonis lawsuit where he is taking umbrage with Lively rewriting sections of the script and Reyonlds praising his wifes efforts during a NYC meeting at the couples pad, a famous, and famously close, friend of Reynolds and Lively, walked into the room and similarly began praising Livelys script. Portraying this as a setup, the suit says: Baldoni understood the subtext: he needed to comply with Livelys direction for the script. Just over a week after being dropped by his agency WME, seeing awards revoked and a podcast co-host exit over the claims Lively made public, Baldoni sued the New York Times on New Years Eve for $250 million over its December 21 We Can Bury Anyone: Inside A Hollywood Smear Machine story about Livelys December 20 sexual harassment and retaliation filing against Baldoni with the California Civil Rights Department. The Gray Lady was having none of it and stood by its story which comes up a lot BTW in todays lawsuit. (L-R) Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine With Reynolds playing a big role in the dispute between the It Ends With Us co-stars and the Deadpool actor being repeatedly decried by Freedman in media appearances, it was no surprise that Baldoni and crew had the hard-hitting lawyer send a widely accusing and somewhat self-pitying January 7 evidence-preservation letter to Disney and Marvel over Deadpool & Wolverine. When boiled down, Baldonis letter to Bob Iger and Kevin Feige claims the insufferable and man-bun-sporting Nicepool character in Deadpool & Wolverine is meant to be a mockery of Baldoni by Reynolds, and everyone involved in the blockbuster flick knew it. In both instances, the Wayfarer Studio founder is using the tactic of what you say is what you are in declaring that he and his people werent behind a smear campaign against Lively, rather she was behind one against him in the lead-up to It Ends With Us August 2024 release and in subsequent fallout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, in what may be a bridge too far in the minds of many, Baldoni and team have invoked the horrific wildfires that have devastated L.A. in their latest legal action. Lively moved forward with her plan with ruthless precision, doubling down in the face of abundant evidence casting doubt on the veracity of her story, the new complaint says. Lively even went so far as to serve her lawsuit on the Los Angeles-based defendants as they evacuated their homes in the midst of devastating fires engulfing their city. On a day when Defendants were gathering their kids and pets, preparing go bags and monitoring evacuation orders while fearing for their homes, Lively from the safety of her penthouse in New York deployed process servers in the midst of these troubling times. It should be noted that plaintiffs almost never have anything to do directly with documents being served on defendants that a process servers job and discretion. (L-R) Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni in It Ends With Us Still, even as Baldoni and his various flacks are also being taken to court for defamation and breach of contract by Stephanie Jones, the head of his former PR firm, Baldoni is quadrupling down on Lively and Reynolds in his David vs Goliath mission. Lively stole Wayfarers movie, hijacked Wayfarers premiere, destroyed Plaintiffs personal and professional reputations and livelihood, and aimed to drive Plaintiffs out of business entirely, the filing, illustrated with several emails and text messages, also exclaims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In fact, Jones, filled with so-called impotent rage, is all over todays suit, with recurrent claims that the Jonesworks boss, in revenge for Abel exiting the company last year to set up her own shop and taking Baldoni and Wayfarer with her, took her soon-to-be ex-employees phone and provided it to Lively and her lawyers to go after the other parties. On information and belief, Jones, Lively, Reynolds, and Leslie Sloane (Sloane), Livelys publicist, and others concocted a plan whereby Jones would seize Abels phone upon her departure and mine it for messages that, stripped of context, could be used to concoct a false narrative that the disastrous press coverage of Livelys callous and opportunistic comments and the public reaction to those comments were not Livelys fault at all, but the result of a calculated (though in reality, nonexistent) smear campaign by Baldoni and his team, todays dense suit asserts. Following up on her CRD complaint, Lively launched a formal sexual harassment and retaliation suit against Baldoni, his Wayfarer Studios, Nathan, Abel and others December 31. There was no named sum in Livelys suit, but among the various request for damages it was clear the Gossip Girl alum wants some cash, but more importantly wants Baldoni to never to speak of her or Reynolds again. Representatives for Lively, Reynolds, Sloane and the other defendants did not respond to request for comment on Baldonis new lawsuit today. If they do, this post will be updated. In the meantime, PR firms all over town are purging their own emails and texts, and lawyers are set to make a ton of dough out of all this, especially with even more suits expected. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. DES MOINES, Iowa UnityPoint Health Blank Childrens Hospital is experiencing an uptick in cases of RSV and winter illnesses, however, the case numbers for RSV are drastically lower than in years past. Blank Childrens Hospital is reporting an 80% decrease in the number of RSV cases it has seen between the fall of 2023 and the fall of 2024. Deer population dwindles due to diseases, Iowa DNR says Dr. Amy Groen, a ER Physician at Blank Childrens Hospital, said that the decrease in RSV cases is likely due to a new treatment for RSV called Beyfortus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year has been a positive shift for us. And I think its probably due to the Beyfortus this vaccine that kids are now able to get. We classify it as a vaccine, but its a monoclonal antibody that they can get in the fall preceding the RSV season. So the babies can get it, moms can get it in place of the baby while theyre still pregnant. And so its last year we didnt have product. This year we have product. People are getting it and were definitely seeing a decrease in hospitalizations for sure from the cases, Dr. Groen said. However, Dr. Groen is still seeing a rise in patients suffering from winter illnesses like the flu and RSV. In the winter here in the Blank ED, we usually run volumes 30 to 40% over our like our normal volumes and were at that right now, Dr. Groen said. Dr. Groen recommends washing your hands, staying home when sick, and getting a flu shot to protect yourself from winter illnesses. Metro news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 who13.com. Supporters and opponents of Amendment 2 made their opinions known at the Fancy Farm Picnic, Aug. 3, 2024. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Austin Anthony) More than two months after Kentucky voters rejected allowing nonpublic schools to receive public funds, a prominent school choice advocate from Texas is suing a Kentucky school district over an election-related matter. Corey DeAngelis filed suit against Pulaski County Schools for blocking him from its Facebook page after he raised questions last August about the districts posts regarding Amendment 2. Corey DeAngelis (Provided by Liberty Justice Center) DeAngelis, who is on the board of constitutional law firm Liberty Justice Center, filed a complaint Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Eastern Kentucky that says he is seeking to affirm his First Amendment rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pulaski County Schools Superintendent Patrick Richardson said he was unaware of the lawsuit when emailed for comment Thursday. Oddly enough, I wonder why a person from Texas would be so interested in Kentucky, especially Pulaski County? Richardson said. I really dont have a comment on something I have not officially been made aware of yet. Bless his heart. Patrick Richardson (Pulaski County Schools) The lawsuit argues DeAngelis was censored and otherwise restricted in his online speech when he criticized the school districts posts opposing the amendment that would have opened a path to school vouchers and charter schools in Kentucky. DeAngelis has been labeled the school choice evangelist and is a regular on Fox News, according to his LinkedIn page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He told the Kentucky Lantern in an interview Thursday that he filed the lawsuit to uphold the First Amendment rights of all Americans and remedy the issue for Kentucky families that may follow the school districts page and were not able to voice their opinion while all comments were limited on the online posts. Im standing up primarily for Kentucky residents who are impacted by their actions, he said. Last November, 65% of Kentucky voters rejected the constitutional amendment which was defeated in every county. A few months before that, Pulaski County Schools, a district seated around Somerset with more than 7,500 students, shared messages opposing the amendment on its websites and Facebook pages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prominent Kentucky Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, suggested the posts blatantly broke state law. Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman ultimately issued an advisory that warned school districts to not use tax dollars to advocate for or against a constitutional amendment. Massies criticism of the school district on X was shared in a quote tweet from DeAngelis. To date, that post from DeAngelis has received about 766,500 views. According to court records, DeAngelis case has been referred to U.S. District Judge Claria Horn Boom, who was appointed to the federal bench by President Donald Trump in 2018. The lawsuit says DeAngelis commented on the school districts Facebook page after sharing the post on X and he argued the District had violated Kentucky law by using public resources to advocate against Amendment 2. After Colemans advisory, the Liberty Justice Center sent the school district a letter detailing how the Districts advocacy actions were illegal and demanding removal of the posts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district removed the posts and closed comments on a subsequent post about removing the statements. A few days later, DeAngelis noticed he had been blocked from commenting or viewing the school districts Facebook page. He posted about that on X on Aug. 16, and that tweet has more than 82,100 views. The lawsuit says he remained blocked until Aug. 21. Attorneys for DeAngelis then sent another letter to Pulaski County Schools asking the district to agree to 1) refrain from interfering with Mr. DeAngeliss criticism of the District on social media, 2) reopen public comment, and 3) cease any further efforts to suppress free expression. Mr. DeAngeliss undersigned counsel then exchanged emails with the Districts counsel, asking for a written commitment to not block Mr. DeAngelis or otherwise engage in viewpoint-based restrictions on social media to avoid litigation over this matter, the lawsuit says. Neither Mr. DeAngelis nor his counsel ever received that commitment. DeAngelis is asking the court grant a permanent injunction against the school district to refrain from blocking Mr. DeAngelis or other members of the public from interacting with the Districts official Facebook page based on viewpoint. He is also asking the court to declare the school district violated Mr. DeAngeliss First Amendment right to freedom of speech when it blocked him from making comments on its Facebook page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representing DeAngelis are Northern Kentucky attorney Steven Megerle and Dean McGee of the Liberty Justice Center. McGee told the Lantern that the center filed the lawsuit now because it was just not something we could ultimately let go. He said that while he would leave open the possibility of addressing other issues in the lawsuit, such as the possibility of tax dollars used to advocate against the amendment, the lawsuit is currently just focused on First Amendment rights. We certainly think there are potential legal theories for private citizens in Kentucky in districts whose taxpayer resources were used to advocate this political point, McGee said. There are potential avenues for them to assert those rights. The Liberty Justice Center represents all of its clients for free. Its not the first time a Kentucky official has faced legal troubles for blocking accounts online. Former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin faced a federal lawsuit over blocking users from his official Twitter and Facebook accounts. Ultimately, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky settled the case with Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear after he assumed office in 2020. The Kentucky governors office adopted a new social media policy as part of the agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken was on the receiving end of an angry reporters questions over journalists killed whilst covering the Israel-Hamas conflict. Blinkens remarks come one day after a ceasefire deal was announced. WASHINGTON (AP) Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday defended Biden administration policies on Israels war with Hamas after a ceasefire agreement in Gaza was reached, facing protests that interrupted his final news conference at the State Department. He said he expected the deal announced by President Joe Biden and Qatar on Wednesday to be implemented over the weekend. He called it a moment of historic possibility for the region and well beyond even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a last-minute dispute with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval. Its going to take tremendous effort, political courage, compromise to realize that possibility, to try to ensure that the gains that have been achieved over the past 15 months at enormous, excruciating cost are actually enduring, Blinken said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he touted the deal, two people in the room accused him of complicity in Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians in loud outbursts that forced him to pause. One shouted, Why arent you in the Hague? referring to the International Criminal Court based in the Dutch city, and the other called him a monster. Blinken asked them to respect the process. Both men were physically removed by Diplomatic Security officers. While protests are common in large public gatherings, including just this week when Blinken delivered an address on the Middle East at a Washington-based think tank, they are rare, if not unprecedented, in the State Department briefing room. After recovering from the interruptions, Blinken said in response to other questions that the U.S. has had real differences with Israel in how it has gone about defending its people and has expressed those clearly at various points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But weve mostly done it privately, precisely because we didnt want to feed into Hamas clearly held views that if that pressure was mounting, and if there was daylight, they could do nothing, Blinken said. That they could refuse to engage on the negotiations, hold back on a ceasefire and releasing the hostages, and thus perpetuate the suffering, the loss for the people that they purport to represent. Blinken and other members of the Biden administration have faced severe criticism for not imposing meaningful restrictions on the supply of weapons to Israel or pushing its key ally hard enough to ease a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Israel's military offensive against Hamas militants who triggered the war with their Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attacks that killed some 1,200 people has leveled vast swaths of Gaza and pushed around 90% of the population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast. The campaign has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blinken said the administration was acutely aware of the civilian suffering in Gaza, but said it had stopped short of accusing Israel of war crimes because of the uniquely challenging situation in the territory. Uniquely in Gaza, besides having a population thats been trapped there that has nowhere else to go, you have an enemy that embeds itself in and amongst civilians, houses, hospitals, mosques, schools, and getting a clear picture and a clear understanding of whether any one incident in that context constitutes a violation of international law it's an incredibly complicated thing to do, especially to do it in real time," he said. Blinken traveled to the Mideast 12 times in a bid to halt the fighting. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump are both claiming credit for the ceasefire deal after the White House brought Trumps Middle East envoy into the stalled negotiations. ___ AP reporter Ellen Knickmeyer contributed from Washington. Space transport company Blue Origin successfully flew its New Glenn rocket for the first time early this morning, a major step toward enabling the firm to compete for national security missions. New Glenn lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida just 2 a.m., carrying an experimental payload it built for a Defense Innovation Unit program. New Glenn is foundational to advancing our customers critical missions as well as our own, the company said in a statement. The vehicle underpins our efforts to establish sustained human presence on the Moon, harness in-space resources, provide multi-mission, multi-orbit mobility through Blue Ring, and establish destinations in low Earth orbit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company had hoped to recover the rockets first-stage booster and land it on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean an ambitious goal for a debut mission but it lost the initial stage during descent. The inaugural New Glenn launch is a long time coming for Blue Origin, which is owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos. The rocket was initially supposed to make its debut in 2020, but repeated development issues delayed those plans. Its launch puts it on a path toward conducting commercial and NASA missions. It also counts toward its certification to carry national security payloads for the U.S. Space Force. The company is already on deck to compete alongside SpaceX and United Launch Alliance incumbents in the Space Forces National Security Space Launch program for a subset of military missions worth up to $5.6 billion over the next five years. The firm wont be eligible to win until the service certifies New Glenn, which requires at least one more successful flight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blue Origins selection came this summer as part to the Space Forces new strategy for space launch, which it calls NSSL Phase 3. Under that approach, the Space Force created two lanes in which companies can compete Lane 1 is for commercial-like missions and is geared toward new providers and Lane 2 is reserved for firms whose rockets meet more stringent security and performance requirements. The service chose the first round of Lane 1 competitors last June and will choose Lane 2 companies sometime this year. Blue Origin is also in the running for Lane 2. In 2023 and 2024, the Space Force awarded the company more than $950 million to complete integration studies that consider whether the rockets ground systems and payload integration processes can support government schedule requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the experimental Blue Ring Pathfinder payload New Glenn carried on todays mission is part of DIUs Orbital Logistics prototype effort. The program aims to demonstrate the ability to provide logistics services like refueling and transport. The vision is for Blue Ring to eventually serve as a heavy utility orbital logistics vehicle, which means it can tow one or more payloads or spacecraft to different orbits. The payload launched today will help validate Blue Rings ability to communicate with the ground from space. It will also be used to test in-space telemetry, tracking and command hardware and well as ground-based tracking that will feature on a future Blue Ring production vehicle. Blue Ring plays a critical role in building a road to space, and this mission is an important first step for Blue Ring and enabling dynamic and responsive operations that will greatly benefit our nation, Paul Ebertz, Blue Origins senior vice president for in-space systems, said in a statement. This story has been updated to add video and photo gallery. A new space race is underway, with Jeff Bezos Blue Origin making the latest move to potentially rival Elon Musks SpaceX. After numerous delays and scrapped attempts, Blue Origin officially launched its years-in-the-making rocket, New Glenn. The making of New Glenn has become a passion project of Bezos, who has led the funding for the 320-foot rocket. The launch site alone ran up a bill of $1 billion, which was used to rebuild Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While New Glenn was launched in Florida, the company does work in Texas, where it services rides to the edge of space for paying customers including Bezos himself. A Blue Origin New Glenn rocket lifts off on its inaugural launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Thursday morning, January 16, 2025. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK More: Firefly Aerospace's, NASA successfully launch Blue Ghost lunar lander to moon The launch was particularly notable due to the rocket's experimental platform, designed to host and disperse satellites. While there were complications during the launch, the company emphasized that the most important aspect of the mission was to get the test satellite to reach orbit. According to the company, scheduled launches for New Glenn were forced to punt in recent days due to ice build-up in critical plumbing. Right now, the rocket is tailored toward test launches but there are plans for astronauts to be aboard in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The launch is just the start of a big year for Blue Origin as it hopes to administer half a dozen similar missions the next of which is scheduled for this spring. Musk's SpaceX still in comfortable position Despite the success of Blue Origins launch, the house is likely still betting on Musks SpaceX in terms of who is leading in the market. In Boca Chica, SpaceX is already preparing for the seventh launch of its Starship. Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the flight was rescheduled for today due to weather conditions, according to the company. More: Elon Musk's company town 'Snailbrook' is growing; here is everything we know Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another delay is possible, but if it is avoided this will be another chance to see Starship get closer to perfecting its launch process. Without a doubt, the biggest storyline for Starships 7th launch will be whether it can replicate the previously unheard-of booster catch, that allows the company to reuse the booster, from its 5th flight. During the 6th flight, many were anticipating the same thing, however, SpaceX canceled an attempted catch at the last moment. During the 7th flight, the catch tower will be upgraded with new hardware designed to improve the likelihood of a successful booster catch. The enhancements include protective measures for the sensors on the tower's mechanical arms, called chopsticks. SpaceX reported that these sensors sustained damage during the Nov. 19 launch, leading mission operators to divert the booster for a landing in the Gulf of Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bezos insists the two companies are not in competition with each other and his companys emphasis on luxury launches, a service SpaceX does not offer, could prove this point. However, as federal funding has gone away from NASA and to private companies, one point of contact could be when the two companies are fighting for future government contracts. Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Blue Origin successfully launches new rocket to compete with SpaceX ALABAMA (WHNT) U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville has been outspoken about how he thinks disaster relief should be funneled to California in the wake of the ongoing wildfires. Tuberville said aid for the states should come with conditions. He said Congress has given California money in the past that he feels was wasted, and he does not want to see that happen with disaster relief. Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are the most highly taxed state in the country, and they cant afford the things that theyre doing, wasting money on homelessness, Tuberville said. Alabama regularly receives federal money after natural disasters impact the state. FEMA provided disaster assistance to Alabamians after Hurricane Helene hit parts of the state last September. Tuberville said he believes Alabamas leadership is more capable of managing that money than government officials in blue states like California. He criticized the states forestry management and said, that despite having the largest economy in the country, the state overspends. He said Democratic Senators grant the state too much money. I call Chuck Schumer the sugar daddy guy for blue states, Tuberville said. Californias climate cult is part of the reason this disaster happened. President Biden committing 100% federal funding for six months to California is like pouring money down a well. It will be lost and gone forever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Biden has said the federal government will cover all the cost of the initial disaster in Los Angeles. Joe Biden is stepping up for a blue state, and thats not what leaders do, Tuberville said. Hes dead wrong on this. Tuberville said he believes relief money could be given to California but only if its allocation is controlled by incoming President Donald Trump. The senator said he does not trust Californias leaders and politicians to handle the funds. U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated Congress will likely authorize billions of dollars of relief for Los Angeles, but it will come with conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. A new Saudi Arabian airline has pushed back its highly-anticipated launch after receiving fewer aircraft than expected from stricken plane maker Boeing. Having originally planned to begin operations in the early part of this year, Riyadh Air is now targeting the third quarter after Boeing halved its number of expected deliveries. Bosses are preparing to receive just four 787 Dreamliner wide-body aircraft in 2025, Bloomberg reported, having previously expected eight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tony Douglas, the chief executive of the start-up Saudi Arabian carrier, said: We have obviously pivoted like everybody else has on a number of occasions to be able to adjust to the latest forecast. I am confident, given the latest forecast, that well get deliveries this year. Is it completely without risk? Obviously no, its not. Riyadh Air has said it wants to offer flights to 100 global destinations by the end of the decade, supporting Saudi Arabias bid to attract 100m tourists a year. String of Boeing setbacks The delayed launch comes after Boeing has fallen far behind Airbus in its long-running battle to be the worlds biggest plane maker, having suffered from a string of setbacks and crises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US manufacturer delivered less than half the number of jets shipped by its European rival in 2024, the latest data show, with a similar story for new orders. Riyadh Air revealed in October that it had lodged a mammoth $8bn (6bn) aircraft order with Airbus, as it aims to take on established Middle Eastern carriers such as Emirates. The airline, which is bankrolled by the Saudi state, struck a deal to buy 60 A321neo short-haul jets from Airbus. This was in addition to an earlier agreement for 39 Boeing wide-bodies announced last year, which includes the option for another 33. The carrier has already rented one Boeing 787 jet that became available from Oman Air, although it will not have the Riyadh Air interiors and is not primarily aimed at carrying passengers once commercial operations start. It will instead be used as a technical spare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boeing has faced a series of crises since a door plug blew out of an Alaska Airlines 737 Max at 16,000ft in January last year. The left-rear door panel of an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out at 16,000ft - NTSB/via REUTERS A safety review led to the Max model being immediately taken out of service for safety checks, which revealed a litany of issues. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) subsequently caped build rates for the plane at 38 a month. Scrutiny of production processes and the supply chain subsequently uncovered fundamental quality-control problems at Boeing, deepening the crisis and causing Max output to slow even further. It is now six years since Boeing last occupied the top spot in the airliner industry, which remains an effective duopoly between the US company and Airbus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Riyadh Air spokesman said: The arrival of the first B787-9 will allow operations to commence as soon as possible and we remain in close contact with our colleagues at Boeing with the aim to receive delivery of a number of aircraft later this year. Major parts of the first aircraft are already prepared for final assembly and given well-known global supply chain challenges, we expect delivery to start in Q3, facilitating the start of operations soon after. 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. Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan is reportedly "in recovery" after he was stabbed multiple times during a home invasion at his property in Mumbai, India. The actor and film producer, 54, underwent emergency surgery at Mumbais Lilavati Hospital after he was attacked in the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 16, Variety reported. The outlet added that Khan encountered an intruder at his 11th-floor apartment at around 2.30 a.m. local time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was then stabbed multiple times after he tried to intervene in an altercation between the intruder and his maid, according to South Asian news agency ANI. The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing, Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam said, reported ANI. The intruder fled the scene after the attack, according to The Times of India. PEOPLE has contacted Greater Mumbai Police and Bandra police station for comment 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. SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan on the red carpet on December 13, 2024 Kareena Kapoor Khan and Saif Ali Khan on the red carpet on December 13, 2024 Related: 'Tomb Raider' Actor Simon Yam, 64, Stabbed on Stage, Hospitalized in China Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sky News reported that Khan received a total of six stab wounds in the attack. This included two deep cuts on his back with one reportedly close to his spine. He has since finished surgery and is out of danger, according to the BBC. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress," his team told the outlet. Staff from Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai, where Khan received treatment, also told the BBC that he "sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. SUJIT JAISWAL/AFP via Getty Saif Ali khan at the opening ceremony of 'Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023' in Mumbai on October 27, 2023 Saif Ali khan at the opening ceremony of 'Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2023' in Mumbai on October 27, 2023 Related: Actor Who Allegedly Stabbed Hollywood Makeup Artist Multiple Times Charged with Attempted Murder Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team," Dr Nitin Dange said, per the BBC. According to The Independent, the stars wife actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, 44, and their sons Taimur, 7, and Jeh, 3, were inside the property at the time of the attack but were unharmed. The Indian Express reported that a domestic worker, who first raised the alarm and was attacked first, also received injuries to her right wrist in the incident. She has been taken to Bandra police station for questioning, the outlet added. Police also did not find CCTV footage of the suspect entering Khans apartment, according to multiple reports. The investigation is still ongoing. Variety stated that Khans acting career spans three decades, starring in movies such as Tanhaji, Devara: Part 1 and Dil Chahta Hai. Read the original article on People On Thursday, a Tampa judge denied bond for Davion Murphy, the fifth suspect in the murder of Julio Foolio. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Murphy was arrested in Jacksonville on Jan. 6 in connection to the Tampa shooting death of rapper Charles Jones. READ: Jacksonville police make fifth arrest in murder of local rapper Julio Foolio According to the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office, the arrest happened at an apartment on Labelle Street after a team effort by the SWAT unit, Gang Unit, and the U.S. Marshals Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four other arrests have previously been made: 21-year-old Isaiah Chance, 21-year-old Alicia Andrews, 18-year-old Sean Gathright, and 30-year-old Rashad Murphy. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. DARLINGTON COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A Darlington County judge denied bond Thursday morning for a Hartsville man suspected of strangling a woman and then burying her in a well after an argument. Daniel Peel, 49, was arrested last month and charged with murder, obstruction of justice and kidnapping in the death of Shamra Felkel, also of Hartsville. The judge said he Peel would be considered a flight risk if given bond. Peel allegedly strangled Felkel on Sept. 25 after an argument, arrest warrants show. After that, authorities say he buried her in a well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Felkel was last seen on New Market Road in the Hartsville area on Sept. 25 but was not reported missing by family members until Oct. 7. Human remains found in early December off Ruby Road near Hartsville were later identified as those of Felkel. Coroner Todd Hardee ruled her death a homicide. Deputies in mid-November used drones and K-9s to search an undisclosed location. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * * * 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. A lot of things happened. Here are some of the things. This is TPMs Morning Memo. Sign up for the email version. A Dark And Foreboding Hearing The confirmation hearing of Pam Bondi for attorney general was more alarming and foreboding than I had expected. In advance, I thought she would mount enough of a defense of Justice Department independence and the rule of law to provide a fig leaf of cover for her true aims and those of Donald Trump, making it harder for less sophisticated observers to see through the charade. That would have been problematic in its own right, but the alternative turned out to be worse. Instead, Bondi was brazen in offering nods to right-wing conspiracies, Fox News talking points, and Trump ego-stroking. Whatever she did to position herself as a colorable defender of the rule of law was overwhelmed by her refusal to acknowledge Trump lost in 2020, her expressed horror with Special Counsel Jack Smiths investigations, and her dodging of any question that would put her at odds with Trump. If she cant create daylight between herself and Trump now in the abstract, what chance is there of her doing so when the real heat is on? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between Bondi and GOP senators, the tone of the hearing was largely: Were going to do exactly what we want to do and you cant stop us. Bondis Election Denialism Nothing was quite as disturbing as Bondis adherence to the Big Lie because it implicates so many other rule of law issues, including her obvious willingness to consider criminal investigations of Biden DOJ figures on the basis that they had investigated Trump: Bondis Slavish Display Of Loyalty To Trump Some of the sharper reactions to the Bondi confirmation hearing: Dahlia Lithwick: The main takeaway from her performance, though: If an insurrection happens in a forest, and Pam Bondi isnt there to hear it, did it really happen? Benjamin Wittes: She could not bring herself to acknowledge the possibility of having to say no to Donald Trump or to address how she would handle the very-plausible prospect of receiving an illegal order from him. Joyce Vance: Bondi clumsily walking the tightrope between what she knew she had to say to get confirmed and what she knew she had to say to stay in Donald Trumps good graces. She made it clear in the process that if she falls off, it will be in his direction. A Really Bad Sign Trump sacks House Intel chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) for being too pro-Ukraine. The Trump II Clown Show The sheer volume of charlatans, misfits, and miscreants that Trump has nominated requires triaging. We cant cover them all in depth, and you cant keep it all in your head. But I didnt want these three to slip by without noting them: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell Vought , OMB director: President-elect Trumps selection to lead the White Houses budget told lawmakers on Wednesday he may consider withholding funds appropriated by Congress and defended the removal of civil service protections for some employees as necessary to ensure good governance, Government Executive reported. John Ratcliffe , CIA director: John Ratcliffe, who served as director of national intelligence in Trumps first term, appeared likely to win easy confirmation after his appearance before the Senate Intelligence Committee, where he found a warm reception, the WaPo reported. No senator disclosed plans to oppose his nomination. Chris Wright, secretary of energy: [T]he confirmation hearing for Chris Wright, a literal fracking executive, for Secretary of Energy proved to be relatively low-key and collegial among senators from both parties, Heatmap reported. Wright was introduced by his fellow Coloradan, Democratic Senator John Hickenlooper, was an early strong signal that will likely pass through confirmation with ease. Trump II Transition Tidbits Enemies List : President-elect Trump identified an enemies list of 11 people with whom any association he considers disqualifying to serve in his administration. They are all Republicans or former Trump I officials. Not Normal : Trump has invited a slew of far-right and nationalist politicians from around the world to his inauguration. RIP Jimmy Carter: Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) joined with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in directing U.S. flags at the state Capitol in Sacramento be raised to full height for Inauguration Day after Trump complained about them being lowered to honor the late President Jimmy Carter. Biden Warns Of Rising Oligarchy In America While he is largely sidelined and ignored, President Biden took the opportunity during his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office to warn of rising oligarchy and a tech-industrial complex that both threaten fundamental freedoms an extraordinary warning from a sitting president. You can read the full text of Bidens farewell address. Elon Musk Watch NYT: Musk Said to Have Intervened to Help Free Italian Jailed in Iran WSJ: SEC Sues Elon Musk Over Twitter Stock Buys NYT: Elon Musk Is Expected to Use Office Space in the White House Complex Aileen Cannon Demands Jack Smith Report Ahead of Fridays hearing on whether Attorney General Merrick Garland can release to select members of Congress a redacted version of Volume II of Special Counsel Jack Smiths report on the Mar-a-Lago case, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ordered the Justice Department to provide her with a copy of the report, not an unreasonable demand considering defense counsel have already seen it. A hearing in which everyone but the judge has seen the document in question would be off kilter. Meanwhile, House Judiciary Democrats are calling for Garland to drop the charges against the remaining defendants in the Mar-a-Lago case so that Smiths Volume II can be released publicly before Trump takes office and not get buried forever. Dropping viable criminal charges in return for a special counsels report seems like a pretty lopsided bargain, especially if it spares Trump and his new attorney general from having to follow through on their corrupt plan to drop the case. Rudy G Back In Court A trial gets underway today in federal court in Manhattan to determine the disposition of some of Rudy Giulianis most prized assets as he tries to fend off Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss from executing on their $148 million defamation judgment against him. Still Grappling With Historic Hurricane Helene At the annual meeting of the American Meteorological Society this week in New Orleans, the director of the National Hurricane Center provided an assessment of the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which came ashore in Floridas Big Bend and devastated portions of the Carolinas and Georgia: Thanks For Coming Out Last Night! We did the TPM podcast in front of a live audience for the first time last night. Josh Marshall and Kate Riga did their thing in DC with nearly 200 TPM members and supporters looking on. It went off without a hitch, and we were super pleased with the results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I got a chance to visit with Morning Memo readers, renew some old acquaintances, and make some new connections. It would have been a good evening regardless, but considering the circumstances a cold January night less than a week before Trump second inaugural it really was fantastic. Thanks for coming out. We deeply appreciate your support. Theres no doing this without you. Do you like Morning Memo? Let us know! WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President-elect Donald Trumps pick for attorney general, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, shares his views of the Biden administrations Department of Justice. The weaponization will be gone. America will have one tier of justice for all, Bondi said. During her confirmation hearing Bondi told lawmakers she is ready to tackle one of the biggest issues facing America, illegal drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you support making certain drug cartels in Mexico foreign terrorist organizations? Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) asked. They are a grave and violent threat to our country, Bondi replied. Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin doesnt question Bondis qualifications but has concerns about her loyalty to Trump. The issue is your ability to say no, Durbin said. Trumps pick for secretary of state, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), is used to questioning cabinet nominees, but this time he was on the other end. Its a bit surreal to be on this side of the room, but you all look very distinguished, Rubio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator Rubio told lawmakers the U.S. must change course and become less reliant on China. We welcomed the Chinese Communist Party into the global order and they took advantage of all of its benefits and they ignored all of its obligations and responsibilities. Instead, they have repressed and lied and cheated, Rubio said. More confirmation hearings are scheduled for this week as the Senate moves to put the president-elects cabinet in place. 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 Queen City News. In her first confirmation hearing Wednesday, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for attorney general, Pam Bondi, parroted conservative talking points, railing against the alleged politicization of the Justice Department under Preside Joe Biden while claiming ignorance of many key moments in Trumps political career and refusing to say who won the 2020 election. If there was one theme returned to most frequently during Wednesday's confirmation hearing, it was the alleged "weaponization" of the department she has been picked to lead. Democrats, on the other hand, sought assurances that she wouldnt engage in her own political prosecutions of Trumps critics. If confirmed, I will work to restore confidence and integrity to the Department of Justice and each of its components, Bondi said. Under my watch, the partisan weaponization of the Department of Justice will end. America must have one tier of justice for all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about specific critics of Trump, including former special counsel Jack Smith and former Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., Bondi refused to answer, saying only that she had not discussed the issue with Trump and that every case will be done on a case-by-case basis. No one will be prosecuted, investigated because they are a political opponent. Thats what weve seen for the last four years in this administration. It will be prosecuted based on the facts and the law and fairly, Bondi said. At the same time, Bondis answers appeared to be influenced by Trump's own brand of politics, especially when she was repeatedly asked about the 2020 election and whether Trump or President Joe Biden was the legitimate winner. To my knowledge, Donald Trump has never acknowledged the legal results of the 2020 election. Are you prepared to say today, under oath, without reservation, that Donald Trump lost the presidential contest to Joe Biden in 2020? Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi, as she would respond to the same question when posed by other senators, refused to give a straight answer, saying that she saw many things during the 2020 election. All I can tell you, as a prosecutor, is from my first-hand experience, and I accept the results," she said. "I accept, of course, that Joe Biden is president of the United States. But what I can tell you is what I saw first-hand when I went to Pennsylvania as an advocate for the campaign." In other exchanges, Bondi pleaded ignorance of some of Trumps most infamous political moments. For example, she said that she was not familiar with Trumps 2023 comments where he claimed that immigrants were poisoning the blood of the United States. She also claimed to be unfamiliar with Trump referring to convicted January 6 rioters as hostages and patriots. When asked whether she would consider pardons for January 6 convicts, including those convicted of assaulting police, Bondi said she would evaluate them too on a case-by-case basis. She also claimed ignorance when asked about Trumps infamous call with Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, in which Trump asked Raffensperger to find enough votes to change the results of the election there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about Trumps nominee to lead the FBI, Kash Patel, Bondi likewise said that she was not familiar with some of his prescriptions for the bureau. For instance, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., asked Bondi whether she agreed with Patel that the FBIs intelligence division should be broken up. I have not seen those comments from Mr Patel. I would review them, but we have to do everything we can to protect our country. Again, Mr. Patel would fall under me and the Department of Justice, and I will ensure that all laws are followed, and so will he, Bondi responded. In another exchange with Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Bondi refused to defend the 14th Amendment right to "birthright citizenship," which Trump is seeking to eliminate, saying she would have to "study" the issue. Bondis careful hewing to Trumps preferred political line while tiptoeing around some of the aspects that might be less expedient for confirmation highlighted her close connection to Trump and his political operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondis connection to Trump dates back to the 2016 election, when a committee supporting Bondi received a $25,000 donation from Trumps foundation. This was around the same time that she, as Florida attorney general, declined to investigate Trump University over allegations of fraud. After Trumps 2020 election loss, Bondi appeared as a campaign surrogate for Trump multiple times, telling Fox News on Nov. 5 of that year that we do have evidence of cheating. "We are not going anywhere until they declare that we won Pennsylvania," Bondi asserted. As with other Trump loyalists who have toed Trumps line on the 2020 election, Bondi never presented credible evidence for her claims, including the many things that purportedly went wrong in Pennsylvania. For Sammy Nabulsi, the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas falls into that category of better late than never... but too late all the same. The news today is welcome, he said. But its bittersweet. Nabulsi, a Boston real estate attorney of Palestinian descent, wound up helping a number of Palestinian Americans and their families get out of Gaza as war broke out. He laments that so many had to die most of them innocent civilians before an agreement was reached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spoke to so many people in Gaza every single day for months, Nabulsi said. And these people, many of them just trying to live their lives, were just hiding in the shadows of death every single day whether it be from airstrikes or starvation or thirst or sickness. The airstrikes may be over for the moment but the risks of starvation and sickness grew worse the longer the fighting went on. FILE PHOTO: A view over the northern Gaza Strip as seen from a position on the Israeli side of the border on January 13, 2025 in Southern Israel, Israel. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) The amount of aid that was going into Palestine has always been inadequate, Nabulsi said. These people need food, they need shelter, they need medicine and water. We need to start rebuilding and, most importantly, we need to give diplomacy a chance. Diplomacy has been given a chance before. Since 2008, Hamas and Israel have engaged in four large-scale conflicts. Each ended in a ceasefire. Each relapsed into violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nabulsi knows theres a risk the latest agreement will be just as impermanent. Theres a cycle of violence in Israel and Palestine, he said. All I can do is hope the world has seen enough. Frankly, everyone has seen enough. This agreement cannot be the end. We cant say, okay, the violence has stopped. Were going to exchange hostages, exchange prisoners and now we can just go on. This (ceasefire) is the bare minimum. My hope is beginning now, beginning tomorrow, this week, whatever, that there will be an incredible ramp up of humanitarian aid into Palestine. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A Boston man known as Dog Bite pleaded guilty to second-degree murder on Thursday in the fatal stabbing of 48-year-old Urvin Gerald that was caught on video in Dorchester in 2022. Dwight Watson, 58, will be sentenced on Friday in Suffolk Superior Court, according to the district attorneys office. Geralds family members are expected to deliver victim impact statements. On Jan. 27, 2023, U.S. Marshals arrested Watson on a murder warrant in Ohio, months after the Dorchester stabbing in July 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the Boston Police Fugitive Unit then went to Ohio for the rendition of Watson, police said. Opening statements and testimony before a jury in the murder trial began on Wednesday. On July 16, 2022, just after 1 a.m., police responded to the Mount Horeb Lodge in the area of 110 Harvard St. in Dorchester. When officers arrived, they found Gerald suffering from a stab wound. He was sent to Boston Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead. Surveillance video captured the deadly stabbing, prosecutors said. Investigators learned that there had been a fight between the victim and Watson, also known as Dog Bite, who was a regular attendee at the lodge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lodge security separated Watson and Gerald after the fight and Watson was escorted out of the facility, according to the district attorneys office. About 30 minutes later, Gerald exited the rear of the lodge. In the parking area, Watson suddenly appeared and stabbed Gerald in the neck, and then fled, prosecutors said. Investigators soon learned that Watson had left Massachusetts, and months later, U.S. Marshals arrested Watson in Ohio. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW By Ron Bousso LONDON (Reuters) -BP will cut over 5% of its global workforce, it said on Thursday, as part of CEO Murray Auchincloss' efforts to reduce costs and rebuild investor confidence in the energy giant. Around 4,700 employees and 3,000 contractor positions will be cut this year, BP told Reuters. The cuts were announced in an internal memo seen by Reuters earlier on Thursday. BP shares were up 1% at 1200 GMT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Auchincloss last year said he would cut the British company's costs by at least $2 billion by the end of 2026 to boost returns and address investor concerns over its energy transition strategy. He was also seeking to restore confidence following the abrupt resignation of his predecessor Bernard Looney in September 2023 for failing to disclose relationships with employees. The job cuts follow reviews of all of BP's divisions. BP has a workforce of around 90,000. "We have got more we need to do through this year, next year and beyond, but we are making strong progress as we position BP to grow as a simpler, more focused, higher-value company," Auchincloss said in the memo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exact breakdown of the cuts was not disclosed. But in a separate memo sent by the head of BP's technology division, Emeka Emembolu, to his team, he anticipated around 1,100 roles will be cut through redundancies or by shifting work from the UK and the U.S. to Hungary, India and Malaysia. BP declined to comment on the memo. Shares in the group have underperformed those of most of its rivals over the last year, down by over 5%, similar to French rival TotalEnergies and compared with a 5.5% gain for Shell and Exxon Mobil's 14% gain. Auchincloss, who took office a year ago, will lay out his new strategy at an investor day on Feb. 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has already taken major steps to reverse his predecessor's strategy of shifting away from oil and gas. As part of the new effort to reduce exposure to renewables, BP and Japanese power generator JERA last month agreed to join forces to form one of the world's largest offshore wind operators. Rival Shell has also reduced its workforce in recent years as part of CEO Wael Sawan's cost-cutting drive. The reductions included a 20% reduction in its oil and gas exploration division and cuts in its low-carbon division. BP will publish its fourth-quarter and full-year results on Feb. 11. (Reporting by Ron Bousso; editing by Jason Neely, David Evans and Barbara Lewis) Brad Pitt is urging fans to be aware of tricky scammers after someone swindled a French woman out of $850,000 by pretending they were the Oscar-winning actor in an ongoing catfish romance scheme. Its awful that scammers take advantage of the strong bond between fans and celebrities, Pitt said in a statement to media. This is an important reminder not to respond to unsolicited online messages, especially from actors who are not present on social networks. Pitts response came after a 53-year-old interior designer named Anne admitted to falling in love online with a person she thought was Pitt, who ultimately tricked her into giving them hundreds of thousands of dollars by saying they needed the funds for a kidney treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relationship with the unknown person who stated their bank accounts were frozen because of his divorce battle with ex-wife Angelina Jolie lasted for over a year. Per France24, Anne didnt realize she was being bamboozled until she learned that the real Brad Pitt was in a relationship with Ines de Ramon. Anne, who reportedly struggles with mental health issues, shared her story with French TV program Seven to Eight, and was subsequently mocked online, which resulted in the show pulling the episode. The story broadcast this Sunday has resulted in a wave of harassment against the witness, TF1 presenter Harry Roselmack wrote on his X account on Tuesday, per France24. For the protection of victims, we have decided to withdraw it from our platforms. During her conversation with TFI, Anne questioned humanitys compassion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I ask myself why they chose me to do such harm like this, she said at the time. Ive never harmed anyone. These people deserve hell. This isnt the first time Pitt has been impersonated. Back in September 2024, five people were arrested for scamming two women out of about $362,000 online. More people are under investigation beyond the five who were arrested. Variety first reported the news. The post Brad Pitt Warns of Scams, Catfishing After French Woman Gets Swindled $850K: Its Awful appeared first on TheWrap. WYALUSING, Pa. (WETM) A Le Raysville man has been sentenced to serve time in a correctional facility after he was found guilty of driving under the influence of meth. Frank J. Rought, 36, was sentenced to a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months in the Bradford County Correctional Facility for driving under the influence of meth, as reported by the Bradford County District Attorneys Office. PA woman sentenced on burglary charges after leaving rehab facility Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DA states that Rought was charged with the crime by Pennsylvania State Police in June of 2024 after a traffic stop on Route 6 in Wyalusing Township. During the traffic stop, a trooper asked Rought when the last time he had used illegal narcotics was, to which he responded by asking What time is it? Rought was then found with multiple pieces of paraphernalia. In addition to his sentence, Rought will lose his driving privileges in Pennsylvania for at least one year. The DA also stated that Rought has a criminal history, including charges in connection to incidents involving retail theft and drugs. 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Indiana has joined several states that have confirmed flags will be raised on Inauguration Day, despite the mourning period following former President Jimmy Carter's death. After a former president dies, federal flag code dictates that flags should be flown at half-staff for 30 days out of respect. When Carter died Dec. 29 at age 100, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to lower flags to half-staff for the standard period. On Wednesday, Republican Gov. Mike Braun joined several government officials who announced plans to temporarily disregard the proclamation Monday on Inauguration Day, a date which coincides this year with Martin Luther King Day, and falls within the 30-day mourning period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what we know. Will Indiana raise flags to full-staff on Inauguration Day? Yes, Indiana will raise its flags to full-staff Monday on Inauguration Day when Donald Trump is sworn in as the nation's 47th president. Trump, weeks ago, fumed on social media that flags might be at half-staff during the ceremony. What did Gov. Mike Braun order about Indiana's flags? Braun has directed that flags statewide will be flown at full-staff, from sunrise until sunset, Monday, Jan. 20, in observance of Inauguration Day, according to a Wednesday news release from Braun's office. Will flags be lowered again after Inauguration Day? Yes, Indiana's flags will be lowered again to half-staff for the remainder of the month, according to the news release, in honor and memory of former president Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Story continues after photo gallery. Which states will raise flags on Inauguration Day? Several state governors in addition to Indiana have announced plans to raise flags to full-staff on Inauguration Day. They include: Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, along with other elected officials, cited a federal statute stating that the U.S. flag should be displayed "especially on Inauguration Day, January 20." "While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America," Abbott said in a news release. On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson suspended the mourning period to allow flags at the U.S. Capitol to fly at full-staff during the inauguration despite Biden's assurance that the White House won't reconsider the flag order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump," Johnson said in a statement. "The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter. Story continues after photo gallery. Why are flags at half-staff? Flags at government agencies in Indiana and across the nation were lowered to half-staff on Dec. 30 in honor and remembrance of the life of the nation's 39th U.S. President, Jimmy Carter, who died on Dec. 29. Why do flags fly at half-staff? There are three reasons why both U.S. and state flags are lowered to half-staff: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death of a government official, military member or emergency first responder. A national tragedy. Memorial Day and other national days of remembrance. Is it half-mast or half-staff? It depends are you on a ship? For ships and at naval stations ashore, the flags are flown at half-mast. But if you happen to be on dry land, flags on a flag pole are flown at half-staff. Are abortion pills next to be banned?: Indiana already banned abortions. Now, state lawmakers are eyeing abortion pills. Todd Runkle, Carolinas Connect editor, contributed. Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com. John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: On Trump's Inauguration Day, Indiana flags will return to full-staff (Bloomberg) -- Brazils Supreme Court barred former President Jair Bolsonaro from leaving the country to attend Donald Trumps inauguration in Washington on Monday. Most Read from Bloomberg Justice Alexandre de Moraes, as recommended by the prosecutor generals office, declined to return Bolsonaros passport, according to a court filing issued Thursday. Police had seized his passport in February 2024 amid a probe into an alleged coup attempt by the ex-presidents supporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moraes wrote that the circumstances of the trip raised the possibility of an escape attempt by Bolsonaro. The judge cited Bolsonaros previous defense of the idea that people convicted of taking part in riots that followed his 2022 election defeat should seek asylum abroad. Bolsonaro on Jan. 8 had said he was invited to Trumps inauguration and in a video posted on the social media platform X had said he was very happy with this invitation. I will be representing in the US the conservatives, the right-wing, the good, the Brazilian people if God wills it, he said. Moraes had turned down Bolsonaros initial request to attend Trumps inauguration, asking for proof hed been invited. Representatives for Bolsonaro then presented the Supreme Court with a copy of an email addressed to congressman Eduardo Bolsonaro, son of the right-wing former leader, but which failed to provide an event schedule. Bolsonaros spokesman denied a request from Bloomberg News for a copy of the invitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutor General Paulo Gonet said theres no evidence in the request filed by Bolsonaros lawyers that the trip would come to any vital interest that could override the public interest that opposes the applicants departure from the country. Bolsonaros team said in a post on X that the decision had no legal or logical basis, noting that he had attended Argentina President Javier Mileis inauguration in 2023 and returned to Brazil. The decision is a grave disappointment for Bolsonaro, his followers and the long-standing friendship between Brazil and the United States, it said. In an interview with the conservative website Revista Oeste, Bolsonaro said his wife Michelle Bolsonaro will attend the ceremony in Washington. Gonet later this year may present formal charges against Bolsonaro based on federal police probes into the alleged coup attempt after his 2022 election loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-president is also facing inquiries in another case involving the alleged illegal sale of gifts received from the governments of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and another focused on falsified vaccination records. The federal police recommended criminal charges against a total of 37 people, including Bolsonaro and high-ranking members of the military who served in his government, for plotting a coup and committing crimes against democracy. (Updates with Bolsonaro response from the 8th paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. BRASILIA (Reuters) -Brazil's Supreme Court on Friday rejected former President Jair Bolsonaro's appeal for it to reconsider a previous decision barring him from traveling to the U.S. to attend the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Bolsonaro's lawyers had filed an appeal late on Thursday claiming the right-wing politician had fully complied with and respected the precautionary measures imposed on him by the Supreme Court, and also rejected any possibility of him fleeing. But Justice Alexandre de Moraes hours later upheld an earlier ruling rejecting the former president's request to have his passport returned, a document seen by Reuters showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolsonaro, who has been barred from running for office until 2030 and faces criminal charges for allegedly plotting a coup after his 2022 election defeat, had his passport taken in February 2024 on the order of Brazil's top court. Bolsonaro, who governed Brazil from 2019 to 2022 and has been called "Trump of the Tropics," said last week on X that he had been invited to Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration and was seeking to obtain the return of his passport. Legal experts had previously said Brazil's courts were unlikely to grant Bolsonaro's request, as there were several ongoing investigations and cases against him that led to the retention of his passport to avoid him potentially fleeing the South American country. In his decision on Thursday, Justice Alexandre de Moraes wrote that Bolsonaro said in a November 2024 interview that he "considered the possibility of escaping and requesting political asylum to avoid possible criminal liability in Brazil." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former president, who denies any wrongdoing, in an interview with local news outlet UOL said that "those who see themselves as persecuted can go to an embassy." (Reporting by Ricardo Brito; Editing by Kylie Madry and Aida Pelaez-Fernandez; editing by Diane Craft and Paul Simao) Britain has become the top trading partner for a major European gateway port in a remarkable post-Brexit turnaround. Trade with Europes North Sea Port surged by 26pc last year, new figures show, allowing the UK to overtake the US as the ports biggest trading partner. By contrast, overall maritime cargo traffic at the port rose by 0.7pc year-on-year, while inland waterway trade climbed by 4.4pc. Trade between the US and the North Sea Port slumped for the second year in a row, falling by 6pc to 5.1m tonnes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Sea Port companies said in a press release that the numbers showed that the impact of Brexit seems to be a thing of the past. The 60km-wide trading hub encompasses the Belgian inland port of Ghent as well as the Dutch ports of Terneuzen and Flushing, with around 550 companies operating in the area. The jump in UK trade with the port has been hailed by the press in Europe as a sign that the toll of post-Brexit regulation has been forgotten. The UK traded 6m tons of goods with the port last year, up by 1.2m since 2023 and reversing the decline seen in the years immediately after Britain left the European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flemish news site VRT described the resurgence as remarkable while the Brussels Times said the effects of Brexit on the ports activity appear to be fading. Maarten Den Dekker, of the North Sea Port, told VRT: That trade is now recovering gives us hope for the future. In total, 66.3m tons of seaborne cargo was traded via the North Sea Port last year. After the US, the ports third and fourth-largest trading partners were Sweden and Canada. UK goods exports to the EU plunged sharply in January 2021 following the end of the Brexit transition period. Although trade has recovered since then, the volume of goods exported to the EU in 2023 was still down by 11pc compared to 2019 levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data suggests that this decline was not necessarily only a result of Brexit, with UK exports to non-EU countries also down by 11pc since 2019 in the wake of the pandemic. The EU was the destination for 42pc of UK exports in 2023, encompassing 49pc of goods and 36pc of services exports. 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. BRISTOL, Tenn. (WJHL) A Bristol, Tennessee woman is facing felony charges after allegedly intentionally igniting a fire inside her apartment. A release from the Bristol Tennessee Police Department (BTPD) said the Bristol Tennessee Fire Department (BTFD) responded to an apartment fire at 100 Ash Street at approximately 3:46 a.m. on Wednesday. Sullivan Co. man convicted of voluntary manslaughter in 2018 death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon arrival, it was determined that Kari Ann Tuten, 40, had allegedly ignited the fire within her unit, the release said. During a preliminary investigation, detectives and BTFD Chief David McGlamery determined that Tuten intentionally started the fire. Tuten was charged with Aggravated Arson, Vandalism and Reckless Endangerment. She was reportedly evaluated after the fire before being transported to the Sullivan County Jail. The BTPD said all apartment occupants were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported. 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The BRIT School, a free performing and creative arts school in South London that has spawned the likes of Adele, Amy Winehouse, Tom Holland, Jessie J and Raye, has earned an outstanding rating from the government agency Ofsted. This comes at a time when the school is in urgent need of funding to continue to provide world class training to the U.K.s young creatives. After a November inspection, the BRIT School was determined to be outstanding in all five categories, including quality of education, behavior and attitudes, personal development, leadership and management and sixth-form provision. Pupils love to learn here, Ofsted said in a statement. From the moment they begin at BRIT, pupils respond positively to the schools very high academic and behavioral expectations. The school helps pupils to learn together and to develop leadership skills. These qualities are role modeled by students in the sixth form, who exhibit responsibility, teamwork and empathy. This creates a school culture that simulates a professional workplace. Within this safe space, pupils know that they can be themselves, and that they are free from prejudice. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school, which is an exempt charity established by the British Record Industry Trust, trains 1,500 students from the ages of 14 to 19 in the creative industries. Since its opening in 1991, alumni of the school have secured 22 BRIT Awards, 21 Grammys, two BAFTA Awards and two Oscars. Over the last five years, the BRIT School has improved in all subject areas including our results in national curriculum subjects. But our commitment to the arts has always been our guiding light, principal Stuart Worden said. Studying a creative arts discipline is hard work. It is hard to be a choreographer, to write an original play, to be a multi-instrumentalist or to work as a lighting designer on stadium gigs. These are not soft subjects and creativity is crucial to the future of our society and also, significantly to our economy. At this time of year with the BAFTAs and our U.K. music industrys award night The BRITs on the horizon, I am proud that our School in Selhurst has contributed in some way to the rich cultural landscape. Added Josh Berger CBE, chair of trustees of the BRIT School: This school matters nationally and globally and thats one reason I am thrilled by Ofsteds endorsement and, in particular, its highlighting of the education BRIT students receive making them work-ready.' According to a 2021 survey collected by the BRIT School, 60% of its alumni went on to work in the creative industries. The school also prides itself on diversity, with 40% of its students of Black, Asian, Indigenous or Latin American descent. Students from low-income households account for 47% of the schools population, making it even more pressing that attendance remains free as the cost-of-living crisis continues. Though it receives government funding, the school has a 3.2 million annual shortfall in order to set its students up for success in the professional arts and put on high quality productions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, alumna and Grammy nominee Jessie J highlighted the impact the BRIT School has had on her life and career. The Ofsted report shouldnt surprise anyone who has stepped foot into The BRIT School. As soon as you enter you feel the attention to detail, the dedication and the energy thats poured into the students and the school, she said. Thats love. Lets keep raising money for this wonderful school and its incredible students and teachers. Its magical. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. LONDON (Reuters) -Britain will back new local inquiries into child sexual abuse across the country, the government said on Thursday, after weeks of criticism by U.S. billionaire Elon Musk stirred renewed concern about a decades-old scandal over grooming gangs. The scandal involved organised groups in English towns and cities raping and sexually exploiting vulnerable young girls, since at least the 1980s to the 2010s. The cases prompted a number of local investigations and a broader nationwide public inquiry into child sexual abuse. Musk, a close ally of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, has accused British authorities of not doing enough. His criticisms have focused on Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer, although Labour was not in power for some of the period in question, and have been the latest in his attacks on Starmer since the prime minister took office last July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interior minister Yvette Cooper said the government would set out a timetable before Easter to implement the 20 recommendations of a national inquiry published in 2022 but would also go further and back new local investigations. "Despite all those national inquiries, reports and hundreds of recommendations, far too little action has been taken, and shamefully little progress has been made," Cooper told parliament. She stopped short of announcing a new national public inquiry into the scandal, which Musk and the opposition Conservative Party have called for. "This is a step in the right direction, but the results will speak for themselves," Musk wrote on X, reposting a government announcement on the new measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Conservatives were in power from 2010-2024. In targeting Starmer, Musk has said he failed to tackle the crisis when he was chief prosecutor from 2008-2013 and has called him "complicit in the rape of Britain". Starmer has strongly defended his record, saying he had overcome resistance to tackling the scandal by reopening cases. In a number of past cases the perpetrators of the sexual grooming and abuse were predominantly of Pakistani heritage. A 2014 report criticised police and local authorities for failing to take action due to concerns over appearing racist. Britain's police chief for child protection, Becky Riggs, has said that while recent media attention has focused on perpetrators of Pakistani heritage, group-based child abuse occurs across ethnicities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to backing local reviews, Cooper said she had asked Louise Casey, a former senior official who has led previous high-profile reviews, to undertake a "rapid audit" of the current scale and nature of gang-based exploitation in Britain. Critics have accused Musk of meddling in European politics. In recent months he has called for Starmer to be replaced, labelled German Chancellor Olaf Scholz an "incompetent fool" and urged a vote for the far-right Alternative for Germany in February's election there. (Reporting by Catarina Demony and Sachin RavikumarEditing by William James and Frances Kerry) CHESTER, England (Reuters) -A British lawmaker pleaded guilty on Thursday to common assault after he punched a passerby who he said had been threatening him while he was enjoying a night out. Mike Amesbury was suspended from the governing Labour Party after CCTV and video footage showed him throwing a punch at a man in October, and repeatedly hitting him after the man was knocked to the ground. After the incident, Amesbury, the member of parliament for Runcorn and Helsby in northwest England, said he felt threatened on the street after an evening out with friends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amesbury, 55, appeared at Chester Magistrates' Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to a single count of common assault. Prosecutor Alison Storey said Amesbury assaulted the man at around 2 a.m. on Oct. 26 last year, after a discussion about the closure of a local bridge. Amesbury punched the man and knocked him to the floor, before punching him at least five times when he was on the ground, Storey added. He then told his victim: "You won't threaten your MP again, will you?" Amesbury's lawyer Richard Derby said the incident was regrettable and that Amesbury had previously faced threats as a lawmaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Tan Ikram said he would sentence Amesbury at the same court on Feb. 24, adding: "I'm leaving all options open." Lawmakers convicted of an offence can potentially be removed from office if enough constituents support a petition calling for a new election for their parliamentary seat. Amesbury won the seat of Runcorn and Helsby with a majority of more than 14,000 votes in July. He has been an MP since 2017. As he left the court, Amesbury said he was "sincerely sorry". A Labour Party spokesperson said: "It is right that Mike Amesbury has taken responsibility for his unacceptable actions." (Reporting by Sam Tobin in London; Editing by Catarina Demony, Michael Holden and Hugh Lawson and Bernadette Baum) LONDON (AP) A British lawmaker pleaded guilty Thursday to beating a man in a street during an incident captured on video. Mike Amesbury, 55, a member of Parliament who was suspended by the ruling center-left Labour Party after the Oct. 26 incident, pleaded guilty in Chester Magistrates Court to assaulting a 45-year-old man. Amesbury punched his constituent Paul Fellows in the head on a sidewalk in the town of Frodsham, in the northwest of England, and knocked him to the ground after Fellows complained to him about a bridge closure in town, prosecutor Alison Storey said. Amesbury then continued to hit Fellows at least five more times while he was down as others yelled for him to stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You wont ever threaten me again, will you? Amesbury yelled at Fellows in a video circulated on social media. Both men had been drinking before the incident that happened in the early morning. Amesbury, whose constituency of Runcorn and Helsby includes Frodsham, had been at a meeting earlier that night about community safety and policing. District Judge Tanveer Ikram said that while Fellows was not seriously injured, the additional punches were an aggravating factor that would be taken into consideration before Amesbury's Feb. 24 sentencing. Amesbury told reporters he was sincerely sorry for what happened to Fellows and called it "deeply regrettable. Defense lawyer Richard Derby said whatever punishment Amesbury receives will not exceed the shame and embarrassment he has suffered. The Colorado Supreme Court on Monday upheld the 2008 murder convictions of Sir Mario Owens, rejecting a long list of alleged errors in one of the most high-profile criminal cases in recent state history. LONDON (Reuters) - The British foreign and interior ministers have indicated they will support China's contested plans to build a large new embassy in London if minor adjustments are made to the planning application. This is the first time that ministers under Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer have signalled they would back the plans, which have been a source of diplomatic tension between the two countries. The Chinese government purchased Royal Mint Court, a historic site near the Tower of London, in 2018 but had its requests for planning permission to build the new embassy there rejected by the local council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Central government took control of the stalled planning decision last year and an inquiry next month will hear arguments about whether the embassy should be approved. A decision is expected to be made by May. Foreign minister David Lammy and interior minister Yvette Cooper in a joint letter to the planning inquiry highlighted "the importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each other's capitals" and said London's police had recently withdrawn their objections. The ministers signalled their support for China's plans if small changes were made to the planning application, including China giving up diplomatic accreditation to other buildings in London. Britain's foreign ministry is "currently in discussions with China to secure an undertaking", said the letter sent on Jan. 14. "We will be unable to support this application if China is not able to provide a satisfactory undertaking." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Labour government in power since July has made improving ties with China one of its main foreign policy goals after a period under successive Conservative governments when relations plunged to their lowest in decades. China hopes to build a roughly 600,000-square-foot embassy on the former site of the Royal Mint, the maker of British coins. This would be China's biggest mission in Europe and more than a third larger than its one in Washington. The letter from the British ministers was first reported by the Financial Times. (Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Hugh Lawson) The British prime ministers visit to Kyiv, his first since taking office in July, caps a week of hurried diplomatic activity by Ukraines NATO allies, keen to prove their commitment as uncertainty hangs over the incoming Trump administration. The 100-year partnership the centerpiece of Keir Starmers visit did have an air of a PR stunt about it in a country that has no idea what will happen in one year, and the text of the agreement didnt offer anything revolutionary. The UK is already the third biggest military donor to Ukraine (though its given just over 10% of what the US has) and the two countries inked a bilateral security cooperation agreement last year. The 100-year deal adds maritime security, social integration, and a new UK program to track stolen grain to the slate, but none of those comes close to the security guarantees Ukraine is looking for, a point Starmer indirectly acknowledged. We will work with you and all of our allies on steps that would be robust enough to guarantee Ukraines security, he promised in a press conference in Kyiv. Ukraine is on the clock here. The Institute for the Study of War estimates Russia gained more than 4,000 square kilometers of territory in 2024 (some of it retaken from Ukrainian forces in its own Kursk region), more than 10 times its total gains in 2023, though it came at significant manpower cost. The Trump administration has made clear it will push for a diplomatic solution that may involve Ukraine accepting these losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so peace through strength, as Starmer posted on X Thursday, has become the refrain. In other words, try to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, economically, politically and militarily, to negotiate. The same motto was in used in Warsaw, Poland, on Wednesday when President Volodymyr Zelensky met Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who promised to accelerate Ukraines path to EU membership. Germany, Ukraines second biggest military backer, sent its defense minister to Kyiv Tuesday, with the promise of a brand-new artillery system. Perhaps the strongest signal of support came from French President Emmanuel Macron, who called Zelensky on Monday to discuss, among other things, a French proposal to deploy military contingents in Ukraine European boots on the ground as a deterrent against any Russian effort to advance further into the country or beyond. This is an issue that we are all discussing, said Starmer Thursday, but it must be capable of deterring future aggression. So thats the test of any discussion, any conversation that were having. And perhaps in a sign of the diplomatic challenge ahead, Zelensky and Starmer did not shy away from discussing the elephant in the room the imminent transfer of power in the US. For Zelensky, who has actively tried to charm the incoming administration in recent weeks, even endorsing Trumps claim he can end the war quickly, there was no talk of managing without Washingtons help. We do not consider security guarantees for Ukraine without the United States, so it is too early to talk about the details, he told reporters. Starmer took a conciliatory tone, paying tribute to the US contribution so far, and promising: We can, we will continue to work with the US on this. We are working today. We will work tomorrow. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) In South Dakota, where agriculture is the number one industry, Gov. Kristi Noem wants a new state law requiring prominent and conspicuous labels on human food products that contain cell-cultured protein grown or cultivated outside a live animal. OSHA investigating contractor in I-229 light pole death If lawmakers agree, it would be added to South Dakotas Meat and Meat Products chapter of laws that give the state Animal Industry Board secretary authority to direct that use of a misbranded meat or product be withheld unless the marking, labeling, or container is modified so that its not false or misleading. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Marty Overweg, a farmer and ag businessman, has agreed to introduce the legislation in his role as chair of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. A public hearing date hasnt been set yet for HB1022, which is titled An act to prohibit the misbranding of any cell-cultured protein product. Secretary Hunter Roberts The governors secretary of agriculture and natural resources, Hunter Roberts, spoke about the proposal during a legislative briefing on Thursday. I think customers should know what theyre getting, Roberts told members of the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee. Joining him at the briefing was State Veterinarian Beth Thompson, the Animal Industry Boards secretary. State law already requires special labeling for sale of imported meat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KELOLAND.com. BT has scrapped a major electric car charging scheme after installing just one charging point. The telecoms giant last year outlined plans to convert old broadband street cabinets into electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Around 60,000 cabinets had been earmarked for possible conversion in what bosses described as a once in a lifetime opportunity to boost the number of chargers across the country. But Etc, BTs digital start-up unit, has abandoned the pilot scheme after converting only one cabinet. The site, in East Lothian in Scotland, will be decommissioned next month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BT will instead focus on transforming its broadband cabinets to improve wi-fi access to EV drivers. A spokesman said: By adopting a pilot process, we have been able to test and explore a great deal about the challenges that many on-street EV drivers are facing with charging and where BT Group can add most value to the UK EV ecosystem. The decision is a setback for drivers as a lack of charging points has already angered EV owners and deterred people from buying battery-powered models. There were just under 75,000 electric vehicle charging points at the end of last year, according to figures from Zapmap. The Competition and Markets Authority has estimated that up to 480,000 public charging points will be needed by 2030. The move risks frustrating efforts by manufacturers to ramp up their production of EVs after the Government last year imposed harsh sales targets, which threaten fines of 15,000 for every non-electric car sold above a set quota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will also come to a blow to ministers as they attempt to accelerate the shift to electric cars after moving forward the UKs petrol and diesel ban from 2035 to 2030. BTs pilot scheme had been framed as a new lease of life for tens of thousands of redundant broadband cabinets on Britains streets. The green boxes house connection points for the copper wires that are still used to connect many homes and businesses to the internet and phone lines. However, they are becoming increasingly redundant as the former monopoly upgrades the countrys broadband network to fibre-optic cables. BT converted its first street cabinet charging point in East Lothian in May. Local residents were offered free use of the charger for the first month of the trial period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, the company said it planned to focus next on West Yorkshire, with ambitions to convert up to 600 trial sites across the country. Despite concerns about a shortage of chargers, Britain has become Europes largest electric carmaker for the first time ever. A surge in sales at the end of last year allowed the UK to jump ahead of France and overtake Germany for new EV registrations. 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. BALTIMORE For Republican lawmakers in Maryland, finding compromises with Gov. Wes Moores proposed solutions to the states $3 billion budget deficit while maintaining firm opposition to tax increases is a top priority. Though Moore, a Democrat, has pointed to increased spending under former Gov. Larry Hogans administration as a key factor in the states fiscal crisis, Republicans are arguing that policies enacted by the majority Democratic legislature are significant contributors to Marylands budget woes. At the outset of this years General Assembly session, Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey, who represents Kent, Queen Annes, Cecil and Caroline counties, said Republicans knew some policies would have unintended consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We knew that there were unfunded mandates. We knew that the state couldnt afford it. We knew that the counties couldnt afford it, and yet they proceeded with them anyways, he said during a news conference on the legislatures opening day last week. We do stand ready to work with them. Hershey, who expressed early optimism about finding a solution to balance the states budget without tax increases, said Wednesday that Moores efforts to close the $3 billion deficit in his proposed $67.3 billion budget appeared encouraging, though proposed tax increases to higher-income individuals could negatively impact small businesses. Energy generation and climate policies are also priorities for the states Republicans. Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, who represents Frederick and Carroll counties, last week criticized the Climate Solutions Now Act, legislation passed in 2022 to accelerate the states greenhouse gas reduction goals. He said Republicans are planning to introduce legislation to add provisions to it to reduce its cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Ready emphasized the importance of economic sustainability in future energy policies. While none of us is against renewable energies and doing what were doing to try to stimulate solar energy and other things, the fact is, we cant just keep worshiping the sun and the wind in Maryland, Ready said. Weve got to get back to things that are clean, like natural gas and nuclear, but that actually will work [and] are sustainable and affordable. In Sen. Mary Beth Carozzas district, which includes Somerset, Worcester and Wicomico counties, opposition has long been mounting against a wind farm off the shoreline of Ocean City. Last year, the town of Ocean City filed a federal lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management violated federal law when it approved the construction plan for U.S. Winds project in the Atlantic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview Wednesday, Carozza said she plans to introduce legislation to have the Public Service Commission conduct a cost-benefit analysis of offshore wind generation compared to other energy sources. Whenever we have conversations about Marylands energy challenges, reliability is at the top of the list, she said. Well, now were talking about a source that is intermittent energy generation, which raises questions about reliability and the cost of making up the difference. Carozza also wants to ensure new policy initiatives and implementation of previous mandates like the Blueprint for Marylands Future, for instance, dont disproportionately impact her rural district. _____ HONOLULU (KHON2) At the intersection of physical activity, healthcare education and community building stands JABSOM Walks for A.L.O.H.A. (Attaining Lasting Optimal Health for All), a unique program created by the John A. Burns School of Medicine (JABSOM) students. This initiative is their version of Walk with a Doc, where community members and medical students meet to walk, talk and learn about health. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You But what sets this program apart is the deep connections it fosters between future physicians and their potential patients. Its a unique opportunity that allows both sides to engage in meaningful conversations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kristal Xie, a first-year medical student at JABSOM, is passionate about this program and its potential impact on the community. Xies journey to medical school was shaped by personal experiences that began when she was only 13 years old. My mom almost died at 13, and that really made me realize that I wanted to help people, Xie explained. Her early exposure to healthcare through volunteering at Kokua Ke Aloha Medical Center and working at a houseless clinic during the COVID-19 pandemic, fueled her desire to become a physician. Xies commitment to making a difference in her community is evident in her work with JABSOM Walks for A.L.O.H.A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the day, JABSOM exists to serve the community; and we want to make sure that were doing our part as medical students, she said. The programs mission is clear: help improve the health and well-being of the community by connecting medical students with people who need it the most. The walks are held every fourth Sunday of the month at Kakaako Waterfront Park. The event starts at 9 a.m. with a brief health talk that is followed by a casual walk. We hope by having our community members talk to medical students one on one, we can really understand the needs of our community, Xie shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The topics discussed during the monthly health talks are chosen by the community members themselves as a means of ensuring that the information shared is relevant and valuable to their lives. Each month well talk about a specific health topic, and its determined by what our participants want to learn more about, Xie explained. This format makes it possible for community members to engage directly with the medical students, ask questions about their health and gain insight into important health topics. The walk itself is a great opportunity to get active and an opportunity to bond with future physicians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a really great opportunity for them to be physically active, as well as learn about ways they can prevent certain health conditions and cope with conditions they might already have, Xie said. The program also serves as an invaluable opportunity for students to practice patient interaction skills. We really want to be able to make sure that our community members trust us and want us in the community, Xie noted. The soft skills learned during these walks empathy, communication, and the ability to address health concerns in a comfortable, approachable manner are critical as these students move forward in their medical careers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Xie reflected on the programs growth, she was hopeful about expanding its reach. I hope that this group will expand and increase our exposure so that more people can come to these events, she explained. Its an open invitation to anyone looking to improve their health, whether its a simple walk in the park, a chance to talk to a future doctor or just an opportunity to learn more about health and wellness. The walks are not limited to individuals either. Xie encouraged participants to bring their families, friends and even pets. Xies passion for the program was especially evident during the holiday-themed walk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For our Christmas walk, I really enjoyed it because it was a great opportunity for all of our community members to come out. They were really festive, dressed in red and green; and it was nice to see everyone engaging with one another, she recalled. For Xie, these walks are more than just physical activities. Theyre a chance to connect with the community and offer support, particularly during times when people are facing personal struggles. Its a really great way to talk to them and support them through what theyre going through, Xie said. As for advice for those considering joining the walks, Xie offered encouragement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to come out and maybe work on your New Years resolution to get more active or be healthier, this is a really great way to start, she said. Participants are encouraged to join the walk, ask questions and get involved. Its a great opportunity to stay active, get active, and bond with medical students and community members, she said. The walk lasts between 40 to 60 minutes; and with a self-paced format, its designed to be accessible for everyone. Whether its the chance to get active, learn more about health or build meaningful connections with future physicians, JABSOM Walks for A.L.O.H.A. offers something for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With future walks planned for the coming months, including January 27, Xie hopes the program will continue to grow and help bridge the gap between healthcare providers and the community. For those interested, more information is available on their Instagram and Facebook pages, or by emailing JABSOM Walks for A.L.O.H.A. at jabsomwalksforaloha@gmail.com. Once you sign up via the email, reminders are sent out along with other information regarding the walks. Its self-paced and very doable, she said as she emphasized that the event is inclusive and accessible to all. You can also follow them on social media on Instagram and Facebook. Please come and join us, Xie said. Its a really great opportunity to learn more about your health, meet new people, and take care of yourself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program is free, open to all and offers a welcoming atmosphere for everyone in the community. Get news on the go with KHON 2GO, KHONs morning podcast, every morning at 8 Again, for those looking to join, JABSOM Walks for A.L.O.H.A. takes place every fourth Sunday of the month at Kakaako Waterfront Park. Be sure to follow them on social media for updates, and remember to bring your friends, family and even your pets to share in the experience. 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. Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), President-elect Trumps nominee for Interior secretary, sat for a largely cordial hearing before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday. While some Democratic members of the panel questioned Burgum on the incoming administrations climate policies, the hearing lacked the acrimony of earlier nominees appearances. Burgum, who briefly sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, was a high-profile Trump surrogate after exiting the race and reportedly a vice presidential contender. Trump has vowed to pursue fossil fuel industry-friendly policies and pivot away from the Biden administrations focus on climate change, and as interior secretary, Burgum will likely take the reins for much of that policy shift. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite this, Burgum was largely collegial with both Democrats and Republicans on the panel Thursday, and sidestepped many of the president-elects most controversial positions relating to climate and the environment. Trump has repeatedly and falsely referred to climate change as a hoax, a history that came up in hearings for Lee Zeldin, his nominee for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator. Burgum was not asked specifically about those remarks, but acknowledged during an exchange with Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) that climate change is a global phenomenon. King also asked Burgum to intercede with Trump on the issue of wind power, a frequent Trump target and the possible subject of an early executive order. King noted that Burgums state generates a third of its electricity through wind power and asked if Burgum could guarantee a pending project in the Gulf of Maine continues, to which Burgum responded that he would certainly be taking a look at all of those and if it makes sense, and theyre already law, theyll continue. Heinrich, the top Democrat on the committee, was also largely cordial in his questioning of Burgum and said they had had a good conversation the previous week. However, he also emphasized the need for the next interior secretary to address climate change, saying, As the relentless pace of climate change brings bigger floods, hotter summers, higher winds, as weve seen in California, and diminished snow pack, which we are experiencing in New Mexico. Its also driving the long term aridification of the western United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The closest the hearing came to a tense moment was during questioning by Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), who noted the ongoing impacts of climate change and asked Burgum if carrying out the energy policies in the incoming Trump administration, which the president-elect has vowed will drill baby drill to boost domestic oil and gas production, would include authorizing drilling for oil in Utahs Bears Ears national monument if directed. In response, Burgum pledged to follow the law and said he had had no discussions with Trump about drilling in Bears Ears. Committee Chair Mike Lee (R-Utah) later called the idea of drilling in Bears Ears a paranoid fantasy and said there are no significant oil deposits within the monument. The committees Republican majority was effusive in their praise of Burgum, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), who is considered a moderate within the caucus but has been a sharp critic of the Biden administration on energy policy. Murkowski noted that Alaskans frequently chafe at the Interior Departments role as the states landlord, adding its good to have conversations with you as the nominee for the Department of Interior, and knowing that you have the scope you bring to these issues. The wildfires that have ravaged Southern California loomed large over the hearings. Heinrich mentioned them in his opening remarks, while Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) asked Burgum whether he would commit to mobilizing the department for disaster aid regardless of where it occurred, to which Burgum responded absolutely. Padillas question comes as multiple Republican lawmakers, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), have backed attaching conditions to any fire aid to California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burgums testimony comes late in a whirlwind week of hearings for Trump nominees ahead of the president-elects inauguration Monday. Zeldin testified before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on Thursday morning, while fracking CEO Chris Wright, Trumps nominee for energy secretary, had his hearing Wednesday. None of the three are expected to face major roadblocks to confirmation in the GOP-majority Senate, although Wright faced tough questioning Wednesday from Padilla and Hirono on his history of downplaying climate change. Outside the hearing room, however, conservation groups announced their opposition to Burgums nomination. Todays hearing confirms that Burgum is committed to more drilling and pipelines, no matter the cost to local communities, consumers, and the environment, League of Conservation Voters Conservation Program Director America Fitzpatrick said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. There was anger mixed with tears from mourners as the first of two journalists who were recently killed by gangs while covering the failed reopening of Haitis largest public hospital were buried on Thursday. Jimmy Jean was a 44-year-old father of six children who worked for the online news outlet Moun Afe Bon and covered daily developments in his troubled country. (AP Video by Pierre Luxama) BURKBURNETT (KFDX/KTJL) Elected officials in Burkburnett have placed the city manager on leave, according to the Burkburnett Informer Star. The Informer Star reported members of the Burkburnett Board of Commissioners approved a motion to place the city manager, Fred Tillman, on paid administrative leave with benefits. The exact date of the motion is not clear at the time of publication. This move comes after public outrage online over water conditions in Burkburnett. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December 2024, Burkburnett officials held a townhall to address the water concerns. At that time, Tillman said they had a solution to the issues with Veolia a water treatment company. Burkburnett city leader holds meeting to address water issues During the meeting, Veolias Regional Vice President addressed city leaders and residents, educating them about Veolias work and how they can help improve Burkburnetts water, lower nitrate levels and help with the aging infrastructure. In 2021, The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality notified Burkburnett the water supplied to customers exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level for nitrate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High nitrate levels pose several health risks to children under 6 months old or those battling long-term medical issues. This is a developing story. Stick with Texomas Homepage for updates as more information becomes available. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 Texomashomepage.com. If an attorney files an appeal in the wrong court and does not notice until after the deadline, that is too bad, Colorado's second-highest court ruled last month. The Bush Foundation will exit its longstanding offices at the U.S. Bank Center in downtown St. Paul this fall, but the philanthropy which maintains a $1.3 billion endowment doesnt plan to move far. The foundation, established in 1953 by Archie Bush an employee of and early investor in 3M and his wife, Edyth, will relocate from 101 E. Fifth St. to the 428 Building at 428 Minnesota St. The five-story 428 office building, which once housed a 1950s-era Woolworths department store, underwent a $17 million remodel in 2018 that added environmental and health-conscious flourishes, as well as two glass-enclosed new floors to what had been a three-story retail destination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 428 Building meets our needs and gives us some flexibility to think creatively about how we can use the space to do our work and support the communities we serve, reads an announcement on the Bush Foundation website. More than that, its a building that is focused on wellness and sustainability, states the announcement. The 428 is the first building in Minnesota to be awarded both LEED Silver certification and WELL Building Core & Shell certification. The Bush Foundation will be located on the fourth floor, directly below the offices of Wellworth Coworking. The Bush Foundation worked with NEOO Partners Inc. to broker the lease and will work with LSE Architects, Dark Horse General Contracting and Zuri 3 Construction on the buildout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 26-story U.S. Bank Center is owned by the troubled Madison Equities, which put its extensive downtown St. Paul real estate portfolio up for sale after the death of its owner a year ago. The 1973 building was 58% occupied in May, before U.S. Bank announced its intention in October not to renew its lease on nine floors. Related Articles Kenworth Hawaii, a local business with deep roots in the community, is a shining example of entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to customer service. Founded by Kevin Balog, along with his wife and children, Lauren and Bryant, the familys goal was to bring a Kenworth dealership to Hawaii and provide customers with the same level of service available on the mainland. We wanted to ensure that Kenworth customers in Hawaii could receive top-notch service and support, Kevin explains. This vision has propelled Kenworth Hawaii to remarkable success, with the business now boasting four locations, including their newest store on Maui. Weve been blessed with great customers and the backing of Hawaii National Bank (HNB), which has been instrumental in our growth, Kevin adds. Running a business doesnt come without its challenges. For Kenworth Hawaii, maintaining high service standards has been a priority. Through training and our dedicated staff, weve been able to meet the standards we believe in, Kevin shares. The companys commitment to excellence has earned them a loyal customer base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin attributes their success to a combination of loyal customers, exceptional employees, and strong support from Hawaii National Bank. HNB has stood by our side, helping us grow our family business. As a local family-owned bank, their belief in supporting other local businesses has made all the difference, he says. Kenworth Hawaii continues to thrive, thanks to their focus on customer satisfaction, investment in state-of-the-art facilities, and a community-driven approach. Local businesses helping each other grow is the key to our success, Kevin concludes. For more about Kenworth Hawaii and their services, visit https://kenworthhi.com or follow them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/kenworthhawaiillc/. To learn how Hawaii National Bank can help your business, visit HawaiiNational.bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Bye, then: In a primetime address, President Joe Biden bid goodbye to the nation. On the one hand, he promised that eventually, Americans would realize that his presidency was actually super duper great: "It will take time to feel the full impact of all we've done together," the president said. "But the seeds are planted, and they'll grow, and they'll bloom for decades to come." On the other hand, he also warned that things were about to get very dark. "Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead." Sohe's not taking credit for planting the seeds of oligarchy? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's an odd parting message, in that it essentially boils down to: You can't see how much great work I've done yet, but trust us, it's coming, and it'll be wonderfulbut also, so is a terrifying anti-democratic oligarchy that threatens all we know and love. Mixed bag, I guess? Ceasefire? After 15 months, there's finally a ceasefire deal between Israel and Gaza. Or at least it looked that way on Wednesday afternoon. The arrangement, which calls for a 42-day truce and the release of hostages, was expected to be swiftly approved by the Israeli cabinet. But the vote has already been delayed, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has "accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement," The New York Times reports, "without specifying which ones." A cessation of the hostilities, if it happens, would be welcome. But it shouldn't have taken this long. As Reason's Matthew Petti writes, the ceasefire deal is fundamentally the same as the one that was discussed in May 2024: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi, Pam Bondi. After incoming President Donald Trump's first pick for attorney general, Rep. Matt Gaetz (RFla.), withdrew his name from consideration, the once (and future) occupant of the White House gave the nod to another Floridian: former Sunshine State Attorney General Pam Bondi. Yesterday, Bondi appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a confirmation hearing. During the hearing, Democrats repeatedly pressed her on whether her loyalty to Trump would conflict with her duty to uphold the law. "My concern, on the basis of statements that President-elect Trump has made, is that he does identify people as political enemiesand there may come a day where there is pressure on you," Sen. Peter Welch (DVt.) said, according to Politico. "I'm just going to express my hope thatwhen it comes to the constitution or pressure from a higher official, you're going to choose the constitution." Over the course of the hearing, Bondi dodged a number of questions from Democrats, saying she wasn't familiar with headline-making news events like Trump's infamous call with Georgia election officials, in which he repeatedly insisted that he won the 2020 election. Maybe once she's attorney general, she'll be able to afford a newspaper subscription? Or at least one of those fancy, paid-for X accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In any case, Bondi insisted that "politics will not play a part" in her role at the top of the American justice system. To some extent, that was intended to placate Democratic senators worried that Bondi will cave to pressure from the Trump administrationalthough she wouldn't quite come out and flatly say that she would resist pressure from the White House. But Bondi's carefully phrased response was also a signal to the MAGA-verse about how the justice system would treat the incoming president. For years, Trump and his supporters have railed about the deep state and the "weaponization" of the Department of Justice (DOJ) against the president in response to various investigations. But in her opening statement, Bondi said "that partisanship, the weaponization will be gone." DOJ weaponization? Bondi expects it to die. Better dead than red (dye number 3): In 2022, a group of "food safety and health advocates" petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ban the food coloring known as red dye number 3, reports Reuters. Yesterday, the FDA took action, officially banning the substance, which in some studies has been shown to cause cancer in rats. The dye gave the signature color to a number of snacks and candies, as well as those bright red, super-sweet maraschino cherries you sometimes see on ice cream Sundays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Was the dye actually dangerous to humans? Maybe not. "Importantly, the way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans," said Jim Jones, the FDA's deputy commissioner for human foods. On the one hand, I'm always wary of FDA substance bans, especially when top officials come right out and say there's probably no danger to humans. On the other hand, as a semi-official cocktail guy, let me assure you: Those little black brandied cherries made by Luxardo and a few other companies are somewhat priceybut if you're making a Manhattan, they're much, much better. Scenes from Washington, D.C: There's a new pizza shop advertising pizza made with "Brooklyn water." Because that's better, apparently? Justdon't try drinking straight from the Gowanus Canal. This is mainly important because the pizza shop in question is right next to the old Reason office. QUICK HITS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post Bye, Biden appeared first on Reason.com. A man accused of stalking WNBA star Caitlin Clark repeatedly interrupted court proceedings as he was charged on Tuesday. Michael Lewis, 55, is charged with stalking Clark, who plays for the Indiana Fever, and prosecutors allege he engaged in a course of conduct involving repeated or continuing harassment of Caitlin Clark that would cause a reasonable person to feel terrorized. The claims stem from vulgar and sexually graphic messages Lewis allegedly sent to Clark on social media platform X, which has seen a spike in sexist threats toward women following Donald Trumps election victory last year. Lewis interrupted the proceedings with multiple outbursts, including a claim that he is guilty as charged. He later contradicted himself, claiming prosecutors got the wrong guy because they forgot to attach Jr. to his name on court records, NBC News reported. He also told the judge that he takes medication. The judge entered a not guilty plea on Lewis behalf, and Lewis said he doesn't intent to seek bail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is just the latest in a recent raft of incidents in which a high-profile woman appears to have been targeted by an obsessive stalker. And it reflects an emerging trend that is indicative of the toxic air of hypermasculinity, entitlement and misogyny that has permeated American culture these days, particularly online. In December, a man pleaded guilty to stalking college hoops star Paige Bueckers after repeatedly posting about her on social media. In a more recent high-profile case, rapper Megan Thee Stallion was granted a five-year restraining order from rapper Tory Lanez, whom she accused of coordinating a social media campaign to attack her while he serves a prison sentence for shooting her in the foot. Prominent pop stars like Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift have also faced harassment by fans at their homes. Around the globe, were witnessing a misogynistic movement to strip women no matter their stature of their power and their dignity. Stalking and online harassment is one manifestation of the culture that movement produces, and Clarks case along with the others I mentioned shows how women with means and notoriety arent immune from such attacks. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The Palisades Fire destroyed thousands of homes in Los Angeles as high winds stoked wildfires throughout the city. Many private insurers recently dropped coverage in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, forcing residents to seek coverage from the states last resort FAIR Plan. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) In the months before thousands of Los Angeles homes went up in flames, property insurance companies dropped coverage in many neighborhoods of the city, citing the growing wildfire risks caused by climate change. As a result, a fast-growing number of California residents have switched to a state-backed last resort insurance plan. That plan has taken on policies covering billions of dollars in some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires, which have engulfed more than 12,000 structures and prompted staggering loss projections. Some experts think the plans reserves wont be enough to cover the damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre not going to have enough money to pay these claims, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advocates for insurance customers. If that happens, it will trigger an assessment on every home insurance policyholder in the state to cover the outstanding claims. Its a mechanism available under some state-backed insurance plans one thats known in Florida as the hurricane tax. Now, for the first time, Californians may be hit with the wildfire tax. Were all going to be paying for the insurance industrys unwillingness to serve in those communities. Doug Heller, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America A single wildfire disaster could impose a surcharge of close to $1,000 on every Californian with home insurance coverage, Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit advocacy group, told state lawmakers in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some experts fear its just the beginning of a vicious cycle in states across the country. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters, experts predict, insurance companies will stop offering coverage to vast swaths of the country. State-backed last resort plans will take on an ever-growing number of the highest risk properties. And homeowners everywhere will get stuck with the bill when disaster strikes. Were all going to be paying for the insurance industrys unwillingness to serve in those communities, said Doug Heller, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America, a research and advocacy nonprofit. The private companies are getting all the best risk [policies] and the public holds the bag for the worst risk. Insurance companies have lobbied state regulators for more flexibility in setting rates and faster approvals of rate hikes. They say the market needs to keep up with the ever-growing risks caused by climate change for their business to be viable. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association did not grant an interview request by publication time. FAIR Plans State-backed insurance plans, known as FAIR Plans or Citizens Plans, were set up starting in the 1960s to provide coverage for homeowners who couldnt find policies on the private market. The plans are managed by state governments, but backed financially by a pool of the private insurers doing business in that state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, 35 states and the District of Columbia offer FAIR Plan policies to high-risk property owners. In many cases, those plans often designed to cover a handful of outlier properties are insuring hundreds of thousands of homes valued at billions of dollars. California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and North Carolina all have more than 100,000 policies insured by their state plans. Nationwide, these state-backed plans cover nearly 3 million properties Californias alone provides nearly half a million policies with an exposure exceeding $1 trillion. Those numbers are only likely to grow. [The Los Angeles fires] will be a giant I told you so from insurers, Bach said. This proves our point, and we just cant continue to do business in this market. Thats going to be a big blow to the FAIR Plan. State Farm, Californias largest insurer, said last year that it could drop more than 1 million policies in the state over the next five years a signal that private insurers retreat from the market could accelerate. This months wildfires are likely to hasten that exit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the FAIR Plan pools the private insurers doing business in California, any companies withdrawing from the market also weaken the safety net thats meant to cover the absence of private plans. The plans first big stress test is likely to be in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, which was devastated by the fires. The FAIR Plan provides nearly $6 billion of wildfire coverage in that area, among the highest totals in the state. At present, the California plan has about $377 million available to pay claims, with another $5.75 billion in reinsurance, The New York Times reported. In a news release, FAIR Plan officials said it was too early to calculate loss estimates from the Los Angeles fires and whether the plan would have to use payment mechanisms to cover its claims. Until last year, the plans pool of insurance companies would have been required to cover the balance of outstanding claims, based on their market share in the state. But a policy announced last July by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, a Democrat, allows insurers to surcharge their policyholders directly to cover losses over $1 billion in an extreme worst case scenario. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumer advocates say that policy was among a series of concessions made by Laras office, meant to induce insurance companies to continue providing policies in the state. That was supposed to be in return for a guarantee that insurers come back to the market, but that guarantee has not played out, said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit advocacy group. If the insurance industry has their way, one half of California will no longer be covered, and we will get to that point quickly. Balber noted that FAIR Plan policies still have expensive premiums and provide minimal coverage compared with private plans. Laras office did not grant an interview by publication time. Insurance company concerns While advocates lament the increased risk borne by the public, insurance industry leaders say they cant continue to cover disaster-prone areas without damaging their companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [In 2023], insurers paid $1.11 in claims and expenses for every dollar in premiums collected, Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications with the Insurance Information Institute, said in an interview with Stateline last year. If insurers continue to see significant underwriting losses year after year, thats going to be a determining factor in where they want to write policies. Meanwhile, two California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow the state to issue catastrophe bonds to help the FAIR Plan cover shortfalls to its reserves. Insurance experts agree that the industry is grappling with the failure of public officials to stop the worst effects of climate change and limit development in areas prone to disasters. Land use decision-making has been outsourced to the insurance industry, said Heller, of the Consumer Federation of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Private insurers are likely to continue pulling back as climate change worsens, and state-backed plans are not equipped to handle the extra risk, said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner who is now director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the University of California, Berkeleys Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. He is advocating for a federal program to provide reinsurance a type of insurance purchased by insurers themselves to hedge against large claim payouts for state FAIR Plans, which would provide an important backstop as private reinsurance becomes more expensive. Were marching steadily toward an uninsurable future, because were not dealing with the root cause of climate change, Jones said. Private insurers are going to act economically rationally in the face of these losses. A vicious cycle California isnt the only state facing pressure on its last resort insurance plan. Florida covers nearly 1 million households on its Citizens Plan, making it the largest property insurer in the state. The state was hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, which caused billions of dollars in damage across the southeastern U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lori Medders, a professor at Appalachian State University and a longtime expert on Florida insurance, said its unclear whether the claims paid out to hurricane survivors will require Citizens Plan to issue a hurricane tax on the states policyholders. This assessment was previously triggered after the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005. She said state-backed plans even those charging massive rates rarely collect premiums matching their exposure. Its incomprehensible to charge those people the rates you need from them to cover their risk, she said. The more insurance [state plans] have and value at risk they have, the more exposure they have to losses. If you exacerbate that with climate change, you are putting a market problem on top of a market problem. Medders said increasing disasters could create a vicious cycle where private insurers cover fewer and fewer homes, forcing state plans to step in and hit residents with assessment on top of assessment on top of assessment to cover their losses. Heller said governments may need to rethink insurance as a system akin to a utility, if the market approach can no longer sustain an industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The private sector approach to property insurance is starting to crack under the weight of climate change and the public cant fill in the gaps under the existing structure, he said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 13: An aerial view of a fire truck (LOWER L) near homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire as wildfires cause damage and loss through the LA region on January 13, 2025 in Pacific Palisades, California. Multiple wildfires fueled by intense Santa Ana Winds continue to burn across Los Angeles County, with some containment achieved. According to reports, 24 people have died with over 180,000 people under evacuation order or warning. Over 12,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged, while more than 35,000 acres have burned. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) In the months before thousands of Los Angeles homes went up in flames, property insurance companies dropped coverage in many neighborhoods of the city, citing the growing wildfire risks caused by climate change. As a result, a fast-growing number of California residents have switched to a state-backed last resort insurance plan. That plan has taken on policies covering billions of dollars in some of the neighborhoods hardest hit by the fires, which have engulfed more than 12,000 structures and prompted staggering loss projections. Some experts think the plans reserves wont be enough to cover the damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre not going to have enough money to pay these claims, said Amy Bach, executive director of United Policyholders, a nonprofit that advocates for insurance customers. If that happens, it will trigger an assessment on every home insurance policyholder in the state to cover the outstanding claims. Its a mechanism available under some state-backed insurance plans one thats known in Florida as the hurricane tax. Now, for the first time, Californians may be hit with the wildfire tax. Were all going to be paying for the insurance industrys unwillingness to serve in those communities. Doug Heller, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America A single wildfire disaster could impose a surcharge of close to $1,000 on every Californian with home insurance coverage, Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit advocacy group, told state lawmakers in March. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some experts fear its just the beginning of a vicious cycle in states across the country. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of disasters, experts predict, insurance companies will stop offering coverage to vast swaths of the country. State-backed last resort plans will take on an ever-growing number of the highest risk properties. And homeowners everywhere will get stuck with the bill when disaster strikes. Were all going to be paying for the insurance industrys unwillingness to serve in those communities, said Doug Heller, director of insurance with the Consumer Federation of America, a research and advocacy nonprofit. The private companies are getting all the best risk [policies] and the public holds the bag for the worst risk. Insurance companies have lobbied state regulators for more flexibility in setting rates and faster approvals of rate hikes. They say the market needs to keep up with the ever-growing risks caused by climate change for their business to be viable. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association did not grant an interview request by publication time. FAIR Plans State-backed insurance plans, known as FAIR Plans or Citizens Plans, were set up starting in the 1960s to provide coverage for homeowners who couldnt find policies on the private market. The plans are managed by state governments, but backed financially by a pool of the private insurers doing business in that state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, 35 states and the District of Columbia offer FAIR Plan policies to high-risk property owners. In many cases, those plans often designed to cover a handful of outlier properties are insuring hundreds of thousands of homes valued at billions of dollars. California, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts and North Carolina all have more than 100,000 policies insured by their state plans. Nationwide, these state-backed plans cover nearly 3 million properties Californias alone provides nearly half a million policies with an exposure exceeding $1 trillion. Those numbers are only likely to grow. [The Los Angeles fires] will be a giant I told you so from insurers, Bach said. This proves our point, and we just cant continue to do business in this market. Thats going to be a big blow to the FAIR Plan. State Farm, Californias largest insurer, said last year that it could drop more than 1 million policies in the state over the next five years a signal that private insurers retreat from the market could accelerate. This months wildfires are likely to hasten that exit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the FAIR Plan pools the private insurers doing business in California, any companies withdrawing from the market also weaken the safety net thats meant to cover the absence of private plans. The plans first big stress test is likely to be in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, which was devastated by the fires. The FAIR Plan provides nearly $6 billion of wildfire coverage in that area, among the highest totals in the state. At present, the California plan has about $377 million available to pay claims, with another $5.75 billion in reinsurance, The New York Times reported. In a news release, FAIR Plan officials said it was too early to calculate loss estimates from the Los Angeles fires and whether the plan would have to use payment mechanisms to cover its claims. Until last year, the plans pool of insurance companies would have been required to cover the balance of outstanding claims, based on their market share in the state. But a policy announced last July by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, a Democrat, allows insurers to surcharge their policyholders directly to cover losses over $1 billion in an extreme worst case scenario. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumer advocates say that policy was among a series of concessions made by Laras office, meant to induce insurance companies to continue providing policies in the state. That was supposed to be in return for a guarantee that insurers come back to the market, but that guarantee has not played out, said Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a nonprofit advocacy group. If the insurance industry has their way, one half of California will no longer be covered, and we will get to that point quickly. Balber noted that FAIR Plan policies still have expensive premiums and provide minimal coverage compared with private plans. Laras office did not grant an interview by publication time. Insurance company concerns While advocates lament the increased risk borne by the public, insurance industry leaders say they cant continue to cover disaster-prone areas without damaging their companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [In 2023], insurers paid $1.11 in claims and expenses for every dollar in premiums collected, Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications with the Insurance Information Institute, said in an interview with Stateline last year. If insurers continue to see significant underwriting losses year after year, thats going to be a determining factor in where they want to write policies. Meanwhile, two California lawmakers have introduced a bill that would allow the state to issue catastrophe bonds to help the FAIR Plan cover shortfalls to its reserves. Insurance experts agree that the industry is grappling with the failure of public officials to stop the worst effects of climate change and limit development in areas prone to disasters. Land use decision-making has been outsourced to the insurance industry, said Heller, of the Consumer Federation of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Private insurers are likely to continue pulling back as climate change worsens, and state-backed plans are not equipped to handle the extra risk, said Dave Jones, a former California insurance commissioner who is now director of the Climate Risk Initiative at the University of California, Berkeleys Center for Law, Energy & the Environment. He is advocating for a federal program to provide reinsurance a type of insurance purchased by insurers themselves to hedge against large claim payouts for state FAIR Plans, which would provide an important backstop as private reinsurance becomes more expensive. Were marching steadily toward an uninsurable future, because were not dealing with the root cause of climate change, Jones said. Private insurers are going to act economically rationally in the face of these losses. A vicious cycle California isnt the only state facing pressure on its last resort insurance plan. Florida covers nearly 1 million households on its Citizens Plan, making it the largest property insurer in the state. The state was hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton last year, which caused billions of dollars in damage across the southeastern U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lori Medders, a professor at Appalachian State University and a longtime expert on Florida insurance, said its unclear whether the claims paid out to hurricane survivors will require Citizens Plan to issue a hurricane tax on the states policyholders. This assessment was previously triggered after the hurricane seasons of 2004 and 2005. She said state-backed plans even those charging massive rates rarely collect premiums matching their exposure. Its incomprehensible to charge those people the rates you need from them to cover their risk, she said. The more insurance [state plans] have and value at risk they have, the more exposure they have to losses. If you exacerbate that with climate change, you are putting a market problem on top of a market problem. Medders said increasing disasters could create a vicious cycle where private insurers cover fewer and fewer homes, forcing state plans to step in and hit residents with assessment on top of assessment on top of assessment to cover their losses. Heller said governments may need to rethink insurance as a system akin to a utility, if the market approach can no longer sustain an industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The private sector approach to property insurance is starting to crack under the weight of climate change and the public cant fill in the gaps under the existing structure, he said. Stateline is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@stateline.org. SACRAMENTO, California The University of California, Berkeley will not host a planned $125 million partnership between state officials and tech giant Google meant to fund cash-strapped local newsrooms, leaving the state scrambling to fulfill the landmark journalism deal. A representative for UC Berkeleys journalism school confirmed the move to POLITICO on Wednesday, citing concerns about how funding would be administered. The schools decision now leaves state lawmakers without a clear venue to host the program and adds further uncertainty to the controversial deal reached with Google last summer, billed as a first-in-the-nation solution to mitigate the impacts of readership moving online. Complaints that Google News aggregation has decimated the industry have been especially acute in California, where once leading national newspapers like the Los Angeles Times have suffered mass layoffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assemblymember Buffy Wicks had negotiated the agreement with Google last August as a compromise to legislation that would have forced the tech giant to send a portion of its monthly ad revenue to newsrooms. The deal would send a total $180 million to California journalism programs over five years, beginning in 2025. Of that funding, $125 million was earmarked for a proposed News Transformation Fund housed at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. But school officials said Wednesday they penned a letter to Wicks office in mid-October, informing the Bay Area Democrat they could not host the fund because the school would not have the power to determine how money would be allocated to newsrooms. The agreement would leave such decisions up to a seven-member board that has yet to be named. Our campus can't serve as a passthrough for funds from Google and the state to local newsrooms, Elena Conis, acting dean of the journalism school, told POLITICO in a statement. Conis added the university remains fully committed to state efforts aimed at infusing funds into California newsrooms. It already hosts a separate, state-funded journalism fellowship program, where the university employs journalists and assigns them to local newsrooms around the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wicks spokesperson Erin Ivie confirmed the assemblymember had received the letter and has had continuing conversations with members of the journalism school in recent months. The deal with Google has faced scrutiny from the start from journalists unions, some news publishers and Senate lawmakers including Pro Tem Mike McGuire for not securing more cash from the tech giant. Union groups were particularly upset that the deal contained more than $60 million to research and implement artificial intelligence, a technology journalists fear could replace their jobs. Doubts also began to emerge early on about the participation of Berkeleys journalism school: UC President Michael V. Drake said at the time of the August agreement that the university system was ready to support this endeavor, but the journalism school itself told media outlets it never gave a formal acceptance. Ivie declined to comment on which university could take UC Berkeleys place. A spokesperson for the University of Southern California which had previously indicated it was approached by state negotiators about potentially housing the fund told POLITICO Wednesday that no final decision has been made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are learning more, and no commitment has been made, the USC spokesperson wrote in an email Wednesday. Neither Gov. Gavin Newsoms office nor Google responded to requests for comment. Newsom included $30 million for the journalism fund in his 2025 budget proposal released last week, as the state agreed to in the deal. Google did not respond last week when asked if it had sent its $15 million commitment to the fund for 2025. Measures are too often decided, not according to the rules of justice and the rights of the minor party, but by the superior force of an interested and overbearing majority. James Madison Gov. Tony Evers recently proposed allowing citizen-led ballot initiatives in Wisconsin. His plan would create a signature-gathering process to place the passage or repeal of laws and constitutional amendments before voters. A simple majority could radically change Wisconsins government. Under the auspices of respecting the will of the people, such a proposal may sound swell; however, it raises numerous concerns that should give advocates pause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letters to the Editor: It's easier to call someone 'uninformed' than to listen to their opposing view Democracy is sometimes described as two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for lunch. The Athenian trial of Socrates in 399 B.C. is a famous example. He supposedly did not believe in some gods and had taught his pupils in such a way that they joined with tyrants. An estimated 280-221 votes convicted him. He was put to death. Thank goodness that the American legal system has evolved. A jury of ones peers may serve a democratizing function, but harsh justice is not dulled out anymore based on mob rule. California illustrates the dangers of majoritarian impulses Unanimity is impractical for lawmaking, but lawmaking is not supposed to be easy either. Reflecting this view, the founding fathers created a republican government with checks against majoritarian impulses. At the federal and state levels, a bill becomes law only if (1) two houses of the legislature pass it by a majority vote and (2) the president or governor signs it. Alternatively, the president or governor can be bypassed, but only if a two-thirds majority of each house agrees. This process generally prevents a bill from becoming law if it is supported by only 51% of the populace. The founding fathers would be unsurprised to learn that states that allow citizen-led ballot initiatives have an excess of lawmaking. For example, California has had more than 400 initiatives since they were first authorized in 1911. While some have had laudable results, others have had substantial unintended consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Letters to the Editor: No wonder Trump loves the poorly educated. Few know truth of American conquests. For instance, Proposition 20 in 1972 was designed to protect the California coast from excessive development but has resulted in some of the strictest land-use regulations in the country. Research has found that initiative has contributed to California having some of the highest housing costs in the nation. Another approved initiative, Proposition 47 in 2014, was designed to reduce prison overcrowding by reclassifying certain offenses from felonies to misdemeanors. This measure has been widely blamed for increases in drug abuse and shoplifting. Things got so bad that a 2024 initiative reversed much of Proposition 47. While laws duly passed by the legislature can also have unintended consequences, the take it or leave it approach leaves far less room for amendment and deliberation. Voters can too easily be manipulated by wordsmithing Another concern with such initiatives is how easily voters can be manipulated. Wordsmithing ballot questions in favorable or unfavorable ways often dictates what voters do. For example, one study looked at the wording of three potential ballot questions, all about a mandatory retirement age for judges in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania already required judges to retire at age 70. When voters were told in simple language that the retirement age was already 70 and asked if they would support increasing it to 75, a clear majority said no. When, however, the question was just Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to require that justices of the Supreme Court be retired on the last day of the calendar year in which they attain the age of 75 years? 64% said yes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kristin Brey: Wisconsin state budget surplus a sham when so many essential services starved Note that under Wisconsin Supreme Court precedent, either wording would be legally sufficient the only thing a ballot question cannot do is give counterfactual information. The court has recognized that ballot questions are necessarily summaries of proposals and that summaries always require judgment calls on what to include. Similar concerns about a lack of information are less persuasive when the voting body is a group of legislators who presumably participated in debates and hearings. It is also questionable if the results of such initiatives represent the desires of the public at large any better than legislation passed in the traditional manner. If only 51% of voters want something, can it reasonably be called the will of the people? What about in a low-turnout election? Only about 26% of eligible voters went to the polls for the August primary this year, which was the highest in 60 years for a presidential partisan primary. Unless ballot initiatives were limited to fall general elections, they would likely be voted on by far fewer people than the number that elect our governor and state legislature in the first place. While empowering citizens to shape law through ballot initiatives may seem appealing in theory, it presents significant risks to the integrity of democratic processes. Popular but misguided proposals could harm minority groups or lead to poor policy outcomes, as evidenced by Californias experience. At a minimum, if states consider allowing initiatives, they should follow Floridas lead. Initiatives are allowed there, but Florida requires a 60% threshold to pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, while the intent to democratize lawmaking is understandable, the potential for harm and misdirection suggests that Everss idea is not right for Wisconsin. Skylar Croy is the associate counsel and Will Flanders is the research director for the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty (WILL). This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin should think twice about citizen-led ballot votes | Opinion SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom will join Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and some GOP governors around the country in directing U.S. flags be raised to full height on Inauguration Day. Newsoms spokesperson Izzy Gardon confirmed Wednesday that the governor would temporarily direct the raising of flags at the state Capitol in Sacramento for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. Flags at the U.S. Capitol and at statehouses around the country have been lowered to half-staff in honor of the late former President Jimmy Carter. Newsom, who has become a foil for Trump over the years, will need federal help as his state recovers from devastating wildfires that have killed more than two dozen people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has complained about American flags being flown at half-staff during his inauguration. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it, he posted on his social media platform. Idaho Gov. Brad Little, North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds noted in announcements this week that U.S. flags across their states would be relowered on Jan. 21 in honor of Carter. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a similar notice on Monday. Two people are behind bars after South Carolina officials netted one of the largest seizures of meth in the countys history. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Friday, deputies in Orangeburg County, South Carolina conducted a search warrant at a home on Acola Lane in Holly Hill. During the search, authorities found 4.4 pounds of marijuana, 440 various pills, large amounts of cocaine and crack cocaine, and six pounds of methamphetamine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This operation was executed at the height of the snow, slush, and sleet last week, Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. We actually came in while the crack cocaine was being cooked, Ravenell said. Surprise! TRENDING STORIES: Ravenell said the drug bust had netted one of the largest seizures of meth in the countys history. Authorities arrested Druscilla Atherton,55, of Summerton, SC and GAnia Little, 27, of Holly Hill, SC. Both were charged with trafficking methamphetamine, possession with intent to distribute Adderall, trafficking heroin, trafficking ecstasy, trafficking cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a controlled substance (Xanax), possession with intent to distribute oxycodone, and possession with intent distribute hydrocodone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atherton was also charged with a second offense of driving under suspension. Bond was set on Atherton at $192,000 cash or surety while Littles bond was set at $122,500. The sheriffs office is also searching for Marcus Guest,44, of Holly Hill in connection to the case. We have a lot of questions, and he likely has a lot of answers, Ravenell said. He may want to come see us rather than taking off through the woods again. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow will prevent us from keeping our community safe, Ravenell said. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] CPW via ap In this photo provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, wildlife officials release five gray wolves onto public land in Grand County in December 2023. Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) had a good fundraising year for his own campaign account and for the Democratic Senate Caucus Committee. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) raised eyebrows in the fall when he borrowed a page from congressional leaders and hosted a $25,000-per-ticket retreat at a ranch in Colorado to benefit the Democratic Senate Caucus Committee. If there were concerns, they do not appear to have been shared by donors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 14 entities appear to have ponied up to join Ferguson at the Devils Thumb Ranch in Tabernash, Colorado, about 75 miles west of Denver, according to campaign finance reports released Wednesday that cover financial activities from Jan. 11, 2024, to Jan. 8 of this year. They showed that the caucus brought in several hundred thousand dollars in all over the past 12 months for two separate funds. Presiding officers in the General Assembly are almost always prodigious fundraisers as the latest campaign finance reports confirm. But Fergusons high-dollar event represented a Rocky Mountain high for a caucus event price tag. And interest groups were willing to pay the full freight: According to the finance statements, attendees and donors, who were invited personally by Ferguson, included: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alterwood Health Inc., a Timonium-based health care conglomerate Anheuser Busch Cos. Baltimore Gas & Electric Caesars Enterprise Services, the casino and resort operator CareFirst Management Co. LLC, the health insurance provider Comcast Corp. Compass Government Relations, an Annapolis lobbying firm Health Care Facility Management LLC The Howard Hughes Corp., developer of Columbia Sports Betting Alliance Sunrise Holdings LP, a financial services firm in York, Pennsylvania United Health Group Washington Gas Light Co. Contributions to most state campaign accounts in Maryland are capped at $6,000 per election cycle. One of the exceptions are administrative funds for the legislative caucus committees, which have no contribution limits, though the money can only be used to hire staff and pay for administrative purposes, rather than for ads, mailers or other forms of electioneering. The late October Colorado ranch retreat featured a range of activities and expert speakers. Joining Ferguson from the Senate were President Pro Tem Malcolm Augustine (D-Prince Georges), Majority Leader Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery) and Sen. Craig J. Zucker (D-Montgomery), who is chair of the Democratic caucus. The Senate Democratic committee paid about $64,000 to use the ranch for the retreat, and several thousand dollars more for transportation and associated expenses. The Senate Democratic Caucus administration fund raised $458,265 over the past year, and reported $461,797 in the bank as of Jan. 8. In addition to the entities that sent representatives to Colorado, other $25,000 donors to the fund were U.S. Rep. Sarah K. Elfreth (D-3rd), who shifted $25,000 to the Senate Democrats from her own Senate campaign fund; former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg; and the Laborers Mid-Atlantic Regional Council, which contributed $25,000 on two separate occasions during the fundraising period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg also contributed $6,000 to the Senate caucus regular campaign account. The campaign committee reported raising $198,149 for its regular account, which can be used for electioneering activities or shared with other candidates. That fund had $305,649 on hand on Jan. 8. Ferguson also continued to raise money aggressively for his personal campaign account, taking in $649,356 over the past year and finishing with $1,179,764 in his war chest as of Jan. 8. That was a marked improvement over 2023, when Ferguson collected $474,355. Fergusons contributors over the past year included representatives from almost every industry doing business in Maryland, from auto dealers to energy companies to financial institutions and health care concerns. Unions were also generous donors, and State House lobbyists featured prominently in Fergusons finance report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats take during the past year dwarfs the fundraising by Republican legislative leaders and their campaign committees, which is unsurprising considering the Democrats supermajorities in both the Senate and House. The Senate Republican Caucus Committee reported raising $34,500 over the past year for its regular account, and another $6,000 for its administrative account. It reported $56,351 on hand in the regular account as of Jan. 8, and $24,864 in its administrative account. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) reported $215,893 in his bank account on Jan. 8, after raising $90,325 during the previous year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democrats also raised a ton of money in the year after Jan. 11, 2024. The House Democratic Caucus Committee reported raising $139,535 for its regular account over the past year, with $162,966 on hand on Jan. 8. The committee also pulled in $60,000 for the administrative account, finishing the reporting period with $259,276 in the bank. House Speaker Adrienne A. Jones (D-Baltimore County) reported $668,758 in her personal campaign account as of Jan. 8, after raising $298,346 in the previous year. She had the same mix of donors as Ferguson. House Minority Leader Jason C. Buckel (R-Allegany), by contrast, raised $45,250 in the past year and reported $90,430 in the bank as of Jan. 8. The Republican House Caucus Committee raised $37,300 for its regular account and had $39,919 on hand a week ago. The Republicans raised just $4,500 for their administrative account and had $4,765 in it as of Jan. 8. This story was updated on the evening of Jan. 16 to show the Senate minority leaders fundraising totals, which had not been posted to the state Board of Elections website by the Jan. 15 filing deadline. Canada has drawn up an initial list of US-made goods worth CAD 150 billion (about US$105 billion) that it will impose duties on if US President-elect Donald Trump decides to introduce tariffs on Canadian goods. Source: Bloomberg with reference to data from an informed official Details: The source stressed that this list is preliminary and will come into force only if the Trump administration takes the first step. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was also noted that, depending on what the US does, additional tariffs from Canada could be added later. However, the products on this initial list were not disclosed. Background: Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian goods and accused Ottawa of failing to resolve trade and immigration issues. The Trudeau-Trump talks were marked by Trump's repeated jokes about Canada being the "51st state of the United States". In particular, on 8 January, Trump posted maps depicting Canada as part of the United States. On 9 January, the media reported that the Canadian government was considering imposing tariffs on a wide range of US-made goods if Trump follows through on his threat to impose a 25% duty on Canadian imports. Canadian Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Gillman said that the country is ready to buy more goods from the United States, including its next fleet of submarines. Nonetheless, she stressed that such a move was being considered to calm US President-elect Donald Trump's concerns about the trade deficit between the two countries. On 14 January, Trump announced that he would create a Foreign Revenue Service to collect revenue from the massive tariffs he has promised to impose. Support UP or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- Most Read from Bloomberg Canada has drawn up an initial list of C$150 billion ($105 billion) of US-manufactured items that it would hit with tariffs if President-elect Donald Trump decides to levy tariffs against Canadian goods, according to an official familiar with the matter. The list is a draft and would come into play only if the Trump administration moves first, the person said, speaking on condition they not be identified discussing the plans. More tariffs from Canada might be added later, depending on what the US does, the person said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The products on that initial list werent disclosed. When Trump placed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in 2018, Canada responded with levies on a variety of US-manufactured items, such as whiskey and washing machines a pressure tactic that aimed to put the squeeze on factories in areas where Republican politicians had influence. Those tariffs were much smaller in scope, affecting about C$16.6 billion of US exports at the time. Canada imported C$487 billion of US goods in the 12 months to November, so the retaliatory tariffs would cover nearly a third of the value of the products the northern nation buys from its southern neighbor. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers of Canadas provinces met in Ottawa on Wednesday to plot a strategy for dealing with US protectionism. Premiers of 12 of Canadas 13 provinces and territories agreed to a statement saying they will work together on a full range of measures to ensure a robust response to possible US tariffs. But Alberta Premier Danielle Smith balked, saying she couldnt agree to two ideas that have been floated taxing or reducing energy exports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ontario Premier Doug Ford who manages the province that is the heartland of Canadas auto industry said the countrys political leaders will need to stand together in the face of Trumps escalating threats. Last week, the president-elect mused about using economic force to eventually turn Canada into a US state. When Donald Trump comes at us, hes not going to say, Well, lets not worry about Ontario, theyre good people, or Alberta. Hes coming full tilt at Canadians as a whole, Ford said. And thats one thing we have to understand. We need to be united. In his opening remarks at the meeting, Trudeau stressed a positive message, saying that Canada and the US have opportunities to build partnerships on energy. Canada has the critical minerals needed to fuel the transformation of the US economy, the prime minister said. If they dont get them from Canada, theyll get them from China, Trudeau said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, regional and political divisions within Canada are proving an obstacle to the countrys ability to present a united front. Albertas Smith a conservative who has fought Trudeau and his Liberals on a broad range of issues said shed take whatever action is needed to protect her province from destructive federal policies such as curtailing or placing tariffs on energy supplies to the US. From Bloomberg Economics: Canada Has No Good Options in Tariff Fight With US Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal governments plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs, Smith said in a statement. Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. Alberta provides most of Canadas roughly 4 million barrels of daily oil exports to the US. Those shipments account for more than half of US crude imports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Ontarios Ford arrived at the meeting wearing a blue hat emblazoned with the words Canada Is Not For Sale and said he was a strong believer in retaliatory tariffs. You cant let someone hit you over the head with a sledgehammer without hitting them back twice as hard, in my opinion, he said. --With assistance from Erik Hertzberg. (Updates with Smith comments starting in 11th paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has been working diligently to keep Sundance Film Festival returning to Park City, Utah, he said at a press conference Thursday. I believe that Sundance is is an important part of the state of Utah and and has been for such a long time, Cox said, noting that he has worked closely with the Utah Sundance Film Festival Host Committee and had conversations with the Sundance Executive Committee. In April, Sundance Institute announced it opened a Request for Proposal as part of a process to explore locations across the country to host the film festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The festivals contract with Park City is up for renewal in 2027, which provided Sundance Institute with the opportunity to consider new host cities for future festivals. Utah is among three finalists selected by Sundance Film Institute to host the festival beginning in 2027, as previously reported by the Deseret News. In addition to Park City, Sundance Film Institute is considering Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio, as future host cities. A final decision will be announced in late winter or early spring following this years festival, and Cox said he would be surprised if (the festival) didnt stay in Utah. Well have additional conversations going forward where there are several people involved in trying to make this happen, Cox said at the Thursday press conference. I think it would be a huge mistake for Sundance themselves to move. I think it would be really a death knell for Sundance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He later continued, Sundance is Utah and Utah is Sundance. You cant really separate those two. And so were just, were really hopeful. Due to Park Citys small-town infrastructure, accessibility has previously been a challenge for the festival, as reported by the Deseret News. Part of Coxs proposed plan to keep the festival in Utah is to expand into Salt Lake City. Cox called the plan brilliant and said he feels very good and hopeful about it. I care deeply about Sundance, Cox said. I care deeply the people that are involved with Sundance, many of them are dear friends and and people that weve worked with closely over many years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So to our friends at Sundance, who are probably watching and listening this this is your home, and we desperately hope it will be your home for forever. Sundances economic impact Sundance Film Festival is a an incredible driver for Utahs economy, but the states economy wont take a major hit if the festival leaves, Cox said at the Thursday press conference. Look, if Sundance decides to go, well be fine, Cox said. I dont think Sundance will be fine, but well be fine. Tourists who visit Utah for the film festival spend an average of $735 per day on lodging, transportation, meals and other expenses. The typical out-of-state attendee spends more than $4,400 on the festival, per the Sundance Film Festivals 2024 Economic Impact report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, the festival generated $13.8 million in state and local tax revenue and $69.7 million in Utah wages, according to the 2024 Economic Impact report. Lawmakers in Colorado passed legislation that offers $34 million in tax incentives to any film festival that sells at least 100,000 tickets and attracts over 10,000 out-of-state visitors, reported The Colorado Sun. While the film festival incentive legislation does not specifically name the Sundance Film Festival, there are few film gatherings that would qualify, the outlet noted. When asked about the new Colorado legislation, Cox responded, I dont think the taxpayers of Utah would appreciate a number of that size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that Utah might not be offering the most lucrative package and there are states who can probably throw some more money at the festival, but noted the value of Park City as a destination. Our economy will be okay. It wont take a hit if Sundance were to leave, Cox concluded. But that doesnt mean we shouldnt do everything we can to keep it here. Sundance opens next week in Park City, Utah In light of the ongoing wildfires in Southern California, the Sundance Film Festival will continue as planned and open in Park City next week. Our community has a history of coming together when passion and perseverance are needed most, drawing strength from the deep bonds that make us so resilient, CEO Amanda Kelso and festival director Eugene Hernandez wrote in a joint statement, per The Hollywood Reporter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, we may mourn, but we also know it is important to carry on. The film festival remains scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 23, through Sunday, Feb. 2, in Park City. The losses were witnessing and so many are experiencing are hard to fathom and deeply emotional, Sundance leaders Hernandez and Kelso said. Yet, as we continue planning for the 2025 Sundance Film Festival just 10 days away were moved by the resilience amidst the devastating loss. CAMPBELL COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) After more than 45 years, investigators are still unsure what led to an Indiana mans body being found off of I-75 in Campbell County in 1979. According to the Indiana State Police (ISP), George Ince, 38, was found in by an interstate bridge in a rural area. A report from ISP explains that Inces cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma, and a spokesperson for ISP confirmed foul play was suspected. East TN families still waiting for refunds after cabinet orders never fulfilled Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While his body was found in Campbell County, Ince was actually from Morgan County, Indiana. ISP did not explicitly state why Ince was in Tennessee, but he was a courier for a jewelry company. A previous report explained that he was believed to have been in possession of a significant amount of jewelry when he disappeared. Additionally, ISP previously said his vehicle was found in a Knoxville church parking lot. The Campbell County Sheriffs Office assisted with the case, ISP shared. 6 News has reached out to the sheriffs office to determine if there are any additional details that can be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man charged with arson after fire underneath Knoxville bridge The case is continuing to be investigated by Indiana State Police. Anyone who has information on the case is asked to call ISP at 812-332-4411 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. More than 20 state lawmakers gathered with Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Hollister) on Thursday to telegraph their commitment to the fire-ravaged Los Angeles region and announce a sweeping legislation package to aid recovery efforts. The Palisades and Eaton fires are "a catastrophe at an unprecedented scale in California's history: thousands of homes and businesses gone, more than 100,000 people displaced, too many precious lives lost," Rivas said. Rivas stood just outside the Rose Bowl a canonical local landmark turned bustling fire incident command post as he spoke, with dozens of fire trucks from across the state visible in the parking lot behind him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislative leader promised that he and other lawmakers would move quickly to approve billions of dollars in funding to kick start toxic debris removal and repair and rebuild schools. Lawmakers also touched on a wide breadth of legislative efforts, some of which have already been introduced in the statehouse and others that will be formally put forth in the days to come. Legislative efforts "will focus on housing," Rivas said, because housing "is the No. 1 issue we are hearing from Angelenos right now: how to find housing, how to stay in housing, how to rebuild housing." Read more: Robert Rivas wants to use small-town charm to wield big political power in California. Will it work? Rivas announced six housing focused bills he is co-authoring with L.A.-area lawmakers that will be officially introduced next week, according to his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list includes legislation to expedite the rebuilding permitting process and increase local housing supply, as well as efforts to protect displaced residents, such as a bill co-authored by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Hawthorne) that would prohibit evictions if an existing tenant takes in wildfire victims or their pets. The far-ranging news conference also referenced a number of legislative efforts that have already been introduced, including a bill put forth by Assemblymember Jessica Caloza (D-Los Angeles) that would create a grant program to provide direct financial aid of up to $1,500 per impacted household to take care of essentials. Assemblymember Isaac Bryan (D-Los Angeles) has also introduced bills to raise the pay for inmate firefighters during the hours that they are actively fighting a fire and freeze residential rental price rates across Los Angeles County. Read more: Waters and Sherman introduce bill to address gaps in wildfire insurance coverage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other efforts include a bill co-authored by Assemblymembers John Harabedian (D-Pasadena) and Jacqui Irwin (D-Thousand Oaks) that would allow anyone who lost their home in the fires to receive up to a year of mortgage deferral. Harabedian's district includes the areas hardest hit by the Eaton fire, while Irwin represents residents who've been devastated by the Palisades fire. "For those of you have lived in Altadena or Pasadena for a long time, the Eaton fire is the worst catastrophe that we could have imagined. We know that we live in a fire-prone area, but I don't think we could have imagined the level of devastation that we have seen here in the San Gabriel Mountains," Harabedian said Thursday morning, promising that he and his fellow lawmakers would support residents throughout the long road ahead. Before leaving the podium, Harabedian recalled an old wives' tale that he said would be familiar to anyone raised at the edge of the San Gabriel Mountains. There are a row of trees that line right where Mount Wilson is atop the hills, and parents have long told kids that those looming trees are "the cavalry coming over the mountains," the Sierra Madre native said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will tell you, the cavalry is here," Harabedian said. "The cavalry is behind me and it is coming." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Israel and Hamas appear close to a cease-fire deal to end 15 months of fighting in Gaza. The conflict has left Hamas battered, with thousands of its militants killed. But for Israel, an end to the conflict doesn't mean an end to its Hamas problem. Israel and Hamas appear close to a cease-fire deal to end more than 15 months of devastating fighting in Gaza, though it's facing something of a last-minute crisis. The agreement, which has hit a snag at the eleventh hour as Hamas reneges on certain parts and Israel pushes for last-minute concessions, is expected to eventually go through. The deal aims to facilitate the release of hostages from Gaza and a surge of humanitarian aid into areas ravaged by fighting, as well as create options for a permanent end to the bloodshed. Regardless of how the negotiations ultimately work out, many of the issues that fueled this conflict remain, and Israel's Hamas problem appears to be an enduring challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US officials have said that Israel's scorched-earth campaign in Gaza killed thousands of Hamas fighters and eliminated senior commanders, including Yahya Sinwar, its longtime leader. But after all this, the militant group remains alive, leaving Israel with a problem. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set out to wipe out Hamas, but that hasn't happened. That reality makes the next steps especially important. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US had long conveyed to Israel that it couldn't defeat Hamas through a military campaign alone and needed a postconflict plan for Gaza, or "something just as abhorrent and dangerous" would take its place. Israeli soldiers firing a mortar shell from southern Israel toward Gaza. AP Photo/Leo Correa, File "Each time Israel completes its military operations and pulls back," he said at an Atlantic Council event this week, "Hamas militants regroup and reemerge because there's nothing else to fill the void." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest war is the fifth Israel and Hamas have fought since 2008, though the scale has been significantly larger than past fights. Hamas, however, remains an issue for the Israeli leadership and military. "We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost," Blinken said, adding that this "is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war." The October 7, 2023, attacks, during which Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people across Israel and took another 250 people hostage, triggered a retaliatory Israeli bombardment and ground invasion of Gaza that reduced much of the enclave to rubble and left tens of thousands of Palestinians dead. Israeli officials have said throughout the war that the goal is to crush Hamas and remove the group from power in Gaza. However, analysts were skeptical of this approach, arguing that Israel faced a no-win situation in its high-intensity campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with a cease-fire agreement in view, Hamas though heavily battered and bruised and devoid of the external support from Hezbollah in Lebanon it had enjoyed remains a decision-making and militant power in Gaza. "Hamas is not going to disappear," Avi Melamed, a former Israeli intelligence official, told Business Insider. "All this rhetoric about crushing Hamas and eliminating Hamas it will never really stick. It was just political rhetoric." Destroyed buildings in Gaza, as seen from southern Israel. AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File Melamed, the founder of the Inside the Middle East institute, said that the big question was whether Palestinians would hold Hamas accountable for initiating the war with its October 7, 2023, massacre. He said the release of prisoners from Israel as part of the cease-fire deal could increase the popularity of the militant group in Gaza. Polling data has indicated that the group maintains notable support within Gaza, where Hamas as an organization has ruled for nearly two decades. Its deeply entrenched position makes it more difficult for Israel to eradicate it. This has been a challenge with terrorist operations across the Middle East. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruce Hoffman, a counterterrorism expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, told BI that such groups, which have survived for so many years, "are enormously difficult if not impossible to completely eliminate." He said that for the foreseeable future, Hamas would be incapable of launching another October 7-style attack against Israel but cautioned that the group still had considerable resources at its disposal. What Hamas needs most is leadership, and it may be able to fill that vacuum with prisoners released from Israel. "The group is undeniably weakened and a shell of its former self, but the capacity to continue to regroup, I mean, this is a given," Hoffman said. "I don't think anybody's surprised by that." Read the original article on Business Insider It has been a long 467 days. On October 7, 2023, Hamas breached Israels security, sending thousands of fighters flooding into the country. The result was the murder of 1,200 people, and the kidnapping of 251 hostages by a group devoted to the destruction of their nation. This initial act of savagery sparked a wider regional conflict, as Israel launched an extended campaign to retrieve hostages and destroy the ability of Hamas to inflict further atrocities on its people, and Iranian proxy forces piled in. Over those 467 days, some hostages have been released, some have been rescued and some have been confirmed as deceased. There are still 94 hostages held in the enclave, 34 of whom are presumed dead. Among those whose fate remains uncertain are Shiri Bibas, who was taken with her sons Ariel, then four years old, and Kfir, aged just nine months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is now a ceasefire deal on the table which could see 33 of these people women, children and elderly released home. An Israeli cabinet vote has been delayed amid accusations from Benjamin Netanyahu that Hamas is trying to extort last-minute concessions, but the White House remains confident that the deal will go through. The deal arranged under pressure from incoming US President Donald Trump would see a total ceasefire for six weeks, an exchange of hostages and prisoners, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas of Gaza, and the opening of negotiations for a lasting peace. This pause in the conflict is not all that Israel might have desired. There is no doubt that Hamas will attempt to claim victory by virtue of still existing, and that it will resume assembling forces for future attacks. But it is also a good point to take stock of everything that has been achieved in this war, and what should follow after. October 7 has been a catastrophe for Hamas and Iran. The military structure of the former has been decimated; Irans proxies in Lebanon have been rendered ineffective, its ally in Syria toppled, and its leaders humiliated in a series of exchanges with Israeli forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had Israel listened to Joe Biden, and his more cautious approach, it would today be far less secure. The focus once Trump takes office must be on securing these gains; rather than repeating Bidens attempted rapprochement with Iran, he should work with Israel to put a permanent end to its nuclear programme. 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. A Douglas County judge ordered a defendant to pay crime victim restitution eight months beyond the legal deadline and nearly two years after the Colorado Supreme Court warned trial judges to follow the law, the state's second-highest court ruled on Thursday. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center has reached an agreement with the government to resolve allegations that it violated federal laws against discrimination when treating pregnant Black, Latina and other patients of color, officials said Thursday. The agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights comes two months after the agency told Cedars-Sinai its investigation "raises concerns that a lower standard of care is provided to Black patients compared to their white counterparts especially leading up to and during obstetric hemorrhage." That November letter, however, said the agency hadn't reached any final determination about whether Cedars-Sinai had violated federal statutes against discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement Thursday, the Office for Civil Rights said its review "did not determine any violation of federal law" by the medical center. An agency official said that meant it didn't reach a conclusion. Under the voluntary agreement, Cedars-Sinai will take steps aimed at improving outcomes for pregnant patients of color, including improving a reporting tool to document incidents of suspected bias and sharing its findings, facilitating access to doulas during labor, and providing information on its warning systems to ensure timely detection and treatment of critical illness in pregnant patients. The Office for Civil Rights said it will monitor the resolution agreement for three years. If Cedars-Sinai fails to follow the agreement, the agency retains the right to reopen its investigation. The agency said that before its review, Cedars-Sinai "had undertaken substantial efforts to understand and mitigate the effects of discrimination and bias in healthcare," including mandatory education for staff on unconscious bias. A Cedars-Sinai spokesperson added that it had created programs to improve outcomes for pregnant patients and worked closely with community partners to reduce racial disparities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melanie Fontes Rainer, director of the office, called it a "first of its kind agreement" for HHS. "We think that the progress, the policies, the changes being made in this agreement are very advanced, in terms of what are the steps we need to take to ensure that Black and brown women are not dying disproportionately in hospitals or facing bias and discrimination in our hospital systems," she said Thursday. Cedars-Sinai chief health equity officer Dr. Christina Harris said in the statement issued by the federal agency that Cedars-Sinai embraces "the opportunity to partner with OCR to strengthen our long-standing commitment to equity for all those who entrust us with their care." The federal review was launched more than 2 years ago after a public outcry and lawsuits over the death of Kira Dixon Johnson, a Black woman who hemorrhaged and died after undergoing a caesarean section at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Her husband, Charles Johnson, reached settlements after suing Cedars-Sinai and physicians, but the widower has continued to press for change, founding the advocacy group 4Kira4Moms to prevent maternal deaths and spotlighting the inequities facing Black women. In California, maternal mortality rates have been more than three times higher for Black patients than for white ones, state data show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicholas Rowley, an attorney who has represented Johnson, said that "if we are going to prevent more women of color from dying, there needs to be something more" than the federal agreement. For instance, he complained that the provision in the agreement surrounding warning systems required only a written summary and overview and was "silent with respect to Black and brown women." Earlier this week, Johnson and other advocates had publicly called for Cedars-Sinai to acknowledge its "systemic failures in maternal healthcare and health equity," to establish an independent oversight board to investigate racial disparities in care, and to immediately suspend any clinicians who are implicated in discrimination or negligence, among other demands. If those demands were not met, Johnson said, they would protest outside the hospital in February. After the agreement was released, the widower called it "a first step" but "not nearly enough." "To us, what is greatly missing is collaboration and accountability with and to the community," he said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Its everyones favorite holiday, National Pothole day of course! Oklahoma City wants you to celebrate by reporting the nearest ones near you. We have over 8-thousand miles of roadway that we manage, said Shannon Cox, the public information officer for Public Works. The remnants of last weeks winter weather is still melting and refreezing in some parts of the city, despite street crews doing their best to clear the roads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cox said the number did a number on our roads. The water gets under there during the day. When it freezes, it expands., said Cox. Itll pop it. Crews cant know where every pot hole is across the citys 8,000 miles, despite filling up 60,000 of them a year. We cant be in every location at every time, so if you do find one it does help us respond a lot quicker, said Cox. On this national pot-hole day, the city wants you to report the problem areas by website, email, phone, or text. Log on to okc.gov/action. Email action.center@okc.gov. Text (405) 252-1053. Call the Action Center at (405) 297-2535. Well enter it into our system and then hopefully within the next day or two we can go and fill those, said Cox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city has an extra incentive to fill those holes before they damage vehicles. Just this week, the city council awarded a driver nearly $750 for car repairs on a pothole that was reported but not fixed. Remember, try to give crews the most accurate location as possible. 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. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A growing number of schools across the country are implementing cell phone bans in the classroom. At San Angelos Cornerstone Christian School, students are required to turn in their cell phones at the beginning of the day. The schools administrator, James Oliver, has been in education for 30 years. He said that cell phones have become a distraction for students in the classroom. The majority of student discipline we deal with has to do with phones in some shape or fashion, said Oliver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cyberbullying is another concern inside and outside of school doors. Oliver said that eliminating cell phone use in the classroom reduces the risk of issues at school. We still have to address some issues, but not near as much by not having them here and available, said Oliver. As more schools continue implementing bans on technology, some argue it threatens student safety in emergencies. Oliver argued that cell phones could cause more chaos during an emergency. If youve got kids texting parents saying, hey, were in lockdown and somethings going on, you may have more chaos created by that than actually what the situation is, said Oliver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He confirmed that emergency protocols are designed to protect students and relay information to law enforcement efficiently, without the need for students to have access to their cell phones. By the time kids start texting parents, law enforcement and everybody else is usually already aware, Oliver said. Plans are already in place to try to do whatever we need to do to keep kids safe. 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. Jan. 15For the last few years, have you been complaining about all the people, with their high-paying remote jobs, who moved here from out of state during the pandemic and bought up all the houses? Or is that just me? It turns out, among the some 40,000 people who moved to Maine from a different state between 2019 and 2023, the median individual income was $35,065, about $3,000 less than that of the state as a whole, and only about a fifth of them make over $75,000, the highest bracket represented on the 2019-2023 American Community Survey, released last month. This is what I love about census data; it can dispel or confirm notions that we have about the world around us based on our biased perceptions. Although the census releases new data annually, the one-year surveys are less reliable and only capture populations over 20,000. This latest five-year survey, it seemed to me, would start to give us a better picture of how our towns, cities and state changed during and after the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I scoured tables and compared data points with five years prior, I thought I was uncovering all sorts of fascinating factoids about our state: Could Dayton, and not one of the coastal towns, really be the wealthiest in York County? Why might Livermore Falls have the lowest median age in Maine? And then I looked at the margins of error, which rendered many of my discoveries statistically meaningless. It made me question the point of doing these surveys at all. (How could it help anyone to know there are eight Maltese people in Maine, give or take nine?) But instead of abandoning my research, I decided to narrow my findings down to a few of the more reliable nuggets, then asked people in the know about whether their observations matched the estimates. Here are some of the U.S. Census Bureau's best guesses about what we look like now, along with what Mainers had to say about them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PORTLAND'S NEW WEALTHIEST SUBURB? Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth have consistently had the highest median incomes of Portland's suburbs in recent years, but for the first time, Cumberland topped them both. The town's estimated median household income of $154,375 represents a 40% increase in five years and, even when accounting for the most extreme margins of error, there's still a rise in wealth that secures its place among the top six richest Cumberland County towns (with Scarborough, North Yarmouth and Freeport also in contention). Cumberland's ascent in affluence didn't come as a surprise to Teddy Piper, broker/owner of Portland-based real estate agency Re/Max By the Bay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Part of it is, it was undervalued for a long time," he said. As to why it's getting wealthier now, Piper pointed to Greely High School's corresponding jump in U.S. News and World Report rankings. In 2020, the school serving Cumberland and North Yarmouth shot up several spots to No. 1 on the list of best high schools in Maine, a title it still holds today. Piper said good schools provide "insulation from market volatility." That along with the public beach, pier and walking trails that the town purchased in 2014 and since has been improving may have attracted new residents in recent years. Plus, he said, people moving from out of state could like that Cumberland is "a little bit more rural, perhaps more authentic to the Maine they have in their mind" than a suburb like Falmouth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And judging by the failed affordable housing referendum last year, it appears most residents would like to keep it just the way it is. FEWER IDENTIFY AS FRANCO-AMERICAN Although Maine is still vying with Vermont for whitest state in the nation, race estimates show that it is slowly getting more diverse (down about 3 percentage points from five years earlier to just over 91% white). The portion of residents with two or more races, meanwhile, doubled to 4.7%. Among Mainers with European roots, there's also been a significant change. Historical census data shows that the population of French and French-Canadian descendants has long outnumbered any other ancestral identity, but the latest estimates indicate a significant decline in that combined group down between 11% and 20% since 2018, when accounting for margins of error, and dropping below the number of people with English ancestry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question on the survey is broad and open-ended "What is this person's ancestry or ethnic origin?" and at least a couple of experts believe the change could be attributed to fewer people filling in the blank, rather than a shrinking population of Franco-Americans. Anna Faherty, archivist at the University of Southern Maine's Franco-American Collection in Lewiston, said she's noticed when speaking to students, from kindergarten to college age, that not as many identify as French. "But then when you say, 'What do you call your grandmother,' they say, 'Memere,'" she said. Her predecessor, James Myall, who co-authored "The Franco-Americans of Lewiston-Auburn," agreed, noting that the number of Mainers who didn't identify any ancestry in the survey in the same time frame also grew, and he speculated there was a significant amount of French people who moved into that category. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while Faherty attributed the change to assimilation, Myall thought it might have to do with the underrepresentation of Franco culture nationally (compared with the Irish, most evident on St. Patrick's Day, and Italians, with their ubiquitous cuisine), as well as lingering anti-French discrimination including the internalized kind, like in self-deprecating comments made by former Gov. Paul LePage. "None of that is new in the last five years," Myall said, so it can't completely explain the recent change. "But all that context does make me think that Franco identity is both easier to lose and carries more negative baggage than some other groups." OLDEST TOWN GETS OLDER Aside from its whiteness, Maine's other consistent census superlative is its oldness, boasting the highest median age in the country at 44.9 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Piscataquis County comes in at the oldest with a median age of 51.4 years old, and the oldest town there Beaver Cove, just north of Greenville clocks in at a ripe 71. Even with the margin of error, most of the town would be eligible for Social Security. Home to Lily Bay State Park on the eastern shore of Moosehead Lake, Beaver Cove doesn't have many other amenities or businesses, aside from a marina and a bunch of vacation rentals. With recent turnover at the town office, it was hard to get anyone to talk about whether Beaver Cove's population is showing its age or what about it might attract older residents. But there are other indicators that support the census estimate, including that the data from five years ago put the median age at 66.5 and that the Greenville-area school district reports there are still just two families with school-age kids from Beaver Cove. Although the town website says there are just under 100 year-round residents, the census estimates there are at least a couple hundred. Maybe people were still isolating in their second homes when the surveys landed in their mailboxes. Looking at Beaver Cove's 2023 property tax bills online, most were addressed elsewhere in Maine or out of state. Ah, that's who's buying up all the houses. Copy the Story Link ** Previous coverage above ** CENTERVILLE, Ohio (WDTN) The city of Centerville is appealing a recent court decision made, which would allow Sheetz to build on a property in its city. According to a release, Centerville is asking the Second District Court of Appeals to make a decision on whether the recent reversal by Judge Angelina Jackson, which would allow Sheetz to construct a new location at Elsas, should stand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision was based on the finding that the Sheetz development is inconsistent with the use and character of surrounding properties, said the release. This careful deliberation was recently overturned by the trial court, prompting the City to seek a review and reversal by the Second District Court of Appeals. Centerville City Mayor Brooks Compton said the effort to protect the values of the city is important. This is not just about one projectit is about maintaining our ability as Centervilles elected representatives to make decisions that reflect and protect the values and priorities of our community, said Compton. We will continue to advocate for Centervilles residents and the principles that guide our development policies and will appeal the incorrect decision of the trial court. Nick Ruffner, public affairs manager for Sheetz, provided 2 NEWS with a statement on the citys move to appeal: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are confident in the Courts decision, and we believe that the Second District Court of Appeals will affirm its well-reasoned decision. Nick Ruffner 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. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Both Jewish and Muslim leaders in central Ohio are applauding the announcement of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine, saying it is long overdue. Organizers with JewishColumbus and the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that this is something theyve wanted since Oct. 7, 2023, but they want to be clear that theyre still awaiting real results. Until the hostages are actually returned, its not over, Julie Tilson Stanley, the CEO of JewishColumbus, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im glad the hostages, the 10,000 Palestinians and the hundreds of Israelis, are going to be getting out very soon, hopefully, Khalid Turaani, the executive director for CAIR-Ohio, said. Over the past 15 months, Jewish and Palestinian community members across Ohio and the United States have come together and held rallies, protests and vigils, all calling for a ceasefire. Weve lost many, many, many friends in Gaza: doctors, teachers, civilians, civil servants. So our prayers, of course, [are] with their families, Turaani said. While we cant imagine again what they are going through, we offer support in many different ways. We offer support through advocacy and making sure were educating the community on what is happening and that there are still hostages and we want to bring them home now, Tilson Stanley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turaani said that while hes hopeful a deal will be finalized, officially ending the war, it doesnt stop there. He said that a lot of rebuilding will need to take place in the Middle East. I think the fact that about 80% of the houses in Gaza are inhabitable is a very sad reality, Turaani said. In October of 2026, JewishColumbus is planning to send nearly 300 locals to Israel. Tilson Stanley said the trip is nearly sold out already. You can tell that there is a need for us to be with our family and friends and colleagues in Israel. And there is a real commitment in Columbus to the only Jewish state, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both JewishColumbus and CAIR leaders say that they hope this ceasefire deal will lead to permanent peace. If all of the details are approved, we could have a deal cemented by this weekend. 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) Its all about workforce. Thats what the Alabama Community College System tells CBS 42 about their new certification for Nursing Support Technicians (NST-Cs). Danne Howard with the Alabama Hospital Association said the state needs more healthcare workers. Its not just rural. Its not just urban. It is across the board, said Howard. There are thousands of job opportunities in hospitals today that we are desperate to have more individuals ready to go to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jimmy Baker, chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, said the new certification for NST-Cs is an answer to that call. For many of our young students, they can go and in a short period of time, receive enough training to be effective as a worker in the healthcare industry, he sad. Stuart Bell stepping down after 10 years leading University of Alabama Through that training, NST-Cs will be able to help nurses draw blood, assist with respiratory care, and other patient needs. We are offering that through ACCS and the two-year college systems, explained Peggy Benson, executive officer with the Alabama Board of Nursing. And they will be able to get that training. Some of its online were hoping to also get that started in high schools and fill two to 4,000 vacancies across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greg Reed, advisor on workforce transformation for Governor Kay Ivey, said this will help our economy grow. It is so difficult to find folks that are gonna have the training necessary to be able to provide the services needed, he remarked. The Alabama Board of Nursing started accepting applications for the new certification on January 6th. If you want to learn more, you can apply online at the boards website 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 CBS 42. URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) Both the Champaign and Urbana School Districts are in need of more volunteers for a special mentoring program. January is national mentoring month, and CU One to One mentoring has been an important program for Champaign and Urbana schools since 1994. Barbara Gillespie has been a mentor since the very beginning. Ive always had such a vested interest in young people. I realized that they need so much guidance, she said. They need someone to believe in them, to someone to help guide them along the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gillespie said its important for adults to invest in kids so they can see their potential and keep moving on the right track. In the program, mentors meet with kids weekly to eat lunch, play games and build relationships. Urbana hospital reveals new ambulance The Urbana Schools Program Coordinator said they need more men to join this year. To become a mentor, you have to fill out an application. After youve filled out the application, we will send you a link so you can become fingerprinted, and background cleared, said Angie Armstrong, Mentoring Coordinator. Then you have to attend a two-hour training, and we offer three of those this semester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the program organizers held an event at the Urbana City Hall to get more people involved. The Urbana School District said they need more than 200 mentors. On the other hand, Champaign is looking for about 420. Larry Lister has been thinking about joining for a few years now, and after learning more today, hes ready to connect with the kids. Champaign softball field may be renovated after Title IX complaint Im hoping to just give some kids somebody to look forward to because a lot of kids dont have male figures in their lives, Lister said. And its just its tragic. Even though this program is all about boosting kids up, Gillespie said being a mentor is equally rewarding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youth are our nations greatest resource, so somebody has to invest in them, and so thats us, Gillespie said. The adults in our community, we have a tremendous role to assist and to take that challenge. Each mentor will be paired with a 3rd through 6th grader and will mentor them until the student graduates high school. For more information on how to sign up and the dates of mentor training 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 WCIA.com. KSNF/KODE In 2016 David Spears was hired by the Missouri State Public Defenders Office in St. Louis County. That was just one year after he got out of prison for playing a role in the rape and murder of 9-year-old Rowan Ford. Controversy leads to review of public defenders hiring policy After initially confessing to raping and murdering Ford, Spears pleaded guilty to lesser charges of child endangerment and hindering prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, after a brief hiatus, Spears was again hired at the West Plains Public Defenders Office, where he currently works. State Representative Lane Roberts says while he does believe in second chances, this case is a little different. In this case, however, were talking about the homicide of a nine-year-old girl and the person who should have protected her. Not only was he defended by the Public Defenders Office, but now is being rewarded with a job. It is that relational element that makes this so offensive on its face, said State Representative Lane Roberts. Following our investigation, Roberts wrote a letter signed by 15 other lawmakers demanding the commission that governs the Public Defenders Office fire David Spears and change its policy on hiring those convicted of a felony offense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislators outraged by hiring practices by Missouri public defenders office Wednesday, part of that list was taken care of. First of all, the policy we just passed wouldve prevented the hiring of Mr. Spears. So, weve already if we were going back to 2014, this policy has already addressed that issue in part, said Charles Atwell, Board Chair. After very precise deliberations, commissioners changed the procedure to now require members of the commission, along with the director and general counsel, to sign off on hiring an individual who pled guilty or was found guilty of a felony. Other change is it adds as a factor whether employment by MSPD of the individual would adversely affect any other MSPD client, said Greg Mermelstein, Deputy Director/General Counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Roberts, the changes are a step in the right direction, but to fire David Spears from his job is another issue. Somebody made a decision to hire him. What do you do? It should never happen again at the very least. What they do with him, I think, is a challenge, said Roberts. Roberts says Spears has certain rights as an employee, and if those are violated, it could lead to a costly legal battle. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Rudy Giuliani was nowhere to be seen when his trial in a federal courtroom in Manhattan was scheduled to begin on Thursday morning. Four hours later, with a post on social media, the former New York City mayor celebrated a settlement in a long-running legal battle for control of his properties and assets. A trial was set to determine whether Donald Trumps former attorney can exempt his Florida condo and three World Series rings from a long list of assets he has been ordered by a court to hand over to two women he defamed in the volatile aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court-ordered property seizures intended to chip away at the nearly $150 million he owes them after a blockbuster defamation verdict. Giuliani was already forced to hand over the keys to his 1980 Mercedes Benz convertible, his Upper East Side penthouse apartment and more than a dozen watches after a protracted legal battle. The settlement appears to let Giuliani hold on to his properties after all, in exchange for compensation, according to the women he defamed. But it was not immediately clear how the cash-strapped Giuliani who filed for bankruptcy shortly after a jury awarded election workers $148 million in damages more than two years ago will be able to pay them anything at all. Rudy Giuliani reached a settlement with defamed election workers after he failed to show up to a trial on January 16 to determine if his Florida condo and World Series rings can be seized. (AP/Reuters) Last week, following a two-day hearing in the same courtroom, Giuliani was found in contempt of court for repeatedly blowing deadlines and dodging court orders. A few days later, in a different court with a different judge in Washington, D.C., Giuliani was held in contempt for repeatedly lying about the women he defamed more than four years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey, now-former election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss said in a statement following Thursdays announcement. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives, they said. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. In his statement, Giuliani said he will maintain possession of both his New York apartment and his Florida property, as well as all of his personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties, he wrote. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same. Rudy Giulianis attorney Joseph Cammarata and Giulianis son Andrew speak to reporters outsider a federal courthouse in Manhattan following a settlement with defamed election workers on January 16. (Getty Images) In a joint letter to District Judge Lewis Liman, attorneys for Giuliani and the election workers said the settlement will result in the conclusion of all litigation currently pending between and among the Parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His attorney Joseph Cammarata would not disclose the terms of the settlement. He told reporters that the agreement came together over the last 72 hours. But Giuliani was not there to deliver the news in person. Attorneys for both parties zoomed in and out of the judges chambers and other private rooms on the 15th floor of a federal courthouse on Thursday, buzzing around the courthouse without any sign of the former mayor or comment on his whereabouts. His son Andrew Giuliani who claims that the World Series rings were a gift from his father lurked in the courthouse lobby. His attorney sat by himself in the courtroom. But more than an hour after Giulianis trial was set to begin, he posted a video to his X account featuring a pomeranian named Vinny at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vinny loves hanging out at Mar-a-Lago, but hes ready to spend a lot more time in Washington, D.C. over the course of the next four years in support of his favorite PresidentDonald J. Trump! the message said. Following Trumps defeat in the 2020 election, Giuliani launched a spurious bid to reject election results in states the former president lost. In Georgia, Giuliani falsely accused Freeman and Moss of manipulating election results, which fueled a wave of harassment and abuse directed at the women. They sued him for defamation in Washington, D.C., and in December 2023, a jury awarded them $148 million in damages. Giulianis short-lived bankruptcy case was dismissed last year, letting Giuliani and his many creditors battle for control of his assets in separate courtrooms overseeing the lawsuits against him. In the property turnover case, attorneys for the defamed election workers accused the disbarred former mayor of willfully violating court orders and blowing past deadlines in the hopes of dragging out the case. They also accused him of hiding assets in shell accounts and refusing to answer questions about his residency, after he claimed that his Palm Beach condo should be off limits because its his primary residence. Giuliani initially failed to stall Thursdays would-be trial until February so that he could attend Trumps inauguration on January 20. The settlement appears to free him for travel. A 37-year-old Burnsville man told police that he killed his girlfriends dog after it tried to bite him first by using a knife and then hours later a bow and arrow because he thought that would be a humane way to end him, charges say. Police were sent to a Burnsville home Saturday after someone reported that Grady Scarborough Courtney sent his girlfriend a text that he had killed her dog, a German shepherd mix named Axel. He also sent his girlfriend, who was out of town, pictures of the dog. When officers made contact with Courtney at the home and told him they were there about Axel, he said the dog probably had rabies and he killed him with a lot of things, the charges filed this week say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a bedroom, officers saw blood everywhere and Axels body under a pile of towels. He had stab wounds to his side and back and a hole above his eye. A bent baton and a knife were on a bed, and a broken arrow and dog feces were on the floor. Courtney told police he brought a steak knife and bread knife with him to feed the dog because it had been aggressive toward him and acting rabid. He said Axel tried to bite him so he stabbed him, the charges say. Axel did not die, Courtney said, so he checked on him every 20 minutes. The dog was still aggressive, he said, so he stabbed him 10 more times and that he cowered but did not die. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After two hours, Courtney got a baton and bow and arrow. Axel was hiding in a spot where he had never seen him before with blood and feces all over the place, Courtney told police, according to the charges. Axel came at him again, Courtney said, so he hit him with the baton so hard that the baton is bent. He said he shot Axel in the head four times with the bow and arrow. Related Articles Courtney appeared to be under the influence and provided a preliminary breath test, which showed his blood-alcohol concentration was 0.178, according to the charges. The legal standard for motorists in Minnesota is 0.08. Courtneys girlfriend gave police a statement, telling officers shed been away for three weeks and that Courtney had been acting aggressively and erratically toward people in that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said Axel had never shown aggression toward Courtney and that another person had watched the dog within the last week without any issues. She gave police screenshots of texts that Courtney had sent her, which included pictures of the weapons, blood all over the room and Axels body, the charges say. One text said, Axel is dead12+full depth stab wounds, severe broken bones, TEN (expletive) POINT BLANK ARROW HITS*4 directly into the skull and brain*and he was still growling and biting at the door for HOURS!!! Courtney was charged Monday with two counts of felony mistreatment of animals. He made a first appearance on charges Tuesday and was released ahead of a next hearing scheduled for Feb. 6. His attorney did not immediately respond Wednesday to a request seeking comment on the charges. Related Articles Right-wing media pundits were unimpressed with President Joe Biden s farewell speech on Thursday, including one Fox panelist who could hardly believe AI didnt write it and another Newsmax anchor who suggested Bidens dentures were coming loose. Appearing from the Oval Office, Biden warned that a tech-industrial complex flaming the fans of disinformation and abusing artificial intelligence could become even more powerful in the years to come. Reacting to the speech on Fox, Dana Perino, a former White House press secretary, said the speech rang hollow to her ears and accused speech writers of using AI technology to compose the speech instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It felt like the speech writers had already left the building and that they asked ChatGPT to write a speech for Joe Biden, in which he doesnt remember that he was president for the last four years, she said on an episode of Jesse Watters Primetime. Perino cited a recent Gallup poll showing that Americans had a largely negative assessment of Bidens presidency when judged on 18 different issues, including the economy, crime, and immigration. On the same panel, Fox News anchor Bret Baier took exception to Bidens claim that theres a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few, ultra-wealthy people. Baier pointed out that Democrats raised more money than Republicans in the last election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So there was a concentration of money on the Democratic side, he said. It was just what they were selling [that] was not selling to the American people. Journalist and political commentator Brit Hume said the speech struck him as an attempt to restore Bidens image as an effective president. I think he did the best he could with what he had to work with, but its a difficult situation because the public has clearly rejected his record, he said. Its a hard sell and it comes at a time when I think the public has largely tuned him out. Speaking on a separate panel on the Jesse Waters show, Kayleigh McEnany, another former White House press secretary, characterized the speech as tone deaf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was so incredibly tone-deaf, and there was a bit of irony. He is exiting the stage with the lowest approval rating he has ever had, at 37 percent, she said. WATCH: @KayleighMcEnany slams Joe Biden's tone-deaf farewell address: It was so incredibly tone-deaf, and there was a bit of irony. He is exiting the stage with the lowest approval rating he has ever had at 37%. While the guy that he warned was a threat to democracy, pic.twitter.com/YhXCmSlUeO TV News Now (@TVNewsNow) January 16, 2025 Meanwhile, over at CNN, political commentator Scott Jennings said Biden will be remembered for bringing back Trump and Trumpism stronger and more popular than ever. Jennings said he was astonished that Biden ever considered running for another term: The fact that they pursued that farce for as long as they did, to me, remains one of the most astonishing things about this term. Over on Newsmax, anchor Rob Finnerty said he almost felt bad for Biden, even speculating that the presidents dentures were coming loose and giving him a lisp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But then I thought about everything that he has done to us and this country over the last four years, and I caught myself, he said. "I almost felt bad for Joe Biden," @RobFinnertyUSA says after watching the president's farewell address "then I thought about everything he has done to us and this country over the last four years." pic.twitter.com/KzcJzicga5 NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) January 16, 2025 BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Kennedy, N.Y., man, who previously served almost five years in prison for the possession of child of pornography, was sentenced to ten years in prison for the same charge, the U.S. Attorneys Office announced. Jeffrey Paden, 58, was found to be in possession of 551 images of child pornography during a search warrant on Aug. 29, 2023, officials said. Some of the images depicted violence against children and prepubescent children. Padens previous conviction of possession of child pornography was in June 2015, when he was sentenced to 57 months in prison as well as five years of supervised release. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 News 4 Buffalo. TAHLEQUAH, Okla. A $10.7 million federal grant will install 112 electric vehicle charging ports in 12 community locations within the Cherokee Nation reservation. Proposed sites for EV Charging stations include properties owned by the Cherokee Nation in Ochelata, Jay, South Coffeyville, Nowata, Tahlequah, Stilwell, Grove, Salina, Vinita, and Tulsa. The sites are on tribal land; 67% are less than two miles from multi-housing units, 58% are in rural areas, and 17% are in low-to-moderate income communities. EV charging stations are currently installed at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa, Cherokee Casino Tahlequah, Ann Mitchell Cultural & Welcome Center in Vinita, and Cherokee Nations W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex government office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project will place chargers in prominent destinations like parks and health centers. The initiative ensures the entire reservation is within 25 miles of charging infrastructure. Our goal at the Cherokee Nation is to reduce our carbon footprint by 25 percent by 2027, and we continue to make these strides, said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. in a prepared statement. The federal U.S. Department of Transportation grant will help the Tribe add more electric vehicle charging stations across the Cherokee Nation Reservation as more consumers purchase electric vehicles and need places to charge, he said. The Cherokee Nation built one of the first solar canopies in Oklahoma at its headquarters in Tahlequah. The structure charges Cherokee Nations electric fleet vehicles and the rising number of electric cars driven by staff and visitors to its tribal complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cherokee Nation will contract funds to Francis Energy, which owns and operates one of the countrys largest networks of electric vehicle charging infrastructure and, in 2019, built out the first contiguous, statewide network of direct current fast chargers in the nation. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Jan. 16As early as Monday, the Senate will vote on whether or not to confirm Pete Hegseth as the next secretary of defense. The secretary of defense oversees the Defense Department, acting as the principal defense policy maker and advisor. The confirmation hearing began Tuesday and has featured a variety of tough and easy questions for the candidate. Hegseth denies many of the personal allegations against him as false anonymous claims. These include sexual assault, sexual harassment, violence, cheating and more. If I write about these allegations, anonymous or otherwise, those in favor of Hegseth will follow his lead, claiming them to be untrue. So I'd prefer to deal in the things Hegseth himself has said, written or refused to say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When joining the military, one agrees to hold themselves to a higher moral standard. This includes not only obeying state and federal laws but also following the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). Article 134 makes it a crime for military personnel to engage in sexual conduct with someone who is not their spouse. That's right. In the military, cheating can result in serious consequences including dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances and up to one year of jail time. While there are allegations of Hegseth having five affairs while married to his first wife, there's no actual evidence of him confirming this. So let's talk about when he was married to his second wife. A woman (not his wife) accused him of sexually assaulting her in a California hotel room in 2017. Hegseth's response was that the incident was consensual and he paid his accuser an undisclosed amount in 2023 as part of a settlement agreement. While he denies sexually assaulting the woman, he admits to the affair. This offense violates the UCMJ and yet he seeks to lead a group of men and women he's asking to maintain high moral standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One non-answer that alarmed me during the hearing was when Senator Tim Kaine asked whether someone who has committed a sexual assault is disqualified from serving as secretary of defense. Hegseth would not answer the question. Poor treatment and opinion of women is part of the backbone of Hegseth's core values. He's written several books and they all contain a myriad of alarming ideas. Let me just lay out some of these quotes for you. "I'm going to say something politically incorrect that is a perfectly commonsensical observation. Dads push us to take risks. Moms put the training wheels on our bike. We need moms, but not in the military, especially in combat units." "Diversity is not our strength, unity is." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Women should not be in combat roles because men are distracted by women." After being nominated by President-elect Donald Trump, he changed his tune saying, "Some of our greatest warriors are women," and that he supports having women in combat. There's nothing wrong with someone changing their mind, but this comment came only 32 days after on "The Shawn Ryan Show" he said, "I'm straight up just saying we shouldn't have women in combat roles. It hasn't made us more effective, it hasn't made us more lethal, it has made fighting more complicated." Senator Elizabeth Warren pointed this out at the hearing, noting the 32 day difference in a massive change of opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our Senator, Joni Ernst, listed her top three priorities for the DOD A clean audit, women in combat and combatting sexual assault in the military. She then said she has had frank conversations with Hegseth about his opinion, but apparently everything he's said over the last decade is being swept under the rug. There are 500,000 women in the military who will have to blindly believe Hegseth has had a massive change of heart in a month's time or their jobs could be at stake. As for her first priority, the DOD is the only federal agency that has never passed an audit. This is a major issue and one that needs to be rectified with our next secretary of defense. Hegseth has never managed more than 100 people and financial documents show his expenses exceeded revenues at both the Concerned Veterans for America and at Veterans for Freedom, an organization forced to merge as it was on the edge of bankruptcy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ernst asked Hegseth what steps he would take to ensure the DOD passes its audit in 2028 and Hegseth said it hasn't been a priority in the past and he knows it's a priority. That's it. He had a soft question he could use to explain what his plans are and he has nothing. Maybe as Trump once said, he has "concepts of a plan." I could honestly spend another 800 words talking about the ways in which he is unqualified, but let me just rapid fire some more alarming quotes at you. In his book he asked if we should be following the Geneva Convention, saying it would be better if we just fought wars our own way. This would cause us an extreme loss of allies. He only met with one Democratic member of the Senate committee while it is a non-partisan tradition to meet with all members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his book, he said it would be a bad thing if they trained men to treat women equally on the battlefield because then they will treat them equally at home. Lastly, I found this most telling. This is Senator Jack Reed's ninth secretary of defense confirmation hearing. "I've voted in favor of all of your predecessors including those from the Trump administration," Reed said. "Unfortunately, you lack the character, composure and competence to hold the position." CHICAGO The Chicago Reader is at imminent risk of closure, the papers publisher announced Tuesday. The Reader Institute for Community Journalism, which publishes the Chicago Reader, announced the layoffs of six non-union employee staff positions due to an urgent need to reduce costs to avoid shutting down the publication. The announcement came in a post shared on the Readers website on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve lost two amazing animals: Harbor seal, Chilean flamingo at Lincoln Park Zoo die from bird flu According to the announcement, since the sale of the Reader by Sun-Times Media in 2018, a combination of financial losses, operational challenges and external pressures has put the Reader at imminent risk of closure. In addition to the layoffs, it was also announced that Reader Institute for Community Journalism (RICJ) CEO Solomon Lieberman had submitted his resignation to the RICJ board of directors on Monday. We are deeply grateful for Sols hard work and dedication during his tenure, and wish him the very best in his future endeavors, Chicago Reader publisher Amber Nettles said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Reader, which bills itself as Chicagos alternative nonprofit newsroom, has faced a handful of challenges over the past two decades, including several ownership changes and a transition to a biweekly print schedule prompted by a steep drop in advertising revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. 5 Chicagoland natives to perform with the The Presidents Own Marine Band at Trumps inauguration Despite the imminent risk of closure, leaders at the Reader said they see a path forward and plan to increase donor outreach and crowdfunding campaigns, secure advance payments and Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) for partnerships and advertising as well as expand a revenue-focused strategy with integrity and urgency. Leaders said they encourage open communication and welcome questions as the Reader navigates the changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We welcome the opportunity to discuss options for support, as we work tirelessly to continue operations, said Ellen Kaulig, chief of staff. In this time we remember the words of Mike Royko, One of the hallmarks of Chicago is that we do so many things in an original manner. And we are dedicated to our commitment to amplify and encourage all of the originals in Chicago in our own way. The Reader does it different and will continue to do so. 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 WGN-TV. BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (WGN) Palestinians from the Chicagoland area gathered in Bridgeview Wednesday following the announcement of a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. The deal puts a pause on the conflict after 16 months of war. Those who spoke to WGN News at the rally called the ceasefire announcement a victory. The Jewish United Fund in Chicago shared similar sentiments to Palestinians in the southwest suburbs on Wednesday, expressing relief that more hostages will finally be able to come home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his address Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden said it was the toughest negotiations he has experienced in reaching a deal, which will be a three-phase plan thats set to release dozens of hostages over the next six weeks. In Chicago, the plan has local organizations applauding the work, but still holding their breath for Sunday when the first group of hostages are set to be released. It doesnt happen until it happens, right? U.S. Palestinian Networks Muhammad Sankari said. I think the other reason people are holding their breath, to be frank, is theres a history of Israel violating the ceasefire agreements. If we just look at Lebanon, there was a ceasefire that was signed in November. Since the end of November, Israel has committed over 1,000 violations of that ceasefire. According to the Soufan Center on Tuesday, in a complaint to the United Nations Security Council, Lebanon which deals with the international community on behalf of Hezbollah accused Israel of more than 800 land and air attacks since the ceasefire came into effect on Nov. 27, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah, a United States-designated terrorist group based mostly in southern Lebanon, of maintaining fighters and weapons, including rockets, in the south that threaten its security and violate the ceasefire. Officials tout Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal as Israel says details still in flux Americans and Israelis are holding our breaths that hopefully, as many as possible of those who will be returned will be breathing and not in coffins, said Jay Tcatch, Executive Vice President of the Jewish United Fund. That demonstrates part of Hamas inhumanity holding innocence and not letting families finally grieve those already murdered. According to the American Jewish Committee, Hamas continues to hold more than 90 hostages, including at least 34 deceased individuals, following the abduction of approximately 251 people during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal between Israel and Hamas is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to fighting that will be accompanied by the opening of negotiations on ending the war completely. 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 WGN-TV. SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) A Chicopee man faces multiple firearm charges after police were called to a disturbance outside a bar in Springfield early Thursday morning. In a news release from the Springfield Police Department, at around 1:50 a.m. officers were called to the 400 block of Belmont Avenue. When police arrived, they discovered two vehicles involved in a crash. A driver of one of the vehicles attempted to run away onto Burlington Street. Police identify womans body found in Springfields Forest Park Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers could see the individual was holding a firearm and was captured on the 300 block of Dickinson Street and disarmed. The firearm was loaded with 11 rounds of ammunition and reported stolen out of Vermont. The man was identified as 21-year-old Jeyver Pabon-Flores of Chicopee and is charged with the following: Possession of a Firearm without an FID Card Carrying a Loaded Firearm without a License Possession of a Large Capacity Firearm Receiving Stolen Property Less than $1200 Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle Number Plate Violation to Conceal ID Unregistered Motor Vehicle Uninsured Motor Vehicle Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 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 WWLP. Updated at 4:16 p.m. E.T. Jan. 16 Chinas Ministry of Commerce has made a preliminary determination that PVH Corp. engaged in improper practices related to the Xinjiang region, according to Xinhua, the countrys official news source. More from WWD What impact that will have on the company remains unclear, but investors were taking a cautious stance and sent shares of PVH down 6.9 percent to $92.20 on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinese officials have repeatedly heard statements and defenses from PVH Corp. and reviewed the written materials submitted by the U.S. company, Xinhua said. The final investigation results will be made public in accordance with the law. PVH said in a statement: As a matter of company policy, PVH maintains strict compliance with all relevant laws and regulations in all countries and regions in which we operate and in line with established industry standards and practices. We are in communication with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and will respond in accordance with the relevant regulations. The company, which owns Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, came under the microscope of the Chinese government in September, when officials said they were looking into discriminatory measures the company had taken against products from Xinjiang. The region has been a hot button political issue in both countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a million Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims are said to be under internment in Xinjiang, with many allegedly forced to work. The region supplies more than 80 percent of Chinas cotton, but its illegal to bring goods made of Xinjiang cotton into the U.S. In 2021, PVH prohibited licensees from producing finished goods in Xinjiang and also stopped working with factories that used cotton from the area. In itself, that was not unusual for Western fashion firms producing goods in China and looking to ship them to the U.S. So it appears that PVH is being singled out as an example with the investigation, which falls under Chinas Unreliable Entity List. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has always handled issues related to its Unreliable Entity List with caution, and the list targets only a handful of foreign entities that jeopardize Chinas national security, said Xinhua, citing a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce. Its not unusual for companies to get called out as Beijing and Washington square off on any number of geopolitical issues. TikTok, for instance, is set to be banned in the U.S. starting on Sunday due to national security concerns. And on Wednesday, the U.S. added sanctions for one of Chinas largest textile manufacturers, putting it on a forced labor blacklist for alleged ties to the persecution of Muslim minorities in Xinjiang. According to the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, which is headed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, there is specific and articulable evidence that Huafu Fashion Co. uses cotton from Xinjiang. Best of WWD Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Movie rundown for the weekend of Jan. 16-19: A look at what's playing on the big screen By Jessie Pang and Anson Law HONG KONG(Reuters) - Hong Kong democrat Jimmy Lai on Thursday told a court trying him for colluding with foreign powers that he paid a former U.S. general to advise former Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen in late 2017, but denied seeking to endanger China's national security. On the first day of Lai's cross-examination by a government prosecutor, Lai admitted to a "project" in which he sought to bolster communication between the U.S. administration of President Donald Trump during his first term and the island democracy of Taiwan which was then led by Tsai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lai, 77, the founder of now-shuttered pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and a charge of conspiracy to publish seditious material. If convicted, Lai could face up to life imprisonment. Lai has been held in solitary confinement since December 2020 after his arrest under a China-imposed national security law. The landmark trial is in its 119th day. The U.S. and British governments have called for Lai's immediate release and have criticised the trial as politically motivated amid a years-long national security crackdown by China in the global financial hub. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China and Hong Kong authorities say the national security law was necessary to restore stability to Hong Kong, and say all are treated fairly under the law, including Lai. Prosecutor Anthony Chau showed WhatsApp messages which he said revealed that Lai helped arrange a meeting in Taipei between former U.S. army general Jack Keane, former U.S. deputy secretary of defense Paul Wolfowitz and then Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen, who wanted to know the Trump administration's stance towards Taiwan. The prosecutor asked whether Lai had sought to use Taiwan as leverage against China, and also to engage Keane and Wolfowitz to "give advice to Taiwan for a military upgrade". Lai denied this. He also denied entering into any agreements with others to endanger national security, nor had he himself engaged in such activities, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, Lai told his defence counsel Steven Kwan that he had been the author of a message published in the Apple Daily in June 2021, urging his journalists to keep going. "The history of journalists will never forget your pain of carrying the cross, but don't be afraid," Lai wrote in the message. The paper was forced to close soon afterwards. Lai on Monday denied lobbying the Biden administration to engage in hostile activity against China, including linking human rights in Hong Kong to negotiations for a trade deal with China. "Human rights is not hostility," Lai told the court. (Reporting by Jessie Pang and Anson Law; Editing by James Pomfret and Ros Russell) Chinese researchers have allegedly developed a new high-power microwave (HPM) weapon with power equivalent to electromagnetic energy released by a nuclear explosion. Reportedly also relatively compact, the new weapon could prove game-changing for anti-drone and anti-satellite military operations. The weapon is still developing and has not left the laboratory, so it is yet to be field-tested. Weapons such as this one can cause significant damage and even destroy electronic components, making them invaluable for modern military operations. Many nations worldwide are developing their HPMs, with the U.S. reportedly planning to deploy some to the Indo-Pacific region soon. It is reported that the U.S. would plan to use such weapons to target and knock out Chinese satellites should conflict erupt between the two superpowers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In most cases, though not all, HPMs comprise a satellite-dish-type antenna with multiple degrees of rotation to engage targets at will. The new Chinese HPM, however, uses phased array transmission technology instead. HPM with nuclear bomb levels of power This, it is reported, enables precisely focus energy, increasing its effective range and enhancing damage effects, enabling simultaneous attacks on multiple targets, according to researchers involved in the project. While interesting, it is important to note that this setup has long been considered impractical as it tends to be relatively unstable. However, Chinese researchers have overcome challenges with the technology, even enabling it to produce microwaves approaching 1 gigawatt (GW) in power. According to researchers from the National University of Defense Technology in Changsha and the Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology in Xian, the technology produces rotating EM waves that can be converted into more stable states. They have even developed a means of distributing the EM waves into eight independent channels for phased array antennas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLA826fH4Vc&pp=ygUUaGlnaCBwb3dlciBtaWNyb3dhdmU%3D This is achieved, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reports, using a unique power divider about the size of a household pedestal fan. By doing this, the HPM can kick out 80,000 volts per meter. This is comparable to the electromagnetic pulses generated by nuclear weapon explosions. According to the team, the high-performance power divided has been extensively tested more than 5,000 times at full power with little to no "tail erosion" or other apparent long-standing damage. Also, after this punishment, the HPM divider's generated waveforms remain unchanged. Not only that, but the operating efficiency of this eight-way power divider reached 96.6 percent, and the cap to its power capacity threshold may far exceed 1GW. Could destroy satellites and drones with ease If true, this meets China's military's requirements for HPM phased array antennas for high power capacity and transmission efficiency. According to its developers, the weapon emitted Ku-band electromagnetic pulses during testing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This happens to be the primary operating frequency band communication satellites such as Starlink. These satellites use large antennas to receive weak signals from the ground and use many commercial-grade electronic components. However, according to some Chinese space experts, the SCMP reports that to reduce costs, some components may not follow military standards for additional reinforcement against potential attacks. Given Starlink's high-profile use in theatres like the Russia-Ukraine war, the Chinese military is actively pursuing the development of tailored anti-satellite weapons. According to calculations by Chinese scientists, gigawatt-level energy weapons have the potential to target not only drones but also satellites in low-Earth orbit. Two Chinese citizens are standing trial in New York for charges related to the illicit fentanyl trade in a landmark case as officials aim to crack down on the movement of the deadly drug and its components from China to the United States. Defendants Wang Qingzhou and Chen Yiyi were apprehended in a sting operation in Fiji in June 2023, expelled from the South Pacific island nation and subsequently arrested in the US. Their trial began Wednesday at New Yorks Southern District Court. Their 2023 indictments were among the first prosecutions against Chinese nationals and China-based companies for trafficking fentanyl precursor chemicals into the US. Wang and Chen are believed to be the first Chinese nationals arrested and extradited on such charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors say the defendants and the company that employed them, chemical manufacturer Hubei Amarvel Biotech, shipped more than 200 kilograms of illicit fentanyl-related chemical precursors to the US a quantity that could make enough deadly doses of the drug to kill 25 million Americans. Amarvel Biotech is one of a number of China-based suppliers of such precursor chemicals whose products typically synthesized into finished fentanyl in labs operated by drug cartels in the US and Mexico are fueling a drug crisis across America, prosecutors said in their indictment. Fentanyl overdoses have surged in recent years to become a leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 18 and 45. Over 107,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2023, according to government data. In opening remarks on Wednesday, government prosecutor Kevin Sullivan looked to localize the case for the New York City courtroom, describing it as about two people who agreed to ship tons of chemicals from China to the US to manufacture fentanyl, right here in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alleging that Wang and Chen were hoping to help a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) informant build a drug lab in the city, he added: They didnt get the drug lab in New York, instead, they got arrested. Wangs defense lawyer David Mou told the jury in his opening statement to stay open-minded, reminding them that not a gram of fentanyl was produced in this case, while claiming the chemicals in question were insufficient to make fentanyl. Undercover investigation The company as well as Wang, an Amarvel Biotech executive, Chen, a marketing manager, and a third company employee Anita Yang, who remains at large face allegations that they marketed, sold, and supplied precursor chemicals for fentanyl production in the US in violation of federal law. Amarvel Biotech, based in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, has exported vast quantities of the precursor chemicals used to manufacture fentanyl and its analogues which have similar, but slightly different chemical structures while using a variety of tactics to disguise their shipments, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of a months-long undercover investigation, US law enforcement officers in May 2023 retrieved precursor chemicals for a fentanyl analogue that had arrived at a warehouse in Los Angeles. The chemicals were shipped from the defendants as a part of a deal with informants working with the DEA, according to the indictment. According to prosecutors, DEA informants arranged two separate in-person meetings with the defendants under the pretext of arranging multiton shipments of precursor chemicals from Amarvel Biotech. They also met to discuss improving synthesizing techniques because the informant claimed to the defendants that fentanyl made from their product had killed American consumers. In June, the informants arranged to meet Wang and Chen in Fiji to formalize a purported monthly, multiton order of precursor chemicals. Following the meeting, the two were taken into custody and transported to the US for prosecution. If convicted, the two face a minimum of 10 years or up to life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While China and the US have engaged in joint law enforcement efforts to counter the flow of fentanyl, Beijing was not involved in this investigation. In a statement to CNN this week, Liu Pengyu, the spokesperson for Chinese Embassy in the US, condemned the US proceedings, accusing US law enforcement of ensnaring Chinese nationals and calling for their immediate release. Such long-arm jurisdiction and bullyism that tramples on international law has further undermined the lawful rights and interests of relevant Chinese institutions and nationals, and seriously undercut the foundation for China-US cooperation on counter-narcotics, Liu said. Curbing the flow of fentanyl Controlling the fentanyl trade has been both a cause of friction and a rare point of cooperation between the US and China within their broadly contentious relationship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China has among the strictest domestic anti-drug policies, but some critics in the US say it has not done enough to help monitor or regulate purchases from buyers aiming to use Chinese-made ingredients to manufacture illegal drugs overseas. US lawmakers have also alleged that China is subsidizing the manufacturing of materials that are used by traffickers to make fentanyl. Beijing has rejected such criticism, accusing the US of shifting the blame, while pointing to its own strict drug control measures and efforts to further control production of related substances. In 2019, China stepped up its crackdown on the production and sale of the drug, by classifying all fentanyl-related substances as controlled narcotics a move welcomed by Washington. But US-China anti-drug cooperation later stalled amid disagreements on trade, human rights, the Covid-19 outbreak and Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China and the US resumed counter-narcotics collaboration in late 2023. At the time, President Joe Biden touted a commitment from Chinese leader Xi Jinping to go after companies who produce precursor chemicals following Xis only US visit during Bidens presidency. Since then, China has built on earlier efforts to tighten regulation and curb production of fentanyl-related chemicals, including by adding new precursor chemicals to its controls. Chinese authorities, however, have also pushed back against assertions that controlling precursor chemical production can fix the problem, as manufacturers can make minor changes to chemical compounds to synthesize related compounds and avoid violating regulations. In an interview with CNN in September, Hua Zhendong, a deputy director of drug analysis with Chinas Ministry of Public Security, described the countrys arduous efforts to control fentanyl and its success in reducing the manufacturing and export of finished fentanyl products from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, trying to completely suppress illegal production through controlling precursor chemicals is fundamentally impossible, Hua said. The most fundamental issue is still reducing demand. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Treasury and other law enforcement officials told lawmakers Wednesday that Chinese hackers gained access to more than 3,000 unclassified agency files as part of a cybersecurity breach last year, according to a person in the room for a classified briefing the agency gave House members on Capitol Hill. Officials told lawmakers that the hackers accessed a small number of unclassified files belonging to top officials including Secretary Janet Yellen, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo, and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith, said the person, who was granted anonymity to discuss unclassified portions of a closed-door meeting. Other targets of the hack included the Committee of Foreign Investment in the United States and the Office of Foreign Assets Control. The briefing, which was held in a secure room in the Capitol for members of the House Financial Services Committee, featured officials from Treasury, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI. Officials are set to brief the Senate Banking Committee on the matter on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Treasury Department declined to comment. A Chinese state-sponsored hacker gained access to the information between Sept. 30 and Nov. 18 via a third-party vendor the department uses, BeyondTrust. The firm informed Treasury on Dec. 8 that hackers gained access to its data via a vulnerability in a third-party product that it uses. The hackers accessed 419 Treasury computers and at least 3,029 files, officials told lawmakers. An analysis of Treasurys logs has found that only unclassified information was compromised, officials told lawmakers. Treasury officials noted during the briefing that the hack came amid a heightened threat environment for online hacks. Officials told lawmakers that the departments security infrastructure has successfully fended off numerous cyberattacks, leading hackers to shift their focus to third-party vendors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hack was more limited than other recent breaches, such as a 2023 incident in which Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondos emails were hacked. Treasury officials also expressed concerns to lawmakers about BeyondTrusts cooperation with its investigation into the breach and said the department is evaluating alternatives to the company. A spokesperson for the company said in a statement that upon discovering the incident, BeyondTrust immediately contacted Treasury, as well as the FBI and CISA." "We continue to share information, including IOCs, CVEs and any other relevant details with our government partners to support their ongoing investigation," the spokesperson said. "Providing transparency into this incident has been and remains our top priority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Bill Foster (D-Ill.), a senior House Financial Services member, said in an interview after coming out of the briefing Wednesday that there was a lot discussion related to third-party contracting," adding that the matter "will be on our table" this year. He said lawmakers will look at "whether there are high-level policies we get wrong involving the use of third parties when its appropriate and when its not. (Bloomberg) -- US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellens computer was infiltrated and unclassified files were accessed as part of a broader breach of the agency by Chinese state-sponsored hackers, according to two people familiar with the matter. Most Read from Bloomberg The attackers also hacked the computers of two of Yellens lieutenants, Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo and Acting Under Secretary Brad Smith, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing sensitive information. Fewer than 50 files on Yellens machine were accessed, one of the people said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Treasury spokesperson Chris Hayden declined to comment Thursday. The compromise of Yellens computer makes the Treasury breach the latest hack attributed to the Chinese government that has reached the top ranks of a US federal department. The attackers appeared to focus on Treasurys role in sanctions, intelligence and international affairs, but didnt penetrate the departments email or classified systems, according to a Treasury report previously reviewed by Bloomberg News. Treasury staff were at Capitol Hill on Wednesday and Thursday briefing congressional aides and lawmakers about the hack. The discussions occurred as the Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing on Thursday for Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee as Treasury secretary. The Chinese operatives breached the top Treasury officials computers along with more than 400 laptop and desktop machines, accessing employee usernames and passwords as well as more than 3,000 files on unclassified personal devices, the report states. The intruders also accessed law enforcement sensitive data and material on investigations run by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US, which reviews the national security implications of some foreign financing, according to the Treasury report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Software contractor BeyondTrust Corp. on Dec. 8 notified Treasury that hackers had exploited the companys networks to infiltrate the government department. Treasury alerted the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to the incident and sought help from the FBI and other intelligence agencies. Politico earlier reported that the hackers had accessed a small number of unclassified files belonging to Yellen, Adeyemo and Smith. Investigators attributed the hack to a Chinese state-sponsored actor known among cybersecurity professionals as Silk Typhoon and UNC5221, according to the report. They found that the hackers prioritized the collection of documents and operated outside of normal working hours to avoid detection, according to the report. Chinese officials have long denied US allegations of state-sponsored cyberattacks, and a Foreign Ministry spokesperson last month called the claims that the government was behind the Treasury hack unwarranted and groundless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China was also accused in 2023 of breaking into the email accounts of key government officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and, according to the Wall Street Journal, US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. CHIPPEWA FALLS A case against a Chippewa Falls man accused of possessing child pornography is on hold because a similar case from Waukesha County is being appealed to the state Supreme Court. The issue revolves around if there is a right to privacy when posting sexual images of children on a social media website. Timber L. Cesafsky, 51, 2997 S. Prairie View Road, was charged in January 2023 in Chippewa County Court with two counts of possession of child pornography. According to the criminal complaint, law enforcement executed a search warrant of Cesafskys home on Jan 11, 2023. Multiple images of child pornography were located and seized. When interviewed by police, Cesafsky admitted he was aware of the images on his device and that he had viewed them. He added that he did not think the images were real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cesafsky previously posted a $1,000 cash bond. As terms of his release, he cannot have any contact with any juveniles and cannot use any device with internet capabilities. Cesafsky appeared in Chippewa County Court on Monday, but the case was delayed until Feb. 26, as Judge Benjamin Lane is waiting for a ruling on a Waukesha County Court case that also involves posting sexual images on a website. In that case, 73-year-old Michael Gasper of Dousman is charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography and nine counts of child sexual exploitation. Gasper is accused of uploading child pornography to a Snapchat account on his phone. Like in the Cesafsky case, Snapchat alerted the CyberTipline of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children of the images. Gaspers attorney claimed there is a right to privacy, and that the polices search of his phone violated his Fourth Amendment rights because it was an illegal search. A lower court agreed with the attorney. However, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals issued a ruling Oct. 30, saying that Gasper had no such right to privacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We conclude that Gasper did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the video, and thus, the officers inspection was not a search subject to the Fourth Amendment, the Court of Appeals wrote. Gasper lacked a reasonable expectation of privacy in a child pornography video that he uploaded to Snapchat in violation of its terms of service, the ruling states. Snapchat did not access the video in Gaspers account through his cell phone, the ruling reads. Rather, the video was obtained directly from Gaspers Snapchat account. Snapchat scanned the data held on its own servers and identified the child pornography video in Gaspers account without accessing any of his devices. Thus, the relevant question is whether Gasper had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the video in his Snapchat account. He did not. As noted above, at the motion to suppress hearing, the State introduced three documents that show that Snapchat informed Gasper that it would be scanning and accessing his account for content that violated its terms of service (such as child pornography) and would report violations to law enforcement. Jan. 16The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is launching its own Summer EBT for Children program with schools beginning to partner with the tribe prior to applications opening. Previously, applications for the program went through the tribe's partnership with the Chickasaw Nation. Schools within the Choctaw Nation Reservation are currently approving partnerships with the tribe for the program. McAlester Public School's Board of Education on Monday unanimously approved a memorandum of understanding with the tribe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the MOU, the school will provide information to the tribe regarding students receiving and eligible for free and reduced meals. "For the purposes of processing Summer EBT applications, the school shall distribute all documents provided by Nation to all students through various means, including but not limited to, sending documents home with students in the backpacks and folders," the MHU states. "These documents will be used to recruit participants for the programs." The school will also verify enrollment and free and reduced lunch status of all applicants to the tribe, the MHU states. To be eligible for the program, students must be enrolled in a participating school district in grades pre-k to 12th grades. Students must also be receiving or eligible to receive free or reduced-cost meals at school or enrolled in the foster care system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For students enrolled in a charter school or homeschooled, a household member must be receiving certain specific state or federal benefits. "Specific income guidelines may also need to be met," according to the tribe. The federally funded program is also available to anyone, and students do not have to be Native American to qualify. Participation in this program will have no impact on other government assistance being received. The program allows qualifying families to receive $40 of free food per child per month for May, June, July, and August. Once approved, Summer EBT cards will be mailed to the address provided, along with a list of participating stores. Parents will also receive a food card and shopping list to help identify approved food items. Applications for the program will become available in early April 2025, according to the tribe. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) The City of Abilene has paid a man who says he was wrongfully arrested and had his 2nd amendment rights violated a settlement for nearly $100,000. Eddie Pugh and his attorney CJ Grisham accepted a $99,999 settlement from the City of Abilene last month in lieu of filing a lawsuit. Pugh was found not guilty of stalking Abilene City Manager Robert Hanna during a trial in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Pugh was also charged with Criminal Trespass while he was protesting outside of Rise Church. NOT GUILTY: Abilene man accused of stalking city manager found not guilty Three times after his arrests once in November 2023, once in January 2024, and once in November 2024 Pugh notified the City he intended to sue, seeking more than $5 million in damages for his wrongful arrests and the financial and non-economic distress they caused. In his list of occurrences, Pugh mentioned he was wrongfully arrested more than once, forced to wear an ankle monitor, had excessive bonds, was barred from city hall and speaking at public meetings, and was wrongfully accused of a noise violation while he was protesting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read additional details on the settlement in the court documents below: Settlement & Release fully executed 122324Download No further information is available at this time. 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. DECATUR, Ala. (WHNT) The City of Decatur is asking a federal court for a timeline in a civil suit over the police shooting death of Stephen Perkins. In a motion filed last week, the citys attorneys asked the court to set a deadline for Perkins wife Catrela Perkins and her attorneys to replead their case against Decatur. City of Huntsville provides update on Derrick Street homeless camp clean up Perkins was killed in September 2023 by then-Decatur Police Department officer Mac Marquette during a botched repossession of Perkins truck. Marquette has been charged with murder and has an April trial date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, U.S. District Court Judge Corey Maze dismissed the Perkins family lawsuit against Decatur officers Christopher Mukkadam, Joey Williams, Vance Summers, who were with Marquette that night, and the City of Decatur. The court said that under the currently known facts argued by the Perkins familys lawyers, Marquette did not kill Perkins out of negligence or insufficient training by Decatur. In that same order, Maze said he would allow the Perkins estate one chance to replead their case against Decatur and the officers. LCSO identifies man killed when Florence Police say he tried to shoot up department Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Decaturs attorneys said since that order the court has not offered a schedule the Perkins attorneys needed to follow for a new filing. Decaturs lawyers said the court has addressed other claims in the lawsuit, ordering that the Perkins estate would need to address claims against the towing company involved in the case in arbitration. Despite that, they say the court has not addressed the timeline for an amended complaint mentioned in its August 6, 2024 order. Despite not being stayed, the claims against the City of Decatur and the Decatur co-defendants have remained pending in a state of flux following the order compelling arbitration, The city said. With that in mind Decaturs lawyers asked that the court issue an order establishing a deadline for that amended complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Jan. 15Oklahoma Department of Transportation seeks federal help to widen U.S. 69 and replace the Centennial Trail bridge. The department is seeking a $20 million grant through the federal Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program. This would cover less than half of the estimated $46 million total project cost, according to ODOT data. Muskogee City Council passed a resolution supporting the ODOT application at a special meeting Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Division 1 ODOT engineer Chris Wallace said work would be done in two parts. One would involve reconstructing the four-lane divided highway between Haddock Street and Border Avenue. Work between Border and Okmulgee Avenue involves building three lanes in each direction. "There will be a couple of sections where there will be a two-way left turn bay in the middle," Wallace said. Plans also call for replacing Centennial Trail's bridge and raising the highway going under it by six inches. "That way, when the semis go under there it's not such a climb for them to get out," Wallace said. "Then we will put in a taller pedestrian bridge over the road." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the current bridge is 15 feet above the road and the new bridge would closer to 17 feet above the raised highway. "There's a lot of oversized loads that can't go underneath that current bridge and they have to detour through the city of Muskogee," Wallace said. "Once we get that pedestrian bridge in place, those trucks would be able to stay on 69." The raised highway and bridge also could improve visibility, he said. Centennial Bridge replacement, budgeted for $460,000 was to have been part of a $78 million bond issue proposed to voters, then scrapped, in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wallace said he doesn't know about the odds of getting the grant, but he remains hopeful. He said he will submit the request within the next couple of months. Grant recipients could be announced in October. "Whether we get the grant or not, we will be moving forward," he said. "We have acquired all the right of way. Soon, you will start to notice we're starting to move utilities. Once those utilities are all relocated, that's when we will begin construction." Wallace said he hopes workers could begin construction by the end of 2025 and finish by 2027. Options are being cited as a reason for continued declines in public school enrollment in Colorado, amid the state education department's Wednesday release of official enrollment for this academic year. But the choices in todays educational landscape also are a top driver for private and parochial schools in the Colorado Springs area, which say theyre basking in enrollment gains and steadfastness since the coronavirus pandemic arrived nearly five years ago. Its never been better, said Superintendent Roland DeRenzo, who leads Colorado Springs Christian Schools, a private Christian system now in its 53rd year of operation. The mighty Lions have grown by 2% every year since COVID-19, across its preschool through high school grades, he said, for a current total of about 1,100 students. The increases have pushed the elementary division to full capacity, DeRenzo said, with school officials searching for additional space to hold classes for the fall semester. All options are on the table, whether a ready-made building or something we do ourselves, well look at what makes more sense, he said. People looked at COVID as being a negative; I saw it as a great opportunity. When circumstances are out of your control, how you respond is everything. With a new online division that launched at the onset of the pandemic, Colorado Springs Christian Schools has expanded to four campuses: the flagship in Colorado Springs, a branch in Woodland Park, an online program in Breckenridge and a partnership program with the Sangre de Cristo Cowboy Church in Westcliffe. Being among the first to restart in-person instruction after mandatory statewide shutdowns in the spring of 2020 was a big factor in attracting new families, DeRenzo said. Small class sizes averaging 11 students per classroom and a rigorous, foundational curriculum also draw students, he mentioned. Public schools in Colorado are losing more White students and gaining Hispanic students; at Colorado Springs Christian Schools ethnic group enrollment has remained steady in percentages during the growth spurt, with no significant increase in any one particular ethnicity, DeRenzo said. Nationwide, independent schools that are delivering a high-quality education and following their mission are seeing trends of increased enrollment, said Ryan Kelly, head of The Colorado Springs School, a private day school founded in 1962. The preschool through high school campus has had stable enrollment topping 300 students, he said, with a new trend of more out-of-state interest from families relocating to the area. Program expansions include college-prep tracks for engineering, health, and visual and performing arts that start in Middle School and continue into the Upper School. Robotics programming with state-of-the-art equipment also is on the way, and in the fall Kelly said all subject areas will have artificial intelligence integrated, emphasizing ethical and effective use. The school also is continuing its signature experiential learning focus, with learning-by-doing in all grade levels. Parents are attracted to this style of learning especially because in-field experiences are declining in the public school system due to budget cuts, Kelly said. In the 12 years that Tom Tolbert has been administrator at Springs Baptist Academy, the school is seeing its largest enrollment of 70 students. When he took over as leader in 2013, the school had 23 students. Featured Local Savings From interviews with incoming parents, theyre looking for school choice, and they like our small class sizes and curriculum, he said. A lot of kids have been missing the foundational concepts. The parochial school, founded in 1977, operates under the umbrella of Grace Baptist Church. Weve been focused building an environment that matches the values of what were trying to promote, along with a good, strong academic standing, Tolbert said. Christian values also are a main reason parents cite for enrolling their children in the Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs system, which includes eight schools, according to Superintendent Sheila Whalen. The majority of families choose the schools because of the integration of faith in the curriculum and culture of the schools, the strong academic outcomes and the safety of the school environment, she said. Over the past four years, enrollment has steadily increased, adding 151 students for a total of 1,459, Whalen said. The region also has two independent Catholic high schools. We intentionally provide a very traditional curriculum and utilize current teaching strategies but minimize the use of technology, Whalen said. Many families move from public schools for these specific things. The diocese opened a new school, Saint Gabriel Classical Academy, in 2022, and constructed a building that debuted last fall. But in a few months after this school year ends, the diocese will close a school. Whalen cites changing neighborhood demographics for the decision to shutter the nearly 70-year-old Divine Redeemer Catholic School in May. Right now, families are visiting the other Catholic schools in the area to decide which school is best for their family, Whalen said. We hope that they will remain in a Catholic school and will do what we can to help with that transition. One of the biggest challenges for private and parochial schools is affordability, and most independent schools offer need-based scholarships and financial aid to families. Its difficult to provide teachers with a just wage and still have an affordable education, Whalen said. We continue to look for outside funding to help reduce the cost of tuition. DeRenzo is optimistic that the economy will improve as the year unfolds, which as history shows benefits tuition-based education. Its a bellwether for us to watch, and signs are looking stronger, which could bode well for us, he said. ESPANOLA, N.M. (KRQE) The City of Espanola has agreed to pay $3.9 million to resolve claims that it trespassed on Santa Clara Pueblo Land. The city entered into a settlement agreement with the United States of America, the City of the Pueblo of Santa Clara, according to the Department of Justice. The lawsuit was filed by the United States in 2016, alleging that Espanolas water and sewer lines were trespassing on Santa Claras lands following the expiration of previously granted rights-of-way. Santa Clara intervened in the lawsuit, asserting additional claims for trespassing streets and utility facilities. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the terms of the agreement, Espanola will pay $2.5 million to Santa Clara as compensation for new 25-year easements, subject to certain credits. Additionally, Espanola will pay $1.4 million over 20 years as compensation for past use of Santa Clara lands through July 1, 2022. The agreement requires Espanola to obtain the new easements for its facilities on Santa Clara lands, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Interior. The Bureau of Indian Affairs will provide technical assistance in developing the right-of-way applications This settlement not only rights historic intrusions, but commits the parties to future accord, beginning with a public apology. This is a meaningful first step towards reconciliation between the City of Espanola and the Pueblo of Santa Clara, allowing us to unite for a future built on mutual respect and cooperation, said U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez in a news 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 KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Salt Lake City Erin Mendenhall released a nearly 50-page plan to address homelessness after state leaders sent a letter last month calling on her to devise a public safety plan immediately. The letter penned by Gov. Spencer Cox, President J. Stuart Adams, and Speaker Mike Shultz gave her a deadline of Jan. 17, and she met the challenge, publicly sharing the citys plan a day early. While state officials threatened to get more involved if she did not comply, according to reports first published by The Salt Lake Tribune, Mendenhall said she saw the letter as a welcome invitation and a proposal for collaboration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im fed up, our system is fed up, our city is fed up, and our police officers are fed up. The system does not work for the highest need and highest impact individuals experiencing homelessness and more must be done to control the cartels and the fentanyl crisis, she said during Thursdays press conference. A couple experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake City. (Credit: MJ Jewkes) The nearly 50-page public safety plan lists 27 actions Salt Lake City will take to address public safety and homelessness as well as 23 recommendations for state and county partners. Mendenhall said at the center of the issue is a lack of space, referring to housing, shelters, treatment centers, and jail beds. She said the city must intentionally and immediately create space as there is a year-round shortage of 1,100 to 1,600 shelter beds. For this reason, Salt Lake City will immediately construct a temporary campus on city-owned land to increase the number of shelter beds in the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If state funds are allocated to the project, she said the temporary campus will operate for two years while the state builds its permanent campus of deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing. A micro-shelter community built near I-15 at 548 South and 700 West in Salt Lake City (Courtesy: Utah Office of Homeless Services) The city also plans to assist in the construction of 200 tiny homes and dedicate at least $5 million for deeply affordable housing next year. As for public safety, she said the Salt Lake City Police Department along with behavioral and social workers reduced crime by 5% in the city in 2024 bringing the city to its lowest crime rate in 16 years. With that said, she added that she knows the presence of unsheltered individuals, some of whom faced severe mental illness, can make people feel unsafe. Salt Lake City Police speak with someone experiencing homelessness. (Tainui Wihongi, ABC4) Let me be clear, being unsheltered is not a crime. But public safety matters and homelessness do intersect which often comes as a result of mental health challenges, drug addiction, human trafficking, and any other number of issues that are often experienced in our unsheltered communities. It is a scenario that no city can long endure without catastrophic impacts to all, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public safety plan will address these challenges through a visible increase in police presence downtown as well as a focus on targeting gangs, firearms, and fentanyl. It will also expand substance use treatment services and mental health resources to help people move through the system. Mendenhall encouraged both the press and the public to read the full public safety plan to understand the steps authorities will be taking in the coming months. Plainly put, we have not done enough in Salt Lake City, and that responsibility lies with me, Mendenhall said. Salt Lake City must do better, and we will. Following the release of the plan, Gov. Cox, President Adams, and Speaker Shultz released a joint statement saying they are eager to see decisive steps taken to achieve that goal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We look forward to collaborating with Mayor Mendenhall, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and all stakeholders to take meaningful action, implement the plan and restore public safety and confidence in our capital city, the statement read. Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown sent a statement to ABC4 saying he looks forward to implementing the safety plan and thanking Mendenhall and city staff who worked on the project. The Salt Lake City Police Department remains fully committed to its duty of enforcing the law, holding offenders accountable, and practicing community-oriented policing. This plan reaffirms that commitment and expectation, the statement 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 ABC4 Utah. ST. LOUIS Anger is boiling over as residents say city leaders have failed to keep up with the demands of a major snowstorm. Unsafe roads and a lack of clear communication have left many wondering if enough is being done. Wednesday, city leaders faced tough questions from residents demanding answers and action. At the public infrastructure and utilities committee meeting, City of St. Louis Street Director presented an overview of snow operations, revealing the city only had 50 plow trucks and 53 employees working 12-hour shifts to manage the storms 10.6 inches of snowfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If theres one lane open on the street, its passable. That does not mean you can see the black pavement from curb to curb. That means theres a passable lane that cars can travel, director Betherny Williams said. The citys efforts focused on arterial routes like Kingshighway and Goodfellow Boulevards, while residential streets remained unplowed, a long-standing policy due to equipment limitations. Some locals say the citys response fell short. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News It wouldve just been helpful for just the saltwe didnt get anything. Theres been no salt laid down, and I feel like that wouldve helped with the traffic coming through, a resident stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another local added, I havent had trash pickup in my neighborhood for over two weeks. I dont know what they are doing; they are not doing anything with the snow and ice on my street. Many experiencing these issues were in attendance, and over 30 residents attended via Zoom. Williams acknowledged the need for internal improvements. Theres things internally that we need to do. As well as updating our routes, as you can see here, our routes have not been updated since 2014, Williams said. City officials noted they are taking notes and planning for adjustments for the next snowstorm. Mayor Tishaura Jones announced before the meeting that small plow trucks will be dispatched to treat residential streetsa step the city hopes will alleviate concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Serenity Towers Saga appears to be nearing an end. The City of Memphis told an environmental court judge that it is looking to vacate the troubled senior living high-rise before the summer. However, the judge has a few concerns. In Environmental Court Thursday morning, Attorney Carlissa Shaw presented an order that details a four-month time period to have the property completely evacuated. Shaw says the property is no longer safe or fit for people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She says the city met with residents to discuss their next steps. FOR MORE ON SERENITY TOWERS They were notified that this was a temporary receivership and there was no intention to repair the building so that they could stay there but just give them meaningful transition time, said Shaw. Special Master Marcus Ward says roughly 150 tenants are waiting for placements. He says a representative with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has been interviewing tenants to assess their specific needs. However, Ward says HUD has yet to schedule a meeting to address tenants which is needed to initiate the relocation process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaw also says HUD has not approved the citys special voucher request. The city says it is acting as owner of Serenity Towers and has contracted Memphis Housing Authority to manage the property. Millennia sues HUD after agency reportedly demands $7M in civil penalties Memphis Housing Authority is doing all that they can to maintain the health, safety, and welfare of the people in Serenity Towers. However, this is not intended to be a long-term transition, Shaw said. The judge says hes more concerned about the occupants rather than the timeline and wants to make sure the process is fair and tenants are treated with decency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did not sign the order Thursday but requested the city make changes that would further clarify the position of the receiver or someone who will step in to manage the property while legal issues are being worked out. The city says the timeline is necessary as they have no plans to be the permanent receiver. The timelines, we would argue, are necessary because this is a philanthropic effort by way of the city of Memphis, Shaw said. Neither an attorney for Millennia nor a representative for HUD was in court. The next court date is Thursday morning. 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. WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) Washington City officials are complimenting utilities workers after they spent six hours repairing a transmission pole late Sunday night. The transmission caught fire and broke in half. Washington Electric worked to repair the pole while keeping the line active to ensure connection wasnt lost. There were areas that experienced an outage while utilities workers replaced the pole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Washington also had its city council meeting last week to discuss affordable housing and keeping quality of life for their residents and visitors. Washington City Manager Jonathon Russell said 2025 is off to a positive start. 2025 is off to a great start. Weve been trending in a positive direction overall, Russell said. Weve seen some good commercial growth as well as residential growth. Affordable housing is a priority for council. Were hopeful to see some continued development in that sector in 2025. The city is looking forward to hosting events alongside the chamber of commerce in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WNCT. WASHINGTON, N.C. (WNCT) In the city of Washington, utility workers are working to repair a transmission pole that caught fire late Sunday night, Jan. 12, 2025. City leaders are also reflecting on growth and looking forward to some goals they have for 2025. Something overheated and started a fire that caused the transmission pole to burn in half. The Washington electric utilities responded. It was in the middle of the night when the incident occurred, but response time was great, Washington City Manager Jonathon Russell said. Our crews worked for approximately six hours to make the repair. We did have a mutual aid response construction.They provided some assistance to make sure that we could get the work done safely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russell also spoke about the progress they hope to see continue into the new year. Yeah, 2025 is off to a great start. Weve been trending in a positive direction overall. Weve seen some good commercial growth, as well as, residential growth, he said. Affordable housing is a priority for council. Were hopeful to see some continued commerce partners with the city for a lot of these events. Plus, the city of Washington is a great destination for nonprofits and organizations outside of Washington looking to host events. 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 WNCT. On the eve of Donald Trumps inauguration as the 47th president of the United States, some people who work for the federal government are concerned. Trump and his allies have repeatedly promised to dismantle the administrative state and fire those they perceive as disloyal. Trumps former and likely future director of the Office of Management and Budget, Russell Vought, for example, has threatened to put bureaucrats in trauma. That includes the possibility of weakening rules meant to protect public servants from political interference. Amid these threats and loyalty tests used to vet potential appointees, many career civil servants fear that they may end up in ethical binds, caught between the instructions of their bosses and their duty to serve the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the first Trump presidency, I spoke with 66 career civil servants working across agencies, including in some of the most contested parts of the government. I tracked their experiences and challenges over the course of the administration from 2017 until 2020, doing 116 interviews in all. These form the basis for my forthcoming book, The Loyalty Trap. This work identified some of the ways longtime government workers managed to stay sane, keep their jobs and continue to serve the American people. Maintaining quality work As happened during Trumps first term, government employees are being advised by experienced colleagues to stay calm and keep their head down, as The Washington Post reported. Some are already trying to protect potentially politicized work. For instance, they are trying to revise job titles that use terms such as diversity or climate. They aim to use words less likely to be targeted by the incoming administration, referring more obliquely to climate change and civil and human rights protections. In the first Trump administration, federal workers said they had trouble discerning clear instructions from the political appointees they served under. erhui1979/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images This pressure is real: During Trumps first presidency, a number of federal civil servants I talked to described their mental health declining, and declining morale, productivity and innovation at work. Among a sizable proportion of the people I spoke with, the pressures at work became too much; about a quarter of those I spoke with quit during the first Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who stayed faced Trump appointees suspicion, threats of political retribution and sidelining of expert guidance. Many reported feeling quite alone. Nearly all sought to remain loyal to serving the presidential administration. But in the face of leaderships threats and conflicting advice, some of which they said they believed could be potentially illegal, and without clear guidance from above, some workers became unable to do their jobs. As one middle-aged midlevel manager told me when a senior employee in his agency was removed from her position after some Trump allies publicly criticized work in the agency, They found someone to punish. And that obviously had a very chilling effect on everyone. The manager said its terrifying to see people who may have lost their jobs simply because they did those jobs properly. Under these conditions, he said, helping appointees sometimes meant just doing little, quite frankly just doing whats necessary, and it means waiting to help educate folks about what their options are as we go forward, as opposed to getting too fired up about things. Because its safer. He also noted the binds midlevel employees faced as appointees fought over policy agendas levels above them. The appointees, he said, want things which are in direct contradiction of each other and so I dont know whats going on. I dont know what all this stuff means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being stuck in such chaotic situations made this employee feel trapped between choosing to be a slick salesman and come out of it looking good, but then facing unintended consequences down the line. Or, You could also be not a slick salesman, have trouble now, but maybe no unintended consequences down the line. So take your pick, and neither of them sound very great. Some career civil servants avoided sharing their woes and challenges with each other, not wanting to burden others facing difficult situations as well or fail to uphold their own professional standards. As one lawyer working in international affairs told me, Theres no point in really commiserating everybody has their particular burden to carry and a lot more just frustration that normal processes just arent working. Yet, even among those who felt most alone, I found they had many experiences in common with others who also felt isolated in trying to walk a precarious moral and ethical tightrope between their desire to faithfully serve the elected president under chaotic leadership and insufficient and sometimes questionably legal guidance and do quality work upholding the law and benefiting the nation and the American public. Federal workers reported their mental health declined amid chaos at work. VectorMine/iStock/Getty Images Plus Keeping government functioning Some civil servants said they tried to keep their departments running smoothly by doing their work as they had been doing before the Trump administration. In light of conflicts between appointees, Trump family members, the president and other Trump allies with unspecified roles, some waited to receive formal orders from authorized supervisors. Fearing retribution, they waited rather than anticipating guidance as they might have done under leaders with more clear directives who fostered more workplace trust, communication and adhered to organizational structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Civil servants also emphasized the importance of documenting illegal behavior and other gross ethical transgressions witnessed at work, even if they chose not to share their records at the time. When they felt that they were in more psychologically safe working conditions under different leadership, or that they could help hold others accountable for illegal or inappropriate behavior, some reported them to official channels such as their departments inspector generals office or to congressional oversight committee staff. Some of those in the most politicized parts of the government emphasized trying to maintain islands of functioning even in seas of disarray. One senior leader spoke of trying to maintain the overall footprint of the program and strong staff, even as he adhered to instructions from the administration to reduce the scale of their work. Those who seemed to manage the best, in the most chaotic and politicized locations in the government, reported having strong interpersonal connections within their units, as well as outside the government. They reported being able to maintain their moral and ethical integrity at work thanks to support from supervisors, mentors and colleagues with shared commitments to the public, democracy, agency missions, the law and the Constitution. Some reported the importance of maintaining their personal moral compass by doing local volunteer work, through support from their families and friends, and participation in religious organizations. When their values and commitments contrasted with the first Trump administrations agenda, some civil servants reported trying to speak up to superiors and elicit more feedback before decisions were made. A few reported slow-walking work they thought was harmful to the public or to the nations best interests. In general, though, after appointees made decisions, civil servants said they did their best to respect and support them and the elected president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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: Jaime L Kucinskas, Hamilton College Read more: Jaime L Kucinskas 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. Photo via Getty Images A Republican wants to change Arizona law to ban geoengineering in the state aimed at addressing the rapid effects of climate change, one of several similar bills across the country spurred on by conspiracy theories. Geoengineering is the practice of intentionally attempting to modify the atmosphere. In recent years, it has been explored as a possible way to combat the increasingly extreme effects of climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The field is largely theoretical with only small projects taking place, some of which have faced backlash from local communities. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration currently monitors the planets atmosphere for signs of geoengineering programs by other nations or by small venture capitalist backed groups. The emerging field has caused fierce debate among scientists, some of whom see it as a way to combat mankinds impact on the planet, while others see it as another way to create climate chaos. We do not have a position on geoengineering. We support scientific research and we encourage research, Janice Lachance, CEO of the American Geophysical Union, told the Arizona Mirror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AGU is an organization that supports the work of scientists working in the earth and space sciences. The group has been advocating for an ethical framework for scientists to use if they are studying or experimenting with geoengineering. We are not pro or con. We just think that, if you are going to do this, it needs to be done in a way that is transparent, that includes the community that is potentially impacted, and you have a strong communications plan, Lachance said. AGUs guidelines call for more research, transparency about the risks and rewards, oversight, clarity on funding and including communities impacted by the research in the decision-making process. Many refer to the practice as climate intervention, as scientists have been studying it as a means of combating climate change. These efforts have included studying things like solar radiation modification, which is a process that aims to decrease surface temperatures by reflecting sunlight away from the planet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Tennessee lawmakers passed a law that banned geoengineering, with lawmakers during debate alluding to a long-debunked conspiracy theory known as chemtrails. Online conspiracy theorists have long pointed to the condensation left behind by airliners as being part of a larger conspiracy to modify the weather or poison the populace, though no evidence of such programs exist and the contrails planes sometimes leave behind are little more than water vapor that has frozen into ice crystals. The Arizona legislation, sponsored by freshman GOP legislator Lisa Fink, would ban a litany of geoengineering practices, including cloud seeding, deploying aerosol particles in the stratosphere, releasing chaff into the atmosphere, solar radiation modification or any other attempts to modify the weather. House Bill 2056 is similar to several others filed in other states this year. In an email, Fink said that the bill was brought to her by a constituent and modeled after the legislation in other states. She did not respond to further questions about her beliefs around geoengineering, climate change and concerns from scientists that these types of prohibitions could harm legitimate research. The bill would bar any government agency, research project, university, public or private organization or military force from engaging in geoengineering. Anyone caught doing so would be investigated by the director of the Department of Water Resources and face a $500,000 fine, as well as a felony and up to three years of prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also directs the director to investigate any credible reports of excessive electromagnetic radiation or fields caused by human activity in any part of the spectrum, including radiofrequency, microwave, maser, infrared, laser and ionizing radiation and allows any person in the state to submit evidence of this to law enforcement. Police would have to report any credible evidence to the director of the Department of Water Resources within 24 hours. The director then must act within two hours to determine if geoengineering took place. The bill also mandates that notices be posted publicly in the newspaper to encourage people to report instances of alleged geoengineering. The formal GOP platform makes no mention of climate change, greenhouse gases, the environment, pollution, clean air or clean water. It makes a brief mention of conservation in a section on restoring American Beauty. And although there is broad scientific consensus that human activity is causing climate change, and that its effects are becoming more extreme, Arizona Republicans largely reject that it is happening at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, state Senate Republicans backed a bill to bar state government and universities from spending money to reduce greenhouse gases or research climate change, deeming them both Marxist ideas that are anti-God. Finks genengineering legislation will stymie legitimate research in Arizona, Lachance said. There are some incredibly talented scientists in the state of Arizona. Do you want them to stop all their work on this or just not deploy things? she said. Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University did not respond to questions asking if they are conducting any geoengineering research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lachance also pointed out that, even if Arizona did prohibit the practices, it would not impact research done in other states that could have an impact on Arizona. She said that is further evidence of why a larger discussion needs to be had on the research instead of an outright prohibition. It is the unknown factor and the concern about what might happen that nobody knows. Thats what research is. You do it, you learn from mistakes but there are potential consequences here that people are concerned about legitimately so, Lachance said. So, how do we get past some of the concern on something like this that feels so new and does feel as though it is interfering, or at least changing, the course of nature when in fact human beings have been changing the course of nature for decades now. While geoengineering has now become the focus of groups that have pushed unfounded conspiracy theories about vaccines, people like Lachance believe that real science can prevail as long as ethical guidelines are adhered to. The bill has been assigned to the House Committee on Regulatory Oversight. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An extremely warm summer and fall. An unusually dry winter. Hillsides covered with bone-dry vegetation. And strong Santa Ana winds. In the mix of conditions that have contributed to the most destructive fires in L.A. history, scientists say one significant ingredient is human-caused climate change. A group of UCLA climate scientists said in an analysis this week that if you break down the reasons behind the extreme dryness of vegetation in Southern California when the fires started, global warming likely contributed roughly one-fourth of the dryness, one of the factors that fueled the fires explosive spread. Extreme heat in the summer and fall desiccated shrubs and grasses on hillsides, they said, enabling those fuels to burn more intensely once ignited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scientists said without the higher temperatures climate change is bringing, the fires still would have been extreme, but they would have been somewhat smaller and less intense. Read more: 'Particularly dangerous situation' fire warning now in effect in L.A., Ventura counties The conditions that made such catastrophic fires possible are like three switches that all happened to be flipped on at the same time, said Park Williams, a climate scientist who prepared the analysis with colleagues Alex Hall, Gavin Madakumbura and others in UCLAs Climate and Wildfire Research Initiative . Those switches are very high fuel loads, extraordinarily dry fuels and an extraordinarily strong Santa Ana wind event, Williams said. All of which are mostly due to natural bad luck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But because all those natural switches lined up, he said, now the fact that the atmosphere is warmer because of climate change, then the fuels are drier than they would have been otherwise, and therefore the fires are more intense and larger than they would have been otherwise. The scientists said more detailed peer-reviewed studies that examine the influences of climate change and natural factors will take time, and that they prepared their analysis as a starting point for deeper research. A helicopter makes a water drop on a burning ridge in Brentwood during the Palisades fire Saturday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) Williams and his colleagues examined the last two wet winters, which nourished growth of chaparral and grasses across Southern California. They noted that research has projected more extreme atmospheric river storms because of global warming, but that thus far this trend has not emerged in the data in the western U.S., making any influence of climate change in the last two wet years "highly uncertain." They analyzed the extraordinarily dry conditions in Southern California, where no significant rain has fallen in eight months. A weather station in Los Angeles recorded just 0.29 of an inch of rain from May 1 through Jan. 8, ranking the second driest since 1877, behind 1962-63, when there was 0.15 of an inch. However, the researchers said the degree to which climate change may have promoted the unusually long dry spell remains highly uncertain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exceptionally hot summer and fall of 2024, however, are part of a clear trend toward warmer temperatures attributed to human-caused climate change, the scientists said. The summer-fall period ranked as the regions third hottest since 1895, and it occurred during a year that U.S. government agencies confirmed was Earths warmest since the start of recordkeeping in 1880. The researchers said the heat in Southern California appears to have been partly responsible for a dramatic decline in dead vegetation fuel moisture, which by January was among the driest on record, and that these conditions were extremely favorable for wildfire. They estimated that the abnormal heat accounted for approximately 25% of the dryness of vegetation, while the lack of rain accounted for the other 75%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the strong Santa Ana winds arrived on Jan. 7, as sometimes happens this time of year, they brought the final piece in the mix of factors that set the stage for high fire danger. The clearest way climate change is affecting fire in the western United States and California is through the direct influence that warmer atmospheric temperatures have, Williams said, pointing to his own previous research and other studies . A warmer atmosphere is a thirstier atmosphere, and so all else equal, fuels will dry out more quickly in a warmer world. Read more: Why hydrants ran dry as firefighters battled California's deadly fires Other scientific studies have found that human-caused warming is driving more severe droughts and contributing to larger and more intense wildfires in the Western U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Williams said, there are important differences between regions where fires erupt in forests with abundant vegetation fuel and regions like Southern California, where fires often burn through sparser shrubs and grasses. California as a whole has seen a trend toward larger wildfires in recent years. But in coastal Southern California, the data show there hasnt been a trend toward larger fires over the last four decades, and there actually has been a decrease in the number of fires over this period possibly because people have become more careful about accidental ignitions or because a shift toward drier average conditions has made vegetation sparser in many years, Williams said. What you see is that most years have hardly any fire, and then some years have a lot of fire, Williams said. Every once in a while, Southern California gets unlucky, and those three switches get flipped on at once. Some studies have projected that drier ecosystems in the West, like much of Southern California, will probably see less fire on average in a hotter, drier future because more aridity brings reductions in the amount of flammable vegetation. However, Southern California is still likely to episodically get wet years that bring more vegetation growth. And as these fires have shown, Williams said, "the wetter the prior year, the more fire should be expected the next year." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In those rare years when all the pieces come together to promote wildfires, the fact that the atmosphere is warming due to human-caused climate change is likely to make many fuels even drier than they would have been otherwise," Williams said. "This will allow fires in these episodic years to grow larger and more intense than they would have under cooler conditions." The causes that sparked the fires are under investigation, and the scientists noted that because there are no natural ignition sources this time of year, the fires were almost certainly started by human activity in some way whether sparks from a power line, fireworks, arson or some other cause. The UCLA team prepared the analysis during tense days while they watched the losses unfold and heard from friends and colleagues who were evacuating or whose homes burned. This week, the professors have been teaching classes online under a university decision as wildfire smoke has led to poor air quality on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is fundamentally a natural disaster. Once you have the ignitions, we do live in a place that has really extreme events, said Hall, another climate scientist who prepared the analysis. Climate change is kind of juicing this a little bit. We can't fully quantify it, but it's something, Hall said. We know that that warmth dried out the vegetation. And we know that a certain fraction of the moisture deficit that we had when the fires started can be attributed to that unusual warmth. Read more: Intensifying climate 'whiplash' set the stage for devastating California fires Without the influence of climate change, he said, it probably would have been somewhat smaller and probably easier to fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More deeply examining the influence of global warming will involve studies that delve further into the complex dynamics of the fires, weather conditions and rising temperatures, Hall said. These and other attribution studies are taking on growing importance as California, Hawaii and other states sue oil companies , seeking billions of dollars in damages for effects linked to the burning of fossil fuels. Warmer summer temperatures and the drying of vegetation are trends that have been observed in recent decades associated with human-caused warming, said Julie Kalansky, a climate scientist and deputy director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diegos Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She pointed to research showing that higher temperatures have brought increased evaporative demand in recent decades, pulling more moisture from the landscape in the Western U.S., a finding that the authors said points to a need to plan for increased wildfire risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the L.A. fires, Kalansky said additional studies will be needed to gain a better understanding of the contribution of climate change and to be able to put some more definitive numbers on that. Read more: UCLA is 'a ghost town' as students flee campus next to Palisades fire evacuation zone The UCLA scientists wrote that because climate change is set to continue, so will the expectation of even more intense wildfires when all of the other necessary conditions for fire occur. They called for focusing wildfire mitigation efforts around factors we can control, and the damages we can prevent, such as preventing ignitions during fire weather, adopting strategies to prevent homes from burning so easily, and planning development in zones with lower fire risk. Scientists can also play an important role in identifying fire-prone areas that should be avoided because of their location or exposure to combustible vegetation, Williams said. In the long term, the knowledge that these types of extreme events do happen here, when all of the factors align, should hopefully guide decisions about where to rebuild, he said. Some places, when the fuels come back, the fire danger will be very high again. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. As climate changes effects continue to more directly manifest in the form of increased and more severe weather, home insurance companies in the U.S. have accelerated policies to offload costs to consumers. Nowhere has this trend been more intimately felt than in Black communities, where a racial gap in climate-related economic disadvantage is quickly deepening. Insurers play a key role in this through a process called bluelining. Bluelining speaks to how financial institutions, specifically insurers, inflate consumer costs or eliminate service in areas that are both at elevated risk for major environmental harms and inhabited mostly by minorities. The practice is deeply connected to redlining, whereby lenders refuse to extend credit to individuals who are otherwise eligible, as a discriminatory means of controlling where certain populations live. Like redlining, bluelining deepens segregation, creating a buffer between minority populations and social and economic opportunities. Efforts to restrict bluelining are especially fragile as we begin 2025. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agencygovernment agencies tasked with addressing climate forecasting and mitigation, respectivelyappear to be greatly imperiled by President-elect Donald Trumps agenda. And Scott Bessent, Trumps pick to head the Treasury Department, which oversees the nations home insurance market, strongly advocates for deregulation. Homes at risk For his part, Trump, throughout his campaign, promised to downsize the entities workforces and reduce environmental regulations. Less than 48 hours after Hurricane Helene made landfall, he declared the environmental stuff to be one of the great scams of all time. The effects of Heleneas with the fires now ravaging the Los Angeles areawere greatly exacerbated by climate change. Helene caused an estimated $53 billion in damage in North Carolina, killing more than 100 people in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Studies show that majority Black communities may have up to a 50% greater vulnerability to wildfires compared to their white counterparts. Flooding risks are also substantially elevated in Black communities, potentially increasing by 20% by 2050. Despite this, flooding preparedness efforts in Black communities tend to severely lag behind those in white communities Severe weather events not only cause costly damage to homes in Black neighborhoods but can also generate catastrophic damage to basic infrastructure, stifling local commerce, transportation, and access to health care. The insurance industry has been watching. Louisiana, Texas, and Alabamastates with some of the nations deepest legacies of redliningrank within the top 10 states with the most expensive home insurance and also have some of the largest percentages of Black people in the country. Because property insurance is required for most mortgages and business loans, opting out typically isnt an option. Some insurers, with redlining as their roadmap, have been artificially valuing homes, inflating insurance costs, and disproportionately denying claims in Black communitiesand planting the seeds for future Black populations to be trapped in environmentally vulnerable spaces. Property patterns So how did we get here? Dating back to the founding of the U.S., white industrialists deliberately sought out and acquired elevated, arable land, leaving racial minorities to live and work in undesirable locations, including low-lying land more prone to flooding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Reconstruction, Black people fanned out across the country, establishing businesses such as tailoring shops and hardware stores. But racial covenants limited where they could set up shop, impacting how much their consumer bases could grow. These discriminatory practices fostered a deficit among Black entrepreneurs that persists to this day. Only about 3% of businesses in the nation are Black-owned, and they account for just 1% of gross revenue from all classifiable companies. Black entrepreneurs are also disproportionately denied access to capital. And according to an analysis from the Brookings Institution, the 10 metro areas with the highest proportional representation of Black-owned businesses are all in the Southeast, arguably the most climate-imperiled region in the U.S. Homeowner fairness There are some steps that we can take to combat bluelining and its consequences. First, the federal government must do more to support and expand public home insurance, or Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) programs. States like New York and Hawaii have robust FAIR offerings that provide homeowners with a more affordable alternative, simultaneously pushing private insurers to limit their premiums and stay in high-risk markets. Second, we need better ways to assess risks. Research shows that in some cases insurers areintentionally or unintentionallyoverestimating the levels of risk that a home might be subject to. This calls for increased transparency and independent scrutiny around risk modeling and underwriting, which states such as California are currently attempting to achieve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, white communities are more likely than others to have access to federal buyout assistance, due to the limited ways in which the government and insurers promote and make these resources available. We saw this in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Although the hurricane had a disproportionately greater impact on Black neighborhoods, white people were more likely to file and challenge insurance claims. Government officials and insurers must work together to better market and ease barriers to filing and challenging claims both for homeowners and businesses. Not until the Fair Housing Act, which was passed in 1968, was redlining prohibited. And even then, the process continued in subtle ways throughout the countryand is reflected today in bluelining. Without action, bluelining has a far higher ceiling for destruction. The opinions expressed in Fortune.com commentary pieces are solely the views of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and beliefs of Fortune. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Dozens of climate protesters with Sunrise Movement LA rallied outside Phillips 66s Los Angeles Lubricant Terminal on Thursday morning, with 16 demonstrators storming the facilitys office building. As Los Angeles reels from what is projected to be one of the most costly natural disasters in U.S. history , the youth climate activist group says big oil companies are culpable, by emitting greenhouse gases while internally acknowledging the practices link to climate change, which, in turn, has worsened wildfires in California. Sunrise Movement LA is demanding big oil companies, including Phillips 66, pay up to support wildfire relief and aid the states transition to clean energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fossil fuel CEOs are responsible for the destruction that is happening right now in Los Angeles, said Simon Aron, 18, a Sunrise Movement volunteer and the action lead for Thursdays protest. They are responsible for the fact that me and my neighbors had to evacuate our homes, that we still cant drink our water. An hour after the protest began, police escorted some demonstrators out of the office space. No arrests were made. The group that was inside decided to step out, said Kidus Girma, a national organizer for Sunrise Movement, which mobilizes young people across the country into climate action. The plan is to continue holding space and seeing if other possible occupations begin in the state. Sunrise Movement L.A. planned to continue protesting outside the facility throughout Thursday, until their demands are met or Phillip 66's CEO agrees to meet with the demonstrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phillips 66 did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Read more: The long-term health effects of L.A. County wildfire smoke A 2015 Times investigation found that while Exxon publicly described the science of climate change as unclear in the 1990s, it was internally incorporating climate change projections into long-term planning for its Arctic operations. In 2023, California sued five of the largest oil and gas companies in the world for a decades-long campaign of deception about climate change, including ConocoPhillips, which spun off Phillips 66 as an independent firm in 2012. Wildfires in Southern California are becoming destructive for multiple reasons, fire experts say, including an increase in development in areas with high wildfire risk and a feedback loop in which native plant species don't have enough time between constant fire ignitions from humans to regrow, opening the land for fast-growing, more flammable invasive brushes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientific studies have also found that human-caused climate change is increasing the risk of rapid wildfire growth in the Golden State. A 2023 paper from climate and fire researchers across California found that so far, climate change has increased the frequency of extreme wildfire growth by 25%. By the end of the century, California could see 59% to 172% more frequent explosive fire growth, the researchers estimated. After the Palisades and Eaton fires, Republican and Democratic leaders have condemned city leadership for water pressure problems and a lack of preparedness , which critics say allowed the fires to become as destructive as they did. The two fires, which have burned more than 27,000 acres and have yet to reach 100% containment as of Thursday morning, have killed at least 25 people , with 23 still missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Crews improve containment on Palisades, Eaton fires as winds die down "I've been running from the climate crisis for seven or eight years now," said Naomi Hollard, 27, a protester at Thursday's demonstration. In 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated Guadeloupe, her mother's Caribbean island, she said, and last week, the Eaton fire threatened her neighborhood. "It was absolutely terrifying probably one of the worst weeks of my life," she said. It fueled her decision to take action. "Do I want to live or do I want to die? It's that simple." Aron who has been involved with Sunrise Movement since he was 14 said the recent wildfires have galvanized L.A.s young climate-minded folks like nothing else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have never gotten so many texts from friends asking what they can do to help with Sunrise, to help with the climate movement, to fight back, he said. We have an opportunity to fight back, an opportunity to change the narrative and reveal the faces behind these disasters. The Phillips 66 lubricant terminal processes and stores oil products and ethanol and sits seven miles north of the company's Carson oil refinery. Phillips 66 announced in October that it would shut down the refinery and its sister site in Wilmington by the end of 2025 amid the growing popularity of electric vehicles and community demands for cleaner air. The two facilities produce various petroleum products and about 8% of the states gasoline. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Joseph Neill.jpg The body of missing North Bend man, Joseph Neill has been discovered in Haynes Inlet in Coos County, according to the Coos Couth Sheriffs Office (CCSO). North Coos Dispatch received a call at approximately 9:25 a.m. Jan. 5, from the Clausen Oysters farm off North Bay Road of a possible deceased person found in Haynes Inlet. The deceased person was reportedly found to be on the southern beach area of Haynes Inlet, east of the bridge of Highway 101, which is near the intersection of North Bay Road, in North Bend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCSO deputies quickly responded, meeting with the reporting party and discovered the safest access to the scene would require a boat, a CCSO Facebook post states. With the help of the Clausen Oysters staff, they provided the deputies with transportation to the scene utilizing one of their boats. Upon completion of the body recovery, the Coos County Chief Deputy Medical Examiner was requested to respond. After further investigation, the decedent was identified as Joseph C. Neill. Neill Kayak.jpg Neill had been missing since Dec. 15, when his personal items had been located on the railroad bridge which spans the Coos Bay at Jordan Point, approximately 1.5 miles west of where Neill was located. A photographer and survivalist, Neill was out taking pictures of the king tides when he suspectedly fell. King tides can be particularly dangerous, especially during winter months when the water is frigid and an increase in sediment can make clothing heavier, let alone the increased strength of the current. The JoeStrong Facebook page, set up for bringing Neill home was replete with messages of love and support throughout the search. That support has continued, with the post announcing his finding at over 350 comments and counting. The community has rallied behind the Neill family and offered their condolences in droves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The familys statement on his finding displayed strength and emphasized the importance of remembrance. After three weeks of diligently searching by community members, our loving husband and father has been found We appreciate the support you have shown us and the dedicated search efforts for the last three weeks. Our store, the Electric Hospital, will be closed Monday, Jan. 6, as a day of mourning for our beloved Dr. Joe. Please be gentle with our staff, who was a second family to him. They will reopen on Tuesday just as our father would have done. Please stop in and dont be afraid to use his name. The statement closed with a reminder to honor Neill in the way he would have liked to be, Take Monday to go on an adventure with someone you love, appreciate Creation, and honor him. It was signed Paula, Christine, Andrew and our mother, Maria Neill. Neill Taking Pictures.jpg CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Students at an elementary school in Chicopee received a generous donation Thursday morning. Chicopee Electric Light donated dozens of clothing items to Belcher Elementary School. The school serves students in Pre-k to Grade 2 and sometimes these young children might need to change during the day. Now extra clothes will be available to them. Basketball Hall of Fame Hoophall weekend begins Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students have a hard time learning when theyre not properly clothed, or theyre worried about their basic needs. Were happy that were in a position where we can help them with that, Dan Faille, General Manager at Chicopee Electric Light told 22News. Even our youngest kids, our 3 and 4-year-olds, are learning about community helpers and what community is all about. Thats truly whats demonstrated here, Belcher School Principal Samuel Karlin said. This annual donation is done in honor of a longtime lineman, and commissioner of Chicopee Electric Light, Bob Pajak. His wife Barbara was at Belcher School as part of the donation event. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWLP. Donald Trump continues to see some of the most positive ratings of his political career, according to a new CNN poll conducted by SSRS, which finds the president-elect poised to enter his second term with far more positive sentiment behind him than when he last occupied the White House. The public also broadly sees it as likely that hell carry out some of the economic and immigration policy promises central to his campaign and believes that he will follow through on threats to use his executive power to go after rivals and pardon people convicted related to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. As the transition of power in Washington nears its end, Trump continues to see majority approval (55%) for his handling of it, with most Americans (56%) expecting him to do a good job in his second term, the survey finds. Ahead of Trumps first term in office, the public was less positive. Only 40% of Americans approved of his handling of the presidential transition at this point in 2017, while 48% expected him to do a good job as president. But Trumps more positive ratings now still lag behind other recent presidents when they entered office. Opinions of Trump personally are now closely split between favorable (46%) and unfavorable (48%) his best numbers since just after the 2016 presidential election, when 47% viewed him favorably and 50% unfavorably. History suggests, however, that this honeymoon period will wear off, with prior presidents experiencing a drop in positive sentiment throughout their terms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will take office with Republicans in control of both the US House and Senate for the first time since 2019. The public seems less optimistic about the effect of full GOP control than they are about Trump as president: 53% say that Republican control of the Senate, House and the presidency will be bad for the country. Trumps increased popularity comes as narrow majorities expect improvement in the state of the country and its economy after the new administration takes office. Overall, 56% say they believe that economic conditions in this country will be very or somewhat good a year from now and 52% say that the country more generally will be better off four years from now. Those views diverge by party. Democrats are less likely than Republicans to expect economic conditions a year from now to be very or somewhat good (31% among Democrats compared to 85% of Republicans). Most independents (54%) believe that economic conditions will be good a year from now. These expectations for improved economic conditions come as an overwhelming majority of Americans (80%) believe that its at least somewhat likely that Trump will implement tariffs on goods from Mexico, Canada and China. And half (including nearly 9 in 10 of those who rate him favorably) think hell reduce the cost of everyday goods. Many economists argue that Trumps plans for tariffs would result in increased costs for the typical US household. Most Americans also think its at least somewhat likely that Trump will follow through on his immigration plans to detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants (74%) and close the US border with Mexico (58%). Americans are more split on whether he will be able to reduce the size and cost of running the federal government (54% think its very or somewhat likely compared to 46% who think its not too likely or not likely at all), end the war between Russia and Ukraine (49% likely to 51% unlikely), or avoid conflicts of interest between his familys company and his work as president (47% likely to 53% unlikely). About 4 in 10 think its likely that he carries out plans to close the Department of Education, and a similar percent say hes likely to end birthright citizenship. Only about a quarter think hes likely to reduce political divisions in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps campaign promises also included a range of extraordinary uses of presidential power, including some that are broadly unpopular, and majorities expect him to at least try to act on those tested in the poll. Roughly 8 in 10 Americans believe Trump will try to pardon most people convicted for their involvement in the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and to fire federal workers who oppose implementing his policies, with two-thirds or more expecting hell attempt to pardon himself for any possible federal crimes and direct the Department of Justice to investigate his political rivals. His own supporters are more divided, though. Fewer than 50% of Americans who voted for Trump in the 2024 election believe that he will try to direct the Justice Department to investigate his political rivals or pardon himself for any possible federal crimes, while a larger portion of his voters think that he will try to fire federal workers who oppose his policies (71%) or pardon those convicted for their involvement in the January 6 attack (77%). For comparison, more than 9 in 10 voters who supported Kamala Harris believe Trump will try to do each of these actions. A smaller majority of all Americans, about 6 in 10, take Trumps comments about expanding US territory into places like Greenland or the Panama Canal seriously. These differ again by 2024 vote, with 68% of Harris supporters and 55% of Trump supporters saying Trump will attempt such an expansion. Americans are also split by age and gender, with younger people and men less likely to believe Trump will attempt to expand US territory: 53% of adults ages 18 to 44 believe Trump will try to do this (compared to 64% of those 45 and older) and 56% of men believe he will try (compared to 62% of women). The poll also finds that Vice President-elect JD Vance continues to have a lower net favorability rating than his running mate, with 30% of Americans viewing him favorably and 38% unfavorably, and another 32% unsure how they feel about the incoming vice president. Roughly a third of Americans view incoming first lady Melania Trump favorably (33%), compared to 30% unfavorably. Views on Melania Trump were also about evenly split ahead of her husbands first term as president. In January 2017, 36% viewed her favorably and 35% unfavorably. Historically, the honeymoon doesnt last While expectations for Trumps second term are rosier than they were for his first term, history suggests that presidential honeymoons often wear off after some time in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Expectations for Joe Biden and Barack Obama were even higher ahead of their first terms (61% thought Biden would be a good president and 79% said so about Obama). By the start of his second year, Bidens approval rating stood at 41%, and he leaves office with a 36% approval rating. Obama fared better, landing a 51% approval rating at the start of his second year and leaving office with 60% approval. Trump himself experienced a relative honeymoon period prior to his first term: 53% of Americans said they thought he would be a good president in November 2016 and 48% said the same in January 2017. His approval rating was 40% at the start of his second year and he left office in 2021 with a 34% approval rating, according to a CNN poll fielded shortly after the January 6 attack. And there is a sizable chunk of the public that expresses growing doubt about Trumps abilities as president, according to the poll, with those doubts coming largely among those who did not vote for him in last years election. Americans are more likely to say that Trumps statements and actions since Election Day have made them less confident in his ability to serve as president than that hes boosted their confidence. Nearly 4 in 10 (38%) say his statements and actions have decreased their confidence in him, while 25% say theyve increased confidence and 37% say their views have not been affected. At present, most Americans who say they expect Trump to be a good president also say theyre expecting him to bring down prices and usher in better economic conditions even as half or more in this group also say that they expect him to take less popular actions, including wielding the power of the presidency against his political enemies and pardoning those convicted of crimes for their involvement in January 6. This, along with the prominence of economic issues as a top concern, suggests that perceptions of the economy could play an outsized role in the publics view of Trumps second term. Over 40% of respondents named an economic issue as the top issue facing the country today, more than double the second most common response (immigration and border security). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CNN Poll was conducted by SSRS from January 9-12 among a random national sample of 1,205 adults drawn from a probability-based panel. Surveys were either conducted online or by telephone with a live interviewer. Results among the full sample have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points. CNNs Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com CNN has unveiled a new reporting team for the White House and Capitol Hill ahead of a new Trump administration and a change of control in Congress. Kaitlan Collins will continue to host the 9 p.m. program The Source with Kaitlan Collins, while also reporting from the White House on President-elect Trumps second administration. And Kristen Holmes has been named senior White House correspondent after covering on the recent Trump-Vance campaign for the presidency. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alayna Treene has been named CNN reporter to cover the White House after also covering Trumps 2024 campaign. And CNN chief national affairs Correspondent Jeff Zeleny will also report from the White House after Trump spent much of his first presidency disparaging the 24-hour cable news channel, and has now regained the White House. Newsrooms at all the major networks have had to rethink their strategies and rejig their reporting teams to remain relevant as ratings for broadcasters and cable news channels remain volatile in the wake of Trump regaining the presidency. So CNN, mindful of key issues in the minds of Americans, has tapped CNN anchor and chief domestic correspondent Phil Mattingly to focus his coverage on the American economy, while correspondent Priscilla Alvarez will report mainly on immigration, a topic she has covered since 2019. In other changes, Kevin Liptak will serve as CNNs senior White House reporter, Betsy Klein will be CNNs senior White House producer, and CNN anchor and chief Congressional correspondent Manu Raju will continue covering Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rounding out CNNs White House and Capitol Hill reporting teams will be Lauren Fox as Congressional correspondent, and Annie Grayer and Sarah Ferris serving as Congressional reporters. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is to attend US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration to a second term on Monday. Tino Chrupalla told dpa on Thursday that he has received an invitation to attend the ceremony outside the US Capitol building in Washington. The AfD - which is polling in second place ahead of the German federal election on February 23 - has ties to Trump's Republican Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incoming president's adviser Elon Musk recently held a highly publicized live conversation on his platform X with the AfD's candidate for chancellor, Alice Weidel. "Attending the inauguration of President Donald Trump shows once again that we are implementing our interest-led policy," said Chrupalla. "This presidency will change the world forever." Chrupalla said he and Weidel, who have led the AfD together since 2019, are ready to become strong European partners for Trump's administration. "Germany must maintain good and peaceful relations with all countries," the lawmaker added. Weidel is not expected to attend the inauguration due to the German election campaign. Jan. 15Joplin residents who want to meet or talk to Joplin police Chief Richard Pearson may do so an at upcoming "Coffee with the Chief." The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 27, at Joplin Avenue Coffee Co., 506 S. Joplin Ave. Passing showers are expected early Thursday morning as a cold front moves through the area. Following this front, residents can look forward to a warmer weekend, with pleasant temperatures throughout Central Florida. Then, attention turns to potential rain, particularly on Sunday. Additionally, there are concerns about possible winter weather conditions developing along the Gulf Coast as we head into early next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stay tuned for further updates as the situation evolves. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Happy Thursday, Utah! Its a frigid start to the day with many areas down into the 10s and 20s this morning. Bottom Line?! Inversion haze returns Thursday, followed by an arctic blast this weekend. Thursday will feature mostly sunny skies with daytime highs in the mid to upper 30s across the northern valleys, and near 50 across southwest Utah. High pressure will build overhead which will mean the return of the inversion haze along with moderate air quality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Friday, temps will warm up to about five to 10 degrees above normal, thanks to a ridge of high pressure moving in. As we head into the weekend, the ridge will break down and a trough will likely swing through on Friday or Saturday. Theres still some uncertainty about its exact track, but itll bring colder air and light snow, mainly in the mountains. Snow in the mountains could add up quickly thanks to high snow ratios, even with limited moisture. Stay tuned! Well keep you updated on the latest developments in our 4Warn Weather forecast both on-air and online, we are Good4Utah! 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. COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WDTN) A shooting in a very busy Cincinnati suburb left two people dead and another hurt. NBC affiliate WLWT in Cincinnati reported officers were called to the Popeyes and Walgreens in Colerain Township for two reported shootings. Police reportedly told our affiliate that two individuals are dead, and one is considered to be in critical but stable condition. Our affiliate reported that the incident was reportedly targeted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. CANTON Two Canton children who went missing in October have been found safe in Iceland, the U.S. Marshals Service said Thursday. A family member reported the 8-year-old and 9-year-old missing to Canton police on Oct. 25 and authorities began investigating their disappearance. A report indicated the 34-year-old mother had stopped taking her mental health medication and abandoned her apartment, and the children stopped attending school, authorities said. The collaboration of effort in this case cant be understated," U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott said in a prepared statement. "The ability to respond and recover these children abroad is an extremely difficult task. Our investigators did an outstanding job. We are lucky to have such strong and dedicated law enforcement partners and credit should be given to them for helping bring these children home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The children were initially tracked to Denver. Investigators later learned that the children and their mother traveled to London, then the Island of Jersey in the English Channel, then a remote fishing village in Iceland. They were located by Icelandic police at a hotel in Reykjavik on Jan. 10. "The children were placed in the care of Iceland social services until a trusted family member could get them," authorities said in a news release. "The mother was placed in a hospital where she will remain until she is well enough to travel back to the U.S." The investigation involved Canton Police Department, U.S. Marshals Service, Interpol, State Department, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and authorities in both England and Iceland resulted in the recovery. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provided financial support to reunite the children with family in the U.S. and return them home. This article originally appeared on The Repository: 2 Canton children who went missing in October found safe in Iceland WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) Five Massachusetts college students appeared in court Thursday, accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through a dating app and then seizing him as part of a Catch a Predator trend on TikTok. The Assumption University students, all teenagers, were arraigned on conspiracy and kidnapping charges. Not-guilty pleas were entered for all of them, and they are due back in Worcester District Court on March 28 for a pre-trial conference. The defendants Kelsy Brainard, 18; Easton Randall, 19; Kevin Carroll, 18; Isabella Trudeau, 18; and Joaquin Smith, 18 stood stone-faced in court, showing little emotion and addressing a judge only through attorneys. A sixth defendant was being arraigned separately in juvenile court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Brainard's Tinder account was used to lure the man to the private, Roman Catholic school in Worcester. She faces an additional charge of witness intimidation. A male student in the group also faces a charge of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. The target a 22-year-old active-duty military service member told police he was in town for his grandmothers funeral in October and just wanted to be around people that were happy, according to a campus police report. So he turned to Tinder, where a woman whose profile said she was 18 invited him over. She greeted him, led him into a basement lounge, and then within minutes, "a group of people came out of nowhere and started calling him a pedophile, accusing him of wanting sex with 17-year-old girls, according to the report. The man told police that he broke free and was chased by at least 25 people to his car, where he was punched in the head and his car door was slammed on him before he managed to flee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campus surveillance video shows a large group of students, including the woman, all with their cellphones out in what seems to be a recording of the whole episode, the police statement said. They are seen laughing and high fiving with each other in what appeared to be a deliberately staged event, and there was no evidence to indicate the man was seeking sexual relations with underage girls, the police report said. Randall told officers they were inspired by the catch a predator trend, which he said is big on TikTok at the moment. He said their group shared ideas of what to tell the man through the Tinder app to lure him to campus, and then spread word through a dormitory chat group that a predator was in the building, the report said. A review of the messages showed no indication that the man was looking for underage girls, police said. After the assault, Brainard reported the man to police as a sexual predator and said she was frightened by him. She said he had come to campus uninvited and that she texted a male friend who chased him away. All of this was false, campus police concluded after reviewing surveillance recordings and finding that first person perspective videos were being circulated among students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before leaving court, where cameras were turned on them, the teens were ordered to have no contact with the targeted man. A lawyer for Brainard, Christopher Todd, said, Were just looking forward to having the process play out. The lawyer for Trudeau, Robert Iacovelli, said afterward that she's innocent. He filed a motion seeking dismissal of the charges against her, saying authorities lack probable cause to believe she committed a crime. Other attorneys were not immediately reached for comment about their pleas. ___ Whittle reported from Portland, Maine. Speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives Julie McCluskie speaks on the opening day of the 2025 session of the Legislature at the Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) During her remarks last week on the first day of the Colorado Legislatures 2025 session, Speaker Julie McCluskie alluded to the second Trump administrations plan to carry out mass deportations of undocumented people, which President-elect Donald Trump has suggested could have a particular focus on Aurora. Immigrants are an integral part of Colorados diverse and thriving communities, the Democrat said during an address to the state House of Representatives. Coloradans do not support mass deportations, separating families, or detaining parents at their childrens schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCluskie added that Rep. Elizabeth Velasco, a Glenwood Springs Democrat who was born in Mexico, is leading our work on this issue, alongside the Aurora delegation, suggesting a bill to help deter mass deportations in Colorado is soon to come. In the opening days of the session, there were indications everywhere that Democrats, who control both chambers of the Legislature, plan to spend much of their energy this year hardening the state against MAGA extremism. Their remarks reflect justified fears that a Republican-led federal government is a threat to reproductive rights, civil rights, LGBTQ+ Coloradans, workers and voters. As McCluskies speech indicated, theyre preparing to shield the state from institutionalized cruelty emanating from Washington. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Since the November election, many Coloradans, who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris by a double-digit margin, have expressed anxiety about the dangers of a second Trump term. Colorados Democratic legislative leaders are now acting on some tangible protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take Senate Bill 25-001, the very first bill introduced in the Senate. Dubbed the Colorado Voting Rights Act, this sprawling legislation would, among other provisions, expand voter access for people whose primary language isnt English, prohibit government bodies from taking any action that results in voter suppression, and create a new state office charged with collecting and maintaining elections information on demographics, election results and voting. One of the bill sponsors, Sen. Julie Gonzalaes, said a state Voting Rights Act is necessary to safeguard our institutions from the growing existential threats that lie ahead. The bill is backed by Colorado Common Cause, the ACLU of Colorado and more than two dozen other advocacy groups, which similarly pitched it in emergency terms. As voting rights at the federal level face unprecedented threats, Colorado can pave a different path forward, the coalition of groups said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President James Coleman in his own opening remarks last week cited the Colorado Voting Rights Act as one of the proactive measures that will ensure our freedoms. We are days away from an administration that ran on division and fear, and promises that could turn our systems and our communities on their head, Coleman said. As if to underscore the risks that MAGA poses to democratic institutions, six state House Republicans on the first day of the session voted to reject a committee report to certify the results of the November election. As Newslines Sara Wilson reported, this is a typically uneventful procedural vote to attest that the representatives in the room won their election. The six Republicans were Reps. Ken DeGraaf of Colorado Springs, Scott Bottoms of Colorado Springs, Brandi Bradley of Littleton, Stephanie Luck of Penrose, Larry Suckla of Cortez and Ron Weinberg of Loveland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most prominent expression of defiance against the Trump menace came from Democratic Gov. Jared Polis, during his State of the State address last Thursday. Our values and our way of life are not dependent on who is in the White House or Congress. I refuse to allow the disagreement, division and disorder in Washington, D.C., to deter us in Colorado, he said. But, in a baffling contradiction, he undermined his own message when he voiced support for some elements of Trumps deportation plans. He called on Trump to secure the border, stop human trafficking, and stop the illegal flow of guns and drugs, and we welcome more federal help to detain and deport dangerous criminals. These goals might sound legitimate in isolation. But, as Polis knows, the context is a mass deportation plan that Trump and his allies promote with exaggerated claims of criminal activity and racist rhetoric that casts every undocumented resident as part of an invasion. He knows that the plan could involve undocumented people being rounded up in detention camps and families being torn apart. The plan deserves only unqualified condemnation, and even partial approval signals that Polis is only partially serious about his commitment to the Colorado values he cites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature has set out to accomplish many goals this year that have little to do with D.C. Lawmakers in the majority want to further address the affordable housing crisis, pursue additional gun violence prevention measures, reduce the cost of living, and figure out how to handle a huge budget deficit. But the threat to Coloradans of a fascist in the Oval Office cannot be ignored. Democrats in the General Assembly are right to find ways the state can enact protections. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Snowpack in the upper Colorado River basin is slightly less than normal for this time of year, meaning Arizona could see sustained water cuts through 2026. Though trends could change through the rest of the winter, the snowpack in the basin is about 94% of the median for mid-January. While Arizonas share of Colorado River water in 2025 is already set, the snowpack numbers are early indicators of how much river water the state could get next year. Even with an average snow year, water managers say dry conditions and warming temperatures could create below-average runoff, keeping Arizona water users in shortage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arizona relies on snowmelt for much of its water supply. About 36% of the water used in Arizonas households, businesses and farms comes from the Colorado River, mostly comprising melted snow from mountainous areas in Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. Arizonas water managers can watch snow conditions using a network of snowpack measurement sites operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nolie Templeton monitors Colorado River supplies for the Central Arizona Project, a 336-mile canal system that brings Colorado River water to areas around Phoenix and Tucson. Templeton said this winter has been abnormally dry for southern areas of the basin like Arizona and New Mexico, but northern areas have received normal precipitation. That snow, falling as far away as Wyoming, will provide Arizona's water in coming years. Even with average snowfall, Templeton said, Arizona might not get relief from recent shortages on the river. Projections of how much snowmelt will run down the river this year have declined since early December, reflecting a lack of snow and shifting weather patterns in the Pacific Ocean. Government scientists now project that the basin will see roughly 82% of its normal runoff this year, down from a projection of 90% in December. What weve seen, based on drying conditions and higher temperatures is that about-average snowpack means below-average runoff, Templeton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Planning for cuts: Colorado River states fear a long legal battle as talks falter over shortage rules 'We're planning for less flow in the Colorado River' Even when the snowpack is strong, other factors can keep that snow from turning into river runoff. Dry soils, human water use and sublimation (a process where snow and water are lost to the atmosphere) can all soak up snowmelt before it flows to Arizona. Templeton said the effects of climate change could be increasing those losses. In 2024, the basin saw peak snowpack about 5% above the median, but runoff was 17% below the median. While 2023 had huge snow (50% above normal) runoff exceeded its median by a smaller amount (40%). Were learning more every day, but what were learning is that when precipitation falls on the watershed, its not as efficient as it used to be, Templeton said. Were seeing higher temperatures impacting our hydrological cycle. Were planning for less flow in the Colorado River. Thats not to say there wont be periods of high flow here and there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That reduced runoff means less water for Arizonans. The water levels in the rivers second largest reservoir, Lake Powell, largely dictate how much water is released to lower basin states like Arizona. Federal dam managers already used existing guidelines in 2024 to determine Arizonas share of the river for 2025, so the snowmelt flowing into the reservoir this year will define Arizonas share in 2026. Based on rough projections available this year, Arizona will likely remain under existing cuts to its Colorado River use. Under the conditions of several interstate agreements, Arizona has operated under a Tier 1 shortage on the river since 2022, a result of drought and overuse that have strained the Colorado. Under the cuts, Arizona has given up about 8% of its previous water supply, according to the Arizona Department of Water Resources. The basin could still get a big influx of snow this winter, Templeton said, a scenario that played out in 2024. Pacific ocean temperatures, which have a strong effect on weather patterns in North America, have shifted toward a brief La Nina condition this winter. Templeton said the La Nina pattern has no strong correlation with precipitation in the upper Colorado River basin, so its hard to tell whether the river will get a late-winter dump of snow. It just takes a couple of really big storm events, and you get above that median. Its yet to be determined if we get those events in 2025, Templeton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While early projections can be somewhat useful, Templeton said it is still too early to know exactly how the snow year will shake out. Were right around the median, Templeton said. However, we have a lot of snowfall season left to go, and we dont know how its going to go. Dry conditions: What will it take to end 3 decades of drought in Arizona? How much snow has fallen in Arizona? Within Arizona, river basins have received almost no snow. The snow-fed Salt and Verde rivers, which provide about a quarter of the Phoenix areas water, both stand at less than 10% of normal snowpack for this time of year. You cant really get much drier than dry, said Bo Svoma, a climate scientist and meteorologist at the Salt River Project. On paper, this winter is about as dry as it can get. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Svoma said this is probably one of the basins driest early winters in 100 years, though the historical data isnt good enough to confirm that. SRP, a reservoir and canal network that delivers Salt and Verde water to users in the Phoenix area, will rely on groundwater and existing supplies in its reservoirs to make it through the dry year, Svoma said. SRP reservoirs were about 70% full as of Jan. 14. Svoma said water users probably won't see the effects of this dry year anytime soon. Reservoirs would have to drop to 30% of capacity before managers get concerned and start implementing water cuts. It would take two more hot, dry summers and another bone-dry winter before reservoirs could drop that low, Svoma said. SRP reduced water deliveries in 2003 and 2004 after a sustained drought drew reservoirs to precariously low levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The basins could see a big surge of snow later in the winter, but that hasnt happened in recent years. Without massive precipitation, desiccated soils will soak up whatever moisture Arizona does receive for the rest of year, Svoma said. Were really facing an uphill battle right now for getting a good runoff season into the reservoirs, Svoma said. Austin Corona covers environmental issues for The Arizona Republic and azcentral. Send tips or questions to austin.corona@arizonarepublic.com Environmental coverage on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up for AZ Climate, our weekly environment newsletter, and follow The Republic environmental reporting team at environment.azcentral.com and @azcenvironment on Facebook and Instagram. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Early snowpack in Colorado basin is average, cuts likely to remain (COLORADO SPRINGS) With two major wildfires burning in Los Angeles, California, the Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) is preparing for the possibility of a similar wildfire impacting our area. The Fire Department said as the population and development in Colorado Springs continue to rise, so does the risk of wildfires across the city and surrounding region. While the brave men and women of CSFD are helping battle fires in California, firefighters still here in Southern Colorado are staying focused on making sure our community is ready for the next big wildfire. It is heartbreaking because we here in Colorado Springs, we experienced that in the Waldo Canyon Fire, said Steve Wilch, Deputy Chief of Operations at CSFD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Chief Wilch is a 35-year veteran of the fire service. Hes been a part of some major events like the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012, then the following year, Black Forest. He also went up to the 2021 Marshall Fire in Boulder County as a task force leader. Marshall Fire was a wind-driven event and they had high wind speeds up to 100 miles an hour, very similar to the wind speeds that they were seeing in the California fires in Los Angeles County, Wilch said. One key concern raised by the recent wind-driven wildfires in Los Angeles is water access. To address this, CSFD works closely with Colorado Springs Utilities (Springs Utilities), ensuring that crews are always up to date on the status of the citys water supply. We have a specialist come out from [Springs Utilities] during all of our structure fires and we can boost our pressures, Wilch explained. Now, if were talking about an aggressive, fast-moving, wind-driven fire where we have structure upon structure, that is a conflagration of homes, our water system is going to be tapped. The reason I say that is not only are we drawing a lot of systems, but the houses that are burning down have open taps that are flowing and the pressure will go down. So as we try to boost the pressure and the more casualties we have with structures, it will stress our water system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colorado Springs Utilities did not interview with FOX21 News, but a spokesperson provided the following statement. It is difficult draw parallels with the devastating wildfires in California and their water systems, as the situation in the Los Angeles area is incredibly complex. At Colorado Springs Utilities, we collaborate with the Colorado Springs Fire Department to ensure our water system is designed to deliver the necessary flow rates for customer demands and firefighting. Regular coordination with CSFD ensures awareness of infrastructure impacts and our hydrant maintenance program. During the Waldo Canyon Fire water pressure was increased to meet CSFDs needs, and continuous coordination with first responders was essential to mitigating impacts. Additionally, our in-house Wildland Fire Team responds to wildland fire calls to protect vital utilities equipment and resources, and we partner with organizations like the US Forest Service on proactive forest management programs to protect our electrical equipment and reservoirs from wildfire risk. Steve Berry, Colorado Springs Utilities CSFD told FOX21 News that they prepare for a wildfire daily, but one of the biggest challenges they face is the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The WUI is the area where developed land meets undeveloped wilderness. Its where homes and other buildings are close to, or even surrounded by, natural vegetation and open land, making it a key zone for wildfire risk. We know we have a very large WUI in Colorado, and we understand that fire is going to occur in this city and we need to be prepared for them, Wilch said. Courtesy: Colorado Springs Fire Department (CSFD) There are more than 32,000 acres of WUI in Colorado Springs. Just west of I-25, the area spans 44 square miles and about 24% of the citys population lives there. Each year, crews conduct fire mitigation in this region, clearing brush from properties and educating the public about wildfire preparedness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a motto we use, its sharing the responsibility and what that means is the homeowner is responsible for their property and for being educated on knowing how to prepare for the event of a wildfire. Deputy Chief Wilch said that starts with knowing your evacuation zone and having a go-bag prepared. Were asking the public, just like we saw in Los Angeles, theres a large need to get people moving quickly and in masses, we need them to do that at the early end of these events and not wait, Wilch explained. CSFD currently has 500 employees who are trained to fight wildfires, but said they are limited by what happens with the wind and the equipment provided by taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 FOX21 News Colorado. Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) on Thursday reintroduced his measure requiring federal workers to return to the office, ending pandemic-era norms that allowed them to work remotely. Comer, the House Oversight and Accountability Committee chair, introduced the SHOW UP Act nearly two years ago, which passed in the House but was not approved by the Senate. The pandemic is long over and its past time for the federal workforce to show up to the office to better fulfill agencies missions and serve the American people, Comer said in a statement announcing the release of the new bill and criticizing the Biden administrations telework policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would require federal agencies to reinstate more stringent telework policies from 2019. The Biden administration sought to lock in hybrid work protections in preparation of President-elect Trumps second term. It would protect hybrid and telework until 2029 for many employees, namely in the Social Security Administration, and would maintain current levels of telework. Comers bill would require federal agencies to reduce telework policies to their 2019 levels within 30 days and require them to submit retrospective studies to Congress within 6 months to detail how the hybrid models impacted their work. Federal workers are bracing for Trumps return to the White House and may be targeted by some policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tech entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who were tapped to lead Trumps Department of Government Efficiency, have announced plans for mass federal layoffs. 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. It was perhaps his most outlandish claim on the campaign trail, yet one Donald Trump repeated as he was seeking to win back his old job as president of the United States: He can resolve the war in Ukraine in a single day. Theyre dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying. And Ill have that done Ill have that done in 24 hours, Trump asserted over the summer. Now with Inauguration Day a week away, his ambitions are a lot less grand. And rightly so: Anybody who seriously believed Trump could quickly resolve Europes deadliest conflict in nearly eight decades was drinking the Kool-Aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump and his national security advisers are instead looking at a monthslong process to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table. Keith Kellogg, Trumps special envoy to the war, is aiming to get something done in 100 days. Trump, meanwhile, told reporters hed like to have the war settled in the first six months. Good luck. The optimist in me would like to give Trump the benefit of the doubt that he will exhibit the toughness, boldness and creativity required to terminate a war that has resulted in more than 1 million casualties and hundreds of billions of dollars in damage. But the realist in me thinks such a scenario, while not impossible, is unlikely given the stakes involved for both parties, the animus that has grown between them after nearly three full years of combat and the prevailing dogma in Washington that any compromise with Putin will be the modern-day equivalent of pulling a Neville Chamberlain in Munich in 1938. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first step, bringing Ukrainian and Russian officials into a room, wont be easy. Outside of prisoner exchanges, there have been no direct negotiations between the two sides since early 2022, when attempts to resolve the war peacefully collapsed courtesy of Ukrainian military gains, the Russian atrocities in Kyivs suburbs and messaging in the West that Ukraine ought to hold out for a better deal. Putin and Zelenskyy have talked hypothetically about a settlement since then, but their terms Putin wants Ukraine to drop its NATO aspirations and recognize Russias illegal annexation of four Ukrainian provinces in the east, whereas Ukraine wants Russian troops off every inch of Ukrainian land remain irreconcilable. Although Zelenskyy has been more receptive to diplomatic options as the Ukrainian army has lost ground, he is no less interested in a Russian defeat today than he was when the war started. Trumps advisers have floated a formula to get both sides to the table. If Ukraine doesnt agree to negotiate, then the United States will stop supplying the Ukrainian army with weapons. And if Russia doesnt agree to negotiate, then Washington will flood weapons into Ukraine to entice Putin to change his mind. In essence, Trumps proposed formula is an attempt to coerce both sides into cooperating with his peace push. The problem, however, is that such a gambit isnt likely to work. For instance, if Trump stops all weapons shipments to Ukraine, then Putin would have no incentive to negotiate and will bet that his army can steamroll Ukrainian defensive positions as Kyiv is starved of ammunition. In fact, it would be illogical for Putin not to do so. Why compromise on core issues when you can reclaim more territory and establish a fait accompli through force of arms? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a similar problem on the other side. If Putin refuses Trumps offers and the Ukrainians start receiving a stronger flow of arms from Washington, then what incentive does Zelenskyy have to hold off on another counteroffensive in the east? While theres an assumption that renewed Ukrainian military pressure would eventually compel Putin to negotiate a truce, the past demonstrates the exact opposite whenever the Russians have been forced to withdraw, Putin has responded by doubling down on the war, not desperately searching for an off-ramp. Why would this time be any different? Assuming the sides enter a formal diplomatic process, the real work begins. Zelenskyy and Putin at this point are highly distrustful of each other, and both are worried that an immediate cease-fire would give the other side an opportunity to rest for another offensive. Even if the Ukrainians would be willing to sign a truce, its unlikely they would do so without concrete security guarantees against Russian violations. While security guarantees sound nice, they also present new issues. Would Putin be willing to accept them? And what would those security guarantees look like? The former is important because while Putin doesnt have a veto over Ukrainian foreign policy, he does have a veto over whether the war ends. The latter creates a whole different set of negotiations between the United States and its European allies about what a security guarantee would consist of, whether European troops would be deployed to Ukraine and, if so, which countries would be expected to contribute forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this even begins to cover the main disputes that have powered the war from the start. Trump will need to find some way of splitting the baby between getting a fair peace for Ukraine and ensuring Russias security concerns are met. The two are inherently in conflict, which means at least one side of the table is bound to walk away from the talks unhappy. Reality has a way of smacking you hard in the face. Its no different for the leader of the free world. ____ Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a foreign affairs columnist for the Chicago Tribune. ___ YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Mahoning County Commissioners say they are eager to work with their counterparts to the north to get some relief on property taxes in Columbus. Commissioners have complained for months about re-assessed property values that caused tax bills to jump dramatically. Recently, Trumbull County Commissioners suggested passing a resolution asking state lawmakers to reverse tax hikes there. On Thursday, officials in Mahoning County suggested commissioners in both counties need to work together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe maybe get the CCAO involved, which is our County Commissioners Association. We sent a letter, but Im not opposedto doing a joint letter, said Mahoning County Commissioner Carol Righetti. Mahoning commissioners passed their own resolution last year asking lawmakers to provide relief to property owners. They believe more counties need to work together to convince Columbus changes are needed. Its great to see Trumbull County stepping up and doing what we did last year. We would like to join with them and maybe get a coalition of many more counties for the state legislature will hear what our residents are saying, said Mahoning County Commissioner Anthony Traficanti. Commissioners say if they dont work together to press lawmakers for help, nothing will change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. TUPELO This weekend will see the return of the Committee for Kings four-day event honoring the legacy of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Beginning Friday night with a talent show and ending Monday morning, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, with a motorcade dedicated to the man that helped shore up civil rights in the nation. Each year, the committee has a theme for the events. This years theme is The Dream: It Starts with Me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to encourage everyone to support our theme this year, Committee for King Executive Director Chevelle Champ said. Put yourself into it not just the weekend of Martin Luther King, but every day. On Friday night, starting at 6 p.m. at the Tupelo Civic Auditorium, the committee will kick off the weekend with the youth Whos Got Talent show, which is free to watch and take part in. Emcees this year include Rance Champ Jr., Azaria Dandridge and Jaren Givhan. Organizers will provide pizza and drinks to participants and their families. The event will have facts about the life and works of King and include a question-and-answer portion for the younger audience to answer questions for prizes. Champ said this was an effort to get the youth engaged with the history and better absorb it. The talent show, she said, honors Kings spirit by honoring his love of education and supporting youth. (King) was for education and equality. He pushed for our youth to do greater things, she said. This is a way to bring them all together doing something they love doing. We have so many gifted youth in our area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual awards banquet will be Saturday at 6:30 p.m. at the Tupelo Furniture Market Building No. 5, with a keynote presentation from Brittany Brown, Andrea Morales and Charity Scott. The trio are members of Memphis-based online forum MLK50: Justice Through Journalism. During the event, the committee will present the Image Award, Community Service Award and Drum Major Award. Tickets were $40, but the event sold out on Tuesday. That night, we are recognizing three extraordinary individuals for their good work and giving back to the community, which is a resemblance to Dr. Martin Luther King and what he stood for, Champ said. Champ said there was a major change to the Sunday program from previous years. On Sunday, from 2 to 4 p.m., the committee will host free health screenings at the Good Samaritan Health Services Antone Hill Clinic, located at 420 Magazine Street. The event will include a petition to expand Medicaid in Mississippi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 3:45 p.m., the attendees will walk from the free clinic to the Salvation Army at 527 Carnation Street for a reception with a meal with the organization from 4-5:30 p.m. Monday will see the annual Committee for King motorcade at 11 a.m. from Reeds Manufacturing, 1321 South Veterans Memorial Boulevard, moving along the Martin Luther King Drive portion of Highway 45 to the commemorative service at St. Paul United Methodist Church Christian Life Center, 502 Front Street. Rev. Charlie Barnes will speak, two scholarships will be awarded. Geno Jones and Focus will perform music. EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Pawtucket Mayor Don Grebien joined 12 News at 4 on Wednesday to talk about his citys priorities for 2025. Grebien told Kim Kalunian he is actively discussing a new location for Hasbro with the companys CEO Chris Cocks. I feel very strongly that Pawtuckets the right place for many different reasons, he said. He also highlighted the citys Tidewater Landing development project, which includes Rhode Island FCs home stadium (opening May 3) as well as more than 600 units of housing. You should see a shovel in the ground [on the housing development], potentially, at the end of this year, Grebien said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor also shared an update on the Dexter Street Commons project, which Gov. Dan McKee shouted out in his State of the State speech on Tuesday night. Grebien said the Commons will be ready for residents to move in starting in 2026. Watch the full interview in the player above. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. Traffic stalled just south of exit 79 on Route 495 Wednesday night after a crash injured two people in Littleton, with one facing life-threatening injuries. Around 4:30 p.m. a vehicle swerved into the opposite lane, hitting another vehicle, Massachusetts State Police told Boston 25 News. The driver of the vehicle that swerved into oncoming traffic suffered life-threatening injuries and was air-lifted to a nearby hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other vehicle that was struck is dealing with minor injuries, state police say. All lanes of traffic were shut down for Med Flight to transport the driver with serious injuries, and state police to investigate. MassDOT alerted drivers that both the northbound and southbound lanes were closed prior to exit 79 just after 5:15 p.m. I-495 NB and SB are now closed prior to exit 79. https://t.co/tCPdCEyXRP Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) January 15, 2025 A traffic camera in Westford showed that Route 495 had turned into a parking lot. It wasnt until 5:50 P.M. when the first two lanes of Route 495 North were reopened, while the third lane and Route 495 South remained closed. Commuters from 495 southbound were detoured to exits 80 and 83, causing traffic to be backed up for 10 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 7:25 P.M., Mass. State Police had concluded their investigation and cleanup process, allowing for all lanes of travel to be reopened. Final update: all lanes now open. https://t.co/tCPdCEyXRP Mass. Transportation (@MassDOT) January 16, 2025 This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Almost 130,000 vehicles were stolen over the last year in England and Wales, destined to be used to commit more crime, chopped up for parts, shipped abroad or sold to unsuspecting motorists thinking theyve got a good deal on a second-hand car. More than three quarters of the thefts went unsolved, with police closing 77 per cent of cases without a suspect being identified. Even when they were, vanishingly few were ever charged. In some places, the figures are even more stark. Nine in 10 vehicle thefts in London go unsolved. In Essex, Dorset, South Yorkshire and Sussex, meanwhile, more than 80 per cent of such crime goes unchecked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aware of the damning statistics, police acknowledge that vehicle thefts particularly those without any witnesses or evidence regarding suspects will get a slower response than incidents involving violence and threats of harm to the public. But the evolution of tracking technology means that the police are no longer the only solution when cars go missing. High-end manufacturers are now building trackers into vehicles, and covert devices contained in nondescript magnetic cases of just a few inches in size can also be purchased and installed at a later date. A multitude of trackers offer different capabilities, with some feeding constant information back to receiving centres and others being designed to wake up only occasionally in order to evade attempts by tech-savvy thieves to scan for a signal and rip them out. If the trackers are not discovered, teams of private investigators spring into action to trace stolen cars and in some cases, even recover the vehicles themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A decade after budget cuts saw roads policing units slashed in many parts of Britain, business is booming for the companies many of whom are staffed with retired police officers and ex-military personnel. I think its becoming more common, theres definitely more tracking companies, says former police officer Ahron Tolley, who is now a director at tracking firm W4G Track Recovery. Theres a growing demand for private investigation and were now starting to see more people coming and asking for our assistance. Victims still have to notify the police that their car has been stolen, but then there are companies like ours that will go out to the scene of where the tracker is showing. Sometimes well recover the vehicle on our own, and sometimes well get to a location, put surveillance on it, and then call in the police. Hidden in plain sight A network of agents are on call across the UK for the work, and make use of their training to conduct what Tolley calls dynamic risk assessments to make sure its safe to seize vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Often, they are found parked in residential areas or car parks left there by wary thieves to test if they still have trackers but sometimes vehicles have already reached chop shops where they will be broken down for parts. There have been incidents where weve spoken to the people on site, and theyve allowed us access to to recover the vehicle that were there for, says Tolley. But if entry needs to be forced then at that point we obviously have to call in law enforcement, because theyre the people that have the power to execute search warrants. Where stolen vehicles are found abandoned, private firms acting on their owners behalf have several options. They can clamp cars or slash their tyres to stop criminals moving them on, or they can escort owners to drive them back home themselves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alternatively, the vehicles can be physically lifted onto lorries or towed away, but sometimes, thieves come back before the operations can be completed. Neil Thomas, now the director of investigative services at AX Track, was following a stolen 82,000 Mercedes GLE through Leicester in December when he got an unexpected surprise. We located it, so I went up to [find] the vehicle and while I was there a young guy came by, he says. Luckily I was some distance away, so he thought it was safe and he got into it and drove it away. I got a brilliant picture of him and sent it to the police. Thomas recalls another incident where he tracked a stolen Range Rover to an unassuming block of residential garages in Dagenham, east London. A unit in Dagenham where a stolen Land Rover was being broken down for parts in an outdoor chop shop He and a colleague arrived to find the units had been turned into an outdoor chop shop where stolen vehicles were being broken down for parts to sell on for profit. Two guys in black tracksuits were busy stripping the cars in the garages, but they ran away as we arrived, Thomas says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his 12 years tracking stolen vehicles, and previous 30-year career as a police officer, he has observed a common pattern where stolen cars are driven to a public location to cool off for a few days to see if they have a live tracker in place. The criminals will take it somewhere where it wont be noticed its well thought through, Thomas says. Theyll either pay someone in the area to keep an eye on it, or come a couple of days later to take the car if its still there. Neil Thomas recovers vehicles that the police have so far been unable to - Jay Williams John Mussett, who was one of the first private investigators on the car tracking scene, says many stolen vehicles are hidden in plain sight in full view of the general public. He recently recovered a stolen Range Rover that had been left in the car park of a very nice pub near Stratford-upon-Avon. Nobody would look at that Range Rover and think whats that doing there, says Mussett, who is now the director of investigations for CanTrack Global. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they nick a van they put it in an industrial area, if its industrial machinery they will take it to a railway station car park, or a shopping centre, and put plastic barriers around it. People just think oh, someones doing work, but theyll leave it there for a few days and then move it on after theyre sure theres no tracker. Mussett says the private vehicle tracking and investigation industry has exploded since he joined his firm after retiring from policing 14 years ago. He believes that reduced police budgets, and the choices many forces then made to slash specialist traffic units, caused vehicle theft investigations to fall as police were tasked with different priorities. Tolley adds that as many car thieves operate at night, and with the minimum possible disturbance to owners, many victims wake up to find their vehicles have vanished but with no idea when or how. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the best will in the world, unless youve got brilliant footage of the thief there arent very many lines of enquiry [by police] that can be completed, he says. Thats why well go, well secure the asset, and we will ring the local constabulary and have a conversation with them about it. These thieves are experts in their own field Private investigators do not let vehicle owners see tracking data during their operations to stop anyone putting themselves at risk, but do share information and intelligence with police. The owner is taken out of that conversation at that point, says Steve Launchbury, of vehicle security firm Thatcham Research. They are not then told heres your car, go and get it, because obviously that could put them in harms way. Whos to say that the criminals are not still in the area? As the industry continues to grow, the National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS), a police unit, says it is aiming to increase collaboration between officers, car manufacturers and tracking companies to increase the number of vehicles returned to their rightful owners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharon Naughton, head of the unit, says: It is acknowledged that private tracking companies are, on occasion, able to recover stolen vehicles more quickly owing to their singular focus on this issue together with dedicated resources and technology available to them. It is important to recognise that police forces have finite resources and senior officers have to prioritise calls for service involving threat, risk and physical harm. Human crimes such as threats to life, physical harm or other high-risk situations will affect the speed of response to vehicle theft. Naughton says there is a good working relationship between police and private tracking companies, and that advancing technology has proven invaluable in the fight against vehicle crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there are concerns that as tracking technology advances, so will criminals attempts to evade it. These thieves are experts in their own field, says Mussett. They know how to spot tracking devices, they use scanners and detectors, and they can cut through different parts of the vehicle to override alarms. As manufacturers are improving their security, thieves are changing their tactics. 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. Jan. 15BISMARCK North Dakota lawmakers heard testimony for and against a bill to ban cellphone use by public school students during instructional time Wednesday, Jan. 15. House Bill 1160, sponsored by Rep. Jim Jonas, R-West Fargo, would prohibit students from using cellphones during classes or any educational activity but allow such use during lunch, recess, between classes and open class periods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jonas said approximately 11 states have either total bans or restrictions on student cellphone use and another 10 are considering them. "Let's see if we can get better behavior, academic scores up, math, reading and better mental health," Jonas told the House Education C ommittee on Wednesday. A modified version of the bill makes exceptions for students who must use their cellphone to manage a medical condition or are on an individualized education program, plan or 504 plan who use their phone as an assistive device. In addition, a school district or school may temporarily suspend the cellphone ban in the case of an emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Fargo High School Principal Rachel Bachmeier, who spoke in favor of the bill, said her school, along with others in the district, implemented a policy in the fall of 2022 to restrict cellphone use. In effect, the cellphone policy is "out of sight, out of use from bell to bell," she said, but students may use them during non-instructional time. Consequences for violating the policy range from a classroom warning to surrender of the cellphone to the main office for a day or more to family meetings and behavior plans. "We very, very rarely move beyond the first main office consequence. It is an incredibly effective policy in that way," Bachmeier said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers have also noticed less "drama" in the classroom when students aren't distracted by their phones, she added, and students themselves have reflected on how the policy improved their own behaviors. Several school administrators and other stakeholders expressed concerns with aspects of the bill. Steve Madler, principal of Bismarck Century High School, said they follow an "out of sight, out of mind during instruction" policy after attempting an all-out cellphone ban a few years back, which led to too many arguments from students and families. However, he said, some students and teachers use cellphones in the classroom for research, surveys and language translation, adding that the Bismarck district distributes Google Chromebooks to students, which aren't as efficient as Apple iPads for those tasks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's important for us to have policies, but I think it's also important that we have pieces in the bill that allow us to use it for an educational purpose," Madler said. KrisAnn Norby-Jahner, in-house legal counsel for the North Dakota School Boards Association, expressed concern about a blanket ban on cellphone use. She said local control should be maintained, and a large majority of school districts already handle this issue. Norby-Jahner suggested a change in the bill's language simply requiring all school districts to come up with their own cellphone policies. In 2024, the Minnesota Legislature passed a law requiring school districts and charter schools to adopt student cellphone policies by March 15, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bachmeier said there is an argument for local control, but action is needed if lawmakers believe excessive cellphone use and social media access during classes is a public health crisis. "If we do, what is our responsibility as a state to step in and take the first action in helping protect our kids?" she asked. The Supreme Court upheld a law that could see TikTok shut down on Sunday. Or maybe it won't shut down? There's lots of confusing and contradictory information out there. Here's what we know. TikTok is shutting down in the US on Sunday. Or maybe TikTok won't get shut down because Joe Biden or Donald Trump will save it before then. Or maybe TikTok will get shut down on Sunday, and then Trump will restart it a day or two later. Confused? Me too. It's possible things will get easier to understand in the near future. They could also remain opaque for some time. But let's try to sort out where things stand right now again, with the caveat that this could all change soon. The law and TikTok The one thing we know for sure: Last year, Congress passed a bill, signed into law by Biden, that required ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell its US operations to a non-Chinese owner. The deadline for that transaction is this coming Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everything after that is at least somewhat fuzzy. For instance: While the intent of the law is to force ByteDance to sell US TikTok or shut it down, it's not entirely clear what would happen if the law went into effect. The law requires app stores like the ones run by Apple and Google to stop distributing TikTok, but that doesn't mean TikTok would disappear from your phone. The law also prohibits internet companies from maintaining or updating the app. But it's unclear whether that means TikTok would immediately fall apart, or if it could limp along in some crippled manner. But last week, an attorney for TikTok told the Supreme Court that the service would go "dark" in the US on Sunday if the law stayed in place. Subsequent press reports said that TikTok planned to simply shut down the service itself on Sunday, hoping that it would create political pressure. The Information reported that TikTok planned on sending users who open the app to a website with information about the ban. The courts and TikTok TikTok has spent months trying unsuccessfully to get the law overturned, arguing that it violates the First Amendment. TikTok got a last-ditch hearing before the US Supreme Court last week, but the justices seemed skeptical of its arguments. And on Friday, they upheld the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of communication," the court said. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikTok's data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary." The possible TikTok loophole The TikTok sell-or-ban law does offer a theoretical reprieve for the app. It says that prior to the Sunday deadline, the president can grant a 90-day extension if there's "significant progress" in place to transfer ownership of US TikTok, including "relevant binding agreements" to make that happen. But so far, TikTok and its owner have shown no public interest in a sale, and there are no reports that a non-Chinese buyer has a plan in place, let alone a deal. It's also worth noting that no Big Tech company with the resources to buy and run a company the size of TikTok has shown any interest in public to take it on. The only plausible buyer mentioned to date is Elon Musk Trump's new ally but that came up only in recent days, via reports that suggested it was a last-minute brainstorm from Chinese officials in Beijing. Musk has remained uncharacteristically mute about the scenario. The TikTok possible workarounds This is where the information is by far the fuzziest, and often contradictory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance: Trump, who will become president on Monday, previously tried to push through his own TikTok ban-or-sale effort during his first term in office. But last year, Trump said he thought TikTok should stay in the US and he's been even more enthusiastic about the app following his reelection. Last month, Trump's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to push back the January 19 deadline so he could work on the deal once he became president again. And Trump has invited TikTok CEO Shou Chew to attend his inauguration, a person familiar with the matter told Business Insider. He's been offered a prime seat for the event on the dais alongside other important figures, including Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos . Various news reports and analysts have talked about a scenario where Trump brokers a deal between ByteDance and a buyer once he's in office. The law allows for that while keeping the restrictions on TikTok in place until a deal is done. Under normal circumstances, it would take many days, weeks, or even months to get a complicated deal worth tens of billions of dollars executed. Which would mean TikTok would stay dark, or at least crippled in some way, for some time. But perhaps Trump thinks he can get something done in record time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And on Friday, Trump said that he had spoken with China's leader, Xi Jinping, about "balancing Trade, Fentanyl, TikTok and many other subjects" and that he expected them to "solve many problems together." Does the TikTok law just not get enforced? An alternate scenario you may have read about involves Trump simply overturning the ban via an executive order a mechanism he has already said he intends to use to reverse other moves Biden made in office. But the whole point of a law again, passed by both houses of Congress and signed by the president is that it's a law. And it's supposed to be hard to change or modify a law unless the courts weigh in or Congress amends it. So it's very unclear whether an executive order would suffice. (It's worth noting that the Wall Street analyst Rich Greenfield believes that Trump can overturn the law with an executive order, by relying on an argument that gives the president power when it comes to foreign affairs and national security.) Another scenario recently floated is that Trump could simply tell Pam Bondi, his nominee for attorney general, not to enforce the law an extraordinary step. Asked about that prospect in her confirmation hearing, Bondi declined to comment. It's also worth considering whether the likes of Apple and Google would follow Trump's theoretical command to ignore the law while it's still on the books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One last bit of confusion: Members of outgoing President Joe Biden's team, who have been quiet about the looming deadline for weeks, are now trying to figure out a solution themselves, NBC reported Wednesday. "Americans shouldn't expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday," an anonymous administration official told the outlet. Now press reports indicate that Biden's plan to deal with the ban is to ignore it for a day, and pass it along to Trump to deal with. At this point, the only thing we can really tell you with any certainty is that we'll know at least a bit more in the next few days. Read the original article on Business Insider Distract, Divert, Defund Congress is none too pleased after SpaceX CEO and unelected official Elon Musk declared that the "Moon is a distraction" and that NASA should instead be going "straight to Mars." As Politico reports, lawmakers who control NASA's budget are prepared to fight back against Musk's apparent plan to kibosh the space agency's forthcoming lunar landing in favor of his long-running Martian dreams. Though Musk previously criticized the lunar mission as a "jobs-maximizing program, not a results-maximizing program," the soon-to-be head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) hasn't mentioned specifically that Artemis is massively over-budget and behind schedule to boot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Kelly, a former astronaut who was briefly considered a contender for the Democratic vice presidential nod, suggested that investment continues to make the program worthwhile. "We have put a lot of time, effort, and money into Artemis," the Arizona representative told the magazine, "and I think we should allow NASA to complete that mission." Rep. Brian Babin, a Texas Republican who leads the House's space committee, agreed from across the aisle. "To bypass the Moon would be a mistake," Babin reckoned in an interview with Politico. Curious Silence Thus far, president-elect Donald Trump hasn't joined the fray over NASA's Moon mission, which launched its first uncrewed craft in 2022 and is slated to put human boots on lunar soil this decade for the first time in more 50 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After pushing NASA to get back to the Moon by 2024 during his first presidency, Trump has shown interest in the space agency going to Mars since kindling his on-off bromance with Musk. Given the real estate mogul's propensity to agree with either whoever spoke to him most recently or whoever fawns over him the most, there's little doubt that Musk could sway the president-elect to go forth with his Martian pet project over the costly lunar mission. Should that be the case, however, Congress won't likely go down without a fight. "There would be a lot of congressional resistance," Casey Drier, the head of space policy at the nonprofit Planetary Society, told Politico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never one to back down from a battle, Musk has, as Politico notes, threatened to primary any Republicans who oppose Trump's cabinet nominations and there's no reason he couldn't exert similar pressure on his Mars-over-Moon agenda. More on Musk's politicking: MAGA Figures Turn on Elon Musk for Not Hating Immigrants Enough ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A new law was introduced to prevent states from banning the sale and possession of certain firearms. The Second Amendment Guarantee Act (SAGA Act) was introduced Wednesday by Congresswoman Claudia Tenney (NY-24), who said, if passed, the law would protect the second amendment rights of US citizens. The bill would ban states from prohibiting the sale, manufacturing, importation, or possession of any rifle or shotgun permitted under federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tenney has been critical of the SAFE Act (Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement), which was passed under former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The SAFE Act requires universal background checks for buying guns, increases penalties on certain gun charges, and mandates life in prison for anyone who murders a first responder. Tenney has called the SAFE Act unconstitutional and wants to pass the SAGA Act to protect citizens Second Amendment rights. The SAGA Act nullifies New Yorks unconstitutional SAFE Act and prevents other states from enacting laws that violate the Second Amendment, Tenney said in a statement. This legislation upholds our countrys founding principle of protecting the rights of law-abiding Americans, even from liberal states with anti-gun policies, Meanwhile in Rochester, local leaders remain focused on addressing gun violence. Mayor Evans recently extended the gun violence state of emergency. Evans also pointed to Governor Hochuls plans to prevent domestic violence offenders from purchasing firearms as a way to help decrease gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 RochesterFirst. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Connecticut leaders are behind a massive crackdown on bootleg e-cigarettes to get fewer young people addicted to the disposable products all part of a coordinated effort by states across the country. FDA proposes sweeping limits on nicotine in cigarettes Attorney General William Tong has served 12 smoke shops and convenience stores and two wholesalers with subpoenas. Tongs office is seeking comprehensive information regarding the sale of non-tobacco nicotine products and those supplying them. He said these companies have failed to participate in the FDAs mandated marketing order process, making e-cigarettes illegal to sell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2020, the number of unique disposable products has increased by 1,500%, with some products going on the market before FDA testing and targeted marketing to young people. The attorney general said that is a situation that cannot continue. This is a continuing course of misconduct, of targeting young people, getting them addicted to nicotine, Tong said Thursday. How do we know that this is their strategy? Because we have seen this movie before. This is Joe Camel 2.0. Tong is one of nine attorneys general involved in this enforcement, which may include deeper investigations and litigation in the coming weeks and months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WTNH.com. CONNECTICUT (WTNH) Its one of the additives which makes your favorite candies and snacks red. But now, some parents are seeing red because the FDA has banned the dye known as Red 3 from foods. The dye had already banned it from cosmetics in 1990. FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods: What to know I cant believe it, Manchester resident Agnes Aryee said. So weve been eating something that is dangerous to our health all these years. They should really ban it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is unacceptable, Rep. Rosa DeLauro said. There was no question that this food dye should have been eliminated from our food supply. Our families deserve better. 34 years of inaction is far too long. The dye is known to cause thyroid cancer in animals, according to Dr. Andrew Salner, medical director for the Hartford Healthcare Cancer Institute at Hartford Hospital. He said that if its known to cause cancer in animals, there is a chance that it could cause cancer in humans. Salner said that in the last couple of years, advocates concerned about Red 3s effect on childrens behavior as well as cancer concerns pushed the FDA to take another look at the dye used in so many foods. Its even in some medications, Salner said. Its in soda, juice, yogurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut-based PEZ Candy said this in a statement: PEZ will ensure continued compliance with all relevant laws, including any changes announced by the FDA today. We should just try to and do our best to limit those artificial substances, Salner said. Its a petroleum product so it makes sense that it could potentially be risky. Food manufacturers will have until Jan. 2027 to remove the Red 3 dye from their food products. 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 WTNH.com. BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) A program to help new moms and babies ease from hospital to home, a joint effort between Bridgeport Hospital and the state, is reaching the end of its first, successful year. Postpartum is such a tender time and theres so much going on, Leslie Tavares of Woodbridge said. After she delivered her daughter, Yasmine, at Bridgeport Hospital, she utilized the Family Bridge program, which sends nurses into the homes of new parents for check-ups and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut Families: The challenges facing parents of kids in Generation Beta Having a nurse there, a qualified health professional come over and do a quick check, make sure Im OK, make sure the baby is also OK, I mean, that felt priceless, Tavares who lived in Shelton at the time said. After the nurses assessment, community health workers like Bravo can also come in to assist the mothers, connecting them with resources like diapers and food banks. Were only followed through our pregnancy, thats why this program is so important. Things dont stop just because we gave birth. Sometimes thats when they start. And its not only about depression, its about blood pressure, Andrea Bravo, a community health worker, said while noting that theyre on alert for all sorts of issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This program gives access to all, teaching new parents about safe sleeping practices, connecting them with lactation specialists and making recommendations for childcare. Bridgeport is a sanctuary city. We have a lot of immigrants coming in, a lot of backgrounds, she said. Since it launched in October 2023, the free program has been a success, serving 943 patients who must live in Easton, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Milford, Fairfield, Monroe or Trumbull. Its also a learning curve for us seeing so many different moms, so many different cultures, so many different needs, Bravo said. Family Bridge is a joint effort between Bridgeport Hospital and the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tavares said its about time all moms are given access to this kind of postpartum care. I think its a well overdue idea, she said. This is part of the womens health system that were just starting to uncover and pop a lid off. This program is available to moms who deliver at either Bridgeport Hospital or St. Vincents Medical Center and involves staff from Bridgeport Hospital. Click here to learn more. 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 WTNH.com. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Connecticut will have a presence at the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. next week, Governor Ned Lamont announced Thursday. Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th United States President on Monday, Jan. 20. The main ceremony is scheduled to begin at noon. Security preparations underway ahead of Inauguration Day Lamont said hes authorized the deployment of 200 soldiers and airmen units from the Connecticut National Guard and about 35 personnel from the Connecticut State Police to support security efforts for events related to the transfer of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Guard crews were deployed on Wednesday and are expected to remain on active orders through Thursday, Jan. 23. Sate police personnel will deploy to Washington on Sunday, Jan. 19, where they will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service, according to Lamont. Trumps inauguration weekend features fireworks, MAGA rally, inaugural balls These Connecticut State Troopers are experienced with all aspects of controlling large crowds at public events, Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said in a statement. Lamont said they will help other law enforcement agencies from across the country with public safety, the security of federal government assets and personnel, and deter- or prevent if necessary- incidents which threaten the continuity of government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deployment is in response to mutual aid requests from both the U.S. Department of Defense and Metropolitan Police Department. Biden warns of dangers of oligarchy of ultra-rich, tech-industrial complex running country Connecticuts deployment includes members from the 143rd Regional Support Group, 142nd Medical Company (Area Support), 85th Troop Command (85th TC), 143rd Military Police Company of the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the 103rd Air Wing of the Connecticut Air National Guard. Serving the people of Connecticut and this great nation will always be our top priority. Connecticuts Home Team is proud to do our part to help ensure a peaceful transition of presidential power from one administration to the next in concert with our sister state National Guards, state, and federal agencies, Major General Fran Evon, adjutant general and commander of the Connecticut National Guard, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WTNH.com. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the devastating war in the Gaza Strip, multiple officials announced Wednesday, raising the possibility of winding down the deadliest and most destructive fighting between the bitter enemies. Trump and Biden both claim credit for Gaza ceasefire deal The deal promises the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in phases and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and it will allow hundreds of thousands of people displaced in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. It also would flood badly needed humanitarian aid into a territory ravaged by 15 months of war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sagui Dekel-Chen, who grew up in Bloomfield, is expected to be released as part of the first phase of the deal, according to a senior administration official. Dekel-Chen, who has dual American and Israeli citizenship, was last seen kissing his pregnant wife as he locked her and their two daughters inside a safe room. Man who grew up in Bloomfield among first Americans to be released from Gaza in first phase of ceasefire deal Connecticut lawmakers reacted to the deal, with some expressing relief and hope. This historic breakthrough is powerfully heartening and hopeful, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said. It ends unspeakable heartbreaking horror for 33 hostages and uplifts hope for a path to peace. It calls for courage to complete. Inspired by this dramatic step toward peace, the looming huge challenges ahead are surmountable: release of the remaining hostages, a permanent cessation of hostilities, humanitarian aid, and more. My hope and prayer is that this seismic progress can lead to normalization of relations between Israel and its neighbors, with a path to regional peace and stability. This goal, once seemingly unreachable, is now realistic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representative Jim Himes (CT-04) said he was deeply relieved to hear about the agreement. Today, we celebrate an end to the worst of this conflict, and the return of hostages to their families, Himes said. The path forward will not be an easy one. A lasting solution must include immediate humanitarian support for Gaza, security for our allies who continue to face threats at their borders, and a realistic path towards a two-state solution that allows for peace and stability for the Israeli and Palestinian people. Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) said the ceasefire would finally bring relief to Israeli hostages and thousands of innocent non-combatant Palestinians who need immediate help. While many details still need to be finalized, this deal is a crucial, long-awaited step that is the result of many months of careful negotiation by the Biden Administration and allies in the region, House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) said. I will follow the reactions to this announcement from Israel and Hamas leadership closely, and continue to advocate for its completion and fair implementation to set the stage for further negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) said that he is hopeful to see a deal that will halt the catastrophic fighting in Gaza, free 33 hostages from their Hamas captors, and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to innocent civilians. Farhan Memon, the chairman of the Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CT), said, We welcome this ceasefire as an essential first step toward ending the atrocities in Gaza and alleviating the unimaginable suffering of its people. However, the world must not forget the quarter of a million lives lost the majority of them women and children. These deaths, fueled by international inaction and unchecked military aggression, demand accountability. We are relieved by the ceasefire and hope the Gazan people can properly mourn and breathe for the first time in 15 months, the Connecticut Palestine Solidarity Coalition said. However, Palestine is still not free. We will continue the struggle to dismantle Israeli Apartheid and end the occupation of Palestine. We also hope that the perpetrators of this slaughter will be tried for crimes against humanity. The Bridgeport Islamic Community Center (BICC) said they are deeply relieved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the very beginning, our position has been steadfast: an immediate ceasefire is vital to protect the lives of innocent civilians, the BICC said. This path represents a unified call for peace, transcending differences to prioritize humanity and justice. Over in Hartford, Israelis and Palestinians are celebrating the ceasefire, but make one thing clear: this is not the end of conflict, and the rebuilding process in both countries will be a long road. One resident, who was evacuated from Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 when the attack happened, eventually ended up in Connecticut, opening his own Israeli restaurant Gveenah on Farmington Avenue. Actually, I dont believe its going to last, Roi Graber said. We just want the hostages home to believe that its the end of it, no, its not the end of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Warren, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford, said that he is flying to Israel on Thursday to visit people in the war-torn areas and help rebuild. This is not the work of a day, in terms of Its done, and now we go back to normal,' Warren said. Its going to have to be tremendous efforts expended to rebuild the country, and to rebuild the psyche of so many who have been traumatized by this across the country. Palestinians in the Hartford area shared their excitement, but emphasized that this is not a long-term solution. We know the ceasefire is just one step in this cause, and in six weeks after that, we dont know whats going to happen, we dont know if itll get extended, Basel Alnajjar, of the Connecticut Palestine Coalition, said. We dont even know if it will be honored for six weeks, so we are just pushing right now for all we can do from over here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenna, another member of the Palestine coalition, shared what some of her family members in Gaza have experienced. Incredibly thrilled, overjoyed, she said. I have family in Gaza so its such a relief, they have been subject to such hard conditions. They have been displaced and are living in intense [conditions], sanitation is horrible and they have lost weight from such little food that they have. The ceasefire is expected to start on Sunday. The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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 WTNH.com. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Leading Democrats in the State Senate announced on Thursday that they would prioritize a piece of legislation taking aim at the high cost of electricity dubbed the Ratepayers First Act. The announcement was accompanied by a brief list of ideas that could potentially be included in the bill, but no concrete policies were actually rolled out during Thursdays press conference. Connecticut lawmakers prepare to tackle energy costs in 2025 legislative session Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill is an open book, State Sen. Norm Needleman, the Democratic co-chair of the Energy Committee, said. There are no specific things that were gonna talk about at this moment. The lack of specifics was not lost on State Sen. Ryan Fazio, the top Republican on the Energy Committee. Fazio referred to the Democratic announcement as concepts of a plan. One specific policy the Democrats signaled an openness toward is the removal of the costs of certain electric vehicle subsidies from the public benefits portion of ratepayer bills. Thats a proposal that Republicans have pushed for since last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both parties also agreed on the concept of expanding nuclear power in Connecticut. Needleman spoke favorably about the idea of expansion of nuclear beyond just the existing nuclear sight of Millstone by adopting small, modular nuclear reactors. Fazio echoed his Democratic counterpart. If youre looking for good news in the American political landscape and the Connecticut political landscape, Fazio said, its that theres bipartisan agreement that nuclear is part of the solution of our energy future its environmentally friendly, its reliable. Another thing both parties seemed to agree on is that they want the public to participate in the bill-writing process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Energy Committee holds public hearings to gather input from the public. The schedule of public hearings has not yet been announced, but when it is, you can find a list of hearings here. You can find out how to submit testimony in-person, online and via written statement 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 WTNH.com. As a lifelong Tennessee conservative whos watched generations of my family graduate from our local public schools, I need to speak some plain truth about Gov. Bill Lee's rushed voucher push. Something doesn't add up, and it ain't just the math. In most rural areas across Tennessee, we don't have a single private school. Not one. So when Governor Lee talks about "school choice," I have to ask, who is this choice for? Because right now, it looks like our tax dollars would be choosing to leave small towns like mine to prop up private schools in big cities, leaving rural schools holding the bag. Here's the thing: President-elect Donald Trump and his pick for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, are currently working on a $5 billion federal tax credit scholarship program that could change the whole game. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This program would give families real options like private school tuition, tutoring, and real workforce training without stripping our state education funds or treating rural schools like piggy banks for Nashville and Memphis. Opinion: Take our survey: Do you support expanding school vouchers across Tennessee? Trump offers a better proposal for Tennessee and all states But here's Lee, who just got called out by Trump himself for being weak on conservative values, suddenly trying to steal Trump's thunder on school choice like it was his idea all along. Gov. Bill Lee proposes a new statewide school choice program, the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. The timing's no coincidence. Trump announces his groundbreaking federal Education Choice Credit Accounts program that would actually help rural communities, and suddenly Lee is rushing around pushing a half-baked state plan drafted by lobbyists that'll drain money from our local schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know you don't start pouring concrete before the blueprints are finished. So why are Governor Lee and legislative leadership in such a hurry to push through a state voucher program when Trump's federal plan will do the job much better? Its because backroom deals and political favors are driving this plan, not whats best for Tennessee families. Leaders should be focused on serving the needs of our schools and communities, not chasing headlines or campaigning for future political ambitions. Public schools are often the biggest employers and the heart of our communities. Theyre where our future business owners, farmers, and leaders are shaped. Some might call that old-fashioned, but I call it the foundation of our conservative values. I'm not against giving parents more options for their children's education. Far from it. But there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. President Trump understands this his plan would add opportunities without undermining what's already working in our rural communities. Tennessee residents, not lobbyists, should win this fight To my fellow conservatives in the state legislature, I say this: Don't let Governor Lee and legislative leadership pressure you into a rushed decision that could hurt your home districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why take a controversial vote on state vouchers when a better federal solution is just around the corner? That's not being anti-school choice that's just good ol commonsense. The truth is that about 95% of Tennessee students attend public schools, and that number's even higher in rural areas. We can support parental rights and education without pulling the rug out from under the very institutions that have served our communities faithfully for generations. So to Governor Lee, House and Senate leadership, and the big-money lobbyists pushing this bill: with all due respect, its time to stop putting politics over people. Trumps got a plan that puts both America and rural Tennessee first without sacrificing our public schools for political points. Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, speaks during the Marshall County GOP annual dinner at the Lewisburg Recreation Center in Lewisburg, Tenn., Thursday, July 11, 2024. Tennesseans deserve leaders who prioritize the needs of their communities, not the demands of lobbyists. Its time to remember who were here to serve: the families and children of Tennessee, not special interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, represents state House of Representatives District 92 (Marshall and part of Williamson counties) in the Tennessee General Assembly. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee should drop school vouchers plan | Opinion Constellation Energy said the company is applying for federal funding as it evaluates whether to put one or more small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) at its Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant in New York. Constellation in a news release on Jan. 15 said the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has joined the utility on a grant proposal to the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE). Constellation wants to obtain an early site permit from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for the project. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul acknowledged the project in her State of the State speech on Jan. 14, saying her administration supports the request. New York State will ... support an application by Constellation Energy, the owner of New Yorks operating nuclear plants, to the United States Department of Energy for a planning grant to explore the possibility of bringing a small modular reactor online, Hochul said. Constellation, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, and which recently announced a multi-billion deal to acquire Texas-based energy provider Calpine, operates four reactors in New York State. The utility has two utility-scale reactors at Nine Mile Point in Oswego County, with a total 1,850 MW of generation capacity. It has a single, 842-MW reactor at the James A. FitzPatrick Clean Energy Center in Oswego County, and a 576-MW reactor at the R.E. Ginna Clean Energy Center in Ontario, in Wayne County. Constellation has 21 reactors in the U.S. and is the nations largest nuclear power operator. [caption id="attachment_182132" align="alignnone" width="480"] Constellation's Nine Mile Point nuclear power plant could soon be the site of one or more small modular reactors. Courtesy: Business Wire[/caption] We appreciate the governors leadership and New Yorks ongoing support for nuclear energy, which produces more than 20% of the states energy, supporting millions of households and businesses and employing thousands of hardworking women and men in family-sustaining jobs, said Joe Dominguez, Constellations president and CEO, in a statement. Constellation has previously worked with NYSERDA to develop leading clean hydrogen production and fuel cell technologies using nuclear power. Now, NYSERDA and Constellation are once again joining together with a commitment to explore advanced nuclear energy technologies and continue the meaningful progress toward New Yorks clean energy and economic development goals. Constellations three upstate nuclear power plants supply about half of New Yorks electricity. The company in a news release on Wednesday wrote: NYSERDAs cost share funding is a critical first step in helping to determine whether new nuclear can become a reality in New York, creating thousands of jobs and helping the state achieve its clean energy and reliability goals at a time of growing electricity demand. Funding from the DOE, if approved, would be used toward securing the early site permit from the NRC. Constellation said the permit is valid for 10 to 20 years, and the company can apply for a construction and operating license at any time during the permit period. A decision from the DOE is expected in a few months. There are currently no commercial SMRs operating in the U.S., though several companies are working on the technology. Constellation holds a minority interest in Rolls-Royce SMR, and is working with that company to deploy a fleet of SMRs in the Netherlands. China and Russia at present have the only commercially operating SMRs worldwide. Darrell Proctor is a senior editor for POWER. A crew of linemen use bucket trucks to repair a utility pole and restore electricity near Houma on Sept. 12, 2024, one day after Hurricane Francine made landfall in Terrebonne Parish. (Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) State utility regulators have hired an outside consultant to look into whether Entergy Louisiana customers should have to pay extra to cover the companys storm response to Hurricane Francine. At its first meeting of the year Wednesday, the Louisiana Public Service Commission hired Henderson Ridge Consulting of Georgia to evaluate Entergys application for a new storm restoration fee. The proposed additional charge on customer bills would help the company recover approximately $182 million it spent on operations, repairs and additional personnel during and after Francine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Francine made landfall Sept. 11, 2024, as a category 2 hurricane in Terrebonne Parish, causing more than 250,000 Entergy Louisiana customers to lose power over the next several days. The commissions decision to hire Henderson Ridge Consulting was unanimous and without discussion. For its work, the firm will receive roughly $188,000. The Francine fee would vary for each Entergy Louisiana customer based on their monthly electricity use. Entergy estimates it would amount to roughly $1.10 per month for an average home that uses 1,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 80 cents monthly for a home that uses 1,000 kilowatt-hours. In its fee application to the Public Service Commission, Entergy noted it lost fewer than 1,000 distribution poles and experienced minimal impacts to its transmission system during the storm. However, as the utility now does ahead of hurricanes, it paid for 8,000 crew members and brought in extra vehicles and equipment to standby and respond wherever needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Entergy has asserted it was able to restore power to 90% of customers within three days and 100% within six days. The company credited recent grid hardening and infrastructure upgrades as factors that contributed to a speedy recovery from Hurricane Francine. Henderson Ridge Consulting, which regularly evaluates utility rate applications for the PSC, is supposed to look into Entergys storm costs and recommend to the commissioners whether or not to approve the new Francine fee. The evaluation could take about six months to complete, though it could take longer if the consultant finds any problems or discrepancies in the calculations, LPSC press secretary Colby Cook said. Although Entergy has enough money in its storm escrow account to fund all of the Francine recovery costs, the utility said using it exclusively would deplete its balance, leaving the company exposed and underprepared for future storms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Storm recovery fees have become a virtually constant presence on utility bills since the 2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Entergy Louisiana customers are still paying recovery fees for Hurricane Isaac in 2012, Laura, Delta and Zeta in 2020, and Winter Storm Uri and Hurricane Ida in 2021. Together, those charges add up to roughly $20 per month for a home that uses 1,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity, according to the Public Service Commission. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Cook County Board awarded $180,000 Thursday to a former county employee who sued Board of Review Commissioner Samantha Steele for wrongful termination. The countys top watchdog, meanwhile, dinged Board of Review members for ignoring its own rules when hiring new staff, many of whom he found were politically connected to the commissioners. Frank Calabrese, a former assessment analyst and communications director for Steele, sued in federal court back in July. He claimed Steele fired him after he refused orders to release details about the Chicago Bears then-pending property tax appeal for their Arlington Heights property. His suit claimed she wanted him to politically damage fellow commissioners on the board Steele had been feuding with. He alleged his cooperation with the Cook County Office of the Independent Inspector General also played a part in his firing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steele is one of the three Democrats to serve on the quasi-judicial panel that adjudicates property tax appeals. She declined to comment on the settlement on Wednesday, but flatly denied the allegations to the Tribune when Calabreses suit was filed this summer, saying its claims were completely false. The countys inspector general did fault Steele for her handling of the Bears appeal in October, saying under Board of Review policy, Steele should not have disclosed confidential information to the media regarding it. He recommended she take ethics training. In a letter submitted to the county boards Finance Committee this week, Calabrese wrote that all I wanted was back pay and my job back, but that he ultimately accepted the settlement because a previous employer reached out with a job opportunity and he had received a degree of justice when a video from Steeles DUI arrest was released. Calabrese requested the video from the Chicago Police Department and released it to news outlets in November. That video showed Steele initially rebuffing requests to get out of the car and take a field sobriety test, which she later did. According to the arrest report, Steele repeatedly asked one of the officers Is your penis that small? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video footage of that alleged exchange is not available because body-worn cameras are turned off in hospitals. In his letter, Calabrese said if the public could see her treatment of officers at the scene, then it is not hard for people to believe how she mistreated me as an employee. Scott Britton, head of the subcommittee that considers such settlements, voted present. An attorney, Britton advised Steele on the night of her arrest, but not afterwards. Her new attorney successfully argued that Steele should keep her drivers license in court last month. Her next court date is in February. County IG: Board of Review hiring lacks guidelines Inspector General Tirrell Paxton issued a separate report Wednesday finding the Board of Review ignored its own hiring plan when it brought on 20 new staffers following the inauguration of Steele and fellow Commissioner George Cardenas in late 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation, covering the first four months after Steele and Cardenas were sworn in, revealed that none of the 20 new employees hired by the BOR to fill openings were hired in accordance with the BORs Employment Plan, the latest quarterly report from Paxtons office said. Applicants werent compared against each other, werent picked by consensus and their qualifications were considered on an individual basis. The board only had records for seven out of the 20 new hires, the investigation found, and most managers involved in hiring knew nothing about the rules in the employment plan, even though many had attended the board meeting where the rules passed or were emailed drafts of it. The investigation also found widespread hiring based on political affiliation, a violation of the boards personnel rules. Though the report did not identify commissioners by name, it said Commissioner A worked for the city for 20 years, which was only true of Cardenas. One of Cardenas newly hired employees told the IG he had worked on Cardenas 2022 campaign and when he was alderman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another new hire that others said previously worked for Cardenas for years was asked by IG staff his qualifications to be an assessment analyst. He said, I know how to do the computer, but was unable to name any computer applications, including the system used by BOR analysts in their daily work. He was also unable to describe basic BOR processes, the report said. Seven of 10 new hires were politically connected to Commissioner B, and often did not compete with others for their spots, the report found. The details of the hiring and campaign timelines match Steeles, who also took office in 2022. Many of her new hires helped on her campaign or were donors. Paxtons office made 11 recommendations to reform hiring, including asking the office to repost all 20 positions for hire and have those employees compete with other applicants. It should also adopt a hiring platform like Taleo instead of accepting applications via email. The Board of Review has not yet responded to those recommendations. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevadas Democratic U.S. senators and representatives in Congress reintroduced the Nuclear Waste Informed Consent Act on Wednesday, gearing up for possible renewed efforts to put a nuclear dump in the state. News releases late Wednesday morning announced the combined efforts in Washington, D.C., to ensure that Nevadas voice is heard. The effort came as Chris Wright, President-elect Donald Trumps pick for energy secretary, told senators during his confirmation hearing that he would promote all sources of American energy. Nevada Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto posted on X, Yucca Mountain is a failed project and any nominee to the Department of Energy should be able to acknowledge that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris Wrights unwillingness to make that commitment to Nevada is disappointing. But let me be clear: Nevada is not, and will not be, a nuclear dumping ground, Cortez Masto said. Ive said for years that Washington shouldnt have the unilateral authority to make decisions that will impact communities and the environment in the Silver State for generations to come, Cortez Masto said. Nevadans have made it clear, Yucca Mountain is dead. This legislation will give local and Tribal leaders the seat at the table they deserve in decision-making about nuclear repositories in their communities in Nevada and across the country. I will continue to fight to make sure Nevadans voices are heard. The bill would require the Secretary of Energy to secure written consent before moving ahead with a nuclear waste repository. The consent must come from: Governor of the host state Affected units of local government Each contiguous unit of local government primarily affected by the repository Affected Tribes Senators Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, along with U.S. Representatives Dina Titus, Steven Horsford and Susie Lee, have all fought to ensure Yucca Mountain remains dead, the news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats successfully fought the Trump administrations early efforts to restart the Yucca Mountain licensing process by preventing funds from being included for the failed site in every final appropriations bill during the Trump presidency, the release said. Over more than three decades and at every step in the process, the Yucca Mountain project has faltered because Nevadans do not want nuclear waste stored in our state, Titus said. We must codify this opposition into law to protect the health and safety of our communities and guarantee a process that requires the consent of state, local, and tribal leaders. Nevada is not a nuclear waste land. We dont produce nuclear waste, and we shouldnt be forced to store it. 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. Devastating fires continue to rage in the Los Angeles area, destroying thousands of structures and displacing more than 100,000 people. The multiple wildfires expected to comprise one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history have been fueled by hurricane-force winds known as Santa Anas. As of Wednesday morning, two of the six major fires ignited since Jan. 7 continue to burn, and at least 25 people have died. Although Milwaukee is more than 2,000 miles from Los Angeles, the fires should be a stark warning to Wisconsinites and other Midwesterners, said University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point assistant professor of forest ecology Mike Tiller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiller spoke to the Journal Sentinel about the fires' potential impacts on our region and whether a similar devastating disaster could ever hit Wisconsin: Firefighters battle the Palisades fire as it burns during a windstorm on the west side of Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 8, 2025. REUTERS/Ringo Chiu Could smoke from the Los Angeles wildfires impact air quality in Wisconsin? Many Milwaukeeans remember when smoke from wildfires in Canada caused the city to experience one of the worst air quality indexes in the world in June 2023. The smoke prompted air quality alerts and canceled outdoor events. While Wisconsinites may wonder if the California wildfires could bring similar disruptions, Tiller said it's "highly unlikely." "Generally speaking, when there are large wildfires, especially in southern California, there's essentially an offshore wind flow," he said. "Basically, you get high pressure out in the middle of the Great Basin Colorado, Wyoming, that area and then you get low pressure off the coast of California." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, wind grades blow from high- to low-pressure areas, whipping up "really dry, strong" Santa Ana winds, he continued. Santa Anas then travel over the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains between the deserts and coastal California. As the wind comes down the mountains, it's compressed and warms up. The good news for Midwesterners is that the wildfire smoke is then blown into the Pacific Ocean, Tiller said, meaning it shouldn't affect air quality in Wisconsin or other nearby states unless the wind shifts. Canadian wildfire smoke made its way to Wisconsin by way of smoke columns, Tiller said. Extreme fire conditions can cause smoke columns to reach over 20,000 feet into the atmosphere. Then, the jet stream narrow bands of strong wind high in the atmosphere can transport the smoke hundreds or even thousands of miles. Currently, California's wildfire conditions don't appear conducive to creating a similar situation. "I shouldn't rule out that there could be a possibility if the winds do shift and there's still a far-reaching smoke column up into the atmosphere that smoke columns could catch the jet stream, and essentially send smoke our way," Tiller said. "But, I think that's pretty highly unlikely at this point." Mike Tiller, assistant professor in forest ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, is an advisor for the UWSP fire crew and previously served with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Could something like this ever happen in Wisconsin? Although effects of the California fires are unlikely to touch Wisconsin, Tiller said he hopes the event causes people in our state to think about and prepare for the possibility of dangerous wildfires closer to home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the country, wildfire season is becoming longer and more intense, especially in the western part of the U.S., as extreme weather conditions like warming nighttime temperatures and insufficient rainfall become more commonplace. In Wisconsin, last year's snow-free and record-setting winter set the stage for a prolonged wildfire season starting in early February. More than 1,100 wildfires burned about 2,500 acres in Wisconsin, about 260 more than the 10-year average. Tiller said Wisconsin is unlikely to see fires of the same magnitude as those in California because we have a more humid climate. Overly dry fuels like trees and vegetation combined with "red flag conditions" like high winds and low humidity create ideal wildfire conditions, he said. Also, Wisconsin doesn't have mountainous topography that slows fire response efforts, allowing fires to burn uncontrolled longer. However, the state is home to forests called pine barrens that can be especially flammable, Tiller said. Wisconsin is most at risk for wildfires in the spring when humidity is low and snow melts to reveal dry fuels, he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pine barren tree species, such as jack pine and red pine, influence a phenomenon known as the "spring dip." As these species begin photosynthesizing early in the spring, they build up more sugar in their needles, Tiller said. "The sugar displaces the water content in the needles, driving that fuel moisture down. The lower the fuel moisture, the more fuel becomes available to burn." Journal Sentinel reporter Caitlin Looby contributed to this report. More: Climate change, high winds, extreme dry conditions the real reasons for Los Angeles fires More: Wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles: Here's how you can help This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Could the California wildfires affect air quality in Wisconsin? After 15 months of bloodshed and tens of thousands of deaths, the prospect of a peace deal in the Middle East has already led to a major budget airline reinstating flights from London to both Tel Aviv in Israel and Amman in neighbouring Jordan. Wizz Air has resumed links to both cities. Flights to Amman use airspace in northern Israel. Britains biggest budget airline, easyJet, is believed to be reviewing its plans for links to Tel Aviv. Last week Eddie Wilson, chief executive of Ryanair DAC, told Reuters that he expected the airline to operate a full summer schedule to and from Israel. At the same time, bookings to Egypt are surging. Philip Breckner, director of Discover Egypt, said: I see an upturn, yes. Theres quite a few people saying, We spoke to you last September and October, we made an inquiry, but we werent ready to book because of the ongoing situation, but now we would like to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre booking [Nile] cruises, Cairo, Alexandria, everything, Red Sea. Its all booking. Weve had last-minute bookings for people to go next week and in February and March, and we have the availability. Christmas and New Year were very busy in Egypt, with Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian tourists filling many of the Red Sea hotels. Mr Breckner, who has been in the travel industry for 35 years, said: The ultimate trip would be combining Egypt, Israel and Jordan. If there is a lasting peace, that certainly will build up and flights will start up again between Egypt and Israel. The Foreign Office warns against travel to Gaza, much of the occupied West Bank and areas of northern Israel bordering Lebanon and Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of Jordan is regarded as safe to visit apart from a 3km strip along the border with Syria. Swathes of Egypt carry FCDO advice to stay away, but the key tourist locations along the Nile, the Suez canal and the Red Sea coast are regarded as low risk. Since the start of the year, the Egyptian authorities have revealed new discoveries near Luxor on the Nile, including rock-cut tombs dating back almost four millennia. The full opening of the much-delayed Grand Egyptian Museum has not yet happened. I think it will be a major thing with if and when they move the Tutankhamun collection there, Mr Breckner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He urged travellers not to delay their trips to Egypt as tourist numbers rebuild. Its less pleasant going round round the temples and tombs when you when youve got hordes of people there. So going now while its still early days, so to speak, of the revival is probably better now than later. Egypt and Jordan have been hard hit by the cruise lines abandoning transits of the Suez Canals and calls at Red Sea ports, especially Aqaba. Were a lasting peace to settle on the region, it would still take years rather than months to restore cruises to the pre-2024 levels. UPDATE: The Council Bluff Police Department said Thursday morning that Dale Haven has been found and is safe. No other details were provided but the department is thanking everyone for the assistance in the search. ORIGINAL POST: COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa The Council Bluffs Police Department is requesting the publics assistance in locating a missing 86-year-old man. Dale Edward Haven was last seen in Adair at around 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. According to police, its believed that Haven may be confused and got lost. Dog suffering from gunshot injury found in Ames, investigation underway Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haven is about 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs about 143 lbs., and has gray hair and hazel eyes. He was last known to be wearing a green and black plaid shirt and glasses. He is driving a 2010 Chrysler Sebring with Iowa plate LXZ893. Anyone with information about Havens whereabouts is asked to contact the Pottawattamie County Communications Center at (712)328-5737 or 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 who13.com. Jan. 15The Santa Fe City Council voted unanimously Wednesday night not to appeal a judge's ruling last month in a lawsuit that could determine the future of the toppled Soldiers' Monument. With no debate, councilors took a public vote formally directing the city manager not to file an appeal after discussing the lawsuit and some personnel matters in closed session for about an hour. The monument, a nearly 160-year-old obelisk on the Plaza commemorating Civil War Union soldiers, has long been controversial because of a plaque also honoring soldiers who died in battles with "savage Indians" during the same period. The word "savage" was chiseled away in 1974. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hispanic fraternal organization Union Protectiva de Santa Fe sued the city and Mayor Alan Webber over the obelisk's 2020 destruction by a crowd of protesters on Indigenous Peoples Day, and the parties went to trial in September. State District Judge Matthew Wilson issued a decision last month ordering the city to remove the protective wooden box it had built around the monument's remains within 30 days and then take further action either rebuilding the obelisk within 180 days or following a rarely used process outlined in a state historic preservation law. Wednesday night's vote does not settle the fate of the Soldiers' Monument. The council will still need to decide at some point whether to rebuild the monument or go through the state historic preservation process, which sets rules governments must follow when altering historic sites. The council did not need to take a formal vote in order to decide not to appeal, but chose to do so. A majority council vote would have been needed in order to appeal the judge's decision, City Attorney Erin McSherry wrote in a Wednesday email. "Because there is not an existing City position or law on the topic, if there were no motion to appeal, then the default position would be for the City not to appeal," McSherry wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Work to reveal obelisk base ahead of schedule Work on removing the box surrounding the monument's base is now anticipated to be complete Friday, two days before the court-ordered Sunday deadline. "We seem to be making good progress," Facilities Division Director Sam Burnett, who has been overseeing the process, said in an interview Wednesday. City crews began the process of applying graffiti remover to the base Monday, something Burnett said would likely need to be repeated at least several times depending on how the paint responded. Red handprints were visible on the obelisk's base Wednesday as about a dozen city employees continued cleaning the marble and sandstone with steam cleaners, brushes and rags. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several police officers were monitoring the Plaza while work was underway, but besides some curious onlookers who stopped by the fence, the area was largely empty. City spokesperson Regina Ruiz speculated cold temperatures have likely decreased the number of people who otherwise might have stopped by to witness or to protest the box's removal. The low temperatures this week have also affected the cleaning process, Burnett said. Initially, crews were going to power-wash the graffiti remover off the base but are instead using a much more hands-on approach to ensure it is not damaged. "What we were worried about was, using a pressure washer with porous stone, you can actually force water into the stone," he said. "In the cold, there's the possibility in the freeze and thaw cycle for it to create some spalling or flaking on the sandstone. To protect any damage to that we've gone to more hand-oriented methods." One of the marble plaques, which Burnett said he believes is the plaque referencing "savage Indians," is missing a large chunk. He said he had heard one of the plaques was missing, but hadn't seen the damage himself until this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I hadn't seen it before getting boxed up, so I didn't realize the extent of what was missing," he said. Ruiz said the city has been in "constant communication" with the State Historic Preservation Office about the work to ensure none of it is considered a "use," or adverse effect under state law, and notified the office about the missing piece. Navigating the state process has required some back and forth, she noted. City crews want to protect the monument from any damage while work is underway, "but then at the same time, you can't alter the obelisk," she said. "So it's like, can you put something on it to protect it, and then will that be a use?" Public comment argued against appeal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The council's decision was met with appreciation by some attendees of the council meeting who spoke during public comment or submitted written comment urging the city not to appeal. "We should be working to restore and preserve the monument in it original location, the historic and geographic heart of Santa Fe," District 2 resident Valerie Brooker wrote. "A new plaque honoring the contributions of Native Americans, and reflecting their ideas, should be installed." Jerry Richardson, a District 1 resident and retired attorney, wrote the city's chances on appeal are "poor to negligible. "... I don't think the city has anything to gain by appealing the decision that has almost no likelihood of being successful on appeal and which will only delay resolution of this very public dispute indefinitely," he wrote. "All the while the shattered monument will be on display in its broken state for all to see in the historic Plaza that is the center of our community during this lengthy delay." WASHINGTON (DC News Now) More than a year after the implementation of Initiative 82 council members are evaluating the impact. On Wednesday, councilmember Anita Bonds hosted a public roundtable to seek feedback on its implementation. Initiative 82, which passed in November of 2022, phases out the tipped minimum wage by 2027. Under the law, tipped workers see an annual raise until their hourly wage matches that of nontipped workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates of Initiative 82 say service charges are causing confusion The tipped minimum wage was raised to $10 an hour in July of 2024 and will increase again to $12 in July of 2025. Yet many restaurant workers testified that the change has negatively impacted them. Ive chosen this as my career because I love everything about food and making people happy, said Yana Tarakanova, who works at Hanks Oyster Bar. [Since I-82] my working hours were cut by five to 10 hours a week. The newly implemented service fee, the 5% fee, decreased my average tip percentage. Restaurant owners also testified that the wage increases are not sustainable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its going to go up to $18 an hour. No small business can afford that, said Billy Martin, owner of Martins Tavern. According to data presented by the Employment Policies Institute, D.C. lost roughly 1,000 full-service restaurant jobs between May of 2023 and May of 2024, the first full year of Initiative 82. The organization attributed that data to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. We think that is probably a conservative figure because that doesnt capture things like scheduling reductions, hiring reductions, things like that. Its just a net loss number from May 2023 to the year after, explained Rebekah Paxton, Research Director at EPI. DC Attorney General issues advisory for restaurants to better disclose fees Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said their data predicts things will get worse if I-82 remains in place. Weve also done some survey data that says if this continues into 2027 as planned, restaurant owners are bracing for another round of layoffs, another round of price hikes, service charges things like that. These effects are not going to go away, she said. During testimony some witnesses called for a freeze on I-82, keeping the tipped minimum wage at $10. Others called for it to be entirely overturned. Still, supporters are pushing on with full implementation. Taking that away is just going to put (tipped workers) back in a position theyre fighting to get away from, said Rebecca Pearce, DMV Worker Organizer for One Fair Wage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group argues that restaurant jobs have remained steady in D.C., not decreased. These employers dont want to pay their workers. They rely on us as the consumers to pay their workers. The reason people are losing jobs is because of greed, said Pearce. DC voters approve Initiative 82 to increase minimum wage for tipped workers The organizations President, Saru Jayaraman, said voters won this raise. D.C. voters chose fair wages for workers, and the data shows they were right. Wages are rising, restaurants are thriving, and the lies pushed by corporate lobbyists are being exposed. This is about giving workers a fair shot while strengthening our economy, Jayaraman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Jan. 16After a historic rise in property taxes and continually high sales prices, county auditors say expanding the Homestead Exemption program and other measures could provide needed tax relief to communities. "While there is not a single solution to our state's property tax issues, implementing these proposals would help ease the burden on Ohio's property owners," Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith said Thursday. "Now is the time for the General Assembly to address the property tax crisis facing millions of Ohioans." Keith hosted his annual presentation about the state of property in the area on Thursday at Sinclair Community College. He was joined by Warren County Auditor Matt Nolan, who is also the president of the County Auditors' Association of Ohio, and Union County Auditor Andrea Weaver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montgomery County saw an average increase of 34% in residential property value countywide as a part of the state-mandated triennial update in 2023. This past year saw an additional increase in average residential value of 0.6%, with the market value of residential property totaling $601 million. Last year's average increase in value was the result of Board of Revision appeals and new construction. Montgomery County saw $298 million in new construction in 2024 $162 million of this was residential construction. Nearly 9,000 valid residential property sales were also completed last year, according to the Montgomery County Auditor's Office. The median home price in 2024 in Montgomery County was $178,000. This is up significantly over the past 10 years, with the median home price coming in at $122,000 in 2014. Keith said the rising value of property is driven by rising sales costs in recent years, but new levies passed by voters are also contributing to charges on homeowner's tax bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 20 bills were introduced in the Ohio General Assembly last year that addressed property taxes in some capacity. Only two of those bills passed, Keith said. Neighboring Warren County had its triennial update of property value last year. It saw an average increase in property value of 27%. The County Auditors' Association of Ohio has a few proposals to bring relief to homeowners, Nolan said. One of these proposals is to expand the Homestead Exemption by increasing the valuation that would be exempt from property taxes and the income threshold. Officials on Thursday said they have heard from property owners older than 65 who are fearful of being taxed out of their own homes or who need to cut out other necessities, like prescription medication, to make ends meet. "We're seeing double-digit growth (in value)," Nolan said. "While this continues, we're going to tax residential homeowners out of their homes if we continue to see these increases." ERWIN, Tenn. (WJHL)Unicoi County Mayor Bubba Evelys office isnt very big, and neither is his countys budget, so Wednesdays news that Tennessees governor and leading lawmakers want to push through a massive disaster relief package for Helene-hit counties was welcome. Gov. Lee calls for $240M in Helene relief grants, $20M for Hampton HS rebuild We had over 20 roads, 10 bridges that were affected in addition to our Chestoa Bridge, which is the large bridge out on the south end, Evely told News Channel 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with a rail spur leading to the countys badly damaged industrial park an estimated repair cost of $2.4 million the big bridge and other infrastructure will likely cost well over $20 million to rebuild. A $450 million proposal that will be considered in a special legislative session beginning Jan. 27 includes $240 million to help counties like Unicoi, Johnson, Carter, Washington, and Greene cope with their share of costs to rebuild their infrastructure. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) covers 75% of eligible project costs. Typically, states and counties or other local governments split the remainder 12.5% as do counties. Gov. Bill Lees proposal would up the states share to 20%, dropping local match to 5%. If that proposal passes, it will lift a huge weight off the shoulders of area mayors. If Unicois total costs hit $20 million, it would save the county $1.5 million. Its entire annual budget, excluding public schools, is only about $10 million. When your whole budget surplus is just ($1.2 million) when youre talking about a $15 million bridge, or a $13 million dollar bridge, even at 5 percent it doesnt take long to add up, Evely said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An early estimate for the Chestoa Bridge replacement came in at just under $10 million. Evely is confident that the best bid will be closer to $15 million. FEMA will provide that 75% even if the base cost increases. $20M slated from state for Hampton High School rebuild If the bridge costs $15 million and the proposal passes, Unicoi Countys share will amount to $750,000. At a 12.5% match, that would total $1,875,000. To know that were not going to be saddled with 12 and a half percent of the total projects was a big relief, Evely said. I want to thank the governor for that and legislators for that, because on our level, even the 5% match is going to be a real stretch for the number of projects and things that has to be repaired in the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another element of the proposal would have the state cover interest payments for up to three years on any funds counties have to borrow to address recovery needs. That can help tide them over until FEMA money comes through something Carter County Mayor Patty Woodby said is critical. Weve spent out of pocket just on emergency expenses right around one million. Carter County is looking between bridges, roads and infrastructure 20 million, Woodby said. Thats more than we would ever be able to put out of our fund balance so the concern is having the cash flow. Unicoi County isnt contending only with increased expenses. The industrial parks damage put more than 200 people out of work and significantly hit the countys tax base. Johnson County, with a similar population to Unicois of around 18,000, also lost a major employer. My biggest nightmare from the county level right now is our lost revenue side of our where our industrial is now, Evely said. Those parcels will be reassessed for a year or two until theyre rebuilt, and so were were looking at probably at least 5 to 6% of our total revenues missing for at least a year, up to three, maybe four until everythings rebuilt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) Utah Gov. Spencer Cox has joined a growing list of leaders calling for American flags to be raised for the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Monday, Jan. 20. After the death of former President Jimmy Carter on Dec. 29, 2024, United States flags were ordered to fly at half-staff for a 30-day mourning period, which is the longest period possible for flags to fly at half-staff and is reserved for the death of the sitting president or former presidents. On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Cox issued an order for both U.S. flags and Utah flags to be flown at full staff at state facilities on Jan. 20. Cox extended the invitation to private citizens, businesses, and organizations across Utah to join in this tribute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. John Curtis issues statement in support of Pete Hegseth, Trumps nominee for defense secretary Flags will be returned to half-staff at sunset on the same day to honor the life and legacy of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter Gov. Coxs office said in a press release Wednesday. After Jan. 20, Cox ordered flags to remain at half-staff for the remainder of the mourning period for Carter, or until sunset on Jan. 28, 2025. The Associated Press reported that flags had returned to flying full-staff at Trumps Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Monday, Jan. 13. Also on Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-Texas) ordered flags to fly at full-staff at state facilities for Inauguration Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Jan. 14, House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be flown at full-staff on Jan. 20. On Jan. 14, the Republican governors for Alabama, Florida, Iowa, North Dakota, and Tennessee also ordered flags to be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day. Trump has previously expressed negative feelings about the situation, saying Democrats are all giddy about flags being flown at half-staff for his inauguration. The Associated Press and Addy Bink contributed to this report. 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. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) As coyote mating season begins in north Texas, the Wichita Falls Animal Services department urges pet owners to take extra precautions to protect their furry companions. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, coyotes can experience increased aggression and boldness from mid-January to early March, putting pets at greater risk. Coyotes often target smaller animals like cats and dogs, luring them away or attacking them outright. Nicki Bacon, Director of Wichita Falls Animal Services, says even larger dogs can be at risk. Bacon says coyotes are known to work in packs, especially during this time, so no pet should be left outside unsupervised. For residents like Frank Jarrett, the concern is all too real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know that cats have a problem in this neighborhood. We dont have that many cats outside for very long. They dont last, said Jarrett, a resident of the Canyon Trails neighborhood. P.E.T.S. Clinic founder announces replacement after 18-year service Nicki Bacon gave tips to keep your pets safe. If youre taking them out on a walk, you have them on a leash. Dont leave food out in your yard, especially at night, because that attracts wildlife and coyotes, Bacon explained. Make sure youre picking up your dogs feces or excrement because that can attract the coyotes to them with their smell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you want to go the extra mile, you can purchase a coyote roller for your fence. Experts stress that coyotes are a natural part of the North Texas ecosystem, but with simple precautions, we can safely coexist while keeping our pets safe. Contact Animal Services at (940) 761-7824 or a Wichita County Game Warden at (940) 341-3393 or (940) 500-7693. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 Texomashomepage.com. Amid reports that the adults in Donald Trumps room may be convincing him to put some guardrails in place on his HHS nominee whom he vowed to let go wild on health there are also reportedly some cracks forming around the nominee himself within Republican circles. But its not clear if the anti-RFK contingent of Trump allies is yet strong enough to actually make a dent, let alone imperil, RFK Jr.s ability to be confirmed as HHS secretary. Earlier this month, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), an actual medical doctor and the chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which would be responsible for holding an RFK Jr. confirmation hearing, began making noises about his reluctance to hand over HHS to an anti-vaxxer like RFK. He told Fox News that Kennedy is flat wrong on vaccinations and his belief that theyre dangerous and cause autism in Americas youth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will meet with him this coming week, he said on Fox News Sunday on Jan. 5. I look forward to the interview. I agree with him on some things and disagree on others. The food safety, I think the ultra-processed food is a problem. Vaccinations, hes wrong on, and so I just look forward to having a good dialogue with him on that, Cassidy said. After meeting with Kennedy on the Hill, Cassidy did not exactly change his tune. Per Politico Playbook: Yesterday, Sen. BILL CASSIDY (R-La.) who in addition to chairing the HELP Committee is a medical doctor met with Kennedy and offered an unenthusiastic-but-diplomatic statement, saying he had a frank conversation and spoke with Kennedy about vaccines at length. On Wednesday, more Republican opposition to RFKs nomination arose, this time due to his hard-to-pin-down stance on abortion, which has ranged from supporting efforts to pass federal Roe protections to claiming he supported non-existent full-term abortions to agreeing to back any Republican effort to pass federal abortion restrictions in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A group founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, Advancing American Freedom, put out a letter Wednesday calling on Republican senators to oppose RFKs nomination over his abortion positions, calling them completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration. The letter was first reported by the conservative Daily Wire. While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, the AAF said in their letter, there is little reason for confidence at this time. The letter criticized Kennedy as being pro-abortion, citing his past support for abortions later in pregnancy. This position is completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration, the group wrote. Whatever the merits of RFK Jrs Make America Healthy Again initiative indeed, whatever other qualities a nominee might possess an HHS Secretary must have a firm commitment to protect unborn children, or else bend under the pressure and pushback surrounding these daily, critical decisions, AAF President Tim Chapman and Board Chairman Marc Short, Pences former chief of staff, wrote in a letter to senators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time, they wrote. As head of HHS, Kennedy would have some jurisdiction over the Trump administrations abortion maneuverings, as both funding for Planned Parenthood and the FDAs approval of mifepristone fall under HHSs purview. The Best Of TPM Today Catch up on our live coverage of Pam Bondis hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee here: Pam Bondi Up For Grilling The latest from Khaya Himmelman on the North Carolina Supreme Court election and Republican efforts to overturn it: North Carolina Republican Tries New Strategy For Stealing State Supreme Court Race Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supreme Court Mulls Letting 5th Circuit Ignore Precedent It Doesnt Like In Texas Porn Case Yesterdays Most Read Story Trump Pulls A New Fixation Out Of Thin Air And House GOP Runs Off The Cliff With It What We Are Reading RFK Jr. Admits He Didnt Come Clean on Anti-Vax Fortune Paul Manafort Is Back to Wreck the World Few US adults confident Justice Department and FBI will act fairly under Trump, AP-NORC poll finds In choosing Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) to chair the House Intelligence Committee, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has tapped a veteran conservative with America First leanings to steer one of the most powerful panels heading into the second Trump administration. Crawford, a 14-year veteran of Capitol Hill, voted last year against legislation providing billions of dollars in aid to Ukraine, citing more dire needs at home. The vote aligns him with President-elect Trump and his allies, who have sought to shift U.S. resources away from foreign entanglements and dedicate those energies instead toward domestic economic problems. Crawford also voted in 2021 to challenge the presidential election results in both Pennsylvania and Arizona, where Trump was defeated but nonetheless claimed victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both of those positions Ukraine and the 2020 election mark a sharp contrast to the track record of Rep. Mike Turner, the Ohio Republican who chaired the Intelligence Committee in the last Congress but now finds himself without a gavel. Turner, now in his 23rd year in Congress, fits the more traditional mold of Reagan-era conservatism, including support for extending government surveillance powers, maintaining strong ties with NATO allies and helping Ukraine repel Russias invasion. Those positions have put him at odds with Trumps America First agenda and made him a target of some of the incoming presidents MAGA followers. Turner was also among the minority of House Republicans who voted to certify Joe Bidens victory in Pennsylvania and Arizona four years ago. Crawford has largely flown under the radar during his seven terms in the House, but he now finds himself at the helm of a committee that will be at the forefront of efforts to defend the country against threats, foreign and domestic, in an age of cyber attacks, hacks, misinformation and artificial intelligence technologies that are increasingly difficult to fend against. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson, who has unilateral power to appoint the Intel chair, has defended his decision to remove Turners gavel and appoint Crawford, rejecting the notion that it came as a result of pressure to appease the incoming president. This is not a Mar-a-Lago or a Trump decision, this is a Speakers decision, Johnson told reporters Thursday in the Capitol. A lot of deliberative thought goes into these things, he continued. The Intel Committee is extremely important, especially at a time like this, and its time for a new start. Johnson has suggested that his decision was motivated, at least in part, by an episode last year when Turner warned of a dire threat to U.S. security an incident that appeared to catch Johnson off guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres been a lot of controversy, as everyone knows, about things related to the Intelligence Committee and abuses and things and lots of allegations over the last few years, Johnson said. Weve got to clean all that up. But the removal of Turner has also sparked a backlash from Democrats and at least a few Republicans who are accusing Johnson of bowing to Trumps wishes at the expense of national security. Those voices have long criticized Trump for being too cozy with Russian President Vladimir Putin and saw Turner as an ally in the effort to push back against Moscows aggression in Ukraine and beyond. Mike Turner has robustly promoted the safety of the American people and the Free World and his unjustified ouster is likely being applauded by our adversaries in Russia and China, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Thursday in a statement. Shameful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford, who voted last April against almost $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, said he supported Ukraines effort to expel Putins invasion force, but he could not endorse nonmilitary aid to Kyiv when Americans are struggling with rising costs at home. On other issues related to the Intel Committee, however, Crawford has sided with Turner, even when other House conservatives were calling for a different approach. Crawford, for instance, has supported renewal of a controversial law empowering the government to surveil the communications of foreigners when they are abroad. That law Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) has long been criticized by conservatives on Capitol Hill who say it gives the government too much power to capture data from U.S. citizens. Many of those critics are members of the House Freedom Caucus and are among Trumps staunchest supporters on Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. It is one of the 20th century's most memorable images: a naked girl, screaming, running from a napalm bombing during the Vietnam War. More than a half-century later, a new documentary is calling into question who took it and the retired Associated Press photographer long credited for the photo insists it was his, while his longtime employer says it has no evidence of anyone else being behind the camera. The film about the Pulitzer Prize-winning picture, The Stringer, is scheduled to debut next week at the Sundance Film Festival. Both photographer Nick Ut and his longtime employer are contesting it vigorously, and Ut's lawyer is seeking to block the premiere, threatening a defamation lawsuit. The AP, which conducted its own investigation over six months, concluded it has no reason to believe anyone other than Ut took the photo. The picture of Kim Phuc running down a road in the village of Trang Bang, crying and naked because she had taken off clothes burning from napalm, instantly became symbolic of the horrors of the Vietnam War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken on June 8, 1972, the photo is credited to Ut, then a 21-year-old staffer in AP's Saigon bureau. He was awarded the Pulitzer a year later. Now 73, he moved to California after the war and worked for the AP for 40 years until retiring in 2017. The film's allegations open an unexpected new chapter for an image that, within hours of it being taken, was beamed around the planet and became one of the most indelible photographs of both the Vietnam War and the turbulent century that produced it. Whatever the truth, the film's investigations apparently relate only to the identity of the photographer and not the image's overall authenticity. The dispute puts the filmmakers, who call the episode a scandal behind the making of one of the most-recognized photographs of the 20th century, at odds with Ut, whose work that day defined his career. It also puts them at cross purposes with the AP, a global news organization for whom accuracy is a foundational part of the business model. How did the questioning of the photo begin? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's difficult, so many years later, to overestimate the wallop that this particular image packed. Ron Burnett, an expert on images and former president of the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, called it earth-shattering." It changed the way photos have always been thought about and broke the rules for how much violence you can show to the public, Burnett said. The photo sat unchallenged for much of its 53-year existence. All these years later, a counter-narrative has emerged that it was instead taken by another person, someone who working that day as a driver for NBC News and also lives now in California. The person allegedly had delivered his film to the AP's office as a stringer, a non-staff member who provides material to a news organization. The husband-and-wife team of Gary Knight, founder of the VII Foundation, and producer Fiona Turner are behind the film. On his website, Knight described The Stringer as a story that many in our profession did not want told, and some of them continue to go to great lengths to make sure isnt told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The film grapples with questions of authorship, racial injustice and journalistic ethics while shining a light on the fundamental yet often unrecognized contributions of local freelancers who provide the information we need to understand how events worldwide impact us all, Knight wrote. Knight did not return a message seeking comment from the AP on Thursday. A representative from Sundance also did not return a message about a cease-and-desist letter from Ut's lawyer, James Hornstein, trying to stop the film's airing. Hornstein would not make Ut available for an interview, saying he anticipated future litigation. Knight and Turner met with AP in London last June about the allegations. According to the AP, filmmakers requested the news organization sign a non-disclosure agreement before they provided their evidence. AP declined. That hampered the AP's own investigation, along with the passage of time. Horst Faas, chief of photos for AP in Saigon in 1972, and Yuichi Jackson Ishizaki, who developed Ut's film, are both dead. Many of the Saigon bureau's records were lost when communists took over the city, including any dealings with the stringer. Negatives of photos used back then are preserved in AP's corporate archives in New York, but they provided no insight for the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the AP decided to release its own findings before seeing The Stringer and the details of the claim that it is making. AP stands prepared to review any evidence and take whatever remedial action might be needed if their thesis is proved true, the news organization said. Some who were there are sure about what happened The AP said it spoke to seven surviving people who were in Trang Bang or AP's Saigon bureau that day, and all maintain they have no reason to doubt their own conclusions that Ut had taken the photo. One was Fox Butterfield, a renowned longtime New York Times reporter, who also said that he was contacted by Turner for the documentary. I told them what my memory was and they didn't like it, but they just went ahead anyway, Butterfield told AP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another was photographer David Burnett, who said he witnessed Ut and Alexander Shimkin, a freelance photographer working primarily for Newsweek, taking photos as Kim Phuc and other children emerged from smoke following an attack. Shimkin was killed in Vietnam a month later, according to the investigation. A key source for the story in The Stringer is Carl Robinson, then a photo editor for the AP in Saigon, who was initially overruled in his judgment not to use the picture. AP reached out to Robinson as part of its probe, but he said he had signed an NDA with Knight and the VII Foundation. Knight followed up, saying Robinson would only speak off the record, which the AP concluded would have prevented the news organization from setting the record straight. Robinson did not immediately reply to an email seeking comment on Thursday. On duty that day in Saigon, Robinson had concluded that Ut's picture could not be used because it would have violated standards prohibiting nudity. But Faas overruled him, and senior AP editors in New York decided to run the picture for what it conveyed about war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The AP questioned Robinson's long silence in contradicting Ut's photo credit, and showed a photo from its archives of Robinson with champagne toasting Ut's Pulitzer Prize. In a 2005 interview with corporate archives, Robinson said he thought AP created a monster when it distributed the photo because much of the world's sympathies were focused on one victim, instead of war victims more broadly. Former AP correspondent Peter Arnett, who believes Ut made the image, said Robinson wrote to him after Faas' death in 2012 to make the allegation that Ut had not taken it; he said he did not want to do it while Faas was still alive. According to the AP investigation, Arnett said Robinson told him that Ut had gone all Hollywood and he didn't like it. Hornstein characterized Robinson, who was dismissed by AP in 1978, as a guy with a 50-year vendetta against the AP. He also questioned the long silence by the man supposedly identified in the documentary as the person who really took the photo. The lawyer also produced a statement from Kim Phuc, who said that while she has no memory of that day, her uncle has repeatedly told her that Ut took the picture and that she had no reason to doubt him. Ut also took her to the nearest hospital after the photo was taken, she wrote. ___ David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social Channel 2 Action News is learning more about the response to a leak in Paulding County that had led to a shutdown of the nations largest fuel pipeline. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The line will remain down until at least Friday. But people who live in the area want to know how this is impacting them. People who live and work near Peg Cole Bridge Trail and Townsend Road in Paulding County have many questions. Dozens of crews are cleaning up and investigating a release from Colonial Pipeline Line 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Line 1 carries gasoline from the refineries on the Gulf Coast through the Southeast and up the East Coast. A spokesperson with Colonial Pipeline tells Channel 2 Action News it was Monday when the landowner, who lives off Peg Cole Bridge Trail called in the possible release. Crews immediately responded. On Wednesday Colonial Pipeline said theyre working to identify the source of the suspected release. Right now there has been nothing that has been picked up as far as with air monitoring, vegetative monitoring, and also as far as water samples that (have) taken place, Paulding County EMA Director Stephen Dooley told Channel 2s Candace McCowan. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As local, state and federal agencies do testing, the pipe will remain closed until at least Friday. Channel 2 Action News asked GasBuddy If this will impact supply. Its kind like you kink a hose: there is still water in the hose, its just stopped right where you kink, said Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy. Motorists dont really need to be worried. Theres plenty of gasoline supply. Its a temporary disruption but there are millions of gallons of gasoline that are still pared just outside of many major cities in storage facilities. As for people who live nearby, the county said theres no need for concern for now. Right now there has been nothing that has been picked up on the monitors. That is why we have not gone through conducting any evacuations, and there have been no notifications from the county to the public as far as any kind of concerns because there is nothing that we have right now, said Dooley. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The Peoria Fire Department responded to a fire that occurred at a home near East Gift and Indiana Avenues on Wednesday. Crews responded to the home at approximately 6 p.m. and found smoke coming from the second story of the home when they arrived on the scene, Battalion Chief Mike Ralston said. Firefighters found flames behind a wall in a second-story bedroom and quickly brought the fire under control within 10 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fire investigator determined that the cause of the fire was electrical in nature. The fire caused an estimated $20,000 in damages. No injuries were reported. South Peoria fire causes one person to be displaced The American Red Cross was called to assist residents with temporary housing. 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 CIProud.com. After more than 48 hours, crews in DeKalb County are still working to fix a broken water main that has left thousands without water. Channel 2s Michael Seiden and Michael Doudna were in DeKalb County where neighbors are expressing their frustrations and concerns about the coming days. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Officials told Doudna on Wednesday that they hoped to have repairs fixed by 2 p.m. As of 9 p.m., crews were still in the area working on the broken water main. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a little bit of a waiting game, kind of boring, a little bit time-consuming, just watching time go by waiting for it, kind of wanting to shower, resident Adam Huckabee said. DeKalb County CEO Lorraine Cochran-Johnson said teams from Alabama and North Carolina are coming to the area to assist crews. The county also offered free water at gas stations and schools. RELATED STORIES: Seiden was outside Fernbank Elementary School where students and staff were given water, even nine miles away from where the break happened. Business owners say their businesses have been severely impacted over the last several days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor Curtis manages a car wash and says they have had to shut down. First off, we cant wash cars. Theres no water to wash the cars with, so were just kind of hanging out, he said. A lot of people tried to come by after the snow just to get all the snow and ice off and we are just unable to do that. There is currently no time frame for when repairs will be completed and life will get back to normal. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Felonies The following people were booked into the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Jail in connection with felony charges ending Wednesday at 11 a.m. William E. Bond, 32, of New Albany, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, possession of methamphetamine. Clifton Antonio Hardy, 38, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, driving under the influence - fourth offense. Reginald O. Perry, 32, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, burglary of an auto, no insurance, no seat belt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee County Sheriffs Office The following reports were filed Wednesday by the Lee County Sheriffs Office. A County Road 1325, Tupelo, man said his neighbors dog keeps harassing him when he goes to his mailbox. The dog growls and acts like it is going to bite him. The deputy explained that there are no leash laws in the county, but there is a dangerous animal ordinance that allows him to protect himself, his family and his pets from aggressive animals. The owner of a Highway 178, Mooreville, business said his bank had mailed a check to another bank and that check was stolen from the post office in Memphis, Tennessee. His bank said he needed to file a report on their behalf for the purloined check. Anyone with information on any of these reports is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff's Office at 841-9041, the Tupelo Police Department at 841-6491 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at (800) 773-TIPS or download the P3 Tip App and leave an anonymous tip that way. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) This week on Crime Stoppers, police need your help identifying a man who broke into a home in Lansing and locating two people wanted on warrants, including a man wanted for kidnapping. If you have information regarding the cases below, call Crime Stoppers of Mid-Michigan at (517) 483-STOP. You can remain anonymous. Those who contact Crime Stoppers with information can receive up to a $1,000 award. Residence break-in The Lansing Police Department is asking for any information that could identify a man who broke into a residence in the 400 block of North Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. on Dec. 30, 2024. The subject was seen wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, black coat, gray pants, and had on a silver necklace. David Bradley Barnes David Bradley Barnes, 37, is wanted for assault out of Lansing. He is 510 and 145 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes. Kelsey Lee Hill Kelsey Lee Hill, 22, is wanted for kidnapping out of Lansing. He is 511 and 175 lbs, with black hair and brown eyes. 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. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reintroduced legislation to exempt federal taxes on tips in an effort to support service industry workers. American workers in many industries rely on tipped wages to make ends meet. Today, Im introducing my bipartisan No Tax on Tips Actlegislation I authored to fulfill President Trumps promise to end the wrongful practice of taxing voluntary tips, Cruz said in a Thursday statement. Ive long believed the GOP should be the party of bartenders, of waiters and waitresses, and this bill is an important step to ensure we are addressing the economic needs of working Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans captured working class citizens in the last election cycle, which contributed to their majority in the House and Senate. The new bill co-sponsored by Sens. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) aims to capitalize on the demographics support. This bipartisan bill will ensure tipped workers in Nevada can keep more of their hard-earned money, Rosen said. Ill also keep fighting to raise the minimum wage and eliminate the subminimum wage for service employees, lower costs, and cut taxes for all hardworking Nevadans. Cruz introduced similar legislation in the 118th Congress as did Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For far-too-long, Washingtons focus has been on how much of your paycheck politicians and unelected bureaucrats will take to fund their destructive agendas. Americans deserve to take home more of what they have earned, especially given the self-inflicted economic hardships created by the Biden administration, Donalds stated. I am proud to have introduced the No Tax on Tips Act last Congress alongside Senator Cruz (R-TX) and look forward to its swift passage in the 119th Congress. Hardworking Americans across our Southwest Florida community, the Sunshine State, and the nation deserve a government that will put them first. 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. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Officers with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) Downtown Area Response Team (DART) responded to a disturbance overnight and arrested a man after he allegedly started a fire in a large business complex. At around 1:25 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16, officers were dispatched to a disturbance in the area of South Tejon Street and West Colorado Avenue in downtown Colorado Springs. Upon arrival, officers located a security guard in a fight with a suspect. An investigation revealed that the security guard had confronted the suspect due to a fire that the suspect allegedly started in the stairway of a large business complex. The suspect then attacked the security guard, causing minor facial injuries to the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building only suffered from cosmetic damage. Police said the suspect, Victor G. Gregory, was arrested and booked into the Criminal Justice Center for arson and assault. 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 FOX21 News Colorado. Members of the Connecticut National Guard and the Connecticut State Police will join security efforts for the U.S. Presidential Inauguration in Washington, D.C. Monday. Gov. Ned Lamont on Thursday announced the deployments, which come in response to mutual aid requests from the U.S. Department of Defense and from the Metropolitan Police Department, according to a release from Lamonts office. The presidential inauguration ceremony is a time-honored tradition that celebrates the peaceful transfer of power in the United States, and the State of Connecticut stands ready to help ensure these activities move forward safely and securely, Lamont said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 200 soldiers and airmen from the Connecticut National Guard were deployed Wednesday and are expected to remain on active duty until Jan. 23. The Connecticut soldiers and airmen are tasked with aiding security and providing medical support. In conjunction with National Guard personnel from several other states, their role is to assist with public safety, provide security support to federal government assets, personnel, and critical infrastructure, and deter, prevent, and if necessary, respond to incidents in support of the overall security plan to assist with the transition of power or continuity of government, the release said. Deployed units include members from the 143rd Regional Support Group, 142nd Medical Company (Area Support), 85th Troop Command (85th TC), 143rd Military Police Company of the Connecticut Army National Guard, and the 103rd Air Wing of the Connecticut Air National Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout our 388-year history, our Connecticut National Guardsmen remain well-trained and ready to answer the state and nations call to duty, Major General Fran Evon, adjutant general and commander of the Connecticut National Guard, said. Serving the people of Connecticut and this great nation will always be our top priority. Connecticuts Home Team is proud to do our part to help ensure a peaceful transition of presidential power from one administration to the next in concert with our sister state National Guards, state, and federal agencies. An additional 35 Connecticut State Police officers are expected to deploy to Washington, D.C. on Sunday in advance of the Monday inauguration ceremony. Upon arriving, they will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service, Lamonts office said. These Connecticut State Troopers are experienced with all aspects of controlling large crowds at public events, Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Ronnell A. Higgins said. On Inauguration Day, they will join thousands of officers from across the country and assist in keeping everyone safe and secure at this historic event. CHICAGO Chicago Transit Authority Board members met Wednesday to appoint a new interim leader after longtime president Dorval Carter announced his retirement. This job can be very difficult, but the challenges I have faced have been eclipsed by the opportunity to work with the group of professionals who are among the best in our industry, CTA President Dorval Carter said in his first public remarks since announcing his retirement on Monday. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago Transit Board appointed the CTAs Chief of Staff Nora Leerhsen to serve as the acting president. This is a critical time for our agency and for the future of public transit. As acting president, I will build on our accomplishments as an agency and am confident that we are up to the task of carrying CTA successfully through this transition, Leerhsen said in a written statement. Leerhsen will take the helm amid major challenges, safety chief among them. Ridership also continues to lag behind pre-pandemic levels, as riders complain about reliability. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker was among those who called for a change in leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to just commend him for many years of public service. I think its a good time for a change and I know that the things that we really care about, about transit, are front and center and that were going to make sure the new leadership is delivering on whats best for, well, the entire region, Pritzker said. The CTA, along with Metra and Pace, will face a $730 million budget shortfall next year. Just last week Carter secured $2 billion in federal funding for the Red Line extension to the Far South Side and said funding is the most critical issue facing public transit in Chicago. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who are able to affect that change that needs to be made are again desperately looking for scapegoats and excuses on which to blame four decades of inaction. That time is over, Carter said. Mayor Brandon Johnson is tasked with appointing his permanent replacement. My administration looks forward to selecting a dynamic leader for CTA who will work with our partners and community members to ensure our transit system is efficient, reliable and safe for all riders, Johnson 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 WGN-TV. HAVANA (AP) Cuba on Thursday released prominent dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer from prison, as part of a government decision to gradually free more than 500 prisoners following talks with the Vatican. Ferrer, a strong opponent of the island's communist government, confirmed to The Associated Press he was freed and that he was at home in Palma Soriano, a town in the province of Santiago, more than 600 miles east of Havana. I am fine, surrounded by family and friends, he said by phone. I had been arbitrarily imprisoned for the third time, and a false judicial process had been set up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The releases are also taking place days after U.S. President Joe Biden's administration announced his intent to lift the U.S. designation of the island nation as a state sponsor of terrorism. On Tuesday, the U.S. government said it notified Congress about the intent to lift the designation of Cuba as part of a deal facilitated by the Catholic Church, and that Cuban authorities would release some of them by the end of the Biden administration at noon on Jan. 20. Cuba then informed Pope Francis it would gradually release 553 convicts as authorities explore the legal and humanitarian ways to make it happen. Havana said, however, that the gesture to the pontiff is unrelated to the U.S. decision to lift the designation. Cuban civil groups monitoring the cases of detainees on the island say Cuba has released about 30 people in the past two days, including Ferrer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, after being in prison for six months, Ferrer was placed under house arrest after a court sentenced him to 4 1/2 years for assault and kidnapping. But then in 2021 he was sent back to jail after participating in historic, widespread protests over food shortages and power outages amid a severe economic crisis. Ferrer, director of the political organization Patriotic Union of Cuba, said that he's already thinking of continuing his fight for democracy. I am going to meet up with my friends and my brothers (in the cause) now," he said. And I am going to continue the non-violent struggle for freedom and democracy. ____ Follow APs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america Jan. 15To help those in Los Angeles affected by the ongoing wildfires, Cumulus Media Albuquerque hosted a donation drive Wednesday collecting clothing, toiletries, energy drinks, water and other goods to send to the victims. Community members lined their cars outside of Graphic Connection in Northeast Albuquerque to drop off bag upon bag of donations, each loaded onto a nearby U-Haul trailer truck. Several on-air hosts and personalities from Cumulus' stations were on hand to thank the public and help load the goods. "In New Mexico's darkest hours, when wildfires devastated our land and upended our lives, neighboring states stood with us. They gave us hope when it felt like all was lost," said Jeff Berry, market manager for Cumulus Media Albuquerque. "Now it's our turn to give back as Los Angeles is facing unimaginable heartbreak. Together, we can make a real difference." Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) is poised to jump into the New York City mayoral race as soon as next month, threatening to roil an already unprecedented election that finds embattled Mayor Eric Adams (D) running for his political life. Cuomo, who left office amid multiple controversies, has not confirmed hes running for mayor. But the former governor has reportedly laid the groundwork for a bid as anticipation grows for him to make an announcement. At least one early poll has shown him leading the pack of Democratic candidates including Adams. Though there are still months to go before the June primary, Empire State Democrats are already bracing for one of the most tumultuous mayoral races the city has seen in years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Cuomo is obviously the 900-pound gorilla in this room, said Democratic strategist Trip Yang. He would start with a commanding lead built mostly on his high name recognition because he has served in statewide office here for over a decade. Cuomos stock was on the upswing five years ago within the Democratic Party and the country at large. The scion of a political family, Cuomo had served as governor of New York for almost a decade before he became a regular fixture on television screens amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But his political career came crashing down as multiple scandals surrounded his administration. Multiple women accused him of sexual harassment, and his administration was accused of intentionally undercounting the number of COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes. A report from the Justice Departments (DOJ) inspector general released last week found that DOJ officials during the first Trump administration may have violated the law in pushing for investigations into COVID-19 nursing home deaths in states with Democratic governors to try to influence the 2020 presidential election. Cuomo spokesperson Rich Azzopardi said following the reports release that it shows that New York and other Democratic states were targeted by the federal government even when nursing homes in other states had worse quality of care issues and New York was following federal guidance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuomo rejected the findings of an independent investigation from state Attorney General Letitia James (D) and has always denied the allegations against him, but he resigned from office in August 2021, saying he didnt want to distract from the governments operations. But he stayed politically active, launching a political action committee and a project to advocate for gun control in 2022. And it appears that hes about to seek office again with an up-for-grabs mayoral race. Politico reported last week that Cuomo is set to hire Charlie King, a longstanding ally, as a consultant and may enter the race in early February. Cuomo hasnt publicly acknowledged interest in running, but a spokesperson told the outlet that Cuomo is deeply concerned about [the citys] direction, and will always help any way he can. Azzopardi told The Hill in a statement that the speculation is premature, but Cuomo will always be a Queens boy who loves New York. He pointed to Cuomos accomplishments as governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Yorkers know he fought successfully to raise wages for millions of workers, actually built infrastructure projects that politicians merely talked about and delivered progress where Washington faltered, including passing the strongest gun protections and paid family leave in the nation, and codifying Roe vs. Wade in state law before the Supreme Court overturned it, all while cutting taxes and reining in spending, he said. Democrats said Cuomo is likely to be a quick favorite if he enters the race thanks to voters familiarity with him and his vision for the city, though his vulnerabilities give others an opening. One poll released Monday showed Cuomo with a large lead over his potential competitors, claiming 32 percent in the first round of a hypothetical ranked-choice primary the city has used since 2021. Former Comptroller Scott Stringer came in second with 10 percent, followed by current Comptroller Brad Lander with 8 percent. The poll had Cuomo prevailing in the fifth round of ranked choice with a majority of the vote and the other candidates not yet eliminated far behind him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic strategist Hank Sheinkopf acknowledged Cuomo is being powered by name recognition but also by coming off as more moderate in a time of chaos in the city with the scandals surrounding Adams. Generally, when there is chaos or disorder, people tend to vote for the party out of power, he said. The Cuomo Party is out of power. Adams was already gearing for a battle for his reelection bid with his approval rating dropping and challenges facing the city like housing affordability and an influx of migrants, but his support plummeted after he was indicted on charges of accepting bribes from businessmen and a Turkish government official for alleged favors. He has pleaded not guilty and denied wrongdoing. A survey showed an overwhelming majority of New Yorkers wanted him to resign, and Adams only received 6 percent in the first round of the poll released this week. That presents an opening for Cuomo, along with the half-dozen candidates who have entered the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Adams is in really dire shape right now. The storyline is going to be Cuomo vs. the field, Yang said. Can there be a candidate who emerges against Andrew Cuomo? But despite his name recognition, Cuomo still has vulnerabilities that could make him lose front-runner status. The poll showed Cuomo is viewed favorably by 48 percent of respondents but unfavorably by 44 percent, much higher than anyone else in the poll, except Adams. It suggests that while he starts with a large lead, there is a limited ceiling, and what you often want to do is look at candidates that have a better favorable-to-unfavorable ratio with registered Democratic voters, because those candidates have potential to grow and potential to catch up to someone like Cuomo, said Yang, who previously served as a campaign consultant for James and Lindsey Boylan, a former aide who accused Cuomo of sexual harassment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pointed to the 2013 mayors race, in which controversial former Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) was an early leader in some polls only for him to slip and lose to Bill de Blasio. Patrick Egan, a professor of politics and public policy at New York University, said one indicator of Cuomos potential may be how he polls with female voters given the sexual harassment allegations against him. Of course, hes denied [the allegations], but that was the galvanizing thing that led him to have to leave, and certainly, any opponent of his is going to try to highlight those issues, he said. But he added Cuomo could benefit from the city facing high-profile crises that left-leaning politicians tend to take blame for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Cuomo will] probably try to run toward the center, particularly on issues like homelessness and crime and law and order. Itll be interesting to see if hes able to do that, because obviously thats the space, the lane that Eric Adams ran on four years ago. And while the candidates other than Adams may not match the extent of Cuomos name recognition, some of them are still already known within the city. Stringer is a former citywide official who ran for mayor in 2021, while Lander is a current citywide official. Sheinkopf said the other candidates will need to find a development to one-up the well-known Adams and Cuomo. How do they overcome that? It wont be money, he said. Its got to be something else that happens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated: 12:31 p.m. ET 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. MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. (WNCT) A Morehead City staple is reopening its doors. Els Drive-In will be up and running starting tomorrow after months of renovations. Theyll start taking orders at 10:30 a.m. The drive-in has been closed for the past nine months. Some of the upgrades include a bigger grill and more deep fryers but theres one question on some customers minds, will everything taste the same with a new grill? Im here to say that its going to be the same food made by the same people. So it should taste exactly the same. We opened the trailer down in Smyrna, and from what I heard, everybody told me it was good, tasted the same. I even had some asked me if I moved the grill from Morehead to down there, and the answer for that is no, said Shelton Franks, Manager of Els Drive-In. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WNCT. CANFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) A cutting-edge pain management treatment most people search for in a big city is now available locally. Read next: Origin of next weeks arctic blast revealed The ribbon was cut Thursday on Revitalize Orthobiologics and Wellness in Canfield. The full-service restorative medicine and wellness center offers services like joint injections, weight-loss management, massage therapy, IV hydration, botox and orthobiologics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were bringing more advanced science options to Canfield. Thats the whole thing, said owner and medical director Dr. Kate Paylo. We dont want people to have to travel to get more innovative care, which would be using regenerative medicine. Orthobiologics is a form of regenerative medicine and can provide hope for people with pain who think they have no other choice but to go under the knife. Patients who have been told that they have no options, who are told they need surgery they have a knee injury, a back injury, or a shoulder injury. Theres a gap in medicine. Traditionally weve used steroids and other different types of medication options that destroy the joint capsule and theyre not good long term. But if you use your bodys own healing potential, it actually promotes healing and patients do so much better, Dr. Paylo said. There is there is an option. Platelet-rich plasma, or orthobiologics, we call them, thats the gap. Thats what were trying to fill. Orthobiologics uses the bodys platelet-rich plasma. The blood is taken, put into a centrifuge, and spun. It is then injected back into different parts of the body to promote healing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It can be used for so many different things: tendon injuries, joint injuries. Theres a lot of great research on it. Its science-backed options for patients that really havent had any options in the past, Dr. Paylo said. So other patients, or athletes, weekend warriors or somebody whos just been told that they dont have any options. This is something for them. Originally from Hermitage, Dr. Paylo, who is double board certified, says a medical wellness center was something she always wanted to do. Ive been doing platelet-rich plasma and these types of treatments on patients for years. I always wanted to do something that was just a little bit outside the box. Its kind of hard to break away from that with conventional medicine and what patients, Dr. Paylo said. Everybody wants to use insurance and they can only do so many things with insurance. So we put our heads together and we kind of built this from the ground up. Dr. Paylo relocated for a few years to Georgia, where she says treatments like this are fairly common. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other communities, this is a little more prevalent. Like out in California. They do it a lot more in bigger citiesAtlanta, said Dr. Paylo. Over the years, Ive seen patients do so well with this. Ive had 90-year-old ladies with arthritis in their knees. Then you do the injection with the platelet-rich plasma and they continue to have improvement over time. And so its really neat. Other services offered are esthetic treatments like Botox injections and fillers. The center offers weight loss management with GLP medications, nutritional help, hormone replacement therapy, and even IV Infusion treatment. Its a mindset, you know? Some people are willing to try things that are not covered by insurance and think outside the box a little bit. When you think about how expensive surgery is and all the things you have to do to undergo a knee surgery, the amount it costs to have an injection is so much less and you often see so much improvement, said Paylo. Were not trying to take business away from orthopedic surgeons because we kind of work hand in hand with them, too. Revitalize Orthobiologics and Wellness is located at 5231-3 South Canfield-Niles Road in Canfield. Call (330)286-9200. You can also book everything online at RevitalizeOBW.com and find them on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) The New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department is hosting a rapid hiring event at Expo New Mexico on January 23. The department is hiring for a number of positions including in protective services, family services, and behavioral health services. Albuquerque launches survey to gauge size of those with careers in the arts The department said people need to bring their resume, three professional references, and unofficial transcripts of the highest level of education they finished. If necessary, proof of the right to work in the United States is needed as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hiring event will be held at Expo New Mexico in the Manuel Lujan Jr. Building from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. If you cant make it to Albuquerque, statewide, the Americas Job Center locations will also be conducting interviews. 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. NICOSIA (Reuters) -Cyprus on Thursday hailed U.S. President Joe Biden's memorandum allowing military sales, including arms, to the island as a milestone affirming recognition as a pillar of stability in the east Mediterranean region which has been fraught with conflict. With a tiny military and no air force, the defence arsenal of the internationally recognised government in the ethnically divided island is modest, with ageing military hardware mainly supplied in the past by now sanctions-hit Russia. Its military is outnumbered by a better equipped army in its breakaway north, propped up politically and militarily by Turkey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The island was under a U.S. arms embargo from 1987 until 2020 because of its ethnic division, and a deepening in ties between the U.S. and Cyprus has been closely followed by Turkey, which in September criticised them signing a roadmap to boost defence co-operation. Wednesday's decree also reinforces a significant pivot of Cyprus to the West. Long viewed as under the sphere of Russian influence, ties with Moscow have cooled significantly in recent years, and particularly after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. "This (memorandum) is a clear recognition of the Republic of Cyprus as a pillar of stability and security in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the potential to further contribute to peace and the management of humanitarian challenges," the Cypriot presidency said in a statement. The foreign ministry of the breakaway Turkish Cypriot administration in northern Cyprus said the U.S. decision showed Cyprus' internationally recognised Greek government would "continue its arms race as if it were preparing for war". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We call on the countries that support the warmongering of the Greek Cypriot side to act by calculating the consequences of these actions and to be sensible," the statement said, adding it would keep taking steps with Turkey to protect the security of its citizens. Konstantinos Leymbiotis, spokesperson of Cyprus' Greek Cypriot-led government, said Nicosia's focus was purely defensive. "Cyprus has been under occupation for more than 50 years and more than 40,000 Turkish troops are here illegally. Cyprus is on a defence footing," he said. The 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus followed a brief Greek-inspired coup after years of sporadic violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots that had led to the collapse of a power-sharing administration in 1963. (Reporting by Michele Kambas; Additional reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun in Istanbul; Editing by Michael Perry, Hugh Lawson and Alison Williams) A creek in northwest Iowa, Oct. 16, 2024. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued a consent order requiring Roorda Dairy to pay more than $38,000, following a manure spill in July that resulted in more than 100,000 killed fish. Roorda Dairy, located in OBrien County, will also have to submit its standard operating procedures for manure application, equipment inspection, employee training and manure irrigation methods to the department for approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July 2024, a tile line ruptured while the dairy was applying manure to a field , which caused the manure to flow into Mud Creek. According to the consent order, Lance Roorda of the dairy placed a dam in the creek and pumped manure back up to the field when he noticed the rupture, but the high stream flow from heavy rains caused the dam to fail and manure to enter the creek. DNR was contacted by an individual who observed manure and dead fish in Mud Creek. According to the consent order, the fish kill extended 9.6 miles down Mud Creek, to where it joins with Mill Creek. DNR staff determined 107,373 fish were killed as a result of the manure spill and the elevated nutrient levels it caused in the creek. DNR valued the fish and investigative costs at $30,791, which Roorda Dairy is obligated to pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the dairy is fined $8,000 in administrative penalties, explained as $6,000 for the gravity of the spill and $2,000 for failing to notify DNR of the spill. Roorda Dairy agreed to the order, which was signed by DNR director Kayla Lyon Jan. 10. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (KRON) A Daly City man was convicted of crimes that included strangling his girlfriend in front of their young children, beating the victim, and sexually assaulting her, San Mateo County prosecutors said. James Phillip Nalus, 42, will remain in jail with no bail until he is sentenced to prison on March 19 by Judge Jeffrey Jackson. A jury delivered its guilty verdict on Tuesday. Prosecutors said Nalus was physically abusive toward his girlfriend during their 4-year-long relationship, and they had three children together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was arrested in January of 2023 by the South San Francisco Police Department after the victim reported several disturbing incidents. She told police that her boyfriend met a man online and he wanted her to participate in a threesome, according to prosecutors. The victim said no, but Nalus threatened to beat her if she continued refusing. Prosecutors wrote, the defendant forced her to have sex with him and the other male. Video: Wild chase on Marin County highway recorded by helicopter The victim told police about another incident when, over the course of a few days, the defendant repeatedly beat and strangled the victim in front of their young children. He told her he got turned on by beating her. The defendant called out of work a day after beating her to ensure (she) didnt call the police or leave the hotel room, the district attorneys office wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 13-day trial for Nalus ended when jurors convicted him on 23 counts, including forcible rape, domestic violence, felony child cruelty, and sexual battery. 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. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in California due to ongoing wildfires. What is dangerous about these fires specifically is the toxic fumes, not just from the trees and brush, but the burning homes and buildings as well. Second Easthampton pedestrian accident on Route 10 in a week Air quality is poor in areas of Los Angeles and Ventura County. This is because of increased levels of particulate matter, PM 2.5, that spread dangerous chemicals into the air and our bodies. We spoke to Sarita Hudson with the Public Health Institute of Western Massachusetts about what adverse health impacts are associated with this smoke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its similar to what we know about air pollution in general, Hudson said. You know, respiratory systems, respiratory effects, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing, the cardiovascular issues around heart problems and reduced lung function. We saw similar trends in Massachusetts during the height of wildfire season in October and November. The most at-risk groups are the elderly, children, and pregnant women. The best way to protect yourself is staying indoors and using an N-95 mask if going outside is necessary. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWLP. US President-elect Donald Trump has not withdrawn his threats of possible punitive tariffs against Denmark, according to Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Speaking after a meeting of the Danish parliament's foreign affairs committee, she said Danish officials were not preparing for any concrete measures. The US side had indicated that a situation could arise in which there would be less economic co-operation than today, she said, adding: "We do not want any form of conflict with the Americans in the area of trade." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news conference last week, Trump refused to rule out military and economic coercion in order to gain control of Greenland, the world's largest island, or the Panama Canal. The United States is the most important export country for Denmark's economy. Frederiksen said she had informed the foreign affairs committee about her phone call with Trump the previous day, which had dealt with his comments regarding Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory. In the 45-minute conversation with Trump, Frederiksen underlined comments by Greenland's Prime Minister Mute Egede, who said that "Greenland belongs to the Greenlanders," and that the island was not for sale. The Danish prime minister told President-elect Trump that Greenland will decide its future in a call Wednesday, according to a press release. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stated that in her call to the president-elect that Greenlands independence is its own choice, according to the translation of a statement released by the Danish government. Frederiksen also underscored in the call that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the United States, and that the EU and the United States have a common interest in strengthened trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President-elect Trump has recently taken aim at Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory controlled by Denmark, as a place that could be a part of the U.S. He has said that the U.S owning the island is an absolute necessity, and has not shot down the idea of using military action to acquire it. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), President-elect Trumps pick for national security adviser, said last week that Greenland is important for national security. This is about critical minerals, Waltz said in a Fox News interview. This is about natural resources. This is about, as the polar ice caps pull back, the Chinese are now cranking out icebreakers and pushing up there as well. So, its oil and gas. Its our national security. Its critical minerals. In a recent Suffolk University/USA Today survey, 53 percent of U.S. likely voters said that they were opposed to the U.S. taking over Greenland. Twenty-nine percent of the likely voters said the Greenland takeover is a good idea, but didnt think it could realistically happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to the Trump transition team for comment. 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. DANVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) A woman was arrested on Tuesday after a police pursuit in Danville. A Danville police officer stopped a car on West Williams Street around 4 p.m. on Tuesday because of several equipment violations. Vermilion Co. Board approves budget amendment, some solar projects During the stop, a K9 officer arrived and ran a K9 around the car. The K9 alerted which meant that the officers had probable cause to search the car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Danville Police Department identified the driver as 47-year-old Jhamala Thomas of Danville. Thomas was told to get out of her vehicle, but instead she fled from police. The pursuit eventually led officers to an address on Shady Lane, where Thomas parked her car and was arrested. Officers continued to investigate, and they found a controlled substance. Danville police obtained a search warrant for the house and found an illegal loaded firearm inside. SRO uses pepper spray to break up fight at Decatur middle school Thomas was charged with aggravated fleeing and eluding, possession of a controlled substance and aggravated unlawful use of a weapon. However, the police department also said that all subjects are considered innocent until proven guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police ask that anyone with more information calls them at 217-431-2250. To make an anonymous tip, call Vermilion County Crimestoppers at 217-446-TIPS (8477), visit their website or use the P3TIPS mobile app. 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 WCIA.com. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of Darlene Kimbrough Rogers at the age of 86. Darlene left this world on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at 4:30 a.m., at Autumn Lake Healthcare in Crofton, Maryland, following complications from Parkinsons disease. Born on September 23, 1938, in Struthers, Ohio, Darlene was the cherished daughter of Rollie O. Kimbrough and Arzana Olivia Brown Kimbrough. Find obituaries from your high school Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A resident of Bowie, Maryland, for the past 12 years, she previously lived in Youngstown, Ohio, where she profoundly impacted her community and professional endeavors. Darlene was a committed scholar, graduating from South High School in 1956. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Social Work from Youngstown State University in 1960, followed by a Masters Degree in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University in 1971. Her impressive career included pivotal roles as a social worker with the United Way and her historic election as the first Black woman to serve on the Youngstown City Council as the 3rd Ward Councilwoman. Darlene dedicated her life to serving others before her retirement. A member of First Baptist Church of Glenarden in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Darlene also contributed to St. Andrewses AME Church in Youngstown, Ohio, where she and her family members were beloved choir members and served as the minister of music and trustee. She was married in this church in 1960. Additionally, her commitment to community service was reflected through her membership in Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Darlene is fondly remembered as a loving wife to Lewis Red Rogers, Jr., whom she married on August 27, 1960. She is survived by her two sons, Lewis Todd Rogers, Sr. and Douglas Scott Rogers, both of Bowie, Maryland; her brothers, Rollie O. (Gwendolyn) Kimbrough and Dwayne G. (Denise) Kimbrough, along with four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years; her parents and her brother, Kenneth Kimbrough. Darlenes impact extended beyond her family; she was a passionate advocate for civil rights and womens rights, actively participating in the 1960s movement. She collaborated with national leaders in the 1980s such as Jesse Jackson, Sr., Betty Shabazz (Malcolm Xs late wife), and Randall Robinson, alongside close friends and sorority sisters like the late Congresswoman Stephanie Tubbs Jones. Darlene founded Operations Upbeat, a music program dedicated to employing graduates from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to enhance the education of Youngstown City Schools students. She also served as an adjunct professor in the African American Studies department at Youngstown State University. Funeral services will be held Monday, January 20, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. at Christ Centered Church, 3300 Hudson Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44511, with calling hours from 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. A Delta Sigma Theta service is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Darlene will be laid to rest at Tod Homestead Cemetery. Condolences can be sent to Darlene Kimbrough Rogers c/o Sterling-McCullough Williams Funeral Home, 632 Belmont Avenue, Youngstown, OH 44502. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made via Cash App or Zelle to lewisr4288. Darlene Kimbrough Rogers will be remembered for her kindness, strength, and unwavering commitment to her family and community. She will be deeply missed. To send a flower arrangement or to plant trees in memory of Darlene Kimbrough Rogers, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store. A television tribute will air Friday, January 17 at the following approximate times: 7:10 a.m. on FOX, 12:22 p.m. on WKBN, 5:08 p.m. on MyYTV and 7:27 p.m. on WYTV. 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. DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WPRI) Police arrested a Dartmouth High School student who reportedly tried to stab a classmate with a makeshift weapon Wednesday afternoon, according to authorities. Officers responded to the high school around 10:30 a.m. to investigate a 911 call that came from inside the building. An investigation revealed that a student had retreated into a nearby office shortly after being approached by the suspect in the hallway. The suspect tried to stab the victim using a pen with a screwdriver on the other end, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The high school issued a brief shelter in place so the officers could find the suspect and secure the makeshift weapon. The suspect, who has not been identified, was taken into custody and charged with assault and battery, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to murder, and assault with intent to cause serious bodily harm. No one was injured and the investigation is ongoing. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire deal to pause the fighting in Gaza, and local organizations are sharing more about the impact of this news. A ceasefire agreement was reached in the Middle East Wednesday, with the deal going into effect Sunday. It will result in the release of at least 30 hostages from Hamas, and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israel. This is the first stop in fighting since a week-long truce that expired on Dec. 1, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire deal 2 NEWS spoke with local organizations about the impact of the deal. Both organizations say this deal is a step in the right direction, but they both say there are still important steps to take like the exchange of hostages and prisoners for this ceasefire to mean something. The talks are certainly going in the right direction, and they are creating a great deal of hope, said Cathy Gardner, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton. The Jewish Federation of Greater Dayton said the Israel-Hamas ceasefire is a huge first step that can lead to much more, but it wont mean anything if both sides do not follow through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the ceasefire is terribly important, but the most important thing is that the ceasefire cannot really have the meaning that it needs to have until all of the hostages have been released, said Gardner. Gardner also said both sides are responsible for making sure those in the middle of the conflict do not suffer further harm. There has to be a number of steps going in the right direction in order for there to be safety and security, and so people can live their lives, said Gardner. Israel-Hamas war latest: New Hamas leader can ensure a cease-fire deal is reached, Blinken says Leaders with the Dayton Arab American Forum say the news is bittersweet. While the ceasefire deal brings hope, there is still uncertainty about the path forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Palestinian-American community feels a mix of emotions of this news, said Jad Musbaslat, Dayton Arab American Forum treasurer. Musbaslat says it raises an important question for the American people. Perhaps our unconditional support for Israel has gone too far, said Musbaslat. Because we now find ourselves with both the destruction and reconstruction, so its cautious optimism. Both organizations say that no matter what comes next, here in our area, a dialogue needs to be continued. Nothing is more important than the dialogue we have, where we care about everyone, said Gardner. This isnt about hatred, said Musbaslat. I think the message for both sides is if you are not winning the hearts and minds, youre losing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both organizations have stated that they will be holding events in the future to continue that dialogue. They hope that everyone will attend not only to educate but to connect with one another as the ceasefire continues. 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. Good morning, Chicago. President Joe Biden used his farewell address to the nation last night to warn of an oligarchy of the ultra-wealthy taking root in the country and of a tech-industrial complex that is infringing on Americans rights and the future of democracy. Speaking from the Oval Office, Biden sounded alarm over an oligarchy he said is taking shape in America. Invoking President Dwight Eisenhowers warnings about the military-industrial complex when he left office, he added, Im equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers to our country as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story. And here are the top stories you need to know to start your day. Subscribe to more newsletters | Puzzles & Games | Todays eNewspaper edition Netanyahu says last minute crisis with Hamas holding up approval of Gaza truce and hostage deal Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today that a last-minute crisis with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited ceasefire that would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory. City Council sides with Mayor Brandon Johnson on Chicagos sanctuary city dispute An effort by opponents of Mayor Brandon Johnson to water down Chicagos sanctuary city ordinance faltered in the City Council yesterday, a victory for the mayor as his administration prepares for the looming threat of deportations under incoming President Donald Trump. Jury in Madigan trial hears stipulated testimony from Gov. Pritzker as defense case comes to a close Jurors in the Michael Madigan corruption case have heard a lot of evidence about a 2018 meeting between the then-powerful House speaker and incoming Gov. JB Pritzker, where the two Democrats allegedly discussed the topic of state boards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yesterday, however, the jury learned that if he were called to testify, Pritzker would say he has no recollection of the meeting or any discussion of Daniel Solis, the alderman-turned-FBI mole, getting a lucrative board seat. New Chicago school board sworn in as CTU president pushes to reach deal over contentious contract The new Chicago Board of Education was sworn in yesterday, marking a historic shift in oversight of the countrys fourth-largest school district after decades of mayoral control of the board. The hybrid board currently composed of 10 members who won their seats during the citys first school board elections and 10 members appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson will have a decisive hand in shaping the future of Chicago Public Schools amid immediate financial challenges at the district and contentious negotiations on a new four-year Chicago Teachers Union contract that has devolved into a prolonged power struggle. CFD deputy chief driven to firehouse after being found asleep at the wheel: OIG Several members of the Chicago Fire Department falsified reports and misled investigators after a high-ranking department member was found slumped over the steering wheel of a vehicle in 2022, according to a new report from the citys Office of Inspector General. Lincoln Park Zoo says harbor seal and Chilean flamingo died of avian flu Officials at Lincoln Park Zoo confirmed yesterday that a harbor seal and a Chilean flamingo each died of highly pathogenic avian flu earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, zoo officials said the source of exposure to the Chilean flamingo named Teal and a harbor seal named Slater was unknown, though they believe it was the result of contact with infected waterfowl. With the Polar Dome at Santas Village reopening, old memories are warming hearts Fridays reopening of the former Polar Dome indoor ice rink at Santas Village in East Dundee is being marketed as a frosty comeback. The Polar Dome made its debut in February 1963, four years after Santas Villages opened. It operated seasonally until 2005. Chicago White Sox come to terms with 16 players including 6 pitchers as part of the international signing period The White Sox announced agreements with players from the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Cuba yesterday as part of the international signing period. Review: One of Them Days is a Los Angeles comedy with unexpected poignancy and Keke Palmer One of Them Days is a pretty good time, made better when its major point of distinction takes the wheel, writes Tribune film critic Michael Phillips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver? Keke Palmer, at 31 a seasoned pro, born and raised in Harvey and Robbins, Illinois, with credits spanning Barbershop 2 (at age 10), Akeelah and the Bee, dozens of TV and cable appearances and, recently on bigger screens, Jordan Peeles Nope. Shes one of many alums of Issa Rae projects collaborating on this feature, including director Lawrence Lamont, first-time screenwriter Syreeta Singleton and R&B star and four-time Grammy winner SZA, taking her first co-lead. Severance review: In Season 2, more of the same Taking the idea of work-life balance to extremes, the sardonic and surrealist thriller Severance on Apple TV+ envisions a dystopian corporate world in which employees of a company called Lumon Industries have a chip implanted in their brains that severs their memory in two. At work, their innie version has no knowledge of their life or even personal history outside the office; they are simply at work all the time. Their outie is just as clueless about anything that transpires under the fluorescent lights of their cubicles. They might as well be two different people. Though Severance has a concept thats equal parts creepy and compelling, boosted by terrific performances and distinctive production design, the core idea is a movie idea, writes Tribune TV and film critic Nina Metz. 5 concerts for Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend in Chicago Going out to a party or attending a concert isnt a traditional activity during Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend. In recent years, event producers have shifted focus from rowdy events to marking the national holiday as a day of service. However, there are still ways to celebrate the life and legacy of the civil rights activist at night. As the U.S. Navys next-generation destroyer, currently dubbed the DDG(X), continues through concept design stages, the services surface warfare director reiterated Tuesday how the future ship must be able to field a wider variety of weapons systems, while sporting nearly unprecedented levels of power production. And while questions remain about delivery schedules and cost, the Navy needs to make DDG(X) far more capable of taking on future systems and upgrades than its predecessor, the Arleigh Burke destroyer class, a design that is now officially maxed out in terms of future growth. The Navy has remained largely mum as of late about where the DDG(X) effort currently stands, but Rear Adm. Bill Daly gave an update on the program during the Surface Navy Associations annual conference, which TWZ attended. DDG(X) is a must do, operationally, tactically, for shipbuilding, Daly said. The DDG(X) design is our clean-sheet imperative to update warship endurance, power production and storage, C5I [command, control, communication, computer, cyber and intelligence], and weapons technology such as hypersonics and directed energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daly noted that U.S. households consume 40% more power than they did when the lead destroyer in the current destroyer class, USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51), was built in the late 1980s, and that such consumption has translated to ships as well. As part of this power requirement, he said the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act calls for the Navy to investigate power systems that can generate 40 megawatts of reserve power. The Navy destroyer USS Arleigh Burke (DDG-51). (U.S. Navy) This is a required evolution that we must get right for DDG(X), quickly, he said, adding that the service is proceeding on testing propulsion systems at land-based sites, as required by law. USNI News reported in 2023 that a $122 million, full-scale DDG(X) integrated propulsion system would be tested at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Philadelphia. TWZ has in the past reported what the DDG(X)s so-called Integrated Power System (IPS) will offer: IPS will also be vital to meet the increased power generation demands of both directed-energy weapons and powerful sensor arrays. The technology behind IPS is the same as found in the Zumwalt class of destroyers, in which an advanced turbo-electric drive system replaces the traditional gas-turbine propulsion gear. While the Zumwalt class has not proved a success, with only three hulls completed, its propulsion system is unquestionably powerful, putting out more than 75 megawatts of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daly also suggested that the exact weapons systems aboard DDG(X) remain in the works, but TWZ has reported on how they will likely include long-range surface-to-air and hypersonic missiles, as well as directed-energy weapons. To date, Zumwalt class are the only Navy surface combatants capable of generating such high levels of electricity and are in the midst of being outfitted with launchers to eventually fire Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) hypersonic missiles. Go here to read more TWZ coverage of that effort. The Navy destroyer USS Zumwalt (DDG-1000) returned to the water last month after receiving an upgrade that will allow it to launch hypersonic missiles. (HII) Every time you watch an impressive video of what meshed drones can do, ask yourself, would I rather have a large-bore shotgun, a directed-energy weapon, or both for the DDG(X)? Daly said. That is a required evolution that we need to get correct quickly. Asked about when the Navy will release more about the DDG(X), Daly said he wants to make sure I have several parts right in that shape, and thats what were doing, concept design. Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has not responded to TWZ queries by deadline regarding the evolution of the future warships design. But a LinkedIn post last month by the Navys Program Executive Office (PEO) Ships about an officers going-away party features a photo of DDG(X) on a cake, in which the Mk 45 five-inch main gun is no longer on the bow, a contrast to images released by the Navy of the future ship in the past. Post Unavailable Naval News Carter Johnson was the first to report on the main guns absence in the DDG(X) cake rendering, which also shows a rearrangement of the Mk41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) missile modules, along with changes to the front-facing bridge windows and other modifications. At this point, it remains unclear whether the cake reflects the ships current design or the creative liberty of the cake maker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Either way, DDG(X) is planned as a bigger ship than its Burke brethren, displacing 13,500 tons, which is nearly 40% greater than the 9,700-ton displacement of the latest Flight III Arleigh Burke variant, according to a December Congressional Research Service report. While DDG(X) will host the Flight III Aegis Combat System and the high-powered AN/SPY-6 radar, also known as the Air and Missile Defense Radar (AMDR) or Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR), DDG(X) will have more margin for growth than Flight IIIs, which means more space, weight capacity, electrical power and cooling capacity allowing it to accommodate new higher-power equipment and directed-energy weapons over its service life, the CRS report states. The AN/SPY-6 radar aboard the Flight III Navy destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125). (RTX) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The] DDG 51 Flight (FLT) III [design] is highly capable, but after over 40 years in production and 30 years of upgrades the [DDG-51] hull form does not provide sufficient space and center of gravity margin to host these future capabilities, Navy officials told CRS. DDG(X) will also feature reduced infrared, acoustic and underwater electromagnetic signatures, increasing its survivability. It is further expected to have a greater cruising range due to fuel efficiency that will reduce its need for underway refueling. DDG(X) is planned to have an increased weapon capacity compared to its predecessor as well. The Navy states that the baseline DDG(X) design, like the Fight III DDG-51 design, is to include 96 standard Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells, with an ability to incorporate 12 large missile launch cells in place of 32 of the 96 standard VLS cells, the CRS report states. It is also to include two 21-cell Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) launchers, and possibly also an ability to be built with an additional mid-body hull section, called the Destroyer Payload Module, that would provide additional payload capacity. A RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) fired from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Anchorage (LPD-23). (U.S. Navy) Still, the Navys ambitious plans for DDG(X) are coming with a cost, even as the brass warns that China could move to invade Taiwan in the next few years, according to the CRS. The Navys 2025 shipbuilding plan called for production of those ships to commence in 2032, but the Navy later informed the CBO that the first ship actually wouldnt begin production until 2034 or later. Go here to read more TWZ coverage of how the future DDG fleet in general is being impacted by cost increases and delivery delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Navy wants to eventually buy 28 DDG(X) ships at an average cost of $3.3 billion per vessel, a price driven mostly by an increase in the size and capabilities of the future warship, according to the CBO. But given the size and new tech onboard the DDG(X), CBOs assessment states that those ships will actually cost $4.4 billion on average. The CBO also found that Flight III costs will balloon from an average of $2.1 billion per ship to $2.5 billion per hull, with even steeper cost increases coming in the future. The Flight III Navy destroyer USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG-125). (HII) The uncertainty about the ultimate size and capabilities of the [DDG(X)] suggests that its final cost could differ substantially from both the Navys and CBOs estimates, the report states. As the fleet awaits further details about the DDG(X), all signs point to it being a game-changing platform in comparison to the surface fleets current capabilities. But what precisely it will field, and whether the Navy and industry can deliver it on time and within budget, remains to be seen. Email the author: geoff@twz.com AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A well-known automotive retailer is expanding in the Mahoning Valley once again. Read next: Winter weather advisory issued for local counties On Wednesday, #1 Cochran announced its acquisition of Fred Martin Mercedes-Benz and Ford on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown. The move marks the first Mercedes-Benz franchise for #1 Cochran and its fifth Ford Store. The dealerships will operate as Mercedes-Benz of Youngstown and #1 Cochran Ford Youngstown. The addition extends #1 Cochrans presence in the Mahoning Valley to eight dealerships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a special ilk about the people in this part of the country, and thats appealing to us, said #1 Cochran Chairman and CEO, Rob Cochran. Its appealing in an area thats trying to get better. Theres something to be said for these communities and theres a lot of upside and opportunities. Theyre all working on economic development, and thats what the area needs. So were excited to be a part of that. Nearly all of Fred Martins employees joined #1 Cochran, bringing the companys team member count to 1900. Fred Martin Ford has been a staple in the Youngstown market for more than 50 years, becoming an authorized Mercedes-Benz retailer in 1986. #1 Cochran first entered the region in January 2023 when it acquired Sweeney Chevrolet, Buick and GMC in Boardman. It also acquired Boardman Nissan in June 2023 and Flynn Automotive Group in October 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. CONEY ISLAND, Brooklyn (PIX11) Coney Island is a place known for games and amusements. A debate about a possible casino in the neighborhood is heating up. The state of New York could award three downstate casino licenses near the end of 2025. Applications are due by the summer. Developers and the property owner have proposed a site on 5 acres in Coney Island. The fire breathing at Coney Island USA is not the hottest topic in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More Local News We knew there was a land grab going on. We didnt know it will come down to this, said Adam Rinn, the artistic director for Coney Island USA. The developer has submitted plans to reclassify some areas, including remapping some streets, which could possibly pave the way for a casino. The local community board has the first vote on the local zoning issue, followed by the New York City Council. Vacant lot transformed in Manhattan as casino licenses are evaluated Its the scale of it and changing the fundamental reasons of why you come down here, said Brooklyn resident and tour guide Ed Dutchmazz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors are getting organized. Nobody moves to an area to see a big casino building. They move for natural beauty, said Kouichi Shirayanagi, who lives in Coney Island. The property owner and supporters say a casino, convention center and hotel would have a year-round, economic impact for business and residents. Robert Cornegy is a former New York City Council member and spokesperson for the project. Imagine being able to create a structure that has union jobs for construction, and also jobs that will improve the quality of life, Cornegy said. Developers propose a fund to cover boardwalk and infrastructure improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Coney Island USA stage and bar are next to the proposed site. Theres a lot right across the street thats vacant and rat-infested for 10 years. They couldve done something during that time. Now dont say now youre going to give money, Rinn added. Artist Danielle Mastrion has created many murals around Coney Island. She doesnt see the casino as a fit. Keep the traditions of Coney Island alive, which focus on the arts, shows and performers, Mastrion said. The land use committee of Community Board 13 meets Wednesday with a full board vote expected next week on the request. A state gaming board will award official downstate casino licenses, which also have to meet local zoning rules. Community input and hearings will continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About a dozen sites have been mentioned as possible locations, including Citi Field, Hudson Yards, Times Square and along First Avenue near 40th 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 PIX11. Utah Republican policymakers are focused on voter confidence ahead of the 2025 legislative session following an election year that highlighted intraparty division over ballot access and mail-in ballots. Among top legislators and lobbyists there is a general understanding that the states 10-year-old primary process, known as SB54, which permits primary qualification via state convention or signature-gathering, will remain in place. But key players have opposite ideas of how to increase trust in this unique election system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Mike Schultz and House majority leadership told the Deseret News on Tuesday they support legislation that would require voters to return their ballots at an in-person polling location with ID. They said that eliminating reliance on signature verification, ballot curing and the U.S. Postal Service will remove reasons of concern for voters and candidates in close races. Former Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, talks to members of the media at the 2025 election policy discussion hosted by the Sutherland Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Election reform activists Stan Lockhart and Taylor Morgan, as well as the father of SB54, former Sen. Curt Bramble, suggested at a Sutherland Institute event on Wednesday that they support lowering the signature threshold for primary qualification. This would reduce the role of out-of-state money and signature-gathering firms in Utah GOP primaries while keeping elections accessible to the greatest number of Utahns possible, they argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disagreement between these two approaches is whether the state should prioritize restricting how people vote to maximize security, or prioritize increasing ballot access to maximize voter participation. What Utah voters say would increase their trust A new poll presented by the Sutherland Institute at Wednesdays election policy event found strong trust in Utah elections and identified several ways lawmakers could strengthen trust more. The poll, conducted by Y2 Analytics, surveyed nearly 1,000 registered Utah voters shortly before and after the 2024 general election. It found that 54% of respondents were very confident that their ballot would be, or had been, counted accurately in Utah and that 29% were somewhat confident. Utahns overall trust in election results rose from 83% to 87% when asked to rate their confidence in ballot accuracy at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To us, what this said is, there isnt really a big crisis of confidence in elections, at least when you go out to talk to average voters themselves, said Derek Monson, the chief growth officer at Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank. But a significant number of voters believe that policy choices being discussed this year could increase or decrease their confidence in elections, according to the poll. The proposal that produced the greatest net gain in election confidence was requiring photo ID when submitting a mail-in ballot. Over half, 51%, of voters surveyed said this change would make them either much more or somewhat more confident in Utah elections and 20% said it would make them less confident for a net confidence of 31 percentage points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other changes that produced a net gain in confidence were requiring mail-in ballots to be received by Election Day, with 21 points in net confidence; ensuring that election results are known on election night, at 18 points; and requiring election officials to send voters the results of election audits, at five points. The policy change that produced the greatest net decrease in confidence in election results was requiring voters to cast ballots only on Election Day 60% of respondents said this change would make them less confident, 19% said it would make them more confident for a total of negative 41 percentage points in net confidence. Other confidence-decreasing measures include using artificial intelligence to help election officials verify voter signatures, requiring all voters to cast ballots at an in-person polling station, and transferring election oversight away from the Lieutenant Governors Office. Sutherland Institute chief growth officer Derek Monson moderates a discussion with Brian McKenzie, Davis County clerk, and Amelia Powers Gardner, Utah County commissioner, about the security of Utahs election system during the 2025 election policy discussion hosted by the Sutherland Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Vote-by-mail ... in-person? Despite a constant drumbeat from GOP state delegates to repeal SB54, undoing Utahs dual-path to primary qualification is not on the House Republicans priority list, according Schultz, R-Hooper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the caucus will still be pursuing reforms in response to complaints from losing candidates in the 2024 election cycle over the non-transparency of signature nomination packets, the unreliability of Postal Service postmarks and the subjectivity of ballot signature verification. The state House Republican leadership team says they have a bill to eliminate these latter two complaints. Under the proposal, Utah voters would continue to receive mail-in ballots a few weeks before Election Day. But, in order to submit them, voters would be required to travel to an in-person polling location during an early voting period and present a form of identification. This would maintain the convenience for voters who like to research candidates with their ballot at home or who like the flexibility of voting before Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it would also eliminate the opportunity for people to forge signatures on ballots, take the pressure off the Postal Service to meet election deadlines and remove the burden from county clerks of counting late breaking votes after Election Day and reaching out to voters to correct mismatched signatures. Were not against the vote by mail overall, we just think theres a better way to do it, Schultz told the Deseret News and KSL editorial boards on Tuesday, pointing to a Pew poll from January 2024 that found 81% of U.S. adults supported requiring people to show government-issued photo identification to vote. Schultz determination to reform vote-by-mail is the direct product of multiple legislative audits that have taken place since he passed a bill requiring them in 2022, he said. One audit, released in October, found that over 4% of signatures used for primary qualifications were incorrectly counted or rejected. Another one, released in December, identified inaccurate voter rolls and a lack of statutory compliance by some county clerks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another major impetus for reforming vote by mail, according to Schultz and Majority Whip Karianne Lisonbee, R-Clearfield, was the extremely close 2nd Congressional District GOP primary where several hundred ballots were rejected with a late postmark at least in part because of Postal Service delays. If all it takes to avoid uncertainty surrounding which votes will be counted is changing how mail-in ballots are returned, then the changes will be well worth the Legislatures time, according to Majority Assistant Whip Casey Snider, R-Paradise. The strength of our institutions and the strength of our elections is contingent upon people having total confidence in that, Snider said. If theres any way that we can improve that confidence and show people that theres no question here, the better off were all going to be as a system. Raise or remove ballot obstacles? Davis County Clerk Brian McKenzie and Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner, who formerly served as Utah County Clerk, said the Legislature should be careful about blending mail-in ballots with in-person requirements. Amelia Powers Gardner, Utah County commissioner, talks about the security of Utahs election system during the 2025 election policy discussion hosted by the Sutherland Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Brian McKenzie, Davis County clerk, listens. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News County clerks would need an enormous amount of resources to staff in-person polling locations for 10-14 days prior to Election Day if all Utah voters are instructed to submit their mail-in ballots in-person, McKenzie said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a significant change for the voters, it is a significant cost impact as well for the taxpayers, and before we make any of those significant changes like that, we really need to make sure that this policy is data-driven and not perception-driven, McKenzie said. Brian McKenzie, Davis County clerk, talks about the security of Utahs election system during the 2025 election policy discussion hosted by the Sutherland Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swapping signature verification for in-person voter identification could potentially introduce even more human error into the process, Powers Gardner said. When she oversaw elections in Utah County, Powers Gardner implemented a fast-cast voting pilot project that allowed voters to quickly drop off their mail-in ballots in-person. Powers Gardner said the experiment resulted in more individuals wrongfully casting multiple ballots because of a lack of safeguards in the check-in and scanning steps that exist for ballots submitted via the mail. House Democratic Whip Jennifer Dailey-Provost told the Deseret News that one of the minority caucus greatest concerns is that their Republican colleagues will capitalize on imperfections in the vote-by-mail process to limit who can conveniently vote. We have to be committed to making sure that everybody has the very best opportunity to vote, and any moves to curtail that availability is just anti democratic, Dailey-Provost, D-Salt Lake City, said. On Wednesday, the key players who were involved in negotiating the states compromise on primary elections agreed that the best next step for the election system is to give voters more candidate choices, not fewer ways to vote. Bramble said an unintended consequence of SB54 was to create a cottage industry for paying for signatures to get on the primary ballot, which has divided the GOP and benefitted candidates with lots of money. Bramble agreed with Morgan, the executive director of Count My Vote, and Lockhart, a board member at Fair Vote, that the best way to improve the states election system and increase trust is to lower the signature threshold to qualify for primary elections. One bill made public on Tuesday would reduce the signature threshold for statewide primary races from 28,000 signatures to just 1,000. Measures like this would broaden the number of choices available to voters and increase their ability to select the candidate who best represents their values, Bramble said. We shouldnt fear the voice of the people, Bramble said. DELRAY BEACH Four Delray Beach Fire Rescue employees with a combined 77 years of experience as city firefighters are on administrative leave after a Dec. 28 Brightline train collision with a city fire truck, and union leaders are not happy the names of the four were released. The crash in Delray Beach left three firefighters and 12 Brightline passengers injured. Assistant Chief Kevin Green, Division Chief Todd Lynch, Captain Brian Fiorey and Driver Engineer David Wyatt were subsequently placed on paid leave, according to a Jan. 3 public announcement from Delray Beach Fire Chief Ronald Martin. Wyatt, Fiorey and firefighter Joseph Fiumara III were on the fire truck and were transported to Delray Medical Center as trauma victims after the the crash, according to the Delray Beach Police Department. Wyatt was driving the fire truck at the time of the crash. Delray Beach Fire Rescue Chief Ronald Martin Following the placement of four employees on paid leave, Delray Beach Fire Rescue launched an internal administrative investigation to determine whether city and fire rescue policies and procedures were followed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin's move to release the names of the four employees placed on administrative leave after the crash was denounced by the union that represents Delray Beach firefighters in a Jan. 3 Facebook post. In the post, union leaders called Martin's decision "reckless and irresponsible." "Chief Martins decision to prematurely name individuals, without the conclusion of a thorough investigation, not only undermines fundamental principles of due process but signals a dangerous erosion in leadership and integrity," the post stated. "In doing so, Chief Martin risks the creation of a culture of selfishness and skepticism at Delray Beach Fire Rescue, a Department that relies on unity and trust to function effectively during emergencies." A Delray Beach ladder firetruck was crossing the FEC tracks near the intersection of East Atlantic Avenue and SE 1st Avenue when it was struck by a Brightline train December 28, 2024 in Delray Beach. Administrative leave with pay is a standard procedural action, not a disciplinary measure, according to the city. Per Florida Statute Chapter 119, an employees name, title and employment status are not confidential, and documents placing an employee on leave are not confidential or exempt. In a written statement responding to the union's Facebook post, Martin said he appreciated the union's role in advocating for its members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As Fire Chief, my priority remains ensuring the safety of our firefighters and the community while upholding the integrity of the Fire Rescue Department," Martin said. "I want to assure all members of Delray Beach Fire Rescue and the public that this process will be conducted with fairness, professionalism, and respect that each employee deserves. A Brightline passenger train sits near downtown Delray Beach on Saturday afternoon after colliding with a Delray Beach Fire Rescue truck. "My commitment to due process remains steadfast. My focus is on strengthening this department, supporting our firefighters, and ensuring that we continue to provide the highest level of service to the residents of Delray Beach." City Manager Terrence Moore said the decision to release the four names had been made in alignment with the city's "commitment to transparency and public accountability." "This was not an abandonment of due process but rather a necessary step to maintain public trust in our department while an administrative investigation is conducted," Moore said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jasmine Fernandez is a journalist covering Delray Beach and Boca Raton for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at jfernandez@pbpost.com and follow her on X (formerly Twitter) at @jasminefernandz. Help support our work. Subscribe today. Sign up for our Post on Delray Beach weekly newsletter, delivered every Thursday! This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Delray Beach firefighter union denounces chief after Brightline crash Democratic incumbent, and the apparent winner of the North Carolina Supreme Court race, filed a brief with the Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, laying out her argument for why a legal battle on the certification of the November race should remain in federal court. The ongoing legal battle, which involves North Carolina state appeals court judge and Republican state Supreme Court candidate Jefferson Griffin attempting to overturn the results of the election by tossing out 60,000 ballots, has bounced around between courts, but currently resides in the state Supreme Court the very court Griffin is vying to sit on. Democratic incumbent Justice Allison Riggs won the election in November by a little over 700 votes. Her victory has been confirmed by two recounts. Judge Griffin is jeopardizing voters fundamental rights under federal law and the United States Constitution, Embry Owen, spokesperson for the Riggs campaign, said in a statement shared with TPM on Wednesday. Rather than respecting the will of his fellow North Carolinians, he is asking the courts to throw out the ballots of active duty members of the military, local elected officials, and individuals who have voted for decades without issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffin took the case to the state Supreme Court after the North Carolina Board of Elections rejected his protest of 60,000 ballots. The Board of Elections then countered by removing the case to federal court. But, earlier this month, a federal judge remanded the case back to the state Supreme Court, where it currently remains. The State Board of Elections and Riggs appealed this decision and are currently trying to get it moved back to federal court. This case belongs in federal court, because federal law stands between Judge Griffin and the mass disenfranchisement he seeks, counsel for Riggs argued in the Wednesday court filing. Judge Griffin is well aware of those federal obstacles; he filed this action directly in the N.C. Supreme Court on the mistaken belief that, by skipping the North Carolina trial and intermediate appellate courts, he could thwart federal jurisdiction. This Court should reverse the district courts refusal to provide a federal forum for the federal claims and defenses at issue, the brief further asserts. The Court should also hold, in light of the federal interests at stake and need for prompt resolution of this election dispute, that Judge Griffin is unlikely to prevail in his effort to overturn the election results. Alongside Riggs brief, the North Carolina Democratic party also filed a brief with the court on Wednesday, in support of Riggs arguments. The district court erred when it remanded these consolidated cases to state court the brief states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the moment, the appeal is still pending and the case remains unsettled. The Fourth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is set to hear oral arguments on January 27. Earlier this week too, Griffin filed a legal brief with the state Supreme Court, laying out his arguments for why the court should toss out ballots and overturn the results of the election. In his argument, he says the court should first invalidate 5,509 overseas ballots who he says failed to show photo identification, prior to considering the rest of the 60,000 ballots he is attempting to throw out. The thinking is if the 5,509 protests are accepted, the other 60,000 might not even need to be considered at all, since the first group, according to Griffin, might alone be enough to give Griffin the lead he needs to steal the lead from Riggs. Voting rights experts who spoke with TPM, explained Griffins insistence on giving the court a new way to sequence election protests, is simply another method to continue to disenfranchise thousands of votes in a way that appears vaguely less egregious than tossing out 60,000 votes all at once. Griffin has not yet presented any proof of voter fraud and his arguments have only been speculative about verification of voter identities in the state. TikTok is set to be banned in the United States on Sunday, one day before Trump becomes president. He's pledged to save the app and some Democrats hope he's able to. "You've got to be supportive of anyone trying to keep it alive at this point," one Democrat told BI. With a TikTok ban appearing imminent, some Democratic lawmakers are suddenly finding themselves on the same page as President-elect Donald Trump. Trump, despite his efforts to ban the app via executive order during his first administration, has pledged to "save" the app. He's set to take office on Monday, one day after the ban is set to go into effect. "Like a broken clock is right twice a day, Donald Trump might be right on this one," Rep. Mark Pocan, a Wisconsin Democrat who's long been outspoken against a ban, told BI. "I think you've got to be supportive of anyone trying to keep it alive at this point." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I would welcome the new administration figuring out a path forward so that TikTok can actually continue," Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California, another longtime opponent of a ban, told BI. Pocan and Garcia were among the 50 House Democrats who voted against a bill last March that required ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, to sell the popular video-sharing app or face a ban amid national security concerns. As Congress began to consider the bill, Trump came out against a ban, arguing that doing so would only benefit Meta. Congress ultimately passed the bill by a wide bipartisan vote and President Joe Biden signed it into law, setting January 19 as the deadline for a sale. In the meantime, Trump positioned himself as a potential TikTok savior and established a campaign account on the platform. Late last month, Trump asked the Supreme Court to pause the ban until he takes office, though it appears likely that the court will allow it to move forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is now considering taking executive action to halt the enforcement of a ban, according to multiple reports, though it's unclear whether such a move would withstand a legal challenge. "President Trump has repeatedly expressed his desire to save Tik Tok, and there's no better deal maker than President Trump," Trump-Vance Transition Spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt told BI in a statement. Pocan and Garcia spoke out against a TikTok ban at a press conference in 2023. Alex Wong/Getty Images Some business leaders with ties to Trump, including Elon Musk, have been floated as potential buyers. "My guess is, he's got a different motive than I do," Pocan said. "Hopefully it's not just to have some friend of his have the opportunity to purchase it or make money." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Rep. Maxwell Frost of Florida told BI that he hopes Trump can somehow prevent a ban, even if it's "obviously not good for us politically if he saves TikTok." "If Joe Biden was the one to ban TikTok and Donald Trump was the one to save it, unfortunately, there's a lot of young voters out there who that might be more important to them than other issues," Frost said, adding that Trump would also be saving small businesses who rely on the app. "We warned about these things when the bill was being crafted." "I've had dozens and dozens of creators and small business owners reach out to me and say, 'I'm going to lose my livelihood," Garcia said. "I'm not sure that people understand how dependent some small businesses are on TikTok." Other Democrats appear to be grappling with the political implications of the looming ban as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said that Democrats supported legislation to give ByteDance more time to sell TikTok. "The law passed last year was intended to sever TikTok from the influence of the CCP while keeping the app available for Americans," Schumer said on the Senate floor. "It's clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans." Democratic senators tried to pass a bill to give ByteDance more time on Wednesday night via voice vote. Republican Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas objected, arguing that TikTok is harmful to children's mental health, even aside from concerns about national security. Read the original article on Business Insider The West Virginia Democratic Party filed a petition with the state Supreme Court of Appeals to determine whether House Republicans correctly dealt with the seat of Joseph de Soto. (Perry Bennett | West Virginia Legislative Photography) The West Virginia Democratic Party has asked the state Supreme Court to determine if House Republicans, who hold a supermajority, followed the states laws and constitution in filling a seat vacated by Joseph de Soto. Joseph de Soto (West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation) De Soto, who was elected as a Republican to represent an Eastern Panhandle district, switched his registration to Democrat shortly before being arrested for allegedly threatening to harm or kill Republican lawmakers. He is listed as a pre-trial felon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, who currently have a nine-member House caucus, believe they have legal standing to fill the vacated seat. The state party filed a petition with the West Virginia Supreme Court of appeals on Wednesday; it lists House Speaker Roger Hanshaw and Gov. Patrick Morrisey as respondents. This is not just about one seat, said state Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin, who is also a delegate. This is about defending the rule of law and ensuring that the people of District 91 have their rightful representation in the House of Delegates. The actions taken by the House of Delegates undermine the integrity of our democratic process. The House passed a resolution Jan. 8 vacating de Sotos seat. The resolution said that de Sotos status on home confinement and at least two protective orders filed by lawmakers barring him from the state Capitol would make him unable to take the oath of office in the Capitol as required. The House of Delegates has determined that Delegate-Elect Joseph DeSoto does not qualify to serve as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, having failed to take the Oath of Office, the resolution said. Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha In the Supreme Court filing on Wednesday, Democrats argued that elected delegates in prior sessions who were unable to attend their oaths of office on the sessions first day did not have their seats declared vacant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple House members were absent last week for the swearing in ceremony in the chamber, including Del. Brandon Steele, who did not attend after 911 tapes leaked about him drunkenly handling assault rifles and allegedly terrifying his family at home. This is not rocket science In the Supreme Court filing, the Democratic Party said that the House resolution directly conflicted with a state code stipulating that a vacancy in the House must be filled by an appointment from a list of three nominees submitted by the party executive committee of the same political party with which the person holding the office was affiliated at the time the vacancy occurred. The filing pointed to a 2016 case involving former state Sen. Daniel Hall, who was elected in 2012 as a Democrat in Wyoming County then switched to Republican while serving. Hall resigned, creating a vacancy. Following a legal challenge from Democrats, the state Supreme Court ruled in 2016 that Republicans had the right to fill the seat due to Halls party affiliation when he vacated his seat. Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Del. Shawn Fluharty, D-Ohio, who argued against the House resolution during its consideration, said the case involving Hall clarifies state code and grants the seat to the party that the outgoing lawmaker currently belongs to, not the party they entered office with. This is not rocket science. Its plain state code and the Supreme Court has already ruled on this language, said Fluharty, who holds a law degree. The supermajority is attempting to go around it by bypassing our Constitution and attempting to set a dangerous precedent that they will be the judge and jury no matter the circumstances and they will pick and choose whom they will allow to serve while ignoring the will of the voter. Sen. Joey Garcia, D-Marion Sen. Joey Garcia, a Democrat who served in the House, last year successfully amended a Republican-sponsored measure that would have changed state code regarding Legislature appointments. The amendment required that if a lawmaker resigned after switching parties, the seat would remain with the party the individuals belonged to at the time he or she was elected. Garcia referenced the Hall case in his proposed amendment. The Senate never took up the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now we have a situation where the House leadership is trying to get around the law when it doesnt benefit them, said Garcia, D-Marion. The fact is they didnt change it last year, and for that reason, the court should be consistent and appoint a Democrat. Garcia plans to introduce a similar measure this upcoming legislative session. Berkeley County Republicans and Dems nominating potential replacements The adopted House resolution referred the vacancy to Berkeley County Republicans to nominate individuals for the seat. Democrats said that the referral was blatantly unlawful. Pushkin urged the governor to uphold the law and appoint nominees from the countys Democratic executive committee. The West Virginia Democratic Party remains committed to ensuring that the will of the voters is respected and that all appointments are made in strict accordance with the law, the state Democratic Party said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berkeley County Democrats have submitted three names for the seat for consideration by Morrisey, who will make the appointment. Pam Brush, chairwoman of the Berkeley County Republican Party, said a committee plans to submit a list of nominees to Morrisey on Saturday. The area has been represented by a Republican for 20 years, Brush noted. Its a very conservative district, for it to continue to be Republican is what it should be, she said. Our governor is the former attorney general, and if anyone would respect the law, he would do that. De Soto, who is from Gerrardstown, won a three-candidate Republican primary race last spring, winning against incumbent Don Forsht, R-Berkeley in the 91st district. There was no Democratic candidate in the November general election, but de Soto faced competition from a Constitution Party candidate. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WASHINGTON (AP) Texas and Florida are growing rapidly. California, Illinois and New York are shrinking. With America's population shifting to the South, political influence is seeping from reliably Democratic states to areas controlled by Republicans. Coming out of a presidential election where they lost all seven swing states, Democrats are facing a demographic challenge that could reduce their path to winning the U.S. House of Representatives or the White House for the long term. If current trends hold through the 2030 census, states that voted for Vice President Kamala Harris will lose around a dozen House seats and Electoral College votes to states that voted for President-elect Donald Trump. The Democratic path to 270 Electoral College votes, the minimum needed to win the presidency, will get much narrower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the end of the day, Democrats have to be able to win in the South or compete in the South if they want to control the levers of government, said Michael Li, senior counsel for the Democracy Program at New York University School of Law's Brennan Center for Justice. Otherwise, its a really uphill battle every time. The Brennan Center, which is left-leaning, projects Democratic states in 2024 would lose 12 seats in the next census. The right-leaning American Redistricting Project forecasts a similar blue-to-red shift but pegged the loss at 11 seats, not 12. The South's gains Li's latest projection, which was released late last year, is based on the last two years of population changes and shows the South gaining more House seats than it has had in history. It would be the continuation of a decades-long trend of the population shifting from the Northeast and Midwest to the South and inland West. Americans and immigrants are gravitating toward warmer climates, cheaper housing, lower taxes and plentiful jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Brennan Center projects that California will lose four seats and New York two in the 2030 census. Illinois, Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin would lose one seat each. Except for Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which are swing states, all of those states have consistently backed Democrats for president and sent Democratic majorities to the House. No GOP strongholds are projected to lose seats. Florida and Texas are projected to pick up four seats each. Arizona, Idaho, North Carolina and Utah are forecasted to each gain one. All of them backed Trump for president last year, though Arizona and North Carolina were competitive, and all have Republican majorities in their U.S. House delegations. A changing map Entering Election Day, there was a broad consensus that Harris would comfortably win 226 electoral votes and Trump 219, with both campaigns fighting over seven battleground states to reach the 270 electoral votes required to win. Those seven battleground states had 93 electoral votes and Trump won all of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the projected map for the next decade were used in 2024, Trump's electoral college margin would have been even larger. He would have won the Electoral College 322-216 instead of 312-226. On the flip side, Democrat Joe Biden still would have won in 2020 with the projected map for the 2030s, but the margin would have been closer. Instead of a 306-232 victory, Biden would have beat Trump 292-246. Harris could have won last year by keeping the Blue Wall Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania along with one congressional district in Nebraska, a state that splits its electoral votes. In the next decade, that won't be enough, according to current projections. The Blue Wall strategy combined with safely Democratic states would net just 258 electoral votes, 12 short of victory. How do Democrats remain relevant? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To control the White House, House or Senate, Democrats will likely need to do better in the three southern swing states. Arizona, Georgia and North Carolina lean conservative but have elected Democrats at a statewide level. Alternatively, they could try to achieve their long-elusive goal of turning Texas blue or reverse the recent trend toward Republicans in Florida, once a swing state that has shifted hard to the right. To be sure, Republican dominance in the 2030s is not a foregone conclusion. Not long ago, Democrats thought they were building an insurmountable majority due to their strength with voters of color and a growing Latino population across the country. But that fell apart when Trump and the GOP began making inroads with the Democrats' traditional working class base. Hispanic voters were more open to Trump than they were in 2020. And while Harris won more than half of Hispanic voters, that support was down slightly from the roughly 6 in 10 Hispanic voters that Biden won, according to AP VoteCast. Roughly half of Latino men voted for Harris, down from about 6 in 10 who went for Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic resurgence will require much more investment in state parties and a frank assessment of how to appeal to parts of the country that supported Trump, said James Skoufis, a New York state senator who on Thursday ended his campaign to be chair of the Democratic National Committee. It requires a reorientation of how we speak with voters, Skoufis said. It requires emphasizing our working class values again. And if were being honest with ourselves and were owning some of what just happened two months ago, we need to shed this perception that we are an elitist party. ___ Cooper reported from Phoenix. WASHINGTON Democrats led by Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) on Thursday demanded U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland release the Department of Justice report on President-elect Donald Trumps hoarding of classified documents. The Justice Department on Tuesday released special counsel Jack Smiths final report outlining Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election, but the second volume of his report has been held up. The American people now deserve the opportunity to read Volume 2 of Special Counsel Smiths report, which explains how President Trump knowingly retained hundreds of presidential and highly classified records at his Mar-a-Lago club and then deliberately defied subpoenas, obstructed law enforcement, hid evidence, and lied about his continuing retention of these records, Raskin wrote in his letter, which was obtained by HuffPost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citing longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president, Smith dropped both cases against Trump in November after Trump won reelection to the White House. Special counsel regulations require a final report after a case wraps up, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida, who dismissed the classified documents case last summer, has held up the release of the reports. One obstacle to disseminating the report on the classified documents is that Trumps co-defendants aides who allegedly helped him obstruct a federal investigation could still face separate charges. Raskin and his colleagues urged Garland to forget about prosecuting the co-defendants if that would help get the report released before Trump returns to the White House on Monday and can then bury the report forever. As Attorney General, it is incumbent upon you to take all necessary steps to ensure the report is released before the end of your tenure, including, if necessary, by simply dismissing the remaining criminal charges against Mr. Trumps co-conspirators, the Democrats wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the indictment against Trump for retaining classified material detailed the governments evidence, the Democrats suspect Smiths report would provide more information about why Trump illegally held on to top secret material after he left the White House in January 2021. It is essential that the American people and Congress understand how Mr. Trump mishandled our nations most sensitive classified information, especially because he will be sworn in as Commander-in-Chief and take leadership of our national security apparatus in just five days, they wrote. In his report on his prosecution of Trump for trying to remain in power after losing the 2020 election, Smith said he would have won the case if it had gone to trial. And in a letter to Garland accompanying the report, Smith got in a last word at Trump, saying the claim from Mr. Trump that my decisions as a prosecutor were influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors is, in a word, laughable. Related... California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tour the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades as the Palisades Fire continues to burn on January 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Eric Thayer/Getty Images) How in the heck did the Republicans become the party of good governance? Relatively good, I mean. The joke about the GOP used to be that Republicans campaigned on the belief that government doesnt work and then worked hard to prove that once in office. The Republicans were, for a long time, a party that really did only one thing in power: cut taxes. Republicans didnt cut spending, didnt reform entitlements, didnt radically reorganize government along lines of greater efficiency or accountability, but they wouldwhether it was economically appropriate or notcut taxes when given the chance. Even Donald Trump, who promised to be (and, unfortunately, is) a different sort of Republican, did almost nothing else with Republicans 2017 trifecta except sign into law an utterly conventional Republican tax bill put together by Paul Ryan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are the party of government employees. But the party of the bureaucrats isnt necessarily good at bureaucracyand, in spite of the low reputation of the word bureaucracy, there is no substitute for effective, competent bureaucracy in a free society. Ultimately, competent bureaucratic administration is what determines whether schools are worth a damn or the trash gets picked up. Or whether, instead, wildfires are permitted to burn out of control. Democrats reputation as a party of governance is at a low ebb just now, and it isnt only their incompetence in California. The wildfire story isnt primarily a policy story or a political storywildfires have ravaged California since prehistoric timesbut thinking people with a little bit of long-term memory might ask themselves how it is that Ron DeSantis government in Florida always seems about as prepared for hurricanes as they can bedown to having extra linemen and equipment pre-positioned to swoop in and restore electricity servicewhile in California the Palisades reservoir has been out of commission for nearly a year because of a defective covering designed to preserve water quality, i.e., a torn tarp. Thomas Jefferson believed that the best government is that which governs least, which is a sentiment dear to my libertarian heart. And, while it is not exceptionlessly true, there is a lot of truth to that maxim: My native Texas is not what I would call an especially well-governed state, but it is not in most things a much-governed one, at least at the state level. And that seems to work about well enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres one way to think of the current state of affairs: These United States have altogether about 335 million people living in them, but 1 in 3 of those millions live in California, Texas, Florida, or New York. I suspect that it is really in these states that the relative reputations of the red-state model and the blue-state model are being made, in the main. Florida was for a long time a kind of a political mystery: It was a purple state by the numbers but one in which Democrats couldnt win an election to save their lives. Florida is many things to many people, but one of the things it is is what you get when you have more or less unified control of state government by Republicans whothis part is criticalhave a living memory of real political competition. Democrats have not got a whiff of the governorship in Texas since 1995, havent controlled the state Senate since 1997, and have basically been relegated to the kiddies table in the state House since 2003. Republicans have enjoyed similar dominance for a similar time in Florida, but the elections have been a lot closer, and Florida has sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate as recently as 2012. And Texas is a little more Republican and a little less Democratic than Florida. (The Pew numbers are not what youd expect, showing a small Democratic affiliation advantage in both Texas and Florida. Color me skeptical.) Texas Republicans are, in my experience, more confident in the durability of their commanding position than their Florida counterparts are. That confidence may be misplaced, but thats for another column. Florida has enjoyed a string of very competent governors with a strong orientation toward ensuring the reliable delivery of state services and encouraging a business-friendly tax and regulatory environment. Jeb Bush, Rick Scott, and Ron DeSantis are very different kinds of men and politicians, but all did very fine executive work in Florida. And Florida remembers. George Bush and Rick Perry were popular in Texas for a reason; and, while I dont know anybody who points to Greg Abbott and his circle as the personifications of administrative excellence (and Texas politics is fertile ground for grotesques such as Ken Paxton), it is hard to argue with the states growth and its generally attractive economic environmentthough housing affordability has become more of a problem in the Lone Star State as the workforce grows faster than the housing supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas and Florida tend to lead the lists when it comes to rankings of business-friendliness, as indeed do Republican-leaning states generally. California and New York are not at the bottom of those lists, but they arent at the top, either, in spite of being home to premier cities such as New York City and economic powerhouses such as Silicon Valley. Perversely, Republican governors other than George W. Bush have had a hard time of it as presidential contenders in recent years, precisely because good governors must perforce do a lot of clear-eyed, nonideological, necessarily bipartisan workgovernor stuffthat irritates ideologues and hyperpartisans. The kind of thing that might read as bipartisan pragmatism to the general electorate reads as sellout to GOP primary voters. But their big-state Democratic colleagues lately spend a lot more time auditioning for Jonah Goldbergs parliament of pundits than they do making a good job of governor stuff. Californias Gavin Newsom acts like hes running for secretary general of the United Nations half the time, and New Yorks Kathy Hochul cannot muster the courage of her convictions even when she happens upon something that is both good policy and popular with her progressive allies, such as congestion pricing, which she has partly undermined, out of pure political cowardice, by reducing the toll from $15 to $9. (Want to actually change commuters behavior? Try $40. Want a real radical change? Try $200.) Meanwhile California burns, and the State of New York cruelly reminds residents of the state of New York, which isnt exactly what anybody wants it to be. And so Republicans do, amazingly enough, appear to be the party of slightly but meaningfully better state governance. If mostly by default. Read more at The Dispatch The Dispatch is a new digital media company providing engaged citizens with fact-based reporting and commentary, informed by conservative principles. Sign up for free. The House Judiciary Committees Democrats wrote Attorney General Merrick Garland a letter, urging him to release special counsel Jack Smiths full report related to President-elect Donald Trumps handling of classified documents. Garland released the first volume of the report, submitted to Congress, earlier this week, after the courts block expired at midnight on Tuesday. The first volume of Smiths report unveils the findings of his investigation into Trumps actions following the 2020 election. After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, the case against him was dismissed, as the Deseret News previously reported. Legal omplications of co-defendants cases The case against him regarding classified documents was also dismissed, but his co-conspirators continue to face legal charges related to obstructing the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And because of the ongoing case against them, its tricky to release the second volume of the report, which largely tackles Trumps handling of classified documents. Even Smith recommended against Garland releasing it to the public. As Attorney General, it is incumbent upon you to take all necessary steps to ensure the report is released before the end of your tenure, including, if necessary, by simply dismissing the remaining criminal charges against Mr. Trumps co-conspirators, Waltine Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, said the letter, obtained by ABC News. Nauta was an aide to Trump, and de Oliveira served as a former property manager at Mar-a-Lago. They face allegations for obstructing the investigation into Trump and pled not guilty in court. To the extent that such a decision to dismiss these cases might encourage these defendants to keep enabling the corruption of their superiors, those concerns are outweighed by the many indications that Mr. Trump will simply end the prosecutions against his co-conspirators upon taking office anyway and then instruct his DOJ to permanently bury this report, they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While we understand your honorable and steadfast adherence to Mr. Nautas and Mr. De Oliveiras due process rights as criminal defendants, the practical effect of this position is that Volume 2 will almost certainly remain concealed for at least four more years if you do not release it before President-elect Trumps inauguration on January 20, the Democrats wrote. Even though the Justice Department dropped all charges against Trump, Nauta and de Oliveira still face prosecution, making it challenging to release the second half of the report. Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled in favor of releasing the first volume, heard arguments over the release of the second volume in Fort Pierce, Florida on Thursday. COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish businesses are concerned about a possible trade conflict with the United States over Greenland, a major lobby group said on Thursday after business leaders, including CEO of obesity drugmaker Novo Nordisk, met with the government. Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen had summoned business leaders after speaking on Wednesday with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, who last week refused to rule out military or economic action to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark that is strategically important to Washington. Trump suggested he would impose tariffs on Danish goods if it resisted his offer to buy the vast Arctic island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are paying attention to what is happening and of course we are concerned," the head of the Confederation of Danish Industry, Lars Sandahl Sorensen, told journalists after the meeting. Trump did not retract his threat of economic coercion during the 45-minute phone conversation with the Danish prime minister. "I think everyone can see that these are unusual messages and we must of course deal with them," Minister for Trade and Industry Morten Bodskov said after the meeting. He declined to elaborate on what scenarios were discussed. Asked how Denmark would respond to potential tariffs, Bodskov said: "We will deal with that, if it comes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danish businesses employ around 90,000 people in the United States, according to the minister. DISCUSSIONS WITH BUSINESS LEADERS Frederiksen said she had emphasized in her conversation with Trump that it was up to Greenland to decide its future and offered to do more to strengthen security in the Arctic. She stressed that Danish companies contribute to growth and jobs in the United States and that the EU and the U.S. had a common interest in increased trade. "We're not preparing for specific things we don't know yet, but it has been hinted at from the U.S. side that there may unfortunately be a situation where we work less together than we do today," Frederiksen told journalists earlier on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among business leaders in the meeting were Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen, CEO of Novo Nordisk, which generates more than half of its sales in the United States. Novo, which competes with U.S. drugmaker Eli Lilly, makes the main active ingredient in its popular obesity and diabetes injections Wegovy and Ozempic in Denmark, and exports it to the United States. Other participants in the meeting included CEOs of jewellery maker Pandora, Lego, brewer Carlsberg, Vestas and offshore wind farm developer Orsted, the companies said. ($1 = 7.2515 Danish crowns) (Reporting by Isabelle Yr Carlsson, Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Stine Jacobsen and Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; editing by Philippa Fletcher and Bernadette Baum) DENVER (KDVR) Denver police arrested two people after a downtown stabbing early Thursday morning. At 12:12 a.m., Denver police posted on X that officers were called to a stabbing near Larimer Street and 20th Street. The intersection divides the Union Station and Five Points neighborhoods. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox Larimer and 20th is near Coors Field and home to several popular bars. When officers arrived at the scene, they located one victim who was taken to the hospital. A Denver police spokesperson, in a Thursday email, said the victim had been released from the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denver police said the Denver District Attorneys office would determine the charges for the two people arrested. Anyone with information is asked to call the Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. Tipsters could receive a cash reward. 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. OAKLEY, Calif. (KRON) Police reinforcements are coming to Antioch. The Oakley Police Department will provide additional outside help following a vote from the city council. Speaking before the Oakley City Council Tuesday night. Police Chief Paul Beard stated, in his three years leading the department, his sworn staff has increased by 17 officers. The traffic unit is fully staffed. A second school resource officer will be added soon and, a special services team has been established. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Antioch Police Department mired in racist text scandal agrees to reforms Beard says that staffing flexibility strengthens his recommendation that the council accept the City of Antiochs request for supplemental police services in addition to the already established mutual aid relationship. My purpose for this recommendation is due to the fact that we are a public safety agency. Maintaining public safety in the community of Oakley is paramount, Beard said. I believe, in some measure, the City of Oakley is threatened by what is occurring in the City of Antioch. In response to low police staffing due to state and federal corruption investigations, last year, Antioch approved $500,000 in funds to pay outside agencies to show up as a presence and deterrent in dedicated hotspots of Antioch and conduct proactive patrols. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Beard says all east Contra Costa County law enforcement agencies received the proposal. He says Pittsburg has signed the agreement and the Kensington police department is still considering it. My recommendation is that we would only use our special services team to engage in this type of aid for the City of Antioch, Chief said. I further recommend that we do not send officers to the city of antioch unless they are accompanied by a sergeant. Antioch will pay the City of Oakley $200 per hour for each hour worked, which will cover the officers salary and other related costs. The agreement is not to exceed four months or $100,000 per agency. Two Walgreens stores set to close in Oakland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our participation in the request for aid to the City of Antioch would actually could help stabilize the east county region, which we are directly part of, Beard said. In a statement, the Antioch police officers association stated the following. The Antioch Police Department has always valued its strong working relationship with (Oakley police) and we welcome their support. This collaboration is crucial for residents in both communities. Antioch Police Officers Association Before the vote, acting Antioch Police Chief Joe Vigil tells KRON4, When it comes to assistance, well take any help our partners are available to offer us. 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. The Office of Civil Rights within the federal Department of Education resolved with five California universities to review complaints of harassment and other discrimination based on shared ancestry from 2023 to 2025, with most including instances of antisemitism during campus protests in 2023 and 2024. Fallout from Israel and Palestine-related protests on California campuses These recent complaints were filed against UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC San Diego and UC Santa Cruz and include over 150 reports, many occurring during protests and rallies on campuses in October and November 2023, after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel. Many complaints are related to the April 2024 pro-Palestine encampment on the UCLA campus. This encampment was part of a larger pro-Palestinian movement that spread across U.S. college campuses, including the University of Utah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Civil Rights Office is now asking UC schools to look into reports of rally chants such as, death to Israel, (t)here is no peace until theyre dead,' intifada now and there is only one solution, per the U.S. Department of Education. Other reports of discrimination and harassment now under investigation include: A video depicting a group of students on UCLA campus beating an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, shouting profanities and racial slurs. Allegations that Jewish students were denied entry into the spring 2024 encampment unless they denounce(d) their Zionism." Palestinian, pro-Palestinian and Muslim students who experienced unwanted filming, doxing, and being followed both on and near UCLAs campus by other students and members of the public. Allegations that UCLA campus police failed to protect Palestinian, Arab, and/or pro-Palestinian student protestors who were violently attacked or injured by counter-protesters. About a month after these encampments, three Jewish UC students filed a federal lawsuit against the University of California System, claiming UCLA allowed activists and protesters to block Jewish students from accessing parts of campus, including classrooms and an undergraduate library, by setting up barricades and encampments. UCLA : I was able to get inside the Pro Palestine encampment tonight. This video shows the complete inside layout, tents that include medical, food and sleeping quarters, and members FORTIFYING the makeshift perimeter barriers as police set to enter the area. pic.twitter.com/YJBNufdNrT Anthony (@AnthonyCabassa_) May 2, 2024 In mid-August, U.S. District Judge Mark C. Scarsi ruled, Jewish students were excluded from portions of the UCLA campus because they refused to denounce their faith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Office of Civil Rights reported similar concerns about disparate treatment with respect to Jewish students access to a multicultural center at UC Santa Barbara. UC universities had notice of a potential hostile environment, now asked to implement actions These allegations are not contained to UCLA. The Office of Civil Rights reported that complaints of similar harassment showed up at UC Santa Barbara, UC Davis, UC San Diego and UC Santa Cruz. Jewish students at UCSB reported antisemitic vandalism in dorm rooms and signs naming specific Jewish students, stating Zionists were not welcome at a student center. At UCSD and UCD, students reported they witnessed or experienced forms of antisemitism by students and professors at protests, online, or in campus departments. The Civil Rights Office requires UC schools to review and report ancestry-based discrimination, revise policies, train staff, conduct climate assessments and implement changes to comply with Title VI regulations. BENTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Deputies say paramedics were seriously injured Wednesday in a crash near Benton Harbor with a school bus, which then crashed into another school bus. It happened around 1:30 p.m. at M-139 and E. Empire Avenue, according to the Berrien County Sheriffs Office. Investigators say that an ambulance was responding to a call in Benton Harbor with its lights and siren activated. The ambulance was heading north on M-139, approaching the intersection. Witnesses told deputies that the light for northbound and southbound traffic had just turned red. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats where an eastbound Berrien Regional Education Service Agency school bus had stopped for a red light, according to deputies. They say when the light turned green, the school bus proceeded across the intersection pulling directly into the path of the ambulance. A photo released by the Berrien County Sheriffs Office from the scene of a Jan. 15, 2025, crash in Benton Township. The impact of the crash sent the Berrien RESA school bus into the westbound lanes of Empire, and it collided head-on with a westbound First Student bus, according to the sheriffs office. A photo released by the Berrien County Sheriffs Office from the scene of a Jan. 15, 2025, crash in Benton Township. Deputies say the paramedics in the ambulance suffered injuries that were serious but not considered life-threatening. They were taken to the hospital to be treated. As of Thursday evening they were in stable condition, according to Medic 1 Ambulance. There were four students on the buses, and none of them were hurt, according to the sheriffs office. However, deputies say the driver and the assistant on the First Student bus suffered minor injuries, as did the assistant on the Berrien RESA bus. The driver of the Berrien RESA bus was not hurt. Deputies are investigating. They dont believe drugs or alcohol were involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The immigration debate is heating up in Florida this week. Gov. Ron DeSantis, alongside two Central Florida sheriffs, said Wednesday that he wants the state to lead a crackdown on undocumented immigrants. Are you supposed to sit there and wait till somebody is victimized? No, youre illegal. Entry into our state was a crime. We get that on the books, and then we send you back home where you belong, DeSantis said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: DeSantis says special session will address Floridas actions to implement Trumps immigration plans Desantis also proposes adding state criminal penalties for illegal entry and enabling local law enforcement to deport immigrants. Local police only works when our communities are working together, said Felipe Sousa-Lazaballet with the Hope Community Center. What this will do, it will mean that the witnesses of crimes and the victims of crimes are not going to report these crimes, which makes our entire community less safe. Watch: Undocumented immigrants working in Central Florida worry about upcoming immigration policies Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers will debate those proposals during a special session later this month. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday named Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill the soon-to-be open U.S. Senate seat left by Marco Rubio, President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of State. Moody, a Plant City native, has served as Florida Attorney General since January 2019. She succeeded Pam Bondi, Trumps nominee for U.S. Attorney General. Group behind failed Florida recreational marijuana amendment trying again for 2026 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She previously served as assistant U.S. attorney and a circuit court judge in Hillsborough County. DeSantis said Moody will be a champion for conservative causes in the Senate and a staunch ally for Trump, having taken on the Biden administration in several lawsuits over the years. I will not let the citizens of Florida down, and I will not let my country down, Moody said minutes after DeSantis announced her appointment. 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. WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (WFLA) During a stop at the Polk County Sheriffs Office, Gov. Ron DeSantis proposed a list of statewide immigration measures ahead of a special session. This is mostly an effort, the governor said, to help the Trump administration carry out its enforcement plan to curb illegal immigration. Tampa Bay native Pam Bondi goes through Senate confirmation hearings to become U.S. Attorney General Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are going to require that law enforcement at both the municipal, county, and state level, that they have maximum participation in any programs to assist the federal government with the enforcement of federal immigration laws, DeSantis said. Thats just one proposal for lawmakers to consider later this month. He also wants criminal penalties under Florida law for entering the country illegally; he hopes to appoint a state immigration officer to coordinate with federal authorities; and to give local and state law enforcement the power to detail and deport undocumented immigrants. The latter would need an extra step, if its Florida law. The federal government would have to bless this, and I think they will, DeSantis said. They should be empowered to detain and deport people who are here illegally. The governor also wants lawmakers to expand on the definition of gangs to include illegal immigration, reform election rules to prevent undocumented immigrants from voting, and repeal the law offering in-state tuition for children of parents who are undocumented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What weve done is tailor these policies to be able to build off that so we get the maximum impact here in the state of Florida, DeSantis said. Gov. DeSantis also wants stricter ID verification for foreign remittances and for judges, along with prosecutors to consider bail and flight risk when someone who is undocumented is arrested. In a joint letter Tuesday, Florida GOP Senate President Ben Albritton and Republican House Speaker Daniel Perez called a special session premature and wrote: At this time, we are not aware of any specific guidance provided to the states about what actions state legislatures can take. The governor responded to the letter while in Polk County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was really surprised at the letter because youre basically saying after four years of Bidens really destructive immigration and Border policies that its somehow premature for us to act with a new president coming in, are you kidding me? DeSantis said. Florida Democrats say a special session is not needed when regular session is weeks away. The legislative special session is scheduled to start Jan. 27. 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. TALLAHASSEE Gov. Ron DeSantis chose Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to be the states next senator, serving out the next two years of Sen. Marco Rubios term. In an Orlando news conference, DeSantis said Moody had a demonstrated record of delivering results on immigration and fighting President Joe Bidens administration. Ashley Moody as attorney general never had any blemish on immigration, DeSantis said. Shell go up there and shell be part of the enforcement caucus, not the amnesty caucus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio was nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as secretary of state, leaving the choice of his replacement to DeSantis. Moody will serve until 2026, when the seat is up for election. DeSantis said he would appoint his chief of staff and former presidential campaign manager, James Uthmeier, to replace Moody. Hes proven himself in these fights, he said. I think hes got big shoes to fill, but I think hell do a good job doing that. So you can anticipate that. Although there were calls for DeSantis to choose Lara Trump to replace Rubio, Moodys name has circulated for months as his likely choice. Lara Trump, who previously served as co-chairperson of the Republican National Committee, said last month that she removed herself from consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moody thanked DeSantis for the appointment and vowed to fight for President Trump. I will not let you down, Moody told DeSantis. I will not let the citizens of Florida down, and I will not let my country down. Florida Democratic Party chairperson Nikki Fried, who was friends with Moody when they attended the University of Florida, called her DeSantis' lapdog. As attorney general, Ashley ignored the growing property insurance crisis and let wealthy corporations rip off Floridians, Fried said in a statement. Instead, she spent her time chasing political attention and currying favor with the far right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since being elected attorney general in 2018, Moody, 49, has been a staunch supporter of DeSantis agenda, he said Thursday. She was with us every step of the way, he said. Defending laws passed by the Legislature and the governor is the attorney generals job, but Moody took it a step further, repeatedly inserting her office into debates over gender care, federal immigration enforcement and the pandemic. Since 2023, she has sued President Joe Bidens administration at least nine times, including to stop a federal rule requiring background checks at gun shows and to stop accrediting agencies from having influence over colleges and universities. Some of those lawsuits were successful, such as in 2021, when Moody and DeSantis successfully stopped federal pandemic safety rules for cruise companies operating in Florida. In 2023, Moodys office was also able to temporarily block the federal governments ability to release some migrants into the country as they await legal proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other cases were criticized as publicity stunts. Last month, Moody obtained an arrest warrant against the man accused of trying to assassinate Trump, in defiance of federal prosecutors who had already charged him with an attempted assassination. In 2020, she asked the U.S. Supreme Court to take up Texas attempt to overturn the presidential election results. One of her lawyers called the legal reasoning batst insane. Moody saw her public profile rise along with the number of appearances on Fox News and other right-wing outlets. Moody was a prosecutor who became the youngest judge in Florida when she was elected to the Hillsborough circuit bench in 2006. Her father is a federal judge and her mother has long worked for Bay Area Legal Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican opponents accused her of being a liberal during the 2018 Republican primary. Democrats accused her of being a copy of her predecessor and friend, former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, who was a frequent guest on Fox. (Moody sent a news release from her office last month urging senators to confirm Bondi as U.S. attorney general.) After being elected, Moody pledged to keep politics out of the Attorney Generals Office, and she vowed to be a strong consumer advocate, one of the primary roles assumed by attorneys general. Early in her term, she fought with Republicans in the Legislature for data that would make it easier to sue opioid manufacturers. Consumer advocates had high expectations, but aside from pursuing opioid manufacturers and distributors, Moody has taken a light touch to corporations. She hasnt done anything, said Lynn Drysdale, senior trial attorney for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid and a longtime consumer advocate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drysdale said Moodys office has talented lawyers, but its leaders havent done anything to protect Floridians from predatory home loans or reverse mortgages. Reverse mortgages led to a surge in foreclosure filings, including on a 92-year-old Jacksonville woman who owed 27 cents. Moody also didnt join other state attorneys general in suing RealPage, a software company accused of fixing and inflating rents across the country. Bondi, on the other hand, was a much fiercer consumer advocate, Drysdale said. The comparison is like night and day, she said. DeSantis said he had also considered as Rubios replacement U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack, R-Gainesville, and Cory Mills, R-New Smyrna Beach, as well as Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and state Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa. DeSantis said Moodys performance won out. Shes never let us down once, he said. That matters to me. Times/Herald staff writer Ana Ceballos contributed to this report. Gov. Ron DeSantis and Attorney General Ashley Moody in Orlando on Jan. 16, 2024, via DeSantis Facebbook feed. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has named state Attorney General Ashley Moody, an ideological ally, to replace Marco Rubio in the U.S. Senate if hes confirmed as U.S. secretary of state, which could happen as soon as next week. Speaking in Orlando, DeSantis said that on the issues that hes cared about and ran on since he was initially elected in 2018, Moody has been right at his side of all of those battles whether it was on illegal immigration, fentanyl, or human trafficking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He boasted about the more than a dozen lawsuits she has filed against the Biden administration during her six years as attorney general, and her legal challenges defending President-elect Donald Trump. She took on Jack Smith for his politically motivated persecution of the former president, fought back against the rogue attorney general of New York for her politicizing justice. Led the Florida investigation into the second Trump assassination attempt in Palm Beach, even as the federal government continues to try to block her efforts, he said. DeSantis referenced how she has rejected DEI, ESG, gender ideology, and supported our efforts to ensure that Floridas education is free from impositions of the radical left. Moody, 49, a Republican like DeSantis, was born and raised in Plant City in eastern Hillsborough County. She began her legal career with the law firm of Holland & Knight before joining the U.S. Attorneys Office in Tampa, where she worked as a federal prosecutor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2006, at the age of 31, she became the youngest judge in Florida when elected to the trial bench in the states 13th Judicial Circuit in Hillsborough County. In 2018, she defeated Democrat Sean Shaw in her first run for attorney general, 52%-46%. She won reelection in 2022 against Democrat Aramis Ayala, 61%-39%. I am proud not to just say I have fought alongside you for six years, but I am proud to call you a friend, Moody said to DeSantis as she addressed the audience. I am ready to fight for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the American First agenda on Day One, she said to cheers. She went on to blast the Joe Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have seen policy after policy after rule, after financial decisions spending out of the agencies. As the agencies have gotten bigger, as they have taken more power. As they have tried to tell the states what to do more and more and more, all that does is take the will of the people, the want of the people, through their elected representatives in Congress, and turns this into a country we dont even recognize anymore, Moody said. DeSantis said he will select James Uthmeier, his chief of staff, to replace Moody as the states next attorney general. Several candidates The governor said he interviewed several qualified candidates for the position but decided against choosing a member of the states congressional delegation because of the GOPs narrow margin over Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, disappointing Florida member of Congress Cory Mills and Kat Cammack. He mentioned Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Hillsborough County state Sen. Jay Collins as other candidates he had considered. Moody will face re-election in a special election in 2026, when she may face competition from other Republicans. The seat comes up for election again in 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pick was slammed by Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried, who called Moody Rons personal lapdog from Day One. Despite her role as an independent constitutional officer, she has insisted on calling him boss and defended his extreme agenda at every turn. Her reward is a seat in the United States Senate, paid for by her loyalty to Ron and her failure to serve Floridians, Fried said in a statement. As Attorney General, Ashley ignored the growing property insurance crisis and let wealthy corporations rip off Floridians. Instead, she spent her time chasing political attention and currying favor with the far right. She worked for over a year to silence the voices of Floridians who wanted Amendment 4 on the ballot, weaponizing state law and the Florida Constitution to score the political points that got her this appointment. Amendment 4 would have reestablished abortion right in the Florida Constitution but failed to meet the 60% approval threshold. As AG, Moody has served on the Florida Cabinet, comprising three independently elected statewide officials who decide policy with the governor in a range of issues. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Let the 2026 midterm election season begin. Less than two weeks after the 119th Congress was sworn in, the next race for one of the most hotly contested seats in San Diego Countys congressional delegation that of Rep. Mike Levins has begun to take shape. Earlier this week, Supervisor Jim Desmond announced plans to run for the District 49 seat in 2026, when he terms out of his seat on the county Board of Supervisors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republicans candidacy sets the stage for another high stakes battle in the district, which spans North County and parts of southern Orange County, that could play a role in deciding the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives. What to know about the special election for Vargas Board of Supervisors seat Im running for Congress because its time for change, Desmond said in a statement on his candidacy. Its time for common sense to return to our government. We need leaders who will focus on delivering real solutions on immigration, public safety, and homelessness. In the 2024 election cycle, the race for Californias 49th district drew national attention as a seat Republicans hoped to flip to widen their narrow majority in the lower chamber of the federal legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millions of dollars were poured into the race by supporters of Levin, the Democratic incumbent, and his challenger, car dealer Matt Gunderson. Despite this effort, Levin was able to hold on in the end, securing a roughly five-point re-election win. Desmonds candidacy, however, may be a pose a more potent obstacle for Levin, should he seek another term in office in 2026. The Republican is a more well-known entity compared to Gunderson, having spent nearly two decades in San Diego County politics and a fair amount of time over the last few months making appearances on conservative media outlets that have raised his national profile. MORE: Election Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of how his bid for higher office shakes out, the end of Desmonds tenure on the Board of Supervisors is certain to set off a cascade of leadership reshuffling in North County cities, with two local mayors already setting their sights on his seat. As the Voice of San Diego reported on Wednesday, Vista Mayor John Franklin and San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones are taking a shot in 2026 at becoming Desmonds successor. Both declared candidates are Republicans. While the district leans Democratic, should no Democrats step into the race over the coming months, it will likely not be decisive in tipping the balance of power on the county board. 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. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) Auntie Annes will soon have to share their pretzel territory in the mall. Destiny USA announced that another chain, Wetzels Pretzels, will join them come springtime. They will be located on Level 1, across from Footlocker. Latest local news Wetzels Pretzels enhances the array of choices for pretzel enthusiasts at Destiny USA, offering even more irresistible options for guests to enjoy, said Destiny USA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their last known location in Central New York was previously located in the Great Northern Mall. Since that malls closure in 2022, the closest Wetzels Pretzels in New York is in Buffalo. The pretzel company founded in California in 1994 is known for its fresh-baked pretzels, which include pretzel bites, pretzel dogs, and more. 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. A Detroit-based attorney who's represented numerous cases involving criminal, civil and municipal law, formed a candidate committee for mayor. Todd Perkins of Perkins Law Group registered his committee on Monday, marking the sixth candidate to chase the seat once Mayor Mike Duggan leaves after his term ends. Messages were left with Perkins seeking further details. Perkins has represented an number of significant cases in and around Detroit, including Tony Saunders II, former Wayne County chief financial officer accused of hitting his wife multiple times at their home. He also represents 36th District Court Judge Kenneth King, who was accused of violating a teenager's rights after threatening her with jail time for sleeping in his courtroom on a field trip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also represented retired Detroit Police Department Officer Alonzo Jones, who was convicted of accepting bribes from an individual in the towing industry and an undercover federal agent. Perkins also fought his own case for placing a "Black Lives Matter" sign on his front lawn, which was met with pushback. The Detroit attorney also had a hand in advancing the reparations ballot initiative to create a task force, along with an unsuccessful initiative to increase citizen control over government spending, in the 2021 city election. More: Lions, Commanders playoff game expected to bring $65M economic boost to Detroit More: Detroit Axle workers OK possible strike with contract expiring next week Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Duggan announced in a packed auditorium at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center that he would not seek reelection. He later announced he would run for governor as an independent candidate. The list of other mayoral candidates who formed committees includes City Council President Mary Sheffield, Former City Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins, Councilman Fred Durhal III, Michigan House Speaker Joe Tate and businessman Joel Haashiim. Dana Afana is the Detroit city hall reporter for the Free Press. Contact: dafana@freepress.com. Follow her: @DanaAfana. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Attorney Todd Perkins forms committee for Detroit mayor GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) Two days after investigators pulled 26-year-old Laequan Littles body from a pond at a Greensboro apartment complex, his mother spoke with FOX8 for the first time. Tamika Little says her son Laequan was on the way to pick up his daughter on New Years Eve the day she reported him missing to Greensboro police. Independent divers helped search for missing Greensboro man There was never a time that he did not call me. If I called him, and he missed my call, my son would call me back. Thats what made me worried when I called him, and he didnt call back, Tamika said. He would give his last to anybody. He was a great father. He loved his daughter to death. Would do anything for her. Didnt want to be without her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tamika says her son was last seen driving his black Honda Civic at the Reserve at Bridford Apartment Complex in Greensboro. She says on Jan. 2, Greensboro police met with her at a pond on the property. What they did was put a stick in the pond and said, Its too shallow. A boat can get into that pond and touch the bottom of the pond. That pond was not big enough for a vehicle to fit there,' Tamika said. On Jan. 4 and Jan. 5, Tamika says she organized a search party of more than two dozen people to search for Laequan. There were tire marks Those were the tire marks that I told the detectives that we saw, Tamika said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tire marks were located right beside a pond off the 1400 block of Bridford Parkway. On Jan. 6, Tamika says she reached out to divers with the nonprofit Rapid Compassion Collective. They focus on helping families with missing loved ones by searching lakes, ponds and rivers with their own equipment. She says that last weekend, the divers discovered Laequans vehicle in the pond while using an underwater drone. They called Greensboro police Monday morning, and a team of Guilford County underwater divers pulled both the vehicle and Laequans body out of the water. Im glad that hes found, but I wanted my son found sooner rather than 13 days. I was very upset To get a phone call that they pulled my son out was devastating for me, Tamika said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Greensboro police continue their investigation as to what led to Laequans death, his mother prays their family will get much-needed questions answered. I just want to thank everybody who gave their time, who sent out their prayers, who reached out to me, Tamika said. Weve reached out to Greensboro police with several questions about the investigation process and what led to Laequans death. A spokesperson says autopsy results are pending and additional details about the case will be released at a later time. 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 FOX8 WGHP. A rendering of the data center campus to be developed by Poe Companies and PowerHouse Data Centers in Louisville. (Provided) A Virginia developer is planning to build Kentuckys first hyperscale data center in Louisville, an operation that could eventually use as much electricity as one of the states power plants produces. Virginia-based PowerHouse Data Centers, a subsidiary of American Real Estate Partners, and Poe Companies of Louisville in a Thursday release said they plan to build a data center campus in Louisville that will use about 400 megawatts of electricity with 130 megawatts of electricity expected to be used in 2026 when the center becomes operational.The data center campus will be on Camp Ground Road just west of Shively, reports Louisville TV station WDRB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doug Fleit, the CEO of PowerHouse Data Centers, in a statement said Louisville offered everything hyperscale users need including electricity at attractive rates, water access and a friendly business environment to hyperscale growth in the region. The experience of working with Louisville Gas and Electric, the utility serving the site, has been a model for other utilities in the country to follow as well as a testament to Poe Companies relationships in the community and the market, Fleit said. The GOP-dominated Kentucky legislature passed a law last year providing tax breaks for data centers seeking to locate in Jefferson County, something Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, on Thursday hailed as groundbreaking legislation that will spark job creation and expand the tax base. The Republican said he worked closely with Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel and the private sector on the legislation. This project is a game-changer, driving long-term economic growth in our major metropolitan center and boosting Kentucky as a regional business hub, Stivers said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, a Democrat, in a statement said the project would create thousands of good-paying jobs in Kentuckys largest city. Data centers are computer hubs that help power a wide range of internet services ranging from cloud storage space to the computational power needed to send emails, conduct credit card transactions and meet the boom in demand for artificial intelligence models. Large tech companies such as Google, Meta and others are particularly in need of hyperscale data centers, referring to the vast computational capacity needed for large-scale data processing and storage. These operations also use a tremendous amount of electricity and often use significant amounts of water as a cooling mechanism for the computers. The eventual electricity demand for the new data center campus is nearly equivalent to the entire capacity of Louisville Gas and Electric and Kentucky Utilities (LG&E and KU) coal-fired unit at its E.W. Brown Generating Station in Mercer County. The establishment of new data centers across the country is creating a surge in demand for electricity that has utilities pushing to build new power generation, primarily through natural gas-fired turbines and through renewable energy. LG&E and KU, the electric utility serving the most Kentuckians, has pointed to power demand from data centers as a key driver of future electricity demand in its service area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Crockett, president of LG&E and KU, in a statement said the groundbreaking project will be historic for Kentucky and a continuation of new economic announcements happening throughout the Commonwealth. The release from the developers states power supply will be supported by a new switch station to be built by LG&E and completed in September 2026, along with a dedicated on-site substation. Environmental advocates have raised concerns over the heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels brought on by the power demand needed for data centers. Kentucky has little in the way of renewable energy, notwithstanding hydroelectric power, that currently contributes to the states electricity generation. Advocates also wonder if ratepayers would have to shoulder the costs for new electricity transmission and infrastructure to service data centers. Chris Whelan, a LG&E and KU spokesperson, in an email said all projects needed to serve the electricity load of the data center, including building a substation, would be done within the guidelines of safety and regulatory protocols. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the utility doesnt see an immediate need for approvals from regulators to extend electrical infrastructure but that other approvals may be needed in the future as more details come together. This story was updated with commentary from an LG&E and KU spokesperson. CHIPPEWA FALLS Jake and Dick Leinenkugel, who both served as presidents of Leinenkugel Brewing Company in Chippewa Falls, announced Wednesday that they have pitched ideas to keep the brewery open, but so far, their plans have been rejected. Molson Coors, the parent company of Leinenkugels, announced Nov. 6 that the brewery will cease most operations, with the plant slated to close this Friday. There are 56 employees who will be affected by the closure. We want to reassure our employees at the brewery and Leinie Lodge, as well as our partners, retailers, distributors, and fans, that we are committed to exploring every avenue to preserve this vital part of our history, the Leinenkugel brothers wrote in a press release Wednesday. To that end, we submitted a formal proposal to Molson Coors, requesting to enter into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). This would allow us to begin discussions on acquiring the Chippewa Falls brewery, with the goal of maintaining its operations under Leinenkugel family leadership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molson Coors CEO Gavin Hattersley responded to the brothers on Jan. 6, declining to pursue an NDA. He stated that Molson Coors remains fully committed to the Leinenkugels brand, the brothers wrote. While we appreciate Gavins affirmation of the brands importance, we believe that true commitment must include preserving the Chippewa Falls brewery and the livelihoods of those who depend on it. On Jan. 8, the Leinenkugel brothers followed up with Hattersley to emphasize that our long-standing relationship over the past 23 years could serve as the foundation for an open and transparent conversation, even without an NDA. We reiterated our willingness to discuss acquiring the brewerys assets and preserving its operations in Chippewa Falls. However, the brothers have not received a response to their follow-up email as of Jan. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite this, we remain optimistic that Molson Coors leadership will reconsider our proposal and engage in meaningful discussions about safeguarding this important part of our heritage, they wrote. The Leinenkugels wrote that they are profoundly saddened by Molson Coors decision to close the Chippewa Falls brewery, a place that has been the heart and soul of Leinenkugels for more than 157 years. For six generations, our family has taken pride in brewing exceptional beers and building lasting connections with loyal fans in Wisconsin and across the nation. Leinenkugel Brewing Company was founded in 1867. The brewery has not only been a cornerstone of the Chippewa Valley economy but also a welcoming destination for thousands of visitors who have experienced the rich tradition and heritage of Leinenkugels firsthand, they wrote. The Chippewa Falls brewery is more than a facility it is a symbol of our legacy, a source of pride for our community, and a key part of what makes Leinenkugels unique. We continue to hope for a resolution that honors our history and secures the future of brewing in Chippewa Falls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molson Coors chief communications officer Adam Collins issued a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying that Leinenkugels has been part of their company for 40 years, and thats not changing. While the decision to move brewing to Milwaukee was a challenging one, we are committed to maintaining a strong presence in Chippewa Falls, Collins wrote. Thats why well continue taking excellent care of our facilities, opening our doors year-round to thousands of guests. Our pilot brewery will continue serving as an innovation hub, and the Leinie Lodge will continue to be a gathering place for locals and out-of-towners to enjoy their favorite beers and one-of-a-kind varieties available only at the Lodge. Were incredibly proud of Leinies, the many people in Chippewa Falls who built this brand into what it is today, and what it will continue to be for years to come a true Wisconsin beer beloved by people across the country. The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company was sold to Miller Brewing Company in 1988. It later became part of Molson Coors. The brewery employs around 120 people, including those in the lodge. Employees in the brewery went on strike for just over a month from July 2023 until the end of August 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The brewery generally doesnt release production numbers, but on a daily basis, about eight beers are brewed in Chippewa Falls. Its about 40,000 gallons of beer brewed a day, or about 185,000 barrels of beer a year. Most of the Leinenkugels varieties are made locally, but some of the top-sellers, like Summer Shandy and Honey Weiss, are also made in Milwaukee. The 13,500-square-foot Leinie Lodge opened in its current location on June 15, 2003, at a cost of about $2 million. In the old lodge, adjacent to the brewery, the company averaged about 32,000 visitors annually. Visits jumped once the new lodge opened. The lodge was built on a 2-acre site that once was the home of the Woolen Mill, across Duncan Creek from the brewery. Dick Leinenkugel previously said about 75 of the 120 workers are part-time or full-time workers in the lodge. Aside from his decades-long comedy career, Jay Leno is also known for his extensive car collection and deep knowledge of vehicles from around the world. After the Los Angeles wildfires, the comedian sprang into action with his own special vehicle: A 1941 American LaFrance firetruck. Leno spoke with CNN's Anderson Cooper about his disaster relief work in the face of the ongoing Palisades and Eaton Fires in the L.A. area. "We're cooking for the crew," he said, adding that he wanted to deliver hot food to personnel instead of boxed meals. "I drove a 1941 American LaFrance firetruck," he said, quipping, "Its good to have your own fire truck when you live in L.A." "We've got it loaded up and we cooked yesterday in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl for the crew there, we're here today, and we'll be at some of the other locations in the next two or three days," he explained. Related: Jay Leno Admits He's Learned 'Nothing' After Car Fire and Motorcycle Accident "It's unbelievable," he said. "You get on that hill and you look for miles and there's nothing; it looks like Hiroshima." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What heartened Leno was "the sense of communityneighbors meeting neighbors they've never met before, people all pitching in." "I mean, I try to look at the bright side of things," he admitted. He later recounted to NewsNation's Chris Cuomowhile sitting in front of his 1941 fire enginethat he cooked up $21,000 of ribs, chicken, and other food just in one night. View the original article to see embedded media. Erik Scott, a fire captain and public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department, thanked Leno on X for his involvement. "Actor Jay Leno stopped by to serve meals to firefighters coming off the line. Were grateful for his kindness and the support from our community during this challenging time," he wrote. Amid the #PalisadesFire, actor @jayleno stopped by to serve meals to #firefighters coming off the line. Were grateful for his kindness & the support from our community during this challenging time. #LAFD #CommunitySupport pic.twitter.com/A5BQUgseN5 Erik Scott (@PIOErikScott) January 14, 2025 Leno's L.A. home and six-car garage lies in Bel Air, adjacent to the Palisades Fire; his car collection in Southern California, including his vintage firetruck, appears to be safe, with the majority of his vehicles stored in empty aircraft hangars at Hollywood Burbank Airport. Meanwhile, he continues to maintain another estate in Newport, Rhode Island that he bought for $13.5 million in 2017. As crowds of Palestinians on Wednesday night cheered in Gazas shattered streets at the arrival of a long-awaited ceasefire deal, a car carrying veiled militants joined the celebrations. A widely-shared video, first published by a Palestinian journalist, showed rifle-wielding men said to be from Hamass military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, parade along with the jubilant throng. The brazen presence of Hamas fighters in Khan Younis despite months of determined Israeli military attempts to wipe them out will have surprised few. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 15 months after Israel vowed to effectively destroy the militant organisation for storming into southern Israel, killing around 1,200 and taking 250 hostages, the group has been badly mauled but is still alive. The lack of an alternative administration in Gaza means it has been left severely weakened, but still standing. . pic.twitter.com/orxuxHufBS Haseeb Alwazeer (@HaseebAlwazeer0) January 16, 2025 Deciding what to do with its remnants and how to replace its grip on power in Gaza are among many thorny issues still to be dealt with in a ceasefire process where the future has been left perhaps deliberately unclear. With negotiators understandably keen to focus on areas where they can make quick progress, such as hostage and prisoner releases, these more difficult quandaries have been pushed back to later rounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel from the start of the war vowed to ensure Hamas could never again play a role in governing the Gaza Strip. To that end, it has waged an all-out air and ground assault against Hamas and its fighters, tunnels and infrastructure, which has devastated the territory and killed more than 36,000 people according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Israeli soldiers secure a tunnel reportedly used by Hamas in northern Gaza - Noam Galai/Getty Images Europe A relentless game of whack-a-mole has dealt Hamas heavy blows, including the deaths of Yahya Sinwar, its leader, and military commanders Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa. Israels battering of Hezbollah and the collapse of Bashar al-Assads regime have also robbed Hamas of key regional support. Yet while pummelled and diminished, the group has not been snuffed out. Fighters have melted away, or gone to ground, in the face of Israeli attacks, only to regroup and pop up again later. Recruitment has continued. Earlier this week, Antony Blinken, the United States Secretary of State, underlined its resilience, saying it had largely managed to replace its losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: We have long made the point to the Israeli government that Hamas cannot be defeated by a military campaign alone that without a clear alternative, a post-conflict plan and a credible political horizon for the Palestinians, Hamas, or something just as abhorrent and dangerous, will grow back. Thats exactly whats happened in northern Gaza since October 7. Each time Israel completes its military operations and pulls back, Hamas militants regroup and re-emerge because theres nothing else to fill the void. Indeed, we assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost. That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war. Israeli intelligence assessments before the war estimated the group had around 25,000 fighters. If its losses have been largely replaced, then it remains a considerable size, despite the Israeli onslaught. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamass continuing influence remains a political reality which must be dealt with in any post-war solution, analysts say. Working out what happens to those fighters, for example, if they can be disarmed and demobilised and who will do it, must all be tackled as part of any settlement. Mr Blinken has made it clear he believes the only viable alternative to Hamas would be the Palestinian Authority, which currently has control in the West Bank. Regional players like Egypt and Qatar could step in to prop up the authority and potentially even provide peacekeepers to oversee the demobilisation of fighters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disarming and dismantling Hamass military will not be easy, even with the involvement of Arab states, the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) admitted last month. The council suggested there may be scope to at least force Qassam fighters into hibernation mode in Gaza whereby they would largely disappear from public view and not challenge Palestinian Authority security forces. Some Hamas officials have also appeared open to merging their militants with a Palestinian national security force. Others have hinted they could agree to limit their military capabilities. Disarming and dismantling Hamass military will not be easy - MAHMUD HAMS/AFP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet it is not clear the authority is up to the job, or that Hamas and Gazans will play ball. Led by the ageing Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Authority is unpopular even in its West Bank home turf, where it is seen as incompetent, bloated and corrupt. If Hamas and the Palestinian people in Gaza reject a security force and governing authority, then it could lead to a protracted insurgency in Gaza, warns Alex Plitsas of the Atlantic Councils counterterrorism project. Hugh Lovatt, of the ECFR said: Given the lack of trust between all sides, Gaza will likely require an international peacekeeping force to monitor the implementation of a ceasefire deal, the possible demobilisation of Hamas, and to support de-confliction efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arab states have indicated they could back this as long as it comes with a viable political track towards Palestinian self-determination. Pressure from Donald Trump may have got the first stage of a ceasefire deal over the line after months of negotiations, but that may prove to be only the easy part. The future of Hamas and what replaces them will be much more difficult. Despite the talk about the sticking points in the negotiations, the real sticking point underlying everything still has not been resolved: Who will control postwar Gaza? says Thomas Warrick, a former deputy assistant secretary for counterterrorism policy in the US Department of Homeland Security. Hamas wants to ensure it has the ability to rebuild and re-arm, and Israel is equally determined to prevent this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement calls for postwar arrangements to be discussed during phase two, but make no mistake, no one is ready for what this will really require. 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. (NewsNation) As Los Angeles County firefighters continue to battle deadly wildfires being whipped up by high winds, victims of the fires are receiving assistance as they cope with losing their homes. Thousands of families have been displaced by the wildfires, which have claimed at least 25 lives. In the wake of the tragedy, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has opened two disaster relief centers designed to assist those affected by the wildfires. Lines of vehicles stretching more than a mile visited the pop-up center, which provides food, water and other necessities to displaced residents. The wait to collect items was at least 90 minutes Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland restaurateur says wine tariffs under Trump would be punch in the gut In addition to the two FEMA centers, other donation sites were established by local not-for-profit organizations that offered goods to victims. Los Angeles County residents have also contributed to the donations, which also include diapers and baby formula. At least 26,000 people have applied for federal disaster relief assistance as they cope with losing their home and other belongings. You dont know until you lose everything or whatever happens to you youre never prepared for anything, Camille Epps, who lost her home in the Eaton Fire, told NewsNation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dream Center, one of the pop-up relief sites that was established by a faith-based organization, is also offering temporary housing solutions. 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. How often do you respond to work emails or texts after hours? Workers in Australia dont have to do it anymore, after a new law was passed there. Its known as the right to disconnect law and some employee here in the U.S. say they want the same kind of protection. ALSO: Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools seek to establish competitive pay, present plan to Board One worker told Channel 9, Absolutely there should be limits, people want their private time and why should your job infringe upon that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a survey of 1,100 U.S. employees, 71 percent said theyre expected to respond to emails after hours, and 74 percent said work-related communications caused burnout that led to less communication with their loved ones. Ninety percent favor laws that allow them to disconnect without consequences. This past summer, Australia passed a national right to disconnect law. Proposals are now pending in California and New York City. I think it has huge momentum, people want to disconnect, Elaine Varelas, a Human resources consultant with Keystone Partners, said. Varelas added that being electronically connected to work 24/7 has consequences: I think its causing burnout and its causing depression. So, just feeling like you cant walk away from your phone or your computer is too much for anyone to ask for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are certain lines of work that require off-hours communication, but most employees say theyd love to be able to disconnect without fear of repercussions. You need your time to be more productive when you are at work, and thats sort of what a lot of the research is to be more productive in the time youre there, another worker told Channel 9. While many in that survey said theyd rather be left alone when theyre off the clock, more than half said they regularly answer work emails when theyre on vacation. They said they feel its necessary for career advancement. (WATCH BELOW: Magnetic stimulation treatment approved for more people with depression) Northwestern Oklahoma State University said in a social media post the school will be closed for a time on Thursday morning after the discovery of a potentially hazardous substance in the campus science building. The university said classes on all of its campuses the main campus in Alva and satellite campuses in Enid and Woodward would be canceled until 11 a.m. Thursday. According to the social media post, all faculty, staff and students should not enter the Alva campus until it reopens, although residence halls will remain accessible. University spokeswoman Kelsey Martin told The Oklahoman the substance is picric acid. According to the National Institutes of Health, picric acid is explosive and dangerously explosive if allowed to dry out. Its recommended the substance be tightly sealed, to protect it from drying out, in a cool, ventilated place, away from fire hazards and materials that are easily oxidized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin said the substance was discovered on Wednesday by university faculty who were conducting a routine inventory and experts were contacted and they determined that the potential for danger did exist. At that point, we engaged our emergency procedures process. The safety of our campus is our top priority. She said that no one was in danger before the discovery of the acid. In the post, the university said proper authorities will remove the material on Thursday morning. The situation is currently contained and we are not in immediate danger, the post said. Martin said representatives from the Alva Police Department, Alva Fire Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol and Woods County Sheriffs Department acted quickly and were instrumental in assessing and containing the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Night classes will be held as usual on the Alva campus on Wednesday. Northwestern opened in 1897. Its main campus is located about 14 miles south of the Oklahoma-Kansas border and about 115 miles northwest of Oklahoma City. Its one of six universities governed by the Regional University System of Oklahoma. Bo Hannaford serves as Northwestern's president. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Dangerous substance to be removed from Oklahoma university campus The Walt Disney Company is helping employees displaced by the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County, offering them temporary housing, clothing, and monetary relief. The New York Times reported that at least 64 employees, including the president of Disney Branded Television and the president of Walt Disney Music, lost their homes due to the fires. The company has also opened hotel rooms at the Disneyland Resort to employees who need temporary housing. The companys employee relief fund will also provide up to $4,000 for basic household necessities and incidental expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres how to help those impacted by the Los Angeles wildfires In addition, two months of free furnished housing will be provided to employees with fire-damaged or destroyed houses who cant immediately return home when evacuation orders are lifted. Disney also opened its movie studio wardrobe department, providing clothing and shoes to employees who had lost everything in the fires. Bob Iger, Disneys CEO, has been leading the companys fire relief efforts, which include a $15 million donation to local disaster recovery organizations. Iger even suggested that Walt Disney Imagineers, employees responsible for designing and building attractions for Disney Parks, help design new town centers in the impacted areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want to help rebuild, Iger said in an interview with The Times. Can we help in setting up temporary schools? Can our Imagineers help design new town centers? Rebuilding is not just about money. Its about ingenuity and determination. Many Imagineers, who designed Disneys most beloved attractions at theme parks worldwide, lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, the Orange County Register reported. Southern California couple transforms home into donation center for wildfire evacuees Most of the places where we all lived burnt to ashes, former Imagineer Joe Rohde wrote on Instagram. Altadena was our home and home base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rhode is best known for his work on Disneys Animal Kingdom, Pandora World of Avatar-themed land, the Aulani resort hotel in Hawaii, and the Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout attraction at Disney California Adventure. He also lived in Altadena during his time as an Imagineer before retiring in 2021 and relocating further north. 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. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The news of a reported ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is welcome news for many communities in the DMV. Its cause for some excitement and also for some hope for those who want to see healing after more than a year of fighting. We were so excited to hear that there was a hostage deal, said Gil Preuss, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. US says Israel accepts latest Gaza cease-fire deal, putting onus on Hamas Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hani Almadhoun, whose brother was killed in Gaza while running the Gaza Soup Kitchen, said the news brings bittersweet emotions. We have to celebrate and mourn at the same time, he said. Nobodys going to feel safe unless the other party feels safe. And the sooner we realize this, the less bloodshed we will see. Right now for Preuss, the focus is on the immediate release of the hostages. I can only imagine the level of excitement and energy after all these many, many, many days that people have been counting one by one, he said. I hope that, by seeing the joy of the returning hostages and hopefully a long-term ceasefire therell be a focus on what does a better future look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almadhoun referenced the need for the rebuilding of Gaza, in addition to his efforts to help feed Palestinians before he wanted to shift to taking care of orphans both through care and education. We suffered more than enough, Almadhoun said. We suffered a lifetime. We already have more than enough victims. And I do think this is an opportunity for a change. Despite our grief and trauma that weve seen. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) When she arrived in South Dakota about three years ago, Department of Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko learned you could walk into the door of any prison without being challenged. Cant shrink funnel: girls hoops participation falls Wasko set out to change that and the overall culture in the DOC system. She told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that she used a report on the system by consultant CGL as a guide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, individuals must be searched and go through security before entering a prison, Wasko said. Wasko also implemented policies that apply to all facilities. Before, each facility had its own policies, she said. Procedures and access to tools and key control also lacked best practices and now, they dont, she said. One policy change that was more controversial involves restraining inmates in 23-hour lockdowns because of what she described as insolence, Wasko said. History shows that the DOC system was over-detaining inmates for such behavior, Wasko said. Now, the 23-hour lock down for multiple days or 60 days for insolence is no longer common, Wasko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That was a little bit of a culture change, Wasko said. I explained that we are here to rehabilitate and not isolate (inmates). One other change was illustrated at Thanksgiving and Christmas. The DOC has a family reunification program with specific events scheduled throughout the year. These can be outdoor events or indoors but they are geared toward being a longer and different event than regular visits. Wasko attended the Thanksgiving and Christmas event. The Christmas event included a photo backdrop where families could get a family photo taken. Then its not just mom or dad in orange, Wasko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She set goals of seven events per year and in four years, its grown to 18 events a year. Wasko said the DOC is very proud of staff and the events. Committee members also heard about a DOC academy for corrections officers. A four-week competence academy that results in corrections officers, she said. There are guards at malls and other facilities but in the state DOC system, they are correctional officers and they should be proud of the badge and accomplishment, Wasko 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 KELOLAND.com. HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) On Wednesday the Food and Drug Administration banned the dye Red No. 3 after studies found the dye caused cancer in rats. The ban caused increased interest in what food products currently or have previously contained Red No. 3. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest According to the Hershey Company, they have not used Red No. 3 since 2021. A glossary of ingredients on The Hershey Companys website shows Red No. 3 as an ingredient, however, a representative from Hershey says the online glossary has not been updated since the company removed the dye from its products. The glossary available on Wednesday afternoon shows it was last updated in August 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Hershey, Red No. 3 gives food a pink shade color. Many of Hersheys products, such as Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers, currently list Red No. 40 on their packaging. The ingredient glossary notes that Red 40 gives food a red color and is also known as Allura Red. Just Born, the Pennsylvania company that manufactures PEEPS, says they have stopped using Red No. 3 as of Easter 2024. Companies that still use Red No. 3 in food have until 2027 to update their recipes. 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 ABC27. AMES, Iowa Authorities in Ames are seeking the publics help after a dog was found suffering from a gunshot injury on Tuesday. According to the City of Ames, on Tuesday afternoon animal control staff responded to a report of an animal in distress on Robin Street in south Ames. When staff arrived at the scene they located a roughly 10-year-old black Labrador mix with a gunshot injury. The dog, named Good Boy, was taken to a local vet and then transported to Iowa State University Veterinary School for treatment. Woman found dead in Grimes backyard identified Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ames Animal Shelter said in a post on Facebook that bullet fragments were found in Good Boys skull and that the pressure caused by the gunshot likely ruptured his eye. Animal Control Supervisor Ron Edwards said in a statement that Good Boy is stable, but will likely need surgery to remove his ruptured eye. So far, the cost for Good Boys veterinary care is estimated to be $7,000. The Ames Animal Shelter is asking for donations to help with his care. The donation link can be found on the animal shelters website. The city said Animal Control Officers have contacted businesses in the area where Good Boy was found and are checking security camera footage. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Ames Police Department at (515)239-5530 or the anonymous tip line at (515)239-5533. Tips can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at (515)223-1400 or online. Iowa News: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 who13.com. Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe speaks on the floor of the Montana House of Representatives in support of a 'bathroom bill' that would mandate public restroom usage based on the gender assigned at birth (Photo by Micah Drew of the Daily Montanan). If theres one thing that strikes terror into the heart of every Treasure State pervert, its the Montana Legislature. Thats according to the Republicans in the Montana Legislature, which have fast-tracked a bathroom bill that passed a key vote in the House on Wednesday, symbolizing its urgency and underscoring how carefully attuned lawmakers are to Montanas real problems affordable housing, property tax relief and public education be damned, or, at least delayed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current iteration of a bathroom bill and an effort to redefine sex that would exclude any intersex and transgender Montana residents, are re-runs from the last Legislature, and the first of this one that illustrates solutions in search of problems. Youll recall that attempts to redefine sex have already been halted by the courts because they treat residents differently, something that should offend the GOPs self-described relentless pursuit of freedom and liberty. And beyond likely heading for millions of dollars of litigation with the same predictable result, the debate on the bathroom bills should be just as offensive as the waste of money these bills will become if theyre signed into law. As Democrats and those testifying against the bill rightly pointed out, its already illegal to assault someone anywhere, making the so-called bathroom bill redundant. In other words: This isnt about safety, nor is about bathrooms. Instead, the bathroom bill perpetuates some other dangerous notions about those who may look, act or indeed be different than what the Republicans perceive to be the norm and lets be clear: This is a problem manufactured by the GOP, pushed by the GOP and only supported by the GOP; no Democrat is asking for this legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jed Hinkle, R-Belgrade, said its about dissuading perverts from stalking women and girls in bathroom. Using that same logic, laws against theft should stop shoplifting and speed limit signs should eliminate speeding. But Hinkles own words betray him: He would believe that anyone who doesnt fit his very strict definition of sex, gender and sexuality should be seen a pervert or a threat. His own characterization, and those of lawmakers who support the bill, seem to believe that transgender residents or Montanans who dont fit a gender-binary would go to an unbelievable amount of work just to use a different bathroom to fulfill some kind of sexual kink. This would also seem to disregard many documented cases of heterosexual men stalking women in bathrooms. But, its insulting to think that, as some Democratic legislators suggest in mockery, you would need a blood test or birth certificate just to use a public bathroom. Also undergirding this unbelievably daft law is the notion that public bathrooms are hotbeds of lust and dens of sexual activity, which makes me wonder: What public restrooms are lawmakers visiting? Most of the time, I am just happy if there are paper towels and it looks as if theyve been cleaned since the Clinton administration. The real danger is that it perpetuates and singles out these already-targeted citizens for more humiliation, mockery and maybe even violence. By using words like groomers or perverts theres an idea that somehow these individuals are masquerading as a different gender to do harm or violence to someone just looking to use the bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The notion that women somehow need the men-folk to protect them; that theyre any more defenseless than young boys or men in bathrooms is antiquated and insulting. While it is true that women can be physically smaller on average, it perpetuates the notion that women deserve special protection, and if a man cant fend off an attack in the bathroom, it must be his fault. If public bathroom safety is truly an issue in Montana or anywhere then lawmakers case should be self-evident by the rash of media reports and public outcry. But things appear quiet. And if someone is assaulted, thats a case for law enforcement, not the Legislatures morality police. Id point out that every bathroom in my house, and Id suspect most of your houses is unisex, and most of the privacy problems could be solved by doors and locks. So, how come this problem becomes almost unmanageable when the bathrooms are moved to a public space? Unless, of course, bathrooms really arent the problem. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis doubled down on his push for the state to pass new laws to fight illegal immigration, even as Republican legislative leaders are reticent to do anything until the regular session that begins in March. During a news conference Wednesday, DeSantis cited President-elect Donald Trumps forthcoming administration for creating a sense of urgency on the issue, saying his administration would not be approaching the change in leadership in a lackadaisical fashion and urged lawmakers not to be passive but bold and strong. By making the announcement, DeSantis was escalating his power struggle with Republican leaders in the Legislature, who are new at the helm of their respective chambers. Florida House Speaker Danny Perez and Florida Senate President Ben Albritton on Monday stressed they supported the incoming president but called the idea of a special session later this month premature and irresponsible, given that Trump had not yet announced his executive orders and that the Legislature would be convening for its regular session March 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre basically saying after four years of Bidens really destructive border policies that its somehow premature to act with a new president coming in? Are you kidding me? DeSantis responded to reporters when asked about the standoff during a media briefing in Winter Haven. This is the time to act. The DeSantis administration has been perplexed by the reluctance of legislative leaders to act. One high-ranking member of the administration, who was not authorized to speak publicly about the impasse, said that none of the special session concepts mentioned by the governor should come as a surprise to lawmakers noting, for example, that DeSantis first started talking about a need to handle the states condo crisis last fall. The administration official, however, said the governor's office has heard nothing from legislative leaders about the proposals although they have heard from rank-and-file members eager to sponsor bills to assist the administration. Perez or Albritton did not comment publicly about DeSantis remarks on Wednesday. But when asked about the lack of communication between the governors office and legislative leaders, spokespeople for both Albritton and Perez said neither legislative leader got much notice that the governor was going to go ahead with a special session. They said they did, however, get a detailed sheet outlining legislative proposals last Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katie Betta, a spokesperson for Albritton, and Amelia Angleton, a spokesperson for Perez, said in a joint email to POLITICO that Albritton received a call from DeSantis 15 minutes prior to his announcement on Monday that he was announcing the session. Perez was flying to Miami when he received a voice mail message. They said that legislative leaders have still not seen any actual bill language backed by the governor's office, adding that any member may choose to file a bill. DeSantis said Wednesday that hed already talked to Trump, as well as the president-elects policy team, about what their plans were. And Trump had praised DeSantis, his one-time primary foe, for calling the session. The four pages received by legislative leaders go well beyond what DeSantis outlined on Wednesday not just on immigration, but a slew of other policy areas. On immigration, the governors office proposed charging law enforcement officers with misdemeanors and elected officials with felonies if they do not fully cooperate in the enforcement of immigration laws. It also called for expanding DeSantis migrant transport program so that migrants could be shipped outside of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors office also called for making sweeping changes to how citizen initiatives make the ballot in Florida. One of those changes would let the secretary of state, who works for the governor, decertify initiatives if state officials determine that a petition did not get enough valid signatures. This past year the states election crimes office said it found examples of fraudulent signatures on initiatives that were used to get the abortion access amendment on the ballot. The DeSantis administration also proposed addressing the state's condo crisis by having the State Board of Administration, which handles the states pension plan, administer a loan program for condo associations where the state would guarantee up to 50 percent of the loan. The official presidential and vice presidential portraits of Donald Trump and JD Vance were released Thursday, just days ahead of their inauguration. Trumps portrait bears a notable resemblance to his mugshot from August 2023 at Fulton County Jail in Georgia, with the president-elect glaring at the camera. Vance, meanwhile, appears to have a small smile on his face while his arms are crossed. Both men are pictured wearing dark blue suits and blue ties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In just four days, Donald J. Trump will be sworn in as the 47th President of the United States and JD Vance as the 50th Vice President of the United States and their official portraits are here, Trumps transition team wrote Thursday in a press release. The new photo is notably different from Trumps portrait from his first term, where he was pictured with a wide smile. The official portraits of Trump and then-Vice President Mike Pence were not released until October 2017, nine months after they were inaugurated. Any reason for the delay was never provided by the White House. Official portraits of the president and vice president are traditionally hung in federal buildings and U.S. embassies worldwide. The photos of Trump and Vance will also be for sale. Trump, 78, and Vance, 40, will be sworn in Monday. Trump will become just the second president in American history to serve two nonconsecutive terms, following Grover Cleveland in the late 1800s. Cleveland won the 1884 and 1892 presidential elections but lost to Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Vance will be the third-youngest vice president in American history, behind John Breckinridge and Richard Nixon. CHICAGO President-elect Donald Trumps vow to enact mass deportations and his famous antipathy toward Chicago have girded local immigration activists for the immediate aftermath of his inauguration. But how would such an effort, which has not happened before in modern U.S. history, actually unfold? And how real are Trumps threats to try to go after asylum-seekers, naturalized citizens and other groups on top of immigrants in the U.S. without legal permission? Trump border czar Tom Homan has designated the nations third-largest city as ground zero for his plans to round up immigrants in the country illegally and other groups at an unprecedented scale, saber-rattling that could set up a high-profile showdown between progressive Mayor Brandon Johnson and the incoming Republican administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicago officials are mobilizing a legal and resource playbook to stop federal immigration agents from carrying out raids at businesses, shelters, police lock-ups and beyond. Its unclear what exactly the president-elect will do after his Jan. 20 inauguration, as he promised mass deportations before his first term, too, and they largely did not materialize. Still, local leaders told the Tribune the danger is even more real this time around, citing the rightward shift of the courts and his four years of previous White House experience to embolden him. I think we need to take every threat that Trump makes seriously and be ready to be able to fight it, said Erendira Rendon, vice president of immigrant justice at The Resurrection Project. We also need to realize that some stuff is very much for show. We are staying pretty focused on making sure that we are growing our ability to take on as many deportation cases as possible, without getting distracted. Johnson has vowed to unequivocally protect Chicagos immigrants, including via the sanctuary city policy. In an interview with the Tribune, his deputy immigration mayor, Beatriz Ponce de Leon, said her team is holding a public education campaign, featuring a flurry of Know Your Rights workshops for immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have heard very publicly on the news that Chicago could be a target on day one for raids, Ponce de Leon said. It is reassuring that we live in a city and in a state that has these protections. Although Homan might be threatening to do those things, it is not necessarily something that is allowable and that wouldnt be violating peoples rights. Gov. JB Pritzker has also promised Illinois immigrants that they are safe, though violent criminals who lack permanent legal status are not. You come for my people, you come through me, he declared to Trump after the November election. The promise, and limits, of a Welcoming City Homan has lately offered sanctuary cities such as Chicago a choice: Cooperate with rounding up criminals in the U.S. without legal permission, or see Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other federal agencies on the streets. More agents in the jails means less agents in the neighborhood, Homan said on CBSs Face the Nation earlier this month. Thats why Im pleading with sanctuary cities: Let us in the jail to arrest the bad guy. Whats going to happen when we go to the community and find that person, find that criminal alien, its probably going to be with others. Others we will have to arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chicagos sanctuary city ordinance or Illinois statewide version, the Way Forward Act bans official cooperation between local law enforcement and federal deportation authorities, while ensuring immigrants living without legal permission can use city services. Cook Countys statute bans ICE agents from the jail and other facilities unless they have a criminal warrant unrelated to immigration. I would say yes and no, Nicole Hallett, clinical professor of law at the University of Chicago, said when asked if these laws kneecap immigration enforcement. The Welcoming City ordinance does not prevent any enforcement from happening in the city of Chicago or anywhere else. ICE can fully operate (but) it can make it a lot harder for the federal government to have an effective immigration enforcement plan. The intent is to ensure immigrants in the country without legal permission can still report crime without fearing deportation, while depriving the feds of a key resource local police, who were traditionally ICEs sources on who to detain outside of border areas, Hallett said. But two Johnson critics in the City Council hope to roll back Chicagos ordinance. Ald. Raymond Lopez, 15th, and Silvana Tabares, 23rd, plan to use a parliamentary move during this Wednesdays council meeting to force a vote on an amendment that would allow Chicago police to work with federal agencies on cases with individuals accused or convicted of gang activity, drug-related crimes, sex trafficking or sex crimes with minors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I absolutely do believe that that assertion is serious, Lopez, who met with Homan last month, said about the threat to flood Chicago with ICE agents. Quite frankly, in refusing to turn over that small percentage who choose to commit crimes, you are endangering our entire undocumented community by forcing the feds to find them. I dont want to see them in my neighborhoods. Homan, a former ICE official in Trumps first administration, has opened the bomb bay doors in his rhetoric against Johnson. Chicagos in trouble because your mayor sucks and your governor sucks, he said at a December event hosted by the Northwest Side GOP Club: Were going to start right here in Chicago, Illinois. If your Chicago mayor doesnt want to help, he can step aside, Homan said. But if he impedes us if he knowingly harbors or conceals an illegal alien I will prosecute him. Johnson has not met with the Trump administration, though Ponce de Leon said the mayors team would welcome a chance to do so after the transition to make clear the Welcoming City ordinance and gain clarity on Trumps immigration plans for Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But unlike New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who was spared Homans ire after backing a plan to focus on deporting violent immigrants in the country without legal status, Johnsons political brand hinges on leftist bona fides that position him as a progressive foil to Trump. This is a city that will remain a welcoming city, Johnson said in his first news conference after Trumps November victory. I promise you that we will not bend or break. Our values will remain strong and firm. We will face likely hurdles in our work over the next four years, but we will not be stopped, and we certainly will not go back. Public records requests show the Johnson and Pritzker teams met last month to talk about Shelter Raids, indicating they think the city-states new single shelter system for migrants could be one of the target areas for ICE activity. Daisy Contreras, a spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Human Services, said the discussion to protect vulnerable populations in Illinois in shelter settings included brainstorming potential trainings that shelter staff may need if engaging with federal immigration enforcement officials and/or handling and responding to immigration-related documentation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnsons deputy mayor of community safety, Garien Gatewood, stressed the citys goal was to prep shelter operators with legal guidance and resources should a shelter raid scenario arise. None of us are looking for a physical standoff between federal agents and our local law enforcement agents, Gatewood told the Tribune. Johnsons corporation counsel has provided guidance for the rest of the mayors cabinet on how to protect Chicagoans from ICE threats, Gatewood said, with a memo going out to city commissioners on Friday. What Trump, Homan have said Rendon, with The Resurrection Project, said Homan and Trump should not be trusted at their word to only deport criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems like the narrative is that that is who the target is, Rendon said. But in actuality no matter how deep or long your ties are to the U.S., no matter if you have U.S. citizen children or not, no matter if youre a homeowner or a business owner it does not matter. Under the actual policies that Trump had, anybody who is undocumented was the priority for deportation. Federal agents require probable cause to detain individuals or else risk accusations of unconstitutional profiling, but Homans threats could lead to a chilling effect in immigrant-heavy communities and workplaces, Hallett added. Though Trumps first term ultimately saw fewer deportations than either of President Barack Obamas terms, it was still marked by frequent ICE raids and family separations. His operation faced costly and time-intensive hurdles when it came to deporting immigrants, however, including a heavy backlog in the court system and shortages in law enforcement personnel and detention space. There are currently a record 3 million pending cases in U.S. immigration court, per the latest government data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To get around due process, Trumps second administration could attempt to ramp up deportations via expedited removal, a law that allows circumventing due process for those who arrived without documents, Hallett said. He has also hinted at activating the Alien Enemies Act, an 18th century law invoked to enact deportations during wartime, as well as using the military, which would break longstanding norms and likely lead to legal showdowns with blue states. To get around the fiscal limitations inhibiting mass deportations, the Trump White House will likely look at the GOP-controlled U.S. Congress to allocate more funding to the effort. Beyond those with criminal histories or removal orders, Trumps incoming administration has said they would target other classes of immigrants and even citizens. That includes the asylum-seekers who flooded Chicago and elsewhere after arriving from impoverished countries such as Venezuela, becoming an animating force during the 2024 presidential election given their plights and extensive need for city resources. But the U.S. is not allowed to deport those migrants more than 51,000 who have come through Chicago while their applications are processed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What Trump can do to target them is change the law to make asylum status easier to deny, so that after their cases are adjudicated, they become immigrants subject to deportation. But in the meantime, their fates are in the hands of immigration judges, who vary widely on how many asylum statuses they grant. On Friday, President Joe Biden extended Temporary Protected Status for hundreds of thousands of migrants from Venezuela and other countries as a bid to preempt Trump from jeopardizing the benefit. More unusually, Trump and his administration have talked about going after birthright citizenship, a right enshrined in the U.S. Constitutions 14th Amendment for children who were born in the country. This will surely draw legal challenges but Trump could be counting on the 6-3 conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court to undo that protection. Still, even the highest court of the land has not always sided with the president-elect on immigration cases. I think thats absolutely what theyre doing, Hallett said about engineering a landmark birthright citizenship case. But regardless of the legal outcome, she said it will lead to lots of anguish and worry and anxiety, and even if its resolved in two years theyve managed to alienate a large group of people who are U.S. citizens and always have been. Trumps incoming deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller has also said naturalized citizens could be subject to deportation. That would be a resource-intensive process of rooting out those who omitted or lied on their citizenship applications. Lastly, Chicago and Illinois could be in the crosshairs of federal funding cutoffs once again should leaders obstruct deportations, as Homan has floated. That played out during the first Trump White House, when then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel sued the Justice Department in 2017 after it withheld federal grants to Chicago because of its sanctuary city policy. Emanuel prevailed, though that legal fight was largely symbolic because the amount of money at stake was a small fraction of the citys police budget: just $1.5 million that he wanted to use to help pay for the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system. The fear is knowing that the administration not just him, right is coming in with already four years of experience, Rendon said. But we have been very focused for the last eight years on increasing the legal capacity to be able to represent immigrants. The main thing for folks to be able to protect themselves in case of ICE raids, or in case they have an encounter with ICE, is that they know what their rights are. Chicago Tribunes Dan Petrella and A.D. Quig contributed. ____ President-elect Donald Trump announced Senate aide Olivia Trusty as his pick for FCC commissioner, which would give Republicans a majority at the regulatory agency. Trusty is currently policy director on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. In that role, according to Trump, she has fought tirelessly to grow the Economy, empower Innovation, and reignite the American Dream, he wrote in a post Thursday on Truth Social announcing her nomination to the FCC. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has picked Brendan Carr, the senior Republican commissioner at the FCC, as the agencys new chairman. Democrat Jessica Rosenworcel, the FCCs outgoing chairwoman, is exiting as Trump takes over the White House. The confirmation of Trusty would establish a 3-2 GOP majority at the agency. Olivia will work with our incredible new Chairman of the FCC, Brendan Carr, to cut regulations at a record pace, protect Free Speech, and ensure every American has access to affordable and fast internet, Trump said in the post. Trusty previously worked as an aide to U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio). She also was a staff member on the House Committee on Energy and Commerces Subcommittee on Digital Commerce and Consumer Protection. Earlier in her career, Trusty worked as a consultant for Verizon and served as a policy representative at Qwest, per her LinkedIn profile. Trusty has a masters degree in American government from Georgetown University and a bachelors degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Comcast chief legal officer Tom Reid said in a statement about Trustys appointment, Olivia Trustys extensive knowledge of communications policy makes her an exceptional choice as FCC Commissioner. We look forward to working with her and with the full FCC to address the nations crucial communication needs including broadband investment and deregulation. We applaud President-elect Trump on this strong choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ACA Connects, a trade group that represents small and midsize cable and telecom operators, issued a statement supporting Trustys nomination to the commission. Ive followed Olivias work for more than a decade, dating back to her time with Congressman Bob Latta (R-Ohio), ACA Connects president and CEO Grant Spellmeyer said in a statement. Her record of accomplishment at Senate Commerce and Senate Armed Services speaks for itself. ACA Connects and all our members look forward to working with her and Chairman Brendan Carr to cut red tape, promote innovation in rural communities, and further empower Americas small and independent broadband providers to close the digital divide. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Donald Trump's new official White House portrait bears a striking resemblance to his historic mug shot taken in August 2023. The president-elect's transition team shared the inaugural portrait for his second term on Thursday, Jan. 16, ahead of his swearing-in ceremony on Monday. In a vibe shift from the photo used during his first term in which he stood tall and smiled wide Trump's new photo shows him staring at a downward angle with a straight face. His expression is remarkably similar to the one in his booking photo, but instead of seeing the Fulton County Sheriff's Office logo in the top left corner, his portrait saw the red and white stripes of the American flag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Donald Trump's Mug Shot Released, a Historic First for Any U.S. President Trump made history on Aug. 24, 2023, when he became the first United States president, former or sitting, to have his mug shot taken. The unprecedented photo came after he surrendered to authorities in Atlanta following a Georgia grand jury's indictment of him and 18 co-defendants on charges related to alleged attempts to reverse the 2020 election results. Trump's mug shot is a blurry image of him staring into the camera, head tilted down and brows furrowed. He wore a suit his standard navy blue attire with a red tie. Upon being processed as inmate number P01135809, Trump was described as 6'3" with blue eyes and "blond or strawberry hair." Related: Donald Trump Sentenced to 'Unconditional Discharge' for His Felonies. Here's What That Means Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon seeing the booking photo, President Joe Biden quipped that his opponent was a "handsome guy, wonderful guy." Though Trump went on to become the first president convicted of felonies in a separate criminal case in Manhattan, the low-resolution mug shot from Fulton County was unexpectedly embraced by loyal MAGA followers during Trump's 2024 presidential campaign as the symbol of a man who could not be taken down. Related: Donald Trump Would Be Convicted of Defrauding U.S. in 2020 Election if He Weren't President-Elect, DOJ Asserts Trump's new official White House portrait stands in contrast to other recent presidential portraits, which all depict the heads of state bearing big smiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Michelle Obama Is 'Not One to Pretend for Protocol's Sake,' Source Says About Her Skipping Trump's Inauguration (Exclusive) On Thursday, Trump's transition team also released the portrait of Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, whose pose and facial expression was more in line with tradition. Vance an Ohio native who served two years in the U.S. Senate will be sworn in moments before Trump on Monday, Jan. 20, as the first millennial vice president. 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. Read the original article on People The worries over TikToks impending shutdown have now reached a full-fledged panic among the sites user base. But at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump sees an opportunity to play the hero for millions of Americans who use the app daily and to do so by spurning his onetime rival, Joe Biden. Legislation passed by Congress and signed by Biden will take effect on Sunday: It forces the sale, divestiture, or ban of the app if the two former options are not taken. The ban would not make usage of the app illegal, however, it will prevent app stores from allowing users to download it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikToks executives are getting ahead of the impending restriction. They plan to take the app down for all U.S. users preventing any usage at all beginning on Sunday. The intent is to enrage the apps massive fanbase, and exert further political pressure on Washington. Those users pushed competitor RedNote close to the top of app store download lists on Thursday as a sudden desire for a TikTok-alternative set in. The company has tried these kinds of D.C. pressure campaigns before. They havent ended well. But Donald Trump is a different story. I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, the incoming president has said about the app. Why would I want to get rid of TikTok? Mike Waltz, Donald Trumps incoming national security adviser, confirmed that the administration wants to halt the restrictions of the app passed by Congress. (Getty Images for Concordia Summi) With reporting in The Washington Post on Wednesday indicating that the president-elect is looking for options to prevent the ban through executive action and TikToks CEO now on the Trump inauguration guest list, one thing is abundantly clear: the benefits presented by the app for a social media-savvy president clearly outweigh any concern he has for the national security concerns that lawmakers in Washington believe the app poses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Waltz, Trumps soon-to-be White House national security adviser, said as much this week: TikTok itself is a fantastic platform. Were going to find a way to preserve it but protect peoples data. Those policymakers on the Hill who supported forcing owner ByteDance to divest or sell the app have as of yet failed to convince the American public of the necessity of such action. After years of debating the issue, polling from the Pew Research Center in September of last year found that support for a ban only slightly edged out opposition and trailed the share of Americans who had no opinion. This comes despite leaders of both parties arguing that the ownership of TikTok by a Chinese company could allow the Chinese government to harvest the personal information of American TikTok users, something the company strongly denies. A move to reverse the ban of TikTok (either through dealmaking and finding financial backing for a U.S. purchase of the app, or through more direct means) would likely be a small political victory for the president-elect, at least outside of the Capital beltway. The question in Trumps mind is not whether to reverse the ban: Its whether hell be successful in doing so. The law, passed by Congress and signed by his predecessor, cannot be waved away with a pen stroke. Trump learned that lesson the hard way, in 2017, with his doomed bid to repeal Obamacare. A formal repeal effort would require winning over largely the same Congress that just supported the ban, another tough prospect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One sign hes ready to fight that battle: the decision on Wednesday to remove Mike Turner, the Republican chair of the House Intelligence Committee, from the panel. It was carried out by Speaker Mike Johnson, reportedly at the president-elects behest. Trumps incoming administration could announce to companies like Apple and Google that it will not enforce the ban and prosecute the tech giants for keeping TikTok on app stores. But that could leave it open to legal challenges and the presidents nominee to lead the Justice Department pledged to enforce all federal laws during her Senate confirmation hearing this week. The next few days will be pivotal for an app that serves millions of users across the country. But in a week where Democrats are already seeing Trumps team take credit for a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza (one that was inked days after the incoming presidents envoy visited the region) its worth questioning just how many free layups the Biden team will let Trump make before next Monday. President-elect Donald Trump has been sharing his interest in acquiring Greenland, which is home to the northernmost U.S. military base, arguing its importance for both national and economic security. Control over Greenland means strategic control over newer routes, driven by a silent force that Trump has time and again denied climate change. Greenland is a highway from the Arctic all the way to North America, to the United States, he told Fox News (FOX) in an interview. Its strategically very important to the Arctic, which is going to be the critical battleground of the future because as the climate gets warmer, the Arctic is going to be a pathway that maybe cuts down on the usage of the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Greenland is not (yet) a sovereign state under international law, it remains an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. The island gained self-rule in 2009, giving it authority over most domestic matters, while Denmark retains control of foreign affairs, defense, and monetary policy. Trumps renewed interest in acquiring the territory whether through purchase or, as he recently suggested, potential military force has prompted sharp responses from both Danish and Greenlandic leaders. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Greenlands Prime Minister Mute Egede have repeatedly emphasized that the territory is not for sale, though Denmark has indicated openness to discussing increased U.S. military presence on the island. The strategic value of Greenland extends far beyond shipping routes. The region holds vast deposits of rare earth minerals crucial for renewable energy technology. These untapped resources are essential components in manufacturing everything from power-storing batteries to windmill magnets, making the territory increasingly attractive to global powers racing to secure sustainable energy supply chains. Greenland has lost massive amounts of ice, making it more attractive for rare earth mining and oil drilling, while we are already seeing more traffic through the Arctic Ocean as it becomes ice free for longer, Alice Hill, a former climate advisor to Barack Obama and now a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, told The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the ice melts, the worlds largest island between the U.S., Russia and Europe is opening critical routes, making it more important, both strategically and geopolitically. Along with the U.S., Russia and China are also seeking to expand their footprint. [China] is one of the newer entrants on the scene, Iris A. Ferguson, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Arctic and Global Resilience, said last year in an interview with the Department of Defense News. Over time, the strategic interests that they have in the region are giving us pause. How their long-term vision for the region could affect our interests, is [also] giving us pause. Graphic: Deena Zaidi | Quartz In the Arctic, two shipping lanes are navigable during the summer Northwest Passage or Northern Sea Route (which transits Canada and the U.S.) and Northeast Passage (which follows the Russian Arctic coast and continues into Europe). The Arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the globe, leading to longer ice-free periods that expand navigable areas along these shipping routes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers at NASAs Jet Propulsion Laboratory reported in a new paper that of the 207 glaciers included in their study, 179 had retreated significantly since 1985, 27 held steady, and one advanced slightly. Such a continuing trend could increase sea levels by 23 feet if the regions ice melts completely, according to NASA. Jason Box, a climatologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, highlighted the alarming scale of ice melt. The annual ice loss of the Greenland ice sheet is the equivalent of each person on the planet filling a bathtub with water every day of the year! That is around 8 billion bathtubs that can hold 100 liters, he said in an interview with The Arctic Council. Arctic shipping traffic has already increased by 37% over the past decade, according to the data compiled by the Arctic Council. At an average speed of 20 knots, the Northwest Passage takes 14 days from the key port of the U.K. to Vancouver, Canada, in comparison to 18 days via the Panama route. While newer and shorter shipping routes due to melting glaciers may seem attractive to the shipping industry, it does not always mean its practical especially due to the lack of infrastructure, high insurance cost, and the risk involved due to unpredictable weather and harsh polar conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two years ago, with the intention of becoming the first-ever nonstop circumnavigator across the Arctic Ocean, Chinese sailor Zhai Mo set out to sail through the Northwest Passage in four months. However, the journey took a year and a half and was reportedly interrupted by an iceberg. In an interview with Scientific American, Melody Brown Burkins, who works on science policy and diplomacy in the Arctic and globally at Dartmouth College, points out the complications of sailing the waters that remain treacherous despite climate change. She said, You can say theres going to be less ice, but theres going to be a lot more ice drifting around to puncture ships. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Against bone-chilling cold, Jose Ismael squatted next to a makeshift campfire within the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary in St. Paul on Wednesday, contemplating where he and dozens of others living in the sprawling tent encampment around him would end up the next day. Ismael, a roofer originally from El Salvador, said he hadnt worked in three months, despite his efforts to land a job. Homelessness was new to him, he said, but Tent City as some outreach workers have dubbed the collection of some 40 odd tents off Payne Avenue and East Seventh Street has provided at least a small sense of community. Soon, Tent City will be no more. Citing frequent police and fire calls, the city of St. Paul last week issued orders to vacate to the dozens of encampment residents within the nature sanctuary, effective Thursday. Officials with the citys Homeless Assistance Response Team and Familiar Faces initiatives, as well as Catholic Charities, were on site Wednesday to help residents pack up their belongings and transport those willing to enter shelters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What really led to the closure of this was it got to the point this became dangerous, said Jennifer Lor, a spokesperson for St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carters office. It solely closed for safety reasons. City and county outreach workers will be there again all day Thursday, though social service providers say shelter capacity is tight. Catholic Charities downtown St. Paul Dorothy Day/Higher Ground shelter can take in up to 179 men and 61 women, and has been reaching that capacity nightly. On especially cold nights, the charity allows some visitors to stay in the lobby. Organizers are working to open additional overflow beds for those folks leaving the encampment, an agency spokesperson said on Wednesday. Still, many Tent City residents remain resistant to emergency shelters, despite the cold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of them are just going to leave with nothing, said Pastor Ger Vang, whose Rice Street-based Living Water International Church has been visiting the Bruce Vento site regularly for more than two years. They cant take their tent. They dont have transportation to take it. Theyre going to need a new tent, blankets. An unprecedented challenge for homeless Hmong residents Since August, Kabo Yang and a network of some 10 to 20 committed volunteers have made weekly visits to St. Paul homeless encampments frequented by ethnic Hmong and Karen residents. To members of her nonprofit organization, Hmong Haven, another camp behind the vacant Kmart store off Maryland Avenue and Interstate 35E bears the unofficial name K-City. Thats where Ger Vang has set up his Jesus Tent, from which he distributes food and uses a microphone to preach the good word every Tuesday. We feed them, we clothe them, we go love them, Ger Vang said. For newcomers to the camp, the Jesus Tent is like a little hotel tent where they spend a night or two before they get their own tent, Kabo Yang said. If people want to go to treatment, they spend the night and we pick them up there in the morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not Hmong Havens only regular stop. Outside downtown, Tent City has grown to be an even larger, more diverse encampment, she said. About half the residents there are Hmong men. What K-City and Tent City have in common, other than the blistering cold, is that theyve drawn members of a large, ethnic community for whom living on the street is largely an unprecedented experience. This is new, said Kabo Yang, one Hmong Havens three founding board members. I think its the pandemic. Its housing costs. Instead of taking their chances on finding an empty bed, some in the Tent City community are likely to head behind Kmart and join K-City, though Kabo Yang and others have predicted another encampment on Fish Hatchery Road, within Pigs Eye Regional Park, is likely to draw even larger numbers. Some are resistant to shelters Both sites are well removed from downtown and key emergency services, like the free meals and shelter beds at the Dorothy Day campus. Still, some of the Hmong and Karen men who have gravitated to K-City and Tent City have learned to avoid shelters after negative experiences. Even in the bitter cold, they prefer the familiarity of those who quite literally speak their language. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the Dorothy Day campus or the Union Gospel Mission, theyd get in, but it was hard for them to ask for IDs or help because of language barriers, Kabo Yang said. Sometimes, theyd get bullied because of language barriers not by the staff, but by the people that come there and theyd have to give up their spot for the night. And shelters fill fast, as does emergency housing. Many residential sobriety programs require participants to be able to communicate in English or read at a fifth-grade level. Thats something were struggling with, Kabo Yang said. Theres not enough places to put people. Meanwhile, mental health challenges are a kind of new frontier for many Hmong families unaccustomed to seeing mental disorders as treatable conditions along a spectrum of severity. One thing about the Hmong community, theyre not familiar with mental health, Kabo Yang said. Once their child or family member is having mental health issues, they just think theyre crazy, or possessed. So theyre put out of the house instead of getting the help they need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the camps, fentanyl and other substance abuse issues are not uncommon. It gets crowded over there On Wednesday, a man who identified himself only as Pao said hed been living in the camp for about six months after his car was damaged, cutting him off from work at a factory that makes military equipment. Pao, who said he had made friendships at the Bruce Vento camp, took a dim view of the prospect of moving into a downtown shelter. It gets crowded over there, Pao said. This place right here, were almost free to do what we want. And its safety in numbers. Its a little bit of both. To be honest with you, its also substance (use). We want to be free out here. Sometimes you need a little time off. I know its not the right kind of time off. The land that the Bruce Vento camp sits on is technically county-owned, and Ramsey County service navigators have joined the citys Homeless Assistance Response Team in steering Tent City residents toward homeless shelters and other resources, said Casper Hill, a county spokesperson. The county maintains a one-stop phone number for its support services at 651-266-1050. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To get past language barriers and make connections, the county has contracted outreach teams from the Hmong organization Koom Recovery, the Karen Organization of Minnesota and the Ain Dah Yung Center, which works with American Indian youth and families. Weve been lucky with this particular encampment to receive a lot of outside help, said Lor, the mayors spokesperson. Our goal is really to get them into permanent housing. Related Articles CHEYENNE Before a relatively short Cheyenne City Council meeting concluded Monday evening, several downtown business and property owners continued to express their opposition to the governing bodys decision to install a paid parking program downtown, saying they felt excluded from the process and that it may hurt their business. The proposed changes still allow two free hours of parking across downtown. The only change is people will have the opportunity to pay for additional time in the parking space on a mobile app or by calling a phone number. Sam Galeotos, who owns multiple downtown businesses, including The Metropolitan restaurant, presented the counselors with a petition signed by around 120 downtown stakeholders, including business owners and customers. It urges the city to reverse its decision and consider other options to address parking issues downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of the business and property owners signing the petition have invested heavily in downtown Cheyenne and generate their livelihoods in the downtown business district. We believe the subject ordinances will create a barrier to attracting downtown visitors, both local visitors and out-of-towners, he said. Galeotos said the change will cause unnecessary financial damage to businesses and compromise the investments he and others have made to make downtown an attractive destination and environment. I would be remiss if I did not communicate that we are really unclear as to what problem the governing body was attempting to solve with these ordinances and what benefits they will generate to enhance commerce in downtown Cheyenne, he added. The petition indicates that signatories do not believe the City Councils actions are representative of the collective view of the downtown business community. It outlines nine alternative strategies the city should consider instead of the proposed paid parking program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These recommendations include updating street and curb striping, improving signage, informative community marketing, improvements to the safety of the Spiker Parking Facility, discounted parking rates at the parking structure for downtown employees, changing enforcement approaches and considering additional parking options on the east side of downtown. Corey Loghry, co-owner of The Downtowner and Paris West, told the WTE that, of the 120 signatories, 90% of them were unaware of the parking ordinances being presented. She said once those 90% found out, between 94% and 96% were opposed. The justification for the implementation of paid parking was (that) it was what downtown stakeholders wanted; that is simply inaccurate, and actually the very last thing we want, as we think it will significantly and negatively deter continued efforts to grow downtown, Loghry told the WTE in an email. Cheyennes Downtown Business Collective met with the Cheyenne Police Department in December to hear CPDs vision for what paid parking will look like downtown. At this meeting, many attendees expressed a similar sentiment, saying they felt excluded from the decision-making process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the meeting, Richard Johnson, who was a City Council member representing Ward 3 at the time and sponsor of the paid parking resolution, submitted a letter to the editor published in the WTE stating that business owners had ample opportunity to provide feedback. In his letter, Johnson said the process began in 2022 following a Downtown Business Collective work session where the data he collected from business owners inspired him to begin drafting the resolution. A 2017 parking study by Kimley-Horn had also suggested implementing paid parking downtown as a potential solution to address parking and traffic concerns in the area. In spring 2023, the council held a work session on the findings from the study and Johnsons work on the resolution. The city and CPD also held a public forum on the topic before introducing the ordinance in June 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPD Capt. David Janes, who has been leading the research on how to implement the parking program, previously told the WTE that a primary goal of this program is to encourage downtown employees and visitors to park in the parking garage. Several attendees at Mondays meeting expressed concern with the safety of the parking structure. Janes has said CPD is making efforts to increase safety, such as installing entry and exit gates and adding locks to the doors to the building. Although there would not be many actual changes to the parking system, business owners expressed concern with how the perception of having a paid parking system will impact their customer traffic. I feel that our customer base, a lot of them, can figure out (the app), but not all of them, said Sandy Inniss, co-owner of 2 Doors Down. Im probably one of those older people that cant figure it out. I think thats going to be a definite hit to our business, and I think well see less traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Brinkerhoff, owner of Just Dandy, said some customers have told her they will no longer come downtown to shop if they must navigate a mobile app or a parking kiosk after their two free hours have expired. She said this change may be the nail in the coffin for many downtown business owners who are already struggling financially. MADRID (Reuters) -As many as 50 migrants, many of them Pakistanis, may have drowned in the latest deadly wreck involving people trying to make the crossing from West Africa to Spain's Canary Islands, migrant rights group Walking Borders said on Thursday. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people on Wednesday from a boat that had left Mauritania on Jan. 2 with 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, on board, the group said. Forty-four of those presumed to have drowned were from Pakistan, Walking Borders CEO Helena Maleno said on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They spent 13 days of anguish on the crossing without anyone coming to rescue them," she said. The boat capsized off the coast of the disputed region of Western Sahara and several of the survivors, which included some Pakistanis, were taken to a camp near the port of Dakhla, Pakistan's Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a post on X. Pakistan said the boat was carrying 80 passengers. Asked about what warnings it had received from NGOs regarding a missing boat, Spain's maritime rescue service said it had learned on Jan. 10 about a vessel that had left Nouakchott in Mauritania and was experiencing problems but it could not confirm if it was the same boat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The service said it had carried out air searches without success and had warned nearby ships. Walking Borders said it had alerted authorities from all countries involved six days ago about the missing boat. Alarm Phone, an NGO that provides an emergency phone line for migrants lost at sea, also said it had alerted Spain's maritime rescue service on Jan. 12 about a boat in distress. A record 10,457 migrants, or 30 people a day, died trying to reach Spain in 2024, most while attempting to cross the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal to the Canary islands, according to Walking Borders. Citing the Walking Borders' post on X, the Canary Islands' regional leader Fernando Clavijo expressed his sorrow for the victims of the latest wreck and urged Spain and Europe to act to prevent further tragedies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Atlantic cannot continue to be the graveyard of Africa," Clavijo said on X. "They cannot continue to turn their backs on this humanitarian drama." (Reporting by Joan Faus and Emma PinedoWriting by Charlie DevereuxEditing by Bernadette Baum and Frances Kerry) The fire at the oil depot in the Liskinsky district of Voronezh Oblast, Russia, which was attacked by drones earlier, was extinguished all night and as of the morning, the firefighting is ongoing, the governor of the oblast, Alexander Gusev, said. Source: Gusev on Telegram Details: The Russian official said that "more than 10 UAVs" attacked the territory of three districts of Voronezh Oblast last night, and "most of them fell on an oil depot in the Liskinsky district". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Gusev: "At the initial stage, firefighting was complicated by the threat of repeated attacks on the facility. Currently, reinforced fire crews are fighting the fire at several tanks, dozens of vehicles and two fire trains. Additional forces have been sent from two neighbouring oblasts." Details: The head of the oblast assures that there are no casualties and that citizens' property has not been damaged. Background: Late in the evening of 15 January, local authorities reported a drone attack on an oil depot in Voronezh Oblast of Russia. On the night of 1314 January, a joint special operation by Ukraine's Security Service and defence forces targeted some facilities in Russia. The operation struck ammunition depots at the Engels airfield in Saratov Oblast, caused a significant fire at the Aleksin Chemical Plant in Tula Oblast, hit the Saratov Oil Refinery and inflicted direct missile strikes on the Bryansk Chemical Plant. Support UP or become our patron! Drake sued his own label, UMG Recordings, Inc, alleging defamation. He accused the label of approving and publishing Kendrick Lamar's diss track, which the suit said included false and dangerous allegations. UMG said it is fighting the case to protect other artists for "having done nothing more than write a song." Drake filed a lawsuit against his own label, UMG Recordings, Inc., amid his ongoing beef with Kendrick Lamar. The rapper, whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham, accused Universal Music Group of approving and publishing Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us," which the complaint says includes allegations that UMG "understood were not only false, but dangerous." The song "falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and calls for violent retribution against him," according to the lawsuit filed in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even though UMG enriched itself and its shareholders by exploiting Drake's music for years, and knew that the salacious allegations against Drake were false, UMG chose corporate greed over the safety and well-being of its artists," Drake, through his attorneys, stated in the lawsuit. Representatives for Drake and UMG did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. UMG told The New York Times that it intends to fight the lawsuit to protect other artists for "having done nothing more than write a song." The complaint pointed to one incident in May in which someone opened fire outside his Toronto home, striking the front door and wounding a security guard, who the lawsuit described as "one of Drake's friends." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the days following, the lawsuit said there were two attempted break-ins at his property, one of which involved an individual who dug under the property's gate with his bare hands and "managed to yell racist slurs and threats against Drake before being escorted off the property." The complaint underscored that Lamar was not named as a defendant. It said UMG's actions in publishing the track were the cause of the string of incidents. The complaint further said that UMG did not help Drake when he confronted company executives about the situation. The lawsuit is another escalation in the ongoing beef between two chart-topping rappers that started more than 10 years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What began as an exchange of subtle shots and coded lyrics in their songs turned into an all-out musical brawl last year after Lamar once again declared himself the king of hip-hop in a collaborative track with rapper Future and producer Metro Boomin. In the song, he directly responded to Drake's 2023 track, "First Person Shooter." Within a month, Drake and Lamar exchanged several searing diss tracks, at one point going beyond rap and taking shots at each others' character and personal lives. Music critics and listeners widely saw "Not Like Us" as the final, decisive blow in the rap beef as the song received widespread acclaim and remained on Billboard's number one spot on the Hot Rap Songs chart for 21 weeks, breaking a record that was set by Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road." The Compton-born rapper took a victory lap in June when he hosted a one-night concert in Inglewood, California, where he performed "Not Like Us" six times in a row. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rivalry escalated in November when Drake involved the courts by filing a legal petition which comes before a lawsuit that accused UMG and Spotify of devising a scheme in order to make "Not Like Us" a viral hit at the expense of the Toronto rapper. UMG previously denied the claims and called Drake's filing "contrived" and "absurd." In a second legal petition from November, Drake attorneys' hinted at defamation claims against Universal and said that the label should have prevented the release of Lamar's "Not Like Us" due to the statements in the song. Read the original article on Business Insider SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Dress for Success Western Massachusetts is celebrating 25 years of business in 2025, and they celebrated by cutting the ceremonial ribbon at their new career center. That outfit started my career, said Eliana Gutierrez. One outfit and one person at a time. Dress for Success Western Massachusetts has opened a new womens career center in downtown Springfield, and the women in attendance were walking examples of the positive work they have done over the last 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gutierrez is now a legislative aide for State Representative Carlos Gonzalez, but at the ribbon cutting today, she shared her personal connection with Dress for Success Western Massachusetts. For the first time, you look in the mirror, you see yourself in business wear, and youre ready to conquer the world, said Gutierrez. It really changes the way you feel. Gutierrez was a young mother who had to drop out of college to take care of her son, but Dress for Success was there when she was ready to take on the next steps on her career, and now she is thriving. Now I work for the state of Massachusetts and Ive grown. Ive grown and I hope that other women that come here, grow as much as I have in my career, Gutierrez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only can individuals come for a fitting appointment, but there are also a number of other programs offered to help them in the career process. The new career center is going to have drop-in hours for the typical things that you would see, like resume building, and job searches, printers, scanners, copiers, said Jess Roncarati-Howe, Dress for Success Executive Director. But it is all going to be revolving around the specific learning styles and barriers faced by the women in our community. Just last year, Dress for Success helped almost 400 women with their various programs and they told 22News they are already on track to beat that number this year. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWLP. [Watch in the player above: What to do if you witness a crash] NEW PHILADELPHIA, Ohio (WJW) Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers have found a vehicle they say struck several headstones in a Tuscarawas County cemetery, then fled the area. It happened just before 9 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at Union Hill Cemetery in Sugarcreek, according to a Wednesday news release from the patrol. Elderly couples bodies found inside freezer after son, girlfriend were found shot inside the home The suspect, believed to be a male, was driving a pickup truck north on Ragersville Road toward state Route 39. The vehicle went off the left side of the road and struck four headstones in the cemetery, according to the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Troopers were seeking a Chevrolet Silverado or Dodge Ram crew cab with a chrome front bumper, chrome side mirrors, chrome door handles, roof cab lights and damage to its front end. Jazmir Tucker shot twice in the back: Autopsy Troopers just after 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday announced they had located the vehicle with the publics help. 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. SAN DIEGO (KSWB) A paraglider who took off from Torrey Pines State Reserve in California was forced to make an emergency landing when a drone became entwined in his parachute. The paraglider, who shared a Go-Pro video of the run-in on YouTube, says the collision caused two tears to the parachute and cut two lines, among other damages. Thankfully, he was uninjured in the incident. Drone collision at Torrey Pines Glider Port on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. (Courtesy of Wind Hunter) The incident happened the same day that a firefighting aircraft had to be grounded while battling the ferocious Palisades Fire after an unauthorized civilian drone flew into it, damaging its wing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It follows an incident last month when a Florida boy underwent open heart surgery after several drones suddenly fell onto him at a holiday light show. Federal officials say it is generally legal to fly a drone in non-controlled air spaces if it is operated under 400 feet, avoids all other aircraft like paragliders and abides by other rules mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration and state and local authorities. Civilian drone operations are barred in the area of the Torrey Pines State Reserve due to its natural reserve designation, according to park rangers. According to the paragliders flight log, the collision also appeared to have occurred while he was hovering around 400 feet in the air. The paraglider said he reported the incident to the FAA and San Diego Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement L.A. fire victims find refuge in San Diego Federal officials say incidents like the one in Torrey Pines and Los Angeles underscore the importance of responsible drone operation. For those who have drones or want to get into flying the aircraft, a comprehensive guide for safe operation can be found on the FAA 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 Queen City News. Editors Note: This has been corrected to clarify the type of activity being done by the subject of the story. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Civilian-operated drones are an ever-growing presence in the sky, but in recent weeks, the pitfalls of their ubiquity have been on full display. Last month, a Florida boy had to undergo open heart surgery for injuries sustained when several drones suddenly fell onto him at a holiday light show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, as crews were still racing on Friday to gain some semblance of control over the ferocious Palisades Fire, a firefighting aircraft had to be grounded after an unauthorized civilian drone flew into it, damaging its wing. L.A. fire victims find refuge in San Diego Here in San Diego, on the same day as the incident in Los Angeles, a Torrey Pines paraglider was forced to make an emergency landing when a drone became entwined in his parachute. The paraglider, who shared a Go-Pro video of the run in on YouTube, says the collision caused two tears to the parachute and cut two lines, among other damages. Thankfully, he was uninjured in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal officials say it is generally legal to fly a drone in non-controlled air spaces if it is operated under 400 feet, avoids all other aircraft like paragliders and abides by other rules mandated by the Federal Aviation Administration, as well as state and local authorities. Behind the scenes at a fire task force staging area in East County Civilian drone operations are barred in the area of the Torrey Pines State Reserve from Del Mars 6th Street in the north and the glider port in the south due to its natural reserve designation, according to park rangers. According to the paragliders flight log, the collision also appeared to have occurred while he was hovering around 400 feet in the air. The paraglider said he reported the incident to both the FAA and San Diego Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal officials say incidents like the one in Torrey Pines and Los Angeles underscore the importance of responsible drone operation. For those who have drones or want to get into flying the aircraft, a comprehensive guide for safe operation can be found on the FAA 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 FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. For rats in Texas, 4/20 has come early. Houston-area rodents have forced police in the area to change the way they operate after developing an addiction to drugs stored in station lockers. We got 400,000 pounds of marijuana in storage, Houston Mayor John Whitmire told NBC. The rats are the only ones enjoying it. The mayor and law enforcement officials have now decided to dispose of the evidence sooner to stop the rodents from getting their fix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To illustrate the problem, Houston police Chief J. Noe Diaz pointed to one piece of cocaine evidence from 1996 that was still in the lockup. The individual tied to the drugs pleaded guilty, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and has since been released, he said. He added that keeping the decades-old drugs was not something that we can continue to do as a professional police agency. Rats in Houston have developed a taste for illicit drugs, forcing law enforcement to think of a way to tackle their new-found addiction. (Getty Images/iStockphoto) City officials said that 1.2 million pieces of evidence were being kept in a downtown evidence room and at a second warehouse. That evidence includes hundreds of thousands of pounds of confiscated drugs. The city will destroy any drug evidence collected before 2015 that is no longer needed to adjudicate a case. Under the previous protocol, evidence could only be destroyed if it came into the department's care prior to 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peter Stout, the president of the Houston Forensic Science Center, said during a press conference that infestations targeting long-dormant drug stashes are not a Houston-specific issue. Houston Mayor John Whitmire said that the rats were the only ones enjoying the drugs. ( 2024 Karen Warren / Staff photographer) This is a problem for property rooms everywhere in the country, he said. Rodents, bugs, fungus, all kinds of things love drugs. The department first became aware of the issue last October. Stout said they tried to hire professional exterminators to deal with the problems, but the rodents' drug use had made them tough. They have had professional exterminators involved, but this is difficult getting these rodents out of there, Stout said. I mean, think about it, they are drug-addicted rats. Theyre tough to deal with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city also created a new position at the police station to help manage evidence. A senior attorney will work alongside the police to identify evidence that can be destroyed immediately after a trial or legal hearing concludes. Prosecutors informed defense attorneys representing clients with open drug cases about the rat infestation, according to Houston officials. Only one open case has been affected by the drug-eating rats, according to the city. Border guards have detained a Russian citizen who had been illegally staying in Ukraine and tried to cross the border with Slovakia while drunk also illegally. Source: State Border Guard Service Quote: "A Russian citizen who had been illegally staying in Ukraine for several months decided to cross the border with Slovakia in search of a better life in the EU also illegally. The man drank a bottle of vodka for courage and then got lost in a border village. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his adventures, he encountered local Roma, got beaten up and lost his belongings. After sobering up, the Russian set off at random towards the border, but was detained by border guards 50 metres away." The Russian mans ID. Photo: State Border Guard Service Details: The border guards drew up administrative offence reports against the man. The issue of forced expulsion of the Russian from Ukraine will be decided in the future. Support UP or become our patron! House Bill 316 seeks to end balance billing the practice of insurers charging the patient the difference between what an ambulance ride costs and what their insurance policy covers. (Getty Images) New Hampshire lawmakers are trying to address the yearslong struggles of patients who take an ambulance and end up surprised with massive bills even when they have health insurance. The House Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee held hearings Wednesday on dueling bills that each offer proposed solutions to the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of those bills, House Bill 316, seeks to end balance billing the practice of insurers charging the patient the difference between what an ambulance ride costs and what their insurance policy covers and establish a mandatory rate at which insurers must pay ambulance providers. The bill, sponsored by Rindge Republican Rep. John Hunt, would have the state Insurance Department establish a rate every two years based on the work of an independent actuarial and accounting expert, and ambulance providers could charge only that rate. It would also prohibit insurers covering ambulance rides from passing any of that cost onto the patient outside what their policy explicitly specifies. We think it is fundamentally unfair to stick the consumers in the middle of this dispute and give them a bill that they dont understand, that they didnt know was coming and for many of them, they cant afford, said Insurance Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt, who supports the bill. He said his department regularly hears from people stuck with these bills that they dont understand why theyre being charged when they have insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over time, the real-life consequences hit, he said. You have individuals who find themselves in some sort of urgent medical situation. In the moment they are in that situation they have to pause and consider whether or not theyre going to call 911 to get an ambulance ride to the hospital because theyre not sure they can pay that bill. The Insurance Department and Public Consulting Group LLC, a consulting firm, released a report earlier this month detailing what the initial rate would be. That report recommends providers charge a base rate of 202% of the federal Medicare rate for an ambulance, plus 209% of the Medicare rate per mile the ambulance travels. That rate would be updated after two years. Bettencourt called HB 316 the most viable solution to a very, very difficult problem, though he acknowledged it was not perfect. Several paramedics and ambulance providers present Wednesday disagreed with Bettencourts assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris Stawasz, a member of the New Hampshire Ambulance Associations board of directors, said the bill will put further pressure on an EMS system already in crisis. He said the rates this bill would impose on the industry were too low to cover costs and would force ambulance providers to downgrade their services. We want to take the patient out of the middle of this, he said. We have consistently said that all along. That being said, ground ambulance providers are essential services and integral parts of the communities they serve. They should be fairly reimbursed for those services. Hunt, on the other hand, said he believes funding from municipalities through property taxes and other revenue should make up for the shortfall, likening it to fire departments and other public services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stawasz preferred the second bill discussed: House Bill 185, sponsored by Manchester Republican Rep. Mark Proulx, who was absent Wednesday. The bill would have insurers and ambulance providers negotiate a rate among themselves and require insurers covering ambulance rides to directly reimburse the providers. In the event of a dispute over the rates, this bill would have the Insurance Department review rates and determine if they are reasonable. However, Stawasz acknowledged the bill needed revisions to clarify some specifics and he cant get behind it until that happens. The concept of the bill is great, he said. But we cant support it at this time. Lawmakers will meet Wednesday in Concord to discuss these bills again, Hunt, the committee chair, said. For decades, Norway has been Britains leading source of imported energy. However, that relationship may be set to come under strain after the Scandinavian nation warned that its vast oil and gas fields are in decline. The threat of dwindling production would herald a potential energy crisis for the UK, which last year relied on Norway for half its gas and a quarter of its oil. Worse still, a drop in Norwegian output would strengthen Russias grip on the global gas market, posing a geopolitical nightmare for governments across Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a new report from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate (NOD), the countrys oil and gas supplies peaked last year and are expected to dwindle from now on. Its findings revealed Norway produced about 230m standard cubic metres of oil and gas in 2024, although that could fall to as low as 110m cubic metres by 2035. Experts claim extra investment could help slow the decline, although there is no escaping from the fact that Norways best oil and gas fields are becoming increasingly depleted. We expect overall production to decline in the later 2020s, the report from the Norwegian Offshore Directorate said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In order to slow this decline, exploration will need to take place close to infrastructure and in more frontier areas, in addition to making more investments in fields, discoveries and infrastructure. Failure to invest will lead to rapid dismantling of petroleum activities. While an obvious concern for Norwegian households, the latest warning from the NOD will also send a chill through Ed Milibands Energy Department. Last year, Norway became Britains primary source of gas after supplying 29bn cubic metres, whereas the UKs North Sea output shrank to 26bn cubic metres. Over the next decade, UK production is expected to decline by a further 70pc, meaning reliance on costly imported gas will increase in the coming years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norway has long been expected to be the primary source of that gas. However, the UK and the rest of Europe now face the prospect of being forced into the arms of countries like Russia if Norway starts to turn off the taps. Dusk for Norway is dawn for Russia, says Andreas Schroeder, head of energy analytics at the Independent Commodity Intelligence Service (ICIS). Russia is unlikely to dominate Europe again as in the past when it had nearly 40pc market share. But the call to open the pipes and gates for cheap Russian gas will get louder over time as gas prices increase with dwindling Norwegian output. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It creates a case for more cooperation with Russia and will encourage Russia-friendly politicians in countries like Slovakia and Hungary. Since production started in 1971, oil and gas have been produced from a total of 123 fields on the Norwegian shelf. At the end of 2023, 92 fields were in production, including 67 in the North Sea, 23 in the Norwegian Sea and two in the Barents Sea. In total, Norways fields contain 251m barrels of recoverable oil, which is roughly 10 times what is known to remain in UK waters. That will have declined by 2050, though experts predict there could still be more than 100m barrels worth of oil remaining. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, that is only if Norway chooses to increase investment sharply, analysts say. A failure to do so will mean recoverable levels will fall close to zero. That choice now rests not only with oil companies but also with voters and politicians. The Green Party of Norway, which has pledged to shut down the use of fossil fuels as quickly as possible, won just three of Norways 169 parliamentary seats in the 2021 election. But the Greens apparent failure was not because the electorate rejected their ideas. Instead, the winning coalition parties, comprising the social-democratic Labour Party (48 seats) and the agrarian Centre Party (28 seats), both latched on to the anti-fossil fuels bandwagon and committed to a managed transition away from fossil fuels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are supported, albeit unofficially, by the Socialist Left Party (13 seats) which wants an immediate halt to all oil exploration. It means Norway is now ruled by political parties committed to halting oil and gas production, albeit disagreeing over how long it will take to achieve it. The next elections are due in September this year and British politicians will be watching closely. Professor Gunnar Eskeland, of the Norwegian School of Economics, thinks a total ban on drilling is unlikely. I doubt it would happen. Money wins! he says, referring to Norways renowned sovereign wealth fund, which takes a percentage of all the taxes paid on Norways oil and gas wealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of November 2024, it had over $1.74 trillion (1.4 trillion) in assets, and held on average 1.5pc of all of the worlds listed companies. That makes it the worlds largest single sovereign wealth fund in terms of total assets under management. It translates to over $325,000 [savings] per Norwegian citizen. Much of that money has come directly from British consumers. Over the 12 months leading up to October, the UK imported 10.2bn worth of oil and 10.5bn worth of gas from Norway. This equates to 740 for every UK household, although even that is only a fraction of what we paid in 2022. Back then, when Russias invasion of Ukraine sent prices to an all-time high, the UK spent more than 40bn on Norwegian oil and gas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of that money went straight into the Norwegian savings bank its sovereign wealth fund where it will continue supporting Norwegians long after their oil and gas has run out or been shut down. Why did Britain, which also once enjoyed huge oil and gas wealth from the North Sea, not do the same as the Norwegians? Or, as one infamous piece of graffiti scrawled on a wall in Aberdeen once put it: Dear God, give us another oil boom. Next time we wont p--- it up against the wall. Michael Bradshaw, professor of Global Energy at Warwick Business School, says Britain had farmed out most of its oil and gas exploration to foreign companies, leading to profits being funnelled offshore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike the UK, Norway benefits from having a high level of state ownership of its oil and gas industry and now has a very substantial sovereign wealth fund, he says. We just spent the money. So now we are paying the Norwegian state handsomely for their gas and they are providing security of supply to the UK in return. The Vikings would have been proud. 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. Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp visited Kyiv on Thursday, 16 January, announcing 27 million in aid for Ukraine. Source: European Pravda, citing the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Details: The new 20 million aid package from the Netherlands will focus on strengthening Ukraine's energy grid, which has suffered significant damage from targeted Russian attacks. The funds will support the repair and protection of energy facilities, as well as decentralised energy production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Veldkamp announced a further 7 million contribution to NATOs Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, which provides non-lethal support such as fuel, medical supplies and winter gear. During his visit, Veldkamp held talks with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Olha Stefanishyna. The minister reiterated the Netherlands' commitment to supporting new EU sanctions against Russia and pledged continued efforts to achieve justice for Ukrainian citizens. Background: In December 2024, Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine Alle Dorhout revealed that the Netherlands had already allocated 3.8 billion to Ukraine, with plans for an additional 6 billion. Previously, the Netherlands announced 22 million in additional funding for initiatives to enhance Ukraines cyber resilience and air defence systems. Support UP or become our patron! In the wake of the Palisades fire, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power employees have alerted police to a pair of incidents that have raised alarm inside the utility. Shortly after noon Wednesday, officers responded to Mulholland Drive in Beverly Crest after a person threatened a DWP employee who was working on a downed electrical pole, L.A. Police Department officials said. A person in a gray Mercedes-Benz drove up to the utility worker and threatened bodily harm. The DWP employee phoned 911, and by the time officers responded, the person had left the area, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, officers were alerted around 7 p.m. to a man possibly armed with a rifle at the downtown headquarters of the DWP, the John Ferraro Building on Hope Street. No details were provided on what occurred during the incident. Police searched the area and detained a man matching the description of the suspect. Officers determined, however, the man was walking home with dinner and flowers for his wife. Additional supervisors responded to the call, canvassed the area, and did not recover a weapon. No arrests were made. "We can confirm that threats have been made against our employees," said a DWP spokesperson. "We take every threat and incident seriously and report them immediately to law enforcement. " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling its staff an "essential part of the city family," the DWP spokesperson added: "Our employees are working tirelessly around the clock to support the citys response, and their work is critical to those efforts." Read more: State to probe why Pacific Palisades reservoir was offline, empty when firestorm exploded Since the Palisades fire, the DWP is one of several city and state agencies to face scrutiny and public criticism. The utility supplies water and electrical service to 4.1 million residents of L.A., including Pacific Palisades. Late in the evening on the first night of the Palisades fire, firefighting crews reported difficulty getting water from several hydrants. The utility has said enormous demand from the wildfire strained the water system, which has occurred in other areas contending with massive fires, and that about 20% of hydrants in the Palisades saw a loss in pressure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DWP also faced criticism over the empty Santa Ynez Reservoir, located in the middle of the Palisades burn area. The reservoir was drained nearly a year ago for repairs to its floating cover, which have not been completed. Former DWP general manager Martin Adams told The Times that he believed the reservoir would have helped prolong water pressure in the Palisades but would not have averted the inevitable drop in pressure due to the wildfire. Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Some residents on Buffalos East Side are concerned about another homeless shelter being built in their neighborhood. Theyre taking those concerns right to City Hall to put the project on pause. On Wednesday, a public hearing was held on the proposed homeless shelter. Residents who live by the site, on East Ferry Street near Jefferson Avenue, say theyve been blindsided by the proposal and dont think the shelter fits in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family Promise of Western New York is the organization proposing the emergency homeless shelter. It seems like its transient, being brought into my neighborhood, just so I can go out enjoy, walk, sit, I go out all hours of the night on my patio, sit and enjoy, said Sandara Baines, a city resident who lives near the proposed site. I want to continue to do that without fear of something happening to me. The shelter would have 40 beds and cost $7 million. Residents attending Wednesdays zoning board meeting say this process has not been transparent and theyre wondering why this project is being eyed in their community. Our whole thing is, if theres 1,600 vacant lots within our city, thats quoted on Business First in March 23, 2023 article, then why cant they choose somewhere else to put it besides in the middle of our residential area?, said Thanya McKinnon, a city resident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family Promise, which already operates a small homeless shelter on Hickory Street, says that Erie County approached them about building another shelter to address rising homelessness in the area. The organization is trying to calm fears about the proposal, saying their shelter model is focused on families. I absolutely do hear what the neighbors are saying, we realize that we need to slow down and engage the community more. We fully intend to do that, said Luanne Firestone, the executive director of Family Promise of WNY. The project has already been approved by the citys planning board. Common Council needs to approve it as well. At Wednesdays zoning board meeting, members took no action on the proposal. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 News 4 Buffalo. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) Daviess County officials are sharing more information after a crash has closed a portion of the U.S. 60. bypass. The Daviess County Fire Department (DCFD) says its personnel are on the scene of an accident with injuries on the US 60 bypass between Frederica Street and US 231. The eastbound lanes of the bypass will be shut down at Frederica Street for several hours to clear debris. Owensboro Police working accident with injuries Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Daviess County Sheriffs Office (DCSO) says the initial collision on the eastbound lanes involved a state highway crew that was filling potholes and was rear ended by an oncoming passenger car. A semi truck encountered the initial crash and lost control. The semi turned over and lost its load of steel ingots. Authorities investigate West 4th Street shooting in Owensboro Deputies note these ingots are very heavy and will require special equipment to load them back onto a new semi trailer. The semi truck driver was the only injured person. Deputies note the eastbound bypass is open for oncoming 231 traffic. (Courtesy: Daviess County Fire Department) (Courtesy: Daviess County Fire Department) ORIGINAL The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) says a crash has blocked a major road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials note both eastbound lanes of the Wendell Ford Expressway, also known as U.S. 60, in Owensboro are blocked by a crash at the 14 mile point, near the Frederica Street exit. One dead following single-vehicle accident in Owensboro Officials say traffic is being directed onto U.S. 431. The anticipated duration of the blockage is at least four hours. One arrested, one at-large after Owensboro shooting Owensboro officials note at this time, they have the fire department and Daviess County Sheriffs Office units working an accident involving an overturned semi on the eastbound Wendell Ford Expressway, also known as the U.S. Highway 60 bypass. The bypasss eastbound is currently shut down between exit 14 to Frederica Street and Exit 15, also known as the New Hartford Road and US 231 Exit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owensboro officials say their estimated closure is five hours. 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). North Stonington Electric Boat will proceed with a plan to build a 480,000-square-foot warehouse on a 55-acre site it purchased here from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. A spokeswoman for the shipbuilder declined Wednesday to elaborate on the plan. EB won local land-use approvals late last year to erect the 400-by-1,200-foot warehouse at 45 Frontage Road (Route 617). The Inland Wetlands Commission approved its application in October, and the Planning and Zoning Commission followed suit in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EB completed its acquisition of the property earlier this month, paying $5.5 million for the property, according to land records. The tribe paid $2.85 million for it in 1995. The property is located in an Economic Development District Zone. North Stonington is pleased to welcome General Dynamics to our community, Susan Cullen, the towns planning, zoning and development official, said Wednesday in a statement. The Economic Development District Zone was established to encourage appropriate uses in areas where new businesses would flourish. This Frontage Road location is the ideal opportunity to allow for additional jobs in the town and the region. The site, which has direct access to Interstate 95, is located about halfway between EBs facilities in Groton and Quonset Point, R.I. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A traffic study prepared in connection with EBs plan shows the warehouse building will have 75 parking spaces and two multi-truck loading areas. Two driveways, both on Frontage Road, will provide access to the site. The development is expected to open in 2026, the study says. EB, lead builder of Virginia-class fast attack and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines, has been expanding its footprint and workforce in recent years to meet the demands of Navy contracts. b.hallenbeck@theday.com Jan. 15Ector County ISD will have a groundbreaking ceremony Thursday for the new middle school. Approved as part of Bond 2023's Proposition A, the new middle school will be the first built outside of Loop 338 and the first middle school built since 1981 when Crockett MS was built in its current location. The groundbreaking ceremony will be held near the intersection of South Tripp Avenue and Hutson and will start at 10 a.m. at Frost Technical Center, 104 S. Grandview Ave. At 11:30 a.m. Friday, the district will receive a generous donation. The Texas Chapter of the Association of General Contractors recently held a tool drive and will donating $1,000 worth of items to ECISD's Career & Technical Education programs. The donation includes items ranging from safety gloves and safety glasses to toolkits and tape measures, a news release said. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) There is a new virus in Northern China that is spreading called Metapneumovirus, also known as HMPV, leading to respiratory symptoms like pneumonia. Health experts at the Brody School of Medicine say there is no imminent concern for people in the United States to be worried about the virus. Its certainly not a big deal. Like COVID was a big deal. Okay. COVID was a big deal. COVID killed people. Humapneumovirus virus is mean, Im not saying it couldnt kill somebody, but it would be very, very unusual to do so, said Paul Cook, Brody School Chief of Infectious Disease Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are monitoring spike cases of HMPV in Northern China, but the agency added that this virus is not new and is currently at typical pre-pandemic levels. 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 WNCT. PARIS, Ill. (WCIA) An Edgar County woman has pleaded guilty for aggravated battery to a young child, which left the countys states attorney disappointed he could not prosecute her for a higher felony charge. Court records show 36-year-old Karlla Tresner pleaded guilty to one charge of Aggravated Battery/Administrating a Controlled Substance in December. She was also charged with attempted murder, to which she entered no plea. Man pleads guilty to murder in Jasper Co., sentenced for 30 years Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Tresner was arrested after trying to feed a child under three years old amphetamines. Tresner was sentenced to 180 days in Edgar County Jail along with 30 months of probation, including drug testing and a mental and substance abuse evaluation. In a phone interview with WCIA, Edgar County States Attorney Philip Dobelstein said there were multiple factors that would not allow his office to meet the legal standard to prove Tresner committed attempted murder. This included a lack of physical evidence, Tresner and witnesses giving and being uncooperative with prosecutors and law enforcement, and a compromised crime scene. We didnt believe that there was enough to prove the attempted murder charge, unfortunately, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WCIA.com. President-elect Donald Trump takes office next week, and his border czar, Tom Homan, has made it clear that Chicago tops his list for deportations. With a clear target on our backs, does the City Council have an opportunity to mitigate the fallout? Aldermen Raymond Lopez and Silvana Tabares have been working for months to update Chicagos welcoming-city rules to let officials here work with federal law enforcement when an undocumented immigrant commits a violent crime. The proposal, introduced in 2023, has languished in committee without a hearing. Now, Lopez, 15th, and Tabares, 23rd, have used a parliamentary maneuver to get their plan on the agenda for the Jan. 15 City Council meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of those advocates who are saying this is wrong are playing a game of political chicken that puts undocumented immigrants everywhere at risk, Lopez told the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board. Mayor Brandon Johnson reaffirmed Chicagos existing welcoming-city ordinance in a Jan. 10 press release. Under the current law, strengthened by former Mayor Lori Lightfoot in 2021, Chicago police and other local law enforcement officials are barred from cooperating with federal agents, such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in all cases when they arrest a person who is undocumented. The argument Lopez and Tabares are making that undocumented immigrants who otherwise are law-abiding, productive residents of our city can be better protected from the coming federal crackdown if local law enforcement helps the feds identify the truly bad apples is worth consideration. But we think acting now, before Trump even has been inaugurated, is premature. In recent days, Homan has worked to temper the expectations of congressional Republicans that deportation efforts will start fast. In particular, he says he doesnt have enough money to do much more in the early stages than target those still in the country whove been ordered to leave. This page and indeed many Democrats consistently have supported that position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let Homan get his team in place. By all means, city officials, including the mayor, ought to meet with Homan and other federal immigration-enforcement officials and understand their plans for Chicago in particular. Immigration, we have consistently pointed out, is a federal responsibility. Yet more chaos will result if local officials forget this truth. Weve long maintained support for providing a pathway to citizenship for so-called Dreamers, those brought to this country as small children and whove lived here for years, and we believe such immigrants could be an integral part of our citys future. Tabares and Lopez fear that failing to get on board, at least up to a point, with the new administrations aims leaves Chicagos entire population of undocumented immigrants vulnerable to becoming collateral damage in the crackdown. But the language the two have proposed could use some tightening. Their proposal specifies a number of criminal categories, including gang-related activities, drug-related crimes and sex crimes, in which local law enforcement could cooperate with ICE. The specific language, though, includes some offenses such as loitering that in and of themselves arent exactly violent crimes. Theres a lot of room for interpretation for local law enforcement that could defeat Lopez and Tabares purposes in some cases. Aldermanic critics oppose Lopez and Tabares proposal as unnecessary; that stance, too, is premature. A position of total defiance of the new administrations immigration positions is counterproductive. We need more talking, more sharing of perspectives, rather than saber-rattling. That goes for hard-liners on both the left and right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But lets be clear. If people who are in this country illegally are committing violent crimes, theres no reason to allow them to stay here. Reports of undocumented immigrants accused of violent crimes are increasing, with a report last month of a 24-year-old Venezuelan migrant shooting and killing fellow migrant Peter Sangronis, described by crime news site CWBChicago as a hard working, respectful, family oriented and loving father who came to America looking for the American dream. The city has a vested interest in protecting that dream, which cannot be fully realized if people arent held accountable for making our city unsafe. Chicagos undocumented community is suffering from uncertainty as it awaits action from the incoming Trump administration. Updating Chicagos policies to target violent criminals, and not law-abiding undocumented residents, could well make sense and shouldnt be dismissed out of hand, even if now is not quite the right time to act. City policymakers, from the mayor to the City Council, should be sending the message that Chicago wants to be welcoming, but not at the cost of our collective security. _____ Eric Holcomb, after eight years as Indianas governor, is turning the reins of the states executive branch over to former U.S. Sen. Mike Braun. While Brauns six years as senator can fairly be classified as unremarkable, he brings experience as a public servant and elected politician to the governors office. Braun will have plenty of time and leeway in this state dominated by his own Republican Party to forge a path. If he comes even close to matching the performance turned in by Holcomb, he will have served Hoosiers well. Much of how Holcomb, his achievements and his job performance are judged will be colored by individual political ideologies and outlooks. What is clear is that his years were marked by demanding leadership challenges and infused with partisan turmoil on the national level. Under such circumstances, even relatively simple tasks became complex and fraught. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he prepares to leave office, Holcomb is proudly touting what he and his allies see as his accomplishments. Differing perspectives may not agree with the specifics in his analysis. The range of his energetic efforts, however, are indisputable and substantial. What Holcomb did at the helm of state government is significant. That he did it with civility and respect demands an equal or greater review. Holcomb won two contested elections, the first after Gov. Mike Pence withdrew from a re-election bid late in the process in 2016 to join Donald Trumps national ticket as vice presidential running mate. Holcomb won that election and won re-election in 2020 with more than 56% of the vote, nearly matching Trumps statewide margin. Despite his decisive electoral margins, Holcomb made it clear he intended to be the governor of all Hoosiers, not just those who voted for him. He conducted the states business with civility and class, refraining from speaking in divisive or combative terms even when those opposed to his policies and practices did not return the same consideration. All the while, he remained accessible to the public and did not shrink from the responsibility of being held accountable to his constituents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One did not have to agree with him or his leadership on specific issues to understand that he respected all views and made tough decisions based on what he thought was best for the state and not just to further an ideology. In doing so, his greatest challenges came from those within his own party who took more rigid, uncompromising positions. Holcombs leadership style as governor, especially during the COVID-19 public health crisis, merits him high marks. It was a prime example of his willingness to guide the state aggressively and compassionately during extreme circumstances. For that courageous leadership and civility, we applaud and congratulate Gov. Holcomb for a job well done. Tribune-Star, Terre Haute Jan. 15Gov. Kathy Hochul recently broached the topic of expanding the state's involuntary commitment laws an issue that sits at the intersection of mental health care, individual rights and public safety. However, her comments lacked the specificity necessary to inspire public confidence or provide clarity on her administration's vision for this delicate policy area. In a recent statement, Hochul pointed to a surge in New York City subway crimes as the reason for her desire to change mental health laws in our state. She said, "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." We recognize the importance of addressing the mental health crisis that continues to strain communities across New York. Involuntary commitment can, in some cases, serve as a vital tool to ensure individuals in severe mental health crises receive the care they need. But the tool, if wielded recklessly, can lead to significant harm, stripping individuals of their autonomy and eroding trust in our systems of care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are disappointed Hochul would comment so publicly and so vaguely on such an important topic. Concerns over the abuse of involuntary commitment laws are not grounded in the hypothetical. In states such as North Carolina, Kentucky and Oklahoma, overly aggressive involuntary commitment laws have led to troubling outcomes. Last year, Oklahoma enacted House Bill 3451, which broadened the definition of a "person requiring treatment" to include individuals exhibiting severe mental health deterioration within a 72-hour period. That expansion aimed to facilitate timely interventions, but has faced criticism for potentially infringing on personal liberties without adequate due process. Oklahoma also allows for involuntary commitment of those experiencing substance abuse addiction. Anyone can file a request for commitment. Someone else being in fear of violence at the hands of the person struggling with substance misuse is also a viable reason for commitment to treatment in that state. Last year, the U.S. Department of Justice found that Kentucky was violating the Americans with Disabilities Act by unnecessarily institutionalizing adults with serious mental illness in psychiatric hospitals, particularly in the Louisville Metro area. Depending on the filing, involuntary holds in Kentucky can last as long as 360 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Carolina's involuntary commitment process has been under scrutiny for years. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services website, petitions to involuntarily commit a person can be completed by anyone. That petition is then reviewed by a magistrate without examining the subject of the petition. If the magistrate approves the petition, the subject person is committed and evaluated within 24 hours. If the site examiner feels they should be held, they could go as long as 10 days before receiving a hearing in front of a district judge. These examples should serve as cautionary tales, not models for New York to follow. Hochul's remarks leave us with many questions: What criteria will be used to determine eligibility for involuntary commitment? How will the state ensure that individuals committed under these laws receive comprehensive care rather than being shuffled through a system ill-equipped to handle their needs? And perhaps most importantly, how will New York guard against the overreach that has plagued other states? The conversation around involuntary commitment is not one to be taken lightly or rushed. It demands careful consideration of the balance between compassion and coercion, individual autonomy and community safety. We urge Hochul to forego commenting on her plans to expand involuntary commitment guidelines until she is able to lead the conversation with the thoughtfulness and nuance it requires. The Daily Star, Oneonta With the public release of former Special Counsel Jack Smiths report to Attorney General Merrick Garland, the saga of Donald Trumps federal prosecution for election interference has come to an end, less than a week before hes sworn in to a second term. That it was short-circuited before trial is partly the fault of Garland, who waited nearly two years after the horrific Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol by a Trump-stoked mob to appoint Smith. Trump escaped the conviction that Smith believes was certain by beating the clock. Smith and his team of seasoned career prosecutors argue in the report that until Trumps 2024 election victory forced the cases dismissal that they had strong enough evidence to convict the former president for his attempts to invalidate the 2020 election. This was no secret offense. Trumps was a very public campaign to overturn the election results. While he and allies did engage in what are now well-documented behind-the-scenes conspiracies including ideas like seizing voting machines or getting state officials to manufacture votes for him the then-president was also quite vocal about his view that the election had been stolen from him and that this supporters and allies should do something about this, up to and including his encouragement to violence in the lead-up to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is of course a bit bewildering to read at a time when Trump is days away from being sworn in as president again and no longer facing any of these federal criminal charges, having entirely avoided concrete consequences for his misconduct, not only on this but mishandling classified documents. There are a lot of culprits here, starting with his own craven party, whose leaders ever so briefly repudiated the wannabe authoritarian in the immediate aftermath of the riot only to punt on the question of accountability by failing to convict Trump during his Senate impeachment for his election interference, saying the question should be resolved in the courts. That court outcome, of real accountability in the criminal justice system, would have been more likely if those in charge of our federal law enforcement had moved with all due haste to hold this historically malfeasant chief executive responsible. Instead, Garland appointed Smith on Nov. 18, 2022, two years after Trump started undermining Joe Bidens 2020 victory. It wasnt going to be enough time for complex investigation, indictment and trial. Paired with the sleight of hand of Trump-friendly jurists on the U.S. Supreme Court and lower courts, who manufactured legal principles like near-total presidential immunity and threw up other roadblocks, the case never even made it to trial, where the public could have seen prosecutors lay out their case against Trump and, if Smiths contention is correct, won a conviction of a much more serious caliber than the Manhattan hush money case. This process has been a percolating in the news and political sphere for so long that the significance of the underlying acts has dulled in the public consciousness, but lets restate plainly what were talking about here: a now-incoming U.S. president tasked then with upholding our laws and preserving the centuries-old system of peaceful transfer of power that has characterized this nation and enabled its prosperity and stability tried to overthrow our system. Ultimately, he got away with it, through the failure of every system meant to hold him accountable. ___ EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) An El Paso man was sentenced on Wednesday, Jan. 15, to over four years (57 months) in prison after conspiring with others to transport migrants who had illegally entered the U.S. from April 2021 through November 2023, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office from the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Attorneys Office says since 2021, Mark Anthony Holguin, 28, supervised a smuggling organization that helped transport a significant number of migrants from Mexico into the U.S. at El Paso and Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The outcome of this criminal case should remind those involved in human smuggling that their criminal actions are neither going unnoticed nor undetected, said Jason T. Stevens, special agent in charge for HSI El Paso. HSI El Paso, jointly with our federal partners, is working tirelessly to secure our borders by identifying, arresting, and prosecuting transnational criminal organizations members responsible for illegally transporting people into and through our country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. 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. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 24-year-old El Paso man who is suspected of stealing catalytic converters across the city was arrested last Tuesday, Jan. 7 in East El Paso, El Paso Police said. Police say David Earl Hardy, 24, is facing three charges of theft of a catalytic converter and is suspected of several catalytic converter thefts across El Paso Officers with the El Paso Police Departments Auto Theft Task Force located Hardy that Tuesday afternoon at the 1400 block of Goodyear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hardy was placed under arrest that Tuesday and was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility under a $7,500 cash or surety bond. He posted bond the following 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 KTSM 9 News. Aaron Canaday and Kollin Peiffer of the Elkhart High School BIG RED Band will be on the big stage Saturday, Feb. 15 in San Antonio. The two were chosen to perform in the Texas All-State Bands at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center as part of the 2025 Texas Music Educators Association Clinic and Convention. The students competed in auditions to qualify at the state level. All-State is the highest honor a Texas music student can achieve. Students are selected through a multi-level process that begins with about 70,000 students from around the state vying for this honor to perform in one of 18 ensembles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both of these students are extremely talented and hard working, Elkhart Band Director J. Wes Canaday said. They have truly earned a spot in the all-state band. They are a testament to how hard work and dedication can pay off. Im very proud of both of them. Canaday and Peiffer went through a process during the Region and Area level competitions as percussionists. Canaday, senior percussionist and the son of Wes and Jennifer Canaday of Palestine, was selected to the ATSSB 4A All-State Band while Peiffer, junior percussionist and the son of Paul and Shellie Peiffer of Palestine was selected to the ATSSB 3A All-State Band for the second consecutive year. During the competition, the students are required to perform selected music for a panel of judges and then get their rankings. From that point, they compete in eight TMEA Area competitions. Canady and Peiffer are two of the 2.6% of musicians to reach All-State status. They will go through four days of rehearsals during the clinic and convention before their performances. Podcaster Sam Harris claims his friendship with Elon Musk ended after a $1 million COVID-19 bet over U.S. case numbers. Podcaster and neuroscientist Sam Harris claims Elon Musk once bet him $1 million that the U.S. wouldn't see more than 35,000 cases of COVID-19. In an explosive Substack post titled "The Trouble With Elon Musk," Harris detailed his fallout with his former friend, publishing texts exchanged during the coronavirus pandemic's early days. He cites one incident where the Tesla CEO bet him $1 million against a $1,000 bottle of tequila that the U.S. wouldn't see as many as 35,000 cases of COVID-19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris said he tried to up the bet to 3.5 million cases of COVID-19 at the time, but Musk accused him of "having lost [his] mind" and insisted on sticking with 35,000 cases. After the CDC reported 35,000 deaths from COVID-19 a few weeks later, Harris said he texted Musk: "Is (35,000 deaths + 600,000 cases) > 35,000 cases?" The text went unanswered, according to Harris, who cites the message as the end of their years-long friendship. "Let this be a cautionary tale for any of Elons friends who might be tempted to tell the great man something he doesnt want to hear," Harris said in the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk publicly criticized the early concerns surrounding COVID-19 in 2020, stating in an X post, "The coronavirus panic is dumb." As the pandemic spread, he became increasingly skeptical of COVID-19 vaccines and also attacked former chief medical advisor to the President of the United States, Anthony Fauci, who oversaw the country's response to the pandemic. In December 2022, Musk called for Fauci's prosecution, posting on X: My pronouns are Prosecute/Fauci. Representatives for Musk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune. Harris and Musk: Friends to Foes Harris and Musk were friends for years before the alleged fallout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Substack post, Harris said he knew Musk in 2008 when Tesla was struggling to make payroll, and Musk was "living off loans from his friends Larry [Page] and Sergey [Brin]." He praised Musk as a remarkable person who was "probably the most likely to remain a world-historical figure" but also "the most likely to squander his ample opportunities to live a happy life, ruin his reputation and most important relationships, and produce lasting harm across the globe." Over the past few years, the two have traded public barbs. Musk has attacked Harris on X, calling him "mentally ill" and "an utter idiot." Harris has called the billionaire a bully and alleged his former pal is addicted to social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an episode of "The Bulwark" podcast released in November last year, Harris said the billionaire was snorting ketamine and tweeting at all hours of the day and night." Harris criticized Musk's social media use again in the recent post. "Any dispassionate observer of Elons behavior on Twitter/X can see that there is something seriously wrong with his moral compass, if not his perception of reality," he said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) Scammers are catfishing people in Acadiana, pretending to be Elon Musk. One of our viewers, Hilda Holland, asked us to investigate. Holland said her friend says she is in a relationship with the billionaire. That alleged relationship has already cost her more than 60 thousand dollars. The relationship began on the Threads app, then progressed to video chatting. She said, I seen Elon talking to me. Ive talked to him on, you know, Facetime,' Holland said. I said, They can do anything with a computer.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a deep-fake. Scammers use AI-generated videos to mimic real people, including their voice and image. This is a tactic to gain your trust. While you are in it for the relationship, the person on the other end is only in it for your money, often making you wire transfer the money so you cant get it back. Holland said the Elon Musk poser had her friend send money through gift cards. It got to where Home Depot would not sell her anymore cards, Holland said. They knew it was a scam going on, and so she drives from Alexandria to Opelousas to Lafayette to buy all these cards. To keep you sending more, they tell you they are in need, even those pretending to be a multi-billionaire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elon Musk is supposed to be giving her a Tesla car, supposed to be sending her thousands of dollars in by FedEx, Holland said. And the FedEx truck had a wreck. She had to pay $1,500 for the damage to a FedEx truck. In another scam to extort money from her, Musk had planned a visit to see her but never made it. He was like, I cant come now because Im at FedEx, and they wont turn things loose till you send $1,600, Holland said. What FedEx wouldnt turn loose, was a package of money he was planning on sending her. He tried to get her to send money the other day for him to go buy a pizza for X, his little boy, Holland said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities cannot get the money back because she is voluntarily sending these gift cards. Please realize its a scam. I love you dearly. Youre my best friend. But please, pleasethese people are sucking you dry, and it needs to quit, Holland said. We need our government to find out how we can stop this money laundering. Because thats what it is. Its money laundering when it goes to an empty computer and then sent over out of our country. Chris Babin with the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana said its important to get other peoples opinions when meeting strangers online. Any situation you end up in, its not a bad idea to ask other people about it, get other peoples opinions, Babin said. The issue is with romance scams; it can be embarrassing. But wed encourage you, check on your friends and family and have a conversation with them if you see signs that they may be involved in this type of scam. Here is how you can spot catfishing scams: Its too good to be true. Scammers often offer good-looking pictures and stories of financial success, so be honest with yourself about who would be genuinely interested. You are moving fast. To gain your trust, theyll talk about building a future with you early into the relationship. They dont want to meet in person. They have an excuse to postpone or cancel your meeting. Remember, video calls can be faked with AI. They tell you hard luck stories. They say they are having financial trouble and need money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Truth Crime Tough-on-crime crusader Elon Musk claims that there was an axe murderer on the loose in the city of San Francisco who tried to kill several of his employees, with the authorities doing nothing to catch the assailant. The key word in all of this being "claims." "About a year ago, a guy tried to kill three X employees with an axe outside the former Twitter HQ in SF. They reported it to the police, but nothing was done," Musk tweeted, responding to the account End Wokeness (a favorite of his). "He later killed someone with that axe." If this is true, the city has become so utterly lawless that the cops never got wind of the grisly murder. On Monday, local police said they could find no records supporting Musk's story, the San Francisco Chronicle reports evidence that, once again, Musk may be simply be fibbing or falling victim to preposterous rumors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Based on the information provided, we cannot find any incident that matches this description in that location in 2023 or 2024," Evan Sernoffsky, a San Francisco police spokesperson, told the Chronicle. Tall Fails Yes, it would be remiss to take the authorities at their word. But Musk can't even get his own story straight here. As we'll show, he's made these claims before, changing key details literally every time he's done so. When Musk shared a similar account last April, he stated that "several" employees were threatened "by a guy with a machete" outside a Walgreens not with an axe, and not outside Twitter headquarters. "They didn't report it," Musk claimed, "because that doesn't constitute an arrestable crime in California. That guy later killed 3 people." His most recent version of events, however, purports that the employees did report the crime and that the assailant only killed one person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Tucker Carlson last October, Musk threw in another variation in body count: the hatchet man, back to menacing employees outside Twitter HQ rather than a drugstore, killed two people, according to the Chronicle. Facts vs Feelings Musk has frequently lied and spread conspiracy theories in his railing against crime, foreigners, and anything else that can be pinned on the "woke" agenda. Last year, for example, he chimed in the conservative moral-panic-of-the-moment by accusing Haitian immigrants of being "cannibals," while spreading other unfounded claims. He's even suggested that most homeless people don't exist, and that the word "homeless" is "usually a propaganda word for violent drug addicts." Given his conflicting reports and his history of fabulism whether as part of the culture war or to prop up his enterprises it's hard to take this axe-slash-machete murderer tale of his seriously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real axeman of San Francisco may in fact be Musk himself: after taking over Twitter, he annihilated 80 percent of its workforce, or more than 6,000 employees. More on Musk: Without Evidence, Elon Musk Says He's Saved Thousands of Lives in LA Wildfires LOS ANGELES Gov. Gavin Newsoms and Elon Musks rhetoric about Californias wildfire recovery efforts couldnt be more different, except when it comes to one particularly polarizing state agency. The California Coastal Commission, the oft-controversial body tasked with protecting the states coast, is again in the crosshairs of Musk and congressional Republicans, whove raised alarms that residents with homes destroyed by the Palisades Fire are in store for a permitting nightmare if they try to rebuild. The real red pill will come when people try to get permits to rebuild their homes and face multiyear waits, Musk wrote in a Thursday night post to his 212 million followers. This might finally spell doom for the Coastal Commission, which should not even exist as an organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That Musk, whos clashed with the commission over SpaceX rocket launches and claims of political bias, decided to criticize the agency comes as little surprise. The commission has long symbolized the national debate over housing production versus environmental preservation, writ small, and ultimately bureaucratic red tape and cost-of-living issues that Republicans successfully weaponized in November's elections. But Newsom who already raised eyebrows when he sided with Musk last year in the SpaceX spat implicitly acknowledged that the criticism had gained traction on Sunday. The governor issued an executive order that suspended permitting requirements under the Coastal Act the 1976 law that established the commission and the California Environmental Quality Act, for homes, businesses and other structures residents plan to rebuild. The problem? The Coastal Act already includes an exemption for rebuilding and repairing buildings damaged in natural disasters as long as the new construction doesnt exceed 110 percent of the original footprint and height language Newsom mirrored in his order. Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said the order waives the need for residents to apply for an exemption and would cover any buildings that potentially dont qualify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Musks attack was inaccurate, according to experts and commission staff Republicans are seizing on a politically potent line of attack. Congressional Republicans quickly picked up the refrain and tied it to the debate over whether to send federal relief funding to California. Even as California bureaucrats refuse to allow homes and businesses to be rebuilt, Congress will be asked to take money from Americans in all 50 states and give it to California. Would you vote to send federal money to California under these circumstances? wrote Utah Sen. Mike Lee, in response to a former candidate for LA County supervisor saying the commission will never in a million years allow these homes to be rebuilt. Minjee Kim, a professor in urban planning at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs, said Newsoms order was likely a preemptive move to answer questions about the commissions role in the recovery. For any rebuilding that needs to happen, there shouldn't be any additional development permit that needs to be secured, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the commission's permits, which property owners need to build anywhere on the coast that local governments haven't assumed responsibility for, including Los Angeles, have a reputation of being notoriously hard to secure. (The commission says denials are rare: In 2023 it rejected two out of roughly 1,261 applications, according to spokesperson Joshua Smith.) Stories abound of the agency's tussles with celebrities like David Geffen and U2 guitarist The Edge. But Democratic lawmakers like Sen. Scott Wiener, the influential chair of Californias Senate budget committee, have also introduced bills in recent years to roll back the commission's authority and boost housing production in coastal cities like San Francisco. Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the California Building Industry Association, a trade group thats often clashed with the commission, said he also believed Newsoms order was preemptive, but saw a political motivation for singling out the agency. I see this as a governor signaling to the commission that I expect you to follow the law, and I'm telling you what the law is, just in case you might want to take a different position, Dunmoyer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commission chair Justin Cummings said the agency is actively trying to combat misinformation that could cause residents to miss opportunities for help. The commissions website as of Wednesday included a notice on its homepage advising residents that homes and businesses destroyed by a disaster are exempt from coastal development permits. For people who are in a very emotional state to have prominent figures spreading misinformation and lies about the permitting process and people's ability to rebuild, it's just counterproductive, he said. And not all Democrats are ready to give Musk a win. Friendly reminder: Elon Musk could rebuild nearly every home thats been lost in the LA fires for less than he paid to fup this app, Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, who represents a portion of Los Angeles, tweeted (and then deleted) Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICOs California Climate newsletter. CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this report misstated the scope of the Coastal Commission's jurisdiction over coastal permitting. Updated at 1:55 p.m. ET on January 16, 2025 Imagine that a foreign-born billionaire buys Facebook, asks its engineers to boost his own posts, and then introduces a payment system that rewards users for pandering to his whims and prejudices. Also imagine that the billionaire happens across a news report on the death toll in Iraq following the allied invasion back in 2003, and links that carnage to the intelligence failures that were used to justify the war. Bristling with righteous outrage, our fictional billionaire then suggests that the state and the media have covered up this whole incendiary topic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was how Elon Musk sounded to many Britons after he belatedly discovered the organized child-sexual-abuse networks known as grooming gangs. Here was a real scandal: Networks of adult men, primarily British citizens of Pakistani descent, had trafficked and raped young girls in towns across England, over many years, aided by failures of local governments and the police. But the scandal wasnt new, nor had reporters ignored it en masse. You dont hate the legacy media enough, Musk insisted at one point during his multiday spree of posts on X, his social-media platform. Never mind that a legacy media outletRupert Murdochs London Timesfirst broke the story of the child-sex-abuse ring in Rotherham, 14 years ago. [Ali Breland: Elon Musk has appointed himself king of the world] Musks horrified reaction to the scandal, which appears to have been prompted by a viral post on New Years Eve, is entirely justified. However, it comes quite late, and demonstrates his usual self-centeredness: His thinking seems to be that if he didnt hear about the scandal during the 2010s, then surely no one else did, either. His ownership of X, and his alliance with Donald Trump, gives him the power to force any issue he likes into the political conversation. Lately he has used that power to intervene in European politics, berating British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, boosting the German far-right Alternative fur Deutschland, and attacking the European Union for its efforts to regulate his businesses. Starmers opponents on the right, including the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, have been quick to echo Musks interest in the grooming gangseven though Badenochs party was in power as the story originally unfolded. The Times reporting kicked off dozens of prosecutions, multiple public inquiries, and even a primetime British Broadcasting Corporation drama. The story was well known enough that one of the police whistleblowers appeared on a celebrity reality-television show in 2018. The news even reached America: In 2014, the New York Times columnist Ross Douthat observed that what happened in Rotherham was rooted both in left-wing multiculturalism and in much more old-fashioned prejudices about race and sex and class. The ethnicity of the perpetrators mattered, he argued, but so did the status of the victimsworking-class girls whom the police saw as tarts who deserved roughly what they got. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks newfound revulsion at the details of the abuse is entirely justifiedread the sentencing reports if you have the stomach for it. Girls were raped callously, viciously, and violently, the judge told nine men convicted of grooming offenses in the northern towns of Oldham and Rochdale in 2012, adding, Some of you acted as you did to satiate your lust, some to make money out of them. All of you treated them as though they were worthless and beyond all respect. The sexual abuse of children occurs in all human societies, but the forms it takes are culturally dependent. Like school shootings in the United States, grooming gangs are a particular type of crime that emerged from the laws and social conditions of a specific time and place. The gangs are not representative of the whole picture of what researchers call group-based child sexual exploitationa phenomenon that in Britain appears to be dominated by men who are white, as you would expect from the makeup of the population. (England and Wales are more than 80 percent white, census data show; Asian ethnic groups are about 9 percent of the population.) Most grooming-gang defendants in the cases that have attracted media attention, however, were men of Pakistani descent. Many were connected to the nighttime economy, such as by running minicab firms and delivering takeout. They primarily targeted vulnerable girlsrunaways or those who lived in foster homes. We know all this because of extensive reporting, testimony by victims and whistleblowers, and the bravery of politicians such as Ann Cryer and Sarah Champion, two Labour Party members of Parliament who were shunned by their own side for speaking out. [Ali Breland: Elon Musks X endgame] It is entirely reasonable to ask why they were shunned. In the 2000s and early 2010s, the racial dynamics of the grooming gangs made English towns extremely reluctant to face what was happening. Local South Asian communities were afraid to report the perpetrators in their midst. Police did not record complaints or investigate the issue actively; by some accounts, race riots in Oldham in 2001 made police emphasize community cohesion over what should have been their primary concerndismantling organized-rape gangs regardless of the demographics of the perpetrators. White members of municipal councils fell into a pattern of assuming that problems among British Pakistanis were best left to their fellow councilors from that community. Rotherham isnt a very PC place, I think that is why the council overcompensated too much, one local officer told an investigator in 2015. It doesnt want to be accused of being racist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Living through this story, experiencing the slow accretion of details and convictions and inquiries in real time, clearly felt very different from learning about it all at once. One of the main complaints to have surfaced since Musk reheated this story is that much of the original coverage was piecemeal and overly restrained: Had gangs of white men been trafficking immigrant women, it might have prompted a reckoning comparable to Americas protests over the 2020 murder of George Floyd. What qualifies as a reckoning is arguablebut I agree that the left would have raised hell about such a story, as the right has done with this one. In response, some commentators, on both the left and right, have called for a national conversation about the gangs. What that conversation would sound like, however, is the tricky part. Would it include calls for the mass deportation of migrants, as many on Europes emergent right want? Is the answer militant secularization of Britain? Or a renewed insistence that the United Kingdom is a Christian country? Should Britain enact a Muslim ban or reject asylum seekers from Muslim-majority countries? When liberals are still queasy about engaging with this topic, its because they sense that these shadow arguments lie just out of sight. Although Musk is powerful enough to draw new attention to the Rotherham scandal, polling suggests that most Britons see his interventions as opportunistic. The X owner has a deep animus toward Starmer, the Labour prime minister, whom Musk sees as an enemy of free speech in general and of his platform in particular. Many of Musks posts called for implausible scenarios such as the King dissolving Parliament or the country holding fresh elections, adding to the sense that Musk had not deeply researched the topic before picking up his phone to post. Nonetheless, the Conservative opposition, led by Badenoch, pandered to him, demanding a fresh national inquiry to join the dots. That reverses the Tory position of a year agoback when the party was in power and had the ability to commission whatever inquiries it deemed necessary. (In 2019, the future Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that investigating historic sex abuses was money spaffed up a wall.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Badenochs decision to echo the Musk line also minimized the work that the Conservatives did do in government to tackle rape gangs. Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak created a grooming gangs task force that has helped police make more than 550 arrests. The Tories also accepted that some sentences given to gang members had been too lenient, and proposed to create a new aggravating factor in sex offenses involving grooming. That will likely be included in the Crime and Policing Bill this spring, alongside a mandatory-reporting measure requiring social workers and others to notify police when they suspect children are being abused. Despite all that progress, Badenoch understands that calling for a new investigation is one of the few ways for an opposition leader to attract attention. (Today, Labour caved and promised a rapid audit and more funding for local inquiries.) Just as the activist left sometimes refuses to believe that civil-rights victories have been achievedremaining instead in a state of politically lucrative perma-warso the right will not claim victory in having already forced Britain to take these gangs seriously. Conservatives want the fight, not the win. [Read: Hes no Elon Musk] Intriguingly, Britains other right-wing party, Reform, has been less harmoniously in tune with Musk in the past couple of weeks than the Tories have. Reforms leader, Nigel Farage, has joined Badenoch in calling for a new nationwide inquiry into the gangs. But he has refused to fulfill a peculiar demand from Musk: to normalize the pseudonymous agitator Tommy Robinson, whom the far right credits for making the grooming scandal public. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, is not a folk hero. A founder of the xenophobic English Defence League, he risked collapsing one of the grooming trials by filming the defendants outside it. He is also a convicted mortgage fraudster and is currently in jail for contempt of court in a different case. Robinson badly needs mainstream support to shake off his thuggish reputation, and Musk has taken up his cause. Free Tommy Robinson! Musk declared on X. He also faulted Faragewho has sought to keep racist bad apples out of Reformfor distancing himself from Robinson. Farage doesnt have what it takes, Musk complained. Once again, the billionaire seemed out of touch with the British political scene: Farage, a key champion of Brexit, is the most successful leader that the British populist right has ever had. Reform won more than 4 million votes in last years election and looks set to make big gains in local contests in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To many Britons relief, Musk seems to be moving on to other subjects, including the California wildfires. His intervention has presented liberals with a difficult terrain to navigate. Yes, his interest was opportunistic. Yes, he spread conspiracy theories as well as the true scandalous details. But at least part of his instinctive reaction was correct: This was and is a scandal that shames Britain, as the Times asserted in 2012. It just isnt a hidden one, thanks to the many victims and whistleblowers who have brought it into the open , beginning more than a decade ago. They deserve the tribute of having their bravery acknowledged. Article originally published at The Atlantic Emirates, the fourth-largest cargo airline in the world by traffic carried and No. 2 in passengers, said Wednesday it has increased main-deck cargo capacity by 15% with the wet lease of two additional Boeing 747-400 freighters to meet surging demand. The large all-cargo aircraft are being rented under a multiyear transportation services agreement with Bulgaria-based Compass Cargo Airlines, the Dubai-based carrier said in a news release. We anticipate that demand will continue to boom, reflecting Dubais prominence as a global logistics hub, said Badr Abbas, divisional senior vice president for Emirates SkyCargo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The carriers are discussing potential expansion of their partnership, according to Emirates cargo division. Compass Cargo Airlines, which is less than 3 years old, took delivery of its second 747-400 freighter, an extended-range version, on Tuesday, according to data on aircraft tracking site Flightradar24. The freighter previously flew for Turkish all-cargo carrier ACT Airlines, which operated the plane under contract to Qatar Airways Cargo until last month. Compass acquired its first 747-400 from ACT Airlines in mid-2023. Flightradar24 shows another 747-400ER freighter arrived Thursday at Sofia International Airport in Bulgaria from Istanbul, suggesting that Compass has acquired a third freighter from ACT Airlines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compass Cargo Airlines did not respond to a query placed through its generic inbox. Flightradar24 shows a Compass 747 operating several times in mid-December between Birmingham, England, Dubai and Hong Kong, and shuttling between Dubai and Hong Kong since Jan. 9. Emirates fleet buildup Emirates SkyCargo received two 777 freighters from Boeing last year, which were deployed to the Asia market to support heavy growth e-commerce exports. The fleet now has 16 aircraft 10 self-operated 777s and six Boeing 747-400s flown by contractors. Emirates SkyCargo last year resumed outsourcing 747 freighter operations after ending the practice in 2017. Michigan-based Kalitta Air and Aerotranscargo, based in the United Arab Emirates, were each issued contracts to fly a 747-400, FreightWaves reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The additional aircraft are allowing Emirates SkyCargo to widen its network. On Jan. 1, the carrier deployed a dedicated weekly freighter from Copenhagen to its Dubai hub to meet growing demand for transportation out of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Emirates previously served Copenhagen with bellyhold capacity in passenger aircraft. The Boeing 777 now being used offers about 94 tons of cargo capacity. In Dubai, shipments are routed around the world through Emirates extensive passenger and all-cargo networks. Emirates SkyCargo said cargo volume from Denmark grew more than 20% in the past fiscal year, which ended March 31, driven by pharmaceutical shipments. Scandinavia has a strong life sciences industry, and there is extensive temperature-controlled warehousing in Copenhagen to serve it. Dubai serves as a major reconsolidation point for trade moving between Europe, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The addition of Copenhagen brings the number of destinations served by Emirates freighters to 38. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SkyCargo also manages cargo that moves in Emirates passenger operations. Emirates recently added five destinations to its passenger network, including Johannesburg and Melbourne, Australia, which will increase freight volumes this year. Air cargo demand increased more than 10% year over year in 2024, as shippers sought ocean alternatives because of conflict in the Red Sea and threatened U.S. port strikes. But the primary demand driver continues to be e-commerce platforms, which are reserving large amounts of air cargo capacity out of Asia. More than 20% of general air cargo volumes worldwide are now considered to come from e-commerce platforms, and upwards of 60% of air shipments out of the greater Hong Kong region originate with online marketplaces in China, according to local airlines and industry experts. Freighters operating last year out of China and other parts of Asia were nearly full, especially during the peak season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emirates has firm orders for 14 factory-built 777s, which are expected to be delivered by the end of 2026. The airline has previously said some of the new freighters will replace older 777s. It expects to have 21 777s flying in two years. Emirates also is investing in the conversion of 10 Boeing 777-300 passenger jets into freighters through an arrangement with Israel Aircraft Industries. The IAI conversion design is undergoing regulatory review in the United States, Europe and Israel for commercial production. More FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch. Write to Eric Kulisch at ekulisch@freightwaves.com. RELATED NEWS: All-cargo airlines expand capacity on Europe-Asia routes to start 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emirates to nearly double 777 freighter fleet by late 2026 Growth in air cargo demand to decelerate in 2025, IATA says E-commerce to drive air cargo industry expansion through 2043 The post Emirates leases additional Boeing 747 freighters to meet shipper demand appeared first on FreightWaves. Members of the Legislature, the state's congressional delegation and local environmentalists vow to fight a reported executive order planned by President-elect Donald Trump to halt offshore wind turbine projects along the East Coast. New Jersey Congressman Jeff Van Drew on Monday said he's collaborating with Trump to draft such an executive order. Count U.S. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Massachusetts, in the "no" column. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will vigorously challenge any political attacks on clean energy technologies that are driven by the fossil fuel industrys fear of competition," Markey said. Offshore wind is already creating union jobs in Massachusetts, bringing the potential for new reliable energy to power up the region's grid throughout the year, he said. U.S. William Keating, D-Massachusetts, declined to comment on a "hypothetical executive order," but said "the Commonwealths energy goals, job creation, domestic manufacturing, and energy affordability depends on our offshore wind industry." "With promises of day-one executive orders to end offshore wind and increase offshore oil drilling, it is clear that the incoming Trump administration is prioritizing Big Oil over clean energy," he said, "and in doing so, they are turning their back on the blue-collar workers building these projects and the plurality of ratepayers nationwide who want clean, affordable energy." Keating: Trump, others playing politics with energy "Pulling out the rug from under one energy sector to prop up another is not governing. It's playing politics," he said. The Danish ship Sea Installer carries components for another wind turbine as it sits beside a monopile foundation on April 29, 2024, twelve miles south of Martha's Vineyard. Andrew Gottlieb, executive director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod, said he's not surprised by the statement as it's "just formalizing what the incoming administration had clearly stated it would do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the action does, "as the first of many likely steps to slow the transition to a lower carbon economy, is to make more likely a future of real pain and suffering as climate change driven storms, fire, drought interrupted by flooding, and heating intensify," Gottlieb said. Maria Hardiman, spokesperson for the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, also doubled down on the state's commitment to offshore wind. Offshore wind is critical to promoting affordability, securing our energy independence, and supporting thousands of good jobs," she said, also pointing out that many states "are benefiting economically from Massachusetts offshore wind industry Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia and Virginia." "We want to keep growing this industry to support good jobs, economic growth and competitiveness here in New England and across the country," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Provincetown, who supports offshore wind development as part of combatting climate change while also boosting the economy, said Van Drew's statement raises many questions. There's a "spectrum of these projects," from those at conceptual stages to those that are approved and underway, he pointed out. "I'm unclear what steps are going to be taken against projects that are either under construction or nearly completed," he said. Drew's statement came as welcome news for Barnstable resident Susanne Conley, who's a leader of the Save Greater Dowses Beach citizens group that's raised wide-ranging environmental, public welfare and economic concerns about offshore development. "Congressman Van Drew has been the most vocal opponent of offshore wind for quite some time. We were pleased to hear that he is working with the new administration to bring an end to these projects," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Conley added that "of course, we will keep up the fight until we are absolutely sure the environmental damage being inflicted on the ocean environment and on coastal communities by foreign-owned corporations has been permanently stopped." "Maybe then can we get real about a renewable energy transition policy that makes sense," she said. Van Drew charges Biden administration 'rammed' projects through The proposed executive order, which would also set the stage for permanent action against offshore wind projects, is expected to be finalized in the early months of the upcoming administration. "These offshore wind projects should have never been approved in the first place," Van Drew said in a statement. "The Biden administration rammed them through the approval process without proper oversight, transparent lease agreements, or a full understanding of their devastating consequences." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Van Drew called offshore wind projects "an economic and environmental disaster waiting to happen," asserting that the Biden administration's "reckless green agenda put politics over people" an initiative, he said, "that ends now." The executive order, Van Drew said, "is just the beginning. We will fight tooth and nail to prevent this offshore wind catastrophe from wreaking havoc on the hardworking people who call our coastal towns home." Van Drew: 'Cannot release the details' Paxton Antonucci, communications director for Van Drew, said in an email "unfortunately, we cannot release the details of the executive order at this time." Cyr asserted that most people "want to be part of the climate solutions," which offshore wind offers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Just because Donald Trump won a second election doesn't mean we will abandon our objectives and stop taking on a climate crisis that we have created," he said. What happens next, with less or no federal participation, Cyr said, "remains to be seen," and "certainly this will complicate offshore wind projects in the medium term." But the state needs to continue to be a leader on addressing climate change, he said. Keating said he stands ready "to work with the incoming administration on energy policies that will create jobs, boost American manufacturing, and not harm ratepayers and working families in our region. And I remain committed to continuing to work with offshore wind developers and local government to ensure transparency and open lines of communication as construction continues." Vineyard Offshore remains silent Kathryn Niforos, interim communications director for Vineyard Offshore, said the company which is proposing the 1,200 MW Vineyard Wind 2 project south of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard had no comment about Van Drew's announcement at this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, the company pulled the 800 megawatts that Massachusetts had selected from the project during the latest procurement, since the deal was conditioned on Connecticut buying the remaining 400 MW, which it did not end up doing. Vineyard Offshore does anticipate participating in future solicitations. There were no responses to requests for comment from Avangrid Renewables, which is building the 800 MW Vineyard Wind 1 project, and SouthCoast Wind, which recently got final federal approval for its project. Both projects are planned in waters south of the Vineyard and Nantucket. Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world, in addition to news and features in Barnstable and Brewster. Reach her at hmccarron@capecodonline.com. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Mixed Cape, MA reaction to executive order plan to end offshore wind Nuclear energy is making a global comeback in view of an increasing demand for electricity, according to a study by the International Energy Agency (IEA) released on Thursday. Interest in nuclear energy is greater than it has been since the oil crisis of the 1970s, with more than 40 countries seeking to expand nuclear energy, the IEA report said. The increase in demand for electricity is not only coming from traditional sectors such as industry, but also from new areas such as electric cars, data centres, and to power artificial intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the IEA, electricity generation from the global fleet of almost 420 reactors will reach a new peak this year. "It's clear today that the strong comeback for nuclear energy that the IEA predicted several years ago is well under way, with nuclear set to generate a record level of electricity in 2025," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. "In addition to this, more than 70 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity is under construction globally, one of the highest levels in the last 30 years, and more than 40 countries around the world have plans to expand nuclear's role in their energy systems." Birol pointed to small modular reactors in particular as offering "exciting growth potential." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nuclear power accounts for almost 10% of global electricity generation and is the second-largest source of low-emission electricity after hydropower. Balance of power and private investment Even though some countries are phasing out nuclear energy or decommissioning their plants, global electricity generation from nuclear power plants is increasing. Japan is resuming production, France has completed maintenance work on its nuclear power plants and new reactors are coming online in countries including China, India, South Korea and Europe. The agency warned that the expansion of nuclear power relies heavily on Chinese and Russian technology and resources such as uranium, which carries the risk of future dependencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China is making significant gains, while traditional nuclear power countries such as the United States and France are struggling with delays and cost increases in the modernization of their nuclear power plants. The IEA said that, while nuclear power has traditionally relied on state funding, private investors are also needed for a rapid expansion of the sector. The agency projects that, in a "rapid growth scenario" for the sector, the amount invested yearly would need to double to $120 billion by 2030. NEW YORK A challenger to Mayor Eric Adams rolling out an ethics plan as he formally announces Thursday a clear play for voters frustrated by the indicted incumbents scandals. Top of former City Comptroller Scott Stringers list: a proposed ban on political donations from anybody doing business with the city and a one-year waiting period for lobbyists getting city jobs. Corruption isn't just a failure of governance. It really is a betrayal of the people, Stringer said in an interview. City Hall has been working for the privileged few. They're working for the few, not the many, and when I'm there, we're going to reclaim the city, and this is how we're going to do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His ethics platform, which he shared in advance with POLITICO, also includes restrictions on limitless independent expenditures. Stringer formed a campaign last year to run against Adams, and is formally launching his bid with a media blitz, a fundraiser on the Upper West Side of Manhattan Stringers home turf and a series of policy proposals. One includes reclaiming neglected housing from landlords and hiring 3,000 more cops. The latter underscores the degree to which Democrats views on policing have shifted: Stringer himself called for cuts to police budgets when he was a candidate for mayor last cycle. If you allow yourself to get stuck in 2021, Stringer said when asked about moving away from his previous positions, then you've been asleep for the last four years of what's actually happening in this city. Stringer has spent more time as an elected official than anyone else running for mayor, most recently serving two terms in the watchdog role of comptroller during Mayor Bill de Blasios tenure. A serious ethics plan could help bolster Stringers campaigns tagline: Vision. Experience. Competence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stringers ethics platform includes a proposal to prohibit those doing business with the city from making any campaign contributions or giving to independent expenditure committees, which spend heavily to influence city races. Adams benefitted from millions of dollars in independent spending on his behalf in 2021. And Stringer proposes strict penalties on those who break the rules. Currently, lobbyists, contractors and others in a city business database are limited to giving $400 to mayoral campaigns, and those donations cant be matched with public financing. Stringer is also pushing for transparent budgets, including budget lines for each municipal capital project, and a faster procurement process that makes vendors proposals available for public review. Hes unveiling these proposals on the same day Adams will release the citys preliminary budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Comptroller Brad Lander is focusing on procurement reform in his mayoral bid as well. There has not been the accountability that should have been in place for the Adams administration, Stringer said. Brad has been asleep at the switch for the last two years. Lander campaign spokesperson Dora Pekec said Stringer repeatedly praised Landers work before they became 2025 opponents. Given that Brad is outpacing him in fundraising, political support and momentum in this race, its no surprise hes suddenly changed his tune, and is aiming his sad, desperate arrows up at Brad now, she said. Stringers plan also proposes a two-way lobbying ban. Most city employees are already prohibited from lobbying their former agencies for a year after leaving the job. Hed extend that to two years, in line with a bill under consideration by the City Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also wants to block city agencies from hiring people who have lobbied them in the past year, breaking the cycle of insider influence. This would be a first-in-the-nation restriction, Stringers plan says. Thats because its not a good idea, John Kaehny, executive director of the government ethics watchdog Reinvent Albany, said. City law requires many people to register as lobbyists, not just those who work for actual lobbying firms, but in-house advocates at nonprofits as well. If you put this rule in place, it means you would take out the management level of every single advocacy group in New York City from being able to serve in government, Kaehny said. Stringers plan would mean no advocates from New Yorkers for Parks or the Central Park Conservancy could join the Parks Department, Kaehny said. Stringer said he would not hire any lobbyists into his mayoral administration. But the campaign is not adhering to the donor restrictions he wants to impose, having accepted contributions from several lobbyists including from firms Capalino and Oaktree and the real estate developer RXR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since leaving office in 2021 and losing that years mayoral primary, Stringer has been consulting for a variety of clients. He declined to share his client list, telling POLITICO he would do so when he files his required financial disclosure report due later this month. Government reform platforms generally play well to the voters Stringer is vying for college-education, left-of-center Democrats in Manhattan who turn out for off-cycle primaries. They also highlight the weaknesses of the incumbent mayor. Federal prosecutors indicted the mayor on bribery and campaign finance-related charges in September, he was pushed to oust several aides whose homes were raided in separate matters and his chief adviser stepped down last month one day before she was charged in a city bribery scheme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stringers last mayoral campaign was derailed by an alleged ethical lapse of his own, when he was accused of sexually harassing a campaign volunteer 20 years earlier. He denied all wrongdoing and sued the former volunteer, Jean Kim, for defamation. That case is ongoing. Stringer declined to comment on the particulars and sounded confident when asked what he learned from the 2021 campaign. The difference between 2021 and 2025, he said, is I'm going to win this time. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) An escort scam ending in robbery has affected several victims in Erie County, according to the Erie County District Attorneys Office. The DAs office is warning the public that victims are getting robbed when meeting up with a person they believe to be an escort, according to victim complaints. Contact was made between the victims and the offenders via online dating apps and escort service ads. Complainants have also reported being blackmailed with the offender filming explicit videos of them and threatening to post them online. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scam has been reported in Amherst, Hamburg and Lancaster. The victims, who are all young men, said the offenders are men and women who appear to be working together to commit the crimes. Its happened a half a dozen or so times over the course of the last few months, said Erie County District Attorney Mike Keane. We think its the same group of people mixing in and out. It is suspected that there may be additional incidents in Erie County that went unreported. Keane believes this is because victims are fearful of repercussions. These complainants are nervous theyre going to be prosecuted for patronizing a prostitute which is illegal in New York State, said Keane. Theyre also, of course, embarrassed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keane told WIVB News 4 the DAs office is not looking to prosecute the victims of this scam for what is a misdemeanor offense. He said law enforcement is working directly with the dating sites to get the suspects behind bars. If I could, Id convince everyone not to do it, but I know thats not going to happen, said Keane. I think they should be careful and try not to put yourself in a risky situation. I am warning residents not to engage in this high-risk behavior because patronizing a prostitute remains a crime in New York State and they could become the victim of this robbery setup, Keane continued. I cannot overstate the importance of cooperation from our community in our effort to combat crime. Anyone with any information about this alleged scam, or suspected human trafficking, is asked to contact the DAs office at 716-858-2400. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 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 News 4 Buffalo. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Wednesday night, the Wichita Ethics Board revisited the complaint against Mayor Lily Wu. The board discussed a revised report in the case. It centers on Firefighter Union President Ted Bushs allegations, claiming Mayor Wu told Fire Chief Tammy Snow to lay off 42 employees, violating the ethics code. Mayor Wu told the board that the evidence shows she never told Chief Snow to lay off employees. The board found Bushs allegations were conflicting and that Mayor Wu did not violate the ethics code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Mayor Wu and Bush sent the Ethics Boards responses to the original report. In Mayor Wus response, she said she saw no conflicts in the facts and wanted the report amended or clarified. In Bushs response, he raised concerns regarding the audio recording not being taken as fact and his frustration with his complaint being labeled as frivolous, a waste of time, and childish. He also informed the board that he received a letter from Mayor Wus lawyer. Final determination The Ethics Board made its final determination on Wednesday. The Ethics Board, having met in executive session to consider legal advice and then in open session, affirms its decision made December 3, 2024, read the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board stated the following reasons for its ruling: The Mayor notes that Bushs description of some statements made in the recorded conversation are not entirely consistent, of which the Board was generally aware. Within the recording is Chief Snows statement [t]hats what I told her. I said look, I said I can do whatever you tell me to do because she came in, and she goes, you need to lay off the 42 firefighters from the SAFER Grant. In her interview with the Ethics investigator, when asked about that statement, Chief Snow said she misspoke or overstated what she told Bush that the Mayor had said. The investigation did not support a finding of a Code of Ethics violation, and the Board thus found that none occurred. The notion that others may have concluded the Complaint was frivolous, a waste of time, or childish did not influence the Boards conclusions. The Ethics Board takes no position on such comments. The letter Mr. Bush indicates he received prior to the conclusion of this official process from Mayor Wus attorney was sent after the events that were the subject of this complaint and was not reviewed as part of this appeal. As part of the original investigation, the Ethics Officer listened to Mr. Bushs entire 47-minute audio recording of the meeting between the Chief and Mr. Bush. The Ethics Officer determined that the four-minute clip was not taken out of context and that the remaining portions of the recording were not relevant to the investigation. The Mayors appeal to the Board with possible document preservation language will not be addressed in this decision. The Ethics Board has carefully considered the assertions made by the Complainant and Respondent. The original decision of the Ethics Board set forth above is hereby affirmed. This final report shall be posted on the Ethics webpage at https://www.wichita.gov/895/Ethics-Board. This matter is now closed. You can find the report from Wednesdays meeting below: Ethics-Board-Report-2024-10-Final-(PDF)_202501161000515333Download 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. (Bloomberg) -- European Union probes into US tech giants including Apple Inc., Google and Meta Platforms Inc. wont be knocked off course by Silicon Valleys appeals to incoming US President Donald Trump, according to the blocs new antitrust chief. Most Read from Bloomberg Teresa Ribera said there had been no freezing and no reassessments of the blocs landmark cases under the Digital Markets Act after industry bosses complained about the EUs stance to Trump, who stormed to election victory on a defiantly America First ticket in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is our duty to preserve the proper application of the law and to preserve and protect the rights of the consumers, Ribera told reporters at a Brussels event, referring specifically to the recently adopted DMA. She added that any application of the law is not discriminatory to anyone, and that a next round of decisions is expected in March. The DMA imposes a raft of dos and donts for the worlds largest technology platforms, with fines of up to 10% of a companys annual revenue for violations. The rules have already been wielded to launch sweeping investigations into Apple, Google and Meta. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg last week became the latest to weigh in against the EUs Big Tech crackdown, slamming the blocs antitrust fines as almost a tariff against American firms. Just last year, his firm was hit by a 798 million fine from EU regulators. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Bloomberg L.P. EU Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen called for caution on Thursday after a second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in livestock was reported in eastern Germany. A first outbreak at a water buffalo farm near Berlin last week has led to widespread culling and some trade restrictions. The United Kingdom and South Korea have banned German meat imports. The matter must be taken very seriously, he said ahead of the Green Week agricultural trade fair in Berlin. "But at the same time, we must remain calm, because fortunately, these are isolated cases so far." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European Commission and German experts have already jointly established a restricted zone in the affected region in Brandenburg. Hansen said it problematic that some countries outside the European Union have imposed import bans on meat from all over Germany. The bans should only affect the region in the restricted zone, he noted. It was now necessary to enter into dialogue with these countries, he added. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, causing high fever and blisters in the mouth and hoof area. It is not dangerous to humans. The outbreak appears likely to be a major topic during the Green Week agricultural trade fair in Berlin, which is set to begin on Friday. About 1,500 exhibitors from 60 countries and around 300,000 visitors are expected to attend. Teddy Roosevelt believed in speaking softly and carrying a big stick. Donald Trump will never speak softly, or even politely, but he will soon pack the power inherent in presiding over the worlds number one producer of oil and gas. Fifty years ago, the US was the worlds largest importer of oil, as demonstrated by the pain suffered during the Arab oil embargo. Now, largely due to fracking, any such future threat is moot while Texass Permian basin, in effect the worlds fifth largest oil producer, is expected soon to be responsible for half of all US oil output. The question now is whether other western countries will embrace this development as a way to break dependence on autocratic regimes like Russia, Iran, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Particularly promising is natural gas, which provides reliable energy that produces an estimated 40 per cent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than coal and 30 per cent less than oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A shift to natural gas, as an intermediate step in reducing emissions, makes sense that is until politics and climate theology come into the picture. In Europe and in the UK, politicians insist that we will soon be able to get along just fine without evil fossil fuels. In Britain, such efforts have succeeded in securing a two thirds drop in UK energy production, while demand has fallen only by a third; once a net energy exporter, the UK increasingly depends on imports, even while an estimated 25 billion barrels of oil remain untapped. Studies have shown that oil imported into the UK produces more carbon emissions per delivered barrel than oil produced in the UK. Now with the highest electricity prices in Europe, and with particularly punishing rates for industry, manufacturing has cratered. Since 1990, the manufacturing share of GDP in Britain has dropped by roughly 50 per cent. But this misery is not confined to Britain. In the EU, nearly a million industrial jobs have been lost over the past few years. Many will have gone to China and some developing countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The primary case study is Germany, a fading industrial power amid high energy prices. The countrys economy is now utterly vulnerable to changes in the weather. Imagine this: Germanys companies are forced to endure ruinous price increases at times of dunkelflaute a combination of cold weather, cloud cover and light wind. Yet even as energy supplies are constrained, the EU and the UK are insisting on a rapid transition to electric vehicles. If kept in place, this will cause Germanys entire industrial structure to decline, resulting in the potential loss of upwards of 400,000 of its estimated 800,000 auto jobs by 2030. The only clear winner in this ideology-driven kabuki show is China, which seeks dominion over EVs and other renewable technologies even while it is accused of emitting more greenhouse gases than the entire developed world put together. Now apparently on a coal plant building spree, Chinas state-directed economy cynically uses cheap, reliable fossil fuels, and control of critical minerals, to dominate both EVs and the solar-panel industry. Meanwhile, western green companies, like Swedish battery maker Northvolt, file for bankruptcy while others suffer massive losses, particularly EV startups. Even if you accept that Chinas dominance is worth the price of saving the planet, current energy policies will not create an electrical grid to power it. As demand for EVs and reliance on renewables grow, we could see brownouts even in energy rich Canada and the US in the coming years. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has found that a deep cold snap would cause outages in swathes of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the pond, Europe and the UK are already struggling to build enough capacity to support their relatively small number of electrical vehicles. In Britain, in 2021, the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee admitted that there was a mountain to climb to meet transition targets, and doubted that the UK government had sufficiently thought through its EV roll-out plans. The shift to artificial intelligence is likely to intensify this crisis. Microsoft is reported to be opening a new data centre globally every three days. These often loud, intrusive and power-hungry operations could grow from 4.5 per cent of energy demand to 10 per cent by 2035. Firms like Google, a long-time ally of the UN in promoting draconian climate orthodoxy, now admit they are spewing out far more greenhouse gases about 50 per cent more than in 2019. Microsoft and Google are already estimated to consume as much energy as whole countries, including Ghana, Iceland and Tunisia. The needs of the tech oligarchs could prove a final push towards energy realism. There has been a growing movement among tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft to encourage the development of nuclear power, although sometimes stymied by the objections of Biden officials. Microsoft even pushed to reopen the shuttered Three Mile Island plant in Pennsylvania. Whatever the political class decides, reality suggests that the dominance of fossil fuels, even coal, will persist for the foreseeable future. Trumps drill baby drill policies could further entrench this pattern, and offer, in the short-term, a solution to the Wests energy shortfalls. For Europe, reversing President Bidens ill-considered attempt to stymie the growth of LNG exports, as is now likely, should be seen as manna from heaven. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Energy realism, open to a diverse and changeable mix of sources, is imperative if the United States is to avoid the fate of the last industrial vestiges of Britain and the rest of the green West. If we continue to place all our bets on the sun and wind, we could soon be enjoying living standards consistent not with an abundant future, but more akin to those of the Middle Ages. Joel Kotkin is presidential fellow in urban futures at Chapman University and senior research fellow at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas 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. Carmakers including BMW and Mercedes have urged Brussels to strike a grand bargain with Donald Trump to prevent disaster for Europes auto industry. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) is calling on the European Commission to fight to keep open trade with both the US and China even as the two nations enter a new trade war. The plea comes as Mr Trump prepares to return to the White House next week. He has promised to levy heavy tariffs on Chinese imports to the US and there are fears that the new president will look unfavourably on countries that continue to trade freely with Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ACEA, which also represents manufacturers such as Renault, Volkswagen and Jaguar Land Rover, said both the US and China were equally vital to the success of the Continents car industry. Ola Kallenius, president of the group and chairman of the management board of Mercedes-Benz, said in a letter to EU leaders: Overall, it is essential to recognise that trade with China and the US is the most vital for the prosperity of the European economy. The EU should seek a grand bargain with the US and attempt to avoid a potential trade conflict. Closer ties with China are needed, he added. The EU has ramped up tariffs on Chinese-made electric cars, a move opposed by much of the German car industry over fears Beijing will retaliate with sanctions of its own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Kallenius wrote: Both regions, the EU and China, want to protect jobs in their home markets, while reaping the benefits of free international trade. In that regard, both sides have an interest in finding an agreement. Potential trade wars have no winners. Protectionist measures are not necessarily the best solution. The request comes at a time of intense pressure on the European car industry, which has struggled to compete with low-cost Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) and fund its own transition to electric. Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, is closing its factory in Luton, while Volkswagen has slashed pay as part of a deal to avert plant closures in its native Germany. Ford has also set out plans to cut 800 jobs in the UK amid weak sales of electric vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attempts to increase European battery production have also struggled, with Britishvolt and Swedens Northvolt running into trouble when trying to establish gigafactories. Stellantis, which owns Vauxhall, has already announced plans to close its factory in Luton - Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg The ACEA urged the EU to offer subsidies and incentives to drivers to buy EVs, rather than punishing manufacturers with fines for failing to sell enough of the new models. Analysts warned that it may not be possible for Brussels to thread a path between China and the US, given the pair are at loggerheads over trade practices. Michael Every at Rabobank said Mr Trumps policy announcements to date strongly suggest what the logic of Maga already points to a world where very few will be free to choose to trade openly with both sides, as today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said: Europe may have to decide which is the least worst option for it with the best possibility of compensating future growth after a set-back and I mean Europe, not German auto firms, or any one lobby group. The new president may choose to declare trade policy a matter of national security, enabling him to impose tariffs via executive order from the moment of his inauguration on Monday. Alternatively, he could take a slower path seeking congressional approval for taxes on imports, which would give Brussels more time to seek to negotiate. 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 inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump is shaping up to include a gathering of European far-right populists. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, whose attendance seemed up in the air after tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk called for him to be replaced as party leader, will be in attendance, his spokesman confirmed to dpa on Thursday. Italian far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, who Trump called a "fantastic woman" when she visited him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier this month, will be there too after she personally received an invitation from the real-estate mogul, she said last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French right-wing extremists Eric Zemmour and Sarah Knafo from the Reconquest party are also expected to attend, with Marion Marechal, the niece of far-right leader Marine Le Pen reportedly also planning to make the trip across the Atlantic. Whether Le Pen herself will be there remains unclear. Tom Van Grieken, the chairman of Belgium's radical right-wing party Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest), will join fellow European populists at the inauguration, his party said. "It is an honour to participate in an event with world leaders who share our values, an event that once again puts the message 'our people first' centre stage," the Flemish party said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, told dpa on Thursday that he is planning to attend the ceremony outside the US Capitol building in Washington after he received an invitation. The German government will be represented by its ambassador to the US as is customary, government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said last week. The inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump is shaping up to include a gathering of European far-right populists. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, whose attendance seemed up in the air after tech billionaire and Trump adviser Elon Musk called for him to be replaced as party leader, will be in attendance, his spokesman confirmed to dpa on Thursday. Italian far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, who Trump called a "fantastic woman" when she visited him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida earlier this month, will be there too after she personally received an invitation from the real-estate mogul, she said last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement French right-wing extremists Eric Zemmour and Sarah Knafo from the Reconquest party are also expected to attend, with Marion Marechal, the niece of far-right leader Marine Le Pen reportedly also planning to make the trip across the Atlantic. Whether Le Pen herself will be there remains unclear. Tom Van Grieken, the chairman of Belgium's radical right-wing party Vlaams Belang (Flemish Interest), will join fellow European populists at the inauguration, his party said. "It is an honour to participate in an event with world leaders who share our values, an event that once again puts the message 'our people first' centre stage," the Flemish party said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), Tino Chrupalla, told dpa on Thursday that he is planning to attend the ceremony outside the US Capitol building in Washington after he received an invitation. The German government will be represented by its ambassador to the US as is customary, government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said last week. One notable absence will be Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban - the poster child of European right-wing populism - whose spokesman Zoltan Kovacs confirmed that he will skip Trump's inauguration. "A US presidential inauguration has traditionally been an event to celebrate the peaceful transfer of power, not a gathering of foreign dignitaries," Kovacs wrote in a statement on Facebook. Orban, along with Meloni, is seen as one of the strongest contacts within the EU to the Republican camp in Washington. ATHENS, Greece (AP) The European Unions top migration official said Thursday that deportations were a key priority for the bloc's executive branch, as Greece grapples with a high number of people arriving illegally across the country's borders. The topic of returns is something we have to deliver, definitely, EU migration commissioner Magnus Brunner told Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a visit to Athens. The Austrian conservative, who assumed the migration and internal affairs post in late 2024, stressed the importance of implementing the EUs new Migration and Asylum Pact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are some things to do, of course, some things ahead of us. Implementing the pact is one of them, Brunner said. Greece, a major entry point for migrants into the EU, has advocated for stricter immigration controls. Greece is a country that has found itself on the forefront of the migration crisis for many, many years, Mitsotakis said, expressing satisfaction with EU policy shifts toward external border protection and increased focus on returns. In a rescue operation Thursday, Greek authorities responded to 36 migrants aboard a vessel spotted by a Maltese-flagged tanker 30 nautical miles (nearly 35 statute miles) southeast of the remote island of Gavdos island. Coast guard vessels escorted the migrants to a port on the nearby island of Crete, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commissioners Athens visit follows a recent European Court of Human Rights ruling that found Greece had illegally deported a Turkish national, describing pushbacks as systematic. Greece strongly denies engaging in pushbacks, maintaining it implements a strict, but fair migration policy. The country recorded more than 60,000 migrants arriving illegally in 2024. It followed an increase of nearly 50% in the rate of sea arrivals over the past 18 months. Greece is seeking direct EU funding to expand its border wall along the Turkish frontier. Brunners agenda included meetings with Greek ministers for migration, maritime affairs and foreign affairs, before he heads to Cyprus on Friday for further discussions on migration policy. ___ Follow APs coverage of migration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration PROVIDENCE Gov. Dan McKee's plan to plug a yawning post-pandemic budget hole features new charges on electric vehicles and online advertising, along with the relaunch of long-suspended tractor-trailer tolls. The $14.2-billion tax and spending plan for the year starting July 1 that McKee unveiled Thursday closes a projected $250-million deficit due mostly to the exhaustion of federal COVID aid with a mix of spending cuts and fee increases. In addition to the new fees on "green" vehicles and digital media, McKee's budget also proposes hiking the tax on the sales of homes worth more than $800,000 to help pay for homeless shelter services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even with that new source of funds, and another attempt to fund shelter beds by charging hotel tax to short-term whole house rentals, the new budget would include less in total spending to combat homelessness than this year because of the loss of federal dollars. "This budget generally signals a return to pre-pandemic conditions," State Budget Officer Joe Codega told reporters in a Thursday briefing. "We need to right-size government without further pandemic funding. The state must continue to focus on streamlining for efficiency and having a disciplined approach to how it prioritizes funding." McKee's proposal would represent a $253-million increase, or 1.8%, over spending in the budget passed by lawmakers in June. Additional proposals in the budget include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DMV: A $1 hike in the Division of Motor Vehicles "technology fee" to $3.50 per transaction. ACI: Closing the minimum security prison at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston and transferring inmates there to a newly-built unit within the Medium Security prison. Cigarettes: A 50-cent hike in the tax on cigarettes to $5 per pack. Citizens: Buying a 210,000-square-foot East Providence office building for sale by Citizens Bank and moving workers from the Department of Environmental Management and Information Technology department there. Airport: $2.9 million in combined spending on destination marketing and "air service development" to attract flights to Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport. AI: $750,000 to start an "Artificial Intelligence Pilot Project" that would "provide desktop AI applications to participating state agencies on a voluntary basis." Airbnb: Extending the 5% state hotel tax to whole-house rentals is expected to generate $4.7 million per year for homeless services. Transfer Tax: Hiking the real estate conveyance tax for properties worth more than $800,000 from 0.92 percent to 1.25 percent is expected to generate $3.4 million per year to combat homelessness. Hospitals: An $18.3 million cut in "Upper Payment Limit" payments to hospitals. Gov. Dan McKee delivers his fourth State of the State address on Tuesday in the State House. Electric vehicles States across the country have been debating how best to compensate for an expected loss of gas tax collections as more drivers begin buying electric vehicles. McKee's budget proposes taking the first major step toward replacing the gas tax as Rhode Island's main source of transportation revenue by charging electric vehicle owners $150 per year to register the vehicles. Plug-in hybrid owners would be charged $75 per year. Budget writers based the size of the fee on their estimate of what an average gasoline-powered car owner pays each year in gas tax. If the fee is passed, Rhode Island would join 39 states that charge a fee on electric vehicles, according to the National Council of State Legislatures. In New England, only New Hampshire ($100) and Vermont ($89) have electric vehicle fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Electric and hybrid car owners would pay the new fees on top of the $112, two-year regular registration fee. The new charges are expected to generate $1.8 million next year and $14.7 million annually by 2030. Did the McKee administration consider trying to charge electric vehicle users based on how much they drive or how much damage they do to roads, like the gas tax and truck tolls do? "The [Vehicle Miles Traveled] tax is maybe the future of where things are going," Office of Management and Budget Director Brian Daniels said. "The problem is there have been some pilots in other states. I believe Oregon has taken a look at it. It's very data intensive." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will charging electric vehicles clash with the state's climate goals? Its kind of a tough message, but I get it, Terry Gray, Director of Environmental Management who also chairs the state Executive Climate Change Coordinating Council, said about the proposed fee. Those cars are using the roads, and theyre not paying the gas tax. So theres definitely an argument to be made that those drivers need to contribute. He pointed out that even states known for more aggressive climate policies, such as Oregon and Vermont, have enacted fees on EVs. These are states that are pretty advanced in their climate thinking and they dont see it as a disincentive, Gray said. Digital advertising tax McKee's proposal to tax Rhode Island-based digital advertising sales would apply to all "entities with over $1 billion in total global revenues" and is estimated to bring in $9.5 million next year and $23.5 million annually by 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 10% tax is based on policy adopted in Maryland and, according to McKee's budget, targeted at internet behemoths like Google and Facebook. But unlike in Maryland, McKee's original proposal included no exemption for newsrooms, so some local publications would face a tax on their advertising revenue based on the size of their parent companies while some would not. The corporate parents of The Journal, WPRI-TV and WJAR-TV all make more than $1 billion in gross revenue. In a follow-up message from the Department of Administration, spokesman Derek Gomes said "during the budget drafting process, the governor asked for this proposal to be crafted in a way that would not impact media outlets in Rhode Island. At the governors direction, the Department of Revenue will be submitting an amendment to clarify and align the new revenue item to exclude media from this proposal in line with the revenue estimate and original intent." Guns As promised, McKee's budget proposal includes his widely-publicized call for an "assault weapons" ban that applies to "a variety of semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity/detachable magazines," but exempts previously owned firearms as long as the owners register them with their local police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of this, he is proposing a sales tax exemption for "gun safety" items, such as lock boxes, safes, and barrel/trigger locks. His stated goal, in the wake of the legislature's passage of a "safe storage" law last year: "to encourage gun owners to take all steps to safely store and use their firearms." Truck tolls McKee plans to relaunch the statewide truck toll network that was recently ruled constitutional by a federal appeals court, but does not have a firm target date yet. The budget includes $10 million in truck toll revenue, which is about a quarter of the money the system brings in during a full year of operations Nursing homes In a move unlikely to please the aggressive union advocates who won passage of the highest minimum-staffing requirements in the nation, McKee is proposing the legislature reduce the minimum requirement in current law from 2.6 hours to 2.2 hours a day for CNAs, while maintaining the current 3.81 hours per day for direct nursing care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had the law been enforced, which it was not, the state budget office estimates it would have cost Rhode Island nursing homes $60 million. The legislation would give the state Department of Health the authority to reduce fines "in the event of mitigating circumstances," such as an acute labor shortage, as has been the case for many of the state's nursing homes, or waive the staffing requirements in some circumstances. He would also remove a requirement that the Department of Health "consult with stakeholders" at least every five years, at minimum, to determine the sufficiency of the staffing standards. State prison Given the magnitude of the reduction in prisoners sentenced to the "Minimum Security" wing of the state prison, McKee proposes closing it down and moving the prisoners who are there now to a new unit in Medium Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rationale: Minimum Security current averages 169 inmates or 24% of its 710-inmate capacity at a cost, including overhead for the largely empty space, of $131,752 per inmate. Moving them over to Medium Security, which is now 67.2% full, would reduce the per inmate cost down to $91,193 per inmate. Central Falls While recommending an overall $43-million-plus increase in state aid to local school districts, McKee's budget would reduce the amount going to the tiny Central Falls state-controlled school district by $494,863. The explanation: the reduction reflects "a recommendation to transition Central Falls School District finances and governance back to local control." Baby Bonds McKee opted to include a miniature version of state Treasurer James Diossa's bid to create a "Baby Bonds" program that would put $3,000 into an interest-accruing trust for late-in-life use by each child born into poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At age 18, the youngster could use his or her share for "eligible expenses," such as tuition, a home purchase or "investment" that could produce "long-term gains." Unlike Diossa's baby bond proposal last year, which was estimated to cost $13.9 million, the scaled-back program in McKee's budget would only enroll babies born into families eligible for RI Works cash assistance and cost an estimated $750,000 starting in 2026-2027. Reporter Alex Kuffner contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: From 'assault weapons' ban to baby bonds: What's in McKee's proposed budget Eva Longoria was in Pasadena on Wednesday morning delivering supplies to day laborers who she has called the communitys second responders. Theyre going to be the ones cleaning up, theyre going to be the ones that come in after the fires are contained and to rebuild these communities, she explained to KTLA 5 reporter Annie Rose Ramos. Palisades, Eaton fires containment grows, but what does that mean? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longoria joined Global Empowerment Missions Michael Capponi to deliver boxes they packed at the organizations warehouse, which contain facemasks, gloves, boots and other items. The organization has been offering relief to communities struck by tragedy since the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. I wanted to bring focus to the amazing Latino community out here doing beautiful work, she continued. There are so many volunteers. People from all walks of life. She wanted to be on the ground to offer her support as various Southern California communities are suffering from the catastrophic fires. Longoria was at the site where the Pasadena Public Health Department passed out free PPE and the Pasadena Water and Power Department distributed bottled water to residents impacted by the Eaton Fire. Other organizations, like World Central Kitchen, were also there delivering aid to those affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just being here, seeing the community come together is such a beautiful thing, Longoria said. Starting Jan. 15, PPHD will pass out free PPE to those impacted by the fire in conjunction with Pasadena Water and Power Departments bottled water distribution site. PPE will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 450 N. Lake Ave. in Pasadena. 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. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Eva Longoria is continuing to help her community as multiple out-of-control wildfires continue to devastate Los Angeles. On Wednesday, the actor and director joined several organizationsNational Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON), Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), and This is About Humanitywith distribution and clean up. The nonprofits are among the many orgs who have stepped up this month to provide aid and services to the thousands of people affected by the fires. Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Longoria was seen wearing a neon-green work vest above her all-black workout outfit, white sneakers, and a black LA cap, in solidarity with her city. She later changed into boots and a bright orange vest to pick up piles of brush from the streets and sidewalks. Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images My heart breaks for the City of LA and the devastating fires that have affected so many lives, Longoria wrote on Instagram earlier this week, alongside a clip of her getting emotional while speaking about the fires. Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Im personally matching $50k to @thisisabouthumanitys efforts to support frontline essential workers, farm workers, day laborers and families impacted by these wildfires. I hope we can come together and support these resilient members of our community. Share, repost or donate if you can. Link in bio, she added, linking a list of organizations to donate to in her bio. Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Stefanie Keenan - Getty Images Longoria also pledged to donate $1 million to Julian Castros Latino Community Foundations Wildfire Relief Fund and the California Community Foundations Wildfire Recovery Fund. Her donation comes from her Bezos Courage & Civility Award, presented by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, to leaders who aim high and pursue solutions with courage and civility. With the award, Longoria was given $50 million to donate to charities of her choice. To learn how to help those affected by the fires, read here. You Might Also Like Eva Longoria is showing her support for those affected by the ongoing Los Angeles fires. On Monday, Jan. 13, the actress's foundation (Eva Longoria Foundation) pledged $1 million to Julian Castro's Latino Community Foundations Wildfire Relief Fund and the California Community Foundations Wildfire Recovery Fund. Both groups work with front-line, grassroots organizations deep in their communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Longoria, 49, pledged with support from funds from her Bezos Courage & Civility Award, presented by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, to "leaders who aim high and pursue solutions with courage and civility." With the award, Longoria was given $50 million to direct to the charities of her choice. "I was really lucky to get the Courage and Civility Award from Lauren and Jeff," the Desperate Housewives alum said on the Tuesday, Jan. 14, edition of TODAY with Jenna & Friends. "That's really dedicated to what my foundation has always been doing, which is education and entrepreneurship and economic mobility." 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. Related: Paris Hilton Launches Emergency Fund for Fire Victims, Donates $100,000 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But when something like this happens, we were like, 'How do we pivot? We've got to do something.' I'm in a very privileged position to help. And I just was like, 'Let's do it, we got to do this,' " she continued. Prior to making her $1 million pledge, Longoria shared on Instagram that she would match $50,000 to This Is About Humanitys efforts "to support frontline workers, farm workers, day laborers and families impacted by the wildfires." On Wednesday, Jan. 15, she returned to Los Angeles to help with the Eaton fire relief efforts. Her day started at Global Empowerment Mission, where she packed and distributed fire relief and PPE care packages to the National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON). She then passed out meals made by World Central Kitchen to victims, first responders and volunteers. Stefanie Keenan/Getty va Longoria volunteers with NDLON, GEM and This is About Humanity in Los Angeles va Longoria volunteers with NDLON, GEM and This is About Humanity in Los Angeles Related: Beyonce Makes $2.5 Million Donation to L.A. Fire Relief Funds: Los Angeles We Stand with You Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been 25 deaths in total thus far as a result of the L.A. fires. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as of Wednesday, the Eaton fire had burned 14,117 acres and was 45% contained. The Hurst fire has 799 acres and is 98% contained, while the Palisades fire has burned 23,713 acres and is 21% contained. Click here to learn more about how to help the victims of the L.A. fires. Read the original article on People HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) The Evansville FOP Lodge 73 is partnering with the family of an injured EPD Officer and Ascension St. Vincent to host a blood drive. The FOP took to Facebook to announce the event. They say the blood drive is to honor EPD Officer Jordan Rundle who was injured in a car accident last month. The FOP goes on to say that those who donate will be eligible to be entered into a drawing for tickets to see Rascal Flatts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers say the drive will take place January 28 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Manor Auditorium in Evansville. 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). We are all vulnerable to the rapid spread of phone scams including, it seems, world leaders. Thailands prime minister has revealed she got a call from an AI system, demanding money in the voice of another famous head of government. Paetongtarn Shinawatra did not reveal who the computer was mimicking, but said she received a message in a voice identical to a well-known leader. The voice was very clear, and I recognized it immediately. They first sent a voice clip, saying something like, How are you? I want to work together, and so on, Paetongtarn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she later missed a call from the same number, then received a voice message which cut to the chase: They sent another voice message asking for a donation, saying, You are the only country in (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) that hasnt donated yet, emphasizing it. I was taken aback for a moment and realized something was off. She said whoever sent the message probably used AI to take the voice of the unnamed world leader. Scams or scam centers are not uncommon in Southeast Asia. In recent years, investigators say transnational crime organizations have exploited technological advances and the civil war in Myanmar to build a billion-dollar industry scamming people across the world. In January, a Chinese actor flew to Bangkok for what he thought was a casting call for a movie. Instead, he was picked up at the airport and driven to a scam center in Myanmars Myawaddy, a notorious cyber-fraud hub across the border from Thailand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is also a problem for thousands of ordinary people who are lured to Thailand with the promise of white-collar jobs, before ultimately being trafficked to criminal hubs in Myanmar where they are held against their will and forced to steal millions in cryptocurrency. While many of the scams currently use phone calls and traditional messaging, there have been warnings that, as AI technology advances in leaps and bounds, millions of people could fall victim to scams using artificial intelligence to clone their voices. Last year, OpenAI, the maker of generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, unveiled its voice replication tool, Voice Engine, but didnt make it available to the public at that stage, citing the potential for synthetic voice misuse. Paetongtarn, who began her political career in 2021 as the chief of the Pheu Thais party Inclusion and Innovation Advisory Committee, became prime minister in August 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is the third member in her familys political dynasty to serve as prime minister following her father and aunt, who served for five and three years respectively. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SHREVEPORT-BOSSIER, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Since 2017, The FREE Coalition to End Human Trafficking in NW Louisiana has been celebrated by proclamation by the mayors of Shreveport and Bossier City. The non-profit organization is dedicated to the restoration and empowerment of victims and survivors, education of the community and empowerment of its coalition members. The Kickoff Breakfast and Proclamation Ceremony was held at and sponsored by Margaritaville Casino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is just so important to let people know that it is Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month, and we want people to be aware that human trafficking is real and it does happen in our community, said Laurie McGehee, executive director for the FREE Coalition to end Human Trafficking in NW Louisiana. Do you know the signs of human trafficking? CPSO held workshop to share facts, dispell myths The offices of the Shreveport and Bossier City mayors read the proclamation. Also at the event were key leaders for the coalition, including Ruston Police Chief Tommy Clark Jr. who serves as the Chair for the Governors Human Trafficking Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors office is all for human trafficking, they want to continue to process, they want to eradicate this problem in Louisiana and whatever we can go on a state level or national level, because Louisiana we feel has a blueprint for other states to follow, said Chief Clark. He also spoke of the harsh reality that human trafficking is a process where victims can be manipulated and groomed for years. Victims can be transported across city, parish, and state boundaries. During the ceremony, a human trafficking survivor shared her story. Lindsey Rayl says at 15 years old, she was a good kid in Denton, Texas, until she was groomed by a boy she met on a forum and traveled to meet him in San Bernardino, California. When I arrived, I was kept in the truck of a car for the majority of the three days I was gone. I was lucky for this span of time because most girls are out of the country in less than 48 hours. They would take me out periodically and provide me to men who would take turns with me. This is how I lost my virginity and my purity ring, said Rayl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human trafficking exists in our community through a subculture of violence and silence If Rayl had not been found, emails revealed that she was going to be sent to a facility in Guadalajara, Mexico, and hooked on heroin. This way, if she ever wanted to leave her capture, she would go into withdrawal. When she arrived home, she was received with little support, feeling alone and unlovable. Today, Rayl says she is a mom, an elected official in her city, a business owner, and a therapist. And Im working with the man who saved my life to get me trained to be a private investigator to help extract other children out of sex trafficking situations, and most importantly, Im happy, supported, and I know that Im lovable, said Rayl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rayls story highlights perpetrators using emotional manipulation to make victims feel alone. The STAR court started back in 2019, is the first and only juvenile human trafficking court in the state of Louisiana. The program supports high-risk children in the delinquency system in Caddo Parish Juvenile Court. What we do is we teach them how to love themselves because if they are victims of human trafficking, they are getting rewards for sleeping with people, for doing bad things okay. And so we teach them, you dont have to do anything bad, we just want you to be your best self and were going to reward you for that, said Ree Casey-Jones, Chief Judge for the Caddo Parish Juvenile Court. Watch Human Trafficking in Our Community Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Casey-Jones received the Guardian of Childhood award at the ceremony. McGehee reflected on the journey of the coalition and the many partners that make it possible including: Gingerbread House, Project Celebration, Volunteers for Youth Justice, local law enforcement, FBI, U.S. Attorneys Office. She says the coalition is working on their I-20 central coalition that will stretch from the Dallas Fort Worth area to Mississippi as it is a human trafficking corridor. 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 KTALnews.com. Donald Trumps first White House victory caught corporate America flat-footed. This time around, industries that his administration will soon oversee are showering his inaugural committee with record-breaking donations and making sure both the president-elect and the public notice their largesse. Not only are companies giving far larger amounts than they did to Trumps first inauguration when they didnt have a firm grasp of how to handle misgivings about the mercurial politician theyre doing so in a far more public fashion, announcing the donations months before they have to be reported to federal regulators. The stigma of a Trump donation, which was out there to some degree eight years ago, is no longer there, said Brian Ballard, a longtime fundraiser for Trump whos raised money for the Presidential Inaugural Committee. Who knows what's going to happen two months from now? But for today, up and down, corporate America is solidly pro-Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also a far cry from as recently as four years ago, when much of corporate America made a show of cutting ties with Trump over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Since then, Trumps subsequent felony convictions, promises to pardon members of the mob who stormed the Capitol or seek revenge on those who prosecuted him have done little to dull the corporate quest for Trumps approval. Now, between Trumps inaugural committee, an allied super PAC and a 501(c)4 group set up to boost the incoming administration politically and which is not required to disclose its donors Trump allies are expected to rake in as much as $250 million dollars. "I wouldn't be surprised if they hit that number," Ballard said. Much of that money is coming from the biggest names in the tech, auto, banking, health care and fossil fuel industries. The worlds five biggest tech firms each gave at least $1 million, either directly or through their chief executives. So did the CEOs of Uber and OpenAI. The auto giants Toyota, Ford and General Motors each forked over $1 million, as did the behemoth drugmaker Pfizer, the telehealth company Hims & Hers and the tax service Intuit. Robinhood, the stock trading app, contributed $2 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a sign of how much these companies want their donations known, their spokespeople quickly confirmed the news to POLITICO, while reps for Chevron and Bank of America said they had also contributed, but declined to say how much. Many of those firms have contributed to past inaugural committees but as a general trend, the checks this year are bigger. Microsoft, for example, doled out $1 million double its contribution for 2017 and 2021. Google gave $285,000 each to Trumps first inauguration and President Joe Bidens inauguration. This time, it more than tripled its offering to $1 million. Everyones trying to kiss the ring and curry favor with the new administration, said a health care lobbyist granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. Were hopeful this new administration will be friendlier than the previous one. The Trump transition and Inaugural Committee did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The corporate money flooding in to support Trumps inauguration is all the more notable given that many of the same blue chip companies either paused or pledged to review future campaign contributions to members of Congress who voted, at Trump's encouragement, against certifying the results of the 2020 election. But those donations may be too little too late for some in the president-elects orbit. One of the questions [the incoming administration is] going to ask when companies request a meeting with one of the agencies is, What was your position on the members that didn't vote to certify the election in 2020? and if your answer is, Well, we withheld funds, they're going to say, Well, we're not interested in meeting with you, one GOP lobbyist said of the incoming administration. The staffers who will populate the second Trump administration are different kinds of people, and they don't owe their victory in any way to corporate America or to the people that traditionally have helped elect presidents, the lobbyist argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government watchdogs and veterans of past inaugural committees are skeptical that Trumps team will be able to spend the hundreds of millions of dollars theyve raised. Thats because the American people pick up a good deal of the tab to inaugurate a president and many of the balls and other events surrounding the official proceedings are separately sponsored by corporations. So much of the inaugural resources are public dollars, explained a member of Bidens Presidential Inaugural Committee, not authorized to speak on the record, mentioning security and the federal land and facilities that host the ceremony itself as examples. So if people think that [Meta CEO Mark] Zuckerbergs million dollars are going to go to something like the swearing in ceremony, that's just not true. The inaugural committee is required by law to disclose its donors 90 days after taking office. But it can keep the public in the dark about how it spent the money and where it funneled any leftover funds. Is it going to go to Trumps businesses? To Trumps Super PAC? We don't know and Trump never has to tell us, noted Craig Holman, the head of government affairs for the watchdog group Public Citizen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fundraiser for Trumps Presidential Inaugural Committee said any surplus is likely to go toward Trumps presidential library. Yet even this limited transparency into the inaugural committees fundraising will be far more than the public is likely to get on Trumps transition the first in modern history to reject public funding and the restrictions and disclosure requirements that come with it. Though Trumps transition promised in late November to reveal its private donors, it has not yet done so, and no legal mechanism exists to hold them to that pledge. The transition did not respond when asked whether, when and how it would disclose its funders. The Inaugural Committee, meanwhile, has to report to the Federal Election Commission the names of all donors who gave more than $200 dollars. But there is no upper limit on contributions and no restriction on donations from dark money groups, government contractors, corporations currently under federal investigation or individuals seeking roles in the new administration. Inauguration fundraising is an opportunity, no matter who's in office, for deep-pocketed donors to buy influence with whoever's president, said Rep. Mary Scanlon (D-Penn.), who reintroduced a bill this week to close ethical loopholes and prevent conflicts of interest in inaugural fundraising. In some ways, it's even more corrosive than ordinary campaign donations, because you already know who won, so you are specifically making payments to ingratiate yourself with someone you know is going to be in office that's just an opportunity for corruption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some past presidents have chosen to impose their own guardrails. Bidens Presidential Inaugural Committee, for example, refused donations from registered lobbyists and the fossil fuel industry and set a cap of $1 million per contribution. Former President Barack Obama went further in 2009, barring any corporate donations to his inauguration. Trump did not announce any such restrictions. A group of House and Senate Democrats wrote to Trumps inaugural committee this week demanding information about how it screens its donors to avoid violating the prohibition on contributions from foreign nationals. The lawmakers noted that there was cause for concern given that Trumps 2021 inaugural committee accepted nearly a million dollars from a Pakistani investor who also lobbied the Trump White House on behalf of Qatar and was later indicted for tax evasion, campaign finance violations and failing to register as a foreign agent. But having lost their Senate majority, they will have little recourse if their oversight letter goes unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scanlon similarly has little hope that her bill, which would impose a $50,000 cap on donations to inaugural committees, ban contributions from Super PACs and corporations and require detailed accounts of how the money is spent, can advance under the incoming GOP trifecta, but hopes its reintroduction will draw public scrutiny of the issue. We're just going to try to keep pushing for transparency, and try to make sure that people know just who is trying to influence their government, she said. CORRECTION: A prior version of this story misidentified fundraising expectations by Trumps inaugural committee and related groups. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The attorneys for the two suspects accused in the 2023 death of a St. Jude doctor say a trial date has not been set because evidence is still flowing in. Brandy Rucker and Marious Ward, accused of shooting St. Jude doctor Alexander Bulakhov to death while he was walking with his wife and 2-year-old child, did not appear in court on Thursday for their report date. Brandy Rucker (left), Marious Ward (right) According to their attorneys, that was expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a quick proceeding. Only Ward and Ruckers attorneys showed up for the Thursday morning report date. He wasnt brought to the courtroom today just because we had a status hearing set, Josh Corman, Wards Attorney said. We were just reporting back to the judge the status. 2 charged in shooting death of St. Jude employee identified We asked Wards Attorney about why the case has not received a trial date. Theres quite a bit of digital evidence in the case videos, body camera videos, and for whatever reason, they were just turned over to us this week. So, thats kind of why theres been a delay, and thats why we had to reset the case again today, said Corman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marious Ward and Brandy Rucker are facing several serious charges including, first-degree murder for allegedly robbing and shooting Bulakhov on Tennessee Street in November 2023. Police say Rucker admitted to being the getaway driver, and Ward admitted to shooting Bulakhov. St. Jude employee killed in front of wife, 2-year-old during robbery: Police report Statements are recorded and thats one of those things we were waiting to be turned over to us which is the recording of his interview, Corman said. Ward is scheduled back in court on February 21, and Brandy Rucker is scheduled to be back in court on February 7 for a bond hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Former MTA honcho Tom Prendergast was appointed the head of the Gateway Development Commission Thursday, responsible for the first stages of the sweeping $40 billion project to dig a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River and lay miles of new train track through the New Jersey Meadowlands. The responsibility youve entrusted in me is significant its not something I take lightly, Prendergast said following his unanimous approval by the project commissioners. The Hudson Tunnel project is the most urgent project in the United States of America, he said, adding, Infrastructure is what built New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prendergast who served as MTA chairman from 2013 to 2017 as part of a 25-year career at the agency comes to the commission from infrastructure consulting firm AECOM, where hes been since 2020. In his time at the head of the MTA, Prendergast oversaw the long-awaited opening of the first phase of the Second Ave. Subway. He also served at various times as the head of the Long Island Rail Road and New York City Transit and as the senior vice president for subways. The massive Gateway project is ultimately meant to double rail capacity across the New Jersey Meadowlands and into New York Penn Station while modernizing and expanding an aging section of the Northeast Corridor rail line. Currently, the GDC is tasked with managing the crown jewel of the project, the Hudson River Tunnel, which will connect New York Penn to northern New Jersey with two new rail tubes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When that new tunnel is completed, crews will begin repairs to the twin tubes of the 1910 North River Tunnel currently serving Penn Station. The plan also includes feeding those four river crossings with expanded tracks across the swamplands of New Jersey, a project that involves replacing the Portal Bridge in Kearny, N.J., as well as adding or rehabbing several smaller bridges in the Meadowlands, plus adding track capacity near Secaucus Junction. (KRON) Former Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao is now facing criminal charges after being indicted by a federal grand jury. The San Francisco Chronicle first reported the indictment. The indictment comes after last years FBI raid of Thaos Oakland home. Thao was recalled in Novembers election after serving two years as Oaklands mayor. Thaos final day in office was in December. LATEST: FBI gives details on Sheng Thao federal indictment Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the FBI raid back in June, Thao has repeatedly claimed her innocence and said she is not the target of the investigation. In her exit interview as mayor last month, Thao told KRON4, Im innocent. Ive done nothing wrong. (The FBI raid) definitely had a huge negative impact on the recall, Thao said. The FBI has told me Im not the target of this, although they wont come out (and say it). Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao addresses the media during an election night gathering at Fluid 510 in Oakland, Calif., Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP) The FBI, along with other federal officials, held a news conference Friday at 9 a.m. in San Francisco to detail the indictment. 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. Jan. 16A former Decatur probation officer and foster mom charged last year with child abuse in Morgan County faces new charges in Lawrence County for allegedly forcing a girl to sleep naked in a kennel with dogs, according to an indictment filed Tuesday. Jodie (sometimes spelled Joddie) Brooke King, 48, was charged in December by a Lawrence County grand jury with aggravated child abuse, a Class B felony, according to Tuesday's filing. King, a 22-year law enforcement veteran and former foster parent through the Department of Human Resources (DHR) for around 20 years, according to attorney Eric Summerford, was indicted by a Morgan County grand jury last year on eight counts of child abuse and arrested on May 6. She was released from the Morgan County Jail less than two hours after her booking on a $30,000 bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Lawrence County indictment, King abused a child by: "slapping her, pulling her hair, hitting her with the metal part of a belt in the eye, putting her in a dog kennel to sleep with the dogs while she was naked, chained her to a fence with a dog leash, and shooting a gun beside her head." An employee with the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles since 2009, King was terminated from her position on May 6, according to the bureau. Jonna McGuyre, the biological mother of two of the alleged victims, told The Decatur Daily that she was a former probationer under King's supervision. McGuyre, who has a history of substance abuse and related criminal charges, said she signed over custody of her two young children to King on Jan. 8, 2021. She said DHR was involved in that process "the whole time." Her oldest child, a boy, went to live with a family friend, Emily Woodall. At the time, the director of Morgan County DHR, Lainie Alexander, declined to say whether King had been a foster mom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October 2023, King brought the children to visit her parents, who had been in a car accident, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, according to McGuyre. The children were able to visit McGuyre's sister, who lived in the area. McGuyre said the boy told her sister that King had been hurting him, and her sister recorded the testimony. That Halloween, while trick-or-treating with Woodall and their older brother, the boy told his older brother that King "would throw him in ice water, cuss him and scratch him," according to Woodall. Woodall said the children reported the abuse to authorities shortly after. She said she believes the children were taken from King in February 2024. DHR never responded to inquiries regarding when the children were removed from King's care. After King's arrest in May 2024, Summerford told The Daily that King "vehemently denies" the allegations in the Morgan County indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On May 17, an assistant district attorney moved to revoke King's bond after learning that King had "participated during bathtime" with one of the victims in violation of her bond conditions, which prohibited contact. Morgan County Circuit Judge Stephen Brown sealed King's case file on May 21. The Decatur Daily can no longer access developments in that case. In Lawrence County, court records showed King was booked into jail on her new charge on Tuesday and held on a $15,000 bond. King did not appear in the Lawrence County Jail roster on Wednesday. Court records listed no defense attorney Wednesday in King's Lawrence County case. Lawrence County District Attorney Errek Jett did not immediately respond to inquiries. david.gambino@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2438. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The former Republican congressional candidate and ex-wrestler charged with murder is appealing his grand jury indictment to the Nevada Supreme Court. Dan Rodimer is accused of punching Christopher Tapp, 47, inside Resorts World on the Las Vegas Strip on Oct. 29, 2023, leading to Tapps death. Doctors pronounced Tapp dead at a Las Vegas hospital on Nov. 5, 2023. The Clark County coroners office ruled Tapps death a homicide as a result of blunt force trauma to his head, documents said. A scan showed he suffered several brain bleeds. A Clark County grand jury indicted Rodimer on the murder charge last April. His attorneys argue prosecutors showed the grand jury illegal evidence and failed to properly instruct the panel when it voted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark County District Court Judge Tierra Jones denied Rodimers pretrial petition, leading to the appeal. Tapp was acquitted of murder after serving two decades in prison. It was not immediately clear when the high court could hear Rodimers arguments. In 2020, Rodimer lost his bid to represent Nevadas 3rd Congressional District against Democratic Rep. Susie Lee. Rodimer lost the election by nearly 13,000 votes or 3 percentage points. He later left Nevada and lost a bid to represent Texas 6th Congressional District, coming in 11th in a 2021 primary. 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. When Metro columnist Bridget Grumet told me she wanted to travel to Delaware to meet with an organization providing abortion pills by mail to women in states with restrictive abortion access, we both agreed she could provide a unique perspective to another aspect of the abortion access battle. Rarely does the public hear about medication abortion and how hard it is to access. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently filed the first lawsuit against an out-of-state abortion pill provider, prompting the first major legal test of shield laws. I asked Bridget to help readers understand what has transpired and next steps both sides face. Jay Lynch holds a sealed bottle of misoprostol, the second set of pills used in a medication abortion regimen. Numerous telehealth providers, including Delaware-based Her Safe Harbor, send abortion medications to patients in abortion-restricted states like Texas. Abortion-by-mail services to states that ban abortions seem pretty risky, especially in Texas, given the litigious nature of Texas' attorney general. Can you explain how shield laws protect these providers? Also, what do legal experts say about the validity of these laws? Nearly two dozen states have passed these types of laws. The particulars vary, but generally, shield law states will refuse to help places like Texas pursue criminal or civil charges against an abortion provider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means Texas could issue a warrant for a doctor who provided an abortion, but authorities in California or New Mexico wont go and arrest them. Texas could demand patient records from an out-of-state clinic, but places like Colorado wont hand them over. In many cases, shield laws say that a medical provider cannot face disciplinary action against their license or higher insurance rates for providing care that is legal in their own state. Some shield laws even assert that abortion care is being provided wherever the medical professional is. So if a doctor in Boston prescribes abortion medication via telehealth, state law says that care is being provided in Massachusetts (where abortion is legal), even if the patient is in Texas (where abortion is largely banned). Of course, Texas officials dont agree thats legal. In December, Paxton sued a New York doctor for allegedly sending abortion medication to a patient in Texas. Abortion law expert Mary Ziegler said she could envision a scenario in which the doctor doesnt respond to the suit or participate in a trial; so Texas wins a court judgment for some dollar amount in damages; and then nothing. Because New York could decline to enforce the civil judgment if it argues Texas is using the case to carry out state abortion policy. At some point, the courts will have to resolve the questions that shield laws have raised. None of the legal experts I spoke with had crystal ball clarity on the outcome. Shield laws for reproductive health care are so new; some of the most pertinent case law on interstate cooperation is fairly old; and whos to say how much weight that precedence would carry with todays judiciary anyway. Do we know what happens next in this fight over mail-order abortion pills? What, do you think, will each side focus on, put efforts into? All eyes are on the incoming Trump administration. President-elect Donald Trump has said he doesnt plan to change the access to medication abortion, but he will face firm expectations from the anti-abortion constituency that helped elect him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abortion opponents would like to see Trumps Food and Drug Administration reinstate the requirement that abortion pills can only be provided in person, which would end the telehealth services that have so effectively reached across state lines. They also want the FDA to revoke its approval of mifepristone, the first drug used in a medication abortion. If the FDA took such action, it would surely unleash lawsuits. The U.S. Supreme Court, having thrown abortion back to the states with the 2022 Dobbs decision, would find the issue boomerang back to it. But as the past few years have demonstrated, people determined to access abortion will find a way. Overseas providers, operating beyond the reach of U.S. enforcement, could ship abortion medications to American patients; and informal networks of people distributing pills on their own could grow more robust. Advocacy groups like Shout Your Abortion will continue to help people find those resources through campaigns like YouAlwaysHaveOptions.com. How safe are medication abortions? If a woman experienced complications during a medication abortion, would she face charges or consequences for seeking help from a doctor or hospital? A review of decades of data found that medication abortions are safe and effective, with serious complications requiring hospitalization occurring less than 0.3% of the time. Typically, those problems included vaginal bleeding, pelvic pain or infection. About 1.1% of the time the pills were not effective in ending a pregnancy, which meant a surgical abortion was needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another study last year found telehealth abortions to be as safe and effective as those provided with pills administered at a clinic. In that study, 1.3% of patients subsequently visited an emergency room, but more than a third of that small group of patients received no treatment, as their symptoms were normal. Texas laws specifically exempt the patient from any punishment related to obtaining an abortion. But sometimes authorities overstep; or they could look to build a case against anyone who helped the woman obtain an abortion in violation of Texas law. That can make patients hesitant to seek medical care, for fear that a provider might alert authorities. In terms of whats happening in the body, a medication abortion is indistinguishable from a natural miscarriage. Telehealth abortion providers and other resources, such as the Miscarriage and Abortion Hotline at 1-833-246-2632, can give patients guidance on how to safely seek follow-up care. The Austin Womens Health Center, which stopped performing abortions once Texas bans went into effect, still provides post-abortion follow-up care to patients who terminated a pregnancy elsewhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Courtney Sebesta is the executive editor of the American-Statesman. You can reach her at csebesta@statesman.com. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Shield laws and what it means for Texas women seeking abortions "We strongly disagree with the Defense Department's designation and intend to appeal," Baicells said in a statement to customers on Tuesday. This month, the Pentagon added Baicells to a list of 134 companies it says work with China's military, without providing evidence or further comment. The listing does not have teeth but can deal a reputational blow to companies targeted. The FBI, the Commerce Department, the Justice Department and the FCC declined comment. Reuters was unable to determine when the Commerce Department opened its investigation or sent the subpoenas, nor its specific concerns about Baicells or its products. Reuters also couldn't ascertain the focus of the FBI's probe. "Baicells does not believe there are any security risks associated with its radio products," he said in a statement. Sun Lixin, Beijing-based chairman of Baicells Technologies Ltd, told Reuters Baicells will cooperate fully with any U.S. government inquiries. The investigations illustrate that years after sanctions decimated the U.S. businesses of fellow Chinese tech companies Huawei and ZTE, Washington's fears that Beijing is using telecoms equipment to spy remain strong, experts said. "Reviewing this would be near the top of my list," said John Carlin, the Justice Department's former top national security attorney, when presented with Reuters' findings, adding that it raises the same type of risks as Huawei. Reuters is the first to report the existence of the two investigations and the FBI's long-standing interest, based on interviews with more than 30 current and former government officials, eight former Baicells employees and FBI emails obtained through a records request. The FBI's interest in its equipment and Chinese origins dates back to at least 2019. The Commerce Department is investigating Baicells on national security grounds and has sent subpoenas to the company, four people said. The U.S. telecoms regulator, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is advising it on its review, two of the people said. Founded in 2014, Baicells Technologies opened a North American business the next year in Wisconsin and has since provided telecoms equipment for 700 commercial mobile networks across every U.S. state, according to its website. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Commerce Department and FBI are both investigating a little-known telecoms hardware firm founded by senior Huawei veterans in China over possible security risks, sources and documents show. Story Continues 'OPEN INVESTIGATION' The scrutiny of Baicells comes amid growing concerns in Washington about China's ability to intercept sensitive data, by hacking into telecoms networks, remotely accessing hardware supplied by Chinese companies, or providing Americans with internet access. In a statement to Reuters, China's U.S. embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu urged Washington to stop using cyber security issues to smear China. Baicells supplies routers and base stations in the United States. Base stations provide mobile networks for local areas, much in the same way a router provides a WiFi signal in a home. Anyone gaining remote access to a router or base station could be in a position to intercept or tamper with its traffic, disrupt its service, or launch cyber attacks, experts say. Reuters has no evidence that any Baicells equipment has been misused. But the technique has been used by a wide variety of state-backed hacking groups around the world, including a high-profile Chinese group dubbed "Volt Typhoon", according to U.S. officials. While recent high profile Chinese attacks on U.S. telecoms networks hinged on breaches of poorly secured Western equipment, "allowing (China)-linked suppliers into our supply chains and not exercising the necessary scrutiny is counterproductive, Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Warner, ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said in a statement to Reuters. "The whack-a-mole approach, focusing on the national security risks posed by a single company at a time, is not nimble enough to respond to the threats that we are seeing." Emails from an FBI intelligence analyst and sources show that federal agents approached a Baicells customer, the city of Las Vegas, in 2023 to warn it about its base stations - and the FBI's interest in Baicells products dates back to at least 2019. That year, federal authorities approached wireless internet service provider KGI Communications after it deployed Baicells base stations in King George, Virginia - one of which was near the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division where hypersonic weapons are tested, former county supervisor Ruby Brabo and KGI employee Juan Marte said. Marte, KGI's former CEO, told Reuters the officials were FBI agents and that they warned KGI about Baicells' Chinese origins. Asked for comment, the Navy referred Reuters to the FBI, saying the agency has an "open investigation" into the matter. In 2023, FBI officials visited the chief technology officer for Las Vegas after the city signed a contract to expand an existing deployment of Baicells base stations with 82 more, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. The officials raised security concerns and asked to take one of the base stations away, according to the people and emails to the city from the FBI obtained through a records request. "(We) wanted to know if you have any updates on removal or replacement actions," states one email from an FBI counterintelligence division intelligence analyst in May 2023. Spooked by the attention from the FBI - which eventually took away a base station, according to one of the people - Las Vegas canceled the contract and turned to a U.S. supplier instead, documents show. The FBI's inquiries about Baicells in Virginia and Las Vegas have not previously been reported. In 2021, two FBI agents from Dallas also interviewed Patrick Leary, a former co-CEO of Baicells North America, he said. "Their concerns were clearly wrapped up with national security and China," Leary told Reuters, adding that Baicell's origins and American business goals were a focus of questions. SECURITY ALERTS U.S. Cyber defense agency CISA, part of the Department of Homeland Security, published an advisory in 2023 about a vulnerability in Baicells Nova base stations that could allow a hacker to hijack the devices. An analysis carried out for Reuters in September by Censys, an internet intelligence company, showed that between 28 and 186 Baicells base stations in the U.S. were still using vulnerable firmware, potentially putting them at risk of hijack. "We have taken affirmative steps to ensure the security of our products and proactively address any security concerns," Baicells said when asked about base station vulnerabilities. Terry Dunlap, a firmware security expert and former National Security Agency official, said these types of vulnerabilities often appear in devices such as base stations. However, he said they were still a concern because they could be used as jumping off points to access critical networks, or be stitched together with other vulnerable devices to create a botnet capable of carrying out broader cyber attacks. CISA has a list of 16 critical infrastructure networks of concern such as water, energy, financial services and telecoms. Altogether, CISA has published two security advisories and four vulnerability notices to the public since 2022 about the risk of Baicells' routers and base stations being accessed remotely, labeling at least five as "critical". RUN FROM CHINA? Baicells' original Chinese parent, Beijing Baicells Technologies Co, was founded in 2014 by Sun, one of Huawei's top 12 employees, and senior Huawei veterans Scott Liang Xingang, Zhou Mingyu and Ding Yingzhe. Liang and Ding have since left. They did not respond to requests for comment. They are among about 60 former Huawei employees who would later join Baicells, according to a Reuters review of profiles on LinkedIn and Chinese equivalent MaiMai. Reuters was unable to independently confirm these numbers. In 2016, Baicells set up an office in Plano, a suburb of Dallas where Huawei's American R&D arm Futurewei was headquartered. In his statement to Reuters, Sun said Baicells had never had any business relationship with Huawei and the number of current staff hailing from the company represented a small percentage of its workforce. Since 2019, the U.S. has restricted Huawei's access to U.S. technology, accusing the company of activities contrary to U.S. national security, which Huawei denies. Huawei declined comment. According to Texas filings and a press release, Baicells stopped belonging to its Chinese parent by 2019. But Baicells' homepage in China still describes it as being headquartered in Beijing's Haidian District, with a Dallas subsidiary. Four former employees with direct knowledge of Baicells' Chinese leadership describe the U.S. firm as being managed currently from China. A recent former CEO of the U.S. operation, Minchul Ho, was "very micromanaged by the board" in China, which had to approve anything he suggested, said one of the people, who was not authorized to speak publicly. Neither Ho nor Baicells responded to requests for comment on this assertion. To assuage U.S. customer concerns about Baicells' ties to China, sales executives have been instructed in recent years to say the gear was made in Taiwan, four former employees said. Bills of lading collected by a commercial customs data provider show 92% of shipments of Baicells equipment to the U.S. from 2018 through July 2024 came from China or Hong Kong, with the remainder from Taiwan. Reuters could not determine where the equipment was made. "We are aware of our Chinese roots and we know that is a big issue for federal funding," Erik Randall, a Baicells sales executive said in a January 2023 webinar for prospective clients posted on YouTube. "Our infrastructure is actually being built in Taiwan so we're starting to move away from that Chinese culture that everyone in North America is worried about." (Reporting by Alexandra Alper in Washington; Additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista in Beijing, David Shepardson, Chris Bing, Idrees Ali, AJ Vincens, Raphael Satter, Jody Godoy and Mike Stone in Washington, James Pearson in London, Maurice Tamman, Joshua Schneyer and Karen Freifeld in New York; Editing by Chris Sanders, David Clarke and Daniel Wallis) By David Lewis and Daphne Psaledakis NAIROBI/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on Sudan's leader, army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, accusing him of choosing war over negotiations to bring an end to the conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people and driven millions from their homes. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that under Burhan's leadership, the army's war tactics have included indiscriminate bombing of civilian infrastructure, attacks on schools, markets and hospitals, and extrajudicial executions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington announced the measures, first reported by Reuters, just a week after imposing sanctions on Burhan's rival in the two-year-old civil war, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commander of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Two sources with knowledge of the action told Reuters one aim of Thursday's sanctions was to show that Washington was not picking sides. Speaking earlier on Thursday, Burhan was defiant about the prospect that he might be targeted. "I hear there's going to be sanctions on the army leadership. We welcome any sanctions for serving this country," he said in comments broadcast on Al Jazeera television. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington also issued sanctions over the supply of weapons to the army, targeting a Sudanese-Ukrainian national as well as a Hong Kong-based company. Thursday's action freezes any of their U.S. assets and generally bars Americans from dealing with them. The Treasury Department said it issued authorizations allowing certain transactions, including activities involving the warring generals, so as not to impede humanitarian assistance. The Sudanese army and the RSF together led a coup in 2021 removing Sudan's civilian leadership, but fell out less than two years later over plans to integrate their forces. The war that broke out in April 2023 has plunged half of the population into hunger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dagalo, known as Hemedti, was sanctioned after Washington determined his forces had committed genocide, as well as for attacks on civilians. The RSF has engaged in bloody looting campaigns in the territory it controls. In a statement, Sudan's foreign ministry said the latest U.S. move "expresses nothing but confusion and a weak sense of justice" and accused Washington of defending genocide by the RSF. The United States and Saudi Arabia have tried repeatedly to bring both sides to the negotiating table, with the army refusing most attempts, including talks in Geneva in August which in part aimed to ease humanitarian access. The army has instead ramped up its military campaign, this week taking the strategic city of Wad Madani and vowing to retake the capital Khartoum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rights experts and residents have accused the army of indiscriminate airstrikes as well as attacks on civilians, most recently revenge attacks in Wad Madani this week. The U.S. had previously determined the army and RSF had committed war crimes. In his final news conference ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's Jan. 20 inauguration, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday that it was a "real regret" Washington had not managed to end the fighting under his watch. While there have been some improvements in getting humanitarian assistance into Sudan through U.S. diplomacy, they have not seen an end to the conflict, "not an end to the abuses, not an end to the suffering of people," Blinken said. "We'll keep working here for the next three days, and I hope the next administration will take that on as well." (Reporting by David Lewis; Additional reporting by Daphne Psaledakis and Khalid Abdelaziz; Writing by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by William Maclean, Ros Russell, Peter Graff and Daniel Wallis) Jan. 15The newly elected Executive Council, at its first business meeting with Gov. Kelly Ayotte Wednesday, delivered the message to state agency heads that it's time to tighten belts to deal with a more austere fiscal future. Whether it was $2,500 in membership dues to a national organization or a four-year, $564,000 state workforce plan, the council with two new members had probing questions during its 2 1/2 -hour meeting. "Welcome to the more inquisitive council," said Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford, who said he enjoyed being there with new members from both parties, Councilors John Stephen, R-Manchester, a former health and human services commissioner, and Karen Liot Hill, D-Lebanon, a former mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I love it when we get new members at the table. Even if it keeps department heads more on their toes, that's a good thing." For her part, Ayotte said she welcomed the scrutiny of spending items as she prepares to present a proposal for the next two-year state budget next month. The new Republican governor told reporters during her first press conference after the council meeting that during the transition, department heads heard her call to "recalibrate" when record federal grants are expiring and state revenues are declining. "This isn't the first time we have gone through this," Ayotte said, referring to 2010-11 when lawmakers erased an $800 million state budget deficit through a double-digit drop in state spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are conversations we have been having with the agency heads and that started really almost right after our election." Stephen questioned Transportation Commissioner Bill Cass about the $99,000 membership in the the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Stephen said AASHTO does some important work lobbying for federal highway support to states, but he questioned a 2020 resolution the group adopted embracing a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiative. "The Legislature here has not adopted a DEI policy for New Hampshire. What has DOT done to address this resolution?" Stephen asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cass said at the time New Hampshire registered its opposition to the resolution, but it was adopted by a majority vote of the member states. "We are in tight times and some of these memberships are unnecessary," Stephen began. Then Stephen went after the $2,500 membership fee for the College Savings Foundation requested by State Treasurer Monica Mezzapelle. "Did you know, Governor, we pay as much into this organization as the state of California? Does that make any sense?" Stephen said. Ayotte said she's already on the case. "We are going to conduct an examination of all memberships to make sure we are getting the best taxpayer value for them," Ayotte said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephen's next target was a four-year contract for the workforce plan with Thomas P. Miller and Associates LLC of Indianapolis. New Hampshire receives U.S. Labor Department grants to support programs to enhance employee recruitment under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. The federal law and supporting regulations require states to come up with a four-year plan to achieve its goals and to implement every two years any revisions to it. The $564,415 contract was the highest of four bids with the lowest proposing to spend just over $100,000. "Why can't the state employees do this kind of work?" Stephen asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted that cost was only 20% of the scoring for this grant. "I am going to be really critical on some contracts when the state doesn't value cost," Stephen said. Business and Economics Affairs Commissioner Taylor Caswell said devising this strategy to comply with a federal law is complex. This firm has done great work for the state and many others in the past, he said. "From my standpoint, our staff, with the resources we have, I don't have the resources to do this internally at the scale that we are required to do," Caswell said. Administrative Services Commissioner Charles Arlinghaus advised against the council turning down the bid because it's too high and trying to give it to the second-placed firm that was nearly $250,000 cheaper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You can't abrogate the bidding process by rejecting something. It's an honesty thing or a transparency, just reject it and then take the number two; what we have is a process that is fake," Arlinghaus said. Councilor Liot Hill joined Stephen and the other councilors to table this contract. Ayotte said she'd huddle with Caswell to more completely explore whether the agency could do some of this work on its own. klandrigan@unionleader.com In the end, the only choice Israel can make is no choice at all. After nearly 500 days of war in Gaza nearly 100 of its citizens still trapped in Hamas terror tunnels the time to end the fighting has come, notwithstanding any last-minute delays as Benjamin Netanyahu accuses the terrorists of backtracking. Not because it is necessarily the right time or right thing to do but because it is the only thing to do. Never before has Israel, barely 75 years old, spent so much time battling on so many fronts against adversaries so committed to its destruction. But ultimately, the cease-fire that Israel may be about to sign with Hamas is the only way that Jerusalem can save itself. Despite the clever messaging of Palestinian extremists and their proxies across the West, Israel is a nation exhausted by war. It was exhausted back in April when I first visited, weeks before Irans initial drone attack, when the nation was still convulsing from the horrors of Hamas massacre six months earlier. And Israelis were even more exhausted by August, when I returned for nearly a month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The end of that trip coincided with the horrific discovery of six slain hostages, including Israeli-American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose mother, Rachel, had captured the worlds conscience just weeks before at the Democratic National Convention when she called for an end to the suffering on all sides in an act of immeasurable nobility and bravery. Three years ago I lost one of my sons for mere minutes at a park and still convulse when I think of it; more than 400 days imprisoned below the Gazan sands is beyond the scope of human endurance. But scores of Israeli families have endured and are now preparing for a day they feared would never arrive. Which is why this cease-fire had to come no matter the staggeringly high price Israel must pay. Despite Hamas starting this war as well as bearing ultimate responsibility for its ongoing bloodiness Israel must free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners for just dozens of its own abductees. Babies, mothers, the elderly and infirm will be traded for criminals and terrorists, many with blood on their hands who could very likely terrorise Israel again. It has certainly happened before. Back in 2011, after years in Hamas captivity, Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit was traded for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. Among the Palestinians released was Yahya Sinwar, who went on to lead Hamas and mastermind the October 7 attack that has brought the world to this moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sinwar may be dead, but Hamas remains very much alive in some ways more alive than ever. Despite ten of thousands of its militants killed, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken reported this week that Hamas has nearly replaced all of its dead operatives with fresh recruits. The results speak for themselves: in the past week alone, 16 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Gaza as Hamas reconstitutes itself in the strips northern sectors, a staggering number for a nation whose soldiers are also civilians sons, fathers, teachers, friends. Staggering because they fell in areas thought cleared of Hamas capabilities, a major blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus insistence that Israel can and will achieve total victory. Still, Netanyahu has had plenty of victories since this war began regime-change in Syria, Hezbollahs defeat in Lebanon, a weakening of Irans military might, and the support of the West against Houthi rebels in Yemen. No other modern leader has redrawn so much of his region in so short a time. The 21st century Near East is now a landscape of Israels making, which is why the time is now for Netanyahu to turn his attention homeward. This cease-fire deal conjured up initially by President Biden but finally willed into being by President Trump will return hegemonic influence back to the US, which has long served as the Middle Easts ultimate decision-maker. Assuming it goes through, the deal will be a win for American diplomacy and provides the tabula rasa Trump has demanded for his White House return next week. Trump has always loved a mess, but he loves messiness of his own design and Israels Gaza war has proven just too messy for him to inherit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course there is no greater mess than the one Hamas might make if not dismantled to its core. But for Israelis, long accustomed to living with threats literally at their doorsteps, fear of making a mess has never held them back. Unlike us in the West, they understand that cycles of violence are the price they pay for living as Jews surrounded by people openly committed to their destruction. David Christopher Kaufman is a New York Post columnist 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 departing chairwoman of the FCC, Jessica Rosenworcel, warned of efforts to tie the broadcast station license renewals to news content, as the agency dismissed a series of complaints brought from the left and the right. She did not name incoming President Donald Trump, who has threatened networks over their news and other content, but she said in a statement Thursday that she wanted to draw a bright line at a moment when clarity about government interference with the free press is needed more than ever. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The action we take makes clear two things. First, the FCC should not be the Presidents speech police. Second, the FCC should not be journalisms censor-in-chief, she said. The dismissed complaints included three filed by the conservative Center for American Rights. A complaint against ABCs Philadelphia affiliate, WPVI-TV, alleged bias in ABCs hosting of the September presidential debate; a complaint against WCBS-TV in New York claimed news distortion in the way that 60 Minutes edited an interview with Kamala Harris; and a complaint WNBC-TV in New York alleged violations of the equal time rule when Saturday Night Live featured Harris in a cameo the weekend before the presidential election. Another complaint, filed by the Media and Democracy Project, challenged the license of Fox-owned WTXF-TV in Philadelphia, alleging that the revelations from the Dominion Voting System case showed that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch lacked the character to hold a broadcast license. Among those who supported the complaint was Preston Padden, who previously led government relations for the Murdochs News Corp. The facts and legal circumstances in each of these cases are different, Rosenworcel said. But what they share is that they seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. To do so would set a dangerous precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has long railed against networks and other media companies, with not-too-veiled threats over broadcast licenses and antitrust action. Earlier this week, he warned that Comcast should pay a big price, as he was irate over something said by NBCs late night host Seth Meyers. Trumps pick for the FCC, Brendan Carr, has given some credence to Trump gripes against over the way that 60 Minutes edited the Harris interview. Carr said it even would arise during the agencys review of the Paramount-Skydance transaction, while those companies have said that such a complaint is not specific to the transaction and that CBS editorial discretion was protected by the First Amendment. During his first term, Trumps choice to lead the FCC, Ajit Pai, was clear that the agency does not have the authority to revoke the license of a broadcast station based on the content of a particular newscast. Pai was responding to a Trump suggestion that NBC should lose its license over a news segment. The FCC does not license networks, but stations. CNN first reported on Rosenworcels comments and the FCCs action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In denying the complaints against WPVI and WCBS, the FCCs enforcement cited the restrictions of the First Amendment in taking action on news content. In rejecting the equal time complaint against WNBC over Saturday Night Live, the agency noted that Trump was given time the next day during NASCAR and NFL coverage. Any further action from the agency to compel programming would run afoul of the First Amendment, the FCC said. In dismissing the complaint against WTXF-TV, the FCC said that the character assessment requested is at odds with the First Amendment and continued freedom of the press. The agency also noted that past actions in which the FCC revoked broadcast licenses for character issues involved the stations clear failure to comply with agency rules (not at issue here) or a clearly adjudicated felony for the station owner (also not at issue here). In a statement reacting to the FCC decision, Padden said that they would be presenting on appeal the multiple court decisions that raise serious questions about the Murdochs and Foxs character qualifications to remain broadcast licensees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As renowned First Amendment scholar Floyd Abrams stated in his filing with the Commission, the First Amendment is no bar to Commission action given the facts of this case. Our petition is clearly distinct from the other politically motivated complaints, Padden said. Among other things, their petition is based on judicial findings that Fox made repeated false statements that undermined the electoral process and resulted in property damage, injury, and death. Fox Corp.s attorneys have argued that denying the license would violate the First Amendment and overstep the FCCs authority. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. During a press conference with the prime minister of the United Kingdom, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that in 2024, the funding of Ukraines defence forces reached US$100 billion. Of this amount, US$40 billion came from Ukraine, US$35 billion was provided by the United States, and US$25 billion by Europe. Source: Volodymyr Zelenskyy Details: Answering a journalist's question, Zelenskyy stressed the importance of maintaining unity between the US and Europe in supporting Ukraine. He also drew attention to Ukraine's significant contribution to its own defence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The war in 2024 cost US$100 billion. This is the money for the Ukrainian defence forces. Of this amount, Ukraine's contribution is US$40 billion, the United States' is US$35 billion, and Europe's is US$25 billion. This is the approximate contribution of each of us. That is why we see the strength of this alliance and demonstrate how significant Ukraine's contribution is. Of course, our people are the most important resource, but you can also see the financial contribution." Support UP or become our patron! If you've ever found yourself involuntarily participating in the sheer clothing trend, you're not alone. Unfortunately, as Slate examines, this frustrating experience is becoming more common, and the pattern has experts sounding the alarm. What's happening? You're not imagining it: Finding the perfect white T-shirt is becoming harder than ever before, as Slate points out. That's because fabric weight is on the decline. "The 'heavy' T-shirts might have weighed 8 to 10 ounces per square yard of fabric," University of Kentucky textile chemist Elizabeth Easter told the publication of clothing production 20 years ago. "Today, we see half that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Pretty much everything is lighter and thinner," Fashion Institute of Technology professor of textiles Sean Cormier affirmed, explaining that a square yard of fabric in chinos used to weigh around eight ounces. Now, that number is closer to six. Why is this concerning? The thinner the garment, the shorter its lifespan, as Cormier explained to Slate, noting that "it's a trend in the industry, and not one that's sustainable." Cormier added that clothing brands have fewer fabric options in modern production because factories control their supply. Nonetheless, many companies still opt for fabrics that will maximize their profits. While a brand may sell an item at a low price, consumers will ultimately pay more in the long run because they need to replace their apparel sooner rather than later. "If somebody had made a better fabric selection, you could have worn it a lot longer," Cormier pointed out. Sadly, not only is this a drain on the wallet, but it's also a significant burden on the environment and a public health concern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Earth.org, around 60% of clothing is made with plastic-based fabrics. At each stage of its lifecycle, plastic-based apparel can shed microplastics, which scientific studies have linked to severe complications like cancer and dementia. All in all, a throwaway culture has resulted in more than 101 million tons of textiles ending up in dumps annually, as the average time a garment is worn has dipped by 36% over the past 15 years. What should the government do about the fast fashion industry? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind What can be done about this? The American Society for Testing and Materials issues standards for material performance, but Cormier explained to Slate that fashion companies aren't required to implement them. However, that doesn't mean you need to throw up your hands in defeat. You can use your purchasing power to support brands that are doing more than giving lip service to sustainability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Good on You is one online resource that can help you find eco-conscious companies committed to quality. Meanwhile, thrifting is an affordable way to keep your wardrobe up-to-date and perhaps score a rare vintage item at a steep discount. 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. Hello and welcome to Eye on AI. In todays editionPolice are running wild with flawed facial recognition systems and no one is stopping them; Biden signs another AI executive order; Lawsuit documents show how Meta planned to train models on copyrighted materialand cover it up; and OpenAI trades newsroom funding for content. In last Thursday's newsletter, I posed the question: If AI tools are misused, when should we blame the companies building them? Todays story deals with a situation where we have no one to blame but ourselves. Or more specifically, our institutions. An investigation published this week in the Washington Post details how police across the U.S. are using flawed AI facial recognition systems to wrongfully arrest and jail Americans. According to the report, 15 police departments across 12 states ignored municipal standards and arrested suspects identified through facial recognition without other evidence. In most cases, they also failed to gather basic information like alibis and ignored contradictory evidence, even DNA and fingerprints that pointed to other suspects. The report features the stories of eight people who have been wrongfully arrested based solely on facial recognition, but notes that the total number of people affected is impossible to know. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a case where yes, the technology fails. We know it does. And thats why the even bigger failure is by police who rely on it anyway and the lawmakers and government agencies that let them. The flaws of facial recognitionand lazy policing A consistent stream of studies have shown that facial recognition systems have higher error rates for Black and dark-skinned people compared to white people. One of the most comprehensivea 2019 NIST study that evaluated 189 facial recognition algorithms from 99 developersfound that Black and Asian people were up to 100 times more likely to be misidentified by the technology than white men. AI technology has improved over the years, but thats a significant bias, and theres no evidence that its been adequately improved. Aside from the algorithms themselves, the datasets theyre matched against present biases, too. A 2020 ACLU study found that since Black people are more likely to be arrested for minor crimes than white people, their faces are more likely to be in mugshot databases used in facial recognition searches, and thus more likely to be scanned and selected by facial recognition algorithms. Additionally, it found that police surveillance cameras are disproportionately installed in Black and brown neighborhoods, further increasing the chances theyll be wrongfully matched. Of the eight confirmed stories of wrongful arrests detailed in the Post investigation, seven of the people are Black. The current issues with the use of facial recognition in policing go far beyond these biases, however. The Post found that some law enforcement officers using the technology appeared to abandon traditional policing standards and treat software suggestions as facts. In some instances, they referred to uncorroborated AI results as a 100% match or stated that it immediately and unquestionably identified the perpetrator. Across the eight cases of wrongful arrest, the police neglected to check alibis in six of them, failed to collect key pieces of evidence in five, ignored suspects physical characteristics in three, and ignored contradictory evidence in two. They also used facial recognition results to lead witnesses into problematic statements and identification of victims. In one case, they even ignored DNA evidence and fingerprints that pointed to another suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many cases, the standards around how law enforcement officials use facial recognition are minimalin others, they are not enforced. Most police departments are not required to report when the technology is used, and few keep records around the use of facial recognition. While many departments bar officers from arresting suspects based solely on facial recognition matches, many do so anyway, the Post found. Thats where lawmakers and government agencies that oversee police come in. A lack of laws and accountability Many of the earliest laws addressing AI were city and state laws banning the use of facial recognition in policing. Yet somelike Virginia and New Orleanshave already reversed these bans. In other cases, police officers simply find ways to skirt the laws, like asking police in other jurisdictions or agencies to run searches for them. They also conceal their use of facial recognition. Even when use of facial recognition leads to an arrest, its not presented as evidence in court because they consider it an investigative lead, not proof of guilt. Often, defendants have no idea they were identified by AI because prosecutors are not required to tell them. Many privacy and civil rights advocates argue that facial recognition should not be used in policing. At the very least, there should be stringent laws around how its used, such as mandating that the use of facial recognition is always disclosed and that there is sufficient evidence for an arrest even without the facial recognition results. The U.S. has not passed any federal laws regulating AI, let alone any addressing facial recognition. The EU AI act, enacted last year, was set to ban the use of facial recognition in law enforcement, but a last-minute change has legalized its use after all, only banning it from use on live surveillance footage. Even more importantly, facial recognition is far from the only AI technology police are adopting. As I covered in Eye on AI last year, theyre also using voice analysis algorithms that claim to detect fraud risks based on speech, AI systems that connect every camera in a town into one hub, and tools that can purportedly aggregate and analyze data to generate insights, including data from social media, jail systems, video feeds, and court records. Without laws regulating their use and clear transparency and accountability, we should assume law enforcement will misuse these tools too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And with that, heres more AI news. Sage Lazzaro sage.lazzaro@consultant.fortune.com sagelazzaro.com This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Dozens of people brought signs to the State House to show support for victims services funding. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/ Maine Morning Star) A domestic violence survivor who called a 24/7 helpline and cried for an hour, feeling it was the first time someone listened to her. A parent looking for protection from her and her sons abuser who sought help from a crisis center. And a deputy district attorney who used testimony collected at the Childrens Advocacy Center to prosecute a grandfather who sexually abused his 10-year-old grandchild. These, and many others were able to seek help through victim services, which are again at risk this year due to lack of funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a packed press conference in the Maine State House on Tuesday, survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault spoke about the lifesaving role of victim advocates and services. Dozens of supporters stood on the staircase in the Hall of Flags, holding signs that read Maine needs advocates, and Fund services for survivors, we need you. The local services are federally funded through the Victims of Crime Act, known as VOCA. But for the second year in a row, that funding has fallen short, forcing the state to make up the deficit or risk losing staff who support Mainers facing trauma, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, or the Lewiston mass shooting. In Maine, VOCA funds sexual assault support centers, childrens advocacy centers, domestic violence resource centers, Pine Tree Legal services, legal services for Maine elders and the Elder Abuse Institute of Maine, as well as the victim witness advocates in the Office of the Attorney General and in local district attorney offices, Department of Corrections victim services staff, and court-appointed special advocates. In the past, VOCA funding has contributed approximately $9 million to these agencies and organizations. Last year, Maine only received $3 million from the federal government, but Gov. Janet Mills approved another $6 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this funding is again at risk, prompting advocates to call for the passage of a bill from Sen. Anne Carney (D-Cape Elizabeth), similar to the one that passed last year to secure the state funding. However, in light of a projected $450 million shortfall, Mills has proposed allocating only $3 million in her proposed biennium budget released late last week. With more people relying on victim services, that is not enough, according to Elizabeth Ward Saxl, the executive director of the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault. Last year, the group saw a 9% increase in demand for support. The idea of having reduced staff with increased demand and services getting more and more expensive to provide just feels so hard, Ward Saxl said. Staff are already asked to do so much, like being on call, 24/7. We just really cant lose this funding. Lifesaving services for survivors Christie Denzel, a survivor of domestic violence, spent many years untangling herself and her children from an abusive relationship. After hitting what she described as rock bottom, she called a hotline and said she felt heard for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It felt like it was one of the first times someone really listened to me, and I barely said a thing, she said. Denzel joined a support group and entered into negotiations to separate her life from her abuser. In those mediations, she relied on her court advocate who she described as the glue that held her together. Now, she volunteers with the helpline, offering support to those who were once in her position. Another survivor, Natasha Ricker, spoke about relying on the Sexual Assault Crisis & Support Center and Pine Tree Legal services to seek justice for her son who was sexually abused. Like Denzel, she said she found crucial support through the crisis center and her legal team. They checked in on my child, and most importantly, made me feel safe and made my family feel safe during a time when our sense of safety and security had been completely shattered, Ricker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If anyone finds themselves dealing with domestic violence or sexual abuse, I hope they can access the same kind of support that I was fortunate enough to receive, she said, noting this included everything from emotional support on court days, to referrals to mental health services, to someone to talk with when she felt like she was having a breakdown. I want them to experience a sense of safety after being violated. If funding is cut to these programs, it will be a tremendous loss for our community. Rep. Nina Milliken, a Democrat from Blue Hill, worked in sexual assault services for many years. During the press event, she urged fellow lawmakers to support Carneys bill, emphasizing her own experience and the impact of the crisis centers and 24/7 helplines. It is often the difference between despair and a path forward for somebody in crisis, she said. If this Legislature fails to act, these services, the safety nets that they provide could disappear, and if that happens, the bottoms will fall out for thousands of survivors. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE (Reuters) - The leader of Yemen's Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said the Iran-aligned group will monitor the implementation of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and will continue its attacks on ships in the Red Sea if it is breached. The Houthis have carried out more than 100 attacks on ships since November 2023 and have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers. The intensity of attacks has disrupted global shipping trade and prompted route changes, which have meant longer voyages for goods to arrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthis have targeted the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, which are joined by the narrow Bab al-Mandab strait, a chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East. The waterway is a strategic link between the Mediterranean Sea and Indian Ocean through which exports to Western markets from the Gulf and Asia must pass before entering the Suez Canal. Here are details on some of the attacks: * Houthi commandos seized the crew and Bahamas-flagged carcarrier Galaxy Leader in international waters in November 2023.The militia still holds the 25 crew members. * The Greek-owned vessel Zografia was sailing from Vietnamto Israel with 24 crew on board and was empty of cargo whenattacked off the Yemeni port of Saleef in January 2024. Theattack caused a large hole below the waterline. * The British-owned Rubymar was struck with multiplemissiles in February 2024, becoming the first ship sunk by theHouthis. It sank on March 2 last year. * In March, a Houthi missile attack killed three seafarerson the Greek-owned, Barbados-flagged ship True Confidence, inthe first fatalities reported. The attack set the ship ablazearound 50 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen's port of Aden. * The Greek-owned Tutor coal carrier sank in June 2024, daysafter it was struck with missiles and an explosive-ladenremote-controlled boat by Houthis near the Yemeni port ofHodeidah. One crew member, believed to have been working in theTutor's engine room, remains missing. The rest were evacuated bymilitary authorities and repatriated. Salvagers are still tryingto retrieve the vessel. * The Greek-registered tanker Sounion, carrying 150,000metric tons of crude oil, was struck by several missiles anddrones and caught fire on Aug. 21 last year, triggering fears ofan oil spill that could cause catastrophic environmental damage.It took months for the vessel to be declared safe and the cargoremoved. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Alexander Smith) (NewsNation) With the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal expected to begin Sunday, the families of hostages are hoping to once again see their loved ones in front of them. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that could see the first release of American hostages within days, as part of a broader agreement to free 33 captives during a 42-day pause in fighting. The deal, which awaits approval from Israels security Cabinet in a Thursday vote, would include the release of two Americans Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen in its first phase, according to a senior administration official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel, Hamas reach three-phase ceasefire deal Of the seven Americans believed held by Hamas, only three are presumed alive. The third, 21-year-old American-Israeli Edan Alexander, a former IDF soldier, would be part of a second phase of releases. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, following a pattern seen in previous hostage negotiations. Phase three calls for the return of the bodies of remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which is largely devastated and faces decades of rebuilding. After 466 days in captivity, it remains unclear how many of the approximately 100 hostages still held by Hamas are alive. Officials estimate more than a third of all hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attack have died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For families of the hostages, the wait continues. While some may soon reunite with their loved ones, others face the grim possibility of receiving confirmation of deaths during captivity. Trump and Biden both claim credit for Israel-Hamas ceasefire: Who deserves it? Hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen to be released in ceasefire first phase Jonathan Dekel-Chen joins NewsNation to discuss the upcoming ceasefire in Gaza, aimed at clearing the way for dozens of hostages to be released. His 36-year-old son, Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American citizen, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7 and is believed to still be alive. Dekel-Chen, along with other families of hostages, has been actively advocating for their loved ones safe return. Edan Alexander, left, is pictured with his father Adi. Hamas kidnapped Alexander during the ongoing war in Gaza and remains in captivity. Released hostage Ilana Gritzewsky poses for a portrait in her apartment in Kiryat Gat, Israel, on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, near photos of her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, who is being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) This undated photo provided by the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters shows Omer Neutra. (Hostages Families Forum Headquarters via AP) TOPSHOT Ronen (L) and Orna Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, pose for a photo in New York City on November 6, 2023. The parents of Omer Neutra, a dual nationality US-Israeli soldier who is one of some 240 hostages seized by Hamas in its attack from Gaza, are counting on President Biden to get him back. They have had no word about him whatsoever in the month since their nightmare, and that of the other hostage families, began on October 7. Biden, who has pledged solid support for Israel in its war against Hamas, showed compassion as he spoke to the families for more than an hour and said he is determined to secure the release of the hostages, Ronen Neutra said. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) FILE Ruby Chen holds a poster of his son, Itay Chen, during a protest near Israels parliament in Jerusalem, on March 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File) Judith Raanan, an American who was one of the first hostages released by Hamas, on Elizabeth Vargas Reports. TEL AVIV, ISRAEL OCTOBER 7: Families and supporters of hostages kidnapped during Oct 7 deadly Hamas attack hold up photos of hostages as the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas marks one year on October 7, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Various commemorations are taking place around Israel to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel. On October 7, 2023, members of Hamas mounted a series of attacks and raids on Israeli citizens in the Gaza Envelope border area of Israel. 251 Israelis and foreigners were kidnapped with nearly 100 still unaccounted for and 1139 people were killed. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat, who were held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza. On Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, the Hostages Families Forum announced their deaths while in Hamas captivity. (The Hostages Families Forum via AP) Jonathan Dekel-Chen revealed his son Sagui, held captive since Oct. 7, may not even know he has a new daughter, born two months after his capture. I simply do not know if Sagui even knows that his family survived the massacre, Dekel-Chen said Wednesday on NewsNations Elizabeth Vargas Reports. His 36-year-old son is among those expected to be freed in the first phase of releases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will feel joy when Sagui is able to embrace his little girls, Dekel-Chen said. The last confirmed proof of life for Sagui came over a year ago, when released hostages reported briefly encountering him wounded but alive in Hamas tunnels beneath Gaza. When he does emerge from that ambulance, we will embrace him in all meanings of the word and help him in all ways necessary to rebuild his life, Dekel-Chen said while tempering his optimism about his sons condition after 466 days in captivity. While grateful for his sons expected release, Dekel-Chen said that many hostages remain in what he called hell holes under Gaza, including 29 from his own Kibbutz Nir Oz. Some of those captives, he learned, were subsequently killed by Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot leave a single hostage behind, he said. What happens to the hostages in Gaza after ceasefire deal? Omer Neutras parents hope for a proper burial The parents of a deceased American hostage called the ceasefire a deal with the devil while supporting the necessary compromise to bring home the remaining captives. This is not a good deal, said Ronen Neutra, whose 21-year-old son Omer was confirmed dead after 422 days in captivity. But on October 7, 2023, they took 250 people out of their beds and unfortunately, we have to do a deal with the devil. Omer Neutra, a first responder who rushed to defend Israeli villages during the October attacks, was among the 98 hostages still in Gaza. His parents learned of his death last month after advocating for his release at the Republican National Convention and in meetings with President Joe Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His mother, Orna Neutra, described mixed emotions about the agreement. While supporting the deal, the Neutras now fight for a different outcome the return of their sons body for proper burial. The parents praised the bipartisan cooperation between the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Donald Trumps team in securing the agreement. Theres no daylight between the two teams, Orna Neutra said, noting both administrations helped push the deal forward. 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. With the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal expected to begin Sunday, the families of hostages are hoping to once again see their loved ones in front of them. Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal that could see the first release of American hostages within days, as part of a broader agreement to free 33 captives during a 42-day pause in fighting. The deal, which awaits approval from Israels security Cabinet in a Thursday vote, would include the release of two Americans Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen in its first phase, according to a senior administration official. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the seven Americans believed held by Hamas, only three are presumed alive. The third, 21-year-old American-Israeli Edan Alexander, a former IDF soldier, would be part of a second phase of releases. In exchange, Israel would release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, following a pattern seen in previous hostage negotiations. Phase three calls for the return of the bodies of remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza, which is largely devastated and faces decades of rebuilding. After 466 days in captivity, it remains unclear how many of the approximately 100 hostages still held by Hamas are alive. Officials estimate more than a third of all hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack have died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For families of the hostages, the wait continues. While some may soon reunite with their loved ones, others face the grim possibility of receiving confirmation of deaths during captivity. Hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen to be released in ceasefire first phase Jonathan Dekel-Chen joins NewsNation to discuss the upcoming ceasefire in Gaza, aimed at clearing the way for dozens of hostages to be released. His 36-year-old son, Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American citizen, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7 and is believed to still be alive. Dekel-Chen, along with other families of hostages, has been actively advocating for their loved ones safe return. Edan Alexander, left, is pictured with his father Adi. Hamas kidnapped Alexander during the ongoing war in Gaza and remains in captivity. Released hostage Ilana Gritzewsky poses for a portrait in her apartment in Kiryat Gat, Israel, on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, near photos of her boyfriend, Matan Zangauker, who is being held hostage by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov) This undated photo provided by the Hostages Families Forum Headquarters shows Omer Neutra. (Hostages Families Forum Headquarters via AP) TOPSHOT Ronen (L) and Orna Neutra, parents of Omer Neutra, pose for a photo in New York City on November 6, 2023. The parents of Omer Neutra, a dual nationality US-Israeli soldier who is one of some 240 hostages seized by Hamas in its attack from Gaza, are counting on President Biden to get him back. They have had no word about him whatsoever in the month since their nightmare, and that of the other hostage families, began on October 7. Biden, who has pledged solid support for Israel in its war against Hamas, showed compassion as he spoke to the families for more than an hour and said he is determined to secure the release of the hostages, Ronen Neutra said. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP via Getty Images) FILE Ruby Chen holds a poster of his son, Itay Chen, during a protest near Israels parliament in Jerusalem, on March 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg, File) Judith Raanan, an American who was one of the first hostages released by Hamas, on Elizabeth Vargas Reports. TEL AVIV, ISRAEL OCTOBER 7: Families and supporters of hostages kidnapped during Oct 7 deadly Hamas attack hold up photos of hostages as the ongoing conflict in Gaza between Israel and Hamas marks one year on October 7, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Various commemorations are taking place around Israel to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel. On October 7, 2023, members of Hamas mounted a series of attacks and raids on Israeli citizens in the Gaza Envelope border area of Israel. 251 Israelis and foreigners were kidnapped with nearly 100 still unaccounted for and 1139 people were killed. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images) This combination of six undated photos shows hostages, from top left, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, from bottom left, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat, who were held hostage by Hamas militants in Gaza. On Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, the Hostages Families Forum announced their deaths while in Hamas captivity. (The Hostages Families Forum via AP) Jonathan Dekel-Chen revealed his son Sagui, held captive since Oct. 7, may not even know he has a new daughter, born two months after his capture. I simply do not know if Sagui even knows that his family survived the massacre, Dekel-Chen said Wednesday on NewsNations Elizabeth Vargas Reports. His 36-year-old son is among those expected to be freed in the first phase of releases. I will feel joy when Sagui is able to embrace his little girls, Dekel-Chen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last confirmed proof of life for Sagui came over a year ago, when released hostages reported briefly encountering him wounded but alive in Hamas tunnels beneath Gaza. When he does emerge from that ambulance, we will embrace him in all meanings of the word and help him in all ways necessary to rebuild his life, Dekel-Chen said while tempering his optimism about his sons condition after 466 days in captivity. While grateful for his sons expected release, Dekel-Chen said that many hostages remain in what he called hell holes under Gaza, including 29 from his own Kibbutz Nir Oz. Some of those captives, he learned, were subsequently killed by Hamas. We cannot leave a single hostage behind, he said. Omer Neutras parents hope for a proper burial The parents of a deceased American hostage called the ceasefire a deal with the devil while supporting the necessary compromise to bring home the remaining captives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not a good deal, said Ronen Neutra, whose 21-year-old son Omer was confirmed dead after 422 days in captivity. But on October 7, 2023, they took 250 people out of their beds and unfortunately, we have to do a deal with the devil. Omer Neutra, a first responder who rushed to defend Israeli villages during the October attacks, was among the 98 hostages still in Gaza. His parents learned of his death last month after advocating for his release at the Republican National Convention and in meetings with President Biden. His mother, Orna Neutra, described mixed emotions about the agreement. While supporting the deal, the Neutras now fight for a different outcome the return of their sons body for proper burial. The parents praised the bipartisan cooperation between the outgoing Biden administration and President-elect Trumps team in securing the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no daylight between the two teams, Orna Neutra said, noting both administrations helped push the deal forward. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. 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. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) The family of a former UConn Health professor has filed a lawsuit against the estate of his wife, who was found dead on the day she was supposed to be sentenced for killing her husband and hiding his body for months while continuing to collect his paychecks. Dr. Pierluigi Bigazzi, a professor of laboratory science and pathology at UConn Health, was found dead, wrapped in garbage bags and hidden under a tarp in his Burlington home on Feb. 5, 2018, after a welfare check, according to police. Connecticut woman found dead hours before sentencing for killing husband died by suicide, medical examiner says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators have said they believe Bigazzi died sometime in July 2017 and that his UConn Health paychecks continued to be deposited into the couples joint checking account until his body was found. The medical examiner determined Bigazzi had died from blunt trauma to his head. His wife, Linda Kosuda-Bigazzi, was initially charged with murder. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and larceny in March 2024. Woman found dead in Burlington home hours before sentencing for husbands death Kosuda-Bigazzi, 76, was supposed to be sentenced on July 24, 2024. State police said they found her unresponsive when they went to her home that day after someone said they were at the residence and couldnt reach her. She was pronounced dead at the scene, and her death was ruled a suicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney John J. Houlihan from the Connecticut law firm of RisCassi & Davis represents Bigazzis estate. This lawsuit was necessary in order to both underscore the defendants responsibility for her husbands death and to prevent her estate from acquiring assets that rightfully belonged to her husband and his heirs, Houlihan said in a statement. As sad and tragic as this case is, an action like this is necessary to enforce the principle that no one or no ones estate should benefit from the killing of another. 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 WTNH.com. The family of an Eaton fire victim is suing Southern California Edison on claims of wrongful death, alleging that the utility company's negligence is to blame for the devastating blaze that killed 59-year-old Evelyn McClendon. The lawsuit alleges that Edison failed to turn off utilities despite clear warning about extremely dangerous fire conditions, leading to catastrophic consequences. The Eaton fire has killed at least 16 people and damaged or destroyed more than 7,000 structures. Its cause remains under investigation. Many have been quick to blame Edison, however, following video evidence that appears to show the fire starting under one of the utility's transmission towers in Eaton Canyon on Jan. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Investigators study Eaton Canyon electrical tower area as possible origin of Altadena fire "We don't take lightly the responsibility of making sure that this Black angel Evelyn McClendon gets full justice and accountability," attorney Ben Crump said at a Wednesday news conference. "We want them to know that her life matters, and we will fight to make sure she gets everything allowed by the law to say that her death will not be in vain." At least four other lawsuits have been filed on behalf of Altadena residents who had to evacuate their houses or lost their homes in the Eaton fire, also blaming the utility for the blaze. "Our hearts remain with our communities during the devastating fires in Southern California, and we remain committed to supporting them through this difficult time," said a Southern California Edison spokesperson. "SCE understands that lawsuits related to the Eaton fire have been filed. SCE will review them. The cause of the fire continues to be under investigation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McClendon was a former Pasadena public school bus driver and part of a multigenerational Altadena family. "Evelyn, she's just a wonderful person who never harmed, never got in trouble, never did anything wrong," said her brother Zaire Calvin, holding back tears at the news conference. Calvin lived next door to McClendon. He has said he was so busy trying to help their 84-year-old mother evacuate, as well as his wife and 1-year-old daughter, that he didn't have a chance to check on his sister when the fire broke out. Their family has lived in Altadena for more than 50 years and has deep community ties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My family has been here for generations and has always been into community service and giving back to the community," said Calvin. Calvin said the lawsuit is about justice for not only his sister but also all Altadena families who are missing or mourning loved ones in the wake of the smoldering fire. Read more: Four lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over Eaton fire "This lawsuit is about more than one family," Crump said. "It's about fighting for the Altadena community to ensure they are not overlooked and receive the justice and resources they need to rebuild their homes and lives." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the fire began, the region was under a rare "particularly dangerous situation" fire weather warning, with forecasters predicting critically low humidity and Santa Ana wind gusts of up to 100 mph. The lawsuits filed against Edison argue that the company has a responsibility to turn off the power lines during such extreme weather conditions. "On Jan. 3, they [Edison] had alerts telling them that they needed to de-energize the power they have," Crump said. "Evelyn died on Jan. 7, four days after they should have turned off the energy." The 14,119-acre fire continued to burn on Wednesday evening, when it was 45% contained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The utility has said in statements that it does not believe its transmission tower was responsible for the fire, which is being investigated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. On Wednesday, the utility's chief executive, Steven Powell, told The Times that wind gusts measured by Edison in Eaton Canyon did not reach the 60-to-80-mph threshold to warrant de-energization of the tower on Jan. 7. The National Weather Service measured 59-mph wind gusts in the Eaton Canyon area around the time the fire started on Jan. 7 as well as 63-mph gusts at 2:20 p.m. and 70-mph gusts at 9:30 p.m. Read more: Altadena winds weren't strong enough to warrant Edison shutting off transmission lines, CEO asserts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Cal Fire representative has confirmed that the transmission tower is part of the agency's investigation. Independent experts also have told The Times it's too soon to draw conclusions on the fire's cause. Should Edison be found liable for the Eaton fire, it will put massive strain on the state's wildfire fund, which would help cover damages. This $21-billion fund is split equally between shareholders and utility customers. It was established in 2019 to prevent utility companies from going bankrupt should they be found to blame for wildfires. Times staff writers Noah Goldberg, Salvador Hernandez and Jenny Jarvie contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The family of John Anderton, who was shot and killed by a Kansas City, Kansas police officer nearly two years ago, has filed a federal lawsuit against the officer, the Unified Government and police chief. The shooting happened on Feb. 3, 2023 near North 52nd Street and Georgia Avenue. Kansas City mans sentence suspended in accidental fatal shooting Officials said Anderton, 50, was on a bike leaving the scene of a double-overdose after paramedics arrived. No one died as a result of those overdoses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anderton made it about a half mile away before some sort of interaction with a KCK police officer. Six months after the shooting, Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree ruled that the deadly shooting was justified, saying Anderton was reaching inside his waistline for a gun a the time the officer fired his gun. Download the FOX4 News app on iPhone and Android The lawsuit alleges excessive force was used in the shooting. The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department tells FOX4 they are unable to comment on the pending litigation. 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. The family of Robert Brooks, who was beaten to death last month at an upstate New York prison, filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Wednesday against the 17 officers under investigation in the case. Brooks, a 43-year-old Black man, was punched, kicked, choked and manhandled in the Dec. 9 beating at Marcy Correctional Facility north of Utica. He died the following day. Our family is devastated. But we are also committed. We are going to use our agony to fight for justice, Brooks brother, Jared Ricks, said Wednesday. We want these killers prosecuted. We want change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 17 corrections officers named in the lawsuit were all suspended pending an investigation into Brooks death. An initial autopsy ruled Brooks died from asphyxia due to compression of his neck. Brooks was transferred to Marcy from Mohawk Correctional Facility, just down the road, on Dec. 9 and brought to the prison infirmary. The reason for his transfer has not been publicly explained. After Brooks was brought into the facility with his hands cuffed behind his back and his legs shackled, several guards began punching him in the face, torso and legs. Guards also grabbed him by his neck, hit him with his own shoe and held him down with their hands over his mouth and nose. The assault was captured on bodycam video that was released publicly by the New York attorney generals office two weeks later. However, Attorney General Letitia James recused herself from the case and appointed a special prosecutor to handle the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Brooks familys civil lawsuit, separate from the criminal investigation, seeks unspecified damages and argues the officers violated Brooks civil rights by beating him to death. As Marcy staff beat Robert to death, they obviously believed that their actions would never see the light of day, said Elizabeth Mazur, an attorney representing the family. Although the video is difficult to watch, it holds a mirror up to the violence and abuse Marcy prisoners face on a regular basis. It reveals what Marcy staff will do when they believe no one is watching. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis issued a seven-page letter to the Fulton County Board of Commissioners last month threatening to sue if her office is not sufficiently funded in 2025. Through an open records request, Capital B Atlanta obtained documents Willis office sent to the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 11 in response to the countys proposed budget, which the district attorney insisted does not adequately support the needs of her office and thus would endanger citizens and worsen conditions at the Fulton County Jail. Fultons Board of Commissioners are expected to finalize this years budget at their next meeting on Jan. 22, determining how the county will allocate a $990 million general fund. Willis and other justice officials have been sounding the alarm about departmental underfunding for months, cautioning of potential setbacks in managing the jail population, keeping courts operating efficiently, and preventing crime and violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without adequate funding to properly serve the citizens of this County, we have to explore legal remedies which includes filing a lawsuit against the Board of Commissioners to seek a budget consistent with the number and nature of cases this office handles, she wrote. The district attorneys office did not respond to requests for comment. As of the Jan. 8 commissioners meeting, the district attorneys office will be allocated $39 million dollars for 2025. Willis requests an unspecified funding increase that is sufficient to restore the 20% staff reduction she says she was forced to make last year. Those personnel cuts were caused by the Dec. 31 ending of a federally funded program called Project ORCA, which was created to address deadly overcrowding in Fulton County Jail and an accumulation of cases in the Fulton County court system due in large part to COVID-19 pandemic-related court shutdowns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Project ORCA launched in December 2021, just one year into Willis first term as district attorney. The program allowed Fulton County to hire 528 employees including 133 in the district attorneys office to resolve 148,209 backed-up cases that dated back to at least 2015. The initiative was widely deemed a success, helping to bring Fulton County Jails population from 2,618 people in December 2021 to 1,642 in the second week of December 2024 more than 500 people below capacity according to Fulton County data. As those issues began to ease, ORCA funding and personnel dwindled. By October 2024, just before the project came to an end, the district attorneys office had retained 55 ORCA hires as full-time employees. Willis says the budget initially proposed in November is likely to undo the progress her office has made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the proposed budget is enacted, Fulton County will certainly see a dramatic increase in its jail population and is likely to lose much of the progress that has been made in reducing violent crime, Willis wrote, also projecting that the Fulton County Jail population would increase by at least 1,000 detainees by this years end, bringing the head count well beyond the facilitys maximum capacity. Hear me clearly: if you enact the proposed budget: people will die, Willis wrote in bold type. Elsewhere in the letter, Willis described the inhumane conditions in Fulton County Jail, blaming the commissioners for failing to provide more funding for her office and the sheriff. The U.S. Department of Justice and Fulton County entered into a consent decree earlier this month whereby the county agrees to address the deplorable jail conditions to avoid a potential lawsuit. Dozens of detainees have died at the facility in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Willis also noted that homicides, rapes, and aggravated assaults dropped in Atlanta by greater margins than the national average, citing FBI data. She attributed these improvements in crime reduction to her office having adequate resources to investigate and indict as quickly as possible. Fulton County declined to comment on pending litigation. Rob Pitts, chairman of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, told Capital B Atlanta in October that there would be financial constraints on the 2025 budget due to the board not increasing the countys property taxes. The revenue which we will have to work with will be fixed, said Pitts. All of the programs and projects will have to be funded with the available revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Magistrate Judge Cassandra Kirk and Sheriff Pat Labat have repeatedly asked the Board of Commissioners for more funds. (The magistrate courts are allocated $5 million in the proposed 2025 budget, while the sheriffs office is slated to receive $151 million.) Ten ORCA magistrate staff left in August 2024, and weve continued to request sustainable funding to continue the great work weve proven we can do, Kirk said during the Jan. 8 board meeting. ORCA was a Band-Aid, and we knew it, she continued. But ORCA allowed us to show what this court could achieve if adequately resourced. Attached to Willis letter are annual findings from four grand juries convened to inspect Fulton County Jail each year between 2021 and 2024. The first three grand juries recommend the Board of Commissioners consider approving the construction of a new jail. The fourth attached a copy of the jail feasibility study commissioned by the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The grand jury findings, which were shared with commissioners at the time, are likely to play a role in the lawsuit, should Willis decide to sue. Earlier this week, Republicans in the state House voted to revive a special committee to investigate alleged misconduct by Willis office. She has faced criticism for dedicating her offices resources to high-profile racketeering cases against Atlanta rapper Young Thug and former President Donald Trump while the Fulton County case backlog was still massive. The special committee, however, is primarily concerned with the romantic relationship between Willis and Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she hired for the Trump case. The Georgia Court of Appeals ruled last month that she be removed from the case due to the previously undisclosed relationship. She appealed that decision to the Georgia Supreme Court earlier this month. The post Fani Willis Threatens to Sue Fulton County Commissioners Over Budget appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta. Celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis was flooded with words of love and support after sharing a heartwarming update on Instagram earlier today. The chef, who has a home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, hadn't posted since January 6, leaving some fans worried about her safety due to the Palisades Wildfires. "No one has said anything but I hope you guys are OK from the fires," read one comment added to her January 6 post. The Palisades Wildfires have ravaged the Southern California neighborhood, destroying over 10,000 structures and scorching 23,000 acres. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in her Instagram post shared today, De Laurentiis confirmed that she and her family are safe. "A very long & heartbreaking week in our community. Right now, were thankful for each other & our safety. Sending love to you all," she wrote. In a photo that accompanied the caption, De Laurentiis, her boyfriend Shane Farley, and her daughter Jade can be seen with their arms wrapped around one another. Fans of the chef-turned-entrepreneur were eager to send their thoughts and prayers. De Laurentiis also received plenty of love from her celebrity friends, including Bobby Flay, Tia Mowry, and Jessica Alba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fellow chef Art Smith expressed his concern for De Laurentiis and her family, writing "Honey I was trying to reach out not sure you heard! I hope you and Jade are safe! So sad about the Palisades and other areas of LA. XO" "Im so sad for you and your family. Saying Im sending love and light doesnt feel like much, but I am truly keeping you and your family and all of LA in my heartfelt prayers for the collective recovery," one person wrote in the comments. "Sending our heartfelt prayers from the east coast praying it ends soon ," read another message. Unfortunately, the status of De Laurentiis' Pacific Palisades home is currently unclear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you're looking for a way to support victims of the Palisades Wildfire, you can donate to organizations like the Los Angeles Food Bank, the California Fire Foundation, Baby2Baby, Red Cross, Animal Wellness Foundation, and Pasadena Humane Societyall of which are working around the clock to care for the community and community members during this time of devastation. You can also make a donation to Jose Andres' organization, World Central Kitchen. WCK is providing meals for families and first responders in the area during the wildfire. You Might Also Like Its one of those times when Im just reminded why Im here and how important our mission is, said Ruth Thompson, director of the ANNA Shelter. It was just over a week ago when Thompson got a call about a dead dog found on a driveway. Rising from the ashes Presumably dead dog found freezing outside saved by ANNA Shelter The dog brought to the ANNA Shelter was motionless, emaciated and frozen, but then it let out a soft moan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just rallied the team and we got in there and unbelievably saved her life because it was literally between her and God at that point, said Thompson. Thompson said the dogs owner was located, but an investigation didnt uncover enough evidence to lead to criminal charges. The good news is well monitor this home and make sure they cant own pets again as far as were concerned, she said. Tips to keep pets safe after temperatures drop below freezing The dog, fittingly named Phoenix given its rise from apparent death, received an outpouring of support from as far away as Dubai. But the right adopter was difficult to find since she had frostbite, gastrointestinal issues and food-guarding behaviors. That special person arrived this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man walked into the ANNA Shelter planning to adopt another dog but when he met Phoenix there was an instant bond. The minute he saw her his eyes filled up with tears and he said Can I pet her? and that was it. He came in every day that week to check on her to ask about her and it just worked out perfect. Poor Ace didnt get a home because of it, said Thompson. Meet Ace, a rottweiler mix who Thompson said would fit in with any family. Hes waiting at the ANNA Shelter for his forever home. 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. CHICAGO (WGN) For decades, many television shows and movies have glamorized bank heists, but theyre far from the glamour portrayed. Often, tellers and customers are left behind, traumatized in the wake of the crimes. New data shared with WGN News from the FBIs Chicago field office shows a major drop in the number of bank robberies that happened last year in both city limits and throughout the suburbs within the field offices geographic area. According to the data, there were 62 bank robberies in Chicago in 2023 compared to 31 in 2024, a sharp decline of 50%. The number of bank robberies reported across the region also mirrored a similar pattern, with the city and suburbs combined experiencing close to a 50 percent drop in the numbers. Overall, there were between 55 and 60 bank robberies reported in 2024, compared to just under 115 in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Supervisory Special Agent Jeremy Resar with the FBI Chicago Violent Crimes Task Force spoke with WGN News about the trends they are seeing. He said it is difficult to pinpoint the exact driving factor for the decline in bank robberies, but noted the current numbers are like what they saw during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. FBI data shows in Chicago and the suburbs the number of bank robberies that occurred each year from 2019 to 2020. I think what were most excited about to accompany that is also the solution rate, which I would attribute to the partnerships that we have with the Chicago Police Department, other agencies we work directly with in our office, Illinois State Police, the Cook County Sheriffs Office, as well as the Illinois Department of Corrections, Resar said. The solution rate reflects the number of suspects identified and referred for prosecutorial review by the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, at least 95% of suspects involved in bank robberies in Chicago have been identified, according to the FBI. By our stats right now, what were looking at, were literally theres one bank robbery that we havent solved from last year, Resar said. We have over 85% of them in custody, so theyve been arrested and theyre off the streets. The only suspect currently being sought by the FBIs Chicago field office in connection with a 2024 bank robbery is a man believed to be in his 20-30s who allegedly robbed a Wintrust Bank in the 4300 block of North Elston Avenue in the citys Irving Park neighborhood on Nov. 20. Resar attributes the interagency cooperation among local, county, state and federal agencies as playing a crucial role in solving cases. He said their partnership with CPDs Mass Transit unit has been significant in helping to identify and track down suspects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We see some bank robbers that are utilizing trains and buses to make their escape; thats not particularly effective, but its something that those communications have been absolutely key and essential in the work that weve done, Resar said. According to Resar, the public has also been integral in helping provide tips that have played a role in solving cases. We love the assistance that we get from the public on these, and I will say in the time that Ive been doing this, the photographs that we get from security footage has improved ten-fold, Resar said. The crimes often come with little financial gain but a massive price to pay when it comes to time served, if convicted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its an overwhelming message that this is just not a wise crime to commit; both in terms of the fact that youre likely going to get caught, and in terms of the take that were seeing, Resar said. According to new data, of the 31 bank robberies that occurred in Chicago in 2024, 15 suspects got away with less than $1,000 and another eight made off with less than $100. In many, many of these cases, theyre being apprehended as they get away, so they dont even get a chance to use the $70 they stole, Resar said. On the back end of that, theyre looking at a penalty of up to 20 years. That sentence is the exact one handed down by a federal judge to Christopher Porter, a 53-year-old man convicted of robbing a bank in Evergreen Park and two banks in Chicago over two years from 2020 to 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Porters final robbery in the spree, things turned especially violent, when he pointed a gun at a customers head and told the customer he would shoot him if the teller did not comply with his orders to hand over the cash. Porter also put the customer in a headlock and pinned him against a wall, investigators said. The escalation of violence that we see in the multiple bank robberies is something that really stands out to us, Resar said. In a separate case still going through the judicial system, Resar said a suspect involved in five separate bank robberies escalated as time went on, eventually beating the teller with a gun during the final alleged robbery. Its a case that stands out to him about why the work they do to take violent criminals off the streets is so crucial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resar said he is encouraged by the progress being made on several fronts. He also emphasized, however, that even one crime is too many. We lean in really hard on these bank robberies, and its not because of the money taken from institutions, its because of the victims that are affected by it, Resar said. In many of these, the perpetrator may not even think its particularly violent, maybe theyre threatening a weapon, but dont actually show one, but the victim tellers dont know that, and they have to act as if they actually have a weapon. Resar hopes the trends they are seeing continue in a positive direction. The agency keeps an interactive database of cases with suspects that have yet to be identified. Investigators encourage anyone with information on those to reach out, which can be done anonymously by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI. On a National Scale Over the last two decades, the number of bank robberies has declined dramatically, data released by the FBI shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a report shared Wednesday by the National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA), a nonprofit organization, 2023 had the lowest number of bank robberies reported to the FBI nationwide since before 1990. In its annual bank crime report for 2023, the FBI saw its first year with no deaths, of either victims or suspects, that resulted from bank robberies. The agency has not released its statistics for 2024, so it is not yet clear if it will follow the previous years pattern. 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 WGN-TV. The sun rises over the Gazette building in downtown Colorado Springs with the moon setting over a snowcapped Pikes Peak. (Emily Bejarano/The Gazette) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Months after three ballot boxes were set on fire in Vancouver and Portland just days before Election Day, the FBI shared new information about the suspect who remains at large. In a press conference Thursday afternoon, FBI Portlands Doug Olson and FBI Seattles W. Mike Herrington said they believe the suspect used scrap metal to create the devices that were attached to the ballot boxes and then filled each with a coffee cup amount of thermite. Oregon snowfall to drop by 50% in the coming decades, grim climate report shows Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Thermite] is a very volatile mix that can burn as hot as 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, Olson said. Welders sometimes use thermite to weld metal pieces together, but in the hands of someone who isnt focused on safety, thermite is extremely dangerous. Now law enforcement is looking for someone who may be unusually knowledgeable about explosives or incendiary devices and/or welding metal. I have to emphasize that this person may harm himself or others if he continues to experiment with thermite, Herrington added. In addition to physical risks, these devices can cause significant damage to homes, storage areas, or testing locations such as field and forests. In late October, the Portland Police Bureau responded to a ballot box fire early one morning near the Multnomah County Elections Division office. About 30 minutes later, the Vancouver Police Department responded to an arson report at a ballot box on 3510 SE 164th Ave. This image released by the Portland Police Bureau shows a ballot box after an incendiary device was discovered inside, in Portland, Ore., Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (Portland Police Bureau via AP) Police are investigating after a fire was started in a SE Portland ballot box (KOIN) A damaged ballot drop box is displayed during a news conference at the Multnomah County Elections Division office on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) FILE Police tape surrounds a ballot drop box damaged by a fire on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Vancouver, Wash. (Monika Spykerman/The Columbian via AP, File) Police tape surrounds a ballot drop box damaged by a fire on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Vancouver, Wash. (Monika Spykerman/The Columbian via AP) A damaged bin that was in a ballot drop box is displayed at the Multnomah County Elections Office on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Ballots damaged in a drop box fire in Vancouver, Wash., are spread on tables on Oct. 28, 2024. In this image provided by the Clark County Auditors Office, ballots damaged in a drop box arson in Vancouver, Wash., are spread on tables on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024. (Greg Kimsey/Clark County Auditors Office via AP) Earlier that month, VPD also removed a suspicious device found near another ballot box. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Multnomah County Sheriffs Office held a press conference to announce the three incidents were targeted, intentional and possibly connected to each other. Portland police described the suspect as a Caucasian male between 30 and 40 years old. The agency said he either had very short hair or was balding, with a thin-to-medium build and a thin face. First TriMet drug arrest made under new law after alleged fentanyl smoking on MAX train Authorities noted he was wearing a dark shirt at the time of the incident and seemed highly knowledgeable in both metal fabrication and welding. According to PPB, the suspect drove a 2001-2004 Volvo S60 that is more matte in color than a standard shiny finish in places. The vehicle had a tan or light gray interior, an after-market grill without the Volvo emblem, dark wheels, unpainted body trim and no front license plate. These are the suspicious behaviors the FBI has asked residents to look out for: Did someone brag or show approval or admiration for the person who placed the devices on the ballot boxes? Did someone follow the story of these ballot box fires very closely or exhibit an unusual response to the reporting of this story? Did someone show increased anxiety about the topic or express fears about being identified as a suspect? Did you notice unusual packages or storing of metal shavings or unexplained fire damage to a home or other structure, a field, or a wilderness area? Did you notice unusual behaviors such as someone researching thermite, grinding metals, and obtaining small scraps of metal (including pipe endcaps, nuts, and bolts) or welding small projects? Did someone you know recently dispose of or stop using a Volvo S-60 sedan? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI shared that they are offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information about the suspect who remains at large. Crime Stoppers of Oregon is also offering a reward of $2,500 on behalf of the Portland Police Bureau. Watch the entire press conference in the video player below. 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 KOIN.com. (Bloomberg) -- FBI leaders have warned that they believe hackers who broke into AT&T Inc.s system last year stole months of their agents call and text logs, setting off a race within the bureau to protect the identities of confidential informants, a document reviewed by Bloomberg News shows. Most Read from Bloomberg FBI officials told agents across the country that details about their use on the telecom carriers network were believed to be among the billions of records stolen, according to the document and interviews with a current and a former law enforcement official. They asked not to be named to discuss sensitive information. Data from all FBI devices under the bureaus AT&T service for public safety agencies were presumed taken, the document shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cache of hacked AT&T records didnt reveal the substance of communications but, according to the document, could link investigators to their secret sources. The data was believed to include agents mobile phone numbers and the numbers with which they called and texted, the document shows. Records for calls and texts that werent on the AT&T network, such as through encrypted messaging apps, werent part of the stolen data. AT&T publicly disclosed the breach in July and said it included six months worth of mobile phone customer data from 2022. The hackers threatened to sell the data unless the telecommunications company paid an extortion fee. A person with knowledge of the breach, who reviewed a sample of the stolen information, confirmed that it contained records of sensitive FBI communications: the call logs of at least one agent. The person asked not to be named because the information is private. The FBIs concern about the hack compromising its secret sources, which hasnt been previously reported, highlights how data stolen from phone companies has the potential to disrupt criminal investigations and national security. Former agents said it also raises questions about the bureaus own security practices and how it safeguards its sources. US authorities are still investigating a separate breach of nine telecommunications companies, including AT&T. They blamed Chinese state-backed hackers for those intrusions, which compromised the communications of a number of people in government and politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI declined to answer specific questions, including whether the April breach of AT&T compromised sources or investigations, or if the stolen data has since been secured. The FBI continually adapts our operational and security practices as physical and digital threats evolve, the agency said in a statement. The FBI has a solemn responsibility to protect the identity and safety of confidential human sources, who provide information every day that keeps the American people safe, often at risk to themselves. AT&T spokesperson Alex Byers said, After criminals stole customer data last year, we worked closely with law enforcement to mitigate impact to government operations. He said the company appreciates law enforcements recent arrests for the breach and continues to increase investments in security as well as monitor and remediate our networks. Former FBI and intelligence officials said stolen phone records could in theory be used by a foreign espionage service to unravel painstakingly assembled source networks, potentially imperiling criminal probes, national security operations and peoples lives. Any disclosure of such communications is both significantly detrimental to investigations but also potentially dangerous to confidential informants if their identity is disclosed, said William Evanina, a retired FBI agent and the former director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Center. Not good. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more insights on cybersecurity, subscribe to our Cyber Bulletin newsletter here. In June, as part of its warning, FBI leaders said an in-house security team found numerous confidential sources whose communication with specific agents AT&T phones could be exposed, the document shows. The agency urged immediate action to limit the fallout given the possibility of hackers making the material public, and it reminded some agents to only communicate with informants using approved clandestine methods, it shows. The AT&T breach was part of a broader series of hacks against users of the software provider Snowflake Inc. In June, Snowflake said hackers had waged a targeted campaign against its customers, using stolen credentials to access accounts that hadnt been protected with multifactor authentication. The hackers broke into the accounts of as many as 165 customers. At AT&T, they stole call and text records from May 1, 2022, to Oct. 31 of that year, according to the phone company. The Justice Department twice allowed AT&T to delay disclosing the compromise due to the potential risk to national security and public safety. During the delay, the FBI tried to limit the damage done if the data fell into the wrong hands, including analyzing which sources talked or texted with agents over AT&T phones during the relevant time frame, the document shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI struck a $92 million deal for AT&Ts FirstNet service in 2020 for its day-to-day and emergency operations. The contract was set to last for as many as five years, and the bureau anticipated requiring 70,000 phone lines within the first year, according to records from the US Government Accountability Office. The FBI also investigated who was behind the AT&T hack. In October, federal prosecutors charged two men, Alexander Connor Moucka, a Canadian citizen, and John Erin Binns, a US citizen living in Turkey. The pair are accused of allegedly extorting $2.5 million in cryptocurrency from Snowflake customers and trying to sell the stolen data. Their lawyers didnt respond to calls and emails seeking comment, and federal court records dont reflect whether the men have entered pleas. Last month, a US Army soldier, Cameron John Wagenius, was arrested on charges for allegedly trying to sell confidential phone data belonging to a company, which isnt identified in court records. The 20-year-old is believed to be behind an online persona who threatened to leak the AT&T data in November, according to Austin Larsen, an analyst with the cybersecurity firm Mandiant. Wageniuss court-appointed defense attorney didnt respond to emails and phone messages seeking comment. Court records dont indicate whether Wagenius has entered a plea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hacker in July claimed that AT&T paid $400,000 to have the stolen data erased, and a person familiar with the negotiations confirmed the extortion fee. AT&T previously declined to comment on the alleged payment. The company said in its July corporate filing disclosing the breach that it does not believe that the data is publicly available. However, its unclear whether the records have been secured. Darren Mott, who oversaw counterintelligence investigations in the FBIs Huntsville, Alabama, office, said the bureau and other law enforcement and intelligence agencies have likely moved to protect sources based on the assumption that this data will eventually get out. From an operational security perspective, its a huge problem, said Mott, who retired from the FBI in 2019, which, ideally, I think will ultimately result in the bureau changing the structure and the way that they communicate with sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The breach of Snowflake customers shows the danger inherent in storing sensitive data with outside companies, according to some former agents. Miguel Clarke, a former agent in Dallas who retired in 2021, said the FBIs warning about agents communications with confidential informants suggests deeper problems. This is an op-sec failure more than a technology failure, Clarke said, adding that its as troubling as an airline having to remind its pilots to put your landing gear down before landing. --With assistance from Katrina Manson and Kelcee Griffis. (Updates to add timing of breach in the headline.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Reuters) -FBI leaders have warned that hackers who breached AT&T's system last year likely stole months of agents' call and text logs, prompting an urgent effort to safeguard confidential informants' identities, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. The breach, believed to have compromised all FBI devices using the bureau's AT&T public safety service, included agents' mobile phone numbers and the numbers they used to call and text, according to a document reviewed by Bloomberg and its interviews with a current and a former law enforcement official. Last July, AT&T said that the company suffered a massive hacking incident as data from about 109 million customer accounts containing records of calls and texts from 2022 was illegally downloaded in April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FBI officials informed agents nationwide that details about their use on the telecom carrier's network were likely among billions of records stolen, the report said, adding that while the hacked records did not expose the content of communications, they could link investigators to their secret sources, the report added. An FBI spokesperson told Reuters that the agency "has a solemn responsibility to protect the identity and safety of confidential human sources, who provide information every day that keeps the American people safe, often at risk to themselves." In a subsequent message, the spokesperson said the FBI has a responsibility to protect the identity of "any individual who contacts the FBI and provides information." AT&T spokesperson Alex Byers told Reuters that after "criminals stole customer data last year, we worked closely with law enforcement to mitigate impact to government operations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The breach follows broader concerns about cyber-espionage targeting U.S. telecom networks. On Jan. 10, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said that the U.S. had taken steps in response to Chinese-linked cyber-espionage operations against U.S. telecoms firms. U.S. telecoms firms Verizon and AT&T said late last year their networks had been targeted by the cyber hackers, but were now secure as they worked with the U.S. government and law enforcement. (Reporting by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru and AJ Vicens in Detroit; Editing by Andrea Ricci and Alistair Bell) By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday rejected complaints about how ABC News moderated the pre-election TV debate between U.S. President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump, and appearances of Vice President Kamala Harris on CBS' "60 Minutes" and NBC's "Saturday Night Live." In a statement, outgoing FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the commission was rejecting complaints that "seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment." Rosenworcel also said the agency had rejected a petition not to renew the license of a Philadelphia Fox TV station. An advocacy group asked the FCC in 2023 to deny a licence renewal for WTXF-TV, complaining that its parent Fox, which also owns Fox News, had aired "false information about election fraud" about the 2020 presidential election. The group, the Media and Democracy Project, said on Thursday it plans to appeal the decision. In September, Trump urged the FCC to cancel licenses for Walt Disney-owned ABC over the network's moderating of the Sept. 10 presidential debate. In October, Trump filed a lawsuit against Paramount-owned CBS over the "60 Minutes" interview with Harris that he called "misleading," and asked the commission to compel the broadcaster to release a transcript. Trump, who won the Nov. 5 election, will be inaugurated on Monday for his second term in office. The FCC rejected a complaint by the Center for American Rights that the "60 Minutes" interview was distorted, saying the nonprofit group failed to provide sufficient evidence that the broadcast engaged in "a deliberate and intentional falsification of the news." CBS has said that Trump backed out of his own planned interview with "60 Minutes." Rosenworcel said Trump was a threat to the First Amendment for calling on the FCC to revoke licenses for broadcast television stations because he disagrees with their content and coverage. "The FCC should not be the president's speech police," Rosenworcel said. The FCC, an independent federal agency, issues eight-year licenses to individual broadcast stations, not networks. Trump's pick to head the FCC, Brendan Carr, criticized Comcast-owned NBC for letting Harris appear on Saturday Night Live just before the election. The FCC noted NBC made available equivalent time and audience for Trump during two sports events. The Trump transition team and Carr did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Bloomberg) -- In one of her final acts as head of the US Federal Communications Commission, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel dismissed four complaints and petitions that she said seek to penalize broadcast networks editorial decisions, making a case for defending press freedom before Donald Trumps inauguration. Most Read from Bloomberg Rosenworcel, who will step down Jan. 20, warned about polarizing efforts to curtail free speech and to pressure broadcasters over how they present political content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This threat to the First Amendment has taken on new forms, as the incoming president has called on the Federal Communications Commission to revoke licenses for broadcast television stations because he disagrees with their content and coverage, Rosenworcel said in a statement. These stations remain a vital source of local and national news. And there is nothing antiquated about the idea that the FCC has a duty to respect the Constitution. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, Trumps pick to lead the agency next, has already said he may reconsider the decisions. Three of the complaints were filed by the Center for American Rights and take aim at the three major broadcast TV networks. In October, the Center asked the FCC to investigate CBS, alleging that in two versions of the same 60 Minutes interview, Vice President Kamala Harris can be heard giving two conflicting responses to a question about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The group had asked the FCC to compel CBS to release the full interview transcript. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Commission does not and cannot and will not act as a self-appointed, free-roving arbiter of truth in journalism, Rosenworcel wrote in a response. Moreover, as has been noted, a newsrooms decision about what stories to cover and how to frame them should be beyond the reach of any government official, not targeted by them. The commission also shot down complaints from the same group alleging that an appearance by Harris and Virginia Senator Tim Kaine on NBCs Saturday Night Live violated agency rules by not giving other candidates equal airtime, and that ABCs hosting of the presidential debate in September showed favortism to Harris. The FCC said no foul play occurred on the SNL episode. After it ran, legally qualified candidates had the right to ask for equal opportunities for airtime, leading to free ads for Trump after NASCAR and Sunday Night Football programming and spots for Kaine opponent Hung Cao during The Voice and an SNL election special. Regarding the ABC debates, the FCC said the allegations of favortism didnt meet the agencys high bar of what constitutes intentional or deliberate falsification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are disappointed by the rulings the FCC made today, just days before the new Administration takes office, said Patrick Hughes, founder and chairman of the Center for American Rights. The Chairmans statement was political and self-serving, as was the decision to rule now. The moves in Rosenworcels final days at the agency aim to preempt what could have become political flash points, and may still. Speaking to reporters Thursday, Carr suggested he could revive the complaints once hes chairman. Carr amplified the NBC equal-time criticisms and suggested he would examine the alleged CBS broadcast editing in the context of a merger involving CBS parent company, Paramount Global. Well see what happens with those dismissals, but theyre not beyond the reach of the FCC starting next week, he said. The fourth complaint, filed by the Media and Democracy project, sought to have the FCC remove the license of a Fox-owned television station in Philadelphia for the character shortcomings of its corporate parent. The petition cited a court decision that found Fox aired false narratives about Dominion Voting Systems Inc. machines. The agency said the alleged behavior falls outside its scope for misconduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group said it plans to appeal the decision to the full commission. The facts and legal circumstances in each of these cases are different, Rosenworcel said. But what they share is that they seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Valentine's Day treats might look a little different in the next few years. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has banned Red No. 3, a dye that gives food and drink a bright, cherry-red color. The removal is in response to a color additive petition filed in 2022 by advocates who claim the additive is linked to cancer and behavioral problems in children, USA TODAY reported. Manufacturers who use Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs will have until either 2027 or 2028 to reformulate their products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wondering what foods and drinks contain Red No. 3? Here's a list. What foods and drinks have Red Dye No. 3? Candy conversation hearts are the nation's most popular Valentine's Day candy. According to the Environmental Working Group, over 3,000 products contain Red No. 3. USA Today published a list of some of the foods and drinks that contain Red No. 3. Those items include: Candies like Pez Assorted Fruit, Brach's Candy Corn and Jelly Belly. Valentine's Day candy including Brach's iconic conversation hearts and the Favorite Day Cupid gummy box Desserts and snacks like Entenmann's Little Bites Party Cake Mini Muffins, Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot, Toaster pastries, and cookies with red icing or decorations. Dairy and frozen foods include ice cream, frozen yogurt flavors, ice pops, and fruit bars. Fruit products like Maraschino cherries and some fruit cocktails. Beverages like strawberry-flavored milk, as well as some sodas and fruit drinks. Medications like some cough syrups, gummy vitamins, and strawberry-flavored PediaSure. What is Red Dye No. 3? See the origin of additive dye in the US Red No. 3, also known as erythrosine, is a color additive made from petroleum that gives foods and drinks a bright, cherry-red color. It was previously banned from use in cosmetics in the U.S. in 1990 due to evidence that the dye causes cancer at high doses in lab rats. While food dyes have existed for centuries, the first synthetic food dye was invented in 1856 by chemist William Henry Perkin. These additives were produced from the by-products of coal processing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA writes that by 1900, many foods, drugs, and cosmetics available in the U.S. were artificially colored. However, due to its harmful ingredients, Congress passed the Food and Drugs Act six years later. After several children became ill from eating an orange Halloween candy containing Orange No. 1 in 1950, U.S. House Representative James Delaney began holding hearings on the possible carcinogenicity of pesticide residues and food additives. In the next few years, the FDA found that several caused serious adverse effects and issued "The Color Additive Amendments of 1960" to the original act. About half of the original color additives remain today. Why was red dye banned? The color additive petition filed in 2022 cited two studies that showed cancer in male lab rats when exposed to high levels of Red No. 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA does note in its announcement that exposure levels to Red No. 3 for humans is typically much lower than those that cause the effects shown in male rats. "Studies in other animals and in humans did not show these effects; claims that the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and in ingested drugs puts people at risk are not supported by the available scientific information," the FDA writes. Red No. 3 is also largely banned in the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand. When will Red Dye No. 3 ban go into effect? Manufacturers who use Red No. 3 in food will have until Jan. 15, 2027, to change their products, according to Wednesday's FDA announcement, while those who use the dye in drugs will have until Jan. 18, 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contributing: Greta Cross and Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: FDA bans Red Dye No. 3. Here's list of foods, drinks that contain it The FDAs decision to ban Red Dye 3 has sent ripples through the food industry, impacting thousands of products and raising questions among consumers. This vibrant red additive, widely used in snacks, drinks, and desserts, has been a staple in food manufacturing for decades. Heres what you need to know about Red Dye 3, its role in foods, and the implications of the FDAs recent move. Why is FDA banning Red Eye 3? The FDA is banning Red Dye 3 due to evidence linking it to cancer in lab animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Studies show that high doses of the dye caused cancer in male rats. The ban aligns with the Delaney Clause, which prohibits additives found to cause cancer in humans or animals. (via Associated Press) Red Dye 3 has been used in foods and medicines for decades but was banned in cosmetics in 1990. Despite being present in 9,200+ food products, advocacy groups and lawmakers have long urged the FDA to take action. They cite its potential health risks, especially for children. Heres what Red Dye 3 is and list of foods that have it Red Dye 3, also called FD&C Red No. 3 or erythrosine, is a petroleum-derived synthetic dye that gives food a bright red color. Manufacturers use it in items such as candies, maraschino cherries, snack cakes, and strawberry-flavored drinks. Although some food manufacturers have proactively removed the synthetic dye, replacing it with natural alternatives like beet juice or carmine, Red Dye 3 remains in many products. Countries such as Japan, those in the European Union, and Australia have already banned or heavily restricted its use, reflecting a global trend toward safer food additives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDAs decision marks a significant step in reducing health risks associated with artificial dyes. While Red Dye 3s removal will require reformulation by food manufacturers, it represents progress in addressing long-standing safety concerns. The ban also underscores the importance of continued vigilance over food additives to protect public health. Originally reported by Vritti Johar on ComingSoon. The post FDA Bans Red Dye No. 3 From Foods, Heres Why appeared first on Mandatory. On its way out the door, the Biden administration has proposed a rule that would effectively ban cigarettes by requiring a drastic reduction in nicotine content. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which unveiled the proposed rule on Wednesday, says the aim is to make cigarettes unappealing by eliminating their "psychoactive and reinforcing effects." In addition to cigarettes, the FDA's proposed rule covers cigarette tobacco, pipe tobacco (except shisha for waterpipes), and cigars (except for "premium" cigars). All of those products would be limited to 0.7 milligrams of nicotine per gram of tobacco. That cap technically complies with a federal law that bars the FDA from banning tobacco products or "requiring the reduction of nicotine yields of a tobacco product to zero." But the negligible amount of nicotine allowed under the rule would amount to both in practice. The FDA, which first considered this policy under Scott Gottlieb during the first Trump administration, has abandoned the idea of gradually phasing in the nicotine reduction because that would initially result in "compensatory smoking." That is, current smokers would be apt to inhale more deeply, take more or bigger puffs, or consume more cigarettes to get the nicotine dose to which they are accustomed, which would increase their exposure to the toxins and carcinogens in tobacco smoke. But avoiding that pitfall by mandating an immediate cut to a negligible nicotine level would magnify the black-market effects of de facto cigarette prohibition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the disastrous results of the war on drugs, it is hard to fathom why a government agency in 2025 would think it is a good idea to expand that crusade to include products that are regularly consumed by nearly 30 million American adults. The proposed nicotine cap "would effectively outlaw almost all cigarettes currently being sold," which would "benefit organized crime by igniting a robust illicit market for cigarettes and other tobacco products," the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP) notes in an emailed press release. "We know from any number of historical examples that prohibition doesn't end the demand for these products," says Neill Franklin, LEAP's former executive director. "Smokers will just go to the underground market to find what they need." The upshot, Franklin says, will be "an illicit tobacco market with no product safety standards, regulations, or taxable revenue," which "will mean huge new business opportunities for organized crime and an increased strain on law enforcement." The FDA seems unfazed by such concerns. The agency says it is "considering whether illicit trade could occur as a result of a nicotine product standard and whether such activity could significantly undermine the public health benefits of the product standard." But there is no question that "illicit trade" will "occur," as it always does whenever the government decides to ban psychoactive substances, and the consequences will go beyond undermining the FDA's goals. Law enforcement agencies "are too often tasked with the unpleasantness that results when we turn public health issues into police matters," Franklin notes. That "unpleasantness" includes diversion of police resources and criminalization of conductin this case, supplying what the FDA calls "normal nicotine content (NNC) cigarettes"that violates no one's rights. Criminalization entails arresting and incarcerating people, including low-level dealers as well as major traffickers, for engaging in peaceful transactions with consenting adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even as the country finally begins to acknowledge the disastrous consequences of the war on drugs, government officials are increasingly taking a prohibitive approach to nicotine," Jacob Grier noted in a prescient 2022 Reason story that opened with the 2014 death of Eric Garner during an arrest for selling "loosies" (untaxed cigarettes) in New York City. Grier also noted arrests in Massachusetts for violating that state's ban on flavored tobacco and nicotine products. The defendants could face up to five years in prison for supplying previously legal products. If "NNC cigarettes" are added to the list of proscribed drugs, we can expect many more examples of people entangled in the criminal justice system because they tried to satisfy a demand for products that the government deems intolerable. Even without new state laws, cigarette peddlers will be committing crimes by selling untaxed tobacco products. The FDA is too focused on the benefits of a cigarette ban to worry about such costs. "Multiple administrations have acknowledged the immense opportunity that a proposal of this kind offers to address the burden of tobacco-related disease," FDA Commissioner Robert M. Califf said on Wednesday. "Today's proposal envisions a future where it would be less likely for young people to use cigarettes and more individuals who currently smoke could quit or switch to less harmful products. This action, if finalized, could save many lives and dramatically reduce the burden of severe illness and disability, while also saving huge amounts of money. I hope we can all agree that significantly reducing the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S. is an admirable goal we should all work toward." By 2100, the FDA projects, its plan will prevent some 48 million Americans from starting to smoke. It also hopes that current smokers, instead of buying cigarettes from the inevitable black market, will either quit or switch to less hazardous nicotine products such as e-cigarettes. The agency says it "recognizes that tobacco products exist on a continuum of risk, with combusted cigarettes being the deadliest, and that certain non-combusted cigarettes pose less risk to individuals who use cigarettes or certain other combusted tobacco products or to population health than other products meeting the definition of a cigarette." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gottlieb, the former FDA commissioner, was more explicit and enthusiastic in recognizing and welcoming the harm-reducing potential of nicotine vaping products, which he described as "a tremendous public health opportunity." But that view is hard to reconcile with the FDA's refusal to approve vaping products in any flavors other than tobacco or menthol, which excludes the products that former smokers overwhelmingly prefer. The FDA is simultaneously striving to eliminate cigarettes and to make the most promising alternative less appealing, a perverse combination that undermines its avowed goal of reducing smoking-related morbidity and mortality. President-elect Donald Trump has signaled that his administration will be friendlier to vape manufacturers and consumers, saying he "saved flavored vaping" during his first term and promising that he will "save vaping again." But it is unclear whether Trump's pick to run the FDA, Marty Makary, is on board with that agenda or what he thinks about the nicotine cap. Mitch Zeller, who directed the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products from 2013 to 2022, says the plan to restrict nicotine in cigarettes was nixed after Gottlieb left office in 2019. At that point, "we had no champion," Zeller told CBS News. "The day came when I was told by political appointees at FDA to stop talking about menthol [cigarettes] and nicotine in my speeches. And we were basically told to stop working on them." The same thing could happen again after Trump takes office, especially in light of opposition from Republican legislators. In 2023, The New York Times notes, "members of an influential House subcommittee passed a measure that would have prevented the F.D.A. from spending any money to advance limits on nicotine, with nearly all of the supporting votes by Republicans." Then again, the Times says, "Mr. Trump himself has said that he is personally opposed to cigarette smoking," and "supporters of the plan point to signs that incoming public health officials may be receptive to it," including "the popularity of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s pledge to tackle chronic diseases and improve the health of Americans if he is confirmed to lead the nation's top health agency." The post The FDA Proposes a De Facto Cigarette Ban, Which Would Expand the Disastrous War on Drugs appeared first on Reason.com. The Canton United Methodist Church will be hosting an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast on Saturday, February 8. The meal will run from 8 a.m. until noon at the church on 41 Court Street in Canton. The breakfast costs $7 per person. The selection includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, homemade donut balls, maple syrup, juice, and your choice of either coffee or tea. 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. The horrific carjacking of a woman at a Winter Springs intersection and her brutal murder last April was a targeted killing emerging from an organized, yearslong statewide crime spree that included the murder of a tow-truck driver, home invasions and shipments of large amounts of cocaine into Central Florida from Puerto Rico, federal officials said Thursday. I know members of this community have that concern: If Im at a stoplight at an intersection in broad daylight, am I going to get carjacked? said U.S. Attorney Roger Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. I just want people to know that in this specific case, it was not a random act that that victim was carjacked. It is a story that began in 2020 and that played out four years later with her brutal murder. Handberg made the comments during a morning press conference at his Orlando office, revealing new details about the sprawling case but declining to answer some key questions, a day after one of the defendants involved in the carjacking and murder of Katherine Guerrero de Aguasvivas, 31, pleaded guilty in federal court to several weapons and drug charges. That defendant, Kevin Omar Ocasio Justiniano, is now scheduled to be sentenced April 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justiniano is among nine people including Guerrero de Aguasvivas husband, Miguel Aguasvivas Lizardo who face more than a dozen federal charges, including drug trafficking, robbery, illegal use of firearms, carjacking, kidnapping causing death and arson for their roles connected to the larger drug operation. Days after the Guerrero de Aguasvivas grisly killing, Jordanish Torres Garcia, Giovany Crespo Hernandez and Dereck Rodriguez Bonilla, along with Justiniano, were arrested in connection to the crime. Then last week, a new indictment named Anneliz Colon de Jesus, Sonic Torres and Cesar Silva Fernandez as also being connected to the larger operation. Guerrero de Aguasvivas was carjacked on April 11 after she picked up $170,000 from Crespo Hernandez Casselberry home, according to court records. Investigators said she was carjacked and robbed of the money as she drove away from the home, taken to a vacant construction site near St. Cloud, shot multiple times and set on fire inside her SUV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the carjacking, Torres Garcia walked to her car, pointed an AR-15 rifle at Guerrero de Aguasvivas as she waited at the intersection, then climbed into the backseat while Justiniano followed in a green Acura, investigators said. Court records show that she was working as a courier for the group and would often drive from South Florida to Central Florida to pick up and deliver cash bundles from drug sales. Handberg, however, offered few details as to why she was targeted. Why on that particular occasion did they decide to follow through and murder her? That is something that will have to come out as the case proceeds in federal court, he said. We see the efforts to hide who she was by lighting her on fire and lighting the car on fire. Based on my experience, it certainly seems like they didnt want a witness to the robbery they had just committed. Violence and drug trafficking go hand in hand, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day earlier on April 10, the same green Acura sedan and the same gun used in Guerrero de Aguasvivas killing were used in the brutal murder of Juan Luis Cintron, a tow truck driver shot nearly a hundred times as part of a robbery in a Taft neighborhood, investigators said. Handberg said federal authorities have evidence Torres Garcia shot both victims, and each was not a random act. But he offered few other details, including whether Cintron was connected to the group. The drug trafficking began in 2020 when Torres Garcia, Crespo Hernandez and his girlfriend, Monicsabel Romero Soto, brought shipments of cocaine as much as 5 kilograms at a time into Central Florida from South Florida and Puerto Rico. Romero Soto faces federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. In mid- 2022, Justiniano bought law enforcement tactical gear from a Central Florida store for group members to disguise themselves as law enforcement officers and commit home invasion robberies, investigators said. The robberies continued through last February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendants also trafficked drugs throughout the state and Puerto Rico beginning in 2021, when packages containing a total of 27 kilograms of cocaine came into Orlando from the island, said Deanne Reuter, a special agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration in Miami. The killing of Guerrero de Aguasvivas opened the door to the criminal organization, Handberg said. These organizations are like spiderwebs, he said. I dont expect this to be the end of the story. ALTOONA After two years of waiting, efforts by the City of Altoona, Eau Claire County, and Altoonas Hillcrest Estates Mobile Home Park to secure a $2.1 million grant to build an emergency storm shelter for the mobile home park have paid off. The Wisconsin Emergency Management received notice late [Tuesday] that this grant request was going to be approved, said Eau Claire County Emergency Manager Tyler Esh. This project took longer to get approval than we anticipated, [but] getting this grant is a great indicator of what power [our hazard mitigation] plan can do for us. Through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), FEMA is awarding $70,000 of the overall $1.2 million grant to Eau Claire County for the construction of the storm shelter to be built on the property of Hillcrest Estates Mobile Home Park. This will be the first of three installments. An additional $25,000 from FEMA will be going to the City of Altoona to assist in managing the grant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hillcrest Estates is the largest mobile home park in the state and will be the first mobile home park in the county to provide a storm shelter for its residents. The structure, built to withstand 250 mile-per-hour winds, will be located between the clubhouse and pond. It will be able to hold up to 900 people and will include running water and restroom facilities. Esh said the delays for getting the grant money had to do with the number of national disasters that has affected the country in the past two years. FEMA has been on their immediate needs funding only, responding to disasters only, he said. So, weve had this grant request and revised it several times. Then we were just waiting for quite a while until FEMA actually had enough money in their mitigation program to fund it. Weve known this project has been a priority with Eau Claire County, the State of Wisconsin, and FEMA for a long time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A representative from St. Paul group which manages Hillcrest estates, Jae Cho, said he is very pleased with FEMAs decision. If this area really gets hit by the tornado, people have nowhere to go, so having a storm safe building I think is fantastic. It really increases the safety of the residents, and I think FEMA really made a right choice in granting the award for this project. Cho said that if funds are secured quickly enough, he hopes that the project could start or even be completed by the end of the year. I think its feasible, he said. But it will depend on the funding, and it will also depend on the availability of contractors. Esh stressed that the storm shelter is a part of a broader effort to improve hazard mitigation planning throughout the county. The Emergency Management Team and West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission have been working together to complete an update to their plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont really have any other storm shelters throughout the county at the moment, he said. Were working on one that would maybe be connected to a school building, but that just was submitted to the state the past couple of months, but we hope thatll go up in the next FEMA round of reviews for their mitigation program. He said that in the next couple of weeks, members of the community will be able to learn more about the mitigation planning update and be able to provide feedback. Cho said further details and updates on the storm shelter will be available at Hillcrest Estates website. In total, FEMA will pay 80 percent of the $1.5 million eligible project cost. The remaining 20 percent of the funds will be provided by the city of Altoona and the state of Wisconsin. FERGUSON, Mo. The Ferguson Police Department is asking for the publics help in locating a vehicle believed to be involved in an armed carjacking Wednesday. The incident took place at the QuikTrip at 10768 West Florissant Ave. around 2:30 p.m. Police are searching for a dark-colored 2019 Chevrolet Equinox SUV bearing Missouri license plate BH4-C3C. Its believed this vehicle was last seen in the Dellwood area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, the suspects are considered armed and dangerous and should not be approached. Anyone with information is urged to call 911 immediately. 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. Jan. 15Gov. Bob Ferguson signed his first three executive orders Wednesday afternoon, his first official acts after being sworn in as Washington's 24th governor. In his inaugural address, Ferguson said the orders are meant to streamline the state's administrative process, ease red tape around home construction and strengthen reproductive rights for women. All three executive orders took effect immediately and offer the first sign of how Ferguson will govern in the coming years. "As your governor, I will continue this focus on measurable, and ambitious, goals," Ferguson said. "I will have a bias for action." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson signed the orders from the governor's office in the state Capitol moments after taking the oath of office, saying that the orders "are on three important topics for the people of the state of Washington." In his first order of business, Ferguson directed the Department of Health to convene a roundtable of medical providers, experts and lawmakers to "recommend strategies for protecting reproductive freedom." "I'm proud of the robust legal protections we have in Washington state, including the nation's strongest health data privacy law but I am confident there is even more we can do," Ferguson said. The order references the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in 2022 to overturn Roe V. Wade, a ruling the executive order says "was the catalyst for a nationwide reproductive care-access crisis, particularly as to abortion care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Despite its longstanding commitment to robustly protecting reproductive freedom, Washington is not immune from this nationwide crisis and must be proactive in taking steps to preserve reproductive freedom within this state," the executive order states. Following the speech, Republican state Rep. Chris Corry of Yakima said while he appreciated Ferguson's desire to work with the Trump administration and find commonality, the focus on reproductive health care may "be a bit much." "Incoming President Trump has said it's a state's issue, and Washington state has been very clear, both as legislators and as citizens who voted on this," Corry said. Ferguson, who said last week that Washington must build more than 1 million homes over the next 20 years to meet anticipated demand, also directed state agencies Wednesday to "review all regulations that impact housing, permitting and construction" and identify provisions that can either be streamlined or eliminated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Washingtonians need more housing, lots more housing," Ferguson said during his inaugural address. "We must make it easier, faster and less expensive to build housing of all kinds." Ahead of taking office, Ferguson proposed spending $600 million from the state budget to build more housing supply and reduce the cost, part of $800 million in new spending over the next four years that the governor has suggested. Last week, Ferguson also received a 42-page report with 20 recommendations how to more housing in the state. Ferguson said that adopting the recommendations are one his "top priorities" in office. "Housing is too expensive, and there's not enough of it," Ferguson said during his inaugural address. "Our state government is bogged down by too much bureaucracy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson also called on Washington to streamline its permitting process, a call that received widespread cheers in the House chamber Wednesday afternoon. "Few things frustrate me more than bureaucracy that creates delays, confusion or extra hurdles when people and businesses need questions answered and results delivered," Ferguson said. "Our state employees work hard, and we are thankful for their public service. We must do a better job listening to them, and to the public, to find ways to improve customer service and find ways to save money while we are doing it." Under the executive order, Ferguson directed state agencies to "cut down their permit and license processing times." "We'll establish quick and transparent deadlines for all agencies to meet and if an agency doesn't meet its deadline, they'll refund your application fee," Ferguson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a media availability Wednesday afternoon, Sen. Drew MacEwen, the Republican deputy leader, said the permitting reform was "a good start." "I think there's a lot of work to be done there, and unfortunately, when you look at the regulations and the fees and the taxes that have been passed over the last decade, this is not an easy thing to unwind," said MacEwen, of Shelton. "If there was a magic bullet to fix it, we would have done it, right?" MacEwen added that he hopes Ferguson's appointments to the State Building Code Council "reflect people that are in the industry and understand the consequences of what that council does." During brief televised remarks Wednesday, Ferguson said a lot of work on the executive orders came out of his transition team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I appreciate all of the work and I'm looking forward to getting started," Ferguson said. The state's newly minted governor has indicated that more would likely come in the near future. "I'll have more reforms and improvements to announce in the coming weeks. This is just a start to our important work recognizing the urgency of making government more efficient, responsive and centered on the people," Ferguson said. "That is the commitment I am bringing to this office, rooted in my values and the lessons from our shared history." Jan. 15A Ferry County woman has been named to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission. Lynn O'Connor, of Kettle Falls, was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee late last week to replace outgoing commissioner Molly Linville. O'Connor ran the Colville Sign Company for 20 years and has been involved in the regional Rotary club. She lives with her husband on a ranch southwest of Kettle Falls, where she made headlines last fall after being attacked by a black bear during a hike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview on Tuesday, O'Connor said she's excited to join the nine-member panel, and that she thinks commissioners have a hard job to do in considering the interests of hunters, anglers, environmentalists, landowners and others while making decisions about fish and wildlife management. "There are so many things to think about," O'Connor said. "The commission has a challenge in balancing all of that, and I think that's kind of exciting to get involved in." Her appointment came alongside the reappointment of commissioner Tim Ragen of Skagit County. If confirmed by the Senate, both would serve six-year terms. The pair were the last wildlife commissioners appointed by Inslee, who left office this week after serving as governor for 12 years. Inslee did not make a decision on the seat occupied by Jim Anderson of Chelan County, whose term expired on Dec. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The appointments last week drew strong criticism from sportsmen's organizations who wanted to see Inslee leave all three appointment decisions up to Gov. Bob Ferguson, who took office on Wednesday. Dan Wilson, co-chair of the Washington chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, said in a statement that the appointments lacked transparency, and that they'll only serve to further controversy over the commission. "These actions aren't just disappointing; they're an affront to the very principles of accountable governance and responsible wildlife management," Wilson said. "What Governor Inslee has done is ensure that the public, Tribes, and essential communities are ignored in these appointments again." Mike Faulk, an Inslee spokesman, said in an email that the governor's office had been working on the appointments "for months," and that the office consulted with "various Tribes, recreation and conservation groups." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fish and Wildlife Commission oversees the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and has the final say on species protections and fishing and hunting seasons, among other policies. It also has the power to hire or fire the WDFW director. In recent years, the panel's decisions on predator management have proven divisive, such as ending spring bear hunting, limiting cougar hunting and rejecting a proposal to reduce protections for wolves. There have also been heated debates over more procedural items, such as its stalled conservation policy. Last month, a report from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center found that observers feel the panel is "dysfunctional, politically polarized and caught up in conflict." People interviewed for the report also raised concerns with the appointment process and the way the panel works with tribal governments. O'Connor said she hasn't watched the commission closely in the past, but that she thinks WDFW is "a pretty amazing organization." She added that the biggest takeaway she got from the Ruckelshaus report was that the commission is "contentious," and that she thinks that's to be expected with the issues the panel deals with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement O'Connor grew up in Chicago and lived in California for a time before moving to Washington. She and her husband live on property that's been in her husband's family for more than a century. They lease pastures to other cattle producers. While O'Connor herself is not a hunter, their family does hunt on the property. She's always loved the outdoors. She worked as a park ranger in California and at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area before starting her business. For a few years, she served on the board of the Kettle Range Conservation Group. She has also worked on raptor conservation. Her main passion for the past decade or so, she said, has been with the regional Rotary Club. During the pandemic, she served as a district governor and oversaw 57 clubs in Washington, Idaho and British Columbia. She said that experience showed her how to work with people who think differently than she does, and that it will prove useful on the commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a lot of people with a lot of different perspectives on how things should be done," she said. Linville, the rancher from Douglas County who O'Connor was chosen to replace, was widely seen as one of the commissioners who was most friendly to sportsmen, and she was often on the losing end of debates over predator management. This past summer, she was one of a few commissioners who argued in support of WDFW's proposal to reduce state-level protections for gray wolves, a push that a majority of commissioners ultimately rejected. O'Connor said she doesn't have any preconceived ideas about how wildlife should be managed. She said she's interested in joining the panel's habitat committee, and that she's excited to learn more about fisheries issues in the state. She expects to do a lot of listening and learning in her first year on the commission. "Listening to people is probably the thing that excites me the most," she said. Sen. John Fettermans (D-Pa.) open-minded approach to President-elect Trump is fueling questions about his motives and vexing some of his fellow Democrats. In the wake of Trumps victory in November, Fetterman has emerged as a critic of his own partys messaging, while also signaling a willingness to entertain some of the incoming administrations policy ideas. The Pennsylvania senator drew praise from Trump himself after the two men met last week. Fetterman had already become a lightning rod among progressives thanks to his embrace of Israel, and his recent actions are further adding to his polarizing reputation in the party, where some see him positioning himself for a bigger national presence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wouldnt 100 percent rule out that maybe or slightly there is some thinking about different or future opportunities, said Eddie Vale, a longtime Democratic strategist. Others are even less certain why Fetterman has taken some of his recent positions. Theres no telling with any certainty what Fettermans motivations are. I do political analysis, not psychoanalysis, said Norman Solomon, a progressive strategist and founder of the activist network RootsAction. But clearly, he has been moving rightward. Less than a week until inauguration, the sit-down at Trumps Mar-a-Lago club is drawing speculation about what role Fetterman could play in Trumps second term. Shortly after the meeting, Trump lavished Fetterman with praise, calling him a fascinating man, distinguishing him from most Democrats who are still keeping their distance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ford OConnell, a Republican strategist, suggested Trump is being strategic in finding a Democrat on Capitol Hill for bipartisanship. If youre willing to put the country first Im willing to work with you, he said about the president-elects thinking. Thats what hes been projecting. Both populist leaders have been looking for common ground ahead of Jan. 20. A Trump transition official confirmed to The Hill that the two discussed areas of agreement on Israel, the U.S.-Mexico border and the future of steel manufacturing, as first reported in the Washington Examiner. Although the meeting came at Trumps request, Fettermans engagement is just as notable. A product of Americas top battleground, he convinced a politically diverse, working-class coalition to back his 2022 Senate campaign. Fettermans victory was seen by some Democrats as a road map for how they might rebuild trust with low-wage and non-college educated voters. He did so, successfully, by telling those voters he was not a progressive, a distinction that won him broader statewide support. Trump, who has changed the nature of Republicanism in his own right, appeared to pick up on that nuance. Hes a commonsense person. Hes not liberal or conservative, the incoming president said about the 6-foot-8-inch senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Fetterman has bristled at the progressive label, he did tack to the left on a variety of policies, attracting support from Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and allies; many left-wing Democrats considered him poised to take up the working-class mantle in the upper chamber by prioritizing things such as union jobs and a federal minimum wage increase. But his recent moves have been met with confusion. During his most recent race against physician Mehmet Oz, Fetterman made it clear that he would not be another Manchin Democrat, referencing former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who blocked key areas of Bidens agenda. But some Democrats already see him becoming more like Manchin, and more like former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), who got her start with the Green Party before becoming a reliable vote against Bidens more liberal policies. To longtime observers, however, Fetterman has always been a bit of a chameleon. When he first launched a Senate bid in 2016, he ran as a younger, taller, tatted Bernie bro, said Christopher Nicholas, a Pennsylvania-based GOP consultant and publisher of the PA Political Digest newsletter. He likened Fettermans style to a dog and pony show. Hes accurately read the room and knows theres a new sheriff in town, Nicholas said. Hes very adroit at shocking people and then coming back with a retort when they seem shocked. Its his modus operandi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of clarity around Fettermans ambitions or end goal makes him intriguing, sources on both sides of the aisle say. Some sympathetic to Trump see him as one of the most important rising figures as the Senate confirmation hearings start for Trumps Cabinet nominations. Fetterman is seen as a likely yes in favor of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whom Trump nominated to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. Fettermans own personal health history could impact his decision after working to recover from a recent stroke. But as questions swirl over Fettermans underlying agenda, Vale, the Democratic strategist, says its worth taking the senator at face value. [The] simplest answer is just what he is saying, Vale said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is a senator from a 50/50 state that voted for Trump twice, so hes trying to have a foot in both worlds, he added. 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. Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said Wednesday hes open to Donald Trumps idea that the U.S. acquire Greenland, telling reporters that its strategically a smart thing. I mean, its pretty reasonable, and I think its actually strategically a smart thing, Fetterman said, according to NBC News. CNNs Manu Raju added that Fetterman told the press that he would support the acquisition if Denmark did as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fetterman and Trump had a meeting a few days ago at Trumps Florida club, Mar-a-Lago, where they not only discussed Greenland but other expansionist ideassuch as reacquiring the Panama Canal. Trump had kind things to say about Fetterman afterward. Fetterman says he met with Trump for about an hour and that trying to acquire Greenland came up. I mean, it's pretty reasonable, and I think it's actually strategically, a smart thing. Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) January 16, 2025 It was a totally fascinating meeting. Hes a fascinating man, and his wife is lovely. They were both up, and I couldnt be more impressed, he told the Washington Examiner. Hes a commonsense person. Hes not liberal or conservative. Hes just a commonsense person, which is beautiful. Fetterman had joked prior to the meetingthe first between a Democratic senator and Trump since the electionthat Trump would make him Pope of Greenland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans have already proposed a bill to help along any potential negotiations between Trump and Denmark, whose constitution protects Greenlands status as an autonomous territory. Amid all the chatter, Greenland Prime Minister Mute Egede said last weekend that he would take a meeting with Trump, but emphasized, Greenland is for the Greenlandic people. We do not want to be Danish, we do not want to be American. We want to be Greenlandic. A week after wildfires started devastating the Los Angeles area, fire-fighting teams are finally making headways. The Eaton Fire near Pasadena, which claimed seventeen of the 25 fatalities confirmed by local authorities so far, was nearly 50% contained as of Wednesday. The Palisades fire, which has burned across a wide area on the western edge of Los Angeles, has also barely spread at all in recent days, according to local authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to initial estimates, more than 12,000 buildings have been destroyed or damaged in the area. The weather forecast for the next few days with decreasing winds and falling temperatures was finally giving cause for hope that the most acute phase of the emergency may be over. The majority of red fire warnings in place across affected areas were set to expire on Wednesday evening, the weather service in Los Angeles said. Only around 82,000 people remained under evacuation orders, said County Sheriff Robert Luna. However, US media reported that resentment was growing among residents, many of whom left their homes with little more than the clothes on their backs. The burnt-out areas remain cordoned off and no date has been set for residents to return to home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Los Angeles district attorney and police again called for the harshest possible punishment for criminals trying to exploit the disaster. At the beginning of the week, LA County District Attorney Nathan Hochman filed charges against 10 suspected looters, burglars and an arsonist. Two other suspected arsonists have been detained, authorities said on Wednesday. According to Hochman, they set small fires during the fire emergency east of Los Angeles. LA Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said two more suspected arsonists had been arrested. One was a man who "admitted to starting the fire because he likes the smell of burning leaves," McDonnell said in a news conference. The other was a woman "admitted to setting multiple fires that day and stated that she enjoyed causing chaos and destruction," McDonnell said. A Firefighter battles the fire in Mandeville Canyon neighborhood in Los Angeles, as the Palisades fires rage through the area. Jill Connelly/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa HELSINKI (Reuters) -The Eagle S tanker seized by Finnish authorities on suspicion of ripping up subsea cables will not face a separate criminal investigation into whether its fuel cargo violates sanctions imposed on Russia, the Customs Office said on Thursday. Police seized the UAE-owned tanker last month on suspicion of damaging a Finnish-Estonian power line and four telecoms cables. The Customs Office believes the Eagle S is part of a shadow fleet of tankers used to circumvent sanctions on Russian oil, and has impounded its cargo of unleaded petrol and diesel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The cargo of the ship will remain detained by Finnish Customs for the time being," it said in a statement. Police have said nine crew members are suspects in a criminal investigation into possible sabotage of the subsea cables. The ship's cargo is subject to sanctions imposed against Russia by the European Union, and thus barred from importation into Finland. But because the vessel entered Finnish territorial waters at the request of Finnish authorities, the crew cannot be considered to have intentionally violated those sanctions, the Customs Office said. A lawyer representing the ship's owner, United Arab Emirates-based Caravella LLC FZ, has said the ship's alleged damage to undersea equipment happened outside of Finland's territorial waters and therefore Helsinki lacked jurisdiction to intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baltic Sea nations are on high alert after a string of power cable, telecom link and gas pipeline outages since Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. The NATO military alliance in response plans to boost its presence in the region. (Reporting by Anne Kauranen; editing by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, Terje Solsvik and Jason Neely) WEATHERSFIELD, Ohio (WKBN) Weathersfield Fire Department encountered an issue due to a freezing fire hydrant while battling a structure fire late Wednesday night. Fire crews were called to Niles Carver Road around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday for reports of a house on fire. The residence was unoccupied and under construction, according to authorities, and no injuries were reported. Courtesy: Weathersfield Fire Department Courtesy: Weathersfield Fire Department Courtesy: Weathersfield Fire Department The fire department reported encountering an issue with the nearest fire hydrant, stating the frigid temperatures can cause them to freeze. Crews had to shuttle water from a nearby hydrant to the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to the amount of water needed to put out the fire mixed with the freezing temperature, county engineers had to call for a salt truck after the roadway became a sheet of ice according to the fire department. The damage to the home appears to be extensive, with much of the interior burned. The State Fire Marshals office was contacted to conduct an 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 WKBN.com. DENVER (KDVR) Emergency response crews are preparing to help those in need during the projected cold spell that will hit Denver this weekend. Mayor Mike Johnstons All In Mile High Initiative has provided more than 2,000 people in need with housing reducing unsheltered homelessness by 83%. Some still have refused shelter. Shelters and warming stations are available to help them. How long it could take to get frostbite during weekend arctic blast Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denver Fire Captain Luis Cedillo recalls heartbreaking moments he experienced while patrolling the streets during cold weather. When you find someone face down in the snow and theyre just completely out of it theyre unconscious, he told FOX31. The fire department monitors the city in an effort to assist those enduring the cold. We can call the STAR van, we can call Denver Health we can call you know, get them in touch with (the) Red Cross, he said. Crews are also carefully monitoring the use of fuel sources, as some try to stay warm on their own. Although some of these individuals do not want to go indoors we dont want them to freeze as well by allowing them to maintain that fire as long as its not impinging on the structures or theres no immediate danger to the vicinity we want them to stay warm, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temperatures will reach below zero this weekend. Wind chill will make it worse In 2021, the department received more than 500 emergency calls about fire offenses. Now that encampments no longer appear on downtown streets, the risk is significantly reduced. The department advises anyone who sees a dangerous situation or someone in need to call 911. We try to get them as quickly as possible out of the elements and into a safer place, said Cedillo. The Denver Rescue Mission and Food Bank Of The Rockies provide support to those who are struggling. Ways to help can be found on their websites. 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. China, Sri Lanka bolster BRI bond 08:48, January 16, 2025 By Cao Desheng ( China Daily President Xi Jinping hosts a welcoming ceremony for visiting Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Wednesday. (Yao Dawei/Xinhua) China and Sri Lanka have outlined a plan to further boost high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, amid a series of agreements they signed on Wednesday to enhance bilateral ties. President Xi Jinping and visiting Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake witnessed the signing of the cooperation documents between the two countries, including an agreement on Sri Lanka's export of agricultural products to China, after their official talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Xi told Dissanayake that China will actively support Sri Lanka in focusing on economic development, and will advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, enhance collaboration in fields such as modern agriculture, the digital economy, and the marine economy, and create new highlights in bilateral cooperation. President Xi Jinping shakes hands with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Jan 15, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) In response, the Sri Lankan president said that his country remains committed to joint construction of the Belt and Road to enhance mutual connectivity in the region, and welcomes more investment from Chinese enterprises. Dissanayake started a four-day state visit to China on Tuesday, and analysts said the trip has far-reaching economic and geopolitical implications. This is his first visit to China since taking office as Sri Lankan president in September, and his second overseas trip, following a visit to India in mid-December. In recent years, China has deepened its strategic cooperative partnership with Sri Lanka with fruitful outcomes on Belt and Road cooperation, including the building of a container terminal in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo, as well as roads and railways, and the development of Hambantota Port and Port City Colombo. President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, Jan 15, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) During their talks, Xi emphasized the long-standing traditional friendship between China and Sri Lanka. He said that over the 68 years since they established diplomatic relations, the two countries have maintained a healthy and stable relationship, setting an example of friendly coexistence and mutually beneficial cooperation between nations. Xi said that China-Sri Lanka relations now face historical opportunities to build on past achievements and open up new prospects. He called on both sides to handle their relationship from a strategic perspective and work together to build a China-Sri Lanka community with a shared future. China is committed to taking Sri Lanka as a priority in its foreign relations, and pledges continued support for the country in safeguarding its national independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, as well as its independent choice of the development path that suits its national conditions, he said. President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, Jan 15, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) Xi assured Dissanayake that as China is committed to comprehensively deepening reform and advancing the modernization drive, new opportunities will be created for Sri Lanka's development. He also expressed the country's willingness to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Sri Lanka in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations, and to work together to address major global challenges like climate change. Both countries should uphold unity and self-improvement among the countries of the Global South to contribute to regional peace, stability and prosperity, Xi added. President Xi Jinping holds a welcome ceremony for Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the Northern Hall of the Great Hall of the People prior to their talks in Beijing, Jan 15, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for China's significant achievements in the fields of economy, technology and infrastructure, saying that China has always been a reliable friend and partner to Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka highly values its relationship with China, firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and appreciates China's valuable support in safeguarding its independence, sovereignty, and legitimate rights and interests, he said. He expressed Sri Lanka's commitment to enhancing cooperation with China in a broad range of areas including infrastructure, energy, agriculture, finance, poverty reduction, digital transformation, tourism, and personnel training. President Xi Jinping holds talks with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who is on a state visit to China, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Jan 15, 2025. (Photo/Xinhua) Noting that China is a leading country of the Global South and plays a positive role in international affairs, Dissanayake said Sri Lanka is willing to continue strengthening coordination and mutual support with China within a multilateral framework to safeguard their common interests. Before their talks, Xi held a grand welcoming ceremony for Dissanayake at the Great Hall of the People. (Web editor: Tian Yi, Zhong Wenxing) WYOMING, Mich. (WOOD) As fires continue to burn in southern California, a factory in metro Grand Rapids is manufacturing equipment specially designed to fight wildfires. At the HME Ahrens-Fox plant along Chicago Drive in Wyoming Wednesday, workers were finishing engines that will go to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (more commonly known as Cal Fire) and the California Governors Office of Emergency Services. To see our trucks flash up on a news clip it really makes it real what were doing here, said Ben Lewis, an electronics system installer. A new fire engine for Cal Fire at HME Ahrens Fox in Wyoming. (Jan. 15, 2025) A new fire engine for Cal Fire at HME Ahrens Fox in Wyoming. (Jan. 15, 2025) Firefighters make progress against LA blazes as winds pick up again Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company estimates more than 175 of its vehicles are already being used to fight the wildfires that have devastated communities in Los Angeles County. Its Wildland models are especially popular with departments in California. When you see something as massive as these forest fires are it really hits. It really hits home exactly what were doing and why we need to make sure were doing it right, Lewis said. Orders are placed months and even years in advance. David Rider, the vice president of sales for the company, said each order is customized. To actually assemble the fire truck, its about 90 days, Rider said. We build it from scratch. We start out with a set of frame rails and just build our way up and down. We buy the axels and the engines from vendors and its very specific. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vehicles feature special equipment that are tuned for fighting wildfires. Most of these trucks all have two pumps. One fire pump is the main fire pump like you would use for a structure fire, like our trucks right here in Grand Rapids have, but the other one is a small diesel pump so they can drive and pump water at the same time and theyll use that to go from fire to fire to fire very quickly, Rider said. Former News 8 journalist says LA area is on edge as wildfires burn Some of the engines being built now are just days away from being shipped to California and are expected to be rerouted to the fire zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were doing everything to get them out of here as quick as we can to support their efforts, Rider said. An HME Ahrens-Fox fire engine at a wildfire scene in California. (Courtesy HME Ahrens-Fox) An HME Ahrens-Fox fire engine at a wildfire scene in California. (Courtesy HME Ahrens-Fox) An HME Ahrens-Fox fire engine at a wildfire scene in California. (Courtesy HME Ahrens-Fox) An HME Ahrens-Fox fire engine at a wildfire scene in California. (Courtesy HME Ahrens-Fox) The company is also overnighting parts and providing support to keep the fleet in operation. If it has anything to do with a Cal Fire truck or an OES truck, were going to expedite getting those parts to the point of if we have to come out here and take something apart to get them parts for their other trucks, Rider 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 WOODTV.com. BRADLEY COUNTY, Ark. A father dying by the side of his bedridden son has been one of the most compelling stories from the wildfires in California, one with an Arkansas connection. Anthony Mitchell and his son Justin are the father and brother of Hajime White who was born and raised in Bradley County, Arkansas. White is Anthonys oldest child and only daughter. California fire scorches through land the size of Los Angeles as blazes burn across US West Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They spoke every week, and White was the last person her dad called before the fire overtook his home while waiting for an ambulance to rescue him and his son. His final words are burned into Whites memory and fuel her frustration over the Los Angeles County fire. Baby, Ive got to go. The fire has made it in my yard! White described. They should have been able to get to them. I just feel too that the state of California failed them. White said between her dad calling another brother and her there was at least an hour to get them out. Anthony and Justin Mitchell both used wheelchairs and needed an ambulance or some other help to get out of the home. Could you not get there? Was something stopping you? What just what? Why? White asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson backs conditions on California fire aid White said her dad, an amputee, may have been able to evacuate without his son who was bedridden with cerebral palsy, but that wasnt the person he was or the one he raised his family to be. He was not going to leave none of us behind, White said. He was going to be with us until his last breath, and thats what he did. White said she would have done the same. So shell hold onto the life lessons, voicemails, pictures, and anything else left while waiting for an explanation of why it is all gone. I just want answers to why this has happened not only just to my dad and my brother but to the whole [state] of California, White concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anthony left behind other children. One son would have been in the house too, but because he was hospitalized, he survived. He also had 10 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. Los Angeles wildfires: 16 dead, more than a dozen missing as crews continue fighting blazes White, her husband, and her children in Arkansas are trying to travel to California for his and Justins memorial. They will need financial assistance to make the trip and acquire lodging. Those who wish to donate can do so through their GoFundMe. 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Firefighters were called about 12:30 p.m. Thursday to a 225 Hilton Ave. home that had smoke coming from the roof. Crews used a ladder to get on the roof and cut a hole next to the chimney before other firefighters went inside. The person living at the home had a fire going in the fireplace. Firefighters at the scene said a preliminary investigation revealed the chimney had a crack near the third floor and an ember started the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was hurt, but the electricity has been cut off. Nick Rick contributed to this report. 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. Homeowner David Marquez, left, holds a metal detector as his father, Juan Pablo Alvarado, right, and a friend look for the remains of gold jewelry and other silver items inside the walls of their multi-generational home in the aftermath of the Eaton Fire on Jan. 19, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) As calmer winds through the weekend assisted firefighters battling the Southern California blazes, there has been progress in containing the wildfires in L.A. County. But, AccuWeather forecasters warn that another round of dangerous Santa Ana winds is beginning this week. Santa Ana winds will increase throughout the daytime on Monday, bringing the threat of damaging winds gusting from 60 to 80 mph across the prone mountain regions surrounding Los Angeles. Spanning from Ventura to San Diego counties, gusty winds ranging from 40 to 60 mph can also occur. The wind threat is expected to persist through Tuesday, with a reduction in the Santa Ana winds later Tuesday evening. Forecasters are highlighting that there could be a lesser intense Santa Ana event briefly from Wednesday night to Thursday night across similar regions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death toll from the most and second-most destructive fires in Southern California history stands at 27. The number of missing has fluctuated as high as two dozen as crews with cadaver dogs search the rubble and ashes left behind. Thousands of firefighters from several states and countries have made tremendous progress fighting the deadly infernos that have scorched more than 60 square miles, an area roughly the size of the entire city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As of Monday morning, the Pacific Fire had burned 23,713 acres and was 56% contained while the Eaton Fire had burned 14,117 acres and was 75% contained. More than 12,000 structures have been destroyed in both fires, many of them homes and businesses that were razed to piles of rubble and ash. The Palisades Fire damaged or destroyed roughly 5,000 buildings in the Pacific Palisades and parts of Malibu, according to Cal Fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eaton Fire is smaller in perimeter than the Palisades Fire but has likely claimed more buildings. Estimates say close to 7,000 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, most of those in the hard-hit Altadena neighborhood. Damage estimates are preliminary as inspections are still underway or just beginning in many cases. Investigators are looking into the cause of the blazes, as well, with the ATF reporting more than 150 leads have been generated from tips, according to CNN. Arson investigators say it could take months before they know how the region's major fires ignited. Residents embrace in front of a fire-ravaged property after the Palisades Fire swept through in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Etienne Laurent, File) Because of ongoing firefighting and the dangerous debris and chemicals in burned areas, some residents are still under evacuation notices and haven't been allowed back to see what's left of their properties. Many people affected by the Palisades and Eaton Fires may not be able to return home for months, according to Los Angeles County officials. The losses range from multi-million-dollar, ocean-view mansions to mobile homes. Crews are dousing hot spots, clearing hazardous debris and working to ensure the safety of residents before reopening closed areas. No timeline has been announced for lifting the evacuation orders, but experts have warned that it could take weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department said a timeline for returning depends on the extent of the damage, which needs to be mapped and assessed in every impacted community. There is also the threat of hazardous materials, such as asbestos and chemicals, that need to be cleaned before people can return. "We want people to have realistic expectations," Mr. Scott said, according to the NY Times. In cases where people have been allowed back into their damaged or destroyed neighborhoods, health officials urge everyone in areas impacted by ash from the wildfires to wear proper respiratory masks to help protect against smoke in the air and hazardous materials in debris and the ground. Charred hazardous waste and large debris across a massive area must be cleared by professional crews, and the ground must be treated to remove toxic chemicals that burned into it. The work to identify and clean up the dangerous waste must be done by professionals and could start as soon as next week, an Environmental Protection Agency official said. California state agency CalRecycle will join the EPA in overseeing much of the clean-up work, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's not the same as I'm going to go in with a shovel and clear out the mud from the flood,'" Patricia McIlreavy, president and CEO of nonprofit Center for Disaster Philanthropy told CNN adding, "The Palisades Fire alone is the size of Manhattan; just imagine the debris," McIlreavy said. When houses and cars burn, they release toxins, plastics and heavy metals, like lead, into the air, soil and water. The tiny size of these pollutants allows them to infiltrate the bloodstream and lungs, posing severe health hazards, particularly for those with cardiovascular diseases. Protective measures such as wearing gloves, N95 masks, long sleeves and pants are essential to prevent ash from contacting the skin or hair. Nevertheless, due to the heightened danger, pregnant individuals, children, the elderly and people with pre-existing health conditions should avoid any exposure to toxic ash, even with these safety measures in place. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order to jump-start cleanup on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Cleanup crews are moving into neighborhoods devastated by this firestorm. California is working swiftly to ensure survivors from these devastating firestorms can begin their road to recovery. We appreciate the fast-acting work of teams on the ground to begin this first phase of recovery - all while first responders are continuing to battle ongoing flames in the area," his statement read. EPA workers will start clearing hazards like compressed gas cylinders, paint solvents, pesticides, fertilizers and ammunition, regional FEMA administrator Robert Fenton Jr. announced Wednesday. Lithium-ion batteries will make cleanup especially difficult as California leads the nation in electric vehicle usage and must now contend with the lithium-ion batteries that power these vehicles. They can become hazardous when damaged or exposed to extreme heat and need to be treated like unexploded munitions because of their volatility. Batteries damaged by fire or salt water can explode and can take a long time to put out because of the lingering chain reaction inside the battery - something that also causes them to occasionally reignite, according to EV Magazine. The batteries also contain hazardous metals that could leach into the environment if not properly handled. The EPA will work with law enforcement to safely dispose of large lithium-ion batteries destroyed in the fire, like those in electric vehicles and home power banks that store energy from solar panels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With cleanup likely to last months, rebuilding anything will be a long, slow process. "It's going to be a while before we can get in there and build anything," said Michael Hricak, an adjunct professor of architecture at the University of Southern California, told The Associated Press. "It's not being tougher than Mother Nature. It's being somewhat respectful of Mother Nature and knowing what the challenges are. Are we just inviting another problem down the road?" Hricak said. Thousands of California residents will have to decide whether to relocate permanently or rebuild their homes. Insurance companies may cover thousands of dollars in temporary housing and living expenses unless homeowners are underinsured or not covered. "The policy is generally going to cover the cost of additional living expenses while you are out of your home, to maintain what is kind of your usual standard of living," said Karen Collins, the vice president of American Property Casualty Insurance Association's property and environmental division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, insurance may not cover what people need to rebuild. Many may not have disposable income to cover the difference between what their insurance covers and the cost of rebuilding their home and replacing what was lost. Moving isn't necessarily easier than rebuilding and can also be very costly. AccuWeather's preliminary estimate of the total damage and economic loss is between $250 billion and $275 billion. "These fast-moving, wind-driven infernos have created one of the costliest wildfire disasters in modern U.S. history," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. "Hurricane-force winds sent flames ripping through neighborhoods filled with multi-million-dollar homes. The devastation left behind is heartbreaking, and the economic toll is staggering." The worst of the fires are burning in an area from Santa Monica to Malibu, impacting some of the most expensive real estate in the country, with median home values over $2 million. GARRETT COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) said that officials were investigating a large commercial fire in Garrett County in almost single-degree weather on Wednesday. Officials said that around 5:45 p.m., a fire was reported at Friends Stockyard on Stockyard Road. (Image courtesy of the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal) Firefighters have requested law enforcement and cowboys to assist with the wrangling of cattle that have been left loose, an OSFM post said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Basement fire breaks out, displacing 2 in Woodbridge Officials said that all lanes of US-219 were closed between Ryland Court and Interstate 68. The OSFM said that it would be an extended operation. In an update made at 7:25 p.m., OSFM said that three cows had died. One firefighter had to be evaluated and treated on the scene for injuries. That firefighter was later released. 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. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will not attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, according to her spokesperson. Pelosi notably attended Trump's inauguration in 2017, when she was the House Democratic leader. A spokesman did not disclose a reason why the California Democrat is skipping the high-profile event. MORE: Nancy Pelosi undergoes hip replacement surgery after fall in Luxembourg Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she broke her hip on an international trip to Luxembourg late last year, Pelosi returned to the Capitol for both the first day of the new Congress as well as the count of the electoral votes on Jan. 6. Attending 11 inaugurations so far, Pelosi has rubbed elbows with presidents at their inauguration dating back to her high school days when John F. Kennedy was sworn into office in 1961. PHOTO: Representative Nancy Pelosi speaks to members of the media after a classified briefing on TikTok at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, March 12, 2024. (Bloomberg via Getty Images, FILE) Pelosi has mostly maintained cordial relationships with Republican presidents, particularly George W. Bush despite their differences over the Iraq War and Afghanistan. But the friction and public battles with Trump, including shouting matches in the Oval Office -- have created headlines -- such as when she pointed a finger at him in a White House photo opportunity or when she stood over his shoulder and ripped up a copy of his State of the Union remarks in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pelosi's criticism only amplified after the 2020 election and the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Pelosi also grew enraged when Trump mocked the violent hammer attack against her husband, Paul Pelosi. MORE: Pelosi blames Harris' loss on Biden's late exit and no open Democratic primary In turn, Trump labeled Pelosi at his 2024 campaign rallies as "an enemy from within." "She's a crooked person. She's a bad person, evil. She's an evil, sick, crazy," Trump said before appearing to mouth the word "b*tch" "Oh no. It starts with a B but I won't say it. I want to say it. I want to say it," Trump said about Pelosi at his final campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ABC News' John Parkinson and Lalee Ibssa contributed to this report. First to ABC: Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi won't attend Trump's inauguration originally appeared on abcnews.go.com When Dr. Jill Biden stepped onto Navajo Nation land in April 2021, she began a series of tribal visits that surpassed any first lady before her, building on a tradition Eleanor Roosevelt started in 1937 with the first-ever presidential spouse visit to Indian Country. As her time in the White House comes to an end, Bidens legacy will be marked by an unprecedented level of direct engagement with tribal nations, breaking centuries of limited interactions between first ladies and Native communities. Her nine visits to tribal lands focused on issues ranging from healthcare access to Native language preservation. Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interior Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs Bryan Newland (Bay Mills), who accompanied Dr. Biden on four tribal visits, said the first lady actively sought opportunities to highlight tribal communities, including the good things happening and good people living on reservations. Rather than waiting for invitations, Biden and her team looked for ways to engage with Indian Country. In the history of the United States, thats really rare, Newland said. Dr. Biden has proven with her actions that she sees us and cares about what happens in Indian Country. Her engagement also extended off the reservation, hosting a White House reception for Native American Heritage Month with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), and speaking at the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The frequency of her visits prompted President Joe Biden to comment on his wifes Indigenous interaction during his White House summit remarks that year. By the way, she spent a lot of time on other reservations other Nations as well. Im worried shes not going to come home one of these days, Biden joked to tribal leaders, who received his remarks with laughter. These visits and attention represented a significant departure from historical precedent. First Lady Roosevelt made that first visit in 1937 during her visit to Osage Nation. Nearly eight decades later, First Lady Michelle Obama accompanied her husband, President Barack Obama, to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Ive traveled the country as First Lady, its been one of my greatest honors to visit Tribal Nations and Native communities, Dr. Biden wrote to Native News Online in an email Saturday. Joe and his Administration have been proud to partner in those efforts, and were proud to stand with all of Indian Country as we work to build a brighter future together. During her visits, Biden met with tribal leaders at health clinics and schools, participated in roundtables and spoke in gymnasiums with Native leaders and young people about their heritage, their vision for the future, and other timely topics: expanding broadband access, supporting the revitalization of their Native languages, and growing their Native economies. Former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez fondly recalled the first ladys visit to the Navajo Nation early in the Biden-Harris administration in April 2021, when the nation was still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. First Lady Biden met with front-line workers. My wife, Phefelia, and I were honored to have the First Lady accept our invitation to visit Navajo during our presidency, Nez told Native News Online recently. Dr. Biden is a strong advocate for Indigenous people and resulted in unprecedented support and funding for tribal nations across the country under the Biden administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the meeting, President Biden appointed Phefelia to the board of trustees for the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. In her final tribal visit as first lady, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe Chairperson Austin Lowe hosted Dr. Biden in May 2024 for discussions about healthcare in Indian Country. We discussed the federal governments trust responsibility to tribes, along with how the federal government could support tribes to improve healthcare for our people, Lowe said. Dr. Biden is a friend to Indian Country, and she will be missed. First Lady Jill Bidens Work in Indian Country May 2024: First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff participated in a health care listening session with Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians at the Sault Tribe Cultural Center in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement October 2023: The First Lady and Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin to highlight the Biden Administrations commitment to supporting Native communities and working together with Tribal Nations. During the visit, the First Lady and Secretary Haaland toured the Menominee Tribal Enterprises sawmill, visited the College of Menominee Nation, and participated in the College of Menominee Nations Womens Empowerment Summit. May 2023: The First Lady visited Bethel, Alaska, to highlight the Biden-Harris Administration's historic investments to expand broadband connectivity in Native American communities, including Alaska Native communities in Alaskas Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (Y-K Delta). November 2022: The First Lady hosted the first White House reception in honor of Native American Heritage Month with Secretary Haaland. Attendees included Tribal leaders; Native state and local elected officials, artists, writers, athletes, education and health care advocates, and business leaders; and Native youth who participated in the White House Tribal Youth Forum at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services the day before. March 2022: The First Lady and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Xavier Becerra visited the San Xavier Health Clinic, a primary care outpatient clinic on the Tohono Oodham Nation, as part of the Biden Administrations Cancer Moonshot. Biden met with Tribal healthcare leaders about the Tohono Oodham Nations cancer program and services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement December 2021: The First Lady and Secretary Haaland visited the Cherokee Immersion School on the Cherokee Nation to highlight the importance of and the Biden Administrations support for Native language revitalization efforts. Biden met with students and educators and heard about the Tribes Cherokee language revitalization programs. November 2021: The First Lady delivered remarks on Native language revitalization at the 2021 White House Tribal Nations Summit. She was introduced by several Native youth who spoke in their Native languages. October 2021: The First Lady and U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy visited the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan to hold a listening session on youth mental health and meet with families and educators. July 2021: The First Lady visited the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) in Anchorage, Alaska, to hear about how it serves Alaska Natives who live in Anchorage and in communities across the state. Biden was briefed on ANTHCs role in the COVID-19 response and vaccination effort, as well the role of telehealth in Alaska particularly rural communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement April 2021: The First Lady visited the Navajo Nation. She gave a radio address to the Nation from Window Rock, met with Navajo women leaders, held a listening session with Navajo students, and thanked frontline workers at a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net." Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net First lady Jill Biden shared in a recent interview her disappointment in Nancy Pelosi, her decades-long friend. The first lady spoke about Pelosi and the other Democrats who had reservations about her husband running for a second term in a new interview with The Washington Post. Jill Biden also spoke about how as her husbands presidency came to an end, it led her to think differently about relationships in her life. The first lady also spoke about a recent interaction with President-elect Donald Trump and what she hopes people remember about both her and her husband. What did Jill Biden say about Nancy Pelosi? Jill Biden shared how she felt about Pelosi being among the top Democrats who showed reservations about Joe Biden running for a second term, per The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were friends for 50 years, the first lady said. It was disappointing. The first lady shared that she has been thinking a lot about the relationships in her life lately, including her friendship with Pelosi. About the situation with Pelosi, Jill Biden added, Lets just say I was disappointed with how it unfolded, I learned a lot about human nature. What happened between Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi during the election? Over the summer as the presidential race began heating up, multiple lawmakers in the Democratic Party came out to say they didnt believe that Joe Biden would be able to beat Trump in November. According to CNN, Pelosi was seen as a major part of the movement to pressure the president to drop out of the race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to CNN, Pelosi privately told President Biden in July that polling showed he could not defeat Trump and could upend Democrats chances of winning the House in November if he remained in the race. In July, Pelosi went on MSNBCs Morning Joe and said Its up to the president to decide if he is going to run, after he already said he would run, according to The Washington Post. After Kamala Harris lost the election in November, Pelosi lamented that if Joe Biden had dropped out sooner, Harris would have had a better chance, per Fox News. According to The Washington Post, Jill Biden said she believes her husband could have served for another four years. What did Jill Biden say to Trump at Notre Dame? In December, both the first lady and Trump attended the reopening of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. At the event they were seated with French first lady Brigitte Macron between them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Macron left her seat at one point, photographers captured Jill Biden making small talk with Trump. Jill Biden shared what was said in their interaction. Trump said to the first lady, I had a good meeting with your husband in the Oval Office, referring to a meeting that lasted two hours, per The Washington Post. Yes, Jill Biden said she replied, because youre both talkers. So why did she even speak to Trump, who, according to The Washington Post, her husband referred to as an existential threat to democracy? Jill Biden said that both her and her husband respect the nations institutions and traditions. What would be the point of nastiness? she added. Jill Bidens hopes for her legacy as her husbands presidency comes to an end Lots of endings, the first lady wrote in a text to a friend Lots of beginnings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jill and Joe Biden welcomed their first great-grandchild on Jan. 8, when their grandaughter Naomi Biden gave birth to a baby boy. According to NBC, this made Joe Biden the first modern president to have a great-grandchild born while in office. Their great-grandchild was born the day before Joe Biden spoke at former President Jimmy Carters funeral. According to The Washington Post, Jill Biden also shared how she wants to be remembered after her time in the White House, I hope that women see me as a reflection of themselves, she said. You know, a mom, a grandmom, a working woman, a sister, a friend. Along with wishes for her own legacy the first lady also shared that she hopes her husband is remembered as a strong, empathetic president with integrity and character. Newly released pictures offer the first real look at the four new large launch tubes for firing Intermediate-Range Conventional Prompt Strike (IRCPS) hypersonic missiles now installed on the U.S. Navys stealth destroyer USS Zumwalt. The other two ships in the Zumwalt class are also set to get the same array of tubes on their bows, which could also potentially be used to launch payloads beyond IRCPS. The ships are losing at least one of their 155mm Advanced Gun Systems (AGS), the advanced ammunition that the Navy previously determined would be too expensive to buy, as part of the process. Navy Capt. Clint Lawler shared pictures showing the installation of USS Zumwalts new launch tubes in a briefing yesterday at the Surface Navy Associations main annual symposium. Lawler is the program manager for the three-ship Zumwalt class, also known as the DDG-1000 class, within the Navys Program Executive Office for Ships (PEO Ships). USS Zumwalt has been at the HII shipyard in Pascagoula, Mississippi, since August 2023 for the IRCPS integration and just returned to the water after months in dry dock in December. The slide from Capt. Clint Lawlers presentation at the 2025 Surface Navy Association symposium, which also details the timeline for installing the new launch tubes onto the USS Zumwalt. USN In addition to providing the first real look at the launch tubes installed, Lawlers pictures give a sense of the scale of the work that was involved. As noted, the Zumwalts forward 155mm AGS turret, as well as associated components that extend deep below decks, had to be removed first, a process that was completed in March 2024. A picture the Navy previously released showing one of USS Zumwalts two AGS turrets being removed as part of the IRCPS integration process. USN The foundation for the new launch tubes went into the newly freed-up space in May 2024. The installation of additional bulkheads and other work followed quickly thereafter. The four launch tubes themselves were delivered to the yard between July and August of last year. The basic installation of the tubes was finished by October. USS Zumwalt seen in December 2024. HII Each one of the new launch tubes for the Zumwalt class ships is 87 inches, or 7.25 feet, in diameter, per a report from USNI News. IRCPS missiles will be triple-packed into the tubes via an Advanced Payload Module (APM) canister, for a total load of up to 12 missiles. The Navy also plans to eventually integrate IRCPS onto its future Block V Virginia class submarines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The IRCPS missiles themselves are tipped with an unpowered boost-glide vehicle on top and you can read more about hypersonic weapons of this general type here. The Navy is jointly developing the missile with the U.S. Army, which plans to field it in a ground-launched configuration called the Dark Eagle or Long Range Hypersonic Weapon (LRHW). A slide from a 2021 Navy briefing providing a visual overview of IRCPS and associated systems, including the APM canister, as well as the elements of the Armys Dark Eagle/LRHW effort. USN Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal now is to have Zumwalt ready for actual live-fire testing by the end of the year. Multiple ground-based IRCPS/Dark Eagle test launches have already occurred. This includes the first successful firing of one of the missiles from the Armys trailer-based launcher in December, which followed some two years of failed attempts to do so. The Army had blamed those setbacks on problems with the launcher, not the missile. There is the possibility that the new tubes being added to the Zumwalt class ships could be used to fire other payloads in addition to IRCPS missiles. A rendering on display at the Surface Navy Association symposium this week depicted a Zumwalt class ship with seven-round canisters loaded into at least two of the tubes, as seen in the social media post below. TWZ has reached out to the Navy for more information. The Navys Ohio class guided missile submarines and Block 4 Virginia class boats both fire Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles from their large launch tubes via seven-round canisters. The Block 5 Virginias will also notably feature four more such tubes in a new Virginia Payload Module (VPM). Other canister designs, including ones that could be used to launch uncrewed underwater and aerial systems, have at least been tested in relation to the Ohio class in the past, as you can read more about here. Its also unclear what will happen to the second Advanced Gun System on each of the Zumwalt class ships. The other AGS mount on USS Zumwalt remains in place, at least for now, according to USNI News. That space could potentially be reutilized for other purposes. The Navy might also seek to finally find more affordable ammunition for those guns, which are currently unusable after the Navy balked at the $800,000 unit price of the precision-guided Long-Range Land Attack Projectiles (LRLAP) they were supposed to fire. Other advanced extended-range guided 155mm rounds have emerged since then, including ramjet-powered types the U.S. Army is currently exploring. In December, the Navy also awarded General Atomics a contract to help mature its Long Range Maneuvering Projectile (LRMP), an unpowered design that features pop-out wings. Regardless, as it stands now, the future USS Lyndon B. Johnson, the third Zumwalt class ship, which is still in the final phases of construction, is next in line to get the new launch tubes. When it comes to the AGS question, its unclear whether Johnson has gotten or will get even a single turret. The second ship in the class, USS Michael Monsoor, will be the last to go through the conversion process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve extended the combat system aggravation period [for Johnson] by two years to accomplish this installation, Lawler said during his presentation yesterday, according to USNI News. The CPS work was placed on contract in August and we dry-docked the ship this past Sunday. The future Zumwalt class destroyer USS Lyndon B. Johnson seen in 2018. USN The USS Zumwalt is expected to be able to actually employ IRCPS operationally sometime in 2026. Overall, the hypersonic missiles are viewed as an important new very-long-range strike capability for use against high-value strategic-level targets, especially in a future high-end fight, such as one against China in the Pacific. IRCPS also gives the extremely truncated Zumwalt class, which has seen its cutting-edge capabilities watered-down over the years, an important new purpose. Significant questions have been raised in the past about the exact roles and missions of the very costly trio of ships. The USS Michael Monsoor, the second Zumwalt class destroyer. USN With plans now to at least fire an IRCPS missile from USS Zumwalt before the end of the year, 2025 looks set to be a particularly important period for the stealth destroyers. Contact the author: joe@twz.com The site of the first Moon landing has been added to a list of endangered heritage sites over concerns that important artefacts on its surface could be under threat by a new space age. Earths nearest neighbour is home to 90 heritage sites and has hundreds of important objects left across its surface by American and Soviet space missions in the 1960s and 1970s, according to the World Monuments Fund (WMF). Key artefacts include the pristine footprint left by Buzz Aldrin at Tranquility Base, the site of the first moon landing in 1969, and a plaque commemorating 14 American and Soviet astronauts who died on missions before 1971. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Moon appears on the latest version of the New York City-based funds twice-yearly list of endangered heritage sites alongside Gazan buildings and a historic city in Turkey devastated by a 2023 earthquake. The WMF said it had added the Moon to the list because several key sites are now under threat by a new age of space exploration led by private companies. Exploitative visitation, souveniring, and looting by future missions and private lunar exploration could eventually compromise this truly unique cultural heritage, removing artifacts and forever erasing iconic prints and tracks from the Moons surface, it warned. On Wednesday, Elon Musks SpaceX launched a rocket as part of a private mission to the Moon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Moon was nominated to become one of the 25 at-risk places on the World Monuments Watch by the International Council on Monuments and Sites. This NASA file image, dated July 20, 1969, shows one of the first footprints of Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin Buzz Aldrin on the moon - Reuters The moon is effectively ungoverned and not held to be part of Earths atmosphere, meaning that activities relating to it are not bound by law. It is this situation that led the WMF to add the Moon to its list of endangered sites. The goal of this nomination is to call for an international framework of co-operation to accompany this new space age, Benedicte De Montlaur, chief executive of the WMF, told The Times. Other Earth-based sites on the list include Kyivs Teachers House in Ukraine, a legislative building that was severely damaged by a missile blast in 2022. 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. Fishers officials spent a decade building what they describe as a vibrant downtown with new apartments, bars and businesses. Now, it's taken measures to muffle some of those vibrations, as good as they might be. The City Council this week passed an ordinance that reduces the maximum noise level permitted downtown and elsewhere from 90 decibels to 80, even as more establishments feature live music and bigger and later crowds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ordinance hadnt been changed in 10 years and was enacted then to curtail noise from a bar on Geist Reservoir. The new ordinance originally contemplated lowering the maximum to 70 decibels but that was withdrawn after some businesses, including King Jugg Brewing and Parks Place restaurants, said it would muzzle live music acts. Two councilors said 80 decibels was still too high after some residents told them street and bar noise now interrupt their sleep. Eighty decibels is the equivalent of a window air conditioner and 70 is about the level of a vacuum cleaner. The ordinance has a long list of exemptions such as construction work, gun clubs, sanctioned fireworks, church bells and parades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violations carry a $50 fine which rises to $100 if paid late. Call IndyStar reporter John Tuohy at 317-444-6418 or email him at john.tuohy@indystar.com. Follow him on Facebook and X/Twitter. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Fishers law tries to balance a vibrant downtown and a raucous one Old Lyme The fishing pier and boardwalk at Ferry Landing State Park will be removed starting early this spring and will remain absent for the duration of the multi-year, $1.3 billion bridge construction project to replace the Connecticut River Bridge, according to Amtrak. An improved pier and boardwalk will be installed at the end of the project, which entails building a new railroad bridge between Old Lyme and Old Saybrook and demolishing the existing 1907 bridge, said Amtrak spokesman W. Kyle Anderson. Trains are anticipated to begin running on the new bridge in 2029, but the overall project, including the demolition of the existing bridge and opening of the new pier and boardwalk, is slated to be completed in 2030 or 2031, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new fishing pier is being built at Eagle Landing State Park in Haddam, which will provide an alternative fishing spot during construction, he said. A sign at the entrance to the Old Lyme boardwalk tells people that during the closure, they can fish at the new Haddam fishing pier and at the fishing pier by the Baldwin Bridge in Old Saybrook. Anderson said the pier and boardwalk need to be removed for the construction of the new bridge and demolition of the existing bridge. He said Amtrak is using some of the park property for construction access, parking and storage. He said the removal of the pier and boardwalk is expected around late March or early April. The new fishing pier and boardwalk will be located slightly west of the current pier and closer to deeper water, which will improve the experience for anglers, and feature a new observation deck and stairway, Anderson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will Healey, director of communications for the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said the department knows that anglers, and members of the public enjoy the pier at Ferry Landing State Park for fishing, and to take in the scenic views and outstanding wildlife viewing, and the public still will be able to access Ferry Landing during construction, but parking and shoreline access will be greatly reduced. Healey said Amtrak's improvements to the 1,000-foot-long fishing pier at Ferry Landing will include extending the pier further out into the river and widening it from 8 to 12 feet wide. The existing pier is supported by wooden piles, but the new pier will be supported by concrete piles with a wooden deck. Ferry Landing State Park sees about 13,345 angling trips each year, according to data provided by DEEP from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Marine Recreational Information Program. The park site is also home to DEEP's marine headquarters. Construction on the new fishing pier in Eagle Landing began in December, and the new structure is scheduled to open in early spring, Anderson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Healey said the failing 100-foot pier in Haddam was originally built as a boat dock for a cruise line and will be rebuilt as a fishing pier with benches, rod holders, and cutting boards. The new Haddam pier should be open to the public before demolition of the Old Lyme pier begins. New bridge to be taller A groundbreaking for the Connecticut River Bridge project was held in September. Amtrak CEO Stephen Gardner said at the event that the new bridge will be more reliable and resilient than the existing bridge. It will have a taller span so it will need to open less frequently for boat traffic and will be prepared for rising water levels. Train speeds will be able to increase from 45 mph to 70 mph. Gardner said there will be about 150 workers on average during construction, reaching a peak of 300 workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An access road has been set up on Shore Road, and fencing has been installed in the park. Old Lyme First Selectwoman Martha Shoemaker said there are people in the community that use the Old Lyme pier as well as people from other communities that fish there and enjoy walking along the river. Shoemaker said a resident recently was concerned about the planned pier closure after the signs went up and asked if the town made the decision, but Shoemaker explained that it was not the towns decision. Its going to be missed, but it is going to be rebuilt, she said. She said she thinks the pier closure will be a loss to the community for the time being, and people will have to decide if either of the alternatives are possibilities for them, as Haddam can be a bit of a haul from Old Lyme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Old Saybrook First Selectman Carl Fortuna, Jr. said he assumes the change will lead to additional anglers in town, and they are more than welcome to use the Baldwin Bridge fishing pier. Shoemaker said that Old Lyme, which sees an influx of seasonal residents in the summer, so far has not seen too much of a change from the project, though the community might see some changes once beach traffic starts. But, that said, the workers tend to be at the site earlier in the morning. She said one of the town's hopes is that some of the construction workers will visit local restaurants and stores while in the area. She added that the bridge replacement project will bring needed improvements. Its greatly needed to make sure everything is safe for train travel, but it is going to take a long time to get done, she said. k.drelich@theday.com Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater kicked off her annual series of budget town halls at Twin Ridge Elementary School in Mount Airy on Monday. Under the county charter, the executive is required to hold two public hearings as part of the annual budget process. The first took place on Dec. 4. The second is planned for March. In addition to the required public hearings, Fitzwater (D) also plans to host a series of town hall meetings on the budget for fiscal year 2026, which begins on July 1, and the Capital Improvement Program for fiscal years 2026-2031. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seven people spoke at the town hall meeting for Frederick County Council District 2, which is represented by Council Member Steve McKay (R). Of the people who spoke on Monday, several had requests related to the Board of Education, which sets the budget for Frederick County Public Schools. Laura ONeill and Melissa Medwid asked Fitzwater to include funding for the Remote Virtual Program, an online schooling option that was eliminated for grades three to five during the school boards fiscal year 2025 budget process. The program for grades six to eight was extended for this school year. Cheryl Dyson, the superintendent of FCPS, has said retaining the RVP for middle schoolers would be a priority for the school system this budget season. She has said she is open to exploring options for other grades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joia Clevinger, a local Maryland State Education Association representative for Frederick County, and Casey Day, who said she has taught in FCPS for 29 years, both spoke on Monday about teacher salaries and education funding in general. I know the revenue outlook at the state and local levels are bleak, Clevinger said. But what I urge the council and the county executive to do, and Ill be urging the Board of Education to do the same, we have to do the best we can for our kids. Eric Anderson, the executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, shared a story on Monday about a Mount Airy woman whom the organization assisted with a roof repair. Anderson said the organization has been able to expand its home repair program in recent years as a result of funds allocated by Frederick County through the federal American Rescue Plan Act, but that funding is set to run out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He asked Fitzwater to continue providing financial support for organizations like Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County that support low- to moderate-income people, as well as older county residents. Fitzwater must submit her proposed fiscal year 2026 budget to the County Council by April 15. Per the county charter, the council has until May 31 to adopt the budget with any desired amendments. If a majority of the council does not reach a consensus by that date, the budget will take effect as proposed by Fitzwater. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe has removed the ban they had placed on Republican Gov. Kristi Noem. Riverline District far from a public vote The ban was passed in May. In a release sent Wednesday, the Tribe says Noem met one of the stipulations in the banishment resolutions, which included apologizing for the comments that were deemed offensive by some. You can view the letter Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe President Anthony Reider sent Noem below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President-Reider-letter-to-Gov-NoemDownload I commend you on your nomination by President Elect Donald Trump to the position of Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and hereby support your nomination, Reider said in the letter. The tribe voted to remove the banishment on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Chairman Garrett Renville called for a reset on building a future together. Noem spokesman Ian Fury said Noem appreciated their support. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe recognizes that Governor Noem will make America safe again as Secretary of Homeland Security. We appreciate their support and will continue working with them to make all of our communities safer, stronger, and freer, Fury said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KELOLAND.com. FLANDREAU, S.D. (KCAU) The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe has announced that they have removed their banishment of South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. The tribes executive committee voted to get rid of the banishment on Tuesday. The tribe says the governor met one of the stipulations in the banishment resolutions, which was to apologize for her comments in regards to tribal members and the education of tribal member children, which were deemed offensive by some people. Union County Sheriff looking for missing teen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tribal president Anthony Reider says he support Noems nomination as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The governors director of communications released the following statement: The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe recognizes that Governor Noem will make America safe again as Secretary of Homeland Security. We appreciate their support and will continue working with them to make all of our communities safer, stronger, and freer. Ian Fury, Director of Communications for South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT) The Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office is investigating a deadly shooting involving officers that took place in the Florence Police Departments parking lot. The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. when Florence Police Chief Mike Holt said a man called 911 and told the operator that he was going to shoot the police department up. Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holt said the man came to the police department and began shooting. Officers returned fire, killing the man. The man was later identified as Jackson Paul Jones, 33, of Florence by the Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office. Very close to home, Holt said. But, thats the world we are in. Holt confirmed that no officers were injured during the shooting. FPD said that due to department protocol, one officer is on administrative leave following the incident. The Lauderdale County Sheriffs Office is leading the investigation. Sheriff Joe Hamilton said investigators processed the scene and took possession of Joness handgun, cell phone and vehicle. He added that Jones was sent to state forensics for autopsy and toxicology to be performed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamilton said that investigators will be interviewing officers, reviewing body camera and surveillance footage and examining Joness cell phone and vehicle over the course of the investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the findings will be turned over to a Lauderdale County Grand Jury. 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. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody will take Marco Rubio s seat in the U.S. Senate, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday, making Moody only the second woman to represent Florida in the chamber. Elected as the states top law enforcement officer in 2018, Moody campaigned on a pledge to voters that shed be a prosecutor, not a politician. But along with DeSantis, she boosted her political profile during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, calling on the federal government to hold China responsible for the outbreak. In elevating her to the post, DeSantis praised Moody as a key player in his political battles, a law and order prosecutor who's prepared to help President-elect Donald Trump secure and shut the border," rein in inflation, and overhaul what he described as a federal bureaucracy "run amok." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im ready to show up and fight for this nation and fight for President Trump to deliver the America First agenda on Day 1, Moody said during Thursday's announcement at a hotel in Orlando. The only way to return this country to the people, the people who govern it, is to make sure we have a strong Congress doing its job, passing laws and actually approving the regulations that these unelected bureaucrats are trying to cram down on the American people, she added. Before running for statewide office, Moody worked as a federal prosecutor. In 2006, she was elected to the post of circuit judge in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa. A fifth generation native of Plant City, Florida, Moody was once named queen of the city's famed strawberry festival. She's a three-time graduate of the University of Florida and she and her husband, a law enforcement officer, have two sons. As the states attorney general, Moody has been instrumental in defending DeSantis conservative agenda in court and has joined other Republican-led states in challenging the Biden administrations policies, suing over changes to immigration enforcement, student loan forgiveness and vaccine mandates for federal contractors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im happy to say weve had an Attorney General that is somebody that has acted time and time again to support the values that we all share, DeSantis said. We in Florida established our state as a beachhead of liberty, as the free state of Florida. And she was with us every step of the way. Moody isnt the states only AG to use the office as a stepping stone to a national post. Her predecessor, Pam Bondi, is Trumps pick to lead the Justice Department and is testifying Thursday in the Senate. Moody will be the second woman to represent the state in the Senate, and the first in nearly 40 years; Republican Paula Hawkins served in the chamber from 1981-1987. With the appointment announced, Moody is poised to take office once the vacancy occurs. Rubio is expected to have broad support from Republicans as well as Democrats, and his confirmation vote could come as soon as Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Florida law, it was up to the Republican governor to choose Rubios replacement after Trump picked the three-term senator to be his next secretary of state. Moody will serve in the Senate until the next general election in 2026, when the seat will be back on the ballot. Moody has used her office to come to Trump's defense, pursuing a criminal case against a man accused of trying to assassinate Trump at his West Palm Beach country club in September. She was also among the state attorneys general to sign on to the lawsuit backed by Trump aimed at overturning Joe Bidens election victory in 2020. The attorney general also fought unsuccessfully to keep an abortion rights measure off the ballot in Florida in 2024, saying proponents were waging a war to protect the procedure. The measure did go before voters but ultimately failed to get the 60% approval needed to pass. Moody could play a key role in the hearings for Trumps Cabinet nominees, some of whom are expected to face a tough path to confirmation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans narrowly hold a majority in the Senate, 53-47, but they are down to 52 after Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned his seat last week ahead of taking office. That means Trumps nominees need support from almost every GOP senator for majority confirmation over objections from Democrats. Republican state Sen. Joe Gruters, a key Trump ally in the state, was among those who had pushed the president-elects daughter-in-law Lara Trump as their top pick for the Senate seat. Lara Trump removed herself from consideration in December. Still, Gruters praised Moody, calling her a winner here in Florida. Shes very popular. And I think people see the job that she does and they appreciate her work and her effort at trying to ... keep Florida safe, Gruters said ahead of the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moodys appointment opens up a key vacancy in Floridas Cabinet, giving DeSantis another shot at expanding his influence in the state. Speaking to reporters Thursday, DeSantis said he plans to tap his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, for the job. DeSantis will also get to pick a replacement for outgoing Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis, whos leaving his post to run for former Rep. Matt Gaetzs open seat in Congress. ___ Matat reported from West Palm Beach, Florida. Associated Press writer Freida Frisaro in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, contributed to this report. Kate Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Destin High School officials say they were honored to host Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr., along with state board members. When we found out they were actually holding the state board of education meeting here under his direction, of course, we couldnt have been more excited. And so it was really a big deal for us, Destin High School Principal Donna Kelley said. The first state board meeting of 2025 covered a variety of items. Board members heard several presentations from county superintendents, many of which focused on option plans for turnaround schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cold weather emergency shelter opens for those in need in DeFuniak Springs A turnaround school is defined as a school that receives a grade lower than a C. As we presented to the state board a request for a one-year extension on Cedar Grove for its turnaround plan option were very proud of Cedar Grove. Cedar Grove has gone from an F school to a D school, Bay District Schools Superintendent Mark McQueen said. Superintendent McQueen asked the board for an extension to improve the schools grade. What weve asked for is an additional year so that we can ensure that weve met that C or higher grade. And our board is 100% behind the supports and if we have to go a different route, which is an external operator, theyve already approved the contract with Florida Atlantic University to come alongside us to ensure that weve met every requirement for the state of Florida in education, McQueen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state board approved McQueens request, acknowledging that the data Bay District Schools presented shows continued improvement. Were seeing attendance is up. We see the difference between progress monitoring one testing in progress monitoring, two testing. All the students are moving up in their grades, McQueen said. For Bay District Schools the concept of turnaround schools isnt foreign. We had eight schools that were in turnaround status a year ago were down to one Cedar Grove remaining. Certainly, we have Oscar Patterson that just started because it was the first time it was ever tested, McQueen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $32 million Martin Theater renovation project begins For McQueen, Wednesdays board meeting was a success. The state board accepted our plan and strategies. 100% without exception, McQueen added. Cedar Grove Elementary must earn a C grade by the end of the 2025-2026 school or Florida Atlantic University could take over management of the school. 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 mypanhandle.com. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says he's waiting till the last minute to announce his replacement for outgoing U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio because he doesn't want the new person to be "a pinata" for the news media. DeSantis spoke by phone with conservative radio host Erick Erickson Wednesday. Rubio, in office since 2011, was named by President-elect Donald Trump to be the next U.S. secretary of state. He was questioned by U.S. senators as part of the confirmation process earlier in the day and was largely well received. "So I think Senator Rubio is likely going to get confirmed and officially appointed in the afternoon of January 20th," DeSantis said. "Obviously, President Trump takes office at noon on January 20th, so it will be before then. So I would say, stay tuned. ... It's going to be imminent. It's not going to happen today, but it will happen very soon." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor has scheduled a press conference in Orlando Thursday morning at 10 a.m. It is not clear if that will be when he makes the announcement. On Wednesday, DeSantis appeared in Winter Haven to outline his ideas for a special legislative session, scheduled to start Jan. 27, to take on illegal immigration in the state. With him, among others, was Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody, considered one of the leading contenders to replace Rubio. Rubio, DeSantis added, is "still a U.S. senator, and his resignation is not effective until he's actually confirmed and appointed as Secretary of State ... But nevertheless, people were asking (who his replacement was going to be) two months ago." "... I can say, 'this is the person' ... and then there's two months where they're just a pinata, where the media attacks them all the time and they can't fight back. I'm not going to do that; I'm going to wait until closer. So yeah, you guys will hear some news relatively shortly." Gov. Ron DeSantis holds a press conference at the Capitol announcing that he is calling a special legislative session to begin Jan. 27 to address illegal immigration Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. DeSantis previously said he won't name a sitting member of Congress The only other clue the governor recently has dropped has been that he won't pick a sitting U.S. House member, pointing to the slim majority Republicans hold in the U.S. House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been honest with the congress people thats a big concern of mine, DeSantis said Monday. Youve got to be part of the team and youve got to help deliver" on Trumps policies. That was at the press conference in which he announced a special legislative session on immigration and other matters. "But if you put someone there and it reduces the numbers in the House it may make it harder for them to enact an agenda. DeSantis also has said, for instance, he wants to pick someone who will carry out Trumps hardline immigration policies in the Senate. This story contains previously published material. Jim Rosica is a member of the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at jrosica@tallahassee.com. Follow him on X: @JimRosicaFL. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis: Rubio seat Senate pick imminent as Trump inauguration nears BARTOW, Fla. (WFLA) A Florida grandmother was acquitted of manslaughter in the death of her 7-month-old granddaughter, but was convicted on a lesser charge. A jury in Polk County found Tracey Nix guilty of leaving a child unattended in a vehicle longer than 15 minutes causing great bodily harm. However, they determined she was not guilty of aggravated manslaughter of a child. It does sting, said Drew Schock, the victims father. Im thankful though that we did get something. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was relieved to hear that there was going to be accountability and ownership and a conclusion to this part of the story, said Kaila Nix, Tracey Nixs daughter. Kaila Nix had left her 7-month-old baby girl, Uriel Schock, in her mothers care in November 2022. Uriel died after the babys grandmother left her in her car for hours. A medical examiner testified Wednesday she died of hyperthermia. Uriels death was not the first loss suffered by the family. One of the things that we have struggled with through this whole case has been the exclusion of my other story, which is my son who drowned in her care, Kaila Nix said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to a ruling by the judge, jurors did not hear anything about Kaila Nix and Drew Schocks other child, Ezra, who died before Uriel. The 16-month-old drowned in a pond after wandering away while Nix was asleep. The destruction that has come from this process is pretty unfathomable as well, said Kaila Nix after the verdict. My kids are dead but Ive lost a lot more than that. While presenting its case for the aggravated manslaughter of a child charge, the state tried to show Nixs negligence was criminal or culpable. Nixs defense attorney argued the death was an accident. Please dont make this terrible situation worse by convicting Tracey Nix of something that shes not guilty of, said her attorney, Bill Fletcher, during closing arguments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the verdict, Fletcher said he considered the aggravated manslaughter acquittal a win. I want to thank the jury, Fletcher said. They did their job. They made an appropriate decision in this case. We certainly intend to appeal. Fletcher said the judge did not allow intent to be included in jury instructions for the charge for which Nix was convicted. She will be sentenced in April and faces up to five years in prison. 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 Queen City News. The big story: The State Board of Education has a long history of supporting school vouchers in Florida. As part of that program, it routinely has authorized two outside scholarship funding organizations to manage the money. The decision was, as State Board chairperson Ben Gibson put it, a no-brainer. This time around, though, the board stood ready to cancel the contract of AAA, the states smaller scholarship group. Its main concern: AAA officials said they werent willing to approve all the expenses authorized in the state purchasing guide for students with special needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CEO Kim Dyson told the board that her group did not feel comfortable authorizing reimbursement for items such as desks and chairs that were being categorized as instructional materials. That wasnt what state lawmakers intended, Dyson said. Her unwavering stance frustrated board members, who pointed out that lawmakers mandated the purchasing guide, developed by experts at the University of Central Florida, as a way to create consistency for parents. Questions have swirled about what expenses should be eligible since mid-2023. I cannot vote to approve you, because I have no assurance that you are going to follow the law, Gibson told Dyson. Education commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., who as a state senator helped write the voucher laws, was particularly incensed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to break the news, he told Dyson. If the parent is OK with (Florida Virtual Schools course cost) and that is the service they choose, it is your job to pay it. It is not your job to question the board of Florida Virtual. The State Board tabled the renewal, suggesting AAA might be able to resolve the issue before the next board meeting. The board next quickly approved the contract for Step Up for Students, which manages the bulk of Floridas vouchers. Many parents have complained about Step Ups services, which officials said they are working to improve. In other business ... The State Board gave Pasco Countys Cox Elementary an extra year to improve its student performance before requiring outside intervention. Bay Countys Cedar Grove Elementary received a similar reprieve, WMBB reports. Escambia Countys Warrington Middle School also won an extension of its turnaround plan working with a charter operator, WEAR reports. Hot topics Campus closures: The Hillsborough County school district has shuttered a half-dozen schools in the past couple of years. Officials still havent decided what to do with all of them. Dozens of students and teachers urged the Collier County school district not to close Lorenzo Walker Technical High School, the Naples Daily News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cellphones: The Sarasota County school board agreed to resume debate over when students may use cellphones in schools, the Herald-Tribune reports. Charter schools: The city of Hialeah approved a local charter schools expansion into a local park despite neighbors' objections, the Miami Herald reports. Discipline: Brevard County school board members are looking into possible changes for the districts alternative learning centers, Florida Today reports. School board politics: A leader of the Moms for Liberty Volusia County chapter called for the resignation of a school board member over controversial comments the board member made at a summer Moms for Liberty event, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Student shots: The percentage of Florida students entering kindergarten with required vaccinations continues to decline, Health News Florida reports. Superintendents: Alachua County interim superintendent Kamela Patton offered to extend her contract if the school board needs more time to search for a permanent leader, MainStreet Daily News reports. Dont miss a story. Heres a link to yesterdays roundup. Before you go ... Greenland has been in the news lately. Heres a short animation exploring the complicated history of the worlds largest island. Former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn in Clearwater on Dec. 20, 2022. (Photo by Mitch Perry/Florida Phoenix) Former Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn has filed an appeal with the Florida Supreme Court to hear his defamation case against Rick Wilson, the former Florida Republican strategist and prominent Donald Trump critic. Flynn had sued Wilson in Sarasota County for defamation after Wilson referred to Flynn in a 2022 tweet as Putin employee Michael Flynn and retweeted, FYI, Mike Flynn is Q. He was seeking $50 million in damages and a permanent injunction ordering Wilson to stop defaming him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson, a Tallahassee resident and co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, had moved for summary judgement, contending that both of his tweets were opinion or rhetorical hyperbole protected by the First Amendment. In January of last year, a Sarasota County trial judge ruled that Flynn, also a retired lieutenant general, had failed to prove that Wilson had defamed him and granted Wilsons motion and entered judgement in his favor. Flynn appealed the case, but the Florida Second District Court of Appeal (DCA) affirmed the Sarasota County courts decision in December. In that opinion, the judges of the Second DCA had written of Wilsons tweets that [l]ike it or not, such attacks are a characteristic feature of our democracy regardless of the political persuasion of the speaker and regardless of the political persuasion of the public figure on the receiving end of that speech. As the trial court noted, Wilsons tweets may not have been polite, and they may not have been fair. But the First Amendment required neither, and we affirm. However, in a brief filed with the DCA last Friday, Flynn attorney Jared J. Roberts wrote that [t]he decision expressly and directly conflicts with a decision of another district court of appeal or of the supreme court on the same question of law. Correction: An earlier version of this story misrepresented the cases status. The Court has not yet agreed to hear the appeal. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Sen. Marco Rubio and Pam Bondi both appeared before senators Wednesday, Jan. 15 for their confirmation hearings. President-elect Donald Trump, who will be sworn in Monday, Jan. 20, as America's 47th president, nominated them for two key positions: Rubio as secretary of state and Bondi as attorney general. Here's what is next for the two Florida residents. Florida's Pam Bondi to appear before Senate Judiciary Committee today, Jan. 16 Bondi spent a long day Wednesday answering questions before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursday, Jan. 16, she'll appear again before the Judiciary Committee at 10:15 a.m. Who is Pam Bondi? Five Florida moments from her career to remember Next up for Marco Rubio, business meeting Jan. 20 Rubio went before the Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday. On Monday, Jan. 20, which also happens to be Inauguration Day, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee will hold a "business meeting to consider the expected nomination of Marco A. Rubio, of Florida, to be Secretary of State." Who is Marco Rubio? How did Bondi handle Senate questioning? Bondi endured some tough questioning from senators Wednesday. Bondi, Florida's former attorney general, was part of Trump's defense team during his first impeachment. She went to Philadelphia after the 2020 election to argue Trump had won Pennsylvania while votes were still being counted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats acknowledged Bondi was qualified for the attorney general job, but questioned whether she could push back against Trump if there were questions about political interference in prosecutions. When questioned about concerns Trump would go after his political enemies, Bondi was adamant Democrats were the ones politicizing the Department of Justice, and that she would restore neutrality. Bondi had testy exchanges with two Democrats from California, Sen. Adam Schiff and Sen. Alex Padilla. At one point she told Padilla, Im not going to be bullied by you." Rubio got friendlier reception during his confirmation hearing Rubio was greeted warmly by Democrats on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he served for years as a senator from Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was expected to be one of Trumps only Cabinet picks expected to win widespread Democratic support. The son of Cuban immigrants, Rubio would be the first Latino secretary of state. "I believe you have the skills and are well qualified to serve as secretary of State," said New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the ranking Democrat on the committee. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., told Rubio The president made a great decision in choosing you. Im happy to see you there. Youre a thought leader in foreign policy. I think there's largely a feeling that Rubio is going to, as secretary of state, execute the administration's foreign policy while not taking a sledgehammer to the foreign service or a whole host of our diplomatic and foreign policy norms," said Emily Horne, a former spokeswoman for the National Security Council in the Biden administration, before Wednesday's hearing. Schedule of Senate confirmation hearings Thursday, Jan. 16 When is Trump's Inauguration Day? Date and time The inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump will take place on Monday, Jan. 20. He will be sworn in at noon at the Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This coincides with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, making it a national holiday. How to watch or stream Trump's inauguration The major broadcast networks will all air the inauguration live, including ABC, CBS, CNN, CSPAN, Fox News, MSNBC, NBC, and PBS. You also can stream events of the day on: Contributing: Zac Anderson, Francesca Chambers, USA Today This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Senate confirmation hearings: Florida Pam Bondi, Marco Rubio The Chicago area broke out of the deep freeze Thursday afternoon as highs surged into the upper 30s, the warmest temperatures so far this year, despite seeing only a fraction of sunshine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change in temperature from Wednesday was noticeable, as readings were nearly 20-degrees warmer. WGN Weather Center Maps & Interactive Radar Extended 7-Day Forecast 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 WGN-TV. Updated at 5:30pm ET on Jan 17, 2025 One of the most powerful inventions of the 20th century is also an object that no one ever wants a reason to use. The sexual-assault-evidence collection box, colloquially known as the rape kit, is a simple yet potent tool: a small case, perhaps made of cardboard, containing items such as sterile nail clippers, cotton swabs, slides for holding bodily fluids, paper bags, and a tiny plastic comb. Designed to gather and preserve biological evidence found on the body of a person reporting a sexual assault, it introduced standardized forensics into the investigation of rape where there had previously been no common protocol. Its contents could be used in court to establish facts so that juries wouldnt have to rely solely on testimony, making it easier to convict the guilty and exonerate the innocent. The kit, conceived within the Chicago Police Department in the mid-1970s, was trademarked under the name Vitullo Evidence Collection Kit, after Sergeant Louis Vitullo. The Chicago police officer had a well-publicized role in the 1967 conviction of Richard Speck, who had murdered eight student nurses in one night. Vitullos second claim to fame is more complicated. The Secret History of the Rape Kit, a revealing new book by the journalist Pagan Kennedy, doubles as an account of the largely unknown history of the collection boxs real inventora woman named Martha Marty Goddard, whose broader goal of empowering survivors led her to cede credit to a man. In a cruel irony, a woman who drove major social change failed to get her due as a result of politics and sexism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy became obsessed with the rape kit in 2018, after hearing Christine Blasey Ford testify during the confirmation process for Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, and wondered, Had anything ever been specifically invented to discourage sexual assault? Her investigative dive begins in 1970s Chicago, where the womens-liberation movement was gaining ground and the police had a reputation for corruption. The brutality of the police crackdown on protesters at the 1968 Democratic National Convention was still fresh in the public mind. Rape was also rampant throughout the city, Kennedy writesin 1973, according to an article in the Daily Herald, an estimated 16,000 sexual assaults took place, only a tenth of which were reported. And less than 10 percent of those 10 percent led to a criminal trial. In court, the proceedings usually devolved into he said, she said. In 1974, Goddard was a divorcee in her early 30s working for a philanthropic organization that tapped into a local family department-store fortune to help Chicagos needy. The job gave Goddard, whom a friend once described as fucking relentless, access to a wide swath of the people who formed the citys civic backbone. She also volunteered for a teen-crisis center, where she heard stories from runaways who had experienced sexual abuse. Goddard, who grew up with an abusive father and had briefly run away from home as a teenager, became consumed with the question of why so few women reported rapesand why perpetrators were rarely punished. That year, she met with the states attorney Bernard Carey to discuss the failure points in the sexual assault evidence system. He soon appointed her to a new citizens advisory panel affiliated with the citys new Rape Task Force. Goddard thus gained access to the police department and, more important, to its crime lab. She discovered that it was a mess. Cops told her that they didnt even receive usable evidence from the hospital, such as properly collected swabs of semen, saliva, and blood. This was in part because hospital staff had never been trained to collect it properly. But even when police officers did have evidence, they werent always trained to preserve it. Goddard approached Sergeant Vitullo, the crime labs chief microanalyst, with a written description of her vision: a sexual-assault-evidence collection kit. As one of Goddards colleagues told Kennedy, Vitullo screamed at her and told her to leave his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few days later, Kennedy reports, Vitullo invited Goddard back and, to her surprise, showed her a complete mock-up of exactly the box she had described. Both the sergeant and the States Attorneys Office wanted the credit for Goddards idea. As a compromise, Goddard agreed to have the kit recognized as a collaboration among them. Her accommodation was realistic and also strategic. She knew that [Vitullos] name could open doorsand hers couldnt, Kennedy writes. Goddard was a visionary, but she was not a lawyer, a cop, or an expert, and she had no formal experience in forensics. [Read: American law does not take rape seriously] In 1978, a nonprofit group Goddard had formed, Citizens Committee for Victims Assistance, filed a trademark for the Vitullo Evidence Collection Kit. With this move, Goddard had, as Kennedy puts it, seemed to collaborate in her own erasure. That same year, The New York Times noted that the Vitullo kit was being used in 72 hospitals across Chicago, citing Goddard as the kits co-creator. Mentions of her in the media were otherwise glancing at best. Upon Vitullos death in 2006, Kennedy writes, an obituary in a local paper celebrated him as the man who invented the rape kit. Many women inventors have shared a similar fate. This past November, Kay Koplovitz, a co-founder of the business accelerator Springboard Enterprises and the founder of televisions USA Networks, noted in an interview with The New York Times that if a woman co-founder has at least one male co-founder, the woman somehow does not get credit for raising the capital. In science, this phenomenon is so common that it even has a term of art: the Matilda Effect, named for the writer and womens activist Matilda Joslyn Gage. There are scores of examples of the Matilda Effect, but to pick just a couple: Lise Meitner described the theory behind what she named nuclear fission, but credit went to her former lab partner Otto Hahn, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1944. Eunice Newton Foote described the greenhouse effect in 1856, but posterity remembers John Tyndall, who presented his own experiments three years later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every one of these backstories carries its own particular ironies. In Kennedys telling, Goddards obscurity stems from the sacrifices she made for the rape kit to exist. Not only did she relinquish credit for her invention, but she also did all the grunt work to get it out into the worldincluding the fundraising. Conservative philanthropists were just as squeamish as Sergeant Vitullo had initially been about the idea of being associated with sexual shame; the word rape simply carried too much stigma. And so she turned to an organization that had made shamelessness its mission; through her nonprofit, she applied for and received a grant of $10,000 from the Playboy Foundation. I decided, she later said, we had to put aside our feelings for objectification of women in [Playboy] magazine. Taking money from the philanthropic arm of a nudie-magazine publisher turned out to be a canny move. Playboys foundation, also headquartered in Chicago, gave generously to progressive causes. Hugh Hefner, the founder and editor in chief of Playboy, considered the feminist movement a sister cause to his own effort to free men from shame and guilt, Kennedy wrote in The New York Times, in an opinion article that fueled the book. Kennedy does not mention that Hefner was the subject of several accusations of sexual assault, both before and after his death in 2017. (The director Peter Bogdanovich claimed in his book The Killing of the Unicorn, published in 1984, that Hefner sexually assaulted Bogdanovichs late partner, the playmate Dorothy Stratten. Hefner denied the allegation.) Still, when it came to Goddards invention, Playboy stayed true to its public mission, and the organization donated more than money. The magazines graphic artists designed the outer box of the original rape kit to feature a bright-blue line drawing of a womans face swathed in a thick mane of wavy hair. An early Vitullo kit was recently acquired by the Smithsonian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1982, New York City adopted the Vitullo kit, and Goddard commuted to the East Coast to train doctors, nurses, and cops. The Department of Justice paid her to travel to other states that wanted to develop their own rape-kit programs. Goddard invented not just the box but the entire training system, teaching hospital staff and the police to collaborate on evidence collection. Without that essential training to help surmount powerful systemic barriers, the kit would have been uselessand in that sense, the job is still woefully unfinished. Untested rape kits have languished across the country: In 2009, more than 11,000 were discovered abandoned in Detroit; in 2014, Memphis had a backlog of more than 12,000 kits, and 200 more were found in a warehouse. One study estimates that from 2014 to 2018, 300,000 to 400,000 kits remained untested in the United States. Since then, aggressive fundraising efforts with help from survivors, combined with $350 million from the Department of Justice, have whittled down that backlog significantly. [Read: An epidemic of disbelief] Kennedy examines the gaps that still remain in the medical system. In 2021, just over 2,100 Sexual Assault Nurse Examinercertified nurses were registered with the International Association of Forensic Nurses. The examination requires survivors to undergo hours of waiting and testing, and can feel invasive and re-traumatizing. This may be one reason so few peopleonly one-fourth of victimsreport rapes, she writes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these limitations can be traced to a lack of effective innovation in the 50 years since the Vitullo kit was developed. In recent years, several women have conceived of and even sold at-home rape kits that would allow a victim to collect evidence of her assault herself. These ideas and products were met with strong resistanceand in one case, death threats. Detractors argued that self-collected evidence would never be taken seriously by juries. Apparently, accusers were still considered unreliable. Only after COVID made virtual doctor visits a necessity did the push for at-home testing gain a modicum of traction. With an at-home test, the victim received instructions, sometimes via a virtual nurse, on how to swab her own body, collect other physical evidence, and seal the kit. In the late 1980s, Goddard abruptly disappeared from public life and lost contact with friends and family members. Kennedy painstakingly traces the confluence of events that may have led to her decline: In the late 70s, she survived a violent rape while on vacation in Hawaii. A workaholic, she seems to have reached the point of burnout by the end of the decade. Somewhere along the line, she developed a problem with drinking. Kennedy concludes that she bounced around the country, taking odd jobs and drinking heavily, until finally settling in Arizona. Kennedy works deftly with sometimes scant information, weaving her reporting on Goddards life and contribution into the narrative. The result is less a true-crime story, as advertised in the subtitle, than a page-turning mystery. The subject is also personal for Kennedy, who was molested in childhood. She confesses that her book was fueled by rage, pain, and her desire to restore the woman who had believed little girls to her rightful place in history. As Goddards life shrank, the influence of the rape kit grew exponentiallyespecially after DNA fingerprinting was invented in 1984, eventually making it possible to trace a single drop of sperm or blood to a specific person. Evidence stored in the kits, sometimes for decades, allowed cold cases to be solved and wrongful convictions to be overturned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goddards last years were marked by alcoholism, erratic behavior, and diagnoses of dementia and manic depression. In 2015the year of her deatha CNN reporter managed to track Goddard down. The resulting article credited Vitullo with the invention but noted Goddards role in distributing it, describing her as the formidable woman behind the successful man. During the interview, Goddard expressed anger at how her role had been downsized, calling Vitullo an asshole. The sergeant had nothing to do with it, she told the reporter. But those comments never made it into the story, partly because Vitullo was no longer around to defend himself and partly because Goddard struck the journalist as an unreliable witnessa woman who couldnt be believed. Thanks to Kennedys dogged reporting, CNNs story wasnt the final one, and Goddard can step out from the shadows of history. Upon Goddards death, no ceremonies or memorials marked her passing. In accordance with her wishes, there was no funeral or obituary. Nevertheless, her work leaves a remarkable legacy. The rape kit reoriented the public attitude toward survivorsas not potential liars but an eyewitness whose body might reveal real evidence of a violent crime. Yet Kennedys book isnt just the heros journey of a forgotten heroine. It acknowledges that the system works best when it can be improved by those who are most affected by sexual assaultand the women who are willing to risk obscurity or damage to their reputation in order to finish the job Goddard started. This article originally stated that no known photograph of Eunice Newton Foote exists today. In fact, photos of Foote can be found online. Article originally published at The Atlantic EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) -Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney announced on Thursday that he was running to replace Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as leader of the ruling Liberal Party, saying he wanted to focus on the struggling economy. Carney, 59, launched his bid at an event in the western city of Edmonton, casting himself as an outsider who was not part of Trudeau's unpopular government. Trudeau announced his resignation this month amid unhappiness among legislators alarmed by the party's poor polling numbers ahead of an election this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau, who took office in November 2015, will stay on until his replacement is named on March 9. Carney's main rival looks to be former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, whose resignation last month over policy differences led to Trudeau's decision to quit. The new prime minister is unlikely to be in office for long. The minority government could be toppled in Parliament as soon as the end of March, triggering an election that polls indicate the official opposition Conservatives will win. Carney, who was also governor of the Bank of England, is running as an outsider with considerable financial experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am going to be completely focused on getting our economy back on track," he said during his launch speech. "I've helped manage multiple crises, and I've helped save two economies. I know how business works, and I know how to make it work for you." That said, he has close ties to Trudeau, who last September named him as chair of a task force on economic growth. The Conservatives say there is little difference between Carney and Trudeau. "As a long-time Liberal insider, advisor at least as early as 2020 ... Carney is the furthest thing possible from an outsider," the Conservatives said in a statement on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney worked for Goldman Sachs before joining the Canadian finance ministry in 2004. He was named Bank of Canada governor in 2007 and quickly had to deal with the after-effects of the global crisis in 2008. In 2013 he took over as governor of the Bank of England, becoming the first person to ever head two major central banks. After leaving the bank in 2020, he was appointed United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance. He was also a senior executive at Brookfield Asset Management and on the board of companies including bond investor PIMCO and fintech giant Stripe. Carney said he had resigned as the U.N. special envoy and left all commercial posts before launching his Liberal Party leadership bid. "I resigned all my roles ... cut all my ties. I am all in," he said. (Reporting by Amber Bracken in Edmonton and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Mark Porter and Daniel Wallis) By Mark Trevelyan (Reuters) - A former top official in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh protested on the eve of his trial before an Azerbaijani military court on Friday that he had not been given enough time to prepare his defence on 42 charges including terrorism. Ruben Vardanyan, a former billionaire banker who was born in Armenia before making his fortune in Russia, demanded that the case be halted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I once again ... state my complete innocence and the innocence of my Armenian compatriots also being held as political prisoners and demand an immediate end to this politically motivated case against us," he said in a statement released via his family. Vardanyan served as the number-two official in Karabakh from late 2022 until February 2023. Seven months later, Azerbaijan recaptured the enclave where ethnic Armenians had enjoyed three decades of de facto independence since breaking away from Baku's control in a war that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. Vardanyan was arrested when he fled as part of a mass exodus of some 100,000 Armenians from the mountainous territory. Fifteen other people, including several former Karabakh leaders, are also facing trial on various charges including genocide and war crimes, according to Azerbaijani prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The accusations against Vardanyan, all of which he rejects, include torture, gun-running, forcibly deporting people, seizing power by force, and planning and conducting a war of aggression. "During the investigation, Ruben Vardanyans rights to legal defense, the use of his preferred language, and other procedural rights were ensured," prosecutors said in a statement, adding that he had received full access to the case materials. In a statement posted on Telegram by his family, Vardanyan disputed that. "I have been informed that I am facing 42 charges, some of which carry sentences up to life imprisonment. However, I have not been granted the opportunity to fully review the official indictment," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the 422 volumes of the criminal case against him had been presented to him and his lawyer on Dec. 9 in Azerbaijani, a language he does not speak. Vardanyan said he had been detained for more than 470 days, including 340 in solitary confinement and 23 in a punishment cell. But he said he did not bear any anger or hatred, and wanted "true peace" between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. (Additional reporting by Nailia Bagirova and Lucy Papachristou, Editing by Timothy Heritage) Ed Thatcher. Photo courtesy of the city of Mount Pleasant. MOUNT PLEASANT, Texas (KETK) Former Mount Pleasant City Manager Ed Thatcher was indicted by a Titus County Grand Jury on Wednesday after he allegedly made a false entry in a government record. Hawkins police chief resigns, marking third chief to step down in 3 years Thatcher served as the Mount Pleasants city manager from 2019 until he resigned last May. An indictment alleges that on May 7, 2022, Thatcher made a false travel request form that said former city council member Tim Dale had driven 870 miles around the county for council purposes and was requesting reimbursement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Mount Pleasant city employee released this statement: On Jan. 15, 2025, the City of Mount Pleasant was made aware that former City Manager, Ed Thatcher, was indicted by a Titus County grand jury for making a false entry in a governmental record. The indictment stems from an investigation by the Texas Rangers into travel reimbursements issued to city council members. Mr. Thatcher served as city manager from 2019 until his resignation in May 2024. During the investigation of this matter, the City fully cooperated with the Texas Rangers. As this is an ongoing legal matter, the City cannot further comment at this time. Any questions regarding this matter should be directed to the Titus County District Attorneys Office. The City of Mount Pleasant According to the Texas Penal Code, tampering with a government record, which includes making a false entry, is a class A misdemeanor unless the intent is to defraud making it a state jail felony. Thatcher has served in the city governments of Greenville, Garland and Mount Pleasant, according to the BYU Marriott School of Business. In 2022, the North Texas Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration named Thatcher as one of their Public Administrators of the Year. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. TAYLOR MILL, Ky. (FOX 56) A former Kentucky principal accused of providing alcohol to minors was granted diversion by a judge on Wednesday. Anthony Procaccino, 51, was caught on video holding a beer bong as two underage students drank during a New Years Eve party in 2023. RELATED: Northern Kentucky principal accused of drinking with underage students At the time of the incident, the police said the minors ranged from 16 to 17 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kenton County Police Department told FOX 56 that officers began investigating in Oct. 2024, after a teens mother reported the incident. Procaccino, who had previously been principal at White Tower Elementary in Kenton County, was placed on leave from his principal position at Scott High School and resigned the following month. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: According to court documents, Procaccinos charges will be dropped if he completes 12 hours of community service, pays a $100 diversion fee, and completes a critical thinking class. 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 56 News. NEW YORK - Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani reached a settlement with two former Georgia election workers over ownership of his Florida condo and three World Series rings. They had been sought as part of a $148 million judgment against Giuliani. The deal means that a bench trial that had been set to go forward Thursday is no longer needed. Giuliani, 80, was supposed to be the first witness called in a bench trial to determine whether he has to give up his Florida condominium and three World Series rings as part of the defamation judgment against him. They would go to the two former Georgia election workers he defamed. In 2023, a jury awarded Ruby Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss $148 million in a judgment against him for falsely claiming they engaged in a fake ballot processing scheme in Fulton County, Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani did not appear in court Thursday. As the hours ticked by, the witness chair remained empty. "I have reached a resolution" "He gets to keep the New York coop, the Florida condominium, and all his personal belongs," Giuliani attorney Joseph Cammarata said. Giuliani posted a message on social media. "I have reached a resolution of the litigation with the plaintiffs that will result in a satisfaction of the plaintiffs' judgment. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same," the message read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us," plaintiffs Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss said in a statement. "I couldn't be any more proud of him than I am right now," son Andrew Giuliani said outside court Thursday. Giuliani previously found in contempt Just last week, the judge in the case found Giuliani in contempt for failing to turn over some information on some of his assets to the election workers' attorneys. As a result, he was banned from introducing some evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani was also found in contempt last week in Washington, D.C. The judge there found he continued to slander the election workers. NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury How a design concept may help save homes from wildfires SULLIVAN, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) The former mayor of Sullivan was presented the Sagamore of the Wabash, award presented at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday. Clint Lamb, born and raised in Sullivan served on the Park Board and City Council before running for mayor in 2011. Lamb served as the mayor of Sullivan for three terms over 12 years before stepping down in 2023. The city of Sullivan has been everything to me, my entire life, said Clint Lamb. I was very humbled that the governor recognized those efforts during my 12 years as mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his time as mayor, Lamb accomplished many things including turning the former elementary school gym into the Sullivan Civic Center, creating Central Plaza, tearing down blighted properties, and adding new homes and apartments. In addition, major improvements were made to the Sullivan City Pool. Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb presented Lamb with the Sagamore of the Wabash Award on Thursday, January 9th at the Indiana Statehouse. Pictured above: Governor Eric Holcomb, Clint Lamb & his wife Jamie Lamb Pictured above: Clint Lambs award According to their own criteria, Indiana Governors select who will receive the prestigious award. I appreciated (Holcombs) service. I felt like he appreciated mine. But I didnt know it was to the level being declared a Sagamore of the Wabash. The best title I ever had was mayor of my hometown. I am here to tell you it doesnt take a special title to take care of people. And taking care of people to me is what the Sagamore of the Wabash was about, said the former mayor of Sullivan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The award recognizes Lambs enduring dedication to improving the quality of life in Sullivan. I get the recognition, but this isnt about me, said Lamb. This is a truly a reflection of the people that helped mold (me), that served along my side no matter what capacity I was in and as mayor. The relationships and friendships I made all across the state of Indiana, and now I get to work side by side in those communities. Clint Lamb joins a list of honorary recipients of the Sagamore of the Wabash Award, including Astronaut Gus Grisson, David Letterman, Muhammad Ali, and even the fictional character that was created in the state, Garfield. 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 MyWabashValley.com. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Former U.S. Representative Beryl Franklin Anthony Jr. has died at the age of 86. Anthony was an El Dorado native, going on to earn his bachelors degree from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville and a Juris Doctorate from the University of Arkansas School of Law. Former Arkansas congressman Tommy Robinson, who went from lawman to lawmaker, dies at 82 During the start of his political career, he served as assistant attorney general to Attorney General Bruce Bennett. He also served as deputy prosecuting attorney in Union County from 1966 to 1970. He was elected as the prosecuting attorney in 1970. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He served in Congress as a U.S. Representative from 1979 to 1993. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders released a statement focusing on the impacts his career left behind. Former Representative Beryl Anthony, Jr. was equal parts South Arkansas forester, country lawyer, and Capitol Hill insider a potent mix that made him a forceful advocate for Arkansas interests during his 14 years in Congress, Sanders said. Though Anthonys final congressional term ended more than three decades ago, Americans still feel his familys legacy today in areas like trade, infrastructure, and Social Security. Our prayers are with Anthonys wife Sheila, his daughters Alison and Lauren, and everyone else who knew and loved this kind-hearted public servant. Arkansas State Treasurer Mark Lowery dies at the age of 66 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his time of service, Anthony played a role in reconstructing the Social Security trust fund, legislation focused on improving health care, infrastructure and several other issues. 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. Police have arrested two Lowell men, are searching for a third man, and will charge a fourth man in court for stealing a safe from a local VFW Post. Christopher John Silva, 53, and San Sin, 47, are each charged with conspiracy, larceny over $1,200, larceny from building, and breaking into depository, Billerica Police Chief Roy Frost said in a statement on Thursday. Silva faces an additional charge of breaking and entering nighttime, felony. Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a third man, Peter George Poulakos, 32, also of Lowell, Frost said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fourth suspect, a 49-year-old Lowell man, will be summonsed to court at a later date to face charges in connection with the theft. Christopher John Silva, left, and San Sin, both of Lowell, face charges in connection with stealing a safe from a local VFW Post. Police arrested Silva and Sin on Wednesday at a house on Wright Street where both men live in Lowell, prosecutors said Thursday. The men were arrested after Billerica Police and officers from the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council, or NEMLEC, executed a search warrant at the home. Inside the home, police found cash and evidence related to the break-in and theft of the safe, Frost said. Silva and Sin were arraigned on Thursday in Lowell District Court. Both men have significant criminal histories, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Silva was held on $3,500 cash bail on conditions including that he stay away from the VFW Post. Sin was held on $2,500 cash bail on conditions including that he also stay away from the VFW Post. Prosecutors had asked for $7,500 cash bail and the condition that the men stay away from each other, but a judge lifted that condition because Silva and Sin live together. Around 8 a.m. Monday, police were called to the Solomon VFW Post at 12 Phiney St. for a report of a break-in and stolen safe. A janitor who went into the building that morning noticed the safe was missing, Frost said. The bartender said the safe was still inside the location when they left the previous night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evidence at the scene and surveillance video led investigators to a identify a pickup truck that was used to steal the safe away from the VFW, Frost said. Prosecutors said that cobalt wire cutters were used at the scene and that windows to the VFW Post were pried open. Investigators also found footprints in fresh snowfall and a discarded fast food wrapper at the scene. That fast food wrapper was traced back to a a local convenience store, prosecutors said. Security video from the store led police to identify Silva, Sin, and Poulakos as suspects. The suspects allegedly used a saw to cut the safe open and steal the money inside. Investigators later found the safe discarded in a nearby riverbank, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police later found some of the contents of the safe in Silvas room in Lowell, prosecutors said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW PARIS (Reuters) - France plans to hold a conference on Syria in Paris on Feb. 13, the French presidency said in a statement on Thursday. Following a call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Macron's office said the two leaders had discussed the situation in Syria. "The two heads of state reiterated their commitment to supporting a fair and inclusive political transition that respects the rights of all Syrians," the statement said. (Reporting by John Irish, editing by GV De Clercq) PARIS (Reuters) - France said on Thursday it had summoned a senior Venezuelan diplomat in Paris to protest against Caracas' decision to limit the number of French diplomatic personnel in the Latin American country. The foreign ministry said in a statement it would take "reciprocal measures" but did not give details. Venezuela said on Tuesday it would impose restrictions on French, Italian and Dutch diplomats in Caracas and reduce their embassy personnel to just three, citing their governments' "hostile" response to President Nicolas Maduro's inauguration for a third term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This summons follows the Venezuelan regime's decision to reduce the diplomatic presence of the French embassy in Venezuela," France's foreign ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoine said, referring to the summons on Wednesday of the charge d'affaires. "France categorically rejects the allegations of interference made against it." The Dutch government on Wednesday said it had ordered Venezuela to cut its diplomatic staff in the Netherlands from four to two, in response to Venezuela's decision. Italy on Wednesday also summoned Venezuela's chief diplomat in Rome to protest at the move as well as a lack of information on the fate of an Italian national arrested in the Latin American country two months ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "France will take, at national level, all the reciprocal measures it deems necessary," Lemoine said. "France remains in close coordination with its European partners who are also targeted by this decision." Several Western nations have not recognised Maduro's victory in Venezuela's July 2024 presidential election. France, Italy and the Netherlands loudly condemned Maduro's inauguration last week while the United States has offered a $25 million reward for Maduro's arrest. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta and John Irish; Editing by Alex Richardson and Christina Fincher) A new city bus route to Greensboro, North Carolina, is the most desired option for Danville Transit users, according to a study by a Maryland-based firm. The Regional Bus Service Feasibility Study, performed by KFH Group in Rockville, Maryland, found that among around 850 survey participants, nearly two-thirds roughly 63% chose a bus route to Greensboro via Reidsville as the most desired destination. For KFH Senior Transportation Planner Elisabeth Rood, the results make sense. Greyhound used to provide service from Danville to Greensboro but pulled out of the market in 2016, she said. Also, the workforce for some of the major employers in Danville, a lot of that is in North Carolina, Rood told the Register & Bee. Other route destinations survey participants wanted included those from Danville to Lynchburg via Altavista, Gretna and Chatham (16.3%), Martinsville (15.98%) and South Boston (13.5%). Danville Transportation Director Marc Adelman said of the studys results, The recommendations are consistent with the survey results. Its very understanding the consultant would recommend initiating regional bus service to Greensboro due to the popularity of Greensboro for our customers. Lee Vogler, a Danville city council member and chair of the Danville-Pittsylvania Regional Industrial Facility Authority, said the results showing Greensboro the top choice for respondents made a lot of sense. Anecdotally, Ive heard that for a long time, Vogler said. People work down towards Reidsville and Greensboro. Its not shocking that the biggest demand would be for those areas. According to the study, the services main route would provide service between the Greensboro station and the Danville Transit Center, with a stop at Walmart in Reidsville. Passengers who would want to go to the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill could transfer to a Danville Transit vehicle at West Main Street and Edgewood Drive at the existing bus shelter, the presentation recommends. The connecting vehicle would travel directly to the megasite. RIFA is paying for the $75,826 study. The survey was conducted from mid-September through October last year. Surveys were distributed on board Danville Transit vehicles, at the Danville Transit Center downtown and online. Rood said KFH is still finishing up the overall study, which began in late August. According to the study presented to members of the RIFA board during their meeting Monday, KFH received 729 completed hard-copy surveys and 130 electronic surveys filled out online by a variety of people. But the survey wasnt the only part of the study. It also included discussion with stakeholders including the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation, North Carolina Department of Transportation-Integrated Mobility Division, Caesars Virginia, Danville Office of Economic Development and Tourism, Microporous and other entities. Microporous is the lithium-ion battery manufacturer that plans to bring more than 2,000 jobs and invest $1.3 billion to bring a battery-separator project to the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill in southwestern Pittsylvania County. Vogler said the regional bus service would help attract employers by making it easier for their potential workers from other areas to get to Danville, the megasite and other industrial parks in the Dan River Region. Its a needed service, he said. Its something that will help us in our recruitment efforts for economic development. Adelman agreed. This service should improve transportation access and help out with economic development, he said. With the casino and the megasite, theres a lot of job opportunities coming. Other aspects of the study included examining whether the city has enough resources to support the expansion of bus service and determine what is needed to offer it. According to the study, Monday through Friday regional bus service would cost $94,669 annually, while the same service adding Saturday to the schedule would cost a total of $113,231 per year. The study also examined vehicle maintenance, communications and storage of buses to respond quickly to possible wrecks or other incidents. In addition, KFH looked at the number and types of buses needed to offer the regional service. The study recommended a start-up schedule including one morning round trip, an afternoon/evening round trip, with service days to include either Monday through Friday or Monday through Saturday. It also recommended having the schedule accommodate a 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift at the Southern Virginia Megasite at Berry Hill. The regional bus service, operated by Danville Transit, could include one bus in operation and another for back-up, the study recommended. Those two new vehicles would cost a total of $507,170 to purchase. Additional bus shelters and signs would also bring costs, the study pointed out. Microporous also indicated a desire to have service begin in January 2027, Rood said in the presentation. During her presentation, Rood said the North Carolina Department of Transportations Integrated Mobility Division planned to operate its own intercity bus route between Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Danville to re-instate intercity bus travel along the U.S. 29 corridor. The service, to be called the Triad-Danville Connector, will be operated by Sunway Charters and will meet one morning and one afternoon/evening Virginia Breeze bus in Danville, she pointed out in her presentation. This will be a useful supplement to any regional commuter service offered, as there will be one morning and one afternoon trip, her presentation pointed out. This route is being operated on a trial basis, subject to change based on demand and funding. Voice messages left for officials with the North Carolina Department of Transportation were not returned by deadline Tuesday. As for the Danville Transit regional bus service, the presentation pointed out that local funding may be needed to pay for most of it. The next recommended steps after the study include Danville Transit submitting a grant application to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to buy two 28-passenger service expansion buses. If the grant is awarded, Danville Transit would need to order the vehicles by July because their delivery would take about 18 months. A previous plan initiated by the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center pursued an expanded bus service to other parts of Pittsylvania County and the region several years ago. But that proposal never came to fruition. Newly appointed French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou survived a no-confidence vote on Thursday after the opposition Socialist Party chose not to back the motion. In the surprise turn of events, most Socialist lawmakers decided not to withdraw their confidence in Bayrou's government unlike their left-wing allies, including the Greens and the Communists. The vote was requested by the leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party on Tuesday evening, shortly after Bayrou's first government address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bayrou's minority government may now be able to rely on the support of the Socialists for future plans - and thus avoid becoming dependent on the far-right bloc led by Marine Le Pen. His predecessor Michel Barnier was rejected by the entire left-wing camp in France. Only the right-wing nationalists tolerated his minority Cabinet. However, when Le Pen's parliamentary group withdrew support over a dispute on the planned austerity budget, Barnier was toppled after just three months in office. As a result, France does not have a budget yet for 2025. Socialist party leader Olivier Faure emphasized that their support for the government would not be unconditional. However, he stressed the importance of a strong European response to the tense global situation, warning that France must not fall into the hands of the far right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To win over the Socialists, Bayrou earlier this week granted labour groups three months to propose a fairer pension plan. This would replace the controversial reform pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron, which sparked mass protests across France in 2023. The political turmoil in France further weakens Macron's precarious political standing as his bloc does not command a majority in the National Assembly. There are three large blocs in the National Assembly - Macron's centrist one, the left-wing one and Le Pen's one dominated by her National Rally party - none of which has an absolute majority. France's new Prime Minister Francois Bayrou is set to face a no-confidence vote in the Paris parliament on Thursday afternoon. If successful, this would mean the collapse of the newly formed centre-right government, established just before Christmas, and it would further weaken French President Emmanuel Macron. Although it is expected that it will survive the vote, the move highlights the instability of the government, which does not command a majority in the National Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vote was requested by the leftist France Unbowed (LFI) party on Tuesday evening, shortly after Bayrou's first government address. The Greens have already announced they will vote against the government. The right-wing nationalists indicated that they might not withdraw their support from the government initially. The Socialists, on whose tacit approval Bayrou might be hoping to rely after he extended an olive branch to them on pension reform in his government address, initially continued to threaten to vote against the government. In a similar vote in December, the LFI, other parties from the left-wing camp and the right-wing nationalists led by Marine Le Pen brought down the government of Michel Barnier, Bayrou's predecessor, in the National Assembly during a dispute over an austerity budget. As a result, France does not have a budget yet for 2025. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) The Franklin Regional Medical Center is experiencing double the joy. Two of its nurses, Jenna Johnston and Katelyn Smith Sams, recently welcomed baby girls only 20 minutes apart from one another, the hospital said. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: But representatives said Johnston and Sams are not only coworkers but also close friends. (Franklin Regional Medical Center) [They] shared this unforgettable milestone, filling our hospital with extra love and happiness. Their daughters will grow up together, just like their moms have supported each other through life and work, Franklin Regional Medical Center said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Happy Birthday, Landry Micah and Caroline Lynne. 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 56 News. CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) A Franklin County 911 dispatcher was honored for his role in delivering a baby in the field. According to Franklin County, Franklin County Department of Emergency Services 911 telecommunication Kaleb Longe was awarded the Stork Award by County Commissioners and the Emergency Health Services Federation for assisting in the delivery of a baby. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest To be eligible for the Stork Award, EMS personnel must deliver a baby before arriving at the hospital and assist with patient care during the birth, according to Franklin County. The County said that on Dec. 9, 2024, Longe answered a 911 call for a Washington Township woman in active labor. Longe quickly dispatched appropriate EMS resources to the callers location and instructed them through a prehospital delivery of a baby boy. Photo from Franklin County Our 911 telecommunicators are special individuals who are trained to handle stressful situations each and every day, said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst. Sometimes a situation might be the worst day of a callers life, and dispatchers like Kaleb have to react quickly, calmly and professionally. Fortunately in this case, the call had a happy ending and were grateful that Kaleb successfully helped welcome a new life into the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 ABC27. FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The Chief of the Frederick Police Department (FPD) released new details on Monday regarding the investigation into the shooting and barricade incident at the Super 8 Hotel in 2024. On Aug. 1, just before midnight, several Frederick police officers and deputies with the Frederick County Sheriffs Office (FCSO) were called to the Super 8 located on Monocacy Boulevard to locate a man from Pennsylvania wanted for child sexual assault and abuse charges. There, authorities learned the man, 45-year-old Jack Primmer was registered as a guest at the hotel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Frederick County Sheriffs Office releases body-worn camera footage of officers shooting wanted Pennsylvania man When officers arrived, Primmer barricaded himself in the room and refused to come out, according to the FCSO. He also stated that he had a gun. A Frederick City police officer positioned outside the hotel noticed Primmer standing at the window, pointing a gun at officers and bystanders, according to the FPD. In response, the officer fired one shot, hitting Primmer. He was arrested and taken to the hospital for treatment. Primmer was later extradited to Pennsylvania. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Frederick County officials identify officers who fired weapons, wanted Pennsylvania man who was injured at Super 8 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No police officers or deputies were injured during the incident. After conducting a separate investigation, the Maryland State Police found that the officer who shot Primmer acted in accordance with law and departmental policy, according to the FPD. Chief Lando released a statement on Jan. 13, 2025, and noted that officers worked swiftly to ensure the safety of the public. Upon reviewing the body camera footage, which was released by the Frederick County Sheriffs Office, I was impressed by how calm all of the deputies and officers were in the face of a tense, uncertain, and rapidly evolving situation. They worked quickly to ensure the safety of the public, apprehend the suspect, and immediately render aid to him, said Lando in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. KENTWOOD, Mich. (WOOD) Mental health is an issue that impacts almost everyone at one point or another, but for certain groups of people, the challenges are felt on a much deeper level. The rates for suicide for our veterans is 57% higher compared to those for nonveterans and also about 1 in 4 active-duty members do experience greater mental health challenges, said Casie Pickart, the behavioral health grants project director for Hope Network. Both Pickarts parents and brother served in the military, so shes seen firsthand the need for more support and early intervention within the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grand Rapids coffee shop provides space for veterans and art Weve trained over 6,000 individuals in mental health first aid over the past few years, Pickart said. Across the state of Michigan, weve trained K-12, higher ed, really anyone can benefit from this training, but this is something at Hope Network we saw that there was a need in the community. The nonprofit is now taking those efforts a step further, partnering with the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) to host a series of mental health first aid trainings specifically for military members, active duty, veterans and their families. A mental health first aid training seminar for military veterans and their families held in Kentwood on Jan. 15, 2025. We really compare this training to CPR, but this is for individuals who are in a crisis or a mental health crisis and so its just as important that everyone is trained in CPR as this mental health first aid, Pickart explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the biggest challenges, according to training organizers, is the stigma. When youre serving in the military youre told to just suck it up, pull yourself up by your bootstraps, get going, you dont have time to really think about whats going on in your head or what youve done, your experiences in the military, how theyve affected you, said Erika Hoover, manager of the MVAAs mental health and suicide prevention section. A veteran herself, Hoover utilizes therapy to address her own mental health challenges. Though she believes there are a lot of resources for the military community, she added it can be difficult for people to navigate and get connected to those resources. A mental health first aid training seminar for military veterans and their families held in Kentwood on Jan. 15, 2025. Retreat offers sanctuary, escape for veterans Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats what (the MVAA) exists for and thats what other folks like our great partners are here for and I have confidence that we can tackle this issue, Hoover said. The training program is intended for adults to learn how to assist and support members of their community who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use challenge. It specifically addresses the relevance of mental health to military culture, information on risk factors such as mental and physical trauma faced by many service members and their families, how to break down stigma, and how to reach out to those who suffer in silence and are reluctant to seek help. Our veteran community is so strong. I mean you can throw a rock and find somebody that serves veterans or wants to serve veterans. We just need the ability to know how to come together and where those resources exist, Hoover said. There are two more training sessions on Jan. 22 in Detroit and Jan. 28 in Bay City. Both are sold out, but because this is a pilot program, theres a chance more could be held in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If one person is saved from any of these trainings its worth every single second that we put into it, Hoover said. Veterans looking to get connected to local resources and benefits can contact the MVAA at 1.800.MICH.VET (642.4838). If you experience an emotional crisis and need immediate help, the Veterans Crisis Line can be reached by dialing 988 and pressing 1. You can also text 838255 or chat with a qualified responder 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 WOODTV.com. By Makini Brice, Elizabeth Pineau and Dominique Vidalon PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou passed the first test of his new minority government on Thursday as he survived a vote of no-confidence called by the hard left after the centre-left Socialist Party did not back the motion. The far-right National Rally (RN) party of Marine Le Pen had already signalled it would not support the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It means President Emmanuel Macron's government lives to fight another day without being solely reliant on the far-right's grace. But Bayrou's administration remains weak, and still faces an uphill battle to pass the 2025 budget that led to the ouster of his predecessor, Michel Barnier. On Thursday, 131 lawmakers voted in favour of the motion - well short of the 288 votes that were needed. "The required majority has not been reached, the motion is not adopted," National Assembly President Yael Braun-Pivet said. Question marks had hung over the Socialists' position. Bayrou has sought their support to avoid being left reliant on the RN, including by offering to re-negotiate a 2023 pension reform disliked by the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We will not censor you (today)," Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure had told Bayrou as the debate started at the National Assembly. The political instability in France, which had four prime ministers last year, has rattled markets. Faure had previously said Bayrou's pledge to re-open talks on pension reform was not enough, and that his party would back the no-confidence vote in the absence of a clear response to their demands. To win over the Socialists, Bayrou detailed in a letter a series of further concessions ranging from scrapping a cut in state medical reimbursements, increasing hospital spending more than previously budgeted and dropping plans to axe 4,000 teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bayrou also agreed to keep concessions his predecessor Barnier had already made, including shelving an electricity tax hike and raising all pensions in line with inflation at a cost of 3.6 billion euros ($3.7 billion). Bayrou also committed to push ahead with a series of tax hikes worth 21 billion euros that Barnier had planned, namely on the wealthy and big companies. ($1 = 0.9705 euros) (Reporting by Makini Brice, Sophie Louet and Elizabeth Pineau; Editing by Timothy Heritage, GV De Clercq and Toby Chopra) (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Francois Bayrou survived his first no-confidence motion in Frances highly fractious parliament on Thursday as the far-right and Socialists abstained in the vote. Most Read from Bloomberg In a National Assembly with 577 lawmakers, just 131 supported the far-lefts proposal to oust the new premier. There was little doubt over the outcome after Marine Le Pens lawmakers who form the single largest party in the lower house already said they would not attempt to evict Bayrou only a month into his tenure and before knowing his concrete proposals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the indirect support of the Socialist Party marked a shift in their position and a victory for the premier after those lawmakers played a pivotal role in the downfall of his predecessor, Michel Barnier. If their partial backing endures, Bayrou stands a far greater chance of passing the budget and surviving other censure motions in the coming weeks and months, whatever the far right decides. Restoring some stability to government is imperative to salvage France from a crisis over its public finances. When Barnier was voted out of office in December it left the country with no full budget, a gaping deficit and only bare-bones legislation to avoid a shutdown. The instability fueled sell-offs in French assets that have pushed up the sovereign borrowing costs relative to peers and made the budget equation even harder to resolve. There are also growing economic costs as consumer and business confidence slumps. Bayrou, a veteran centrist who has worked with both the left and the right, was well placed to seek compromise in a National Assembly where no group has a majority after President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections last summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike Barnier, who tried and failed to court the clemency of Le Pens National rally, Bayrou has instead focused on appeasing the 66 lawmakers in the Socialist group with a series of concessions. Still, the Socialists who abstained in Thursdays no-confidence vote have not written Bayrou a blank check. The future of their tacit support will depend in part on changes he makes to the 2025 budget plan and, crucially, to what extent he allows an unwinding of Macrons contested 2023 pension law that raised the retirement age. The next no-confidence vote will likely come when Bayrou attempts to push finance bills through parliament, as soon as the end of January. We are in opposition and will remain so, but we dont believe in sustaining confusion whose only effect is to make the far-right the only alternative, Socialist Party chief Olivier Faure said. By not censuring your government as it takes its first steps, we are not saying we do have confidence in you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other parties in the leftist New Popular Front alliance stuck to their outright opposition to the government, including the Greens and the Communists. The Socialist Party has fractured the New Popular Front, but they are capitulating alone, France Unboweds founder, Jean-Luc Melenchon, said on X. We will continue the fight. To preserve some kind of deal with the left, Bayrou has convened emergency talks between labor unions and business groups to negotiate changes to Macrons pension reform, before the increase in the minimum retirement age to 64 from 62 is fully implemented. While Socialists initially welcomed the move, they also objected to Bayrous condition that Macrons reform will still apply if the negotiations fail. The premier has sought to allay some of their concerns by pledging that parliament would still have a say if there isnt full agreement in the union talks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will give negotiations every chance, but nobody should be fooled: If we have the impression the debate is locked and doesnt fully explore alternatives, we will propose a censure motion, Faure said. If Bayrou can keep the implicit backing from the Socialists, it also strips power from Le Pen, whose lawmakers would hold the deciding votes if the entire left reunites to censure the government in the future. To escape their shameful alliance with the far-left, the Socialists have accepted to believe in your lies on revising Macrons flagship reform, National Rally vice-president Sebastien Chenu said, addressing Bayrou at the National Assembly. The Socialists are helping you win some time. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Bloomberg L.P. PARIS (Reuters) - The French centre-left Socialist party will not back a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's government, Le Figaro reported on Thursday, citing an intra-party meeting. Dozens of far-left lawmakers have put forward a no-confidence motion against Bayrou, which he is expected to survive amid concessions on pension reform and education that were bids to win over the left. The lawmakers are expected to have a debate and vote on the motion later on Thursday. (Reporting by Sophie Louet; Editing by Makini Brice; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten) Scientists in northwest Wyoming found remnants of an ancient forest, frozen in ice on a barren tundra in northwest Wyoming. Uncovering the rest of the story is a race against time. An Ancient Forest Exposed The ghostly fallen trees and stumps were revealed in a melting ice patch in the Bearfoot Plateau, an area that contains some of the oldest exposed rock on Earth and is known for rugged mountains, glaciers and vast treeless tundra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We dated those trees and found out they were established sometime between five and six thousand years ago," David McWethy, an associate professor in earth sciences at Montana State University, said in an interview Wednesday. And so this was kind of a big striking moment where we're saying, hey, there's a mature forest growing here 5,000 years ago, where there are no trees today," The site is nearly 700 feet above the current tree line. The find was detailed in a paper published Dec. 30 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Logs poke out of a melting patch of ice against a clear blue sky. Why Are The Trees There? McWethy said tree ring records from the area indicate they grew during a warm period in Earth's climate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So that allowed these trees to move up slope," he said. "It allowed a really large mature forest to grow, and we think that a lot more of these forests were all over the plateau during that time period." Research has shown the warm period ended in abrupt cooling connected to volcanic activity in Iceland. That left the dead trees encapsulated in ice. 'Time Is Running Out' The research on the ice patch was prompted by an earlier discovery of 10,000-year-old tools and other relics that indicated a human presence. There could be other frozen secrets in the area, that like this one could help shed light on the past and the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We really need to make a strong effort right now to look at these ice patches," McWethy said. "Because things are rapidly melting out of them, and once those organic materials hit daylight they degrade within years, or even within a year." Science shows the fast rate of melting is fueled by human-caused climate change that's making Earth warmer. "We just have a few years to try to look at these archives and learn what we can from them before they're gone," McWethy said. MORE ON WEATHER.COM -What A Ring Around The Moon Might Mean For Your Weather -How Weather Fueled The LA Wildfires -The Science Behind Fallstreak Formations Weather.com staff writer Jan Childs covers breaking news and features related to weather, space, climate change, the environment and everything in between. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) Deere & Co. unfairly forces farmers to visit authorized dealers to repair their equipment, resulting in higher prices than if they could fix it themselves or get help from independent shops, the Federal Trade Commission claims in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday with the attorneys general of Illinois and Minnesota. The Moline, Illinois-based manufacturer produces repair software that is available only to its dealers, making it impossible for owners to seek less-costly remedies, according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Rockford, Illinois. The action comes as the FTC has stepped up enforcement actions in the final days of President Joe Biden's administration. Deere & Co. said in a statement that the lawsuit was based on a flagrant misrepresentation of the facts and fatally flawed legal theories." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint claims that the unfair steering practice has boosted Deere's multibillion-dollar profits on agricultural equipment and parts while burdening practitioners "who rely on affordable and timely repairs, FTC Chairperson Lina M. Khan said in a prepared statement. Khan said farmers should be "free to repair their own equipment or use repair shops of their choice lowering costs, preventing ruinous delays, and promoting fair competition. Farmers for decades were able to fix their tractors and combines themselves or take them to nearby repair shops. With increased computerization in the past few decades, Deere, the dominant industry player, made its high-tech repair tool available only to authorized dealers, who invariably eschew generic parts for higher-priced Deere parts, according to the FTC. The company refuses to share information with independent software developers that's necessary to build their own tools, a common practice in the automotive and trucking industries, the FTC said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys General Kwame Raoul of Illinois and Keith Ellison of Minnesota, both Democrats, joined in the lawsuit. Deere has made it virtually impossible for farmers themselves or independent repair shops to fully repair Deere equipment, which forces farmers to rely on authorized Deere dealers, which can be more expensive, slower, and for some a long distance away from farms, Ellison said in a statement. Deere & Co. asserted the FTC ignored the company's long-standing commitment to customer self-repair and announced an addition this week to its suite of digital solutions available for customers to do their own repairs. Deere Vice President Denver Caldwell said in a statement that the company was actively involved in settlement negotiations with the FTC and said it was still answering commission questions when the lawsuit hit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those discussions revealed that the agency still lacked basic information about the industry and John Deeres business practices and confirmed that the agency was instead relying on inaccurate information and assumptions, Caldwell said. Public pressure for self-repair has grown. A 2023 right to repair law in Colorado forces manufacturers to provide manuals, software, tools and parts to farmers who want to get their tractors running again themselves. A similar law that year in Minnesota exempts farm equipment. The Minnesota Farmers Union has been pressing lawmakers to remove that exception, union president Gary Wertish said. The lawsuit, which the FTC approved on a 3-2 vote, fits a flurry of activity issuing consumer refunds, taking enforcement actions against companies the agency accuses of deceptive practices and finalizing rules it deems necessary to make the marketplace fairer leading up to Monday's inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has named Andrew Ferguson, one of the FTCs five commissioners, to be the next chairperson. Ferguson joined Commissioner Melissa Holyoak in voting against the Deere lawsuit, saying it carries "the stench of partisan motivation and was taken in haste to beat President Trump into office. ___ Associated Press reporter Steve Karnowski in Minneapolis contributed. PHILADELPHIA (AP) Fugitive accused of assaulting a Pennsylvania student is in US after being extradited from France, federal officials say. Canada is preparing billions of dollars in retaliatory import taxes on American products if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on his tariff threats. Outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the potential retaliation would be spread across the whole of the U.S. and that everything is on the table, speaking on Wednesday at a meeting with provincial leaders in Ottawa. Trump has previously threatened to use economic force and impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian imports, a threat which he has linked to the smuggling of fentanyl and illegal migration across the U.S.-Canada border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also previously and repeatedly said it would be a great idea for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state, prompting Trudeau to retort that there is not a snowballs chance in hell of that happening. A blanket U.S. tariff on Canadian imports would hit Canadas oil industry particularly hard since it exports the majority of its crude oil to the U.S., according to official statistics. It would also potentially increase energy prices for Americans. About 60 percent of the U.S.s crude oil supply comes from Canada, along with almost all of its natural gas, large amounts of its electricity imports, and uranium for nuclear power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Tariffs] will mean higher gas prices, it will mean higher food prices, it will mean higher natural gas prices for heating peoples homes, said Canadas Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson, speaking to the Associated Press. Orange juice is reported to be among the list of products that would be targeted in any Canadian response, which might also include toilets and steel products. The choice of Floridas most famous export is a symbolic one, perhaps designed to draw attention to Donald Trump and voters in one of his home states. Canada only imports around 360 tons of the orange stuff annually, a drop in the ocean of the nearly three million tons that the U.S. produces annually. Canada has previously imposed tariffs on yogurt from Wisconsin and whiskey from Kentucky. Home inspectors check the burners on a gas stove in military housing in Fort Knox, Ky., in this photo from 2019. (Photo by Eric Pilgrim/U.S. Army) Nitrogen oxide fumes pour into my kitchen when I turn on my gas stove. This happens every time I light a burner to boil water or fry an egg, and the pollution soon reaches levels which are harmful to my heart and lungs. Most Maryland and Montgomery County homes using gas stoves have the same problem. Commercial kitchens are required to have huge exhaust fans but my typical home kitchen fan is way too small to do the job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, Montgomery County has a great opportunity to phase out harmful gas appliances from multifamily buildings. Your opinion matters Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@marylandmatters.org. We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Views of writers are their own. Pollution from gas stoves causes asthma and heart disease and gas stoves should be a thing of the past. In 2022, the American Medical Association advised that all homes should change from gas to electric stoves because of the risks of asthma for children. Asthma is a leading reason for children missing school. In addition to polluting the air in the home, gas appliances and pipes frequently leak methane, an important cause of global warming. Leaks can also lead to explosions. In February, the Montgomery County Council will be voting to require existing multifamily and other large commercial buildings to become more energy efficient. Aging gas stoves, hot water heaters and furnaces would be replaced as they wear out with efficient electric induction stoves or heat pumps. These replacements will happen over 10 or more years, and building owners will get financial and technical help from county government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only would getting rid of gas appliances bring health benefits, but highly efficient appliances will reduce energy costs for families living in multifamily buildings. The county regulations, called the Building Energy Performance Standards, would apply to larger multifamily buildings as well as other commercial buildings. The health benefits to lower-income renters would be important. Black children visit emergency rooms for asthma five times more often than do white children. Renters cannot replace gas stoves in their apartments so we need the BEPS regulations to help landlords make the transition from gas appliances. Many cooks like their gas stoves, but modern electric induction stoves give excellent control for cooking and are extremely energy efficient. In 2022, Montgomery County passed a law requiring all new homes to be built with electric stoves, water heaters and HVAC systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am lucky to own my own home in Bethesda. In 2024, I replaced my aging gas hot water heater with an efficient electric heat-pump water heater, with the financial and technical help of the Montgomery County Electrify MC program. As my gas stove and gas furnace age, I will be replacing them with modern electric units. We owe it to lower-income families that rent apartments to provide them these same health benefits. The Montgomery County Council should pass the BEPS regulations to improve the health of our children and the environment. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) The Big Country has hosted many remarkable air shows over the years, and this year, Dyess Air Force Base is thrilled to welcome back a special guest for its highly anticipated Wings Over West Texas event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States Air Force Thunderbirds Demonstration Team will make a return to the airshow after a decade-long absence from the Key City. Major Zachary Taylor, also known as Thunderbird 32, shared that the visit to Dyess Air Force Base on Wednesday was part of the teams meticulous preparations for the event. The team is actually deployed in the middle of the desert in New Mexico, flying twice a day, seven days a week, to get ready. I am here to make sure that when they get here, everythings safe, whether thats an obstacle that you wouldnt expect to see on the map or airfield layout. Were looking at runway conditions, taxiway conditions, Taylor explained. PHOTOS: Big Country Air Fest 2024 honors women in aviation The Thunderbirds serve as a representation of the Air Force, showcasing its excellence and capabilities. The team plans to feature a variety of aircraft, formations, and precision maneuvers during the show. Major Taylor emphasized that their work is a precise science, reflecting the dedication and skill of the Air Force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It takes a team of 135 people to get the six jets airborne. Youre in two cities every week, flying daily in formations too close for comfort. 18 inches is very, very close, Taylor said. Were going to show you the pride, the precision, and the professionalism of the United States Air Force through an aerial display. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the show to happen, the planes cant simply arrive on the day of the event. Captain Hannah Durbin, from the 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs, explained that careful logistical planning is essential to make it all happen seamlessly. Normally, we host B-1 Bombers in the C-130 cargo aircraft here, and were going to have at least ten different types of aircraft that we dont normally support. So, we just have to make sure that the runway is ready and that we have hangar space available for the aircraft that require it. Its a huge security lift to make sure that everything stays protected and that the air show remains safe, Durbin said. Welcoming the ones who serve: New Dyess airmen tour Abilene hot spots The airshow is set for April 19 and 20 and will be open to the public. Both days are set to feature the same schedule of events, ensuring everyone has a chance to enjoy the show. Captain Durbin added that this event provides a rare opportunity for the community to experience something typically restricted from public view. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We get to open our gates to the local community and invite thousands of people that normally dont get access to the base and to see what we do on to the base. Normally, you have to have someone sponsor you and come on. But here were saying, please come out to our shows, Durbin said. Click here for more details about the Wings Over West Texas Airshow. More information is expected to be released as the airshow gets closer. 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. BROOKSVILLE, Fla. (WFLA) Three of the five men charged in a gang-related homicide that took place back in 2021 have entered a plea. According to the Hernando County Sheriffs Office, on July 13, 2021, officers responded to a call in the area of Silent Breeze St. and Wolf Road. At the scene, police said they discovered the body of John Michael Colon lying on the ground near the rear passenger door of a Volkswagen Jetta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An autopsy determined his cause of death to be homicide. According to police, their initial investigation revealed that the victim was a member of a nationally recognized criminal gang called The Latin Kings. Police said that Colon wanted to leave the gang and was killed in a required stripping of his membership or a beating done by other gang affiliates. The Latin King gang members who were involved were arrested by HCSO and charged with 3rd degree murder, aggravated battery, and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery. So far, three of the five members have entered a guilty plea. They are Reynol Gonzales Jr, 27, Hector Robles, 48, and Reynaldo Fonseca, 33. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remaining 2 members, Jimmy Nguyen, 31, and Shayne A. White-Gracteroly, 33, are still awaiting trial. 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. When President-elect Donald Trump landed at the Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport back in October, he used a unique prop: a garbage truck decked out in the Trump campaign logo. That moment went viral, and it will now be revisited again on Monday, for Inauguration Day. Three Trump-decaled trucks are expected to make an appearance Monday near the U.S. Capitol when Trump is sworn into office. One truck will be driven during the Inauguration's parade, while the other two will be on display. President-elect Donald Trump takes questions from the press conference Oct. 30 from inside garbage truck at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport in Ashwaubenon. The trucks are being provided by Loadmaster, a truck manufacturing company in Norway, Michigan, which is about 100 miles north of Green Bay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ethan Brisson, the sales and marketing manager for Loadmaster, confirmed the accommodations with the Press-Gazette, and recounted the day they were contacted to get a truck for the now elected president who he was headed to a campaign event at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon. Republican candidate Donald Trump prepares to hold a press conference Oct. 30 from inside a garbage truck at Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport in Ashwaubenon. "A guy that worked for a large waste hauler in Wisconsin contacted our office. He's very involved with the Wisconsin GOP," Brisson told the Press-Gazette. "My brother took the phone call and basically just brought a truck down there." Days earlier at a Trump rally in New York, one speaker referred to Puerto Rico as a "floating island of garbage." President Joe Biden responded to that comment by appearing to refer to Trump supporters as "garbage." The garbage truck was Trump's response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The original truck, which will be in D.C., was then displayed in Indianapolis, because that was the location of the dealer who owned the truck. All three trucks are already in D.C. for the inauguration. Brisson said his brother, Andrew, who is the vice president of Loadmaster, will drive the truck during the inauguration parade. "It's a big thing for us. We're kind of a smaller company and it's a lot of press for us," Ethan Brisson said. "We're just trying to get our name out there." During the speech, Trump wore an orange safety vest that was provided by Andrew Brison, who bought it from a local Fleet Farm. They had wanted the vest back as a memento, but Trump wore it on the plane leaving the Green Bay area that night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rashad Alexander can be reached at ralexander@gannett.com and 920-431-8214. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Garbage truck Donald Trump rode in Green Bay will be at inauguration GARY, Ind. A man was shot and killed by police inside a home in northwest Indiana over the weekend during a call about a family dispute, officers said Wednesday. Police said the incident unfolded just before 5 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, inside a home in the 2300 block of Waverly Drive, in Gary. Officers initially responded to the home following a call by a mother about a family dispute involving her son, a 23-year-old man from Gary who has not been identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPD offers warning to South Side residents after string of robberies on CTA buses When officers arrived on the scene, the mans mother met officers at the front door and told them that her son had guns and was inside the home. Officers entered the home and encountered the man, who was allegedly armed with a gun in each hand. Officers said they attempted to reason with the man and asked him to set the weapons down, but he allegedly appeared upset with his mother and made threatening statements toward her and the officers. Plane crash in Ogle County sparks ISP investigation According to police, amid the confrontation, the man allegedly posed a threat to the mother and officers on the scene, which caused an officer to open fire on him. Police have not said what exactly the man did to pose a threat to the officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the shooting, officers were able to subdue the man and disarm him. Fire officials were then called to the scene and transported the man to the hospital, where he later died from injuries sustained in the shooting. An investigation into the shooting is now underway by the Lake County Sheriffs Office. 5 Chicagoland natives to perform with the The Presidents Own Marine Band at Trumps inauguration My condolences go out to the family and loved ones grieving the loss of this young mans life, Gary Police Chief Derrick Cannon said. Any loss of life in our community is a profound tragedy. Currently, as the Lake County Sheriff is conducting an independent investigation, we are limited in our ability to disclose information regarding this case. I ask that the public be mindful and patient until all the facts are known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative leave pending 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 WGN-TV. GASTONIA, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) K-9 Bo and Sergeant David Rowland with Gastonia Police were officially honored as award winners at the 14th annual Hero Dog Award Dinner. The award dinner, known as the Oscars for Canines, was a star-studded event held in Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday, January 8. Model and actress Christie Brinkley cohosted the event with TV personality Carson Kressley, known for Queer Eye. GPD: K-9 Bo on the Beach GPD: K-9 Bo in an Uber K-9 Bo was named the Top Dog at the 2024 American Human Hero Dog Awards. (Photo: Gastonia Police Dept.) GPD: K-9 Bo GPD: Bo at 10 weeks old Bo the bloodhound joined Gastonia Police in October and hes already making a difference. K9 Bo and Sgt. Rowland enjoyed strolling on the Atlantic beach while their coworkers prepared for winter weather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement K-9 Bo was named the 2024 Hero Dog of the Year for the Law Enforcement category, and in November, he and Sgt. Rowland headed to New York City and were named the Top Dog, winning over all categories on national television. Gastonia Police say K9 Bos excellent scent-tracking has led to bringing missing children and adults home safe and catching armed suspects. Queen City News Gastonia Police K-9 Bo 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 Queen City News. President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House on Nov. 13, 2024 in Washington, DC. Credit - Alex WongGetty Images This article is part of The D.C. Brief, TIMEs politics newsletter. Sign up here to get stories like this sent to your inbox. Even before the peace deal in the Middle East had been put to page and circulated among the many anxious stakeholders, the question of credit was already at the fore. It was, as most things dealing with that region and Washingtons tentacles into it, anything but an easy verdict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As President Joe Biden on Wednesday finished announcing the deal that would potentially end a 15-month war in Gaza, a reporter asked the twilight leader in the White House entry hall: Who gets credit for this, you or Trump? A puzzled Biden turned around and asked if the query was a joke. It clearly was not, nor did it carry a clear answer. The unlikely and uncomfortable answer is each man carried some responsibility for the agreement. The fight between the Israelis and Palestinians has been a slog since October of 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and took 250 hostage, according to Israeli tallies. The event precipitated a massive response that plunged the region into chaos and left world leaders flummoxed by its ricochet. Palestinians say more than 46,000 of their people have diedabout half being women and childrenin an unrelenting ground and air campaign from Israel. The deal announced in principle on Wednesday puts a halt to that conflict, starting in phases that kick off with hostage-for-prisoner trades and a six-week ceasefire. But the deal itself was a byproduct of complicated diplomacy back in the United States, with Bidens team working closely with President-elect Donald Trumps incoming team and regional partners in Doha. The two-fold U.S. cooperation between otherwise rival camps came after a hard-fought election in which both sides offered competing visions of peace in the Middle East, and which key leaders in Gaza were closely monitoring. Its not a stretch to say the election-year calendar in the United States likely dragged out the negotiations far longer than might have been seen during a non-election season. Ultimately, both Biden and Trump had a hand to play, and historians for generations will mull which pol had the bigger role. In the immediate wake of the deal, though, both sought to claim credit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, preempting Bidens announcement, said the deal "only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November." Trump has been warning Hamas that there be would hell to pay if the hostages were not released before he takes office on Monday, and his negotiator, Steve Witkoff, has been conducting his own form of shuttle diplomacy in the region while Bidens Middle East guru, Brett McGurk, has been joining by speakerphone. For his part, Biden sought to cast the breakthrough as something that dated back to his framework announced in May and was only realized in recent weeks because of his teams persistence. "Its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration," Biden said. "For the past few days we have been speaking as one team." The eleventh-hour diplomatic push carried plenty of echoes of 1981 and the Iran hostage crisis that ended just as President Jimmy Carter was leaving office and Ronald Reagan arrived in Washington. Its a comparison that Trumps team has been less-than-subtle in promoting, though its historical parallels certainly have their limits. (For instance, it does not seem like Trumps team had its own John B. Connally Jr. flying around the region to torpedo an election year peace deal the way Reagan did. Trumps belligerent threats, however, suggest his friend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was more inclined to give Trump the win than his foil Biden.) Biden, though, proved to be in the job when the deal here came together, and he called it one of the toughest negotiations Ive ever experienced. Despite Trumps insistence that he was to credit for the deal, his envoy Witkoff made clear to reporters that McGurk was the man with the brief. The cooperation between the outgoing and incoming teams was hardly the stuff of buddy films, but both teams rightly noted that the crisis demanded more than political hacking to get it done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Trumps Inauguration scheduled for next week and his campaigns over for all practical purposes, the credit question is mostly one for egos and presidential libraries. Biden is coasting toward his retirement years, Trump is roaring back to Washington this weekend to set in motion a second term. Both will rightly want to snag the prize of credit for the agreement but neither reached it alone. In perhaps the oddest last-chapter twist, Trump probably helped Biden get one last win as President, and Biden likely set in motion the first victory of Trumps second term. Its tough to imagine either finds much pleasure in that piece of the history, but sometimes that make-it-work ethos is what the office requires. Make sense of what matters in Washington. Sign up for the D.C. Brief newsletter. Write to Philip Elliott at philip.elliott@time.com. Israel and Hamas have reached a hostage-release and cease-fire agreement, offering a measure of relief and hope to the region. But the deal brings no certain closure to the catastrophic Gaza war. It does not guarantee an end to the fighting, a full release of the Israeli hostages, or a lasting political solution for Gaza. For Israelis, joy at the return of some of the hostages is tempered by trepidation about the fate of the rest. The deal provides for a six-week cease-fire, during which 33 Israeli hostages will come homesome alive, some for burialin exchange for the release of a much larger number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. A second stage of negotiations will then begin, to include the return of the remaining 65 hostages in Gaza and a lasting cease-fire. The success of those talks is just one of the questions the current deal leaves open. Another is why the agreement wasnt reached months ago. The framework appears to be the same onebut for a few small nuances, the Israeli excabinet minister and former general Gadi Eisenkot said in a radio interview yesterdaythat President Joe Biden presented last spring. Had both parties agreed to these terms then, thousands of Gazans might still be alive, and the recent destruction in the northern Gaza Strip could have been averted. At least eight Israeli hostagesincluding Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the best-knownmight have survived, along with more than 100 Israeli soldiers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So why was the agreement reached only now? The most significant development in recent days appears to be Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus new urgency. This week, unlike in May, he pressed the leaders of his coalitions two resistant, far-right parties to accept a hostage agreement. One new element is Donald Trump. The president-elect demanded a hostage deal before his inauguration, promising that there would be hell to pay otherwise. He sent his own envoy, Steven Witkoff, to Qatar, where the indirect negotiations were taking place. Witkoff went from Qatar to Israel on Saturday and insisted on having a meeting with the prime minister on the afternoon of the Jewish sabbatha violation of Israeli protocol rudely designed to remind Netanyahu who was the vassal and who was the suzerain. Israeli government and military sources have tried to explain the timing of the deal to national media outlets by pointing to the death of Hamass leader Yahya Sinwar in October; the defeats suffered by its Lebanese ally, Hezbollah; and the devastation of northern Gaza. But the purpose of this account largely appears to be presenting the agreement as the fruit of Israels military successrather than a sharp change of course under pressure. In reality, Hamas managed to sustain its war of attrition despite being weakened. [Read: Sinwars death changes nothing] Meanwhile, Netanyahus willingness to pursue a deal is a major reversal. Last summer, he reportedly stymied progress toward a cease-fire by raising new conditions, which infuriated his thendefense minister, Yoav Gallant. (The dispute was one reason Netanyahu dismissed Gallant in November.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli right, which assumed that Trumps bluster was aimed only at Hamas, is in shock. One clue as to what Trump may have threatenedor promisedthe prime minister has come from leaks about Netanyahus talks with his finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich. The leader of the far-right Religious Zionist Party, Smotrich is a prominent patron of West Bank settlement. In a meeting between the two on Sunday, Netanyahu reportedly told Smotrich that we must not harm relations with the Trump administration, and explained that Trump would help with the governments designs for Judea and Samariaapparently referring to plans to expand West Bank settlement construction. That promise did not satisfy Smotrichs party. After a meeting of its Knesset members today, the party demanded a commitment from Netanyahu that he resume the war after completion of the first stage of the deal. This, it said, was a condition for the party remaining in the [ruling] coalition and the government. As of this writing, Netanyahu has not responded. While the ultimatum is unlikely to scuttle the deal immediately, it underlines a central question: whether the first stage will lead to an agreement on the next one and a lasting cease-fire. The previous agreement, in November 2023, furnished only a pause. This one could be similara six-week hiatus, after which the fighting and destruction resume, while the rest of the hostages remain in Gaza. A more lasting settlement would require political arrangements in Gaza that Netanyahu has so far studiously avoided discussing. Gaza needs a new Palestinian governing authority, with its own forces or foreign troops capable of keeping the peace. Without that, Hamas will almost certainly resume control in the shattered territory after Israeli troops pull outand this war will have been just one particularly destructive round of fighting, but not the last. Israel should have been working with the United States, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank to create the framework for a new government in Gaza from the very beginning of this conflict. Instead, by failing to define a policy for Gazas future, the Netanyahu government turned the war into a highway to nowhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Yair Rosenberg: Trump made the Gaza cease-fire happen] Netanyahus far-right partners have pledged to reverse the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and resume Israeli settlement there. Netanyahu has not endorsed that goal, but he has opposed any governing role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, despite the fact that foreign partners consider its inclusion essential. Outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized as much in a speech on Tuesday. For the second stage of the deal to succeedfor the war to end and for the remaining hostages to come homeboth Hamas and the Israeli government will have to face the complex problem of Gazas future. Anyone who wants an end to the agony of the past 15 months must conjure up at least a quarter measure of hope. But best to hold off on any celebrations until a final deal is reached. Article originally published at The Atlantic The European Union announced on Thursday a humanitarian aid package for Gaza in 2025 worth 120 million ($123.5 million). "The ceasefire and hostage release agreement offers hope the region desperately needed. But the humanitarian situation remains grim in Gaza," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said. The funding will be directed toward food, water, health care, sanitation support and shelter assistance, the commission said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The EU will work closely with UN agencies and other humanitarian partner organisations to ensure swift delivery of the assistance," a press release said. The latest announcement brings the total of humanitarian aid pledged by the commission to Gaza since 2023 to a total of over 450 million. The financial support comes in addition to over 3,800 tons of in-kind donations of humanitarian goods to Gaza in recent months, the commission said. Palestinians wept as they took to the streets across the Gaza Strip to celebrate the news that, after 15 months of devastating airstrikes and shelling, Israel and Hamas had finally agreed to a ceasefire deal. Israel's ruinous air and land assault, began Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas led a cross-border terrorist attack that Israeli officials say killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Since then, at least 46,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza, most of them women and children, according to local health officials, and much of the enclave has been reduced to rubble. We spent more than a year and a half in havoc and destruction, Ibrahim Abou Reezk told NBC News' crew on the ground in Gaza on Wednesday night. Today, we express our joythe most precious and valuable kind. A man raises a Palestinian flag as he celebrates a ceasefire deal in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Wednesday. As friends propped him up among the cheering crowd and bullets were fired in the air, he spoke of the relief brought on by the prospect of peace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now we can sleep safely and comfortably; thats it, nothing more, he said. Most of Gazas 2.3 million people have been forced from their homes during the war, which has also shattered the enclave's infrastructure and hospitals. It is unclear what the future holds for Gazans if the ceasefire lasts and once fighting ends the enclave was blockaded by Israel and Egypt before the war and political solutions to the decadeslong conflict between Israel and the Palestinians appear as elusive as ever. Inside the tent encampments of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, thousands of people were glued to television screens in anticipation of the deals announcement late Wednesday. Celebrations erupted soon after, with people spilling out into the streets to sing, dance and wave Palestinians flags. The ceasefire deal, which would probably take effect Sunday, pending approval from the Israeli Cabinet, comes after intense negotiations and mediation from Qatar, Egypt and the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under a three-phase agreement, the deal would allow displaced Palestinians to return to their homes if their homes remain as Israeli forces withdraw to the Gaza border. The transfer of hostages and prisoners will also take place as humanitarian aid, hospitals and health care centers resume to serve civilians. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday he was delaying a Cabinet vote, accusing Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement. Hamas says it is committed to the truce. For many inside the Palestinian enclave, a ceasefire agreement offers not only the prospect of respite from airstrikes, but also the promise of returning home after months of displacement and taking shelter in makeshift tents inside refugee camps. We have been waiting for this moment of joy, Zafar Abou Alarag said in Khan Younis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the relief was also tinged with worry as many spoke of rebuilding their homes after more than a year of devastation. We have gotten used to the tents and want to return to living, Abou Alarag continued. I want to return to my land, I want to build one room with a bathroom because there is no house. People watch the Qatari prime minister announce a ceasefire deal in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Wednesday night. Waseem Elbalbasiy, who plans to return to his neighborhood of Shujaiyya, told NBC News' crew on the ground in Gaza that at least we can return to our homes to check on our families and loved ones who are gone, as well as those we have lost. I wish to wake up and find myself inside my house, whether it is still standing or not, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, he added, This ceasefire may have come late, but it is honorable. There's a chance the ceasefire may not come at all. Hours after it agreed to a ceasefire, Israel launched fresh airstrikes that have so far killed at least 45 people, according to the Gaza Civil Defense. The continuation of aerial bombing has prompted a confusing and heightened mix of emotions for many, serving as a reminder that the truce announced yesterday will come too late for many victims of this grinding war. The news was yet another devastating reminder of losing family for Lamees Sahady Sobhy, a little girl in the Yarmouk playground in Syrias largest Palestinian refugee camp, which stands on the southern outskirts of Damascus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How can I rejoice when my father and brother are dead, and my maternal uncles have also died? she said. I have no one. Young Palestinian boys react to news of the ceasefire deal in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, on Wednesday. Behind her, crowds of young people were still gathered in the streets continued to chant, The people of Jabalia are like fire, the people of Beit Lahia are like fire. The mixed emotions of jubilation and grief mirror the ambiguity that surrounds the armistice hard-won by American, Egyptian and Qatari negotiators after months of false dawns and near misses. The phased nature of the deal means that fighting may yet resume in the coming weeks, a prospect that has further left many still mourning the loss of countless loved ones feeling anxiety, as well as hope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honestly, my feelings are a mix of joy, sadness and pain, Nabed Elzine, a displaced resident of Beit Lahia in the north, told NBC News. I am happy that peace may prevail, he said. At the same time, my heart squeezes in pain. We must not forget for a moment that there are thousands of bodies awaiting us beneath the rubble. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com GEORGE COUNTY, Miss. (WKRG) The George County School District is hiring for the 2025-2026 school year. Mobile City Council approves $50,000 payment to former police commander According to a school district spokesperson, a job recruitment day is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 13, at the George County School District Office, located at 494 Cowart St. in Lucedale, Mississippi. LOCATION: The school district is looking to hire elementary teachers, secondary teachers, counselors, teachers for the hearing impaired, teacher assistants, educational interpreters for the deaf, secretaries, bus drivers, custodians and janitors, mechanics, technology assistants, and child nutrition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gautier High sets vigil for student who died after medical emergency on campus Those interested can fill out applications online. Anyone with further questions can inquire by calling 601-947-6993 or emailing gcsdhumanresources20@gcsd.us. 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. From left, Atlanta Democratic Sen. Jen Jordan and Republican Sen. Bruce Thompson debate his 2022 bill that would have banned mail order abortion pills, however it failed to pass the Legislature. File photo Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder The late former Georgia Labor Commissioner Bruce Thompson was honored Wednesday by the Georgia Senate for his work as a senator and for turning around a dysfunctional labor department he inherited before he died in November following an eight-month battle with pancreatic cancer. Republican Senate caucus leaders described Thompson as a former legislative colleague and friend who remained a passionate public servant throughout the stage IV cancer that took the life of the 59-year-old on Nov. 24. Thompson spent a decade in the Senate prior to becoming labor commissioner in 2023, where he is credited with using his years as a public official and experience running several businesses to improve a state agency that had struggled to process a surge of unemployment claims since the start of the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Senate resolution celebrating Thompson was presented during Wednesdays floor session on the third day of the 40-day meeting of the state Legislature. Sen. John F. Kennedy, a Macon Republican, unveiled a large framed portrait of Thompson as his family looked on. The portrait will remain in the Senate for a couple of weeks before being permanently displayed inside the Department of Labor offices in downtown Atlanta. Bruces passion for problem solving inspired his successful run as Georgias 10th labor commissioner, and whereas his tenure at the Georgia Department of Labor was marked by a renewed focus on transparency. responsiveness and fiscal responsibility; values he championed with his trademark determination and integrity, the resolution says. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, who presides over the Senate, spoke of how much Thompson cherished his role as a father to his children Max and Faith, and his nearly 28-year marriage to his wife, Becky. Jones said Thompson remained steadfast in his commitment to his Christian faith while fighting for causes he believed to be right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson and Jones served together in the Senate from 2013 until they won their respective statewide elections in 2022. He was one of those foxhole guys that if he was with you on an issue, you didnt ever have to worry about checking with him twice, Jones said. During his time in the Legislature, Thompson was a backer of controversial abortion restrictions that made it illegal to perform an abortion if there is a detectable heartbeat except for in limited circumstances such as a medical emergency. In 2019, Gov. Brian Kemp signed the state law banning most abortions after six weeks, often before most women are aware they are pregnant. The new law did not take effect until the summer of 2022 following the U.S. Supreme Courts decision ending the federal right to abortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompson introduced several other noteworthy bills, including the Dexter Mosely Act in 2021, which allowed homeschooled students in grades 6-12 to participate in extracurricular and interscholastic activities in their public school district. Thompson also pushed legislation in 2022 that would have banned mail order abortion bills. However, the measure stalled in the Legislature. In 2022, Thompson would turn his attention to public office outside of the state Capitol, as he ran as a Republican candidate who could transform the Department of Labor. After taking office in January 2023, his office would discover $105 million that should have been handed over to the state treasury. Kemp will appoint a Labor Department commissioner to fill the the remaining term that expires at the end of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy said taking time during the first week of the new legislative session to pay respects to Thompson while his family offered a chance for lawmakers to show their gratitude for his service. Its enjoyable to talk about a man of absolute integrity, of encouragement and who loved public service, said Kennedy, who sponsored the resolution that was signed by more than three dozen senators. He loved this chamber. He loved the Senate, and because he wanted to do more for the state of Georgia, is why he stepped up and ran for labor commissioner. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ATLANTA (WJBF) State lawmakers have wrapped up day three under the gold dome in Atlanta on Wednesday. After education, healthcare tops the list for the highest amount of funding in the state budget. Organizations like Georgia Watch say they want a pathway for community health workers to be eligible for Medicaid reimbursement. Theres also a push to modify the certificate of need process which will reduce disparity in care and prevent hospitals from closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While lawmakers say Medicaid expansion will likely come up, there may be discussions on Georgia Access, a health insurance program, and Georgia Pathways, which is Medicaid for low income Georgians. We have done Medicaid expansion with a waiver of the ACA. We have had over 700,000 people that have enrolled in the 100-138% below federal poverty. 100% is about $15,000 for a single person person. We have had 700,000 person enrolled and now we have increased that, said Senator Ben Watson. But not all lawmakers feel that is the optimal solution to provide healthcare access. We have got to address our growing mental health needs in this state. We also have to find a way to get 500,000 Georgians to receive some version to healthcare. We have to find a way to expand Medicaid in the state. We cannot be the last in the union to ensure working people in healthcare, and small businesses cannot afford it. They wont offer it, said State Senator Derek Mallow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers want to find ways to increase rural healthcare access, which includes expanding broadband internet access to telehealth coverage and prevent rural hospitals from closing. 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 WJBF. A Georgia state senator who was previously banned from the state House chamber was arrested Thursday when he tried to enter the chamber for the governor's state of the state speech and got into a shoving match with House employees. State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, is among the chamber's most right-wing members. He signaled Wednesday that he would seek a showdown when he called House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, a tyrant on social media. The arrest is one of several examples of state officials trying to restrain lawmakers or onlookers as legislative sessions begin in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns banned Moore from the House chamber last year after Moore denounced late House Speaker David Ralston on a day when Ralston was being honored and his relatives were watching. In a speech, Moore called Ralston one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders we'll ever see over allegations that Ralston improperly delayed court cases he handled as a lawyer. Burns called Moores remarks vile when he announced the ban, saying it would remain until Moore apologized. Before his arrest Thursday, Moore told reporters that Burns couldn't legally prevent him from attending a joint House-Senate session to listen to Gov. Brian Kemp in the House chamber. He said he met with Burns on Wednesday but couldn't work anything out. You cannot impede a General Assembly session, Moore said as he tried to push his way past House staffers who were blocking the door. I have a constitutional obligation to attend. Keith Williams, a lawyer for the speaker's office, shoved Moore and the senator fell to the ground after one of Moore's attempts to enter the chamber. Troopers handcuffed Moore and took him to the Fulton County jail. There, online jail records show Moore was booked on misdemeanor charges of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters said online that they were working to release Moore. Jail records said he needed to post $1,000 bail to be released. Moore was kicked out of the Senate Republican caucus in September 2023 after launching attacks on fellow Republicans for refusing to agree to a special session to act against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for indicting former President Donald Trump. Kemp denounced the call as some grifter scam to raise campaign contributions for Moore. In 2018, troopers arrested 15 people including Nikema Williams, then a Democratic state senator and now a member of Congress, for an election-related protest in the Georgia Capitol. Police arrested state Rep. Park Cannon in 2021 after she knocked on the door of the governors office as he broadcast a speech. Charges were dropped both times. A Georgia state senator who was previously banned from the state House chamber was arrested Thursday when he tried to enter the chamber for the governors State of the State speech and got into a shoving match with House employees. State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, is among the chambers most right-wing members. He signaled Wednesday that he would seek a showdown when he called House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, a tyrant on social media. The arrest is one of several examples of state officials trying to restrain lawmakers or onlookers as legislative sessions begin in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns banned Moore from the House chamber last year after Moore denounced late House Speaker David Ralston on a day when Ralston was being honored and his relatives were watching. In a speech, Moore called Ralston one of the most corrupt Georgia leaders well ever see over allegations that Ralston improperly delayed court cases he handled as a lawyer. Burns called Moores remarks vile when he announced the ban, saying it would remain until Moore apologized. Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, falls to the floor during a shoving match outside door of the state House on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, before he was denied entry at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, is led out of the Georgia Capitol in handcuffs on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, after he was denied entry to the state House and arrested after a shoving match in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Jeff Amy) Sen. Colton Moore, R-Trenton, is detained by Georgia State Patrol as Moore attempted to enter the state House of Representatives for the state of the state address at the Georgia Capitol, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) Before his arrest Thursday, Moore told reporters that Burns couldnt legally prevent him from attending a joint House-Senate session to listen to Gov. Brian Kemp in the House chamber. He said he met with Burns on Wednesday but couldnt work anything out. Gov. Kemp lays out priorities in 2025 State of the State address You cannot impede a General Assembly session, Moore said as he tried to push his way past House staffers who were blocking the door. I have a constitutional obligation to attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keith Williams, a lawyer for the speakers office, shoved Moore and the senator fell to the ground after one of Moores attempts to enter the chamber. Troopers handcuffed Moore and took him to the Fulton County jail. There, online jail records show Moore was booked on misdemeanor charges of willful obstruction of law enforcement officers. Supporters said online that they were working to release Moore. Jail records said he needed to post $1,000 bail to be released. Moore was kicked out of the Senate Republican caucus in September 2023 after launching attacks on fellow Republicans for refusing to agree to a special session to act against Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for indicting former President Donald Trump. Kemp denounced the call as some grifter scam to raise campaign contributions for Moore. In 2018, troopers arrested 15 people including Nikema Williams, then a Democratic state senator and now a member of Congress, for an election-related protest in the Georgia Capitol. Police arrested state Rep. Park Cannon in 2021 after she knocked on the door of the governors office as he broadcast a speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charges were dropped both times. 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 WSAV-TV. Georgia Capitol Police arrested State Sen. Colton Moore, who represents parts of North Georgia, on Thursday morning while trying to attend the annual State of the State address. A Channel 2 Action News video shows the moments the senator tried to enter the chamber, only to be rebuffed, shoved and eventually arrested. The state senator faces a charge of willfully obstructing law enforcement after the Georgia Department of Public Safety said he created a disruption outside the House Chamber. Despite multiple verbal warnings and several attempts to de-escalate the situation, Senator Moore persisted in his attempts to disrupt official proceedings inside the House Chamber. The disturbance escalated further when Senator Moore pushed into Troopers multiple times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was granted a $1,000 surety bond, according to records from the Fulton County Sheriffs Office. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Wednesday, Moore published a letter to Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns saying that a letter from Burns telling him not to enter the chamber was unconstitutional, illegal and the most disgraceful piece of correspondence issued by a legislator in Georgias history. Moore was banned from entering the House chamber after making disparaging remarks about former House Speaker David Ralston, who died in 2022. TRENDING STORIES: As reported by the Associated Press, Ralston was being honored when Moores comments were made, leading to his eventual ban from the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, Channel 2 Action News covered when Moores legislative attempts to investigate Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and have her impeached for investigating and indicting President-elect Donald Trump failed and caused a divide within the states Republican caucus. His calls for a special session to do so were declared unconstitutional by House Speaker Jon Burns and were rejected by Gov. Brian Kemp as well. Kemp at the time said Moores using the controversy to fundraise amounted to some grifters scam. TYRANT ALERT Speaker @JonBurnsGA is attempting to ARREST and BLOCK me from representing the 53rd District at tomorrows State of the State joint session. I will NEVER back down. I will ALWAYS speak the truth and represent the people of Northwest Georgia as their trusted pic.twitter.com/zl9R4H1EmY Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) January 15, 2025 On Thursday morning, Moore tried to get inside, telling those blocking him from entering that he was interfering with his ability to serve his constituents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have an obligation to be in that room, Moore said. I represent 200,000 people in Northwest Georgia who duly elected me to be here today and you are hindering that. In the hours that followed Moores arrest, various lawmakers weighed in. Republican Majority Leader Chuck Efstration said it was down to House rules. The Speaker of the House has full responsibility of maintaining order and decorum in the House Chamber, Efstration said. Hed done that today. While Republican leaders stood behind Burns and members of law enforcement, not everyone agreed that Moore should have been barred from the days proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whatever personal differences Senator Moore has with others, he is a member of the body over which I preside. All elected 56 senators and 180 representatives deserve the opportunity to fulfill their responsibility to attend joint sessions of the General Assembly, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones office said in a statement. There is real work to be done this session and the focus should be on delivering for the people of Georgia instead of personal grievances and egos. On social media, Moore posted a quote from Gov. Kemps speech as a response to his arrest. If youve been done wrong, you deserve justice, Moore posted, citing Kemps State of the State speech from Thursday. Channel 2 Action News reached out to House Speaker Jon Burns office, which provided the following statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation outside of the House Chamber this morning was incredibly unfortunate. The Senator refused to cooperate with doorkeepers and law enforcement, and created a dangerous situation when he chose to use force against our law enforcement officers, dedicated doorkeepers and House staff. I want to thank every House staff member and our entire House family for holding the line to honor Speaker Ralstons legacy of dedicated service to our state. As you saw today, the integrity and decorum of this House are non-negotiableperiod. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) Rankin County deputies arrested a Georgia woman after they discovered 18 packages of suspected cocaine in a vehicle. According to Investigator Tyler Burnell, with the Rankin County Sheriffs Office, a deputy observed a silver Chrysler 200 on January 15 failing to maintain its lane of travel on Interstate 20 eastbound near the 66-mile marker. Jackson police need help solving 2022 homicide Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, Amely Dominguez, 24, of Georgia. While speaking with her, Burnell said the deputy became suspicious that she was involved in criminal activity. He stated the deputy received consent to search the vehicle. During the search, Burnell said the deputy observed aftermarket modifications to the bumpers. The vehicle and Dominguez were relocated to the Rankin County Sheriffs Office Impound Lot & Maintenance Facility. Amely Dominguez (Courtesy: Rankin Co. Sheriffs Office) Rankin County deputies arrested a Georgia woman after they discovered 18 packages of suspected cocaine in a vehicle. (Courtesy: Rankin Co. Sheriffs Office) After arriving at the location, Burnell said deputies inspected the vehicle and discovered 18 packages of suspected cocaine in aftermarket compartments that were located in the front and rear bumpers. Dominguez was arrested and charged with trafficking a controlled substance. She was transported to the Rankin County Detention Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. The German army has quit X, the social media platform belonging to Elon Musk, because of disinformation days after the tech billionaire gave his full endorsement to the far-Right AfD party. The countrys defence ministry confirmed that the accounts for the Bundeswehr national army, its senior commanders and the ministry itself will stop posting on the platform. The ministry said that the exchange of factual arguments on X, formerly known as Twitter before it was bought by Mr Musk, had become increasingly difficult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have become increasingly unhappy with developments there, a defence ministry spokesman added. The office said that it will shift its social media presence to Whatsapp and that it may occasionally return to X to debunk disinformation. Old posts will remain free to browse. Mr Musk hosted a live political debate with AfD leader Alice Weidel on his X platform - Shutterstock Germanys foreign ministry has also suspended posts on X for the same reason and decided to move its activities to rival site Bluesky instead. The decision came after Mr Musk hosted Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-Right Alternative for Germany [AfD] party, for a political debate on X. During the discussion, Mr Musk, who is set to become a government efficiency tsar for the Trump administration, claimed that only the AfD can save Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also explicitly told Germans that they should vote for the party in a direct intervention which has infuriated Berlin. Mr Musk previously called Olaf Scholz, the current chancellor, an incompetent fool and demanded his resignation. The Tesla CEO previously called German chancellor Olaf Scholz incompetent fool - Patrick Pleul/Reuters More than 60 German universities and other research institutions have left the X platform on the same grounds, along with the UKs Guardian newspaper. Polls suggest that the AfD, which has been embroiled in a string of scandals over downplaying Nazi war crimes, using Nazi slogans in speeches and attending secret conferences about the mass deportation of foreigners, will come second place in next months elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it is very unlikely to become part of the next government as other parties consider the AfD to be extremist and have ruled out allowing them into a coalition. Other political parties in Germany have refused to allow AfD into a coalition - Kay Nietfeld/Reuters According to German media reports, as many as 150 European Union (EU) officials were tasked with listening to the Weidel-Musk debate last week to determine whether it broke any EU laws. EU leaders urged the European Commission to adopt a tougher stance on Mr Musks meddling in continental politics but no major action has been taken so far. Earlier this month, Emmanuel Macron, the French president, accused the Tesla CEO of directly intervening in elections around the world, including the upcoming vote in Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten years ago, who could have imagined it if we had been told that the owner of one of the largest social networks in the world would support a new international reactionary movement and intervene directly in elections, Mr Macron said, without directly naming Mr Musk. 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. A German neo-Nazi has legally changed his gender in an apparent attempt to be transferred to a womens prison. Sven Liebich, who was convicted last year on charges of inciting hatred and defamation, is appealing his 18-month prison sentence in the east German state of Saxony. But in an unusual twist to his case, Liebich has legally changed gender and now lives under the name Marla-Svenja. According to Mitteldeutsche Zeitung, a newspaper in Saxony, Liebichs appearance has not changed since the gender shift, other than a slight increase in beard length. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a brief statement to the newspaper, Liebich said: I am afraid of discrimination. New self-determination law Liebich made use of a recent reform to Germanys rules on self-determination, which allow people to change their first name and gender on official documents without a psychiatric assessment. But the change in gender does not necessarily mean Liebich will be sent to a womans prison if his sentence is upheld, according to officials in Saxony. Liebich, pictured at a protest in Berlin, has reportedly not changed his appearance since changing gender except for having a slightly longer beard - F Boillot/Shutterstock A spokesman for the Halle prosecutors office told Bild tabloid: There is no automatic guarantee that a man will be sent to a womens prison after changing his gender and name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They added that a review into the circumstances of the sentence would take place if it was upheld. A spokesman for Germanys federal criminal register said a change in gender would not impact Liebichs criminal record. The physical legal person remains. A change in the civil status law is of secondary importance, he said. Right-wing extremist Liebich is well-known in Saxony as the organiser of the Montagsdemo, a weekly extreme Right-wing demonstration. He has been photographed wearing a Nazi-style armband and taking part in demonstrations where black-clad protesters brandish red, white and black flags. Saxonys domestic intelligence services describe Liebich as a Right-wing extremist with activity across the state and nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new rules on gender changes came into force in November 2024, having been proposed by the traffic light coalition led by Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor. He said at the time: We show respect to trans, intersex and non-binary people without taking anything away from others. This is how we continue to drive the modernisation of our country. This includes recognising realities of life and making them possible by law. 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. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is set to visit the eastern city of Magdeburg on Thursday, nearly four weeks after a deadly attack at the city's Christmas market. Steinmeier is scheduled to lay a wreath at St John's Church, a memorial site for the victims, before signing the condolence book at the nearby town hall. The attack on December 20 saw a 50-year-old man drive a car into crowds attending a Christmas market, killing a 9-year-old boy and five women aged between 45 and 75. At least 299 injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steinmeier plans to speak with aid workers and first responders. Later, the president is expected to attend the event "Magdeburg sings for an open-minded city in memory of the victims of the December 20, 2024, attack." January 16 holds historical significance for Magdeburg, as it marks the 80th anniversary of the 1945 air raid that left the city centre in ruins. To commemorate this, a coalition of civil society groups and local authorities is reflecting on the devastating impact of National Socialism. An official wreath-laying ceremony is planned, followed by the peace singing event - a tradition now serving as a symbol of hope and unity, according to the city. The German Environment Ministry plans to combat environmental crime in collaboration with Interpol and the conservation organization World Wildlife Fund (WWF). "Environmental crime has developed into one of the world's most serious criminal sectors," Environment Minister Steffi Lemke said in Berlin on Thursday. The organizations are aiming to target international networks involved in activities such as destroying rainforests or poaching endangered animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The focus will be on crimes related to fisheries, deforestation, mining, pollution and the wildlife trade. The German Environment Ministry is funding the project, which began in November, for three years with 5 million ($5.1 million). Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza highlighted the need for law enforcement agencies from different countries to coordinate, noting that criminal organizations often find it easy to cross borders and remain undetected. The funds will also be used to recruit investigators to support Interpol in various countries. Additionally, the initiative aims to better protect environmental activists, particularly those working to safeguard rainforests in regions like Latin America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Environmental crime kills; it kills people," Lemke stressed. The expertise of the WWF will also play a role in the initiative. The organization has extensive experience in and strategies for protecting civil society in the detection of crimes, Lemke said. According to the Global Witness non-governmental organization, more than 2,100 environmentalists have been killed worldwide since systematic recording began in 2012. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock on Thursday called the ceasefire deal in Gaza a "major breakthrough," but warned that further challenges lie ahead. "Nothing is certain, as the global situation often shows, but this is now a major breakthrough," Baerbock told broadcaster ARD. The minister said the deal between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas - which was announced by mediator Qatar late on Wednesday - was the result of 15 months of hard work since the outbreak of the conflict following the October 7 attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas must be released, Baerbock said, and more humanitarian aid must be allowed to reach Gaza. "It is now important to implement what we have prepared. And Germany is ready for that," she said. European countries can assist with repairing the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, the minister argued: "The border crossing is damaged. The EU could provide support for that." Baerbock also said that she had been moved by news of the deal on Wednesday evening. "I received such moving news last night. I almost find myself tearing up again," she said. Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is willing to approve an additional aid package for Ukraine worth an estimated 3 billion ($3.1 billion), but it does not consent to suspending the country's strict rules on government spending. CDU lawmaker Thorsten Frei told dpa on Thursday that the party favours financing the measure through "extraordinary expenditure," without affecting the debt brake, Germany's constitutional restrictions on ordinary borrowing. "There is absolutely no reason to abandon the debt brake," Frei said. "The federal government has sufficient flexibility," he added, pointing to 50 billion in additional borrowing this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said the package could only be financed by suspending the debt brake. Frei praised the aid, which he said would help in "strengthening Ukrainian air defence" against Russian missile and drone attacks. "This means protecting residential areas, hospitals and schools," he added. Scholz's Social Democrats are seeking to reach a decision on the package before national elections on February 23, but are concerned about financing the measure amid Germany's budgetary crisis. According to Article 112 of the Basic Law, Germany's constitution, the package could be financed as an "extraordinary expenditure" only "in the case of an unforeseen and unavoidable requirement." An example of such expenditure was the immediate aid for residents hit by severe floods in parts of Germany in 2013. Germany's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is sending a top lawmaker to US President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, aiming to demonstrate the party's intent on good relations with the new administration. The CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), are likely to lead the next German government, holding a comfortable lead in the polls ahead of February's election. The conservative bloc's foreign policy spokesman in parliament, Jurgen Hardt, said in Berlin on Thursday that he is to attend Trump's inauguration on Monday, describing the event as an important opportunity to strengthen contacts with the US Congress and government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is only through open dialogue that we can find solutions that are advantageous for both sides," Hardt said. "President Trump has shown in the past that he open to arrangements that are a good deal for both sides." Amid developments such as the Ukraine war, tensions with Russia and an increasingly protectionist global trade environment, the trans-Atlantic relationship will remain crucial in 2025, Hardt said. "The aim is to strengthen relations with our most important non-European ally and to continue to work together in a spirit of trust on key security and economic issues," he added. During his visit to Washington, Hardt is also set to meet Republican and Democratic lawmakers. The CDU lawmaker is not the only German politician set to attend the inauguration, with the co-leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany, Tino Chrupalla, also expected in Washington. Germany's Lufthansa Group is to resume flights to Israel in February, the company said on Thursday, one day after a ceasefire deal in Gaza was announced by mediator Qatar. The group's flights between Germany and Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, which were suspended due to the conflict, are set to resume on February 1. The measure applies to the German flag carrier Lufthansa Airlines and its subsidiaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connections to the Lebanese capital Beirut will remain suspended until the end of February, the Frankfurt-based company said, while there will be no flights to the Iranian capital Tehran until at least February 14. Europe's largest aviation group by revenue, Lufthansa employs more than 100,000 people in 90 countries. German opposition lawmakers on Thursday accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz of dirty campaign tactics over his demand for additional borrowing to finance an aid package for Ukraine worth 3 billion ($3.1 billion). Karstein Klein, from the Free Democratic Party (FDP), told dpa that "support for Ukraine does not require watering down the debt brake," referring to constitutional restrictions on government borrowing. Klein argued that 500 million has already been set aside by the Defence Ministry, meaning only a further 2.5 billion is required, in a budget totalling some 488 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday said the package could only be financed by suspending the debt brake. The FDP - which withdrew from Scholz's three-party coalition in November, forcing him to call early elections set for February - believes funding the package is a question of political will and setting priorities. For Klein, Scholz is "carrying out election campaign manoeuvres on the backs of the Ukrainians." The criticism was echoed by Johann Wadephul from the centre-right Christian Democratic Union, who said "Scholz's new dodge on the issue of further aid for hard-pressed Ukraine is a real low point in the current election campaign." Wadephul accused the chancellor of trying to play off voters' economic concerns against Germany's much-needed support for Ukraine. German opposition lawmakers on Thursday accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz of dirty campaign tactics over his demand for additional borrowing to finance an aid package for Ukraine worth 3 billion ($3.1 billion). Thorsten Frei, from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), told dpa that his party is not willing to suspend Germany's strict rules on government spending to fund the package, as Scholz demanded on Wednesday. Frei praised the aid, which he said would help in "strengthening Ukrainian air defence" against Russian missile and drone attacks. "This means protecting residential areas, hospitals and schools," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the CDU favours financing the measure through "extraordinary expenditure," without affecting the debt brake, Germany's constitutional restrictions on ordinary borrowing. "There is absolutely no reason to abandon the debt brake," Frei said. "The federal government has sufficient flexibility," he added, pointing to 50 billion in additional borrowing this year. His party colleague Johann Wadephul said "Scholz's new dodge on the issue of further aid for hard-pressed Ukraine is a real low point in the current election campaign." Wadephul accused the chancellor of trying to play off voters' economic concerns against Germany's much-needed support for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scholz's Social Democrats are seeking to reach a decision on the package before national elections on February 23, but are concerned about financing the measure amid Germany's budgetary crisis. According to Article 112 of the Basic Law, Germany's constitution, the package could be financed as an "extraordinary expenditure" only "in the case of an unforeseen and unavoidable requirement." An example of such expenditure was the immediate aid for residents hit by severe floods in parts of Germany in 2013. FDP accuses Scholz of 'campaign manoeuvres' Karstein Klein, from the Free Democratic Party (FDP), told dpa that "support for Ukraine does not require watering down the debt brake." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klein argued that 500 million has already been set aside by the Defence Ministry, meaning only a further 2.5 billion is required, in a budget totalling some 488 billion. The FDP - which withdrew from Scholz's three-party coalition in November, forcing him to call early elections - believes funding the package is a question of political will and setting priorities. For Klein, Scholz is "carrying out election campaign manoeuvres on the backs of the Ukrainians." German opposition lawmakers on Thursday accused Chancellor Olaf Scholz of dirty campaign tactics over his demand for additional borrowing to finance an aid package for Ukraine worth 3 billion ($3.1 billion). A majority of lawmakers support more military aid for Ukraine, but there is no consensus on how to fund it. Thorsten Frei, from the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), told dpa that his party is not willing to suspend Germany's strict rules on government spending to fund the package, as Scholz and his Social Democrats demanded on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frei praised the aid, which he said would help in "strengthening Ukrainian air defence" against Russian missile and drone attacks. "This means protecting residential areas, hospitals and schools," he added. However, the CDU favours financing the measure through "extraordinary expenditure," without affecting the debt brake, Germany's constitutional restrictions on ordinary borrowing. According to Article 112 of the Basic Law, Germany's constitution, the aid package could be funded as an "extraordinary expenditure" only "in the case of an unforeseen and unavoidable requirement." This option is preferred by the conservative CDU, pro-business Free Democratic Party (FDP) and Greens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is absolutely no reason to abandon the debt brake," Frei said. "The federal government has sufficient flexibility," he added, pointing to 50 billion in additional borrowing this year. His party colleague Johann Wadephul said, "Scholz's new dodge on the issue of further aid for hard-pressed Ukraine is a real low point in the current election campaign." Wadephul accused the chancellor of trying to play off voters' economic concerns against Germany's much-needed support for Ukraine. Scholz's Social Democrats are seeking to reach a decision on the package before national elections on February 23 but are concerned about financing the measure amid Germany's budgetary crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An example of such expenditure was the immediate aid for residents hit by severe floods in parts of Germany in 2013. FDP accuses Scholz of 'campaign manoeuvres' Karstein Klein, from the pro-business FDP, told dpa that "support for Ukraine does not require watering down the debt brake." Klein argued that 500 million has already been set aside by the Defence Ministry, meaning only a further 2.5 billion is required, in a budget totalling some 488 billion. The FDP - which withdrew from Scholz's three-party coalition in November, forcing him to call early elections - believes funding the package is a question of political will and setting priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Klein, Scholz is "carrying out election campaign manoeuvres on the backs of the Ukrainians." FDP General Secretary Marco Buschmann accused Scholz of blackmailing the lower house of parliament, or Bundestag. "It's not about Ukraine for Scholz. It's always about suspending the debt brake," wrote Buschmann on X. The chancellor had previously put forward this proposal during negotiations with his three-party coalition government on the 2025 budget, discussions that ultimately led to the coalition's collapse. Meanwile, the co-chair of the Greens, Franziska Brantner, told dpa: "In 2025, we can manage the 3 billion in additional expenses without making any cuts elsewhere and would thus maintain the 2024 level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We should free up funds as quickly as possible to ensure support for Ukraine remains concrete." The United States is the largest donor to Ukraine. However, it is unclear whether the President-elect Donald Trump will maintain the massive amounts of aid. If not, Germany, as the second-largest donor, could face a greater burden in supporting the country attacked by Russia. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz takes part as a witness in the meeting of the committee of inquiry into the nuclear phase-out. Michael Kappeler/dpa The Government has come under fire for apparently intending to change Northern Ireland legislation in a way that could entitle Gerry Adams to sue for compensation. Lord Hermer, who acted as a barrister for Adams before becoming Attorney General, has not revealed whether he has advised the Government on changing the legislation in a way that could benefit his former client. In 1973, Adams was detained as a suspected terrorist under an interim custody order under Northern Ireland special powers legislation. He twice attempted to escape, and was convicted for both attempts. It later emerged from government papers released under the 30-year rule that there might have been a technical flaw in the interim custody order: it had been signed by the minister of state, the second senior minister at the Northern Ireland Office, rather than by the secretary of state himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams then sought to overturn his convictions and the Supreme Court allowed his appeal in 2020, holding that the order had been invalid because it had not been made by the secretary of state personally. Some legal commentators argue that the Supreme Court failed to apply the Carltona principle, under which acts carried out by junior ministers or civil servants are legally deemed to be the acts of the minister himself. But its decision meant that both Adams and any other suspected terrorist detained under an order not personally signed by the secretary of state, could potentially bring a claim for damages for unlawful imprisonment. The Conservative government accepted amendments to its 2023 Northern Ireland Troubles Act, which retrospectively validated such interim custody orders and prevented civil claims for compensation being brought. However, these provisions were challenged under the Human Rights Act in the courts of Northern Ireland. The NI Court of Appeal upheld the making of a so-called declaration of incompatibility against them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government now seems to be abandoning an appeal to the Supreme Court and instead intends to introduce so-called remedial legislation under the Human Rights Act which will repeal the relevant sections (46 and 47) of the 2023 Act. On the face of it, that would open the door to Adams and others to pursue their claims to compensation. Richard Hermer KC (instructed as it happens by a solicitor called Martin Howe no relation) acted for Adams, defending a civil claim against him by victims of the IRA mainland bombing campaign. It is not clear what part Lord Hermer played within government in advising on decisions about the clauses of the 2023 Troubles Act. Geoffrey Cox had acted as legal adviser to the government of Mauritius before becoming Attorney General and recused himself from involvement in the UKs response to Mauritiuss claims to the Chagos Islands. Unless the Attorney General is recruited from monasteries or the post is restricted to lawyers who have only ever acted for the government, such potential conflicts are inevitable and the issue is whether they are properly handled. If Lord Hermer has advised the government on this matter is he complying with the Bars conflict of interest rules? Those rules permit barristers to advise another client who has adverse interests to a past client, provided the matters are unrelated and there is no use of private information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here, Lord Hermer may be able to argue that the defence of Adams against claims from IRA bomb victims is legally unrelated to his possible claim against the government for unlawful imprisonment, although there is a common strand of Adamss alleged or suspected involvement in terrorism that underlies both cases. But the broader issue is that any minister should ensure that his decisions or advice in office are not tainted, nor perceived to be tainted, by present or past associations or interests. This consideration is particularly important for the Attorney General who is called upon to exercise delicate judgment in sensitive matters. Here, Lord Hermer seems on much shakier ground if he has in fact advised the Government. It calls into question the judgment of the Prime Minister in appointing him given the prevalence of sensitive Northern Ireland-related matters which will pass across the Attorney Generals desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governments apparent determination to repeal these sections is a serious mistake. Parliament is fully entitled to disregard a declaration of incompatibility. Allowing suspected terrorists to claim compensation as a result of a technical defect in the detention paperwork should simply not be allowed to happen. Unfortunately this Government has sunk so far into the Labour-created human rights legal morass that it seems incapable of pulling itself or the country out of it. Martin Howe KC practises EU, post-Brexit and public law at 8 New Square 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. A good-looking young man with a mysterious past carries a loaded gun, ready to kill, on the streets of the worlds financial capital. This scene not only describes Luigi Mangiones alleged murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in midtown New York and the ensuing flood of media attention but also the plot of one of Henry James lesser-read novels, The Princess Casamassima. The high-profile slaying and James novel help explain the publics fascination with political violence, and even more about the psychological guessing game that accompanies those extreme acts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Mangione, the novel leaves readers wanting to know more both Mangione and James stories give clues, but not the full picture, of why a person would commit such violence. A novel of political violence Born in the U.S. before moving to Europe, James is considered one of the most skilled writers of modern literary fiction. The Princess Casamassima, however, is usually overshadowed by classics such as The Portrait of a Lady and The Turn of the Screw. James novel was published in an era rife with political violence. Internet Archive Serialized in The Atlantic from 1885 to 1886, the novel tells the story of working-class and aristocratic leftists who are caught in various love triangles. It also centers on the psychological experience of being a political radical at a time of rampant economic inequality and anarchist unrest. The late 19th century was a hotbed of political violence, with the assassination of Tsar Alexander II in 1881, the Phoenix Park murders in 1882 and the 1894 Greenwich Observatory bombing, among many other incidents, inspiring novelists on both sides of the Atlantic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The novels central character, Hyacinth Robinson, grows up as a bastard orphan in working-class London. As a poor young artisan, he rages against economic inequality. But when the rich and cultured Princess Casamassima befriends him, Hyacinth becomes enamored of her lifestyle. Meanwhile, the princess herself begins to shed the trappings of wealth as she falls in with Hyacinths revolutionary organization. Hyacinth, grappling with a strange mixture of contradictory impulses, hesitates to abandon the finer things in life: good food, French novels and high art. He vacillates between enjoying these new, beautiful experiences and fully committing himself to a ideology that would tear it all down. Prominent liberals have been inspired by Princess Casamassima, as have famous Black leftists, despite its satire of radicalism. Ralph Ellison heavily annotated his copy of the novels preface. James Baldwin listed the novel as one of 10 books that influenced him. And when asked which book he recommended for Black Power militants, Baldwin mentioned Princess Casamassima. Never knowing the whole story James plot seems modeled on the Russian novelist Ivan Turgenevs political novel Virgin Soil, which also influenced Joseph Conrads The Secret Agent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These Gilded Age novels, each of which explores political violence, struggle with the problem of getting inside the mind of a revolutionary. Turgenev, Conrad and James found something captivating about political revolutionaries who were also well educated, cultured and sensitive. Their novels ask whether someone who finds such meaning in life and art would sacrifice themselves in pursuit of a revolution. Could protagonists follow through with acts that would destroy themselves and the things they loved? Yet all three novelists also refuse to narrate key moments of violence from the mind of a vacillating protagonist. In Virgin Soil, you hear about the revolutionary action secondhand. In The Secret Agent, the reader never sees the bomb targeting the Greenwich Observatory explode, only the bombers scattered, gruesome remains. The Princess Casamassima follows the same pattern. James narrates the touching surprises of Hyacinths moods and his sudden inconsistencies of temper. But he refrains from describing the scene and what goes through Hyacinths head when Hyacinth pledges his life to the revolution. The reader only learns about the scene later, through Hyacinths conversations and recollections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, after Hyacinth is called to kill and I wont spoil the ending James describes the aftermath of that event, but not the act itself. Similarly, James resists full explanations for the psychological states of secondary characters. The princess never fully says why she becomes a class traitor. She also attends revolutionary meetings outside the reach of Hyacinth and the narrator. The narrator, strangely, even describes the princesss actions as an immense anomaly and more than may be explained. I say strangely because as the creator of a fictional world, James could easily take a stab at explaining. James novels often offer the cause for characters actions with famously detailed descriptions of their thought processes. And yet, his characters will still defy explanation by behaving in unexpected ways. The mysteries of Mangione I think the same sense of mystery can help explain the public fascination with the Mangione case. People want to understand his motivation. While the books featured on Mangiones Goodreads page and the posts on his social media accounts can offer clues, they dont provide clear answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His relatively brief manifesto discusses the abuse and the corruption and greed of the health insurance industry. Obviously, Mangione was angry about the health care system. But did he, or did someone close to him, experience a denied claim? Had there been a precipitating psychological break? If what prosecutors allege is correct, why would this well-educated, successful 26-year-old, with so much life ahead of him, choose murder instead of other avenues to effect change? What went through his mind while he waited for Thompson on a midtown street? If Mangione never wavered on his hatred of health insurance companies, did he waver over resorting to deadly violence? Part of that guessing comes from a gap in our knowledge; Mangione went off the grid in the months leading up to the alleged murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in those rare cases when the public has all the facts, its hard to get inside the head of someone who commits political violence. And that difficulty makes it all the more intriguing. The limits of realism Its no coincidence that those who wrote about political violence struggled against the limits of the genre known as literary realism. Novelists such as Charles Dickens, Harriet Beecher Stowe and George Eliot strove to capture the complex, interconnected systems of modern life. These literary realists used their fiction to examine the effect of circumstances on psychology. They wanted to show how someones upbringing and experiences influenced their choices. Henry James career began during the height of the realist novel. But as scholars like Amanda Claybaugh argue, representing revolutionary violence meant going beyond realism. Hyacinth, the princess and other characters simply cannot be fully explained in the way realism aspires to do. Or, as scholar Michaela Bronstein writes, Violence is the subject matter of literary forms that refuse realism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the conservative James, the revolutionaries who wanted to tear down society pushed at the limits of the literary form. Psychological realism requires some sympathy with a central character. James addresses the problem by creating a revolutionary who resembles himself: not just a single-minded ideologue, but a masterful craftsman, a lover of art and a sensitive friend. Hyacinth seems to believe in the cause of equality. But as someone who also loves the world as it is, he hesitates over committing violence. The mystery of human choices, even when circumstances are known, occupied writers like James, who seems to wonder whether he himself could actually commit political murder. He doesnt know. And so there is a glaring gap a mental block when it comes to exploring his protagonists psyche. His realist fiction could never arrive at a full understanding. There are many reasons why Mangiones alleged murder of Thompson has drawn so much attention: the way it spotlights problems with the health insurance industry, the lurid details of the shooting and Mangiones subsequent escape, and, of course, Mangiones good looks. Despite knowing so many details, his mental state is still a mystery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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: Max Chapnick, Boston University Read more: Max Chapnick 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. Rudy Giuliani mightve finally caught a break. After being sued for everything he hadhis watches, his diamond ring, his Mercedes-Benz, his home, and $148 millionby defamed Georgia poll workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the former mayor has apparently come to a settlement. I have reached a resolution of the litigation with the Plaintiffs that will result in a satisfaction of the Plaintiffs judgment. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the Parties, Giuliani announced on X on Thursday. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida Condominium and all of my personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the terms of the settlement are not yet public, a statement from the defamed mother-daughter duo confirmed the news. The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong, said Moss and Freeman in a joint statement. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. The settlement comes after Giuliani failed to appear in court Thursday morning. Both parties are now asking the judge to adjourn the trial so that their settlement agreement can be executed. Moss and Freeman testified that Guilianis claims that theyd engaged in election fraud in 2020 led to a wave of racist threats and hatred toward them. Rudy Giuliani will keep his apartments and his World Series rings in exchange for unspecified "compensation" to two election workers and a promise not to further defame them. The former New York City mayor had been a no-show to his non-jury civil trial that was set to begin Thursday in Manhattan federal court. The proceedings had been adjourned until Tuesday. "All parties reached a resolution," Giulianis attorney, Joseph Cammarata, said outside court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He read a statement from Giuliani that said the settlement does not include an admission of guilt. Giulianis statement said he gets to keep his New York co-op and Florida condominium along with all his personal belongings. He has agreed not to talk about Freeman and Moss in a defamatory way. Andrew Giuliani said he will retain possession of the World Series rings, which he has said his father gifted to him. Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness in the case, which was to decide whether he must turn over his Florida condo to the two Georgia election workers. When ABC News asked whether Giuliani was coming to court on Thursday morning, his attorney said Im not going to comment on anything right now. Asked whether Giuliani was OK, the attorney responded "yes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A jury found Giuliani liable in 2023 for defaming Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss by falsely accusing them of tampering with the 2020 presidential vote in Georgia, and awarded the two election workers a $148 million judgment. MORE: Judge to rule on whether Rudy Giuliani must give up World Series rings, condo in defamation case The former New York City mayor has already turned over a Mercedes and other assets to the women, but had been fighting to keep the condo, which he claims as his permanent residence. PHOTO: Rudy Giuliani speaks after leaving federal court in Washington, Jan. 10, 2025. (Jose Luis Magana/AP) Giuliani has been disbarred in New York and in Washington after his law license was stripped over his efforts aiding former President Donald Trump's bid to overturn the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been held in contempt twice this month by two different federal judges. Giuliani gets to keep apartments, World Series rings in settlement with election workers originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Attorneys for Rudy Giuliani and two former Georgia election workers said Thursday they have reached a tentative settlement, a remarkable twist that would end the workers extensive litigation to collect their $146 million defamation judgment. Giuliani was previously ordered to hand over most of his assets, but he was set to begin trial Thursday morning over whether he can retain a Florida condo and three Yankees World Series rings. The notice, which included sparse details about the settlement, indicated that the agreement would fully resolve the disputes and result in the conclusion of all litigation pending between Giuliani and Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss. The attorneys indicated that execution of the settlement agreement is dependent on certain conditions being met but did not expand on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement agreement comes after Giuliani failed to appear for the trial earlier Thursday in New York City. In a statement on social platform X, Giuliani confirmed he reached an agreement with the women but said the resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the Parties. Giuliani has for years falsely asserted they engaged in widespread 2020 election fraud. He also said the agreement would allow him to retain his New York apartment, Florida condominium and all of my personal belongings a shocking development that would allow him to retain the vast majority of his assets. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation, Giuliani said. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moss and Freeman in a statement marked the settlement as a milestone. The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong, Moss and Freeman said in a joint statement. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. Following Giulianis no-show, U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman rescheduled the trial to Tuesday. The parties are now asking the judge to adjourn both the trial and the continuation of a contempt hearing against Giuliani to after Feb. 25, so that the agreement may be executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeman and Moss have been attempting to collect their $146 million defamation judgment ever since a Washington, D.C., jury awarded them the sum at a December 2023 civil trial. They testified during the trial that their lives were turned upside down by Giulianis assertions they engaged in widespread 2020 election fraud. They detailed a torrent of racist and violent threats following the accusations and indicated that, years later, the attacks persisted. The parties ended up in Limans court for judgment enforcement proceedings after Giuliani first attempted to seek bankruptcy protection in the wake of the massive sum. He was ultimately kicked out of the bankruptcy system for not providing transparency into his finances. The election workers have since continued to accuse Giuliani of delay tactics, including after the duo secured an order from Liman requiring the ex-mayor to hand over most of his possessions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even as recently as this month, the parties legal battle remained in full force, with Freeman and Mosss lawyer successfully convincing judges to hold Giuliani in contempt twice last week. Updated 2:37 p.m. EST 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. The cousin of a Needham man is on the list of hostages to be released now that a cease-fire deal has been reached. My emotions ran dry on this a long time ago, todays the first day I felt any glimmer of hope in a very long time, said Jason Greenberg, who lives in Needham. Greenberg finally feels a sense of hope after learning about the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. Five of his family members were taken hostage on October 7th when the war broke out, and two of them were killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have waged psychological as well as physical terror on not only the direct victims but the indirect victims such as families, so Im not surprised its taken this long and honestly I still wont believe it until I see the faces come home, said Greenberg. Greenbergs cousin, Ofer Kalderon, and his two children were taken hostage that day, and about two months later, the children were released in the first exchange, but their father is still held captive 15 months later. One thing they both keep saying is they cant really move on until they get their dad back, said Greenberg. Greenberg says his cousin is on the list of 33 hostages to be released now that a deal has been reached, according to President Bidens announcement Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a mathematical impossibility that hell come back the same person he was when he left, said Greenberg. Along with being a dad, Ofer is a carpenter and an adventure cyclist who loves to travel the world. My only hope for him is that he gets to build a kitchen in the next year or two and go to some exotic place and ride with his friends and do the things that he loved to do before, said Greenberg. Greenberg is now just hoping this deal is official, so families, like his, can finally be reunited. Alive or dead they have to come home, and closure has to take place and thats the only way this wars gonna end, said Greenberg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hostages are supposed to be released in phases starting on Sunday, and Greenberg says his cousin is listed to be released in the third group of four. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria delivered his State of the City address Tuesday, offering a blunt outlook on the citys financial challenges as it faces a projected $258 million budget deficit for the 2026 fiscal year. I want to primarily focus on the work ahead, Gloria said. Because while our persistence has yielded many achievements to celebrate, the stark financial realities we face today will be a true test of our resolve. Gloria noted that the current deficit follows a $170 million shortfall last year, which the city managed to close through precise cuts and one-time measures. However, the situation is compounded by the failure of Measure E, a proposed one-cent sales tax that could have generated an estimated $400 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City of San Diego five-year financial outlooks shows significant budget deficits until 2030 As mayor, Ive heard and I accept the will of the voters, Gloria said. Instead, we now must find another way to continue delivering on the core priorities that matter most to San Diegans. Those priorities, according to Gloria, include maintaining essential services like police and fire departments. The mayor outlined plans to cut non-essential spending, including downsizing office space leases, to reduce costs. Gloria also addressed the citys ongoing homelessness crisis, promising to expand shelter options and focus on permanent housing solutions despite financial constraints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gloria also said that the county needs to shoulder more of the burden with the homeless crisis. Implementing our comprehensive shelter strategy to reduce homelessness is my administrations number one priority, Gloria said. And it will continue to be this year. In addition, Gloria emphasized plans to fix roads, upgrade stormwater infrastructure, and create more affordable housing. He expressed optimism the city could transform its financial adversity into an opportunity for growth and innovation. City leaders are expected to begin discussions in the coming weeks to find creative solutions to San Diegos financial challenges without jeopardizing critical public services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. GLOUCESTER COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) A Gloucester man was arrested in his home and sentenced for the human trafficking of two 14-year-old girls in Utah. In October 2022, a search warrant was put out in Utah for a suspect with a residence in Gloucester. On Oct. 26, 2022, the warrant was executed in Gloucester by the Sheriffs Office. During the search, law enforcement found digital evidence. Ryan Randolph, 29, was taken into custody on outstanding warrants obtained by the Utah Attorney Generals Office. Ryan Randolph Randolph was extradited back to Davis County, Utah, where he remained until trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the trial, the victims testified that Randolph pretended to be a young girl to gain their trust and subsequently introduced them to another person who offered to pay them for nude photographs. They testified after sending nude pictures, Randolph extorted the two juveniles to engage in explicit acts while he recorded it via video chat. He was charged with two counts of first-degree human trafficking of a child, two counts of aggravated sexual extortion, one count of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and two counts of second-degree enticement of a minor. In less than six hours, he was found guilty on all his charges. WAVY has been informed he was sentenced, but is reaching out on the exact length of the sentence. 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 WAVY.com. Pam Regan stopped in today from the Missouri Job Center to talk to Howie about some great events that are coming up! If you are seeking a job this might be the place for you. To start off, they have positions for a paid internship for junior and senior high school students that are in a flex program that are able to work 20 hours a week and can make $15 and hour for 400 hours! It is also for those that are out of school that meet the eligibility and are 24 and under. There is also a Job Fair on January 21st at the Joplin Job Center where you can get interviews right on the spot, and some hands-on experience. They are allowing a 1 hour window for Veterans from 9-10am to come in first and then it will be open to the public from 10am-2pm. To learn more about the things going on and anything else, head to; https://www.facebook.com/swmojobcenters. On their website you can upload your resume and keywords that will help notify you of jobs that match your description. Also, what is great as an employer is that the website will allow you to dictate where job seekers can apply, it can be on your website or however you want them. It is all free of cost, even for the employers because they are tax-payer funded. Job seekers and employers be sure to check out the workforce system designed for results; https://jobs.mo.gov/community/mo-workforce-system. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Former State Sen. Laura Ebke, senior policy fellow at the Platte Institute, leads a news conference regarding regulatory review and modernization.(Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN Nebraska lawmakers unveiled a multi-step plan Thursday to cut red tape, periodically review or update state rules and regulations and, ultimately, save taxpayers money. The legislative package coined as GOAT Government Oversight, Accountability, and Transparency is similar to the advisory Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE) that President-elect Donald Trump has proposed to advise members of Congress on how to shrink the federal government and find efficiencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several other states have set up similar advisory boards. Former State Sen. Laura Ebke, senior policy fellow at the Platte Institute, leads a news conference regarding regulatory review and modernization. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) State Sens. Bob Andersen of Omaha, Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, Dan McKeon of Amherst, Dan Quick of Grand Island, Merv Riepe of Ralston and Tanya Storer of Whitman are leading the efforts with the Platte Institute, a nonprofit think tank, and Americans for Prosperity-Nebraska. The senators introducing legislation in this package have decided not to wait on an advisory body to make recommendations and instead are taking the goat by the horns and starting the conversation in the elected body closest to the citizens: the Legislature, said former State Sen. Laura Ebke, senior policy fellow at the Platte Institute. Legislative eyes and ears Among a half-dozen proposals is Legislative Bill 29, from Conrad, to require executive agencies to review the necessity of existing regulations every three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal mirrors a 2017 executive order from former Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, now a U.S. senator, that paused all new rulemaking for about six months. Ricketts had said the pause would allow time to review more than 7.5 million words in the administrative code, with more than 100,000 regulatory restrictions on the books. Among the questions that Ricketts required state agencies to review were: Is the regulation essential to the health, safety or welfare of Nebraskans? Do the costs of the regulation outweigh the benefits? Does a process exist to measure the effectiveness of the regulation? Has a less restrictive alternative been considered? Was the regulation solely created due to state law? Was the regulation created as a result of a federal mandate? Conrad noted those efforts have, as of 2023, reduced nearly 25% of state regulations from 2017, which she called an excellent first start, but we cant rest on those laurels. State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln speaks at a news conference related to reviewing state rules and regulations. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) She said the proposals, if enacted, could save money and fight back against the ever-growing administrative state that has really entangled into far too many aspects of our lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will ensure that there will be legislative eyes and ears on every rule and regulation that emanates from the bureaucracy on a periodic basis, Conrad said, checking for if something is outdated, antiquated or cost-prohibitive. Millions, possibly billions in savings Another of the proposals already introduced, LB 366, from Riepe and Conrad, would create the Legislative Economic Analysis Unit led by a chief economist for the Legislature. It would require periodic review of major rules or regulations that could result in, or are likely to result in, an economic impact of more than $1 million over five years or that could have significant adverse effects on competition, employment, investment, productivity or innovation, including such effects on individual industries or regions. Another proposal from McKeon would create an executive branch office to ensure cost-benefit analysis of regulations and to make progress toward streamlining existing rules. Speaker John Arch of La Vista, center. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Ebke said a new office sounds scary, but thanks to efforts in other states, such as Virginia, an office of four people has saved many millions of dollars, maybe billions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former State Sen. Nicole Fox, director of government relations for the Platte Institute, said staff from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkins staff joined the nonprofit at an event in December. She noted that in two years, Virginia realized more than $1 billion in savings, $300 million in housing alone. Fox said regulations like updates to the electrical code can seem necessary from an efficiency perspective but do end up passing on costs to taxpayers. Ebke said the effort is designed to create an atmosphere where regulatory agencies do economic analyses considering costs to Nebraskans, rather than just costs to the state. The other proposals have yet to be introduced but would include: an inventory and examination of nearly all federal funds the state receives (Andersen); a measure to allow businesses to challenge regulations in local courts rather than courts in Lincoln (Storer), a measure to prevent agencies from issuing binding regulatory advisories (Quick). Cornerstone of decision-making State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, the chair of the Government, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee that would likely consider most of the regulatory package, said excessive rules can impede progress and hinder entrepreneurs or businesses from getting off the ground. State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, center.(Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said regulations should be crafted in the Legislature, the cornerstone of decision-making. Speaker John Arch of La Vista, who endorsed the proposed changes, said the good government bills would lead to a better process and improve the functioning of government. LB 346, introduced by Arch on behalf of Gov. Jim Pillen, would terminate or reassign the duties of more than 40 state boards, commissions, committees or councils. While its not part of the official Platte package, Arch said it helps accomplish the same goal. Conrad said the combined efforts with Arch The Magnificent Seven will not eliminate every single rule or regulation, but she said they will ensure proper delegation of authority to stand up for Nebraskans, including consumer safety, public health and welfare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we work together to remove the regulatory burden, it benefits all Nebraskans, Conrad said. It unleashes economic freedom and it ensures we have more opportunities for personal liberty. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CHEYENNE The first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislatures general session got off to an emotional start Tuesday, punctuated by moments of religious declaration, as the Wyoming Freedom Caucus officially took control of the states House of Representatives. During the legislative session, its typical to see lawmakers begin with the Pledge of Allegiance and a formal prayer. But on Tuesday, several lawmakers made their own statements of faith, citing Bible verses and offering prayers during an intimate swearing-in ceremony, as well as in speeches on the House and Senate floors. New senators sworn in Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New members of the Wyoming Senate are sworn in during the first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislatures general session on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Cheyenne. Before the general session convened at noon, a small group of freshman lawmakers ideologically aligned with the Freedom Caucus met in the Capitols Historic Supreme Court Room for an intimate swearing-in ceremony. Were here because God led us here, said Rep. Steve Johnson, R-Cheyenne. Im incredibly proud to be included in this freshman class of the 68th Legislature. The ceremony included a few prayers, a Scripture reading and a promise to uphold conservative values. Wyoming Freedom Caucus Chairwoman Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody, joined in welcoming the new legislators, adding it was an emotional day for her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the Freedom Caucus contingent grew significantly following the 2024 general election, a few notable members lost their races, including one outspoken member, former Rep. Jeanette Ward of Casper. (Im) a little emotional this morning, because theres been such a change, a drastic change, in this election, Rodriguez-Williams said. But I, too, am excited about the growth of the conservative movement. We know that God had a plan. He brought each and every one of you here. God sees everything Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray called the House of Representatives to order at noon Tuesday. A former state lawmaker himself, Gray has previously announced his close working relationship with lawmakers to push forward legislation that he says will tighten Wyomings elections. Gray has said he believes such proposals will garner 35 votes at least from the 62 members in the lower chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were in a golden age if we seize this opportunity, Gray said. ... Never forget that God sees everything. We ask for Gods blessing, His wisdom, His strength and His discernment. House Speaker Chip Neiman House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, addresses the House of Representatives during the first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislature's general session on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Cheyenne. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus, a group of hard-line Republicans, is now officially in control of the House, with its members filling leadership positions. House Speaker Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, a Freedom Caucus member, appeared to hold back tears as he gave his opening speech Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I even put a thing in my foot. I was going to step on it, hurt it so bad that I would not be able to get emotional in this time, Neiman said. The Wyoming Freedom Caucus grew from a small band of representatives to controlling the House within a few years, and members promised to stay true to the will of their constituents. Neiman remarked on the change in political landscape, both at the state and national levels, with the incoming second Trump administration. Across this nation, voters made clear that they wanted changes, Neiman said. Wyoming voters also sent a strong message this election. As I take the gavel as Speaker, I want Wyoming voters to know that we listened, and we heard them loud and clear. The Freedom Caucus met with the media last week to review their Five and Dime Plan and 20-20 Vision. The group hopes to pass a series of bills in line with its conservative goals, including policies targeting transgender people, election reform, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs in higher education and property tax reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jeremy Haroldson addresses House House Speaker Pro Tempore Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, addresses the House during the first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislature's general session on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Cheyenne. Speaker Pro-Tempore Rep. Jeremy Haroldson, R-Wheatland, quoted Ronald Reagan, saying that government is not a solution to the problem but a problem itself. The only thing that will bring us out of the time of crisis that we are in is an understanding that more government will never fix the problem (that is) caused by more government, Haroldson said. Religion cited in attempt to remove Barlow from committee chair post Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Senate on Tuesday, as the old guard handed authority over to new leaders, some made their own declarations of religious fervor. Longtime Senate President Ogden Driskill, R-Devils Tower, thanked his colleagues for their support before Sen. Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, was elected Senate president. Biteman thanked his family and colleagues for putting their trust in him, and newly appointed Senate Vice President Tim Salazar, R-Riverton, invoked God. On this day, I think of my wife, my son and my Savior, Salazar said on the Senate floor. Senate President Bo Biteman Newly appointed Senate President Bo Biteman, R-Ranchester, listens during the first day of the 68th Wyoming Legislature's general session on Tuesday at the state Capitol in Cheyenne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although he thanked his fellow senators for their support, Bitemans choice to lead the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee was immediately challenged on religious grounds. Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs, made a motion to remove Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette, as chairman of that committee based on the two senators vehement disagreement on the question of life of the unborn. My colleague, who I respect, but vehemently disagree with on this issue, has a long voting record of supporting abortion, which is antithetical to the moral laws of our country as defined by our Founding Fathers, Hicks said. There is no other declaration or constitution (in the world) that recognizes the fact that there is a higher law than mans law, and that law comes from God. Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs Sen. Larry Hicks, R-Baggs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amongst those laws is the right to life. The governments first and most important duty is to protect those God-given rights, Hicks said. Later in the day, Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, who serves as the minority floor leader in the Senate, called the move by Hicks a power play that went against his advice to the Senate. Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson We hear a lot today about change, Gierau said on the Senate floor. We hear, Things are happening, things are new. Gierau, who serves as the minority floor leader in the Senate, said the Legislature is at its best when not hyper-focused on hot-button social issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We come and do the best for the people of Wyoming when we argue ideas. That is when we are at our best, (when) we do the peoples business, the peoples work, Gierau said. A word of caution: When we deviate from that, we have another result. Hicks noted, however, that it is the committee chairmans prerogative to block bills from ever making it to the chamber floor, worrying Barlow may do the same to abortion-related measures. I have served as chairman, and it is not an uncommon practice to end up with some bill in the bottom of the drawer, Hicks said. Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette Sen. Eric Barlow, R-Gillette Barlow pointed out that he has previously served as Labor Committee co-chair, and has voted in favor of restrictive abortion bans in the past, but has made many votes in his 10-plus years as a lawmaker. I am not going to go back through 12 years of service, Barlow said. If someone would like to talk to me about my faith, and my deep abiding faith in the Lord, I would be glad to do that with the members of this body in private. Any given bill topic, he continued, would not affect my ability to discharge my duties as chairman of the Labor Committee, he said. Sen. Charles Scott, R-Casper, spoke against removing Barlow as committee chair, citing his own religion and his pro-abortion-rights stance. I believe in respecting all the different religions that we have, Scott said. Really, they have different interpretations of what God requires of us and what Gods laws are. I dont think it is appropriate for us to deny a chairmanship based upon an individuals beliefs on this particular issue. Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper, said Barlow is the most qualified person in the Senate to lead the Labor committee. He is a qualified and servicing veterinarian in Wyoming that has a lot of experience in the medical field, Anderson said. I find this motion to be frivolous and politically motivated. It does not build goodwill, is divisive and does not show civility in this body. Only three senators, including Hicks, voted to remove Barlow. The two other votes to remove Barlow came from Sen. Cheri Steinmetz, R-Lingle, and Sen. Laura Taliaferro Pearson, R-Kemmerer. KAUKAUNA, Wis. (WFRV) As a mother of three, Kaukauna Coffee and Tea owner Mamie Nickel is always doing the most for her children, but that extends to her community as well. Children sitting there all day long having to absorb all this knowledge, its hard to begin with, let alone to have to do it wondering what theyre going to have for lunch today, or how embarrassed are they going to be to have to sit at lunch, and they maybe dont have something but their friends do, said Mamie Nickel. Thats a horrible feeling that no human being should have to experience, let alone a child. Childrens Museum of Green Bay plans plenty of winter-themed activities for Polar Palooza Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an effort to assist students in the Fox Valley area facing food insecurity, Nickel came up with Community in a Cup as her theme for 2025, with the No Belly Hungry Fund as the first initiative. Customers have the option to round up their purchases at checkout to contribute to the fund. At the end of each month, I choose a local area school, and I will donate the money there. We will drop off a check to any child whose lunch funds maybe just need a little more love this time of year, she said. Draft City Music Fest to kick off, close out 2025 NFL Draft weekend in Green Bay Its gone beyond what I imagined, and were very much a family as employees here, but our customers are as well, Nickel told Local 5. Its been overwhelming. I have not had a business hesitate or say no. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initiative goes until the end of May when the school year ends, but Mamie plans to introduce a new one following the Community in a Cup theme. 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. Jan. 15Gonzaga University's next president will be Katia Passerini as the school continues to break with decades of leadership precedent. Her selection following a national search continues the 137-year-old Jesuit university's recent direction of hiring non-clergy members to lead. She will be the university's first woman president when she takes over in July for the retiring Thayne McCulloh, who for 16 years has led Gonzaga as its first president who isn't a Jesuit Catholic priest. "I am very excited to join the Gonzaga University family this coming summer," Passerini said in a prepared statement. "Gonzaga is clearly a very special place: a dynamic university with a national reputation for quality, dedicated to the holistic education of students. Coming to know this community and discovering together how it will continue its success is going to be a wonderful journey. I am deeply grateful to the Board of Trustees for its confidence in me and look forward to coming to know the university and region." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passerini was in Spokane visiting the school Wednesday. University spokesman Jamie Aitken said neither Passerini nor Gonzaga leadership would be made available for interviews Wednesday. Passerini will leave her post as provost and executive vice president at Seton Hall, a Catholic university about 15 miles from New York City in South Orange, New Jersey. She had been Seton Hall's interim president starting in 2023 until the university selected its own new president. Nathaniel Knight, faculty senate chairman and history professor at Seton Hall, spoke highly of Passerini, saying she was a "calming presence" who helped maintain stability and focus on the school's mission amid leadership turmoil. "I would say she was at her best in her role as interim president," Knight said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called her personable, a good listener and someone who brought people together as she managed the various duties of a president, including working with faculty, students, parents, alumni and other donors. "I think she's been a positive presence here, and I think we'll miss having her, but I understand why she would want a position as president at a school like Gonzaga," Knight said. "I think she did very well in handling all of those relations and remaining well-liked at the end of it." Seton Hall's past president, Joseph Nyre, resigned after four years leading the university. He has since sued Seton Hall. Passerini's role as interim president ended when Seton Hall hired the Rev. Joseph Reilly to take over last July. His appointment marked the return of a clergyman as president, reinstating what the school called a "hallmark of the University for 146 years of its 168-year-old history." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her tenure at Seton Hall, Passerini's focus has been in innovation, and she put forth a number of initiatives, like the Academies Initiative, to foster it. The Academies, which Knight called an internal grant program, is focused on fostering interdisciplinary innovation. Faculty members are invited to apply as teams across different disciplines to come up with topics around larger interdisciplinary themes, Knight said. Gonzaga selected Passerini following a national search by the university's Presidential Search Committee, led by previous Board of Trustees Chair Christy Larsen, and comprised of student, faculty, staff, university administrators and members of the Board of Trustees and Regents, Gonzaga said in a news release. "Her current role as Provost and Senior Executive Vice President at Seton Hall University, together with her previous academic and administrative appointments, have prepared her well for this next stage in a stellar higher education career," said D. Michael Reilly, chairman of the Gonzaga Board of Trustees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to joining Seton Hall in 2020, Passerini was chair and dean of the College of Professional Studies at St. John's University. She was also a professor in the Division of Computer Science, Mathematics and Science. Passerini has a political science degree from LUISS University and an economics degree from University of Rome Tor Vergata, both in Italy. She also has master's and doctorate degrees from George Washington University and a certificate in business project management from New York University. Passerini and her husband, Arturo Pagan, have three sons. The family plans to relocate to Spokane this summer. Google will not be adding fact checks to its search results or YouTube videos in Europe a decision that flouts an EU law that requires tech giants to use fact checkers. Kent Walker, Googles global affairs president, said in a letter to the European Commission that the law simply isnt appropriate or effective for our services and that Google would not be obeying it. He added that the companys current approach to censoring content worked just fine during 2024s unprecedented cycle of elections. Axios was the first outlet to report the news on Thursday. A person with knowledge of the letter told TheWrap it was sent in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the part of the Commissions Disinformation Code of Practice that Google is not going along with: The new Code will extend fact-checking coverage across all EU Member States and languages and ensure that platforms will make a more consistent use of fact-checking on their services. Moreover, the Code works towards ensuring fair financial contributions for fact-checkers work and better access to fact-checkers to information facilitating their daily work. Googles disobeying of the Disinformation Code is pretty amusing, considering the company said it helped create the rules back in 2018. A source familiar with the company said Google was generally in favor of the rules when they were voluntarily adhered to, as was first outlined. But now that financial penalties can be attached to companies that do not go along with the EUs fact checking regulations, Google is not in favor of the stiffer rules, the source noted. The change in Googles tune is another indicator of the shifting tech zeitgeist. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, notably, said Facebook and Instagram would stop its third-party fact checking operation last week, opting for a feature that is similar to Xs Community Notes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zuckerberg explained that the move was about restoring free expression on Facebook and Instagram, where he said his fact checkers had made too many mistakes in recent years. TheWrap has reached out to Google for further comment. The post Google Tells EU Fact Checking Simply Isnt Appropriate appeared first on TheWrap. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) A group of Republican state lawmakers is pushing to enact permanent restrictions on which bathrooms transgender students can use in public schools. We are all gathered here today in defense of a biological fact, which is that men are men, boys are boys, women are women, and girls are girls, said Sen. Wes Climer (R-York). Our law and our policy should reflect those basic biological facts. Climer introduced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit transgender students from using accommodations including multi-occupancy bathrooms, changing facilities, and overnight sleeping quarters that do not correspond with their biological sex. The restrictions would apply to public K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would codify a rule included in last years state budget that required educational institutions to comply with the ban or risk losing a portion of their state funding. A public institution of higher learning that violates any portion of this provision shall be penalized twenty-five percent of the funds appropriated by this act that are used to support the institution operations, the bill states. SC Senate debates K-12 Lottery Scholarship bill The constitutionality of the rule is already being challenged in federal court, meaning further legal disputes likely await if the bill passes. A 13-year-old transgender boy from Berkeley County sued the state, school district, and South Carolina Department of Education in November, claiming he was threatened with expulsion for using the boys bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit argues the budget rule directly conflicts with federal Title IX regulations, which bar sex discrimination in federally-funded education programs. Policies like Proviso 1.120 pose grave threats to trans students educations, health, and safety, said Alexandra Brodsky, an attorney with Public Justice, a nonprofit legal advocacy group representing the student. They are also blatantly illegal: the U.S. Court of Appeal for the Fourth Circuit held years ago that trans students have the right, under the Constitution and Title IX, to use restrooms that correspond with their gender identities, and that ruling is binding on South Carolina, Brodsky continued. Attorney General Alan Wilson acknowledged the ongoing legal battle Wednesday, but said he fully expect[s] the ban will be upheld. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WCBD News 2. Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) made the case on Wednesday that his home state offers the same strategic advantages as Greenland, as President-elect Trump continues to muse publicly about acquiring the autonomous Arctic island. Trump has said owning Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, is an absolute necessity for the United States, pointing to the islands rich natural resources and potential benefits to U.S. national security. In an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Sullivan argued that Alaska provides the same upsides as Greenland, and he encouraged the incoming Trump administration to recognize the state as a great strategic asset, which he said the Biden administration has not done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres been a lot of talk about President-elect Trumps idea of buying Greenland, Sullivan wrote. But one U.S. state offers all of Greenlands benefits: Alaska. Sullivan addressed the argument that Greenland provides a gateway to the Arctic Ocean, which some argue is necessary as Russia and China jockey for power in the area. Greenland would provide the U.S. a gateway to the Arctic. But America is already an Arctic nation thanks to Alaska, Sullivan wrote. The Russians and Chinese know my state is at the forefront of great-power competition, he added, noting there have already been 12 air incursions into the states air-defense identification zone, just in the last two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He described Alaska as the cornerstone of Americas missile defense, noting missiles launched by Russia, China or North Korea would likely fly over his state. Sullivan noted that Trump said a priority for his administration would be to create an Iron Dome for America. To do so, Sullivan said, We need to add to our national ballistic-missile interceptor capability in Alaska and build a robust layered missile defense and space-based missile sensor capability. Sullivan also addressed the argument that Greenland is rich in minerals and energy reserves, writing, Alaska is even richer, with an estimated 40 billion barrels of oil and roughly 235 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. He added: Alaska also has a wealth of metals and other minerals, some of which are essential for our national defense, economy and renewable-energy sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buy Greenland? Sure, if the price is right and the Danes are willing to sell, Sullivan wrote. But as Mr. Trump prepares to unleash Alaskas potential again, its worth remembering what the father of the U.S. Air Force, Gen. Billy Mitchell, once said: I believe . . . whoever controls Alaska controls the world. I think it is the most strategic place in the world. 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. On his second full day in office, Gov. Mike Braun signed a slew of executive orders under the general theme of government efficiency among them, orders to rid the state government of any diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, mandate in-office work for state employees and remove degree requirements for state jobs. "You can see what this is about," he told reporters in his newly occupied governor's office, standing before a wall that's now blank, waiting for him to choose his own portraits to hang. "Making Indiana government more efficient, more transparent, more accountable. Every decision is being made with the goal of improving services for Hoosiers and maximizing the value of taxpayer dollars." As governor, Braun has the power to enact orders that affect the functioning and organization of the executive branch. Braun is closing Holcomb's DEI office Braun's executive order banishing DEI initiatives from state government includes closing the Office of the Chief Equity, Inclusion and Opportunity Officer a cabinet position outgoing Gov. Eric Holcomb created in 2020 following the criminal justice protests across the nation and in Indianapolis that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Equity Officer Karrah Herring acknowledged then that she might only be around as long as Holcomb would be around, but said she nonetheless intended to help identify and remove institutional barriers for Hoosiers of all backgrounds to access opportunities. She could not be reached for comment Wednesday. His order cites the landmark Supreme Court precedent set in 2023 through the Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard case, in which the justices outlawed affirmative action. State agencies, he ordered, cannot spend money on DEI positions, activities or training if they "grant preferential treatment" based on race or ethnicity; nor can they mandate any employee to disclose their preferred pronouns. Braun said he thinks "DEI" should be replaced with "MEI": merit, excellence and innovation. The move has been met with condemnation by the Indiana Senate Democratic caucus and numerous Black-led social justice organizations, like the Baptist Ministers Alliance, the Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis and the National Action Network of Indiana, which are calling on Braun to reverse his decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Replacing DEI with so-called merit, excellence, and intelligence reflects a misguided understanding of equity and ignores the systemic barriers that continue to hinder marginalized communities," reads a statement from the leaders of these groups. "True merit and excellence can only be achieved when individuals are provided with equitable access to resources and opportunities, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, or socioeconomic background." Gov. Mike Braun signs his first executive orders as Governor of Indiana, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in his office at Indiana Statehouse. The end of remote work for state employees The state first allowed government employees to work from home in March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic surged. Holcomb also issued an executive order mandating a full return to work in 2021, and yet according to Braun's executive order, executive branch employees logged more than 7 million hours of remote work in 2024 alone. Now, Braun is ordering full-time state employees to begin working in person every day by July 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We believe in the value of in-person collaboration and believe this will foster a stronger and more connected state workforce," he said. Removing college degree requirements for state jobs One of Braun's executive orders directs the state personnel department to review all state job postings to determine if a college degree is "necessary to perform the job duties." If it isn't, he says, get rid of that requirement. Braun wants to see degree requirements replaced with skills and experience-based standards. "In the enterprise I ran for 37 years, some of our best employees were just good at what they wanted to come and do for you," he said, referring to his company Meyer Distributing. "This is going to attract a broader pool of talent. I know it works." Gov. Mike Braun speaks to the media after signing his first executive orders as Governor of Indiana, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in his office at Indiana Statehouse. Other executive orders Here are the basics of six other executive orders Braun signed Wednesday: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executive order 25-11: Creates a central page of all the active Executive Orders, even ones from previous governors, that are still in effect. Executive order 25-12: Requires the Office of Management and Budget to create incentives for state agencies to exceed efficiency and cost-savings goals. Executive order 25-13: Creates a public dashboard of the performance metrics that state agencies will have to adhere to, such as customer satisfaction, policy outcomes and staffing. Executive order 25-17: Requires state agencies to review and remove redundant administrative rules, with the aim of reducing regulations by 25% by January 2029. Executive order 25-18: Streamlines licensure processes by allowing agencies to remove degree or background-check requirements that aren't relevant to the job being licensed. Executive order 25-19: Requires the state to implement a risk management program for its cloud computing services, with the goal of streamlining procurement processes and reducing cybersecurity risks. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Banning DEI, return-to-work: Gov. Mike Braun signs executive orders A rendering of Anduril's planned Arsenal-1 facility outside Columbus, OH. (Image courtesy of Anduril.) Ohio officials announced Thursday theyd landed the biggest economic development deal in the states history in terms of employment. The California-based defense contractor Anduril is planning a massive production facility southeast of Columbus in Pickaway County. With plans to hire 4,000 workers, Andurils Arsenal-1 project is more than 30% larger in terms of employment than the Intel facility going up in Licking County. State officials have yet to share details about what incentives they offered the company in exchange for selecting Ohio. Gov. Mike DeWine said theyd be ready to share those figures in the next several days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Meeting the new neighbors Anduril was founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, who previously developed the Oculus Rift virtual reality system. The company is still privately funded and has the backing of Peter Thiel, who founded PayPal and helped bankroll Vice President-elect J.D. Vances U.S. Senate run in 2022. The company focuses on autonomous aircraft systems including vertical take-off drones (Roadrunner), helicopters (Ghost) and cruise missiles (Barracuda). Their biggest aircraft is a large-scale fighter known as Fury, and the company has also developed a pair of autonomous submarines. The Anduril Fury. (Photo by Nick Evans, Ohio Capital Journal.) Anduril expects to produce Fury, Roadrunner, and Barracuda at the Ohio facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A central feature of Andurils pitch, however, isnt the drone itself but rather the technology connecting it to the operators on the ground. Theyve developed their own operating system known as Arsenal to design and build products as well as a platform called Lattice allowing a single person to control a cloud of drones or a large group to participate in controlling a single aircraft like Fury. Whatre they building Anduril is building its Arsenal-1 facility on 500 acres near the Rickenbacker Airport. When its all said and done, the company envisions a five million square foot facility producing tens of thousands of vehicles a year. And Andurils leaders are setting an aggressive timeline. Although local permits are still clearing and they havent begun building the production facility or hiring workers, they expect to have products coming off the assembly line by July of next year. In todays world, success is measured not just in capabilities, but in how quickly and efficiently we can deliver them, Anduril co-founder and executive chairman Trae Stephens said. Across the globe, we see rising threats to democratic values and the rule of law, the speed and scale of technological innovation have become decisive factors in national security. Co-founder and CEO Brian Schimpf argued the war in Ukraine has illustrated vulnerabilities in U.S. stockpiles of munitions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not have the capability to deter the conflict of today, and we are vulnerable to the looming conflict of the future, he said. Put simply, we need to manufacture more weapons faster to support that effort. Why Ohio? Like many large economic development deals, state officials dangled incentives to attract the company to the Buckeye State. Not long after the Ohio announced landing the next Intel microchip facility, DeWine asked lawmakers to set up an All Ohio Future Fund to prepare sites for major developments. The Pickaway County Port Authority is requesting $70 million from the fund to improve local infrastructure like roads and water systems to support Andurils new factory and, they hope, future developments following them. In addition, Anduril will seek a tax credit through the Ohio Department of Development tied to employment benchmarks. DeWine insisted their agreement is structured to ensure Anduril holds up its end of the bargain. With one of these projects, whether it is Intel, whoever it is, there is a deal made, and the money goes out, but the jobs have to be created, DeWine said. So here were talking about scaling up to 4,000 jobs, thats what has to happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And we have not been afraid, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted chimed in, in any circumstance, including with General Motors, to go claw back any incentives that they dont deliver on. According to the announcement, Anduril is supposed to hit that 4,000 employee benchmark by 2035. Husted also argued Ohio was a great option for Anduril separate and apart from the incentive package. He pointed to several other aerospace and defense companies already call Ohio home, including General Dynamics and GE. This is truly a victory where preparation has met opportunity, he said. Ohio has the workforce, the research and development, the testing, the manufacturing capabilities, and the customer, in reference to Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Husted also emphasized the states progress in developing career pathways outside of a four-year degree a pet project since taking office. Husted expects Anduril to hire people who find their way to the company through community colleges or certificate training programs. You just have to have the aptitude and the desire to go do things like this, Husted said. I mean, these jobs are going to average $132,000 a year in advanced manufacturing that most anybody can qualify to achieve. So this is perfect for Ohio, because its going to help middle class Americans have just secure jobs that they can be proud of. Anduril officials confirmed a bachelors degree isnt a requirement for their positions. What officials didnt share Thursday was the scope of the incentive package offered through JobsOhio. The economic development corporation is funded through Ohio liquor sales, but because its structured as a private entity it faces fewer public disclosure requirements. Still, officials promised to disclose the amount of funding once the deal is finalized. Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Gov. Katie Hobbs finds herself in the deep rough in 2025 with no clean lines that let her really strike the ball. Republicans, who already controlled the Arizona House and Senate, expanded their margins in the November election. Making things worse for a Democratic governor, Arizona voters lined up to support Donald Trump and helped turn the state and national mood more conservative. Hobbs can see the fairways of 2026 in the distance, where it looks as if formidable opponents could be planning to challenge her in both the Democratic primary and general election. Vetoing unpalatable bills isn't enough She has spent her first two years vetoing a record number of Republican bills and driving them to kingdom come. Advertisement Advertisement But the electorate has seen that routine many times now. Its growing tired. What does Hobbs do next? She played it safe this week with her State of the State address, striking the ball timidly and bouncing it down the middle. Her ambitions were small and her speech uninspiring. But recent events may point a way out for the governor a way to make some noise and set herself up for 2026. Arizona should learn from the LA fires The fires that are still sweeping through greater Los Angeles, killing more than 20 people and destroying billions of dollars of homes and businesses, is a reminder that the most important role of government is to get the basics right. Advertisement Advertisement California didnt do that. The governor and the Los Angeles mayor put other priorities ahead of such things as clearing undergrowth and brush that feeds wildfires, repairing reservoirs and building up more water storage programs. When fire struck this year, the Los Angeles Fire Department found itself seriously underfunded and understaffed. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reported that several former fire chiefs with deep experience in (Los Angeles Fire Department) tactics said the LAFD broke precedent and failed to pre-deploy firefighters and engines in the face of extraordinary warnings of life-threatening winds. Advertisement Advertisement Theres going to be a political earthquake from this thing, Washington Post columnist George Will said on News Nation. The California government is so busy micro-managing life, from algebra classes in schools to the names of the schools, protecting endangered species, doing all these things and people are going to say, Can we get the basic things right? Voters want proactive, not reactive, leaders Echoing that was Patrick Soon-Shiong, the multi-billionaire doctor and businessman who owns the Los Angeles Times. Its so crazy that we have leaders that are reactive rather than proactive, he told the network. We dont elect people with great operational competence. Advertisement Advertisement Americans of all stripes are dissatisfied with government performance, Jenny Mattingley wrote late last year on the news site Government Executive, well before the LA fires. No matter ones political persuasion or the politics of the day, greater emphasis ... must be directed at developing highly competent leaders the individuals responsible for keeping us safe in a dangerous world, the vice president of the nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service wrote. At a time of declining faith in American institutions, leaders who fulfill these fundamental responsibilities will help make our government more trusted and trustworthy. Hobbs must focus on the fundamentals The first job for a governor or mayor is to make sure that the basic services of government are working that you are tending to the fundamental needs of your state or municipal communities. Advertisement Advertisement That means ensuring infrastructure is sound, that you maintain good roads and transit, reliable power and clean water. That you are protecting your constituents from criminals and natural threats such as fire and drought. It means building an economy in which hard-working people can thrive and trust their government institutions. By doubling down on the fundamentals, even a Democratic governor in a Republican-heavy state can make her mark and demonstrate her real value. Heres how Hobbs can tend to the nuts and bolts of Arizona government. Work for compromise on the Colorado River Hobbs instinctively knows that water is Arizonas key sustaining resource and that our state must act soon to address the growing scarcity of water in the mountain Southwest. She expressed such in her State of the State address. Advertisement Advertisement However, negotiations with other Colorado River basin states on future distribution have stalled, and large decisions await Arizona and her neighbors. Our governor can put more effort into cutting through the Gordian knot of disagreement among Colorado River states and evangelize more for shared sacrifice and cooperation. That cant be spoken softly or with hesitation. It requires strong advocacy and leading by example. Hobbs can provide this leadership by demonstrating that Arizona will be a constructive and ethical player in river negotiations, willing to build alliances with like-minded states. Push for better groundwater management At the same time, Arizona and its growth communities also are moving further from safe yield replenishing as much groundwater as they pump. Advertisement Advertisement That is unsustainable. There are no teeth, however, in decades-old state goals to reach safe yield by 2025 and no great urgency felt by our towns and cities. The governor needs to use her bully pulpit to create urgency, to tell Arizona voters that if we dont attend to water scarcity now, we are reaping the whirlwind. Arizonans have to hear the truth. A desert state wont thrive for long if it doesnt ensure adequate water for the future. Arizona population centers need to reach safe yield, and the longer we put it off, the more we are courting a crisis. The ninth floor must also push harder on an ag-to-urban transition and make it easier for farmers to develop their lands into housing and other urban uses, thus saving water and meeting the ferocious demand for more affordable housing. Capitalize on semiconductor investments One never knows when opportunity is going to strike or how. Advertisement Advertisement It turns out that fear of China has stoked the greatest foreign-direct investment in Arizona history and one of the largest foreign investments in the history of the United States. TSMC or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company is sinking some $65 billion into new microchip fabrication plants in metro Phoenix. Microchips are the data processing engines that power our most sophisticated defense systems, our civilian aircraft, automobiles, appliances and so much more of the modern economy. To make sure the United States enjoys reliable supply lines, should China go rogue and invade Taiwan, the Biden White House and Congress have invested billions to bring greater microchip production to Arizona. Advertisement Advertisement That spells opportunity for this state, and already weve seen Intel boost its investment in Arizona by $34.5 billion as it reaps billions in federal subsidies. Be proactive if problems arise with TSMC Major manufacturers are relocating or building in Arizona as new development springs up to meet the demand of all this economic activity. In an enterprise this complex, problems are sure to surface. Hobbs has played an important role with the Department of Commerce and our members of Congress to clear the roadblocks and settle nerves. But the governor cannot relax. If billions of dollars are riding on this investment, a thousand more unanticipated problems are going to crop up. The ninth floor needs to be proactive and ready to move quickly as arbiter when union workers begin to protest or Taiwanese partners start to complain. Arizonas top leadership needs to vigilantly assure that we will match this giant economic driver with the planning, labor and educated workforce it requires. Create confidence in our electoral system Heres irony. The Arizona Republican Party that spent much of the last five years sowing distrust in the 2020 and 2022 elections is now in a mood to shore up confidence in the Arizona election system. Few people would disagree that todays electoral apparatus is too slow, sometimes forcing us to wait weeks for results. Opinion: How to speed election results without hurting voters Arizonas Democrat Secretary of State, Adrian Fontes, and virtually all of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors have called it a priority to speed things up, Jen Fifield wrote at Votebeat, a nonprofit news organization covering local election administration and voting access. Slow election results stir doubt and distrust in elections. Every day beyond Election Day without results makes voters suspect the worst. Republicans are pushing legislation to change that. This is how Hobbs survives past 2026 Hobbs should counter that any election reform needs to also include the Democratic priority of greater accessibility for voters. Single-party election reform will not instill confidence in the system. Any reform needs to reflect the input of both major parties. Hobbs can make that point and make sure election reforms in 2025 advance the interests of both Democrats and Republicans as it shores up confidence in Arizonas election system. If Hobbs can demonstrate progress on issues that are fundamental to our society our water supply, our economy and our electoral system she can build a powerful argument for why Arizonans should reaffirm their confidence in her in 2026. This is an opinion of The Arizona Republics editorial board. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: LA Fires lesson for Arizona: Don't skimp on water, economy | Opinion ATLANTA (WSAV) Gov. Brian Kemp delivered the 2025 State of the State address before a joint session of the Georgia General Assembly on Thursday. Now in his final two years as governor, Kemp laid out his top priorities, including lowering the state income rate to 5.19%. The governor said the efforts would save Georgians $7.5 billion over the next decade. Tort reform is another area of focus, Kemp said, making sure no unnecessary lawsuits are happening around the state. After meeting with small businesses and large corporations, the governor is expected to roll out related legislation in the coming days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Georgia lawmakers meet for first day of 2025 legislative session Kemp said hell work to make sure the most vulnerable Georgians are protected by investing more than $1.2 million to help with gang prosecution and human trafficking. Full address Another priority, he said, is school safety, ensuring schools have enough money, grants and resources to keep students and teachers safe. So, lets keep playing hard for the people who sent us here. Lets keep putting hardworking Georgians and our states success first, Kemp said at the end of his speech. Lets avoid distractions and line up together to secure victory. I believe Georgias success, its prosperity, and its promise of opportunity for all, are indeed contagious. And its our job to keep it that way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kemp has served as the Peach States 83rd governor since 2019. 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 WSAV-TV. Gov. Laura Kelly delivers the annual State of the State speech Wednesday in the Kansas House. She urged the 2025 Kansas Legislature to invest in K-12 public schools, water resources and early-childhood initiatives. She also warned the Republican-led Legislature to be wary of unsustainable tax reductions. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Gov. Laura Kellys seventh State of the State speech on Wednesday called for investments in water resources and public schools, streamlining early childhood regulation, pursuit of sustainable tax policy and expansion of Medicaid eligibility. Kelly, a Democrat who took office in 2019 as the states 48th governor after serving 14 years as a state senator, urged the Kansas Legislature to frame these significant issues in the context of what Kansas could look like at the end of this century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She asked lawmakers to step outside the day-to-day competition to score short-term political points. She recommended elected officials at the Capitol devote more energy to shaping what would lie ahead for Kansas children and grandchildren. Since Ive been in office, we have built an incredibly strong foundation for our state. Kansas has never been in better financial shape, Kelly said. Now, its time to build on that foundation. While looking down the road to 2100, she posed big questions: Is the agriculture economy booming because water resources were preserved and rural Kansas didnt dry up? Do Kansas businesses have the best and brightest workers because the priority was superior public schools? Is Kansas an economic-development powerhouse? Did Kansas hold onto its small-town traditions? Its easy to forget that we arent playing some kind of game here, Kelly said. We have real power. The decisions we make in this building touch every aspect of the lives of the people we work for. Heres the truth. The Kansas our grandkids will inherit is up to us right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly said the mission was to filter through some pretty wacky notions to settle on smart, reasonable common-sense bipartisan ideas. Im not asking you not to love your political party, the Democratic governor said. Im just asking you to love your state a little more. Young kids, and water Kelly said the way Kansas chose to invest in children would hold sway over the trajectory of the rest of this century. A childs experiences from birth to age 5 played a central role in social and emotional development, academic achievement and career success, she said. She said the state recognized the shortage of child-care providers and that skyrocketing costs handicapped businesses. Urgent state investment meant Kansas would added more child-care capacity in the next two years than in the previous 15 years, the governor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem? Kansas has siloed early-childhood services into four different state agencies. If a family is searching for care for a newborn, that family must navigate among three different agencies to figure out which program is the right fit, Kelly said. If a child care center wants to get off the ground, it must work with one state agency to get licensed, another to receive financial aid and workforce support, and a third to get assistance with start-up costs. Kellys solution: Create the Office of Early Childhood. It would be a one-stop shop for young families. This idea of eliminating irritating red tape and bureaucracy gained traction in the Kansas House in 2024, passing the chamber with 110 votes. Meanwhile, Kelly proposed creation of the Office of Natural Resources to streamline management of water resources. Currently, those programs were shared among 14 different state agencies. This consolidation would improve the states ability to align policy, planning and investment, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I imagine the end of this century and the state our youngest Kansans will inherit, I see so many good things on the horizon, Kelly said. But, there is one thing that is seriously concerning. Our dwindling water supply. Forget making it 75 years down the road. Some parts of western Kansas dont have the groundwater to last another 25 years. Last year, the Legislature appropriated $35 million additional dollars in each of the next five years to improve the states ability to deliver a clean, sustainable water supply, stabilize the Ogallala Aquifer and maximize the capacity of reservoirs in Kansas. Kellys budget recommendations, to be presented to House and Senate members Thursday, would add $30 million to the states annual investment in the water supply. That would raise the level of state investment to $90 million annually. Public schools Kelly said the state required a solid K-12 public school system to continue to attract new businesses and young families in the future. Ninety-percent of the states students attend public schools, she said, and those districts represented the most effective place to invest in the next generations, the governor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we talk about protecting the Kansas way of life, our public schools are the heart and soul of so many of our communities, Kelly said. For both, the future we aspire to create and the values we aspire to maintain, we must continue to make our public schools our top priority. Kelly said she would never, ever take taxpayer dollars from public schools and give it to private schools. Kansas Republican legislative leaders have been preparing another bid to expand support for private or parochial education. Doing so weakens our public school system, particularly in our rural communities, the governor said. As a state, we just cant afford to do that. Simply put, I will continue to reject any attempt, no matter what it looks like, to reroute public taxpayer dollars to public schools. She also said her 2025 state budget plan included funding to provide free school lunches to more than 35,000 Kansas students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No Brownback 2.0 Kelly, who defeated Republican Kris Kobach in 2018 and the GOPs Derek Schmidt in 2022, campaigned in both races against the reckless 2012 income tax reductions signed into law by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. His goal was to end the states income tax. The resulting steep decline in state revenue wasnt balanced with equivalent spending cuts, leading to years of budget problems that cut into appropriations for schools, highways and other core services. In her six years as governor, Kelly said shed signed into law more than $2 billion in tax cuts. In June, she signed into law a bill that cut state taxes by $1.2 billion over three years. She said she wouldnt support a proposal to slash the state corporate income tax to zero. The referred to the idea as a non-starter. The GOP leadership in the Senate and House also indicated they would attempt during the 2025 session to lower property tax burdens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must stay on the path to prosperity as we move through the rest of the 21st century, she said. She preferred to postpone discussions about new tax reductions until the 2026 legislative session to get a better handle on the full fiscal impact of tax cuts adopted last year. However, she said she would consider changes to the states tax structure that paid for themselves and didnt threaten the states long-term financial health. Kelly did renew her push for the Legislature to expand eligibility for Medicaid to about 150,000 lower-income workers in the state. The proposal has been blocked by Republican lawmakers for more than a decade, and the governor said the only remaining objections centered on partisan politics. Over the past six years, she said, all the horror myths around Medicaid expansion have been debunked, and all the surrounding states have expanded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the lingering argument in Kansas was that it would be too expensive for the state to broaden access to Medicaid health services. In 2025, she said, it would cost the state $78.3 million to follow in the footsteps of dozens of other states. Instead of making that investment, the state has already left $7.6 billion in federal funding on the table in Washington, D.C., that could have flowed into the states medical system. If we can strip away partisan politics and just look at the numbers, we will expand Medicaid this year, Kelly said. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) Gov. Henry McMaster has directed that flags atop the South Carolina Capitol and over state buildings be flown at full-staff on Inauguration Day, pausing a previous order that lowered flags for 30 days in memory of President Jimmy Carter. McMaster joins a growing group of Republican governors who announced this week that flags would fly at full height from sunrise to sunset on Jan. 20. House Speaker Mike Johnson has also said flags over the U.S. Capitol will be at full-staff for Donald Trumps inauguration. The inauguration overlaps with the customary 30-day mourning period observed following the death of a president, during which flags are lowered. President Biden initiated the action on Dec. 29, days after Carter died peacefully at his Georgia home at the age of 100. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump previously complained on social media about flags being lowered when he took the oath of office, suggesting that Democrats were giddy about it. Nobody wants to see this, and No American can be happy about it, Trump wrote in a Jan. 3 Truth Social post. Lets see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICAN GREAT AGAIN! Flags will return to half-staff after sunset on Monday, where they will remain until Jan. 28, McMaster 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 WCBD News 2. NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) Could there be a day when there will be no cellphones in New Jersey classrooms? In his State of the State address on Tuesday, Gov. Phil Murphy announced his support for legislation that would direct school districts to adopt policies that ban cellphones in K-12 classrooms. He said cellphones are distracting and are fueling a rise in cyberbullying. More Local News Honestly is it any surprise that the rise in smartphone usage has coincided with a growing youth mental health crisis? Of course not, said Murphy, and I for one am not going to sit back as our kids suffer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every parent knows the damage these devices can cause, he continued. Enough is enough, it is time for action. Some school districts, such as Ramsey, have already implemented a cellphone ban. Others, such as Newark, have not. For students I think it would be bad because some students do need their cellphones, said Bilal Williams, a senior at University High School in Newark. It just depends on which kid is using it because some kids they dont really be on it, but some others, like, theyre not doing their work. If they need to just talk to me about something they could probably go and ask for permission or something like that, said Shaquera McGilvery, a University High School parent, but if its an emergency they should be able to pick up the phone and call me right away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just before Murphys address, the state Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill that would require school districts to adopt policies to prohibit cellphones in classrooms, except for emergency use. The bill would still need the Assemblys approval before making it to the governors desk. 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. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Following Gov. Ned Lamonts address in Hartford on Wednesday, a reporter asked him a question that should grab the attention of all Connecticut taxpayers. Reporter: Are you looking at any tax cuts in the next two-year budget cycle? Lamont: I am. Reporter: Can you talk about it? Lamont: No, its still in formation. Stay tuned on this one. The governor will make his biennial budget address on Feb. 5. CAPITOL REPORT 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 WTNH.com. Gov. Gavin Newsom extended price gouging protections on rental housing Thursday, while the state's top law enforcement official vowed to crack down on landlords who are ignoring the rules, jacking up rent in the wake of Los Angeles County's devastating fires. Under California law, price gouging protections kick in during a state of emergency and generally bar landlords, hotel and motels from charging more than 10% more than what they were charging or advertising before the crisis. The protections were set to expire in February, but Newsom issued an executive order Thursday that extends them in L.A. County until March 8. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the state attorney general, those protections will be in place elsewhere as well if the fires create additional housing demand outside the county. Since flames broke out last week, a wave of L.A. County landlords have raised rent on their properties well beyond what the rules allow, including increases of more than 50%, according to online listings. The listings have been widely shared on social media and have sparked calls from tenant organizations and even some landlord groups for authorities to prosecute. The actions of a few bad actors tarnish our entire industry and exploit vulnerable families struggling to rebuild, Tom Bannon, chief executive officer of the California Apartment Assn., said in a statement Wednesday. We support efforts to strengthen penalties for violators and encourage strict enforcement of the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Signs of rent gouging rise across region in fires' wake, bringing calls for enforcement In a press conference Thursday, California Atty. General Rob Bonta said his office is actively investigating numerous price gouging complaints and noted violators can face up to a year in jail and criminal fines of $10,000 per violation. Bonta cited a Los Angeles Times story from Wednesday that quoted an agent saying their client raised rent beyond the 10% threshold, in part because the client didn't think authorities would prosecute. "That client is so very wrong," Bonta said. "We will prosecute where laws have been broken," he said. "Don't think we are bluffing and try to call it. You will regret it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to an extension of price gouging protections, Newsom's executive order seeks to speed construction of housing after the fires, taking additional steps to those he's already announced. The new rules include streamlining the building of ADUs on properties destroyed by fires and expediting the permitting process for temporary housing. "As thousands of Los Angeles residents have been faced with sudden displacement, our state will do everything it can to help provide housing and assistance as quickly as possible," Newsom said in a statement. "Today, we are expediting the creation of new temporary housing by removing roadblocks and strengthening protections against exploitation. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Californias relentless wildfires have sparked not only destruction but a growing insurance crisis, leaving thousands of residents without coverage as the flames consume homes and lives. As of January 15, wildfires have burned more than 40,000 acres, impacted more than 12,000 structures and resulted in at least 24 deaths. Don't miss As firefighters work to contain the blazes, many residents face the added blow of losing homeowners insurance, which should cover fire-related damage or destruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several insurance companies have stopped offering policies in California or are refusing to renew existing ones in an effort to reduce their financial risk, according to Fox 9 News. However, Governor Gavin Newsom has a strong message for these insurers: Not on my watch. "California is preventing insurance companies from canceling home coverage for LA wildfire victims in impacted zip codes over the next year, Newsom shared on X, formerly Twitter. The folks in these communities have suffered enough. They should not have to deal with the stress of home insurance on top of it all." What does this mean for Californians? Last week, California's Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara issued a one-year moratorium preventing insurance companies from canceling or issuing nonrenewals for homeowners in the neighborhoods or adjoining ZIP codes affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires. This ban applies regardless of whether the homeowners suffered a loss. The order applies to all residential property policies as of January 7, when Governor Newsom declared a state of emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Lara also issued a notice urging insurance companies to halt any pending nonrenewals for properties near wildfires, even if theyre not covered by the moratorium. This notice also applies to homeowners who received non-renewal notices between October 9, 2024 and January 7. My heart goes out to my fellow Angelenos. Our top priority is protecting Californians during this crisis and helping us recover, Lara said in a California Department of Insurance statement. I am working on all fronts to make sure wildfire victims get the benefits they are entitled to, and they get it as soon as possible. As a result of these measures, thousands of Californians will retain homeowners insurance for the next year. While Laras request to pause certain nonrenewals is not legally binding, the ban on nonrenewals after January 7 is enforceable. Read more: 82% of Americans are missing out on a savings account that pays over 10 times the national average Why are insurers leaving California? Between 2020 and 2022, insurance companies declined to renew more than 2.8 million homeowners policies in California, according to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, many insurers have scaled back operations or exited the state entirely. These include Allstate, American National, AmGUARD, Nationwide, State Farm, Travelers and Safeco. NBCs Bay Area Responds team spoke with Maria Espada, an East Oakland resident insured by Safeco insurance for 12 years. She recently learned that Safeco is dropping her policy. Why [did they] they choose me? Because Im a good customer, I pay regularly my policy, Espada told reporters. State records show Safeco dropped 75 customers in Espadas zip code and 955 customers across the Bay Area. While Safeco declined to comment on Espadas case, the company cited the Bay Areas significant earthquake risk and the resulting home fires as a factor in its decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rising threat of wildfires, earthquakes and other natural disasters have led many insurance companies to withdraw coverage in large parts of California. This has created a crisis for homeowners statewide, forcing many to go without insurance. According to LendingTree, more than 10% of all California homeowners lack homeowners insurance. The high wildfire risk in California has led to insurance companies withdrawing from underwriting policies in some parts of the state or limiting coverage for perils like wildfire, making it even harder for homeowners to find affordable policies, said Divya Sangameshwar, a LendingTree home insurance analyst. In response, California has taken steps to address these challenges, including passing the Net Cost of Reinsurance in Ratemaking Regulation, which requires insurers to increase coverage in high-risk areas. However, critics argue that these rules may raise costs for homeowners. For those struggling to find homeowners' insurance, the California FAIR Plan provides basic fire insurance when private insurers will not. What to read next This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders ordered that Arkansas flags and United States flags at state buildings be raised to their full height on Jan. 20 for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. Flags were previously ordered to half-staff until Jan. 28 by President Joe Biden in honor of former President Jimmy Carter after his death on Dec. 29. Trump flies US flag at full height before end of 30-day mourning period following Carters death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson ordered that flags at the U.S. Capitol be raised to full height on Inauguration Day. Several other governors similarly ordered that their state offices fly flags at full staff on Inauguration Day, including Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong. Speaker Johnson orders US Capitol flags raised to full height for Trumps inauguration Sanders order states that flags will be returned to half-staff on 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 KARK. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Using tax revenue from medical marijuana sales to fund free school breakfasts for every child in Arkansas is a goal of Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, as well as financially sustaining free and reduced meal programs already in place. The Department of Finance and Administration says in 2024 $30 million in tax dollars was generated from dispensaries. Arkansas school districts urge families to use new state law helping cover cost of school meals Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers voted to make the switch from dedicating that money to get a national cancer institute designation for UAMS to tackling food insecurity issues. According to the Department of Education, Arkansas currently has over 225,000 students who qualify for the free meal programs, nearly 60,000 who qualify for reduced meals, and over 190,000 who pay for their meals. Richard Tatum started a food pantry a few years ago to meet the needs of his community. As a parent, he said the thought of providing one free meal a day will take a burden off. I think its really important that children are able to get those meals, if youre hungry you cant really function properly, Tatum said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More students gain eligibility for free school meals under expanded US program Stephanie Walker-Hynes is the childrens nutrition specialist for the Little Rock School District. She said they feed more students at lunch than at breakfast. We are very excited because it is a step in the right direction, Walker-Hynes said. Universal meals of course allows us to feed any child who wants to eat without any barriers. A future goal of hers, if this proposal becomes law, is to make lunch also completely free and work on higher meal reimbursement rates for districts. Even if we cant get lunch this next school year perhaps itll help some of those families who have to pay, because there are students who eat both breakfast and lunch with us every day, Walker-Hynes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas program offers teachers $1,000 for school garden I would love to see it to where it is not just breakfast but lunch as well, Tatum 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 KARK. In his first visit to Charlotte as governor, Josh Stein announced a new executive order on Thursday over womens reproductive rights. Theres not much Gov. Stein can do knowing the Republican-led legislature in North Carolina holds the power on this issue, but Stein said he is hoping to protect womens rights however he can. Steins new executive order will mandate his cabinet agencies to do the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protect medical professionals who provide reproductive health care to women in this state. Not cooperate with investigations or prosecutions of medical professionals who give that care. Protect womens medical privacy when it comes to their reproductive care. Stein says part of the reason for this executive order is because some states have passed bans on abortions and then try to go after women who go to other states to have them, along with prosecuting their doctors. They do not need to worry that the state of North Carolina will somehow assist law enforcement in another state to reach into North Carolina for having done something that is legal in North Carolina, Stein said on Thursday. In response, the North Carolina GOP said on X, As expected, its more important to Stein to appease his liberal base than solve problems for the people of our state. Channel 9s Hunter Saenz asked Stein if he expects his order to be challenged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he doesnt expect a challenge because hes not changing any state law. Instead, hes directing his state agencies on what to do and what not to do. (VIDEO: Gov. Stein surveys Helene recovery efforts in Old Fort) NEW ORLEANS (AP) As New Orleans prepares to host the Super Bowl next month, Louisiana authorities cleared homeless encampments around the stadium on Wednesday and relocated many to a temporary warehouse facility that costs millions of dollars to operate. Gov. Jeff Landry framed the sweep which city officials say undermines their efforts to address homelessness as part of a move to secure New Orleans, especially in the aftermath of the New Years Day attack that killed 14 people. The tough-on-crime Republican governor has talked about plans to improve Louisiana's most popular city ahead of the Super Bowl at the Superdome. That has included a new Louisiana State Police troop dedicated to New Orleans, removing homeless encampments elsewhere in the city, and ensuring highways, sidewalks and transportation lines are clean and safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is in the best interest of every citizens safety and security to give the unhoused humane and safe shelter as we begin to welcome the world to the City of New Orleans for both Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras, Landry said in a Monday statement. Last week, the states Supreme Court overturned a restraining order that had barred the state police from clearing homeless encampments in New Orleans. Days after the ruling, "relocation notices from the state appeared at one of the city's largest homeless encampments beneath an underpass near the Superdome. The notice warned that everyone must comply and failure to do so may result in enforcement actions or legal proceedings. On Wednesday morning state police converged on the encampment and told people to pack their possessions into boxes and that there were buses to take them to a transitional center miles away at a fenced-in warehouse owned by the Port of New Orleans. People at the encampment were told that they did not have to go to the transitional center, but they were not allowed to remain in the area and were under threat of arrest, Mike Steele, a spokesperson for the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, told The Associated Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those at the encampment was Ray Cooper, who scoured for his social security card amid scattered clothes, bicycles and tents. Cooper, 35, has lived mostly on the streets for the past few years and declined the states offer to bring him to the transitional center. That just turned me off were going to a warehouse? Im not a UPS package or anything like that, Im a human, said Cooper. The temporary center has the capacity to house 200 people. As of Wednesday evening, 131 people were staying there, said Bart Farmer, the president of Workforce Group, a company that specializes in post-disaster assistance and is operating the site. The center includes three meals a day, bedding, showers, toilets, refrigeration for medication and veterinary care for their pets, according to the relocation notice. The site is estimated to cost the state $16.2 million to operate over a 90-day period, according to a proposal crafted by the Workforce Group and obtained by the AP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics argue the relocations to the center are a band-aid solution. In a letter sent to the governor from 12 community organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, the groups expressed serious reservations about the effectiveness, cost-efficiency and long-term impact of this approach. Evidence-based best practices for ending homelessness are centered on permanent housing with supportive services, said Martha Kegel, who leads UNITY, an agency which partners with the city on efforts to house and support its homeless population. Part of Landry's homeless strategy, announced on Monday, states that housing and services will be prioritized for citizens that have jobs" and that people "who have means will be given bus or train tickets out of state. While details surrounding the plan are still unclear, Steele said that relocations out of state would be voluntary. Landrys approach clashes with the City of New Orleans plans to close these same encampments by first providing long-term housing to people living in them. The city said it has requested $6 million from the state to assist in these efforts and that state-led sweeps cause delays in providing housing and services to the approximately 1,500 homeless people in the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Candice Allison, 63, who said she had been homeless since Hurricane Ida destroyed her trailer in 2021, sorted through a mass of clothes and other items she hoped to salvage on Wednesday, fearing authorities would return to confiscate her possessions. Ive been doing this all night, I havent ate, I havent slept, Im exhausted, Allison said. Brook is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Brook on X: @jack_brook96 Editors Note: This story has been updated to reflect that the event took place in Lock Haven, Clinton County. LOCK HAVEN, CLINTON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Governor Josh Shapiro was in Central Pennsylvania Wednesday to talk about public safety and supporting law enforcement. Its part of his statewide tour he calls getting stuff done. The governor had a lot to say. At the Lock Haven Police Headquarters, Governor Shapiro highlighted his efforts to make the streets of Pennsylvania communities safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor met with officials from Lock Haven, including the police chief and mayor. He was joined by the head of the Pennsylvania State Police Major Christopher Paris and Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis. Lackawanna County commissioners approve state funding for consulting firm Governor Shapiro talked about the funding he was able to secure for the Lock Haven Police Department. That includes some $14,000 from the Pennsylvania Crime and Delinquency Commission. We listen to police chiefs across the state. They were having challenges recruiting officers and challenges retaining them. So we established, Democrats and Republicans support, a new fund that would allow a police chief to get those dollars to retain police officers. You benefited from two of those grants here in Lock Haven, Governor Shapiro explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shapiro says the funding his administration secured resulted in the hiring of Pennsylvania 800 new state troopers and 500 new municipal police officers and filling 1,500 vacant law enforcement positions in local communities. 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 PAhomepage.com. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A grandmother fired a gun at a community center that is connected to a Memphis Shelby County School on Wednesday after one of the kids her grandson was fighting threatened to flip her car over, police say. It all started when Memphis Police responded to a complaint call at Mitchell Community Center which is connected to Mitchell High School on 602 West Mitchell Road. Administrators at the scene told officers they saw Joyce Brown fire a shot into the ground when a fight between her grandson and another child got out of control. They say the parking lot was full of children who ran after the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man pleads guilty to Germantown police chase: Heres why Police say security cameras also caught the incident on video. Brown was taken to the police station where she gave a statement admitting to firing a shot into the ground due to a kid talking about flipping her car. Joyce Brown, 72, is charged with three counts of reckless endangerment, carrying a weapon on school property, unlawful possession of a weapon-public place, and child abuse and neglect or endangerment. She is currently held in jail on a $20,000 bond and is scheduled to face a judge on Friday morning. 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. ROGERS, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) The City of Rogers has been awarded a grant exceeding $300,000 to help residents replant trees. This funding comes from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and the USDA Forest Service to assist with replanting efforts on the east side of town following the damage from the May 2024 tornadoes. According to Amariah Berry, the citys Development Compliance Manager, the initial goal is to plant around 350 trees with the funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rogers sees signs of recovery one month after deadly tornado Were focusing on mainly planting along streets along the right of ways where everyone can benefit from them, said Berry. Its not just public areas that lost trees; it is the residential areas too. The grant requires that the work be focused in disadvantaged areas, Berry said. So, were going to be focusing mostly on the east side of Rogers as theyre considered a disadvantaged area and also got a lot of damage from the storm. This is not the first canopy project the city of Rogers has spearheaded, Kara King, Coordinator for Parks and Recreation, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the parks department and community development as well, we both have grants for recovering tree canopy, King said. They have not done a tree grant before, but we just had a great opportunity for the city to get even more trees. Now that the two grants are working towards the same goal, King said that she thinks that this recovery can be more effective and efficient. Were in a great situation to just do a master plan and plant the best trees for each area and just recover the overall tree canopy, said King. Bentonville Restaurant Week around the corner With the canopy grants restoring the city to its original state, King says there are a few steps both parties have to take first for everything to run efficiently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Planning and then funding, and then the last phase would be planting and then maintenance, said King. As far as an exact date for when the trees will be planted, Berry says to be patient. The entire project will last three years, Berry said. Were hoping in the first year we would complete all of the tree planting and then the monitoring and maintenance will continue for the two years following that. 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 KNWA FOX24. Robert Hampshire, the U.S. Department of Transportation's Chief Science Officer for Research and Technology, took a drive down parts of Murfreesboro Pike and Nolensville Pike Wednesday morning. Hampshire, escorted by officials with the Nashville Department of Transportation and WeGo, was getting a firsthand look at the two major thoroughfares set to undergo significant technological improvements thanks to nearly $12 million in USDOT grants. After that drive, Hampshire and other local officials including Mayor Freddie O'Connell announced two Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) Grant awards in a news conference at the new transit center in North Nashville. One of them, a $10.9 million award, will support the largest installation of "LiDAR" technology in the country along the Nolensville Pike corridor, and the other $2 million grant will help WeGo optimize its route along Murfreesboro Pike. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The additional funding will allow local transit leaders, along with university partners with Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, to move forward with a collaboration that's already been in progress. "We're trying to build a more connected city through investments in all three of safer streets, better transit and technology," O'Connell said Wednesday. "The fact that we've got university partners, students and researchers, here with us today is also a demonstration that we are stepping outside of the ivory tower to combine rubber, road and code." What is LiDAR? Hampshire describes LiDAR as a "cutting-edge" technology. It works by shooting out light into a space and, once it's reflected back, mapping out the distance between objects and what their shapes might look like. The technology is already in use outside the North Nashville transit center, and Vanderbilt's Institute for Software Integrated Systems can use it to visualize the shapes of cars, buses and pedestrians as they move in and out of a LiDAR sensor's range in real time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Importantly, Hampshire told The Tennessean, LiDAR doesn't capture any personal identifiable information. That means that it can't replicate a pedestrian's face, a license plate or even the color of a car as it drives down the road. Hampshire said LiDAR isn't a surveillance tool but rather a type of preventative safety technology that can be used to detect "near-miss" crashes and prevent them proactively. Other cities across the U.S. are also starting to incorporate LiDAR in some projects, Hampshire said, but none on this scale. "Really, the important thing is the rest of the country really will be looking at Nashville to see how it works out," Hampshire told The Tennessean. "You really are on the cutting edge here in Nashville, and everyone is looking to learn from what comes from this project." How WeGo will enhance its highest-traffic route Simultaneously, Hampshire said LiDAR could also be used to help bus routes run more smoothly. For one example, NDOT will be able to use the technology to identify when trains might be crossing at the high-traffic intersection of the tracks and Nolensville Pike near the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood, allowing buses to reroute in real time and avoid running behind schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The infusion of federal funding will be a boon along Murfreesboro Pike, which is the route with WeGo's highest ridership. About 5,000 of the roughly 30,000 people who utilize WeGo transit on a typical weekday are riding on the Murfreesboro Pike route. Grant-funded improvements along that route will incorporate artificial intelligence, including the implementation of computer aided dispatch, automated vehicle location systems and traffic-adaptive signals. The SMART Grant projects will join the many other improvements included in O'Connell's sweeping $3.1 billion Choose How You Move Transportation Improvement Plan. Hampshire said that's one good example of the "tremendous momentum" behind transportation improvements in Nashville. "It's no accident that we're here," Hampshire said. "There's terrific leadership in Nashville on these topics, so we're looking to partner with the local community. This is the place to be for transportation." This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville to use $12 million in SMART transit grants for LiDAR, AI RICHMOND HILL, Ga. (WSAV) After 25 years, the Great Ogeechee Music & Seafood Festival has been excluded from the Bryan County Chamber Board of Directors Program of Work. Originally established to promote the vibrant community of Richmond Hill and raise awareness of the local marine fisheries industry, the festival quickly evolved into a beloved event, becoming one of the largest seafood festivals in the Southeast, stated Summer Beal, President Chief Executive Officer of the Bryan County Chamber. The Chamber said the decision was made to prioritize new economic initiatives over the festival in their 2025 Program of Work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are disappointed to learn that the Bryan County Chamber of Commerce will not be hosting the Great Ogeechee Music & Seafood Festival this year, as this event holds significant value for our community, stated Mayor Russ Carpenter. Nevertheless, we recognize their decision to realign with the Chambers mission and fully support their commitment to developing a new program of work. The Chamber serves as the backbone of our local businesses, and we continue to support the Bryan County Chamber and its unwavering commitment to serving our business community. 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 WSAV-TV. ATHENS, Greece (AP) Greek police said Thursday they arrested two women for allegedly stealing other passengers luggage from the baggage claim area in Athens international airport. Airport police said in a statement the two Greek women were arrested Tuesday evening on suspicion of having stolen at least eight suitcases since November. Authorities said the women allegedly carried out the thefts after landing on domestic flights. It said a police search of their home in Athens found suitcases containing clothes, shoes, wallets, hats, purses and eyeglasses, as well as small amounts of cash in various currencies, including Angolan kwanza, Bulgarian lev, Polish zlotys, South African rand, Russian rubles and Swedish krona. The two women, who were not identified in accordance with Greek law, were to appear before a prosecutor for a preliminary court hearing. The chief executive of a Greenland hotel where Donald Trump Jr. hosted a lunch in for MAGA supporters has claimed that the attendees did not actually know who Don Jr. was and were just looking for a free lunch. [Trump Jr.] had just met them in the street and invited them for lunch, or his staff did. But I dont think they knew who they were inviting, Jrgen Bay-Kastrup, the chief executive of Hotel Hans Egede in Nuuk, Greenland, told the Guardian in an interview published Thursday. That of course was a little bit strange to us because we saw guests that we have never seen in our hotel before and will probably never see again because its out of their economical means, he continued, with the Guardian noting that he described many of the attendees as homeless. US businessman Donald Trump Jr. looks on after arriving in Nuuk, Greenland on January 7, 2025. / EMIL STACH/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images There were reportedly around 15 guests who ate a traditional Greenlandic meal including fish and caribou. Bay-Kastrup added that the group were not Trump supporters and instead, They were just, Hey, somebody invited us for lunch, lets go and join him. I think they found out later who it was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Don Jr.s friend, political operative Arthur Schwartz, denied the claims when asked for comment by the Guardian and described them as beyond the pale ridiculous. Do you think Donald Trump Jr was wandering around Greenland inviting homeless people to lunch, or do you realize that the suggestion sounds so beyond the pale ridiculous that you should feel stupid even asking the question, Schwartz told the outlet. There were cameras following him around from the second he got there to the second he left. Did they miss him recruiting homeless people to his homeless person lunch? A representative for Don Jr. and Hotel Hans Egede did not immediately respond to the Daily Beasts request for comment. Wellwishers wait for the arrival of US businessman Donald Trump Jr. in Nuuk, Greenland on January 7, 2025. / EMIL STACH/Ritzau Scanpix/AFP via Getty Images During the lunch, the group all donned MAGA hats and President-elect Donald Trump even made an appearance through speakerphone where he told his supposed Greenlandic fans: Were going to treat you well, per the Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Don Jr.s Greenland visit came on the heels of his father describing it as an absolute necessity to acquire the island and refusing to rule out economic or military force to seize it. A group founded by Stacey Abrams has settled long-standing allegations that the group illegally campaigned for Abrams in 2018. Jessica McGowan/Getty Images (2018 file photo) The New Georgia Project has been fined $300,000 after agreeing to settle long-running ethics allegations that the group illegally campaigned in 2018 for then-candidate for governor Stacey Abrams and other Democrats running for statewide office that year. The fine is the largest for an ethics violation in Georgia history, according to the commissions executive secretary David Emadi, who has led the probe since it started in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The voting rights group, which was founded by Abrams, and the affiliated New Georgia Action Fund were accused of illegally spending $3.2 million, which Emadi said essentially amounted to dark spending on Abrams behalf. The fine represents about 10% of the money illegally spent. Half of it must be paid within 30 days and the rest over the course of a year. Emadi said the fine could be the largest state fine for an ethics violation in the country. Its also a significant enough number that I think it sends a message that there will be serious consequences to these types of actions, Emadi said of the fine. I think this sends a pretty clear message to the parties, to the public and to potential bad actors moving forward that if you break the law to influence our elections, were going to be diligent in our pursuit, and were going to hold you accountable for what youve done. David Emadi, executive secretary of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Commission, talks to reporters after Wednesdays commission meeting. Jill Nolin/Georgia Recorder The groups have admitted to 16 campaign finance violations, including failing to register as an independent committee and file campaign disclosure reports. Overall, they did not disclose about $4.2 million in contributions and $3.2 million in expenditures, according to the consent order unanimously approved by the state ethics commission Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the violations were also tied to an unsuccessful MARTA expansion ballot initiative in Gwinnett County. The money was used for canvassing activities, campaign literature promoting Abrams and other statewide candidates, social media engagement and field offices, according to the consent order. During a presentation Wednesday, Emadi cited invoices, checks and other evidence that he argued showed the organization crossed a line. The New Georgia Project had long derided the investigation as politically motivated and a fishing expedition. Emadi, who was tapped by Gov. Brian Kemp to head the commission, has previously been criticized by Abrams supporters for his ties to Kemp as a donor to his campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont care if youre a Republican, a Democrat, a Libertarian, Green Party, if people are breaking the law and illegally influencing an election, particularly the extent they did, that should upset you, and you should want to see something done about it, Emadi told reporters. David Fox, an attorney representing the New Georgia Project, said his clients may disagree with some of the investigations findings but are eager to put the matter behind them. We believe that this is a reasonable resolution of this long-standing dispute that will enable everyone to move forward, Fox, who appeared virtually, said during the meeting. Aria Branch, counsel to the New Georgia Project, echoed that sentiment in a statement Wednesday. The group unsuccessfully fought the case in federal court, arguing it violated their constitutional rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are glad to finally put this matter behind us so the New Georgia Project can fully devote its time and attention to its efforts to civically engage and register black, brown, and young voters in Georgia, Branch said. While we remain disappointed that the federal court ruling on the constitutionality of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act was overturned on entirely procedural grounds, we accept this outcome and are eager to turn the page on activities that took place more than five years ago, she added. Abrams created New Georgia Project to focus on registering more Black and other non-white Georgians to vote, earning her national recognition for her work for growing the states electorate and boosting engagement among disaffected voters. She has not been affiliated with New Georgia Project since shortly before her 2018 campaign, when she narrowly lost to Kemp. Abrams lost by a wider margin in a 2022 rematch with Kemp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James D. Kreyenbuhl, chairman of the commission, said the case should have been resolved years ago. I want to thank commission staff, the Attorney Generals Office, for not giving up on this, for sticking with it for a period of more than five years and getting the result that weve gotten here today, Kreyenbuhl said during the meeting. Rick Thompson, vice chairman, went much further in his criticism of New Georgia Project. He said he was supporting the consent order only because the commission lacks the authority to pursue criminal charges. You guys stuck in there, Thompson said. However, I think actions like this should be criminal, because of the significant impact secret money can have on elections. Organizations attempting to keep their election spending secret is shameful and does a disservice to our elections and voters. To continually stall and not cooperate with our investigation is extremely disheartening. A separate complaint alleging illegal coordination between the Abrams campaign and outside groups is still open and under investigation, Emadi said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE GROVEPORT, Ohio (WCMH) Voters in the Groveport Madison School District will once again be asked to vote on Issue 38. This comes after a vote Monday to place a bond levy back on the ballot in May. The funds raised by the bond defeated in November would have been used to build three new middle schools and an addition to the high school. Mays bond issue is a 2.33 mills levy which would cost about $81.55 per $100,000 of assessed property value. That is less than a $3 decrease from the 2.44 mills levy voters rejected in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amy Shropshirre, a longtime Groveport resident, said she needs more answers from the district. Im hesitant to say that I support it, Shropshirre said. I would need to see more concrete evidence of what are the plans and how are we going to make sure that what is being planned for actually gets done and makes a difference. Shropshirre has a five-year-old daughter she plans to put through the district. She wants more communication from the district before she decides her vote. Meantime, Eric Kaltenborn has three children in the school district. He said he plans to vote no. Frankly, I cant justify giving them any more money when they gave the superintendent a significant pay raise over the last year or so, and were not getting any more service for the money that weve given them, Kaltenborn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of Kalentborns main concerns is school safety. The school safety in all the schools is lacking, Kaltenborn said. The fights seemed to have curbed themselves some lately, but they still have some significant problems there and they need to solve some of those problems before Ill validate giving them any more money. I dont want to say we shouldnt put resources into combating those things, but what is that going to solve, Shropshirre said. What are the resources? What is more space or another school? Theres just so many questions that Im not seeing being answered. I would like to see more thought put into those things before doing something where were just going to say, yeah were going to put more money into the issue. According to other voters, they used to vote yes on all school issues, but in todays economy, they cant afford to pay more in taxes. Others say theyre concerned because they have yet to see a comprehensive plan from the district on how they plan to reduce violence in schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the district, two of the current middle schools have an open classroom concept which has led to distracting learning environments and safety and security concerns. You got to provide a value for me if Im going to spend more money, Kaltenborn said. My kids are getting a good education. Thats a thats a foregone conclusion. They do a relatively good job there. But I do have some significant concerns as it relates to safety. Other voters said they plan to vote in favor of the levy, saying its important to invest in future generations. Im a Groveport graduate, all that, Shropshirre said. I want to support the schools, but I have also seen how some of the funds have not been used maybe in a way that are well or its always coming back and asking for more when there should have been a little bit more insight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve reached out to the school district for new comment but have yet to hear back. 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. CONAKRY, Guinea (AP) The main opposition coalition in Guinea has called for its members to withdraw from the country's legislative body after the ruling junta missed a deadline for a return to democratic rule. The Forces Vives de Guinee coalition group, which includes the country's main opposition parties, called for its members to withdraw from the National Transitional Council in a statement late Wednesday. The council has served as the parliament since the military took power two years ago. Guinea is one of several West African countries where the military has taken power and delayed a return to civilian rule. The country's leader, Col. Mamadi Doumbouya, in power since 2021, agreed in 2022 to launch a democratic transition after a Dec. 31, 2024, deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ruling junta's failure to meet the deadline led to opposition protests that paralyzed Guinea's capital Conakry last week. But in his New Years message, Doumbouya said a decree for a constitutional referendum will be signed to launch the democratic process, without committing to a date. Activists and opposition groups condemned the announcement as a ploy to prolong military rule. The junta dissolved more than 50 political parties last year in a move it claimed was to clean up the political chessboard. The junta has also tightened the grip on independent media, rights groups say, with social networks and private radio stations often cut off, information sites interrupted or suspended for several months without explanation, while journalists face attacks and arrests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Transitional Council is in part tasked with drafting the countrys new constitution. It is composed of 81 members, including 15 representatives of political parties, but also youth leaders, security forces, unions, business leaders and others. All were appointed by the junta. The Forces Vives de Guinee is the main opposition force in the legislative body with three representatives. The coalition includes the Rally of the Guinean People, which is the party of former President Alpha Conde, and another major opposition party, the Union of Democratic Forces of Guinea. The two parties won more than 90% of the vote in the countrys last presidential election in 2020. GUN BARREL CITY, Texas (KETK) A Gun Barrel City man is behind bars after he was found with a crystal like substance during a traffic stop on Tuesday night. Arrest made after shots fired at Longviews Amtrak station Around 9:30 p.m., officers initiated a traffic stop on West Main Street in Gun Barrel City for a license plate violation. According to the Henderson County Sheriffs Office, officers identified the driver as Gary M. Roundtree, 66 of Gun Barrel City. Mugshot of Gary M. Roundtree, courtesy of Henderson County Jail During the search, Roundtree was found to be in possession of a crystal like substance that weighed around 7.5 grams believed to be methamphetamine, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rountree was arrested for manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance and is currently awaiting arraignment in the Henderson County Jail. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A 15-year-old boy faces multiple charges after a gun was found on Woodlawn High Schools campus Thursday morning. The East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office responded to a call around 11 a.m. about a gun found in a 15-year-old students jacket pocket. Deputies said a student told school officials about the loaded gun. The school was searched and no other weapons were found. The student claimed he forgot he had the gun with him when he went to school, EBRSO said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The student was charged with illegal carrying of a firearm on school property, firearm-free zone, illegal possession of a stolen firearm and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile. Students with information about this incident can notify a school administrator or contact the sheriffs office at 225-389-5000 or Crime Stoppers at 225-377-7867. Louisiana TikTok star Mr. Prada murder case to be heard by grand jury 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 Louisiana First News. Gov. Tony Evers confirmed that state flags will remain at half staff in remembrance of former Jimmy Carter despite pressure from President-elect Donald Trump to raise flags during his inauguration on Monday. After Carter's death on Dec. 29, President Joe Biden ordered flags be flown at half-staff throughout the U.S. for 30 days in accordance with federal flag code. Gov. Tony Evers issued his own order for Wisconsin as well. However, Trump lashed out over the plans to fly flags at half-staff during his inauguration earlier this month, which has since led to House Speaker Mike Johnson and a handful of states ordering flags to fly full-staff for the Jan. 20 ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump," Johnson said in a statement. "The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter. Here's what to know: When is Inauguration Day 2025? Inauguration Day is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20. Where will flags be at full-staff across the U.S. on Inauguration Day? Aside from the Capitol, eight states will also have flags fly at full-staff during Trumps inauguration. These states are: Why are flags at half-staff in Wisconsin? Biden and Evers ordered flags to fly at half-staff in remembrance of former President Jimmy Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Former President Carter was a committed and dedicated advocate for peace, human rights, and treating others with dignity, decency, and respect qualities that earned him respect and admiration from many across our country and around the world," wrote Evers on X. According to the White House news release, the American flag and Wisconsin state flag were ordered to fly at half-staff for 30 days following Carter's death. Will flags be raised for the inauguration in Wisconsin? Flags will be at half-staff in Wisconsin until sunset on Tuesday, Jan. 28, in accordance with Biden's order. When do flags fly at half-staff? Flags are usually flown at half-staff after national tragedies or deaths of government officials, military members or other first responders. Flags may also be flown at half-staff for Memorial Day or other national days of remembrance, according to Usa.gov. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information on federal flag code, click here. More: How to stream and watch President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration 2025 More: How long will the flags be flying at half-staff in Wisconsin? This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Inauguration Day 2025: Will flags be at full-staff in Wisconsin? Road work in downtown Flint in August 2019 | Susan J. Demas A plan to provide more than $3.1 billion in road funding was rolled out Thursday by House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.), who says it can be done without raising taxes. The plan is similar to a $2.7 billion proposal he introduced during the lame duck session in November, with the addition of nearly $500 million gained through the elimination of older tax breaks authorized under the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Created in 1995 during the Gov. John Engler administration, the MEGA program was abolished in 2012 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder, with its responsibilities transferred to the Michigan Strategic Fund. Ensuring value for taxpayer dollars is important to the people we represent, and our priorities reflect that by targeting inefficiencies and waste, said Hall in a press release. Roads and infrastructure are top priorities, and our budget choices should reflect that. We are committed to restoring trust in government through smart, transparent reforms that prioritize the well-being of every citizen. The major component of Halls updated plan, which would total $3.145 billion for dedicated road funding, would be $2.2 billion in dedicated Corporate Income Tax funding composed of the following: $500 million from eliminating outdated MEGA credits $500 million from preventing legislative earmarks, based on average annual spending levels of nearly $600 million $600 million in ongoing general funds from higher than expected tax returns after the states revenue estimating conference last week $500 million that had been set aside for automatic deposits into the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) fund. Hall says Future SOAR deposits will have to be approved by the Legislature on the merits and on a case-by-case basis. $50 million that had been set aside for automatic deposits into a corporate placemaking (RAP) fund that are set to expire. $50 million that had been set aside for automatic deposits into a community development fund (HCDF) that are set to expire. The remaining $945 million would come from permanently dedicating all taxes paid at the pump to road funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the release, the plan removes the sales tax on gas and replaces it with a revenue-neutral motor fuel tax, which goes entirely to roads. Drivers will see no difference, but roads will receive more repair funds. Because K-12 school funding in Michigan is partially funded through gas taxes, Hall says $700 million from permanently dedicated sales tax revenue will be redirected to the education budget. The speaker also says the plan includes zero new taxes and no new bonds that would increase the states long-term debt. Halls plan comes a day after Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer made her Road Ahead Address at the Detroit Auto Show, in which she pledged to work with anyone to find a solution to road funding, and called on the Legislature to set aside their differences and negotiate a bipartisan roads deal in 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitmers comments were noted by Rob Coppersmith, executive vice president of the Michigan Infrastructure & Transportation Association, a trade group representing Michigan companies involved in road and bridge construction. While praising Hall as leading the way in the Capitol with a plan to help fund and fix Michigans roads, which he said have been underfunded for decades, Coppersmith said cooperation would be key to crafting solutions. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer gives a Road Ahead Address at the Detroit Auto Show on Jan. 15, 2025. | Photo: Anna Liz Nichols The progress weve made in recent years from the governors bonding plan and the boost in federal infrastructure funds will be lost if Michigans leaders fail to act soon, he said. If we fail to act on funding and fixing Michigans roads now, we will go backward. After all, this is a quality-of-life issue. Do we want safe and reliable infrastructure to get to work, school, and vacation? Or do we want our roads and bridges to continue to deteriorate? Brad Williams, a lobbyist for the Detroit Regional Chamber, also praised Halls plan, but said more was needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roads and infrastructure are critical components of a thriving economy, and Michigan lacks sustainable funding for the states roads. Road users should be responsible for its maintenance, and the Chamber applauds Speaker Matt Halls plan to direct all fuel tax revenue towards roads, said Williams. To make Michigan competitive, we need an And solution that supports the companies that have been supporting Michigan families for decades and attracts and grows those who will employ future Michiganders. Even though this plan falls short of that goal, the Chamber and our business members look forward to working with Hall, along with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, toward crafting a solution that allows Michigan to thrive. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Content warning: This story contains details of child sexual abuse. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Hamburg man has been found guilty by a jury of charges related to child sexual abuse, the Erie County District Attorneys Office said Thursday. A jury found that Tyler Wilkinson, 28, engaged in inappropriate conduct with a child who was less than 17 years old in Hamburg between June 2017 and April 2022. In addition, a jury found that he subjected another child victim less than 13 years old to sexual contact in June and July 2021, also in Hamburg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both child victims were known to Wilkinson. He was found guilty of one count of first-degree sexual abuse and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Wilkinson faces a maximum of seven years in prison when he is sentenced on March 17. He was held without bail and temporary orders of protection have been issued on behalf of the victims. Latest Local News Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can 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 News 4 Buffalo. In a bizarre incident in Tempe, Arizona, a man named Nautica Malone pulled up at a Bikini Beans Coffee drive-thru without wearing anything underneath his waist. Malone, a Central High School graduate and former varsity swimmer, received much backlash on the internet after his actions were caught on camera. However, things soon went south when the resulting criticism reportedly led Malone to tragically claim his own life. Heres everything you need to know regarding the Bikini Beans incident involving Nautica Malone. Nautica Malone caught with his pants down at Bikini Beans In the said video, the Tempe resident was seen halting at the drive-thru window of a Bikini Beans Coffee establishment. Notably, the barista who filmed the snippet already had her camera rolling before Nautica Malones arrival. She immediately questioned him if he had visited the said location before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just as Malone replied positively, the barista noticed he was not wearing any pants. At this point, the Bikini Beans Coffee server stated, Sir, you need to leave. Unacceptable. Nautica Malone abruptly drove his car away in the aftermath of their interaction. The aforementioned video has since gone viral online, gaining millions of views. As such, a significant faction of people called out Malone for his inappropriate behavior, berating him relentlessly. However, the debacle ended in tragedy as Nautica Malone unfortunately took his own life three days after he visited Bikini Beans, as per TMZ. The news broke out after his family visited the coffee shop and expressed agitation over his death. Many have also speculated that Malone could have committed similar indecent acts prior to being caught, considering the baristas question and her readiness to record his visit. As such, the discussing public has theorized that Malones decision to end his life could have come out of fear and guilt. For the time being, the exact reason behind his death remains unknown. Nautica Malone is survived by his wife, Tori Malone, and his one-year-old infant. The post What Happened to Nautica Malone? Bikini Beans Incident Explained appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. As the world reacts to Israel and Hamas reaching a ceasefire agreement, those who lived on the front lines of the conflict for more than 15 months took to the streets of Gaza to celebrate the historic deal. ABC News spoke to Nour Al Shana in Gaza on Wednesday who reacted to the announcement, saying, "Finally, it's the most beautiful feeling." Shana said she lost her home in the conflict and has been staying at a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) school amid her displacement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israel-Hamas conflict saw a period of immense destruction across the Gaza Strip with countless buildings and homes being reduced to rubble. PHOTO: Noor Al Shanab speaks with ABC News in Gaza after a ceasefire is announced, Jan. 15, 2025. (ABC News) MORE: Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire and hostage release deal More than 46,000 people have been killed in Gaza and almost 110,000 injured, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. That figure does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. However, more than 14,000 children and 8,000 women have been killed, according to the health ministry. The Israel Defense Forces said they have killed more than 15,000 combatants throughout the course of the war, which began with the Hamas terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, in southern Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,200 people were killed in Israel and another 253 were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. Now, over a year since the deadly and destructive conflict began, Shana told ABC News she hopes that Gaza can rebuild from the wreckage. "So I hope everyone can stand with Palestinians and rebuild Gaza again together," she said. "I think if we stand together, everything will be fine in Gaza and become the most beautiful city around the world." ABC News also spoke with 21-year-old Leyla Ezzat in Gaza who was at a loss for words to describe her feelings about the ceasefire agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My feelings actually cannot be described. I have lots of happiness in my heart -- cannot be described," she said in the emotional moment. PHOTO: Leyla Ezzat speaks with ABC News in Gaza after a ceasefire is announced, Jan. 15, 2025. (ABC News) Ezzat said she lost several family members in the conflict, including her grandfather and sister-in-law. Echoing Shana's sentiments, Ezzat also hopes to return and rebuild her home that was destroyed. "My home is destroyed badly. I will decide to rebuild it because we don't have any place to live in as I'm displaced at UNRWA school," Ezzat said, adding that she has been displaced since the beginning of the war. MORE: Details revealed about how hostages are being released in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire deal was announced in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday after months of negotiations between Israel and Hamas were mediated by facilitators from the United States, Egypt and Qatar. The agreement will begin on Jan. 19 and roll out in phases. The first phase of the deal, which would take place over six weeks, would include the release of the 33 Israeli hostages, as well as an undetermined number of the overall 1,000 Palestinian prisoners set to be released. Two more phases would follow to complete the terms of the agreement, according to the Hamas delegation. Israeli officials said their government's cabinet will convene on Thursday to formally approve the deal. 'Happiness in my heart': Palestinians in Gaza react to historic ceasefire agreement originally appeared on abcnews.go.com By James Mackenzie JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel's hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday he would resign from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government if it ratifies the ceasefire deal in Gaza, which he has strongly opposed. Israeli media outlets reported earlier that the cabinet was expected to vote to ratify the agreement on Friday, but there has been no confirmation from the prime minister's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The deal that is taking shape is a reckless deal," Ben-Gvir said in a televised statement, saying it would "erase the achievements of the war" by releasing hundreds of Palestinian militants and withdrawing from strategic areas in Gaza, leaving Hamas undefeated. "If this irresponsible deal is approved and implemented, we the members of Jewish Power will submit letters of resignation to the prime minister," he said, adding that he would, nonetheless, not seek to bring down the government. The threat to quit came at the end of a day that saw ratification of the deal held up by what Netanyahu's office said was Hamas reneging on parts of the agreement reached with Qatari and Egyptian mediators. However, U.S. officials said they believed the issue had been ironed out and the ceasefire would begin on Sunday, as planned. Ben-Gvir this week urged Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who has described the deal as a "catastrophe," to join him in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a ceasefire deal, which he described as a dangerous capitulation to Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smotrich's Religious Zionism party repeated its opposition on Thursday, threatening to quit the government if it did not go back to war to defeat Hamas after the first six-week phase of the ceasefire was completed. The political tensions echo anger from some hostage families, who believe their own relatives risk being abandoned in Gaza and who have held a series of protests against the deal. Under the multi-phase agreement, 33 hostages will be released in the first stage before negotiations begin to agree the release of the remaining 65 and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Some of the families believe the second stage will not be agreed. "This deal leaves dozens of hostages behind in Gaza. It also sets the stage for the next massacre and future kidnappings of Israelis," the Tivka Forum of Hostages' Families said in a statement. (Reporting by James Mackenzie; Editing by Deepa Babingtonm and Daniel Wallis) BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (WTNH) Clothing for sexual assault survivors was donated Wednesday to Hartford HealthCares St. Vincents Medical Center. Nearly two dozen bags of clothing were donated as part of a partnership with the nonprofit Jane Doe No More. The clothing donation drive was organized to collect brand-new sweatsuits and undergarments for sexual assault survivors who arrive at the hospital for a sexual assault examination and have to surrender their clothing for evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods: What to know This year, we had talked with our fellow survivors about the need for clean clothing when these exams are done, said Tara Flynn, co-organizer and administrative assistant for the Department of Medicine at St. Vincents Medical Center. When we started sharing with our supporters, we received an overwhelming response. Local neighbors and Hanes donated hundreds of brand-new items to help sexual assault survivors. 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 WTNH.com. HAWKINS, Texas (KETK) Hawkins Police Chief Paul Holland has resigned, according to a statement from the Hawkins Police Department. In a letter sent Tuesday morning, Holland announced, I hereby retire from the Hawkins Police Department. Hawkins Mayor Debbie Rushing expressed uncertainty regarding the reason for Hollands resignation, noting she had not spoken with him directly. The resignation comes just hours before Utility Director Michael Maberry was arrested for interfering with public duties. According to Rushing, the arrest is related to a Nov. 22, 2024 incident involving a confrontation between Police Officer Dave Morris and a local resident, Todd Eddington. Maberry has since been released on bond but remains employed by the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one was even removed from city hall. They werent removed from the meeting and to my surprise, the morning Chief Holland resigns, a few hours later, Mikes being arrested, Rushing said. Mugshot Michael Maberry, courtesy of the Wood County Jail Eddington said that he is not surprised Holland resigned, and is disappointed because citizens fought hard to bring him in and give the city a fresh start. Hawkins police officers are constantly violating peoples rights. We had a citizen, which was me, get assaulted at a city council meeting for just trying to speak, Eddington said. Rushing admits the relationship between the city council and the police department has been strained for months leading up to the resignation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We all have the right to our opinions and to express those opinions. But we as a city, police department included, we must all go by the law, Rushing said. In response to these ongoing challenges, Rushing has announced plans to potentially disband the Hawkins Police Department and rebuild from the ground up. A city council meeting is scheduled for next week, where officials are expected to discuss the potential disbandment. Gun Barrel City man arrested after crystal like substance found during traffic stop We need to just serve the citizens well by shutting down the police department and building what they deserve, Rushing said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This marks the third resignation of a police chief in Hawkins in recent years. Holland, who was appointed in June 2024, follows the resignation of Chief Guy McKee in March 2024. Prior to that, Chief Manfred Gilow stepped down in 2022, citing budget constraints and a shortage of police personnel as key factors behind his decision. The fact that we are understaffed in this police department. I have had two openings in the last seven months. We cannot fill them. Nobody wants to do this job anymore and sure enough, not for 15-16 dollars an hour. Target has a $25 minimum wage, Gilow said back in 2022. Therefore, I think right now, its time to make a decision. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Should South Dakota Department of Education money be made available for private schooling? Its a question already grabbing attention as lawmakers gather in Pierre for a newly-launched legislative session. House Bill 1020 would make $4 million of state Department of Education money available for private education, a commitment which Gov. Kristi Noem is recommending as an ongoing expenditure. This money would come from the departments general fund; overall, it would mean roughly $3,000 in the first year for a qualifying student, who could put that money toward attending a private school, enrolling in a microschool, buying instructional materials and more. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem endorsed the proposal for these education savings accounts during her State of the State address Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We wont impact any of the funding that goes to our great public schools, Noem said Tuesday. These ESAs will be a testament of our ability to meet the unique needs of every single South Dakota family that participates. Given President-elect Donald Trumps selection of Noem to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, it appears her days holding office in Pierre are numbered. Current Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden would become governor with Noems departure, and Republican Rep. Scott Odenbach, the prime sponsor of HB 1020 in the House, tells KELOLAND News that Rhoden supports the legislation. Minnesota man pleads guilty to SF bank robbery Following Noems address, KELOLAND News asked lawmakers Tuesday about the voucher proposal; Democratic Sen. Jamie Smiths opposition is as clear as Noems support, while Republican Rep. Amber Arlint is taking a wait-and-see approach. Each will sit on their chambers education committee during the legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school vouchers are just not a good idea, said Smith, who lives in Sioux Falls. We need all the funding we can to go to public education. Public educators are the only one mandated by the state to educate every student in the state of South Dakota. Im getting a lot of feedback from constituents, and I think that we havent heard exactly all of the plans and exactly how its going to be laid out, said Arlint, who lives in Sioux Falls. Theres some concerns from my homeschool families that they want to make sure that they have the freedom to educate their kids the way that theyd like to. 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 KELOLAND.com. Some light snow will spread over the area by daybreak on Thursday. According to the National Weather Service in Wilmington, light snow will move across the region through mid-morning Thursday. Per a special weather statement, accumulations are expected to be half an inch or less. The snow may cause slick spots on roads, especially untreated roads, bridges and overpasses. The snow will also occasionally reduce visibility, which will likely impact the morning commute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make sure to use extra caution if driving this morning and allow extra time to reach your destination. Lingering snow showers and flurries may continue through the daytime. Highs will range from the upper 20s in the north to the lower to mid-30s in the south. Snow is slated to come to an end by Thursday night. Dry conditions are forecast for Friday before rain or a mix of rain and snow overspreads the area late Friday night into the day Saturday. Highs on Friday will rise from the mid-30s in the north to the lower 40s in the south. Warmer temperatures, combined with partly cloudy to mostly sunny skies, should help to melt the snowpack from the past few weekends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Saturday's temperatures will also be in the mid-30s to around 40, meaning most of the precipitation during this period will be rain. However, there is a chance that some snow could mix in, especially for northern areas. Rainfall amounts of a few tenths of an inch will be possible. Precipitation may end with a little light snow on Saturday evening before dry, very cold conditions return to Greater Cincinnati on Sunday into early next week. Dangerous wind chills are forecast for Monday through Wednesday. Wind chills may drop 10 degrees below zero and some areas may get to 20 below zero. [4:26 AM] Snow is moving into the area this morning. Accumulations will be light, but slick roads are likely to impact the morning commute for some locations. After some slightly warmer temperatures Friday and Saturday, very cold weather is expected early next week. pic.twitter.com/R87Wb3duOK NWS Wilmington OH (@NWSILN) January 16, 2025 Detailed 7-day Cincinnati weather forecast Thursday: Scattered flurries with a slight chance of snow before noon, then scattered flurries after 1 p.m. Cloudy, with a high near 35. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 22 mph. The chance of precipitation is 20%. Thursday night: Scattered flurries before 11 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low of around 25. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Calm wind becoming south at 5 to 8 mph in the morning. Friday night: Rain, mainly after 1 a.m. Low around 35. South wind 7 to 9 mph. The chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch possible. Saturday: Rain, mainly before 1 p.m. High near 42. South wind 7 to 9 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible. Saturday night: Cloudy, with a low of around 19. Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 24. Monday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day): Mostly sunny, with a high near 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 15. Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 24. Source: National Weather Service Office, Wilmington. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati weather: When will the snow and ice melt? COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) As central Ohio continues to experience extremely cold temperatures, first responders are dealing with cold-related calls and emergency departments are seeing patients with weather-related issues. The duration of the cold snap kind of matters because people are exposed to this day after day after day and theres not really a good opportunity to retreat from it, Dr. Nicholas Kman, an emergency room physician at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said. How to avoid frozen pipes as temperatures drop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospital does not track specific numbers related to incidents or patients with cold-related conditions. However, Kman said anecdotally that the department is seeing patients due to the current weather. He said this can include patients with hypothermia or people who have slipped on ice. One of the things weve seen the last couple days is a very low windchill factor and exposed skin as the windchill factor drops, it takes less and less time to get frostbite, so you dont have to be outdoors very long, Kman said. The Columbus Division of Fire considers cold emergencies as calls related to exposure to the cold. The department has responded to 48 of those calls since Dec. 1, 2024, according to the division; 15 of those were in the last week. When we have long stretches of cold weather, we worry about a few things, Columbus Health Commissioner Dr. Mysheika Roberts said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still no Ohio Senate announcement, another name rumored Roberts reminded community members about warming centers, the importance of wearing multiple layers, limiting time outside if possible, and taking precautions if not. Numbers from the Franklin County Coroners Office show there were five deaths caused by hypothermia in 2024 and four in 2023. It is too soon for official 2025 numbers. Its heartbreaking and hypothermia can result from a variety of different situations that cause someone to be outside in this extreme cold for prolonged periods of time, Roberts said. The doctors also reminded community members to check on elderly neighbors during weather like this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. A disciplinary hearing to determine the fate of embattled Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor was held on Wednesday. After hours of deliberation, a spokesperson for the state police said the proceedings will resume on Monday, February 10. The hearing took place at State Police Headquarters in Framingham, where two troopers kept watch outside. The hearing was closed to the public and the media. Update from MSP: Trooper Proctors trial board hearing which began this morning (Wednesday) has concluded for the day. The proceedings will resume on Monday, February 10. The second day of the hearing will be conducted in person at General Headquarters in Framingham. Like Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) January 15, 2025 The process started in July when State Police transferred Proctor out of the Norfolk County DAs Office and suspended him without pay days after the Karen Read trial ended with a hung jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During that trial, he admitted to sending family, friends and co-workers offensive texts about Read while building a 2nd-degree murder case against her. Lead investigator reads his unprofessional & regrettable texts on stand in Karen Read murder trial Dennis Galvin is a retired State Police Major who worked in internal affairs. He says Proctor is facing a trial board which is similar to a court marshall in the military. Both sides get to present evidence. The board then determines if Proctor is innocent or guilty. I think most of them would acknowledge the fact that, as Trooper Proctor himself did, that the statements were problematic, problematic and the issue will be, what the consequences will be, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Trooper Proctor is found guilty in this process, the trial board will recommend discipline to the head of the state police Colonel Geoffrey Noble. But Colonel Noble gets the final say. Everything you need to know about the Karen Read murder trial Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW MIDDLESBORO, Ky. (WATE) A fire broke out at a historic building in downtown Middlesboro on Tuesday. The fire department responded to the building on Cumberland Avenue shortly after 4 p.m. The building was being used as storage by Cardwell Home Furnishings. As of Wednesday afternoon, the fire was contained but still smoldering. Knoxville nurses bring wedding to UT Medical Center for brides dying mother Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larry Grandey lives across the street and saw the initial smoke coming from the building. My wife and I were coming from the coffee shop, walking down Cumberland Avenue and when we got past some of these buildings, we could see the smoke coming from the back of the building. The fire department was already there, he explained. We sat here in front of the building where we live and kind of watched the event unfold and it went from smoke to fire coming out of the roof and then it just turned into an absolute mess. Credit: Greener Side Outdoor Solutions Credit: Greener Side Outdoor Solutions The fire was a devastating sight for the Middlesboro community. The building was built in 1902, and was most known as the home to one of Kentuckys first JCPenney locations. When you think of Middlesboro main street and fountain square, that is one of four of the staple buildings downtown, Celia Shoffner, executive director for Middlesboro Main Street, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries have been reported in the fire. However, it caused a temporary power outage that lasted about five hours and shut down a section of Cumberland Avenue. The road partially reopened on Thursday with the south side of the 20th block remain closed as the cleanup continued. Middlesboro Mayor Boone Bowling said the fire is a blow to the community. The initial reaction is a sheer shock, a lot of fear, then once you come on scene its utter heartbreak. Middlesboros downtown as a whole has been plagued by bad fires, along with a tornado even in the past, he said. Your downtowns are usually your character, and anytime you lose something like that its just a heartbreaking event. Contact advisory lifted for French Broad River, waters impacted by Helene Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middlesboro Fire Chief Robert England expects crews to remain on scene over the next few days as they continue to put out hot spots and keep the fire from spreading. The buildings actually collapsed in on itself, we have it contained, so its essentially like a big wood burning stove right now. Were just letting it burn down, keeping it sprayed down and wet. Our biggest thing is the remaining wall poses a threat to the citizens and the roadways so we do have plans on getting these taken down in the next day or two if possible, he said. Fire crews working on the building Wednesday morning. (WATE) Fire crews working on the building Wednesday morning. (WATE) Fire crews working on the building Wednesday morning. (WATE) Cumberland Avenue is home to many local businesses, that remained open on Wednesday despite the road closure. A lot of our downtown businesses are still operating on a normal schedule. I know the traffic is impacted with the lanes being shut down but we still encourage everyone to support local, support these businesses, Shoffner said. Kentucky News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the community looks toward recovery, the change to the downtowns landscape is a tough pill to swallow. Its devastating because weve lost so many buildings in the downtown area, and you know thats a building that will never be rebuilt, its just a loss, Grandey said. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. Firefighters and first responders from Middlesboro, Bell County, Pineville, Harrogate, Tazewell and New Tazewell aided in responding to the fire Tuesday night. 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. Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Tuesday's confirmation hearings on Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Wednesday's announcement of a cease-fire agreement for Gaza are illustrative of the elusive nature of politics that are likely to have profound intended and unintended consequences. The Hegseth hearings were unique in that the nominee was not administered an oath to tell the truth and that the FBI report on his background was not made available to the full committee. Moreover, bipartisan staff members agreed las year to only one round of questioning. The initial announcement of a Gaza truce was almost immediately rescinded, raising the question of whether a deal was to be had or whether this was just another example of the uncertainty of Middle East politics. Within a few hours, the deal was on again. One wonders what the next days will bring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Senate, committee chairmen determine the need for an oath. In 1989, when John Tower was George H. W. Bush's nominee for defense secretary, the oath was not administered. Tower, a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, was not confirmed. Despite the amount of unswerving support Republicans in the Senate and President-elect Trump, Hegseth's qualifications and character are, at best, modest. Had he been under oath, perhaps there might have better answers to allegations of alcohol and sexual abuse. Hegseth's stock answer was "anonymous slanders," even though a number had been filed by eyewitnesses. Hegseth's qualifications were commanding a relatively small number of troops, at most a company of less than 200 soldiers in limited combat operations, and leading two small non-government organizations. He has virtually no background in international issues, negotiations or contacts. By comparison, the Department of Defense numbers more than 3 million active duty and reserve uniform personnel and more than 1 million civilian employees and contractors with an annual budget of nearly $900 billion. No secretary in modern times has been qualified for assuming this post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assuming Hegseth is confirmed, he will arrive at the Pentagon sometime next week Since the Senate has not confirmed any other Pentagon officials and has requested the resignations of all current political appointees, he is home alone with military and civil service officials. Let us say that the Gaza truce requires immediate humanitarian support provided by the Pentagon and the new secretary of defense is asked for options. Even a more qualified secretary might be hard-pressed to offer immediate ideas. So what would Hegseth do? He probably would ask the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff fir recommendations. But does he know that the chairman would need the advice of the operational commanders, namely Transportation, European and Central commands, as well as the service chiefs, to coordinate? That will take time. Yet, the White House needs immediate ideas. Or suppose another crisis breaks out over a balloon overflying the country or a collision between a U.S. and Chinese or Russian warship. What then? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The on again-off again announcement of the Gaza truce suggests a rough road ahead. For all the destruction Israel has imposed on Hamas, the agreement suggests that the news of Hamas' death may be premature. Israel gains the return of about 33 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians charged with terrorism and other high crimes. What about the remaining 30 or 40 hostages? Profound questions persist. How will the truce be enforced? Who will provide the millions of tons of supplies to sustain and rebuild a devastated Gaza? And what about the follow-up arrangements in subsequent phases? In the United States, credit for the success of this negotiation will be claimed by both Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Biden will say this was the result of his policy and the terms he offered last year. Trump will assert that if he did not threaten there would be hell to pay for failing to return American hostages, Hamas would not have been forced to the negotiating table. And this clash will be intensified by the irreversible political differences in America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caution is the order of the day. One hopes that this start can be sustained for the long term. But as long as a reinvigorated Hamas has a vote, the intensive hatred and hostility between Arab and Jew do not diminish. And the vast destruction in Gaza requires immediate attention. This is a very fragile peace that too easily could go off the rails. This will demand the most subtle and competent diplomacy by all parties. And as with the accession of Pete Hegseth to secretary of defense, beware the intended and unintended consequences of what may lay ahead. Harlan Ullman is UPI's Arnaud de Borchgrave Distinguished Columnist, senior adviser at Washington's Atlantic Council and principal author of the doctrine of shock and awe. His next book, co-written with General The Lord David Richards, former U.K. Chief of Defense and due out late next year, is "The Great Paradox: Strategic Thinking in an Unstrategic World." The writer can be reached on Twitter @harlankullman. Stacks of logs sit outside the home of Lucas Charbeneau in McCormick County on Friday, Oct. 18, 2024. Charbeneau estimates 30 to 40 trees came down on his property of less than three acres during Helene. (Abraham Kenmore/SC Daily Gazette). COLUMBIA As he opened a hearing, an Aiken County legislator shared Wednesday that more than half of his 130-acre farm was wrecked by Hurricane Helene. Ive never seen hard woods lay down like that, said Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, chairman of the House agriculture committee. Ill never see those hard woods again in my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helene, the states deadliest storm, caused roughly $200 million in estimated damage to the states forest industry, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said in a report presented to the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee. The report estimated $83 million in timber damage and $60 million in damage to forests in and near cities. But that damage could be much higher, said Russell Hubright, the commissions forest management chief. The report also estimated a $51 million hit to businesses that rely on the states forests, including logging and paper mills, which contribute $23 billion to the state economy, according to the commission. It was definitely a historic impact, Hubright told the SC Daily Gazette. There are 12.8 million acres of forestland in South Carolina, with more than 11 million of those privately owned, according to the State Forestry Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of us know people that own trees and own farms, Hixon said. The report estimated that nearly 234,000 acres of land incurred timber damage of some kind with more than 70,000 suffering moderate, severe or catastrophic timber damage. No county in South Carolina felt the timber impact more than Edgefield. More than 56,000 acres in the rural county along the Georgia border saw timber damage, with more than 20,000 of those experiencing heavy damage, meaning the trees may need to be harvested and replanted. The estimated cost of the damage in the county topped $24 million. I drove through the Edgefield area. It was unbelievable, Hubright said. Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, looks at Rep. Robert Reese, D-Hopkins, during a House committee meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Shaun Chornobroff/SC Daily Gazette) Edgefield saw the most timber damage and sustained $10 million more in damage than any other county in the state, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those facts werent shocking to Hixon. Not at all, I lived it, he said. Hixon splits his farm with his brother. Nearly four months after Helene ravaged his farm, over 50% of their trees are on the ground, he told the Gazette after the meeting. We have some tremendous trees on the ground, he said. Hixon is also the owner of his own insurance agency, a business hes been in for more than 45 years, according to the company website. Hixons insurance business has never previously had more than 50 claims at any one time, Hixon said. After Helene, he had 300. We have never seen a storm like this, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A crucial part of the commissions recovery efforts is a team of 24 foresters who are assigned to up to three counties per person, Hubright said. Their responsibility is to go to landowners, aid them and assess damage. In cases of severe damage, the commission has partnered with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has programs that help landowners recover. As of Dec. 11, about 100 forest landowners had signed up for the Emergency Forest Restoration Program, Hubright said. Theyll pay for some of the cost of getting the area ready to be replanted and then plant the trees back, he said. Local foresters will also be eligible for Timber Block Grants from the federal government. Florida had a similar program in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael, which hit the state in 2018. Hubright told the committee he is not sure how much landowners will get from these grants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission also requested supplemental funding from the U.S. Forest Service. Normally they receive between $5 million and $6 million, Hubright said. This year, the commission applied for nearly $13 million. Of that figure, about $9 million will go toward buying and leasing firefighting bulldozers and engines. Around $1.5 million of the supplemental funds will go toward tree planting in urban forestry areas. Theres good support for helping the forest landowners of South Carolina, Hubright said. We greatly appreciate that. HEMPSTEAD, Long Island (PIX11) Hempstead, is a sleepy Long Island village 20 miles east of Manhattan. It has a police force of 130 officers to deal with its share of crime. Now it claims to be the first municipality in the state to introduce a groundbreaking drone as a first responder program that will enhance emergency response capabilities within the community. More Local News Its a new day and this is the beginning, drone technology, declares Hempstead Village Police Chief Richard Holland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community leaders gathered to announce they have linked up with an Atlanta-based company to provide drones that will enable the Hempstead Police Department to respond to emergency situations or crime scenes, reaching any location within a four-mile radius in under three minutes. Chief Holland applauds the new technology. Mainly real-time crime that is going on at the moment. It allows us to get fresh eyes on the scene possibly before a member of the force can get there. The drones are equipped with advanced technology, including AI-powered video analytics, providing real-time intelligence to officers. Flock Safetys DFR system integrates with Hempstead Polices existing Flock Safety LPR and video cameras, speeding response times from a camera alert on a stolen vehicle, known wanted offender or detected missing person to drone dispatch. All of these systems are streamlined through Hempsteads Real-Time Information Center, a Flock Safety spokesperson tells PIX11 News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police officers condition improving after Long Island crash, union says Village of Hempstead Mayor Waylyn Hobbs Jr. maintains It also gives us the ability to connect with businesses within Hempstead, their security cameras, so our police department can monitor the systems to help businesses in case of burglary, robbery, and thing like that. The Mayor said the advanced drone technology will enable Hempstead to collaborate with other municipalities and agencies in the pursuit of public safety. Everybody wants to live in a safe and secure community and this is a way we are showing the residents of Hempstead that were providing that safety and assurance that they need. While the village is located near the flight paths to Kennedy and LaGuardia Airports, the drones will only operate in local airspace. Its expected to be several months before the drones are operational at least until they win the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. JERUSALEM Sagui Dekel-Chen, an American Israeli who refurbished old buses into mobile tech classrooms for underserved children, has not met his third daughter, who was born in southern Israel after he was taken hostage during Hamass Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack. His father, who says he's been through a living hell for 15 months now, says he wont believe the news of his son's pending release until he's actually returned home. His father, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, told NBC News that as of early afternoon Thursday, he had yet to hear from anyone outside of the media that his son was scheduled to be freed in the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal. No one has spoken to me or to my family about it, Dekel-Chen said. He last received proof that his son was still alive from hostages freed during a November deal, who told him they had seen him in tunnels under Gaza, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a senior U.S. official who briefed reporters Wednesday on the details of the ceasefire deal, Sagui Dekel-Chen, 36, and fellow American Israeli Keith Siegel, 65, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, are among the 33 hostages expected to be released during the first phase of the agreement. Sagui Dekel-Chen. Dekel-Chen, a project manager for JNF-UK, a British charity that supports poorer parts of Israel, was kidnapped from kibbutz Nir Oz, where he grew up and was living with his wife, Avital, and their two small daughters, Bar and Galit. A third daughter, Shachar, was born two months after he was captured. Its been a living hell, Jonathan Dekel-Chen, 61, said when reflecting on the months of uncertainty. The overall ceasefire agreement will see the return of 94 of the remaining 251 captives seized during the Hamas cross-border attack. Another four captives previously held in Gaza will also be part of the deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas has never allowed visits by the Red Cross, the Red Crescent, or any other international organization, so there is no sure way to know what their condition is, said Jonathan Dekel-Chen, who is originally from Bloomfield, Connecticut, but was living on the kibbutz at the time of the attack. Photos on the fridge of Avital Dekel-Chen, the wife of the American Israeli hostage Sagui Dekel-Chen. The small border community of Nir Oz was among those targeted by Hamas militants during the attack. The community of some 400 people remained under siege for nine hours, Jonathan Dekel-Chen recalled. Fifty-nine were killed and 79 kidnapped, of which 29 are still held in Gaza. He called on the Israeli government to ratify the deal and for both the outgoing and the incoming U.S. administrations to pressure all sides to ensure that all the hostages, the living and the dead, are returned. He said the story is not over until everyone is home. Everyone in our family has the same goal. It is to get Sagui home, to have his three little girls run into his arms, the youngest of whom has never met him," he said. "She knows him only as a poster on the wall." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eden Alexander, 21, of New Jersey, who was serving in the Israeli army at the time of his capture, is not expected to be released until the second phase of the deal. Israeli officials said they believe that the other dual-citizen Americans held by Hamas Itay Chen, 19; Gad Haggai, 72; his wife, Judith Weinstein, 70; and Omer Neutra, 21 are dead. Keith Siegel. Keith Siegel, 65, originally of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was taken from kibbutz Kfar Aza. He was last seen in a video released in April by Hamas. In the video, the occupational therapist spoke directly to his family to say he is doing OK. Soon after, the couples two daughters, Ilan and Shir, shared a picture of them holding hands with their mother, Aviva Siegel, all wearing T-shirts with Keith Siegels picture and the caption, BRING KEITH HOME NOW. Aviva Siegel, 63, was taken hostage on Oct. 7 and released the next month. She has since become a vocal advocate for the hostages, fighting to keep their plight in the public eye. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, she said she was determined to keep shouting and screaming for the hostages to come home. I have been talking about those tunnels, Siegel told NBC News Lester Holt during a trip to New York at the start of the United Nations General Assembly in September. Keith and I nearly died in the tunnel because there was no oxygen, and Ive been talking about it over and over and over hard stories. But I want to just tell everybody were not going to stop, she said in an interview alongside other people whose loved ones were also taken. Were going to talk, and Im going to tell all the hard stories, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Siegel recalled some of the conditions inside the vast network of tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip. She described hostages thrown to the ground on filthy, dirty mattresses, forbidden from speaking or moving, confined to dark spaces. She recounted the agony of being starved for 24 hours or even more. In October, Sagui Dekel-Chens wife, Avital, told NBC News that sending him daily WhatsApp messages had helped her find solace, even though she knew full well that he wouldnt see them until he was returned to his family. Please come back home. Please hang in there a little longer, Dekel-Chen wrote in one message. Soon, she may finally get her wish. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com HONOLULU (KHON2) Honolulu Fire Department investigators have classified the fatal Jan. 6 Young Street fire as accidental due to unattended cooking. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You HFD officials worked alongside the Bureau of Alcohol, Tabacco, Firearms and Explosives National Response Team to complete the on-scene origin and cause fire investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honoring a hero: Honolulu mourns fallen firefighter Jeffrey Fiala Both departments determined the fire originated in a kitchen at the rear of the structure. No damage estimate has been released as a final investigation is still pending. The Jan. 6 fire claimed the life of 25-year-old firefighter Jeffrey Fiala, who served at the Honolulu Fire Department for a year and a half. On the outside of the Young Street home, a memorial continues to grow with many leaving photos, flowers, lei and remembrance of his love of the ocean and of life. Check out more news from around Hawaii Four other firefighters and an occupant were injured and hospitalized at the time of the incident. As of Wednesday, Jan. 15, only the occupant remains in the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. GUILFORD COUNTY The fate of a High Point woman who vanished a year ago this week in eastern Greensboro remains an unresolved mystery. Marissa Carmichael was last seen Jan. 14, 2024, at an Exxon gas station in the 800 block of E. Market Street, where she called 911 about 3:40 a.m. and said she had been robbed. Carmichael was 25 years old at the time she disappeared. The Greensboro Police Department said Carmichaels disappearance is an open case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there is no public update at this time, this remains an active investigation, police told The High Point Enterprise on Wednesday. Sara Carmichael of High Point, Marissa Carmichaels mother, said that she has drifted between hope and despair about the fate of her daughter. I still have hope, but it has been a year, Carmichael said. Carmichael said that she continues to pass along information to police about her daughter when she comes across something that may be relevant to the case. She continues to do podcasts and speak on other social media platforms. Carmichael said that the police are reinterviewing people to seek leads. Greensboro police previously have said that Carmichael apparently got into a vehicle that drove her from the area of the gas station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators ask that anyone with information call Greensboro-Guilford Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000. Tips can be made anonymously. Carmichael was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue jeans and yellow sneakers. She has a heart-shaped tattoo on her face and a butterfly tattoo near her eye. Sara Carmichael said that she and her family have been heartened by the support they have received from the community. Its really heart-warming that so many people care about Marissa, she said. Even a year later, through social media, shes a constant on there. Nobody has forgotten, and they are sharing her picture and her story. Analog Devices, Inc., in Beaverton won up to $150 million for expansions in Beaverton, Camas, Washington and at a plant in Massachusetts, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Photo courtesy of Analog Devices) A semiconductor company is on track to receive an infusion of hundreds of millions of dollars for a significant expansion at its Beaverton plant through federal CHIPS funding. The U.S. Commerce Department announced Thursday it has signed a non-binding memorandum with Analog Devices, Inc. for up to $105 million in CHIPS and Science Act funding for expansions at its factories in Beaverton, Camas, Washington and Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The money is expected to create 500 new jobs across all sites, the department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This investment will help us strengthen our workforce training and community partnerships, as well as expand our efforts to manage our environmental footprint, Vincent Roche, CEO and chairman of Analog Devices, said in a statement. Ferda Millan, the companys spokesperson, told the Capital Chronicle in a statement that Analog plans to make its most significant investments at its semiconductor plant in Beaverton. CHIPS Act funding will enable us to expand and modernize our facilities, scale our capacity to meet our customers needs across diverse end markets, strengthen our workforce training and community partnerships, as well as expand our efforts to manage our environmental footprint and grow our campus engagement to host numerous initiatives that support the Silicon Forest ecosystem, Millan said. She said the company is still working out details with the Commerce Department and declined to say how many jobs will be created at its plant in Beaverton. The company has a smaller facility in Camas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Commerce Department said the money would increase Analogs Beaverton and Camas operations by 70% by expanding front-end mature node semiconductor manufacturing for devices used in a wide variety of applications, including but not limited to automotive, industrial, and defense applications. As part of the agreement, Analog will try to reduce its use of solvents by using state-of-the-art techniques that are more environmentally friendly, the release said. It also will expand its partnerships with local universities and community colleges and create programs to support manufacturers and collaborators in the Silicon Forest. In 2023, the company announced plans for a $1 billion expansion in Beaverton that was due to be finished last year. At the time, the company said it had about 950 employees at the site. It employs 24,000 globally, Millan said. This latest funding from the Commerce Department is the fourth to an Oregon high-tech company under the CHIPS and Science Act approved by Congress in 2022. On Monday, the Commerce Department confirmed it was giving up to $53 million to HP in Corvallis to advance research into the technology behind tiny devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Commerce Department has also awarded $1.9 billion to Intel in Hillsboro and $72 million to Microchip Technologies in Gresham. Three other companies will also get CHIPS money, according to the Commerce Department. It plans to invest up to $79 million in an expansion by Coherent, which has a manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania; up to $10.3 million is pegged for IntelliEPI in Texas for expanding and modernizing its facility there; and Sumika in Texas could get up $52.1 million for manufacturing high-purity isopropyl alcohol thats used in chip production. Gina Raimondo, the outgoing commerce secretary, said the money about $246 million in all is part of a federal effort to revitalize semiconductor manufacturing in the U.S. The proposed investments were announcing today would support projects that will bolster semiconductor and materials production across the country and advance Americas technological leadership on the world stage, Raimondo said in a statement. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jan. 15SANTA FE New Mexico would boost starting teacher pay to $55,000 per year and increase spending on mental health and drug addiction treatment programs under a $10.8 billion spending plan unveiled Wednesday by a key legislative panel. With the state riding the wave of an oil-fueled revenue boom, the budget plan would increase spending by $568.5 million or roughly 5.7% over current levels, starting in July. That overall proposed spending growth is slightly less than under a separate budget plan released last month by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, as the governor's plan calls for a 7% budget increase for the coming year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both plans would provide pay increases for state employees and public school workers, though the raises would be slightly larger under the Legislative Finance Committee's plan. With a 60-day legislative session set to begin next week, Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said the dueling budget plans also align in many other policy areas. "We're not that far apart and that's a really good thing going into the session," Wirth said. However, there are some key differences, as the legislative plan does not include funding for a $75 million strategic water supply proposed by the governor for buying brackish and produced water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would also appropriate $350 million for road repairs and other transportation projects, compared to $300 million under the governor's plan. Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, the LFC's chairman, said spending initiatives could still be evaluated as lawmakers begin crafting a new budget during the upcoming session. He also described the legislative spending plan as prudent, saying spending growth of larger than 6% annually could lead to future budget woes. "New Mexico is in the best financial situation it's ever been in in its history," Munoz said during a Wednesday news conference at the Roundhouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the top budget official in Lujan Grisham's administration also said the two spending plans appear to feature more similarities than differences. "Where differences exist, we look forward to working through them with the appropriating committees," said Finance and Administration Secretary Wayne Propst. "These next 60 days will test our collective resolve to resist unnecessary spending and stay focused on building a strong and stable financial future for New Mexico," Propst added. Spending growth expected to continue New Mexico state spending has already grown by 45% since Lujan Grisham took office in 2019, as revenue collections have exploded to record-high levels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Estimates released last month predicted legislators will have $892.3 million in "new" money available next year a figure that represents the difference between projected revenue and current total spending levels. The budget surplus is part of a multi-year revenue bonanza, fueled primarily by record-high oil and natural gas production in southeast New Mexico's Permian Basin. The state is the second-largest oil producer in the nation behind only Texas and oil and gas revenue make up about 35% of the state's total revenue collections, according to legislative data. While state spending has increased, lawmakers have also set aside millions of dollars from the revenue windfall in trust funds. The money in those funds is then invested for future use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislative Finance Committee's budget plan would continue that approach, as it calls for $222 million to be transferred to a water project fund and $350 million for a new community benefit fund for local infrastructure projects. While the spending plan does not specifically endorse the creation of a new trust fund to pay for expanded mental health and substance abuse treatment, it does include nearly $200 million in additional state spending for such programs, said Rep. Nathan Small, D-Las Cruces. But Wirth said legislation will be filed in the Senate to create a new fund for such programs, with the goal of securing $1 billion to expand treatment options statewide. Teacher pay levels on the rise again? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With New Mexico still lagging behind the rest of the nation in many national education measures, the legislative spending plan would increase starting teacher pay for the second time in three years. The plan would raise starting teacher pay to $55,000, while also increasing the minimum pay rates for more experienced educators under the state's three-tiered licensure system. If approved, that would place New Mexico starting teacher pay at significantly higher than the national average of $44,530 per year, according to National Education Association data. In addition to raising minimum starting teacher pay from $50,000 to $55,000 per year, the legislative plan would also provide average 4% pay raises for all educators and state workers. It would also largely cover the cost of rising health insurance premiums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Minority Whip Pat Woods, R-Broadview, who was the lone Republican legislator attending Wednesday's news conference, said lawmakers are striving to spend taxpayer dollars wisely. But he also said some of the spending proposals could increase the bureaucracy in state government. "While every line item has its own significance, simply throwing money at the problems has not generated positive outcomes," Woods said. The 60-day legislative session begins Jan. 21. Tim Blakeley, manager of Sunset Junction medical marijuana dispensary, shows marijuana plant buds on May 11, 2010, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) An attorney representing Hillsborough County has filed an appeal in the states Second District Court of Appeal of a ruling that could have statewide implications in solidifying protections for employees who are lawful medical marijuana patients under Florida law. Angelo Giambrone was an EMT with Hillsborough County since 2008 who also happened to be a qualified medical marijuana patient, as he said he suffered from anxiety, insomnia, and PTSD. He was put on unpaid administrative leave in 2019 after testing positive for cannabis use following a random drug test. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020 he sued the county, alleging that it was a violation of the Florida Civil Rights Act for failure to accommodate him as disabled individual; that he was wrongfully terminated because the county refused to accept his state-issued medical marijuana card as justification for his positive test results; and that the county had failed to update its Drug Free Workplace Policy pursuant to the Florida Civil Rights Act. In court proceedings, the county admitted that there had been no allegations that Giambrone was ever impaired or used cannabis at work, before work, or during work hours. They also acknowledged that there had been no complaints or suspicions that he ever was impaired at work and that he had above average or exemplary performance reviews. Hillsborough Circuit Court Judge Melissa Polo ruled in Giambrones favor last month, declaring the county had illegally discriminated against him. She ordered the county to pay him $321,337 in backpay between 2019-2024, as well as $19,500 in interest and $60,000 in compensatory damages, including for mental anguish, loss of dignity, and other intangible injuries. Polo also ruled that Hillsborough County is now prohibited from discriminating against and must provide accommodations to employees who present a valid Florida Medical Marijuana card after testing positive for marijuana as long as there is no evidence that the employee used or possessed substances while at work or during work hours, on county property, in county vehicles, or reported to work impaired. The law is silent Floridas medical marijuana statute does not require an employer to accommodate the medical use of marijuana in any workplace or any employee while working under the influence of marijuana but is silent about whether employers must accommodate off-site or off-work use of marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers have filed bills in recent sessions to give medical marijuana patients legal protections at work, although they havent moved in the GOP-controlled Legislature. A bill filed ahead of the 2025 regular legislative session would protect public employees from positive marijuana tests if they have a medical prescription. Legal briefs in the case are not due for another 70 days, according to an attorney representing Hillsborough County. There are now 896,635 medical marijuana patients in the state of Florida, according to the Office of Medical Marijuana Use. Medical cannabis is legal in 38 states, while 24 have anti-discrimination employee protection, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 71% of voters approved medical marijuana in 2016 as a state constitutional amendment. Recreational marijuana was on the ballot in 2024 but did not receive the 60% support required for passage. A new proposal to get the measure on the 2026 ballot was filed earlier this week. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE An Oklahoman held a dollar bill firmly in her hand as she walked into the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Saidy Herrera was attending the prestigious Hispanic Leadership Summit in December, when she saw an opportunity to speak with Rosa "Rosie" Gumataotao Rios, who served as 43rd treasurer of the United States from 2009 to 2016. Herrera, 48, asked Rios to sign her dollar bill which already featured Rios' signature as U.S. treasurer and the special memento is a way to shine a spotlight on history, which Herrera does everyday as multicultural officer for the Oklahoma Historical Society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her primary responsibility in the post she's held since 2022 is to develop program and outreach initiatives that focus on Oklahomas diverse heritage and historically underrepresented communities. Along the way, Herrera hopes to tell stories and create bridges of communication and opportunities for cultural exchange for Oklahomans across the state. The history of famous Oklahomans and Oklahoma artifacts surround her as she works each day at the Oklahoma History Center, but Herrera said there are more stories and history to share. Saidy Herrera, multicultural officer for the Oklahoma Historical Society, looks at the board of regents robe that belonged to Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher. Appreciation for education, culture Herrera's own history is multifaceted. At 16, Herrera and her family traveled from Guatemala to the United States, where they lived in New York for several years before making their way to California. She earned a diploma in theological and ministerial studies from Berean School of the Bible and completed a regional occupational program in international tourism and hospitality in North Orange County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education was her priority when she arrived in Oklahoma in 2004, where she earned an associate degree in business administration and management from Oklahoma City Community College (she was inducted into the OCCC Alumni Hall of Fame in 2024), and a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Oklahoma. Herrerra said she also studied abroad, visiting Korea and Thailand. She said she had always appreciated her own Guatemalan culture and the numerous cultures she came across in New York and California. Learning about Asian cultures while abroad simply enhanced her curiosity to know more about people and cultures around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Herrera gets to celebrate the many cultures in Oklahoma in her role with the historical society. She said when the historian Bruce Fisher retired, the historical society opened up the multicultural position that she was eventually chosen to fill. Fisher, son of Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, the first African American student admitted to OU's School of Law, had already been working to collect the history of African Americans in Oklahoma, and he developed an exhibit exploring that history. Herrera said she has been working to build on what Bruce Fisher built, while working to develop relationships with different communities and cultures so that the historical society may explore and share their respective histories in the state. "So, this is part of my job, identifying what those histories are, and making sure that we are telling those stories," she said. Saidy Herrera, the Oklahoma Historical Society's multicultural officer, stands near the Clara Luper Exhibit at the Oklahoma History Center in Oklahoma City. Opening doors Herrera is hoping to shine a spotlight on a Mexican roper whose skills caught the eye of a famous Oklahoman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, she received photos of Vicente Oropeza, the first recognized champion of the world in "trick and fancy roping. Herrera said Oropeza was one of the ropers who took part in the Wild West shows of the early 1900s. Oropeza and Will Rogers admired each other's roping skills, she said. By highlighting such history, Herrera said she is doing her part to encourage others to value history and a broad spectrum of cultures, like Rosa Rios, whom she encountered on her recent trip to New York. More: From Clara Luper to a beloved Black doctor, interactive tour showcased Oklahoma's Black history Herrera said Rios is the daughter of an immigrant who overcame struggles to end up treasurer of the United States. Rios currently serves as chair of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission established by Congress in 2016 to plan and orchestrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's an inspirational story of a Latina woman who is doing the work," Herrera said, adding that Rios has certainly inspired her. "I needed that as a way to know what's possible and now I'm trying to be that person, where, if somebody else knows the work that I'm doing, I'm not only sharing what's possible, but I'm also opening doors for the ones around me." This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma Historical Society officer shines spotlight on cultures We need Greenland for national security purposes, reiterated the once and future US President Donald Trump at a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago residence last week. Already in his first administration, Trump had floated the idea of acquiring the worlds largest island a Danish possession which enjoys autonomous self-government, including the right to declare independence. The Danish government declined Trumps offer, leading to a minor diplomatic row, but in a December 22 Truth Social post announcing the nomination of tech executive Ken Howery as his next ambassador to Denmark, Trump revived the idea that ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity. The initial reaction was predictably hostile. Greenland is not for sale, said Denmarks Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in what frankly sounded like the opening gambit of a successful real estate deal. King Frederik X even went so far as to change the royal coat-of-arms for the first time since 1972, to feature more prominently the heraldic symbols for Greenland and Denmarks only other remaining overseas dependency, the Faroe Islands. Foreign policy mandarins of all nationalities have registered consternation, anger, disbelief, and defiance that the United States would seek to expand its territorial holdings, which, Trumps recent statements suggest, could also include retaking the Panama Canal and absorbing Canada. Trump said that he would not rule out either military or economic pressure to secure either Greenland or Panama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the bruised feelings of Trumps critics, however, acquiring Greenland is well-situated in a broader historical context. Denmark has, in fact, been willing to sell its overseas territories to other countries since at least 1864, when it offered the Danish West Indies to Prussia, which declined to purchase them. In 1867, the same year the US bought Alaska from Russia, Denmark offered the Caribbean islands to the United States, which also refused at that time, citing hurricane risk. Negotiations periodically resumed, however, and in 1916 with the prospect of Imperial Germany expanding operations into the Western hemisphere during the First World War a deal was struck. The following March, just days before the US entered that global conflict, the Danish West Indies became the US Virgin Islands for the price of $25 million, or about $700 million today. Then, as now, the impetus for the acquisition was US strategic imperatives conceived under the Monroe Doctrine, a policy advanced in 1823 by President James Monroe to oppose the creation of any new foreign colonies or strategic possessions in the Western Hemisphere. Today, China is one of the largest investors in Greenland, which is a major alternate source of vital rare earth minerals, whose global supply Beijing largely controls. Greenlands increasingly ice-free waters also offer shipping lanes between East Asia and Atlantic markets that are considerably shorter than the traditional ones through the Suez Canal. Beijing eagerly refers to the Arctic route as a Polar Silk Road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, China preposterously declared itself a near-Arctic state and has been working closely with Russia, its unlimited ally, to develop Arctic ports, trade, and joint military exercises. Shortly after, US diplomacy narrowly convinced Denmark to subsidise airport development in Greenland to beat out a Chinese construction bid that would have given Beijing a major stake in the islands aerial transport. Even in simpler times, the US never hesitated to extend control over Greenland when its interests came into play. From 1886 to 1916, the US maintained a partial territorial claim to the islands northwestern region, which was first charted by American explorers. Those claims were relinquished as part of the deal to acquire the Danish West Indies, but in 1920 the US articulated a policy that no third country other than the US or Denmark would be permitted to take control. After Denmark fell to Nazi Germany, in a 12-hour campaign in 1940, US forces quickly occupied both Greenland and Iceland, then still until Danish rule, once again advancing a Monroe Doctrine argument that breached Danish sovereignty but prevented hostile occupation. While Iceland became independent in 1944, Greenlands strategic location precipitated a postwar offer by Harry Truman to purchase the island for $100 million. Denmark refused. In 1951, however, it signed a treaty with the United States ceding exclusive and nearly unlimited authority over Greenlands defence to Washington and accorded US vessels, aircraft, and personnel free navigation rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US armed forces continued to operate their World War II bases and, in 1953, built a major new one in the far north at Thule (now Pituffik), which is currently a US Space Force installation. Additional outposts integrated Greenland with the Colorado-headquartered North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the USs Ballistic Missile Early Warning System (BMEWS). The US presence was so pervasive that, when it was scaled down after the Cold War, Greenlands economy suffered due to losses in jobs, investment, and spending. In any case, Greenlands future may no longer be Denmarks to determine. In February 2024, Greenlands government set independence from Denmark as its eventual goal, a message repeated by its prime minister Mute Egede in his new years message. Egede has now said that Greenland wants to work more closely with the US on defence and exploring its mining resources. Greenland is an incredible place, Trump added in another post, and the people will benefit tremendously if, and when, it becomes part of our Nation. We will protect it, cherish it, from a very vicious outside World. MAKE GREENLAND GREAT AGAIN! It could happen, and history is arguably on Trumps side. Paul du Quenoy is a historian and president of the Palm Beach Freedom Institute 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. A 15-year-old Hollywood High School student was seriously injured Monday in an on-campus stabbing and a 17-year-old student has been arrested in the attack, officials told The Times. According to law enforcement sources, the injured student, a boy, suffered a life-threatening stab wound and required emergency surgery. Another student, whose name was not released because she is a minor, was arrested Wednesday and charged with attempted murder, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The school district provided little information about the stabbing, including the nature of the injuries, citing privacy and restrictions in reporting incidents involving minors. But details have emerged based on what students have told their parents and from law enforcement sources who are not authorized to speak on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The assailant allegedly plunged a knife into the middle of the boy's back, sources said. The injured student was rushed to the hospital. The incident was investigated both by Los Angeles School Police and the LAPD. The LAPD confirmed the age and gender of the victim and the alleged attacker. Read more: Fewer LAUSD students feel safe at school amid rising fights, physical aggression on campus L.A. Unified does not routinely acknowledge arrests, violence or vandalism at schools, although there are exceptions, such as in a recent case of vandalism. In recent years, the district has generally sent out alerts with varying degrees of information to parents and the district will provide these specific alerts to the public if requested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stabbing took place at about 2 p.m., according to police records. At 3:25 p.m., the district sent out this message to the school community: "Good afternoon. This is Hollywood High School Principal with an important message for parents and guardians. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain my top priority. I am calling to advise you that our campus is on lockdown because of a physical altercation between two students involving a weapon. One student was in need of medical attention, and their parents have been notified. School Police are on campus assisting with an investigation. We are following district protocols, and all students and staff are safe. We will provide you with updates as they become available. Thank you." A follow-up message at 4:16 p.m. alerted parents that the campus was no longer on lockdown and that "out of an abundance of caution, school authorities will also be providing additional patrols around our school campus." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents reported seeing two school police patrol cars in the area the next morning. Read more: LAUSD principals say demands are too high, hours too long. They are joining the Teamsters The district will typically not release what an investigation has uncovered. Although this incident involved a knife, school administrators have told The Times that 14 guns were seized on campuses since the start of the school year through November. The school district declined to confirm that figure, but has acknowledged a steep rise in fights, weapons seizures and the use of illegal or controlled substances. Administrators cited security issues as well as the removal of school police from campus as among the factors that prompted them recently to vote to join the Teamsters union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior officials hope a soon-to-begin ban on cellphones will tamp down violence and bullying, although some worry that students will lose a valuable tool for documenting problems on campuses. The Monday incident is thought to have been prompted by a personal dispute and was not gang-related, sources said. The latter possibility had been a worry of parents who spoke to The Times. Parents said they were concerned that the stabbing might have been related to an alleged incident in December. Parents said they'd learned that shortly before winter break, youths from another school jumped the fence and became involved in a fight in a bathroom. The parents said the district has refused to answer questions about that earlier alleged occurrence. The district also did not answer questions from The Times about it. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. As a TV writer with no huge overall deal at a major studio, Morenike Balogun (How to Get Away With Murder, Big Sky) was hit hard by the historic 148-day writers strike in 2023. Then came the death of her grandmother last year, followed by that of her mother just five months ago. And with the start of the new year came the Palisades Fire, which has burned through more than 23,000 acres of the Palisades in Los Angeles County, including Baloguns dream home, which she and her husband had been renovating. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I saved my pennies to be able to afford this dream house in our dream location, Balogun, whose other credits include Vampire Academy, Jupiters Legacy and Berlin Station, tells The Hollywood Reporter. They say, Buy the worst house on the block and fix it up, so thats what we did. The house was kind of falling apart, and my husband lovingly did a lot of the renovations by himself. I did a lot of things to it, and it just became a haven in this mad, mad city. The Palisades, while home to many celebrities and the wealthy, is also considered home to working-class people and those who have inherited homes from their grandparents or parents, explains Balogun. Its not just the rich: this city is very diverse. Its very complex, and theres so many different reasons why people live in the Palisades and in Malibu. Living in the Palisades, Balogun, her husband and their two kids have seen evacuation orders from time to time, but this one felt different, she says. The sky had turned apocalyptic after warnings had begun to make the rounds, and the windows (that hadnt been replaced in the renovation yet) began to rattle from the high winds. Balogun started packing up her car. I mostly packed the car with [my kids] things. I packed some stuff for my dad, she explains. I packed a few of my things. I didnt think my house was going to burn down, so I didnt pack the things that I really, really would have gotten. I got my baby book. I got my moms scarf, which still had some of her hair in it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, she wasnt able to grab her dads sweaters. Her father, who has been living with them, is terminally ill and was evacuated to a nursing facility before the fires started picking up. There are things of his that Ive seen him wear my whole life, and are really precious to me and my siblings, and none of that stuff made it, she says. His writing. Hes a writer, and he had a lot of things that just didnt make it through the fire. I only grabbed his essential stuff, like medicine and things he would need that day. On the day they were evacuated, she recalls a firefighter telling her husband, Arno, to cut some shrubbery in an effort to potentially save their home, so her husband stayed behind while Balogun left with her kids. Part of me kind of knew, hes this crazy German dude, that hes gonna stay, she says with a hint of laughter. And funny enough, the only other person who stayed to fight the fire, and she ended up staying in her home, was also a German lady. Her name is Rosemary, so the two Germans stayed to fight the fire. Her husband ended up staying at the house with their dog, fighting the fires, until the next morning, and informed Balogun that he had saved the house. God bless him, because honestly, after the strike, weve just been holding on to that house by our fingernails, working and doing whatever we can. We even borrowed from familyit was everything we had. So I know he felt this desperate need to save everything. Until I got staffed again, that was all we had. Thinking their house was safe, he set off to check on his neighbors houses. But by the time he came back, maybe an hour later, their house was engulfed in flames, with firefighters battling the blaze. Thankfully, firefighters, who arrived in the nick of time, had seen the dog inside and rescued him before it was too late. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Balogun and her family evacuated to a nearby hotel, and have been moving back and forth between Redondo Beach and Westlake Village since the fire took their home. Her father is at a nursing home in Ventura, so Westlake is close to him. While she was able to save her mothers scarf and her baby book, there are things she will never get back, like her mothers antique vanity that she had thrifted when Balogun was a child, filled with photographs of her parents when they were younger, of her as a child, and her with friends. Every once in a while, I looked through them, and it was so surreal to see all the things that [my parents] dealt with as immigrants coming to this country versus all the advantages I have because of them, says Balogun. It always gives me perspective, and especially after losing my momI know my sister has her photos. My brother has a few, but you take your own photos. And I dont have those anymore, but I know theyre in my head somewhere. She adds: Hopefully we can get back in we still arent allowed in because I want to see if anything survived, if theres a laptop, and maybe theres a hard drive that we can use, or something like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recovering from the writers strike, she says a motto she and her writing colleagues lived by was survive to 25, which seems bleak now given the way 2025 started. To help the industry recover from not only the strikes, but from these wildfires, Balogun urges studios to bring productions back to the City of Angels. So much production has been taken overseas, and now those places have these thriving studios and production centers there, and I worry that that has been at the expense of this town, Balogun, who also serves as a producer, says. Of course, you want to shoot things that are authentic, and if it has a location to it, you want to go there and shoot that location for what it is. Absolutely, I understand that. But its gotten to the point where its tough for them to even promise to bring back jobs. I dont see how they can make that promise that jobs are going to come back. I know that Gov. Newsom did a huge, supersized credit recently to try and lure some jobs back here, and I hope that works. But I think studios and everybody just needs to really take a pause and think seriously about bringing as many jobs back here as possible, those that can be brought back, because theyre needed with crew. Theyre needed with everybody below the line. And writing rooms being exported overseas also hurts. I really think we need to prioritize shooting in Los Angeles and keeping productions here, because if we dont, I dont see how we recover. Since the fires (including Eaton and Sunset) ravaged the city, communities near and far have been coming together to support victims of the fires, and Balogun and her family have seen that support firsthand, including through a GoFundMe set up by her friends. Ive had so many people reach out to me, so many people care about us and ask us how were doing and what they can do to help us and support us, and its been so humbling, she says. So I know this town has it in it to really be caring and compassionate for each other. I know during the strikes, it felt very combative. It was like executives and studios on one side, all the artists on the other side, and it didnt feel like a city that you love and in a place that you want to be. But now, it feels like everyones coming together, across all those lines, its just this one big city that loves each other and wants to care for each other, wants to recover. And I think you can apply that to the strikes, because although there were no, like physical wounds, those wounds are still there as well. And for people right now who have lost their income and their livelihood through the strikes, and then now having this one-two punch with the fires. Its devastating. So I think there has to be a support there, and a way for people to help people get jobs, help get people back to work, and do it in the same way that theyre helping with donations and things like that. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. BURLINGTON, N.C. (WGHP) Great literature and art can move us in an inexplicable way. Gracie Cohen learned that six years ago as a 12-year-old when she played the role of Raja in the play I Never Saw Another Butterfly. The play tells the story of the Terezin camp outside Prague in the Czech Republic where the Nazi regime took many art-oriented Jews who had to find a way to survive the years of deprivation and mass murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cohen did the show at Temple Emmanuel in Greensboro and vowed to do the show again. So for the last six years, she worked to raise money to secure the rights to the script and wrote proposals for the Studio 1 theater in Burlington. This year, its on their calendar. For Cohen, its been a work of passion. I felt that the show and this character was going to stick with me a long time. I didnt know I was going to have another opportunity to do it, Cohen said. Tim Brown is directing the show. I was a little overwhelmed not knowing a lot about Jewish heritage, Brown said. Since Gracie came to me to talk about this project, it has become very life-consuming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had to learn that Jewish heritage to give the subjects of the play the treatment he felt they deserved. One thing he wanted to make sure he did was not make the characters look like victims. The message of hope and transformation even in a time of darkness if we look at what hope is and let that light come forth. I think thats a message for everybody: Ff we can hold on to that hope, we just might have a fighting chance to survive, Brown said. Thats the message Cohen was hoping to send. The overwhelming message of this is hope no matter what is going on and no matter what is happening politically or the climate of today. The community is whats holding it together, Cohen said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are my two aunts. My grandmothers two sisters, said Courtney Doi as she showed pictures of them: Etta, who survived her time in Terezin, and Ruth who didnt. Ruth was an artist, and this is a book she illustrated, Doi said while displaying a book published in 1936 before Ruth and Etta were taken to Terezin. Doi is a member of the North Carolina Council on the Holocaust and often speaks to groups about it even though she wasnt raised Jewish herself. Her maternal grandmother was a force in her life. She was kind of my person growing up, Doi said. I spent every summer with her from the time I was 7 until the time I was 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She even traveled to Terezin with her, which was a truly moving experience. When you walk in you cant believe that these horrible things happened there, Doi said. It looks like a town. Its famous because of the Red Cross footage where Hitler brought people in and said, Hey, Im not doing anything bad to the Jews. This is just a resettlement community. You can see the play at the Studio 1 Theater in the Holly Hill Mall in Burlington from Jan. 16 to Jan. 19. 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 FOX8 WGHP. Britain likes to think of itself as a supremely pragmatic country. We close our ears to abstract continental theorising. We tell ourselves we deal with problems in a practical way, without worrying about ideology. Unfortunately not discussing ideas doesnt remove them from politics: it just suppresses them. So when our politicians legislate, they are still pursuing an ideology: they just choose to close their ears to what it actually is. J M Keynes famously said that practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist. So too, our politicians are very often the unquestioning slaves of the broader background flow of ideas. Consider, for example, the present plans to restrict home-schooling in the dreadful Childrens Wellbeing and Schools Bill. The coming attack on home-schooling is only possible because of the unspoken background belief, right across the political spectrum, that there is no aspect of life in this country that cannot in principle be regulated or changed by state action and therefore that children are legitimately considered as much wards of the state as the responsibility of their parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The education Blob, in both parties, has seized the moment. Spotting the judges comment in the appalling Sara Sharif murder case about the dangers of unsupervised home-schooling for vulnerable children, they have sensed an opportunity to shift the debate. Of course the primary problem in the Sara Sharif case was not home-schooling but the decision of the (still anonymous) family court judge to hand her over to a man with a known track record of abuse in the first place. And of course its not the only thing driving the proposed new provisions. The education Blob has wanted to get tighter control on home-schooling for years. They hate the idea that children can simply be removed from schools and educated by their parents instead. The Blob sees schools not primarily as institutions for imparting knowledge but for imparting indoctrination about contemporary and progressive values. So proposals to control home-schooling have kept surfacing. So far they have been seen off. This time it looks like they are going to win. So what does this Bill do? It requires home-schoolers (the numbers of which are booming by the way) to register with the local authority. That isnt quite what it sounds. You have to supply a whole list of data, including Equality Act-protected characteristics, a vast amount of personal information and background detail, plus any other information the local authority considers appropriate: in other words, anything it wishes. There are potential checks on whats being taught, by whom, and when. Its a whole new bureaucratic regime to which home-schoolers are subject. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem here is that many local authorities have already shown they are hostile to home-schooling and indeed come close to harassing home-schoolers. Its easy to see how home-schooling parents could face the kind of guerrilla warfare with the authorities, backed by fines, that those trying to keep their children off puberty blockers have had to contend with. Of course children subject to formal Child Protection Plans will be stopped from being home-educated children. No one would argue with that. But so will children subject to simple investigations under the Childrens Act. Yet, according to research by Education Otherwise, the organisation for home educators, nearly 80 per cent of such investigations lead nowhere. Theres obvious scope for misuse by those who want to block home-schooling. Anyway, is there actually a problem with home-schooling? Not really. In 2023 only 1.4 per cent of home-educated children were given a school attendance order. In the same year 10 per cent of state schools were found by Ofsted to be inadequate or require improvement. Which system is failing here? Especially after the Governments planned evisceration of academies and free schools, home-schooling is a vital safety valve, the last refuge for those who cant afford private school fees and whose local school is failing. Now of course its true that the nature of home-schooling will vary family by family. That is precisely the point of it. So some parents will educate their children in a way the rest of us wouldnt. I think that we, as a society, can run that risk. For the bigger threat is that we concede the right of the state to intervene on everything, to stop us deciding whats best for our own children. Then we will have begun to eliminate private space altogether. Once we have accepted the principle that the state can set the rules, we have no ability to say back to it: I hear what you say. But this is my family and I am teaching them my values not yours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why keeping an eye on fundamental principle is important and thats why we all have an interest in preserving home-schooling. Home-schoolers are not just doing the right thing by their own children but also maintaining the principles that freedom and autonomy are intrinsically important matters and that the state does not have the right to go anywhere at will. Whatever the cause, its not worth giving those rights away for. 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. A Pacific Palisades home that narrowly survived the fire that rampaged through the community was heavily damaged by a landslide this week. Photos of the wreckage showed the single-family home split completely in half. The nearly 1,000-square-foot house was listed for rent on Zillow last year. Bryan Kirkwood, who was hired to provide security for houses that survived the fire, told KTLA that the mudslide probably originated from a home located just above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is devastating. I didnt realize it was this bad, Kirkwood told the station. I didnt see the news, got out here and looked and it didnt hit me until now. Wow. This is a big deal. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power confirmed that the agency first inspected the area on Jan. 12 and isolated the water main on Castellammare Drive above where the landslide had occurred, according to an agency statement. Thursday morning, crews returned to the area and found that the home had split and slid onto the road, according to the statement. "Upon inspection, it appears that the home above it, which had been destroyed in the fire, had collapsed onto it which also resulted in damage to LADWP's water service line and buried the meter and curb valve, resulting in more water flow," according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crews opened up a fire hydrant, connected a hose to it and diverted the water that was running through the shut gate valve to flow out of the water main instead of off the property of the collapsed house. Los Angeles County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella said the agency is working with the California Department of Transportation to try to bolster areas where the fires burned and the soil is fragile. "To address this, we are developing plans for both areas to capture and hold this debris back as much as we can during a rain event," Pestrella said during a news conference Thursday. Landslides can be triggered by rainfall or, in this case, water from the lengthy firefight saturating weak or loose soil, causing it to slide downhill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter where you live in L.A. County, if you have slopes behind your homes or youre located on top of a slope, these slopes have become fragile, Pestrella said. The soil that is supporting your home [has] all become fragile and damaged, due to the events that weve had, wind included. ... There are mud and debris flow hazards that are existing even when its not raining, so we want people to be very careful. Times staff writer Grace Toohey contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Next month, River-Cade is once again inviting Siouxlanders to take part in a unique event. The homemade cardboard sled race is coming back to Cone Park in Sioux City. The free event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 2 at 2 p.m., with check-in at noon. Next phase of CyTown development approved by Board of Regents Riders are encouraged to bring their own cardboard sleds and be as creative with its design as they wish. If you dont have any cardboard on hand, dont worry free sheets are available at the Sioux City Parks and Recreation Offices while supplies last. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phil Claeys with River-Cade visited the KCAU 9 studio on Wednesday to further discuss the race that he calls just plain good fun. You can view that full interview in the video player above. 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Residents in a small town in Idaho were caught off-guard when insurance companies began dropping them with little warning. What's happening? Steve Koppes, a resident of Placerville, Idaho, explained to KTVB7 in November that he was dropped from his insurance company over 18 months ago because he lives in a wildfire-prone area. Placerville has a population of just 53 and is located in the middle of the Boise National Forest. Koppes said he was with the same insurance provider for years and never filed a claim of any kind before being unceremoniously dropped because his home was deemed to be in a high-risk location. Each city is ranked on a scale by the Idaho Insurance Ratings Bureau to determine its risk for wildfire, and Placerville has been at a level eight since 2010, per KTVB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was dropped. I didn't get a letter, I didn't get notification, I didn't get reasons. I was just dropped," Koppes told KTVB7. To make matters worse, when Koppes found a new insurance company, he faced a steeper price. He added that many of his neighbors have also been dropped by their insurance companies, and those who haven't are expecting it to happen soon. "It'll happen to everybody eventually," Koppes told KTVB7. Why is this important? As the planet continues to warm, conditions like extreme heat, strong winds and dry vegetation are becoming more common, leading to more frequent and intense wildfires around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, Koppes isn't alone in facing the issue of being dropped by a home insurer. Per KTVB7, a PolicyGenius Climate Change and Homebuying survey found that 6% of homeowners across the U.S. experienced the same thing because they lived in a wildfire-prone area. In Idaho, 52 homes burned in 2024, but Placerville was fortunately unharmed. The Great Basin, which includes Idaho, Nevada, and Utah, saw 1.2 million acres of land burned this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Do you think America is in a housing crisis? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind In addition to wildfires, extreme weather like hurricanes, tornadoes, and storms have also led insurance companies to hike their premiums and drop homeowners in high-risk areas at unprecedented rates. What's being done about this? Koppes told KTVB7 that he's tried to make his home as fire-resistant as it could be by cutting the ladder fuel off all trees, establishing fire breaks, and putting rocks around his property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If there's a fire over there, it won't get to me," Koppes said. Placerville fire chief Andrew Bourett told KTVB7 that the city is trying to lower its rating in the Idaho Insurance Ratings Bureau. One avenue would be to have more water supplies, as Placerville has just two: a pond and a new underground water cistern that can hold up to 30,000 gallons of water. Bourett said the city will not give up on the fight to keep its home insurance rates affordable and available. "I'm not seeing [finding insurance] being impossible, but it's definitely a little bit harder and more of a challenge," Bourett told KTVB7. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) We are days away from a possible TikTok ban in the United States. If the Supreme Court doesnt intervene before Sunday, the popular app will be shutdown. For millions of Americans, TikTok is more than an app, its a business, a creative outlet and for some its their full time job. If the platform is banned, many fear the impact will be devastating especially for small businesses and creators in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Padianos Kitchen is a small Oklahoma business that relies on TikTok. Without TikTok, our business would not exist, TikTok is the reason we are here. That is our main primary source of income, thats how we pay our employees, thats how we pay our suppliers, said Paden Ferguson, CEO of Padianos Kitchen. Ferguson says TikToks unique shopping feature allows him to sell products directly through videos, something he says other platforms cant replicate. Senators pitch last-ditch effort to save TikTok The next question is trying to figure out a retail space, which were continuing to grow in retail, but without the income coming from TikTok, thats extremely challenging, it would likely be insurmountable, so likely a TikTok ban would result in our small business closing, said Ferguson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emily Phillips is an influencer based in Oklahoma City who has built a large following with local food, travel and lifestyle content. I am in denial, but obviously its horrifying, said Phillips While the ban is concerning to her, she has other platforms to use. My main source of income is Instagram and then user-generated content where brands use that for their pages, so luckily Ive diversified enough to feel safe, but its a blow, its a huge platform for me, said Phillips. The U.S. government cites national security concerns and the main reason for the potential ban as TikToks parent company is based in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean what concerns me is my income, this economy, thats what concerns me, to be honest with you and that is a real threat, said Phillips. A possible TikTok ban is just days away. A list of other apps available A senator in Massachusetts introduced a bill to extend the deadline for the ban by 270 days. Ferguson is asking Oklahomas U.S. Senators Markwayne Mullin and James Lankford to support it. News 4 reached out to both offices, but they were unavailable for comment. Senator Mullin spoke about it in the past. If they are going to do business in the United States, they cant be partners with the Chinese communist party, said Mullin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator Lankford has addressed it as well. It is a major national security issue when the Chinese communist party controls what many Americans see every day, said Senator Lankford. Under the law, if ByteDance doesnt sell TikTok U.S. operations by Sunday the app will be banned. However, it doesnt mean TikTok will disappear from your phone, you just wont be able to get updates to the app and eventually it would stop working, We are still waiting for the court to issue an opinion, which is leaving creators anxiously waiting. 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. House Speaker Melissa Hortman, DFL-Brooklyn Park, and House Majority Leader Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis, spoke about the election results on Nov. 6, 2024, at a Capitol press conference. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer. In a final attempt to avert the current legal and political battle for control of the Minnesota House, Democratic leader Melissa Hortman offered the GOP the speakership for two years, as well as the creation of an oversight committee with a majority of Republicans who would have been empowered to investigate the administration of DFL Gov. Tim Walz. The deal on offer would have restored a power-sharing agreement that Hortman negotiated with GOP leader Rep. Lisa Demuth, but which Republicans scrapped when a judge declared that Curtis Johnson a Democrat elected in a heavily DFL north metro district didnt live in his district and couldnt serve. That gave Republicans a 67-66 advantage until a special election Jan. 28, which is expected to restore the House to 67-67. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Reformer was shown two of Hortmans final offers and confirmed their authenticity. Under Hortmans offer, Demuth would have served as speaker and Republicans as committee chairs until the special election in District 40B, at which time theyd return to the agreed-upon shared committee chairs. Demuth would have retained the title of speaker for the remainder of the two-year term, though would have shared power with Hortman. The oversight committee would remain majority Republican for the remainder of the term, as well. The offer included a key provision that would have blocked Republicans from refusing to seat DFL Rep. Brad Tabke, who won his Shakopee district by 14 votes in an election marred by 20 missing ballots. Hortman proposed that election contests like in the Tabke case be referred to the Ethics Committee, which has equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. Rejecting an election outcome and creating a vacancy like in the Tabke case would require 68 votes. (Although state statute says a majority of the votes given decides the issue meaning Republicans could throw out the Tabke result with 67 votes leaders could use their constitutional authority to bypass the lower threshold and require 68 votes.) Hortmans Tabke-related provision was offered up before a judge ruled Tuesday in a solely advisory opinion that Tabke won and the missing ballots wouldnt have changed the outcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Republicans, the offer was a non-starter, a source close to House GOP leadership said, because Democrats acted like they had a 67th vote, sought to unilaterally disarm us on Tabke, and neuter the fraud and oversight committee we had already announced last week, referring to the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy Committee. Told to take a hike, Democrats used the last parliamentary weapon in their quiver: Refusing to show up. By staying away from the Capitol, they are denying quorum, which is the minimum number of members needed to conduct business. Republicans say their 67 members are the majority of the currently seated 133 members and thus enough for quorum, and they elected Demuth speaker Tuesday. Democrats, including the presiding officer of the opening of the session, Secretary of State Steve Simon, say 68 is needed for quorum, and therefore everything after the time he banged the gavel and adjourned the days session was not lawful. The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up the case next week. And, Hortman has withdrawn the offer to allow Demuth to remain speaker for the next two years, the source close to her said. Jan. 15Under the new Scholars Program, HRMC will provide a scholarship for HCC health sciences students, that will ensure a tuition-free education. "In return, these talented individuals will bring their knowledge and skills directly to our hospital," said Chris Brown, RN, and chief executive officer of HRMC. "This program is an opportunity to invest in the future of our local healthcare workforce and ensure that our patients receive the best care possible from individuals who are rooted in this community." Brown, who began his healthcare career as a nurse, is a living testament to the power of a community college education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As someone who began my educational journey at a community college, I understand the power of affordable education and the immense value it brings to both the individual and the community," Brown said. Healthcare is a high-demand, high-paying field, with an ever-growing need for workers. According to labor statistics for the seven westernmost counties, there are more job openings in healthcare fields than any other sector with more than 150 current job openings for nurses and nurse aides alone. "By removing financial barriers and creating a pathway from the classroom to meaningful careers at Haywood Regional, we are ensuring that students can focus on achieving their dreams while staying rooted here in Haywood County," said Dr. Shelley White, President of HCC. But the collaboration is more than financial aid for students, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is about investing in Haywood County," White said. "Our students have become the skilled professionals and compassionate caregivers at the heart of our healthcare system." The collaboration was officially inaugurated with a signing ceremony between the two institutions last Thursday in HCC's Phyllis Prevost Health Sciences Education Building. "Our collaboration always has been a model of what happens when education and health care institutions come together with a shared vision," White said. The program will support students enrolled in the Registered Nurse, Nurse Aide I, Medical Assistant, Phlebotomy, and Paramedic programs at HCC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HRMC's promise to employ students who complete their degree at HCC underscores the hospital's faith in the quality of education students receive at HCC. "Their commitment to excellence ensures these students are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to make a meaningful difference in our community," Brown said. Nursing students must pass a national exam to earn their nursing certification after graduating an exam HCC students consistently perform well on. "They have a very high percentage on their first-time pass rate," Brown said. "That signifies they are getting a strong foundational education and tells us they do a great job here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HCC's new $8 million health sciences building that opened in 2023 is heralded as a state-of-the-art facility including high-tech patient simulation labs. The new facility also expanded HCC's enrollment capacity in healthcare fields. "When you look at their investment in faculty and the technology, it's top notch," Brown said. "They see the need and feel the need." Full circle A list of available jobs by employers for the seven western counties lists HRMC as having the second highest number of job openings, with third and fourth on the list also occupied by hospitals. Likewise, hospitals take four of the top five spots on a similar list of job openings by employer for Buncombe County, according to N.C. Department of Labor Statistics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new Scholars Program is not only a win for students, but a win for the entire community. The hospital's investment in growing its own workforce provides a pipeline of healthcare workers who care immensely for the patients in the community where they grew up. "We are not just strengthening our workforce, but making sure individuals who are educated here will stay here working to improve the health and wellbeing of those who have supported them along the way," Brown said. "I look forward to seeing the positive impact these future healthcare professionals will have in our hospital and beyond." HCC healthcare students learn the inner workings of HRMC during their training, spending time in the halls of the hospital shadowing mentors and performing clinicals. So when they come to work at the hospital after graduating, they are already adept at the hospital's systems. "By partnering with us, they are actively learning how we work and how to take care of patients in the real world," Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet another full-circle element of the partnership: HCC graduates who now work at HRMC are the mentors training the next crop of students during those clinicals. The bond between HRMC and HCC creates a sense of belonging when graduates move into the workforce. Becoming part of the healthcare family"It gives them an opportunity to develop that relationship with the hospital. They get to know the staff. They are already part of that family," said nursing instructor Paige Reece. There's no such thing as a typical student in the HCC healthcare programs. Some are fresh out of high school. Some have returned to school after discovering their calling. And some are seeking a new, more stable career. "We have one student who lost their job at the mill and is now pursuing a second career," said Stacy Inman, an HCC nursing instructor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To have a guaranteed job ready and waiting for them in their hometown offers a sense of security in taking that leap. "It further confirms they are doing something that's going to provide for their family. From the start, they have purpose in knowing where they are going," said Joy Kusek, an HCC nursing instructor. The program is not only a win for the students and the hospital, but for the entire community. "They are caring for their neighbors, for people they've known growing up and living here. They know the culture. That opportunity to continue to give back to your own community is really special," said Kusek. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deadline for new students to apply for HCC's fall semester nursing program is Jan. 31. Those interested in the other fields covered should check with the school on its enrollment schedule. Simply complete the college's application to start the process. Prospective students interested in applying for the Scholars Program should contact HRMC People Services Consultant Kelly Maney at kelly.maney@lifepointhealth.net for more information. As he expressed support for President-elect Donald Trumps tariff proposals, Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) paused to inspect his jeans, produced by the Maine company Origin USA. I bought these in like 2019, and theyre just starting to show signs of wear, Golden said in an interview in his House office. Three pair of these at Walmart are all worn-through - the wallet pocket, the knees, the hem around the bottom - within a couple years. Subscribe to The Post Most newsletter for the most important and interesting stories from The Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Democrats are poised to bash Trump over any price increases that follow new tariffs in his second administration, especially on inexpensive consumer goods like clothing. But Golden is embracing Trumps maximalist trade vision - and saying his own party needs to rethink theirs. That stance reflects one end of the emerging debate among Democrats over how to respond to one of Trumps central economic policies. On Thursday, the fourth-term congressman from northern Maine will introduce legislation to codify Trumps campaign proposal to enact tariffs of at least 10 percent on all goods imported to the United States, according to a copy obtained by The Washington Post. While economists of both parties say tariffs of that size would hurt consumers by raising the costs of imports, Golden is pitching what he characterized as a broader reconception of the U.S. economy. He said he recognizes that tariffs could result in higher prices, but argued Americans should be willing to pay more for higher-quality goods produced domestically because they would boost jobs and investment at home. Even though Goldens legislation reflects Trumps signature economic policy, not a single House Republican has agreed to co-sponsor his bill, Golden said. Not a single House Democrat has, either - and Golden says that the rest of his party should join him to push for measures that are tough on trade, too. A veteran of the Marine Corps, Golden has earned a reputation in Washington for defying his Democratic colleagues. Trump won Goldens district by 9 points in last years election; Golden won reelection by less than 1 point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt that long ago that I thought the Democratic Party was literally the party of protection and economic policies, tariffs, against free trade deals, and pro-union, said Golden, 42. Why are [Democrats] ceding our ground to him? This is ours, or it should be, and if it isnt anymore, than I would suggest the partys wrong. Goldens approach could hardly diverge more from that of most of his colleagues. On Wednesday, Democratic Reps. Suzan DelBene (Washington) and Don Beyer (Virginia) held a call with reporters to unveil legislation aimed at limiting unilateral presidential authority to impose tariffs - essentially the opposite of Goldens move to codify Trumps policy. Vice President Kamala Harris, during her 2024 presidential campaign, characterized Trumps universal tariff plans as a national sales tax. Democratic critics of Trumps tariff plans make both political and substantive arguments. In an analysis last year, the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington-based think tank, found one of Trumps tariff proposals would cost the typical household $2,600 per year; the Yale Budget Lab estimated the annual cost could be as high as $7,600. The tariffs would disproportionately cost poorer Americans as a share of their incomes, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a left-leaning think tank. Many Democratic lawmakers and pollsters argue they should stand opposed to these policies. Boosters may claim protective barriers promote domestic production, but economists of both parties point to research showing they also hurt U.S. exports by raising the costs of production, making national industries less productive globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is going to raise prices - theres no two ways about it. Why on Earth Democrats would think its a clever political strategy to support higher prices - you got me, maybe that sells in Maine, but nowhere Ive been recently, said Dean Baker, an economist at the left-leaning Center for Economic and Policy Research. Trump imposed more than $300 billion in tariffs during his first administration, primarily on China. Most of those tariffs were extended by President Joe Biden - who also imposed new ones, primarily on Chinas clean energy exports. Biden characterized those measures as necessary to protect certain sectors, such as energy production, that are critical to national security. Trumps exact tariff plans for his second term remain unclear. On the campaign trail, he promised a 10 or 20 percent universal tariff, applied to all imports from every U.S. trading partner. But numerous reports, including in The Post, have said his team is considering dialing back these measures, particularly for the beginning of his administration. Trump has also separately said hed order 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico and an additional 10 percent tariff on China, on top of existing ones, unless those countries curb migration and drug trafficking into the United States. Critics have argued that Trumps proposal to impose tariffs on all imports would raise prices for some goods that simply cannot be produced in sufficient quantities domestically. Joseph Politano, an economic analyst who has written on the subject on Substack, pointed out that the United States does not even have the climate necessary to produce foods such as bananas, avocados and coffee at levels that could come close to meeting U.S. demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Golden, however, said he hopes Democrats welcome even these protectionist measures. Avocados are nice, right? They have some omegas in them? But do we need to eat avocados? Do we need to eat them year-round?, he said. Is there something grown here in America that delivers - I dont know, American fish We can get omega-3s and 6s through American-harvested food. Most Democrats are unlikely to go along with that argument. But Golden has pointed to numerous industries in his state, including lumber, that he said would benefit from tariffs that shield domestic production. Wall Street firms and economists in Washington, he argued, are out of step with what the country wants. The Coalition for a Prosperous America, which supports higher tariffs, has projected that a 10 percent universal tariff would generate 3 million additional jobs and lead to a surge in U.S. manufacturing output, while bringing in trillions of additional revenue to federal coffers. I guess the argument Im trying to put forward here is that we have become the victim of our own political spin about free trade, Golden said. Maybe its time to start questioning the entire model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Content Stores clear shelves in January. Dumpster divers have never been happier. Its not dumb luck: The Commanders mastered the walk-off win The next phase of the true-crime boom? Themed tours. House Republicans are eying a process called reconciliation to boost oil and gas drilling, and approve specific mining projects, which would only require a simple majority for passage. House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) told reporters on Wednesday there are a lot of very specific things we could look at possibly for reconciliation. He particularly listed the Twin Metals mine in Minnesota, the Resolution Copper mine in Arizona and the Ambler Road project in Alaska, and he said the language could be similar to the way a 2023 bill to raise the debt limit legislated the approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have a list, he said of the projects. In addition, Westerman said that Republicans could try to require more auctions for the rights to drill oil and gas, saying they could mandate more sales in the Gulf of Mexico as well as in Alaskas North Slope and Bering Sea. Many of his suggestions would be explicit reversals of Biden policies. The Biden administration put forward a five-year offshore drilling plan, which has the smallest-ever number of oil and gas leases sales offshore. Westerman on Wednesday called the plan a joke. Biden also barred drilling in part of the Bering Sea last week. His administration canceled leases for the Twin Metals mine and also rejected the Ambler Road project, which would have built a road that enabled mining in an area with significant copper and cobalt deposits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Resolution Copper project would mine copper in part of Arizona but faces opposition from the San Carlos Apache Tribe. With control of both chambers of commerce and the presidency, Republicans have indicated that they hope to pass a broad range of their priorities through reconciliation, which evades the Senate filibuster and the need for any Democrat approval. Only certain budget-related items are eligible to move forward using this process. 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. Rep. Harry Niska speaks on the House floor in February 2023. Photo by Andrew VonBank/House Information Services. Minnesota House Republicans voted to hire three lawyers from Rep. Harry Niskas law firm to represent the chamber in a lawsuit brought by House Democrats as the two sides battle over control of the chamber. Republican members of the House Rules and Legislative Administration Committee, currently chaired by Niska, unanimously approved a resolution to hire attorneys Nicholas Nelson, Samuel Diehl and Ryan Wilson to represent the House of Representatives on the taxpayers dime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nelson and Diehl are both partners with Niska at the small Minnetonka law firm CrossCastle. Wilson, a former candidate for state auditor, is also an attorney at the firm. Niska, a second-term representative from Ramsey, disclosed that the attorneys are his colleagues during Wednesdays hearing but said he doesnt have a private interest in the potential contract. He said he was not participating in the resolution to hire his colleagues. No Democrats are listed as members of the rules committee; they are boycotting the legislative session in an attempt to deny Republicans the necessary quorum to elect a speaker and potentially refuse to seat a Democrat in a contested race. Democrats vow not to return to the Capitol until after a special election is held later this month in a blue-leaning district that is expected to return the balance of power to a 67-67 tie. But House Republicans have carried on despite Democrats absence, electing Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, as their speaker and holding committee hearings. Republicans argue that their one-seat advantage gives them the necessary majority to conduct legislative business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democrats and Secretary of State Steve Simon have both appealed to the Supreme Court to stop Republicans and invalidate everything theyve done since the start of session on Tuesday afternoon. House Democrats accused Republicans of self-dealing while conducting an illegal committee hearing. Minnesotans should be outraged that Rep. Niska is using an illegitimate power grab to enrich himself with taxpayer dollars, Rep. Jamie Long, DFL-Minneapolis, said in a statement. The House GOP should immediately stop any taxpayer dollars going to pay for private counsel to defend their illegal conduct, let alone taxpayer dollars to pad the pockets of Rep. Niska. Democrats say they will use campaign funds to pay for their legal fees in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Niska rejected the allegation that he would be personally enriched from the deal. He said on social media that the contract would not be with his firm, but with his colleagues acting independently. The resolution does not specify how much Niskas colleagues could earn working on the case. We need to hire lawyers to defend our democratic institutions against DFL lawfare, so we are asking the legal team who helped protect the rights of Minnesotans to vote for President Trump last year, Niska wrote on X. Nelson and Diehl were among a handful of attorneys hired by the Trump campaign to intervene in a case brought by a left-leaning group attempting to keep him off the ballot in Minnesota in 2024. A spokesman for House Republicans declined to comment beyond what Niska posted to social media. Last month, Republicans expressed outrage when the rules committee controlled at the time by a Democratic majority agreed to pay more than $10,000 in private legal fees incurred by Rep. Bianca Virnig. The Eagan Democrat had a legal dispute with her private employer about loss of income and hours due to her legislative service. She won a six-figure settlement from the company. The Houthi militia in Yemen has threatened further attacks on Israel if the country does not respect the agreed ceasefire with the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement, leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stated in a televised address on Thursday. He described the breakthrough in negotiations between Israel and Hamas as an "important development," asserting that the group would monitor its implementation. The militia is ready to provide military support to the Palestinians should there be Israeli violations or attacks, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mediator Qatar announced a breakthrough in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday evening. The agreement is set to come into effect on Sunday and will initially last for six weeks. Since the beginning of the Gaza conflict, the Houthi militia has repeatedly attacked Israel and international trade ships allegedly linked to Israel, which, according to their own statements, is to support Hamas. In response, Israel and its allies the United States and Britain have repeatedly struck Houthi targets in Yemen. MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER / 2022 HPD Major Mike Lambert, shown at the Waipahu Police Training Academy, was nominated to be the next director of the state Department of Law Enforcement. 1 /2 MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER / 2022 HPD Major Mike Lambert, shown at the Waipahu Police Training Academy, was nominated to be the next director of the state Department of Law Enforcement. STAR-ADVERTISER Jordan Lowe : He is stepping down, but Gov. Josh Green wants him to remain with the administration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 /2 STAR-ADVERTISER Jordan Lowe : He is stepping down, but Gov. Josh Green wants him to remain with the administration MARCO GARCIA / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER / 2022 HPD Major Mike Lambert, shown at the Waipahu Police Training Academy, was nominated to be the next director of the state Department of Law Enforcement. STAR-ADVERTISER Jordan Lowe : He is stepping down, but Gov. Josh Green wants him to remain with the administration The director of the state Department of Law Enforcement is stepping down and a Honolulu Police Department major has been nominated to replace him, according to Gov. Josh Green. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jordan Lowe, who became the first director of the stand-alone state department last year, and Green arrived at a mutual decision to transition to new leadership, Green told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser in an interview. Im really appreciative of the service Jordan gave us for two years. Its not uncommon for executive branch teams to have some turnover at two years. Were right at that point. It was a very difficult job to stand up the DLE. Its a job that, when youre doing it, it draws a lot of criticism. I do believe hell stay with our administration in a new capacity were looking forward to bringing (HPD Maj.) Mike Lambert on, whos been a personal friend and a colleague for many years, said Green. It was very challenging because the dynamic between DLE, the Honolulu Police Department, the Attorney Generals office, and creating something new is not an easy task. Its a hard job to create something, and for that, Im thankful (to Lowe ). Green wants Lowe to remain with the administration in a role that allows him to use his experience, talent and knowledge. That decision is Lowes to make.. Between fireworks, guns, people living on the street and other law enforcement challenges there are a million things to do, said Green. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for DLE referred questions to the governors office. Lowe testified before state lawmakers about the DLEs budget needs Jan. 9. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Lowe has more than 40 years of law enforcement experience and worked as director of the Department of Law Enforcement and Deputy Director for Law Enforcement for the Department of Public Safety since 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his career Lowe worked as the chief investigator for the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, chief special agent at the Department of Taxation, resident agent in charge for the U.S. Department of Justices Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and as a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service. Lambert, a former HPD officer of the year who leads the departments narcotics /vice division, in 2022 to serve as HPD chief before the police commission picked Chief Arthur Joe Logan. Lambert also supervised HPDs Ke Kula Makai training division. He has more than 22 years of experience in law enforcement and a proven track record of leadership and community engagement and is poised to bring innovative and effective strategies to enhance the department and provide safety for our community, according to Green. Mike is an outstanding member of the Honolulu Police Department and Im confident hell be a good leader with the DLE. Ive gotten to know Mike over the years and am impressed by his enthusiasm and unique, problem solving abilities. His departure is a loss for us here at HPD. Im glad hell be going to a partner agency and I look forward to working with him, Honolulu police Logan told Honolulu police commissioners during their meeting Wednesday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Logan wished Lowe well, thanked him for his service and said Lambert will have his full support during the confirmation process. Lambert was very good at mentoring subordinates, Logan said, and HPD has experienced commanders ready to step in. I also want to assure the community that our efforts on game rooms and other drug-related crimes, gambling and human trafficking will continue, Logan told police commissioners. Carrie K.S. Okinaga, vice chair of the commission, said she is excited to have someone in state law enforcement who understands the county police department and noted that Logan came from the state. This is a hugely exciting opportunity, said Okinaga, during Wednesdays meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green lauded Lowe for playing an instrumental role in establishing the DLE as its own agency, ensuring a strong foundation for its mission of statewide public safety. His vision, dedication, and meaningful contributions have left an indelible mark on the department, and we thank him for his years of service to Hawaii, said Green, who worked closely with Lambert on homelessness. Lambert will start his new role Feb. 1. It is an honor to be nominated as Director of the State Department of Law Enforcement, said Lambert. I am committed to working collaboratively with our law enforcement partners, community leaders and residents to ensure a safer, stronger Hawaii. Together, we will address the challenges facing our state and build on the departments foundation of excellence and accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Jared Redulla will serve as interim director in the meantime. Lamberts appointment is subject to confirmation by the state Senate. We really do wish Maj. Lambert well. I thinks its going to be an exciting position for him and I think the state will benefit, said commission Chair Doug Chin, a former Honolulu deputy prosecuting attorney and state attorney general. DLE is the states primary law enforcement entity that aims to preserve public peace, prevent crime, and protect individuals and property and oversees the nearly 300 deputy sheriffs working statewide. The department administers statewide programs to ensure public safety, safeguard state property, and enforce laws conducts criminal investigations involving its own employees or against state property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A significant focus is placed on the development, coordination, and implementation of a comprehensive Homeland Security program for the state. This involves collaboration with federal, state, county, and private sector stakeholders to address security concerns and ensure the safety of the state of Hawaii, according to the department. The state department is involving its own personnel, started by Lowe and his team as part of an effort to clean up the culture with a new mission. A dozen deputy sheriffs have had their law enforcement powers restricted following arrests and internal investigations that started in 2024. Five deputy sheriffs were arrested last year, four in connection with a single investigation and a fifth accused while off duty of pulling a weapon on a fisherman. That charge was dropped and the deputy returned to full duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the four deputies arrested in connection with an ongoing investigation of inappropriate conduct involving a Black trainee have been charged since their arrests in June. Four other deputies were placed on restriction of police authority, on June 10 in connection with an incident involving a homeless woman at the state Capitol. In that case, two deputies were allegedly ordered to transport the woman away from the Capitol and dropped her off at Sandy Beach Park. The other deputies allegedly used force to detain the woman at the Capitol but did not file use-of-force reports, per department policy. A fifth deputy suspended in connection with that incident, 32-year-old Jordan J. Kagehiro, took his own life in August amid allegations from colleagues that he was being pressured by department investigators. Department of Law Enforcement officials have said Kagehiro was both a witness and part of that investigation, but denied the allegations made in a letter from one of his fellow suspended deputies. HONOLULU (KHON2) The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) took to their social media to announce the arrest of one of their officers late Wednesday night. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news According to HPD, the officer was arrested for abuse of a family or household member. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You HPD said criminal and administrative investigations have been initiated and the officer will be placed on restrictive duty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A Hubbard Township man will be spending at least three years in prison stemming from a fatal crash in Liberty last year. Dylan Vrancich was sentenced to three to four and a half years in prison. He was also given a lifetime license suspension. Vrancich previously pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and two misdemeanor counts of OVI stemming from the May 2024 crash on Colonial Drive that killed Nicholas Thompson. Investigators say Vrancich was driving and went off the road, reentered it, and went off the opposite side hitting a utility pole. Vrancichs attorney, Holly Hanni, said Vrancich and Thompson were coworkers and went out drinking together. Hes a good person, Hanni said. Hes made a tragic mistake that will haunt him the rest of his life. Through tears, Vrancich was emotional as he addressed the court. I wish I could take back what I did, he said. Nick was a really good friend. I just ask for forgiveness from God and Nicks family. Unfortunately for you, you took somebodys life, Judge Ronald Rice said. Its a heck of a way to enter the court system for the first time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims family was not present for sentencing. Vrancich said he hopes that in the future, he can help people dealing with alcoholism and prevent further tragedies like this from happening to anyone else. 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. Hundreds of people fill the Southeast Technical College auditorium in Sioux Falls for a Public Utilities Commission hearing about a carbon dioxide pipeline proposal on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) SIOUX FALLS Hundreds of people, many of them opponents of a carbon dioxide pipeline, filled the Southeast Technical College auditorium Wednesday evening for a state Public Utilities Commission hearing regarding a second attempt by Summit Carbon Solutions to gain a permit for the project. We know this is an incredibly important issue to you, said Commissioner Gary Hanson at the start of the three-hour meeting. We are here today to learn and listen, and we appreciate each of you being with us today to give us your input. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa-based company plans a 2,500-mile, $9 billion pipeline to capture carbon dioxide from 57 ethanol plants across five states, including eastern South Dakota, and transport it to North Dakota for underground storage. The project would capitalize on federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping carbon emissions. The commission rejected Summits first permit application in 2023, in part due to the pipeline routes conflicts with local ordinances mandating minimum distances between pipelines and existing features. The project has a storage permit in North Dakota and route permits in North Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota, while Nebraska has no state permitting process for carbon pipelines. The project also faces litigation from opponents in multiple states. The Sioux Falls meeting focused on residents in Minnehaha, Lincoln, Turner and Union counties. The commission held another meeting in Mitchell earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of Wednesdays attendees opposed the pipeline evident by applause often filling the room after opponents spoke. The opponents who spoke primarily reiterated concerns about safety and impacts to farmland affected by the pipelines planned route, which were raised during the companys initial attempt at a permit. Opponents also spoke against efforts to designate the pipeline as a common carrier, which would allow the use of eminent domain to push the project through. The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled last year that the pipeline has not yet proven it should be allowed to take private land for public use. The high court sent the case back to a lower court, where the company is trying to prove its case. From left, Public Utilities Commissioners Kristie Fiegen, Gary Hanson and Chris Nelson wait for a public hearing to begin in Sioux Falls on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) Meanwhile, some state lawmakers have proposed legislation to ban carbon pipelines from using eminent domain. Betty Strom, whose property would be crossed by the pipeline, said it would be a forever hazard across my land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summit is in it for the tax credits. They dont care about property rights, safety, the damage to property, its value or the long-term consequences, Strom said. Please deny this permit again. Representatives from Summit explained why the route was selected and reviewed safety regulations and standards for the pipeline. Representatives with Summit Carbon Solutions hand out information and answer questions ahead of a Public Utilities Commission public hearing in Sioux Falls on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) In a handout, Summit said the project would include $1.9 billion in capital expenditures in South Dakota, add 3,000 construction jobs while the pipeline is being built and support 260 jobs annually. Project supporters said it would provide economic opportunities to South Dakota if implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al Giese, an Iowa farmer, board member for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and owner of a feed and trucking company doing business in South Dakota, told the commission that the carbon sequestration train, locally and nationally, has left the station. Yes, it is a South Dakota issue. It is a Midwestern issue. But we must move forward with sequestering carbon not only for the vitality of the ag sector but for all the economies in the Midwestern states, Giese said. Theres no other way to go about it. The next public hearings will be in De Smet and Watertown on Thursday, and in Aberdeen and Redfield on Friday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Hundreds of people fill the Southeast Technical College auditorium in Sioux Falls for a Public Utilities Commission hearing about a carbon dioxide pipeline proposal on Jan. 15, 2025. (Makenzie Huber/South Dakota Searchlight) SIOUX FALLS, S.D. Hundreds of people, many of them opponents of a carbon dioxide pipeline, filled the Southeast Technical College auditorium Wednesday evening for a state Public Utilities Commission hearing regarding a second attempt by Summit Carbon Solutions to gain a permit for the project. We know this is an incredibly important issue to you, said Commissioner Gary Hanson at the start of the three-hour meeting. We are here today to learn and listen, and we appreciate each of you being with us today to give us your input. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa-based company plans a 2,500-mile, $9 billion pipeline to capture carbon dioxide from 57 ethanol plants across five states, including eastern South Dakota, and transport it to North Dakota for underground storage. The project would capitalize on federal tax credits incentivizing the prevention of heat-trapping carbon emissions. The commission rejected Summits first permit application in 2023, in part due to the pipeline routes conflicts with local ordinances mandating minimum distances between pipelines and existing features. The project has a storage permit in North Dakota and route permits in North Dakota, Iowa and Minnesota, while Nebraska has no state permitting process for carbon pipelines. The project also faces litigation from opponents in multiple states. The Sioux Falls meeting focused on residents in Minnehaha, Lincoln, Turner and Union counties. The commission held another meeting in Mitchell earlier in the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of Wednesdays attendees opposed the pipeline evident by applause often filling the room after opponents spoke. The opponents who spoke primarily reiterated concerns about safety and impacts to farmland affected by the pipelines planned route, which were raised during the companys initial attempt at a permit. Opponents also spoke against efforts to designate the pipeline as a common carrier, which would allow the use of eminent domain to push the project through. The South Dakota Supreme Court ruled last year that the pipeline has not yet proven it should be allowed to take private land for public use. The high court sent the case back to a lower court, where the company is trying to prove its case. Meanwhile, some state lawmakers have proposed legislation to ban carbon pipelines from using eminent domain. Betty Strom, whose property would be crossed by the pipeline, said it would be a forever hazard across my land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Summit is in it for the tax credits. They dont care about property rights, safety, the damage to property, its value or the long-term consequences, Strom said. Please deny this permit again. Representatives from Summit explained why the route was selected and reviewed safety regulations and standards for the pipeline. In a handout, Summit said the project would include $1.9 billion in capital expenditures in South Dakota, add 3,000 construction jobs while the pipeline is being built and support 260 jobs annually. Project supporters said it would provide economic opportunities to South Dakota if implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al Giese, an Iowa farmer, board member for the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association and owner of a feed and trucking company doing business in South Dakota, told the commission that the carbon sequestration train, locally and nationally, has left the station. Yes, it is a South Dakota issue. It is a Midwestern issue. But we must move forward with sequestering carbon not only for the vitality of the ag sector but for all the economies in the Midwestern states, Giese said. Theres no other way to go about it. The next public hearings will be in De Smet and Watertown on Thursday, and in Aberdeen and Redfield on Friday. South Dakota Searchlight is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. South Dakota Searchlight maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Seth Tupper for questions: info@southdakotasearchlight.com. Hungary believes that the EU should decide to extend sanctions against Russia only after consulting with the new US administration. Source: Reuters, as reported by European Pravda Details: Hungarian Minister for EU Affairs Janos Boka said that Hungary has not yet decided whether it will support the decision to extend sanctions. Quote: "I think it is only natural that before we decide on the rollover for another six months, we ask the incoming US administration how they see the future of the sanctions regime." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no decision on the Hungarian position yet," Boka added. "We want to reserve our decision until we know how the US administration sees the future of the sanctions regime." Details: The EU has approved 15 packages of sanctions against Russia since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and is working on a 16th package of measures. Boka said that the sanctions to be extended cover various sectors of the economy and freeze the assets of the Russian central bank. The EU renews existing sanctions every six months, and this requires unanimity among its 27 member states. Background: The extension of sanctions has been a routine decision, and usually the political decision on this was made at the last EU summit of the year. However, at the last summit in December, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told his colleagues to wait until after Trump's inauguration. The European Commission intends to propose sanctions against Russia that will, for the first time, avoid a veto by Hungary and Slovakia. Support UP or become our patron! WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (WMBD) Hy-Vee announced on Wednesday that it met its goal to provide meals to those in need. The Company announced that it provided more than 100 million meals to the hunger relief organization, Feeding America, and 19 partner food banks, providing meals to those across the Midwest, a Hy-Vee news release stated. Hy-Vee reached its goal after 20 months of raising customer donations as well as donations from suppliers. Customers have been able to round their purchases up to the nearest dollar during checkout to contribute to the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our customers and employees have been tremendous in supporting our fight against hunger, as have our supplier partners, Jeremy Gosch, chairman and CEO of Hy-Vee said. Thanks to them, 19 food banks and the thousands of pantries they support have been able to serve millions of families across the Midwest. When people come together, we truly can make a real difference for our neighbors, and our 100 Million Meals Challenge demonstrated that. All the meals went to food banks in the nine-state region that Hy-Vee operates in. In total, the company donated more than 102 million meals, which amounted to 17 million pounds of food. Partners are essential to the movement to end hunger, and we are so grateful to Hy-Vee for their dedication and leadership in this vital effort, Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America said. For their next campaign, Hy-Vee and Feeding America plan to address childhood hunger. More information about the campaign is expected to be released soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 CIProud.com. Over 4,000 people gather for the Voces de la Frontera march for immigrant rights on May Day, 2022. This was part of a two day action. (Photo | Isiah Holmes/Wisconsin Examiner) Some Milwaukee residents are alarmed over a plan to move an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) into their neighborhood on the Northwest Side. Local officials said an ICE and Homeland Security building in downtown Milwaukee, which currently processes detainees, may move to 11925 W. Lake Park Drive, nestled in a neighborhood near freeway exits, a church, a grocery store and a hotel. Ald. Larresa Taylor, who represents the 9th District, spoke at a press conference Wednesday afternoon saying she wanted to properly inform residents of the federal governments intentions. We never want anyone to be caught off guard, said Taylor. She received an email from the Department of City Development on Dec. 9, she said, informing her of an application for proposed minor modifications to a building in the Park Place business park. The Wisconsin Examiners Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation The building is privately owned by Milwaukee Governmental LLC, which Taylor said requested the modifications to the building. The LLC is an affiliate of the Illinois-based WD Schorsch LLC, according to city assessment records, an entity that owns properties leased to federal government agencies, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Taylor said that although the 9th District covering the uppermost northwest end of Milwaukee is a growing district, this doesnt mean that were going to accept any and everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And it certainly doesnt mean that were going to allow someone to come into our district without warning, or without knowledge, she added. Taylor said that the proposed facility would operate exactly as they do downtown. Although it is called the Chicago Field Office, the existing ICE facility in downtown Milwaukee is the one slated to move into the District 9 neighborhood. The facility is involved in processing ICE detainees, as well as immigrants who must come there for regular check-ins. Detainees who are being held for deportation are transferred to the Dodge County Jail in Juneau, where there is an ICE detention facility. Local residents are worried that by using a federal exemption, the ICE office plans to bypass Milwaukees zoning laws which would require public notice and input. During the press conference, several local officials and community leaders spoke in opposition to ICEs plans. Others released statements to that effect. Milwaukee is the site for statewide processing of any person put in detention in Wisconsin, Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of the immigrant-rights group Voces de la Frontera, wrote in a statement. This move by ICE is an effort by the incoming Trump administration to implement their policies of mass criminalization and mass deportation of immigrant workers and their families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neumann-Ortiz said her organization had a message for ICE and the incoming Trump administration: Our communities will not be intimidated. We are committed to working with others to see that this facility is shut down. We reject your divisive tactics to pit working-class people against each other. We will defend our dignity and rights and the dignity and rights of others whom you attack. According to an ICE spokesperson, there are no ICE detention facilities listed or planned for the location in question. Information on locations of ICE detention facilities can be found at https://www.ice.gov/detention-facilities. Ald. Jose Perez, president of Milwaukees Common Council, said that he is firmly opposed to any expansion of ICE facilities in Milwaukee. Perez, who like many other Milwaukeeans is the child of immigrants, spoke to the anxiety felt by people across Milwaukee due to President-elect Donald Trumps promises of mass deportations that could separate families. People are scared, kids are scared, this is the time to push back hard, Perez said. He called on the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) to follow its own standard operating procedures, which states that MPD officers shall not detain or arrest an individual solely for a suspected violation of immigration law. SOP-130, which governs immigration-related activities for MPD, states that proactive immigration enforcement by local police can be detrimental to our mission and policing philosophy when doing so deters some individuals from participating in their civic obligation to assist the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SOP instructs officers to follow its guidelines regardless of ones personal opinion or political ideology on the issue of immigration. However, the SOP does not prevent MPD from cooperating with ICE when a judicial warrant has been issued for individuals suspected of terrorism or espionage, those suspected of being involved in street gangs, violent felonies, sexual offenses involving minors, or people previously deported for felonies. In 2019, MPD was embroiled in controversy after its officers were filmed arresting Jose de la Cruz-Espinosa outside of his home. MPD said that the Mexican-born de la Cruz-Espinosa was wanted for a probation violation, and was detained at the Dodge County ICE detention center. After weeks of media attention and pressure from local activists, de la Cruz-Espinosa was released and returned to his family. The arrest and organizing led to the Fire and Police Commission adopting new changes to SOP-130 regarding MPD cooperation with ICE. Perez stressed that we are not simply going to roll over and have residents be punished, families be separated, and children left to fend for themselves. The common council president said that theres a process for everything, and that federal facilities simply popping up with no notice isnt fair to the residents of Milwaukee. A coalition of Milwaukee County supervisors Juan Miguel Martine, Caroline Gomez-Tom, Justin Bielinski, Jack Eckblad, Anne O Connor, Shawn Rolland, Sky Capriolo, Sequanna Taylor, Willie Johnson Jr., and Priscilla Coggs-Jones, and Chairwoman Marcelia Nicholson also issued a joint statement. This is not just a building, they wrote, It represents a system that thrives on fear and perpetuates the suffering of families who are the backbone of our community. Undocumented immigrants contribute $198 million annually in state and local taxes to Wisconsin, the coalition noted, saying our city thrives because of their presence and contributions not in spite of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other elected officials joined the press conference, including State Sen. Dora Drake (D-Milwaukee), State Reps. Darrin Madison (D-Milwaukee) and Russel Goodwin Sr. (D-Milwaukee), as well as Milwaukee Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa. Anita Johnson of the African American Round Table in Milwaukee, whose church is just up the street from the proposed site for the ICE office, said, We dont want ICE in this state, period. Find another place to put this building or another state, we have enough problems local problems of our own, we dont need yours, said Johnson. Goodwin said communities in Milwaukee need thoughtful, inclusive development that brings opportunity and growth. Rather than bringing jobs, housing or investment, projects like the proposed ICE office risk creating tension and instability where we need unity and progress, Goodwin said. The people who live here deserve a voice in what is built in their neighborhood, he added, and our community deserves development that uplifts and empowers us. Representatives from two of Milwaukees Business Improvement Districts (BID) also objected to the ICE facility. Mary Hoehne, executive director of the Granville BID, said the business park building should be used to generate jobs, not for immigration enforcement. We cant allow that in our neighborhood, Hoehne said of the ICE facility. Stephanie Harling, executive director of the Havenwoods BID, said that local communities have been forced to address complex social issues on their own. With an ICE facility, were not solving any problems here, we are displacing the problem, she said. This pattern has to stop, and this is the final blow. This story has been updated with a comment from an ICE spokesperson. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) While Lilian Calderon, 30, whos lived in Rhode Island for most of her life, remains in the custody of immigration officials in Massachusetts, the ACLU said Tuesday its suing the government to try and get her released. A judge ruled Tuesday morning that Calderon could not be removed from Massachusetts while the lawsuit is pending. Lawyers for the ACLU said they filed the lawsuit late Monday night, demanding Calderon be released. In a news conference at the office of the Rhode Island ACLU in Providence, a Massachusetts ACLU lawyer, Adriana Lafaille said Calderon and her husband, Luis Gordillo, had been following the rules the government laid down for her to get legal status, and keeping her behind bars now is violating her right to due process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lilian was following a process that the government itself created to allow people in her situation to come out of the shadows, Lafaille said. Calderon had been brought to the United States from Guatemala when she was 3 years old. She grew up in Providence and married Gordillo, her high school sweetheart. The familys lawyer, Martin Harris, said Calderon had applied for protection under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), also known as the Dreamer act, but it was denied because the government wasnt satisfied with the amount of documentation theyd supplied. According to court documents, there wasnt enough to prove that Calderon had been in the United States constantly since she arrived. Without a Social Security number, Harris noted, its hard for an undocumented immigrant to get a bank account and so many other things that would create a paper trail. Calderon was applying for lawful permanent resident status last month when ICE took her into custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel that we have done the right thing, and followed the law. Im optimistic because I think were doing the right thing, Gordillo said at Tuesdays news conference. Still, the couple is making arrangements in the event Calderon is deported. Gabriela Domenzain, who works for the Latino Policy Institute in Providence, said theres been an outpouring of support for the couple, who are just one of many families being forced to deal with situations like this. Most undocumented immigrants in this country, given this political climate, have two plans: one is if they can stay, and two, they are saving and putting stuff in place in case they get deported, especially because of the arbitrary nature, Domenzain said. Basic procedural protections, basic constitutional rights, are being ignored, in favor of tactics of intimidation, and efforts to instill fear in immigrant communities, by arbitrarily locking people up and separating them from their family, Lafaille added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE told The Providence Journal previously that Calderon was arrested pursuant to a final order of removal issued by an immigration judge. All of those who have been targeted for arrest were targeted based on previously issued orders of removal. The individuals targeted had previously ignored the aforementioned removal orders and will now be held in ICE custody pending removal, the statement said. GOP US Senate candidate @flanders4senate on RI immigration case making headlines: Whats happening to Luis and Lilian is inhumane and contrary to the process that usually is followed in such situations. pic.twitter.com/dzOUXg5WQe Ted Nesi (@TedNesi) February 6, 2018 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 WPRI.com. Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, (left) takes questions at a press conference after the State of the State address on Jan. 6, 2025, at the Statehouse in Boise. Also pictured is Idaho House Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) Idaho Senate Minority Leader Melissa Wintrow introduced a new personal bill Thursday in the Idaho Senate that seeks to add workforce and housing protections for LGBTQ+ Idahoans. Wintrows new bill, Senate Bill 1004, would amend the Idaho Human Rights Act by adding the words sexual orientation and gender identity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bills introduction was intended to send a message and get the proposal in front of the public. Because the bill was introduced by Wintrow as a personal bill as opposed to following the traditional path of being introduced by a legislative committee the bill has no chance of advancing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX For the past 10 years, we have tried to introduce this bill in committee, and every year, the Republican leadership refuses to have a hearing to add the words sexual orientation and gender identity to the State of Idahos Human Rights Act, Wintrow, D-Boise, said in a written statement. Republicans control a 90-15 supermajority in the Idaho Legislature and have blocked similar bills seeking to amend the Idaho Human Rights Act to add the words for 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We come back every year, trying to formally introduce the bill to add the words because of our love and respect for our LGBTQ+ constituents and all LGBTQ+ Idahoans, Wintrow added. I have deep appreciation for these Idahoans, many of whom have lived here all their lives, whose families and jobs are here, and who continue to stay here despite how hard the Legislature tries to make their lives. They love Idaho enough to stay and fight to live free from government interference in their personal lives. It breaks my heart that we are still fighting for basic dignity under the law in 2025. Republicans call on U.S. Supreme Court to define marriage between one man, one woman Meanwhile, Republicans in power are pushing in the opposite direction as Wintrow. During the first day of committee meetings in the 2025 legislative session, the House State Affairs Committee introduced House Joint Memorial 1, which calls on the U.S. Supreme Court to restore the definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and allow states to enforce laws pertaining to marriage. The memorial does not carry the force and effect of law, but it does send a message and makes the Idaho Legislatures intentions clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the absence of state protection for LGBTQ+ Idahoans, local cities and towns have passed anti discrimination ordinances, beginning with Sandpoint in 2011. According to the Idaho Democratic Party, 13 Idaho cities and towns have passed nondiscrimination ordinances since 2011, including Sandpoint, Boise, Idaho Falls, Moscow, Lewiston, Meridian, Ketchum, Hailey, Bellevue, Driggs, Victor, Pocatello and Coeur dAlene. However, Nikson Mathews, chair of the queer caucus of the Idaho Democratic Party and a former Democratic legislative candidate, said action by local communities is not enough. Mathews called on the state to take action. Idahos queer community deserves to be safe and to be seen, no matter where in the state they live, Mathews said in a written statement. Rally and protest planned for Jan. 28 at Idaho State Capitol The organization Add the Words, Idaho is planning a rally and protest to mark the 10th anniversary of the only hearing the Idaho Legislature has held regarding the proposal to add LGBTQ+ protections to the Idaho Human Rights Act, Mathews said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rally and Radiance events are taking place at noon Jan. 28 at Idaho State Capitol in Boise and 6 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Linden Building, 1402 W. Grove St., in Boise. Mathews encouraged Idahoans to attend either rally and voice their support for enacting protections for the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to come here to this rally and make it very clear that this is not what we want in this state, and we need people to show up so that our community sees this support, Mathews said in an interview Thursday. It is so important for folks to be vocal in this moment, Mathews added. We are facing an incoming president who has made very clear what his plans are on Day 1 in response to the LGBTQ community. We have a Legislature whos actively working to take away our rights and attack our humanity. We need every Idahoan who stands with us to be vocal that this is not what we want. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Margie Gonzalez, the executive director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs, addresses the audience at a legislative reception on January 14, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Idaho Capital Sun) Para leer esta historia en espanol, haga clic aqui. While many Idahoans have regained access to Medicaid since the program began unwinding in April 2023, the number of Idaho Hispanic Medicaid enrollees has not recovered, according to a new report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs released its Hispanic Statewide Healthcare Plan on Tuesday during a legislative reception. The report, created in partnership with Boise State Universitys Idaho Policy Institute and funded by the Blue Cross of Idaho Foundation for Health, outlines the health disparities impacting Idahos Hispanic community. In November, Medicaid enrollment among Idaho Hispanics was approximately 35,000, a decline of nearly 8,500 from March 2023, when enrollment stood at 43,400. Margie Gonzalez, the executive director of the commission, said the goal of the report is to share data with state and national stakeholders. Businesses are wanting to come into Idaho, but they want to know what the Latino community is before they move their business, she said. They contact our office for data all of the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The data from the report is a snapshot of some of the health care challenges Hispanics in Idaho face, Gonzalez said. We have a lot of challenges and theres a lot of work to be done, but unless we have the data how do we know where to start? Gonzalez said. Report highlights CHIP, insurance and death rates among Idaho Hispanics In April 2023, states were allowed to start removing people from Medicaid following the end of a three-year federal pause on disenrollments implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of last April, 40,000 Idahoans of the 185,000 who were initially disenrolled had regained Medicaid coverage, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Idahos Hispanic community, however, has not seen the same recovery rates, the report shows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enrollment among Hispanic children in the Child Health Insurance Program has also dropped significantly. There were about 10,000 children enrolled in the program before Medicaid began unwinding in March 2023. That number was down to 5,800 in November. Some of that decline is from incomes changing, but it was reported that 70% of individuals that were unenrolled from Medicaid during this time period were due to administrative issues, Idaho Policy Institute Research Associate Maria Onaindia said at the reception. We can see this has a particular impact on the Hispanic community. The report shows Idaho counties like Elmore and Blaine have experienced a more significant decline in enrollment for Hispanic children and adults. Other key findings show from the report show: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higher uninsured rates: About 18.6% of Idaho Hispanics are uninsured, compared to 10.9% of the overall state population. (Screenshot from Hispanic Statewide Healthcare Plan report) Average age in death: The average age of death for Hispanic individuals in Idaho is 61.5, compared to 74.2 for non-Hispanic Idahoans. (Screenshot from Hispanic Statewide Healthcare Plan report) ICHA Report Draft8 SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Legislative Services Office Division Manager Keith Bybee (center) takes a break in proceedings to pass out printed materials for the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee on Jan. 7, 2025, at the State Capitol Building in Boise. (Pat Sutphin for the Idaho Capital Sun) The Idaho Legislatures powerful budget committee did not vote on proposed raises for state employees as planned Thursday at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise. The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, which sets the budgets for every state department and state agency, did consider proposals for pay increases for state employees. But the committee members couldnt reach an agreement and didnt vote on competing pay proposals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX After gaveling in Thursday, the committee voted down a pair of revenue projections for the fiscal year 2026, ultimately deciding to approve a revenue forecast at a later, unspecified, date. A bit later, the committee couldnt reach an agreement on benefits packages for state employees. By the time proposals for state employee pay came up, the committee looked ready to implode. A series of motions were made, misstated, amended, corrected, withdrawn and ultimately abandoned as the committee alternated between a series of unscheduled breaks while legislative staffers furiously calculated the financial impact of various decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some proposals included pay increases for teachers, others left teacher pay out completely, setting it aside for a separate decision at a later date. Some proposals included targeted pay increases for all IT and engineering staffers and others only included it for some IT and engineering staffers. At one point, Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, alluded to voting commitments some legislators apparently made Wednesday night over dinner or early Thursday at times when JFAC was not in an open, public meeting. Pay raises for state employees have been discussed by various officials for weeks The issue of state employee pay has been teed up for weeks, even before the 2025 legislative session began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 20, the Idaho Division of Human Resources recommended raises of 4% for state employees saying turnover is an issue for the state and that state employees are so underpaid they all could go do the same job virtually anywhere else and be paid better. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US In conjunction with his State of the State address, Gov. Brad Little recommended raises of 5% or $1.55 per hour for all state employees. Last week, the Idaho Legislatures Change in Employee Compensation Committee recommended raises of $1.55 per hour for all state employees. The Change in Employee Compensation Committee also recommended additional, targeted raises totaling 8% for Idaho State Police troopers, a 4.5% increase for IT and engineering staff and increases of $1.55 per hour or 3%, whichever is greater, for health care and nursing professionals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Idaho has approximately 25,000 state employees, and the $1.55 per hour recommendation would have included all full-time and part-time employees, but not temporary employees, a spokeswoman for Little said. The state has 157 Idaho State Police troopers and 803 IT or engineering staff members who would have been affected by the targeted increases, Littles office said. The state also has 157 employees in nursing and health care and 32 of them would be affected by the targeted increase because they would have received less than a 3% raise if they only received the $1.55 per hour raises, Littles office said. One of the big debates over the salary increases was whether to award the raises to every single state employee as a cost-of-living increase, or whether to award them based on merit to reward and incentivize performance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leaders of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee did not set a new date to consider state employee pay, saying instead they will take it up later once more numbers have been crunched. Maintenance budgets expected to be set by Idaho Legislatures budget committee on Friday Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, and Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, who are the two co-chairs of JFAC, said they will take action on the 2026 maintenance budgets Friday morning. Under new JFAC rules hammered out last year, Grow and Horman define maintenance budgets as bare bones versions of the current budget, with all the one-time money and new spending requests stripped out, that are there just to keep the lights on for state agencies. New spending requests and at this point pay for 25,000 state employees will be considered at a later date. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) A major agriculture equipment company is facing legal backlash from several governmental watchdogs, including an Illinois statewide official. The Federal Trade Commission, along with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison and Attorney General Kwame Raoul, sued Deere and Co. for unfair practices. The company only allows certain businesses from the companys network to repair their products, which drives up costs and wait times. IL Attorney General sends warnings to phone companies allowing robocalls Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illegal repair restrictions can be devastating for farmers, who rely on affordable and timely repairs to harvest their crops and earn their income, FTC Chair Lina Khan said. The FTCs action today seeks to ensure that farmers across America are free to repair their own equipment or use repair shops of their choice lowering costs, preventing ruinous delays, and promoting fair competition for independent repair shops. The lawsuit alleges that in order to fix many modern Deere products, farmers need to use Deeres interactive software tool called Service ADVISOR. Only authorized dealers have Service ADVISOR. Raoul said by only allowing certain dealerships and companies to fix products has boosted the companys profits. IL Secretary of State pushing for bill to raise driving test age requirement for senior drivers Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the price of farming equipment continuing to rise, farmers should have increased flexibility to repair and maintain their equipment and not be forced to utilize expensive authorized dealers, Raoul said. I will continue to advocate for increased marketplace competition and stand for the rights of Illinois consumers. Raoul also was a part of a coalition of attorney generals from both parties that asked Congress to pass Right-To-Repair rules for automobiles, agriculture equipment and digital electronics. Deere heavily criticized the lawsuit, saying its based on flagrant misrepresentations of the facts and fatally flawed legal theories in a news release. Our recent discussions with the Commission have revealed that the agency still lacked basic information about the industry and John Deeres business practices and confirmed that the agency was instead relying on inaccurate information and assumptions, said Denver Caldwell, the Vice President of Aftermarket and Customer Support for Deere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WCIA.com. TRACY, Calif. (AP) Michel Berrios left the United States a few days before the new year, giving President-elect Donald Trump's campaign for mass deportations a small victory before they even started. A former leader of a Nicaraguan student uprising, Berrios had been in the U.S. legally, with nearly a year remaining under President Joe Biden's unprecedented use of humanitarian parole authority for citizens of certain vulnerable countries. But harsh talk during the U.S. election campaign filled her with anxious memories of hiding from authorities back home. Advocates and immigration experts who have noticed such departures say Berrios' decision to leave the U.S., despite her legal status, shows how uncertainty and threats have led a growing number of people to leave before Trump takes office on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There isn't data on these departures, but history has seen other eras of public backlash that drove migrants with or without legal status out. Trump and his allies are counting on this self-deportation, the idea that life can be made unbearable enough to make people leave. Because (the U.S.) is not a Third World country like the ones many of us come from, I thought there would be a different culture here, and it was a rude awakening to realize that you and your family are not welcome, Berrios, 31, said days before her departure. Self-deportation helps Trump to achieve his goals without the government having to spend or do anything. Trump has long said he wanted to deport millions of migrants but never deported more than 350,000 a year in his first term. Only 41,500 detention beds are funded this year, so carrying out massive deportations has significant logistical hurdles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you wanna self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and were gonna come and find you, Trumps incoming border czar Tom Homan has said. Berrios had been living legally with her cousin in California, east of San Francisco, working at the front desk of an auto repair shop with Trump supporters, but she knew it was temporary especially once Trump was elected. Anti-immigrant comments by her colleagues increased, and her discomfort grew. In Nicaragua, I spent five years hiding. I had to change my routine. I had to completely change my life. I stopped visiting my parents, my friends, Berrios said of President Daniel Ortegas crackdown on dissent. With Trump returning to power, "that uncertainty has returned. Such fear is natural for anyone without permanent legal status, said Melanie Nezer, vice president for advocacy and external relations at the Womens Refugee Commission. People with temporary permission to live and work, like Berrios, may see that status end soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many, many people are in this situation, she said. About 1 million people have temporary protected status and about another 500,000 like Berrios have humanitarian parole granted to asylum-seekers from four countries: Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Trump has said he wants to end both. Until 2018, Berrios led a fairly normal life in Nicaragua, working at a call center in Managua. She studied marketing and hoped to pursue a masters degree in dance. Then changes to Nicaraguas social security system drove retirees to protest. When they were roughed up by police and Ortega supporters, students came to their aid. Deadly clashes followed, and university campuses became strongholds of resistance in what became a referendum on the government itself. The government declared the protesters terrorists and alleged they were organized by foreign powers, especially the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berrios became a protest leader at the National Autonomous University of Nicaraguas Managua campus. Then known only by a code name, she told The Associated Press from hiding in July 2018, Now, I really have no future. Hundreds of other protesters were imprisoned, many were tortured, expelled from the country and stripped of citizenship. There was always the uncertainty that they could come after me, that they could take me to prison, Berrios said last year of Nicaraguan authorities. Thats why I decided, well, maybe the United States can help me make a change for my peace of mind. A cousin, a U.S. citizen in California, offered to sponsor Berrios last year. Under Biden's strategy to create legal pathways while severely limiting asylum to those who cross the border illegally, people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela can apply online with a financial sponsor. They must fly to a U.S. airport at their expense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 100,000 Nicaraguans have come on two-year permits with eligibility to work since late 2022. Berrios arrived in 2023 as the U.S. election campaigns gained momentum. But talk of mass deportations eventually unnerved her. Returning to Nicaragua was not an option, so in December she settled on Ireland, where a couple of her friends from the student movement live. I felt like Ireland was a country of opportunity, she said. Asylum systems in the European Union are largely standardized, but some differences make Ireland attractive, said Susan Fratzke, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institutes International Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution of asylum cases is faster than in the U.S., Fratzke said, and Ireland has not seen the strong pushback against asylum-seekers that has occurred in other European countries. At Dublin's airport, Berrios handed her passport to an immigration official and said she was requesting humanitarian protection. She was quizzed on the name of Irelands president, answering correctly, and had her photo and fingerprints taken. She got a government-issued identification card the next morning, valid for a year, and now shares a room with women from Somalia, Egypt and Pakistan in a hotel in a nearby town. They are free to come and go as they please, and the government pays for her lodging. Berrios looks forward to enrolling in school while she waits for her work permit. An in-depth interview about her case should come in eight or nine months and a decision on her asylum request will follow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If all goes well, she could receive permanent residency in as soon as a year, she said. Berrios doesnt see her departure as a victory for Trump, but as a sign of deeper problems. The reasons I left the United States are not only the uncertainty youre living with as (Trump) returns to power, but also because its a country where people dont have a sense of humanism. Love thy neighbor doesnt exist, she said. But she was buoyant as she marveled at her journey with the self-deportation twist: You make sacrifices and always hope that things will turn out like you think, maybe not exactly, but pretty close. ___ Sherman reported from Mexico City. At least two members of Palm Beach Countys congressional delegation plan to attend Mondays presidential inauguration. U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach, and U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs, both said through spokespeople that they will be at the Monday inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th president. Frankel, who was elected in 2012, has attended both presidential inaugurations since taking office, including Trumps first inauguration in 2017 and Joe Bidens in 2021, Frankel spokesperson Daniel Kaufman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spokespeople for U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fort Pierce, and U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, D-Miramar, did not respond to messages seeking comment about their inauguration plans. Lois Frankel, D-West Palm Beach in 2017: 'I think it's the right thing to do' Frankel told The Palm Beach Post in 2017 that she took heat from some colleagues and constituents for attending Trumps first inauguration and charity events at Mar-a-Lago, despite her vociferous opposition to him. "I decided I have to go to places where I think it's the right thing to do, regardless of whether he is going to be there,'' she said at the time. U.S. Rep Lois Frankel,D-West Palm Beach In 2017 more than 60 Democratic members of Congress skipped Trumps first inauguration in what many called a formal protest against his policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time around, fewer Democrats appear to be planning not to attend, and many of those who are skipping are not calling it a boycott, The Washington Times reported. Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Jared Moskowitz speaks at the Governor's Hurricane Conference at the Palm Beach County Convention Center on May 15, 2019 in West Palm Beach, Florida. [GREG LOVETT/palmbeachpost.com] I think its just kind of a general conflict of logistics, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat of New York, told The Times. Former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton are all planning to be there as well, The Associated Press reported. Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Inauguration day: Lois Frankel, Jared Moskowitz attend Trump ceremony Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The Indian Space Research Organization successfully conducted an uncrewed docking in space, making India the fourth country to complete the maneuver. The ISRO announced the demonstration of the maneuver in a statement, calling it "a historic moment." The Space Docking Experiment Mission, known as SpaDex, involved two satellites named Chaser and Target, each weighing about 485 pounds. They were launched into space from Sriharikota launch pad in southern India on Dec. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, the two satellites have been moving toward one another. On Thursday morning, they docked -- meaning they latched onto one another -- before undocking again. India now joins the United States, Russia and China as the four countries to complete the maneuver. India had originally planned to complete the maneuver Jan. 7, but postponed it by two days. Docking was again postponed Jan. 9 due to drift, the ISRO said, while remarking that the satellites were safe. "Congratulations to our scientists at @isro and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites," Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India said on X. "It is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jitendra Singh, India's science minister, described the feat as having "accomplished the unbelievable. "This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions," including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station, a modular space station that India is building. Although behavioral health will not be a centerpiece of Indiana's 2025 legislative session the way it was during the last budget session in 2023 which saw a historic new investment in Indianas long-neglected behavioral health system legislators will make decisions affecting Hoosiers access to care for years to come. The 2023 investment was widely acknowledged by lawmakers as a down payment, with the idea that further investment would come in future sessions. The most important question for Hoosiers who care about access to quality behavioral health is: Will legislators keep their promises? Opinion: Hoosiers are being left behind. Indiana must invest in people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spurred by the Indiana Behavioral Health Commissions finding that untreated mental illness costs Indiana more than $4 billion per year, the 2023 legislative session laid the groundwork for Indianas new behavioral health infrastructure, built on two (related) primary components: a three-part crisis response system and a transition to a new model of care called Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Two years later, Indiana has made substantial progress on building this system. A better way to respond to behavioral health crises The three parts of the comprehensive crisis response system are: Someone to Call: the 988 Suicide and Crisis Hotline, which rolled out nationally in 2023. Indiana used mostly one-time federal funding to build out our 988 system and has consistently ranked in the top 5 for in-state answer rates. Anyone in Indiana experiencing a behavioral health crisis can call 988 and receive a compassionate listening ear as well as connections to resources. Someone to respond : Mobile crisis teams are trained behavioral health professionals who can respond to crises in the community. These teams can be dispatched in lieu of, or in co-reponse with, law enforcement. Somewhere to go: The vast majority of behavioral health crises are resolved on the phone or in the community, but for people who need a bit more intensive support, the last pillar (somewhere to go) is a crisis stabilization unit, a therapeutic environment for someone in crisis to be stabilized and returned to their community. Over the last two years, thanks to the historic investment in the last budget session, Indiana has substantially increased access to mobile crisis and CSUs, currently covering more than 70% of the state with projections to increase coverage to 90% by the middle of 2025, if funding allows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More importantly, this system is working as intended by diverting Hoosiers suffering from mental health issues away from jails and emergency departments, which used to be the only two options for first responders when confronted by someone in crisis. According to the 2024 Indiana Behavioral Health Commission report, less than 1% of mobile crisis deployments resulted in the individual going to jail, and less than 10% resulted in the individual being taken to the emergency department. This is an estimated cost savings of more than $2,000 per deployment. With tens of thousands of deployments per year in a mature crisis system, those savings add up. If the incoming administration is serious about their stated commitment to reducing health care costs, they will continue to support building this system. A MUCH better way to deliver behavioral health care Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics makes for a confusing acronym (CCBHC). It is a brand-new way to deliver, and pay for, behavioral health care in Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCBHC has enjoyed bipartisan federal support for more than a decade. It allows providers to be paid for the actual costs of delivering care, so they can focus on quality and outcomes. CCBHC has been transformative in the states where it has rolled out with quicker access to care, ability to hire more clinicians, and significant reductions in law enforcement encounters. Indianas transition is accelerated by selection into the federal CCBHC demonstration program, where 10 states will receive enhanced funding to build out models. Indianas CCBHC demonstration has eight pilot sites and hopes to add to the pilot in the next several years, depending on available funding. Mobile Crisis and CSUs are part of CCBHC, so this transition offers sustainability to those initiatives. Next steps: Funding In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers proposed a $1 surcharge on cellphone bills similar to how Indianas 911 system is funded to pay for these programs. A rosy fiscal outlook and stealth lobbying efforts by reflexively anti-tax interests killed this proposal toward the end of session and the work was supported by the state's general fund instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This session, as legislators face a much tighter budget outlook, they have an array of options to sustainably pay for this work, such as an increase in cigarette and/or gambling taxes. Many legislators have voiced strong support for improving access to care in Indiana. This session is a chance for them to (literally) put their money where their mouth is. Jay Chaudhary is senior fellow for mental health and wellness at the Sagamore Institute, where he writes Favorable Thriving Conditions on Substack. He was director of the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction and chair of the Indiana Behavioral Health Commission from 2019-2024. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Mobile crisis units keep Hoosiers out of emergency rooms | Opinion Jan. 16Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston wants the nearly three-dozen Illinois counties that have voted to secede to consider redder pastures. Among those, two counties that border Vermilion County, Iroquois County to the north and Edgar County to the south. "We think instead of seceding and creating a 51st state, they should just join us," Huston said, while introducing his priority legislation, House Bill 1008. "We match their priorities, their interests and we're excited about having that conversation this year," the Republican from Fishers, Indiana, told reporters. "And to all of our neighbors to the west, we hear your frustrations and then invite you to join us in a low-cost, low-tax Indiana." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Huston's bill establishes the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission. The group would have five appointed Hoosier lawmakers and five appointees from Illinois. After naming Indiana's members, newly inaugurated Gov. Mike Braun would have to notify Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker that he's appointed members. The group would hold its first meeting within two months of Prtizker picking members to represent Illinois. Swapping states, however, is unlikely. Illinois would lose federal funding and Republicans would see their bicameral superminorities further shrink, among other potential Prairie State quibbles. But Illinois would need to approve the move, alongside Indiana. Then, it'd head to the U.S. Congress for approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked if his proposal was "serious," Huston noted that 33 Illinois counties have voted to secede from that state with seven of those votes occurring in the November general election. "Look, it's serious, because these people have already decided," he said. Voters in Calhoun, Clinton, Greene, Iroquois, Jersey, Madison and Perry counties voted in 2024 to opine on whether they should consider separating from Cook County to form a new state. Since 2019, at least 25 other counties out of Illinois' 102 have posed similar questions to voters. With the addition of the seven counties, about 10.9% of Illinois' population outside of Cook County will have had the chance to vote on the issue since 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In each of the counties that have already considered this, the results have leaned heavily in favor of separation. Between 70% and 83% of voters in those counties favor exploring a split from Cook County, according to Illinois Separation, a group that advocates for these referendums. The proposal faces long odds of ever coming to fruition. It would require action in Springfield and in Congress and has only happened three times in American history. Kentucky broke from Virginia in 1792, Maine broke from Massachusetts in 1820 and West Virginia broke from Virginia in 1863. Additionally, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul told Jersey County's state's attorney in a 2023 memo that he believed counties without home rule powers do not have the legal authority to secede from the state. Considering Gov. JB Pritzker's comments in May 2024, it is unlikely Huston's commission could get the approval they need from Illinois. Pritzker said proposals to consider succeeding "should not be on the ballot. It shouldn't be something that's part of the lexicon and discussion of politicians. We're one state. We're supporting each other." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation. 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. Contact Editor Niki Kelly for questions: info@indianacapitalchronicle.com. A former employee with the Department of Workforce Development allegedly filed more than $34,000 in fraudulent unemployment claims. (Getty Images) Legislation nearly halving how long Hoosiers can collect unemployment insurance split a panel of lawmakers on Wednesday alongside proposals loosening engineer registration requirements and raising certain pension benefits. The Senates Pensions and Labor Committee took only testimony, no votes. Chair Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, repeatedly asked stakeholders to collaborate on solutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own can claim unemployment insurance for up to 26 weeks under Indiana law. Senate Bill 123 would slash that to 14 weeks, but offer a two-week extension if claimants are making progress in an approved job training program and are actively job-hunting. Department of Workforce Development Chief of Staff Joshua Richardson said Indianas unemployment insurance system serves a smaller percentage of unemployed people than other states perhaps because of high eligibility standards or because many Hoosiers choose to forego the pay. Joshua Richardson. (Department of Workforce Development) On average, claimants collect 11 and half weeks of benefits, with a low percentage collecting all 26 weeks of benefits, according to Richardson. Many return to work in the first six weeks, he said, with steady returns after, and an uptick as benefits run out. He and other witnesses said the unemployment insurance systems low pay already points to a speedy return to work. The state offers about 47% of a claimants pay, with a statutory cap of $390 weekly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No one can make even half of what they were earning from their work. So theres a strong incentive to get back to work, he said. The Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute, the AFL-CIOs central Indiana chapter and the Indiana State Building & Construction Trades Council spoke against the bill. AFL-CIO chapter president Shawn Christ said industries must often pause work due to weather or in economic downturns: (if) employees are forced to change jobs due to their early exhaustion of benefits, their former employers will lose the investment spent on training. Another witness testified the change could help employers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Natalie Robinson, director of the National Federation of Independent Business Indiana chapter, said small firms are still struggling to fill open positions with qualified workers. Robinson described the legislation as a necessary and forward-thinking adjustment, adding that the timespan cut will emphasize fiscal responsibility. She called the job training requirements an innovative provision that rewards proactive engagement with the Department of Workforce Development. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle questioned the need. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Sen. Rodney Pol, D-Chesterton, said he was struggling to see the bills value, saying, Its not as if we have this broken system in which were hemorrhaging money because of claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fund has a healthy balance of $1.6 billion, per Richardson, and the agency is aiming for about $2 billion to meet solvency standards. Its a far cry from the funds $2 billion, Great Recession-era deficit. I think just keeping it as it is might be the best way to go, said Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland. Right now, where this is, Im not in favor of it, he added, but said hed look at any amendments with open arms. Engineers and pensions Also up for consideration but not votes were bills dealing with the engineering profession and pension benefits. Senate Bill 101 would let people with at least 25 years of engineering experience take a professional engineer registration exam without meeting requirements like a four-year degree or apprenticeship. Theyd have one chance to pass the test. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skeptics from both parties feared loosened requirements could risk Hoosier health and safety, and prompt other professions to seek similar exemptions. Supportive lawmakers said the legislation simply offers experienced workers the opportunity to take the test. Senate Bill 388, meanwhile, would increase the basic monthly pension benefit to members of the 1977 Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement Fund who retire beginning in July following at least 20 years of service. The move would cost $500 million, prompting worried municipalities to tell the panel that its unaffordable, especially as Indiana leaders consider major cuts to local revenue. Police officers and firefighters said they hoped to increase recruitment and retention, and better take care of members amid tougher economic headwinds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indiana Public Retirement System, which administers the fund, was neutral. But its representatives noted that the benefit bump would lead to significantly higher employer contribution rates, increase the funds unfunded liabilities by $353 million, and reduce its funded status by 3.6 percentage points. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Thursday afternoon, Indiana State University celebrated Founders Day. Executive Director of the Alumni Association Dr. P.J. Thompson said that it is good for students to fully understand the university that they are a part of. I think it is even more important for our students to see the legacy of the institution that they have made a decision to make a part of their life and, again, to see that for over 160 years, this institution has created opportunities for excellence, said Thompson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ISU MLK Day of Service Preview Another big part of Founders Day is highlighting what the future holds for the university. ISU President Mike Godard explains the vision of the university going forward. Looking at providing more access and opportunity for students to come through the doors of Indiana State and earn a degree, said Godard. For us to expand on our community partnerships that we have and be very strategic with partnerships, businesses, and industry not only across all of west-central Indiana, but the entire state. Godard said the community around this university is going to make achieving these goals a lot easier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The passion that people have for Indiana State University, Terre Haute, and our region along with the willingness to want to be helpful, said Godard. We want to do everything that we can to partner together to ensure each and every student has that pathway to be successful in life and 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 MyWabashValley.com. INDIANAPOLIS A judge may weigh whether claims of negligence against Goshen Hospital over surgical equipment sterilization can proceed as a class action after a decision by the state supreme court. The Indiana Supreme Court on Thursday released an opinion holding that the Medical Malpractice Act applies to the claims of Goshen Hospital patients who learned they could have been exposed to infectious diseases during surgery in 2019. The justices also concluded that the trial court where the lawsuit was originally filed has jurisdiction to preliminarily determine whether it can move forward as a class action. The justices determined that the malpractice act applies because claims of emotional distress meet the threshold of injury allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (T)he Hospital here didnt just commit a potential medical error or a near miss. Rather, it committed a clear medical error with potentially harmful or even fatal consequences, the opinion states. Indeed, in the letter it sent to all potentially affected patients, the Hospital explained that, over the course of several months, one of its technicians did not complete the full sterilization process of surgical instruments. And this failure to sterilize, the Hospital admitted, may have exposed the patients to certain viruses, including the Hepatitis C virus, the Hepatitis B virus, and HIV. The supreme court remanded the case to the trial court where the lawsuit was originally filed for the judge to consider what, if any, barriers to (class) certification remain. The lawsuit filed by Linda and Stephen Gierek in November 2019 claims that learning of possible exposure to serious diseases caused extreme emotional distress and trauma, expected to continue for years. The hospital informed close to 1,200 patients who had surgery between April and September 2019 that a step in the process for sterilizing certain surgical instruments was missed, potentially exposing them to hepatitis C, hepatitis B and HIV. The lawsuit characterizes the hospitals failure to properly sterilize surgical equipment as medical malpractice, calling it negligent and reckless. It accuses the hospital of failing to properly train and monitor employees and failing to implement proper safety and sterilization procedures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April 2019, the hospital hired a new employee to fill the position of sterile processing department technician. This position did not require a license or any prior training, it simply required a high school diploma, attorney Colin Flora said during arguments before the state supreme court on Nov. 29. Six months in, it was discovered that he had been skipping the common sense step of running a brush through lumened instruments, which are basically just tubes. His failure to do so meant the particulate matter could remain in those instruments. The lawsuit was presented as a proposed class action because Linda Gierek believes she and hundreds of other patients will incur ongoing medical testing and other expenses. It argued that class action is appropriate because pursuing thousands of individual lawsuits would not be economically feasible for the patients and would be a strain on judicial resources, and because each plaintiff would have to prove an identical set of facts in order to recover damages. An Elkhart County judge denied class certification in April 2022 because he didnt believe that the court had jurisdiction to rule on it. Judge Stephen Bowers, Elkhart County Superior Court 2, said the claims are subject to the Indiana Medical Malpractice Act and that a class action cant be certified prior to a ruling by a medical review panel. Attorneys for the Giereks turned to the Indiana Court of Appeals, which ruled in June 2023 that a trial court may preliminarily determine class certification as long as it does not instruct the medical review panel on the evidence that it may consider in reaching its own opinion. Appellate justices reversed the trial courts ruling and remanded the case for a full consideration of the proposed class certification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys for the hospital petitioned for transfer to the Indiana Supreme Court, which was granted in October 2023. They argued that the appeals court decision was erroneous because, based on the law and precedent set by the court, class certification is outside of what a trial court can preliminarily determine in a case like this and marks an intrusion on how a medical review panel might reach its decision. The trial court was correct when it found that it did not have subject matter jurisdiction to consider class certification in this matter... and the trial courts decision should be confirmed, James Hough, an attorney for the hospital, said in the November oral arguments. To consider class certification... that would require a trial court to intrude upon matters that are before the completion of the panel process, reserved strictly for the medical review panel. The Indiana Supreme Court concluded that the language of the malpractice act only prohibits a trial court from making a preliminary determination on issues of law or facts which are reserved for the panels expert opinion. For example, whether the defendant failed to comply with the appropriate standard of care and whether the conduct factored into the resultant damages, the opinion states. In other words, an issue that does not require expert opinion is not reserved to the medical review panel and may be subject to preliminary determination by the trial court, it continues. A class-certification determination falls outside these reserved issues and thus does not exceed the scope of the trial courts jurisdiction, so long as the courts order doesnt instruct the medical review panel on the form or substance of its opinion. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) An Abilene ISD music teacher accused of meeting a high school student at Redbud park and local hotels for sex over the course of her senior year has been indicted. Lawrence Grigg was indicted Thursday on two counts of Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student and one count of Child Grooming in connection to the allegations. Court documents detail the alleged improper relationship between Grigg, who was serving as an orchestra director, and a senior at Cooper High School that began in November 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents state a family member of the student discovered messages between this student and Grigg while using their home computer in July. In several of the messages, affectionate terms are used by both Grigg and [the student] in reference to one another and describe acts of sexual contact, the documents state. Abilene ISD music instructor accused of improper relationship with student During a subsequent interview with detectives, the documents state this student said she has known Grigg since 2020 and that their relationship became physically intimate when she met him at Redbud Park during her senior year in November 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This student also said they would meet at various hotel rooms in Taylor County for sexual activity throughout her senior year, according to the documents. This student alleged they met at least 10 different times. Other students at Cooper High School made suggestions that Grigg publicly exhibited a fondness for [this student] and that, at time, was inappropriate given the nature of the physical contact and isolation from supervision, the documents state. Grigg was immediately placed on leave at Abilene ISD at the start of this investigation. He was officially arrested in August then released from jail after posting a $250,000 bond in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. GREENUP As anticipated, Greenup Countys new Commonwealths Attorney has identified a conflict with prosecuting a man accused of assaulting an infant in 2020, as he once acted as the accuseds defense counsel. Rhese McKenzie, recently elected to head felony prosecutions in both Greenup and Lewis Counties, said his prior work experience in criminal defense practice may present some conflicts with outstanding cases. On Thursday in Greenup County Circuit Court, the prosecutor announced one of the first conflicts of interest during the pre-trial conference of Austin Turnbull, 26, of Flatwoods, who was charged with first-degree assault, criminal child abuse and strangulation in Dec. 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per court records and initial reports, Turnbull stands accused of causing a 2-month-old to suffer a brain bleed, which physicians at an area hospital identified as a sign of abuse, among visible bruises throughout the childs body. Four years ago, initial articles stated Kentucky State Police reported Turnbull admitted to physically assaulting the baby when questioned by investigators. McKenzie said he briefly acted as Turnbulls attorney, which would typically require a special prosecutor assignment to the case. However, Turnbulls current attorney, James Lyon Jr., said it wasnt out of the question to waive the conflict-of-interest concerns for the sole purpose of resolving the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lyon said the defense and the prosecution needed time to sit down and have a huddle, indicating a possible plea negotiation could be in the future as opposed to delaying a jury trial even further by assigning an outside prosecutor. Turnbull was set second-in-line for a trial date this April back in October at the request of former Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Joe Merkel, who advocated for the trial given the time Turnbull has already spent incarcerated exacerbated by the need for justice for crimes involving minor victims. To allow time for attorneys to consult one another for the next stages of either resolution or special case assignments, Turnbull will reappear on Feb. 13. (606) 326-2652 mjepling@dailyindependent.com A military doctor will spend more than a decade in prison after he admitted to sexually abusing dozens of his victims all service members seeking medical care from him. On Wednesday, Jan. 15 - a year since charges were brought against him - Maj. Michael Stockin, 39, was sentenced after pleading guilty to 36 counts of sexual abuse, the U.S. Army said Stockin had been in the Army since 2013 and was placed at Fort Lewis, Wa. in 2019, where he worked as an anesthesiologist and pain management specialist at Madigan Army Medical Center. He was suspended from patient care duties in 2022 following several allegations of sexual misconduct with patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the claims against him, as well as during testimonies provided following his guilty plea, service members gave harrowing accounts of the abuse they experienced as well as its lifelong effects. One victim, identified as John Doe 19 in the most recent round of claims, wrote that he is now unable to put on his army uniform without having a panic attack, FOX 13 Seattle reported in December. "I thought I was strong, that nothing could break me," he wrote. "This experience shattered my life as a husband, father, and senior, non-commissioned officer." One complainant said Stockin assaulted him once when his wife was a patient. The complainant was allegedly ordered to expose his genitals while his wife lay drugged during treatment, Christine Dunn, a lawyer who is representing 22 alleged victims in a civil case against the military, told FOX 13 Seattle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Months later, Stockin allegedly abused the complainant during his own surgery, which Stockin was not even assigned to, Dunn said. "[W]hile my client was still groggy from the anesthesia, he lifted up his gown and exposed his genitals and viewed his genitals, which there was no medical reason for that," she told the outlet in December. "These brave soldiers are now riddled with anxiety and shame many of them terrified to even seek medical attention," Dunn said this week, per FOX 13 Seattle. 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. Last January, Stockin was hit with 52 charges and specifications in connection with 41 patients between 2019 and 2022, the Army said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasn't immediately clear what all those charges included. Stockin also pleaded guilty to five counts of indecent viewing, per the Army. Had he not pleaded guilty, he would be facing a sentence of 300 years, FOX 13 Seattle reported, citing Stockin's lawyer, Robert Capovilla. Now he will spend 164 months a little over 13 years in prison, per the Army. Capovilla told FOX 13 Seattle that Stockin "took full responsibility" for his actions. "The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Maj. Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives," he said. The Army did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Read the original article on People As wildfire tore through the canyons of Pacific Palisades, firefighters waged a desperate battle to save homes and lives. Seventeen miles east in downtown L.A., dozens of officials huddled around computers over a long conference room table in the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power's emergency operations center. Screens beamed in the system's water pressure from remote sensors stationed across the city. With more firefighters rushing to tame the flames the afternoon of Jan. 7, it became increasingly apparent that Palisades needed more water, fast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Red flag warning in L.A. County extended to Thursday, but rain in the forecast In the tanks that regulate pressure in the upper reaches of the canyons, water was beginning to dwindle. DWP officials had to figure out how to boost pressure into the western reaches of the grid, where a 36-inch pipeline ferries water from a Bel-Air reservoir to the Westside before curving uphill into the Palisades Highlands. They wrestled with a high-stakes choice: shut off water to nearby neighborhoods such as Brentwood, or face diminishing water pressure on the front lines. Without water, dialysis centers and other medical facilities would be impaired. How long would it take to turn off valves safely? Could the pipes handle such a shift, or might they rupture? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the inferno swelled, flames encroached on some areas that were being considered for water shutoffs. Shutting off water in adjacent areas, the DWP officials ultimately decided, would endanger those neighborhoods and undermine efforts to stanch the fire on its expanding edges, said Anselmo Collins, the DWP's chief of water operations, in his first interview on the utilitys handling of water flow to fight the devastating wildfire. Firefighters on Jan. 7 battle a house engulfed in flames off Bollinger Drive in Pacific Palisades. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) "We had a plan, but we did not execute on the plan," Collins said, because those neighboring enclaves "needed water for fire protection." Decisions by the DWP, both in the years before the Palisades fire and in the hours after it exploded, have generated stinging criticism, prompting Gov. Gavin Newsom to order an inquiry. On Tuesday, the L.A. City Council voted unanimously to demand that the DWP publicly present an analysis of its actions during the Palisades fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Water officials and experts interviewed by The Times said that municipal water systems in L.A. and elsewhere, even in areas with greater wildfire risk, generally are not designed to fight firestorms that rage through entire neighborhoods. Collins' remarks offer the first detailed account of the DWP's response to the most destructive fire in L.A. history. The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power headquarters. (Los Angeles Times) As the fire rapidly spread amid extremely high winds, the pressure plummeted in high-elevation areas because of heavy water usage, leaving firefighters to contend with hydrants that had gone dry. Another complication: There was less water available because the 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir in the upper Palisades had been emptied in February 2024 for repairs. Water quality regulations required the reservoir to be emptied because of a tear to its cover, Collins said. The repairs, which were bid out to a contractor at about $130,000, still have not been completed, and Collins does not expect the reservoir to return to service until April or May. The DWP is still trying to determine the impact of the reservoir being offline, Collins said. Read more: State to probe why Pacific Palisades reservoir was offline, empty when firestorm exploded Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think it would have helped, but I couldn't tell you at this point how significant the help would have been, Collins said. Asked what he would have done differently, Collins indicated it was too soon to say. He and colleagues will evaluate the overall response later, he said. I am focusing right now on getting the system back. Thats the No. 1 priority, he said. L.A. residents draw water from a lattice of pipelines crisscrossing the city. In the Palisades, homes dotting the sloping canyon landscape take their water from tanks on the hillsides above. The 36-inch pipeline along Sunset Boulevard feeds water into Brentwood and Palisades Village before winding along Palisades Drive toward communities in the Highlands several hundred feet above sea level. There, water is pumped uphill into three tanks, each with a capacity of 1 million gallons of water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tanks, perched high among the neighborhoods, keep up the water pressure in homes and hydrants below. As someone takes a bath, or fills a pool, or opens a hydrant, gravity draws the water down from the tanks. On a typical day, more water is pumped up from the pipeline to refill the tanks, offsetting each shower or glass of water. Inside the DWP's modernist headquarters Tuesday, Collins and his colleagues watched as the water levels dipped lower, and lower, and lower with pumps unable to refill the tanks faster than water was being siphoned to fire hydrants and homes below. A DWP water tank above Via La Costa in Pacific Palisades. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times) The first piece of the system to fail, just before 5 p.m, was Marquez Knolls, a tank tucked into a cul-de-sac north of Palisades Village. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When that tank emptied, we realized that the demands were that great, Collins said. The DWP dispatched a team to the neighborhood, hoping to install a device that would regulate pressure there and below. But as the crew began to work, flames overtook the home next door. The fire department immediately told the crews that they had to leave for their own safety, Collins said. They were surrounded by fire. The DWP had not preemptively deployed additional water crews in advance of the dire wind warnings, a decision that Collins defended. Employees were on "high alert" and ready to report to yards across the city in an emergency, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You don't know what the emergency is going to be and you don't want to make an assumption and put your staff in wrong location," he said. By 2:30 p.m., Collins said, the water level in the next highest tank, Trailer, set among Mediterranean mini-mansions in the Palisades Highlands, was starting to plummet. By 8:30 p.m., the tank was dry. As the night went on, pressure dropped in dozens of fire hydrants. The Palisades system soon became like a hose pricked a thousand times, its flow severely weakened. Scores of firefighters were pulling water from hydrants as more homes burned. As structures collapsed and pipes melted or bent, water likely gushed out, further reducing pressure. Especially when there's large-scale loss of homes, the system just starts draining out," said Tom Kennedy, a water consultant and former general manager of Rainbow Municipal Water District in San Diego County. "And so it's very difficult to maintain system pressure and volumes in your tanks." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, the DWP summoned water tankers to directly refill fire trucks. Nine tankers arrived on Tuesday and six more the next day. The state dispatched additional tankers. Around 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, the water level in the highest-elevation tank in the area a squat steel cylinder nestled in Temescal Canyon began to drop. By 3 a.m. Wednesday, the tank was empty. The fire department was using dozens and dozens of fire hydrants, Collins said. Even though we were pumping into the tank, the tank level was still dropping." Meanwhile, Collins and his team directed as much water as they could, quadrupling the normal flow to nearly 45,000 gallons per minute, enough to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool every 15 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy, the former San Diego County water official, agreed with the DWP's decision not to turn off the water in nearby neighborhoods. Read more: Why hydrants ran dry as firefighters battled California's deadly fires "If they had shut down water to other areas, I think it's more likely than not that some of those other areas could have gotten spot fires that turned into conflagrations themselves, Kennedy said. In a big fire, he said, firefighters knock out flying embers in surrounding neighborhoods to limit the spread. By 9 p.m., helicopters were grounded due to winds gusting up to 90 mph, unable to scoop up water from reservoirs in Bel-Air, Encino and Hollywood that are pillars of the city's strategy to fight wildfires. The DWP now estimates that 20% of the nearly 1,100 hydrants in the Palisades lost pressure, a figure that Collins said is based on calculating the number of higher-elevation homes served by the three water tanks. The rest, he claimed, had pressure from the water main. Elsewhere in Southern California, there are vast amounts of water stored in reservoirs and underground that L.A. can draw upon when needed. But moving water from those places requires coordination between the city and the regions water wholesaler, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. As the Palisades fire intensified, the DWP called on the MWD to help, and water was soon flowing through a backup connection near where Sunset Boulevard crosses the 405 Freeway that had not been used since 2019. "We wanted to try out a number of things," said Deven Upadhyay, interim general manager of the MWD. Over the next 48 hours, the agency fired up a pumping plant next to Hollywood Burbank Airport and asked state officials to halt repairs on a reservoir at Castaic Lake to increase water flowing to the Westside, Upadhyay said. The fire has since spread to 23,713 acres, with nine people confirmed dead. Aerial mapping shows that about 5,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed in the Palisades fire, with officials so far confirming 2,869 destroyed and 508 damaged. Collins and other DWP officials emphasized that their current focus is restoring the Palisades water system. Over the weekend, hundreds of DWP workers fanned out across the burn area, visiting destroyed homes and businesses. LADWP contractors trim trees around power lines in Mandeville Canyon on Tuesday. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) By Tuesday morning, the water at more than 4,700 sites had been shut off, allowing DWP workers to refill water tanks and restore pressure. By Wednesday night, the Marquez Knolls and Trailer tanks were both fully refilled. An analysis of what led to the drop in water pressure and how to prevent it from happening again will take time, said Uphadyay, the MWD official. He echoed comments by other water managers that the design of the city water system created "significant challenges" in a massive firefighting mobilization. Collins said he is open to an overhaul of the system to deal with "climate extremes," but that the DWP's customers residents and businesses in L.A. have to be willing to pay for it. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. An aerial view of a fire truck, lower left, near homes destroyed by widlfire in the Pacific Palisades of Los Angeles, Jan. 13, 2025. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. The wildfires that have devastated large parts of Los Angeles County have drawn fresh attention to the struggles many Americans face insuring their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2022, seven of the 12 largest insurance companies have stopped issuing new policies to homeowners in California, citing increased risks due to climate change. California isnt alone: The same thing has happened in other vulnerable states, including Louisiana and Florida. The proportion of Americans without home insurance has risen from 5% to 12% since 2019. Meanwhile, those fortunate enough to have insurance are paying more than ever: Premiums in California, like elsewhere, have increased dramatically over the past five years. When the private insurance market fails to provide coverage, the government often comes in to fill the gap. For example, the National Flood Insurance Program was established back in the 1960s because almost all private insurers excluded flood coverage. Meanwhile, the California FAIR Plan, which serves more than 450,000 Californians, is a typical state-created insurer of last resort. Such programs, which are available in many states, offer limited coverage to people who cant get private insurance. But the sheer scale of need means its hard for public programs to stay afloat. Its not inconceivable that the recent wildfires could exceed the reserves and reinsurance available to the California FAIR plan. Because of the way the plan is set up, that would force other insurers and ultimately homeowners to make up the difference. These are tricky problems, and speaking as an expert in insurance I cant say I have answers. But I do know the right questions to ask. And thats a crucial first step if you want to find solutions. What is insurance for, anyway? One of the most important questions is also the most basic: What are the goals of insurance? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Insurance is a financial product that allows people to share risk meaning that if a catastrophe strikes any one person, they wont have to bear the costs alone. But its not just about money. Even if most people dont realize it, every form of insurance embodies values and serves public policy goals. This often requires making social, political and even moral trade-offs. What is the problem were trying to solve? The first step in solving a problem is to identify it. When it comes to insurance, this isnt always easy. For example, Homeowners need insurance coverage that they cant afford in the private market might seem like a good description of the problem. But its not. This is because some homes in disaster-prone areas are simply too risky to insure. Imagine a home in a coastal area that floods over and over, for example. If you were an insurer, how much would you charge for that policy? When a house is subject to repeated losses, it makes more economic sense to buy and demolish it instead. Defining the problem carefully also helps to clarify the values at stake. For example, one value is protecting the investments of current homeowners particularly, say, long-time, elderly residents. But another value is pricing risk correctly, so people dont move into dangerous developments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Put more broadly, one value is recognizing societys collective responsibility toward people who suffer financial distress, and another is promoting fair and efficient use of social resources. These values can be in conflict. What does the government have to do with insurance? Back in 1881, in his classic lectures on The Common Law, Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said: The state might conceivably make itself a mutual insurance company against accidents and distribute the burden of its citizens mishaps among all its members. There might be a pension for paralytics, and state aid for those who suffered in person or estate from tempest or wild beasts. Holmes own position was clear: The state does none of these things, he wrote and it should not. This strain of individualism has remained strong in U.S. politics: Individual liberty, personal responsibility and economic opportunity are the foundations of American life, individualists say, so each person should win or lose on their own. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under this approach, the private insurance market bases its pooling, risk classification and pricing mostly on how much risk each policyholder presents, so that homes in wildfire-prone areas are charged higher premiums. In theory, this is both morally sound and economically efficient, since each policyholder bears the cost of their own risks. But when the private market fails as happened with flood insurance the government has a strong incentive to step in. An aerial view of people standing near destroyed and damaged buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene flooding on Oct. 8, 2024 in Bat Cave, North Carolina. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Today, as an empirical matter, Holmes statement couldnt be more wrong. The state does, in fact, make itself a mutual insurance company against accidents and provides a pension for paralytics, through Medicaid, Social Security Disability Insurance and other programs. And in California, as elsewhere, the government does provide aid for those who suffered in estate from tempest, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other entities. Since at least the New Deal, there has been broad recognition that some level of collective responsibility is essential; the only questions are where and how much. In the health insurance realm, for example, the Affordable Care Act provides subsidized health insurance for many Americans, and changing Medicare is a political third rail. Public policy on disaster losses is situated between the two extremes of letting losses lie and having the state assume all of the burdens of those losses. Often policymakers and researchers see insurance or insurance-like plans as solutions whether provided by a public entity or involving a mixed public-private program. FEMA, for example, operates the National Flood Insurance Program in cooperation with private insurers and also gives direct grants for mitigation of flood damage. What should a public insurance solution look like? Sometimes one question leads to another, and thats the case here. In my research, Ive identified more than a dozen questions that policymakers must answer in order to design an effective public solution to disaster insurance. Three questions are most important: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What are the goals of the insurance? Who is being insured? How are policyholders and their risks classified? Lets start with the first question: What are the goals of the insurance? As I mentioned earlier, any form of insurance faces trade-offs and limits. When an insurance solution has been adopted rather than some other form of intervention, a primary goal is to compensate the policyholder for a loss. But thats not the only goal. For example, insurance often aims to reduce losses in addition to paying if they occur. Insurers have many ways to shape behavior, such as charging lower premiums for homeowners who keep their property free of flammable brush. Because many of these behaviors affect other people as well, they generate a social benefit. And since insurance has social benefits, how those benefits are distributed along race, gender, class and other lines is also important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That leads to the second key question: Who is being insured? Insurance involves transferring risk from an individual to a larger group of people who can share the risk. Insurance experts call this risk pooling. Pools that are too small will struggle because there arent enough people to share the burden. In public solutions to catastrophe problems, getting more people in the pool could be especially useful in expanding coverage. For example, the National Flood Insurance Program brings many homeowners across the country into a pool, but it also excludes some, such as those who suffer damage from wind during a hurricane. In contrast, the proposed INSURE Act, introduced in the last Congress, would effectively put the entire nation in a pool to cover a variety of catastrophic risks, including flood, wildfire, earthquake and others. Still, just because youre in the same pool as someone else doesnt mean youll be treated the same people with the same insurance can be charged different premiums and receive different amounts of coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That leads to the third question: How are policyholders and their risks classified? If insurers treated everybody exactly the same, they would quickly go out of business. Thats why they analyze huge amounts of information about past losses, current conditions and future predictions, trying to determine the risks posed by each member. This work is done by actuaries and underwriters, but its not just a matter of math: Insurers classify policyholders in ways that reflect the goals and values of the insurance, which typically include balancing widespread availability, broad coverage and affordable pricing, and the social benefits the insurance generates. One view of this process is that more precise risk classification and pricing are good. Because insurance involves risk transfer, the more accurately risks can be calculated and priced, the better the process works. But theres a deeper problem, which has to do with values. Sometimes accuracy in underwriting can conflict with larger social goals. With catastrophes in particular, broad coverage may be a top priority, since many people believe the state has a responsibility to protect its people. Moreover, protecting peoples investments in their homes is important, and suddenly raising the premiums of homeowners at high risk would threaten their investments. Disasters also cause communal responses many unaffected Americans donate to the Red Cross and other nonprofits to support victims and a strict focus on accuracy in underwriting could undermine that sense of community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As floods, storms, wildfires and other catastrophes become increasingly common, the availability and affordability of property insurance has become a high-profile political issue. Politics involve choices. Asking better questions will help politicians and the rest of us make better choices. Pauly Denetclaw ICT WASHINGTON The room erupted in applause when Interior Sec. Deb Haaland entered the theater at the Stewart Lee Udall Building of the Interior Department, located just a few blocks from the White House. Haaland gave her farewell address on Wednesday morning to a roomful of former and current Interior staff, political appointees, and a few community members. Her official last day in office is Monday, Jan. 20. We have ushered in a new era for Indian Country, Haaland said in her address. When I got here, I was determined to honor and elevate tribal sovereignty and the nation-to-nation relationship, not with words, but with actions, because that's our responsibility. It's our obligation. Indigeneity was centered and included during the celebration of the first Native American cabinet secretary. Before the event started, Stephanie Conduff, Cherokee, gushed about the feather cape she made herself, attaching each feather one by one. She wore a copper gorget inscribed with the Trail of Tears. Heather Dawn Thompson, former director of the USDA's Office of Tribal Relations, wore a white beaded buckskin dress, the fringe long and flowing as she talked. Haaland wore an orange ribbon skirt and white moccasins. An eagle staff led the flags during the posting of the colors. The rhythmic beat and songs from the drum group filled the auditorium. All of this in the heart of a department that in the past sought to eliminate and destroy Indigenous nations and people. Today, it was filled with Indigenous people, speaking their language, singing their songs, and wearing their regalia. The celebration was moving, audience members wiped away tears as staff and Haaland spoke. As Chelsea Wilson, an Interior staff member, who introduced Haaland during the event, put poignantly, she was more than just a top federal official, and represented a hope come to fruition. I looked around and everyone in the room was grinning, beaming with pride that one of us, one of our aunties, one of our warriors, had done it. She was here in this place to fight for every single one of us, Wilson, Cherokee, said about the first time she met Haaland. Interior Sec. Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, and Chelsea Wilson, Cherokee, share an emotional moment during a farewell event in Washington, D.C. on January 15, 2025. (Pauly Denetclaw, ICT) Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, Laguna Pueblo, laughing with audience members after giving her farewell address at the Stewart Lee Udall Building of the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C., on January 15, 2025. (Jourdan Bennett-Begaye, ICT) Haaland brought with her many other Indigenous people who served as her senior advisors, communications specialists, and across the Interiors various offices including the first Indigenous person to lead the National Park Service. It has been such an honor and pleasure to work under the leadership of Secretary Haaland, Charles F. Chuck Sams III, director for the National Park Service, told ICT. She set out a massive agenda for us to ensure that we were working in Indian Country in a way that finally, really met our trust responsibilities. Sams is a citizen of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon, and is also Cayuse and Walla Walla. As head of the National Park Service, she also wanted to ensure that every American, those of us who've been here for 30,000 years, or you were just sworn in yesterday as a new American, saw a reflection of themselves in the national parks, and we worked to that end by lifting up new stories that hadn't been told, said the 19th National Park Service Director. In a tearful speech, Haaland reflected on all the department has accomplished. She highlighted the Federal Indian Boarding School Initiative, prioritizing tribal sovereignty, protection of sacred sites, increasing access to the outdoors for everyone, updating infrastructure, and addressing climate change. Related: Deb Haaland's enduring legacy lives at Interior Department I'm going to be honest, I had no idea what these last four years had in store when I got to the department, Haaland said. I didn't know the sheer breadth of what we'd accomplished or how we'd deliver many billions of dollars to the American people. I just knew that alongside every leader and team player here, that this work was urgent and necessary. So I started with honesty, and now I'll be blunt: the future is uncertain. President-elect Donald J. Trump takes office on Jan. 20. His administration will bring in a whole new set of energy development goals, and new leadership that will set the priorities for the next four years. Despite the uncertainty of the future, Haaland said the legacy and work of the Biden administration will continue long past his tenure. I know that so much of this work will endure because of the power of our partnership, she said. Haaland ended her speech by thanking the over 70,000 federal employees that made all of her accomplishments possible. No one at any one point in time has accomplished anything alone, not in 1150 A.D. when the odds my ancestors faced were significant, not four years ago when the challenges our communities grappled with were immense but changeable, not when I took on this job and inherited a team that would make any leader envious, and not today, when the work goes on in more ways than one, Haaland said as her throat tightened with emotion. Dawaae. Thank you all for being my colleagues. I love every single one of you. Our stories are worth telling. Our stories are worth sharing. Our stories are worth your support. Contribute $5 or $10 today to help ICT carry out its critical mission. Sign up for ICTs free newsletter. Jan. 15After attorneys for indicted state Supreme Court Associate Justice Anna Barbara Hantz Marconi claimed Gov. Chris Sununu told investigators she hadn't asked him to interfere in any investigation involving her husband, prosecutors answered with a bombshell filing of their own: a transcript of an interview with the state's top judge in which he says he was unaware the justice wanted to meet with the governor about the matter. The comments by state Supreme Court Chief Justice Gordon MacDonald appear to contradict claims made by Hantz Marconi's lawyer Richard Guerriero in a court filing back in October. That filing indicated MacDonald told Hantz Marconi if she had concerns with an investigation involving her husband she had "the right to seek to address the Governor, just as any other citizen would have that right." Hantz Marconi was indicted by a Merrimack County grand jury in October on two felony charges attempt to commit improper influence and criminal solicitation of improper influence after she allegedly interfered with the criminal investigation involving her husband, Geno Marconi, longtime director of the Division of Ports and Harbors with the Pease Development Authority. Geno Marconi has been on paid leave since April, and recently filed paperwork to retire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hantz Marconi was also charged with five misdemeanors: criminal solicitation of official oppression, official oppression, obstructing government administration, and two counts of criminal solicitation of misuse of position. Her license to practice law in New Hampshire has been suspended while she is on administrative leave from the court. The indictments claim Hantz Marconi solicited Sununu "to improperly influence a member and/or members of the New Hampshire Department of Justice regarding an investigation into Geno Marconi." "The meeting was entirely lawful and proper," Guerriero's October court filings state. "One of the key facts demonstrating that the meeting was lawful and proper is that Justice Hantz Marconi communicated with Chief Justice MacDonald prior to meeting with Governor Sununu. Justice Hantz Marconi explained to Chief Justice MacDonald that she was considering requesting a meeting with the Governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Chief Justice's response was, 'I think you can do that You are a constituent and have concerns.' Justice Hantz Marconi understood this comment to confirm her view that she had the right to seek to address the Governor, just as any other citizen would have that right." A transcript of an Aug. 2, 2024, interview with MacDonald by investigator Tom Desfosses from the Attorney General's Office includes statements from the chief justice claiming Sununu called him twice about the issue the first time to let MacDonald know Hantz Marconi wanted to meet about the matter involving her husband, the second call to discuss the meeting after it occurred. Asked by an investigator what he told Sununu during the first call when informed Hantz Marconi was going to meet with Sununu, MacDonald answered, "I, I said that's news to me ... I did not know she was going to see the Governor," MacDonald said. MacDonald was then asked by investigators what Sununu said occurred during the meeting with Hantz Marconi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So my memory sitting here today is there were really three, three points that I heard and, and retained," MacDonald said, according to the transcript. "The first was she (Hantz Marconi) complained about the Attorney General. She complained, I remember, and this is the Governor telling me what she said, and she said that he, that the Attorney General was weak and that he was being very political. "The second thing that in my memory I've retained is that the Governor told me that she said she knew everything that her husband knew, everything that her husband knew. And the third thing was that she told the Governor that she is recused in 40 percent of the cases (before the Supreme Court) and that there are important cases, and that all of this is creating a burden on her colleagues." This week's filing by Assistant Attorneys General Joe Fincham and Dan Jimenez also includes an email to Madison Trites, Sununu's scheduler, dated June 3, 2024, from Hantz Marconi seeking a meeting with the governor to discuss "a personal matter involving a member of my immediate family." A hearing in the matter is scheduled for Feb. 3 at 11 a.m. in Merrimack County Superior Court in Concord. pfeely@unionleader.com The Ukrainian Air Force has created a commission to investigate whether key personnel are being transferred to the front lines amid a shortage of troops defending the east. The move comes after a major controversy erupted after one unit claimed that its MiG-29 Fulcrum maintainers were sent to the infantry, drastically affecting its ability to launch sorties. It was the latest of several such allegations, which Ukrainian officials have denied. The commission is working to prevent the transfer of deficient specialties of military personnel, which could significantly impact the combat ability of Air Force units, spokesman Col. Yuri Ignat stated on Facebook Thursday. At issue are troops maintaining aircraft and operating and maintaining anti-aircraft systems, radio-technical troops, mobile fire groups, and military personnel who have been trained abroad on Western weapons. Losing them to the infantry could have a cascading effect on the ability to launch strikes with its limited aviation assets or defend against them from the air and ground. Ukrainian Air Force maintainers perform routine upkeep of the aircraft after a flight on August 1, 2023 in eastern Ukraine. (Photo by Libkos/Getty Images) LIBKOS Appropriate decisions have been made to prevent the transfer of military personnel of deficient specialties to other types and types of the Armed Forces, Ignat explained. Currently, the Air Force Commission is checking whether there [are any violations]. If such cases are identified, decisions will be made to rectify them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ignats announcement included several phone numbers for people to call with tips. Its not the first year that the Air Force soldiers are strengthening brigades of other kinds and types of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in the hottest fronts of the front, side by side with the brothers take part in fierce battles, within their capabilities to destroy the enemy with all available weapons, both in the stationary units of the Air Force, and in other units, the Air Force spokesman added. Ignats statement follows a call by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday for the Air Force to ensure that no key personnel are being sent to fight as infantry, regardless of mounting losses in personnel and territory. Today, there was a lot of information, outrage and discussion regarding the transfers, Zelensky said in his nightly address. I have instructed to clarify everything for the public and to ensure that the number of specialists needed by the Air Force to carry out combat missions for our aviation, air defense, and mobile fire groups is not reduced. The Ukrainian president was reacting to claims made earlier that day by a sergeant from the Carpathian 114th Air Force Brigade that hundreds of Fulcrum maintainers were given orders to head to the front lines, according to the Ukrainian Galka news outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unit received a telegram about the transfer of almost all its technicians to the infantry, meaning there would be few left to service the aircraft, Sgt. Vitaliy Bart Gorzhevskyi claimed in a video message. Previously, 250 people were taken from the brigade, with another 218 slated for transfer, he noted. The War Zone cannot independently verify these claims. We, aviation technical personnel, have been fulfilling our mission for over 10 years, servicing MiG-29 fighters, Gorzhevskyi stated. Since 2014, we have been working in the most difficult conditions, providing combat sorties and maintaining our aviation in service. We have mastered new types of aircraft provided by Western partners, and are training a new generation of pilots. Without technical personnel, aviation will not be able to function. We worked alongside legendary pilots such as Juice, Karaya, Smereka, and each of us firmly believes in our mission and loyalty to the Motherland. One of those pilots, Vadym Karaya Voroshylov, echoed Gorzhevskyis concerns. Personally, I and every pilot of the Air Force owe them for the constant combat readiness and serviceability of aircraft, he said in an Instagram post. Are we ready to simply give them up? No, because these are very narrowly focused specialists who studied at higher military educational institutions for 5 years, and gained professional experience in training aircraft in combat brigades and in combat conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I witnessed many cases when the airfield was under enemy fire, and the engineering staff moved aviation equipment to shelter after takeoff, or extracted pilots from the cockpit of burning aircraft, he added. Unfortunately, some of them gave their lives saving aviation equipment that was on the ground in such cases. The bottom line, said Voroshylov, is that transferring ground crews will lead to problems with the maintenance and servicing of aircraft as a result, we will have a decrease in the combat capability of aviation brigades. Aviation is one large ecosystem, the life of which directly depends on the performance of the functional duties of each element, which is IMPOSSIBLE to replace. I want to defend my people, our aviation! You can see a 2023 interview he gave in the following video. A Ukrainian hero, fighter pilot Karaya, talked to us about what its like flying combat missions (in inferior jets to the Russians) and shared with @scrippsnews video he recorded in his cockpit. Its wild how close to the ground they need to fly to avoid enemy radar. #ukraine pic.twitter.com/bB9dLzXwJs jasonbellini (@jasonbellini) April 20, 2023 Ukrainian media outlets have reported previous transfers of key personnel from the Air Force to the infantry. Thousands of Air Force troops have been transferred this way, according to the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports indicated that since 2024, thousands of Air Force soldiers have been transferred to the Ground Forces, the publication wrote. The latest directive was issued on Jan. 11, when Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi issued an order to transfer over 5,000 Air Force personnel to Ground Forces units. A senior Air Force officer, speaking anonymously, said transfers have now reached a critical level, with unit staffing dropping to 50%, the publication added. "Since 2024, combat brigades of the Ground Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine have been replenished with soldiers transferred from Ukraines Air Force units. This has continued into 2025. The latest order from Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi on the transfer of personnel pic.twitter.com/4mrJMsuaCO Rob Lee (@RALee85) January 14, 2025 The Ukrainian Militinaryi news outlet said it knows that the large-scale withdrawal of personnel from the Air Force was authorized by Syrsky. In addition to aviation units, the transfers also affected the anti-aircraft and radio engineering units of the [Ukrainian Air Force], the publication added. In particular, we are talking about the maintenance of anti-aircraft missile systems, including SAM operators trained abroad, as well as radar system operators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is already the third large-scale transfer of personnel, Militinaryi noted. According to officers, when this order is implemented, the staffing in some parts of the anti-aircraft missile forces will fall below 40%. According to regulatory documents, this is the level of a non-combat unit. The Ukrainian Air Force already has its own infantry brigade, formed from personnel of the aviation, anti-aircraft missile troops and radio engineering troops, which has been fighting in various directions for more than a year, Militinaryi explained. It is known that the fighters of the infantry brigade of the [Air Force], together with units of the marines, participated in the most difficult battles on the left bank of the Kherson region in Krynki, in Zaporizhia during the offensive operation and are currently defending the country in the Vovchansk area. You can see how the fighting has damaged Vovchansk in the video below. russian airstrikes have heavily damaged Vovchansk. Once a quiet residential area, it now bears the scars of constant bombardment. Much of the city's infrastructure have been destroyed; many residents were forced to flee their hometown.#RussiaIsATerroristState pic.twitter.com/1L7qjvQUaC UNITED24 (@U24_gov_ua) January 16, 2025 The Ukrainian Armed Forces General Staff pushed back on the transfer claims, saying Syrskyi has prohibited the transfer of specialists in high-tech specialties and those who have been trained abroad using foreign models of weapons and military equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine officially reports that it was not and is not planned to transfer the urgently needed specialists of the Air Force engineering and aviation service who service aircraft to infantry units, it stated in a Telegram post. Instead, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is increasing the number of technical and flight personnel. The General Staff, however, did acknowledge that certain categories of personnel of the Air Force, as well as other branches and branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, after preliminary training in training centers, strengthen the Ground Forces, Airborne Assault Forces, etc. It is unclear why the Ukrainian Air Force is still investigating these transfers after the General Staffs denial that they happened. Weve reached out to Ignat for more details. The controversy over these transfers highlights the precarious position Ukraine finds itself in, trying to defend the east, where Russian forces continue to slowly gain more ground, while at the same time sustaining its invasion into Russias Kursk region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation at the front is not easy, in many areas there is a shortage of infantrymen, the General Staff explained. The decision to strengthen the ground brigades on the front line at the expense of servicemen from units of other branches and branches of the Armed Forces of Ukraine is a forced step by the military leadership to strengthen our defense. Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com Correction: A prior version of this story misstated the number of single-family rental homes owned by out-of-state corporate investors in five Central Indiana counties. They own roughly one in four rental homes. Investment companies own nearly half of all single-family rental homes in five Central Indiana counties, according to a new report on a growing phenomenon that housing advocates worry crowds out potential homebuyers from the market. Corporate investors now lease more than 40,000 single-family rental properties in Marion, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks and Johnson Counties, a Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana study published this month found. Out-of-state investors, drawn to the Indianapolis area by relatively cheap real estate compared with other cities, own roughly one in four rental homes in those five counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This scenario means would-be first-time homebuyers may struggle to find properties they can afford because investors tend to target cheaper homes. Renters who sign leases with large investors may find their landlords reluctant to pay to keep up and repair aging properties. The study updates a previous FHCCI report that depicted Marion County as the epicenter of investors buying up homes with cash and turning a profit by leasing them. Now, the more recent analysis found, the surrounding suburban counties are following the same pattern. Investors own more than 28,000 homes in Marion County and a total of nearly 12,600 homes in the other four counties. However, institutional investors, or corporate entities such as LLCs and investment funds, own just 8% of all single-family homes in the five counties, leading some in the real estate industry to argue the fears about outside investor ownership are overblown. But FHCCI Director Amy Nelson told IndyStar regardless of how many properties such investors own, they pose a host of challenges to communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wall Street cashes in: Indianapolis homebuyers outbid in droves by investors Challenges of investor-owned rental homes in Indianapolis Cedric and RaKesha Hil are photographed in front of a home they hoped to purchase back in 2021, on Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023, in Indianapolis. The couple found that they were outbid by a cash-only offer from real estate investment company Tricon Residential, a Canadian real estate company which is one of Indianapolis' largest corporate residential real estate owners. Investors tend to buy homes in lower-income neighborhoods such as East Warren on Indianapolis far east side where investors own 102 of 304 single-family homes, the report found. Renters who want to live in the area have little choice but to lease from companies that can be lax about making repairs and rack up safety violations, a prior IndyStar investigation found. Often, these landlords evict tenants at high rates, Nelson said. Investors pay cash for more than 80% of the homes they buy, according to the report, outcompeting most other buyers who can offer only a traditional mortgage loan to finance the deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prospective buyers are left with fewer options and often have to resort to renting at steep prices, Nelson said. The median cost of renting a single-family home across the five counties is about $1,800 a month, the report found. As the median sales price of a home stays above $300,000 in Central Indiana, according to Indiana Association of Realtors data, investors target cheaper properties that are among the few homes in reach for first-time buyers. Investors make up nearly a third of buyers in homes that sell for under $250,000. Not only do they buy in cash, but they essentially take these homes out of the home-buying market, Nelson told IndyStar, which takes away home-buying opportunities for individuals and puts them into expensive rentals. More: Why the Indianapolis area ranks as one of nation's hottest housing markets in 2025 The 'mega-investors' who own Central Indiana's rental homes Seven companies, which the FHCCI labels mega-investors, each own more than 1,000 single-family rental homes across the area. They account for more than a third of all investor-owned rental homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four are private equity firms, which are criticized for putting short-term profits over the longevity of a business or community, Nelson said. Here are the seven mega-investors and how many homes each owns in the five Central Indiana counties: Cerberus/FirstKey Homes : Cerberus, a New York-based private equity firm that manages properties through its business FirstKey Homes, owns 3,283 homes. Progress Residential/Pretium : Progress Residential, headquartered in Arizona and managed by Pretium REO, owns 2,826 homes. American Homes 4 Rent : A real estate investment trust based in Maryland that owns 2,681 homes. Tricon Residential/Blackstone : Blackstone, a New York-based investment firm, bought California-based Tricon Residential in 2024. Tricon owns 1,670 homes. VineBrook Homes : A privately held real estate investment trust headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, that owns 1,257 homes. Main Street Renewal/Amherst : A Texas-based real estate investment firm, Amherst operates its own property management company, Main Street Renewal, and owns 1,180 homes. SLB Investments/Job Capital: A privately held company headquartered in Indianapolis that owns 1,164 homes. The largest companies often manage their own properties, but scores of local companies broker deals, lease properties and manage day-to-day operations on behalf of other investors. One such firm, Red Door Property Management, oversees more than 600 homes around Central Indiana for smaller landlords who typically own fewer than 20 properties, helping to place tenants in homes and to do maintenance, Red Door owner Mike Taylor told IndyStar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many investors who lack experience in real estate are reluctant to pay for the most attentive property managers, Taylor said. Red Door, for instance, has walked away from negotiations because owners arent willing to invest more to ensure a homes quality, he said. Companies tend to fare better when they work with people knowledgeable about the local market and those who have a reputation to preserve, Taylor said. Its our name on the line when we work with this tenant, Taylor told IndyStar. If we are giving them a bad experience because of an owner, were the ones who are going to get the bad review or the (Better Business Bureau) complaint. We have motivation to make sure that tenant is receiving good service and receiving a fair price. How many rental homes investors own in five Central Indiana counties As of July 2024, here was the breakdown of single-family home ownership by county: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marion : Of 58,554 single-family rental homes, investors owned 28,131, or 48%. Hamilton : Of 10,859 single-family rental homes, investors owned 4,583, or 42%. Johnson : Of 6,843 single-family rental homes, investors owned 3,263, or 48%. Hendricks : Of 6,661 single-family rental homes, investors owned 2,982, or 45%. Hancock: Of 3,905 single-family rental homes, investors owned 1,754, or 45%. Email IndyStar Housing, Growth and Development Reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09 This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why investors own thousands of rental homes in Indianapolis area Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, center, adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, arrives in the Iowa House chamber on Jan. 16. 2025, to deliver the Condition of the Guard address. (Screenshot courtesy of Iowa PBS) Maj. Gen. Stephen Osborn, the adjutant general of the Iowa National Guard, re-upped his request to lawmakers for changes to the Iowa National Guard service scholarship to include more non-traditional higher education paths. Osborn gave the Condition of the Guard address Thursday. In his 2024 speech, Osborn called for an expansion of the Iowa National Guard service scholarship (INGSS) to include more options for education outside of four-year, undergraduate degree programs, allowing financial assistance for credentialing and certification programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He repeated that request in his Wednesday speech, asking the Legislature to allow the National Guard to modernize and improve on the most utilized state benefit afforded to our service members. We are seeking flexibility for our evolving workforce as we work with the Iowa Department of Education to expand INGSS beyond undergraduate degree programs and include certificate and credentialing programs at accredited state institutions, Osborn said. As part of this expansion, he said service members seeking financial education assistance would be required to apply first for military federal tuition assistance before state tuition assistance would be used. According to the Iowa National Guard 2023 annual report, nearly 1,000 service members utilized the scholarship program with payments costing nearly $6.5 million in total. Request for school absentee exception for military service The adjutant general also requested lawmakers add an exception to the states chronic absenteeism law that went into effect July 1 that defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of school days during a specified grading period or more, requiring schools to notify the county attorney and send a latter to the students parent or guardian. Truancy is defined as 20% or more days missed in a grading period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adding an exception to the law for military applicants and those enlisted would allow these students to fulfill their duty without being penalized academically, he said. We ask for your support of this provision to help our high school military applicants and recruits seamlessly enter the military and begin their service, Osborn said. Modernization projects underway As 2025 begins, the top Iowa National Guard official said the modernization of our military was a goal for the organization as they prepare for future security threats. Many of those modernization efforts are already underway, Osborn said, pointing to several new facilities and infrastructure projects set to be completed in the upcoming year. In May, he said the Iowa National Guard plans to open its West Des Moines Readiness Center, a $24 million facility financed through state and federal dollars that will serve both the national guard and the West Des Moines Fire Department. The state National Guard also plans to begin construction on a new Army National Guard maintenance facility in Sioux. City, a $14 million federally funded project, and plans to complete the design of a $95 million federally funded replacement runway in Sioux City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We continue to work with our Siouxland partners, elected leaders and National Guard bureau for funding this critical military construction project, Osborn said. These investments will modernize both Army and Air National Guard facilities and allow for continued mission execution and expanded growth into the future, a future that is both volatile and uncertain as we space an evolving set of complex threats. Osborns was the final speech marking the first week of the 2025 session following Gov. Kim Reynolds Condition of the State and Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensens Condition of the Judiciary in the days prior. It was Osborns second time addressing the Iowa Legislature as adjutant general, taking the role in February 2023 after Maj. Gen. Benjamin Corells retirement. In 2024, the Iowa National Guard was deployed in missions ranging from support for Texas Operation Lone Star along the U.S. southern border in April and support for North Carolinas Hurricane Helene relief efforts in September. National guard solders and airmen also deployed to help with Gov. Reynolds response efforts in north central and northwest Iowa following severe flooding in June, performing services like search and rescue operations, high water transportation and debris removal. Our service members have met every challenge with excellence and a steadfast commitment to serve and protect the people of Iowa and our great nation, Osborn said. The Iowa Board of Regents approved two agreements brought forward by Iowa State University for its CyTown development project. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) The Iowa Board of Regents gave Iowa State University the go-ahead Wednesday to move forward with its CyTown plans, approving a 30-year development agreement and lease agreement. ISU General Counsel and Chief Risk Officer Michael Norton told board members the agreements were fundamental to seeing the project progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CyTown project would not be possible without the tremendous collaboration from many partners, including the Board of Regents, the City of Ames and McFarland Clinic, said ISU President Wendy Wintersteen in a news release. We look forward to the ongoing partnerships as the CyTown development begins to take shape. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX With the approval, the university will enter into a 30-year CyTown Management Agreement with Goldenrod Companies and Iowa State University Research Park, Norton said, in which Goldenrod will handle financing and construction of the development. Through the Master Ground Lease agreement, Iowa State University Research Park will oversee Goldenrods work in the construction and operation of the development. The agreement also creates the CyTown Management Committee, made up of members from ISU and Research Park leadership and the board of regents, to direct the universitys partners in the development. The committee will answer to Wintersteen and the board of regents, Norton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goldenrod will be responsible for managing and servicing the overall operations of the development, including securing the vendors and servicing the needs of those vendors throughout the life of the project under the direction and control of the CyTown Management Committee, Norton said. Plans for the project include 72,000 square feet of retail and food and drink space, 90,000 square feet of office space, a 215-key hotel and an outdoor music venue with a capacity of 2,800 people, Norton said, all with an estimated cost of between $175 million and $225 million. A map of the CyTown development (map courtesy of Iowa Board of Regents) This includes the McFarland Clinic, which was approved for development in June. Debt incurred during development will not come back on the university or research park, Norton said, and each building will have its own site development leases that will be brought to the board of regents for approval. The research park will be a flow through entity for revenue attributed to the university through the two agreements, Norton said, meaning that it has no financial obligation to the project. In addition to overseeing Goldenrod and holding it accountable for its work and responsibilities, the research park will also have the first right of rental to office space in CyTown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norton said this was an important aspect of the agreements, as ISU wants to ensure that its use is connected to the mission and goals of the university and it wants to form more connections between its research branches and the private businesses that will work out of CyTown. More than building a space, this is about creating a place that brings together students, businesses and the community, said Goldenrod Managing Principal Zach Wiegert in a news release. CyTown will foster innovation, drive collaboration and most importantly encourage meaningful interactions. Were proud to be part of this transformative initiative and look forward to the opportunities it will bring to the university and Ames. Regent Christine Hensley said in the meeting that she would like for the board to have regular updates on the project and its progress, so members can answer questions they receive from the public with confidence. I would just like to ask that we have ongoing communication if there are any changes or anything, just so that we as regents know exactly where its at and what has transpired, Hensley said. And I would ask it not only for this project, but for all projects, so that we have a good understanding, because we continue to get questions out in the community. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DES MOINES, Iowa Iowa State Senator Mike Bousselot (R) District 21 from Ankeny started off the 91st General Assembly with not a proposal to expand state funding, but expand the state. Bousselot floated the idea on Tuesday at the Land Investment Expo buying the southern most row of nine Minnesota counties. He then doubled down on the idea on social media. Make Minnesota Iowa Again!, wrote Sen. Bousselot on X. Our new Iowans, former MN residents, will have lower income, sales, business taxes. A more farm friendly state. And a better managed state. Gov. Walz may say its just rocks and cows but we see opportunity! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, is this proposal something that Republican leadership would even consider advancing? I look forward to having that conversation, said Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley, (R) District 57 from New Hartford. Any time we can continue to grow Iowa some, we should at least engage in it and I think youre actually seeing in some other states some similar legislation being discussed. But at this point I havent spent enough time looking at the bill, but I am more than happy to take a look. New Iowa law implements 40% tax on smoking devices Iowa Democratic leadership didnt think too favorably of the proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have 99 counties in Iowa we have enough to do, said Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner (D) District 45 from Ames. I would say is we have serious problems, we have real families that are struggling with their bills and their budgets and it seems to me that this is not a realistic approach and it is one to seek headlines, and frankly it is offensive to people who are trying to pay their bills, said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, (D) District 32 from Windsor Heights. While who knows how serious this conversation could be, there hasnt been an official bill released to the public yet. Indiana and Illinois are going through a similar situation with several Illinois counties looking to secede from the state. Iowa News: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 who13.com. The Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing is responsible for overseeing the state's 264 assisted living centers. (Photo illustration via Getty Images; logo courtesy of the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing) Eleven of Iowas 264 state-regulated assisted living centers were subject to fines last year for failing to meet regulatory standards. While nursing homes that accept Medicaid and Medicare money for patient care are federally regulated, with state inspectors tasked with inspecting homes and enforcing those regulations, Iowas assisted living centers are regulated and inspected by the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compared to nursing homes, Iowas assisted living centers are rarely fined by the state agency that handles inspections, the Iowa Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing. The agencys website indicates that in 2024, 11 assisted living centers were cited for violations that, to date, have resulted in financial penalties from DIAL. The assisted living facilities that were fined are: Northridge Village, Ames In February, this facility was fined $6,000 after a resident death. The home was cited for failing to ensure that each tenant had access to a personal, one-touch, 24-hour emergency response system, such as Life Alert style of pendant. According to inspectors, a residents family came to the facility to check on a female relative and found the woman on the floor where she had fallen two days earlier. The woman was treated for dehydration and seven cracked ribs, then moved to a hospice program where she died within a few weeks. Northridge Village officials later told inspectors the womans pendant had been deactivated by mistake. In addition, management was unable to locate any policies related to personal emergency response systems. Assisted Living at Copper Shores Village, Pleasant Hill In April, this facility was fined $7,500 for its response after a female resident sustained serious injuries in a fall. The woman, who had dementia, was discovered standing in her apartment with blood on her face about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 16, 2024, inspectors reported. The woman had a bump on her head, a possible broken nose and a swollen face, the staff later reported. The homes registered nurse, who was not on site, wanted to do a video chat with the staff and the resident, inspectors reported, but the staff could not figure out how to set that up and so the nurse ordered Steri-Strips to be applied to a cut on the womans face and ice for her face and head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within a few hours, another worker arrived at Copper Shores and concluded the woman needed to be evaluated at a hospital. However, her colleague advised her the registered nurse had already ordered that the woman be treated in-house and not sent to a hospital. Later an assistant registered nurse arrived at Copper Shores for work and called the registered nurse to say she, too, wanted the woman sent to the hospital for an evaluation. When the nurse again rejected that option, the assistant registered nurse became upset and one of the two eventually telephoned the on-call physician who ordered a hospital evaluation. At the hospital, the woman was diagnosed with a fractured vertebrae in her neck and a broken nose. Inspectors later concluded that that the registered nurse had documented, in the residents file, an assessment of the womans injuries even though she had not come to the facility to provide such an assessment. Stirlingshire, Coralville In April, the facility was fined $5,000 for failing to ensure a female resident who had been hospitalized for a drug overdose received adequate care. Inspectors reported that some of the staff had been unaware the facility had Narcan on hand to administer to the woman in the event of an opiate drug overdose. After the woman was hospitalized for the overdose, the staff at Stirlingshire found numerous non-prescribed and undocumented medications in her apartment, with the director of nursing reporting there were too many (medications) to count, including many medications stored in cups and bottles with no markings on them. The staff was aware the woman had been ordering a lot of medications from Amazon, and the womans sister eventually removed from the apartment two garbage bags filled with bottles of medications. Inspectors learned the woman had contracted with a private caregiver who had quit after expressing the fear that she would enter the apartment someday and find the woman dead from an overdose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heritage Court Assisted Living, West Des Moines In June, this facility was fined $500 for failing to conduct the required background checks on workers. One workers background check was performed nine months after she was hired. Others were hired one, two or eight months before their background checks were completed. Independence Village, Ankeny In June, this facility was fined $7,000 after inspectors reviewed care provided to six residents and determined that in five of the six cases, the facility failed to provide the necessary treatment. One of the residents, who was diabetic, had a foot amputated, after which the home allegedly failed to provide assistance with wound care, which meant the man had to undergo an infusion of antibiotics. The facility also failed to provide him with the prescribed pain killers, resulting in what the resident called a period of excruciating pain. A resident who didnt receive his meal trays told inspectors he believed the facility had cut staffing levels and there was no longer enough employees to meet residents needs. Other violations were tied to residents not receiving their prescribed physical therapy or medications. Legacy Pointe, Iowa City In August, this facility was fined $2,500 for failing to provide treatment and services related to COVID-19. A resident who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 was found on the floor of his bathroom the morning of Feb. 28, 2024, with his oxygen levels at a dangerously low 51%. Within two hours, he was pronounced dead. Inspectors alleged the facility did not adequately check or document the mans vital signs, including his oxygen levels, at the time of his COVID-19 diagnosis, during his period of isolation, and afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Good Samaritans Timber Ridge Assisted Living, Ottumwa In August, this facility was fined $3,500 for failing to provide adequate care after a medication error that happened on Nov. 30, 2023. Inspectors found that a worker had given a female resident seven medications including multiple sedative hypnotics intended for another resident, realized her error, reported it to a colleague, and then stormed out of the building. The staff then failed to make regular checks on the resident, who later fell out of bed in a drugged state and was trapped with her head wedged between the bed and her side table. The resident later told inspectors she was upset she was not informed of the error for several days and that the hospital where she was treated was not informed of the error. Irving Point, Cedar Rapids In September, the facility was fined $3,500 for failing to have a nurse review a residents health after a change in that residents condition. In November 2023, a female residents daughter came to the facility and found her mother seated on a couch, soaked in urine without pants, and unable to answer questions. There were four containers of meals on a nearby table that had not been touched except for one dessert that had been consumed. The daughter called 911 and the resident was taken to a hospital and admitted with a diagnosis of sepsis and a urinary tract infection. Eagle Pointe Place, Dubuque In November, this facility was fined $3,500 for failing to follow proper protocols for the administration of medication. On Oct. 8, 2024, a resident alerted the staff to the fact that she had just been handed someone elses medication raising the question of who had received the womans intended drugs. An investigation showed another resident had received the six drugs and had subsequently become lethargic. That resident was taken to a hospital for treatment, placed on oxygen, and discharged a short time later. Had the woman not been taken to the emergency room, she may not have made it, inspectors reported. Addington Place, Des Moines In September, this facility was fined $500 for failing to perform the required criminal history and abuse background checks on two workers before they began their employment. Keystone Cedars Assisted Living, Cedar Rapids In September, this facility was fined $500 for failing to conduct the required criminal history and abuse background checks for two of the eight workers whose files were reviewed. One worker, who was a minor when hired, was employed beginning in July 2023, but a background check had never been performed. IRA victims have warned Sir Keir Starmer that it would be perverse and offensive to allow Gerry Adams compensation that they have been denied. They are urging the Government not to repeal Troubles legislation that denies the former Sinn Fein president and some 400 other Republicans from claiming compensation over their detention in prison in the 1970s. Labour decided to repeal the law last year after a Northern Irish high court decision ruled that the Tories legislation was incompatible with human rights laws, and it has laid a draft order in Parliament to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Sir Keir insisted that he wanted to find a way to block Mr Adams and other Republican detainees from claiming compensation despite remaining committed to repealing the Troubles legislation, but Downing Street officials declined to say how he might achieve this. Colin Parry, whose 12-year-old son Tim died in the IRA Warrington bombing in 1993, said it would be offensive if the Government was to allow Mr Adams to claim compensation. Colin Parry, whose son Tim, 12, died in the 1993 IRA Warrington bombing said we are the forgotten victims who will remain forgotten in perpetuity - Andrew Price No government has ever offered us compensation. We are basically the forgotten victims who will remain forgotten in perpetuity. I dont see any sign of this Government or future governments seeing a need to reopen or reconsider that, he said. Jason McCue, who acted for the families of the Real IRAs 1998 Omagh bombing, said repealing sections 46 and 47 of the Troubles Act, which blocks the compensation, was perverse when other more worthy non-protagonist victims of the Troubles were being denied such funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be foolish in the extreme to revoke 46/47 and thereby give Adams et al a pathway to compensation which would destabilise reconciliation within the legacy, he said. He urged the Government to lodge a legal appeal to halt any court moves allowing compensation until it had drawn up a new Northern Irish Legacy Act, to replace the Tories Troubles Act. Suzanne Dodd, whose police officer father Stephen was killed in the IRA Harrods store bombing in 1983, said: Considering the IRA victims have not received any compensation, how could Gerry Adams get compensation? My father was killed 41 years ago and it is highly unacceptable to hear that. Axel Schmidt, advocacy manager at Ulster Human Rights Watch, which supports victims of terrorism, said Mr Adams should not be entitled to any compensation. Jason McCue in 2001, with relatives of the Omagh bomb blast, including Micheal Gallagher (centre rear of McCue) whose son Aidan was one of the 29 killed - PA He said the Government should stick with its rejection of the Supreme Court ruling, which determined Mr Adams had been illegally detained during the Troubles because his custody order had been signed off by a minister other than the secretary of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Schmidt said that was a judgement based on a technicality which the Government had rightly overruled in its legislation. This is an injustice towards the victims of terrorism who themselves have to apply to the victims payment scheme and sometimes get limited payments for what they have suffered and are still suffering physically and psychologically, he said. Ministers decided against appealing the Northern Irish high court decision despite warnings on Tuesday by 16 leading lawyers, former judges and ministers that the decision would reopen the door to a wave of meritless litigation relating to events dating back more than 50 years. In a report by the think tank Policy Exchange, the 16, which include former Labour security minister Lord West, said that hundreds of people who were lawfully detained for suspected involvement in terrorism could be paid compensation in an unjust and wasteful use of public money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, said that the decision to repeal the law underlined the Governments absolute commitment to the Human Rights Act. 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. Iran has developed a reputation for launching some unconventional naval vessels, some of them downright strange at least when compared with their equivalents elsewhere in the world. Its latest offering, the Zagros, is very much in keeping with this trend: a surveillance ship based on a corvette hull, an unorthodox approach for a type of vessel that would typically be converted from a commercial hull. A bow view of the Zagros, the latest Iranian intelligence-gathering vessel. Iranian state media The Zagros underway during helicopter operations. The flight deck is an unusual feature for a vessel of this kind. Iranian state media Iran unveiled its first domestically built signals intelligence (SIGINT) ship, the Zagros, yesterday. According to the state-run news agency IRNA, the ship has now officially joined the countrys naval fleet. The Zagros signals intelligence ship will be a vigilant eye for the Iranian Navy deep into seas and oceans, the commander of the Iranian Navy, Adm. Shahram Irani, said in a statement. Iranian state media released footage of the vessel under construction, underway at sea, as well as Iranian Armed Forces Joint Chief of Staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri and other military personnel visiting the ship and meeting with its crew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navy Commander: Zagros Warship Iran's Eye in Depths of Oceans pic.twitter.com/WX9QwetLOp Fars News Agency (@EnglishFars) January 15, 2025 In common with other SIGINT ships, the Zagros is equipped with electronic sensors to collect, decrypt, and analyze radio-frequency signals from hostile or potentially hostile emitters. Antennas for these sensors are housed in prominent ball-shaped radomes arranged around the top of the superstructure, with seven in all, of three different sizes, with the smaller ones likely to house satellite communications systems. An aerial view of the Zagros reveals the main sensors. Iranian state media Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an intelligence ship, IRIS Zagros' defining features are obviously its sensor suite, used for gathering intel on communications, radars, and the activities of aerial, surface, and even subsurface objects (subsurface monitoring equipment has not yet been seen). pic.twitter.com/bjaFT7eEDt A (@AmirIGM) January 15, 2025 Meanwhile, an apparent radio direction-finding antenna mounted on top of the ships mast has been noted as being very similar to a system of this kind marketed by China. The Iranian Navy SIGINT vessel, Zagros which was unveiled today seems to have a radio direction finder antenna installed on the mast top (inside my yellow circle). It looks like to be supplied by the Chinese company Novker. pic.twitter.com/WFxHKxTDGA Mehdi H. (@mhmiranusa) January 15, 2025 Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency has said the Zagros is also able to conduct cyber operations but provided no further details. Iranian state media In other respects, however, the Zagros exhibits some significant differences from more usual surveillance vessels. The state-run Fars news agency describes the new vessel as an intelligence destroyer, reflecting the fact that the Zagros was built using a converted hull from a Mowj class warship, five of which are currently in service. These domestically produced vessels are classified as destroyers by Iran, but in terms of size and armament are much closer to light frigates, or corvettes, although the distinction between warship types especially of these kinds is increasingly blurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iran Unveils First Domestically Built Intelligence Destroyer pic.twitter.com/sJYPg1H02U Fars News Agency (@EnglishFars) January 15, 2025 The Mowj class has a displacement of around 1,500 tonnes, a length of 311.7 feet, and a beam of 36.4 feet. The warship has a speed of around 30 knots and is operated by a typical crew of 140. A Mowj class corvette, the Deylaman, commissioned in November 2023. Iranian state media Specifications are currently not available for the Zagros, but the dimensions are presumably very similar. Based on the imagery published so far, the Zagros has no armament fitted, in contrast to the original Mowj class vessel, which is armed with a 76mm main gun, a 30mm close-in weapon system, Mehrab surface-to-air missiles, Noor or Qader anti-ship missiles, and torpedo tubes. However, unlike the original Mowj class, the Zagros has a flight deck and a hangar, able to accommodate a helicopter. Available imagery shows the ship embarking an Agusta-Bell AB212, a version of the Bell 212 built under license in Italy and equivalent to the U.S. military UH-1N. An AB212 helicopter operating from the flight deck. YouTube screencap/Iranian state media An embarked helicopter is an unusual feature of a SIGINT ship, suggesting that the vessel is intended to undertake other missions, as well, or perhaps the rotorcraft is intended simply to provide a means of logistical support when at sea for extended periods. On the other hand, a helicopter could also be used to provide a degree of force protection, especially important in the absence of other weapons aboard the ship although some lighter weapons may still be fitted at a later date. Another option would be to outfit the helicopter with a sensor payload, increasing the overall area in which intelligence can be collected and providing a rapid means of gathering it from points of interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Iran has relied on adapted smaller commercial vessels to gather SIGINT and its not entirely clear why it took the opposite approach with the Zagros. Other countries typically take a commercial hull as the basis for a spy ship, since this offers considerable space for sensors and sensor operators as well as significant power-generation capabilities. Since their main role is peacetime surveillance, the combat capabilities of such vessels are very much secondary. Using a commercial hull also results in a ship that is far more efficient to build and operate, and which is more easily supportable once in service. This view of the Zagros, accompanied by two tug boats and a motor launch, shows the narrow corvette hull that offers relatively little internal volume for a ship of this kind. YouTube screencap/Iranian state media Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, given that Iran has previously converted commercial hulls into warships notably its fleet of forward base ships such an approach is perhaps not entirely surprising. Above all, it suggests that Iran is willing to make use of whatever hulls are available to meet its naval requirements. At the same time, presuming the Zagros is built to a higher naval standard which is not necessarily a given it would presumably be more survivable than a commercial hull. Once established in service, the Zagros should offer Iran a valuable means of gathering intelligence on opposing forces not only in the Persian Gulf but also farther afield, including into the Arabian Sea and Red Sea. Here, it could be especially useful in the context of the growing hostilities between Iran and Israel, as well as the anti-shipping campaign currently being waged by the Iran-backed Houthi militia. A view of the Zagros underway, during helicopter operations. YouTube screencap/Iranian state media In recent years, however, Iran has also demonstrated a growing ability to project naval power over much greater distances. With this in mind, the Zagros might even end up making deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, from where it could also observe Israeli and other countries naval activities. Given the antagonism between Iran and the United States, the Zagros could also be used to monitor U.S. Navy carrier battle groups operating close to Iran or its interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With its new signals intelligence vessel, Iran has once again taken an unexpected path to expandings its naval capabilities. However, given the current tensions between Iran and its adversaries, and the growing number of theaters in which these are being played out, the Zagros looks like it could be headed for a busy career. Contact the author: thomas@thedrive.com By Timour Azhari LONDON (Reuters) - Iraq is trying to convince powerful armed factions in the country that have fought U.S. forces and fired rockets and drones at Israel to lay down their weapons or join official security forces, Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said. The push comes with a backdrop of seismic shifts in the Middle East that have seen Iran's armed allies in Gaza and Lebanon heavily degraded and Syria's government overthrown by rebels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incoming U.S. Trump administration promises to pile more pressure on Tehran, which has long backed a number of political parties and an array of armed factions in Iraq. Some Baghdad officials are concerned the status quo there may be upended next, but Hussein played this down in an interview with Reuters during an official visit to London. "We don't think that Iraq is the next," Hussein said. The government was in talks to rein in the groups while continuing to walk the tightrope between its ties to both Washington and Tehran, he said. "Two or three years ago it was impossible to discuss this topic in our society," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now, having armed groups functioning outside the state was not acceptable. "Many political leaders, many political parties started to raise a discussion, and I hope that we can convince the leaders of these groups to lay down their arms, and then to be part of the armed forces under the responsibility of the government," Hussein said. Iraq's balancing act has been tested by Iran-backed Iraqi armed groups' attacks on Israel and on U.S. troops in the country they say are in solidarity with Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war. A promised Gaza ceasefire has the government breathing a sight of relief, though uncertainty prevails over how the country may fare after Donald Trump becomes U.S. president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the last Trump presidency, relations grew tense as he ordered the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020, leading to an Iranian ballistic missile attack on an Iraqi base housing U.S. forces. "We hope that we can continue this good relationship with Washington," Hussein said. "It is too early now to talk about which policy President Trump is going to follow for Iraq or Iran." With Iraq trying to chart a diplomatic third-way, Hussein said Baghdad was ready to help diffuse tensions between Washington and Tehran if asked and noted previous mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran that paved the way for their normalization of relations in 2023. SYRIA Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armed revolution in neighbouring Syria has been viewed with concern. The Islamist rebels now in power in Damascus were among the Sunni Muslim militants that entered Shia-majority Iraq from Syria after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, fuelling years of sectarian war. Islamic State crossed the same way a decade later and undertook bloody massacres before being beaten back by a U.S.-led international military coalition and Iraqi security forces and Iran-aligned factions. Iraq will only be reassured about Syria when it sees an inclusive political process, Hussein said, adding Baghdad would supply the country with grain and oil once it could be assured it would go to all Syrians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baghdad was in talks with Syria's foreign minister over a visit to Iraq, he said. "We are worried about the ISIS, so we are in contact with the Syrian side to talk about these things, but at the end to have a stable Syria means to have the representative of all components in the political process." Baghdad and Washington last year agreed to end the U.S-led coalition's work by September 2026 and transition to bilateral military ties, but Hussein said that the developments in Syria would have to be watched. "In the first place, we are thinking about security of Iraq and stability in Iraq. If there will be a threat to our country, of course it will be a different story," he said. "But until this moment we don't see a threat." (Reporting by Timour Azhari in London; Editing by Angus MacSwan) Israel on Thursday delayed a Cabinet meeting to approve a ceasefire deal aimed at ending over 15 months of war in Gaza, accusing Islamist group Hamas of demanding last-minute concessions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said via his office that Hamas had refused to agree to all parts of the agreement, which covers the conditions for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The group was trying to force "concessions at the last minute," Netanyahu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal had only been announced on Wednesday evening, and is due to go into force on Sunday. The Israeli Cabinet meeting was originally scheduled for 11 am (0900 GMT) on Thursday. The Cabinet would meet to approve the deal "when the mediators inform Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," Netanyahu's office said. Hamas had caused a "crisis" in the negotiations, he said. Hamas has not made any comment on the accusations from Israel. According to the Israeli broadcaster Kan, one other reason for the postponement of the meeting may be that far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had not yet informed Netanyahu whether his party will leave the government in protest against the planned agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was officially announced by Qatar and US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, are reportedly still being finalized in Qatar. Israeli news website Ynet said that these talks involved "technical details" such as the exact composition of the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli prisons. The deal is aimed at ending the war which broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed out of Gaza and killed some 1,200 people in southern Israeli communities. Since then, the Palestinian authorities say more than 46,700 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. The figure, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified. Israel on Thursday delayed a Cabinet meeting to approve a ceasefire deal aimed at ending over 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, accusing Islamist group Hamas of demanding last-minute concessions even as Israeli warplanes continued their bombardment of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said via his office that Hamas had refused to agree to all parts of the agreement, which covers the conditions for a ceasefire and the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The group was trying to force "concessions at the last minute," Netanyahu said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal had only been announced on Wednesday evening, and is due to go into force on Sunday. The Israeli Cabinet meeting was originally scheduled for 11 am (0900 GMT) on Thursday. The Cabinet would meet to approve the deal "when the mediators inform Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," Netanyahu's office said. Hamas had caused a "crisis" in the negotiations, he said. Hamas has not made any comment on the accusations from Israel. According to the Israeli broadcaster Kan, one other reason for the postponement of the meeting may be that far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich had not yet informed Netanyahu whether his party will leave the government in protest against the planned agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details of the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, which was officially announced by Qatar and US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, are reportedly still being finalized in Qatar. Israeli news website Ynet said that these talks involved "technical details" such as the exact composition of the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released from Israeli prisons. The deal is aimed at ending the war which broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed out of Gaza and killed some 1,200 people in southern Israeli communities. Since then, the Palestinian authorities say more than 46,700 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. The figure, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified. Attacks in Gaza continue - dozens reported dead Israeli attacks on Gaza have apparently continued in force since the ceasefire deal was announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a Hamas civil defence spokesman, at least 40 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks throughout the coastal territory since Wednesday evening. Five people were killed in the shelling of a house west of Gaza City, the spokesman said. Palestinian news agency WAFA, citing medical sources in Gaza, reported that four people had been killed in the bombardment on a residential building in Gaza City. On Wednesday evening, WAFA reported 18 deaths in an Israeli attack on houses west of Gaza City and five more fatalities in airstrikes closer to the coast. The information could not initially be independently verified. Israel's army said it was investigating the reports. The Israeli military said meanwhile that one projectile was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Thursday morning, hitting open ground and causing no casualties. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused Hamas of reneging on parts of a ceasefire and hostage release agreement announced the day before. In a statement, Netanyahu said his Cabinet will not sign off on the deal until Hamas agrees to all parts of the arrangement. Hamas has reneged on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions, Netanyahu said in a statement Thursday. The Israeli Cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was not immediately clear whether the statement reflected efforts to keep his precarious coalition government together, as at least one far-right member threatened to thwart the deal, or whether the ceasefire was at risk. A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, said the group is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators, according to The Associated Press. The deal, expected to be implemented Sunday, would bring relief to nearly two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and allow for the return of dozens of hostages to Israel held in captivity since Hamass initial attack on Oct. 7, 2023. It would also open the door for a possible end to more than a year of fighting in the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, Netanyahus office said some details of the deal were still being worked out but said it was hopeful the deal would be finalized tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli Security Cabinet would need to vote to accept the terms of the ceasefire, and then a second vote would go before Israels parliament, the Knesset. If passed by both groups, there would also be time for appeals against the deal to be brought to the nations Supreme Court. The contours of the deal are nearly identical to President Bidens May proposal to begin a ceasefire and lead to a pathway to end the war. That proposal was endorsed by the United Nations Security Council during a vote in June. The first phase of the complex deal would begin with a six-week ceasefire and for the U.S.-designated terrorist group to release 33 hostages, including two Americans, out of an estimated 94 people both alive and dead whom it has held since Oct 7. Civilian women, women soldiers, children, the elderly, and the sick are expected to be released in the first phase. During this time, Israel would begin to withdraw its military from parts of the Gaza Strip described as population centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Negotiators from Israel and Hamas mediated by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar would use this time to work towards transitioning into a second phase, working out terms to extend the ceasefire permanently and end the war. Humanitarian aid would also flood the strip during this initial phase. Biden, during remarks from the White House Wednesday, said that if negotiations to get to a second phase of the deal took longer than six-weeks, the ceasefire should be extended. Negotiations will go forward for as long as it takes, Biden said. When phase 2 begins, there would be an exchange for the remaining living hostages, to include Israeli soldiers and the men of military age. Hamas also holds a third Israeli-American, Edan Alexander, who was serving in the Israel Defense Forces when he was kidnapped on Oct. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza and the temporary ceasefire will become permanent, Biden said. A third phase of the deal would include the release of the remains of hostages killed. Biden and President-elect Trump have both taken credit for the deal. Laura Kelly contributed. 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. NEW YORK (PIX11) A long-awaited ceasefire in the Middle East is closer than ever. Its a key milestone President Joe Biden highlighted Wednesday night in his farewell address to the nation. More Local News Twelve hundred Israelis were killed on October 7, which sparked a war that claimed at least 46,000 lives in Gaza. This [ceasefire] plan was developed by my team and will be implemented by the incoming administration, President Biden said from the Oval Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fate of 98 hostages will soon be known. Three local families of hostages are hoping to have their sons back, dead or alive. After 15 months of relentless bombardments, there was jubilation in Gaza and hope in Israel. The ceasefire deal, brokered with U.S. assistance, is set to start on Sunday. Israel has agreed to withdraw its troops from Gaza, while 33 American and Israeli hostages will be released over a six-week period. Two Americans to be released from Gaza in first phase of ceasefire deal In exchange, 1,000 Palestinian prisoners will be handed over, and 600 daily truckloads of humanitarian aid will flow into Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ruby Chen, a New York native whose son Itay was taken hostage on October 7, 2023, expressed his continued anguish. We were notified that hes not going to come back alive, but we have no proof, Chen said. Kamal Almashharawi, 25, fled the Gaza Strip last year with 30 family members. Two of my aunts and cousins werent hit by bombs but died of malnutrition, he said. Bullets and bombs were all over the place. We were in danger and about to be killed. Today, for us, is a relief. Families of the hostages have mixed emotions. There is a 42-day period before the second phase begins, Chen said. If theres anything thats predictable, its that everything is unpredictable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long Islands Omer Neutra had previously been declared dead. Meanwhile, Edan Alexander of New Jersey was recently seen in a hostage video. His parents in Tenafly are holding out hope. Edan, youre a hero, his mother Yael Alexander said. Youre strong and survived. Please survive more, and you will come back home. 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. By Andrew Mills, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Maayan Lubell DOHA/CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The Gaza Strip ceasefire should begin on Sunday as planned, despite the need for negotiators to tie up a "loose end" at the last minute, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday. With longstanding divisions apparent among ministers, Israel delayed cabinet meetings to ratify the ceasefire with Hamas, and media reports said voting could occur Friday or even Saturday, although the deal is expected to be approved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel blamed the militant group for the hold-up, even as Israeli warplanes pounded Gaza in some of the most intense strikes for months. Palestinian authorities said at least 86 people were killed in the day since the truce was unveiled. Hamas senior official Izzat el-Reshiq said the group remained committed to the ceasefire deal, which is scheduled to take effect from Sunday to halt 15 months of bloodshed. "It's not exactly surprising that in a process and negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end," Blinken told a press conference in Washington. "We're tying up that loose end as we speak." A U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the parties were making good progress in ironing out the last-minute obstacles. "I think were going to be okay," the official told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier the official said the sole remaining dispute was over the identities of some prisoners Hamas wanted released. Envoys of President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump were in Doha with Egyptian and Qatari mediators working to resolve it, the official said. Inside Gaza, joy over the truce gave way to sorrow and anger at the intensified bombardment that followed the announcement. Tamer Abu Shaaban's voice cracked as he stood over the tiny body of his young neice wrapped in a white shroud on the tile floor of a Gaza City morgue. She had been hit in the back with shrapnel from a missile as she played in the yard of a school where the family was sheltering, he said. "Is this the truce they are talking about? What did this young girl, this child, do to deserve this? What did she do to deserve this? Is she fighting you, Israel?" he asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire accord emerged on Wednesday after mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the U.S. to stop the war that began with deadly Hamas attacks on Israel and saw Israeli forces kill tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastate Gaza. The deal outlines a six-week initial ceasefire with the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces. Dozens of hostages taken by Hamas would be freed in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel. It paves the way for a surge in humanitarian aid for Gaza, where the majority of the population has been displaced, facing hunger, sickness and cold. Rows of aid trucks were lined up in the Egyptian border town of El-Arish waiting to cross into Gaza, once the border is reopened. Peace could also have wider benefits across the Middle East, including ending disruption to global trade from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement which has attacked ships in the Red Sea. The movement's leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi said his group would monitor the ceasefire and continue attacks if it is breached. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MEETING DELAYED Israel's acceptance of the deal will not be official until it is approved by the security cabinet and government. A vote had been expected on Thursday, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delayed the meeting, accusing Hamas of making last-minute demands. "The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement," Netanyahu's office said. Israeli media outlets reported the cabinet was expected to vote on Friday or Saturday, but the prime minister's office declined to comment on the timing. Hardliners in Netanyahu's government were still hoping to stop the deal, though a majority of ministers were expected to back it and ensure its approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hardline National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said on Thursday he would resign from the government if it ratifies the Gaza deal. But opposition leader Yair Lapid told the prime minister in a post on X that he would "get every safety net you need to make the hostage deal," suggesting opposition lawmakers would support the government to ensure the return of hostages. In Jerusalem, some Israelis marched through the streets carrying mock coffins in protest at the ceasefire, blocking roads and scuffling with police. Other protesters blocked traffic until security forces dispersed them. The agreement leaves the fate of most of the remaining 98 Israeli hostages still in Gaza unresolved for now. The list of 33 due to go free in the first phase includes women, children, elderly, sick and wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinians said they were desperate for the bombing to stop as soon as possible. "We lose homes every hour. We demand for this joy not to go away, the joy that was drawn on our faces - don't waste it by delaying the implementation of the truce until Sunday," said Mahmoud Abu Wardeh. Israel launched its campaign in Gaza after Hamas-led gunmen burst into Israeli border-area communities on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 soldiers and civilians and abducting over 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. If successful, the ceasefire would halt fighting that has razed much of heavily urbanised Gaza, killed over 46,000 people, and displaced most of the tiny enclave's pre-war population of 2.3 million, according to Gaza authorities. (Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha, Nidal al-Mughrabi in Cairo, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem, Jana Choukeir, Clauda Tanios and Nayera Abdallah in Dubai; additional reporting by James Mackenzie and Emily Rose, Howard Goller, Ramadan Abed, Steve Holland and Alexander Cornwell; Writing by Cynthia Osterman, Michael Georgy, Peter Graff; Editing by Sharon Singleton, Toby Chopra and Deepa Babington) WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) President Joe Biden says Israel and Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire deal to pause the war in Gaza and release hostages. President Biden says this was one of the toughest negotiations hes ever experienced, but it means dozens of hostages will be reunited with their families in just days and the people of Gaza will have the chance to recover after enduring months of deadly bombings. I am proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase one, said Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three-phase plan guarantees the release of dozens of hostages within six weeks. In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, said Biden. Following the news, crowds swarmed the streets of Tel Aviv and Gaza. On Capitol Hill, senators interrupted the confirmation hearing for President-elect Donald Trumps secretary of state. Republican senators quickly credited the incoming president for the agreement. I do believe President Trump had an impact on this deal, said Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas.). On Truth Social Trump wrote, This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer thanked negotiators from the Biden administration and Middle East who spent months working out the details. It couldnt have happened without steadfast diplomacy and until the potency of Hamas was radically reduced, said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.). Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn says hes waiting to read the details. The question is whats the price were paying, said Cornyn. The deal goes into effect on Sunday. 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 Queen City News. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office announced early Friday local time that Israel has finalized its ceasefire agreement with the militant group Hamas that will see the release of hostages held in Gaza. Netanyahu's office said in a statement that the prime minister "has been updated by the negotiating team that agreements have been reached on a deal for the release of the hostages." Netanyahu's security cabinet was meeting Friday to consider the deal. The exact details of the updated negotiations were not immediately provided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes after the two sides previously announced Wednesday that they had reached a ceasefire agreement, news which brought jubilation to thousands of people across the decimated Palestinian territory and in Israel. However, that joy was constrained by anxiety on Thursday, with those jitters fueled by both increasing bloodshed in Gaza and doubt cast by Israel's leader on the solidity of the deal announced the previous evening. Netanyahu said Thursday that a "last-minute crisis" with Hamas was delaying Israel's final approval of the long-sought truce. Israeli media reports suggested the delay was likely down to Netanyahu trying to buy time to deal with nationalist hardliners in his cabinet who've always fiercely opposed any agreement with Hamas. "We fully expect the deal to proceed as described yesterday, and on the timeline that we've laid out, so implementation beginning as soon as Sunday with a ceasefire and the release of the first hostages," U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor Jonathan Finer said Thursday on "CBS Mornings," acknowledging "a set of implementation details and conditions that are going to be a challenge throughout the implementation of this deal, which is going to extend well into the next administration." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finer said President Biden had spoken with Netanyahu "twice in the last few days, including yesterday after the agreement was reached in Doha." The deal is a fragile one, and the logistics of it will be extremely complex even Hamas getting the hostages safely to a handover point will present significant security challenges. The agreement is not set to take effect until Sunday, and with Israel's military increasing attacks in Gaza rather than easing them in the wake of the deal and none of the roughly 100 hostages expected to come home for several days nobody who spoke with CBS News on either side of the border seemed ready to take for granted the peace looming tantalizingly just over the horizon. In Gaza, "a new chance to live" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Gazans, it was the best possible news. Hearing that the relentless bombing of their towns and villages would stop on Sunday brought overwhelming relief and joy. One little boy who spoke to CBS News' team in the enclave summed it up in three words: "We're going home!" Mahmood Kurdia, who's been living in the southern city of Khan Younis after being forced from his home in northern Gaza, said he couldn't wait to get back, even though he knows he has virtually nothing to go back to. "I want to go back home to see my family, my neighbors and my home. Even though my home is just ruins now, but I still want to see it. I want to remove the rubble and put my tent on the top of the ruins and say to Israel that I'm back," he told CBS News on Wednesday." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like everyone else, however, he was keenly aware that peace, if it is coming, is still three days away. Israel appeared to ramp up its strikes Wednesday evening, killing more than 70 people between the ceasefire deal being announced and Thursday morning, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health and the enclave's Civil Defense rescue agency. Both agencies told CBS News that the dead including 21 children and 24 women. People look at damage caused by an Israeli airstrike that hit tents outside a mosque in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, after an Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement was announced by the U.S. and Qatar, Jan. 15, 2025. / Credit: CBS News Still, Kurdia couldn't help cling to hope. "This news means a new chance to live," he said. "This means a new chance for us to live and watch our children live, grow and get education. It is just a new hope for survival. This is the ceasefire deal we hope to get." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli hostage's cousin happy but "not breathing" In Tel Aviv, a small crowd gathered Wednesday night on the spot where protesters have, week after week, demanded that Israel's government bring the remaining hostages home. Yifat Kalderon was among them. Her cousin Ofer was among the 251 people kidnapped during Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack that saw militants kill some 1,200 people, and which sparked the war that has raged for almost 480 days. Ofer was among the dozens of people kidnapped by the gunmen who stormed Kibbutz Nir Oz. Over the age of 50, he should be among the hostages released by Hamas in the first phase of the three-phase ceasefire agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But asked if she felt a huge relief on Wednesday night, Kalderon made it clear that emotion would have to wait. "No," she said. "I'm going to feel a huge relief when it's going to be done. When are we going to get all the 90-98 hostages alive and the dead ones back home." Ifat Kalderon, cousin of Israeli hostage Ofer Kalderon, holds up a sign with his photo during a demonstration in Tel Aviv, Israel, Jan. 15, 2025. / Credit: Matan Golan/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty With bombs still falling in Gaza and little to indicate any new level of trust between Israel and Hamas, hostages' families all across Israel were left to keep waiting, and worrying about everything that could still go wrong. "I'm not saying that I'm not happy," Kalderon said. "But I'm trying to, you know, take care of myself, not to be, you know, I don't want to - I want to see them, first of all. Until I'm going to see them crossing the border I'm not going to believe anything." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not breathing until that we're going to get them all back home." NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury What still needs to happen before Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal is implemented A good deal is one in which everyone walks away happy or everyone walks away mad. The moods must match. By this standard, the deal between Israel and Hamas is good but not great: Both groups are relishing what they are getting, and choking a bit on what they have given up. Israel is choking more than Hamas. There will be scenes of jubilation and triumph from Gazans and Israelis, and efforts by both sides leadership to spin the Gaza war as a victory. But for Israel and Gaza, the past 15 months have been a miserable failure, and from the perspective of negotiation, the only good news is that both sides taste some of the bitterness. No hostages have been freed yet, and the cease-fire doesnt start until Sunday, so all reports so far remain speculative and optimistic. The terms resemble those leaked over the past week. Israel will release a large number of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas will release in tranches the remaining hostages, living and dead, whom it seized on October 7, 2023. Nearly 100 remain. The two sides will stop fighting for 42 days, with the aim (again, speculative) of making that cease-fire permanent and ending the war. The unaccounted-for Israeli hostages include civilians, among them the Bibas children, who were nine months old and 4 years old when they were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, after the slaughter of their grandparents. Hamass failure even to acknowledge whether these children are alive, or to allow welfare checks by the Red Crescent, has done much to convince Israelis that negotiation with the group is pointless. Why talk with someone too sadistic to let you know whether they have shot a baby or fed him? Taking civilian hostages is a war crime, and negotiating with a group that brags about taking them is more like negotiating with the Joker than with Nelson Mandela. The act of kidnapping a child is particularly taxing on ones moral imagination. Its no surprise that negotiations have faltered so far. Negotiating demands trust, and its hard to trust someone who snatched a baby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Franklin Foer: How Netanyahu misread his relationship with Trump] From the beginning of the war, Israel has struggled to define its goalsin part because it is, as a country, so divided about its nature and purpose that any real goal articulated would be unsatisfactory to a large portion of its population. It was left instead with reassuring but vague slogans. Free the hostages was a defensible one from the startthe objective was just, and within Israels rightsbut it concealed many harder strategic questions. What if freeing the hostages involved freeing murderers and terrorists from Israeli prisons? Evidently it does. What if their freedom was conditional on letting Hamas survive and rule Gaza? Evidently it is. Gaza is wrecked, and tens of thousands of its people are dead. But Hamas is still the only armed force likely to rule Gaza when Israel withdraws. If the intention is to end the war, then the war will end with Hamas bloodied but unbowed. Israel estimates that only two of Hamass battalions remain intact, but the analyst Seth Frantzman, a professional Bad News Bear on this topic, has listed the evidence that perhaps a dozen battalions worth of Hamas fighters have survived. Moreover, the plans for a post-Hamas Gaza amount to squat. For more than a year, Israel and its allies have been pondering a role for the Palestinian Authority, or the Gulf States, or Egypt in providing security forces in a post-Hamas Gaza. I wonder about the mental health of those proposing this option. Are these security forces in the room with us right now? So far there is no prospect that any such group will materialize, or that anyone will want to send soldiers into a rubble-strewn urban combat zone, to contend with Hamas fighters who are themselves reluctant to disarm. Hamas will celebrate this deal, because it will survive, and by its survival it will demonstrate the failure of the other slogan Israel adopted, which was Destroy Hamas. That slogan, too, was easy and just. But like Free the hostages, it left all the big questions unanswered, and looming ahead of it like thunderclouds. The first question was whether Israel was willing to inflict collateral civilian casualties, and absorb military casualties, at a level that experts thought would be necessary to accomplish its goal. This question is partially answered: Israel has by its own account inflicted many civilian casualties, and taken remarkably few military casualties of its own. (Before the war, analysts predicted thousands of Israeli soldiers dead in tunnel-clearing operations.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second question about the slogan was whether Hamass destruction meant what it seemed to mean. When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used it, it sounded a lot like eradication, so that Hamas would cease to exist in any form, the way ETA and the Red Army Faction have. It would lose and close up shop, without even maintaining a token website or leaving a masked dead-ender broadcasting from a basement somewhere. The other possible interpretation of destroy would be merely to destroy Hamass ability to perpetrate another attack like October 7. The latter, reduced version of the slogan offered a better chance of success. But it is also less satisfying, and no longer fits on a bumper sticker. When I talked with Israeli national-security officials last year, the most realistic of them spoke of Gazas future as resembling the West Bank today. The Palestinian population would live unhappily, but under the day-to-day administration of a Palestinian government. Israel would go in regularly on missions to kill or capture Hamas members. This vision is consistent with the more limited version of Israels goal for Hamas: to reduce it to a permanent but manageable problem. A cease-fire in Gaza, as of right now, will leave Hamas in power at a level well beyond manageable for Israel. It will probably postpone large-scale fighting rather than end it for good. There has always been one further Israeli goalless often articulated publicly, but shared by most Israelis and certainly by their government. That is to establish regret among Gazans for the October 7 attacks, and deterrence for future ones. Deterrence means asking Hamas, Do you enjoy the fruits of your actions? It means asking Gazans, Are you willing to accept what Hamas has dragged you into? The most distressing thing about this hostage deal is that Gazans might regret the results of the October 7 attack, but Hamas is still celebrating it. Hamas is a military organization; militaries fight, and Hamas just fought a better-armed opponent to a draw. [Yair Rosenberg: Trump made the Gaza cease-fire happen] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tempering this enthusiasm is a downward trend in its allies fortunes. In the days after October 7, Israel was skittish and concerned, because it looked possible that Hezbollah would take advantage of the countrys post-raid shock to enter the war from the north. It was not obvious that Israel, having failed to defend itself against an attack in the south, could withstand a much more formidable one in the north. After Israels largely successful war with Hezbollah at the end of last year, and the downfall of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, Israel has removed, at least temporarily, two major potential distractions. Hamas now knows that it has Israels undivided attentionand that prospect may have motivated it to consider offers of negotiation that it rejected months ago. In the end, the most promising aspect of the deal is that it breaks a streak of nearly a year, during which the war in Gaza went on and on, without any clearly articulated end point or plan. Israel fought Hamas and degraded it. But fighting is a tool rather than an objective; a cease-fire at least gives civilians on both sides a spell of relief, and a moment to pause and figure out what they want out of what comes next. Article originally published at The Atlantic Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened on Thursday to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government if it agrees to the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip, which includes the release of hostages. At a press conference, he criticized the fact that the agreement with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which mediators announced on Wednesday evening, would enable the terrorist groups in Gaza to regroup and once again become a threat to the residents in southern Israel. The agreement reached after months of indirect negotiations involves a multi-stage process aimed at ending the fighting in the Gaza Strip and securing the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas as well as the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement is set to take effect on Sunday at 1015 GMT. Netanyahu has not yet confirmed the agreement. As some details remain unresolved, negotiations were continuing on Thursday in the Qatari capital, Doha. Meetings of the Israeli security Cabinet and the entire government, originally planned for Thursday, have been postponed. These bodies still need to approve the Gaza agreement. According to Israeli media reports, they are scheduled to meet on Friday. However, there was no confirmation from Netanyahu's side initially. Ben-Gvir leads the far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism party, could also oppose the ceasefire agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its approval by the security Cabinet and the entire government is considered assured, but if Ben-Gvir and possibly Smotrich were to exit the coalition, Netanyahu would lose his government majority in parliament. Opposition leader Yair Lapid had already announced that he would be willing to provide Netanyahu with a "safety net" in parliament for a hostage deal in such a case. Despite disagreements, hope remains Earlier on Thursday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog voiced optimism, saying he expects the negotiations in Qatar to reach a swift conclusion. "There are tough negotiations over a very important detail, and I hope and expect they will be finalized as soon as possible," he said during a meeting with relatives of hostages, according to his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The US government also expects that the timetable will be adhered to. "I fully expect that implementation will begin, as we said, on Sunday," said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a press conference in Washington. He stated that it was "not exactly surprising" that there were still details to be resolved at the end of such difficult negotiations, adding that efforts were currently underway to address them. Netanyahu accused Hamas on Thursday of demanding last-minute concessions even as Israeli warplanes continued their bombardment of Gaza. Hamas dismissed the allegation and affirmed its commitment to the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal is aimed at ending the war which broke out on October 7, 2023, when Hamas-led terrorists stormed out of Gaza and killed some 1,200 people in southern Israeli communities. Since then, the Palestinian authorities say more than 46,700 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza. Attacks in Gaza continue, with dozens reported dead Israeli attacks on Gaza apparently continued in force since the ceasefire deal was announced. According to a Hamas civil defence spokesman, at least 71 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks throughout the coastal territory since Wednesday evening. Most of the casualties were in Gaza City. Children and women are reportedly among the dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The information could not initially be independently verified. Israel's army said it was investigating the reports. The Israeli military said meanwhile that one projectile was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel on Thursday morning, hitting open ground and causing no casualties. Elsewhere, the Houthi militia in Yemen has threatened further attacks on Israel if the country does not respect the agreed ceasefire, leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stated in a televised address on Thursday. WHO: billions needed for reconstruction of Gaza The reconstruction of hospitals and medical practices in the Gaza Strip will reportedly cost several billion dollars, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initial estimates suggest that around $3 billion is required for the health sector alone over the next 18 months. For a time frame of five to seven years, the demand is expected to reach $10 billion, said Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative responsible for the Palestinian Territories. He provided these figures during a WHO press conference. "The destruction is so massive, I have never seen that anywhere in my life," said Peeperkorn, who has often been on site since the start of the Israeli war against the Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Virtually every hospital and medical practice has either been destroyed or damaged, he said. Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened on Thursday to leave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government if it agrees to the ceasefire agreement for the Gaza Strip. At a press conference, he criticized that the agreement with the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, which mediators announced on Wednesday evening, would enable the terrorist groups in Gaza to regroup and once again become a threat to the residents in southern Israel. The agreement reached after months of indirect negotiations involves a multi-stage process aimed at ending the fighting in the Gaza Strip and securing the release of hostages kidnapped by Hamas. The agreement is set to take effect on Sunday at 1015 GMT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu has not yet confirmed the agreement. As some details remain unresolved, negotiations were continuing on Thursday in the Qatari capital, Doha. Meetings of the Israeli security Cabinet and the entire government, originally planned for Thursday, have been postponed. These bodies still need to approve the Gaza agreement. Israeli strikes killed at least 86 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip since the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, Gaza's Civil Defence body in the Hamas-run territory said. More than 250 other people were injured in Israeli attacks, they added. The strikes came despite the ceasefire agreement announced on Wednesday after weeks of intense negotiations in Doha, Qatar. The final round of talks followed more than a year of failed efforts to reach an accord. PHOTO: A Palestinian child sits amid the rubble of buildings destroyed in previous Israeli strikes in Gaza City on Jan. 16, 2025. (Mahmoud Issa/Reuters) MORE: Middle East live updates: IDF will stay in Gaza's Philadelphi corridor, source says Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first of three ceasefire phases is set to go into force on Sunday, though is still pending approval by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet. If the first is successful, the second phase will begin after 42 days, according to Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who announced the deal in Doha. On Thursday, Netanyahu's office accused Hamas of trying to renege on parts of the deal, an allegation Hamas denied, saying in a statement that "The organization is committed to the ceasefire agreement announced by the mediators." Mediators hope the nascent ceasefire will form a roadmap to end more than 15 months of conflict in Gaza, which has devastated the Palestinian territory and created a vast humanitarian crisis. MORE: How Israel-Hamas agreement came to be amid false starts, recriminations and deaths of key players Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaza Health Ministry officials said Thursday that at least 46,788 Palestinians had been killed and 110,453 injured in the strip since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a terrorist attack on southern Israel. Some 1,200 people in Israel were killed in the attack, with 253 more taken hostage by militants, according to Israeli officials. Following several rounds of hostage releases, Israeli officials say 94 abductees remain in Gaza, including 34 who have been confirmed dead. Four more hostages abducted in 2014 are still being held in Gaza by Hamas, two of whom are believed to be alive. PHOTO: This picture taken from the Israeli side of the border with the Gaza Strip shows smoke plumes rising from explosions above destroyed buildings in the northern Gaza Strip on Jan. 16, 2025. (Menahem Kahana/AFP via Getty Images) MORE: Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire and hostage release deal More than 400 Israeli soldiers and security personnel have been killed during the fighting inside Gaza, nine of whom were killed in the past week, the IDF said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israel Defense Forces claims to have killed more than 15,000 Hamas fighters and other militants throughout the course of the war. Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif were among those killed since October 2023. ABC News' Samy Zyara, Diaa Ostaz, Nasser Atta, Meredith Deliso, Somayeh Malekian and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report. Israeli strikes kill 86 in Gaza since ceasefire announced, officials say originally appeared on abcnews.go.com While organizations pour resources into advanced threat detection systems and cutting-edge security tools, they often miss fundamental elements that could make or break their cybersecurity defenses. These overlooked components create vulnerabilities that sophisticated attackers are all too happy to exploit. The Hardware Foundation of Security Security discussions often focus on software solutions, but hardware infrastructure plays an equally critical role in your defensive strategy. Just as a house needs a solid foundation, your cybersecurity framework requires reliable, secure hardware components. Consider your network's physical infrastructure. Companies like Fairview Microwave demonstrate how high-quality RF and microwave components serve as the bedrock of secure communications systems. A compromised hardware connection can render the most sophisticated encryption useless. Your security chain is only as strong as its weakest physical link. Physical security extends beyond just protecting server rooms. It encompasses every device, cable, and connection point in your network. Each represents a potential entry point for attackers. Yet many organizations neglect regular hardware audits and maintenance, creating blind spots in their security posture. Cloud Security Misconfigurations: The Hidden Threat While cloud services offer tremendous benefits, they also introduce new security challenges. Misconfigurations in cloud environments have become one of the leading causes of data breaches. Many organizations incorrectly assume their cloud providers handle all security aspects, creating dangerous gaps in their defensive strategy. Common oversights include improper access controls, unsecured storage buckets, and inadequate encryption settings. Your cloud security requires the same rigorous attention as on-premises systems. Regular cloud security audits, proper configuration management, and clear responsibility assignments between your team and cloud providers become essential. Don't let the convenience of cloud services lull you into a false sense of security. The Human Element: Beyond Basic Training While most organizations implement some form of security training, many miss the deeper human factors that influence security behaviors. Standard compliance training often fails to address the psychological aspects of cybersecurity. Your employees need more than just rules and procedures. They need to understand the 'why' behind security protocols. When staff members grasp how their actions impact overall security, they become active participants in your defense strategy rather than passive rule-followers. Consider these often-overlooked aspects of human security: Personal investment in security outcomes Understanding of threat consequences Confidence in reporting suspicious activities Knowledge of incident response procedures Awareness of social engineering tactics Documentation: The Silent Guardian Most organizations maintain some security documentation, but few treat it with the attention it deserves. Comprehensive, updated documentation serves as your organization's institutional memory and emergency response guide. Your documentation should cover: Network architecture and changes Security incident responses Configuration management Access control protocols Emergency procedures Poor documentation can paralyze your response during a security incident. When systems fail, clear procedures and accurate network maps become invaluable tools for recovery. Asset Management: Know Your Territory You can't protect what you don't know exists. Many organizations lack a complete inventory of their digital assets. Shadow IT, forgotten servers, and undocumented devices create security blind spots that attackers can exploit. Regular asset audits should identify not just devices and software, but also data flows and access points. Understanding how information moves through your organization helps identify potential vulnerabilities and critical control points. Incident Response Testing While most organizations have incident response plans, few test them regularly under realistic conditions. Your security plan is theoretical until you've practiced it under pressure. Regular drills reveal gaps in procedures and prepare teams for actual emergencies. Testing should simulate various scenarios, from ransomware attacks to data breaches. These exercises build muscle memory for emergency responses and highlight areas needing improvement. The Basics Still Matter In the rush to implement advanced security measures, organizations often neglect fundamental practices: Regular password updates Patch management Access control reviews Backup verification Network segmentation These basic elements form the foundation of effective security. Without them, advanced security tools become expensive window dressing on a vulnerable system. Building a Resilient Security Culture Technical solutions alone can't create a secure organization. You need to build a culture where security consciousness becomes second nature. This means moving beyond periodic training to create an environment where security awareness infuses daily operations. Your security culture should encourage open communication about potential threats and near-misses. When employees feel comfortable reporting security concerns without fear of blame, you gain valuable early warning systems for potential threats. Supply Chain Security: The Extended Perimeter Your security perimeter extends far beyond your organization's walls. Third-party vendors, suppliers, and service providers all represent potential vulnerabilities in your security chain. Recent high-profile breaches have demonstrated how attackers can target an organization through its less-secure partners and suppliers. This interconnected risk requires thorough vendor assessment protocols and continuous monitoring of third-party access points. You need clear visibility into how external partners interact with your systems and data. Implement strict access controls, regular security audits, and clear security requirements for all business partners. Remember that your security is only as strong as your weakest third-party connection. Conclusion The path to improved cybersecurity doesn't always require expensive new tools. Often, it starts with strengthening these overlooked fundamentals. By addressing these essential elements, you create a more resilient security posture that can better withstand modern threats. Remember: sophisticated attacks often succeed by exploiting basic vulnerabilities. Don't let the pursuit of advanced solutions distract you from maintaining strong security fundamentals. Despite ongoing disputes over the details of a ceasefire deal in the Gaza war, Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed optimism on Thursday that the talks in Qatar would be concluded swiftly. "There are tough negotiations over a very important detail, and I hope and expect they will be finalized as soon as possible," he said during a meeting with relatives of hostages, according to his office. On Wednesday, mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States announced a ceasefire-hostage release Gaza deal, set to come into effect on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the statement, Israel and Hamas agreed on a ceasefire, the release of hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the Palestinian Islamist organization on Thursday of refusing to agree to parts of the agreement. Hamas rejected the accusation and declared it supports the agreement. ROME (AP) After forging unexpectedly fond ties with U.S. President Joe Biden, Italys right-wing Premier Giorgia Meloni is poised to leverage a more natural alliance with President-elect Donald Trump that positions her as a key interlocutor between the U.S. and Europe. Weeks before Trump's inauguration, Meloni met him at his Mar-a-Lago retreat, a visit that she said went beyond expectations. The trip, she said, "was an opportunity to confirm a relationship that promises to be very solid, adding diplomatically, I dont know if I can say privileged. A strong trans-Atlantic relationship between two conservative governments creates an added value, not only for Italy but for Europe as a whole, she told journalists this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It remains to be seen to whose advantage the relationship will be, with some observers saying that Meloni could either become a Trump whisperer, exerting influence, or a Trojan horse in Europe for Trumps purposes. Its clear that if Trump is looking for a person to call in Europe when in need, Meloni is the one, said Franco Pavoncello, political science professor and president of Romes John Cabot University. Around her in Europe, it's a desert. Meloni projects stability Known for its rotating governments that rarely complete full parliamentary terms, Italy is in the unusual position of being the most stable government among major European and G-7 allies, as Germany, France and even Canada struggle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meloni has led her once-fringe, post-fascist party from the extreme right to more mainstream positions, especially on foreign policy. She gained ground as a leading political figure in Europe after her far-right Brothers of Italy party scored a sound performance in the EU election last June. The 48-year-old Italian leader made the trip to Florida as her government was working to win the release from Iran of an Italian journalist who was arrested in mid-December. Within days of her return, the journalist, Cecilia Sala, was released in what Meloni described as diplomatic triangulation between the U.S., Italy and Iran. Four days later, Italy freed an Iranian citizen held on a U.S. warrant. Elon Musk a Trump ally who was reportedly contacted by Salas family acknowledged Thursday on his social platform X that he played a small role. In another reply to a tweet, he said he did not have any interaction with Iran. Just recommended support from the US side. Meloni had denied any direct Trump involvement in the deal and said she wasn't aware if Musk had. But regardless, her defense minister said the images of Meloni standing alongside Trump reinforced her credibility at a critical juncture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meloni and Trump as natural allies On ideological grounds, Meloni is a natural ally for the incoming U.S. president. She has taken on migration, seeking deals with African nations to discourage departures and is determined to vet male asylum seekers at two centers Italy built in Albania. Her government also has adopted conservative family policies, including a ban on surrogacy and has taken action meant to curb abortions. The personal chemistry between Trump and Meloni is also evident and reinforces her chances to become his go-to leader in Europe. The two were seen locked in discussions during celebrations for the reopening of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral on Dec. 7, when they set in motion the Mar-a-Lago visit. Meloni also has a well-documented friendship with key Trump adviser, Musk. The Italian prime minister is one of just a handful of world leaders who will likely attend Trumps inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20, confirming the strong ties with the U.S. administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Common ground with center-left Biden More surprising was Melonis strong relationship with Biden, who initially viewed Melonis rise to power as a harbinger of a rightward shift in global politics. But Bidens concerns about her ideology were eased by her support for Ukraine in its effort to repel Russias grinding invasion and her openness to pulling back from Italys participation in Chinas infrastructure-building Belt and Road Initiative. The two met at least twice in Washington, highly unusual for an Italian leader in just two years in office. Biden had even planned to make his last overseas trip as president this month to Italy. That trip, however, was scrapped at the last minute so Biden could stay in Washington to oversee the federal response to wildfires devastating Los Angeles. Instead, Biden and Meloni spoke by phone last Friday. The White House said Biden expressed his appreciation to Meloni for Italys support for Ukraine as well as the countrys leadership at the G7, NATO and European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Risks of the Meloni-Trump relationship Melonis pro-Atlantic position, which secured her ties with Biden, may prove a challenge to a Trump relationship. Trump is pushing NATO allies to increase their spending to 5% of national output, with Italy one of just eight members that falls below the 2% defense spending target. On Ukraine, the Trump administration will try to find a way to dialogue with Russia to reach a solution and will likely ask Europe to do more, said Mario Del Pero, expert of transatlantic relations and professor of international history at SciencesPo in Paris. That will put Italy in a tough spot. Meloni has already been forced to comment on Trumps recent expansionist rhetoric, telling reporters that his comments about annexing Greenland, Canada and Panama were meant as a deterrent, a forceful message to other big global players rather than a hostile action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Italys economy would also be challenged by Trumps pledge of tariffs on exports, which at 10% could cost Italy's export-driven economy up to $7 billion, according to a study by the Prometeia risk analysis firm. Italy has a trade surplus of 42 billion euros with the United States, its second export partner after Germany. The bottom line, according to analysts, is that Meloni remains a true nationalist, who will protect Italian interests before all else. That could turn in Europes favor, for example in the case of trade tariff wars or defense spending clashes. But it may prove disruptive for European unity in the long term. Already a reported deal with Musk's SpaceX to provide communications through the Starlink technology to Italian institutions threatens to undermine the Iris2 orbital constellation of 290 satellites led by a European consortium that includes Italian defense contractor Leonardo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its naive to imagine that shell be able to defend EU interests, while she will more likely act as a Trojan horse for Trump into Europe, said Nathalie Tocci, director of Rome-based Institute of International Affairs. When she faces tough choices, the euro-skeptic way is where she always ends up going, because its where her heart truly beats. ___ Aamer Madhani in Washington, D.C. contributed. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto arrived in Kyiv on Jan. 16 for a "series of institutional meetings," Italy's Defense Ministry announced. Crosetto arrived in Kyiv on the same day as U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is in the Ukrainian capital to sign a "100 Year Partnership" agreement and discuss further cooperation with President Volodymyr Zelensky. The Italian ministry did not reveal who is Crosetto expected to meet or the topic of the discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The European officials are visiting Ukraine mere days before the start of Donald Trump's presidency, which could have a major impact on the progress of the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump has pledged to push both sides to the negotiating table and reportedly backed the idea of European partners deploying peacekeepers to monitor a potential ceasefire. Crosetto previously voiced support for the idea, suggesting Italy is open to joining the peacekeeping mission. Starmer is also expected to discuss the topic with Zelensky during his visit. Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, Italy has delivered 10 military aid packages, including advanced SAMP/T air defenses, to Ukraine. The country's cabinet recently approved the extension of the assistance for Ukraine throughout 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: UK PM Starmer visits Kyiv to sign 100 Year Partnership with Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. This is the final tax year for a cap on the federal government's State and Local Tax (SALT) deduction, which reduces your IRS income tax bill based on taxes you've already paid to state and local governments. Incoming President Donald Trump and Congress will likely negotiate a replacement, however. Raising the cap is also on the table. What is the SALT deduction? A significant portion of federal tax income is distributed throughout the country for state and local government priorities. In an effort to avoid double taxation, Congress created the State and Local Tax Deduction. It's been on the books in some form for over a century, even before the United States had a permanent federal income tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump signed a law that capped the deduction at $10,000 during his first term in office. That means if you can prove you paid up to $10,000 on local income and property tax, your federal income tax liability can be reduced by that much. In other words, once you've already paid $10,000 in taxes to state and local governments, the IRS lets you subtract that much from what you owe to them. That part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 expires at the end of this year. Who takes the SALT deduction? Many taxpayers aren't directly affected by the SALT deduction and instead, take the standard deduction when filling out federal tax forms. Using the standard deduction is easier to calculate since it does not require taxpayers to itemize their deductions. Instead, it's mostly used by people with valuable property or high income who also live in places that have a high tax rate. According to an analysis by the nonprofit Tax Foundation, more taxpayers claim the deduction in states like California and New York, with concentrated pockets of taxpayers around Denver, Salt Lake City and other wealthy cities. Will the SALT deduction cap be extended? Extending the cap will likely be among the policy issues discussed in the halls of Congress this year since it expires in December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blue-state Republicans recently met with Trump and came out of the meeting confident that not only will the cap be extended, but would be increased, according to Roll Call. Doing so would let the administration claim an early victory on tax cuts. Negotiations over increasing the SALT deduction cap include talks of doubling it to $20,000 or even allowing federal tax filers to deduct up to $60,000. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What is the SALT tax deduction? What to know about cap, possible changes JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade plans to meet with state lawmakers in order to discuss funding for the Jackson Police Department (JPD). Wade said he will meet with State Senator John Horhn (D-District 26) to discuss ways the department can secure additional funding. Gluckstadt prepares for first city election after incorporation According to the police chief, JPD reported an 81% solvability rate on all crimes in 2024. He wants to continue to improve on the work the department has done, but they need the latest technology and additional resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jackson City Council recently approved 16 new license plate readers and 15 new patrol cars for JPD. We have a large issue in the City of Jackson with individuals being lawless and reckless, going out into their yard, firing rounds in the air. So, Im going to be asking for technology to help us, you know, locate these individuals shooting these firearms. I would hope that the state invests in the City of Jackson, as well, Wade said. The police chief said JPD will introduce the new patrol cars later this month. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan is hosting a series of town halls to talk about her budget priorities. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< She wants to update residents on a range of city projects and initiatives, according to a news release. The events are free and open to the public. You dont need to register. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Here is a list of the meetings: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jan. 27: Legends Center, 5130 Soutel Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32208 -- 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 4: Ed White High School, 1700 Old Middleburg Rd N, Jacksonville, FL 32210 -- 6-7 p.m. Feb. 5: Beaches Watch Meeting at Beaches Branch Library, 600 3rd St, Neptune Beach, FL 32266 -- 7-8 p.m. Feb. 18: Atlantic Coast High School, 9735 R G Skinner Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32256 -- 6-7:30 p.m. Mar. 4: Riverside High School, 1200 McDuff Ave S, Jacksonville, FL 32205 -- 6-7:30 p.m. Mar. 11: First Coast High School, 590 Duval Station Rd, Jacksonville, FL 32218 -- 6-7:30 p.m. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. Jair Bolsonaro has said he was so fired up after receiving an invitation to Donald Trumps inauguration that he stopped taking Viagra. The former Brazilian president is one of a number of foreign dignitaries Mr Trump has invited to the ceremony on Jan 20, including Javier Milei, the Argentine leader, and Xi Jinping, the Chinese president. Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Bolsonaro told The New York Times: Im feeling like a kid again with Trumps invite. Im fired up. Im not even taking Viagra anymore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps gesture is something to be proud of, right? Whos Trump? The most important guy in the world. Jair Bolsonaro presents Donald Trump with a Brazil football team shirt at the White House in 2019 - Getty Images North America Posting on X, formerly Twitter, last week, Mr Bolsonaro expressed his honour at receiving the invitation and said that his lawyer had asked Brazils supreme court to release his passport, which was confiscated as part of a criminal investigation. However, the former South American leaders plans appear to have been scuppered on Thursday after a supreme court justice rejected his request. Mr Bolsonaros travel documents were seized last year as part of an investigation into allegations that he plotted to stage a coup after losing Brazils 2022 election to current president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who did not receive an inauguration invite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The embattled former president is the subject of three separate criminal investigations one alleging involvement in a plot to kill Mr da Silva and he faces the prospect of jail time following a high-profile trial likely to take place later this year. Im being watched all the time, Mr Bolsonaro, 69, told The New York Times. I think the system doesnt want me locked up; it wants me eliminated. Mr Bolsonaro shakes hands with Mr Trump in 2019 - The Washington Post He has been banned from running for office until 2030 as part of the allegations against him, but the re-election of Mr Trump has given the former army captain hope of a potential lifeline. Nicknamed the Trump of the Tropics, Mr Bolsonaro shares similar views to the president-elect and his tech billionaire allies on freedom of speech, and the pair became close when their tenures overlapped in 2019-20. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Bolsonaro has long railed against Brazils supreme court over the censorship of conservative voices, which culminated in Elon Musks social media platform, X, briefly being banned in Brazil last year. Mr Bolsonaro praised the announcement earlier this month by Mark Zuckerberg, the billionaire owner of Facebook, that the social media networks parent company would ditch fact checkers to support freedom of speech. Im liking Zuckerberg, he told the NY Times. Welcome to the world of good people, of freedom. Addressing how Mr Trumps return to power could aid his legal and political difficulties, Mr Bolsonaro said: Im not going to try to give Trump any tips, ever But I hope his politics really spill over into Brazil. 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. TALLAHASSEE Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday said he plans to elevate one of his closest allies, James Uthmeier, to be the states attorney general. Uthmeiers likely new role results from a political domino chain set off by President-elect Donald Trump nominating U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida as his secretary of state. DeSantis on Thursday announced he is appointing Attorney General Ashley Moody to fill Rubios Senate seat, and said he expects to choose Uthmeier to backfill Moodys job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My chief of staff James Uthmeier is kind of like Ashley. Hes proven himself in these fights, and I think hes got big shoes to fill but I think hell do a good job doing that, DeSantis said. Im not going to make the appointment before its available but I think that thats something that will happen. Once officially appointed, Uthmeier would serve as attorney general until the 2026 election. In a social media post, Uthmeier said that he was honored and humbled to be appointed by DeSantis. Im excited to get to work, build on (Moodys) fine record, help enact the (Trump) agenda, and defend our people, our constitution, and our Florida way of life! Uthmeier said on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what to know about him. He managed DeSantis presidential campaign DeSantis, in his ultimately unsuccessful run for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, faced poor polling and financial woes. So in August 2023, he tapped Uthmeier to replace his campaign manager. Uthmeier took a leave of absence as DeSantis' chief of staff to manage the campaign; when the campaign ended, he returned to his post in the governors office. Hes been in DeSantis office since 2019 Uthmeier joined the governors office in March 2019 and has been DeSantis' chief of staff since October 2021. He started his career with the governors office as deputy general counsel, according to his LinkedIn, and was elevated to general counsel in October 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of his work for the governor, Uthmeier directed the judicial nominations process, according to his self-provided biography on the Federalist Society website. In Florida, judicial nominating commissions submit a handful of names to the governor, who has final say on whom to appoint as a new judge. In his current role, Uthmeier makes $201,724. He worked in Washington for the Trump administration Uthmeier grew up in Florida and got his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, then left the state for Washington for several years. Uthmeier graduated from Georgetown Law School in 2014. While in college, he worked as a law clerk for Rubio from December 2012 to January 2014, according to Uthmeiers LinkedIn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then worked as an associate at the major Washington-based law firm Jones Day before joining the Trump administration in the U.S. Department of Commerce. There, he was senior adviser and counsel to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and played a key role in trying to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 U.S. Census. He helped fight Floridas legal weed and abortion amendment Ahead of the 2024 election, DeSantis led opposition to two proposed constitutional amendments that would have legalized recreational marijuana and protected abortion access. The governor leveraged state power against the citizen-led ballot initiatives, and Uthmeier helped. Uthmeier was the chairperson of two political committees that raised money to oppose the amendments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately both amendments failed to surpass Floridas 60% requirement for adoption. He was heavily involved in Floridas migrant flights In 2022, DeSantis led a state-funded operation that flew roughly 50 Venezuelan migrants from Texas to Marthas Vineyard. Several of the migrants had legal status in the U.S. as asylum seekers and said they were tricked into taking the charter flights with false promises of jobs and other aid. The recruitment tactics used by the DeSantis administration resulted in criminal investigations and several lawsuits, including one filed by some migrants who claimed they were deceived by the state. Behind the scenes, DeSantis relied heavily on his top aides, including Uthmeier. Uthmeier worked closely with DeSantis former public safety czar Larry Keefe, who traveled to Texas to oversee the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keefe texted Uthmeier that conditions in Texas were favorable, and Uthmeier told Keefe that he had his full support, according to public records. Uthmeier used his personal cellphone in planning that operation. DeSantis lawyers have tried to block Uthmeiers phone logs, despite it being used to conduct state business. Times/Herald Tallahassee bureau reporter Ana Ceballos contributed to this report. CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand While Japans Cabinet has approved a record defense budget for 2025, the 13th growth year in a row, Tokyos military posture vis-a-vis regional threats remains a work on progress, according a U.S. analyst. Grant Newsham, senior research fellow at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies, told Defense News that decades of pathological dependence on the United States have left Japans military a stunted force not really able to operate efficiently or effectively in most cases. This is at a time when Japan perceives unprecedented external threats. The governments 2024 iteration of its annual Defense of Japan white paper noted, Japan is facing the most severe and complex security environment since the end of World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Japan is alarmed by China intruding into its southwestern archipelago, and it regards Russia and North Koreas missile and nuclear programs as serious risks. Newsham noted, I think Japan recognizes and understands the seriousness of the threats it faces from China, North Korea and Russia. Ukraine really spurred Japanese awareness figuring that Taiwan was next, with everything that would portend for Japans security. Yet the former U.S. Marine Corps officer warned the threat perception has yet to manifest itself fully in defense programs. This hasnt, however, translated into a Japan Self-Defense Force thats organized and capable of fighting a war despite having some niche capabilities that would be very helpful if employed in support of U.S. forces, he said. Approved on Dec. 27, 2024, the upcoming defense budget beginning April 1 is up 9.4% to a record 8.7 trillion yen, the equivalent of $55.1 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FY2025 defense budget is higher than the 8.54 trillion yen requested last September, because it adds 123.8 billion yen for a new communications satellite to replace the Kirameki-2 that will retire in 2030. Stand-off weapons are a priority, with 939 billion yen allocated to items such as ground- and sea-launched Type 12 anti-ship missiles, hyper-velocity gliding projectiles for island defense, and development of submarine-launched missiles. Considerable funds are being spent overseas for Kongsbergs Joint Strike Missile for Japans F-35A fighters, Tomahawk cruise missiles to arm destroyers, and extended-range Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missiles (JASSM-ER) for F-15 fighters. On Jan. 15, the U.S. State Department approved a $39 million sale of 16 JASSM-ERs, following an approval for 50 such missiles in Aug. 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, depreciation of the yen is adversely impacting Japans overseas purchases. As a result, Tokyo paid 123.9 billion yen more in fiscal 2023 for U.S.-sourced Foreign Military Sales equipment than it had originally assumed. Other upcoming imports include two MQ-9B SeaGuardian drones and six American-manufactured V-BAT drones to operate from Japanese warships. Integrated air and missile defense is a priority for Japan too, with 533 billion yen allotted to various interceptor missiles and mobile reconnaissance radars in places like Okinawa, where thousands of American troops are based. Describing Tokyos ongoing security reliance on the U.S., Newsham said, The Americans and Japanese either hang together or hang separately, paraphrasing Ben Franklin. The Americans might have a chance alone against the Chinese, but it would be tough. The Japanese have no chance at all. Four European telecoms industry players and a German university have announced a collaboration to construct a high speed 5G highway corridor between France and Germany. Infrastructure companies Vantage Towers and TOTEM, mobile operators Orange and O2 Telefonica, and the Saarland University of Applied Sciences will collaborate on the project, named 5G Autobahn to Autoroute. The 5G corridor will connect the cities of Metz in France to Saarbrucken in Germany, covering a 60-kilometre stretch, and construction will begin in early 2025 with completion scheduled for the end of 2027. According to Orange, deployment of the new 5G infrastructure will enable the development of innovative mobility services, such as cooperative lane changing, collision prevention, autonomous vehicles, and automatic traffic jam alerts. "This deployment will improve 5G connectivity for cross-border travellers, while enabling innovative industrial trials of connectivity along the entire route," Orange said in its announcement. The highway corridor includes a 55 km section in France along the A4 and A320 motorways, a 5 km section in Germany along the A6 motorway, and the infrastructure is fully integrated into the ATLANTIC trans-European transport network, which has uninterrupted 5G connectivity. In France, TOTEM and Orange will install nine new masts and upgrade up to eight existing masts to ensure dedicated 5G coverage on the 3.5 GHz frequency. In Germany, Vantage Towers and O2 Telefonica will deploy up to five radio masts using a distributed antenna system (DAS) on the 3.6 GHz frequency. The project is receiving financial support from the EU under the "Connecting Europe Facility Digital" program and is supported by the Grand Est Region in France, which borders Germany. Christian Hillabrant, CEO of Vantage Towers said the establishment of the Franco-German mobile communications corridor is advancing digital transformation in Europe. "Together with our project partners Telefonica, Orange, TOTEM and htw saar, we are creating infrastructure that enables uninterrupted cross-border connectivity and, in the future, the use of advanced mobility applications such as autonomous driving functions - setting new standards for digital connectivity," Hillabrant said. Nicolas Roy, CEO of TOTEM said the project is proof of cooperation between towercos and mobile operators to provide latest-generation 5G mobile network between Metz and Saarbrucken. "This project relies on each actor's cutting-edge industrial expertise, dedicated to providing better connectivity for all along the way," Roy said. "With this project, TOTEM demonstrates its teams' ability to deploy bespoke and specific infrastructure solutions in a cross-border environment." Mallik Rao, Chief Technology & Enterprise Officer of O2 Telefonica said building a high-speed 5G highway will test how to provide consumers and companies with gigabit speeds in the best possible way while driving. "This can be a major step towards making connected driving a reality in Germany," Rao said. "We are looking forward to be partnering with the automotive and logistics industries to implement and test digital networking solutions of the future based on our high-performance 5G network. Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett has accused her South Carolina Republican rival Nancy Mace of exploiting trans folk to boost her campaign funds days after Mace appeared to challenge her to a fight during a heated congressional committee meeting. Crockett appeared on MSNBCs The ReidOut on Wednesday evening and told host Joy Reid about the moment the GOP congresswoman invited her to take it outside during a House Oversight Committee hearing after the pair became embroiled in a row over womens rights. The Democrat had said of Mace: Somebodys campaign coffers really are struggling right now, so shes gonna keep saying trans trans trans so that people will feel threatened and child, listen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incensed, the Republican hit back: I am no child! Do not call me a child. I am a grown woman. If you want to take it outside Reflecting on the uproar, Crockett told Reid: Right now, people play on the fact that they can make money. I literally had my team look up her FEC [Federal Election Commission] documents because in my soul, I was like, you must be broke. Shes not exactly broke, but I have three times as much money on hand. She needs some more money. So this was about money. And the idea that you would do it at the expense of children, or the idea that you would do it at the expense of one of your colleagues, is a problem. Jasmine Crockett appears on MSNBCs The ReidOut on Wednesday January 15 2025 (MSNBC/YouTube) Reid responded: I mean, the reality is, to your point of trying to raise money, shes obviously looking for attention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is somebody who said to her aides, allegedly, that she wanted during January 6 to get punched in the face so that she could go on Fox with a bruised face. This is somebody who knows that her party spent more than $200 million, $215 million on TV ads, specifically attacking trans rights. She used to be pro trans. She used to be pro LGTBQ. She shifted and now has decided this is her mission, its her ministry. The Democrat replied: This was not a hearing about trans folk. I do want to be clear. But every single hearing she is going to talk about trans people. She did it today when we had a telework hearing. I dont know what trans folk got to do with telework, but she was going to make sure that she brought it in. So shes going to keep doing it because for some reason shes making money. But Im telling you, shes not even making good money off of it. Like you probably could find something else to do. Maybe start serving your constituents. As one of the leading voices in Southern Californias real estate industry and star of the Netflix reality show Selling Sunset, Jason Oppenheim was quick to find his role in the recovery effort amid the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, which have left thousands of people displaced. He offered his brokerages services for free to those who were impacted and was one of the first notable figures to sound the alarm about illegal price gouging. Landlords shouldnt be considering trying to get people to outbid each other right now. Thats not profiting, Oppenheim told CNN in an interview on Wednesday. Im all for free market dynamics but not after a natural disaster. This is not the time to be profiting. Oppenheim said hes had no patience for landlords or property owners looking to take advantage of people who have just lost their homes. Hes not above outright hanging up on those who try, he said, even if its somebody he and his team have previously worked with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement unknown content item - Price gouging is illegal under California Penal Code 396, which prohibits landlords and other businesses from raising rents by more than 10% after a state of emergency has been declared. Several deadly wildfires have set Los Angeles County ablaze since last week. The coastal Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, on LAs East side, have burned tens of thousand of acres and destroyed thousands of structures. At least 25 people have died and dozens are still missing, authorities have said. With so many of the Oppenheim Groups real estate clients impacted by these fires, Oppenhiem said his agency is focused on playing their part in the relief effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its become 90% of our jobs right now for the near term. And you know what? Eventually the public eyeballs are not going to be on this and thats when the hard work begins, Oppenheim said. This is not something that gets solved because we put somebody in a lease. The work continues On Selling Sunset, Oppenhiem and his gaggle of agents primarily deal with high-end clientele and big-budget properties. But ever since they opened their doors and phone lines to anybody that needs help, Oppeheim said that theyve received dozens of inquiries at all different price points and have been working to help people with budgets ranging from $5,000 to $40,000 per month. Theres still so much more work to be done, Oppenheim said, including helping their clients negotiate leases and dealing with lenders and insurance providers. For those who plan to rebuild their homes, Oppenheims team has to help them find reliable and credible developers and contractors. Some people may not even have the means to rebuild. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oppenheim said his and other brokerages in LA will be working on for years to come, especially knowing that theyre up against the challenge of having a large demand in a diminished market. Theres no answer to this, he said. There are simply too many people and not enough available homes in the areas. There are also other more immediate ways that Oppenheim and his team, and several other brokerages across Los Angeles and Orange Counties, are pitching in to help. On Thursday, Oppenheims OC office is holding a donation drive where people can bring items like clothes, supplies or pet food and accessories for fire victims. (From left) Amanza Smith, Chelsea Lazkani, Nicole Young, Jason Oppenheim, Marie-Lou Nurk and Brett Oppenheim in Season 7 of 'Selling Sunset.' - Netflix Oppenheim also announced a $100,000 donation to the LAFD and LAPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While he admits this past week has been a whirlwind, its also been rewarding. I think its important to expose and call out bad actors but at the same time, the overwhelming majority of Angelenos have risen to the occasion. Theres a real sense of community and support, especially among the real estate industry, Oppenheim said. Im really proud of how the city has responded and I have zero doubt that were going to rebuild. How the wildfire destruction will be covered on Selling Sunset remains to be seen. Netflix has not officially announced a ninth season, but a representative for Netflix confirmed to CNN that latest season was filming when the fires broke out and production was affected. They are currently figuring out how best to move forward, the spokesperson added. Though Oppenheim and his agents are safe, as are their homes, some were forced to evacuate and others housed friends and family members who had to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If were going to be covering it, then we cover it organically and we cover the realities on the ground, if it were up to me, he said. I really would like to cover this with sensitivity if were going to cover it at all. After all, Oppenheim added, its a reality show and this is our reality. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com SANTA ROSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) A high school student was arrested in Santa Rosa County, according to officials. Person airlifted to trauma center after Mobile County crash: Seven Hills FD The Santa Rosa County Sheriffs Office told News 5 that the student arrested went to Jay High, was accused of possessing a weapon and drugs, and was arrested Wednesday. SRCSO officials said there was no danger to other students or staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 4th suspect in Darwood Drive homicide arrested in Baldwin County: Mobile police At no time was there any threats to the students or staff at Jay High School, officials said. News 5 contacted Santa Rosa County District Schools, which released a statement about the incident. SRCDS can confirm that an incident occurred on campus during the afternoon of January 15, 2025, an SRCDS spokesperson said. During a search of a student vehicle, a weapon and other items were seized. At no time were students or staff in any danger. Our staff is following all protocols, adhering to the code of student conduct, and following Florida State Statutes to maintain a safe and secure environment for everyone. At this time, further action will be addressed by Santa Rosa County Sherriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. News 5 will update this article when more information is available. 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. Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno ironically hit back against the politicizing of the ongoing L.A. fires in a Wednesday Fox News interview following the networks repeated attempts to fan the flames of blame. Leno told host Sandra Smith that he volunteered to serve meals to the firefighters responding to the emergency affecting the greater Los Angeles area because he didnt want to be a part of the blame game. The great thing is I havent heard a political discussion for the last four days. Nobodys blaming this, that, said Leno. Theyre fighting a fire. These guys have no opinion. Im sure they have opinions, but its not a blame game at this point at play, but its just a matter of what weve got to do to fix this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leno added, Everybody else in L.A. is pointing fingers and blaming people. These are the people actually doing something to fix it. Last week on Fox News, host Laura Ingraham pointed fingers at California liberals for their environmental fanaticism, claiming it has affected the emergency response to the fires and shoved commonsense thinking out the door. She added, Now, while the winds are horrific, experts insist that bad forest management can make a bad situation worse. And Trump called this out six years ago Hes right. Incompetence kills." However, the blame game only intensified in right-wing circles. Billionaire first buddy Elon Musk blamed the fires on a water shortage that was debunked by a firefighter, with California Gov. Gavin Newsom having to directly admonish President-elect Donald Trump for also stoking misinformation. A Joint Base Lewis-McChord doctor was sentenced Wednesday to more than 13 years in prison after pleading guilty last week to three dozen counts of sexual abuse against male patients he saw as an anesthesiologist and pain-management specialist. Maj. Michael Stockin admitted to 36 counts of abusive sexual contact and five of indecent viewing, defined as wrongfully viewing a persons private area. Forty-one military patients accused him of wrongdoing between 2019 and 2022, including asking them to remove clothing and fondling or staring at their genitals for no apparent medical reasons during uncomfortable exams. Stockin, 39, had been assigned to Madigan Army Medical Center since July 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For each of the 41 counts, military Judge Col. Larry Babin on Wednesday sentenced Stockin to four months, leading to a total sentence of more than 13-1/2 years the maximum term under a plea deal that Stockin entered into with Army prosecutors in September. Stockin could have faced fewer than 10 years in prison under the plea deal. Prior to the agreement, he was potentially looking at more than 330 years behind bars, The News Tribune previously reported. Stockin wore a blue Army service uniform and didnt appear to react strongly during the brief hearing held inside JBLMs Cascade Court Complex. Robert Capovilla, defense attorney for Michael Stockin, walk into the Cascade Courtroom Complex, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Major Stockin took full responsibility for his actions, and he made no excuses, attorney Robert Capovilla, who represented Stockin, said in a statement. The Defense hopes and prays that the victims and Major Stockin will finally be able to heal and to move forward with their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stockin will be dismissed from the Army and, as a collateral consequence of his federal conviction, will lose his medical license, according to the U.S. Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. During Stockins court-martial that began early last week, 22 of the 41 victims testified about the trauma they endured due to his abuse, the office said. In a statement, prosecutors lauded the victims perseverance and bravery. The resilience of the victims in this case should be celebrated. They have been living with the trauma that has come from Maj. Stockins actions for years, and the last 16 months of litigation on the way to this court-martial has not been easy, said Maj. Ryan Keeter, lead prosecutor for the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. Stockin was initially charged with 23 counts of abusive sexual contact and indecent viewing in August 2023 following an Army investigation. The number of counts referred to prosecutors climbed to 52 by January 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Army Criminal Investigation Division spent hundreds of hours investigating the case, according to Capt. Bryanna Beauchamp, a prosecutor in the I Corps Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. Although the court-martial has concluded, attorneys representing victims suggested the matter was far from over. After Wednesdays hearing, attorney Ryan Guilds told reporters in a hallway outside the courtroom that there were broad questions that remain unanswered. Those questions included what the Army knew and whether it had fully investigated Stockins behavior outside of JBLM. Stockin was previously assigned to medical centers in Honolulu and Maryland and had been deployed to Iraq from October 2020 to February 2021, according to the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel. There are not just 41 victims here, Guilds said. There are dozens and dozens more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Christine Dunn previously said she has filed federal tort claims on behalf of 22 clients, not all of whom were included in the criminal case. A tort claim typically precedes a lawsuit. She said Wednesday that the Army must be held accountable for allegedly allowing the abuse to occur. Dr. Stockin and the Army failed our clients and the other victims, emotionally scarring them for life, Dunn said in a statement. Stockin will serve his prison sentence in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, the Army Office of Special Trial Counsel said. Hell be required to register as a sex offender and be subject to federal and state registration requirements upon his release. UPDATE: Joint Base Lewis-McChord now says the do not drink advisory for people in the McChord area has been lifted. The base said in a statement, American Water has since completed system flushing and water testing. Additionally, Madigan Public Health has independently verified the chlorine levels are within the safe range established by the EPA. The base went on to say if you drank the water and have throat irritation to call the Madigan Appointment Line at 1-800-404-4506. They say everyone affected should flush their water for five minutes, but if the water still has a strong chlorine smell, flush for another half hour and call American Water at 253-967-3131. On Wednesday afternoon, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Military Housing Office and Liberty Military Housing issued a Do Not Drink notice Wednesday for residents of the McChord Housing Area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The notice asked residents to refrain from using the water until further notice. According to the statement, American Water and Madigan Army Medical Center Public Health technicians tested and evaluated the water to ensure its safety. The action was taken after an equipment malfunction led to over-chlorination in the water system Wednesday morning. JBLM said American Water experienced a chemical feed malfunction, resulting in higher-than-normal chlorine levels in the water supply. American Water crews flushed the water lines and conducted on-site testing to resolve the issue, according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madigan Army Medical Center Public Health technicians also conducted their independent testing to confirm the water was safe to use. They encourage residents to monitor the JBLM Facebook page, as well as communications from Liberty Military Housing and the JBLM Military Housing Office for updates. During the Do Not Drink advisory, Liberty Military Housing provided the following statement: Liberty does not supply the water to McChord Housing. American Water is responsible for supplying and monitoring the quality of water within the community. On January 15, 2025, the Department of Public Works and property management sent the below communications on behalf of American Water to all McChord Housing Residents to provide an update on the situation and how it is being resolved. IMPORTANT NOTICE for McChord Housing Residents: Liberty Military Housing and the JBLM Military Housing Office have... Posted by Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Wednesday, January 15, 2025 MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (AP) It was a month after her son's election as vice president of the United States and JD Vance 's mother wondered why the city of his birth had yet to recognize him. I just think it would be really nice if we could acknowledge that this is his hometown and put up some signs," Beverly Aikins told the city council in Middletown, Ohio, where she and Vance's sister still live, in early December. "He graduated from Middletown High School, comes back here frequently to visit me and take me to dinner, and I humbly request that. Perhaps in another historical moment, a few signs would seem like a no-brainer, but not this year and not for this person. The council was, instead, divided. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many residents of this Midwest steel town are bursting with pride at their native son's accomplishments. But others feel lingering embarrassment over Vance's unflattering portrayal of Middletown in his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy or trepidation about Donald Trump's second White House term, or both. The debate played out in the city's high-ceilinged council chamber, where subdued backlighting gives the room a Starship Enterprise aura. One council member suggested naming a street for Vance. Another suggested a statue of Vance's beloved Mamaw, the grandmother who raised him. A third tried to slow her colleagues down. Im thinking, whats the rush? Jennifer Carter said. If he gets in office and creates havoc, with him and Trump sending the people out of the country, all of the things that they have said that they wanted to do, if all of this stuff happens, were still saying, Yay!? Im trying to understand. Colleague Steven West offered a counterpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To say, hey, theres going to be a city where a young man had a lot of struggles, overcomes all of those and becomes vice president, and the city doesnt recognize it regardless of political party affiliation, you would scratch your head and go, What? Whats going on? he said. "And thats how polarized this country is. City leaders eventually came to the kind of compromise that was either maddeningly bureaucratic or elegantly impartial, depending on one's perspective, but also the kind that has become increasingly rare in the bitter politics of the current moment. They would recognize Vance's important achievement, but be careful not to celebrate it out of respect for residents' varying opinions and the nonpartisan council's goal of political neutrality. The day after the council meeting, Middletown posted a congratulatory note to Vance on its website and he will be featured prominently in the city's next monthly newsletter. City spokesperson Clayton Castle said signs will go up at the city's seven entry points after Vance and Trump are inaugurated Monday. The signs will say: Middletown, Hometown of J.D. Vance, 50th Vice President of the United States of America. At Middletown High School, Vance's alma mater, the energy level is high. At the former Ohio senator 's invitation, the band is scheduled to march in Monday's inaugural parade in Washington The students will leave at 6 a.m. Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He seems really proud that hes from Middletown and he wants to bring other Middletown students to be there, said Leslie Hernandez, a senior who plays clarinet. Which is awesome, you know? The Middletown City School District raised well over the $140,000 needed to underwrite the full cost of the trip for band members, color guard and cheerleaders attending, said spokesperson Dan Wohler. He said enough was left over to buy a banner for the parade, T-shirts and other souvenirs. Besides city and state grants, the total included money raised through a GoFundMe launched by Republican Attorney General Dave Yost, who's positioning for a run for governor next year, and a $10,000 donation from the campaign fund of Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones, an outspoken critic of the Biden administration's immigration policies. From the districts standpoint, its pretty exciting to say that a graduate of the high school is going to be the next vice president of the United States," Wohler said. "That's pretty historic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From residents' standpoint, he said sentiments on Vance's election are mixed. Turnout in Middletown ran nearly 9 percentage points behind that of Butler County, where it's situated, according to state figures. Trump and Vance won almost 62% of the vote in city precincts. We're split down the middle, same as the country, Wohler said. I think there's people that like him, I think there's people that don't like him, because of Hillbilly Elegy and all that. In his 2016 book, Vance was not kind to Middletown. He recalled that kids derisively called it Middletucky when he was growing up because of all the Kentucky transplants including his family, which hailed from Jackson. With them came Kentucky's problems, he wrote, which he described as drug addiction, Mountain Dew mouth" and a shortage of virtuous fathers. People have struggled to get out of Jackson for decades; now they struggle to escape Middletown, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The portrayal created a backlash among Appalachian scholars, reigniting debate over whether a region with a long history of exploitation from out-of-state interests had been misrepresented with victim-blaming stereotypes. Vance began to distance himself from the book, rarely mentioning it during the 2024 campaign. He has spoken fondly about his Appalachian roots, and earlier this week he visited the cemetery in Breathitt County, Kentucky, where five generations of his family are buried. My ancestors who are buried in that cemetery fought tirelessly for the American ideals we will be entrusted to uphold," he said in a statement about the visit. Its both an honor and a privilege that someone with my upbringing can go on to become the Vice President of the United States. In Middletown, not technically part of Appalachia, some residents don't think the book's conclusions rang true. Paul Gomia, a politically active Middletown Democrat who's more than 30 years older than the 40-year-old Vance, said his neighborhood was about four blocks from Vance's. Gomia said he was poor growing up and his family got a lot of government benefits, including food from the health department and college scholarships. He rejects the book's suggestion that such programs breed laziness and generational downward mobility. He said they helped him succeed in life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I don't like his story, when he grew up almost the same as I did," he said. And my concern with what Im seeing locally, as well as nationally, is the loss of possibly those opportunities, you know, grants, the opportunity to go to school with the dissing with the word woke, and claiming that its something evil, coming from the Republican Party. I think that means opportunities, job training, and diversity and equality and inclusion, things that we worked so hard for all these years. Pastor Lamar Ferrell of Middletown's Berachah Church criticized Middletown's lack of recognition for Vance two weeks before the politician's mother visited council chambers. Ferrell called for an end to the nonsense of silence. JD is a Middletonian, he told the council. "Before we debate and dialogue on what Hillbilly Elegy has meant, the reality is that JD has shown us all that we can climb from a place that all of us would want to climb from. Ferrell's church is hosting an inaugural watch party on Monday. ___ Associated Press videojournalist Patrick Aftoora-Orsagos contributed to this report. Shrugging off bad weather, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin launched its powerful New Glenn rocket on its maiden flight early Thursday, lighting up a cloudy overnight sky as it climbed away from Cape Canaveral in a high-stakes bid to compete with Elon Musk's industry-leading SpaceX. Like SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9, the New Glenn's first stage was designed to fly itself to a landing on a Blue Origin recovery ship after boosting the upper stage out of the lower atmosphere. Reusability is a key element in Bezos' drive to compete with Musk on the high frontier. Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket climbs away from pad 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station atop 3.85 million pounds of thrust from its seven methane-burning BE-4 first stage engines. / Credit: Blue Origin webcast The booster did it's job propelling the upper stage into the lower reaches of space. But during its descent to a planned landing on the recovery ship Jacklyn, named after Bezos' mother, telemetry and video from the rocket froze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We may very well have lost the booster," a company commentator said. The company later confirmed that. But recovering the first stage was always a secondary objective. The New Glenn's upper stage reached orbit without any apparent problems, achieving the primary goal of the flight. "We did it! Orbital," company CEO Dave Limp said on X. "Great night for Team Blue. On to spring and trying again on the landing." As for the booster, Limp said "we knew landing our booster ... on the first try was an ambitious goal. We'll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mission got underway at 2:03 a.m. EST when the New Glenn's seven methane-burning BE-4 engines at the base of the first stage roared to life with a rush of brilliant flame and a ground-shaking roar. Smoothly accelerating as it consumed propellants and lost weight, the New Glenn streaked away from pad 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station atop a brilliant blue-white plume, putting on a spectacular show for cheering Blue Origin employees, area residents and tourists. The launch came a week later than originally planned because of rough weather in the booster landing zone and, once, because of a minor technical problem. But it appeared to be clear sailing Thursday as the rocket climbed away and disappeared from view. A wide angle shot of launch from nearby Merritt Island, Florida. / Credit: Blue Origin webcast Three minutes and 10 seconds after liftoff, the rocket's first stage engines shut down, triggering stage separation and ignition of the two hydrogen-burning BE-3U engines powering the rocket's second stage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the upper stage continued the climb to orbit, the first stage briefly coasted upward before arcing over and falling back to Earth, homing in on the Jacklyn, which was standing by several hundred miles downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's WB-57 photo-reconnaissance jet was flying nearby, documenting the flight with high-resolution cameras. Three engines re-ignited as planned to slow the booster for re-entry but during the burn, video showing one of the engines froze and on-screen telemetry stopped while showing an altitude of 84,226 feet and a velocity of 4,285 mph. Whether the rocket exploded or suffered some other malfunction and crashed into the sea was not immediately known. But company officials said before launch that they would learn from any anomalies and press ahead with another flight in the next few months. "We have another one (in production), and it'll be coming off the line here shortly," Limp told CBS News earlier this week. "So we'll fly (again) either way in the spring." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While SpaceX tested its Falcon 9 landing system with ocean splashdowns before attempting an actual landing, Blue Origin opted to make the attempt on the rocket's maiden flight. That was based in part on the company's experience launching and landing its sub-orbital New Shepard rocket, used to carry space tourists, researchers and payloads on brief up-and-down flights out of the lower atmosphere. Even so, company officials acknowledged the challenge, naming the New Glenn first stage "So You're Telling Me There's A Chance." "There's no question that it's a bit audacious to try to land it the first time," Limp said before launch. But the first stage landing was just one of several major objectives. The primary goal of the flight was to put the upper stage into orbit, along with a Blue Origin-designed spacecraft known as the Blue Ring Pathfinder. A sort of space tug, the Blue Ring can host or deploy multiple satellites in different orbits while providing on-board computer support and even servicing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For its initial flight, the Blue Ring was to remain attached to the New Glenn's upper stage throughout the planned five-hour 50-minute mission. A graphical representation of the New Glenn flight profile. / Credit: Blue Origin The flight plan called for two firings of the upper stage engines, with the second coming about an hour after liftoff, to put the vehicle and the attached Blue Ring Pathfinder in an elliptical orbit with a high point of about 12,000 miles and a low point of around 1,500 miles. Blue Ring is equipped with roll-out solar arrays stretching 144 feet. It features 13 ports for hosted and deployable payloads and can accommodate satellites or other instruments weighing up to 2.5 tons on its upper deck. There are no such payloads on the initial flight, but the spacecraft's systems will undergo a series of tests to learn more about how the craft performs in space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of the results of Thursday's mission, Blue Origin will face an uphill battle with SpaceX, which currently dominates the commercial launch market. Musk had kind words about the launch in a post on his X platform, saying, "Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt!" SpaceX began launching its Falcon 9 rockets in 2010 and since then has fired off 436 Falcon 9-family missions with only two in-flight failures. Complicating the picture for Blue Origin, SpaceX is in the process of testing a gargantuan, fully reusable rocket known as the Super Heavy-Starship. It is the most powerful rocket ever built, and once operational is expected to play a major role in launching payloads to low-Earth orbit, the moon and beyond. SpaceX is readying a Super Heavy-Starship rocket, the most powerful rocket ever built, for launch on the program's seventh test flight Wednesday. / Credit: SpaceX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SpaceX plans to launch a Super Heavy-Starship from the company's Boca Chica, Texas, manufacturing and test center on Thursday at 5 p.m. EST. After boosting the Starship out of the lower atmosphere, the Super Heavy booster is designed to fly back to its launch pad, where giant mechanical arms would attempt to pluck it out of mid-air. The Starship upper stage, meanwhile, would loop around the planet, launching 10 mockup Starlink satellites before a simulated landing in the Indian Ocean. Some 225 Falcon 9 flights have launched 7,700 Starlink internet satellites since 2019, with thousands more planned. The company already has millions of customers around the world, giving it a formidable head start over potential competitors. How Blue Origin and other rocket builders will complete with SpaceX, it's Falcon-family rockets and the Super Heavy-Starship remains to be seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Blue Origin already has a backlog of satellites awaiting launch on its New Glenn and is awaiting certification to launch high-priority national security payloads, NASA probes and other civilian satellites. Amazon plans to launch more than 3,232 broadband relay stations known as Project Kuiper to provide space-based internet services in direct competition with SpaceX's Starlink. Blue Origin says it has booked 80 launches using New Glenn rockets and boosters provided by the European consortium Arianespace, United Launch Alliance and even SpaceX to get the data relay stations into orbit. "I'm very bullish about space in general," Limp said. "I think there's going to be lots of winners in this segment. It might be SpaceX; I think Blue will be there. But I also believe there's going to be new companies that we've never even heard of yet. There's some entrepreneur out there that hasn't started a space company that's going to be at the table." NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury Trump's Cabinet picks grilled on Capitol Hill Jeff Bezos' space company, Blue Origin, has launched its first orbital rocket, New Glenn. New Glenn is one of the largest, most powerful rockets ever built. The maiden launch marks a milestone for Blue Origin. Jeff Bezos' space company Blue Origin has entered the rocket big leagues. At 2:03 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, Blue Origin's 32-story-tall New Glenn rocket fired its seven engines and climbed atop a cloud of fire and steam for the first time, roaring into the skies above the launch complex in Cape Canaveral, Florida. "LIFTOFF! New Glenn is beginning its first ever ascent toward the stars," Blue Origin wrote in an X post on Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bezos, who was present at New Glenn's launch, uploaded a minute-long clip of the launch on X shortly after liftoff. New Glenn belongs to a new generation of the largest, most powerful rockets ever built, next to Elon Musk's SpaceX's Starship and NASA's new moon rocket, the Space Launch System. These heavy-lift vehicles have roughly the size and heft of NASA's Saturn V the rocket that launched Apollo astronauts to the moon but they're designed for even more ambitious goals. Musk and Bezos have espoused plans to establish permanent human settlements on Mars and on a giant space station, respectively. NASA aims to build permanent science stations on and around the moon and eventually send astronauts to Mars with SpaceX's and Blue Origins' help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, though, Blue Origin needs to strengthen its business. New Glenn's maiden launch positions the company to fly payloads to orbit and challenge SpaceX's dominance. Blue Origin was originally planning to launch New Glenn on Monday. The launch was repeatedly delayed and eventually postponed after Blue Origin said they had to "troubleshoot a vehicle subsystem issue." Were moving our NG-1 launch to no earlier than Thursday, January 16. The three-hour launch window opens at 1 a.m. EST (0600 UTC). Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 14, 2025 "I'm incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt," Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp on Thursday. "We knew landing our booster, So You're Telling Me There's a Chance, on the first try was an ambitious goal. We'll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring. Thank you to all of Team Blue for this incredible milestone." Blue Origin loses booster in an otherwise successful launch In a statement two hours after the launch, Blue Origin confirmed that it had lost its booster after it separated from the rocket Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The booster was meant to return to Earth and land on a platform in the ocean, which would have been the company's first step to proving the reusability of its booster. This makes SpaceX the only company to have recovered and reused a rocket's booster. The Musk-led rocket company has been retrieving its much smaller Falcon 9 first-stage boosters for reuse in this way for years. SpaceX's Starship booster recently proved a different landing method, lowering itself into the waiting arms of a landing tower in October. Like Falcon 9, and unlike Starship, New Glenn is only partially reusable its second stage is not designed for reuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk congratulated Bezos shortly after New Glenn's successful liftoff. "Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @JeffBezos," Musk wrote on X. Blue Origin's future depends on New Glenn Trailing behind SpaceX, Blue Origin is one of the leading companies paving the way for reusable rockets, which can help slash spaceflight costs. Weeks before New Glenn's debut launch, during the New York Times 2024 DealBook Summit, Bezos said Blue Origin "is not a very good business, yet." He added, "It's going to be the best business that I've ever been involved in." New Glenn is Blue Origin's second rocket, but its first designed to insert itself into Earth's orbit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company began construction on New Glenn in 2016. Bezos has said he isn't happy with the company's speed of progress. "Blue Origin needs to be much faster," Bezos told Lex Fridman in December 2023. "And it's one of the reasons that I left my role as the CEO of Amazon a couple of years ago." For comparison, SpaceX began developing its first orbital rocket, the Falcon 9 v1.0, in 2005. It made its debut launch five years later, in 2010. That said, New Glenn is more than three times more powerful than SpaceX's first Falcon 9. Blue Origin's comparatively tiny New Shepard rocket, which carries paying customers and other payloads to suborbital space, has been reused nearly 30 times since its first launch in 2015. Marianne Ayala/Insider Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Glenn's maiden voyage is carrying a test payload As Blue Origin's barge sails the booster back to the coast, the rocket's second stage is scheduled to remain in space for about six hours while carrying the company's prototype Blue Ring pathfinder spacecraft. Blue Ring is designed for multiple mission types, including transporting, refueling, and communicating with other craft in space. The pathfinder prototype launched on Thursday is a test launch and is set to remain onboard and not be deployed into space. "There is a growing demand to quickly move and position equipment and infrastructure in multiple orbits," Limp wrote on X in December. Blue Ring is designed to fulfill that need for both government and commercial customers, the Blue Origin CEO said. The Federal Aviation Administration has granted Blue Origin a license to launch New Glenn to orbit from Cape Canaveral for the next five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blue Origin's customers include NASA, Amazon, and several telecommunications providers. Read the original article on Business Insider Louisiana State Police has acquired a 2019 Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, similar to the plane pictured here. The plane was purchased for $5.5 million as the primary aircraft for Gov. Jeff Landry in-state and regional travels, replacing two helicopters that previous governors had used for 20 years. (Photo courtesy Pilatus Aircraft Ltd.) Louisiana State Police bought a small passenger plane for $5.5 million in September that Gov. Jeff Landry has been using to travel around the state. The 2019 model Pilatus PC-12 single-engine turboprop plane was purchased secondhand, according to a Sept. 18 state government receipt from the sale. Federal Aviation Administration records show the state certified it for flight on Oct. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Designed by a Swiss company, the aircraft can be used for cargo transport, medical assistance or search and rescue operations, but it is mostly marketed as a business plane that can comfortably seat between six and nine passengers. It is truly an executive transport kind of aircraft, said Thomas Anthony, director of the aviation and security program at the University of Southern California. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Publicly available flight logs show the plane traveling between Baton Rouge and Lafayette, near where the governor lives, and from Lafayette to New Orleans multiple times during the early days of January. Landry spent a lot of time in New Orleans at the beginning of the year following the New Years Day terrorist attack on Bourbon Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the governors travel, the plane will be used for extraditing prisoners, transporting state police subject matter experts and bringing the state police command staff to emergency meetings, Louisiana State Police spokesman Capt. Nick Manale said in an email. Manale said state police bought the airplane instead of replacing its two 20-year-old executive helicopters the three governors before Landry used to travel within Louisiana. The helicopters have been grounded because they have become difficult to maintain, he said. [T]he aircraft are so old and some avionics manufacturers no longer support the model, Manale said. Using a plane for the governors travel should also save the state money, according to Landrys office. This created both an immediate and long-term savings as the operational cost of the aircraft is significantly lower than operating two helicopters, Landry spokeswoman Kate Kelly said in a written statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helicopters, which have more moving parts than a plane, tend to break down more often and can be expensive to repair, said Anthony, the aviation expert. [The Pilatus] is not down for maintenance as much as a helicopter would be, he said. For executive transport, it would be cheaper to use the plane. Its faster. It can go higher. Frankly, its more comfortable. Other aircraft purchased In addition to the plane, Louisiana State Police also bought two new helicopters last spring from Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. in Texas for $6.5 million each. The Bell 407GXi helicopters arrived in Baton Rouge and were federally certified for flight in August, just a month before state police also purchased the new plane, according to federal and state records. Lane Evans, managing director for Bell North America, said the new helicopters further expand the state police fleet, according to an August press release from the company. Manale said the helicopters were not meant to replace the older, more expensive ones that governors before Landry used. Bell markets its 407GXi to law enforcement, emphasizing its efficiency in search and rescue missions. Louisiana State Police, which owns nine Bell aircraft total, performs more than 1,000 public safety missions with its planes and helicopters every year, Manale said. Louisiana State Police has acquired a 2019 Pilatus PC-12 aircraft, similar to the plane pictured here. The plane was purchased for $5.5 million as the primary aircraft for Gov. Jeff Landry in-state and regional travels, replacing two helicopters that previous governors had used for 20 years. (Photo courtesy Pilatus Aircraft Ltd.) Yet the new Bell helicopters the state police purchased are also suitable for executive transportation and can seat six passengers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most of the past 30 years, Louisianas governors have relied almost exclusively on state police helicopters for their in-state travel. Seven people who were aides to the previous four governors Republicans Mike Foster and Bobby Jindal and Democrats Kathleen Blanco and John Bel Edwards dont recall their old bosses ever flying on a plane owned by state police. Gubernatorial plane trips were typically on commercial flights or private aircraft that political donors provided, they said. Helicopters handled almost all of the official state trips within Louisiana. When Foster was in his second term as governor, from 2000-04, Louisiana State Police bought a Beechcraft King Air, similar to a Pilatus, from a military surplus sale. But Foster didnt use it for himself, said Terry Landry, a former State Police superintendent under Foster who later became a Democratic state representative. Terry Landry is not related to Gov. Jeff Landry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant remember ever using that plane for a governor. But then again, Mike Foster didnt travel a whole lot, Terry Landry said. Foster preferred to be ferried around in one of two Bell 407 helicopters, an earlier version of the 407GXi helicopters state police bought this year, Terry Landry said. The governor from Franklin famously talked his State Police pilot into giving him lessons on how to fly this helicopter while he was governor. Still, plans have been in motion to replace the helicopters, and possibly to purchase the new Pilatus plane, since before Jeff Landry became governor last year. During Edwards final year in office in 2023, he and the Louisiana Legislature budgeted $13 million for the replacement of one helicopter. Edwards budget chief, Jay Dardenne, said there was also discussion about requesting money to purchase a plane at that time, but the funding never made it into the budget plan. In the next cycle, Landry and the Legislature added $8 million for a replacement aircraft and associated upfitting and training costs covering the purchase of the Pilatus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Money for the helicopters came from the states general fund, which can be used for any government purpose. Dollars for the new plane came from the states Riverboat Gaming Enforcement Fund, which is supported by gambling companies licenses and fees. Political turbulence Taxpayer-sponsored plane travel can be controversial. The purchase of an $8 million plane to shuttle around Democratic Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and other state officials raised eyebrows earlier this year. Mississippis Republican Gov. Tate Reeves taxpayer-funded flights to political events have also been criticized. Landry has encountered his own scandal with air travel. The Republican failed to report multiple flights hes taken on political donors private planes while doing official state business when he was attorney general. The Louisiana Board of Ethics charged Landry with violating state transparency laws in one such incident in 2021. Landry did not disclose that he had flown on a political donors plane to and from Hawaii to appear at a states attorneys general conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pilatus is not designed to fly all the way to Hawaii, or even to the West Coast, without stopping for fuel. Anthony said the plane, which he estimates has a range of about 1,500 miles with a full fuel supply, is best used for regional travel, not cross-country or international trips. Louisiana State Police has purchased two Bell 407GXi helicopters, similar to the model pictured here. (Courtesy Bell Textron Inc.) It could make Landry less likely to use the private planes of his friends and political donors and easier for him to keep his whereabouts private. Landry and lawmakers passed a new law last year that could make it harder to access his travel records with a state police plane. The governor is now allowed to keep his schedule confidential indefinitely if releasing the information is perceived to pose a security risk to him or his family, Nevertheless, the new law is not supposed to prevent the release of all records related to the governors transportation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ark. Before Wednesday nights quorum court meeting to discuss the budget, multiple leaders held separate meetings that morning to discuss the disagreements that led to the 2025 Budget not being finalized earlier in the week. During Mondays meeting two main budgets were looked at, one presented by the Sheriffs Office and the other by the Office of County Judge Gerald Robinson. After disagreements on both sides about the others budget a final vote was not reached, leading to a county government operations shutdown. Its a power struggle, Jefferson County community upset about county government shutdown over budget Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr. along with several county officials held a press conference on Wednesday at the Sheriffs Office following the shutdown where they spoke about what they believed happened. The retaliatory actions of County Judge Gerald Robinson whos veto budget for 2025 has placed livelihoods and hundreds of Jefferson County employees in jeopardy, Woods said. However, Robinson says, I dont care about them talking. Im going to do my job to the best of my ability. At the press conference, some of the leaders who spoke were Major John Bean with the Sheriffs Office and County Clerk Shawndra Taggart who noted how the judges proposed budget would make critical cuts to their employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Out of 139 slots that we pay 56 are going to take a pay cut, Bean said. As for Taggart, she says The judges proposed budget cuts my deputy clerks spot. Jefferson County defamation suit filed by county judge, others against Justice of the Peace But Judge Robinson claims there are pay raise issues within the budget the opposing side presented. There are issues with this budget because we have elected officials and justice of the peace who are connected, Robinson believes. Theyre trying to take care of a few people who they gave illegal raises to without going through proper procedures. However, the Sheriff disagrees with the claim that the budget they presented was illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This budget which was carefully crafted in all legal requirements and met all legal requirements, Woods said. Officials have said over 300 employees are impacted by the shutdown with no pay, with many saying they hope a budget will be passed but theyre not sure which one it will be. 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. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) on Thursday joined the chorus of Democrats bashing Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over his decision to replace Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) at the top of the House Intelligence Committee. Jeffries characterized the move as shameful, warning it will only empower Americas leading adversaries. Mike Turner is a serious, thoughtful and highly-principled leader, whose work as Chair of the House Intelligence Committee has been extremely impactful, Jeffries said in a brief statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout his time in the House of Representatives, Chairman Turner has upheld his oath to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies and championed our national security interests, he continued. Mike Turner has robustly promoted the safety of the American people and the Free World and his unjustified ouster is likely being applauded by our adversaries in Russia and China. Shameful. Jeffries did not mention President-elect Trump, but his message reflects a broader theme of Democratic criticisms charging Johnson and other GOP leaders of bowing to Trumps wishes on both policy and personnel in the weeks leading up to his return to the White House. Turner is known as a foreign policy hawk who has voiced strong support for maintaining close ties with NATO allies and helping Ukraine weather Russias invasion ideas that have made him a pariah in the eyes of some members of Trumps America First inner circle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner was also among the minority of House Republicans who voted to reject Trumps efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania, voting instead to certify President Bidens victory in both states. Johnsons decision to replace Turner came as a surprise when it was reported Wednesday, sending shock waves through the Capitol and sparking charges that Johnson is catering to Trump and House conservatives at the expense of steady governance and national security. Johnson rejected those charges Wednesday, saying Turner has done a great job at the top of the Intel Committee, but its time for a roster change to start the new Congress. Its a new Congress, Johnson told reporters. We just need fresh horses in some of these places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The state of New Jersey wants to defend against a group of Republican attorneys general seeking to strip the ability of undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to access insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA). In a brief filed in a North Dakota federal court on Wednesday, New Jersey argued on behalf of a group of 14 Democratic states that the incoming Trump administration cant be counted on to defend a Biden-era rule that opened Obamacare exchanges to members of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Undermining Dreamers access to healthcare not only hurts them and their American children, but it harms states like New Jersey too, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. We will never back down from fighting for our Dreamers, no matter who is in charge in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May of last year, the Biden administration announced the new ACA rule, which held that DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, were lawfully present in the U.S. and thus able to get Obamacare benefits. Im proud of the contributions of Dreamers to our country and committed to providing Dreamers the support they need to succeed, Biden said in a statement at the time. By August, a group that would swell to 19 Republican-led states, challenged the rule, arguing it violated both a 1996 welfare reform and the ACA itself. The Biden administration opened access to Obamacare to an estimated 100,000 DACA recipients (Getty Images) Illegal aliens shouldnt get a free pass into our country, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, who is leading the GOP coalition, said in a statement at the time. They shouldnt receive taxpayer benefits when they arrive, and the Biden-Harris administration shouldnt get a free pass to violate federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal officials estimate that the rule change could give 100,000 immigrants access to legal healthcare. The states seeking to intervene argue that giving Dreamers access to Obamacare exchanges will provide a group of chronically under-insured people access to care and lower state healthcare costs overall. Last month, a federal court ruled that Dreamers wont be able to get ACA coverage in states challenging the rule while the lawsuit goes forward. At the time that the states challenged the rule, some of them, like Kansas, Nebraska, and Virginia, allowed migrants other government benefits, including lower tuition rates at state universities available to state residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term in office, Donald Trump tried to end the DACA program but was blocked by the Supreme Court in 2020. This time around, Trump campaigned on carrying out the largest mass deportations in U.S. history but has also said hed like to find some way for childhood arrivals to stay in the U.S. Outgoing first lady Jill Biden has revealed what led to that viral moment last month when she was caught on camera talking to and smiling with President-elect Donald Trump during the reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Trump later seized on what appeared at the time to be a good-natured exchange to promote his Fight, Fight, Fight line of colognes. He shared a photo of himself and Biden on social media alongside the caption: A Fragrance Your Enemies Cant Resist. Critics slammed Trumps move as so fucking tacky and gross. First lady Jill Biden and President-elect Donald Trump in December at the ceremony to mark the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. Pascal Le Segretain via Getty Images Biden addressed the moment in an interview with The Washington Post published Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first lady recalled Trump telling her: I had a good meeting with your husband in the Oval Office. President Joe Biden hosted Trump at the White House following Trumps election victory over his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris. Their private meeting lasted for more than two hours. Jill Biden said she replied to Trump, Yes, because youre both talkers. Trump has for years attacked the Bidens, with many of the insults being highly personal. Joe Biden, meanwhile, has frequently warned of the threat Trump poses to democracy in the U.S. The Bidens have drawn some criticism for engaging with Trump following his 2024 win. But when the Post asked Jill Biden why shed spoken to Trump in Paris and why her husband had welcomed him into the White House, she replied: Joe and I respect our institutions, our traditions and its very important to me that they continue and we Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What would be the point of nastiness? she added. Read the full profile in The Washington Post. Related... First lady Jill Biden said incoming first lady Melania Trump declined her invitation for tea, according to a report in The Washington Post. Biden reportedly extended the invitation to have tea at the White House, as is customary for incoming and outgoing first ladies during the presidential transition. But Trump declined, according to the Post, which published a lengthy profile of the outgoing first lady Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden noted in the interview conducted Jan. 5 that she followed up with Melania Trump in a note, which she passed along to President-elect Trump when they saw each other at the reopening of the Notre Dame in December. I congratulated her and I offered help, Biden said of the note, according to the Post. Biden did not hear back from her until they spoke briefly at former President Carters state funeral last week, when Melania Trump thanked the first lady. The Hill reached out to the Trump transition team for comment. The customary White House tea meeting is not the only tradition first ladies are skipping during this transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former first lady Michelle Obama will not be attending the inauguration next week. She also skipped Carters state funeral, which would have had her seated next to the incoming president, citing a scheduling conflict. At the state funeral, former second lady Karen Pence garnered some attention when she stayed seated as the president-elect approached her vicinity. Her husband, former Vice President Mike Pence, shook his hand. 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. Jill Biden is still hurt by Nancy Pelosis vote of no confidence in her husbands reelection. Ive been thinking a lot about relationships, the first lady said in an interview with The Washington Post published Wednesday. Its been on my mind a lot lately, and we were friends for 50 years, she said of Pelosi. It was disappointing. Pelosis comments on Morning Joe in July 2024, in the midst of questions about Bidens mental health after a horrendous debate performance, were far from an endorsement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its up for the president to decide if hes going to run. Were all encouraging him to make that decision because time is running short, she said at the time. I want him to do whatever he decides to do. Pelosi told The New Yorker in August that the president hadnt spoken to her since he dropped out of the race. When asked if their friendship could survive, Pelosi said, I hope so. I pray so. I cry so. Jill Biden has publicly turned on Nancy Pelosi, criticising her disappointing move to oust her husband from the presidential race. Ms Pelosi, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, was instrumental in whipping up Democratic opposition to Joe Biden following his dire debate performance against Donald Trump in June. Nancy Pelosi, pictured with daughter Christine, was friends with Jill Biden for 50 years, according to the First Lady - Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call/Getty Mrs Biden said the intervention had been on my mind lately, as the first couple prepares to leave the White House following Donald Trumps election victory over Kamala Harris in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been thinking a lot about relationships we were friends for 50 years, she told The Washington Post. It was disappointing. Elsewhere in the interview, Mrs Biden said she learned a lot about human nature during her time in the White House and was disappointed with how it [her husbands departure from office] unfolded. Jill Biden told the Washington Post she felt disappointed by the actions of Ms Pelosi - Leigh Vogel/UPI/Bloomberg In July, Ms Pelosi refused to publicly back Mr Bidens re-election bid on his favourite TV programme, Morning Joe, which his aides believe gave the green light to other Democrats and donors to move against him. She is reported to have presented the US president with private polling the same month to convince him that he could not beat Mr Trump in the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of polling day, Mr Biden is said to have grudgingly acknowledged that the former speaker did what she had to do in ousting him. However, following Mr Trumps commanding win in November, he has repeatedly said he believes he could have beaten the Republican as he did in the 2020 election. In a series of interviews, he claimed he would have beaten Trump, could have beaten Trump and that polling indicated he would have done so. Biden is said to have acknowledged Pelosi, pictured centre, did what she had to do to oust him from the presidential race - Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times/Getty The Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday that a rift had opened between Mr Biden and Ms Harris over his contention. The vice president, who proved reluctant to criticise her boss during her 107-day campaign for the White House, is said to have told allies and family members she was disappointed with the claim he would have succeeded where she failed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Figures close to Ms Harris said Mr Bidens assertion showed the one-sided loyalty of their relationship. Kirsten Allen, a spokeswoman for Ms Harris, said the pair had developed a close working relationship as governing partners, but they have also built a strong friendship that continues today. 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. BAXTER SPRINGS, Kan. The word interim has officially been removed from a southeast Kansas mans job title. Jimmy Hamilton, this week, was named the new Baxter Springs Police Chief by city council members. He was named interim chief in November following the announcement by then-chief Brian Henderson that he was stepping down. Henderson, of course, was elected the new Cherokee County sheriff and was sworn in earlier this week in Columbus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Hamilton, he told us the work continues to make BSPD a destination for officers. Right off the bat just like every other department were workin on budget issues, and tryin to get pay up a little bit, so were a little more competitive. Not sure how quickly thats gonna happen, but the council seems to be working well and receptive to that. Law enforcements its not easy to get people in law enforcement anyhow. So we want to be competitive with the surrounding departments, said Jimmy Hamilton, Baxter Springs Police Chief. Hamilton is a Baxter Springs native and began his career with the departments reserves in 1992. Hes also worked for the countys ambulance service and the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. President Joe Bidens farewell to elected office on Jan. 20, 2025, presents an opportunity to reflect on the legacy he left on the federal courts. Many will perceive Bidens influence on the courts primarily based on his appointment of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the nations first Black, female Supreme Court justice. But Bidens judicial legacy spans decades and reaches far beyond the makeup of the current Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a leading scholar of the federal courts, I believe Bidens judicial impact is most notable in three regards: his role in the 1991 confirmation of Clarence Thomas, his historic efforts during his presidency to diversify the federal bench, and his 2024 decision to veto legislation expanding the number of federal district court judgeships. Biden appointed more women to the federal bench than any other president, including Ketanji Brown Jackson, shown here with Biden on April 8, 2022, after the Senate confirmed her appointment as the first Black woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Chairman Bidens impact When he was a senator, Biden served as the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1987 to 1995. During that time, Biden oversaw the Senates consideration of hundreds of federal court appointments, including six Supreme Court nominees. His role in the 1991 confirmation hearing of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas stands out for how he handled allegations of sexual harassment brought against the nominee. Thomas was appointed by President George H.W. Bush to replace Thurgood Marshall, a liberal icon and the nations first Black Supreme Court justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Replacing the liberal Marshall with the conservative Thomas had the potential to shift the ideological makeup of the court. As a result, Thomas confirmation hearing was sure to be contentious. But things got especially heated when Anita Hill, a former colleague of Thomas, alleged that Thomas had sexually harassed her when they both worked at the Department of Education and at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. As chairman of the committee, it was ultimately up to Biden how to handle the investigation of these allegations. Perhaps Bidens most controversial decision involved his refusal to allow senators to hear from witnesses who were willing to testify under oath to corroborate Hills allegations. In a 2017 interview, Biden said that the witnesses backed out at the last minute. But this explanation is contested by at least one witness, who said she was never called to testify. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though well never be sure, this testimony could have sunk Thomas confirmation. Instead, he was confirmed by a 52-48 Senate vote. Much later, Biden recognized that his handling of Hills allegations was going to be an issue in his 2020 presidential campaign. As a result, Biden reached out to Hill before announcing his candidacy. In that phone call, he expressed his regret for what she experienced at the hearing, but he did not go so far as to apologize. Bidens federal court appointments As president, Bidens primary legacy involves his historical efforts to diversify the federal bench in terms of the race, gender, sexual orientation and religion of his judicial nominees. Biden appointed more women to the bench than any president before him, as well as the most racially and ethnically diverse group of judges in the nations history. Biden also appointed an unusually large number of former public defenders to judgeships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackson, as a Black woman and former public defender, is the most high- profile example of this. But Biden also nominated more than a quarter of all sitting federal judges in his four years a president. Bidens efforts to diversify the federal bench are important and are likely to be tangible. Having diverse judges on the courts increases support for courts among women and people of color. This is significant, since courts rely on the public for their legitimacy, and America has become increasingly diverse over time. Female judges and judges of color tend to be more progressive in their decision-making than other judges, more often supporting litigants claiming violations of their civil rights. This is especially true for areas in which such judges may have unique perspectives and experiences, such as gender and racial discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similarly, research shows that judges who were once public defenders are less likely to incarcerate convicted criminals and tend to hand down shorter sentences among those sentenced to prison. The future of federal courts One of Bidens lesser known, but very substantial, final acts in office involves vetoing the JUDGES Act of 2024. This legislation would have added 66 judges to the federal courts. Some of those courts are currently understaffed, resulting in heavy workloads for judges, creating delays in the administration of justice. Though the bill had unanimous support in the Democratically controlled Senate in August 2024, the Republican-led House refused to vote on the bill until after the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was a strategic move that would ensure that the winner of the election Donald Trump would appoint the initial batch of 25 judges under the legislation. Biden said that he vetoed the legislation because there were some lingering questions that should be answered, such as how the new judgeships would be allocated to courts across the country. But as a scholar of the federal courts, it is evident to me that Bidens real motivation was to prevent Trump from appointing the first 25 judges. Taken as a whole, Biden leaves a complicated legacy on the federal courts. On the one hand, he undertook unprecedented efforts to ensure that the federal courts look like the people they represent. He also resisted efforts that would have moved the courts in a conservative direction under Trumps second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, Biden played a major role in the confirmation of Thomas, one of the most conservative justices in American history. 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: Paul M. Collins Jr., UMass Amherst Read more: Paul M. Collins Jr. 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. President Joe Biden, in his farewell address Wednesday night from the Oval Office, pointed the finger at a very few, ultra-wealthy people as he warned about the spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media and the abuse of artificial intelligenceeach consequences of a tech-industrial complex that could grow even more powerful in the next Trump administration. Though he didnt say his name, Biden alluded to his successors self-identified first buddy, Elon Musk, the billionaire head of X who donated more than a quarter-billion dollars to Trumps re-election campaign and who is deeply involved with AI. Theres a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. There are dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked, Biden said. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After highlighting his efforts to thwart climate change, and how weve proven we dont have to choose between protecting the environment and growing the economy, Biden said that powerful forces want to wield their unchecked influence to eliminate the steps weve taken to tackle the climate crisis, to serve their own interests for power and profit. Biden, quoting President Dwight Eisenhowers 1961 farewell address urging Americans to be wary of the military-industrial complex, offered a revised version for 2025. WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 15: U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a farewell Address to the Nation from the Oval Office while (from left to right) U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. First Lady Jill Biden, son Hunter Biden listen on at the White House on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Samuel Corum/Getty Images) / Samuel Corum / Getty Images Six decades later, Im equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country as well, he said. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking, he said, alluding to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerbergs Trump-friendly decision to ditch fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram, where millions get their news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit, Biden continued. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power. AI, Biden said, is the most consequential technology of our timeperhaps all-time, and its risks require action. Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, and our societyfor humanity. Artificial i ntelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it," he said. But unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work, and how we protect our nation. We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind. President Joe Biden devoted a great deal of his farewell address warning of the concentration of power and wealth, particularly when it comes to what he dubbed the tech industrial complex. In a speech from the Oval Office, Biden did not name Elon Musk, who stands to take a central role in Donald Trumps administration, or Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, who have taken blatant steps to woo the former Celebrity Apprentice host. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But borrowing a phrase from Dwight D. Eisenhower, who warned of the rise of the military industrial complex in his final speech to the nation, Biden said that he was equally concerned about the potential rise of the tech industrial complex. It can pose real dangers to our country as well. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact checking. Truth is smothered by lies, told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable, to protect our children, our families in a very democracy from the abuse of power. Bidens warning were part of a broader alarm about the abuse of power being unchecked. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musks role in the incoming administration has raised big concerns that he will wield excessive influence on the Trump administration, all the while reaping the windfall from government contracts. Musk poured tens of millions to help return Trump to the White House, and he has suggested that he will continue to bankroll challengers to lawmakers who are in his disfavor. Meanwhile, a number of tech titans have lined up behind Trump. Last week, Zuckerberg announced that Meta would stop fact-checking on its platforms, a nod to an incoming president who has blasted the social media platforms content moderation practices. Musk, meanwhile, suspended fact-checking on Twitter after he purchased it and later rebranded it as X, replacing it with a community notes system, one that Zuckerberg plans to adopt. Musk himself has spread lies and misinformation from his own account. Bidens warning underscored what had eluded his presidency for much of his term, as he and his advisers had trouble getting their message through in a diffused information environment where legacy media audiences were dwindling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through his four years in office, Bidens administration often battled the spread of falsehoods on social media, particularly as it sought vaccine acceptance to address the Covid pandemic. The president ran through his legislative and other accomplishments in the earlier part of the speech, including the passage of the infrastructure law, another aimed at boosting the semiconductor industry and another to bring down the cost of prescription drug prices. He touted the passage of significant climate change legislation while mentioning the creation of 17 million new jobs, surpassing his predecessors. It will take time to feel the full impact of all we have done together, but the seeds are planted, Biden said. Bidens administration has tried to address the rise of artificial intelligence, including with largely voluntary initiatives by major firms like OpenAI to establish safeguards. But despite months of sessions devoted to the concerns over AI, Congress never passed any significant law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our right, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation, Biden said. We must make sure AI and safe and trustworthy. Biden earlier this week gave a farewell speech devoted to foreign policy, but this evening he did make mention that Ukraine is still free, and we pulled ahead of our competition with China. The president also started his speech by talking of the breakthrough ceasefire deal reached earlier today between Israel and Hamas. Trump has tried to take credit for the deal, but Biden said, This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the next administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the transition period, Biden has met with his successor, and even posed for pictures with him. The outgoing president will attend the swearing in ceremony that Trump shunned four years ago. In tonight speech, though, Biden made clear that his respect for tradition does not mean that he still doesnt see a threat to democracy ahead. I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, a nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure, he told viewers. Now its your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. Here is a letter Biden wrote to the American people today: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four years ago, we stood in a winter of peril and a winter of possibilities. We were in the grip of the worst pandemic in a century, the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and the worst attack on our democracy since the Civil War. But we came together as Americans, and we braved through it. We emerged stronger, more prosperous, and more secure. Today, we have the strongest economy in the world and have created a record 16.6 million new jobs. Wages are up. Inflation continues to come down. The racial wealth gap is the lowest its been in 20 years. Were rebuilding our entire nationurban, suburban, rural, and Tribal communities. Manufacturing is coming back to America. Were leading the world again in science and innovation, including the semiconductor industry. And we finally beat Big Pharma to lower the cost of prescription drugs for seniors. More people have health insurance today in America than ever before. I signed one of the most significant laws helping millions of veterans who were exposed to toxic materials and their families, as well as the most significant climate law ever and the first major gun safety law in nearly 30 years. Today, the violent crime rate is at a 50-year low. I ran for president because I believed that the soul of America was at stake. The very nature of who we are was at stake. And, thats still the case. America is an idea stronger than any army and larger than any ocean. Its the most powerful idea in the history of the world. That idea is that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Weve never fully lived up to this sacred idea, but weve never walked away from it either. And I do not believe the American people will walk away from it now. Vice President Harris and I asked our staff to prepare a detailed summary of the progress weve made together throughout the last four years. Below, Im sharing our record with you. I hope youll do your part to build on the progress weve made. It has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States. I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands. We just have to keep the faith and remember who we are. We are the United States of America, and there is simply nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. Thank you. Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. JASPER COUNTY, Mo. Some Southwest Missouri law enforcement agencies are joining forces to respond in the most critical situations. The Jasper County Sheriffs Office is expanding how it responds to high-risk situations. Its a new program called the Joint Special Operations Group or JSOG. A joint SWAT team that now includes some of the municipalities in Jasper County, Carthage and Webb City and Carl Junction are all participants in this, said Jasper Co. Sheriff Randee Kaiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each agency contributes members to JSOG, all trained to SWAT requirements allowing them to respond together to deal with a risky situation. FOUR STATES CRIME So its not just Jasper County. So if you see us, you know SWAT activity, say, a search warrant being served, for example, you might notice that theres Jasper County deputies working alongside a Carthage officer or a Webb City officer whos on that SWAT team, said Kaiser. The project means larger numbers to respond to an incident compared to just one agency. We have the ability to have a lot of different people trained in a lot of different areas. And then the other benefit for the municipalities is, is, you know, some of the Carthage, Webb City may not be big enough to have a full SWAT team, but they have people on their departments that would like to be a part of that, and they can be a part of that. And so its just, it benefits everybody mutually, said Kaiser. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Webb City police chief says its a good way to make the best use of specialized resources. Its a force multiplier, plus we get the opportunity to use some of their specialized tools for the trade, like, you know, gas. Its something for a smaller department. For us, by the time we buy the gas, when we need to use the gas, its expired, said WCPD Chief Don Melton. Operations first got underway in 2024 and so far has handled 18 high-risk situations. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Jan. 15Joplin Area Catholic Schools is seeking donations for its annual auction, which will be held Saturday, March 1, with the theme "Bead Up for a Cause: A Warrior Gras Celebration Auction." The school system is asking businesses and community members to consider donating to the auction.The tax-deductible donation supports the school system through its spring fundraiser. Donor names are highlighted on the BidPal bidding software at the event and are viewed by attendees as they browse items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All donations should be mailed directly to Joplin Area Catholic Schools, Attention: Auction, 930 S. Pearl Ave., Joplin, MO 64801. They must be received by Feb. 17. This year's fund-a-vision is for JACS's Sr. Mary Norbert Flesch, RSM, Endowment Fund to increase the salaries for faculty and staff in the JACS system. Funds raised through the annual auction help maintain school system facilities, retain teachers and enhance the learning experience for JACS students. More information and a donor form can be found at https://joplinbusinessoutlook.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2025-Auction-Donation-Letter.pdf. Two journalists disrupted Secretary of State Antony Blinkens last press briefing Thursday with criticism over his handling of the war in Gaza. Your father-in-law was an Israel lobbyist. Your grandfather was an Israel lobbyist. Are you compromised by Israel? Why did you allow the Holocaust of our time to happen? Max Blumenthal, editor of the blog Grayzone, asked Blinken. How does it feel to have your legacy be genocide? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He questioned both Blinken and State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller on the actions in the Middle East he said harmed 300 reporters while he was being escorted out by staff. Why did you keep the bombs flowing when we had a deal in May? We all knew we had a deal. Everyone in this room knows we had a deal, Tony, and you kept the bombs flowing, Blumenthal said in his earlier statements during the press briefing, likely referring to the airstrike on a displacement camp in Rafah last year. The Israeli attack, which killed 25 and injured 200, used U.S. munitions, according to reports from CNN. However, he wasnt the only journalist to share his disdain. Independent reporter Sam Husseini screamed out during the briefing to suggest Blinken be tried for his actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Criminal! You belong in The Hague, Husseini said, seemingly referencing the city where the International Criminal Court is located. Both journalists were escorted out as Blinken stopped his opening comments to address protesters, asking them to respect the process, according to The Associated Press. President Biden announced a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas Wednesday, touting a hostage release and signaling an end to months of violence during his final time in office. However, many remain outraged over the deadly conflict that claimed the lives of 46,000 Palestinians and left others plagued by disease and starvation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Africa and Ireland have labeled the mounting conditions as a genocidal effort carried out by Israeli leaders and have opened a case against the country in the International Criminal Court. Blinken said the U.S. has raised concerns with Israeli leaders but has mostly done it privately, precisely because we didnt want to feed into Hamass clearly held views that if that pressure was mounting, and if there was daylight, they could do nothing. 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. MORAINE, Ohio (WDTN) An ice cream spot in Moraine is closing its doors and will instead focus on catering and wholesale. Jubies Creamery features locations in Troy, Fairborn and Moraine, but the latter will be no more. The eatery announced the news Wednesday via social media, expressing gratitude to customers and employees alike. So, with a heavy heart, we are sad to announce that our Moraine location will be permanently closing, the post reads in part. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Moraine location will focus efforts on catering and wholesale through a partnership with Dorothy Lane Market. Their wide-reaching network allows us the opportunity to still provide the best ice cream on the planet to those surrounding our Moraine location. In turn, this gives us more time to search for new Jubies fans and expand our brand, continued the post. Despite the stores closure, their ice cream will be around still, as will the Jubie Mobile at events throughout the year. 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. A judge in Manhattan denied the Alexander brothers bail in their sex-trafficking case on Wednesday. The denial followed a contentious hearing over whether the three brothers are dangerous or a flight risk. The judge criticized a lawyer who argued a woman can't be incapacitated if she can still stand up. A judge in Manhattan denied bail on Wednesday for the Alexander brothers in their federal sex trafficking case, meaning they will remain jailed in Miami pending trial. Oren and Tal Alexander were luxury real-estate agents in Miami Beach and Manhattan before they and Oren's twin, Alon, were indicted in December. The three have denied wrongdoing and have pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking charges. The bail denial by US District Judge Valerie E. Caproni followed a contentious three-hour hearing, during which one defense lawyer argued that the brothers were no longer "orgying" and another said a woman can't be incapacitated if she can still stand up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That latter claim sparked a harsh retort from the judge. "That is nonsense," Caproni told a lawyer for Oren Alexander, interrupting his attack on a key piece of evidence a 2009 video showing either Oren or his twin, Alon, having sex with a woman that the government alleges was incapacitated. "I'm just telling you, if that's your argument, you lose," the judge told the lawyer. The testy exchange was begun by Deanna Paul, a defense lawyer for the twins' older brother, Tal, who told the judge that the sex-trafficking indictment is based on weak evidence. The indictment alleges that for 10 years starting in 2010, the siblings conspired to use their wealth and prominence in the luxury real estate world to rape or assault more than 40 women, mostly in Manhattan and Miami and often through the use of the drug GHB. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halfway through Wednesday's hearing, which the brothers did not attend, Paul mentioned that key prosecution evidence the 2009 video. She criticized its probative value, telling the judge it "shows the lack of force" during a consensual sexual encounter. "In my view, having sex with a woman who is physically incapacitated is basically rape," the judge responded, citing the prosecution's description of the video. The judge asked prosecutor Andrew Jones to describe the video more fully, which he then did publicly for the first time. He called it a "trophy" tape that the government had seized as evidence, and said it depicts one of the twins having sex with a woman he said the government has not spoken to. Jones said he wasn't sure if the video shows Oren or Alon, but that as it begins, "one of these very stone-cold sober defendants sets up a tripod." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a woman on the bed. She's naked," Jones continued. "When she tries to speak, it's incoherent. She is mumbling," and she appears unable to move, he told the judge. After the alleged rape, "she manages to stand on the floor, but then collapses back on the bed," the prosecutor said the video shows. Later in the hearing, the video was mentioned again by a lawyer for Oren Alexander, Richard Klugh. He referred to the woman in the video as "the sexual partner" of either of the twins and "the woman who stood up immediately after having sex." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said prosecutors are misrepresenting evidence when they say the woman was unable to speak, given that "she was mumbling." "You cannot call someone incapacitated who is able to stand up," he added at which point the judge called his assessment "nonsense." At the end of the hearing, Caproni rejected defense arguments that the siblings were neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk, and that, as Klugh put it, "there's been no more orgying. They're married." She also turned down a $115 million bail package and a promise that the three would live together in Florida on home confinement. The home would have an in-house security team, window sensors, and an alarm system, the defense lawyers had said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caproni said her denial was based in large part on federal appellate case law from New York's Second Circuit that bars judges from accepting a two-tiered bail system where only wealthy defendants can spend money for 24-hour monitoring by an in-house security team. "I have real problems with that," she said. "In the Second Circuit, if the only way I can mitigate danger to the community is to create a private jail, then I can't do that." Caproni set the trio's next court date for January 29. Read the original article on Business Insider FAIRFAX, Va. (DC News Now) A Fairfax County judge has denied a motion to dismiss the guilty verdict for a former Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) sergeant after he fatally shot a suspected shoplifter at Tysons Corner in 2023. A jury found former Sgt. Wesley Shifflett, 36, not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in October after he shot and killed 37-year-old Timothy McCree Johnson on Feb. 22, 2023. However, he was convicted of reckless handling of a firearm. Shifflett shot Johnson after a security guard accused him of stealing sunglasses from a Nordstrom department store at Tysons Corner Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Jury: Former Fairfax County police officer not guilty of involuntary manslaughter in fatal shooting of shoplifting suspect Several officers responded to the report, and Johnson fled, prompting a chase. Thats when two officers, including Shifflett, fired shots. However, Investigators determined that Shiffletts shot was the one that killed Johnson. During the trial, Shifflett testified that he fired shots because he was scared for his life, claiming he saw Johnson reach into his waistband for what he believed was a gun. Investigators later determined that Johnson was not armed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Shiffletts reckless handling of a firearm conviction on Oct. 4, 2024, the defense argued a motion to set aside the verdict. On Tuesday, Jan. 14, a judge from Fairfax County denied the motion, upholding the conviction. Steve Descano, the commonwealths attorney for Fairfax County, released the following statement in support of the conviction: Im grateful that the verdict in this case will stand. This case is about Timothy Johnson, a member of our community who lost his life on February 22, 2023. But this case is also about fairness, who the law protects, and who the justice system works for. When I was elected Commonwealths Attorney, I promised to build a fairer justice system and be the voice of the community in the court of law. We still have work to do, but this ruling is proof that institutions can evolve if people in power choose the right path even if that right path is the harder one. Our goal for this case was always to get it in front of a jury and to get the facts in front of the community. After hearing the evidence, the jury convicted the defendant of one of two charges against him. We anticipated that a case like this would face challenges because we sought accountability from a system that is designed to protect people in positions of power people like the defendant. But they were wrong, and the verdict will stand. Now, the judge has confirmed what the jury in this case has already decided: that no one is above the law. Steve Descano Mark your calendars! Dates announced for DCs beloved Cherry Blossom Festival, parade Shiffletts sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 28. 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. A Florida jury began deliberations this afternoon in a security consultants defamation lawsuit against CNN. Zachary Young sued the network following a report in 2021 that he sought exorbitant fees to evacuate Afghans in what amounted to a black market in the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. More from Deadline The segment from Alexander Marquardt was aired on CNN on November 11, 2021, and re-aired three times. Links to the segments also were posted on social media, and a digital article was posted on November 13. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one instance, Youngs image appeared on screen with the chyron, Afghans trying to flee Taliban face black markets, exorbitant fees, no guarantee of safety or success. Judge William Henry said that a jury would have to decide whether the use of the term black market meant illegal or criminal activity. The jurors will have to decide a series of questions, starting with, Did CNN commit defamation per se? Did CNN commit defamation by implication? If they answer yes to either, they will then have to determine damages, including those for lost earnings, as well as for pain and suffering, mental anguish, inconvenience and injury to reputation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The final question facing jurors is whether punitive damages are warranted. The threshold for such damages is higher, as the jury will have to determine that CNN acted with malice, not just negligence, against Young. If the jury favors punitive damages, the trial will move to another phase to determine the amount. The deliberations started shortly before 4 p.m. ET. During the trial, correspondent Alexander Marquardt defended the piece, as did other CNN staffers who worked on the segment. The term black market was not in the story itself but appeared on the chyron, but Marquardt said that he supported the use of that term as well. After it aired and Young began a legal challenge, CNN aired an apology. In a segment on The Lead with Jake Tapper on March 25, 2022, the anchor told viewers that the use of the term black market in the story was in error. The story included reporting on Zachary Young, a private operator who had been contacted by family members of Afghans trying to flee the country. We didnt mean to suggest that Mr. Young participated in the black market. We regret the error and to Mr. Young, we apologize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in his closing argument, Youngs attorney, Devin Velvel Freedman told jurors that the networks on air apology was a lie. Every single CNN employee got up on this stand and told you that they thought black market was accurate, he said. Each of them paraded a uniform lie that they thought to term black market meant an unregulated market. Each of them conveniently told you that they understood the word to mean the opposite of every single dictionary. He argued that the story cast Young as an illicit profiteer, when in fact he didnt take money from Afghans and worked with corporations and non profits to fund evacuations. Freedman told jurors that the story ruined Youngs career and reputation. He cant function anymore, and they did it. You saw him break down on the stand. We talked about the relationship with his wife, his inability to be intimate with her, and in speaking out loud for the first time, that hes just not the same man that she married. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No man or woman should have to endure the pain, and certainly not because they want clicks and views. But CNNs attorney, David Axelrod, told jurors they were being instructed to look at the words Black market in context. Its the wild, wild west. Some people were taken out and killed. People were using safe houses. People were flying under the radar. People were avoiding the Taliban. You couldnt just go to the airport. Black market was a perfect way to describe that. Thats what it was used for, and thats the way it was understood. He also added, If the black market was used to talk about the secondary market for Taylor Swift tickets, would anybody say that was criminal? Axelrod, who is no relation to the political commentator, said that the report was factual and reported on Youngs public advertisements on LinkedIn. Axelrod also noted that there was a dearth of evidence to support Youngs claims or lost work and reputation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jurors also were shown text messages during the trial give them a glimpse of the newsgathering process. In one, written about 10 days before the story ran, from Marquardt wrote to another CNN staffer, We gonna nail this Zachary Young mfer. Youngs legal team has tried to make the case that the text and others were evidence of malice, but Axelrod argued that the Marquardt and others involved in reporting the story showed restraint. During the trial, Marquardt said that they found that Young told one woman to f-off and told another seeking to get someone out of the country to run for the border and see how far they get. But those comments werent included in the finished story. The trial, Axelrod told the jurors, was about the truth of this case. Its not about sending a message. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. A jury convicted a Gary man Wednesday for opening fire on a minivan, killing a man and wounding a baby inside. Terry Horton, 27, was found guilty of murder and a firearms enhancement. Jurors deliberated for nearly five hours. His sentencing is Feb. 28. Selena Saenz told police her fiance Nehemiah Martin, 25, was riding in her minivan on May 7, 2022 as they headed east on 17th Avenue in Gary when a Chevrolet Malibu pulled up on the right side around 6 p.m. and a young man opened fire. The male driver gave a dirty look before opening fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martins son, then 17 months old, was shot in the arm. Video surveillance appeared to show the other vehicle passing the minivan, before both vehicles coming to a stop, the side minivan door opening, then Martin falling out. The white car speeds off. Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Dafoe said in closing arguments Horton was the shooter. Saenz was there. Martins sister Tyeshia Mahone was down the street parked at a gas station when she heard gunshots and saw a car speed past. Both women later identified Horton in photo lineups, Dafoe said. They were not concocting a story to point the finger at him, Dafoe said. Saenz, for example, said she recognized Hortons face from around town, but didnt know his name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mahone said Hortons nose stuck out, while Saenz said she would never forget his face. Defense lawyer Brandon Hicks questioned how police identified Horton. Another sister, Tyronda Martin, testified Tuesday she went to the crime scene, then returned to the gas station the next day when she overheard a couple of people say Terry did it. She searched Facebook for Terry in Gary. When she sent Hortons screenshot to Saenz and Mahone, they said it was the shooter. Saenz sent the photo to investigators, who included a different photo of Horton in their lineups. We dont crowdsource suspects, he told jurors. We need evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier, in a lengthy exchange with Lake County Sheriffs Department Detective Kris Adams, Hicks asked if he had other evidence that showed Horton was there, such as whether a search warrant was executed for Hortons home for a gun or clothes and cellphone location data and did police find the car or the gun. Adams said there was no home search warrant because he couldnt find where Horton stayed. He couldnt figure out Hortons cellphone number. Hortons physical cellphone was never recovered. A murder weapon was not located, which wasnt unusual, he said. Horton owned a beige Chevrolet Impala, Adams said, citing BMV and police records. His car was never found. License plate readers now standardly used to pinpoint locations in criminal cases were not yet in the area, he said. The detective said both womens accounts were credible because their story matched the video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One 911 call mentioned a Black man in his 20s with dreadlocks. Was he ever investigated? It was impossible to determine who that could have been, Adams said. About a year after the shooting, he subpoenaed Hortons Facebook account. They found various messages with anonymous people accusing him of shooting Martin. (Expletive) that (guy), Horton wrote, speaking of Martin, in response to one accuser. Neither Horton, nor his relative who said he was his alibi, testified. Throughout the trial, lawyers went back and forth on exactly what model of car the shooter drove. Dafoe said in her final remarks to jurors that only the defense said it was a Malibu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Mahone who was Ubering a friend at the gas station at the time of the shooting testified Tuesday she was sure it was a Malibu. Prosecutors appeared to drop an attempted murder charge Wednesday on technical grounds. In an unrelated murder case, Horton was inside a Clark gas station, 2725 W. 5th Ave., in May 2020 when his half-brother Aaron Sawyer opened fire and killed Dorell Townsend. Sawyer said he reacted quickly, afraid Townsend would hurt Horton. Horton was also charged with murder in the case before he pleaded guilty to assisting a criminal. He was released on a $3,000 cash bond in December 2020. He was out on bond when Martin was killed, then arrested again in May 2022. Sawyer got 67 years in April, while Horton got time served. mcolias@post-trib.com Justice Samuel Alito managed to arouse a lot of attention on social media Wednesday thanks to his question about how the adult content platform Pornhub compares to Playboy magazine. It happened when the Supreme Court was hearing arguments about a Texas law that requires age verification for users to access sexual content online. At one point, Alito asked Derek Shaffer, a lawyer for the adult industry trade group the Free Speech Coalition, what percentage of Pornhub content is not obscene as to children. The justice then inquired, in what the New York Times described as a mocking tone, whether Pornhub was like the old Playboy magazine. He asked, You have essays there by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr.? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaffer conceded the lack of Vidal and Buckley think pieces, but said Pornhub users could find sexual wellness posts about women recovering from hysterectomies and how they can enjoy sex. The Supreme Court is expected to decide by June whether the age verification process required by Texas law imposes too great a burden on adult access to legal content. However, people on social media were mostly just amused by the fact that Alito had asked about Playboy vs. Pornhub. Pornhub should do interviews with presidential candidates, like Playboy publishing that interview with Jimmy Carter where he said he had committed adultery in his heart. Game-changer Metal_Lawyer (@prsn_mike) January 15, 2025 Lol. Reminds me of the Simpsons joke where Bart asks the Nanny what she'd do if she caught him with a Playdude: "I'll force you to read every word of that wretched publication, including Norman Mailer's latest claptrap about his waning libido!" Ross Kavanagh (@Ross_Kav) January 15, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why should they? Does Car and Driver have erotica and nudes? Does Scientific American have dessert recipes and an entertainment section? Why is it a problem if THIS speciality site, I don't know, specializes, but not others? #Free Ahed Tamimi (@nothenryporter) January 15, 2025 If this ends with Pornhub grudgingly adding a "Gore Vidal" tab to its homepage, gonna have to give props to Alito pic.twitter.com/cUO65U8ydR Eric Levitz (@EricLevitz) January 15, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related... Justin Baldoni has filed a new civil lawsuit against Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, the couple's publicist Leslie Sloane and Sloane's public relations company Vision PR for, among other things, extortion and defamation. Baldoni, who directed and starred in the film "It Ends With Us" with Lively, is accusing Lively of having "robbed" Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios LLC of control of the film, as well as destroying Baldoni's "personal and professional reputations and livelihood." The suit lists Baldoni, Wayfarer, Baldoni's publicist Jennifer Abel; Melissa Nathan, a crisis PR specialist hired by Wayfarer Studios; and Jamey Heath, Baldoni's friend, podcast co-host, and Wayfarer CEO, as plaintiffs. They are currently seeking $400 million in damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justin Baldoni files lawsuit against The New York Times over its story on Blake Lively PHOTO: Blake Lively poses on Oct. 28, 2024 in New York. / Justin Baldoni attends the 'It Ends With Us' Aug. 6, 2024 in New York. / Ryan Reynolds poses on Sept. 17, 2024 in New York. (Getty Images (3), FILE) "Lively stole Wayfarers movie, hijacked Wayfarers premiere, destroyed Plaintiffs personal and professional reputations and livelihood, and aimed to drive Plaintiffs out of business entirely," the suit reads. The suit claims Lively pushed a "false and damaging narrative" against Baldoni that was "rife with lies and doctored 'evidence'" in accusing him of sexual harassment on the set of "It Ends with Us." Lively first raised allegations of sexual harassment against Baldoni and accused him and his publicity team of trying to destroy her reputation in a complaint she filed in December with the California Civil Rights Department, which included numerous text messages and communications she claimed were part of a campaign to attack her public image. The New York Times was the first to report Lively's legal complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lively then formally filed a lawsuit in New York against Baldoni and other defendants again, alleging sexual harassment. Bryan Freedman, the attorney for Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios, denied all allegations. Baldoni's suit accuses Sloane of having gone "so far as to propagate malicious stories portraying Baldoni as a sexual predator" and Reynolds of using the term to describe Baldoni in a call with Baldoni's agent. The suit claims Reynolds told Baldoni's rep to "drop" him as a client. Baldoni also accused Reynolds of launching into an "aggressive tirade, berating Baldoni in what Baldoni later described as a 'traumatic' encounter" at the couple's home during the film's production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit claims Baldoni and the other plaintiffs were "the targets of a calculated and vitriolic smear campaign" lodged by the defendants and that Lively, leveraging her and her husband's star power, took control of the film -- including Lively having her own cut of it. Baldoni's attorney, Bryan Freedman, said in a statement, "This lawsuit is a legal action based on an overwhelming amount of untampered evidence detailing Blake Lively and her team's duplicitous attempt to destroy Justin Baldoni, his team and their respective companies by disseminating grossly edited, unsubstantiated, new and doctored information to the media." "It is clear based on our own all out willingness to provide all complete text messages, emails, video footage and other documentary evidence that was shared between the parties in real time, that this is a battle she will not win and will certainly regret," Freedman continued. PHOTO: In this Jan. 12, 2024, file photo, Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni are seen on the set of 'It Ends with Us' in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin via GC Images via Getty Images, FILE) Freedman ended his statement by saying, "We know the truth, and now the public does too. Justin and his team have nothing to hide, documents do not lie." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lively's legal team responded to the lawsuit in a statement on Thursday and called it "another chapter in the abuser playbook." "This is an age-old story: A woman speaks up with concrete evidence of sexual harassment and retaliation and the abuser attempts to turn the tables on the victim," the statement said. "This is what experts call DARVO. Deny. Attack. Reverse Victim Offender." It continued, "Wayfarer has opted to use the resources of its billionaire co-founder to issue media statements, launch meritless lawsuits, and threaten litigation to overwhelm the publics ability to understand that what they are doing is retaliation against sexual harassment allegations. They are trying to shift the narrative to Ms. Lively by falsely claiming that she seized creative control and alienated the cast from Mr. Baldoni." "The evidence will show that the cast and others had their own negative experiences with Mr. Baldoni and Wayfarer," it added. "The evidence will also show that Sony asked Ms. Lively to oversee Sonys cut of the film, which they then selected for distribution and was a resounding success." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Their response to sexual harassment allegations: she wanted it, its her fault. Their justification for why this happened to her: look what she was wearing. In short, while the victim focuses on the abuse, the abuser focuses on the victim," the statement said. Lively's legal team ended the statement by saying, "The strategy of attacking the woman is desperate, it does not refute the evidence in Ms. Livelys complaint, and it will fail. Blake Lively, Justin Baldoni's lawyers issue new statements amid legal battle Baldoni's latest action in his legal battle against Lively comes after he had filed a lawsuit against The New York Times on Dec. 31 for libel and false light invasion of privacy, after it published the story "We Can Bury Anyone" on Dec. 22, which included reporting on Lively's complaint. That same day, Lively formally filed her lawsuit in New York against Baldoni and other defendants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baldoni was reportedly dropped from his talent agency after the story was published. In his complaint against The New York Times, Baldoni accused the newspaper of relying on "cherry-picked" and altered communications, with details "stripped of necessary context and deliberately spliced" to "mislead." PHOTO: In this Jan. 12, 2024, file photo, Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively are seen on the set of 'It Ends with Us,' in Jersey City, New Jersey. (Jose Perez/bauer-griffin/GC Images via Getty Images, FILE) In a statement to ABC News, The New York Times denied Baldoni's accusations and said their original story was "meticulously and responsibly reported," and that their report was "based on a review of thousands of pages of original documents, including the text messages and emails that we quote accurately and at length in the article." Lively's attorney issued a statement amid the ongoing feud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ms. Lively's federal litigation before the Southern District of New York involves serious claims of sexual harassment and retaliation, backed by concrete facts. This is not a 'feud' arising from 'creative differences' or a 'he said/she said' situation. As alleged in Ms. Lively's complaint, and as we will prove in litigation, Wayfarer and its associates engaged in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing against Ms. Lively for simply trying to protect herself and others on a film set," the statement read in part. In recent days, both Baldoni and Lively's attorney have issued statements on the ongoing legal feud. Both Baldoni and Lively are seeking a jury trial. Justin Baldoni sues Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds and others in new lawsuit originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday the formation of a Canada-U.S. relations council to support the federal government as it deals with incoming U.S. President Donald Trumps threat to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada. The 18-member council is composed of representatives from the automotive industry, the nuclear power sector, agriculture and the labor movement. Among the members are Steve Verheul, Canadas chief trade negotiator during the renegotiation of NAFTA, and former provincial premiers Jean Charet (Quebec), Rachel Notley (Alberta) and Stephen McNeil (Nova Scotia). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canadas Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman, former ambassador David MacNaughton and Jody Thomas, the prime ministers former national security adviser, are also joining the council. The council will use sectoral expertise to support the prime minister and cabinet at this important time in the Canada-U.S. relationship, said a statement from the Prime Ministers office. Following a meeting with Canadas premiers Wednesday, Trudeau said no decision has been made about what goods Canada might be targeted in retaliation should Trump apply tariffs. We are all united on one thing, which is we will stand up for Canada, Trudeau said. We will protect Canadians. We will make sure that we are there to show what this country is made of." If the American administration moves forward with its plans on tariffs, it will, first and foremost, hurt American citizens and American consumers, but it will also hurt Canadians," he added. Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi testifies before the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee during a briefing Wednesday in Annapolis. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) A Maryland Senate panel grilled Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi Wednesday on a troubling report on the agencys performance, including concerns about staffing and juveniles who recommit crimes and are returned to the departments custody. Members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee peppered Schiraldi with questions during a sometimes testy hearing that went on for more than three hours to discuss the report which covered years of operations, only the last few months of which were during Schiraldis tenure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report by the Office of Program Evaluation and Accountability ran through the end of fiscal 2023. Schiraldi was appointed by Gov. Wes Moore (D) in February 2023, which means he led the agency for about six months of the time the report reviewed. Among its findings, the report looked at 15 youths in DJS custody, 14 of whom were charged after their release with crimes such as burglary, assault, motor vehicle theft and carjacking, and returned to the department, a fact that seemed to concern a number of the senators. In one particularly contentious exchange, Sen. William G. Folden (R-Frederick) pressed Schiraldi with several questions about events that have happened well after he took over control of the department, including alleged assaults on staff members reported by Fox-45 in November. Sen. William G. Folden (R-Frederick), left, questions Juvenile Services Secretary Vincent Schiraldi at a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing,. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matterrs) Are staff members and teens in danger at DJS facilities? Folden asked Schiraldi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no correctional facility in the country that Im aware of where staff and youth arent in some level of danger. Thats why we train people in those facilities, Schiraldi said. As Schiraldi explained about staff training, Folden interjected and asked a few more questions. Are you going to let me answer the questions, or are you just going to keep cutting in on me? Schiraldi asked. Go ahead and finish, Folden said. In terms of staffing, Schiraldi said the job vacancy rate at the department has decreased from 16% when he arrived to 11% now. When asked by committee Chair William C. Smith Jr. (D-Montgomery) whether assaults in the facilities are trending up or down, Schiraldi said it depends on facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a little of both, he said later. A few senators asked about the agencys case management system, which the report said should be updated. The system, called ASSIST (Automated Statewide System of Information Support Tools), does not input information from youth who may have received mentoring and other services from providers who are not contracted with DJS which is as many as 70% of cases, the report said. This lack of comprehensive service tracking makes it challenging to effectively evaluate youth outcomes, said the report, which was released last month. By expanding placement tracking to include non-contracted providers, DJS would gain valuable data about service utilization patterns and program effectiveness while maintaining the flexibility to refer youth to appropriate community resources. Schiraldi said Wednesday the agency plans to upgrade the system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Powell, director of the accountability office that prepared the report, acknowledged during about 75 minutes of briefing the committee before Schiraldi spoke, that it mainly highlights the agencys process. It was really antiseptic, said Sen. Chris West (R-Baltimore County), noting that the data is through fiscal 2023 and mainly does not involve the current administration. Schiraldi said the department will release a detailed research guide later this month that will include updated information and other data for fiscal 2024. That guide for fiscal 2023 highlighted the types of offenses in a particular region, number of youths supervised by the agency and statewide activity for youth of color. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A K-9 officer was hit by gunfire and wounded this week after he used his sense of smell to locate the suspected killer of a sheriff's deputy in Houston, Texas, authorities say. Rocky, a 1-year-old Belgian Malinois assigned to the U.S. Marshals Service, sustained multiple gunshot wounds on Jan. 15 after alerting officers to the location of Robert Lee Davis, who was suspected of killing Brazoria County Sheriff's Deputy Jesus Vargas earlier in the day. Davis was hiding in a dumpster near the site of the shooting, an alley outside a strip mall on Stella Link Road in Houston, law enforcement said at a press conference Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just before 5 p.m., Rocky alerted law enforcement sweeping the area to the dumpster, said Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz. When officers opened it up, Rocky jumped inside and found Davis hiding under "tons" of trash, said Diaz. Brazoria County Sheriff's Office Deputy Sheriff Jesus Vargas Deputy Sheriff Jesus Vargas 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 suspect immediately started shooting, striking Rocky twice before officers could return fire, said Diaz. Davis was hit multiple times and succumbed to his injuries in the dumpster. U.S. Marshal's Office Rocky Rocky Rocky, meanwhile, was carried by multiple officers to a waiting helicopter in the parking lot and was transported to a local veterinarian's office where he was listed in stable condition, Houston Public Media reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amazing aspect here, and people have to understand, the K-9 saved lives," said T. Michael O'Connor, the U.S. Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. "This guy had no intentions whatsoever to be taken alive." Earlier in the day, Vargas had been serving Davis with an arrest warrant on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when the suspect opened fire on officers, striking Vargas, the Houston Chronicle reported. The deputy was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved. Davis was also wanted on aggravated sexual assault charges, stemming from the alleged rape of a family member at gunpoint in April of last year, the Chronicle reported. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org. Read the original article on People KAIMUKI, Hawaii (KHON2) A popular and loved burger spot in Kaimuki known for its simple smash burgers and fries is getting ready to close its doors in February. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Before its Kaimuki location, Chubbies Burgers started as a food truck in Ward Village nearly nine years ago. In 2022, owner Jeffrey Nedry moved the business to its current restaurant space in Kaimuki. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Popular all-you-can-eat McCully restaurant to close in February Weve loved it here, its an awesome neighborhood. We had a short lease that we took over, so weve been trying to renew it, Nedry explained. Unfortunately, Nedry and the landlord were unable to come to an agreement. As a result, Chubbies will end its service in Kaimuki on Feb. 1, but Nedry said this isnt the end. We definitely plan to continue to operate, were looking for a pop-up space for 2025 and we are working on a future location that I cant announce details on yet, but hopefully by the end of the year well open a future location that weve been working on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oahu community caught wind of the news, trying to get their final fix before they close. We heard they were closing, weve always loved getting lunch from my office so we just wanted to get some in before theyre on to other stuff and leaving this location, said Ricky Muraoka, Chubbies customer. Its just a great burger, you know that smash-style burger, everythings always fresh and good so we all like it. Nedry thanked his customers for their constant support. The support has been amazing throughout all the changes, and you know theres more changes on the horizon but before you know it well be back to serving the burgers you guys know and love. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check out more news from around Hawaii In the meantime, Chubbies Burgers will be open every day from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nedry said to check back later for updates on special hours for their last 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 KHON2. Kamala Harris has told friends that she is deeply sad about President Joe Bidens claim that he could have won the 2024 election. Biden said in an interview at the start of January that he thought he could have defeated Donald Trump. Its presumptuous to say that, but I think yes... based on the polling, he said, speaking to USA Today, later clarifying that he meant both he and Harris could have... would have beaten Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris told friends that she is disappointed by Bidens comments, sources told The Wall Street Journal, and people close to Harris told the publication that Bidens statement demonstrated one-sided loyalty. The report is another sign of strains in the pairs relationship, following a frosty appearance by Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff at the late former President Jimmy Carters funeral this month. Harris has been a loyal supporter of Biden throughout his presidency, even after his disastrous performance at the debate in June, when other Democrats were calling on him to step down. She has occasionally had to distance herself from some of Bidens more notorious gaffes, such as when he called Trump supporters garbage. Vice President Kamala Harris listens as U.S. President Joe Biden. / Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images Harris and Emhoff have had a difficult few weeks as she prepares to leave public office for the first time since 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day after Harris presided over the formal process for the certification of her election loss, she had to cancel her last foreign trip to Singapore, Bahrain and Germany to help with the governments response to the Los Angeles wildfires. Last week, her home in the citys Brentwood neighborhood came under evacuation orders. Harris is reportedly considering a bid for California governor in 2026, as well as taking on speaking engagements and writing a book to maintain her public profile. She also hasnt ruled out running for president again in 2028. Kamala Harris is reportedly planning to write a tell-all book about her presidential run and defeat to Donald Trump. The vice president, who leaves office on Monday, has largely disappeared from the public eye and has rarely spoken about her loss of the November election in which Mr Trump swept all seven swing states in a commanding victory. Two individuals who spoke to NBC News said Ms Harris had already decided to write a book, while others said the issue was under discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Industry figures said the move could be the first step in the Democrat making another run for the White House in 2028. I think she owes it to people to write a book, one Harris confidant told the news outlet. Kamala Harris has rarely spoken about losing the November election to Donald Trump, who swept all seven swing states in his victory - Saul Loeb/AFP Keith Urbahn, founder of the literary agency Javelin, said a book could redefine her for 2028 and help her with a second presidential campaign. It has previously been reported that Ms Harris is mulling either another attempt to win the White House in 2028 or run for governor in her home state of California in 2026. Mr Urbahn said the vice president had an opportunity to steer the direction of the party in the wake of her election defeat, acknowledging where she had misread the electorate and reaching out beyond the partys base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a version of this book that is full of platitudes but safe, and then theres a version that reinvents her to lead a Democratic Party in need of rebuilding, he said. She gets a payday either way, but only the latter gets her a second shot at the presidency. Kamala Harris dropped out of the race to become the Democrat presidential nominee in 2020, later becoming Joe Bidens running mate - Mandel Ngan/AFP Ms Harris has previously written three books before major milestones in her career. In 2009, she authored Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutors Plan to Make Us Safer ahead of her run to become Californias attorney general. That book was the subject of controversy in October when she was accused of plagiarising Martin Luther King and several others. The vice president did not respond to a Telegraph request for comment at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, ahead of the Democratic primaries, Ms Harris published a memoir, called The Truths We Hold, and a childrens book, Superheroes Are Everywhere. Although she failed to become the partys presidential nominee in 2020, dropping out weeks before voting began, the campaign elevated her profile and she was later appointed Joe Bidens running mate. Ashley Etienne, a former communications director for the vice president, said she would buy a copy of Ms Harris book for all the women in her life. The vice president is a historic figure with an incredible story to tell, from her leadership to tackle Covid, rebuild the economy and protect the rights of women in this nation, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [People are] desperate for her to pull back the curtain on her groundbreaking journey from a child of immigrants to commanding the mantle of the most powerful country in the world. 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. Relations between Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden have reportedly turned frosty, according to a report. Harris has confided in close allies and family members that she is disappointed after Biden publicly said he still believes he could have won the 2024 election, people familiar with the conversations told the Wall Street Journal. The vice president has reportedly expressed deep sadness to confidantes over the election loss to Donald Trump, coupled with Bidens comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with USA Today this month, Biden was asked if he could have defeated Trump. Its presumptuous to say that, but I think yes, based on the polling, he said. Harris has reportedly expressed deep sadness over the election loss and Bidens comments (REUTERS) The outgoing president was again asked if he regretted his decision not to run for re-election during a press conference last Friday. I think I would have beaten Trump, I could have beaten Trump, he told reporters, a comment thats reportedly irked Harris. However, Biden did then add: And I think that Kamala could have beaten Trump and would have beaten Trump. It wasnt about that. I thought it was important to unify the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Journal described the relationship between the pair as fraying as their administration comes to a close. Harriss spokeswoman, Kirsten Allen, maintained the two have developed a close working relationship as governing partners, but they have also built a strong friendship that continues today in a statement to the newspaper. Allen added that the friendship extended to their spouses Doug Emhoff and Jill Biden. Harris spokeswoman said the pair have built a strong friendship (AFP via Getty Images) The foursome sat together at President Jimmy Carters funeral but did not interact with each other much during the service. Biden and Harris were pictured hugging on Wednesday following his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris stood by Biden throughout his second run for the presidency and never caved to pressure from some in the party to publicly distance herself from him on the campaign trail. According to aides, Harris has always been deeply loyal to Biden and was resistant to publicly doing anything that could be construed as criticizing his presidency, the Associated Press reported in October. There is not a thing that comes to mind, she said at the time. Harris and her husband plan to spend their time between New York and their home in Los Angeles after she leaves office, according to reports. KANSAS CITY, Mo. After being charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the death of 44-year-old David Clark, a Kansas City mans sentence has been suspended. Court records show that 43-year-old Anthony Adams pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter yesterday in Jackson County Circuit Court. That charge was in connection to a deadly shooting from August of 2023. Adams other charge, armed criminal action, was dismissed according to documents from the court. Additionally, Adams sentence was suspended and he has been placed on probation for five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas City, Kansas firefighter severely injured by fire hose Charging documents claim that Adams was the one who called 911 on August 13, 2023, telling officers that he had shot Clark. Police found Adams standing in a residence where he told officers, It was an accident. It was an accident, according to court documents. Those documents also say that officers found Clark with a tourniquet on his leg, a handgun and a spent bullet in that residence. A witness said he was hanging out with Adams and Clark that night. As he went to walk out of the house, he heard a loud bang, charging documents say, and then Adams told him to call 911. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That witness also said the incident was over Clark going to the ice box and having a slice of pizza, according to 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 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. **Update: KCPD gave an update that Elizabeth Stivers was found safe.** KANSAS CITY, Mo. Kansas City police are searching for a missing 13-year-old girl who was last seen early Thursday morning. Elizabeth Stivers, a white 13-year-old girl, was last seen around 2:50 a.m. near 4th and Jackson in Kansas City. View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at fox4kc.com She is 5-foot-1 and weighs 106 pounds. Stivers is wearing a long-sleeve purple shirt and tan boots with no coat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She left on foot in an unknown direction. The family is concerned for her safety. If you see her, contact Missing Persons at 816-234-5043. 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. Governor Laura Kelly delivers her State of the State address while House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson watch on Jan. 15, 2025. (Grace Hills/ Kansas Reflector) Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has hit the home stretch of her second term. She will give only one more State of the State speech after this one, and Wednesday evening found her in a contemplative frame of mind, looking far forward in describing the states needs. The conceit of her speech was that of a centurys quarterly report, looking back 25 years and looking ahead 75. Such perspective has a way of short-circuiting conventional political bickering, and Kelly did her best to avoid the partisan sniping of Senate President Ty Mastersons response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve often been so focused on whatevers needed immediate fixing our schools, our infrastructure, our foster care system that we havent always spent as much time talking about what lies ahead for Kansas, the governor said. Not just next year or the year after, but in the decades ahead the Kansas well leave for our children and for our grandchildren. This highlights the perplexing contradiction at the heart of Kellys address: She rolled out a list of prudent, almost boring proposals that will be immediately distorted by Republicans as wild-eyed liberalism. Less bureaucratic, more affordable early childhood care? Of course. Strong, sustainably funded public schools? Makes sense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Better-managed, enduring water supplies for farmers? Crucial for everyone. Affordable, high-quality health care for all those who cant afford it? A moral necessity. None of these goals should be difficult to support. Sure, conservatives and liberals may differ on the means, but reaching compromise just makes sense. As former U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum showed over her three terms, legislation can be strengthened through collaboration. If you spoke to them in private, legislators from both parties would say exactly the same. Our job is to lift up the commonsense, smart, reasonable ideas that will help Kansans and then meet in the middle to get them done, Kelly urged the audience toward the end of her speech. Im not asking you not to love your political party Im just asking you to love your state a little more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, heres a prediction: Masterson and his counterpart in the House, Speaker Dan Hawkins, will find some way to distort or undermine the governors requests. Neither man can afford Kansans learning the truth that both are ideological extremists in thrall to GOP big-money interests. You could see Masterson laying the groundwork in his paint-by-numbers response, simultaneously claiming interest in bipartisanship while using words like radical and extreme to characterize her. The rest of the time, he slathered praise on once and future President Donald Trump. Over the course of 1,220 words, Masterson mentioned Trump six times by name. Kelly? Only twice. Unfortunately for her and the state, Kelly bears a degree of responsibility for this situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, she was elected twice to the states highest office. Yes, majorities of Kansans tell pollsters they approve of her policies. Yes, she has razor-sharp political instincts when it comes to the daily grind of running a state. Yet the governor has demonstrated limited powers of persuasion. Kansans have failed to bolster the number of Democrats in the House and Senate, where extra members would make a profound difference. You cant enact good policy if you dont have the votes to pass legislation Thats about as commonsense as you can get, regardless of policy or ideology. Kelly has undoubtedly improved the states fiscal position, and her rhetoric squares with the beliefs of many Kansans. Yet in the arena of bare-knuckle politics on Election Day, Republicans have prevailed. Larger majorities mean party leaders can steamroll the governor at just about any opportunity, bipartisanship be damned. That augurs ill for the weeks ahead. Or as Kelly might put it, for the 75 years of this century yet to come. Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. 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. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed spending more money to preserve the state's dwindling water supply in her State of the State Address Wednesday night. (Grace Hills/Kansas Reflector) Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly proposed creating a state natural resources office and spending another $30 million each year to address the states water crisis in her State of the State address Wednesday night. In her speech, Kelly, a Democrat, looked back over the first 25 years of the 21st century and said she sees so many good things on the horizon in the next 75 years. But she called the states dwindling water supply seriously concerning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without that water, the agricultural industry that fuels our economy and sustains our rural way of life cannot survive, Kelly said. The Ogallala Aquifer, which provides water to the western third of the state, has been dwindling for decades. But despite warnings over the years that the Ogallala, the largest underground store of freshwater in the nation, was a finite resource, the state allowed crop irrigation to drain parts of the aquifer to crisis levels. Forget making it 75 years down the road, she said. Some parts of western Kansas dont have the groundwater to last another 75 years. For that reason, Kelly said, she and other lawmakers have been working to change decades of inaction on our water supply. Officials have spread out across the state to listen to farmers, ranchers and other stakeholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, weve set a goal: from now on, each generation will work to protect our water supply for the next two generations that follow, she said, calling it the multigenerational promise. Kellys budget proposal, expected to be released Thursday, will include another $30 million each year for water priorities. Thats on top of an additional $35 million the Kansas Legislature authorized for water priorities in 2023. She did not specify how the additional resources might be spent. The state has been pushing local groundwater agencies to come up with plans to address the aquifer decline. To address the states water crisis, Kelly proposed creating a singular office to govern water issues and streamline conservation efforts. Right now, she said, there are 14 agencies governing water in Kansas, making it difficult, if not impossible, to align efforts around policy planning and investment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas lawmakers considered reorganizing state agencies that address water in 2022, but it never made it out of the Kansas House Water Committee. Kelly also proposed creating a long-term strategy to ensure that Kansans have the water supply they need to exist for generations to come. More than 35 years ago, Kelly said, the Kansas Legislature created the first comprehensive transportation plan to effectively build and manage roads and other infrastructure. It needs something similar, she said, to ensure Kansans have the water needed to farm their land, preserve their communities and their way of life. Kelly said the decisions lawmakers make touch every aspect of the lives of the people we work for. She said the Kansas the next generations will inherit is up to us right now. Is our agricultural economy booming because we preserved our water or is rural Kansas dried up and deserted? Kelly said. Thats up to us. Topeka resident Lanell Griffith testifies Jan. 16, 2025, before the Senate tax committee. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Topeka resident Lanell Griffith urged senators Thursday to support a proposed constitutional amendment that would cap annual increases in appraised property values that result in higher tax bills. Describing herself as a representative of grassroots unpaid activists, Griffith said past legislation that requires local officials to hold public meetings before raising property taxes was only a step in the right direction. She said she is subject to 10 taxing entities and finds it difficult to attend every meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate tax committee heard testimony from Griffith and others on Senate Concurrent Resolution 1603, which would cap annual increases in appraised value at 3%. With no cap on those increases, we citizens just have an unknown I call it theft, Griffith said. You already own it, and theyre just telling you you gotta pay more and more. We need to stop the hemorrhaging and increase transparency. The proposed resolution, co-sponsored by 18 Senate Republicans, requires approval from two-thirds of both the Senate and House members. If passed, it would place a constitutional amendment before voters on the Nov. 4, 2025, ballot. If at least 50% of voters support the amendment, it would take effect Jan. 1., 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed cap would include exceptions for new construction and improvements to property, changes in property classifications, and when a property changes owners. Sen. Ethan Corson, D-Fairway, raised a concern about the potential for two virtually identical properties on the same block to have different tax rates, depending on when the homes were purchased. Other groups, including the teachers union, oppose the constitutional amendment because of the potential effects on public school funding, which is largely collected through a state-assessed mill levy. The Kansas Farm Bureau opposed the constitutional amendment because it favors cutting the mill levy for schools instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Republicans said constituents made it clear during last years election that property tax relief was a top priority. I wasnt going to push this this year, said Sen. Caryn Tyson, a Parker Republican who chairs the committee. I had told people the House isnt going to move on it, ag people dont want it, but there was enough push from our body, and Im listening to them. Sen. Mike Thompson, R-Shawnee, testified in support of the amendment. He said property tax relief was the No. 1 issue he heard about from voters when he knocked on doors during the campaign last year. He said lawmakers should consider the strongest restrictions possible on property taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we truly value liberty, Thompson said, property tax wouldnt even exist. Were allowing the valuations of the appraiser to do the dirty work, he added, while elected officials can ostensibly say we didnt raise your taxes. John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, answers questions from the Senate tax committee on Jan. 16, 2025. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) John Donley, lobbyist for Kansas Farm Bureau, said he agreed with the need for property tax relief and grew frustrated last year when Republican leadership and the Democratic governor were more interested in a tax relief package that primarily dealt with individual income. He said he thought about the issue as he drove Thursday morning to testify at the Statehouse. I was like, welp, its the middle of January in an odd-numbered year were here talking about how all we hear about is property taxes on the doorsteps, Donley said. This is my 10th election cycle that Ive been working in this building, and this is what we do in January of odd-numbered years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kansas Farm Bureau is concerned that the annual cap would effectively shift the tax burden away from residential property, where values are skyrocketing, onto other classifications, such as agriculture. Instead, Donley said, the state should lower the statewide mill levy. We just feel like this is the wrong tool, Donley said. This is truly a tax shift. Leah Fliter, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards, asked lawmakers to exercise caution when considering changes to tax policy. We oppose arbitrary limits on taxes and valuations because of the long-term impact on revenues for schools and other public services, she said, quoting the organizations member-adopted legislative policy. Senate President Ty Masterson, escorted by representatives and followed by senators, prepares Jan. 15, 2025, to cross from the Senate to the House for the governor's State of the State address. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Senate President Ty Masterson promised to reduce property taxes, streamline government processes and enact anti-abortion and anti-trans legislation in his Wednesday rebuttal to Gov. Laura Kellys State of the State address. In a six-and-a-half-minute prerecorded response, Masterson, whose time as Senate president has aligned with Kellys tenure, addressed the governors agenda rather than her speech. Masterson, an Andover Republican, promised to work with the Democratic governor and draw the line against her administrations more radical policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the controversial differences certainly garner the most headlines, the vast majority of our work is bipartisan in nature and thats a good thing, Masterson said of his relationship with Kelly. Entering a new legislative session this week with expanded supermajorities in both chambers, Republicans have almost unbridled authority to further their own agenda and override the governors vetoes. Masterson said the agenda must begin with tax relief. Republicans have expressed an intention to target property tax reductions to alleviate economic pressures. Kelly, however, has warned Republicans not to do too much, too soon. Property taxes can drive our seniors from their homes and prevent younger Kansans from enjoying the dream of home ownership, Masterson said. For too long its just been a political talking point. We must act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Republican legislators will work on a constitutional amendment to address tax hikes, simplify the tax code, reduce taxes for Kansans and heed President-elect Donald Trumps proposal to eliminate taxes on tips. Commitment to Trumps agenda expands from there. Masterson encouraged public feedback via the newly established Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, which took inspiration from the incoming presidents new Department of Government Efficiency. He also expressed strong support for Trumps border security efforts and deportation of immigrants lacking permanent legal status, and he vowed to reintroduce a bill to secure land around our military installations from foreign adversaries, like China, which the governor vetoed last year. As Kelly promised to fully fund public education, Masterson agreed and highlighted Republicans desire to move toward a student-focused system that maximizes opportunities for parents, so their kids have the best chance to succeed and achieve their dreams. School vouchers are expected to appear in Republican legislation in the coming weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On health care, Masterson implied opposition to Medicaid expansion, which Kelly favors. The governor continues to push removing able-bodied adults from private insurance and putting them on the government dole, undoing the progress weve made and harming the most vulnerable people for whom the Medicaid safety net was intended, Masterson said. We will not let that happen. He also expressed interest in reducing the frequency of abortions in the state. Masterson capped off his speech with criticism of the extreme trans agenda, citing last years attempt to pass a bill banning gender-affirming care, which he referred to as the permanent mutilation of minors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, the governor has sided with the radical left on this topic and vetoed the bill, which we were not able to override by two votes, he said. You fixed that problem in this last election. TOPEKA (KSNT) Kansas officials are cautioning people to expect delays with the production of a recently approved new state license plate. 27 News reached out to the Kansas Department of Revenue (KDOR) and Shawnee County Treasurers Office about reports of delays in the production of the new state license plate. The new plate design was approved following a public vote in 2023 and began to be distributed to the public in 2024. Zach Denney with the KDOR told 27 News production of the new state license plates was delayed recently due to a mixture of the holidays and winter weather. These factors impacted the vendor responsible for producing the new plates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do you get one of the new distinctive Kansas license plates? Our license plate manufacturer typically shuts down for two weeks over the holidays, but the winter storm delayed their reopening by an additional week, Denney said. They are now back up and running and working on January orders. Shawnee County Treasurer Larry Mah also reported the vendor is back up and running. He encourages people in Shawnee County who are waiting for their new state license plates and who still have temporary tags in place to be patient. If someone is waiting for a plate, they should continue to display the temp (paper) plate, Mah said. If they have not received the new plate by the end of this week, they can call our office and we will investigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Denney said the new plates should be shipped out before a drivers temporary tags expire. For more information on the new state license plates, click here. Whats causing trash pickup delays in Shawnee County? For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf 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 KSNT 27 News. Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert delivers her State of the Judiciary speech on Jan. 15, 2025, in the House Chamber. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, left, and Senate President Ty Masterson listen to her speech. (Photo by Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) Kansas Supreme Court Justice Marla Luckert told lawmakers Wednesday she was happy she wouldnt be talking about how a disaster had upended court operations like she has in past years with the COVID-19 pandemic and a cybersecurity attack. Instead, she talked about her grim vision of a future where the rule of law is is threatened by a lack of legal representation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luckert, who delivered her State of the Judiciary speech before a joint session of the Senate and House, said she is motivated to ensure the state has a trusted legal system for generations to come. Sadly, if we maintain the status quo, that dream is at risk, Luckert said. I make that grim prediction because the stark reality is that we have a justice gap in Kansas and across the country a growing divide between people with the means to access basic legal services and people who need those services but cannot afford them or, even if they can, are unable to find an attorney within a reasonable driving distance to represent them. Luckert said the justice gap brings to mind the faces of people who were in her courtroom as a trial judge: The young mother with small children whose spouse moved them to Kansas for a job and then abandoned them, leaving her with no money, no food, no car, no pride and no support in a community of strangers. The grizzled combat vet overwhelmed by medical debt from his wifes last illness. The list goes on and on and on. To avoid an all-out crisis, she said, the courts and legislators cannot be complacent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must all put on our hero capes and work together to find solutions, Luckert said. She outlined efforts by the courts to simplify procedures, and proposals to support self-representation, specialty courts, and the recruitment of attorneys to rural areas. Last month, Luckert and Justice K.J. Wall unveiled a report on the shortage of attorneys in rural parts of the state. All but five of the states 105 counties are considered rural. The 84-page report found just 21% of active attorneys serve 45% of the states population in the 100 rural counties. One-third of the rural attorneys are older than age 60. In 47 counties, there is less than one attorney per 1,000 residents. Two counties have no attorneys at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luckert told reporters after the speech that she planned to introduce legislation based on a recommendation in the report to provide a tuition reimbursement incentive for attorneys who attend law school in Kansas and go to work in rural areas. She said she was waiting on a cost estimate for the proposal. Wall told reporters he hoped to avoid crossing the threshold of a constitutional crisis, which he warned about last month when the report was released. Among other ideas, the report pointed to the lack of engagement with K-12 students about pursuing a legal career. One of the findings that we uncovered was that younger people make their decisions about their profession at a very young age could be elementary to junior high and the importance of outreach to that age group is critical and lacking currently, Wall said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A passenger on an Air France flight from Paris to Boston died Tuesday evening, the airline and police said. The victim has been identified as Barbara Dipoli, 53, of Topeka, Kansas, Massachusetts State Police said Thursday. Dipoli was a member of the Kansas Air National Guard, NBC Boston reported. "Air France confirms that a customer on flight AF334 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle to Boston on 14 January 2025 was taken ill during the flight," the airline said in a statement Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight crew and a doctor on board tried to assist in the emergency, but Dipoli could not be rescued, Air France said. "Air France reminds that its crew members are regularly trained to handle these kinds of situations," the statement said. Emergency responders were seen near the Air France plane after it landed at Boston Logan International Airport, NBC Boston reported. State police provided few details about the incident, describing the death as unattended. Detectives are working to determine the circumstances surrounding the death. Investigators will await the official cause and manner of death from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, police said Thursday. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Kate Middleton's hair has long been a hallmark of her style, and during a visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital, a cancer patient revealed that the princess shared she "didn't have to have" cold cap therapya treatment that helps reduce the risk of hair lossduring her cancer treatment. On Jan. 14, the Princess of Wales made a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital in London, where she met with staff and patients undergoing treatment. The unannounced visit coincided with the confirmation that the princess had previously received care at the hospital. Kate, 43, first revealed her diagnosis fofan unspecified type of cancer in March 2024 and announced she had completed chemotherapy in September. After her hospital visit, she shared the news that she is now in remission. Katherine Field, a patient undergoing cancer treatment who met Princess Kate during her visit, tells PEOPLE that they discussed cold capping a scalp cooling system that can help reduce hair loss during chemotherapy, according to the American Cancer Society. Field, who was wearing a cold cap at the time, said the conversation added a personal connection to their encounter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I hate it, but I think it is working. Today there is a little bit of hair coming out, but Im just trying to delay it," Field, an art historian and curator, tells PEOPLE. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. Related: Kate Middleton Shares 'Shock' of Cancer Diagnosis and How It Affects the 'Whole Family' (Exclusive) When asked if Princess Kate mentioned using a cold cap, Field shared, "She just said that she didnt have to have it. For her to lose her hair, which is so iconic, would have been awful. Everyone loves her hair!" Field tells PEOPLE she instantly felt at ease upon meeting Princess Kate during her fourth treatment session at the medical center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It was just like talking to a friend about a really horrible time in life and how you find ways of getting through it. 'Finding the new normal' is what she said, which is absolutely true," the art professional says. In a heartfelt photo from Princess Kate's visit to the Royal Marsden, the royal put a reassuring hand on Field's knee as she underwent treatment. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. Related: All the Emotional Photos from Kate Middleton's Visit to the Hospital Where She Received Cancer Treatment Last Year "I really love the photo. It was a special moment that not many people get to have," Field says. "Unfortunately, I had to get cancer to have that moment, but I will add it to my album for sure. I want to remember the good, not just the bad." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Field described spending time with Princess Kate as feeling like being with a friend, noting that the royal's empathy was both comforting and energizing. "It was really nice to talk to her. She was just magnificent. Shes warm, and it just felt like sitting with a girlfriend having a chat, which is pretty hard to achieve in those circumstances. She is very special to be able to connect with people so quickly and so empathetically," she tells PEOPLE. Field describes Kate's gesture of reaching for her knee as "a moment of connection" she hadn't anticipated. "I think I was expecting it to be formal and stiff but it was so far from that," she says. Like Angela Terry, another cancer patient receiving treatment at the Royal Marsden who met the princess on Jan. 14, Field was struck by Kate's "genuine" nature, which left a lasting impression. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden Hospital on Jan. 14, 2025. "She is just very genuine. We were both on the same page, talking about how lucky we are or were to be getting the most amazing care from the Marsden. That was my fourth session; you start to recognize people, and you get to know the nurses. There is a real sense of community," Field tells PEOPLE. "I havent told that many people about my diagnosis or spoken to others who have also undergone treatment, so it was nice to speak to her as shes just gone through so recently." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Her first question was, 'How are you finding treatment?' and I said, 'Awful,' so I think that set the tone for being quite relaxed!" she recalls. "We talked about how long the journey is. I had surgery in September, then doing chemo now, which will finish in March. Then its radiotherapy and then hormone treatment its a really long journey. "For her to have to do that in the public eye...I cant even imagine," she adds. "I dont know how she is doing it all, with three kids too. Going through one of the worst times in your life under such pressure." Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden on Jan. 14, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Princess of Wales, who shares Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, with her husband Prince William, has not disclosed the specific details of her cancer. However, during her visit to the Royal Marsden, Kate shared her most candid insights into her cancer journey, from needing "loads of water and sunlight" to becoming "attached" to her chemo port. "I was really impressed with how much time she spent with me," Field says. "I just had the port (the intravenous device for her treatment) put in on Friday, which is just below my collar bone so thats still very tender, but by the time she arrived, my nurse had just got the chemo going, thankfully. Field says that Kate shared that she "had the port as well and said it was one of the best things." "Im not quite at the same point, so I think she was trying to reassure me," Field says. "It makes things so much faster and will be better once the swelling has gone down." Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Katherine Field at The Royal Marsden on Jan. 14, 2025. The Cleveland Clinic defines a chemo port as a small, implantable device designed to administer treatments, including chemotherapy, directly through a vein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Everyone was excited to see her, we all feel very lucky to be at the Marsden," Field continues. "They manage to bring you tea at the moment you need it most!" Princess Kate expressed her personal gratitude to the Royal Marsden in a social media post following her hospital visit, along with sharing the poignant photo of herself with Field. I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year. My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldnt have asked for more. pic.twitter.com/f3sA7yZdOi The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) January 14, 2025 Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! "I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year. My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything," Kate began the message. "We couldnt have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer," she continued. The royal called it a "relief" to be in remission and said she remained focused on her recovery. "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support," she wrote. Read the original article on People Kate Middleton reflected with candor on how a cancer diagnosis upends the family dynamic during a visit to the hospital where she previously received cancer treatment. Angela Terry met Princess Kate during her surprise stop at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, and exclusively tells PEOPLE that the royal spoke of the "shock" of a diagnosis and its ripple effect. "I overheard her talking to someone about the shock of diagnosis and she said, "Yes! The shock and its not just you, its the whole family, isnt it?' " Terry, 71, recalls. "They were having this lovely engaging chat. Imagine sitting at the kitchen table having a mug of coffee. Shes someone I would like to do that with." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She was so open," Terry says. "She had this 'Were in this together' approach, so I think people felt they were able to say all sorts of things. It was really heart-warming to watch." EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK/Instagram Kate Middleton and Angela Terry at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Kate Middleton and Angela Terry at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Related: Kate Middleton Reflects on Family Life During Cancer Treatment: 'Its Just Trying to Do the Best' Princess Kate, 43, and Prince William, 42, are parents to Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, and Kate's comment about how a cancer diagnosis affects family calls back to a similar sentiment expressed in her September video message about completing chemotherapy. "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life as you know it can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown. The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you," Princess Kate said then. (Her announcement about completing chemo was poignantly shared in a video of her and William with their children in Norfolk, offering the most intimate glimpse yet of their private life.) OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Kate Middleton, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince William and Prince George at Sandringham on Dec. 25, 2024 Kate Middleton, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince William and Prince George at Sandringham on Dec. 25, 2024 Terry serendipitously met the Princess of Wales while at the Royal Marsden on Jan. 14 to receive treatment. The grandmother was diagnosed with EGFR-positive lung cancer six years ago and serves as the non-executive chair of EGFR Positive UK, a charity working to support people navigating that form of cancer. She says it was a pleasure to connect with Princess Kate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Im still buzzing. It was so fortuitous because I was literally the next one in for bloods. I just caught her eye as she walked past and said to her, 'You look wonderful,' because she did she looked fabulous given everything she has been through. And she just smiled and said 'So do you,' " Terry tells PEOPLE. The charity chair met the princess through the hospital's director of nursing. At first Terry and Kate "chatted for a bit" before "this amazing thing happened." EGFR+ Lung Cancer UK/Instagram Kate Middleton and Angela Terry at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Kate Middleton and Angela Terry at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025. Related: Why a Cancer Patient Who Met Kate Middleton Says, 'We Don't Need to Know What Cancer She Had' (Exclusive) "Kate just moved closer to me, she put her arm around my waist, I put my arm around her waist and we just grinned at each other. I was so touched, it was such a special moment of connection," Terry tells PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EGFR Positive UK soon shared the photos to social media, and Terry says that her exchange with Kate is one she'll always treasure. "I told her that Im a non-executive chair of EGFR Positive UK, a charity for mutation-driven lung cancer. We are all patients who got lung cancer, despite having never smoked and most of us are between 40-55, people just like her. Although Im older, most people are in the middle of their careers, with young families, leading fit healthy lifestyles. She really engaged and we had a chat about the charity, she was really interested to hear about it," Terry says of her talk with Kate. "I just felt like we had such a connection." Terry says she was struck by the Princess of Wales' presence, explaining that she "was so much more than I expected her to be." CHRIS JACKSON/POOL/AFP via Getty Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Kate Middleton at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She has such poise and elegance, extremely genuine and sincere. She is very personable," she says. "I watched her talking to other patients and shes amazing. She has this gentle eye contact as she talks. She reaches out and maybe touches their shoulder or holds their hand, and her smile is always there. The level of connection she makes with each and every person she meets is phenomenal." A Kensington Palace spokesman said that the Princess Wales visited the Royal Marsden Hospital to "show her gratitude to the incredible team, but also highlight the world leading care and treatment the Marsden provides." The princess' visit was not announced in advance, and coincided with the confirmation that she received treatment at the renowned medical center during her cancer journey. The Prince and Princess of Wales were also announced as joint patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, and Kate relayed later that day that she is in remission. The princess used her visit to meet staff working across the hospital and patients currently undergoing treatment, and Terry says Princess Kate's sincerity left an impression. Chris Jackson/Getty Kate Middleton speaks with Rebecca Mendelhson at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Kate Middleton speaks with Rebecca Mendelhson at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Jan. 14, 2025 Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! "Its such an elevated position she is in, but yet in that moment, she was just another woman sitting next to you, in the same situation as you. I do wonder if the royals werent there, who would fill that space? That combination of confidence, professionalism, empathy and her genuine sincere nature is a winning package," she tells PEOPLE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She was there to say thank you to the people who had looked after her, talk to patients who were in a similar situation. It was a great message of hope because she looked so well. We dont need to know what cancer she had. We just know shes been through surgery, shes been through chemo and one year later, my goodness, look, she is here." Read the original article on People KANSAS CITY, Mo. The US Department of Justice says that a Kansas City man pleaded guilty today to making a hoax phone call that led to an employee of the IRS being detained. That phone call also led to the IRS office on Pershing Road being locked down. The US DOJ says that Anthony Alford, 46, of Kansas City, Mo. pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information. By pleading guilty, Alford admitted that he placed a phone call to emergency services claiming that someone was armed with a firearm and threatening to shoot people in the IRS building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thieves hit metro Public Storage unit for nearly $100k worth of items Court records show that on September 10, 2024, Alford falsely reported the threat to 911. KCPD officers were dispatched and detained an employee at the IRS office. The B-wing of the IRS building was then sent into lockdown. The person who was detained, identified in court records as Victim 1, claimed she had been dating Alford for about a month and had been trying to break up with him. While she said that Alford had never been violent, she did say that he acted controlling possessive and jealous behavior, according to records. Those court records also show that Alford messaged Victim 1 saying he was [o]n the phone with IRS police have fun when you get there, and just wait until you get to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alford was arrested on September 25, 2024, when he said that Victim 1 did not make those threats and that he had been drinking when he made the 911 call. Alford faces a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean T. Foley. It was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service, the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. 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. Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank vowed to crack down on human trafficking, said he would ensure his department is well staffed and promised to be transparent with the public Wednesday at a formal swearing-in ceremony. Swank, 56, began his first term as sheriff Jan. 1, replacing former Sheriff Ed Troyer following a narrow win in the Nov. 5 general election against former Chief of Patrol Patti Jackson. He was formerly a Seattle Police Department captain, where he worked for more than three decades before retiring from the department in 2023. At least 100 people gathered at the Frontier Park Lodge in Graham to watch Swank, his command staff and others appointed to leadership positions take their oaths of office. Some of those attending included police chiefs from Steilacooom, Fircrest, and Fife, Prosecutor Mary Robnett, County Council member Amy Cruver and Swanks wife, Nina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a great privilege and an honor to speak to you as your sheriff of Pierce County, Swank said during the ceremony. Its really hard for me to tell you all how much this means to me. Newly elected Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank gives remarks after being sworn in in at a swearing-in ceremony at Frontier Park Lodge, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Graham Wash. The ceremony began with a prayer led by the pastor of the Seventh-Day Adventist church Swank attends in Puyallup and the Pledge of Allegiance. Then Swank went to the center of the room, raised his right hand and was sworn into office by newly-elected Superior Court Judge Rebecca Reeder. Swank then swore in his second in command, Undersheriff Cynthia Fajardo, followed by the rest of his command staff and majors in the Sheriffs Department. Seven other appointees were also recognized. The command staff is comprised of Fajardo, Chief of Operations Rustin Wilder, Chief of Administrative Services Scott Mielcarek and Chief of Corrections Douglas Watkins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majors appointed were Frank Brown, Forest Ake, Jake Greger, Erik Clark, Chadwick Dickerson and Matthew Dobson. Other appointees were Donna LaFerriere, in charge of budget and the assistant operations manager; John Jolibois, contract manager and council liaison; Leslie Medved, assistant to the chief; Dr. Miguel Balderrama, medical doctor; Crystal Erickson, wellness coordinator; Ed Hauge, who did camera work during the ceremony and Gary Smith, intel analyst. Swank briefly explained the selection process. Fajardo, who lost the 2020 sheriff election to Troyer, ran again in the 2024 election but was defeated in the August primary. Afterward, Swank met with Fajardo for coffee, and he told her he wanted her to be undersheriff. Swank said their philosophy of policing and leadership let them hit the ground running right away, and they began talking about changes they wanted to see in the department. The two wanted to identify department leaders from within, according to Swank, so they opened up leadership positions to anyone who wanted to apply. Swank said that was a first for the department. Oftentimes people just pick their friends, Swank said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swank said he was proud of the leaders who were selected, and he would empower them to do great things. I want you all to know that this is a great agency, Swank said. Its got a great history, but what we were before, were only going to be better because we have the best leadership that this agency has ever seen. Swank highlights human trafficking, staffing, training and transparency Swank then turned to some of his first priorities as sheriff, including cracking down on human trafficking. He said Robnett reached out to him after he was elected, and theyve started working on getting a group together to address the issue. After the ceremony, Swank told The News Tribune that planning was in early stages, but hed like to put together a task force on human trafficking that included officers from departments across the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five human trafficking offenses were reported in Pierce County in 2023, up from one the previous year, according to statewide crime statistics from the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs. Former County Executive Bruce Dammeier wrote in a county blog post in January 2022 that the countys proximity to an international airport, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and the Port of Tacoma were part of why Washington was the second-worst state and Tacoma was the seventh-worst city on a list of where traffickers find and exploit victims. Swank said the department would put away violent people and save lives. Drug dealers, the cartels, the big-time drug dealers, they dont just deal drugs. They sell people, too. Were going to stop that, Swank said. On staffing, Swank said he had empowered department leadership to make sure staffing was where it should be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As we make changes to that, were going to reevaluate and make it even better, Swank said. Newly elected Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank is sworn in at a swearing-in ceremony at Frontier Park Lodge, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Graham Wash. Pierce County approved a supplemental 2024-2025 budget in November that increased the Sheriffs Departments law enforcement spending by about $1.48 million, bringing the total budget to $227,718,137. It decreased spending for the Corrections Bureau by about $1.86 million, bringing its total budget to $149,090,689. The countys total budget is about $3.253 billion. Included in the countys biennial budget was $2,655,000 to be used by the Sheriffs Department for employment incentives for commissioned law enforcement officers and corrections officers. Swank also hit on the importance of continuous, career-long training for law enforcement and corrections officers. He said he would also take part in training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres always better ways to do things, and were going to continue that with great training for this sheriffs office, Swank said. Swank closed by saying he was all for transparency. He gave his word that the department would put out information as soon as possible and admit when they get things wrong. But when were right, I will stand firm and let you know we were right, Swank said. Sometimes things are ugly. It doesnt mean its wrong. Kelly Osbourne has accused some celebrities of interacting with victims of the Los Angeles wildfires for photo ops. The 40-year-old reality star recently shared an Instagram video, which has since been deleted, asking her followers: Is it just me being my normal overthinking cynical self, or is it really disturbing to see all of these celebrities using other peoples pain and suffering as a photo op. To say, Look Im helping, Im doing this, Im doing that? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont believe you help so that you can get attention for helping. I believe you just help because you want to, Osbourne continued. No one asked you to come out and give hugs. Go home, she concluded. While Osbourne didnt mention any celebrities by name, some in the comments thought she was pointing towards Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who were pictured last week at the Pasadena Convention Center, which is temporarily being used as an evacuation center for people who have lost their homes. Kelly Osbourne claims its disturbing to see celebrities photographed with wildfire victims in deleted Instagram video (TikTok) Well said Meghan and Harry brought a full film crew with them for their own benefit PR stunt, one viewer wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, many people disagreed with Osbournes take. One person wrote: Its just you. There are good ppl out there. Sometimes it takes events such as this to bring communities together. Anybody who is out helping is helping, another added. Lets all keep the hate at bay while the city is trying to heal. Osbournes video comes days after Justine Bateman called Meghan and Harry disaster tourists over their visit to Pasadena. Meghan Markle and Harry are no better than ambulance chasers. What a repulsive photo op they achieved. They are touring the damage? Are they politicians now? They dont live here; they are tourists. Disaster Tourists, Bateman, best known for roles in sitcoms Family Ties and Arrested Development, wrote on X. Along with consoling victims of the wildfires, Meghan was pictured speaking with Mayor Gordo and Doug Goodwin, whose home was destroyed by the Eaton Fire, in Altadena. Both Meghan and Harry were also seen hugging Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen, which has been distributing free hot meals to the public and emergency crews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Duke and Duchess of Sussex arent the only celebrities whove publicly supported victims of the wildfires. On January 10, Jennifer Garner was seen volunteering alongside Andres in an effort to feed those who had been evacuated from the Pacific Palisades area due to the fires. While she was volunteering, she revealed that a friend from her local church had died during the wildfires. I did lose a friend, and for our church, its really tender so I dont feel like we should talk about her yet, the visibly emotional actor told MSNBC. I did lose a friend who did not get out in time. My heart bleeds for my friends, the 13 Going on 30 star continued. I mean, I can think of 100 families, and there are 5,000 homes lost. I can without even [thinking] I could just write out a list of 100 friends who lost their homes. More than $100 million has been donated to the victims of the Los Angeles wildfires as winds slow, giving fire crews a break in their efforts to control the blazes that have burned for over a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nine-figure donation total is just through GoFundMe campaigns to help families, communities, and businesses, according to NBC Los Angeles. The figure is nearly half of the $235 million raised for all disasters across GoFundMe in 2024. More than 40,000 acres have burned in Southern California since the start of the wildfires on January 7. The biggest, the Palisades Fire, has destroyed nearly 24,000 acres and is 21 percent contained. The Eaton fire has taken out 14,000 acres and is 45 percent contained. At least 25 people have died in the fires. With just nine months left for the test pilot program, Gov. Brian Kemp said hes proposing new legislation to adjust how the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program works and provide the coverage to more state residents. The work-requirement version of Medicaid in Georgia was the first of its kind to be implemented, and while results have been smaller than state officials had been expecting, they still want to continue the program. At issue on the state side was what Kemp said were unlawful delays in the start of the program caused by legal actions undertaken by the federal government under the administration of President Joe Biden. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Despite the Biden administrations unlawful delay, Georgia Pathways has expanded healthcare coverage to thousands of low-income and able-bodied Georgians since it launched, Kemp said in a statement. Since Pathways launched, my administration has worked with our legislative partners, subject experts, and stakeholders to evaluate its progress and identify opportunities to streamline and make the program more accessible. As we do in all areas of government, this work will continue, but with todays announcement we are not only keeping families healthy together during a critical time of development, but also making an important investment in our states future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Healthcare advocates who are less supportive of the program have instead said that the program failed to provide health services to more than a fraction of those eligible and have accused the state of overspending its funding on administration rather than health coverage for those in need. At a news briefing on Wednesday, Kemp unveiled his proposal to expand the program in part as a way to help more Georgia families both participate in the program and get to work. RELATED STORIES: According to the governors office, Kemp wants to expand who is eligible to use the Pathways to Coverage program by adding a new qualifying activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qualifying activities are the actions needed to be taken by prospective enrollees to meet the programs work requirements. Kemps office said the new activity would provide Medicaid coverage to parents and legal guardians in households with incomes at or below 100% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who have children ages 0-6 - furthering the states focus on healthy families, improving maternal and child health, and supporting parents who are trying to get back in the workforce but struggling due to lack of health insurance. As previously covered by Channel 2 Action News, the implementation of Georgias program was the subject of both legal battles and controversy. The state at one point sued the federal government over what it said was a need to extend the program to run its original amount of time, though that lawsuit was defeated. A federal judge told Georgia officials to request an extension through a normal process instead of the lawsuit theyd attempted. Channel 2 Action News has asked the governors office if theyve applied for an extension and are waiting for their response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State officials said their proposed expansion of who could use or participate in the Georgia Pathways program would lead to more people having health coverage, particularly new mothers beyond the currently covered first year after giving birth. As of the latest data, Georgia officials said the Pathways program have covered 8,385 people, a jump from the previously confirmed total of 5,120 near the end of October. The governors office said all of the more than 8,000 enrollees had incomes up to 100% of the federal poverty level. While that yearly income varies by location in the state, the average amount was $31,200, according to the Georgia Department of Community Health. The current version of the Pathways to Coverage program in Georgia officially started in July 2023 and will end September 2025 without further adjustment involving federal partners. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] A Kentucky man is facing charges after allegedly assaulting police officers with bear spray during the U.S. Capitol riots in 2021. Officials from the Washington, D.C. branch of the U.S. Attorney's Office said Andrew Kyle Grigsby, 29, of Louisville, is charged with five felonies including disorderly and disruptive conduct, engaging in physical violence and assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury after attempting to breach a police line and spraying a liquid, believed to be bear spray, at officers by a stairwell. He also faces two misdemeanor charges including disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and acts of physical violence on the Capitol grounds or in buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors originally filed charges in the case in November 2023, and Grigsby was indicted in August, court records show. He was arraigned Friday and is currently incarcerated in Washington, D.C. Grigsby's defense attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the case. Court records detail alleged series of events on Jan. 6 According to the criminal complaint, investigators spotted Grigsby on video footage holding a black canister and walking up the Northwest Stairwell toward a line of police officers defending the area. As he approached the police line, he raised his arm and sprayed officers with what investigators believe to be bear spray, causing them to temporarily retreat. Shortly after, video footage shows him walking down the stairs still holding the spray, according to court records. Another angle of video footage captures him standing between a group of rioters and police officers while holding a police shield underneath temporary scaffolding next to the staircase, court records state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was spotted once more later that day in a different location on the Capitol grounds. Investigators determined the man in the footage was Grigsby after a Kentucky resident who worked with and knew him for several years confirmed his identity. Grigsby told investigators that he was in Washington D.C. the day of the riot and recalled wearing the clothes seen in video footage, though he denied entering the buildings premises or intentionally spraying any police officer, court records show. During another interview, he said he found the canister sitting on a wall when he arrived at the Capitol, and that he tried to spray rioters as they were assaulting the police on the stairwell, according to court records. Video footage shows a man, who investigators believe to be Andrew Kyle Grigsby, 29, of Louisville, Kentucky, allegedly bear-spraying police officers on Jan. 6, 2021 at the U.S. Capitol. Kentucky With Trump's return to office, are Kentucky Jan. 6 Capitol rioters off the hook? What we know Other Kentuckians charged in connection with Capitol riots In Kentucky, at least 24 individuals with commonwealth ties were arrested concerning the Jan. 6 riots. A listing maintained by National Public Radio in November said more than 1,500 people have been charged with federal offenses related to the event. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Louisville militia member posted in a chat "it is time for good men to do bad things" before taking part in the breach. He was later sentenced to five years in prison. Another man, Michael Sparks, allegedly entered the Capitol through a broken window and was indicted on nine charges, including civil disorder. The Elizabethtown resident was convicted in March on several counts, including violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds and disruptive conduct in a restricted building. He faces four years and five months in federal prison, where parole is not an option, court records show. President Donald Trump previously said on campaign trails he'd pardon involved individuals if he won the 2024 election, calling those convicted and awaiting trial on related charges "political prisoners" and "hostages." Taking place more than four years ago, the insurrection has splintered partisan lines. A Washington Post-University of Maryland poll from last year indicated about 86% of Democrats said the attack should not be forgotten and 72% of Republicans said it was time to move on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact breaking news reporter Killian Baarlaer at kbaarlaer@gannett.com or @bkillian72 on X. Contact breaking news reporter Marina.Johnson@courier-journal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky: Man charged in J6 Capitol riot after bear spraying police KENTUCKY (FOX 56) A Kentucky man has been charged in connection to the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol riots in 2021. The U.S. Attorneys Office said 29-year-old Andrew Kyle Grigsby of Louisville was charged with five felonies, including civil disorder; assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers using a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury; entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon; disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds using a dangerous weapon; and engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a dangerous weapon. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: In addition to the felonies, Grigsby is charged with two misdemeanor offenses: disorderly conduct in a Capitol building and acts of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, on Jan. 6, 2021, Grigsby went to Capitol Grounds in Washington, D.C., and through the restricted perimeter to the Northwest stairwell of the Capitol building. Then, around 1:54 p.m., Grigsby tried to breach a police line holding a black canister and sprayed a liquid, believed to be bear spray, at the officers defending the Northwest stairwell. The spray forced officers to retreat temporarily, with one reportedly saying he was unable to breathe or see without unbearable, tortuous pain. According to the criminal complaint, video footage shows Grigsby descending the stairs at 1:57 p.m., still holding the canister. Grigsby was arraigned on Jan. 10, 2025, and is being held in Washington, D.C. (Criminal complaint against Andrew Kyle Grigsby) (Criminal complaint against Andrew Kyle Grigsby) (Criminal complaint against Andrew Kyle Grigsby) (Criminal complaint against Andrew Kyle Grigsby) The U.S. Attorneys Office said more than 1,583 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the riots, including more than 600 people charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more of the latest Kentucky news The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.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 FOX 56 News. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Kern County firefighters were busy in Los Angeles on Tuesday assisting other departments in containing the wildfires. At La Canada Flintridge, firefighters from Kern County cleared brush ahead of the dangerous, incoming winds in an area near the Eaton Fire. Urban Search & Rescue team from Kern County deployed to Los Angeles wildfires At least 15,000 fire department personnel from California and neighboring states are spread across the region as wildfires tear through Los Angeles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 200 Bakersfield and Kern County firefighters have been deployed to help our neighbors in Los Angeles. 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 News. The City of Kettering is offering housing assistance programs to make houses safer and healthier for Kettering residents. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] These initiatives ensure Kettering residents have access to resources for critical home improvements, safety upgrades and healthy living environments, the city said in a press release. TRENDING STORIES: The city has three primary programs available for residents: Lead Safe Ohio Grant Program, Air Quality Improvement Grant Program, and the Housing Rehabilitation Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lead Safe Ohio Grant Program provides home repairs to address lead-based paint hazards for homes built before 1978. The Air Quality Improvement Grant Program will help qualified people upgrade their HVAC systems. The Housing Rehabilitation Program is offering low-interest and deferred loans for necessary repairs, like repairs to address immediate health concerns, accessibility modifications for the disabled, and roof, windows, doors and insulation repairs. For more information on these programs and who qualifies for the programs, visit https://www.ketteringoh.org/community-programs-resources/ [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] After four years in the White House and a half-century in Washington President Joe Biden has said farewell. Sitting behind the Resolute Desk on Wednesday evening, the one-term Democratic leader used a 19-minute address to frame his four-year presidency on his own terms and to appeal for a brand of politics that he sees as rapidly disappearing. Utilizing the Oval Office and commandeering network airwaves one final time, Biden cast his legacy as one of rebuilding and transformation. But unlike some of his recent speeches, he did not use the moment to recite a laundry list of his accomplishments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, Biden used the bulk of his time to issue a final warning about the path he sees the nation following, one he cautioned could erode the institutions hes spent more than 50 years revering. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office in the White House. - Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Here are some key lines from Bidens final address to the American people as president. Biden warns of burgeoning oligarchy Biden warned of a developing oligarchy in America as he stressed the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working- and middle-class citizens. I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern. And this is a dangerous concern. And thats the dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. He did not name the subjects of his warning, but his targets seemed clear: Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the worlds richest man whos about to have a clear line to the White House. The president made reference to the concentration of power over a century ago in the hands of robber barons, which was broken through antitrust practices, an issue Biden has made a priority during his administration over a century later. They didnt punish the wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the rules everybody else had to. Workers wanted rights to earn their fair share, Biden said. They were dealt into the deal, and it helped put us on a path to building the largest middle class and the most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen. Weve got to do that again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken together, the warnings amounted to a challenge to the incoming president and his team to live up to the populist promises of the campaign trail ones Biden and many Democrats view as empty. A warning over social media and tech companies Biden pointed to social media as he reflected on the things that concern him as his presidency comes to a close. Im equally concerned about the potential rise of a tech industrial complex that could pose real dangers for our country, as well, he said. Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation, enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social media is giving up on fact checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power, he urged. Biden argues it will take time for his accomplishments to be felt Biden is immensely proud of the list of accomplishments he leaves behind, and has said he doesnt believe hes received enough credit for them. He ticked through many of them on Wednesday, though chose not to expand on them in detail during his final appearance before the American people. Instead, he urged patience as his record is assessed, suggesting history could view him differently than polls Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will take time to feel the full impact of what weve done together. But the seeds are planted, and theyll grow and theyll bloom for decades to come, he said during his farewell address. He listed some of the accomplishment, including lowering prescription drug prices for seniors, passing gun safety laws and helping veterans get health care. Biden also touted foreign policy accomplishments and pointed to how he strengthened NATO. Ukraine is still free, and weve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more, Biden said. US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on January 15, 2025. - Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images Artificial intelligence presents great risks and great opportunities, Biden says Biden warned about the profound possibilities and risks that come with artificial intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Artificial intelligence is the most consequential technology of our time, perhaps of all time. Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy and our security, our society, for humanity. Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it. But unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work and how we protect our nation, he said. Biden urged that it should be ensured that AI works for good, and that America leads its development. In the age of AI, its more important than ever that the people must govern. And as the land of liberty, America not China must lead the world in the development of AI, he added. The president mulls who we are Biden opened his address by saying he has been thinking a lot about who the American people are, as he referenced the symbol of the Statue of Liberty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nation, he said, was constantly being tested, and that through good times and tough times, weve withstood it all. Using the internal girding of the Statue of Liberty as a metaphor, Biden said storms are always coming that will bend but not break the nations underpinnings. Ive been thinking a lot about who we are and maybe even more importantly, who we should be, Biden said. He went on to describe the building of the Statue of Liberty in New York, a gift from France, saying that like the very idea of America, it was built not by one person, but by many people, from every background and from around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like America, the Statue of Liberty is not standing still. Her foot literally steps forward atop a broken chain of human bondage. Shes on the march, and she literally moves. She was built to sway back and forth, to withstand the fury of stormy weather, to stand the test of time. Because storms are always coming. She sways a few inches, but she never falls into the current below. An engineering marvel, he added. It was an ode to the political world that Biden emerged from last century, which he sees being replaced by the nationalist outlook of Trump. Biden encourages Americans to stay engaged with the democratic process Biden had a message to Americans on Wednesday as he prepares to leave office: stay engaged. We have to stay engaged in the process. I know its frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America, America, Biden said. Everyone is entitled to a fair shot, not a guarantee, just a fair shot, an even playing field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president said that the concentration of power and weather causes division and could make people feel like it is exhausting to participate in democracy. He urged Americans not to give into that sentiment, we can never lose that essential truth of a fair shot, he said. Urging respect for democracy During his speech, Biden hailed the democratic institutions that underpin the United States of America. The theme of democracy vs. autocracy has been the underlying current of Bidens presidency and his wider message to Americans. Amid a time of widespread dissatisfaction with government institutions, Biden said the system set up by the founders remains the best system of government. After 50 years at the center of all of this, I know that believing in the idea of America means respecting the institutions that govern a free society the presidency, the Congress, the courts, a free and independent press, he said. Our system of separation of powers, checks and balances. It may not be perfect, but its maintained our democracy for nearly 250 years, longer than any other nation in history thats ever tried such a bold experiment, he added. US President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. - Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images Biden implores Americans to stand guard Biden ended his farewell address Wednesday on an optimistic note as he told Americans he still believes in the idea for which this nation stands. To you, the American people, after 50 years of public service, I give you my word. I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands. A nation where the strength of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure, he said. After warning of a growing oligarchy and taking veiled shots at his successor over the course of his speech, Biden ended his address imploring Americans to carry forward his hopeful vision of the country. Now its your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith. I love America. You love it too. God bless you all. And may God protect our troops. Thank you for this great honor, Biden said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com A ceasefire agreement in Gaza has been reached between Israel and Hamas after more than 15 months of war. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have mediated the long-running efforts to halt the fighting in the ravaged Palestinian territory, often coming close to a deal before a frustrating breakdown in negotiations. The latest round of talks proved successful this week, with all sides bringing their top negotiators to the Qatari capital, Doha. Here is a look at the key players who negotiated the deal: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement David Barnea The head of Israels spy agency headed up Israels negotiation team throughout the negotiation process. Working alongside the head of Israels Shin Bet security agency and top political and military advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and meeting with the Biden administration, Barnea was the highest-profile member of the Israeli negotiating team but kept his own proclivities private during the talks. Ronen Bar The head of Israels Shin Bet security agency also has been involved in negotiations for months. Bars agency handles matters relating to Palestinian security prisoners, some of whom, under the agreed-upon deal, are set to be released by Israel in exchange for hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bar has led the agency since 2021. Just days after the devastating Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel that launched the war, he took responsibility for failing to thwart the militants. He said investigations into what happened would need to come after the war. Brett McGurk President Joe Bidens top Middle East adviser has been putting together a draft of the deal from the discussions with the two sides as the lead negotiator in the Israel-Hamas negotiations. McGurk has been a fixture in U.S. Mideast policy for more than two decades in the National Security Council and White House under both Democratic and Republican administrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He's shuttled frequently to the Middle East for talks with senior officials about the conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah. Steve Witkoff President-elect Donald Trumps special envoy to the Middle East has met separately in recent weeks with Netanyahu and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, another key mediator. Witkoff, a Florida real estate investor and co-chair of Trumps inaugural committee, has kept in contact with Bidens foreign policy team as the incoming Trump and outgoing Biden administrations coordinated on the deal. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qatars prime minister and foreign minister led his countrys pivotal mediation efforts in the stop-start negotiations. He has been a key communicator with Hamas throughout the process, as Israel and Hamas have not communicated directly. The most consequential phase of negotiations those that have occurred over the last few weeks took place in Doha, his countrys capital. Al Thani said the ceasefire would take effect Sunday. Hassan Rashad The director of Egypts General Intelligence Agency was also a liaison with Hamas throughout the talks. Rashad took office in October 2024, replacing former chief intelligence official Abbas Kamel, who led the negotiations during the first ceasefire in November 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several rounds of negotiations have occurred in Cairo, and the mediators will move to the Egyptian capital Thursday for further talks on implementing the deal. Khalil al-Hayya The acting head of Hamas political bureau and the militant groups chief negotiator is based in Qatar but does not meet directly with Israeli or American officials, communicating instead through Egyptian and Qatari mediators. His role increased in importance after Israeli soldiers killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in the Gaza Strip. Sinwar, the architect of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, was believed to be dictating the Hamas stance in negotiations up until his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even before Sinwars death, al-Hayya was managing affairs for the militant group. Al-Hayya, seen as less of a hardliner than Sinwar, had served as Sinwars deputy and had managed ceasefire negotiations in 2014 as well. He is a longtime official with the group and survived an Israeli airstrike that hit his home in Gaza in 2007, killing several of his family members. Jan. 16KEYSER, W.Va. A Keyser man accused in the September killing of a woman near Antioch was indicted by a Mineral County grand jury this week. William Blondell Ludwick III, 33, was among 25 people indicted Tuesday by the grand jury. He is charged with murder, use of a firearm during commission of a felony, grand larceny and destruction of property. West Virginia State Police say Ludwick killed 22-year-old Emma Julianne Westover, who was found dead in a vehicle Sept. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The death was ruled homicide. On Sept. 11, troopers said they had issued an arrest warrant for Ludwick, who at the time was incarcerated in Ohio. Also indicted by the grand jury were: Wesley Frank Alt, child abuse resulting in bodily injury. Harry Edward Braithwaite, failure to register. Charles Edward Rexroad, distribution and exhibiting of material depicting minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. William Weasenforth, failure to register address and failure to register phone. Eric Jason Fleming, driving while license revoked for DUI (third offense). Christian Gage Sanders, second- and third-degree sexual assault, soliciting a minor via computer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Wallace Beaulieu, fleeing from law enforcement with reckless indifference, no insurance, driving while license suspended (first offense) and expired registration. Kisha Charrise Fischer, malicious assault. John Harrison Spiker, driving while license revoked for DUI (third offense). Lucas Earl Shoemaker, person prohibited from possessing firearm, possession of a controlled dangerous substance (heroin), possession of CDS (suboxone), possession of CDS (psilocybin mushroom) and fraudulent registration. Kevin Lynn Mumaw, possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, possession with intent to deliver marijuana, possession of the controlled substance fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diameda Tiamaine Allen, third-offense domestic battery. Dakota Daniel Davis, burglary, conspiracy, petit larceny. Jarold William Rice, obtaining property in return for worthless check. Robert Stanley McKee, burglary, conspiracy, petit larceny. Christopher James Kesner, driving while license revoked for DUI (third offense). Jason Dwight Cooper, gross child neglect creating risk of serious bodily injury. William Andrew Robinette, fleeing from law enforcement with reckless indifference. Michael Lee Baker, grand larceny. Dana Allen Scronce, third offense driving under the influence. Jevaun Steffon Swain, destruction of property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holly Lynn Sulser, grand larceny. Lyndee Dawn Kimble, possession with intent to deliver fentanyl/heroin, drug delivery resulting in death. Gary W. Martin, sexual abuse parent, guardian or custodian, first- and third-degree sexual abuse. Ukraine has drastically expanded its defence production over the past year despite constant Russian drone and missile attacks, Kiev said on Thursday. "In particular, approximately 2.5 million mortar and artillery shells and the same amount of ammunition for drones were produced," said Herman Smetanin, the minister responsible for defence. Existing products have been improved and new ones added, he stated. Compared to 2023, defence production has increased sixfold in total, said Smetanin, although he did not provide specific figures to substantiate this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aim, according to Smetanin, is to produce 3,000 missiles and 30,000 long-range drones in the current year. About a third of the weapons used by the military are already from domestic production. President Volodymyr Zelensky had previously also stated this. Ukraine has been defending itself for nearly three years with Western military aid against a full-scale Russian invasion. According to Zelensky, almost 40% of the weapons currently in use come from the United States, with another nearly 30% from European countries. Russia has also significantly expanded its defence production as a result of the war. Kim Kardashian has penned a touching note as she continues to pray for those affected by the LA fire. While firefighters are making progress in containing the multiple wildfires, Southern California continues to live the horror after the catastrophe took away the homes and livelihoods of many. Amid the challenging times, several people, including Kardashian, have come forward to express their heartbreak for those going through the losses. Kim Kardashian writes about LA fires: My heart breaks for my city Kim Kardashian took to her Instagram to write about the LA fire. The entrepreneur shared a series of photos from the region amid the catastrophe, with one showing smoke hovering over the hills. Kardashian began her post by heartfeltly writing that she loves Los Angeles and that her heart breaks for her city. Kardashian continued, Continuing to pray for all of those affected and so grateful for those fighting hard to protect and save this city. The carousel included a photo of several firefighters battling the ravaging wildfires. Kardashian also shared a shot showing the major destruction caused in the region. Recently, Kardashian demanded higher pay for incarcerated firefighters working to contain the flames across Los Angeles County. The mom of four shared a series of Instagram Stories to bring the issue to the light. Kardashian urged California Governor Gavin Newsom to increase the wages of these individuals from $1/ hour to a rate that would honor a human being risking their life to save our lives and homes. Besides paying tribute to those working on the frontline, the SKIMS founder has also donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department, reported HELLO! Magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection continues to share the status of the multiple wildfires in Los Angeles County. The Palisades Fire stands at 21% containment and the Eaton Fire at 45% after jumping to 23,713 and 14,117 acres, respectively. On the other hand, the Hurst Fire is 98% contained after burning 799 acres. The post Kim Kardashian Prays for Those Affected by LA Wildfires on Instagram appeared first on Mandatory. Kirsty Young has won a years-long battle to build a luxury holiday lodge on Wallaby Island in Scotland. The former presenter of BBCs Desert Island Discs, 56, and her husband Nick Jones, had submitted plans for a three-bedroom holiday retreat on Loch Lomonds Inchconnachan island, which is famed for its colony of wild wallabies. Some residents and environmental groups objected to the couples plans, which include a new boathouse and jetty, amid concern that felling trees during construction would damage natural habitats and harm the wallabies that have lived on the island for almost 80 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were released by Fiona Gore, the late Countess of Arran, a record-breaking speed-boater. Loch Lomonds Inchconnachan island has a large population of wallabies - Savills The park authority said the lodge and associated structures would result in a small loss of habitat but approved the plans because of the long-term benefits for the 103-acre island. Young and Jones bought the land after it went on sale for offers over 500,000 in 2020. They submitted plans the following year to demolish a bungalow and build a timber-clad bolthole in the islands north west corner. The island is designated as a special area of conservation for western acidic oak woodland and otters, and a Special Protection Area for Capercaillie and Greenland white-fronted geese. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couples plans triggered a petition to save the wallabies. It gathered more than 100,000 signatures from people protesting against any attempt to remove the animals, with Young denying there were plans to eradicate the animals. The Woodland Trust also objected with concerns that the development in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park could destroy native trees. The park authority has imposed conditions with planning approval, including a stipulation that the lodge should not become a permanent residence and must only be used for short-term holiday lets with stays of no more than 90 days. It insists a planned boathouse can only be used for transport not accommodation and has asked the couple to submit an otter protection plan for approval. The plans caused a stir with environmental campaigners, who claimed the bolthole would damage natural habitats - Groves Raines Architects Studios In a statement, the authority said: The proposed development would result in a small loss of habitat, however, the proposals are considered to have a biodiversity benefit through the naturalisation of the former site and the positive management and habitat enhancement of the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Claire Chapman, who chairs the parks planning committee, added: This application was approved following careful consideration of the planning assessment and detailed discussion. We are confident that it will deliver benefits for the island, both in terms of biodiversity and visitor management. The committee recognised that Inchconnachan is subject to special designations for its scenic and habitat/species qualities and as such, careful consideration was given to the impact this development would have on the island. It was concluded that the development would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the protected sites. The island management plan, a condition attached to this planning permission, will contribute to enhancing biodiversity on the island and will support continued access and recreation for visitors. It sets out conservation and visitor-management measures to benefit the whole island, including promotion of native plant species and woodland diversity, restoration of wetlands and a full-time warden on the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Young hosted the BBC radio show Desert Island Discs but left the programme in 2018 after being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and a chronic condition known as fibromyalgia which causes pain and fatigue. 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. NEW MEXICO (KRQE) A New Mexico teacher is now receiving national recognition for her dedication to education. Rashinda Billie, a fifth-grade teacher at Kirtland Elementary, was surprised with her Milken Educator Award, along with a $25,000 check at a school assembly Thursday. Story continues below The Milken Awards are given to exceptional teachers across the country who are in the early to mid stages of their careers. The Milken Family Foundation said Billie was selected due to her dedication to serving a majority of Navajo students, her prioritization of engaging and creative learning in the classroom, positive student outcomes and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) A group of Knoxville firefighters have filed a federal lawsuit against the city, arguing that a new municipal pay scale negatively impacted long-serving department members and left them no recourse to address their grievances. In 2022, the city proposed a tiered Step Pay Plan for civil servants like police and firefighters. An advisory committee of elected officials and representatives from the police and fire departments, one of whom is a plaintiff in the lawsuit, assisted in its creation before it was ultimately approved by the Knoxville City Council. Im in pain every day Retired Knoxville firefighter seeks workers comp solution after career-ending injury Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan consisted of 25 steps within each job classification corresponding to years of service, allowing uniformed employees to advance each year throughout their careers. The lawsuit contends that the Pay Step Plan has not been implemented as enacted and the system unfairly locks longer-tenured firefighters into lower classifications and lower wages. According to the complaint, the system largely affects older workers with the rank of Master Firefighter and above. Furthermore, it argues that there is no procedure to redress claims over compensation or misclassifications under the citys grievance process in violation of the constitutional right to due process. Knoxville nurses bring wedding to UT Medical Center for brides dying mother It claims the classification system disproportionally harms older firefighters in violation of the constitutional right to equal protection and the Tennessee Human Rights Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plaintiffs request that the city reclassify all impacted firefighters retroactive to July 2022 and they be awarded back pay for all lost wages. They also seek additional damages in an amount to be determined by a jury trial and attorneys fees. See more top stories on WATE.com The city responded to the litigation in a statement to 6 News: Our compensation overhaul was done after extensive input and consultation with all of our employee reps, which included the Knoxville Fire Department. The 6% salary increase, along with the step plan, was designed to bring our employees up to market standards and to address compression. Please keep in mind, we worked with a national consultant on our compensation plan. Their skill and expertise guided our salary adjustments, and the final plan was ultimately approved both by our employee reps and City Council. Knoxville Deputy Communications Director Eric Vreeland 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. President-elect Donald Trumps pick to head the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, is set to go before a Senate committee for a confirmation hearing Friday. But even if she is successful at the hearing and is confirmed, as she is expected to be, her role as homeland security secretary is expected to be more limited in scope than her predecessors, sources familiar with the Trump transition told NBC News. If she is confirmed, Noem, the governor of South Dakota, will oversee a workforce of more than 260,000 across a number of agencies, including Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Secret Service and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. But on the issue in her purview that is highest-profile and most important to Trump, immigration, she would be taking marching orders from the White House, specifically from incoming border czar Tom Homan and Stephen Miller, the deputy chief of staff for policy, four sources familiar with the transition preparations said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media about transition discussions. Previous homeland security secretaries have been involved in Cabinet-level discussions about immigration policy and have advised the presidents they served on the realities of carrying out policies on the ground. They have also set the priorities for how to conduct immigration enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem is not considered a key player in planning mass deportations, a major campaign promise of Trumps, as that is seen largely to be the focus of Homan and Miller, the sources said. She has not been vocal about the issue, nor has she made national media appearances since Trump announced her as his choice to head DHS shortly after he won the White House in November. But if there are policy questions from Congress, she would be the one to answer them. Follow live confirmation hearing coverage In response to a query about Noems role in immigration policy, the transition team said in a statement: President Trump was elected to secure Americas borders. As President Trumps choice to be DHS Secretary, Governor Noem will ensure that CBP, ICE, and USCIS, critical immigration agencies under her purview, have whats necessary to protect our borders and keep Americans safe. The transition team also noted that the Border Patrol union endorsed Noem in a letter to the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which will hold the confirmation hearing. We are confident that as Secretary, Governor Noem will continue to ensure Border Patrol agents have the resources and manpower that we need to secure our border, the letter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noems spokesperson in the governors office did not respond to a request for comment. Corey Lewandowski, Trumps 2016 campaign manager and a longtime Noem ally, is involved in hiring for key positions within the new DHS, even though he is not an official part of the DHS transition, three of the sources said. Two of them said that has been frustrating for people within the Trump transition whose jobs are supposed to be hiring for the department. One of the sources called Lewandowskis role outsized and abnormal, while another called it unusual. Both said Lewandowski used a Gmail account for people to email him if they wanted jobs in DHS. A lawyer for Lewandowski said that he is not handling the hiring process for DHS and that he has a professional relationship with Noem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Noems role in immigration policy might be limited, DHS responsibility to secure critical infrastructure, respond to natural disasters, prevent terrorist attacks and protect the president and other dignitaries would ultimately fall to her if she is confirmed. Critics, including Democrats and Native American tribes in her state, as well as some senators, have argued that as governor of South Dakota, a state far from the U.S. southern border with only 5% of the workforce of DHS, Noem lacks the right experience to run DHS. Doug Sombke, a South Dakota farmer and president of the South Dakota Farmers Union, who has been a frequent critic of Noem, said she was not qualified to run DHS. Good God, no, she cant run the state, he said. Noem has come under fire most recently for the state auditors denial of an open records request for her government-issued credit card. The auditor told The Dakota Scout newspaper of Sioux Falls that the records could not be released because it could violate her safety. The newspaper has sued to get the records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fellow Republicans have also criticized her for spending $13 million in taxpayer money on a shooting range project that the Legislature had rejected. The Legislature objected to the spending, and the governor approved it anyway, Sombke said. Noems backers applaud her tough stance on immigration. She has called for so-called sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with ICE to be punished. And she sent South Dakota National Guard members to the border to address what she has called an immigrant invasion. Kristi has been very strong on Border Security, Trump said in a statement in November announcing her as his choice to run DHS. She will work closely with Border Czar Tom Homan to secure the Border and will guarantee that our American Homeland is secure from our adversaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other issues likely to come up in Noems hearing before the Senate committee Friday are her revelation in a recently published memoir that she shot and killed her family dog when she considered it untrainable. Another is a 2022 South Dakota state legislative committees finding that Noems daughter Kassidy Peters received special treatment when she was given her real estate appraisal license. A state agency awarded the license in 2020 despite Peters failure to obtain training that was required, the legislative committee found. The committee noted in its legislative minutes that when Noems daughter was initially rejected, she should have waited the required six months and reapplied. Instead, she received her license from the agency that answered to the governor. Noem denied she had ever intervened on her daughters behalf, saying in a video at the time, I never once asked for special treatment for Kassidy. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Kyle Richards' estranged husband, Mauricio Umansky's father, Eduardo Umansky, has found himself in the middle of a domestic abuse allegation. The "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star's father-in-law allegedly abused his former romantic partner, prompting her to request a restraining order against him. Mauricio Umansky's dad's case comes amid the realtor and his company being accused of collecting millions of dollars in unnecessary loans during the pandemic in 2020. Kyle Richards' Father-In-Law's Former Girlfriend Claims He 'Physically Abused' Her The alleged victim, Simin Tabibnia, submitted a petition for an "elder dependent adult abuse restraining order." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 68-year-old referred to Eduardo as her "ex-boyfriend," as she insisted the court order him to stay at least 100 yards away from her premises. Simin accused Eduardo of abusing her on December 4, 2024. She stated: "I am afraid of [Eduardo]," adding that she was in an 18-year relationship with the 81-year-old during which she experienced several abuses. "During that time, I endured ongoing physical, verbal, and emotional abuse. I now fear for my safety due to [Eduardo's] actions," Simin explained. She claimed Eduardo has "physically abused me on multiple occasions, resulting in injuries." He also reportedly punched her in the face and arms, struck her in the legs, shoved her to the ground, and choked her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Touch confirmed that Simin attached photos of her alleged injuries to her petition as evidence and declared: "These incidents have left me not only physically injured but also emotionally injured." Simin Tabibnia Blams The 81-Year-Old's Family Members For Setting Him Off The Edge In her petition, she noted that Eduardo often became upset after speaking with his daughter, Sharon Umansky Benton, over the phone. Simin explained that she bears the brunt of his aggressions, in addition to a series of abusive traits he had displayed in the past. She added that Eduardo "has a long history of verbal abuse, frequently using demeaning and profane language toward me in public and in front of others. He has repeatedly told me to 'shut the f up,' among other degrading remarks." Simin argued in her new petition that she believed Eduardo's abusive behavior would stop after Sharon filed a separate "elder abuse" restraining order against her on behalf of Eduardo in October 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the petition filed by Sharon, Simin was tagged as the "abusive" girlfriend of Eduardo. According to Sharon, they noticed signs of abuse around 10 years ago, "but it was difficult to understand exactly what was happening. Around August or September 2022 was when things began to escalate." Sharon noted that Eduardo began having bloody arms and bruises, as Simin would hurt him when he would grab her arms, proceed to bruise him, and then threaten to send him to jail for abuse. "As his daughter, I am trying to protect him from living out the rest of his life under duress," Sharon claimed. She also accused Simin of being verbally abusive to her father at the office, where they worked together, but mostly at home. Kyle Richards' Ex Was Accused Of Obtaining PPP Loan Under Pretence MEGA The Umansky family is no stranger to multiple court cases, as Mauricio rounded up his 2024 with allegations from a plaintiff, Relator LLC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a report by The Blast, the court moved to unseal Relator LLC's allegations in August 2024, revealing that the company had first filed the petition in July 2023. The documents accused Umansky, his business partner William "Billy" Rose, and their real estate company, The Agency, of conspiring to embezzle loans earmarked to help failing businesses. "This is a case about greed during a national health emergency," Relator LLC established in the filing. The accuser explained that Mauricio had applied to receive two Payroll Protection Program (PPP) and CARES Act loans during the COVID-19 pandemic via his real estate company, The Agency. Relator LLC stressed that the loan schemes were not created to "bolster or preserve the profits of a business that had sufficient funds available to pay its employees." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It clarified that the financial aid initiative was, instead, established to sustain the employment of workers by businesses that could not pay for their services Mauricio And His Company Were Slammed For Trying To Set Aside The Legal Case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company accused Mauricio and his company of attempting to dismiss his federal lawsuit, as they insisted the case must be pursued to the end to grant justice to everyone involved. The lawyer also accused the real estate broker and his company of deviating from the actual situation and claiming that "the [first amended complaint] contains insufficient allegations not on the facts alleged but only on how [Relator LLC] came to realize the facts." The company's lawyer argued that the "defendants' entire motion is based not on the assertion that Plaintiff is wrong, but rather that [Relator LLC] does not have direct knowledge of the fraud." Relator LLC insisted that Mauricio and The Agency had no reason to request and acquire such a huge loan after his real estate company recorded huge profits and impressive turnovers during the pandemic. The lawyer for Relator LLC added: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Given that Holdco's subsidiaries Umro and The Agency had booming business of $6 billion of sales in 2020 and $6.5 billion in sales in 2021, Defendants' threshold for economic necessity is a high bar that they cannot overcome on a motion to dismiss." Mauricio Umansky Questioned Relator LLC's Credibility To Pursue The Case Against Him MEGA In response to the strong allegations, Mauricio, through his attorney, stated that Relator LLC was making ill thought claims about him and his real estate company. He described his real estate company as a "third party corporation formed by lawyers for a single purpose to 'whistle blow.'" He continued that the corporation was only coming for establishments and businesses it had no relation with, including his real estate firm. In his argument, Mauricio explained that: "Relator makes the specious claim that Defendants falsified information and certifications on its applications for Paycheck Protection Program ('PPP') loans in 2020 and 2021 through guesswork, speculation, and contrived facts." He termed Relator's allegations as fabricated facts, noting that the company "is in no way connected to Defendants: Relator was not previously employed by Defendants, nor is it otherwise affiliated with Defendants." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He concluded that the company cannot "ascertain or know firsthand the facts surrounding The Agency's application for PPP loans in the shadow of the COVID-19 global pandemic due to their questionable proximity to the case." Will Simin Tabibnia's plea for a restraining order against Kyle Richards' estranged husband's dad hold enough water? BISHKEK (Reuters) - Kyrgyz lender Keremet Bank on Thursday said it would challenge a decision by the U.S. Treasury to impose sanctions on it for allegedly creating a hub for trade payments and helping Russia to evade restrictions. The United States on Wednesday imposed hundreds of sanctions targeting Russia, seeking to increase pressure on Moscow to halt its military action in Ukraine in the Biden administration's final days, including on firms such as Keremet in Kyrgyzstan and others in China it accused of helping Moscow evade sanctions. "The bank will apply to OFAC (U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control) to appeal," Keremet Bank said in a statement. "Keremet Bank continues to operate in normal mode, fulfilling its obligations to clients and partners with an unwavering commitment to the principles of transparency, reliability and responsibility." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Treasury accused Keremet Bank, a mid-sized Kyrgyzstan-based financial institution, of coordinating with Russian officials and sanctioned Russian defence sector lender Promsvyazbank. "In 2024, the Kyrgyzstani Ministry of Finance sold a controlling stake in Keremet Bank to a firm strongly linked to a Russian oligarch with ties to the Russian government," the U.S. Treasury said. "The purchase of Keremet Bank was intended to create a sanctions evasion hub for Russia to pay for imports and receive payment for exports." Kyrgyzstan's central bank said it was working to minimise the negative impact of sanctions on the country's banking system. (Reporting by Aigerim Turgunbaeva; Writing by Alexander Marrow; Editing by Alison Williams) As the Eaton fire raged through Altadena, Begonya De Salvo was scrambling to figure out where her husband, two children and five pets would find shelter. Afraid her house might be reduced to ash, she said work was the last thing on her mind. As she scrambled to find a hotel room, De Salvo forgot to call in sick from her job as a court interpreter. Despite telling her supervisor she was under an evacuation order, she was threatened with discipline by court officials, according to an e-mail reviewed by The Times. The next morning, L.A. County's courts tried to conduct business as usual even as destructive fires burned from the Pacific Palisades to the San Gabriel Mountains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys in the Pasadena courthouse, which remained open near the Altadena inferno, got sick and had to leave work, according to the president of the union that represents rank-and-file prosecutors. Downtown, jurors panicked about missing evacuation notices when they couldn't check their phones in court. Some defendants who lost their homes or were forced to flee infernos faced the threat of arrest for missing court, attorneys said. The decision to keep courthouse doors open last week, even as smoke was wafting in, has been met with a mix of frustration and bemusement by the legal community. Ryan Erlich, president of the Assn. of Deputy District Attorneys, recalled how during the Dodgers' World Series celebration last year, the proceedings were canceled at L.A.'s main criminal courthouse, sometimes referred to as CCB. "We closed CCB for a parade, and we left the Pasadena court open in the middle of a cataclysmic natural disaster?" Erlich said. "I dont understand that, and neither do many of the people who work in this courthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rob Oftring, a spokesman for the L.A. County Superior Court, said the courts have a "constitutional duty to ensure timely access to justice" and noted that court employees are designated as disaster service workers under state law. The shutdown for the Dodgers parade on Nov. 1 was necessary due to road closures in the area, according to Oftring, who noted all other courthouses remained open that day. Since the fires began, he wrote in an email, "Court leadership has actively monitored the evolving situation, adjusting court operations in coordination with local and state emergency officials." The court has also been "distributing N95 masks to all employees and jurors and temporarily closing affected courthouses," he said. Read more: 9 charged with looting during L.A. fires; Emmy award among items stolen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sylmar juvenile court was shut down for two days because of the Kenneth fire, and the Hollywood court was closed during the brief period in which the Sunset fire was threatening to scorch the Walk of Fame. Pasadena's courthouse was closed on Jan. 9 but not the day prior, when the Eaton fire's most immediate impacts were being felt. The Hollywood court was the only one subject to an evacuation order at any point since last week, Oftring said. The morning after the Eaton fire erupted, Erlich said, the inside of the Pasadena courthouse smelled like a "tinderbox" and was unsafe to work in. "Its immediately downwind and two miles shy of the fire and evacuation zone. It created an immediate environmental concern," he said. "We had deputies who upon coming into the court started to have headaches, eye irritation and other symptoms of being in an unhealthy environment. Erlich said several prosecutors and defense attorneys left early because they fell ill. Roughly 1 out of every 10 prosecutors in his union live in a fire evacuation zone, he estimated, and several lost homes in the fire. At least a dozen judges were unavailable because their homes burned down, and several public defenders said they had to be evacuated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even jailed defendants felt the effects, as the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said it was unable to transport more than half a dozen people from the county's Castaic jail complex to the Newhall and Antelope Valley courthouses on Jan. 8 due to road closures. In the downtown L.A. courthouse, an acrid smoke scent hung in courtrooms throughout the sprawling 19-story structure. Deputy public defender Nicole Joens said several of her clients found themselves caught between the legal system and the flames. Joens pointed to several examples of clients who either forgot their court date or simply couldn't make it downtown in the immediate aftermath of the fires, which led to bench warrants for their arrest. Later in the week, she said, judges mercifully quashed the arrest warrants, but still some prosecutors pushed to revoke their bail. In one case, Joens said, a prosecutor sought to have a defendant's bail revoked over a probation violation because that defendant was now living in a hotel one he'd been forced into because the Eaton fire swallowed his Altadena home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre in the daily food lines. They have nothing," said Joens, who was also forced to evacuate for several days due to the Eaton Fire. "It seemed like a punishment that this family had no stable housing at this time. Joens, who said she was speaking as a member of the public defender's union, declined to identify any of her clients out of fear it could negatively impact their criminal cases. The union called for all courthouses to be shut down last week, a move Joens said she didn't agree with, but she believes some court officials and prosecutors needed to be more flexible given the infernos in the hills. Read more: Trial begins for man accused of serial rapes, dumping womens bodies at L.A. hospitals There should have been more leniency," she said. "Any D.A.s objecting against like holding warrants or any of that stuff was ridiculous, given what we were dealing with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diego Cartagena, head of the legal aid organization Bet Tzedek, said a systemwide court shutdown could have been incredibly problematic for clients who needed access to courthouses for pressing issues such as guardianship over a child with urgent medical needs or those seeking domestic violence restraining orders. "Its a fundamental access-to-justice issue when it comes to the communities that we serve," he said. Cartagena added that the court could improve remote access for the public so that, in the future, those affected by disasters could appear remotely over video platforms such as Microsoft Teams or WebEx, which the county used during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Jan. 8, Christina Hsu drove from where she lives in the San Gabriel Valley to the downtown criminal courthouse for jury duty. The Eaton fire was burning a few miles north of her residence, and she feared it might advance on her home while she was in court and unable to receive an evacuation warning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When there was a wildfire raging, something should have been done so we could attend to our own survival needs," Hsu said. "I dont think it benefits the court either if people are worrying about evacuating their homes. Judge Mildred Escobedo acknowledged the extreme circumstances to Hsu and other potential jurors, saying she had her phone out to monitor evacuation orders and understood that some might need to do the same. Once the trial started, she said, jurors would have to leave their phones off while court was in session. By late afternoon, Hsu got struck from the jury and went home. As soon as she got near, her phone buzzed with an evacuation warning. Read more: How you can help the incarcerated firefighters battling L.A. wildfires Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How can they expect people to concentrate on the case when we dont know if we have to evacuate? she asked. This is not the first time the court's handling of a disaster has attracted major scrutiny. In 2021, Cal/OSHA fined the court $25,000 for multiple health and safety violations after three court interpreters and public defenders died of the virus during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The state oversight body found that the courts had failed to properly report that an employee had been hospitalized with COVID-19, and failed to implement an effective illness and injury prevention program and correct unhealthy practices, including a lack of COVID-19 prevention training to interpreters. De Salvo, vice president of the interpreters union, said she was shocked to receive an e-mail that she would have her pay docked the day after the fires while she was trying to figure out how much damage her house had sustained. "Please note that numerous other employees who were also impacted by the fires managed to call out as required, and we appreciate their diligence during such a difficult time," read the e-mail from De Salvo's supervisor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CEO's office granted "special leave" that would spare employees like De Salvo from losing pay late last week, records show. Still, she described the actions of the court's leadership as "heartless." What did you want me to do? This is a catastrophe. We were in a state of emergency," she said. What kind of person has no compassion at all and would try to punish you for that? Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SAN DIEGO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Lisa Odenweller fled her home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles last week, never imagining she would get news the next day that her home had been lost in the devastating fire. Every day in my house, I would say, Im so lucky, said Odenweller. I cant believe its gone. Odenweller, who spent more than 20 years living in San Diego, had spent 13 years building her life after a divorce and had just moved into her dream home in Pacific Palisades last August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had everything I wanted, building a new life, my kids had launched into the world, she said. It was everything I dreamed for 13 years. Behind the scenes at a fire task force staging area in East County On Tuesday, she and her daughter, Lexi, fled as the smoke got closer and closer to their home. The next day a neighbor called and explained the home had been destroyed. I can only take it day by day. If I think too far ahead, its too overwhelming, Odenweller said. Its more than losing a home. None of us have a place to go to back to. Thats worse. Belongings you can replace, but we dont know where to go home to. Its beyond anything anyone can imagine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Odenweller, who owns a wellness company, said she knows dozens of people who lost their homes in the fires. She is unsure if rebuilding is something shell consider as she moves forward. For now, she is finding hope in the generosity of people who are helping them during this tough time. Ive never seen anything like that. Its been a gift, said her daughter, Lexi. Its whats given us strength to move through this week the longest week of our life. Odenweller is staying in Del Mar for several weeks thanks to friends who have opened their home to her during this time. 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. During those frightening, early moments of the L.A.-area wildfires last week, I was obsessively flipping from one local TV station to the next to get my fill of coverage. ABC 7, KTLA, KCAL (which also airs on CBS 2), NBC 4, Fox 11 they were all on the front lines, sharing valuable information while chronicling the shocking images of our neighborhoods under siege. When I had to be in the car, I was locked into KNX NewsRadio and also checking out LAist 89.3 and KCRW. And when I needed some immediate information, like all of you, I downloaded the Watch Duty app. I was texting news with friends, and then checking in with our own Variety workspace on Slack to see how my colleagues were doing. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But where I didnt bother to turn for legit information was Twitter/X, or really, any of the usual social media sites. Sure, I still briefly went to those sites to proudly share links to some of the Variety coverage that we worked so hard to write in the midst of the chaos. But a few years ago, I probably would have been posting on Twitter all day and night, while scrolling non-stop to pick up any morsel of news. That feels like an entirely different social media age, however. As Twitter (oh sorry, I mean X) has been flooded by bad actors pushing misinformation, and spam has taken hold over the past year especially, Ive let my feed fall into disuse. And last week, I had no interest in picking it up again. I hadnt realized just how much of a non-factor X and others were during this disaster until a user on Bluesky reposted one of my stories about local TV and had this to say: The fires showed the importance of local journalism, wrote @kristapor80.bsky.social. Twitter used to be great for emergency coverage but for the fires, it was more concerned about debating DEI than helping provide valuable information. Bluesky is not yet up to the task for breaking local coverage. Local TV stepped up. And thats it in a nutshell. I remember the early days of Twitter, when it was a truly useful resource to find out, in real time, what was happening both globally and locally. Here in L.A., wed head straight to Twitter whenever we felt the earth shake and could quickly figure out if it was an earthquake or just a heavy truck driving down our street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps most notably, the Boston bombings in 2013 were a landmark moment when people started describing Twitter as the new public square. Immediate photos and visuals of the attacks helped people quickly learn what was happening, while authorities utilized the platform to spread safety warnings. Cut to 2025, and now our social media leaders are getting rid of fact checking, and their creations are filled with lies, fake photos and total fabrications. I didnt go to X for my news because I knew I wouldnt find it there, buried between the MAGA propaganda, hate speech and accounts I dont follow but now clog my feed. Then theres all the A.I.-generated lies, like the heavily shared photo of the Hollywood sign on fire, which we all know didnt happen. But Im sure there are plenty of people around the country who saw that fake pic and thought it was true. What a time for Mark Zuckerberg to announce hes out of the fact checking business, allowing more lies to run free. I must admit, however, that in the days that have followed, Metas Instagram has been at least a place to see Los Angeles residents share how to support those who lost their homes, and where to donate. Local businesses that have stepped up are using the platform to let residents know where those most impacted can get a free meal, a bag of toiletries or even where they can spend an afternoon (like LACMA or Vidiots) on a mental health break to decompress, watch a movie or see some art. Thats useful information from a social standpoint. But for true, journalistically sound specific news about the fires and their aftermath, this week has been a reminder, once again, of how important local media is and what we lose when newspapers and TV stations downsize or even go out of business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local TV news often gets derided sometimes justifiably for focusing too much on the low-hanging fruit of murders, car chases and fires. It takes a lot of effort and years of source-building to cover the byzantine bureaucratic puzzles of City Hall or the school district; its a lot easier to shine a helicopter camera on a speeding vehicle and just let er rip. But where local TV can still shine is a disaster like the L.A. fires, where information is key but then so is showing a little humanity through it all. As I wrote in a piece last week, this was personal for so many of these reporters as they covered evacuations and fires in their own neighborhoods. And yet, they worked 15 hour days covering the story, often getting dangerously close to the flames to give us all a view of what was going down. Some even put down the camera to help when they saw fellow Angelenos in distress. In times like this, we think of ourselves as emergency responders, KABC president/GM Wendy Granato recently told me. If we dont go in and tell people whats going on, who will? That is the definition of local news and local journalism, especially when lives are on the line and when information is crucial. I always feel positive about what we do, but in times like this, I hope it resolidifies to the public how hard we work, how hard we try, how much we care and how much were needed. Local news outlets were there to cover important press conferences, share details on what specific neighborhoods had been impacted by the flames and keep us informed of weather patterns and what to expect with the Santa Ana winds. They were there to explain what was going on with the confusing evacuation warnings that were going off. Theyre walking us through the confusing details of what comes next with insurance and rebuilding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And perhaps even more importantly, theyve started fact checking all the disgusting, vicious mistruths being propagated all over social media and on right-wing networks like Fox News. Lets think about that again for a moment: Just as we need the truth more than ever, this is when Facebook and its ilk have decided to turn the keys over to the propagandists. As we head into a new presidential administration that seems to like utilizing social media to spread distortions and fabrications, I fear for everyone who has been indoctrinated by these malicious players. More than ever, the L.A. fires remind us why we need a vibrant framework of broadcast, print and online journalism. Because that once promising social media public square has, instead, turned into a social media public hellhole. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Since the outbreak of the Palisades fire, LAPD officers accustomed to chasing 911 calls and patrolling city streets have suddenly found themselves thrust into an unfamiliar yet pivotal role: part aid worker, part night sentry, part wingman for firefighters battling one of the most devastating blazes in the region's history. Across the country, police have for decades been pressed into crisis response duty during wildfires, earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. Some experts predict law enforcement will increasingly be confronted with new climate-related challenges, which LAPD officers have been learning about firsthand over the last week. The LAPD has been grappling with how and when to enforce evacuation orders, and how to do their regular work investigating crimes while short-staffed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With around 750 officers deployed to the fire area, the crisis has strained a force already well below what leaders say are optimum staffing levels due to long-standing issues with turnover and recruitment. Each of the LAPD's 21 patrol divisions has been expected to send extra bodies patrol officers, supervisors and detectives to the fire front lines. As a result, most low-level calls such as burglaries or other incidents where a suspect has already fled are not receiving immediate attention. LAPD officials have come under pressure to focus on opportunistic thieves suspected of using the chaos to burglarize the homes of people who fled the fires. Read more: 9 charged with looting during L.A. fires; Emmy award among items stolen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, prosecutors charged nine people with looting in areas devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires, including a trio suspected of stealing $200,000 worth of valuables from a home in Mandeville Canyon. Separately, another man was accused of intentionally lighting a blaze in an Azusa park. Officers in Pacific Palisades enforcing the evacuation zone perimeter have faced blistering criticism from frustrated residents who were eager to return to their homes. Local City Council offices and social media have been flooded with complaints about inaccurate information and inconsistent enforcement by police. At one of the now-daily briefings by officials Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the department was continuing to step up its patrols in the area to ward off would-be burglars. He also asked for patience and "continued cooperation" from people displaced by the fire. "We understand the frustration and your desires to see your homes firsthand but until Cal Fire tells us the impacted areas are safe for repopulation, we can't allow you to return," McDonnell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department has received reinforcements from the LAX and port police departments and about 200 National Guard troops, he said. Authorities arrested 14 people for various crimes, including curfew violations, impersonating a firefighter, DUI and burglary, the chief said. Police also investigated 34 missing persons reports: 20 of the individuals were found alive, while several others were among the casualties of the Palisades fire. Firefighters had contained about 19% of the blaze, which has burned 23,713 acres and destroyed nearly 1,300 structures. Officials have confirmed that at least nine people are dead from the fire. LAPD officers were among those affected. According to a department-wide memo circulated last week, 19 officers' homes were destroyed and an additional 11 sustained fire damage. The department is a part of a just-announced state and federal task force to combat wildfire-related crimes, including home break-ins, arson and flying drones over restricted airspace. Such initiatives and disaster-related policing activities are likely to become more routine, according to new findings from researchers who study the effects of climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Hurricane Katrina, when the city of New Orleans was forced to pay out millions of dollars in settlements after several officers were convicted for their roles in the killings of unarmed civilians in the chaotic days after the storm, U.S. police agencies have begun more proactive training for disaster scenarios, experts said. Chuck Wexler, executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum, said law enforcement agencies across the country are taking notice of the LAPD's performance in recent days. Whether you believe its climate change or not, Los Angeles will be a wake-up call for everybody, he said. Read more: There's a reason you can't stop doomscrolling through L.A.'s fire disaster Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 2023 paper published in the journal Policing, a pair of researchers from the Netherlands concluded that rising global temperatures and extreme weather have already dramatically impacted policing and will continue to do so, likely in unexpected ways. One of the authors, Anna Matczak, a criminologist and senior lecturer at the Hague University of Applied Sciences, said more climate events "will significantly impact and change the crime and harm landscape on every possible level," which could mean everything from higher rates of domestic violence to thefts of valuable resources and disaster supplies. "You have ordinary crimes but also suddenly on top of that you have crimes that you call survival crimes because people are deprived of basic needs," Matczak said. Some police departments across the world have started developing climate specific strategies, analyzing weather data to try to predict where and when crime hot spots will emerge, according to associate professor Sylvia Bergh, the paper's other author. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LAPD Deputy Police Chief Donald "Donnie" Graham said that even if some critics don't want to admit it, police already have a vital role in the city's response to disasters. "It's police officers who are out there preventing the illegal entry to the areas to keep people from getting preyed upon in their darkest hours," he said as he drove to the city's emergency response center. He defended how officers have operated during the recent fires, noting that false alarms about evacuations and other conflicting information circulating online have made everyone's jobs harder. "Chaos is chaos," Graham said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Santa Monica resident whose home was burglarized early Wednesday hoped that the presence of an Apple AirTag amid her pilfered items could help investigators track down their whereabouts. But authorities have told the woman, an attorney whose name is Vicki, that they "just don't have enough resources." The woman, who asked that her last name not be disclosed over safety concerns, said that her family's home fell just outside the mandatory evacuation zone that was established in Santa Monica on Tuesday as the Palisades fire blazed southward. She and her family decided to leave, departing the property in two cars and heading for safer environs. By 11 p.m. or so, the house was empty. Around 2:30 a.m., a man broke into the property, said Vicki, who shared surveillance video of the episode with The Times. In it, the burglar, who wore a dark hoodie and backpack, appears to kick in the wooden front door before making off with valuable items, including designer shoes and a collection of Taiwanese whiskey. "They tossed our house completely," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the burglar left the house after 3 a.m., he made off with a duffel bag that had an Apple AirTag in it. Vicki said she and her husband got in touch with the Santa Monica Police Department and then the LAPD, which began investigating the matter once it was clear the AirTag was pinging in the city of Los Angeles. The LAPD traced the AirTag to an apartment building in Central L.A., Vicki said, but "couldn't pinpoint" its location and didn't enter the premises. Later, the AirTag moved to another property nearby, where it remained for several days. Vicki said when she followed up with police in Santa Monica, she was told that the department didn't have enough resources to pursue it, owing to the fire. She knows the fire is everyone's primary concern, but she's worried time is running out to solve the crime. Read more: L.A. fire officials could have put engines in the Palisades before the fire broke out. They didn't Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you could find them, you could solve a burglary," she said. An LAPD spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment on the case. Santa Monica police spokesperson Lt. Erika Aklufi said in a statement that, "under ordinary circumstances," detectives work to track down stolen property located by owners with AirTags and other devices, but those leads can't always pinpoint a location or be sufficient evidence to make an arrest. "We are still heavily involved in a highly extraordinary emergency during which time nothing has been status quo," Aklufi said in a statement, noting that "every officer, including those assigned to investigations, was required to set aside their normal duties to staff operations in the Santa Monica evacuation zones." Dealing with the fires remains top priority, the statement said, but Vicki's AirTag case remains open. "This investigation is not over," the Santa Monica police said. "And as we move forward and closer to normalcy, our investigations division will continue to work with LAPD on appropriate follow-up as time and resources allow." Times staff writer Richard Winton contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Monday, Jan. 6, my best friend left on a road trip to Texas. As he later told me, he had a strange, intrusive thought as he locked the door and turned to leave: Id be OK if all this burned to the ground. The next day, entire swaths of Los Angeles did exactly that. Fueled by unusually high winds and a fatally dry winter, a fire broke out in the coastal neighborhood of Pacific Palisades, causing mass evacuations and a billowing cloud of noxious smoke that made daytime look like dusk. Later that evening, across the city, flames erupted in Altadena, a serene neighborhood nestled at the base of the mountains. Embers from these fires sparked a number of smaller blazes that perforated the city like a spreading rash. Evacuation warnings began to whine on peoples phones, seconded only by the distressed text messages we began receiving from family and friends. The energy felt suddenly, terribly, off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like many Angelenos, I left the city on the night of Jan. 7. My house in Highland Park, though not in an evacuation zone, was choked with smoke. Ash and debris pelted my windows, catapulted from miles away by the raging winds. Nearby in Altadena, friends homes were beginning to burn. When my dads apartment in Pasadena was placed under an evacuation warning, I decided I wasnt going to stick around and see what happened to mine. I found a motel in Orange County, packed a bag, loaded my dad and cat in my car, and got out. As I drove, flames engulfed the city. By morning, we would wake up to a different L.A. Around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, I went back to my house to collect a few things. The sun was a violent, rageful red, glowing like a stop sign through the murky haze. Toxic ash rained down, blanketing the pathway to my house like snow. Even through my N95, the smoke was overpowering. With a pang, I realized I was inhaling the remains of other peoples homes. Their Christmas decorations, their favorite mugs, the walls on which they hung their family photosit was now all hanging, confused, in the air. I tried to hold my breath as I fumbled for my keys, but the impulse for oxygen prevailed. I inhaled. The sharpness of the air singed my throat. Over a week later, the air in L.A. feels still like a knife. You feel it enter and push deeper into your body, leaving the lining of your nose, sinuses, throat, and lungs alive with irritation. Your tongue feels swollen. Your eyes feel radioactive. A metallic taste lingers in your mouth. Your body cries out in protestwhy are you breathing this? But your eyes see something different. Outside, the sky is blue. The day is clear. There are stars at night. In most places, it doesnt smell like smoke. It doesnt smell like anything at all. On apps like Watch Duty and PurpleAir, little green circles hover over neighborhoods, boasting healthy-seeming numbers like 18 and 27. The air quality is good. But the air quality is not good. Standard air quality meters dont read for the kinds of materials released during structural fires. Theyre not calibrated to measure the Jurassic, often condemned materials used to construct suburban areas. They quantify thingsmuch smaller thingsthat are ordinarily present in urban environments, such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, dust, and humidity. What they dont measure is asbestos, lead, hydrogen cyanide gas, aerosolized phthalates, hydrochloric acid, dioxins, furans, and a host of unknowable materials released from burning cars, insulation, couches, and machinery that can cause cancer, asthma, respiratory issues, headaches, cognitive impairment, heart problems, birth defects, and other serious health effects. They dont measure the poisonous ash that settles on the ground, below the meters, where dogs, cats, and other animals sniff and roll as if none of this ever happened. During a Zoom call last night hosted by Coalition for Clean Air, it was estimated that it will take a minimum of two years to clean up this dust and ash. In the meantime, the water supply is likely to be affected, the soil will be contaminated, and its unclear whether local produce will be safe to eat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its for this reason that in L.A., the fires arent over. The flames may have subsided (at least in some urban areas; at least for now), but the long-term effects of the fire on our health, mental well-being, sense of safety, economy, and community are just beginning. For now, this week, Im just figuring out how to breathe. As I write this, I have a HEPA air purifier sitting 2 feet away. I can still feel the sinuses in my forehead and the tubes in my lungs swell and burn. My lips sting, and my brain feels like sludge. I wring my hands constantly about the effects of this airnot just on my health, but on my home. My home is L.A. My house is in Highland Park. What if neither is safe anymore? What if the place I rely on for safety, identity, and community is no longer livable? Every time I ask myself these questions, I feel ashamed. At least I have a home to worry about. At least I have the means and privilege to leave. Right now, tens of thousands of adults, children, and animals do not. For those of us who are staying, I worry about our air. But for many people, this is simply not an issue they can worry about. Maybe, as was the case with COVID, theyre uninterested in succumbing to fear. Maybe they cant see or smell chemicals in the air, so they believe theyre not there. They walk outside, mask-free. They drive with the windows down. Theyre going to live their lives. They have to live their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I know the consequences could be dire. My own mother was diagnosed with breast cancer last year after surviving the Marshall fire in Superior, Colorado, in 2022. She has no genetic predisposition to cancer. She lives a healthy lifestyle. She exercises. She doesnt smoke or drink (except for the occasional glass of wineor, Im told, a pomegranate martini). Nothing in her environment would predispose her to cancer, except for being in close proximity to the fires. Sure, its impossible to definitively prove the causation, but during an appointment with one of her cancer doctors, he remarked that hed never seen so much breast cancer in young women as he had in the year or two after the fire. Two recent studies about the Marshall fireboth of which focused on the lingering carcinogens and contaminants it released into the surrounding neighborhoodsconfirm as much. And that risk isnt the only one. Nearly every person Ive spoken with who survived the Marshall fire has symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder that worsen when the winds pick up. When theyre really strong, my mom has a trauma response. Sometimes, she shakes, her heart rate skyrockets, and she feels faint. Her cortisol goes through the roof. Memories of the fire come flooding back as if they happened yesterday. She puts her go-bag near the door. She starts planning and checking the news. Shes looking for a way to gain control over the uncontrollable; to feel safe amid a seemingly unending threat. The fire itself died out two years ago. The feeling of it is just as fresh as ever. You take snapshots of things your brain has never seen before, she told me. Fire has a mind of its own. It eats things at its own pace and its own intensity. There is no language to deal with it. All you can do is run. One image in particular sticks in her mindof the fire morphing into an actual being. When you see it for the first time, and you realize you have no power over it, and you see it consume houses, animals, and trees in such a quick and thoughtless way, it looks like an animal, she remarked. Even just mentioning fire is enough to reawaken the beast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even years after a traumatic event, bodies still feel devastation and losseven if it wasnt their own. My moms house is still standing, but she can easily imagine what it would feel like to lose it. Its a completely unique experience that lives inside of you forever, she told me. Travis, another friend of mine who survived the Marshall fire, told me what happens to him when the winds increase. I start smelling the air for smoke, looking on the horizon for smoke, and checking local news for any breaking fire updates, he said. If I smell a firepit or woodstove or chimney that I dont know where it is coming from, I get concerned and start thinking about what I need to do if I need to evacuate. As long as it is dry, windy, or any kind of fire weather, these feelings are now a persistent part of my mental state. I go into a hypervigilance mode that I never experienced before. Even with years between him and the fire, Travis spends an inordinate amount of time considering how to fire-proof his house, and what hed take and leave if he had to run. Serena, a friend of mine who survived Hurricane Ian in Fort Myers, Florida, in 2022, has similar feelings whenever hurricanes start roiling in the Atlantic. It was very surreal driving around and surveying the damage after, she explained. The thrill and fear and anxiety action sort of fades into depression as rebuilding slowly starts and the news cycle forgets about you within moments. You realize the insurance nightmare everyone is dealing with. The loss of life and property sinks in. Thats hard to come back from. Unlike many people, Serena and her husband didnt lose everythinghis childhood house just flooded under 6 feet of water. It was devastating, but they recovered faster than those who lost everything. For those people, the shock of having a homeand then suddenly having only a keyis unlikely to fade away. Another friend of mine in L.A., who Ill call Jen, wonders what all this means for the city itself. L.A.s film industry is already slowly dying, and housing prices have driven scores of people away. I feel like this place is already on its last legs, she said to me the other night as we looked out of my living room window at the city lights twinkling in the distance. And this disaster stuffits probably going to keep happening. Were due for a huge earthquake. There will probably be more fires. Whatll be left? We were silent for a moment before she spoke again. I love it here, she said. Its so fucking beautiful. Jen lives eight blocks away from me. Too afraid of the air, shed driven to my house. We said goodbye, joking that maybe soonmonths? years?shed be able to walk home without a mask. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem is that the whole point of living in L.A. is to go outside. Yes, we know its a vast and unknowable tangle of strip malls and highways. We know its commercial. We know that the plastic veneer of Hollywood gives parts of the city, and aspects of life here, a certain superficiality. But the people who live here also know that L.A. is a lush and perennially vibrant paradise in close proximity to every terrain and environment a person could want (minus icebergs). Do you want desert? Do you want mountains? Do you want ocean? Stars? Tropical plants? National parks? Endless expanses of shady parks where families picnic with frolicking dogs? Fields of poppies that bloom in the spring? You can have it. Its all within a two-hour drive. We move here for the weather, the sun, the hiking trails, the outdoor movies, the swimming pools, the taco stands, and the patios that you rarely need more than a sweater to enjoy. During COVID lockdowns, we nearly kissed the ground knowing that while most of the country was cooped up inside during long, cold winters, we were outside, together. We had Thanksgiving dinners and birthday parties outside. We felt safe breathing the air. Right now, thats not the case. In the span of a few days, L.A. has become an interior city. Its closed windows, shuttered doors, and a fear of the things that drew us here in the first place. Every breath feels like one you might regret. Yet, most of us will stay. This is our home. This is where we grew up, fell in love, drove down Sunset with the windows down, watched the fireworks explode over Dodger Stadium. This place is in our cellsits who we are. And we wont give that up so easily. Nilo, a friend of mine who lives about half a mile away from me in Highland Parkand who sheltered in place during the worst of the Eaton firewouldnt dream of leaving. Yes, her job is here, and no, she cant work from home, but to her, leaving the cityeven briefly, for some fresh airis to admit defeat. Im not going to let the fire win, she told me defiantly. L.A. is who I am. Chelsea, her wife, agreed. Ill die here if I have to, she said, half jokinghalf not. LOS ANGELES (AP) While firefighters battled blazes in the Los Angeles area this week, Alejandro, a 55-year-old from Mexico, was one of several day laborers leading cleanups near scorched neighborhoods in Pasadena and Altadena. Donning a yellow safety vest, a mask and glasses, he helped pick up branches and fallen trees and direct traffic while others worked. The country would fall into crisis without workers like him, said Alejandro, who spoke in Spanish and requested his last name not be used because he is in the country illegally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt just one (home), added Alejandro. There were thousands. When President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House next week, he has said he plans to deport millions of immigrants in the country illegally. Immigrant advocates say that could impact America's ability to quickly rebuild after major damage from floods, hurricanes, fires and other disasters. As the number of extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change increases, there is a growing workforce of laborers, many of them without legal status. Some crisscross the country following extreme weather events, helping to put back together entire communities. Many are highly skilled electricians, plumbers and masons. Others do manual labor, like cutting up and hauling away fallen trees and branches. The fact is that the people who rebuild those areas from Palisades to Malibu to Altadena its immigrant construction crews, said Pablo Alvarado, co-executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. Theyre the ones who are the second responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, the U.S. was hit with 28 climate disasters that each exceeded $1 billion in damages, the most ever, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While it is too early to know the toll of L.A.s wildfires, an early estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic loss at $250 billion to $275 billion. Trump has called climate change a hoax and during his campaign accused immigrants of taking Black jobs and Hispanic jobs. Data show that immigrant labor contributes to economic growth and provides promotional opportunities for U.S.-born workers. Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Trumps transition team, told The Associated Press in a statement that Trump will enlist every federal power and coordinate with state authorities to deport illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers... while simultaneously lowering costs for families and strengthening our workforce. The disaster restoration industry boomed in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which transformed the Gulf Coast into one of the largest construction sites in the world. Many mom-and-pop construction businesses got bigger and consolidated. Some were eventually bought by private equity companies that saw a highly profitable industry with money coming in from insurance companies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mario Mendoza has worked in disaster restoration since Katrina. Within days after the storm, Mendoza was cleaning up mud-caked homes and businesses, removing debris, demolishing walls and ripping up floors, some with asbestos. Mendoza, a 54-year-old worker from Honduras in the country without legal status, remembered seeing dead bodies in homes he was hired to clean. Some bosses refused to pay him. In the years since Katrina, he has helped Louisiana communities rebuild after tornadoes and hurricanes. We've been the line of support for cities after disasters, he said, speaking in Spanish. After disasters, workers are hired by residents, contractors or subcontractors to tear down moldy walls damaged by flooding, or tarp and repair roofs and windows blown off by powerful winds. They remove debris and felled trees from peoples homes, clogged streets and roadways. Then they rebuild. Those without legal status are vulnerable to exploitation and wage theft. They sleep in pickup trucks or tents, sometimes on parking lot floors or the destroyed houses theyre reassembling. They are roofers, carpenters, tile installers and laborers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Day laborers hired to clean up homes often don't have protective equipment or safety training, exposing them to severe hazardous materials" and dangerous environments, said Jessica Martinez, executive director for the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, a network of labor organizations that has trained workers in post-hurricane recovery. She added that Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric also discourages workers from asking for basic resources because they fear being targeted and deported. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, some 10.8 million people were working in the construction industry in 2020. The Center for American Progress estimates that nearly 1.6 million immigrants working in 2021 in construction a workforce in which Latinos are overrepresented were in the country illegally. The numbers are higher in states like Texas and California. In addition to workers already in the U.S., every year tens of thousands of people legally acquire H-2B visas, which allow them to temporarily enter the country to do non-agricultural work. Construction is one of the industries with a high prevalence of H-2B workers. Stan Marek, CEO of the construction company Marek Brothers, said mass deportations would significantly hinder efforts to clean up and rebuild after disasters, and contractors would struggle to complete existing and future projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you don't have the people, you can't fix it, said Marek, a Republican. "We still havent fixed everything from (Hurricane) Harvey, which was years ago. Some peoples ceilings are still sagging, falling in. The U.S. also has a housing shortage, raising questions about how the Trump administration will address that with fewer construction workers. In an interview with the New York Times last year, Vice President-elect JD Vance said construction workers without legal status could be replaced by the millions of prime age men and women who have dropped out of the labor force. He also said they could be convinced to join the trade by paying them higher wages. Florida provides a glimpse of the possible effect of any upcoming large deportations. In the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia that struck the Big Bend region in August 2023, some workers without legal status were too fearful to finish recovery jobs they had started because of a Florida immigration law that had taken effect in July. One of the strictest in the nation, it requires businesses employing 25 or more people to verify their workers legal status, among other things. A lot of the workers that I know didnt want to risk staying there, said Saket Soni, executive director of the nonprofit Resilience Force, which advocates for the growing group of disaster restoration laborers. They wanted to finish the work, but they couldnt risk deportation. So they put their tools down and left." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sergio Chavez, sociology professor at Rice University who is writing a book about the disaster recovery industry, sees a few alternatives for filling a potential construction labor shortage: either Trump will have to expand the H-2B worker program, or hire Americans who will do the job for higher pay. But Marek isnt convinced. Everybody says pay them more. Weve tried paying them more, he said. Our starting wages are higher than theyve ever been. And they would rather go work at Buc-ees," referring to the travel store chain. ___ The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of APs environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment Sir Keir Starmers policies are a hindrance to hiring, employers have warned. The boss of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said the Prime Ministers pledge to boost employment to 80pc and get 2m more people into work risked being undermined by his Governments own policies. It came as the REC published figures showing that job postings fell back to pre-pandemic levels last year. Only a handful of occupations saw an increase in job postings in 2024, while many suffered big falls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IT was among the most badly affected sectors in what experts have branded a white-collar recession. The number of new postings for some roles in the sector almost halved compared to 2023. Overall new job postings across the UK fell by 16.8pc between November and December to 550,982, as hiring slowed ahead of Christmas. It follows an outcry from corporate Britain over a 25bn tax raid on employers by Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, and an overhaul of workers rights that is adding billions of pounds to employer costs. Neil Carberry, the REC chief executive, said: At the moment, government policy feels like more of a hindrance than a help in getting employment rates up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The full effects of the Budget on hiring may only become clear once figures for January and February become available. Mr Carberry said: December is always a recruitment low point, so we will have to wait for January and February figures to judge where we are as firms return to the market in 2025. Mr Carberry said employers were hoping Ms Reeves would boost confidence when she updates the country on her plans for growth later this month. The RECs findings echo comments from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), which this week warned that Britain has only seen the tip of the iceberg of the Budgets impact on hiring. Other surveys of hiring managers have shown the fastest contraction in private sector hiring since the financial crisis, outside of the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hiring has now been in decline for nearly three years after a post-pandemic boom. Mr Carberry said it was surprising how few have noticed that the UK has just experienced its longest jobs market contraction since 2000. The RECs data show that one of the few areas reporting solid growth in hiring is the public sector. Last year saw a 54.5pc rise in job openings for train drivers, who secured a 15pc pay rise in 2024. Government administrative roles also rose slightly. 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. A Labour-led council has come under fire for being cruel to pensioners as it prepares plans to axe half of its bowling greens. Leeds City Council has earmarked 30 of its 61 local authority-run crown green bowling sites for closure in a bid to shore up its balance sheet. Staffing reductions and asset sales are also being considered. However, the prospect of closures has sparked fury from locals, with campaigners warning that they would severely affect members mental and physical health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes as the Government faces growing criticism over its treatment of pensioners after Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, scrapped winter fuel payments for millions of retirees. Tony Harriman, a member of Woodlesford Bowling Club, which is at risk, described the councils plans as pensioner-bashing. Harehills Park Bowling Clubs secretary says axing the green would be catastrophic - Facebook He said: Its as if once youve finished work, youre just a burden on society ... Were living too long, were a burden to the NHS, were getting cuts [for winter fuel payments], and then they come to us saying they want to close the bowling greens. It seems as if they want to stick you in the house with a blanket wrapped around you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Fulleylove, secretary of Harehills Park Bowling Club, which is also on the list of potential closures, said that shutting down the bowling greens would be catastrophic. She said: With it being really the only outdoor sport that older people can participate in, closing half of the bowling greens would not be just short-sighted, its cruel. At the end of the day, its our heritage, its tradition and something we should be proud of. Leeds City Council said its bowling greens cost more than 350,000 each year to maintain, while three-quarters of its sites have fewer than 30 members.The council estimated that closing 30 greens would save 140,000 annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britains cash-strapped councils are scrambling to find ways to pay off mounting debt piles. According to the Local Government Association (LGA), a quarter of councils in England are likely to apply for emergency government bailout agreements to stave off bankruptcy over the next two years. Councillor Mohammed Rafique has previously said that the plans to close bowling sites reflected the seriousness of the situation facing the citys finances. He added: We would also stress that the council remains fully committed to supporting crown green bowling and other activities that play a positive role in peoples health and well-being. The Government has been accused of betraying pensioners since Labour came to power in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the winter fuel cuts, the Chancellor has imposed inheritance tax on lifetime savings, while the Prime Minister has denied some 3.8m Waspi women compensation or changes to the state pension age, in defiance of a recommendation from the Parliamentary Ombudsman. Earlier this month, the Government opened the door to scrapping free prescriptions for the over-60s to raise more money for the NHS. 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. Jan. 15A Laconia man was arrested for driving the wrong way on Interstate 93 during rush hour Tuesday in Salem, according to New Hampshire State Police. No crashes or injuries were reported. Dexter Cilley, 63, was charged with reckless conduct, police said Wednesday, for allegedly driving a Honda Accord the wrong way up the Exit 2 northbound off-ramp and then southbound in the northbound lanes until a trooper spotted him, according to authorities. At that point, Cilley attempted to make a U-turn to reverse direction and then stopped. He was arrested just after 4 p.m. David Lammy and Yvette Cooper have thrown their weight behind Beijings bid to build a new super-embassy in London. The Cabinet ministers have backed the project just days after Rachel Reevess trip to China, claiming that approval of the proposed embassy would help strengthen diplomatic ties. In a joint letter to the Planning Inspectorate, the Foreign Secretary and Home Secretary signalled their support for the new embassy by highlighting the importance of countries having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intervention comes amid continued concerns over the complex, which Beijing wants to build at the historic Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London. Tower Hamlets Council has already voted to reject the scheme over fears that the site will attract hundreds of protesters and put public safety at risk, while the Metropolitan Police had also previously challenged the proposal for similar reasons. However, Mr Lammy and Ms Cooper now claim the police force have dropped their opposition to the plans after being provided with more detail. David Lammy, the Foreign Secretary, has signalled his support for the new embassy - Chris Ratcliffe/Pool/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Their letter reads: [While] there remain differences of opinion on where protesters would most likely congregate, on balance, the Metropolitan Polices public order experts are content that there is sufficient space for future protests without significantly impacting the adjacent road network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes just days after the Chancellor returned from her visit to China, where she met with senior officials in a bid to fortify economic ties between Britain and the worlds second-largest economy. She has claimed that closer trading links could boost UK GDP by 1bn. Mr Lammy also visited China last year. The letter will increase pressure on Angela Rayner to approve the plans, as the decision ultimately rests with the Housing Secretary after she called in the application in October. This came after Xi Jinping, Chinas premier, personally lobbied Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, over the embassy late last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision could also be influenced by Britains efforts to refurbish its own embassy in Beijing, which is still awaiting approval from Chinas authorities. If plans for the embassy go ahead, it would become Chinas biggest diplomatic mission in Europe. At more than 10 times the size of its existing embassy at Portland Place in Marylebone, the development includes offices, 225 homes and a cultural exchange building. A government spokesman said: National security is the first duty of government. It has been our core priority throughout this process. That is why the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office submitted written representations to reflect these considerations and to note the importance of all states having functioning diplomatic premises in each others capitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A final decision on this case will be made in due course by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities, and Local Government in her independent, quasi-judicial role. Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs spokesman, said: This news should set off serious alarm bells for the UKs security. Beijing has made repeated efforts to steal our information and interfere in Britain deepening our concerns about the Governments cosying-up to China in recent days. The Government must take urgent action to establish the risk and be prepared to block the new embassy if necessary. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) After more than a year of war, and many months of negotiations Israel and Hamas have reached a crucial turning pointa deal that could end the war in Gaza. There are three phases to this deal. The first phase calls for Hamas to release 33 hostages who were taken during the Oct. 7th attacks, starting with women, children, the sick, and the elderly. Israel will release Palestinian prisoners, withdraw their forces from densely populated areas in Gaza, and allow more aid into the region. The second phase, which is still in negotiation, is intended to end the war, with more prisoners exchanged, and the third phase will involve the identification and exchange of human remains and reconstruction in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire agreement would go into effect on Sunday. Many local Jewish residents are overjoyed to learn that their brothers and sisters can finally be returned. Matthew Zivian, Executive Intern for the MSU Hillel, a Jewish student organization, says hes thrilled that the Jewish community is finally getting their people back. Zivian, whose been an active member of the Jewish community his entire life, says the ceasefire is everything to his community, and that he wants a safe return for everyone on both sides. They havent seen them in 465 days, and thats 465 too many, said Zivian. Its thrilling to be able to see you know, who I consider one of my brothers and sisters come back and as somebody who had two cousins killed on October 7th, I unfortunately wont get to see my cousins again, that doesnt take away how excited I am that other families will be able to see their family members again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Lansing for Palestine tells 6 News A ceasefire does not mean the work for Palestinian freedom and self-determination ends. In Lansing and everywhere, divestment is key to ending the system of racial apartheid which has made this genocide possible. In Michigan, Lansing for Palestine will continue to fight for divestment from apartheid at both the local and state level, until Palestine is free. 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. CHEYENNE Laramie County commissioners unanimously approved the expansion of the Horse Palace Swan Ranch on Tuesday, another step in the process of authorizing its owners to house 600 additional gaming machines as part of an estimated $100 million expansion plan to make the gaming facility a tourist destination. Wyoming Horse Racing (WHR) opened the Horse Palace in June, a 30,000-square-foot facility that cost $25 million. The facility, at 5640 High Plains Road off the Swan Ranch exit on Interstate 25, currently houses around 300 of the 400 machines they are allowed to operate, as well as a concert stage, a bar that wraps around the wall leading into a steakhouse and a Dunkin Donuts. Less than a year after opening, the location may soon more than double in size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company envisions the expansion as a 41,000-square-foot building with 150 to 200 hotel rooms, a small theater, two restaurants and potentially a convention event space. WHR officials said they intend to fund this investment with profits from the existing machines and by making more machines available to patrons in phases. With the approval of the county commission to house more gaming machines, WHR will now turn to the Wyoming Gaming Commission for final approval of the expansion. Laramie County commissioners have previously expressed reluctance to allow more gaming facilities to come to Cheyenne. Nevertheless, this is the fourth gaming development the governing body has approved since the start of the calendar year. Last week, they approved allowing Cowboy Racing to open three separate gaming locations across Cheyenne. Commissioner Ty Zwonitzer said he sees the growing historic horse racing industry as an exploited loophole. However, the business model of targeting the Colorado market and supporting the Wyoming economy seemed to ease the concerns some commissioners had about how this expansion would impact the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, (tourism) is now our No. 1 export, and we need to make something happen in order to not put that strain on our constituents. So, were trying our best to find a source of income, Zwonitzer said. It kind of connects with that heritage. I dont want to be like Colorado, I want to find our own identity. And I feel like horse racing is something that a lot of us Wyomingites growing up here can really identify with. Nick Hughes, president of WHR and Pacesetter Racing, WHRs parent company, said that 76% of the customers at Horse Palace Swan Ranch are coming from outside of Wyoming, primarily Colorado, and that all but one employee at the location is from Wyoming. So, its a win-win in that were producing in-state Wyoming taxation from out-of-state gaming dollars from people that are not in Wyoming, Hughes said. Zwonitzer said he recently drove to the facility to check it out. While he was there, he said all the cars in the parking lot had Colorado license plates and all the employees he spoke with were from Cheyenne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (WHR) is definitely Wyoming first, Zwonitzer said. They put a lot back in the community. Theyve done their due diligence, and I really appreciate that they went to the City Council and they included the City Council, because I very much feel that this should be their decision, not ours. In November, WHR presented these plans to the Cheyenne City Council. Although the City Council does not get a vote to approve or block the project, WHR officials wanted the support of the city before seeking approval from the county. While city counselors seemed to react positively to the presentation in November, the city has not signed an official letter of support. At that meeting, WHR General Manager Steve Jimenez said the current facility expects to produce $1.1 million in taxes each for the state, county and city, up from the initial projection of $900,000. WHR projects that the expanded facility would generate $1.8 million in taxes each for the city, county and state annually. Once complete, WHR also anticipates having 450 employees on its payroll, up from around 100 currently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, WHR told the city the estimated costs would be around $76 million. On Tuesday, WHR told the county commission that number is now closer to $100 million. There was little opposition to the expansion expressed at the commissioners meeting. In the public comment portion, one attendee expressed concern with the impact the development may have on water usage, hotel capacity and the culture of the community. She urged the commissioners to take more time to consider the proposal before casting a vote of support. I just feel like too often since Ive moved here that the public is not fully informed of what the whole story is, and that part of it, I resent, she said. Commissioner Gunnar Malm said the water availability is a city concern for this project, not the countys, but he understands the city currently has excess water availability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visit Cheyennes annual report in 2023 showed hotel occupancy peaked at around 80% in June but sat between 50% and 60% occupancy between November and April. Once approved by the Wyoming Gaming Commission, Hughes said he estimates the expansion will be an 18-month to two-year project, which could be delayed by adverse weather conditions. While WHR has not announced any plans for further expansion, Hughes told the City Council that it is a real possibility if this second phase of the project is successful. The Senate on Wednesday voted 70-25 to adopt the first amendment to the Laken Riley Act, a bill that would would mandate that Immigration and Customs Enforcement detain and potentially deport undocumented migrants accused but not yet convicted of nonviolent crimes such as trespassing and theft. The amendment, proposed by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, would also require ICE to detain any undocumented migrant accused of assault on a law enforcement officer. Twenty-one Democrats voted with every Republican who was present to adopt the amendment, with further debate scheduled for Thursday. The legislation, named after a Georgia college student who was murdered by a Venezuelan migrant who was previously arrested and then paroled for shoplifting, had already passed two procedural hurdles with overwhelming Senate support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Democrats, like co-sponsors Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., and Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., have said they would back the Laken Riley Act all the way to final passage. Others are hoping to use the debate process to fix a bill that critics say would allow authorities to disregard due process in order to effect mass deportations. Cornyn's amendment might elevate those concerns, as police officers have previously charged people (particularly arrestees) with assault only for evidence to later prove their claims were unfounded. So far, Democratic efforts to change the bill have been in vain. An amendment proposed by Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., would have cut out a section of the bill that gives state attorneys power to sue the federal government over detention policy, but it was voted down along party lines, 46-49. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has pledged to allow an open debate and amendment process in the next several days. Well have debate, and well aim to produce the strongest bill that we can pass into law. Thats our goal," he told reporters. The South Dakota Republican has also said that he supports an amendment from Sen. Joni Ernst's, R-Iowa, that would expand the bill to include the detention of undocumented migrants accused of committing crimes that cause death and serious bodily harm. The Laken Riley Act already passed the House with 48 Democratic votes, but once the Senate votes on the bill it will once again return to the House for another vote. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Two people face charges for a seemingly unprovoked shooting after one person called the victim a goofy mother [expletive] before shooting him four times, according to documents 8 News Now obtained. On Dec. 7 at around 7:30 p.m., officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department responded to a shooting at a residence near North Pecos and East Gowan roads in the northeast part of the valley. Arriving officers found a man on the sidewalk suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The victim told police he saw a tan Nissan with no license plates driving on North Eblick Wash Drive while he was walking in the neighborhood. One of the people in the vehicle called the victim a goofy mother [expletive] before the vehicle drove away, the report stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, the victim said the Nissan was driving back to where the victim was walking and he saw a green laser pointed at him before hearing multiple gunshots. The victim was shot in the leg and backside, the report stated. He told police he did not know why he was shot and said he had no interaction with the vehicle or the people inside before. A witness told police he was home with his son when he heard four to five shots. When he went outside to see what happened, he heard someone screaming, Help me and call the police, according to the arrest report. Through investigation, police tracked the vehicles movements on surveillance videos. Later, police identified the vehicle with an expired license plate through DMV records. The vehicle was issued a moving permit from the DMV under the name of Paola Videales-Lomeli. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Videales-Lomelis boyfriend was identified as Juan Conde Arellano, 19. He matched the description of the suspect the victim gave police, as well as surveillance footage of the suspect from a nearby gas station, the report stated. Police took both Conde Arellano and Videales-Lomeli into custody on Jan. 11, records said. Videales-Lomeli told detectives that Conde Arellano and the victim got into an argument while the two were driving around the neighborhood and she drove away after she said the victim spit on Conde Arellano during the argument, according to the report. Conde Arellano refused to speak to police. Another person in the Nissan told Videales-Lomeli to turn around and she believed Conde Arellano was going to fight the victim. As she drove up to the victim, she saw Conde Arellano pull out a handgun and heard several gunshots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Videales-Lomeli drove away from the shooting and did not call police or tell anyone else about the shooting, the report stated. Officers found a firearm hidden under a couch cushion during a search, they said. Police did not find the green laser in either the residence or the vehicle. Conde Arellano was held at the Clark County Detention Center on a $140,000 bail. His next court appearance was scheduled for Jan. 29 He faces charges of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon, four charges of battery with the use of a deadly weapon, seven charges of discharging a firearm within a structure/vehicle within a prohibited area, and conspiracy to commit battery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paola Vidales-Lomeli faces a charge of conspiracy to commit battery. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) A looming ban on TikTok the social media app is creating a panic in the Las Vegas valleys small business community. Congress passed the ban due to security concerns over the Chinese governments app ownership. TikTok played a key part in the success of Guiliano Rasos business, a food truck named 303 in the Cut. TikTok changed our entire business, changed my life, Raso said. Rasos food truck specializes in American classics. The small menu has four main items and three desserts. For two years, business was normal at his Chinatown-based food truck with a few people stopping by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, he and his crew have achieved such success that theyve opened a second location in Centennial Hills. About two years ago, a video went viral. We blew up overnight, Raso said. We went from three employees and my parents helping to eleven, having lines every night from the minute we opened to the minute, we closed for almost two years straight. With a TikTok ban looming, UNLV marketing professor Dr. Marla Stafford explains that stories can become more difficult to write. Its a simple case of if you cannot promote your product in a way that is effective, you will lose some sales, Dr. Stafford said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She explained that TikToks recommendation algorithm is beneficial to locals and visitors looking for activities and when its gone it can hurt businesses. Its going to hurt local businesses because people would not be able to use it and get recommendations to places to go, eat, visit, etc., Dr. Stafford said. The deadline for TikTok to be sold to an American company or get banned is Sunday. In Nevada, TikTok is already banned for use on state-owned phones used by government officials and employees. 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. NEEDHAM, Mass. (WWLP) Israels prime minister is saying that a last-minute crisis with Hamas is now holding up approval of a cease-fire deal to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Officials tout Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal as Israel says details still in flux Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office says a last-minute crisis with Hamas is holding up approval. He says the militant group has gone back on some parts of the agreement, and his cabinet wont approve the deal unless Hamas backs down. Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, have killed dozens of people across the war-ravaged territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved, the deal would bring home 33 Israeli hostages over 42 days who remain in Gaza, including a man with ties to Massachusetts. These hostages will be women and children, and others who are hurt or sick. Plus, Israel will release at least 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 100 who are serving life sentences. Israeli troops will also pull back into a half mile-wide buffer zone into Gazas border, leaving all densely populated areas, and allowing Palestinians to safely return to their homes. Aid will also be allowed to flow into the strip, and Palestinians will be allowed to leave the territory to get medical help. Ofer Calderon, 54, has been held in Gaza since October of 2023. Calderon was captured with his two children on October 7th. His kids were released after 59 days in captivity, but have been without their father for more than a year. His cousin, Jason Greenberg is from Needham. In August, Calderon was last seen in poor health, but Greenberg says hell believe it when he sees it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ill believe it when I see it. Its hard to imagine anybody being able to endure that long and even come back the same person so if he comes back alive thats a miracle, said Greenberg. Greenburg lost two family members in the October 7th attack that killed 1,200 people. If approved, the deals first phase would also pause fighting for 42 days in Gaza. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 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 WWLP. LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) A Kentucky lawmaker has introduced a bill to allow schools to fine drivers caught on camera speeding past a stopped bus with children getting off. Cameras on bus stop arms have been debated for years, but no proposal has made it all the way to the governor. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Senate Bill 38 doesnt make them mandatory, but it would allow civil fines for stop-arm camera violations, in addition to possible criminal penalties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were just increasing the penalty and creating a civil penalty to help some of the smaller school systems, like particularly in my district, Bath County, and Menifee County, which are fairly small and couldnt afford these stop-arm cameras if they wanted to use them. This would allow them the opportunity to do so, the bills sponsor, Sen. Senator Greg Elkins, said. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Elkins said the first fine would be $300and would go up to $500 if it happens againplus whatever criminal fines are associated. The bill was introduced on Jan. 7 and assigned to the transportation committee on Thursday. 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 56 News. Jan. 15State lawmakers on Wednesday unveiled what would be a record-high $10.8 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year that includes higher starting salaries for teachers and average 4% pay increases for state employees. "New Mexico is in the best financial situation it's ever been in its history," Sen. George Munoz, a Gallup Democrat who chairs the Legislative Finance Committee, said during a news briefing at the state Capitol. "The budget reflects a thoughtful approach to making investments that will benefit our children, our grandchildren, by prioritizing education, health care, jobs and opportunity," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislative Finance Committee's budget recommendation for fiscal year 2026 represents a 5.7% or $577 million increase over the current year's budget. Lawmakers are recommending an additional $3 billion in one-time spending, which includes $1.7 billion in transfers to endowments and other funds. The spending plan, released in advance of the 60-day legislative session that starts Tuesday, is slightly lower than Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's budget recommendation, which includes $10.9 billion in recurring general fund spending. She also has proposed $2.3 billion in one-time spending. Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said he feels as if the two budget recommendations are "not that far apart." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's a really good thing going into a session," he said. Wayne Propst, Cabinet secretary for the Department of Finance and Administration, said the Lujan Grisham administration released its executive budget recommendation "earlier than ever" to give the public and lawmakers enough time to review and understand her plan before the LFC presented its proposal. The governor released her spending plan Dec. 12. "We appreciate the effort that went into the LFC recommendation and agree that both recommendations align on key priorities and are very close to each other," he said in a statement. "Where differences exist, we look forward to working through them with the appropriating committees," he added. "We've been proactive in building strong reserves and setting aside billions for the future. These next 60 days will test our collective resolve to resist unnecessary spending and stay focused on building a strong and stable financial future for New Mexico." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Differences in the two spending plans include pay increases for state employees and reserves. While the executive budget recommendation calls for a 3% compensation increase for state employees, the LFC's calls for average 4% pay increases. The LFC's spending plan would maintain reserves at 33%, while the governor's would keep them at 34.2%. Asked about the main differences between the two budget proposals, Munoz cited reserves and said primarily "in behavioral health and in the way we did some road infrastructure." "We're pretty close; that's the closest we've ever been," he said. "I mean, [a 5.7% budget increase] really keeps New Mexico whole for the next governor." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Munoz noted governors come and go. "We're looking long term, not short term," he said. Rep. Nathan Small, a Las Cruces Democrat who serves as vice chair of the committee, said the legislative budget proposal is focused on making New Mexicans' lives better "immediately" and creates a path for "an elevated quality of life" in years to come. "We know that with this budget and its prioritization of health care, housing, education, infrastructure and public safety, we're going to be doing that," he said. "We have an enviable opportunity in order to spend increased amounts today while also saving for the future." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wirth echoed the sentiment, saying the spending plan represents an "extraordinary opportunity" for the state. "Our neighbors to the north in Colorado are facing a $700 million deficit as they start their session; look where we are," he said. "This budget is a responsible investment in New Mexico's future." Wirth said the spending plan continues the state's practice of using "now money to make future money," referring to the creation of trust funds that spin off revenue. "Coming into the session, we're going to have a big focus on behavioral health, and the framework for that is built into this budget," he said. "There will be a proposal for a new behavioral health trust fund and also an infrastructure bill ... using nonrecurring money to address the immediate needs of our citizens." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Small, however, said the budget recommendation includes "a very strong start and a down payment" of more than $200 million for behavioral health but "there is not currently a trust fund in the LFC framework." Wirth said legislation to create a $1 billion trust fund for behavioral health will be considered during the session. "The interesting thing when you're using nonrecurring money, there's different buckets throughout the budget process, and I think the idea is to hopefully get that up to a billion-dollar permanent fund," he said. "That may not happen the first year, to get to the full amount. We've kind of loaded these up over time." Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle took turns at the lectern touting different aspects of the budget, which includes funding for state agencies that assumes health care premiums for their employees will go up 10%. The funding will cover the employer share of the increased costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker Javier Martinez, D-Albuquerque, said he was "proud" of the budget recommendation. "It's a budget that will continue to invest in New Mexicans across the state," he said. "This is about making life more affordable for New Mexico families. This budget is about making our communities safer. This budget is about building more access to health care, including behavioral health and drug addiction treatment, which we need all over the state. As we enter the 2025 legislative session next week, this budget really is the guide and the driving force of an entire session." Follow Daniel J. Chacon on Twitter @danieljchacon. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) The blame game continues on the local, state, and federal levels as officials discuss who can be held accountable for hurricane relief efforts. This week state lawmakers gathered for committee week, hearing from local officials about what theyre calling a broken system. We cant touch it until its obligated. Thats a broken process, said Dan Allers, mayor of Fort Myers. Mayors and emergency management officials across the state shared their concerns as constituents question who to hold accountable the federal, state, or local government? There is a lot of bureaucracy and red tape that makes it difficult, said Cathie Perkins, the Pinellas County Emergency Management Director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local officials say their hands are tied as struggling Floridians grow impatient. FEMA has shared that its up to local community officials to inspect damage and make substantial determinations. Over at the statehouse, lawmakers want to see action. I think local governments need to do a better job of prioritizing and pretty much lighting a fire under them to help these communities rebuild, said Senator Ingoglia. State Senator Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, shares his constituents are saying local governments are dragging their feet with the permits they need to rebuild. We owe it to them to make sure we are working as quickly and as diligently as possible so they can start the process of rebuilding, said Senator Ingoglia. Merchandise markdown plot uncovered in Lakeland Target, deputies say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representative Lindsay Cross, D-Pinellas, agrees that there is a need to improve expediency, however, highlights the rules that local counties have to follow if they want to be reimbursed by FEMA. If they dont follow those procedures local governments and taxpayers are going to be on the hook for hundreds of thousands to tens of millions of dollars and so we want to make sure that we dont put ourselves in a financial quagmire by trying to move things too quickly, said Rep. Cross. Cross plans to tackle some of these issues in the spring and is currently working on legislation. Another fear on the local level is the lack of staff when handling relief efforts. Thats why I think it would make sense for us to have a statewide pool of inspectors, people who are familiar with the unique challenges of permitting within the state of Florida and some of our municipalities that would be able to essentially deploy after a disaster, said Rep. Cross. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. (Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images) A measure to lower the legal limit for drunk driving in Washington cleared its first legislative hurdle Thursday. If passed, Washington would join Utah as the only state with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration limit. Other states have considered similar legislation, but havent passed it. Utah made the move in 2018. The state was also the first to lower the limit from 0.1% to 0.08% in the 1980s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the switch from 0.08% to 0.05%, Utah saw a 20% drop in fatal crashes, but that figure crept back up during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with national trends. The bill in Washington is sponsored by Sen. John Lovick, D-Mill Creek. Lovick was a longtime Washington State Patrol trooper before serving as Snohomish County sheriff. I see driving behavior beyond anything I could have imagined when I started as a state trooper, Lovick told the Senate Law & Justice Committee this week. Drivers are speeding, following too close, passing on the shoulders, running red lights, driving aggressively. Drunk drivers have made our communities unsafe. Opponents argue the legislation, Senate Bill 5067, would elevate the liability risk for bars and other establishments that sell alcohol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traffic deaths have risen rapidly in recent years, from 538 in 2019 to 809 in 2023, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. The 2023 figure was the most deaths on Washington roads since 1990. Of those 809 deaths, impaired drivers were involved in about half. Compared to those driving sober, drivers with a blood alcohol concentration over 0.05% are twice as likely to crash, said Mark McKechnie, the director of external relations for the traffic safety commission. When that rises to 0.07%, the risk triples. Early estimates for the first half of 2024 showed a marked decline in deaths on Washington roads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lower legal limit would take effect July 1, 2026. As part of the legislation, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission would run a campaign to inform the public of the new legal limit. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy would have to evaluate the impacts of the new law in a report submitted to the Legislature. By way of background Lovick and others have tried repeatedly in recent years to lower the legal limit. The measure has never reached the Senate floor. Last year, one of the proposals chief backers, Sen. Marko Liias, D-Edmonds, expressed frustration after the Senate passed over his drunk driving bill and instead took up legislation to solidify The Evergreen State as Washingtons official nickname. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts have said consuming a beer or a glass of wine with dinner wouldnt land drivers above the lowered legal limit. Two hours after his first drink, a 180-pound man would reach 0.05% after drinking three beers or three glasses of wine. The same is true after two hours for a 140-pound woman, after two beers or glasses of wine. Worldwide, more than 100 countries have legal limits of 0.05% or lower. The concerns As in years past, hospitality industry groups oppose the legislation. They have argued the proposal could hurt bars and other establishments that rely on alcohol sales to stay afloat. Julia Gorton, a lobbyist for the Washington Hospitality Association, noted its already illegal to drive with a 0.05% blood alcohol concentration if officers see clear signs of impairment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This legislation will impact those who decide to stop drinking before they are impaired, she said. These are individuals choosing to behave responsibly, who will now be subject to the strongest and strictest DUI penalties in the country. The Washington Wine Institutes Executive Director Josh McDonald said it would be hard for servers to identify impairment at the lower legal limit so they could cut off service. Jason Lantz, of the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, noted Colorado and New York also have 0.05% limits, but violations at that level come with lower penalties. He recommended a similar two-tier system, with the 0.05% limit considered driving after consumption instead of driving under the influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amy Freedheim, the chair of the Felony Traffic Unit in the King County prosecutors office, tried to assuage concerns. She argued the lower limit wouldnt lead to more arrests or lawsuits against bars held liable for crashes caused by impaired drivers. On Thursday, Sen. Phil Fortunato, R-Auburn, offered an amendment to Lovicks bill, lowering a blood alcohol concentration limit already in state law that brings stiffer penalties. The amendment would have dropped the limit from 0.15% to 0.12%. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Penalties for first-time offenders at the higher threshold include a minimum $500 fine and at least two days in jail, 30 days of electronic home monitoring or a 120-day 24/7 sobriety program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Below the 0.15% level, drunk driving penalties drop to a minimum fine of $350 and at least one day in jail, 15 days of electronic home monitoring or a 90-day sobriety program. Right now you go from .08 to .15. Theres nothing in the middle, Fortunato said. Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, said she didnt disagree with Fortunatos change, but recognized the political reality for the proposal. I think it has been very challenging to get this bill out of the Senate with even the decrease to .05, she said. Lets try to focus on getting the limit to .05, and then lets continue working toward making sure that we are addressing the penalties. The committee approved Lovicks proposal without Fortunatos amendment. The House version of the bill is set for a committee hearing Tuesday. President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration is just a few days away, and his cabinet is starting to take shape. Trumps pick for Attorney General, Pam Bondi, faced hours of questioning from senators on Wednesday. The former Florida Attorney General was asked about her loyalty to the incoming president. Watch: DeSantis nominates Florida AG Ashley Moody to replace Rubio in US Senate Bondi said she has not had discussions with Trump about prosecuting political enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice, Bondi said. Watch: DeSantis calls on Florida law enforcement to prepare for new immigration policies Most political analysts say Bondi should easily gain confirmation from the Senate. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. The battle over wildfire aid for Los Angeles is quickly evolving into a game of high-stakes chicken. Many Republicans are demanding conditions on any new emergency funding, blaming Democratic leaders in California for exacerbating the crisis. Democrats are rejecting conditions outright, accusing Republicans of exploiting the disaster to score political points. And both sides appear ready to stand firm, gambling that the other side will face the brunt of the public backlash if a partisan clash delays aid to victims of what is shaping up to be among the most damaging and most expensive natural disasters in the countrys history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It does set up this clash, said Rep. Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.). But sometimes youve got to have principles and morals for what youre standing for. And I think the people will see whos playing a game. Republicans contend that the real game is happening in California, where Democratic leaders have mismanaged their fire-prevention programs and shouldnt be given a blank check from Washington, even amid the disaster. Its gotta be more than paid for, theyve gotta own it, said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.). We cannot borrow money we dont have to pay for something that is really the fault of the legislation, fault of the governor. What specific conditions on emergency funding GOP leaders will demand if any remains unclear. But different factions of the House Republican Conference are making their preferences known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some GOP lawmakers want any new aid to be coupled with a debt ceiling hike. Others, including leaders of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, want the cost to be offset by changes elsewhere in the budget. And still others say new funding must be paired with specific changes related to Californias fire-mitigation policies, which they blame for compounding the scope of the damage. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), who supports some conditions on aid, is entertaining all of those options, although he has not committed to any specific demands. There are natural disasters, of course, but if they are made much worse by human error and deliberate policy policy choices that were unwise and were stated as such at the time then I think that thats something that needs to be carefully regarded, Johnson said. If Republicans insist on conditions in any form, Democratic leaders are already vowing to oppose the measure in no uncertain terms, setting the stage for one of the early partisan battles under incoming President Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the California delegation have been very vocal on this matter and have made clear it is a complete and total nonstarter, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said Wednesday, rejecting any conditions on wildfire aid. This Congress, in our nations 248-year history, has never conditioned disaster assistance to everyday Americans whose lives have been upended by extreme weather events. Never has happened and it should never happen. Which side would bear the brunt of the blame for an impasse, of course, remains to be seen. But the voters verdict, in such an event, could have broad repercussions not only in Sacramento where Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom is thought to have presidential ambitions but in Washington, as well. California is a Democratic stronghold. The party controls the Statehouse, both seats in the U.S. Senate and 43 out of 52 seats in the House. But a number of those House seats represent true battleground districts, where both sides vie every two years to gain an advantage in the lower chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If voters side with GOP lawmakers in blaming Newsom, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass a former member of the U.S. House and other Democratic leaders in the Golden State, Republicans could be in a position to benefit politically. A long stalemate over conditions on aid, however, could also backfire on the GOP if voters shift the blame on Republicans for any delay a scenario thats not without precedent. In 2013, conservatives scoffed at a federal emergency aid package in response to Hurricane Sandy, which struck the Northeast in late 2012. The deficit hawks said the package must be paid for by other changes to the budget a stipulation that infuriated Republicans from New York and New Jersey, where the storm was most damaging, and triggered an internal fight within the GOP that benefited Democrats politically. This time around, deficit hawks like Norman are voicing the same concerns about the budget impact of assistance to California. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), head of the Freedom Caucus, said any emergency aid package must be offset in full, while new policy conditions should be imposed on California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Absolutely, Harris said. Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) is another vocal proponent of new fire-mitigation policies, advocating for policy reforms to assure that the land-management practices that minimize these fires will be put back in place. Rep. Doug LaMalfa, another California Republican, sought to distinguish between the immediate needs in Southern California, including efforts to extinguish fires that are still raging out of control, and longer-term aid. That early help, he said, should not have conditions. But any future federal assistance to help with rebuilding and other longer-term projects, he said, should come not only with fire-mitigation reforms at the state level, but also an examination of federal laws like the Endangered Species Act, which he said is being manipulated to prevent proper water storage and forest management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its continuing to be weaponized, LaMalfa said. But its not unheard of to have conditions post-fire, post-emergency on how the moneys going to be used. Because my colleagues from other states, theyre not excited about just giving California money. The threat that any form of emergency funding will be held up over partisan demands is already prompting a backlash from some other California Republicans, who are urging their GOP colleagues to resist the temptation to demand attachments to an aid package. Right now, what we need in California is federal aid as soon as possible. Worry about those, whatever the conditions or whatever, late, said Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.). Right now its not time to play politics here, she added. Just get us the support that we need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mychael Schnell contributed. 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. Fayette County Courthouse. (Photo: Somervilletn.org) NASHVILLE Fayette County commissioners violated the Voting Rights Act with their adoption of a 2021 redistricting plan that stripped Black voters of equal opportunity, the U.S. Justice Department claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. The County Commission deliberately rejected multiple districting plans that would have combined Black communities in districts that would allow Black voters to elect representatives of their choice, a news release from the department states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In doing so, the commission rejected the explicit advice of both its own redistricting committee and outside redistricting counsel, which had both endorsed plans that included districts with majority Black voting age populations and warned that choosing a plan without such districts would expose the county to lawsuits. The commission instead adopted a plan with no majority-minority districts that was not one of the final two maps recommended by the redistricting committee, voting 10-8 with one abstention. A month later, the commission again rejected advice that their chosen plan would not hold up under litigation and adopted a modified version of the map still without any majority-minority districts in a 12-6 vote with one abstention. Black voters should have the equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice, but the redistricting map adopted by Fayette County did not provide that opportunity. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division County legislative bodies must consider minority representation while developing new districts, according to the state comptrollers local redistricting guide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fayette County Mayor Rhea Skip Taylor confirmed the county is reviewing the lawsuit, but declined further comment. The lawsuit further alleges that the district plan adopted in 2021 built off of a 2011 redistricting cycle in which the county commission also successfully diminished Black political power. In 2010, four Black officials held seats on the commission. That dropped to one by 2018, then to zero after the commission adopted the plan with no majority-Black districts in 2021. The county has a Black voting age population of 25.9% but no Black candidate has been elected to the 19-member count commission since the 2021 plan was adopted, though four Black candidates ran. Black incumbent commissioner Sylvester Logan, who had previously won election for many years, lost in a Republican primary election to a white candidate after the district lines were redrawn, the lawsuit states. NAACP Tennessee Conference President Gloria Jean Sweet-Love was born and raised in Fayette County and has seen first-hand its history of trying to keep people of Black descendent from voting. She said she is excited to see the Justice Department taking action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has needed to happen for a long, long time, Sweet-Love said Thursday. The suit, filed in the U.S. District court for the Western District of Tennessee, seeks to prevent the plan from being used in future elections, in addition to a court declaration that the plan was adopted with the intent, at least in part, of diluting the voting strength of the countys Black voters. Black voters should have the equal opportunity to elect their candidates of choice, but the redistricting map adopted by Fayette County did not provide that opportunity, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Departments Civil Rights Division stated in a news release. The Justice Department is committed to enforcement of the Voting Rights Act and ensuring all eligible citizens have an equal opportunity to choose their elected officials. Our democracy works best when all communities have a fair and equal opportunity to elect candidates of their choice. The suit also points to Fayette Countys history of discrimination, citing two lawsuits filed by the federal government in the 1950s and 1960s to protect Black voters rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of the roughly 44,175 people living in Fayette County, 69.5% are white and 27.8% are Black, according to 2023 U.S. Census estimates. The countys Black residents experience significant disparities: 21.7% of Black residents live below the poverty line, compared to 4.3% of white residents, and the mean per capita income for white residents is nearly double that of Black residents. No Black resident has ever held a countywide office, represented Fayette County in a state office or held a judgeship in Fayette County, according to the lawsuit. Fayette County is one of a cluster of rural West Tennessee counties projected to see explosive growth in the coming decades, thanks in part to the new Ford Motor Company electric vehicle manufacturing plant located just north of the county in Stanton, Tennessee. Sekou Franklin, political action chair for NAACPs Tennessee State Conference, said Fayette County had drawn attention from voting rights litigators throughout the country, though he was surprised to see the DOJ file the lawsuit in the last week of President Joe Bidens administration. Franklin describes Fayette County as an area of influence for the Tennessee economy due to its proximity to BlueOval City, and noted the recent increase of white residents moving in from Shelby County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its ground zero for maybe the most important voting rights movement in Tennessees modern Civil Rights history, Franklin said, referring to a period between 1950 and the early 1970s when Black residents were evicted from sharecropper housing after registering to vote, forcing them to move into Tent Cities. Advocacy groups Tennessee for All and BlueOval Good Neighbors have underscored historic disadvantages faced by Black Fayette County residents in a push to negotiate a legally binding community benefits agreement with Ford. They say the plant and the growth that comes with it will hit minority and low-income households hardest as the cost of living increases. The organization points to the state comptrollers 2022 attempt to take over the charter of Mason, a small, majority-Black town near the border of Tipton and Fayette counties, and reports of the state low-balling Black farmers for land needed to build transportation infrastructure for the project as part of an overarching theme. Its no surprise to us. We uplifted this information, particularly around Fayette County Mayor Skip Taylor, as he was in seat when this decision making occurred, Tennessee for All statewide coordinator Rebekah Gorbea said Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taylor sits on Fords Equitable Growth Advisory Council for this BlueOval City project, and we dont think that he represents equity at all, this lawsuit being case in point, she said, also citing the countys school segregation history. Fayette County had been under a court order to desegregate public schools since 1965, and entered into a new consent order with the U.S. Justice Department to further desegregation and reduce racial disparities in 2023. Were going to continue to fight for a community benefits agreement with people on the ground. Thats what we believe in. Thats what we think equitable growth really looks like, Gorbea said. Fayette County DOJ SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Jan. 15A newly amended civil complaint alleges New Mexico's child welfare agency allowed a Socorro child born with drugs in his system to return to the care of his mother, leading to the boy's overdose death in 2022. One-year-old Ricky Renova died as a result of the state's failure to monitor his safety, as well as its failure to implement safeguards for children like Ricky, who were affected by drugs at birth, under a timeline set in state law, the lawsuit alleges. Initially filed in April in the state's First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, the case exemplifies gaps in the way New Mexico cares for children born to mothers who used drugs, attorney Matt Beck said. He represents state Rep. Andrea Romero, D-Santa Fe, who is an attorney and the representative of Ricky's estate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The goal of the lawsuit is to draw attention to the humongous failings ... in properly implementing [the federal Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act] and making sure that these most vulnerable children in New Mexico are adequately cared for, adequately provided for, and at the very least safe when they leave the hospitals," Beck said. The plaintiffs discovered new evidence amid proceedings to dismiss the initial complaint and filed the new version earlier this month. The suit seeks punitive damages and other court costs. The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department, the state Department of Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Mexico and one of the insurance firm's employees are named as defendants in the suit. Spokespeople for the Health Department and Blue Cross said the organization does not comment on pending litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CYFD spokesperson Andrew Skobinsky wrote in an email the agency could not comment on the specifics of the case because of the litigation but noted the agency is committed to addressing any concerns that have been raised. "The Children, Youth, and Families Department (CYFD) is deeply saddened by the tragic death of Ricky Renova," he wrote. "The safety and well-being of children in New Mexico are our highest priorities, and we take these allegations very seriously." Ricky was born in July 2020. His mother, Elisa Renova, admitted to using heroin at least four times during her pregnancy, including five days before her son was born, the suit alleges. She was also caught "smoking drugs" in her hospital room, it alleges, and her son was moved to the neonatal intensive care unit not for a medical reason, but because hospital staff felt he was unsafe with his mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renova had been stripped of her parental rights for two other children. CYFD received a report of suspected abuse and neglect of Ricky and set up a care plan in which he would receive early intervention services. He was released back to his mother, however, and his family refused the service referral, according to the lawsuit. In June 2022, the month before his second birthday, Ricky died of a drug overdose. He tested positive for fentanyl and amphetamines, according to a criminal complaint against Renova, and his teeth had rotted to a point at which they were brown and black. Police also found blue pills in his room they said were fentanyl, the criminal complaint states. Renova pleaded guilty to a child abuse charge and a count of possession of a controlled substance and pleaded no contest to tampering with evidence in January 2024. She was sentenced to six years in prison and three years of supervised probation, court records show, but the time would run concurrently, meaning she faced a total of three years behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit says CYFD did not check on Ricky's safety or make a required report of abuse and neglect when the family refused the care plan referral. It also accuses CYFD, the Health Department, Blue Cross and its care coordinator, Desiree Richins, of failing to monitor the boy's care plan or compliance. Reforming New Mexico's laws implementing CARA, which in part aims to treat newborns who have been exposed to drugs, is top of mind for lawmakers and CYFD during the coming legislative session, which begins Tuesday. House Minority Leader Gail Armstrong of Magdalena said she plans to reintroduce legislation requiring families of newborns with CARA care plans to follow through on treatment referrals. "This suit is a perfect example of the problems of it not being mandatory," she said. "No one followed up." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skobinsky wrote in an email CYFD will be working during the legislative session to strengthen laws regarding CARA and "ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe and nurturing environment." He did not answer a question about how the agency would specifically seek to strengthen the laws. Public policy has strayed away from removing a child from parents because of use of drugs and alcohol, the suit states. However, it alleges, CYFD allowed substance-exposed infants to stay with parents who are incapable of caring for them without supervision because it failed to implement rules guiding the infants' care plans. A 2019 New Mexico law implementing CARA changed medical providers' reporting requirements for drug-exposed newborns like Ricky, according to the suit, prohibiting a pregnant woman's drug use from being the only reason a family faces a report of child abuse or neglect case. The idea behind the law, the suit notes, is to "move away from knee-jerk removal" of children and instead implement a system in which children can stay with their families, as long as significant safeguards are in place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But CYFD also missed a statutory deadline to implement rules guiding how to care for drug-exposed newborns by two years long after Ricky was discharged from the hospital the suit alleges. By failing to meet that deadline, it states, CYFD "created the danger that resulted in Ricky's death." Esteban Candelaria is a corps member with Report for America, a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms. He covers child welfare and the state Children, Youth and Families Department. Learn more about Report for America at reportforamerica.org. SHARON, Pa. (WKBN) Wednesday, the Christian H. Buhl Legacy Trust decided they werent going to drop claims against Medical Properties Trust, resulting in the reopening of Sharon Regional Medical Center to remain up in the air. MPT said the deal with Tenor Health Foundation is off following the boards decision. The claims were for $25 million in upgrades Buhl Legacy says should have been made over the years to Sharon Regional Medical Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not long after the announcement was made, WKBN First News spoke with the attorney representing Buhl Legacy Trust Charles Kelly. We were never included as a party as a transaction, Kelly said. The Buhl Trust holds claims that relate to the capital improvements that have not been made at that hospital. Kelly cited a couple of recent capital investments he says were not made and claims MPT didnt spend money on technology to keep operation rooms at a certain temperature, this past summer. And the Pennsylvania Department of Health found safety concerns worth around $900,000, risking the hospital to close in October. Kelly said Buhl Legacy paid for both. With a track record like us, like that, the Buhl trust today had no choice but to preserve the right and the interest in the community to come after MPT, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPT released a statement in response Wednesday. MPT has been and continues to be fully committed to successfully reopening this hospital for the people of Sharon. That is why we worked tirelessly and collaboratively through the holidays to reach an agreement that all other stakeholders including the Commonwealth support. And that is why we agreed to fund more than $10 million to ensure a smooth transition to new operators. However, MPT and Tenor Health are unable to proceed with our agreement to reopen the hospital due to the Trusts actions today. It is now abundantly clear that the Trust is more interested in re-litigating a decade-old transaction than serving the best interests of the Sharon Community. MPT Spokesperson It doesnt want to spend any money and its afraid of having somebody force them to the task to spend the money, Kelly said. Kelly claims this action against MPT is solely about bringing money into the hospital. As far as the future of the sale between MPT and Tenor, Kelly says it can still go through. Apparently based on the release youve received is a convenient excuse of MPT to ride out of town with millions of dollars theyve sucked out of that system and not put a dime in, said Kelly. Kelly says the trust intends to take MPT to court in a lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buhl Legacy Trusts Board of Directors also said in their statement, that while they wont drop the claim, they wont exercise the claim in any fashion that interrupts hospital operations. Wednesday was also the first Sharon City Council meeting since this announcement. No one at the meeting talked about the announcement from Buhl Legacy and MPT. However, City Manager Bob Fiscus did discuss it, saying the city has no say in the decision but hes hopeful the hospital will reopen. Im disappointed theres another obstacle in seeing the hospital open up. I think thats difficult but I know there continues to be a lot of people dedicated and theyre going to be working steadfast to make sure the doors are back open and the hospital is operational again, Fiscus said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First News will continue to follow any developments in this story. 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. IRBIL, Iraq (AP) The leaders of two previously rival Kurdish groups met in northern Iraq on Thursday in an apparent step toward reconciliation at a time when the political upheaval in Syria has left Kurds in the region facing an uncertain future. Hoshyar Zebari, a senior Kurdistan Democratic Party official, described the meeting between KDP leader Masoud Barzani and Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, as a significant achievement to strengthen Kurdish unity and position during Syrias transitional phase. The meeting in Irbil, the capital of the semi-autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq, came weeks after the fall of the government of former Syrian President Bashar Assad in a lightning offensive by insurgent groups and amid an intensified campaign by Turkey-backed armed groups against Kurdish forces in northeast Syria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no official statement from the KDP or SDF regarding the meeting. A senior KDP member, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief journalists, said that the talks between Barzani and Abdi focused on unifying the Kurdish position within Syria and exploring ways to separate the SDF from the Kurdistan Workers Party, or PKK, a Kurdish separatist militant group designated a terrorist organization by Turkey. He said that the KDP leader had argued that such a move could open doors for broader international support, particularly through KDPs relationships with both the United States and Turkey. The official said that Barzani had also stressed the importance of presenting a united Kurdish front in Syria to negotiate with the new de facto Syrian government from a position of strength. He said that Kurdish political gains in Iraq, including constitutional recognition, could serve as a model for Syrias Kurds. The Kurdish-led SDF, which have controlled northeast Syria for the past decade, is under attack from the Syrian National Army, an umbrella of militias fighting on behalf of Turkey, which regards the SDF as an extension of the PKK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, talks between politicians from Turkeys pro-Kurdish party and jailed Kurdish leaders have been gathering steam as they try to end 40 years of fighting between the state and the PKK. In the security vacuum of Syrias new leaders trying to form a new national army following the fall of Assad, there are concerns about a resurgence of the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. Kurdish forces have played a key role in the fight against the militant group in both countries. The regional developments have created growing pressure for Kurdish factions to set aside their political differences. Earlier this week, Barzanis envoy, Hamid Darbandi, met with Abdi in Hasaka, in northeastern Syria. The KDP in Iraq has friendly relations with Turkey and has been at odds with the SDF and other groups aligned with the PKK. ___ Qassim Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A U.S. Marshals deputy was seriously injured, and one person is in custody after an officer-involved shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 15, in San Elizario, FBI El Paso said. Fire dispatch said a shooting call came in just before 5 p.m. at 11860 Socorro Rd. in San Elizario. A person was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries (Code 3), fire dispatch said. FBI El Paso later confirmed person transported was a U.S. Marshals deputy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI El Paso sent the following statement to KTSM: At this time FBI El Paso and the Texas Rangers are responding to an assault of a federal and state task force officer upon receiving gunfire shots. The U.S. Marshals confirmed one person is in custody, and there is no threat to the public. The agency also said the Lonestar Fugitive Task Force was involved. This is a developing story and we will update once we learn more. 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. A doctor looks at an x-ray indicating lung cancer. (Stock photo from Getty Images.) Proposed Medicaid work requirements mean more than 61,000 Ohioans could potentially lose their health insurance, if the incoming Trump administration allows Ohio Republican state leaders to proceed with their plan. While the Biden administration has stood in the way, Ohios 2023 budget signed by Gov. Mike DeWine requires the state Medicaid department to re-apply with the federal government under the new presidential administration for permission to impose work, drug testing, and/or education requirements for adult Medicaid health coverage recipients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A goal of this requirement is promoting economic stability and financial independence, according to the Ohio Department of Medicaid. Work requirements for Medicaid would have the opposite effect, said Will Petrik, director of policy and advocacy at Rise Together Innovation Institute. This proposal will take health care away from thousands of people who are struggling to make ends meet, he said. This proposal is going to reduce access to Medicaid, that will leave residents sicker and more vulnerable. The state is currently undergoing a comment period on the new requirements before submitting them to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Anyone who wishes to comment on the new proposed requirements can email the Ohio Department of Medicaid at GroupVIII@medicaid.ohio.gov until Jan. 21 at 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It kind of leads to this mentality that this is going to help people pull themselves up by their bootstraps, said Kathryn Poe, health and budget researcher at Policy Matters Ohio. When the thing that actually pulls people up by their bootstraps is health insurance and housing and all of these other social benefits have to be in place before you can work, not after. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Ohio Department of Medicaid estimates 61,826 would lose their health insurance if these changes were to take effect, a number Poe and Petrik think is low. I think that theyre going to hit more administrative issues than what they can estimate, Poe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Showing proof of work can be challenging if people dont have reliable access to the internet, Petrik said. Poe is worried people who are sick or disabled and cant work will have a hard time proving to the state that they are unable to work. People often need health insurance to get that diagnosis to prove that they have a disability, Poe said. Its just very messy. Were creating this system in which Ohioans are very uncertain about the future of their health insurance if theyre using state benefits. The ability to have health insurance is one of those primary cornerstones of economic stability. A lot of people who get kicked off of Medicaid do not re-apply, Poe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You often have to fight your way back into the system, and not everybody has the time or the money, or, quite frankly, just the emotional energy to try to fight your way back into the system, Poe said. People typically start to accrue medical debt when they lose their health insurance. If you have someone whos kicked off of Medicaid who has Type 1 diabetes, that person still has to go in and get their insulin every month, theyre just going to keep racking that number up until they can get health insurance again, Poe said. Georgia and Arkansas have tried to implement Medicaid work requirements, but faced various challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt work because it requires a lot of administrative lift for the state to actually go in and verify that someone is working, Poe said. A federal judge put Arkansas program on hold in 2019, but not before 18,000 adults lost their health insurance. Georgia launched the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program in July 2023 that offers Medicaid coverage to low-income, working adults, but enrollment has fallen well short of expectations. More than 40% of Georgias counties had less than 10 enrollees, even though the state had one of the highest percentages of uninsured populations in the country, according to the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute. Members of the Senate have asked the Government Accountability Office to investigate the Georgia Pathways to Coverage program. Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE At least 61,000 Ohioans could lose Medicaid benefits if President-elect Donald Trump's team approves Ohio's request to add a work requirement for the public health insurance, according to state projections. The actual number could be as high as 450,000 Ohioans enough to fill Ohio Stadium more than four times over, according to an analysis from the Center for Community Solutions, a Cleveland-based think tank. The actual number is likely somewhere in between. Ohio's request is one example of how Trump's presidency could change health care access and policies in the Buckeye State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved, Ohio would require adults younger than 55 to prove they worked at least 20 hours a week or qualified for an exception, such as going to school, participating in an alcohol or drug addiction treatment program or having a serious mental illness, to obtain Medicaid. More than 3 million Ohioans, including 1.2 million children, receive Medicaid, a public health insurance for low-income residents paid with state and federal dollars. The work requirements would apply to Ohio adults who earn less than $20,030 a year for an individual. Trump's administration approved Ohio's request once before in March 2019, but it was placed on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Democratic President Joe Biden's administration withdrew that approval in August 2021. Now, Ohio's Republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Mike DeWine are trying again. In Ohio, our goal is to empower all people to reach their full potential, DeWine wrote in a statement about the new request, which Ohio's GOP-controlled Legislature approved in 2023. While this certainly includes providing critical assistance to people when they need it, we also have a responsibility to ensure as many Ohioans as possible are on a pathway to financial independence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Center for Community Solutions' estimate of 448,173 people is based on Census data and includes several groups who would be exempt from work requirements, such as people between 55 and 64 years old and those taking classes. Stay informed: Sign up for The Scoop, our weekly Ohio politics newsletter Opponents: Work requirements don't work Opponents of work requirements say they impose unnecessary barriers to Medicaid and cost too much to implement. For example, Georgia's work requirement was mired in red tape and cost $13,000 per enrollee, compared to Ohio's average cost of $9,520 per enrollee, according to Policy Matters Ohio, a left-leaning think tank. I have no problem with policies that incentivize working. I have a problem with tying work incentives to one of the most basic things every human being needs, which is access to health care services, said Dan Skinner, a professor of health policy at Ohio Universitys College of Osteopathic Medicine. It just seems short-sighted and cruel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas' short-lived work requirement removed 18,000 from health insurance but didn't increase employment, according to a review of the program, which a federal judge placed on hold after nine months. Itll become a bureaucratic mess if Ohio imposes work requirements, state Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Lakewood, said. He also disagrees that health care should be tied to work. I am a proponent and a wholehearted believer that health care should be a human right. The Trump effect on Medicaid Red states like Ohio see an opportunity to add work requirements under a new Trump administration and a new set of Trump-appointed federal judges. Congress could push for a work requirement nationwide, which would cut federal-funded Medicaid for 1.5 million Americans and save $109 billion over 10 years, according to a Congressional Budget Office analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said he expects the Trump administration to empower states to deal with the Medicaid enrollment." That could include applying the work requirement to more Ohioans and preventing people from enrolling for benefits in multiple states. Skinner said Ohio's renewed interest in work requirements is all about politics. "Politics is driving this return to Medicaid work requirements. Nothing in policy, nothing in the law has changed." Want to weigh in? If you want to weigh in on Ohio's work requirement application, you have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 21, to provide feedback. You can email comments to GroupVIII@medicaid.ohio.gov or mail them to Group VIII 1115 Waiver, Bureau of Health Plan Policy, Ohio Department of Medicaid, 50 W. Town St, 5th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. Ohio will submit its request to the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in February. After that, Trump's administration will have another 30 days for public comment before making a decision. If Ohio's work requirement is approved, it would last five years. Any decision could be challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jessie Balmert covers state government and politics for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio will ask Trump to approve work requirements for Medicaid By Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka (Reuters) -A student killed a female teacher and classmate with a knife and injured another classmate at a high school in northern Slovakia on Thursday, officials said. Several emergency crews were dispatched to the school in Spisska Stara Ves, where two people were discovered dead and a third was taken to hospital with medium-severity injuries, emergency services spokesperson Danka Capakova told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergency services said the victims were 51 and 18, both female, and the injured was an 18 year-old woman, she said. The three attacked were a female teacher and two classmates, Interior Minister Matus Sutaj Estok said on Facebook. "The 18-year old (male) student suspected of committing a serious act in Spisska Stara Ves was detained a very short time after the incident," the police said earlier on Facebook. Estok, the minister of education and the chief of police headed to the scene in Spisska Stara Ves, a town of around 2,000 people on the Polish border, 376 km (234 miles) north-east of the capital Bratislava. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serious violence is rare in Slovakia, a central European nation of 5.4 million. The country was shocked last May when Prime Minister Robert Fico was shot in an assassination attempt. "No problem in the world can be resolved with a knife or any other weapon," President Peter Pellegrini said in a statement. (Reporting by Jason Hovet and Jan Lopatka, writing by Alan Charlish, editing by William Maclean, Ros Russell, Philippa Fletcher) Video above: Ex-federal prosecutor named suspect in Howard Frankland Bridge stabbing (2023 report) TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) New court documents may shed light on a 2023 incident involving a former federal prosecutor accused of stabbing a man who crashed into him on the Howard Frankland Bridge. Attorneys for Patrick Scruggs, 40, are seeking additional evidence related to the driver he stabbed, Blake Sharp, who witnesses found stopped in the middle of the bridge, passed out behind the wheel on Sept. 26, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coin dealer dupes customers out of large sums of money at Bradenton flea market: deputies Ahmed Gahaf and Itifak Almontaser were passing by and stopped to check on Sharp. After banging on his window, Gahaf returned to his car to retrieve a tool to break the window. Sharp suddenly awakened and accelerated forward, hitting the back of Gahafs vehicle. Mr. Sharp did not stop upon striking Mr. Gahafs vehicle, but rather continued to accelerate, pushing Mr. Gahafs vehicle down roadway while Mr. Gahafs wife, Ms. Almontaser, was still inside, Scruggs attorneys wrote. While trying to get around Gahafs vehicle, Sharp struck Scruggs car. Thats when Gahaf called 911 to report a possible impaired driver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two vehicles became stuck together and came to a stop after hitting Gahafs car again. According to his attorneys, Scruggs got out of his car with a pocketknife, used it to break Sharps window, and Sharp tried to drive away. In the ensuing struggle to unlock Sharps door from the inside, he fought back and was stabbed multiple times by Scruggs, the court document says. Images of the incident, showing Scruggs wearing shorts and flip-flops and holding a knife in his hand, spread widely on social media. A passing St. Petersburg police officer detained him within moments. According to deposition transcripts, Sharp said he did not recall the crash, stating he came to while he was being stabbed. He blamed losing consciousness on diabetes, and his blood sugar levels being off the charts, but Scruggs attorneys said medical records show Sharp wasnt treated for high blood sugar after the crash and has not been diagnosed with diabetes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scruggs attorneys pointed to a suspected history of drug use, indicating that Sharp may have been impaired when the crash happened. Sharp testified that he did not take any intoxicating substances that day. At the time of the deposition, Sharp was incarcerated in Hernando County on a parole violation. Scruggs attorneys are seeking to obtain all records of communication between Sharp and Carlos Cruz, an investigator for the State Attorneys Office, with whom he spoke on the phone before the crash. Sharp testified that he talked to Cruz about potentially turning himself in on outstanding warrants. Scruggs was charged with armed burglary, aggravated battery and aggravated assault. He is due to go on trial next month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Left-wing parties are more unpopular now than at any time since the end of the Cold War, The Telegraph has assessed. The analysis comes after a year of election triumphs for conservatives around the world, crowned by Donald Trumps election as US president. Right-wing groups emerged as the worldwide winners after more than 1.5 billion people voted in more than 70 countries in 2024, the most on record in a single year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leftist parties suffered a record low average vote share of just 45.4 per cent in each democracys latest election, according to Telegraph analysis of elections in 73 democracies. In Western Europe and the US, Left-wing parties secured just 42.3 per cent of the vote while the Right won 55.7 per cent, which represents the widest gap in vote share since 1990. Meanwhile, the hard-Right scored a record high vote share of 14.7 per cent after radical politicians performed well in elections from France to Panama. The Lefts demise can even be charted in Latin America, a stronghold of socialism after years of brutal fascist dictatorships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Mr Trumps inauguration this month, further defeats are expected to be inflicted on the Left in Canada, Australia and Germany, the EUs largest economy. The trend is up. There is no real reason to expect that it will stop anytime soon, Prof Matthijs Rooduijn, a political scientist from the University of Amsterdam, said. Jeremy Cliffe, the editorial director and senior policy fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank, said the global turn to the Right was the result of three interconnected trends: The globalisation-driven decline of organised labour, rising identity politics harnessed more successfully by the Right than the Left, and a general tendency among Leftist forces to fragment rather than unite. Mr Trump won the popular vote in Novembers US election, taking 77 million votes compared to 75 million for Democrat Kamala Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polls show Pierre Poilievre, a populist dubbed Canadas Trump, is the favourite to replace Justin Trudeau as prime minister after the liberal heartthrob resigned earlier this month. Pierre Poilievre has been dubbed Canadas Trump - Adrian Wyld/via AP In Australia, conservatives have pulled ahead of the Labor government in the polls before elections later this year. Right-wing parties in Europe opened up a near-historic gap with Leftist rivals of nearly 14 per cent in the most recent elections. Labours landslide victory in the UK was the sole solace for the Left in a bruising 12 months of setbacks. Its success could be short-lived. The first YouGov/Times voting intention survey since the 2024 general election shows a neck-and-neck race between Labour (26 per cent) and Reform UK (25 per cent). The Conservative Party sits in third place with 22 per cent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nigel Farages party took 14 per cent of the vote in the election the third-largest share however, the equivalent 4.1 million votes only translated into five seats in Westminster. In 2024, the Labour Party only obtained 1.6 per cent points more of the vote than it did in 2019. In Western Europe, the hard-Right was on the march, posting a record average vote share of 16.9 per cent after votes held in France, Austria, Germany and elsewhere. Voters across the EU handed overall victory to centre-Right parties in Junes European Parliament elections, but the Alternative for Germany (AfD), Frances National Rally, and Austrias Freedom Party also celebrated big gains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Emmanuel Macrons decision to call snap assembly elections after Marine Le Pens National Rally won the EU vote in France left French politics in disarray and Mr Macron a lame-duck president. National Rally was only kept from seizing power by a ragbag coalition of all the Left-wing parties. But Ms Le Pens party is the single largest in the assembly and brought down the new minority government after just three months. In Austria, the far-Right pro-Putin Freedom Party won the general election for the first time and is now expected to form a coalition government. Alice Weidel is the co-leader of Germanys far-Right AfD party - JENS SCHLUETER/AFP In Germany, the conservative CDU is expected to win Februarys general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The far-Right AfD is polling in second ahead of unpopular Left-wing chancellor Olaf Scholzs Social Democratic Party. Last year, the AfD won a state election, the first far-Right party to do so in Germany since the Second World War and the fall of the German Nazi party. 2024 was the worst year for Left-wing parties in Central and Eastern Europe since they became democracies after the fall of the Iron Curtain. The centre-Right won in Croatia and Bulgaria. The far-Right won the now partially annulled elections in Romania. In the Czech Republic, Andrej Babis, a populist far-Right businessman who has sought to emulate Mr Trump, is expected to win elections this year. The latest poll shows his party taking 33 per cent of the vote compared to the Left-wing runner-up at 19 per cent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts said the success of the populist Right was down to hardening attitudes against immigration in Europe. Radical policies were also increasingly being normalised after they were poached by establishment conservatives, they said. Prof Rooduijn said hard-Right parties were increasingly professionalising. Social media has also made it far easier for outsider politicians to communicate directly with citizens. The Lefts stranglehold on Latin American politics since the late 2000s has weakened after victories by leaders such as Argentinas Javier Milei. After elections in 2024, the Lefts vote share stood at 51.6 per cent, the lowest in more than 30 years. The Rights average vote has held at 40 per cent since 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, Paraguay elected the conservative Santiago Pena and Ecuador picked centre-Right candidate Daniel Noboa. The same year, the chainsaw-wielding Mr Milei, an ally of Mr Trump, became president of Argentina with promises to slash the public sector. He will face midterm elections in 2025 but so far his party is performing well in the polls. Argentinas chainsaw-wielding Mr Milei is an ally of Mr Trump - AFP via Getty Images According to Dr Christopher Sabatini, senior research fellow for Latin America, US and the Americas Programme at Chatham House, Leftist parties have seen their vote share decline as a result of governing ineptitude, over-promises, and corruption. In the last two decades, voters concerns over crime and violence have shot up That is an area in which the Left has failed to produce many results or a viable answer, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jair Bolsonaro the Trump of the Tropics lost elections in 2022, but his party remains the largest in the Brazilian parliament. Latin America has traditionally been approached by the US with a hands-on interventionist attitude, but the presence of more Right-wing and populist leaders will change that. Its going to be a much more partisan policy favouring, if you will, Mini Trumps, Dr Sabatini said. The Right maintained its grip on politics in Asia and Australia, with a vote share of 55.6 per cent, its highest average since 2017. Jacinda Ardern, New Zealands Left-wing prime minister, resigned in 2023 and was replaced by Christopher Luxon, leader of the centre-Right National Party. In Australia, the Right-wing Liberal-National coalition has pulled ahead in the polls before an election this year. Last year, Japans Right-wing Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority, but the rise of newer, smaller far-Right parties helped push the countrys Right-wing vote share to 63.87 per cent. In India, the worlds largest democracy, Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were elected for a third time in June. The opposition centrist and centre-Left Indian National Congress coalition did see an increase in vote share, however. BJPs share of seats dropped, but as a result of pre-election deals with coalition partners, its overall vote share fell by less than 1 per cent. Some critics describe the BJP as hard-Right because of its Hindu nationalist rhetoric. Emerging superpower China, a significant player in the region, is not a democracy and so the communist country was not part of the analysis. In Africa and the Middle Easts eight democracies, the Left-wing vote share fell to a record low of 54.2 per cent in 2024. For much of the past 30 years, the average share of Left-wing parties has always been above 60 per cent but that has dropped after years of economic mismanagement. In South Africa, the continents biggest economy, the centre-Left African National Congress failed to win the parliamentary majority that it has held since the first post-apartheid election in 1994. Benjamin Netanyahus Right-wing party Likud has been in power in Israel since 2020. The next elections arent due for another two years, but Likud, which is in coalition with four far-Right parties, continues to lead the polls, despite Mr Netanyahus handling of Gaza and the hostage crisis following the October 7 2023 Hamas terror attack. Is Britain bucking the trend? Labours landslide victory in the UK was one of the few triumphs for the Left in 2024. But its fleeting. The first YouGov/Times voting survey since the general election shows a close contest between Labour and Reform UK. Labour takes just 26 per cent of the vote while Reform UK takes 25 per cent. The Conservative Party is close behind in third place, taking 22 per cent. The poll comes six months after the 2024 general election which saw Sir Keir Starmer put into power. Only a slim majority 54 per cent of Labours voters continue to say that they would back his party in another election. 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 state alleges in court that federal regulators failed to properly consider the environmental impacts congestion pricing would have on New Jersey. (Sophie Nieto-Munoz | New Jersey Monitor) New Jersey spent more than $1.1 million attempting to defeat congestion pricing in court through the end of November, according to records obtained by the New Jersey Monitor. The states legal fees are all but certain to exceed this total, as the records obtained through the Open Public Records Act do not include fees accrued in December or January. Just two weeks ago the parties spent four hours in court for a hearing in the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General noted the states legal bills could have been far higher had the state not secured a reduced rate for the litigation. Law firm King & Spalding is representing the state in court. The $250 per hour rate for the work performed on this matter reflects a significant government discount from King & Spaldings customary rates, which reach more than $2,000 per hour for certain of its attorneys, said Mike Symons, the spokesperson. Randy Mastro, the attorney New Jersey tapped to lead its congestion pricing fight, was previously hired to head an internal investigation into Bridgegate under Gov. Chris Christie that cost the state roughly $9 million. The future of the states push to end congestion pricing is unclear, though Gov. Phil Murphy during his annual state of the state address on Tuesday teased that theres more to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have not stopped fighting for one second to defend our commuters going in and out of New York. Stay tuned, Murphy said. The state in July 2023 sued the U.S. Department of Transportation over congesting pricing, alleging federal regulators had failed to properly consider the environmental impacts the plan would have on New Jersey. The toll hits most drivers with a $9 fee for entering Manhattan south of 60th Street between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. Motorists who use the Lincoln and Holland tunnels get a discount. The states efforts have not yet been successful. A U.S. District Court judge rejected New Jerseys request for a temporary injunction earlier this month, and Judge Leo Gordon denied the state a stay that would have paused the law while New Jersey asked an appellate panel to weigh in. New York began levying the toll on Jan. 5. The tolls are meant to bring $15 billion to the Metropolitan Transportation Authoritys capital budget. They will rise to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On top of underwriting the MTAs capital spending, congestion pricing aims to reduce gridlock and pollution in Manhattan. Early data shows significantly fewer drivers have crossed into the Manhattan south of 60th through tunnels and bridges subject to congestion tolls since they were implemented, and those who did got into the city significantly faster. Still, an independent tracker found travel times in the congestion zone remained largely unchanged. The MTA said the number of vehicles entering the tolling zone fell by about 8%, or by roughly 219,000 vehicles. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This session Oregon lawmakers will consider House Bill 3076, a new bill that includes gun safety provisions. (Getty Images) Public safety remains a top concern for Oregonians, particularly as gun-related violence has escalated across the state. Firearm homicide in Oregon has increased 172% over the past decade, a trend accompanied by a rise in the number of firearms associated with crime. Portland is just awash in guns in the hands of the wrong people, Oregon FBI special agent Kieran Ramsey told The Oregonian/OregonLive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its clear that Oregon needs to take stronger action to safeguard its communities. One vital step toward preventing gun tragedies, while respecting responsible gun ownership, would be the implementation of state-based gun dealer licensing and regulation in the 2025 Oregon legislative session, which starts this Tuesday. As it stands, the federal government licenses and is supposed to regularly inspect gun dealers; however, the system is vastly under-resourced and lacks enforcement, allowing bad actors to operate without consequences. A federally licensed gun dealer is inspected on average once every 10 years. The result is an overflow of illegal guns in our communities, used in violent crime. Guns used in crimes are also called crime guns. The Alliance for a Safe Oregon recently released a data report analyzing what is causing the proliferation of crime guns in Oregon. In our analysis, we found that between 2017 and 2021, law enforcement traced 74% of crime guns in Oregon to in-state dealers. On the other hand, in New Jersey, which has strong state-based licensing and regulation of gun dealers, only 18% of traced crime guns were purchased in the state. Overall, Oregon law enforcement finds nearly three times as many crime guns per capita than New Jersey. This analysis tells us gun dealers are positioned to play a key role in preventing community gun violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregons crime guns appear to enter the illegal market through several channels, including straw purchases, thefts from dealers, and even collusion by a small fraction of dealers, according to our analysis. In one example, 64 firearms purchased through straw sales were trafficked to gang members in the Portland area between April 2020 and September 2021. Edward Charles Green legally bought 64 firearms from gun dealers, which were then sold or traded to local Blood gang members. Only 12 of the firearms have been recovered. Green often bought multiple guns at once, a sign of firearm trafficking, including 46 firearms from a single dealer. The weakness in federal oversight and the total lack of state-level oversight are contributing to similar disturbing patterns every day. Perhaps most importantly, evidence shows that gun dealers who follow national best practices have almost zero guns that end up in crime. Polling data show a majority of Oregonians are supportive of gun dealer inspections, safe storage of inventory, training and employee background checks. This support is consistent with Oregons strong tradition of both responsible gun ownership and meaningful laws to protect community safety. This session, lawmakers will consider House Bill 3076, crafted to protect our communities and ensure that dealers have the tools and education to help stem the overflow of guns in our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill would establish a range of provision, including state-based licensing and annual reporting, inventory control with tracking and reporting, employee background checks and training and mandated secure storage and other security practices. Fifteen states have already implemented similar laws, and the evidence shows they are working. Strong state-based licensing and regulations of gun dealers are associated with a 36% reduction in firearm homicides. All of us deserve to be safe in our homes and neighborhoods, regardless of what we look like or where we live. Oregon must act with urgency to stop the flow of illegal guns on our streets. SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) With the legislative session just days away, a key committee of lawmakers shared how they hope to spend taxpayer dollars with a big focus on education, behavioral health, and infrastructure. The budget proposal from the legislative finance committee is nearly $11 billion, more than half-a-billion dollars more than last year. Story continues below New Mexico is in the best financial situation its ever been in its history, said Senator George Munoz. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers said theyre optimistic about their budget recommendation for the upcoming year, which looks to spend $10.8 billion from the states general fund. This budget is a responsible investment in New Mexicos future. It continues doing something that I think we really emphasized the last couple of years using now money to make future money, said Senator Peter Wirth (D). This years budget is a 6% increase from last years, equating to more than half a billion dollars more. Almost half of that increase would be directed towards public education which includes increasing teachers salaries by four percent and money for schools serving lower-income students. Healthcare-related spending increases 23% in this budget, while nearly $80 million would support the healthcare authority for programs such as Medicaid. Coming into the session were going to have a big focus on behavioral health and the framework for that is built into this budget. There will be proposals for a new behavioral health trust fund, said Sen. Wirth. Lawmakers are also paving the way for more infrastructure projects with over $1 billion going towards road projects, maintenance, and equipment purchases. Another $50 million would go towards NMDOTs wildlife corridor fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, were very focused on making life better for New Mexicans every single day and we know that with this budget and its prioritization of health care, housing, education, infrastructure, and public safety were going to be doing that, said Sen. Wirth. In December, the governor released her proposed budget, which was also nearly $11 billion. Lawmakers say they believe their budget closely aligns with the governors budget. The full legislature will consider the proposals as they iron out a final bill. The LFCs proposed budget also sets aside millions for supportive housing including $5 million to help local governments deal with homelessness. 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. AUSTIN (Nexstar)- Governor Greg Abbott addressed the Senate in a passionate speech on Tuesday, the first day of the Texas Legislatures Session. Within the first five minutes, he made the crowd aware of where his priorities lie this session mentioning two key issues. First on his list was bail reform where he hopes to increase or eliminate bail for previous offenders accused of a violent crime. It is going to be up to us in the Senate and the House to make sure we do something about it so we stop criminals from killing other innocent people in our state, Abbott said. In his speech, he specifically referenced Senators Joan Huffman and Paul Bettencourt, both Houston Republicans saying that they are from a city where murderers are being let out on bail to commit other murders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bettencourt said its been an ongoing fight in Houston where people who are out on multiple bonds are being rearrested for violent crimes. Its horrific. Its a terrible practice. It should never occur, and quite frankly I dont think anyone in the judiciary that looks at criminal cases should be allowed to do it, Bettencourt explained. A December report from the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice said it listened to testimony about several criminal defendants who were released on bond and then re-arrested on more severe charges, including murder. Abbott attributes this to judges not adhering to the law and aims to work with lawmakers to find a solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense Attorney Erin Epley agrees something needs to change but argues that the problem isnt with the judges, its with the Texas Constitution itself. Epley points out the Constitution says all prisoners shall be bailable. The constitution presumes, it requires, that we let people out on bond except in certain situations, Epley explained. There are exceptions carved out in the Constitution that allow the judge to no-bond a defendant. Those exceptions include if someone has two prior consecutive felony convictions, if theyre out on a felony bond and commit a new felony, or if theyre under community supervision. Even in those certain situations, though, theres a time limit. Its kind of toothless because it only lasts for 60 days and then were back to must be released, Epley explained. In order to fix the problem, Epley said legislators will have to change the Texas Constitution to give judges the tools to take away bonds for certain defendants. How you change it is up for debate. Epley, a former federal prosecutor, thinks switching to the federal system would work best. The federal system can no-bond a first-time offender if the judge deems the defendant is a danger to the community based on the nature of the crime committed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bettencourt says he hopes legislation passed this session will change the language in the Texas Constitution to allow judges to look at the full picture when determining bail. Look at the record. What do they think of the person. What is the criminal history, Bettencourt explained. A constitutional amendment on bail reform filed by Huffman failed last session in the House after passing in the Senate. Opponents of the bill said it gave the Texas government too much power to keep people who are not guilty in jail. During a House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee hearing in April 2023, Sarah Mae Jennings, the co-executive director and policy director of the Texas Fair Defense Project, testified against the resolution. She said, Were talking about an awesome power here. Were asking Texans to give the government more authority to pick up citizens off the street and say, no matter what, youre going to sit in jail until we can get around to having a trial to decide whether you committed a crime. Jennings also pointed out that the trial backlog in felony courts can draw cases out even longer, causing those people in jail to experience family separation and economic hardships as they wait for a trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) In her first major speech since the November election, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signaled a willingness to work with President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled state House. The governor addressed the crowd at the Detroit Auto Show Wednesday. 2025 brings a new political reality for Whitmer, a Democrat. With Republicans back in control of the Michigan House of Representatives, the final years of her administration will be in a divided government. Trump, a Republican, will soon return to the White House. Still, Whitmer says shell work with all of them to find compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michiganders elected both me and Donald Trump twice, just two years apart, the governor said Wednesday. Every one of us swore an oath to the people we serve. And the people expect us to find common ground. Whitmer, a potential 2028 candidate, wants to find common ground with Trump The speech concentrated on issues facing the automotive industry as well as roads, where she said the state is facing a major funding cliff. Her administration borrowed $3.5 billion in 2020 to fund highway projects and the funding will soon run out, which could ultimately cost taxpayers. While Whitmer did not propose a specific plan to replace that program, she said she wants to get back to the negotiating table with new House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township. Whitmer acknowledged some cuts may be necessary elsewhere to find revenue for road funding. Still, she said she wont agree to defund public safety and public health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im still open to suggestions on both jobs and roads, she said. I dont care where or who they come from so long as theyre serious. What the people of Michigan will not accept is inaction. The only bad idea is no idea. In an interview after Whitmers speech, Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford, told News 8 that he believes theres room for bipartisan work. One of the things about divided government is it forces cooperation. It forces bipartisanship, he said. Still, Posthumus said any plan put forward that starts with a tax increase (an idea Whitmer floated in 2019 that went nowhere) is a nonstarter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government has enough money and Michiganders are taxed too much, Posthumus said. We dont need more tax increases and we dont need new government programs, he added. Hall proposed a plan in November to use $2.7 billion from current state funding for road improvements, which Posthumus said would not raise any taxes. On Wednesday, Whitmer called for more investments in housing, placemaking and Brownfield redevelopment, as well as transit, including buses and rail. She also said she wants to create a more streamlined site readiness program, giving companies more space and preparation for development. The governor hopes to create a fund to help us close deals and move faster as we compete with other states and nations to land big factories and engineering and tech centers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitmer referenced tariffs during her speech. Trump has threatened to slap a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico and Canada and a possible 60% tariff on goods from China. I want to be clear, Im not opposed to tariffs outright, but we cant treat them like a one-size-fits-all solution, Whitmer said. And we certainly shouldnt use them to punish our closest trading partners. Whitmer did not address the controversy over the pending elimination of the tipped wage. Unless lawmakers act by Feb. 21, the tipped wage system is set to be phased out, the minimum wage will start to go up and employers will be required to offer more sick time. Republicans have introduced two bills amending those changes, but its unclear where they will go with Democrats holding a majority in the Senate. Servers push for preserving tipped wage at Michigan House hearing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whitmers office told News 8 she had no comment Wednesday regarding the tipped wage. Asked about Trumps vow to crack down on illegal immigration and whether she would allow Michigan to comply with mass deportations, Whitmers office directed News 8 to a comment she made to the Associated Press: I think that its premature to say, to anticipate exactly what the Trump administration will do, she told the AP. Weve been doing some preparation for a number of different scenarios, but I dont want to prejudge it. 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. HONOLULU (KHON2) Senate Republicans have set the tone for this years legislative session. The minority leader used his opening comments to criticize state and city leaders for making the island what its become. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news In opening this years legislative session, Republican Senator Brenton Awa criticized several groups including the University of Hawaii for the new presidents $675,000 salary, lawmakers for their lack of affordable housing solutions and the Governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate highlights five areas of focus for 2025 legislative session I dont wanna be the one to keep Governor Green from helping California fire victims, but if he wants to fly them in and offer hotel rooms for free, what if we offer that to all the Hawaiians whove been displaced out there, said Sen. Brenton Awa, (R) Senate Minority leader. I wish I had journalism broadcast and had the ability to deliver content like he did, said Senate President Ron Kouchi (D). As for the California wildfire, it is expected to severely impact Hawaiis homeowners insurance premiums. Lawmakers said thats a top priority this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant guarantee that prices will be at the levels that homeowners are accustomed to, but what we dont wanna do is leave homeowners to the forewinds to have to access unregulated, out-of-state insurance, said Sen. Jarrett Keohokalole, (D) asst. majority WHIP and Insurance Task Force chair. Another top priority is fireworks, especially after the deadly New Years Eve explosion in Aliamanu. There are several bills lawmakers are looking at from using firework detection equipment on cargo coming in, to making them illegal altogether. Its not a tradition in Hawaii, said Sen. Kurt Fevella, (R) asst. minority floor leader. Hawaii was string fireworks. Never had bombs. And plus too, bombs was always illegal. String fireworks, not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats outnumber Republicans 22 to three in the Senate and 42 to nine in the House. Despite that large advantage, both parties know its gonna take cooperation to get things done this session. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You To get your peoples work done, things get done for your community, you gotta build relationships across the aisle and you gotta make sure, that when you see your bill or bills you like or you wanna support your colleagues bill, you open your mouth and you support it, said Favella. If its good, you support it. If its not, you dont. The legislative session is scheduled to run through May 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Just days before the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. is set to close, Dick and Jacob Leinenkugel have made it clear that they want to buy the brewery that bears their family name. The two brothers and former brewery presidents have detailed their efforts to purchase the brewery from Molson Coors, the nation's second-largest brewing company. Leinenkugel's was sold to the big beer brand in 1988, more than a century after it was founded by Jacob Leinenkugel, their great-great-grandfather. However, the family maintained some control over the brand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Molson Coors announced it would close the brewery, one of the oldest in the United States, and consolidate operations in Milwaukee, where approximately 75% of Leinenkugel's beer was already being brewed. Leinenkugel's "We are profoundly saddened by Molson Coors decision to close the Chippewa Falls brewery, a place that has been the heart and soul of Leinenkugels for more than 157 years," Dick and Jacob Leinenkugel wrote in a statement this week. "For six generations, our family has taken pride in brewing exceptional beers and building lasting connections with loyal fans in Wisconsin and across the nation." They submitted a proposal to Molson Coors "requesting to enter into a non-disclosure agreement (NDA)" in order to discuss how they could acquire the brewery, "with the goal of maintaining its operations under Leinenkugel family leadership." Molson Coors' CEO Gavin Hattersley declined the offer, the Leinenkugels say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hattersley told them that Molson is "fully committed to the Leinenkugel's brand," suggesting that a sale was not on the table. "While we appreciate Gavin's affirmation of the brand's importance," the Leinenkugels write, "we believe that true commitment must include preserving the Chippewa Falls brewery and the livelihoods of those who depend on it." Two days later, the brothers said they followed up to request an open conversation, even without an NDA. They did not receive a response. "While the decision to move brewing to Milwaukee was a challenging one, we are committed to maintaining a strong presence in Chippewa Falls," a representative for Molson Coors tells Bring Me The News. "Our pilot brewery will continue serving as an innovation hub, and the Leinie Lodge will continue to be a gathering place for locals and out-of-towners to enjoy their favorite beers and one-of-a-kind varieties available only at the Lodge." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Molson Coors will keep the Leinie Lodge tourist center and gift shop open, as well as the small pilot brewing facility, it will also close the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company's Tenth Street Brewery in Milwaukee. Both facilities are slated to close on Jan. 17. The statement from the Leinenkugel brothers adds that 56 workers are losing their jobs in the closure. The staff unionized with Teamsters Local 662 and ratified a new contract in 2023 following a seven-week strike that included a boycott in the community. Related: Chanhassen Brewing Company to close after four years in business CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) The Leinenkugel family is trying to save the Chippewa Falls brewery, which is set to close this Friday. In a statement, Jake and Dick Leinenkugel say they submitted a proposal to Molson Coors to enter into a non-disclosure agreement, with the intent to acquire the brewery and maintain its operations. On January 6, Molson Coors CEO, Gavin Hattersley responded, saying, Molson Coors remains fully committed to the Leinenkugels brand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Leinenkugel brothers say they believe true commitment must include preserving the Chippewa Falls brewery and the livelihoods of those who depend on it. They followed up with Molson Coors two days later, saying they still hope to acquire the brewery. As of today, they have not heard back. Molson Coors, today, reiterated its commitment to maintaining a strong presence in Chippewa Falls. 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 FOX2548 & WIProud. Leonardo DiCaprio recently committed to a donation of $1 million to the Rapid Response Program amid the disaster caused by the Los Angeles fire. On January 15, the actor posted an Instagram Story announcing the news of his donation to the relief fund program, which is in partnership with the environmental conservation organization Re:wild. He also provided all the significant information regarding the relief fund. Leonardo DiCaprio commits $1 million to support LA fire recovery and relief efforts Photo Credit: @leonardodicaprio / Instagram Leonardo DiCaprio recently announced that he will be donating $1 million to the Rapid Response Program in partnership with Re:wild. The actor is committing to the donation to help and support two main causes urgent needs and post-fire recovery efforts. In the Instagram Story, he also mentioned all the organizations that will receive aid from the fund. DiCaprio wrote, Initial aid will immediately benefit the LA Fire Department Foundation, California Fire Foundation, World Central Kitchen, California Community Foundation, Pasadena Humane Society, and SoCal Fire Fund. Following that, the Academy Award winner went on to commend the organizations efforts during this challenging period caused by the LA wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, DiCaprio explained that the organizations working on the frontlines have provided much-needed resources to our first responders and firefighters, and the people, animals and communities who need it most. The actor also talked about the main purpose of the relief fund by Re:wild, stating that the Rapid Response Program is uniquely positioned to respond to environmental disasters and emergencies. The actor posted several other stories on Instagram that highlighted the different organizations where people can donate to help better the terrifying LA fire situation. One of the posts included a photo of the LA Fire Department Foundation workers working tirelessly to protect the community. Another story showed the Pasadena Humane workers checking on a rescued dog from the wildfire. Originally reported by Nikita Nath by Mandatory. The post Leonardo DiCaprio to Donate $1M Towards LA Fire Relief Efforts appeared first on Reality Tea. We are deeply saddened to share the loss of Deputy Jesus Vargas, who faithfully served the Brazoria County Sheriffs Office for 17 years. Deputy Vargas was shot and killed in the line of duty. He was a dedicated public servant, known for his integrity, compassion, and commitment to our community. He was more than a team memberhe was a friend, mentor, and inspiration to everyone who knew him. His professionalism and kind nature left a lasting impact on our office and the residents he served. Our hearts go out to Deputy Vargass family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time. We also stand with our Sheriffs Office family as we grieve this loss together. We would like to thank HPD for pursuing this investigation for the suspect in this heinous act. We will release information on this page regarding memorial and remembrance services. Deputy Vargass service and the positive impact he made in Brazoria County will never be forgotten. He will be greatly missed. CENTRAL TEXAS (FOX 44) Several sheriffs offices, police departments and fire departments across Central Texas are mourning the loss of Navasota Police Sergeant Mark Butler, who passed away in the line of duty. The City of Navasota had this to say: It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic loss of Navasota Police Departments, Sergeant Mark Butler, who passed away in the line of duty this afternoon. We ask for the communitys thoughts and prayers for the officers family, loved ones, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. City of Navasota Navasota City Manager Jason Weeks spoke on the Butlers character. Sergeant mark butler was a dedicated public servant, who exemplified courage, integrity, and unwavering commitment to safety and well-being of our community. Navasota City Manager Jason Weeks The Grimes County True Blue Foundation has said: The Grimes County law enforcement family suffered huge loss today. There are no words to express the sadness the Grimes County Community is feeling at the loss of one of its protectors. Sergeant Mark Butler we thank you for your service in our community. Rest in Peace. Our thoughts and prayers are with the officers family and the Navasota Police Department as they navigate this tragedy. Grimes County True Blue Foundation The College Station Fire Department says: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are saddened by the loss of Navasota Police Officer Sgt. Mark Butler, who dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community. His bravery, commitment, and sacrifice will never be forgotten. Our thoughts are with his family, colleagues, and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Rest in peace, Sgt. Mark Butler. You will always be remembered and honored. College Station Fire Department The Iola Volunteer Fire Department says: Please keep the Navasota Police Department as well as their families and friends in your prayers tonight. A Navasota police officer lost their life in the line of duty this evening. Iola Volunteer Fire Department The Brazos County Sheriffs Office says: It is with profound sadness that we join the Navasota Police Department in mourning the loss of Sergeant Mark Butler, who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. Our deepest condolences go out to his family, friends, and colleagues during this incredibly difficult time. The Brazos County Sheriffs Office stands with the Navasota Police Department and local law enforcement agencies, offering our full support as they grieve this heartbreaking loss. Please keep Sergeant Butlers loved ones and the Navasota community in your thoughts as we honor his memory. Brazos County Sheriffs Office The Bell County Sheriffs Office says: We mourn with our sisters and brothers. Bell County Sheriffs Office The Grimes County Sheriffs Office had this to say: The members of the Grimes County Sheriffs Office extend our heartfelt expressions of sympathy and prayers of support a well as strength to Chief Mike Mize and the members of the Navasota Police Dept. and especially to the family of Sergeant Mark Butler who was killed in the line of duty today. Sergeant Butler was hit head on by a fleeing suspect travelling southbound in the northbound lane of State Highway 6 north of FM 3090 as he was responding to intervene in the pursuit. His sacrifice without a doubt prevented untold innocent citizens from eminent danger from this reckless driver. May the Angelic Wings of our Patron Saint, Saint Michael be with this brave officer as he rests in peace in the arms of our Lord. Grimes County Sheriffs Office The Madison County District Attorneys Office says: Our prayers go out to Sgt. Butlers family, the Navasota Police Department, and all law enforcement in Grimes County. May God provide you peace and comfort during this tragic time. Madison County District Attorneys Office SEE ALSO: LEOs, first responders speak on Brazoria County deputy death The Burleson County Sheriffs Office spoke on both the Navasota officer and the Brazoria deputy: Today was a hard day for Texas Law Enforcement. Two warriors paid the ultimate sacrifice protecting our citizens. The Burleson County Sheriffs Office extends our deepest condolences to the families of these heroes, both blood and blue. May God bless their families and watch over them during this difficult time. Rest easy our brothers, we will have the watch from here. Burleson County Sheriffs Office The Falls County Sheriffs Office also spoke on both the officer and deputy: Sheriff Campbell and staff share in the grief of the loss of two officers today serving their communities, giving the ultimate sacrifice to save lives. To the Brazoria Sheriffs officer and the Navasota Police Department, out thoughts and prayers are with you and your families. Falls County Sheriffs Office The City of West Police Department says: We are deeply saddened, and we are praying for the families of our fallen brothers and all those who are hurting from these tragedies. City of West Police Department 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. Newry, S.C. (WSPA)- If youre looking for a bite to eat, a specialty latte or a full dinner, Newry General Store and Cafe is right up your alley. Owner Candace Spradlin gave up her corporate marketing job to be a mom and owner of the general store and cafe. She has a passion for the Upstate, especially the Newry mill village and preserving its long history. The town was founded by William Ashmead Courtenay, originally from Ireland, then came to start a textile mill in Newry after he was Mayor of Charleston. The mill shutdown in the late 1900s and sat vacant for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now the General Store sells local sweets, coffee, pottery and historical resources about Newry, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Also contact Spradlin for corporate event, parties, birthdays and weddings at events@newrygeneralstore.com Tuesday and Wednesday from 8AM- 7PM and Thursday through Saturday 8AM- 10PM and Sunday 11AM- 3PM 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 WSPA 7NEWS. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Central Alabama Pride, Magic City Acceptance Center and Thank You Books will host a discussion and book signing with award-winning journalist Nico Lang in February. Lang, creator of Queer News Daily former deputy editor of Out Magazine, will be at Magic City Acceptance Center on Feb. 22 to discuss their book new book, American Teenager: How Trans Kids Are Surviving Hate and Finding Joy in a Turbulent Area. To write American Teenager, Lang traveled the country from late 2022 to mid-2023, spending time with eight transgender teens and their families, including a teen from Alabama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Birmingham Public Library to host talk-signing event for Randall Woodfins memoir Langs work is more than just a bookits a historical reflection on the resilience and joy of those under attack, and a powerful message of love and acceptance for all, Central Alabama Pride said in an Instagram post. An audience Q&A and a book signing will be held after the discussion, with Thank You Books on site selling copies of American Teenager. The event will start at 2 p.m. 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 CBS 42. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A Liberty police officer and firefighters helped rescue a woman and her infant following a rollover crash. The Liberty Police Department said officers responded Tuesday morning to the crash where the vehicle ended up in an icy creek. See the latest forecast, maps and radar for Kansas City Police said the vehicle was on its drivers side and the passengers were trapped inside. One officer and an assistant fire chief approached the vehicle when the ice gave way and the officer became submerged up to his waist in the freezing water, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the officer used a tool to cut open the windshield and free the driver. Firefighters then removed the remainder of the windshield and the officer was able to crawl through to the back seat and reach the six-month-old infant still secured in a car seat. Police said the car seat was on the passenger side of the vehicle and was not exposed to the freezing water. Joes Blog: A thaw and a blast (WED-1/15) The officer was able to remove the infant safely from the car seat and crawl back through the vehicle. The woman and her infant were taken to the hospital for treatment. Police said the officer was also taken to the hospital due to prolonged exposure in the frigid water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. LINNDALE, Ohio (WJW) Linndale police are searching for the suspect in a hit-and-run that involved multiple vehicles, including a school bus, on Thursday morning. According to a news release from the Village of Linndale, the hit-and-run happened at about 9:30 a.m. at Bellaire Avenue and West 117th Street. I-Team: Nurse facing felony charge after patient went missing, later died According to the release, a Cleveland schools bus with multiple small children on board was hit, along with another vehicle nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The person of interest was driving a dark-colored SUV, according to the release. SEE IT: Car on fire at local Sheetz gas pump Anyone with information is asked to contact Linndale police at 216-251-1234. 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. Theres more than one way to celebrate Lunar New Year around Tacoma, with events over several weekends in January and February to ring in the Year of the Snake. Lunar New Year 2025, which honors the first new moon of the lunar calendar, falls on Wednesday, Jan. 29 and lasts 16 days. It signals the end of winter and the incoming spring a time to spruce up your physical and mental selves and void bad fortune. All events are family-friendly and free to enter, with cash and card payments typically accepted at most vendors and restaurants. Note that some Lincoln District businesses only take cash, and its welcome for some of the $3 to $5 specials. PARKS TACOMA TET When: Sunday, Jan. 19, noon to 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where: Eastside Community Center, Parking: free parking in main lot and street, accessible by bus Details: parkstacoma.gov/event/lunar-new-year First up is Tet at the Eastside Community Center on Sunday, Jan. 19. Parks Tacoma has hosted this free community event since 2023, supported by the Golden Bamboo Walking Group. From noon to 4 p.m., the rec center will showcase traditional lion dancers, martial arts and a fashion show focused on ao dai, traditional Vietnamese dress. Snag some lucky red envelopes and some tastes of local Vietnamese food, too. Tacomas Lincoln District will host its 35th annual Lunar New Year celebration (shown here in 2023) on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. LINCOLN DISTRICT LUNAR NEW YEAR When: Sunday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Where: South 38th from South Yakima to South G streets Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parking: free street parking and Lincoln High School lot; accessible by bus Details: facebook.com/LincolnDistrictTacoma The Lincoln District is gearing up for a major milestone: Its the 35th year for the neighborhoods block party and lion-dancing extravaganza, believed to be the oldest such celebration of Asian culture in the South Sound. Oanh Lee Lee Lam and Lisa Mathusz kick-started Lincoln Districts Lunar New Year festival in 1990. Lam owns Lorindas Haircare on South 38th Street and has run a beauty school for more than 40 years, according to a news release. Beyond hairstyling, she also helped her fellow native Vietnamese speakers learn English and helped them find the tools to start their own businesses. Mathusz leads the walking group and has worked tirelessly to support refugees from Vietnam, helping them adjust to life in Tacoma, the release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Join this vibrant community on Sunday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. for lion dancers and firecrackers in the street, lucky envelopes and specials at local restaurants, including lots of iced coffee. The event at South 38th and Yakima will also offer a vintage market with clothing and wares. ASIA PACIFIC CULTURAL CENTER When: Saturday, Feb. 15, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Where: Tacoma Dome, 2727 E. D St. Parking: free street and paid lots; accessible by bus and Link Details: asiapacificculturalcenter.org/newyearcelebration Local festivities wrap up on Saturday, Feb. 15, with Asia Pacific Cultural Centers multicultural event at Tacoma Dome. Each year spotlights a different country India is the star in 2025. Crowds fill the halls to catch live performances throughout the day, 11 a.m.-4 p.m., peruse booths with arts and crafts, and partake in hands-on activities and various demonstrations. No such party would be complete without food, and there are plenty of vendors to explore here, so come hungry! Tulsi Gabbards spiritual guru called gay people perverts and spewed homophobic slurs when she was involved in his tiny group, an audio recording obtained by the Daily Beast reveals. Gabbard is President-elect Donald Trumps pick to be director of national intelligence after a dramatic political switch from left-wing Democratic presidential candidate to MAGA firebrand. The tape shows how Chris Butlerthe leader of the Science of Identity Foundation in which Gabbard was brought upcalled homosexuality abnormal and unhealthy and unnatural. He compared it to having sex with a fire hydrant in a recording made a few years before Gabbard first ran for state officewhich she did on an anti-gay platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbard met senators this week to make the case for her confirmation. Donald Trump has picked Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence after embracing her switch from a left-wing Democrat to a MAGA firebrand. / Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images She has faced controversy over her previous views on Russia including backing a conspiracy theory that U.S. bioweapons labs were on Ukrainian soiland Syria after meeting fallen dictator Bashar al-Assad while she was a Democratic member of Congress. Republican senators do not yet seem united behind her, The Wall Street Journal reported, saying that when Gabbard met one of them, James Lankford of Oklahoma, she was unable to clearly articulate what is entailed by the role of director of national intelligence. Lankford, however, had told NBC News Meet the Press last Sunday that he was supporting Gabbard for the DNI role. Trump used an interview with Time magazine last month to throw his support behind Gabbard, calling her a really great American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gabbards ties to the Science of Identity Foundation (SIF) have gone largely under the radar. And the views and record of its leader, Chris Butler, have been particularly low-profile. The group is an offshoot of the Hare Krishna movement, and describes itself as being Hindu. Butler, who has taken the name Jagad Guru Siddhaswarupananda Paramahamsa and is addressed as Jagad Guru, is estimated by some former members to have as many as 10,000 followers. Jagad Guru means teacher of the world and also that he is the ultimate authority to his followers. Gabbard, the first Hindu ever elected to Congress, referred to Butler in 2015 as her guru. In a 2017 New Yorker profile she said that she had never heard him say anything hateful, or say anything mean about anybody. The Trump campaign said reporting on Gabbards ties to Butler was fomenting Hinduphobia and bigoted. Gabbard did not respond to requests for comment. Butlers group has hired a crisis PR firm and pointed the Daily Beast to a long statement from Hindu groups which also claimed that reporting on Butler was Hinduphobia. The PR firm declined to address the tape and also said, We will not engage with sensationalist narratives driven by political motives, rather than fair reporting. The recording obtained by the Beast is of Butler speaking to followers in the late 1990s, a time when he had become a particularly outspoken opponent of gay rights. Two sources verified it was Butlers voice. The recording is consistent with other accounts of Butler being an outspoken opponent of gay rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the sources were able to precisely date the sermon, in which Butler called gay relationships sinful, ugly, unhealthy and unnatural, and ranted about f----ts and dy--s. At the time of the sermon, Butler was living reclusively in Hawaii, as he does now, and preaching to his followers, one of whom appears to have made the 30-minute recording, which was shared among others. While the sermon started with regular Hindu prayers, it quickly veered into a torrent of anti-gay bile. Hinduism has no unified position on same-sex relationships, with some of its texts suggesting acceptance since ancient times but some scholars and clerics opposing gay rights. In the lecture, Butler ranted about gay rights in the workplace in acidic terms, which sparked occasional laughter from his followers. He said: If you have a day camp and a homosexual wants to come on and be the leader, hes got an Im Gay and Im Proud button on, youre not allowed to express your spiritual convictions or values because theres now a law, an economic field youre not allowed to apply your spiritual values. Science of Identity Foundation Youre not allowed to consider (that) this persons character has a flaw in it and I dont want to hire them. Hes not able to control his desires or his senses, the guys a pervert, I dont want him working for me. You should admonish such a person, educate such a person, let such a person know his lifestyle is wrong, its sinful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butler said he would tell the gay person, I dont think youre a good role model, in the same way I shouldnt hire a liar or a thief, I will not hire you because I dont consider your character to be good enough to be a role model for these people. As Butler spoke he got even more angry and said that gay people were promoting f----tism and forcing you to adopt their way of life. Mocking anti-discriminatory laws, he shouted: You have to go to court and be asked: Are you prejudiced against fairies? Are you prejudiced against dy---s? Are you prejudiced against people who have sex with fire hydrants? You go oh no, I think its perfectly normal, I promise. Whatever! If you say its quite abnormal for a man to have sex with another man, I think its sinful, I think its ugly, I think its unhealthy, I think its unnatural. Why? Is there a law against that? As a matter of fact there is! He also veered into sexually explicit denunciations, graphically describing sex acts to attack them as not normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it is unknown whether Gabbard heard the homophobic rant, former SIF members said that listening to Butler was a crucial activity for followersand both Gabbard and her wider family were highly involved throughout the late 1990s. Gabbard, now 43, was sent to an SIF boarding school in the Philippines in the mid-1990s and later worked in a health shop in Hawaii run by devotees of the group, former members said. One former member told the Daily Beast that the Gabbards had devoted their lives to SIF. Gabbard echoed Butlers anti-gay views when she ran for the Hawaii state legislature in 2002, telling the Honolulu Star-Bulletin that she and her father Mike, then a former Hawaii state senator, had backed a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage. Ive learned that real leaders are willing to make personal sacrifices for the common good, she said of campaigning against same-sex marriage, adding, I will bring that attitude of public service to the legislature. She was just 21 and won her race. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Gabbards own political group, The Alliance for Traditional Marriage, had been strongly opposed to gay rights and spent more than $100,000 on supporting a state constitutional amendment in 1998 to prevent same-sex couples marrying. In the campaign, it called homosexuality unhealthy, abnormal behavior that should not be promoted or accepted in society in an echo of Butlers comments. This is the newspaper round-up of candidates in 2002 in which Gabbard made clear she was running on an anti-gay marriage platform which hewed closely to her guru's views. / Honolulu Star-Bulletin/Newspapers.com Gabbard has said that her positions on LGBT rights have undergone a significant shift. While serving as the House member for Hawaiis Second District she supported a challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, effectively campaigning against her own previous position. She also said in 2019 that she regrets the positions I took in the past and that she has undergone a personal journey on the issue. Former SIF members told the Beast that her anti-gay marriage campaign in the late 1990s and early 2000s was evidence of the hold the group had over her at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One former member who left SIF described Butler as narcissistic, and said of being in the group, The whole thing is follow our guru and if you dont, f--- you. He acts like a god and people treat him like that. After being approached for comment, Trump transition spokeswoman Alex Henning said: The repeated attacks that she has sustained from the media and Democrats about her faith and her loyalty to our country are not only false smears, they are bigoted as well. An Ohio school board will meet Thursday evening to discuss a controversial policy that would require teachers to take down most posters, flags and other displays that aren't directly related to their class curriculum. Little Miami Local Schools serves more than 5,200 students in Warren County. David Wallace, a school board member who supports the policy, said at a December school board meeting that teachers would still be able to display family photos on their desks and motivational posters on their walls, but said "materials in the classroom should reinforce the subject being taught" instead of influencing students "on social, political or sexual issues." More: Ohio school board considers restricting posters, flags at schools. 600 object in petition Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board will not vote on the policy Thursday. Instead, members will entertain a motion to add the policy to their next January business meeting for approval. About 800 people have signed an online petition against the policy and about 20 people spoke about the proposed policy when it was first introduced at a school board meeting in December. Community members on both sides of the issue spoke, including Wayne Lyke, teachers' union president. He said the policy "is bad for students, bad for teachers and generally bad for the district." Teachers express their personalities through classroom decorations, Lyke said. If the policy passes and those decorations are taken down, it would "create a sterile, institutional environment that will make students less comfortable in the classroom and negatively impact the educational process." What does the policy say? If the policy is approved, signs, posters, flags and other displays across the district including on stadium fencing, walls, doors, ceilings, vehicles, the district's website and in emails would be limited to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American flag. The State of Ohio flag. The Little Miami flag and mascot. Classroom displays that are part of of the class's curriculum. Superintendent-approved signs "that denote a recognition of achievement." Sport tournament displays. Signs from the branches of the U.S. military, colleges and universities. Country flags that represent the district's foreign exchange students. Flyers, notices and invitations for clubs, no larger than a standard letter sheet of paper, and only on approved bulletin boards. Thursday's special meeting will be held at the district's central office, at 95 E. U.S. 22&3 in Maineville, at 6 p.m. The next regular Little Miami school board meeting is scheduled for Jan. 28 at 7 p.m. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Special meeting: Ohio school board considers controversial flag policy CHICAGO Members of the Chicago Teachers Union on Thursday expressed disappointment over what they said was Chicago Public Schools push to increase standardized testing for the youngest of the districts students. Vice President Jackson Potter said district officials want language added to the contract with teachers that would triple assessments given to students in kindergarten through the second grade. Thats not something thats good developmentally, good in practice or good for our pocketbooks, he said at an afternoon press conference on the citys Near West Side. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members said the funds the district officials have set aside for additional testing would be better used by adding librarians and providing students with more art and music time. We as teachers, we see students as more than just their test scores, said second-grade teacher Rebecca Reddicliffe. They are full people in front of us. Arthur R. Ashe Elementary School teacher Robin Blake Boose called the districts efforts sad. 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 WGN-TV. TOPEKA (KSNT) Governor Laura Kelly speaks to Kansans and lawmakers about her top priorities in her seventh State of the State address Wednesday evening. At the State of the State address Wednesday, Jan. 15, Kelly gave a recap of the first quarter of the 21st century in the Sunflower State. She discussed the investment into state infrastructure and broadband, as well as the Axe the Food Tax legislation that recently took the state food sales tax down to zero. For 2025, one of Kellys main goals with her budget proposal is to fully fund public schools across Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prioritizing our public schools means investing in them, Kelly said. Protecting them. Always fighting to make them better. And never, ever taking taxpayer dollars from our public schools to give to private schools. Doing so weakens our public school system, particularly in our rural communities. As a state, we just cant afford to do that. City leaders limit funding to fix Hotel Topeka Kelly said $75 million was invested into special education in 2024, putting the state on track to fully-fund special education by the 2028-29 school year. Kelly moved to discuss taxes. During her time in office, she claims to have signed more than $2 billion in tax cuts. Kelly said moving forward, she will not support any proposals that take funds away from schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While I would prefer that we postpone discussions about taxes until next session, when well have a better handle on the full impact of the tax cuts we passed last year, I will consider proposals to modify our tax structure that pay for themselves and dont threaten our states long-term financial health, Kelly said. On the topic of healthcare, Kelly said she will propose Medicaid expansion for the seventh year in a row. Police corral heifer that was loose in Manhattan Lets be honest: the only reason we havent expanded Medicaid is partisan politics, Kelly said. In 2022, the cost to Kansas taxpayers was $68.5 million. In 2023, $71.5 million. In 2024, $61.8 million. And if we dont expand Medicaid this year, 2025, it will cost Kansas taxpayers another $78.3 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, shared his response to Kellys address. Mastersons response is prerecorded, so there is no direct response to Kellys address Wednesday evening. In it, he shares the GOPs vision for 2025. Kelly, starting her seventh year as Kansas Governor, has been in office the entirety of Mastersons time hes spent serving as Senate president. While weve certainly had our differences, Ive been pleased with our ability to work together across an array of issues, Masterson said. While the controversial differences certainly garner the most headlines, the vast majority of our work is bi-partisan in nature and thats a good thing. I hope, in good faith, that the spirit of working together can continue during her final two years as governor. Masterson said Kansans re-elected him to put the people first. According to him, that means the GOP needs to focus on property tax relief and reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Property taxes can drive our seniors from their homes and prevent younger Kansans from enjoying the dream of home ownership, Masterson said. For too long its just been a political talking point, we must act Unfortunately, the governor has at this point pledged to block property tax relief in 2025, I sincerely hope she will reconsider and join us in bringing more tax relief to Kansans. Some more focal points Masterson mentioned are the GOPs strong support for President-elect Trumps efforts to secure the border, expand access to affordable healthcare with less government regulation, work to reduce the number of abortions in the Sunflower State and not allow extreme trans agenda to impact kids in Kansas. 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. 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 KSNT 27 News. As fires continue to ravage communities across L.A., organizations including Live Nation, Guitar Center Music Foundation and Guitar Center, the Recording Academy and MusiCares are pledging monetary donations, hosting events and offering grants to support the music community affected by the ongoing devastation. Live Nation has now announced an impressive lineup for the FireAid benefit concert, which will take place simultaneously at both the Intuit Dome and Kia Forum in Inglewood on January 30, starting at 6 PM PT. The event will feature performances by Billie Eilish and Finneas, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Green Day, Gwen Stefani, Jelly Roll, Joni Mitchell, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Rod Stewart, Sting, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks, and Tate McRae. Dave Matthews and John Mayer will perform together for the first time, with additional artists to be announced. The concert will reach audiences worldwide through broadcasts on multiple platforms, including Apple Music, Max, Netflix/Tudom, Paramount+, Prime Video, YouTube, and select AMC Theatres. IHeartRadio will serve as the national audio partner, utilizing its network of more than 860 radio stations. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, January 22, at noon PT through Ticketmaster. The Annenberg Foundation will oversee the distribution of proceeds for both immediate relief efforts and long-term fire prevention initiatives. The L.A. Clippers will cover all event expenses, ensuring all proceeds go directly to beneficiaries. The event is being produced by Shelli, Irving, and the Azoff family, in partnership with Live Nation and AEG Presents. Related: Twisted Steel. Charred Bricks. Exploded Windows. What Remains Unscathed? 'A Miracle' All proceeds will go towards a 501c3 non-profit created for the event with funds being specifically allocated to rebuild lost infrastructure, support displaced families and advancing fire prevention technology. Ticket and donation information for the concert can be found by submitting an interest inquiry on the Intuit Dome website. The site also states that individuals will be contacted by FireAid and Intuit Dome when more information becomes available. Related: Los Angeles is Burning: Latest Updates on the Fires in Pacific Palisades, Altadena and More Other organizations such as United Music Group (UMG), The Recording Academy, MusiCares, Warner Music Group, the Guitar Center Music Foundation, and Guitar Center are among donors to various wildfire relief efforts. UMG announced that the company is canceling all Grammy-related events and is "redirecting resources that would have been used for those events to assist those affected by the wildfires." Related: Historic Landmarks Vanish: 2025 California Fires Destroy Cultural Heritage The Recording Academy and MusiCares also launched the Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort and made a combined pledge of $1 million released in an emailed statement sent on Thursday, Jan. 9. "The entire GRAMMY family is shocked and deeply saddened by the situation that is unfolding in Los Angeles Our organizations exist to serve music people because music is a powerful force for good in the world, and we hope the broader industry will now rally to this cause," said Harvey Mason jr., Recording Academy and MusiCares CEO in the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MusiCares has historically helped with disaster relief efforts in events such as Hurricane Katrina and the Maui wildfires and "is always committed to ensuring that music professionals are supported in times of crisis," said Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares in the emailed statement. Alongside these groups, the Warner Music Group / Blavatnik Family Foundation Social Justice Fund pledged $1 million to fire relief and rebuilding efforts, which will donate to organizations supporting the L.A. community, local first responders and those in the music industry who were affected, according to a statement on their website. Related: Destroyed Pasadena Synagogue Holds a Message: Make Polluters Pay for Their Plague "Los Angeles is home to so much determination, resourcefulness, and creativity, and its powerful story is inextricably interwoven with ours. We're determined to support the people of this extraordinary city," said Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group, in the statement. Additionally, Guitar Center Music Foundation and Guitar Center are pledging to assist those affected by the fires with a "special one-time grant replacing instruments and gear destroyed by the fires." Requests can be up to $1,500 in replacement instruments and gear. Requests for grants are being accepted now through Friday, Feb. 28, according to their website. Only L.A.-based musicians, music instruction programs, and programs that are a part of 501c3 nonprofit organizations or public schools are eligible. Other resources for those affected by the ongoing wildfires can be found here. Two more recently retired lawmakers have found their way to K Street since the end of the 118th Congress. Former Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) has joined Liberty Partners Group as a senior policy adviser. Stabenow left Congress this month after nearly three decades and was most recently chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. Former Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-Ind.) has also made his way to K Street since retiring from Congress earlier this month, joining Holland & Knight as a senior policy adviser in the firms public policy and regulation group. Bucshon, a former cardiothoracic surgeon, was previously chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both former lawmakers are barred from lobbying their former colleagues on Capitol Hill Stabenow for two years and Bucshon for one year. Last week, former Rep. Drew Ferguson (R-Ga.) became the first recently-departed lawmaker to announce he would be joining a lobbying firm, as hundreds of former lawmakers before him have. Nema Milaninia is joining King & Spalding as a partner in the firms special matters and government investigations practice group. Milaninia was most recently a senior adviser at the State Department and was previously senior counsel at Google. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck is adding Bart Reising as a policy director in the firms government relations department, effective Jan. 21. Reising was most recently deputy chief of staff in the office of House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.). Meghan Schmidtlein, former Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyers (R-Mo.) former legislative director, has joined Husch Blackwell Strategies as a principal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Best Strategies has hired Alison Prange as chief operating officer and named Tory Sendek as head of the firms federal government relations practice. BGR Group is adding Chris Kelly as a vice president with the firms health and life science practice later this month. He joins from the office of Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), where he was most recently health policy director. Wendi Wilkes has joined Banner Public Affairs as senior vice president of government relations and chief of staff of the firms water practice. Wilkes arrives from the Environmental Protection Agency, where she was most recently the director of infrastructure implementation for the Office of Water. The Alpine Group is adding Colin Brainard as a vice president in the firms tax practice. Brainard was most recently Walmarts director of federal government affairs and was previously a senior tax staffer to two members of the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wes Kungel is joining Acorn Consulting as a vice president. He was most recently chief of staff to former Sen. Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), who retired from Congress earlier this month. The Managed Funds Association has promoted Jennifer Han to chief legal officer and Shelley Guiley to chief administrative officer. Tony Cotto has been promoted to assistant vice president and counsel for federal and political affairs at the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies. Drumfire Public Affairs has promoted Katy Rodriguez to senior vice president and chief of staff. 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. AUSTINTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A local VFW is helping out local veterans with an event supplying gift certificates to help purchase grocers or other household needs. The Marine Corps League started the program last year, recognizing a need among veterans for a little extra help. They handed out 200 gift certificates worth $40 at Sparkle Market. This year theyve handed out 315 certificates and are holding an event to give away another 50 this weekend, providing the veteran use the money on anything except for alcohol or cigarettes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel a lot of gratitude knowing that were reaching out and helping veterans because Ive been in that same boat as them, Mike Morgenstern with the Tri-State Marine Corps League 494 said. The event will be held this Saturday, January 18th at the VFW on Mahoning Avenue in Austintown. The giveaway starts at 1 p.m., and the gift certificates will be handed out on a first-come first-served basis. 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. LANSING Mich. (WLNS) It is tick tock for Tiktok, the popular social media app is running out of time as a ban is expected to come on Sunday. As the clock counts down on the app people are eager to find out its fate, because for many this not only takes away a hobby, but a money maker. After an appeals court upheld a law that would ban the app, it is up to the Supreme Court to make the final call which could come at any second. Shanell Henry is a content creator in the Lansing area. Shes been making Tiktoks for 5 years and with a total of 299,000 followers across all her social media platforms, she said her biggest engagement comes from Tiktok. She has been using the app to promote her new book Be the Bright Spot. Nothing compares to the algorithm on Tiktok. Its amazing how quickly a video can go viral and from those videos going viral it immediately brings you more followers. Its amazing how quickly a video can go viral and from those videos going viral it immediately brings you more followers, Henry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a report from Oxford Economics and Tiktok, 7 million Americans use the platform to grow their small business. With a ban quickly approaching Hnerys income and promotional techniques could be in jeopardy. I just launched the book not even a month and a half ago so its like ugh thats a bummer, Henry said. Congress passed a law requiring Tiktoks Chinese Owner ByteDance to sell the platform or go dark, citing national security concerns. An appeals court upheld the law and now the Supreme Court is set to make the final decision on what happens. I cant control it but I can choose how I respond. Im optimistic and hope it will be an easy transition for whatever is next, Henry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henry worries about the younger generations who have grown up with the app and how it will affect them. Sophia Correia, a freshman at Michigan State University, said she has had Tiktok since middle school. Some are already talking replacement apps though, like Xiaohongshu, also known as Red Note. Correia said she could see herself downloading the trending platform. Users agrees though, the ban will be an adjustment as Tiktok has been a big part of their lives. I spend a lot of time on it but we will see what happens. Maybe Ill focus on school more that way, Correis said. This ban would take Tiktok off of the app stores and no longer allow updates. For those who already have the app, it is unknown how long it will remain usable. President Elect Trump has spoken out against the ban and his lawyer filed a friend of the court brief requesting a pause on the law. The lawyer said the incoming President wants the ability to resolve the dispute through political means. So we will have to wait and see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Ted Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Thin Blue Line Act in the U.S. Senate on Jan. 15. Federal law already makes the targeting, killing or attempted killing of federal law enforcement officers, judges and correctional officers an aggravating factor in the decision whether to impose the federal death penalty, but the Thin Blue Line Act would expand this list to include state and local police, firefighters and other first responders. Our law enforcement officers put their lives at risk to serve and defend their communities, Sen. Boozman said in a statement. I am proud to join my colleagues to stand with the men and women behind the badge when criminals choose to target them with violence simply because they are committed to enforcing our laws and maintaining order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alma, Bentonville students selected for U.S. Senate youth program Washington County Sheriff Jay Cantrell and Tontitown Police Department detective Keith Lindley are in support of the introduction of this act. Theyre out there every day putting their life on the line, trying to make this place, this world safer, Cantrell said. And then, somebody to intentionally target them and murder that first responder or attempt to murder them, I think that we need to have the full penalty allowed by law to go out and prosecute them. Northwest Arkansas is no stranger to officers being killed in the line of duty. Officer Kevin Apple of Pea Ridge was killed in the line of duty June 26, 2021, and Officer Stephen Carr was killed in the line of duty Dec. 7, 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lindley is no stranger to the living nightmare that comes with losing a fellow service member, coworker and friend. If youre an old man like me and youve been a cop for more than 20 years, Ive buried friends, Lindley said. I have been involved in situations where theres gunfire and theres bullets, and Ive had to say, Goodbye, to people that were close to me, that were colleagues and people that I ate lunch with just earlier in the week. Bryan Sexton, Benton Countys prosecuting attorney, said the act establishes aggravating factors. Sexton said if aggravating factors are proven, then the defense will put up a lot more broad mitigating factors. Bills filed with Arkansas legislature to address reproductive health, standardize private schools, end NIL raffles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sexton said the jury will then decide whether the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors. If they do, then a suspect in a capital murder case could face either life imprisonment without the possibility of parole or the death penalty, Sexton said. Laws like the one that Senator Boozman put forward will be a marker to make sure that people understand thats the difference between law and order in our communities and disorder, Sexton said. Well drive home the point that there are serious, serious effects that happen to a community when an officers killed in the line of duty like this, and we are going to treat those facts seriously and were going to continue to pursue justice for the victims. That work toward justice is giving Lindley a warmer blanket of security. Knowing that our families, when were gone, if that were to happen, God forbid, are going to have a greater semblance of justice, Lindley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KNWA FOX24. WASHINGTON CO., Tenn. (WJHL) On Wednesday morning, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced a special session to be held on Jan. 27. The session will focus partially on a topic that has divided city and county officials: school vouchers. The Education Freedom Scholarship Act has once again become a major topic of discussion for state lawmakers. Local lawmakers remain divided about their views on the bill. Gov. Lee calls for $240M in Helene relief grants, $20M for Hampton HS rebuild Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District 6 Representative Tim Hicks said he is in full support. Our goal is not to hurt public education in any way, shape, or form, said Hicks. So I think this bill really accomplishes that. But District 7 Representative Rebecca Alexander finds herself completely against the bill. Its just got some issues that I just think I cant get over, Alexander said. The new draft of the bill states that schools will not lose state funding next year if they lose students to the voucher program. Hicks said this helps put him in favor of the bill. If [the students] leave for any reason, [the schools] will be held harmless, said Hicks. [And] get that funding and not just for one year, but for an extended amount of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Alexander, the idea of schools being held harmless doesnt bring her any comfort. The citizens are paying twice for the education for one child, said Alexander. So theyre paying the private school, then theyre paying the public school because we want them to be held harmless.' Both Hicks and Alexander serve Washington County, Tennessee. The countys Board of Education passed a resolution in opposition to the bill. The vote came just days before seven local county mayors signed a letter in support of Governor Lees plan. Both representatives said those views play a role in how they plan to vote. $20M slated from state for Hampton High School rebuild Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our school boards have both written resolutions asking me not to vote for it, said Alexander. I have promised my community that is what I will do. Itll come down to us making a rational decision based on knowledge, said Hicks. And based on feedback from our district. The session will take place on Jan. 27. 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Local steelworkers are holding out hope that the U.S. Steel sale with Nippon Steel goes through. This week Cleveland Cliffs CEO Lourence Goncalves offered to buy the Steel giant. The offer comes after President Joe Biden blocked a deal between U.S. Steel and Nippon Steel, a decision thats since been challenged in a lawsuit. But, steelworkers Channel 11 spoke to are dismissing the offer from Cleveland Cliffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement >>> Nippon, US Steel file suit after Biden administration blocks $15 billion deal I personally dont feel Cleveland Cliffs has enough money to invest in the Mon Valley and the rest of United States Steel plans to keep us viable. The Japanese committed $2 billion, said Glenn Thomas, who has been with US Steel for 26 years. Mr. Goncalves to me was very disrespectful to the Japanese people, in my opinion. I dont know who he is to judge anybody, said Duane Miller, a White Oak resident who has worked for U.S Steel for 24 years. I thought it was very disrespectful to their country and their people. I was taken aback that a CEO of a company would even act like that. Andrew Macey who has been with US Steel for 44 years said he was also disappointed by the press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 80 plus years they have been our ally. They have made a commitment to US Steel, to modernize our mills, protect our jobs, give us technology we dont have, Macey said. I took offense to that interview. Matt Albensi, who has been with U.S. Steel for eight years said he isnt paying attention to the Cleveland Cliffs CEO. I dont really pay too much attention to them. They are a competitor of ours. I know our steel-making capabilities are gonna be better. I think with this merger it puts them in jeopardy of maybe losing orders, Albensi said. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Several students at Indiana State University shared their thoughts on the potential ban of the popular social media app TikTok. ISU senior Bailey Bright uses TikTok to post lifestyle content. She has amassed over 2,000 followers and has brand deals with companies like Chegg. She says the change will impact a lot of people. Me being a small content creator, its going to affect me, but I know many creators that its their full time job and TikTok has really helped them get their life back on track, Bright said. Just to think about those people that this is their full time job, that theyre losing a career basically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indiana State student radio station, WZIS, uses several social media platforms, but TikTok allows them to show a different perspective. Senior Seth Berquist says there is a certain audience that will no longer be reached if the platform is banned. We use Instagram a lot, but thats more just for promoting ourselves and putting our image out there, Berquist said. TikTok we use as more of a fun like, hey, look at us doing this fun thing. Its really where we have a lot more creativity of what we post and its a lot less restricted, so were pretty upset that we have to let go of it. According to sophomore Abigail Berry, the ISU campus newspaper, The Statesman, will also have to adapt if the platform disappears. We have some longform content, longer videos, that are on Instagram and YouTube so well probably focus more energy in that, Berry said. I dont know if Ill ever really use it personally, because TikTok is just really user-friendly and easy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikToks parent company, ByteDance, will have to sell its US assets by January 19, or the app will be banned nationwide. 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 MyWabashValley.com. BOARDMAN, Ohio (WKBN) After a couple of milder winters, were really snapping back to reality in terms of temperatures and snow. That of course leads to a spike in more people getting sick. Walking pneumonia, RSV and flu-like symptoms are a big portion of the people seeking medical care, but theyre also dealing with things like orthopedic problems caused by falls on ice or slippery conditions. Regardless, its all snowballed into an ice jam in the waiting room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wednesday night the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is reporting that Emergency Room visits are now Very High across the nation, with Ohio reporting a High level of Acute Respiratory Illness. Its led to a surge in people visiting the ER and a backlog of patients seeking care. Unless youre experiencing a life-critical or threatening injury, we can take care of it at QuickMed. We even do things like suturing, laceration repair, wound drainages, so if you have an abscess, you can come in and get that taken care of, QuickMed Medical Director Doctor Lauren Weber said. Weber says emergency rooms are crammed, leading to more people opting for an urgent care facility to avoid the wait. We always see a very big uptick in patient volumes during the cold and flu months, but there was a large increase in microplasma pneumonia or you may know it as walking pneumonia, Weber said. As of late, weve had a very big increase in influenza A cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically QuickMed says they see between 50 to 70 patients on the high end during cold and flu season, but this year some locations are seeing over 100 patients each day. Theyre attributing higher volumes to the closure of regional hospitals and prolonged ER wait times. I think people are scared that they wont have access to medical care. Theyre worried they wont be able to logistically or geographically make it there, Weber said. Our locations are strategically placed to cover areas that are under-served with medical assistance. QuickMed officials say the urgent cares offer an alternative if youre seeking treatment but not faced with a life-or-death scenario. They can run any number of tests and even handle things like stitching and X-rays. We do have a state-of-the-art lab which runs PCR testing, viral testing and bacterial testing. Our turnaround times for flu and COVID are very quick: 10 to 15 minutes. And about 10 minutes on a rapid strep, Weber said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doctors stress that if you are experiencing a life-or-death emergency, head straight for the Emergency Room. But if youre looking to be treated for one of those seasonal illnesses, urgent care facilities can save you time and keep the ER from getting clogged with less severe problems. 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. *Warning: Some details included in this story are graphic. WARREN, Ohio (WKW) A Warren woman has filed a federal lawsuit after she was arrested and charged following a miscarriage at her home. The lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division by attorneys with the Loevy + Loevy law firm in Chicago. Man charged with murder after two juveniles found dead in stolen car Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 27 page lawsuit names Bon Secours Mercy Health St. Joseph Warren Hospital, the City of Warren, a police detective, a doctor, and nurses as defendants. The lawsuit states Watts constitutional rights were violated. Defendants treatment of Ms. Watts was extreme and outrageous, the lawsuit states. Watts said she was about 22 weeks pregnant when she miscarried. In September 2023, Plaintiff Brittany Watts experienced an expectant mothers worst nightmare the pregnancy she very much wanted ended in a miscarriage, the lawsuit states. Ms. Watts should have received proper medical care to address her pregnancy complications and should have been able to privately grieve her pregnancy loss. Instead, Defendants deprived Ms. Watts of the medical care she requested and was entitled to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The I-Team filed a public record request with Warren police to obtain the police file, including body camera video and the audio of the detectives interview with Brittany while she was in a hospital room. Both the nurse and the detective can be heard on the recording asking Brittany repeatedly if she saw the baby and urging her to tell them where the remains were located. During the nearly hourlong questioning, Brittany kept saying she only saw tissue and blood, that she never saw the baby. She said she didnt know she was to bring the remains to the hospital, so she cleaned up the bathroom as best as she could. She said some of the tissue and blood was put in a bucket and then she flushed the toilet. The fetus was found stuck in a pipe in the toilet. Police removed the toilet from Brittanys home as evidence. Several days later, she was charged with abuse of a corpse for flushing the toilet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was later no billed by a Trumbull County Grand Jury. Our concern really is creating protection so that the people that are required to provide you with care, provide you with care in a timely fashion without putting you in jeopardy, Atty. Renee Spence, one of Watts attorneys, told the I-Team. This is something that should have never happened. This should have never seen a criminal court. Water main break shuts down Lake Avenue in Cleveland Warren Police Chief Eric Merkel said the department will not be providing a statement. Officials with Mercy Health released the following statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We remain steadfast in our mission and our commitment to the patients and communities we serve with compassion and integrity. Due to patient privacy, Mercy Health will not discuss these legal proceedings. 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. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) An accused drug dealer is off the streets after undercover work by the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office. They seized over 20,000 lethal doses of fentanyl. Baton Rouge resident Jordan Spears appreciates EBRSOs hard work. I feel like its a lot of people who are just bad for the community, thats why its really getting put on the streets like that. People are entertained by them, Spears said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has witnessed a fatal drug overdose. Everybody was really shocked, people started calling the police and stuff, he said. The sheriffs office said deputies spent months surveilling 55-year-old Chadwick Chisholm. They arrested him at a house on North Magna Carta Place in Baton Rouge. EBRSO said detectives bought drugs undercover from Chisholm. EBRSO searched his home and car. They found fentanyl, black tar heroin, crack cocaine, meth, marijuana, and other narcotics. They also found two handguns that Chisholm bought off the street. Chisholm was previously convicted on drug charges. Authorities said he admitted that he sold the drugs found at his home, which all belonged to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of this stuff is bad for you. They put bad drugs in other drugs, stuff like that. People just go with it, said Spears. Spears said watching someone overdose has him scared. You cant really trust a lot of people, and some people just trust anyone, Spears said. Chisholm faces multiple drug and gun charges. 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 Louisiana First News. An Emergency Response Room communal kitchen in Omdurman, Sudan, on June 2, 2024. Credit - Mazin AlrasheedReuters Paradoxically, Sudan is home to both the worst humanitarian crisis in the world and the most heartening possible response to it. The government of the Northeast African country has ceased to function, the first casualty of a feud between rival generals whose war has also shattered the economy and driven farmers from their land, placing half the population of 50 million at risk of starvation. The same combat that has devastated Sudan has made it so dangerous that international aid organizations cannot ride to the rescue. So the people have instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across Sudan, ordinary citizens have organized themselves to feed their neighbors, accommodate strangers, rescue the wounded, and aid children traumatized by what is happening around them. More than 600 pop-up community centers, known as Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), are now in operation, a grassroots effort that has become the central relief apparatus. Rising to meet a desperate need, the communal enterprise is also accelerating a global movement that represents a shifting tide in the way humanitarian aid is distributed, with reduced roles for major agencies and new prominence for locally led groups. We are helping our people, says Hanin Ahmed, an early ERR organizer. To save them. To bring food. To provide protection. We have womens response rooms, trauma healing centers. We have children in alternative education, schools. We have a lot of stuff. The ERRs started when the fighting did. On April 15, 2023, a simmering rivalry between the head of Sudans armed forces and the leader of an allied militia erupted into full-blown war. With shells exploding across Khartoum, the capital, Ahmed and fellow students first mobilized to evacuate their university. The next day, a triage center was set up to sort which of the wounded should risk transport to hospitals. Next came a community kitchen, followed by counseling for victims of sexual assault. Similar organizing was happening in other neighborhoods, in many cases led by people who had been active in the grassroots movement that four years earlier succeeded in toppling the military government that had ruled Sudan for decades. A transitional, technocratic government was put in place to guide the way to an election, but in 2021 it was forced out at gunpoint in a coup that produced the regime now fighting a staggeringly destructive war with itself. More than 11 million people have been forced from their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The worse Sudans self-appointed leaders behave, however, the more nobly its people respond. In West Kordofan state, on the countrys southern border, Salah Almogadm had been working at the Ministry of Agriculture. His job disappeared with the war. There was complete paralysis, he says. There was no kind of government or health facilities. Now, Almogadm, 35, helps manage local ERRs that feed 177,000 people a day. He agrees with what other volunteers have told him, that the work stirs one to move forward, to serve. International aid groups try to help. But familiar agencies, the U.N. and private groups alike, find themselves sidelined by the fighting. Some are confined to refugee camps in adjoining countries like Chad. Many others are bottled up at Port Sudan, the Red Sea city from which the central government operates, since Khartoum remains a war zone. The best most can manage is supporting the ERRs. We have a convoy of assistance going into an area of Khartoum right now that hasnt been reached since April 2023, Taylor Garrett, the USAID response director for Sudan, told TIME on Dec. 20. And the distribution network will be 70 ERRs plus 150 community kitchens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This plan is a change from the normal route of distributing via a handful of large international groups. Garrett expressed mild unease at the number of ERRs involved (a lot more opportunities for something to go wrong), but admiration at what they manage to do. They are all prolific, and really force multipliers. The way this has taken off has allowed a lot more contact with affected communities than we ordinarily would have... just more surface area. Thats a good thing, he adds. The scale of the people who need help is hard to grasp. I mean, its a huge crisis: 30 million-plus people in 2025 will need help. A volunteer in Omdurman in May 2024 Mosab Abushama Not nearly enough aid is getting through. In late December, TIME spoke with four ERR volunteers on the ground in Sudan, patched through on WhatsApp by Ahmed, who is now based in the U.S. In North Darfur province, volunteer Mozdilfa Esamaldin Abakr spoke from a camp for displaced people. We have famine, she said. We are losing 20 children per day to starvation. Most of the dead are between ages 2 and 3, she said. The local health center lacks lifesaving supplies such as rehydration solutions. They have a section for malnutrition, Abakr said. But they dont have enough, due to a lack of safe corridors, and also funds. The town, El Fasher, is bombed daily by both sidesthe regular army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the name given to the militia known as janjaweed when it was carrying out a genocide against non-Arab Sudanese in the same area 20 years ago. The security situation, Abakr says, is really bad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is where international attention can make a difference. The ERR model recognizes that, even in the traditional structure of humanitarian aid, led by the U.N. and marquee agencies like CARE and Save the Children, local people did most of the crucial work, either as employees or volunteers. They are the ones who know the lay of the land, and where the needs are greatest. In locally led aid, much of the same essential work is done without the expense and trouble of outside managers, who have to be flown in, housed, and paid. Sometimes called decolonized humanitarian aid, the locally led model is being endorsed even by some brand-name aid agencies, which have taken to boasting of their partnerships with grassroots NGOs. In Myanmar, where the government regards any aid entering conflict zones as support for insurgents, that can mean international groups operate almost clandestinely to get lifesaving provisions to the local groups that can distribute them. But its also the locals who are always more vulnerable. For practical advice on staying safe, a grassroots aid worker might draw on the expertise of the Netherlands-based International NGO Safety Organisation (INSO), which works in 22 conflict countries, offering free training on security protocols and coordination. Lets say one NGO gets involved in an IED attack on a certain road in Jalalabad, says Anthony Neal, policy director at INSO. We want to ensure that other NGOs are aware of that incident. International outrage can play a crucial role by deterring violence in the first place. Attacks on large aid agencies can draw headlines that make even warring parties think twice, in part because their arms suppliers come under intense pressure. (In the Sudan conflict, the UAE is widely reported to be supporting the militia side, which it denies.) The goal, Neal says, is to reaffirm the inviolability of the humanitarian worker even if that worker is a volunteer rather than an employee of an international aid organization that can protect its own by lobbying governments and putting out the word to journalists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Sudan, Ahmed says, ERR workers on the ground must keep a low profile, even staying off social media. But outside groups can advocate for them, and she spends a lot of her time at the U.N. and with high-profile aid groups because recognition from themmore advocacy from their sideprovides more protection to our colleagues. And the work defines the moral high ground that aid groups claim. Its a genuine manifestation of this localization intention, where truly authentic local efforts culminate in real lifesaving activities, says John Prendergast, a former U.S. National Security Council director for Africa. It is kind of the highest form of human expression. Drawing from the Sudanese tradition of nafir, which translates roughly as call to mobilize, ERRs reach across the fault lines that have driven conflict in the country. We are beyond ethnicity, beyond gender, says Ahmed. This service is provided by us to us. For months, funding came only from the Sudanese diaspora and the locals themselves. We financed it from our own pockets at the time, says Almonzer Mohamed Abdelmonim Fadul, a biomedical engineer turned financial officer and kitchen supervisor in Omdurman, which borders Khartoum. Once the mutual-aid groups emerged as the most effective means of delivering assistance, arrangements were made to receive contributions from the international agencies that would not risk putting their own staff on the ground. ERR workers say they work with banks and trusted merchants to deal only in foodstuffs and other basics. (Cash is dangerous, says one.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though many early organizers were veterans of the resistance committees that led the peaceful and leaderless 2019 uprising, officials insist the ERR system has no political component. We work in a very professional and discreet way, Fadul says. Because theres no politics, the warring parties do not pay attention. Sudanese army soldiers take cover along the frontline in Khartoum North on November 3, 2024. Amaury Falt-BrownAFP/Getty Images And yet, their example speaks for itself. These guys have moved into the breach, says Prendergast, who now heads the Sentry, an investigative public advocacy group that documents links between human-rights violations and corruption, including in Sudan, where he has been involved since the 1980s. Theres no reciprocity between rulers and ruled in Sudan. So the feeling of responsibility is devolved right down to the neighborhood level. Because the state has abdicated that responsibility 100%, the way is opened for citizens to demonstrate who can be trusted with the public welfare. This is important preparation for the very basics of governance, he adds, where delivery of food and medicine and services to the poorest of the poor, the most needy of its citizenry, becomes the most important thing. So you turn this kleptocracy upside down, and you actually get back to what governance should be about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many countries plunged into war, the causalities include civil society. Here, says Garrett, the USAID official, its almost become a symbol of defiance. His boss, USAID administrator Samantha Power, called the volunteers heroic. The local response networks are not only the bedrock of the humanitarian response to the crisis, Power said in a statement to TIME, but they are critical to Sudans futuremodeling the responsive, equitable, people-centered governance that the Sudanese people deserve. The present, however, remains dark. Nearly a quarter of Sudans population has been displaced or, like some 3 million, has fled across the border to neighboring countries such as Chad and Egypt. The richest nations are failing to provide help. While the horrors of Gaza and Ukraine draw attention and donations, funding for Sudan reached less than two-thirds of the amount needed, according to the most recent U.N. figuresa shortfall of more than $800 million. The contrast with the response of the Sudanese citizens is stark. You reach the level as a volunteer where, when you hear one of your guys calling, you just run to see whos wounded, says Fadul. You never think about yourself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He works in Omdurman, a city that faces Khartoum across the Nile, just at the point where the White Nile and the Blue Nile come together. It has been contested ground from the start. The sound of machine guns rattles in its dun-colored streets. Earlier last year, a bomb killed the man who had been in charge of a communal kitchen. One kitchen serves 300 to 500 families. An evacuation center shelters up to 200. Omdurmans ERR will be expanding the latter, as people flee fighting in the capital. These are very hot areas, Fadul says, so people are coming on the run. With reporting by Leslie Dickstein Contact us at letters@time.com. Walgreens and retailers are dealing with a delicate balancing act between securing goods from theft while ensuring that security measures dont drive customers away. Recent insights from Walgreens and the National Retail Federation (NRF) illustrate the complexity of this issue and highlight strategies retailers are employing to address it. Facing a 52% increase in stolen inventory, Walgreens resorted to locking up a wide range of products. However, as CEO Tim Wentworth noted during a January earnings call, this approach backfired. Locked merchandise deterred potential thieves, but it also alienated customers, reducing overall sales. The company reported a significant operating loss of $245 million for the quarter and is now seeking new solutions to combat theft without shedding customers. This tension is not unique to Walgreens. A 2024 NRF report reveals a staggering 93% increase in shoplifting since 2019, with organized retail crime becoming more sophisticated. Groups of thieves, often working together, target high-value items with greater frequency, forcing retailers to implement stringent security measures. However, these measures, such as locking up products, using electronic tags and hiring additional security, can negatively impact the customer experience. According to the NRF, 76% of retailers acknowledge that their antitheft strategies have adversely affected how shoppers perceive their stores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key challenge lies in tailoring security measures to individual store environments and product categories. High-theft items like cosmetics, over-the-counter medications and electronics are often secured with locks or tags, or are completely removed from sales floors. Yet, the broader impact of these measures, including longer wait times for assistance and reduced convenience, can deter customers from making purchases altogether. In response, retailers are increasing their budgets for advanced security technologies, including shopping cart locks, receipt-checking systems and AI-driven surveillance. These tools help monitor theft without significantly disrupting the shopping experience. However, the technologies are a significant investment and must include ongoing adaptation as criminals learn how to get around them. Focusing on customer engagement has shown promise to deter theft. Strategies such as greeting customers, offering assistance and maintaining a visible staff presence in high-risk areas not only discourages theft but enhances customer satisfaction overall. Learn more about retailers concerns with the security of their products in the NRF study on retail theft and violence. (Photo: Tenor) Overhaul fighting the good fight Risk management platform Overhaul has raised $55 million in equity funding this week, led by Springcoast Partners with participation from Edison Partners and Americo. The funds will support strategic acquisitions and enhance the companys proprietary AI technology, including its work fighting freight fraud. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Headquartered in Austin, Texas, Overhaul monitors over $1.4 trillion in global freight movements, helping shippers and 3PLs address challenges like cargo theft, delays and damage. CEO Barry Conlon emphasized the fundings role in solidifying Overhaul as a market leader, especially as the supply chain technology sector braces for increased consolidation over the next two years. In tandem with the funding announcement, Overhaul unveiled FraudWatch (great name choice), a solution to combat the growing threat of freight fraud. Designed to tackle fictitious pickups, double brokering and carrier identity theft, FraudWatch uses AI-powered scoring and real-time data to flag high-risk activities before they disrupt operations. Freight fraud has surged, now accounting for 35% of cargo theft incidents, according to the Transportation Intermediaries Association. Losses to fraud cost U.S. logistics companies an average of $402,000 annually. States like California, Texas and Illinois report the highest rates of incidents. FraudWatch provides shippers and logistics providers with actionable intelligence, instant alerts and seamless integration into existing workflows. By leveraging insights from law enforcement networks, the platform also helps identify organized theft rings. The solution has saved clients over $100 million in potential losses, according to the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about the new product here. (GIF: Tenor) Lime crimes Customs and Border Protection officers at Texas Pharr International Bridge intercepted 870 pounds of methamphetamine hidden in a shipment of Persian limes, valued at $7.7 million. Using advanced inspection tools, officers uncovered 357 packages concealed in a tractor-trailer from Mexico. The drugs and vehicle were seized, and Homeland Security Investigations has launched a criminal probe. Learn more about the creative ways drugs are smuggled into the U.S. through food products here. (Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Laredo) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Articles by Grace Sharkey New Hampshire man created fake trucking, ag businesses to collect COVID funds Bankruptcies, closures and fraud: Key trucking stories in 2024 The post Locked up and losing out appeared first on FreightWaves. Gov. Joe Lombardo delivering the Nevada State of the State address on Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo: Richard Bednarski for Nevada Current) Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo is proposing splitting up the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services and moving several major divisions and programs into a new agency called the Nevada Health Authority. His proposed Nevada Health Authority would manage Nevada Medicaid, the Silver State Health Exchange, and the Public Employees Benefits Program. That would allow the state to leverage its purchasing power, he said. The agency would also house a new Office of Mental Health, which would not involve any additional funding for mental health initiatives but would instead absorb existing employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal, which Lombardo announced during his second state of the state address on Wednesday in Carson City, reflects a broader belief that the state can do more without increasing funding in key areas like health care and education. He outlined that vision for state lawmakers and the public in a speech that ran roughly 45 minutes. We are certainly headed in the right direction and the outlook is positive, said Lombardo, who is amassing a large reelection campaign warchest. For it to remain sustainable, we must sharpen our discipline and focus. Lombardo in his speech said he declined millions of dollars in state agency requests for more funding. Many of the proposed program enhancements were thoughtful but now is exactly the wrong time to strap more burden on the backs of hardworking Nevada families, he said. So, I held the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means Lombardo has not budgeted raises for state employees, though his proposed budget does include funding to make permanent the temporary raises earmarked for educators and staff at public school districts last session. Lombardo is also proposing those raises be extended to charter school educators, who were left out of the 2023 bill. The governor provided a high-level overview of his proposed $12.7 billion executive budget. The budget will be given to the Nevada State Legislature for consideration during the upcoming session, which begins Feb. 3. The budget amount, which is set by the Economic Forum, assumes state revenue will remain relatively flat compared to actual revenue collected and spent during the current biennium. Lombardo said he will introduce five priority billsfocused on housing, healthcare, education, criminal justice, and economic development. Those bills have not yet been filed with the Legislative Counsel Bureau, and full details are not yet publicly available. But among the proposals he teased: $1 billion in new attainable housing units, supported by some direct dollars, the Nevada State Infrastructure Bank, and bonds; reducing the felony theft threshold and implementing harsher penalties for repeat offenders; reducing trafficking thresholds; prohibiting the use of diversion courts for offenders who commit crimes against children and the elderly; creating an Excellence in Education Fund that would reward the highest-performing teachers and administrators; decisive action for consistently underperforming schools, which could include being removed from the district; expanding open enrollment policies at K-12 schools; doubling investment in graduate medical education; and requiring all health insurance plans in Nevada to adopt standardized and digitized prior authorization plans. Lombardo called for bipartisanship and finding common ground, addressing legislators directly: I would ask that before some of you say no, work with me, collaborate with my agency heads, ask questions, give input, offer alternatives, and set aside partisan politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic legislative leaders in a press conference after the address said it was difficult to comment on Lombardos plans without knowing full details but that they agreed with Lombardo that housing, healthcare and education need to be top priorities for the state. Imitation is the best form of flattery, said Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, a Democrat from Las Vegas. A lot of what you heard the governor talk about tonight were things that we proposed last session. There were bills that we passed and they got vetoed. Lombardo during the 2023 legislative session vetoed 75 bills, setting a single-session veto record for a governor. Numerous Republicans running for state legislature last year campaigned on protecting his veto power. Yeager pointed out that Lombardo spoke of putting Nevadans above out-of-state investors looking to cash in but last session vetoed a bill to establish a corporate landlord registry. That bill, sponsored by state Sen. Dina Neal, a Democrat from North Las Vegas, had bipartisan support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lombardo in his state of the state address also proposed: putting $1.3 billion in Rainy Day Fund; streamlining and possibly axing some of the states more than 300 boards and commissions; and expanding tax credits for target industries like childcare and healthcare. Election reform Lombardo in his address said it makes zero sense to keep counting ballots four days after an election and emphasized the need to receive and count all ballots by Election Day. The governor said he hoped to work with Democratic Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar on a bipartisan bill, but he added he is willing to take the issue directly to voters if the Legislature doesnt act. Thats the path Lombardo took after Democrats wholeheartedly rejected a voter identification requirement he proposed during his inaugural state of the state two years ago. A voter ID proposalQuestion 7 on the 2024 General Election ballotwas backed by Lombardo and other prominent Republicans and approved by voters. It will appear again on the ballot next year for final approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, a Democrat from Las Vegas, acknowledged that everybody is frustrated when results are not available on election night, but that the desire for results must be balanced with keeping elections as open and accessible as possible. Cannizzaro pointed to a secretary of state report showing that less than 2% of all mail ballots received for the 2024 general election were received after Election Day. She suggested the state prioritize making sure county election offices have the resources they need. I do not believe that the answer is telling some Nevadans that their vote, despite it being within the bounds of the law, cant be counted because for some reason it didnt make it to the clerks office, Cannizzaro added. Fuzzy math Speaker Yeager said Democrats have some real concerns about the budget proposed by Lombardo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I do not believe that the budget that was proposed was balanced, he said. It looks like ongoing expenditures are more than revenues. The budget that was brought to us actually has a structural deficit. Yeager said lawmakers will have many questions for the governors staff once budget subcommittee hearings begin next week. He pointed to one example involving Campus for Hope, a proposed 20-acre regional homeless complex backed by the gaming industry and funded through a private-public partnership. According to Yeager, the governor is proposing reverting $90 million of a $100 million matching fund setup by the state for that project, but the bill establishing that matching fund does not allow for reversion. As were digging into the budget, were finding a lot of that, he added. The explosion of smoke and ash that erupted from two wildfires was beyond belief. In the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, as the Eaton fire engulfed homes and businesses, a thick blanket of smoke rolled over the horizon, blocking out the sun. The wildfires produced the heaviest smoke and soot the region has seen in recent memory. On Jan. 8, an air monitor in Chinatown about 10 miles downwind of the Eaton fire recorded 483.7 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter, according to preliminary data from the California Air Resources Board. It was the highest hourly reading by an Environmental Protection Agency-sanctioned air monitor in Los Angeles County in more than four years only outmatched by clouds of smoke from Fourth of July fireworks in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Near the coast, the Palisades fire chewed through the Santa Monica Mountains and reduced dream houses with Pacific views to their foundations, sending a jetstream of smoke out to the ocean. As the fire encroached on Pacific Palisades Elementary School, one of Los Angeles Unified School Districts low-cost air monitors recorded 1,100 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter the highest mark since air monitors were installed in 2021. At these levels, this microscopic pollution becomes hazardous. Although the magnitude of the effects of this kind of pollution is still not entirely clear, studies show that it is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and serious lung damage. The specific number of deaths and hospitalizations tied to wildfire smoke often are not well-known until months if not years after these natural disasters. That said, during the region's recent wildfires, fire-related hospital visits spiked 16-fold across Los Angeles County, according to the county Department of Public Health. At its height, on Jan. 8, at least 81 people visited hospitals for burns or smoke exposure. Experts say children are particularly vulnerable, because their still-growing lungs need to take more breaths and are thus more exposed to any given amount of pollution. In 2018, in the two weeks after the Camp Fire in Northern California the worst deadliest in the state's recorded history 76% of children with asthma suffered an asthma attack or flare-up. Asthma-related emergency room visits in the area rose 27% during that time, according to a study from Stanford University and data firm Komodo Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latino children with asthma seemed to suffer the worst; among that particular population, there was a 95% increase in attacks and flare-ups. Asian and Black children also saw significantly higher increases in attacks compared with white children's rates of asthma attacks. Marc Carmichael, who is currently a medical student at Stanford University, says similar disparities could arise in the aftermath of the wildfires in L.A. County. Some of the heaviest pollution from the Eaton fire wafted over Chinatown, Boyle Heights, Compton and Long Beach historically disadvantaged communities that are largely Latino, Asian and Black, who already have endured some of the worst chronic exposure to industrial pollution in the region. Air quality standards aren't going to do anything for these events, Carmichael said. Because these are acute events, you need to have preventive strategies for folks you already know are going to be more vulnerable to adverse consequences. Read more: Fire victims seek answers about rebuilding, cleanup timeline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been 25 confirmed deaths connected to the recent L.A. County wildfires. But researchers suspect that the ensuing smoke wave could contribute to many more. Already, it may have resulted in as many as five deaths in L.A. County, according to an online tool that estimates countywide mortality from wildfire smoke. The experimental model, which analyzes federal air-quality data and satellite imagery, was created by Cornell University researchers, who hope it can help us better understand how smoke affects public health. "It's really hard to know, especially with mortality," said Alistair Hayden, a Cornell assistant professor and former division chief for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. We know it has [potentially fatal] impacts, but it's not showing up on people's death certificates. What people are really interested in when we're looking at this is, is this just a nuisance smoke wave, or is this something that maybe is considered an actual disaster?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other groups also are trying to answer this question. NASA, for example, uses its satellites to assess air pollution, both chronic and during acute events such as what's happened in L.A. County. In addition to smoke and soot, the space agency detected large plumes of harmful gases emanating from the wildfires, including lung-irritating nitrogen dioxide and cancer-causing formaldehyde. My gut feeling from looking at the numbers that I've seen is that it's comparable to other fires, NASA air-quality expert Laura Judd said about the emissions that have plagued L.A. County over the last several days. What might be different is just the footprint the density of people that are there. It is impacting millions of people that are in that region. Some potential good news: Although the smoke was intense at its peak, it was short-lived. Experts say the smoke from other longer-lasting wildfires lingered longer and may have led to more premature deaths than they expect from this case. The wildfire smoke thinned to a gray haze across Los Angeles County over the weekend, and since Monday, strong winds have helped clear out much of the remaining smoke. Read more: What's in the smoke and ash of L.A.-area fires? County issues health warning Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that doesn't mean L.A. County residents are fully in the clear. Now, air-quality concerns are shifting from smoke to ash. The tons of wildfire ash and rubble that blanket many blocks across the county are likely to contain myriad toxic chemicals from fire-ravaged homes and cars, according to experts. The contaminants in the burn scars may pose a threat for years. Since Sunday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued dust advisories, warning that wildfire ash could have been whipped up by strong winds. It is encouraging people across much of L.A. County and neighboring areas to keep windows shut and continue to wear N95 masks outdoors to protect themselves. Although recent air-quality index readings would appear to be safe, officials are cautioning that some wildfire ash is too large to be detected by their instruments and will not be captured by air monitors. Though it's unclear whether there will be long-term contamination from the wildfire, NASA scientists are using plane-mounted sensors to evaluate the fire damage and potentially detect toxic substances in the burn scar. The same type of instrument was used to assess the World Trade Center disaster site after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm hoping to use data like what we acquired from [these sensors] to understand toxicity in these environments and how it changes as the ash gets redistributed through wind and through water flows, said Michael Falkowski, a terrestrial ecology scientist at NASA. The NASA findings could inform what is expected to be a years-long cleanup and recovery. We've known from other fires, like the Marshall fire in Colorado, that these environments are extremely toxic post-fire for a long time,Falkowski said. "But we still have a lot to learn." This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SAN DIEGO (Border Report) A representative with the U.S. Department of Justice says there needs to be stiffer penalties, including longer prison terms, for those caught smuggling people across the border. Ian Martinez Hanna, co-director of Joint Task Force Alpha, also wants the U.S. to work closer with Central American countries, Mexico and Colombia to go after criminal organizations that recruit, organize and smuggle large groups of migrants. Martinez Hanna said prison terms need to be especially longer when it involves injuries or death to a migrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sentences are very light for those trafficking people, he said. Longer sentences would be a deterrent. Nature photographer charged with migrant smuggling As an example, Martinez Hanna used the disappearance of dozens of migrants who were on a boat near Nicaragua. He also pointed to the 50 migrants who died inside a trailer in San Antonio last summer. Boat carrying 40 migrants lost at sea Were trying to get longer sentences longer for the leaders of these smuggling groups, those who work with cartels in Mexico to conduct their human trafficking, Martinez Hanna said. They gain from the migrants suffering, in the last four years, our group has made 345 arrests of national and international human smugglers and 300 of them received sentences longer than 30 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement High value migrants, drugs likely came across border tunnel, expert says He also stated those in charge are rarely punished especially now that cartels are relying more and more on human trafficking because it has a higher profit margin than illicit drugs, which require more investment to produce and transport. These numbers reflect the cruel reality of those coerced by smugglers, those who are forced into the sex trade or become slaves to those who become indentured servants. Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martinez Hanna is hopeful the Justice Department will design and impose stiffer sentencing guidelines for smugglers in the near future. 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. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Heres a look at some of the events scheduled for Thursday, January 16, the third day of the 2025 session of the South Dakota Legislature. The Joint Committee on Appropriations meets at 8 a.m. CT to hear an update on COVID and ARPA funding and then holds budget hearings for the Bureau of Finance and Management, State Investment Council, South Dakota Retirement System, Department of Veterans Affairs, and Department of Military. Other committees will receive briefings from Cabinet officials in the morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Revenue Secretary Michael Houdyshell in House Taxation at 8 a.m. Attorney General Marty Jackley, followed by Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko, in Senate Judiciary at 8 a.m. Game, Fish and Parks Secretary Kevin Robling in House Agriculture and Natural Resources at 8 a.m. Board of Regents, followed by South Dakota Library Association, in Senate Education at 8:30 a.m. Human Services Secretary Shawnie Rechtenbaugh, followed by Health Secretary Melissa Magstadt, in House Health and Human Services at 8:30 a.m. Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts in Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources at 10 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt and Public Safety Secretary Robert Perry in House Transportation at 10 a.m. None of the committees have held bill hearings yet. The House and Senate convene at 2 p.m. CT for first readings of bills and resolutions that will then be assigned to committees for their first hearings. As of Wednesday evening, the House showed 61 bills and three joint resolutions, while the Senate had 75 bills, one concurrent resolution and three joint resolutions. Theyre all listed at https://sdlegislature.gov/Session/Bills/70. 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 KELOLAND.com. LOS ANGELES (AP) Shaw Zhao was worried even before he arrived in Los Angeles last week: His father's neighborhood was in an evacuation zone as deadly wildfires raged in the metropolitan area, and Zhao hadn't heard from the 84-year-old the previous night. As he made his way from the airport to Zhi-feng Zhao's home in the Altadena neighborhood on Jan. 8, he was stopped by police blockades. So he went to a shelter for evacuees, searching every bed for his father's familiar face to no avail. The next day, he got into the neighborhood on foot, walking for an hour with his Lyft driver and the man's wife two strangers who had agreed to help him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Approaching his fathers home, the houses along the entire block were all but gone. A coyote sniffed around the debris where his father's home once stood. When he went to inspect, he was horrified to find his fathers remains. It was very difficult, Zhao said, crying. Zhi-feng Zhao, who was among at least 25 people killed in one of the most destructive natural disasters in Southern California's history, had come to the United States from China in 1989, his son said, speaking partially in Mandarin. His father, who was orphaned as a child and grew up in poverty in China, earned a college degree in math and mechanical engineering. After he immigrated to the U.S., he was unable to continue his academic work in his field because of the language barrier and instead worked in the restaurant business, his son said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaw Zhao said he bought the Altadena home for his parents in 2003. His mother, a local Chinese schoolteacher, died from cancer in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic when she was afraid to go to the hospital because she didn't want to be isolated from her family. Both his parents loved the neighborhood near Pasadena. The ranch-style home had a tree in the yard that produced a bounty of avocados for them and their neighbors every year. He just loved the peace, the fresh air above Altadena, Zhao said of his father, noting that he was an avid hiker, active and strong until his wife passed away. He'd since required the help of a caregiver, who was out of town when the fires started. Numerous older photos of his parents, his mom's extensive stamp collection and sweaters she knit for him before she was diagnosed with cancer were also lost in the fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His dad had told him, Shaw, Mom will leave you. But you will always have something to warm your body. Shaw Zhao plans to take both parents ashes to China, where they have side-by-side burial plots in Shanghai. He also plans to rebuild the home, even though he lives in Portland, Oregon. Zhao said he was close to his father, a smart and talented man who often gave him advice on how to speak up for himself and handle challenges when he was growing up. Whenever he visited Los Angeles, his parents would prepare fish and his other favorite dishes. Even when his father couldnt cook anymore, hed instruct his caregiver to make food or order authentic Shanghainese food from Alhambra, an LA area with a large Chinese population. In his last conversation with his dad the day before he flew to Los Angeles his father carried on that form of love: When will you be here at home? What do you want to eat? Jan. 16Walls of flames, fanned by high winds, roaring across drought-stricken land. That's the scene in Los Angeles now. It also happened in Maine. In late October 1947, massive wildfires swept across the state, leaving a path of destruction unlike anything Mainers had seen before or since. Thousands of untrained volunteers worked alongside firefighters for weeks to battle the fast-moving flames, often with shovels and hand-pump water canisters. By the time the fires were extinguished, they had burned more than 200,000 acres, destroyed 900 year-round and 400 seasonal homes, left 2,500 people homeless and killed 16 others. The fires burned half of Acadia National Park, nearly wiped out nine communities and permanently changed Mount Desert Island and York and Oxford counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Could it happen again? There is always a risk for large-scale fires, particularly during drought periods, but advances in firefighting technology and woodlands management have reduced the likelihood that they would burn out of control like they did in 1947, according to experts. And while Maine has seen changes in the climate that could impact the risk, the conditions here are unlike those in the western United States, where fires including the deadly ones currently burning around Los Angeles are much more likely to spread. A prolonged drought and high winds created the perfect scenario for the fire to spread in 1947, said Kent Nelson, a retired Maine forest ranger specialist. Compounding this were large amounts of fallen timber left in forests by a 1938 hurricane, he said. "Unfortunately, the fire devastation of 1947 could occur again under the right conditions. With climate change contributing to weather extremes, the risk of large-scale wildfires remains," Nelson said. "High winds and low relative humidity remain critical factors." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State climatologist Sean Birkel from the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine said the Northeast region overall is a humid climate "and there's less likelihood of large fires developing compared to the western part of the country, where it is much drier." While Maine's climate is trending toward getting wetter, there have been upticks in reports of wildland fires during years with drought conditions, including 2020, he said. "As the climate warms, we expect to see a continuing trend toward precipitation extremes," he said. "One likely outcome is that we see more intense wet periods and more intense dry periods." THE YEAR MAINE BURNED The spring of 1947 was a wet one in Maine, with continuous rain in April, May and much of June. But through summer and into the fall, the state received only half of its normal rainfall, causing vegetation to become bone dry and water supplies to dwindle. By mid-October, the region was experiencing some of the driest conditions ever recorded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were 50 small fires burning around the state on Oct. 20. By the following day, gale-force winds were fanning fires in York, Oxford and Hancock counties, forcing families to flee their homes. Fire roared into Kennebunkport's Goose Rocks Beach community, forcing people to flee into the water as nearly every building in the area burned to the ground. On Mount Desert Island, fire was reported on Oct. 17 by a woman who saw smoke rising from a cranberry bog. Over the next three days, the fire burned 169 acres. But on Oct. 21, strong winds created an inferno that raged out of control and engulfed more than 2,000 acres. Local firefighters, military personnel and National Park Service staff from across the eastern U.S. rushed to fight the blaze, but it took another week to get it under control. More than 10,000 acres in the park burned that month. By the time rain arrived and the fires had died down, more than 200,000 acres were scorched, including roughly 130,000 acres in York County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHAT'S CHANGED The devastating fires prompted major changes in how Mainers prepare for and respond to wildfires. In the aftermath of the 1947 blazes, many local fire departments raised money to buy modern trucks and equipment. Other towns organized fire departments for the first time. Two years after the fire, Congress created the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact, which allowed all of the New England states and New York to provide mutual aid and equipment to fight forest fires. That was later expanded to include Quebec, New Brunswick and three other Canadian provinces. Amanda Pollock, a spokesperson for Acadia National Park, said staff learned a lot from the 1947 fire, the last one that burned more than 100 acres in the park. One of the most important changes that came from that fire was a partnership with the Maine Forest Service that provides access to important resources like helicopters that can use bucket drops to quickly suppress fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The park staff also focuses on preventive work to reduce risks. That ranges from paying close attention to the daily fire risk to managing a healthy forest that encourages new vegetative growth on the forest floor that is harder to catch fire, Pollock said. CLIMATE CHANGE A FACTOR Ivan Fernandez, co-chair of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of the Maine Climate Council, said Maine does not have the same risk level for fires as California because it has a more humid environment. Maine also now has better management of extensive woodlands, so out-of-control fires without strong suppression systems are less likely now than in 1947, he said. "Nevertheless, the climate is bringing us more rain. But when it's dry, it's drier than it used to be. When it's hot, it's hotter than it used to be," he said. "The risk of ignition in a heavily forested state comes when we have periods of drought." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fernandez said the trends of winters with less snowpack can lead to a drier spring and summer, creating conditions that could lead to a higher risk of fires igniting when vegetation is dried out. "Our conditions are not immune to risky fires," he said. In the fall, the threat of wildfires blanketed multiple New England states because of severe drought conditions. About 74% of Maine was abnormally dry or in moderate drought at the end of October. That meant more wildfires late into the typical fire season throughout the region. Joe Mints, a regional forest ranger and division training officer with the Maine Forest Service, said the forest service is more effective at finding and suppressing fires than it was in 1947 because of advances in technology and training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We find fires faster and we get on them earlier. We have a much more robust set of tools to put them out quickly," he said. In recent years, there has also been a stronger focus on educating homeowners about how to assess their properties to remove vegetation that could fuel fires and create a defensible space around their homes. Still, there's always a chance that fires can break out, Mints said. "The efforts of the local fire department and forest service reduce that likelihood, but there's still always the potential," he said. Copy the Story Link The Los Angeles wildfires that swept across southern California last week destroyed more than 30 historically significant structures, including museums, houses, and religious sites, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit devoted to historic preservation. It is a mass erasure of heritage, said the organizations chief executive, Adrian Scott Fine, according to the Los Angeles Times. We havent seen anything like this before. The former home of actor Will Rogers, located within Will Rogers State Park, the Zorthian Ranch artist colony, and the Andrew McNally House are among the notable properties razed during the wildfires. Notably, Los Angeless famed Getty Center and Getty Villa survived the Palisades Fire mostly unscathed due to protective architectural features. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [The] staff and the collection remain safe, Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J Paul Getty Trust, said in a statement. Museum galleries and library archives were sealed off from smoke by state-of-the-art air-handling systems. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides significant protection for the collections. Other, quirkier museums and archives, however, were less fortunate. The Bunny Museum, which housed thousands of rabbit-related artifacts, was lost. The owners, who plan to rebuild, released a statement to social media January 9 saying that it was not a hoppy day today, but tomorrow will be hoppier. The Theosophical Library Center, which housed more than 40,000 texts on esoteric subjects like mysticism, alchemy, and scientific anomalies, is now permanently closed due to its destruction in the fires, according to the archives official website. Kim Cooper, a co-founder of the Los Angeles-based Esotouric Tours company, described the archive as a representation of Southern Californias world-famous philosophical traditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cultural ideas that formed this visionary Southern California spirituality were kept in the Theosophical Library Center, she told the Los Angeles Times. Click through to see the notable and historic properties that were destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires. Will Rogers State Historic Park Photo: California State Parks The historic home of Will Rogers, once the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, was largely destroyed in the Palisades Fire. Rogers ranch house and the surrounding land served as a California state park for 80 years. While the ranch house burned down, some of the artifacts and all of the horses that lived at the park survived. The Andrew McNally House Photo: Sarah Reingewirtz/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images (Getty Images) The Andrew McNally House, built for the founder of Rand McNally Publishing in 1887, was completely destroyed in the Eaton Fire. The Queen Anne-style house has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2007. Zane Grey Estate Photo: Nathan Simmons/WikiMedia Commons When famed architect Myron Hunt built the Zane Grey Estate in 1907, it was hailed as the first fireproof home in Altadena. It was purchased by Grey, an adventure novelist, in 1920 and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. It was completely destroyed in the Eaton Fire. Zorthian Ranch Photo: Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images (Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Armenian Genocide survivor Jirayr Zorthian constructed his namesake ranch over the course of decades, using salvaged materials, including telephone poles, railroad ties, and construction debris. The 48-acre property served as an artist colony for decades following Zorthians death. All but two of the ranchs buildings were destroyed in the Eaton Fire. The Keeler House Photo: Realtor.com The Keeler House, designed by famed architect Ray Kappe, was completed in 1991. The Modernist-style home went on the market last April for $12 million. The Palisades fire destroyed it completely. Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center Photo: Mario Tama/Getty Images (Getty Images) The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center was completely destroyed in the Eaton Fire, though all the synagogues Torah scrolls were saved from the blaze. The temples congregation was first established in 1923 and construction on the Mission Revival-style building was completed in 1945. Topanga Ranch Motel Photo: Jim Steinfeldt/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images (Getty Images) The Topanga State Park, which included the historic Topanga Ranch Motel, was decimated in the Palisades Fire. The bungalow style-motel, which was constructed in 1929, was completely destroyed, according to California State Parks. Theatre Palisades, Pierson Playhouse Photo: Theater Palisades Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Founded in 1963, Theatre Palisades has served as a Los Angeles community theater for decades. The California Modern-style Pierson Playhouse was completely destroyed in the Palisades Fire. The Bunny Museum Photo: Zhang Shuo/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images (Getty Images) The Bunny Museum, which housed thousands of rabbit-related artifacts, was lost in the Eaton Fire. The owners were able to save some of their most valuable artifacts and their real-life pet rabbits, but lost the bulk of the collection. The Theosophical Library Center Photo: David McNew/Getty Images (Getty Images) The Theosophical Library Center, which housed more than 40,000 texts on esoteric subjects like mysticism, alchemy, and scientific anomalies, is now permanently closed due to its destruction in the Eaton Fire. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. On December 23, the Third Circuit en banc handed Bryan Range an early Christmas present by ruling that despite his decades-old conviction for a false statement to obtain food stamps in violation of Pennsylvania law, he "remains among 'the people' protected by the Second Amendment." Further, "the Government did not carry its burden of showing that the principles underlying our Nation's history and tradition of firearm regulation support disarming Range." The case is Range v. Attorney General. After the Supreme Court in Bruen reinforced the text-history approach to deciding Second Amendment cases, in 2023 the Third Circuit had reached that same result. However, after deciding Rahimi, the Supreme Court granted Merrick Garland's cert petition, vacated the judgment, and remanded the case for further consideration in light of Rahimi. In a decision by Judge Thomas Hardiman, the majority again ruled in favor of Range. It reasoned, first, that the criminal histories of the parties were not at issue in the Supreme Court's previous civil cases Heller, McDonald, and Bruen with their dicta about "law-abiding" persons having the right to bear arms. Second, "the people" also appears in the First and Fourth Amendments, and felons are included. Third, certain groups may be stripped of Second Amendment rights, but limits exist. And fourth, persons may not be deprived of Second Amendment rights because they are not "responsible." The Range court continued that "today, felonies include a wide swath of crimes, some of which seem minor," and that legislatures should not have "unreviewable power to manipulate the Second Amendment by choosing a label." ..... SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) After a three-day jury trial, Shreveport rapper Keyon Frazier, known as Green Eyez, has been found guilty of illegal possession of firearms. Green Eyez is a rapper with songs including Im With All That and Ratchet Life (Freestyle). United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the guilty verdict against Frazier. During the April 15 trial, Shreveport police shared their attempt to stop his vehicle, which ended up crashing into a telephone pole and another car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States District Attorney detailed that inside Fraziers vehicle on the front passenger floor, officers found two firearms, a Glock 17 firearm, and a Glock 45 firearm, along with an expended shell casing stuck within the chamber of the Glock 45. In addition, there was a bullet-size hole found in the front drivers side windshield of the vehicle. WATCH docuseries: Beyond the Headlines Part II: Firearms Impact & Responsibility Officers noted Frazier, who was the sole occupant and driver of the vehicle. In 2020, he was found connected to drug trafficking operations, anointed Operation Hustle City. The Western District of Louisiana found him guilty: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana and two counts of Distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. The U.S. Attorney emphasized that Fraziers prior convictions (aggravated battery and second-degree robbery) prohibited him from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Frazier faces a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing for Frazier is scheduled for May 22, 2025. 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 KTALnews.com. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) On Thursday, Jan. 16, Louisiana is remembering Terrence Kennedy, a victim of the Jan. 1 attack on Bourbon Street. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry declared a period of mourning ordering that all flags over state buildings be flown at half-staff. Louisiana Remembers Nicole Perez Kennedy was one of nine siblings. In a Sunday news conference, Landry said Kennedys sister Jacqueline will remember him as always being comical, loving, and kind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Louisiana State Superintendent Cade Brumley also asked school systems to consider a moment of silence at 9 a.m. during the period of mourning. Louisiana Remembers Reggie Hunter The New Orleans Police Department and the Archdiocese of New Orleans will ring the bells of St. Louis Cathedral every day through Jan. 23, between 12:30 p.m. and 1 p.m. to honor and remember the lives lost and those affected by the terror attack. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 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 WGNO. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Louisiana man accused of killing a therapist was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday, Jan. 16. Terryon Thomas, 20, known as Mr. Prada, was formally charged with first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, aggravated criminal damage to property and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle after being accused of killing 69-year-old William Abraham in September 2024. The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office said Abrahams body was found wrapped in a tarp along a highway on Sept. 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas was reportedly seen driving Abrahams car in Baton Rouge on Sept. 30. An arrest warrant was issued and he was later apprehended in Texas in October. Thomas was initially charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. The second-degree murder charge was upgraded to first-degree because of Abrahams age. 3 men accused of using social media to prey on children arrested in Livingston Parish 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 Louisiana First News. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A Louisiana man accused of killing a therapist is set to appear in front of a grand jury. Terryon Thomas, 20, known as Mr. Prada, faces first-degree murder after being accused of killing 69-year-old William Abraham in September 2024. According to the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriffs Office, Abrahams body was found wrapped in a tarp along a highway on Sept. 29. Thomas was reportedly seen driving Abrahams car in Baton Rouge on Sept. 30. A warrant was issued for Thomas arrest, where he was later apprehended in Dallas, Texas on Oct. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District Attorney Hillar Moore said Thomas was extradited from Dallas to Baton Rouge. Thomas was initially charged with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice. The second-degree murder charge was upgraded to first-degree because of Abrahams age. Moore confirmed Thomas will go before a grand jury on Thursday, Jan. 16. 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 Louisiana First News. Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called a bill proposed in the Republican-led Indiana General Assembly that would explore how Illinois counties could secede and join Indiana "a stunt" that is "not going to happen." The bill, which was unveiled Tuesday as one of the priorities of House Republicans, was filed by House Speaker Todd Huston, the most powerful lawmaker in the House. House Bill 1008 would create the Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission to discuss whether boundaries of the two states can be adjusted to allow Illinois counties to join Indiana. The debate follows November elections where many rural counties in southern and central parts of Illinois voted to explore seceding from the state. The Illinois attorney general has previously expressed skepticism about the ability for counties to do so, and Pritzker voiced the same in a video clip posted to X Wednesday where he slammed the bill and Indiana's quality of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's a stunt. It's not going to happen," Pritzker said in response to a question about the secession bill. "I'll just say Indiana is a low-wage state that doesn't protect workers, a state that does not provide health care for people when they're in need, and so I don't think it's attractive for anybody in Illinois where wages are higher where the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need." Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) responds to the Indiana General Assembly considering a bill to encourage Illinois counties to secede: "Well it's a stunt ... Indiana is a low-wage state that does not protect workers, does not provide health care for people when they're in need. I pic.twitter.com/fLb1FFWLMt Heartland Signal (@HeartlandSignal) January 15, 2025 The debate over the bill shows a clash between states led by two different political parties. Illinois has a Democratic governor in Pritzker and a Democratic-controlled state legislature. Indiana has Republican supermajorities in both chambers of the Statehouse and it's newest Republican governor, Mike Braun, was sworn in Monday. While Pritzker called the bill a "stunt," Huston on Tuesday called it a "serious proposal." "To all of our neighbors in the West, we hear your frustrations and invite you to join us in low-cost, low-tax Indiana," Huston said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IndyStar reporters Hayleigh Colombo and Kayla Dwyer contributed to this story. Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Brittany Carloni at brittany.carloni@indystar.com or 317-779-4468. Follow her on Twitter/X @CarloniBrittany. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker responds to Indiana's secession bill The photo illustration shows a phone screen as American TikTok users pour into the Chinese Social Media Platform Xiaohongshu, which translates as "Red Note." Credit - VCG via Getty Images During a recent layover in Tokyo from China to the U.S., as I was planning the ramen spot I was going to hit and friends I wanted to catch up with, I was stopped by a middle-aged border agent. This is Japan, you need a visa, he said sternly. I knew I didnt need one according to official rules, but I didnt speak Japanese to argue with him. As I turned back, thinking that I had to live like Tom Hanks in The Terminal before my next flight, I searched on Red Note. Thanks to multiple posts by people who had been in the exact same situation, I learned that I had to go to a specific counter by the corner and ask for a shore pass. I was able to enter Japan for 72 hours instead of sleeping on a bench in my 30s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the kind of obscure situation Red Note has saved people out of. Since last weekend, the TikTok refugeesthe American social media users who are flocking to Red Note ahead of the U.S. ban on Sundayare being welcomed with Chinese memes, photos of food, pets, street views, and Taylor Swift lyrics. English-language tutorials are helping them navigate the Chinese app. Although Red Note may now be known as the no.1 free app in the U.S., it has since its inception in 2013 been known as a forum that caters to middle-class Chinese users niche interests and hobbiesa lifestyle guide on dining and travel, and a search engine for questions big and small. Yet the ongoing digital migrationhelped by the #TikTokrefugee hashtag that has amassed 872 million views and 16 million discussions so farwill likely be a unique and short-lived phase. And either Beijing, Washington, or Red Note itself needs to find a solution fast. Read More: Will You Still Be Able to Use TikTok If It's Banned? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From a business perspective, Red Note has achieved something TikTok owner ByteDance has been dreaming of for yearswinning overseas users without trying too hard. In 2020, ByteDance launched a knockoff version, Lemon8, and has paid users to post on it. Yet the app has struggled to retain users. It has recently benefited from the TikTok migration, now ranking at no. 2 on the U.S. app store, but almost all the buzz surrounds Red Note. Why arent more users turning instead to Weibo, Bilibili, Kwai, or indeed, the real Chinese TikTok Douyin? Red Note was initially prototyped in October 2013 by Stanford University graduate Mao Wenchao and Qu Fang as a shopping guide for female consumers. It has now evolved into a lifestyle guru for around 300 million people. The app has a highly educated audience, which includes a large diasporic population who speak fluent English. Because of their shared socio-economic background, the platforms users are keen to provide value and feedback to each other, like how I found help at the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is also the most apolitical social platform in China. On Nov. 16, 2023, the day of Xi Jinpings first visit to the U.S. in years, I analyzed the trending lists on Chinese social media. While lists on other apps were peppered with items like China will be unified and must be unified (Weibo) and Biden shows a 38-year-old photo to Xi Jinping (Douyin), Red Notes users were concerned about the boundary of two married people and white people food. Its not difficult to imagine that even if U.S. users tried other Chinese platforms, they may encounter more nationalism, hostility, or, at best, indifference. For now, the posts I come across on Red Note are mostly about food, pets, and ordinary people. But what happens if political activists decide to use the platform to amplify their voices? And more likely, what happens if American users, who are used to free speech, want to verify the news theyve been hearing about China, on Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, or labor rights? The hodgepodge of Western and Chinese users within the Great Firewall has created unprecedented regulatory problems that have never been dealt with by either China or the U.S. Before Red Note became a thing for Americans, China could simply block an app thats operating on its soil. But what about now? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Wednesday, a Weibo trending item may have spelled out the solution: Red Note is urgently recruiting English content moderators [Chinese]. Chinas censorship has intensified since Xi took office in 2012, with stricter measures like enhanced online real-name verification and the silencing of high-profile voices including economists, law firms, and even stock analysts. Red Notes relatively non-political user base has helped protect it. But in recent years it has increasingly featured emotional stories about economic struggles, published content banned by state media, and played host to posts that criticized Chinese officials and the government. The recent flood of American users to Red Note may push Beijing to pay more attention to the app. Indeed, Chinas censorship has routinely evolved with the times. While in middle school in the early 2000s, I sent out five postcards to Ohio as part of a cultural exchange program and only received one back. Part of me always wondered if my government seized them. In 2008, I was excited to follow American Idol contestants on Facebook. But that faded a year later when Beijing blocked the platform. And in 2021, I was almost sleepless when Clubhouse was live in mainland China, when many Chinese users were discussing political issues freely. That freedom lasted a mere two weeks. While the U.S. TikTok ban and censorship in China are inescapable facts, people always find a way to connectif not for on TikTok or Red Note, then somewhere else. Contact us at letters@time.com. Volunteers from Paws Patrol, a local animal search and rescue organization, found this female bulldog in August, dead and abandoned in a crate near Lake Mead. (Photo courtesy Paws Patrol) An ordinance passed Wednesday intended to curb the rash of animal abandonment cases in Southern Nevada in recent years is unlikely to result in more citations, a city official told the Las Vegas City Council, but advocates hope the threat of a $1,000 fine will act as a deterrent to those considering abandoning a pet. A second ordinance passed Wednesday, aimed at preventing animal hoarding, limits the number of animals a pet store can sell to an individual or household in a year to six dogs and six cats the number allowed to be possessed. The City of Las Vegas is the only municipality in Southern Nevada that allows the sale of pets from stores, except Henderson, where sales are permitted at three existing stores. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The anti-abandonment ordinance, sponsored by Councilwoman Victoria Seaman, is largely in response to the high-profile case of Reba, a bulldog who died of heat stroke days after she was found in a sealed tote behind a business in late July. The vast majority of abandoned animals, however, are never found, say the rescuers who spend countless hours searching for dogs and cats spotted roaming or hiding in remote locations that lack lighting and cameras, such as Lake Mead, Red Rock, and Mount Charleston. In July 2023, hiker Alexandra Cortez and her boyfriend were on their way to Mt. Charleston when they saw a man push something out of his truck and speed off. They turned around to discover a pitbull and eight newborn puppies dumped on the burning desert floor. Shelter experts in Southern Nevada suggest about 20% of dogs in their care have been abandoned at a home as a result of foreclosure or eviction, in a public space such as a park, or by someone identified via microchip who refuses to claim the dog. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City of Las Vegas issued eight citations to 11 individuals for abandonment in 2024. Most of the cases involve animals left in residences. Its a very difficult one for us to get sufficient evidence, Las Vegas Dept. of Public Safety official Rudy Tovar told the council, noting that owners identified via microchip records claim to have sold the animal or given it away. I dont expect to see an increase in my caseloads. How does a $1,000 fine deter people from abandoning their pets? Mayor Shelley Berkley asked Tovar. Unfortunately, Madam Mayor, I do not have an answer for that question, because Im not certain whether $1,000 is going to actually make someone not abandon their pet, Tovar responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berkley voiced preference for a fine exceeding $1,000. Whats happening is nothing short of disgusting, she said. The city is limited by state law to imposing a $1,000 fine but could seek legislative approval for a higher amount. Animal advocates, who recounted routinely finding live and dead pets on highways, in garbage cans, and tied to poles in parks, suggest the government-funded Animal Foundations previous policy of requiring appointments months in advance for those seeking to relinquish unwanted animals is responsible, at least in part, for an increase in abandoned animals. In July 2023, a person who was turned away while attempting to relinquish three dogs at the Animal Foundation left the dogs in a carrier in the parking lot. The individual, while rushing to leave, ran over one of the dogs that had escaped from the carrier and ran after the owner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gina Greisen of Nevada Voters for Animals cited the need for strong laws on the books to send a message that were not going to tolerate this. But at the same time, we need to make sure that we have resources in place for people who get in situations, and need to surrender their animal. Community Cat Angels, which takes in only abandoned animals, spent $174,000 in 2024 caring for these discarded animals, volunteer Debra Mitchell told the council. Now that the city is enforcing the shelter contract and our shelter is once again an open admission facility, there is no excuse for animal abandonment. The second ordinance passed Wednesday was in response to the discovery last April of close to 200 dogs, birds, and guinea pigs in a home, hotel room, and vehicle belonging to Timothy Miller and Carolyn Luke. 128 were alive. 66 were dead, said Greisen, who followed Luke and Miller from their home near Summerlin to Boulder City, where they were pulled over by police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than a dozen guinea pigs were hidden in the car, police discovered. They were stuffed in buckets and had clothes on top of them, Greisen told the council, adding she obtained a seven-page list of animals purchased by Luke and Miller at a Petland within the city limits since 2018. She suggested to the council that businesses that knowingly sell an abundance of animals to the same individuals be subject to criminal charges. The ordinance requires pet stores to document animal purchases and report to the city quarterly. Luke and Miller each face 16 felony charges, however their cases remain in Las Vegas Justice Court nine months after their arrests. District Attorney Steve Wolfson did not respond to a request for comment on the cases. Court records indicate negotiations have been underway since October. Wolfson, who called for stiffer penalties against animal abusers following the arrest of suspects in the case of Reba the bulldog, routinely negotiates cases involving abuse and neglect, often resulting in probation, the Current reported last month. CHICAGO A Chicago contractor accused of scamming elderly homeowners out of millions of dollars learned his sentence Thursday in federal court. Mark Diamond, who pleaded guilty to a federal charge of wire fraud affecting a financial institution in May, was sentenced to 205 months, equal to 17 years in federal prison. Diamond signed an agreement stating that he is, in fact, guilty of a scheme to defraud and to obtain money. Prosecutors said the 67-year-old targeted elderly African American homeowners amid a massive home repair and reverse mortgage scheme. Diamond addressed the court at his sentencing Thursday, saying: If I could turn back the hands of time and change it, I would. But I cant. All I can say is, Im sorry.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mortgage scam artist admits to conning older Chicago homeowners Prosecutors suspect at least 80 people fell victim to Diamonds scheme, which prosecutors say preyed on some of the citys most vulnerable residents, resulting in at least $6 million in losses. Barbara Quintero-Baileys mother lost her home in foreclosure after Diamond tricked her into signing a reverse mortgage, leaving her family emotionally and financially distressed. Finally, this is closure, she said. He is going to jail. Quintero-Bailey added: There is no sentence that he could give to Mark Diamond that would ever suffice the hurt and pain he put us through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Side community activist Rev. Robin Hoods aunt was also one of Diamonds victims. Hood said he had been fighting for justice for 10 years. Mark Diamond took predator to another level for me, Hood said. I dont believe he has any remorse. WGN News has followed the story for a decade, first uncovering the scheme in 2015. WGNs extensive reporting was also used as evidence in court. Prosecutors allege that Diamond worked with four others to carry out the fraud. All four have previously pleaded guilty and are currently awaiting sentencing. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines US District Judge Franklin Valderrama issued Thursdays sentence, telling Diamond, Buying a home is part of the American Dream. You, Mr. Diamond, turned that dream into a nightmare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WGN-TV. French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a political solution to the Israel-Hamas conflict following Qatar's announcement of a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. Macron stressed the importance of ensuring that the ceasefire is respected, emphasizing the huge relief for the people of Gaza and hope for hostages and their families after 15 months of what he described as "unjustifiable ordeal." The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the ceasefire must be implemented and maintained, and must lead to the release of all hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministy also demanded urgent action to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and immediate commencement of reconstruction efforts. France also called on supporters of both Israel and Palestine to use the ceasefire as an opportunity to work towards a two-state solution, ensuring security for both Israelis and Palestinians. This, according to France, is the only way to achieve a just and lasting peace. As nominees for a cabinet position prepare for the Senate confirmation process, its common practice for them to have an experienced point person to help serve as a guide. When Donald Trump announced that John Ratcliffe would be his choice to lead the CIA, for example, Michael Allen, a longtime Republican national security expert, joined Ratcliffes team. That partnership, however, did not last: Allen was recently ousted, not because of his job performance but reportedly because Trumps operation learned that Allen had held a campaign fundraiser for Liz Cheney and for the president-elects team, that was apparently a dealbreaker. Around the same time, Trump was weighing a position for Republican lawyer William Levi, who was the subject of some skepticism among people close to the president-elect. In the first Trump administration, The New York Times reported, Levi served as the chief of staff to Attorney General William P. Barr, who is now viewed as a traitor by Mr. Trump for refusing to go along with his efforts to overturn his loss in the 2020 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, added, [Levis] bid for a permanent position has been stymied by Mr. Trumps advisers who are vetting personnel for loyalty. The developments left many observers with the impression that Trump and his team had effectively drawn up an intraparty blacklist of sorts, filled with Republicans who are held in such low regard that those who worked with them are necessarily tarnished in the eyes of the president-elect. Its against this backdrop that Trump has abandoned all subtlety on the point. The Hill reported: President-elect Trump on Wednesday said he would not consider individuals affiliated with a host of Republican rivals and critics for jobs in his incoming administration, singling out former Vice President Mike Pence, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), among others. In an item published to his social media platform, the incoming president wrote that it would save time, money, and effort if people agreed not to send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by Americans for Prosperity, former White House National Security Advisor John Bolton, Haley, Pence, former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney, Liz Cheney, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley or either of his first-term defense secretaries, James Mattis and Mark Esper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For context, many of these individuals were listed with juvenile taunts and nicknames. (Bolton was described as dumb as a rock; Haley was labeled birdbrain; Liz Cheney was called a psycho; Trump questioned whether Milley was an actual general, etc.) The president-elect didnt just say that these individuals were not welcome in his administration, he added that anyone who worked with them will be blocked from executive branch employment, too. It reflects a rather twisted approach to partisan loyalty: If you worked with Republicans that Trump tapped for powerful positions, you need not apply for positions on Trumps incoming team. It doesnt matter if youre qualified. It doesnt matter if youre experienced. It doesnt matter if youre a lifelong Republican who backed Trumps candidacy. It doesnt matter if Americans would benefit from your public service. What matters is whether youre associated with a Republican whom Trump considers insufficiently loyal to him personally. Theres never been a presidential public statement quite like this one. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Watching Pam Bondis confirmation hearing was an exasperating experience for a great many reasons, though it offered a peek into an alternate version of reality with little resemblance to our own. To hear the prospective attorney general nominee and the Senate Judiciary Committees Republican members tell it, the Justice Department has been corrupted. In fact, they targeted federal enforcement as if it were incontrovertibly true that Main Justice had been weaponized, politicized and turned into a partisan tool. None of these claims, presented to the public in matter-of-fact ways, was true. University of Michigan law professor Barbara McQuade, a former U.S. Attorney and an MSNBC legal analyst, went so far as to characterize the GOPs Justice Department smears as garbage, adding that Republicans couldnt possibly believe what they were saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was one lie in particular, however, that stood out. In his opening statement, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley clung to one of his partys favorite myths. The Iowa Republican, reading from a prepared text, declared: Let us not forget some of the other flagrant abuses of power that weve seen from the DOJ and the FBI over the last four years. ... The FBI opened dozens of investigations into parents who voiced their concerns at school board meetings regarding curriculum choices and COVID-19 mandates. As the proceedings continued, both the prospective nominee and other GOP senators echoed the anecdote as if it were true. Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop, Bondi testified. Around the same time, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah claimed that the Justice Department was guilty of branding parents as domestic terrorists. Republicans have spent recent years pretending that their myth about school board meetings is true. Its not, and NBC News debunked it again during Bondis confirmation hearing. But no matter how many times GOP officials are presented with the truth, they continue to prefer their alternate version of reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memo ordering federal law enforcement officials to meet with local authorities around the country to facilitate the discussion of strategies for addressing threats against education personnel after a number of protests, attacks on social media and other actions targeting school officials over Covid policies, school curriculum, critical race theory and other issues. ... Garlands memo specified concerns about illegal threats and harassment; it never equated parents to domestic terrorists. Ultimately, the FBI never investigated, arrested or charged a single parent in connection with school board meetings. Similarly, FBI has explained in writing that Director Christopher Wray and other agency officials have stated clearly on numerous occasions before Congress and elsewhere, the FBI has never been in the business of investigating speech or policing speech at school board meetings or anywhere else, and we never will be. Our focus is and always will be on protecting people from violence and threats of violence. We are fully committed to preserving and protecting First Amendment rights including the right to free speech. Whats more, lets not forget that House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan launched an investigation into this myth not surprisingly, the Ohio Republican found nothing and a group of conservative activists even filed a lawsuit related to the myth, which was thrown out of court for being foolish. And yet, in GOP circles it remains an article of faith that the myth is true. A party thats become dependent on rewriting recent history keeps asking Americans to believe their made-up narrative. What the party appears reluctant to consider, however, is the resulting question: If the Justice Department under Attorney General Merrick Garland and President Joe Biden is so genuinely awful, shouldnt Republicans be able to make a reality-based case against it? This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Todays edition of quick hits. * In the Middle East: Israels Cabinet will meet tomorrow to vote on the ceasefire and hostage release deal with Hamas, after claiming a delay was due to Hamas creating a last-minute crisis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office did not elaborate on what the issue was. * Some progress in California: Santa Ana winds have died down across the Greater Los Angeles area, helping firefighters bring almost 40,000 acres of ongoing wildfires under control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * I found it fascinating that Biden used his farewell address to, among other things, deliver some pointed warnings about the near future: President Joe Bidens farewell address Wednesday came with a series of warnings for the future of the country, among them that a rising oligarchy taking shape threatens American democracy. * A case weve been following: Rudy Giuliani has reached a settlement agreement with the former Georgia election workers he owed almost $150 million to, according to a court filing Thursday. * Musk, Bezos and Zuckerberg will have some company on the inaugural platform: TikTok CEO Shou Chew has been invited to and is expected to attend President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration Monday, according to three sources familiar with the matter, two of whom are Trump transition officials. Chew was invited by the president-elects team and will sit on the dais in front of the Capitol where Trump will be sworn in as president. * Trade Policy 101: Tariffs lead to retaliatory tariffs: The Canadian government is preparing billions of dollars in retaliatory measures on U.S. exports to Canada if President-elect Donald J. Trump makes good on a threat to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, setting up a potential showdown between two countries that are each others largest trading partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Quite a scene in Atlanta: A Georgia state senator who was previously banned from the state House chamber was arrested Thursday when he tried to enter the chamber for the governors state of the state speech and got into a shoving match with House employees. State Sen. Colton Moore, a Republican from Trenton, is among the chambers most right-wing members. He signaled Wednesday that he would seek a showdown when he called House Speaker Jon Burns, a fellow Republican, a tyrant on social media. * As someone who has long loved the Post, its hard not to worry about its future: After Donald J. Trump entered the White House in 2017, The Washington Post adopted a slogan that underscored the newspapers traditional role as a government watchdog: Democracy Dies in Darkness. This week, as Mr. Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, the newspaper debuted a mission statement that evokes a more expansive view of The Posts journalism, without death or darkness: Riveting Storytelling for All of America. See you tomorrow. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com At least so far, only one of Donald Trumps cabinet choices has collapsed in the face of bipartisan opposition: Former Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida was chosen to lead the Justice Department, only to withdraw from consideration eight days later. Its possible, however, that former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, the president-elects choice to serve as director of national intelligence, might yet meet a similar fate. About a month ago, The Hill reported that the Hawaiian had struggled during her meetings with unimpressed senators. One GOP senator went so far as to say that there have been a lot of eyerolls from members whod sat down for meetings with Gabbard. (Neither MSNBC nor NBC News independently confirmed The Hills report, though NBC News did report that she was confronting some opposition from Senate Republicans.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A month later, her problems apparently persist. The Wall Street Journal reported this week on some Senate Republicans leaving recent meetings with reservations about her qualifications. In her meeting with Sen. James Lankford (R., Okla.), Gabbard couldnt clearly articulate what the role of director of national intelligence entails, two Senate Republican aides and a Trump transition official said. When she met with Sen. Mike Rounds (R., S.D.), Gabbard seemed confused about a key U.S. national-security surveillance power, a top legislative priority for nearly every member on the Senate Intelligence Committee, conflating it with other issues, the aides said. The same report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC or NBC News, added that Rounds asked the prospective nominee how she would handle specific elements of the DNI position. According to the Journal, Gabbard said she would have to wait to see when she gets there. There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the former congresswomans prospective nomination. Gabbard has little background in intelligence work; shes been accused of repeatedly echoing propaganda spread by Russia; she repeatedly defended Bashar al-Assads Syrian regime; and shes been condemned by former national security officials. In case that werent quite enough, foreign officials have reportedly expressed concern about sharing sensitive intelligence with the United States government if shes confirmed. With this in mind, it would appear Gabbard has a high hurdle to clear to demonstrate to senators that shes up to the job and her ongoing efforts arent exactly wowing anyone on Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That said, Senate Republicans might very well vote to confirm her anyway not because shes qualified, but because Trump wants and expects them to. Oklahomas Lankford, for example, reportedly heard Gabbard struggle while talking about what the DNI actually does, but the senator nevertheless appeared on NBC News Meet the Press this past weekend and said he intends to support her prospective nomination. If Senate Democrats are united in opposition to Gabbard, it will take four Senate Republicans to block her confirmation. To date, only one GOP senator Utahs John Curtis has expressed public skepticism about Gabbard. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Traditionally, congressional leaders in both parties have seen the House Intelligence Committee as one of Capitol Hills most serious and apolitical bodies. Those norms are rapidly being trashed by contemporary House Republicans. Around this time two years ago, for example, House GOP leaders, in an unprecedented move, kicked two Democratic members off the intelligence panel in an unnecessary and brazenly partisan display. A year later, House Speaker Mike Johnson tapped two of his most right-wing members for the committee, generating bipartisan pushback. When the Louisiana Republican was pressed for an explanation, Johnson reportedly told his members that the appointments came at the behest of Donald Trump, who wanted unqualified MAGA loyalists on the powerful panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its against this backdrop that the beleaguered speaker made yet another highly provocative move on the panel formally known as the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. NBC News reported: Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has informed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, that he will no longer be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, according to a GOP leadership source and a Republican lawmaker familiar with the matter. The lawmaker said Turner told him Wednesday that he would not be staying on as head of the critical panel that conducts oversight of the U.S. intelligence community. Turner confirmed in a written statement that hed been stripped of his intelligence committee gavel, though the Ohioan did not explain why, exactly, hed been demoted. Similarly, the House speaker also struggled to explain the motivation for the unexpected decision. Johnson told reporters he considers himself a Mike Turner fan, celebrated Turner for having done a great job and performing valiantly, adding, I have nothing but positive things to say about my friend and colleague. But if the speaker is so enthusiastic in his support for Turner, why end his chairmanship? We just need fresh horses, Johnson said, adding that Trump was not involved in the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres reason to be skeptical about that assertion and not just because Johnson failed to make similar moves with other committees. Turner told CBS News that the speaker cited concerns from Mar-a-Lago when explaining why hed no longer serve as the Intelligence Committee chair. Several major news organizations, including The New York Times, published related reports. If those reports are accurate, they lead to a rather obvious question: Why would the president-elect oppose Turner staying on as the chair of the intelligence panel? To understand Trumps possible motivation, consider this paragraph from the Times report: Mr. Turner, a mainstream conservative who has represented southwestern Ohio in the House for more than two decades, has at times been critical of Mr. Trumps actions. He broke with the majority of his party on Jan. 6, 2021, and voted to certify Joseph R. Biden Jr.s 2020 election. He has also been a leading proponent of supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia, breaking with the America First stance of the president-elect and many others in his party. Indeed, its probably fair to say that among House Republicans, Turner is among the most enthusiastic supporters of backing Ukraine in its war against Russia, and the Ohioan has championed the NATO alliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of which suggests theres no great mystery as to why there were reportedly concerns from Mar-a-Lago about Turners work. Stepping back, however, an unsettling picture appears to be coming into focus. If the reports are true and Trump was involved with ousting the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, were dealing with a dynamic without modern precedent: House speakers have never taken direction from the White House about who should and should not serve as committee chairs. In 2014, I referred to John Boehner as the Speaker in Name Only because the then-GOP leader struggled to get his own members to follow his directives, leaving him effectively powerless when trying to legislate. More than a decade later, as Johnson owes his tenure to the president-elect, theres reason to believe the SINO title is poised to make a comeback. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com CHICAGO Lawyers for former House Speaker Michael Madigan formally rested their case before the jury on Thursday after calling 12 witnesses, most notably Madigan himself. Prosecutors plan to put on a short rebuttal case before closing the evidence phase of the trial, which began back in October. In a sign of how disjointed the landmark trial has been at times, Madigans attorneys started calling witnesses nearly a month ago Dec. 19 but there have been only six days of testimony since. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The jury was told to return Thursday morning so lawyers could argue over outstanding issues, but in what has become routine in the complicated case, those arguments went overtime. Attorneys sparred for nearly two hours about loose ends including jury instructions and proposed evidence in the prosecutions rebuttal case. A further delay was incurred after the FBI, at the request of Madigans attorneys, sent out for a box of investigative notes at its headquarters on West Roosevelt Road for possible use during cross-examination of an agent. The judge at one point proposed sending the jury to an early lunch, but that plan was scrapped. Madigans co-defendant, Michael McClain, whose presence was waived, arrived in the middle of the discussions, and his lawyer asked for the record to reflect he was in court. Yes, the record should reflect hes barely missed anything at all, U.S. District Judge John Robert Blakey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blakey has told the jury that closing arguments in the case will likely begin on Wednesday and go for three full days. Deliberations would likely begin in earnest the week of Jan. 27. The jury will have to consider three months worth of evidence and sort through more than 100 pages of complex jury instructions before rendering a verdict. The final in-court witness for the defense was Heather Wier Vaught, Madigans onetime top legal counsel, who testified Wednesday that key legislation being pushed by ComEd and AT&T came amid a political war with then-Gov. Bruce Rauner and only passed after months of negotiations and compromise. But Wier Vaught, who worked for the speakers office for more than a decade and rose to be the offices top lawyer, was also cross-examined about her loyalty to Madigan and efforts to circle the wagons after the investigation into the speakers operation went public with a series of FBI raids in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also Wedensday, the jury learned that if he were called to testify, Gov. JB Pritzker would say he has no recollection of a purported meeting with Madigan shortly after Pritzkers election in 2018, or any discussion of Daniel Solis, the alderman-turned-FBI mole, getting a lucrative state board seat or his daughter getting other work. If called as a witness, Gov. JB Pritzker would testify that he does not recall meeting with Michael Madigan on Dec. 4, 2018, and he does not recall Madigan ever discussing or recommending Daniel Solis or Maya Solis, either orally or in writing, for any position on a state board or commission, stated a defense stipulation read into the record. That echoes a statement put out by Pritzkers camp on the day Madigan was indicted nearly three years ago, saying hed agreed to an interview with the feds, but does not recall Madigan ever asking him to consider Solis for any position, and that the administration has no record of the alleged recommendation. Over the course of their case, Madigans team also called several other staffers, including David Ellis, Justin Cox, and Craig Willert, as well as his former law partner, Vincent Bud Getzendanner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But by far the most pivotal defense witness was Madigan himself, who, in a move that shocked Illinois political circles, as well as most court watchers and experts, took the witness stand last week to testify in his own defense. Madigan painted a portrait of himself as a hard working man of integrity, and a consensus-builder who encourages input from multiple channels before making a decision. He also told the jury repeatedly and emphatically under oath he is innocent of allegations that he betrayed his public office and traded official action for legal work and lucrative contracts for his associates. But his testimony also opened the door to evidence that the judge had previously barred prosecutors from raising, including a potentially damaging wiretapped call where Madigan and his longtime confidant, Michael McClain, shared a laugh over how much money some of their associates had made for very little work. Some of these guys made out like bandits, Mike, Madigan told McClain on the call, which was played for the jury during Madigans cross-examination earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats you laughing, sir, isnt it? Assistant U.S. Attorney Amarjeet Bhachu asked the former speaker, who acknowledged it was. Madigan, 82, a Southwest Side Democrat, and McClain, 77, of downstate Quincy, are charged in a 23-count indictment alleging that Madigans vaunted state and political operations were run like a criminal enterprise to increase his power and enrich himself and his associates. In addition to alleging bribery schemes involving ComEd and AT&T Illinois, the indictment accuses Madigan of pressuring developers to hire the speakers law firm and trying to win business by secretly supporting legislation to transfer state-owned land in Chinatown to the city so developers could build a high-rise. ____ More than a dozen countries across North, Central and South America have condemned the swearing-in of Venezuela's authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro for a third term, following an election marred by allegations of fraud. "We call on the dictatorial regime to restore democratic order and facilitate a peaceful transfer of power that respects the will of the people expressed in the elections," they said in a joint statement shared on X late Wednesday. The document was signed by the delegations to the Organization of American States (OAS) from Argentina, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, the United States, Jamaica, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and the Dominican Republic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The OAS comprises more than 30 member nations. Maduro was sworn in last Friday to serve until 2031. His re-election in July 2024 has been clouded by controversy, as the government failed to release detailed election results. In contrast, the opposition claims its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, won the election. To substantiate their claim, they presented results for approximately 80% of polling stations. The US, Canada and several Latin American countries have recognized Gonzalez as the legitimate winner. As of December, more than 13,000 Mainers received discounted phone and/or internet service through the Universal Service Fund. (Photo by Getty Images) Maine joined 21 other states in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to save a program designed to make telephone service and internet access affordable for low-income, rural and tribal residents. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey and Public Advocate William Harwood signed an amicus brief filed Thursday that asks the nations highest court to reverse a lower court judgement that found the Universal Service Fund unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fund in question was established through the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and has since provided significant financial support for Mainers, according to a news release from the Maine Office of the Public Advocate. The loss of this federal funding, which has been in place for nearly 30 years, would be a devastating blow to the availability and affordability of the telecommunications services needed by low-income Mainers, said Andrew Landry, deputy public advocate for Maine. As of December, more than 13,000 Mainers received discounted phone and/or internet service through this program. In total, more than $120 million has been dispersed since 2004 to help residents get phones and phone and internet services. Maine health care providers, schools and libraries have received a combined total of more than $32.2 million to provide broadband and internet connections to rural patients and about 950 schools and libraries statewide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission, the fund is administered by the independent nonprofit Universal Service Administrative Company. The nonprofit collects fees from telecommunications providers wireline, wireless and satellite companies to create the fund. Then, companies who provide discounted phone and internet services can apply for reimbursements from that fund to cover the discounts. However, last July, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit narrowly decided that the Universal Service Fee is unconstitutional because through it Congress delegated its exclusive taxing power to the Federal Communications Commission and the Universal Service Administrative Company. Last fall, the FCC successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to reverse the judgement. Numerous parties have filed briefs in the case. Maine is joined in its brief by Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Jan. 16Maine's highest court has rejected a man's appeal that argued he's immune from prosecution under Maine's Good Samaritan law. First enacted in 2019, the law was created to encourage people to call for help when they believe someone has overdosed, by providing immunity from drug-related arrests and prosecution. The law has been updated more than once, most recently in 2024 to exclude immunity for people charged with operating under the influence. But two years before that update, a woman noticed a car had been pulled over near a highway exit for a couple of hours. She called police and told an officer that she was concerned about a "medical event." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police believed the driver, Billy Beaulieu, was under the influence and charged him with OUI. Beaulieu pleaded not guilty in October 2023, and then asked that his case be dismissed because he believed the Good Samaritan law applied to his situation. Beaulieu's attorney argued that a stranger had called for help out of concern for his wellbeing, and suggested that if the case wasn't dismissed, it might deter others from calling for help. The Maine Supreme Judicial Court disagreed. In a ruling issued Tuesday, the justices said the phrase "medical emergency" wasn't specific enough to imply the woman suspected Beaulieu of overdosing. "Whether or not Beaulieu actually experienced an overdose, the witness's request that the police check on Beaulieu's vehicle was based on her suspicion of a 'medical event,' a term that encompasses far too wide a range of circumstances to satisfy the threshold requirement for immunity that the call be for a suspected drug overdose," the justices wrote. "No reasonable interpretation of 'medical event' supports Beaulieu's argument that it necessarily refers to a drug overdose." Copy the Story Link Jan. 15Maine's congressional delegation welcomed news of a ceasefire agreement in the Israel-Hamas war Wednesday, saying it's a good first step that will bring hostages home and end the conflict, at least temporarily. President Joe Biden and other officials announced Wednesday that the two sides have reached a 42-day agreement that includes the release of hostages and Israeli forces withdrawing from more populated areas in Gaza. The agreement, which is not finalized, is likely to offer respite from a conflict that began in October 2023 and has resulted in the deaths of an estimated 47,000 Palestinians and 2,000 Israelis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today's ceasefire and hostage agreement is a welcome announcement. ... While there is much about the agreement and the future that we do not yet know, what we do know is that the tragedy of October 7 can never be allowed to occur again," Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said, emphasizing her support for Israel in the statement emailed by her office. Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, said in a statement Wednesday that the first stage of the agreement calls for an immediate ceasefire, a surge of aid to Gaza and the release of 33 women, children and elderly currently held hostage by Hamas. Golden said those are all "good first steps." "I look forward to the implementation of a final agreement that ensures that all remaining hostages are returned home to their families and that Hamas lays down the weapons it took up when it started this conflict," he said. "If Hamas abides by the terms of such an agreement, I believe there can be a path towards a more lasting peace in the region." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, also was relieved to hear of the agreement. "This could not have been achieved without tireless diplomatic efforts to bring both parties to the table, and I am grateful the Biden Administration got this agreement across the finish line before leaving office," Pingree said in a statement. "There is still a lot of uncertainty; the Israeli Cabinet needs to approve the deal, hostages need to be released, and humanitarian aid needs to pour into Gaza. I remain cautiously optimistic, but this is a promising step forward." Independent Sen. Angus King is "cautiously optimistic on the overall contours of the agreement and is in the process of reviewing the details," his office said in a written statement Wednesday night. Staff Writer Daniel Kool contributed to this report. Copy the Story Link Jan. 15Howard County Police are investigating a fatal shooting in Oakland Mills in East Columbia, the department said late Tuesday night in a statement. At approximately 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 6000 block of Helen Dorsey Way for a suspicious circumstances call and located a male victim with at least one gunshot wound in the driver's seat of a parked vehicle, police said. The victim, who has yet to be identified, was pronounced dead at the scene. The time the shooting occurred remains under investigation. Preliminarily, the incident does not appear to be random, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call 911. A 55-year-old Ventura County man is out of jail after being arrested for alleged lewd acts inside a high school girls locker room and authorities believe there may be additional victims, officials announced Wednesday. The Jan. 13 incident unfolded at Newbury Park High School after the victim, only identified as a 15-year-old female student and resident of Thousand Oaks, reported that an unidentified man had been inside the girls locker room and performed an unspecified lewd act in her presence, a news release from the Ventura County Sheriffs Office stated. The sheriffs offices East County Sexual Assault Unit launched an investigation at the school, located at 456 Reino Road in Newbury Park, along with school administrators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriffs investigators were able to identify the suspect, James Arthur Silver, authorities said. Silver was later located and arrested for Lewd Conduct. Newbury Park High School. (Google Maps) It is unclear how the 55-year-old was able to access the girls locker room, whether he might be employed by the school, has a child that attends the school or trespassed onto the campus. Pasadena native paid off mortgage day before Eaton Fire consumed home Silver was booked into the Ventura County East Sheriffs Jail and later released. He is due to appear in court in March, officials said. Due to the nature of this investigation, detectives believe there may be additional victims or witnesses and encourage anyone with information to contact the Sheriffs East County Sexual Assault Unit Sergeant Ray Dominguez at 805-371-8392. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those wishing to remain anonymous can call the L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers Hotline at 800-222-8477 or leave tips online at www.lacrimestoppers.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 KTLA. PENN FOREST TWP., CARBON COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) A man is facing charges after police say he was part of a crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, then stole a car to flee the scene. On January 15, Pennsylvania State Police were called to a two-vehicle crash on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, mile marker 86.3 southbound in Penn Forrest Township. Police say one of the drivers involved, later identified as Albert Abuchaibe, 38 from Wyalusing, fled from the crash on foot and then physically removed a woman from her vehicle at a gas pump at the Hickory Run Service Plaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victim identified after deadly rental party shooting Troopers said they tried to stop the vehicle, but Abuchaibe refused. An induced stop was done causing the car to be disabled. Abuchaibe was arrested and charged with the following; Robbery Assault Fleeing and eluding a police officer DUI He was taken to the Carbon County Correctional Facility on $500,000 straight bail. 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 PAhomepage.com. MARSHFIELD, Mo. A New York man has been indicted on several crimes involving bank fraud and identity theft. According to court records, on Jan. 14, David Hill, 54, was indicted on conspiracy, bank fraud, attempted bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. David Hill. Courtesy: Wright County Sheriffs Office As early as Aug. 21, 2023, Hill was contacted by an individual named Sean who offered him an opportunity to make money by using fraudulent identification to withdraw money from several victims bank accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sean provided fake identification with Hills picture on it and transportation to the various banks. Hill would allegedly memorize the social security number, date of birth, and address of the person he was impersonating. Hill would then withdraw a specific amount, make cashier checks with the stolen identity, and split it with his driver, the fake ID creators, Sean and himself. Hill is accused of defrauding over $490,000 from banks in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri. On Jan. 11, 2024, Marshfield Police arrested Hill while he was attempting to use fake identification to withdraw money at the Arvest Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. A Highland Park man has been charged with reckless driving causing death after a Jan. 8 crash that killed a Wayne State University employee who was walking on campus. Antoine Lamar Bradley, 31, is accused of speeding down Woodward Avenue and disregarding a traffic signal before striking 42-year-old Sharif AliDinar, who was fatally injured, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office. The crash occurred around 8:40 a.m., at the intersection of Woodward and Warren. Wayne State police were called to the scene and found the victim unresponsive on nearby grass with a head injury, according to the prosecutor's office. Paramedics arrived and pronounced AliDinar dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Wayne State employee fatally struck by vehicle during crash in Detroit AliDinar, a Wayne State graduate with a bachelor's in business administration, joined the university in 2009. He worked as a financial aid officer at the university's School of Medicine. A photo of Sharif AliDinar taken from Wayne State University's School of Medicine Office of Enrollment Management page. "Sharif was known for his professionalism, dedication and strong work ethic," WSU's president, Kimberly Andrews Espy, said in a university announcement. "He earned respect and appreciation from our students as he assisted them in their efforts to secure and manage financial aid. "Beyond his professional accomplishments, he brought positivity and joy to everyone who had the privilege of working with him. Sharif's kind heart, generous spirit and unwavering support for others will be profoundly missed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A funeral service was held on Tuesday at the Spaulding & Curtin Funeral Home. In honor of AliDinar's work and legacy, Espy said donations can be made to the Student Emergency Fund. The fund provides financial assistance to students facing unexpected hardships. The university also reminded employees and students that support resources are available if needed. More: Insurance Institute study: Vehicle safety systems couldn't see reflective clothing Bradley, was arraigned on Jan. 11, in 36th District Court. He was given a $50,000 cash/surety bond. Nour Rahal is a trending and breaking news reporter. Email her: nrahal@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @nrahal1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Highland Park man charged in crash that killed Wayne State employee [Watch in the player above: The difference between homicide, manslaughter and murder] LAKEWOOD, Ohio (WJW) A reckless driver whom authorities say struck and killed a beloved local broadcast journalist is now facing charges. Authorities on Thursday, Jan. 16, charged Zachary Saliba in the city court with one count of aggravated vehicular homicide in the death of 58-year-old Bill Safos, according to a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I-Team: Nurse facing felony charge after patient went missing, later died Zachary Saliba (Lakewood Police Department) Safos, a dedicated and longtime Lakewood resident, was walking at the intersection of Hilliard Road and Madison Avenue on Dec. 11, when Saliba struck him while driving recklessly, reads the release. Evidence shows Saliba was committing aggressive traffic offenses just before striking Safos, according to the release. Safos died at the scene, according to the release. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiners Office ruled his death an accident, caused by blunt force injuries. The Lakewood Police Department appreciates the publics patience as we conducted a very involved investigation into this senseless and avoidable crime, Lakewood Police Chief Kevin Fischer is quoted in the release. We were fortunate to have the assistance of the Ohio State Highway Patrol as we gathered and evaluated the evidence. We look forward to seeing justice for Bill Safos and his family in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US defense contractor to build 4,000-worker advanced manufacturing facility in central Ohio Salibas case has been bound over to a Cuyahoga County grand jury, which will decide whether to indict. The death of Bill Safos was a tragic loss for his family and friends, for Lakewood, and for everyone who knew him. These charges represent an important step in ensuring justice for Bill, a longtime and deeply valued member of our community and an accomplished broadcast journalist, Mayor and Safety Director Meghan George is quoted in the release. I want to commend Lakewood Police for their exhaustive investigation and analysis, which revealed additional evidence on the reckless indifference shown by the driver who caused Bills needless death. Thanks also goes out to the Ohio State Highway Patrol for their assistance, external review, and expertise, which helped confirm key aspects of this case. Safos was buried in a private ceremony, according to his obituary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Jan. 16A 33-year-old Odessa man was arrested Wednesday on multiple felony charges after police said they caught him with nearly 80 grams of fentanyl. According to an Odessa Police Department report, detectives with the Midland Odessa Violent Crime Task Force received a tip Ryell Pride was dealing fentanyl out of various hotels in Odessa and several overdose victims had purchased fentanyl from Pride. Detectives pulled Pride over for a traffic violation and they found 7.9 grams of fentanyl in his possession along with a large amount of money, the report stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After obtaining a warrant for his hotel room at the SureStay Plus on West Interstate 20, detectives found 68 grams of fentanyl in powder and pill form, 0.36 ounces of marijuana, digital scales and plastic baggies, the report stated. Pride was arrested on suspicion of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance in a drug free zone because the hotel is 587 feet from McKinney Park, possession of a controlled substance, tampering with physical evidence and possession of marijuana. Pride is being held in the Ector County jail on a U.S. Marshals hold. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A man who was arrested by city police in June on his sixth gun charge after he was found passed out in a car has been indicted by a federal grand jury. An indictment unsealed Wednesday in the U.S. Northern District Court of Ohio charges Darnell Jones, 38, of Youngstown, with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The indictment was issued Dec. 19 and unsealed Wednesday after Jones was arrested. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carmen E. Henderson. He is being held in federal custody pending a detention hearing Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment said Jones had a .22-caliber handgun when he was arrested early June 22 by city police who were checking a report of a man passed out in a car in the 800 block of Roxbury Avenue. Jones has a 2012 conviction in federal court on drug charges that bar him from having a weapon. Jones also has five previous convictions in state court on gun charges dating back to 2004. Reports said police were called about 6:15 a.m. and found Jones, who was passed out in a car and smelled heavily of alcohol. Reports said Jones had a gun on his hip and police found drugs in the car but reports did not mention what kind of drugs were found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones was calm one moment and argumentative the next and had trouble walking, so he was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center to be examined before he was taken to the jail. Court records show Jones was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, a fourth-degree felony, in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court in 2004 and 2005; being a felon in possession of a firearm and improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle in 2006, also in common pleas court; and in 2011, he pleaded guilty in common pleas to a reduced count of carrying a concealed weapon, a first-degree misdemeanor. Federal court records show Jones served a 51-month sentence in the 2012 case after pleading guilty. 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. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. A man from Portageville, Missouri, has been found guilty by a jury on Tuesday for meth trafficking and illegally possessing firearms. After a jury trial that began on Monday, Jan. 13, 36-year-old Michael C. Patton was convicted of possessing methamphetamine with intent to distribute, possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime and being a felon possessing firearms. Springfield man indicted for possessing stolen firearm linked to two area shootings Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to federal court, Patton was a passenger in a Ford sedan that was stopped by Springfield police in May 2021. Officers searched the sedan and found 344 grams of methamphetamine in a plastic bag, a loaded Beretta firearm and a loaded revolver. Patton was previously convicted of stealing, possessing methamphetamine with the intent to sell and possessing cocaine with the intent to sell. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Springfield Police Department investigate the case. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A 54-year-old year-old man is accused of threatening to burn down his parents Cordova house and stab them with a knife. Joseph Lyons was arrested and is charged with domestic assault and aggravated assault. The case dates to last May, but he was arrested and jailed Wednesday after he was released on bond last year, according to records. Police say Lyons had been living with his parents on Lacewing Trace Lane. On the morning of May 8, they say he woke up and asked his parents to take him to a liquor store. Joseph Lyons Club canine: Homeowner desperate for action as stray dogs terrorize neighborhood Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they refused, the parents told police he began drinking mouthwash and rubbing alcohol. He then became intoxicated and allegedly aggressive, according to an affidavit. Lyons mother told police she saw him on a computer trying to cancel his parents life insurance policy before she quickly unplugged it. Lyons allegedly went to the garage, grabbed a gas can and threatened to burn down the house. The mother was able to get the can away from him and lock it in her car. Police say he then went to the kitchen, grabbed a knife and threatened to kill his father. At that point, police pulled up outside, and Lyons dropped the knife, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A convicted felon was taken into custody Wednesday in connection with a shooting along Delta Avenue that left a man injured back in October, according to Nashville officials. Based on an affidavit, the Department of Emergency Communications got a call about shots fired in the 1400 block of Delta Avenue shortly after 6:30 a.m. on Oct. 12, 2024. When officers arrived at the scene, they found multiple cartridge casings in the road between the Cheatham Place housing complex and the Randee Rogers housing complex. The victims girlfriend told law enforcement she was hanging out with her cousin and her boyfriend identified by the Metro Nashville Police Department as 43-year-old Tarell Lewis at a gas station so Lewis could play the slot machines. Per the affidavit, the victims girlfriend called the victim to pick her up and then they went to the Delta Avenue address to grab her belongings since she was staying there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suspect sought after man shot in East Nashville Shortly afterward, Lewis and his girlfriend arrived at the scene, Lewis and the victims girlfriend started arguing, the victim got out of his pickup truck to intervene, and Lewis fired at him from his vehicle before fleeing the scene, officials said. Authorities said the 32-year-old victim was shot in the ankle, shattering the bones, and his girlfriend took him to Nashville General Hospital in the truck before officers arrived. The Crime Scene Investigation Section reportedly found another cartridge casing in the truck bed and a handgun before the vehicle was towed from the hospital. When the victim was interviewed a couple days after the shooting, he shared the same story as his girlfriend and admitted to shooting back at Lewis only after Lewis fired at him, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 injured in shooting at Lebanon Pike apartment complex Per the affidavit, an investigator obtained footage from the incident and used it to identify Lewis as the person responsible for shooting the victim and firing shots in the area of [the victims girlfriend] causing her to fear that she would be shot. Detectives found Lewis on Wednesday, Jan. 15 and reportedly saw him making drug deals with multiple people. During his arrest, police said they recovered marijuana from Lewis vehicle and pockets. According to law enforcement, Lewis was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, felony drug possession, and possession of a weapon as a felon. He is being held in the Downtown Detention Center on a $157,500 bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. UPDATE: RI state troopers fired after posting video of mans death PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Rhode Island State Police is mulling how to discipline the troopers who shared disturbing footage of a deadly pedestrian crash on social media. The footage, obtained by 12 News, shows the moment 21-year-old Alex Montesino was hit and killed by a car while crossing I-95 back in October. An eight-second clip of that footage was then recorded on a cell phone and shared by a state trooper via Snapchat. Laughter and explicit language can be heard in the background of the clip, which later went viral. Alex Montesino (Courtesy: Frank Vidal) Frank Vidal, Montesinos uncle, told 12 News his nephews twin sister came across the footage online the day before his funeral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can clearly hear them laughing and mocking his last minutes left on this earth, Vidal said. We were just horrified. I mean, theres no words. Vidal described his sister seeing that footage as being the worst-case scenario. I cant even begin to describe the bond those two shared, Vidal said. She told me shes lost a piece of her. In a statement to 12 News, Lt. Col. Robert Creamer said the Rhode Island State Polices Professional Standards Unit began investigating the clips origin as soon as it was brought to their attention. Creamer said that the investigation has since concluded and the Rhode Island State Police is in the process of determining the appropriate discipline for the troopers who recorded and disseminated the footage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The behavior exhibited by the troopers involved does not reflect the values of the Rhode Island State Police, Creamer wrote. Our thoughts are with the grieving family. Vidal believes that the troopers involved should be fired and undergo psychological evaluations. Thats the minimum that should happen, Vidal said. There has to be accountability. How are you so disconnected from human life? How can you dehumanize somebody? It makes no sense, he continued. Its scary knowing that [these troopers] out there patrolling our roads and highways. Vidal said its been extremely difficult for his family to grieve their loss, especially now that the footage is out there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its online, theres no escaping it, Vidal said. Its a never-ending nightmare because the internet is forever. Alex Montesino (Courtesy: Frank Vidal) Vidal doesnt want his nephew to be remembered by how he died, but instead by how he lived. He was just a vibrant and outgoing person, he continued. Theres just a void now that can never be replaced or filled. Montesino loved spending time with his family and listening to music. He also had a passion for cooking, according to Vidal. No one could make a better baked mac and cheese than he could, Vidal said. Vidal confirmed that his family received a letter from the Rhode Island State Police earlier this month regarding the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the letter left them with more questions than answers since Vidal said the Rhode Island State Police couldnt tell them when and how the troopers would be disciplined. Were not happy with that, Vidal said. We want justice. We want [Montesino] to be remembered as more than just a viral video. We want him to be known for who he was. Rhode Island State Police has not released the names of the troopers who recorded the footage. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. A man facing charges in a deadly shooting in Yellow Springs has been indicted. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Federick Dane Muenchau-Peterson, 22, was indicted on two counts of murder, one count of felonious assault, one count of improperly discharging a firearm into habitation, and one count of tampering with evidence on Wednesday, according to Greene County Common Pleas Court records. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting occurred in the 1200 block of Livermore Street around 11 p.m. on Jan. 10. According to a statement of facts, a woman called Yellow Springs police to ask them to check the welfare of her husband. Get somebody here now, please! She can be heard telling dispatchers in a 911 call. She told police she was out of town and was going through her cellphone activations from the camera system at the home. The woman saw Muenchau-Peterson, who is her stepson, walk up to the porch and fire several shots into the window of the home, court documents allege. She immediately tried calling her husband but could not reach him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers arrived at the home and saw a body lying on the floor, the person was declared dead. Court documents show that Muenchau-Peterson was pulled over by Fairborn police shortly after the shooting. He agreed to talk to agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and both identified himself as the shooter and told them this was one of the worse things he has done. Police have not formally identified the victim as Muenchau-Petersons stepfather. We will continue to follow this story. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Joshua Willis, 23, of Scottsdale, Arizona, is the man found dead Wednesday near Mickelson Trail at 66 Cliff Street, Deadwood Police said in a Thursday Facebook post. As of now, there is no evidence indicating foul play in Joshuas death, although the investigation is active and ongoing. The cause of death will be determined post autopsy, police said in the post. UPDATE: Suspect in custody in Milbank incident Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers responded to a call at about 7:11 a.m. Wednesday about an individual seen in the creek. The Lawrence County Sheriffs Office, Lawrence County Coroners Office, South Dakota Highway Patrol, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations are assisting with 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 KELOLAND.com. A man found dead in his Queens apartment more than two months ago was shot in the head, cops confirmed Thursday. Carlos Buritica, 45, was found on the bedroom floor of his upscale apartment on 110th St. near 15th Ave. in College Point at 10 p.m. Oct. 20, 2024, cops said. Buritica, who was known to walk his French bulldog Yoda around the neighborhood, had moved into the building about a year before his death, neighbors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our dogs played together and he was a nice person, said a neighbor who declined to give her name. We were very very shocked (by his death). We thought this building was very tranquil. You cannot hear the neighbors at all. At first police thought that the Colombian native died from a drug overdose but they quickly realized he had been shot, police sources said. The citys Medical Examiner signed off on the cause of death on Tuesday, officially making his death a homicide, police said. NYPD posters about the shooting death were plastered around the neighborhood in late October with cops offering a $3,500 reward for any information about the slay, which remains unsolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buriticas neighbor recalled the police presence that showed up at their building after his death. Initially we thought it was a disease, said the neighbor. Then we got 20 police cars and a lot of detectives and a crime scene unit van that was here parked. So we all started to wonder what happened and police started to question us. NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) A man who grew up in Bloomfield and another American are expected to be released as part of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that emerged Wednesday after being held for 15 months by Hamas since the start of the war in Gaza, according to a senior administration official. Officials tout Gaza ceasefire, hostage deal as Israel says details still in flux Sagui Dekel-Chen was taken hostage following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks. Dekel-Chen, who has dual American and Israeli citizenship, was last seen kissing his pregnant wife as he locked her and their two daughters inside a safe room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal includes the release of older males and those wounded on Oct. 7, of which Dekel-Chen and Keith Siegel apply. The first phase in total includes the release of hostages that are women, elderly males and the sick and wounded. How Connecticut is reacting to the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal The third American being held by Hamas, Edan Alexander, is a 21-year-old American-Israeli who served in the IDF. Uniform soldiers are part of the second phase of the deal. We will see and I dont want to say until we actually see them but Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen will come out in the first day, and Edan will come out of Gaza, no doubt about it, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Family of Hamas hostage with Bloomfield ties to attend State of the Union The administration is in regular contact with the families of the Americans being held and is committed to getting them all out, whether they are living or not, according to the official. The Hill contributed to this report. 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 WTNH.com. ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) On Thursday, January 16, the US Attorneys Office of the Western District of Virginia announced a Roanoke man pled guilty to burning the body of a man he shot and killed in 2023. 30-year-old Joseph Richard Walker pled guilty to one count of Hobbs Act Robbery and one count of possessing, brandishing, and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence. The Virginia State Police is committed to bringing violent offenders to justice. Our special agents work tirelessly with our federal and local partners every day to make Virginia a safer place to live, said Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Hanley, Interim Superintendent of Virginia State Police. This judicial outcome is a victory for the citizens of the Commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED STORY: Two charged in connection to body found in burning car in Bedford County in 2023 A second man, Garrett Isaac Williams, has also been indicted on related charges. Court documents show that around January 2023, Walker and Williams conspired to distribute marijuana from a Pennsylvania resident referred to as E.B, who often traveled to Roanoke to meet Walker and Williams. These meetings were for the purpose of marijuana sales and often occurred at Walkers Roanoke residence. It was learned that E.B. inadvertently called Walkers mother in an attempt to collect money he was owed. The call resulted in Walker and Williams creating a plan to end their relationship with E.B., which included ordering more marijuana, stealing it during the delivery, and then scaring E.B. from ever returning to Virginia in the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 17, 2023, E.B. traveled to Walkers home in Roanoke with around 10 pounds of marijuana and two pounds of marijuana wax. While meeting, Walker confronted E.B. about the call made to his mother before shooting and killing him with a .45 caliber Sig Sauer pistol he had concealed. ORIGINAL COVERAGE: New details released on human remains found in a burned-out vehicle Walker then dragged the body from his home and placed it into the trunk of E.B.s car. He then drove to Bedford County and set it on fire. On Thursday, January 16, the US Attorneys Office of the Western District of Virginia announced a Roanoke man pled guilty to burning the body of a man he shot and killed in 2023. (WFXR/Jemon Haskins) (Photo Credit: Jemon Haskins) Before leaving for Bedford County in E.B.s car, Walker also took the marijuana that E.B. had brought with him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sentencing has not yet been announced; however, Walker faces up to 35 years in prison. The trial for Garrett Isaac Williams is still pending. The Department of Justice has no greater mission than to hold accountable those individuals who commit violence in our communities, Acting United States Attorney Zachary T. Lee said today. Our strong partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies are critical in bringing about successful prosecutions of our most violent criminals. The Department will continue to fight against gun violence through important prosecutions like this one and in conjunction with programs such as Project Safe Neighborhoods. 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 WFXRtv. TOPEKA (KSNT) A local man was hospitalized in Topeka in the early morning hours of Thursday following a shooting in the downtown area. Rosie Nichols with the City of Topeka said in a press release that officers with the Topeka Police Department (TPD) were called just after midnight on Jan. 16 to the 400 block of Southwest Fillmore Street on reports of a shooting. Officers with the TPD arriving in the area found a man with non-life-threatening injuries who was later taken to a local hospital for treatment. Nichols said no arrests have been made yet in connection to this shooting and the investigation into it is ongoing. People who have any information to share with police regarding this investigation are encouraged to reach out to law enforcement by emailing telltpd@topeka.org or by calling 785-368-9400. You can leave anonymous tips with Shawnee County Crime Stoppers by calling 785-234-0007 or by clicking here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Card skimming device found at Topeka Dillons grocery store For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf 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 KSNT 27 News. A Georgia man who was convicted of murdering his wife in front of his two children has been sentenced to life behind bars. Jonathan Bates, who evaded authorities for 18 months following his wifes 2017 killing, was sentenced to life in prison this week, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Paulding County inmate records reviewed by PEOPLE show that Bates, 45, was sentenced on Wednesday. Bates was convicted of murdering his wife in 2017 by pushing her, causing her to fall backwards and hit her head on the edge of a couch, PEOPLE reported in April 2024, when the Georgia father of two was finally apprehended a second time after initially evading authorities. The Journal-Constitution reported this week that Bates' wife had told him she wanted a divorce the day before she was killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paulding County Chief Judge Tony Beavers previously threw out the original murder charge against Bates, only seeking to convict him of battery. But then Bates skipped out on his 2022 court appearance, leading to his extended time on the lam. Dawson County Sheriff's Office Jonathan Bates Jonathan Bates His wife Cynthias family was enraged when the judge threw out Bates murder charge at first, launching an online petition that gathered more than 11,600 signatures calling for Beavers removal from the bench. A grand jury would later indict Bates on murder charges, according to WSB-TV, and Beavers later recused himself from the case after it was revealed the judge had a personal connection to the suspects family. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to being convicted of murder in connection with his wifes death, WSB-TV reported that Bates was also convicted on two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of child cruelty. Bates life sentence does allow for the possibility of parole, according to the outlet. The Bates two young children, aged 4 and 7 at the time of Cynthias murder, were home when their mother was killed, local Fox 5 had reported. The children ran to a neighbors house after witnessing the incident. "Her kids are lost without her," Bates' sister Sandy Dement told the local news channel in a 2017 interview. "Her family is lost without her. We dont get to talk to her anymore." If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go to thehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People NEWTON, Ill. (WCIA) A man will spend the next three decades in prison for murdering a Jasper County man. Paul Scotty Schoonover pleaded guilty to the murder of 59-year-old Terry Eastep in court Tuesday. Tri-Point School District investigates bomb threat Newton police officers found Eastep with life-threatening injuries inside a house in June 2023 before dying on June 11. State Police arrested Schoonover in August of that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was sentenced for 30 years for the first-degree murder charge. Schoonover will serve the entire sentence in the Department of Corrections. In a news release, Jasper County States Attorney James Treccia thanked Illinois State Police and the Newton Police Department for their thorough investigation. He also said despite suffering greatly, he hopes this resolution will help bring Easteps family some solace. 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 WCIA.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A man has been sentenced to 10 days in jail after intentionally setting a UPS facility on fire in 2023 following his previous anarchist behavior, according to court documents. The case stems from January 20, 2023, when crews from Portland Fire & Rescue and the Portland Police Bureau responded to the Swan Island UPS distribution center. Police reported multiple large windows were broken at the facility, which also sustained visible fire damage from what appeared to be road flares, according to probable cause documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suspicious death at Portland Fred Meyer highlights Hazelwood Neighborhood crime issues Authorities were able to match blood on the broken windows to the DNA of 25-year-old Jarrid Huber, who was in the Oregon State Police DNA database from a previous arson conviction in 2021, court documents state. In the previous arson case, a group of people, including Huber, pushed a burning dumpster against the Justice Center in Downtown Portland during an anarchist/Antifa protest, authorities said, noting Huber proceeded to march the streets of Portland, smashing windows and spray-painting anarchist symbols during the 2021 incident. During the UPS arson investigation, authorities arrested Huber in May of 2024 on several charges, including second-degree arson, first-degree criminal mischief, and reckless burning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portland cannabis shop faces $10,000 lawsuit after customer hospitalized for overdose: Court docs Court documents state that Huber initially minimized his conduct by saying he was down there in the area generally but didnt remember what happened. However, When confronted with the fact that his blood was on the broken windows, (Huber) then admitted that he was there, and he was with a group of unknown people that he met at the book fair, court documents say. He explained that they went to that location because UPS was providing financial support for the Atlanta Forest police training facility (referring to the January 2023 large national Antifa/anarchist protest occurring outside of Atlanta, Georgia due to construction of a police training facility). Regarding UPS relationship with Atlanta police, a UPS spokesperson told KOIN 6 News on Wednesday, The UPS Foundation supports several hometown Atlanta youth and workforce development programs and initiatives, including the Atlanta Police Foundations At-Promise Initiative youth centers. The At-Promise Initiative is designed to reduce recidivism and provide wrap-around social services for Atlanta youth including therapy, tutoring, mentoring, GED classes and workforce preparation. The funding UPS has provided to the Atlanta Police Foundation is exclusively to support the At-Promise Initiative and offer a brighter future to many young people in Atlanta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On January 9, 2025, Huber pleaded guilty and was charged with first-degree arson. Huber was sentenced to 10 days in jail with a mental health evaluation, three months of supervised probation, and 120 hours of community service. 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 KOIN.com. MADISON COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) A man has been sentenced in Madison County after he pled guilty to dragging a woman while stealing her vehicle. Madison and Rankin Counties District Attorney Bubba Bramlett announced that Edward Carroll Walker, 58, pled guilty to aggravated assault in Madison County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC). Georgia woman arrested in Mississippi after deputies discover packages of suspected cocaine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 4, 2023, Ridgeland police responded to the Chevron on East County Line Road in reference to a car being stolen. When they arrived, the victim stated she had stopped at the gas station to get a cup of coffee on her way to work. The victim had left her car running while she ran inside, and when she returned, she saw Walker getting in her car. Police said the woman attempted to stop Walker by opening the drivers side door and trying to get him out, but he drove off with her still holding onto the door. According to investigators, Walker drug the victim through the parking lot before she was able to let go as he entered onto County Line Road. The woman was injured during the incident. Edward Walker (Courtesy: Madison Co. District Attorneys Office) Officers located the stolen car at the Red Roof Inn and spotted an individual matching the suspects description looking out of one of the motel windows. Police arrested Walker, who was also in possession of the victims credit card. Mr. Walker made a series of terrible decisions the morning of April 4, 2023. He entered into a vehicle he knew wasnt his, he stole the car and the contents inside the car, but the worse decision he made was dragging the innocent female as she tried to stop him from taking her property, said Bramlett. I want to commend the Ridgeland Police Department for acting quickly and apprehending the suspect before he was able to use the victims credit card or cause damage to her car. Hopefully, after he serves this twenty year sentence, he will think twice before coming to Madison County and so recklessly committing crimes or injuring our citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) A Wichita Falls man accused of fatally shooting a homeless man in Scotland Park in June 2022 is heading to prison after he was formally sentenced to a lesser charge on Thursday morning. PREVIOUS STORY: Wichita Falls murder defendant pleads to lesser charge Jason Myers during sentencing on Thursday, Jan. 16 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Jason Christopher Myers, 41, of Wichita Falls, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for manslaughter on Thursday morning, Jan. 16, 2025, in the 30th District Courtroom, with visiting Judge Jim Hogan presiding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myers was observed smiling at family members in the gallery during the sentencing hearing. When he was escorted from the courtroom in custody to begin his sentence, he was observed blowing them a kiss and mouthing, Love you. Myers was initially charged with murder after the fatal shooting of Paul Matthew Day, 28, more than two years ago and was set to face a judge and jury on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Jason Myers during sentencing on Thursday, Jan. 16 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) However, just days before jury selection was set to begin, a plea agreement was reached, reducing Myers charge from first-degree murder to second-degree manslaughter. He pled guilty to the lesser charge on Dec. 6, 2024, in the 89th District Court. The murder charge against Myers stems from an incident that took place in Scotland Park in June 2022. Officers with the Wichita Falls Police Department said Myers contacted them on the morning of June 21, stating another male attacked him and that Myers shot him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Scotland Park homicide suspect arrested, victim identified When first responders arrived at the scene, they discovered Day was deceased with an apparent gunshot wound. According to the affidavit, Myers was transported to WFPD Headquarters, where he agreed to an interview with detectives from the Crimes Against Persons Unit. Jason Myers during sentencing on Thursday, Jan. 16 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Myers told police his daughter attended daycare at Scotland Park Elementary and that she told him the kids were not allowed to play outside because there was a homeless man in the park. Myers said he asked Day if there was somewhere else he could go during the day. Day hit him in the head, Myers pulled his handgun, and when Day continued to come at him, he fired two or three rounds at him. Witnesses told police they had seen Myers in his truck the past few days and thought he was looking for someone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myers had been free on bond since July 11, 2022, after former 89th District Court Judge Charles Barnard granted a motion reducing his bond to $100,000. His bond was initially set at $1 million, an amount his defense attorney Jeff Eaves called excessive. PREVIOUS STORY: Scotland Park murder suspect gets lower bond Jason Myers during sentencing on Thursday, Jan. 16 (Photo credit: Josh Hoggard, KFDX/KJTL) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his plea hearing in December 2024, Myers testified that he considered whether to plead guilty or go forward with a jury trial for months with his attorney before ultimately deciding to accept a plea bargain. Chelsea Carlton, Assistant District Attorney for Wichita County, recommended a sentence of 17 years in prison for Myers. Judge Barnard accepted the terms of the plea bargain. On the record, Carlton informed the Court that the prosecution spoke with the victims mother and father regarding the plea agreement. According to Carlton, the victims father did not support the plea agreement. Carlton said the victims mother, however, supported the prosecutions plea agreement, adding that Days mother wanted Myers to plead guilty to the death of her son and serve time in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 Texomashomepage.com. VICKSBURG, Miss. (WJTV) A man was convicted on two charges of aggravated assault and aggravated assault-domestic violence. According to District Attorney Daniella Shorter-Levy, Nicholas Sanders appeared in the Claiborne County Circuit Court on January 13 and pled guilty to the charges. He was sentenced to 20 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) with 15 years suspended and five years to be served as supervised probation. Man, woman arrested for armed robbery at Clinton Arbys Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders is required to pay court cost and fees and any related bond fees. Police were called to the Circle K convenience store in Vicksburg during the early morning hours on February 25, 2024. Two women reported they were shot on Highway 61 South in Port Gibson by Sanders. One of the women was dating Sanders at the time of the incident. Nicholas Sanders (Courtesy: Office of the District Attorney 22nd Circuit Court District) According to investigators, Sanders admitted to firing shots into the victims vehicle, striking both of them as they attempted to get away. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A Warren man will spend at least six years behind bars on child sex abuse material charges. David Thompson was sentenced to 6-9 years in prison. Thompson previously pleaded guilty to three counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and one count of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material or performance. Thompson was on post-release control at the time of his April arrest stemming from a felonious assault conviction in a 2014 case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors say when detectives and parole officers entered his home, Thompson was watching child sex abuse material. I did not know that these things were illegal, Thompson said in court. They were just ad pictures and they shouldnt have been there and they will never be there again. Hes minimizing that conduct, now saying this is part of ads or pictures, said Gabe Wildman, assistant prosecutor. Thats not what this is. Child pornography was found on three of his devices. This isnt a one-off or an accident. Once hes released from prison, Thompson will have to register as a Tier 2 sex offender for 25 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. HAWESVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) A man was injured in a shooting after he allegedly pulled a gun on deputies with the Hancock County Sheriffs Office (HCSO) on Tuesday after leading law enforcement on a chase. A preliminary investigation by Kentucky State Police (KSP) showed that Lewisport Police Department (LPD) officers tried to serve an arrest warrant to Charles Newhard, 60, of Lewisport when he reportedly drove away. Frankfort police chase man accused of driving over 100 mph in Charger he just bought Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement chased Newhard to Hawesville, where the HCSO deployed a tire deflation device to stop his car, according to a news release. Troopers said that during the encounter, Newhard allegedly brandished a handgun at law enforcement, leading to a deputy reportedly shooting him. State police said Newhard was taken to Owensboro Health Regional Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries and is in stable condition. Law enforcement did not say whether or not he was released from the hospital. Court records show that on Tuesday, Newhard was charged with: First-degree fleeing or evading police Disregarding a stop sign First-degree wanton endangerment Attempted murder of a peace officer Driving under the influencefirst offense Read more of the latest Kentucky news An investigation into the officer-involved shooting remains ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 56 News. Have you seen him? Deputies are searching for a 50-year-old man involved in a string of organized retail crimes. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] George Frank Mayo, 50, was last seen in Chattanooga, Tenn. on October 6, 2023, before running away from police. Cherokee County officials said Mayo is wanted in connection with a string of organized retail crime incidents around metro Atlanta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayo is described as being six feet tall, and weighing 210 pounds. Authorities say Mayo has tattoos on both arms, chest and back. He also has a scar on his arm. TRENDING STORIES: Authorities said the 50-year-old has a history of obstructing law enforcement and will try to run away if confronted. Deputies ask you to use caution as Mayo has a prior history of violence, and Canton police investigated that case. He currently has warrants in several metro Atlanta counties including, Cherokee, Gwinnett, Cook, Douglas, Forsyth, Cobb, Hall, Fulton, and DeKalb counties. Mayo also has warrants out of Louisiana including Baton Rouge and Lafayette Parrish and the state of New Jersey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is urged to call 911, the Canton Police Department at 770-720-4883 or the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office at 678-493-4251. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] WASHINGTON (AP) Many colleges accused of tolerating antisemitism on their campuses have been settling with federal civil rights investigators in the weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who urged a tougher response to campus protests against the war in Gaza. By settling with the Education Department, the schools close the cases against them as long as they meet the terms of the agreements, which mostly have required training, policy updates and reviews of past complaints. But many colleges at the center of the highest-profile cases including Columbia and Cornell face investigations that remain unresolved and could run the risk of harsher penalties after Trump takes office. Trump has not said what he would like to see come of the investigations, but he has threatened to revoke federal money for schools that fall short of his demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Colleges will and must end the antisemitic propaganda or they will lose their accreditation and federal support, Trump said in a virtual address to Jewish donors in September. No money will go to them if they dont. Settlements with the Education Departments civil rights branch have piled up in recent weeks with the University of Washington, the University of California, Johns Hopkins, Rutgers and the University of Cincinnati. Those follow other voluntary agreements signed by Brown and Temple universities, along with the University of Michigan. University presidents are desperate to enter agreements now because Donald Trump is coming and therell be hell to pay if they don't, said Kenneth Marcus, who led the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights during Trump's first term and now leads the Brandeis Center, a Jewish civil rights nonprofit. They dont want their cases to still be pending on the docket when the new administration takes office, he said. They understand that the price of settlement is about to increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flurry of recent deals has drawn outrage from Republicans in Congress who say the Biden administration is letting colleges off the hook. Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich., chair of the House Education and Workforce Committee, said the settlements are toothless and fail to hold colleges accountable for permitting antisemitism. In a statement, he said the Trump administration should examine these agreements and explore options to impose real consequences on schools. One of the committee's priorities will be calling out woke higher education institutions especially those that allow antisemitism to run rampant, Walberg said at a Wednesday meeting. More than 100 U.S. colleges and school districts remain under investigation over alleged antisemitism or Islamophobia following the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas on Israel. That includes Columbia, Cornell, Yale, Princeton and other prestigious schools targeted by a Republican campaign against antisemitism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Education investigations stem from complaints that schools violated Title VI, which bars discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, color and national origin at colleges and universities that receive federal funding. Several colleges facing investigations declined to comment on their status. Presidents of several universities were called before Congress last year over their handling of pro-Palestinian protests, contributing to the resignations of Claudine Gay at Harvard, Liz Magill at Penn and Minouche Shafik at Columbia. The vast majority of Education Department civil rights investigations end with voluntary deals negotiated with schools. If they cant reach a settlement, the agency can refer the case to the Justice Department or move to cut off the schools federal money an extreme sanction that has almost never been used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether Trump pushes the Education Department to use the so-called nuclear option is still in question. But without a deal before Jan. 20, colleges raise the risk that they could become test cases for Trump, who has been openly hostile to universities that he sees as hotbeds of liberalism. Marcus said the incoming Trump administration has sent clear signals that it's serious about invoking the ultimate remedy against offenders. I expect that there will be serious movement towards this from the Office for Civil Rights, he said. The question is whether university administrators will respond quickly and effectively enough to avoid that fate. Losing access to federal money is usually seen as a death sentence for colleges. A total cutoff would also mean their students could not use federal financial aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It couldnt happen instantly, however. The Education Department can terminate federal money only if it fails to gain voluntary compliance from the school and only if its approved by an administrative law judge. There would have to be a hearing, and there would be opportunities for the school to appeal the decision. As Republicans take control of both chambers of Congress, theres also a renewed push for legislation on the subject. A December report coordinated by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., found that colleges across the U.S. failed to stop antisemitism amid last years demonstrations, highlighting cases at Harvard, Columbia and UCLA. The report called for new legislation to support students and ensure accountability, and it endorsed legislation to cut off federal money at schools that support divestment from Israel. It called on the executive branch to aggressively enforce civil rights laws, saying universities that fail to curb antisemitism are unfit stewards of taxpayer dollars should be treated accordingly. ___ The Associated Press education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. In the 10 days since Los Angeles unprecedented firestorm began, the Eaton and Palisades fires have consumed nearly 40,000 acres of homes, businesses and landmarks in Altadena and Pacific Palisades and have killed at least two dozen people. Both fires now rank among the 10 most destructive in California history and the most costly in U.S. history . Fire crews have yet to fully contain the blazes. As of Friday afternoon, the Eaton fire was 65% contained . The Palisades fire was 31% contained. Aerial surveys estimate more than 7,000 structures are destroyed in the Eaton fire and more than 5,000 structures in the Palisades fire, according to CalFire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the ground, dozens of teams are assessing the damage building by building, home by home. Everything larger than 120 square feet is included in their reports. So far, about 75 % of the structures within the Eaton fire perimeter have been inspected, and 50% of buildings in the Palisades. The maps now reflects only a fraction of the structures lost -- because homes and businesses will not be officially declared damaged or destroyed until they are inspected. The massive loss numbers were based on aerial reviews. Most of the buildings affected were single-family residences. In Altadena, community fixtures such as the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center and Saint Marks Episcopal Church burned to the ground. Coastal landmarks in the Palisades and Malibu Reel Inn and Cholada Thai were consumed by flames. Schools were gutted. Read more: Every wildfire currently burning in California Eaton fire Early in the evening of Jan. 7, Altadena and Pasadena residents saw flames in the distance at Eaton Canyon an area known for horseback riding, hiking trails, streams and wild animals. The earliest reports indicated that the fire was modest but it ballooned in hurricane-strength wind conditions, ultimately swallowing up more than 14,000 acres as it spread through neighborhoods, destroying thousands of structures and taking the lives of at least 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A power outage had left much of the area pitch-black. Tens of thousands of residents were ordered to evacuate. As powerful winds grew, some stayed to fight flames from their roofs while others fled, navigating their way from home without working traffic lights amid flying debris. Residents of a senior home were rushed to safety. By 3 a.m., the fire had moved east to west. Embers rained down as more residents escaped while their streets burned behind them. The next morning, many returned to find their homes crumbled or on fire. Desperate, they sprayed flames with hoses and tried to prevent embers from flying again as firetrucks were sparse. The lucky ones whose houses stood coped with survivors' guilt, unsure why their home was spared when others were not. In Altadena, Maral Nazarian, 60, watched in tears as the remnants of her house burned. She grew up in the rustic town; this disaster was incomprehensible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We never expected this. We thought we were far enough from the hills, she said in disbelief. Altadena resident Maral Nazarian and her husband watched the remnants of their house burn Jan. 8 after the Eaton fire destroyed their neighborhood. (Colleen Shalby / Los Angeles Times) Altadena sits above Pasadena, nestled against the foothills of the mountains. But it isnt considered a traditional mountain town. The fire left longtime residents in shock that it made it so far south, leaving many residents who live and work in the community without home or income . Nearly 42,000 people live in the largely working-class neighborhood. It destroyed the areas first main business district on North Lake Avenue, demolishing longtime fixtures such as Altadena Hardware and Foxs; Steves Pets and the Rancho. It gutted the Aldi grocery store, nearby schools and churches. Farther north, the buildings at the historic Charles S. Farnsworth Park were gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than two miles west on North Fair Oaks Ave., the fire destroyed more Altadena staples including the beloved Little Hen Coffee Shop and a newer neighborhood favorite, Pizza of Venice. Farther east, a historic Pasadena synagogue was left shattered. In between and all around, the fire left a wake of disaster. In certain parts, it wiped away entire neighborhood blocks. Gonzalo M., 53, had driven for three days from Arizona to check on his home in Altadena where he grew up and where his mother still lived. His mom was evacuated by a neighbor and was safe. But the house hed known his entire life was destroyed, along with the others on his street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fire hydrant had been installed on the corner of his block in recent years as Californias brush fires have grown. Gonzalo doesnt know if it was used, or if the water had run out. Its devastating, he said. You work so hard for all this stuff. Its terrible. By Jan. 9, much of the area had been barricaded. The National Guard and law enforcement stationed themselves at most entry points to the neighborhoods where downed power lines and trees, debris and ash filled the streets. Officials are still investigating the cause of the fire. An area around a Southern California Edison electrical transmission tower in Eaton Canyon has become a focus of their inquiry. Altadena Community Church was burned in the Eaton fire. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) Thousands remained under evacuation order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside the Pasadena Convention Center, at hotels, and on friends and families couches, residents found shelter. But they remained displaced, unsure of when they could return to see their home, sort through the remains of what was left of their land or confirm their worst fears: that their house is gone. PALISADES The Palisades fire started at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 7. Within two days of intense Santa Ana winds, the fire grew to more than 17,000 acres, consuming much of the Pacific Palisades a largely affluent community and home to more than 21,000 people and the Pacific Coast Highway between Santa Monica and Malibu. Officials are investigating whether the fire started at Skull Rock , north of Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades, by a rekindling of a New Years Eve fire that started with fireworks. Tatiana Prophet, who lives in an apartment along Sunset Boulevard with her 10-year-old son Everest, got a text from her friend saying a fire had broken out along Palisades Drive, between her house and Everests school not far from the coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prophet, whos painfully aware of the fire history of the Palisades, was immediately worried. Then, an even more ominous warning came: the landline rang. A recorded message to evacuate. In a rush, Prophet slammed the door behind her without her keys, without her phone, without Everests beloved iPad. As entire neighborhoods in the Palisades rushed to evacuate, the areas major evacuation routes quickly became gridlocked. Prophet made painfully slow progress toward PCH, eventually getting stuck at an intersection just a quarter-mile from the school. Then I saw the flames, Prophet said. They were huge, and they were just burning out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire had jumped from the hills nearly all the way to the coast, right along the evacuation route. Prophet whipped the car into the opposing lane and parked it on the shoulder. I didnt even grab my purse, she said. I just started running. A view Jan. 9 of neighborhoods destroyed by the Palisades fire. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) The fire quickly spread through the flammable invasive brushes of the Santa Monica Mountains. The blaze began rapidly engulfing the coastline and Pacific Coast Highway along both directions. The next day, the fire had covered much of the road from Will Rogers State Beach to Carbon Beach in eastern Malibu. Burning telephone poles blocked lanes and black soot swept across the pavement, blown by the howling winds. Fire personnel told Malibu residents that the extensive fuel break left by Decembers Franklin fire helped stop the fires' progression west. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But large swaths of the highways homes and restaurants were already gone . Landmarks such as Will Rogers western-style Palisades home and Theater Palisades were destroyed in the flames. Iconic restaurants like the Reel Inn, Cholada Thai and Moonshadows were also in the path of destruction. Its sad, said one lifelong PCH resident who used to frequent the Reel Inn and Cholada Thai and had sneaked into the evacuation zone to survey the damage Wednesday. It feels kind of lonely, right? Religious institutions such as Pacific Palisades Community United Methodist Church, Corpus Christi Church, Pacific Palisades Presbyterian Church and St. Matthews Parish School have been leveled. Palisades Charter High School also burned. Castellammare and the end of Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive are some of the only areas where the Palisades fire did not reach the coast. The nearby Getty Villa took extensive measures to fend off the fire , including extensive brush clearing, an emergency staff onsite to battle the flames and help from an aerial fire crew. Sunset Boulevard and Palisades Drive, an essential evacuation route, were the subject of intense police and fire presence on Jan. 8 and 9. The Palisades Village, the outdoor mall owned by billionaire Rick Caruso, remains standing among the wreckage. The YMCA and the Palisades Charter Elementary and Marquez Charter Elementary schools burned down. Prophets community along Sunset was one of the neighborhoods hit the hardest. Her home, still with the Christmas tree up, didnt survive. Now, she finds a sense of irony in the local adage about the neighborhood. You know, they always say, The rich live in Beverly Hills, the famous live in Malibu, and the lucky live in the Palisades, she said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Marc Andreessen reiterated the Department of Government Efficiencys (DOGE) plans to call federal employees back to the office for more than one or two days and questioned whether President-elect Trump could order people back to in-person work. Venture investor Marc Andreessen described a return-to-office initiative for government employees as a main priority of the Department of Government Efficiency. According to Andreessen, DOGE is focused on headcount, government spending, and regulations in its efforts so far, and the team has very clever ideas in all three areas. Speaking in a Hoover Institution podcast, the cofounder general partner of Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) and self-proclaimed unpaid intern at DOGE claimed that federal buildings have 25% occupancy rates, on average. Addressing the number of federal employees who work remotely is an issue for contemplation among the DOGE team, he explained. The Washington, D.C. federal building complex is basically a ghost town, Andreessen said. While security agencies are still full time in the office, other agencies arent, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some federal employees have unionized, noted Andreessen, and their agreements allow them to work remotely, while others show up to the office one or two days a month. Some are pairing the days, Andreessen claimed, showing up for two days every two months. You ask any CEO in Corporate America, like how is this whole thing going, what are your employees doing, said Andreessen. Every CEO will tell you What on earth is happening, are these people working? He questioned whether Trump, as president, had the authority to order people back to work. Does it count to be an employee of the federal government, if youre not in the office? he questioned. In December 2024, in an effort to reduce spending, Trump advisors and billionaires Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy told Congress they would cut government waste by $2 trillion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is a proponent of DOGE and the rumored return-to-work proposal. Her office released a report claiming that only 6% of government employees work regularly in the office. Musk followed this report by posting on X that that excluding security and maintenance personnel meant full-time staff would be closer to 1% of federal employees working 40-hours a week in the office. While DOGE remains an unofficial government agency with an end date slated for July 4, 2026, these claims of the advisory board remain advice. As it should be; it will be the decision of the president, Andreessen said. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com Florida's Senator Marco Rubio, nominated by president-elect Donald Trump as Secretary of State, sharply criticised China's global ambitions during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday, singling out Beijing's involvement in the Panama Canal as a significant threat to US national security. Wading into an issue that made headlines when Trump claimed last month that the canal was "foolishly" given to Panama, Rubio described the waterway as a strategic vulnerability due to Chinese influence, as state-linked Chinese companies currently operate ports at both ends. The canal handles as much as 5 per cent of global trade and is vital to America's regional military operations and economic interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "I'm compelled to respect that an argument could be made that the terms under which that canal were turned over have been violated, because, while technically, sovereignty over the canal has not been turned over to a foreign power, in reality, a foreign power possesses it through their company companies," Rubio said "If [China] orders a company to shut it down or impede our transit, they will have to do so," he added. Completed by the US in 1914, the Panama Canal remained under its control until being transferred to the Panamanian government in 1999 as part of a bilateral agreement signed 22 years earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The waterway has long been an important part of Washington's economic power, as more than 70 per cent of the ships transiting it every year are tied to US trade, and Rubio's concerns align with Trump's recent rhetoric on the issue. This has included a controversial proposal to repurchase or even take the canal by force, a move he claims would bolster US economic and military security. House Republicans recently introduced a bill that would allow Trump to buy the waterway, citing Chinese investments in Panamanian infrastructure as a growing threat. China's involvement in the Panama Canal dates back to 2016, when a Chinese vessel owned by COSCO first crossed the expanded waterway. Landbridge Group acquired control of Margarita Island, Panama's largest port on the Atlantic side, that same year in a deal estimated at around US$900 million. Chinese interests expanded further in 2018 through a consortium led by the China Harbour Engineering Company and the China Communications Construction Company to construct the canal's fourth bridge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With an estimated $1.4 billion contract at the time, the transaction was deemed "the fifth most important project in the history of the country" by then-president Juan Carlos Varela. In addition, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison Holdings manages two ports located on the Atlantic and Pacific entrances to the canal, respectively. "China's interest in and presence around the canal is a cause for concern. America must project strength abroad - owning and operating the Panama Canal might be an important step towards a stronger America and a more secure globe," Representative Dusty Johnson, a South Dakota Republican and one of the co-authors of the purchase authorisation bill said in a statement last week. Rubio tied the issue to what he described as "the defining challenge of the 21st century" - countering China's growing influence globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also condemned Beijing's "violation" of Hong Kong's autonomy, which he said had transformed the financial hub into a "tool for advancing China's interests." The Florida Republican accused China of breaking promises made under the 1997 handover agreement with the United Kingdom, adding that Hong Kong's sweeping national security law has rendered it an inhospitable environment for international business. "I think we have to call it for what it is: the notion that Hong Kong is now a semi-autonomous entity that operates within China's system," Rubio noted. "Its independence for the decisions they make, is a complete work of fiction." He also called for reducing America's dependence on China for raw materials and medicine, and emphasised the need to counter Beijing's more aggressive naval activities in the South China Sea, saying that while the One China policy has been respected across several administrations, but also stressed the importance of "national defence" in the Taiwan Relations Act. Senator Marco Rubio testifying on Wednesday. Photo: AFP alt=Senator Marco Rubio testifying on Wednesday. Photo: AFP> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're not going to pressure Taiwan in any arrangement ... We make no commitment to not helping them in their national defence ... And frankly, we are going to do everything [to] reject any effort to coerce, intimidate and/or forcibly drive Taiwan to do whatever China wants them to do," Rubio promised. Like most other Western countries, the US does not recognise Taiwan as an independent country, though Washington is committed by the law to support the self-governing island's defence capability. The senator said he does not intend to change Taiwan's status, but will advocate for Taiwanese participation in international organisations. He also warned Beijing about recent military escalation in the region. "If [the Chinese] want to stabilise the relationship [with the US], they need to stop messing around with Taiwan and the Philippines," Rubio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The testimony highlighted his well-established reputation as a China hawk. As a senator since 2011 and a member of both the Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees, the 53-year-old Floridian has consistently opposed Beijing's policies. Throughout his Senate career, Rubio has been a staunch critic of China's human rights record. He co-sponsored the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, which sanctioned officials responsible for undermining the city's autonomy, and the Uygur Forced Labour Prevention Act in 2021, targeting imports tied to forced labour in Xinjiang. Following Beijing's passage of the Hong Kong national security law in 2020, Rubio also championed the Hong Kong Autonomy Act. The legislation sanctioned officials from mainland China and Hong Kong over their alleged roles in undermining the city's autonomy under the Basic Law. Rubio's work on these issues earned him a spot on Beijing's sanctions list in 2020, one of 11 US citizens targeted, including lawmakers Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Representative Chris Smith of New Jersey, both Republicans. At the time, China's Foreign Ministry accused the group of "egregious behaviour" concerning Hong Kong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite being sanctioned - a move that prevents him from travelling to Beijing - Rubio said in a December interview with Voice of America that he is confident in his ability to "find some solution" for engaging with the Chinese if confirmed by the Senate. His confirmation hearing was one of six held on Wednesday for president-elect Trump's nominees. Among the other contenders were former Florida attorney general Pam Bondi for US attorney general, fracking executive Chris Wright for energy secretary, and John Ratcliffe, the former director of national intelligence, for CIA director. 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. President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet nominees are so far sailing through their Senate confirmation hearings. But only one appears likely to sail on to a swift vote on Trumps first day in office. That would be Marco Rubio, the Florida senator and secretary of State nominee, who is the only Trump pick being widely discussed as a Day One possibility. Even then, nothing is final. Under Senate rules and the current calendar, all 100 senators will have to agree to accelerate any final confirmation vote to Monday. And those discussions, multiple senators said Thursday, continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The holdups are due to a combination of procedural, political and paperwork problems. Several nominees have seen their hearings postponed due to missing background checks. Some committees have delayed necessary panel votes due to internal rules. And Democrats arent likely to yield debate time on Trumps most controversial nominees. Rubio, though, appears best positioned to run the gauntlet. Senate Foreign Relations Chair Jim Risch (R-Idaho), who has scheduled a Monday committee vote on his nomination said Republicans believe they will be able to get an agreement for a quick floor vote but stopped short of saying they had a commitment. How could you not? This guy is the gold standard, Risch said in a brief interview. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said much the same, saying there were discussions happening about Rubio but had nothing to announce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A confluence of factors is pushing Rubio to the front of the pack. Chief among them is that Rubio is one of the Senates own and a critical mass of Democrats have already signaled theyll back him. At the same time, some Democrats are wary of giving Republicans more help than they got on confirming President Joe Bidens Cabinet picks on Jan. 20, 2021 when Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines was the only nominee to get through that day. Senate Democrats had allowed two Cabinet confirmations for Trump in 2017, for Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly. Were Republicans accommodating? said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) when asked if Democrats would allow speedy confirmations of Trumps less controversial nominees. When Republicans change tradition and precedent here, they have to understand, that comes with consequences. Several Democrats said in interviews they are deferring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on whether or not to speed up Rubio or other nominees including some prominent members who are backing Rubios nomination, such as Minority Whip Dick Durbin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schumers office did not respond to a request for comment. Besides Rubio, nine other Trump Cabinet nominees have had hearings this week. Another, Homeland Security pick Kristi Noem, is scheduled for Friday. Each of those nominees has to undergo a committee vote before becoming eligible for floor action. Some panels have notice requirements that could push those votes into late next week. And once nominations are on the floor, opponents could stretch the debate process over as many as four days. Defense nominee Pete Hegseth, for instance, appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. The panel is expected to hold a vote on his nomination Monday evening, but Democrats arent expected to assent to an immediate floor vote given the controversy around his nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I expect our Democratic friends will delay it to the extent to which they are free to do under the rules, Armed Services Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said. Wednesday, Thursday perhaps." We've made it clear we feel that there's more information that should be provided, and not just for our benefit, but for our Republican colleagues too, added Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), the top Armed Services Democrat. Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi likely wont see confirmation until the week after next under a timeline described Thursday by Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley. That's because the panels Democrats can request a one-week delay of any nominee placed on the committee's agenda, which is expected to happen at an initial panel meeting next week. Another Trump nominee who is expected to garner some Democratic support, UN ambassador pick Elise Stefanik, wont have a hearing until Tuesday. And some of Trumps most controversial nominees including FBI director pick Kash Patel, HHS nominee Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, his choice for director of national intelligence havent had hearings scheduled yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If anyone might end up right behind Rubio, its probably John Ratcliffe Trumps pick to lead the CIA who had his hearing Wednesday and is scheduled for a committee vote Monday. He, too, is expected to pick up bipartisan support that could help speed up his confirmation, even if its not ultimately on Jan. 20. Hailey Fuchs, Joe Gould and Connor OBrien contributed to this report. Suzy McVay, a Marion County library employee, addresses the Marion County Quorum Court at its meeting on Tuesday, December 12, 2023. McVay was interim manager of the library from December 2, 2024, after library director Dana Scott was arrested, to January 14, 2025, when she resigned. (Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate) A North Arkansas library has an entirely new oversight board as of Tuesday. In December, Marion County Judge Jason Stumph and the county Quorum Court dismissed the existing board, which had four sitting members and one vacancy. Stumph told board members they were being held accountable for failing to supervise Dana Scott, the director of the Yellville library who was dismissed and arrested Dec. 2 for alleged financial crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All Arkansas library systems are required by law to have five-member governing boards confirmed by local governing bodies. Twelve people expressed interest in being on the new board, Stumphs administrative assistant, Candice Sosnowy, said in an email. Stumph recommended that the Marion County Quorum Court confirm Marcus Flippin, Danielle Justus, Bonnie Kenney, T.C. Burnett and Dave Dacus Jr. to the library board. The court accepted the recommendations with no dissent at its monthly meeting Tuesday. Stumph said during the meeting that he spent a month interviewing applicants and appreciated the amount of interest in the library board. Before, it was like pulling teeth to find someone to fill a position, and this time people came forward, Stumph said. It shows a strong want and will to move Marion County in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flippin is a lifelong resident of Marion County but had never set foot in the library until Wednesday afternoon, he said in an interview. He also said he anticipates looking at the books, bylaws and volunteer registry as part of his new role on the library board. I dont think anyone [on the board] has any animosity toward anyone else, Flippin said. We just want to move forward instead of dwelling on all this. The Marion County Sheriffs Office charged Scott with two counts of tampering with public records and one count of failure to pay or file tax returns, according to her arrest affidavit. Both offenses are Class D felonies. Scott pleaded not guilty on Dec. 10, and the jury trial in the case is set to begin the week of May 27, according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Library assistant Suzy McVay became interim library manager after Scotts arrest. She submitted a letter of resignation to Stumph and read part of it aloud at Tuesdays meeting, speaking highly of her former boss. I have been a witness to her character for the past five years, McVay said. She is the kind of person who crosses her Ts and dots her Is. She has held me to a high standard of work ethic She would say the people are our first priority. Scotts arrest came after years of scrutiny and criticism of the library from the quorum court, which repeatedly declined to include in the county budget the library boards recommended merit pay raise for the library director, though the court did approve raises for county employees across the board in December after Scotts arrest. Several times last year, then-quorum court member Claudia Brigham asked Scott and the library board for detailed financial documents, both out loud and via Freedom of Information Act requests. She repeatedly criticized what she saw as a lack of transparency, according to board meeting minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marion County is one of several Arkansas counties in the past few years where libraries have faced scrutiny from their local quorum courts and community members, sometimes over money and other times over library materials. In 2022, Brigham proposed an ordinance to redesignate the library board from administrative to advisory. The proposal saw public pushback over the potential loss of state library funds and did not receive a vote. McVay said she did not want to face the unjust, erroneous and discriminatory treatment from Marion County leaders that Scott faced. I will not choose my job over doing what is right, she said. Stacy McDaniel, another library assistant, is the librarys new interim manager due to McVays resignation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Library directors must have a masters degree in library science in order to receive state funding. Since the Marion County Library does not have an administrator with this degree, it has the option of forming an agreement with a librarian in another county that has the requisite education. This individual would handle certain aspects of library administration and allow the local entity to keep receiving state funds, which are crucial to keeping the librarys doors open. The new library board will be responsible for appointing a librarian to achieve this goal, Sosnowy said. The Arkansas State Library Board distributes state funding to local libraries quarterly, and it will disburse funds from the second quarter of fiscal 2025 at its Feb. 14 meeting. Flippin said the new Marion County Library board members are tentatively planning to meet for the first time Tuesday and are aware of the librarys need to meet certain administrative requirements for state funding. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ATHENS (Reuters) - Maritime security officials said on Thursday they were expecting Yemen's Houthi militia to announce a halt in attacks on ships in the Red Sea, after a ceasefire deal in the war in Gaza between Israel and the militant group Hamas. The experts pointed to an email, seen by Reuters, from the group postponing a planned security briefing that had been due to take place in the coming days as a possible signal. The Houthis' leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, is also due to give a speech later on Thursday, as he does most weeks, and speculation has mounted in the region that he may use the occasion to announce a pause off the back of the Gaza deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houthi group did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The group has carried out more than 100 attacks on ships crossing the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. They have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers. The attacks have disrupted global shipping, forcing firms to re-route to longer and more expensive journeys around southern Africa for more than a year. "British, American and Israeli strikes have succeeded in significantly limiting the attacks by Houthis, who are looking for a pretext to announce a ceasefire," Dimitris Maniatis, the chief executive officer of maritime security company Marisks told Reuters regarding the briefing postponement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another maritime security official said that an announcement was largely expected and there were indications that some companies were preparing to resume Red Sea journeys but it was still too early to say that traffic would be restored. "The first sign that business returns to normal will be seen in the insurance market, as insurance fees will start decreasing," the official said. A second maritime official, who also asked not to be named due to the sensitivity of the matter, said that a halt in attacks was widely expected but was not able to confirm it. In the email seen by Reuters, the Houthis said that the security webinar, aimed at shipping and maritime companies and the first such invitation they had issued, had been postponed to Feb. 10 due to the large number of questions and suggestions received from participants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This will ensure that the event is more comprehensive and beneficial for all attendees," they said in the email on Wednesday. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou, Jonathan Saul and Yannis Souliotis; Editing by Alison Williams) Conspiracy theory-peddling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Wednesday raised eyebrows with her attempted spin on Donald Trumps reported walking back of one of his campaign vows. The president-elect had promised to immediately fix and settle the Russia-Ukraine war (which Russia began with its invasion in February 2022) on his return to the White House. I would fix that within 24 hours, and if I win, before I get into the office, I will have that war settled, Trump at one point even boasted to Fox News Sean Hannity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, this week, days before Trumps return to the Oval Office, his advisers admitted it would take months to stop the fighting because the situation was more complex than Trump had talked about on the trail. Greene defended the walk-back by claiming Trump hadnt actually promised what he had actually promised. I think you need to understand language, Greene told the nonprofit news organization NOTUS. And everyone else in America understands that language. I dont think the media pressing Day One is specifically Day One, Greene continued. But hes talking about that as one of his first roles as president, and there are many. Hes going to be writing hundreds of executive orders but, yes, ending that war is important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump will be the one that ends that war, she added. Related... CANTON, Ohio (WJW) Federal agents pursuing a man wanted in Stark County found a dead woman in the basement of the Columbus-area home where he was arrested. The woman has not yet been identified, Marshals said Thursday. I-Team: Nurse facing felony charge after patient went missing, later died Members of the U.S. Marshals Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team on Thursday morning arrested Darrell Carter Jr., 33, of Canton, at a home in the 5900 block of Levi Kramer Boulevard in Canal Winchester, according to a news release. Carter had allegedly failed to appear in court for an assault charge in Stark County, according to the release. Task force members learned he had fled the county and was living in the Columbus area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police on Thursday were investigating the scene to determine the womans identity, reads the release. This fugitive from Stark County thought he could evade arrest by fleeing to the Columbus area, but great investigative work by our task force resulted in his arrest today, Northern Ohio U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott is quoted in the release. Unfortunately, a dead body was located, but our task force and the local police department will work together to uncover the identity of the female. Anyone with information about a wanted fugitive can contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833) or submit a tip online. Tipsters can remain anonymous and reward money may be available. 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. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The 43rd Annual King Week Celebration on behalf of the entire Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission is underway in Knoxville. The holiday is January 20, 2025. The week kicked off with the opening reception for the 10th Annual Gallery of Arts Tribute on Friday, January 3. The gallery will remain on display through the end of January. Then on Wednesday, Jan. 15, the Interfaith Service took place. This event acts as the major opening of the MLK celebration and works to bring people from all faiths together in worship. 6 News anchor Tearsa Smith also was the emcee during the 2025 Thomas Tank Strickland Leadership Awards Luncheon on Thursday, January 16. Leadership Educational Symposium When: Thursday, January 16, 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Where: University of Tennessee Student Union, Room 362 The Leadership Educational Symposium aims to foster dialogue and exchange of information regarding social justice issues. The symposium features insights from thought leaders and subject matter experts who share their perspectives on creating a more inclusive and welcoming community. MLK Community Forum When: Friday, January 17, 7:00 p.m. Where: Beck Cultural Exchange Center, 1927 Dandridge Ave. Knoxville, TN 37915 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission partners with the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance (OREPA) to host a Community Forum. For more information, contact the Chair of the Night with the Arts Committee at NWA@MLKKnoxville.com MLK Youth Symposium When: Saturday, January 13, 9:00 a.m. The commission partnered with the Knoxville Chapter of Jack & Jill of America to give students the chance to enhance their oratorical and public speaking skills. The contest is comprised of students from local middle and high schools in the Knox County School District. Click here to find out more. Night with the Arts Tribute When: Saturday, January 19, 6:00 p.m. 8:00 p.m. Where: Community Evangelistic Church, 2650 Boyds Bridge Pike, Knoxville, TN 37914 This event will feature performances from the MLK Mass Youth Choir, University of Tennessee Gospel Choir, Austin East Dance Ministry and more. MLK Memorial Tribute Service When: Monday, January 20, 12:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. Where: Overcoming Believers Church, 211 Harriet Tubman Street, Knoxville, TN 37915 The Memorial Tribute Service is the grand finale of a week-long series of MLK activities. Community awards will be presented and the Celebration Choir will perform. The keynote speaker is Rev. Leah Burns from Lennon-Seney United Methodist Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 1982, the MLK Commission has been organizing a special week-long celebration in the Knoxville area to commemorate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The group will hold their annual MLK Parade and Juneteenth Celebration on Thursday, June 19. To find more information, 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 WATE 6 On Your Side. Trade organizations representing builders, developers and building owners joined Washington Gas & Light in filing a lawsuit Monday challenging Marylands emissions reduction requirements for large buildings. The suit alleges that Marylands regulation requiring buildings of at least 35,000 square feet to reduce their globe-warming emissions to net zero by 2040 is unlawful because federal law gives the U.S. Department of Energy the power to set energy standards for appliances, not states. In a filing to the U.S. District Court of Maryland, the plaintiffs argued that Marylands regulation is fundamentally inconsistent with the public interest, restricts consumer choice, exacerbates the States housing crisis, and aims to shift the States energy demand to an electric system that is facing both historic and increasing electricity demand and dwindling dispatchable electricity supply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The regulation, called the Building Energy Performance Standard, is a cornerstone of Marylands climate policy, given that direct fuel use in the building sector accounted for 16% of the states carbon emissions as of 2020, according to a state report. The Maryland Department of the Environment developed building regulations at the behest of the state legislature, in the Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, that set a statewide emissions target, requiring net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Marylands regulation affects offices, warehouses, apartment complexes and other buildings at or above the size threshold. Historic buildings, elementary and secondary schools, manufacturing buildings, agricultural buildings and federal buildings can apply to be exempted. To comply with the regulations, many building owners will have to replace existing fossil fuel appliances, such as gas furnaces and boilers, with electric alternatives, such as heat pumps and water heaters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other appliances like gas kitchen stoves in those buildings could also be replaced to lower emissions. Building owners can also pay fees instead of complying with the rules, which are based on the amount of excess emissions generated. The first requirements for building owners under the law arrive in June, when they must submit a benchmark assessment to the state, showing their existing energy use. The state is providing leeway for submissions until September, according to the MDE website. The first emissions cuts are not required until 2030. In a statement, MDE spokesman Jay Apperson said the department is reviewing the lawsuit, in coordination with attorneys at the Maryland Office of the Attorney General. He also defended the agencys actions thus far. The Building Energy Performance Standards regulation was developed with input from building owners and other stakeholders, and we are working to provide guidance, technical assistance and other resources to help owners as we begin this new program together, Apperson wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About one-third of the applicable buildings already meet the BEPS standard, according to the department. Buildings account for a significant portion of our carbon emissions, which means reducing their pollution is essential to meeting our climate goals, Apperson wrote in a statement. Meeting our clean buildings goals will not only reduce pollution, it will save energy and save money. While retrofitting Maryland buildings will come with a substantial upfront cost, to the tune of $1 billion annually, according to a 2024 analysis conducted by a pair of DOE-funded laboratories, it would ultimately secure a net $4.5 billion in energy savings. Mondays lawsuit pointed to a ruling from the Ninth Circuit, which invalidated a Berkeley, California ordinance banning gas piping in new buildings. That ruling doesnt apply outside of the circuit, which includes nine western states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it held that Berkeleys ordinance violated a federal law called the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, which generally prevents states from enacting their own energy conservation testing, labeling or standards. States can apply for a waiver. On information and belief, Maryland has not applied for a waiver, reads the suit. Further, Maryland, even if it applied, could not lawfully obtain such a waiver. In a statement, Tim Oberleiton, a senior attorney for Earthjustice, said the argument relied on overbroad interpretations of federal law. The Maryland Department of the Environment needs every tool in its toolbox to tackle these emissions and meet our climate goals, yet Washington Gas and the building industry want to throw out these standards based on a flawed interpretation of federal law, wrote Anne Havemann, general counsel for Chesapeake Climate Action Network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington Gas also filed similar suits last year attacking Montgomery County and Washington, DCs emissions-reduction building codes. Mondays suit stated that Marylands regulation threatens to erode Washington Gass customer base, contributing to rising costs for gas customers who remain. It also requires the utility to complete time consuming and expensive energy use reports for building owners, starting this year, according to the suit. The plaintiffs are not solely the utility and nonprofit trade groups such as the Maryland Building Industry Association and the Maryland and Washington, D.C. chapters of NAIOP, now called the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. They also include several Maryland housing developments, such as Montgomery Countys Leisure World, a gated community that is home to about 8,000 residents 55 and over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The community includes 18 buildings covered by the Maryland regulation, which will all require expensive retrofits, according to the suit. These financial harms are compounded because Leisure World is a senior community with many residents on limited or fixed incomes, such that some owners likely will be unable to afford the increased assessments necessary to pay for the compliance work, read the suit. The suit stated that NAIOP members will face increased capital costs, vacancy due to construction disruptions, and be at a competitive disadvantage relative to large buildings in other states that dont have to comply with the rules. Homebuilders and remodelers, represented by the Maryland Building Industry Association, Inc., said in the suit that Marylands regulations will frustrate their ability to meet customer preferences. Many homeowners prefer using natural gas appliances for heating, hot water, and cooking, read the suit. The increased costs of compliance with the Maryland BEPS likely will also decrease new construction, as customers will be priced out of the market. New London With respiratory illnesses spiking, Yale New Haven Health, including Lawrence+Memorial and Westerly hospitals, began requiring staff to wear masks when interacting with patients Wednesday. The new policy encourages patients and hospital visitors to mask up, too, but stops short of requiring it except in specific situations. For example, the policy says, patients with a possible respiratory tract infection are to mask in all ambulatory areas, when possible. ... Masking has been shown to reduce the transmission of these viruses and protect patients, staff and visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Yale New Haven Health announced masks are required or recommended in the case of patients with respiratory symptoms (cough, fever or runny nose) in all ambulatory areas, such as clinics, imaging, or therapy rooms, whenever possible, while visitors who feel unwell or show symptoms of a respiratory infection are asked to postpone their visit. Inpatients being isolated because of respiratory illness must wear a mask when being transported to another part of the hospital, according to the statement. And visitors to patients on isolation must follow the hospital's personal protective equipment policies as directed by signage posted outside patient rooms. Patients and visitors are not required to wear masks in such common areas as lobbies, hallways, cafeterias and waiting rooms, such nonclinical areas as gift shops and public meeting spaces, or while accompanying a patient in non-isolation care areas, and behavioral health and rehabilitation areas, unless otherwise specified. Its just an increase in respiratory illnesses, Dr. Kevin Torres, L+Ms associate chief medical officer, said of the impetus for the new protocols. It got to a level mimicking what weve seen in the past. ... Everybodys got a cold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said L+Ms emergency room has seen an increase in patients with COVID-19, RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) and the flu as well as other upper respiratory infections. Hospital admissions also have increased, he said. Dr. Ulysses Wu, chief epidemiologist and system director, infectious diseases for Hartford HealthCare, which includes Backus Hospital in Norwich, said Hartford HealthCare is strongly recommending, but not requiring, that staff wear masks during encounters with patients at risk for transmitting respiratory illness. The policy applies to patients and visitors, too, he said. While he couldnt speak specifically about Backus, he said emergency rooms throughout Hartford HealthCares network of hospitals were busy. He said data showed admissions at Backus and at other Hartford HealthCare hospitals have been flat over the past three weeks. b.hallenbeck@theday.com A Massachusetts doctor was indicted on rape charges by a Middlesex County grand jury on Thursday. Dr. Derrick Todd, who practiced at several locations, was indicted for two counts of rape. The allegations stem from two women who were his patients at Framingham Hospital. Middlesex County District Attorney Marian Ryan said the assaults occurred in December 2022 and June 2023 during the course of medical examinations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An arraignment date for Todd has not yet been scheduled. Brigham and Womens doctor terminated following investigation into anonymous complaints Todd, most recently a rheumatologist at Brigham and Womens Rheumatology Center at Faulkner Hospital, was terminated from the position in 2023 following an investigation into anonymous complaints, according to a healthcare official. The Boston Globe reported at the time that Todd was facing a lawsuit for allegedly performing pelvic and breast exams that were not medically indicated. On Sept. 5, 2023, Todd voluntarily agreed to stop practicing, according to the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW BOSTON (WWLP) A Massachusetts attorney working as a bookkeeper for three different companies was arrested and charged with embezzling around $2.5 million from the companies. Massachusetts man pleads guilty to role in New Englands biggest-ever drug bust at a single location Between January 2016 and May 2020, 74-year-old David Smerling of Lexington allegedly embezzled the companies by moving funds from their bank accounts to separate accounts in his name. To keep his scheme hidden, he allegedly moved some of the funds through an intermediary account that was owned by one of the victims before moving them to his accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is also alleged that Smerling caused statements from the bank statements to be mailed to his home address and not the victims addresses. Smerling was charged by complaint with wire fraud. He was arrested on Tuesday and was released on conditions. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWLP. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Big changes are coming at the Memphis Area Transit Authority as the MATA board accepted an eight-month contract Wednesday with consulting firm Transpro. Current MATA Interim CEO Bacarra Mauldin will be replaced by Transpro CEO John Lewis. The total contract is worth some $1.3 million, according to a proposal released last year. MATAs proposed interim CEO would make $486 an hour The MATA board says its taking steps to try and improve the embattled bus system in Memphis after years of erosion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a crisis management contract, said board member Emily Greer. They are here to deal with the crisis situation that we are in, and they are out and they will be governed by this board, and we have made that perfectly clear and the mayor has made that perfectly clear. MATA is millions of dollars in the hole, leading to outdated equipment and missed routes. Transpro has already issued a harsh report on MATA, finding a frivolous use of taxpayers dollars. MATA spent millions on new office, furniture, Grizzlies suite, more But the decision to bring someone else in didnt sit well with the more than a dozen bus operators who attended the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerry Oden, who has been with MATA seven years, says shes concerned about pay cuts for drivers, saying, ultimately, it will hurt riders too. Very disappointed, Oden said. From the standpoint of the board, theyre new. Theyre being rushed. A MATA board member told us during this eight months, Mauldin will return to her previous position as deputy CEO. She left the meeting before we were able to ask her for a comment on the situation. Board members acknowledged Mauldin has been dealt an impossible hand and needs more resources. Chief Mauldin deserves an opportunity to be evaluated on the grounds of running a stabilized operation and to get there, I think third party resources could be helpful, but ultimately I think the evaluation should be done when the grounds are stabilized, said board member Brandon Arrindell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A cost breakdown of MATAs contract with Transpro from a previous meeting lists Lewis labor at $486 an hour. When added with oversight and other executives labor, the total cost is more than $1 million. City Council approves new MATA board Lat October, Mayor Paul Young replaced the entire MATA board with new members. 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. Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state bans, leaders in some states are limiting or halting the work of committees that investigate deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. (John Moore/Getty Images) Every state has a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with investigating deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. But as data paints a clearer picture of the impact that state policies such as abortion bans and Medicaid expansion can have on maternal health, leaders in some states are rushing to limit their review committees work or halt it altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Georgia officials dismissed all 32 members of the states maternal mortality review committee after investigative reporters used internal committee documents to link the deaths of two women to the states six-week abortion ban. In September, Texas announced its committee would not review 2022 and 2023 maternal deaths the two years immediately following its near-total abortion ban. And two years ago, Idaho effectively disbanded its committee when conservative groups went after members for calling on the state to extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum women. In March, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders created her own maternal health advisory group after Arkansas maternal mortality review committee, like Idahos, recommended extending the amount of time that low-income postpartum women can qualify for Medicaid coverage something Sanders has staunchly opposed. The maternal mortality rate for U.S. women is far higher than in any other high-income country, and Black women are more than twice as likely to die during pregnancy or after birth than the national average. Research has shown most of these maternal deaths are preventable. State officials have given varying reasons for their decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders has called an extension of postpartum Medicaid duplicative because Arkansas has other insurance options. The maternal mortality review committee chair in Texas said the panel would skip a full review of the 2022 and 2023 deaths in order to offer analysis and recommendations based on the most recently available data. And Georgias state health officer said she dismissed committee members because they violated state law by sharing confidential information. Georgia plans to replace them with new appointees. Charles Johnson, an Atlanta father of two whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after a routine cesarean section and who has advocated for maternal health committees, is dubious. He said the dismissal of the Georgia panel appears to be an attempt to retaliate for exposing some of the unfortunate outcomes of Georgias laws. The only role politicians and politics should have in this work is to support the committees and make sure they have the resources needed to do their job, said Johnson, who founded a nonprofit in his wifes memory, 4Kira4Moms, and in 2018 testified before Congress to push for a measure supporting the creation of more state committees. It was signed into federal law that year. Recommendations lead to change While every state has a maternal mortality review committee, often abbreviated to MMRC, many of them were established just in the past decade, as state and federal officials focused attention on the nations high maternal death rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These committees perform comprehensive, deep-dive reviews of any deaths in the state that occur during pregnancy or within the year following a pregnancy. The committees typically comprise a mix of professionals including obstetricians, nurses, public health officials, forensics experts, behavioral health providers and community advocates. They issue public reports that highlight their findings and make recommendations for how the state can prevent future deaths. Being able to answer questions with hard data is really important for informed policymaking, said Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the research director at the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative. We want to be able to answer questions for policymakers to help with crafting legislation or regulations that are going to provide the best outcomes for mothers and babies, but also balance all the different needs of a health care system that has cost considerations. Many states have adopted their committees recommendations. Illinois, for example, was the first state to extend Medicaid coverage to all women for one year postpartum after legislators followed the advice of its MMRC. In Washington, when the states MMRC found that pregnancy-related deaths werent always referred to the local medical examiner for autopsy, the state legislature passed a law requiring birthing hospitals to refer those deaths to the local coroner or medical examiner, and it provided funding for the autopsies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In California, which in the mid-2000s became one of the first states to start formally investigating maternal deaths, expert recommendations adopted by the state and health care providers helped cut the maternal mortality rate in half by 2013. Reports often lag a few years behind, due to the time-consuming nature of the investigations. But now that more than two years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state abortion bans, MMRCs are starting to review data that could paint a clearer picture of the rulings impact on maternal health. New Mexicos Maternal Mortality Review Committee has not experienced these types of political pressures, Dr. Miranda Durham, New Mexico Department of Health chief medical officer, told Source. Committees in different states are set up in different ways, Durham said. Our process is in statute andI guess it hasnt been severely testedbut it feels like that would kind of help protect us. New Mexicos MMRCs most recent report, released in 2023, showed the state with a higher-than-national-average rate of maternal mortality, with more than 80% of the deaths preventable. Durham said some of that reports findings helped push through extended postpartum Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To my knowledge, theres not pushback about that in New Mexico, she said. I think people are really supportive overall, across the spectrum, of supporting families. In addition to the Medicaid expansion here, the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention has put some systems in place that have made it easier to identify maternal mortality cases, and our committee is working really hard, she said. Im hoping our data will catch up soon. She anticipates the next full report wont publish until the end of this year, with some possible preliminary data prior. An abuse of power Last year, the investigative news outlet ProPublica obtained internal documents from Georgias MMRC that found two Georgia women died preventable deaths in 2022 after they couldnt access legal abortions and timely care. Georgia law prohibits abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said in November that she dismissed the committee members because confidential information provided to them was inappropriately shared with the ProPublica reporters, violating state law and the confidentiality agreement that committee members must sign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states investigation never determined whether a committee member, or someone else, leaked the documents. I am concerned that this will continue to happen in other places, said Johnson, the Atlanta father. I think that Georgia demonstrated an overreach and abuse of power that other states and other state medical directors may not have been aware they have. Last September, Texas MMRC made headlines by announcing it wouldnt review maternal deaths from 2022 and 2023. The committee chair, Houston OB-GYN Dr. Carla Ortique, said skipping those years would help avoid a backlog of older cases so they could work on more recent deaths. The committees latest report, released that same month, covers 2020 cases. Ortique also noted that a few years ago, before the abortion ban, the committee leapfrogged records from 2014 to 2018. But the decision also means the committee wont investigate any potential deaths that could be connected to the states abortion ban for the first two years it was in effect. ProPublicas reporting has tied the deaths of three Texas women to ban-related delays in care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They dont want the public to know that the policies theyre passing to hinder womens reproductive rights are having a negative impact. Tennessee Democratic state Sen. London Lamar Tennessee state Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat, sponsored a bill signed into law last spring that requires the states MMRC to reserve four of its seats for community-based birth workers. She hopes the move will increase the diversity of perspectives on the committee and position it to make recommendations that address the severe racial and economic maternal health disparities in the state. In Tennessee, as in many states, Black women die at two to three times the rate of white and Hispanic women from pregnancy-related causes, while low-income women who qualify for Medicaid are nearly three times as likely to die as their counterparts with private insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lamar, who lost her baby at full term in 2019 due to a pregnancy-related condition, is frustrated by conservative politicians efforts to intervene in what she said should be a bipartisan issue. When majority governments take steps to remove people because they are not pleased with recommendations that are based on their own ineffective legislating, to me thats an abuse of power, said Lamar. They dont want the public to know that the policies theyre passing to hinder womens reproductive rights are having a negative impact. An Arkansas workaround Arkansas is the only state in the nation that hasnt taken steps to extended its Medicaid coverage to one year postpartum for low-income women. Nationally, researchers and advocates have stressed the importance of continuing insurance coverage after birth because more than half of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. occur in the year following a pregnancy, and Medicaid covers about 40% of births. In recent years, Arkansas maternal mortality review committee has recommended postpartum Medicaid extension as a way to reduce maternal deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the governor remains staunchly opposed. [W]e want to make sure that we are transitioning women to coverage that already exists in the state, Sanders said during a March 2024 news conference. I dont believe creating a duplicative program just for the sake of creating a program is actually going to fix the issue. We already have so many women who arent taking advantage of the coverage that exists. About 40% of low-income pregnant women in Arkansas lose their Medicaid eligibility two months after they give birth. Last March, the governor created her own maternal health working group to review and recommend solutions for improving maternal and infant health. The working group of more than 100 people included health care professionals, advocates and public health officials. They held meetings throughout the year, facilitated by state health department officials. The group released its report in September. It does not include extending pregnancy Medicaid among its recommendations. Three months later, Arkansas MMRC released its latest report; for the first time since 2020, postpartum Medicaid extension wasnt among its recommendations. Camille Richoux, health policy director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, was part of the governors working group. She said postpartum Medicaid extension was not included in the report even though it was brought up several times during group meetings. We had a feeling it was not going to make it through because the governor had made that stance, but there were still people who believe it should happen, she said. But ultimately this was a really positive group with lots of great people with expertise, and some great recommendations that came out of it. Arkansas Advocates is one of many groups that continue to push for the extension. Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Kay Chandler, who is also an OB-GYN in Little Rock, said one reason postpartum Medicaid extension was not recommended by the working group is that most Arkansans who lose their Medicaid coverage 60 days postpartum could be eligible for subsidized coverage under the states public-private insurance program called ARHOME. A lot of people werent aware of what we already have, she told Stateline. What we are hoping is if we streamline this process and make it easier for women to get into the appropriate plan they qualify for, thats going to be a better long-term solution than just extending Medicaid for one year postpartum, she said. As the states 2025 legislative session begins this week, Richoux said she expects several bills related to maternal health, including one for postpartum Medicaid extension. Earlier this month, Arkansas was awarded a $17 million federal grant to fund maternal health improvements. Sanders said the money will be used to increase the maternal care workforce and improve access to care. Conservative pushback Last March, Idaho lawmakers, led by Republican former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, reinstated its maternal mortality review committee. Prior to that, Idaho was the only state without a maternal mortality review committee after lawmakers in 2023 effectively disbanded it by not renewing legislation. At the time, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and other conservative groups blasted the states MMRC for recommending postpartum Medicaid extension. State lawmakers tabled the bill in part over concerns over the cost of extending pregnancy Medicaid. Two months after legislators passed a law reinstating the MMRC, Blanksma lost her Republican primary to a candidate backed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Idahos newly reconstituted committee is scheduled to release a report on 2023 maternal deaths at the end of this month. In Georgia, the state health department is currently interviewing candidates for a newly constituted MMRC, according to a department spokesperson. Toomey, the state health officer, also said the state will consider new procedures to ensure confidentiality, including committee oversight and a modified organizational structure. Johnson said hes spoken with former members of the Georgia MMRC who doubt the new committee will be truly independent. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful. Even though this has been politicized, I think [state officials] may have shot themselves in the foot, he said. Because now people are calling for more accountability, more transparency and theyre holding peoples feet to the fire. Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state bans, leaders in some states are limiting or halting the work of committees that investigate deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. (John Moore/Getty Images) In some states, officials look to quash expert recommendations to curb pregnancy-related deaths. Every state has a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with investigating deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. But as data paints a clearer picture of the impact that state policies such as abortion bans and Medicaid expansion can have on maternal health, leaders in some states are rushing to limit their review committees work or halt it altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Georgia officials dismissed all 32 members of the states maternal mortality review committee after investigative reporters used internal committee documents to link the deaths of two women to the states six-week abortion ban. In September, Texas announced its committee would not review 2022 and 2023 maternal deaths the two years immediately following its near-total abortion ban. And two years ago, Idaho effectively disbanded its committee when conservative groups went after members for calling on the state to extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum women. In March, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders created her own maternal health advisory group after Arkansas maternal mortality review committee, like Idahos, recommended extending the amount of time that low-income postpartum women can qualify for Medicaid coverage something Sanders has staunchly opposed. The maternal mortality rate for U.S. women is far higher than in any other high-income country, and Black women are more than twice as likely to die during pregnancy or after birth than the national average. Research has shown most of these maternal deaths are preventable. State officials have given varying reasons for their decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders has called an extension of postpartum Medicaid duplicative because Arkansas has other insurance options. The maternal mortality review committee chair in Texas said the panel would skip a full review of the 2022 and 2023 deaths in order to offer analysis and recommendations based on the most recently available data. And Georgias state health officer said she dismissed committee members because they violated state law by sharing confidential information. Georgia plans to replace them with new appointees. Charles Johnson, an Atlanta father of two whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after a routine cesarean section and who has advocated for maternal health committees, is dubious. He said the dismissal of the Georgia panel appears to be an attempt to retaliate for exposing some of the unfortunate outcomes of Georgias laws. The only role politicians and politics should have in this work is to support the committees and make sure they have the resources needed to do their job, said Johnson, who founded a nonprofit in his wifes memory, 4Kira4Moms, and in 2018 testified before Congress to push for a measure supporting the creation of more state committees. It was signed into federal law that year. Recommendations lead to change While every state has a maternal mortality review committee, often abbreviated to MMRC, many of them were established just in the past decade, as state and federal officials focused attention on the nations high maternal death rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These committees perform comprehensive, deep-dive reviews of any deaths in the state that occur during pregnancy or within the year following a pregnancy. The committees typically comprise a mix of professionals including obstetricians, nurses, public health officials, forensics experts, behavioral health providers and community advocates. They issue public reports that highlight their findings and make recommendations for how the state can prevent future deaths. Being able to answer questions with hard data is really important for informed policymaking, said Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the research director at the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative. We want to be able to answer questions for policymakers to help with crafting legislation or regulations that are going to provide the best outcomes for mothers and babies, but also balance all the different needs of a health care system that has cost considerations. Many states have adopted their committees recommendations. Illinois, for example, was the first state to extend Medicaid coverage to all women for one year postpartum after legislators followed the advice of its MMRC. In Washington, when the states MMRC found that pregnancy-related deaths werent always referred to the local medical examiner for autopsy, the state legislature passed a law requiring birthing hospitals to refer those deaths to the local coroner or medical examiner, and it provided funding for the autopsies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In California, which in the mid-2000s became one of the first states to start formally investigating maternal deaths, expert recommendations adopted by the state and health care providers helped cut the maternal mortality rate in half by 2013. Reports often lag a few years behind, due to the time-consuming nature of the investigations. But now that more than two years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state abortion bans, MMRCs are starting to review data that could paint a clearer picture of the rulings impact on maternal health. An abuse of power Last year, the investigative news outlet ProPublica obtained internal documents from Georgias MMRC that found two Georgia women died preventable deaths in 2022 after they couldnt access legal abortions and timely care. Georgia law prohibits abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said in November that she dismissed the committee members because confidential information provided to them was inappropriately shared with the ProPublica reporters, violating state law and the confidentiality agreement that committee members must sign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states investigation never determined whether a committee member, or someone else, leaked the documents. I am concerned that this will continue to happen in other places, said Johnson, the Atlanta father. I think that Georgia demonstrated an overreach and abuse of power that other states and other state medical directors may not have been aware they have. Last September, Texas MMRC made headlines by announcing it wouldnt review maternal deaths from 2022 and 2023. The committee chair, Houston OB-GYN Dr. Carla Ortique, said skipping those years would help avoid a backlog of older cases so they could work on more recent deaths. The committees latest report, released that same month, covers 2020 cases. Ortique also noted that a few years ago, before the abortion ban, the committee leapfrogged records from 2014 to 2018. But the decision also means the committee wont investigate any potential deaths that could be connected to the states abortion ban for the first two years it was in effect. ProPublicas reporting has tied the deaths of three Texas women to ban-related delays in care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Tennessee state Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat, sponsored a bill signed into law last spring that requires the states MMRC to reserve four of its seats for community-based birth workers. She hopes the move will increase the diversity of perspectives on the committee and position it to make recommendations that address the severe racial and economic maternal health disparities in the state. In Tennessee, as in many states, Black women die at two to three times the rate of white and Hispanic women from pregnancy-related causes, while low-income women who qualify for Medicaid are nearly three times as likely to die as their counterparts with private insurance. Lamar, who lost her baby at full term in 2019 due to a pregnancy-related condition, is frustrated by conservative politicians efforts to intervene in what she said should be a bipartisan issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When majority governments take steps to remove people because they are not pleased with recommendations that are based on their own ineffective legislating, to me thats an abuse of power, said Lamar. They dont want the public to know that the policies theyre passing to hinder womens reproductive rights are having a negative impact. An Arkansas workaround Arkansas is the only state in the nation that hasnt taken steps to extended its Medicaid coverage to one year postpartum for low-income women. Nationally, researchers and advocates have stressed the importance of continuing insurance coverage after birth because more than half of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. occur in the year following a pregnancy, and Medicaid covers about 40% of births. In recent years, Arkansas maternal mortality review committee has recommended postpartum Medicaid extension as a way to reduce maternal deaths. But the governor remains staunchly opposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [W]e want to make sure that we are transitioning women to coverage that already exists in the state, Sanders said during a March 2024 news conference. I dont believe creating a duplicative program just for the sake of creating a program is actually going to fix the issue. We already have so many women who arent taking advantage of the coverage that exists. About 40% of low-income pregnant women in Arkansas lose their Medicaid eligibility two months after they give birth. Last March, the governor created her own maternal health working group to review and recommend solutions for improving maternal and infant health. The working group of more than 100 people included health care professionals, advocates and public health officials. They held meetings throughout the year, facilitated by state health department officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group released its report in September. It does not include extending pregnancy Medicaid among its recommendations. Three months later, Arkansas MMRC released its latest report; for the first time since 2020, postpartum Medicaid extension wasnt among its recommendations. Camille Richoux, health policy director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, was part of the governors working group. She said postpartum Medicaid extension was not included in the report even though it was brought up several times during group meetings. We had a feeling it was not going to make it through because the governor had made that stance, but there were still people who believe it should happen, she said. But ultimately this was a really positive group with lots of great people with expertise, and some great recommendations that came out of it. Arkansas Advocates is one of many groups that continue to push for the extension. Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Kay Chandler, who is also an OB-GYN in Little Rock, said one reason postpartum Medicaid extension was not recommended by the working group is that most Arkansans who lose their Medicaid coverage 60 days postpartum could be eligible for subsidized coverage under the states public-private insurance program called ARHOME. A lot of people werent aware of what we already have, she told Stateline. What we are hoping is if we streamline this process and make it easier for women to get into the appropriate plan they qualify for, thats going to be a better long-term solution than just extending Medicaid for one year postpartum, she said. As the states 2025 legislative session begins this week, Richoux said she expects several bills related to maternal health, including one for postpartum Medicaid extension. Earlier this month, Arkansas was awarded a $17 million federal grant to fund maternal health improvements. Sanders said the money will be used to increase the maternal care workforce and improve access to care. Conservative pushback Last March, Idaho lawmakers, led by Republican former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, reinstated its maternal mortality review committee. Prior to that, Idaho was the only state without a maternal mortality review committee after lawmakers in 2023 effectively disbanded it by not renewing legislation. At the time, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and other conservative groups blasted the states MMRC for recommending postpartum Medicaid extension. State lawmakers tabled the bill in part over concerns over the cost of extending pregnancy Medicaid. Two months after legislators passed a law reinstating the MMRC, Blanksma lost her Republican primary to a candidate backed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Idahos newly reconstituted committee is scheduled to release a report on 2023 maternal deaths at the end of this month. In Georgia, the state health department is currently interviewing candidates for a newly constituted MMRC, according to a department spokesperson. Toomey, the state health officer, also said the state will consider new procedures to ensure confidentiality, including committee oversight and a modified organizational structure. Johnson said hes spoken with former members of the Georgia MMRC who doubt the new committee will be truly independent. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful. Even though this has been politicized, I think [state officials] may have shot themselves in the foot, he said. Because now people are calling for more accountability, more transparency and theyre holding peoples feet to the fire. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Following the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision that dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state bans, leaders in some states are limiting or halting the work of committees that investigate deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. (John Moore/Getty Images) Every state has a committee of medical and public health experts tasked with investigating deaths that occur during and after pregnancy. But as data paints a clearer picture of the impact that state policies such as abortion bans and Medicaid expansion can have on maternal health, leaders in some states are rushing to limit their review committees work or halt it altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November, Georgia officials dismissed all 32 members of the states maternal mortality review committee after investigative reporters used internal committee documents to link the deaths of two women to the states six-week abortion ban. In September, Texas announced its committee would not review 2022 and 2023 maternal deaths the two years immediately following its near-total abortion ban. And two years ago, Idaho effectively disbanded its committee when conservative groups went after members for calling on the state to extend Medicaid coverage for postpartum women. In March, Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders created her own maternal health advisory group after Arkansas maternal mortality review committee, like Idahos, recommended extending the amount of time that low-income postpartum women can qualify for Medicaid coverage something Sanders has staunchly opposed. The maternal mortality rate for U.S. women is far higher than in any other high-income country, and Black women are more than twice as likely to die during pregnancy or after birth than the national average. Research has shown most of these maternal deaths are preventable. State officials have given varying reasons for their decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sanders has called an extension of postpartum Medicaid duplicative because Arkansas has other insurance options. The maternal mortality review committee chair in Texas said the panel would skip a full review of the 2022 and 2023 deaths in order to offer analysis and recommendations based on the most recently available data. And Georgias state health officer said she dismissed committee members because they violated state law by sharing confidential information. Georgia plans to replace them with new appointees. Charles Johnson, an Atlanta father of two whose wife, Kira, died in 2016 after a routine cesarean section and who has advocated for maternal health committees, is dubious. He said the dismissal of the Georgia panel appears to be an attempt to retaliate for exposing some of the unfortunate outcomes of Georgias laws. The only role politicians and politics should have in this work is to support the committees and make sure they have the resources needed to do their job, said Johnson, who founded a nonprofit in his wifes memory, 4Kira4Moms, and in 2018 testified before Congress to push for a measure supporting the creation of more state committees. It was signed into federal law that year. Recommendations lead to change While every state has a maternal mortality review committee, often abbreviated to MMRC, many of them were established just in the past decade, as state and federal officials focused attention on the nations high maternal death rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These committees perform comprehensive, deep-dive reviews of any deaths in the state that occur during pregnancy or within the year following a pregnancy. The committees typically comprise a mix of professionals including obstetricians, nurses, public health officials, forensics experts, behavioral health providers and community advocates. They issue public reports that highlight their findings and make recommendations for how the state can prevent future deaths. Being able to answer questions with hard data is really important for informed policymaking, said Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, an associate professor at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and the research director at the Arkansas Perinatal Quality Collaborative. We want to be able to answer questions for policymakers to help with crafting legislation or regulations that are going to provide the best outcomes for mothers and babies, but also balance all the different needs of a health care system that has cost considerations. Many states have adopted their committees recommendations. Illinois, for example, was the first state to extend Medicaid coverage to all women for one year postpartum after legislators followed the advice of its MMRC. In Washington, when the states MMRC found that pregnancy-related deaths werent always referred to the local medical examiner for autopsy, the state legislature passed a law requiring birthing hospitals to refer those deaths to the local coroner or medical examiner, and it provided funding for the autopsies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In California, which in the mid-2000s became one of the first states to start formally investigating maternal deaths, expert recommendations adopted by the state and health care providers helped cut the maternal mortality rate in half by 2013. Reports often lag a few years behind, due to the time-consuming nature of the investigations. But now that more than two years have passed since the U.S. Supreme Court dismantled the federal right to abortion and opened the door for state abortion bans, MMRCs are starting to review data that could paint a clearer picture of the rulings impact on maternal health. An abuse of power Last year, the investigative news outlet ProPublica obtained internal documents from Georgias MMRC that found two Georgia women died preventable deaths in 2022 after they couldnt access legal abortions and timely care. Georgia law prohibits abortion after six weeks of pregnancy. Dr. Kathleen Toomey, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Health, said in November that she dismissed the committee members because confidential information provided to them was inappropriately shared with the ProPublica reporters, violating state law and the confidentiality agreement that committee members must sign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states investigation never determined whether a committee member, or someone else, leaked the documents. I am concerned that this will continue to happen in other places, said Johnson, the Atlanta father. I think that Georgia demonstrated an overreach and abuse of power that other states and other state medical directors may not have been aware they have. Last September, Texas MMRC made headlines by announcing it wouldnt review maternal deaths from 2022 and 2023. The committee chair, Houston OB-GYN Dr. Carla Ortique, said skipping those years would help avoid a backlog of older cases so they could work on more recent deaths. The committees latest report, released that same month, covers 2020 cases. Ortique also noted that a few years ago, before the abortion ban, the committee leapfrogged records from 2014 to 2018. They dont want the public to know that the policies theyre passing to hinder womens reproductive rights are having a negative impact. Tennesse Democratic Sen. London Lama But the decision also means the committee wont investigate any potential deaths that could be connected to the states abortion ban for the first two years it was in effect. ProPublicas reporting has tied the deaths of three Texas women to ban-related delays in care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tennessee state Sen. London Lamar, a Democrat, sponsored a bill signed into law last spring that requires the states MMRC to reserve four of its seats for community-based birth workers. She hopes the move will increase the diversity of perspectives on the committee and position it to make recommendations that address the severe racial and economic maternal health disparities in the state. In Tennessee, as in many states, Black women die at two to three times the rate of white and Hispanic women from pregnancy-related causes, while low-income women who qualify for Medicaid are nearly three times as likely to die as their counterparts with private insurance. Lamar, who lost her baby at full term in 2019 due to a pregnancy-related condition, is frustrated by conservative politicians efforts to intervene in what she said should be a bipartisan issue. When majority governments take steps to remove people because they are not pleased with recommendations that are based on their own ineffective legislating, to me thats an abuse of power, said Lamar. They dont want the public to know that the policies theyre passing to hinder womens reproductive rights are having a negative impact. An Arkansas workaround Arkansas is the only state in the nation that hasnt taken steps to extended its Medicaid coverage to one year postpartum for low-income women. Nationally, researchers and advocates have stressed the importance of continuing insurance coverage after birth because more than half of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. occur in the year following a pregnancy, and Medicaid covers about 40% of births. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, Arkansas maternal mortality review committee has recommended postpartum Medicaid extension as a way to reduce maternal deaths. But the governor remains staunchly opposed. [W]e want to make sure that we are transitioning women to coverage that already exists in the state, Sanders said during a March 2024 news conference. I dont believe creating a duplicative program just for the sake of creating a program is actually going to fix the issue. We already have so many women who arent taking advantage of the coverage that exists. About 40% of low-income pregnant women in Arkansas lose their Medicaid eligibility two months after they give birth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last March, the governor created her own maternal health working group to review and recommend solutions for improving maternal and infant health. The working group of more than 100 people included health care professionals, advocates and public health officials. They held meetings throughout the year, facilitated by state health department officials. The group released its report in September. It does not include extending pregnancy Medicaid among its recommendations. Three months later, Arkansas MMRC released its latest report; for the first time since 2020, postpartum Medicaid extension wasnt among its recommendations. Camille Richoux, health policy director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, was part of the governors working group. She said postpartum Medicaid extension was not included in the report even though it was brought up several times during group meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had a feeling it was not going to make it through because the governor had made that stance, but there were still people who believe it should happen, she said. But ultimately this was a really positive group with lots of great people with expertise, and some great recommendations that came out of it. Arkansas Advocates is one of many groups that continue to push for the extension. Arkansas Surgeon General Dr. Kay Chandler, who is also an OB-GYN in Little Rock, said one reason postpartum Medicaid extension was not recommended by the working group is that most Arkansans who lose their Medicaid coverage 60 days postpartum could be eligible for subsidized coverage under the states public-private insurance program called ARHOME. A lot of people werent aware of what we already have, she told Stateline. What we are hoping is if we streamline this process and make it easier for women to get into the appropriate plan they qualify for, thats going to be a better long-term solution than just extending Medicaid for one year postpartum, she said. As the states 2025 legislative session begins this week, Richoux said she expects several bills related to maternal health, including one for postpartum Medicaid extension. Earlier this month, Arkansas was awarded a $17 million federal grant to fund maternal health improvements. Sanders said the money will be used to increase the maternal care workforce and improve access to care. Conservative pushback Last March, Idaho lawmakers, led by Republican former House Majority Leader Megan Blanksma, reinstated its maternal mortality review committee. Prior to that, Idaho was the only state without a maternal mortality review committee after lawmakers in 2023 effectively disbanded it by not renewing legislation. At the time, the Idaho Freedom Foundation and other conservative groups blasted the states MMRC for recommending postpartum Medicaid extension. State lawmakers tabled the bill in part over concerns over the cost of extending pregnancy Medicaid. Two months after legislators passed a law reinstating the MMRC, Blanksma lost her Republican primary to a candidate backed by the Idaho Freedom Foundation. Idahos newly reconstituted committee is scheduled to release a report on 2023 maternal deaths at the end of this month. In Georgia, the state health department is currently interviewing candidates for a newly constituted MMRC, according to a department spokesperson. Toomey, the state health officer, also said the state will consider new procedures to ensure confidentiality, including committee oversight and a modified organizational structure. Johnson said hes spoken with former members of the Georgia MMRC who doubt the new committee will be truly independent. Nevertheless, he remains hopeful. Even though this has been politicized, I think [state officials] may have shot themselves in the foot, he said. Because now people are calling for more accountability, more transparency and theyre holding peoples feet to the fire. (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.) The prime minister of Mauritius is suing authorities to recoup 3.2 million in cash seized by police who raided his safe. Navin Ramgoolam, who has been at the heart of negotiations with the UK over the Chagos Islands, was arrested in 2015 on suspicion of conspiracy and money laundering after his surprise general election loss. Police investigated whether he had asked a businessman to submit a false statement about a burglary that occurred at his beach property in 2011. He was also accused of receiving funds from foreigners seeking citizenship in Mauritius. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Ramgoolam, who has been nicknamed London Boy in his home country for his links to the UK, was later released on bail and the charges were dropped. He denied any wrongdoing and said the money was donated by his supporters and had been set aside for campaigning. It comes as Mr Ramgoolams government tries to renegotiate a deal which would hand the Chagos Islands over to Mauritius, reportedly demanding 800m a year for as long as Britain wants to retain a lease on the Diego Garcia military base. The Mauritian prime minister, 77, said he was suing police over the return of his money as it had been seized as a result of unlawful, unreasonable, and illegal search warrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Ramgoolam claimed he was a victim of a campaign launched by his political opponents, accusing them of filing fabricated cases against him to prevent him reaching power again after losing in 2014. Officers from Mauritiuss criminal investigation department launched multiple raids at his homes on Desforges Street, Port Louis and River-Walk in 2015, seizing Rs 220 million $4m in cash. In addition to claims of corruption and fraud, Mr Ramgoolam was also accused of financially benefiting from the purchase of six Airbus aircrafts which formed part of the countrys national carrier fleet. These accusations were also later dropped. The Chagos Islands has hosted a joint UKUS military base since the 1970s - Staff Sgt. Hannah Malone/Alamy Following his arrest in 2015, Mr Ramgoolams UK bank accounts were shut down. He was dubbed London Boy by critics given that he worked as a doctor in Britain, where he also trained as a lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrest of a former prime minister is considered a rare event in Mauritius, a nation often hailed as one of Africas most stable democracies since gaining independence from Britain in 1968. Shaukat Oozeer, his lawyer, told The Telegraph that the Rs 220 million seized from the home of his client had not been returned to the prime minister. His legal bid had been due to be heard by the countrys Supreme Court on Jan 16 but has been postponed to the middle of February, Mr Oozeer added. It comes as the UK and Mauritius continue negotiations over the future of the Chagos Islands, which has hosted a joint UKUS military base since the 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A deal was agreed by the previous government but Mr Ramgalooms government has attempted to renegotiate aspects of the deal since he returned to power last year. The deal currently on the table would give Mauritius around 91m a year throughout a 99-year-long lease to keep the military base on the Indian Ocean island. Sir Keir Starmers spokesman confirmed on Tuesday that the incoming US administration would be given a chance to reconsider the deal, which was originally negotiated under the Biden administration. Donald Trump is said to oppose the deal, which he believes compromises US security. His team are concerned the deal would benefit China, which has expanded its influence in the region and has a trade deal with Mauritius. 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. Amid mounting legal bills, Mayor Adams defense trust is nearly $1 million in the red after raising just over $2,000 in the latest reporting period most of it from a convicted businessman pardoned by former President Donald Trump during his first White House term, a new filing reveals. The trust, which Adams uses to cover legal fees hes racking up to defend himself against his federal corruption indictment, has outstanding bills totaling about $925,000, according to the new filing submitted with the city Conflicts of Interest Board late Wednesday. The trusts surging debt comes after it paid the law firm of Alex Spiro, his lead defense attorney in the corruption case, a $200,000 retainer in the most recent reporting period, which spanned from mid-October through this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accounting for the latest disclosure, Adams trust has raised about $1.63 million and spent $2.5 million. His legal fees are certain to grow even larger, as hes set to go on trial in April, just weeks before the June Democratic mayoral primary in which he faces multiple challengers. Spiro, a celebrity attorney who also counts Elon Musk and Jay-Z as clients, has been known to charge clients as much as $2,000 per hour and started representing Adams shortly after his Sept. 26 indictment. The indictment, to which Adams has pleaded not guilty, alleges he accepted bribes and illegal straw donations for his 2021 and 2025 campaigns from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Spiro didnt immediately return a request for comment Thursday, and neither did Vito Pitta, the trusts compliance attorney. In the most recent reporting period, the trust also paid $411,776 to WilmerHale, a white shoe law firm that is working on Adams defense alongside Spiro. Brendan McGuire, Adams former chief counsel at City Hall, is a partner at the firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As its bills continue to pile up, the mayors trust had a lackluster fundraising showing in the latest period, with only two individuals contributing a total of $2,200, according to the new disclosure. One of the donors, Tzvi Odzer, contributed most of it, giving the trust $2,000 on Nov. 26. Odzer, who also gave $1,000 to Adams reelection campaign in 2023, was sentenced in the mid-2000s to prison time after being charged with bank fraud and making illegal straw donations in his childrens name to then-New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. On Jan. 19, 2021, the final day of his first presidential term, Trump pardoned Odzer. Trump, whos set to return to the White House next week for his second term, has said hes considering pardoning Adams, telling reporters last month he believes the Democratic mayor has been treated pretty unfairly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reached by phone Thursday, Odzer declined to discuss his Adams contribution. The other $200 given to Adams in the latest reporting period came from Alan Sclar, an attorney. The trust was already functionally in the red as of the last filing in mid-October. Asked at the time about the deficit, he told reporters: I have legal bills and Im going to pay my bills. Thats how I live my life. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) In the final moments of his annual State of the State address Tuesday night, Gov. Dan McKee promised to push harder for a ban on assault-style weapons. McKee, who has been a strong proponent for gun safety, announced that his budget proposal will include a ban on assault weapons. Lets finally get this done, McKee said. R.I. Senate President Dominick Ruggerio, who previously remained steadfast in his efforts to prevent an assault weapons ban from making it to the governors desk, recently told The Globe RIs Dan McGowan that he wasnt immediately ruling one out for this legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melissa Carden, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, said shes optimistic about Ruggerios apparent change of heart. [Ruggerio] indicated that he would not stan in the way of this initiative, she said. That makes us hopeful. IN-DEPTH: Key takeaways from McKees State of the State address Nearly a dozen states have passed laws that prohibit the sale and transfer of semi-automatic weapons, but R.I. Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz warns that the proposed ban is too broad. Semi-automatics that are widely distributed in this country would be illegal here in Rhode Island, de la Cruz said. That is unacceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also believes McKees decision to feature an assault weapons ban in the budget bypasses the legislative process. There used to be a little show called Schoolhouse Rock, and there was a song about how a bill comes to be, she said. Its not from the executive branch, and the governor knows that. The National Institute of Justice estimates that 77% of mass shootings are carried out using hand guns, while 25% involved assault rifles. But research from Brigham and Womens Hospital reveals that number of victims wounded or killed doubled when a semi-automatic weapon was used. These weapons are particularly barbaric and have no place in civilized society, Carden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. MADISON COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) The Madison County Sheriffs Office said many agencies are still waiting for information after multiple people were found dead in a Madison County house fire on January 7. The fire on Forestbrook Drive was reported at 6:23 a.m. on Tuesday, January 7. Crews at the scene said the flames were coming from the front door and quickly spread to the second floor, then the attic. Man killed when Florence Police say he tried to shoot up police department Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monrovia Fire & Rescue said that during the initial search of the home, the second floor collapsed. Two firefighters received minor injuries. I assure the public that we are making diligent efforts to identify these individuals. The Madison County Sheriffs Office, the State Fire Marshals Office, and the Madison County Coroners Office have submitted dental records for this purpose, Brent Patterson with MCSO told News 19 on Thursday. Once these records are positively matched, we will convene a joint news conference with the involved agencies to disseminate our findings. The Madison County Coroner Tyler Berryhill said three people were discovered dead inside the residence. Berryhill also said all three people are believed to be family members who lived at the home. You can read the entire statement below: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to address the numerous inquiries regarding the victims identities involved in the fire incident on Forestbrook Drive in the Monrovia community. I assure the public that we are making diligent efforts to identify these individuals. The Madison County Sheriffs Office, the State Fire Marshals Office, and the Madison County Coroners Office have submitted dental records for this purpose. Once these records are positively matched, we will convene a joint news conference with the involved agencies to disseminate our findings. The State Fire Marshals Office is spearheading this investigation until we know further confirmed details. It is important to understand that investigations of this nature require considerable time and effort. Unfortunately, I cannot provide a specific timeline for when we will have those results. I appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to bring closure to the families and loved ones affected by this tragic event. Brent Patterson, MCSO Download the WHNT News 19 App to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WHNT News 19 newsletters to have news sent to your inbox. The Monrovia Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the fire. They released a statement following the start of the investigation. Neighbors were startled by the incident. Ive lived out here for about four years now, and nothing like this has ever happened, Page Magee, a neighbor, said. Johnny Blake lives next door to the home that was on fire. He says his son heard a booming noise Monday night. He was asking if theyre still shooting fireworks, Blake said. And I told him I like no, no. And he was like, nah, I just heard a big bang. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other neighbors told Blake the woman even warned them of something happening to her. Man injured in shooting at Best Western Hotel in Huntsville She said to several people, within the past week or so that, if anything happened to her, she gave him a number to contact, Blake said. Its pretty much self-telling that she was prepared for something to go down. A neighbor interviewed by News 19 crews on the scene said her daughter-in-law is the one who called 911 after she heard a loud pop and there was smoke coming from the house. News 19 will continue to keep you updated throughout the course of the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Several advisors to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump have accepted a timeline of at least several months to strike a deal to settle the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reported on Jan. 15, citing two Trump associates who directly spoke to the president-elect about the war. Trump has previously promised to end Russia's war against Ukraine in 24 hours. As Trump's inauguration approaches, Keith Kellogg Trump's choice for special Ukraine peace envoy has said the Trump administration aims to end Russia's war against Ukraine within 100 days after inauguration. Trump's campaign promise to end the war in a day was a lack of appreciation for intractability of the conflict due to its complexity, and did not consider how long it would take to staff a new administration, the two Trump associates said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has voiced readiness to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin to begin the process of establishing a potential peace agreement. Kellogg is also slated to meet with Ukrainian officials following Trump's inauguration on Jan. 20, and will also visit other European capitals to discuss the war. Trump has called for more European leadership to end the war, including the potential of European peacekeepers. Marco Rubio, Trump's pick for secretary of state, said on Jan. 15 that both sides need to be "realistic," in a potential ceasefire agreement. Rubio suggested a concession from Russia would be to not advance any further, while Ukraine's concession would be to give its territories currently under Russian occupation. Previously, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the U.S. can not approach peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia as a neutral mediator, and recognize Russia as an aggressor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Trump can be decisive in ending war Zelensky on Ukraines outlook for 2025 Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. It took more than 15 months to get a ceasefire deal in Gaza that might last. But it took no time at all for a political battle to erupt in Washington over who deserves the credit for it. The EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, President-elect Trump insisted on social media shortly after noon Wednesday. We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. President Biden, first in a written statement and soon afterward in brief remarks at the White House, said the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was based around a framework he proposed last May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most striking moment of Bidens appearance came at its conclusion. A reporter asked whether the history books would credit the current president or Trump for the deal. Is that a joke? Biden snapped back. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, pressed on the topic later in the afternoon at her final media briefing, told reporters, Everybodys going to want some credit. What I can say is the president got it done. The back-and-forth is inevitable given the striking timing of an agreement that finally holds out some hope of an end to a period of catastrophic bloodshed. The first phase of the ceasefire could come into force almost immediately, with an initial hostage release possibly scheduled for Sunday the day before Biden leads office and Trump takes power for a second time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The historical echo from an earlier Middle East crisis is unmistakable. A generation ago, another one-term Democratic president, Jimmy Carter, tried and failed to free American hostages in Tehran during his final year in office. Carter was defeated by former President Reagan in November 1980. Iran released the hostages on the day of Reagans inauguration, Jan. 20, 1981. The current situation is not quite so clear-cut as the 1981 Iranian move, which was a clear boost for Reagan and a final humiliation for Carter. Biden is factually correct that the deal announced Wednesday hewed relatively closely to the framework he put forth in May. But the question then becomes why now? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It seems a stretch to imagine it was pure coincidence a deal that had proven elusive for eight months has snapped into place right as Biden is about to hand over the reins of power to Trump. Some insiders have argued Trumps threat that there would be hell to pay if the hostages were not released may have helped tug Hamas negotiators over the line. But Israeli media outlets have also reported Trumps new Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, ratcheted up the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to agree to a deal in a face-to-face meeting last weekend. Chaim Levinson, a columnist with the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, outlined the pressure in the wake of that meeting with a story headlined, Trumps Mideast envoy forced Netanyahu to accept a Gaza plan he repeatedly rejected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in Washington, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) paid tribute to Witkoff during his Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing to become Trumps secretary of State. Rubio told his Senate colleagues that Witkoff had been a critical component in reaching the deal, adding, Hes been involved in it from Day 1. In summary, there are three phases to a deal, which will begin with the release by Hamas of about 33 especially vulnerable hostages, a pause in hostilities and an infusion of humanitarian aid into a devastated Gaza. So long as Phase 1 endures for at least 16 days of its full six-week scope, negotiations will begin on Phase 2, which would encompass the release of all hostages, the declaration of a sustainable calm and an Israeli withdrawal. A final phase would include the beginning of a substantial rebuilding of Gaza, and the macabre business of exchanging bodies held by the opposing sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is, of course, plenty that could yet go wrong. Netanyahu could yet run into difficulties with the most hard-line members of his coalition government, notably National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. Israeli President Isaac Herzog whose office is largely ceremonial encouraged support for the deal Wednesday. Its also possible either side could backslide on its commitments, or negotiations as to exactly how to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2 could fall apart. Biden, in his White House appearance, offered some acknowledgment of the Trump teams efforts. He said that while the deal was developed and negotiated under my administration its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden added that, in the past few days, Weve been speaking as one team. Biden will turn to his legacy in broader terms in an address Wednesday evening. But he will plainly hope the ceasefire deal can help bind up the wounds that opened between him and younger, progressive voters over Gaza. Bidens self-proclaimed ironclad commitment to Israel encompassed almost $18 billion in military aid during the first 12 months of the conflict, according to a study from Brown University. Earlier this month, the administration informed Congress of an additional $8 billion proposed arms deal with the Israelis. The Israeli military campaign following Hamass Oct. 7, 2023, attacks has killed more than 46,000 Palestinians, according to the local health ministry, and displaced about 90 percent of Gazas population. Around 1,200 Israelis were killed on Oct. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant as alleged war criminals. Bidens Israel policy is also widely perceived as having weighed down Vice President Harris in her election campaign especially in the key swing state of Michigan, which has the highest concentration of Arab Americans in the nation. Harris lost Michigan to Trump, even suffering a defeat in Dearborn, a former Democratic stronghold and the first Arab-majority city in the United States. If a ceasefire holds in Gaza, all sides with be relieved. But the verdict of history as to who deserves the political credit could be a long time coming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Memo is a reported column by Niall Stanage. 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. Jan. 16bluefield A second opioid lawsuit payment that arrived in Mercer County by air Wednesday was among other payments going to Raleigh County and southern West Virginia counties and cities to help them deal with the damage inflicted by opioid addictions and overdose deaths. Attorney H. Truman Chafin, a former state senator who represented Mercer County and served as Senate Leader in the Legislature, landed at the Mercer County Airport and presented a check for $678,148 to Mercer County Commission President Bill Archer and County Commissioner Brian Blankenship. Chafin is now with The Chafin Law Firm in Williamson. It was Mercer County's second payment resulting from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors that sold large amounts of opioid pain medications in West Virginia. In December 2023, Chafin came to the airport and presented a check for nearly $2 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today is a pretty good check, too," Chafin said Wednesday after his plane landed. "It's $678,148 for you. You all know what to do with it." Chafin said that 72.5% of Mercer County's settlement proceeds, along with money from other counties and cities, went to the West Virginia First Foundation as per the memorandum of understanding that created the foundation. Mercer County and the other recipients will be able to apply for more funding from the foundation. The West Virginia First Foundation was created with legislation set up by former Gov. Jim Justice to administer the 72.5% of almost every county's share of the opioid settlement funds, Chafin said. Six different regions across the state are made up of counties and cities working together to use the settlement funds. "And that's a lot of money," he said. "Now, this (Wednesday's payment) is just a pittance compared to the 72%, and Mercer is in the Region 6 with Fayette, Monroe, Raleigh, Mercer, Summers, Nicholas, Webster, Greenbrier, Pocahontas, Wyoming and McDowell. And per the MOU (memorandum of understanding) the foundation shall spend 20% of their annual budget in this region, so I'm urging you all to make sure that you have the right people to hook up with the other counties and whatever you're going to do, that's a huge amount of millions there to be used in Mercer County to try and help what we're trying to help." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You've all got a lot of millions that you need to be applying for, but make sure you have somebody that knows what you're going to build in this region out of all those millions," Chafin said. County Commission President Bill Archer said he remembered how the opioid epidemic impacted Mercer County and the rest of the region. "We experienced, at least I experienced, like down in Oceana, that was like the oxy (oxycodone) center of the universe for a period of time," he said. "All those pill mills we'd see along (Route) 52 going down into McDowell County. We had lines of them. It was a terrible thing. Those kind of things were just so horrible." Chafin, who once represented Mingo County in the Legislature, recalled the community of Kermit, a place with 500 to 600 people that saw a huge shipment of opioid pills shipped to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I got a call from some people and they said 'You know where Kermit is?'" Chafin said. "And I said 'Yes, sir, I certainly do. I'm the senator here.' They said they have distributed almost five million pills in Kermit and there are like 490 people or something. And it was absolutely ground zero and it was national news and that's how we got on the case." And this huge amount of opioids, which led to overdose deaths and prison sentences, have an impact that's still being felt today. "There are so many people who aren't here today. Grandmothers are raising grandchildren because their parents are gone," Chafin said. In the second round of opioid settlement payments, Bluefield will be receiving $318,313 and Princeton will receive $196,187. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raleigh County will receive $1,278,921 and Beckley will receive $860,810. Fayette County will receive $379,162 and McDowell County will receive $740,135 with the county seat, Welch, receiving $27,604, according to public records at The Chafin Law Firm. How much each recipient is awarded is based on factors such as population. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com PRINCETON, WV (WVNS) Mercer County has received the second distribution of settlement funds from their private lawsuits against Big Pharma. U.S. Small Business Administration offering further assistance to Mercer County residents impacted by tropical storm Helene West Virginia First sued the companies that make up Big Pharma separately from the state lawsuits to secure further funding against Mercer Countys war on opioids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bill Archer, Mercer County Commissioner, said these funds will be used for the benefit of those facing substance abuse disorder. Its a major problem that involves help that we may be able to provide them by finding appropriate ways to use the funds that we got from the settlements, said Archer. Archer said the commission has been informally discussing where the latest installment of $678,000 would best serve the community. He said it will take society as a whole concentrating their efforts to finally gain a foothold in the war on opioid abuse. 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. Jan. 16princeton An important step in getting the Mercer County Sheriff's Department into new and larger quarters later this year with the help of American Rescue Plan funding was shared this week with the Mercer County Commission. Sheriff Alan Christian told the commissioners Tuesday during their first January meeting that his department had acquired the Mercer County Professional Building located next door to the Mercer County Courthouse. In 2021, Mercer County was awarded $11.4 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, also known as the COVID-19 Stimulus Package. Using this funding, the county commission provided American Rescue Plan grants for projects ranging from infrastructure improvements to buying new fire engines for the county's volunteer fire departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in March 2024, the county commission approved a $1.75 million American Rescue Plan grant to buy the Mercer County Professional Building. "So a little good news about the American Rescue Plan," Christian said. "The county was finally able to close out the deal on the purchase of a new home for the Mercer County Sheriff's Department which is a professional building across the street, the old bank." Christian thanked the commissioners and County Administrator Vicky Reed for their support. "But this is going to be huge for the sheriff's department," he said. "I mean, currently we're working out of about 1,600 square feet downstairs with just under 30 guys. That place we're moving into is 10,000 square feet; so not only is it going to help us but it's also going to help with the rest of the courthouse." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vacating the current offices will open up more space for the county's other departments. It will also create more parking outside the courthouse. The sheriff's department's cruisers now take up parking spaces right next to the courthouse. "More importantly, we're going to be moving all these parking spots we're taking up as the sheriff's department across the street and so that's going to open it up for folks to be able to come in and more easily find parking and get into the building," Christian said. The former professional building will need renovations before the sheriff's department can move in, but the hope is to move in by midsummer this year, Christian said. The department plans to keep the jail cells in the department's current quarters. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com After a tumultuous tenure clouded by two failed criminal prosecutions against the incoming president, Attorney General Merrick Garland is leaving the Justice Department the same way he came in: trying to defend it against political attacks. Garland, a once-beloved appellate judge whose nomination to the Supreme Court was thwarted by a Republican Senate, took the reins of the department in 2021. He began in the role by pledging, as he would several times over the next four years, that he would use his office to restore the integrity of the Justice Department after Donald Trumps first term. And while Garland is credited with overseeing major antitrust, civil rights and national security cases, his oversight of the Justice Department was also marked by high-profile political investigations, probes from Capitol Hill and accusations of weaponization against perceived enemies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know that, over the years, some have wrongly criticized you, saying that you have allowed politics to influence your decision-making. That criticism often came from people with political views opposite from one another, each making the exact opposite points about the same set of facts, Garland said in a farewell address to staff Thursday afternoon. But the story that has been told by some outside of this building about what has happened inside of it is wrong. You have worked to pursue justice not politics, Garland added. That is the truth. And nothing can change it. But Garland wont be able to escape the shadow of the Trump era. For instance, one of the attendees Thursday was Judge Tanya Chutkan the federal judge who oversaw the Trump election subversion case in Washington, DC. As he departs, some of the work that Garland did is in limbo. The incoming administration has vowed to pardon people who participated in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot the largest criminal investigation in the departments history. Task forces established under Garland, like the one aimed at protecting reproductive rights, may be disbanded, and civil rights agreements with police departments across the country could be abandoned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garlands own legacy is also still unclear. Some believe his steady hand brought a period of normalcy to the department, and his meticulous dedication to following the law built strong, and successful, legal cases. But critics suggest he slow-walked important decisions including whether to prosecute Trump, or that he lost control of the department he was running by allowing politically tinged investigations to continue, like the special counsel cases against Hunter Biden. And Garland is leaving behind a department at the heart of a bitter political conflict over how, and whether, to bring legal cases in the United States. Matthew Graves, the top-ranking Justice Department prosecutor in Washington, DC, who oversaw the Trump investigations before Garland appointed special counsel Jack Smith, defended Garlands handling of the cases in an interview with CNN as the exact opposite of politicization. Its a little its a bit mystifying to me to hear that process turned on its head, Graves said of arguments that Smiths appointment was political in nature. The argument that using these regulations whose very idea is to take political people out of it is somehow political I just dont understand that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Garlands supervision, the Justice Department has brought consequential antitrust cases against some of the largest companies in the United States. Prosecutors brought a groundbreaking, highly anticipated antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster, alleging that the companies abused their dominance in the ticketing industry to harm fans nationwide with confusing and exorbitantly expensive pricing. They also brought a case against Visa, alleging the company was blocking alternative debit cards from entering the market, and against Google over its search engine dominance, which won in court in August. The department also reinvigorated its civil rights department after a slow in activity during Trumps first term, particularly by opening several pattern and practice investigations into local police departments, aiming to help root out systemic issues and brutality in policing across the country. The vast majority of those investigations ended in consent decrees, which have agreed-upon improvement targets that will be monitored by a court going forward. Garland made reproductive rights a focus of the department after the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, quickly announcing a task force focused on identifying ways to protect reproductive rights. The task force was involved in one of the departments major wins at the Supreme Court allowing pregnant people to access abortion in emergency situations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite his successes in court, Garland has faced intense public scrutiny from both Democrats and Republicans for his handling of the two prosecutions into Trump. Republicans chastised Garland for bringing charges against the president-elect, calling the cases politically motivated and unjust. Democrats, for their part, slammed the attorney general for moving too slowly on those same cases, making it impossible for either case to go to trial before the November election dissension that also exists inside the Justice Department itself too. The tension on Capitol Hill was especially palpable, including in hearings where Garland was pushed repeatedly to defend the departments independence. That tension intensified as Trump, now president-elect, doubled down on his assertions that he would order criminal investigations into the career prosecutors who investigated him. Garland never directly addressed those assertions, but slammed efforts to turn the Justice Department into a political weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other officials inside the department described Garland as working to insulate career employees from the political firestorm he faced. One DOJ official told CNN that Garland would regularly invite members of his staff to his house for a home cooked meal to thank them for their work, noting that Mrs. Garland made delicious quiche. Two other department employees noted that every year for Halloween, the attorney general would sign emails with different holiday-themed monikers. This year it was Merrick Ghouland. Last year, Merrick Boo Garland. Bondi expected to take over As Garland prepares to leave, his would-be successor Pam Bondi has been sitting for her confirmation hearings in the Senate. Bondi, who helped defend Trump during his first impeachment trial and on the campaign trail, has repeatedly said that her goal is to end the partisan weaponization of the Justice Department a commitment that has sparked partisan debate on Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has wide-ranging support within the Republican Party, who say that she will bring an even-handed approach to a department embroiled in politics after the failed prosecutions of Trump. Democrats, however, have used her confirmation hearings to push Bondi to make a commitment that she will not abandon the rule of law to follow Trumps orders. I will not politicize that office, Bondi told senators Wednesday. I will not target people simply because of their political affiliation. She remained vague on legal promises Trump made on the campaign trail, saying that she would look at January 6 pardons on a case-by-case basis and that she has not pre-judged prosecutors on Trumps legal cases that he wants to criminally investigate. Graves, whose office led some of the prosecutions Trump has made the focus of his ire, said that he was confident prosecutors who worked on the high-profile investigations would not be criminally charged. I tend to think this will all work out once the responsibilities of governing all fall into place, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Garland, in addressing department staff, most of whom are not political and remain in their jobs despite a changing administration, warned of the importance of remaining independent, saying that the department needs to remain independent from both the White House and the Congress. We know that only an independent Justice Department can protect the safety and civil rights of everyone in our country, he said. And we know that only an independent Justice Department can ensure that the facts and law alone will determine whether a person is investigated or prosecuted. We must understand that there is a difference between what we can do and what we should do, he said. CNNs Katelyn Polantz contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) The streets in front of Central High School, Bookcliff Middle School and Long Family Memorial Park could soon be safer thanks to a large grant from the federal government. The Orchard Avenue Safety and Connectivity Project just got about $21.3 million from a Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant. Mesa County Commissioner Cody Davis said that the grant money will help the project come to fruition in less time, making the community safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve been working on this project for a long time, said Davis. The remaining project is going to cost close to $25 million, so this $21.3 million that we received from the federal government through this grant is just a boom because this just went from being an eight- or nine-year, 10-year project to being able something we can start designing right now and start construction hopefully in the next year or two. The improvements will include ADA-compliant sidewalks, dedicated bike lanes and crosswalks around the area to help make the area more accessible for not just cars, but all modes of transportation, like bikes and pedestrians. Davis and his fellow Mesa County commissioners couldnt be more grateful to Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet in helping secure this funding. To Hickenlooper, Bennett, who were instrumental in helping getting this passed in the Senate, were grateful, said Davis. Roads and sidewalks are nonpartisan, they shouldnt have a political aisle, so we got people on kind of both sides of the aisle helping us get this across the finish line. And this just makes our community better and safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. The Rockdale County Sheriffs Office is searching for a 23-year-old woman accused of murdering her 1-year-old daughter. Officials say on Jan. 8, the RCSO responded to a call of a person not breathing. When they arrived, they discovered the person not breathing was a 1-year-old child. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Emergency personnel immediately began life-saving measures to resuscitate the child, however, the child was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RCSO officials are now looking for the childs mother, 23-year-old Gloria Wright. Wright has been charged with murder in the first degree and cruelty to children in the first degree. Wright is being actively sought and RCSO officials are asking for the publics help locating her. TRENDING STORIES: Anyone with information regarding her whereabouts is urged to contact Investigator G. Levett with the Rockdale County Sheriffs Office. Their investigation is ongoing. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The Seal of the State of New Mexico inside the Roundhouse on Jan. 10, 2024. (Photo by Anna Padilla for Source NM) New Mexicos Legislative Finance Committee on Wednesday recommended $10.8 billion in spending for the 2025-2026 fiscal year from the states general fund, a 5.7% increase over 2025 planned spending. In a statement, Sen. George Munoz (D-Gallup), LFC chairman and chair of the Senate Finance Committee, said fiscal restraint has been critical to our successful efforts to transform the revenue boom of the last few years into long-term support for state services. He continued to say the lawmakers intended budget recommendation balances increasing New Mexicans income, health care and quality of life while saving for the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers held a news conference Wednesday to present their recommendations, which include $3 billion in one-time spending: $50 million for regional recreation centers and quality of life grants; $350 million for transportation projects; $855 million for special projects and $1.7 billion in transfers to endowments and other funds. The budget also allocates 45% of the $577 million increase in recurring general fund spending to public education, primarily toward the formula-based state equalization guarantee distribution to school districts and charter schools. Other budget highlights include: a 3% increase, or $36 million to the Higher Education Department Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement approximately $79 million more to the Health Care Authority, primarily for Medicaid an average 4% increase for higher education and state employee salaries $134 million. New Mexico is in the best financial situation its ever been in its history, Munoz told reporters Wednesday. If we do maintain responsible policies in New Mexico, well continue on this path to growth for the next 10 years. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grishams budget recommendations, which she released in December, call for $10.9 billion in recurring spending overall, including $172 million for state employee and educator raises. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe) said the Legislatures budget proposal is not that far apart from the governors proposed budget, and thats a really good thing going into a session. The committees plan allocates 33% of planned spending for reserves; the governors recommends maintaining reserves at 30.4%. In a statement, Department of Finance and Administration Cabinet Secretary Wayne Propst said the agency released the executive budget recommendation earlier than ever to give both the public and the Legislature ample time to review and understand our plan before the LFC presented theirs. We appreciate the effort that went into the LFC recommendation and agree that both recommendations align on key priorities and are very close to each other. Where differences exist, we look forward to working through them with the appropriating committees, Propst said. Weve been proactive in building strong reserves and setting aside billions for the future. These next 60 days will test our collective resolve to resist unnecessary spending and stay focused on building a strong and stable financial future for New Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President Pro Tem Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Albuquerque) also noted the budget includes a community benefit fund for electrification, transportation and clean jobs infrastructure designed to help local communities lower greenhouse gas emissions, and have healthier air, land and water. Overall, House Appropriations and Finance Committee Chair Rep. Nathan Small (D-Las Cruces) said the budget focuses on making New Mexicans lives better immediately and in the next decade and beyond. Wise spending in this budget will allow for sustained future raises for public servants like teachers, police officers, health care workers and others, Small said, whereas in past cycles, it was a boom-and-bust approach. We have an enviable opportunity in order to spend increased amounts today, while also saving for the future, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX NEW MEXICO (KRQE) U.S. Senator Ben Ray Lujan shared a personal story explaining his support for the Republican nominee for the U.S. Secretary of Transportation. President-elect Donald Trump nominated former Wisconsin representative Sean Duffy to lead the department. The Secretary of Transportation is tasked with maintaining the nations aviation system, highways, railroads, and ports. Pam Bondi grilled over Trumps influence at AG hearing: 5 takeaways Duffy said he is safety-focused and plans to end drunk driving. Senator Ben Ray Lujan spoke of his own experience with impaired drivers after getting hit by a drunk driver 30 years ago. That was after Duffy opened up about how his wife survived a head-on collision with a drunk driver. Senator Lujan said Duffy clearly had bipartisan support in the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cannot think of a more noble and important priority in your work than your commitment to making our country safer for our families and our communities. I also want to say thank you for sharing your wife Rachels story. I know firsthand how hard it is to speak about these tragedies and traumas. 30 years ago, I was hit head-on by a drunk driver, said Sen. Lujan. Duffy has been contributing to Fox News since 2020. He also spent more than eight years in Congress as a GOP representative from Wisconsin. 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. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) Leading New Mexico legislators on Wednesday recommended a 5.7% general fund spending increase for the coming fiscal year that emphasizes health care access, public school improvements, and early education and childcare programs that can boost household finances. The lead budget writing committee to the Democratic-led Legislature proposed a $577 million increase to $10.8 billion for the fiscal year running from July 2025 to June 2026. A windfall in government income from petroleum production is slowing down though far from over in New Mexico, the nations No. 2 oil-producing state. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth of Santa Fe said the spending plan leaves room for a separate proposal to create a $1 billion endowment and use investment earnings to expand mental health and addiction treatment services. That comes amid a proliferation of homeless encampments in cities large and small and related concerns about public safety. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has set crime and homelessness as a central focus for of the 60-day legislative session that begins Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic state House Speaker Javier Martinez of Albuquerque said the Legislature's new spending pitch "is about making life more affordable for New Mexico families. This budget is not just about making our communities safer, this budget is about building more access to health care, including behavioral health and drug addiction treatment," he said. Combined state and federal spending on health care in New Mexico principally Medicaid would increase by $3.3 billion to $15.5 billion, a 27% jump. New Mexico is using a new assessment on hospitals to harness more federal Medicaid dollars for the health care sector. Democratic state Sen. George Munoz of Gallup said New Mexico is well positioned financially if the federal government were to reduce Medicaid allowances after President-elect Donald Trump takes office next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the No. 1 issue across states for everybody Medicaid, said Munoz, the lead Senate budget negotiator. We can react to that if it does happen. ... We have the ability, we have the money to react. Spending on K-12 public education would increase by $263 million, or 6%, to $4.7 billion. Additionally, the proposal sets aside $150 million for pilot programs to improve literacy, elementary school math proficiency and lagging attendance rates. Distributions from New Mexico's early childhood education trust an endowment built on a windfall in state income from oil production would increase by $290 million, or nearly 9%, to $854 million to expand childcare and related medical assistance. New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is advocating for a slightly larger, 7% annual general fund spending increase. The Legislature develops its own competing spending plan, and Lujan Grisham can veto any and all provisions approved by legislators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature's budget recommendation includes an average 4% pay increase for public employees across state government, public schools and colleges. The budget proposals do not outline possible tax cuts or incentives. Republicans in the state House minority are advocating to eliminate personal income taxes that peak at 5.9% for top earners. Mexican authorities have repeatedly vowed to welcome back their citizens should the incoming Trump administration proceed with threats of large-scale deportations. Its our obligation, said President Claudia Sheinbaum, who has outlined plans to boost assistance for millions of Mexican citizens facing potential deportation from the United States and increase aid for those forced back to Mexico. But less clear, and more problematic, is how Mexico's leaders will respond if, as expected, President-elect Donald Trump pressures them to accept deportees from other countries as well either asylum seekers immediately sent back from the border or migrants living in the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This will be one of the first pressures facing Mexico, said Eunice Rendon, a columnist and expert in migrant issues. Donald Trump is going to want to send people who arent Mexicans back to Mexico, especially those from countries like Venezuela, with which the United States doesnt have diplomatic relations. Mexico is under no legal obligation to take back noncitizens, even if many traveled through Mexico to reach U.S. territory. But in the past it has relented under the threat of tariffs that could cripple its economy. Read more: Will Trump send troops to Mexico? His pick for ambassador worries officials there Trump again is vowing massive tariffs unless Mexico which sends more than 80% of its exports north of the border capitulates to his demands. That leaves Mexico with little leverage to push back, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In December, Sheinbaum said her government preferred Washington send non-Mexicans directly back to their homelands, leaving Mexico out of it. But she recently signaled that Mexico may work with the U.S. on accepting some third-country nationals. Trump's next administration is reported to be considering reviving in some fashion two of its controversial programs known as Remain in Mexico and Title 42 that sent back into Mexico tens of thousands of non-Mexican asylum seekers detained at the Southwest border. Under Remain in Mexico, they were turned back to await U.S. court appearances. Under Title 42, a public health measure invoked during the COVID-19 pandemic, migrants were immediately returned to Mexico without court dates. Read more: Bracing for Trump, Mexico aims to roll out a 'panic app' for Mexican nationals being deported Many of the asylum seekers fell victim to crime and became a burden for Mexican cities and towns housing them. The Biden administration ended both programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Trump's first administration, Mexico agreed to accept non-Mexican deportees, limited mostly to Spanish speakers from Central and South America and Cuba, as well as Haitians. Sheinbaum said this month that Mexican officials could collaborate, through different mechanisms, with their U.S. counterparts. She and her representatives have not clarified what terms Mexico would seek. But analysts say they will undoubtedly push for caps on the numbers and nationalities of deportees. Read more: Mexico cracks down on drugs and migrants. Will it be enough to stop Trump tariffs? I can see Mexico agreeing to accept some third-country nationals apprehended at the border, and taking those back, said Adam Isacson, an analyst with the Washington Office on Latin America, a research and advocacy group. That has already been happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After President Biden ended Title 42, Mexico agreed to accept up to 30,000 expelled migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela countries that, for political and other reasons, pose challenges for direct deportations from the United States. That agreement remains in place. The really hard thing for Mexico would be if the Trump administration tries to force Mexico to receive Venezuelans and others who are living in the U.S. interior and face deportation, Isacson said. That would be difficult. Mexico is in a really tough spot. Read more: What's in a name? Gulf of America? Mexican America? Once the president-elect takes office Monday, experts anticipate a flurry of executive orders regarding the Southwest border and deportations cornerstones of Trump's campaign pitch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican members of Congress are already attempting to codify Remain in Mexico into U.S. law. Critics labeled the policy inhumane to those fleeing persecution, but proponents said it was an effective deterrent to bogus asylum claims. And Trump advisors, many of whom have pushed Title 42 for years, have appeared keen to reinstate that measure. Whatever happens on Inauguration Day, thousands of U.S.-bound migrants in Mexico are watching closely. They are caught between beefed-up Mexican enforcement authorities there reported a record of more than 1 million detentions of immigrants last year, sending many back to southern Mexico and a Biden administration policy that in June raised the legal standard for asylum claims and blocked access for those crossing the border illegally. Read more: Mexico's president on Trump deportation plans: Immigrants are not 'criminals' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Few migrants appear to view staying in Mexico as a viable option. Its urgent for us to get to the United States everyone says its going to be more difficult once Trump arrives, said Daisy Fernandez, 24, of Venezuela, one of several hundred migrants camped outside a bus station in Mexico City. We have a lot of friends and family now in the United States who tell us that, once you cross the border, you can easily find a job. Your life immediately changes for the better." Told that Trump is considering deporting Venezuelans and other non-Mexicans back to Mexico, Fernandez was adamant. In no way do we want to be in Mexico that doesnt interest us, said Fernandez, who, like other migrants, spoke of abuse by Mexican immigrant agents, police and criminals while traversing the nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of problems in Mexico, and no work. We want to reach the United States, whether Trump likes it or not," she said. "If they deport us back to Mexico, well keep trying to cross into the United States. She and her partner said they arrived in Mexico City last week after a two-month overland trek. They planned to head north before Inauguration Day. Read more: 'All hell will break out': 3 foreign policy takeaways from Trump Both applied for appointments with U.S. authorities via CPB One, a Biden administration app program that has facilitated U.S. entry for almost 1 million asylum seekers waiting in Mexico. But it can take more than six months to get an appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We put in the application, but we don't have an appointment," Fernandez said. "Anyway, I don't think it makes much difference because we've heard that they are going to cancel CBP One the same day that Trump becomes president." Osmar Villa, 31, who was a restaurant worker in Cuba, also planned to leave the camp and try to enter the United States before Trump takes office. "I will try as many times possible to cross into the United States and make a life there," Villa said. "To remain in Mexico is not an option for me." Special correspondent Cecilia Sanchez Vidal contributed to this report. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Jan. 15The Los Angeles fires loomed over the nomination hearing for President-elect Donald Trump's pick to head the Department of Energy on Wednesday. Nominee Chris Wright focused on the importance of nuclear energy, making the electric grid more resilient and increasing U.S. energy production during the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing. At times his testimony was interrupted by protesters drawing attention to climate change and the fires devastating LA. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., was not ready to say if he would vote to approve Wright, but said the nominee is less dogmatic than he expected prior to meeting him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we're going to solve this challenge of how do we remain at the front of the AI revolution and don't cede that leadership to our adversaries, we're going to need a whole lot of generation and we're going to need to connect things faster, and he does seem to understand the challenges in the transmission and interconnection queue areas," Heinrich said. The Department of Energy plays a crucial role in New Mexico, overseeing the national laboratories including Sandia and Los Alamos and maintaining the nuclear arsenal. The agency also oversees U.S. energy supply and environmental clean-up of nuclear waste. The chief executive of Colorado fossil fuel company Liberty Energy, Wright has been a vocal advocate for fossil fuels. During the hearing, he committed to severing his ties to energy companies, including with geothermal company Fervo Energy, if confirmed. "I will sever all of my ties across the whole energy space, but I won't sever my passion for seeing energy technologies advance to better American lives," Wright said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. needs to expand energy production, including commercial nuclear and liquefied natural gas, Wright said. He also committed to visiting Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories in his first year, and said he would keep the 17 national labs focused on science and energy innovation. Wright said he believes nuclear waste can be dealt with safely, pointing to a nuclear power company that has managed its waste even without a permanent repository. "It's a political and social challenge, but technically can we deal with nuclear waste safely? Yes we can," Wright said. Community buy-in is an important component in establishing a permanent waste repository, he said. The only permanent transuranic waste depository in the U.S. is the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant near Carlsbad, which does not accept commercial waste. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While much of Wright's reception seemed positive, Democrats took issue with the proceedings. Heinrich said he was disappointed that Republican Committee Chair Mike Lee of Utah scheduled the hearing so quickly. Wright's background check and financial disclosures were not delivered to committee members until late in the day Tuesday, giving them little time to review the documents. Trump's Interior secretary pick, former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, will have a confirmation hearing Thursday. The date was pushed back after Democrats, led by Heinrich, urged Lee to postpone because Burgum's FBI background check and financial disclosures had not been completed. Transportation Nominee The Senate nomination hearing for Trump's Transportation secretary pick, former Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy, was also Wednesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexico Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, a Democrat, said he had a chance to speak with Duffy about roads, bridges, railways and hot air balloons ahead of the hearing. They also spoke about the risks of drunken driving and legislation Lujan passed previously with Florida Sen. Rick Scott requiring carmakers to install technology in new vehicles to prevent drunken driving crashes. Duffy clearly had bipartisan support in the hearing, Lujan said, and the two connected over their experiences with serious car crashes. "I survived a drunk driver that hit me head-on some 30 years ago. ... (Duffy) shared with me that his spouse, Rachel, that she actually survived a head-on collision many years ago," Lujan said. Grand Rapids Community College Tassel M-TEC | Nick Manes Michigans State Board of Education has called on state leaders to increase investment in career and technical education (CTE) programs in order to expand opportunities for students to prepare for high-wage and high-skills careers. A resolution to that effect was passed by the board at its Tuesday meeting, calling on both the Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to provide additional funding to local and intermediate school districts, particularly in the 41% of Michigan school districts described as CTE deserts where participation in the programs is much lower than expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution, which passed by a 7-1 vote, states that CTE offers students opportunities to earn college credit, industry certification, and licenses in high-wage, high-skill, and in-demand fields, ranging from agriculture to skilled trades, to public safety, to science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Pamela Pugh, president of the Michigan Board of Education, in Flint on May 23, 2023. (Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Students who complete CTE programs gain valuable, practical skills and the opportunity to start exciting careers after high school and to build a strong foundation for success in post-secondary education, said Board President Pamela Pugh, a Democrat. All Michigan students deserve access to these opportunities, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status, or where they live. The lone no vote came from Tom McMillin, one of only two Republicans on the board. The former House member said while the value of CTE programs wasnt in doubt, he objected to state government being the source for that funding. We always just look at government. You know, maybe the answer to more choice would be non-government choices, innovative options, some kind of voucher. It doesnt necessarily have to be government schools and government funding, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the resolution, CTE programs contribute to meeting several goals in Michigans Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, including expanding secondary learning opportunities for all students, increasing the percentage of all students who graduate from high school as well as the percentage of adults with a post-secondary credential. In addition to preparing students for rewarding careers, CTE courses can also keep some children engaged at school so they are able to graduate and improve their life outcomes, said State Superintendent Michael Rice. Students enrolled in CTE programs have significantly higher high school graduation rates and higher earnings in the labor market. They acquire skills that prepare them for successful career entry, advancement, and/or continuing education including college for high-wage, high-demand careers. While enrollment in CTE programs has rebounded from its pandemic decline, the resolution states that recent studies done by the University of Michigans Youth Policy Lab, which were presented at the October and December board meetings, detailed significant disparities in CTE access across socioeconomic status, race, and geography. Additionally, in nearly half of the 53 different CTE programs offered by the state, economically disadvantaged students are underrepresented by more than 10 percentage points, including in computer programming, engineering technology, and financial management services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With that as a backdrop, a press release from the board says that over the next five years, an additional investment is needed to expand opportunities for students who have not been able to access state-approved career-tech programming because of funding, geography, transportation, and cultural barriers. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX State Rep. Parker Fairbairn (R-Harbor Springs) sits in the House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses on Jan. 14, 2025. | Anna Liz Nichols When Republicans in the Michigan House of Representatives took control of the chamber on Jan. 8, they immediately got to work, introducing legislation to preserve Michigans tipped minimum wage and moderate changes to the states paid sick leave policy. Eight days later, that momentum has continued, as legislation sprang from a committee on Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tasked with addressing impending changes to Michigans minimum wage and paid sick leave laws set to take effect on Feb. 21, members of the House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses which was established before most other standing committees closed out testimony Thursday with members voting nearly unanimously to send two proposals back to the House floor. Lawmakers are expected to vote on them as early as next week. Over the summer the Michigan Supreme Court issued an opinion finding that 2018s GOP-controlled Legislature subverted the rights of citizens by taking up two ballot initiatives and significantly amending them, reducing proposed increases to the states minimum wage, abandoning a phase out the sub-minimum tipped wage and exempting businesses with less than 50 employees from the paid sick leave requirements. As part of its decision, the court opted to restore the provisions eliminated by the Legislature. Since the decision, small business and hospitality industry advocates have sounded the alarm, warning that the changes mandated by the Supreme Court would be the nail in the coffin for several struggling enterprises. During a Jan. 16, 2025 meeting of the Michigan House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses, State Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown) explains her proposed amendment to a bill intended to mitigate changes to Michigans paid sick leave law. | Kyle Davidson A 2024 survey from the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association found that eliminating the tip credit would force one in five restaurants in the state to close, alongside forcing layoffs resulting in the loss of 40,000 to 60,000 restaurant jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Republicans have made countering these changes a top priority, with the first bills introduced in the House in 2025 seeking to retain the tipped wage alongside the current small business exemption from paid sick leave requirements. House Bill 4001 sponsored by Rep. John Roth (R-Interlochen) would keep the tipped wage at 38% of the state minimum wage, abandoning the plan to phase out of the sub-minimum wage rate by 2030. It also reduces the proposed increases to the minimum wage, with the minimum wage set to increase to $15 at the start of 2029 compared to the schedule laid out in the incoming changes, which would raise the minimum wage to $14.97 by Feb. 21, 2028. House Bill 4002 sponsored by Rep. Jay DeBoyer (R-Clay) focuses on changes to the states sick leave requirements. Under the changes required by the Supreme Court decision, employers with fewer than 10 employees must offer up to 40 hours of paid sick leave and 32 hours of unpaid leave while businesses with 10 or more employees must offer a full 72 hours of paid sick leave. However, House Bill 4002 would exempt employers with 50 employees or fewer from the new paid sick leave requirements, and eliminates language permitting employees to take civil action if their employer violates the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to voting on the proposals, members approved an amendment to House Bill 4001 from state Rep. Parker Fairbairn (R-Harbor Springs) reducing the current wage rate for employees under 18 from 85% to 75%, to account for increases to the state minimum wage. Its important to note that even with this change, workers under 18 will still receive minimum wage increases as scheduled, starting on Feb. 21. However, we need to protect our businesses that often employ people in this age range, especially in northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, Fairbairn said. Businesses rely on these workers in this age group for seasonal work in the hospitality, agriculture and tourism industries. My substitute makes sure to protect both young workers and small businesses that rely on them. The committee also adopted changes to House Bill 4002 introduced by Rep. Jamie Thompson (R-Brownstown Twp.) to ensure chiropractors are included in the bills definition of health care providers, as some employers may require documentation when employees use more than three consecutive days of earned sick time. Thompsons amendment also allows employees to roll over more than 72 hours of their sick time into the next year if the employer allows. The committee shot down an amendment from Rep. Will Snyder (D-Muskegon) to retain the minimum wage increases outlined by the Supreme Court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the panel also rejected an amendment from Rep. Matt Longjohn (D-Portage) ensuring that employees who are not eligible for paid sick leave under House Bill 4002 receive one day of paid sick leave for themselves and their dependents to ensure they receive annual preventative care visits, alongside paid time for any follow up care their provider recommends. Following the conclusion of the hearing, Rep. Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland), who chairs the committee, told reporters they could expect to see the bills on the House floor next week. Prior to the meeting, Schuette told Michigan Public he was confident the House would adopt changes to the tipped wage and paid sick leave laws before they take effect on Feb. 21. The bills would also need to win approval in the Democratic-led Senate, which has introduced its own legislation, and be signed by Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Rep. Matt Longjohn at the Select House Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses hearing on Jan. 14, 2025 | Anna Liz Nichols John Sellek, spokesperson for Save MI Tips, which opposes the tipped-wage changes imposed by the Supreme Court, told the Michigan Advance that the group had to tip its hat to Schuette, House Speaker Matt Hall (R-Richland Twp.) and Roth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House is setting a standard on one side, the Senate clearly is going to move in another direction. We knew this had to be a negotiated compromise. We need the governor to sign these bills. So we need Democrats and Republicans. So these are just the initial, I think, setting points. Any adjustments made today is with the end goal of being able to come to an agreement with the Senate, said Sellek, a longtime GOP consultant. While business groups offered a strong show of support for the bills in committee, the nonpartisan Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) warned these changes would strip paid sick time protections from nearly 1.5 million workers in Michigan. MLPP President Monique Stanton said the changes to the minimum wage law would also harm workers struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and that tipped workers would benefit from the elimination of the tipped wage, pointing to other states with similar laws to those taking effect in February where servers fared just as well if not better than servers in states with a tipped minimum wage. We urge lawmakers to reject these harmful bills and instead uphold the minimum wage and paid sick time laws that the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on and that are set to take effect next month. Workers have been waiting since 2018 for these critical supports and we must make sure the current laws are upheld. When workers are healthier, better paid and less stressed, businesses thrive, communities prosper and our state becomes a stronger and more equitable place for all, Stanton said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Recent geopolitical shifts in the troubled Middle East, highlighted by the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iran's dwindling influence, present a rare opportunity for Lebanon to emerge from 50 years of lawlessness and regain control of its own fate. In just five days, Lebanon's political scene turned upside down: Army commander Gen. Joseph Aoun was elected president Jan. 9 after 26 months of presidential vacuum. On Monday, Nawaf Salam, president of the International Court of Justice, was named the new prime minister. The Aoun-Salam combination took everyone by surprise. It was not what the Shiite allies, Iran-backed Hezbollah and the Amal Movement led by House Speaker Nabih Berri wanted or even expected. Faced by the fait accompli, they reacted with dismay and anger, saying there was an attempt to exclude them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Shiite duo voted for Aoun reportedly as part of a deal under which incumbent Prime Minister Najib Mikati, whom they support, was to be named again as prime minister. Their ability to impose their will on the country's other political components has clearly diminished after the once-powerful Hezbollah emerged weak from 14 months of a destructive war with Israel. Aoun and Salam, known for their integrity, clean hands and trusted personalities with successful records, revived new hopes for crises-ridden and corruption-plagued Lebanon. The parliament's selection of Salam as prime minister, who was opposed by Hezbollah and incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's team, "is another political earthquake" that occurred after the "landmark election" of Aoun as president, Firas Maksad, senior fellow and director of strategic outreach at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, wrote in a post on LinkedIn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To Najat Saliba, who was among 84 legislators in the 128-member parliament who named Salam to the prime minister post, it was "the will of the people calling for reform" that won this time. Saliba explained that it was "a cumulative effort by so many people" boosted by "a snowball effect" once Salam was suggested as a candidate at the last minute. "The stars were aligning,' she told UPI, citing the collapse of the Assad regime, the weakening of Iran and its proxies, and the fresh interest of the international community in Lebanon as factors that led to the huge change in the country. But what really made "this breakthrough" was the will of the people, who did not want Mikati back in power and supported change and reform, she maintained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is what Hezbollah and Amal failed to capture, thinking they can carry on with "business as usual" despite the shift in the Middle East balance of power. The Shiite duo, however, is left with only two options: either to accept the new reality and join the new cabinet or to stay out at the risk of further losing its political influence, according to observers. Lebanon under Aoun and Salam is to adopt financial and political reforms, as well as handle the reconstruction of large parts of Beirut's southern suburbs and eastern and southern Lebanon, which were badly damaged during the Hezbollah-Israel war. Without having a Hezbollah-Amal blessing and consent, that would be hard to achieve. The new president and prime minister tried to assure both groups, which widely represent the Shiite community, stressing that there was no intention to exclude them from the new process in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the most pressing issue and main assuring element is to secure Israel's full withdrawal from southern Lebanon by Jan, 27 in line with the U.S.-brokered cease-fire agreement that ended the Hezbollah-Israel war last November. "The best and only way to get the Israelis out is for Lebanon to fully implement its part of this accord," Sami Nader, Middle Eastern affairs analyst and director of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, told UPI. Lebanon, Nader said, will have to "prove to the world and provide the evidence that its army is the only force present in the south." Under the Nov. 27 cease-fire deal, Hezbollah should withdraw to south of the Litani River, and Israel should pull out its troops completely so that the Lebanese Army takes control of the border area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah, moreover, would not be allowed to rebuild its military infrastructure. While it agreed to relinquish its weapons in southern Lebanon, the Iran-backed militant group strongly rejects an Israeli condition to be fully disarmed. Only a full Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon would eventually convince Hezbollah to drop arms as part of a new "defense strategy" that President Aoun pledged to implement. Such a strategy would enable the Lebanese authorities to end Israel's occupation of parts of south Lebanon and "deter its aggression." The Lebanese Army would then become the only armed force in the country. "It is not going to be easy, but the new president is known for his integrity, competence, courage and boldness," Hisham Jaber, a Lebanese military expert and former army general who knows Aoun personally, told UPI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah, Jaber said, is "obliged to change and accept a comprehensive national strategy whereby its fighters could regroup as paramilitary forces within the Lebanese Army." Rebuilding a just state and a modern economy, adopting a policy of "positive neutrality," fighting widespread corruption, "mafias," drug smuggling and money-laundering, reactivating the judiciary and introducing necessary reforms were some of the promises Aoun and Salam made. "There is a chance [to fulfill these promises] because the major impediment for state building was the great influence Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah, had on the ground and on the Lebanese institutions," Nader said. He explained that the momentum created by the geopolitical shits in the region "offers an opportunity" for Lebanon to "return to the state, return to the constitution and return to the Arab family and the international community, as well." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This road to real sovereign state and good governance cannot be done overnight, with a magic stick," he cautioned, expecting "some real difficulties in passing radical reforms, forming governance and getting out of the prevailing quota system." Lebanon has been facing a deep, compounded crisis since October 2019 that resulted in soaring poverty and unemployment, with the Lebanese pound losing 90% of its value and bank depositors stripped of their savings. The country's financial collapse was due to decades of corruption and mismanagement by the ruling elite. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached. The announcement came a day after Netanyahus office said there were last minute snags in talks to free hostages in return for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu said he will convene his security Cabinet later on Friday and then the government to approve the ceasefire agreement. On Thursday, Netanyahu's office said the Cabinet wont meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down, accusing the group of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 72 people since the ceasefire deal was announced, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. Under the deal expected to begin Sunday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israels offensive has killed over 46,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry. It does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's the latest: Netanyahu says Israeli officials have reached a deal to return hostages after last minute snags JERUSALEM Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached. The announcement came a day after Netanyahus office said there were last minute snags in talks to free hostages in return for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Netanyahu said he will convene his security Cabinet on Friday and then the government to approve the ceasefire agreement. Trump says ceasefire better be finalized before his inauguration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WASHINGTON President-elect Donald Trump said the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas better be finalized before his inauguration on Monday and said his involvement was crucial for the negotiation. We changed the course of it, and we changed it fast, and frankly, it better be done before I take the oath of office, he said in a podcast interview with Dan Bongino. Trump also said we shook hands, and we signed certain documents, but it better be done. He claimed Biden hadnt done anything. Im not looking for credit. I want to get these people out, he said. Weve got to get them out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truce is expected to begin Sunday, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a last-minute crisis with Hamas is holding up his governments approval. What awaits Palestinians on the other side of a ceasefire? Palestinians in the Gaza Strip are eager to leave miserable tent camps and return to their homes if a long-awaited ceasefire agreement halts the war, but many will find there's nothing left. And its unclear when or even if much will be rebuilt. Two-thirds of structures in Gaza have been destroyed The full extent of the damage will only be known when the fighting ends and inspectors have full access to the territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using satellite data, the United Nations estimated last month that 69% of the structures in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed, including over 245,000 homes. Mountains of rubble will need to be moved Before anything can be rebuilt, the rubble must be removed a staggering task in itself. The U.N. estimates that the war has littered Gaza with over 50 million tons of rubble. That's roughly 12 times the size of the Great Pyramid of Giza. With over 100 trucks working full time, it would take over 15 years to clear the rubble away. The debris also contains huge amounts of unexploded ordnance as well as human remains. Gazas Health Ministry says thousands of people killed in Israeli airstrikes are still buried under the rubble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No plan for the day after All this will require billions of dollars and the ability to bring construction materials and heavy equipment into the territory neither of which are assured. The ceasefire and hostage deal doesnt say whether Israel and Egypt will lift a blockade on Gaza they imposed when Hamas seized power in 2007. International donors are unlikely to invest in an ungoverned territory that has seen five wars in less than two decades, which means the sprawling tent camps along the coast could become a permanent feature of life in Gaza. ___ Read more about Gazas uncertain future. A far-right ally of Netanyahu says hell quit if Israel approves Gaza ceasefire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JERUSALEM Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threated on Thursday night to leave the government if Israel approves a ceasefire, but said his party would rejoin the government if fighting in Gaza continued. Even if Ben-Gvir s party leaves the government, it does not rob Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of a parliamentary majority and force early elections. It also would not stop a ceasefire deal if the plan comes to a Cabinet vote for approval, which could happen as early as Friday. Ben-Gvir said the ceasefire was reckless and would destroy all of Israels achievements. A settler leader, Ben Gvir has become one of Israels most influential politicians, reflecting a rightward shift in the Israeli electorate that brought his religious, ultranationalist ideology into the mainstream and diminished hopes for Palestinian independence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palestinian leaders in the West Bank get ready for a potential return to Gaza RAMALLAH, West Bank Palestinian leaders who administer the occupied West Bank are getting ready in case theyre tasked with running critical services and setting up an interim government in the Gaza Strip. Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa met with top officials to discuss plans for reintegrating government institutions in Gaza, including the territorys health care, education, water and power sectors, as well as coordinating a surge of humanitarian aid. Theres still no plan for who will govern Gaza after the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has said it will work with local Palestinians not affiliated with Hamas or the Western-backed Palestinian Authority. But its unclear if such partners exist, and Hamas has threatened anyone who cooperates with Israeli forces. EU says its ready to resume monitoring a key Gaza border crossing BRUSSELS -- The European Union mission that once monitored the Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah will send a delegation to Cairo early next week to help implement the ceasefire deal, according to the Egyptian government. A spokesperson for the EU Commission, Anouar El Anouni, confirmed Thursday that the EU was updating our plans to possibly redeploy to Rafah. He emphasized the deployment remains dependent on full consent from both Israeli and Palestinian authorities. Since Israeli forces captured the city of Rafah last May, the border has been closed to all civilians. Israeli, Egyptian and Palestinian officials have been unable to agree on the terms to reopen it. The preliminary ceasefire deal calls for hundreds of aid trucks to enter the besieged territory each day. On Thursday, the EU said it had approved 120 million euros, or some $123 million, worth of humanitarian aid to address food security, shelter and healthcare for Gaza. Secretary of State Blinken expects the Gaza ceasefire deal will start as planned this weekend WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he fully expects the ceasefire deal in Gaza will be implemented as expected on Sunday, despite Israel pointing to a last-minute dispute with Hamas. Blinken faced two significant interruptions at his final briefing to reporters in office, both from people accusing him of complicity in Israeli violence against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. Diplomatic security physically removed one person who shouted, Why arent you in the Hague? a reference to the worlds top war-crimes court. Blinken and other members of the Biden administration have faced criticism for the civilian casualties and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, as well as for not imposing meaningful restrictions on sending arms to Israel. Blinken called the ceasefire and hostage deal a moment of historic possibility for the region. However, he said it would still take tremendous effort, political courage, compromise ... to deliver on the promise of a more integrated Middle East. Israel says it launched 50 airstrikes in Gaza over the past day JERUSALEM The Israeli military said Thursday it launched 50 airstrikes in Gaza over the past day. The military said it targeted places associated with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, including weapons storage facilities, sites to launch rockets, weapons manufacturing sites, and other military infrastructure, without providing evidence. People in Gaza are shocked Israel still hasnt agreed to the ceasefire DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Displaced Palestinians in central Gaza woke up Thursday shocked and disappointed to learn that Israel still hadnt approved the ceasefire deal with Hamas. We went to sleep happy. Its a shame that they would deprive us of this happiness," said Karam Moeiliq. Everyone has losses. Its enough. Hours after getting their hopes up about returning home, families sheltering in Deir al-Balah are grappling with uncertainty about their future. We ask our brothers in Hamas to communicate with mediators to end the war. Enough with the destruction and killing, said Omar Jendiya from Gaza City. At least 72 Palestinians were killed across the war-torn territory since the deal was announced on Wednesday. The truce is expected to begin Sunday. We want peace. We want to live like everyone in the world is living," said Fayqa Hussein, a displaced woman from Jabaliya refugee camp. We want to live in safety. We want to teach our children what they missed at school. Qatari prime minister makes first visit to Syria since Bashar Assads ouster DAMASCUSQatars prime minister and foreign minister made a landmark visit to Syria on Thursday, the first since Bashar Assads ouster, pledging to support the countrys recovery and calling on the international community to swiftly remove sanctions. The prime ministers trip to Syria comes a day after he announced a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. We are on the verge of a new phase in Syrias history, and Qatar extends its hand to the Syrian people for partnership, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said during a press conference. The Qataris met with Ahmad al-Sharaa, who heads Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Islamist group leading the new authority in Syria. Al Thani said Israeli forces must withdraw from a U.N.-monitored buffer zone in Syria they captured last month. For his part, Sharaa said his country is ready to welcome international forces to the buffer zone, adding that Qatar will have a central role in creating global pressure on Israel to withdraw. Qatar is a close ally of Turkey, which has long backed the rebels who now control Damascus, and the two countries are looking to protect their interests in Syria after Assads fall. Israeli strikes kill at least 72 Palestinians since ceasefire deal was announced, Gaza officials say Gazas Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed at least 72 people since a ceasefire deal was announced on Wednesday. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires take effect as a way to project strength. The ministry says the toll from Thursdays strikes only includes bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City, and that the actual toll is likely higher. Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier, said Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministrys registration department. Israeli group holds demonstration against ceasefire deal JERUSALEM A group representing some families of soldiers killed fighting in Gaza held a demonstration Thursday against a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. The Gvura Forum opposes the deal, saying it wont lead to Hamas destruction and that it will free Palestinians convicted of deadly crimes against Israelis. The agreement could also leave some Israeli hostages behind in Gaza if it collapses, the group said. The group set up rows of mock coffins draped in the Israeli flag in Jerusalem to symbolize the price Israel will pay if it agrees to the deal. Its a very dangerous deal, said Yehoshua Shani, whose son Ori Mordehai Shani was killed in battle in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. He believed the incoming Trump administration could exert more pressure on Hamas and secure better terms. Many Israelis support a ceasefire deal that would bring the hostages home and end the war in Gaza. But some families of fallen soldiers and of hostages oppose any agreement that they perceive grants too many concessions to Hamas. Russia voices hope that ceasefire can secure lasting stability in Gaza MOSCOW Russias Foreign Ministry voiced hopes Thursday that the long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip will help secure lasting stability in Gaza. Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova praised the patient and persistent work of Qatari and Egyptian mediators who helped broker the agreement and noted that at the final stage, representatives of the new American administration also joined the negotiating marathon. "We expect that the implementation of the agreement reached now will contribute to the sustainable stabilization of the situation in Gaza and create conditions for the return of all internally displaced persons ... and allow Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners released as a result of the deal to join their families, Zakharova said at a briefing. She specifically mentioned Russian citizen Alexander Trufanov, who was held in the Gaza Strip along other hostages. We believe that the conclusion of this agreement will contribute to the formation of the necessary conditions for establishing a process of a comprehensive political settlement of the Palestinian problem on a generally accepted international legal basis, Zakharova added. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov also welcomed the deal. Any settlement that would result in a ceasefire and end the suffering of the people of Gaza while helping ensure security of Israel can only be welcomed, Peskov said in a conference call with reporters. Families mourn 4 killed in Israeli strike in southern Gaza Mourners held a Muslim funeral service on Thursday for a Palestinian journalist who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza the previous day. The strike hit a food charity known as Tikia in the Muwasi area in the city of Khan Younis Wednesday evening as people were waiting for the announcement of the ceasefire deal, according to the Naser hospital and the journalists relatives. The journalist, Ahmed al-Shaiyah, was killed in the strike along with three other people, according to the hospital, which received the bodies. Instead of receiving news of the truce, we received news of his martyrdom, the journalists brother, Ismail al-Shaiyah, told the AP. We were waiting to rest and get rid of this nightmare, but my son was martyred in the last hour. He was gone from me, said Nagat Moammar, the mother of one of those killed. China welcomes Gaza ceasefire, hopes it is comprehensive and permanent TAIWAN Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday that Beijing welcomes the ceasefire deal and hopes it can be effectively implemented so a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza can be achieved. China will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and make positive efforts for post-war reconstruction, he added. We also sincerely hope that the relevant parties will take the Gaza ceasefire as an opportunity to promote the easing of local tensions. China is willing to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, Guo said. Iran-backed militia will suspend operations against Israel, its leader says BAGHDAD The leader of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Harakat al-Nujaba announced Thursday the suspension of the groups operations against Israel following the declaration of a Gaza ceasefire agreement but warned they could start again if there were violations of the truce. In a statement, Akram al-Kaabi congratulated the Palestinian people and freedom-loving individuals worldwide on this important development. We will suspend our military operations against (Israel) in solidarity with the halt of operations in Palestine and to support the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza, but let the occupying entity know that any foolishness from them in Palestine or the region will be met with a harsh response, he added. Al-Kaabi said the group's missiles and drones remain on permanent standby. During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iraqi militias launched a series of drone attacks targeting U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq as well as sites in Israel. Syria's foreign minister calls for lifting of sanctions ANKARA, Turkey Syrias new foreign minister has called for a lifting of sanctions that were imposed on his country during former President Bashar Assads rule. In an interview with Turkish state broadcaster TRT that aired Thursday, Asaad al-Shibani also said Syrias new leadership wanted to open a new page in its diplomatic relations with countries that had cut diplomatic ties with Damascus during the Syrian civil war. The economic sanctions are one of the problems that the old regime left us, al-Shibani said in the interview, which aired a day after he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials in Ankara. We are saying that there is no longer any need for them. The old regime is gone. These sanctions must be lifted in order for people to live in better economic conditions and for security and economic stability to be achieved, he added. Indonesia calls for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state as it welcomes the ceasefire JAKARTA Indonesias Foreign Affairs Ministry has welcomed the ceasefire and called for its immediate implementation, along with the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state. Peace in Palestine cannot be achieved without the end of Israels occupation and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with the two-state solution based on agreed international parameters, it said in a statement on Thursday. Muslim-majority Indonesia has long been a strong supporter of Palestinians. Iran's Revolutionary Guard says ceasefire is a great victory for Hamas TEHRAN, Iran Irans Revolutionary Guard has applauded the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and called it a great victory for Hamas and the resistance front. This great victory, like the al-Aqsa storm, which was a multifaceted and irreparable defeat for the Zionists, did not bring any gains for the Zionist regime, and the resistance remained alive, thriving and strong, the Guard said in a statement on Thursday, referring to the Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack that sparked the war. Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later said in a post on social platform X that the patience of the resistance front forced Israel to retreat. It will be written in books that there was a mob who once killed thousands of children & women in Gaza! Everyone will realize it was the patience of the people & steadfastness of Palestinian Resistance & Resistance Front that forced Zionist regime to retreat, he wrote in a post on the social platform X on Thursday. Pakistan hails ceasefire but criticizes Israel for unprecedented loss of lives ISLAMABAD Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Islamabad welcomes the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas and calls for its immediate and full implementation. Indiscriminate use of force by Israeli occupation forces has caused unprecedented loss of lives and property and displacement of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian Palestinians. Israels expansionist designs have destabilized the entire region, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. It added that Pakistan hopes the truce will lead to a permanent ceasefire and help scale up humanitarian assistance. Japan and South Korea welcome Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza TOKYO Japan and South Korea have separately welcomed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza as a key step toward improving humanitarian conditions and calming the situation in the territory. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, urged Israel and Hamas to implement the agreement sincerely and steadily and he praised the United States, Egypt and Qatar for their work to achieve the deal. South Koreas Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, called for a thorough and swift implementation of the agreement so that all hostages are released and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip improves. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said Thursday his Cabinet wont meet to approve the agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages until Hamas backs down from what it called a last minute crisis. Netanyahus office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to extort last minute concessions. It did not elaborate. The Israeli Cabinet was set to ratify the deal Thursday. Palestinians celebrate the imminent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Palestinians celebrate the imminent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Palestinians watch TV as they await the imminent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) Palestinians watch TV as they await the imminent announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, central Gaza Strip, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.(AP Photo/(AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi) FILE Mossad intelligence agency chief David Barnea lays a wreath during a ceremony marking Memorial Day for fallen soldiers of Israels wars and victims of attacks at Jerusalems Mount Herzl military cemetery, May 13, 2024. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AP File) FILE Ronen Bar, chief of Israels domestic Shin Bet security agency, attends a ceremony marking Memorial Day for fallen soldiers of Israels wars and victims of attacks at Jerusalems Mount Herzl military cemetery, May 13, 2024. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AP File) Meanwhile, Israeli strikes across the Gaza Strip have killed at least 48 people over the past day. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires go into effect as a way to project strength. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gazas Health Ministry said the 48 bodies of people killed since midday Wednesday were brought to several hospitals. Around half of the dead were women and children, Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministrys registration department, told The Associated Press. Thirty-three hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks in the ceasefire deal reached on Wednesday. The remainder, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal. Israels offensive has killed over 46,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry. It does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres the latest: Families mourn 4 killed in Israeli strike in southern Gaza Mourners held a Muslim funeral service on Thursday for a Palestinian journalist who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza the previous day. The strike hit a food charity known as Tikia in the Muwasi area in the city of Khan Younis Wednesday evening as people were waiting for the announcement of the ceasefire deal, according to the Naser hospital and the journalists relatives. The journalist, Ahmed al-Shaiyah, was killed in the strike along with three other people, according to the hospital, which received the bodies. Instead of receiving news of the truce, we received news of his martyrdom, the journalists brother, Ismail al-Shaiyah, told the AP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were waiting to rest and get rid of this nightmare, but my son was martyred in the last hour. He was gone from me, said Nagat Moammar, the mother of one of those killed. China welcomes Gaza ceasefire, hopes it is comprehensive and permanent TAIWAN Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Thursday that Beijing welcomes the ceasefire deal and hopes it can be effectively implemented so a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire in Gaza can be achieved. China will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza and make positive efforts for post-war reconstruction, he added. We also sincerely hope that the relevant parties will take the Gaza ceasefire as an opportunity to promote the easing of local tensions. China is willing to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote peace and stability in the Middle East, Guo said. Iran-backed militia will suspend operations against Israel, its leader says Baghdad The leader of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Harakat al-Nujaba, Akram al-Kaabi, announced Thursday the suspension of the groups operations against Israel following the declaration of a Gaza ceasefire agreement but warned they could start again if there were violations of the truce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, al-Kaabi congratulated the Palestinian people and freedom-loving individuals worldwide on this important development. We will suspend our military operations against (Israel) in solidarity with the halt of operations in Palestine and to support the continuation of the ceasefire in Gaza, but let the occupying entity know that any foolishness from them in Palestine or the region will be met with a harsh response, he added. Al-Kaabi said the groups missiles and drones remain on permanent standby. During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, Iraqi militias launched a series of drone attacks targeting U.S. bases in Syria and Iraq as well as sites in Israel. Syrias foreign minister calls for lifting of sanctions ANKARA, Turkey Syrias new foreign minister has called for a lifting of sanctions that were imposed on his country during former President Bashar Assads rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with Turkish state broadcaster TRT that aired Thursday, Asaad al-Shibani also said Syrias new leadership wanted to open a new page in its diplomatic relations with countries that had cut diplomatic ties with Damascus during the Syrian civil war. The economic sanctions are one of the problems that the old regime left us, al-Shibani said in the interview, which aired a day after he met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish officials in Ankara. We are saying that there is no longer any need for them. The old regime is gone. These sanctions must be lifted in order for people to live in better economic conditions and for security and economic stability to be achieved, he added. Indonesia calls for the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state as it welcomes the ceasefire JAKARTA Indonesias Foreign Affairs Ministry has welcomed the ceasefire and called for its immediate implementation, along with the creation of a sovereign Palestinian state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peace in Palestine cannot be achieved without the end of Israels occupation and the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state, in accordance with the two-state solution based on agreed international parameters, it said in a statement on Thursday. Muslim-majority Indonesia has long been a strong supporter of Palestinians. Irans Revolutionary Guard says ceasefire is a great victory for Hamas TEHRAN, Iran Irans Revolutionary Guard has applauded the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and called it a great victory for Hamas and the resistance front. This great victory, like the al-Aqsa storm, which was a multifaceted and irreparable defeat for the Zionists, did not bring any gains for the Zionist regime, and the resistance remained alive, thriving and strong, the Guard said in a statement on Thursday, referring to the Oct. 7, 2023 surprise attack that sparked the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irans Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later said in a post on social platform X that the patience of the resistance front forced Israel to retreat. It will be written in books that there was a mob who once killed thousands of children & women in Gaza! Everyone will realize it was the patience of the people & steadfastness of Palestinian Resistance & Resistance Front that forced Zionist regime to retreat, he wrote in a post on the social platform X on Thursday. Pakistan hails ceasefire but criticizes Israel for unprecedented loss of lives ISLAMABAD Pakistans Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that Islamabad welcomes the ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas and calls for its immediate and full implementation. Indiscriminate use of force by Israeli occupation forces has caused unprecedented loss of lives and property and displacement of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian Palestinians. Israels expansionist designs have destabilized the entire region, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It added that Pakistan hopes the truce will lead to a permanent ceasefire and help scale up humanitarian assistance. Japan and South Korea welcome Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza TOKYO Japan and South Korea have separately welcomed the Israel-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza as a key step toward improving humanitarian conditions and calming the situation in the territory. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Thursday, urged Israel and Hamas to implement the agreement sincerely and steadily and he praised the United States, Egypt and Qatar for their work to achieve the deal. South Koreas Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, called for a thorough and swift implementation of the agreement so that all hostages are released and the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip improves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. You might spot some familiar faces in the crowd during Inauguration Day on Jan. 20. Rutherford County's Stewarts Creek High School marching band will be headed to Washington D.C. for the 60th Presidential Inaugural Parade after being selected by the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee, along with select groups from across the nation. The Middle Tennessee marching band will be the only band to represent Tennessee. Stewarts Creek freshman Bayleigh Saunders plays a bass drum with the precussion section on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, as they prepare to perform in the 60th Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington, D.C., on Monday, January 20, 2025. Special bass drum heads with the inaugural logo and the Stewarts Creek name and imagery were created for the parade. This invitation is a true testament to the hard work, passion, and dedication of our students, said Clark Harrell, principal of Stewarts Creek High School in a statement. Were thrilled to showcase our students at such a prominent national performance and grateful for the ongoing support from the school and community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Band director Michael Chester said they felt a combination of excitement, pride and gratitude, upon being informed of the news. The entire thing felt surreal, he said in an email to the Tennessean on Tuesday. Stewarts Creek band seeks support for D.C. trip#RCSStrongSchools: 160 band members invited to perform in 60th Inaugural Presidential ParadeJanuary 8, 2025By BARTON HENLEYRutherford County SchoolsStewarts Creek High School marching band was recently selected to perform in the 60th Inaugural Presidential Parade of President Donald J. Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance on January 20, 2025.The high school band is the only one representing Tennessee but must cover the costs of the trip.The school is asking for support as the band program raises money to fund the considerable travel expenses to Washington.If you would like to donate, you can visit www.supportschsband.com or reach out to the school directly at 615-904-6771. Posted by Rutherford County Schools on Wednesday, January 8, 2025 "This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for our students," said Chester. "We are humbled by the magnitude of the event and proud of how our students dedication and hard work brought them to this opportunity to represent the Town of Smyrna and serve our nation." Jan. 20 will mark the first time Stewarts Creek High School will perform during a Presidential Inauguration Parade. Chester said they look forward to sharing the moment with the community and representing the legacy of musical excellence in Tennessee. Tractor Supply donates remaining funds to Stewarts Creek High School band for Washington D.C. trip Once the band was alerted they'd need to cover the trip to the nation's Capitol out-of-pocket, they launched a fundraising campaign for the $120,000 needed to cover the travel costs of all 120 band members and 40 adult staff members and chaperones. The Stewarts Creek High School marching band pictured at Washington D.C. On Thursday, the marching band was surprised by Tractor Supply, who donated the remaining $40,000 needed to reach the band's fundraising goal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chester said representing Rutherford County and the Volunteer State will be a tremendous honor, as students are instilled a sense of responsibility as well as pride, not only perform at a high level, but to be ambassadors for their community. "Knowing that well be showcasing the best of Smyrna, Rutherford County Schools, and Tennessee on a national stage is both humbling and exciting," said Chester. "We hope our performance reflects the support and spirit of everyone back home." Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Trump inauguration: Tennessee marching band performing Jan. 20 Representative Rick Crawford will be the next House Intelligence Committee chair, following his colleague Mike Turners unceremonious removal by Speaker Mike Johnson Wednesday. Politico reported Thursday that Johnson will name Crawford to the position following Turners removal on Donald Trumps orders. The move was a surprise even to the Republicans on the panel, and some in the GOP are angry at Johnson for how he handled the move. He dragged Mike along, one senior House Republican said, speaking anonymously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Republican warned that Johnson had just cost himself political capital, while a third warned that Turner was ready to go scorched earth. Mikes never going to vote for another fucking thing around here again, the third Republican said. Hes mad. One Democrat, Representative Jim Himes, said Turners ouster sends a shiver down my spine, adding that Turner wasnt a Republican who was quick to bend the knee to Trump and kept his eyes on the prize of oversight. Trump sought Turners removal because he believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant, one source told The Daily Beast Wednesday. Johnson has said Trump was not involved in the decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner has warned of Russian propaganda being uttered on the House floor, and voted to certify Joe Bidens win in 2020, putting himself in Trumps and many conservatives crosshairs. Turners decision last year to back the reauthorization of Section 702 also has drawn the ire of the right, as well as the ACLU, for its potential to spy on Americans without a warrant. Meanwhile, Crawford voted against Ukraine aid last year, in contrast to Turners staunch support of the country following its invasion by Russia. Turners departure will be seen as good news to the MAGA right who oppose any further aid to Ukraine, and Crawfords appointment gives Trump a firm loyalist at the top of a powerful House committee, getting rid of another possible critic of his national security decisions. WASHINGTON House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Wednesday booted Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) from his position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Some Republicans on the committee were surprised by the move, and Democrats claimed it would outright endanger the United States. Mike Turner has robustly promoted the safety of the American people and the Free World, and his unjustified ouster is likely being applauded by our adversaries in Russia and China, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said in a statement. Shameful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson told reporters on Wednesday evening he had nothing against Turner and that the Ohio Republican had done a good job chairing the influential committee. In a statement, Johnson said Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) would replace Turner, whom he praised even as he took his gavel and kicked him off the committee. He led the committee well during a very challenging period of our nations history and was fully dedicated to the task, Johnson said. Turner has backed U.S. military support for Ukraine in its defensive war against an invasion by Russia a position thats increasingly unpopular among Republicans. And he opposed requiring U.S. spy agencies to get court approval if their wiretaps of foreign sources catch communications with U.S. citizens a reform sought by far-right Republicans and progressive Democrats alike. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas), a member of the Intelligence Committee, said he didnt know who was behind Turners ouster, but if their goal was to undercut mainstream Republican national defense types, it wouldnt work, since President-elect Donald Trump is nominating people like Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) to be his national security adviser and former Rep. John Ratcliff (R-Texas) to lead the CIA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to win, and all youre doing is creating bad blood in the process, Crenshaw said Thursday. But thats what some people just like to do. Turner angered some Republicans last year by warning of a mysterious national security threat and urging President Joe Biden to disclose more information. The warning prompted Johnson to make a quick statement assuring the American people that there was no cause for alarm. The threat turned out to be a Russian anti-satellite weapon that the White House said couldnt cause destruction on earth. Soon afterward, Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, suggested Turner created a panic just to boost support for Ukraine funding and a reauthorization of the governments warrantless wiretapping program and that he should lose his gavel as a result. In a statement Wednesday, Turner said simply that hed returned the Intelligence Committee to its national security mission. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), chair of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters Thursday he wasnt involved in the Intelligence Committee and that he didnt think Freedom Caucus members had pushed for Turners removal. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the Intelligence Committees top Democrat, suggested Trump or someone in Trumps orbit forced Turner out, which Johnson denied. The removal of Chairman Turner makes our nation less secure and is a terrible portent for whats to come, Himes said in a statement on Wednesday evening. The Constitution demands that Congress function as a check and balance to the Executive Branch, not cater to its demands. Related... Former Vice President Mike Pences nonprofit organization is asking Republican senators to vote against Robert F. Kennedy Jr.s nomination for Secretary of Health and Human Services, citing his past stances on abortion. Advancing American Freedom, the policy organization Pence founded in 2023, sent a letter to the Republican caucus asking them to reject the nomination of Kennedy, a former Democrat selected by President-elect Donald Trump to lead the federal agency that oversees the FDA and CDC, as well as providing funding for Planned Parenthood. As a presidential candidate, RFK Jr. expressed support for abortion on-demand up until birth, a position completely out of step with the strong, pro-life record of the first Trump Administration, reads the letter signed by Tim Chapman and Marc Short, the organizations president and chairman respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While RFK Jr. has made certain overtures to pro-life leaders that he would be mindful of their concerns at HHS, there is little reason for confidence at this time, they wrote. Kennedy left the Democratic Party to run as an independent in the 2024 presidential election. He eventually dropped out in August and endorsed Trump , who in turn named him as the nominee for HHS secretary in November. Kennedy spent much of his campaign advocating for the protection of abortion rights. A policy position published in August 2023 called him a firm supporter of the Roe v. Wade decision, which was overturned by the Supreme Court in 2022, and promised to restore the abortion rights the decision protected through legislation. By July 2024, however, Kennedy seemingly moderated his stanceinstead supporting what he called an emerging consensus in a video posted on social media . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in the reddest of red states, voters reject total abortion bans, Kennedy said. And in blue states, almost no one supports third-trimester abortions except to save the life of the mother. And so I support the emerging consensus that abortion should be unrestricted up until a certain point. But Pence has still been sounding the alarm about Kennedys stance on abortion since he was announced as a nominee. If confirmed, RFK, Jr. would be the most pro-abortion Republican appointed secretary of HHS in modern history, the former vice president said in a statement in November. On Wednesday, Pences organization called for an HHS leader that has a firm commitment to protect unborn children, and said there was a strong bench of pro-life leaders who are willing to serve the American people as the head of HHS. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Congress Mike Turner (OH-10) has been removed from his position as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, according to a report. Nexstars NewsNation was told by a source that Turner was reportedly removed from his position as committee chairman by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. Turner had been the top Republican on the committee, a position selected by the Speaker, since the start of 2022, chosen by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for the role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because he will no longer be chairman, Turner is set to no longer be on the committee at all. House rules limit membership on the panel to no more than four Congresses, or eight years, in a period of six successive Congresses a rule that does not apply to the chairman. Turner joined the Intelligence Committee in 2015. Johnsons decision to remove Turner comes as somewhat of a surprise. Though Johnson had not officially named a chair for the Intelligence panel for this Congress, Turner attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with President-elect Trump over the weekend with all the other House GOP standing committee chairs. Mike Turner issued the following statement on the news: Im very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the Committee, and Im honored to have served with them. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. As a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been and will continue to be a strong advocate for the military and our national defense. My work to expand missions and capabilities at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base continues. Furthermore, I look forward to welcoming the NATO Parliamentary Assembly to Dayton in the coming months. Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) Turners office says he will serve on the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform for the 119th Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story is breaking. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Its Wednesday, January 15. Take a look at our top stories in news and weather with KELOLAND On The GO First@4. Emergency personnel responded to an incident outside the Avantara nursing home in Milbank on Wednesday. UPDATE: Suspect in custody in Milbank incident The man accused of murdering three people gathered outside a southern Sioux Falls home is questioning whether his right to a speedy trial is being violated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Triple murder suspect pushes for speedy trial A Minnesota man plans to plead guilty to robbing a Sioux Falls bank. Minnesota man pleads guilty to SF bank robbery Warm temperatures will continue through Friday. Above average until the weekend Download the KELOLAND News app to find the latest headlines while on the go. 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 KELOLAND.com. SIOUX FALLS SD (KELO) Today is Thursday, Jan. 16. Here are this mornings top stories with KELOLAND On the Go. The Union County Sheriffs Office is looking for a teen who went missing this week. Addison Van Ballegooyen around 4 p.m. Monday at a city park in Hawarden, Iowa. Union County Sheriff looking for missing teen An employee shot a supervisor inside the Avantara nursing home in Milbank on Wednesday, Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a KELOLAND interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Suspect in custody in Milbank shooting The polar plunge will be affecting much of the nation over the coming days. While this pattern is cold, it not a snowy forecast for most of our region. The best chance of light snow this weekend will be across the Black Hills. We expect temperatures to moderate starting Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Mild temperatures today; Polar plunge this weekend 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 KELOLAND.com. Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umierov has announced during a visit to Kyiv by his Italian counterpart Guido Crosetto that a new aid package from Italy is being sent to Ukraine. Source: Umierov on Facebook Quote: "The key announcement: another military aid package from Italy is already on its way to Ukraine. This includes advanced weaponry that will help our service members deliver powerful blows to the enemy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We also discussed joining efforts in the defence industry. Plans include launching joint ventures and other initiatives to provide maximum support for our defence sector." Details: Umierov reported that Kyrylo Budanov, Head of Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, had shared up-to-date battlefield information and insights into the Russians intentions with his Italian counterparts, while Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi had outlined the army's priority needs. Crosetto reaffirmed Italys unwavering support for Ukraine and emphasised the importance of expanding the Ramstein format. A meeting during Guido Crosettos visit to Kyiv Photo: Umierov on Facebook Background: On 16 January, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto arrived in Kyiv for an official visit. Support UP or become our patron! U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Republish photo only with original story.) Social Security is not an entitlement program or a handout, its an earned benefit paid into by workers and their employers. When we retire, we expect to receive the full share of Social Security that we are entitled to based on our payments and our work history. But for decades, millions of public employees with pensions including more than 100,000 Ohioans have had their earned Social Security benefits stripped from them. That was because of two policies the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) that reduced Social Security benefits and survivor benefits for workers who received public employee pensions but had also, at other jobs, paid into social security for a qualifying length of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In each and every congressional session stretching back to 2001, legislators introduced the Social Security Fairness Act to repeal WEP and GPO and put more money in the hands of retirees. After dying in committee for 11 straight sessions, the Social Security Fairness Act passed the House in November with a 327 75 vote and passed the Senate in December with a 76 20 vote. President Biden signed it into law earlier this month. These policies punished public employees and especially served as a disincentive for mid-career professionals considering moving from the private sector to public service work. This is especially a problem in education, where some school districts are struggling to find enough teachers, counselors, intervention specialists, and other staff. Rather than reducing standards for educators to fill the gaps, we can focus on getting rid of the obstacles that keep qualified people from pursuing jobs in our schools. Eliminating the WEP and GPO retirement penalty is a great first step. After stalling out for two decades, the Social Security Protection Act got large bipartisan majorities despite intense polarization because of the tenacity of public employees and retirees who refused to accept a situation where money they earned was being stripped from them because they made the choice to spend part of their career working for the public good. We also had the good fortune to have one of the most effective advocates for working people in our corner. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sherrod Brown, the primary Senate sponsor of the Social Security Protection Act since 2015, fought for working people because he saw us as full people, who deserve respect, dignity, and security. Over the years, Sherrod heard from many public workers and retirees in my union and in others about the harm that WEP and GPO were causing, and he committed to continue fighting and leading on this bill until it became law. He went above and beyond, holding field hearings across Ohio and meeting with retirees, union members, and other public employees to hear our stories so he could share them with his colleagues and build the bipartisan coalition that was needed. Here are some of the stories he heard: Diane Gibson taught family and consumer science (home economics) and health for 30 years in Cincinnati Public Schools and also taught for ten years in South Carolina. In Ohio, she was in a public pension system but in South Carolina she paid into Social Security. When she retired she was denied her own Social Security benefits and the survivor benefits from her late husband. When she receives her full benefits, shell use the extra money to pay off credit cards and help her daughter through nursing school. Julie Fredericksen is retiring this year after more than 20 years in Toledo Public Schools. She started teaching at 40 years old after 23 years of working other jobs, including healthcare and customer service, and paying into Social Security. Due to the WEP and GPO, Julie expected to only receive 55% of the retirement benefits she earned in the private sector. Now, shell receive all of the benefits she earned and shell use the extra money to pay for her supplemental health insurance and to invest for longer term financial security during retirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dan MacDonald taught for 38 years in Cleveland Heights University Heights City Schools and for most of his career, teachers only received paychecks ten months of the year, with no pay in July and August. He, and many of his colleagues, worked summer jobs each year to make ends meet. He painted houses, worked in retail, and worked for Kilroy Structural Steel, among other odd jobs. Due to WEP, Dan has only been receiving one third of the Social Security benefits that he earned. I could go on. There are thousands of stories like this in Ohio alone, and Sherrod spent years listening to them. He was dedicated to finding a solution because he knew that retirement security is essential to uplifting the dignity of work. There is no dignity in robbing retirees of benefits they paid into and earned. This fight wasnt the first time he stood up to protect benefits for Ohio retirees; his leadership on the Butch Lewis Act (which was included in 2021s American Rescue Plan) saved the pensions of more than a million American workers, including 62,000 Ohioans. And though this was one of his last actions as a Senator, we hope and expect that it isnt the last time Ohio workers will have Sherrod Brown in our corner. Melissa Cropper is the president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Rep. Mike Howard, DFL-Richfield, met with constituent Judy Moe, director of Richfield Disability Advocacy Partnership, at a Caribou Coffee in Richfield on Jan. 15, 2025. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer. Judy Moe walked into a Richfield Caribou Coffee on Wednesday morning ready to air grievances and advocate for disability rights with her state representative, presenting him with a copy of a printed agenda she created for the 45-minute meeting titled Meeting with State Rep. Michael Howard 1-15-25. Moe, whose daughter is in a wheelchair, confers regularly with Howard, whos been her House representative for six years. Howard began the conversation by asking her how she was preparing for the Minnesota legislative session during which she often testifies on bills to lawmakers and how shes feeling as President-elect Donald Trump will soon take office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She grabbed her agenda much of which detailed her worries about budget cuts to disability services and pointed to a line highlighted in yellow: I am terrified!!!!!! Federal and state level!!!!! Howards Caribou meeting is one of many that House Democrats are hosting with constituents in lieu of their usual work this time of year, when theyd be typically walking the halls of the Capitol, attending committee hearings, being accosted by lobbyists and sitting through long floor sessions. This year, however, Democrats are staying far away from the Capitol at least until the end of the month. Thats when a special election in the north metro District 40B is expected to deliver another Democratic-Farmer-Labor member and bring the chamber into a tie, 67-67. By denying Republicans a quorum the minimum number of lawmakers needed to conduct business in the House Democrats hope to prevent the GOP from establishing control. They also sought to block Republicans from refusing to seat Rep. Brad Tabke, a Shakopee Democrat who won reelection by 14 votes in a contested election in District 54A. In the meantime, they can only hope that constituent meetings like Howards will deflect from a barrage of attacks this week from Republicans and their allies, who are pounding Democrats for their Capitol absence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GOP-aligned group Renew Minnesota blasted out a release: While Minnesota families were hard at work providing for their loved ones, House Republicans showed up at the Capitol, ready to serve. They got to work But where were the DFL lawmakers? Absent. Missing in action. Refusing to show up for the first day of the 2025 legislative session. The group included the names, email addresses and office phone numbers of battleground district Democratic House members, as well as a script detailing what to say. On Tuesday, Secretary of State Steve Simon opened the session as the statutorily mandated presiding officer. He declared that 67 members were not enough to fulfill a quorum and adjourned the session. But Republicans, acting with their temporary majority of 67-66, barreled ahead and elected their own speaker, Rep. Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, and committee chairs. I was watching what Republicans did (Tuesday) from my computer at home. What I just kept thinking is It doesnt have to be this way, Howard said. My mood is a range from frustrated, angry, sad, but also resolute that were doing the right thing for the people of Minnesota. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unable to use a House microphone, Howard has taken to social media, Just as (Donald) Trump attempted to overthrow an election he lost, so too are the Republicans in the Minnesota House, Howard tweeted Tuesday. And just as Donald Trump failed, so too will they. While Republicans play House Democrats are standing with the people and will prevent this abuse of power. House Democrats and Simon have appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court, asking the justices to declare that Republicans arent able to elect a speaker or conduct any other business without 68 members present. The high court will hear oral arguments Jan. 23. I didnt get this job to not be there St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, bottom center, met with seven members of the Houses St. Paul delegation all Democrats on Jan. 14, 2025. Photo by Michelle Griffith/Minnesota Reformer. St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter on Tuesday began his meeting with seven members of the Houses St. Paul delegation all Democrats by wooing them with glasses of mayoral water. Hydration is super important. Honestly, these are the things that you forget during session, Carter told the group. The DFL lawmakers noted that St. Pauls water is safer now because they passed legislation funding lead pipe removal across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Athena Hollins, DFL-St. Paul, said one of her constituents wasnt pleased. He told me Ive been drinking water from lead pipes for 25 years and nothings wrong with me! Hollins recalled. Before they had to run to a virtual caucus meeting, the lawmakers heard Carters quick pitch: The state should spend public money to renovate the Xcel Energy Center for the Minnesota Wild, and pass tax breaks for developers who turn downtown St. Pauls defunct office space into residential buildings. Only Rep. Maria Isa Perez-Vega referenced the DFL House boycott, and only subtly: Were kind of doing some historical things here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hollins, who served as majority whip for two years, later said her constituents are supportive of her staying away from the Capitol to stop what she called a power grab by the GOP. Im disappointed. I didnt get to this job to not be there at the Capitol and not be doing work, Hollins said. I want to work with the other side of the aisle and its disappointing that we cant come to a resolution thats fair and respects the will of all the voters, so for me, its kind of heart breaking. Rep. Dave Pinto, DFL- St. Paul, said hes received mixed messages from his constituents about his absence. Im still in contact with constituents in all kinds of ways and can have meetings with constituents in the community and continue to do that, Pinto said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While away from the Capitol, Howard has taken to X to criticize his Republican colleagues. He said hes been more active on social media because of the unprecedented session. Howard acknowledges that the boycott has strained relationships with his Republican colleagues. Hes trying to preserve personal relationships, especially with Rep. Spencer Igo, R-Wabana Township, with whom he hopes to co-chair the Housing committee. Clearly, I wish I was at the Capitol and we were working together and starting the session in a much more productive way, Howard said. But in terms of making lemonade out of lemons, were finding ways to do things that will hopefully be helpful long-term for the session. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A Minnesota man plans to plead guilty to robbing a Sioux Falls bank. According to court documents, 58-year-old Melvin Gatlin held up the U-S Bank near 41st Street and Marion Road, last March. He admits showing the clerk a note and getting away with more than 35-hundred dollars cash. Multiple law enforcement at Milbank incident Authorities used surveillance video to get his license plate number and track him to Richfield, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota, where they made an arrest. A date for a plea hearing has not been set. When hes sentenced he could face up to 20 years behind bars. 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 KELOLAND.com. In the 2006 Minnesota general election, Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty defeated Democratic Attorney General Mike Hatch, 46.6%- 45.7%, with third parties taking the rest of the vote. The Minnesota GOP hasnt won a statewide race since, even in otherwise bad years for Democrats. Still, by the numbers, Minnesota is purple rather than dark blue: A competent and slightly more moderate GOP could find itself competitive. But that would require belief in democracy. Alternatively, Minnesota Republicans could stage a coup. Though the state voted for an evenly split Minnesota House, GOP legislators have unilaterally decided that for now, they run the state Legislatures lower chamber. The word coup might seem like hyperbole. But I use it because we need to perceive the connections among violations of democracy around the country. Just in North Carolina, for example, unaccountable judges are considering tossing out election results they dont like and lame duck legislators used a supermajority to pre-emptively strip powers from their successors. And of course, we are only a few years removed from the incitement of a mob to attack the U.S. Capitol. Its all part of the same pattern. The 2024 elections saw the Minnesota House split 67-67 between the GOP and the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (the DFL, as we call Democrats around here) for the first time in almost 50 years. At first, lawmakers quickly reached a power-sharing arrangement for organizing the divided legislative body, similar to the last time the chamber was evenly divided. But then the shenanigans began. They started with a Republican candidate suing to invalidate one of the results, arguing that his DFL opponent didnt actually live in his apartment in the area. Even though its not clear that its legal to challenge residency post-election, a judge disqualified the DFL candidate last month, giving the GOP a temporary 67-66 majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given that Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz already scheduled a special election for the seat for the end of January, in a district the DFL candidate won by more than 30 points, the return of the split state House is imminent. Republicans, though, have decided that they can just pretend otherwise. A one-vote margin for two weeks, the GOP claims, equals mandate to organize the chamber, elect a speaker and get down to business. And just for good measure, they have sued to block the fast-tracking of the special election. It takes, by statute, 68 votes for a quorum and 68 votes to pass anything in the chamber. Theres no wiggle room here. When Democrats boycotted the opening session Tuesday, NBC News reported, Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon, who controls the chambers gavel between sessions, adjourned the state House and said there was no quorum. The state House, legally, could not act. Nevertheless, in a half-empty chamber, the 67 Republicans plowed ahead and elected state Rep. Lisa DeMuth as the speaker. Temporary control of the chamber is even more salient because there is one other state House election that Republicans are contesting. In November, DFL candidate Brad Tabke won his race by 14 votes. The close margin triggered an automatic recount, during which election officials discovered that they had accidentally misplaced 20 ballots. Tabkes Republican opponent sued for a special election. After a trial in which six voters whose ballots were lost testified that they had voted for Tabke, on Tuesday, a judge ruled that he had won the election. But the state House has ultimate authority over who is seated as a member and, as of Thursday, Republicans are still refusing to seat him. Because Minnesota House Democrats have filed a lawsuit and the state still has an independent judiciary, hopefully it will be a short-lived stunt. Sooner rather than later, I expect the chamber to return to a 67-67 tie, which will be enormously frustrating for those of us who want our state government to get things done. But thats OK. Sometimes democracy can be frustrating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I also understand why the Minnesota GOP wanted to press its short-term advantage but, of course, that isnt a valid reason to violate the law and seize power the voters did not grant it. The rules governing the exercise of power in a representative democracy should not must not be Calvinball. Whether you live in Minnesota or not, pay attention to this story. GOP coup attempts will continue to manifest in different ways whenever voters try to stop them from exercising minority rule. Even when Republicans have a lot of power, it often will not be enough, particularly when that power can be exploited for opportunities to just ignore the law whenever they want. Call these efforts what they are: illegitimate attempts to seize power in contravention of the law or, more simply, coups. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Police in Apple Valley are looking for a 42-year-old man missing since failing to return home after delivering pizzas for Domino's. Shuefaub Xiong reported for work on Tuesday but did not make four deliveries scheduled for around 6 p.m. Police checked each of the areas where the deliveries were missed and could not find Xiong or his vehicle. Apple Valley PD "Further follow-up determined Xiong may have been in Richfield ... around 6:45 PM and used another persons phone, attempting to contact his family," Apple Valley PD adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is described as an Asian male, 58 tall, weighing 215 lbs. with brown hair and eyes. He was driving a red Toyota Camry with Minnesota plate CWT545. Anyone with information regarding his location should call (952) 953-2700. UPDATE: The Rochester Police Department has confirmed they have found Joseph and he is in no danger. ORIGINAL STORY: ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The Rochester Police Department is searching for a 10-year-old child from the city. Joseph Bryant was last seen Wednesday at the intersection of Finch Street and Glendale Park around 8 p.m. Officers said he left his home under his own free will. Joseph is described as standing at 55 and weighing 100 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black and red hat, a gray jacket, gray jeans, and black and red sneakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rochester police said one of the main concerns with Josephs disappearance is the cold weather outside. They will provide more updates as the investigation continues. Anyone with information on Josephs whereabouts is asked to 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 RochesterFirst. DANVILLE, Va. (WFXR) The Rockingham County Sheriffs Office in North Carolina is asking for the publics assistance in finding a missing person who may have been seen in Danville. 79-year-old Morris Fain was reported missing on January 13 and was last heard from around 4:30 p.m. while driving to 312 Acme Street in Reidville. However, he never arrived at the destination. He was last seen wearing a flannel button-up shirt, blue jeans, and gray Hey Dude like shoes. Fain is believed to be driving a 2001 White Nissan Altima with a taillight out and a handicap place card handing in the rearview mirror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the initial report was released, the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office received a tip that he was seen in Danville on Monday at an Auto Zone where he allegedly stopped to ask for directions back to Reidsville. Fain then stopped at the Liberty Gas Station on Franklin Turnpike in Danville where he again asked for directions and claimed he got lost. A motorist then escorted him onto US 29 Bypass where he exited onto the southbound lane. (Photo Credit: Rockingham County Sheriffs Office) His family members have not heard from him or been able to reach him by his cell phone. The service provider claims the phone must be turned off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danville and Rockingham County, NC authorities are working to locate his whereabouts. Anyone who sees Morris Fain is asked to call 9-1-1 to report his location. 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 WFXRtv. A missing Rhode Island police sergeant from Plainfield was found dead outside Sterling Town Hall on Monday, according to police. A representative of the Connecticut State Police Media Relations Unit confirmed Wednesday that 47-year-old Jason Riquier, a sergeant for the Scituate Rhode Island Police Department who lived in Plainfield, was found dead in a vehicle outside Sterling's town hall on Monday. Riquier was first reported missing on Sunday, the representative confirmed. There was no criminal aspect to this incident, the representative said in a statement to The Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a message to the public, Scituate Police Chief Eric Rollinson said Riquier served the department for 23 years and was a member of the U.S. Marine Corps. We are all struggling with the tragic loss of Sgt. Riquier, who was a valued and respected member of our Scituate Police family, Rollinson said. A GoFundMe page created Wednesday for Riquiers widow, Rachael Riquier, and the couples young adult son, Mason Riquier, described the late sergeant as a decorated and respected officer who shared a beautiful life with his family. The fundraiser, organized by Jennifer Mathers, who identified herself as a childhood friend of Rachael Riquier, had amassed $6,750 in donations as of 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Rachael is currently out of work grieving her husband, Mathers wrote. My hope is that this can help her with unexpected funeral costs and any housing expenses that may need to be covered. JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) Governor Tate Reeves (R-Miss.) directed all flags of the United States of America and the State of Mississippi to be flown at full-staff for President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration. Reeves directed flags be flown at full-staff on all buildings and grounds of the State of Mississippi and all areas under its jurisdiction beginning at sunrise and ending at sunset on January 20. Californias Newsom will join GOP governors in raising flag for Trump inauguration Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a historic day for America, and Mississippi looks forward to celebrating it, said Reeves. Our state is excited for Donald J. Trump to be sworn in as president, and we look forward to supporting his America First agenda. Mississippi is ready to help Make America Great Again! The governor said all flags will be returned to half-staff at sunrise on Tuesday, January 21. The flags will remain at half-staff through sunset on Tuesday, January 28, ending a 30 period in honor of the late President Jimmy Carter. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. STARKVILLE, Miss. (WJTV) Mississippi State University (MSU) is updating its times for spring graduation for the two ceremonies on Thursday, May 15. According to MSU officials, the update accommodates a monthly meeting that day of the board of trustees of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). Six Mississippi teachers named recipients of PAEMST The full graduation week schedule, including new times for Thursday, May 15, is as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday, May 13 11:30 a.m. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Humphrey Coliseum 4 p.m. Doctoral Hooding, Lee Hall Wednesday, May 14 11 a.m. MSU-Meridian, Riley Center, Meridian Thursday, May 15 1:30 p.m .College of Arts & Sciences, Humphrey Coliseum 6:30 p.m. ACCESS; College of Agriculture & Life Sciences; College of Education, Humphrey Coliseum Friday, May 16 9:30 a.m. College of Architecture, Art & Design; College of Business, Humphrey Coliseum 3:30 p.m. Academic Affairs; Bagley College of Engineering; College of Forest Resources; College of Professional and Continuing Studies; College of Veterinary Medicine, Humphrey Coliseum Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. NEVADA, Mo. A southwest Missouri college is using an offer of free tuition to help increase enrollment from a particular group of students. Less than fifteen percent of the students attending the all-female Cottey College are from counties surrounding the Nevada campus. But an ambitious program is being instituted next fall to change that. Its called Dream Big, Stay Close, and Cottey Colleges V.P. for Student Life Dr. Landon Adams says those who qualify wont be able to beat the tuition price tag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They will be able to go to Cottey totally tuition-free assuming they can continue to receive full Pell and full Missouri Access and so thats just, we determine that by when they complete their FAFSA, we get that information so we know very early that yes, you are going to be a member of this program, said Dr. Adams. The program wont affect current students, only those starting their freshman year in the fall semester, from Vernon, Bates, St. Clair, Barton, and Cedar counties. Now there are some student fees that they would be responsible for, books, but really even if they wanted, they could get an on-campus job thats going to be sufficient to cover those expenses while theyre here. There have always been students at Cottey from several states in the U.S. and several different countries, many of which will leave the area after graduation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providing an educational opportunity that is little to no cost to those women so they can continue to achieve and attain their goals in life and stay local, and continue to contribute to these communities in a major way and be a part of this area for a long time to come, said Dr. Adams. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. KANSAS CITY, Mo. Governor Mike Kehoe signed an Executive Order on Wednesday ordering U.S. and Missouri flags to be flown at full-staff on Monday at all state buildings and grounds in honor of Inauguration Day. This directive aligns with federal statute, which states that flags should be prominently displayed during specific occasions, especially for the inauguration of a U.S. President. Missouri news: Headlines from St. Louis, Jefferson City and across the Show-Me State Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flags are currently being flown at Half Staff to mourn the recent death of former president Jimmy Carter. While Missouri continues to mourn the passing of former President Jimmy Carter and remembers his remarkable legacy of service to our nation by displaying our flags at half-staff, we will also celebrate the promise of a new chapter for our country and the opportunities that lie ahead, Governor Kehoe said. To commemorate the democratic transition of power, I have directed all flags to be raised to full-staff for the inauguration of the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. The Governors of Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Arkansas have also ordered their flags to be at full staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) Were learning more about the Richmond County School Boards plans to opt out of the homestead exemption. Its one of four school districts in our area that are looking to opt out of House Bill 581. The board had the first of three public meetings Tuesday night about the recommendation to opt out of the homestead exemption. But this began last April, when Georgia Governor Brian Kemp came to Augusta to sign House Bill 581. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its in place to provide property tax relief to homeowners, but RCSS Chief Financial Officer Bobby Smith says there is another part to the legislation. It would allow local school systems such as ourselves to opt out if we follow certain requirements or procedures in that, which includes the public hearings, the advertising, etc. which is what were doing now, said Smith. One of the reasons Smith is recommending the board to opt out is due to existing homestead exemptions that are already in place. A regular homestead exemption in the state of Georgia is $2,000. That taxable value is reduced by $2,000 before the millage rate is applied. $2,000 is the state exemption, but here in Richmond County we have a $5,000 exemption. Thats $3,000 greater than the state that we give locally to Richmond County, said Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another big exemption in Richmond County is for homeowners 65 or older. Smith tells us they are 100% exempt from taxes with the school system. Most districts around the state start that for those at age 70, so since we start at age 65 its a pretty significant savings for our homeowners, Smith added. Hes also making the recommendation because the local millage rate cap is already in place. Because we have this local cap, each year we have to look at the change in the digest. If there is an increase in the digest, that increase results in a reduction in our maximum millage rate we can assess. That forces us to reduce our millage rate, and in essence not tax on the growth, said Smith. Thats something thats unique to Augusta-Richmond County, which is one of the big reasons we feel like we dont need another state exemption on top of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also want to maintain quality programs for county schools, but doing that would mean higher millage rates for homeowners. We still want the money to fund the quality programs, so what that would do is increase property taxes for commercial properties, people on rental property, and agricultural land for that. We dont want to give up the programs, so if possible we would increase our millage rate to offset the reduction in the taxable digest, Smith said. The homestead exemption was on the ballot for Richmond County voters in November, and more than 60% were in favor. Thats why former Augusta mayor Bob Young aired his concerns at last nights meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What they want to do by opting out is go against the voice of 48,000 voters in Augusta who said we want this homestead exemption. The message was crystal clear on November 5th, and to interpret it in any other manner is foolish, said Young. He also points out that school leaders didnt tell voters about the recommendation before the election. Smith says thats because they were still assessing the potential impact. Were not saying this is bad legislation, we just think its going to negatively impact what were trying to do as a school system, said Smith. Before it passed in November, we were still evaluating, trying to figure out what the potential impact could be before we could determine what our recommendation was going to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This legislation was passed last Spring by the general assembly. The governor came here and signed the bill. They had plenty of time to know whats in here, Young responded. The school board will have two more public hearings next Tuesday the 21st, and the following Monday, January 27th. School leaders will make an official decision on opting out after that final meeting later this month. 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 WJBF. Since 1983, when President Ronald Reagan signed Martin Luther King Jr. Day into law, many Americans have observed the federal holiday to commemorate the life and legacy of the civil rights leader, Baptist minister and theologian. MLK Day volunteers typically perform community service that continues Kings fight to end racial discrimination and economic injustice to build the beloved community, as he often said. King does not fully explain the phrases meaning in his published writings, speeches and sermons. Scholars Rufus Burrow Jr. and Lewis V. Baldwin, however, argue that the beloved community is Kings principal ethical goal, guiding the struggle against what he called the three evils of American society: racism, economic exploitation and militarism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a Baptist minister and theologian myself, I believe it is important to understand the origins of the concept of the beloved community, how King understood it and how he worked to make it a reality. Older origins Although King popularized the beloved community, the phrase has roots in the thought of 19th-century American religious philosopher Josiah Royce. In 1913, toward the end of his long career, Royce published The Problem of Christianity. The book compiles lectures on the Christian religion, including the idea of the church and its mission, and coined the term beloved community. Based on his readings of the biblical gospels, as well as the writings of the apostle Paul, Royce argued that the beloved community was one where individuals are transformed by Gods love. In turn, members express that love as loyalty toward each other for example, the devoted love a member of the church would have toward the church as a whole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Royce often identified the beloved community with the church, he extends the concept beyond the walls of Christianity. In any type of community, Royce argued, from clans to nations, there are individuals who express love and devotion not only to their own community, but who foster a sense of the community that includes all humankind. According to Royce, the ideal or beloved community is a universal community one to which all human beings belong or will eventually belong at the end of time. Beloved diversity Twentieth-century pastor, philosopher, mystic, theologian and civil rights leader Howard Thurman retrieved Royces idea of the beloved community and applied it to his life and work, most notably in his 1971 book The Search for Common Ground. Thurman first used the term in an unpublished and undated article: Desegregation, Integration, and the Beloved Community. Here, he argued that the beloved community cannot be achieved by sheer will or commanded by force. Rather, it begins with transformation in each persons human spirit. The seeds of the beloved community extend outward into society as each person assumes the responsibility of bringing it to pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thurman envisioned the beloved community as one that exemplifies harmony harmony enriched by members diversity. It is a community wherein people from all racial, national, religious and ethnic backgrounds are respected, and where their human dignity is affirmed. Thurman was convinced that beloved community was achievable because of the dedication he saw from activists during the struggle for racial integration. During his lifetime, Thurman sought to build this beloved community through his activism for racial justice. For example, he co-founded the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples, an interracial and interfaith community in San Francisco, which he co-pastored from 1943 to 1953. Thurmans writings and activism deeply influenced King. Burrow argued that it is not entirely clear when and where King first learned the concept of beloved community. Yet King emphasized its importance in much of his writing and political action. Love and action In simplest terms, King defined the beloved community as a community transformed by love. Like Royce, he drew his understanding of love from the Bibles New Testament. In the original Greek, the Gospels use the word agape, which suggests Gods self-giving, unconditional love for humanity and, by extension, human beings self-giving, unconditional love for each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Baldwin, however, Kings understanding of the beloved community is better understood against the backdrop of the Black church tradition. Raised in the Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta, King learned lessons on the meaning of love from his parents, Rev. Martin Luther King Sr. Ebenezers pastor, who was also a leader in the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Alberta Christine Williams King. One of the distinctions in Kings thought is that he believed the beloved community could be achieved through nonviolent direct action, such as sit-ins, marches and boycotts. In part, he was inspired by Thurman, who had embraced the nonviolence at the heart of Mahatma Gandhis resistance against the British in India. For King, nonviolence was the only viable means for achieving the United States of Americas redemption from the sin of racial segregation and white supremacy. Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta, lead a five-day march to the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery in 1965. Bettmann via Getty Images For King, therefore, the beloved community was not merely a utopian vision of the future. He envisioned it as an obtainable ethical goal that all human beings must work collectively toward achieving. Only a refusal to hate or kill can put an end to the chain of violence in the world and lead us toward a community where men can live together without fear, King wrote in 1966. Our goal is to create a beloved community and this will require a qualitative change in our souls as well as a quantitative change in our lives. Searching for the beloved community today Kings idea of the beloved community has not only influenced people affiliated with the Christian tradition but also people from other faiths and none. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, scholars Elizabeth A. Johnson, bell hooks and Joy James have reflected upon the meaning of the beloved community amid ongoing challenges such as global climate change, sexism, racism and other forms of structural violence. People around the world continue to draw insight and inspiration from Kings thought, especially from his insistence that love is the most durable power to change the world for the better. Questions remain about whether his beloved community can be realized, or how. But I believe it is important to understand Kings ethical concept and its continuing influence on movements that seek an end to injustice. 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: Jason Oliver Evans, University of Virginia Read more: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jason Oliver Evans 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. BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) A local commission is challenging people to make the most out of the federal holiday on Monday by joining a march for social justice. The Broome County MLK Commission is hosting its annual Doctor Martin Luther King Junior celebration Monday evening. Every year, people gather at Doctor Kings statue which is in the MLK promenade in downtown Binghamton next to the Riverwalk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be speeches from local activists and local faith leaders, including the pastor at Mount Sinai Church of God in Christ, Arthur Jones. Reverend Jones says that even though many people have the day off, they should use their time to remember and reflect on what Doctor King did and stood for. Its a daily prayer for me. He talks about how every high mountain be brought low and let every valley be exalted. That rough places be smoothed and crooked places straight. And he said let the glory of God, he was talking about leveling the playing field. We was talking about that transition that he wanted to see across the board. Equality, social justice for all, says Jones. Once gathered at the MLK statue, everyone will process to Salvation Temple Church for an evening service, featuring several different church choirs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The guest speaker for this years event is Reverend Douglas Taylor, from the Unitarian Universalist Church of Binghamton. The vice chair of the Broome County MLK Commission, Claudia Clarke, says its everyones responsibility to make Doctor Kings dream a reality. Its not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character that should be recognized. So, we shall overcome one day, but we are the generation that says, we shall overcome today. Were not going to wait, today, says Clarke. The march will begin shortly after 5:30 p.m. on Monday, with the service scheduled for 6 oclock at 80 Main Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission also hosts backpack and coat giveaways and funds scholarships for local high school seniors. You can support the MLK commission by making a donation at the church service via cash, check, or electronic payment. 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 WIVT - News 34. Mela Restaurant and Lounge, located just outside of Atlanta, has been accused of using an outrageously offensive flyer to promote an event celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.s birthday. Not only is King featured in the image, but civil rights icon Rosa Parks makes an appearance as well...and its sexually suggestive. Arthur Watkins Jr., an Atlanta entrepreneur, posted the disturbing flyer on X. In it, King and Parks are dressed in scantily clad outfits while engaged in a sex act. I have just sent an urgent email to Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., regarding a derogatory misuse of Dr. Kings image at Mela Restaurant and Lounge in Atlanta, Watkins wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also stated that as a litigant with the American Freedmen Legal Fund and Freedmen Nation, it was necessary to inform Bernice since the flyer undermines the legacy of Dr. King. The use of his likeness in this context is deeply disrespectful and warrants attention, Watkins explained. URGENT: Misuse of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.s Image in Atlanta I have just sent an urgent email to Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., regarding a derogatory misuse of Dr. Kings image at Mela Restaurant and Lounge in Atlanta. As a litigant with the pic.twitter.com/5hIrCU16LG Arthur Watkins Jr. (@arthurwatkins) January 15, 2025 Watkins added that the flyer he posted on the social media site serves as evidence of Melas disrespect before asserting that Dr. Kings legacy is one of dignity, justice and equality that must be protected. However, in a statement on Instagram, the food establishment denied they made or circulated it in any manner. The owners of Mela ATL have no connections or support of the MLK party on Saturday January 18th, they wrote. We do not tolerate or support the idea of the flyer concept. Please stop tagging or involving us with the concept...We do not tolerate the disrespect that was posted on the flyer. We do apologize for the flyer going around with us unaware. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt the first time a brand or establishment has been accused of using Martin Luther King Jr.s image to promote a party during the holiday weekend, but it is certainly one of the most disturbing. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) announced the arrest of a convicted sex offender for aggravated statutory rape against a 13-year-old Wednesday. Officers with the MNPD assigned to a public housing task force were conducting routine checks of vacant apartments when they reportedly discovered 46-year-old Antwan Cowan in a bed with the teen inside a unit on South 8th Street. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with detectives, Cowan admitted to engaging in sex with the victim three times in the last two weeks of knowing her, the MNPD said in a press release. The teen was reported as a runaway on multiple occasions and had been picked up by police and returned home repeatedly, the press release added. The MNPD said the Department of Childrens Services will follow up on that aspect of the case. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Cowan was convicted of two counts of sexual battery by an authority figure in 2010 and is on Tennessees sex offender registry. He has been charged with three counts of aggravated statutory rape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Leave it to Jon Stewart to take politicians to task for their hypocrisy. John Nacion / Variety via Getty Images It's no secret Los Angeles is facing unprecedented devastation as wildfires continue to affect the communities of the Palisades, Altadena, and their surrounding areas. Here in LA, we're constantly glued to our phones and computers, navigating fire watch apps and monitoring the Citizen app at every waking moment in fear of more bad news and evacuation notices. Anadolu / Anadolu via Getty Images On top of the hellish landscape bookending the northern parts of LA County, conservative critics are now using the moment for political talking points, including targeting California's leadership, Gov. Gavin Newsom and LA Mayor Karen Bass, for mismanagement of the disaster. Ali Matin / Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images On Monday's episode of The Daily Show, Jon spoke about the politicization of the wildfire disaster. He called out Republicans for suggesting Democrats agree to policy changes before wildfire aid is approved. Jean Catuffe / GC Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The problem now is Republicans appear to want to attach their 'I told you so's as a condition of funding California's disaster relief," Jon said. Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said, "I expect that there will be strings attached to money that is ultimately approved." Republican Sen. Bill Hagerty of Tennessee said, "Before we put funds into place, we got to find out exactly how we're going to hold these leaders accountable and what sort of policy changes are required." Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama said, "They don't deserve anything, to be honest with you, unless they show us they're going to make some changes." Comedy Central / youtu.be "What the fuck is wrong with you? Really, senator from Alabama the state near the bottom in math, reading, and test scores next time you get hit by a hurricane, why don't we have a little parent-teacher conference to say that if you got your scores up, you would get the money? Or actually, let's not do it, because you'll get the money anyway because we're not psychos. That is psychotic." "I can do The Daily Show thing. I can run down all the congresspeople and senators on the right calling for conditions on disaster aid that absolutely had the opposite view when it was their state on the line," Jon added before pivoting his joke. "I'm not even going do it because red states are always the tragic victims of circumstance outside of their control, and Democrats always vote for their aid. Whereas blue state disasters are a function of their flawed morality and policy. And if we help blue state survivors, what message will that send?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't know what kind of a system you can develop that completely mitigates the risk of fire, plus drought conditions, plus 60- to 80-mile-per-hour winds, plus delicious wood," Jon continued. "These people don't actually care. They're not actually trying to find a solution. They're just trying to work their pet issues into this tragic situation." But Jon was fair in criticism of all political parties involved. In response to LA Mayor Karen Bass's apparent flub during a press conference, Jon said, "I'm not saying she's Churchill," referring to former UK prime minister Winston Churchill, who led Britain to victory during World War II. "Yes, improvements can be made in leadership, in management, in design, in materials, in myriad ways," he said. "But sometimes fires fucks a tornado and makes a mockery of human infrastructure and our ability to dictate the terms of our existence on this planet. But the one thing it shouldn't dictate is the cruelty that we would show to those in pain because we don't think they consistently vote right." Comedy Central / youtu.be While politicians and conservative critics like Marjorie Taylor Green, Alex Jones, and Elon Musk are peddling conspiracy theories about the reason behind the severity of the fires and are using buzzwords like "woke" and "DEI" as proponents of blame, many firefighters and first responders are doing real work of putting out the fires without any political ultimatums. Etienne Laurent / AFP via Getty Images Check out the entire segment from The Daily Show here: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you're looking for a way to support LA, check out this LA Fires Resource Mega Doc for those helping and those in need. As wildfires burned across Los Angeles County, burning more than 12,000 structures, many of them homes, two mothers launched a grassroots project to reunite displaced children with their beloved stuffed toys and blankets. Sisters-in-law Randi Jaffe and Jenny Jaffe created the LA Lost Stuffy Project, which raises funds to buy new versions of stuffed toys and blankets lost in the fires. The women's efforts were recognized during the 2025 Grammys, during which ad time was used to put a spotlight on both relief efforts and Los Angeles businesses affected by the fires. In an ad featuring the Jonas Brothers, Randi Jaffe and Jenny Jaffe spoke about how the LA Lost Stuffy Project has helped bring smiles to kids' faces during a difficult time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, Randi Jaffe told "Good Morning America" she and her sister-in-law wanted to come up with a way to help families impacted by the fires, even though they live across the country in New Jersey and New York respectively. She said the idea for LA Lost Stuffy Project came to her because as a child life specialist and a mom of two, she knows firsthand how important comfort items can be for kids. PHOTO: Emily Balliets son was reunited with their stuffed unicorn with the help of the LA Lost Stuffy Project. (Courtesy of Spencer Balliet) "I've just been thinking about what we can do and how we can help these kids and these families, and immediately, I thought of comfort items -- loveys, stuffies, blankies," Randi Jaffe said. Schools burned and memories lost: How the California wildfires are impacting children "We know that comfort items are key with kids -- young kids all the way up through young adults," she continued. "When families are displaced or experiencing trauma, obviously there's no control at all. So, this is such a small way to give kids back their control." PHOTO: Randi Jaffe and her husband are parents of two 7-year-old Talia and 3-year-old Ryan (Courtesy of Randi Jaffe) For Emily Balliet, whose Altadena home burned down in the wildfires, the work of the LA Lost Stuffy Project has brought "light" to her family during what she described as a "dark time." The group donated a stuffed unicorn, named Horn, to Balliet's 4-year-old son Yves to match the one he had previously. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was a reminder that there are good people out there who really do want to help in a really specific, caring way," Balliet told "GMA." Balliet said Yves had missed his favorite stuffed animal but when he received the new version of Horn, he was overwhelmed with joy, a reaction they captured on video. PHOTO: Emily Balliet said her 4-year-old son Yves was overcome with joy after he received a new stuffed unicorn from the LA Lost Stuffy Project, who donated the toy to him after the family's Altadena home burned down. (Courtesy Spencer Balliet) "This was just a pure blast of joy and he's running around screaming and all of us are smiling for the first time in a while because we can see his happiness," Balliet recalled. "And I was like, 'Alright, it's gonna be OK. We're in hell but there is, like, a little bit of light." When a family reaches out to the LA Lost Stuffy Project to request a new comfort item, the Jaffes will work to find the item and ship it to the family. If a donor wishes to shop for a comfort item themselves, the Jaffes will connect a family in need with the donor and share information with permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands step up to help Southern California wildfire victims PHOTO: A person walks amid the destruction left behind by the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2025. (Jae C. Hong/AP) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jaffes also said more awareness is needed about the project, and they hope to reach more families. "The biggest need right now is to get the word to the LA families," said Jenny Jaffe, a realtor and also a mom of two. "We're waiting with money to be able to purchase more and send them out." PHOTO: Jenny Jaffe and her husband are parents of two children Ayla and Dylan. (Courtesy of Jenny Jaffe) Randi Jaffe said they are looking to reunite kids of all ages -- from babies and toddlers to teens -- with comfort items that are as close to their original item as possible. "To be able to kind of return this personal, specific item that has been so brutally lost is such a powerful gift, and that's what we're so excited to be doing," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added that she hopes once comfort items are replaced, they can expand the project to replace kids' Christmas and holiday presents lost in the wildfires, too. "The entire world is behind them and thinking of them and praying for them and offering support in small ways and big ways. And that's something that we really need to lean into right now," Randi Jaffe said. Tune into "Good Morning America" on Friday, Jan. 17, as ABC News and ABC owned stations kick off "SoCal Strong" (#SoCalStrong) coverage in support of Los Angeles-area communities amid the devastating wildfires. Coverage continues across ABC News programs and platforms. Moms launch 'Lost Stuffy Project' to reunite kids impacted by LA fires with stuffed toys originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com The Montana House of Representatives advanced a bill to ban transgender people from using public bathrooms that do not align with their sex assigned at birth, the first of this type of legislation to progress in the 2025 session. It is one of 138 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S. tracked by the ACLU so far this year. This comes after a bipartisan effort in December to reject a measure that would have banned state Rep. Zooey Zephyr -- the first openly trans lawmaker in the state -- from using the women's bathroom at the state Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new bill states that a "restroom, changing room, or sleeping quarters that is designated for females or males may be used only by members of that sex." The bill seeks to define sex "based on the organization of the body parts and gametes for reproduction," adding that the sexes are defined by "sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex chromosomes, gonads, and nonambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth" and not any other definition of gender. The bill does not include a definition or classification for those born intersex, or people with ambiguous genitals, chromosomes, hormones or reproductive organs that are neither clearly male nor female at birth. PHOTO: Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr poses for a photo at the state capitol in Helena, Mont., April 26, 2023. (Tommy Martino/AP) The bill does not state how it will be enforced or how those using such facilities will be checked. However, the bill does state that residents can sue for attorney fees and other costs if "another individual of the opposite sex" is using a single-sex facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When her colleagues declined to support a similar bathroom ban in 2024, Zephyr applauded the rejection: "I'm happy to see that this proposed ban failed and am grateful for my colleagues particularly my republican colleagues who recognized this as a distraction from the work we were elected to do," she posted on social media platform X. "I'm ready to represent my constituents & look forward to working on behalf of Montana." MORE: Transgender residents living under bathroom ban reflect on Sarah McBride controversy Critics of bathroom bans say they create a false "fear" of transgender people. They argue transgender people aren't inherently dangerous and are four times more likely to be victims of violence than cisgender people, according to recent studies. In a past interview, Zephyr told ABC News that she believes anti-transgender rhetoric and legislation have been a distraction from the issues facing average Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Leave trans people alone, let us live our lives and let our representatives get back to trying to make our states better places for all of us," Zephyr said. ABC News reached out to Zephyr for comment on the measure Wednesday. MORE: Gender-affirming care for teens is rare amid debate over access: Study PHOTO: Republican Montana House Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe speaks in favor of restricting bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth in a Jan. 15, 2025 hearing. (Montana Public Affairs Network) Those in support of the bill argue that restrictions on bathroom use enhance safety and privacy for women. Montana Rep. Kerri Seekins-Crowe, a Republican, said the bill "reflects the values and priorities of Montanans, protecting privacy, safeguarding dignity, and ensuring safety for women and children in vulnerable places." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She continued, "This bill is not about exclusion or hate, it's about common sense boundaries that have served our society for generations." One study in the Sexuality Research and Social Policy journal was unable to find evidence that trans-inclusive policies on restrooms, lockers and changing rooms increase safety risks or related crimes. Transgender people who are estimated to make up less than 1% of the adult population have been the focus of conservative-sponsored legislation across the country. Last year, restrictions on transgender participation in sports, bathroom use, gender marker changes, pronoun use in schools and gender-affirming care made up a majority of the record-breaking 533 anti-LGBTQ bills tracked by the ACLU in the 2024 legislative sessions nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zephyr won her bid for reelection to the Montana House of Representatives after she was censured and barred from the House floor for almost two years for protesting a gender-affirming youth care ban in her state. Montana House advances transgender bathroom bill after prior effort affecting 1st state trans lawmaker originally appeared on abcnews.go.com The Montana State Capitol in Helena on Wednesday, April 26, 2023. (Photo by Mike Clark for the Daily Montanan) The division between the Legislature and the judicial branch has been on display in recent months with Republican leadership in both chambers stating that reining in the courts is top of mind this session. However, a new bill brought before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning added the executive branch into the crosshairs. The House Judiciary Committee heard a bill that looks to curb executive power and agency overreach by requiring courts take legislative intent into consideration when interpreting laws rather than deferring to a state or federal agencys interpretation of its rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Lee Deming, R-Laurel, sponsored House Bill 52 at the request of the Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform and said the bill will prioritize legislative intent, increase transparency in government actions, and help limit burdensome regulations. Lyn Hellegaard a former legislator, who served on the Senate Select Committee, said she suggested the bill after looking at similar bills passed in Indiana and Idaho. Put simply, this bill requires a judge to examine the laws and regulations without bias towards the government agencys interpretation of the law or rule, and resolve remaining doubt in the disputes in favor of a reasonable interpretation that limits the agencys power and maximizes liberty, Hellegaard said. Ive been in government for 25 years, and agencies do misinterpret regulations. This, in my view, gives a level playing field when it gets to the courts. According to the Pacific Legal Foundation, a public interest law firm that defends Americans liberties and testified as a proponent for the bill, a dozen states have ended the practice of judicial deference. Three states Idaho, Indiana and Nebraska did so last year following the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the federal Chevron deference precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the federal level, the precedent gave agencies broad discretion to interpret Congressional statues where ambiguous, and it required judges to favor government agencies in litigation. Now, courts have a greater latitude to make judgements on interpreting statutes, taking legislative intent into greater account. Members of the states executive branch spoke in opposition to the legislation. Speaking for the Governors office, Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras criticized the bill for expanding judicial power, ignoring the complicated and nuanced nature of agency rulemaking and characterizing Montana as having an administrative state that needs reining in. Let me assure you, under this administration we do not have agencies creating law or exceeding their authority. And if they do, you have given yourself, the Legislature, the ability to repeal, by a bill, any agency rule, Juras said. You have in place safeguards to prevent a runaway bureaucracy, which we do not have in Montana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One criticism of the overturning of the precedent was that judges often do not have the subject matter expertise to rule on the myriad rules implemented by agencies covering all aspects of government work. Similar arguments were made before the Judiciary Committee. We have deference based on our scientific and technical expertise, said Montana Department of Environmental Quality Director Sonja Nowakowski. There are numerous instances where agencies have received the benefit of any doubt on factual issues based on deference. She cited a recent decision by the Montana Supreme Court on a mine tailing lawsuit that involved very detailed scientific equations, to determine the safety of the tailings impoundment. We were very pleased to see the court say, We are not scientists and engineers, and we defer to the agency, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other opponents of the bill included representatives from the AFL-CIO and Montana Mining Association, who expressed concerns over unintended consequences. Labor and unemployment laws are areas in Montana statute that are relatively broad and vague by nature, said Jake Brown for the AFL-CIO, a federation of around 38 unions. His example was the Montana Safety Culture Act, passed 30 years ago, which provides broad rulemaking authority for the Department of Labor to establish protocols for specific workplace safety needs and requires employers to develop safety programs. If an employee were to sue their employer for enforcing safety hats on the job because they thought that violated their rights, what basis would a judge have to uphold that requirement? Theres nothing in statute that says that you need to wear a hard hat, Brown said. But we are able to defer to agency rulemaking in discerning that legislative intent. Nowakowski also clarified to the committee that state agencies dont develop rules in a vacuum. Instead, there is an established process, and between legislative sessions, interim committees are able to review and object to proposed agency rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the Pacific Legal Foundation, proponents for the bill included representatives from the Goldwater Institute, a conservative policy think tank, the Coalition for Safety and Justice, and Jeff Patterson, a retired private investigator who raised additional concerns about regulatory overreach. Juras added that HB 52 disrupts the separation of powers balance by removing a courts respectful consideration of an agencys expertise and long standing practice, which provides predictability to the people appearing before our agencies and boards. We oppose this because it does invade, not only the legislative authority but also the executive branch authority in implementing your laws, shifting inappropriately even more power to our judiciary, Juras said. Other judiciary committee The House Judiciary Committee also heard three bills related to the judicial branch one to audit the State Bar of Montana; two aimed at reallocating the Judicial Standards Commission from under the purview of the Montana Supreme Court and change who can lead the commission; and one requiring courts apply a burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt when considering if a law is unconstitutional. The door to the old Supreme Court Chamber at the Montana Capitol, where the Senate Judiciary Committee meets. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan) When current Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras ran for a seat on the Montana Supreme Court in 2016, she lost by 13 points to now-retired Justice Dirk Sandefur. In her race, campaign and political fundraising exceeded $1.6 million, a record at the time, according to the Billings Gazette. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juras said that after decades of political parties refraining from inserting themselves into judicial races, the Democratic Party endorsed her opponent, spending more than $60,000 in mailers during the final weeks of the campaign. Under Montana law, political parties were unable to endorse, contribute to, or make expenditures to support or oppose a judicial candidate until the law was overturned in 2014. Juras said the Democratic endorsement of her opponent opened the floodgate. Since then, both parties have continued to endorse candidates. Lets align the reality on the ground with the law, Juras said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juras appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday to testify that Montanas judicial elections are nonpartisan in name only. She was also representing the Governors office in supporting legislation to make all judicial races in Montana partisan elections. Senate Bill 42, sponsored by Sen. Daniel Emrich, R-Great Falls, is one of a suite of bills aimed at reforming Montanas judicial branch, a stated goal by Republican leaders in the Legislature, and an idea backed by Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte. Opponents of the legislation called it inappropriate and a degradation of judicial impartiality. The intent of the bill, however, is not to inject more politics into the judiciary, Emrich and many proponents of the measure said. Instead its about making the races more transparent and educating voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juras called it a voter education bill. She characterized judicial elections as down ballot races that dont get much publicity, making it hard for voters to learn about who they are voting for. Derek Oestreicher, chief legal counsel with the Montana Family Foundation, said that his office is inundated with calls each election cycle, and that nonpartisan judicial races generate the most confusion and concern for voters. Montana citizens consistently express frustration over the lack of available information about judicial candidates. They want to make informed decisions, but they are left in the dark, Oestreicher said. They dont even have the most basic details, like party affiliation. Providing this basic information is a step toward an informed electorate. Lawyer and Rep. James Reavis, D-Billings, testified against the bill, saying that of the hundreds of clients hes represented with the public defenders office, he only knew the partisan leanings of a handful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is because their politics was not relevant to whether or not they had committed a crime or how someones property should be divided in a divorce, Reavis said. When we take our case before a judge, we dont have to think about their politics, but rather what the facts of a case are. If all judges carry a partisan label, Reavis said that every speeding ticket, landlord dispute and relatives estate will be tainted by politics. Partisan judges wont bring fairness or impartiality to the law, they will bring partisanship to our everyday lives, he said. Bruce Spencer, a lobbyist with the State Bar of Montana, said the legislation doesnt contain any option for judges to opt out if they want to remain apolitical and called the entire idea inappropriate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montanas nonpartisan judicial elections hearken back to 1935 and Spencer said the same reasons they were first put in place are relevant today. The political winds of the day shift , Spencer said. We dont want the judiciary swinging on the whims of partisanship throughout history. We want them to be a stable part of our government. A map showing how states select judges for the state Supreme Court. (Ballotpedia) Eight states in the U.S. elect their Supreme Court justices in partisan elections, and nine do so for at least one lower level court. Spencer said that states with a partisan judiciary routinely rank among the bottom in surveys of how well their court systems perform and are trusted. Montana, by contrast, was ranked 7th in fairness in a 2019 survey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He pointed out that in Texas, a bipartisan commission in 2020 recommended the state end its practice of partisan elections, an idea backed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Spencer also cited a 2023 study by Montana State University, which showed 72% of Montanans oppose state Supreme Court justices running under political party labels. Sen. Laura Smith, D-Helena, pointed to a contradiction if the Legislature passed a bill that three-quarters of Montanans opposed, and asked Emrich if he would support an amendment making the bill into a referendum, so that people can actually decide for themselves how the judiciary should be elected. Quite simply, no, Emrich said. This body represents every citizen in the state of Montana. Theyve elected us to come up to the legislature and make these decisions on their behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Montana Legislature has made many overtures to change the nature of judicial elections in recent years. During the 2023 session, Rep. Scott Kerns, R-Great Falls, and Sen. Emrich sponsored similar bills to create partisan judicial elections, but neither piece of legislation passed its respective chamber. A third bill to allow any nonpartisan candidates for office to claim a political affiliation died in committee. Last year, a dozen GOP lawmakers called for a special session to consider allowing Supreme Court candidates to list a party affiliation ahead of the 2024 elections. However, the appetite for judicial reform is strong this session, and a standalone bill to allow political parties to directly contribute to, and endorse, judicial candidates has already passed the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Gianforte addressed the issue in both his inauguration speech and his State of the State address. Im asking you to send to my desk a bill that empowers Montana voters to know a judicial candidates political party, he said in Mondays address to the joint Legislature. HB 169: Dinners, speeches and constitutional doubts In the same partisan judicial vein, a bill that would allow judicial candidates to attend dinners and events sponsored by political parties, or even hold office within a political party, was presented in the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday morning. House Bill 169, sponsored by Rep. Tom Millett, R-Marion, is part of a larger group of bills aimed at transforming Montanas nonpartisan judiciary into one with some degree of political party designation, but Millett said thats not necessarily the intent of his one-page bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, he said that judges are often excluded from events in small communities, barred by the states canon of judicial conduct and law, from attending any event that has ties to a political party. He said it helps provide judges the same freedom of participation as anyone. Other members of the Legislature, though, see the bill as allowing residents to understand the legal leanings of some judges and judicial candidates, which could help them decide whether to support them. During the committee hearing, Republican lawmakers insisted that judges could participate in political parties, while still remaining neutral or impartial when it came to deciding issues. Reps. Zooey Zephyr, D-Missoula, and Ed Stafman, D-Bozeman, questioned the bill because the states Constitution prohibits members of the judiciary from holding political office, and they wondered if the entire approach didnt violate the states foundational document by stepping into the judiciarys operations. Stafman is an attorney. Meanwhile, Spencer, the lobbyist representing the State Bar of Montana, said his groups concerns centered on the perception of partisanship in Montanas courts, which had been established as nonpartisan. He told lawmakers he worried that making Montanas courts partisan would continue to erode confidence and only increase division. The appearance of impartiality is critical for judges as they are the independent arbiter of laws and facts, Spencer said. Courts dont follow the majority of public opinion. But being part of political parties assumes that youre leaning toward one side or another. Id urge you all not to stoop that low, Spencer said. Spencer also pointed to other work the Legislature was tackling, including making it so that the chairperson of the Judicial Standards Committee will not be a judge to avoid the appearance of impropriety, and asked why lawmakers seemed to be going in the opposite direction with HB169. This is one step toward weakening the respect toward one institution, Spencer said. And when you weaken one branch of government, you weaken them all. No members of the public spoke in favor of the bill, but at least two spoke against it, including Barbara Lodman. It puts judges in a political situation, and theres already too much money in politics, she said. Millett reminded lawmakers that his legislation was optional and didnt mandate judges or candidates participate in the political process. By allowing candidates to make political statements, Id like to know how this strengthens the perception of impartiality, said Rep. Denise Baum, D-Billings, to Millett. These arent things that they have to do, Millett said. These are things they may do. The Bar and the lawyer establishment thinks theyre above everyone else, and the pendulum has swung way too far. What I am attempting to do is bring it back a little, maybe even to the middle. Editor Darrell Ehrlick contributed reporting to this article. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Eaton Fire in central Los Angeles County poses a potential credit risk to power provider Southern California Edison, which operates electrical lines in the area where the destructive blaze first started, Moody's Ratings said in a report on Thursday. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT Fire investigators have not released a cause for the deadly Eaton Blaze, which has burned more than 14,000 acres since starting on Jan. 7. Despite the uncertainty over what caused the disaster, several lawsuits filed against SCE this week accuse equipment owned by the largest Southern California electric utility of sparking the initial flames. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SCE, which is the main subsidiary of Edison International, has said it has not found evidence that its equipment is to blame for the fire. WHAT'S NEXT Moody's said it believes a state wildfire fund and California utilities' ability to recover fire-related costs will be supportive of SCE's credit. That could change if there is enough evidence to prove SCE's infrastructure caused the fire, which would make the company more vulnerable to lawsuits, Moody's said. Other factors that could harm SCE financially include a depleted wildfire fund, which provides reimbursements for some wild-fire related damage claims, or if the regulatory and political support for California utilities area begins to wane, Moody's said. KEY QUOTES Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We could also change our view based on an expectation of more frequent and more severe catastrophic wildfires that create greater risks to the company's credit profile," Moody's said. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Bernadette Baum) STAMFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A massive drug bust involving more than half a dozen stores in Stamford resulted in the seizure of more than 135 pounds of illegal marijuana. Attorney General William Tong, Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons, local police, and state agencies joined forces for this investigation, netting more than 135 pounds of illegal cannabis products from eight smoke shops around Stamford. The stores were found to be violating several criminal and civil statutes, including illegal drug sales, underage sales, labor violations and tax violations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The raids were conducted in December, leading to the discovery of more than 4,800 unlawful and unregulated products, including marijuana flowers and illegal high THC edibles in packaging that looked like candy wrappers. Investigators said that while recreational use of marijuana is legal in Connecticut, illegal activity will not be tolerated. Eight smoke shops that were openly and brazenly breaking the law, right in plain sight, Attorney General William Tong said. All of these products that you see here today were seized in these raids. They werent hidden under the counter. They werent disguised right on the counter, in plain view, including this these huge bags of weed, marijuana flower. Shops found in violation include Hope Breeze at 1074 Hope St., Stamford Vape and Smoke at 221 Hope St., World Exotic at 2284 Summer St., Smoke Clouds at 1136-1138 E Main St., Smoke Times at 108 Bedford St., Landmark Smoke Shop at 118 Broad St. Smokey Bear Smoke Shop at 59 Broad St.., and Bedford St. Market at 27 Bedford St. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The smoke shops have not commented on the investigation. The attorney generals office is evaluating legal options in the case. This sweep could result in up to $70,000 in fines for some of these stores. 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 WTNH.com. Photo by Jim Small | Arizona Mirror Republicans in the Arizona Legislature want to Florida the states election laws, and for the first time in years, the majority of its 15 counties are on board. The GOP legislators who want to significantly alter voting statutes have been fighting with the counties who would have to implement those changes over what is doable and reasonable since 2021. But the results of the November election seem to have turned the tide. Former GOP Rep. Justin Heap took the Maricopa County Recorders Office from Stephen Richer, who angered some of his fellow Republicans by preaching the reliability of the countys elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors also saw significant turnover, with three of the supervisors who defended the county during the Cyber Ninjas audit of the 2020 presidential election results either losing their primaries or deciding not to run for reelection. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On Wednesday, lawmakers in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature worked toward their goal of making the states election laws more like Floridas, which they said will speed up results reporting. The House of Representatives convened the first of two planned meetings of the Ad Hoc Committee on Election Integrity and Florida-style Voting Systems, with the goal of determining how exactly to change state laws to make them more like Floridas, which has gotten attention in the past few years for quickly reporting results. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate Judiciary and Elections Committee heard passionate testimony for and against its own Florida-style elections bill, voting 4-3 along party lines to send an amended version of the proposal on to the full Senate. Senate Bill 1011, sponsored by Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, would get rid of the popular practice for voters of returning their early ballot to a polling place in the last few days before the election or on Election Day. Petersens proposal would speed up results by putting an end to the practice of signature verification for the hundreds of thousands of late early ballots dropped off on Election Day and the preceding weekend. Signature verification of those ballots can be time-consuming, and proponents of the proposed changes say voters will have more trust in Arizonas election results if they are reported more quickly. Some of those Republicans, like Sen. Mark Finchem of Prescott and Sen. Wendy Rogers of Flagstaff, have spent the past several years sowing doubt in the results of the states elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arizona was the laughingstock of the entire nation for the speed at which we counted ballots, Finchem said of the 2024 election. Arizona has always taken up to two weeks after Election Day to finish reporting election results, but no one cared until recently because Republicans easily won most contests up and down the ballot. But that changed when the state became a battleground and races were more difficult to call on election night. If the Senate proposal becomes law, voters who wish to cast a ballot after 7 p.m. the Friday before an election, through 7 p.m. on Election Day would either have to return their early ballot to their county recorders office or vote in person at a polling location after showing identification confirming their identity as a registered voters. The proposal would also expand in-person early voting, which currently ends the Friday preceding the election, to the Saturday and Monday prior to the election, but an amendment made on Wednesday at the request of the counties removed a requirement for counties to provide early polling locations on those days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Lauren Kuby, D-Tempe, said she was concerned that the possibility of some counties providing early voting locations on those days while others might not could run afoul of the 14th Amendment, which requires all voters to be treated equally. Voting rights advocates and Democrats on the committee railed against the proposal saying that it would lead to disenfranchisement for voters who are not aware of the changes and show up to drop off their early ballot after the new deadline without ID or time to wait in line. Hundreds of thousands of voters drop their early ballots off at polling places every election. I think this bill is an absolutely atrocious attempt to make it harder to drop off early ballots, Sen. Analise Ortiz, D-Phoenix, said before voting against it. While Republican Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, called the proposed election changes a minor inconvenience, Antonio Ramirez, a lobbyist for Rural Arizona Action argued that was not the case for many Native Americans who live on reservations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of them dont have physical addresses, so they receive their mail at post office boxes, which are often far away from their homes and might only be open a few hours a day, potentially giving them little time to return their ballots even with 27 days of early voting. He said the proposed changes could lead to long lines on Election Day if those voters dont mail their early ballots in time. For many Native Americans, voting is hard, Ramirez said. Please dont make it harder. Jen Marson, executive director of the Arizona Association of Counties, told the committee that the majority of the counties but not all of them were on board with the changes proposed in SB1011, but that the counties needed extra funds to help educate voters about these massive changes ahead of the next election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday evening, Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Thomas Galvin issued a statement of support of the bill. Im thankful the Legislature has heard my call and put forth Senate Bill 1011, which will remove administrative burdens on county election workers and make early voting truly early again, all while continuing to give Arizona voters ample time and opportunity to cast their ballots how they choose, he wrote. Over in the House, Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, proposed a Florida-style resolution to send to voters in 2026, to bypass a veto from Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. His proposal, House Concurrent Resolution 2013, would replace the practice of verifying early voters identities through signature verification with a unique identification number for each voter that they would write on their ballot before returning it. It would also require county recorders to verify voter addresses each election cycle before sending them an early ballot, a huge change from the current practice of sending ballots to everyone on the active early voter list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marson told the ad hoc committee that this might pose a huge challenge to recorders, and said contacting voters by phone would be extremely difficult because people change their numbers so frequently. Marson and Pima County Recorder Gabriella Cazares-Kelly also pointed out several key differences between Florida and Arizona that could impact the feasibility of modeling changes after that state. Key among them were the population and landmass of the counties. Florida has 67 relatively small counties compared to Arizonas 15 massive ones. The Florida county with the largest population, Miami-Dade, is about half the size of Maricopa. Kolodins proposal would also end early ballot drop-offs at polling locations other than the county recorders offices at 7 p.m. the Friday before the election. There is plenty of time, in my opinion, when early voting starts for people to get down there before the Friday before the election, said Rep. Rachel Keshel, R-Tucson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keshel claimed that, when she started voting, we didnt have a month of voting. It was Election Day, not election month, she said. But according to Keshels candidate nomination paperwork for the November election, shes only been a citizen of Arizona since 2004, more than a decade after the state implemented no-excuse early voting. And even if Keshel, who was 45 years old when she submitted her nomination paperwork in March 2024, had lived in Arizona when she turned 18, she would have been able to vote early with no excuse. The state implemented no-excuse early voting in 1991. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE NEW WATERFORD, Ohio (WKBN) A local church is looking for more participants for its upcoming Night to Shine event. The event is in partnership between the Tim Tebow Foundation and Lake Mount Church of Christ in New Waterford on Feb. 7 Together, theyre creating a Red Carpet Event for people with special needs ages 14 through adult. Itll be a night filled with dinner, dancing, music, hair and makeup, trolley rides and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To get involved in the event, visit the churchs 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 WKBN.com. LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Many people say their SNAP benefit cards have been compromised in an EBT card skimming scam. Last week, 28/22 News told you about an EBT card skimming scam impacting people in NEPA. Many people were left without their SNAP benefits they need to buy food for the month for their families. Wednesday, more people say their cards were compromised. The state says they are aware of the issue, but a change in the law makes it impossible for people to get stolen benefits refunded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tika Pearson says her daughter woke up to upsetting news: her SNAP benefits were drained from her EBT account. Shes just like what are we gonna do for the month she goes you know all of our money goes to paying our bills and what we use to eat for the whole month, said Pearson. Pa. grandfather in legal battle over backyard coaster This leaves her daughters family in a desperate situation. Another woman from Luzerne Borough says shes in a similar spot. Her card was also compromised. I had to make a choice either to pay my rent or buy food at this point I have to pay my rent and well have to utilize what we could utilize, said Bethany Simpson, Luzerne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 28/22 News reached out to the Department of Human Services which oversees SNAP EBT programs. They say they have already implemented enhanced EBT card pin security to help. However, due to the end of congressional authorization, people who have had their benefits stolen can no longer get them back. This means people impacted wont see their funds restored until next month. 28/22 News stopped by the CEO Weinberg Foodbank; an organization that helps fight food insecurity across NEPA. They tell us they have been receiving calls about the problem, and they are ready to help. They say anyone impacted should start by calling their office at 570-826-0510. From there we will do an intake referral on the family and we will then connect them with a food pantry that were utilizing as an emergency food pantry in the area, said Mary Ellen Spellman, Northeast Regional Food Bank Director, CEO Weinberg Foodbank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know has been impacted, you can call the EBT replacement card number at 888-328-7366. For immediate food needs, Pennsylvanians can call 211. 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 PAhomepage.com. A day after being sworn in as West Virginia's 37th governor, Gov. Patrick Morrisey said he would sign 10 executive orders, including one to allow religious exemptions for vaccinations. (West Virginia Office of the Gov. Patrick Morrisey | Courtesy photo) West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey has yet to announce a state health officer, but whoever ends up in that role seemingly got their first marching orders this week come up with a policy to allow religious exemptions to the states school vaccine laws. In one of the 10 executive orders he issued Tuesday, Morrisey directed the state health officer and the commissioner for the Bureau for Public Health to establish a plan to allow parents of children who attend a public school or day care to object on religious grounds to one or more of the vaccines required by the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order says the health officer and commission shall submit a plan, including any necessary legislation and rules for exemptions to the states school vaccine rules, by Feb. 1, 2025. The states former health officer Dr. Matt Christiansen resigned in December after nearly two years on the job. Former Gov. Jim Justice said at the time he would allow Morrisey to appoint the official to take Christiansens place. Morriseys office and the Bureau for Public Health did not respond to separate emails requesting comment on the position vacancy and deadline. The states Republican-led Legislature tried for years to water down the states vaccination requirements. Last year after both bodies passed a bill allowing private and parochial schools to develop their own vaccine requirements, former Gov. Jim Justice vetoed the legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morrisey wasted no time, announcing on the second day of his administration Tuesday, that he would implement religious exemptions through the Equal Protection for Religion Act. The 2023 bill signed by Justice says the government may not substantially burden a persons constitutional right to freedom of religion unless doing so is essential to further a compelling governmental interest, according to the Associated Press. I think most West Virginians care very deeply that our citizens have religious beliefs, and we also know that the First Amendment to our Constitution has specific clauses calling for free association, Morrisey told reporters Tuesday, adding that a requested religious exemption would have to meet definition of the Equal Protection measure. Every state requires school children to be vaccinated against a series of infectious diseases including polio, measles and whooping cough. West Virginia has long had one of the strongest school immunization laws in the country. The state is one of only five states that allows only medical exemptions not religious or philosophical exemptions to those requirements. The policy changes come as parents are registering their kindergarten and pre-school age children for the upcoming school year. West Virginias universal pre-K program, which is free, requires children to have an age-appropriate immunization record based on a schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email, Christy Day, a spokeswoman for the state Board of Education, said that any guidance for parents would have to come from the Bureau for Public Health. Health officials have credited the states vaccine laws for keeping the states immunization rates high and preventing disease outbreaks. In April 2024, the state reported its first measles case in 15 years. The illness was confirmed in a Monongalia County resident who was partially vaccinated and had recently traveled abroad. The county health officer at the time said high vaccination rates kept the highly infectious, potentially deadly disease from becoming an outbreak. Last year there were 284 measles cases and 16 outbreaks reported by 31 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Morriseys executive order drew a slate of objections from medical professionals and the state Democratic Party on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Lisa Costello, a pediatrician and the immediate past president of the state medical association, said Wednesday that shes worried about any changes to the states nation leading immunization policy. By having nonmedical exemptions, that places children, schools, communities in jeopardy of seeing more diseases like measles and even other diseases, potentially polio, that we have the means of preventing through immunizations, particularly when our immunization rates are high, Costello said. The policy that weve had for decades in West Virginia has kept West Virginia as a leader in our school age immunization rates . Any change to the immunization policy places children, schools and communities in jeopardy of seeing more of these deadly and debilitating diseases, she said. Elaine Darling, Co-CEO and director of programs for the Center for Rural Health Development, which oversees the West Virginia Immunization Network, said allowing non-medical exemptions to childcare and school immunization requirements will results in reductions in immunization rates, which is especially concerning for babies in childcare facilities who are not old enough to be fully vaccinated and kids who cannot receive immunizations for medical reasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They rely on high immunization rates around them for disease protection, she said. Weakening the childcare and school immunization requirements by allowing nonmedical exemptions will put West Virginias children and communities at risk of preventable illness, disability, and death. The Kanawha-Charleston Health Department also spoke out against the state allowing religious exemptions, writing in a statement that mandatory childhood immunizations are critical for protecting children against diseases that can be deadly or debilitating. West Virginia has not had outbreaks of vaccine-preventable illnesses since its strong immunization laws went into effect, the department wrote. Consistent with the American Academy of Pediatrics and many other health care organizations working to protect our children, members of the Kanawha-Charleston Board of Health strongly recommend that parents and guardians immunize their children to protect them from these preventable diseases, board members wrote in a joint statement. Likewise, the West Virginia Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement saying they are concerned about the policy changes and that they would continue to strongly recommend routine childhood immunizations as the best way to protect patients and communities from needless harm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are eager to work with state officials to expand access to childhood immunizations and overcome barriers to care for all West Virginia children, they wrote. We remain optimistic that policymakers in West Virginia will work with us to maintain our school aged policies in a way that continues to protect children, following the best medical data available. We best value each child in West Virginia by preserving our longstanding immunity standards. In a statement Wednesday, the state Democratic Party called Morriseys executive orders shortsighted and mean-spirited. Introducing nonmedical exemptions to vaccination requirements endangers public health, State Party Chair Del. Mike Pushkin said in the release. West Virginia has long been recognized for its effective vaccination policies, which have protected our children from preventable diseases. Eroding these safeguards will inevitably lead to increased illness and suffering among our most vulnerable populations. Senate Health Committee Chair Sen. Laura Chapman, R-Ohio, told West Virginia Watch that there will be bills in the upcoming legislative session that would offer additional exemptions to the states childhood vaccination requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story was updated Thursday morning to include comments from Elaine Darling, of the Center for Rural Health Development. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (NewsNation) On Jan. 20, Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States and the second president to serve two nonconsecutive terms. The most recent inauguration, of President Joe Biden in 2021, which was impacted by the global COVID-19 pandemic, was far from the first atypical ceremony. Here, NewsNation breaks down some of the strangest aspects of past presidential inaugurations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happens on Inauguration Day? A schedule of key events President Jacksons inauguration party Andrew Jacksons swearing-in. (Library of Congress) On March 4, 1829, Andrew Jackson officially became the seventh president of the United States and celebrated in style. As was customary at the time, the White House was open to the public on Inauguration Day. However, many more people than usual attended, believing Jackson represented the common man. According to the White House Historical Association, panic reigned with too many people in a small area, and socialities were left to mingle with commoners, leading to a Georgia congressmans wife escaping via a window. President Jackson had to be whisked out of the house and away to the National Hotel for dinner. Tubs of whiskey punch were placed to sway the crowd back outside. Eisenhower caught by a cowboy A cowboy lassos President Dwight D. Eisenhower at the Inaugural Parade. Also present are former President Herbert Hoover (seated behind Eisenhower), First Lady Mamie Eisenhower (standing next to chair on right), and Vice President Richard Nixon (standing, right). All others are unidentified. (Abbie Rowe, National Park Service, Harry S. Truman Presidential Library) The interest in the Wild West during the 1950s was so high that former President Dwight Eisenhower was lassoed during his 1953 inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President Richard Nixon was pictured laughing as Montie Montana, a rodeo trick roper, added some Western fun to proceedings. Trumps Inauguration Day security: What we know According to multiple reports, Montana suggested Eisenhower and Nixon wear 10-gallon cowboy hats, but President Eisenhower opted for the lasso. No crowd for Coolidge Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president of the United States, had an audience of one when he began his presidency in 1923. Coolidge, then vice president, received word that President Warren G. Harding had died, and thus Coolidge was now the leader of the free world. Conveniently, Coolidges father was a justice of the peace and administered the oath of office with their family Bible. Harrisons deadly speech The inauguration of William Henry Harrison. (Library of Congress) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William Henry Harrison was inaugurated as the ninth president in 1841, delivering the longest inauguration speech in U.S. history. Harrisons speech was 8,445 words long on a cold, wet day in Washington, D.C., according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Just 31 days later, Harrison died of pneumonia, which many believe to be a result of the lengthy inauguration ceremony in the harsh elements. Frozen out The inauguration of President Ulysses S. Grant. (Library of Congress) Ulysses S. Grants inauguration in 1873 was so cold that much more than the audience froze their tails off. Food and champagne froze over as well as hundreds of canaries that were brought in for the ceremony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The canaries were meant to sing to the crowd but did not get much of a chance. Despite the common thought being that the canaries froze, a Washington Post article from 1977 suggested others believed they were asphyxiated via gas escaping nearby lamps. How to watch Trumps inauguration on NewsNation Inauguration delay The inauguration of Gen. Zachary Taylor. (Library of Congress) Zachary Taylor, the 12th U.S. president, refused to be sworn in on March. 4, 1849, after it landed on a Sunday. Taylor, widely believed to have been an Episcopalian, wanted to keep the Sabbath as a holy day, and as such, his inauguration was on March 5. Taylors delayed inauguration was the second of its kind due to falling on a Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The mother of a 3-year-old boy who drowned at a Northeast El Paso water park back in May 2023 has been indicted, according to court records. Mother of boy who drowned at water park extradited Jessica Weaver was indicted on Dec. 12, 2024, and charged with injury to a child/elderly/disabled individual causing serious bodily injury or mental deficiency, according to court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the indictment, Weaver failed to: Provide care or protection to her son. Have her son wear a life vest. Be in the water with her son and directly attending him when he was in the water. Comply with admission regulations which state that children under 6 years of age must be directly attended by a swimming adult (18 years of age or older), in a swimsuit at all times in the facility. Comply with the general swimming rules which state that children under the age of 6 must be supervised by an adult within arms reach (18 years of age or older). Comply with 32 Aquatube Kids into shutdown lane safety rules which state that children under 6 years of age must be closely supervised by a responsible person at least 16 years of age. Have her son within her vision at all times while he was in the water. Provide or request mouth-to-mouth CPR to her son. Allow the food to digest before letting her son into the water. As we previously reported, Weavers 3-year-old son, Anthony Leo Malave, was found unresponsive by officers on Saturday afternoon, May 13, 2023, in a pool at Camp Cohen Water Park. The child was taken to a local hospital where investigators later learned the boy had died the following morning on Sunday, May 14. In July of that year, Weaver filed a lawsuit against Destination El Paso and the City of El Paso alleging gross negligence and wrongful death. Mother of child who died at El Paso water park files wrongful death lawsuit A month after the lawsuit was filed, Weaver was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in Indiana. Weaver was then extradited back to El Paso County to face trial on charges of injury to a child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawyer of mother of 3-year-old son who drowned says charge is vindictive retaliation 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. Kyle Mullen, a Navy SEAL candidate, died in February 2022 after completing the rigorous one-week training, which pushes aspiring Navy SEALs to their physical and mental limits Kyle's mother Regina has told Good Morning America she was informed just before Christmas that the public hearings into her son's death would no longer be happening Regina also claimed the cases against the two men she blames for Kyle's death were dismissed by the Navy Regina Mullen the mother of Kyle Mullen, the Navy SEAL candidate who died in February 2022 after completing training known as Hell Week is speaking out following her sons tragic death and asking for accountability. Nearly three years after her son's death, Regina joined Good Morning America on Wednesday, Jan. 15, and said Kyle was just trying to be a hero and protect people, and [his death] happened by his own country, by his own military. Kyle who died of bacterial pneumonia, according to GMA and CNN was 24 when he completed the 120-hour training known for pushing aspiring sailors to their physical and mental limits. Days after his death, the Navy issued a statement saying, "Mullen was not actively training at the time of his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over a year later, in May 2023, the Navy released the investigation into Kyle's death, citing that the training program Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/S) was operating with a previously unrecognized accumulation of risk across multiple systems. The investigation release stated the Navy identifies risks that aggregated as the result of inadequate oversight, insufficient risk assessment, poor medical command and control, and undetected performance enhancing drug use." According to GMA, the Navy ended its investigation without holding public hearings, and Regina told the outlet the decision came with little explanation. She said right before Christmas 2024 she received a phone call telling her that the hearing would no longer be happening and claimed the cases against the two men she blames for her son's death were dismissed by the Navy and she wasn't told why or who canceled the hearings. She claims Captain Brad Geary, who was in charge of her son's trainee class, and Commander Dr. Erik Ramey are responsible. We have a failed leadership under command that killed a man unnecessarily and injured many, Regina told GMA. I think it's pretty reasonable to ask for accountability ... I want the board of inquiry to be reinstated, is what I really want so we can go public." Monmouth Hawks Kyle Mullen Regina also recalled her sons excited message about completing Hell Week during her appearance on GMA, but explained how after speaking with him on the phone she realized he was out of breath and "didn't sound good." Hours later, Kyle was dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to GMA, Kyles final medical check found abnormalities in his lungs, severe trouble breathing and swollen legs that required him to be sent back to his barracks in a wheelchair. Per the outlet, the Navy investigation cited "failures across multiple systems that led to a number of candidates being at a higher risk of serious injury, with inconsistent medical monitoring and lack of training among commanding officers and an at all costs mindset among the candidates." Related: Mother of Navy SEAL Candidate Who Died After Hell Week Training Speaks Out: 'He Will Be Missed Every Day' Authorities also found a bottle labelled as 'human growth hormone' in Kyle's car. However, according to CNN, a press release from the Naval Special Warfare Command Public Affairs said Kyle died in the line of duty, not due to his own misconduct." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regina told GMA the Navy Medical Examiner did not test for steroid use and claimed they said it was because it was irrelevant to the cause of death. Regina remains suspicious about her sons medical care. The Navy's not giving me what I'm asking for, the medical treatment of Kyle's care. They're not providing it, she told GMA before adding, Why won't they provide it? Her attorney, Kevin Uniglicht, added that they haven't received the basis for the dismissal of the cases. Williams Paul/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Kyle Mullen on October 28, 2017 at Yale Bowl in New Haven, CT. Capt. Geary released a statement through his attorney Timothy C. Parlatore to ABC News. This case was badly mishandled from the beginning when we were noticed for the board of inquiry, it became very clear that a comprehensive investigation had never been done and the deciding officer hadn't had access to all the evidence," the statement read. "Through the discovery process, the Navy was forced to gather all the relevant evidence, which made continuing the case unsustainable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Jeremiah J. Sullivan III also issued a statement to ABC News on behalf of his client Dr. Ramey. We invested a substantial amount of time investigating the case with the assistance of top medical experts," the statement read. "The overwhelming evidence confirmed that Dr. Ramey met the medical standard of care. 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. Parlatore, Sullivan and the Navy did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment on Wednesday. Read the original article on People The mother of a Navy SEAL recruit who died after completing "hell week" training has told ABC News that the cases against the men she blames for her son's death were dismissed by the Navy and she says she hasn't been told why. In February 2022, 24-year-old Kyle Mullen died after successfully endured the 120-hour week of brutal training thats designed to push Navy SEAL candidates to their physical and mental limits. His mother, Regina Mullen, is now demanding accountability for his death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mullen recounted parts of her son's story on Good Morning America in an interview with ABC News Will Reeve airing on Tuesday morning. I got a text. It said, Hell Week Secured! Mullen told GMA. So I immediately called him and he answered and he was out of breath and he said, Hey mom, I did it. Hell Week secured. And I said, First I'm like, my God, you're all happy. And then I'm like, wait a minute, you all right? Are you in a hospital? You don't sound good. All he said to me is, Mom, I love you. Don't worry about me. And he hung up, Mullen continued. Kyle died hours later from bacterial pneumonia, with the final medical check showing swollen legs that required him to be sent back to his barracks in a wheelchair with abnormalities in his lungs and severe trouble breathing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Navy investigation cited failures across multiple systems that led to a number of candidates being at a higher risk of serious injury with inconsistent medical monitoring. Additionally, a lack of training among commanding officers and an at all costs mindset among the candidates was also cited in the investigation. We have a failed leadership and under a command that killed a man unnecessarily and injured many, said Regina Mullen. I think it's pretty reasonable to ask for accountability. PHOTO: Regina Mullen appears on 'Good Morning America' to talk about her son, Kyle, a Navy SEAL that died in February 2022. (ABC News) Mullen insists that Capt. Brad Geary, who was in charge of her sons trainee class, and Cmdr. Doctor Erik Ramey are responsible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But now, with the case being dismissed, Regina Mullen said questions still remain about the quality of her sons medical care and that she has not yet been provided with any answers. The Navy's not giving me what I'm asking for, Mullen said. The medical treatment of Kyle's care -- why won't they provide it? I want the Board of Inquiry to be reinstated. This is what I really want so we can go public. A lawyer for Geary released a statement to ABC News saying this case was badly mishandled from the beginning. When we were noticed for the board of inquiry it became very clear that a comprehensive investigation had never been done and the deciding officer hadnt had access to all the evidence. Through the discovery process, the Navy was forced to gather all the relevant evidence which made continuing the case unsustainable. Rameys attorney told ABC News that we invested a substantial amount of time investigating the case with the assistance of top medical experts. The overwhelming evidence confirmed that Dr. Ramey met the medical standard of care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation also looked into allegations of the use of performance enhancing drugs among SEAL candidates. Authorities say they found a bottled labeled as human growth hormone in Mullens car. Investigators, however, determined that [Mullen] died in the line of duty, and not due to own misconduct. Mullen says the medical examiner told her they did not test her son for steroid use. She said that they didnt test for it because it was irrelevant to the cause of death. Right. For the medical exam, for the Navy medical examiner. The Navy has refused to comment, citing privacy considerations for the officers. Cases sometimes take a long time and that can be frustrating, Regina Mullens attorney, Kevin Uniglicht, told ABC News. The problem in this case is that when we have a dismissal, we don't have a basis for it. Secondly, when we're doing our investigation and we can't find documents, we have to question, where are the documents? Was there ever treatment? If there is treatment, why didn't it follow the military's protocol on medical standards? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're trying to figure out what they're hiding. It's simple as that, Uniglicht continued. PHOTO: Regina Mullen appears on 'Good Morning America' with her attorney, Kevin Uniglicht to talk about her son, Kyle, a Navy SEAL that died in February 2022. (ABC News) Since her son's death, Regina Mullen says she has seen some improvement, with candidate's vitals being checked more consistently and preventative antibiotics administered prior to "hell week" so sailors don't catch pneumonia. But, she says, more work still needs to be done. Mullen said she still lives with the pain of her sons death every day. I'm deflated, I'm upset, Mullen said. The pain is unreal for me. I don't get the call anymore. I don't get the jokes anymore. I don't get the little cards. I don't get that anymore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before he left the Navy, I said, how am I going to live my life if something happens to you? Mullen continued. He said, Mom, you're the strongest person I know. You got this. He was just trying to be a hero and protect people, Mullen said. And it happened by his own own country, by his own military. Mother of Navy SEAL recruit who died after completing 'hell week' demands answers about son's death originally appeared on abcnews.go.com PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Anger mixed with tears at the burial Thursday of one of the two journalists killed in an attack last month by armed gan gs while covering the government's abortive attempt to reopen Haiti's largest public hospital. Jimmy Jean wore an all-white suit as he lay in an open coffin that friends and family leaned over to pay their respects, some crying over his body. The 44-year-old father of six children had covered daily news for the online news outlet Moun Afe Bon. You left us real young, Jeans stepmother kept repeating as she left the church, sobbing quietly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Christmas Eve, Jean was gunned down when gangs opened fire on police, government officials and journalists gathered for the anticipated reopening of the General Hospital in downtown Port-au-Prince. Also killed were fellow journalist Marckendy Natoux, who worked for Voice of America in Haiti, and a Haitian police officer. At least seven other reporters were wounded in Haiti's worst attack on journalists in recent years. The attack prompted officials to remove the health minister and indefinitely suspend the reopening of the hospital. Police have continued to try to repel attacks from armed gangs in the downtown area around the facility. Journalists are demanding compensation from the government beyond the money families have received to bury the two reporters killed. Robest Dimanche, spokesman for the Online Media Collective, a group that defends the rights of online journalists in Haiti, said the government had invited journalists to the hospitals scheduled reopening but failed to create a safe space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We want the state to take responsibility, Dimanche said. We continue to work for the victims so they can obtain justice." Shortly after the attack, Johnson Izo Andre, considered Haitis most powerful gang leader and part of the Viv Ansanm group of gangs, which has taken control of 85% of the Port-au-Prince capital, posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. He said he had not authorized the reopening of the hospital, which gangs had previously pillaged. More than two dozen reporters covered Jeans funeral on Thursday in one of the worlds most dangerous places to be a journalist. Also attending Jeans funeral were his girlfriend, Marie Mika Honore, and his youngest son, 2-year-old Youwenski Jean, also dressed in all white. He was very nice, intelligent, Honore recalled of Jimmy Jean. He mostly concentrated on his work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said hours after he left on a motorcycle to cover the hospital reopening, the driver came back to tell her that he had been killed. I miss Jimmy a lot, she said. We never had any arguments. He took good care of his kids and me. The journalists were among the more than 5,600 people reported killed across Haiti last year, according to the U.N. ___ Associated Press reporter Danica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico contributed. When top MSNBC talent and executives gathered for a morning editorial call on Jan. 14 in the 15th floor executive conference room at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, they were greeted by a powerful guest at the head of the table: Mark Lazarus, the incoming CEO of SpinCo. SpinCo, of course, is the placeholder name for a new company, one that will be comprised of most of NBCUniversals cable channels MSNBC included. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lazarus was joined at the head of the table by MSNBC president Rashida Jones and senior vp Rebecca Kutler. Jones stunned attendees by announcing her decision to step down as president, with Lazarus naming Kutler as her interim replacement, effective immediately, less than a week before President Trumps inauguration. While rumblings of a possible exit for Jones had swirled for weeks, attendees of the meeting were nonetheless shocked, with tears shed by a number of those in the room. Rachel Maddow, MSNBCs star anchor, used the opportunity to tell Jones one of the things that I value so much from your leadership, something that she hoped Kutler and Lazarus would continue. It was about the culture in our building and the way we treat each other, Maddow said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I means knowing that the person at the top is listening to us and is a colleague but is also apart from us in part so that she can take the flack, so that she can take the pressure and not pass it down to us, which allows us to have a culture among ourselves as colleagues where theres not backbiting, where there isnt a nest of gossip, where we are treated respectfully, and we know somebody at the top is going to be our heat shield in terms of all the pressures that come down on us, she added. Maddow has long been MSNBCs unofficial power-center. Her stamp of approval on a documentary can secure wider reach, and when she speaks out, others often follow. And with the anchor set to once again reassert herself as the primetime face of the channel in the coming months, coinciding with the return of Donald Trump to the White House, she appears cognizant of the public pressure that the channel is likely to face. MSNBC had already been in the news for weeks before Jones exit. The channel saw its ratings decline after Trump won the 2024 election (though executives there are quick to note that the ratings appear to have begun to rebound over the last couple weeks or so). And an announcement that Morning Joe hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago bothered some viewers. Earlier in the year, the brief hiring and then firing of former RNC chair Ronna McDaniel sparked an on-air revolt from MSNBC talent, including Maddow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And staff at the channel had been dealing with the agita that comes along with a change in ownership, wondering what the spin off to SpinCo will mean. Would MSNBC lose its brand or identity? What would happen to the news hours? Where would it be based? Lazarus sought to assuage some of those concerns in the Tuesday morning meeting. For starters, he reaffirmed that, yes, MSNBC will still be called MSNBC for the foreseeable future. I know there was some discussion with the MSNBC name, so you can take that off of your worry list on things, he said. And perhaps most significantly, he indicated that MSNBCs strategy under Jones and Kutler was moving in the right direction. MSNBC has in recent years made an aggressive push into podcasts (many of them led or produced by Maddow), and more recently launched a live event business spearheaded by Luke Russert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And it still holds sway among Democrats. Consider a booking coup: On Thursday evening, Lawrence ODonnell will have an exit interview with President Biden, underscoring the channels relevance with the party power base. The only thing Ill say is the worst thing any leader can do is change something thats working just because they can, Lazarus said. So, if this is working, then theres no reason to change it. And while some change is inevitable (he also told those in attendance that Jones put us in a really strong position to move to the next evolution of what MSNBC is going to be), there were clear indications that the ship was moving in the right direction. Still, Jones departure and Kutlers promotion come at a critical moment for MSNBC. Not only is the channel set to split from NBC News and forge a path as part of Lazarus SpinCo, but it is preparing to shake up its lineup for the early months of the Trump administration, what Jones is calling a consequential next chapter in American politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maddow will return to hosting the 9 p.m. hour Monday-Friday, with Alex Wagner, who had been hosting the hour most nights, set to travel the country to report on the impacts of Trumps early policies and promises on the electorate. And in a sign that MSNBC under SpinCo will be investing, Kutler is working to hire a talent executive and newsgathering lead to help the channel continue to deliver news programming after the spin, with the future of that part of the business still unsettled for now. She has my backing to make whatever decisions she thinks helps us, Lazarus told attendees of the meeting. One source who has worked with Kutler described the executive as a sharp news producer with an eye for building digital news brands (she previously worked as an ep and executive at CNN), and inside MSNBC there was a sense of optimism about her elevation, even if she has an interim title for the time being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 has the makings of a big year for MSNBC, one in which the channel will forge its identity under new leadership, at a time when the larger TV news landscape is straining under the weight of cord-cutting and putdowns from tech moguls and political power players. So when Maddow speaks of a culture of respect, where executives take the flak on behalf of talent, it carries weight, and it comes at an important time. I want us all to try to hold that up, both to honor you, but because I think it makes us strong and resilient and here for the long run, Maddow told Jones Tuesday morning. That resilience will likely be needed over the next few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story first appeared in the Jan. 17 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. NEW YORK (PIX11) Snow could be heading to New York and New Jersey on Thursday. Flurries will possibly start around noon mainly north and west of New York City. Snowflakes may continue falling through 7 p.m. NYC forecast and PIX11s Weather Center Little to no accumulation is expected with this storm system. Some areas may get less than an inch of snow, while eastern Long Island could get an inch, according to the National Weather Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snow comes as the tri-state area stays stuck in a cold snap. Temperatures will be below average, with a high of 32 in the city and low to mid-30s in the suburbs. The next chance for snow will be the weekend. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez is reversing course on the position of his predecessor, former DA Mike Schmidt, by opposing an early release petition of convicted murderer Frank Swopes. Vasquezs office announced the formal withdrawal of the previous administrations petition to reconsider Swopes sentencing under Senate Bill 819. The relatively new Oregon law allows district attorneys, jointly with defendants, to file a petition for resentencing to judges. Biden to give farewell address from Oval Office Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this case, Schmidt and Swopes lawyer filed the petition for resentencing, citing the conviction no longer advancing the interests of justice, according to the joint petition document. It was one of four felony cases DA Schmidts office filed to petition for resentencing on Dec. 30, on the eve of Vasquez taking over as DA. The other three petitions will be reviewed by Vasquezs office before a decision is made on them. In 1993, Swopes was convicted of murder and a string of other crimes including five counts of first-degree burglary, second-degree kidnapping, eluding a police officer and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison, 25 of which was for the murder alone. As of December, Swopes served 32 years. The petition was to convert the last five years of his sentence to release with probation and certain stipulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swopes was charged with the murder of a woman whose home he and an accomplice ransacked on May 3, 1992. The womans autopsy confirmed she died of asphyxiation. On that same day, Swopes and an accomplice robbed another home occupied by a married couple and stole cash and personal items, including a camera bag and lenses. The man who lived in the home was kicked in the face and injured. A week later, on May 10, 1992, Swopes robbed another home occupied by a 76-year-old woman whom he tied up while collecting her valuables. Court documents state Swopes terrorized her to retrieve her ATM code and then left her tied up to furniture before leaving. The woman said he also sexually assaulted her. Severe ice storms to occur more often in Portland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swopes was later arrested after initially fleeing from police when they caught him using the ATM card. Alonzo Roper, who participated in the two robberies on May 3, 1992, testified Swopes was responsible for killing the woman and that Roper pushed her down. Roper was sentenced to 17 years in exchange for testifying against Swopes. The original petition for resentencing cited the surviving victims of Swopes crimes including the immediate family members of the woman who was murdered having since passed away. Vasquezs office said in a press release that during the most recent hearing about the petition on Dec. 30, Judge Melvin Oden-Orr ordered the case to be reset to a later date and directed the District Attorneys Office to comply with the requirements of the law by providing all affected victims with a copy of any petition for resentencing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Vasquez, the Multnomah County DAs Office has since complied with the courts order, the press release said. In a statement, Vasquez talked about the decision to not endorse Swopes resentencing: After reviewing the facts of Mr. Swopes crime spree which resulted in the death of one woman, the horrific sexual assault of another, and the permanent scars he left in his wake, his early release back to our streets is not in the best interests of the surviving victims or the community. Portland police prep for Trumps second Inauguration Day The DAs office said they requested more time from the court to review the specifics of the three remaining resentencing petitions previously endorsed by Schmidt in order to reach a fully-informed decision regarding the best path forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The formal hearing on Swopes petition was reset to February 13, 2025, court records show. 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 KOIN.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Following the City of Portlands lead, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez is requiring leaders to return to in-person work full-time. On Wednesday, the District Attorneys Office informed employees that managers and supervisors of staff and attorneys will be expected on-site five days per week starting on Feb. 3. The Belmont Goats seek final home for aging herd before lease expires Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said this new mandate applies to managers and supervisors at the Multnomah County Courthouse and Justice Centers, the Donald E. Long Juvenile Detention Center and Greshams East County Courthouse. In an email sent to employees, the newly-elected district attorney told staff he believes the office would better fulfill its obligations by working together in person. I think an organization like ours works best with human interaction and collaboration, Vasquez wrote, in part. And while that is sometimes possible using a hybrid or ad hoc work-from-home model, it is not ideal. There is so much more energy when we are all together, working together, laughing in the hallways, asking quick questions when we bump into each other than we could ever get over a Zoom call or some other piece of technology. Vasquez cited a 2023 equity survey in which employees expressed they want leaders to be present and available in the office. He also said staff would further stimulate Downtown Portlands economy by returning to in-person work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Keith Wilson initially suggested that all city employees should return to work, but later rescinded the initiative. Then, on Tuesday, he stated 700 managers and supervisors for the City of Portland are expected back in the office full-time by April. Oregon temperatures to rise by 7.6 degree by the year 2100, climate data shows Im committed to a culture of excellence, and working face-to-face cultivates the collaboration, camaraderie and innovation our city deserves, Wilson said. We are facing a crisis, and we need to act like it. Former Mayor Ted Wheeler also urged some city employees to return to the office for at least 20 hours weekly starting in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KOIN.com. HONOLULU (KHON2) The Friends of the Library of Hawaii is holding its 14th annual Music and Book Sale at Washington Middle School. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The sale features thousands of music records, CDs, DVDs, books, audio books, artwork, and comics to name a few. It takes place January 18-20, 2025. This year our sale is a little shorter than the past couple. Its just going to be three days and were back to Washington Middle School. Weve extended the hours from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 9 a.m. 3 p.m. on Monday, said Friends of the Library of Hawaii Executive Director Nainoa Mau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eyeglass and hearing aid donations this weekend This year, were bringing larger collection of cassette tapes. We got a lot of inquiries on cassettes. We even got a lot of VHS. A lot of analog. Its a very popular sale. So if youre looking for something in particular, we suggest coming early, said Mau. The sales support all the public libraries in the state. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news We support their programs, we sport librarians and their work. Later this month Hawaii Theatre for Youth Musubi Man will be at a number of different Oahu libraries and that is something that we help to sponsor, said Mau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Elon Musk was instrumental in securing the release of a young Italian journalist who was jailed in Iran on trumped-up charges, it was reported on Thursday. The involvement of Mr Musk raises questions about his diplomatic reach and exactly what role he will play in the new US administration of Donald Trump, who will be sworn in next week. The billionaire tech entrepreneur interceded on behalf of Cecilia Sala, 29, who was arrested in December and incarcerated in the notorious Evin prison while on a reporting trip in the Islamic republic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her imprisonment, on vague charges of breaching Islamic law, appeared to be a tactic by the Iranian regime to use her as a bargaining chip to win the release from an Italian jail of Mohammad Abedini Najafabadi, an Iranian engineer accused of being a key part of Irans drone programme and of having a hand in a militia attack that killed three US servicemen at a base in Jordan last year. There were fears that she might remain in prison, sleeping on the floor with just two blankets and no mattress, for months, until she was suddenly released earlier this month. Ms Sala, who was arrested and jailed in Iran in December, arriving at Ciampino airport in Rome, following her release - AFP/Palazzo Chigi press office Mr Musk, who is poised to play a major role in the incoming Trump administration, was contacted by Daniele Ranieri, Ms Salas boyfriend, according to the New York Times. Mr Ranieri said he contacted Mr Musk through an intermediary an apparent reference to Andrea Stroppa, who is described as Mr Musks business representative in Italy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Salas boyfriend said he decided to contact Mr Musk because he had heard that there was a channel between Musk and the Iranian diplomats and that Musk also works in close contact with Trump. The Tesla and Space X chief executive then held a secret meeting with Amir Saeid Iravani, the Iranian ambassador to the UN, according to Iranian officials. Days after Ms Sala was released from prison, Italy freed Mr Abedini Najafabadi, the Iranian engineer who was being held in jail. Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, said last week that the release of Ms Sala had been the culmination of a complex work of diplomatic triangulation with Iran and obviously also with the United States of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ms Meloni was pictured embracing Ms Sala following her release. The Italian prime minister said she had no idea if Mr Musk had played any role in the journalist being brought home. But Ms Meloni has established a strong rapport with Mr Musk and there appears to be mutual respect and admiration between them. Ms Sala shakes hands with Giorgia Meloni, the Italian prime minister, after the journalist was freed from detention in Iran - Filippo Attili/Reuters She flew to the US earlier this month and held a meeting with Donald Trump, the president-elect, at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The trip was unexpected, and there was widespread speculation in Italy that she was on a mission to help secure Ms Salas liberty. Days later, Mr Musk reportedly contacted the Iranian ambassador to the UN to discuss the case of Ms Sala. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The journalist was released from prison on Jan 8. Just four days later, Italy approved the release of Mr Abedini Najafabadi despite the fact that he had been arrested at the request of US authorities. There were hints from Mr Stroppa, the intermediary, that Mr Musk might have been involved in the complex negotiations to free the Italian reporter. Many are surprised that Elon Musk is involved in government. You shouldn't be. Leonardo da Vinci was involved in politics and government administration. Elon is the Leonardo of our times. That's it Andrea Stroppa Claudius Nero's Legion (@andst7) January 15, 2025 On the day she was released, he posted an AI-generated image of Mr Musk eating spaghetti alongside an emoji of the Italian flag. In a message on X on Wednesday, he wrote: Many are surprised that Elon Musk is involved in government. You shouldnt be. Leonardo da Vinci was involved in politics and government administration. Elon is the Leonardo of our times. Thats it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irans state-owned Press TV reported the claims of Mr Musks involvement as a media fantasy, citing two Iranian officials. 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. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) A Myrtle Beach man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury in Horry County found him guilty of using a shotgun to kill his girlfriend inside her home on Leste Road in Socastee in May 2022. Charles William Murphy, 56, was found guilty of killing Teresa Lischer, 58, during a three-day trial that ended on Wednesday. He was immediately sentenced to life in prison by Horry County Circuit Court Judge Alex Hyman, the 15th Circuit Solicitors Office said. Murphy, who was not arrested until June 2022, was found guilty of murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He is not eligible for parole or any supervised release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting happened on May 9, 2022. Prosecutors said officers went to Lischers home after Murphy called 911, claiming that he had just found his girlfriend dead. He told police she kicked him out the previous Friday and that he had been gone all weekend, prosecutors said. However, a Ring video camera from across the street showed him going in and out of the house during that time. Once Murphy became a suspect, prosecutors said his clothes were tested and came back positive for gunshot residue. * * * Dennis Bright is the Digital Executive Producer at News13. He joined the team in May 2021. Dennis is a West Virginia native and a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. Follow Dennis on, Facebook, X, formerly Twitter, and read more of his work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Pam Bondi, President-elect Trumps pick to lead the Department of Justice (DOJ), has a history of undermining voting rights, according to a report opposing Bondi from the NAACPs Legal Defense Fund. The report highlights that Bondis work as Florida attorney general and as chair of the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) make her unfit for the office of U.S. attorney general. Ms. Bondi has a record of limiting voting rights, baselessly undermining faith in U.S. elections, and encouraging politically motivated prosecutions as an act of vengeance, the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, DOJ has historically played a vital role in protecting the right to vote, a function that has become even more important in a post-Shelby County v. Holder era in which there has been a widespread effort across the country, particularly in the South, to limit the voting rights of Black communities and other communities of color. DOJ has also been central to the federal governments efforts to ensure free and fair elections and to the upholding the principle of equal justice under law. The report details how, in her role as Florida attorney general, she served on the state clemency board, where she and other elected officials used unfettered discretion to deny formerly incarcerated individuals the right to vote. Then, the report added, Bondi drafted a new rule that required Floridians to wait a minimum of five years before they could request to have their rights restored. The report argues Black voting-age Floridians were disproportionately harmed by this, with 1 in 4 being disenfranchised. Bondi continued her attempts to undermine voting rights in her work with the AFPI, the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Trumps 2020 presidential loss, Bondi backed claims that Trump won the election. She represented Julie Adams, a member of the Fulton County Board of Elections, and argued that Adams had the right to decertify the election based on the mere suspicion of voter fraud. Then, as chair of the AFPIs Center for Litigation, the group filed a lawsuit challenging President Bidens authority to protect ballot access for Black voters, voters of color and other eligible voters who received any language assistance needed to cast a ballot. Ms. Bondis record of actively seeking to limit voting rights, coupled with her attempts to undermine the integrity of our elections by supporting President-Elect Trumps baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen, should raise grave concerns among Senators who will be tasked with considering her nomination, the report states. The report goes on to dissect Bondis stance on diversity, equity and inclusion, an increasingly politicized topic that has legislators and companies alike trying to disband all programs promoting such policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi, the report said, has endorsed a radical, so-called colorblind view of the law, pointing to AFPI applauding the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to outlaw race conscious admission in schools As Attorney General, Ms. Bondi would be positioned to impose her colorblind vision of the law by declining to defend federal programs that seek to remedy past and ongoing discrimination, the report says. The report concludes by saying Bondi is wholly unfit to lead the Justice Department and poses a threat to the independence and integrity of this critical agency. The Legal Defense Fund is calling on senators to reject her nomination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea that supporting basic election safeguards constitutes undermining voting rights is a cheap, debunked far-left conspiracy theory Pam Bondi believes in making it easy to vote and hard to cheat, said Trump-Vance Transition spokesman Gates McGavick in response. Updated at 6:17 p.m. EST 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. People on social media were floored after Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) unleashed a fiery rant at her colleague, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas), during a recent congressional committee hearing. The exchange concluded with Mace asking Crockett to take the argument outside and experts think the moment revealed quite a lot. During a House Oversight Committee hearing on Tuesday afternoon, Crockett requested to reinstate a subcommittee on civil rights and civil liberties, and she later criticized Mace who previously introduced a measure to ban transgender women from using the womens bathrooms at the Capitol for spewing anti-trans rhetoric during the hearing. Somebodys campaign coffers really are struggling right now, so shes gonna keep saying trans, trans, trans, so that people will feel threatened, Crockett said about her Republican colleague. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And chile, listen she continued, before Mace interrupted. I am no child, do not call me a child, I am no child, Mace shot back. Dont even start, I am a grown woman. Im 47 years old. The two spoke over each other before Mace said: If you want to take it outside, we can do that. Crockett has since called out Maces behavior, writing on X, formerly Twitter, that Republicans incite violence from the highest levels government & ALSO claim to be the party of law & order. And Mace has since claimed on X that she wasnt egging on a physical fight with Crockett, and that If I wanted a physical fight, youd know it, she wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of Maces intentions, her behavior during the hearing was quite unsettling for many on social media. For starters, people called out the fact that Mace was seemingly unfamiliar with the expression, chile, which is a commonly used term in Black and particularly Black Southern cultures. And while it could be used in some contexts to reference a child, as Essence pointed out, it is also used as simply a form of expression, its used among adults or in some cases it could be used as a term of endearment. Chile... Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) January 14, 2025 This whole Nancy Mace/Jasmine Crockett beef is all because chile doesnt mean child. Thats both sad and hilarious Bakari Sellers (@Bakari_Sellers) January 16, 2025 Nancy Mace had a meltdown because Jasmine Crockett used the expression chile. and her dumbass literally thought she was calling her a child chris evans (@notcapnamerica) January 14, 2025 Others on X thought the exchange exposed some racial biases, and that Crockett, who is Black, might have received a harsher response from other elected officials and the general public had she told Mace, who is white, to take their argument outside. [If] Congresswoman Crockett would have told Congresswoman Mace to take it outside we would have think pieces about her lack of decorum and how her conduct is beneath that of a member of Congress, wrote Symone Sanders Townsend, MSNBC co-host and former chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris. Etiquette experts think theres a lot to unpack from Maces response to Crockett. Read on to hear their main takeaways from the exchange: Maces behavior was beyond unprofessional, and her actions were pure theater. Mace was beyond unprofessional and the epitome of improper etiquette, said Jackie Vernon-Thompson, founder and CEO of the From the Inside-Out School of Etiquette. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She should have considered the platform on which she sits, she said. Most people I know, regardless of their ethnicity, know very well that when, in a heated argument, someone suggests that we should take it outside, only means lets fight it out physically. Maces tone of voice exhibited frustration and anger, she later continued, adding that the South Carolina representative displayed a cultural ignorance by assuming Crockett had called her a child. Jodi Smith, an etiquette consultant who specializes in social and professional conduct, said that she believes Maces behavior and with the racial dynamics at play was intended for pure theater. The dynamic of a white woman filled with faux outrage challenging a Black woman to a fight is pure theater, she said. It was designed to disrupt the proceedings and to attract media attention. Members of Congress should be aware of terms used by other cultures or at least ask questions. Mace represents South Carolinas 1st Congressional District, which includes the city of Charleston. The district is majority white, with Black people representing the second-highest racial demographic population at roughly 18%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vernon-Thompson said that it saddens her to think that Mace may have absolutely no idea what the term chile means. Chile is completely innocent and her reaction clearly amplified her ignorance of the slang and culture, she said. It further exposes the fact that she most likely has not established deep rapport with anyone of the African American culture who feels comfortable using innocent words such as chile with her. She added that it seems it would be in Maces best interest to work on fostering relationships with more diverse cultures considering shes a congresswoman for the American people. Vernon-Thompson emphasized that chile is an expression used in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and that it can be used in various contexts. It can be an expression of disbelief, a form of endearment or simply used when someone is comfortable with whom they are communicating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It in no way suggests violence or anger, she added. Smith thinks you would be hard-pressed to find an adult in the U.S. whos completely unfamiliar with the expression chile. In Crocketts case, the use of chile was an exclamation to punctuate a point in the same way someone might say Aw, man! when disappointed, she said. Nonetheless, Smith said that if one is ever unsure of how to interpret something someone else said, the easiest course of action is to ask. A simple, Excuse me, what did you say? or Excuse me, what did you mean by that? will quickly illuminate if the words were intended to disrespect or not, she said. Make sure to document everything if you find yourself in a confrontational exchange at work. Smith said that if youre at the workplace and experience a threat of any kind and particularly a threat of physical violence its important to involve management and/or human resources as quickly as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that it may even be necessary to involve law enforcement. Be sure to note the date, time, threat and any witnesses, she said. Manners matter, but safety first. As for Mace and Crocketts exchange, Vernon-Thompson called Maces conduct very poor. I applaud Congresswoman Crockett for not taking it to the next level, she said. Related... Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to skip out on Donald Trumps inauguration, Politico reported Thursday. A spokesperson for Pelosi told Politico that she would be joining other Democrats who planned to miss Mondays festivities. The decision is hardly surprising, considering that Pelosi has been a staunch critic of Trump, and the president-elect has lobbed plenty of accusations at her in response. Just earlier this week, Trump called her guilty in a rant about Jack Smith, possibly referring to his old accusations that she could be tried for treason for her involvement in his impeachment inquiry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pelosi isnt the only one who has no interest in setting aside her disdain for Trump: Michelle Obama will also play hooky on Monday. Several Democratic lawmakers will be similarly absent, including Representatives Ilhan Omar, Jasmine Crockett, and Ayanna Pressley, who said she would be with my constituents honoring Dr. Kings legacy. Pelosi has made plenty of enemies on both sides of the aisle as shes affixed herself as the power player of the Democratic establishment. Earlier this week, first lady Jill Biden expressed her disappointment in Pelosi, who had refused to fight for Joe Biden to stay in the presidential race. After Trump won, Pelosi blamed Trumps victory on Bidens insistence on prolonging his campaign. Last month, she successfully killed a bid from Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive, to join the House Oversight Committee as ranking member. WASHINGTON Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will not attend President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on Monday, her spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost. Its not clear why. Her spokesperson gave no reason and did not respond to a request for further comment. Pelosi attended Trumps inauguration in 2017, in her role as House Democratic leader. But the two have clashed repeatedly over the years as Trump has tried to violate the Constitution and as Pelosi presided over the House when he was impeached twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their relationship took a darker turn when her husband, Paul Pelosi, was violently attacked in October 2022 by a home intruder wielding a hammer. Trump responded by mocking her family and fueling baseless conspiracies among his die-hard supporters about whether the attack was real. The California Democrat called Trumps comments about her family sick. To make a joke of that, and then they laughed at that, so that the trauma of it all is not just the physical, but the impact of the rest of it, she said during an appearance on The View in September. Pelosi broke her hip in December during a trip to Luxembourg. But amid her recovery, she returned to the U.S. Capitol for the first day of Congress and then again for the counting of electoral votes on Jan. 6. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Nashville area fell 14 spots on an annual list of Best Performing Cities, which tracks the economic growth of communities across the United States. The Milken Institute ranks Music City in the 20th spot for its 2025 report, down from number six last year. There are a lot of other city measures that you could have that correspond to quality of life, like access to public transit, crime, all kinds of things, said Milken Institute Associate Director of Research Brock Smith. We decide to focus on kind of economic performance, and then how widely those economic gains are shared. Last years report stated Nashvilles top ten ranking was due to competitive wage growth, continued employment opportunities and the fourth largest high tech GDP growth among large cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have 13 metrics that are divided into three categories: One is labor market performance. Second one is high tech performance, and the third one is access to economic opportunities, explained Smith. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts He said Nashvilles dip in ranking is pretty much entirely due to that short term job growth metric, which measures employment growth from July 2023, to July 2024. This year, Nashville fell 130 spots to 150. That tends to be a pretty volatile measure. Its entirely plausible that that bounces right back up and Nashville goes back in the top tier next year, or it could be, you know, the start of a trend, he said. Its definitely something policy makers should be paying attention to and try to pin down whats going on in the last year, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says another challenge for Nashvilles economy is housing affordability, where its ranked 88th. Nashville does still respectably in housing affordability, but it did see really big housing price increases in 21 and 22 that was the whole country did, mainly, but Nashville is even more than average, and so thats one thing I think policy makers should focus on if they want to bounce back, try to make sure housing affordability doesnt kind of slip away from them, said Smith. The report stated that the lack of affordable housing is an issue thats widely felt throughout the U.S. with median house prices approaching nearly six times the countrys median income. People are now moving even more often to cities where they can live without spending more than 30% of their income on housing. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The one were really focusing on lately, and again, its becoming more and more nationally prominent, is housing affordability. And its hard to say exactly how that correlates with other things. Theres probably a time lag in how a lack of affordability impacts the labor market down the road, Smith reasoned. Its kind of a tricky thing to pin down, but we do just think its were starting to see these trends of the like largest and most expensive cities really taking a fall in the rankings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025BestPerformingCitiesMappingEconomicGrowthUS011525Download Nashville is in their large cities category. Raleigh, North Carolina ranked first this year. Communities in Utah were number two and three on the list Ogden-Clearfield and Salt Lake City. Next was Huntsville, Alabama, less than two hours south of Nashville. And Colorado Springs was number five. We see places like Huntsville, Alabama and other places kind of in that area rising to the top of the rankings. And the other big one has been the Mountain West. So you know, people fleeing California because they cant afford to live there, going to places like Ogden, Utah, which was second in our rankings this year, Salt Lake City, various smaller cities in Idaho and the small city portions of our rankings are but Idaho is pretty dominant among small cities, said Smith. Despite the challenges of work force growth and affordable housing, the big picture shows Music Citys economy still has many strengths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall for Nashville, the kind of big picture, it does very well in growth, in kind of the most important sectors, said Smith. When I look at kind of sector by sector growth, Nashville had the highest shares and and really strong, like five year growth in the finance sector, the information sector, professional and business, said Smith. Those tend to have a lot of high tech employment, which with a lot of opportunity for future growth and high wages. 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. BOSTON The wife of a Natick man accused of conspiring to send sensitive technology to Iran that was later used in a fatal drone attack in Jordan has sent a letter to a federal judge, pleading for her husbands release. Narjes Mohavdi Tabrizi, wife of Mahdi Sadeghi, sent the letter to U.S. District Court Judge Donald Cabell in support of a motion by Sadeghi's lawyer, Jessica Thrall, to release Sadeghi on bond. In her letter, Tabrizi wrote about her life with Sadeghi, from when they first met to their marriage 15 years ago to now, as parents of two young children. U.S. District Court in Boston. Together, we embarked on a beautiful journey from the beginning, sharing not only love but an unbreakable bond that transcended friendship, Tabrizi wrote. We werent just spouses we were best friends and partners in every sense of the word, always working together toward are shared goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sadeghi is charged with four counts of conspiracy to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and Iranian transactions and sanctions regulations. 'Material support of terrorists': FBI accuses Natick man of exporting technology to Iran Tabrizi wrote that Sadeghi was always there for her, through the births of their two children, miscarriages and post-partem depression, never wavering in his support. Mahdi is many things a kind soul, passionate, adventurous, a diligent learner, a thoughtful observer but above all, he is a family man, Tabrizi wrote. A son, a brother, and above all, an incredible father and partner. The bond between him and our children is something rare and beautiful. Suspect's wife says that for children, 'it's been a struggle' Tabrizi said since her husbands arrest on Dec. 16, their children have had difficulty adjusting to the change in their lives. She said their older son is working with counselors at school while their younger son, who is in preschool, often cries during the morning and at night, missing his father. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a deep ache when I think about the separation, and though I know we are working toward healing, I cant help but mourn the distance between them, Tabrizi wrote. Its been a struggle a heartbreaking one but were trying to navigate through it, holding on to hope that, soon, Mahdi comes back, and our sons will feel safe and happy again. Earlier: Natick man pleads not guilty to charges linked to fatal drone attack in Jordan Federal authorities allege that Sadeghi had conspired with another man, Mohammad Abedini, since 2016 to illegally leak U.S. technology, including materials used in unmanned drones. Abedini, authorities say, owns a company in Iran that has ties to terrorism. That technology, federal authorities allege, was used in part in an attack last Jan. 28 at a U.S. military base in Jordan. The attack killed three U.S. Army soldiers and injured 47 others. Investigators were able to track parts from a destroyed drone to Abedini's company in Iran. Prosecutors argue suspect has dual citizenship, has incentive to flee Tabrizis letter was among dozens in support of Sadeghi from people from throughout the United States submitted to the court by Thrall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thrall requested that Sadeghi be released, arguing in a motion filed in court that he is not a flight risk. He is a U.S. citizen, and his wife and children are here and he would not leave them, she wrote in her motion. He has no criminal record. But prosecutors argued Sadeghi and his family have dual citizenship with Iran, a country known to go to great lengths to help its citizens who face criminal charges in the United States. They also argued Sadeghi has text messages dating back to 2016 that acknowledge he knew he was breaking the law. The motion argued that Sadeghi is facing 20 years in prison for each count and that is a strong incentive to flee the country. Cabell took the motion under advisement. Sadeghi will remain held without bail until the judge rules on the motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com. For up-to-date public safety news, follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime. This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Natick conspiracy suspect's wife writes judge pleading for his release LINCOLN COUNTY, Ark. The National Weather Service is providing more details on a tornado that touched down in Lincoln County earlier in the month. According to the NWS, the tornado that touched down west of Dumas was an EF-1. NWS officials said the tornado started a mile northwest of Garrett Bridge at 2:04 p.m. The tornado had a path length of 1.3 miles and a width of 300 yards. No injuries or deaths were reported as a result of this tornado, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A tornado with a rating of 1 on the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale has three-second gusts of 86 miles per hour to 110 miles per hour. This tornado, officials said, had 95mph winds. This is the first tornado of 2025 in Arkansas. 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. A year after all native tribes in South Dakota banned Republican Governor Kristi Noem from their reservations, one is welcoming her back with open arms. On Tuesday, the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe voted to rescind Noems banishment, which reservation leaders passed in May. The governor has been tapped as President-elect Donald Trumps pick for secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and her confirmation hearing is scheduled for Friday. I wish you the best of luck during the Senate confirmation hearing on January 17, 2025, and believe that your dedication to the safety and security of the United States will benefit us all, President of the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe Anthony Reider wrote to Noem in a letter after the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tribe has an estimated enrollment of 736 members. Noem was banned from entering nine South Dakota reservations last year after she made comments suggesting tribal leaders benefitted from cartel activity in the state. Weve got some tribal leaders that I believe are personally benefiting from the cartels being there, and thats why they attack me every day, Noem said during a March forum. But Im going to fight for the people who actually live in those situations, who call me and text me every day and say, Please, dear governor, please come help us in Pine Ridge. We are scared. The entrance to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) Noem also made comments regarding the future of native childrens lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their kids dont have any hope, Noem said about children on reservations. They dont have parents who show up and help them. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe was the last to ban Noem. When the resolution passed, tribe officials told the governor the ban was imminent. Tribe officials requested she refrain from making future blanket statements that offend the tribes within South Dakota. The tribe also told Noem the banishment could be resolved if she apologized for the comments which were deemed offensive by some, the letter states. In several meetings before and after the resolution was passed, you not only explained your position, but apologized if the comments offended the tribe, Reider wrote. You additionally sought advice on how to phrase such communications moving forward, which the tribe and I appreciate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emailed statement to The Independent, a representative for Noem said: The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe recognizes that Governor Noem will make America safe again as Secretary of Homeland Security. We appreciate their support and will continue working with them to make all of our communities safer, stronger, and freer. Noem is still banned from the remaining tribes, which are the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Rosebud Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Yankton Sioux Tribe. Together, the tribes make up of thousands of members. More than 12 percent of the state is a reservation or land trust. NATO scrambled Norwegian F-35 fighter jets stationed in Poland for the first time to protect airspace during a Russian attack on Ukraine on Jan. 15, the NATO Air Command reported on X. Russia attacked Ukraine using cruise and ballistic missiles on Jan. 15, targeting critical infrastructure in several oblasts. Ukrainian forces shot down 30 missiles and 47 drones. "This is the first time the Norwegian jets have scrambled in the active air defense of Polish Airspace, demonstrating Allied commitment to NATO's eastern flank," the statement read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two F-35 fighter jets were involved in the defense of NATO airspace, according to the NATO Air Command. Poland announced on the same day that it was scaling up its air force due to Russia's mass attack on Ukraine, with additional pairs of fighter jets deployed and ground-based air defense and radar systems on high alert. Russian drones and missiles have previously entered Poland's airspace during attacks on Ukraine. However, Polish allies advised the government to exercise restraint when dealing with unidentified airspace violations, according to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Most Poles believe the Polish military should shoot down Russian drones that enter Polish airspace during aerial attacks on Ukraine, according to a survey published on Sept. 1 by the Polish newspaper Rzeczpospolita. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in September that Poland and neighboring countries to Ukraine are "responsible for protecting their own airspace," despite NATO's opposition. Read also: Ahead of Trumps inauguration, Ukraines European partners cant afford to watch and wait for Washingtons next move Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. NATO and EU membership, as well as the country's own military strength are key security guarantees for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press conference alongside Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Jan. 15. With U.S. President-elect Donald Trump set to take office in days, Zelensky and European allies are preparing for a potential shift in U.S. foreign policy, including a proposed ceasefire and peace negotiations. "We want to end the war with a just peace, but for that, we need to be sure that Russia will not return to wage war against Ukraine. We need strong security guarantees," Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continued weapons shipments, NATO accession, and EU membership are key security guarantees, Zelensky said, noting that the country cannot engage in "games" reducing the size of its military. Ahead of potential peace negotiation, a large military was "the only security guarantee," Zelensky added. Zelensky's comment on the size of Ukraine's military come as Russian President Vladimir Putin is set demand that Ukraine cut its ties with NATO and become "a neutral state with a limited military" during upcoming talks with Donald Trump, Bloomberg reported. Zelensky touted the size of Ukraine's military during the press conference, stating that the country's military now comprises 880,000 soldiers, tasked with defending the entire country against 600,000 Russian troops concentrated in specific areas. Ukrainian officials are expected to meet with members of Trump's administration shortly after his inauguration on Jan. 20 to discuss the details of peace negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite unease over Trump's stance on Ukraine, there have been reports that European allies have grown optimistic Trump will not abandon Ukraine. Trump met with Zelensky during his election campaign and a second time following his U.S. presidential election victory on Dec. 7 on the sidelines of the Notre Dame Cathedrals re-opening in a trilateral meeting with Macron. Trump has voiced he is ready to meet with Putin once he takes office to spearhead peace negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, a move Ukraine and European allies are approaching cautiously. Read also: Putin to demand Ukraine never join NATO during talks with Trump, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Navy MH-60R Romeo Seahawk helicopter deployed to the Red Sea has shot down a Houthi drone, the vice chief of Naval Operations revealed Tuesday. While other rotorcraft have taken out drones notably, a French AS565 Panther from the frigate Alsace in the Red Sea downed a Houthi unmanned aerial vehicle last March with its 7.62mm machine gun in an operation that was captured on video this was a first for a U.S. Navy helicopter, Adm. James Kilby told an audience at the Surface Navy Associations annual symposium near Washington, D.C. Kilby was describing the body of information the Navy had accumulated from 15 months of continuous combat operations in the Red Sea, with 26 ships having been in the engagement zone of fire from Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen during that period, and how pre-deployment training for these ships and elements continued to stress innovative and diverse ways to mitigate threats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a virtual training hed observed some months ago, F/A-18s were trying to knock down cruise missiles, Kilby said. In fact, I was sitting in my office not too long ago where we had the first helicopter shoot down a UAV. An MH-60R Seahawk helicopter from the Spartans of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 departs the guided-missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) for a Hellfire exercise during Baltic Operations 2019. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Mark Andrew Hays/Released) Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark Hays In a follow-up conversation with Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, commander of Naval Air Forces, who also participated in the Red Sea panel, he confirmed that the shootdown had taken place about a month ago and involved a Seahawk attached to the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group. While Cheever did not specify the type of UAV that had been shot down or the means the helicopter had employed to take it out, he said the Seahawk crew had used a little bit of an unconventional system to make the kill. Its an interesting world, you know, when youre talking ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and unmanned systems, Cheever said. The one thing is, were operating in the contested environment 24/7 and have been for [15] months. So when people talk about, you cant live in a contested environment, I kind of go, actually, we can and have and will. An MH-60R Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 flies near the littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS 1) in 2013. This was the first fleet MH-60R to operate with a Right Hand Extended Pylon (RHEP) and a full complement of eight AGM-114 Hellfire Captive Air Training Missiles. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class James R. Evans/Released) MC1 James R. Evans The MH-60R, the successor to the SH-60B, first flew for the Navy in 2001. It is specialized for anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, but it has the ability to do other missions, as well. Beyond its core mission weaponry, it can be armed with a crew-served door gun either the .50-caliber machine guns like the GAU-21/A or an M240 7.62mm machine gun. It can also carry up to eight AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground anti-tank missiles, which are primarily used for force protection against small boats. Hellfires have also been successfully employed against UAVs in the past; a video published by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2018 shows an Israeli AH-64 Apache helicopter swatting down an Iranian drone that had ventured into its sovereign airspace from Syria. Since then, Apaches have been playing an increasingly key role in drone defense for Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An AH-64 Apache Attack Helicopter with the Israeli Air Force conducting a Successful Interception of an inbound Hezbollah Attack Drone, this morning over Northern Israel. pic.twitter.com/1l2fcBYNYS OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) August 25, 2024 U.S. Army Apaches have also ramped up training on using Hellfires in the air-to-air mode for drone defense. A video posted by U.S. Central Command last October shows an AH-64D Longbow Apache attack helicopter obliterating a target drone during the Armys Red Sands counter-UAS exercise in Saudi Arabia. . @USArmy Soldiers engage an unmanned aerial system (UAS) from an AH-64 with upgraded Hellfire missile during Red Sands training exercise in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. @usarmycentral pic.twitter.com/HG9ChuWxt6 U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 30, 2024 As The War Zone reported at the time, the Hellfire used to target drones in the video looks like a modified version sporting a millimeter-wave radar seeker cued by the Apaches native AN-APG-78 Longbow radar system. These types of Hellfires are not available for the Seahawk, but laser-guided ones are. Its possible one of these missiles was used in an off-label manner to take down the drone. An MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 35, fires an AGM-114M Hellfire missile, April 5, 2016, near San Clemente Island, California, during a live-fire combat training exercise. (U.S. Navy Combat Camera photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Arthurgwain L. Marquez/Released) Petty Officer 2nd Class Arthurgwain Marquez Another possible UAV-killing tool for the Seahawk is the Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System II, consisting of Hydra 2.75-inch rockets equipped with a laser guidance kit. APKWS has been at least tested for use on the MH-60R since 2015 and is also employed on the Apache. In late 2022, defense contractor BAE Systems announced that five 70mm APKWS II rockets, equipped with guidance kits and modified proven proximity/point-detonation fuzes, had successfully taken out fast-moving drones in a ground-to-air test conducted in Arizona. With these modifications, the company said, APKWS II rockets could be successfully employed against UAVs weighing up to 50 pounds and traveling up to 100 miles per hour. Ukraine is operating multiple ground-based counter-drone systems that use the proximity-fuzed APKWS rockets. The USAF has also tested APKWS II with its fighters for anti-cruise missile defense. Its also possible, like the Hellfire, that the MH-60 could have used a standard APKWS II to shoot down the drone, as well, if indeed the laser-guided rockets are actively available to fleet MH-60Rs. While Cheevers mention of an unconventional kill method raises questions about novel weapons or combinations of effects that might have been employed, the most likely option to take out the Houthi drone is perhaps the door gun the same weapon employed by the French Panther during its successful kill in March. Helicopter door gunners have also been shooting down drones in the course of the ongoing fighting in Ukraine. Back in 2015, the Navy published a video of a Seahawk door gunner successfully taking out a target drone over the ocean during training. While UAV technology has evolved significantly, many of the unmanned systems used to target U.S. assets in the Red Sea remain relatively inexpensive, as well as low and slow-moving vulnerable to visual targeting and door gunners bullets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the Navy Seahawks quietly executed drone shootdown may represent a first-of-its-kind kill against a UAV for the seagoing force, the Seahawk including the MH-60Rs cousin, the MH-60S has already proved its mettle against other unmanned systems in the Red Sea. In late 2023, CENTCOM announced that Navy helicopters had sunk three small Houthi boats that attacked a U.S. position in the southern Red Sea, sending a fourth vessel fleeing back to shore. All these firsts and lessons learned, as well as mounds of raw sensor data, on a daily basis around the Red Sea are being leveraged far faster than ever before to come up with new tactics and systems modifications, and to train crews prior to deployment. The Seahawks first drone kill will certainly be used in this same manner. You can read all about this accelerated feedback cycle here. MH-60R gun at the ready. (Sikorsky) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navy leaders Tuesday also hinted that the services deployed assets in the Red Sea are about to become even more deadly against drones. Rear Adm. William Daly, the services director of surface warfare, said during recent deployments to the region, Navy destroyers had tested several new counter-UAS systems, each bringing unique tactical capabilities. I expect several of these systems to be deployed soon, he said. In the meantime, Navy supercarriers, amphibious assault ships, and surface combatants that pack MH-60s now have another proven tool against aerial drones in their quivers. Contact the editor: Tyler@twz.com U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers needing to leave the ongoing battle against Iran-backed Houthi rebel missile and drone barrages in the Red Sea to reload their Mk 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) missile cells are causing a presence gap and a real challenge, Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said Wednesday at the annual Surface Navy Association conference. That challenge extends not only to the Red Sea campaign, he said, but especially to a future war with China across the vast West Pacific expanse as well. As such, continuing development of the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method (TRAM) to reload missiles on warships while at sea will be critical to keeping large surface combatants on station in such a contingency, Del Toro said at the conference, which TWZ attended. Navy leaders have framed the ongoing Red Sea battles as the most sustained kinetic action the service has seen since World War II, with hundreds of munitions expended since hostilities commenced in October 2023, draining some ships of a sizable portion of their missile and gun ammunition arsenals. You can read our complete breakdown of how many of each missile here. We simply cannot afford to give up two weeks for destroyers and cruisers and future frigates to be able to reload, Del Toro said. This critical capability will significantly increase our ability to maintain forward presence without the need to withdraw from combat for extended periods of in-port reloading time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TRAM has been in development for years and was successfully demonstrated in October, when the Military Sealift Command dry cargo ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) pulled alongside the Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) and transferred an empty VLS weapon container to the cruiser while underway off southern California. Go here to read TWZ coverage of that milestone. Sailors change out an empty Vertical Launching System (VLS) weapon container aboard the Ticonderoga class cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) in October. (U.S. Navy) A missile canister travels across cables from the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11), foreground, to the cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) during a test of the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method (TRAM) in October. (U.S. Navy) Eric Osborne Sailors used TRAM to move a missile canister along rails that were attached to Chosins VLS modules, the Navy said when announcing the successful test. The canister was then tilted into a vertical position and lowered into a VLS cell via the TRAMs cable and pulley system. Civilian mariners aboard the dry cargo and ammunition ship USNS Washington Chambers (T-AKE 11) prepare to send an empty missile canister across cables to the cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) as part of an at-sea test of the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method, or TRAM, in October. (U.S. Navy) The hydraulically powered TRAM can be used while a ship is undergoing underway replenishment, which is a regular yet demanding evolution where various supplies are ferried from a supply ship to a warship as the two vessels move in parallel. Last falls test was highly anticipated, with Capitol Hill lawmakers taking a major interest in the capability. Before that, a pier-side trial at the Naval Surface Warfare Centers Port Hueneme division outside San Diego in July was also a success. Del Toro said after the test that TRAM was on track to be fielded in two to three years. But his comments this week reinforce the fact that a maritime war against China featuring an American armada dispersed across the West Pacific will require an at-sea reloading capability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In such a conflict, Navy bases in Japan would likely be cut off by China, forcing U.S. ships to rearm at Guam or locations even further from the South China Sea and East China Sea, where such a war would be expected to rage if Beijing invades Taiwan or tensions in the South China Sea turn red hot. Ashore reloading hubs would likely become prime targets for the enemy as well. Theres also the fact that a Navy destroyer or cruiser could be left at least partially undefended when transiting a naval war zone with empty missile cells. At-sea reloading would cut down on the transit time for re-upping a warships munitions, while allowing such ships to stay at least closer to the action, even though rearming would likely take place at least some distance from the core of the fighting. The opponent would have weakened our fleet even without scoring a punch if warships have to leave the battle to reload, James Holmes, a maritime strategy professor at the Naval War College, told Navy Times in 2017, after then-Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson announced the effort that would become TRAM. If we keep having to rotate cruisers or destroyers back to rear areas to reload, the opponent has subtracted that much combat power from the fleet. Sailors aboard Navy cruiser USS Chosin (CG-65) use the Transferrable Reload At-sea Method, or TRAM, to move an empty missile canister over the ships forward MK 41 Vertical Launching System (VLS) during the first at-sea demonstration of TRAM in October. (U.S. Navy) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such capabilities were part of the fleet before the end of the Cold War, but fell by the wayside after the Soviet Unions fall amidst a broader U.S. military drawdown. Cranes were installed on the earlier cruisers back in the 1980s to assist with reloading, but it was a time-consuming and perilous tasker, analysts told Navy Times. Its stressful for the equipment, its stressful for the people and its a challenge thats been looked at for many years, Eric Wertheim, a naval analyst and author of Combat Fleets of the World, told Navy Times. It was very hard to do, and it was not very practicable, so when the need for it diminished, it just fell by the wayside. It remains unclear where American warships fighting in the Red Sea are currently heading to reload their munitions, and U.S. Naval Forces Central Command officials declined to confirm those locations to TWZ Thursday. One likely reloading option is Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, which hosts rearming capabilities and sits aboard the strategically located Greek island of Crete in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. Such a voyage entails about 1,900 miles and would require a Navy warship to transit north out of the Red Sea via the Suez Canal. The Navy destroyer USS Mason (DDG-87) prepares to load missiles during a stop at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece, in 2016. (U.S. Navy) Rearming at the Navys base in Bahrain is a roughly 2,500-mile voyage, and would involve leaving the Red Sea south through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and transiting the strategic chokepoint of the Strait of Hormuz. Diego Garcia is about the same distance, deep in the Indian Ocean. Some ships may be getting some munitions closer to the Red Sea, in partner nations, but it would be in a far more limited capacity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allies in the Red Sea mission have also had to travel far to reload before returning to the area of operations. TWZ reported in February on the British destroyer HMS Diamond steaming all the way to Gibraltar to get more missiles after operating in the Red Sea. The Houthis have been attacking ships with missiles and drones, sometimes at a near-daily clip, since October 2023. But they signaled this week that they would halt their attacks if a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas takes effect. Even if the Navys frenzied mission in the Red Sea soon ends, it has proven the need for an at-sea reloading capability. The sea service has gotten a taste during the Red Sea conflict of why the capability is so badly needed, even as it races to prepare for a future war in a very different theater that nonetheless presents some of the same challenges. Email the author: geoff@twz.com Robert F. Kennedy Jr Former Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Photo: Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) The prospect of having vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the nations health policy has doctors speaking out to oppose his confirmation as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. The Committee to Protect Health Care says it has more than 15,000 signatures on a letter opposing Kennedys confirmation, including 400 from North Carolina physicians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three North Carolina doctors told reporters Thursday they are asking U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, to vote against Kennedy. Tillis is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to hold a confirmation hearing on Kennedy. Tilliss office did not respond to an email Thursday afternoon. Kennedy has promoted the false claim that vaccines cause autism and has suggested that recreational drugs or environmental toxins cause AIDS. A lawyer helping Kennedy pick health officials wants the government to revoke approval of the polio vaccine, the New York Times reported. Doctors are concerned about Kennedys dangerous misinformation about vaccines and his efforts to undermine immunizations, said Dr. Rachel Brown, an Asheville neonatologist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having Kennedy as the nations health secretary will put doctors in the position of needing to counter misinformation coming from a government source, she said. Vaccination rates are already dropping, putting the most vulnerable people at risk, said Dr. Frank Spence of Elkin. If RFK becomes HHS secretary, we fear vaccination rates would plummet even further, leading to a resurgence of preventable diseases like measles and polio, he said. In fact, members of his team have already launched an offensive against polio vaccine. Vaccines are the best first line of defense against preventable diseases, Spence said. Undermining the effectiveness of vaccines or the need for immunizations goes against the best interests of public health and personal safety and wellbeing. As HHS secretary, Kennedy would oversee the CDC, the FDA, the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, and more than a half dozen other health and research offices. NORTH CAROLINA (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Sen. Tedd Budd says a communication breakdown is to blame after dozens of displaced Hurricane Helene victims were forced out of hotels the past few days. Senators for the Tar Heel State took to X on Tuesday night, expressing frustration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Both Budd and Sen. Thom Tillis wrote that their offices had received calls from dozens of people in Western North Carolina who had been kicked out of hotels. Tillis accused FEMA of causing unnecessary pain for families, arguing that if the agency had enough boots on the ground, people would not have been forced out in the first place. In a statement to Queen City News, a spokesperson for Budd said those displaced survivors were back in hotels as of Wednesday, adding that staff worked with FEMA officials line by line to resolve any issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS: FEMA extends current hotel vouchers for Helene victims through Jan. 25 Last night, Senator Budd and his team got in touch with FEMA leadership and went line-by-line, person-by-person to identify issues, fix communication breakdowns, and get eligible individuals back into hotels. Senator Budd continues to encourage anyone in need of help to get in touch with his office directly at Budd.Senate.Gov. In an interview with Fox News Sunday, FEMAs administrator insisted communication between the agency and survivors needed to be a two-way street. If we dont hear from them, the only thing we can do is assume that theyve been back in their home, said Deanne Criswell. And so one of the things I want to make sure if somebody has received that notification, but they havent talked to somebody at FEMA and their situation is still in need, they are still eligible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be eligible, survivors must have a residence that is uninhabitable or inaccessible. Displaced families need to allow inspections and respond to FEMA when they reach out. Everybodys going to have a unique circumstance, added Criswell. Everybodys going to have a unique situation. We need to work with them all individually to make sure were getting them the right resource, so they can continue to stay in a safe place until their home is either rebuilt or its accessible. The temporary sheltering program was set to expire this week but has now been extended until Jan. 25. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Hurricane Helene Aftermath 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 Queen City News. Agents seized 498 firearms at security checkpoints in eight airports across Georgia last year and 440 of those were detected at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Thats a slight decrease from 451, the number of firearms discovered at the security checkpoints in 2023. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wants travelers to know that yes, you can fly with your firearms, but theres a right way and a wrong way to do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can fly with unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container in your checked baggage only. Youll also need to declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when you check your bag at the ticket counter. The container must be locked and secure so no one but you can access it. If the case can be easily unlocked, it is not permitted. The TSA says the container that the firearm was in when you purchased it may not be secure enough to transport it in your checked baggage. If you bring an unloaded firearm with accessible ammunition to a security checkpoint, it carries the same civil penalty or fine as bringing a loaded weapon to the checkpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All firearm parts, such as magazines, bolts, and firing pins must be packed into your checked baggage. Toy guns and replica guns have to be packed into your checked baggage too. So if you want to keep your gun when flying, make sure you follow their advice. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Democratic presidential candidate Jimmy Carter embraces his wife, Rosalynn, after receiving the final news of his victory in the national general election, November 2, 1976. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images) LINCOLN The Nebraska Legislature adopted a ceremonial resolution Wednesday honoring former President Jimmy Carter for his devotion to public service and humanitarian work. Legislative Resolution 1 was introduced by State Sen. John Arch of La Vista, the speaker of the Legislature, on the first day of the legislative session, one week ago. All but one of Archs colleagues in the 49-member body joined the effort to recognize and thank Carter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter died Dec. 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. He was the 39th U.S. president, between 1977 and 1981. Former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn converse before an Atlanta Braves game in 2010 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) The resolution acknowledges Carters life around his presidency, such as his 1946 graduation with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy, his honorable discharge from the Navy with the rank of lieutenant and the establishment of the nonprofit Carter Center, which seeks to improve lives in more than 80 countries. Archs resolution also highlights Carters 2002 Nobel Peace Prize win in recognition of his efforts to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development. The Legislature recognizes, honors and thanks former President Carter for his service to the United States of America and to the people of the world, the resolution reads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arch told the Nebraska Examiner that any time a president dies is a significant event, their life of which he thought the Legislature could recognize together. Regardless of where you are in the politics, the work of the president is extremely important to the United States, Arch said. President Carter, in particular, served, and following his term in office, the humanitarian work was unbelievable. The Legislature offered its condolences to Carters friends and family and intends to send a copy of the resolution to the former presidents family. Everybody recognizes good, Arch added. I think the resolution reflected the heart of President Carter and his generosity to humanitarian affairs. Members of the U.S. House of Representatives file past the flag-draped casket of the late President Jimmy Carter in the Capitol Rotunda on Jan. 7. (Ashley Murray/States Newsroom) State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha was the lone senator not to join Archs resolution. She said she didnt sign because she remembers growing up under Carters presidency. She was 6 years old when he was elected to the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kauth pointed to Carters involvement in the Middle East and the Iran hostage crisis involving U.S. diplomats and citizens between Nov. 4, 1979, and Jan. 20, 1981. It ended when Carters successor, President Ronald Reagan, took office. President Joe Biden ordered U.S. flags to be flown at half staff through Jan. 28, and he declared Jan. 9, the day of Carters funeral, as a national day of mourning, a longstanding tradition after the deaths of former U.S. presidents. Gov. Jim Pillen, on the day of Carters death, said the former presidents life was defined by public service, from his in the military and governor of Georgia to U.S. president and with Habitat for Humanity. His unwavering faith in almighty God and his dedication to his family were a model for us all, Pillen said then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pillen has ordered that flags fly at full staff once during the 30 days of mourning for Carter: Monday, Jan. 20, for the inauguration of former President Donald Trump. The official installation of a President is a historic day in the calendar of our nation and should be recognized as such, Pillen said Tuesday. Having the flag at full staff symbolizes the respect to that office and our nations newly elected leader. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will issue a statement on the Gaza ceasefire only once the final details have been finalized, his office has said. The prime minister's office said late on Wednesday that the final details of the agreement were still being worked on. According to the Israeli news website ynet, these are "technical details" such as the precise composition of the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mediator Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of more hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The ceasefire is set to come into effect on Sunday at 12:15 pm (1015 GMT) and will initially last for 42 days. The agreement still requires approval from the Israeli Security Cabinet and the Israeli government. According to Israeli media, it is scheduled to meet at 11 am on Thursday to approve the deal. Immediately afterwards, the government is also set to convene. Approval is considered to be relatively sure. Let us now praise Donald Trump. Its hard for me not to choke on that phrase. But it was his blusterhis demand that Hamas release its remaining hostages before his inauguration, or else all hell will break outthat effectively ushered in a cease-fire, the beginning of the end of the Gaza war. Although honesty requires crediting Trump, his success was not the product of magical powers or an indictment of Biden-administration diplomacy. Trumps splenetic threats injected urgency into floundering talks. And by allowing his envoy Steven Witkoff to coordinate with the Biden administration, the incoming president left Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an acute sense of isolation. Over the course of Netanyahus long reign, he has transformed his nations foreign policy. For much of its history, the Jewish state cultivated bipartisan support in the United States. Netanyahu trashed that tradition; for his own domestic purposes, he has provoked spats with Democratic presidents, bolstering his reputation among his right-wing base. At the same time, he tethered himself to the Republican Party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the Gaza war began to meanderand as it became clear that Israel would never achieve the total victory that he promisedNetanyahu dipped into this old playbook. In a video he released last June, he accused Biden of denying Israel the munitions that it needed to win the war. That charge was arguably slanderous, given the large sums of money that the United States had spent on arming Israel. Although that strategy advanced his career, it had an obvious flaw. Because of Netanyahus lockstep partnership with the Republicans, he is beholden to the whims of the leader of that party. Once Trump emphatically expressed his desire to end the war, Netanyahu was stuck. To cross the incoming president would risk losing the most important pillar of Israels foreign support. [Read: Trump made the Gaza cease-fire happen] Some American observers assumed that Netanyahu wanted to extend the war into Trumps term, during which he would have the Republican presidents permission to behave however he liked. These were, after all, like-minded politicians. But that assessment misread the Netanyahu-Trump dynamic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past four years, Netanyahu clearly has had reason to feel insecure about his relationship with Trump. Trump reportedly abhorred the fact that Netanyahu called Joe Biden to congratulate him on winning the 2020 presidential election. By acknowledging Bidens victory, Netanyahu flunked the fundamental Trumpist loyalty test. (As Trump fumed about the episode to Axioss Barak Ravid, he declared, Fuck him.) After October 7, Trump cast blame on the Israeli prime minister for failing to foresee the attack. Given this history, and all the anxieties it must surely provoke, Netanyahu was desperate to deliver for Trump, days before his inauguration, at the height of his prestige. After months of diplomatic futility, Biden was shrewd to allow Trump and Witkoff to serve as the front men for the talks. Rather than clinging territorially to the office during his last days in power, or invoking cliches about how theres one president at a time, he invited his successor into an ad hoc coalition in which they operated in sync, sharing the same strategy and applying combined pressure. This moment will be remembered as an atavistic flourish of bipartisan foreign policy, but it also makes me think about Antony Blinkens eyes. When I traveled with the secretary of state to the Middle East, and the lights of television cameras pointed at his face, I saw the toils of shuttle diplomacy in the bulging bags beneath his eyes. For months, protesters camped outside his suburban-Virginia house. They hurled red paint at his wifes car while he kept returning to the region in the hopes of brokering a deal. Indeed, it was those months of excruciating, energetic negotiation that yielded the substance of an agreement, the gritty details of peace. That hard work should be at the center of the narrative, and maybe someday it will be, but right now it feels like a footnote. On the left, plenty of Bidens critics are now crowing. Many of those who hate Genocide Joe have always claimed that Trump would be better for the Palestinian cause, or perhaps just as bad, which justified a desire to punish Bidens Zionism electorally. Now that strange faith in Trump will be tested, because the coming diplomacy will be even harder than ending the war. Hamas remains a fact of life in Gaza. For the time being, its the government there, and it has every incentive to remain an armed force. Reconstructing the Strip, rescuing it from dangerous anarchy, will require somehow navigating around that fact. I doubt that Trump cares deeply about the future of Gaza, or that he has the patience to maneuver through the tangle of complexities. But if he does, I will be the first to praise him. Article originally published at The Atlantic The ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel announced Wednesday wont take effect until Sunday, January 19, just before Donald Trumps inauguration the next day. That does not appear to be a coincidence. Since being elected, Trump has warned on multiple occasions that an agreement should come before his inauguration, saying that there will be hell to pay or all hell will break out. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made no secret of his preference for Trump in the 2024 election, either, and Israels ceasefire with Lebanon was likely a gift from Netanyahu as well. The timing of the ceasefire is a reminder of a similar situation faced by President Jimmy Carter in the final days of his presidency in 1980, as negotiations were underway to free American hostages in Iran. Ultimately, the hostages were deliberately released the day Ronald Reagan was sworn in as president, thanks to the efforts of the Reagan campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the release taking place this late, Trump gets a propaganda victory and is already claiming credit for the agreement, even though hes not yet in office, and some Israeli officials are crediting the sudden progress in negotiations to him. But Trump cant take total credit: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has boasted about deliberately sabotaging ceasefire agreements over the past year. According to one analyst, Wednesdays deal is almost identical to a deal proposed on May 27 that Israel rejected, with six minor changes in the appendix. So whats different now from eight months ago? Netanyahu has his preferred president, and Trump can take credit. The question is if Netanyahu is getting something in returnand what will happen to Gazas long-suffering civilians next. TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday a deal to return hostages held in the Gaza Strip has been reached, after his office said earlier there were last minute snags in finalizing a ceasefire that would pause 15 months of war. Netanyahu said he would convene his security Cabinet later Friday, and then the government to approve the long-awaited hostage deal. Netanyahu's pre-dawn statement appeared to clear the way for Israeli approval of the deal, which would pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and see dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The deal would also allow hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to the remains of their homes in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli airstrikes, meanwhile, killed at least 72 people in the war-ravaged territory on Thursday. Netanyahu said he had instructed a special task force to prepare to receive the hostages returning from Gaza, and that their families were informed the deal had been reached. Israel had delayed a vote Thursday on the ceasefire, blaming a last-minute dispute with Hamas for holding up approval as rising tensions in Netanyahus government coalition raised concerns about the implementation of the deal just a day after U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced it was complete. Netanyahus office had accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions. In a briefing Thursday, David Mencer, an Israeli government spokesman, said Hamas new demands dealt with the deployment of Israeli forces in the Philadelphi corridor, the narrow strip bordering Egypt that Israeli troops seized in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas denied the claims, with Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, saying the militant group is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators. The ceasefire agreement has drawn fierce resistance from Netanyahu's far-right coalition partners, which the Israeli prime minister depends on to remain in power. On Thursday, Israel's hard-line national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, threatened to quit the government if Israel approved the ceasefire. There was no immediate comment from Ben-Gvir following Netanyahu's announcement Friday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called on Israel and Hamas to implement a Gaza ceasefire plan without any delay in an exclusive interview Thursday with The Associated Press. Egypt has been a key mediator between the enemies for years and a leading player in ongoing ceasefire negotiations. The deal announced Wednesday would pause the fighting with a view to eventually winding down a 15-month war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas triggered the war with its Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border attack into Israel that killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel responded with a devastating offensive that has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, according to local health officials, who do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. The military campaign has leveled vast swaths of Gaza, and pushed about 90% of Gazas population of 2.3 million from their homes. Hundreds of thousands are struggling with hunger and disease in squalid tent camps on the coast. Netanyahu faces heavy internal pressure Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli prime minister has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the hostages, whose families have pleaded with Netanyahu to prioritize the release of their loved ones over politics. But Israeli divisions over the deal were on stark display Thursday, as Ben-Gvir threatened to resign, saying the ceasefire was reckless and would "destroy all of Israels achievements. The departure of Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party would reduce the number of the ruling coalitions seats in the Israeli parliament, or Knesset, from 68 to 62 leaving Netanyahu's government with just the slimmest of majorities. Ben-Gvir said his party would return to the coalition if Israel resumes its war. Ben-Gvir's resignation would not bring down the government or derail the ceasefire deal. But the move would destabilize the government at a delicate moment and could lead to its collapse if Ben-Gvir were joined by other key Netanyahu allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, for instance, is vehemently opposed to the agreement and has demanded that Netanyahu promise to resume the war against Hamas after the first phase of the ceasefire as a condition of his party staying in the coalition. A night of heavy Israeli strikes Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment Thursday. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. We were expecting that the (Israeli) occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports of progress in truce talks, said Mohammed Mahdi, who was sheltering in Gaza City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gazas Health Ministry said the toll of 72 from Thursdays strikes only included bodies brought to two hospitals in Gaza City and the the number killed was likely higher. Yesterday was a bloody day, and today is bloodier, said Zaher al-Wahedi, a Health Ministry official. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 militant targets across the Gaza Strip over the past day, including weapons storage facilities and rocket launch sites. Anxiety spread across Gaza on Thursday with the news of last-minute quarreling between Hamas and Israeli officials. We ask our brothers in Hamas to communicate with mediators to end the war, said Omar Jendiya, in Deir al-Balah. Enough with the destruction and killing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A phased withdrawal and hostage release with potential pitfalls Under the deal reached Wednesday, 33 of some 100 hostages who remain in Gaza are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to whats left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second and much more difficult phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Ceasefire leaves questions about Gaza's future unanswered Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps Mideast envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trumps team took credit for the breakthrough. Longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. Hamas has come under overwhelming pressure from Israel's invasion of Gazas largest cities and towns and seizure of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the 2023 attack, have been killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. ___ Shurafa reported from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, and Magdy from Cairo. Associated Press reporter Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that a last minute crisis with Hamas was holding up Israeli approval of a long-awaited agreement to pause the fighting in the Gaza Strip and release dozens of hostages. Israeli airstrikes meanwhile killed dozens of people across the war-ravaged territory. Netanyahus office said his Cabinet wont meet to approve the agreement until Hamas backs down, accusing it of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to gain further concessions, without elaborating. Izzat al-Rishq, a senior Hamas official, said the militant group is committed to the ceasefire agreement, which was announced by the mediators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. President Joe Biden and key mediator Qatar announced the deal on Wednesday, which is aimed at releasing scores of hostages held in Gaza and winding down a 15-month war that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Netanyahus office had earlier accused Hamas of backtracking on an earlier understanding that he said would give Israel a veto over which prisoners convicted of murder would be released in exchange for hostages. Netanyahu has faced great domestic pressure to bring home the scores of hostages, but his far-right coalition partners have threatened to bring down his government if he makes too many concessions. He has enough opposition support to approve an agreement, but doing so would weaken his coalition and make early elections more likely. A night of heavy Israeli strikes Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy Israeli bombardment overnight as people were celebrating the ceasefire deal. In previous conflicts, both sides have stepped up military operations in the final hours before ceasefires as a way to project strength. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were expecting that the occupation would intensify the bombing, like they did every time there were reports on progress in the truce (negotiations), said Mohammed Mahdi, who fled his home a few months ago and is sheltering in Gaza City. Ahmed Mattar, who lives near the citys Al-Ahly hospital, said he heard massive airstrikes overnight. Gazas Health Ministry said at least 48 people were killed in Israeli strikes between midday Wednesday and Thursday morning. Around half of the dead were women and children, Zaher al-Wahedi, head of the ministrys registration department, told The Associated Press. He said the toll could rise as hospitals update their records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Associated Press reporter on the Israeli side of the border near Gaza heard more airstrikes and artillery fire on Thursday. A phased withdrawal and hostage release with potential pitfalls The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel in a surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza, and the Israeli military believes around a third and up to half of them are dead. Under the deal reached Wednesday, 33 hostages are set to be released over the next six weeks in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians imprisoned by Israel. Israeli forces will pull back from many areas, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians would be able to return to whats left of their homes, and there would be a surge of humanitarian assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remainder of the hostages, including male soldiers, are to be released in a second and much more difficult phase that will be negotiated during the first. Hamas has said it will not release the remaining captives without a lasting ceasefire and a full Israeli withdrawal, while Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it dismantles the group and to maintain open-ended security control over the territory. Israels offensive has killed over 46,000 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Health Ministry. it does not say how many of the dead were militants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 fighters, without providing evidence. The war has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced some 90% of its population of 2.3 million people, according to the United Nations. Ceasefire leaves questions about Gazas future unanswered Mediators from Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. are expected to meet in Cairo on Thursday for talks on implementing the agreement. They have spent the past year holding indirect talks with Israel and Hamas that finally resulted in a deal after repeated setbacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President-elect Donald Trumps Mideast envoy joined the talks in the final weeks, and both the outgoing administration and Trumps team are taking credit for the breakthrough. Many longer-term questions about postwar Gaza remain, including who will rule the territory or oversee the daunting task of reconstruction after a brutal conflict that has destabilized the broader Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. Israel has come under heavy international criticism, including from its closest ally, the United States, over the civilian toll in Gaza. It also blames Hamas for the civilian casualties, accusing it of using schools, hospitals and residential areas for military purposes. The International Court of Justice is investigating allegations brought by South Africa that Israel has committed genocide. The International Criminal Court, a separate body also based in The Hague, has issued arrest warrants for Netanyahu, his former defense minister and a Hamas commander for war crimes and crimes against humanity linked to the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel and the United States have condemned the actions taken by both courts. Hamas, a militant group that does not accept Israels existence, has come under overwhelming pressure from Israeli military operations, including the invasion of Gazas largest cities and towns and the takeover of the border between Gaza and Egypt. Its top leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, who was believed to have helped mastermind the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, have been killed. But its fighters have regrouped in some of the hardest-hit areas after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, raising the prospect of a prolonged insurgency if the war continues. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Now that something approaching a peace has been declared in Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, faces his greatest battle. Israelis have long liked to quip that Bibi is no more than the sum of his fears, but without a war to riff on, things could be about to get very dark indeed for the great escape artist. Mr Netanyahus challenges range across the political, legal and personal and are coming into ever sharper relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three times in the past two years alone he has had to submit to the surgeons knife: first to have a pacemaker fitted, then to have a hernia repaired and most recently to have his enlarged prostate removed. As if this were not enough, he faces an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court alleging war crimes and crimes against humanity, an ongoing criminal trial for fraud and corruption, and a group of extremist coalition partners so brazen that they tried to unseat him recently when they (wrongly) believed him to be incapacitated from his prostate operation. Perhaps only Silvio Berlusconi, the late former Italian prime minister, has faced such a confluence of nasties in recent years but at least he had his Bunga Bunga parties to look back on. Benjamin Netanyahu visits Gaza where war has raged for 15 months - MAAYAN TOAF/ZUMA PRESS WIRE/SHUTTERSTOCK For the 15 months that war has raged in Gaza and its surrounds, Mr Netanyahu has been able to blunt or defer political challenges by citing the rigours of war and casting anyone who opposed him as turncoat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ladies and gentlemen, the Bible says that there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for war. A war for our common future, he told the foreign media at a press conference shortly after Oct 7. But now with a ceasefire deal all but signed, a time of peace beckons and the protective shield that has kept his critics at bay may be about to fall. His first challenge is to hold his ruling coalition government together in the face of opposition from two extremist religious nationalist parties which want the war to continue. The hard-Right Religious Zionism party of Bezalel Smotrich, Israels finance minister, reiterated its opposition to the ceasefire-hostage agreement on Wednesday, saying its continued support was contingent on Mr Netanyahus returning to war after the first batch of 33 Israeli hostages were released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, this would explode the agreed second and third phases of the deal, under which a permanent ceasefire is supposed to be negotiated, clearing the way for the release of the remaining living hostages, the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces and the rebuilding of Gaza with the help of Qatar, Egypt and other surrounding Arab states. Benjamin Netanyahu with his war cabinet in Tel Aviv. Some in the Israeli government want to return to war after the first batch of hostages are released - TWITTER Any such move no matter how politically expedient at home would surely attract the wrath of Donald Trump, who will be inaugurated as US president on Monday and who has staked a large dollop of political capital on ending the conflict and rebuilding the Middle East. Mr Trumps volatile unpredictability and flirtation with openly anti-Semitic elements of his base means he could turn on a dime, not just on Mr Netanyahu, but on Israel itself. In remarks to the Israeli-American Council National Summit last September, Mr Trump inferred that American Jews had an obligation to vote for him and, if they didnt, Israel would cease to exist within two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, Bibis survival instinct is strong and some in the Israeli media speculated on Wednesday that the 11th hour delay in signing the ceasefire agreement which Mr Netanyahu blamed on Hamas was in fact caused by the prime minister waiting for an explicit guarantee that Mr Smotrich will not leave the government. Benjamin Netanyahu has met with Steve Witkoff, Donald Trumps Middle East envoy the president elect has staked a large dollop of political capital on ending the conflict - WHATSAPP IMAGE Further out, Mr Netanyahu must face the court of Israeli public opinion, a majority of 57.5 per cent want to see a comprehensive ceasefire and hostage exchange, according to the latest polls. The prime ministers stock fell dramatically in the months following Oct 7, only to recover with the pager-attack and wrecking of Hezbollah in Lebanon in the later part of last year, but a period of peace is likely to unleash further reflection. The victims of Oct 7 and indeed much of the wider nation are demanding a formal state inquiry into the circumstances that led to the Hamas attack, for example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Netanyahu propped up Hamas. Now its blown up in our faces, alleged one prominent Israeli journalist addressing what has become a widespread Israeli narrative just a day after the Oct 7 massacre. What warnings did the prime minister receive about the terrorist groups preparations ahead of the attack? Why were so many troops deployed in the West Bank at the time of the assault? And how pivotal was the Prime Minister himself in building up Hamas in the first place? These are just some of the many difficult questions Mr Netanyahu now faces. 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. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is tapping the brakes on claims of success by President Biden, President-elect Trump and partners in the Middle East that a ceasefire and hostage release deal has been achieved to pause 15 months of war. Netanyahu has so far delayed a vote in Israels security Cabinet to accept the ceasefire agreement, pushing back against what his office said is Hamass demands around Palestinian prisoners set for release from Israeli jails. A senior Biden administration official told reporters in a call Wednesday night that Israel agreed to the prisoners who will also be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The potential gaps call into question the finality of a ceasefire and hostage deal that negotiators hoped would start by Sunday. U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are meeting Thursday in Doha, focused on the terms of the implementation of the deal, a senior administration official said, including humanitarian provisions, the ceasefire terms and the specific hostages and prisoners going free. An Israeli official told The Hill that there are still questions on which Palestinian prisoners are going to be released, where they will go, and whether they will be exiled somewhere other than the Gaza Strip. I dont believe it will stop the deal, were not there, the Israeli official said. Its being worked out as we speak, hopefully soon well have 100 percent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even if the deal takes place, there will be the looming possibility the ceasefire falls apart amid accusations or violations by either side. News of the ceasefire quickly set off an effort by both Trump and Biden to claim credit. While Trump is credited with bringing extra pressure to bear in bridging final gaps between Israel and Hamas, the Biden administration put forward a framework for the deal months ago. Special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff assisted Bidens lead negotiator, Brett McGurk, during the final stages of the talks. We wanted to have an engagement with Prime Minister Netanyahu, which Steve went to Israel to do, came back [to Doha]. I thought that it was quite effective, the Biden administration official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump celebrated the deal Wednesday by calling it EPIC and claiming credit for getting it over the finish line. The incoming president wants to expand the Abraham Accords with normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, but the future of Gaza has long been a key sticking point. President Trump is very interested and focused on what he would like to call, the deal of the century in the Middle East, which is normalization between Saudi Arabia and other GCC states with Israel, said Firas Maksad, senior fellow with the Middle East Institute. Its no secret in Washington that he feels he was short changed and not given enough credit for the Abraham Accords. He thought he deserved the Nobel Prize for that. Secretary of State Antony Blinken earlier this week said Israel and Saudi ties are ready to go, but cautioned that normalization hinged on moving through the three phases of the ceasefire deal toward Palestinian sovereignty, and the linking up of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip under Palestinian rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The need to end the war in Gaza and for a credible road to Palestinian statehood is all the more urgent for Riyadh, Blinken said. But its unclear if Trump, when sworn into office, will maintain pressure on Israel to adhere to the ceasefire deal, if Jerusalem alleges violations from Hamas. Weve made it very clear to the Israelis, and I want the people of Israel to hear me on this: If they need to go back in, were with them, Trumps incoming national security adviser, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), said Wednesday on Fox News. If Hamas doesnt live up to the terms of this agreement, we are with them. Trump warned of unleashing hell in the Middle East if the hostages are not released, and the senior Biden administration official said that was understood as Israel escalating the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip significantly but that the hostages would likely be killed in the fighting. Qatar and Egypt have reportedly played a key role in moving Hamas toward a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the expected 33 hostages released in a first phase of a ceasefire deal are two Americans: Keith Siegel, 64, and Sagui Dekel-Chen, 35. A third American, Edan Alexander, would be expected to be released in a second phase of the deal. The first phase of the deal is supposed to last six weeks, during which negotiators would seek to finalize the details of a more permanent peace deal. Were committed to getting Edan out, and were committed to getting the remains out, the senior administration official said. The majority of the 98 hostages held by Hamas are believed dead, although the exact number is not known. Among the hostages are 94 people kidnapped from southern Israel during Hamass Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack, the remains of two soldiers held by Hamas during the 2014 war, and two Israeli civilians who reportedly wandered into the Gaza Strip and were taken hostage by Hamas in 2014 and 2015. 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. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford is intervening to protect access to health care insurance for Dreamers the recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy. The move comes on the last day of open enrollment in 2025 and could motivate DACA recipients to sign up for health care insurance. In Nevada, government-subsidized policies are available at Nevada Health Link. Fords office announced on Wednesday that he has joined 13 other states in filing a motion that will protect DACA recipients access to insurance plans under Obamacare the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration expanded access to health care for Dreamers in 2024, making them eligible to purchase health insurance through ACA exchanges. And while that access remains in place in Nevada, Dreamers have been watching legal challenges in other states. Fords move is an attempt to head off changes under the incoming Trump administration, which is expected to eliminate Dreamers eligibility. Its a complicated fight, explained in detail here: Attorney-General-Ford-Takes-Action-to-Protect-Affordable-Care-Act-Access-for-DACA-RecipientsDownload Health insurance access is important for individual quality of life and for the wellbeing of Nevada as a whole, Ford said. Stripping this access from Dreamers, who, in most cases, know no other home than our great country, is dangerous, un-American and cruel. We must do right by the members of our community, and that Is why I am seeking to intervene in this action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Established in 2012, DACA enables certain young people those who came to the United States as children and have lived here continuously since 2007 to avoid immediate fear of deportation for revocable two-year periods. Separate regulations establish that individuals who have received grants of deferred action may work lawfully in the country. According to a news release from Fords office, DACA recipients are three times more likely to be uninsured than the general U.S. population. Uninsured populations drive up health care costs overall. Ford and the other 13 states that filed a motion to intervene are trying to protect insurance access for DACA recipients, which helps this population and aids the states generally. In addition to Nevada, other jurisdictions joining todays filing are New Jersey, Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oregon, and Vermont. A Nevada Health Link official spoke with 8 News Now on Friday, explaining that it has been difficult to reach communities that need coverage the most. Russell Cook, executive director, said the policies are affordable and could provide an important safety net. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) The City of Newark officially launched a major expansion of street outreach efforts for homeless residents on Wednesday. It is part of Mayor Ras Barakas The Path Home initiative, in collaboration with several partners including local nonprofits and health care institutions. More Local News The expansion includes a new Downtown Metro Outreach Team to provide psychiatric street treatment to homeless residents in Newarks downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outreach workers will now canvas the city 24 hours a day, in collaboration with non-profit groups Bridges Outreach and CSPNJ. The outreach teams will also work with NJ Transit police to address homelessness inside Newark Penn Station. A mobile medicine unit, in partnership with Rutgers University, also brings no-cost treatment and resources directly to unsheltered residents. The City of Newark is also adding drug counselors and licensed social workers to its Office of Homeless Services Street Outreach Team. A new texting hotline allows anyone to report a homeless person in need of non-emergency assistance. Texting PATH HOME to 855-11 will send a text to outreach teams trained to approach and assist individuals experiencing homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor said the outreach workers get to know individuals who are homeless and continuously work to bring them resources. They talk to them multiple times over and over and over again, said Baraka. They know who they are, where they stay, what they like, what they dont like. They build relationships with these folks until they say, I want help.' Lashema Edwards is a Newark resident who previously experienced homelessness. She credits the constant check-ins from outreach workers with her current stability. I felt like the average person didnt see me, said Edwards. That outreach worker coming in every day, trying to engage me, talking to me it made me feel like I was a person again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A Newark woman is facing a drug charge after Ontario County Sheriffs Deputies linked her to a fatal overdose. Investigators accused Keiana Borum, 28, of selling fentanyl to a 27-year-old woman who died of an overdose on December 17 in Manchester, Ontario County. Borum was arrested Wednesday in Newark and charged with criminal sale of a controlled substance in the third degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was arraigned and released on her own recognizance. 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 RochesterFirst. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday issued an executive order to expedite the availability of temporary housing in areas ravaged by the ongoing fires, as well as protect residents against price gouging. Directing state agencies to support local governments as they develop short-term shelter plans, the order also called for streamlining the construction and occupancy of accessory dwelling units on properties burned in the blazes. The order also included measures to ease the placement of temporary trailers, manufactured homes and recreational vehicles on private properties during rebuilding, while also suspending fees for mobile home parks for the next three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As thousands of Los Angeles residents have been faced with sudden displacement, the state is taking decisive action to help provide housing and assistance as quickly as possible, Newsom said in a statement. Today, we are expediting the creation of new temporary housing by removing roadblocks and strengthening protections against exploitation, the governor added. In addition to removing such regulatory roadblocks, the order also extended price gouging bans on hotel, motel and rental housing in Los Angeles County through March 8. Folks across the region are being preyed upon by greedy businesses and landlords, scam artists, and predatory buyers looking to make a quick buck off their pain, state Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let there be no doubt that short-term rentals are a crucial housing resource, not a get rich quick scheme, Bonta added. We are always here to make sure our neighbors have a roof over their heads. 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. California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) will raise American flags at the California Capitol on Monday for a limited time during President-elect Trumps inauguration, according to his office. The decision aligns him with many of his Republican counterparts in other states, Newsom spokesperson Izzy Gardon confirmed to The Associated Press. Flags have been at half-staff across the U.S. to commemorate the Dec. 29 death of former President Carter. The Republican governors who have made similar flag-raising declarations for Inauguration Day are Alabamas Kay Ivey, Floridas Ron DeSantis, Idahos Brad Little, Iowas Kim Reynolds, Nebraskas Jim Pillen, North Dakotas Kelly Armstrong, Tennessees Bill Lee and Texass Greg Abbott. The move goes against tradition, when flags stay at half-staff for the entirety of a 30-day mourning period following the death of a sitting or former president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Biden had previously ordered flags nationwide to be flown at half-staff until sunset Jan. 28, in accordance with an Eisenhower-era proclamation setting the length of the honor. Trump seemingly raised his own flags at his private Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida before the end of the mourning period. Earlier this month, the president-elect accused Democrats of being 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 wrote at the time on Truth Social. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) also announced Tuesday that flags will fly full-staff at the U.S. Capitol for the inauguration, with the flags being lowered back to half-staff later on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to Newsoms press office for comment. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A fast-moving sweep of snow will swing through West Michigan Wednesday night, likely slowing travel Thursday morning. Inside woodtv.com: Radar Snow will arrive in West Michigan just before midnight on Wednesday, continuing into Thursday morning. Snow will be falling at its heaviest rate and be most widespread before sunrise Thursday. The fresh accumulation will set the stage for a challenging morning commute. Winds will be blowing from the west at 10 to 20 mph, which could reduce visibility and compound the travel challenges. Make sure to give yourself some extra time to reach where you need to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inside woodtv.com: Live traffic conditions While there may be some impacts early in the day, the snow totals will be fairly light, with most communities receiving 1 to 2 inches of snow. The heaviest amounts are likely west of US-131 approaching the lakeshore. Isolated 3-inch snowfall amounts may stack up in Muskegon, Allegan and Van Buren counties. Sign up for the Storm Team 8 daily forecast newsletter Since this snow is coming in along a warm front, we will feel some benefits in terms of temperatures with a minor weekend thaw. Highs will lift into the lower and mid-30s. Stay with Storm Team 8 for updates regarding the snow and a shift into Arctic air next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) The Niagara SPCA is asking for the publics assistance to find a person who allegedly dumped a dog in a Wendys dumpster early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred at the Wendys in the Town of Niagara. The SPCA is looking for any information regarding the vehicle or the person pictured in this post. The organizations humane investigations officer can then be reached at (716) 731-4368 ext. 316. Local attorney Dominic Saraceno is giving away a $3,000 reward to whoever has information that will lead to the persons arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog is currently safe in the SPCAs custody. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. 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 News 4 Buffalo. By Camillus Eboh ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigerian troops have killed 76 Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) militants in the country's northeastern Borno state in recent weeks, a spokesperson said on Thursday. The militants were believed to belong to the armed group Boko Haram and its offshoot ISWAP, who have been waging a deadly insurgency in northeast Nigeria since 2009 that has displaced millions and killed thousands, with Borno at its epicenter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The militants have stepped up attacks in Borno since the turn of the year, including an assault on Dumba community on Sunday where at least 40 farmers were killed. Military spokesperson Major-General Edward Buba said troops killed 24 fighters during offensive operations in Damboa, Bama, and Chibok areas of Borno between Jan. 7 and 13. He did not provide details on troop casualties during the operations. Troops arrested 72 suspects and rescued eight hostages during the operations, he said in a statement. Buba said weapons and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles, grenades, rocket-propelled grenades, and improvised explosive devices, were recovered during the operations. (Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Bernadette Baum) ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) Nigerian troops killed 76 Islamic militants in the country's northeast during operations conducted in various parts of Borno state, the military said Thursday. The operations took place between Jan. 7 and Jan. 13, Nigerian army spokesperson Edward Buba said during a news conference in Abuja, Nigeria's capital. He added that the military also arrested 72 suspects and rescued eight hostages kidnapped by the militants. Buba did not provide details about the extremists' affiliation but the area of operations has long been plagued by attacks from the Boko Haram group and its breakaway faction that is loyal to the Islamic State group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The army spokesperson also did not specify if any members of the Nigerian military were killed during the operations. The announcement by Nigeria's military comes days after suspected Boko Haram militants killed at least 40 farmers in another part of Borno State. Boko Haram, Nigerias homegrown jihadis, took up arms in 2009 to fight Western education and impose their radical version of Islamic law. The conflict, now Africas longest struggle with militancy, has spilled into Nigerias northern neighbors. Some 35,000 civilians have been killed and more than 2 million have been displaced in the northeastern region, according to the U.N. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2014 kidnapping of 276 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in the village of Chibok in Borno state the epicenter of the conflict captured the attention of the world. Nigeria's military has also killed 64 extremists, arrested 69 suspects and rescued 62 hostages during other operations in the country's northwest, Buba said Thursday. Kidnappings have become a common occurrence in Nigeria's northeast, where dozens of armed groups exploit the region's limited security presence to carry out attacks on villages and along major roads. Many victims are only released after the payment of ransoms that sometimes run into the thousands of dollars. ____ Follow APs Africa coverage at: https://apnews.com/hub/africa DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) Nintendo released a first look at the successor to its roughly 8-year-old console. The company issued a press release on Thursday, teasing that the Nintendo Switch 2 would release at some point later this year. The company offered a first look trailer of the new console. As of writing the Switch 2 will play games released for the console as well as games released for the original Nintendo Switch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nintendos release states that more details will be revealed during Nintendo Direct: Nintendo Switch 2 4.2.2025 on Wednesday, Apr. 2. Click here to watch the trailer. 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. Since the beginning of the January 2025 fires around Los Angeles, claims circulated that one billionaire couple owned "most of California's water," with some people implying they were hoarding it from firefighting efforts. However, the claims revealed a misunderstanding of California's complex water system, part of which is privatized. While the couple owned a majority stake in one of California's water banks, the bank did not represent most of California's water for urban and agricultural use. Los Angeles did not acquire water from that specific water bank. As several wildfires ravaged the Los Angeles area in January 2025 and firefighters faced difficulties accessing water, rumors began to spread that a billionaire couple, Stewart and Lynda Resnick, owned the largest amount of available water in California, with some posts suggesting they were hoarding it, hindering access to water in firefighting efforts. For example, a TikTok video posted Jan. 10 claimed the Resnicks owned "the aquifers of California" (archived): Other videos on TikTok made the claim that the couple owned "most of California's water." Some accounts even claimed that the couple was hoarding water, with one alleging that they were selling it for triple the cost during the wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The claims were false, however, revealing a misunderstanding of California's complex water system. They were based on a 2022 report by More Perfect Union, a self-described progressive news outlet. The More Perfect Union X account reshared the 2-year-old video on Jan. 8, 2025, as the Los Angeles fires gathered strength. Further, as it spread, the rumor became tinged with antisemitism, as the targeted couple is Jewish. It is true that for years, the water system in California has been at the center of a controversy regarding its partly privatized water storage and management. However, the Resnicks do not, in fact, control the majority of the state's water, nor were they hoarding it from the city of Los Angeles during wildfires. California's Water System Max Gomberg of the California Water Impact Network told Snopes that no one entity in California owns the water outright. In reality, California's water is held in trust for the benefit of the people of the state. However, California privatized part of the storage and management of the state's water in 1994, with the Monterey Plus Agreement. California uses a long-term average of 40 million acre-feet of water each year, according to Gomberg and the nonpartisan think tank Public Policy Institute of California. According to the institute, the agricultural sector uses "approximately 40% of the state's water, or 80% of all water used by homes and businesses." That corresponds to 32 million acre-feet for agriculture. The remaining 8 millions go to urban use water used for drinking, cooking, sanitation, as well as firefighting efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the agreement, the Resnicks' Wonderful Co. (formerly known Roll Global) became part owner of the Kern Water Bank Authority. As such, the couple's corporation controls 57.7% of the water storage facility, which can hold up to 1.5 million acre-feet of water about 3.75% of California's water. The chairman of the board of the Kern Water Bank Authority is William Phillimore, an employee of the Westside Mutual Water Co., which is a subsidiary of The Wonderful Co. The Wonderful Co. is one of the country's largest farming companies by acreage, with 140,000 acres most of which are in California, a company spokeswoman told Snopes via email. It also owns some land in Texas and Mexico. The Los Angeles-headquartered, privately owned company is worth $6 billion, according to its website. The Resnicks Are Not Hoarding Water from LA Firefighting Efforts As for claims that the Resnicks were hoarding water, hindering firefighting efforts in Los Angeles, further investigation revealed this was not the case. In response to the claims, Wonderful published a statement on Jan. 12, 2025, denying that the company controlled most of the water in California. Further, it said that while the Kern Water Bank Authority supplies water to Kern County's farmers and the "municipal water needs of the city of Bakersfield," it had not sold water to the state in almost 20 years. In a telephone exchange, a company spokeswoman confirmed the details in this report to Snopes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southern California relies on the Metropolitan Water District of California, a water wholesaler. Metropolitan supplies water to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Metropolitan spokeswoman Rebecca Kimitch told Snopes the company imports water from the Colorado River and the Northern Sierra. "Metropolitan has more water in storage than ever before in its history," Kimitch said, implying that the wholesaler would not have needed to acquire water from the Kern Water Bank Authority. Kimitch added that other sources of water for the Southern California region include the Eastern Sierra, the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which does not pass through the Bakersfield area, and also groundwater, recycled-water facilities and a desalination plant in San Diego. We have contacted the L.A. water department for more details and we will update this story should we receive a response. Sources: California | Economic Impact of Agriculture. https://economic-impact-of-ag.uada.edu/california/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. Gibler, John. Water Heist: How Corporations Are Cashing In On California's Water. Public Citizen, https://www.citizen.org/wp-content/uploads/water_heist_lo-res.pdf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'Max Gomberg'. California Water Impact Network, https://www.c-win.org/maxgomberg. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. Null, Sarah, et al. Storing Water for the Environment. https://www.ppic.org/publication/storing-water-for-the-environment/. Peterson, Caitlin, et al. Water Use in California's Agriculture. Public Policy Institute of California, https://www.ppic.org/publication/water-use-in-californias-agriculture/. Rodriguez, Robert. 'Paramount Farms Parent Company Renamed The Wonderful Company'. The Fresno Bee, 2 June 2015, https://www.fresnobee.com/news/business/agriculture/article22833957.html. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'The Monterey Amendments'. California Water Impact Network, https://www.c-win.org/the-monterey-amendments. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. The Wonderful Company :: Who We Are. https://www.wonderful.com/who-we-are/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. The Wonderful Company :: WONDERFUL'S RESPONSE TO VIRAL CONSPIRACIES CLAIMING CONNECTION TO CALIFORNIA WATER RESOURCES AND THE TRAGIC FIRES IN LOS ANGELES. https://www.wonderful.com/press/the-wonderful-company-california-water-facts-2025/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. 'William Phillimore'. Kern Water Bank Authority, https://www.kwb.org/william-phillimore. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025. WASHINGTON (DC News Now) The U.S. Attorneys Office for D.C. said no charges will be filed against two Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers for the Sept. 1, 2024, fatal shooting of Justin Robinson, 25, due to lack of evidence, according to prosecutors. On Sept. 1, 2024, at about 5:20 a.m., MPD received information about a vehicle that had crashed into the side of the McDonalds at 2529 Marion Barry Avenue in Southeast D.C. Montgomery County police investigating fraudulent scheme involving popular social commerce marketplace platform Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When police and DC Fire and EMS Department (DCFD) crews arrived at the scene, they found Robinson, who seemed to be unresponsive sitting in the drivers seat of the vehicle. Officers said Robinson had been unresponsive inside his vehicle in the drive-thru of the McDonalds for about an hour before it moved forward and crashed into the building. Police said they saw that there was a gun in Robinsons lap. While police were trying to figure out how to safely remove the gun from the vehicle, Robinson woke up, which caused the officers to yell at Robinson to put his hands up and not touch the gun. An officer then reached into the car and attempted to grab Robinsons gun from his lap when a struggle started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the struggle, Robinson did not want to give up his gun and instead grabbed the gun of that officer. Police then told Robinson to take his hand off the officers gun. The struggle continued and two officers then discharged 11 rounds at Robinson, hitting him. Family calls for unredacted release of bodycam video at vigil for man killed by DC police Despite life-saving efforts from first responders, Robinson died there. The U.S. Attorneys Office and the MPDs Internal Affairs Division investigated the incident by using physical evidence, surveillance and body-worn camera video, audio and visual recordings as well as witness accounts, autopsy records and reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said that after a thorough investigation, they didnt find enough evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the MPD officers were criminally liable for Robinsons death. 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. HARTINGTON, Neb. (KCAU) A second attempt by Jason Jones, who was found guilty of murdering four people in Laurel, to have Nebraskas death penalty statutes ruled unconstitutional was again unsuccessful, keeping execution a possibility for Jones. A district judge ruled Wednesday that Jones arguments against the death penaltys constitutionality were all without merit and have been previously addressed by the Nebraska Supreme Court. As a result, Jones renewed motion was denied. Former Iowa police officer allegedly sent explicit photos to minor, court documents say Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones originally filed a motion to quash in Jan. 2023 after being accused of killing Gene, Janet, and Dana Twiford, along with Michele Ebeling, back on Aug. 4, 2022. That motion was denied and dismissed in March 2023. A jury would later find Jones guilty of 10 counts on Sept. 26, 2024, including four counts of first-degree murder, four counts of use of a firearm to commit a felony, and two counts of second-degree arson. A three-person panel was appointed soon after to determine whether or not he should be given the death penalty. Jones then renewed his motion to quash on Dec. 3, 2024. Jones utilized the same arguments across both motions, and the court came to the same conclusion in both instances. Jones wife, Carrie Jones, is also charged in connection with the case. She is accused of one count of first-degree murder, tampering with evidence and accessory to a felony. Carrie Jones pleaded not guilty to her charges in May 2023. A pretrial conference is scheduled for March 24, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. We're not getting the "planetary alignment" everyone's been talking about it on social media the last few weeks, sorry. But throughout January there have been four bright planets all visible at the same time in the night sky, which has been amazing, and if you look up at the right time over the next couple of nights you'll see two of them extremely close together. On Jan. 17 and 18, Venus and Saturn, which have been shining in the early evening southwest sky all month, will appear right next to each other to our eyes. Sky full of planets in January In mid-January 2025, skywatchers will be able to see four planets at the same time with the naked eye. Venus and Saturn have been getting closer (from our point of view) for the last few weeks the phenomenon is called a "conjunction" and on Friday and Saturday nights they'll appear within a couple of finger widths of each other, according to NASA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They'll still be hundreds of millions of miles apart, of course, but they'll look very close. About 2.2 degrees apart, or about four full moons, according to Sky at Night. All this month, six planets will be visible in the night sky, four of them with the naked eye. Not in what we think of as a straight line; two of them will be on one side of the sky and the others will be on the opposite side. In the first few hours after dark all month, you'll be able to see Venus and Saturn in the southwest, Jupiter high overhead, and Mars in the east, according to NASA. If you have a telescope and an app to help find them, you can also see Uranus and Neptune. Is a planetary alignment happening on Jan. 25? No more than usual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The planets in our solar system are always aligned. They orbit the sun in more or less the same flat plane that the Earth does, according to EarthSky.org, called the ecliptic. The sun and the moon and the planets, all seem to us to arc across the sky every day and night from east to west on that same imaginary track. From the Earth's surface, the planets always appear somewhere along that line, the same one the sun and moon follow, if not a ruler-straight one. How to see the planetary 'alignment' in January The Old Farmer's Almanac suggests checking out the cosmic display on Jan. 16 like so. Start at 6:30 p.m. and look toward the west to see the super-brilliant Venus shining in the sky. You can't miss it. A little to the left will be something brighter than the stars but much less than Venus. That's Saturn. You'll have an hour or two to see them before they drop below the horizon. Turn to face east. The brightest light will be Jupiter, pretty high up in the sky. The lowest light in the east will be Mars, which will have an orange hue. "If its cloudy, everything in the east will look the same for many evenings to come," the Old Farmer's Almanac said, although by the 20th Venus and Saturn will be moving away from each other. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Venus-Saturn conjunction to dazzle in night sky. How to watch NATO Military Committee Chair Admiral Rob Bauer stated at a press conference in Brussels on 16 January that there are no indications Russia is preparing for peace. As a result, NATO member states must strengthen military cooperation with partners and enhance support for Ukraine. Source: European Pravda Quote: "Russias war against Ukraine has global repercussions and there are no signs that the Kremlin is preparing for peace. Putin has put the Russian economy on a war footing and Russia is cooperating more and more closely with China, Iran and North Korea Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This requires a united, strong response. That is why we are investing more time and energy in military cooperation, interoperability and exchange of knowledge and expertise with our partners." Details: Admiral Bauer noted that the NATO Military Committee meeting on 15-16 January included, for the first time, chiefs of general staff from 26 NATO partner and EU countries. The represented countries included Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, Georgia, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Serbia, Switzerland and Ukraine. Quote: "Today, Allied Chiefs of Defence spoke at length with their Ukrainian counterpart, General Oleksandr Syrskyi. We have reaffirmed that NATO will do everything it can to help and invest in Ukraine for years to come whilst protecting the international rules-based order, including through the security assistance and training for Ukraine." Background: After the previous NATO Military Committee meeting, Admiral Bauer urged Alliance countries to increase defence spending to 3% of GDP. In an interview with European Pravda, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha stated that Ukraine would not renounce NATO membership aspirations and would not accept substitutes for full membership. Sybiha also ensured that Ukraine has not abandoned the principle of not negotiating personally with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin. Support UP or become our patron! LAS VEGAS (KLAS) No taxes on tips is becoming a closer reality for millions of workers after Democratic Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen and other senators reintroduced the proposal Thursday, her office said. Cortez Masto, Rosen, joined by Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, reintroduced their No Tax on Tips Act, which would exempt tips from the federal income tax. The proposal did not move forward in the last congressional session but was expected to receive more support this time with added guardrails to ensure only traditionally tipped employees will benefit, Cortez Masto said. Working families in Nevada deserve a break, and this bipartisan bill will put more money in their pockets, Cortez Masto said in a statement. This is one part of my comprehensive work to lower costs for working families and deliver for Nevadans across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevadas service and hospitality workers are the backbone of our economy, and they deserve financial relief at a time when they are getting squeezed by rising costs, Rosen said in a statement. This bipartisan bill will ensure tipped workers in Nevada can keep more of their hard-earned money. Ill also keep fighting to raise the minimum wage and eliminate the subminimum wage for service employees, lower costs, and cut taxes for all hardworking Nevadans. President-elect Donald Trump proposed the idea during a campaign rally in Las Vegas last summer. Republicans have made promises to lower the cost of living for Americans, delivering on those commitments must start with meaningful action, Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer for the Culinary Union said. In addition to eliminating taxes on tips, they must work with Democrats to raise the sub-minimum wage and address corporate greed driving up prices on essential goods like food, gas, and housing. Its time for Congress to act now to deliver on real solutions for working families. It was not immediately clear when the proposal could move forward in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevada has more tipped workers per capita than any other state in the country, Rosen 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 KLAS. HOUSTON (FOX 44) A Houston area nonprofit will present the wife of fallen Navasota police officer, Sergeant Mark Butler, a check for $20,000 to help with any immediate financial needs. Sgt. Butler was fatally struck on Wednesday, January 15 during a vehicle pursuit of a suspect traveling in the wrong direction. The 100 Club of Houston made the announcement of a future presentation of the $20,000 check to Sgt. Butlers widow. The 100 Club additional financial support will be made after it conducts an assessment of need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 100 Club of Houston supports the dependents of law enforcement officers and firefighters killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. 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. A nonprofit organization founded by Stacey Abrams has agreed to pay a $300,000 fine for violating campaign finance laws over its spending in support of the Georgia Democrat's candidacy during the 2018 governor's race. The Georgia Ethics Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to impose the penalty after it found that the New Georgia Project, which Abrams founded in 2013, and the affiliated New Georgia Project Action Fund had not disclosed their campaign contributions and spending after they advocated for Abrams in the race, which she lost to Gov. Brian Kemp. "These expenditures included, but were not limited to, canvassing activities, literature expressly advocating for the election of candidates, social media engagement, and operating field offices with paid staff where those electioneering activities were organized," the consent order says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission found that the nonprofit groups had not registered with the commission as an independent committee in 2017 and 2018, as required by state law because of their campaign work for Abrams. The commission's executive director, David Emadi, said at the meeting Wednesday that the groups had admitted to 16 violations of law. While this is a significant fine in scale, I believe its also appropriate given the scope," Emadi said. The commission said the penalty is the largest fine in its history. The groups failed to disclose $4.2 million in contributions during the 2018 election and $3.2 million in spending to bolster Abrams' bid for governor and to boost candidates for other statewide offices during the primaries and the general election, according to a copy of a consent order signed by attorneys for the groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Abrams did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. A spokesperson told The New York Times that Abrams hasnt been involved in the organizations work since she departed in 2017. Aria Branch, an attorney for the groups, said they are "glad to finally put this matter behind us" to engage in their work building civic engagement. "While we remain disappointed that the federal court ruling on the constitutionality of the Georgia Government Transparency and Campaign Finance Act was overturned on entirely procedural grounds, we accept this outcome and are eager to turn the page on activities that took place more than five years ago," Branch said. The New Georgia Project at the time was led by Raphael Warnock, who went on to become a Democratic senator for the state. The groups were first accused of wrongdoing in a complaint in 2019, before Warnock was elected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael J. Brewer, a Warnock spokesperson, said in a statement that during his leadership of the New Georgia Project in 2018, compliance decisions were not a part of that work. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The Georgia Ethics Commission voted unanimously Wednesday to fine two nonprofit organizations founded by Democrat Stacey Abrams after they admitted to violating state law by campaigning for her 2018 gubernatorial campaign. At the time of Abramss campaign, the groups were led by now-Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), who was elected to the Senate in 2020. The groups, New Georgia Project, and its spinoff, the New Georgia Project Action Fund, admitted during the commissions meeting that because they campaigned on Abramss behalf, they should have registered as a political committee but did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The groups were fined a $300,000 penalty, which put a cap on a six-year battle, The New York Times reported. David Emadi, the executive director for the ethics commission, said it was the largest fine in its 38-year history and the nonprofits had asked to pay the amount in two installments. The Hill has reached out to New Georgia Project and Abrams for comment. A spokesperson for Abrams told the Times that she wasnt involved with the groups work since she departed in 2017. A spokesperson for Warnock said while he led the organization at the time of Abramss campaign, he was not involved in compliance decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission found the nonprofits raised upward of $4 million and spent more than $3 million to help Abrams and other 2018 candidates. The groups did not file as a campaign committee before receiving donations and failed to file campaign finance reports before the election, the commission found. New Georgia Project was founded in 2013 by Abrams and intends to register more younger voters of color and urge them to vote in elections. Its a charity that can accept tax-deductible donations, The Associated Press reported. 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. The explosions that hit the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea in 2022 released around 465,000 tons of planet-warming methane into the atmosphere, new studies have revealed. The three studies published the journals Nature and Nature Communications said that this was largest known single man-made event in which methane escaped into the atmosphere. The authors said the calculated amount of methane accounted for only 0.1% of the methane emissions caused by humans in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pipelines were not operational at the time of the blasts, in which sabotage is suspected. But they were filled with pressurized natural gas, a key component of which is methane. Bubbles had been seen rushing to the sea surface above the damaged the lines for days. After carbon dioxide, methane is the second-largest driver of climate change. Calculated over a 20-year time scale, methane is around 85 times more potent in its ability to trap heat than carbon dioxide. The researchers led by Stephen Harris from the UN's International Methane Emissions Observatory used several sources to make their estimate, including data from the pipeline operator and measurements taken by ships and satellites. The findings were released on Wednesday. Baltic Sea blasts In September 2022, Nord Stream 1 and 2 were damaged by several explosions recorded near the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly afterwards, four leaks were discovered in three of the four Nord Stream pipeline strands. Russian natural gas had previously flowed to Germany through Nord Stream 1. Nord Stream 2 was not yet in operation due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and subsequent political tensions. There has been intense and varied speculation about the perpetrators and masterminds behind the incidents, with investigations ongoing and no one claiming responsibility. Moscow and Kiev have traded blame. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) North Carolina's Democratic Gov. Josh Stein unveiled new measures on Thursday that extend state protections for certain health care providers and patients' reproductive health data just a few days before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Democratic governors such as New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy's recent decision to stockpile abortion medication within the state are taking renewed action to curb possible anti-abortion measures under Trump's administration. Trumps stance on abortion was largely inconsistent on the campaign trail and its unclear what action he will take after taking office next week. I don't know what will happen, but what I am trying to communicate to the people of this state is that they have a champion in me for their personal privacy and their right to make their own health care decisions, Stein said at a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the executive order, state Cabinet agencies are ordered not to cooperate with prosecution and penalties against health care providers who provided legal reproductive health services, including abortion. State agencies also must review and revise how they store data related to a patient's reproductive health to maximize protections for individual privacy," according to the executive order. The state's health and human services department is charged with ensuring access to legal birth control and reproductive health care medication in North Carolina. Stein's action builds off a previous executive order from former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in 2022 shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Cooper's order offered protections from extradition to out-of-state abortion patients and barred state agencies from aiding other states' investigations into abortion patients traveling to North Carolina. Stein's actions further cement yearslong efforts by Democratic governors to offer sanctuary to those seeking abortions across the country. North Carolina is one of the only states in the South that doesn't restrict abortion access to six weeks or below. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The GOP-dominated state legislature passed and overrode Cooper's veto of a law banning most abortions after 12 weeks in 2023. A federal judge struck down part of the law last year that required physicians to document the intrauterine location of a pregnancy before distributing medication abortion. Any further legislation on abortion will have a tougher time making its way through the legislature after Republicans lost their House supermajority in the 2024 general election. That also means Stein's veto should be more effective than his predecessor's. HUBERT, N.C. (WNCT) A man was charged with multiple crimes after a woman reported to law enforcement that she had been held at gunpoint and assaulted on Dec. 28, 2024. On Jan. 10, 2025, Alonzo Jackson, 33, was charged with: Felony second degree kidnapping Felony assault by strangulation Felony robbery with a dangerous weapon Interfering with 911 communications Assault by pointing a gun Assault on a female Assault with a deadly weapon Law enforcement seized two guns from Jackson. He was jailed without bond and later was given a $350,000 secured bond. He was jailed in the Onslow County Detention Center. 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 WNCT. JACKSONVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) Students and staff members across the country personal data could now be exposed after a cyber-attack on PowerSchools student information system. For some, that could include their social security number, medical information, address and other personally identifiable information. In North Carolina, all public schools have used PowerSchool since 2013. Several schools in Eastern North Carolina are addressing the breach. Pitt and Martin County Schools leaders said some of their staffs Social Security numbers were compromised, but not students. In Pitt County, some students medical and disciplinary information were accessed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt everybody. With the numbers, its hard to go into details with the numbers because this does go back some years, Chief Communications Officer for Onslow County Schools Brent Anderson said. Its not just students and staff that are in school now. Onslow County Schools said none of their students social security numbers were part of the breach. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) notified the district on Jan. 10th. They got official numbers of how many people were impacted Tuesday morning. From what weve been told, the information that was downloaded has been destroyed and is no longer out there, Anderson said. A PowerSchool contract employees credentials were compromised, causing the breach. The company discovered this on Dec. 28th. Theyre now handling the investigation and will notify people impacted by the end of the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cybersecurity experts said students information is especially valuable. Young peoples Social Security numbers arent going to be used to apply for credit for a while, ECU Instructor for Department of Technology Systems Joseph Jeansome said. Maybe theyre eight years old. Theyre not going to start applying credit till theyre 18, 19 years old. So, they dont monitor their credit. So, these people are able to steal our identity and use it for years without anybody realizing it that the identity has been stolen. It can also be used to extort parents working for the government or military. What if then, they say, Hey, I wont release this, I just need you to open up this file while youre at work and then, you start compromising government systems or federal, you know, or military systems, whatever it might be, Security Architect Manager and Office of the CTO at Check Point Software Aaron Rose said. Experts said there is no true way to prevent this. What we can do is make sure that were monitoring our credit. Make sure that youre running those annual credit reports, Jeansome said. Right. Your three major credit agencies run your credit scores. Make sure nobodys using your stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have a strong, you know, cybersecurity piece of software on your home desktop or laptop, whatever it might be, your mobile devices and, you know, trust your gut, Rose said. If something seems odd, dont click on it. Nothings going to, you know, youre not going to miss out on some great deal on the next, I dont know, iPhone or whatever it might be because you can click on that link. 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 WNCT. Fresh green kratom leaf (Mitragyna speciosa) with kratom powder capsule. (Getty Images) North Dakota lawmakers chose not to ban the plant-based substance kratom, but one lawmaker indicated a bill to regulate the substance is in the works. House Bill 1101 would have added mitragynine, derived from kratom, to a list of Schedule I controlled substances. Lawmakers heard testimony that the substance is sometimes used in pain management and opioid withdrawal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House members voted 77-15 on Wednesday to defeat the bill. More 2025 legislative session coverage Rep. Eric Murphy, R-Grand Forks, who has a doctorate degree in biochemistry and neurochemistry from Ohio State University, said he thought listing kratom as a Schedule I drug goes too far. Several people submitted testimony that kratom, which comes from a tree that grows in southeast Asia, has helped with chronic pain. There is a lot of excitement around this, he said. Rep. Daniel Johnston, R-Kathryn, said during committee discussion that he would bring a bill draft for state regulation of kratom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnston and other committee members noted the federal Drug Enforcement Administration had not listed kratom or mitragynine as a banned drug as the North Dakota bill had called for. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore is arrested outside the Capitol soon after he deliberately violated a ban barring him from entering the House chambers. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder This story was updated at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, with additional reaction to Moores arrest. A right-wing Republican state senator was arrested Thursday morning while attempting to enter the House chambers to attend the State of the State address by GOP Gov. Brian Kemp. Controversial Trenton legislator Colton Moore was handcuffed and removed from the Capitol by state police following an altercation with staff members and law enforcement as Moore made several attempts to enter the House chamber floor for the annual governors address. Georgia state Sen. Colton Moore tried to force his way into the House Chamber for the governors State of the State speech before his arrest. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Moore was banned from entering the House chamber last year by GOP House Speaker Jon Burns after speaking ill of the late House Speaker David Ralston while the Blue Ridge Republican was being posthumously honored in the Senate. Moore took to the well and spoke about allegations that Ralston had used his position as speaker to benefit his law firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling the comments some of the vilest that you can make about a good man, current speaker Burns instructed the House doorkeeper not to allow Moore to set foot in the chamber. The doorkeeper made good on that Thursday when Moore tried to enter the chamber along with his Senate colleagues for a joint session to hear from the governor. The doorkeeper asked Moore to step aside and watch the governors speech from outside the chamber. Moore tried to push his way in, but was stopped by the doorkeeper and other staff. Moore insisted he was legally and constitutionally entitled to enter the chamber, but the doorkeeper disagreed, and so did the multiple Capitol police officers stationed outside the House awaiting Moores arrival. Moore had announced on social media earlier his intention to challenge the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After several minutes of pushing and shoving, Moore fell to the ground. After more arguing, officers told Moore he was under arrest, cuffed him and led him away to a squad car. The Georgia State Patrol released a statement Thursday afternoon that said Moore was arrested on an initial charge of misdemeanor obstruction of law enforcement officers after Moore created a public disturbance prior to the State of the State address. Moore was booked into the Fulton County jail before being released Thursday afternoon. According to the state police, Moore ignored several warnings after troopers at the Capitol tried to calm him down as he persisted in his attempts to disrupt official proceedings inside the chamber. The disturbance escalated further when Senator Moore pushed into troopers multiple times, the statement said. The Georgia State Patrol, in an effort to maintain peace and ensure the safety of everyone involved, arrested Sen. Moore without further incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several hours after his arrest Moore posted a video on X from inside Emory Midtown Hospital, where he said was being treated for injuries that included a swollen left hand. He said he would return to the Capitol for Fridays session. I appreciate all of your support, all of the warm comments from all over the country, all over the state of Georgia, Moore said. Im proud to represent the people from Northwest Georgia today. They took my freedom and liberty away as I was fighting for your liberty and freedom. But I tell you what, I still have a constitutional obligation to do work. Ill still be in that legislature come tomorrow morning. Sen. Colton Moore is arrested after trying to enter the Georgia House. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Moore has been a controversial figure in the Senate. He was previously booted from the GOP caucus after lawmakers said he posted contact information for colleagues to social media and urged people to call them to urge a special session to target Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis for arresting former president, now President-elect Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore is the vice chair of the Georgia Freedom Caucus, one of several state caucuses formed in 2024 as an extension of the U.S. Congress House Freedom Caucus. State Freedom Caucus Network President Andrew Roth sent an email blast Thursday claiming Moore was wrongfully arrested for trying to attend the governors speech. This move to arrest Colton was unconstitutional and wholly unnecessary and unconstitutional, but expected. Swampy Georgia Republicans dislike Colton because he continually exposes them for supporting bloated budgets and big government programs, Roth wrote in the fundraising email. Several other legal experts and political figures have raised questions regarding the legality of Moores arrest, as well as the ethical reasoning for blocking Moore from entering the House chamber. State Sen. Colton Moores booking photo at Fulton County jail following Jan. 16 arrest. Fulton County Sheriffs Office Georgia law prohibits legislators from being arrested during the General Assembly session, with the exceptions of felony offenses, breach of peace, and treason. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burns released a statement calling the situation unfortunate while he defended the decision to ban Moore for breaking the rules of House decorum. Burns also praised state representatives for standing firm Thursday by honoring the legacy of Ralston. Burns counterpart in the Senate disagreed with the decision to arrest Moore. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Butts County Republican, said legislators have the right to attend an official legislative session matter. There is real work to be done this session, and the focus should be on delivering for the people of Georgia instead of personal grievances and egos, Jones said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Majority Leader Chuck Efstration told reporters after the speech that Burns did his duty to maintain order in the House chamber. The senator caused a very dangerous situation today with law enforcement, doorkeepers, staff and other individuals that were present, he said. I think House members that were standing behind the doors in the chamber were focused on the governors State of the State address and the important work to be done this legislative session, and thats where the focus should be. Democrats have been content to watch the intraparty feuding from the sidelines. When elephants are fighting, get out of the way, House Minority Leader Carolyn Hugley, a Columbus Democrat, told reporters afterwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore is the third Georgia lawmaker arrested inside the Capitol in the last few years. U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, an Atlanta Democrat, was among a group of people arrested in 2018 while protesting the ballot counting in the 2018 governors race. In 2021, state Rep. Park Cannon, an Atlanta Democrat, was arrested on the same charges as Williams for knocking on Kemps office doors during the signing of controversial election law overhaul Senate Bill 202. Sen. Colton Moore struggles to enter the Georgia House. Ross Williams/Georgia Recorder Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges against Williams and Cannon were dropped by prosecutors later. However, their attorneys argued at a Georgia Supreme Court hearing in May that the laws that were used to arrest them are vague, overly broad, and violate their constitutional rights as free individuals. In November, the state Supreme Court found the arrests of Cannon and Williams were legal, but advised the Legislature to clarify the types of disruptions that are prohibited under law. Gerald Griggs, the president of the Georgia NAACP and Atlanta lawyer, posted a thread on X citing the Georgia Constitution which protects lawmakers from arrest during sessions except in very limited circumstances. Griggs was Cannons lawyer when Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis decided not to pursue criminal charges against Cannon for the incident that occurred a few weeks prior. Griggs posted Thursday that Moores arrest wasnt the first time people tend to ignore the law. Griggs said that while disorderly conduct is the usual criminal charge connected to a breach of peace, Georgia law protects elected legislators from being arrested for trying to attend meetings and legislative floor sessions inside the chambers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said that the Georgia Constitution holds more legal weight than House rules like the ones used to justify blocking Moore from entering the House chamber. The Georgia Legislatures new-two year session started Monday. Wouldnt an elected official have the right to be in a joint session of the legislature? At what point was his right taken away by an order of the court or the will of the people, Griggs wrote on X. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) The Bundrant Stadium at North High School in Evansville is set to receive new turf. The project was announced during the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation school board meeting on Monday. The new North High School building was built in 2012, and serves more than 1,400 students. An EVSC spokesperson says the stadiums current turf has actually out-performed its life expectancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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). For the first time in history, North Korean troops will march alongside the Russians during the Victory Day parade on 9 May in Moscow's Red Square. Source: NHK, citing its own sources Quote: "They [NHK sources ed.] expect tens of North Korean personnel will take part." Details: The media outlet reports that the decision to have the North Korean military participate in the Victory Day parade has already been made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This will be the first time North Korea sends its troops to Moscow to take part in the celebrations, the media reported. Discussions to involve a North Korean military band for the Victory Day parade and other celebrations in Russia are also underway. Background: In October 2024, North Korea called South Korea and Ukraines accusations of the DPRK sending soldiers to fight on the side of Russia in the war with Ukraine "groundless rumours". South Korean intelligence reported that an agreement between North Korea and Russia includes an annual supply of 600-700 tonnes of rice to North Korea, a salary of US$2,000 for North Korean soldiers deployed in Ukraine, space technology, and provisions for Russian involvement in potential conflicts on the Korean Peninsula. In November 2024, sources in Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) confirmed that the first clash between Ukrainian forces and North Korean troops took place in Russias Kursk Oblast. Support UP or become our patron! Over 12,000 North Korean troops are estimated to be fighting against Ukrainian forces in Russias Kursk region, deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Dorothy Camille Shea told the United Nations Security Council last week. Of those dispatched to the region, an estimated 300 North Korean soldiers in Russia have died and over 2,700 have been wounded, according to South Koreas National Intelligence Services closed briefing to the National Assembly on Monday. North Korean defectors who finished their almost decade-long military service in their 20's have shared their mixed sentiments and analysis with ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So unfortunate, thats all I can say, North Korean defector Lee Cheol-eun said with a grimace after watching footage of North Korean soldiers fighting in Kursk, Russia, against the Ukrainian forces. The 37-year-old served in the Korea Peoples Army security department until he escaped the regime in 2016, meaning he knows better than anyone about having to follow orders in a system that one does not believe in. They do not know why they have to bleed and lose lives on that battlefield, I feel empty watching them, Lee said. The soldiers dispatched to Russia must be the ones who are best trained about modern warfare and should have received the basic adaptation training upon arrival. The fact that theyve been pushed into a situation where they have no choice but to die breaks my heart, Defector Jang Seyul, who served in the North Korean Peoples Armys intelligence agency that focuses on cyber warfare simulations, told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Korean soldiers on the Kursk frontlines are the infamous "Storm Corps," according to South Koreas National Intelligence. North Korea is estimated to be training at least 40,000 to as many as 80,000 Storm Corps soldiers who spend 13 years serving in the military and cut off from the outside world. Jang recalled how dominant they were during joint battle drills. People would refer to them as murder weapons. They received high-level training that the regular soldiers couldnt imagine, said Jang. Jang says the Storm Corps were provided with slightly larger rations of food and that they are compensated better once they are discharged considering their longer tenure of service and harsh training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Storm Corps are not only prepared to be physically stronger but also highly indoctrinated, according to the retired Lieutenant General Chun In-bum of the South Korean Army, referring to them as "an elite force that is one grade above the average North Korean unit." However, in spite of their reputation, the Storm Corps soldiers in North Korea have been seen flailing helplessly under Ukrainian drone attacks, according to footage provided by Ukrainian forces. Seouls intelligence service briefed lawmakers in a closed-door briefing on Monday, saying the main reason for mass casualties is due to the North Korean soldiers' lack of understanding in modern warfare, such as drone target shots and charging without rear fire support. General Chun In-bum said that it may be too early to determine if the North Korean soldiers were insufficiently trained, explaining that drone warfare is new to everyone on the frontlines. PHOTO: Russia Ukraine War North Korean Troops (Gavriil Grigorov/AP) The North Koreans will be unaccustomed to the flatlands and the Ukrainian front, but that doesn't mean that they're not going to be adapting, especially if they are experiencing high casualties. It's a great motivator when you see that your life is on the line, Chun told ABC News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seoul speculates that North Korea may dispatch more troops in the near future. Chun believes the same. So even for just rotational purposes, I think there is a high probability that more soldiers will be deployed there. Whatever the situation is, the relationship between Putin and Kim Jong Un is going to solidify and, to a degree, I'm sure the Russian people are going to appreciate that the North Koreans are sending soldiers at a moment when they are in a very difficult situation, General Chun said. The dispatch of North Korean soldiers to Russia is still an open secret within the secluded regime which has limited access to news from the outside world. Defectors and experts on North Korea in Seoul having different opinions about how the North Korean public will react once they are aware. General Chun assumes that for the family members of the deceased North Korean soldiers, the regime will compensate them with all the benefits possible in hopes they will come to appreciate their sons sacrifice for their country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Jang, on the other hand, sees the North Korean people as less loyal than the generation before them, suggesting the regime would have to put in greater effort into explaining the soldiers deaths. Average North Korean people are unaware of the dispatch. But people who secretly communicate with the outside world, and those who listen to the propaganda broadcasting signals sent from the South probably know what is going on, Lee told ABC News. I hope the survivors of the Russia dispatch will return home and inform others of the injustice of the North Korean system based on their experience abroad. North Korean soldiers dispatched to Russia originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Since December, North Korean troops have been taking part in active combat on Russia's side in the country's Kursk Oblast, where Ukraine has held territory since August. This unprecedented move, made against the backdrop of a deepening Moscow-Pyongyang alliance, provided some insight into how North Korean troops fare in modern warfare. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 9 that North Korea had suffered 4,000 soldiers killed or wounded while fighting for Russia against Ukraine. A week later, South Korea's intelligence agency placed North Korean losses at 300 killed and 2,700 injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Korea's intelligence agency placed North Korean losses at 300 killed and 2,700 injured. Though these claims cannot be independently verified, experts interviewed by the Kyiv Independent for this article believe the figures to be credible. This means that up to one-third of the 12,000-strong North Korean contingent sent to aid Russia's war have been killed or injured. But despite gaps in knowledge and experience, observers acknowledge that the North Koreans have proven to be committed, even fanatical fighters. As a testament of their will to fight and die in war a continent away, Ukraine has so far managed to capture only two North Korean soldiers the others reportedly commit suicide or are killed by their comrades to avoid falling into captivity. A North Korean POW captured by Ukrainian forces during hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast, as seen in a photo published on Jan. 11, 2025. (President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram) What's behind North Korean losses? Though Ukraine reported the first limited clashes with North Korean troops in Kursk Oblast in early November 2024, full-fledged combat deployment in ground assaults can be traced to mid-December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement North Korean soldiers have joined Russian efforts in retaking Ukrainian-held territory in Kursk Oblast, held since early August 2024. Since then, Kyiv's forces began churning out footage of North Korean soldiers being hunted down by FPV drones or killed by Ukrainian fire as reports of casualties mounted. Despite the training and equipment Russia provided to its new allies, North Korean troops proved ill-prepared for the realities of modern warfare, lacking the experience of their Russian and Ukrainian counterparts. "North Korean troops are being 'consumed' for front-line assaults in an unfamiliar battlefield environment of open fields, and they lack the ability to respond to drone attacks," said a South Korean official briefed by his country's intelligence agency in December. The high casualty rates can also be attributed to the "human wave" tactic mirroring Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine as North Korean soldiers are funneled against fortified Ukrainian defenses. The battlefield environment in Russia's war against Ukraine has been especially deadly, with Russia itself suffering between 600,000-800,000 casualties throughout the full-scale invasion, according to Ukrainian sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the Kyiv Independent, defense expert Viktor Kevliuk said that the purpose of the North Korean contingent is to "solve tactical tasks that involve a high level of losses." "The purpose of the North Korean contingent is to "solve tactical tasks that involve a high level of losses." Similarly, White House spokesperson John Kirby noted that North Korea employs "massed dismounted assaults" which "haven't really been that effective" and result in "heavy casualties." "At night, small, overstretched groups (10-15 soldiers) come in, accumulate, and then enter the village from different directions," a Ukrainian soldier fighting near Sudzha told the Kyiv Independent on Jan. 6, confirming that North Korean assaults resemble the infamous "human wave" tactics. A soldier fixes a drone underground in a Ukrainian military position in Ukrainian-controlled territory in Kursk Oblast, Russia on Aug. 18, 2024. (Ed Ram / For The Washington Post / Getty Images) Oleksandr, who serves in the intelligence of the 82nd brigade that participates in the Kursk incursion, shows a video of his unit's drone destroying Russian equipment in Sumy, Ukraine on Nov. 6, 2024. (Oksana Parafeniuk for The Washington Post via Getty Images) "I think these columns are entirely Koreans, they come in, and then they are replaced by Russians already in the positions they occupy." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sydney Seiler, a senior advisor at the Center of Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) and former U.S. intelligence officer for North Korea, told the Kyiv Independent that "cards (have been) stacked against" North Korean soldiers from the beginning. "And when you throw on top of that command and control language differences and just the fact that this is high casualty warfare," the current casualty rates are to be expected, the expert said. Western and Ukrainian officials nevertheless acknowledged that the "indoctrinated" North Korean soldiers, including elite "Storm Corps" units, showed high resolve and continued attacking no matter the casualties or chances of success. South Korea's intelligence agency recently said that the North Korean soldiers chose suicide rather than falling into captivity, ramping up the losses even further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A video published by Special Operations Forces of Ukraine on Jan. 13, showed Ukrainian troops taking part in active combat with allegedly North Korean troops in Russia's Kursk Oblast. In one instance, the video captures a soldier fighting against Ukrainian troops committing suicide. Read also: Ukraines new Kursk push brings minor gains, raising concerns over limited resources North Korean troops are learning their lessons While the deployment of North Korean soldiers is mutually beneficial to both Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, The New York Times reported that the idea came from Pyongyang. North Korea receives not only assistance for its nuclear weapons program, hard cash, and other tangible benefits but also valuable military experience. The threat of the North Korean regime acquiring a battle-hardened force adept at modern warfare has indeed become a cause for concern both in Seoul and Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pyongyang "is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology, and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbors," said Dorothy Camille Shea, the deputy U.S. ambassador to the U.N. "Pyongyang "is significantly benefiting from receiving Russian military equipment, technology, and experience, rendering it more capable of waging war against its neighbors." Special Operations Forces shared an alleged excerpt from a diary of a killed North Korean soldier that seems to confirm these concerns. "I emphasize once again that the most important, vital task for our Armed Forces is readiness in the event of war," the diary reads. The goal of North Korea's involvement in Russia's war is "to prepare versatile battalions that can perform any task perfectly, even at the cost of death." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, it appears that the North Koreans are learning their lesson albeit the hard way. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un inspecting a training base of the Korean People's Army's special operations forces in western Pyongyang, a day after South Korea's Armed Forces Day on the TV screen in Seoul, South Korea on Oct. 4, 2024. (Kim Jae-Hwan/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's evidence that they're (North Korean troops) starting to learn how to use soldiers as decoys for drones while others shoot them down," Mick Ryan, a retired Australian major general and non-resident fellow at the CSIS, told the Kyiv Independent. "It's going to be a long, slow learning process for them, but they will learn those who survive and they'll pass those lessons on to subsequent deployments to Kursk and to their military back home in North Korea." Seiler told the Kyiv Independent that North Koreans "probably engaged in military actions that are relatively simple in their complexity and become highly repetitive." "They've overcome the shock of the sudden deployment," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The expert nevertheless voiced skepticism about the usefulness of the gained experience unless North Korea dispatches a larger contingent. "I don't really believe that unless this is a protracted contribution of troops somewhere up towards 100,000 or more (who) get experience that that's going to be a big payoff," Seiler said. There are signals that the initial 12,000-strong contingent might not be the last batch of reinforcements Moscow receives. Speaking to U.S. podcaster Lex Fridman, Zelensky said that North Korea could dispatch an additional 30,00040,000 troops to the front as Russia ramps up pressure in Kursk Oblast. Read also: Everything we know about the North Korean POWs captured by Ukraine Gains outweighing the costs On Russia's part, North Korean troops can help beef up the front in Kursk Oblast while experienced Russian forces continue pushing forward in Ukraine's east. "The North Korean contingent is a discount way to increase the density of (Russia's) battle formations in the Kursk region," Kevliuk said, acknowledging that they are "useful in this context." Putin is likely to try and squeeze Ukraine out of his home turf before Kyiv can leverage its positions there in possible peace talks this year. Russia has been steadily chipping away at Ukrainian gains in its southwestern region for the past months. A recent Ukrainian offensive appeared to have achieved only limited gains so far rather than turning the tide. As for North Korea, experts concur that both tangible and intangible benefits the country's regime receives outweigh any potential losses. "Whether it's broader lessons from the war about drones and air defense, strategic coercion, information operations, whether it's about access to new technologies for its missiles and these kinds of things, there will be other kinds of returns that North Korean will be expecting," Ryan said. According to Seiler, Kim Jong Un's ambition to "show himself as a leader among this new axis of upheaval" and gain diplomatic benefits from his partners could be even more important than any potential battlefield experience. Western officials have warned that North Korea could grow bolder should Ukraine be defeated, with potential repercussions for the security in the Korean Peninsula and the Asia-Pacific region at large. Natalia Yermak contributed reporting to this article. Note from the author: Hi, this is Martin Fornusek. I hope you enjoyed this article. Our team strives every day to bring you in-depth insights into Russia's ongoing war and Ukraine's resistance, but we wouldn't be able to do so without the support of readers like you. To help us continue in this work, please consider supporting our reporting. Thank you very much. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. North Korean soldiers will participate in Russias Victory Day parade in Moscow on May 9, marking the first such instance in history, the Japanese broadcaster NHK World reported on Jan. 16, citing undisclosed Russian sources. Since launching its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia has deepened its diplomatic and military ties with North Korea. Last fall, Pyongyang sent troops to Russia's Kursk Oblast to bolster Moscow's efforts against a Ukrainian incursion. Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov announced on Jan. 15 that military from 19 "friendly" countries have been invited to the Victory Day parade. NHK's sources said that tens of North Korean personnel are expected to participate in the commemoration of the victory in World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kremlin foreign policy advisor Yuri Ushakov signaled back in December 2024 that North Korean troops might join the event. Read also: North Korean troops deployed to fight for Russia learn modern warfare albeit at heavy cost Additionally, a North Korean military band is reportedly set to perform at a music event in Moscow in late August, marking the first time North Korean military representatives will participate in such events in Russia. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico also accepted Russian President Vladimir Putins invitation to attend the Victory Day celebrations in Moscow. The Kremlin heavily leverages the annual Victory Day celebrations to project military strength and propagate its narrative of Soviet heroism in World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian propaganda continues to exploit these historical victories, using them to justify its current aggression against Ukraine. Putin has framed the war as a mission to "de-Nazify" Ukraine, a false accusation rooted in his broader disinformation campaign. Read also: Everything we know about the North Korean POWs captured by Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Attorney General Tim Griffin said a woman who surrendered to police in October 2024 was sentenced in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Wednesday for elder abuse. JaLayia McClendon turned herself into after an investigation. Officials said the 28-year-old McClendon struck an 82-year-old resident under her care at Woodland Heights Senior Living in Little Rock. Three facing charges of Medicaid fraud, elder abuse in separate Arkansas incidents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses said at the time the woman, who had dementia and Alzheimers, had bruises on her face and forearm as a result of the strikes. McClendon received a sentence of five years probation and a $1,000 fine. Protecting seniors from abuse will continue to be a priority for my office, Griffin said. I congratulate my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their diligence in securing this conviction, especially Special Agent Heath Nelson and Assistant Attorney General Gabrielle Davis-Jones. North Little Rock police arrest man in connection with shooting death Griffin also thanked Prosecutor Will Jones for his offices assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. CARENCRO, La. (KLFY) Motorists heading north from Lafayette on I-49 may want to leave a little earlier than usual for the time being. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has announced the right lane of I-49 northbound is closed at the Lafayette/St Landry Parish line until further notice. This lane closure is necessary to allow crews to perform emergency road repairs, DOTD said. One lane will be open to regular traffic with no width restrictions. Emergency vehicles will have access to the area, but may experience delays. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest 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. OSLO (Reuters) - Norway and France have signed a letter of intent to expand and strengthen their defence and security policy cooperation, the Norwegian defence ministry said on Thursday. Norway's Defence Minister Bjoern Arild Gram and French Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu met in Oslo to sign the agreement. The two countries plan enhanced cooperation on exercises and training in Norway and will work together to counter hybrid threats to critical infrastructure such as undersea cables and energy supply lines, the Norwegian ministry said in a statement. The two ministers also discussed enhanced defence materiel cooperation, Norway said. (Reporting by Terje Solsvik, editing by Louise Rasmussen) PARIS Norway and France agreed to step up defense cooperation, signing a letter of intent that paves the way for working together more closely in areas such as maritime surveillance. The agreement comes as Frances Naval Group eyes a multibillion-dollar acquisition of frigates by the Royal Norwegian Navy. Norwegian Defense Minister Bjrn Arild Gram Gram welcomed his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu for talks at Akershus Fortress in Oslo on Thursday, followed by meetings with the French and Norwegian defense industries, the government said in a statement. France is on Norways shortlist to supply five or six frigates, together with Germany, the U.K. and the U.S., in what would be the biggest Norwegian defense investment ever. The government says its looking for a strategic partnership with a close ally rather than just buying a stand-alone vessel, and its choice will consider coinciding strategic interests, including in the High North. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France is one of our allied partners that sails, exercises and trains the most in our neighboring areas, Gram said. Our common interests are many and broad, and we have a strong mutual interest in further developing our co-operation. The governments, in their joint document, emphasized their common strategic understanding of global security threats and the need to maintain situational awareness and presence in the High North. Gram said Lecornus visit and the letter signal even closer co-operation with France in several areas, such as maritime surveillance in the north and joint exercise activities. France and Norway will agreed to work together on hybrid threats, particularly protection of critical infrastructure such as submarine cables and energy supply lines, the government said. NATO this month launched a maritime patrol mission in the Baltic Sea in response to multiple acts of sabotage against underwater infrastructure. Talks on increased cooperation on defense material held a central position during the visit, with both countries planning to invest heavily in equipment, Norway said. Kongsberg presented its Hugin underwater drone to Lecornu, according to the statement, which also mentioned France as one of the countries competing to supply frigates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naval Groups Defense and Intervention Frigate, known by its French acronym FDI, would perfectly fulfill Norways plan to equip itself with modern frigates, Gael Diaz de Tuesta, the head of international cooperation and exports at the French directorate for armaments, said in a parliamentary hearing on Wednesday. Naval Group started sea trials of the first FDI frigate in October, with a total of five ships on order from the French Navy, while Greece has ordered another three vessels in the class. The frigate has a length of 122 meters and displaces around 4,500 tons, making it smaller than the vessels being built or planned in the U.K., Germany and the United States. The FDI is designed to be continuously upgraded, according to Naval Group, and the frigate has a redundant IT architecture with two data centers. The versions for the French Navy will be equipped with Thales radar and sonar and armed with MBDAs Exocet anti-ship missiles and Aster air-defense interceptors, torpedoes and guns in various calibers. Meanwhile, French underwater drone maker Exail complained to lawmakers last month that France continues to buy deep sea drones from Kongsberg, rather than pick a French product. The armaments directorate in October 2022 awarded the Norwegian company a contract to supply an autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters. The two F-35 fighter jets that Norway deployed to Poland in early January were scrambled on alert the day before, on 15 January, due to Russian aviation activity. Source: European Pravda, citing NATO Air Command Details: Norwegian fighter jets were reportedly alerted "in response to a massive number of airborne Russian aircraft". "This is the first time the Norwegian jets have scrambled in active air defence of Polish Airspace, demonstrating Allied commitment to NATO's eastern flank," NATO Air Command added. Yesterday, two F-35s stationed in scrambled in response to a massive number of airborne aircraft This is the first time the jets have scrambled in active air defence of Polish Airspace, demonstrating Allied commitment to NATO's eastern flank pic.twitter.com/jpcfhxOSsx NATO Air Command (@NATO_AIRCOM) January 16, 2025 Background: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The F-35 multi-role fighter jets were sent by Norway to support the defence of Polish airspace and arrived last week. Earlier, in December, it was reported that Norwegian NASAMS air defence systems were deployed and ready to protect a logistics centre in Rzeszow, Poland. Support UP or become our patron! BROOKLYN (PIX11) Local bars in New York are bringing the community together hosting fundraisers Wednesday to provide much-needed relief amidst the wildfires that continue to burn in Southern California. At the Whiskey on Grand in Williamsburg, staff set a $10,000 goal in their efforts to raise money for the Red Cross. They held a charity night filled with raffles and drink specials bringing the community together to support the cause. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The world needs love right now, said attendee Anthony Rangel. You know, the worlds a little disheveled. A lot of things are happening, and I think something like this, as sad as it is, can bring us together and just show that hope and show that love is still there for everybody, even outside the state. The event marks the bars second time uniting the community in the face of disaster after their relief efforts back in September for Hurricane Helene. For Alexandra Kemper, who works at the bar, the impact of the fire hits home as she worries for her family members who live in the LA area. Theyre not just losing a car, some of their belongings Kemper said. Theyre losing their entire home. Its a huge tragedy and we just want them to know that theyre not alone. Meanwhile, over in Greenpoint at Rays Hometown Bar, guests saw a $20 donation entry fee and a dollar of every drink sold going to help World Central Kitchen a nonprofit that serves meals to communities impacted by natural disasters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Yorkers send supplies to Los Angeles amid wildfires Most people have ties, in some way, to people in LA whether its friends, family, people that are close to us, said Dylan Wells, General Manager at Rays Hometown Bar. So, we just decided as a group what can we do? and were going to continue coming up with new ideas moving forward. Among the attendees was Caitlyn Gomez, a California native now living in Brooklyn. I have family members and friends who have been evacuated, who have lost their homes, who have lost all of their things, who have small families, Gomez said. As the wildfires rage on, Gomez is hoping events like this offer a bit of ease in the midst of the regions most destructive wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its heartbreaking and very surreal, and unimaginable at this point, she added. Staff at both bars say they plan to continue their relief efforts even after the fundraisers are over. 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. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) In the plainest of terms, California Attorney General Rob Bonta said on Thursday that the hammer will come down on those who attempt to take advantage of the victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. During an appearance on the KTLA 5 Morning News, Bonta told KTLAs Frank Buckley and Jessica Holmes that hes set to announce a task force his office is creating, which will put more resources toward investigating criminal complaints made in the area of the wildfires. We are not bluffing, Bonta said. If you think we are bluffing and you call it, you will regret it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Wednesday, as many as 50 looting arrests have been made. The concern is so large that some residents are defying evacuation orders and arming themselves to protect their homes from looters, according to KTLA reporting, a trend that Bonta discouraged on Thursday, urging people to leave that to local police. A sign posted on EveAnna Manleys front lawn alerting potential trespassers that she is armed. (KTLA) District Attorneys in Los Angeles and Orange counties have called for law changes that include criminal enhancements for looting during a local emergency. Bonta said that examining those laws is an appropriate discussion to have as evacuated L.A. residents fear for their belongings. I think we need to be slapping people with the harshest penalties right now, Bonta said, while acknowledging that as of now, California law only designates looting as a crime if more than $950 worth of items are stolen. It is wrong to be hurting people right now. We need to be helping people. Photos: Palisades Fire torches homes in Los Angeles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bonta vowed to prosecute looters, as well as scammers, fraudsters and price gougers. The fires have already had impacts on the renting market in L.A., as the AGs office has received hundreds of complains about landlords sharply and illegally raising rent prices as housing demands have gone up. In a video shared by the Los Angeles County DA, burglars are seen looting a home inside the Palisades Fire evacuation zone in Los Angeles. January 2025. (LA County DAs Office) Some have reported that landlords have created bidding wars for short-term rentals, which Bonta said is illegal. We are going to arrest people, hold them accountable and make sure we end the price gouging here in L.A., Bonta 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 KTLA. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Metro police sent two of Matthew Livelsbergers devices to the FBI hoping to figure out why he set off a car bomb outside the Trump hotel on New Years Day, killing himself, Sheriff Kevin McMahill said. Livelsberger, 37, drove from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Las Vegas, and exploded fireworks and other materials outside the hotel on Jan. 1. He died from a gunshot wound to the head just before the explosion, the coroners office said. Were not done, McMahill told the 8 News Now Investigators in an exclusive interview. We still need to get into a laptop and we still need to get into the other cell phone. Will we ever? Im not sure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department sent the two devices to the FBIs facility in Quantico, Virginia, for further testing, McMahill said. After completing their work, McMahill said he expected to release an after-action report on the incident. Matthew Livelsberger, 37, drove from Colorado Springs, Colorado, to Las Vegas, and exploded fireworks and other materials outside the hotel on Jan. 1. (LVMPD) Livelsberger likely suffered from PTSD and officials said they were aware of potential family issues or personal grievances that might have been contributing factors, officials said in the days after the blast. Livelsberger used the U.S Special Operation Commands Preservation of the Force and Family program and did not display any concerning behaviors. Livelsberger was on personal leave before his death, a spokesperson for the Army confirmed. McMahill hoped the incident sparked further discussion about mental health and recognizing people who could pose a threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because just one individual that would have made a call, one individual that had seen the behaviors, we might have been able to stop what it is that he found himself doing on that fateful morning, McMahill said. Police found several writings on Livelsbergers phone, which contained a variety of grievances and issues, some political, some personal, they said. Fellow servicemembers, Veterans, and all Americans: TIME TO WAKE UP! one said. We are being led by weak and feckless leadership who only serve to enrich themselves. Anyone with information was asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. (WSAV) Finding affordable housing in the Lowcountry has long been a challenge for those who want to live where they work. Now, one local employer is stepping up to help, not just for their workers, but for the entire community. We love this community. Were here, were raising our family. And it really is home, said Keith Kostrzewski of Abode Development. So, to be able to take your work and your pride and bring that to bear, its tremendously special. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abode Development and Novant Health have teamed up to address the pressing need for affordable housing on Hilton Head Island. Together, they are creating a new development designed for the essential workers who are the backbone of the community. Beaufort Memorial calls to oppose Novant Healths $320 million Bluffton hospital Its the hospital staff, its physician offices, its local fire and rescue, its teachers, said Joel Taylor. Its those folks that make Hilton Head safe and also a great place to live. The new development will be located on Hilton Head Medical Centers main campus and will feature 141 units in total. A minimum of 30% of those units will be reserved specifically for essential workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments will be for individuals and families earning between 80% to 150% of the areas median income. Itll be walkable to those main street shops. Itll be walkable to the hospital, Taylor explained. If someone is working at the hospital, its just really convenient and a nice community-type setting. For Abode Developments Brian Quinn, the partnership with Novant Health has offered a glimpse of hope in solving the housing crisis. Its not necessarily a silver bullet, Quinn said. Theres a lot of work that still needs to happen. You know, this is one of many projects that need to happen in the area to make a true impact on the issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first step in addressing the affordable housing shortage is underway. Construction on the new development will begin in the coming months, with units expected to be available by mid-to-late next year. 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 WSAV-TV. (Bloomberg) -- Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen met with business leaders including the head of Novo Nordisk A/S to discuss potential measures by the incoming Trump administration amid escalating tensions over Greenland. Most Read from Bloomberg The one-hour gathering of some of Denmarks largest companies and several government ministers in Copenhagen on Thursday came after President-elect Donald Trump in recent weeks reiterated his ambition to take control of Greenland, a self-ruling territory of the kingdom. Last week, Trump threatened tariffs on the Nordic nation if it doesnt give up the territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think everyone can see that these are unusual messages, Denmarks Business Minister Morten Bodskov said at a briefing following the meeting. We are of course preparing for whatever may come, and were of course discussing this with Danish businesses. He didnt go into further detail on what such preparations involve, nor what scenarios are being prepared for. The situation is serious, Frederiksen told media earlier on Thursday following an emergency meeting in the parliaments foreign policy committee. She said the Danish government is working with companies and business organizations to prepare for a potential situation with the US, where we would work less together than we do today in the economic field. Trump confirmed his interest in acquiring Greenland during a 45-minute phone call with Frederiksen on Wednesday. He did not withdraw his threat of tariffs, Frederiksen said. Novo Chief Executive Officer Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen attended the meeting, a company spokesperson confirmed. The US is the biggest market for the pharmaceutical giant, which produces the weight-loss drug Wegovy and diabetes medicine Ozempic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Executives from Carlsberg A/S, DSV A/S, Pandora A/S, Orsted A/S and industry bodies representing companies in Denmark were also scheduled to take part, according to local media. Of course were worried, Lars Sandahl Sorensen, CEO of the Confederation of Danish Industries, said after the meeting. And of course we are preparing for all possible scenarios, including the scenarios we dont like to think about. (Updates with comments from business minister in third paragraph, Confederation of Danish Industries in eighth) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. HONOLULU (KHON2) Queens Medical Center nurses are headed to work this morning with a new three-year contract. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The nurses union believes its another win, not only for nurses, but for the patients. They are also conducting a press conference today to advocate for legislation towards this cause. WakeUp2Days Chris Latronic went live from the State Capitol where he met up with Rosalee Agas-Yuu,President of Hawaii Nurses Association to learn more about the recent contract achievements along with the current push for effective legislation to help their cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosalee provided an overview of why the three nurse unions are collaborating to advocate for legislation on safe staffing and why this issue is important for the community. Their goals are to provide more stability for the community by eliminating community turmoil during future contract negotiations. Safe staffing standards that are codified by state law provide consistent standards across all hospitals statewide while bringing Hawaii up to speed with other states that have adopted safe staffing laws or have regulations for safe staffing. Hawaii State Legislature commences 2025 session Hawaii`s three nurses unions, representing more than 5,000 nurses across the state, are locking arms to advocate for legislation to improve patient care in the islands. Numerous other states have laws mandating patient-to-nurse ratios or have regulations governing safe staffing in healthcare facilities. Hawaii does not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unions are urging lawmakers to support safe staffing laws in the upcoming legislative session because of the urgent need to address systemic challenges in Hawaii`s healthcare system and ensure patients receive the highest standard of care. Studies have shown that every patient added to a nurses` workload increases patient mortality rates by 7%. The proposed legislation focuses on creating enforceable patient-to-nurse staffing ratios that will save lives, lead to improved nurse retention and reduce nurse burnout. Additionally, the legislation will establish safety committees to further protect patients and healthcare workers. This legislation is designed to ensure patients receive adequate time and attention by implementing enforceable staffing standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news By ensuring nurses have manageable workloads, patients can receive the dedicated care they need and deserve. Hawaii`s nurses` unions HNA, HNHP, UNHCEH-UNAC/UHCP developed this legislation in collaboration with labor organizations and patient advocates to address pressing concerns in Hawaii`s healthcare system. 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. Patients are dying in horror film hospital corridors so crowded that nurses cannot reach them, a bombshell report reveals. Harrowing accounts from more than 5,000 nurses lay bare a devastating collapse in care standards. The report by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found patients dying in hospital corridors, with some undiscovered for hours. Britains most senior A&E doctor said the devastating testimonies must become a watershed moment for the NHS, saying the horror of the situation is stark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vulnerable and frail pensioners are increasingly being treated in cupboards, offices and car parks, the research found, with too many left crying out and wetting themselves. Staff said the overcrowding had delayed efforts to save patients who had gone into cardiac arrest. Some told of leaving in tears after being unable to move such patients into the resuscitation area, because the route was so blocked. Last week Sir Keir Starmer announced an elective reform plan, which aims to clear the backlogs of people waiting for planned care, with a waiting list of 7.5 million. But the RCN is among those accusing ministers of failing to tackle the A&E crisis with sufficient urgency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Edward Argar, the shadow health secretary, on Wednesday accused Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, of failing to put in the work to prepare the NHS for winter. But Mr Streeting said the failings were a cruel consequence of 14 years of failure on the NHS calling Mr Argar an arsonist criticising the fire brigade for not doing enough. A palliative care nurse in the North East of England described two dying patients being crammed in next to one another, with no privacy for their families, like watching a horrid film that I cant stop. Nurses said some A&E units were so overwhelmed there were more than 50 patients per nurse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those being held in cramped spaces for hours and in some cases days, include cancer patients with compromised immune systems and women enduring miscarriages, nurses said. Nicola Ranger, RCN general secretary, said care was now being delivered in abhorrent and totally unacceptable ways which would never previously have been tolerated. She urged ministers to act on 460 pages of testimony, saying this years flu spike must not be used as an excuse for widespread failings all year round. A nurse in the South East said: A patient died in the corridor but wasnt discovered for hours. Another reported: [The] department was overwhelmed, which is a daily occurrence At its worst asking someone to go round and make sure people are still alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nurses said the elderly were receiving care in inhumane and third-world conditions. One from a hospital in Scotland said: I worked throughout Covid-19 and although it was a horrendous experience, this lack of care in the broken system is worse. It follows warnings of record numbers of long waits in A&E departments, which have been linked to more than 300 deaths a week. New data show 518,000 cases where a patient waited for more than 12 hours in A&E last year a 23-fold rise from 2019. A nurse working in the South East of England, said: We have had cardiac arrests in the corridor or in cubicles blocked by patients on trolleys in front of them, delaying lifesaving CPR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr Adrian Boyle, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, said: No one who reads these harrowing testimonies will fail to be moved by them. I am so saddened that this is the level of care we as clinicians are being forced to provide to our patients people who turn to the NHS and its staff when they are most vulnerable and in need. Our nursing colleagues have spoken loudly and clearly, and the horror of the situation is stark and cannot be ignored. This must be a watershed moment, a line in the sand. Demoralised nursing staff report caring for as many as 40 patients in a single corridor, unable to access oxygen, cardiac monitors, suction and other lifesaving equipment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One nurse said: A patient had a cardiac arrest in the corridor by the male toilet and died, whilst another said there had been cardiac arrests in the corridor with no crash bell, crash trolley, oxygen, defibrillator ... straddling a patient doing CPR while everyone watches on. The testimony reveals serious concerns about infection prevention and control with patients squeezed into tight spaces next to one another. A nurse in a hospital in the South of England, said: Multiple patients lined up in a corridor awaiting cubicles. One patient vomited in the corridor but also vomited on another patient because they were so close together. I was absolutely heartbroken for both of these patients. Another said: A 90-year-old lady with dementia was scared, crying and urinating in the bed after asking several times for help to the toilet. Seeing that lady, frightened and subjected to animal-like conditions is what broke me. At the end of that shift, I handed in my notice with no job to go to. I will not work where this is a normal day-to-day occurrence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The research found almost seven in 10 nurses were delivering care in overcrowded or unsuitable places like corridors, converted cupboards and even in taxis and car parks. More than nine in 10 said care is unsafe. The harrowing report tells of patients sitting for days in chairs so-called chair care due to a lack of beds, patients piling up in corridors, delays to treatment and the elderly unable to get help due to no call bells and staff shortages. For the first time, nursing staff listed the breadth of inappropriate places where care is now being delivered, far beyond emergency departments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nursing staff also reported cancer patients being put in corridors and other inappropriate spaces. Ms Ranger said: This devastating testimony from frontline nursing staff shows patients are coming to harm every day, forced to endure unsafe treatment in corridors, toilets, and even rooms usually reserved for families to visit deceased relatives. Vulnerable people are being stripped of their dignity and nursing staff are being denied access to vital lifesaving equipment. We can now categorically say patients are dying in this situation. She urged ministers not to shirk responsibility for the crisis, calling for extra investment to expand nurse numbers, and increased efforts to discharge those who are fit to leave hospital. The findings come from a survey of 5,408 nursing staff working in NHS services across the UK over the last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patients were waiting 35 hours in A&E only to end up in the corridor, one nurse said, with too many stuck without even a call bell for help. Mr Streeting on Wednesday told the Commons: I will never accept or tolerate patients being treated in corridors. It is unsafe, undignified, a cruel consequence of 14 years of failure on the NHS and I am determined to consign it to the history books. Mr Streeting has promised to publish a plan on urgent and emergency care. But he said he could not promise there would not be patients treated in corridors next year. Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: Increasing levels of demand have resulted in extreme pressures on services, particularly over recent months and one of the toughest winters the NHS has experienced. Despite the challenges the NHS faces, we are seeing extraordinary efforts from staff. As a nurse, I know how distressing it can be when you are unable to provide the very best standards of care for patients. 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. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Food and Drug Administration has banned the synthetic, petroleum-based dye called Red No. 3 from the nations food supply. The decision came more than 30 years after the dye was banned from cosmetic products due to a potential cancer risk. The compound is already banned in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Also known as Erythrosine, red No. 3 was at the center of a petition filed in 2022 by two dozen food safety and health advocates. Red No. 3 is in snack cakes, candy, and even some Maraschino cherries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FDA bans red dye No. 3 from foods: What to know So what is it exactly? It is a chemical thats added to foods to make it that bright red color, said nutritionist Krystal Goodman. If its like a popsicle or if you think about gummies or even like a red cake or a Pop-Tart even, thats the red dye. Thats in there to give it that really bright red color. Its not really a food. Its more of a chemical. That dye can also be found in some medicine like cough syrup. While the FDA banned the dye in cosmetics and topical drugs in 1990, the additive was already permitted for use in foods. Think about things that are a bright red color. A Fruit Roll-Up even, a strawberry Pop-Tart or strawberry ice creams, popsicles, Goodman said. Any of those little Tastykakes and things that are strawberry flavored, even the Yoo-hoo, thats the strawberry-flavored milk, red dye is going to give it that color. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knoxville nurses bring wedding to UT Medical Center for brides dying mother The FDA announced that food manufacturers must have Red 3 out of foods completely by 2027 and out of all medication by 2028. In the meantime, Goodman said its crucial to look closely at the food youre buying if you are trying to avoid purchasing anything with Red 3 in it. Look for your ingredient list. A lot of times we just look at the nutrition label like the calories and macro nutrition but you really want to look at what the ingredients are, Goodman said. Sometimes it can be there at the end of the paragraph of ingredients and we dont even realize. Thats what I try and teach people in general as a nutritionist is you really want to read that. Goodman advises if you want to eat something red, try a beet or strawberry that is naturally red and has healthy antioxidants that can help fight off cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See more top stories on WATE.com The agency said it was taking the action because some studies have found that the dye caused cancer in lab rats This link to cancer has not been seen in humans, according to the FDA. Some food manufactures have already removed Red 3 from their foods. In its place they are using beets or carmine, a dye made from insects and pigments from other foods. The International Association of Color Manufacturers defends the dye, saying in a statement that it is safe in amounts typically consumed by people. 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. Three Venezuelan migrants including a baby-faced Tren de Aragua leader brazenly peddled illegal pistols, shotguns, rifles and ghost guns across New York City, prosecutors alleged. The accused ringleader Stefano Pachon, 21, and his two confederates shuffled into a Manhattan courtroom Wednesday to face gun trafficking conspiracy charges outlined in a 31-count indictment. Pachon, who racked up a long rap sheet since he arrived in the Big Apple from Venezuela in late 2023, sold nine different loaded guns during the months-long caper, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defendant has access to a seemingly endless supply of loaded guns, said Assistant District Attorney Yuval Simchi-Levi. This defendant sold the guns while out on a bench warrant. Stefano Pachon allegedly is a high-ranking Tren de Aragua member. Steven Hirsch The indictment sprang from a probe into Victor Parra, 30, the leader of an interstate migrant moped gang who spent three months as a fugitive before he was busted by NYPD cops in May. Parra this week pleaded guilty to grand larceny charges, court records show. Evidence in the case against Parra eventually led to the gun-trafficking ring allegedly led by Pachon, an alleged high-ranking member of the vicious Tren de Aragua gang, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together with Darwin Figuera, 34, and Yorman Serrano, 31, and a fourth as-yet-unnamed defendant, Pachon trafficked an arsenal of high-quality firearms over WhatsApp, according to prosecutors. The guns allegedly sold included a 9-millimeter pistol with a magazine feeder. Manhattan District Attorney The gun trafficking ring sold arms over WhatsApp, prosecutors said. Manhattan District Attorney One semi-automatic weapon sold was equipped with a sear switch that could turn it into an automatic weapon, prosecutors said. They sold 11 guns, authorities said. Pachon would negotiate the purchase and price for most weapons, with sales unfolding across the Bronx and an East Harlem gas station at East 125th Street and Second Avenue, officials said. The trio that appeared in court Wednesday hail from Venezuela and all pleaded not guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Selling illegal weapons in Manhattan is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The scourge of gun violence takes a devastating toll on our communities, and I have met with far too many heartbroken families who have lost a loved one because of illegal firearms, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement. While gun violence continues to trend downward in Manhattan, there is a lot more work to do, and we will continue to partner with the NYPD to hold people accountable who commit this type of dangerous conduct, Bragg said. Pachons attorney Michael Fineman tried playing up how hes an asylum seeker and that he falls under certain protections, but Judge Althea Drysdale quickly cut him off and corrected his bail application. Most respectfully, I dont know if that should be part of your application, Drysdale shot back. Just because all [the accused] hail from Venezuela doesnt mean you get to be an asylum seeker. The judge ordered Pachon to be held without bail for his arrest-rich rap sheet, which includes allegedly stealing from a Queens Sephora. Yorman Serrano, 31, hails from Venezuela. Steven Hirsch Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Darwin Figuera wore a pair of womens Cheeta-printed slides in court. Steven Hirsch Figuera, who shuffled into court wearing a pair of womens Cheetah-printed Adidas slides, was held on $50,000 cash bail. Serrano, who alleged tried to sell his own ghost gun, had his bail set at $75,000. PARK SLOPE, Brooklyn (PIX11) An issue thats apparently growing in tandem with the rise of real estate values is deed theft the taking of a homeowners title to their property through unlawful means. A longstanding homeowner in Brooklyn said that thats what happened to his three-story brownstone, and now, a whole community, including state and city elected officials, has turned out to make sure that he doesnt get evicted. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear if all of their efforts will pay off, but thats definitely not stopping them from trying. Ray Cortez, 90, has lived in his home since 1969, when he bought it. He and his family say that a developer won over Cortezs confidence and got him to sign over the deed to his home in 2006, without his full knowledge. Angelica Radacinski lives right behind Cortezs St. Marks Place home and has known him her entire life. She said that everything possible must be done to prevent him from losing his deed. This is his home, she said at a noon news conference in front of his stoop. The authorities have failed to act in a way that can protect him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Radacinski was one of a few dozen neighbors, friends, and family members who surrounded Cortez at the podium at a news conference convened by New York State Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, who represents Park Slope. She also had state Sen. Jabari Brisport and New York City Council member Shahana Hanif join with her at the event. It was set up to help prevent the man who immigrated to New York from his native Peru in the 1950s from being evicted. Cortez said in Spanish that he was thankful to everyone for coming out and showing support. Simon, the assemblymember, said that coming out was the right thing to do not just for Cortez, but also for all New Yorkers for whom deed theft is a risk. She said that that number is bigger than many people may assume and that as some neighborhoods gentrify, the issue becomes more acute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so many ways for deed theft to happen, the assemblymember said, and theres lots and lots of little loopholes. Agreeing with that statement was Carmella Charrington. Shed come out to show her support for Cortez but also said that her family was involved in a similar dispute. Charrington said that a developer had claimed the deed to the Bedford-Stuyvesant brownstone that her family has owned for more than 70 years. She said that the family had successfully remained in their home, but proof of ownership is still being disputed in court. So now the property is being looked at, Charrington said in an interview. But all parties did not do legally what theyre supposed to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cortez faces an eviction trial starting in housing court on Friday. His family on Wednesday renewed a call that it says its been making for years to New York Attorney General Letitia James and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. They have the authority and the power, said Ray Cortez Jr., the homeowners son, who is leading the effort to help his father keep his home. It is within their purview to look into this matter, he said. Both the attorney generals and the district attorneys offices said that theyre in contact with Cortezs attorney, but the statute of limitations has run out on his 18-year-old dispute. Andrew Scherer, a New York Law School professor whos written a treatise on real estate law in New York City, said that there are basic guidelines that homeowners need to always have in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Be aware, be suspicious, he said. Dont sign anything until its very clear to you whats going on. He also said that homeowners can find free legal help through the LawHelp NY web portal. He also said that the citys ACRIS system is a resource that homeowners can access to ensure that theyre properly listed as the owner of a property. 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. NEW YORK Amid mounting legal bills, Mayor Eric Adams defense trust is nearly $1 million in the red after raising just over $2,000 in the latest reporting period most of it from a convicted businessman pardoned by former President Donald Trump during his first White House term, a new filing reveals. The trust, which Adams uses to cover legal fees hes racking up to defend himself against his federal corruption indictment, has outstanding bills totaling about $925,000, according to the new filing submitted with the city Conflicts of Interest Board late Wednesday. The trusts surging debt comes after it paid the law firm of Alex Spiro, his lead defense attorney in the corruption case, a $200,000 retainer in the most recent reporting period, which spanned from mid-October through this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accounting for the latest disclosure, Adams trust has raised about $1.63 million and spent $2.5 million. His legal fees are certain to grow even larger, as hes set to go on trial in April, just weeks before the June Democratic mayoral primary in which he faces multiple challengers. Spiro, a celebrity attorney who also counts Elon Musk and Jay-Z as clients, has been known to charge clients as much as $2,000 per hour and started representing Adams shortly after his Sept. 26 indictment. The indictment, to which Adams has pleaded not guilty, alleges he accepted bribes and illegal straw donations for his 2021 and 2025 campaigns from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors. Spiro didnt immediately return a request for comment Thursday, and neither did Vito Pitta, the trusts compliance attorney. In the most recent reporting period, the trust also paid $411,776 to WilmerHale, a white shoe law firm that is working on Adams defense alongside Spiro. Brendan McGuire, Adams former chief counsel at City Hall, is a partner at the firm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As its bills continue to pile up, the mayors trust had a lackluster fundraising showing in the latest period, with only two individuals contributing a total of $2,200, according to the new disclosure. One of the donors, Tzvi Odzer, contributed most of it, giving the trust $2,000 on Nov. 26. Odzer, who also gave $1,000 to Adams reelection campaign in 2023, was sentenced in the mid-2000s to prison time after being charged with bank fraud and making illegal straw donations in his childrens name to then-New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. On Jan. 19, 2021, the final day of his first presidential term, Trump pardoned Odzer. Trump, whos set to return to the White House next week for his second term, has said hes considering pardoning Adams, telling reporters last month he believes the Democratic mayor has been treated pretty unfairly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reached by phone Thursday, Odzer declined to discuss his Adams contribution. The other $200 given to Adams in the latest reporting period came from Alan Sclar, an attorney. The trust was already functionally in the red as of the last filing in mid-October. Asked at the time about the deficit, he told reporters: I have legal bills and Im going to pay my bills. Thats how I live my life. In one of his first major policy announcements, mayoral hopeful Scott Stringer is promising he would seek to ban city political candidates from accepting donations from lobbyists and city government contractors a restriction he argues would restore public trust amid a series of corruption scandals rocking City Hall. Stringer, an ex-city comptroller who himself has taken plenty of donations from lobbyists and contractors over the decades, acknowledged in an interview this week that such a ban would make it harder for candidates to finance their campaigns. In each city election cycle, lobbyists and contractors pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign coffers of various political hopefuls. A Daily News review of Stringers filings show he has himself accepted donations to his 2025 and 2021 mayoral campaigns from employees of some of the citys largest lobbying firms, including Capalino, Greenberg Traurig and Pitta, Bishop & Del Giorno. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about those contributions, he said: I have respect for contractors and lobbyists and they work hard on their craft, but it just take a few bad apples to bring down our government, and when you think about corruption, it isnt just a failure of governance, it is a betrayal of peopleIts time for us collectively to own up to the fact that City Hall should be leading on these reforms. Stringer floated similar proposals during his failed 2021 mayoral run. But he noted his new plan, shared with The News ahead of its release, takes it a step further by, among other things, proposing to ban corporations with 1% or more foreign ownership stake from participating in local election spending via independent expenditures, commonly known as Super PACs. The plan also contains proposals for tightening restrictions on interactions between lobbyists and city officials. Stringer said his proposals are needed in the wake of Mayor Adams indictment, which alleges he accepted bribes and illegal donations to his 2021 and 2025 campaigns, mostly from Turkish government operatives, in exchange for political favors. A long list of top Adams advisers have resigned in recent months after being ensnared in their own federal corruption investigations, some of which are scrutinizing kickbacks on city government contracts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Who could have imagined that the mayor would be under indictment? said Stringer, whos among more than a dozen Democrats running against Adams in Junes mayoral primary. I came of age during the municipal scandals of the 80s, and we finally need to put the hammer down. Adams, who has pleaded not guilty and is expected to stand trial in April, didnt return a request for comment via his campaign lawyer on Stringers plan. Adams has defended fundraising and maintaining ties in the citys Turkish community, saying its among local ethnic groups that have historically been overlooked. Under current laws, registered lobbyists and top executives of companies with municipal contracts are required to register in the citys Doing Business database. If youre in that database, you can only give a max of $400 to campaigns of candidates for mayor and other citywide offices. Under Stringers plan, donations from lobbyists and city contractor executives would be outlawed outright. In addition, he said he would tighten the restrictions so that any employee of a city contractor, not just top executives, would be covered by the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stringer, whose 2021 mayoral campaign was upended by accusations of sexual impropriety he has denied, said he would use both executive power and City Council legislation to enact his proposed restrictions. Beyond the donation ban, Stringers plan says he would prohibit contractors and lobbyists from giving money to candidates for one year after their business with the city concludes to prevent thank you donations. The plan would also ban city contractors and lobbyists from bundling, a technique by which individuals collect political donations from others without contributing themselves. Furthermore, the plan proposes to ban contractors and lobbyists from operating or donating to independent expenditures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outside the campaign finance universe, the plan floats barring agencies from hiring individuals who have lobbied them in the past year and forbid former city employees from lobbying their ex-agencies for two years after departing public service. According to Stringers plan, any violations of the proposed rules should result in strict penalties, including contractors being permanently banned from city business and lobbyists losing their licenses. I think we have allowed this system to pollute public policy, Stringer said, and its time to end the practice. FAIRFAX COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Virginia said an Oakton doctor pleaded guilty to illegally distributing opioids as well as amphetamines to patients between April 2019 and January 2024. Court documents revealed that David Allingham, 64, who was the owner and only medically licensed practitioner at Oakton Primacy Care Center (OPCC), an urgent care center, wrote prescriptions for opioids and amphetamines to multiple patients without medical purpose. Crews ensure DC school buses are safe, warm during cold conditions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over that period, Virginia pharmacies had filled about 7,330 prescriptions for oxycodone that were prescribed by Allingham, which amounted to more than 405,000 pills. Allinghams patients were told to pay out-of-pocket for office visits at Allinghams practice. Office visits were usually paid in cash or credit or via Venmo and cost about $300-$550 per patient. Patients were required to pay an extra $700 if they wanted a doctors letter. Chronic patients were required to pay for an office visit at least every 21 days, with many of these office visits conducted via phone by employees who were not medically trained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allingham also allowed medication renewals without examining patients or medical indications other than the information patients told him. Allingham was investigated by multiple pharmacies for his opioid prescribing practices. Following the investigations, the pharmacies refused to fill prescriptions for controlled substances that he issued. When a national pharmacy chain told Allingham that its stores would no longer fill prescriptions for him, he told his employees to stop using all-brand pharmacies and instead go for mom-and-pop pharmacies so that he could continue his illegal practices. Under Allingham, untrained medical staff were able to give patients prescriptions for controlled substances when he was not present and with no proper evaluation. His untrained staff issued prescriptions for opioids or amphetamines at least 487 times, which generated about $168,000 in proceeds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Allingham usually asked for a urine drug screen (UDS) at every in-office appointment, he failed to act on it. He ignored UDSs, which were either not included in the patients files or falsely documented. Progresso Soup Drops: Chicken noodle hard candy billed as Soup You Can Suck On Court documents showed that one of Allinghams patients failed 40 drug tests between 2019 and 2023. The medical records falsely claimed that the patient had tested positive for cocaine in his urine just from holding money that was contaminated by cocaine residue. Despite this, the patient continued to be prescribed oxycodone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many chronic patients were also prescribed amphetamines to help them lose weight regardless of whether they were obese or not and in violation of regulations. At least 527 prescriptions of amphetamines were distributed for this purpose, which totals about 13,500 pills. Allingham also illegally used and told his employees to use another doctor without permission so that he and his family could get prescriptions. He also told his employees to give the OPCC number for prescriptions allegedly written by that doctor. Allingham also told his employees what to say if pharmacists called asking about prescriptions because, at that time, the doctor was not working for OPCC. Many of Allinghams patients died of drug overdoses within hours, days, or weeks of getting an oxycodone prescription from him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July 2023, police searched Allinghams home and medical office. When police interviewed Allingham, he made false statements about his practices and told one of his employees to delete evidence of text exchanges with him. Allingham pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone and amphetamines, maintaining drug premises, and false statements relating to health care matters. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30 and faces up to 20 years in prison. 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. The Oath Keepers are back. And leaked documents suggest the group is trying to rebuild its brand by targeting youth, and in particular the Boy Scouts. The infamous paramilitary organization has been in disarray since the groups founder, Stewart Rhodes, was arrested, charged, and convicted of seditious conspiracy for his role in the events of Jan. 6 which included positioning armed quick reaction strike forces across the river from Washington, D.C., in hopes of participating in a Donald Trump-sanctioned campaign of violence. Rhodes is currently serving 18 years (that is, unless Trump decides to include him in his pardons for the Jan. 6 hostages). The Oath Keepers now have a new brand, Oath Keepers USA, and a new leader named Bobby Kinch, a retired Las Vegas police officer who once gained infamy for making Facebook posts that appeared to call for a race war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These days, Kinch lives in the mountains of Southwest Utah, and adds a populist topspin to dark visions of impending tyranny: It doesnt matter what your political persuasion; because if youre not one of the wealthy elites, if youre not one of the Davos, globalist, Marxist, progressive billionaires, he said on a recent podcast, youre going to be in the same box car as everybody else. Kinchs name has become nationally notable following the recent publication by ProPublica of an account by a mole, a wilderness survival guide named John Williams who reportedly infiltrated paramilitary groups in Utah. He primarily targeted a Three Percenter militia, but also got close to the Oath Keepers and Kinch. Leaked documents that Williams first made available to ProPublica can now be downloaded at an anti-secrecy site called Distributed Denial of Secrets, which has a history of exposing Oath Keepers. The group previously provided to journalists a membership roster for the Oath Keepers that included many sheriffs, police, NRA honchos, politicians, and other prominent members of mainstream society. In reality, Kinch has not been underground, but rather under the radar outside of Utah, where he became locally controversial this past summer over a speaking engagement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rolling Stone identified several podcast episodes, two of them self-produced, where Kinch spoke openly of his rise to lead the revamped Oath Keepers USA, as well as his views about impending violent conflicts. The substance of the podcasts has not previously been reported. We also reviewed leaked strategy and documents that appear to lay out the Oath Keepers plans for growth and reinvention including forging tighter ties with law enforcement and building rapport with the Boy Scouts. Efforts to reach Kinch through the Oath Keepers website, emails, Signal, LinkedIn, and Venmo have not been successful. Who Is Bobby Kinch? Kinch is in his mid-fifties. He has a salt-and-pepper goatee, and a preference for trucker hats and hoodies. His brown eyes flare intently as he discusses his views on politics. In a February 2024 podcast with the Modern Frontiersman, Kinch discussed how he served in the Air Force during the first Gulf War era, and was ultimately stationed near Las Vegas to work on the F-117 Nighthawk stealth-fighter-jet program. Kinch recalled leaving the military in 1993 and getting hired as a Las Vegas cop, serving until 2016. In Vegas, Kinch became notorious for a series of inflammatory posts on Facebook, including one in which he posted: Lets just get this over! Race war, Civil, Revolution? Bring it! Im about as fed up as a man (American, Christian, White, Heterosexual) can get! In another post citing the decayed morale fabric of the country, Kinch wrote: I wanna call it! GAME ON! I think we need a cleansing! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The posts were reportedly written in late 2013 but made public in early 2015 by the Las Vegas Sun. In comments to the Sun, Kinch insisted, I didnt call for a race war, adding that it flies in the face of common sense to interpret his comments that way. He added of anyone who saw racism in his posts: Thats pretty retarded. After the newspaper expose, Kinch was briefly put on leave, according to a federal lawsuit against the Las Vegas PD that Kinch filed in 2016. The suit centered on a series of subsequent transfers to less-desirable, no-overtime positions, and alleged retaliation, barred under the Civil Rights Act. Kinch sought damages for fear, emotional distress, humiliation and/or embarrassment. Prior to the controversy, Kinch had worked in robbery/homicide, but was transferred out of that division, the lawsuit says, after being told by a supervisor that he could not be the one to find the bloody glove a reference to the key evidence in the O.J. Simpson murder case. That comment, the lawsuit insisted, falsely implied that Kinch could not work on cases with African American suspects. The suit from Kinch was later dismissed for procedural reasons. He said on the podcast that he retired in 2016 and, I aint looked back, because he could no longer recognize law enforcement his beloved profession. Reflecting his departure from the force, Kinch said: I was cancel culture before cancel culture was cool. Kinch told the podcast host that the public cloud over his departure no longer bothers him: I just dont give a shit what they call me. He added that, with that freedom, you become dangerous in the way that they dont want you to become dangerous. That means that you organize and you talk to your fellow citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinch then dropped a reference to the Revolutionary War, and pubs in Pennsylvania where the patriot movement of that day hatched a plan to overthrow the British. This whole podcast is the virtual taverns, Kinch said, It is the Tun Tavern of 2024. How Did Kinch Become an Oath Keepers Leader? After leaving the LVPD, Kinch moved to the mountains of southwestern Utah, where he soon hooked up with the Oath Keepers and quickly rose to become the XO or executive officer of the Utah state branch, Kinch said on the podcast. The Oath Keepers recruit military veterans and law enforcement, appealing to a patriotic sense of duty. However the paramilitary group has long been steeped in conspiracy. Those who join the group (then and now) commit to a list of ten orders we will not obey. These start out sensibly (e.g. vowing to disobey orders to disarm the American people) but morph into dark fantasy, also imagining orders to detain American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants or to blockade American cities or to force citizens into detention camps. Kinch described the Utah Oath Keepers as being largely self-directing and self-funded. His first interaction with Stewart Rhodes, he said, was around 2019, when the national leader asked him to scout the location of an upcoming Trump rally in Las Vegas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Utah state leader later died of Covid-19 or as Kinch dubs it, the China war virus Kinch became the top dog at Rhodes direction, and soon earned a spot on the Oath Keepers national board of directors. In the buildup to Jan. 6, Kinch told the podcaster, he was aware of the plan for Oath Keepers to go to D.C.: What Stewart actually told me, via a phone call, he said, Were going to go there to help the police in case Antifa made trouble. Kinch also said he was also aware of a plan he described blandly as to assist the president. Kinch said he personally balked at the expense and the potential trouble of joining Rhodes. I did not go, he said, adding: Had I been the national director at the time I would have been like, Nope, were not fucking going to that. Despite the former leaders conviction for seditious conspiracy, Kinch said of Rhodes, Hes a good dude. And the chaos of Jan. 6 notwithstanding, Kinch believes the Oath Keepers were there to do some benevolent shit. (The many Oath Keepers doing hard time for crimes against democracy speaks loudly against such assertions.) When Rhodes was arrested in 2022, Kinch was in a sweet spot high enough in the Oath Keepers hierarchy to be a credible successor, but far enough from controversy to not be implicated in federal sweeps. Kinch recalled that his state organization was one of the few that had staying power in the wake of Jan. 6: Utah was like the last man standing. Kinch soon found himself in the hot seat, told by fellow board members, Hey, man, youre the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinch felt a duty to Rhodes to keep the national organization running, but recalled that what was left of the Oath Keepers was a mess. There was no power of attorney. Somebody ran away with all the money, he said. So Im like, literally handed a steaming pile of shit here. Kinch said he became determined to build this plane in flight. The rebuild began with a new company Northbridge Patriots LLC that, as first reported by The Guardian, registered trademarks for Oath Keepers USA. Kinchs group also launched a new national website, USAOathkeepers.com. Kinch acknowledged hes frequently accused of being a fed and sometimes thinks hes insane for trying to revive the Oath Keepers brand, but insisted hes following a Field of Dreams philosophy: If you build it, they will come. Kinch added the org has raised its standards for those it welcomes into its ranks: Everybody goes through multiple vetting. And he said hes committed to honoring the law: It only takes one dude; one knucklehead could screw up this entire organization. A View of Tyranny and Violence Yet even as Kinch seeks to professionalize the Oath Keepers, he continues to lean into a familiar mindset about how ominous and tyrannical forces are pushing patriots to the edge and how violence must be prepared for and, if necessary, embraced. When people tell me, nothing good comes out of violence, Im like, Man, do you know your American history? America, it was born out of violence, he told the Modern Frontiersman. Speaking on his own podcast, Time on Target, in February 2024, in an episode titled, America Under Attack, Kinch expanded on the theme: I push back when people say violence doesnt solve anything. Violence should be the last measure. It should be the last option. I agree with that. But sometimes we have to be proactive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kinch seeks to paint himself as a conservative constitutionalist (he believes, for example, that all gun laws passed since the late 1700s are unconstitutional) and the Oath Keepers as a constitutional service organization. He touted to the Modern Frontiersman a focus on building community preparedness teams or the neighborhood watch on steroids, to be activated in case of an unspecified calamity. Theyre going to call us a militia, he said. They call us insurrectionists. No, man. Were the good guys. The bad guys in Kinchs view the enemies of our republic occupy positions of power. The top echelons of all of these organizations, whether youre talking about Department of Justice, FBI, Border Patrol all of them are compromised, he said during a March 2024 episode of Time on Target, titled A Message to Oath Takers. This tyranny that has taken over its treasonous, he said. We need to start calling it what it is. We dont have very much time left. In Kinchs view, the country in 2024 was on the verge of an explosion. America is that balloon, and were getting close to popping, he said, asking: Are we hours? Are we days? Are we months away from the end of our country. (Here, Kinchs views do not seem to have evolved much from his controversial posts as a Las Vegas cop a decade ago. He concluded his infamous Lets just get this over! Facebook post by writing: Its obviously come to a boiling point! I say FUCK IT! Im ready now!) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kinchs perspective, Everybodys preparing for the inevitable. He referred to ominous, unspecified impending catastrophes. When the lights go out and they dont come on. Bad things are happening. Bad things are happening very quickly. Within just a matter of hours to just a couple days, bad things start to happen. Oath Keepers, he has described, are there to draw a line in the sand against tyranny, and to promote communication: Talking is a hell of a lot better than the alternative, and the alternative is so close. I mean, were so close to the alternative. Because once the conversation stops, the fighting begins, and we dont want that. Kinch leans hard into Revolutionary War metaphors. Were in that 1775 moment. We really are. And you had to get a 1775 remember, to get a 1776 you had to have that, he told the Modern Frontiersman. Kinch added darkly of government authorities: If theyre doing their job, then the citizens wont ever have to worry about ever doing anything kinetic. Has the temperature been lowered by the election of Trump? Posting on X the day after the election, Kinch referred to the result as saving the [r]epublic. Leaked Strategy Docs: Youth Programs The Denial of Distributed Secrets cache comes from the man identified in ProPublica as the mole and the documents, photos, chat-logs, and videos are consistent with the account detailed in that publication. The files include, for example, dozens of photographs from the inside of Kinchs high-mountain Utah residence, and show law enforcement plaques engraved with his name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leaked files include a pair of meeting and strategy documents from 2023. The documents are branded with the Oath Keepers Utah logo. Rolling Stone sent these documents to Kinch over Signal with an invitation to discuss them and did not hear back. A similar email to an address listed on the Oath Keepers national website bounced back. An inquiry sent to the group via a messaging portal on the site did not receive a response. The documents are consistent with one another. One reflects the minutes from a Feb. 2023 leadership meeting. The second is a Strategic Plan from March of that year. The roster of leaders named in the first document, for example, is consistent with more-detailed descriptions of leadership functions and roles laid out in the second document. The minutes list Kinch as both the State and National Leader of the Oath Keepers. The Strategic Plan details Kinchs Utah role as Overall CEO, direction setter, and Visionary. His number two is referred to as the XO the same term Kinch used for himself in that position. The leadership meeting minutes are, by turns, mundane and revealing demonstrating for example that the Utah chapter had dozens of members who had failed to support the group financially. It says that 40 of our 75 Utah State OK Members have NOT submitted their annual dues, adding a threat to promptly kick out freeloaders. The same document notes that the Utah chapter continued to have outsized influence in the broader organization, counting four members on the ten-member national board of directors. The Strategic Plan is more extensive, running 19 pages, and offers a mix of state and national record-keeping. Among 2022 achievements it celebrates: We survived! The plan touts under an ethics subheading: We transitioned to a professional organization, with clear standards of conduct. We exited those who dont meet those standards, and implemented strict vetting processes. The document reveals that in 2023 there was still a need to have a contingency Rebranding Strategy or Ejection Seat if it should come to pass that National OK is designated a DT organization. (DT in this context appears to be shorthand for a federal designation of domestic terrorism.) A line graph included in the strategy document reveals both state and national membership goals, with the state chapter seeking to have 1,000 members by 2025 part of 100,000 hoped-for members nationally. The growth goals were exponential: projecting 5,000 state members and 500,0000 national members by 2027. (The groups present membership numbers are not clear.) Under Areas of Development the strategy document underscores a push to ally the Oath Keepers with law enforcement officers or LEOs and right-wing politicos. It reads: Need to continue to expand our LEO relationships and mutual support and Need to expand our relationships with political leaders at all levels (local, County, State). The strategy documents reveal an effort to be more welcoming reflecting a desire to include and engage family into our organization. The goals also include Recruiting of younger persons. And some of the targets are young indeed: The document highlights a need for Community outreach programs. (Boy scouts, public training, events, youth involvement). The line chart reveals a strategic goal for the coming years, shorthanded as: Established youth programs. Yet this push for a more family-friendly organization contrasts with a section on training objectives that lists a bounty of paramilitary, combat medicine, and survival skills including, Mission Planning; Tactical Skills; Room Clearing; Hand to Hand; Drone Operations; Stop the Bleed; Casualty Combat Care; Medical Evac Procedures; Trapping and Foraging; Interaction with Law Enforcement; and Shoot/No Shoot Scenarios. The strategy doc also mentions getting active in politics. This is consistent with the way Kinch described his goal for the Oath Keepers on the Modern Frontiersman podcast: Lets say youre running for office. I dont care if youre running for school board or president, he said. I would really like this organization to be the gold standard for hey, instead of going to the NRA, come to the Oath Keepers! More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Cosco, Chinas largest ocean shipping line and the worlds fourth-largest container operator, said that being added to the U.S. blacklist of Chinese companies with direct military ties wont affect its U.S. businesses at all. In an escalation of tensions that has marked U.S.-Sino relations, the Department of Defense said China Cosco Shipping Corp. Ltd. and subsidiaries Cosco Shipping (North America) and Cosco Shipping Finance Co. Ltd. operating in the U.S. are Chinese military companies and considered part of the Peoples Republic of China military complex. Blacklisting under Section 1260H of the Defense Reauthorization Act targets companies that investigations show could compromise national security. While it imposes no penalties, it can disrupt Chinas ability to work with U.S. partner companies, leading to compliance and cost issues as well as reputational damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the Shanghai-based company, which operates more than 500 boxships under a complex array of global subsidiaries, disputed the potential effects of the blacklisting in the U.S. Cosco Shipping Lines is not on the 1260H list and our ability to conduct business in the U.S. or its capacity to provide high-quality services will not be affected at all, Cosco said in an email. Coscos corporate website lists two U.S.-based offices, Cosco Shipping Lines North America Inc. of Houston and Cosco Shipping America of Long Beach, Calif., neither of which are on the blacklist. China Shipbuilding Trading Co. and China State Shipbuilding (CSSC) also were blacklisted. China in 2024 overtook South Korea and Japan as the worlds largest shipbuilder. But that was the result of unfair business practices, the U.S. announced this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China National Offshore Oil Corp., Beijings oil trading subsidiary, also was added to the list, along with Chinas largest railcar builder, CRRC Corp., and marine container and chassis manufacturer, CIMC. Telecom equipment maker Huawei was earlier blacklisted by the U.S. prior to formal sanctions and before the Federal Communications Commission banned sales of its products in 2022 over national security concerns. The U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering whether to side with a lower court ruling upholding a federal law requiring ByteDance, the Chinese owner of social media app TikTok, to sell its U.S. assets or face a ban. This article was updated Jan. 16 to add comments from Cosco. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls here. Related coverage: Analysis: When will ocean carriers return to the Red Sea? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Port strike threat gone, trans-Pacific container rates level out Cosco says shipping disruptions boosted 2024 net profit by 95% The post Cosco says blacklisting wont affect US services at all appeared first on FreightWaves. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) More winter weather is moving into the state this weekend and Oklahoma Gas and Electric is reminding residents to be prepared. Each year, OG&E prepares our power plants for winter by the end of October to ensure continued operation throughout winter and protect our customers from extreme cold and winter weather, said OG&E Manager of Corporate Communications Aaron Cooper. LOCAL NEWS: EMSA releases safety tips for Oklahomas cold temperatures Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OG&E is urging customers to prepare for the cold temperatures: Identify nearby warming stations. A list of warming stations in the OG&E service area is available at OGE.com/WarmingStations. Stay weather aware. You can download the 4Warn Me app to stay updated on your local weather. You can also sign up for myOGEalerts. Make sure to check road conditions before traveling if expecting precipitation. Make plans for you and your loved ones. Have a safety plan and build a support network for elderly or homebound loved ones or neighbors. Know your options if you or a loved one have a life-threatening condition and need electricity to power a medical device. Include pets and their needs in your plan. Before leaving the house: Stock your emergency kits: Ensure your kits have everything you need, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, a portable device charger, canned goods, bottled water and pet food; keep one in your home and one in your car. Make sure your devices are fully charged. Include winter gear when traveling : Consider keeping blankets or extra coats in your car. Dress for the weather: If you need to be outside in extreme cold, wear layers, waterproof insulated boots, mittens or gloves, and a hat. At least half of a bodys heat is lost if the head is not covered. Never wear wet clothing, as this can make you lose heat faster. Weatherize your home to combat the cold. For example, you can: Clean or replace filters on furnaces. Clean warm-air registers and baseboard heaters. Make sure theyre not blocked by furniture, carpeting or drapes. Caulk expansion joints and minor wall cracks. Check windows and doors for air leaks and apply putty, caulk or weather stripping as needed. Insulate water heaters that are in an unconditioned space 4WARN WEATHER: Arctic air still on schedule While outages are not expected during this round of cold temps, remember these tips to conserve energy, minimize heat loss and stay safe, just in case: Open your curtains and blinds during the day . This allows the sun to naturally warm the space. Cover windows at night to minimize heat loss. Place heaters on a hard, non-combustible surface . If the indoor temperature drops to 55F, open faucets slightly so they drip to prevent pipes from freezing. Never use a gas range or charcoal for indoor heating. We encourage our customers to prepare ahead of the arctic blast as well. Have a safety plan, check on loved ones, and consider identifying warming stations near you through OG&Es warming stations list. Preparation is key to staying safe in any extreme weather conditions. Cooper added. 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. (WKBN) The IRS launched a new tax filing feature that was tested last year in a pilot program and is now available for all states to use. Ohio has opted out as well as several other states, but Pennsylvania is on board. Its called Direct File. You can prepare and submit your taxes online for free and it covers a wider range of tax situations than when it initially rolled out last year in a pilot program. Direct File is a web-based service that works on mobile phones, laptops, tablets or desktop computers. It guides taxpayers through a series of questions to prepare their federal tax return step-by-step. Once the federal part is done, the system automatically guides the user to state tools to complete their state tax filings, too. Sort of one-stop shopping for filing your tax returns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The feature is available in 25 states but Ohio is not one of them. According to the Ohio Department of Taxation, it opted out, telling WKBN 27 First News that the Department developed its own direct file system, OH|TAX, for state individual income tax, which was launched in September 2023. Not everyone is happy with Ohios decision to opt out of Direct File. A group of lawmakers urged Governor Mike DeWine to get on board with the feature. U.S. Representative Emilia Sykes (OH-13) and some colleagues wrote a letter to DeWine saying that Ohio taxpayers deserve access to this free and simple filing option. Sykes letter to DeWineDownload Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the pilot last year, Direct File covered limited tax situations, but the program has expanded to cover scenarios. For the 2025 filing season, the program has expanded to support 1099s for interest income greater than $1,500, retirement income and the 1099 for Alaska residents reporting the Alaska Permanent Fund dividend. Over the coming years, the IRS will gradually expand Direct Files scope to support most common tax situations, focusing in particular on tax situations that impact working families, the agency wrote in an explanation about the feature. IRS Direct File opens on Jan. 27. You check the feature and eligibility online at irs.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 WKBN.com. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) After months of dealing with complications from the City of Columbus data breach, Ohio State University said its off-campus community crime map is back up and running. The map is a tool to see crimes that happened in the areas near campus that fall under the Columbus Division of Polices jurisdiction, not Ohio State University Police Department. Suspects of I-70 shootout, bank robbery sentenced to prison Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a crime happens in the areas surrounding Ohio States campus, some students and parents ask why they are not immediately alerted. Ohio State University Police said those notifications might not come from the universitys Buckeye alert system, but there are other ways to stay informed. Its just theres just a really a lot of different conversations that truly need to be had, Daizhon Cox, a junior at Ohio State, said. He said students are concerned about safety, especially off campus with there being several violent shootings in the university district last semester. If we are made aware of it, its later after it kind of already happened, Cox said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a crime occurs on campus, students receive a Buckeye alert; they do not receive such alerts of crimes off-campus. Ohio State Associate Vice President for Safety Monica Moll said that is because the Columbus Division of Police handles those crimes. Ohio States Will Howard explains what happened to his hand at Cotton Bowl So I guess what I would want to tell students and parents is we also are concerned about their safety, Moll said. We monitor crime trends closely. We have to work hand in hand with the Columbus Division of Police. We do want people to have good crime information. Thats why were pointing them to that crime map for good, verified information. She said there are ways to get alerts using the off-campus community crime map which is programmed to show crimes that happen around Ohio States campus. She said the citys data breach prevented Columbus police from updating the map last semester. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can sign up for daily, weekly, monthly, however often you want them; you can even pick the time of day they come to your email inbox, crime alerts, and so it will list the crimes that happened within whatever mile radius you set up from the address that you plop in, Moll said. Moll said she knows people feel the off-campus map takes too long to give information, but she said this has to do with accuracy. For example, an officer takes a police report, it gets loaded in the system and then gets uploaded to the crime map, and that sometimes depends on how busy the city police are, Moll said. Some Big Lots stores to remain open after last-ditch sale completed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she also recommends apps like Citizen which isnt always verified but will tell you something is happening. The reason why I think apps like Citizen and again, we dont control that just like we dont control the community crime map, but its a good resource, Moll said. We also want students to start learning how to pay attention to crime around them and take some onus and help us help them for their safety, no matter where they are. Cox said he thinks students should have more opportunities to have a seat at the table when talking about safety. Safety is one of my main priorities, he said. I want to be able to bring CPD and OSUPD and even students and administrators here at the university to be able to have that conversation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. Justice scales, books and wooden gavel. Getty Images. An Ohio woman who was criminally charged after having a miscarriage in her home has filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Warren, city police officers, a local hospital and its owners. Brittany Watts filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division claiming violations of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment, along with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a law that establishes the right for anyone to be admitted to a hospital in an emergency situation regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status, and for them to receive necessary stabilizing treatment, according to Watts attorneys from the firm Loevy & Loevy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watts also accused law enforcement of malicious prosecution and false arrest, and health care professionals with medical negligence, unauthorized disclosure of confidential medical information, and intentional infliction of emotional distress, according to the lawsuit filed Jan. 10. Watts was charged with abuse of a corpse in September 2023 after suffering a miscarriage at her home in Warren, a case that received national and international attention. A grand jury would later decline to return an indictment, meaning her criminal charges went away. While Ms. Watts was relieved that the truth had prevailed, the closing of the criminal case did not erase the harm defendants misconduct caused, attorneys wrote in the lawsuit. Before the miscarriage occurred, Watts had gone to St. Joseph Warren Hospital in Youngstown, where she was diagnosed with placental abruption, a condition that endangered her pregnancy, according to attorneys writing on Watts behalf to the federal court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Placental abruption occurs when the placental partly or completely separates from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery, which can reduce or eliminate the oxygen and nutrient supply to the fetus, according to the Mayo Clinic. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Watts waited for eight hours with no meaningful treatment or guidance, and came back the next day to find out her water had prematurely broken, her cervix was dilated, and she had an infection. Her pregnancy was doomed, her doctor told her; and until the fetus was removed, Ms. Watts was at risk of hemorrhaging, sepsis and death, the lawsuit stated. Time was of the essence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She sat effectively untreated for another 10 more hours, attorneys told the court, eventually leaving for home again. Early the next day, the miscarriage occurred in her bathroom, covering her toilet and bathroom in tissue, blood and blood clots. The fetus, which attorneys say was less than one pound, was never seen amidst the bloody mess. Nothing suggested she had delivered a living fetus, and indeed she had not, the suit stated. The woman cleaned up as best she could, and went back to St. Joseph Warren. Hospital staff then called police and falsely reported Watts had committed a crime, leading to police officers coming to the hospital to interrogate Watts and going to Watts home while she was in the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She faced a year in prison for simply having a miscarriage at home, attorneys wrote. Included with the lawsuit was an affidavit from Dr. Joy Cooper, an OB/GYN who reviewed the medical records available for Watts. In reviewing the medical records, Cooper alleged that Dr. Parisa Khavari, one of the named parties in the case, breached the standard of care when treating Ms. Watts by failing to provide proper medical treatment to Ms. Watts. The lawsuit states that a police detective and hospital staff questioned Watts for nearly an hour as she was in the hospital, with false promises of leniency, and even suggesting to Watts that she had birthed a live baby and hidden it in a cabinet.' An autopsy showed the fetus had died in utero, according to court documents, but Watts attorneys claim the investigating officer, Detective Nicholas Carney, set out to present a version of events in which Ms. Watts had given birth to a baby she thought may be alive and had then abused it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the fact that the criminal case is behind her, the lawsuit states that Watts has not recovered. As a proximate result of defendants actions, Ms. Watts suffered deprivation of liberty, reputational harm, public humiliation, distress, pain and suffering, for which she is entitled to compensatory damages, including damages for mental and emotional distress, attorneys wrote. The defendants in the lawsuit have not yet filed their responses. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Lac du Flambeau Ojibwe tribal officials decided Wednesday they werent going to once again barricade four roads on their reservation this week as they had threatened. The tribe based its decision on its responsibility to ensure the safe delivery of services for all residents within our reservation boundaries while continuing to enforce tribal law to ensure the protection of our reservation, tribal officials said in a statement. The barricades would have restricted access to dozens of non-tribal properties within the reservation boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The conflict started in January 2023 when tribal officials barricaded four roads on the reservation Elsie Lake Lane, Center Sugarbush Lane, East Ross Allen Lake Lane and Annie Sunn Lane ending access for dozens of non-tribal property owners. Tribal President John Johnson, Sr. had stated that the roads were built illegally decades ago and leases for non-tribal citizens to use them had expired long ago. He said tribal requests to renegotiate the leases were ignored. The Tribe remains committed to finding solutions with the Lac du Flambeau Town Board, despite their reluctance to meet with the tribe, to address this ongoing dispute, tribal officials said in a statement Wednesday. Sign up for the First Nations Wisconsin newsletter Click here to get all of our Indigenous news coverage right in your inbox Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Frank Vaisvilas is a former Report for America corps member who covers Native American issues in Wisconsin based at the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact him at fvaisvilas@gannett.com or 815-260-2262. Follow him on Twitter at @vaisvilas_frank. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Tribal officials decide not to barricade roads in northern Wisconsin OKALOOSA COUNTY, Fla. (WKRG) An Okaloosa County School District math teacher of more than 27 years has received a prestigious award for excellence in her career. Jaqueline Sheffield has been named a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. $11.5 million restoration project underway on Navarre Beach According to a school district news release, the award is the highest honor a K-12 math and science teacher can receive from the U.S. government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheffield has been teaching Algebra 2 Honors and Advanced Placement Statistics for 23 years at Fort Walton Beach High School. Before teaching at FWBHS, she taught math at Davidson Middle School. President Joe Biden announced the 336 recipients of the PAEMST and the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. Jacqueline Sheffields commitment to her students and her profession is truly inspiring. Her distinction as a recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching reflects her unwavering dedication to academic excellence and her ability to inspire a love of learning in her students, Okaloosa County School District Superintendent Marcus Chambers. Gautier High sets vigil for student who died after medical emergency on campus Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be selected to receive the PAEMST, educators must complete a comprehensive evaluation by a panel of distinguished mathematicians, scientists and educators at both the state and national level, according to the release. Recipients receive $10,000 from the National Science Foundation and celebrate their achievements at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. 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. For many residents of Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District and the surrounding southside, the groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday for Plaza Calle Dos Cinco was decades in the making. The event celebrating the new multicultural plaza drew a packed crowd inside the We the People Consulting building at 228 SW 25 on Wednesday afternoon. The celebration saw multiple community leaders reminisce about their deep roots with the district, which boasts a growing Hispanic and Latino population. Gloria Torres, executive director of the Calle Dos Cinco organization, remembers fondly shopping for Easter dresses as a child at the neighborhood Jack & Jill store. The Historic Capitol Hill District was once the heart of south OKC's commerce for much of the early and mid-20th century, with several clothing stores, theaters and eateries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But by the '80s, after major retailers moved elsewhere in the city, SW 25 fell into serious decline. Now, after two decades of planning and advocacy, leaders in the community are hopeful that the upcoming plaza can help usher in a new period of revitalization. "Plaza Calle Dos Cinco is not just for today, but for the generations to come, a space that will echo the dreams and aspirations of all of us who call this neighborhood home," Torres said. More: Festival plaza to provide Capitol Hill a gathering spot reflecting growing Hispanic community Dancers perform during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Randy Quiroga-King, a former board member whose longtime El Nacional publication is headquartered in the neighborhood, has seen firsthand the change in the Capitol Hill District over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "People have been talking about Capitol Hill for a long time, and how much potential it has," Quiroga-King said. "But this is really, I think, a catalyst for whats to come. I think were going to look back and see a pre-plaza Capitol Hill and a post-plaza Capitol Hill, and I think the speed of the growth will be much more accelerated." The new $3 million plaza, which is being built on Harvey Avenue between SW 24 and SW 25, will be flanked by a historic church and several longstanding businesses that have called SW 25 home. Plans for the plaza's vibrant architecture and colors are meant to intentionally reflect traditional outdoor gathering spaces in Latin American countries. This rendering shows what planners envision the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in the Historic Capitol Hill District to look like. *PROVIDED/City of Oklahoma City ViewPoints: Hispanic community is driving economic, social growth in Oklahoma City Plaza Calle Dos Cinco will include Talavera tiles, an arched entry, a gazebo stage, trees, decorative lighting, seating, removable bollards and other amenities tailored toward the neighborhood's Hispanic culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shannon Entz, program planner with the city's Strong Neighborhoods Initiative, said ideas for the creation of the plaza trace back more than 20 years. "It's been my belief that our Hispanic community deserves to be celebrated and have a beautiful space that they can call their own," Entz said. "The SNI team is proud to work alongside Capitol Hill in bringing resources to this project." Gloria Torres, the current executive director of Calle Dos Cinco in Historic Capitol Hill and Strong Neighborhoods Initiative program planner Shannon Entz hug during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Construction of the plaza is expected to be completed by August, in time for the 20th anniversary of the community's Fiestas de las Americas, the largest Latino festival in the city. Many leaders and officials hope the plaza will bring the same level of enthusiasm the festival often brings to the area except this time on a year-round, permanent basis. "I think its going to bring a lot of youth to the district, and I think its going to bring a lot of families, so thats going to be great," Quiroga-King said. "I just think that this is something that is going to be on display every day, not just one day out of the year like the festival." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plaza is the latest in a series of targeted reinvestments and restorations in the area over the past two decades, including a streetscape and renovations of the historic Yale Theater, the John A. Brown department store building and the Capitol Hill Library. Randy Quiroga-King, publisher of El Nacional speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ward 4 Councilman Todd Stone represented the district before recent redistricting saw the neighborhood move within Ward 6 boundaries. He recalled visiting Capitol Hill often as a boy and being impressed by its businesses and buildings, with the belief that his parents had brought him to shop in downtown Oklahoma City. Even as an adult, he still looks back at Capitol Hill as the downtown of the Southside. Ive always loved Capitol Hill, Stone said. I love the people. The community in general is great. And I tell you, any opportunity I get to try and make sure that the community is getting what they need, I still try and do that. Ward 6 Councilwoman JoBeth Hamon, currently representing the district, said she was excited to see the plaza getting off the page and becoming real as the shovels were dug into the dirt. Were getting to celebrate the specificity of it, being something that is very culturally resonant for the area and for a lot of the constituents and residents that live and have their businesses in this corridor, Hamon said. Its just exciting in a lot of ways to sort of make such a major change to a street and create more of that sense of place, a place for gathering, a place for events that this district doesnt quite have, especially outdoors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the cusp for 50 years: The slow regrowth of Historic Capitol Hill Kendra Wilson-Clements, with We The People Consulting speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Groundbreaking for the plaza Wednesday was kicked off by an ancestral honoring delivered by Kendra Wilson-Clements, a Two-Spirit citizen of the Choctaw Nation who is also CEO of the consulting firm that hosted the event. Her address recognized the Indigenous peoples who originally lived in the region long before the United States was established, such as the Caddo, Wichita, Comanche, Kiowa and Osage tribes. We are acknowledging them as the past, present and future caretakers of the land, Wilson-Clements said. It is important to understand the longstanding history that has brought you to reside and conduct business on this land and to seek an understanding of your place within that history. This is still Indian land, and it will always be Indian land, she continued. We are thrilled, honored and privileged to be a part of this beautifully, culturally diverse community. The groundbreaking is pictured for the Calle Dos Cinco Plaza in Oklahoma City's Historic Capitol Hill District, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. The word community was reiterated frequently during the ceremony, often with a special pronunciation meant to honor the late south OKC advocate Mary Sosa, who died of cancer in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Entz and other planners remembered Sosa for her heavy lifting of multiple issues that affected her neighbors in Capitol Hill. She emphasized the co part of community because she believed in working together, coming together, collaborating, loving and understanding one another, Entz said. She would be so proud to see what this community has achieved. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC breaks ground on Calle Dos Cinco plaza in Capitol Hill district The Oklahoma City Council formally approved an $875,000 settlement Tuesday with the family of a teen shot and killed by police in 2020. The approval settles a civil lawsuit against the city filed by Cameo Holland, mother of Stavian Rodriguez, a 15-year-old boy who was shot by officers outside a Southside convenience store in November 2020. Councilmembers Bradley Carter for Ward 1, Matt Hinkle for Ward 5 and Mark Stonecipher for Ward 8 voted against approval, but the resolution passed 5-3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is a resolution authorizing the municipal counselor to confess judgment without an admission of liability in the case," said Stonecipher, who was acting as vice mayor at the time of the vote. "It was discussed extensively in executive session." The fatal shooting of Rodriguez drew intense controversy in the wake of protests against police brutality after the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police earlier that year. Stavian Rodriguez case: Family sues OKC police chief, five officers involved in shooting Stavian Rodriguez is pictured with his mother Cameo Holland. Five Oklahoma City police officers were charged with first-degree manslaughter in the 2020 fatal shooting of Rodriguez, although those charges have since been dismissed. Security camera footage showed Rodriguez was shot as he reached toward a back pocket while police yelled at him to get down. A cell phone was found in his back pocket, and an official autopsy report showed the teenager was struck by gunfire 13 times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holland sued the city, five individual police officers, and then-police chief Wade Gourley in federal court, alleging that police were liable for excessive force in the shooting of her son. Former Oklahoma County District Attorney David Prater also charged the five officers with first-degree manslaughter after an extensive review of police body camera and security camera videos. But current District Attorney Vicki Behenna reversed that decision in 2023, dismissing the charges and saying that the shooting was justified. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OKC Council approves settlement with mother in Stavian Rodriguez suit OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma City Police have arrested three men accused in what authorities believe to be an organized effort to target customers of two popular metro ATMs. On January 10, Oklahoma City Police responded to the Bank of America location at 12203 Warwick Drive after reports that a deep insert skimmer had been installed on the ATM. A short time later, the same responding officer learned of two more skimming devices that had been recovered from a Bank of America ATM at the brick-and-mortar location at 2101 W. Memorial Road. We believe its possible that there could still be some other victims affected by this crime, said Oklahoma City Police Sergeant Dillon Quirk. So definitely they want to keep an eye on their bank accounts, and thats just always good practice to keep an eye on your bank accounts electronically. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LOCAL NEWS: SNAP recipients encouraged to take action after skimming devices found across OKC According to court documents, when authorities reviewed the skimmers installed at the separate ATM locations, they noted they were identical. Pinhole cameras were also recovered. Both devices combined give thieves the opportunity to collect as much information from potential victims as possible to wipe out their bank accounts. Police were able to determine that the devices from the Memorial Road location had been installed around 8 to 9 hours prior to their discovery. Authorities requested footage from the crimes and were able to identify a clear photo of a Jeep Wagoneer with a Washington plate. Police determined the vehicle had been rented out of California on January 6 and wasnt due back until February 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police tracked the vehicle to a northwest Oklahoma City Airbnb rental property. The property owner confirmed the location had been rented for January 8 through January 14. While monitoring the property, police noted a second rental vehicle pull up at the same location. Its pretty common that rental properties and rental cars can be used in these types of crimes, said Quirk. Weve seen stolen vehicles used in crimes, so that possibility is always there. After obtaining a search warrant, police determined the only occupants of the home were suspects Valentine Teogas, Sebastian Bulacu, and Florin Radu. All three of the men have home addresses in Washington. These suspects are from out of town, part of a large transnational organized crime group, said Quirk. Sebastian Bulacu. Image courtesy Oklahoma County Jail. Valentine Teogas. Image courtesy Oklahoma County Jail. Florin Radu. Image courtesy Oklahoma County Jail. Numerous items of evidence were found inside the house, including over 50 pinhole cameras, over 25 deep insert skimmers, connector cables, laptop computers, a card reader, cash, and numerous cloned credit cards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Documents say all of the cards were hotel-style cards that read, Welcome, enjoy your stay, on the front of them. At the time the warrant was executed, over 30 of the cards had been found to contain credit or debit card track data belonging to customers from various banks, including Bank of America. 75 other cards still needed to be checked. Its just kind of really scary to think that that can be so easily compromised, said Bank of America customer Kristi McAllister, who News 4 employees broke the news to Wednesday while she was using one of the ATMs previously tampered with. Thankfully, I was on vacation; otherwise, Id really be panicking right now. McAllister told News 4 employees shes also surprised by how brazen the suspects would have to be to pull off their crimes, given how busy the locations they chose typically are. Theres eyes everywhere here, said McAllister. I mean, carsso many cars go through here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three suspects are being held on charges of using a device to access card information and cloning a credit or debit card. News 4 reached out to a Bank of America spokesperson for comment Wednesday on the potential local impact but did not hear back. 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. A controversial bill that would prohibit cities other than Oklahoma City and Tulsa from providing shelter to unhoused people was introduced directly in response to Norman's homelessness problem, according to the author, despite having potential repercussions across the state. Senate Bill 484, introduced by state Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, would prevent municipalities in all cities with a population under 300,000 from using city resources to operate homeless shelters or perform homeless outreach. Senator Standridge filed this bill with the intent of solving a problem within her community," the senator's office told The Oklahoman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The newly elected senator now holds the former seat of her husband, Rob Standridge, after she defeated former Norman City Councilmember Elizabeth Foreman for the Senate District 15 seat in November. Lisa Standridge is sworn in as senator at the Senate Oath of Office ceremony for new and re-elected senators in November 2024 at the Oklahoma state Capitol. The former senator, also a Republican, authored several anti-homeless bills during his time in office, including Senate Bill 1381 in 2022. The bill did not make it to the governor's office, but would have required municipalities to inspect homeless camps to ensure they were up to building codes. If camps failed such inspections within a 30-day period, the city would have had to destroy them. History of Norman's yearslong homeless shelter debate Lisa Standridge represents a growing city of about 130,000 people. In conjunction, Norman, home to the University of Oklahoma, continues to see an increasing homeless population a local example of a national trend. More: Oklahoma City area shelters ready to house people through freezing temperatures, snow Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city's homeless population remains a topic of debate within the local government specifically, how to keep Norman's low-barrier, overnight shelter open and operating. Stephen Tyler Holman has sat in Norman City Council's District 7 seat for 12 years. Also a mayoral candidate, he's served longer than any other sitting council member. The conversation regarding the need for an overnight shelter in Norman began amid feedback from the public about unhoused people sleeping in parks and on the sidewalks on Main Street, Holman said. About eight years ago, multiple people froze to death in downtown Norman, he added. After about four years of shuffling around the shelter's location and management partners, the current shelter A Friend's House is managed and operated by City Care, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit organization, through a contract with the city of Norman. Norman's homeless population draws ire from city residents Under the contract with City Care, the city allocates about $63,000 per month to house 52 adults a night. According to Cleveland County's annual homeless population headcount, 240 people were experiencing homelessness in January 2024, and 91 were unsheltered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: 'No place to go.' Amid deep-seated animosity, small Oklahoma cities try to reckon with homelessness Like many mid-sized cities in Oklahoma, seeing folks sleeping on Norman sidewalks and park benches isn't unusual. But for Norman, it's become a topic of contention among its residents and city councilors. The city council often hears complaints from its residents, including Rob Standridge, about unhoused people occupying spaces near local businesses, especially since the current overnight shelter sits in downtown Norman. The local government has considered alternative locations in the past, but these have been met by opposition considering their proximities to schools. Lisa Standridge told her hometown newspaper, The Norman Transcript, that SB 484 came from constituent frustrations and because city funds go toward Norman's homeless shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are reaching a crisis point where the overwhelming homeless population is taking over our vibrant city," Standridge told the news outlet. Norman representatives speculate SB 484 targets their city's homeless population Standridge's Facebook page offers a glimpse into what Oklahomans think of her bill. Comments on her recent post call SB 484 "heartless," "horrible," "disgusting," and "shameless," among other descriptors. Holman called Standridge's bill cruel, adding it seems to intentionally hurt people. He said he's also worried it would affect shelters for domestic violence victims that receive city funding. More: There are hundreds of kids in OKC experiencing homelessness. This group provides help Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senator's office told The Oklahoman that there will be changes to the bill and discussions are ongoing. There's no guarantee the bill will make it to committee. But another concern about SB 484 isn't just its obvious effects on services for homeless populations, it also exemplifies the continued assault on local governments and democracy, Holman said. "I know that the folks that want to eliminate all social services in Norman haven't been able to win local elections, (or) enough of them to make that happen," Holman said. "It seems like, to me, they're now going to attempt to use the power of the state to overrule the city and our voters." Sen. Mary Boren, D-Norman, said the bill is disappointing and concerning. She echoed Holman's sentiments regarding the attack on local governments, adding, "It's always concerning when powerful, influential people can leverage the state Capitol to accomplish their agenda at the local level." Sen. Mary Boren is shown during a hearing at the Senate Education Budget subcommittee meeting at the Oklahoma Capitol. She said she'd like to see bills aimed at curbing homelessness that don't create "more problems than it solves." Boren called on her colleagues in the Capitol to engage in more bipartisan work to find solutions to issues like homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To use state politics to tie the hands of local government officials who are trying to be innovative and ... open-minded about finding solutions to big problems should not be happening, and bills like that should not advance," Boren said. Homeless populations in smaller cities could migrate to OKC, Tulsa To Holman, SB 484 communicates the state's homeless population should be sent to Oklahoma City and Tulsa, given just those two municipalities would be permitted to provide services. In her statement to The Norman Transcript, this is what Standridge proposed smaller towns, like Norman, should do. They might find that maybe they might go to a church and they could be connected to a program in Oklahoma City, Standridge told the news outlet. They could provide them with transportation to that program where they might be there at that program, find a job and have some counseling." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the need to address homelessness in larger cities like Oklahoma City and Tulsa already outweighs the capacity and resources, said Meghan Mueller, CEO of the Homeless Alliance, an Oklahoma City-based nonprofit. The Homeless Alliance Winter Shelter at 1601 NW 4 is shown in this photo. "If smaller communities are no longer able to provide their own services, and folks are forced to move to other cities in the state to get help, it's going to just further strain those already under-resourced systems," Mueller said. She added homelessness in urban and rural communities don't look the same and the needs are different. The idea that a community member may not be able to seek assistance where they live makes it really hard to understand why someone thought that was a good idea," Mueller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff reporter Josh Kelly contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma bill limiting homeless shelters takes specific aim at Norman OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The governor wants to create a militia that would operate independently from the Oklahoma National Guard, but the head of the guard said he needs millions of taxpayer dollars. Major General Thomas Mancino is the commander of the Oklahoma Army and Air National Guard. He presented the idea to a Senate panel evaluating agency budgets on Tuesday. Gov. Stitt came to me this year after looking at what he saw occur on the border in TX, where they routinely use their state guard, and asked me to take a look at reinstituting that, said Mancino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mancino is asking for $2.4 million to restart a state militia. LOCAL NEWS: Supt. Walters lawsuit against Homeland Security, ICE draws criticism There are two types of militias within the state the Constitution looks for; one is referred to as the regulated militia. That is me. That is the National Guard. This would be a state guard function. Mancino said the group would be different from the Oklahoma National Guard. Some senators called a state guard highly controversial. I would have more than great and grave reservations talking about 2.4 million dollars for an unregulated militia state guard, said Senator Regina Goodwin, D-Tulsa. Im almost appalled that its even in this budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Goodwin said Oklahoma doesnt have any border issues and questioned if a state guard could have issues with other military units controlled by the federal government. When we talked about what they were doing in Texas, because what that resulted in was the federal government fighting against the state government, said Goodwin. Sen. Goodwin also asked if there was a threat that needed to be taken care of. Im not willing to tie this to a specific threat, said Mancino. Senator Tom Woods (R-Westville) said the group could make a huge difference. I think it could be a very valuable asset for Oklahoma security moving forward, said Woods. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mancino said he believes this would be an opportunity for the state of Oklahoma. It would provide soldiers and airmen who are highly trained, who have retired; I can bring them back in and use their expertise, said Mancino. Mancino said he has not presented a formal plan to lawmakers. We reached out to Governor Stitts office for comment but did not hear back. 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. Oklahoma National Guard heads to 60th Presidential Inauguration OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) 100 Guardsmen are headed to our nations capital to support the 60th Presidential Inauguration, says the Oklahoma National Guard. According to the Oklahoma National Guard, the Guardsmen are set to join nearly 8,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from approximately 40 states and territories while playing a crucial role in the peaceful transition of power. Oklahoma National Guard Soldiers board a C-130 at Will Rogers Air National Guard Base in Oklahoma City, Jan 16, 2025. The Oklahoma Guardsmen join nearly 8,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from approximately 40 states and territories to augment the District of Columbia National Guard. With a long-standing tradition of supporting presidential inaugurations, the National Guard plays a crucial role in balancing safety, security, and other duties during the peaceful transition of power. (Oklahoma National Guard Photo by 1st Sgt. Mireille Merilice-Roberts) I consider it an honor to be able to do this, said Sgt. 1st Class Joseph English, who will be supporting the presidential inauguration for a third time. Its not every day that somebody gets to go to an inauguration and be a part of whats going on, not just an attendee or somebody watching. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a massive event and were very excited to participate, said Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma. For many years, routinely, the National Guard will provide support to the capital region for the inauguration. National Guard involvement in presidential inaugurations dates back to April 30, 1789, says Oklahoma National Guard leaders. I would like to thank the families and the employers for allowing their Soldiers to participate, Mancino said. To the Soldiers themselves, I would like to say thank you the opportunity to go up and serve your country is one that I hope youre able to tell stories about for a long time to come. Oklahoma Guardsmens mission is approximately seven to ten days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino, who leads the Oklahoma National Guard, talks about solar eclipse preparations on April 2. Members of the Oklahoma National Guard departed for Washington D.C. Thursday to offer support for the 60th Presidential Inauguration. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Around 100 members of the Oklahoma National Guard departed Thursday for Washington D.C. for the upcoming 60th Presidential Inauguration on Monday. Oklahomas troops join nearly 8,000 National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from 40 states and territories to support the D.C. National Guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a massive event and were very excited to participate, Maj. Gen. Thomas Mancino said. For many years, routinely, the National Guard will provide support to the capital region for the inauguration. National Guard involvement in presidential inaugurations dates back to the first presidential inauguration of George Washington in New York City. The Oklahoma Guardsmen are scheduled to be on mission for approximately seven to ten days, according to a news release. There have been two attempts to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump. Oklahoma native Carrie Underwood is set to perform at Trumps inauguration, singing America the Beautiful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Reuters, the National Park Service has issued a permit to Trumps inauguration committee for an estimated crowd of 250,000 people at the National Mall. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Four months ago, Oklahomas Republican state Superintendent Ryan Walters praised the Tulsa Public Schools for bucking national enrollment trends among urban districts. The student population has not only ticked upward, but the district saw an unprecedented influx of English learners. Its a huge testament to the work being done in Tulsa, he said at a state board meeting. I think that youre seeing parents that have confidence in whats being done there. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter But now he wants parents in Tulsa and other districts throughout the state to share their citizenship status when they enroll their children a proposal that not only violates federal law but is likely to keep some parents from sending their children to school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Districts say they dont know how many undocumented students they have, but In Tulsa, the population of English learners grew from 10,168 in 2023 to 11,149 last year. President-elect Donald Trumps supporters are celebrating Walters effort to end sanctuary schools, but district leaders say the plan is traumatizing vulnerable families. Its hurtful, and its going to create fear, said Nick Migliorino, superintendent of the Norman Public Schools, south of Oklahoma City. Not educating kids because of the status of their parents helps nobody. Related Critics Say Ryan Walters Courted Right-Wing Fame as Oklahoma Ed Dept. Fell Apart The Oklahoma State Department of Education says the proposed rule is needed to determine how many tutors and teachers districts need for English learners. But it comes as many national Republicans are eager to challenge a longstanding Supreme Court ruling, Plyler v. Doe, which guarantees undocumented students an education in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its reasonable to presume that this is an attack on Plyler, said Julie Sugarman, associate director of the National Center on Immigrant Integration at the Migration Policy Institute. If the Supreme Court was to say, Well, we changed our mind you actually can ask about immigration status, that would really put all of Plyler into question. The public has until Jan. 17 to submit comments on the rule. The state Board of Education will hold a public hearing the same day. The plan follows an election in which President-elect Donald Trump referred to the U.S. as a dumping ground for undocumented immigrants. He has called for ending a ban on Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids at schools on the day he takes office and said he would deport families even if their children were born in the U.S. Walters foreshadowed the new rule in July when he asked districts to account for the cost and burden of illegal immigration. And on Tuesday, he sued U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and ICE Deputy Director Peter Flores for $474 million, saying their failed border policies have placed severe financial and operational strain on Oklahomas schools. He sent Vice President Kamala Harris a bill for the same figure in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state, which has an estimated 6,000 undocumented children under 16, will need an additional 1,065 teachers for English learners over the next five years, he wrote in his letter to Harris. He offered no specifics on where he got that figure. We cannot effectively budget or allocate critical resources when we have no accounting of the cost that illegal immigration places on our schools, the letter said. State data shows that the percentage of English learners in the state, about 10%, hasnt increased since the 2021-22 school year. But teachers in Tulsa have definitely noticed the influx of newcomers. Some of them just show up on Monday and they dont speak any English, said one teacher in the district who did not want to be named in order to protect students. She often communicates with students through bilingual staff members. I just hear the saddest stories every day. The kids are really sweet, but theyre afraid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worries about what might happen if recent immigrants are unable to attend school. We provide coats, she said. We provide groceries on the weekends. Migrants headed for the U.S. left Mexico on Jan. 12. President-elect Donald Trump plans to carry out mass deportations, but the Biden administration recently extended temporary protected status for nearly 1 million undocumented immigrants. (Alfredo Estrella/Getty Images) Will not comply Norman, where about 8% of students are English learners, was among the many districts that didnt submit any data to the state last summer. Regardless of their needs, Migliorino said, educators invest in the students who show up in our district. Leaders of other districts, including the Santa Fe South charter schools, Bixby Public Schools and the Millwood school system, pushed back on Walters demands, saying they havent asked about families immigration status and dont intend to start. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bixby Superintendent Rob Miller told The 74 the proposed rule was clearly unconstitutional. Bixby will not comply, said Miller, an outspoken critic of Walters who is suing him for defamation. He compared Walters plan to the states legal battle over a first-in-the-nation religious charter school. While the Oklahoma Supreme Court said the Catholic charter violates the law, the school and the states charter board have appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court. The court has not yet decided whether to hear the case. I believe they are trying to create a case for the Trump Supreme Court, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Oklahoma Christian Charter Case In Plyler, a Texas school district sought to charge tuition to students not legally admitted to the country. The U.S. Department of Education has long interpreted the courts opinion to mean that states cannot do anything to chill the atmosphere or to make people feel afraid to send their kids to school, Sugarman said. Oklahoma isnt the first state to attempt to curb illegal immigrations impact on schools. In 1994, California voters passed Proposition 187, which denied undocumented immigrants access to public education and other services. The measure directed teachers to report students they suspected were undocumented to authorities. But advocates and federal courts found it unconstitutional. Since then, Alabama, Arizona, Maryland and Texas have sought to ask parents about their citizenship, all for the stated purpose of determining how much it costs to serve unauthorized students. Only Alabamas law was enacted, but a federal appeals court struck it down in 2012, after only a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue could prove appealing for the Supreme Court, which took a sharp right turn during President-elect Donald Trumps first term. That ideological shift resulted in the end of federal abortion rights and the reversal of an opinion that gave federal agencies significant leeway to interpret the law. We have a different court now, said Sugarman of the Migration Policy Institute. The courts willingness to overturn legal precedent means that lots of things are on the table that we wouldnt previously [have] thought were in play. Incoming border czar Tom Homan spoke at the right-wing group Turning Points December event in Phoenix. (Josh Edelson/Getty Images) Attorney general agreement The education department has until March to submit the rule to the legislature, where both the House and Senate must approve the measure for it to pass. If they dont take action, the package automatically goes to the governor to sign. Walters, who frequently clashes with Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond on issues like religion in public schools and education funding, has found common cause with his frequent opponent on the issue of seeking parents citizenship status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Attorney General has said he believes Oklahoma has the right to collect citizenship data in connection with government services, said spokesman Phil Bacharach. In a recent interview, Drummond, who announced his run for governor Monday, spoke about efforts to cooperate with the incoming Trump administration to deport undocumented immigrants who are committing crimes in the state. But he didnt address education. As protected areas or sensitive locations, schools have been off limits for ICE agents at least since 2011. Ignacia Rodriguez Kmec, an attorney with the National Immigration Law Center, said she wasnt aware of any past ICE raids at U.S. schools. But research shows that enrollment of Hispanic students in school drops, especially in the elementary grades, when ICE and local law enforcement partner to enforce immigration laws. Following a raid at a Tennessee meatpacking plant in 2019, hundreds of students in the local district were absent. For now, some districts have tried to reassure parents who might be hesitant to enroll their children or send them to school. Oklahoma City Superintendent Jamie Polk issued a statement saying the districts schools are a safe and welcoming place for all students, and our mission remains unchanged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Older Immigrant Students Say High School Admission Bettered Their Lives in U.S. But the states recommended rule is especially controversial in Tulsa, where conservative Board Member ELena Ashley told a Republican group in October that many English learners are undocumented and could pose a safety risk to other students. Superintendent Ebony Johnson has tried to put families at ease, saying that rulemaking is a long, drawn-out process. There is a place for you and your children here, Johnson said in a video message. We want students here at school every day. In the year of our Lord 2025, seeing a Black man traveling with his white wife shouldnt even make you bat an eye. But believe it or not, some people still arent ok with interracial relationships. For that reason, what was supposed to be a romantic honeymoon getaway for an Arizona couple went all the way wrong. Now, a Black man is taking legal action against American Airlines, alleging he was racially profiled on his flight. Anthony Williams, a former police officer who is Black, and Katsiaryna Shasholka, who is white, were celebrating their recent nuptials on a 2022 flight from Phoenix to Miami when a fellow passenger, who believed Williams was trafficking Shasholka, alerted the flight crew. According to Business Insider, the couples lawsuit says American Airlines employees falsely reported to law enforcement that Plaintiff Anthony was human trafficking his own wife without asking the couple any questions. When the flight landed in Miami, the couple was escorted from the plane, where they were questioned by local police. The couple, who says they were left feeling confused and embarrassed by the situation, is now seeking $75,000 in damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Civil rights attorney Ben Taylor, who isnt associated with the case, says he understands why Williams and Shasholka were uncomfortable. Its very stressful when youre trying to go to your honeymoon and enjoy a good time and the next thing you know youre being pulled over by police and flight attendants for something you didnt do anything wrong, he told Arizonas Family. According to Law & Crime, the couples case is being handled by civil rights lawyer Jasmine Rand, who also represented the families of Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, and Michael Brown. Rand obtained the following statement from Mr. Williams: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am a former law enforcement officer. I worked hard to fight crime, and to be accused of committing a heinous crime is unfathomable. I was accused of human trafficking my wife because of my race. I fought hard to uphold the law in this country and I will fight hard now to uphold the laws that prohibit racial discrimination. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Russians have attacked the village of Antonivka in Kherson Oblast with drones on the night of 15-16 January, killing one man and injuring another. Source: Oleksandr Prokudin, Head of Kherson Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote: "Russian forces attacked Antonivka with UAVs at midnight. The enemy strike claimed the life of a 37-year-old local resident. Another man, 33 years old, sustained blast injuries, shrapnel wounds to his legs and a head concussion. The injured individual was hospitalised." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Prokudin also reported that a 53-year-old resident of Kherson, who was injured the previous afternoon in a Russian drone attack on the city of Kherson, passed away in hospital. "The doctors did everything possible to save his life, but the injuries were too severe," Prokudin concluded. Background: The Russians attack civilians in Kherson Oblast daily. Local authorities report deaths or injuries every day due to explosives dropped by Russian drones. Previously, the Financial Times reported that Russia is training kamikaze drone operators by targeting Ukrainian civilians. Support UP or become our patron! TOWN OF PIERREPONT, N.Y. (WWTI) A 29-year-old Ogdensburg woman has died as a result injuries suffered in a Thursday morning automobile crash in St. Lawrence County. According to the St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Department, they responded just before 7:40 a.m. to the intersection of County Routes 27 and 24 in the town of Pierrepont to reports of a motor-vehicle accident. NYSP searching for missing snowmobiler in St. Lawrence County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A release from the sheriffs office said that Victoria Alexander was driving southwest on County Route 27 when she failed to stop her vehicle at the stop sign on the intersection of County Routes 24 and 27. Alexanders vehicle then hit a Coca-Cola delivery truck that was traveling northwest on County Route 24 according to the sheriffs department. Authorities have not released the name of the driver of the delivery truck or gave any word on their condition. The St. Lawrence County Sheriffs Office was assisted on the scene by the New York State Police, Pierrepont Fire Department, Degrasse Fire Department, Canton Rescue and the St. Lawrence County Office of Emergency Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is still ongoing at this time. 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. MOBILE COUNTY, Ala. (WKRG) Bush Lane between Nevius Road and Three Notch-Kroner Road will be closed starting Thursday for road construction, according to Mobile County officials. County officials said the construction is part of a new phase of an ongoing project. LOCATION: Mobile County is encouraging residents to detour east to Highway 90 to avoid construction delays, and detour signs are in place. (Mobile County) County officials said online traffic navigation services will show the detour as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement the project is funded through Rebuild Alabama and the 2018 Pay-As-You-Go Transportation Improvement Program. 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. OPELOUSAS, La. (KLFY) An Opleousas women has died after a crash while delivering mail in St. Landry Parish, authorities said. This crash ultimately claimed the life of Nakeisha Pitre, 46, of Opelousas. Louisiana State Police Troop I began investigating a two-vehicle crash just before 10 a.m. Jan. 5 on La. 3043 east of Webb Lane in St. Landry Parish. Investigators said a 1998 Chevrolet United States Postal Service mail vehicle, driven by Pitre, was traveling east on La. 3043, with a 2023 Honda Passport following behind. The driver of the Honda entered the westbound lane of La. 3043 in an attempt to pass. As the Honda was passing, the Chevrolet began to slow and turn left toward a private driveway, crossing into the Hondas path and resulting in a collision with the rear of the Chevrolet, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest Pitre, who was ejected from the Chevrolet, was taken to a nearby hospital. State Police were notified Wednesday that Pitre had died. The driver of the Honda, who was restrained, sustained minor injuries. This crash remains under investigation. 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. GREENUP A nonprofit combating substance misuse and abuse is expanding its footprint. A local county is the newest addition to its widening efforts. Operation UNITE representatives visited Greenup County on Wednesday to establish Giddy Up Greenup the corporations Greenup County coalition. Were grateful to be in this county, and we look forward to helping the youth in (Greenup County) and the community in general as a whole, said Cynthia Bohon, Coalition Coordinator of UNITE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citizens, government leaders, school administrators, business officials, treatment providers, health care workers and first responders were among those in attendance as Operation UNITE shared its vision for the county and state during an event on Wednesday afternoon at the Joe Mantz Municipal Building in Greenup. Operation UNITE launched in April 2003 by U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers. UNITE stands for Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education. UNITE already covers 33 Kentucky counties Congressman Rogers (5th) district, which includes Boyd, Carter and Lawrence. But we decided we wanted to go further, Bohon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UNITE received a grant through opioid abatement funds which helped pave the way to adding 10 more counties, including Greenup. Garrard was the first of those 10. Lewis Countys coalition will be the third it is to be established on Friday, Jan. 24. Our goal is to eventually get enough funding to go statewide, Bohon said. UNITEs three-pronged approach includes the law enforcement, treatment and education aspects of combating substance abuse and misuse. Each county in the nonprofits purview receives $15,000 a year $7,500 every six months for use in the community for their needs, Bohon said. Each one has access to UNITEs prevention programming including youth camps, scholarships, treatment vouchers and drug prevention programs. Programs are free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bohon provided examples of a couple of projects UNITE spearheaded in Greenup County, including after prom at Greenup County High School and supplying funds to Raceland Police for a K9 training kit. Operation UNITE also runs a statewide call center. Jamie Gilliam represented the KY HELP call center as she spoke to the crowd on Wednesday. Gilliam said the center conducts screenings and connects people to viable resources. It fielded 16 calls from Greenup County in 2024, but, she said, that number would be drastically higher if more people were aware of the service. The phone number is 1-833-859-4357 (or 1-833-8KY-HELP). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also joining Bohon as speakers Wednesday were Scott Murphy, of Pathways, Dawn Lang, UNITEs treatment director, Courtney Maynard, education director, and Tom Vicini, President/CEO of Operation UNITE. Vicini was named President/CEO in October 2023. Vicini stressed the importance of citizens contacting state representatives and senators to express how needed Operation UNITE is in the commonwealth. This will help keep the nonprofit on the map for state funding. We want to do amazing things in Greenup County and beyond, Vicini said. Bohon said Operation UNITE has 38 employees. We are few but mighty, she said. We cant do it without the help of our representatives and senators. Email cbohon@operationunite.org, call 1-866-OP-UNITE or visit operationunite.org for more information. Assuming the Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is signed, the four key elements of Phase 1 are as follows: Thirty-three Israeli hostages will be released over the 42-day period of Phase 1 women, children and men over 50. At least two American citizens are expected to be released in Phase One, but it remains unclear how many of the 33 hostages are alive. The first three hostages are scheduled to be released on Sunday, Jan. 19 under the Biden administration (marking a difference with the 52 American hostages held in Iran and not released until hours after Ronald Reagan became president). Four are to be released on the seventh day and so forth. The last 14 hostages will be released during the last week of Phase 1. The remaining 65 hostages will only be released in a second phase. One thousand Palestinian security prisoners held in Israeli detention will be freed in return for the 33 hostages, including at least 250 Palestinians with, as the Israelis term it, blood on their hands. Many of the prisoners will be released to third countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fighting will cease and Israel will pull back its forces from key populated areas of Gaza over the six-week period. Details of the pullback have not been confirmed by Israel. Humanitarian aid will expand roughly three-fold to a presumed 600 trucks a day from Israel to Gaza. What are the key takeaways after 15 months? The ceasefire agreement needs to be ratified by the Israeli Cabinet. Passage by the full Cabinet is likely. Although its far-right members have continually threatened to bolt the coalition, they will not topple the government by bringing the ceasefire to a full Knesset vote, since the major opposition parties will vote in favor of the agreement (though either the far-right or the opposition may then try to topple the government). The ceasefire agreement is essentially the same as the Biden proposals of May 2024, which had been coordinated with Israel. Many, including myself in these pages, felt that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu walked back from those agreements for his own self-centered political reasons. It is important to note, however, that Hamas never agreed to the proposals either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President-elect Trump clearly played a major role in getting the parties to agree. Much has been made of Trumps comment about Hamas freeing the hostages before his inauguration or all hell will break loose. What seems to be missed by many is the pressure that Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, put on Netanyahu to agree to a deal. This may well be the portent of things to come. Conventional wisdom held that Trump would allow Netanyahu to do what he wanted without restrictions akin to the first Trump administration. It should be recalled, though, that the Abraham Accords were long in gestation and moved up in part to head off Israeli annexation of the West Bank. The ceasefire negotiations demonstrate that Trump was able to pressure Netanyahu something Biden had been unable to do with Trump lurking in the background. The last major hostage-prisoner exchange was in October 2011, when 1,027 Palestinian prisoners were released in exchange for Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier captured in 2006 via the Hamas tunnel network extending into Israel from Gaza. One of the Palestinian prisoners released in that exchange was Yahya Sinwar, who later became the military and political leader of Hamas and was the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks. Sinwar was killed by Israel on Oct. 16, 2024. The names of those to be released will be published in advance to allow petitions to the Israeli Supreme Court to block the release especially of those prisoners with blood on their hands. The Supreme Court has never overruled a government decision to release a prisoner in an exchange, deeming it to be a national security matter into which the court should not intervene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire is designed to be part of a multi-phase, longer-term agreement that will include the full cessation of fighting, release of the remaining Israeli hostages, release of additional Palestinian prisoners and eventually a form of political agreement between Israel and Palestinians on Gaza (though not necessarily an agreement on the West Bank). The question of the day after is getting close. Will we get to Phase Two or Phase Three? Will Trump put pressure on Netanyahu as he did the ceasefire to get to a day after and the expansion of the Abraham Accords? One can only hope. Jonathan D. Strum is an international lawyer and businessman based in Washington and the Middle East. From 1991 to 2005, he was an adjunct professor of Israeli law at Georgetown University Law Center. 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 Joe Bidens farewell address from the Oval Office was largely unremarkable, save for one element. He took direct aim at what he called the tech-industrial complex. The president began his address to the nation by crediting his administration for the negotiations that led to the just-announced Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement, which, if it holds, would end the brutal 15-month war in Gaza. He added that he made sure the incoming Trump administration was kept apprised of the negotiations, because working together as Americans is how it should be. He said he wished the next administration success. Biden listed some of his administrations accomplishments and dashed off some bland bromides about the enduring power of American ideals. More substantively, he called for term limits and ethics reform for the Supreme Court and beseeched Congress to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president, is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. He also stressed the importance to the country of the peaceful transfer of power, something his predecessor and successor, Donald Trump, didnt participate in when he tried to overturn the 2020 election, incited the Capitol riot and then left Washington without conceding his defeat or attending Bidens inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Biden didnt take direct shots at Trump. Rather, he called out the cadre of tech industry billionaires who either latched on to the Trump bandwagon during the 2024 campaign or are desperately angling to be invited aboard. Biden warned of the potential rise of a tech-industrial complex and of a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very few ultra-wealthy people. He said, Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. It was a clear echo of President Dwight Eisenhowers 1961 farewell address to the nation during which the former supreme commander of the Allied forces in World War II presciently warned his fellow Americans about the growing unwarranted influence of the military-industrial complex.He didnt name names, but its safe to assume one of the people Biden likened to robber barons is Elon Musk who spent over a quarter-billion dollars on Trumps campaign, who personally led the charge to kill a Republican-negotiated spending deal last month, who is already influencing policy in a way that benefits his businesses and who reportedly will have his own office in Trumps White House. Using the phrase tech-industrial complex was most likely a conscious choice by Bidens speechwriters a direct response to Musk and his MAGA allies, who said the Biden administrations jawboning of social media companies during the Covid pandemic made them leaders of a censorship industrial complex. (Those same self-styled free speech warriors have been curiously silent about jawboning of social media and tech companies by Trumps pick for chair of the Federal Communication Commission just last month.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than six decades after Eisenhower left office, few would deny that the military-industrial complex plays an enormous role in shaping Americas domestic and foreign policy, as well as its economic policy. Bidens warning to the American people of a creeping oligarchy a tech-industrial complex was apt, and hes correct to sound the alarm. Trump and Musk are bullies who boast of using their wealth and influence to attack their perceived enemies. Together, one of them holds more wealth than anyone else who has ever lived, and the other is about to hold arguably more power than anyone else in the world. This concentration of extreme wealth and overwhelming power is all the more disturbing given its association with a xenophobic, right-wing populist political movement. We must not be bullied into sacrificing the future, Biden said in his final speech as president. If theres one thing bullies hate, its people who arent afraid of them. We saw that last summer when MAGA world clutched its pearls over one of its politicians being called weird. Thats why I hope tech-industrial complex sticks. Its to the point while also making a mockery of MAGAs delusions of a mass censorship regime focused solely on it. If Bidens brief farewell address left us with anything thatll endure in the publics memory, it might be that pithy and punchy phrase. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Donald Trump will soon be returning to the White House after waging another victorious campaign against business-as-usual in Washington, including Americas broken foreign policy consensus. But if the incoming Trump administration is serious about ensuring that U.S. foreign policy puts America first, they shouldnt overlook the murky world of think tank funding, where businesses and foreign interests buy influence over key nodes in the foreign policy-making apparatus with little scrutiny often shifting U.S. policy to their own benefit, at Americans expense. In July, the Department of Justice indicted Sue Mi Terry, a leading expert on the Korean Peninsula who held senior positions at prestigious think tanks like the Wilson Center and the Council on Foreign Relations, on charges of acting as a foreign agent for South Korea without registering under the Foreign Agents Registration Act. For more than a decade, Terry allegedly fed Korean intelligence officers information in exchange for luxury goods and funding. Gregory Craig, a former White House Counsel who himself faced FARA charges that were eventually dismissed claimed that Terrys actions are simply what it takes to succeed in the think-tank universe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Craig is half-right: It certainly is the norm, not the exception, for think tanks to rely on connections with foreign governments and special interest groups. But these entanglements are not just what it takes to succeed they also have a real effect on the research products and policy recommendations that think tanks produce. As objective as think tanks claim to be, their funding sources matter. A growing body of evidence suggests that funding often comes with strings attached, leading to censorship, perspective filtering and, in rare cases, even outright pay-for-research arrangements with donors. Donors are well aware of these benefits. As a 2014 internal report from the Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry noted, Funding powerful think tanks is one way to gain such access, and some think tanks in Washington are openly conveying that they can service only those foreign governments that provide funding. Yet remarkably little is known about think-tank funding. With this in mind, we created the Think Tank Funding Tracker, a publicly searchable database that allows users to explore think-tank funding relationships from Pentagon contractors and foreign government sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last five years alone, foreign governments contributed $110 million to the top 50 U.S. think tanks. The heftiest sums were doled out by the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Qatar, who contributed $16.7 million, $15.5 million and $9.1 million, respectively. The top 100 Pentagon contractors donated just under $35 million, led by the likes of Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Mitsubishi, which provided $5.6 million, $2.6 million and $2.1 million to the tracked think tanks. Think tanks reliance on these special interests is only growing. From 2019 to 2023, the top 50 American foreign policy think tanks reported a nearly 30 percent increase in funding from the top 100 Pentagon contractors. Over that same period, think tanks reported a 36 percent increase in funding from foreign governments despite no apparent increase in transparency. Yet the most jarring takeaway from the Think Tank Funding Tracker is what is not in it. Think tanks are not actually required to disclose information about their donors, and 18 of the top 50 foreign policy think tanks in the U.S. do not disclose any information about their funders. The annual revenue of these top dark money think tanks combined is a staggering $289 million. The entities funneling nearly $300 million to these dark money think tanks be they China, Saudi Arabia or a corporation shy of the public eye are anyones guess. To paraphrase former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, these are the known unknowns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whereas foreign agents, lobbyists and even universities have to disclose certain information about their clients and contracts, think tanks enjoy the unregulated veneer of independence. According to Daniel Drezner, a professor of international politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts, funding think tanks can be as valuable as spending on lobbyists precisely because it is less regulated. Foreign states looking to meddle in American politics have begun secretly exploiting this glaring loophole. The Guardian reported earlier this year that Israel even considered creating a think tank-like nonprofit organization specifically to circumnavigate any disclosure requirements. This lack of transparency also opens the door for think tank employees to skirt laws such as the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which requires foreign lobbyists to register and disclose their activities. In July 2023, Gal Luft, a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen working as co-director of a foreign policy think tank, was indicted for paying a Trump advisor on behalf of Chinese entities. As millions of dollars are streaming into the coffers of think tanks from foreign governments and weapons manufacturers, its high time to demand more transparency. Conflicts of interest, real or perceived, should be front and center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers should impose regulations that require nonprofit organizations to reveal high-dollar funding sources from corporate and governmental donors. This would build upon existing bipartisan legislation like the Think Tank Transparency Act, introduced by Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and the Fighting Foreign Influence Act, introduced by Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), that would require nonprofits to disclose donations from foreign governments. Think tanks are an integral part of the U.S. policy-making process. Foreign governments and special interests are all too aware of this and are investing heavily in think tanks to garner influence in America. Congress, in turn, must recognize this dynamic and demand much greater donor transparency from the think tanks that wish to influence it. Ben Freeman is the director of the Democratizing Foreign Policy Program at the Quincy Institute. Nick Cleveland-Stout is a Junior Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute. 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. Politico recently described the race for the next chair of the Democratic National Committee as possessing all the excitement of watching a euchre tournament, full of Midwestern niceness befitting its two frontrunners but short on big ideas or disagreements over how to salvage their fortunes. Well, thats about to change. Former Bernie Sanders campaign manager Faiz Shakir has thrown his hat in the ring. Since hes joining the race just a couple weeks before the DNCs members vote, it will be a challenge for him to catch the front-runners. But Shakirs entry is significant nonetheless: Unlike most of his competitors, he wants to transform the party. Shakirs resume spans multiple key sectors of the Democratic Party. Hes worked closely with the upper echelons of the party establishment, serving as an aide to former Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He also had high-profile posts at the Center for American Progress, the premier think tank affiliated with the center-left party establishment. But hes also worked in the left wing of the party, most notably managing Sanders 2020 presidential campaign. That campaign was far from perfect, but Sanders came close to winning the Democratic presidential primaries, losing only after the moderate wing of the party consolidated behind Joe Biden. He also served as political director of the American Civil Liberties Union and is currently the executive director of More Perfect Union, an advocacy journalism nonprofit that describes its mission as building power for the working class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is he entering so late? As I have listened to our candidates, I sense a constrained, status-quo style of thinking. We cannot expect working class audiences to see us any differently if we are not offering anything new or substantive to attract their support, Shakir wrote in a letter to the 448 members of the DNC. Shakir elaborated on this class-focused politics in an interview with The New York Times. He argued that the partys brand was fundamentally broken and warned that if we cant have a bold debate about these issues its now or never. The Times reported that Shakirs mission would be to redefine the Democratic Party as the party of the working class including by reaching beyond the typical confines of campaigns, such as organizing to support striking workers. Shakirs instincts are right. There is a consensus among Democrats that losing to Donald Trump two out of three times and hemorrhaging working-class voters to a plutocrat represents an existential crisis. Yet the top candidates vying to lead the DNC are not acting like it. As Politico reported, the two most prominent candidates, Wisconsin Democratic Party boss Ben Wikler and Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Chair Ken Martin, have focused on technocratic squabbles over party mechanics and the individual candidates resumes rather than some of the larger ideological and policy debates. The race has become centered around personality and candidate quality instead of the million-dollar question: What is to be done? The progressive wing of the party has the best chance at helping Democrats win back the working class and shed the partys reputation as defender of the status quo. Party elders, whose own answers havent worked, are finally admitting that economic populism is a necessary part of the solution. Center-left voices are worried that the Democratic Party has become an overly diffuse coalition of disparate interest groups that can push agendas at odds with the demands of mass politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shakir isn't the only candidate in the race from the left wing of the party: Former Democratic presidential candidate and wellness author Marianne Williamson is also running. But Williamson has no experience in professional politics, and her eccentric and problematic beliefs about health make her a poor messenger for the left. A DNC chair who understands the importance of class-first politics could help reorient the party. The position oversees an organization that helps Democratic candidates with research, polling, ads and fundraising, not to mention making media appearances and formally laying out the party platform. As a result, the chair has substantial influence on the partys messaging, organizing and spending priorities. Shakirs belated entry into the race and more recent anti-establishment credentials mean hes likely a long-shot candidate. But the ideas hes pushing deserve a wide audience within the party, and one hopes they help spark a broader debate and serious answers from those vying to lead it. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Last Wednesday morning, after a singularly terrifying night of fire in Los Angeles, people miles away from Altadena or Pacific Palisades discovered more than ash in their backyards. The pages of books, some almost entirely blackened and illegible, others serrated and singed by flame from which fragments of text emerged, had been ripped, I imagine, out of peoples burning homes by hurricane-force gusts. These were the remains of intimate archives, the runes of lives scattered by fiery winds. We think of Los Angeles as a celluloid city, not a lettered one. Hollywood has long romanced disaster, films showing us the Hollywood sign tumbling down in a temblor, the enormous white letters losing their form and order, becoming gibberish. In disaster movies, Hollywood ironizes its relationship to the violence of its representations, its distortions and erasures, its fabulous wealth heavy against the barrios of East L.A. and South Central. Of course, Hollywood also reflects the actual geography of disaster here earthquakes, fires and floods, the price of California paradise, of being able to ski and surf on the same day. But Hollywood could never match the actual disasters. No director-screenwriter team has ever dared to approach one of the costliest social disasters in American history, the L.A. riots of 1992, the price of the citys reactionary heartlessness in the early 20th century and the liberal fecklessness of its latter years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last couple of generations, Los Angeles has begun to write itself more seriously, through its scholars, journalists and poets and, more recently, its podcasters and even influencers. The pastless paradise has unearthed more and more of its history, peeled back the layers of the language of conquest to reveal Indigenous names beneath Spanish and English ones. The Gabrielenos are once again the Tongva, and colonial-era Indigenous rebel Toypurina is depicted in street murals and taught in the same fourth-grade classrooms where California history used to be a mission diorama assignment. The city is written not just by its Didions, Hockneys and Chazelles or, for that matter, its Carlos Alamarazes, Charles Burnetts and Luis Rodriguezes. The development of West Coast hip-hop (culminating with generational rapper Kendrick Lamar) has provided a contemporary chronicle of survival on L.A.s seething streets. Still, we are far from our representations catching up to our lived history. Among the many stories missing an epic treatment, we lack the great film or book telling of the wave of immigrants and refugees who arrived in the 1980s and 1990s and transformed the city. But beyond representations popular or elite, beyond the collections at MOCA or the Huntington or the basement of the Los Angeles Central Library, there are, or were, in the living rooms of Altadena and the Pacific Palisades, collectible or amateur paintings, brilliant or banal diaries, forgotten demo tapes of bands that never made it. The collective social archive has been steadily migrating into the digital realm since the 1990s, but there are still countless hard copy letters, some of them literal, like the correspondence between my parents, handwritten in the late 1950s, from my Mexican American dad in L.A. to and from my mother in El Salvador during a long-distance separation before they married. These are stored in a box in a cedar closet in my familys Silver Lake home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today my father lies in a hospital bed in the same room where my mother died a few years ago, where my grandparents spent their final days decades ago. My father loves to comb through the Martinez archive thousands of Kodachrome snapshots, expired passports, the crumbling playbills of my grandparents performances on Mexican vaudeville stages a century ago in downtown. There has been plenty of death in the Silver Lake house. But the archive speaks more about life, our lives spilling across and beyond the pages of documents intimate and public that join or should join the vast story of the city. In my office at my home in Mt. Washington which, as it sits next to the open space of a canyon, suddenly feels vulnerable to fire there is a wall of cabinets crammed with bankers boxes. My personal archive: photo proofs with images highlighted in wax pencil, flyers for poetry readings held decades ago in coffeehouses that no longer exist. Should an ember ignite the canyon one day, what would I want to save, what would be too painful to lose? How many African American family archives are there, or were there, in Altadena living rooms, narrating the fate of relationships as well as the story of civil rights and integration at the foot of the San Gabriels? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What of the homes of screenwriters, art directors and lighting designers in Pacific Palisades and the archives of their aesthetic struggles, their union drives, Hollywoods glories and sins? As I write this, I see a post on Facebook about yet another loss: The late UCLA historian Juan Gomez-Quinoness house was destroyed in the Palisades fire, along with his archive. As a founder of Chicano studies, his lifes work was about saving the stories of ordinary people who rose up in extraordinary circumstances. It became a part of the rain of ash and burning pages. An old African proverb holds that when an elder dies, a library burns. As our city burns, we lose bundles of essential letters of all kinds. The singed pages fall to earth; we breathe in the ash of our stories. Recovering and rebuilding will mean many things in the months and years to come. Remembering especially that which we never realized had been forgotten should be the foundation of any meaningful return. Ruben Martinez is a professor of literature at Loyola Marymount University. If its in the news right now, the L.A. Times Opinion section covers it. Sign up for our weekly opinion newsletter. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. President Joe Biden will deliver his farewell address tonight, just days before President-elect Donald Trump will be sworn into office. We can expect that Biden will use these last fleeting moments behind the Oval Office's Resolute Desk to tout what he deems to be his biggest successes. But Im more interested to see which Joe Biden actually shows up. Will America watch the gracious man who rightly invited the new president-elect to the White House, a tradition that Trump broke when he lost to Biden in 2020? Or, will we see a man still trying, clumsily and unhelpfully, to defend himself, as Biden did in his exit interview with Susan Page of USA Today? Biden told the newspaper that he believed he would have beaten Trump in November, based on polling. Ill-advised doesnt begin to cover it.To be clear, there is no question that Biden is a patriot. No one should ever question his love for the nation or his drive to further its best interests. But Biden has also historically refused to acknowledge his own limitations. And his decision to pardon Hunter Biden in his final months in office did in fact put the interests of his son above the country even if he was faced with what must have felt like an impossible choice. I personally believe politicians, and yes, even presidents, allow their farewell tours to stretch way too long. But I will nonetheless watch Biden tonight, with a few key things in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the topic of his successes, Biden is likely to discuss how the economy is rebounding (which, in fact, is) and the successes of the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act. Yet, one of the most important acts of his presidency was pushing NATO to protect Ukraine. Without Bidens foreign policy chops, Russia may have been able to take over some or all of its smaller neighbors. Biden probably also gets some credit although it's still unclear how much for the long-delayed Gaza ceasefire.It's time for Biden to rise above his own personal frustrations and resist the urge to go on the defensive. Biden has long wanted more credit for the economy and less blame for problems along the southern border. At the same time, he still refuses to recognize that due to his age, he should never have even considered running for a second term. Biden must not use this address to relitigate the past. Now is not the time to fight over his legacy or to air old grievances. He should know better. Biden should instead lean into what makes him a great politician. Insights are welcome, as long as they arent self-serving. I would much rather hear a classic Biden yarn than a political diatribe, especially right now. We tend to remember the worst of times, but Biden should instead remind America of what it has accomplished and what it can be proud of. Along these lines, it could also be a good time to highlight some of the work that still needs to be done. Back in 2022, Biden called for a new national purpose, with the goal to end cancer as we know it. Why not renew his commitment to that goal?Bidens recent flashes of prickliness aside, this is a man who deploys optimism often and well. And that is probably because, at the end of the day, he truly believes in the promise of America. There are better days ahead, even if there might be a few bumps (or Trumps) along the way. Lets see some of that happy warrior that former President Barack Obama spoke about years ago. Ive criticized Biden robustly over his career. Hes neither perfect nor blameless. He leaves office with a complicated legacy and a mixed record just like all politicians. But I hope most Americans will be able to pause their analysis for 15 minutes and remember that ultimately, this is a man who has served our country well for over 50 years. We owe it to him, and ourselves, to find time to say thank you. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com NewsNation Chief Washington Anchor and On Balance host Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He gives you an early look at tonights 7 p.m. ET show. Subscribe to War Notes here. Programming alert: Bill OReilly joins us tonight with a preview of our special, The United States of Trump. OReilly first met Donald Trump 35 years ago, and they have spent countless hours together on and off the record. They even went on a double date together. Its the kind of access that every network wants and every journalist needs but only Bill OReilly has it. Join us tonight for the preview and set your DVRs for Friday night at 9 p.m. ET. Must read: By Ariel Kahana of The Wall Street Journal: Trump Forced Netanyahu to Make a Deal With the Devil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the point I made last night with Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla. Team Trump so badly wanted a win they didnt care whether it was a good deal. U.S. President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth testifies during his Senate Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on January 14, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images) Death of Seriousness Three days of Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings leave us with a single conclusion: Seriousness is dead in America. The worlds most deliberative body is now a forum for fundraising and social media clips. Fight on: Democrats in the Senate are the last part of the resistance. Instead of asking serious questions of nominees, they asked: Why do you hate women? Will you protect Liz Cheney? Did you cheat on your wife? Will Trump have an enemies list? Will you shoot protesters? Those were some of the questions others just gave outraged speeches clearly designed to be chopped up on social media for fundraising links. Look forward: South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, Trumps pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, has her confirmation hearing tomorrow. How many questions will there be about her killing a puppy? Read the country: Democratic senators will be the last to figure out yet that calling Trump supporters sexist and yelling at his pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, about the election does not resonate with Americans. Grandstanding: The New York Post writes, The first round of confirmation hearings for Donald Trump cabinet appointees shows that Democrats arent interested in governing only grandstanding. Be fair: Its hard to argue with the Posts take. Good of the country: The founders included advise and consent in the Constitution for a reason. Despite what Mike Davis told us Tuesday night, the founders did not think the president just gets whoever he wants. Mediaite headlines, NewsNation Host Who Worked at Fox With Pete Hegseth Pushes Trump Ally Hard About Hegseth Cheating on His Wife. Political reality: Democrats are depriving America of the vital counterbalance on policy. Yes, Trump won by two million votes, but 75 million Americans voted for Vice President Kamala Harris. High stakes: The secretary of defense, for example, would advise the president during the crucial moments before launching a nuclear strike experience and judgment do matter in this role, and Democrats did precisely nothing to prove Hegseths worldview or how he would advise the president. David Brooks is out with a fabulous column in The New York Times, headlining, We Deserve Pete Hegseth. You should read it by clicking here. How do drones change war-fighting? How will artificial intelligence alter the nature of combat? How do we shift from a defense policy built around counterterrorism to a policy built around nation-state warfare? If youre a Democrat trying to sink a nomination, you would think youd want to ask substantive questions on life-or-death issues like these in order to expose the nominees ignorance and unpreparedness. To borrow a phrase from my favorite movie, The American President, We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. Yet, Democrats in the Senate seem solely interested in being unserious, or more likely, they just arent serious people. Bright spot: Scott Bessett, Trumps pick for secretary of the Treasury Department, who said in the hearing, We do not have a revenue problem in the United States of America, we have a spending problem. This spending is out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ok that is something we can have a debate about the American people deserve that. Watch tonight: One of my reporting heroes, Mark Halperin, will discuss Democrats inability to look past their hatred of Trump regardless of whether its good for the country or their cause. President Joe Biden delivers his farewell address to the nation from the Oval Office of the White House on January 15, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mandel Ngan Pool/Getty Images) Oh, the Oligarchy Republicans dismissal of Joe Bidens farewell address comes at their own peril in particular, this part of his speech: Biden: Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead. Fact check: True. Weve been saying this for years now going all the way back to September 2022. Irony alert: Biden gave the presidential medal of freedom to George Soros, and his son accepted it isnt that celebrating the oligarchy? Watch Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., walk into that trap while questioning Scott Bessett today. Look back: The fundamental feeling of unfairness never works out well for the ruling class just ask the Russians and the French. Political reality: Democrats are angry that they no longer have a monopoly on the oligarchy. Told you: The past three months have seen the oligarchies move from the resistance camp to Mar-a-Lago power loves money, and money needs power. Fair point: Trump won folks making under $100K while the Dems won those making over $100K. Biden had 2 billionaires to every 1 Trump had. 75% of hedge funders gave to Kamala. 9/10 richest counties and 65% making over $500K are repd by Dems. Every accusation from Democrats is a confession, says Batya Ungar-Sargon, one of our favorite guests, who joins us tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yes, but: Trump now has his own oligarchy. The New Yorker outlines it well, headlining, The Inauguration of Trumps Oligarchy. Trillion dollar day: With Tesla and Xs Elon Musk, Amazons Jeff Bezos and Metas Mark Zuckerberg at the inauguration, plus a few other billionaires, there will be well over a trillion dollars in net worth surrounding Trump. American dream: The American dream is built on a feeling of fairness break that sacred bond, and it wont end well. Tune into On Balance with Leland Vittert weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily of NewsNation. Copyright 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. Syrian history presents many lessons for Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the radical Islamist group now leading a transitional process there, and those who wish to see a peaceful, secular and democratic Syria. In 1970, Hafez al-Assad took power in Syria after a coup he dubbed the Corrective Movement. This was after years of intense conflict within the Baath Party, beginning with the 1961 coup ending Syrias union with Egypt. A 1963 coup established Baath rule, ushering in a period marked by further coups, purges and the 1967 defeat against Israel in the Six-Day War, leaving the nation deeply fractured. Amidst this turmoil, the elder Assad emerged as a pragmatic leader, gaining support from key military, Alawite and Baathist figures, and aptly timed his seizure of power. The current situation bears striking similarities to those formative years. Assads rhetoric of not exporting the socialist revolution mirrors the disavowal of global jihad by the newly ascendant organizations leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa. Both figures sought to consolidate power by appointing an inclusive interim leadership one that balanced the representation of different communities, while, in cooperation with a small clique, they wielded power behind the scenes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With al-Sharaa, we must wait until the transitional government is formed to see this strategy in action. But his pragmatic approach so far strongly points in this direction. The transitional government that is likely to emerge soon will probably be diverse, but Al-Sharaa is expected to continue relying on the small group he has admitted feeling more comfortable with those who helped shape governance in Idlib, his longtime stronghold in northern Syria. Even as Hafez al-Assad maintained a socialist discourse, he softened the secular tone of his predecessors rhetoric, incorporating Islamic references to appeal to the broader population. Al-Sharaa remains grounded in his Islamist ideology, yet his analysis of Syrias needs and the regional context often adopts a more pragmatic secular tone. Assad softened some of his predecessors hardline socialist policies, while Al-Sharaa has embraced free-market economics and rolling back trade barriers. Both men initiated constitutional changes to secure their dominance. Assad waited three years before introducing his 1973 Baathist constitution. Al-Sharaa is asking for three years before introducing his constitution, which is likely to have a strong Islamist tone if he and his group have their way. These parallels may not be coincidental. Islamists, despite despising Hafez al-Assad, long admired his pragmatic, calculating leadership. Al-Sharaa, whose father knew Assad personally, may well carry these lessons forward. Syria has faced such transitions before. Unless secular, pro-democracy advocates learn from the past, we risk falling into the same traps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But todays context offers opportunities. Reconstruction requires significant foreign investment and long-term support, contingent on respecting communal rights, womens rights and individual rights. Secular advocates like myself must insist on a greater role in decision-making and emphasize that Al-Sharaas refusal to adopt power-sharing will delay reconstruction and prolong Syrias suffering. The secular movement in Syria is far from small. The Druze (3 to 5 percent), Christians (3 to 5 percent), Alawites (8 to 12 percent) and Kurds (12 to 15 percent) all have a vested interest in supporting secularism for communal reasons. Beyond them, many Arab Sunnis are secular as well, with a significant portion belonging to secular leftist parties, though the exact percentage remains unclear. Together, these groups could make up more than half of Syrias population. Under ideal conditions, a majority might favor a secular state in a national referendum, though current conditions make such a vote impractical. The four-year transitional period proposed by Al-Sharaa could work to our advantage if we organize and act decisively. Failure to do so risks ceding this opportunity to his groups supporters, allowing them to further consolidate their hold on power. History underscores these stakes. When Baath officers staged their 1963 coup, the unity government already included equal representation for the Baath Party and the Muslim Brotherhood. The subsequent power struggle marginalized liberals and pushed the Islamists underground. Their return in the late 1970s culminated in the 1982 Hama Uprising, where Assad and his brother Rifaat bombed sections of the city, killing between 15,000 and 40,000 inhabitants, depending on the source. According to testimonies from survivors, many cold-blooded massacres occurred once Assads troops moved into the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Sharaas incipient regime represents a more radical form of political Islam than that espoused by the Muslim Brotherhood. However, the group has shown no interest in revenge for past atrocities by the Assad regime, father or son. This pragmatism is encouraging. But is this approach a tactical ploy to buy time, as Assad did in 1970, or a genuine shift? If its the former, Syria risks a new form of ideological authoritarianism with Islamism at its core. If its the latter, a better-organized secular movement could leverage shared goals of peace and reconstruction to forge a workable arrangement, avoiding past mistakes. The U.S. has a pivotal role here. Sanctions and international aid are powerful tools to encourage all sides to reach an agreement. By leveraging these, America can guide Syrias transition and secure a legacy of promoting stability and rebuilding in the region. President-elect Trump could oversee this entire transition successfully by the end of his second term, marking a significant element of his foreign policy legacy. Ammar Abdulhamid is a Syrian-American pro-democracy activist and a parliamentarian and director of policy at the World Liberty Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Donald Trumps calls to acquire Greenland, by sale or force, carry echoes of another episode in American history: the ham-fisted bid to obtain Cuba before the Civil War. The era of Manifest Destiny had brought immense new territories under U.S. control including Texas in 1845, the Oregon country in 1846 and the vast cession by Mexico in 1848 following the Mexican-American War. But the country hit a wall when it attempted to take Cuba from Spain in 1854. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pro-slavery expansionists had long set their sights on the Spanish colony. American filibusters had launched expeditions to conquer the island but failed. However, Franklin Pierces win in the 1852 presidential contest gave fresh hope to those keen on securing new lands where slavery could thrive. A native of New Hampshire, Pierce was the epitome of a doughface a northern politician friendly to southern slaveholding interests and especially eager to stretch the nations borders. The policy of my administration will not be controlled by any timid forebodings of evil from expansion, he announced in his inaugural address. It was not altogether surprising, then, when a trio of his top European diplomats, in October 1854, penned a missive arguing for the U.S. acquisition of Cuba from Spain. The infamous document became known as the Ostend Manifesto, taking its name from the Belgian city where the three men James Buchanan, John Mason and the volatile Pierre Soule met to hash out their plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In tones reminiscent of the Declaration of Independence, their manifesto proclaimed: In the progress of human events, the time has arrived when the vital interests of Spain are as seriously involved in the sale, as those of the United States in the purchase of the island. Such a transaction, it continued, will prove equally honorable to both nations. Similar to Trumps rationale for acquiring Greenland, the authors cited the islands strategic location and importance for countering national security risks. Like Trump, they coupled the offer to buy with words of menace. If the Spanish refused to sell Cuba, they avowed, then, by every law, human and divine, we shall be justified in wresting it from Spain, if we possess the power. The stench of plunder was unmistakable. In their response, Spanish officials made clear that they would rather see the island sink to the bottom of the ocean than cave to American bullying. Embarrassed on the international stage and embattled domestically, Pierce watched his dreams of acquiring Cuba drift away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historian John Suval is the author of Dangerous Ground: Squatters, Statesmen, and the Antebellum Rupture of American Democracy. 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. Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! Thats what Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social Jan. 2, after the deadly assaults in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Happy New Year, America youre a joke. Trump is right, but not for the reasons he imagines. When people around the world mock us, its not because of our open borders or violent erosion of safety, as Trump wrote. Its because of Donald J. Trump. He is the joke. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just got back from Panama, where lots of people make fun of Donald Trump. He recently threatened to take back the Panama Canal, which he said was over-charging American ships. He also said it was ruled by China. Panamanians know better. There is no evidence none that Americans pay more than other users of the canal. And while a Hong Kong-based firm does administer ports on either side of the canal, no one believes that China controls it. Whenever I mentioned Trump, people laughed. Hes crazy, one of my guides declared, twirling a finger around his ear in the universal symbol of mental instability. He doesnt know what hes talking about, an Uber driver said, smiling broadly. But threats of U.S. force are no joke in Panama, where the history of American military intervention looms large. So while everyone I met thought Trump was a buffoon, they also took his warning seriously. When a clown raises his fist, you never know what to expect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maybe thats Trumps endgame, another guide suggested. If enough people believe hes unstable, Trump thinks, Panama will give him what he wants. Think again. Panama owes its independence to America, but it has also fought to protect itself from America. Its not about to give up now. At the start of the 20th century, Panama was a province of Colombia. When Colombia rejected Americas proposal to construct a canal, the United States supported the secession of Panama and protected it from Colombian attack. That cleared the way for The Path Between the Seas, a monumental project that solidified Americas status as a global power. But it also stoked tensions inside Panama, especially within the U.S.-controlled Canal Zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was in Panama on Jan. 9, Martyrs Day, which commemorates a 1964 riot that started when students planted a Panamanian flag outside of a U.S.-operated school. Twenty people including three Americans died, and hundreds were injured. Panamanians havent forgotten. Today is a day to remember our martyrs, said an 84-year-old retiree, who was a student during the riots, but also to say to the world that Panama is sovereign and the canal is ours. In 1977, Jimmy Carter signed an agreement pledging to relinquish control of the canal to Panama. I saw several statues in honor of Carter, whose recent death was widely mourned in the country. But Trumps threats also conjured Americas 1989 invasion of Panama to depose President Manuel Noriega, a former U.S. ally who became an international drug kingpin. The attack led to the deaths of at least 500 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nobody has forgotten that, either. It is an open wound, a member of Panamas national assembly said earlier this month. And that has only strengthened Panamas resolve to resist any incursions by Trump. He is a very arrogant man who thinks he can take whatever he wants, said Isabel Corro, president of a group of Panamanians who lost family members in the 1989 invasion. It should not happen and we will not let it happen. I hope shes right. Taking back the canal would violate Americas treaty with Panama and a host of international laws. And it would further destabilize the world, encouraging other strongmen to take whatever they can. It would make it harder for the U.S. to argue that Russia President Vladimir Putin should stay out of Ukraine, or that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no business building more settlements in the West Bank. This isnt just about Trump and Panama. Its about all of us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He cannot just say, Im going to buy this country, Im going to invade this one, said Isabel Corro, whose stepfather was killed in the 1989 invasion. The world is not some big flea market. Thats exactly right. If Donald Trump continues to threaten the invasion of Panama or the purchase of Greenland hell make us a laughing stock all over the world. And thats no joke. Jonathan Zimmerman teaches education and history at the University of Pennsylvania. He serves on the advisory board of the Lepage Center for History in the Public Interest. 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. Last week, the U.S. House passed its first bill, the Laken Riley Act, beginning the new year with a law named for a nursing student killed by a non-citizen who had recently been cited for shoplifting but was not detained. Non-citizens convicted of crimes like robbery, theft and shoplifting are already subject to mandatory immigration detention under existing laws. This new law would expand mandatory detention to people simply arrested for or charged with such crimes, regardless of whether they actually committed them. The law thus raises serious due process issues that should concern us all, including the senators who will consider the bill soon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Already, people can be deported for committing crimes of moral turpitude, including theft. Despite some of the rhetoric, this law, if approved by the Senate and signed by the president, would not in any way affect which persons can or cannot be removed from the country. What the law does is require detention, without bond or even a bond hearing, to decide if a person really poses a public safety risk. That is a dangerous concept. We have a foundational constitutional commitment to due process, expressed in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. All people have a right not to be deprived of life, liberty or property without notice and a fair hearing. This law could be used to detain people who are arrested but never charged with any crime for example, where police quickly learn they have arrested the wrong person, or a diligent judge or prosecutor notices an important legal problem before a case is arraigned. That is very common, particularly in low-level cases. Probable cause is then not found and the person is promptly released. Under this law, the potential for mistaken identification, false accusations and racial profiling to result in lengthy detention without any safeguards is deeply troubling. This law would also apply to detain people who are charged with a crime but not yet convicted. As we all know, people merely charged with a crime in this country are considered innocent until actually proven guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, in a court of law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is not to say that people charged with crimes cannot be jailed while awaiting trial. More than 400,000 people in our jails every day are awaiting trial. At least they get to make an argument, promptly, before a judicial officer and then a judge, that they should not be jailed. Due process guarantees that they have a chance to make the case, at least, that they do not pose a substantial risk to public safety or a risk of flight. Not only is that an important legal protection, it is important for public safety. Studies show that people are actually more likely to reoffend if they are jailed, lose employment, housing, and family support. That is what one of us found in years of studying the large-scale misdemeanor bail reforms in Harris County, Texas. Making sure that people are only jailed for strong public safety reasons resulted in more liberty and also more safety. Now, in the immigration system, due process protections have already been substantially weakened. For example, the Supreme Court has upheld time-limited mandatory detention for people convicted of, or who admit committing, certain crimes, including those covered by the Laken Riley Act. But those people had criminal proceedings, in court, to adjudicate their guilt. The Supreme Court has never found that an arrest or charge alone justifies detention, without a right to a hearing, under the Constitution. With this act, detention will be considered mandatory for people who may never be found guilty in court. A false arrest or an unfounded charge will be enough for no-bond, no-hearing immigration detention and the documented risks of death, disease, forced labor and family separation that go with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This mandatory detention, for minor arrests, would not only raise serious constitutional concerns, it would be extremely costly. Do we really want to pay tens of millions of dollars a year to house people charged with shoplifting in expensive detention facilities? Adding even more cost, this act would result in people, at great taxpayer expense, being kept in detention for months or even years. Our already overburdened immigration system may take years to process their cases. Meanwhile, it may be quite difficult for local prosecutors to pursue their criminal case if a person is housed in immigration detention. The criminal cases may languish, leaving victims without any closure or restitution and burdening local courts even more. What does that make of constitutional due process? Due process is always placed under special stress when people demand quick results without fairness. But due process matters to all of us, even if we are not affected by a particular government process. The government does things that affect everyones lives. Whether it is the right to a hearing to contest ones property taxes, a fine, a drivers license suspension, a public benefit denial or pretrial detention, what goes around comes around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thin, unfair or mandatory punishment schemes, once they are tolerated for one group, have a way of being used against others. That is why the due process clauses of the Constitution are written in general terms: they apply to all people, in the land of the free. Brandon Garrett is the L. Neil Williams Professor of Law at Duke University School of Law and the faculty director of the Wilson Center for Science and Justice. He is the author of the book, Defending Due Process: Why Fairness Matters in a Polarized World, forthcoming in February from Polity Books. Kate Evans is a clinical professor of law and director of the Immigrant Rights Clinic at Duke Law. Elana Fogel is an assistant clinical professor and the director of the Criminal Defense Clinic at Duke Law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Since November, there has been a lot of discussion about the so-called diploma divide seen in the election results, where the majority of voters without a four-year college degree voted for Donald Trump and a majority with a four-year college degree voted for Kamala Harris. In response to the diploma divide, some have argued that the Democrats have become the party of the elites who have forgotten about working-class Americans. While there is much to criticize about the Democratic Partys failure to fight for the needs of working-class Americans, including supporting disastrous trade policies for American workers, the notion that Republicans have become champions of the working class is laughable. Republicans have supported those same trade policies, undermined unions and consistently opposed increasing federal and state minimum wages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lost in the analysis of the diploma divide is the reality that the widening gap between Americans with and without college education is a result of the Republican-led attack on the American working class. It is true that Americans should not have to attend college to have a decent living, but it is also true that millions of poor and working-class Americans have counted on higher education to improve their conditions and increase their wages. However, over the past four decades, those opportunities have diminished largely in part to policies championed by the Republican Party. At the federal level, the Pell Grant represents the most significant form of support for poor and working-class Americans to attend college. Since its creation in 1965, the Pell Grant has provided financial support to over 80 million Americans. However, over the past four decades, the Pell Grants purchasing power has decreased. In the 1970s, the Pell Grant covered nearly 80 percent of tuition, room and board at public colleges and universities. Currently, the Pell Grant covers less than a third of these costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decline in the Pell Grants purchasing power began in 1980, when Republican president Ronald Reagan drastically cut federal spending on higher education. Between 1980 and 1985, federal spending on higher education decreased by 25 percent, which included a $338 million reduction in the Pell Grant program. Since then, Republicans have continued to seek cuts to the Pell Grant, including congressional efforts in 2011 and 2015 and during Trumps first term in office. In addition to the Pell Grant, Republicans have for decades disinvested in state colleges and universities. Public institutions of higher education provide the most accessible, affordable and effective college opportunity for working-class Americans. Although Democrats and Republicans have cut funding for state institutions of higher education over the past four decades, research has shown how state disinvestment in higher education is more likely to happen under Republican governorships. Research has also shown how Democratic-controlled states spend more per pupil on higher education than Republican-controlled states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decreasing federal financial aid and disinvesting in state colleges and universities, policies that Republicans have championed, disproportionately affect the poor and working-class. As government support for public higher education decreased, state colleges and universities increasingly relied on tuition as a major source of income. While children of the wealthy can afford increasing tuition, children of poor and working-class families have to take out loans to pay for college. As of 2020, the total student loan debt in the U.S. was over $1.6 trillion and the average college graduate owed over $30,000 in school loans. These factors, which are a result of policy decisions, have contributed to the diploma divide that Republican officials now seek to exploit for political gains. To be sure, the Democratic Party is a culprit in Americas failure to address the needs of the working class but to suggest that the Republican Party is the champion of the working class is inaccurate at best. A genuine working-class agenda must consist of a robust re-investment in the Pell Grant and public institutions of higher education. Public institutions like the City University of New York, Rutgers University-Newark, the University of California and California State systems and the University of Texas system, among others, have a track record of providing students from poor and working-class families opportunities of social mobility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a time of massive inequality, a commitment to addressing the needs of poor and working-class people demands a collective effort to eradicate the diploma divide, not exploit it. Domingo Morel is an associate professor of political science and public service at New York University and a Public Voices fellow with The OpEd Project. He is the author of Developing Scholars: Race, Politics, and the Pursuit of Higher Education. 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. On Wednesday, Russell Vought, President-elect Donald Trumps choice to run the Office of Management and Budget, appeared before a panel of senators. When the gavel fell to end the hearing a few hours later, the most positive thing one could say about Voughts performance was that he showed up for it at all. Under questioning from the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Vought was polished yet evasive. He danced around queries from Democrats and played up his familiarity with the panels Republicans, who eagerly tossed him softball after softball. Throughout, Voughts disregard for the confirmation process was evident in his unwillingness to engage with any substantive concerns about his plans or intentions. The hearing was a brutal display of how far the legislative branch has fallen from its place of prominence in the Constitution, as GOP senators eagerly embraced a man who would prefer to see them made obsolete. While the OMB is little known outside of wonky Washington circles, the agency touches on every facet of the government. It clears spending plans and sets the administrations funding priorities; it signs off on every regulation that agencies put forward; it oversees the hiring and firing process for civil servants and political appointees alike. In the chapter he wrote of the Heritage Foundations Project 2025, Vought argued that the OMBs influence makes it an ideal nerve center for a hyperaggressive executive branch. Over 26 pages, he laid out his view of how the OMB can function to shape the federal bureaucracy to whatever ends he sees fit, including the replacement of nonpartisan career officials with political lackeys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committees Republican chair, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, welcomed Vought as a potential ally in Pauls own long-running crusade to reduce government spending. In some areas, Vought shares that zeal. After the first Trump administration ended in 2021, Vought founded the Center for Renewing America, a pro-Trump think tank that has advocated massive cuts to spending that would leave the social safety net shredded and millions of Americans left to fend for themselves. But from his writings and speeches as the CRAs leader, its clear that Voughts vision for America is not the one that Paul champions, one driven by Congress to pull closed the strings on the proverbial purse. Instead, Vought has made the true depths of his ideologies known: a philosophy that sees the presidency as unfettered by the other branches of government. Though Vought already served as OMB director for part of Trumps first term, his return to the agency would see an entirely different approach to its power. And with his knowledge of how the levers of power operate in Washington, hes taken a major role in preparing the incoming administration to greatly tighten its chokehold on the rest of government. The misnamed Department of Government Efficiency might get more headlines in the coming weeks and months. But it is not Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy who will be tasked with implementing whatever cuts their advisory commission suggests. That task falls, constitutionally speaking, in the laps of the GOP-controlled Congress to carry out, a challenge that comes with a high degree of political difficulty even for members tucked into safe House seats. With Vought in place, however, Congress may become a rubber stamp at most in the spending process. Vought has indicated that he intends to follow Trumps lead in challenging, or outright ignoring, the Impoundment Control Act. That law, passed over Richard Nixons veto in 1974, forbids the president from unilaterally deciding whether to hold back, or impound, funds that Congress has appropriated. Thats exactly what Vought wants to do, though: potentially order billions of dollars in spending cuts to Medicaid, housing benefits, food assistance, education funding, foreign aid and whatever policies that Trump personally doesnt want to see money go toward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not that Vought wanted to talk about any of that, of course. Even after telling one GOP senator that it isnt often you have four years to think about how to do a job better next time, he was loath to share any details about what conclusions hed reached. Questions related to his time heading his think tank were brushed aside, as were those about his plans once confirmed. Im here to represent the president was a stock phrase, as were Im not going to speak on behalf of a specific proposal that the president has not made and Im not here on behalf of my own personal views. Frustrated Democrats tried to hem Vought in or get some window into his thinking as a potential adviser to the president. But Vought sat like a bespectacled sphinx, calm and unreadable, and blithely ignored their questions. He even treated the actions he took previously as OMB director as though he had suffered from a remarkably specific form of amnesia. The hearing played out as a Capitol Hill version of former Seattle Seahawks star Marshawn Lynchs famous 2015 press conference, when he answered every question with, Im just here so I dont get fined. The closest Voughts mask came to slipping was when freshman Democrat Sen. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan asked him to name which agencies had been weaponized. Its a phrase that Vought has helped popularize, one which implies that conservatives are victims of a vast conspiracy led by Democrats and their bureaucratic allies. He pointed to the Department of Justice and the FBI, both of which Vought and his fellow think tankers have said should be much more firmly under the presidents control and able to be directed to investigate whomever Trump wants harassed. While Vought may have paid lip service to the Constitution, the power base that he intends to build within the White House would be almost unrecognizable to the documents authors. It is a world where the checks between government branches are entirely unbalanced, allowing the president to assert control over the other two branches at will. Under Voughts watch, the executive branch would be transformed fully into the sole branch of government with any real say in how the country functions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even more confounding to the countrys founders would be the willingness of senators to see their own powers and prerogatives so harshly curtailed. Its not apparent how Paul, the committees chair, intends to square the circle of his own desire to see Congress reclaim its co-equal status with his willingness to return Vought to his perch at the OMB. But for Republicans, I can see how it must sound appealing to turn over the hardest, most politically volatile part of their jobs to the ultimate unelected bureaucrat. It would be fitting that in their quest to streamline the federal government, Republicans are now willing to make their own jobs redundant. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Contrary to President Bidens assertion, he is not handing over to President-elect Donald Trump a country that is stronger at home and in the world. Rather, Biden is handing over a world that is running perilously amok under a permissive environment that began with his disastrous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan. The world is a far more dangerous place today than it was four years ago. In fact, it has arguably devolved already into a third world war. That did not stop outgoing National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan from trying to say otherwise during a weekend interview on PBS News Hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are handing off a very strong hand to the next team, Sullivan argued. He justified that conclusion by asking himself a series of questions. Are our alliances stronger than we found them four years ago? Yes. Are our enemies and competitors weaker than when we found them four years ago? Yes. Have we kept the United States out of war? Yes. Are the basic foundations of American power more robust and resilient today than four years ago? Yes. Later, on CNNs State of the Union, he told Jake Tapper that the American people are safer, and the country is better off than we were four years ago. Sullivan could not be more wrong. Remember, this self-serving administration legacy assessment is coming from the man who described the Middle East region as quieter than it had been in two decades just eight days before the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made a similar pitch to the American public. In a video posted on X, he claimed, Our alliances, our partnerships, have been at the heart of our success. Now four years later, America is acting from a position of strength. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do the people of Afghanistan, Ukraine, Israel or Sudan feel the same? Absolutely not. As the outgoing administration attempts to put a hollow positive spin on its performance, the reality is that the world could not be in a more dangerous place than it is right now. Scan the globe. There are wars in Ukraine and Israel. Russian mercenaries and Islamic extremists have fomented discord in the Levant, the Sahel and Sudan. Iran is on the cusp of achieving a full nuclear breakout. Military and commercial shipping are under Houthi attack while traversing the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. China overtly threatens Taiwan and the Philippines. North Korean and Chechen soldiers are fighting alongside Russian soldiers in the Kursk Oblast. Iranian-backed proxies continue to attack U.S. bases throughout the Middle East now over 170 times. Russian and Chinese vessels are deliberately cutting undersea cables in the Baltic Sea and committing other acts of sabotage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are all second and third order effects of a permissive environment created by the Biden administration. They have emboldened our nations adversaries over the past four years. The Biden administration has learned the hard way that nothing good comes of rewarding such actions with sanctions relief, payments for hostages, appeasement policies and threats of withholding support to allies in their greatest time of need. Instead, these Biden policy actions have only dangerously escalated the situation and built distrust towards the American government. So no, the American people are not safer than they were four years ago. Our alliances, partnerships and commitments are very much in doubt, and our nation is not stronger or more secure here or abroad. When youre explaining, youre losing, and this weekends attempt to put lipstick on a pig only validates indeed cements the Biden administrations national security failures over the last four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As retired Army Gen. Jack Keane so aptly put it, the president has a failed presidency. It is what it is. As former Army Chief of Staff Gen. Gordon Sullivan once told us, Hope is not a method. Hoping Russia, Iran, North Korea and China will change their course is not a method either. Despite setbacks, they continue to march toward their preferred geostrategic and regional outcomes and end states. Bidens weaken Russia strategy has led the Kremlin to formalize security agreements with its arsenals of evil Iran and North Korea. It also allows Putin to continue his destruction genocide of Ukraine, its people and its culture. Meanwhile, Iran is looking for new proxies and leverages remaining proxies to attack U.S. forces in the region and destroy Israel. Both China and North Korea are presenting growing threats in the Asia-Pacific region and the Korean Peninsula and Beijing is developing a footprint to threaten the Western Hemisphere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incoming Trump administration must acknowledge all of this and take the country down a different path, even at the risk of direct confrontation. America needs to get back into the business of leading and winning not criticizing and second guessing from the sidelines or dictating to countries what they can and cannot do with the weapons and munitions we provide. That begins with a plan. The U.S. government needs a new National Security Strategy to define the current threat, followed by the development of a strategy to mitigate it. Unfortunately, as the adage goes, we must build the aircraft while in flight. Our adversaries understand strength. Iran and Syria felt the wrath of Trump during his first term. Hamas got the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after his election victory, Trump promised to lift all restrictions and delays on the supply of military equipment and ammunition to Israel immediately after his inauguration. Then, in a Reaganesque moment reminiscent of the 1980 Iranian hostage crisis, Trump told Hamas to release the hostages held in Gaza prior to Jan. 20 or all hell will break out. On Tuesday a draft deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and hostage release was announced. That same forceful messaging needs to be delivered to Putin, Irans Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the Houthis in Yemen the most direct threats to the U.S., Europe and Middle East security. On Sunday, incoming National Security Advisor Michael Waltz said Trump was ready to lift restrictions on the supply of long-range weapons to Ukraine to force Putin to sit down at the negotiating table. Allowing the armed forces of Ukraine to interdict Russian, North Korean and Chechen forces, along with their equipment and ammunition stores before they enter Ukraine, and destroy missile and drone launch sites deep within the Russian interior sends a strong message to the Kremlin. That would be a good start. Trump then needs to apply maximum pressure everywhere and put a decisive end to Bidens permissive environment. Enabling our allies to win on the battlefield restores confidence in America and sends a strong message to Khamenei, Chinas Xi Jinping and North Koreas Kim Jong Un, as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Sweet served 30 years as an Army intelligence officer. Mark Toth writes on national security and foreign policy. 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. UPDATE (Jan. 16, 2025; 9:58 a.m. ET): This article has been updated to reflect ongoing developments in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas. Confirmation of a ceasefire and hostage release deal couldnt have come a moment sooner for the more than 2 million Palestinians in Gaza who have been living in a war zone for the last 15 months. The same can be said of the families of the hostages, who have prayed day after day for their loved ones to return home from a hellish captivity. The first day of the ceasefire was announced to be Sunday, although things have been complicated by the fact that shortly after the deal was announced, Israel said it is delaying a cabinet meeting to approve the agreement, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing Hamas of creating a last-minute crisis by reneging on parts of the agreement, though he did not offer details about his claim. While the text of the deal hasnt been released yet, the framework appears exactly the same as what President Joe Biden proposed in May a three-stage agreement whereby the war pauses for six weeks, some hostages in specific categories are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners, Israeli troops gradually withdraw from Gaza, and negotiations on a permanent end to the war commence. Hamas will reportedly release 33 hostages during the first phase of the deal in return for Israels releasing roughly 1,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails. Israeli troops will also withdraw from populated areas in Gaza during this time, including from the Netzarim Corridor, which bisects the territory, which will allow Palestinian civilians displaced from the north to return to their homes. And although Israeli troops will continue to hold on to the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egypt-Gaza border during the first phase, the Israel Defense Forces will eventually pull out of the area once all the hostages are released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, its far too early to know who deserves credit for this ceasefire. President-elect Donald Trump, however, isnt waiting for history to write its verdict. Immediately after the agreement was clinched, Trump took to social media to declare victory: This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies. While Trumps critics might roll their eyes at these characteristic boasts and delusions of grandeur, there is some evidence supporting the notion that Trumps return to the White House contributed to Netanyahu and Hamas finally coming to terms. The evidence thus far is only circumstantial, but its nonetheless there: The New York Times, citing a person familiar with the negotiations, reported that Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, helped put pressure on Netanyahu earlier in the week, which may have urged the Israeli premier to approve the compromises necessary to end the war. A diplomat briefed on the ceasefire negotiations seemed to second that interpretation, telling The Washington Post that Trumps team placed real pressure on Israeli negotiators to take yes for an answer. Following the announcement, Netanyahus office posted that he had thanked Trump for his assistance in brokering the release of Israeli hostages. Some of the families of the hostages have also given Trump at least partial credit, writing, We feel hopeful that under President Trumps leadership, every last hostage will come home. If those observations are correct, then Trump in a few weeks managed to do what Biden couldnt do over the last year. We can only speculate as to what Witkoff may have said to Netanyahu during their conversations; its difficult to believe, for instance, that Trump would have threatened to withdraw U.S. military aid to Israel if Netanyahu continued to stonewall an agreement. This is the man, after all, who frequently said he was the most pro-Israel U.S. president in history and often blasted Biden for not supporting Israel enough (an odd claim given the tens of billions of dollars in military aid Biden sent to Israel since the war against Hamas began). And Trumps first term, which involved U.S. recognition of Jerusalem as Israels capital, recognition of the occupied Golan Heights as Israeli territory and a downgrading of U.S. relations with the Palestinian Authority, was one big gift to Netanyahu. Even so, Trump is also the same guy who said Israel needed to finish up the war in Gaza because it was losing the public relations fight around the world. The president-elect also has a grand diplomatic agenda in the Middle East, one that includes building upon the 2020 Abraham Accords and getting Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalize their relations after decades having cooperated under the radar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Formal Israeli-Saudi ties would be a significant thing for Trump to brag about, yet they also would be impossible for Riyadh to countenance as long as Israel kept killing Palestinians in Gaza. Its easier, perhaps, to imagine Trump and his advisers giving Netanyahu a stern message: If you dont play ball and end the war, you will be deliberately obstructing the incoming presidents signature diplomatic mission in the Middle East. And Trump doesnt take kindly to obstructionism. Trump also had a personal incentive to help end the war in Gaza. The 15-month conflict, characterized by tens of thousands of casualties, immense physical destruction, mass displacement and horrific stories of civilian deprivation, has frankly made the United States look like a two-faced power that says one thing but does another. The so-called international rules-based order that Biden administration officials robotically tout every single day has been eviscerated over the last year, and much of the world no longer believes the United States is interested in actually upholding it if it ever did. The Biden administration often complained about Netanyahus war strategy, but that rhetoric didnt match the reality of U.S. policy, which gave Netanyahu unconditional support regardless of any qualms Washington had. Trump watches television and understood the dynamics at play, and he had no intention of being saddled with an unpopular war that made America look bad. Because, well, when America looks bad, he looks bad. With this having been said, it would be a mistake to give Trump all the credit. Despite his all hell will break out threat if Hamas didnt release the hostages, its unlikely the Palestinian group was moved by Trumps words, either. Gaza has already been in a state of hell since October 2023, so its difficult to see what more Trump could do to make the situation less pleasant for Hamas and the Palestinians unfortunate to live under its purview. Hamas position has remained consistent throughout the hell, as well: The hostages will be allowed to go back to their loved ones only if Israel stops the war permanently and pulls its forces out. Netanyahu has at least agreed to pause hostilities to get some of the hostages back, even if a permanent end to the war still needs to be fleshed out. After Biden delivered his speech announcing the deal, a reporter asked whether he or Trump deserved more credit for it. The president turned around, smirked and asked whether she was joking. Historians will eventually answer the question definitively. Right now, its safest to say both played their parts. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In todays turbulent political climate, civic engagement is not just a responsibilityits a lifeline. For communities relying on government support, discussions around cutting social safety nets, enforcing restrictive immigration policies, and removing protections for LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly trans people, raise serious questions about their future well-being. This is not a matter of partisanship, but an honest acknowledgment of the real-life implications that policy shifts have on vulnerable communities. For educators, parents, and community members, this moment brings an urgent responsibility to equip young peopleespecially children from historically marginalized communitieswith the tools to navigate and shape a world that may not always prioritize their needs. Achieving this level of engaged citizenship requires a meaningful civic education that strikes a delicate balance: nurturing young peoples aspirations while giving them the resilience and awareness needed to confront the worlds complexities. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and author Ta-Nehisi Coates have powerfully illustrated this balance in their writings and speeches, offering complementary perspectives on how to engage with the challenges of an imperfect world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Dr. King spoke of the isness of human nature and the oughtness that forever confronts us, rejecting the idea that humanity is incapable of striving for a better future. Coates, in Between the World and Me, urges his son to embrace the difficult truths of his vulnerability as a young Black man and grow into a conscious citizen of this terrible and beautiful world. His message emphasizes the importance of understanding harsh realitiesnot to surrender to them, but to remain actively engaged in the struggle to shape a more just and compassionate society Where Coates challenges us to confront the present with honesty, King inspires us to work toward the aspirational: a world of justice, dignity, and equality. Together, their insights encapsulate the dual purpose of civic education: helping young people see the world as it is while empowering them to imagine and work toward the world as it ought to be. This kind of education engages with the painful truths of history and the hope that democratic ideals can be realized. It equips young people to understand the workings of government, the legacy of social struggles, and the realities of race, identity, and power that shape the world. By fostering this understanding, civic education empowers them to actively push back against any attempt to diminish the rights and dignity of vulnerable communities while preparing them to be agents of positive change. Related There is Agreement on Civics Education If You Know Where to Look In this context, the role of educators is paramount. Teachers must transform history from a collection of dates and events into a complex narrative that reveals its relevance to todays world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Democracy Prep Public Schools, where educators work to empower future leaders, research-based projects are engaging students and illuminating these connections. For example, students in an AP Seminar course examined the causes and effects of mental and physical health issues in Native American communities, exploring historical injustices and proposing actionable solutions to address health disparities. Such projects show how civic education rooted in history and equity supplies students with the tools to tackle systemic challenges and advocate for meaningful change. Every educator, regardless of the subject they teach, plays a role in nurturing a generation of informed, empathetic, and resilient citizens. Starting in the early grades, schools must integrate age-appropriate civic learning that fosters critical thinking, empathy, and an understanding of students roles within their communities. At the same time, brave spaces must be established where students can safely exchange ideas, confront difficult truths, and explore possibilities for change. This foundation of civic education must include opportunities for students to develop a sense of efficacythe belief that their advocacy and collaboration can drive real, transformative progress. Practical strategies like debates on current events, collaborative projects addressing global challenges, and engagement with diverse perspectives empower students to connect their learning to real-world impact. Families and communities are equally vital in reinforcing these lessons by modeling active citizenship and building systems of mutual support. Sharing resources, advocating for local change, and supporting vulnerable populations create resilience and highlight the collective power of communities. Civic engagement, therefore, becomes not just an individual act but a communal commitment to fostering justice, inclusion, and well-being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Teachers in All Subjects Must Help Prepare the Next Generation of Voters Research supports this perspective, showing that civic education efforts extending beyond the classroom and into the community deepen students sense of connection and emotional engagement. In one study, researchers found that integrating community involvement into civic education not only strengthens students ties to the people and places around them but also inspires them to actively participate in building a more just and inclusive future. By witnessing and contributing to community-driven efforts, young people gain a richer understanding of democratic principles and see their own potential to enact meaningful change. Active civic engagement means holding the government accountable, advocating for policies that reflect a broad spectrum of interests, and building networks that strengthen resilience. Its essential that educators broaden their understanding of civic responsibility beyond any election cycle and the ballot box. That could mean encouraging scholars to attend town halls, organize, advocate for policy change, and continually work toward a society that honors everyones civil rights. The goal for educators should be nothing less than the development of a new generation of resilient, conscious changemakers, equipped to manifest their dreams and transform the world around them, regardless of the obstacles they may face. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Oregons attorney general has joined a coalition of other state officials striving to preserve health care access for Dreamers. In 2012, the Secretary of Homeland Security established Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals meaning that some individuals who immigrated to the U.S. as children and meet certain guidelines wouldnt have to fear immediate deportation. Portland Rose Festival cuts expenses as nonprofit faces $1 million budget deficit Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Joe Biden, who served as vice president when the Barack Obama administration passed the initial policy, expanded it last May so DACA recipients were eligible for basic health coverage under the Affordable Care Act. The new rule went into effect on Nov. 1, just a few days before the presidential election. Some state officials have expressed concerns that the incoming Donald Trump administration will revoke the policy. On Wednesday, Oregons recently-elected Attorney General Dan Rayfield was one of 14 attorneys general that filed a motion to protect the impacted groups ACA access. Oregon has long been a national leader in our work to expand access to health care, Rayfield said in a statement. Todays motion is an important step to protect our advancements and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all Oregonians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys general in Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont also joined the motion. OSHA fines Cirque du Soleil for violations after aerialists injury in Portland performance On the opposite end, the Oregon Department of Justice reported that another coalition of states led by Kansas filed a lawsuit in August to delay and eventually block Bidens DACA expansion. DOJ said the policy was delayed in some states, but was protected for Oregon Dreamers. The state department has revealed other efforts to protect immigrants ahead of the nations political changeover. Former Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum released a toolkit that informed families on their protections if they encounter Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a local level, the Portland Public Schools board recently affirmed a 2016 resolution that outlines the rights of undocumented students. 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 KOIN.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The effects of climate change are expected to bring more freezing rain and severe ice storms to the Willamette Valley, the foothills of the Cascades and the Columbia River Gorge in the next 50 to 75 years, according to the 2025 Oregon Climate Assessment. The ice storms are expected to result from a 5-degree increase in Oregons average temperature by 2074, and a 7.6-degree increase by 2100. Oregon State University Climatologist Larry ONeill told KOIN 6 that scientists were surprised to discover that warmer temperatures could result in an increased rate of severe ice storms in the Willamette Valley. We started a simple question: Will freezing rain decrease? ONeill said. Its very natural to think that would be the case. What we found, actually, is that big impactful ice storms may increase in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multnomah County DA orders managers, supervisors to return to in-person work The rising temperatures are expected to cause fewer minor ice storms, ONeill said. However, warmer temperatures are also forecast to bring more rain to the region and create stronger low-level, easterly winds in the Columbia River Gorge. These easterly winds bring cold air to the Columbia River Gorge, the Willamette Valley, and the foothills of the Cascades. The combination of the added rainfall and the stronger easterly winds are projected to result in a higher rate of severe ice storms when temperatures drop to freezing or near-freezing levels. Projections suggest that easterly winds through the Columbia River Gorge may strengthen during winter, even as the Willamette Basin becomes warmer, the climate report reads. Therefore, ice accretion on some surfaces in the region may increase during freezing rain events. Freezing rain covered downtown Portland in ice in January of 2024. (Josh Cozart/KOIN) These severe ice storms could have major impacts on the regions infrastructure. Concerned about the future of the regions electrical grid, Portland General Electric joined local researchers in a 2023 study, which focused on the causes and effects of the potential increase in wind-driven freezing rains in the Willamette Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ice accretion from freezing rain can damage power and communication lines, housing, and other infrastructure; disrupt and endanger air and ground transportation, and harm plants and animals, the report reads. Wyden introduces bill extending deadline to sell TikTok ahead of potential ban The results of these studies may serve as a guide for local businesses and government officials planning for the future. Portland General Electric was hoping for less [freezing rain], ONeill said. [The study] has actually influenced some of their decisions on things like infrastructure. There are a lot of big decisions to make the power infrastructure is not designed for what were anticipating in the future. Infrastructures will have to be prepared for hot and cold extremes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KOIN.com. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) Civil District Court Judge Sidney Cates says the city of New Orleans can continue assessing the Plaza Tower. This comes a week after another judge blocked city-hired contractors from entering the building. Attorneys representing the buildings owner say they filed a temporary restraining order because they werent properly notified of the citys plans. Homeless encampment sweeps begin in New Orleans per order of Gov. Landry Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Councilman JP Morrell disagrees. They both argue. Theyve known about the city wanting to demolish the void since 2023, but somehow the notice wasnt sufficient. The judge said after all of that, he saw an imminent risk to the public and that it is important for the city to get in front of this and to move forward with demolition, said Morrell. The city plans to use $2.7 million on contractors to evaluate the building and discuss a possible demolition that could cost up to 30 million dollars. The project was set to begin on Jan. 8, but after the delay, the project could cost even more money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City Councilwoman Lesli Harris says even with the potentially higher price tag, public safety must still come first. Safety really has no price when it comes to our citizens and visitors. If it costs a little more because we have contractors who are on site, that cost will be assessed on the owners of Plaza Tower, said Councilwoman Harris. Councilwoman Lesli Harris UNO officials to make challenging furloughs amid structural budget deficit City officials believe the sooner contractors can get into the building, the quicker they can determine the projects next steps. Those large marble slabs falling in any kind of major wind or other heat that would cause decay on top of that and just focus in the surrounding area and make sure that there is a manageable area for the public to access for danger out, said Chief Administrative Officer for the City of New Orleans Gilbert Montano. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until we get our team in to look at it, we dont know because we cannot rely upon the representations of the owners because doing that has led to pieces falling off the building, said Morrell. Montano says they are scheduling a meeting to move forward on the project and continue stabilizing the building for the sake of the public. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 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 WGNO. Jan. 16ORWELL A new worker at the village wastewater and water department brings the staffing level back to full, under the direction of Superintendent John Sency. He came to Orwell late in December and is working to improve the facilities on the tail end of a large project that is bringing the village back into compliance with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency standards. He said the new employee at the wastewater department will allow the three to be cross-trained and reduce the potential need for outside contractors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The village had been contracting with an outside company to insure compliance with EPA regulations. He said he hopes to continue training for the employees. Sency is working on improving back-up pumps for the water treatment plant to make sure equipment is running properly, he said. He said the department was able to repurpose a pump and is looking to make sure replacements are available. Orwell Village Manager Tami Pentek said cracks were found Tuesday in recently-paved Leffingwell Drive and Breezewood Lane. "I immediately got on the phone with CT Consultants," she said. "They are going to get back with us." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Village council discussed the potential placement of four new fire hydrants. The first two are scheduled for placement west of Staley Road on Route 322, but two on Highland and Oak will be a bit more difficult. She said the Route 322 fire hydrants will mean water distribution will be interrupted for eight hours, but that is not possible at the other two sites, because it would require shutting water off to Kennametal. Pentek said the village may have to purchase a device that will allow the placement of the fire hydrant without shutting off water to the company. She said they cost between $13,000 and $15,000. Sency said five wells are being abandoned, a process that generally takes two days to accomplish, including the caping of the well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The village will likely receive legislation next week that will clear up zoning language, at the request of the Orwell Planning Commission. Council members had preliminary discussions on whether to seek the renewal of a one mill fire levy or a replacement levy. Councilperson Roberta Cozad said she would like to see the village get the extra revenue of a replacement levy, but doesn't want to risk having the issue fail. Orwell Clerk-Treasurer Kim McKinley said a reduction in the street light levy might make increased fire revenue palatable. Cozad said if that is the direction council goes, there must be a clear communication strategy. Zooey Zephyr will not allow herself to be marginalized, no matter how hard some people try to make that happen. She won election to the Montana House of Representatives in 2022, becoming the first openly transgender person to serve in that legislative body. But after Zephyr passionately spoke against anti-LGBTQ bills under consideration and criticized supporters of that legislation, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives moved to silence her. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zephyrs journey from duly elected lawmaker representing Missoula to pariah banned from the House floor, gallery and antechamber is told in the Oscar-shortlisted documentary Seat 31: Zooey Zephyr, streaming on The New Yorker website and on The New Yorkers YouTube page. Its directed by Kimberly Reed, a Montana native and openly trans filmmaker whose credits include Prodigal Sons and Dark Money. Id watched as things heated up with Zooey, some of her early remarks [on the House floor], which led to her not being recognized to speak, which led to protests, which led to censure, Reed tells Deadline. So when all of that happens, there wasnt frankly any way I could not make that film, is sort of how it felt. Rep. Zooey Zephyrs makeshift workspace in a hallway outside the House chamber in Montanas capitol The Seat 31 of the title refers to Zephyrs desk within the House chamber. When the Republican supermajority voted to oust her, she simply moved her desk, in a manner of speaking. Zephyr posted a sticky note labeled Seat 31 above a bench in a hallway outside the chamber, a location not technically covered by the ban. That bench, next to a snack bar, became her workspace. Referring to the very public location of her desk, Zephyr tells someone in the film, Did you hear my favorite joke Ive been making, which is like, Finally, transparency in government. Open doors. The Tennessee Three visit the White House: L-R State Rep. Justin J. Pearson, State Rep. Gloria Johnson, State Rep. Justin Jones Reed likens what happened to Zephyr to a trio of Democratic state legislators about 1,500 miles away who became known as the Tennessee Three. In 2023, Republican members of the Tennessee House of Representatives voted on resolutions to expel the three after they led protests on the House floor in favor of gun reform. Two Black Democratic lawmakers were kicked out; a white Democrat narrowly avoided expulsion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this stuff with Zooey heated up about a month or six weeks after that. So, that was sort of the context that I was viewing everything in, Reed explains. The reason that Zooey was expelled from the Montana House of Representatives was rather similar to the reason that the Tennessee Three were expelled, and it just has a lot to do with, I think, bigotry and really patronizing attitude from the dominant culture thats in these legislatures. Seat 31 begins with the comments Zephyr made on the House floor that angered members of the Republican caucus. Speaking against proposed legislation to ban gender-affirming medical and surgical care for minors, Zephyr declared, The only thing I will say is if you vote yes on this bill and yes on these amendments, I hope the next time theres an invocation when you bow your heads in prayer, you see the blood on your hands. Reed characterizes the Republican response as thin-skinned. Comments like that are made all the time, but apparently the Republicans in the House of Representatives in 2023 did not want to be shamed by somebody who was trans, she observes. That reaction seemed to be right in line with the elected officials in Tennessee in the same [legislative] session, who didnt want to be shamed by Black people. U.S. Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) is sworn into office by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) on January 3, 2025 in Washington, DC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reeds film makes its bid for an Oscar nomination just days after Sarah McBride, a Democrat from Delaware, became the first openly trans person to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Firebrand MAGA congresswoman Nancy Mace, Republican of South Carolina, has been pushing a bill that would force any trans member of Congress to use bathrooms that correspond to the gender they were assigned at birth. It has been very interesting to see the attacks on Rep. Sarah McBride, Reed notes. At a federal level, what were seeing is the same kind of continuation of the attacks that we saw in the 2024 election cycle. Seemed like the closing argument [from Republicans] really centered around two things: immigration and marginalizing and attacking trans folks. Director Kimberly Reed Reed continues, One of the committees [in the Montana House] tried to move forward a bill that would do the same thing to Zooey that Nancy Macys bill was doing to Sarah McBride at the federal level. That bill did not make it out of committee. The reason that bill to tell her where she can go to the restroom did not pass out of committee was just because of the personal relationship that Zooey has with other members of the Republican caucus, that its that personal one-to-one relationship that she has that basically made it a lot harder for her colleagues to dehumanize her in a way that these bills are designed to do. Reed draws a parallel between that bill failing in committee and the purpose of the documentary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We kind of focus on the story of a trans person, try to pull people into that world so that viewers feel like they actually get to see the world from Zooeys point of view and not the other way around, the director says. They actually experience what film is so good at, which is just its ability to humanize the people that youre walking through this world with. Montana state Rep. Zooey Zephyr addresses supporters In 2024, Zephyr overwhelming won reelection, earning more than 80 percent of the vote. She began the new legislative term a few days ago, restored to her place within the House chamber (the earlier ban expired with the end of the previous legislative session). Democrats gained some ground in the House in the 2024 election, enough to put Zephyr in a stronger position to serve without fear of having to move her seat to the corridor outside the chamber. The Republican super majority that was necessary to expel her last session is no longer intact, Reed says. They no longer have two thirds of the votes in order to expel her. Its very unlikely that shell be expelled again. So yes, she is back and representing the folks in Missoula. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The outgoing Democratic chair of the Federal Communications Commission is taking bold action on the way out the door, rejecting what she described as four efforts to weaponize the governments TV licensing authority for political purposes. Activists on both the right and left may be disappointed. But chair Jessica Rosenworcel said the agency needs to take a stand on behalf of the First Amendment. So on Thursday, according to a statement obtained by CNN, she is dismissing all of the pending petitions and complaints before the FCC that, she asserted, seek to curtail freedom of the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the petitions targeted a Fox-owned TV station in an attempt to hold the Murdochs accountable for Fox News Channels falsehoods. The other three efforts were pro-Trump in nature and related to the recent presidential campaign. The facts and legal circumstances in each of these cases are different, Rosenworcel wrote. But what they share is that they seek to weaponize the licensing authority of the FCC in a way that is fundamentally at odds with the First Amendment. To do so would set a dangerous precedent. That is why we reject it here. Rosenworcel is not just tidying up before her term ends on Jan. 20, she is trying to convince others about the value of a clean house. She is clearly concerned that President-elect Donald Trump might use the agency that oversees US telecommunications to punish media outlets he doesnt like. During the presidential campaign, Trump called for every major American TV news network to be punished for one reason or another, according to a CNN review of his speeches and social media posts. On at least 25 occasions, Trump has said certain licenses should be revoked, almost always in reaction to interview questions he disliked or programming he detested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FCC, which grants eight-year license terms for TV and radio stations, and hasnt denied any license renewal in decades, has historically prided itself on its independence. But Trumps pick for FCC chair, commissioner Brendan Carr, has echoed (in more polite terms) Trumps grievances with media outlets and spoken sympathetically about some of the pending complaints against station owners. In a statement Thursday, Carr said Rosenworcels decisions could be reversed when he takes over the agency. For the past 18 months, the Biden FCC has maintained that it would serve the public interest to consider revoking a Fox broadcast station license, he said. Along the way, the Biden FCC established new agency precedent and breathed new life into dormant cases. Maybe it regrets doing so. Or maybe it just regrets running out of time. Either way, any partisan, midnight action here can be reversed by new agency leadership. While the complainants could re-file once Carr takes charge next week, Rosenworcel is rejecting their bids to send a broader message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By doing so, we draw a bright line at a moment when clarity about government interference with the free press is needed more than ever, Rosenworcels statement said. The action we take makes clear two things. First, the FCC should not be the Presidents speech police. Second, the FCC should not be journalisms censor-in-chief. Rosenworcel has spoken out against Trumps license threats in the past, but this mass dismissal is a weightier statement, putting the Biden-era FCC on the record about the role of government vis a vis media regulation before the second Trump era begins. Industry observers had been wondering what Rosenworcel and the FCCs other Democratic commissioners might do about the long-gestating petition to revoke the license for Foxs local station in Philadelphia, since its parent company also owns the anti-Democrat cable channel Fox News. Former Fox Broadcasting executive Preston Padden and other activists argued that Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch, the father and son who control Fox Corp, should be held accountable for Foxs promotion of Trumps lies about the 2020 election. Rupert lacks the character required to hold broadcast licenses, Padden told CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FCC is denying his petition because the so-called character assessment is at odds with the First Amendment and because the station at issue hasnt clearly failed to comply with agency rules. In effect, Rosenworcel is saying that FCC procedures shouldnt be used to penalize an adversary of the current administration, lest the same thing happen under the next administration. Her statement also addressed three complaints that were all filed last fall by the Center for American Rights, a conservative nonprofit group. One filing accused ABC News of favoring Vice President Kamala Harris during a presidential debate, another complaint was about how CBS News edited an interview with Harris, and a third was about NBCs SNL featuring Harris without giving Trump equal time. Rosenworcel said all four cases ask the FCC to penalize broadcast television stations because they dislike station behavior, content, or coverage, and thats simply not the role of the US government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The press freedom group, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, welcomed Rosenworcels decision to dismiss the petitions. The FCCs authority to police news content is rightfully narrow, precisely because the government should not be the arbiter of truth, Bruce Brown, the RCFP executive director said in a statement. The alternative is nothing short of censorship on public airwaves that continue to be an indispensable source of news for millions of Americans. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Hamas authorities in Gaza say that at least 71 Palestinians have been killed since the agreement on a ceasefire with Israel was announced. According to a spokesman for the Hamas-controlled civil defence in Gaza, at least 71 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in the Palestinian coastal territory since Wednesday evening. Most of the casualties were in Gaza City. Children and women are reportedly among the dead. The information could not initially be independently verified. Israel's army said it was investigating the reports. In 1874, a storm that rolled over Port Washington's coast stole a waterlogged wheat cargo ship into the depths of Lake Michigan where it has since remained, 450 feet below the surface. Around 150 years later, the historic Ozaukee County shipwreck site is receiving local and national recognition, according to a Jan. 15 news release from the Wisconsin Historical Society. On Dec. 19, 2024, the St. Peter Shipwreck was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The listing comes four months after the site was added to the Wisconsin State Register of Historic Places in August 2024 and two years after the site was first rediscovered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Office of Coast Survey in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That summer, the Coast Survey the nation's nautical chart-maker had been conducting a bathymetric survey of Lake Michigan, mapping the lake's depth and the shape of its sub-surface terrain, according to the release. The St. Peter shipwreck is located within a national marine sanctuary The St. Peter shipwreck was located within the boundaries of the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary, which protects more than 900 square miles of ecological and historical underwater features in Lake Michigan and is one of 15 national marine sanctuaries in the U.S. The sanctuary is home to 36 shipwrecks. A total of 780 shipwrecks are believed to be at the bottom of Lake Michigan in Wisconsin, according to maritime archeologists at the Wisconsin Historical Society, but only 250 have been identified so far. 80 Wisconsin shipwrecks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places Other Lake Michigan shipwrecks recently added to the National Register of Historic Places include the Pride, Trinidad and Mojave, Kendall Poltzer, a spokesperson for the Wisconsin Historical Society, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The St. Peter is the 80th shipwreck in Wisconsin waters to be individually added to that list. St. Peter shipwreck officially identified in July 2023 The St. Peter shipwreck was officially identified and investigated during July 2023 when maritime archaeologists probed the site using a remotely-operated vehicle equipped with multi-beam imaging sonar and video cameras, per the release. Archaeologists found the schooner 450 feet below the lake's surface, sitting upright and mostly intact up to its railing. The bowsprit and head rigging survived but were thrown to the port side of the ship and rest on the lake bottom. The cabin roof blew off the vessel with the pressure of sinking, but fragments remain within the wreckage, according to the release. The St. Peter shipwreck was first rediscovered in 2022 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Office of Coast Survey. The Coast Survey was conducting a bathymetric survey, mapping the depth and shape of the lake and its sub-surface terrain. The St. Peter was built by master shipbuilder Peter Perry Wisconsin Historical Society maritime archaeologists Tamara Thomsen and Kendra Kennedy conducted extensive research on the ship, reviewing wreck reports, newspaper archives and records from the national archives, Poltzer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much of this research is summarized on the Historical Society website wisconsinshipwrecks.org. They found that the St. Peter once operated in several different Great Lakes trades throughout its career, including the carrying of grain, lumber and other bulk cargo. It was initially built in 1868 by master shipbuilder Peter Perry in New Baltimore, Michigan. The ship was named for the man who built and owned the ship for its first two years, as well as for St. Peter the Apostle, the patron saint of shipbuilders. Ship was loaded with wheat on its final voyage When the St. Peter was struck by a storm on its final voyage six years later in 1974, the vessel carried 8,000 bushels of wheat and was bound for Toledo, Ohio, from Chicago, Illinois, according to research conducted by the Wisconsin Historical Society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, there were concerns that the schooner was overloaded, and media speculations estimated there were actually 10,000 bushels of wheat. The ship began to leak, and the crew spent hours trying to keep the water out. By the time the water reached three feet deep and the crew decided to evacuate, they barely had enough time to board a small yawl and abandon the ship. They rowed only a few minutes before the ship lurched forward and sank bow first. The crew rowed through the night and arrived at Milwaukee the next morning to report the loss and catch a ride back to Chicago. St. Peter was valued at $4,500, but the owner had insured only the cargo of wheat. Where is the St. Peter shipwreck? The St. Peter sank about 35 miles northeast of Milwaukee, but its exact location is restricted to protect the shipwreck, Poltzer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State and federal laws protect the shipwreck, meaning divers may not remove artifacts or structures when visiting the site. Removing, defacing, displacing, or destroying artifacts or sites is a crime, according to the release. Because of the shipwreck's extreme depth and remote location, it has not been visited outside of the initial surveys and investigations. Contact Claudia Levens at clevens@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @levensc13. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: St. Peter shipwreck off Port Washington recognized as historic WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) Since its beginning in 2007, P.E.T.S. Clinic has offered affordable vet care to tens of thousands of pets, but as it approaches 100,000 animals neutered and spayed, the low-cost clinic will soon see big changes. In order to breathe what founder Leslie Harrelson calls fresh life into the organization, long-time volunteer and board member and now executive director Amber Gilmore will be taking the reins in July 2025. The nonprofit is now responsible for serving around 25,000 animals per year, but according to Harrelson, it had humble beginnings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was an accident. I never intended to start a full-time spay-neuter clinic, Harrelson said. Cats can carry bird flu: What to watch for For Harrelson, what started as just a love of animals in 2007 It was going to be, you know, like once a week, once a month, she said. As soon as I published a phone number, I realized it was going to be full-time. Now spans North Texas and the Panhandle. Starting P.E.T.S. with no veterinary experience herself, Harrelson enlisted the help of others like 12-year technician Kai Liriano. I remember what the shell of this building used to look like, Liriano said. Just seeing what weve been able to grow into and how much weve been able to offer the community, its just been an honor to be a part of a team like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I really believe that if youre doing something thats meant to be the right, people will come into your life and make it happen, Harrelson said. But as they approach 100,000 pets spayed and neutered Its coming to that time where I no longer have a new vision, Harrelson said. I now need to be honest with myself and figure out who could. Harrelson is passing the torch to a former volunteer and now the executive director, Amber Gilmore. Im excited to honor the legacy Leslie has created and lead the organization into its next chapter with enthusiasm and respect for its roots, Gilmore said in a statement. I feel immense gratitude to be entrusted with this responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Liriano and Harrelson, the P.E.T.S. team welcomes their new CEO with open arms. She always takes on things in a similar fashion as Leslie does with full tenacity and drive, Liriano said. Just all the things that we would be looking for as our successor, Harrelson said. It was a natural fit. All the while, however, staff like Liriano are grateful for Harrelsons almost two-decade lead. Art is life is everything: The Lab aims to be next Wichita Falls art hub Leslie has been a guru, he said. Shes helped us learn so many different ways on how we can help our pets, how we can give more to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gilmore will officially start her new role on the clinics 18th birthday in July. Harrelson, though shell be fully hands-off, said she will still support and donate to P.E.T.S. If youd like to join her in donating, visit their website. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 Texomashomepage.com. (WKBN) A man who investigators say drove from eastern Pennsylvania to Wooster, Ohio to have sex with a teen was sentenced Thursday. Soumya Rudra, 42, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania, was sentenced U.S. Court for the Northern District of Ohio to 30 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in August to charges of traveling across state lines to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, possession of child sexual abuse materials and transportation of visual depictions of real minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. After he gets out of prison, Rudra will have to serve 10 years of supervised release. He was also fined $50,000 and must pay $17,000 in restitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A complaint against Rudra was filed in December 2023 after the mother of the 14-year-old victim contacted the Wayne County Sheriffs Office on Nov. 23 when she discovered that her daughters cellphone was pinging to a motel in Wooster. The mother told investigators that a man in a white car picked her daughter up. When police got to the motel, they located Rudra, who was arrested at the scene, and his cell phone and tablet were confiscated. Investigators said the victim and Rudra met on the dating app Kiss Kiss and continued their communications over several months on Snapchat before making arrangements to meet. Investigators also discovered child sexual abuse materials involving other minors on his electronic devices which were recovered at the hotel room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To report child exploitation, please visit cybertipline.org, or call 1-800-843-5678, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 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. WELLS TWP, Pa. (WETM) A Williamsport woman was sentenced to time in a Pennsylvania state prison after she was found trying to break into a home in Wells Township, according to information from the Bradford County District Attorneys Office. Melissa Ann Chirdon, 46, was sentenced to a minimum of six months to a maximum of four years in prison for the offense of criminal trespass, a felony in the third degree. Monroeton man sentenced up to 50 years on felony sex charges against children Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chirdon is said to have been a patient at a drug rehab facility in Bradford County when she left the facility and attempted to go into a nearby home by breaking the glass on the door at 11:20 p.m. on February 25, 2024, the DAs office said. Chirdon stopped when she learned the door was screwed shut from the inside and she wouldnt be able to enter. Documents said she left and fell asleep in a nearby parked car before she was arrested by state police. Chirdon was on probation in Lycoming County for drug-related offenses when she was arrested in Bradford County. The DAs office said she has a significant criminal history, including reckless endangerment, fleeing and eluding, resisting arrest, and drug-related offenses. Based on these factors the DAs office said time in state prison is appropriate. 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Jan. 16CUMBERLAND While traveling to Annapolis for the annual Mountain Maryland PACE reception, Jake Shade emphasized the significance of a single listing in the state's 233-page FY2026 budget that was released Wednesday. The document included $10 million for the Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Program, which includes a board that chooses projects for the Senator George C. Edwards Fund. This year's PACE an acronym for Positive Attitudes Change Everything committee chose support of the fund as its single ask for help from the state considering Maryland's current budget challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was pleasantly surprised," Shade, executive director of the Edwards Fund, said of the PACE committee's priority. Shade has worked to communicate to Gov. Wes Moore's office that the fund, a four-year initiative that began in 2022, benefits Western Maryland by creating local jobs and improving the tax base. "Today was a big hurdle," he said of support for the fund in the state's proposed budget. "For us, it's a tremendous amount of money," Shade said. "We're very pleased." The PACE event, sponsored by the Cumberland/Allegany County Industrial Foundation and the Garrett County Development Corp. and held Thursday and Friday, will provide a chance for Western Maryland leaders to gain support for the Edwards Fund from state legislators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new bill needs to be passed this session to renew the fund. FundMoney in the fund can only be used to award grants and provide loans to capital infrastructure projects and business development projects to improve the economic conditions in the region. According to Shade's annual report, which is required by the state, in 2024, the fund included $18.4 million to support initiatives in Washington, Allegany and Garrett counties. "Over the past two years, the fund has awarded a total of $36,834,488 in grants, catalyzing projects with a combined total value of $290,146,763," the report states. "These investments have supported essential infrastructure upgrades, workforce training, historic revitalization, housing development and emerging industries, all while positioning Western Maryland as a competitive and vibrant part of the state." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Projects funded in the past two years are projected to create 1,153 new jobs across the three counties. "The fund's ability to close financing gaps and spur development has been instrumental in bringing projects to life that otherwise would not have started," the report states. BoardThe fund was designed to be locally administered and has state oversight. The Western Maryland Economic Future Investment Board includes five voting members: George C. Edwards, a retired state senator, the fund's namesake and a Grantsville councilman; his son, Garrett County Commissioner President Paul Edwards; Allegany County Commissioner President David Caporale; Washington County Commissioner Jeff Cline; and Andrew Serafini, principal at Wealth Enhancement Group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eleven nonvoting members include a representative from the Maryland Department of Commerce, two state senators, two state delegates and economic development directors at the three counties. The Tri-County Council of Western Maryland staffs the board and administers the fund. "We're a very lean operation, Shade said, adding that interest generated from the fund pays for his part-time position as executive director as well as other administrative costs. BoostStu Czapski, a Cumberland Economic Development Corp. specialist, said the fund needs to continue without interruption through FY2026 as mandated by its initial legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Additionally, renewing the fund for an additional period of time would be the ultimate goal in upcoming years," he said. "The fund is a critical tool to spark and incent significant private investment into sustainable economic development projects that will create jobs, stimulate the local economy and provide a financial return to the state and local governments for years to come," Czapski said. "While momentum is strong in Western Maryland, financial incentives are still needed to boost private investment for larger projects that potentially could or would locate elsewhere," he said. "While in the big picture, the amount of funds is relatively small to larger metropolitan areas, these dollars are significant to the economies of Western Maryland," he said. Teresa McMinn is a reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. She can be reached at 304-639-2371 or tmcminn@times-news.com. Welcome to the online version of From the Politics Desk, an evening newsletter that brings you the NBC News Politics teams latest reporting and analysis from the White House, Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. It was another busy day on Capitol Hill with a lengthy slate of confirmation hearings for incoming Trump administration nominees. Jonathan Allen sorted through them all and offers his takeaways. Plus, Andrea Mitchell looks back at the long road that led to the ceasefire deal in Gaza and the roles the outgoing and incoming presidents played. Adam Wollner Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sign up to receive this newsletter in your inbox every weekday here. Pam Bondi takes her turn in the hot seat during a jam-packed day of confirmation hearings Six of President-elect Donald Trumps nominees faced Senate confirmation hearings Wednesday, previewing a parade of policy and political fights that will define his second term. The person who was in the hottest seat was former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, Trumps pick to be the next U.S. attorney general. She faced questions over whether she would stand up to a president who had pushed out the two men he previously appointed to be attorney general, as Ben Kamisar and Ryan J. Reilly report in their wrap-up of her day on Capitol Hill. Courtesy of Jonathan Allen, here are the key takeaways from Bondis hearing, as well as the parade of hearings for other Cabinet nominees who appeared before senators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bondi wouldnt say Trump lost in 2020: Bondi pointedly refused to say Trump lost the 2020 election fair and square under questioning from Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., at her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in, and he is the president of the United States, Bondi said. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024. Durbin, the top-ranking Democrat on the panel, noted that Bondi did not give him a yes-or-no answer. Later, Bondi declined to retract her past statement that Trump had won Pennsylvania in 2020, and she pushed back against Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., for interrupting her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not going to be bullied by you, she told Padilla. Democrats grill Bondi over Trumps and Kash Patels influence: Bondi told Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., that she would not use the attorney generals power to target political adversaries even though Trump has often called for investigating and prosecuting his rivals. There will never be an enemies list within the Department of Justice, Bondi said. Last month, Trump told Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker that decisions about whom to investigate and whom to prosecute would fall to Bondi and Kash Patel, his selection to head the FBI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patel has said judges, lawyers and journalists should be prosecuted for perceived impropriety in pursuing investigations of Trump after the 2020 election. Bondi defended Patel to an extent. I dont believe he has an enemies list, Bondi said, adding that Kash is the right person at this time for this job. But she told senators that they would have to ask Patel directly about his promotion of QAnon conspiracy theories. No one ruined their confirmation chances: In addition to Bondi, the following nominees also sat for hearings: Marco Rubio, for secretary of state; Sean Duffy, for transportation secretary; John Ratcliffe, for CIA director; Chris Wright, for energy secretary; and Russell Vought, for director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line: None of them appeared to say anything that would cost them support from Republicans, portending a smooth road ahead. Read more takeaways from the days hearings Biden and Trump both seek credit after a long road to a Gaza ceasefire deal By Andrea Mitchell After 15 torturous months of fruitless talks, there is finally a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza, with two American presidents taking credit one on his way out, the other on his way in. Even before President Joe Biden announced the agreement, President-elect Donald Trump proclaimed it on Truth Social before he released a lengthy statement that said, in part, This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November and We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An hour and a half later, Biden said from the White House: This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented, for the most part, by the next administration. And these past few days weve been speaking as one team. Asked how much credit he gave the Trump team, he replied, I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure were all speaking with the same voice, because thats what American presidents do. But collaboration apparently goes only so far. As Biden was leaving, a reporter shouted: Who deserves credit for this, Mr. President? You or Trump? Biden stopped in his tracks, turned, and said, cracking a smile, Is that a joke? and left. In fact, Trump did pressure Hamas to compromise when he threatened on multiple occasions that there will be hell to pay if Hamas didnt make a deal before he took office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That warning also pressured Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to finish the deal. Negotiators also credited Trumps Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, for resolving last-minute snags in the last few days. It was a dramatic finish: According to a senior administration official, U.S., Israeli and Qatari negotiators in Doha, Qatar and the Hamas team in the same building downstairs thought theyd finally sealed the deal at 3 a.m. Wednesday. But a few hours later, Hamas made new demands. After more haggling, it backed down, and it was done. Talks almost failed back on July 31, when Israel took out Ismail Haniyah, the Hamas negotiator, while he was in Tehran. Then, a month later, the negotiations came to a complete halt when American hostage Hersh Goldberg and five others were killed in a tunnel in Rafah on Aug. 31. What followed changed the balance of power in the region. Israel responded to Irans missile attack, destroying its air defenses. Then, Israel killed Hezbollahs leaders in Lebanon, resulting in a U.S.-negotiated ceasefire there. Finally, Iran lost its other major ally, Syria, when Bashar al-Assads regime collapsed next door. With Iran severely weakened, Hamas was more willing to compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of that would have happened without intensive, nonstop negotiations over 15 months by White House envoy Brett McGurk, 19 trips by CIA Director William Burns and 13 visits by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, each with stops in multiple countries. And McGurk now heads to Cairo to implement the deal and make sure the hostages start coming home. No matter who gets the credit. Todays top stories So long, farewell: Biden will deliver a farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening. Read more Hes running: Bernie Sanders former campaign manager, Faiz Shakir, is mounting a last-minute bid to lead the Democratic National Committee. Read more On the way out: Speaker Mike Johnson has informed Rep. Mike Turner, R-Ohio, he will no longer be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. Read more Succession: Vivek Ramaswamy is in discussions about filling Vice President-elect JD Vances Senate seat in Ohio. The development is a reversal for Ramaswamy, who in November said his work alongside Elon Musk at Trumps Department of Government Efficiency would remove him from consideration for the Senate job. Read more Next on the reading list: As Vice President Kamala Harris considers her next steps, she is looking at writing a book. Read more Job opening: A key position in the forthcoming Trump administration remains unaddressed: administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, is at the top of the list of potential nominees. Read more Tariff tiff: Trumps plans to impose steep tariffs on Chinese imports could have an unintended consequence: boosting manufacturing in Mexico. Read more In the courts: The Supreme Court heard a challenge to a Texas law aimed at preventing young people from accessing pornographic content online. Read more 'If you want to take it outside ...': Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, got into a heated exchange at a House hearing that culminated with Mace challenging Crockett by asking whether she wanted to take it outside. Read more Thats all From the Politics Desk for now. Todays newsletter was compiled by Adam Wollner and Ben Kamisar. If you have feedback likes or dislikes email us at politicsnewsletter@nbcuni.com And if youre a fan, please share with everyone and anyone. They can sign up here. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) Last month Panama City Clerk Jan Smith warned commissioners about their spending habits. Smith said if this years budget goes to plan, the citys reserve fund would be less than one percent. The Government Finance Officers Association recommends a reserve balance of around 17%. Apparently, city officials are heeding the warning. Walton County commissioners award sole beach vendor rights to all public beaches Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past month, the reserve fund has gone from 14.7% to 18.5%. Our staff has been very responsive. I mean, right now they havent hired department heads. Weve got a consolidation of services. Theres a lot of work that theyre doing internally to respond to what the commission desires. We all have to work together, and I think thats what youre seeing and why the financial picture is getting better now, at the start of 2025, than what it was headed in 2024, Panama City Commissioner Josh Street said. If spending goes as planned, officials estimate the citys reserves will now be around 3% at the end of the fiscal year. But commissioners say theyll continue to search for more ways to save money and reduce spending. 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 mypanhandle.com. Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, speaks on the Senate floor on Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Despite their reservations, Republican and Democrat committee members largely united Wednesday to advance legislation banning social media use by Hoosiers who havent yet turned 16, unless they get parental permission. Senate Bill 11 would require a social media operator like Facebook or TikTok to restrict a minor from accessing the site if they did not receive verifiable parental consent from the minors parent or guardian. Just one Democrat, Chesterton Sen. Rodney Pol, voted against the bills advancement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were not here to moderate content. Just think of this as letting your kid go into a building thats called social media, and these different apps are in there, said author Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores. He introduced the bill to Senate Judiciary Committee members last week but warned that numerous changes were on the way. Edits made The legislation originally allowed parents and legal guardians to sue social media providers if their children access social media without their consent and any person could sue for injunctive relief. Lawmakers ditched those provisions on Wednesday, via the contentious but unanimously approved Amendment 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Language allowing parents to sue if their children are bullied online was also axed, as promised last week. Bohacek said at the time that it was a little bit too much. They kept, but tweaked, language allowing Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita to sue social media operators. Now, he must first send a notice of violation and give the operator 90 days to cure the violation before filing a lawsuit. The amendment also added a more specific definition of social media. The legislation previously defined it as any website or any other form of electronic communication through which users create or use online communities to share information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, its defined as an internet-based application that allows users to create accounts or profiles to interact with other users, view others content, create their own content and share content. Applications for gaming, organizational communication and others are excluded. The trickiest part is defining social media. Thats very hard to do, Bohacek said, comparing the task to defining the taste of chocolate milk. The amendment also added encryption requirements to a provision mandating that operators use commercially reasonable methods to secure all the information they collect and transmit under this part of Indiana Code. Other sections on data retention also saw tweaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Scott Alexander, R-Muncie, said he appreciated the progress made. This is an extremely hard thing to get law around, because its constantly changing, constantly moving, he said. But I appreciate the effort on it. Were a long way from where we started, and theres a long way yet to go, too. Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, voted in support but expressed skepticism. I really am not sure these people are going to be able to ascertain whether theyre dealing with kids or adults, and I dont think we ironed out those differences, she said. I reserve the right to vote against it on the floor, but for today, Ill move it along. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX ATLANTA (AP) Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Wednesday he wants to let low-income parents with young kids enroll without working in a Medicaid program that provides coverage for some able-bodied adults. Kemp's announcement came as President-elect Donald Trump returns to office and more state and federal officials consider Medicaid work requirements. Georgia is the only state that requires some people to work, study or volunteer to enroll in Medicaid, under the program Georgia Pathways. If the incoming Trump administration approves Kemp's plan, parents and guardians of kids up to age 6 in households at or below 100% of the federal poverty level could receive Medicaid without meeting those requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a growing state that needs more Georgians in the workforce than ever before, providing health insurance to a family or individual with young children may be the last piece they need to restart a career and be on the path for a brighter future, Kemp said. Most states cover adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level with primarily federal funds. Kemp has championed Georgia Pathways as an alternative to expanding Medicaid for low-income adults. Enrollees have to complete 80 hours of work, volunteer activity, schooling or vocational rehabilitation a month to receive coverage. Kemp says the goal is to ease them into a job that provides private insurance. Georgia Pathways had a rough start. After its first year, the program had around 4,300 members, a sliver of those who are eligible. Health policy experts have called the program a failure," saying the requirements are too burdensome a large number of struggling people. Opponents also say the program has wasted money. Nonprofit health policy research organization KFF reports the program has costed more than $40 million in state and federal tax dollars that have been spent mostly on administrative costs rather than medical care. Others complain about sign-up complications and the program's slow processing times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a written statement, state Senate Democrats called the new plan damage control for the Georgia Pathways program. There are over half a million Georgians who need health insurance, and the governors proposal falls well short of that, and were leaving federal dollars on the table that would help close the coverage gap in Georgia," said Democratic state Sen. Jason Esteves, of Atlanta. "Because of the governors plan, we will continue to struggle to strengthen our healthcare system." Kemp has regularly doubled down on his commitment to Georgia Pathways. The old system is not working, Kemp said Wednesday. And the other side, their only answer to any of this is they want government-run healthcare. And I am not in that boat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration approved Medicaid work requirement plans in 13 states, but the Biden administration revoked these waivers in 2021. Georgia Pathways survived after a legal fight. Kemp will have to get approval for his plans from the Trump administration, as the program is set to expire in September. Talks are already underway, Kemp said, calling the incoming administration a federal partner that wants to innovate efficiently. He said the Biden administration has meanwhile unfortunately been more interested in finding ways to stop or undermine our efforts rather than working with us. Kemp spokesperson Garrison Douglas said the governor's new plan would cost an additional $207,000. In an effort to boost enrollment, the state recently invested $10.7 million to raise awareness about Georgia Pathways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic senators, including Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, recently called for a federal investigation into Georgia Pathways. __ Kramon is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow Kramon on X: @charlottekramon. HURON, S.D. (KELO) The child care shortage is a growing issue, not only in South Dakota, but across the nation. Austin and Jessica Sheridan had been taking their daughter to the same in-home day care for about two years when they got bad news. SD child care taskforce unveils study Late winter or spring in 2024, she let us know she was going to be closing her day care, Jessica Sheridan said. The trend was affecting more than just the Sheridan family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Six closed in a very short time period. It left a lot of parents to like, what are we going to do? Theres six closing, where are we going to send our kids? Austin Sheridan said. Its an issue that the city is well aware of. For years, day care was identified as the No. 1 critical issue in the Huron. The day care situation has been very whats the word I want to use? Nonexistent. We have had day care providers, but its a very difficult profession, Huron Community Foundation Board member Rhonda Kludt said. Sara Waldner also lost her childs day care provider. She messaged us and said shes closing at the end of summer. I was absolutely devastated. I was literally heartbroken. I could not sleep that night, Co-Director Little Blossom Learning Center Sara Waldner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, Waldner wrote a business plan for a day care and brought it to the city the next day. The city said she needed to connect with Rhonda Kludt. I messaged her and I said it was five words. I said, I want to start a day care center, and she responded, Yes, yes, yes, yes, I know the perfect person whos going to be your partner, Waldner said. Meet Whitney Reimer. Shed run an in-home day care for 11 years and had been on Kludts radar for a while. Reached out to her previously, before COVID probably, about opening a day care center somewhere and just telling her I was interested, but not really knowing where I would go, Co-Director Little Blossom Learning Center Whitney Reimer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We met and we kind of talked about what this could look like and how this could look like as co-directors. Both of us desire that time with our family and not being tied to our work 70 hours a week, Waldner said. They just clicked and off it went. Theyve been just a dynamic duo, as if they had known each other all along. As I said, the stars just aligned beautifully with this program, Kludt said. All the stars were aligning, except they still needed to find a building to house the day care. Thats how Faith Alive Community Church came into the picture, which was dealing with a shortage of kids in its preschool. I talked to Rhonda and shes very well backgrounded in child care and child development. And our pastor, Jared Cass and myself asked if she would meet with us on a Saturday down here at our church to talk about our preschool, Faith Alive Community Church member, Bryan Smith said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wanted to ask Rhonda how to improve their preschool while she was in day care mode. And she invited us to the meeting. And so I went to the meeting and I looked at the rooms, which were preschool rooms over there, and I said, this hallway is exactly what we need, Waldner said. While Waldner and Reimer immediately saw this as the perfect location for the day care, people at the church didnt realize thats why the women attended that meeting. They just looked at me like, what are you talking about? They had no idea we were talking about a day care center in the church, and I went home and I just told Whitney, Im like, Whitney, there is a playground, theres classrooms, theres sinks, theres you name it, its perfect for us, Waldner said. While the church didnt plan on moving a day care into the building, members quickly got on board with the idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jared and I walked out of out of that meeting on a Saturday and from there, it took about ten days to get approval from our church, Smith said. Now, just a few months later, the Little Blossom Learning Center is up and thriving. So during the day we have 60 kids. And then after school we have another 15 or 16, depending on the day for the after school program, Reimer said. Filling a gap for not only families in Huron, but the whole community. These girls have worked tirelessly on that and a lot of people have stepped up and helped them. And our community is really behind this and were hoping that they succeed. Were in it to do whatever we can to help them, Kludt said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this fills a huge gap in the community, Huron still has a long way to go before they can consider the childcare crisis fixed. Click here for information on Little Blossom Learning Center. 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 KELOLAND.com. OHIO (WJW) Level 1 snow emergencies and parking bans have been issued in some Northeast Ohio counties due to winter weather conditions. Check out the list of advisories and bans below: The Ashland County Sherriff issued a Level 1 snow emergency for the county Thursday morning due to snow-covered and slippery roads. How to legally go downhill (sledding, tubing, skiing) in Northeast Ohio The City of Lorain has issued an emergency snow parking ban from 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, through 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 18, according to a Thursday press release. Snow emergency parking ban in effect from 4 a.m. Jan. 16 through noon Jan. 17. No parking is permitted on city streets to allow for snow removal. A snow emergency is now in effect for Parma. No parking is permitted on city streets. The Stark County Sheriffs Office issued the following parking bans and snow emergencies for Lake Township and Plain Township: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lake Township: The President of the Board of Lake Township Trustees has declared a snow emergency prohibiting parking on Lake Township streets effective Thursday, January 16, 2025, at 8:00 AM, and will be in effect through Friday, January 17, until 8:00 AM. Plain Township: Plain Township issued an emergency snow parking ban at 8 p.m. Wednesday, January 15, 2025, and will be in effect until 4 p.m. Monday, January 20, 2025. Warming centers in Akron, Canton, Cleveland Tallmadge The City of Tallmadge has a snow parking ban in place from 4 p.m. Thursday, Jan.16 through 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22. Please remove all vehicles from the street to ensure public safety and to allow plow trucks to clear the snow safely, a press release from the city said. Wayne County Sheriff Thomas Ballinger issued a Level 1 snow advisory for the county Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads are also icy, a Facebook post from the Sheriffs office said. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in effect for Ashtabula, Carroll, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Mahoning, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties until 4 a.m. on Friday. Keep up with our forecast 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 8 Cleveland WJW. ST. LOUIS An Old Jamestown man currently on parole for burglary is now wanted for a 2023 theft at a used auto parts store. According to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments probable cause statement, the theft happened on April 30, 2023, at the Pick N Pull located in the 7500 block of Hall Street. Police said Edison C. Hester, 63, and another man drove a white pickup and attached trailer into the restricted lot during regular business hours and helped themselves to several items by them onto the trailer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said Hester and his accomplice stole 175 wheels, 150 alternators, and 300 AC compressors. The stolen items have a combined value of $5,750. McKendree University mourns loss of water polo coach in I-44 crash On May 4, 2023, police saw the white pickup and attempted a traffic stop, but the driver sped off. The driver eventually stopped but fled on foot. Hester has several warrants from other jurisdictions and has a parole hold from the Missouri Department of Corrections for 19 counts of second-degree burglary. The St. Louis Circuit Attorneys Office charged Hester with stealing $750 or more and first-degree property damage. Upon arrest, Hester will be held on a $50,000 cash-only bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (WOOD) A jury has found a convicted sex offender guilty of attacking a woman in Port Sheldon Township while out on parole for a previous assault, according to prosecutors. Gregory DuJardine was found guilty of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, prosecutors told News 8. The trial got underway Tuesday, and the case went to the jury Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday afternoon, the jury came back with its verdict. DuJardine is expected to be sentenced to at least 25 years in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detective: Paroled sex offender predicted life for this one after attack He was charged in September in the Sept. 8 assault. After being arrested, he told investigators, Im going to go for life on this one, according to testimony from Detective Adam Hill with the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. Investigators said that he followed a woman as she drove on US-31, then crashed into her vehicle and followed her until she pulled into a gas station parking lot in Port Sheldon Township. The woman told investigators that she believed he wanted to file a police report on the crash, but when they both got out of their cars, the man physically and sexually assaulted her, according to the sheriffs office. The woman fought him off and called 911. By the time deputies arrived, the man was gone. Deputies: Man crashes into car, sexually assaults driver Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DuJardine was arrested in Muskegon for a parole violation, the sheriffs office said. He had been convicted of similar crimes in the 1980s. Court documents obtained by News 8 show that DuJardine was found guilty of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in 1986, for which he was sentenced to two to 15 years in prison. Then, in 1989, DuJardine was found guilty of first-degree CSC for assaulting a park attendant, court documents show. He was sentenced to life in prison. Since his life sentence was not a mandatory term, he became eligible for parole after serving 15 years. In November 2023, DuJardine appeared before a parole board. Ottawa County Judge Karen Miedema penned an objection letter to the board, urging it to deny parole. Sex offenders parole, despite judges objection, reveals potential loophole Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no reasonable assurance here where the defendant committed this brutal rape while on parole for a prior sexual assault, has not completed sex offender treatment, has an unrealistic plan for stable housing and employment, and where he fails to recognize the severity of the crime for which he is incarcerated, Miedema wrote. The board ended up granting parole. 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. For Moscow, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian's visit to Russia on Jan. 17 is a diplomatic victory. The trip's centerpiece will be the finalization of a long-heralded partnership deal between Russia and Iran, signed by Pezeshkian and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin. The agreement is the latest chapter in Moscow's ongoing efforts to seek out global allies and acceptance amid its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pezeshkian and Putin will use their Moscow meeting to discuss greater cooperation in trade, transport, and logistics, as well as "acute issues on the regional and international agenda," the Kremlin said on Monday. But it is the prospect of greater military cooperation between the two countries that most concern onlookers. Russia's war in Ukraine has already prompted closer ties: Moscow's troops use Iranian Shahed-type drones to bombard Ukrainian cities, while Tehran has been accused by the U.S. of giving Russia close-range ballistic missiles. Iranian officials deny the allegations. The new agreement highlights this growing military exchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it also comes at a time when the balance of power between Russia and Iran has shifted. Since Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000, Moscow has always held the upper hand in negotiations with Tehran. But Russia's need for arms and allies gives Iran new leverage in a changing partnership one that both sides hope will give them an edge. Read also: Russias gas sector is running out of options after end of transit deal Art of sanctions-busting Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 left Moscow isolated on the world stage and targeted by bruising Western sanctions. Iran has been a helpful example for Russian officials on how to navigate this strange new world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having survived for decades under its own barrage of sanctions, Iran has also been able to act as a template for Moscow. Cornerstone sanctions-busting tactics, such as using a shadow fleet of tankers to transport sanctioned oil, have been used for years by Iranian officials. Moscow has been able to adopt such templates to great effect. Their own sanctioned status also means that Iranian officials are happy to ignore Western bans on Russian trade. After almost three years of war, equipping Russia's troops in Ukraine remains a priority for the Kremlin. Iranian weapon systems are cheap and easy to make, ideal for a conflict that has seen Moscow's forces bogged down on the battlefield. An Iranian-made unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the Shahed-136, is being displayed at the Azadi (Freedom) Square during a rally in western Tehran, Iran, on Feb. 11, 2024. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images) "Iranian weapon systems are not advanced like Western or even Russian weapon systems but they work, and they work very effectively," says Sina Azodi, a visiting scholar and lecturer at the Institute for Middle East Studies at George Washington University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "After Western sanctions on Russia that cut off the country's access to advanced microchips, the Russians learned that these more simple weapons systems would work in their favor." But it's not only Moscow that needs military technology. It's likely that Tehran also wants modern Russian weapons: something that has become particularly pressing after Israeli strikes on Iran's air defence installations in October. "Iran needs a modern air force. Iran needs a modern air defense system," says Azodi. "Russia is the only country that can and is willing to provide that to Iran." There is no guarantee, however, that once such promises are made that either partner will be able to deliver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports have repeatedly surfaced in recent years on Iran's alleged purchase of Russian Sukhoi fighter jets but the planes themselves have not appeared, suggesting that such deals have not been successful. While Iran's increased leverage in Moscow could help such acquisitions become a reality, the Kremlin also has other priorities to protect. "Iran desperately needs a replacement for its air defense systems that the Israelis destroyed," says Azodi. "But the question is whether Russia can provide it, given that it needs air defenses for its own war in Ukraine." Partners, not allies There are also other potential sticking points between the two sides. With Moscow and Tehran both under heavy sanctions, both countries are now competing to sell goods such as oil on the same grey market. While Iran may have a longer history of using shadow tankers, ultimately, Russia's economic clout has allowed it to undercut its rivals on price. "Russia and Iran have been drawn into a battle on providing discounts for oil buyers in countries such as China and India," says Arman Mahmoudian, a research fellow at the Global and National Security Institute and a faculty member at the University of South Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "But some of these discounts are so heavy that it's very difficult for Iran to beat." A general view of the Guwahati Refinery operated by Indian Oil Corporation in Guwahati, India, on March 30, 2023. On March 29, Russian oil giant Rosneft announced a deal with Indian Oil to significantly increase oil supplies. India has become a major buyer of Russian oil since the Ukraine war. (Biju Boro / AFP via Getty Images) There are also ongoing geopolitical disagreements and rivalries. The fall of President Bashar al-Assad in Syria is a fresh wound for both Iran and Russia: in a recording that surfaced in the Iranian media in early January, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps General Behrouz Esbati accused Moscow of failing Tehran by allowing Israeli strikes on Iranian assets in Syria. He also said that the Kremlin had misled Iranian officials by claiming to strike rebel forces while, in fact, bombing empty fields. The tussle between Iranian and Russian influence in the Caucasus remains another sensitive topic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Iran warned Moscow against siding with Azerbaijan in an ongoing dispute between Baku and neighboring Armenia on the placement of a land corridor to Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan enclave. "Any threat from north, south, east, or west to territorial integrity of our neighbors or redrawing of boundaries is totally unacceptable and a red line for Iran," Iranian Foreign Minister Sayeed Abbas Araghchi wrote on X at the time. However, such issues can be pushed aside as both sides react to changing political tides. For now, both can use their shared agreement to push back against a common foe the United States. "Iran sees Russia as a powerful partner to force the United States out of the Middle East. They see the United States as the main obstacle in expanding their own influence in the region," says Azodi. "Russia, obviously, is a very good partner because they want the same thing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: How Trump could use sanctions in negotiations with Russia Common foe The imminent inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump will be felt keenly in both Moscow and Tehran. For Iranian officials, Trump's president comes with a sense of trepidation. Trump has consistently advocated for a harder line on Iran, as have many among his advisors. As his second term looms, it is natural for Iran to seek refuge among powers such as Russia and China, says Mahmoudian. Moscow will also be trying to make its own impression on the White House. Donald Trump, then-Republican presidential nominee, arrives at a town hall campaign event at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S. on Oct. 20, 2024. (Win McNamee / Getty Images) "Russia wants to send a signal to the White House: we still can make things worse for you," says Mahmoudian. "(The agreement signals), 'we understand that you are trying to take a harsher stand against Iran, but it's going to be very hard without having us on board." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia wants to send a signal to the White House: we still can make things worse for you." Yet while closer Iranian-Russia ties currently aid both countries on the global stage, this agreement could also be easily shed as world events shift. If Moscow begins peace negotiations with Ukraine, then it may distance itself from Tehran in order to win favors in Washington. "Russia's top foreign policy issue is Ukraine. They want to make a favorable deal. And for that, they need to make an agreement with the Americans as Ukraine's top backers. Russia is not going to, in my view, risk or jeopardize such a deal over Iran," says Mahmoudian. Ultimately, it is these external considerations that undermine the long-term effectiveness of the Russia-Iran deal. "An agreement can be game-changing or influential, but not if it's at the mercy of another third party," Mahmoudian says. "The destiny of this agreement and its survival is at the mercy of the White House and the new administration." Read also: Russia buys acceptance with cash, plunging economy into uncertainty Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. An unconscious man who was admitted to a hospital in Washington state in 2021 was taken off life support inadvertently when he was mistaken for someone else, according to two lawsuits. David Wells, 69, fell unconscious after choking on a steak dinner and was admitted to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver on Aug. 8, 2021, according to a complaint obtained by HuffPost. At some point during Wells transport to the hospital, he was misidentified as the person whod called 911, his roommate, Michael Beehler. When hospital staff asked if they should pull Wells life support, it was Beehlers family, not Wells, that made the call. Wells family was not informed of the mix-up until a story by local news station KGW two years later, the outlet reported. Wells and Beehlers families are now suing the hospital, as well as an ambulance service and funeral home. PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center via Google Maps Google Maps According to one of the complaints, PeaceHealth staff contacted Beehlers sister, Debbie Danielson, and told her she needed to decide whether to pull life support from her brother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Danielson agreed to end life support, Wells not Beehler was allowed to die, the complaint said. A death notice for Beehler was published in a local newspaper and in the following days, Danielson made funeral arrangements and informed her family members that her brother had died, according to the complaint. However, on Aug. 14, 2021, Beehler called Danielson. I said, You cant be alive. Youre dead! Danielson told KGW last year. Danielson and Beehler notified local police that he was still alive, and an examination of Beehlers body by the medical examiners office was able to confirm his identity as Wells, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wells son, Shawn Wells, was then informed about his fathers death, according to the complaint. They basically told me there was a medical emergency regarding my father. He had been pronounced dead, Shawn Wells told KGW, calling the case disturbing. The families are now suing PeaceHealth for negligence and emotional distress, as well as the ambulance company, American Medical Response, for misidentifying Wells, and All County Cremation and Burial Services, for allegedly failing to inform Shawn Wells about the mistake with his father. PeaceHealth and All County, did not immediately respond to HuffPosts request for comment on the allegations. American Medical Response declined to provide a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complaints around Wells death also prompted a state investigation. According to a report released last year, when Wells collapsed, Beehler gave the responding paramedics his own identification, so paramedics listed Beehlers name as a possible alias for the patient. The state found the hospital had failed to develop a process to ensure staff were properly trained to verify a patients identity, and that a registrar entered Beehlers ID into the hospitals system without following its policy. PeaceHealth has worked diligently to strengthen our patient identification processes, along with our continued collaboration with multiple community agencies involved in healthcare, including EMS, a spokesperson for PeaceHealth told KGW. Related... PEARL RIVER, La. (WGNO) A Pearl River man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday after being found guilty following a child sex crimes investigation back in October of 2024. According to District Attorney Collin Sims, in October, 2021, a young teen in Pearl River told her aunt that her mothers boyfriend had been coercing her into disrobing in front of him. JPSO K-9 dies in line of duty during Harvey SWAT roll Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aunt then encouraged the teen to contact a family friend in law enforcement, resulting in the Pearl River Police Department beginning an investigation. The teen claimed she had told her mother after the first incident happened, but wasnt believed. Harden received the maximum sentence on the charges raised against him, being sentenced 10 years for molestation of a juvenile, and 10 years for computer aided solicitation of a minor. The two sentences are set to run consecutively. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Copyright 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 WGNO. Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) will not be attending President-elect Trumps inauguration on Monday, her spokesperson confirmed to The Hill. Pelosi returned to Washington earlier this month for the entrance of the new class of lawmakers after undergoing hip replacement surgery in Germany following a fall in Luxembourg in December. Her team said she was on the mend and in good spirits. Senior leaders of both parties typically attend presidential inaugurations, though Trump skipped President Bidens inaugural event in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former first lady Michelle Obama also wont be attending Trumps second inauguration, though former President Obama will attend along with a number of other political figures. Pelosis spokesperson did not share a reason for the former Democratic leader skipping the Monday event. The former Speaker attended Trumps first inauguration in 2017. Trump and Pelosis relationship has been nothing short of rocky. The pair worked together when Trump first entered the White House, in a bipartisan attempt to work across the aisle under the new administration. That relationship quickly fell to pieces, with name calling and harsh words aimed at each other. As Speaker during Trumps first term, Pelosi emerged as one of his top adversaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pelosi notably tore up a copy of Trumps State of the Union speech in 2020. The moment came after Trump appeared to ignore Pelosi offering him her hand before he began his address. Their bitter dynamics were on full display when Trump was indicted on charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Pelosi said she would never forgive Trump for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results. News of Pelosi not attending was first reported by ABC News. Pelosi is largely viewed as the orchestrator of the events that unfolded during President Bidens campaign. After Biden and Trumps June debate and calls for the president to step aside ahead of the election, Pelosi held conversations with other lawmakers to urge Biden to withdraw from the race and allow someone else the chance to take on Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Pelosi wont be in attendance for Trumps inauguration, she will still be required to work with the incoming president, as she easily won re-election for her 20th House term. Updated at 11:44 a.m. EST 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. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi will not be attending Donald Trumps second inauguration as U.S. President, KRON4.com has confirmed. Pelosi joins former first lady Michelle Obama as the second high-profile figure on the Democratic side to announce they will be skipping next Mondays ceremony. FBI serves warrant at home of San Leandro councilmember Pelosi, notably, did attend Trumps first inauguration, but maintained a fractious relationship with the president-elect during his previous term in office. In 2020, she tore up a copy of Trumps State of the Union speech while seated directly behind him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Pelosi spokesperson declined to elaborate on why the former Speaker of the House was skipping the inauguration this time. Since breaking her hip on an international trip to Luxembourg late last year, Pelosi has been seen on the floor of the House meeting with fellow lawmakers to certify the results of the 2024 election, although she was using a walker at the time. On Wednesday, Pelosi released a statement calling outgoing President Joe Biden one of the most consequential presidents in American history. 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. Former Vice President Mike Pence arrived in Taiwan on Thursday, two sources familiar with the trip told The Hill. Pence plans to meet with Taiwans President Lai Ching-te and Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim, who Pence has known from her time as Taiwans representative to the U.S. He began his day, Friday in Taiwan, meeting with senior tech leaders, and then will take a trip on the Taiwan High Speed rail to Taipei for the other events and a dinner reception at the historic Taipei Guest House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pence was in the region to attend a forum with business leaders in Hong Kong and shared a post on the social network X about his trip. One source familiar said that Pence decided to add the stop in Taipei to see for himself and to remind the Taiwanese people America is an ally that wont allow whats happened to Hong Kong to happen to Taiwan. A spokesperson for Pences advocacy group, Advancing American Freedom, did not respond to a request for comment. Pence wrote an op-ed in August for The Washington Post in which he warned a new and troubling strain of isolationism is emerging within the Republican Party that advocates turning our backs on Taiwan and other allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former vice president warned in that op-ed that Chinese annexation of Taiwan could rattle global supply chains and spark a nuclear arms race. Pence since leaving office delivered speeches and used his advocacy group to warn Republicans against withdrawing from the world stage. He has made the case for supporting NATO and rejecting dictators like Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin, at times putting himself at odds with President-elect Trump. China claims Taiwan as its own and is gearing up to assert its control over the island through coercion or a potential invasion. Trump invited Xi to his Inauguration, but the Chinese leader is reportedly sending a high-level official to represent him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lai congratulated Trump on his victory in November, saying he is confident the Taiwan-U.S. partnership will continue to serve as a cornerstone for regional stability. Ahead of the election, Taiwanese leaders stressed bipartisan support for their country in Washington, urging the next president to keep support for Taipei strong. Trump has made several incendiary comments about Taiwan, saying it should have to pay for U.S. protection from China, and accusing Taipei of stealing the ability to make semiconductors from the U.S. Since leaving office, Pence has made multiple international trips, typically in a show of support for U.S. allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pence has traveled twice to Ukraine as it fights against invading Russian forces, arguing for the importance of U.S. support for Kyiv. He also visited Israel last January months after a Hamas terrorist attack killed more than 1,000 Israelis. 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. MILLVILLE, Pa. (WBRE/WYOU) Some people build swing sets for their grandkids but Michael Chorba of Columbia County, Pennsylvania, has taken that a step further. Hes refurbished an old rollercoaster on his property. However, keeping the ride has been a journey full of twists and turns. Some people collect or buy antique cars or fix them up, Chorba told Nexstars WBRE/WYOU. This is very similar, its just a lot more fun. Chorba has a yard full of refurbished amusement park rides for his grandkids to enjoy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They really enjoy this. I do this for them. You cant put a price on memories, he explained. His most recent addition? A mini rollercoaster. Chorba and his family have been making updates to the machine since 2023. Completely tore it apart, degreased it, painted, reupholstered all new seats and new stainless steel hardware, he explained. Lap bars are on the way to finalize the renovations, however, its been a bumpy ride keeping the coaster in action. Chorba owns the land where the ride sits, but its zoned as agricultural, putting it in violation of local zoning laws. Chorba says its been an unexpected uphill process getting the permits for the coaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Chorba received the violation, he attended a hearing, where the decision received a split vote from the board, keeping the coaster in violation. We filed an appeal in a timely manner and were just waiting for the next process of that appeal, he said. The Mount Pleasant Township zoning officer told WBRE/WYOU that the appeal went to the county court before being sent back to the township. Now, the township is waiting on a court order to hold a second hearing. This leaves the fate of Chorbas coaster in limbo. Ultimately, if it fails, they would fine me and at that point, I would have to try and disassemble and try and find a new buyer for the coaster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chorba, who says the community has rallied around him online, hopes he can keep the coaster on its tracks for his family to enjoy for years to come. 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 Queen City News. PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) A Pensacola neighborhood may soon be reconnected as the city was selected to receive a $5 million grant from the United States Department of Transportation. Assault sends 1 to hospital Mobile police investigating City officials said the connection is possible due to a grant supporting the construction of the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park Underdeck and Community Connector Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This project will remove the under the highway urban barrier beneath Interstate 110, thus uniting the Eastside neighborhood adjacent to the project area, a city news release said. Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves said this is just the first part of the project. We have a vision of what the Hollice T. Williams Stormwater Park can become, Reeves said. This is the first money we can use to make this more than a stormwater collection system. This enables us to connect the surrounding neighborhoods in a transformational way. Officials said they hope to add other developments to further facilitate the connectivity with the Eastside Neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city proposes a 1.7-acre multi-modal pathway network, a 9-acre public open space, as well as a multi-use trail and Class I bicycle path to connect North Palafox Street to the park, which will provide direct and safe access for people traveling to jobs, resources, and local destinations, the release said. Mobile man behind bars after police chase: MPD For more information on the project and to provide feedback on the development, visit the Hollice T. Williams Park 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 WKRG News 5. A new Pentagon report said its troops earn more than most of their full-time civilian counterparts. It said that after one year of service, the top 70th percentile of enlisted earners get about $1,000 a week. But that figure includes far more than base pay, which Congress recently voted to raise significantly. A Pentagon report said its troops often earn more than their civilian counterparts and would stand to lose out if they were to leave the service. "Our military compensation package is strongly competitive with the civilian labor market," it wrote in its review for military compensation, which is released every four years. The report comes just a month after Congress voted to raise basic pay for US troops by 4.5% across the board, citing concerns about recruitment difficulties and food insecurity among soldiers. Junior enlisted troops, who hold rank equivalents of E-1 to E-4, received an even bigger raise of 14.5%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of these troops were earning less than $30,000 a year in basic pay, and the bill passed in December aimed to raise their salaries to that level. However, the Pentagon uses a different metric that extends beyond basic pay, which it calls regular military compensation. This includes benefits such as tax advantages and housing and food allowances. By that measure, the Defense Department's new report found that "military pay among Junior Enlisted Personnel is higher than 90th percentile of earnings for civilians with similar education and experience." "Basic pay is a blunt and costly instrument," the report said. "And should be used only when there are system-wide problems, such as widespread retention and recruiting shortfalls, which cannot be solved more efficiently with other policy instruments." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its findings relied largely on a benchmark that compared two things: the 70th percentile of compensation for enlisted soldiers and the 70th percentile earnings for full-time civilian workers with the same education. The report said that for enlisted soldiers with one year of service, the top 70th percentile received about $1,000 a week in regular military compensation. Meanwhile, the report listed the 70th percentile of civilian earners as needing 10 years of work experience to get $1,000 a week. The Pentagon said that for enlisted soldiers with 10 years of service, the top 70th percentile of earners gets $1,500 a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the other hand, the 70th percentile of officer earnings stands at $1,500 a week for those with one year of service, going up to nearly $2,500 a week for those with 10 years of service. It compared those earnings to the 70th percentile of civilians with college degrees, whom the report said consistently earn about $200 to $300 less a week. Overall, the report said that enlisted personnel earn more than 83 out of 100 civilian workers with the same education and experience, and officers earn more than 76 out of 100 civilian workers with the same background. The Pentagon mostly recommended "quality-of-life" improvements instead of a pay bump. It asked the military to look more into expanding its retirement savings programs, providing better childcare access for serving parents, and asking its personnel to move less often to avoid hurting the careers of soldiers' spouses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its budget overview for the 2025 financial year ending September 30, the Defense Department said troop pay and benefits make up about 30% of its total budget request for $850 billion. In the new report, the Pentagon said its current pay structure is mostly working. "Recent retention is strong, recruiting has significantly improved, and favorable comparisons between military and civilian pay suggests that levels of basic pay are more than adequate," it said. Read the original article on Business Insider MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) A lot of people and organizations along the Gulf Coast have been following the developing news of Hamas and Israels ceasefire and hostage deal released Wednesday morning. News 5 reached out to the Mobile Area Jewish Foundation. Mobile City Council approves $50,000 payment to former police commander Mobile Area Jewish Foundation Executive Director Cassie Morgenstern said the deal is a positive step forward, but there is still much work to be done to achieve lasting peace between Israel and Palestine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Morgenstern said, The Mobile Area Jewish Federation is relieved to hear that after 15 long months some of the hostages will be finally returned to their families. While this ceasefire is a positive step forward, we still anxiously await the return of all those taken from their homes during the 10/7 Massacre. While there is much work to be done to create a stable, lasting peace, we welcome the possibility this ceasefire may create for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people to rebuild their lives free of Hamass tyranny, she continued. The Mobile Area Jewish Federation will continue our work to support the People and the State of Israel. Stuart Bell stepping down after 10 years leading University of Alabama Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 5 also spoke with students who attend the University of South Alabama about their reactions to the deal. They also see the ceasefire as a step toward peace. Joshua Edwards, a sophomore at USA, believes it has been a long time coming. This war has been going on for about 75 years, Edwards said. And I think that its time for the younger generation to step up and see if we can make a change because it seems not to have been made to change in 75 years. So, I think its about time, he said. Submerged vehicle recovered in Okaloosa County (photos) Cat Copenhaver agreed with Edwards, saying the ceasefire is a relief for the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a very relieving thing to see in the world if Im being honest after it happening for so long, Copenhaver said. Its definitely something that was holding heavy on everyones hearts, that you couldnt really get away from, she continued. I think that a deal is what is needed, because I dont think that war should happen, University of South Alabama junior Park Hobbs said regarding the deal. Its very sad. 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. A version of this story appeared in CNNs What Matters newsletter. To get it in your inbox, sign up for free here. The right and the left dont agree on how theyd like to change the Constitution, but they do agree that changes need to be made. President Joe Biden, in his farewell address, called for an amendment to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a clear nod to the Supreme Courts granting of new immunity to presidents at the request of President-elect Donald Trump in 2024 when he was facing federal prosecution. Separately, CNN has previously reported that Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York made a last-minute push to convince Biden to certify an Equal Rights Amendment as the 28th Amendment. The amendment passed in the needed three-quarters of US state legislatures, but it took too long decades instead of the seven years the amendments authors originally allowed. Trump, meanwhile, has promised to challenge the 14th Amendment with an executive order rescinding the principle of birthright citizenship. Hes admitted that ending birthright citizenship could require going to the people. And there are several distinct efforts to call a full-on convention of the states, the first in American history, to propose amendments. Conservative efforts have targeted a Balanced Budget Amendment theyve long envisioned or, more generally, to limit the power of the federal government. Supporters of new gun laws have called for a convention to consider an amendment related to firearms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What does it actually take to amend the Constitution? Heres a breakdown: How do amendments happen? It is usually a long and complicated process, which is laid out in Article V of the Constitution. Heres what it says: In plain English, that means first an amendment has to be proposed, either by super majorities in the House and Senate or by a convention called by two-thirds, or 34, of the state legislatures. After an amendment is proposed, it then has to be ratified by three-quarters, or 38, of the state legislatures or special conventions in the states. (By the way, that note about no amendment being made until after 1808 has to do with the importation of enslaved people and taxes, a reminder that the values of the Founding Fathers were unquestionably flawed on the issue of freedom.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Books have been written about the amendment process, and its important to note that its not at all clear how an Article V convention would go down. An interesting report by the Congressional Research Service raises some of the questions. Who would be the delegates? Could they consider multiple amendments? Would each delegate get a vote or each state? While there is a clear desire to change elements of the nations founding document, answering those specific questions feels a long way off. The time might be ripe for a new amendment The most recent amendment, the 27th, was ratified in 1992, more than three decades ago. But it was actually first proposed by Congress back in 1789 along with the 10 amendments that became the Bill of Rights. That amendment prohibits any law that changes the pay of lawmakers from taking effect until after the next election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was revived, improbably, by a University of Texas student in the early 1980s, Gregory Watson, who was frustrated when he got a C on a paper he wrote about the languishing amendment. True story. Lawmakers, for the record, passed a law that automatically gives them cost of living bumps, but they have blocked those since 2009, as we all learned when their first potential pay raise in more than a decade helped derail a bipartisan government spending bill last week. The last newly suggested amendment to be ratified gave 18-year-olds the right to vote in 1971, a product of outrage at the Vietnam War. Currently, more than half the states, 28, have some kind of call for a convention, according to the group Common Cause, which opposes a new convention. And in California, lawmakers are nervously moving to claw back that states multiple dangling calls for a convention the first passed in 1911 and the most recent in 2023 to guard against such changes during the Trump administration. Amendments have come in spurts The nearly 33 years and counting since the most recent amendment is the third-longest dry spell in US history. The National Constitution Center breaks the periods of constitutional change into distinct eras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The longest period between amendments, more than 60 years, was between the Founding Era early in the countrys history, including the Bill of Rights and early tweaks to the electoral college system and the Reconstruction era after the Civil War, which gave rights to African Americans, among other things. In the Progressive era, Americans gave women the right to vote, imposed the income tax and required senators to be elected by voters. But they also banned alcohol for 13 years, during Prohibition. Things have happened more slowly in the modern era, when Americans reclaimed their right to drink, abolished poll taxes, tinkered with presidential succession, imposed term limits on presidents, changed the voting age and proved that Gregory Watson deserved an A on his college paper. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The Peoria Area Spanish Collaborative has been in operation for more than a year, but Wednesday represented the groups first foray into connecting community members with helpful resources. An informational session was held at Iglesia La Luz del Mundo on West Arcadia Ave. The group was formed in November 2023 by the Childrens Home Association of Illinois Prevention Services unit. It includes agencies like PCCEO, Heartland Health Services, and the Peoria City/County Health Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betsy Beltran helped lead the event and is a program coordinator for Childrens Home. She hopes the event is helpful for Latino community members. Were empowering them, educating them, and equipping them with tools to be prepared in case anything happens with a deportation or anything like that, she said. Hispanic businesses are growing in Central Illinois Over the past year or so, the partner agencies have committed to having pamphlets and materials translated into Spanish to help lessen barriers for the Latino community. Peoria Police Chief Eric Echevarria attended the event as well and was joined by several other Spanish-speaking officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He spoke about the difference between his department and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, often shortened to ICE. Beltran said immigrant families often lump the two together when they are completely different entities entirely. The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights was also in attendance to inform immigrants about their rights. Theres great resources in the Peoria area for our Spanish-speaking population but if you dont know where theyre at or how to access them, it does you no good. So, we just want to have every resource be at the fingertips of our Latino population, she said. Beltran said the second event will focus more on legal services, such as how to obtain a visa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 CIProud.com. TOPEKA (KSNT) Retirement can be ruff for some, but for this former officer its cause for celebration! K-9 Deputy Drego ended his decade of service with the Shawnee County Sheriffs Office in late 2024. The German shepherd joined the Sunflower State after his training in the Czech Republic. His handlers say Drego is one of the most active and productive K-9s Shawnee County has seen. The good boy has the stats to prove it too. Trained in patrol and explosive detection, he has no shortage of accomplishments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Topeka landlord could pay double in fines after being labeled a repeat offender by city Hes done more than 250 explosive sweeps on facilities in all types of venues here in Shawnee County, Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill said. Hes done 15,000 actual sniffs from detections of different explosives to narcotics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drego also deployed in 180 patrols and hes apprehended more than 70 felons in Shawnee County. He is in good hands for his long awaited retirement, spending the rest of his dog days catching Zs instead of criminals with his former partner and handler, Deputy Guy Gardner. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 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 KSNT 27 News. I FELT FAMILIAR NAUSEA watching a particular moment during Pete Hegseths confirmation hearing on Tuesdayand I suspect it was a feeling shared by others watching who, like me, walked away from the white evangelical churches in which they were raised. It happened when Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) raised a subject relevant to Hegseths character, personal stability, and potential vulnerability to blackmail: Hegseths repeated adultery and other sexual indiscretionsincluding sleeping with someone (who alleged assault) two months after his child was born to his mistress with whom he cheated on his second wife. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) then rose to Hegseths defense. Mullin, who is a member of an evangelical Pentecostal church, began by thanking the third Mrs. Hegseth, present in the hearing room, for loving him through that mistake. Mullin went on, The only reason I am here and not in prison is because my wife loved me, too. . . . Im not perfect, but I found somebody that thought I was perfect . . . but just like our Lord and Savior forgave me, my wifes had to forgive me more than once, too. He then gave Hegseth the opportunity to awkwardly gush about how smart, capable, and beautiful his wife is. Mullins mini-sermon was a lasagna of problematic messagingthe lauding of a woman for sticking with an abusive man, more generally giving women responsibility for mens redemption, and calling longstanding patterns of behavior a mistake. Oh, and there was also the obligatory reference to poor Jesuswhom Hegseth also repeatedly invoked to get out of every jam free. (I seem to remember a commandment about not taking the Lords name in vain.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to unpack this moment because of what it reveals about one of the more mysterious alliances in our politics. This will require some brief explanation about two things: first, the belief in female subservience to male needs that pervades evangelical teachings, and second, the libertine bro culture, with its hypermasculine displays. You might think that the bros and the theobros would have little in common, especially considering the bros heavy use of pornography, verboten in evangelicalism. In fact, though, the bros and theobros eerily similar views of women and sex bind them together under the MAGA banner. And in Pete Hegseth, this misogynistic marriage from hell is embodied in one deeply flawed and unqualified person. Join now IN WHITE EVANGELICALISMand Im talking mainstream Protestant evangelicalism here, not some niche, tradwife offshootit is commonly implied that women are primarily meant to help men. In fact, women are often and quite literally called helpmeets, drawing from the creation story in Genesis, in which Eve is formed from Adams rib to be his companion. Women are told to respect, foster, and submit to male authority in their homes and churches, where they are banned from most leadership roles based on a literalist reading of scripture. While there is ample stated tolerance for womens pursuit of careers, education, and other ambitions, they are strongly encouraged to make marriage and motherhood central to their lives, to sacrifice their own needs and desires for those of their husbands and families. And when they do, they are lauded as if they are almost saints, as the exchange between Hegseth and Mullin hints at. (Of course, it is a basic tenet of Christianity that men and women alike should selflessly serve others needs, but in this culture the expectation falls disproportionately on women.) Support our independent political and cultural journalism by signing up for a free or paid Bulwark subscription. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sexually, too, evangelical women repeatedly hear, in so many words, that they are here to serve male needs. This is a dominant theme of purity culture, the rituals of which hit peak absurdity and popularity in evangelical circles in the late 1990s. Outside of marriage, women are responsible for protecting men from lust and moral harm. They are modest in appearance and behavior and diligently patrol the physical guardrails of their relationships. Within marriage, they are smokin hot wives, in the parlance of megachurch pastor Marc Driscoll, who fulfill their husbands sexual desires and fantasies. According to many evangelical marriage books, wives also protect their husbands spiritually when they serve their sexual needs by helping them resist the temptation of pornography (an obsession in evangelical culture) and adultery. Women are told they should avoid saying no to their husbands advances, even if they are ill or in pain, because doing so will increase the likelihood that men will stray. Womens sexual pleasure is explicitly deprioritized by some evangelical authors, one calling it optional. Womens menstrual periods, menopausal complications, and postpartum recoveries, which may preclude sex, are portrayed as a difficult timefor men. And men are depicted as weak, almost animal-like creatures just doing as they are driven. Sheila Wray Gregoire, a bestselling Canadian evangelical author whose work counters the damaging notions of sexuality that pervade evangelicalism, has used social science research to clearly show the harm these beliefs cause evangelical women, by enabling and excusing rampant abuse and causing sexual dysfunction, in the form of a significantly larger orgasm gap between the sexes and higher rates of sexual pain due to vaginismus compared to the general population. Gregoire also notes how evangelicalisms male-centric approach to sex mirrors a pornographic lens that objectifies women and values them mainly for their service to male needs. Its all about male entitlement and women existing for mens use, she told me by email. And for their moral protection. She cites one bestselling marriage book that called wives methadone for their husbands sex addictions. So instead of lusting after and objectifying every woman, you get to lust after and objectify only one woman. Its not about connection or intimacy, but merely using, she told me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share The Bulwark In other words, while the Mike Johnsons of the world are forming anti-porn accountability pacts with their teenage sons, the misogynistic view of women held by their porn-addled brethren is mirrored in their religious culture. Studies have shown that heavy pornography use is associated with men wanting power over women, relationship dysfunction, abuse and violence against women, and unrealistic expectations for sex. These are all problems prevalent in evangelical communities, too. They use pornography at lower rates than the general male public, but they are indoctrinated in an ideology of male headship and female submission that can have a similar effect. Certainly, many devout evangelicals are respectful of women and earnest in their commitment to chastity. But, as Gregoires works demonstrates, the messaging they are surrounded by does nothing to support these virtues, or to defend women from men who dont uphold them on what amounts to the honor system. WHICH BRINGS US BACK to Pete Hegseth, the family man of three wives and numerous mistresses, and an alleged rapist. As recently as November, he stated that women dont belong in combat roles in the military (a position he now says he no longer holds); one wonders where else he thinks they dont belong.1 The hard-drinking, square-jawed, evidently virile, allegedly forceful, and self-described warrior has obvious appeal to the bros. But hes also deeply religious, not just an evangelical but a full-blown Christian nationalist, complete with Crusader tattoos, comfort with war crimes, an allergy to diversity, and membership in a church founded by someone who believes marital rape does not exist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All in all, hes a catastrophic choice to lead an institution with a sexual assault epidemic, which Hegseths pastor would, one assumes, chalk up to female presence, not male turpitude. That, seemingly, is what causes all manner of male sins, just as female moral guardianship and service prevents and redeems them. Along with Jesus, of course. (Remind me, is that the Jesus who made a point of befriending and defending women in a society that devalued them? The Jesus whose radical offer of forgiveness begins with real repentanceGo and sin no more? The Jesus who took the lead in self-sacrifice before asking it of others?) Within the frame of Christian nationalism, the cosmic battle between good and evil engulfing America justifies offensive means with heroic ends. It also makes peace with bad behavior on the part of the good guys. But most mainstream evangelicals arent Christian nationalists, dont behave like Hegseth, and dont approve of his behavior, Trumps, or that of the bros with whom they find themselves in coalition. Nonetheless, the narrative in which Hegseth and his allies position his personal behavioras exhibited by Sen. Mullinresonates on a deep level with more mainstream, upstanding evangelicals due to their heavy exposure, via evangelical teaching and literature, to a view of women that can excuse such sins when necessary. In that context, Hegseths main mistake is being too manly and at various times in the past finding himself without an adoring, cooperative, subservient helpmeet. According to his testimony, it sounds like Hegseth has unlocked that marital level, finding what all the bros and theobros aspire to possess. To Mrs. Hegseth III, all I can say is: good luck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Share 1 Correction (January 16, 2025, 12:20 p.m. EST): As originally published this sentence described Hegseth as having said that women dont belong in the military; it has been corrected to specify that his objection is to women serving in the military in combat roles. What if you could harness the power of everything that makes you biologically youyour sex, ancestry, genetic minutiaeto help accelerate drug discovery and prevent and cure diseases? The health care innovators behind the new Truveta Genome Project, billed as the worlds largest and most diverse genetic database, are hoping you will. Truveta, a health data startup launched in 2020, announced the massive undertaking Jan. 13 along with biotech firm Illumina and the Regeneron Genetics Center, an arm of Fortune 500 company Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Regeneron invested $119.5 million in Truvetas Series C funding round, while Illumina chipped in $20 million. In addition, 17 of Truvetas 30 partner health systems collectively contributed $180.5 million. As part of its quest to discover the science of humanity, the Truveta Genome Project will gather the de-identified genetic data of tens of millions of consented volunteers. Truveta touts the endeavor as being more than 10 times the scale of other health care databases, such as the UK Biobank, which includes 500,000 participants recruited between 2006 and 2010. The All of Us Research Program, spearheaded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), aims to enroll at least a million people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having joined forces with more than two dozen health systems around the country, such as Detroit-based Henry Ford Health, No. 89 on Fortunes 2024 Most Innovative Companies list, Truvetas existing data set already accounts for 18% of all clinical care across the country, cofounder and CEO Terry Myerson tells Fortune. Still, questions arose that those data couldnt answer. For example, why does COVID vaccination work wonderfully for some, while others suffer breakthrough infections? A thesis is that our genetics, our fundamental genetics, is at the core of that and so many other things, Myerson says. But that datas not available. Its not available at any scale. It is available for specific genetic biomarkers that determine cancer care, but for everything elsesickle cell, dementia, obesity, so many thingswe just dont have any genetic data at any scale to really understand the biology of these diseases so that we can treat them better, prevent them, come up with new therapies. In the age of precision medicine, one-size-fits-all health care is becoming obsolete. Thats why diversity is a cornerstone of the Truveta Genome Project, Myerson says, which will also examine social determinants of health. For example, despite the meaningful biomedical research that the UK Biobank has spurred, its based on an overwhelmingly white populace. Truveta is incredibly diverse, Myerson says, referring to its partner networks. Hawaii Pacific Health has its Polynesian audience; Providence extends from Juneau, Alaska, down to south central LA; Northwell Health (of New York) talks about treating patients that speak [more than 200] different languageswere talking about the full diversity of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres catching up to do, as the bulk of the nations medical research has relied upon the genetics of white men. The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 urged an increase in the number of women and individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds (including racial and ethnic minorities) in the fields of biomedical and behavioral research. Yet it wasnt until 2016 that the NIH required studies to account for sex as a biological variable. Meanwhile, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures are being scaled back en masse as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take over the White House a second time. If all goes as planned, Myerson says, the Truveta Genome Project will unlock insights into patient care and propel drug discovery. The world needed this to exist, Myerson says. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) sequencing and DNA strand, illustration. Regeneron SVP: The power of genomics is very real, and here and now The Regeneron Genetics Center has pledged to sequence the exomesthe protein-coding parts of genomesof the projects first 10 million patient volunteers. Those data will join Regenerons existing DNA sequence-linked health care database of nearly 3 million people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the companys interest in joining the Truveta Genome Project was the ambition to close data gaps in the nations fragmented health care system, says Dr. Aris Baras, senior vice president of Regeneron and head of its Genetics Center. We dont have tremendous data platforms in this country, unfortunately, to understand human health and disease, Baras tells Fortune. We dont have centralized health records in this country. If you compare to the United Kingdom and their National Health Servicetheyre famous for their centralized databases and how powerful that is for all walks of life there, for providers, scientists, the government to understand disease, its costs, its consequences, how to manage it. While the Truveta Genome Project may sound like an abstract entity accessible only to the likes of academics and drug developers, Baras stresses that the American public will reap the benefitsand relatively soon. The power of genomics is very real, and here and now. Its simply not this aspirational thing that wont touch someones life, Baras says. [Genomics] used to be niche, but now its mainstream. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, we know that mutations in the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2 are associated with a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and breast and prostate cancer in men. People can undergo genetic testing to see if theyve inherited such errors, allowing them and their doctors to make more informed decisions about preventive care. Cancer patients who later discover these mutations may be eligible for targeted therapies. Were really going to open up the floodgateswere going to be able to use the genome and these big data sets of health information so that we know, with much better precision, what everyones biggest risks are, Baras says, noting that medicine tends to be more reactive than proactive. What weve proven in health care is, when you get ahead of things, its a much easier task. How do I join the Truveta Genome Project? The next time you get a routine lab test, such as a blood draw, through a participating health system, staff will obtain your informed consent to use leftover biospecimens for anonymized genetic research. (Participation is optional; youre free to visit a partner lab without contributing to the project.) Your biospecimen will be sent to the Regeneron Genetics Center for genetic sequencing, then stored for future analysis. Of course, a project of this scale couldnt be done without the help of AI. The Truveta Language Model, built on Microsoft Azure, will handle billions of data points. Microsoft joined forces with Truveta in 2021, and Azure will be the exclusive cloud provider of the Truveta Genome Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With something as sacred as your genetic material in its hands, Truveta and its partners appreciate that you may be concerned about data privacy. All of this health informationtheir health records and the biospecimensare coming to us de-identified, Regeneron spokesperson Ella Campbell tells Fortune. We have all of these data security systems in place to ensure that were being really good stewards of the data and that we put data privacy as our No. 1 priority. For more on the pharmaceutical industry: This story was originally featured on Fortune.com MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines and China agreed to seek common ground and find ways to cooperate despite their disagreements in the South China Sea, their foreign ministries said on Thursday, as heated rows persist over vessels deployed around disputed features. The two countries on Thursday held a 10th round of talks under a bilateral consultation mechanism set up to address issues in the South China Sea, where disputes have been frequent and tense, with ties at their lowest point in years. Both countries said they agreed to advance coast guard and marine scientific cooperation and pledged to resolve issues peacefully. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We firmly believe that despite the unresolved challenges and differences, there is genuine space for diplomatic and pragmatic cooperation in dealing with our issues in the South China Sea," Philippine foreign affairs Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro said in her opening remarks, according to a statement. China said it called on the Philippines to remain committed to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation. Both agreed to boost communication and deepen dialogue, but also called out each other out over recent standoffs. U.S. ally the Philippines said it had expressed serious concern about the conduct of China's coast guard, including its sustained presence in Manila's exclusive economic zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China, for its part, said it lodged complaints over recent "maritime infringements and provocations" and for "hyping up" maritime disputes. China's expansive territorial claims in the key maritime trade route overlap with the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. A 2016 ruling of an international arbitral tribunal said Beijing's claims, based on its historic maps, have no basis under international law, a decision China does not recognise. (Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema in Manila and Ethan Wang in Beijing; Editing by Martin Petty) Phoenix is inching closer to finding a permanent head for its police department. Applications are now being accepted for a new police chief, who would oversee a department grappling with how to respond to the U.S. Department of Justice's conclusion that policing in Phoenix has widespread problems, including a culture of training officers that using force is de-escalation. The department has not had a permanent police chief since Jeri Williams retired in the summer of 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interim Police Chief Michael Sullivan was tapped for the position in September 2022, about a year after the Justice Department announced its investigation. In June, the DOJ released its report and said it found that Phoenix police used excessive force, discriminated against people of color, treated people with behavioral health issues improperly, violated the rights of people experiencing homelessness, restricted the rights of protestors and failed to adjust policing tactics with children. The City Council voted to extend Sullivan's contract shortly after the report's release. Sullivan said he intended to apply to be the permanent police chief, according to a KJZZ report. The new chief would oversee a $981 million budget and over 3,800 police officers and professional staff members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phoenix hired a firm to help with the search. Finalists were expected to be announced in March, and a public forum was expected to be held. The new chief would be announced in April. The deadline to apply for the position was Jan. 27, 2025. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix accepting applications for police chief role An employee at The Phoenician resort in Scottsdale was jailed after being accused of trying to secretly record someone in a private area. Dominnic Enrico Alejandro, 30, was charged on suspicion of voyeurism, invading the privacy of another person without their knowledge for the purpose of sexual stimulation, a felony 5 offense, according to court documents. At about 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 3, officers responded to the resort in the area of 60th Street and Camelback Road about a woman who found a cell phone in the private cabana area of the resort, Phoenix police said. Alejandro, an employee at the hotel, was escorted off the property prior to officers arriving, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives spoke with the woman and identified Alejandro as the suspect, arresting him on Jan. 8, police said. The cell phone used by Alejandro was taken as evidence, police added. No other victims have been identified pending a search warrant and additional evidence collection, police mentioned. If more are found, appropriate charges will be added to the case, police confirmed. Alejandro has a preliminary hearing set for Friday, according to court records. A spokesperson with The Phoenician did not immediately respond to a request for comment. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Voyeurism charges filed against employee at The Phoenician resort DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) A popular former daytime talk show host joined a national radio show Thursday morning to discuss her experience living in a conservatorship. Wendy Williams, ex-host of The Wendy Williams Show and the subject of Where Is Wendy Williams?, along with her niece, Alex, joined the members of the radio show The Breakfast Club at 7 a.m. on Jan. 16 to discuss how she claims she currently is. Charlamagne claims that Williams is not as how she has been recently portrayed, as she has called him five times a day for the last two weeks involving Williams, she immediately clapped back at the claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How dare, said Williams. Do I seem that way? Alex claims Williams family has been unable to reach her during the conservatorship since 2023. She can call us, but we cant call her, said Alex. Thats been the reality since 2023. That room that shes sitting in, that room that shes sitting in, shes there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month, shes not getting proper sunlight. Although there is a fear of potential retaliation for the on-air interview, Alex said that Williams believes she has to do this interview. Weve talked about that, said Alex. You know, my aunt, even with her wanting to come on, we talked about all scenarios. I said, you know, if you do this, be ready for whats on the other side. And as she said I have to do this. Theres nothing else I can do at this point. Shes prepared for the fact that her phone might be taken away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An emotional Williams followed up to that, saying she does not want to lose her access to talking to people with her phone. What if they take my phone, said Williams. I wont be able to talk to anybody. Alex said those wanting to help Williams in her situation can use #FREEWENDY on social media. 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. LOS ANGELES (KTLA) Amid the historic devastation and loss of the Palisades and Eaton wildfires, an unbreakable sense of community has emerged. Across Los Angeles County, volunteers and businesses have mobilized to support fire victims, evacuees and the brave first responders who put their lives on the line to prevent further loss. Below is a collection of photographs from the Associated Press and Getty Images that captured some of these scenes. Arcadia, CA January 11: Thousands of people are able to pick up clothes, foods, toiletries during a wild fire relief for victims pop up of Eaton Fire at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Saturday, January 11, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) Items are laid out at an aid center for people affected by wildfires at Santa Anita Park Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Arcadia, Calif. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) Sam Baum, right, community relations director at the Terraces at Park Marino assisted living facility, is consoled by Activities Director Lashawna Thompson after seeing the damage the Eaton Fire did to the facility on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) A mural by Sergei Statsenko, who also goes by the artist name Steeke, thanks firefighters in the Venice Beach area of Los Angeles as wildfires burn Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) The undamaged First Church of Christ, Scientist is seen through damage and debris from the Eaton Fire on Lake Avenue, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) The Johnson family, whose home is one of the few that survived the Eaton Fire in their neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., prays with pastors outside their home Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Denise Johnson, whose home is one of the few that survived the Eaton Fire in her neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., holds her cat Ramsey as she and her two children hunker down without power to care for their pets and protect the home Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) People effected by the Ataldena Fire look through donated clothes at a donation center at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Volunteer Patty Matwey offers pet supplies to fire victims at a donation center at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) A parent hugs his son, as they are welcomed back to school due to the wildfires by Kathy Flores at Brentwood Elementary Science Magnet in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (David Crane/The Orange County Register via AP) Ivan Benavidez, left and his brother Isaac who lost their home in the Altadena fire check on tee-shirts that might fit at a donation center at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Ivan Benavidez, left and his brother Isaac who lost their home in the Altadena fire check on tee-shirts that might fit at a donation center at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Volunteers stack donated water for victims effected by the Altadena Fire at a donation center at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif. on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) Search and rescue crew inspect a mobile home park destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Palisades, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) Members of Calvary Disaster Relief pray with some Los Angeles County sheriffs deputies, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) Firefighters with the U.S. Forest Service gather to pray with others, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/John Locher) The Johnson family, whose home is one of the few that survived the Eaton Fire in their neighborhood in Altadena, Calif., prays with pastors outside their home Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) PALISADES, CA JANUARY 14, 2025 Steve Foster, 52, left, gives Redondo Beach firefighter Morgan Peterson a hug of thanks for helping to save homes in the Pacific View Estates neighborhood, near the Getty Villa, in Palisades on January 14, 2025. Foster and his son never evacuated the community and fought fires to save their home. There is a small group of residents who never left during the fire. Foster has been bringing food and supplies to one elderly man and providing power from a generator to his elderly neighbors. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Victoria DeSantis and the firefighters who found her wedding band after the Eaton Fire destroyed her home. (DeSantis Family) Victoria and Marko DeSantis pictured with their two children. (GoFundMe) A FEMA recovery center in Los Angeles after the Palisades and Eaton fires. (KTLA) Arcadia, CA January 11: Thousands of people are able to pick up clothes, foods, toiletries during a wild fire relief for victims pop up of Eaton Fire at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Saturday, January 11, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) Arcadia, CA January 11: Thousands of people are able to pick up clothes, foods, toiletries during a wild fire relief for victims pop up of Eaton Fire at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia on Saturday, January 11, 2025. (Photo by Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images) Gov. Gavin Newsom welcomed 72 firefighters and government officials from Mexico who landed in Los Angeles on Jan. 11, 2025 to help the states ongoing wildfire efforts. (State of California) LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 12: In the wake of the devastating Los Angeles fire, volunteers have stepped up to support affected residents by distributing essential supplies in Los Angeles, California, United States on January 12, 2025. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images) PALISADES, CA JANUARY 14, 2025 Steve Foster, 52, walks through the fire ravaged neighborhood of Sunset Mesa to deliver dog food and supplies to an elderly man who did not evacuate his home in Palisades on January 14, 2025. Foster fought off fires in the Pacific View Estates neighborhood with his son Colton, 21. They never evacuated the community and fought fires to save their home and the homes of their neighbors. There is a small group of residents who never left during the fire. Foster has been bringing food and supplies to one elderly man and providing power from a generator for his elderly neighbors home. (Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) An evacuee in a wheelchair waits at a taco booth where volunteers offer food for the people dipslaced by the Eaton Fire at a donation center in Santa Anita Park, Arcadia, California, on January 13, 2025. US officials warned dangerous and strong winds were set to push deadly wildfires further through Los Angeles residential areas January 12 as firefighters struggled to make progress against the flames. At least 24 people have been confirmed dead from blazes that have ripped through the city, reducing whole neighborhoods to ashes and leaving thousands without homes. (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT / AFP) (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENT/AFP via Getty Images) Pasadena , CA January 13: State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond helps distribute Grab & Go meals to students and families impacted by the Eaton Fire in need at Madison Elementary School in Pasadena on Monday, January 13, 2025. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images) Firefighters grab breakfast before heading back to the fire at the first responders base camp set up at Zuma Beach, on January 13, 2025, in Malibu, California. A huge village has sprung up on the golden sands of a Malibu beach, temporary home to thousands of firefighters from all over North America, where the brave men and women battling Los Angeles fires eat, sleep and recuperate. Around 5,000 first responders mingle among trailers and tents, served calorie-laden breakfasts by inmates drafted in to help in the enormous effort. (Photo by VALERIE MACON / AFP) (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images) Pasadena, CA January 13: Greg Dulan (Center) of Dulans Soul Food and Dulanville food truck, hands out hot meals to evacuees at New Revelation Missionary Baptist Church in Pasadena to help the community effected by the Eaton fire on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Pasadena, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Pasadena, CA January 14: Wildfire victims seek disaster relief services at one of two FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers at the Pasadena City College Community Education Center in Pasadena Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers opened in Los Angeles County to assist Californians who experienced damage to their primary home, personal property loss or have disaster-caused emergency needs related to the wildfires. At the center, people can get help applying for federal assistance, speak to representatives from state and federal agencies, receive updates on their FEMA application for assistance and learn about the appeals process. Volunteers organized by the Pasadena Community Job Center remove debris from streets in Pasadena, California in the wake of the Eaton Fire on January 14, 2025. Hot, powerful winds Tuesday threatened to rekindle and whip up major fires that have devastated the hills and suburbs of Los Angeles, killing at last 24 people and changing the face of Americas second biggest city forever. (Photo by Zoe Meyers / AFP) (Photo by ZOE MEYERS/AFP via Getty Images) A volunteer gathers donated tools and safety gear at the Pasadena Community Jobs Center in Pasadena, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Southern California faces another round of dangerous fire weather, even as crews struggle to contain wind-driven blazes that have paralyzed Los Angeles for nearly a week and killed at least 24 people. Photographer: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images Arcadia, CA January 13: Community members stop by a donation center that has taken over the parking lot at the Santa Anita Racetrack to gather much needed food, water, clothes and supplies after the Eton fire in Altadena on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025 in Arcadia, CA. (Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) Volunteers sort donated goods at the Santa Anita Racetrack parking lot in Arcadia, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Southern California faces another round of dangerous fire weather, even as crews struggle to contain wind-driven blazes that have paralyzed Los Angeles for nearly a week and killed at least 24 people. Photographer: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images A volunteer sorts donated books at the Santa Anita Racetrack parking lot in Arcadia, California, US, on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. Southern California faces another round of dangerous fire weather, even as crews struggle to contain wind-driven blazes that have paralyzed Los Angeles for nearly a week and killed at least 24 people. Photographer: Jill Connelly/Bloomberg via Getty Images Los Angeles, CA January 14: 14 year old Avery Colvert, who started Altadena Girls to gather donations for teen girls who lost their homes in the Eaton fire, distributes items from a warehouse in LA. Teen girls and their families and some of the supplies they might be getting, whether its cosmetics or hair supplies, etc. in Los Angeles Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. She launched the effort on Instagram on Friday Jan. 10 and it blew up, attracting support from a slew of celebrities. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) HOLLYWOOD, CA JANUARY 14: Guillermo Rodriguez is seen taking in donations for fire relief on January 14, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by MEGA/GC Images) The Palisades Fire has destroyed an estimated 10,000 structures and charred over 23,000 acres in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and elsewhere in the Santa Monica Mountains. The Eaton Fire leveled an estimated 7,000 structures in Altadena and Pasadena. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. On 15 January Venezuelas authoritarian Presidentannounced that his government has begun work on a constitutional reform. End of preview - This article contains approximately 606 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A multi-use building in the Tigard-Tualatin School District with a history of break-ins has been targeted once again, authorities said. This time, police said they believe a different suspect allegedly broke into the campus in mid-December from the one who is suspected of multiple break-ins over the span of a year, first reported in October. Portland police prep for Trumps second Inauguration Day Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tigard Police Department released multiple images of the suspect who broke into the Tigard-Tualatin School District Resource Wing on Southwest Murdock Street on the evening of Dec. 14, 2024. The suspect spent multiple hours on campus, into the early morning of Dec. 15, police said. The suspect is described as a man in his 30s or 40s with a brown and gray beard who was riding a black bicycle and wearing shoes distinct red and black shoes. Police said they believe the suspect is also involved in other local burglaries outside the school. A suspect in a Tigard school building burglary from December 2024 (courtesy Tigard Police Department). A suspect in a Tigard school building burglary from December 2024 (courtesy Tigard Police Department). A suspect in a Tigard school building burglary from December 2024 (courtesy Tigard Police Department). Tigard police gave a timeline of the school break-in based on surveillance footage: Specifically, the suspect arrived around 11:30 p.m. on 12/14/24 and tried to break into the (Tigard-Tualatin Virtual Academy) for nearly two hours, then left for an hour. At 2:40 a.m. on 12/15/24 he returned with a tool in hand and gained access to the roof. Cameras capture a light through a window at 6:35 a.m. indicating the suspect is inside the TTVA building. Two hours pass, then hes seen on camera again at 8:32 a.m. leaving the back side of the building with a backpack and two other bags. He leaves the campus on a bike at 8:43 a.m., Tigard police said in a release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect allegedly stole personal items of employees, rummaged through filing cabinets and office supplies, and took shoes from the Caring Closet, a school district program in the building that provides clothes to families facing hardship. SW Portland duplex destroyed after early morning fire The Tigard-Tualatin School District Resource Wing also houses the Family Resource Center and the Tigard-Tualatin Virtual Academy, officials said. It has been the site of multiple burglaries in the past, stretching back to at least August of 2023, with several more occurring in the fall of last year. Those past burglaries which were also caught on surveillance video are believed to have been committed by a different suspect than the most recent one in December. Anyone with information about the case is encouraged to contact Tigard Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KOIN.com. WINTERVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) Pitt Community College hosted their annual Dr. Martin Luther King tribute breakfast on Thursday. This is their 14th year in a row hosting this event, this years theme being Mission Possible. Alongside breakfast, they also had a panel discussion focused on inclusive labor practices that enrich the bottom line. This is what we need to do even more often. And what better cause can you think of then rallying around the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and doing those things that I know, you know, he would want us to do even today, Regina Garcia, Chairman of the Multicultural Activities Committee at Pitt Community College. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also recognized a student with a Multicultural Activities Committee Scholarship, a way to give an opportunity for students to live out the MLK Dream. 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 WNCT. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) The Pitt-Greenville Airport had its first airport authority meeting for this year, unveiling their plans. The airport is looking to add new airlines. Greenvilles population is steadily rising, meaning the airport will be used by more and more people. PGV currently has an agreement with American Airlines with direct flights to Charlotte and talks of new airlines will begin in a few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyve expressed some interest and, you know, and ask them for more information next month and not next month in March, Executive Director of Airport Operations Bill Hopper said. We will be meeting with some airlines and so, we just, this is a work in progress. Its just a lot of work and eventually we will succeed. The meeting set standards for the year, including expanding upon the details of ongoing projects. including the revitalization of a runway. Other wins from 2024 were the operations and handling of presidential planes during multiple visits from high-profile candidates from the 2024 elections. 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 WNCT. (Reuters) - An official with the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) said on Thursday the militant group would agree to leave northeastern Syria if the U.S.-allied Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) maintains a significant joint leadership role there. "Any initiative resulting in the governance of northeastern Syria under the control of the SDF, or in which they have a significant role in joint leadership, will lead us to agree to leave the region," the official at the group's political office in northern Iraq said. The PKK is considered a terrorist group by Turkey, the United States and Europe. It has fought a separatist insurgency against the Turkish state for 40 years and more than 40,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the ousting of president Bashar Al-Assad in Damascus last month, Ankara has threatened to crush the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, which is a part of the SDF that it says is an extension of the PKK. Ankara has said the SDF must be disbanded and all senior PKK members ousted from Syria or it will strike, prompting negotiations over the future of the SDF, which is the main U.S. ally in the fight against Islamic State in northeastern Syria. Washington has called for a "managed transition" for its Kurdish allies and the SDF commander has said any PKK members would leave Syria if Turkey agrees a ceasefire. In a written statement, the PKK official said that if the group leaves Syria it would continue monitoring from afar and will act against Turkish forces or moves as needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The future of Syria will be determined after the 20th of this month, once Trump assumes power," the official said, referring to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday. (Editing by Toby Chopra) Plainfield The Board of Selectmen has imposed new limits on public comment, which some residents say restrict their speech. The rules, which passed Monday in a 2-1 vote, prohibit speakers from commenting on issues that do not relate to agenda items and cap comments to three minutes per individual. Speakers must also provide their names for the record. Additionally, the guidelines forbid back-and-forth interactions between the public and the speaker. First Selectman Kevin Cunningham and Selectman Arthur Gagne supported the new rules while Selectwoman Peggy Bourey opposed them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the meeting, residents pushed back on the agenda-only content requirement and said the boards existing practice of not publishing meeting materials and explanatory documents with its agendas obstructs their ability to speak on action items. Cunningham said Plainfields governing body previously had no rules for its public comment period. He said that at times residents would speak for more than 10 minutes and discuss issues unrelated to the board. It was very helter-skelter, Cunningham said in an interview after the meeting. People walk up to the microphone and they want to talk about something going on on the Board of Finance or they want to talk about something happening town police-related. Really, that's not the time to speak on that. Cunningham said such concerns are better suited for his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I can help to redirect them and explain things for them. But when we're talking about the business of the town that's on the agenda for your selectmen's meeting that's what we like to talk about, Cunningham said. Plainfield resident Jennie Kapszukiewicz, who chairs the town's Agriculture Commission and Open Space Advisory Committee, called the new restrictions concerning. Let's say they've gone into the selectman's office multiple times and gone on deaf ears, that (the public comment period) is the only public format that an individual in town can go to and vocalize in front of a group of people, Kapszukiewicz said following the meeting. When it restricts you to agenda-only items, it means that there is no more public platform ever for a citizen to voice a concern about anything, Kapszukiewicz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the start of the meeting, Kapszukiewicz asked the board to not vote on the new guidelines until the public could review the requirements. The proposed language was not included in the boards agenda and the residents did not hear the complete guidelines until Bourey read them aloud during the selectmen's discussion that preceded the vote. Samantha Derenthal, a resident who in November 2024 ran unsuccessfully for state representative from the 44th District on the Democratic ticket, called for more transparency. I am all about keeping order, but there is a feeling that the ability to comment publicly is hindered by not having all of the information and having vague agendas, Derenthal said. If we make public comment at the beginning (of the meeting), we actually don't know what the agenda items mean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunninghams position is that meeting materials are not public information until the board votes on them. Its not public meeting information until you actually have it in your hand once we talk about it, Cunningham said. Cunningham said he does not know whether all agenda items will come to a vote and that it is not uncommon for the board to add materials at the last minute. Cunningham said some supplementary items can exceed hundreds of pages and that town clerks lack the bandwidth to scan the documents. Cunningham said publishing this information would require Plainfield to hire a new employee. Personally, I think it's just too much information that is not vetted out yet by the selectmen, Cunningham said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cunningham said the practice of only publishing the agenda, as well as the new requirements for public comment, is common in other towns. Russell Blair, the director of education and communications for the Connecticut Freedom of Information Commission, said that neither state nor federal law requires towns to publish meeting materials with their agendas. However, once a document is created by or comes into the possession of a municipal employee, elected official or board member, Blair said it becomes fair game under FOI and the public can request copies of the document. Blair added that municipal boards are free to make their own rules for public comment and that time limits, agenda-only content restrictions and requiring speakers to identify themselves for the record are not uncommon. As the board debated the new guidelines, Bourey, the one selectwoman who opposed them, expressed concern that putting all these different rules and restrictions could impact residents' ability to feel comfortable coming to speak to public officials, and exacerbate low turnout at board meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bourey ultimately made a motion to pass a version of the rules that did not include the prohibition on back-and-forth dialogue between the speaker and members of the public. Bourey said she believed board members should retain the ability to answer questions residents ask during public comment. When Cunningham and Gagne stood by the prohibition, citing their desire to prevent the boards public comment period from devolving into a debate with the public, Bourey voted against the new rules. During the discussion, Cunningham said the guidelines are something we can start with. We can also modify it in the future if we find the need to add more, Cunningham said. a.cross@theday.com WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A plea agreement has been reached in the case against a Bazetta man charged in a road rage case. Brett Budd pleaded guilty to an amended indictment charging him with two counts of misdemeanor assault and felony discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises. As part of the agreement, Budd will forfeit two firearms. He was ordered to undergo a presentence investigation. The change in plea comes two days after he was supposed to stand trial for a second time. Budds first trial ended in a hung jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was charged following the incident back in February 2024. Prosecutors say Budd rear-ended the victims and took off. The victims then followed Budd to his home where they confronted him. Prosecutors say Budd fired a gun from his home, hurting one of the victims. 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. Fire departments across Pennsylvania are struggling to find volunteers but one local borough is considering a plan to boost its numbers. Plum could be among the first in our area to pay volunteers for their service. The payments would come through a stipend program. It would pay firefighters $75 for a 4-hour daytime shift. The money would come from the boroughs fire fund. Since 2000, the number of volunteer firefighters in Pennsylvania has been cut in half. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most volunteers are middle-aged or well into their retirement years. Some departments have junior firefighters training programs to encourage younger people to sign up. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Podcaster and public intellectual Sam Harris has spilled the beans on his falling-out with former pal Elon Musk . In a 1,700-word Substack post titled The Trouble with Elon , the Making Sense host revealed that a text exchange over COVID-19 led to the end of their years-long friendship. Harris said he and Musk first met around 2008, when the billionaire tech entrepreneur was teetering on the brink of bankruptcy as he struggled to pay staff at Tesla. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have been quite amazed at Elons evolution, both as a man and as an avatar of chaos, Harris wrote. The friend I remember did not seem to hunger for public attention, but his engagement with Twitter/X transformed him. Harris disclosed that the fallout began when the coronavirus broke out in 2020. The coronavirus panic is dumb, Musk tweeted at the time. The coronavirus panic is dumb Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 6, 2020 Harris said he privately reached out to Musk over the tweet, worried that it might exacerbate the coming public health emergency. Hey, brother I really think you need to walk back your coronavirus tweet. I know theres a way to parse it that makes sense (panic is always dumb), but I fear thats not the way most people are reading it. You have an enormous platform, and much of the world looks to you as an authority on all things technical. Coronavirus is a very big deal, and if we dont get our act together, were going to look just like Italy very soon. If you want to turn some engineers loose on the problem, now would be a good time for a breakthrough in the production of ventilators... Sam Harris Musks response was brief. Sam, you of all people should not be concerned about this, he said, adding a link to a page on the CDC website stating that COVID-19 was not counted among the top 100 causes of death in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was a patently silly point to make in the first days of a pandemic, Harris said in his post. This led to an hours-long text exchange that culminated in a bet: Musk bet Harris $1 million for charity against a $1,000 bottle of tequila that the U.S. would not see 35,000 cases of the respiratory disease. When the CDC logged 600,000 cases and 35,000 deaths from COVID-19 a few weeks later, Harris sent Musk another text: Is (35,000 deaths + 600,000 cases) > 35,000 cases? This text appears to have ended our friendship, Harris wrote. Elon never responded, and it was not long before he began maligning me on Twitter for a variety of imaginary offenses. For my part, I eventually started complaining about the startling erosion of his integrity on my podcast, without providing any detail about what had transpired between us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris left Twitter in 2022, but that hasnt stopped Musk from calling him mentally ill and an utter idiot on several occasions. Any dispassionate observer of Elons behavior on Twitter/X can see that there is something seriously wrong with his moral compass, if not his perception of reality, Harris said. There is simply no excuse for a person with his talents, resources, and opportunities to create so much pointless noise. Poland, the largest importer of Russian liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), will reduce its purchases by approximately 80% this year due to Western sanctions against Russia over its war in Ukraine. Source: Polish LPG Association (POGP), reported by Reuters Details: The POGP forecasts imports from Russia are expected to decrease to around 20,000 tonnes per month compared to the average of 100,000 tonnes per month in 2024. This reduction follows the EU's implementation of sanctions on Russian LPG effective 20 December. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sanctions exclude certain types of LPG, such as butane and isobutane, which are primarily used as feedstock in petrochemical production. Other types of LPG are predominantly used as fuel for vehicles and heating. To address the shortfall, Poland will increase LPG imports via ports and road transport from countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, POGP noted. According to LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) data, Poland increased its seaborne LPG imports by 5% in 2024 to 1.14 million tonnes in anticipation of the sanctions. Imports from the US and the UK saw significant growth, while shipments from Sweden decreased. Support UP or become our patron! Poland will facilitate the opening of the first cluster of negotiating chapters on Ukraine's accession to the European Union, as well as several others if possible. Source: a joint statement signed by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk in Warsaw on 15 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy and Tusk met in Warsaw at the beginning of Poland's presidency of the Council of the EU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The joint statement notes, among other things, that "Poland will facilitate Ukraines accession process with the aim of opening cluster 1 'Fundamentals' and if possible other negotiating clusters". It was also emphasised that Zelenskyy and Tusk had agreed that Europes security and defence are a shared interest and responsibility. Quote from the joint statement: "The existing lack of security in Europe is driven primarily by Russia's armed aggression against Ukraine. We will work together to stop the Russian war against Ukraine and to restore a comprehensive, just and lasting peace and security in Europe." Details: As highlighted, both sides will support and promote the Victory Plan and Ukraine's Peace Formula, based on key principles of international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Ukraine and Poland will work together with European partners to make Europe safer, stronger and more secure. Quote from the joint statement: "This will include ensuring proper defence support to Ukraine, including using immobilised Russian frozen assets for Ukraines needs, in particular for effective functioning of the Ukraine Assistance Fund under the European Peace Facility." Background: During a joint press conference, Tusk promised that his country would help Ukraine accelerate its EU accession while also defending its own interests. It was also reported that Marta Kos, European Commissioner for Enlargement, had expressed confidence that the first and thirty-first clusters in the negotiations on Ukraine's EU membership could be opened in 2025. Support UP or become our patron! (Bloomberg) -- Polish prosecutors have filed a request to strip former Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki of his parliamentary immunity as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities during preparations for the 2020 presidential election. Most Read from Bloomberg The probe focuses on whether Morawiecki overstepped his powers when he ordered the national postal service to organize a mail-in vote for the election that took place in the wake of the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The removal of Morawieckis parliamentary immunity could allow prosecutors to press charges against the former prime minister, the National Prosecutors Office said in a statement on Thursday. The request comes just months before the country goes to the polls again, on May 18, to pick the next president. Recent surveys showed the race tightening with a candidate of the main ruling party losing some support against a historian backed by the opposition. Morawiecki headed Polands government for six years until 2023, when the nationalist Law & Justice party lost power to a pro-European Union coalition led by the current Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The ruling alliance has pledged to investigate alleged abuses of power under the previous administration, which faced censure from the European Union over democratic backsliding. The plan to organize a mail-in ballot in 2020 election sparked criticism from the opposition and international monitors. In the end, infighting within the former nationalist coalition over the ballots legality foiled the attempt, forcing the government to restore regular election rules as pandemic restrictions were removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morawiecki, who recently took over from Giorgia Meloni as the leader of the conservative European Conservatives and Reformists party (ECR), suggested the move is politically motivated and linked to the presidential campaign. Rafal Bochenek, a Law & Justice spokesman, dismissed the attempts to prosecute the former prime minister as absurd. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Two teenagers wanted in connection to a downtown Christmas parade shooting that left a woman injured were arrested. Eddie Monroe and Trevyon Collins, both 17, were charged with attempted first-degree murder, illegal use of weapons or dangerous instrumentalities and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile. Baton Rouge police officers responded to a reported shooting before 10 p.m. Dec. 14 on S. River Road. One woman was found with a single gunshot wound to her back and several shell casings were found across the levee. Arrest documents said over 40 shell casings were collected as evidence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 15-year-old suspect was arrested in connection to the shooting on Jan. 10. Police arrest woman accused of shooting, injuring man at Baton Rouge store 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 Louisiana First News. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Another day, another arrest was executed by a Shreveport police K-9 officer. SPD is crediting K-9 Edy and his handler for locating juveniles suspected of fleeing as officers attempted a traffic stop early Wednesday morning. Police: Five juveniles arrested, two stolen cars recovered Police say that around 2 a.m. on January 15, they were alerted of a vehicle linked to a shooting in Texas. As officers attempted to stop the vehicle, they said the driver fled, leading them on a pursuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chase ended near West 71st Street and St. Vincent Avenue when the driver stopped the vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. The K-9 officer, his handler, and other patrol units located the suspects and recovered four firearms from the vehicle. The four individuals are all juveniles, and SPD is working with Texas law enforcement as the investigation continues. 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 KTALnews.com. Jan. 15The Albuquerque Police Department said Hyundai, Chevrolet and Kia vehicles are the most popular on the streets. If you're a thief, that is. APD officials said Wednesday that, of the 4,401 vehicles stolen last year, those three brands got taken the most. The good news, the department said, is that auto thefts dropped 7% in 2024, down from the 4,716 in 2023. APD officials did not respond to an inquiry on how many people were arrested for auto thefts in 2024 compared with 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, police said, thieves stole 663 Hyundais, 660 Chevrolets and 525 Kias. APD said Dodge was also a popular vehicle to steal but didn't have totals for 2024. The decrease in thefts can be attributed to the effectiveness of the city's bait car program, the distribution of 500 steering wheel locks and the use of technology such as automated license plate readers, Police Chief Harold Medina said. "All this technology has assisted us in making sure that we're able to combat auto theft," he said during a Wednesday morning news conference at the Northwest Area Substation. In September, police said they arrested Nathaniel Sanchez, 28, for operating a chop shop in Southeast Albuquerque, where four stolen vehicles were found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city also arrested multiple teens, including two boys who took a bait car on a joyride in March, according to APD. One of the boys told police he learned how to start the vehicle using a screwdriver by watching Instagram videos of the "Kia Boyz," a nationwide trend of young people stealing Kia and Hyundai vehicles and posting videos of their crimes to social media. "We're always looking to see how they can take some of these high active criminals, who are impacting auto theft the most, (and) put them in custody as quickly as possible," Medina said. APD Cmdr. Jeffrey Barnard said while there was a drop in auto thefts, the city has seen an increase in people stealing newer vehicles that use push buttons to start the engine. While recent national rankings for auto thefts have yet to be released, Medina said he hopes the city drops out of the top 10 in rankings. In 2022, the National Insurance Crime Bureau ranked the city 6th, with a rate of 795 auto thefts per 100,000 people. "Our philosophy with auto theft is to go out proactively," Medina said, "find the individual with the stolen car and put them in jail." The "ghost gun" used in a Northern California school shooting in December 2024 was purchased from a convicted felon in Arizona months before the shooting, police say. After conducting multiple search warrants, the gun was originally tracked to Steven Lyons, 77, of Buckeye. Lyons purchased the gun legally in April 2024 from a widow whose husband had previously owned it legally. Then, police say Lyons sold it to Jesse Kitagawa Jr., 45, on April 8, 2024, not knowing Kitagawa was a convicted felon. Kitagawa sold the Glock 19 ghost gun to the school shooting suspect, 56-year-old Glenn Litton, two days later at a motel in Chandler for $300, Butte County Sheriff's Office detectives said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Feather River Adventist School in Oroville, California, in Butte County is where the shooting happened. The gunman critically injured two kindergarten boys, ages 5 and 6, and died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound on Dec. 4, 2024, according to the Butte County Sheriff's Office. Kitagawa was taken into custody by the Phoenix Police Department in early January 2025. According to court documents, he told police during an interview on Jan. 9 that he recognized the gun, sold it to Litton in April 2024, and acknowledged he was a felon and prohibited from owning a gun. He faces one charge of possession of a weapon by a prohibited person, a Class 4 felony. His criminal record dates back to 2001, and he has faced multiple charges related to marijuana, credit card theft and DUI, according to court records. A ghost gun does not have a serial number and can be constructed out of parts from different guns, making it difficult to trace. A homemade, 3D-printed gun, classified as a ghost gun, was used just hours before the Feather River school shooting to kill UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York on Dec. 4, 2024. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Police: Arizona man accused of selling gun to school shooting suspect HONEA PATH, S.C. (WSPA) Police in Honea Path said 2025 will be different from last year when it comes to enforcing laws. Police said if you break the law, you will be charged. We see suspicious activity, we address it. Chief Chris Miller said his officers pledge to follow proactive policing. Just doing that over the last year, we have addressed many critical problems that we have here in Honea Path and built a strong relationship with the community, said Chief Miller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Chief Miller, in 2023 there were 75 arrests made. In 2024, 325 were made thats an increase of 333%. Officers also saw an increase in traffic citations going from 112 to 1127 in a matter of a year. Chief Miller gives praise to the broken window theory. That is if you address small things, then they dont become large problems, said Miller. The biggest issue in Honea Path were traffic violations and drug arrests. Miller said his officers shut down several drug houses last year. One recent arrest happened right outside the police department, which they caught on surveillance next to a bus stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We got on our surveillance cameras and saw what we recognized to be a hand-to-hand transaction, Miller explained. When my officers went outside and confronted the subject, he took off running and they ended up arresting him with, I think it was over 80 grams of fentanyl and 20 or so of meth. He also had a gun on him. The goal for 2025 is to continue doing everything possible to protect and serve to make sure families are safe. I live here myself and since I became chief, the work that my officers have done in this town is a whole lot different than it was when I moved here six years ago, said Miller. Honea Path police are working toward state accreditation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Miller confirmed there have been 28 arrests and 125 traffic violations written already this month, which has surpassed the total of 112 for the entire year of 2023. 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 WSPA 7NEWS. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A Shreveport man was hit by gunfire while driving on Jones Mabry Road Thursday afternoon. Police were called to Jones Mabry Road just after 1 p.m., according to police for a reported shooting. As many as eight SPD and six medical units were called to the location. Mabry street shooting on January 16 (Source: KTAL/KMSS Staff) SPD officers on the scene confirmed that the scene was a homicide investigation. Police say the man was driving with his puppy and dog when he was fatally struck by gunfire. Police say his car came to a stop and the man exited the vehicle and collapsed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation is ongoing. This is Shreveport first homicide of 2025. 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 KTALnews.com. From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report. Even as temperatures kept dropping in Chinas northeastern ice city of Harbin, excitement rose among a group of swimmers who enjoy jumping into freezing waters. The daily event, known as ice swimming, is a winter tradition in Harbin. Swimmers train daily throughout the year to get their bodies ready for the unusual swim. Reporters from The Associated Press recently visited the city and spoke with some of the swimmers. To create a pool in the Songhua River, the swimmers first had to break a 10-centimeter thick cover of ice. Then they removed the ice pieces, took off all clothes except bathing suits and prepared to enter. One by one, they jumped into a freezing, 10-meter-long pool. Some of the swimmers reported that their legs and arms quickly went numb after entering the water. The outside temperature was about minus 13 degrees Celsius and the water temperature remained near freezing. One of the swimmers was Chen Xia. She came from Zhejiang province about 1,700 kilometers further south. She decided to jump into the river even though she had a cold. Chen said the winter waters where she lives are warmer than those in Harbin. She said the experience strengthened her confidence in winter swimming. She has been taking part in the activity for about 20 years. The 56-year-old Chen said the freezing waters made her skin feel like small pins were attacking her body. But, she added that the experience still brought her happiness. I felt prickling all over my body. But it still made me feel blissful, she said. Yu Xiaofeng lives in Harbin, a city that sits near the border with Russia. The 61-year-old said winter swimming in the city dates back to the 1970s. At that time, locals saw Russian Orthodox religious believers being baptized in the river. Later in 1983, an official winter swimming group was established in Harbin. The city also holds an ongoing winter celebration known for its huge, detailed ice and snow sculptures. Winter swimming is considered a sport in China. But it gained popularity much faster in Harbin than in other parts of the country. Today, Yu said the city is considered a holy land for winter swimming. Yu said the winter swimmers appear to have better health than others. She added that she has felt a great sense of family and joy in the community during her 30 years of winter swimming. While the AP reporters did not quote medical experts for this story, some of the swimmers said they believe ice swimming is good for their health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group even came up with a new saying to describe the experience. They would rather suffer through winter swimming than line up at the hospital, Yu said. You Decang is a 76-year-old winter swimmer who said he believes the activity helps keep him healthy. He noted that he has never caught a cold. You added, If I go just one day without winter swimming, I feel quite uncomfortable. And thats the Health & Lifestyle report. Im Anna Matteo. Andy Wong reported this story for The Associated Press. Olivia Zhang and Caroline Chen contributed to this report. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. ___________________________________________ Words in This Story numb v. to cause (a part of the body) to lose sensation further adj. going or extending beyond confidence -n. a feeling or consciousness of one's powers or of reliance on one's circumstances pin n. a piece of wood, metal, or plastic used especially for fastening things together or for hanging one thing from another prickling v. to cause or feel a slight stinging or tingling sensation : prickle n. a tingling sensation blissful adj. full of, marked by, or causing complete happiness baptize v. to dip in water or sprinkle water on as a part of the ceremony of receiving into the Christian church sculpture n. a three-dimensional work of art (such as a statue) quote v. to speak or write (a passage) from another usually with credit acknowledgment uncomfortable adj. feeling discomfort BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Baton Rouge Police Department is investigating a reported shooting on Wednesday night. According to the police, around 8:30 p.m., officers were called to the 10900 block of Red Oak Drive. Officials said one man was taken to a local hospital and is in critical condition. Police believe the incident stemmed from a domestic dispute. No further details are immediately available. This is an ongoing investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information regarding this shooting is urged to contact the Baton Rouge Police Department at 225-389-2000, Capital Region Crime Stoppers at 225-344-7867, or make an anonymous tip online. 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 Louisiana First News. Melbourne police said an incident involving a train shut down roads Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Police issued a traffic alert on social media, advising of a road closure at the railroad tracks between Hibiscus Boulevard and Fee Avenue. MPD said it was due to an accident involving a train, and asked citizens to please avoid the area. *Update*. All roadways have been re-opened Traffic Alert. Road closure from Hibiscus Bl to Fee Ave at the railroad tracks due to an accident involving the train. Please avoid the area Melbourne Police (@MelbournePolice) January 16, 2025 Police later announced that all impacted roads had reopened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WATCH: Blue Origins New Glenn rocket launches from Floridas Space Coast Channel 9 has reached out to Melbourne Police Department for more information about the incident, including possible injuries. Monitor WFTV.com for an update on this story. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. (FOX40.COM) Sacramento police are asking for the publics help to identify several suspects accused of painting graffiti bias symbols on two schools in the Natomas Unified School District. The agency said that it found out about the graffiti on January 13. The vandalism was allegedly painted at Natomas High School and Discovery High School, both in the Natomas area of Sacramento. Near-freezing overnight temperatures to continue in the Sacramento area Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said in a statement, These actions are unacceptable and our department takes a firm stance against this type of behavior. Pictures shared by police show surveillance images of the three suspects. 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 News. FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WKRN) Franklin authorities tracked down a woman suspected of using credit cards stolen from a gym to buy thousands of dollars worth of items at Costco. According to the Franklin Police Department, the woman is accused of stealing credit cards from multiple lockers at a fitness facility in Franklin on Sunday, Jan. 12 and Monday, Jan. 13. Then, she allegedly used the cards to spend more than $10,000 on merchandise and electronics at Costco locations in Nashville and Hendersonville. Woman charged with stealing thousands in merchandise from Nashville stores (Courtesy: Franklin Police Department) (Courtesy: Franklin Police Department) In a Thursday afternoon social media update, Franklin police said the woman later identified as Jessica White of Oklahoma City was taken into custody in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. Authorities added she was taken into custody outside a fitness center there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Jan. 15Miamisburg police have confirmed that they executed a "high-risk search warrant" Wednesday morning that involved multiple agencies and a SWAT response. Police said that at about 9 a.m., they executed the warrant in the 2400 block of Byers Ridge Drive with Kettering Regional SWAT, the Tactical Crime Suppression Unit and the Miami Valley Trafficking Task Force. The warrant dealt with narcotics and prostitution-related charges, police said, and detectives recovered evidence related to those charges at the home. Police added that nobody was arrest at the scene. The case remains under investigation by the Miamisburg Police Department's Criminal Investigations Section. A dog is recovering after being bitten by a coyote on Marthas Vineyard Wednesday afternoon. Edgartown Police say the attack happened on Jernegan Pond Road and that pet owners witnessed the incident. The dog is receiving treatment for its injuries and undergoing precautionary rabies protocol. Massachusetts Environmental Police is investigating the attack and the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Wildlife is also aware of the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wildlife officials are providing the following tips to avoid encounters with coyotes: Secure your garbage in barrels with tight-fitting lids Do not feed or pet them Keep your pets secure, particularly small pets that are a potential food source Keep bird feeder areas clean as the seeds attract small animals on which they prey Feed your pets indoors Close off crawl spaces under porches and sheds Dont let them intimidate you. Dont hesitate to scare or threaten them off with loud noises, bright lights. Protect livestock and remove fallen produce Fore more information about preventing conflicts with coyotes, click here. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Migrants who had been in Belarus near the Belarusian-Polish border have been seen being driven away in the direction of Russia, Colonel Andrzej Stasiulewicz of the Polish Border Guard Service has reported. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish press agency PAP Quote from Stasiulewicz: "At a certain point, we noticed that migrants were being taken from the border zone towards Russia. [Self-proclaimed president Alexander] Lukashenko likely wants to ensure calm in the country ahead of the presidential elections." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Stasiulewicz refrained from speculating on the fate of those still in the border zone, but he suggested that they might be exploited and sent from Russia to Finland. The Polish Border Guard Service said 86 people attempted to cross the border in the first two weeks of January, an average of six attempts per day. This is significantly lower than the average of over 80 daily attempts recorded last year. The statistics show that while the number of crossings increased substantially in 2024 (from 25,701 in 2023 to 29,616), a downward trend has been observed since late September 2024. Deputy Interior Minister Maciej Duszczyk told PAP that the key factor in the decrease in border crossings is the weather. He predicts that Belarusian services and intermediaries that help migrants reach the Polish-Belarusian border are likely to become more active during the warmer months, when crossings are easier. Quote from Duszczyk: "However, we suspect that Lukashenko, in preparing for the presidential elections, is aiming to restore order in the country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Duszczyk added that the presence of migrants arriving in Belarus with Russian visas could unsettle potential voters. Their presence in Minsk could also be problematic if Belarusians take to the streets in protests following the elections. Quote from Duszczyk: "Moreover, the presence of migrants raises concerns in villages near the Polish-Belarusian border, which could put people off voting. I cant see inside Lukashenkos head, but one could suspect that the lower numbers might be connected to his efforts to maintain calm in the country." More details: Duszczyk emphasised that the current reduction in pressure is temporary. He also suggested that Lukashenko is likely to continue his strategy of "weaponising people". Background: In late November, reports surfaced about illegal migrants finding new ways of crossing the Belarusian-Polish border, using temporarily closed border crossings. Starting 10 December, Poland extended the operation of a buffer zone along its border with Belarus for an additional 90 days. Support UP or become our patron! Karol Nawrocki, the presidential candidate backed by the opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, has stated during a speech in the Sejm (Polish parliament) with ambassadors and heads of foreign missions that if he becomes president, Poland will continue to support Ukraine but emphasised the necessity of adhering to the principle of reciprocity in relations. Source: European Pravda, citing Polish press agency PAP Details: The meeting, organised by the PiS faction, included ambassadors and heads of foreign missions in Warsaw. During the event, Nawrocki delivered a speech on foreign policy, including relations with Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nawrocki stated that Poland has done and continues to do more for Ukraine than initially thought possible. He also referred to the reception of Ukrainian refugees and the transfer of military equipment. Quote: "We feel we have done a good job for our partner, who is in existential danger due to the post-Soviet Russian Federation. However, Ukraine our partners must know that politics operates on the principle of reciprocity in relations. And we will continue, when I become president, to support Ukraine in the face of the Russian Federations threat, which is also hostile to us. That is self-evident. At the same time, Poland represents, and I want to emphasise this, its interests and its society. Therefore we cannot afford actions that harm our economy, agriculture, peoples wallets or the functioning of our social welfare systems. All decisions regarding the future of our good economic and political cooperation, including with Ukraine, will be based solely on the interests of Poland and Poles." Details: He expressed hope for greater involvement of Polish companies in Ukraine and enhanced economic cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Russia can be defeated and we must defeat Russia, but this can only happen through mutual agreement between us." More details: Speaking about the beginning of Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Nawrocki noted that "it was Poland that woke up its European partners in the last days of February 2022". Quote: "The Polish president addressed the leaders of the free world, and the Polish prime minister visited Berlin and the German chancellor, calling for more involvement than just sending 5,000 helmets (...). Without the support of our country, Ukraine might have fallen in the first days of the war, despite the heroism, dedication and sacrifice of the Ukrainian Armed Forces." Background: Nawrocki, who also heads the Polish Institute of National Remembrance, previously stated that unresolved historical issues between Kyiv and Warsaw prevent Ukraines accession to the EU and NATO. Ukraines Ministry of Foreign Affairs has dismissed Nawrockis remarks about Ukraines future in the EU and NATO as "biased and manipulative". Recently, Nawrocki reaffirmed his stance but expressed readiness for dialogue with Ukraine should he win the Polish presidential elections. Support UP or become our patron! BOSTON (SHNS/WWLP) As studies show that American students are falling behind their peers in other countries in math and science, a new local poll shows about one-third of Bay State parents are concerned about their childs progress in math and many are seeking out-of-school support. The statewide poll, conducted by the MassINC Polling Group and released Wednesday by EdTrust, shows that just over half of parents (54%) say their child is doing well in math, while 36% say their child is doing okay. There are wide disparities among income levels, however. Parents of low-income backgrounds, who earn under $50,000 per year, were less likely to say their child is doing well (46%) compared to those who earn over $100,000 per year or more 62% of which reported their child does well in math. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time that math performance has sharply declined across the nation, a literacy crisis has also swept American schools. Similarly, the literacy crisis disproportionately impacts students from underserved communities, who are more likely to have disrupted classrooms, poor attendance rates, a higher likelihood of dropping out, lower-quality reading materials at their disposal and less access to extra resources like tutoring. The EdTrust poll also shows that parents especially wealthier parents are turning to extra help outside of the classroom when their children struggle with math. One-third of parents reported seeking additional math support for their children outside of school. Among them, 45% sought tutoring for their children, 35% used online tools, and 35% enrolled their students in extracurricular math programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The majority of parents of multilingual learners and parents of students with dyslexia said they sought that external support 61% of respondents in each category responding to pollsters that they had gotten extra math help outside of school. The poll also found racial disparities in access to Algebra I, a thorough math course that studies have linked to long-term academic success and college readiness. Only 40% of parents said their child had taken the course by the eighth grade. Across racial lines: 30% of Black parents, 30% of Latino parents and 31% of Asian parents reported their children had access to the course by eighth grade. Comparatively, 43%of white parents said their child was able to take the class if they sought to by that time. The poll results underscore the deep-rooted systemic inequities that persist, said Jennie Williamson, state director for EdTrust in Massachusetts. Families with higher levels of education and income have access to resources and opportunities that contribute to their childrens success in math, while underserved families are left with significantly limited options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williamson calls for the state to invest in rigorous math instruction supports, especially for underserved communities. Evidence-informed math policy ensures that educational systems have resources that provide rich learning experiences where students build a solid mathematical foundation, said Lindsey Henderson, policy director of math at education think tank ExcelinEd. The message from Massachusetts is clear states must act now to enact policies that build mathematical proficiency so that all students can thrive. This poll involved 1,545 Massachusetts parents with students in grades K through 12, including oversamples of Black, Latino, and Asian parents. Interviews were conducted by telephone and online in English and Spanish from Nov. 15 until Dec. 2, 2024. 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 WWLP. Pope Francis injured his arm after falling for the second time in just over a month, according to the Vatican. This morning [Thursday, Jan. 16], due to a fall at Santa Marta, Pope Francis sustained a bruise on his right forearm, with no fractures, announced the Holy See Press Office, as reported by Vatican News, the Associated Press and ABC News. The press office also said that Francis arm has been immobilized as a precaution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Pope Francis Keeps Accidentally Tweeting About the New Orleans Saints and the Team Is Loving It Vatican News reported that despite the incident, the pontiff, 88, continued to receive his audiences, including the Community of the Argentine Priests College of Rome, members of a delegation from Albania and Nosipho Nausca-Jean Jezile, president of the committee on World Food Security. Francis latest injury follows a previous minor fall he experienced on Dec. 6. The Vaticans press office said then that he sustained the injury after hitting his chin on his bedside table, reported Reuters. The pontiff was spotted having a purple bruise on his chin during a Dec. 7 ceremony at St. Peter's Basilica for the installation of 21 new cardinals. Reuters noted that he appeared to be in otherwise good health at the event. 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. Francis has experienced health issues over the years. In June 2023, he had intestinal surgery for an abdominal hernia, as he was experiencing "recurring, painful and worsening" symptoms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Pope Francis Makes History with New Autobiography Hope, Originally Meant to Be Published After His Death FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP via Getty Pope Francis Pope Francis In a statement to PEOPLE at the time, the Vatican said, "At the end of the General Audience, the Holy Father went to the A. Gemelli University Hospital where in the early afternoon he will undergo a surgical operation of laparotomy and plastic surgery of the abdominal wall with prostheses under general anesthesia. On April 1, 2023, Francis was discharged from a Rome hospital after receiving treatment for bronchitis, the Associated Press reported. He remarked to journalists that he was still alive before he was driven away. Related: Pope Francis Invites Famous Comedians to Vatican to Promote 'Love' as Hes Accused of Using Homophobic Slur Again Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, the pontiff addressed members of the Union of St. Catherine of Siena of the Missionaries of the School in which he called on nuns to be messengers of joy and to refrain from gossip. Many times in my life I have encountered nuns with a vinegar face, and this is not friendly, this is not something that helps to attract people, Francis said in his remarks on Jan. 4. Vinegar is ugly and nuns with a vinegar face, lets not say! In short: holiness, preparation and friendliness. I ask this of you. Read the original article on People From VOA Learning English, this is Everyday Grammar. In a previous Everyday Grammar story, we discussed two common sentence patterns using the word be. This week, we are going to give you more information about another common pattern in English: the linking verb pattern. To get you started with linking verb patterns, consider this passage from a story called The Diamond as Big as the Ritz, by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald: "As he approached the end his sentences became broken, became short and uncertain, and his body seemed tense, seemed strained to catch the slightest pressure or whisper of life in the spaces around him." By the end of this story, you will be able to recognize one major linking verb pattern that Fitzgerald uses many times in this sentence. An important point about sentences and clauses Remember: a sentence has a subject and a predicate. A clause has a subject and a predicate, too. The predicate is the verb phrase. It has a main verb, such as a linking verb, and other words, such as a subject complement, that give more information about it. When you capitalize the first word of a clause and put a period at the end of it, a clause becomes a sentence. Keep this idea in mind, because it will help you understand sentences that use several clauses. What is a linking verb? In the book Rhetorical Grammar, Martha Kolln says that the term linking verbs applies to verbs that are completed by a subject complement the adjective or noun phrase that describes the subject. Many grammar experts consider the verb BE to be a linking verb, but Kolln says BE verb patterns are sometimes different from other linking verb patterns. This is because adverbial information often follows BE verbs, such as in the following sentence: My sister is at the store. In this case, an adverbial structure, a prepositional phrase, tells about the location of the subject, my sister. This BE pattern is one we discussed in a previous Everyday Grammar story. In contrast, the usual linking verb structure is this: Examples of linking verbs 1: verbs of the senses Some of the most common linking verbs are verbs of the senses. They include taste, smell, feel, look, and sound. These verbs often link an adjective to a subject. For example, consider these memorable lines from Dirty Harry, a famous American film. You've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel lucky?' Well, do ya, punk? In the sentence "Do I feel lucky?", the adjective lucky acts as the subject complement. It describes the subject, I. If you were to answer the question, you might say this: Examples of linking verbs 2: remain and become Verbs of the senses are not the only linking verbs. Two other common examples of linking verbs are remain and become. These verbs often link a noun or noun phrase to a subject. Consider the opening lines from Casablanca, another classic American film: "With the coming of the Second World War, many eyes in imprisoned Europe turned hopefully or desperately toward the freedom of the Americas. Lisbon became the great embarkation point." In the second sentence Lisbon became the great embarkation point you can see the basic linking verb pattern, even though the subject complement has several words. Lisbon is the subject of the sentence. The predicate has the linking verb became, as well as the noun phrase the great embarkation point. Examples of linking verbs 3: prove, seem and appear Aside from the verbs of the senses and become and remain, there are three other common linking verbs. They are prove, seem and appear. Like other linking verbs, these verbs link an adjective or noun phrase to the subject. All these verbs use the same basic pattern: Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement. What do linking verbs have to do with F. Scott Fitzgerald? Think back to this passage from The Diamond as Big as the Ritz: "As he approached the end his sentences became broken, became short and uncertain, and his body seemed tense, seemed strained to catch the slightest pressure or whisper of life in the spaces around him. " Fitzgerald uses some phrases that do not fit into the linking verb pattern. But, if you look closely, you will see that he uses the Subject + Linking Verb + Subject Complement pattern in the sentence. Consider these clauses: Fitzgerald then repeats the linking verb pattern, but does not say the subject. The repeated subject is understood: This sentence contains other structures that are more complicated than the basic linking verb pattern. But you can still see that these basic patterns can serve as the starting point for very long, complicated sentences. What can you do? Learning how to use linking verb patterns will help you improve your writing. You can think about creative ways to use them, or you can learn to recognize when you use them too often. To start practicing this pattern, try finding the linking verb in the sentences at the end of this story. Identify the subject of the sentence, the linking verb, and the subject complement. Be careful, because one or more sentences may be tricky! We will give you the answers next week in the comments section and on our Facebook page. The lake became a clear pool, pale and quiet. Winter Dreams by F. Scott Fitzgerald Her slight unsteadiness seemed part of an enchanted dream. The Jelly Bean by F. Scott Fitzgerald John T. Unger was on the eve of departure. The Diamond as Big as the Ritz by F. Scott Fitzgerald I'm Jonathan Evans. I'm John Russell. And I'm Jill Robbins. John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly J. Kelly was the editor. Do you like learning about sentence patterns? Is there a pattern you'd like us to explain here? ____________________________________________ Words in This Story strained adj. feeling or showing the effect of too much work, use, effort, etc. complement n. a word or group of words added to a sentence to make it complete adverbial adj. like or relating to an adverb. analyze v. to learn the nature and relationship of the parts of (something) by a close and careful examination phrase n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence adjective n. a word that describes a noun or a pronoun prepositional phrase n. a phrase that begins with a preposition and ends in a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase embarkation n. a place where a journey begins tricky adj. difficult to do or deal with Pope Francis fell and hurt his right arm on Thursday, six weeks after badly bruising his chin in another fall. The 88-year olds arm was not broken, a Vatican spokesman said, but was put in a sling as a precautionary measure. The leader of the Catholic Church has had various health problems in recent years, including bronchitis. He has been forced to use a wheelchair at times due to frail knees and uses a cane around his apartment in the Santa Marta hotel, where he fell and hit his chin on a bedside table on Dec 7. The Pope wore the sling as precaution as he met Baba Mondi, the Albanian Muslim leader - Simone Risoluti/Vatican via Reuters The Popes most recent fall, which also occurred at Santa Marta, did not keep him from his duties for long. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later the same day, he met Fernando Laguna, the Argentine priest, and other clerics from his homeland. Pictures showed the Pope signing documents with his right arm in a sling. This morning, due to a fall at Santa Marta House, Pope Francis suffered a contusion to his right forearm, without fracture. The arm was immobilised as a precautionary measure, a statement read. There has been speculation in the Vatican about the Popes position given his illnesses and falls. His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, resigned from the papacy in 2013 after a fall during a trip to Mexico the year before. Benedict and his aides decided he could no longer keep up with the demands of the role, ending a 600-year tradition that the papacy only changed hands on the death of a pope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resignation does not appear to be on the cards for Pope Francis, despite this precedent. In his autobiography, Hope, which was released this week, the Pope said he had not considered resigning even when he had major intestinal surgery. The reality is, quite simply, that I am old, Francis said. The pope admitted it was embarrassing at first to have to use a wheelchair, but old age never arrives by itself, and it must be accepted for what it is. He said the Church was governed using the head and the heart, not the legs, adding that he carried out physiotherapy twice a week. 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. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) One of the worlds most popular designer brands is closing its store in downtown San Francisco. The Michael Kors at the San Francisco Centre mall is closing soon, according to a sign posted outside the store. Its not goodbye. Weve loved sharing the best with you at Michael Kors San Francisco, the sign read. This store is closing soon, but we hope youll visit us at (our Valley Fair location in Santa Clara). Michael Kors, located at 845 Market St., is visible at the front of the malls entrance on Market Street. It is a couple of doors down from the former Adidas store, which closed about a year ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two Walgreens stores set to close in Oakland A sign outside the Michael Kors store in downtown San Francisco this week. (KRON4 Photo). It is unclear when the San Francisco Michael Kors final day is. KRON4 went to the store, and, as of this report, it is still open. According to Yelp, the Michael Kors store has reportedly been open since 2009. The next closest Michael Kors store is at the Livermore outlets. Other locations include Napa, Petaluma, San Jose, Santa Clara and Vacaville. KRON4 reached out to both Michael Kors and the SF Centre for comment about the closure. The inquiries, including follow-up emails, did not receive a response in time for publication. 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. LISBON, Conn. (WTNH) A few rows of strawberries and a trailer were burned in a fire at a strawberry field in Lisbon, fire officials said. Fire officials said at around 10:37 a.m. on Wednesday, crews were dispatched to the area of Mell Road for a fire. Photo: Taftville Fire Fire officials said they were able to save the majority of the field. Around four rows of strawberries were burned. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WTNH.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Multiple school districts in Oregon have been impacted by a data breach that happened with a third-party retirement account administrator, officials announced. The notification of the data breach was posted on the website of the Tigard-based Carruth Compliance Consulting, a company that handles the retirement savings accounts for employees with a number of Oregon school districts, including Portland Public Schools, Beaverton School District and Hillsboro School District, among others. Severe ice storms to occur more often in Portland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to their website, CCC said they identified suspicious activity on Dec. 21. The company hired a third-party specialist to determine what happened. It was discovered systems on CCs network were accessed without authorization between Dec. 19-26. CCC said they as soon as they found out about the breach, they immediately took steps to investigate, including notifying the FBI. They also offered individuals access to credit monitoring and identity restoration services for free. CCC serves as a third-party administrator for school districts and non-profit organizations to handle their 403(b) and 457(b) retirement savings accounts. KOIN 6 News has confirmed a number of local school districts that have been using Carruth and may have been impacted, including North Clackamas School District, Parkrose School District, Reynolds School District, Gresham-Barlow School District and Salem-Keizer Public Schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evergreen Public Schools confirmed to KOIN 6 they do not use Carruth and they have not been impacted. Vancouver Public Schools also told KOIN 6 their district does not use Carruth. KOIN 6 also reached out to the following school districts about whether they use Carruth but we have not heard back: Lake Oswego School District and Tigard-Tualatin School District. Man sentenced for 2023 arson at Portland UPS facility Officials with the Beaverton School District wanted to spread the word that while its easy to reach current employees about the breach, it can be harder to notify former employees. They said the breach may have impacted anyone whos worked for BSD since 2009 and that other districts may face a similar challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More information about what to do if youre a victim of identity theft can be found on the Federal Trade Commissions 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 KOIN.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) With the inauguration of Donald Trump for a second time set for Monday, Portland city officials and law enforcement are holding a press conference to discuss their preparations and plans for the day. The press conference features Mayor Keith Wilson, PPB Chief Bob Day, Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez and someone from the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management. Arctic blast set for U.S., what to expect in the PNW Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the first time city officials have gotten in front of events that may or may not take place related to the election and the political climate. After Donald Trumps first presidential inauguration in January 2017, thousands marched through downtown Portland eventually turning into confrontations with law enforcement. Police worked to keep protesters off bridges and away from Portlands east side, at times even using tear gas. A full month before the election, Day released a video message to let everyone know PPB was preparing with other agencies county, state and federal to handle any protests that veered away from peaceful. Our event liaison officers are engaging with numerous community groups and are available to assist with those wanting to exercise their First Amendment rights, Day said on October 1. Internally, we are taking an all-hands-on-deck approach. Well be canceling days off, sworn members will be working additional hours and our professional staff will be increasing their roles as support for this important time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less than a week before the election, a similar group of officials held a press conference. At that event, Day said the city and county had been diligently working towards a level of preparation that I have not seen in my over 30 years of service. Alaska Airlines announces new nonstop flight from Portland to Houston, other Oregon flights In the days before the election, police said there were no identified threats related to the election or events afterward. But an abundance of caution led PPB to increase staffing on Election Day and the following days. On Election Night, a small group of protestors gathered in Chapman Square but the city didnt see any destruction or damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 6 the day after the election Day said officers were situated in the best possible way with all available resources prepared to respond if needed. As it turned out, there was no violence connected with any groups that gathered. 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 KOIN.com. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Tennessee House of Representatives passed a resolution Thursday to honor the memory of a 13-year-old girl who was murdered in October 2024, but her family is saying they wish legislators would do more. Friday morning, the house unanimously voted to pass House Joint Resolution 47 to honor the memory of Savannah Grace Copeland of Knoxville. Copelands body was found on a trail in the Broadacres subdivision of Powell on October 22, 2024. A 15-year-old boy was arrested later that day and charged with second-degree murder in Copelands death. Knoxville man convicted of shooting, killing bystander during 2023 argument Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was sponsored by Knox County Representative Michele Carringer. In the resolution, Copeland was recognized for having accomplished a great deal in her thirteen years and having a smile that lit up the room. It continued to say she was a longtime member of Powell United Methodist Church and planned to study forensic anthropology at the University of Tennessee. Copelands father released a single sentence statement to 6 News Thursday morning. We greatly appreciate the gesture, but we would rather see our legislature look at increasing access to mental health to honor my daughter. Michael Copeland, Savannah Copelands father Knoxville nurses bring wedding to UT Medical Center for brides dying mother In the weeks following Copelands death, her father sat down with 6 News Lori Tucker to talk about his daughters and how he learned she was missing. He said Copeland enjoyed tumbling and had aspirations of becoming a collegiate level cheerleader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along the trail where Copelands body was found, a memorial was placed. Her father told 6 News in November that he hopes one day to build a more permanent memorial along that pathway. 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. On Monday, Jan. 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th president of the United States. There will be many celebration events in Washington on the weekend prior to his inauguration, including balls, concerts and receptions, each requiring tickets and being expensive. Perhaps the most interesting and expensive will be a church service on Sunday, Jan. 19, entitled One America, One Light. It will be a prayer service in which worshippers can join President-elect Trump in praying for our nation as he embarks on his second term as President. Church services are generally not ticketed events, although offering plates are passed among the congregation seeking contributions. But the One America, One Light prayer service will be a pay to pray event, at a reported ticket price of $100,000. Here's what the Gospels say about prayer This raises the question often asked by Christians, what would Jesus do? Would he join the incoming President in prayer and encourage His followers (Jesus, not President Trumps) to do so as well? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The answer can be found in Jesus own words as set forth in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 5-15. Jesus told his disciples: When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Jesus then taught his disciples the Lords Prayer and did not charge them anything to recite it. WWJD about being asked to pay to pray? I am not a minister, and I dont play one on TV or in church. But I think from Jesus own words, we can conclude what Jesus would do about the upcoming inauguration prayer service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, he would not pay to pray. Second, he would not even attend the event even if given a free ticket as he clearly taught His disciples that they, and we, should not stand and pray in public to be seen by others. Bill Haltom Third, He would, in fact, urge us to find a secluded private place, and quietly and perhaps even silently pray for our nation, our world and our incoming president. Amen. Bill Haltom is an author who resides in Memphis and Monteagle. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Trump charges attendees an exorbitant sum to pray with him | Opinion Rep. Brittany Pettersen (D-Colo.), who is currently pregnant, is urging fellow lawmakers to support her in a bid to allow proxy voting for members of Congress who are new parents under the Rules of the House for the 119th Congress. Pettersen is slated to become the 14th member and the first from Colorado to give birth while serving in Congress. Today marks the first day I am unable to fly to DC for votes due to travel restrictions ahead of my due date, Pettersen wrote Monday in a statement on the social platform X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It shouldnt be this way. Congress must pass my bipartisan resolution to allow Members who are new parents to vote remotely. Pettersen been promoting her bipartisan resolution alongside Reps. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.), and Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.). Luna authored a similar bill in the last legislative cycle after having a child in office. The two said the current House Voting Rules prevent new parents from serving and supporting their growing families. No parent should have to choose between caring for their child, or recovering from childbirth, and fulfilling their duties in Congress to represent their constituents, Luna said in a statement. Congress needs to get with the times. This bipartisan proposal is vital in promoting a pro-family Washington, where every American has a voice and the unwavering representation they deserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proxy voting was briefly allowed under then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) during the COVID-19 pandemic but was widely criticized by Republicans who said voting norms must stick. Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said some officials used proxy voting to attend fundraisers or go on vacations. Prior to the pandemic, Pelosi denied Rep. Tammy Duckworths (D-Ill.) request to be excused from in-person voting due to similar concerns in 2014. Then-Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) both spoke in favor of proxy voting on behalf of the veteran. On Wednesday, more than a decade later, Duckworth, now a senator, recalled the battle for new parents during her comments at the Foreign Relations Committee hearing by thanking secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) his support during the challenging time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I want to thank you for that kindness, because you did speak to your leadership about it. It was a moment of true bipartisanship, but also as parents and as someone who was new to the Senate, I was extremely grateful to you for that kindness, she 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 The Hill. Jan. 15Presbyterian Hospital's bat problem was only temporary, hospital officials told the Journal. In September, there were reports of bats swarming inside Presbyterian Hospital, prompting the hospital to offer preventative treatment to individuals who may have been exposed. The health system worked with national experts to remove the bats and received guidance from the New Mexico Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hospital officials said. "We worked with national experts to remove bats that had been spotted in some areas of Presbyterian Hospital and prevent any further reentry," John Wade, the hospital chief executive, said in a statement. "No bats have been spotted after the remediation was completed in September." For several years, Representative Dotie Joseph and I have introduced legislation in the Florida Legislature calling for the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). We have followed the lead of many Florida legislators, including Senators Lori Wilson, Gwen Cherry, Elaine Gordon, Arthenia Joyner and Audrey Gibson and Representative Fentrice Driskell, in advocating for the ERA passage in Florida. While we have done so with unwavering commitment, the reality is that our nation has already fulfilled the constitutional requirement of 38 states approval. The national Congress has also given its nod. The only remaining step is for the Archivist of the United States, Dr. Colleen J. Shogan, to formally publish the ERA into the Constitution. In other words, the legislative hurdles have been cleared. Now we simply need the administrative confirmation. The primary objection raised by critics, that the time limit for ratification has passed, cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny. The Constitution itself is silent on time limits for amendments. Indeed, the time limit in question appears only in the introductory language (preamble) to the resolution and not in the operative text of the proposed amendment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Constitutions robust amendment process, as stated in Article V, contains no explicit expiration date. Consequently, the notion of an expired ERA rests on shaky legal ground, overshadowed by a resolute principle: constitutional amendments ratified by the necessary number of states must be recognized as part of our nations fundamental law. Finalizing the ERA is more than just a technical legal matter, it is a moral imperative. Its inclusion in the Constitution would offer critical protections to womens rights. For example, even though the Equal Pay Act has been instrumental in addressing wage disparities, it remains a simple statute vulnerable to legislative changes or political shifts. Editorial: West Palm Beach is richer and more crowded: How can we help it keep its sense of place? By contrast, once the ERA is published into the Constitution, it will grant permanent, constitutional protection against pay discrimination making the principle of gender equality a nonnegotiable standard rather than a precarious policy. This elevation to constitutional status would fortify the equal-pay framework, ensure courts are bound to uphold pay equity as a fundamental right, and provide a powerful bulwark against any attempts to roll back or weaken these protections in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Biden stands at a crossroads of his legacy on this issue. By directing Dr. Shogan to publish the ERA, he would affirm our national commitment to gender equality and dare any subsequent administration or even the Supreme Court to deny the basic premise that women and men should be treated as equals under the law. We should never fear challenges to what is just. If an incoming administration or the courts choose to bend the law to deny equal rights, let the record show who stood on the right side of history. Opinion: 151 miles per hour. 6 deaths. 12 years. Noah Galles sentence doesnt add up. Florida state Sen. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach. Contributed by Lori Berman. It is time to acknowledge the will of the people as expressed through thirty-eight states and the U.S. Congress. Dr. Shogan must publish the ERA. This is not only a critical step for protecting reproductive freedoms, it is the right thing to do, morally and legally. The Constitution belongs to us all, and it must reflect our commitment to ensuring that no one is denied equality of rights under the law. The time has come. Let us finally take this essential step toward honoring that commitment. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach, is Florida state senator for District 26. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: ERA passed, but Constitution needs another OK. Do it, Biden | Opinion WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) Negotiators are on their way to Egypt to put the finishing touches on a ceasefire deal in the Middle East. President Joe Biden addressed the deal in his final speech from the Oval Office last night. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says negotiators still have some details to work out but the deal between Hamas and Israel pauses the 15-month war in Gaza and return some hostages back to Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fighting began with Hamas October 7th attack on Israel. Militants killed about 1200 and abducted around 250. Health authorities in Gaza say Israels response killed more than 46,000. President-elect Donald Trump pushed for the return of hostages before he takes office. Before President Biden leaves office he warned of national security threats spawned by AI and of the influence of the wealthy, as tech billionaires align themselves with President-elect Trump. An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, said Biden. After 50 years in public life, the youngest U.S. senator and the oldest U.S. president passed the torch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now its your turn to stand guard. May you all be the keeper of the flame. May you keep the faith, said Biden. Biden also touted his accomplishments around the world and for the country. 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. At the tail end of President Joe Bidens time as president, his administration is celebrating the successful ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, which will hopefully bring a measure of peace to the region. Many politicos credit President-elect Donald Trump for this win, saying he exerted pressure on American allies in the Middle East ahead of taking office. But the Biden White House is adamant about taking credit, which he did during his last Oval Office speech as president Wednesday night. This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration, said Biden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because thats how it should be, working together as Americans, he said. During his address, Biden warned against oligarchy, which, he says, is taking shape in America and threatening democracy. President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives his farewell address Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington. | Mandel Ngan Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, he said. This marks Bidens fifth and final address from the Oval Office. In the past four years, our democracy has held strong and every day Ive kept my commitment to be president for all Americans for one of the toughest periods in our nations history, Biden said. Ive had a great partner, Vice President Kamala Harris. President Joe Biden hugs Vice President Kamala Harris after giving his farewell address from the Oval Office of the White House Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington. | Mandel Ngan During his remarks, Biden also called for reforming the tax code, saying billionaires shouldnt get tax cuts, and instead, they should pay their fair share. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His remark about taxes earned him a few eye rolls from Republicans, including Rep. Nancy Mace. He just mentioned the need to pay your fair share of taxes is he for real? Did he or Hunter Biden pay any taxes on the millions of dollars they earned through foreign business deals and trading on public office? wrote Mace on social media. Hunter Biden was found guilty of evading $1.4 million in federal taxes, which he later repaid. He just mentioned the need to pay your "fair share" of taxes - is he for real? Did he or Hunter Biden pay any taxes on the millions of dollars they earned through foreign business deals and trading on public office? Or no? Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) January 16, 2025 Biden also called for a constitutional amendment to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. He referred to the limited presidential immunity the Supreme Court said should be afforded to those holding the office. Bidens letter to the nation In a farewell letter released by the White House Wednesday morning, Biden wrote that it has been the privilege of my life to serve this nation for over 50 years. Nowhere else on Earth could a kid with a stutter from modest beginnings in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and Claymont, Delaware, one day sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office as President of the United States, he added. I have given my heart and my soul to our nation. And I have been blessed a million times in return with the love and support of the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens job approval ratings remain low amid his upcoming exit from the White House. According to CNNs latest poll, released Wednesday, Bidens only 36% of Americans say they approve of the job hes doing, while 64% say they disapprove. Meanwhile, according to a Fox News poll, released Wednesday, more voters view Trumps victory as a referendum on President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris policies and performance (54%) than a validation of Trumps (41%). In a post on X, former President Barack Obama thanked Biden, his former vice president, for his leadership, his friendship, and his lifetime of service to this country we love, crediting Biden for saving the economy. At a time when our economy was reeling, he drove what would become the worlds strongest recovery with 17 million new jobs, historic wage gains, and lower health care costs, he said. Biden conveyed his deep appreciation for first lady Jill Biden, who joined him in the Oval Office. My deepest appreciation to our amazing first lady with me in the Oval today, for our entire family, youre the love of my life and the lives of my love, he said. My eternal thanks to you, the American people. From left, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, Vice President Kamala Harris, first lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden and Melissa Cohen Biden, listen as President Joe Biden speaks from the Oval Office of the White House as he gives his farewell address Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, in Washington. | Mandel Ngan Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his concluding remarks, Biden said, After 50 years of public service, I give you my word. I still believe in the idea for which this nation stands, nation where the strengths of our institutions and the character of our people matter and must endure. Now its your turn to stand guard. In his final address to the nation, five days before turning over the Oval Office to President-elect Donald Trump, President Joe Biden delivered a dire warning against the dangers of big tech and a social media landscape without a fact-checking. Biden first warned of an oligarchy forming in the upper echelons of America that is threatening democracy as we know it. More from Variety Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, Biden said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 46th president was most likely referring to Mark Zuckerberg, who has disbarred fact-checking on Facebook and Instagram and donated $1 million to Trump through his tech giant Meta, and X and Tesla mogul Elon Musk, who has made it abundantly clear he will stand as a huge point of influence through Trumps upcoming term. Biden emphasized that social media giving up on fact-checking could pose a great danger to the freedom of information and the pursuit of truth in the U.S., adding that the free press is crumbling and giving way to an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit, Biden said. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children and our families and our very democracy from the abuse of power. Biden also took a slight jab at Trump during the address, demanding the constitution be amended so that no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. Trump was found guilty of 34 felonies in March related to falsifying documents to cover up payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also called for an 18-year term limit for Supreme Court justices, which has remained a hot-button issue following the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In a humiliating climb down, Keir Starmer has reportedly suspended his foolhardy plan to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius until the new Trump administration takes office. This is welcome news for both the British and American people. This is a ghastly surrender that threatens the long-term future of the crucially important US/British military base at Diego Garcia, which is located within the Islands as part of the British Indian Ocean Territory. It would hand Communist China a huge strategic victory all at the behest of the supranational International Court of Justice, which has declared the UKs administration of the territory as unlawful. Significantly, the United States does not recognize the courts compulsory jurisdiction. Under Labours extremely reckless plans, the UK will lease Diego Garcia from Mauritius for a period of 99 years, paying at least 90 million pounds a year for the privilege. That is a staggering total figure of roughly 9 billion for the British taxpayer. And there is no guarantee, of course, that Mauritius will actually abide by such an agreement in the next few decades, especially with Chinas growing influence in the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmers Labour Government had up until now attempted to sneak this nefarious deal through in the final days of the lame-duck Biden administration, in the hope that this could be presented as a fait accompli before Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Clearly Starmer now has cold feet and fears the repercussions of moving forward without the blessing of the worlds superpower, which has a direct interest in what happens next to the Chagos Islands. The British Government is right to be wary of blindsiding the next US president. It would be a monumentally stupid move and would seriously damage the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Having met Donald Trump on several occasions in the White House during his first term as president, I have no doubt he will find this deal absolutely abhorrent. It is an astonishing surrender of British territory to a close ally of China and jeopardizes the future of one of Americas most important military facilities in the world. Diego Garcia played a key role in the launch of US airstrikes during the Persian Gulf War and in the war to oust the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on the United States. Today it is vital for countering Chinese influence and aggression in the Indo-Pacific region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Significantly, President-elect Trumps picks for Secretary of State and National Security Advisor have raised major doubts in the past about the idea of the UK handing over the Islands to Mauritius. I expect their concerns are widely shared across the US national security and intelligence community. I believe that the chances of this deal moving forward with US support post-Biden is zero. Unlike the feckless Biden administration, which has not opposed Starmer on this issue, the new US administration will I am sure block any move to undermine the national security of the United States and/or strengthen the strategic position of Beijing. My recommendation to President Trump when he returns to the Oval Office is to send this disastrous Chagos deal to the bottom of the Indian Ocean where it belongs. It is a monumentally dangerous folly, and demonstrates a staggering lack of judgement from Keir Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and the Labour government on the world stage. They are playing with fire if they seek to push this through in the face of what will be overwhelming opposition from Washington. Nile Gardiner is a former aide to Margaret Thatcher, and Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC 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. Overseas branches of Document, the Ukrainian state passport service, are to issue all the passports that are currently stuck in a queue, including for the 80,000 Ukrainian citizens currently waiting for passports in Poland. Source: a statement by Iryna Vereshchuk, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Quote: "Yesterday in Warsaw, President Zelenskyy met with the Ukrainian community. Among other things, they discussed the issuance of passports by the Document passport service. In Poland alone, there are more than 80,000 citizens who have been waiting for their documents for a long time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president has resolved the issue. The passports will be issued, and not only in Poland everywhere they are stuck." Background: In April 2024, the Ukrainian government banned the issuance of Ukrainian passports, either internal or for international travel, to Ukrainian men abroad between the ages of 18 and 60. The issuance of passports was later resumed, but only if the applicant provides updated details and a military registration document. Support UP or become our patron! SAN DIEGO (Border Report) The Mexican Consulate in New York City has recovered a priceless document signed in 1554 that detailed how the Spanish planned to colonize, govern and account for Indigenous people in the Americas. The Proclamacion de Huejotzingo was stolen in 1970 from a museum in Mexico and then resold over the years in the international black market for antiquities and art. It was signed by Fray Juan de Alameda, one of the original architects to many buildings, convents and churches in Mexico. The document also includes signatures from several illustrious figures who ruled Mexico at that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juarez artists creating animated film about their city It is said to be the foundation for how the Spanish administered Mexico and how they tried to integrate indigenous people into every day life. Posting on X by Mexican Consulate in New York hailing the return of a stolen priceless document stolen from Mexico in 1970. The Manuscript had been signed by Spanish conquistadors 470 years ago. (Courtesy: Mexican Consulate in New York City) The official paper was found in March 2024 at John F. Kennedy Airport in a piece of luggage. It took several months for the Mexican government to prove the documents historical value and that it had been stolen. Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border On Wednesday, it was turned over to the Mexican Consulate in New York City, which thanked U.S. Customs and Border Protection for identifying and recovering the manuscript. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Prince Harry's trial against News Group Newspapers is set to begin next week. The Duke of Sussex will be given limited police protection, according to new reports, despite Harry losing his case for police protection. Prince Harry inherited a security risk at birth, for life, a spokesperson said back in 2022. He remains sixth in line to the throne, served two tours of combat duty in Afghanistan, and in recent years his family has been subjected to well-documented neo-Nazi and extremist threats. While his role within the Institution has changed, his profile as a member of the Royal Family has not. Nor has the threat to him and his family The Duke and Duchess of Sussex personally fund a private security team for their family, yet that security cannot replicate the necessary police protection needed whilst in the UK. In the absence of such protection, Prince Harry and his family are unable to return to his home. A source told The Mirror that Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley has agreed to provide Prince Harry with armed officers from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command on his trip. They also reported Prince Harry was offered a place to stay at Buckingham Palace, but turned it down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Duke of Sussex's last trip to the UK, he stayed at Althorp House, the childhood home of his mother, Princess Diana, which now belongs to his uncle, Charles Spencer. In 2023, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were requested to vacate their residence at Frogmore Cottage, the home they lived in after their wedding. The two were gifted the home by Queen Elizabeth, and refurbished the property through the Sovereign Grant, though subsequently repaid the cost. You Might Also Like It isn't often that Prince William changes his plans at the last minute, but that's exactly what happened on January 16, when the Prince of Wales was scheduled to visit the Army Air Corps (AAC) regiment in Wattisham, Suffolk. Ahead of the outing, Kensington Palace released a statement, per People, noting that Will had to postpone his engagement and offering "sincere apologies to those who he had been due to meet." The reason why he unexpectedly canceled the visit, you ask? Apparently, it was due to the weather. In the statement, Kensington Palace said the poor weather would have "significantly restricted the planned program." Oh, and for the record: Will had been scheduled to arrive at the AAC regiment in a Wildcat helicopter so...the delay makes sense! UPDATE: Prince William has postponed this engagement due to poor weather which would have significantly restricted the planned programme. Kensington Palace said Prince William sends his sincere apologies to those who he had been due to meet and hopes to reschedule his visit https://t.co/hvNn9TjTCP Cameron Walker (@CameronDLWalker) January 16, 2025 If you haven't noticed, Will has been pretty busy as of late. Just the day before on January 15, he paid a visit to the College of Paramedics in Birmingham for its inaugural Emergency and Critical Care Conference...and on his way home, he stopped by a pub in London to hang out with some fellow Aston Villa fans. Prince William surprised pub-goers when he popped into a Wetherspoons at the train station in Birmingham today. He arranged a meet-up with a group of @AVFCOfficial regulars while he was in the city to speak at the College of Paramedics conference and bought them a round pic.twitter.com/m4WMLmiNmH Rebecca English (@RE_DailyMail) January 15, 2025 While no one can deny that the Prince of Wales works hard, it seems like he also makes work a bit...difficult. As royal expert Ian Pelham Turner recently told Fox News, "I talk to people close to him who say he is very tough to work with and relentless in his desires to achieve. He does not suffer fools gladly." Well then! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The expert continued, "It has often been said that King Charles finds it very hard to make decisions, especially about his two sons and how to deal with Harry. William is far more forthright, like his grandfather Prince Philip, who would push people out of the way if they stood in front of him... He is extremely ambitious. You Might Also Like CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker slammed Indiana Wednesday, referring to the Hoosier State as a low-wage state that doesnt protect workers. [Indiana is] a state that does not provide health care for people when theyre in need, Pritzker said during a press conference in Chicago. The governors remarks come after Indiana House Speaker Todd Houston announced a plan to re-draw state boundaries to include 33 Illinois counties that have voted to secede from the Land of Lincoln. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think thats attractive for anyone in Illinois, where wages are higher and the standard of living is higher, and we do provide health care for people in need, Pritzker said. The proposal for Illinois counties to secede and join Indiana was announced earlier this week by Indiana House Speaker Todd Houston. Hustons HB1008 would create the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission, which would discuss and recommend whether it is advisable to adjust boundaries between the two states. Its a stunt. Its not going to happen, Pritzker said. In order for the process to work, the Illinois General Assembly would also need to pass similar legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We think there might be some interest in the Illinois Legislature to do that, Huston said. The bill will be heard next week in Indianas House Government and Regulatory Reform Committee. 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Providing on-site protection during a fire is a tiny part of what private firefighting companies do, executives told BI. Crews for on-site protection cost thousands per day. Companies in the space said they mostly contract with the federal government or insurers, not private landowners. Private firefighters aren't doing what you likely think they are not exactly. Reports of wealthy homeowners in the Los Angeles area paying private firefighters thousands of dollars per day have spread on social media in the past week, perpetuating the perception among some that on-site emergency protection for structures is what the industry is all about. Executives at two California-based private firefighting companies told Business Insider that's not the case. Private firefighting for individual private landowners is niche Jess Wills, president of Firestorm Wildland Fire Suppression, says his business primarily focuses on contracting with the federal government to suppress wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deborah Miley, the executive director of the National Wildfire Suppression Agency, which represents more than 300 private firefighting companies, told BI that private firefighters have been contracting with the federal government since the 1980s, whereas the sliver of the industry that contracts directly with private landowners is "in its infancy." Some private companies also contract directly with insurers, Miley said, a practice that is also relatively new and far more common than working with homeowners directly. Private firefighting as it's often perceived with trucks stationed outside an individual's home, dousing it with water as a blaze burns is not widespread, Wills said. He said that the practice makes up a tiny part of his business. Private contractors who work for owners of homes or private land comprise less than 1% of the private fire service industry, according to the National Wildfire Suppression Association. Some private firefighting companies contract with insurance carriers to protect properties. Wills said he first noticed interest in on-site fire suppression from private landowners a little under two decades ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You started seeing high-net-worth folks making phone calls," Wills told BI, saying he doesn't publicly advertise the service. "For us, what happens is, fires kick-off, and then people start just getting online, Googling, searching 'private fire protection,' and somehow we come up." Joe Torres, the founder of All Risk Shield, said he offers on-site protection as a small portion of his business. All Risk Shield provides three tiers of year-round fire defense services at varying price points, with the most basic costing $2,500 per year. The first tier includes preventive maintenance, and the second adds fire monitoring and further preparatory services. Only tier three, the most expensive, includes an on-site team to protect a property during a blaze. He declined to share how much tier three costs. All Risk Shield doesn't offer on-site protection outside of the year-round package. Torres, who was a public firefighter for 24 years before founding his company, said he only has "a handful of those clients" who opt for a tier three service in California. On-site protection can cost thousands per day Neither Wills nor Torres shared how much it costs to hire a private firefighting crew for on-site emergency protection for an individual landowner. Both said that estimates of around $5,000 per day are consistent with what they believe some competitors charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wills told BI that he charges individuals a very similar rate to the federal government for a three-person crew in California, he said his contracts with the federal government cost about $4,000 per day. Rates vary based on location, the size of the property, and the number of trucks, he said. Torres said his primary goal is to make basic fire protection accessible to as many people as possible, particularly through his least expensive, tier-one package. He said he worries that some companies are charging people exorbitant rates in dire situations. "I've heard some numbers and some stuff, and it doesn't sound good," he said. David Torgerson, the CEO of a company that exclusively works with insurers, previously told BI that he never interfaces with homeowners. His company, he said, protects vulnerable structures ahead of fires based on risk, not value. Aspects of the private firefighting industry could be on the rise Wills doesn't anticipate that the private firefighting industry will significantly grow in the next few years or that many people will take preventative action to fire-proof their homes. He said people are quick to forget about fires a few months after they happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torres said he has seen an uptick in business since 2018, telling BI that there has been "significant growth" in his company since 2020. Miley, of the National Wildfire Suppression Agency, said she thinks more people will become interested in fire-hardening, or protecting their properties before a blaze comes in. Fire mitigation strategies can include applying protective gels, removing combustibles, and cleaning gutters, Torgerson previously told BI. Typically, his crews will work on insured properties hours or days before a wildfire is anticipated to pass through. Customers using private firefighters face criticism Some of the few Californians that have hired on-site protection for their homes have faced criticism. Keith Wasserman, cofounder and managing partner of Gelt Venture Partners, a Los Angeles-based real estate investment firm, sparked backlash after posting on social media asking if anyone had access to private firefighters to protect his home in Pacific Palisades, where the average property price is around $3.4 million . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Does anyone have access to private firefighters to protect our home in the Pacific Palisades?" he asked in a since-deleted X post earlier this month. "Need to act fast here. All neighbors houses burning. Will pay any amount." Wasserman didn't reply to a request for comment from Business Insider. It's not the first time celebrities have hired private firefighters to protect their homes. In 2018, Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West, who now goes by the name Ye, hired crews to protect their $60 million home when blazes approached their neighborhood. That incident also led to backlash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wills said he thinks it's the first time many people are learning about the private firefighting industry. Both he and Torres told BI that they don't think most understand the bulk of their business focus, but are well aware of the emerging negative connotations associated with the industry. "I understand how the perception is on that, of course, but it's like, welcome to the real world," Wills said about the bubbling controversy. "Ask anybody: if you had the money in the bank and you knew somebody that had an engine available, why wouldn't you?" Read the original article on Business Insider A private school in Sir Keir Starmers constituency is set to close because of Labours VAT and National Insurance tax raids. The Village School for Girls in Camden, which is based in the Prime Ministers Holborn and St Pancras constituency, said it would close this summer following a decline in pupil numbers. The school, which educates girls aged two to 14, said Januarys tax raid and a looming increase in employers national insurance had left it facing an unsustainable future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The independent is run by Chatsworth Schools, which also announced the closure of the Highfield Prep School, in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Chatsworth operates nine more schools and nurseries around the UK. The Village School for Girls has a possible capacity for 140 pupils, but the group said just 43 pupils had registered for the 2025-26 academic year. Village Prep, which will close this summer, has had to raise fees by 2,613 a term as a result of the VAT charge - Paul Grover In an email to parents, seen by The Telegraph, the chief executive of Chatsworth Schools, Fred Knipe wrote: Chatsworth Schools are proposing the closure of Highfield Prep School and The Village School for Girls at the end of the summer term. This proposal has not been made lightly. However, the steady decline in pupil numbers, at both schools, despite significant investment, the introduction of VAT on school fees in the Budget and the impending increase in employers National Insurance unfortunately means it has become unsustainable to keep these schools open beyond summer 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It comes after the school was forced to raise its termly fees by 2,613 this month as a result of the VAT raid, increasing the annual bill from 20,910 a year to 23,523 a year. Highfield Prep School said it had also struggled to attract new pupils for next September. The school which charged 16,740-a-year prior to Labours tax raid raised its fees to 18,600 a year, an increase of 1,860 on January 1. A former parent at the school, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Telegraph: I feel very sad. Both my girls are who they are today because of their prep school. It was an amazing little gem that grew little girls into young ladies who dream big and work hard. Its a sad day. The schools are the fourth and fifth to announce their closure since January 1, when Chancellor Rachel Reevess VAT raid on private schools was implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The increase in employer National Insurance contributions, which will see the rate rise from 13.8pc to 15pc, and the annual earnings threshold at which it kicks in lowered from 9,100 to 5,000, will cost 150,000 jobs and force businesses to close, a top economist has warned. The change, which will take effect in April, will form another financial hit for private schools struggling following the imposition of VAT on school fees. Other schools have also announced closures as a result of the financial pressures they face due to the VAT raid. Godolphin Prep, in Salisbury, Wiltshire, which opened in 1993, told parents last week that it would close at the end of the school year. Maidwell Hall, which was attended by Earl Spencer, announced its closure on January 7, and Amherst School in Loughborough followed later that week. Julie Robinson, chief executive of the Independent Schools Council (ISC), which represents 1,400 private schools, has warned of further closures, which will lead to redundancies for staff and disrupted education for students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: Many people warned the Government that VAT would prove a bridge too far for schools already under financial pressure we are now seeing the reality: school closures, dedicated staff losing their jobs and children having their education disrupted. Ms Robinson added: This is something that we will unfortunately see again over the coming months and years with more communities losing an employer, a partner and an educational hub for local children. We urge the Government to think again and work with us to mitigate the effects of this damaging policy. Saqib Bhatti, Conservative party MP and shadow minister for culture, media and sport, said: This revelation that another independent school is being forced to close because the Labour Party are more interested in petty class-warfare than they are in driving up school standards shows they have no idea when it comes to improving education. With schools now closing down in the Prime Ministers own constituency, increasing the strains on the state sector, will he finally understand that Labours socialist schools plan is ruining our childrens education? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matthew Kirk, a Liberal Democrat councillor for Camden Council, said: The Village Prep has been a valued part of the education landscape in the Belsize area for a long time. If it is closing because of the introduction of VAT for private schools, that just shows how clumsy that policy is, particularly being introduced mid-year. Its closure will be a blow to the families who go there. We are fortunate in Camden to have excellent state primary schools and this fact may soften the blow for some families. The Treasury said the tax raid would raise 1.8bn for state schools. A spokesman said: Ending tax breaks for private schools will raise 1.8bn a year to help the 94pc of children in state schools achieve and thrive. Pupil numbers at independent schools have remained steady since 2000, despite fees increasing by around 75pc in real terms since then. We conducted a thorough and careful analysis and published a detailed costing methodology and from this, we and the OBR concluded that on average, private school fees are expected to rise by 10pc as a result of VAT. We remain committed to that conclusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Department of Education added: On average, around 50 mainstream private schools typically close each year. This is due to a range of reasons, including financial struggles and school standards issues. Local authorities and schools commonly support children and parents in these circumstances. Keir Starmers office and Chatsworth Schools were contacted for comment. 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. Probable cause has been found in two separate Laurel County shooting incidents which occurred only a day apart. Chief District Judge John Paul Chappell found probable cause in Laurel District Court Tuesday for both Ivy Casteel, 21, and James Smith, 56, both of London. Attorney Emily Croucher represented both individuals. Ivy Casteel Laurel County Sheriffs Detective Taylor McDaniel provided information pertaining to Casteels case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Det. McDaniel shared that the sheriffs office received a call Saturday, Jan. 4, informing them of a gunshot wound at 323 Full Moon Circle, about seven miles west of London, around 4:24 p.m. Once Det. McDaniel arrived on scene, he spoke with Casteel in the back of a cruiser. At that time, Casteel told McDaniel she and her boyfriend had had a domestic dispute when she accidentally shot him. Casteel was then brought to the LCSO. There, according to Det. McDaniel, she recounted entering a bedroom where the victim was attempting to hang himself and she had tapped him with a firearm in hand. She said he then jumped back, causing her to accidentally fire the gun. Det. McDaniel said both Casteel and the victim initially informed him that she had thrown a bag on the gun, causing it to go off. McDaniel went on to share that the victim later changed his story, recounting sitting on a bed when Casteel entered the room and shot him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No evidence regarding the original story was found, though Casteel pointed out rope on the porch of their home. The victim was airlifted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington for treatment of a serious injury and has since been released. A not guilty plea was entered on Casteels behalf during her recent arraignment, when bond was set at $75,000. James Smith Just a day later, another shooting took place off Wren Road, about four miles south of London, at approximately 1:08 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 5. Smith was arrested for the incident. LCSO Det. Tommy Houston provided information pertaining to Smiths case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Det. Houston recounted the sheriffs office receiving a complaint that day which came in through 911 Dispatch. Houston shared that, through his investigation, he learned the victim was Smiths nephew who was accused of stealing a laptop. Smith confronted the victim at the victims home when a physical altercation ensued. Smith told Det. Houston that his nephew had attacked him, stabbing him in the arm with a needle. Houston testified that, according to the defendant, Smith then went to his home and retrieved a firearm before returning to the victims home. The argument continued and Smith fired the gun at approximately 35 yards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pellets ricocheted, hitting the victim in the chest and face. As a result, the victim now has a swollen eye socket and was informed he could lose his eyesight. The victims mother claims to have caught the incident on her Ring camera, though Det. Houston testified he had not viewed the recording. A not guilty plea was entered on Smiths behalf during his arraignment with bond also set at $75,000. When Croucher mentioned this could have been self defense, Judge Chappell agreed that the victim in question did not sound innocent based on the allegations mentioned. However, he disagreed with the attorneys argument. At 35 yards, thats a little bit soon to be self-defending, said Judge Chappell. He sent both cases to the grand jury for Feb. 21 at 9 a.m. Progressive staffers on Capitol Hill are proposing an idea to shorten their workweek to 32 hours. The Congressional Progressive Staff Association sent a letter to leaders of the House and Senate, proposing a shorter workweek and arguing the reduction would improve the work done on the Hill. The letter, addressed to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), said adopting the proposal would improve worker satisfaction, increase staff retention, and model a sustainable work approach nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By adopting a 32-hour workweek for staff on a rotating basis, you can accomplish these goals while retaining the productivity and quality of work you expect and deserve from your team, the group wrote in the letter. The staffers highlighted the demanding and intensive work that goes on behind the scenes of Congress, noting they often work long, rigorous hours that can lead to burnout and premature resignations. The group argued those resignations are a poor outcome both for the staff and the member of Congress, who must hire new employees and disrupt the offices workflow. With a shortened workweek, the staffers continued, longer tenures could be the norm, and work would be more effective and efficient. In the letter, the staffers outlined a proposal that the 32-hour week would be in place for D.C.-based staff when members of Congress are out of session or working in their district or state offices. It would be in place for district staff when the member is in session in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their proposal highlighted studies on businesses that have transitioned to a four-day workweek that have seen not a drop in productivity but an increase. Workplace satisfaction has also skyrocketed at those businesses, per the staffers assessment. The association noted that some members may be interested in the shorter workweek but may be hesitant. The letter suggested a six-month trial during which members could test how well their staff works under the new model. The idea was immediately criticized by Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). In a post on social platform X, Torres questioned why the progressives werent being bold and asking for a 0-hour workweek. I wonder how blue-collar Americans would feel about white-collar workers demanding a 32-hour workweek, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The association posted in response that the 32-hour workweek shouldnt be a special perk for government employees, but rather the implementation of the idea would be setting an example nationwide that it would increase productivity. Dont buy it? Try it out! the group said. If the quality of amount of work your staff does decreases, well stand corrected. The letter was first posted online by a Politico reporter and was met with sharp opposition from various users. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reportedly criticized the proposal as a terrible idea. Legislation around the idea has been previously introduced in both chambers of Congress, including a 2023 bill spearheaded by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.), which proposed amending the Fair Labor Standards Act to shorten the standard workweek by eight hours for nonexempt employees. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) unveiled a similar bill in the upper chamber last year, but received pushback from his GOP colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to the Congressional Progressive Staff Association for more information. This story was updated at 5:02 p.m. 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. The idea of a 32-hour workweek has gained steam over the years, and some businesses are trying it. Now, a group of progressive staffers are hoping to bring it to Congress. They're calling on lawmakers to enact 32-hour weeks on Capitol Hill when Congress isn't in session. The 32-hour workweek has been steadily growing more popular. More and more businesses are experimenting with versions of it, and many workers say it makes them not just happier, but more productive. Now, some are hoping to bring it to the halls of Congress. In an open letter set to be sent later on Thursday, the Congressional Progressive Staff Association will call on members of Congress to consider implementing a "rotating" 32-hour workweek for staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "By establishing a rotating 32-hour workweek for District and DC staff, you can help increase retention, boost productivity, and improve the quality of life for your team," reads the letter. Congress has a unique schedule and unique workplace arrangements. When the House or Senate is in session, lawmakers are in Washington taking votes, attending committee hearings, and working long hours alongside staff out of their Capitol Hill offices. When they're out of session, lawmakers are typically back at their district offices, meeting with constituents and holding events. Under the proposed plan, staffers in Washington would work a 32-hour week when lawmakers are back in their districts, while district-based staffers would work a 32-hour week when lawmakers are in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter floats multiple possible versions of a potential 32-hour workweek, including having every employee work 8 hours for the same 4 days, staggering when employees' workweeks take place in order to ensure the office is staffed for all five days of the week, or having employees work five days a week with reduced hours each day. "Working 32 hours, employees have a more substantial reprieve from work and therefore are able to complete the same tasks in less time," the letter reads. "If implemented for Congressional staff, Members could see the same increase in job satisfaction among their teams, while maintaining or increasing their level of productivity." Michael Suchecki, a spokesman for the Congressional Progressive Staff Association, told BI in an interview this week that the proposal is not about bringing further perks to what's already a prestigious job, but to "set a precedent for everyday working Americans across the country, and help turn the page to what the future of the workweek can look like for everyone." In the letter, the staffers argue that making the change will help to combat not just burnout among staffers but also turnover, a common occurrence given that staffers can often make more money with less demanding hours at private-sector jobs in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We need to make sure that Congress is still able to draw in and retain the best talent, as opposed to having one of the highest turnovers of any industry in the world," said Suchecki. Some in Congress have proposed legislation to implement a 32-hour workweek nationwide. Last year, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont introduced the "Thirty Two Hour Workweek Act." Read the original article on Business Insider President-elect Donald Trump was quick to take credit for the cease-fire struck Wednesday between Israel and Hamas and progressive critics of the Biden administrations approach to the conflict were quick to give it to him. Pro-Palestinian activists and progressives argued that the agreement, which comes after 15 months of war and the deaths of more than 46,000 Palestinians, should have happened sooner. Trump was able to do what President Joe Biden did not in more than a year of talks, some said, pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to withdraw military forces from the Gaza Strip. [Trump] made clear he wanted this war to end and pressed Netanyahu on it in a way that Biden clearly wasnt willing to do, said Matt Duss, executive vice president of the Center for International Policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the broad outline of the deal hasnt changed much, the context has. Biden is departing, and Netanyahu might be eager to take a different approach with the next administration. Trump has made clear what he wants, he has his own priorities, and I think it was clearly the unconditional support that Biden gave that provided cover for Netanyahu to continue to prosecute this war, and also that there would be no costs for ignoring either private or public criticisms from the United States," said Duss, a former foreign policy aide for Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). "That calculus has changed. Still, some of those leaders cautioned theyre skeptical the agreement will lead to a permanent end to the war and that Israel will abide by its terms. Under the deal, which needs to be approved by the Israeli Cabinet, dozens of hostages will be released and a six-week pause in fighting will start Sunday. Speaking from the White House, Biden said he was pleased to announce the agreement at long last and that the terms of the deal resemble an offer he made in May. The cease-fire is a high point for Biden as he works to cement his legacy in the waning days of his presidency. Yet Trump, whose team was involved in the final days of talks, got out in front of the White House and posted about the deal before Biden officials made it public. On the campaign trail, Trump repeatedly promised that it would be his leadership that would bring a stop to the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, he posted on Truth Social. Trump added that his incoming Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, who was participating in talks in the lead-up to the agreement, would continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. When asked by a reporter if the incoming or outgoing president should get credit for the deal, Biden responded: Is that a joke? Some foreign policy experts said the agreement should be seen as Netanyahu's political gift to Trump to curry favor as he prepares to take office in just a few days. They were also quick to caution that the deal doesnt mean Trump should now be viewed as a strong ally for the Palestinian cause, given some of his Cabinet appointments and decisions during his first term, like recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We see Trump really trying to show that hes different than Biden, and that hes playing a strong man role, and in this instance, that worked, said Sandra Tamari, executive director of the Adalah Justice Project. But Tamari cautioned that the details of the agreement are still unknown, such as what concessions may have been negotiated with the Israelis. The enduring war in Gaza, and the Biden administrations steadfast support of Israel, has caused political turbulence for Democrats, and came to be a major issue in the presidential campaign. Not only was Vice President Kamala Harris criticized by those calling for a cease-fire to adequately distance herself from Biden on Gaza she lost support from Arab Americans and college students in Michigan. Leaders of the Uncommitted movement, who are responsible for organizing the largest protests over the Biden administrations stance, called the cease-fire a long-overdue pause in a campaign that has obliterated families, erased neighborhoods, and caused unimaginable suffering. The group cited a recent YouGov poll that found 29 percent of non-voters who supported Biden in 2020 cited ending the war in Gaza as the main reason they chose not to vote for Harris. Trump benefited from that fracturing of the Democratic base over Gaza. He picked up a surge in support in Dearborn, Michigan, home to a large population of Muslims with familial ties to the Middle East. Arab leaders in Dearborn, however, cautioned that that swing was not an endorsement of Trump but rather a rejection of Harris and the Democratic partys embrace of Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Todays announcement is welcome news to all of us that this cycle of violence will end, said Sam Baydoun, Wayne County Commissioner in Dearborn. But he added that he feels disappointed that this was the same deal proposed in May but the Biden administration failed to successfully pressure Netanyahu to accept it until now. Thousands of innocent civilians could have been spared if we had implemented this cease-fire back in May, he said. Holly Otterbein and Irie Senter contributed reporting. Miami-Dade is a significant step closer to a state-mandated goal of re-using its wastewater, rather than pouring the partially treated stuff into the sea. On Wednesday, the county and Florida Power & Light debuted the FPL Miami-Dade Clean Water Recovery Center, a brand-new facility designed to take a big chunk of the countys wastewater, treat it and use it to cool off power-generation components at the Turkey Point plant. County and FPL leaders touted the project as a win-win, a way to help the county meet its environmental goals and reduce the amount of water the utility draws from the aquifer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not only environmentally friendly to have this project, its fiscally responsible, said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava at a press conference at the Homestead power plant. From left to right, Miami-Dade Commissioner Raquel A. Regalado, Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, and President and CEO of Florida Power & Light Armando Pimentel Jr. listen to a speaker during the unveiling of the FPL Miami-Dade Clean Water Recovery Center (CWRC) at FPL Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Homestead, Fla. The CWRC is one of the largest reuse projects in Florida which will further treat and reuse up to 15 million gallons per day of reclaimed water from the county. FPL will use 100% of that reclaimed water to cool the natural gas plant at FPLs Turkey Point Clean Energy Center (Unit 5). Were turning wastewater into a valuable resource, she said. Instead of just throwing it away, were putting it to work. Armando Pimental, CEO of FPL, called the new center a project of the year, and a model of a functioning public-private partnership. In 2008, Florida required Miami-Dade to halt its practice of piping treated wastewater into the ocean by the end of 2025. Simultaneously, Florida has state standards for how much treated wastewater local governments have to re-use for other purposes. This project, Levine Cava said, helps with both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Miami-Dade pipes wastewater into the ocean. This overhaul will reduce the foul flow Originally, this project was conceived as a larger plan that would allow FPL to use a portion of this treated wastewater in its aging cooling canals that regulate the twin nuclear power plants on the site and also contributed to an underground plume of super salty water that at one point threatened Miamis adjacent drinking water wells. At some point in the last two years, plans changed, said Bill Orlove, a senior manager of communications at FPL. There was, in the planning stages, an idea of having it assist, as needed, a backup to the Turkey Point nuclear cooling canals, he said. The decision was made not to do that. The newly built plant has the capacity to clean and re-use an average of 10 million gallons a day of wastewater, or up to 15 million gallons a day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That takes Miami-Dade another step closer to its goal to re-use 60% of the wastewater it produces a day a target of about 117 million gallons a day. Before the FPL project came online, the county already re-used about 15 million gallons a day. To get the rest of the way there, the county is building similar systems at three of its wastewater plants that will eventually handle a combined 100 million gallons a day. A natural gas burning facility and the adjacent cooling towers can seen behind some foliage at FPL Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Homestead, Fla. Those three projects, two of which are under construction, plus the FPL center, will push Miami-Dade over the threshold its legally required to meet. Were working around the clock to meet these requirements, with which we wholly agree, Levine Cava said. If achieved, this would make Miami-Dade the number one utility in the state of Florida, as well as the entire eastern coast for industrial water reuse, said Jennifer L. Messemer-Skold, a spokesperson for the water and sewer department. Clean enough to water a lawn Toilets flushed and showers drained in South Miami-Dade end up at the South Dade Wastewater Treatment facility. From there, it gets a first round of cleaning, then a new 8-mile pipe carries it to the Turkey Point campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlos Santamaria, a senior plant technician at Turkey Point, pointed to the shining new concrete facilities that now handle those millions of gallons every day. Step one, he said, is cleaning some of the nutrients out of the water. Step two, is sieving the solids out of the slurry. Step three is a final cleaning, with more filters and a dash of cleansing chemicals like chlorine. Guests are taken on a tour of the the FPL Miami-Dade Clean Water Recovery Center (CWRC) at FPL Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Homestead, Fla. The CWRC is one of the largest reuse projects in Florida which will further treat and reuse up to 15 million gallons per day of reclaimed water from the county. FPL will use 100% of that reclaimed water to cool the natural gas plant at FPLs Turkey Point Clean Energy Center (Unit 5). The end result is something thats not clean enough to drink, but it could be used for irrigation, said Santamaria. It doesnt hurt the environment. FPL uses that water to cool off the five natural gas power generators at the Turkey Point campus, which also houses a nuclear power generation facility. Most of the water evaporates into the atmosphere, Santamaria said, and whats left gets shot 3,500 feet underground into a deep-injection well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whenever we can take a straw out of the system, its a good thing, said Irela Bague, director of governments and water resilience for engineering firm Black & Veatch, which designed the project. An exterior shot of the water cleaning system using chemical injection during the unveiling of the FPL Miami-Dade Clean Water Recovery Center (CWRC) at FPL Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, in Homestead, Fla. The CWRC is one of the largest reuse projects in Florida which will further treat and reuse up to 15 million gallons per day of reclaimed water from the county. FPL will use 100% of that reclaimed water to cool the natural gas plant at FPLs Turkey Point Clean Energy Center (Unit 5). Advertisement Advertisement Prominent banker Mark Carney is launching a bid to lead Canadas ruling Liberal Party, he said Thursday, after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau resigned his position as head of the party. Carney, 59, currently serves as the United Nations special envoy for climate action and finance. He is also the chair of Brookfield Asset Management and Bloomberg L.P.s board of directors. Im here to ask for your support, Carney said in an announcement from Edmonton, Alberta. Im here to earn your trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney joined the Canadian Finance Ministry in 2004 before becoming governor of the Bank of Canada in 2007. He then became governor of the Bank of England in 2013, becoming the first person in the country to head two major central banks. He then left his post in 2020 before taking on his role at the UN. Mark Carney announced his bid for leader of Canadas Liberal Party on Thursday (Getty Images) My generation of Canadians is lucky, Carney said Thursday. We had a good time. A time to prosper. The system that our parents built worked well for us. But those good old times, my friends, are over. Our times are anything but ordinary. Trudeau resigned as leader of the Liberal Party on January 6 after facing heavy pressure to step down from fellow Liberal Party members. The opposition parties, Conservatives, the New Democratic Party and Bloc Quebecois also signaled they would move for a non-confidence vote against Trudeau in January when Parliament was slated to return. Trudeau has said hell resign as prime minister once his replacement is decided on. Canadians do not directly elect their prime ministers. The leader of the party that wins the greatest number of seats in the House of Commons currently the Liberal Party becomes prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trudeau quit as head of his party after his deputy prime minister, Chrystia Freeland, abruptly resigned in December. She cited disagreements over the handling of President-elect Donald Trumps threats to instate 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian goods exported to the US. Trudeau has since asked Parliament to be suspended until March. Opposition parties are still expected to hold a confidence vote, which could move the federal elections forward from October. After a tumultuous end to Trudeaus leadership, Carney is now seeking to portray himself as an outsider uninvolved with the prime ministers struggles, The New York Times reports. However, the Conservative Party has already pushed back on this image. As a long-time Liberal insider, advisor at least as early as 2020...Carney is the furthest thing possible from an outsider, the party said in a statement, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times reports Freeland could be one of Carneys potential challengers, though she declined to replace Trudeau after his government asked her to earlier this month. A recent poll by Abacus Data indicates Freeland is much more recognizable among Canadians than Carney, with just 24 percent recognizing the banker while 51 percent recognized the former deputy prime minister. Jan. 15GRAND FORKS Students living on Grand Forks Air Force Base could attend Red River High School if new boundary line maps are adopted for the city's schools. Superintendent Terry Brenner and district demographer Rob Schwarz debuted the proposed maps Wednesday evening at Central High School, the first of two planned public forums to showcase the maps and solicit feedback from residents. "The boundary lines are not drawn in the sand tonight," Brenner said. "It's going to be your input that assists in driving how those lines are shaped." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The possible boundary changes have been the focus of a resident-led demographic task force and a concurrent administrative committee that have been meeting since the fall. The School Board signed off on a set of criteria for the possible boundary changes in a September special meeting. Those criteria included emphasizing an equitable student experience across all schools, continuing to use all the district's buildings, and adhering to neighborhoods, planning areas and other "natural and man-made boundaries" like the city's major thoroughfares. Among the most notable changes in the proposed maps would be enrolling children of service members stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base at Red River High School, instead of at Central. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new high school maps would also shift Central's southern boundary east of Washington, while moving some neighborhoods south of DeMers to Red River. Schwarz, of RSP and Associates, told the Herald the boundaries would create more demographic parity between the two high schools based on a "diversity index" measuring factors like incomes and home values, poverty, educational attainment and minority populations. At the middle school level, Valley Middle School would take current South Middle School attendees living west of Columbia Road and north of 17th Avenue, but lose its downtown and near South students living east of DeMers and Washington to Schroeder. Schwarz told the Herald this move would result in a larger student body for the new Valley School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South's borders would also expand to the city's sparsely-populated far southeast. The proposed elementary level maps are drawn to take the pressure off of the district's southern and western schools, which are spread out over a greater area than northern schools and have absorbed much of the city's growth in recent years. Brenner, in his remarks to the forum, noted that the district's schools were still clustered around Grand Forks' urban core and along the Red River. Another notable change is these maps would expand the district's multilingual learners program to every school. The program expanded to several new schools this year after the district's share of English learners more than doubled over the prior school year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 40 people attended Wednesday's event, including a large swath of district staff. (The maps were kept under wraps ahead of the evening forum.) After a presentation by Brenner and Schwarz in Central's auditorium, attendees mingled with administrators to view several large poster boards showing the new maps. Residents were invited to submit input through a digital survey, which RSP and Associates will administer through Feb. 2. Schwarz said the survey was meant to clue in the firm on issues its maps may not address, like a particularly treacherous road crossing the district should avoid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not going to pretend I'm the expert of knowing all the specifics of what will work with your system," Schwarz said. "What I've heard from the board, what I've heard from administration, what I've heard from the committee is we need to make some changes." The survey will be posted online after Thursday evening's meeting. Lu Burris, a Central graduate, said she would have liked for Schwarz and Brenner to have taken audience questions as part of their presentation. She wished the new Central boundaries had included possible growth areas instead of established neighborhoods, noting the new maps kept the city's growing southern end squarely within Red River's boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Somebody wants to build a new house, where do you build on the north end?" she asked. Both the administrative committee and the demographic task force are scheduled to meet at least once more in this month and February, respectively, before the School Board receives the boundary proposals and votes on them in March. Schwarz said survey input will be provided to demographic task force members for their final meeting. Speaking at the tail end of the event, Brenner told the Herald he was pleased with the conversations he'd had and listened in on. He deferred on discussing when possible boundary line changes could occur, saying he didn't want to get ahead of the administrative committee or School Board, but did say any change would not happen immediately. "Anything that is a wholesale, major change, we have to give lots of time," he said. "If we're going to find more pressure to do something sooner than later, it's going to be at the elementary level." (Getty Images) Arkansas was among the 10 states with the most children in rural areas relying on Medicaid for health insurance in 2023, and was one of only six with more than half of its rural children on Medicaid, according to a report released Wednesday by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy. The jointly funded state and federal health insurance program serves approximately 80 million people nationwide. Children and non-elderly adults in rural counties, defined as having no urban area with a population of more than 50,000 people, are more likely to rely on Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to afford health care, the report found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nationwide, 40.6% of children in rural areas were Medicaid recipients in 2023, compared to 38.2% of children in metropolitan areas, according to the report. Rural non-elderly adults comprised 18.3% of Medicaid recipients, two percentage points higher than in metropolitan areas. Proportions of rural and urban Medicaid recipients matter because rural areas have fewer healthcare resources, the reports authors said in a virtual conference call Wednesday morning. Researchers built the report on data from the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey, an annual nationwide collection of demographic data, Georgetown public policy research professor and report co-author Joan Alker said. However, this survey tends to undercount Medicaid recipients, so the reports estimates are conservative and the actual numbers may be higher, Alker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Census Bureau recorded Arkansas population as slightly more than 3 million in 2020 (though this number was an undercount). Statewide, 27.7% of rural Arkansans were on Medicaid in 2023, compared to 24.4% of urban Arkansans, the report stated. The same year, the state Department of Human Services disenrolled more than 184,500 Arkansans whose Medicaid coverage was extended due to the COVID-19 pandemic and who did not provide necessary information to determine whether they were still eligible for the program. As of Dec. 1, 2024, nearly half of the 863,117 Arkansans on Medicaid were children, according to DHS data. In 2023, 78,506 Arkansas children were disenrolled from Medicaid, according to a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services request that the state re-enroll eligible children later that year. Half of all Arkansas children in rural areas were on Medicaid or CHIP in 2023, the ninth-highest number among all 50 states and Washington D.C., according to Wednesdays report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report comes less than a week after Politico reported that U.S. Congressional Republicans are considering $2.3 trillion in Medicaid cuts, nearly one-third of the programs current projected spending over the next decade. In practice, some of the proposed cuts would cap per-state Medicaid spending based on population and impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. Medicaid is a very lean program and the lowest payer in the healthcare system, and the proposed cuts would leave rural communities devastated, said Anne Dwyer, a Georgetown associate research professor who moderated Wednesdays conference call. She noted that Republican President-elect Donald Trump and his 2024 Democratic opponent, Kamala Harris, did not make Medicaid a priority while campaigning for the presidency. Its a very popular program with voters of all political stripes, Dwyer said. As vital as Medicaid is everywhere, its even more vital in rural communities, which face greater challenges already to maintain a thriving health system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cutting Medicaid spending could force healthcare providers in rural areas to stop serving Medicaid recipients because they could not afford to stay in business, said Benjamin Anderson, the president and CEO of the Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System in rural Kansas. Rural Americans, including in Arkansas, largely supported Trump in Novembers election. When asked if rural voters did not understand that they were supporting a candidate whose party supports reducing their access to health care, Anderson said the general public does not necessarily understand Medicaid well enough to make such a connection. People in rural America value relationships even over logic, even over data, Anderson said. They have to trust their source, so I think theres an opportunity for local community leaders that have [that] trust with people to be able to educate at a grassroots level. Thats not easy work. (Source: Medicaids Role in Small Towns and Rural Areas/Center for Children and Families at Georgetown Universitys McCourt School of Public Policy) SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Work requirements and maternal health resources The revenue generated by the proposed Medicaid cuts likely would support tax cuts, which disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans, Alker said. Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 during his first term, and the law is set to expire at the end of 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as Trumps White House press secretary, and Senate President Pro Tempore Bart Hester, a Republican from Cave Springs, have both publicly supported income tax cuts and work requirements for Medicaid recipients. Hester told the Advocate in December that lawmakers should ensure Medicaid is serving the most vulnerable rather than people who refuse to work or find it inconvenient. Sanders and DHS Secretary Kristi Putnam sought a federal waiver in 2023 requiring work or volunteering for able-bodied adults to receive the full package of Medicaid expansion services. Republican leaders in other states have proposed similar policies. While I think we all have an interest in supporting work, this policy is a mistake [and] its misguided, Alker said Wednesday. Under the Medicaid expansion program proposed in DHS waiver request, able-bodied adults who do not work, volunteer, go to school or receive workforce training would receive fee-for-service Medicaid coverage instead of a qualified health plan. The proposal is not expected to cut any Arkansan from Medicaid coverage entirely, unlike the states 2018 work requirement that was struck down in court after 180,000 people lost coverage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Qualified health plans meet the federal Affordable Care Act requirement for minimum essential coverage and follow federal limits on deductibles, copayments and out-of-pocket maximum amounts. Under fee-for-service coverage, the state pays health care providers for services rendered. While the influence of Medicaid policy on outcomes of care may begin at birth or even before, the effects of changes in Medicaid are felt across the life course for rural residents. Katy Backes Kozhimannil, rural health researcher at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health Valuing hard work and human dignity is part of the culture of Middle America, and barriers to health care clash with those values, Anderson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working people who get sick, whose kids get sick, and who cant access health care cant work, he said. No work, no taxes. We become a less productive and more vulnerable community that way. In the past two decades, 193 rural hospitals nationwide have either closed or stopped providing inpatient services, according to the University of North Carolinas Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. Additionally, between 2010 and 2022, 537 hospitals nationwide either closed entirely or stopped offering obstetrics care in both rural and urban areas, said Katy Backes Kozhimannil, a rural health researcher and professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health. Medicaid covers about half of births both nationally and in Arkansas. Only 34 hospitals in 23 of Arkansas 75 counties have labor and delivery units, and five maternity wards have closed since the onset of the pandemic in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obstetrics care has high fixed costs, such as dedicated space and specific equipment, that rural hospitals low patient volumes and higher concentration of Medicaid patients might not be able to keep up with, Kozhimannil said. While the influence of Medicaid policy on outcomes of care may begin at birth or even before, the effects of changes in Medicaid are felt across the life course for rural residents, from adolescent mental health care to long-term elder care, Kozhimannil said. Arkansas has consistently high rates of maternal and infant mortality, a problem that has become a bipartisan topic of discussion among state leaders. Sanders convened a task force in March 2024 to recommend improvements to the states maternal health landscape. One of the committees action items came to fruition last week when DHS announced it will direct $17 million in federal grant funds to improving maternal health care outcomes. The Transforming Maternal Health (TMaH) Model will focus specifically on aiding people enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For months, Arkansas has been the only state that has taken no action to adopt the federal option of extending postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to 12 months after birth, according to KFF. Sanders and Putnam have said this expansion would be redundant and duplicative, since the state has other insurance coverage options for postpartum low-income Arkansans, and the task force did not recommend this policy. Legislation to create 12-month postpartum Medicaid coverage did not become law in 2023, and similar bills have been introduced for the current legislative session. Sanders proposed fiscal year 2026 state budget proposes $13 million for Medicaid to support the task forces recommendations. US First Lady Jill Biden appeared in an unusual look for her at President Joe Biden's last address to the American public. The public figure dressed in black clothes and looked "mournful." ADVERTISIMENT Jill Biden wears such looks only at funerals or on "black" days. Instead, the first lady usually shines in public in colorful outfits. OBOZ.UA paid closer attention to this. She wore a black knee-length dress to the event, and her shoes were also black, but with white inserts. The first lady's makeup was laconic and consisted only of dark eyelashes, false eyelashes, and crimson lipstick. Jill Biden chose flower-shaped gemstone earrings, a gold watch and bracelet, and a wedding ring as her jewelry. ADVERTISIMENT Her husband also looked "mournful." He appeared in front of the cameras in a black business suit. The only bright accent was a blue tie. None of the members of the presidential family looked happy during Joe Biden's last speech. The first lady looked upset, but only the US president tried to dispel the pessimistic atmosphere by smiling from time to time. Only verified information is available on the OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes! Voters cast their ballots on Nov. 5 at a polling location in Edmond. (Photo by Janelle Stecklein/Oklahoma Voice) Last November, Oklahoma United announced an initiative petition drive to change the states current closed primary system to a top-two open primary system. While 20 states have open primary systems, only three have the type of top-two primary system that Oklahoma United is promoting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oklahoma is among 15 states that have semi-closed primaries. State law requires that only voters affiliated with a specific party be allowed to vote in a partisan primary election, unless a party decides to open them to independent voters. For almost a decade now, the Democratic Party in Oklahoma has allowed independent voters to participate in its primary elections. The Republican and Libertarian parties do not. A top-two primary system places all candidates for a particular office, regardless of party affiliation, into a single primary. The two candidates with the most votes advance to the general election. There is no requirement that the candidates who advance receive a majority of the votes and there is no run-off election. Advocates of opening primaries argue that the states current primary system disenfranchises a large segment of voters, allows political insiders too much influence and depresses turnout. They also point out that a significant portion of elective offices in Oklahoma are decided before the general election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When considering how to construct an election system, several important outcomes which sometimes can conflict with one another must be considered. These include voter participation, candidate representativeness, electoral competition and the right of partisan affiliated voters to choose who will represent them in the general election, better known as the right of association. Some political science research has indicated that turnout in U.S. primary elections is substantially lower and less representative of the general public than turnout in the general election. A recent study by the Bipartisan Policy Center indicates that open primaries can be a mechanism to increase voter participation and create a primary electorate that is more demographically representative of the general election voter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, other research has indicated that the actual differences between primary voters and general election voters is less significant than one might think. For example, a 2018 study found that primary electorates are not ideologically unrepresentative of the broader party. The study further questions the effectiveness of primary reforms on reducing polarization. An earlier study found that voters ideological makeup did not change depending on whether they voted in an open or closed primary. If a top-two primary would expand voter participation, but not have a significant impact on the types of people elected to office, would it still be worth the change? This depends on how one weighs the various outcomes in importance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is high voter turnout the most important outcome of an election system, or is it more important to elect candidates with ideological and policy preferences that are aligned with the most voters? What about ensuring that voters have genuine choices among various political parties? How do we rate the significance of protecting the right of association for citizens who have organized under specific parties? We are sympathetic to the need to increase voter participation in our state. Being next to last in eligible voter turnout is certainly an indication that something is wrong in Oklahoma politics. However, if one assumes the Bipartisan Policy Centers estimate of a 5% increase in voter turnout from shifting to an open primary system, the state would still remain in the Bottom 10 of states for voter turnout hardly a dramatic shift. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the results could be less electoral competition, an increased likelihood of unrepresentative candidates being elected, and a weakening of the right of association. If the goal of reformers is to simply increase voter turnout, there is an easy mechanism for doing so mandate it. However, turnout isnt the only priority and mandatory voting is not likely to be supported by a large number of Oklahomans. There are other reforms that could be implemented that would help increase voter turnout while also promoting electoral competition between parties and the selection of candidates more in line with the general electorate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some suggestions would be the implementation of ranked-choice voting or establishing limited open primaries when there will be no general election competition for a specific office. It would also help to make it easier for voters to actually cast their ballots through expanded in-person early voting periods and locations, increased access to absentee voting, and exploring mobile voting. Advocates for electoral reform should be cautious in overpromising what any given reform, especially a top-two primary system, can deliver. There are other options which can produce greater turnout while also positively impacting other important electoral outcomes. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, the Providence City Council will consider amending a city ordinance that would limit how much police can cooperate with federal immigration authorities. One of Trumps campaign promises was to ensure mass deportations. The President-elect previously announced Tom Homan would be the incoming border czar. The operation will start day one, Homan told NewsNation on Dec. 27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The President-elect has previously signaled he would declare an immigration national emergency and use military assets to carry out his deportation plan. On Thursday, just days before Trumps inauguration, Providence City Councilor Justin Roias introduced an ordinance that would amend the Providence Community-Police Relations Act, which already prohibits Providence police from inquiring about an individuals immigration status. The existing city law states that Providence police arent allowed to comply with requests that would aid in operations solely for the purpose of enforcing federal civil immigration law, including but not limited to requests to establish traffic perimeters related solely to immigration enforcement. Now, as the incoming President threatens mass detentions and deportations, we need to bolster these protections for undocumented residents, Roias said in a statement to Target 12. We need to make clear: Providence will not be an active participant in Donald Trumps campaign of cruelty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Mayor Jorge Elorza signed the original ordinance the into law in June 2017, and it took effect the following January. At the time, Elorza called it the most comprehensive community-police relations law in the country. With so much tension in the air in cities throughout the country, Providence is being proactive in collecting data and in adopting policies promoting transparency, accountability and strong community relations, Elorza said in a 2017 statement. A separate internal police policy that went into effect in 2021 also prohibits Providence officers from asking about someones immigration status and from holding a subject based exclusively on an administrative detainer. The new proposal by Roias would ensure that police are not proactively providing federal immigration authorities with a list of arrestees or inmates, in addition to any information about the time of their release. Plus, police would not be able to share personal data like state-issued IDs, licenses, names, addresses, dates of birth, fingerprints or biometric information with the feds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed changes would also block federal authorities without a signed warrant in hand from city buildings, schools, places of worship, health facilities and courts. Undocumented people are my constituents as much as any other. They are our neighbors and friends, our classmates and our colleagues. When we protect our neighbors, we strengthen our city, Roias said. Safety isnt built on fear. Its built on trust and community, and thats what this ordinance protects. The ordinance would still allow authorities to enter those locations if they were responding to a specific act of terrorism, national security threat or when there is the threat of imminent danger of violence to the United States. On Thursday night the Providence City Council referred the ordinance to the Committee on Ordinances before being vetted and formally voted on. No discussion was held on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Brett Smiley has not yet commented on the proposed changes. We will be reviewing the amendment this week when it is formally introduced, Smiley spokesperson Josh Estrella told Target 12 on Thursday. In a press conference the day after the election, however, Smiley said that Providence police officers are not, should not be, and will not be immigration officers. If you are going about your business, you have no concern that Providence police or law enforcement, empowered by me at least, are going to be asking for paperwork or checking immigration status, Smiley said. Now, if you break the law, and you find yourself in prison, that information is shared with immigration services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alexandra Leslie (aleslie@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter covering Providence and more for 12 News. Connect with her on Twitter and on Facebook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup 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 WPRI.com. Jabriera Handy, left, talks about the impact of being charged as an adult when she was 16 years old. She was part of a discussion Monday on improving Maryland's juvenile justice system, with Eddie Ellis, center, and Earl Young, who also were incarcerated as youths. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) Jabriera Handy was just 16 when she left the house one day after arguing with her grandmother about pictures hanging on the wall. When her 69-year-old grandmother suffered a fatal heart attack several hours later, Jabiera was charged with second-degree murder and first- and second-degree assault in the death. Despite her age, the charges automatically made her an adult in the eyes of Maryland law. She was charged as an adult and said she spent 11 months in the Baltimore detention center, including at least 30 days in solitary confinement, before accepting a plea deal for involuntary manslaughter and being transferred into a juvenile system program for six to eight months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the stress of that time still lives with Handy, now 33, who said she still has anxiety when in large crowds because of it. When you are in adult prison, you are treated as an adult, said Handy, now the mother of an 11-year-old daughter. What we want is for every child to start in juvenile court to give them a chance at receiving valuable services to become productive. Lets vote to end the prosecution of youth as adults. Legislation to end the practice of charging youths as adults is a priority of the Office of the Public Defender, which is scheduled to outline its legislative agenda Thursday during a rally at Lawyers Mall in Annapolis. Its also among 18 recommendations scheduled to be released in a report this month by the Maryland Equitable Justice Collaborative, on which Public Defender Natasha Dartigue and Attorney General Anthony Brown (D) serve as co-chairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the public defenders office, Maryland ranked second behind Alabama in automatically sending teenagers aged 14 to 17 to adult court. The office notes that in 2022, about 12% of teenagers tried as adults were convicted. Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Prince Georges County. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) All 871 teens automatically charged as adults faced lengthy and expensive processes to decide if their cases would stay in adult court, with average wait times 103 days longer than those in the juvenile system, according to the public defender. This is inefficient and results in backlogs and wasted resources of Marylands courts, Department of Juvenile Services, public defenders, and prosecutors. The office says that ending the practice of automatically charging children as adults could free up an estimated $20 million for juvenile services to invest in community resources. If we are ever going to evolve into a system that is just and fair, we have to start with the basic premise of treating children as children, Dartigue said Monday, after the collaboratives youth justice work group event on the campus of the Cheltenham Youth Detention Center in Prince Georges County. The practice of charging children as adults goes contrary to science, goes contrary to the data, goes contrary to the basic premise that they are children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the advocates are making their pitch less than a year after lawmakers passed a juvenile justice reform bill that tightened juvenile justice, and made children as young as 10 subject to Department of Juvenile Services jurisdiction, amid fears of youth crime. Zakiya Sankara-Jabar, director of education policy and activism with the Wayfinder Foundation, remains frustrated at the passed of House Bill 814, which was signed into law in May. I hope they [legislators] have more courage this year than they did last year, said Sankara-Jabar, a Montgomery County resident whose teenage son was in DJS custody for about two months after being charged with armed robbery while with other youths for allegedly attacking a pizza delivery person. I think we should be focusing on prevention, she said. Just shouldnt be charging kids as adults [when] theyre not. Other priorities The public defenders office has three other priorities on its legislative agenda: reforming the states parole system to include medical and geriatric parole, funding indigent defense and making traffic stops safer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Charles Sydnor III and Del. N. Scott Phillips, both Baltimore County Democrats, will sponsor the traffic stops legislation, which is likely to be opposed by the Maryland Sheriffs Association, among others. Sydnors SB 292 proposes to downgrade a number of current primary violations, which allow police to pull a person over, to secondary status, which cannot be the sole reason an officer stops a driver for a nonsafety-related traffic stop. As of Wednesday evening, a House version had not been posted online. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Companion bills have been filed on medical and geriatric parole by Sen. Shelly Hettleman (D-Baltimore County) and Del. J. Sandy Bartlett (D-Anne Arundel), a bill supporters have been trying to pass since 2022. This year, SB 181 and HB 190 would apply to an incarcerated individual who is 60 years old, has served as least 15 years and is not registered as a sex offender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For medical parole, a medical professional would have to determine if the incarcerated individual is chronically debilitated or incapacitated or has a disease or condition with an end-of-life trajectory. Certain conditions would include dementia or a severe or permanent medical or cognitive disability that prevents the person from completing more than one activity or daily living. A hearing on Hettlemans bill is set for Jan. 28 before the Judicial Proceedings Committee. As of Wednesday, no hearing had been scheduled for Bartletts version of the bill before the Judiciary Committee. During a visit last week to the General Assembly, Brown said he supports the proposal for medical and geriatric parole. The final priority for the public defenders office deals funding for legal defense for indigents, to make sure someone who cannot afford to hire an attorney can still get one. We know that if we want to build stronger families and communities, we must first dismantle the barriers that keep our people trapped in cycles of disproportionate incarceration, Chrissy M. Thornton, president and CEO of Associated Black Charities, said in a statement Monday. You cannot claim to care about equity and justice while underfunding the very agencies that defend the most vulnerable among us. CHEYENNE Following a fatal stabbing, suspect Joseph Gish waived his right to a preliminary hearing and instead addressed bond Wednesday in Laramie County District Court. Gish has been in custody in the Laramie County Detention Center on a felony charge of voluntary manslaughter since Dec. 13. His charge holds a maximum penalty of up to 20 years and/or a $10,000 fine. Judge Sean Chambers bound Gishs case up to district court and adjusted his bond from $20,000 cash bond to $20,000 cash or surety at the advice of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Self-defense? While Gish waived his right to a preliminary hearing, his legal representation, Senior Assistant Public Defender Baend Buus, argued that the murky details of his alleged crimes should affect the courts decision to address and potentially reduce bond. Gish was arrested in the early hours of Dec. 13 in the 2000 block of Mary Way after allegedly stabbing his wifes 55-year-old boyfriend, Gregory Meyer. The two, while legally married, have been separated for several years and are not romantically involved. Buus argued that evidence available to him and the court indicated clear signs of self-defense. It appeared to Buus that Meyer had attacked Gish in his home following a confrontation between the two men. Meyer then attacked Gishs adult daughter after she tried to separate the two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Buuss testimony, Gish stabbed Meyer while attempting to get him away from his daughter. Buus further argued that it was clear in the 911 call that Gish had attempted to provide Meyer medical aid, and the timeline between when Meyer was stabbed and when he arrived at the hospital is unclear. Gishs daughter called 911 to assist Meyer, but he instead chose to have Gishs wife drive him to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center. It appears the victim, in some ways, contributed to the cause of his own death, Buus told the court. Based on these points, Buus told the court that Gish had a valid self-defense claim. Self-defense, Gishs lack of criminal history and his role as the sole provider for his family, Buus argued, were reasons that the court should lower the bond to $5,000 cash surety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the affidavit, Gish was the only one currently living in the house who worked and was paying the bills. The court noted that few of Buuss points had to do with bond, which typically is determined by severity of crime, ties to the community, financial capabilities and likelihood that the suspect will adhere to bond conditions and continue to appear in court. Buus reiterated some concerns with the actions of the District Attorneys office, claiming that they were more concerned with the optics of the case than the evidence at hand. He gave the example of the charges, saying that typically a case would only reach manslaughter charges in negotiations, not as the beginning charge. Buus added that though he understood arrests are typically made before investigations are complete, that practice should not cause innocent people to sit in jail and possibly lose their jobs. He also noted that it is not typical for him to make this type of bond request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the court agreed with this sentiment, Judge Chambers asked Buus to provide evidence-based reasons to reduce bond rather than appealing to the courts good heart. Chambers added that the court was not concerned with a personal dispute with the DA. Chambers ultimately sided with the state on the issue of bond, based on Gishs criminal history, which only consisted of a few dismissed charges and no convictions. The time and date of Gishs arraignment has not yet been set.The incidentOn Dec. 12, in the 2000 block of Mary Way, Meyer was at Gishs residence fixing a tub, according to the arrest affidavit. When Laramie County Sheriffs Deputy Ryan Mershon arrived on the scene, Gish admitted that he did the stabbing, explaining to the deputy that Meyer was trying to fix the bathtub near his bedroom, and Gish wanted him to leave, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gish had told Meyer that this was his bathroom and his home, and that he wanted him to leave, which led to a struggle between the two, according to the affidavit. Gishs daughter told deputies that when she went to see what was going on, Meyer had pushed Gish up against a wall. Meyer attempted to punch Gish, missed and hit her instead, according to the affidavit. Gish then brandished a small silver blade as a warning to get Meyer off of his daughter, Gish told deputies. At one point, Meyer charged down the hall at Gish and ran into the knife himself, the daughter told Mershon. Gishs daughter didnt recall any animosity between the two prior to this event and didnt believe Meyer was armed, but told Mershon that she didnt like Meyer much and felt that he was violent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not something I wanted, Gish told the deputy. He then hit my kid and hit me, too. I was trying to deliver enough force to get him the hell away from us, Gish said. When he came toward me, thats when he got stabbed. His wife was in the kitchen when she heard a struggle, according to the affidavit. She believed she and Gishs daughter had been hit during the struggle and recalled Meyer saying something like, Im sorry, I didnt mean that to happen, according to the affidavit. She added that she saw Gish lunge at Meyer with a knife and believed Gish to be the aggressor, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gish told Mershon that he disliked Meyer for similar reasons as his daughter, but was able to get along with him. He denied stabbing Meyer on purpose, maintaining that the stabbing happened in the course of the struggle, according to the affidavit. (Gish) said he was scared of what Meyer might do to himself and (his daughter), the affidavit said. During the struggle, he recalled that he gripped the knife tightly and believed that Meyer had been accidentally stabbed. Meyers autopsy confirmed that he died of a single stab wound to his left chest area, causing damage to his lung and heart. The wound was consistent with Gishs folding pocket knife. Gish was taken into custody at the scene, and his wife drove Meyer to Cheyenne Regional Medical Center prior to the deputys arrival, where he succumbed to his injuries. DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) State transportation officials will hold a drop-in public information meeting Thursday to discuss improvements on a 15-mile stretch of I-26 to better address traffic volume. The I-26 corridor improvement project will focus on the interstate between mile markers 172 and 187 in Berkeley and Dorchester counties. People interested in learning about the full scope of the project are invited to gather at Woodland High School (4128 Highway 78) between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SCDOT representatives will be available to discuss the proposed project. There will not be a formal presentation. The agency will also accept public comments regarding the project until January 31. A project outline from the South Carolina Department of Transportation shows the project would add a travel lane in each direction of I-26, install barrier walls or cable guardrails, replace 11 bridges including seven overpass bridges and four mainline bridges and improvements to drainage, and upgrades to the interchange ramps at exits 127 and 177. The project is needed due to existing and projected traffic volumes and operating conditions along this section of I-26. Specifically, the existing and projected traffic volumes indicate that I-26 would be operating beyond capacity and would experience an increase in traffic congestion and operational deficiencies if no improvements are made, SCDOT said in its project outline. Construction is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2027 and last about four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can learn more about the project by clicking 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 WCBD News 2. DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) The Humane Society of Greater Dayton is asking the public to help identify a man who abandoned several sick puppies Wednesday. The Humane Society says an unknown man abandoned seven puppies outside of the shelter at approximately 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 15. The puppies were found to be suffering from severe cases of canine parvovirus, a highly contagious and deadly disease. Photo/Humane Society of Greater Dayton Security camera footage shows a dark colored, four door sedan arrive at the Humane Society shelter. A man exits the passenger side door and removes a pink-colored wire dog crate from the backseat. He places it on the ground before returning to the car, fleeing the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When staff members found the dogs left outside in the frigid temperatures they were visibly weak, thin and dehydrated. Three of the seven dogs were in such critical condition, they needed IV fluids and immediate intensive care. The puppies are now receiving the care they need, but the care is costly, with a total already over $2,000. Despite the lifesaving treatment, the Humane Society says their recovery remains uncertain. Photo/Humane Society of Greater Dayton Photo/Humane Society of Greater Dayton Leaving animals abandoned on the sidewalk in the frigid cold is illegal. However, at this point we are more concerned for the health of these puppies as well as any other animals that may still be in this individuals household, said Brian Weltge, President & CEO of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. Parvo is extremely contagious, and if other animals in the home are infected, they may also need urgent medical care. While the Humane Society nurses the dogs back to health, they are asking for public assistance to locate those responsible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you recognize the man in question or have any information regarding this case, please contact the Humane Society of Greater Dayton immediately at (937) 262-8091 or via email at mercer@hsdayton.org. Information can also be submitted online at www.hsdayton.org/report. View the images below to help identify the suspect: 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. Jan. 15OTTAWA The murder trial for Lima resident Konner Dunklee, charged in the April 2024 shooting death of 30-year-old Deshler resident Farrah Croninger at a Leipsic trucking company, has been continued until March. Putnam County Common Pleas Court Judge Keith Schierloh on Wednesday reluctantly postponed the trial, previously scheduled to begin Feb. 4, after Dunklee's attorney said new information has come to light that could impact two earlier competency rulings for his client. Dunklee, 26, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity in May 2024 to charges that include aggravated murder, murder, attempt to commit an offense, felonious assault and assault in connection to Croninger's death. Since that time, two separate psychologists have submitted to the court rulings stating that Dunklee is competent to stand trial and was not legally insane at the time of the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a motion hearing on Monday, defense attorney Drew Mahalik said that in recent weeks his client has come forth with additional information surrounding his mental health history that the attorney believes might be relevant to the issue of competency. Mahalik said a review of Dunklee's military records "gave rise to information not previously provided by my client (which) is significant, in my opinion. We request that we be allowed to provide this information to both (psychological) evaluators to see if it modifies their opinions." Schierloh was reluctant to move the trial date but agreed that out of an abundance of caution he believed it necessary "that all the I's be dotted and the T's crossed" in the case. He ordered the newly discovered records to be submitted to the evaluators "with a report from them due back in court within 30 days." The judge scheduled a new trial date for Dunklee of March 24, with a full week set aside for the proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say Croninger died April 18, 2024, after Dunklee entered the Kitchen Enterprises Trucking Company in Leipsic with a gun and opened fire. Putnam County Sheriff's Office deputies responded and found the woman dead at the scene of apparent gunshot wounds. Michael Kitchen, 54, was also injured during the shooting. Dunklee fled the scene and was later arrested in Allen County. He is being held in the Putnam County jail on a $1 million bond. Late last year Putnam County Prosecutor Gary Lammers told Schierloh that negotiations were taking place and that a potential resolution to the case had been discussed. Lammers at that time said his office would seek "the harshest possible penalty, which is life (in prison) without parole." Featured Local Savings Following more than 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of some hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Mediator Qatar made the widely anticipated announcement on Wednesday evening. The ceasefire is set to come into force on Sunday at 12:15 pm (1015 GMT) and to initially last for 42 days, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced following talks in Doha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first agreement of this kind since a pause in the conflict more than a year ago. It brings hope of an alleviation of the hardship for the civilian population of the extensively devastated coastal strip. "We call for calm until implementation," said Al Thani. The agreement still requires approval from the Israeli Security Cabinet and the Israeli government. Efforts from the United States, Egypt and Qatar have been ongoing for months to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire and Hamas to release its hostages. However, the indirect negotiations had stalled for months. Netanyahu says deal still to be finalized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will issue a statement on the deal only once the final details have been finalized, his office said late on Wednesday, as the final details of the agreement were still being worked on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Israeli news website ynet, what was still being discussed were "technical details" such as the precise composition of the list of Palestinian prisoners to be released in exchange for Israeli hostages. Initially, 33 hostages set to be freed During the initial period of the ceasefire, 33 of the hostages held by Hamas are set to be released. In return, as was the case in the previous ceasefire, Palestinian prisoners are to be freed from Israeli prisons. Al Thani did not initially specify how many. According to Israeli sources, a total of 98 hostages are still being held in the Gaza Strip, with at least 34 of them presumed dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first three hostages were reportedly set to be released on Sunday, according to Israeli reports. Parallel to the exchange of hostages for prisoners, the Israeli army is to begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. Three-phase plan - still many hurdles According to Al Thani, the current agreement only covers the first of three phases planned for the ceasefire. Details regarding the following phases are to be announced once the ceasefire is in effect. Negotiations about phase two reportedly would start 16 days into the ceasefire. These negotiations would likely focus on the release of the remaining hostages still alive and a further withdrawal of the Israeli army from Gaza. Israeli army to stay near Egypt border for now According to media reports, Israeli forces were to gradually withdraw from inhabited areas of the Gaza Strip but initially not from the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt. Israel fears that Hamas could again attempt smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip there if it were to withdraw forces from there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents who have fled to the south of the coastal strip should be allowed to move freely in the Gaza Strip again and return to their residential areas in the north under international supervision. Israeli government officials have stressed that the army will not leave the Gaza Strip until all hostages are home. Even after the start of the ceasefire, soldiers were set to remain in a buffer zone at the edge of the Gaza Strip and other areas. Israeli Cabinet still needs to approve agreement The agreement still requires approval from the Israeli Security Cabinet and the Israeli government. The Cabinet was reportedly set to convene on Thursday at 11 am to ok the agreement. Immediately afterwards, the government was set to convene. Approval is considered to be relatively certain, though extreme right-wing coalition partners of Netanyahu's had threatened to leave the government in the event of a ceasefire. Israel's president urges deal's approval Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the the ceasefire "is the right move" as he called on the Security Cabinet and government to approve it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to uswhether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest," Herzog said in a statement issued by his office on Wednesday. Herzog conceded that the deal would involve painful, challenging and harrowing moments. He also said that everything would be done to ensure that all the 98 remaining hostages are brought home. How it started The Gaza war was triggered by the worst massacre in Israel's history on October 7, 2023, when over 1,200 people in Israel were killed by Hamas terrorists and other groups. Over 250 hostages were also taken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel responded with attacks against Hamas in Gaza, which, according to Palestinian sources, resulted in more the death of more than 46,700 people. The figure, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified, but has been deemed credible by the United Nations. During a one-week ceasefire in November 2023, Hamas released 105 hostages. In exchange, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from its prisons. Louis Harm(L), one of the two hostages rescued by Israeli special forces last year, watches Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announce that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza starting on 19 January 2025, and a hostage and prisoner exchange after 15 months of war. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Demonstrators embrace each other during a protest in front of the Israeli Defence Ministry, calling for the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since October 2023. The protest comes amid reports of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes the release of hostages, according to officials from Hamas, the United States, and other mediators. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Palestinians inspect the destroyed buildings following an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat Refugee Camp. Moiz Salhi/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa People carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli air-strike on Deir Al-Balah. Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following more than 15 months of war in the Gaza Strip, Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have agreed to a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of more hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. Mediator Qatar made the widely anticipated announcement on Wednesday evening. The ceasefire is set to begin on Sunday in the Gaza Strip at 12:15 pm (1015 GMT) and will initially last for 42 days, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced following talks in Doha. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After more than 15 months of intense fighting, this is the first agreement of this kind since a pause in the conflict more than a year ago. It also brings hope of an alleviation of the hardship for the civilian population of the extensively devastated coastal strip. "We call for calm until implementation," said Al Thani. Efforts from the United States, Egypt and Qatar have been ongoing for months to persuade Israel to agree to a ceasefire and Hamas to release its hostages through indirect negotiations. However, the talks had stalled for months. Biden: Deal reached after "dogged and painstaking" diplomacy According to observers, the temporary end of the fighting in the extensively devastated coastal area was also made possible by the setbacks for Iran's proxies in its "Axis of Resistance" in Lebanon and Syria and threats from the US President-elect Donald Trump, who had vehemently demanded an agreement for the release of the hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outgoing US President Joe Biden, however, stressed that the agreement was a result of "dogged and painstaking American diplomacy." He said that his diplomatic efforts had not waned at any point. Biden shared that the deal was based on a plan he had already presented in May. Initially, 33 hostages set to be freed During the initial period of the ceasefire, 33 of the hostages held by Hamas are to be released. In return, as in a previous ceasefire, Palestinian prisoners are to be freed from Israeli prisons. Al Thani did not initially specify a number in this regard. According to Israeli sources, a total of 98 abducted individuals are still being held in the Gaza Strip, with at least 34 presumed dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parallel to the exchange of hostages for prisoners, the Israeli army is to begin withdrawing from the Gaza Strip. Three-phase plan - still many hurdles According to Al Thani, three phases are planned, of which the current agreement only covers the first phase. Details of the following phases are to be announced once the ceasefire is in effect. In phase two, about which negotiations are reportedly due to begin on the 16th day after the ceasefire comes into effect, discussions will likely focus on the release of the remaining live hostages and the further withdrawal of the Israeli army. The first three hostages are reportedly to be released on Sunday, according to Israeli reports. Israel's president urges approval Israeli President Isaac Herzog called on his country's security cabinet and government to approve the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My sisters and brothers, citizens of Israel, we are at a most crucial moment," Herzog said in a statement issued by his office on Wednesday. He asserted that the ceasefire "is the right move," adding: "There is no greater moral, human, Jewish, or Israeli obligation than to bring our sons and daughters back to uswhether to recover at home, or to be laid to rest." At the same time, Herzog said the deal would involve painful, challenging and harrowing moments. He also said that everything would be done to ensure that the last of the 98 hostages is brought home. Israeli officials believe that a total of 98 abductees are still being held in the Gaza Strip, of whom at least 34 are thought to be dead. Hundreds of lorries to deliver aid supplies At the important Rafah border crossing to the Gaza Strip, Egypt had already prepared for a possible opening and new aid deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel's army had occupied the Rafah border crossing on the Palestinian side in May last year. Shortly thereafter, aid deliveries from Egypt via Rafah ceased. Withdrawal of the Israeli army According to media reports, Israel's army is to gradually withdraw from inhabited areas of the Gaza Strip but initially not from the Philadelphi Corridor along the border with Egypt. Israel fears that Hamas could again smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip there. Residents who have fled to the south of the coastal strip should be allowed to move freely in the Gaza Strip again and return to their residential areas in the north under international supervision. Complete withdrawal only after return of all hostages Israeli government officials have emphasized that the army will not leave the Gaza Strip until all hostages are home. Even after the start of the ceasefire, soldiers are to remain in a buffer zone at the edge of the Gaza Strip and other areas. Trump speaks of "epic" Gaza agreement Trump reacted with relief to reports of an agreement even before it was officially announced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November," he posted on his online platform Truth Social. "We have achieved so much without even being in the White House," the president-elect, who is due to take office on January 20, added. Arab countries welcome agreement Several Arab states have welcomed the agreement. "With this announcement, a bloody chapter in the history of the Palestinian people, who have suffered greatly under Israeli aggression, comes to an end," Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Arab Emirates' Foreign Ministry called on both sides to uphold the agreement to end the suffering of hostages and Palestinian prisoners while stressing the urgent need to allow humanitarian aid into the blockaded coastal enclave. Jordan's Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi emphasized the necessity of international action to address what he described as a humanitarian catastrophe caused by Israeli attacks. He reiterated Jordan's commitment to continuing humanitarian assistance to those affected. Israeli Cabinet still needs to approve deal The agreement still requires approval from the Israeli Security Cabinet and the Israeli government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Israeli media, it is scheduled to meet at 11 am (0900 GMT) on Thursday to approve the deal. Immediately afterwards, the government is also set to convene. Approval is considered to be relatively certain. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar cut short his European tour to participate in the voting, his office said. Extreme right-wing coalition partners of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had threatened to leave the government in the event of a ceasefire. Celebrations in Gaza, guarded reaction from hostage families Celebrations broke out in the Gaza Strip following media reports that Israel and the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement agreed to a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eyewitnesses said tens of thousands of jubilant people took to the streets. Images circulating on Palestinian and social media show people singing and dancing. Men could also be seen apparently crying with joy. Relatives of Israeli hostages in Gaza greeted the prospect of the release of abductees with mixed feelings. "For me it's only over when it's over," said Jimmy Miller, cousin of hostage Shiri Bibas, in the centre of Tel Aviv. The square was unusually empty on Wednesday evening, and no-one seemed in a celebratory mood. Hamas jubilant Hamas is celebrating the agreement with Israel on a ceasefire in the Gaza conflict as an achievement for the Palestinians. "The ceasefire agreement is the result of the legendary resilience of our great Palestinian people and our courageous resistance in the Gaza Strip for more than 15 months," the Islamist organization stated. Massacre by Hamas triggered war The cause of the longest martial conflict in the history of Israel was the massacre by Hamas and other extremist groups on October 7, 2023, in Israel, with 1,200 dead and more than 250 abducted. Israel responded with attacks against Hamas in Gaza, which, according to Palestinian sources, resulted in more than 46,700 deaths and over 110,200 injured. The casualty figures, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, cannot be independently verified, but they have been deemed credible by the United Nations. During a one-week ceasefire in November 2023, Hamas released 105 hostages. In exchange, Israel released 240 Palestinian prisoners from its prisons. Louis Harm(L), one of the two hostages rescued by Israeli special forces last year, watches Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani announce that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza starting on 19 January 2025, and a hostage and prisoner exchange after 15 months of war. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Demonstrators embrace each other during a protest in front of the Israeli Defence Ministry, calling for the release of Israelis held hostage in Gaza since October 2023. The protest comes amid reports of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, which includes the release of hostages, according to officials from Hamas, the United States, and other mediators. Ilia Yefimovich/dpa Palestinians inspect the destroyed buildings following an Israeli airstrike on the Nuseirat Refugee Camp. Moiz Salhi/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa People carry the bodies of Palestinians killed in an Israeli air-strike on Deir Al-Balah. Omar Ashtawy/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa HONOLULU (KHON2) Nurses at The Queens Medical Center are celebrating a huge victory after ratifying a tentative agreement to secure a three-year contract. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You On Sunday, Jan. 12, nearly 2,000 nurses from Queens West Oahu and Punchbowl campuses were fully prepared to go on strike. Strike is off! Queens nurses reach tentative agreement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nurses had been working without a contract since June 30 and were set to strike over unfair labor practices. After more than 40 hours of mediation, Queens Medical Center and the Hawaii Nurses Association reached a tentative agreement just hours before their strike call at 7 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 13. The new contract runs from Wednesday, Jan. 15 through Jan. 14, 2028, and will allow enforceable staffing ratios to ensure quality care for patients is a priority. This has been a long, nine-month battle for patient safety, and the nurses now can have peace of mind that quality care will be a priority at Queens. The nurses feel much more confident that patients will receive the attention and care they deserve when they are admitted to Queens. Rosalee Agas-Yuu, HNA president Additionally, the contract features a nearly 17% wage increase. Check out more news from around Hawaii Agas-Yuu added HNA is thrilled about the ratification for Oahu patients. As for Wilcox Medical Center, nurses will begin their third day of the strike on Thursday, Jan. 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. ST. LOUIS For over 15 months, BNai Amoona Rabbi Jeffrey Abraham has kept a visual reminder for his congregation of the conflict between both Israel and Hamas. Since October 2023, we put the pictures of the hostages in our sanctuary, Abraham said. Theyve sat beside us for 15 months now. It is still early in this ceasefire agreement that aims to offer an olive branch to both sides. The three-phase deal promises the release of dozens of hostages held by militants in Gaza and hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in Israel, and it will allow hundreds of thousands of displaced people in Gaza to return to what remains of their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its time for us to put whatever differences aside for these past 15 months, Abraham added. Id ask the other side to stop their unlawful protests. But hopefully this can bring some peace to the Middle East but the whole world. Missouri Republicans look to eliminate the state income tax I know its going to be difficult for everyone, Olive Grill restaurant owner David Simmons said. A lot of lives lost, and a lot of infrastructure is damaged. I hope the deal goes through. Simmons is hopeful for the 42-day cease-fire agreement. Whoever wins, they tell the story, he said. They make who is right and who is wrong, and thats one major issue. Whoever is the winner, they decide who is right and who is wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The details still need to be ironed out, but the process is expected to begin Sunday. The Jewish Federation of St. Louis also released a statement on the ceasefire agreement: Jewish Federations welcome news of a deal to release dozens of hostages, create a framework for releasing all the hostages, and allow Israel a path forward to protect the safety and security of its citizens. Every day for over 15 months, our community has held the hostages in our hearts, wept for their plight, prayed for their safe return, and mourned for those who we lost. Weve held close our Israeli brothers and sisters who have suffered, been displaced, fought in reserves, struggled to keep their businesses afloat, and worked to keep their families and communities alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors. We must also thank President Biden and President-elect Trump, for their unprecedented coordination to bring both sides together to get a deal done. 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 lack of rainfall in Southern California created the tinderbox conditions for the Los Angeles wildfires to rapidly burn through more than 40,000 acres of land. The region has experienced one of its driest winter spells on record and rainfall is needed, but with it also comes the threat of toxic chemicals and pollution that will run into the ocean. Experts and locals in the area have warned that rainfall will cause toxic debris from the fires to rush down the hills and canyons through drains and straight into the Pacific Ocean, which will have a devastating impact on the ecosystem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So much of the forest and the wildlife has been burnt down, community volunteer Seth Monk told USA Today. All that stuffs just going to go into the ocean. Another local who owns a surf shop in Santa Monica said they feared the next rainfall. Experts and locals in the area have warned that rainfall will cause toxic debris to rush down the hills and canyons (AFP via Getty Images) The whole ecosystem is going to change, Marjan Khonsari said. We are due for some rain and its going to be really bad. Once it rains, everything is going to run into the ocean. An ocean water advisory was issued by L.A. Countys Public Health because of the uncertain amount of fire-fighting runoff, which may contain toxic chemicals and debris that have entered the ocean during fire-fighting operations, the agency said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It warned surfers and swimmers to stay out of the water until further notice. Heal the Bay, a local environmental non-profit, warned that the area must build more resiliency to protect the natural world. Horrific fires always impact the shoreline habitat and water quality, as detritus and runoff from the destruction inevitably flow to the Bay. But rarely have we seen environmental devastation like this, the group said in an Instagram post. The region has experienced one of its driest winter spells on record (AFP via Getty Images) The apocalyptic scenes serve as a warning that we must build more resiliency into our natural and built systems, especially as climate impacts become more frequent and severe in the decades to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rainfall can reduce the intensity of fires if there is enough of it. The moisture from the rain can reduce the intensity of the fire by wetting any existing fire fuel, such as trees and plants, the Western Fire Chiefs Association said in an explainer article. This makes it harder for the fire to spread and can help firefighters in their efforts to control and extinguish the flames. However, the association also warned that heavy rains can trigger landslides after a fire. The combination of intense wildfires followed by rainfall can increase the risks of flash floods, mudslides, and erosion in fire-affected areas, they said. This is because the fire destroys vegetation and damages the soil, reducing its capacity to absorb water. Surfers and swimmers have been told to stay out of the water until further notice (Getty Images) There is no significant rain forecast for the region in the immediate future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts also warned people not to go sifting through whats left of their homes to recover possessions because of the level of pollution. Residents should not, not, not, go home and sift through the debris, Katie Arrington, an environmental cleanup expert, told USA Today. It is highly toxic debris. Its the mixing all the materials together, along with it burning. Its not just your house, but your neighbors houses, your car in the driveway. Another expert likened the conditions of the Palisades and Eaton fires to the toxic burn pits used by the military in Iraq and Afghanistan that have been linked to several cancers. In general, this is more similar to burn pit exposures than it is to forest fires, environmental toxicologist Luke Montrose told the outlet. Its just a pile of garbage thats being burned and when that fire rips through houses and cars and trees, its going to be putting out more and varied toxic chemicals You add in heavy metals, things like lead, all of your building materials, foams and plastics and carpet and asphalt. A coalition of over 17 South Sound organizations is planning to protest the incoming president and his administration Monday. Climate Alliance of the South Sound, La Resistencia, Tacoma Democratic Socialists of America, Tacoma Jewish Voice for Peace, Black Panther Party of WA, All African Peoples Revolutionary Party, Capybara Collectiva, International Migrants Alliance, UWT-SDS, North End Tacoma Students for a Democratic Society, MECHA UWT, Kitsap Palestine Solidarity Alliance, Kabataan Alliance and more will rally at Firemans Park at 2 p.m., according to a news release. The 60th Presidential Inauguration is slated to start at noon Eastern Standard Time at the U.S. Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are calling for an end to the attacks on the people, to defeat Trumps agenda and resist U.S. imperialism, the release said. The coalition invites anyone who wants to oppose Donald Trump and his presidency to join the protest. Trumps racist promises to deport law-abiding, tax paying people shouldnt be ignored. I work in a warehouse with many immigrants and children of immigrants. I dont want to see my co-workers dragged away and put in cages, thats why Ill be marching on Jan 20th, Talison Crosby of Teamsters Local 174, said in the release. The release said that the coalition has united around a number of demands, including defending womens rights, protecting the environment and supporting workers ability to unionize and strike. During the last Trump presidency he gutted the EPA. Now were seeing even more orcas die while climate change driven wildfires threaten lives across California. We have to stand up and fight back now or there will be nothing left to fight for, Aife Pasquale of Climate Alliance of the South Sound said in the release. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) With MLK Jr. Day just around the corner, Savannahs Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum is the perfect place to reflect on his legacy. The museum shines a light on civil rights in the Coastal Empire, and Dr. King himself. The museum is located right on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, a street that holds its own important place in Savannahs history as one of the oldest Black communities in the city. This museum tells the citys civil rights story and shares its ties to King. King visited Savannah in 1964 and called it one of the most integrated cities south of the Mason-Dixon line. As the museum gears up for its 30th anniversary next year, theyre encouraging people to come in with their families to learn more about Savannahs past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local events to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Museum director Vaugnette Goode-Walker is one of this years MLK Jr. Observance Day parade grand marshals. Because we celebrate Dr. King every day! We celebrate civil rights every day here at the Ralph Mark Gilbert. So, I dont know. It must mean something because every year the parade gets bigger and bigger. And more people I mean last year I think there was 256 units in the parade, said Goode-Walker. If youre planning to visit the museum, you can explore exhibits like West Broad Street, which highlights Savannahs historical African American business district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Location : 460 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Savannah, GA Hours : Open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Exhibits: Dont miss West Broad Street or the tribute to NAACP heroes and sheroes. The museum also has rotating exhibits for visitors to check out. For more information, 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 WSAV-TV. John Ratcliffe emerged largely unscathed from a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee that appeared to pave the way for him to serve as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Ratcliffe experienced a rough-and-tumble confirmation process to become the director of national intelligence (DNI) in 2020. But this go-around was much more cordial and bipartisan, with Democrats directing their ire at President-elect Trumps more controversial nominees. Wednesdays hearing was wide-ranging and included back-and-forth exchanges with members on a number of topics, including intelligence gathering, threats the U.S. faces on a global scale and some of Ratcliffes actions as national intelligence director at the end of Trumps first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, all in all, Ratcliffe appears to be in as good of a spot as any of Trumps nominees. Here are five takeaways from his hearing. Ratcliffe pledges to keep the CIA apolitical Ratcliffe at multiple points in the hearing tried to calm Democratic concerns that the agency could become a political pawn on Trumps chessboard, an effort that is seemingly working as Ratcliffe pushes not just for a confirmation, but one with bipartisan support. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the committees vice chair, aired those worries during opening remarks and by asking Ratcliffe if he would resist efforts to force out or fire any CIA employees on the basis of political leanings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CIA nominee attempted to quell such concerns immediately, pointing to his tenure as national intelligence director and vowing that the CIA will maintain its apolitical nature. If you look at my record as DNI, that never took place. Thats never something that anyone has alleged, and its something that I would never do, Ratcliffe said. I would approach this position very much the same way and provide the same assurance. Ratcliffe also answered a series of questions from Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) related to the CIAs independence and keeping political leanings out of intelligence gathering, answers that appeared to be welcomed by the Maine senator. I enjoyed more my time as DNI and opportunity to be apolitical, Ratcliffe said later on in the hearing. Its absolutely essential that the CIA leader be apolitical. China reemerges as key issue for Ratcliffe Ratcliffe has long been a proponent of combating China and its ruling Chinese Communist Party, and the world power was a consistent topic throughout the hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Ratcliffes tenure as national intelligence director, he warned that China posed the greatest threat to the U.S. of any nation since World War II a stance he has doubled down on during his confirmation stretch. He has advocated for aggressive spying on the Asian power. Understand that the nation who wins the race of emerging technologies of today will dominate the world of tomorrow, Ratcliffe said during his opening statement. Which brings me to the need for the CIA to continue and increase an intensity to focus on the threats posed by China and its ruling Chinese Communist Party. As DNI, I dramatically increased the intelligence communitys resources devoted to China. I openly warned the American people that from my unique vantage point as an official who saw more intelligence than anyone else, I assessed that China was far and away our top national security threat, Ratcliffe said, noting his feeling is shared increasingly by those on both sides of the aisle. The former Texas congressman also labeled the country as a our once-in-a-generation challenge, adding that the intelligence is clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers have warmed to his thinking and posture on the situation since 2020. Ratcliffe could be confirmed with bipartisan support and fast Of all the potentials and maybes involved in the confirmation process, one thing is fairly certain: Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Trumps secretary of State nominee, will be the first of the president-elects Cabinet officials to win Senate approval shortly after Inauguration Day. The picture remains murky on who else could win confirmation in the first days of the Trump administration, but its becoming increasingly clear that Ratcliffe could be among that crowd. Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) told the panel before adjourning Ratcliffes hearing that he is planning on holding a committee vote on his nomination on Monday afternoon following the inauguration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are warming to his nomination despite Ratcliffe winning confirmation as national intelligence director in 2020 in a party-line vote. Warner told The Hill after the closed-door portion of Ratcliffes hearing that he is looking favorably upon his nomination but stopped short of saying hell vote for him. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), however, said that Ratcliffe has his support. I think hes qualified for the job. Hes a serious guy and hes got the background, Kelly said, adding that he was appreciative of Ratcliffes answers on speaking truth to power. Ive got confidence hell do a good job. Warrantless surveillance powers play key role Ratcliffe offered up a strong defense of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows for the warrantless surveillance of foreign targets, calling it an important tool to keep the U.S. safe at a critical time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked by Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) about the tool, Ratcliffe noted that he used 702 powers during his time as a prosecutor and indicated that his backing of it has only grown. He said that he supports its reauthorization. Its critical, its indispensable, and for critics of it, no one has offered a replacement, Ratcliffe said. He also acknowledged to Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) that the program could be abused, saying that while he remains an ardent supporter of it, some guardrails are needed. But [the authority is] one that can be abused and that we must do everything we can to make sure that it has the appropriate safeguards, because it cant come at the sacrifice of Americans civil liberties, he said. I have supported those reforms and called out those abuses when they have taken place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Trump nominee, former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (Hawaii), has been forced to backtrack on her opposition to Section 702 in order to potentially win confirmation to lead the U.S. national intelligence apparatus. A pledge to investigate Havana syndrome Ratcliffe told senators that he plans to drill down on the causes of Havana syndrome and anomalous health incidents (AHIs) amid reports that two U.S. intelligence agencies opened the door to the possibility these incidents were caused by a foreign adversary. The intelligence community at large has found no such links. The former director of national intelligence lamented to Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) that little headway has been made to determine who or what is responsible for a series of mystery health ailments that have affected hundreds of U.S. spies, diplomats and other personnel. I share your frustration that four years later were very much in the same place in terms of trying to make an assessment and determination on the cause of this, he said. I share your frustration in not being able to understand why, but if confirmed and have the opportunity to be briefed on all of the assessments and intelligence, my pledge to you is that I will drill down and look carefully at that issue and work with you to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffe noted that beyond the specific health issues, the CIA and intelligence communitys workforce morale has been affected by the ongoing reports surrounding AHIs. In early December, the House Intelligence Committees subcommittee on the CIA issued a report saying that there is an increasing likelihood that a foreign adversary was responsible for some of the AHI cases. Rubio, the nominee to lead the State Department, has also been a leading proponent of determining the causes of AHIs. 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. A backlogged police evidence room in Houston, Texas, is a bountiful buffet for the city's rats, who have been munching on loads of seized marijuana and magic mushrooms. Houston officials said they will start destroying the drugs that are no longer needed for cases. Some of the substances have been locked away for decades at the downtown headquarters of the Houston Police Department. We've got 400,000 lbs. of marijuana in storage, Houston Mayor John Whitmire said at a press conference last week. The rats are the only ones enjoying it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rats have also gotten into "packaging containing magic mushrooms," Harris County District Attorney general counsel Joshua Reiss told KHOU 11. The rat stash is a symptom of a larger problem with the severely backlogged Houston police evidence room, officials say, owing to policies forbidding police from disposing of evidence. 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. Critics say maintaining the evidence room keeps cops busy and away from the street, while causing inefficiencies in the disposition of cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, police will be able to destroy any narcotic evidence obtained prior to 2015, Harris County DA Sean Teare said at the press conference. Further, police will be able to destroy evidence upon the execution of a plea bargain if both prosecutors and the defense agree to it. The DA's office says it will notify defendants in 3,600 cases that evidence may have been compromised by rodents, though only one case is believed to have been jeopardized by the animals, KHOU 11 reports. Read the original article on People Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield on Wednesday took his first legal action in anticipation of the new Trump administration. He joined a motion to protect health care access for immigrants. (Michael Romanos/Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined a legal effort with 13 other states suing to protect health care insurance access for young immigrants in anticipation of the new Trump administration. This is Rayfields first legal action as attorney general in response to the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump. The goal is to allow Dreamers who came to the U.S. with their families illegally as children eligible for Affordable Care Act coverage under a Biden administration rule expected to end when Trump takes office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rule, issued last year, expanded health care access for DACA recipients under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. The program protects undocumented immigrants from deportation who came to the U.S. when they were under 16 and met other requirements like studying in school, working in certain sectors or serving in the military. The program started in 2012 during the Obama administration. In August, a group of 19 states led by Kansas challenged the Biden rule, filing a federal lawsuit in North Dakotas U.S. District Court. The judge in the case blocked the rule from taking place in the 19 states but left it in place in other states, including Oregon. The rule went into effect on Nov. 1. 2024, allowing DACA recipients to enroll in plans created through the federal Affordable Care Act. Oregon also has a separate, state-funded program that ensures that low-income immigrants, regardless of their residency status, have access to free benefits provided by Medicaid. As officials expect the Trump administration to stop defending the rule, Oregon and 13 other states filed a motion to intervene in the case. The motion argues that Oregon and other states will be harmed if the rule is eliminated and that states have a right to step in when the federal government does not defend a policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregon has long been a national leader in our work to expand access to health care, Rayfield said in a statement. Todays motion is an important step to protect our advancements and safeguarding the health and wellbeing of all Oregonians. Nationally, more than 580,000 Dreamers are in the program, according to a 2023 letter that states, including Oregon, wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in support of the rule change. In 2023, Oregon had 8,430 people protected under the program, the letter said. DACA has allowed recipients to live, study and work in the states (and throughout the country) as contributors and leaders in their communities, the letter said. DACA recipients attend public and private universities and are employed by companies, nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies and institutions, all of which benefit from their skills and productivity. In addition to Oregon, other states joining the motion are: Arizona, California, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) American Red Cross volunteers from North Carolina are in California helping with relief efforts from the wildfires. As the wildfires continue across Southern California, 11 volunteers from the American Red Cross in North Carolina have been deployed to help in relief efforts. Among those is Chuck Thurlow, helping out with logistics. He said the best thing people in North Carolina can do is to donate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having money allows us to move and pivot to get the things we need at the time, Thurlow said. Its kind of like cash is king, you know, in the sense that it allows us to be much more flexible in meeting the needs of the client. Tai Wong is another person making the trip across the country. Wong also helped with relief in Western N.C. after Hurricane Helene. While the fires and Helene are two different events, Wong said he sees similarities in the wake of the destruction. People are heartbroken and theyre devastated and they have lost their entire homes, all of their property, he said. And some, unfortunately, have also been separated from loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Red Cross officials said theyre focused on connecting family members. Thats one thing that also the Red Cross is working on is reunification here in California. Weve gotten thousands and thousands of applications for us to help individuals find their loved ones, whether theyre here in a shelter or somewhere else that may have been displaced. 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 WNCT. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's decision to ban the use of Red No. 3 dye in food products and medications has put a spotlight on the many items that contain the dye. The FDA's ban on FD&C Red No. 3, also known as Red 3, will not go into effect until January 2027 for food products and beverages and January 2028 for consumable medications, meaning products containing Red 3 will still be on the market for the next two years. Here is what to know about Red 3 and the products that contain it. What is Red 3? Red 3 is a petroleum-based synthetic food dye that gives foods and drinks a bright, cherry-red color. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDA announced on Jan. 15 that it is amending its color additive regulations to no longer allow the use of Red 3, which was first approved by the FDA in 1969. FDA bans use of Red No. 3 dye in food, drinks The FDA's Jan. 15 decision was in response to a 2022 petition from health groups and activists that cited Red 3's link to cancer. At least two studies have shown that high levels of the food dye were linked to cancer in rats. However, the link between the dye and cancer does not occur in humans, the FDA says. While studies in other animals and humans did not show this link to cancer, an FDA regulation prohibits the agency from authorizing color additive found to induce cancer in either humans or animals, pushing the agency to revoke the food dye's previous authorization. What types of medications may contain Red 3? Red 3 is most often found in gummy vitamins and cough syrups, in order to give those products a bright red color. What types of foods may contain Red 3? PHOTO: A cake is seen in this undated stock photo. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images) Red 3 is primarily used in foods such as candy, cakes and cupcakes, cookies, frozen desserts, frosting and icings, and some ingested drugs, according to the FDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Agriculture's database shows more than 9,000 brand-name foods that include Red 3 as an ingredient. Some examples of foods that may contain Red 3 include: Brightly-colored candies Sodas Juices Yogurts Popsicles Cookies Frosting Vegetarian meats Frozen casseroles How is Red 3 identified on food labels? Color additives in foods are required by the FDA to be listed on food labels. On food labels, Red 3 is listed as "FD&C Red No. 3," "FD&C Red 3," "Red 3" and "erythrosine," according to the FDA. PHOTO: A set of red drinks is seen in this undated stock photo. (STOCK PHOTO/Getty Images) When looking at food labels, in addition to looking at the color additives, consumers should also look at the total number of ingredients in the product, according to ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton, a board-certified emergency medicine physician. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is Red 40? Other food coloring up for possible ban in US If a food label contains more than five ingredients, it is probably an "ultra-processed food" and its consumption should be limited, according to Sutton. Is Red 3 different than Red 40? Yes, Red 3 is separate from Red 40, a synthetic food dye used to achieve a bright crimson color in condiments and candy. According to the USDA's branded foods database, Red 40, also known as red dye No. 40 and Allura Red, is the most used per pound consumed among three food dyes found in over 36,000 food products sold in the U.S. The FDA's decision to ban Red 3 does not apply to Red 40, which will remain available for use in food products in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some studies have also shown Red 40 is a carcinogen in animals. ABC News' Kelly McCarthy and Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report. Red No. 3 ban: What to know about foods containing the dye originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas likely wont be enough to bring major ocean carriers back into the Suez Canal in the near term. Both parties initially agreed to the truce Wednesday, which would pause 15 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip and see the release of dozens of hostages and Palestinian prisoners. More from Sourcing Journal The deal is expected to be implemented Sunday, although Israel has delayed a cabinet vote on the ceasefire, blaming Hamas for reneging on parts of the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hapag-Lloyd remains non-committal to any Red Sea return. A recurring barrage of drone and missile attacks by Yemen-based Houthi militants in the Red Sea and neighboring Gulf of Aden has lingered since November 2023, shortly after Israels offensive in Gaza began. The agreement has only just been reached, a Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson told Sourcing Journal. We will closely analyze the latest developments and their impact on the security situation in the Red Sea. Otherwise, the following applies unchanged: we will return to the Red Sea when it is sufficiently safe to do so. The container shipping giant has been skeptical of returning to the Red Sea even if a ceasefire took place, initially saying last June that an immediate truce does not mean that the Houthi attacks will stop immediately. At the time, the carrier said it would take at least four to six weeks after a ceasefire to rearrange schedules and for operations to return to normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is still too early to speculate about timing, a Maersk spokesperson told Reuters. Peter Sand, chief analyst at freight rate benchmarking platform Xeneta, said a Red Sea return is definitely closer than a few weeks ago, but noted that a ceasefire doesnt guarantee a situation where the Houthis arent attacking international ships. We need a real safe passage, as was the case before the Houthis started to seize ships back in 2023, Sand said. Theres still a little bit of distance between where we are, and an absolute restoration of shipping through the Suez Canal. In the time since the attacks started, most major container shipping firms have avoided the canal altogether, instead opting to travel around southern Africas Cape of Good Hope, which tacked on an extra week or two to typical transit times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to data from Project44, shipments from Southeast Asia to the U.S. East Coast now take 47 percent longer than they did at the start of the Red Sea crisis, while shipments to Europe take 33 percent more time to arrive. Transit times from China to Europe have risen by 25 percent. However, it appears the ocean carriers have adjusted better to the new routes. In November, carriers experienced a median delay of four to six days beyond their original estimated arrival time. This is a significant improvement, particularly for Southeast Asia to Europe, which peaked at a median of almost 13 days late in February 2024. The Iranian-backed militants have long claimed that the attacks are in protest of the Israel-Hamas war and in support of Palestinians. Two months ago, Houthi armed forces spokesperson Yahya Saree said the attacks would continue until the aggression stops and the siege on the Gaza Strip is lifted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, it remains unclear if the group will stop the attacks if a ceasefire is implemented. With this battle reaching its conclusion with the declaration of a ceasefire in Gaza, the Palestinian cause was and will remain the first cause for which the nation must assume responsibility, said Houthi spokesperson Mohammed Abdul Salam in a post on X celebrating the ceasefire. There will be no real peace for the region except with the disappearance of this emergency entity planted by a Western American force that provides it with the means to survive at the expense of the Palestinian people and the peoples of the region. Despite the Yemeni factions claims that the Red Sea assault is rooted in the war in Gaza, their attacks have been largely indiscriminatesometimes hitting ships unaffiliated with Israel or its allies. That has posed questions as to whether the Houthis would stop their onslaught even if a truce was called. Dan Shapiro, the deputy assistant secretary of defense on Middle East policy for the Department of Defense, said last February that the attacks are almost entirely unrelated to Israel and Israeli-affiliated shipping. These are indiscriminate acts that are as much an affront to maritime commerce as piracy, having affected the interests of more than 55 nations and threatened the free flow of commerce through the Red Seaa bedrock of the global economy, Shapiro said at a Senate hearing. Xiaohongshu, the popular Chinese app many users have dubbed Red Note, has jumped to the top of the Apple App Store as TikTok races towards a Jan. 19 ban. But there are some topics that are off limits for American users to talk about on the app like the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre. TheWrap learned that firsthand on Wednesday. The app quickly censored a post that included the famous photo of Tank Man, the unidentified individual who stood in front of Chinese tanks; the post was accompanied by the caption: Does anyone know what happened to tank man at Tiananmen Square in 1989? Within five minutes, the post was hit with a violation notice and blocked from other users. Please abide by community standards when creating, the violation notice said, when translated to English. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are the top 4 rules outlined by Xiaohongshu: Comply with the [Chinese] Constitution and laws and regulations Practice the core values of socialism Promote patriotism, collectivism, and socialism Spread the correct view of history, nationality, country, and culture At least hundreds, if not thousands, of people were killed during the Chinese governments crackdown on the peaceful protests in Beijings Tiananmen Square, according to Amnesty International. Xiaohongshus censorship should not come as much of a surprise. The app, which uses a bright red icon, translates to Little Red Book in English. In China, The Little Red Book is also the name for a propaganda book that includes quotes from Mao Zedong, the longtime leader of Chinas communist party. And all Chinese apps, including TikTok, answer to Chinas government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are other topics that lead to quick censorship too, like mentioning the CCPs treatment of the Uyghurs, a Muslim ethnic minority in China. Between 800,000 and 3 million Uyghurs have been sent to internment camps in China, but mentioning that on Xiaohongshu led to another violation. The app said the Uyghur post needed to be reviewed, according to an English translation, to help create a safe, harmonious and beautiful environment. Xiaohongshu and Lemon8 which is owned by ByteDance, TikToks parent company hit the top of Apples App Store this week. As TikTok barrels toward its ban date, several prominent TikTok users have been promoting Xiaohongshu on their profiles. On its app description page, Xiaohongshu describes itself as a lifestyle platform where users can post about personal experiences, travel, and fashion, among other topics. The app does not share a parent company with TikTok, but all Chinese companies ultimately answer to the same boss the countrys communist government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lemon8, meanwhile, is a pictures-and-video social app focused on lifestyle content like beauty, food and travel. In September, TheWrap reported Lemon8 had a big summer in terms of user growth, pushing the app to 12 million total downloads in the U.S. But several users told TheWrap they were skeptical Lemon8 would have much staying power, as its user base is comprised of almost exclusively women and it is struggling to achieve cross-app sharing amongst its competitors. I found it underwhelming, one former user told TheWrap. I wasnt seeing too much that was new. ByteDance aggressively advertised Lemon8 last year, primarily on TikTok. The company started paying TikTok influencers a few hundred dollars each to post about Lemon8 a campaign that led to pushback from many other TikTok users. Still, the app appears to have found stable footing in the U.S., at least for now, as it has raced up the App Store rankings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok is set to be banned on Jan. 19. President Joe Biden signed a law last April kicking the popular app which has 170 million monthly American users out of the States, unless ByteDance divests from its U.S. operations. The chief concern U.S. lawmakers say they have with TikTok is that it could double as a spyware app for the Chinese government; TikTok, per Chinese law, is required to share user data if asked to do so. The Supreme Court is currently weighing TikToks plea to overturn the law banning the app, but it does not appear likely before Sunday, when the apps ban date hits. The post RedNote Blocks Posts on Tiananmen Square, Uyghurs as Migrating TikTok Users Spot Chinese Censorship appeared first on TheWrap. Watching the travails of our new Government has given me an idea for improving policymaking. Whenever a minister arrives in their office for the first time, they should be taken gently to one side and given a few words of advice: Government cant perform miracles. This could save a lot of trouble. Rather than talking about their desire to grow the economy, Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves might have spent more time working out how to actually achieve it. As it is, theyve been reduced to asking regulators for ideas on boosting growth. This is a bit like asking a man walking away with your television for ideas on how to burglar-proof your house. As Starmer has previously said, the regulators, the blockers and bureaucrats are an alliance of naysayers who stop things happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take the Environment Agency, just one of the regulators Starmer contacted. A quick scan of recent headlines includes objections to almost 5,000 homes in Cambridgeshire, litigation against HS2 over earthworks in Warwickshire, and objections to 1,450 homes in Oxford. Or we could look at the Financial Conduct Authority, which has piled compliance burdens onto the City while stamping out risk-taking. The FCA is a good illustration of the problem because it does actually have a secondary objective to promote growth and competitiveness. But it is a secondary objective, and if it clashes with its core regulatory functions, its pretty clear which will win out. HS2 isnt spending 100m on a bat shed because its staff secretly hate growth or the taxpayer. Its spending 100m because Natural Englands incentives are to protect bats, and HS2s incentives are to appease Natural England, and this was cheaper than adding another tunnel or a new route to the railway. Starmer is entirely right that regulators are blocking growth. Where hes wrong is in thinking that a letter asking them nicely to change their ways is likely to have any effect. These organisations are doing what they are set up to do, with the tools they have available to them. They are probably quite well-optimised for this, and may even have identified the lowest cost way of, for instance, ensuring that absolutely no bats are harmed in the making of a high speed railway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem, in other words, is not so much the regulator as their functions. If you want them to impose fewer economic costs, then you need to reform the framework they operate in. Otherwise, they will sensibly and rationally consider your request for growth, and then rule out anything which conflicts with their current objectives, even when these objectives are absurd. Starmer a man for whom following the process often appears to be an outcome in itself is hardly well suited to the task of reforming this system. Neither is Reeves, who is at best unlikely to adopt a Javier Milei approach to deregulation. If regulators are choking out growth because it conflicts with their other objectives, how are we meant to view Labours first few months in office? Ed Miliband is pushing through a rushed decarbonisation of the Grid that will cost tens of billions to implement, and may make the energy system less reliable. Changes to workers rights are set to add 5bn a year to employers costs. Taxes have rocketed to pay for an overly generous welfare state and an inefficient NHS. These measures are all anti-growth. The chances of dropping them are basically zero. Starmers alliance of naysayers is like Liz Trusss anti-growth coalition: a correct diagnosis of a problem that entirely omits the role of their own party in perpetuating it. For Truss, the issue was that Conservative voters and MPs generally objected to building things, and quite liked fiscal transfers. For Starmer, its that Labour voters and MPs have tended to be perfectly happy with mountains of regulation, and think the state should, if anything, be larger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Getting past these objections requires articulating the benefits of growth, and articulating them in a way that avoids falling into the trap of leaning on NHS investment to make your case. Instead, you need to be able to make the case for growth as a good in itself, for greater prosperity and money in peoples pockets. And you need to be able to set out how youll achieve it. Its here that we come back to the dearth of ideas. From what Ive been able to tell, Reeves and Starmer dont really have a theory of growth. Theyve talked a bit about trade deals and AI. Theyve discussed security. Theyve tried to see benefits for growth in their other objectives, like net zero. Theyve mused on public sector investment. But I think if you shut them in a room, wrote down a growth decomposition splitting growth in the economy into growth in the labour force, growth in the capital stock, and the everything else residual neither of them would really recognise that its the third term, capturing everything from technological change to management improvements to allocative efficiency, that really matters. And rather than talk about how theyd improve it, theyd probably start waffling about government investment. Lacking an intellectual framework for growth isnt a one party issue. As with the regulators, part of the problem is that often the best thing the Government can do for growth is nothing, and policymakers like to meddle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I also think its useful to contrast our domestic stagnation with American growth. Part of the difference is that the US is blessed with a large contiguous landmass, a thriving internal market and enough variation between states to sometimes prevent really stupid central initiatives ruining things for everyone. But its also true that America has a culture of prosperity we lack. Sometimes this is taken too far, but it does encourage striving and risk-taking. The American dream, much-derided as it is, is a noble thing. And while presidents and parties try to take credit for American growth by pointing to a bewildering array of initiatives, the common thread between them its the idea that growth is possible and desirable. If Americans want to be richer, they do things. In Britain, we set up reviews. The UK has a culture of entitlement is not quite the right word, but perhaps fairness. We think people should enjoy roughly the same outcomes. We are suspicious of those who get too far ahead. And we are very, very averse to causing harm. So companies are bound up in red tape, volatility is reduced, the Government focuses on redistribution, and we elect politicians who work within these constraints. Our borrowing costs are rising even as the pound slumps and Britain is now one of the few wealthy countries paying a higher rate of interest on its debt than the US. If we dont have growth, we will have a forced reckoning with the affordability of our lifestyles. But until that happens, expect more letters to the regulators who embody our anti-growth instincts. 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. WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) Registration is now open for the 24th Annual North Country Regional Emergency Medical Services Councils Spring Fling Conference for all regional volunteers, EMS providers, and rescue squads. This years conference will be held on April 11-12 at the Edgewood Resort & Conference Center in Alexandria Bay. FDRHPO Scrubs Clubs provides hands-on learning opportunities This years event will include continued support of the areas emergency personnel with interactive hands-on learning, ACLS refresher courses at a discounted rate, live music from Josh Cox and the Rattlesnakes at the Regional EMS Awards dinner, and much more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will be earning sessions will be held for both Basic Life Saving and Advanced Life Saving during the conference. There will also be breakout Lunch & Learn Sessions focusing on When the State Comes Knocking. This will be an overview of what to expect during state inspections and state updates as well as Federal, State, and HIPAA updates. This annual event is integral to the ongoing skills enhancement of our regional emergency medical professionals throughout the region and state. The event continues to grow in support and attendance due to the exceptional speakers, dynamic topics, and the convenient and hands-on format. We are especially looking forward to this years event. Jonathan Cole, Director of FDRHPOs Emergency Medical Services Program Agency The North Country REMSCO is seeking nominations for the annual New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Emergency Medical Services awards. Every year, the New York State Department of Health, and the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services, present awards in several categories. These categories include Advanced Life Support Provider of the Year, Basic Life Support Provider of the Year, EMS Agency of the Year, EMS Communications Specialist of the Year, EMS Educator of the Year, Excellence in Quality and Safety, Registered Nurse of Excellence, and Youth Provider of the Year. To submit your nominations, visit https://shorturl.at/OJHwq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone interested in registering for the event can visit www.fdrhpo.org/spring-fling. Registration is required with payment due prior to the event. 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. ELKINS, W.Va. (WBOY) After its decision to not go through with the closures of two rural schools, the Randolph County Board of Education (BOE) met for the first time Tuesday night, where some board members appeared to be torn over the decision. 12 News spoke with some of the board members shortly after they heard from dozens of community members, some of whom expressed frustration, while others expressed gratitude for the boards decision to not close the schools. However, this decision has now sent the county into financial uncertainty. Board members expressed concerns regarding the proposed elimination of around 32 positions within the school district and whether or not the lack of these positions would violate state code. However, if the budget is not balanced, that would also violate state code. Officials added that Randolph County does not have a school levy, making it harder to fund the school system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I teach over 150 kids a day. I actually teach more students than go to both of the schools that they chose to keep open per day, and its kind of crazy that we teach that many kids. And when I think about the cuts that are going to have to be made and if my position gets cut, that other teachers are going to be overwhelmed, their classroom sizes are going to be huge, parent and art teacher at Elkins High and Middle schools Tessa Garver-Daniels said. Randolph County Board of Education meets to discuss fallout of Harman, Pickens rulings Superintendent Shawn Dilly told 12 News that the BOE will work to make sure that the state code is not violated if they were to cut positions. 12 News asked board member and local physician Dr. Phil Chua if he regretted how he voted, to which he said I regret that we voted at all. He added that he did not think there was enough time to deliberate on the issue. As a physician, he said he was very concerned for the safety of students making the long trek to school over mountains every day, and multiple board members agreed these were difficult circumstances for everyone involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Chua reiterated that point to the public later in the meeting saying, When we didnt close the schools the other week, there was applauseI said dont clap because weve hurt every single kid in this county, okay? We hurt every single kid in this county, and I know we did, and that was not an easy decision. During Tuesdays meeting, a petition regarding a no-confidence vote for the four board members who voted against the closures was mentioned several times. There was nothing on Tuesdays agenda to address this petition, and an official familiar with the matterwho asked to remain anonymoussaid that a no-confidence vote can only acted on if its on the agenda. As of Wednesday, there has been no motion to add it to a future agenda. During the meeting, Dilly also presented the board with what would have happened if the BOE had consolidated Elkins City schools first rather than doing Harman and Pickens saying that kids could potentially have to move schools more than once if future consolidations were to occur. The board will meet again next Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 5:30 p.m. for a regular board meeting and to continue financial discussions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WBOY.com. ST. LOUIS Jan. 15 marks the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a towering figure in the fight for civil rights and social justice. FOX 2 sat down with a local pastor who met King and said its a day he will never forget. Kings birthday is marked every year on the third Monday in January. Rev. Earl Nance Jr. is the pastor of Greater Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, having the opportunity to meet King when he paid a visit to St. Louis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nances father was a classmate of King at Morehouse College. Although Nance was just 9 years old at the time, he knew King would change the world. Well, it meant a lot to me then, and to see what happened afterwards and the impact that he did make, that led to the Voting Rights Act and other acts that paved the way for Black people to vote and go to facilities like everybody else. That was very significant during that period of time in the early sixties, he said. McKendree University mourns loss of water polo coach in I-44 crash During Kings only visit to St. Louis, Nance had the chance to take a photo with him and other community leaders. King spoke at Washington Tabernacle Baptist Church, where Nances uncle was the minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My dad did a wonderful introduction of him, and Dr. King got up, and he mesmerized the crowd with his dynamic speaking voice and messages one night Id never forget, Nance said. Dr. King spoke to me there and asked me a question: did I know why they were there? I said, I think so, and he said, Were here to create a future for you and children like you. Six years later, in 1968, Dr. King was assassinated. He was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Kings birthday was approved as a federal holiday in 1983, with all 50 states making it a state government holiday by 2000. 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. Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during his monthly news conference broadcast by PBS Utah from the Eccles Broadcast Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Pool photo by Laura Seitz/Deseret News) Changes to remote work could be coming for state employees in Utah. Gov. Spencer Cox told reporters at his monthly news conference Thursday that the state is looking at ways to save taxpayer money and will continue to evaluate the states telework policy. In 2018, Utah started a pilot program to alleviate commuter costs and save money on expensive office spaces and construction. Over the past couple of years, Cox said, the state has been bringing more people back to the office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees are required to be in the office at least two days per week, while supervisors must be there for at least three, according to reporting from the Deseret News. During his monthly news conference, Cox said Utah was ahead of the curve and prepared to work from home when the pandemic hit. Let us know what you think... In 2021, Cox issued an executive order that required state agencies to review whether or not work could be performed remotely. He outlined several benefits to remote work including improving air quality by avoiding 4,600 pounds of emissions, saving $13 million annually by having state agencies vacate 29 buildings over the next decade, and general quality of life improvements. Well continue to evaluate where it works, where it doesnt, he said Thursday. Were also looking at ways to save taxpayer money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the ways Utah has done that, Cox added, is by having shared workspaces and getting rid of expensive leases, which cost taxpayers money. Remote work has its place, but so does being together, he said. Its not healthy to be isolated. We need that feedback, we need that interaction that comes and being able to get in a room together and be able to talk and look at each other face to face that matters. Cox said Utah needs to figure out how to save taxpayer money by using less space and how to ensure state employees, who are working on behalf of the taxpayers, are efficient and productive, while being given as many opportunities as possible. Parts of it are working and parts of it arent, and thats what well be addressing, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX On the first day of the 89th Legislature, a coalition of Republican and Democratic legislators elected GOP state Rep. Dustin Burrows as speaker of the Texas House, capping off an extraordinarily public battle that pitted establishment Republicans against the party's ultraconservative wing. In a state House with a GOP supermajority, Burrows defeated fellow Republican Rep. David Cook of Mansfield and Democratic Rep. Ana-Maria Rodriguez Ramos of Richardson. In the first round of voting, 71 House members voted for Burrows, 56 voted for Cook and 23 chose Rodriguez Ramos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a runoff ballot, Burrows won the votes of 36 Republicans and 49 Democrats 85 in total. While Cook maintained the support of nearly 60% of the House GOP, with 52 Republicans and three Democrats voting for him in the second round. More: Texas House bucks GOP power players, picks Dustin Burrows for speaker. How he won top spot Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, holds the gavel after being elected Speaker of the House on the first day of the 89th Texas Legislature at the Capitol Tuesday January 14, 2025. Nine Democrats chose to abstain from the runoff vote, and one Rep. Nicole Collier of Ft. Worth left the floor before the vote took place. Of the 23 Democrats who initially voted for Rodriguez Ramos, 21 moved their votes to Burrows in the runoff. Rodriguez Ramos and Rep. Sergio Munoz of Palmview in the Rio Grande Valley chose to support Cook in the second ballot. How did Texas House representatives vote? The election was a blow to GOP grassroots activists in Texas, who had launched a campaign attacking Burrows and his supporters for flouting a non-binding party caucus rule requiring all Republican members to vote on the floor for the caucus-endorsed candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burrows is a close ally of former Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont who oversaw the vote to impeach Attorney General Ken Paxton over corruption charges. Paxton and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presided over the state Senate's largely party-line acquittal of the attorney general, both threw their weight behind Cook. "This is the people's House," Burrows declared in a victory speech on the lower chamber's dais Tuesday afternoon. "I commit to you today, every member every member will have a voice. Every district will have a seat at the table. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: How did my Texas representative vote for House speaker? Here's the list U.S. Rep. Jared Golden talks to voters at an October 2024 campaign event in Eastport, Maine. (Photo courtesy of Golden campaign) U.S. Rep. Jared Golden of Maine reintroduced legislation to impose a 10% tariff on all imports, doubling down on his push as President-Elect Donald Trump, who has said hed support such a tax, takes office next week. After decades of failed free trade agreements, the hollowing out of American industry and stagnating wages, we owe it to ourselves to ask real questions about what we prioritize in our economy, Golden wrote in a statement on Thursday. The universal tariff along with other policies to support domestic energy production, unions and manufacturing is designed to reorient our economy from one focused on cheap goods and consumption to one centered on production and innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Golden first released this legislation, known as the BUILT USA Act, last year during the 118th Congress. It would put a 10% tariff on all goods and services imported into the U.S. Each subsequent calendar year, the tax would increase or decrease by 5% depending on whether the U.S. is in a trade deficit or surplus, respectively. On the campaign trail this fall, Golden said a universal tariff will result in the U.S. having to prioritize domestic manufacturing, therefore creating more jobs and homegrown innovation. When reintroducing his tariff plan on Thursday, Golden pointed to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office last month that found a universal 10% tariff would raise $2.2 trillion in revenue through 2034. Golden is advocating for those funds to be used to reduce the deficit, subsidize American-made products and extend tax cuts for middle-class families that are set to expire this year. American Compass, a conservative think tank, and the Coalition for a Prosperous America, an advocacy group championing trade-protectionist policy, have voiced support for Goldens proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs are popular with voters while economists are, and long have been, skeptical of their merits. When Golden first released this plan, political scientist Kristin Vekasi told Maine Morning Star that the complexity of the U.S. economy, the universal nature of Goldens plan and the likelihood of retaliation from other countries would result in Americans being left to pick up the tab. Vekasi pointed to the effects on Maine industries when Trump imposed heavy tariffs on China in 2018, which President Joe Biden continued and in some cases added to. Primary producers saw protection, but intermediary producers prices went way up. Iconic Maine industries lobster and blueberry also faced retaliation from China and the European Union, which concerned the entirety of Maines congressional delegation. Last year, Golden also proposed legislation to raise tariffs on Chinese imports of automobiles and energy components, another plan Trump has shared support for. House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Ohio Republican Mike Turner as chairman of the powerful House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) on Wednesday in response to a direct request from President-elect Donald Trump, according to a report. Turner himself privately told colleagues that his ousting from the panel, which oversees the FBI and CIA, came at the insistence of the incoming commander-in-chief, according to The Daily Beast, citing a senior GOP lawmaker. Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant, the source told the publication, implying that the president-elect considers the representative insufficiently loyal to his MAGA wing of the Republican Party to be trusted to fall in line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump making demands to fire Turner just fractured the conference, another lawmaker told the Beast. It undermines his whole reconciliation agenda. Dumb move. We are a big tent or we are not. Looks like we are not. However, Speaker Johnson denied the claims about Turners ousting when asked about it by reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday. This is not a President Trump decision, this is a House decision and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman, he did a great job, but we just, the intelligence community and everything related to HPSCI is... It needs a fresh start and thats what this is about, nothing else, the speaker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have nothing negative to say about Mike Turner at all, hes a good man, a good colleague, I respect his work. Ohio Republican Representative Mike Turner, the now-former chair of the House Intelligence Committee (AP) Hes going to continue to be my appointee with everything regarding NATO. Turner is known for having an independent streak and said just last month that the Department of Justice (DOJ) committed a grave constitutional violation during the first Trump administration when it secretly obtained phone records and emails belonging to congressional members and staffers. He called the DOJs behaviour, exposed by a report from Inspector General Michael Horowitz, outrageous, a stance unlikely to endear him to the president-elect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner has also appeared on programs loathed by Trump like CNNs State of the Union and CBSs Face the Nation in the past to warn that his party had become infected by Russian propaganda and to vehemently disagree with the former and future presidents apparent eagerness to tear up the US Constitution. Turner responded publicly to his removal from the panel on Wednesday by saying in a statement: Im very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the committee, and Im honored to have served with them. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. While the congressman claims to bear no grudge, were he ultimately to feel otherwise and decide to step away from Congress, Speaker Johnson would find himself managing an already razor-thin majority down one representative in a crucial swing district. Johnson has yet to name a replacement for Turner on a committee for which the speaker is solely responsible, unlike others whose leadership is appointed by a steering committee. 23:55 PM security row: Arrest warrants against 25 farmers The Bharti Kisan Union (Krantikari) Thursday slammed the Punjab government for the arrest warrants issued against 25 farmers and insertion of an attempt to murder charge in the FIR in connection with the 2022 prime minister security breach matter in the state. Leaders of... Read more > 23:32 Four drown in Andhra Pradesh beach tragedy Four members of a family drowned at a beach in Prakasam district on Thursday, the police said. While three bodies have been recovered, the search for the fourth is still underway. Prakasam district superintendent of police A R Damodar confirmed that the victims were part of a 20-member... Read more > 23:11 Hampi temple bans bananas to prevent overfeeding of elephant Representational image A 7th-century shrine of Lord Shiva in Hampi has banned bananas in its premises, stating that devotees tend to overfeed the temple elephant as well as litter the place of worship with banana peels. The management of Virupaksha temple said on Thursday that they decided on the ban for the good... Read more > 23:11 Hampi temple bans bananas to prevent overfeeding of elephant Representational image A 7th-century shrine of Lord Shiva in Hampi has banned bananas in its premises, stating that devotees tend to overfeed the temple elephant as well as litter the place of worship with banana peels. The management of Virupaksha temple said on Thursday that they decided on the ban for the good... Read more > 22:46 Mumbai police form 20 teams to nab Saif attacker The CCTV footage of the suspected attacker/ANI Photo Mumbai police formed 20 teams to search for accused who allegedly attacked Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence. Earlier on Thursday, Mumbai's Bandra police registered an FIR regarding the attack on the actor, and recorded the statement of the complainant, who is the maid employed... Read more > 22:27 Coldplay lands in Mumbai, promise a sky full of stars Chris Martin in Mumbai. Pic: Panna Bandekar British band Coldplay landed in Mumbai on Thursday night for their concerts at D Y Patil stadium in Navi Mumbai over the weekend. Coldplay, led by their lead singer Chris Martin, will be performing on January 18, 19 and 21. This is the second time the band will be performing in India,... Read more > 22:14 Ex-army man shoots himself in Kota, dies A 45-year-old retired army man died of a gunshot wound from his own pistol here in the Prem Nagar area, the police on Thursday said. On Wednesday, Arvind Singh Choudhary, likely drunk, was watching TV in his drawing room holding his licensed revolver in hand, while his wife was in the... Read more > 22:06 Reliance to bring Saks Fifth Avenue to India Pic: Darren Ornitz/Reuters Country's leading retailer Reliance Retail as part of its expansion into the luxury segment is introducing Saks Fifth Avenue, an American luxury department store chain, to the Indian market. Its premium brands business entered into India franchise arrangement for Saks Fifth Avenue, said... Read more > 21:28 An incredibly challenging day for our family: Kareena on Saif attack Actor Kareena Kapoor's team issued a statement on the attack on of her husband and actor Saif Ali Khan at their residence in Mumbai early on Thursday. In the statement issued on Instagram, they appealed to the media to refrain from relentless speculation and coverage. The statement... Read more > 21:20 GRAP 4 curbs lifted in Delhi amid dip in pollution File image The Centre's panel on Delhi-NCR's air quality on Thursday revoked curbs under stage 4 of the Graded Response Action Plan amid dip in pollution levels, according to an official order. The curbs were imposed Wednesday as calm winds, low temperatures and foggy conditions allowed accumulation of... Read more > 21:08 Faulty road construction should be made non-bailable offence: Gadkari Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said faulty road construction should be made a non-bailable offence and road contractors and engineers should be held responsible for accidents and sent to prison. Addressing an event organised by industry body CII, Gadkari... Read more > 20:48 Rajnath, UK defence secretary hold phone conversation Defence Minister Rajnath Singh India-UK cooperation in niche defence technology areas such as electric propulsion and jet engines figured in a phone conversation between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his British counterpart John Healey. Singh and Healey also explored the possibilities of joint work by the two countries... Read more > 20:37 History of Emergency needs to be taught to people: Fadnavis Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday pitched for educating future generations about the Emergency period, which he described as a dark chapter when constitutional rights were suppressed and lakhs jailed. Speaking after a special screening of the film Emergency in Mumbai,... Read more > 20:07 Rupee declines 16 paise to settle at 86.56 against US dollar The rupee depreciated 16 paise to close at 86.56 (provisional) against the US dollar on Thursday, dragged down by a strong American currency overseas, elevated crude oil prices and foreign fund outflows. However, positive domestic equity markets provided some cushion at the lower level,... Read more > 19:54 12 Maoists gunned down in Chh'garh, Jan count 26 File image As many as 12 Maoists were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday, a senior police official said. The gunfight broke out at around 9 am in a forest of south Bijapur when a joint team of security personnel was out an anti-Maoist... Read more > 19:40 Team India's surprise pick as batting coach! Sitanshu Kotak/Courtesy Sitanshu Kotak/Facebook Former Saurashtra batter Sitanshu Kotak was on Thursday named as India's batting coachahead of the upcoming limited-overs series against England and the Champions Trophy next month after assistant coach Abhishek Nayar's performance came under scrutiny during the tour of Australia.The 52-year-old... Read more > 19:30 'India's Digital Evolution On Post-Pandemic Treadmill' India ranks eighth among 125 countries in terms of its digital evolution momentum, according to a draft of the yet-to-be-released Digital Intelligence Index 2024 -- a comprehensive study by the Fletcher School of Business at Tufts University in collaboration with Mastercard.The... Read more > 19:14 Saif's sister reacts: In shock but proud of you, brother! Sharmila Tagore, Saif and Saba. Pic courtesy, Saba Pataudi/Instagram Jewellery designer Saba Pataudi on Thursday reacted to the knife attack on Saif Ali Khan and said she is in shock but proud of her elder brother for the way he defended his family from an intruder.The Bollywood star was repeatedly stabbed with a knife by the intruder inside his 12th floor... Read more > 18:58 What Moody's Says About India's Economy In 2025 India's fiscal conditions will continue to constrain its credit strength in 2025 but it may benefit from a shift in trade and investment flows from China, Moody's Ratings said in its Asia-Pacific 2025 outlook.We expect only gradual fiscal consolidation, and debt to remain significantly higher... Read more > 18:44 BSE Sensex top gainers today Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty rallied for the third session on the trot on Thursday, helped by a rally in global markets after lower-than-expected consumer inflation in the US ignited hopes of more rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. Intense buying in Reliance Industries, ICICI... Read more > 18:40 Saif Ali Khan's attacker demanded Rs 1 cr ransom? The suspect in actor Saif Ali Khan's stabbing case/ANI Photo The suspect who allegedly stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence in Mumbai, reportedly demanded Rs 1 crore as ransom, said an NDTV report quoting police sources based on statements by his domestic employees. Earlier, the Mumbai police released the first image of the suspected attacker,... Read more > 18:13 FTA Talks With Us Likely In Early Feb India and the United Kingdom are exploring convenient dates to resume the talks for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) in early February. The talks for the proposed FTA began in January 2022, a commerce department official said.As far as the review of the India and ASEAN FTA is... Read more > 18:09 Family dies by suicide in TN Representational image In a tragic incident near Gobichettipalayam in Erode district of Tamil Nadu, a couple died by suicide after administering poison to their two children, who also died on Thursday. According to the police, Dhanasekaran (36) and his wife Balamani (29), residents of Siruvalur village and... Read more > 17:43 Police release first image of Saif Ali Khan attacker The suspect in Saif Ali Khan attack case/ANI Photo The Mumbai police released the first image of Saif Ali Khan suspected attacker, according to an NDTV report. The accused was captured on CCTV at 2.33 am on Thursday in the stairwell of Khan's building, said the report. In the photo, the accused was wearing a T-shirt and jeans. He... Read more > 17:17 Encounter breaks out between security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh File image An encounter broke out between security personnel and Maoists in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday, a senior police official said. The gunfight erupted at around 9 am in the forest of south Bijapur when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, he... Read more > 16:57 13 injured in bread factory blast in Agra, 3 critical File image An oven blast in a bread factory in the Hariparvat area's Transport Nagar Thursday afternoon left 13 workers injured, three of them critical, the police said. The sound of the explosion was heard kilometres away. The incident occurred at the Medley Bread Factory, where large ovens are... Read more > 16:41 ALH-Dhruv, Tejas will not feature in R-Day flypast File image The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) will not be part of the upcoming Republic Day flypast as the entire fleet of the military choppers has been grounded following a crash of one of them this month. The Army, the Indian Air Force, the Navy and the... Read more > 16:22 JD-U asks BJP to act against Shehzad Poonawalla The Janata Dal-United on Thursday asked its ally BJP to act against Shehzad Poonawalla, a national spokesperson of the ruling party, for his comments targeting an AAP leader which, the regional party said, has caused deep displeasure among people from Purvanchal. In a statement, JD-U... Read more > 16:20 'Anti-national': Mamata condemns Bhagwat's remark West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for equating the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya with the attainment of true independence by India, asserting that it was an attempt to distort history.Bhagwat had said the date of the Ram temple's consecration in... Read more > 16:17 Wrong to brand Mumbai as unsafe: Fadnavis after Saif attacked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that it is wrong to brand Mumbai as unsafe following the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence.Speaking to reporters, Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said, Mumbai is safest mega city in the country. The incident... Read more > 15:58 Govt announces 8th Pay Commission for central govt employees In a major decision, the government on Thursday decided to set up the 8th Pay Commission to revise salaries of central government employees and allowances of pensioners. The decision to set up the 8th Pay Commission was taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I&B Minister Ashwini... Read more > 15:49 Tata Motors Integrates AI For Vehicle Safety Anjali Singh/Business Standard Tata Motors has outlined its focus on incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies to improve vehicle safety for both occupants and vulnerable road users.The company said that it is adopting a comprehensive approach that addresses... Read more > 15:38 Was Saif's attacker hiding inside his home? CCTV visuals of the unidentified intruder who repeatedly stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan inside his house in Mumbai's Bandra area early Thursday morning have been traced and ten teams have been formed to investigate the offence, police said. As per the preliminary probe, the intruder did... Read more > 15:33 Saif's son rushed bleeding father to hospital in auto Hours after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was injured after an intruder attacked him with a knife at his Bandra home in Mumbai, his elder son Ibrahim took him to Lilavati Hospital in an auto-rickshaw, reported NDTV.Ibrahim helped his injured father into the three-wheeler after he could not find a... Read more > 14:40 2.5-inch knife removed from Saif's spine: Doctor Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine and surgery was performed to remove a 2.5-inch-long knife from the actor's spine and repair his 'leaking spinal fluid', said a doctor of the Lilavati Hospital. Explaining the... Read more > 14:27 Controversial judge to address seminar on 'Ram Mandir movement' Justice Shekhar Yadav of the Allahabad high court, who purportedly gave controversial statements at a Vishwa Hindu Parishad function, will be one of the keynote speakers at a seminar on the 'Ram Mandir movement and Gorakshpeeth' on January 22. The seminar will be held in the Maha Kumbh Mela... Read more > 14:24 Cong promises freebies for Delhi: Rs 500 LPG, free electricity Congress on Thursday said it would give Rs 500 LPG cylinder, free ration kits, and free electricity up to 300 units to the city residents if voted to power in Delhi. The announcement was made by Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy who was addressing a press conference in New Delhi... Read more > 14:16 Rishabh Pant's Style Statement! Enjoying a deserved break from cricket, Rishabh Pant showed off his style statement on social media. Have a look at this Rediff.com's Web Story Read more > 14:02 Saif's attacker used fire escape staircase: Police The Mumbai police said that the Saif Ali Khan atatcker used fire escape staircase to enter the actor's house. Speaking to reporter at the Bandra police station Dixit Gedam, DCP Zone 9, said, The accused used a fire escape staircase to enter Saif Ali Khan's house. It appears to be a robbery... Read more > 13:28 EC issues advisory on use of AI in poll campaigning Against the backdrop of increasing use of artificial intelligence in campaigning and its potential to influence voter opinion, the Election Commission on Thursday issued an advisory to political parties asking them to promote transparency and accountability in use of AI-generated... Read more > 13:23 Saif's maid who spotted intruder questioned Prasanna Zore/Rediff.com The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is questioning Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's domestic help who was the first one to spot the attacker.A Bandra police officer told The Indian Express that the domestic help, named Eliyama Phillipes alias Lima, was the first one to spot the robber at around 2... Read more > 12:47 Saif Ali Khan's team shares update on his health On the health condition of Actor Saif Ali Khan, his team issued an official statement as below.Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the... Read more > 12:37 PHOTO: Sara, Ibrahim visit father Saif at hospital Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan were seen arriving at the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai to meet their father, Saif Ali Khan, who is receiving treatment after being injured in a scuffle with an intruder at his Bandra residence late Wednesday night. Read more > 12:33 Formula-E race case: BRS leader KTR appears before ED BRS working president K T Rama Rao on Thursday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate here for questioning in a money laundering case related to the Formula-E race event.Rao, who was the Municipal Administration Minister in the previous BRS regime, said hosting Formula E race in Hyderabad... Read more > 12:28 Modi congratulates ISRO scientists for successful docking experiment Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday congratulated scientists and engineers at ISRO on the successful docking of two satellites in space.Space agency Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully performed the docking of satellites as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), a... Read more > 12:10 Did Saif attacker gain entry via building duct? Photograph: Afsar Dayatar/Rediff.com As the police investigation into the stabbing on actor Saif Alli Khan is underway, serious concerns have been raised over security lapses at the the upscale Satguru Sharan society in Bandra where the actor stays.The actor resides on the 12th floor, and entry to the building requires passing... Read more > 11:49 India issues statement on Israel-Hamas ceasefire India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza.In its reaction, India hoped that the agreement will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the... Read more > 11:35 Kalyan Jewellers: Over Rs 21k Cr Mcap Wiped Out Khushboo Tiwari/Business Standard The shares of jewellery retailer Kalyan Jewellers declined nearly 8 per cent on Wednesday, January 15, closing at Rs 550 apiece, recording a total loss of Rs 21,850 crore (Rs 218.50 billion) in market capitalisation in January so far.The share closed... Read more > 11:32 Saif attacked: 'We have laws, what about order?' The attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has left both the entertainment industry and fans stunned. Saif's Devara co-star Jr NTR expressed shock over the incident and wished for Saif's good health.Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his... Read more > 11:12 Director Siddharth Anand visits Saif at hospital after attack Director Siddharth Anand and wife arrive at Lilavati Hospital to visit Saif Ali Khan following an attack on him by an intruder at his home in Mumbai's Bandra. Read more > 11:04 Saif's family is...: Kareena's team releases statement Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's actor-wife Kareena Kapoor Khan's team has issued a statement on the attack. There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and (his wife and actor) Kareena Kapoor Khan's residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which... Read more > 10:57 Kerala police exhume body of man who attained 'samadhi' The police on Thursday exhumed the body of a 69-year-old man, whose family claimed that he had attained 'samadhi, near Neyyattinkara in the capital district.Under tight security, the Neyyattinkara police unearthed the grave and recovered the body, reportedly identified as that of Gopan... Read more > 10:53 Delhi riots accused released from Tihar jail to file nomination Delhi riots accused Tahir Hussain left Tihar jail on Thursday morning to file nomination papers for the Delhi polls after the high court granted him custody parole, jail sources said. He was released from the jail under heavy security cover of the Delhi Police. He left the jail at around... Read more > 10:15 Saif suffers injuries close to spine: Doctor Lilavati hospital Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, stabbed by an unidentified person at his residence in Mumbai, is currently hospitalised at Lilavati Hospital.The actor has six stabs, out of which two are deep, said Dr Niraj Uttamani from the Lilavati Hospital.Khan has six stab wounds and two are deep. Of this one... Read more > 10:08 ISRO sucessfully docks satellites as part of SpaDeX Mission ISRO on Thursday successfully performed the docking of satellites as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX), sources in the space agency said.The docking was performed successfully. We will be issuing a statement soon, a source told PTI.Earlier on January 12, ISRO brought the two... Read more > 09:59 Attack on Saif worrisome: Supriya Sule Crime branch at Saif's house Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar leader Supriya Sule on Thursday expressed concern over the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder at his home in Mumbai and termed the incident as worrisome.Sule, who is a friend of Saif Ali Khan's wife Kareena Kapoor Khan's family,... Read more > 09:26 SEE: The scene outside Saif's apartment Saif Ali Khan's stabbing saw the media deployed in strength outside the actor's apartment in Bandra West. Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com, who is at the spot, captured the action outside the building on video, here. Read more > 09:21 Saif stabbed while he intervened to save maid Saif's residence in Bandra According to ANI, an unknown person entered actor Saif Ali Khan's residence late last night and argued with his maid.When the actor tried to intervene and pacify the man, he attacked Khan and injured him. Police are investigating the matter, ANI reported quoting the Mumbai... Read more > 09:04 Hindenburg Research, that targetted Adani shares, shuts down Hindenburg Research, a United States investment research firm known for short-selling, and whose reports resulted in wiping out billions of dollars of Indian billionaire Gautam Adani and his companies, has been shut down, its founder Nate Anderson announced Wednesday. ... Read more > 08:47 Saif Ali Khan stabbed 6 times: Reports Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan has reportedly sustained six injuries after an intruder broke into his residence in Mumbai, according to media reports.Saif was brought in at 3:30 am in Lilavati. He has six injuries, two of which are deeper. One of the injuries is closer to his spine. We are... Read more > 08:27 Actor Saif Ali Khan attacked with knife inside his house Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was injured after a robber barged in his residence at Bandra in Mumbai and allegedly stabbed him multiple times. According to media reports, the incident occurred around 2:30 am on Thursday when the actor was sleeping in his house along with his other family... Read more > Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) will not attend President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, a spokesman confirmed Thursday. The spokesperson did not provide a reason for Pelosi's decision to skip the ceremonial event, which is slated for the U.S. Capitol on Monday. The decision was reported earlier by ABC News. Pelosi, 84, who has retained political prominence and influence in the Democratic Party and her seat in the House despite giving up her longtime leadership role after Republicans won control of the House in 2022, has long had a contentious relationship with Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Plaschke: The unbearable guilt of losing nothing and everything in the Altadena wildfire She also broke her hip and was hospitalized while traveling with a bipartisan congressional delegation in Luxembourg last month though she has returned to the halls of Congress since, including for the Jan. 6 confirmation of Trump's electoral victory. Trump did not attend the inauguration of President Biden after losing to Biden in the 2020 election. He also denied that he lost despite all evidence to the contrary a lie he maintains to this day. He was the first president to skip the inauguration of his successor since Andrew Johnson did so in 1869. Pelosi has called Trump "crazy" and unfit for office. Trump has called Pelosi "evil" and an "enemy" of the country. The pair have sparred for years. Pelosi raised eyebrows when she ripped up a copy of Trump's State of the Union speech behind him in 2020. Trump infuriated the former speaker by mocking a violent attack on her husband at the couple's San Francisco home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former First Lady Michelle Obama has also announced that she will not attend the inauguration, though former President Obama will, according to the Associated Press. The former first lady also has been an outspoken critic of Trump. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Three suspects, including a 14-year-old girl, were arrested after an argument over a repossession of a truck led to a fight. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Tuesday, a little after 8:30 p.m., Warner Robins police were called to the Starbucks on Watson Boulevard about the repossession of a truck. Officials said a repo operator identified a truck with an active repossession order. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to WRPD, while the operator was trying to negotiate with the driver, 34-year-old Raven Graham, she reversed onto the curb, and then drove forward, hitting the repo operator. Police said this caused the operator to be thrown over the vehicles hood. Witnesses inside Starbucks saw the incident. Warner Robins officials said as officers tried to arrest the 34-year-old driver, a fight broke out. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Police arrested a 14-year-old girl and 18-year-old Jacob Graham after they got involved, leading to a struggle with officers. The suspects are facing charges of aggravated assault, three counts of felony obstruction and battery on a police officer. Officials did not release the repo operators identity or current condition. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) A forensic accounting review of South Carolinas finances found that an account purported to have more than $1.8 billion did not exist and was the result of accounting errors. In a report released Wednesday by Alix Partners, the consulting firm found that $1.6 billion of the money was the result of incorrect journal entries during a bank conversion process. The remaining $200 million was determined to be cash reported by the State Treasurers Office and belongs to the General Fund, the report said. Governor Henry McMaster released a statement Wednesday following the release of the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comprehensive forensic accounting report confirms that there is no $1.8 billion surplus, said McMaster. There is no missing or stolen money. The funds do not exist. The governor went on to say that the report confirmed that there were unintended accounting mistakes made by different parties involved in state governments transition from an old accounting system to the new accounting system. McMaster said that he was confident the corrective measures recommended in the report will be embraced by the parties and the General Assembly so that this does not happen again. We thank Alix Partners for their efforts, which have validated what weve known all along there is no mystery bank account with $1.8 billion in it, said Curtis Loftis, South Carolina State Treasurer. No missing money. All cash and investments are accounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The citizens of South Carolina can be confident that their money is safe, Loftis continued. We, along with our state partners, look forward to reviewing the report in its entirety. Read the full report below: AlixPartners-Final-Report-011525 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 WSPA 7NEWS. The shores of the Great Salt Lake near Syracuse are pictured on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) For the last several years, Utahs lawmakers and environmental officials have made getting water to the Great Salt Lake a priority, through policies like letting the state lease water rights from farmers, or installing new equipment to measure water flows. Now, a new report details the progress and impacts some of those policies are having, calling the work done so far meaningful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, the Great Salt Lake Strike Team issued its 2025 data and insights summary, released just in time for lawmakers to review for the upcoming General Legislative Session, which starts next week. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Great Salt Lake hit a historic low in 2022, bottoming out at 4,188.5 feet. Lawmakers and state officials prioritized the lake that following legislative session then the winters of 2023 and 2024 brought above-average snowfall, causing the lake levels to rebound slightly. On Wednesday, both the north and south arms hovered around 4,192 feet, still several feet below the ecologically healthy level of 4,198 feet. Formed in 2023, the Great Salt Lake Strike Team is made up of researchers from the University of Utah and Utah State University, working with officials from the Utah departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Food, Environmental Quality and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The data-heavy 28-page report released this week outlines everything from the economic benefit of the Great Salt Lake, to locations of the dust hotspots on the dry lakebed that pose a health risk to the Wasatch Front, to models for future scenarios, and more. Visitors to Antelope Island State Park take in views of the Great Salt Lake on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) The report also details some of the progress made in the last year that delivered more water to the lake. Consider this: More than 288,000 acre-feet of water has been approved to flow to the lake, through users either leasing or donating their water right to the state. Thats enough water to fill both Jordanelle and Rockport reservoirs, although the report notes thats just whats been approved, and doesnt represent the actual amount of water thats been delivered. The Legislature is spending $1 million in one-time funds and $1 million in annual funds to install measurement infrastructure so the Utah Division of Water Rights can see exactly how much water is flowing to the lake. An additional $3 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Geological Survey is also going toward measurement equipment. In addition to funding for water monitoring, state and federal governments have thrown nearly $100 million at the lake for various projects, including $50 million from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for conservation; $5.4 million from the state for wetland conservation; $22 million from the state for Great Salt Lake water infrastructure projects; $15 million from the state to the Great Salt Lake Commissioners Office to help lease water; and $1.5 million to start a state-funded study exploring ways to deliver more water from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. Compass Minerals and Morton Salt, which both operate on the lake, donated a total of 255,298 acre-feet of water to the state. Compass Minerals is also relinquishing about 65,000 acres of leased land to the state for conservation purposes. Lawmakers in 2024 passed a number of bills to help the lake, including tightened regulations and taxes on mineral extraction, allowing agricultural water users to sell leased water and restricting the use of overhead sprinklers for new government construction in the Great Salt Lake Basin. There have also been some environmental wins. Brine shrimp populations are rebounding, with a 50% increase in egg numbers compared to last year. American white pelicans returned to their nesting sites on the lake. And the state removed 15,600 acres of phragmites, an invasive plant. The report notes that the state has made meaningful progress. And while it clarifies that the report is purely data-focused and doesnt make policy recommendations, it does lay out potential policy levers. An American avocet is pictured at the Great Salt Lake near Antelope Island on Tuesday, May 21, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) That includes greater incentives for water leasing. The state made several new options available for water right holders, including letting farmers lease water for a portion of the year, water banking (which gives water users more flexibility over leasing agreements) and applications allowing users to quantify water saved through optimization projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But according to the report, the state hasnt yet received any applications for these three programs. The Utah Legislature also recently subsidized the installation of secondary water meters, so water districts know how much theyre using those meters are often associated with water savings. The report recommends water districts in the Great Salt Lake Basin donate or lease that saved water for the lake. All indications demonstrate that delivering more water to the lake is a far more cost-effective solution than managing the impacts of a lake at a perpetually low level, said Brian Steed, the co-chair of the strike team and Great Salt Lake Commissioner. We can invest time and financial resources now or pay much later. Fortunately, we have great data and a balanced and workable plan to succeed. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A European monitoring team will arrive in the Egyptian capital early next week to help implement the Gaza ceasefire deal reached between Israel and Hamas, an Egyptian television reported on Thursday. The delegation from the European Monitoring Mission is to work on instituting a mechanism to resume operations on the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, the state-linked TV station al-Qahera News reported without giving further details. In May last year, Israel took control of the Gaza side of the Rafah crossing with Egypt, in an operation that halted aid deliveries via the vital facility into the heavily populated coastal strip. On Wednesday, mediators Qatar, Egypt and the United States announced a ceasefire-hostage release Gaza deal, set to come into effect on Sunday. Two Portland lobbying firms advocating for the NW Natural gas company are also lobbying on behalf of nonprofits and local governments interested in ending new gas hookups and combating climate change caused by burning gas. (Photo by Anton Petrus/Getty Images) Two Portland-based lobbying firms advocating on behalf of the states largest gas utility are also lobbying on behalf of conservation and public health groups and local governments interested in ending natural gas hookups and combating climate change caused by burning gas. Conflicts of interest between NW Natural and a number of government bodies and nonprofits were analyzed in a new report from the Pennsylvania-based nonprofit climate group F Minus and the Oregon-based nonprofit climate advocacy group Breach Collective. The groups are calling on organizations and local agencies to stop working with fossil fuel lobbyists, and are calling on the Oregon Legislature to require lobbyists to disclose their compensation and their positions on specific bills so they are not being paid to fight for and against policies that are at odds with one another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Browning, executive director of F Minus, said by allowing lobbyists to play for both sides of an issue, Oregon officials are allowing an ethical wasteland, beyond what lawyers are allowed to do. The groups report focused on lobbyists from two Portland-based lobbying firms NW Public Affairs and Eames Consulting who work for NW Natural and also work for local governments and climate and public health advocacy groups in Oregon, including Clackamas County, Wild Salmon Center, Oregon Primary Care Association and Health Share of Oregon. Representatives from Eames did not respond to requests for comment from the Capital Chronicle. Phil Donovan of NW Public Affairs who lobbies on behalf of NW Natural and Wild Salmon Center declined to comment. Natural gas is almost entirely methane gas, among the most potent climate-warming greenhouse gases, which trap heat in the atmosphere. When natural gas is burned it produces carbon dioxide. One-third of global warming is due to human-caused emissions of methane and about two-thirds of global warming is due to carbon dioxide emissions, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Conflict in Clackamas County Browning said among the most stark conflicts is with NW Public Affairs lobbyists working for NW Natural and Clackamas County. NW Natural lobbied against Clackamas Countys Climate Action Plan last year, and has fought the ban on new natural gas hookups in the city of Milwaukie, which is mostly in Clackamas County. Yet Clackamas County also pays for a NW Public Affairs lobbyist to advocate for county priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its an amazing dynamic there, Browning said. If youre a resident of Milwuakie, you have your utility dollars going to NW Natural and their lobbyists to promote gas, and you have your tax dollars going to a county trying to phase out gas, thats employing the same lobbyists. Milwaukie Mayor Lisa Batey declined to comment, citing a lack of time. Wild Salmon Center officials also did not respond to a request for comment, but Oakley Brooks, communications director for the group, told the Capital Chronicle last year that Donovan of NW Public Affairs has been effective at securing legislative wins for fish, forests and water in Oregon. F Minus and Breach Collectives latest report builds off a database F minus published last year, which shows that more than 1,500 lobbyists across the country are working at the state level for the fossil fuels industry as well as for conservation groups, public health entities, social justice organizations and local governments trying to respond to environmental and health issues caused by the burning of those fuels. F Minus identified at least 28 Oregon lobbyists, among the more than 1,000 registered in the state, who are working for more than 500 organizations and companies with conflicting values around climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Browning, who used to be a lobbyist for the American Cancer Society, said when he worked for the nonprofit it refused to hire lobbyists who also lobbied on behalf of tobacco companies. But today, the American Cancer Society in Oregon shares a lobbyist Drew Hagedorn with Canadian tar sands oil distributor Kinder Morgan. Browning said as climate change poses larger, more disastrous and expensive threats to the quality of life, public health and the natural world, governments and nonprofits should begin to look at gas lobbyists the same way some looked at tobacco lobbyists years ago. In the long term, hiring these lobbyists is dangerous and its self-defeating, he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A CBS News journalist and producer went beyond their reporting roles to rescue three dogs trapped in a burning home during the devastating LA fires. Homeowners Andrea Pasinetti and his wife, Sixuan, were miles away when the flames threatened their Pacific Palisades neighborhood, leaving their dogs Alma, Archie, and Hugo in peril. Thanks to a determined and daring rescue mission, the dogs found their way back to their owners just in time. Video shows reporters rescuing dogs stuck in their home during LA fire As the Palisades Fire rapidly intensified, Andrea Pasinetti hurried back to Los Angeles from San Francisco, overwhelmed with a sense of helplessness and uncertainty. Sixuan, who was overseas at the time, spotted CBS News reporter Jonathan Vigliotti broadcasting near their residence. Desperate to save their dogs, the couple managed to contact Vigliotti through a colleague and informed him of the dire situation. Despite the challenges posed by the flames and blocked roads, Vigliotti and CBS News producer Christian Duran rushed to the scene. With the house locked and burning, Pasinetti urged the rescuers to take immediate action, even if it meant breaking a window. The three pups likely hid inside in fear, adding to the urgency of the mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dramatic rescue culminated in a phone call from Vigliotti to Pasinetti, confirming that all three dogs were safe. Pasinetti described feeling a mix of relief, joy, and gratitude toward the journalists who put themselves at risk to save his beloved pets. Jonathan called and said, We have the dogs, recalled Pasinetti. And my first reaction was, All three? I have never felt that mixture of joy, and relief, and exhaustion, and despair, and gratitude towards someone. Unfortunately, the flames consumed the Pasinetti familys home shortly after the rescue. The couple is among many who lost their homes in the fire, which has destroyed thousands of structures and claimed at least 25 lives. I think we go through life accruing so much stuff and curating our belongings, but at the end of the day, its all stuff, Pasinetti said. And while its sad to lose, I think the possibility and prospect of losing something much more important, just put it into perspective. The post Reporters Rescue Locked Dogs in Dramatic Rescue Mission Amid Deadly LA Fire appeared first on DogTime. When news broke that Michelle Obama would be skipping President-elect Donald Trumps upcoming inauguration, the former first lady offered no explanation but multiple media reports now suggest reasons why shes reclaiming her time. On Tuesday, a statement from the office of Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama said that her husband is confirmed to attend the 60th Inaugural Ceremonies, but noted that she will not attend the upcoming inauguration. Speaking to People, a person with knowledge of her thinking soon shed some light on the announcement. Michelle Obama, then the incoming first lady, stands to the left of Democrat Barack Obama at an entrance to the White House on Nov. 10, 2008, in Washington, shortly after his presidential election win. TIM SLOAN via Getty Images Theres no overstating her feelings about [Trump]. Shes not one to plaster on a pleasant face and pretend for protocols sake, the person stated. Michelle doesnt do anything because its expected or its protocol or its tradition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the person, Trumps verbal attacks on the Obama family, and people of color more broadly, also played a role. She served in the public eye and did all the public good that she could for eight years as first lady, the insider told People. Youll see her when she has a project or cause to promote but she doesnt feel the need to be a public figure anymore. Michelle Obama arrives to speak on the second night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Aug. 20, 2024. Tom Williams via Getty Images Meanwhile, The Hill reported that the former first lady is sending a powerful statement by skipping the event, with the outlet citing her longtime allies. Michelle Obama has no plans to hide her disdain for Trump and wants nothing to do with a man undeserving of the presidency, The Hill wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She meant every word she said on the campaign trail with every fiber of her being, one ally told the outlet. And shes no hypocrite. Page Six similarly reported that Obamas choice to skip the inauguration was deliberate, citing a person familiar with the Obamas circle who said that shes never been phony. Michelle Obama speaks during a Democratic presidential campaign rally on Oct. 26, 2024, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Brandon Bell via Getty Images Last year, as the former first lady discussed Trump and conservative policies during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, she posed an important question: Why would we normalize that type of backwards leadership? Most of us will never be afforded the grace of failing forward, she said. We will never benefit from the affirmative action of generational wealth. If we bankrupt a business or choke in a crisis, we dont get a second, third or fourth chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This weeks news comes after Obama was absent from former President Jimmy Carters funeral on Jan. 9, with her team saying that she was on an extended vacation in Hawaii at the time. Mrs. Obama sends her thoughts and prayers to the Carter family, and everyone who loved and learned from the remarkable former President, an Obama spokesperson said in a statement to the media. Obama isnt the first person to skip a presidential inauguration; neither Trump nor his wife, Melania Trump, attended Democrat Joe Bidens swearing-in ceremony in 2021. One ally of Obama told The Hill that no one took issue with the Trumps absence that year. So why is this a big deal? the person said, referring to Obamas Tuesday announcement. The chain has already been broken. Related... Jan. 15If freshly inaugurated Gov. Bob Ferguson's first address to the Legislature extended an olive branch to Republicans, GOP leadership accepted it with vigor and surprise. The Democrat's speech, the first from a new figurehead in 12 years, included several unifying themes, referencing legislation from both sides of the aisle and vowing to work across party lines to "reform" rather than "defend government." "There's part of me that wants to be a cynic and wants to be skeptical," House Republican Leader Rep. Drew Stokesbary, R-Auburn, told reporters after Ferguson's speech. "But on the other hand, we're never going to get anywhere if nobody trusts anybody to be telling the truth when they're talking." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the speech and in a news conference immediately following, Republican leaders were "pleasantly surprised" to hear themselves name-dropped along with specific policy they're championing, including ensuring farmers receive their promised cap-and-trade tax exemptions and limiting a governor's emergency powers. The Republican side of the joint session was atypically vocal at Ferguson's speech, vociferously applauding and standing at several mentions of agreeable policy, as well as turning to direct applause to legislators at the mentions of their names. Their support came as a surprise to themselves, in stark contrast to their groans at now-former Gov. Jay Inslee's state of the state Tuesday, where some walked out at Inslee's reference to President-elect Donald Trump as a "would-be authoritarian." Ferguson's approach was more diplomatic, vowing to work with Trump "when we can" yet "stand up to him when we must," on issues like abortion, he said. "Just like Gov. Ferguson said about President Trump, he will support him when he deserves support, and he'll oppose him when he deserves opposition. I think it's exactly how Republicans are going to feel about Governor Ferguson," Stokesbary said. "There's a lot in his speech to agree with, and we're going to support him and his efforts when we have those areas of agreement." Such areas include limiting the governor's emergency powers, a push from the Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, since 2021. Legislation sponsored this year by Republican Spokane Valley Rep. Mike Volz seeks to add avenues in which the Legislature could end a governor-declared state of emergency. Past efforts to add this check to emergency declarations received bipartisan support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It just makes sure that the people and the people's elected representatives in the Legislature have a strong voice during extended emergencies," Braun told reporters. "Very reasonable, in my opinion. It was very refreshing to see the new governor agree with that." Heavy on the minds of lawmakers and taxpayers this session is an estimated $12 billion budget shortfall. Ferguson shared intentions to cut over $4 billion in spending, while also outlining a few planned expenditures in his first year, including establishing universal free school meals and a $100 million grant program for municipalities to hire more police officers. A bill to address the former is sponsored by Spokane's Sen. Marcus Riccelli, a Democrat, and the latter is sponsored by Cheney's Sen. Jeff Holy, Republican. Republicans responded with optimism that Ferguson previously said he intended to meet these needs with cuts before considering tax increases. They see these items and others as small investments compared to the billions included in the state budget. "If the governor and his administration is serious about that commitment to taking a scalpel to the budget, we can do this without new taxes," deputy minority leader Rep. Chris Corry, R-Yakima, told reporters. "I think that should be our understanding from day one, there's no new taxes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans expressed a general sense of measured optimism after hearing the new governor's first remarks in office. They're not letting their guard down, though. Corry plans to keep a copy of Ferguson's speech in his desk to hold him to his first address. "I think we should be more about the quality of ideas and less about the source of those ideas, and I think Gov. Ferguson signaled a lot of that in his speech. If he spends the next 103 days living out the ideals of his speech, I think Republicans will not have very much to complain about and that people of Washington will be a lot better off," Stokesbary said. "Appreciate what he said, now the test is, is he going to walk the talk? But he certainly, on day one, talked the talk." Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. 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. LOS ANGELES If you listen to Elon Musk or Megyn Kelly, Los Angeles was doomed in its fight against historically-devastating wildfires because of one thing: DEI. The acronym for diversity, equity and inclusion has become the go-to scapegoat on social media and among some GOP officials as proof that leaders of the deep-blue city including Mayor Karen Bass, the first Black woman to run the city, and Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, the first woman and openly gay person to run the department let their progressive values distract them from public safety. Lauren Andrade, a fire captain in Orange County, is deeply familiar with the DEI conversation. Shes president of Equity on Fire, a group that advocates for diversity in fire departments and raises awareness about harassment and discrimination in the field. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She spoke to POLITICO about the politicization of such work in the wake of the Los Angeles fires. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. The online focus on DEI started almost as soon as the fires ignited. Can you recall a past wildfire where there was so much chatter about these initiatives while the fires were still burning? I was working and seeing some of the social media posts and also in the middle of running our own calls. So it didnt really hit me until I got off-duty wow. Normally, when these types of wildfires happen, its more like, Hey, were here to support. We know theyre doing the best they can. And if there are any kind of contextual facts whether there was a water supply issue or something went wrong usually its after the fact, not during the crisis. It felt like a little bit of a scapegoat, if you will, and more finger-pointing than I have seen. Why is it important for fire departments such as LAFD to have DEI initiatives, like its office of Equity and Human Resources, particularly when resources are scarce? With communities like Los Angeles, which have very, very diverse communities, there are two parts to that. Were focused on fires right now but the majority of our calls are medical. When somebody calls 911, theyre in trauma, theyre in crisis. So its important for whoever walks in that door for there to be trusted immediately, and one of the best ways to do that is to have similarity and relatability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I work in a community where theres a lot of Vietnamese people, and I dont speak Vietnamese. Thats very difficult when theyre trying to explain to me facts about their family member or things that might assist us in that call. On the other side of that, LAFD and fire departments in general have had a long history of harassment and discrimination. In LAFD, starting in the 90s, they did an independent review, and it came out that a lot of firefighters felt that if they ever said they were harassed or discriminated against, that there would be retaliation. [In] 2021, the women in the fire service for LAFD asked [then-Chief Ralph] Terrazas to resign because of the lack of transparency and accountability and frankly, the backlog of complaints that just werent being addressed. In the firehouse, why thats important is if theres one person that is on the outs or not trusted, thats going to have effects on the mission. So ultimately, it is going to affect public safety and how they can actually respond and mitigate whatever incident or emergency that theyre on. Before this particular moment, whats been the reception like to these diversity and inclusion initiatives? Are local fire departments and governments open to these programs? Are you getting resistance? I feel like the winds been kind of at our back as far as understanding that its important to have representation within your community from your first responders. Has there been resistance? Absolutely, and we can see that when you look at numbers. [Women make up 3.6 percent of LAFD and roughly 5 percent of career firefighters nationally.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It always comes back to, I just want to make sure that somebody can pull me out of a fire. And of course thats important. We have a lot of rules and protocols. We do a lot more team-oriented [work] than people realize, and having people feel included is really, really important in those settings. But you felt like there was momentum in advancing these efforts. Given the political climate now, do you think youll face more of an uphill climb? I do, actually. Before, [it felt] like this was where we were moving the validity of having diversity among firefighters. I believe it will circle back, but right now, theres always been a resistance to integrating fire. Not only have we seen generalized attacks online about DEI, but Chief Crowley herself has been targeted as a DEI hire who is therefore unqualified. What do you think of this characterization? There is nobody more qualified for that position. She is a 24-year veteran. She has held the ranks of firefighter, engineer, captain I mean, I can list them all for you battalion chief, assistant chief, deputy chief and now fire chief. Not only does she have the administrative experience, but she also has the field experience. She worked in some of the busiest battalions in LA. So this is somebody that has been very well respected throughout the department, and has worked her way up. Whats been the reaction from other firefighters that criticisms of Chief Crowley have been so focused on DEI? I dont really talk about this stuff when Im at work, but as far as the rumblings in the room, Gosh, Ive never seen a fire so politicized, was kind of the overall feeling. A lot of the people on the right who have criticized Chief Crowley also have cheered her on in her public spat with Mayor Karen Bass about the departments budget. Do you have any thoughts on the drama around the budget and what that says about Crowley? I hesitate to speak to the budget issue, because, frankly, I dont have enough information regarding that. But I will say that she will advocate for her peoples needs and I feel like thats what she was trying to do in that moment. Probably no one has more political capital right now than firefighters mayors and city councils throughout the state are going to be scrambling to show they support their fire departments in their budgets. If theres new money coming into these departments, what do you hope will be factored into their decisions? Speaking from my personal experience, certain agencies still dont have restrooms for their women firefighters, or shower facilities. So first and foremost, it would be just to get those rudimentary facilities, so they can get carcinogens off their bodies, that they can use the restrooms, they can change without having to wait. Secondly, to do some kind of independent assessment on your departments. The job is changing so significantly. So theyre going to have to really look at what this job is now with these wind events, with it being [largely] medical and really figure out how to recruit people that are best suited for the public. The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laurent Kabila, is reported to be fighting for his life after being shot and seriously wounded by one of his own bodyguards. Eyewitnesses said they had heard gunfire for about an hour around the presidents hilltop home in Kinshasa, known as the Marble Palace and usually heavily guarded by soldiers and a tank. A source close to Mr Kabila said: The president took two bullets, one in the back, another in the leg. Later, a heavily guarded helicopter was seen landing at one of Kinshasas main hospitals. There are rumours that the president may already be dead, and further speculation that the shooting may be part of a coup attempt against the president. Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel said Mr Kabila was apparently shot by a guard during a meeting with army generals whom he had dismissed. From three sources, I have [heard] that Kabila has most likely been shot to death, he said. But Congo officials insisted the president was only wounded and survived the attack. There has been growing discontent within the army for the last year. At least two factions one led by Mr Kabilas son Joseph are jostling for control, with no clear central authority in command. DR Congo is also fighting a six-nation war in which the Kinshasa government, backed by Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia, is fighting a rebellion backed by Uganda and Rwanda. The conflict has so far claimed more than a million lives. The Chief of Staff, Eddy Kapend, has appeared on television to order troops to block the main airport serving Kinshasa and to close the river border with neighbouring Congo-Brazzaville. He read out a message on state television urging citizens to be calm, but making no reference to the shooting. Courtesy BBC News In context There was no government confirmation of Laurent Kabilas death until almost two days later. The presidents son, Joseph Kabila, took over almost immediately. His appointment was initially unpopular, but within a year peace talks re-started and all sides agreed to a UN-monitored ceasefire. A transitional government took over in 2003, largely ending a civil war which had claimed 2.5 million lives. Eyewitness accounts of the shooting told how a bodyguard opened fire on the president during an argument. The bodyguard himself was reportedly shot dead. A government investigation concluded that the murder had been planned as part of an international plot to topple the president. A year after the shooting, 80 people were tried for plotting the murder. The trial was heavily criticised by human rights groups. It ended with the conviction of 26 of the defendants, including Army Chief of Staff Eddy Kapend. All were sentenced to death, with no right to appeal. Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trumps pick for attorney general, faced the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday for a confirmation hearing that is set to span over two days. Bondi brings with her an impressive track record, including becoming the first woman to be elected and reelected as the Florida attorney general, which she says impacted her career the most. I did my best to keep Florida safe, to continue to stand up for victims of crime and to fight the opioid crisis and the drug crisis, Bondi said in her opening remarks. Her office targeted drug distributors in her state through legislation and created safe houses for trafficked victims, an initiative she is interested in exploring on the federal level, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If confirmed as the attorney general of the United States, my overriding objective will be to return the Department of Justice to support the mission of keeping Americans safe and vigorously prosecuting criminals, Bondi said. Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Justice Department as attorney general, stands for a break during the Senate Judiciary Committee for her confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. | Ben Curtis What did Democrats say about Pam Bondi? Senate Democrats did not take issue with Bondis work, but they did take issue with her loyalty to Trump, with many, including Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, asking her if she is prepared to say no to the president. The concern is that weaponizations of the Justice Department may well occur under your tenure, and we want to make sure that thats not the case, that you remain independent, that you remain able to and willing to tell the president no when thats necessary to protect the Constitution and the integrity of the department, said Whitehouse, a senator from Rhode Island. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., categorized supporting Bondi as an easy decision. On top of having the right credentials, Bondi has worked closely with Trump when she served as a senior adviser on Trumps impeachment defense team in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being Trumps lawyer prepares you for many things, he said. You have a longstanding relationship with the president, he trusts you. Thats a good thing. Thats probably why President Kennedy picked his brother, Bobby Kennedy. I guess you can say no to your older brother, and Im sure you would. This idea that its bad is ridiculous. Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin asked her whether she accepts the results of the 2020 election. Bondi said she accepted that Biden was president but claimed he did not win the election. President Biden is the president of the United States. He was duly sworn in and he is the president of the United States. There was a peaceful transition of power. President Trump left office and was overwhelmingly elected in 2024, she said. Bondi added that as an advocate for the Trump-Pence campaign, she insinuated she witnessed instances of fraud when she traveled to Pennsylvania to advocate on behalf of the Trump-Pence campaign. Sen. Lee asks Pam Bondi about warrant-less electronic searches on Americans Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, asked Bondi a few questions on the Fourth Amendment, which protects citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. To conduct a search, a prosecutor must obtain a warrant, something Bondi is experienced in procuring since her 20s when she served as a state prosecutor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A warrant is so important because it protects citizens rights, she said. Lee noted that the time-consuming process requires presenting the probable cause in front of the judge, who decides whether or not to issue the warrant. He asked her if she knew of any exceptions to this law, such as situations with national security concerns. Im not certain about national security, she said. But absolutely no for a state process. Lee said that the FBI has time and again encroached on the private lives of Americans through the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, which allows the federal government to conduct surveillance of electronic conversations related to foreign intelligence. FISA doesnt require a warrant for collecting conversations with foreign actors, even if the conversations include Americans, leaving room for de facto back door warrant-less (searches), said the Utah senator. Bondi shared Lees concerns about FISA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another unacceptable reality, Lee said, is the weaponization of the government, specifically within the Department of Justice, against law-abiding Americans ... whose offense was something along the lines of them exercising their constitutional rights, ranging from Catholics attempting to practice their faith to parents showing up to school board meetings to people showing up to engage in peaceful protesting outside of abortion clinics, Lee said. He asked her how she would prevent the weaponization of her department. Senator, you just gave the classic example of whats been happening regarding the weaponization going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop. For practicing your religion, sending informants into Catholic churches must stop, she said. Lee said he was pleased with Bondis answers. Ive enjoyed knowing you, considering you a friend for many years, and look forward to the great things you will do as attorney general of the United States. You have my emphatic support and my vote. JAKARTA (Reuters) - Authorities have begun evacuating 3,000 residents near the Mount Ibu volcano on Indonesia's eastern island of Halmahera, the disaster agency said on Thursday, after an eruption this week sent a cloud of thick grey ash as high as four-km (2.5-mile) into the sky. Ibu erupted on Wednesday morning for about two minutes, Indonesia's volcanology agency said, forcing authorities to raise the alert level in the surrounding areas to the most severe. The evacuations started late on Wednesday for about 3,000 residents around the area who were being prioritised due to their proximity to the volcano, Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the country's disaster mitigation agency, told Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had previously said 13,000 people were living near the volcano. "Judging from the situation from the ground, it is still pretty stable," he said. Ibu's activities follow a series of eruptions of different volcanoes in Indonesia, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has 127 active volcanoes. Ibu had a series of eruptions last year. In May, it had forced the evacuation of people living in seven nearby villages. (Reporting by Stanley Widianto; Editing by Saad Sayeed) SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) As wildfires rage in Los Angeles County and gusty Santa Anas sweep the region, residents near Lake Hodges say the scene is all too familiar. Were all a little bit on edge as you can tell. The winds youre feeling today are very similar to the winds that brought the fire down from Ramona and brought it through Lake Hodges, said Robert Dudley, a resident near the lake. Dudley has lived in the area for more than 40 years and said the 2007 Witch Creek Fire is the worst hes ever seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire came completely around my house. Burned within 5 feet, said Dudley. The fire got within 40 feet of my daughters bedroomsuper scary, added John Anshus, a resident near Lake Hodges. Theyre concerned about the possibility of the next wildfire and are pleading with local leaders to increase water levels at Lake Hodges, hoping it will reduce dry brush and fire risk in the area. Behind the scenes at a fire task force staging area in East County We really recommend to raise the level to 293 feet, just another 13 feet above what the state has mandated, said fellow resident Paul Bernstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bernstein claimed the state mandate was put in place to mitigate the risk of potential failure of the dam and will remain in place while they construct a new one, but he doesnt think wildfire risk was taken into consideration. Even if the dam fails according to the state consequence report, only 500 homes would be damaged, whereas if we look at a catastrophic wildfire like were seeing in the Palisades now, it literally could take out 10 thousand homes, said Bernstein. Bernstein claimed raising the mandated water level to 293 feet above sea level would reduce wildfire risk without interfering with construction of the new dam. By raising it just 13 feet, it basically covers 400 acres of brush that could lead to this significant fire that were concerned about, added Bernstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But residents said they dont think their concerns have been adequately addressed by local officials. The city could not comment on this because theres a lawsuit from Rancho Santa Fe and Solana Beach water districts against the City of San Diego for not maintaining the dam, Bernstein said. Im feeling a bit abandoned because our closest neighbors, the City of San Diego, and theyre saying we cant respond to you because theyre involved with a lawsuit, added Dudley. FOX 5/KUSI has reached out to the city of San Diego for comment and are waiting to hear back. 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. Jan. 15MONMOUTH Kathy Perless, who lives just south of a proposed 62-unit single-family senior neighborhood, does not think there is anything worse that could be built on the 33 undeveloped acres at 1063 Main St. in Monmouth. Perless, who lives at 1013 Main St., was responding to a fellow neighbor of the site, Neil Wright, who was the only resident who spoke in favor of the new neighborhood Thursday at a public hearing of the Monmouth Planning Board. The development would bring 62 identical single-family homes over the next 3 1/2 years, making it the biggest such project in Monmouth's history, if approved, according to Planning Board Chair Stephen O'Donnell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only would the proposed neighborhood to be named Hilltop View Estates disrupt the rural character of 4,000-person Monmouth, Perless said, but it does not reflect the type of development the town should promote. The developer, 1063 Main Street LLC, formed by Anthony Michaud in May to buy and manage the property, hopes to sell each home for between $450,000 and $500,000. "It's a beautiful development, but is it what Monmouth needs or wants at a half-million dollar point?" Perless said. "Is it what people desire?" Advertisement Another resident opposed to the project, Ashley Woodbury, who owns the home at 1033 Main St., sent a letter to the Planning Board in November saying she was concerned the project was "being kept very quiet within the town." Woodbury wrote that unlike other neighbors, she had not received notification of the project by mail after the project moved forward last fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woodbury also said she was frustrated she did not have an opportunity to meet with the developer's lead engineer, Jim Coffin, about the details of the project like Wright said he had despite her having reached out to Coffin several times. Coffin later said he was advised by a lawyer not to speak with Woodbury in a private setting. Woodbury's property is bordered on two sides by the proposed development. She said during the public hearing that she was most concerned about the safety impacts of the stormwater filtration pond planned for directly west of her house and the neighborhood road entrance planned for directly to the north. "My concern (about the neighborhood entrance) is the traffic coming in and out of there with 62 homes is going to be quite large," Woodbury said. "Their driveway is directly abutting my driveway. So my concern is also safety and security for pets and my children." A traffic study commissioned by the developers found the project would create 27 trips into and out of the neighborhood during peak morning traffic, and would add 31 trips into and out during peak evening traffic. James W. Sewall Co., the firm who conducted the study, said the traffic generated by the development would "not be expected to have a significant impact off-site." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public hearing was one of the final steps for the project at the town level before the Monmouth Planning Board considers final approval. A formal review and final vote could come as soon as the next Planning Board meeting, scheduled for March 13. Any final approval by the Planning Board would first require sign-off from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection on stormwater runoff impact, given the proposed development's proximity to Annabessacook Lake. Coffin said the project's plans still exceed the Maine Department of Environmental Protection's allowed levels of runoff impact, and he expected the state-level approval to take several additional months. Details on upcoming meetings are to be posted on the town's website. Copy the Story Link Related Headlines * 62-lot senior neighborhood proposed on rural Monmouth site Kent Hospital is seen in Warwick. (Photo courtesy of Warwick Beacon, used with permission) Union membership for approximately 230 resident and fellow physicians employed by Rhode Islands second-biggest hospital network was affirmed Wednesday by the National Labor Relations Board, union leaders announced. Since December, resident and fellow doctors working at Care New Englands properties Kent Hospital, Women and Infants Hospital, and Butler Hospital voted by mail to affirm membership in the Committee of Interns and Residents (CIR-SEIU). The vote counts and outcomes for elections were counted separately but announced jointly Wednesday, with overwhelming victories at each hospital, according to union spokesperson Rachel Nass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason why we wanted to unionize is to ensure that were all able to properly care for our patients and continue to give 100%, while also being able to take care of ourselves, said Dr. Natalie Duke, a third-year psychiatry resident, in a statement. Were blessed to work with each other and with our patients, so winning our election is so meaningful for us as members of this community and as physicians. On Jan. 7, 689 residents and fellows affiliated with Brown University Healths Rhode Island Hospital also won their elections for union membership with CIR-SEIU. Nass said the newly unionized members across both companies comprise the first unionized housestaff in Rhode Island, a term for resident and fellow physicians combined. The doctors cited excessive time at work, sometimes up to 80 hours, without appropriate pay and often in the context of understaffed hospitals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a psychiatrist, I see the impact of financial stress on our patients, and so we understand that when we experience that stress, its harder to be present with our patients and it makes it harder to convince medical students that they should come here, Duke said. The burden is particularly heavy for first-year doctors. The newly unionized resident and fellow physicians hope to begin contract negotiations soon with their respective employers, with wages, benefits and physician supports among their top priorities at the bargaining table. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX If you knew Malibu, you knew the Crab Shack, that barn-red, century-old little house hugging the hillside just a few miles south of the pier. And if you knew the Crab Shack, you definitely knew its owner, Randall Miod better known as Randy, or Crawdaddy, or simply the Craw. The whole community knew the Craw, his friend Todd Proctor said. I don't care if you were driving a Bentley or you were hitchhiking to the beach. You knew the Craw and you loved the Craw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Southern California braces for latest threat of extreme fire weather There was always a party at the Crab Shack. Miod was the party, his friends and family said this week a generous, fun-loving free spirit who knit people together and brought out their best. Mining out the gold in each person, and then getting them to see that gold and getting them to operate off of that best version of themselves Craw was like a magician that would do that with people, Proctor said. Miod died at his home as the Palisades fire swept through Malibu, said his mother, Carol A. Smith of Banning. He was 55. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News of Miods death sent waves of grief through a vast network of friends, neighbors and acquaintances whod surfed with Craw or crashed on his couch or stayed up late laughing and talking with a man who made you feel like you were your best self, his friend Michele Ceaser-Germann said. He just had this ability to bring people together, Ceaser-Germann said. He saw beauty in things that others didn't. He was a salt-of-the-earth guy. Miod (pronounced my-odd) was born in Los Angeles and grew up in the San Fernando Valley, Smith said. He discovered skateboarding and surfing in junior high and was soon skipping school for the waves so often that his mother hid his board. Proctor was a scrawny 12-year-old surfing Malibu's Second Point in the mid-1980s when Miod paddled up and introduced himself. It was the start of a decades-long friendship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He would take an interest in people, find out what they were about, build them up, encourage them and what they were into, Proctor recalled. He was like this big brother who always made you feel like you were moving in the right direction. Miod moved to Malibu a few years after high school and found a room in a ramshackle three-bedroom wooden house that stood out among the glittery residences lining Pacific Coast Highway. Read more: The L.A. fire victims: Who they were Hed acquired the nickname Crawdaddy thanks to congenital bone deposits that bent his arms inward like those of a crustacean. The house soon had a nickname of its own: the Crab Shack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The landlord later moved away and left Miod in charge of the property. When he decided to sell about 15 years ago, Proctor said, friends chipped in to help Miod buy it. The door was always open, for surfers, people on their way from different countries, vagabonds traveling through that he felt a kindred spirit with, Proctor recalled. There were parties. There was music. The walls were lined with Miods photographs and abstract paintings. There was a band setup in the corner where Miod, a drummer, and others would jam. There was an aluminum ladder leading up to the roof with its view of the sea. There was always a giant secondhand couch, and whenever it wore out someone would drag in a new one. Miod never married. He had no children and worked at local restaurants to pay the bills. He was the heart of a different kind of family, one made of people who loved Malibu and surfing and everything that went with it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He became a legend in Malibu, his mother said. I dont think he ever realized how much everyone loved and respected him, for just being Randy, the Craw. He knew how dangerously raw life along that coastline could be. Hed lived through fires, earthquakes and mudslides. As recently as February, a boulder came crashing down the hillside, missing his home by inches. Im just chilling, watching TV and then I hear kaboom! a bemused Miod told KCAL . As the Palisades fire closed in on Jan. 7, Miod called his mother around 3 p.m. to say he could smell the smoke. He said he had a hose and was going to fight for his home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His last words to me that day were, Pray for the Palisades and pray for Malibu. I love you, she said. He stopped responding to texts after that. On the morning of Jan. 9, Smith received a call from one of Miods friends that human remains were found in the Crab Shacks charred wreckage. With all his roommates accounted for, it could only be Miod. Read more: Updates: The architecturally significant houses destroyed in L.A.'s fires The Palisades fire destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes in Malibu. Among the first things rising from the ashes is the legend of the Craw. Painted tributes have popped up along the beach walls: Rest Easy Crawdaddy, Crab Shack Forever. When its safe to do so, his friends are planning a memorial. One last gathering with Craw at its center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she learned of her friends death, Ceaser-Germann climbed up to the rafters of her West Hills home. She took down a box of mementos and began sifting through letters and photos marking decades of friendship. A small card she didnt recognize was stuck at the bottom. It was a Chatsworth High School student ID. Not her own, but Miods. The Craws. It felt like a sign. I know he's looking down right now, she said. Hold your people close, now. Tell people you love them now. Don't wait until you can't anymore. No ones guaranteed another moment. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The idea of having Florida manage Everglades restoration has been resonating in the state capitol for some time. Ron DeSantis was just the latest governor to express frustration with Florida's partner, the federal government, as he did during a visit to Palm Beach County last week to discuss the state's progress in the water reclamation project. "We've got a job to do," DeSantis said at his press conference in Juno Beach. "We want to get it done. We don't want to be bogged down by red tape. We don't want to be bogged down by bureaucracy. Once we decide that this is something that is of interest to the state, we want to get it done as quickly as possible. That is not how some [federal] agencies, like the [U.S.] Army Corps of Engineers, approach things." The governor's frustration is real and shared by many. Although the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) is a joint federal-state initiative, the state has seen several of its efforts delayed by inadequate federal funding, the glacial-speed of U.S. Army Corps decisions, or other factors like sea level rise, population growth and a warming climate. They have impacted the project and changed it in ways many didn't envision when CERP started 25 years ago. Gov. DeSantis holds up an Everglades hydration comparison map during a Jan. 9 press conference about restoration efforts at Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. It's easy to pick on the Corps. The agency is the federal partner that has to design and approve the 68 components that make up what is the largest environmental restoration project in U.S. history. Congress draws blame too. It has been slow in coming up with its $3.8 billion share, thanks to its byzantine system of appropriations and the politics of competing for funding with other regions of the country. Still, that's not enough to warrant mid-stream changes. The federal government has a role to play, particularly in oversight, and the last thing CERP needs is to make Congress or the Army Corps less accountable for CERP's success. Leaving the responsibility solely to the state gives Florida a bigger headache and political shenanigans at the state capitol as farmers, urban residents and environmentalists squabble over water to meet their varied interests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Completing Everglades restoration is a rocky intergovernmental relationship but one worth keeping. Everglades restoration hasn't been easy The multi-billion CERP began in 2000, when preserving the Everglades and its natural flow of water was a bipartisan environmental priority. The project was approved by Congress in hopes of improving water quality, retarding the threat of salt water intrusion and increasing water storage to meet the demands of both the natural habitat and the growing urban and suburban communities of South Florida. Editorial: Credit Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for consistently supporting Everglades restoration Congress approved CERP and the Water Resources Development Act of 2000, amid bipartisan support, led by then-Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and former President Bill Clinton. The project began amid a wave of optimism and a big budget that the Army Corps and the South Florida Water Management District, in consultation with other government agencies, could use to restore the globally famed "River of Grass" ecosystem. The high hopes, however, gave way to a harsh reality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Climate change, largely unanticipated at the project's start, has profoundly impacted Everglades restoration. Sea-level rise, and warmer and wetter weather have changed the region CERP was designed to protect. Throw in funding and project-design delays, lawsuits over water and the typically slow pace of building storm water treatment areas, a new reservoir to treat Lake Okeechobee discharges, and re-doing Tamiami Trail to allow more water to flow into Everglades National Park, and frustration was all but guaranteed. Giving Florida control of federal CERP funding won't erase political jockeying among states, that could slow the flow of those funds from Washington. Give Gov. DeSantis credit. He has taken the initiative to prioritize restoration. During his press conference, the governor touted Florida's spending $3.3 billion in restoration and related projects between 2019 and 2023. With the completion of the C-43 reservoir to the south of Lake Okeechobee, the ability to store water will triple in capacity. There have been successes but big challenges remain. Re-plumbing a swamp the size of New Jersey is complicated, takes time and will continue to produce frustration. Shifting management to Florida, however, won't make it easier. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: FL Everglades needs federal help despite DeSantis gripes | Editorial SANTA FE, N.M. / BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (FOX 44) A Texas A&M University alumni is now leading New Mexicos Office of Military Base Planning and Support. Colonel Megan A. Cornett is a retired U.S. Air Force officer with experience in government relations. She most recently served as Albuquerque operations officer for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and also has extensive experience in civil and commercial airfield management at Kirtland Air Force Base, as well as locations in North Dakota, Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma, Idaho, Korea, and Washington, D.C. Colonel Cornett holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas A&M University, and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma as well as Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base. She served as a legislative fellow with Georgetown Universitys Government Affairs Institute and supported Congressional legislative initiatives for the Air Force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Mexicos Office of Military Base Planning and Support is a liaison between the state and the federal congressional delegation on military planning and support issues. It also supports base representatives and communities around military bases with access, infrastructure operations, planning, and logistic concerns. The office is administratively attached to the New Mexico Economic Development Department (EDD), which provides budgeting, legal, and human resources support. Colonel Cornett assumed her duties on January 6. She replaces Richard Glover, who resigned at the end of 2024. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) On Thursday, over 400 doctors across North Carolina are urged Sen. Thom Tillis to not confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Tillis serves on the Senate Finance Committee and would be part of Kennedys confirmation. The full list of doctors is not being released because of privacy concerns, but some held a meeting on Thursday outlining their strong concerns. Dr. Rachel Brown is among the doctors who signed a letter to Tillis with their worries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RFK Jr. is bad medicine for Americas health and the Senate must reject his nomination, Brown said. RFK Jr. advocates the use of raw milk, she said. This unpasteurized product puts people at risk for food borne illness and may also put them at risk for bird flu. Dr. Samantha Breen said, RFK Jr. has zero real experience in any area of the medical field. Said Dr. Frank Spence, RFK is a leading anti-vaccine activist who has spent years spreading false claims about vaccine safety. The doctors pointed out a number of preventable diseases theyre concerned would make a comeback if Kennedy leads the department. Theyre urging Tillis to do what they say is best to protect Americas health by voting against the confirmation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If RFK Jr. becomes DHHS Secretary, we fear vaccination rates would plummet even further, leading to a resurgence in preventable diseases like measles and polio, Spence said. Said Breen, We should be focusing on increasing healthcare access and improving outcomes of our diverse North Carolina community, but Mr. Kennedy could take us back to times when diseases like polio ran rampant. 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 CBS17.com. A political battle over school-based COVID protocols in early 2021 quickly turned personal for one Colorado family, whose sons cystic fibrosis a life-threatening genetic disease impacting the lungs and other vital organs made him susceptible to complications from the virus. Kate Gould said the classroom became a dangerous place for her son after hardline conservatives took over the Douglas County school board and the district removed masking requirements. After a prolonged back-and-forth, involving a pulmonologist and a special education attorney, district leaders finally agreed to an accommodation for his classroom, mandating masks. But mere weeks later, the superintendent was fired and, under new leadership, the district again removed the masking accommodation without consulting doctors or Gould, she told The 74 in a recent interview. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter Kate Gould and her son, Jackson, at Del Mar beach, California in November 2024. (Kate Gould) Now, almost four years later, Gould and her family live in Southern California where they moved during the pandemic for its masking and eventual COVID vaccine requirements and they and other parents, advocates and health experts are gearing up for what could be the next front of the school culture wars: a broader attack on school vaccine mandates by the incoming Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, all 50 states have vaccine requirements for children entering child care and schools. But with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. who has peddled baseless conspiracy theories and once said, Theres no vaccine that is safe and effective potentially at the helm of the Department of Health and Human Services, advocates and parents are right to fear a rollback of requirements, enforcements and funding, according to interviews with about a dozen experts. The anti-vax warriors have made it inside the castle walls, said Richard Hughes, a George Washington University law professor who teaches a course on vaccine law. Kennedys legitimization and the different levers he could pull, experts told The 74, could have an immense impact on vaccination rates and the spread of preventable, contagious diseases in school-aged kids. Related How Far Will RFK Go? 2 Experts Talk Kennedys Potential Impact on Child Health If confirmed by the Senate, Kennedy would take control of an agency with a $1.7 trillion budget and 90,000 employees spread across 13 agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dave Weldon, nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to head the CDC, has also endorsed debunked theories, blaming vaccines for autism and some chronic diseases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy, whose nomination faces an onslaught of opposition from health professionals and scientists and questioning by at least one GOP senator, did not respond to requests for comment. He has said he would not take away vaccines but look to make more of their safety and efficacy data available. John Swartzberg, professor at the University of California Berkeleys School of Public Health (University of California, Berkeley) We dont know what hes going to do, John Swartzberg, a professor at the University of California Berkeleys School of Public Health told The 74. But if he tries to carry out the things that hes publicly stated not just recently but over a long, long time then the implications for our children in school are dire. While most school vaccine requirements come from states, the recommendations theyre based on begin with federal agencies, such as the CDC, and enforcement is often left up to local districts. This leaves room for both federal influence and a hodgepodge of enforcement, said Northe Saunders, executive director of the pro-vaccine SAFE Communities Coalition, who sees battles around school vaccination mandates playing out at the federal, state and school board levels. Experts agreed the federal government is highly unlikely to attempt to take vaccines off the market or categorically ban mandates, and most dont anticipate individual states will do away with their long-standing requirements. James Hodge, public health law expert at Arizona State Universitys Sandra Day OConnor College of Law (Arizona State University) But James Hodge, a public health law expert at Arizona State Universitys Sandra Day OConnor College of Law, pointed out, You dont actually have to pull the vaccine for people to stop using it. You have to raise doubts about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That can happen by planting seeds of misinformation, he said, or by starting to require that vaccines be assessed differently for approval or federal funding. Any slight dropoff in parents vaccinating their kids entering schools or day care can result in disease outbreaks, an outcome Hodge said he expects to see over the next year or so. Such declines are already taking place. As secretary, Kennedy could delay FDA vaccine development and influence the selection of CDC advisory committee members who make the vaccine recommendations that states then use to determine their requirements. Programs that provide free vaccines for kids could also see their funding cut. Theres short-term threats in terms of funding and whats going to be available for state immunization programs, Saunders said, [and then] theres long-term threats about immunization policy and what the future of the immunization landscape in the country can hold. Related California Braces for Trumps Education Policy Changes Even in Democratically controlled California, Gould, the mom whose son has cystic fibrosis, said shes concerned about shifts in vaccine rhetoric, particularly at the school board level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think what I have learned from my experience in Douglas County, Colorado, is that when these individuals take over majorities on school boards, it really affects everyone Despite the fact that we are a highly educated, very liberal, coastal section of Southern California, you definitely have people that are trying to make inroads and these are people who are anti-science. Are vaccines the new critical race theory? Parents across the country are able to apply for exemptions if their child is unable to get vaccinated for medical reasons. Most states also have religious exemptions, and 20 have some form of personal belief exemptions, leaving a varied landscape. School vaccine mandates have been around for more than a century, and while some pushback has always existed, it wasnt until COVID that there was a real spike in vaccine hesitancy, according to Kate King, president of the National Association of School Nurses and a school nurse in Ohio. Related School Chief Recalls Pandemic Fights with Texas Governor and Chicago Union The source of the skepticism has shifted, too: Rarely have we seen the federal government behind those debates in a way that this next administration could be, said ASUs Hodge. Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers. (Wikipedia) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, sees the potential unraveling of decades and generations of protective vaccines. RFK believes he knows more than the totality of any science that has come before him, she said. For a vaccine to get approved, it must first go through an advisory committee at the FDA. Another committee at the CDC then develops recommendations for vaccine schedules, which state legislators rely on to determine their school policies. Kennedy would have an enormous impact on who serves on these committees, and he could stack them with anti-vaccine advocates. Kennedy could also request a review of all vaccines that have been previously approved by the FDA and subject them to new requirements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many vaccines are paid for by the federal government. If Congress under HHSs direction or on their own were to begin pulling that money, some of the most vulnerable children across the country could lose access to immunization. Trump has threatened to defund schools requiring vaccines for students. The moment you start tacking on any price tag to a vaccination any price tag whatsoever, even fairly minimal you do see vaccination rates go down, said Hodge. Beyond policy actions, experts warned of the power of rhetoric. We still rely even under legal mandates that exist at the state level on public acceptance of vaccines, Hodge added, so for vaccine rates to remain high, so too must the public trust. The mere presence of a federal official who is skeptical and at times outright hostile towards vaccines gives the opposition more credibility. Since the enforcement of these policies is typically left up to the district level, some advocates are anticipating increased pressure on school board members to take anti-vaccine positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real tension is if a school board decides that they dont want to support these [vaccine mandate] policies, said Hughes, the GW law professor. They cant change the policies, but they might say, We dont support these policies. Not in our school district. No way, no how. Related Will Trump Eliminate the Federal Role in Education or Expand It? He said hes already seen some groups use vaccines as a wedge issue, much like the debate over critical race theory an academic framework used to examine systematic racism that convulsed school boards a few years ago. In Louisiana, public health workers were recently forbidden from promoting COVID, flu and mpox previously known as monkeypox shots, according to a recent NPR investigation. And a regional public health department in Idaho is no longer providing COVID vaccines to residents in six counties after a narrow decision by its board. Theres money in anti-vax anxiety The anti-vaccination movement is not new. It can be traced back as far as the 18th century with Edward Jenners discovery of the smallpox vaccine. Because it was made from cowpox, people at the time were afraid that if they got the vaccine, theyd turn into a cow, said Swartzberg, the public health professor who has taught a course on the anti-vax movement for over a decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres always been opposition to vaccination because its the idea of the word inoculate, meaning putting into you something foreign and that scares people, Swartzberg said. I understand that. Thats where emotion has to be countered with data. The group of people so stringently anti-vaccination that they refuse them is small but vocal, he said. Over the past few years, though, something has dramatically changed in our society, and the voices behind the movement have shifted from expressing personal fears to looking to monetize the fears of others. For example, Joseph Mercola, deemed one of the Disinformation Dozen the 12 people responsible for sharing the majority of anti-vax messaging on social media made substantial sums of money by peddling far-fetched health claims and then selling products online as alternative treatments. Kennedy also appeared on the Disinformation Dozen list. Others sell merchandise, books and tickets to events, offer exclusive paid content on platforms like Patreon, have sponsored content and display affiliate marketing links to anti-vaccine products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its turned into an incredibly lucrative field for anti-vaxxers, and whats really facilitated this has been the internet and the lack of any monitoring of the internet for misinformation and disinformation, Swartzberg said. Just last week, Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, announced that it will end its fact-checking program on social media posts. Using social media and other mechanisms, the anti-vax movement has targeted fairly insular groups around the United States with misinformation, he added. These include New Yorks Orthodox Jewish community and the Somali community in Minnesota, both of which have seen recent measles outbreaks. While the image of vaccine skeptical parents is often one of young, white crunchy moms, Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, also pointed to well-earned trepidation among Black and Latino parents. Historically, she noted, significant harm has been done to Black communities through the weaponization of medical trials, and families of color have had particularly negative experiences with the health care system especially Black mothers. During the pandemic, Childrens Health Defense, Kennedys anti-vaccine advocacy organization, seemed to tap into this distrust when it put out a film targeting Black Americans with disproven vaccine claims. Gould, the California mom, said if she were still living in more conservative Douglas County shed fear that people would believe the disinformation [and] stop vaccinating their children. For kids with chronic illnesses or like my son, a life-limiting illness that has massive consequences. It has life-or-death consequences. Best-selling British author Neil Gaiman released a statement yesterday denying he had ever engaged in non-consensual sex after a magazine this week published allegations from several women, accusing him of sexual assault. The 64-year-old author of The Sandman comic book series and novel American Gods was responding to a New York Magazine article that detailed allegations of assault, abuse and coercion leveled by eight women. The allegations of four of them had been broadcast in July in a Tortoise Media podcast. Gaiman said he had watched stories about him circulate on the Internet for months with horror and dismay. As I read through this latest collection of accounts, there are moments I half-recognise and moments I dont, descriptions of things that happened sitting beside things that emphatically did not happen. Im far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever. Gaiman posted on the social media platform Tumblr. Gaiman said he had read back message exchanges he had had with his accusers. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently spent a day at sea with a vaccine skeptic influencer who once alleged the actress Amber Heard participated in Satanic-themed lesbian orgies. President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for health and human services secretary, who is preparing to face a confirmation hearing where he will almost certainly be challenged over his own conspiratorial views, was also joined by a former American Idol contestant who previously believed he is a psychic capable of speaking to the dead. Also there was The Sopranos actress Drea de Matteo, who runs an OnlyFans account for which she said her teenage son helps edit some non-explicit content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to social media posts, Kennedy discussed health policies with the group. The day out at sea raises questions about whether Kennedywho has a lengthy history of crusading against vaccines and AIDS denialismwill ditch some of his views in government. Jessica Reed Kraus, the influencer who joined the outing, boasts well over a million followers on Instagram, where on Wednesday she posted images of herself and Kennedy socializing as part of a group on a yacht. Kraus rose to online fame first as a Southern California mommy blogger, sharing family and home improvement content that made her a fixture of lifestyle publications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But during the pandemic, her output shifted radically as she began doubting the COVID vaccine and said her children wouldnt get inoculated. She also turned to gossip blogging focused on high profile court cases, raising tens of thousands of dollars from followers to cover the 2021 New York City trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, later writing sympathetically about the convicted child sex trafficker and bemoaning that journalists didnt share her views. It was the first time I was confronted with a very conflicting perspective in comparison to mainstream media, she told Elle last year. We would all talk at lunch tables about what we thought about Ghislaine, but then when we went to print, they all printed what their outlets wantedthat she was always the evil monsterand I would print that I didnt agree with that." Kraus went on to become a staunch ally and defender of Heards ex Johnny Depp during a 2022 defamation trial over claims he physically abused her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Depp phoned Kraus personally during the case after noticing her skepticism of Heard in her writing. Kraus would go on to claim the actress participated in drug-fueled lesbian orgies at parties with satanic themes run by a cabal of powerful interests. Just as she was strongly, disturbingly sympathetic to Ghislaine Maxwell, she was a chief instigator of the anti-Heard story line, wrote New York magazine editor-at-large Choire Sicha. As Kraus embraced vaccine skepticism and celebrity gossip, she also began articulating a MAGA-friendly political worldview and spoke favorably of right-wing fixtures such as Laura Loomer, who she dubbed funny and fearless. The Daily Beast has reached out to Kraus for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given Kraus wide online reach, both Kennedys independent presidential campaign and Trumps GOP bid lobbied for her support during the 2024 race. In a caption on her Wednesday Instagram post, Kraus wrote that Kennedy told her and their seafaring pals during their day on the water of how hes going to get the chemicals out of our food and eliminate red dye No. 3. The Food and Drug Administration announced Wednesday that it was banning the synthetic dye due to evidence that it can cause cancer in animals. On top of advocacy against lightly regulated food additives that experts say can cause negative health impacts, Kennedy has launched attacks on seed oils, calling them poison, and fluoride in water, which experts point to as one of the greatest public health achievements in modern history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to mommy blogger Kraus, Kennedy apparently laid out his agenda to Jimmy Levy, a former American Idol contestant who, on the shows 18th season in 2018, told the singing competitions judges of how he was part of a family of psychics and that his gift was being able to communicate with the spirits of the deceased. I see dead people, he said on the show. I dont want to follow in the psychic footsteps, even though I have the gift and its probably going to be there forever. I want to do full-time music. Levy staked out his music career dreams alongside a full MAGA tilt. In an interview with Fox News, he described abandoning the occult after his turn on American Idol and becoming an evangelical Christian in 2021 after realizing that Satan was real. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, he guested on alt-right rapper Forgiato Blows anti-LGBT song Boycott Target, singing that the retail chain offering Pride-themed merchandise amounted to teaming with a Satanist. Jimmy Levy in 2015. / Albert L. Ortega / Getty Images Levy celebrated his time on the boat with Kennedy, writing in a comment on Kraus post: That was such a chill day In a notable tribute to Kennedy, he had MAHAthe acronym for the Trump-inspired Make America Healthy Again sloganshaved into the hair on the right side of his head. Finally, there was de Matteo, best known for playing Adriana La Cerva on HBOs The Sopranos, for which she won an Emmy in 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also became a vaccine skeptic during the COVID pandemic, which she said led to her blacklisting in Hollywood. To make up for the lack of work, she turned to OnlyFans, where she posts images of herself modeling lingerie swimwear. Her account does not feature explicit nudity, and she said last year that her 13-year-old son sometimes helps her edit the racy images she does post. Actress Drea De Matteo says her views on the COVID vaccine led to her being blacklisted by Hollywood. / Paul Archuleta / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement De Matteo, who was previously not especially political, became a vocal Trump supporter during the election. There are a lot of Trump supporters, there are a lot of Kennedy supporters, she told Fox News last year, of the allegedly substantial number of secret MAGA and MAHA fans in Hollywood. A Rhode Island man has been convicted in the grisly murder of 81-year-old Constance Gauthier, who was found stabbed more than 60 times in her home in 2016, the attorney general said Thursday. Matthew Dusseault Jr., 27, of Woonsocket was found guilty of first-degree murder on Wednesday after an eight-day jury trial in Providence County Superior Court, Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement. The jury also found that the murder was committed with aggravated battery or torture, thereby making Dusseault eligible for a sentence of life without the possibility of parole, Neronha said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dusseault is scheduled to be sentenced in Providence County Superior Court on March 28. Look no further than the judgment imposed by this jury to understand the severity of this defendants crime, said Neronha. Constance Gauthier was a vibrant, active woman whose life was tragically cut short, leaving her friends and family to pick up the pieces. I can only hope that those who loved her feel a sense of closure knowing that justice has been served. I thank the Woonsocket Police Department for their partnership in the investigation of this challenging case. During the trial, the state proved beyond a reasonable doubt that on or about March 22, 2016, Dusseault stabbed Constance Gauthier dozens of times at her residence in Woonsocket. On March 23, 2016, Woonsocket Police responded to Gauthiers home after her neighbor reported seeing her lying on the bedroom floor, unresponsive, through the bedroom window, Neronha said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police found the elderly woman on the floor in a pool of blood with more than 60 stab wounds, partially concealed by a mattress, Neronha said. Dusseaults tattoo of a Grim Reaper with skulls and a gravestone with the number 63 caught the attention of investigators, because it was around the same number of times that Gauthier had been stabbed, The Providence Journal reported in 2018. Police saw that the Gauthiers residence appeared to have been staged as if it was ransacked, as nothing appeared to be stolen. In July 2018, investigators submitted touch DNA samples collected from the crime scene for review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sample produced partial familial matches, which helped lead investigators to Dusseault, Neronha said. Before an interview with Woonsocket Police, Dusseault consented to a buccal swab for DNA, which matched the sample collected at the crime scene, Neronha said. Violent crime will not be tolerated on our community, and I am grateful to see this defendant brought to justice, Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas Oates said in a statement. My thanks to the men and women of the Woonsocket Police Department and the Attorney Generals Office for their tireless work in the investigation and prosecution of this case. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) Near the Great Swamp Management Area in South Kingstown now lies the new Eleanor & Maurice H. Gordon Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is named in honor of the Gordon family, who donated 67 acres of biodiverse forest and wetland habitat to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. ALSO READ: Rhode Island acquires 942 acres of forest in Burrillville The land is home to a variety of species including barred owls, great horned owls, white-tailed deer and coyotes, according to Audubon. here is also a fresh water stream and a pond on the property that supports fish, frogs, turtles and native aquatic plants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The propertys proximity to the Great Swamp Management Area will further support the local wildlife. Larger tracts of land are critical to conservation efforts, and adding to large, already protected parcels achieves many goals, Audubon Senior Director of Conservation Scott Ruhren explained. Ruhren said large wooded areas are also more resilient to climate change. Smaller woodlands are more exposed to wind, heat and cooling than large forests, he said. They are also more vulnerable to invasive species. The property will not be open to the public due to the sensitivity of the habitat. In the past, the Gordon family used a small section of the land to grow trees that were sold to landscape contractors across the region. Audubon said it may use that portion of the land in the future to cultivate valuable native plants that can then be brought to its other properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Audubons Executive Director Jeffrey Hall praised the Gordon family for their work to preserve the property. He noted that every acre matters when it comes to conservation. This acquisition offers an exciting opportunity for Audubon to continue our protection of the land in their name and support the wide range of wildlife species that call it home, Hall said. We thank the Gordon family for this extremely generous donation, and for trusting us to care for it in perpetuity. (Courtesy: Scott Ruhren) (Courtesy: Scott Ruhren) Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Good 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 WPRI.com. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The Rhode Island State Police have fired two troopers who posted a video on social media of 21-year-old Alex Montesino getting hit and killed by a car on I-95 in October. In the video obtained by 12 News, the troopers can be heard laughing in the background. One of the troopers recorded the short clip on a cell phone and posted it on Snapchat. Alex Montesino (Courtesy: Frank Vidal) Montesinos uncle, Frank Vidal, told 12 News his nephews twin sister stumbled upon the video the day before her brothers funeral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can clearly hear them laughing and mocking his last minutes left on this earth, Vidal said. We were just horrified. I mean, theres no words. BACKGROUND: Mans family seeks justice after state troopers share footage of his death Vidal called for the troopers to be fired. Thats the minimum that should happen, he said. There has to be accountability. State police said the troopers were part of the 2024 academy class and violated division policies. We are deeply disappointed that these recently hired Troopers displayed such poor judgment and lacked empathy for this familys tragedy, Col. Darnell Weaver said in a statement. These individuals are no longer employed by the state police, and we will not comment further as they are not employed by the Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking 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 WPRI.com. BATES COUNTY, Mo. A Rich Hill man is charged in two different counties after allegedly murdering a man in one and stealing guns in another. Court records show that David Alan Stewart is charged in Bates County with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. In Vernon County, hes charged with three counts of receiving stolen property. Bates County murder According to a probable cause statement from the Bates County Sheriffs Office (BCSO), deputies responded to a Rich Hill residence on Nov. 14, 2024 for a report of a death. When deputies arrived, they found the victim, identified as 48-year-old Jerry McLay of Rich Hill, slumped over on a couch with a gunshot wound to the head. Documents say deputies did not find a weapon or shell casing at the scene. David Alan Stewart, courtesy of the Bates County Sheriffs Office. Detectives located a security camera in an upstairs window. Upon reviewing the footage, documents say detectives saw McLay leaving his residence in a red truck at around 12:20 p.m. on Nov. 13. A few minutes later, McLay returns, with a gold BMW SUV belonging to Stewart following behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SUV left McLays residence at 12:32 p.m. and returned 20 minutes later, according to documents. The footage showed the SUVs window rolled down, with a man resembling Stewart driving. A gunshot was heard on the footage at 12:55 p.m., documents say, and Stewart left the property at 12:57 p.m. Deputies say there was no other activity until the following morning, when a mail carrier dropped packages on the porch that remained there until deputies arrived. Text messages found on McLays phone showed that Stewart had sent a message on Nov. 13 at 12:32 p.m., saying My apology man Ill be right back. Apparently I forgot the money at home McLay responded with Ok at 12:32 p.m. Detectives say that during an interview with Stewart on Nov. 15, he admitted to being the sole owner of the BMW SUV and knowing the victim, and told deputies he had gone to McLays home to buy drugs. Vernon County gun thefts Later in November 2024, documents say BCSO contacted the Nevada Police Department (NPD) regarding stolen property that detectives believed had been sold in Nevada, Missouri. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BCSO told NPD that firearms had been stolen from a Bates County residence, documents say. Investigators determined that Stewart had pawned 12 firearms to a Nevada business between March 8 and April 17, 2024, including two that were among those reported stolen from the Bates County residence. A third was reported stolen from Tempe, Arizona, documents say. Two dozen firefighters treated for chemical burns after fire at Tyson Foods in Berryville A Facebook post from BCSO says that while executing a search warrant related to the stolen guns on Jan. 13, 2025, BCSO deputies, NPD officers and Vernon County sheriffs deputies discovered a note in Stewarts vehicle, which stated that Stewart planned to detonate an explosive device at his residence with the intent to kill as many deputies as possible. Stewart is currently being held in the Vernon County jail on all charges with a $1 million cash-only bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) After more than a year of war and many months of negotiations, Israel and Hamas have reached a deal that could mean the end of the war in Gaza. Organizations in Rochester told News 8 they hope this leads to permanent peace. As soon as Sunday, Hamas could begin handing over hostages to Israel. The agreement aims for a temporary ceasefire with the final phase potentially ending the war if conditions are met. What we hope, the inevitable hope is that this will be a lasting and permanent peace for all people in the Middle East, which is, I think, what we really all want to see in the end, Jewish Federation of Greater Rochester CEO Meredith Dragon told News 8. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This brutal conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Hundreds were massacred. More than 250 others were kidnapped and taken into Gaza. In retaliation, Israels military has obliterated much of the tiny strip in its avowed goal to destroy Hamas. But after 466 days, more than 46,600 men, women, and children have also been killed, according to the Hamas-run health ministry with thousands more believed to be buried under the rubble. Dragon says a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is something so many have been longing for. I think since Oct. 7, its really almost unimaginable the kind of pain and suffering that people have been going through, particularly the hostages, Dragon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the agreed deal, phase one would last 42 days, with Hamas releasing 33 hostages including women, the elderly, and the sick. In exchange, Israel would set free dozens of Palestinian detainees for each. The concern is both parties upholding the agreement. Historically, Israel has violated terms of ceasefires and agreements before, and so its just, its, its a lot of hope, but at the same time, a lot of fear, a lot of skepticism, Sarah, a University of Rochester student told News 8. We hear that this deal isnt even supposed to be implemented until Sunday, Iman Abed with the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights said. And so, that craze is that that raises a huge level of fear, concern understanding that theres a potential that Israel may continue bombarding people and doing the most that it can in this moment before this deal gets upheld. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One message shared: The need for a permanent ceasefire. This has been going on for decades, and a ceasefire is just the first step, Sarah said. There has to be an end to the occupation. There has to be a lift on the siege thats happening in Gaza. Israel is forever changed. Gaza is forever changed, and yet, we need to figure out how to move on and how to allow people to live in safety and security, Dragon said. The agreement still needs to be approved by Israels parliament but is expected to go into effect in the coming days. 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 RochesterFirst. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) City leaders are working on new ways to address gun violence across Rochester. Although they reported a decrease in violent crime in the last year compared to 2023, officials, including Mayor Malik Evans, said theres more work to be done. Part of this new effort includes restricting those convicted of domestic violence-related crimes from being able to legally purchase a firearm. This is a concern statewide, as New York Governor Kathy Hochul alluded to in Tuesdays 2025 State of The State address. Were working closely with law enforcement to apprehend and prosecute the rapists and to keep guns out of the hands of abusers, Hochul said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This work includes the governors proposal of a new crime titled Domestic Violence to be listed under penal law, which could be charged alongside other offenses. By enacting this, it would require an offender to register with the FBIs Criminal Background Checks System (NICS), barring them from the ability to purchase a firearm. Evans on Wednesday added that a law like this could aid a continued decrease in gun violence overall. We have plenty of stories where domestic violence has escalated to some serious, serious violence, Evans said. Its something that we cannot tolerate, and Governor Hochuls proposal would strengthen that. Leaders like Evans said theres more to combat this issue than just implementing Hochuls proposed law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only does that law need to be strengthened, but we also need the court system to make sure they are dealing with individuals that are perpetuating domestic violence and when they are picked up. The court system needs to make sure that these individuals dont come out and reoffend. Evans also mentioned the citys collaborations with their Crisis Intervention Services Team and outside organizations, including The Willow Center. A detailed map of plotted 2024 crime data reported to the Rochester Police Department can be found using their public crime map on their 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 RochesterFirst. The Chief Executive (CE), Sam Hou Fai, called on local media to utilize further their credibility and influence to promote to the global community the significant achievements of Macaus successful practice of the one country, two systems principle and its inherent values of peace, inclusiveness, openness, and sharing, a press statement from the Government Information Bureau notes. Sam was speaking at a dinner reception held yesterday evening with representatives of Chinese-language local news outlets. At the same time, the CE added that he hoped the local media would share the compelling stories concerning China and Macau with the world and show outsiders that the one country, two systems principle is viable and achievable as a framework and can substantially benefit humanity. Addressing President Xi Jinpings recent visit and speeches, Sam noted, Over the past 25 years, the motherland has remained the most solid support for Macaus prosperity and stability, consistently providing Macau with the greatest development opportunities. For the CE, the medias work in Macau has been assisting the government in its communication efforts and is a crucial observer, participant, and communicator of the MSARs development, adding, They have been attentive to, and followed up on, the various activities and work of the MSAR government. On the other hand, the CE also said that as a bridge between the government and the public, the media plays a crucial role in overseeing the administration as well as reflecting public demands, distinguishing right from wrong, cultivating social consensus, and promoting social harmony and stability. Through their accurate and timely reporting, the media reflect public sentiment, making governance more in line with the thoughts and aspirations of the Macau public. This, in turn, fosters better understanding and support among the public regarding the governments work and promotes healthy interaction between the government and the public. The matter of press freedom in Macau was also addressed by Sam, who reaffirmed that it is fully guaranteed under the MSAR Basic Law and the Press Law, reaffirming the commitment of the government to adhere to law-based governance, supporting the media in enhancing their professional standards, and innovating in terms of their skills. The CE also argued that the new government would enhance coordination and communication between departments and the media, providing information and offering more assistance for interviews and reporting. Jan. 16ROCHESTER A Destination Medical Center grant supporting renovation of a historic downtown building will need a second look by the Rochester City Council. Rochester Mayor Kim Norton vetoed the $125,288 preservation grant for 330 S. Broadway Ave. Funding for the project through the $5 million DMC Historic District Infrastructure Investment program was unanimously approved by the Rochester City Council without comment on Jan. 6. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This fund is for historic preservation purposes which, in my mind, supports repairing, maintaining, and upgrading the historic features and structure of the building," Norton stated in a Jan. 14 memo regarding her eighth veto since taking office in 2019. "This project goes beyond that purpose and actually does the adaptive reuse for an apartment, which will be a revenue generating purpose for the building owner." The DMC program was established last year to support owners of approximately 30 buildings contributing to Rochester's new Downtown Commercial Historic District. It provides grants of up to $500,000 to support half the cost of an approved project. The Broadway Avenue building owned by Bucky Beeman houses Marrow restaurant on the first floor and was one of three grant applications unanimously approved by the state board on Dec. 5. The other two grants were $202,274 for roof replacement, exterior brick work and interior bathroom replacement at 400 S. Broadway Ave. and $380,885 for roof replacement and mechanical upgrades at 212 First Ave. SW. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norton, who serves as vice chairwoman of the state board, voiced support for the projects as a whole during the December meeting, which landed the three grants on the City Council's Jan. 6 consent agenda for the necessary city approval. In her veto, Norton suggests the city's new Historic District Loan Program is better suited to support the proposed second-floor renovation at 330 S. Broadway. "This was not what I believe the investment program and pre-renovation grant funds were meant to be used for but was the purpose of the revolving loan fund," she said of the city-supported loan program that lends up to $200,000 for 10 years without interest. The loan program offers forgiveness of up to $20,000 for each second story apartment unit created through its support, and Norton pointed out the program specifically identifies "adaptive reuse" as an eligible expense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loan program also lists systems and structural repairs, roofing, exterior preservation and restoration as specific uses areas that can be supported. Molly Patterson-Lundgren, the city's heritage preservation and urban design coordinator, has said the city's loan program can be used as part of the non-DMC match for the grant program, which lists eligible expenses as "permanent physical improvement to the building that meet DMC definition of 'public infrastructure project.'" The Rochester City Council will have the option to challenge Norton's veto during its Jan. 22 meeting. It would require approval of at least five council members to override the mayor's decision. While Norton suggested amending the Jan. 6 action to approve a loan request, the council cannot change an item after it has been vetoed. If an override is sought, the council members must vote on the request as it was approved during the earlier meeting, Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rochester Mayor Kim Norton has issued eight vetoes since taking office. Of the past seven, three were overridden by the Rochester City Council. The past vetoes are: May 6, 2024 A call for a review of winter residential street parking requirements. The council didn't challenge the veto. July 27, 2023 A decision to allow a new billboard near a church along U.S. Highway 52. The council failed to override the veto. July 11, 2023 A planned special election to seek a sales tax extension with a single vote is vetoed. The council overturned the veto May 18, 2023 A proposed open-gym pilot project is vetoed. The council overturned the veto. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oct. 26, 2021 A plan to retain the former Legends building as part of a small-area plan is vetoed. The council overturned the veto. May 19, 2021 A revised pilot program creating a certificate of appropriateness related to renovations of potentially historic buildings is vetoed. The council didn't challenge the veto and reverted to adopting an earlier pilot program. May 20, 2019 A Wood Lake Park sidewalk plan is vetoed. The council did not overturn the veto. (Bloomberg) -- Romanias far-right parties launched a bid to suspend President Klaus Iohannis, whom they deem illegitimate after his term expired, ramping up pressure on the ruling coalition ahead of a rerun of presidential elections in May. Most Read from Bloomberg The request filed to parliament and signed by the three far-right parties is the first step required to trigger an ouster, said Anamaria Gavrila, the leader of the Young Peoples Party that initiated the procedure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bid would need the backing of some lawmakers from the ruling coalition to pass as the far-right parties only control a third of the seats in parliament. While the support is unlikely to materialize, the move is part of the populist attempt to capitalize on growing public discontent over last months court decision to annul the presidential election due to alleged foreign interference. The cancelation of the vote, whose first round was won by little known pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu, led to Romanias biggest political crisis in decades. A repeat of the election is scheduled in May with Iohannis set to stay in office until the new president is elected. His term expired on Dec. 21. The constitution states that the president has a five-year term, thats the rule, and it has to be respected and not extended through the backdoor, Gavrila, who supports Georgescu, said in a social media post on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parliament in Bucharest will discuss and schedule the debate of the far-right parties motion in the coming weeks, Deputy Speaker Daniel Suciu told Bloomberg News on Thursday. An extraordinary meeting could be convened next week at the earliest, or when regular sessions resume from Feb. 1. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. NEW HARTFORD, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) A Rome man was arrested by New Hartford Police after a month-long investigation into a Consumer Square robbery. Police were called to the Burlington department store at Consumer Square in New Hartford at approximately 10 pm on Wednesday, December 11, responding to a larceny in progress. While on route to the call, New Hartford Police officers learned that the suspect later identified as 45-year-old Edward Hector of Rome was outside of the store allegedly punching an employee. Police say that other employees intervened in the theft. The employee whom Hector punched in the confrontation sustained only minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also say Hector fled the scene before officers arrived, abandoning the clothing he was attempting to steal. Officers were unable to locate Hector afterward, despite being provided with a description to aid in their search. Hector was able to evade capture for approximately two months, until Tuesday, January 14, when New Hartford Police responded to an unrelated robbery at the Wal-Mart in Consumer Square. Police were able to successfully detain Hector and arrest him without incident. He was subsequently taken to the New Hartford Police Department for processing, then to Oneida County CAP Court for arraignment. For the robbery on January 14, Hector was charged with: Petit Larceny, a Class A Misdemeanor. For the robbery on December 11, Hector was charged with: third-degree Robbery, a Class D Felony, and Assault on a Retail Worker, a Class E Felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hector has been remanded to the Oneida County Jail in Oriskany after his arraignment, pending a Felony hearing. 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 WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. By Joshua McElwee ROME (Reuters) - Rome's chief Jewish rabbi on Thursday sharply criticised Pope Francis over the pontiff's recent ramping up of criticism against Israel's military campaign in Gaza, in an unusually forceful speech during an annual Catholic-Jewish dialogue event. Francis has unfairly focused his attention on Israel compared to other ongoing world conflicts, including those in Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Ethiopia, said Rabbi Riccardo Di Segni, spiritual leader of Rome's Jewish community since 2001. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Selective indignation weakens the pope's strength," said Di Segni. "A pope cannot divide the world into children and stepchildren and must denounce the sufferings of all," he said. "This is exactly what the Pope does not do." Francis, leader of the 1.4-billion-member Roman Catholic Church, has recently been more outspoken about Israel's military campaign against Palestinian militant group Hamas. Last week, he called the humanitarian situation in Gaza "very serious and shameful". A complex ceasefire accord between Israel and Hamas emerged on Wednesday, and is scheduled to start on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Relations between the Catholic Church and Judaism have improved in recent decades, after centuries of animosity. The event on Thursday, held at a Catholic university, was organised to mark the 36th annual World Day of Catholic-Jewish Dialogue. One of the organizers, Rev. Marco Gnavi, a Catholic priest, expressed surprise at Di Segni's comments. He said he felt "discomfort" because of the rabbi's words. "You can't ask us not to suffer both with you and with others," said the priest. (Reporting by Joshua McElwee; Editing by Bernadette Baum) Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) expressed concern Wednesday that Israel was coerced into its ceasefire agreement with Palestinian militant group Hamas. Im hoping they werent coerced into a deal before they finish what they need to finish, [which was the] destruction of Hamas, so that Hamas cant rise again and threaten them again [in a] few years, Johnson told NewsNations Blake Burman on The Hill. The ceasefire agreement, unveiled Wednesday, is expected to begin Sunday, with its first phase including a six-week ceasefire, as well as Hamas releasing 33 hostages out of an estimated 94 people both alive and dead, that it has held for over a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Biden hailed the agreement on Wednesday, saying getting to this deal has not been easy. Ive worked on foreign policy for decades. This was one of the toughest negotiations Ive ever experienced. We reached this point because to the pressure Israel built on Hamas, backed by the United States, he added. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan had said in an interview earlier this week that the U.S. was so close to a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. Number one, we are so close to a ceasefire and hostage deal, and I think there is a very distinct possibility that we get it across the line this week, before President Biden leaves office, Sullivan said Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his NewsNation appearance Wednesday, Johnson said the ceasefire agreement is good news. Its good to see the the violence cease, he added. Hopefully, that continues, but we [need to] see all the hostages released; we [need to] see all the hostages accounted for. NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill. 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. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) has joined some of his fellow GOP lawmakers in calling for conditions on California wildfire aid. NPRs Steve Inskeep asked Johnson on Wednesdays Morning Edition about if he believes that it is Congresss place to instruct California as to what to do on a state and local level, with, with with forest management, with building codes, with whatever it might be. If theyre asking for American taxpayer dollars to fund their mismanagement, absolutely, Johnson responded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recent deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area have devastated the region, destroying property on a large scale and resulting in numerous deaths. Johnsons comments follow other GOP lawmakers comments about calling for conditions on California wildfire aid. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said to reporters Monday that he believes there should probably be conditions on that aid. Thats my personal view, well see what the consensus is, he added. I havent had a chance to socialize that with any of the members over the weekend because weve all been very busy, but itll be part of the discussion, for sure. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) predicted Sunday on CBSs Face the Nation that there will be strings attached to money that is ultimately approved for Los Angeles-area fire aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his NPR appearance, Ron Johnson said he believes that what has happened over the decades here, with federal disaster relief, is that more and more and more individuals, more and more states, are just relying on the federal government when something happens. When reached for comment, California Gov. Gavin Newsoms (D) directed The Hill to a Wednesday post on the social platform X from Newsom saying that Conditioning aid is simply un-American. The post also featured a clip of MSNBCs Jen Psaki interviewing Newsom in which he says he is meeting American citizens desperate, in need. And what they need is empathy, care, compassion, understanding, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Story updated at 10:23 p.m. EDT 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. A road in Ross Township is closed because of hazardous conditions. The Perrysville Fire Department said Sewickley Oakmont Road was closed as of 3:50 p.m. Firefighters said a telephone pole was sheared after a crash, creating a hazard. The crash happened near Carriage Drive. They warn that multiple other roads in the area are dangerous to drive on. Drivers are reminded to use caution. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) Round Rock is the second largest city in the Austin metro area. As more people move there, how the city is keeping up is a big topic of discussion at city hall. Mayor Craig Morgan recently laid out his plans at his annual State of the City address in late December. Because of the growth were seeing, to me it seems like its picked up even more, Morgan said. I think youre getting a couple of effects. Youre getting the Samsung effect, and youre getting people that want to get out of the big city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Round Rock Sports Center kicks off expansion project That alternative to big city life appeals to those who want a little more space outside. It includes things like an expansion at Old Settlers Park through a 2023 voter-approved bond and improvements and extensions of Heritage Trail West. What were trying to do is have these trails connect all across our city and up into other parts of the county, Morgan explained. The mayor also talked extensively about keeping the community safe. $70 million of our general budget goes to police and fire, Morgan said. Thats out of about a $169 million general fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City celebrates grand opening of new Round Rock fire station In 2025, that will include 10 new police officers and six new firefighters. We have to continue to invest in our public safety, yearly, to make sure they have their tools and the things they need, he said. The mayor said the city remains competitive and argues the biggest threat comes from the outside. My biggest concern about economic development is not really the competition from the cities in Texas, Morgan said. My concern is Round Rock, Texas is competing against states. Williamson County designates Jan. 9 Yongin City Day celebrating Sister City agreement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Design is currently underway for the second phase of expansion at the citys Public Safety Training Center on North Mays Street. New classrooms and a new driving track are among the additions planned for the space. You can see a full list of projects happening in Round Rock discussed during the speech on the citys website 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 KXAN Austin. When Kate Middleton visited the hospital where she underwent cancer treatment this week, it was meant to be a show of "support" for patients, but some have taken issue with her remarks. The Princess of Wales returned to The Royal Marsden Hospital in London on Tuesday, Jan. 14, to speak with patients, sharing what she learned from her own experience being treated at the same facility. SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter & get the scoop on the latest TV news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox "I wanted to come and show my support for the amazing work that's going on here and for those who are going through treatment and having such a hard time," she told one patient, as Good Morning America first reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is light at the end of that tunnel, very nice to meet you and best of luck. You are in the best of hands," she assured the woman. Middleton also opened up about how she personally found ways to cope when she was undergoing treatment. "Everyone said to me please keep a positive mindset, it makes such a difference," she said, adding, "I really felt like I needed to get the sun. You need loads of water and loads of sunlight." Some social media users took issue with the mention of "loads of sunlight," noting that chemotherapy can increase sensitivity to the sun. "What kind of chemotherapy patient gets advised to enjoy sunlight????" one X user wanted to know, adding in part, don't advise people to do things that can be dangerous to them. This is not ok!" Related: Kate Middleton Returns to Hospital Where She Received Cancer Treatment "All the medications that my daughter is on while treating her leukemia say the exact opposite of this," another person wrote. "If you are battling cancer please dont take [this] advice," they continued, "'Loads of sunlight' will literally burn you, because most chemo drugs (& antibiotics) cause sun sensitivity." All the medications that my daughter is on while treating her leukemia say the exact opposite of this. If you are battling cancer please dont take advice from this fraud. Loads of sunlight will literally burn you, because most chemo drugs (& antibiotics) cause sun sensitivity. pic.twitter.com/aAAead6c89 Shotas Sugar Cookie (@APseudonymous_) January 14, 2025 "Every cancer patient I know including my sister were advised to stay out of sunlight in case of adverse effects to their treatment. This is disgusting that cancer charities will allow this misinformation to go unchallenged. People will try to copy this ridiculous statement!" a third declared, with someone else pointing out that "Catherine's PR team" must have "forgot to advise her accordingly." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some fans defended the royal, however, pointing out that her comments might have been misconstrued. "I dont think she meant the words quite literally to bake in the sun but that a nice day helps," a different user suggested. "She's NOT on treatment now, so has probably been told sunlight is OK. I was told exactly the same after finishing treatment for Breast Cancer," another fan shared, adding, "Sunlight at appropriate times with protection, leads to good VIT D levels." Experts recommend anyone who is to spend any amount of time outdoors take proper precautions from the sunespecially those undergoing cancer treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the MD Anderson Cancer Center, chemotherapy increases sun sensitivity, putting patients at risk for burnswhich means it's important for those undergoing cancer treatment to take precautions whenever they're outside. The same goes for radiation, Lynne Eldridge, MD, warned in a 2024 article published by Verywell Health. "If you've had radiation therapy, you may wish to consider sun protection a long term goal," Eldridge noted. "Not only could a predisposition to burning last far beyond your last treatment, but the combination of radiation damage to your skin and sun damage could increase your risk of developing skin cancer." Additionally, guidance from the Mayo Clinic in 2023 echoed these sentiments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you are receiving chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer, the biggest risk is excessive sun exposure," the article notes. "Radiation therapy can cause dryness, itching, redness and blistering of the skin. Sun exposure could worsen these effects and cause increased discomfort." Next: Prince William Lauds Kate Middleton for "Remarkable" Strength in Birthday Tribute Photo via screenshot Foreign Relations Committee 1/15/2025. Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to become secretary of state, found a mostly welcome reception Wednesday during his confirmation hearing. He aligned himself with Trumps foreign policy positions while also keeping the skeptical tone toward many foreign nations that has been his calling card during his 14 years in the Senate. Appearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Rubio called China a top threat to the United States and said the war in the Ukraine needs to come to an end. He echoed concerns about growing Chinese influence over the Panama Canal that Trump has voiced, saying it was not a new issue. Trump recently refused to rule out the use of military force when it comes to the fate of the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump is not inventing this, this is something thats existed now for at least a decade, Rubio said, adding that China could turn the canal into a choke point because it controls port facilities at both ends. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Rubio, who is Cuban American, disagreed sharply with the decision announced this week by the Biden administration to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. After President Joe Biden took that action, the island nation announced it would release more than 500 prisoners. Rubio would not commit to senators that the Trump administration would reinstate the terrorism designation, saying that decision would be up to Trump. But Rubio added that nothing that was agreed to is irreversible and binding on the administration. Power clash Rubio, who served as a state legislator and speaker of the Florida House before he ran for U.S. Senate, clashed loudly with Trump when both were running for president in 2016. But after Trump won the nomination, which included a thumping of Rubio soundly in the Florida primary, the two forged an alliance. Rubio emerged as an influential voice on foreign policy, especially as it came to countries in Latin America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio was reportedly on a short list to become Trumps vice president, but reports at the time said that some Trump supporters were skeptical about Rubio noting for example, that he did not object to the election results of 2020. Rubio supports NATO Rubios confirmation could come as soon as next week and even several Democrats on the committee expressed support for him. It was during the hearing that news emerged that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire deal including a release of hostages. Rubio defended Israel during his remarks and said that Hamas had used civilians as shields during the 15-month war. He defended the North American Treaty Organization even though Trump has been critical of the organization. Rubio insisted Trump supports NATO but said he agreed with the president-elect that European countries need to contribute more to help pay for their own defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio said he still supports a law he co-sponsored that prevents any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without approval from Congress. The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters, with one person yelling at Rubio about forever wars while another protester could be heard speaking in Spanish about babies in Nicaragua and Cuba. I get bilingual protesters, Rubio quipped afterward. DeSantis Senate pick Rubios imminent departure from the Senate will give Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a chance to appoint someone to hold the seat until it comes up for election in 2026. DeSantis said this week that he had talked about the position with U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Cory Mills, but said he was unlikely to appoint someone now in the House because Republicans hold such a slim majority in the chamber. Some media outlets have flagged Attorney General Ashley Moody as a top contender to replace Rubio. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Officials and community members are still expressing concern about rodent control efforts. In a recent episode of the TDM Forum, they convened to address the growing issue of rodent infestations in the region. The discussion highlighted ongoing efforts and the need for increased public awareness and cooperation in combating this persistent problem. Kou Ngon Fong, deputy of the Northern District Community Service Consultative Council Committee, emphasized that rodent eradication is an ongoing challenge. He noted that the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) has implemented proactive measures, including the installation of approximately 1,400 fixed rat-bait boxes strategically placed on public streets throughout Macau. Kou emphasized that while significant progress has been made, the collaboration of both restaurants and residents is essential in private areas. Fong Kin Fu, the vice chairman of the United Association of Food and Beverage Mechanics of Macau, recognized the notable advancements in pest control within the restaurant sector over recent years. He noted that while food safety training and inspections are now standard practices, completely eliminating rodents is not feasible. He emphasized the importance of prevention and encouraged restaurant owners to maintain a proactive approach. During the program, audience members raised concerns about the necessity of conducting scientific assessments of rodent populations. One resident suggested that the IAM should utilize data-driven methods to evaluate the levels of rodent infestation and communicate these findings to the public. Responding to this call for transparency, Kou expressed his support for publishing detailed information on rodent control efforts. He echoed the audiences concerns and emphasized the importance of the department enhancing its rodent control technology. Furthermore, he urged making more comprehensive data and indicators related to rodent infestations publicly accessible while promoting greater awareness of hygiene practices. Choi Seng Hong, deputy director of the Islands Community Advisory Board, proposed hosting a community cleaning campaign to engage residents directly in rodent prevention efforts. He pointed out that timely disposal of large garbage items is essential to eliminate potential hiding spots for rats. Additionally, concerns were raised about the sanitation conditions in certain residential buildings, which have contributed to rodent problems. Choi suggested that residents could adopt a joint management approach similar to practices in Hong Kong, hiring professional teams to implement scientific methods for blocking rat entry points. Victoria Chan Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the president-elect's secretary of state nominee, participated in a confirmation hearing on Jan. 15, 2025. (Screenshot from Foreign Relations Committee) Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to become secretary of state, found a mostly welcome reception Wednesday during his confirmation hearing. He aligned himself with Trumps foreign policy positions while also keeping the skeptical tone toward many foreign nations that has been his calling card during his 14 years in the Senate. Appearing before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, Rubio called China a top threat to the United States and said the war in Ukraine needs to come to an end. He echoed concerns about growing Chinese influence over the Panama Canal that Trump has voiced, saying it was not a new issue. Trump recently refused to rule out the use of military force when it comes to the fate of the Panama Canal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump is not inventing this, this is something thats existed now for at least a decade, Rubio said, adding that China could turn the canal into a choke point because it controls port facilities at both ends. Rubio, who is Cuban American, disagreed sharply with the decision announced this week by the Biden administration to remove Cuba from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. After President Joe Biden took that action, the island nation announced it would release more than 500 prisoners. Rubio would not commit to senators that the Trump administration would reinstate the terrorism designation, saying that decision would be up to Trump. But Rubio added that nothing that was agreed to is irreversible and binding on the administration. Power clash Rubio, who served as a state legislator and speaker of the Florida House before he ran for U.S. Senate, clashed loudly with Trump when both were running for president in 2016. But after Trump won the nomination, which included a thumping of Rubio soundly in the Florida primary, the two forged an alliance. Rubio emerged as an influential voice on foreign policy, especially as it came to countries in Latin America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio was reportedly on a short list to become Trumps vice president, but reports at the time said that some Trump supporters were skeptical about Rubio noting, for example, that he did not object to the election results of 2020. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Rubio supports NATO Rubios confirmation could come as soon as next week and even several Democrats on the committee expressed support for him. It was during the hearing that news emerged that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire deal including a release of hostages. Rubio defended Israel during his remarks and said that Hamas had used civilians as shields during the 15-month war. He defended the North American Treaty Organization even though Trump has been critical of the organization. Rubio insisted Trump supports NATO but said he agreed with the president-elect that European countries need to contribute more to help pay for their own defense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rubio said he still supports a law he co-sponsored that prevents any president from unilaterally withdrawing from NATO without approval from Congress. The hearing was briefly interrupted by protesters, with one person yelling at Rubio about forever wars while another protester could be heard speaking in Spanish about babies in Nicaragua and Cuba. I get bilingual protesters, Rubio quipped afterward. DeSantis Senate pick Rubios imminent departure from the Senate will give Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis a chance to appoint someone to hold the seat until it comes up for election in 2026. DeSantis said this week that he had talked about the position with U.S. Reps. Kat Cammack and Cory Mills, but said he was unlikely to appoint someone now in the House because Republicans hold such a slim majority in the chamber. Some media outlets have flagged Attorney General Ashley Moody as a top contender to replace Rubio. Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Michael Moline for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. NEW YORK (AP) Rudy Giuliani reached a deal Thursday that lets the cash-strapped ex-New York City mayor keep his homes and belongings, including prized World Series rings, in exchange for unspecified compensation and a promise to never again speak ill of two former Georgia elections workers who won a $148 million defamation judgment against him. The agreement resolves all pending litigation between Giuliani and the former election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss. It also led to the cancellation of a trial that was supposed to begin Thursday to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings that Giuliani, a prominent New York Yankees fan, had received from the team. Giuliani, 80, was supposed to be the trials first witness, but he never showed up to the federal courthouse in Manhattan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, his and the womens lawyers were there, toiling toward a resolution. After several hours without any court action, the lawyers emerged from a side room, shook hands and congratulated each other. Giulianis son, Andrew, who had claimed ownership of the rings, beamed as he left the courtroom. Today is a good day, the younger Giuliani told reporters afterward. Left unanswered: How much Giuliani agreed to pay the women, how he's footing the bill and whether anyone is helping him. Giuliani had already begun turning over assets prior to the settlement, including his Manhattan apartment, which is worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other belongings. His total assets are worth about $10 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freeman and Moss won the massive judgment after saying Giulianis lies about them following President-elect Donald Trumps 2020 election loss led to death threats. The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong," the women said in a statement. "Today is a major milestone in our journey. With the agreement, they said, we can now move forward with our lives. They added that they had "agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani said in a statement posted on social media and read to reporters by his lawyer that the settlement satisfies the judgment against him but does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing." I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached, Giuliani said, adding that it allowed him to retain his Manhattan apartment and Florida condominium, as well as all of his personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation," the former mayor wrote. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same. Giuliani's lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, said the deal sprung from negotiations over the last three days that went into the wee hours of the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had an agreement not been reached, Giuliani would have been in court Thursday testifying before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the women's lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J. Liman banned Giuliani from using certain evidence. The trial, now averted, was not intended to relitigate whether Giuliani defamed the women or the size of the judgment against him. Rather, it was to decide the fate of some of his prized assets, including his Florida condo, which is believed to be worth more than $3 million, and the World Series rings, which he touted as mementos of his time as New Yorks No. 1 Yankee fan. Giuliani argued that he established residence near Trump in Palm Beach, Florida, a year ago, but lawyers for Freeman and Moss say he continued to operate as if his New York apartment was his residence until he surrendered it last fall as part of the process of satisfying the judgment. Giuliani said he gave the rings to his son in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Giuliani said it's his understanding that he'll keep the rings. Giuliani was also found in contempt last week in Washington, D.C. The judge there found that he continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly during the 2020 presidential contest. Giuliani, once heralded as Americas Mayor for his post-9/11 leadership, served for a time as Trumps personal attorney during the president-elects first term. SAVE RUDY!!! Trump posted Sunday on his Truth Social platform. As the lawyers were finalizing the settlement, Giuliani posted a video on social media showing a dog named Vinny on the grounds of Trumps Florida estate. The dog, the post said, loves hanging out at Mar-a-Lago but is ready to spend a lot more time in Washington, D.C., supporting Trump. It wasn't clear when the recording was made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani filed for bankruptcy within days of the defamation verdict, pausing collection. After a judge threw out the case last July, finding that the former mayor had thumbed his nose at the process, Freeman and Moss sued to enforce payment. As of last May, Giuliani had just over $1 million in a retirement account, nearly $94,000 in personal cash and about $237,000 in his companys account, according to court filings. At a recent hearing, Giuliani said he was not impoverished but that he didn't have access to most of his remaining assets. Everything I have is tied up," he lamented. Giuliani said in sworn deposition testimony last month that after leaving office in 2002, the late Yankees owner George Steinbrenner gave him rings commemorating each of the four World Series the team won while he was mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani testified that he insisted on paying for the rings, which were the same as the ones the players received, and told Steinbrenner: These are for Andrew. He said he immediately gave one to Andrew, a teen at the time, and kept three others for safekeeping. He estimated their total worth at $27,000. __ Associated Press writer Dave Collins contributed reporting. Rudy Giuliani will again square off in court against two Georgia election workers Thursday, this time seeking to keep his Florida condominium and other prized possessions from the women who won a $146 million defamation judgment against him. Giuliani faces trial in New York over whether his Palm Beach, Fla., condo, which he claims as his permanent residence, must be turned over to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, who he has falsely asserted for years engaged in widespread 2020 election fraud. A federal judge will also weigh whether the ex-New York City mayor must cough up three New York Yankees World Series rings, which Giuliani says he gifted to his son, Andrew, and therefore are not his to give up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani, his son and two other witnesses could take to the stand during the bench trial, which could last three days. It comes after a more than yearlong effort by the two former election workers to collect their multimillion-dollar judgment. Though U.S. District Judge Lewis Liman already ordered Giuliani to turn over most of his assets, the judge has yet to decide the fate of the condo and rings. The upcoming trial over those assets caps a month of legal losses for Giuliani. He was held in contempt by two different courts last week in Manhattan for failing to turn over evidence about his assets, and in Washington for continuing to spread lies about the election workers. Giulianis contempt in New York set his defense back before the trial even began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liman, who presides over both, ruled that he will draw an adverse inference against the former New York City mayor and prevent him from offering certain evidence at the trial. That evidence includes Giulianis change in service providers, like doctors and lawyers, when he purportedly moved his permanent residence to Florida, as well as texts or emails proving the move Giuliani failed to timely produce. Liman said he would take notice of the gaps caused by Giulianis failure. Giulianis attorney warned it would effectively be the death penalty in his fight to retain control of his roughly $3.5 million Florida condo, though Liman said the sanctions were narrower. The judge has also issued an order preventing Giuliani from calling as witnesses his longtime friend, Monsignor Alan Placa, and his spokesperson, Ted Goodman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-mayor will be able to call Maria Ryan, another of his employees, to testify about his purported relocation from New York to Florida. If Giuliani successfully declares the condo his homestead, it would shield the property from being seized to satisfy a portion of the tens of millions of dollars he owes Freeman and Moss. Giuliani has asserted losing the condo effectively would make him homeless. He has already been forced to turn over his roughly $5 million Manhattan apartment, a Mercedes-Benz convertible and other prized possessions, like luxury watches. The election workers in recent weeks have said theyre still trying to secure some of the assets. World Series rings from 1996, 1999 and 2000, which Giuliani says he was gifted by former Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, are also in dispute at this weeks trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Giuliani claims they were meant for his son, Andrew. The elder Giuliani testified during a Dec. 27 deposition he told Steinbrenner the rings would eventually be his sons and that he made it official at a birthday celebration six or seven years ago. Court filings show a years-old photo of Giulianis son with the rings. I made a little ceremony. Id given it to him, Giuliani said. I said, They are now yours. These are your rings. I dont know what Im keeping them for. They belong to you. Lawyers for Freeman and Moss argue the father-son duo have provided little evidence beyond the testimony and note the elder Giuliani listed the rings among his assets as part of his bankruptcy estate. The rings are currently in Andrew Giulianis possession, stored in the bedroom closet of his New York City apartment, according to his lawyers. Liman considered keeping the rings in the courts possession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew Giuliani could take the stand as well as a years-long acquaintance, Sean Kalin, he said will confirm the rings were gifted. The elder Giuliani has repeatedly attacked the election workers legal team and his judges, portraying himself as the victim of political persecution. His attorney wrote in court filings this week that he is being treated differently because he challenged the 2020 election. The Hill requested comment from Goodman, Giulianis spokesperson. In particular, Giuliani has criticized the judge for refusing to delay Thursdays trial until after Trumps inauguration so Giuliani can attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Courts prejudicial actions is to deny Defendant a fair trial, Giulianis lawyer wrote. 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. In a surprise development, Giuliani, Shaye Moss, and Ruby Freeman reached a settlement on Thursday. The settlement ends the four-year defamation case "once certain conditions are met." Giuliani's lawyer declined to say how a 2023 jury's $148M award to Moss and Freeman will be met. Rudy Giuliani and the two Georgia election workers he defamed after the 2020 election said Thursday that they have reached a new monetary settlement that satisfies both sides and which the former New York City mayor said lets him retain "all of my personal belongings." The surprise settlement "will result in the satisfaction of the Plaintiffs' judgment," Giuliani tweeted minutes after the sides concluded a morning of back-room negotiations at a federal courthouse in Manhattan. "I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached," Giuliani's tweet continued. "I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida Condominium and all of my personal belongings." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the settlement, Giuliani, 80, promised to never again defame the election workers, Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman. The two had testified that they feared for their lives when Giuliani's false 2020 election-fraud accusations led to a barrage of racist death threats. The former mayor and personal attorney for President-elect Donald Trump had owed the pair $148 million since December of 2023. That's when a jury tallied up the damages from what a judge said were his "extreme and outrageous" fraud accusations. Giuliani's defamatory accusations included lying that the two were changing votes via flash drives and carting around thousands of fake ballots in rolling suitcases. Giuliani attorney Joseph Cammarata declined to give further details of the settlement to reporters, saying that the parties had agreed to keep its material terms private. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm not going to answer that question," he said when asked if anyone else had paid the $148 million on Giuliani's behalf, or if a smaller sum had been agreed to. Cammarata also declined to say if Giuliani would get back the few items that he has so far forfeited, namely a Mercedes convertible once owned by Lauren Bacall, and a handful of luxury watches. The agreement struck Thursday will be finalized "once certain conditions are met," at which point it "would result in the conclusion of all litigation currently pending between and among the Parties," according to a letter signed by both sides and filed with the court. That litigation included civil contempt allegations brought by the mother-daughter pair, who'd alleged Giuliani was continuing to defame them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The past four years have been a living nightmare," the mother-daughter pair said in a statement. "We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us." Their attorney, Aaron Nathan declined to speak to reporters. Under Thursday's agreement, Giuliani, who was not present for the negotiations, will keep his two most valuable possessions. His Palm Beach condo is worth $3.5 million and his Manhattan coop is worth $5.6 million, according to court papers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other valuables that were never turned over despite multiple court orders and which now apparently will not be included a signed Joe DiMaggio jersey and a cache of other Yankees memorabilia. Rudy Giuliani attorney Joseph Cammarata, left, speaks to reporters outside a federal courthouse in Manhattan as Andrew Giuliani listens. AP Photo/Heather Khalifa Andrew Giuliani was at the courthouse in Lower Manhattan on Thursday and told reporters he will get to keep three World Series rings, originally his father's and valued at $50,000 each. The question of who gets the rings and the Florida condo had been the subject of a mini-trial originally scheduled for Thursday before the parties instead turned to settlement negotiations. Thursday's agreement capped three days of negotiations, Cammarata told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm really proud of my father," the younger Giuliani told reporters outside the courthouse. "He's an American hero, an American icon." Read the original article on Business Insider Rudy Giuliani settled with two former Georgia election workers on Thursday in a deal that will let him keep his homes and personal belongings in return for compensation and a promise to never defame them again, lawyers and the women said. The trial was supposed to decide the ownership of his Florida condominium and three World Series rings and was supposed to start in the morning with Giulianis testimony. But that never happened. An agreement was announced by all parties in the afternoon. The former election workers, Ruby Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea Shaye Moss, had been seeking all of Giulianis property as part of a $148 million defamation judgment against him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The women won the defamation judgment after saying Giulianis lies about the 2020 presidential election being stolen led to death threats that made them fear for their lives. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In a statement, the women said: The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey. We have reached an agreement and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. The amount of the compensation was not disclosed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On social media, Giuliani released a statement, saying that he had reached a resolution that will satisfy the judgment against him. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the Parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached. I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida Condominium and all of my personal belongings, he said. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate. I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same, Giuliani said. Giulianis lawyer, Joseph Cammarata, said outside the courthouse that the deal resulted from long negotiations over the last three days that went into the wee hours of the night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deal negated the need for a trial that was supposed to begin Thursday morning in Manhattan federal court, where Giuliani was scheduled to be the first witness. He never came to court. The former Georgia election workers won the judgment against him. Giuliani, 80, was to testify before the same judge who last week found him in contempt for failing to turn over information on some of his assets to the womens lawyers. As punishment, Judge Lewis J. Liman banned Giuliani from introducing some evidence. Giuliani, who served for a time as personal attorney to President-elect Donald Trump during his first term, also was found in contempt last week in Washington, D.C. The judge there found that Giuliani continued to slander the election workers by repeating false claims that they counted votes corruptly in the 2020 presidential contest. During the wait, Giuliani posted a video on social media showing a dog named Vinny on the grounds of Trumps Palm Beach, Florida, estate. The dog, the post said, loves hanging out at Mar-a-Lago but is ready to spend a lot more time in Washington, D.C., supporting Trump. It wasnt clear when the recording was made. RELATED STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trial was not intended to relitigate whether Giuliani defamed the women or the amount of the judgment against him, both of which are issues that have been decided, but rather to determine whether he would get to keep certain valuable assets instead of turning them over. Among them was his condominium in Palm Beach, Florida. The former mayor says he established residence there in January 2024, but lawyers for the election workers say he continued to operate as if his New York apartment was his residence until it was surrendered in the fall as part of the judgment. Also at stake were three World Series rings that Giuliani says he gave to his son, Andrew, in 2018. As part of the deals, Andrew Giuliani will get to keep the rings, lawyers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a recent hearing, Giuliani said he is not impoverished but does not have access to most of his remaining assets. Everything I have is tied up. I dont have a car. I dont have a credit card. I dont have cash. I cant get to bank accounts that truly would be mine because they have put ... stop orders on, for example, my Social Security account, which they have no right to do, he said. Giuliani said during a deposition last month that George Steinbrenner, the late New York Yankees owner, gave him the rings in 2002, although he insisted on paying for them and told Steinbrenner: These are for Andrew. He testified that he gave one to Andrew immediately and kept three others for safekeeping. He estimated their total worth at $27,000. Giulianis total assets are not expected to amount to much more than $10 million. The Palm Beach condominium is believed to be worth more than $3 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He had already surrendered a New York apartment worth about $5 million, a 1980 Mercedes once owned by movie star Lauren Bacall, numerous luxury watches and other assets. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Russia claimed it had damaged ground facilities at one of Ukraine's largest natural gas storage sites in Lviv Oblast during a series of missile and drone attacks on Jan. 15. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attacks were retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian strike on a gas compressor station in Russia's Krasnodar region on Jan. 11, a key point for the TurkStream pipeline, the last conduit for Russian gas to Europe. Russian attacks also occurred a day after Ukraine launched a series of strikes on Russian military and industrial facilities, including ammunition depots and refineries. Moscow has consistently targeted Ukraine's residential areas and energy infrastructure throughout the full-scale war, regardless of Ukraine's actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lviv Oblast officials confirmed damage to critical infrastructure in two districts but reported no casualties. The acting CEO of Ukraine's state-owned Naftogaz energy company, Roman Chumak, also confirmed that gas infrastructure was targeted but said that gas supplies were uninterrupted and repairs would be conducted swiftly. The strikes, which included Kh-101, Kh-22, and Kalibr cruise missiles, were part of a broader assault on Ukraine's energy sector. President Volodymyr Zelensky highlighted the timing and intent of the strikes, writing, "It's the middle of winter, and Russia's goal remains the same: our energy sector." Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha previously praised Kyiv's decision to halt Russian gas transit as a critical measure to weaken the Kremlin's leverage over Europe. Ukraine ceased the transit through its territory on Jan. 1, aiming to avoid financing Moscow's war effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukraines Emergency Service denies claims of mass mobilization, says 90% of staff are exempt Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Moscow and local authorities in Transnistria are discussing the possibility of purchasing gas for Moldova's Russian-occupied region on the European spot market via an intermediary company, the Russian state-controlled media outlet Kommersant reported on Jan. 15, citing unnamed sources. The costs are likely to be compensated by the Russian budget, the newspaper reported. Russias state-controlled energy giant Gazprom halted gas supplies to Moldova on Jan. 1 as Ukraine ended Russian gas transit through its territory. Gazprom claimed that it halted supplies because of Moldova's alleged unpaid debts rather than transit issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gas suspension has led to widespread power outages in Transnistria, pushing the region toward industrial collapse. The Russian-held region is dependent on Russian supplies while the rest of the country pivoted toward European sellers. According to Kommersant's sources, gas may be purchased from January to April in amounts of up to 3 million cubic meters per day. The outlet estimates the price at $164 million. Supplies to Tiraspoltransgaz, the largest gas provider in the region, are likely to be carried out not by Moldovagaz, which has a monopoly on supplies to Transnistria, but by another Moldovan gas supplier, Natural Gaz D.C., the outlet wrote. Arkady Vikol, the co-owner of Natural Gaz D.C., confirmed that his company had signed a framework contract with Tiraspoltransgaz to supply 2 to 3 million cubic meters of gas per day to Transnistria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moldova's Security and Intelligence Service interrogated Vikol over his company's plans to organize gas supplies to Transnistria, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said. Russia will resume gas supplies to Transnistria in the form of humanitarian aid, said Vadim Krasnoselsky, the head of the Moscow-controlled region. Read also: Will Transnistrias gas crisis lead to its collapse and reintegration into Moldova? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia is reportedly recruiting Indians into its military by promising work or educational opportunities, only to deploy them in the war against Ukraine later. Source: an article by The Washington Post (WP) Quote: "The recent death of an Indian man working for the Russian army in Ukraine has brought renewed focus to the Kremlins use of foreign nationals on the front lines from North Koreans to Cubans and revived a thorny issue in the otherwise thriving relationship between New Delhi and Moscow." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The WP, citing statements from the Indian government and relatives of those recruited by Russia, reported that the Russians had promised employment or educational opportunities to those lured into joining its military. The article noted that around 100 Indian citizens are fighting alongside Russian forces against Ukraine, with 32-year-old Binil Babu, who died in January, becoming the tenth to be killed in action. The WP added that Russian authorities have consistently denied any wrongdoing and have promised to release Indian citizens from their ranks in the Russian military. Background: In the spring of 2024, reports indicated that Russia was increasingly relying on mercenaries from countries facing severe economic challenges to fight in the war against Ukraine. In the summer of 2024, Ukraine's National Resistance Center identified a number of mercenaries from the Middle East who are fighting against Ukraine on the Kremlin's side. Support UP or become our patron! Russian troops near Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast are actively using the pipes of the Siverskyi Donets-Donbas canal to amass troops under the cover of fog to break through the city's defences. Source: Dmytro Zaporozhets, spokesperson for Operational Tactical Unit (OTU) Luhansk, on the national joint 24/7 newscast Quote from Dmytro Zaporozhets: "Regarding the situation in Chasiv Yar, the enemy is actively using the pipes of the Siverskyi Donets canal to hide in it during bad weather. No, it is often foggy in the morning in Donetsk, and the enemy is actively using this period of time to gather in these pipes and then move deeper into the city in the morning or at night if possible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The spokesperson reports that Ukrainian UAV operators record the movement of Russian troops and try to strike them. Zaporozhets noted that the number of Ukrainian positions near Chasiv Yar is decreasing, but the town is still under the control of Ukrainian Armed Forces. The Russians are present "everywhere" and are looking for ways to enter the city under the cover of bad weather. Background: On 8 January, the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group reported that Russian troops had destroyed some of the positions of Ukraine's defence forces during assault operations in Chasiv Yar. Militarnyi, a Ukrainian military news outlet based on data from DeepState, predicted that the Russians would 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. Two women were killed in the Russian artillery shelling of Chasiv Yar in Donetsk Oblast on 14 January. Support UP or become our patron! Russian newspaper Kommersant has reported that Moscow and Transnistria, a Russian-backed breakaway region of Moldova, are discussing the possibility of buying gas for the region in Europe through an intermediary company. Source: Kremlin-aligned Russian newspaper Kommersant, as reported by European Pravda Details: Moscow and Tiraspol are reportedly considering an alternative method of supplying gas to Transnistria. This would bypass the TurkStream pipeline, which had been viewed as the main option after Ukraine stopped Russian gas transit. Instead, they are discussing the possibility of purchasing gas on the European spot market through an intermediary company, with costs to be covered by the Russian treasury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rumours suggest that discussions are ongoing for gas purchases under this scheme from January to April, with a daily volume of 3 million cubic metres, potentially costing around US$164 million. These volumes would cover domestic consumption in Transnistria, though they would be insufficient to export electricity from the Moldovan Cuciurgan power station to the right bank, the Moldovan government-controlled territory. Supposedly, Natural Gaz D.C. that may act as an intermediary instead of Moldovagaz, as the former company's co-owner Arcadie Vicol confirmed to the Moldovan media outlet NewsMaker. Vicol stated that the company has signed a framework contract with Tiraspoltransgaz for 2-3 million cubic metres per day. Background: Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky recently travelled to Moscow to negotiate gas supplies, after which he announced that gas deliveries would soon resume as part of "humanitarian aid". Moldovan President Maia Sandu commented on the trip, noting that Chisinau supports a swift improvement in conditions for the people of Transnistria, adding, "If this visit solves the problem, let it be solved". Former Moldovan Energy Minister Victor Parlicov predicted that Russian energy giant Gazprom would soon resume gas supplies to Transnistria, having achieved the desired stir from the crisis. Support UP or become our patron! The U.N. migration agency says internal displacement in Haiti, largely caused by gang violence, has tripled over the last year and now surpasses 1 million people a record in the Caribbean nation. The International Organization for Migration reported earlier this week that relentless gang violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, has fueled a near-doubling of displacement there and a collapse of health care and other services, and worsening food insecurity. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. The latest data reveals that 1,041,000 people, many displaced multiple times, are struggling amidst an intensifying humanitarian crisis, the Geneva-based agency said in a statement. Children make up more than half of the displaced population. The figure marks a three-fold increase in displacement from the 315,000 in December 2023, IOM said. Agency spokesman Kennedy Okoth told a U.N. briefing in Geneva that the forced return of around 200,000 people mostly from neighboring Dominican Republic to Haiti over the last year had worsened the crisis. The two countries share the Caribbean island of Hispaniola. Okoth said that the number of displacement sites in Port-au-Prince has risen from 73 to 108 over the last year. The outgoing administration of U.S. President Joe Biden has strongly supported and expanded a temporary status program, which allows some foreign nationals from countries like El Salvador, Haiti and Venezuela to remain in the U.S. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, have suggested that they would scale back the use of the program and policies that grant temporary status, as they pursue mass deportations. U.S. federal regulations would allow the extensions to be terminated early, although thats never been done before. Asked whether IOM had any concerns about possible changes to such U.S. protections, Okoth declined to comment about any specific country. But he said that deportation or any forced returns to countries that are already facing mounting security and humanitarian challenges is not something that is going to be beneficial to the group. As Haiti continues to struggle with a surge in gang violence, the government on Tuesday swore in Mario Andresol as the new state secretary of public security. Andresol, who served as director of Haitis National Police nearly 20 years ago, pledged to crack down on gangs and crime including weapons and drug trafficking. We have to think and rethink strategies to fight crime, he said at a news conference where he held a moment of silence for victims of violence. Everyone needs to collaborate. Joining Andresol was Haitian Prime Minister Alix Fils-Aime, who said he was taking responsibility for placing the right people in the right job to protect Haitians and provide security. The Haitian people deserve to live in peace, he said, adding that the country faced multiple challenges. If we work nonstop, that can be changed. Last week, the U.N. Human Rights Office noted that more than 5,600 people were reported killed in Haiti last year, a more than 20% increase compared with the previous year. In addition, more than 2,200 people were reported injured and nearly 1,500 kidnapped. MDT/AP Russian attacks against Ukraine killed four people and injured at least 27 others over the past day, regional authorities said on Jan. 16. Ukrainian forces downed 34 out of 55 drones, including Shahed-type ones, launched by Russia overnight, the Air Force reported. Another 18 were "lost," it added. Debris from downed drones damaged energy infrastructure in Poltava Oblast, leaving hundreds of people without power, the local military administration said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian attacks on the town of Nikopol in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast killed a 54-year-old woman and injured a 45-year-old man, according to Governor Serhii Lysak. The attack damaged around 30 houses, five high-rise buildings, industrial enterprises, and cars, he added. A total of 15 people were injured in the town of Kramatorsk and the villages of Kostiantynopil, Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka, Stinky, and Chernihivka in Donetsk Oblast, Governor Vadym Filashkin said. A Russian drone attack on the town of Kupiansk in Kharkiv Oblast injured a 73-year-old man, Governor Oleh Syniehubov said. In Kherson Oblast, Russian forces targeted 36 settlements, including the regional center of Kherson. Three people were killed and 10 were injured, Governor Oleksandr Prokudin reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukrainian drone strike reportedly targets gunpowder factory in Russias Tambov Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russian diplomats briefly entered a restricted area of the UK Parliament during a public tour in December 2024, sparking concerns over security protocols. Source: The Guardian, as reported by European Pravda Details: The Guardian reported that a "small group" of Russian diplomats from the Russian Embassy participated in a public tour of the UK Parliament. During the tour, the diplomats reportedly separated from the group and entered the restricted area of the House of Lords. They were discovered and escorted out by security personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from parliamentary source: "We suspect they were just wanting to crow to the Kremlin that they had infiltrated the British parliament. Its not ideal but they were caught before any damage was done. " Details: Following the incident, members of parliament and their staff received a formal warning from the speakers of both chambers, urging them not to invite Russian diplomats to parliament. Quote:"As the formally accredited representative of the Russian government, the Russian ambassador should not be welcomed on to the parliamentary estate until further notice. This applies to all other Russian diplomats and officials at the Russian embassy accredited to the UK." More details: Russian diplomats, including the ambassador, have been barred from visiting the UK Parliament since 2022, following Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Additional restrictions on the movement of Russian diplomats were imposed in 2023 in response to similar measures by Moscow. Background: The UK government warned that Russia is poised to launch a "wave of cyberattacks" against the UK, and it can "turn the lights off for millions of people". Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces attacked the city of Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast on 15 January, resulting in injuries to a 57-year-old man. Source: Kharkiv Oblast Prosecutor's Office Quote: "During the day on 15 January, a man, 57, sustained a blast injury following an attack by an enemy drone in Vovchansk." Details: On 16 January, at around 12:40, Russian forces conducted, presumably, a tank attack on the village of Ivashky in the Zolochiv hromada, Bohodukhiv district. A residential building and power lines were damaged. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Support UP or become our patron! A Russian drone flew over the Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv as President Volodymyr Zelensky was meeting U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Jan. 16, The Guardian reported. The drone incursion came as Starmer arrived in Ukraine's capital on his first visit since taking office. Explosions were heard in downtown Kyiv around 12:20 p.m. local time, according to Kyiv Independent reporters. Air defense was trying to shoot down a drone as two leaders held talks, The Guardian reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drone was spotted and heard buzzing above the Mariinsky Palace, the presidential residence, located not far from the Presidential Office. Zelensky and Starmer held a press conference there later the same day. The unmanned aerial vehicle spotted above the palace may have been a decoy, according to The Guardian. Kyiv and London signed a wide-ranging "100 Year Partnership" treaty covering a number of areas, including defense, energy, trade, culture, and other sectors. "We will send greetings (to Russia) too," Zelensky said at a press conference when asked about the recent Russian drone attack, Interfax-Ukraine reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Debris from downed Russian drones fell in five districts of Kyiv, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of the city's military administration. No casualties or fires were reported. The Pecherskyi district, where the Presidential Office is located, came under a Russian drone attack also on the morning of Jan. 1. Two people, a couple of prominent scientists, were killed, and six others were injured. Read also: UK to finance production of air defense, long-range weapons in Ukraine, Umerov says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Viktor Trehubov, spokesperson for the Khortytsia Operational Strategic Group, has reported that Russian forces have nearly depleted their reserves of modern tanks and have significantly reduced the use of aircraft and artillery. Source: Trehubov on the national joint 24/7 newscast Details: Trehubov stated that Russian forces have lost the majority of their modern tanks and are now relying on substandard and low-quality armoured vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The Russians have nearly depleted the Soviet reserves they had prepared for a war with NATO. Theyve essentially used them up. However, tanks are no longer a decisive factor in this war, for better or for worse. The Russians don't have many of them, but it doesn't cause them the same problems as it used to. Both sides are now relying much less on tanks. The reality is that they are now using tanks as crooked artillery." Details: Trehubov further noted that artillery continues to play a significant role, though its use is gradually declining with the increasing deployment of drones. Similarly, the use of manned aircraft has diminished. "The Russians are using aircraft much less now, in much more limited quantities. And that's logical because, as experience has shown, there is no better air defence than a missile that has struck an enemy airfield," the spokesman concluded. Support UP or become our patron! Russian forces attacked the Seredyna-Buda hromada in Sumy Oblast with FPV drones on 16 January, injuring three people. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Source: Sumy Oblast Military Administration Quote: "During the day, Russian forces carried out 80 attacks on border areas and settlements in Sumy Oblast, with 122 explosions recorded. The hromadas targeted were Myropillia, Bilopillia, Krasnopillia, Velyka Pysarivka, Svesa, Druzhba, Putyvl, Shalyhyne, Seredyna-Buda, Esman and Yunakivka." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: In the Seredyna-Buda hromada, the Russians used mortars, dropped explosive devices from UAVs and launched strikes using FPV drones. Three people were injured in the attacks, and an apartment building and a car were damaged. In the Myropillia hromada, Russian troops fired mortars, dropped an explosive device from a UAV and shelled the area with multiple rocket launchers. They also carried out a UAV attack which partially destroyed a residential building. Support UP or become our patron! A group of hackers reportedly linked to Russias Federal Security Service (FSB) has been attempting to steal WhatsApp data from employees of non-governmental organisations assisting Ukraine. Source: Mezha.Media, a technology and news platform within Ukrainska Pravdas holding company, citing Microsoft Details: Microsoft reported that the cyberattacks were organised by a group known as Star Blizzard, which is likely state-sponsored by Russia. Researchers discovered that the hackers had sent phishing emails posing as representatives of the US government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emails invited recipients to join WhatsApp groups, supposedly to access information about initiatives supporting Ukraine. The messages contained QR codes which would purportedly provide additional details but were likely used to steal confidential information. Microsoft has not confirmed whether the hackers successfully breached any systems. However, the company noted that, working with the US Department of Justice, it has seized or blocked 180 websites linked to Star Blizzard since October. Support UP or become our patron! A Russian air defense officer stationed in occupied Sevastopol, Igor Pashkov, has been sentenced to two years and 10 months in prison for shooting down a Russian army helicopter after mistaking it for a drone, pro-government outlet Kommersant reported on Jan. 16. Russian investigative authorities charged Pashko with violations of combat duty rules, which resulted in grave consequences. The incident occurred on Dec. 18, 2023, in occupied Crimea. Pashkov, while on combat duty, received a report on what he believed to be a low-flying drone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Acting on incomplete information and failing to confirm the target's identity in time, he launched a missile salvo from a TOR-M2DT anti-aircraft system. The missile struck a Russian Mi-8 helicopter, which crashed into the Black Sea, killing the crew on board. Pashkov admitted guilt in May 2024, and the prosecution sought a seven-year sentence. In the first instance, the military court sentenced him to three years, a term later reduced by a higher court by two months. In addition to his prison sentence, Pashkov is barred from holding positions involving organizational or administrative functions in the civil service or local government for one year. Read also: Ukrainian drone strike reportedly targets gunpowder factory in Russias Tambov Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The analysts of the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) believe that the Russians are trying to destroy Ukraine's energy network, limit its defence industrial potential and weaken the will of Ukrainians to fight by attacking Ukraine's energy infrastructure in a series of large-scale strikes. Source: ISW Details: On the night of 14-15 January, Russian forces conducted a large series of missile and drone strikes against Ukraine's energy infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russian forces launched 74 Shahed and other attack drones and 43 missiles at Ukraine. The air force said that Ukrainian defenders shot down 23 Kh-101/55SM missiles, three Kalibr missiles, four Kh-59/69 missiles and 47 drones, while 27 drones disappeared from radars and did not reach their targets. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russian strikes targeted Ukrainian gas facilities and other energy infrastructure. Ukrainian officials reported damage to energy facilities and critical infrastructure in Ivano-Frankivsk, Kharkiv and Lviv oblasts, as well as residential areas in Kirovohrad Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from ISW: "Russia has regularly targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in large strike series since the Winter of 20222023 likely in an attempt to collapse Ukraine's energy grid, limit its defence industrial capacity, and degrade Ukrainians' will to fight." To quote the ISWs Key Takeaways on 15 January: Russian forces conducted a large series of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of 14 to 15 January. Ukraine and Russia conducted a one-for-one prisoner of war (POW) exchange on 15 January, their first POW exchange in 2025. A Russian source claimed that Ukrainian drone and artillery capabilities are providing Ukrainian tanks with tactical advantages over Russian tanks in unspecified, select areas of the frontline. Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselsky announced on 15 January that Russia will soon provide Transnistria with gas as "humanitarian aid" but did not specify the delivery date or method. Armenia continues to enhance its relations with Western partners amid waning relations with Russia. Russian forces recently advanced on the Borova, Chasiv Yar, and Toretsk fronts. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on 15 January that about 600,000 Russian soldiers are currently operating in Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! Hamas has accepted a draft agreement for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of dozens of hostages, two officials involved in the talks said earlier this week. =Mediators from the United States and Qatar said Israel and the Palestinian militant group were at the closest point yet to sealing a deal to bring them a step closer to ending 15 months of war. The Associated Press obtained a copy of the proposed agreement, and an Egyptian official and a Hamas official confirmed its authenticity. An Israeli official said progress has been made, but the details are being finalized. All three officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks. I believe we will get a ceasefire, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a speech Tuesday, asserting it was up to Hamas. Its right on the brink. Its closer than its ever been before, and word could come within hours, or days. The United States, Egypt and Qatar have spent the past year trying to mediate an end to the war and secure the release of dozens of hostages captured in Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered it. Nearly 100 people are still captive inside Gaza, and the military believes at least a third are dead. Any deal is expected to pause the fighting and bring hopes for winding down the most deadly and destructive war Israel and Hamas have ever fought, a conflict that has destabilized the Middle East and sparked worldwide protests. It would bring relief to the hard-hit Gaza Strip, where Israels offensive has reduced large areas to rubble and displaced around 90% of the population of 2.3 million, many at risk of famine. If a deal is reached, it would not go into effect immediately. The plan would need approval from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus Security Cabinet and then his full Cabinet. Both are dominated by Netanyahu allies and are likely to approve any proposal he presents. Officials have have expressed optimism before, only for negotiations to stall while the warring sides blamed each other. But they now suggest they can conclude an agreement ahead of the Jan. 20 inauguration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump, whose Mideast envoy has joined the negotiations. Hamas said in a statement that negotiations had reached their final stage. In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas-led militants killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted another 250. Around half those hostages were freed during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. Of those remaining, families say, two are children, 13 are women and 83 are men. Israels retaliatory offensive has killed over 46,000 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israeli airstrikes on two homes in central Gaza killed at least 17 Palestinians late Tuesday and wounded seven more, hospital officials said, adding that some of the corpses had been dismembered. Earlier strikes killed at least 18 people, including two women and four children, according to local health officials, who said one woman was pregnant and the baby died as well. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military. Israel says it only targets militants and accuses them of hiding among civilians. A three-phase agreement The three-phase agreement based on a framework laid out by U.S. President Joe Biden and endorsed by the U.N. Security Council would begin with the release of 33 hostages over a six-week period, including women, children, older adults and wounded civilians in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian women and children imprisoned by Israel. Among the 33 would be five female Israeli soldiers, each to be released in exchange for 50 Palestinian prisoners, including 30 militants who are serving life sentences. The Israeli official said Israel assumes most of the 33 are alive. During this 42-day phase, Israeli forces would withdraw from population centers, Palestinians could start returning to what remains of their homes in northern Gaza and there would be a surge of humanitarian aid, with some 600 trucks entering each day. Details of the second phase still must be negotiated during the first. Those details remain difficult to resolve and the deal does not include written guarantees that the ceasefire will continue until a deal is reached. That means Israel could resume its military campaign after the first phase ends. The Israeli official said detailed negotiations on the second phase will begin during the first. He said Israel will retain some assets throughout negotiations, referring to a military presence, and would not leave the Gaza Strip until all hostages are home. The three mediators have given Hamas verbal guarantees that negotiations will continue as planned and that they will press for a deal to implement the second and third phases before the end of the first, the Egyptian official said. The deal would allow Israel throughout the first phase to remain in control of the Philadelphi corridor, the band of territory along Gazas border with Egypt, which Hamas had initially demanded Israel withdraw from. Israel would withdraw from the Netzarim corridor, a belt across central Gaza where it had sought a mechanism for searching Palestinians for arms when they return to the territorys north. MAGDY & WAFAA SHURAFA, MDT/AP Russian forces attacked premises belonging to an agricultural company in Chernihiv Oblast on the evening of 15 January, damaging an office building, sheds and equipment. Source: Viacheslav Chaus, Head of Chernihiv Oblast Military Administration, on Telegram Quote from Chaus: "Last night, the enemy attacked property belonging to an agricultural company in the Pryluky district with drones. Two sheds, an office building and equipment were damaged. Maize was stored in one of the sheds, amounting to more than 2,000 tonnes." Aftermath of a Russian attack on Chernihiv Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photo: National Police Details: Chaus added that no people had been injured in the attack. Aftermath of a Russian attack on Chernihiv Oblast. Photo: Chaus on Telegram Support UP or become our patron! The analysts at the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) point out that Russia's attempts to de facto annex Belarus pose strategic risks to the United States, NATO and Ukraine. Source: ISW Quote from ISW: "Moscows effort to de facto annex Belarus through the Union State framework, while incomplete, has already achieved significant gains, requiring NATO to reevaluate the implications of Russias growing control over Belarus and the capabilities and resources Russia can leverage against the United States, NATO, and Ukraine as a result." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The analysts note that Belarus is not just an ally of Russia. The Kremlin is turning Belarus into a strategic partner that helps Russia spread its power worldwide. They add that the Kremlin will use its recent but deep-rooted gains in Belarus to offset the costs of Russia's long war against Ukraine, accelerate Russia's recovery from the war in Ukraine, and help Russia prepare for future wars faster than it could do on its own. Quote from ISW: "Policymakers must start planning for a future in which Belarus is not only a captive nation but also effectively an extension of the Russian Federation." Details: Experts emphasise that Russia is trying to take control of all areas of the neighbouring state's governance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this regard, three key areas of Russian efforts are considered: the Kremlin's efforts aimed at military, political and economic integration of Russia and Belarus. Quote from ISW: "The Kremlins desired suite of integration measures with Belarus is so broad and comprehensive in many respects that it is harder to determine what Moscow will not control in Belarus if Moscow succeeds than to list what Moscow will control." Details: ISW said that while Russia has not yet completed its attempt to de facto annex Belarus, it has already reached stages that pose a threat to the security of the United States, NATO, and Ukraine, as well as to the continued existence of Belarus as a sovereign state. Quote from ISW: "Russia does not need to achieve additional integration success in Belarus to threaten the West. Russia's existing set of military, political, and economic integration gains in Belarus since 2020 already poses a threat to the West that policymakers should take into account." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why this is important: Russia has been using the territory of Belarus throughout the full-scale invasion: the Russian military invaded Ukraine, among other things, from the territory of Belarus, and Russia has repeatedly attacked Ukraine with missiles from the territory of Belarus. Putin used the territory of Belarus for the training and treatment of Russian soldiers, as well as for the transfer of weapons and equipment. It is on the territories of Belarus bordering Ukraine and Poland that Russia conducts joint military exercises with the Belarusian army, including those involving the use of tactical nuclear weapons. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, among other things, explained his full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the fact that Ukraine was supposedly preparing to attack Russia. Alexander Lukashenko, the self-proclaimed Belarusian President, echoed Putins words and even promised to show some maps of where the attack was being prepared, but he never did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, during the more than two years of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Lukashenko has repeatedly stated that NATO could supposedly attack Belarus. It is supposedly precisely because of this imaginary threat that Belarus conducts numerous military exercises near the borders of other countries and has even deployed Russian nuclear weapons on its territory. In December 2024, Lukashenko stated that he expects Belarus to initially receive 10 Oreshnik missile systems from Russia, but their number can be increased if Russia so wishes. Support UP or become our patron! (FOX40.COM) As Los Angeles County works to contain several destructive wildfires, some Sacramento-area businesses are finding ways to help the victims recover from their losses. On Friday, Dive Bar will host a fundraiser for wildfire victims, with a portion of their earnings for that day donated to Convoy of Hope, a Sacramento-based non-profit group. DONATE NOW: FOX40 partners with the Red Cross to help wildfire victims In Roseville, Westpark Yoga is hosting donation-based classes to raise relief funds. The classes will be on Friday at 7 pm and Saturday at 9 am. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Casa de Espanol is teaming up with local artists, educators and businesses to support wildfire relief with an artisan market from 9 am to 3 pm at their location on R Street. More animals from Southern California ready to adopt at Sacramento SPCA Visitors can donate to sign up for any of a variety of classes to help send aid to wildfire victims. 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 News. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) The San Diego Humane Society has partnered with Greater Good Charities, a global nonprofit, to help make space for lost and injured pets impacted during the wildfires burning in Los Angeles County. Dogs and cats from SDHS will be flown out to the Pacific Northwest so that there will be more room to take in pets from overcrowded shelters in the Greater Los Angeles area. The hope is that the shelters in Los Angeles will then be able to create space for an influx of pets that were impacted by the fires, and eventually reunite them with their families. Whats closed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day in San Diego County? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At 8:30 a.m. on Friday, staff and volunteers from both organizations will load shelter pets from the humane society into a plane at Gillespie Field in El Cajon. The plane is then expected to make two stops in Hayward, Calif. and then Portland, Ore. Meanwhile, the humane society is dropping its adoption fee to $25 for any animals over seven months old in an effort to help clear the shelters. SDHS has locations in San Diego, El Cajon, Escondido and Oceanside. This emergency flight is an important part of our larger response to provide critically needed aid to those affected: from displaced families and unhoused populations to injured animals, overwhelmed pet shelters, and damaged ecosystems, said Liz Baker, CEO of Greater Good Charities. FOX 5/KUSIs Heather Lake contributed to this report. Watch her report in the video player above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. (KRON) The Alameda County Sheriffs Office is searching for a missing woman. Donna Shields, 45, left her home on Maubert Avenue on Monday and never returned, ACSO said. FBI serves warrant at home of San Leandro councilmember Shields is described as a white woman who stands about 5-foot-6 and weighs 198 pounds. She has brown eyes and brown hair. She was last seen wearing a blue-and-white jacket and black pants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shields does not have a cell phone, but she is familiar with public transportation. She is known to go to Oakland and San Francisco. Anyone with information is asked to call ACSO at (510) 667-7721. 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. Jan. 15The lights were off Wednesday afternoon inside Santa Fe's Planned Parenthood health center, located in a strip mall on St. Michael's Drive. "We are closed today. Thank you for trusting us with your care," said a sign on the clinic's front door. But the sign didn't refer to an isolated one-day closure. The center which has long provided abortion medication, birth control, emergency contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and other forms of health care has been "temporarily closed" since Dec. 30 and will remain that way "until further notice," according to Planned Parenthood's online clinic finder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interruption in services was brought on by a lack of staff as Planned Parenthood, too, weathers a shortage of health care providers across the state and nation, said Adrienne Mansanares, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, which serves New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and southern Nevada. Mansanares is hopeful the local clinic, which has not offered procedural abortion, will be back up and running by the summer, though that depends on whether it can recruit qualified workers. "We are absolutely committed to opening the doors back [up] in Santa Fe," she said in an interview Wednesday. She acknowledged the closure comes at a fraught time for sexual and reproductive health care, particularly as New Mexico has become a destination for women seeking abortions in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson decision in summer 2022 that overturned the landmark 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We've been reeling since the pandemic. Throughout COVID and then with the Dobbs decision just eradicating a national right to abortion care, we've absolutely been spinning in this reality," Mansanares said. It takes between seven and nine people to staff one of Planned Parenthood's health centers, she said. That includes a health center manager, an assistant manager and one or two nurse practitioners, plus four or five medical receptionists or medical assistants. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains' online job postings currently include advertisements for a full-time health center manager, part-time assistant manager and full-time advanced practice clinician a nurse practitioner or certified nurse-midwife at the Santa Fe site. "This temporary site closure is a direct symptom of the larger national health care crisis," Mansanares said. "It's our top priority right now to reopen the site, and so we're very focused on diligently hiring a new provider in particular." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New staff will need about three months of training, Mansanares added, which means the clinic won't reopen for at least three to six months. "We have had sites, sadly, that we had to remain dormant for as much as a year. ... It is all dependent on this very unpredictable provider shortage," she said. The temporary closure of the Santa Fe clinic is "concerning," said Janeth Orozco, a spokesperson for the Albuquerque-based reproductive justice advocacy organization Faith Roots Reproductive Action. "This clinic is the only resource many people have for abortion care and other reproductive health services, [especially] young people and people with limited resources," Orozco wrote in an email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mansanares said she shares concerns about the timing of the local center's closure and noted Santa Fe remains the health care hot spot for much of the northern half of the state. "I'm a former patient and a current patient of Planned Parenthood myself," Mansanares said. "And to go to a location where you have a trusted person and see a closed sign ... is so frustrating." Stanfords Sarah Soule was named the Graduate School of Businesss new dean on January 15: There is and will continue to be a central role, even in an age of AI, for the individual, transformational experience we offer at the GSB in creating leaders Stanford Graduate School of Business on Wednesday (January 15) announced that Sarah Soule, a long-time OB professor and member of the schools leadership team, will be the B-schools next dean the first woman appointed to the job. An outspoken champion for DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), she officially begins office as Philip H. Knight Professor and Dean on June 16, more than 14 months after her predecessor Jonathan Levin left to become Stanfords president. The appointment now puts two of the worlds big three business school brandsStanford and Whartonin the hands of female leaders. Harvard Business School has yet to name a woman in the top leadership job, having missed the opportunity when it turned to a senior associate dean and long-time HBS veteran Srikant Datar as dean in 2021. Soule will be the third female dean of an M7 (Magnificent 7) business school, the other being the Kellogg School of Management which has had two women serve as deans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement is being greeted with excitement by many, some of whom have taken to social media to express their pleasure at the news. This is what gives me hope: A brilliant, kind and inclusive leaderSarah Souleis set to be the dean of one of the most prestigious business schools in the world, wrote Lori Nishiura Mackenzie on LinkedIn. My phone wont stop buzzing with excited texts from people sharing the news. Mackenzie is one of Soules co-authors on a recent Harvard Business Review essay entitled How DEI Can Survive This Era of Backlash. At the GSB, we have always been in the business of transformation, and in particular, the transformation of our students into purposeful and principled leaders, Soule says in a news release. Its humbling to think about our graduates, their roles globally, and what they have been able to achieve for the world. I am deeply proud of that legacy and honored to be asked to help shepherd it. There is and will continue to be a central role, even in an age of AI, for the individual, transformational experience we offer at the GSB in creating leaders. PUBLIC FACE OF A HIGHLY PUBLICIZED LISTENING TOUR Well-liked and highly admired, the Vermont-born Soule holds a Ph.D. and MA in sociology from Cornell University and a BA from the University of Vermont. She was a professor of sociology at the University of Arizona and Cornell University before joining Stanford in 2008 as a professor of organizational behavior. She joined former Dean Levins leadership team when he became dean in 2016, initially overseeing executive education, global innovation programs, and finance, and in time taking on a lead role in the B-schools diversity initiative. In 2020, after a listening tour of Black stakeholders in the B-school community, Levin and Soule made a highly publicized series of commitments to racial equity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an academic environment where scholarly research often is placed above teaching, Soule has been outspoken about her affinity for teachingand has won more than two dozen endorsements on her LinkedIn profile for her prowess in the classroom. I think what I love about teaching is that these students give so much energy back to us, she has said. Its sort of like holding up a mirror, and watching all of their positive vibes, coming right back at us. You get such a charge out of it. Among the subjects Soule has taught: strategy, organizational design, redesigning work, and sustainable food systems. Among her many other roles, she is also a former co-director of Stanfords Center for Social Innovation. She served as the schools senior associate dean for academic affairs from 2016 to 2023; since September 2023, she has been the Sara Miller McCune Director of Stanfords Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences. Soule continues in the news release that she is now excited to be part of the broader leadership community in the university. Ive been impressed with Jon and (Stanford Provost) Jenny (Martinez) and the broader leadership team in place at Stanford. Jon brought the GSB closer to Stanford, and I find that absolutely the right thing to do. THE GSB IS IN EXCELLENT HANDS Soules historic appointment comes as the Graduate School of Business celebrates the centennial of its opening in 1925. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive worked and collaborated closely with Sarah for many years, and Im thrilled to have the opportunity to do so again in her new role as incoming dean, says Professor Peter DeMarzo, who has been serving as interim dean of the school since Levin stepped down last spring. DeMarzo is also the John G. McDonald Professor of Finance in the school. In addition to being a proven leader and a great researcher, Sarah brings an authentic, principled, and personable style. She connects well with students, faculty, staff, alumni pretty much everyone. The GSB is in excellent hands. The search for the new dean began last May with the appointment of a search committee composed of GSB faculty, student, and alumni members. The panel was co-chaired by Provost Jenny Martinez and Professor Neil Malhotra. DONT MISS VOWING TO DO THE HARD WORK OF DEI, STANFORD UNVEILS NEW PLAN and STANFORD ALUMNI ACCUSE SCHOOLS LEADERS OF A SHOCKING ABROGATION AS CAMPUS DIVISIONS DEEPEN OVER GAZA The post Sarah Soule Becomes The First Woman To Be Named Dean Of Stanford GSB appeared first on Poets&Quants. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The Israel-Hamas war, now nearing a potential ceasefire, has devastated the Gaza Strip. Satellite photos offer some sense of the destruction in the territory, which has been largely sealed off to journalists and others. Some of the images have illustrated a likely buffer zone, wanted by Israel despite international objections, which would take some 60 square kilometers (23 square miles) out of the enclave. In all, the strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea is about 360 square kilometers (139 square miles), and Palestinians hope it will be part of a future state, along with the West Bank and east Jerusalem. Other images tell the story of how Palestinians lives have changed during the war. Gaza City, the dense major city in the strip, has been decimated, with buildings destroyed and roads filled with rubble. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the war progressed, Israel ordered people to move farther south. Today, the result of that movement can be seen in images of Muwasi, just north of the strips southern border with Egypt. There, the sandy coast and surrounding farmland have been overtaken by thousands of tents, all visible from space. The images have also helped relief agencies and experts make estimates regarding the extent of the damage. Corey Scher of City University of New York and Jamon Van Den Hoek of Oregon State University have been studying Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, after Hamas entered Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage. Their latest assessment, published Thursday, estimates 59.8% of all buildings in Gaza likely have been damaged in the war. That's slightly lower than a December analysis from the United Nations Satellite Center. It estimated 69% of all structures in Gaza have been damaged in the fighting, which has killed over 46,000 people, according to local health authorities. They do not distinguish between civilians and militants but say women and children make up more than half of those killed. ___ Follow APs war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Rep. Will Wheeler, D-Bishopville, speaks on the House floor on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Screenshot of SCETV Livestream) COLUMBIA A Lee County legislator unexpectedly resigned Thursday, further depleting the number of Democrats in the South Carolina House just three days into the 2025 session. Rep. Will Wheelers surprise resignation, effective Friday, leaves 34 Democrats in the chamber of 124 seats. Wheelers will be the second vacancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wheeler, a 50-year-old attorney, told reporters he can no longer dedicate the time needed to represent his district. One of the partners at his Bishopville law firm retired and the other became a judge last year. That meant all the work fell to him, Wheeler said. Trying to run a law firm on his own while doing his legislative duties, which includes being in Columbia three days a week, would be too much, he said. Ive got to take care of myself this year, he told reporters. Wheeler also said he plans to run for a judicial seat in 2026. To be eligible then, he needs to leave the Legislature now. In South Carolina, where the Legislature selects almost all judges, state law requires legislators to be out of office for at least a year before running to be a judge. He said hes not yet sure which bench hell pursue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trains going to leave the station next year if I want a shot at that, he said. A date for a special election has not yet been set, but by law an election must take place 20 weeks after the vacancy becomes official, said spokesman John Michael Catalano. That would make the election for Wheelers seat in June. That means voters in his district spanning Lee, Kershaw, and Sumter counties are left without a state representative for the entire regular session, which ends in mid-May. The House Democratic Caucus was already one down by voluntary resignation. The seat previously held by former Rep. Marvin Pendarvis remains open after the North Charleston Democrat won re-election in November despite resigning two months earlier amid a lawsuit and state law enforcement investigation involving a legal client. After the election, he declined to accept the seat he won by default. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes guaranteed to be replaced by a Democrat. Three Democrats have filed to compete in a primary later this month. No Republican even attempted to run in the heavily Democratic district. But the special election isnt until March 25. Wheelers district is also considered a Democratic stronghold. He easily won a fifth term in November without a single opponent of any party. In 2022, his only contested election since 2016, he defeated his Republican challenger by 20 percentage points. So, politics played no role in his decision to leave. He didnt fear a flip. He expects a Democrat to replace him in the district that includes all of Lee County and parts of Kershaw and Sumter counties, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others arent so sure. In the House, Democrats managed to hang onto their seats in November, though they didnt regain any of the eight they lost in 2022. In the Senate, however, four Democratic incumbents lost their seats. That left just 12 Democrats in the 46-member chamber. That means there certainly is a possibility that a Republican could take the seat, said Rep. Roger Kirby, assistant minority leader in the House. This last (election) cycle showed us theres no such thing as a safe seat anymore, said the Lake City Democrat. Well just have to support the Democratic candidate during the cycle and hope well be successful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though Democrats wield no power on their own in the House against an 88-member Republican supermajority, every vote counts, Kirby said. Democrats may not be able to stop legislation they oppose, but we want to be able to present a firm argument, he said. Its not ideal, but well work through it, Kirby added. Wheeler first won election in 2016, when he won an eight-way primary to replace Bishopville Democrat Grady Brown, who retired after 32 years in the chamber. Despite working as a page in the Statehouse in 1993, a job in politics was far from Wheelers mind until the seat opened up, he said during a tearful goodbye speech on the House floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wheeler said he actually made the decision to leave several weeks ago, after praying and consulting with family. He intended to wait until the second week of session to make the announcement, saying he wanted more time to tell people privately beforehand. But when House leaders decided not to meet in the chamber next week, Wheeler realized he needed to go ahead and announce, he said. As difficult as it is to leave this chamber, I know this is the right decision, Wheeler said from the podium. Fellow representatives have been supportive of his decision, even if it came as a shock to them, he told reporters afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wheeler served with character and integrity, House Speaker Pro Tem Tommy Pope said after Wheeler concluded his public good-bye. Every one of us that has served with you knows that your word was your bond, the York Republican said. If Will Wheeler told you something, you could take it to the bank. Wheeler, who sat on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, was well-liked in the Statehouse by legislators in both parties. His measured insights on the legality of certain proposals were very useful to the Democratic caucus, Kirby said. He is going to be missed, he said. My goodness, he is going to be missed greatly. South Koreas impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained in a massive law enforcement operation at the presidential compound yesterday, defiantly insisting the anti-corruption agency didnt have the authority to investigate his actions but saying he complied to prevent violence. In a video message recorded before he was escorted to the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency, Yoon lamented the rule of law has completely collapsed in this country. Yoon, the countrys first sitting president to be apprehended, had been holed up in the Hannam-dong residence in the capital, Seoul, for weeks while vowing to fight to the end the efforts to oust him. He has justified his declaration of martial law Dec. 3 as a legitimate act of governance against an anti-state opposition employing its legislative majority to thwart his agenda. The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials said Yoon was brought into custody about five hours after investigators arrived at the presidential compound and about three hours after they successfully entered the residence, in their second attempt to detain him over his imposition of martial law. A series of black SUVs, some equipped with sirens, were seen leaving the presidential compound with police escorts. Yoon was later seen stepping out of a vehicle after arriving at the agencys office in the nearby city of Gwacheon. Following the questioning, Yoon was expected to be sent to a detention center in Uiwang, near Seoul. Whats next? Yoon could be held in custody for weeks. The anti-corruption agency, which is leading a joint investigation with the police and the military over whether Yoons martial law declaration amounted to an attempted rebellion, has 48 hours to request a court order for a formal arrest on a charge of attempting a rebellion, and if it fails to do so, Yoon will be released. If Yoon is formally arrested, investigators can extend his detention to 20 days before transferring the case to public prosecutors for indictment. The anti-corruption agency told reporters that Yoon, during his first two hours of questioning, exercised his right to remain silent. The detainment warrant for Yoon, issued by the Seoul Western District Court, said there were substantial reasons to suspect that he committed crimes as a ringleader of a rebellion. Yoons presidential powers were suspended when parliament impeached him on Dec. 14. The impeachment case now rests with the Constitutional Court, which could formally remove Yoon from office or reject the case and reinstate him. In a separate message posted on his Facebook account after his detainment, Yoon claimed that martial law is not a crime, saying his declaration was necessary to raise awareness about an opposition that was exercising legislative dictatorship by blocking laws and budgets and paralyzing state affairs. He denied the rebellion accusations, describing his impeachment as fraud. The scene at the compound As they began the detention operation in the early morning, the anti-corruption investigators and police officers engaged in an hourslong standoff at the compounds gate with presidential security forces but otherwise encountered no meaningful resistance. Police officers were seen using wire cutters to remove the barbed wire placed by the presidential security service on the perimeter of the compound to block their entry. Some police officers used ladders to climb over rows of buses placed by the presidential security service near the compounds entrance, and then the investigators began moving up the hilly compound. The investigators and police later arrived in front of a metal gate with a gold presidential mark thats near Yoons residential building. Some officers were seen entering a security door on the side of the metal gate, joined by one of Yoons lawyers and his chief of staff. The presidential security service later removed a bus and other vehicles that had been parked tightly inside the gate as a barricade. Despite a court warrant for Yoons detention, the presidential security service had insisted its obligated to protect the impeached president and fortified the compound with barbed wire and rows of buses blocking paths. The preparations and the concerns South Koreas acting leader, Deputy Prime Minister Choi Sang-mok, issued a statement early Wednesday urging law enforcement and the presidential security service to ensure there are no physical clashes. Following Yoons detainment, Choi met with diplomats from the Group of Seven nations, including the United States, Japan, Britain and Germany, as well as the representative of the European Union, to reassure them that the government was functioning stably. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, which drove the legislative campaign that led to Yoons impeachment on Dec. 14, said Yoons detention is the first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy, and realizing the rule of law. As investigators moved up the hillside compound, lawmakers from Yoons People Power Party held a rally in nearby streets, decrying the efforts to detain him as unlawful. The National Police Agency met with field commanders in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province in recent days to plan their detainment efforts, and the size of those forces fueled speculation that more than a thousand officers could be deployed. The agency and police had openly warned that presidential bodyguards obstructing the execution of the warrant could be arrested. Yoons lawyers have claimed that the detainment warrant issued by the Seoul Western District Court was invalid. They cited a law that protects locations potentially linked to military secrets from search without the consent of the person in charge which would be Yoon. They also claimed that the anti-corruption agency had no legal authority to investigate rebellion allegations. I am truly appalled to see illegalities upon illegalities upon illegalities being carried out and procedures being forcefully conducted under an invalid warrant, Yoon said in the video released before his detention. I do not acknowledge the investigation by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials. As the president, who is responsible for upholding the constitution and legal system of the Republic of Korea, my decision to comply with such illegal and invalid procedures is not an acknowledgment of them, but rather a willingness to prevent unfortunate and bloody incidents. Yoons supporters and critics have held competing protests near the residence one side vowing to protect him, the other calling for his imprisonment while thousands of police officers in yellow jackets closely monitored the tense situation. What led to this Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly on Dec. 3. It lasted only hours before lawmakers managed to get through the blockade and vote to lift the measure. The opposition-led assembly voted to impeach him on rebellion charges Dec. 14. The Constitutional Court held its first formal hearing in the impeachment case on Tuesday, but the session lasted less than five minutes because Yoon refused to attend. The next hearing is set for Thursday, and the court will then proceed with the trial whether or not Yoon is there. The White House National Security Council issued a statement saying that the United States stands by its support for the Korean people and our shared commitment to the rule of law. It said Washington remains committed to working with the government led by Seouls acting leader, Choi, and reaffirms the strength of the countries alliance. KIM TONG-HYUNG, SEOUL, MDT/AP COLUMBIA, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The mystery of the $1.8 billion found in a state bank account has been solved. A 69-page report released Wednesday afternoon confirmed the $1.8 billion doesnt exist after a nearly year-long investigation. State Treasurer Curtis Loftis has maintained that the funds were never missing and were always accessible. He and Comptroller General Brian Gaines said the other should have been responsible for the money Treasurer Loftis claim during sworn testimony on April 2nd, 2024, that the 1.8 billion fund has earned $225 million, an interest that has been spent by the General Assembly. If this claim is accurate, then his failure to disclose the fund may have impaired the General Assemblys fiduciary responsibility to ensure proper application of its earnings, Senator Larry Grooms said on the assembly floor in 2024. He is Chairman of the Finance subcommittee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman killed by boyfriend in Harrisburg remembered as super mom Grooms says Loftis still isnt telling the truth. Now its costing the state more money. Grooms says the Securities and Exchange Commission is now investigating. The states attorney generals office accrued $4 million in legal fees to the State. Weve now spent $3 million to do forensic audit. And there is now request for an additional $5 million for legal fees to defend our state in the Securities and Exchange Commission investigation, Grooms said. That comes from the general fund that comes right out of taxpayer money. Thats money that cant be used for teacher salaries or to build roads. Were having to spend it on legal defense. The State transitioned from one accounting system to another over four years. During those years, the system had a two-phase bank conversion process that got messed up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Audit findings show the missing 1.8 billion stemmed from that conversion. There were 7,000 accounting entries, and when all inputted, they didnt add up to the actual balances the bank said were on deposits. So to fix that, a special account was created that contained at that time $1.56 billion. So a special account was created basically out of thin air. So that the system would balance to the bank, Grooms said. Grooms says after a year whatever errors came from the transition and conversion would work themselves out. But it didnt. He says if anything, that number increased from $1.56 billion to $1.8 billion. He says thats when the General Assembly shouldve been notified of the accounting errors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the treasurer says that the state has tracked all of its money is safe the bank and thats true. All the real money is safe in a bank over multiple banks, but the fact that the loss of dollars has never existed. Well, theyre not safe because they never existed, Grooms explained. So what happens to Loftis? Grooms says he plans to allow Loftis to come before the finance subcommittee again to change any of his prior statements. However, he is calling for his resignation. Queen City News Continued Coverage 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 Queen City News. S.C. Treasurer Curtis Loftis asks for help from his staff on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, during a Senate Finance subcommittee meeting concerning $1.8 billion that has been discovered in an account. (Travis Bell/Statehouse Carolina/Special to the SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA Most of the mysterious $1.8 billion discovered on South Carolinas books last year was never real. The seeming windfall was just more bad accounting, according to a report by outside auditors released Wednesday. But the state has spent actual taxpayer dollars at least $7 million so far on investigative and legal fees in the wake of a series of major accounting blunders that have cast a shadow over the states financial agencies for the past two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $1.8 billion came to light a year ago as part of a larger Statehouse investigation into a $3.5 billion accounting error by the states former top accountant. Forensic audit findings by a Washington, D.C., firm contracted by the state found that all but $200 million of the $1.8 billion, like the earlier snafu, was only on paper not actual cash. And the $200 million that was real isnt excess that can be spent. But the discrepancies in the ledger have drawn the scrutiny of federal securities and financial regulators, which have been conducting their own, unpublicized investigation for at least a year, state legislators revealed this week. Today we know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the money does not exist. It never existed. It was double counted, said Sen. Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau, who has led the Senate panel investigating the debacle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even the $200 million that was in state coffers at some point shouldve been cleared from the books years ago, he said. During hearings, state officials said the $1.8 billion worth of entries was overlooked in the wake of a chaotic, decade-long transition from the states old accounting system to a new one. The question now: Was that an error? Was it negligence? Was it malfeasance? Misfeasance? Was it fraud or whether there was a cover up, all these things matter, Grooms said. Depending on the severity of what investigators from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission find, the state could face penalties ranging from a hit to its sterling credit rating to hefty fines, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we have a downgrade in our bond rating, its going to cost the taxpayers millions, tens of millions possibly even hundreds of millions of dollars over a period of years, Grooms said. Thats because any time a government entity sells bonds to raise money, it relies on that credit rating to determine interest payments. So, its important that we get our financial house in order, Grooms said. According to the state Attorney Generals Office, it has already spent $4 million defending the state in the federal investigation and has requested another $5 million for continued defense. The state treasurer, comptroller general and auditors offices also are spending money on legal defense. This is in addition to the $3 million the state paid for the forensic audit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You start adding it up, thats real money, Grooms said. The states woes began with an accounting error discovered in 2022 that came from a computer coding glitch that mistakenly double-counted public colleges revenue for more than a decade in the states annual financial report provided to Wall Street investors. That ultimately led to the 2023 resignation of Richard Eckstrom, who had been the comptroller general since 2003. Last year, the focus of the Senate investigation shifted to the office of state Treasurer Curtis Loftis. Grooms has laid the blame for the latest snafu, which brings the states total accounting miscalculations to date up above $5 billion, at Loftis feet. He even went as far as to suggest the treasurer may have lied while under oath when he claimed the state had earned upwards of $190 million in interest on the funds since 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clearly, you cant earn interest on money that doesnt exist. So, Ill be curious to hear how he explains that, Grooms said. Grooms then renewed calls for the treasurers resignation. In the private sector, if anybody had made a blunder of $1.8 billion, whether it was an error, negligence, misfeasance, malfeasance, fraud or cover up, they would lose their job, he said. Loftis, for his part, continues to assert hes done nothing wrong, pleading his case both to legislators and on social media. Every dollar, every dime the state Treasurers Office has is in our books and you can find it at any time, Loftis told members of the Legislative Black Caucus on Tuesday, a day before the reports publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We think the people of this state should feel safe and confident their money is safe, he said. Gov. Henry McMaster, speaking to reporters Wednesday, stopped short of criticizing Loftis directly, instead saying the report showed unintended accounting mistakes made by different parties involved in state governments transition from an old accounting system to the new accounting system. I have confidence in the intentions of people involved. I have confidence in all the constitutional officers, and I think everybody wants to do the right thing, McMaster continued. And again, in fact, theres no evidence, no allegation by anyone, that anyone in these offices had ulterior motives or was intending to hurt anyone or steal anything. Its just an accounting error. The issue, Grooms said, is that the Treasurers Office knew about the problem since 2016 and did not take action to help fix it. He said the former comptroller general and state auditor also are culpable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not saying there was a crime. Im not saying there was a cover up, Grooms said. But we knew that errors occurred and that the folks responsible for those errors chose not to try to correct them. They continued with the errors until they were exposed and then there was finger pointing. Legislation reworking the states accounting landscape could follow. Some legislators have questioned whether the treasurers office should be part of the governors Cabinet, with the treasurer picked by the governor, rather than directly elected by voters. Others have suggested requiring qualifications for running for the job, such as being a certified public accountant. State law sets no criteria. The state constitution requires only that a candidate for treasurer be at least 18 years old, live in the state, and not be a convicted criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Loftis, a business owner, held an associate degree in retail management when he was first elected in 2010. While being grilled by senators last year, Loftis said he will not seek a fifth term in 2026. And Grooms said hell continue calls for an independent office of the state auditor, rather than housing it in an agency that answers to a five-member board that includes the treasurer and comptroller general. The checks and balances system that we have now did not work, Grooms said. Im not saying that there was theft, but if there had been, nobody would know. The taxpayers of the state, they work hard, he continued. They pay their taxes, and its up to us to spend those monies wisely for the benefit of our state, not to have reckless accounting and not to have reckless actions with the taxpayer dollars. DES MOINES, Iowa While a bill is not public for Governor Kim Reynolds proposal to prohibit cell phone usage during instructional periods for all public schools in the state, school leaders are ready for a look. Des Moines Public School District used Hoover High School as a pilot program for what a cell phone policy would look like at a district level. The districts specific policy consists of not allowing cell phone use during instructional periods, similar to what the governor outlined broadly on Tuesday. This policy was started in the middle of November. The leader of Des Moines Public Schools said Hoovers policy has been off to a good start, and its been a good indicator for how a district wide policy may work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers have shared with us, and students as well, that it is now much more effective interactions with students during the instructional time, said Dr. Ian Roberts, the Superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools. The Hoover High School rollout includes the fact that they have seen a significant increase in the number of students who are not only engaging in the schools library, but who are checking out books, is something that they shared they havent seen in the last ten years. The Dallas Center-Grimes School District has a similar phone policy for during instructional hours, and the principal of the districts high school said participation in the school library has increased by 30% year over year. Were seeing less behavior issues with our students when it comes to disrespect towards teachers and towards peers in classrooms. Were seeing more engagement in our classrooms, said Travis Donahue, Principal of Dallas Center-Grimes High School. Next phase of CyTown development approved by Board of Regents Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dallas Center-Grimes School District started enforcing its phone policy at the beginning of the school year in 2024; and Donahue said the first semester yielded great results along with improvements. The Ankeny Community School District has a no cell phone policy on school property from the first bell of the day to the last. This is something that was started district-wide in the middle of October. School leaders there have been overjoyed with how the community has rallied around it. Even as we walk through the halls, we walk through the common areas of our schools, were seeing an increase in collaboration of our students. Theyre engaging with one another, right, interacting, socializing, said Dr. Amy Dittmar, Assistant Superintendent of Academics, Ankeny Community Schools. So, not having that phone available during that school day has really decreased those distractions and really increased interaction. All three districts emphasized that whatever proposal does come from Governor Reynolds, it should give local school districts control of how the policy is implemented. Reynolds asked for a bare minimum ban of cell phones during instructional periods, which all three districts above have a phone policy that appears to match what Reynolds proposal appears to be. Iowa News: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 who13.com. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Thursday called for a looming TikTok ban to be delayed to give the social media company more time to find an American buyer. We arent against TikTok. We want TikTok to keep going. But we are against a Chinese company that is in cahoots with the Chinese Communist Party owning TikTok, Schumer said during floor remarks Thursday. Unfortunately, TikTok as it exists today has too many security risks that cannot be ignored. The law passed last year was intended to sever TikTok from the influence of the CCP while keeping the app available for Americans, he added. Its clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans, of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ban law, which passed Congress with wide bipartisan majorities and was signed by President Biden last April, gave TikTok until Sunday to either divest from its Chinese parent company ByteDance, or face a ban in the U.S. due to national security concerns about its links to China. Schumer slammed Senate Republicans for blocking a new effort by Senate Democrats to pass a bill to extend the ban deadline, calling the move stunning. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced a bill Wednesday that would extend the ban deadline by another 270 days, arguing TikTok has built online communities that cannot be replicated on another platform. Markey offered the measure by unanimous consent in the upper chamber, but it was quickly blocked by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who argued TikTok was given plenty of time to find a buyer and divest from ByteDance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats more, ByteDance and TikTok had plenty of additional warning for years about the possibility of such action, long before Congress set this firm Sunday deadline, he said on the Senate floor Wednesday night. The ban hinges on a decision from the Supreme Court, which took up TikToks challenge to the divest-or-ban law on an expedited timeline. The high court signaled sympathy with the governments national security concerns, but has yet to issue an opinion on the matter. Schumer on Thursday pledged to keep working to find a solution and said he will work with the incoming Trump administration and both parties to keep TikTok alive while protecting our national security. 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. While everyone loves a good beach day, our coastlines are changing and not in a good way. A new study, summarized by Down to Earth, shows that one-third of the world's sandy coastlines have been "hardened" by human-made structures. This growing trend is a wake-up call for the environment and the millions of people who call these coastal areas home. What's happening? Coastal hardening refers to the process where humans build rigid, often impermeable structures, like seawalls, harbors, or roads, to protect coastlines from erosion and flooding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While these structures can seem like a good defense against rising sea levels and storm surges, they also prevent beaches from naturally shifting or retreating. This has been happening more and more as people flock to the coasts. Since the 1950s, population growth has led to more construction in these areas, as Down to Earth observed. The study identified that the Bay of Bengal is the most affected, with 84% of its coast now blocked by these rigid structures. Other regions like Western Europe, the Mediterranean, North America, and East Asia are also facing similar issues, with some areas showing over 60% coastal hardening. The study also pointed out that we may be underestimating the amount of hardened sandy beaches and the risk of severe beach loss in low and lower-middle-income countries, mostly because many areas aren't properly mapped. "This means that in those coastal areas that are hardened, coastal erosion and encroachment of the sea could be much larger," climate scientist Roxy Koll told the publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is especially worrying since many of these coastal communities are highly vulnerable to climate impacts and might not have the resources to adapt without help from government policies and funding. Why is coastal hardening concerning? Coastal hardening makes beaches more vulnerable to severe erosion. In places like Santa Cruz, California, waves have erased beaches in front of retaining walls, and similar patterns of beach loss have been seen along the U.S. West Coast and Hawai'i. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind These changes are particularly troubling because large populations live along coastlines, with some areas having up to 75% of their populations residing within about 60 miles of the shore. "In addition, most of these regions contain high-income and upper-middle-income countries with major seaports where coastal infrastructure investment can be high, necessitating their protection with engineering structures," the study observed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As our changing climate causes sea levels to rise and storms to intensify, these regions become increasingly at risk. While extreme weather events like these have always occurred, human-driven changes to the climate are making them stronger and more dangerous to our communities (and occur more often). In fact, if carbon pollution continues at its current rate, we could see up to 26% of sandy beaches lost by the end of the century, the study said. What's being done about it? There are steps being taken to tackle the issue, though it's not without challenges. Reducing carbon pollution is key to slowing coastal erosion and easing the pressure on our beaches. Some regions are also turning to nature-based solutions, like restoring dunes, wetlands, and mangroves, to help protect shorelines, as well as focusing on better urban planning and taking climate action. On an individual level, cutting back on carbon pollution, supporting sustainable infrastructure, minimizing plastic use, and pushing for climate-friendly policies can all make a difference. 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. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) The Sioux City Police Department provided more information regarding burglaries at the Southern Hills Mall. In a Thursday afternoon release, the police department said the suspect broke into the register at Fuji Sushi on Jan. 5. The suspect then broke into the register at FYE Collectibles on Jan. 3, 5 and 11. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken from both locations. McCook Lake flooding victims can still apply for local aid Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that the suspect was wearing an orange Under Armour sweatshirt, Carhart hat, dark t-shirt, blue jeans, a black mask covering most of his face, and white gloves. The suspect is described as a white male about six feet tall and weighing 200 to 225 pounds. The police also provided the following images of the suspect. Image of a suspected burglar at the Southern Hills Mall taken on Jan. 11. Image of a suspected burglar at the Southern Hills Mall taken on Jan. 11. Image of a suspected burglar at the Southern Hills Mall taken on Jan. 11. Anyone with information about the suspect is asked to call the City Police Department at (712)279-6440 or Crime Stoppers at (712)258-TIPS. The Sioux City Police Department is currently investigating recent burglaries at the Southern Hills Mall. According to the police department, someone was able to make access to the mall at a time that they should not have been able to on January 11. While in the mall, the individual was allegedly able to make their way inside of the store F.Y.E. and the restaurant Fuji Sushi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jack Hoffman, the young cancer patient who ran for a famous 2013 Husker touchdown, dies at 19 A mall security officer spotted the individual which led to them fleeing the scene, police said. Police said they are still investigating whether or not anything was stolen. Officials have not named a suspect at this time. If you have any information regarding the burglaries at the mall, you can contact the police department at 712-258-8577. 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Scranton police are looking for a young man authorities say may be at risk of getting hurt. Jacob Wood, 24, was last seen just before 2:30 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Quincy Avenue and Myrtle Street in the Hill Section. Police described him as a white male, five feet, eight inches tall, weighing 240 lbs. He was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and sweatpants, and white sneakers, according to police. Police believe he may be at special risk of harm or injury. Anyone who sees Wood is asked to call 911 or city police at 570-348-4134. Missing poster for Jacob Wood (State police) SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Students in our area are getting ready to witness history. They will make the trip to our nations capital next week for the presidential inauguration. 28/22 News Reporter Gianna Galli sat down with a few of those students. Dozens of Scranton School District students will travel to Washington D.C. this coming weekend to participate in the presidential inauguration next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two students and their teachers tell 28/22 News the four-day trip is to take in all that history has to offer. Students at Scranton School District are looking to spark conversations in the next couple of days. I just hope I have a story to tell, said Scranton School District Junior Juliet Michael. That story would include a four-day trip to Washington DC to watch President-elect Donald Trump be sworn in on Monday. I think its really important to see history and be a part of it, Addison Bohn, a Senior at the Scranton School District said. We are going because of the historical aspect to this and the sanctity of the office of the President of the United States and they said we still want to go and I said okay, said Scranton Area School District Social Studies teacher Jerry Skotleski. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spreading red sand, awareness for Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Stroudsburg Their social studies teachers Skotleski and Sean Curry say they asked students last January if they would be interested in attending and 31 students volunteered to go. Skotleski says the students held a fundraiser on Election Day and raised $3,000 toward the trip. But the students paid for the rest of the more than $30,000 trip themselves. We committed to this trip of January of last year no matter who was the candidate, who won, Bohn added. This will be the fifth presidential inauguration Scranton School District has attended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others include George W Bushs second term inauguration, both of Barack Obamas inaugurations and Trumps first oath of office. The pandemic and the January 6 attack prevented the group from attending President Bidens swearing-in ceremony. We know the District well enough if we ever had to get the kids out of harms way if we had to. With the security going in and the security all over the District Im sure it will be fine, Curry explained. The students say its a moment in history they couldnt pass up. Its important to be educated. Its important to learn and to know and I think we are the future and eventually history teachers are going to be talking about us, Michael stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group bus leaves Saturday morning at 4:30 a.m. and returns on Tuesday. They will not just be there for the inauguration. Their itinerary includes touring several museums, visiting the Lincoln Memorial, and stopping by the White House. 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 PAhomepage.com. Jan. 15Editor's note: This story contains elements that some readers may find disturbing. The last phone call of Jamie Wilson-Spray's life ended abruptly in screams of terror. Melissa Berry, executive chef at Spokane's Women and Children's Free Restaurant and Community Kitchen, had called Wilson-Spray for a job interview, and the conversation was "going great," she testified in court Tuesday. Wilson-Spray was a qualified candidate, Berry told the jury, and the two were asking each other questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was in the middle of asking the 25-year-old another question when screams rang out and she heard "scuffling" and rapid movement. "It was a scream I will never forget," Berry testified. "I will hear it ... I can still hear it." Jacob Spray, a 36-year-old former sorority chef at University of Idaho's Alpha Phi, is on trial in Whitman County this week for the rape and murder of his estranged 25-year-old wife. He was working at Alpha Phi but was employed by the company Greek House Chefs. Jamie was three weeks from completing her master's degree at Washington State University and working as a chef, looking to eventually open her own restaurant. She was a loving aunt, goal-oriented, liked to try new things, was crafty and continually chased new opportunities until her life was cut short, her family previously told The Spokesman-Review. On March 26 she was found strangled in her travel trailer in Pullman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors claim the killing was a tragic ending from a fit of jealous rage when Jamie asked for a divorce after seven years of marriage and began seeing someone else. Jacob was distraught over the breakup, so much so that he went out and got a tattoo of a broken heart on the left side of his neck, Whitman County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Dan LeBeau told the jury Tuesday. Jacob also left a secret camera inside Jamie's home and continually bombarded her with texts and calls in the days leading up to her death, he told the jury. "Jacob Spray made a decision that because he couldn't have his estranged wife, nobody else could," LeBeau said. Jacob's attorneys, however, claim that Jacob's DNA was found on Jamie because the former couple had consensual, rough sex the night of her death. Multiple unknown suspects are to blame for Jamie's death instead due to unidentified DNA that was also found on her body, according to Jacob's defense attorney, Steven Martonick. "Jamie was cooperative," Martonick said of the sexual encounter. "Maybe reluctant, but she was cooperative." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The night before Jamie's death, prosecutors claim, Jamie met with a man on a dating app, and the two had sex in her trailer. The two intended to see each other again. Jacob grew increasingly angry that his estranged wife was not replying to his texts and began to interrogate her about it, asking her what kept her up until 2 a.m. She replied she went to bed early, LeBeau said. Jacob continued to call and text her the next day, March 26, until she revealed to him that she had met someone else the night before. Other chefs on UI's Greek Row noticed Jacob becoming angry, cussing into the phone and constantly sending out texts at work. He was so distraught that a chef at the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority told him to "call his parents." Then, he left work earlier than normal at 4:55 p.m., LeBeau said. That day, prosecutors said, Jamie spoke to her sister, telling her, "I wish (Jacob) would just leave me alone." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she got home from work, she ordered a pizza from Domino's around 5 p.m. and sat down to begin the job interview with Berry. When Berry knew something was wrong, she called Spokane's Crime Check, and then was transferred to Whitman County dispatch, where she asked for a welfare check on Jamie. "It was the element of terror," Berry said. Police drove to Jamie's trailer and attempted to call her, but they could only hear her phone ringing from inside, according to court records. Officers opened a window and climbed in as they were hit with extreme heat from a propane stove burner that someone left on at full power. Jamie was pronounced dead at 7:05 p.m., even though first responders attempted to resuscitate her for over half an hour, LeBeau told the jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The man who delivered the pizza to Jamie's house that night testified that a man, who he identified in court as Jacob, took the order from him and shut the door. He described his demeanor as "upset." The pizza was later found uneaten. LeBeau said Jacob had called his father Randy Spray and told him, "I killed my wife." Jacob begged him not to call the police, but his father did anyway. Police received the report of the elder Spray's phone call while they were on the scene investigating Jamie's death. An officer texted Jacob, who invited them to his home to interview him while he drank beer. He claimed he hadn't seen Jamie all day, but suggested she could have died from an overdose or carbon monoxide poisoning, LeBeau told the jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When police confronted him about what he allegedly told his father, Jacob fled inside his duplex. Officers tackled him, and he tried to steal their handguns, court records say, but he was subdued with a stun gun and arrested. LeBeau said Jamie's autopsy found she had blunt-force injuries to her head, contusions on her neck, scratches on her body and alcohol and marijuana in her system. Her cause of death was determined to be strangulation by compression of the neck, which took "four or five minutes," the coroner found at the time. It also found she was sexually assaulted, possibly with an unknown object. DNA found on Jamie's neck was determined to be Jacob's, prosecutors say. Forensic scientists also found Jamie's DNA and the DNA of her sexual partner from the dating app inside of Jacob's underwear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once Jacob found out the DNA on her neck was his, he allegedly told people in jail that the two had "rough sex." "Now the story has changed," LeBeau told the jury. During Martonick's opening statement, he said Jamie "wanted to experiment" and wanted an "adventure" because she wasn't satisfied with her sex life. Martonick claimed Jamie was teasing Jacob about the other man she was seeing, so Jacob went to her trailer to "prove himself." Jamie's neighbor took the stand Tuesday and testified that she saw a car believed to be Jacob's outside Jamie's house that night. A bit later, she heard a scream, but didn't want to call the police out of fear of overreacting although the scream scared her enough to call her ex-boyfriend, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martonick said the scream was instead "a scream of excitement," because Jacob was attempting to "fool around" with her. "No one agreed on what the scream meant," Martonick said. After sex, he claimed, Jamie passed out because she drank too much. Jacob thought she was OK, so he drove home, Martonick said. Other unknown DNA found on Jamie's body is that of the people who likely assaulted and killed her, he told the jury. Jamie's family, however, believes Jacob is responsible for her death. When they found out she was killed, they suspected her ex immediately. "I dropped to the floor and knew he had something to do with it," Jamie's sister, Jessica Schneider said in a previous interview. "I knew." Jacob Spray faces a maximum sentence of life in prison if found guilty. Editor's note: This story was changed on Jan. 15, 2025 to add more information about Jacob Spray's employment. Addressing the Boao Forum for Asia New Year Outlook event for 2025 on Jan 8, Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister Sun Weidong reiterated Beijings view that to maintain peace and stability in Asia and promote its economic development requires countries in the region to pool their wisdom, and make joint contributions and concerted efforts to make it a better common home. The virtual meeting of United States President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr that was held on Monday morning Asian time showed the necessity for such remarks. According to a readout issued by the White House after their talks, the three leaders discussed trilateral maritime security and economic cooperation, as well as Chinas dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea and they agreed on the importance of continued coordination to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific. The outgoing US president made clear the intention behind the meeting when he said, Simply put, our countries have an interest in continuing this partnership and institutionalizing our cooperation across our governments so that it is built to last. Im optimistic that my successor will also see the value of continuing this partnership, and that it is framed the right way, President Biden said. So basically it was a call for his successor to continue to orchestrate provocations of China in the South China Sea. Indeed, apart from agreeing to further deepen their trilateral economic, maritime and technology cooperation, the three leaders also discussed what they alleged to be Chinas dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea, and to work together to uphold international law in the waters. There is nothing more hypocritical and absurd than this: Out of their own strategic calculations, the three countries have been making malicious accusations concerning Chinas strengthened law enforcement in its territorial waters; actions that have been necessitated by the provocative moves of the Philippines, which has been emboldened by the support of the US and Japan to gravely infringe upon Chinas territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. If the US wants to talk about dangerous and unlawful behavior in the South China Sea, it should first start with the Philippines and then look in the mirror. When it comes to aggressive and coercive activities, it is the US that has militarized the waters and is encouraging its two regional allies to beef up their military posture targeting China. Chinas law enforcement activities in relevant waters are lawful, justified and beyond reproach, as Chinas sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea are solidly grounded in history and international law. The territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, and so defined it does not include Huangyan Island and the Nansha Islands. The US, Japan and the Philippines are peddling a false, misleading narrative that portrays China as a bully and the Philippines as a victim bravely standing up to it. This narrative has been fabricated by the US as a means to whitewash its formidable military deployment in the region and to encourage its allies, both regional and extra-regional, to employ their military assets alongside it to contain China. Sensing an opportunity to cement its land grab, the Philippines has foolishly allowed itself to be used as a bridgehead for the US Indo-Pacific strategy. [Abridged] Editorial, China Daily Jan. 15SANTA FE In many New Mexico schools, cellphones have become as ubiquitous as backpacks. But a Senate Republican has filed legislation for the upcoming 60-day session that would incentivize school districts to prohibit cellphones in classrooms. Specifically, the bill introduced by Sen. Crystal Brantley, R-Elephant Butte, would set aside $10 million to reimburse schools that buy and implement bins or other devices where phones can be stored during instructional time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be up to the state Public Education Department to distribute the funding to school boards or charter schools that adopt "anti-distraction" policies. Brantley, who was elected in November to her second term, said the idea sprouted from her own experiences with her two teenage daughters. "It's important to me to make sure this is an incentive program and not a mandate on our schools," she said in a Wednesday interview. A 2023 Common Sense Media survey found about half of U.S. children get their own cellphone by age 11. It also found that about 97% of children used their phones during school hours, with students handling their phones a median amount of 13 times per day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many New Mexico school districts already have policies prohibiting cellphones in class settings, though enforcement of those policies can be spotty. Albuquerque Public Schools, for instance, has a procedural directive that student cellphones must be "kept out of sight and powered off or silenced during the school day" and during school-sponsored activities, with certain exceptions. But an APS spokesman said Wednesday that enforcement of the prohibition takes place at the school level and varies from school to school. The state's largest school district will review the legislation and its potential impact, the spokesman added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least nine states have enacted legislation dealing with student cellphone possession or use since 2023, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In addition, the Los Angeles Unified School District, one of the nation's largest districts, approved a student cellphone ban that will take effect next month. Louisiana has also adopted a statewide prohibition on students possessing phones during the school day, with exceptions for students who need the devices for health or special education reasons. New Mexico has not approved any statewide policy on student cellphone use or possession, and Brantley said tackling the issue could be particularly important in a state that has long struggled with low academic proficiency measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When you're in school, you need to be focused on school," Brantley said. She also said she's working on trying to line up Democratic support for her proposal, adding the issue should not be a partisan one. With the 60-day legislative session set to begin next week, the bill is already winning support from at least one local teachers union leader. Whitney Holland, the president of the American Federation of Teachers union in New Mexico, said Wednesday said K-12 teachers in the state listed student cellphone use as one of their top concerns in a recent survey. "It's definitely on educators' minds," she told the Journal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she also said the issue is complex, as some parents oppose bans on student cellphone use in classrooms due to safety or health-related concerns. Despite those concerns, Holland said the incentive-based approach would alleviate much of the enforcement burden from teachers. "I do think this is an approach we're going to be supportive of," she said. SIOUX FALLS SD (KELO) The Interagency Task Force of South Dakotas crews have sent multiple fire engines to Los Angeles County to fight the Eaton wildfire. South Dakotan volunteer helping CA fire victims The task force includes Black Hawk, Fairburn, and Whispering Pines volunteer fire departments, 18 South Dakotan firefighters and task force leader from North Dakota. (California) is not looking for anything super specific. They just need the manpower, Black Hawk firefighter Yaden Miller told KELOLAND News. But they were specific about the equipment, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Facebook post says the South Dakota resources are out patrolling Thursday. Crews and engines from the Black Hawk Fire Department and Fairburn Fire Department in western South Dakota left Monday morning. Crews from Whispering Pines fire department and the South Dakota Wildland Fire also left Monday morning. 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 KELOLAND.com. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) A state government employee making $30,000 a year would see a $375 increase if the Legislature accepts Republican Gov. Kristi Noems 1.25% salary-policy recommendation, according to the executive director for the South Dakota State Employees Organization. Eric Ollila spoke briefly Wednesday afternoon as the Legislatures Joint Committee on Appropriations opened its hearing about the governors proposed compensation package for state employees. They need more, Ollila told the panel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Suspect in custody in Milbank shooting His comments came after state Human Resources and Administration Commissioner Darin Seeley had presented information about changes the governor intends to make regarding insurance coverage for state employees. The committee will have Seeley return on February 3 to finish presenting the salary piece of her proposal. Ollila asked the legislators to think about letters theyve been receiving from state employees regarding the 1.25%. These are heartfelt things from state employees, he said. Last year, state employees received 4% raises. 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 KELOLAND.com. WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) Seacoast Collegiate High School campuss major expansion on the Northwest Florida State Colleges South Walton campus creates the opportunity for many South Walton residents to earn a college degree. All 11th and 12th-grade students at Seacoast High are dual enrolled at Northwest Florida State but have to take their classes at the main campus in Niceville. Thats an hour away. The expansion will eliminate that drive. Southport Elementary School teacher fuels students creativity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, all of our students will be eligible to obtain their associate degree, either in the arts or in the sciences and business management, which will be a brand-new degree, we will be offering next year here through our partnership with Northwest Florida State College, Seaside School Executive Director Dr. Thomas Miller said. Wharton Smith construction began building a larger high school and the new Northwest Florida State College South Walton Center last May. The high school students will attend classes in both. College students will use the South Walton Center. This project is set to be completed by basically the end of July, 1st of August. So, the school has time to get everybody ready for school to start the school year. we are on time, and we are on budget and thats a dream to be able to work on a job like that, project manager Jake Reighard said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renovations at Mowat Middle school move forward with a focus on a new music suite Between Walton Countys growth and the schools success, community leaders are hoping this new campus will lead to more development in this area. Seacoast currently has 175 freshmen and sophomores, and 100 juniors and seniors. This fall that number will go to 230 underclassman students and 300 upperclassmen. By 2029 total enrollment should be around 700 students. School officials are hoping to have a third multi-use facility by then. Triumph Gulf Coast moved to the next phase of approval for a $9.5 million grant to The Seaside School to provide more post-secondary and certificate programs to high school students. 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 mypanhandle.com. NEW YORK A woman said Sean Diddy Combs raped her when she was a 16-year-old girl living in Manhattan in 2000. The lawsuit filed Monday in Manhattan is one of more than 30 similar lawsuits against the music mogul accusing him of sexual assault, harassment and misconduct. The woman, who filed the suit as Jane Doe, said she was leaving a babysitting job in Manhattan where a well-known woman who Combs was dating at the time also lived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She encountered Combs outside, and he persuaded her to get into a car with him and two other men, according to the suit. Though Combs had offered a ride home, the suit claims he instead drove past the teenagers home and offered her a drink that left her groggy and unsteady. The suit says Combs and the other men then took her to another location, where Combs raped her. The other two men are named in the suit as John Does. After the assault, Combs driver took the teenager back to her residence and left her in the lobby, according to the suit. Getting into Combs car that day was something plaintiff would come to regret forever, the suit says. Combs denied the allegations in a statement from his attorney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter how many lawsuits are filed, it wont change the fact that Mr. Combs has never sexually assaulted, or sex trafficked anyone man or woman, adult or minor, his legal team told People magazine. Fortunately, a fair and impartial judicial process exists to find the truth, and Mr. Combs is confident he will prevail in court. Combs, 55, has been sued by more than 30 people claiming he sexually assaulted them. The alleged assaults date from the 1990s all the way through 2024. The Bad Boy Records founder has also been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering in Manhattan Federal Court. He is being held at a prison in Brooklyn ahead of his trial, which is scheduled to begin in May. _____ (Daily News staff writer Molly Crane-Newman contributed to this story.) _____ Seattle Police are celebrating a boost in hiring and a surge in applications for open positions. The department brought in 84 recruits in 2024, the highest number since 2019. Its also the first time since 2019 that the number of new officers joining Seattle Police has surpassed the number of officers leaving. Were doing a lot of mock scenes where we go out and do traffic stops, we do building searches, said Greg Kramer, one of the recruits at SPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kramer previously served in the Coast Guard and worked as a cruise captain. Law enforcement always felt like a calling. Theres no better time than now, he said. If I dont do it, who will? Hiring has been a major priority for the department, after dealing with critical shortages the past few years. Five years ago, COVID and George Floyd all happened around the same time and you saw officers leaving the profession, said Monica Alexander, Executive Director of the Criminal Justice Training Commission, which trains SPD recruits for just over four months. I think people have finally kind of gotten over that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applications surged for Seattle Police. In 2024, the department received more than double the amount of applications received in 2023. The City has focused on streamlining the hiring process, expanding marketing efforts and implementing a new officer contract. SPD has also expanded its wellness offerings for officers on staff. SPD still isnt out of the woods just yet. The number of deployable officers is still 348 lower than it was in 2019. Its not going to be an overnight process, said Seattle Police Officer Britt Kelly, helping train recruits. Kelly said hiring is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to curbing crime across the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It takes a long time to get a recruit up and even out the door to patrol, she said. Its a little slow wave that needs to happen, but I think in the next couple of years were going to see a huge change in that. I honestly just hope we can make an impact, Kramer said. Not just on this city but on people who live and work in this city. Gregory Ward, a private tutor hired by Seattle Public Schools to teach math at a local middle school, pled not guilty Thursday after being arrested for second-degree rape and communicating with a minor for immoral purposes. Ward was a tutor who served as a City Year program manager at Aki Kurose Middle School and South Shore Pre K-8. According to charging documents, on Dec. 30, Ward sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl who he tutored. Ward was arrested on Jan. 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators say he tutored the student for months and the two had a sexting relationship. Prosecutors say it came to an end when the victims mother caught him groping her outside a restaurant. According to charging documents, the man is charged with raping her inside that same business. A victim advocate read the familys victim impact statement at the hearing. In their statement, the family said that they were deeply hurting as they now must watch their child try to come to terms with Wards actions and comprehend the nightmare that is now her and her familys reality. The family agreed with the protection order brought against Ward, concerned that he might try to contact their daughter. They added that Ward should remain in custody for the familys protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecutor asked the court to maintain the $250K bail. If bail is met, the prosecution argued that Ward should have electronic home monitoring, no contact with all minors, and no internet usage without a monitoring device. The defense team objected to the bail amount and the judge stated that he did not think $250K bail was high enough, but was not allowed to raise it. The judge maintained Wards bail at $250K, along with the prosecutions restrictions. A second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been reported in eastern Germany, days after an outbreak led to widespread culling and trade restrictions. A spokesman for the Barnim district in the state of Brandenburg, just outside Berlin, said the affected animals had already been killed, without offering any details about the location of the site. A number of countries, including the United Kingdom and South Korea, have already banned German meat imports after an outbreak was confirmed at a buffalo farm near Berlin on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, causing high fever and blisters in the mouth and hoof area. It is not dangerous to humans. The government has issued a ban on animal transport and established a restricted zone around the site of the latest incident. A second suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) has been reported in eastern Germany, days after an outbreak led to widespread culling and trade restrictions. A spokesman for the Barnim district in the state of Brandenburg, just outside Berlin, said he was made aware of the suspected case on Wednesday, without offering any details about the location of the site. The affected animals have already been killed, the spokesman said, with samples from their carcasses currently being tested at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute, Germany's national institute for animal disease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of countries, including the United Kingdom and South Korea, have already banned German meat imports after an outbreak was confirmed at a buffalo farm near Berlin on Friday. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, causing high fever and blisters in the mouth and hoof area. It is not dangerous to humans. The government has issued a ban on animal transport and established a restricted zone around the site of the latest incident. Earlier on Thursday, Agriculture Minister Cem Ozdemir said that containment measures are a priority, while insisting that farmers will receive economic support. "No farm should have to give up because of foot-and-mouth disease," Ozdemir said in Berlin. Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron, and Volodymyr Zelensky meet in Paris on Dec. 7 Credit - Sarah MeyssonnierPool/AP When Donald Trump took the oath of office as President in January 2017, his first foreign policy priority was to get tough on China. The Trump 2.0 Administration will continue that work. But when he strides back into the Oval Office on Jan. 20, Trump will also become responsible for U.S. management of two dangerous wars, the kinds of hot foreign policy crises he was fortunate to avoid during his first term. Trump has presented himself to voters as a peacemaker, the leader who will cut the deals necessary to restore order and limit the cost of U.S. involvement in foreign wars (and potential wars) for the American taxpayer. The new President is already taking credit for the ceasefire that Israel and Hamas have agreed, which is due to start from Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the war in Gaza, Trumps election has set expectations for how hell approach Israels confrontations with Hezbollah, and perhaps Iran, as well as Russias war on Ukraine. What should we expect in 2025? The Middle East For now, it appears the Israel-Hamas ceasefire will allow a pause in the fighting and the release of some of the hostages Hamas still holds. But the agreement will be fragile, and its highly unlikely to last for long. Which brings us to Trumps likely grand strategy in the region. His strongest foreign policy relationships remain with Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leaders of the Gulf Arab states. This is where he began his presidency eight years ago, with Saudi Arabia and Israel as his first foreign visits. The Middle East is also the site of his biggest foreign policy accomplishment. The Abraham Accords brought a normalization of relations between Israel and several Arab states, and this breakthrough agreement has proved sturdy enough to withstand Israels war in Gaza and attacks on Hezbollah in Lebanon. The next step in this diplomatic process is to secure a landmark deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, one that would open lucrative commercial ties between the two countries and reward the Saudis with long-sought U.S.-made high-tech military hardware. Officially, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman says no deal is possible without a plan for Palestinian statehood. Thats not as big an obstacle as it sounds. The prince wants the deal, and a plan for statehood need not leave the drawing board before Trump, Israel, and the prince can get to yes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And if there werent enough upheaval in the Middle East already, Syrian rebels last month ousted dictator Bashar Assad. Israel has already used the opportunity that this still evolving situation creates to strike Syrian weapons stockpiles and to make further incursions in that war-torn country. But the biggest Middle East question for 2025 is the potential for an expanded war that targets Iran. Israels success in crippling Hamas and Hezbollah leaves Tehran without its most valuable assets in its ring of fire, and Irans leaders know their country is now vulnerable. Netanyahu has ample incentive to strike Tehranand the countrys nuclear program. Irans leaders also know theyll face a more aggressive Administration in Washington in 2025. Trumps assassination of Iranian defense chief Qasem Soleimani in January 2020 has proved both Trumps willingness to take risks with Iran and Tehrans inability to do much about it. But Netanyahu knows there can be no successful strikes on Irans heavily fortified, deep underground nuclear facilities without active and determined U.S. help. An attack would demand multiple waves of large-scale coordinated bombing that only the U.S. military can carry out. Anything short of a fully successful attack would push Iran to immediately build a bomb, and Trump continues to insist he wont involve America in someone elses war. Given the high stakes for all involved, were more likely to see a push instead for a broad diplomatic deal with Iran in 2025, one that would set new ballistic-missile restrictions on Iran and signal Tehrans willingness to limit support for militant groups in the region in return for an easing of Western sanctions on Irans enfeebled economy and a halt to military escalation on all sides. How likely is an agreement that restabilizes the Middle East? It depends on Trumpand on the estimations of Israeli and Iranian leaders about how much risk hell accept and how badly he wants a diplomatic deal. Russia and Ukraine With the approach of Trumps Inauguration, Russias war on Ukraine has gotten hotter. The outgoing Biden Administration and the governments of Britain and France have granted Ukraine permission to use weapons theyve provided on targets inside Russia. Thats a counter to Russias use of North Korean troops to expel Ukrainian forces from the ground they now hold in Russias Kursk region. President Biden is also sending land mines to help Ukrainian forces slow Russias continuing advance in Ukraines east. The hope is to bolster President Volodymyr Zelenskys bargaining position for eventual talks with Vladimir Putin. Moscow immediately responded to the U.S. and British greenlights with another round of threats to start World War III, and hit the Ukrainian city of Dnipro with a nuclear-capable hypersonic missile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the violent escalation Trump will inherit next week as he tries to keep his campaign promise to quickly force an end to the war. Putin will portray Trump as a welcome replacement for warmonger Biden, and Zelensky now faces a dilemma: risk the fury of his own people by accepting a Trump-brokered deal that cedes Russian-occupied land to the invader or defy Trump and hope allies in Europe will help. Its one thing for Zelensky to accept privately that Russia will keep Crimea. Its another to pitch that to Ukraines people. Many European leaders are also bracing for Trumps return. They know hes unlikely to include them in plans to end the war, and theyre working now to preserve European unity in the face of both Trump and Putin. Ukraines future and Russian threats are far more important to (most) Europeans than to Washington. Poland, the Baltic states, and the Nordic countries would all feel threatened by any U.S. push to force what amounts to a Ukrainian surrender. Hungarys Viktor Orban, on the other hand, sees an opportunity to score points with both Trump and Putin by undermining that unity. Pro-Ukrainian leaders of European states farther from the front know the price tag for backing Kyiv is high and rising. The big questions here for 2025: Will Europeans stick with Ukraine if Trump throws U.S. support for Kyiv into reverse? Might some of them calculate that cutting a larger deal with Trump on U.S.-European trade terms requires a softening of support for Zelensky? Or might Europeans decide that broader trade and foreign policy engagement with China is a smart long-term hedge against continued reliance on an increasingly troubled transatlantic partnership? Its been more than eight decades since Americas role in the world was so difficult to predict. Trump remains a mercurial decisionmaker and may not know himself how he wants to approach foreign policy. In addition, leaders and policymakers around the world can see that the past three U.S. presidential elections have produced whiplash shifts in American priorities and intentionsfrom Obama to Trump, Trump to Biden, and now Biden back to Trump. Few are foolish enough to believe they can predict what international role the U.S. will play in the long run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never is that uncertainty riskier and more expensive than in a time of war. In 2025, the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine may draw to a tentative close under Trump. But theres no reason to believe that any of the warring parties will have a clear enough view of the future to settle their deep underlying differences. Thats the difference between full settlements and tenuous agreements that can be blown up as quickly as the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East erupted. Contact us at letters@time.com. * Mixed Blessing Local businesses are concerned about a decline in tourists spending, despite a surge in cross-border travelers * Philip Colbert | Lobsters back in town * The new govt secretaries are preparing for the 2025 policy address and have been meeting with various associations to gather opinions * CE calls on the media to further promote Macaus success * US TikTok users flock to Chinese app Xiaohongshu in protest with TikTok ban looming DOWNLOAD PDF Thursday, January 16, 2025 edition no. 4643 WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The sheriff says a Sedgwick County detective who investigated crimes against children is now the focus of a criminal investigation. Sheriff Jeff Easter asked the Wichita Police Department to investigate the detective who had been assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children section within the Exploited and Missing Childrens Unit. Easter said a review revealed improper case closures and a failure to thoroughly investigate criminal complaints from 2019 to 2024. In December, the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office began an administrative review of the detectives cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man convicted of Wichita murder dies in prison Upon determining that criminal conduct may have occurred, SGSO notified WPD and activated the Wichita and Sedgwick County Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) to conduct a criminal investigation, the sheriffs office said in a news release. The detective, who was assigned to EMCU in 2019 and transferred to ICAC in 2021, is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Once the investigation is complete, the appropriate charging authority will determine whether charges are filed against the detective. In the meantime, EMCU investigators will re-contact individuals involved in the cases. The sheriffs office says the investigators are specially trained to handle trauma cases and to ensure each case undergoes a thorough review. After the review, each case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorneys Office for formal charging consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff declined KSNs request for an interview. Given the sensitive and ongoing nature of this investigation, no additional details will be provided at this time to protect the integrity of the process and the privacy of survivors, the sheriffs office said. EMCU is a collaborative effort between the Sedgwick County Sheriffs Office, the Wichita Police Department, and the Kansas Department for Children and Families. It investigates serious crimes against children. For nearly four decades, this unique partnership has been a cornerstone of child protection efforts in Kansas and beyond, the sheriffs office said. The SGSO and its partner agencies remain committed to maintaining the highest standards of investigative practices and survivor care in all cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement District Attorney Marc Bennett provided KSN the following statement: The Sheriffs Office notified the Office of the District Attorney immediately, when the information came to light. Since that time, this office assisted first, the Sheriffs Office and more recently, the Wichita Police Department with the gathering of information necessary to conduct an exhaustive investigation. When that investigation is complete, a full review of the matter will be conducted by the Office of The District Attorney in order to ensure appropriate disclosures are made and potential criminal charges are considered and addressed. 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. When Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin launches its New Glenn rocket for the first time people way outside the Space Coast of Florida could possibly see it light up the sky. Depending on cloud cover, Floridians (and visitors) as far as Pensacola, Jacksonville, Cape Coral and Miami could see Blue Origin's New Glenn as it roars into the sky from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Visibility from most of Florida is possible, according to Blue Origin, which is owned by the billionaire Bezos. Below is information on Blue Origin, New Glenn, how to watch the launch and suggestions on where to watch if you're in the Space Coast area or close to it. About Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida It's the maiden launch of Blue Origin's massive New Glenn rocket. From concept to potential launch, it's been years in the making. If the launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is successful, Blue Origin's 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket will be certified to carry Department of Defense missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cape Canaveral is an hour east of the Orlando theme parks. Depending on cloud cover, weather and visibility, people from Orlando, Daytona Beach to Cocoa Beach and Vero Beach might see a nice streak in the sky given the proximity to NASA's Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The Space Coast of Florida includes 72 miles of coast, from Mims and Titusville to Melbourne and Grant-Valkaria. If you're not near Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral or surrounding areas from Florida's Space Coast, you can still see Blue Origins New Glenn rocket launch liftoff virtually. What time does Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Mission: Blue Origin's first massive 320-foot New Glenn rocket performed a hot-fire in December 2024, and the inaugural launch is up next. Launch window: 1 a.m. to 4 a.m. EDT Thursday, Jan. 16 Location: Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Trajectory: East Live coverage starts two hours before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space: You can watch live rocket launch coverage from USA TODAY Networks Space Team, which consists of FLORIDA TODAY space reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards and visuals journalists Craig Bailey, Malcolm Denemark and Tim Shortt. Our Space Team will provide up-to-the-minute updates in a mobile-friendly live blog, complete with a countdown clock, at floridatoday.com/space, starting 90 minutes before liftoff. You can download the free FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play, or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser. Which cities can see Blue Origin New Glenn maiden rocket launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida? Blue Origin provided a helpful graphic (see below) that shows New Glenn's intended flight path and its launch visibility, posting it to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Jan. 11, 2025: "The New Glenn-1 launch may be visible to those throughout the regions below, weather permitting. Heres when and where to look to the skies!" Launch , Space Coast, Orlando, northern part of the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, parts of northern part of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill 1: Launch + 30 seconds , Space Coast, Orlando, northern part of the Treasure Coast, Indian River County, Sebastian, Vero Beach, parts of northern part of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach and Oak Hill 2: Launch + 60 seconds , Space Coast (Titusville and Palm Bay to Melbourne Beach and Grant-Valkaria), northern part of Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, Treasure Coast, possibly Martin County, possibly St. Lucie County, parts of East-Central Florida like Orlando, near University of Central Florida, Bithlo 3: Launch + 90 seconds , visibility extends to Orlando, Sanford, Kissimmee, Daytona Beach, other parts of Central Florida 4: Launch + 120 seconds , visibility extends to Port St. Lucie, Lakeland, Sebring, Winter Haven, Palatka, St. Augustine, Jacksonville 5: Launch + 150 seconds , visibility extends to South Florida, including Miami, West Palm Beach, Ocala, the Villages, Sebring, most of central and East Coast of Florida, Tampa, parts of West Coast of Florida, parts of Georgia 6: Launch + 180 seconds , Jacksonville, Gainesville, Tampa, Arcadia, North Port, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Pompano Beach, Fort Lauderdale, most of central and East Coast of Florida, parts of West Coast of Florida, Tallahassee, Big Bend area, parts of Georgia and South Carolina 7: Launch + 210 seconds , visibility includes most of Florida, including Pensacola and the Panhandle, and extends to parts of Alabama, most of Georgia, most of South Carolina and part of North Carolina 8: Launch + 240 seconds , visibility includes possibly all of Florida and extends to parts of Alabama, most of Georgia, most of South Carolina and part of North Carolina The Bahamas are in the launch visibility zones. The guidelines are estimates based on the graphic provided by Blue Origin. The New Glenn-1 launch may be visible to those throughout the regions below, weather permitting. Heres when and where to look to the skies! pic.twitter.com/du8wehNiRE Blue Origin (@blueorigin) January 11, 2025 What is New Glenn? In September 2015, Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos, joined by then-Florida Gov. Rick Scott, announced plans to build and launch New Glenn rockets on the Space Coast of Florida. The massive rocket successfully completed a hot-fire test in December 2024 and was set to launch in January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company's YouTube bio sums it up: "We are building a road to space for the benefit of Earth, humanitys blue origin. Our team is focused on radically reducing the cost of access to space and harnessing its vast resources while mobilizing future generations to realize this mission. Blue Origin builds reusable rocket engines, launch vehicles, in-space systems, and lunar landers." When will Jeff Bezos Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launch? When it does happen, the launch will occur from Space Launch Complex-36, which will make for a spectacular sight from Brevard County's beaches. It's the only launchpad where people on the beach can watch the rocket from ignition to its climb into space. As of Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, the next attempt to launch New Glenn from Cape Canaveral is at 1 a.m. EDT Thursday, Jan. 16, according to FLORIDA TODAY's rocket launch calendar for January 2025. There will be a three-hour launch window. Bookmark this link! Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, Blue Origin, NASA rocket launch schedule in Florida Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Launching from Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 36, the multi-stage New Glenn rocket is named for John Glenn. Blue Origin aims to land its New Glenn's first-stage booster on this first flight on a seafaring platform named Jacklyn in honor of Jeff Bezos' mother. Currently led by CEO Dave Limp, Blue Origin has already successfully launched and landed its single-stage New Shepard rocket multiple times in Texas. Named for Alan Shepard, that rocket has carried payloads and paying passengers on short suborbital rides to space. How big is Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket? What does New Glenn look like compared to SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets? Sept. 12, 2016: A graphic compares Blue Origin's New Glenn rockets to other rockets flying today or in development, and at far right, to the Saturn V that powered NASA's Apollo moon program. A photo gallery attached to this story shows New Glenn from concept renderings dating back to 2016 to its attempted launches in January 2025. Blue Origin's 320-foot-tall New Glenn rocket seeks to perform a fully operational mission. A graphic above compares New Glenn to the Saturn V and United Launch Alliance's powerful Delta IV Heavy rocket. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Can a rocket launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center or Cape Canaveral, Florida, be seen outside of Florida? Weather permitting and depending on cloud cover, yes. For example, readers have submitted photos or posted on social platforms pictures of Falcon Heavy, which is made up of three Falcon 9 rocket first stages, visible from Myrtle Beach. Will it rain in Melbourne, Cocoa Beach or Cape Canaveral, Florida, today? Will weather cancel a rocket launch? Shown is the National Weather Service-Melbourne radar, which shows conditions in real-time for the Space Coast and other parts of Florida. How to watch Blue Origins New Glenn rocket launch from Florida online? What's the website to watch Blue Origin New Glenn rocket liftoff? During Blue Origins New Glenn rocket launch attempt, tune in to floridatoday.com/space for USA TODAY Network's Space Team live coverage and updates on the New Glenn launch, starting about two hours before liftoff. You can download the free app for iPhone or Android or type floridatoday.com/space into your browser. When and where: Full coverage of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket launch, including a live webcast with live tweets and updates, kicks off about two hours before the launch window opens, at floridatoday.com/space (you can type this on your browser on your phone). The interactive livestream will feature in-depth coverage. Ask our FLORIDA TODAY space team reporters Rick Neale and Brooke Edwards questions and strike up a conversation. You also can watch coverage via the FLORIDA TODAY app, which is available in the App Store or Google Play. FLORIDA TODAY is part of the USA TODAY Network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where to watch Blue Origin New Glenn rocket launch live near Cape Canaveral, Florida In Florida, we can best see this historic moment in person if you're anywhere on the Space Coast (Brevard County) or certain spots in the First Coast or Fun Coast (Volusia County) or the Treasure Coast (Indian River County, St. Lucie County and Martin County). Pro tip: If you do watch it in person, get to your viewing destination early and prepare to stay later after the launch because of heavy traffic. Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: New Glenn rocket launch map: Where in Florida to see liftoff Israel and Hamas have reached a multiphase cease-fire and hostage agreement, negotiators announced. People in Israel and the Gaza Strip gathered to celebrate the news of the long-awaited accord. The tentative deal comes after 15 months of bloodshed that left tens of thousands dead. Israel and Hamas have reached a tentative agreement to stop the war in Gaza, the White House announced Wednesday, a first step towards an end to 15 months of fighting that left tens of thousands dead in the Middle East. As news of the long-awaited cease-fire deal reached Tel Aviv and the Gaza Strip, people gathered to celebrate what they hoped would be the end of hostilities and the anticipated return of their family and friends held in Hamas tunnels or Israeli prisons. 'Complex' multiphase agreement Demonstrators embrace during a protest in front of the Israeli Defense Ministry after news of the cease-fire agreement. Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images Set to take effect on January 19, the complex cease-fire deal includes a phased approach. Lasting six weeks, the first phase consists of a "full and complete" cease-fire, a gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the release of hostages held by Hamas, US President Joe Biden said Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel said it would reduce the number of forces operating in the Gaza Strip and expected to fully withdraw its military presence in a later phase of the deal. Hamas agreed to initially release nearly three dozen Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel but has not confirmed when the final hostages will return home. Biden added that women, the elderly, and the wounded hostages would be released as part of the first phase, as well as American hostages being held in Gaza. Seven Americans are being held hostage in Gaza, three of whom are presumed to be alive. To ensure both sides adhere to the terms of the cease-fire agreement, diplomats from the US, Qatar, and Egypt said they plan to create a "follow-up mechanism" to track reports of violations. "We expect that the parties will adhere to the agreement and stay committed but we know that these kinds of agreements are very complex and will have some issues down the line," Qatar Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 'A permanent end of the war' Palestinians celebrate following news of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas to release the remaining hostages and stop the conflict. Hatem Khaled/REUTERS Over the next six weeks, Biden said negotiations between Israel and Hamas will continue to work out the second phase of the cease-fire deal: a permanent end of the war in Gaza. "There are a number of details to negotiate, to move from phase one to phase two," the US president said. "But the plan says if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the cease-fire will continue as long as the negotiations continue." Biden added that Palestinians can return to their homes in all areas of Gaza as officials work to get humanitarian assistance into the war-torn territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a possible third phase of the deal, Biden said the remains of hostages who have been declared dead would be returned to their families, and "a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin." Palestinians rejoice in Gaza Strip People raise a Palestinian flag while celebrating news of a ceasefire with Israel in the central Gaza Strip. Ramadan Abed/REUTERS Photos and video taken in the Gaza Strip captured celebratory cheers and gunfire as Palestinians crowded the streets after learning that this could be the end of the humanitarian crisis that has gripped the Gaza Strip and forced the vast majority of them from their homes. Israel's war against Hamas has leveled neighborhoods and led to the deaths of at least 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some gathered outside al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, a medical facility in central Gaza that doubled as a displacement camp that was frequently targeted by Israeli attacks. The Israeli military said they believed the complex concealed a Hamas command center. One of the celebrants, Alaa Abu Karsh, told CNN that the news of the cease-fire was a "very big surprise for the Palestinian people and the whole world." "We wish many people could be celebrating this moment with us, but they are now in a better place," he said. Protest-turned-celebration in Israel People react to the Gaza cease-fire agreement during a rally in Tel Aviv. Amir Levy/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the announcement of the cease-fire agreement, thousands of Israeli protesters gathered outside the country's defense ministry to call for the return of the hostages still being held in Gaza. The remaining hostages have been held for 466 days in abject conditions in Gaza after being seized by Hamas fighters during the Oct. 7, 2023 terror rampage into Israel. Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant condemned National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, both of whom were against the hostage deal and threatened to quit the government if it was approved. "It is neither Jewish, nor Zionist, nor humane," Gallant said at the rally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the protests soon turned to celebrations as news spread to Tel Aviv that the cease-fire and hostage deal had been reached. Demonstrators were seen embracing and crying as they held their picket signs depicting their friends and family still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Divided on hostage deal A woman reacts to the cease-fire announcement at a rally in Tel Aviv. Ohad Zwigenberg/AP The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a volunteer-based organization, said the agreement is a "significant step forward" to bring Israeli hostages home, expressing "profound gratitude" to the US and international mediators involved in brokering the peace deal. "Since November 2023, we have been anxiously awaiting this moment," the organization said in a statement, "and now, after over 460 days of our family members being held in Hamas tunnels, we are closer than ever to reuniting with our loved ones." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "However, deep anxiety and concerns accompany us regarding the possibility that the agreement might not be fully implemented, leaving hostages behind. We urgently call for swift arrangements to ensure all phases of the deal are carried out," the group continued. Though a majority of Israelis support the peace deal, the Tivka Forum, a right-wing organization advocating for the release of hostages, said they believe the agreement includes steep concessions, like the release of Palestinian prisoners, that could compromise Israel's national security and its leverage against Hamas. "The proposed deal endangers the hostages and endangers the State of Israel," the organization said in a statement. "It is high time we stop the immoral surrender to terror, and demand that all the hostages be released at once, unconditionally and immediately." The forum added: "Our only option is to win this war and to remove any incentive to ever attack Israel again." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement World leaders react People raise their hands with peace sign gestures in response to the cease-fire agreement and hostage release. BASHAR TALEB/AFPBASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images via Getty Images World leaders reacted with messages of hope for peace. The peace deal came less than a week before Biden leaves office and US President-elect Donald Trump's return to the White House, with both administrations taking part in the negotiations. "In these past few days, we have been speaking as one team," Biden said, as his administration will work to implement the deal while the Trump administration will work to carry it out. Antonio Guterres, United Nations secretary-general, emphasized the importance of implementing the deal and getting humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is imperative that this ceasefire removes the significant security and political obstacles to delivering aid across Gaza so that we can support a major increase in urgent lifesaving humanitarian support," Guterres said. Netanyahu had yet to officially announce that Israel accepts the agreement announced by Biden and Al Thani on Wednesday, saying that some final details are still being agreed upon. The Israeli prime minister said he will release a statement "after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed." Hamas said in a statement that the cease-fire was "the result of the legendary resilience of our great Palestinian people and our valiant resistance in the Gaza Strip." Read the original article on Business Insider As wildfires continue to burn through California, local officials in Seminole County are working to ensure residents are ready and stay informed as we approach our brushfire season here in Central Florida. The fires in California have already killed dozens of people and left countless others without a home. Now, authorities want communities in Central Florida to be prepared in case something similar happens here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Geovany Dias found out that only 10 percent of the population in Seminole County uses the fire alert system. Read: Wildfires latest: A final round of dangerous fire weather and dry conditions is in the forecast This means most people would not be receiving the life-saving messages and communication that come from this emergency management office in Seminole County. The emergency management office watches everything that happens across the county, and without the alert system active on your phone, they would not be able to alert the residents. Seminole County officials said, One of the challenges that can happen here, as well as in California, is our ability to communicate with the public during times of emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: Windy, flame-fanning weather eases up as progress made on LA-area fires Thats why Seminole County officials are doubling their efforts to keep residents informed. Were not going to notify the entire Seminole County, Orange County, or Osceola County for a wildfire that may be affecting three or four neighborhoods. Instead, were going to activate the alert for those three or four neighborhoods. When you register for alert, seminal, or you have a landline telephone, we can geospatially call that location. Seminole County officials said. Click here to sign up for the alerts. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) The day after the confirmation hearing of Pete Hegseth President-elect Donald Trumps pick for defense secretary Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, released a statement saying he will be voting in favor of Hegseths nomination. Curtis said he has met with Hegseth and spoken to several people who have known him in his various roles from the past. RELATED: Key takeaways from Pete Hegseths fiery confirmation hearing While there are actions from his past that give me pause, I carefully weighed these concerns against his qualifications, leadership style, and commitment to bolstering the worlds most respected military, Curtis said in the statement. I am confident Mr. Hegseth shares my vision of ensuring our armed services are prepared to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth is a combat veteran and former TV news host. On Tuesday, Jan. 14, Hegseth publicly faced senators and answered questions, both about his past and about what things would look like under his direction. Democrats questioned Hegseth about allegations of sexual assault and excessive drinking. Hegseth has denied any wrongdoing and said he was cleared in the assault case, and he also said he is not a perfect person. He has told Republican senators he would not drink on the job. Republicans have demanded new leadership at the Pentagon and have praised Hegseths lack of high-level leadership roles, citing his military experience. Hegseth would not be the first defense secretary to have served in combat, as former enlisted soldiers have held the role since the Obama administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would be the privilege of a lifetime, if confirmed, to be the secretary of defense for all men and women in uniform, Hegseth said Tuesday. More key takeaways from Hegseths confirmation hearing can be found on ABC4.com. Curtis full statement is below: I take very seriously the role that the Senate has in the Constitution for advice and consentand have spent significant time reviewing President Trumps nominees, including his Defense Secretary pick Pete Hegseth. Ive met with Mr. Hegseth, talked with many people who have known him in different roles, carefully watched his confirmation hearing, and even read his writings to better understand who he is. While there are actions from his past that give me pause, I carefully weighed these concerns against his qualifications, leadership style, and commitment to bolstering the worlds most respected military. I am confident Mr. Hegseth shares my vision of ensuring our armed services are prepared to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century. Our military is need of a change agent who will challenge the status quo, demand transparency and accountability, and ensure our allies and strategic partners have confidence in Americas commitment and capability to stand for freedom. My role in the Senates process is to ensure the President has a Cabinet that will help him succeed and serve the nation effectively. After careful consideration, I have decided to vote in favor of Pete Hegseths nomination to be Secretary of Defense. Sen. John Curtis on Pete Hegseth The Associated Press contributed to this report. 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. Sen. John Curtis said hes decided to support President-elect Donald Trumps nominee for Defense secretary, Pete Hegseth. The Utah Republican was one of a few GOP senators who had not declared how he would vote on Hegseths nomination. This makes Hegseth much more likely to clinch the Cabinet position. Curtis said after careful consideration he decided to support Hegseth, despite there being questions about past statements related to women in the military and allegations of sexual misconduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there are actions from his past that give me pause, I carefully weighed these concerns against his qualifications, leadership style, and commitment to bolstering the worlds most respected military, Curtis said in a statement. I am confident Mr. Hegseth shares my vision of ensuring our armed services are prepared to meet the evolving challenges of the 21st century. In recent days, Curtis addressed the need for senators to take their constitutional role of advice and consent very seriously. At a Politico event Tuesday, Curtis said he would carefully consider each of Trumps nominees, including their testimony at hearings, before making a decision. He said, I cant make a good decision, whether its somebody thats as controversial as Pete Hegseth or non-controversial as Marco Rubio, if I dont look at the entire sheet of music. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Curtis added that were all flawed and none are perfect: Im the first to tell you, you know, I have things in my past that if I were a nominee would be coming up, Curtis said. Hegseth appeared before the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday, answering questions for several hours about his service in the military and his personal life. Hegseth was also a Fox News host before being tapped by Trump for a Cabinet position. In his statement released Wednesday evening, Curtis said before making his decision he met with Hegseth, spoke with people who knew him, watched his confirmation hearing and read things hes written. Our military is need of a change agent who will challenge the status quo, demand transparency and accountability, and ensure our allies and strategic partners have confidence in Americas commitment and capability to stand for freedom, he said. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) There was another round of Senate confirmation hearings today on Capitol Hill. A number of President-elect Donald Trumps cabinet nominees were on the hot seat again today as they answered numerous questions from several Senate committee members. This includes Senator Mike Rounds, who talked about former Texas Congressman and one-time director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Union County Sheriff looking for missing teen I think Republicans and Democrats will come together on his nomination. I think Mr. Radcliffe is now a known commodity. I think the fact that hes already been directly involved and has a real knowledge of the intelligence agency as a whole will help him, said Sen. Mike Rounds. If confirmed, Ratcliffe will lead the nations premier spy agency, responsible for foreign covert operations and collecting data on U.S. adversaries. 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 KELOLAND.com. The Senate on Wednesday adopted the first amendment to the Laken Riley Act, as Republicans push for a legislative win to open the new Congress. The legislation in its current form would mandate federal detention of immigrants without legal status accused of theft, burglary and other related crimes. Senators on Wednesday voted 70-25 for an amendment proposed by Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) that would require Immigration and Customs Enforcement to detain any migrant lacking permanent legal status accused of assault on a law enforcement officer. Twenty Democrats voted with every Republican who was present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riley, the Georgia college student for whom the legislation is named, was killed in February by a Venezuelan migrant who had been arrested for shoplifting prior to the attack and, subsequently, released on parole. Sens. Jim Justice (R-W.Va.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) did not vote. It needed 50 votes to pass instead of the usual 51 due to the recent vacancy of Vice President-elect JD Vances seat. Senators also voted down a second amendment offered by Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), 46-49, along party lines. The proposal would have nixed part of the bill that hands state attorneys general authority to sue federal immigration officials over alleged detentions a provision that has upset a number of Democratic members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) earlier in the day previewed that an amendment process would take place in short order as Democrats try to fix what they believe is a flawed piece of legislation. The bill has already overcome two procedural hurdles in the upper chamber by overwhelming margins. While a number of Democrats have pledged to support the bill on a final vote, others said they voted to open debate on the measure so they could attempt to amend it. Were going to have an amendment process here on the floor the type of amendment process thats been lacking in recent years. We will push for votes on amendments that make this bill even stronger, Thune said. In the coming days, the Senate will have a serious debate about this and other amendments and about the Laken Riley Act. Thats the Senates role, Thune added. Well have debate, and well aim to produce the strongest bill that we can pass into law. Thats our goal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Dakota Republican also said that he is supportive of Sen. Joni Ernsts (R-Iowa) amendment, known as Sarahs Law, that would expand the bill to include the detainment of illegal migrants charged with crimes causing death or serious bodily injury. The Ernst proposal is named after Sarah Root, who was killed in a 2016 car crash that involved an undocumented migrant, who then posted bond and fled the U.S. The Laken Riley Act passed the House earlier this month with the support of 48 Democrats, but would have to return to the lower chamber for a second vote because it has been amended. Updated at 7:12 p.m. EST Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. A Senate Agricultural Appropriations Committee meeting near Casselton, North Dakota, on Aug. 15, 2024, included, from left, Tina Smith, John Boozman, John Hoeven and Amy Klobuchar. (Jeff Beach/North Dakota Monitor) The new leader of the U.S. Senates agriculture committee, Arkansas John Boozman, has several ties to meatpacking behemoths, including Tyson Foods, and has recently resisted efforts by his fellow Republicans to reign in their economic power. New Democratic leadership on the committee also has strong agriculture ties, as Sen. Amy Klobuchar has received thousands from employees at the grain processor Cargill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans recently won control of the U.S. Senate, along with the presidency and the U.S. House of Representatives. This puts the GOP back in charge of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, which has sway over important food legislation, such as the Farm Bill. New chairman Boozman became the committees ranking minority member in 2021, with Democrats controlling the Senate. He was first elected in 2001. Over his two decades in Congress, employees at Tyson Foods, one of Americas largest meat companies, donated more than $120,000 to his campaigns the third-most hes received during his career, according to OpenSecrets. Neither Boozman or Tyson returned a request for comment. Just four companies, including Tyson Foods, control 85% of the beef industry, which critics argue limits competition and gives them significant power to set prices. Most beef is bought through contracts, but independent ranchers in rural areas have called for legislation requiring the companies to purchase at least some of their beef on the open market. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, championed the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act to address ranchers concerns. But, when the bill faced opposition from his fellow Republicans, Grassley pointed the finger at Tyson and its peers. You got to think behind all this is the political power of the big four packers, he said, according to Politico. In response, Boozman said Grassley is a good friend and we work together very closely, but I think theres a misunderstanding that somehow were trying to block this bill. Republican U.S. Sen. John Boozman of Arkansas on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, met with reporters to discuss the GOP farm bill. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate) Politico reported that some of the concerns among those trying to pass the legislation were the connections to the meat industry on Boozmans committee staff. His policy director, Chelsie Keys, used to work for the National Pork Producers Council, which represents major meatpackers. Also, the policy directors spouse, Gordon Chandler Keys III, is a lobbyist for JBS USA, one of the four companies that control most of the beef industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, Chandler Keys has lobbied the Senate on issues related to meat inspection and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, or GIPSA, according to lobbying disclosure records. GIPSA is tasked with investigating unfair market practices. Originally an independent agency within the USDA, the first Trump administration moved it under the umbrella of another agency, which has reduced its effectiveness, critics have said. The records do not specify which senators were lobbied, and a committee spokesperson told Politico in 2022 that Keys does not lobby Boozman. Keys did not return requests for comment. Grassley told KMALand, a radio station in Iowa, that he will continue to push for the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act in this years Congress, perhaps as an addition to the Farm Bill. When asked about the acts chances, given Boozmans reported resistance, a spokesperson for Grassleys office said, Senator Grassley remains committed to enhancing transparency in the cattle market and ensuring a level playing field for all cattle producers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tysons relationship with its contract farmers could be further scrutinized during the next congressional term as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the company after it closed several of its plants in recent years. Because of industry consolidation, rural farmers who raised Tysons chickens had no other company to sell their chickens to, leaving them saddled with debt. In Missouri, a Tyson competitor attempted to buy a shuttered plant, but Tyson worked to prevent the purchase, according to an investigation by Watchdog Writers Group and Investigate Midwest. Tyson also subpoenaed communication between former growers and federal investigators. Boozmans Republican colleague, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, called the companys actions anti-American. So far, Boozman has not publicly commented on the Tyson plant closures. When he was formally tapped to lead the agriculture committee, he released a statement saying his aim was to bolster rural communities. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., talks to reporters on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024, after she was elected as chair of Senate Democrats Steering and Policy Committee, the No. 3 leadership post. (Photo by Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom) Sen. Klobuchar, a Democratic member of the Senate ag committee, has ties to Cargill On the Democratic side, significant changes are reshaping the Senate agriculture committees leadership for the first time in years, driven by a major retirement and election losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2001, is leaving. She has helped shape several farm bills, most recently as committee chairwoman. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat who has been a recent committee mainstay, lost his re-election bid in November. Klobuchar, of Minnesota, is now the ranking minority member. Shes received consistent support from employees at Cargill, the nations largest private company and a major grain processor. Over the years, shes supported the biofuel industry, a key component of Cargills business. In 2020, as Klobuchar ran for president, the then-CEO of Cargill, Dave MacLennan, served as her campaign bundler, a usually wealthy person who raises substantial cash from others. Overall that year, Cargill employees donated about $37,000 to her the third highest total from company employees, according to OpenSecrets. In 2024, Cargill employees donated about $13,600 to Klobuchar, the fifth-most that year, according to OpenSecrets. Cargill employees also donated to Boozman and Californias Adam Schiff, who is also on the Senate agriculture committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cargill is a major producer of biofuels, such as ethanol. A growing body of evidence suggests that ethanol trumpeted as a climate smart alternative to gasoline might have minimal climate benefits or, perhaps, might be worse than gas. Klobuchar has consistently supported the industry. Over the past few years, she has introduced legislation focused on E15, a blend of ethanol that Cargill and others sell. One bill would have removed warnings about ethanols potential impact on cars, and another would allow E15 to be sold year-round. Klobuchars office did not respond to requests for comment. The email address that Cargill said was the best way for reporters to contact the company bounced back. New Farm Bill will be area of focus for new committee leaders The agriculture committees most important business will likely be passing a Farm Bill, which funds subsidies for farms and financial assistance for low-income families, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The 2018 Farm Bill expired in 2023, but Congress has approved two-year funding stopgaps since then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Boozman, as the ranking minority member, published his framework for a new farm bill. He called for increased spending on the so-called farm safety net and on trade programs. In November, following her retirement announcement, Stabenow released her framework, which Boozman called insulting. While also increasing funding for the farm safety net, it emphasized funding for SNAP and conservation programs related to climate change. Republicans have 53 votes in the U.S. Senate, but it takes 60 to pass a farm bill in the upper chamber. The legislation will need to attract some Democrats. I think at times last year, pretty consistently, it was clear that the ability to work across partisan lines had frayed in the Senate ag committee, said Mike Lavender, the policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which advocates for sustainable food systems. The biggest question on my mind is, how will new leadership really lean into a bipartisan approach and working together to get a bill done? From a policy standpoint, the shift in leadership likely wont result in dramatic changes, especially given Boozmans previous role as ranking minority member, he said. But having different individuals in charge might lead to different points of emphasis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, Stabenow focused on funding specialty crops, which are a big part of Michigan agriculture. But Klobuchar might focus on competition and antitrust laws, Lavender said. In 2022, Klobuchar published a book on monopoly power. This article first appeared on Investigate Midwest and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Advertisement Advertisement As the threat of a TikTok ban looms, U.S. TikTok users are flocking to the Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu making it the top downloaded app in the U.S. Some of the TikTok refugees, as they call themselves, say the TikTok alternative, a Chinese app, is being chosen in protest of the TikTok ban. The U.S. Supreme Court is due to rule on a law that stipulates TikTok must be divested from its Chinese parent company ByteDance by Jan. 19 or face a ban in the U.S. over national security concerns. After the justices seemed inclined to let the law stand, masses of TikTok users began creating accounts on Xiaohongshu, including hashtags such as #tiktokrefugee or #tiktok to their posts. Since Monday, Xiaohongshu has become the top downloaded free app on Apples App Store in the U.S. Xiaohongshu, which in English means Little Red Book is a Chinese social media app that combines e-commerce, short video and posting functions. The app has gained traction in China and other regions and countries with a Chinese diaspora such as Malaysia and Taiwan in recent years, racking up 300 million monthly active users, a majority of whom are young women who use it as a de-facto search engine for product, travel and restaurant recommendations, as well as makeup and skincare tutorials. The #tiktokrefugee topic has racked up over 160,000 posts on Xiaohongshu, many of which are videos of American users introducing themselves and asking for tips on how to navigate the app, which they are calling RedNote. Xiaohongshu did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Alexis Garman is a 21-year-old TikTok user in Oklahoma with nearly 20,000 followers. She joined Xiaohongshu on Tuesday after seeing others do the same. Garman said she is not particularly concerned about data privacy. What I experienced on (Xiaohongshu) so far has been really great and inviting, said Garman, who has left two posts on the platform. I like your makeup, a Xiaohongshu user from Beijing comments one of her posts, and Garman thanks them in a reply. A user from the southwestern province of Sichuan commented I am your Chinese spy please surrender your personal information or the photographs of your cat (or dog). TikTok possibly getting banned doesnt just take away an app, it takes away jobs, friends and community, Garman said. Personally, the friends and bond I have with my followers will now be gone. Other American users who have joined Xiaohongshu have been outspoken about joining the app in protest of the possible TikTok ban. An American user with the handle Definitelynotchippy made a video addressed to the Chinese users of Xiaohongshu, explaining why Americans are downloading the app. The reason that our government is telling us that they are banning TikTok is because theyre insisting that its owned by you guys, the Chinese people, government, whatever, she said. And theyre trying to make us think that you guys are bad. A lot of us are smarter than that though so we decided to piss off our government and download an actual Chinese app, she said. We call that trolling in short were here to spite our government and to learn about China and hang out with you guys. Chinese users on Xiaohongshu have so far welcomed American users, with some offering to teach them Chinese. Others have offered tips on navigating the Chinese internet, warning the new users not to mention or discuss anything considered politically sensitive as they may get censored. In some cases, Chinese students have asked the Americans for help with their English homework. Like most apps and internet services in China, Xiaohongshu is subject to censorship. Platforms typically enforce censorship by deleting or shadowbanning content that Beijing deems politically sensitive. Large Western platforms, such as Google and Facebook, are blocked in China. Though Xiaohongshu has seen an influx of users, it is not clear if the app could replace TikTok, which has created an ecosystem that allows for e-commerce and advertising. Before TikTok was under threat, the overwhelming majority of Xiaohongshus users were Chinese, and the app, which lacks translation features, is not optimized for an international user base. Even though U.S.-China tensions remain high over trade and national security, many Chinese and American Xiaohongshu users have pursued friendly cultural exchanges on the app. Those interactions range from live chat rooms to comments on posts. A TikTok refugee who goes by the name Amanda posted a video on how happy she was in finding the Xiaohongshu app, saying that Chinese users have been welcoming. Under her post, a Chinese user comments: We are not enemy, we are human beings (living) in one world! We also never had a chance to communicate with you foreign guys directly sharing the same app or platform, so the (feeling is) mutual since you come on this app, another says. In a comment posted in Chinese, Amanda, the TikTok refugee said she would work on posting captions and subtitles in Chinese in the future. I am so happy to talk to Chinese people and learn about your culture and experiences, she said. ZEN SOO, HONG KONG, MDT/AP WASHINGTON (NewsNation) Four more of President-elect Donald Trumps Cabinet picks are set to go before senators Thursday after sparks flew during attorney general nominee Pam Bondis confirmation hearing. Senate committees will hear from Eric Scott Turner, who hopes to lead the Housing and Urban Development Department; Lee Zeldin, who was nominated to lead the Environmental Protection Agency; Scott Bessent, who was picked to lead the Department of Treasury; and Doug Burgum, former governor of North Dakota, who was nominated for Interior secretary. Trumps outsider Cabinet picks are rapidly gaining support for confirmation Bondi and Rubio face Senate committees On Wednesday, Bondi accused Democrats of bullying tactics after Senators grilled her over her role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election, her views on FBI director nominee Kash Patel, and if shell launch retaliatory investigations into Department of Justice officials who prosecuted Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans used the occasion to accuse the DOJ of being weaponized under President Joe Biden to go after Trump unfairly. Democrats zeroed in on Bondis staunch support of Trump, raising concerns he might want her to go after the president-elects adversaries. Bondi also faced questions about pardoning people charged in connection to the Jan. 6 attacks. Trumps Cabinet picks are set for Senate hearings. Heres the schedule Meanwhile, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio faced the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday. He told his senate colleagues that China is the most potent and dangerous near-peer adversary this nation has ever confronted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Focusing on China, Rubio said the U.S. has lost deterrence strength, which he believes factored into Russias invasion of Ukraine. He also spoke about working with Mexico to combat drug cartels. Rubio received praise from both sides and is expected to see a smooth confirmation. Upcoming confirmation hearings Another potentially tense hearing is expected as Kristi Noem, Trumps pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security, appears before Fridays Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Meanwhile, hearings are not yet scheduled for other Trump picks, including some of the most contentious: Tulsi Gabbard, Office of the Director of National Intelligence Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Department Howard Lutnick, Commerce Department Linda McMahon, Department of Education Kash Patel, FBI Brooke Rollins, Department of Agriculture Elise Stefanik, U.N. ambassador 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. HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) Top Democrats in the State Senate unveiled legislation to expand unemployment benefits to unionized workers who go on strike for more than two weeks. The legislation, which Senate Democratic leaders designated as a priority, also includes provisions to improve warehouse worker conditions. Workers should not be required to suffer or be under economic pressure that might make them cave to a settlement, State Sen. Martin Looney, the president of the State Senate, said of the effort to expand unemployment benefits to striking workers. Thats not fair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Connecticut nonprofits request more funding for programs Republicans and business groups criticized the measure. This comes off as a mandate on businesses, Paul Amarone, a policy expert at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), said. CBIA is the states most prominent business advocacy group, lobbying on behalf of major employers and business interests. Unemployment insurance will absolutely go up for employers throughout the state or it will be the taxpayers that will be footing the cost, Amarone said. State Sen. Julie Kushner, the Democratic co-chair of the legislatures Labor Committee, disputed the notion that the expansion of benefits would add costs for taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is legislation that has already passed and is in effect in New York state and in New Jersey, Kushner said. What weve found is that it hasnt put an undue stress on the unemployment trust funds in those states. Expanding unemployment benefits to striking workers was also the subject of a push in last years legislative session. The resulting legislation was ultimately vetoed by Gov. Ned Lamont. When asked if he had changed his thinking on the issue, Lamont said, I dont think so. He fielded questions on the Democratic proposal while attending the annual summit of CBIA, the pro-business organization. Republicans applauded Lamonts position on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anytime we interject into a private contract, I think we have to tread carefully, State Rep. Joe Polletta, a top Republican on the legislatures tax-writing committee, said. Should he hold a similar line as last year, Lamont will find himself in opposition to some within his own party including the influential Senate president and labor groups that typically provide political muscle for Democratic campaign efforts. Connecticut state leaders discuss 2025 plans for tourism Ed Hawthorne, the head of the Connecticut American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, or AFL-CIO, had a message for Lamont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Ned Lamont wants to connect with working families, he should listen to working families, Hawthorne said. And thats exactly what this bill supports. Hawthorne cautioned Lamont, a moderate Democrat still weighing a decision to run for a third term in 2026, that working-class voters had been trending away from the party. He argued that pro-union policies offered a path for Democrats to recover working-class support. Working people are upset with the way that big business is treating them, Hawthorne said. We saw that in the presidential election were still blue here in Connecticut, but were less blue now. 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 WTNH.com. (WGHP) North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis said on Wednesday that a man held hostage in Gaza will get released. Chapel Hill native Keith Siegel and his wife Aviva were taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Israel. Aviva has since been released. A ceasefire was announced between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday. SC leaders reveal how $1.8 billion mysteriously ended up in state bank account It has taken a year of intensive diplomacy by the United States, Egypt and Qatar to pause the war sparked by Hamas attack on Israel and pave the way for the release of dozens of hostages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But if talks over the second and more difficult phase of the ceasefire deal break down, the war could resume, bringing even more death, destruction and displacement to Gaza and an even longer wait for families of the hostages. The full statement released by Tillis is provided below: The media is reporting that NC native Keith Siegel is coming home. So happy for his wife Avivaa released hostage herselfand his loving family. It is good to see the Biden Administration and Trump Transition working together to get this deal done. God Bless the hostages being released and to all those who never made it back. Thom Tillis 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 Queen City News. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) There is a last-minute effort to save TikTok just days before the popular app is set to be banned. A small group of senators is trying to extend the deadline for TikToks parent company to sell the app. Right now, the TikTok ban is set to go into effect on Sunday unless lawmakers act to stop it. Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.) introduced legislation this week that would extend the deadline for parent company ByteDance to sell TikTok in 270 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Time is our enemy right now. In four days TikTok goes dark. My bill just says, we need more time, Markey said. Markey calls TikTok an integral part of life for millions of Americans. Its central to our economy and the way in which we communicate, Markey said. An overwhelming bipartisan majority of lawmakers supported the original law to force a sale of TikTok, arguing having the app owned by a Chinese company threatens U.S. national security. Senator Rick Scott (R-Fla.) says he does not support the effort to extend the deadline. They had all the time in the world. Absolutely not, Scott said. Theyve had an opportunity to sell it to make sure the Chinese government doesnt control it and they decided not to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Markey insists that lawmakers should take more time to find a better solution. We need hearings. We need to understand this issue better, so we can come to a better decision in this balance between national security and free speech and the role TikTok plays in our economy as well, Markey said. President-elect Donald Trump has also expressed a desire to keep TikTok around, but the ban is set to take place the day before he takes office, so its not clear he has the power to stop it. The Supreme Court is currently weighing a challenge to the TikTok law and could issue their decision any day now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 Queen City News. Jan. 15In partnership with Midland Independent School District (MISD), Senior Life Midland has invited community leaders to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the National Day of Service on Thursday, Jan. 16. This meaningful event will honor Dr. King's timeless "I Have a Dream" message by bringing together volunteers to read to students in classrooms across MISD, fostering unity and inspiration through education. Reading Times and Locations: Pease Elementary: 9:15 a.m. & 1:30 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burnet Elementary: 1 p.m. Anson Jones Elementary: 1:30 p.m. & 2 p.m. Henderson Elementary: 2:30 p.m. Observed each year on the third Monday in January, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to honor the life and legacy of Dr. King and improve their communities. For 30 years, the MLK Day of Service has grown, and its impact has increased as more Americans embrace the idea that citizenship involves taking an active role in improving the communities where we live, work, and play. As we strive to fulfill Dr. King's dream of creating the Beloved Community, AmeriCorps remains committed to showing that joining together in service can unify Americans to transform communities through a fierce urgency of now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2001, Senior Life Midland has proudly hosted the Foster Grandparents Program, which connects senior volunteers aged 55 and older with at-risk school-age children. Through this program, seniors find meaningful opportunities to make a difference while lending their support to the next generation. Foster Grandparents have collectively contributed thousands of hours of service, improving lives and strengthening the Midland community. Join in continuing Dr. King's legacy by making a positive impact on the lives of local students. Volunteers Make The Difference! For more information or to volunteer, contact Senior Life Midland today. U.S. Sens. Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia are calling on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to provide timely updates about their investigation into a deadly explosion at a chicken plant. The Tyson Foods facility in Camilla, Ga. just three-and-a-half hours south of Atlanta, had an explosion on-site that injured multiple employees and killed a bystander. The bystander, the wife of one of the workers, had been sleeping in their truck while her husband was at work, the Mitchell County coroner confirmed to WTXL. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mitchell County facility is the largest employer in the area. The senators said in a statement that the plants operations are integral to the community, and this tragedy has profoundly affected many of the plants employees and the larger Camilla community. The senators also drew attention to the consistently higher rate of severe injuries at meat and poultry plants in the United States, compared to other typically considered hazardous jobs like working at sawmills, in building construction and oil and gas drilling. While we understand that the investigation into this explosion is ongoing and will require time to complete, we respectfully request regular updates and a full briefing on the results of this investigation at the appropriate time. This transparency will be essential to providing affected families and the broader community with greater insight into the cause of the explosion and any progress being made to ensure such tragedies never happen again, the lawmakers joint statement said in part. When the explosion happened in December, a Tyson spokesperson provided WTXL with the following statement: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are working closely with local authorities to determine the cause of a late-night fire at our Camilla, Georgia facility that resulted in the death of one person and several injuries. We extend our deepest condolences to their family and friends during this difficult time. Right now we are still gathering the facts, but ensuring the safety of our team members is our top priority, and we are conducting a full investigation into the cause of the fire. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) A serial sexual offender returned to a Bay County courtroom on Wednesday after years in the state corrections system. 52-year-old Bobby Allen was found guilty on several counts of sexual assault, beginning in 1990 when he assaulted a 12-year-old girl at a sleepover. Allen was 18 years old at the time. Then he was convicted on a series of assaults between December 25th, 1998, and January 19th, 1999. Allen attacked 4-different women, including underage girls during the 4-week period. He also admitted to substance abuse and heavy viewing of pornography. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Panama City continues to repair out-of-service fire hydrants Allen agreed to be medically castrated in 2007 to avoid life in prison. According to the agreement, he was supposed to be released in October 2024. But the state is now trying to keep Allen at the Florida Civil Commitment Center, claiming hes still a threat to society. The defense argues Allen should be released because he followed through with the castration and has changed since he committed his crimes. Hes been caught, idd, punished. Hes been to prison. Hes been on probation a few times. Hes failed his probation, and hes still re-offends. These problems dominate his life. Every time hes released, he does something that really impacts someones life for the worst, Prosecutor Zachary Taylor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He underwent this castration so that he could get out and show the world that he had changed, and he was trying to change before he had the castration. He voluntarily did this so that he would get 25 years in prison, followed by ten years probation, Defense Attorney Laura McCarthy said. The jury deliberated for nearly 3 hours, voting 4-to-2 to keep Allen at the commitment center. But the vote had to be unanimous. So, prosecutors say theyre going to retry the case. Allen is heading back to the commitment center until the retrial. 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 mypanhandle.com. CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) Authorities in Cumberland County and surrounding communities are mourning the death of their colleague, Coroner Steve Sherwood. Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers told WCIA that Sherwood died Monday from natural causes at Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital. Schniers added that the two of them worked together and, with the Coroners position currently vacant, he and other coroners will try to assist as they always do whenever one of them is unavailable. Shelby Co. board voting on appointment of new coroner Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sherwood was the Cumberland County Coroner for nine years but also worked as a paramedic for the Greenup Fire Protection District. In a press release, Cumberland County Sheriff Steve Maroon called Sherwood not just our co-worker but our good friend as well. The Greenup Fire Protection District addressed Sherwoods death by sharing a Facebook post from his EMS partner Paige Parker. The District simply said, Please keep his family, friends and colleagues in your prayers. The Teutopolis Fire District and A1 Emergency Medical Services also released statements regarding Sherwood on their Facebook pages. Maroon and Schniers said a visitation will be held Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Meyer Funeral Home-Bishop Chapel in Greenup. There will be a walkthrough for first responders and last responders (Sherwoods fellow coroners) at 5 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Cumberland County Board will appoint a new Coroner. 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 WCIA.com. SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) The San Francisco Police Department named a suspect in a homicide that happened in 1992, SFPD announced Wednesday. The suspect has been linked to four homicides in various states. The victim was found dead in a utility corridor at Hang Ah Alley in San Franciscos Chinatown on May 2, 1992. She was identified as 45-year-old Nancy Hernandez. Daly City man convicted of abusing girlfriend, forcing threesome Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators determined that Hernandez was an unhoused woman living in the alley. She was badly beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled. The case lay dormant until 2023, when SFPDs Cold Case Unit reopened it. DNA profiles from the scene matched an offender named Ricky Dawson. Dawson is also linked to three other cases involving sexual assault and homicide in Seattle, Denver and Panama Beach, Fla. He is currently awaiting a murder trial in Denver. SFPD issued an arrest warrant for Dawson in connection with Hernandezs murder on Jan. 2. He will be transported to San Francisco after his trial in Denver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Shafter Police Department responded to over 22,000 incidents last year, making a of 1,412 arrests along the way, according to an infographic the department released on social media. The department Wednesday said its officers initiated 9,290 stops. The number refers to incidents police officers made on their own observations rather than responding to a call for service. Suspect arrested in death of former KHSD police chief Steve Alvidrez Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials also reported no homicides took place in their jurisdiction in 2024. The departments post highlighted the number in a gold color. Shafter officers recorded 3,028 reports, according to the crime snapshot. Officials say the information released is meant to stay transparent while actively building trust with community members. 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 News. When police in Michigan were called to investigate the execution-style killing of a businessman at his marijuana grow business, their search for answers quickly led them to Cincinnati. Three suspects were apprehended in Cincinnati within days of the shooting while investigators are still searching for a fourth person they believe to be involved in the robbery and killing of 66-year-old Sam Simko in Pontiac, Michigan. Among those charged are Scott Brown, William Creasy and Deonte Prophett. They collectively face felony charges including murder, armed robbery and illegal weapons possession. Sheriff: Masked men burst into marijuana business, 'executed' owner Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said at a press conference that deputies responded to the establishment Monday evening after Simko's business partner called 911 saying they found Simko seriously wounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they arrived at the scene, first responders located Simko lying face down and they determined he was dead. Simko had been shot in the head and zip-tied with a bag placed over his head, Bouchard said. While investigators do not believe any cash was taken, Bouchard said the suspects stole 50 pounds of marijuana. Prosecutors say Creasy arranged a meeting with Simko at the business, although it was simply a ruse to rob the establishment. At least one of the suspects had previously met Simko and his business partner at Hash Bash, an annual gathering of marijuana enthusiasts in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Bouchard said. Creasy was captured on surveillance video going into the business alone, followed by two masked and gloved men identified as Brown and Prophett who entered the building as Creasy was leaving, according to the sheriff and prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prophett fired two rounds during a struggle, killing Simko, prosecutors said. "As they burst into the business, they basically executed the owner," Bouchard told reporters. Investigators track vehicles back to Cincinnati Investigators learned Creasy drove to the business in a Buick Lacrosse registered to him in Cincinnati, where on the day of the killing, he also rented the Ford Expedition that Brown and Prophett rode in. The men returned to Ohio after the shooting. Creasy and Brown were arrested in Cincinnati on Tuesday, while Prophett was arrested Wednesday. They are currently awaiting extradition back to Michigan. Three guns were recovered during the suspects' arrests and one of them matches the caliber of weapon used in the shooting, according to the sheriff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James Deir, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field office in Detroit, said those guns are being submitted to the Integrated Ballistic Information Network to check if they've been used in other crimes. "The gun tells the story for us," Deir said. "We follow the gun." He said the three men are all convicted felons who are not legally allowed to have a firearm. They all face a maximum sentence of life without parole for the murder charges. The investigation was carried out as part of a collaboration between the Oakland County Sheriff's Office, ATF and Cincinnati police. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati men arrested in killing, robbery of Michigan businessman Sheriff's Office Defends Handcuffing Of 11-Year-Old Girl Wrongly Identified As Car Thief An 11-year-old girl was filmed being handcuffed on a street corner by authorities in New York state after being wrongly identified as a suspect in a car theft, drawing outrage from the childs mother and a prominent civil rights group. The girl was reportedly returning home from school Monday in Syracuse with other children when deputies with the Onondaga County Sheriffs Office singled her out as the suspect due to her clothing. The girl, who is Black, was wearing a pink, puffy jacket and camouflage pants, similar to what was worn by the suspect, authorities said. This image, taken from a deputy patrol vehicles dashcam, shows a suspect wanted in a car theft in New York state. Authorities detained an 11-year-old girl who matched the description of this suspect before releasing her with an apology. Onondaga County Sheriffs Office The girl was handcuffed for about seven minutes as deputies compared an image of the suspect with the detained child, authorities said. Upon realizing their mistake, they released her with an apology and said that she looked similar to the wanted person. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I mean, Im sorry, you could see how it could match that description, one of the deputies told her, according to video of the incident shared by Syracuse.com. The footage appeared to show the girl sobbing as she was released on a sidewalk and comforted by other children around her. The sheriffs office defended the deputies in a statement dated Tuesday. Handcuffing from the start usually prevents a controlled situation from devolving into an uncontrolled situation, it said. In reviewing the incident, the detainment of the juvenile was lawful and reasonable, given the juveniles proximity and clothing description, the sheriffs office said. It credited the juveniles disposition, patience, and cooperation for helping quickly clear her of wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriffs office said it met with the girls mother to discuss her concerns about having not been informed that her child was detained as part of a criminal investigation. The mother, speaking with local station WSTM, said she only learned about the incident through her daughter and video recorded by another child at the scene. I couldnt even finish watching the video, the girls mother, who asked not to be identified, told the outlet. Even if it wasnt my child, I wouldnt be able to finish watching the video because thats not how you handle children. Going forward, the sheriffs office said that a parent or guardian of any juvenile detained for criminal investigative purposes will be notified. Previously, office policy only required notification if there was an arrest. The New York Civil Liberties Union joined in on condemning the deputies actions, calling their behavior disturbing and aggressive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This mistreatment raises serious concerns about implicit racial bias, which too often leads law enforcement officers to perceive children of color as a threat, Victoria Coit, a senior organizer with the organization, said in a statement Wednesday. It also raises questions about appropriate training and protocols in the Sheriffs office. The Onondaga County Sheriffs Office must engage the community in dialogue and make further changes with community input, Coit said. Related... SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) One person is in the hospital and another is in jail charged in a shooting at a nursing home in Milbank. It happened just before noon Wednesday. The Attorney Generals office tells KELOLAND News it started with a disgruntled employee, but its still investigating the crime and looking for answers, including the motive. At 11:45 a.m. Wednesday authorities in Milbank were alerted to a report of a gunshot at the Avantara nursing home. What had occurred at the Milbank nursing home was an employee had shot a supervisor over a conflict, South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota man pleads guilty to SF bank robbery Jackley wouldnt go into details what that conflict was about. But he did say the suspect and victim are both women. Jackley says the suspect tried to leave the facility right after the shooting, but she was caught. Local law enforcement acted promptly and an arrest has been made, theres no further danger to the public, this was a very targeted and isolated incident, Jackley said. Authorities from South Dakota and Minnesota responded to the call. Don: Did the nursing home have to take any sort of emergency response? Marty: I think everybody acted appropriately and quickly, this occurred very abruptly. A 911 call was made immediately and local law enforcement did a very strong job of responding making the apprehension, DCI was called we were on the scene, interviewing witnesses and collecting evidence, we collected a firearm and obviously a shell casing and we are monitoring the victims condition, Jackley said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jackley wouldnt release the name of the suspect until charges have been filed. 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 KELOLAND.com. A Shrewsbury man is facing charges after being arrested as part of a sting operation aiming to target child sexual predators. Rizwan Baig, 45, of Shrewsbury was arrested after agreeing to meet at an undisclosed location in Sutton with an undercover Massachusetts State Police trooper. Baig was arrested without incident and taken to the Sutton Police Department where he was released on bail pending his arraignment in Uxbridge District Court Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement on Thursday. Numerous members of the Sutton Police Department, MA State Police and Blackstone Valley DrugTask Force participated in this operation, and we will continue to work collaboratively with our law enforcement partners to target high-risk offenders, Sutton police shared on Facebook. Baig was scheduled to be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court Thursday on charges of sexual conduct for a fee with a child, enticement of a child under the age of 16 and attempt to commit a crime (attempted rape of a child.) This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HONOLULU (KHON2) A single mother of two who moved her family to Oahu after the devastating Maui wildfires received a special surprise. Get Hawaiis latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You Tamara Place was identified through a Helping Hands Hawaii Adopt a Family event. Kaimuki burger joint set to close in February In her application, she shared that she moved her family to Oahu so her teenage daughter could receive cancer treatment. Since her daughter is in remission, Tamara and her family rely heavily on public transportation and ride sharing to meet their daily needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we really need is a car because I was catching the bus, catching Ubers to get to the plane every week. Whatever I needed to do to take care of family, even having to rent cars at times, she shared. On Wednesday, Jan. 15, Tamara received her miracle with the help of First Insurance Company of Hawaii, UNIBODY Autotech and other other supporters to donate a refurbished 2018 Honda Civic. Tamara expressed her gratitude for the donation, revealing it would help with simple things such as going to the grocery store, attending church and connecting with people. Check out more news from around Hawaii Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We love to volunteer. We love to be part of our community. This is going to make it possible. 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. MADISON, Neb. (KCAU) A Sioux City man accused of sexually abusing a teenager in Norfolk has pleaded not guilty. According to court documents, David Davis, 37, entered his plea on Monday, Jan. 13. He is charged with one count of first-degree sexual assault of a child, a felony, and one count of obstructing a police officer, a misdemeanor. No merit: Judge strikes down Jason Jones renewed motion to quash death penalty Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis was arrested in Nov. 2024 after it was reported that he may have sexually assaulted a 14-year-old. The alleged victim reportedly told police that she was forced to have sexual intercourse with Davis on Nov. 13. Photo of David Davis, 36, of Sioux City, courtesy of Norfolk Police Department The next day, a resident of the victims home made arrangements to meet Davis at a location. According to court documents, during a phone call, Davis made comments that referred to the sexual assault. A detective accompanied the resident to the meeting location. Police said that when Davis saw the detective exit the vehicle, he attempted to flee. Marked police units that were in the area were able to take Davis into custody. Davis next appearance in court is set for March 7 at 11 a.m. A jury trial is scheduled for April 14 at 9 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gage Teunissen contributed to this report. 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. PIERRE, SD (KELO) The elected chairman of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate used the State of the Tribes address to the South Dakota Legislature on Wednesday to call for a new chapter. Today, I want to speak from a tribal leaders perspective on how we can build that future together, Garrett Renville said. Though we might not agree on all issues, which is okay, but in the areas that we do, we must work to uplift those opportunities for future generations, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UPDATE: Suspect in custody in Milbank incident His next comment drew laughter from lawmakers. If you think getting the Legislature to agree on something is tough, try organizing a tribal council meeting. But heres the truth, Renville continued, Whether in tribal council or this Legislature, progress is not about perfection. Its about persistence, honest communication and partnership. Elected leaders from other tribal governments who had accompanied him into the House chamber sat at the front where House clerical staff normally work. As Renville spoke, House Speaker Jon Hansen sat to his right and Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden to his left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, lets re-set. Today, lets rebuild. Today, lets start to listen and actually hear, Renville said. Tribal areas comprise 12% of South Dakotas land and enforcing laws is one of the greatest difficulties for tribes, according to Renville. He said the Crow Creek tribe has three officers, Lower Brule two, Yankton two, Rosebud 14 and Sisseton-Wahpeton 14. Last year, however the Legislature passed a resolution brought by Republican Rep. Rocky Blare and Democratic Sen. Red Dawn Foster calling for the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs to establish a regional training academy in South Dakota, according to Renville, and last summer, state Attorney General Marty Jackley hosted the first tribal-oriented training academy, with nine tribal officers attending. Our hope is this becomes permanent and an official BIA academy, Renville said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then turned to other ways state government and tribal governments can work together. Tribal governments want the Legislature to require the state Department of Revenue to report sales-tax revenue collected from online sales on tribal lands. These revenues are not stated in compacts but have been promised to tribes after Wayfair, he said, referring to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in South Dakotas favor. Renville also suggested amending state law to eliminate capital-gains tax on land that is returned to tribal interests for agriculture purposes. Regarding various proposal for payments to parents of K-12 students who dont attend public schools, he asked that state government work with tribes to ensure that all students are being considered. There also was a call from Renville that the state Office of Indian Education be returned to the state Department of Education where it began in 2009. A few years ago, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem transferred the office to the state Department of Tribal Relations. Renville also spoke about working with the Noem administration last year on healthcare and opportunities that exist there. The new chapter, according to Renville, begins with truth. Yes, there have been struggles, land disputes, policy disagreements, broken promises. But there have also been moments of cooperation, when neighbors came together to face challenges greater than any one group could solve alone. Let us learn from both, the struggles and the successes. Let us commit to listening, respecting, working together, not as adversaries, but as allies. Let us start to update our past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renville asked lawmakers to support a resolution calling on Congress to remove the exile of the Dakota people from Minnesota by amending the Dakota Removal Act of 1863. South Dakota legislators refused to do so in the past. We are not looking for land or any other concessions, Renville said. We seek only to remove the exile language. This act is a source of great historical trauma to the Dakota people, and we must heal from that past if we are to evolve as healthy people in the future. Regarding the 2024 election results in South Dakota, Renville said tribal people supported the rejection by voters of SB201 regarding carbon-dioxide pipelines. He said the nine tribal governments oppose Dakota Access and Keystone XL oil pipelines as well as the carbon pipeline period. Renville said it is time to re-set relationships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is time to listen and hear each other. It is time we work for our citizens. It is time we begin to trust, he said. He concluded, South Dakotas strength lies not in our divisions, but in our diversity. We are richer because of the cultures, traditions and perspectives we share. When we work together, theres not we cannot achieve. 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 KELOLAND.com. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall releases a plan to address homelessness, crime and drugs during a news conference at the Salt Lake City-County Building on Jan. 16. 2025. (Courtesy of Ashley Detrick for the Salt Lake City Mayor's Office) This story was updated at 5:43 p.m. with more information from the mayors press conference and reaction from state leaders and others. State leaders demanded. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall answered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day before a deadline given to her by the states top Republican leaders, Mendenhall on Thursday unveiled a lengthy, multi-pronged plan to address homelessness, crime and other public safety issues in Utahs capital city. She also issued a call to action to the state, Salt Lake County and other cities to make system-wide improvements for not just the states homeless network, but also the Salt Lake County jail and the larger criminal justice system. The plan comes after Gov. Spencer Cox, House Speaker Mike Schultz and Senate President Stuart Adams sent Mendenhall a letter Dec. 13 expressing frustrations with disorder in Salt Lake City and calling the Salt Lake City Police Department ineffective. They gave the mayor a little over a month to come up with a plan to restore public confidence, security and safety in the states capital, writing that if progress stalls or alignment cannot be achieved, the 2025 Utah Legislature would be prepared with legislation to increase state involvement and oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While unveiling her plan during a news conference on the steps of the Salt Lake City-County Building, Mendenhall a Democratic mayor who leads a city known as a blue dot in a sea of red in an otherwise highly conservative state took a tactful rather than defensive tone. Though Utah and Salt Lake Citys homelessness problems pale in comparison to other states including California or New York and Salt Lake City police statistics show overall crime fell about 5% in 2024 compared to 2023, Mendenhall took accountability for what she described as legitimate public safety concerns outlined in Cox, Schultz and Adams letter. Plainly put, we have not done enough in Salt Lake City. And that responsibility lies with me, Mendenhall said. The mayor said the citys overall crime rate is at a 16-year-low but it is also true that the presence of unsheltered individuals, some of whom face severe mental illness can make people feel unsafe, and the impacts of unsheltered homelessness can hurt our communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both of these things can be true at the same time, she said. Crime can statistically be down across the city. And yet what people see on our streets can make them feel unsafe. And it is our responsibility to address both. Mendenhall also added we cannot police our way of homelessness, but we can make the public feel safer as we expand system resources to meet the needs of our unsheltered population. We can and must do better. People experiencing homelessness camp outside the Main Library in Salt Lake City on Jan. 5, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Rather that viewing the letter as a threat or coercion from the states top brass to manage the city to their liking, Mendenhall characterized it as a welcome invitation with enthusiasm for a mayor to bring a plan that could potentially ignite a partnership that is not only required for success, but one we have been asking for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said it marks the first time Utah state leaders offered a written invitation to Salt Lake City to collaborate on the states toughest issue in advance of the legislative session set to start next week rather than in the middle of it with an explicit opportunity to potentially partner instead of further siloing with legislation. Most of all, though, Mendenhall said, shes engaging with state leaders because shes fed up. Our system is fed up. Our city is fed up. And our police officers are fed up, she said. The system does not work for the highest need and highest impact individuals experiencing homelessness. And more must be done to control the cartels and the fentanyl crisis thats on our streets. Even though Salt Lake Citys efforts lead the state on affordable housing, homeless shelter services and policing, it is evident every single day that on-street camping is still a real challenge, Mendenhall said, adding that the states homeless system lacks capacity to meet current needs. A warning to not criminalize homelessness While facing pressure from state leaders for more enforcement, Mendenhall is also caught between concerns from civil rights and homelessness advocates that warn against criminalizing being homeless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reaction to Mendenhalls plan, Jason Groth, legal director of the ACLU of Utah, issued a warning. We need to protect the constitutional rights of all individuals, regardless of their housing status, Groth said. Any plans that impact our unsheltered communities must respect their civil liberties and dignity. Criminalizing homelessness does neither. We urge state and municipal leaders to appreciate that this approach has consistently failed in our communities, housed and unhoused alike. In her speech, the mayor acknowledged being homeless itself is not a crime while also saying homelessness and public safety issues overlap. Let me be clear, Mendenhall said. Being unsheltered is not a crime. But public safety matters and homelessness do intersect, which often comes as a result of mental health challenges, drug addiction, human trafficking and any other number of issues that are often experienced in our unsheltered communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a scenario, she added, that no city can long endure without catastrophic impacts to all. For its part of the plan, Mendenhall pledged Salt Lake City will be unrelenting in combating crime and holding those who commit crimes accountable. At the same time, though, she promised people experiencing homelessness will be treated with respect and restored to dignity. Mayor urges plan must be fully implemented not partially Salt Lake City will act but the mayor also warned that it cant act alone for the plan to work. She said it is not an a la carte menu leaders can pick and choose from, but rather one that needs to be implemented holistically. If we take these bold, clear and necessary actions across systems in concert and not at odds with one another, we will be able to achieve the outcomes we desperately need and expect, she said. But if it is not adopted in whole, we will continue to face the struggles we all see on our streets today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the biggest puzzle pieces Mendenhall urged action on was an increase to Salt Lake County jail capacity an issue thats created frustrations for police when offenders they arrest are instantly and repeatedly released because of jail overcrowding. For years, Salt Lake County leaders have struggled to address a worsening jail crisis. Despite Utahs growing population, leaders of the states most populated county havent increased its jail capacity in more than 20 years. This year, an effort to address that crisis came in the form of a $507 million bond placed on the Nov. 5 Salt Lake County ballot but voters rejected it. Salt Lake County leaders are now regrouping, looking to proceed with their plans but fund them in a different way. As part of her plan, Mendenhall also called for some legislative recommendations, including dedicating an ongoing funding stream for homeless services, mental health and substance abuse treatment, deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing, and jail capacity expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lack of increased state funding for all of these issues has been a sticking point for years. Advocates have also said its created a bottleneck to move people out of emergency homeless shelters and into permanent supportive housing or other services to better address their needs. Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall releases a plan to address homelessness, crime and drugs during a news conference at the Salt Lake City-County Building on Jan. 16. 2025. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch) Many questions remain, including where the city will put the temporary year-round homeless campus while state leaders also work to site a permanent property. But Mendenhall declined to take any questions from reporters after her announcement Thursday. She only said she was happy to connect with you all for questions after youve had time to digest the plan before she left the lectern. Asked when action would be taken to implement the plan, a spokesperson for Mendenhalls office said increased patrols began Sunday. Longer-term actions will be rolled out in coming months, according to the mayors speech. Salt Lake City Police Chief Mike Brown also promptly left Thursdays news conference without taking questions. He issued a prepared statement saying he looked forward to implementing the plan. Let us know what you think... The Salt Lake City Police Department remains fully committed to its duty of enforcing the law, holding offenders accountable, and practicing community-oriented policing. This plan reaffirms that commitment and expectation. It also acknowledges the dedication of our officers and provides actionable recommendations to other stakeholders to support our efforts in reducing crime and promoting safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown added that its clear that we desperately need more services, treatment, and housing to support our commitment to long-term public safety. He said he appreciated Mendenhalls leadership and the employees who helped craft the plan, along with SLCPD staff. Their insights helped shape a collaborative, evidence-based solutions plan to move us forward, he said. City staff drafted the plan using research based on more than 200 interviews and surveys of service providers, legislators, city residents, employees, business and religious leaders, and more, according to its methodology. Will Mendenhalls plan satisfy state leaders, or could they still move to take control? The governor and Republican legislative leaders warmly received Mendenhalls plan Thursday but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to stave off aggressive legislative action. Cox, during his monthly news conference held earlier Thursday morning, said he and Schultz met with Mendenhall earlier this week to get a preview of the plan, and while he said he hasnt yet reviewed it in its entirety, the meeting went very well. I appreciate Mayor Mendenhall so much, Cox said, adding she cares deeply about this issue. He characterized the letter to her as more collaboration than anything else. Theres a role for the state to play, and we talked about that as well. More will be coming. Pressed on what state leaders were prepared to do if Mendenhalls plan didnt satisfy them, Cox didnt offer any specifics. Gov. Spencer Cox speaks during his monthly press conference broadcast by PBS Utah from the Eccles Broadcast Center in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (Pool photo by Laura Seitz/Deseret News) I dont know that we had in-depth discussions about what would happen if, you know, we werent satisfied with it. But that doesnt matter, he said. What we ultimately want is a plan that we can all work on together. And she wants that as well. Cox did not say whether the plan would be enough to satisfy him or legislators from taking further action. Of course, a plan is nothing more than the paper its written on. Its the execution of the plan thats going to really matter, he said. And we look forward to collaborating on that execution as well. Depending on how the plan plays out in coming months, its possible that legislation city leaders view as adversarial rather than collaborative could surface during the Utah Legislatures 45-day session scheduled to begin Tuesday. That depends on whether lawmakers like what they see or not. State leaders havent explicitly said what they would do, but scenarios have played out in other states including California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom deployed the California Highway Patrol to crack down on crime. Last summer, CalMatters reported it was part of a larger, slowly unfolding effort to exert state influence on law enforcement in Oakland and other California cities as crime concerns rise during an election year. Questioned whether the letter which threatened legislative intervention could be seen as micromanaging Salt Lake City, Cox argued it should instead be seen as trying to solve a very big problem. And thats exactly what were trying to do. Salt Lake City is our capital city. Its where the state government resides as well, Cox said. So theres always going to be a unique relationship there always has been, from the beginning of our state and that will continue going forward. Cox, Schultz and Adams also issued a joint statement Thursday in response to the release of the mayors plan. They said they look forward to collaborating with Mayor Mendenhall, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, and all stakeholders to take meaningful action, implement the plan and restore public safety and confidence in our capital city. The pressure on Salt Lake City from Utahs most powerful state leaders comes as prominent state and community leaders involved in efforts to transform Utahs homeless system have criticized Salt Lake City for not doing more to enforce anti-camping ordinances and crack down on drug use and distribution. Among them is Randy Shumway, chairman of the Utah Homeless Services Board and vice chair of the Utah Impact Partnership, a group of influential philanthropists who donate funds toward homeless services and have helped lobby the Utah Legislature for more money. Shumway in recent months has called on Mendenhall and the citys police chief to do more than theyre already doing, arguing that the fentanyl crisis is particularly sharp in Utahs capital city. Earlier this summer, when on-street camping reached seasonal highs, Mendenhall said its incredibly difficult to continue to wait for more shelter as state officials continue their secret search for a 30-acre property meant to house a transformative campus meant to increase Utahs emergency shelter bed capacity by up to 1,200 beds. That search is ongoing, and state officials have a deadline of Oct. 1, 2025 for the 1,200-bed shelter to be built. The Salt Lake City & County Building in Salt Lake City is pictured on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Whats in the plan? In a lengthy written response to the governor, Senate president and House speaker prefacing her plan, Mendenhall described homelessness as the single greatest challenge her administration has faced, and one that cities across the nation are grappling with. To help create space in homeless shelters, jails, housing, treatment beds and the criminal justice system, Mendenhall said her plan focuses on a high utilizer population with more complicated needs than a stay in jail or placement in housing alone can solve. They include individuals living with mental health needs, substance use disorders, general trauma, those who may be both victims and perpetrators of crime, and a combination of these factors, Mendenhall wrote. She promised the city will bring significant public safety action in high-need areas around the Jordan River, the Ballpark neighborhood and downtown to ensure theyre safe, clean and welcoming for all, and the Salt Lake City Police Department will also implement consistent foot patrols, increased bike patrols and special operations in downtown areas. As with any humanitarian crisis, immediate and ongoing action is vital, Mendenhall wrote, saying her plan calls for immediate, mid-term and longer-term actions from not just the city, but other partners. Coinciding with increased public safety, we must create space in many parts of the system as soon as possible. In addition to increasing patrols, Mendenhall said Salt Lake City is dedicated to creating supportive shelter options as quickly as possible, and she said her administration is prepared to host a temporary location for year-round emergency shelter while state officials continue to finalize a permanent campus. Its not yet clear where that temporary year-round shelter will be sited. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This plan is certainly not perfect, nor is it completely exhaustive of opportunities for further improvement, Mendenhall wrote, calling her plan a system-wide approach to improve public safety and address a humanitarian crisis. However, she also issued a warning: To select some recommendations and disregard or only partially implement strategies will not result in the success you expect and all Utahns deserve, she wrote. We must embark with collective momentum to effectively address this crisis. The 50-page plan includes 27 specific actions Salt Lake City will take, of which 11 will be immediate or short-term. But Mendenhall also listed 23 recommended larger system changes involving other jurisdictions including other cities, Salt Lake County and the state, some of which the plan says will require state legislation and additional funding. The plans executive summary lists four key barriers that city, county and state leaders must address to improve crime and homelessness issues: A lack of affordable and supportive housing. Inadequate availability of mental health care, substance abuse treatment and other wraparound services. Poor coordination among law enforcement, service providers, the courts, and government agencies allowing people to fall through the cracks. Challenges balancing the needs of people experiencing homelessness with the safety and usability of public spaces. Mendenhalls plan is boiled down to six key actions and recommendations that the city, county and state must take, including: Improving public safety by getting guns and drugs off of the street: Salt Lake City Police Department will intensify police presence in downtown and in higher-crime areas while its Violent Crime Apprehensive Team will crack down on drugs, particularly fentanyl, and firearm offenses which are often connected to gang activity. Quickly increase emergency shelter options: The city will allow the use of city-owned property to site a temporary location of a new year-round homeless services campus while state officials continue to work to site a 30-acre homeless campus with a deadline to be built by October 1. Increase the consequences for high utilizers: Better coordinate prosecution of high utilizers and prosecutors will seek more stringent penalties. The plan also says jail overcrowding and frequent pretrial release must be addressed. Expand mental health, behavioral health and substance use treatment options: Without this, people cannot move through the system, the plan says. Invest in housing: Increase availability of deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing so that emergency shelter and treatment beds are not dead ends. Commit to a joint plan and execute it: Nothing in this plan is effective without coordination and solutions at every point in the system, the plan says, calling for the state, county and all cities to commit to improve the system, hold people accountable, and get them needed help, and save taxpayer money. While her plan was also issued in an effort to stave off legislative control into city affairs, Mendenahalls plan does include a list of recommendations for legislative action. The plan includes these funding asks from lawmakers: Partner with the city and others to fund and develop a temporary, year-round homeless campus while state officials continue to site a permanent location. Dedicate ongoing funding streams for homeless services, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, deeply affordable and permanent supportive housing, and jail capacity expansion. Expand the Salt Lake County H.O.M.E Court pilot program, which is currently focused on helping stabilize people with serious mental illness. Increase funding for Utahs Division of Services for People with Disabilities to improve waitlist times. Mendenhalls plan also included a long list of recommended changes to state law, including: Consider revising state law to allow officers to write a citation or jail offenders for Class A misdemeanor offenses. This change could ease the burden on jails while ensuring offenders receive clear information about their charges and next steps in the legal process, and that the criminal activity is addressed immediately. Examine the process requirements for evidence booking in cases of unsheltered arrest. Revise and increase penalties for possession of drug paraphernalia in parks. Revise state codes regarding involuntary commitment to strengthen discharge planning for those in serious mental health crisis. Revise bail and other jail release guidelines to allow for proper sentencing of repeat offenders, particularly those with substance use disorders. Lengthen the amount of time that a temporary land use resolution can be enacted in order to facilitate the location of temporary shelters. Explore revising the Homeless Shelter Cities Mitigation grant to increase support for public safety needs and camp mitigation activities across a shelter host city. Also explore changes to that grant to better support cities that host multiple homeless service centers. Reinstate drug-free zone enhancement to 1,000 feet from a school or house of worship, and remove the requirement that the building be occupied. Reinstate annual safety inspection requirements for recreational vehicles. The plan also includes a list of other policy considerations, including proposals to: Shield cities from lawsuits when disposing of personal items during camp abatements. Balance with more direct clean up notice requirements. Mandate standardization of protocols for encampment removal among all jurisdictions. Consider jails under a collective asset model in which jails must transfer to neighboring counties before releasing people for overcrowding. Consider a model where counties must hold offenders from other counties while the offenders home county arranges transport. Increase the number of jail beds in Salt Lake County. Encourage regional development of residential substance use and mental health treatment beds outside of Salt Lake County to ease the current burden on these resources. Require all counties to provide some ratio of year-round emergency shelter and housing services in proportion to their population, projected growth, and number of cost-burdened or housing insecure household units. As additional homeless beds come online through campus development, the State Office of Homeless Services could require that sections of Salt Lake Countys homeless resource centers be set aside for people with chronic mental and behavioral health needs, and fund on-site supportive services in accordance. Adopt and implement the data-sharing goals in the States Plan to Address Homelessness. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has stated that Bratislava is still working to agree upon the date of his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Source: Fico at a press conference in the Slovak city of Kosice on Thursday, 16 January, as reported by European Pravda, citing Slovak news agency TASR Details: Fico mentioned that Bratislava is seeking "an alternative date [for the meeting with Zelenskyy], which is expected to be set in the coming days". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When this date emerges, I'll let you know about it right away," the Slovak prime minister said, adding that the venue would also be announced later. Background: On 13 January, Fico signed an open letter to Zelenskyy, inviting the Ukrainian president to a meeting aimed at resolving issues related to gas transit. Fico stated that he had "no intention of further escalating tensions" and aimed to concentrate on addressing the issue of the transit stoppage. In response to the Slovak prime minister's invitation, Zelenskyy extended an invitation for him to visit Kyiv instead. Support UP or become our patron! Jan. 16LIMA Lima Mayor Sharetta Smith is stepping into big shoes as she prepares to head to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Washington D.C. Following a vote last December, Smith was appointed to take Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther's spot on the board of the Ohio Mayors Alliance, as he was named president of the conference. "It's an honor to be selected to serve on this board," Smith said. "In order for Lima to thrive, we have to be connected with other cities across Ohio and the nation. Active participation and leadership in organizations like these allows us to connect to resources, build partnerships and also share new ideas." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor headed to Washington on Thursday to speak on two panels at the conference, "The 2025 Tax Bill: Key Opportunities for Cities" and "Hiring America's Heroes Harnessing the Power of the Veteran Workforce." "Over the last three years, we've been able to bring in several resources from the conference to help with our day-to-day programming, and we've also been able to do some new initiatives through relationships we've built with the conference, including funding for Brownfield remediation and the floating solar panels at Twin Lakes," Smith said. Smith pointed to the alliance helping to bring grant money to the city and direct exposure to federal agencies, sometimes through those connections, as examples of its value. "We'll continue to build consensus with other cities across the state, staying true to the bipartisan nature of the organization, staying actively involved in policy and legislation by maintaining open lines of communication with our representatives and we will also work closely with lobbyists for the Ohio Mayor's Alliance to keep us abreast on pending legislation that could affect our cities," she said. "We worked to bring funding here to the city by assisting families with FAFSA and we've been engaged with the governor's office on various issues. We have advocated for more direct support for cities for housing and one of the outcomes of that has been Lima competing for the Welcome Home Ohio Fund." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith has been a member of the alliance since becoming mayor of Lima. "The United States Conference of Mayors' annual winter meeting provides mayors with the chance to gather in the nation's capital to exchange ideas, discuss solutions to shared challenges and bolster support for cities from key federal officials," Ginther said in a statement through the city. "The 93rd Winter Meeting will also highlight how mayors from across the country hope to collaborate with the incoming Trump administration. Our country is at is best when cities and the federal government work together." The Ohio Mayors Alliance is a bipartisan group of mayors from across the state to share practices, resources and advocacy. For more information, visit ohiomayorsalliance.org. Reach Jacob Espinosa at 567-242-0399. Featured Local Savings COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) The state and both defense attorneys rested their case Wednesday in the dual-jury trial of two men accused of murdering a pregnant woman in Coventry two years ago. The body of 34-year-old Leila Duarte Da Luz was discovered on Dec. 21, 2022, in Carbuncle Pond, showing signs of extensive head injuries. Gary Gromkiewicz, 37, and Michael Lambert, 47, are charged with murder and conspiracy in connection with Da Luzs death. Prosecutors said she was eight to ten weeks pregnant with Gromkiewiczs child at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BACKGROUND: Joint trial begins for suspects in 2022 murder of pregnant woman The men were indicted on Sept. 7, 2023, after detectives linked them to the crime through cellphone data analysis. Investigators later determined Da Luzs cause of death to be a combination of blunt force injuries and drowning, ruling her death a homicide. On Wednesday, R.I. State Police Detective Col. Robert Hopkins returned to the stand, presenting surveillance footage from police questioning Lambert in the days following Da Luzs death. One video appeared to show someone in Lamberts Jeep discarding an item on the side of the road. Investigators later found a black Puma sneaker in that spot, which Hopkins said closely resembled the pair Lambert was seen wearing in surveillance images from a Lincoln gas station hours after the alleged murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A week later, Lambert confirmed to police during questioning that the images were of him. Hopkins also testified that cellphone data placed Lambert near the crime scene, but his attorney challenged the evidence. Another distinctive feature from that Puma sneaker found on the side of the road is that there was no blood on it, was there? Lamberts attorney, Kara Manosh, asked. Im not aware of any blood being found on the sneaker that we seized from the side of the road, no, Hopkins replied. Youre not aware of any of Leila Duarte De Luzs DNA being on that sneaker, either? Manosh continued. Im not aware of that, no, Hopkins said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When questioned by the prosecutor, John Corrigan, Hopkins said the sneaker had been at the location for weeks before it was recovered by troopers. TARGET 12: Court documents provide timeline of 2022 murder of pregnant woman The footage also showed the men driving through parts of Providence, Cranston and Pawtucket the day after the alleged killing. Investigators allege the defendants attempted to withdraw large amounts of money from Da Luzs account. The prosecution emphasized that the cellphone records tracked the suspects movements, showing they were near key locations, including a trip to Buttonwoods and a visit to Macys, where the engagement ring found on Da Luzs left hand was purchased. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, there was no communication between Da Luzs phone and the suspects after Dec. 21, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prosecution argued that the actions pointed to a purposeful attempt to make money, noting the victims DNA was found in the cargo area of Gromkiewiczs Jeep and that both men tried to withdraw large sums of money from Da Luzs account following her death. Gromkiewiczs defense called two witnesses, including Gromkiewiczs sister, Kattie Rose, who testified that Gromkiewicz and Da Luz were in a relationship and had been engaged. She also mentioned that Gromkiewicz had been looking forward to becoming a father. During cross-examination, Rose clarified that she did not know much about the couples relationship dynamics. Closing arguments are scheduled for Thursday. The jury will be instructed jointly before hearing the closing arguments separately. MORE: Google searches, call logs examined in murder suspects joint trial Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking 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 WPRI.com. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Many people in North Carolina still have no home and no power, but a snowmobile group in Massachusetts is looking to bring supplies to communities in need. North Carolina is still gripping with the devastation of hurricane Helene last fall, as freezing temperatures hit western areas of the state. This prompted former North Carolina resident Greg Focer to reach out for help. He told 22News that many areas havent been able to rebuild. The dangers of wildfire smoke on your health Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation up there is bad, and they lost 6,000 miles of roads, Focer said. 15,000 homes were destroyed, some of the homes that werent destroyed were filled with mud. A grant from the federal government last week awarded $1.6 billion in funding to help with construction efforts. Despite help from the government, many people in North Carolina are still living in campers and tents with minimal supplies. The Snowmobile Association of Massachusetts answered the call to action, collecting snowmobile suits and other cold weather necessities. Jeff Miller, executive director of the snowmobile group, told me that the community helped in a big way. The response has been great, Miller said. And I put it out to our own association here in Massachusetts and its amazing how much stuff weve gotten so far and were continuing to collect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Snowmobile organizations across the Northeast have contributed donations. Miller plans on driving down the supplies himself once he receives enough donations. Local News Headlines WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. Copyright 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 WWLP. HOWLAND TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKBN) Snow and icy conditions outside can bring a few dangers. Doctors say this time of year that there is an uptick in fall-related injuries. This can lead to broken bones, especially in the older population. Insight Rehabilitation Hospital Hillside Medical Director Dr. Megan Teeples said walking slowly as well as treating walkways can help prevent falls. Make sure that youve salted any kind of walkway, anything that you may walk on around your house: your driveway, your sidewalk, your ramp. If you use a ramp, make sure that if you use a cane or a walker; make sure you always have it with you even if youre just going out to take out the trash and come back, Teeples said. Dr. Teeples said other preventative tips include wearing proper footwear, including shoes or boots with good soles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For people who live alone or whose support systems arent nearby, she recommends having an alert device or at least a cell phone in case of a fall. With Thursdays snowy conditions, some people may also need to clear snow from their driveways and walkways, which could mean shoveling. Doctors urge people with heart conditions to use caution when shoveling. Teeples said people with cardiac issues should take a lot of breaks. If youre taking a break, go inside and get warmed up and then go back out because the cold can be stressful onto the heart, Teeples said. Research shows shoveling snow can lead to an increased risk of heart attacks or cardiac arrest, according to the American Heart Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. One need only glance at headlines about Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and other super-wealthy individuals to understand that wealth in America is increasingly concentrated in fewer and fewer hands. Inequality is sharply on the rise. Until now, however, little has been known about where the richest households are located, which cities are the most unequal and how these trends have evolved. In a new analysis I conducted with my colleagues, we reveal where wealth is most concentrated within and between communities, cities and states. The result is GEOWEALTH-US the first data that tracks the geography of wealth in the United States and how it has changed since 1960. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The overall picture is worrying. The wealthiest cities in the U.S. are now almost seven times richer than the poorest regions, a disparity that has almost doubled since 1960. Meanwhile, especially in urban coastal areas, wealth has become highly concentrated in the hands of a few. The picture from the geography of wealth suggests we are even more divided than we thought. Mapping inequality To measure wealth locally, we built precise models of household wealth, applying sophisticated machine learning techniques to data from the Federal Reserves survey of consumer finances. We then used the models to estimate wealth among households in the decennial census and American community survey, where we can identify where people live. Experts define wealth as the difference between the value of a households assets cash, real estate and stocks, for example and its liabilities, including mortgages, student loans and credit card debt. Wealth is also called net worth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Using GEOWEALTH-US, we show that the wealth distribution across the U.S. has transformed since 1960. Inequality between the nations flourishing urban centers and other areas of the country, especially in parts of the South and Midwest, is higher than it has ever been over the previous 60 years. The expansion of wealth inequality is a challenge to the American Dream: the notion that, with hard work, opportunity and prosperity are accessible to all. Wealth enables choice and stability. Poorer households have more trouble providing the best nutrition and education for their children. Additionally, people growing up in lower-wealth households are less likely to spur innovation in a field or start successful new businesses. Wealth also profoundly affects ones health, leaving the least wealthy in our society significantly more vulnerable to premature death and disability. Large wealth gaps between places We analyzed average household wealth across the U.S. between 1960 and 2022, using census-defined communities of about 100,000 residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the community level, the lack of wealth can make a major difference in how well cities work for their residents. People who grow up in wealthier places can reap benefits that span generations. As a result of property taxes and philanthropy, wealthier communities have greater resources for schools, health care, transportation and other infrastructure. Good schools are one benefit of wealthy communities that may improve social mobility even for children born into poverty, studies suggest. The map for 2022 reveals major disparities in typical (median) net worth across communities. Many of the least wealthy locations are in poor neighborhoods in some of Americas biggest cities for instance, parts of the Bronx and East Harlem in New York, and areas of Houston and Milwaukee. A typical household in the five poorest communities had assets worth about $18,000. Many households in these locations held more debt than assets. Other wealth-poor areas of the country included parts of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Cincinnati, Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wealthiest communities today tend to be found in urban coastal areas. Palo Alto, California, and Nassau County, New York, are two of the nations five wealthiest places. The top five areas had median household net worth of nearly $1.7 million. Thats almost 90 times wealthier than the poorest five places. These wealth divides help explain why, between 2019 and 2021, according to the school finance indicators database, the Palo Alto Unified School District in California spent about $7,000 more per student than the minimum required to achieve national benchmark test scores. Meanwhile, the East Baton Rouge school district spent almost $4,000 less per student than is required to meet those same national standards. Cincinnati Public Schools underspent by more than $9,000 per pupil. Large wealth gaps within places We also looked at wealth divides in cities and communities. Average wealth levels in a community matter, but so does their unequal distribution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inequality, especially when a community is racially diverse and spatially segregated, has been linked to underinvestment in public goods such as schools, roads and hospitals. Our research identified large gaps in wealth within communities. For example, in certain parts of California such as San Jose and Santa Monica, we found that the richest 10% of residents are about seven times wealthier than the median household. In contrast, in many parts of Utah and Minnesota, the wealthiest 10% of households are only about three times wealthier than the median household. Coastal areas, then, are not simply wealthier than the rest of the country; wealth in these places is also less equally shared. We also found that wealth is unequally distributed across many parts of the South. This reflects the legacy of slavery, discrimination and uneven economic development over generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless of geography, across America we found that the most unequal places were likely to have larger populations of African Americans, Hispanics and other people of color. In these locations, white households were overrepresented among the wealthiest. Households of color, meanwhile, generally had much lower net worth. The map of wealth is changing Extensive testing shows that our model estimates wealth with a high level of accuracy. And by mapping household wealth rather than household income, which is what researchers more commonly use to assess economic well-being, we found that place-based divides are much worse than previously believed. Our data shows that wealth gaps between places have grown much more than income gaps since 1960. By 2020, gaps in average wealth levels were about 60% higher than equivalent income gaps. This appears to be driven by the changing economic fortunes of cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Average wealth levels in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, New York and Boston have risen dramatically as these areas have cemented their leadership in high-technology sectors and finance. The loss of manufacturing jobs, meanwhile, destroyed wealth in many American communities. In 1960, the industrial hub of Cleveland, Ohio, had among the highest levels of average household wealth in the country, according to our data. In 2020, Cleveland ranked 466th out of the 722 areas in our study. Within cities, we also observed a rise in wealth concentration. In the Minneapolis metropolitan area, for instance, the share of total wealth held by the richest 0.1% of households has almost tripled, from about 3% in 1960 to almost 9% by 2020. This means that, compared with the past, just a few families there now own a much larger piece of the pie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Made with Flourish Ladder to success becoming harder to climb Multiple factors may explain the growing pooling of wealth. They include the rising concentration of high-paying jobs in major metro areas and the explosive growth in housing values in these high-performing cities. Changing federal tax policies have also favored the affluent at the expense of regular Americans. If such policies continue under the next Trump administration, the divided geography of wealth may well grow worse with significant consequences for U.S. democracy. 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: Tom Kemeny, University of Toronto Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Tom Kemeny 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. A California man who worked tirelessly to help homeless people get back on their feet now finds himself trying to rebuild after the LA-area wildfires destroyed his home along with many of his most precious memories. Now hes asking for help to preserve what he and his family worked so hard to build. Fire forced social workers Anthony Ruffin and his wife, Jonni Miller, out of their Altadena home on January 8, according to the LA Times. The couple, who had little time to collect their belongings, were forced to leave behind things with very special meaning, including handwritten letters from Millers grandmother as well as photos and thank-you notes from clients theyd previously helped. In a YouTube video, Ruffin, who works with the LA County Department of Mental Health, described his work as helping homeless individuals who are disabled and/or mentally ill obtain and maintain permanent housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a GoFundMe page Ruffin started to help him and his wife get back on their feet after their devastating loss. He says the two-bedroom, one-bathroom home has been in his family since his father purchased it in 1972. Ruffin was able to use his savings to buy the house from his father in 2000. Im a social worker that works on Skid Row with the homeless population in LA County, he wrote on the page. We are seeking your help. I dont want to lose the home that my parents worked so hard for. His plea has brought in over $90,000 from donors who want to help a couple who has dedicated their lives to helping others. Anthony and Jonni, You two have truly been walking the walk for decades helping folks on the street. In a just world this community would be re-building you a palace, wrote one donor. May the coming months bring healing from this awful loss, and help you create a new home to support the animals you love and the work we all know you wont stop doing. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The musky-pink marble and sturdy silver spigots of the vintage soda fountain inside Steilacooms The Bair Drug and Hardware are in excellent condition. Hats off to the maker, believed to be Bastian-Blessing, one of just two major American manufacturers when this one was installed in the early 20th century. But the contraption, as pretty as it is, has been out of commission since 2019, frustrating many visitors to this quaint bistro and living museum at 1617 Lafayette St. This month, its getting some serious self-care more than $100,000 worth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the fountain went down, recalled Sara Reid, who has operated the restaurant here since 2011, We got a lot of grief from people. I dont even know what it looks like in this market. I think its gonna be a huge thing for people to come back to. The Bair Bistro closed Jan. 6 to begin the restoration project and anticipates a mid-February reopening. The Bair, a bistro and living museum in a historic landmark in Steilacoom, is closed temporarily while crews restore its early-20th-century soda fountain to new but old working condition. Restaurant owner Sara Reid (right) talks with Marianne Bull, curator of the Steilacoom Historical Museum Association, on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025. On Monday, the countertops were awash in stuff. There was a hole in the floor where the fountain and bar usually stood. Rush Construction crews and an electrician worked to ensure fresh pipes and wires were in good order before they replaced the flooring they had ripped out last week. Back in its rightful place, the relic will be surrounded by modern coolers and freezers, a stainless steel work surface, a new sink and a small dishwasher for glassware a setup that will foster a much more efficient situation for staff and customers, said Reid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For preservation purposes, the vintage fountain wont be used for every single soda or float. One spigot will function as the photo-opp handle. A new carbonated beverage machine will be tucked under the bar for daily use in a change from the previous reliance on cans. Green River fountain syrup, born in the Midwest, will remain. Reid described the mysterious flavor as not quite like having a 7-Up, or having an apple soda, or just, like, lemon-lime. Hard-scoop milkshakes, core to The Bair experience, will live on: Milkshakes are the reason why we have the ice cream, she said. The soda fountain, believed to have been manufactured in the early 1900s by Chicago-based Bastian-Blessing, features a marble fixture, sturdy spigots and a marble bar-top. PERHAPS WAS OLDEST SODA FOUNTAIN W.L. Bair, a pharmacist, moved his business here from Commercial Street in 1895, when the long-gone trolley started running. It was the first building in Steilacoom connected to electricity. Bair nearly doubled the footprint in 1906, adding a post office, a hardware store and the soda fountain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After falling into disrepair, Bairs relatives donated the building to the museum association around 1975, according to The News Tribune archives. Volunteers sorted through the collection of artifacts and organized a garage sale, shedding duplicates or non-original pieces. The proceeds, about $3,000 according to current museum curator Marianne Bull, helped fund initial renovations. Volunteers joined woodworkers and carpenters from the Army Corp of Engineers, she said, and The Bair reopened to the public in 1979 as a museum and cafe. Docents staffed the space for the first few years. We quickly realized we didnt want to run the business, said Bull. Tenants came and went over the years, including one that offered afternoon tea and another cooking classes. One proprietor, Rosa Kreger, sold it to employee Ed Lintott and his wife Martha. The Lintotts were forced to vacate in 2007 as repairs were desperately needed some siding and part of the roof was replaced after the discovery of a leak. The unexpected roof expense and many other projects at the nonprofits other properties the Wagon Shop, Nathaniel Orr home and the museum itself at 1801 Rainier St. occupied their reserves, said Bull. Not to mention the circa-2000 addition of accessible bathrooms, a refrigeration unit and a covered porch. They recently used a preservation grant to repair the heavy, original doors and paint. The Bair has been through a lot since 1895. The Steilacoom Historical Museum Association took ownership of it in the early 1970s; it has been a living museum and restaurant ever since, with major renovations around 2000 and later that decade. The soda fountain project is being funded by a combination of grants, donations small and large from Steilacoom residents, and the Bair family, according to Bull. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As soon as it looked like it was going to work, we got started, she said. The design process, which began in late 2023, was perhaps the most challenging detail. Bargreen Ellison assisted with finding fixtures that would fit that old-but-new aesthetic. Reid, who is likely the longest-serving caretaker of The Bair since the Bairs, is eager for the reopening and the year ahead. Details of the restored fountains reveal are to be determined, but she made one promise: It will involve sodas! THE BAIR DRUG & HARDWARE 1617 Lafayette St., Steilacoom, 253-588-9668, thebairbistro.com Details: closed Jan.6-Feb. 3 (estimated) for vintage soda fountain restoration; follow facebook.com/TheBairBistro for updates By Nellie Peyton and Xolani Nhlapo STILFONTEIN, South Africa (Reuters) -South African rescuers ended their attempts on Thursday to find anyone left in an illegal gold mine where at least 78 people died during a police siege, as a local volunteer described the horror of extracting their bodies from deep underground. Police had encircled the mine since August and cut off food and water supplies to try to force the miners out so they could be arrested, resulting in what the GIWASU labour union called the worst state-sponsored massacre since the end of apartheid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Monday, rescuers have used a cylindrical metal cage to pull up 78 bodies and 246 survivors, some of them emaciated and disorientated, in a court-ordered operation at the mine near the town of Stilfontein, southwest of Johannesburg. The survivors, who are mostly from Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Lesotho, have been arrested and charged with illegal immigration, trespass, illegal mining and other offences. The police have said they were enforcing a government crackdown on illegal mining and that to have allowed food and water down during the siege would have meant "allowing criminality to thrive". Mzwandile Mkwayi, 36, was one of two volunteers from the local township of Khuma, where most of the miners lived, who spent three days going up and down in the cage to bring out the corpses and survivors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was scared. Those people were happy to see us, they were very happy. We told them 'we are here to help you, please don't die'," he told Reuters on Thursday near the opening of the mine shaft. "I put the bodies in the bags with my own hands. It was my first time to see a pile of dead. It will traumatise me for the rest of my life." Asked why he had volunteered, Mkwayi said: "Those people are our brothers. We're living with them." On Thursday morning, the cage was sent down one last time, with a camera inside, which police described as a way of verifying information from volunteers who went down on Wednesday evening and said they could see no one left in the mine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reuters reporters at the scene saw the cage being lifted out empty and being driven away in a truck. Mannas Fourie, the CEO of a rescue company involved in the operation, said it was possible some of the dead had been left in the vast network of deep tunnels and would never be found. "If somebody got lost, you will never know whether somebody got left behind," he told Reuters. ABANDONED MINES Illegal mining cost South Africa over $3 billion last year, according to the mining minister. Typically, undocumented miners move into mines abandoned by commercial miners and seek to extract whatever is left. Some are under the control of violent criminal gangs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ministers have consistently described the Stilfontein miners as criminals and one spoke of the need to "smoke them out". But local community members, civil society groups and labour unions have denounced the Stilfontein crackdown, with GIWASU condemning what it called "the dehumanisation and criminalisation of these poor, desperate miners". Thembile Botman, a community leader in Khuma, said local residents had been saying for months that people would die, and the deaths could have been averted had the rescue operation taken place sooner. "The minister said they were going to smoke them out and they did. Congratulations," he said, speaking with bitter anger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the rescue operation, police and contractors operating the cage have not been going down themselves but rather have relied on local volunteers. Police have not explained why they were not going down themselves but Fourie said it was better for the volunteers to go because they knew the miners and could gain their trust. During the siege, police removed a pulley system the miners had previously been using to get in and out and waited outside the opening for them to come out, but community leaders and lawyers have alleged there was no way for them to climb out. The pulley was later restored and removed several times during months of negotiations and legal action, according to civil society advocates and community members involved in supporting the miners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police have denied blocking the miners' exit and said more than 1,500 miners did get out by their own means between the start of the siege in August and the rescue operation, which began on Monday. (Additional reporting by Tim Cocks and Siyabonga Sighi in Stilfontein and Tannur Anders, Bhargav Acharya and Sfundo Parakozov in Johannesburg; Writing by Estelle Shirbon and Alexander Winning, Editing by Angus MacSwan and Alison Williams) FORT MILL, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A South Carolina lawmaker has filed a bill that would require cameras in every public school classroom in the state. State Rep. Mike Burns, a Republican from Greenville County, filed H 3216 in December, but it advanced to committee this week. The bill would require all classroom instruction to be recorded on video and be available as public records, subject to certain privacy limitations. The bills language also gave insight into the reasoning, saying that public access to classroom instruction recordings can enhance transparency, foster accountability, enable parental engagement, and ensure adherence to educational standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SC leaders reveal how $1.8 billion mysteriously ended up in state bank account The language of the bill does not mention anything in regards to safety and security, which is the main reason cameras are already in some schools, located in places such as hallways or building exteriors. Burns has reportedly said the reason for the bill was to prevent what he referred to as rogue teachers from pushing differing ideologies on students. Sherry East, a York County teacher and president of the South Carolina Education Association, said the bill sends a message to all teachers that they cannot be trusted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal is to have good learners, to have good citizens come out of our schools, and we need to give teachers that professional courtesy to allow them to do their jobs, East said. East noted different groups and classes will learn different ways, and at different paces, and not always according to a specific lesson plan. Sherry East. East said that if the bill became law, the videos, once made publicly available, would likely show the differing styles of teaching, which could face a greater amount of scrutiny and put extra pressure on teachers to stick to a lesson plan rather than rely on their professional training. She noted that any issues surrounding teacher conduct are largely addressed on the administrative level and that parents are encouraged to come and observe the teaching their child is receiving. The South Carolina Parent-Teacher Association released a statement to Queen City News on the bill. They noted that while they had not finalized a position on the bill, it will be discussed at an upcoming meeting to, ensure that our stance reflects the best interests of students, families, and educators across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are still some additional questions about cost, manpower, and the cybersecurity infrastructure, which were not addressed in the bill. East noted the cost would likely be high to a point where it could become prohibitive for some districts, and diverting money away from a need. If you want to help a teacher, to know whats going on in the classroom, why dont you put an aide in there with a teacher, said East. If you want an extra set of eyes and ears to make sure teachers are on task, then how about you hire me a second person to help me out? Or come in to visit? Queen City News reached out to State Rep. Burns on Wednesday, asking for comment or an interview on the bill. As of our deadline, we have not yet received a response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 Queen City News. HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) South Carolina boat owners could see their property taxes reduced by up to half if state lawmakers go along with soon-to-be-introduced legislation. Supporters hope to pass the bill because they say the state has some of the highest taxes in the nation for boaters. In Horry and Georgetown counties, boat owners face a 10.5% property tax rate. Current state law taxes boats and motors separately, and the proposed bill would combine the two while reducing the maximum rate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mechanics, boatyard workers, theyre not being paid in the state of South Carolina, said Gettys Brannon, CEO and president of the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance. So were missing the entire downstream economic impact from larger boats and smaller boats because people dont want to keep their boats here. South Carolina has a booming boat maker and fishing tackle industry. The SCBFA says it contributes more than $6.5 billion to the economy. At the same time, the state sees the highest tax rates for boats, leading many residents to register their boats in other states or countries with lower rates. State Rep. Gary Brewer plans to introduce the bill for a second time with the hope that reducing taxes will bring those boats back home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amount of boats that are currently registered out of state will now be registered in state, Brewer said. So what theyre getting zero money off of right now, they will get money on by those boats coming back, and the majority of those boats are your big boats. By by cutting the maximum rate in half, Brewer said it still gives counties the flexibility to set their own rates while keeping boat owners from paying more in taxes. Brannon said South Carolina is one of six states that separate the boat and motor. He said his family owns a used $65,000 boat in Ocean Isle, North Carolina. Their property tax bill is $222.30, he said. That same property tax bill in Horry County would be closer to $3,600. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Boat owner Bradley Parker said he pays the 10.5% tax rate in Horry County. You know, my boat is 2012, Parker said. The motor is a 2023. So that motor is worth more than the boat itself. The taxes are double. Yeah, so any chance to cut that in half, that would be great. Brewer said he hopes to introduce the legislation in the next few days. The best-case scenario would be to implement in the summer. He said anyone who wants to support the bill should contact their lawmaker. * * * Adrianna Lawrence is a multimedia journalist at News13. Adrianna is originally from Virginia Beach, Virginia, and joined the News13 team in June 2023 after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2023. Keep up with Adrianna on Instagram, Facebook, and X, formerly Twitter. You can also read more of her work, here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Traffic moves through westbound lanes next to a barge crane at work on the north side of the Pierre-Fort Pierre bridge in September 2024. (Courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Transportation) The condition of South Dakotas state-managed highways and bridges is expected to worsen over the next decade, state Department of Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt told lawmakers Thursday in the House Transportation Committee. By 2034, nearly 30% of state-maintained roads are expected to be in fair or poor condition, which would exceed the departments target of 20%. The state maintains about 8,800 miles of the 80,000 miles of roads in South Dakota. Bridge conditions are also expected to worsen, but are not expected to fall below the states goal of 95% of bridges in good or fair condition. A South Dakota Department of Transportation chart shows the historical and projected road conditions in the state from 2011 through 2034. The department sets a goal of 80% of roads maintained by the state in excellent or good condition. (Courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Transportation) Jundt said the department relies heavily on federal funding. The most recent round of surface transportation funding from the federal government came through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, which expires in the fall of 2026. Reauthorization discussions are expected to begin this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the federal government doesnt provide enough funding, Jundt said, then were going to be back to you, proposing some recommendations. A South Dakota Department of Transportation chart shows the historical and projected bridge conditions in the state from 2014 through 2034. The department sets a goal of 95% of bridges maintained by the state in good or fair condition. (Courtesy of the South Dakota Department of Transportation) Jundt said the state has big funding needs for several Missouri River bridge projects, including replacement of the Pierre-Fort Pierre bridge, which is underway at a cost of about $50 million. The Platte-Winner bridge, which is next on the states list, will cost about $250 million. The Forest City Bridge near Gettysburg will cost more than $400 million. The state has sought funding from the federal government for the Platte-Winner project, but has not been successful. Its to the point where weve got to replace it, Jundt said. What is that effect going to have on the rest of our system highways, bridges, everything? State legislators began their annual lawmaking session Tuesday in Pierre. It continues through March 13. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX FLANDREAU, S.D. (AP) One tribe in South Dakota lifted its order banning Gov. Kristi Noem from its territories just days before the Republican was set to appear before a U.S. Senate committee on her nomination to head one of the federal government's largest agencies. Noem was cut off from entering a wide swath of tribal lands in South Dakota early last year after making public comments that tribal leaders were catering to drug cartels on their reservations. The Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe, one of the states nine tribes, issued a statement Wednesday dissolving its order that banned Noem from setting foot on their land and to lend support to her nomination by President-elect Donald Trump to secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Governor issued an apology to us for the misunderstanding, which was exacerbated by misinformation, the tribe's press release reads. Since our first meeting, the Governor has shown us that she is committed to protecting the people of South Dakota including the citizens of the nine Tribal Nations, who share mutual borders with the state. The Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe was not alone in the formal banishment of Noem last year. The Associated Press left messages Thursday with the other eight tribes in the state to seek information on Noems status on their land. Addressing the South Dakota Legislature in an annual State of the Tribes address, Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Chairman J. Garrett Renville on Wednesday mentioned Noem's comments, among other examples, in describing what has become an environment of distrust between our sovereign nations and the state." But Renville proposed a turn of the page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today, lets reset. Today, lets rebuild," Renville said. "Today, lets start to listen and actually hear. Noem is Trump's pick to head the agency that will be integral to his pledge to secure the border and carry out a massive deportation operation, and she will appear before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on Friday. Her hearing was initially scheduled for Wednesday. ___ This story has been updated to correct that the Flandreau Santee Sioux statement was issued Wednesday, not Tuesday. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Supporters of South Korea's impeached president protest his arrest. | Credit: Jung Yeon-Je / AFP via Getty Images What happened Impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was detained for questioning today, six hours after more than 3,000 police officers staged a predawn raid on the barricaded presidential compound in Seoul. An attempt to arrest Yoon on Jan. 3 was thwarted when about 100 anticorruption police were turned back by his presidential guard. Yoon, 64, had been holed up in the presidential residence since the opposition-led parliament impeached him last month over his short-lived effort to impose martial law. A Seoul court issued a detention warrant for Yoon after he ignored three summonses. Who said what Yoon, who is being investigated for attempting an insurrection with his martial law decree, is the first sitting South Korean president detained on criminal charges. In a video released soon after his detention, he criticized the "invalid warrant" and "illegal investigation" but said he would go with the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials to "prevent any unsavory bloodshed." The recently formed CIO is leading the investigation in conjunction with the police and military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputy Prime Minister Choi-Sang-mok the acting president after the prime minister was also impeached early today urged the police and presidential security service to avoid "physical violence" in the raid. Park Chan-dae, floor leader of the liberal opposition Democratic Party, called Yoon's detention the "first step toward restoring constitutional order, democracy and realizing the rule of law." What next? The CIO can question Yoon for 48 hours before either securing an arrest warrant to detain him for up to 20 more days, or setting him free. The Constitutional Court, charged with upholding or reversing his removal from office, will hold a second hearing Thursday; a hearing Tuesday lasted less than 5 minutes after Yoon refused to attend. (Bloomberg) -- Most Read from Bloomberg South Korea is considering buying more oil and gas from the US to diversify its energy sources and also potentially head off the threat of President-elect Donald Trumps proposed tariffs. The move would be aimed at reducing the trade surplus with the US and improving energy security, Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Ahn Duk-geun told reporters in Seoul on Thursday. Policymakers are also weighing additional government support for companies so they can import more oil and gas from countries outside of the Middle East, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Korea relies heavily on exports to drive its economic growth, and the US is one of its top trading partners. Trump, meanwhile, has promised an array of protectionist policies, including universal tariffs, to slash a burgeoning US trade deficit with other nations. Other countries are all talking about how they need to ease the growing trade deficit under the Trump administration, Ahn said. We are pretty much in the same situation so we are thinking about increasing energy imports, and theres also a need to diversify supplies to improve energy security. The worlds third-largest liquefied natural gas importer follows a number of other energy buyers looking to increase their purchase of US fossil fuels, including Vietnam, Taiwan and the EU. The US is the worlds top exporter of LNG, with output slated to roughly double by the end of the decade, and is the biggest producer of oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Stephen Stapczynski. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. (Bloomberg) -- South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol asked a Seoul court to review his detention on Thursday as he refused to attend fresh questioning by investigators over his failed martial law declaration. Most Read from Bloomberg Yoons legal team filed a request to the Seoul Central District Court to examine the legitimacy of the presidents arrest, said Seok Dong-hyeon, one of his representatives. The court began to review the case at 5 p.m. local time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the law, an arrested criminal suspect can ask a court to review the legality of their arrest. The court has 48 hours to review the case, and if it finds the request valid, Yoon will be released from detention immediately. I hope that the judges of the Seoul Central District Court will properly determine the illegality of this arrest by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials in accordance with the law, Seok said on Facebook. This comes a day after Yoons dramatic arrest that made him the first sitting president in the country to be taken into custody. The impeached leader, who faces insurrection charges over his martial law decree, was questioned by the investigating agency the CIO for nearly 11 hours on Wednesday but chose to remain silent. On Thursday, he refused to appear for further questioning. The court reviewing Yoons latest request is different from the one that issued the unprecedented arrest warrant. Yoons representatives have said the arrest warrant is invalid and illegal as the CIO lacks the legal authority to investigate insurrection charges. They also said the office arbitrarily selected a court in a different district to increase its chances of securing the warrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CIO said it has sent documents to the court and three of its prosecutors would appear at Thursdays hearing. Separately, Yoon is awaiting a verdict from the Constitutional Court, which is deliberating whether to uphold parliaments decision to impeach him and remove him from office. The court held its second session on Thursday, with judges hearing arguments from both sides on whether Yoons martial law declaration violated the constitution. It has until June to make a ruling. A former star prosecutor, Yoon has been drawing on his own experience to block and delay efforts to investigate him. He was one of the prosecutors who led the probe into former President Park Geun-hye, who was removed from office in 2017 and later imprisoned at the detention facility where Yoon is currently held. Yoon shocked the nation and the world by briefly imposing martial law in early December, plunging South Korea into its worst constitutional crisis in decades. He was suspended from his duties after the National Assembly passed a motion to impeach him on Dec. 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with additional details throughout) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. WALTON COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB)- South Walton Academy announced their closure over winter break, but have since reopened to students and staff. South Walton Academy is a non-profit, private school that serves 125 students from age 3 to 12th grade. They specialize in individualized learning for students who may require additional support. Calley Middlebrooks, founder and president of the school, said they have been experiencing issues with Step Up for Students, a private, nonprofit entity used by the Florida Department of Education to disperse scholarships to students. Middlebrooks claims their recent closure was the breaking point of years of delays in funding, going back to 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Panama City officials boost reserve fund She claims when Governor Ron Desantis signed the School Choice bill in 2023, that opened up state scholarships for private schools for millions of students across the state. The influx of applications, along with other changes in the system, overwhelmed the program. She said this is when the delays began. They had such an influx, they had trouble navigating their portal and giving out those funds. So it caused private schools all across the state to be delayed we had to essentially front all of the students that were on scholarship when those funds were delayed for multiple months. I know in April of 2024, we were still floating $481,000. So we used all of our reserves and unfortunately, not all of our parents are able to pay. Middlebrooks said. Middlebrooks said because 90% of her students depend on scholarships for their tuition, South Walton Academy was hit harder than other schools who rely on other kinds of funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement multiple schools in our area receive the scholarship but theyre not solely dependent on the scholarship, Middlebrooks said. WMBB reached out to Step Up for Students with questions about the situation with South Walton Academy. They responded via email with this statement. Walton County commissioners award sole beach vendor rights to all public beaches Step Up has been working closely with South Walton Academy since the fall of 2023 to ensure the school receives every scholarship payment it is entitled to under law. The school has received all eligible payments for the 2023-24 school year, and all eligible payments for the first two quarters of the 2024-25 school year have been disbursed according to the schedule mandated by state statute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middlebrooks said while all eligible payments have been made, they are still trying to catch up while waiting on future funds. The problem is the next round of funding does not come until the end of February. Beginning of March. So that would be us again fronting January, February, and March Several posts and comments on social media accused the school of mishandling funds. I think that comes directly from people who are not aware of whats going on. We do have internal audits that are required. We have two accountants. We have an accountant that oversees all of our books. And then we have a separate accountant who just audits the scholarship funding. So anybody who is aware of the delays would know that those are not factual comments, Middlebrooks said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delays didnt just impact Middlebrooks professional life; she said the school was struggling so much, she started putting up personal funds to keep it afloat. we have personally sold assets and mortgaged our home to ensure that we were able to continue the program with the expectation that the scholarship will come in and then we would be able to pay off that mortgage and such, Middlebrooks said. WMBB also requested records from the Florida Department of Education, but we have not heard back. Middlebrooks said the school will focus on building a reserve to help with any future delays. 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 mypanhandle.com. CEDAR CITY, Utah (ABC4) A Cedar City property manager was taken into custody on Wednesday, accused of embezzling over $1.9 million from a client through unlawful withdrawals, checks, and wire transfers. Blake Floyd Cozzens, 35, is now facing 10 charges of second-degree felony unlawful fiduciary dealing in amounts greater than $5,000. According to court documents, authorities were tipped off about Cozzens alleged embezzling after an attorney for the client pointed out suspicious activity on a bank account. Investigators then found two State Bank of Southern Utah bank accounts where Cozzens was listed as the sole signer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both accounts showed multiple transactions ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars that the complainant states were not authorized by the victim entity or its governing body, a booking affidavit states. 10 interesting bills to check out ahead of the 2025 Utah Legislative Session Investigators say there were more than 19 transactions in excess of $5,000, totaling more than $1.9 million in the form of checks, wire transfers, and in-person withdrawals. Many of the transactions were allegedly sent to an account where Cozzens is listed as a sole signer, with multiple in-person withdrawals coming after large transfers were made from the victims accounts. Both accounts were reportedly empty as of Nov. 30, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents say Cozzens has caused multiple members of the public to fear for their lives and those of their families if he is released. He was safely taken into custody and ordered to be held without bail, pending a pretrial hearing, per court records. Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 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. A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested at a Georgia airport and accused of DUI on Wednesday. A Transportation Security Administration officer smelled alcohol on the pilot and informed law enforcement officials, who arrested him at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, a source familiar with the situation told NBC News. "Were aware of a situation involving an employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The Employee has been removed from duty," the airline said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the safety of our employees and customers. The flight, which was headed to Chicago, was delayed by five hours, according to flight records. Police on the Southwest plane. The airline apologized for the disruption and said customers were accommodated on other flights. Federal Aviation Administration regulations "prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or from flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within eight hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or greater," the agency said in a statement. Chatham County sheriff's records indicate airport police arrested David Allsop, 52, on a charge of driving under the influence. He was being held on $3,500 bond, according to sheriffs records. It was not immediately clear Wednesday night whether Allsop had an attorney. His family could not be reached for comment. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A Southwest Airlines flight was delayed on Wednesday, Jan. 15, after its pilot was reportedly arrested and charged with DUI before takeoff at a Georgia airport. Southwest Airlines, in a statement provided to multiple outlets including NBC News and ABC affiliate WLS, confirmed that it was aware of a "situation" involving an employee on flight 3772 from Savannah's Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. The employee had since been "removed from duty," per the statement. "Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans," the statement, also shared with ABC affiliate WJCL, read. "There's nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to flight records, flight 3772 which was headed from Savannah to Chicago Midway International Airport on Jan. 15 was delayed nearly five hours. It left Savannah at 10:56 a.m. local time and landed in Chicago at 12:08 local time. Pilot David Paul Allsop, as reported by outlets including WJCL and WLS, was arrested on Wednesday morning. Per arrest records from the Chatham County Sheriff's Office, Allsop, 52, was charged with driving under the influence and was taken into custody at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport. He was being held on a $3,500 bond, per the CCSO, with WJCL reporting that he was released after posting bond. A spokesperson for Southwest did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's requests for comment on Thursday. It was not clear if Allsop had an attorney. Kevin Carter/Getty Southwest Airlines flight on Aug. 24, 2024 in Austin, Texas Southwest Airlines flight on Aug. 24, 2024 in Austin, Texas Related: Delta Pilot Reports for Transatlantic Flight Intoxicated, Gets Sentenced to 10 Months in Prison 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. According to NBC News, which cited a source, an officer for the Transportation Security Administration had smelled alcohol on the pilot and alerted authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source told CBS News that the pilot may have shown other signs of intoxication and was removed from the cockpit. NBC News shared an image of a police officer on the Southwest plane. As CBS News notes, pilots are prohibited from "using alcohol while on duty or from flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within eight hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or greater," according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration. "Any factor that impairs the pilot's ability to perform the required tasks during the operation of an aircraft is an invitation for disaster," the FAA statement read. "The use of alcohol is a significant self-imposed stress factor that should be eliminated from the cockpit. The ability to do so is strictly within the pilot's control." Back in March 2024, a Delta Airlines pilot was sentenced to ten months in jail after reporting for duty intoxicated at Scotland's Edinburgh Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, a Delta spokesperson told PEOPLE that the airline was "aware of this incident and removed the pilot from service while conducting a thorough investigation in coordination with Scottish authorities. Read the original article on People A Southwest Airlines pilot suspected of being drunk was removed from the cockpit and arrested just before takeoff Wednesday at a Georgia airport, according to airline officials and authorities in the state. David Paul Allsop, 52, of Bedford, New Hampshire, faces a driving under the influence charge following his arrest at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, according to records from the Chatham County Sheriffs Office. Allsops bail was set at $3,500 and he has bonded out of jail, sheriffs office records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allsop has not appeared in court, according to a spokesperson for the sheriffs office. An arraignment hearing will be scheduled, the spokesperson said. David Paul Allsop - Chatham County Sheriff's Office CNN has reached out to Allsop and the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association for comment. Were aware of a situation involving an employee on Flight 3772 Wednesday morning from Savannah, a Southwest spokesperson told CNN in a statement on Thursday. Allsop has been removed from duty, the spokesperson added. Customers were accommodated on other flights and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans, the statement said. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the safety of our employees and customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report documenting Allsops arrest says police were dispatched at around 6 a.m. following a complaint regarding a pilot suspected of being under the influence of alcohol during crew member check-in. The responding officer said he identified the pilot as Allsop, who was sitting in the cockpit and performing pre-flight checks moments before he was asked to step onto the jet bridge, the report said. The officer detected a strong odor of what seemed to be alcohol and asked the pilot when he had his last drink, the report said. Allsop responded last night, and the officer inquired as to how much. A few light beers, the pilot said, according to the incident report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer described Allsop as having bloodshot, watery eyes and a flushed complexion, the report said. Allsop failed a field sobriety test on the jet bridge and, when asked by the officer if he would consent to a state-mandated blood test, he declined, according to the report. Federal regulations prohibit pilots from consuming alcohol within eight hours of flying or attempting to fly an aircraft, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The same rule applies if the pilot has a blood alcohol concentration of 0.04 or greater, FAA regulations say. In 2023, eight pilots were found to have a blood alcohol level of 0.04 or greater out of more than 17,600 pilots tested for alcohol consumption, according to the FAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrested pilot is a captain based at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland and has been with the company for 18 years, an airline source told CNN. Southwest Flight 3772 was scheduled to depart Savannah around 6 a.m. for Chicagos Midway Airport but was delayed by nearly five hours, according to FlightAware. Travelers were getting ready for takeoff when police boarded the aircraft, Southwest passenger Robert Newmerch told CNN affiliate WTOC on Wednesday. An officer went into the cockpit, Newmerch said. The officer walked out of the plane but came back a few minutes later and the pilot left with him, He added. The incident left Newmerch feeling unsettled, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To see that and know that thats why I did not fly to Midway this morning, it definitely left a little odd feeling in my stomach, Newmerch said. CNNs David Williams contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Transportation Department is stepping up enforcement of persistent flight delays with a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines and a fine against Frontier Airlines. The agency said the U.S. District Court lawsuit it filed in California on Wednesday alleges that Southwest illegally operated chronically delayed flights and disrupted passengers travel plans. It says its seeking maximum civil penalties. Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. Todays action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Transportation Department said its investigation found that Dallas-based Southwest operated two chronically delayed flights one between Chicago Midway International Airport and Oakland, California, and another between Baltimore, Maryland and Cleveland, Ohio. Both flights were chronically delayed for five straight months and together resulted in 180 flight disruptions for passengers between April and August 2022, the agency said. The department fined Frontier Airlines $650,000 in civil penalties with $325,000 to be paid to the U.S. Treasury and the remaining $325,000 to be suspended if the carrier does not operate any chronically delayed flights in the next three years. The announcement comes less than two weeks after the Transportation Department fined JetBlue $2 million for chronic delays, the first time it imposed a penalty for lateness on specific routes. The agency cited JetBlues chronic delays on unrealistic scheduling. JetBlue then said the government, which operates the air traffic control system, shares the blame for late flights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aviation-data provider Cirium said in a report released this month that Southwest ranked fifth among the 10 North American airlines it evaluated for their on-time performance, with 77.8% of arrivals and a little under 77% of departures last year taking place in a timely way. By comparison, top-ranked Delta Air Lines scored 83.5% for arrivals and 83.7% for departures. Last year, federal regulators increased their scrutiny of Southwest Airlines after a series of incidents, including flying at very low altitudes while still miles away from an airport. The Federal Aviation Administration said in July it wanted to ensure the carrier was complying with federal safety regulations. The FAA declined to provide details, but noted that it continually adjusts oversight of airlines based on risk. 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. A Southwest Airlines pilot is facing DUI charges after showing up to a Georgia airport while intoxicated. David Allsop, 52 from New Hampshire, was arrested at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Flight tracker Flight Aware shows the flight bound for Chicago was delayed from 6:05 a.m. to 10:56 a.m. as the airline worked to get a new pilot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A passenger on the plane shared photos with ABC News that showed police on the plane. TRENDING STORIES: Southwest issued a statement saying they are aware of the incident. Were aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The Employee has been removed from duty. Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers. According to jail records, Allsop was granted a $3,500 bond. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Editors Note: This story has been updated to clarify the flights destination airport as Chicagos Midway International. SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) A Southwest flight in Savannah, Georgia, was delayed for five hours Wednesday morning due to a pilot being arrested and charged with DUI, authorities said. Details were limited Wednesday afternoon but authorities confirmed the pilot, 52-year-old David Allsop, was removed from the aircraft at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and taken to the Chatham County jail. He is charged with driving under the influence, an official reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Allsops bond was set at $3,500, jail records show. Its unclear whether he had posted bond as of Wednesday evening. A photo shared with Nexstars WSAV, seen below, showed the pilot being led off the plane. David Allsop, Chatham County Sheriffs Office Allsop has been removed from duty, a Southwest representative said. In a statement to WSAV, Southwest Airlines: Were aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The Employee has been removed from duty. Customers were accommodated on other flights and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight, bound for Chicagos Midway International Airport, was scheduled to depart Savannah shortly after 6 a.m. ET on Wednesday, FlightAware data shows. It did not depart until shortly after 11 a.m. ET, arriving in Chicago roughly two hours later. Nexstars Addy Bink contributed to this report. 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 Queen City News. A Southwest Airlines pilot is facing DUI charges after showing up to a Georgia airport while intoxicated. Action News Jaxs Atlanta station WSB-TV is reporting that David Allsop, 52, from New Hampshire, was arrested at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport on Wednesday morning. Flight tracker Flight Aware shows the flight bound for Chicago was delayed from 6:05 a.m. to 10:56 a.m. as the airline worked to get a new pilot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Southwest issued the following statement: Were aware of a situation involving an Employee on Flight 3772 this morning from Savannah. The Employee has been removed from duty. Customers were accommodated on other flights, and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers. Allsop was granted a $3,500 bond, according to jail records. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Read: Man arrested after police find multiple stolen vehicles, parts in Northwest Jacksonville chop shop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read: Bicyclist hit by vehicle on Baymeadows Road dies, driver leaves victim, passengers at scene Read: Theyre literally tugging on him' | Details released in deadly dog attack that killed Florida boy [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. A Southwest Airlines pilot was arrested in Georgia before flying to Chicago because he was intoxicated, according to authorities. David Allsop, 52, was arrested at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport around 7 a.m. Wednesday, records show. He was charged with driving under the influence. The pilot allegedly smelled of alcohol and was removed by airport police before he flew Southwest Flight 3772 to Chicago from Savannah, Georgia, a source told CBS News. Photos shared online show cops removing him from the cockpit of the plane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further details of what led to his arrest have not been released. The flight took off nearly 5 hours after its scheduled departure, FlightAware data shows. Pilot David Allsop was arrested before flying from Savannah, Georgia to Chicago Wednesday because he was allegedly intoxicated (Chatham County Sheriff's Office) He was being held in Chatham County Jail on a $3,500 bond and has since been released, records show. The employee has been removed from duty, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told the outlet. Customers were accommodated on other flights and we apologize for the disruption to their travel plans. Theres nothing more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Employees and Customers, the spokesperson added. In a statement to The Independent, the FAA said its regulations prohibit pilots from using alcohol while on duty or from flying, or attempting to fly, an aircraft within 8 hours of consuming alcohol or if they have a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.04% or greater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not immediately clear what his blood alcohol concentration was at the time of his arrest. The Independent has reached out to Southwest Airlines, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Chatham County Sheriffs Office for more information. SpaceX is ready to send up its first test flight of the year for its Starship and Super Heavy rocket from Texas, but delayed it one day to Thursday, when the company will once again go for a booster catch back at the launch site. The seventh test flight overall for the 396-foot-tall combined rocket is aiming for liftoff from SpaceXs Starbase facility in Boca Chica, Texas during a 60-minute launch window that opens at 5 p.m. EST. The Super Heavy booster powered by 33 Raptor engines produces up to 16.7 million pounds of thrust at liftoff, making it the most powerful rocket in history to reach space, although so far all the test flights have been suborbital, with the upper Starship stage only traveling partway around the Earth with target splashdown landings in the Indian Ocean near Australia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The seventh flight will attempt the same flight path, and SpaceX will try to repeat the spectacle it achieved on its fifth test flight last year, nailing a recovery capture of the Super Heavy booster back at the launch tower using what the company calls the towers chopsticks, which swivel in to grab hold of the booster as it makes a powered, hovering descent. The sixth test flight last November skipped the attempt because of some sensor damage done to the tower on liftoff, but SpaceX was able to make the most controlled landing yet of its Starship upper stage over the ocean. This seventh flight features what SpaceX calls a new generation upper-stage ship, and the mission calls for its first payload deployment test. Changes in design continue to experiment with its shape, such as moving the location and size of its forward flaps, while also trying out various heat shield solutions. SpaceX is not yet ready to try a recovery landing of the upper stage, though, so it will aim for a splashdown again a little more than an hour after launch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On board will be 10 Starlink-size simulators that will be deployed and follow Starships trajectory so they also splash down in the ocean. The flight plan also calls once again for a relighting of a single one of the upper stages six Raptor engines. Plans for this years spate of test flights do include sticking the upper-stage landing as well as perform a propellant transfer in space, something that will be needed when Starship is used for NASAs Artemis moon missions. As far as the attempt to recapture the booster, the launch tower has been outfitted with radar sensors, aiming to increase accuracy measuring distance between the chopsticks and the booster as it comes in for the catch. One of the 33 engines on this flight flew previously on the fifth test flight, marking the first reuse of a Raptor engine. The tower sensors also feature more protection to avoid the damage seen on the sixth test flight, giving SpaceX a better chance at nailing the capture. If safety parameters arent met as the booster makes it way back to the pad, the flight director will order it to veer off for a splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico as it did on the sixth test flight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All test flights to date have taken place from Texas, but SpaceX has two launch sites planned from the Space Coast in Florida. Its already building out a tower at Kennedy Space Centers Launch Complex 39-A adjacent to where it launches Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy missions. Its also aiming to build out a tower at neighboring Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, taking over Space Launch Complex 37, which had been the home for United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavys final launches. Environmental impact studies for both sites were started in 2024, but expected to be complete this year. SpaceXs plans are to build up infrastructure in Florida and potentially other launch sites to get to hundreds and eventually thousands of Starship launches a year, part of Musks goal of creating a colony on Mars. NASA, though, is awaiting a working version of Starship to act as the human landing system for its Artemis III mission, which is aiming to fly as early as mid-2027, and would mark the first time humans, including the first woman, will have set foot on the moon since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. NASA requires SpaceX to perform a successful uncrewed flight of Starship landing on the moon ahead of that mission as well. _____ WASHINGTON (AP) House Speaker Mike Johnson appointed Rep. Rick Crawford, R-Ark., as the new chairman of the House Intelligence Committee on Thursday after asserting that the panel needed a fresh start. He has earned the respect of his colleagues through his years of faithful service on the committee and his steady approach to the challenges facing our country, Johnson said in announcing the appointment of Crawford, who is beginning his eighth term in the House. Johnson shocked lawmakers with the announcement Wednesday that he was removing Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio from the post. However, Turner had been at odds with President-elect Donald Trump on some issues. For example, he supported efforts to aid Ukraine in its attempts to repel Russia's military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic lawmakers expressed concerns that Turner's removal weakens the panel's independence in conducting oversight on intelligence matters. Trump has picked fierce loyalists to lead agencies with vast power for surveillance. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries called Turner a highly-principled leader. Mike Turner has robustly promoted the safety of the American people and the Free World and his unjustified ouster is likely being applauded by our adversaries in Russia and China. Shameful, Jeffries said. Crawford joined the committee in 2017. He said in a statement that abuse within the nation's security apparatus had eroded trust and compromised America's ability to gather intelligence. As chairman, I will aggressively uphold our mandate to provide credible and robust oversight of the Intelligence Communitys funding and activities, he said. Without aggressive oversight and vigorous protection of Americans Fourth Amendment rights, the IC is prone to give in to mission creep and skirt U.S. laws. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday selected Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) to chair the House Intelligence Committee, elevating the veteran panel member to the role after he removed Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) from the top job. The shift was a surprise on Capitol Hill, where Turners ouster sparked an outcry from Democrats and some Republicans who were given no advance warning of the move and suspected the America First wing of the party helped push Turner out. But Johnsons selection of Crawford, the most senior GOP lawmaker on the panel, could help calm concerns from national-security focused Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our intelligence community and its oversight must maintain the highest levels of trust. The House Intel Committee will play a pivotal role in this work in the new Congress, and Rick Crawford will provide principled leadership as its chairman, Johnson said in a statement first shared with The Hill. He has earned the respect of his colleagues through his years of faithful service on the committee and his steady approach to the challenges facing our country. He also lauded Turners leadership on the panel during the last Congress. He led the committee well during a very challenging period of our nations history and was fully dedicated to the task, Johnson said in a statement. He is a highly valued member of our Conference, and we look forward to his continued contributions to keeping America safe and expanding our global security, including in his important position as the Chair of the U.S. Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. In addition to Crawford becoming chair, Johnson made five new additions to the House Intelligence Committee, spots that are highly coveted by members: Rep. Ann Wagner (R-Mo.), who had sought to be chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee; Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.), Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.), Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.), and Rep. Pat Fallon (R-Texas). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement from Johnson came less than 24 hours after news broke that he would not re-appoint Turner to lead the Intelligence Committee in the 119th Congress amid, according to one GOP lawmaker, complaints from hard-line conservatives and Trump World about his leadership. Johnson has denied that President-elect Trump played any role in the decision, and a spokesperson for Trump also indicated he did not request the shakeup. The Speaker has the sole authority to appoint the Intelligence Committee chair and GOP members. Crawford, who is in his eighth term in Congress and is starting his fifth term on the Intelligence Committee, had unsuccessfully sought to be chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at the end of last year. In a statement, Crawford echoed the kind of concerns Trump has espoused about the intelligence community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since joining the Committee in 2017, I have witnessed firsthand that abuse within our nations security apparatus has eroded trust in our institutions and compromised Americas ability to gather intelligence, Crawford said in a statement. As Chairman, I will aggressively uphold our mandate to provide credible and robust oversight of the Intelligence Communitys funding and activities. Without aggressive oversight and vigorous protection of Americans Fourth Amendment rights, the IC is prone to give in to mission creep and skirt U.S. laws. In all our work, I pledge to preserve Americans constitutional rights even as we work to support the IC in doing everything required to collect indispensable information from our foreign adversaries. Crawford added that leaks and indiscretions by misguided intelligence staff can endanger Americans and hinder our ability to predict and prevent attacks, and that everyone on the Committee and within the IC must be devoted to secrecy regarding the material we review. Crawford supported renewal of a controversial law allowing the warrantless surveillance of foreigners when they are abroad, Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Its a measure that has earned the ire of the MAGA wing of the party, which sees the intelligence tool as a backdoor for gaining access to Americans and who want to include a warrant requirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner was also a major proponent of the tool, putting him at odds with staunch Trump supporters like Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), a critic of the law and one of the few Intelligence Committee members to vote against extending FISA 702. Renewal of FISA 702 will be a major issue facing this year, as Congress voted to extend the measure for two years pushing what will no doubt be a controversial reauthorization into the Trump presidency. Crawford also voted against a $60.8 billion Ukraine aid package in 2024, saying in a statement at the time: While the entire Western world stands in support of Ukraines fight to expel Vladimir Putins Ukraine invasion force, I cannot in good faith vote to send billions of dollars in non-military financial aid to Ukraine to prop up its economy when Americans are struggling with rising costs at home. Turner, on the other hand, has been a strong Republican supporter of aid to Ukraine drawing the ire of Trump-allied, America First conservatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford has played an elevated role on the Intelligence Committee in recent weeks. He led a subcommittee investigation into the origins of the anomalous health incidents (AHI), also known as Havana syndrome, that have been plaguing some in the intelligence community. In that assessment he departed from the conclusion of intelligence leaders, asserting that as foreign adversary was likely behind the attack. Im convinced that there is a foreign adversary responsible for these. Now to be clear, it doesnt mean all these incidents that have been reported are attributable to a foreign adversary. It just means that the evidence supports that in many cases, Crawford told reporters last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not speculation on my part. This is me telling you we have collected evidence that I can confidently say we can attribute many of these AHI attacks to foreign adversaries. In doing so, Crawford was highly critical of the Biden Administration, criticizing the president for an issue that the county has grappled with since 2016. But he blamed the White House both for a failure to take action and suggested they engaged in a cover-up on the topic. The Biden Administration and IC leadership has sought to hinder the Subcommittees investigation into AHIs to keep the truth about AHIs from Congress and, by extension, the American public, he said, using an abbreviation for the intelligence community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the aisle, Democrats wasted no time bashing Johnsons decision to replace Turner at the top of the Intel panel, accusing the Speaker of catering to the wishes of Trump at the expense of national security. The Constitution demands that Congress function as a check and balance to the Executive Branch, not cater to its demands, said Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the senior Democrat on the committee. Updated at 3:37 p.m. 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. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will not make Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) chair of the House Intelligence Committee in the 119th Congress, a source familiar with the decision confirmed to The Hill. Turner had been the top Republican on the committee, a position selected by the Speaker, since the start of 2022, chosen by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for the role. One Republican lawmaker told The Hill the decision was made after complaints from Freedom Caucus members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Punchbowl News first reported Turners ouster. Johnsons decision to remove Turner comes as somewhat of a surprise. Though the Louisianan had not officially named a chair for the Intelligence panel for this Congress, Turner attended a dinner at Mar-a-Lago with President-elect Trump over the weekend with all the other House GOP standing committee chairs. Its a new Congress, we just need fresh horses in some of these places, but Im a Mike Turner fan, hes done a great job, hes performed valiantly in a difficult time under difficult circumstances. So I have nothing but positive things to say about my friend and colleague, Johnson told reporters as he left the Capitol. One Republican lawmaker familiar with the situation said the MAGA wing of the party revolted over keeping Turner in the post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What I know is that Mar-a-Lago vetoed Turner, the lawmaker said. They vetoed him, and Johnson couldnt resist doing it, and so he got sandbagged because Trump wanted that to happen. The lawmaker noted the move came shortly after an article in Tablet Magazine noting complaints about Turners influence as his deputy pushed to move to the National Security Council. All these people, Freedom Caucus people, went after Turner, got to Trump and told him, You got to tell Johnson to sandbag him. Asked about the claim that Mar-a-Lago pushed Turner out, a Trump spokesperson referred to a post on X from James Blair incoming White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs disputing a report that Turner said Trump requested his ouster: False information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because he will no longer be chair, Turner is set to no longer be on the committee at all. House rules limit membership on the panel to no more than four Congresses, or eight years, in a period of six successive Congresses a rule that does not apply to the chair. Turner joined the Intelligence Committee in 2015. Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the panel, condemned Turners removal. Mike Turner is a serious, security focused lawmaker dedicated at his core to the national security of the United States and to the thoughtful oversight of the Intelligence Community, Himes said in a statement. The removal of Chairman Turner makes our nation less secure and is a terrible portent for whats to come. The Constitution demands that Congress function as a check and balance to the Executive Branch, not cater to its demands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS Newss Margaret Brennan reported Turner told her Johnson fired him after citing concerns from Mar-a-Lago. Asked if Trump had played a role in his decision, Johnson said, This is not a President Trump decision, this is a House decision and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman, he did a great job, but we just, the Intelligence Community and everything related to HPSCI is, it needs a fresh start and thats what this is about, nothing else. One source familiar with Turners office speculated his removal had to do with a cryptic warning he issued about a serious national security threat in early 2024, setting off a national panic and then backlash. The Republican lawmaker said that was also a factor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What youll hear from Johnsons camp is they had to clean up that mess. They had to clean up that mess, and they didnt like that, they said. White House national security communications adviser John Kirby later confirmed the threat pertained to a Russian anti-satellite capability but said it is not an active capability. Turners statement drew backlash from other Republicans, some of whom accused the chair of having ulterior motives behind releasing the statement. It was a remarkable move, with the House Intelligence chair single-handedly forcing President Biden to declassify information he wasnt otherwise planning to share with the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Himes said at the time that Turner had overstepped, adding its something that the Congress, the administration does need to address in the medium to long run. Turner has also been a strong Republican supporter of aid to Ukraine, and supported an extension of surveillance powers known Section 702 in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act both of which have drawn the ire of Trump-allied, America First conservatives. It is unclear whom Johnson will select to replace Turner. Johnson told reporters that he would announce the panels new chair on Thursday. There are a number of vacancies and upcoming vacancies on the Republican side of the committee, due to retirements and members such as Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) and Mike Waltz (RFla.) being selected for Trump administration positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Republican lawmaker suspected that Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) would be the top pick. Crawford has served on the panel for years and recently led an investigation into the origins of Havana syndrome, saying the symptoms may well be the result of a foreign attack . Johnson last year appointed Reps. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) and Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) to the committee, while the remaining Republicans on the panel are holdovers from before he became Speaker. In a statement, Turner said he was proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the Committee, and Im honored to have served with them. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Updated at 10:30 p.m. EDT 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. Speaker Mike Johnson appointed a relatively unknown MAGA loyalist on Thursday to lead the House Intelligence Committee after he stunned colleagues by ousting the previous chairmanwho blamed his firing on Donald Trump. Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas is now set to take over the powerful committee, which oversees the U.S. intelligence community, including the CIA and the FBI. Crawforda former Army veteran and rodeo announceris a conservative hardliner compared to his predecessor, Rep. Mike Turner of Ohio. Crawford voted against certifying the 2020 election results; Turner voted in favor of validating Joe Bidens election victory over Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both moderates and conservatives said they believe Crawford is qualified for the job. But some centrists and national security hawks were fuming at Johnson for ousting Turner. Politically, this is a stupid move by the speaker, one senior GOP lawmaker told the Daily Beast, adding, No one is happy about it. The House member predicted the move could hinder Johnsons ability to govern and pass Trumps legislative agenda, saying, He has created an enemy when he needs every vote moving forward. You cant afford to be putting members in positions where they have nothing to lose. Very poor calculation. Turner told colleagues that Johnson cited Trump as the motivator behind his decision to remove the Ohio Republican from his position. Johnson, however, denied that assertion to reporters on Wednesday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ironically, Turner attended a meeting of House committee chairs with Trump at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend. Honored to spend the early part of the weekend at Mar-a-Lago with President Trump and other Republican House committee chairmen laying the groundwork for the conservative agenda in 2025. pic.twitter.com/90othYZDw1 Rep. Mike Bost (@RepBost) January 12, 2025 Democrats also slammed Johnson for removing Turner from the role, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calling it shameful. Turner came under fire last February for releasing a statement calling on President Joe Biden to declassify information on a serious national security threat, which ultimately turned out to be a serious but non-urgent matter. The move blindsided leadership and sparked calls for his resignation from GOP hardliners, who objected to Turners stance on FISAwhich allows the government to spy on noncitizens abroadand his advocacy for Congress to pass additional Ukraine funding. Since joining the Committee in 2017, I have witnessed firsthand that abuse within our nations security apparatus has eroded trust in our institutions and compromised Americas ability to gather intelligence, Crawford said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner was appointed as chairman by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, and will no longer serve on the intel panel at all. While most chairs and committee assignments are voted on by the steering committee, solely the speaker is tasked with selecting who sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Johnson praised Crawfords experience on the panel and thanked Turner in his announcement. The House Intel Committee will play a pivotal role in this work in the new Congress, and Rick Crawford will provide principled leadership as its chairman, the speaker said in a statement. Outgoing Chairman Mike Turner deserves our gratitude for his leadership and critical work in the 118th Congress, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to tapping Crawford, Johnson tapped Reps. Ann Wagner, Ben Cline, Greg Steube, Claudia Tenney and Pat Fallon to sit on the committee. As Chairman, I will aggressively uphold our mandate to provide credible and robust oversight of the Intelligence Communitys funding and activities. Without aggressive oversight and vigorous protection of Americans Fourth Amendment rights, the IC is prone to give in to mission creep and skirt U.S. laws. In all our work, I pledge to preserve Americans constitutional rights even as we work to support the IC in doing everything required to collect indispensable information from our foreign adversaries, Crawford said in his statement. Jan. 15MURDO, S.D. A New York man with ties to Jamaica was arrested after attempting to steal a FedEx package from a home in Murdo on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, and leading authorities on a 20-plus-mile high-speed pursuit. Delroy Errol Smith, 34, was charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated eluding, a Class 6 felony. The Class 2 felony is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or up to a $50,000 fine, while the Class 6 felony is punishable by up to 2 years in prison and/or a $4,000 fine. According to court documents, the daughter of a Murdo resident called authorities after her father reported a man had entered his home at 604 Main Street around 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 13, tried to take a package, and began demanding items from him. When a Jones County sheriff's deputy arrived on the scene, he observed Smith leaving the home holding the package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer instructed Smith to stop and put the package down, but Smith ignored the commands and got into his vehicle. The officer then deployed a Taser, but it had no effect. Smith proceeded to hit the officer with the car door, backed into the patrol vehicle, and fled through the yard. A pursuit was immediately initiated, with Smith driving recklessly through Murdo, running stop signs and reaching speeds greater than 50 mph. Smith then continued south on U.S. Highway 83, where speeds exceeded 105 mph. The officer briefly lost sight of the vehicle but soon spotted Smith again as he entered Interstate 90, continuing the chase at speeds over 140 mph. During the pursuit, Smith discarded his jacket, which still contained the Taser probes. Lyman County deputies took over the pursuit near mile marker 212, and Smith was eventually apprehended near Vivian on Interstate 90, more than 20 miles away. Smith will appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Feb, 5. SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) On Jan. 14, the Springdale City Council passed a five-to-two resolution to rename the overpass on Watkins Avenue in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The resolution, presented by Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse, was met with support from community leaders and local residents. See below: a view of Martin Luther King Jr. Overpass from US-71. (COURTESY: Google Maps) The Northwest Arkansas chapter of the NAACP also shared the news of the resolutions passage on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northwest Arkansas holds no. 7 spot best performing cities report This is a historic day in Springdale, the post reads. 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 KNWA FOX24. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) A Springfield man will spend the rest of his life in prison after he pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the 2022 murders of John and Gloria Norgaard. On Sept. 11, 2022, deputies from the Sangamon County Sheriffs Office were dispatched to a home on Southwind Road for the report of a person down. Upon arrival, deputies found Gloria with a gunshot wound and later found John, who had also been shot. The Norgaards died from their injuries. Springfield FD investigating after 2 sheds catch fire Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The gun used in the murders had been taken from the home, along with a vehicle that belonged to the Norgaards. The vehicle was found the next day in Macoupin County, occupied by Mark Crites, who was still in possession of the gun used in the murders. Crites was arrested on an unrelated warrant but was then charged with the Norgaards murders. On Wednesday, he pleaded guilty and was promptly sentenced to life in prison; the sentence is required by Illinois law when more than one life is taken. At sentencing, Circuit Judge John Madonia determined that at the time of the murders, Crites had a mental illness as defined by Illinois law. He ultimately ruled that Crites was guilty but mentally ill. Under Illinois law, this verdict is still punishable by imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Sangamon, Menard Co. Crime Stoppers looking for tips on thefts, criminal damage Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the hearing on Wednesday, Judge Madonia heard from a family member of the Norgaards who told the court that they were good people and [Crites] took good people away from us. The court also heard from Crites, who apologized to the Norgaard family. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of John and Gloria Norgaard. Hopefully, the convictions and sentence today helps to bring them closure, said States Attorney John Milhiser. I want to thank the Sangamon County Sheriffs Department for their professional and thorough investigation into this tragic case. This case was prosecuted by Sangamon County First Assistant States Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers. 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 WCIA.com. Debra Stacy a white flag coordinator with the Homelessness Coalition of Southern Indiana, asks lawmakers to reconsider a "squatter" bill on Jan. 15, 2025. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) As temperatures hover in the single digits and snow continues to blanket large swaths of the state, lawmakers are considering a squatter bill that some advocates say will only add to the states growing homeless population by chipping away at tenant rights. This bill literally tries to take power from the court and put it in the hands of the landlord, (who) will then have the wherewithal to kick out individuals who may not have the circumstances in their favor, said James Earl Jones, a recovering addict and a pastor with the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Connersville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quoting Isaiah 58:7, Jones said that God directed his followers to feed the hungry and shelter the homeless. He spoke as one of several community organizers assembled at the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday pushing the General Assembly to provide Care not Cuffs to Hoosiers this legislative session. As a Christian, Im offended that our state and local leaders dont do more towards harm reduction and try to save lives. Tony Hostetler, Hoosier Action Community Organizer He set me free from heroin I could not have done it if God had not been with me, Jones said. So all that I ask, is for us as residents and constituents that we have the same mercy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Bill 157 is one of several bills many with identical language this year that would require police to remove a squatter within 48 hours. Though scheduled a hearing on Wednesday afternoon, a committee chair delayed the bill after the author had a conflict. Indiana Legal Services flagged the bills, saying it allows landlords to bypass courts. (Landlords) file a statement with law enforcement and the police can remove people without a hearing or judicial review, warned the non-profit in a handout. Without court oversight, landlords gain more power to dictate terms and evict tenants unfairly. Tenants may feel pressured not to assert their rights, such as requesting repairs or disputing unfair treatment. Tenants with verbal rental agreements or on month-to-month leases would be especially vulnerable, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In southern Indiana, one homeless person had already died during this months cold snap and another had been hospitalized, said Debra Stacy, who works with the Homeless Coalition in Southern Indiana. Last year sheltering 52 (people) was a big number. This year, Im sheltering about 70 every night. Its a huge increase, said Stacy, whose area includes Floyd, Clark, Scott, Harrison and Crawford counties. Forty-eight hours before police intervention gives nobody any time to render services, said Stacy. It can take her organization five to seven business days to submit claims requesting funding for a specific person. The state may then take weeks to respond too long to assist someone who may only have 48 hours before theyre on the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Im working on someone that has been street homeless for four or five years and Im trying to get them into housing and then they catch the squatter charge or trespassing charge when the authorities could have called me and I could have removed them then now weve created another barrier and it makes my job harder, Stacy said. Reducing drug overdoses Another focus for organizers this session is harm reduction services related to the states ongoing opioid crisis, which has killed thousands of Hoosiers and impacted hundreds of thousands of lives. Community organizer Tony Hostetler urges lawmakers to prioritize Care not Cuffs for Hoosiers facing homelessness and addiction. (Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The Prison Policy Initiative reports that Indiana has an incarceration rate of 721 per 100,000 people, higher than many other countries and above the national average of 614. For Tony Hostetler, a community organizer with Hoosier Action focused on promoting Care not Cuffs, that rate epitomized the states resistance to policies that reduce harm. Harm reduction is set up to decrease social and medical consequences in their environment. Its proven time and time again all over the country that it works and incarceration doesnt, Hostetler said. As a Christian, Im offended that our state and local leaders dont do more towards harm reduction and try to save lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hostetler and other speakers praised an effort to decriminalize drug testing strips that advanced through a House committee that morning, a bill that failed to move the year before. The tool allows a user to test their substances and identify if a particular dose is laced with a stronger drug something that advocates say has saved lives. Current law makes possession of test strips a crime. Harm reduction is not about endorsing drug use, its about acknowledging the realities people face and taking practical steps to keep them safe. Its about saving lives, reducing suffering and creating opportunities for recovery, said Tracy Skaggs, the executive director of Project Recovery. Ive seen how harm reduction opens the door for meaningful relationships. The trust established from these relationships often leads individuals to seek treatment and recovery. Drug overdose deaths have fallen in the most recent year, a sharp reversal after years of more and more deaths. Other efforts to reduce deaths include the distribution of overdose reversal drugs and syringe exchange programs. Advocates pointed to a bill that would expand eligible entities for the latter as an example of legislation they supported. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A St. Cloud shopping center has a new owner after a $17.5 million sale was completed. The Division Place Shopping Center at 2832 Division St. is now owned by Tahoma Cloud Parent, LLC. and Sairam Square Parent, LLC, private investors based at the same address in Frisco, Texas. It was sold by Deerfield, Illinois-based Core Acquisitions in a deal that closed on Dec. 23, according to a certificate of real estate value. Google Streetview The 127,000 sq. ft. shopping center is anchored at one end by T.J. Maxx, with other current retailers including Famous Footwear and Dollar Tree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Twin Cities Business Journal, which reported the sale earlier this week, says the sale was a 1031 exchange, which allows the owner "to swap out one or more investment properties for another, deferring capital gains taxes." Core Acquisitions bought the shopping center in 2017 for $16.1 million, according to Finance & Commerce. St. Cloud's biggest mall, the Crossroads Center, sold last year for $80 million after its previous owner faced potential foreclosure proceedings over missing payments. Related: Lawsuit: Crossroads Center in St. Cloud faces potential foreclosure Show Caption1 of 10 Michele Knutson sits among her possessions Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025, as she gets ready to leave the St. Paul camp she has lived in for the past year. Knutson was one of over 40 people the city of St. Paul evicted from the homeless encampment located near the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. (John Autey / Pioneer Press) Expand Michele Knutson, 37, walked around the encampment at the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary on Thursday, snapping photos of the empty tents she and others lived in before they were taken down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not surprised because this is a sanctuary, Knutson said. Theres time when we give the sanctuary back and thats the reason why its a sanctuary. Though the St. Paul native said she knew the day was coming, she said she found community at the encampment and it was hard to leave. At least 40 individuals many of them Hmong living at the encampment, located off the corner of Payne Avenue and East Seventh Street in St. Paul, packed their belongings and evacuated the space after having been given nine days notice. City officials removed what remained of tents, decor and debris on Thursday. Multiple organizations came to assist in the process and check in on those affected. Our goal is to get everybody indoors, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter said. A clean, safe, warm environment for every individual. The citys involvement The encampment was vacated due to reports of health and safety hazards, according to Carter. On different occasions, police and the fire department were called to the encampment due to tent fires and medical emergencies. Carter said he was notified multiple times of hazards at the encampment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cleanliness and safety conditions here got to a point where our staff recommended closing, the mayor said. Carter said organizations in partnership with the city, including the Homeless Assistance Response Team, have been visiting the encampment long before the notice to relocate was given. According to HARTs Chief Business Officer Angie Wiese, the team began working with the residents in August of 2023. According to Wiese, those living at the encampment were told about the relocation at least a month prior. Residents here have known that this was pretty imminent, Wiese said. Carter said his biggest concern lies with the well-being of the individuals. He said he hopes to present a different approach to homelessness than those of the past. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am concerned that there are people who may go from this to another situation that is not safe, Carter said. Our goal is to keep offering the spaces, to keep building relationships, to keep making sure that were asking and understanding what people need and keep taking care of people wherever they are. From one encampment to the next Everyone in the encampment was offered a one-night stay in a shelter space through Thursday, according to Carter. Some however did not accept and instead are moving to another encampment such as one on Fish Hatchery Road or near U.S. Highway 61, where Knutson is off to next. Related Articles It seemed more like a hub just so we could all find each other because were family, Knutson said. Now that weve found each other were kind of sticking together. Knutson said that though support groups have visited the encampment, she feels the occupants have not received enough help for them to find options outside of homelessness. Knutson said organizations will come and show face but dont speak to people and get to know them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It could be us and not them really, Knutson said. Maybe we werent ready, so I dont want to complain that anyone was doing anything wrong. Knutson is waiting for state and county social service agencies to approve her Group Residential Housing voucher, state-backed housing assistance that has been on hold for her because her paperwork indicates shes enrolled in a different program Minnesota One-Stop which she said she hasnt been involved with since June 2024. Issues in the Hmong community Xianna Moua-Yang and her husband Yeng Moua started Koom Recovery in 2024, with a vision to break the silence of substance use disorder in the Hmong community. Moua-Yang and Yeng attempted to visit the Bruce Vento encampment at least once a week, surveying Hmong members to understand their needs, resource barriers and help people get IDs. Our goal is to help educate, empower and support individuals in the Hmong community, Moua-Yang said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moua-Yang, who said she is a recovering drug addict, said her brother lived at the Bruce Vento encampment and will be moving to another. More than five years ago, Moua-Yang and her brother lived together in a house where the two of them regularly used methamphetamine. My brother through his use and psychosis, he burned my house down so we both became homeless, Moua-Yang said. Moua-Yang said that in the Hmong community, honor is highly valued, especially among families. When a person dishonors their family by engaging in harmful habits, theyre often disregarded and sometimes kicked out. Her drug addiction began when she was forced to marry at 16 by her family, Moua-Yang said. Eventually, Moua-Yang said she found help and went into recovery but her brother did not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes been in recovery for five years and met her husband while at Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. Because of her experience, she presented the idea of starting Koom recovery to her husband. Koom Recovery partners with the Recovery Cafe located in Frogtown, at 499 Charles Ave. They host events like Pho-Recovery where community members and those experiencing homelessness and substance abuse can gather over food and share stories. They also give chemical assessments to help people find treatment and are seeking a grant that will support them in providing IDs. We plan to do a lot of culturally specific things because substance use disorder is a big stigma in our community, Moua-Yang said. We dont talk about substance use disorder, which a lot of these individuals have, and its shoved under the rug. Related Articles Culturally specific resources are important because they can help people better understand their options and provide comfort among community members, Moua-Yang said. Koom Recovery does not discriminate or not include people but their focus is on the Hmong community, they said. They say they have seen the difference it makes. Just talking to people living at the Bruce Vento encampment, being Hmong and coming to talk to these individuals, they open up more and I see the difference, Moua-Yang said. Jan. 15AUSTIN As the 89th Texas Legislative Session (January 14 June 2, 2025) gets underway, arts advocates from across the state are gearing up to make their voices heard. Texans for the Arts Foundation (TFAF) is proud to host the 2025 Texas Arts Advocacy Day (TAAD25) from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5, in Austin. This much-anticipated event will bring together creatives, arts administrators, and arts supporters from across Texas to champion the critical role the arts play in our communities. TAAD25 is your opportunity to join hundreds of other advocates to share your passion for the arts and engage directly in the legislative process. Everyone has a story about how the arts have made a difference in their lives, their families, and their communities. Together, we'll amplify those stories, advocating for robust public support for the arts, the growth of a nation-leading creative workforce, and policies that ensure Texas remains a thriving hub for the creative sector. "As Chair of the Texas Arts Advocacy Day planning committee, I am honored to work with arts advocates from across the state to amplify the importance of the arts in shaping vibrant, economically thriving communities. Texas Arts Advocacy Day is more than just an event it's a movement that brings us together to share our stories and champion the role of creativity in every Texan's life. Together, we can inspire meaningful investments in the arts that will resonate for generations," said Randy Ham, Executive Director of Odessa Arts and Texans for the Arts Board Member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Your voice matters. Decision-makers need to hear your personal connection to the arts as they consider policies and allocate resources that impact the arts across the state. Registration for the event remains open, so don't miss your chance to be a champion for the arts. As a TAAD25 attendee, you'll gain the tools and knowledge you need to be an effective advocate for the arts. The day will feature orientation sessions, advocacy training, and materials tailored to help you make the case for increasing public investment in the arts. These resources will empower you to engage meaningfully with your legislators and their staff, sharing the collective vision for a vibrant, creative Texas. Whether you're an artist, arts administrator, board member, or passionate supporter of the arts, you are already an advocate through your work. TAAD25 will help you take that advocacy to the next level, setting you up for productive and impactful visits with your elected officials at the Texas State Capitol. Post-Event Reception Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the day's activities, TFAF will host a reception from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Austin. This gathering will bring together arts advocates, elected officials, and other supporters to continue the conversation and celebrate the transformative power of the arts in Texas. For more information and to register, visit www.texansforthearts.com/taad-2025. Featured Presenters The day-long event will feature presentations and panel discussion from industry leaders, including: Fiona Bond, Executive Director, Creative Waco, President, Board of Directors, Texans For the Arts Chris Kiley, Executive Director, Texans For the Arts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Gary Gibbs, Executive Director, Texas Commission on the Arts Heidi Marquez Smith, Executive Director / Jenny Parry, Director of Programs, Texas Cultural Trust Scott Joslove, Executive Director, Texas Hotel & Lodging Association Shannon Ghangurde, Lobbyist, Texans For the Arts MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas (KMID/KPEJ)- A Stanton man was arrested earlier this week after investigators said a young family member made a sexual assault outcry. Dylain Louis, 19, has been charged with Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child. According to an arrest affidavit, on January 14, investigators with the Midland County Sheriffs Office were notified that a child was at Midland Memorial Hospital with her mother; the pair presented to the hospital after the young girl told her parent shed been sexually assaulted by a relative. A SANE exam reportedly revealed the child had scaring consistent with sexual assault and during a forensic interview, investigators said the child told them shed been sexually assaulted on multiple occasions beginning when she was three or four years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child identified the offender as Louis, and he was taken into custody that same day. Jail records show the suspect remained in the Midland County Detention Center as of Wednesday afternoon on a $250,000 bond. 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 Yourbasin. WELLS, Maine Starbucks is brewing plans to set up shop in Wells. If approved, the new shop would be built near Route 1, on a piece of land currently part of the Wells Plaza, which is home to Hannaford Supermarket, Flagship Cinemas, Renys and other businesses. The shop would be accessed through the plazas current entrance on Route 1 and would have a drive-through able to accommodate 20 vehicles passing through at a time. Starbucks is eying a new location at the Wells Plaza, which is home to Hannaford Supermarket, Flagship Cinemas, Renys and other businesses. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the Starbucks Coffee Company is known for its hot and iced specialty drinks, pastries, sandwiches, and advocacy for communities and the environment. Locally, a new Starbucks opened in Sanford before the holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wells Planning Board accepted a site plan application for the project during its meeting on Jan. 13. Trillium Engineering Group of Yarmouth submitted the site plan on behalf of Five Star Holdings, LLC, of Biddeford. Five Star Holdings has a purchase and sale agreement with Wells Plaza II, LLC, to buy the 38,770-square-foot piece of property for $625,000, according to town documents. Million-dollar homes: York, Kennebunkport lead York County's top home sales of 2024 Hand-in-hand with the proposal, the Planning Board also accepted an application on Monday for a site plan amendment that, if approved, would allow Five Star Holdings to peel off the property where the Starbucks would be built. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plans call for a 2,500-square-foot Starbucks shop with associated site improvements, such as the drive-through as well as a paved parking lot of 25 spaces, an outdoor patio with seating, greenery, lighting, an enclosure for a dumpster, and more. Eric Dube, the president of Trillium Engineering Group, told the Planning Board that the proposed drive-throughs stacking capacity for cars is the largest in the area. The Starbucks in Saco can only stack nine cars, he added. This graphic shows the layout for a new Starbucks coffee shop that is proposed to be built on land that is currently part of the Wells Plaza on Route 1 in Wells, Maine. Dube said the project would not affect the buildings already at the plaza. Theyre going to be their own island, surrounded by the plaza, he said of the proposed coffee shop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Located near a car wash, the site currently is a parking lot for customers and employees of the plaza. The application proposes stripping the existing pavement down to its base material, clearing trees, removing existing light fixtures, and saw-cutting the site where it joins Plaza Access Drive as well as the driveway thats now there. The site is in the towns General Business District and would be served by the publics water and sewer systems. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Starbucks eyes Wells Plaza for new location on Route 1 This article may contain affiliate links that Yahoo and/or the publisher may receive a commission from if you buy a product or service through those links. There are more than 16,000 Starbucks locations across the United States; chances are, youve probably used one of its cafes as a pit stop for a quick restroom break. Usually, its a straightforward process walk in, use the bathroom, and, at most, you may have to ask a barista for a code to unlock the door. But now, your journey to use the facilities may get a little more complicated because the company is rolling out a major change thatll eliminate this convenient perk. On Monday, January 13, 2025, Starbucks sent an email to all store managers alerting them that the company is planning on rolling out a new policy requiring all visitors to purchase something in order to use its restrooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starbucks spaces are for use by our partners and customers this includes our cafes, patios, and restrooms, the company outlined in its updated Code of Conduct. Additionally, in a statement shared with The New York Times, Jaci Anderson, a Starbucks spokeswoman, said, Implementing a Coffeehouse Code of Conduct is something most retailers already have and is a practical step that helps us prioritize our paying customers who want to sit and enjoy our cafes or need to use the restroom during their visit. Starbucks fans are upset about this new policy. For instance, @Got2gonyc, an Instagram creator who maps out free, clean public restrooms in New York City, shared a post detailing the update. They pointed out that a few years ago Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, introduced the open-door bathroom policy to combat police harassment and create a more inclusive environment at the company. And now, with the brand scaling back on this promise, many people are calling out the move as performative. Im glad somebody remembers. I worked at Starbucks through this and they made so many promises about keeping it an inclusive space where everybody could feel welcome. And it felt like a publicity stunt back then, too, said one user. Another person commented, It was never an open-door policy; most of the time, they wont give you a code unless you buy something. Starbucks new policy will take effect on January 27, 2025, and many wonder if the companys shift is a step toward prioritizing paying customers or a retreat from its original stance of curating an inclusive and accessible environment. Further Reading Why People Are Ditching Their Seltzer After a Disturbing Study The One Cookware Brand That Gordon Ramsay Cant Stop Talking About Ball Just Dropped the Most Beautiful Mason Jars for Its 140th Anniversary ("So Iconic!") Sign up for The Kitchn's Daily newsletter to receive our best recipes, posts, and shopping tips in your inbox. (Bloomberg) -- Since Russias full-scale invasion, the UK gained a reputation for being one of the biggest advocates for aggressive support for Ukraine. But under Prime Minister Keir Starmers tenure, President Volodymyr Zelenskiys administration and its supporters have grown increasingly concerned about Britains more cautious approach. Most Read from Bloomberg Officials close to Zelenskiy have privately expressed disappointment in Starmer for months, and believe hes followed outgoing US President Joe Bidens more wary approach rather than pushing allies to give Ukraine what it needs to win the war outright. Like other officials cited in this story, they asked not to be named discussing sensitive international relations. Starmers office declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With Starmer traveling to Ukraine on Thursday, Zelenskiys team has questioned why its taken the UK premier in office now for more than six months so long. His predecessor, Rishi Sunak, visited Ukraine within a month of becoming prime minister, while former premier Boris Johnson did so less than two months after Russian President Vladimir Putins invasion. A more tentative UK could deprive Ukraine of the sort of partner that earlier in the war drove many of the countrys gains in terms of equipment and weaponry, overcoming resistance by other allies. Britains decision to provide Challenger tanks in early 2023 prompted the US and Germany to follow. In November that year, the UK said it would supply Ukraine with Storm Shadows at the time the longest-range missiles provided. Britain was also first to sign a security cooperation agreement with Ukraine. While Sunak and Johnson would often use private meetings of Group of Seven leaders to try to persuade Europe and Biden to provide more military support and faster and had some limited success in doing so as a newcomer in government, Starmer has tended to take a more deferential tone to the Americans, European officials told Bloomberg. The UK premier instead appears to have fallen in line with the more measured approach taken by Biden and some European leaders like Germanys Olaf Scholz, one of them said. A lower-profile Britain risks ceding greater space to leaders like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni within the Group of Seven nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain is now seen as one of the allies rather than being the leader among European states in backing Ukraine, Orysia Lutsevych, head of the Ukraine Forum at Chatham House, said in an interview. The fact that its taken so long for the prime minister to go to Kyiv is a signal in itself that its not his personal priority and there has been a certain frustration in Ukraine about that sagging role of the UK in supporting Ukraine. Starmer will hope a package of aid hes due to announce Thursday will bolster his reputation as an advocate for Ukraine. The two countries are due to sign a 100-year partnership to deepen security ties, including by bolstering military cooperation, maritime security, and research into space and drones, according to a statement from his office. Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure, Starmer said in the statement. Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level. An air raid alarm and explosions sounded over Kyiv during Starmers visit as air defense fired at a Russian drone flying over the central part of the city. The falling debris damaged a car without causing any casualties, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said on Telegram. Asked about that, Starmer said this is the reminder for all of us of what Ukraine is facing every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Starmer has shown leadership in pushing for harsher sanctions on the shadow fleet of vessels moving Russias oil, Ukraine was particularly frustrated with how slow the prime minister was to allow it to use the storm shadow missiles to strike inside Russia. That permission finally came in November in the wake of US approval and in response to Russia deploying North Korean troops in the conflict. One Ukrainian official says Starmers position was unclear for months and it took a long time for the UK to re-supply Ukraine with the missiles, reducing their impact on the ground at a critical point in the war. It was almost like the UK was hiding behind the US and Bidens cautious approach, Lutsevych said. That undermined efforts on the front line. A Starmer ally countered that Storm Shadows have only been used in strikes in Russia during his premiership, and that hed privately resupplied Kyiv with more of the missiles without fanfare after they ran low on the watch of the previous Conservative government. Starmers administration has also made indefinite a commitment by Sunak to provide 3 billion ($3.7 billion) a year of military aid to Ukraine. Moreover, Defence Secretary John Healey has twice traveled to Kyiv, including on his second day in post, while Foreign Secretary David Lammy has also visited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmers first trip to Kyiv as premier comes just before Donald Trump returns to the White House, a development thats expected to push the conflict into a new phase of negotiation. Zelenskiy and Starmer are expected to discuss the possible postwar deployment of British troops in Ukraine as part of a security package if theres a negotiated settlement. The UK government is in intense discussions about a peacekeeping force, despite refusing to say so publicly, according to people familiar with the matter. Still, theres some resistance from Starmers office and elsewhere in government due to security concerns, they said. We will work with all the allies to guarantee Ukraines security, to guarantee peace and deter any future aggression, Starmer told reporters in Kyiv when asked about peacekeeping troops. It is important to put Ukraine in strongest possible position and thats why finance, military support will also be provided. In another sign of the shifting dynamics among Ukraines allies, France has led on the issue of peace-keepers, with President Emmanuel Macron stepping up pressure on Starmer including at a meeting in Britain last week. Starmers more muted approach to Ukraine has also been noted by British officials who pointed to his decision last month to send Lammy in his place to a key dinner with Zelenskiy, NATO Secretary General NATO Mark Rutte, Scholz and other European leaders. The officials suggested Starmers apparent caution could be put down to being new to government and at times over-reliant on official advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also confusion in parts of Whitehall about why Starmer has chosen to seek a thaw in ties with China, just as Britain and other allies are accusing Chinese companies of helping to arm Russias war effort. Some officials expressed concerns he will side with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves a close ally in an inevitable row between the Treasury and Ministry of Defence on the promise to increase annual defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product from about 2.3% currently. In a time of stretched public finances that have been put under further strain by a recent rise in borrowing costs, Reeves is eyeing cuts to public spending making more likely shell favor a longer timeline to reaching the military spending goal. Its hard to find an area where you can see the footprint of Starmer in relation to recent Western assistance for Ukraine, Lutsevych said. --With assistance from Aliaksandr Kudrytski and Olesia Safronova. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates with Starmer remarks in 10th, 16th paragraphs.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Attorney General is under fresh pressure after he was accused of a conflict of interest over a war crimes inquiry into the SAS. Lord Hermer has already refused to reveal whether he advised the Government on decisions that paved the way for compensation to be paid to Gerry Adams despite having represented the former Sinn Fein leader in the past. On Thursday, a separate conflict of interest issue emerged over Lord Hermers recent representation of families accusing Britains Armed Forces of murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The allegations of extrajudicial killings by special forces are central to the Afghanistan inquiry, an ongoing statutory investigation that will make recommendations to the Government. In an intervention on Thursday afternoon, Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, called for the Attorney General to publicly recuse himself from any involvement in the inquiry. He also questioned whether Lord Hermers recent legal experience would mean he was significantly constrained in his role, and warned that his position may become untenable. Lord Hermers critics say his past legal work will constrain him in his job as Attorney General - Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images He said: The Attorney General should publicly recuse himself from any involvement in the Afghanistan inquiry, and all other recent matters he pursued as a lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never before has there been an Attorney General who has previously taken up cases against the British government to such a degree as Lord Hermer. If he is to recuse himself from cases in which hes acted as he should then his ability to provide legal advice to Government will be significantly constrained. Unless he is transparent and explains how he can perform his role without serious conflicts of interests, his position will become untenable. Sir Ashley Fox, the Conservative MP for Bridgwater, who questioned Lord Hermer over his links to Mr Adams during a select committee session on Wednesday, told The Telegraph the Attorney General needed to seriously consider his ability to objectively advise ministers. He said: Its basic practice to declare conflicts of interest in cases such as these, where the Attorney General has previously acted on behalf of clients against the Government. He needs to seriously consider if he is capable of giving the objective advice that is required of his position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A senior Army source said he hoped that Lord Hermer would recuse himself from the Afghan inquiry, if he had not already done so, in order to provide an assurance of process, adding: Id imagine hed have to recuse himself. Government approach awful A second senior defence source added: Lord Hermer should have nothing to do with this inquiry. This Governments approach to veterans and the military is awful. They cancelled the legacy act and are paying out money to Gerry Adams instead. Its repugnant stuff. In his opening statement on behalf of 33 bereaved Afghan families in October 2023, Lord Hermer set out how he would seek to highlight evidence capable of suggesting that members of the SAS were applying a practice of unlawfully killing Afghan civilians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He clarified that this would entail evidence that they were conducting a campaign of murder, not only obviously a crime in domestic law, but a war crime amounting to grave breaches of the Geneva Convention. Lord Hermer also accused Gen Sir Gwyn Jenkins, a four-star general, of failing to alert the Royal Military Police to potential war crimes when he was a commanding officer of the Special Boat Service. He asked why senior military officers did not disclose a pattern of extrajudicial killings and instead allowed evidence to be buried in a safe for a number of years, meaning that concerns were not acted on and more alleged executions took place. At the time Lord Hermer made those comments, the General was in line to be appointed as national security adviser, one of the most senior aides to the prime minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Sir Keir Starmer became Prime Minister the following year, one of the first decisions he made was to block the appointment. On Thursday, the Attorney Generals Office refused to confirm whether Lord Hermer had advised on that decision, citing the Law Officers Convention. Sir Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary who ordered the public inquiry into claims that Afghan men were killed by special forces between 2010 and 2013, called on Lord Hermer to recuse himself from legislation pertaining to the Troubles because of his links with Gerry Adams. Sir Ben, who said it had been alleged that Lord Hermer had been recused from the SAS inquiry, also defended Gen Sir Gwyn. Speaking to The Telegraph, Sir Ben said: On two occasions I appointed and promoted General Jenkins. He is an outstanding officer of the highest quality, and it is not only disgraceful how he was treated having been fairly appointed national security adviser in an open competition but to now see him denigrated further by smears and innuendos is outrageous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called on the Defence Secretary to protect [Gen Sir Gwyns] reputation and career from such unwarranted behaviours, including from the likes of the Attorney General, who in his previous role maligned him in front of the court. A senior source within the Ministry of Defence told The Telegraph that Gen Sir Gwyn was respected at the highest level within the organisation. Another senior military chief told The Telegraph: I think it does bring his [Lord Hermers] objectivity into question, specifically as his comments were not based on fact, rather on speculation and hearsay. I think at the very least our Attorney General should adhere to his own professions standards and conventions and law in that a person is innocent until proven guilty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The row over Mr Adams centres on sections of Troubles legislation that would have denied the former Sinn Fein president and some 400 other Republicans taxpayer-funded payouts over their detention in prison in the 1970s for suspected involvement in terrorism. Labour decided to repeal the law last year after the Northern Irish High Court ruled that the Tories legislation was incompatible with human rights laws, and it has laid a draft order in Parliament to do so. On Wednesday, Sir Keir insisted that he wanted to find a way to block Mr Adams and other Republican detainees from claiming compensation despite remaining committed to repealing the Troubles legislation. Downing Street officials declined to say how he might achieve this. It was reported on Thursday night that Lord Hermer was paid 30,000 to represent Mr Adams against IRA bomb victims in 2022 and 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Attorney General received 24,000 for advice and preparing court filings and 6,000 to appear at a hearing, according to The Times. On Wednesday, Lord Hermer defended his right to have represented the former Sinn Fein leader but refused to say how Mr Adams paid him for the case. He told MPs that the law officers convention, enshrined in the ministerial code, precludes any minister from saying whether the law officers have been asked to advise on any given issue, let alone what we have advised. Despite mounting questions, on Thursday Lord Hermers office again refused to confirm whether he had advised ministers on decisions relating to previous clients, including Mr Adams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lord Hermer is the first Attorney General without parliamentary experience since 1922, which means he was involved in cases right up until his appointment. In another case that could raise a potential conflict of interest for the Attorney General, in 2020 he represented Shamima Begum, the Islamic State bride, when she argued that she should have been allowed to return to the UK to take part in a case against the then home secretary. Sources close to the Governments chief legal adviser said the public could be assured there were rigorous systems in place to ensure that law officers would not be consulted on any cases that could give rise to a conflict of interest. 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. PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) State Attorney Larry Basford announces Brea Dearing to the circuits felony prosecutorial team on Thursday. According to a news release, with experience in both criminal and civil litigation, Dearing brings a wealth of knowledge and a deep commitment to justice. This position is particularly interesting to me as someone who loves this area of the state and is passionate about ensuring that it continues to be a safe place for families to live and work, Brea Dearing said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 13 Pet Adoption Option: Phyllis and Pheven Dearings legal career includes four years as an assistant public defender, where she managed cases ranging from juvenile matters to homicide. She is a graduate of the University of Florida and earned her law degree from the Florida State University College of Law. State Attorney Larry Basford welcomed Dearing to the office. 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 mypanhandle.com. State Farm said Thursday it was expanding an offer to renew residential policies it had intended to drop last year to all Los Angeles County customers. The decision applies to policies held by homeowners, owners of small rental properties and residential community associations facing non-renewal notices that had not gone into effect as of Jan. 7, when the Los Angeles fires began. Read more: First, they lost their home insurance. Then, L.A. fires consumed their homes Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, the insurer told the Times it would offer renewals on those terms to any policyholder affected by the Palisades, Eaton and other fires that broke out in the county. The insurer estimated that it would apply to roughly 70%, or 1,100, of the 1,626 residential policies it had in Pacific Palisades' primary 90272 ZIP Code when last year it announced a slate of non-renewals. The offer does not apply to policies that had already lapsed when the fire started on Jan. 7. State Farm is the largest home insurer in the state and has 250,000 residential policyholders in Los Angeles County. The Department of Insurance said that among the thousands of policies State Farm had targeted for nonrenewal, more than 7,600 were in the Palisades fire zone. There were also 525 more in San Gabriel Valley's Eaton fire and additional policyholders elsewhere but an exact number was not available. It's unclear how many of those policies, or others outside the fire zones, had already lapsed prior to Jan. 7. However, State Farm said about two thirds of the policies it had targeted for non-renewal are still in force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This decision reflects our commitment to supporting our customers and goes beyond the Department of Insurance's request. This is an evolving situation, and our focus remains on our customers," State Farm spokesperson Bob Devereux said Thursday. Read more: What happened on Wednesday, Jan. 15 during a red flag warning for more Southern California fire weather State Farm said in March that it would not renew roughly 30,000 homeowners, rental dwelling owners and residential community associations, as well as business properties. It also said it would stop offering commercial polices to apartment owners and not renew roughly 42,000 of those policies in place. Renter's policies that insure a tenant's belongings were not affected. Rental dwellings are defined as having one or two rental units, while commercial apartment policies cover three or more, State Farm said. Residential community associations include homeowner and condominium associations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That decision by the Bloomington, Ill., insurer has drawn outrage given the enormous scale of the Palisades and other fires in Los Angles County, which have damaged or destroyed more 12,000 structures and killed more than two dozen people. State Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara had urged insurers last week to suspend pending nonrenewals in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones. State Farm is setting the tone for other insurance companies to follow and we are going to push for this for other companies as well," Lara spokesman Michael Soller said Thursday in response to State Farm's latest announcement. Lara announced this week he had expanded the boundaries of a moratorium he issued last week that bars insurers from issuing new cancellation or nonrenewal notices for one year. It applies whether or not homeowners have suffered a loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The expansion adds 22 ZIP Codes to Pacific Palisades and Eaton fire zones, and for the first time protects homeowners living in the Hurst, Lidia, Sunset and Woodley fire zones. The insurance commissioner does not have authority to suspend nonrenewals previously sent to policyholders. Soller said that under existing law if policyholders were notified about a nonrenewal but the policy was still in effect and they experienced a "total loss," State Farm is required to offer them two policy renewals anyway. However, that law does not apply to damages that are less than a total loss. Devereux said that the policyholders with total losses would get two renewals, as required by law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: State Farm wont renew 72,000 insurance policies in California, worsening the state's insurance crisis State Farm said Thursday it has received more than 7,850 home and auto claims and has already disbursed more than $50 million to fire victims numbers it expects to rise. Jon Farney, chief executive of State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., parent of California subsidiary State Farm General, told the Times in an interview Tuesday that the fires already are the largest wildfire disaster the insurer has ever experienced. State Farm is the largest property and casualty insurer in the country. Read more: Insurance commissioner issues moratorium on home policy cancellations in fire zones Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are in the business of helping people recover, and that's exactly what we're doing right now to those impacted by the fires. It's just such a horrible tragedy," he said, before State Farm suspended its pending non-renewals in the L.A. County fire zones. However, he said it was too early to determine the damages, though at least one estimate has put them over $200 billion, which could exceed Hurricane Katrina and make it the most expensive disaster in the nation's history. "This early in this kind of event, especially as it's still ongoing, we don't have information of how big the event is going to be for us, let alone for the industry," he said. He called the company's decision in March to not renew 72,000 policies very difficult, but said it was driven by calculations that State Farm could not afford to take on more risk due to the possibility of being overwhelmed by claims in a catastrophe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You have to manage the amount of concentration that you have and the financial risk that you have, so we are positioned to ensure that we can keep our promises," he said. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Under the cover of darkness, Michelle slipped out of her car to squat down in the middle of the street. With her vehicle as her home, she had no other option for immediate relief. Content warning: This article contains graphic descriptions of domestic violence. If you are experiencing violence and need help, go to www.thehotline.org, call (800) 799-7233 or text start to 88788. She was pregnant and not very much in control of her bladders whims. Even if she could hold it long enough to make it elsewhere, there werent any free public restrooms for someone like her homeless, unshowered and not able to spend the little money she had to buy a snack in exchange for a cafe bathroom code. She looked up as she hiked her pants back up. Amid the urgency, she failed to see she wasnt alone. Passersby and onlookers gawked at her, some grimaced. She was humiliated, she said. How we did it: Data on domestic violence and housing The Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team surveyed 150 women from July through October 2024 across eleven womens daytime and overnight shelters throughout the Pacific Northwest. But every time she had to let her pants slink to her feet and unsteadily crouch down, humiliation was not what made her cower. Instead, she feared the worst a man taking advantage of her vulnerable position to rape her. Her anxiety is shared by others in her situation. The Lee Enterprises Public Service Journalism Team surveyed 150 women at daytime and overnight homeless shelters across the Pacific Northwest. A majority 65% said lack of access to secure bathrooms made them feel unsafe or put them in a dangerous situation. And 45% said they believe that predicament led to health issues like urinary tract or bladder infections. In this report, Lee Enterprises omits full names of domestic violence victims to protect their safety and identity. Michelle, 45, often tried to ignore her bodys demand as long as she could. She had already experienced decades of violence. The risk wasnt worth it to her. Of the women surveyed, 57% said they had been physically or sexually assaulted at some point while experiencing unsheltered homelessness often after they already fled an abusive partner. But most cities, such as Portland where Michelle now lives, do not offer many safe, clean, accessible or free restrooms despite public health experts acknowledging the very real, very ordinary need. Portland reduced its unmanned portable restrooms from 120 during the pandemic to just 10, which cost $78,000 annually to operate, said Cody Bowman, city spokesperson. A city employee in March submitted a proposal to create supervised restrooms, but city leaders did not follow through because of budget constraints. There is a tremendous amount of shame and embarrassment and dehumanization that stems from not having access to a restroom, said Corinne Feldman, a physician assistant for the University of Southern California Street Medicine team, which provides care for unhoused people. There is also a mental health toll from that. It is a signal from society that we dont want you in our restroom or even near us. A simple solution Before Michelle resided in her car, she said, she lived in a beautiful 3,400-square-foot home in southern Washington. In the walls of that home, away from the eyes of police or neighbors, her husband fostered fear. Once, he slammed her head into the ground until she stopped moving, she said. Homeless mothers seek supportive housing, substance use disorder services to break cycle To break free from the domestic abuse and to protect her children, Rachel experienced homelessness in hopes of something safer on the other side. He set up cameras to monitor her in their home and car. He wrapped her purse strap around her neck and told her to watch herself die in the mirror, she said. When she fled to domestic violence shelters, he found her by pinging her phone. If the police did show up, his personality changed, she said. He was charming. He talked about his time in law enforcement. He joked and made small talk until the officers left. The first two years of our relationship, he was my best friend, Michelle recalled. The next four were absolute hell. He was abusive in every single way. I went to the hospital many times. Police showed up many times. Everyone believed him. He had tried to kill me. It was simply a gift from God when I got away. She thought nothing would feel less dignified than what she experienced at home. But finally escaping to another city and perfecting her ability to hide from him came with an onslaught of new indignities related to her lack of housing that ate away at her self-worth. I can remember walking around in pain because I couldnt find a bathroom, Michelle said. I have peed myself because of not wanting to get out of the safety of my car and having no place to go. Forcing her body to resist the urge led to kidney stones three times, she believes. One lodged in her ureter, causing sepsis. It landed her in the hospital for five days in 2022 as she waited for antibiotics to course through her body. My kidneys were working overtime since I was pregnant and holding my urine in, she said. Feldman said access to restrooms, particularly to toilet paper or other hygiene products, can reduce the chance of health issues such as urinary tract infections. And for those experiencing homelessness who do become ill, lack of medical access compounds those symptoms. While someone with health care access might immediately get a prescription to treat the infection, unsheltered women are less likely to because they often lack transportation and access to primary care doctors. They also often feel judged by emergency room staff for experiencing homelessness. Addressing womens health needs with street medicine is far more effective than hoping unhoused women are all going to come into the clinic, Feldman said. And the only way to overcome their hesitancy to come in is developing relationships with people on the street. Forcing women who need to urine to expose themselves in public creates a constant reminder of their vulnerability, and risk of sexual assault another traumatic experience unhoused women often fear seeking care for in hospitals, Feldman said. Without immediate treatment after a sexual assault, which those who are unhoused are far more likely to suffer, victims can miss the opportunity for medications that could reduce the chance of HIV, gonorrhea or chlamydia developing, Feldman said. Women who have just experienced sexual assault have a lot of hesitancy for many reasons to seek care, Feldman said. The compounding layer of discrimination related to homelessness further decreases their desire to want to go in. Without a stable life and access to regular health care, Michelle opted for an abortion soon after her hospital stay. She recovered in her car after the procedure without the comfort of a private, clean restroom. Even a lot of (Portland) parks have closed and locked their public restrooms because people were sleeping in them or overdosing in them. It seems like the city would need to have the bathrooms manned to ensure they are properly used, she said. I dont think the city has the money for that. But other city leaders across the West Coast have prioritized safe restrooms, including San Francisco and Los Angeles. The city of angels, struggling to wrangle the sprawling trauma of homelessness in its own right, dug up the funds for secure restrooms aimed at the unhoused population. In the current fiscal year, the city spent $4.6 million on 16 Pit Stop Program locations, which offer toilets, handwashing stations, hygiene products, information about local support services and staff to monitor for safety and cleanliness. The facilities offer 51 toilets and 71 full-time staff members at the 16 sites throughout Los Angeles, largely situated in non-coastal neighborhoods stretching from Hollywood to Chinatown and down to South Los Angeles, with just one site in Long Beach. The sites receive nearly 1.1 million visits per year, said Paul Gomez, a spokesperson for the city. The program is a start, though it still hasnt fully addressed the need for abundant, secure 24-hour sites. While most of the locations are open 12 hours, just three are open around the clock in a city that can take a day to cross on foot. The program is managed by the city and contracts with Five Keys and Christ Centered Ministries, who staff locations. The nonprofits hire local residents, especially those in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, to manage the sites as part of the citys workforce development opportunities. By providing a safe place for people to take care of their bathroom needs with dignity, privacy and safety, we were able to help in improving community livability while reducing human waste from the sidewalks, doorways and streets, the programs description says. Christ Centered Ministries says staff is their key to success. Without eyes on the facilities, the toilets would very likely spiral into the chaos that caused many cities to nix their portable toilet programs, namely, becoming sites of hazardous waste, substance use, prostitution and rape. The workers not only clean the toilets but clean the sidewalks and spaces around the sites, hoping to offer neighbors little to complain about. Feldman said she and her team have often utilized the Pit Stop Program bathrooms while doing medical outreach work on the streets of Los Angeles. For women, those monitored bathrooms are a reassurance they will be safe or safer using it, she said. And they really do a phenomenal job of keeping them clean and making sure no one is bothering you. It is a very tenable solution. Michelle wishes similar programs had existed in the Pacific Northwest when she was still experiencing homelessness. The Pit Stop program offers toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, wipes, soap, razors and feminine hygiene products. Its the tampons and pads she wished she had access to at the time. I am not a thief, but women do steal pads and tampons if they cant afford them, Michelle said. But I couldnt break my own moral code, so I would go dumpster diving in hopes of finding new clothes to wear when my pants got soaked in blood. Portland nonprofits serving women hand out feminine hygiene products, but it was not always practical for Michelle to get across town to fetch them when needed. I did notice you can get tampons and pads for free in places that homeless people dont typically go, she said. New Seasons Market leaves them in their bathrooms for free, and places where people with a lot of money go like the Broadway theater, those bathrooms have them. Experiences innate to being a woman become harder when homeless, Feldman said. Michelle now has a bathroom of her own in a one-bedroom apartment subsidized by Portland housing nonprofit, Do Good Multnomah. While homeless, she saved money by working for DoorDash delivering meals out of her car. Now, she works at a nonprofit that helps others experiencing homelessness. She said she was forced to quit her nursing job when she saw the sliver of a chance to flee her husband years ago. She hopes to one day regain her expired nursing license. Michelle knows firsthand that housing is the key to success, but providing resources to address safety and health concerns for other women while they slug through the housing process could allow them to live long enough in safety to finally access those coveted apartments. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Millions of dollars are now available for low-income households in need of repairs or replacements to heating units after Hurricane Helene. North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services begins accepting applications for Disaster Energy Assistance funds on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Residents in the 25 identified disaster counties may apply for funding for repairs to heating systems or purchases of new heating sources. Eligible households may also use the money for utility bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the funds are vital to keeping people safe during the colder months. Our friends and family in western North Carolina will feel the impacts from Hurricane Helene for years to come, said Carla West, Division Director of Human Services for Child Support, Economic Services, Aging, and Operations. We are only midway through winter, and these funds are critical to keep residents safe and warm as they continue to recover and rebuild. The counties eligible for Disaster Energy Assistance are Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. To be eligible for the relief funds, households must have: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Income equal to less than 60% of the state median income Residency in one of the 25 disaster-declared counties Been impacted and suffered a loss because of Hurricane Helene Applicants should contact their countys Department of Social Services either in person or over the phone. Assistance will vary depending on how much each household requires, but there is no listed maximum amount of funds per applicant. Households can also apply for the NCDHHS Low Income Household Energy Assistance Program. The General Assembly approved $9 million in state funds to assist with heating-related costs. Officials said the program will be available until the funds are depleted. MORE FROM QCNEWS.COM Hurricane Helene Aftermath 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 Queen City News. A Washington state gun shop is suing over the state's ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines. (Alex Wong/Getty Images) The fate of Washington states ban on the sale of high-capacity firearm magazines now rests with the state Supreme Court. This week, attorneys for the state and a southwest Washington gun shop challenging the law made their cases to the justices. Lawyers for Gators Custom Guns argued the ban on selling magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds violates the clause of the state constitution that protects the right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself, or the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects firearms that are in common use and are typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes. Just the simple fact that citizens of the nation and the state have overwhelmingly chosen magazines of capacity more than 10 rounds necessarily leads to the conclusion that they are used for self-defense, said Austin Hatcher, an attorney from the Spokane area. Theyre used for lawful purposes. On the other side, lawyers from the state attorney generals office argued the prohibition should stand because these magazines arent necessary for a gun to work. Since they are accessories, the ban doesnt violate the state or federal constitutions, they argued. Solicitor General Noah Purcell called the magazines the universal tool of choice in mass shootings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nothing in Washingtons constitution or the Second Amendment requires states to allow the sale of firearm accessories that have virtually no utility for self-defense and, instead, are routinely used in mass shootings, Purcell told the justices. Washingtons ban on high-capacity magazine sales took effect about two and a half years ago. The state is among at least 14 nationwide with similar restrictions. These laws have attracted lawsuits as lower courts work through how to interpret a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that set new limits on gun regulations. Justice Sheryl Gordon McCloud asked Purcell if components of a gun, like a barrel, are not technically a firearm, does that mean the state could ban them? A restriction impairing the right to bear arms would be a problem, Purcell conceded. But the magazine law does not cross that line, he said, because there is no firearm that requires a large capacity magazine to operate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Purcell also argued people defending themselves dont need more than 10 rounds. Hatcher countered that the state constitutional right goes beyond self-defense. Legal lingo Arguments in the dispute center on several U.S. Supreme Court rulings over the past two decades. In a pair of cases, District of Columbia v. Heller in 2008 and McDonald v. City of Chicago in 2010, the high court ruled individual Americans have a right to bear arms that must be respected under federal, state and local laws. But the Heller ruling also said Second Amendment rights are not unlimited and set out a test for deciding whether weapons could be regulated because they are dangerous and unusual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If a weapon is dangerous and unusual, then the government can prohibit it, explained Joseph Blocher, the co-founder of the Duke Center for Firearms Law, in an interview last week. If it is not, that is if it is in common use for lawful purposes, then it cannot be prohibited. More recently, the Supreme Court ruled in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen that state firearm laws must adhere to the nations historical tradition of firearm regulation. Thats left judges having to infer how modern weapons like large-capacity magazines and semiautomatic rifles square with laws written more than a century ago. Hatcher argued there is no historical precedent to underpin Washingtons ban on the sale of the magazines. I dont think there are any analogous laws, and the only ammunition capacity laws were from the Prohibition era, which is much too late, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Purcell said the comparison doesnt have to be so specific. He used the example of Bowie knives. As the knives rose in popularity in the 1800s, laws cropped up to ban them. The situation today with ammunition magazines is similar, he argued. There doesnt have to be a twin regulation from the late 1700s for something that didnt exist in the late 1700s, as is the case here, Purcell said. What we look for is the principles that underlie old laws and whether theyre consistent with principles underlying the current law. In a recent application of Bruen, federal appeals court judges struck down a federal law prohibiting some people under restraining orders from having guns because it wasnt in line with law when the U.S. Constitution was ratified. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned that ruling last year. In doing so, the justices noted courts could use general principles, not just exact matches, when comparing modern gun laws to historical regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Blocher noted laws like Washingtons have largely been upheld across the country, so in essence, I would think the state should have some reason to feel confident. But even Justice Steven Gonzalez acknowledged the difficulty of applying the evolving tests the U.S. Supreme Court has laid out for gun laws. Im confused by our national Second Amendment jurisprudence, and Im confused by Bruen, Gonzalez said. How we got here Democrats passed the ban on large-capacity magazine sales on a party-line vote in 2022 after years of trying. Gators Custom Guns in Kelso filed a legal challenge to the ban. Then-Attorney General Bob Ferguson responded by suing the shop, owned by Walter Wentz, alleging it had flouted the new state law by continuing to sell the banned magazines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview after Tuesdays hearing, Wentz said the states bans on high-capacity magazines and assault weapons led to a 40% decrease in sales at his shop. Last April, Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor struck down the law, finding the ban violated the Second Amendment and language in the state constitution granting a right to bear arms for self-defense. Within hours of Bashors decision, at the request of state attorneys, a state Supreme Court commissioner agreed to put a pause on the ruling so the prohibition could remain in place. A couple weeks later, the commissioner, Michael Johnston, extended the stay until the case was resolved and it remains in effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both sides asked the state Supreme Court to hear the case. Justices agreed to do so last June. Wentz said Tuesday he was surprised how impartial the justices appeared. On Monday, the Legislature began its 105-day session, in which Democrats hope to pass a number of new gun laws. One would require a state permit to purchase firearms. Others would restrict guns in parks frequented by children, public buildings and county fairs and ban bulk purchases of ammunition. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Washington State Standard, like Oregon 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. Washington State Standard maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Bill Lucia for questions: info@washingtonstatestandard.com. ILLINOIS The movement among Illinois counties to separate from Chicago and Cook County to form a new state continues to grow. Those for separating point to things like high taxes and a shrinking influence at the state capital for wanting to secede from Illinois. Voters in 33 Illinois countiesnearly one-third of the states 102 countiesincluding multiple counties in the St. Louis region have now approved non-binding ballot measures saying they no longer want to be part of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 48 counties now have committees actively working to advance the issue. Indiana has now come calling. Todd Huston, R-Indiana, speaker of the house, said, Instead of seceding and creating a 51st state, they should just join us. Missouris lieutenant governor wants to address illegal immigration, repealing abortion initiative Hes introduced a bill to create an Indiana-Illinois boundary adjustment commission to look at making disheartened Illinois counties part of Indiana. At least they understand the legitimacy of what were doing, Virgil Straeter of Highland, Illinois, said. He heads the Madison County committee for a group called the State of New Illinois. The group is drawing up its own state constitution but is not looking to join Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you took Cook County out of Illinois, the balance of Illinois has more geography, more commerce, and more people than the state of Indiana, he said. The objective of New Illinois is to allow people who do not want to be part of the Chicago establishment to be able to have a place to go when Cook County has more voting power than the rest of the state we have, as they said in the revolutionary war, taxation without representation. However, Article IV of the United States Constitution says, No new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress. McKendree University mourns loss of water polo coach in I-44 crash Illinois Republican State Rep. Charlie Meier, whose district includes Highland, supports separation but says support in Congress is highly unlikely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont see it happening. If they allow Illinois to split off, what happens if California wants to split? They could end up being five states even or (let) Texas split up I am a strong Trump supporter, but I dont believe were going to go in to take Canada. You make statements to prove a point, Meier said. Hes introduced a joint resolution for a state constitutional amendment to allot one state senator per three contiguous counties, which would give down state Illinois a senate majority instead of Chicago, which now dominates both houses of the Illinois General Assembly. Counties with a million residents or more would each get their own senator. This, he says, is more doable and far less sloppy than trying to add a 51st star to the American flag. 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. When world events become increasingly difficult to explain, it's not surprising when conspiracy theories that offer seemingly plausible reasoning take hold among the population. One of those conspiracy theories concerns chemtrails. Believers suggest that the white lines left in the sky by aircraft are from the spraying of toxic chemicals like bioavailable aluminum by planes over the Earth. As Mother Jones pointed out, those who push this theory suggest that these substances are released for "mass sterilization or mind control." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, there is no evidence to support this theory, with those white lines created when condensed water vapor from airplane exhaust crystallizes in cold air. But that hasn't stopped supposed chemtrails from becoming a government issue. In Tennessee, a ban on geoengineering practices such as chemtrails and cloud seeding has been pushed forward, per NBC, while Florida has also introduced a bill to ban weather modification. It's difficult to ban something that isn't happening in the first place, but regardless, the possible introduction of these restrictions into law further adds fuel to the conspiracy theory fire, pushing the idea further into the public consciousness and painting the individuals who put forth these bills as public saviors. With Robert F. Kennedy Jr. set to be nominated as health secretary under President-elect Donald Trump's administration, we could be set to hear about chemtrail theories a lot more. The 70-year-old has stated his belief the activity is occurring on social media, and since it's gaining traction among voters, it's likely to be spoken about more often. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's not to say that some weather engineering doesn't exist. Cloud seeding, for example, has been used to encourage snow or rainfall in drought-hit areas. This is achieved by releasing silver iodide into clouds, and according to the Desert Research Institute, it has been utilized in California, Nevada, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, North Dakota, Utah, and Idaho. However, according to a study summarized by Earth.org, this only brings a 10% to 15% increase in precipitation. It doesn't solve drought issues completely, but it can alleviate some of the water-sourcing problems this extreme weather event brings. Do you worry about air pollution in your town? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind But weather engineering has been cited by conspiracy theorists as a way to create hurricanes or make them stronger, forcing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to step in and explain that this simply isn't possible. Conspiracy theories like these take focus away from the actions that we can actually take to solve issues. For example, weather engineering talk stops us from making positive changes to reduce the risk of extreme weather events, such as moving away from dirty fuels, harnessing renewable energy, and encouraging more sustainable industrial practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Jan. 15HAZLE TWP. Pennsylvania State Police at Hazleton are seeking assistance in finding Eliezer Santana charged for his alleged role in the fatal shooting of Rolando K. Cepeda outside an auto repair garage nearly two years ago. Santana, 18, is the third person charged in the deadly shooting outside Performance Auto Repair on West 23rd St. on April 14, 2023. Reymer Gonzales, 19, of Hazleton, is facing charges of criminal homicide, aggravated assault and three counts of criminal conspiracy in Luzerne County Court while Ismael Valdez Batista, 19, of Mahanoy City, Schuylkill County, is awaiting sentencing after he pled guilty to criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cepeda was sitting on a stool outside the auto repair garage when he was approached by two men wearing masks and shot multiple times, according to state police. Cepeda was flown to Lehigh Valley Hospital Cedar Crest, where he died on April 15, 2023. A second shooting victim, Carlos D. Jorge, survived. Gonzales and his attorney, Thomas C. Clemens, appeared earlier this week for a status conference before Luzerne County Judge David W. Lupas. Clemens has filed motions seeking to prohibit prosecutors from using chat logs and videos from social media apps. During a motion hearing in July, assistant district attorneys James L. McMonagle and Brian A. Coleman introduced a video that was live-streamed on a social media app that allegedly depicted Gonzales bragging about Cepeda being in a body bag. The livestream, in which Gonzales allegedly used the screen name Joca Grxmes, was broadcasted the night Cepeda was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Batista was alleged by state police of being the driver of the two gunmen. Santana is facing charges of criminal homicide and aggravated assault. Anyone with information about Santana's whereabouts is asked to call the Pennsylvania State Police at Hazleton at 570-459-3890 or anonymously at 1-800-472-8477. A June 24, 2024, view of flood damage that occurred the previous night at McCook Lake in southeastern South Dakota. (Courtesy of Dirk Lohry) PIERRE The state of South Dakota has received notice that it could be sued by McCook Lake property owners, who say their community suffered catastrophic damage as a direct result of flood diversion efforts carried out by state and local officials. In June, record rainfall fueled a record flood that destroyed or damaged dozens of homes in McCook Lake. It also carved deep scars in the land, uprooted trees and disrupted utilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some residents said they were blindsided by the results of a temporary levee that the state helped local authorities construct across Interstate 29 to divert Big Sioux River water toward the lake. The temporary levee connected with permanent levees as part of a system designed to send overflow water into the lake, where it could drain toward the Missouri River. The plan had been executed before, but never with so much water coming down the Big Sioux. Some state and local authorities have defended the action as necessary to prevent a bigger catastrophe in nearby and more-populated North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes. Hunter Roberts, secretary of the state Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, mentioned the potential litigation Thursday while appearing before a legislative committee at the Capitol. South Dakota Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources Secretary Hunter Roberts briefs the state Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Jan. 16, 2025, at the Capitol in Pierre. (Joshua Haiar/South Dakota Searchlight) State Sen. Kevin Jensen, R-Canton, asked Roberts about allegations that the state decided to sacrifice the McCook Lake area to save North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state is going to get sued over this, Roberts said. So, I dont think its in our best interest to go into the weeds on this. Roberts said modeling indicated that the levee added 8 inches of water to McCook Lake, but was not responsible for all of the 8-plus feet of water that went through there. He added that local officials made the decision to build the temporary levee. North Sioux is the one that made that final determination, Roberts said. We executed. Some residents said they were not properly warned of the severity of the flooding, and didnt realize floodwaters were being diverted toward them or what the impact would be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the afternoon of the June 23 nighttime flood, local, state and federal authorities held a press conference in North Sioux City. None of the authorities in attendance clearly explained that the temporary levee was intended to direct Big Sioux River floodwaters toward McCook Lake. When somebody in the audience asked what McCook Lake residents should do, Gov. Kristi Noem said they should protect their personal property, because we do anticipate that they will take in water. Thats what were preparing for, Noem said during the press conference. If we dont, then thats wonderful that they dont have an impact, but they could see water flowing into McCook Lake. Noem flew out to a political fundraiser in Tennessee that evening. While she was there, water suddenly swamped homes around McCook Lake, causing residents to frantically flee and triggering rescue efforts by emergency responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noem declined to call out the National Guard for the flood preparation or response, saying it would be extremely expensive and that the Guard should only be used for a very crisis situation. McCook Lake resident Morgan Speichinger, whose house was inundated, said the flood was devastating. So, the community down here got together and are filing a lawsuit, she said Thursday. South Dakota Searchlight obtained a copy of the formal notice of claim sent to the state. The notice is a procedural step that provides the defendant in a potential lawsuit the opportunity to investigate and respond to the claim prior to litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The notice attributes the execution of the flood diversion plan to the state departments of Transportation, Public Safety and Emergency Management, as well as Union County and its Department of Emergency Management, and North Sioux City. Noem defended the handling of the flood Tuesday during her State of the State address. We know that planning can only go so far in preparing for a 1,000-year flood, she said. She also announced a group of state and local officials who responded to the flood as recipients of her Governors Award for Heroism. On Friday, Noem will appear in Washington, D.C., for a hearing on her nomination to lead the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The department includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known by the acronym FEMA. Images of the June 23, 2024, McCook Lake flooding and aftermath. Jan. 15The state has teamed up with San Juan College in northwestern New Mexico to offer a new workforce training program in the environmental cleanup industry. The new Careers Remediating Environmental Waste, or CREW, program offers focuses on uranium reclamation and mediation, with classes at San Juan College in Farmington starting in February. "We are excited to be a part of this partnership opportunity," said Lorenzo Reyes, San Juan College dean of workforce and development, in a news release. "San Juan College has a rich history of innovation, industry collaboration and preparing our graduates with the in-demand skills." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Northwestern New Mexico was once a hub for uranium mining and is a prime location for natural gas exploration today. CREW program participants could receive $2,000 monthly stipends, child care assistance and help with housing and travel expenses, if deemed eligible by the college. The New Mexico Environment Department and New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions also helped launch the program. DWS Secretary Sarita Nair said in a statement that climate resilience and natural resource management are two top areas for workforce development outlined in the state's workforce plan. "CREW will be a strong step towards meeting our goal to invest in the talent that will take care of the state that we love," Nair said. Campaign signs for former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the respective GOP and Democratic presidential nominees, appear Sunday, Oct. 20, 2024, on Mount Desert Island in Maine. (Photo by Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom) If every state adopted Nebraskas unique system of awarding its Electoral College votes for president which provides one electoral vote to the winner in each congressional district and two per state to the overall winner President-elect Donald Trump would have still won the White House. But his margin of victory would have been slimmer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Nebraska Examiner analysis found that Trump would have won the popular vote in 229 congressional districts compared to wins by Vice President Kamala Harris in 206 districts, according to results compiled by national political analyst Drew Savicki. Trump would have secured another 62 electoral votes by winning the statewide popular vote in 31 of 50 states, giving him 291 electoral votes, 21 more than needed to win the White House. That result under a district-led system would have resulted in Trump winning 21 fewer electoral votes than were cast for him Monday, based on the current system of counting electoral votes, in which 48 states award all the electoral votes from those states to the popular vote winner statewide. His margin of victory over Harris would have been a narrower 291-247. How the election worked in 2024 The real 2024 vote, based on the winner-take-all system used by every state except Nebraska and Maine, gave the Republican nominee a victory margin of 312 to 226 over Harris, the Democratic nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The analysis comes as the Nebraska Legislature is poised again to consider whether to rescind the states unique system of awarding electoral votes and return to a winner-take-all approach, the law in the state until 1991. This time, Nebraska provided four of its five electoral votes to Trump two for winning the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts and two for winning the state overall. Harris secured one by winning in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District. Two political science professors asked to comment on the Examiners analysis said they were not surprised by the results. The so-called district system used by Nebraska and Maine would rarely make a difference in the election outcome, they said. Randy Adkins of the University of Nebraska at Omaha and Dona-Gene Barton of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said theres no doubt that using the district system has brought additional attention from campaigns and the media to Nebraskas 2nd District, the so-called blue dot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It did so because it has delivered electoral votes to Democrats three times since 2000 in a Republican-dominated state. Most of the time, it doesnt make a difference, Adkins said. What the change might mean But if all states adopted the system of awarding electoral votes by congressional district, more presidential campaigns would be spread out across the country, instead of focusing mostly on a handful of battleground states, Adkins said. All of a sudden, Republicans are campaigning in California and Democrats in Texas, he said. In this past election campaign, the UNO professor said he was interviewed by 200 reporters, from as far away as Japan, Austria and France. Most wanted to know about the possible impact of the blue dot on the outcome of the November election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Omaha got national and international attention from that, Adkins said of the district approach to electoral votes. It puts Omaha into discussions that didnt exist before. Had all states adopted Nebraskas system, it would have made a difference in an outcome at least once: Americans would have elected Mitt Romney president in 2012 rather than Barack Obama. Obama won the popular vote by nearly 5 million votes and won in the Electoral College by a 332-206 margin. But if the electoral votes had been divided up by who got the most votes in each congressional district, Romney would have won by a margin of 273-262 three more than needed for the White House. Nationally, some Republicans sought for a time to change the way their states divvied up electoral votes from a winner-take-all system to the district way because of the 2012 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But generally, Republicans have preferred the Electoral College because it tends to favor GOP candidates, who do better in rural, less populated states and do worse in big cities and more populated states. Public opinion polls, meanwhile, regularly indicate support for getting rid of the Electoral College, which is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, and using the popular vote for president. Democrats have favored such a switch. After all, two Democrats, Hillary Clinton in 2016 and Al Gore in 2008 won the popular vote but lost the presidency in the Electoral College. Given that Trump won both the popular and electoral votes in 2024, there hasnt been as much talk of ditching the Electoral College. A major gripe about the Electoral College is that it gives each state two votes for the popular vote winner in that state one each of its two U.S. senators. That means that the nations least-populous state, Wyoming, with about 585,000 residents, has as much clout in that regard as the biggest state, California, which has a population of nearly 39 million. Former President Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Detroit, Mich., on Oct. 22, 2024. (Photo by Andrew Roth/Michigan Advance) Nebraska Republicans eye blue dot In Nebraska, GOP leaders, led by Gov. Jim Pillen, have long called for returning to a winner-take-all system. He maintains that it would allow the states voters to speak with one voice, and end the undue influence of the Omaha-areas blue dot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defenders of the district system, meanwhile, say it allows voters voices to be heard in states like Nebraska where the politics in each congressional district are different. Republicans in Nebraskas GOP-dominated Legislature made two last-minute tries in 2024 to get rid of the district system after anxiety rose that Nebraskas 2nd Congressional District, in a possibly close election, might tilt the election to Harris. As it turned out, Harris win in the blue dot didnt matter, because Trump easily won the election after sweeping nearly all seven battleground states that swing back and forth between favoring Democrats or Republicans. That is another common criticism of the winner-take-all approach, because a nationwide election comes down to a few battleground states and tend to ignore the others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former State Sen. Mike McDonnell, a Democrat-turned-Republican, was a critical no vote against switching to winner-take-all despite his change of political party. McDonnell, who is now a candidate for mayor of Omaha, said the current district system brought increased attention and campaign spending to the Omaha area that would disappear if Nebraska adopted a winner-take-all system. The way forward Harris win in the Omaha area was the third time that a Democrat had emerged as the winner in the 2nd District. The other wins came in 2008 by Obama and in 2020 by Joe Biden. The latest win has prompted Pillen to again urge the Legislature to do away with the states district system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Loren Lippincott of Central City proposed Legislative Bill 3 on Thursday that would shift the state to a winner-take-all system. It would award all five of the states electoral votes to the statewide winner of the presidential popular vote. Whether or not that happens is up in the air Republicans have 33 senators in the Legislature, enough to fend off a filibuster and pass a change in voting laws. But it remains to be seen if every GOP state senator would support such a switch. At least a couple want state voters, at the ballot box via a proposed constitutional amendment, to decide. Adkins said that 150 years ago, there was more discussion by states about switching to a district system similar to what Nebraska and Maine use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said states can adopt the district system without amending the U.S. Constitution, which he said would be easier than amending the constitution to get rid of the Electoral College. Barton, the UNL professor, said she doesnt see any momentum nationally to get rid of the Electoral College, given that Republicans control both houses of Congress and the White House. She said changing back to a winner-take-all system would end the political attention focused on the 2nd District, because Nebraska, as a whole, has reliably voted for Republican candidates for the past 60 years. I think that would be a bad move for Nebraska, if the state wants to be part of the election campaign, Barton said. Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Aaron Sanderford for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. The Iowa Capitol on Dec. 20, 2024. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Proposals dealing with voter registration and raising penalties for assaults on law enforcement officers and first responders are top priorities for Iowa elected officials for the 2025 legislative session. As top Iowa officials like Gov. Kim Reynolds and Supreme Court Chief Justice Susan Christensen are giving speeches on their goals for 2025 this week, other statewide elected officials have weighed in with their priorities. Before the session started, these leaders and others with state departments and agencies released several bills they are hoping lawmakers will take up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One proposal would create of threat assessment teams with immunity from civil liabilities that would be tasked with attempting to prevent school shootings. Another includes a ban on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investment practices in public pension funds. A majority of the proposals released as prefiled bills from Republican officials for a legislature with Republican supermajorities in both chambers. The only Democrat to hold statewide elected office is Auditor Rob Sand who has proposed legislation on subjects like addressing the accountant shortage in the state through state income tax exemptions for audits and examinations of governmental subdivisions, like cities and schools, as well as an expansion of the Public Innovations and Efficiencies (PIE) program. Government efficiency The bill proposes requiring the state auditors office to prepare an annual report on best practices for maximizing the efficient use of public funds with innovative, practical, and common sense items not requiring legislative action. This is an effort the auditors office is already implementing through the PIE program, Sand said in a news conference Wednesday. If the Legislature, the governor wants to improve government efficiency, then making sure that this program that already exists and is running will continue into the future, that would be a great thing to do in order to improve government efficiency, Sand said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government efficiency was a topic that came up in Reynolds Condition of the State speech Tuesday night as she announced the creation of a state Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force, based on the proposed DOGE presidential advisory commission to be established under President-elect Donald Trump. Reynolds said Iowa has been doing DOGE before DOGE was a thing, but that the state task force will look for new ways to make state government more efficient in addition to working with local governments. Sand said he was supportive of Reynolds efforts to make government more efficient through DOGE, and asked for collaboration with the state auditors office. If shes going to have a task force of volunteers, and that is fantastic, because those folks will be giving their time in this pursuit of efficiency for the taxpayers, Sand said. We are hoping that they will be working with our office and working with the PIE program, because we have been working on this very issue already for six years. And not only are we working on it, but were actually making quite a big impact across the state. Checking citizenship, voter registration Many of the other proposals from statewide elected officials are not issues that came up in Reynolds or legislative leaders addresses but have come up in discussions following the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is calling for lawmakers to pass a measure that would allow his office to contract with state and federal agencies, in collaboration with private vendors, to verify citizenship information on registered voters. The proposal comes in the wake of contentious guidance Pate issued to county auditors two weeks before the November election to challenge the ballots of 2,176 registered voters who the office identified as potential noncitizens. Pate said the guidance was needed because the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services was unwilling to share the citizenship status of these individuals, who the Secretary of States office flagged because the individuals had identified themselves to the Iowa Department of Transportation or another government entity as not being U.S. citizens within the past 12 years before going onto vote. Though a majority of these individuals were likely naturalized U.S. citizens, at least some did not have citizenship and could not legally participate in Iowa elections. Critics argued that the guidance discouraged naturalized citizens from casting regular ballots in the election, and the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the directive on behalf of naturalized citizens and the League of United Latin American Citizens. Pate has repeatedly argued the guidance was only necessary because the USCIS would not share citizenship information on people identified as potential noncitizens and said the legislation proposed this session would prevent a similar situation in the future by ensuring this information is shared ahead of elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont want to see the voter having to be hassled, if you will, when it comes to coming into the polling places and to question their legitimacy as a voter, Pate said. Lets do our work on the front end here before they get there. House Speaker Pat Grassley said in December that House Republicans would be willing to engage in that conversation on making changes that allow the Secretary of States office more access to federal and state databases for voter list maintenance. Raising penalities for assaults on law enforcement Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird has proposed legislation this session that she said addresses a growing problem assaults against law enforcement. The FBI reported that 2023 had the highest reported rate of assaults on officers in the past 10 years. Birds proposal would raise multiple penalties related to assaults on law enforcement officers and first responders. Assaults involving a dangerous weapon or meant to inflict a serious injury will rise from a class D to class C felony charge, and assaults causing bodily injury will rise from an aggravated misdemeanor to a class D felony for people in these professions. For all other assaults, charges would be heightened from a serious misdemeanor to an aggravated misdemeanor charge with a minimum sentence of seven days in jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spitting on law enforcement officers, first responders and corrections officers would also be added as a punishable assault under the bill. No one should be attacked for doing their job, especially when their job is to keep us safe, Bird said in a news release on the proposal. Our law enforcement and first responders heroes deserve our respect and appreciation. But instead, we have seen an increase in assaults on our law enforcement, like violent attacks or spitting on an officer. This bill ensures that any criminal who assaults a law enforcement hero gets the penalty they deserve. In December, Bird also proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow Iowa child crime victims to testify in court in a separate room from their alleged abusers. The proposed amendment would reinstate the use of a live, closed-circuit video link for children and Iowans with intellectual disabilities who are testifying in court in these crimes. The practice was already in place in Iowa until a 2024 Iowa Supreme Court ruling that overturned the conviction of a man arguing that it was unconstitutional for two victims to testify against him from a remote location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa is the only state in the nation that currently does not allow for closed-circuit testimony in these cases, according to the AGs office. Before the ruling, Iowa courts allowed child victims to testify in a separate room in cases where prosecution showed evidence that in-person courtroom testimony could cause additional trauma to the child. As a mom and prosecutor, I will never stop fighting to protect kids, Bird said in a statement. I know how hard it is for kids to be arms length in court from the criminal defendants who brutally beat or sexually molested them. Our constitutional amendment will restore closed-circuit testimony to protect kids in court and bring criminals to justice. If passed, the amendment would have to be approved by the Legislature again in 2027 or 2028 before going to Iowa voters on a general election ballot for a final vote. MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) The Midland Police Department held a press conference Wednesday afternoon, providing statistics of the crime rate, which has decreased over the past few years. 2021 12,021 2022 12,516 2023 11,698 2024 11,102 As you can see from the table above, there was a slight increase from 2021-2022 but then it decreased the following year with nearly 1,000 fewer crimes committed. That trend continued last year as nearly 600 fewer crimes were committed. It is becoming a more of a safer place and that makes me very happy, says Interim Chief Greg Snow. It makes me feel like everybody else. Its always great to move forward. We dont want to stay where you are because whatever got you here isnt going to keep you here. We want to build. We want to build up the stronger community. We want to build up relationships with our citizens, with each other, with other law enforcement agencies. Homicide 28.57% Robbery 25% Assault 12.64% Burglary 16.71% Larceny/Theft 6.51% Motor Vehicle Theft 18.93% Below is a map of the hot spots where the most crimes were committed. The first map is from June 2024, while the second is from October 2024. MPD has initiatives in place to combat these crimes, such as the safe passage initiative which addresses traffic complaints, and the speeding campaign where MPD says they will begin targeting school zones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPD is also looking to continue to build relationships with those in the community with events such as Coffee with a Cop that way they can get an understanding of issues that locals have. 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 Yourbasin. With just days until Trump returns to power, Hamid Alizadeh and Jorge Martin from the International Secretariat of the Revolutionary Communist International met for another episode of Against the Stream to break down the news of the world from a Marxist perspective. This episode, they discussed the recent announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza. With Biden, Starmer and the Arab regimes celebrating this as a victory, the hosts of Against the Stream looked at the real terms of the deal, which, as they discuss, is a cynical, imperialist peace. In fact, the same deal has been on the table since May 2024, when it was opposed by the US and the UK. In the meantime, Gaza has been reduced to a wasteland and tens of thousands of Palestinians have been murdered. They also discussed Trumps America First policy, which has big implications for US imperialism and its relationship to its friends and foes. Trumps bombastic announcements most notably that he would seek to negotiate with Putin to end the Ukraine war and that the US would annex Greenland, Panama, and Canada represent a shift in the attitude of US imperialism, which has dispensed with any cover for its rapacious, imperialist policy; has begun to acknowledge that it cant rule the whole world at the same time; and is looking to divide the world up into spheres of influence. Most of all, this has huge implications on the US' relationship with Europe, which, in spite of its alliance, is finding itself increasingly sidelined and undermined. Finally, they discussed an editorial in El Pais which decries Elon Musks recent intervention in European politics. El Pais, a billionaire-owned media outlet, which has repeatedly intervened in politics, criticises Musks X a billionaire-owned social media outlet, which has been used to intervene in politics. In fact, El Pais goes as far as to defend the recent cancellation of elections in Romania in defence of democracy! Against the Stream is live on YouTube every Thursday at 3pm GMT. You can also listen to it on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Stalking can impact anyone at any time. January marks Stalking Awareness Month, and with the advancement of technology, stalking has become easier to do and harder to track. Stalking is illegal in all 50 states in the United States, said Sergeant Tom Gill with the Sioux City Police Department. We do see situations of stalking in Sioux City, which we try to, as a police department, when we get those reports, we try to get that stopped right away, whether it be first a warning, discontinue that behavior. If it does continue this pattern, then it usually leads to an arrest. Union County Sheriff looking for missing teen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unless police have enough evidence for an arrest, theres no way a victim of stalking or harassment can get a protection order in the state of Iowa. That leaves victims with few options. With technology nowadays, people create all these different numbers, fake numbers, that theyre sending them messages or fake accounts through Messenger or Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Margarita Mireles with SafePlace said. And its so horrible when they go and report it. And also, officers typically suggest for them to document and obviously to reported. I always say if you dont report it, its like it didnt happen so you have to leave some sort of paper trail. If someone does reach out via social media, Gill recommends that you not respond. Gov. Reynolds announces school cell phone ban policy, new state DOGE task force in Condition of State Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social media, youre going to want to first block that person, Gill said. Youre going to also report that to the administrator of the social media account. And if it continues again, you should make a police report so that the police have a record of that, so that down the road, if that person needs to be charged, arrested, that can happen. We have our crisis line, which is 24 hours a day, seven days a week,, Mireles said. Theres always someone you can talk to if youre going through a situation. We have our shelter and we have advocates up in the community, and any time, services are free and confidential. If you are being stalked or harassed, dont hesitate to make a police report and reach out to SafePlace if needed. 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Gov. Josh Stein, shown here signing an executive order during his first week in office to speed recovery in Hurricane Helene impacted counties, signed another order on Thursday committing his administration to the protection of abortion rights. (Photo courtesy of the Governor's Office.) Gov. Josh Stein issued an executive order Thursday supporting access and privacy for abortion, contraception and reproductive health care. The order from Stein, a Democrat, comes days before Donald Trump is sworn into office for a second term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to state-level restrictions on reproductive health care access following Dobbs [v. Jackson Womens Health Organization], there is a risk that the federal government will soon similarly begin restricting access to reproductive health care services, Steins executive order says. Abortion is banned in North Carolina starting after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Steins order directs state agencies under his purview to protect medical professionals that provide relevant care, as well as reviewing and, if necessary, revising policies about the records and data they collect during care. Our state has seen alarming attacks on womens reproductive rights over the past few years, and I remain committed to doing everything in my power to protect womens freedoms and their privacy, Stein said in a statement. I am directing my cabinet agencies to take specific action to protect women and health care providers from extreme anti-reproductive freedom laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stein, holding a governors office in North Carolina that is weak relative to many other states, does not have the power to unilaterally alter the states laws. He can only veto or sign into law bills sent to him by the legislature, controlled by Republicans. It remains to be seen whether the Trump administration will pursue further restrictions on reproductive care. Abortion opponents have urged restrictions on mifepristone a form of medication abortion but Trump himself has been unclear where he stands. Other hypothetical restrictions could come through Title X, Medicaid, or the use of mail for abortion medications. Read the executive order here: EO8-ReproductiveRights An Arkansas woman and her husband were arrested and charged in connection with the drowning death of her 2-year-old son, who was repeatedly thrown into a pool in an attempt to teach him how to swim, authorities allege. Annastacia Atkins, 24, and Dakota Shawn Hays, 29, of Van Buren, were arrested on Monday, Jan. 13, and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the June 2024 death of the boy, according to an arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE. Atkins was also charged with permitting the abuse of a minor, according to online jail records, while Hays faces a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boy died on June 17 from a prolonged lack of oxygen to the brain, three days after Atkins and Hays called 911 because the child was unresponsive after swimming in a pool at Hays aunts house, according to an affidavit for warrant of arrest, filed Thursday, Jan. 2 and obtained by PEOPLE. The child also suffered from multiple traumatic injuries to the head, face and torso that were in various stages of healing, indicative of repeated trauma over time, an autopsy found, according to the affidavit. When deputies arrived at the familys home on June 14, Hays said he had spent the day teaching the boy and two other children, a 6-year-old girl and a 4-year-old boy, how to swim, the affidavit says. It is unclear whether they are the children of Atkins or Hays. After swimming all day, the family took a break for dinner, the affidavit says. After dinner Hays and the 2-year-old went back to the pool to swim while everyone else got ready for bed, the affidavit says. 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. About 45 minutes later, Hays came back into the house to tell her something was wrong with the 2-year-old, the affidavit says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the affidavit, Atkins the child's body was freezing after he was taken out of the pool. Atkins allegedly said the boy's eyes were stuck and his arms were sticking straight out in front of him, locked into place. Atkins said the boys heart and breathing had stopped. She said that when she started pushing on his chest, he choked up water, according to the affidavit. When Hays spoke to deputies, according to the affidavit, he "said the three kids would hang onto him on the chest and he would grab their noses and sink to the bottom with them, sit there and go back up to the surface." The couple maintained that the injuries were accidental and that the boy's symptoms were likely related to the days swimming, the affidavit states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Atkins allegedly also voiced concern to the deputies, claiming Hays had been aggressive with the boy in the past, the affidavit said. Detectives began investigating and learned about the 2-year-olds past injuries and that the two other children had allegedly been abused, according to the affidavit. The 4-year-old boy said he almost drowned as a result of being thrown into the pool by Hays, the affidavit alleges. The 4-year-old said Hays and Atkins would physically punish him, hitting him with a stick on his head, knees and feet, the affidavit alleges. When detectives interviewed the 6-year-old girl who was there, she said Hays pushed the 2-year-old under that water and that he did not want to swim but Dakota would throw him into the pool, the affidavit alleges. She said Hays threw the 2-year-old into the pool repeatedly and that she would have to go retrieve him from the bottom of the pool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hays is being held in the Crawford County Jail on a $1 million bond. Atkins is being held on a $750,000 bond. It is unclear whether they have retained attorneys who can speak on their behalf. If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages. Read the original article on People Incoming White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller stopped by Capitol Hill Wednesday to ask for help sketching out President-elect Donald Trumps signature mass deportation plan. Miller, an alum of Trumps first administration, called on GOP lawmakers to unify and quickly move on immigration legislation during a huddle with members of the Republican Study Committee. He said lawmakers should prioritize figuring out a funding number that would allow the administration to carry out mass deportations of undocumented immigrants, according to sources in the room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He talked about how the cost of immigration is costing this country and he used the example of if an illegal has four children they have the same rights and privileges to the gimmes that Americans do, health care, education, all of that, Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told the Daily Beast, noting he didnt lay out any specifics on immigration proposals during the meeting. He opened it up to questions, but he had a lot of emphasis on getting something done. Trump will be sworn in, and the time to go is now, Norman added. Everybody is stressing that weve got a short a short timeframe and weve got to come together. He said we all need to come together, another lawmaker added. Millers appearance at the RSC lunch comes as Republicans begin to strategize on plans for a sweeping reconciliation billwhich allows the party in power to bypass the filibuster in the Senatewith immigration policy expected to be a key component in the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are highly unlikely to rally behind the package Republicans put out on the matter, which will complicate its chances. Republican lawmakers are working with a razor-thin margin, with leadership tasked with rallying their members around a massive bill that is expected to include language on issues that have been polarizing between different factions of the GOP in previous years. Trump recently told GOP senators he plans to sign an executive order on deportations on day one, the Associated Press first reported. Jan. 15A man who says that a "hit squad" of employees at the Youth Development Center held him down and raped him more than 25 years ago will take the witness stand for the third time, this time in the criminal trial against Stephen Murphy. Prosecutors say Murphy raped the then-14-year-old boy who was being held in a staircase of YDC's East Cottage in 1998. The trial started with opening statements and the first witnesses on Wednesday in Hillsborough County Superior Court in Manchester. In this case, Murphy, 55, of Danvers, Mass., faces one count of aggravated felonious sexual assault, but has other pending cases involving three other boys. He also has three other pending cases connected to alleged abuse at the YDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murphy is the fourth former youth detention worker to face a jury on charges connected to an investigation of widespread abuse at the facility in the 1990s and 2000s. The jury is made up of 12 men and one woman; one will eventually be named an alternate. Prosecutor Audriana Mekula started her opening statement by showing the jury an intake picture of Murphy's accuser, Michael Gilpatrick, who has filed a lawsuit against the state and has spoken publicly about the abuse he says he endured while being held at YDC as a youth offender. He didn't tell anyone about the rape for years after he left YDC. Gilpatrick was carried to the staircase after a confrontation in the office of Bradley Asbury, who was the house leader at the time, Mekula said. Two workers, including Asbury, held him down as Murphy raped him and another forced him to perform a sex act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This trial is about how Mike was raped," she said. "It is not about revenge. It is not about money. It is about how this defendant, Stephen Murphy, raped Mike forcibly while he was being held down." Gilpatrick has testified in David Meehan's civil trial against the Department of Health and Human Services and the criminal case against Asbury, 70, who was found guilty in November for his role in holding down Gilpatrick. Asbury is set to be sentenced on Monday. On Monday, the gallery inside Courtroom 1 was full with more than 40 people in support of Murphy. During a break, he greeted and shook hands with many of them. Murphy has denied the assault, with his lawyer, Charles Keefe, pointing to more than a dozen inconsistencies in the alleged victim's story and "a multi-million dollar" lawsuit he filed against the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Stephen Murphy didn't rape Michael Gilpatrick. Stephen Murphy did not slam Michael Gilpatack to the floor, like he is going to claim," Keefe said. He showed floor plans of East Cottage, which has since been torn down, to suggest to the jury that Gilpatrick would have been carried and assaulted in an area typically full of people. "There will not be a single witness to that," Keefe said. Mekula asked to approach Judge Amy Messer as Keefe posted a slide of the inconsistencies between what Gilpatrick told police in May 2020 and his testimony. Keefe clarified that the information would be used to impeach Gilpatrick's prior statements. Keefe also said records show that the four men were not scheduled to work at the same time. The two others allegedly involved in the rape, Jeffrey Buskey and James Woodlock, also face criminal charges. jphelps@unionleader.com COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) Sources say a new frontrunner has emerged for Ohios open Senate seat, which should be announced sometime this week. Sources said Ohio businessman and co-chairman of the Department of Government Efficiency Vivek Ramaswamy has emerged as a possible frontrunner for the appointment. Ohio State LGBTQ+ scholarship under review after affirmative action reversal Ramaswamy removed himself from consideration back in November, but now things may change. The Washington Post reports that President-elect Donald Trump is encouraging Ramaswamy to take the seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two days after Novembers election, Ramaswamy said he wants to have the biggest possible impact on this country, using his skills, and about the open U.S. Senate seat, he said it was a discussion. Trumps decisive victory on Tuesday opens up a lot of possibilities to change the country, he said on Nov. 7. Were obviously having discussions. Ramaswamy, at the time, said he cares immensely about Ohio and the future of the state, adding his family has no plans to move. Were rooted, he said. I was born and raised in the state. We want to raise our kids here for a reason. How an incoming law will affect Ohioans access to police body camera video Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That same day, Gov. Mike DeWine, who is charged with making the appointment, said he was not going to give anything up about who he is considering or not considering. Im not going to go through names, Im just not going to do it, DeWine said on Nov. 7. And still, two months later, DeWine has stayed mum about who he is going to send to Washington to fill Vice-President-elect J.D. Vances seat. The most DeWine has said on the matter are details like what kind of person he is looking for, and the fact that dozens of people are interested. We have great people in the state of Ohio who could serve very well in the United States Senate, DeWine said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeWine wants to name someone to the post who he is confident can win a statewide election and retain the seat in 2026, then run again in 2028 for a full six-year term. DeWine said he would not rule anyone out, even if they have no experience as an elected official, like Ramaswamy. I dont think we should start saying that theres only one background to be a United States Senator, DeWine said. Ohios EdChoice program: What is parents choice in education? Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, on the other hand, has an extensive political background and is considered a frontrunner by some. He said last week that he is considering all his options but did not specify whether he is even interested in being sent to the U.S. Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How does this play into the 2026 governors race in Ohio? When Husted became DeWines lieutenant governor, DeWine vowed to put his support behind Husted come 2026. DeWine is still supporting a possible Husted-for-governor run and has said recently that he thinks Husted will make a great governor. Ramaswamy has also been rumored to be eyeing a 2026 governors bid. Now the big question is who will Trump support? Trumps endorsement has proven important in Ohio. He endorsed both Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) in the three-way Republican primary in 2024, which helped get him the win, as well as endorsing Vance during his run for U.S. Senate in 2022, also helping secure his win. Ramaswamy is close with Trump, so the question is whether Ramaswamy gets the endorsement over Husted to push him over the edge in a Republican primary for governor. Former Statehouse candidate becomes Ohios first openly trans city councilmember Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeWine said a pending Trump endorsement in that race is not a consideration for his Senate pick. Thats not a factor, DeWine said. Were not waiting for anything at this point. Several other names rumored to be on DeWines short-list and can be found here. An announcement is expected sometime this week. Vance is set to be sworn in as vice-president on Monday. 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 NBC4 WCMH-TV. The Caddo Parish Civil Rights Heritage Trail project is expanding its scope with a new series designed to help historic villages, towns, neighborhoods, and/or cities in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, investigate three different versions of their communities: the past, the present, and the future. Team members include Dr. Gary Joiner, Mik Barnes, Jaclyn Tripp, Dr. Laura Meiki, Dr. Jolivette Anderson-Douong, Dr. Amy Rosner, Dr. Rolonda Teal, and Brenton Metzler. This months focus is the Stoner Hill neighborhood. In Stoner Hills origin story may surprise you, Dr. Gary Joiner (Professor of History at LSU Shreveport) taught us that Stoner Hill is older than the city of Shreveport. In part II of our series on Stoner Hill, well learn two things: 1) How Stoner Hill got its name, and 2) How Stoner Hill was connected to Americas Civil War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And no, Stoner Hill wasnt named to honor chiefers, hippies, ganjapreneurs, or members of the Marley or Joplin families. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) During the Civil War, the high ground on the northern portion of Stoner Hill was home to significant defensive works. These included the largest of four forts, Fort Turnbull, located on the high bluffs adjoining Clyde Fant Parkway and north of East Stoner Street. Fort Turnbull was an anti-shipping fort on the Red River, built to stop the Union Navy from attacking Shreveport. The defensive ring of fortifications within the neighborhood included the eastern anchor of an earthen wall and four artillery batteries (upper and lower Fort Turnbull and batteries I and II.) Digital LIDAR (LIght Detection And Ranging) GIS map of Fort Turnbull. Higher elevations are in light green. Lower elevations are in darker greengeoreferencing, research, and Cartography by Gary D. Joiner, Ph.D. Fortifications are in red. The defensive walls are in brown. The Federal Patent Survey Map of Township 17 North, Range 14 West in Caddo Parish, Louisiana, 1856, updated information and showed land owner grants and tracts. On the townships northern boundary are fields owned by James G. Campbell and Thomas B Hinkley, who own a tract adjoining Coates Bluff village. The old post office site was owned by WO. D. A portion of the Federal Patent Survey map of Township 17 North, Range 14 West (1856) Caddo Parish, Louisianaa copy of the original at the Louisiana Land Office, Baton Rouge. During the Civil War, Confederate engineers created a map as they built the defenses for Shreveport. It was drawn under the supervision of Major Richard Venable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Venable Map is significant to the story of Stoner Hill for several reasons. It shows Bayou Pierre reopened with three intake channels, a farm with an enclosed pasture owned by a family named Donovan, and a fenced area above the eastern terminus of East Olive Street. The map included no information on the south of East Olive Street. Digital map of a portion of Environs of Shreveport and its Defences Surveyed by C. U. Lenoir drawn by Lieut. Heilfreich under the direction of Major Venables (sic), Engr. Corps C.S.A. Copy in the Archives of Noel Memorial Library, Louisiana State University in Shreveport. Georeferencing, research, and Cartography by Gary D. Joiner, Ph.D. Fortifications are in red. The defensive walls are in brown. The topography is dark gray. The next important information concerning Stoner Hill is found on the 1873 Map of Shreveport, Surveyed and Drawn by Wm. R. DeVoe, City Surveyor. DeVoe was a former Confederate engineer stationed in Shreveport who stayed after the war. Sometime before August 1873, DeVoe completed a thorough Shreveport map detailed at the city lot level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mid-August that year saw the outbreak of the great yellow fever epidemic that killed one-quarter of the citys population and infected half of the pre-epidemic populace. Digital copy of a portion of the Map of Shreveport, Surveyed and Drawn by Wm. R. DeVoe, City Surveyor. Surveyor, 1873. Copy in the Archives of Noel Memorial Library, Louisiana State University in Shreveportgeoreferencing, research, and Cartography by Gary D. Joiner, Ph.D. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DeVoe Map yields more valuable information. We learn where Stoner Hill got its name. Section 32, Township 18 North, Range 13 West, was owned by the Stoner family in 1873. The Stoner family had a large commercial business that included a nursery, a beef packery, and a soap factory. The necessary feeding lots and pastures for the horses and cattle were not shown on the map. A steamboat landing must also be located there to move the livestock and finished product transshipment. And now you know where Stoner Hill got the name. This article is the second in a series of articles on Stoner Hills incredible history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 KTALnews.com. Jan. 16 (UPI) -- NASA astronaut Sunni Williams, one-half Boeing Starliner crew who have been stuck on the International Space Station for months, took part in a spacewalk on Thursday to do some repairs to the orbiting laboratory. Williams joined astronaut Nick Hague in the spacewalk to remove and replace a rate gyro assembly that helps provide orientation control for the ISS, install patches to cover damaged ares of light filters for an X-ray telescope and replace a reflector device used for navigational data on one of the international docking adapters. Williams has been on the ISS with astronaut Butch Wilmore after arriving in Boeing's new Starliner spaceship several months ago. A problem with the spacecraft's thrusters left NASA little choice but to send the Starliner back to Earth unmanned, leaving Williams and Wilmore at the space station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both are scheduled to return next month. They will return with Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexandr Gorbunov. Williams and Wilmore are both space veterans, members of previous trips to the International Space Station. Thursday's spacewalk was the eighth of her career. Mauritania and Senegal have expressed their shares resolve to strengthen further their already strong cooperation ties and to enhance their relations across multiple sectors, including security, energy, transport, and fisheries. This came in the joint statement issued following the visit Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko paid to Mauritania January 12-14, at the head of a high-level delegation. The visit, at the invitation of Mauritanias Prime Minister, Mokhtar Ould Diay, aimed to reinforce historical, cultural, and political ties between the two countries, following previous high-level exchanges. Discussions focused on key issues such as regional security, counter-terrorism, migration, and climate change resilience. Both officials emphasized the importance of continued collaboration to promote stability and development in the Sahel region. The two sides agreed to strengthen their cooperation in areas like energy, with a focus on the Great Turtle Ahmeyim gas project, and transport, including the Rosso Bridge project aimed at improving cross-border mobility. They also reviewed joint efforts in fisheries and livestock, highlighting the success of collaboration in providing resources during key periods such as Eid al-Adha. They pledged to enhance private sector involvement through initiatives like the Mauritanian-Senegalese Economic Forum, planned for October 2025. Additionally, a visit to Mauritanias industrial facilities in Nouadhibou showcased the countrys progress in sectors like mining and fisheries. One of the two astronauts stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) has taken their first space walk since arriving at the station nearly seven months ago. Suni Williams went for the space walk on Thursday, Jan. 16 to help NASAs Nick Hague with some outside repair work, according to the Associated Press. Im coming out, Williams, 59, said as she exited the ISS for the first time since arriving there seven months prior with fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pair originally entered space in June 2024 for what was supposed to be a weeklong test flight of a Boeing Starliner capsule, but their return got delayed after their spacecraft experienced mechanical issues and was eventually sent back home without them. Related: Astronauts Whose Return to Earth Was Delayed Make the Most of Their Holiday Season with Festive Photo from Space NASA HANDOUT/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams posing for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on 13 June 2024. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams posing for a portrait inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station's Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on 13 June 2024. Originally, NASA was hoping to have the two astronauts back on Earth in February, but their return was delayed last month until at least March. NASA previously said it is working with SpaceX to "complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission. Steve Stich, manager of NASAs Commercial Crew Program said the process is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We appreciate the hard work by the SpaceX team to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions and the flexibility of the station program and expedition crews as we work together to complete the new capsules readiness for flight, Stich said in his statement in December 2024. AP Photo/NASA TV Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk Thursday, Jan. 16 Suni Williams works outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk Thursday, Jan. 16 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. This was the eighth space walk of Williams career, according to the AP. In November 2024, Williams told NBC News that she and Wilmore were feeling good, working out [and] eating right while stuck at the ISS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just awesome," she said at the time. "We have a lot of fun up here too. People who are worried about us, really, dont worry about us were a happy crew up here." Read the original article on People On a recent day fighting the Los Angeles wildfires, a fire crew's radios crackled to life, warning of nearby flames as helicopter blades thudded overhead. Juan Tapia an experienced firefighter from Morelia, Mexico tore out scrub brush as tall as himself, just days after arriving in California. And Karley Desrosiers, fresh from British Columbia, scrambled to communicate the latest update on the fire to an anxious public. At the nearby incident command post small cities that are rapidly erected to act as a base of operations workers coordinate aircraft, assess the weather, wash the smoke-soaked clothes of hundreds of firefighters and churn out meals by the tens of thousands everyday. As wildfires burn across the Los Angeles area, the operation to save homes and people from those on the fire line to the logistics of feeding thousands of firefighters is monumental. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Eaton and Palisades fires that sparked last week in the Los Angeles area have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes. They could be some of the costliest wildfires in U.S. history, and required the mobilization of immense firefighting power from across the North American continent. From Portland to Houston, hundreds of out-of-state firefighters said goodbye to their families and loaded into engines bound for Los Angeles. Over 1,000 inmates in California filed onto hand crews in prison orange. Water bombers with Quebec stamped across their side swept over the blazes, as a Mexican fire brigade touched down and set to work. Nearly two dozen from the Navajo Scouts, a Bureau of Indian Affairs-managed program, joined the fight. All of them orbit the incident command posts, which are built in parking lots, fairgrounds or stadiums, with the post for the Palisade's fire acting as headquarters for some 5,000 people. Those working behind the scenes do everything from quickly negotiating with landowners for spots to land helicopters to producing a new, roughly 50-page action plan everyday sent via QR code to everybody working the fire. Then, the operation adapts as blistering winds make these wildfires fearsome and unpredictable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On sloping hills north of Los Angeles this week, in the burn scar of the Eaton fire, crews were combing the landscape for any remaining flames and digging line when a plume of smoke set voices crackling over the radio. As the winds picked up, a previously unburnt section of dense brush and trees torched, sending flames and embers the potential start of another fire into the sky. Homes sat maybe a mile away. Firefighters scrambled toward the blaze, then two helicopters screamed in overhead, their sirens blaring to warn off crews, before dumping water and retardant. As the helicopters turned away, the crews quickly moved in, tearing at brush and cutting through trees with chainsaws to cut off the fires' fuel. One stood with his radio directing the helicopters on the height and location of the drops before they returned, the crews dispersing under the ear-piercing sirens. It repeated until the fire was out, the firefighters' huffing, their yellow jackets smattered with gray from ash, dirt and splotches of chainsaw oil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the west, on the biggest fire in California the Palisades fire Desrosiers from British Columbia was working out of an incident command post, the biggest she's ever seen. The post runs for miles along the coast; it fills the beachside parking lots with fire engines, mobile kitchens, tents, equipment repair shops, gear depots, laundry services, medical staff, storage, and about anything else they would need. The biggest learning curve is seeing how all those people work together to keep those things together seamlessly, said Desrosiers, whose job as public information officer is to provide journalists and the public with updates on the fires. Back in British Columbia, Desrosiers might have worked alongside one other public information officer. At the Palisades fire, it's somewhere near 50. In slower moments at the command post, people swap stories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its a lot of camaraderie and I think in the fire world, especially back home, its like a big family, and thats how you feel in a fire camp, is that you're surrounded by people who really do have your back, Desrosiers said. Rotating through the same incident command post as Desrosiers are firefighters from Oregon, including Sam Scott, who camped out in nearby Santa Monica. They pop in to grab batteries for their radios, eat meals, and pick up what Scott described as an 8-pound lunch bag replete with meals for a 24 hour shift. For those long hours, Scott scours decimated neighborhoods, defending the homes that didn't burn and searching for anything left burning, small fires or smoldering beams. Scott stepped through flattened home after flattened home, where the only things left standing are charred chimneys and car husks. I have a kid and a family, and just thinking about all the memories Ive made with my family in my home," said Scott, clearing his throat. It can very easily make me cry. It's a very heavy feeling. Its someone's entire life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the end of those shifts, Scott and others are exhausted, retiring to clean and fix gear, before crawling into sleeping bags. It was that exhaustion that Tapia, one of the the 30-person fire brigade from Mexicos National Forestry Commission, saw on the faces of U.S. firefighters when he first arrived at camp over the weekend. They brightened at the Mexican brigade's arrival, said Tapia. We came with the energy and attitude to help our brothers from the United States." ___ Associated Press video journalists and reporters Christopher Sherman in Mexico City, Hallie Golden in Seattle, Ty O'Neil in Los Angeles, and Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. STRATFORD, Conn. (WTNH) A now-former Stratford high school teacher was arrested last week after police say he was found running an extensive online scam using school computers. James ONeil was charged with second-degree forgery, third-degree identity theft, and illegal operation of a repair business without a license. 5 arrested after Stratford drug bust The charges stem from an anonymous tip Stratford police received in November. The tip stated that ONeil was editing the Bill of Sales and other documents to illegally sell vehicles through Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, detectives executed search warrants on his school-issued computers and a 2023 Jeep Wrangler. A felony arrest warrant was prepared based on evidence seized during those searches. Woodbridge PD warn of mail theft, check fraud ONeil was arrested on Jan. 8 after being taken into custody by Customs and Border Agents the week before, after they confirmed that the Stratford police wanted him. New York law enforcement charged him as a fugitive from justice, and he was held at Rikers Island Detention Center before being extradited to Connecticut. Stratford High School Principal Jack Dellapiano said ONeil is no longer an employee of the Stratford Public Schools and declined to comment further. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was released on a $75,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in Bridgeport court on Jan. 16. 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 WTNH.com. A metro Atlanta student is accused of hiding a weapon from a shooting in a high school. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] On Wednesday, at 7:30 a.m. Cartersville police responded to a shots fired call at the Ivy Glen Apartments on Ridge Row Drive. When officers arrived, they found a late model BMW with damage from multiple gunshots and shell casings near the car. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their investigation identified a Cartersville High School student as the suspect. The student went to school after the shooting. Cartersville investigators said the student hid two guns and ammunition in a bathroom at Cartersville High School. The student, whose age and identity were not released was arrested. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] He was charged as a juvenile with multiple counts of entering auto, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, reckless conduct, and carrying a weapon in a school safety zone. He was released to the custody of the Department of Juvenile Justice. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the incident can call the Cartersville Police Department at 770-387-2526. Douglas County, Colo. (KDVR) The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the Douglas County School District, stemming from several complaints over the years centered on racial discrimination, harassment and policies dealing with children with disabilities. The DOJ is currently in Colorado speaking with families like Lacey Ganzy. Her two children Nevaeh and Jeramiah Ganzy were two of four students listed in a 2023 complaint against the district. The complaint states they were victims of extreme racial discrimination and were harassed by fellow students. Previous coverage: Douglas County School District under federal investigation by Department of Justice Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint states corrective action was never taken and listed the school districts quote callous indifference towards racial bullying. My kids are not the same, my family has been torn apart and I think at this point I just pray that we do get justice so that no other family goes through this, Lacey said. Nevaeh changed school districts and Jeramiah is enrolled in online school. They say both come with their own challenges. I feel like what a lot of people dont realize is that these people who were doing the discriminating and all of that, they get to go to normal school, they get to enjoy having friends and experiencing that, me and my brother were completely stripped of that our life had to change because of the decisions of other people, Neveah said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now though, they do feel some encouragement with the DOJ looking into the district. Lacey said she felt the meeting went very well and feels encouraged about what could come of it. It looks like the investigation is moving ahead strong, so overall I dont think it could have went any better. Getting them here and seeing the boots on the ground just shows that maybe somebody at a federal level is taking Douglas Countys behavior a little more seriously, she said. TSA finds over 150 loaded guns in DIA travelers carry-on luggage in 2024 Lacey came prepared with suggestions to the DOJ like creating a victims advocate for students and separating bullying from discrimination. She also came with suggestions on policy and procedure changes for these kinds of issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to keep moving forward with every ounce of us until we can get a response from them and see active change in the school district, Jeramiah said. The DOJ is set to continue meeting with parents who have been a part of similar complaints against the district through Thursday morning. The Ganzy familys complaint from 2023, its still in litigation. 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. This common chemical in plastic packaging is more harmful than previously believed. What's happening? Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is a chemical used to make certain types of plastics, such as polycarbonates. Polycarbonate plastic is used in all sorts of everyday items, including eyeglasses, food packaging, and CDs. While the health effects of BPA exposure are known to be detrimental, causing infertility and inflammation and impacting brain and behavioral development, a new study revealed additional damage. It linked early exposure to BPA with an increased risk of several health conditions, including "heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and obesity," per U.S. Right to Know. How often do you worry about toxic chemicals getting into your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind BPA most commonly enters the body through ingestion. Canned foods, plastic packaging, water bottles, and other polycarbonate products can leach the chemical into food. Why is the study important? The Food and Drug Administration's ruling on BPA is that it is "safe at the current levels occurring in foods," but that may change with additional evidence, such as this study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2012, following a petition from the American Chemistry Council, the FDA banned the use of BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, and formula packaging. Some states have their own rules regarding BPA. For example, Minnesota has a complete ban on BPA, and Virginia bans BPA in food containers. As more studies reveal the connection between BPA and harmful health conditions, stricter regulations or complete bans could follow. What's being done about the BPA? The study's authors hope their findings will adequately warn others about the severe and "urgent" risk of BPA on human health. "[Adverse] health effects are expected when exposure chronically exceeds safety levels, even at low doses," they said, per USRTK. "The results of this study will help public health researchers all over the world, food safety agencies, and policymakers to develop new and relevant guidelines, recommendations, and food policies." Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. BLOUNTVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) The Sullivan County Board of Education (BOE) unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday opposing Governor Bill Lees newest version of his school voucher bill. Officially named the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, the bill would provide public tax dollars through school vouchers to families and can used for a private scholarship. Earlier Wednesday, Governor Lee announced a special session to take place earlier this month. One of the issues that will be presented in that session is his proposal on vouchers. Local Lawmakers at odds regarding vouchers ahead of Tennessee Special Session Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution of opposition comes days after all seven Northeast Tennessee mayors signed a joint letter voicing support for Lees school voucher bill. According to the letter, the voucher program would also include disaster relief funding for the area following Hurricane Helenes destruction. The hurricane damaged multiple schools, most notably Hampton High School in Carter County. Sullivan Countys BOE made its decision in accordance with Kingsport City Schools and Washington County, Tennessee Schools, which also officially announced their opposition to the re-vamped bill. Some Kingsport City School Board members criticized the relief funding being tied into the school voucher bill as alleged political posturing and extortion. News Channel 11 sat in on Wednesdays BOE meeting to hear why Sullivan County opposes the bill. The voucher system does not serve students that may actually be in need of that, said Chuck Carter, Carter County Director of Schools. With the average cost of private school education being triple or quadruple what that amount of the ESA voucher offer is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Board members discussed the lack of standards at private schools and the possibility of students being accepted. Carter said the opportunities available to private school students will not be the same. Theyre not going to get the career and technical education exposure thats going to get them on a pathway that was brought out tonight, he said. Theyre not going to have the special services, so students will not be accepted if they have speech, hearing, other special needs. They would not be eligible for this because public education provides those services. Carter also said performance levels are usually lower in counties where vouchers are already being used. I think Ive heard one statistic recently of 33% average for public education as opposed to 11% proficient advanced for students in the ESA programs, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter added that he and the BOE do not think Hurricane Helene recovery funding should be included or tied into the school voucher bill. We do not believe, and its in our resolution, that hurricane relief should in any way, form or fashion be connected to the Education Savings (sic.) Act. Sullivan County Mayor Richard Venable provided News Channel 11 with the following statement: I respect the individual members of the school board and their decision to do what they think is in the best interest of their students. Thats the way things work in a representative democracy. Im anxious to see the final bill and trust it will reflect the wishes of the majority of all informed Tennesseans. Richard Venable, Sullivan County mayor Carter believes the bill should perhaps go up for a referendum, which the public would vote on. I think you would find pretty quickly that the majority of people would be against this, Carter said. With that many school systems opposed to it. Thats a very strong statement in itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter said that although the bill now states that public schools will not be harmed financially due to low enrollment, public education funding will still be impacted. They may say that were going to be held harmless for the the loss of the student at a certain point of $7,075, that doesnt take into consideration all that other funding that will be gone because the students no longer in our building, Carter said. So we cant have them enrolled in the CTE courses, we cant provide them the extra outcomes funding or the fact that they were proficient, advanced on their TCAPs test which would earn incentive funding for the district so that that money is gone. So you can about, say, close to half of the potential revenue for each student is going to be gone. Carter said if funding goes down, staffing will be impacted and school building maintenance needs wont be addressed. The Sullivan County BOE plans on sending their resolution to Mayor Venables office, representatives and senators for their district, the Tennessee Organization of School Superintendents (TOSS), and the Tennessee School Boards Association (TSBA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sullivan County BOEs full meeting opposing the vouchers 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. By Dr. Jennifer Murray Reading School District As we navigate the evolving complexities of modern K-12 public education, it is crucial to acknowledge the heart and soul of our schools our teachers. Teachers are the most critical factor in transforming school buildings into communities of learning. For this reason, true teacher appreciation cannot be relegated to a week in May. Rather, it must be an ongoing commitment to identify, support, and celebrate the dedicated professionals who are responsible for shaping our students futures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before teachers can be appreciated, they must be identified and cultivated. The nationwide teacher shortage presents a significant challenge to all K-12 institutions. The Reading School District is attempting to overcome this challenge by cultivating our next generation of educators by inspiring our high school students to commit themselves to a career in education. In coordination with our partners in higher education, RSD has developed a grow your own program to encourage high school students to pursue teaching careers and provide them with meaningful support along the way. This program gives high school students the opportunity to work as tutors and engage with younger learners in our schools. Curriculum and course offerings are tailored to education programs within higher education and even offer the opportunity to earn college credits. Grow your own programs provide career-oriented educational opportunities for students and ensure a pipeline of dedicated educators from within our community. Alongside our grow your own program, we are looking at ways to offer affordable housing options for new teachers, particularly those relocating to our area or who would like to remain in the area after completing their local college studies. This effort aims to remove a significant obstacle for new educators considering a move to the Reading area: the high cost and dearth of housing in our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our recruitment efforts are matched by our commitment to retention. We understand that to maintain the best we must offer more than just employment; we must foster a community and a career path that educators are eager to be part of. This includes: Competitive salaries and benefit plans: We have collaborated extensively with our school board to revise salary structures, making them competitive within the region, recognizing that financial security is essential for long-term commitment. We also manage our benefit plans to ensure our offerings address the health care needs of our employees. Innovative workshops: These sessions introduce educators to cutting-edge teaching methodologies like project-based learning or STEAM education, tailored specifically to our urban environments unique educational needs. Professional development: We have expanded our professional development offerings, providing more days focused on key areas such as technology integration and trauma-informed practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement University partnerships: By partnering with local higher education institutions and the Berks County Intermediate Unit through Level Up Berks, we offer teachers affordable opportunities to further their education and training, supporting their professional growth and career advancement within the RSD. Finally, recognition plays a pivotal role in retention. The RSD has prioritized honoring our teachers dedication in distinctive ways. For example, as highlighted in the Reading Eagle in November, the district honored the veterans on our staff by awarding them Challenge Coins to acknowledge their dual service to our country and our students. In conclusion, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our teachers. Your dedication is deeply valued, and we are committed to fostering an environment where you can thrive both professionally and personally. Let us continue to collaborate to make school institutions not just a place of learning but a beacon of educational excellence where every teacher feels appreciated, supported, and integral to our communitys success. Trade between Chinese mainland, Taiwan records year-on-year increase of 9.4 pct Xinhua) 09:13, January 16, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Trade between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan increased by 9.4 percent year-on-year in 2024, highlighting steady progress in economic exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, a mainland spokesperson said on Wednesday. Total trade between the mainland and Taiwan reached 292.97 billion U.S. dollars last year, with mainland exports to Taiwan increasing by 9.8 percent and imports from Taiwan rising by 9.3 percent, said Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, citing data from the General Administration of Customs. Investment activity also remained resilient. The Ministry of Commerce reported the establishment of 7,941 new Taiwan-funded enterprises on the mainland in 2024, reflecting a 1.6 percent year-on-year increase. Fujian Province, located near Taiwan, played a pivotal role in cross-Strait economic integrated development. From January to November 2024, trade between Fujian and Taiwan reached 85.22 billion yuan (11.86 billion U.S. dollars), up 3.2 percent year-on-year. The province also saw the launch of 2,117 new Taiwan-funded enterprises, a 16 percent rise compared to the previous year. In addition, Fujian's ports recorded 920,000 visits from Taiwan residents, marking a significant 53.3 percent increase. Chen also highlighted plans to enhance support for individuals and businesses from Taiwan in the coming year. Key measures include improving the business environment, promoting industrial collaboration, and developing hubs for Taiwan-funded enterprises. "We will continue to introduce policies that deepen cross-Strait integrated development," Chen said, highlighting measures to strengthen ties with the mainland's domestic market and create opportunities driven by high-standard opening up. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) In a statement to Tunisie Numerique on January 15, the Minister of Tourism, Sofiane Tekaya, announced that the number of tourists visiting Tunisia in 2024 had reached a record-breaking 10.25 million. The minister also highlighted Tunisias recognition by National Geographic, which ranked the country among the top 25 tourist destinations in the world. Tourism revenues for 2024 amounted to approximately 7.5 billion dinars, reflecting an increase of 574.3 million dinars compared to December 2023. Its not every day that the highest court in the land talks about the constitutional laws around pornography, but such cases have regularly made for landmark rulings. And should todays Supreme Court arguments about an age-verification law for websites like Pornhub go down in history, future legal scholars will be treated to some bizarre lines of questioning from the justices. SCOTUS heard about two hours of oral argument today pertaining to Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, in which a trade association of the adult industry has challenged a Texas law mandating that porn sites must verify users age with government ID or similar digital documentation to prevent minors under 18 from accessing the material they host. Such legislation is increasingly widespread, and Pornhub the leading adult site in the world has now blocked access in 17 states rather than comply with age-verification requirements. Critics say these laws bring enormous privacy risks and violate First Amendment rights while creating a pretext for a wider crackdown on adult content and censorship of resources related to abortion, gender-affirming care, safer sex, and LGBTQ+ identity. That was the thrust of remarks from Derek Shaffer, attorney for challengers FSC, who said that the Texas law had chilling effects and completely sidestepped less-restrictive measures including parent-controlled content filters. The courts conservative justices, however, sounded unconvinced and are seen as likely to let the law stand. Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a mother of seven, objected to the filter alternative early on, saying that content filtering for all those different devices, I can say from personal experience, is difficult to keep up with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Things got more awkward when Justice Neil Gorsuch demanded that Shaffer state exactly how much of his clients content (Aylo, formerly MindGeek, the parent company of Pornhub, is a co-plaintiff) would be considered obscene for minors. Shaffer said it was hard to quantify this, but acknowledged it could be upward of 70 percent. (In November, following the electoral victory of Donald Trump, at a dinner gala hosted by the conservative legal organization the Federalist Society, Gorsuch made a spicy reference to an OnlyFans adult star who had owned an internet-famous pet squirrel named Peanut, whose euthanizing by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation had caused outrage, largely among the MAGA world, ahead of Election Day.) Justice Samuel Alito then jumped in to wonder aloud if Pornhub was in any way like the old Playboy magazine, asking, You have essays there by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr.? (A precedent discussed in this case, Ginsberg v. New York, involved the sale of girlie mags to 16-year-olds in the late 1960s.) Shaffer said the site did not publish material of that sort, but that Pornhub did offer sexual wellness posts about women recovering from hysterectomies and how they can enjoy sex. Alito then wanted to know what the second most popular porn site is, and expressed annoyance when Shaffer said he could not provide those rankings. In a later stretch of the arguments, Gorsuch suggested that access to pornography by way of age verification might not be any different from requiring ID for the sale of firearms or voting, though Shaffer disagreed that these were applicable comparisons. Justice Brett Kavanaugh pressed Shaffer to admit that there are societal problems that are created both short-term and long-term from the rampant access to pornography for children, with Shaffer saying there was a broader discussion to be had about the internets effects on young people. Speaking to principal deputy solicitor general Brian Fletcher, who argued that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit should not have allowed the Texas law to go into effect after a lower court had blocked it, Justice Clarence Thomas brought up older iterations of pornography again. He seemed to suggest that the court now had to consider the present state of technology, saying, Were in an entirely different world, and Playboy was about squiggly lines on cable TV. (This was an apparent reference to the brands premium television channel rather than the original magazine, which was meant to be scrambled for nonsubscribers, though the signal was not always effectively blocked.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alito seemed particularly hung up on the comingling of visual porn with literary content, as in the adult magazines founded in the 20th century. At one point, he asked counsel Aaron Nielson, representing Texas, If a particular website has some hardcore pornography that is obscene as to minors and then it has, you know, videos of somebody reading Lady Chatterleys Lover or something like that, can the latter be segregated? (The erotic D.H. Lawrence novel was itself the subject of a major obscenity trial.) Nielson said this was possible, although he protested that no Texas court has an opportunity to look at any of this. Raising the privacy concern, Justice Sonia Sotamayor told Nielson, My name, when I visit a website, unless Ive prohibited the website from doing that, my viewing history, everything is automatically transferred to other people. Nielson replied, I dont know the technology. Sotamayor answered, Well, thats the point. While the courts conservative majority does look poised to side with Texas (and, implicitly, the other red states that have enacted age-verification laws to limit the visibility of porn and whatever online content lawmakers may deem obscene), it could also follow Fletchers recommendation to refer the case back to a lower court for further analysis. It would be something of a surprise, however, if it struck down the Texas law entirely. A ruling is expected by this summer. According to FSCs age-verification bill tracker, similar legislation has been proposed in New Jersey, New Mexico, Wyoming, Ohio, and Missouri. This week, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed Tennessees version of the law to take effect; a district court judge had previously blocked it. With these porn bills flooding the nation and triggering one legal challenge after another, it may not be long before SCOTUS finds itself compelled to weigh in on the issue again and struggling to understand the contemporary landscape of adult content. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. WASHINGTON (AP) The publisher of a prominent blog about the Supreme Court was indicted Thursday in a multimillion-dollar scheme to evade federal income taxes and use money from his law firm to cover gambling debts from high-stakes poker games. SCOTUSblog publisher Tom Goldstein, who also has argued 44 cases before the high court, took part in poker games in Beverly Hills, Asia and elsewhere involving millions of dollars, hid winnings, concealed losses and misrepresented expenses, according to the 22-count indictment filed in federal court in Maryland. Prosecutors said Goldstein, 54, also submitted false applications to two lenders when seeking a mortgage for a $2.6 million house in Washington, omitting from one more than $14 million he owed at the time. He also had his firm pay salaries and health insurance premiums for women with whom he had personal relationships, but who did little or no work for the firm, according to the indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The allegations in the indictment span seven years, from 2016 to 2022, a period in which Goldstein was regularly appearing in front of the nation's highest court. In 2016, for example, Goldstein understated his gambling winnings by $3.9 million, the indictment said. Two years later, he returned from Macau to a Washington-area airport with nearly $1 million in cash in a duffel bag. Although he acknowledged to a customs officer that the cash represented gambling winnings, he failed to report the money on his tax return for that year, the indictment said. In 2020 and 2021, he denied on his tax filings making any trades in cryptocurrency, despite more than $10 million in such transactions, according to the indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Lauro and Christopher Kise, lawyers for Goldstein, released a statement Thursday night saying: Mr. Goldstein is a prominent attorney with an impeccable reputation. We are deeply disappointed that the government brought these charges in a rush to judgment without understanding all of the important facts. Our client intends to vigorously contest these charges and we expect he will be exonerated at trial. A biography on the blog's website notes that Goldstein retired from appellate advocacy in 2023. He has taught Supreme Court advocacy at Harvard's and Stanford's law schools. WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on a case challenging Texas law that mandates age verification for accessing pornographic content. Texas argues that it is protecting minors by protecting them from harm, but the porn industry says this violates the First Amendment. Wednesday, the Supreme Court expressed concern around a challenge to a Texas law that requires age verification on pornographic websites. Texas is one of more than a dozen states with laws in place to block young kids and teenagers from viewing porn. The design here is to protect children that are the, under 18. And thats perfectly reasonable for, for for our state to do. And we dont feel like thats hostile in any way, said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The free speech coalition argues it violates free speech rights of adults, however conservative justices on the court seem to agree with the states argument that technology has changed so much that protections need to be taken. The technological access, to pornography, obviously has exploded, said Chief Justice John Roberts. Justice Amy Coney Barrett used her own experience as a mother dealing with multiple devices. Content filtering for all those different devices, I can say from personal experience its difficult to keep up with, said Coney Barrett. The free speech coalition agrees children should not watch porn but say it could expose adults to identity theft and extortion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Supreme Court ruling is expected by June. 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 Queen City News. Some folks go to Hooters for the wings, or buy Playboy for the articles. Others, like sitting Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, would like to browse Pornhub for its enlightening essays. At least that's what he longs to see on the porn megasite, if his comments today in the hearing of Free Speech Coalition et al. v. Paxton are any indication. The bizarre challenge came during an exchange with an attorney for the Free Speech Coalition a group representing the porn industry, essentially regarding the age verification systems that some states have been deploying on pornography sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What percentage of the material on [Pornhub] is not obscene to children?" asked Alito. "Well, Your Honor, if we're talking about the youngest minors, I would agree that most of it is," the attorney responded. "And that is how we read the law." "Is it like the old Playboy magazine," the conservative justice pressed, perhaps a little too specifically, where "you have essays by the modern-day equivalent of Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley Jr?" "Not in that sense, but in the sense you have wellness posts about women recovering from hysterectomies and how they can enjoy sex," the attorney offered, presumably alluding to the streaming smut giant's foray into sexual wellness content. "That's on there." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For obvious reasons, the exchange was relentlessly clowned on (as a point of fact, over the years Pornhub creators have dabbled in everything from erotic literature readings to non-sexual educational material.) "Working out a scenario where Pornhub has to launch a prestigious monthly print magazine in order to stay online in Tennessee," quipped journalist David Roth. "This is how we bring the business back: ransoming access to stepsister-stuck-in-washing-machine content with long-form literary criticism and Malcolm Harris book excerpts." Publishing industry strategems aside, Paxton is an important case with potentially massive ramifications for some increasingly marginalized groups in society. It's an examination of a Texas state bill known as HB 1181, which requires any porn website to take steps to verify the age of its users in the state. In mainstream media, the case is billed as a "1st Amendment vs Regulatory Tyranny" debate porn companies on one side, conservative censors on the other once again posing the question of "what kind of free speech are right wingers actually interested in?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality is more nuanced. What often isn't addressed in surface-level debates are the implications bills like this have on LGBTQ+ individuals, whose speech is increasingly included in conservative definitions of what constitutes "pornography". Paxton opens the potential for a federal crackdown on anything that deviates from conservative family values from queer literature to sexual health material to Alito's beloved literary essays. "It's part of a broader crackdown on disfavored 'pornographic' speech from the right, which coincidentally includes LGBTQ people," wrote queer journalist Gwen Howerton. That in mind, Alito's colorful questions take on a more sinister tone. The conservatives are essentially trying to establish that online pornographic content and anything made to fall into that umbrella is somehow filthier and less deserving of 1st amendment protection than his nostalgic nudie mags. While the American porn industry leaves a lot to be desired and is almost certainly calling out for labor reforms look no further than the infamous Stop Enabling Sex Trafficking Act to see how overzealous regulation can hurt the most vulnerable Americans far more than it helps them. More about porn: Wild Searches Trending in Texas After Porn Ban The first few weeks of 2025 have made the urgent need for ethics reform at the Supreme Court painfully clear. First there was the decision by the Judicial Conference to pass on investigating multiple questionable actions by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Then, Justice Samuel Alito made the curious decision to take a call from the president-elect as Donald Trumps emergency appeal was barreling toward the court. As has been well-reported, there is a long list of apparent ethical failings by certain members of the court over the last two years mostly Justice Thomas but also Justices Alito and Sonia Sotomayor. The reports have been shocking: luxury yacht vacations, salmon fishing in Alaska, private plane travel, a recreational vehicle, private school tuition, use of court staff to help sell books, and more. Not surprisingly, public respect for the courts is plunging. A recently published Gallup survey found that public confidence in Americas courts is down by 24% from 2020, to a historic low of 35%. The New York City Bar Association recently issued a lengthy report calling for a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the Supreme Court, which we helped co-author. But one need look no further than the perversely disparate treatment of two federal judges to appreciate the urgent need for reform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aside from his call with Trump, according to published reports, Justice Alito may have violated both the laws governing the receipt of gifts and those governing recusal. He faces no risk of consequences, however, because the courts ethics rules are neither mandatory nor enforceable. Senior United States District Court Judge Michael Ponsor, on the other hand, like all lower court judges, can be sanctioned for violating the mandatory Code of Conduct that applies to him and he was for simply calling attention to Justice Alitos failures. Kafka could hardly fashion a system more in need of repair. Decades ago, Congress passed ethics laws that apply explicitly to Supreme Court Justices. Those laws are mandatory, not optional. They govern the receipt and disclosure of gifts and set standards for recusal. Yet, Justice Alito shrugs them off, asserting that Congress did not create the Supreme Court and [n]o provision in the Constitution gives them the authority to regulate the Supreme Court period. Last year, what critics have called the Courts imperial attitude was on display when Justice Alito refused to step aside from three cases involving the legality of President Trumps actions surrounding the Jan. 6 insurrection. The justice had permitted an upside-down flag a symbol of the Stop the Steal movement to fly outside his home after the attack on the Capitol. This symbol of apparent support for the insurrectionists might sensibly have prompted Justice Alito to recuse himself from the Jan. 6 appeals because federal law requires a justice to step aside whenever his impartiality might reasonably be questioned. But when the flag-flying incident came to light in early 2024, Justice Alito rejected calls to step aside. In his view, the recusal statute does not bind the Justices, and he announced his decision to sit without citing or discussing governing federal law. Chief Justice Roberts was seemingly so alarmed by the appearance created by Justice Alitos continued participation in the Jan. 6 cases that, according to news reports, he took the unprecedented step of taking back from Justice Alito the assignment to write the majority opinion in one of them. Which brings us back to Judge Ponsor. A well-respected former Rhodes Scholar appointed by President Clinton, Judge Ponsor is an outspoken proponent of Supreme Court ethics reform. In response to the upside-down flag incident, Judge Ponsor wrote an opinion piece headlined, How could Justice Alito have been so foolish? His comments echoed the thinking of many Americans and were, in many ways, more valuable because they provided a judicial perspective on the incident. To put it bluntly, he wrote, any judge with reasonable ethical instincts would have realized immediately that flying the flag then and in that way was improper. And dumb. As he put it, Courts work because people trust judges. Taking sides in this way erodes that trust. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Ponsors entirely sensible essay prompted allies of Justice Alito to objectnot to the validity of Judge Ponsors criticisms, but to his voicing them at all. Their complaint was investigated by an appellate court judge, who concluded that Judge Ponsor had improperly expressed personal opinions on controversial public issues and criticized the ethics of a sitting Supreme Court justice. Judge Ponsor was disciplined last month for making statements that diminish the public confidence in the integrity and independence of the federal judiciary. The irony of this episode is rich. Judge Ponsor was sanctioned for his speech, something ordinarily protected by the First Amendment, while Justice Alitos actions remain immune even though they could well have been viewed as diminishing public confidence in the judiciary and could have subjected Justice Alito to discipline if only there were an enforceable code of ethics for Supreme Court justices. But, again, there isnt. The nine members of the Supreme Court are the only judges among more than 30,000 state and federal judges in the United States not bound by an enforceable code of ethics. The voluntary Code of Conduct the Supreme Court adopted in response to public outcry in 2023 is no answer. It ignores the ethical standards written into law by Congress and relies entirely on nonbinding admonitions about how the justices should behave, leaving the justices free to pick and choose among them. It was this toothless Code that Justice Alito cited in refusing to recuse himself from the Jan. 6 cases. Unlike Justice Alito, Judge Ponsor accepted the criticism of his commentary and offered an unreserved apology. The final lines of his apology underscore, perhaps intentionally, the gaping difference between the ethics standards governing the lower courts and the Supreme Court. I am proud to participate in a judicial system that gives members of the public an avenue to identify potential violations of the Code and that gives me an opportunity to recognize any misstep, apologize, and amend. Of course, the ethical system that makes Judge Ponsor proud governs only lower court federal judges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After two years of steady criticism of apparent ethical lapses by some justices, it is more than distressing that Chief Justice Roberts annual report on the judiciary, issued at the end of December, contains not a word on the subject. Without action by the court, or Congress, this story has no end. Alitos call with Trump was reportedly to reassure Trump that a former Alito clerk would indeed be a Trump loyalist if hired to the administration, notwithstanding his prior work for the now distrusted former Attorney General Barr. The request for a call should have raised red flags and its timing should reasonably have caused Justice Alito to recuse himself from Trumps emergency application. But that was not to be. Donald Trump is hardly known for personally checking the references of his nominees, let alone a nominee whose work for the justice was more than a decade ago and who had more recently and relevantly served in a senior role in Mr. Trumps Department of Justice. And setting aside the sentencing appeal, Trump can surely anticipate frequent appearances before the court in the coming years. His call can reasonably be seen as an excuse to maintain some form of personal relationship with one of his most loyal supporters on the ourt, and to be able to brag about that relationship with others. Justice Alito was either too tone deaf to see or simply didnt care that he was being used. As Judge Ponsor might say about this latest act of questionable behavior if only he were not muzzled You dont just stay inside the lines; you stay well inside the lines. This is not a matter of politics or judicial philosophy. It is ethics in the trenches. And so, on we go, seemingly doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past. Editors Note: The day after this story aired, KFOR heard back from the Oklahoma State Department of Education. To illustrate how the Department came up with the $474,000,000 figure mentioned in the lawsuit, a spokesperson referred KFOR to a letter sent to Vice President Kamala Harris in October of 2024. Walters-Demand-Letter-to-Kamala-HarrisDownload Original Story: OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) After filing a lawsuit against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Homeland Security leaders for $474 million, State Superintendent Ryan Walters is facing backlash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is just another attention-grabbing political theater stunt that we see too often from him that wastes our time, said Erica Watkins, the state director of Defense of Democracy Oklahoma. Superintendent Walters is suing Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Peter Flores. According to a news release, Walters is seeking compensation for the severe financial and operational strain that their failed border policies have placed on Oklahomas public schools. Walters-lawsuit-against-ICE-DHSDownload Were 49th in education and something like this isnt going to make our school systems better, said Oklahoma House Representative Arturo Alonso-Sandoval, D-Oklahoma City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the suit, Walters says Oklahoma spends over $13,736 per student enrolled in local school districts based on a report from the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs. He goes on to say the approximate 3,000 undocumented unaccompanied minors residing in Oklahoma have cost taxpayers roughly $41.2 million since the start of the Biden-Harris Administration. Walters highlighted three main points from the lawsuit in his release: 1. Exorbitant Costs: Oklahoma taxpayers have absorbed the burden of millions in additional costs as a direct result of the Biden Administrations open-border policies. 2. Diversion of Resources: Resources that should benefit Oklahoma children are being redirected to address the federal governments failures. This affects every Oklahoma student, family and public school district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 3. Neglect of Constitutional Duty: The lawsuit contends that Biden and Mayorkass failure to secure the border violates their responsibility to uphold national security, leaving states to handle the fallout. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: State Superintendent Walters files $474 million lawsuit against ICE, Homeland Security It is unfortunate whenever we have someone whos supposed to be a state leader in education, really attacking the students that hes intended to serve, said Alonso-Sandoval. The lawsuit prompted Alonso-Sandoval to call on Walters to resign. The Constitution says that, you know, our government should provide a free public education to all students. Citizens citizenship status is not included in that, said Alonso-Sandoval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watkins echoed that sentiment. Its gone too far, said Watkins. I can speak for a lot of Oklahoma parents and educators that are also asking the same thing. 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. By P.J. Huffstutter and Heather Schlitz CHICAGO (Reuters) - Iowa farmer Caleb Hamer grabbed his phone and dialed a local corn buyer this week, eager to sell his grain as prices climbed to their highest level in more than a year. Farmers across the Midwest have boosted crop sales as corn and soybean futures spiked after the U.S. Department of Agriculture slashed its 2024 harvest estimates on Friday, grain dealers in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana and Nebraska said. Corn prices are now up about 10% over the past month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surge came after prices hit 2020 lows last year due to oversupply, which eroded farmers' incomes and hit the rural economy hard. The rally still hasn't made U.S. crop production particularly profitable, though, as prices remain relatively low and the year ahead looks tough. Growers face rising bills for seeds, chemicals and land rents ahead of the spring planting season, and some economists say the farm sector has entered a recession. "You've got to lock in some sales to guarantee revenue," Hamer said. Some growers are also concerned about economic pain if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on plans to slap tariffs on goods from China and Mexico, raising risks for retaliation which could hit U.S. agricultural exports.Another U.S.-China trade war would come at a difficult time for farmers, who have seen net income drop nearly 23% since 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Illinois, the biggest soybean-producing state and second-largest corn producer, economics for growing both crops remain poor for the third consecutive year, University of Illinois economists said on Tuesday. "While the rally has improved sales opportunities, it won't erase this year's steep losses and does not fundamentally change the bleak profitability picture in row crops," said Betty Resnick, American Farm Bureau Federation economist. Ben Scholl, president of specialty grain buyer Lewis B. Osterbur & Associates, said he handled about 20% of his normal annual corn sales in the past four weeks. At a Green Plains ethanol plant in northern Iowa, trucks hauling farmers' corn idled along the frozen roads, waiting to unload. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa-based Landus, one of the largest U.S. grain cooperatives, on Monday will urge farmer customers to sell, CEO Matt Carstens said. "We're looking at tariffs and the loss of the China market," Carstens said. "Right now, you just don't know what the demand side is going to look like this year." In Ohio, farmer Chris Gibbs gasped when Cargill staff texted him an offer on Tuesday: $5 per bushel cash for corn for delivery immediately or after April 15. Local buyers last fall were offering about $4.30, well below his cost of production, Gibbs said. After selling some corn this week, he will have an extra $7,000 in his pocket, enough to cover half his springtime fertilizer bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I have enough cash to feel a little bit of relief," Gibbs said. (Reporting By P.J. Huffstutter and Heather Schlitz in Chicago; additional reporting by Julie Ingwersen in Chicago; editing by Tom Polansek and Diane Craft) (FOX40.COM) The Stockton Police Department responded to a stabbing in Stockton on Wednesday. According to officials, the incident occurred on California and Washington Street in the Civic District. Vacaville K9 officer injured in shooting, suspect arrested Stockton PD said that a 35-year-old woman was walking in the area when the suspect approached and attacked her then fled the scene. A 59-year-old man was taken into custody after officers found him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that the victim was then transported to a local hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. 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 News. Jan. 16A Centerville man accused of killing his girlfriend nearly 25 years ago in Kettering was issued a high bond of $5 million. Jonathan "Eric" Link, 60, pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder during his Thursday morning arraignment before Montgomery County Common Pleas Judge Steven Dankof. Link also was ordered to surrender his passport. If he posts bail, he will be on electronic monitoring, court records show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was indicted Monday in the July 2001 death of 29-year-old Shannon Noel Anderson, a mother of two daughters, ages 7 and 9, who was estranged from her husband. Her cause of death was ruled as multiple blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office. Link reported July 30, 2001, to the Kettering Police Department that Anderson had not been seen for two days, and that her 1997 Oldsmobile Silhouette was missing from their shared home in the 4500 block of Far Hills Avenue. A decomposed body with "severe trauma" was discovered Aug. 16, 2001, in rural Ross County in south central Ohio, about an hour and a half from Dayton. The remains later were identified as Anderson through DNA testing. A few months later, Atlanta police found her minivan abandoned in the city's airport parking lot, prosecutors said. Dayton attorney Dennis Lieberman is representing Link, who he said works for an insurance company, has been married since 2008 and is the father of a couple children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He has had a stable life ever since this young lady passed away," Lieberman said Tuesday. "He certainly did know her but is not involved in her death." A public records search of Link only found a few minor traffic violations and one for fishing without a license. It is not clear whether Link is able to post 10% of his bond, or $500,000, or must pay the full amount for release. As of 2 p.m. Thursday, he remained held in the Montgomery County Jail. He is next due in court Jan. 22. Sudans military, supported by its allies, has confirmed this January 15 that it has retaken the strategic city of Wad Madani from the rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF), over a year after it fell to the rebels. The city, located in Gezira province, had served as a refuge for displaced families in the early months of the conflict. The war in Sudan began on the 15th April 2023, when tensions between the military and the RSF erupted into open fighting in Khartoum and across the country. The conflict has led to over 28,000 deaths, forced millions to flee their homes, and triggered severe famine in some regions. Atrocities, including ethnic killings and rape, have been reported, with the United Nations and human rights groups condemning the violence. The International Criminal Court is investigating allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The US government has accused the RSF of committing genocide and imposed sanctions on its leader and associated companies. The military announced that it had entered Wad Madani early on Saturday, working to eliminate the remaining RSF forces in the city. The government hailed the citys liberation, with celebrations reported in the streets. Since the RSF captured the city in December 2023, tens of thousands of people have been displaced. However, recent setbacks for the RSF, including losses in Khartoum and other provinces, have shifted the war in favor of the military. The war has caused the largest displacement crisis in the world, with over 14 million people around 30% of Sudans population forced to flee. Neighboring countries like Chad, Egypt, and South Sudan have taken in millions of refugees. Famine has been reported in several areas, with more regions at risk in the coming months. HAWESVILLE, KY. (WEHT) Kentucky State Police say 60-year-old Carl Newhard is being identified as the suspect shot by an officer in Hancock county. Newhard is facing several charges including attempted murder of a first responder. Authorities say Newhard pointed a gun at law enforcement, while a school bus was nearby. The only thing I remember was I heard a police car chasing a truck. It kind of jumped the curb up here around the bridge and came down, says Nathan Powers, who maintains the Hancock County Museum. Kentucky State Police say Newhard led a police chase that started in Lewisport and ended with an officer in Hancock county shooting the suspect. Newhard, in stable condition, was the only one injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries reported after two vehicles catch fire at Evansville parking garage At the top of the hill, a trail can still be seen from Tuesdays chase where a car cut across the median. At the bottom of River Street, a historical train caboose left damaged. Newhard is facing several charges including wanton endangerment and attempted murder of a first responder. Officials say Lewisport Police were attempting to serve an arrest warrant before he fled. Newhard ran through a stop sign and a stop light while driving 70 mph. A tool was used by the Hancock county sheriffs office to deflate 3 of his tires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I like all the police in area. They do a real good job. To me its like a quiet little town everybody probably knows everybody, says Randy Brinksneader, a person who lives nearby. Newhard nearly missed a bridge pillar before crashing near the Hancock county museum. Law enforcement says he waved a gun at them. A county sheriff officer shot at him several times. The steps had been bent underneath of it. Im not saying positive, but it looks like it maybe moved that caboose just a little bit. This in World War I is where the men that went to service kind of loaded a train to go to the camps, you know, military, camps, says Powers. Police say a second firearm was found in the floorboard of the vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It all happened just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday with over a dozen students unloading on a school bus nearby. The Hancock county school district says they took the time to come to the scene on, and mental health counselors met with students the next day. The districts superintendent says hes proud of the bus driver for taking immediate action and getting everyone out safely. KSP says the investigation is ongoing. 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). TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) The FBI announced Wednesday that investigators do not believe the suspect in the deadly New Years Day attack in New Orleans had any criminal intent during his visit to Tampa. Authorities said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was in the Tampa area for a three-day period between Oct. 26 and Oct. 28. His visit occurred only a few months before the terror attack in New Orleans that claimed the lives of 15 people. Jury finds Florida grandmother who left infant in hot car not guilty of manslaughter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal officials said Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and former U.S. Army soldier, drove a rented pickup truck into a crowd on Burbon Street just as the new years celebrations were coming to an end. He was shot and killed by police during an exchange of gunfire. Later in their investigation, authorities said they believed Jabbar may have been inspired by the Islamic State militant group to carry out the attack. Part of the FBIs investigation also included tracking Jabbars movements before the incident. In addition to his stop in the Sunshine State, Jabbar reportedly visited New Orleans twice prior to the attack and recorded video of the French Quarter with a pair of Meta smart glasses. Since the attack, the FBI has investigated and continues to investigate hundreds of leads across the United States, the agency said in a statement Wednesday. The Tampa Field Office, in concert with our law enforcement partners, has worked around the clock to follow up on every tip that has a nexus to Tampa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agents reportedly conducted interviews with individuals who may have encountered Jabbar during his time in Tampa and reviewed scores of financial documents to identify purchases he made while in the city. At this time, there is no indication the subject had any significant contact with anyone in the Tampa area, the FBIs local field office stated. The FBIs announcement came just days before the city was set to celebrate Gasparilla, the areas largest event, with multiple parades slated for the end of January. Law enforcement agencies across Tampa Bay, including the FBI, have said they plan to have a robust presence for this years celebrations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the FBIs investigation continues, anyone who has any information concerning Jabbars visit to Tampa or who had contact with him is asked to submit a tip to tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL FBI (225-5324). 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A man was shot in the leg in East Nashville Thursday morning. The shooting happened around 8:15 a.m. in the 600 block of Sylvan Street off Shelby Avenue. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com (Photo: WKRN) Metro police reported a man was shot in the leg. He was taken to an area hospital where his condition is unknown. Detectives are currently searching for a suspect but no description was released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. 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. MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) Police are searching for a man they say intentionally started four fires across New York City on Friday. The first fire was started around 2:20 a.m. in front of 254 Broadway, damaging an NYPD emergency vehicle, according to the NYPD. More Local News The man is accused of starting three additional fires afterward. At 2:35 a.m., a fire was started in front of 14 Murray St., damaging an unoccupied vehicle, according to the NYPD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police say at 2:55 a.m., the man lit a paper cup on fire and threw it in a garbage can in the area of the Brooklyn Bridge City Hall train station. At 3:40 a.m., the man was on a northbound J train at the Woodhaven Avenue station when he set a pile of garbage on fire next to a sleeping passenger. The NYPD released the following surveillance photos of the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 800-577-TIPS. The NYPD is offering a reward of up to $3,500 for a tip that leads to an arrest and indictment. 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). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ben Mitchell is a digital content producer from Vermont who has covered both local and international news since 2021. He joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of his work here. 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. A wildfire that scorched 34 acres and threatened several structures before it was stopped Wednesday afternoon is suspected to be the result of arson, and the person believed responsible has been arrested. The Little Mountain Fire was first reported around 2 p.m. in San Bernardino near the intersection of Edgehill Road and Little Mountain Drive. The fire was burning at a high rate of spread on steep terrains and was considered an immediate threat to several structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Engines and hand crews were called to the scene to contain the blaze, which was eventually stopped around 3:30 p.m. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. At the time that forward progress had stopped, San Bernardino County Fire Department officials said the cause was under investigation. The Little Mountain Fire burned near San Bernardino on Jan. 15, 2025. (KTLA) Hours later, the San Bernardino Police Department issued a press release regarding the fire and an arrest of a person who may have started it. Police said a man was found and arrested on suspicion of two felonies, including reckless burning. Police said there was sufficient probable cause to make the arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No further details were released and the investigation is considered ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact SBPD. As for the Little Mountain Fire, police and firefighters remained on scene Wednesday evening and roads were still closed as of 6 p.m. The arrest is the latest in a string of alleged arsonists who have been taken into custody while multiple wildfires devastate large swaths of Southern California. The causes of the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County remain under 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 KTLA. The Los Angeles city attorney's office is prosecuting two men for violating fire-related curfews while also asking the public for help identifying potential price gougers. City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto is charging two men in their mid-40s with breaking the 6 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew established on Jan. 9 in the aftermath of the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires. The curfew was established after at least 20 people were arrested on suspicion of looting shortly after the start of the fires on Jan. 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The curfew was limited to fire evacuation order and evacuation warning zones within Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Malibu and unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County. Read more: Red flag fire weather warnings expected to return Monday for SoCal This curfew order was enacted to protect public safety, prevent looting and burglaries, and enable our first responders to continue their herculean task of protecting our city and its residents, Feldstein Soto said in a statement . My office will hold accountable anyone who violates this order. Charging documents say both men were in restricted space within Pacific Palisades at 4:30 a.m. Saturday, in violation of the curfew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each was charged with a misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to a $1,000 and six months of imprisonment. Both pleaded not guilty Tuesday and are due back in court for pretrial sentencing in late February. Read more: Kenneth fire 'person of interest' is a convicted felon and entered country illegally, ICE says Feldstein Soto said she also needed the publics help to crack down on price gouging and asked anyone with a tip to contact her at att.pricegougingtaskforce@lacity.org. Price gouging, as defined by the city attorney, is an increase in prices for goods and services by more than 10%, including for such essentials as housing, shelter, food, water, clothing and health and pet care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feldstein Soto said the countys emergency declaration on Jan. 7 made such actions illegal. Price-gouging violations are punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. Violations are also subject to civil enforcement actions that include civil penalties of up to $2,500 per violation, injunctive relief and mandatory restitution. I am committed to leveraging every resource at our disposal to help Los Angeles heal, recover and rebuild, which is what we have always done as Angelenos, she said. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) 45-year-old Michael Glinski has been charged with grand larceny after allegedly stealing his mothers money for months after her death. Glinski is accused of cashing approximately $21,946.36 through 17 different checks. According to the NYS Office of the Comptroller, Glinkskis mother was a clerk with the Village of Solvay Police Department. She retired in 2014, which earned her a monthly pension check. When her husband passed away in 2019, she also began to receive his pension payment as a beneficiary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Glinskis mom died in October of 2021, both sets of checks shouldve stopped. However, it wasnt until July 2022 that the New York State and Local Retirement System were notified of her death. That is when flags were raised and an investigation began, according to the comptrollers office. Mr. Glinski allegedly tried to capitalize on his mothers death by pocketing pension checks meant for her, DiNapoli said. Investigators into the case determined that Glinkski was able to deposit the checks by allegedly signing them using his power of attorney, which they alleged he knew about at the time of his mothers death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Glinski was arraigned in Onondaga County Justice Center Centralized Arraignment Court on a charge of grand larceny in the third-degree. 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. GHADIR AL-BUSTAN, Syria (AP) Officials in Syrias new de facto government hardened their tone Thursday against Israel's incursions into Syrian territory after an Israeli strike killed three people and wounded five others in the south of the country. Israel advanced into the buffer zone under the pretext of the presence of Iranian militias, but this excuse no longer holds after Damascus was liberated, Ahmad al-Sharaa, leader of Syrias new administration and formerly known as Mohammad al-Jolani, said at a press conference in the Syrian capital. For decades, the Syrian-Israeli border remained largely quiet under a 1974 Disengagement Agreement, which established a U.N.-patrolled demilitarized buffer zone between the two countries after a war they fought the year before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, after Syrian President Bashar Assads ouster on Dec. 8, Israeli forces entered the buffer zone, calling it a temporary move to block hostile forces. The move drew criticism and protests from local residents and Arab countries. Sharaa, who was speaking alongside the visiting Qatari foreign minister, said Syria is ready to welcome international forces to the buffer zone, noting Qatars central role in creating international pressure on Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Qatars prime minister and foreign minister, condemned Israels occupation of the buffer zone and said its forces must withdraw immediately. Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered Israeli troops to take over the buffer zone, home to several Syrian villages, on Dec. 17, would remain there until a new arrangement was established to ensure Israels security. Israeli foreces have also made incursions into areas outside the buffer zone, sparking protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These areas belong to the Syrian people, not the regime, and we must defend our homeland. Israel must respect Syrias sovereignty just as they seek security for their own borders and homes, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani said in an interview broadcast Thursday with Turkish network TRT. He urged the international community to pressure Israel to withdraw from captured areas and called for respect for Syrian sovereignty. Everyone must respect others if they want to ensure their own security, Shibani said. Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on Syrian government assets, including jets, tanks, and missiles, particularly after Assads ouster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, an Israeli strike in the Ghadir al-Bustan village in Quneitra province killed three people and injured several others, according to local residents and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor. Those killed included a local municipal official and security personnel linked to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that led the lightning offensive against Assad and is now leading Syrias new administration. The Israeli military said that the strikes targeted vehicles carrying weapons. HTS has not officially commented on the attack. Nizar Mchel, a teacher from Ghadir al-Bustan, said the military and security forces of the new government had launched a campaign to confiscate unauthorized weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Israeli drones targeted a convoy of military vehicles involved in the operation, as they drove north of the village. At the funeral of Abdo Ali Kouma, a local official who was killed in the strike, scores of mourners carried his wooden coffin to the burial site, prayed for him, and laid him to rest. I was having lunch with friends, including Kouma, before he left to go to his house," Koumas cousin, Abed al-Rahman al-Bustani, told The Associated Press. Minutes later, Bustani said, he heard drones overhead and felt the strike. The rocket landed right between our houses, just 10 meters (33 feet) apart." Kouma didnt work, but everyone loved him. He was a good man, Bustani added. He noted that at least three others were wounded in the strike. An Associated Press journalist visited one of the wounded members of the security forces in a local hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our situation is not good. We demand Israel leave. They have destroyed our houses, drones are constantly overhead, and we dont dare leave our homes," Bustani said. "We live 10 kilometers (6 miles) away from them. We have not crossed their borders or caused them any harm, but they continue to intrude into all our villages. Abou AlJoud reported from Beirut. Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Omar Albam in Syria contributed to the report. DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Thursday his country is ready to welcome UN forces into the UN established buffer zone with Israel. "Israel's advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah. After the liberation of Damascus, I believe that they have no presence at all. There are pretexts that Israel is using today to advance into the Syrian regions, into the buffer zone," he said, answering a Reuters question. (Reporting by Maya Gebeily and Clauda Tanios; Editing by Toby Chopra) The Air Force is further delaying the production contract for its newest trainer aircraft, the T-7 Red Hawk, and will expand its testing in a major reorganization of the programs acquisition strategy. The service originally planned to award Boeing a contract to build the first production T-7s in fiscal 2025 and would have bought seven jets this year. Under the Air Force and Boeings revised plan, the service will now award that contract in 2026, Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter said in a Wednesday release. Acquisition programs cannot be stagnant, even when they are fixed-price, Hunter said. This is why Ive directed the T-7A team to implement updates to reduce risk and increase our confidence in the aircraft design, all to ensure we can deliver the T-7A to the warfighter when needed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Air Force will also buy four additional production-representative test T-7s using 2025 research and development funds that will be delivered in fiscal 2026. This will nearly double the fleet of five test aircraft now being flown at locations that include Edwards Air Force Base in California. We appreciate the partnership with the U.S. Air Force and are committed to providing our warfighters with the safest, most-advanced training system in the world, said Steve Parker, interim president and chief executive for Boeing Defense, Space and Security, in a statement. This innovative approach allows us to provide a production-ready configuration to the Air Force prior to low-rate initial production, further reducing any future risk to production. This will accelerate the path to delivering this critical capability on the timeline the Air Force needs. The Air Force is in the process of buying about 350 of Boeings T-7s, which will replace the aging T-38 Talon trainer fleet. The T-7 is a fifth-generation aircraft trainer that will make it easier to teach new pilots to fly fighters, such as the F-35, as well as bombers. Boeing has touted its digital design as an advancement in how planes are made. But the T-7 program has been beset by design, testing and production issues that have caused its schedule to slip behind repeatedly. The service originally expected to buy the first operational T-7s in 2023, but problems with its ejection systems and flight control software pushed that to 2024, and then to 2025. It is now expected to be three years behind the original plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February 2024, Boeing said it would delay delivery of its next test T-7 by several months due to quality problems with some parts. The company also said supply chain issues were forcing it to postpone the planned start of low-rate initial production by several months. At the time, Boeing said the fifth engineering and manufacturing development jet would be delivered around March or April 2024. But in Wednesdays release, the Air Force said the fifth jet was delivered in December 2024. The additional test jets will allow Air Education and Training Command to speed up its test plans, as well as its development of a curriculum for flying the T-7, Hunter said. With the jets, the service will be able to stick to its plan of achieving initial operational capability in fiscal 2027. Procuring these [test jets] in FY25 also allows the Air Force and Boeing to improve manufacturing readiness prior to entering the production phase for the entire run of over 350 T-7As, Hunter said. Decreasing overlap between development, testing and production lowers the likelihood of potential costly refits of a significant number of aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hunter also said the new acquisition plan includes using a management approach which incentivizes Boeing to address emergent issues that were not part of the contract that was signed in 2018 and to accelerate elements of the program. An Air Force official told Defense News one of those emergent issues was the services desire to increase the T-7s range. Malawi reaffirmed its support for Moroccos territorial integrity, and for the Kingdoms sovereignty over all its territory, including the Moroccan Sahara region, and for the Moroccan Autonomy Plan. Malawi also hailed the Atlantic and Sahel initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI for a stable and prosperous Africa. The position was expressed in a joint statement that crowned talk held Thursday in Rabat between visiting Malawian Foreign Minister, Nancy Tembo, and her Moroccan peer Nasser Bourita. In the statement, Tembo also welcomed the growing international consensus and momentum in favor of the Moroccan Autonomy Plan, describing the plan as the only credible, serious and realistic solution to the Sahara issue. She likewise welcomed the efforts of the United Nations as the exclusive framework for achieving a realistic, practical and lasting solution to the Sahara regional dispute. The Malawian Foreign Minister also hailed the Atlantic and Sahel initiatives launched by King Mohammed VI for a stable and prosperous Africa. She stressed in this connection that President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera of Malawi has described the royal initiative to promote access to the Atlantic Ocean for Sahel States as an enlightened initiative and an opportunity for intra-African cooperation. During their talks, the two Foreign Ministers vowed to further strengthen cooperation between Morocco and Malawi at the bilateral and multilateral levels. At the bilateral level, they committed to further strengthening cooperation, mainly in food security, as the Kingdom is set to support Malawi in developing sustainable agriculture. At the multilateral level, Bourita and Tembo stressed the importance of further harmonizing their positions within regional, continental, and international institutions, such as the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN), says the joint statement. Tacoma City Manager Elizabeth Pauli plans to retire effective July 1 after eight years on the job and nearly three decades working for the city, she announced this week. Pauli joined Tacoma in 1998 as a deputy city attorney before getting appointed as the citys top administrator in 2017. She revealed her pending departure in a statement Wednesday. She is the first woman in Tacomas history to serve as city manager. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After much reflection, and with profound gratitude for the experience that I have had serving you and the community, I am announcing my intention to retire from my role as City Manager for the City of Tacoma, effective July 1, 2025, Pauli said. Pauli, 65, called serving the community the honor of a lifetime and expressed gratitude to colleagues, employees, partners and residents who she said shared a passion for making Tacoma a vibrant and thriving city. Together, we have accomplished so much, and I am incredibly proud of what weve achieved, she said. In February 2017, Pauli was selected to step in as interim city manager after ex-City Manager T.C. Broadnax left for the same role in Dallas. Following a nationwide search that cost nearly $25,000, Pauli was appointed to be the next city manager three months later when she was a late addition to a candidate pool of four finalists identified through the search, The News Tribune previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City Council is expected to discuss the process for choosing an interim replacement for Pauli during a study session on Jan. 28, according to the city. Pauli said that she would work closely with Mayor Victoria Woodards and other city lawmakers to ensure a smooth transition to new leadership. During her tenure as city manager, Pauli has regularly received pay raises and positive reviews from City Council members. Her annual salary was bumped to more than $309,000 in January 2023. She was making $250,000 in 2018, a year after taking on the role. City lawmakers have lauded Pauli for steering the city through the COVID-19 pandemic, progress made on transforming the city to an anti-racist organization, implementation of Home In Tacoma an affordable and diverse housing initiative and appointments made to executive leadership positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woodards was in Washington D.C. on Thursday and unavailable for an interview on Paulis pending retirement, according to a city spokesperson. During a performance review in May 2023, Woodards said that Pauli found ways to move forward positively and solve issues when times were trying. In her role as City Manager, Elizabeth Pauli has demonstrated a commitment to transparency, equity, and excellence while administering all day-to-day functions at the City, Woodards said in a statement following Paulis reappointment in 2019. Her insightful guidance, long-range vision, and continued leadership are essential to making quality decisions that move Tacoma forward. Pauli has been credited with supporting police reforms, including the Tacoma Police Departments adoption of a new use of force policy in 2022, and directing the creation of a Community Safety Action Strategy. Her tenure hasnt been without criticism or challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She had faced repeated demands for her resignation in 2020 after she didnt immediately fire the police officers involved in Manuel Ellis death. Three officers subsequently charged with murder or manslaughter were acquitted by a jury in December 2023, and each was given $500,000 by the city to resign, The News Tribune previously reported. Pauli was accused by a neighborhood group leader in 2022 of lacking oversight on a planned mega-warehouse in South Tacoma that was argued to be misaligned with the citys climate policy. In late 2021, Police Chief Avery Moore was hired at Paulis recommendation to replace retired Chief Don Ramsdell. She placed Moore on paid administrative leave in September 2024 to investigate more than $1,000 in personal international charges he racked up on his city-issued phone during a family vacation in Sweden. Moore returned to work shortly afterward. An outside investigation concluded in December that he hadnt deliberately misled top city officials about his awareness of the bill, which he repaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her 2023 performance review, Paulis management of Tacomas biennial budget was highlighted as a positive. The citys financial situation has been dire more recently, faced with a $24 million structural deficit. The Council adopted a balanced budget in December but its work to close the shortfall included the elimination of at least two dozen positions. Roughly six years after joining the city, Pauli was appointed acting city attorney before her appointment to that position outright in 2005, according to her city biography. She was previously a partner at Tacoma-based law firm McGavick Graves. TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan will dispatch its navy if needed to help the coast guard respond to any suspicious activity near undersea communication cables, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Thursday, after a Chinese-linked ship was suspected of damaging one. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, said a ship owned by a Hong Kong company but registered both in Cameroon and Tanzania damaged a cable to the north of the island earlier this month, although it says it has not been able to verify the ship's intentions and was unable to board it due to bad weather. The ship's owner has denied involvement, and China's government has said Taiwan was making up accusations before the facts were clear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident has particularly alarmed Taiwan given it has repeatedly complained about "grey zone" Chinese activities around the island, designed to pressure it without direct confrontation, such as balloon overflights and sand dredging. Speaking to reporters at parliament, Koo said the armed forces would closely coordinate with the coast guard and help monitor areas where sea cable are located. "Once something happens, the coast guard will go out first, and if needed the navy will immediately cooperate if a response is required," he added. Also speaking to the media at parliament, Taiwan National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen said the government has already activated a mechanism with "international friends" to exchange information about Chinese "grey zone" maritime activities, though did not give details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taiwan's focus will be on ships carrying flags of convenience - those registered to other countries than their actual owner - and how China might be using them in the waters around the island, Tsai said. Taiwan, whose government rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims, has pointed to similarities between what it experienced and damage to undersea cables in the Baltic Sea following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last week, Taiwan's government said Chinese ships flying flags of convenience have "the mark of evil about them". (Reporting by Ben Blanchard and Roger Tung; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) By Siyi Liu SINGAPORE (Reuters) -A tanker subject to the new U.S. sanctions is discharging Russian oil at a port operated by Shandong Port Group in east China, shipping data on LSEG Eikon showed on Thursday. The tanker is the first since last week's sanctions announcement to discharge in Shandong province where many of China's independent refineries that have been big importers of Russian crude are based. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be monitored closely by those in the industry anxious to know how strictly the measures will be implemented. The sanctions include a grace period exempting cargoes loaded before Jan. 10 and unloaded before March 12, traders said, but the industry still halted some shipments as they assessed their risks. Shandong Port Group was not available for comment after normal office hours. The Panama-flagged crude oil tanker Mermar docked on Wednesday at Longkou port in the city of Yantai. It had floated since Saturday, the LSEG data showed. The data also showed the Aframax-sized tanker carried 80,000 metric tons of (600,000 barrels) Russian ESPO Blend crude that was loaded on Jan. 6 from Kozmino port on Russia's east coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mermar was among 183 ships designated by the Biden administration on Friday in an announcement that disrupted supply from the world's No. 2 producer to China and India and reduced ship availability. The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control said the Mermar had made a port call in a Russian port where oil has consistently traded well above a $60 price cap imposed by the West to try to curb Russia's oil revenues. The tanker is considered part of Russia's shadow fleet that it has used until now to skirt sanctions. Its registered owner Merluza Group has also been placed under restrictions by the new measures. The vessel is managed by Hong Kong-based Ocean Anemone Shipmanagement and is working under insurance from Balance Insurance based in Russia, according to shipping data seen by Reuters. Reuters was not able to contact Ocean Anemone Shipmanagement. Balance Insurance didn't immediately answer a Reuters request for a comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vessel had insurance cover from New Zealand's Maritime Mutual until May 2025, but changed the insurer in November 2024, according to the data seen by Reuters. Prior to the U.S. sanctions announcement, Shandong Port Group had banned U.S.-sanctioned tankers from calling into its ports in the eastern Chinese province. (Reporting by Siyi Liu in Singapore, additional reporting by Gleb Stolyarov in Tbilisi; Editing by Florence Tan and Barbara Lewis) Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Tanzania pushed back against a report from the World Health Organization warning of a new Marburg virus outbreak in the country. Tanzania's Health Minister Jenista Mhagama said this week her agency examined all suspected cases of the Ebola-like disease there and its tests came up negative for Marburg. The last Marburg outbreak in Tanzania came in March 2023 when six people died from the virus in the Bukoba district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "[We] would like to assure the international organizations, including WHO, that we shall always keep them up to date with ongoing developments," Mhagama said. The WHO said that on Jan. 10 it had received "reliable reports" regarding suspected Marburg cases in Tanzania with victims suffering from identifiable symptoms of headaches, high fever, back pain, diarrhea, vomiting blood, and malaise. "The risk of this suspected [Marburg] outbreak is assessed as high at the national level due to several concerning factors," the WHO said in its statement. "The suspected outbreak thus far involves at least nine suspected cases, including eight deaths, resulting in a high [death rate] of 89%. "Healthcare workers are included among the suspected cases affected, highlighting the risk of nosocomial transmission. The source of the outbreak is currently unknown." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The WHO said it is concerned that the alleged outbreak could quickly spread to other countries in Africa with Tanzania's Kagera region bordering Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda with significant cross-border movement between all four countries. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus he expects more cases of the virus will increase "in the coming days" if Tanzania did not improve surveillance and contact tracing. DAR ES SALAAM (Reuters) - Tanzania's government said no-one in the country had tested positive for the Marburg virus after the World Health Organization (WHO) said at least eight people in the northwest were believed to have died from it. "As of 15th January 2025, laboratory results for all suspected individuals were negative for Marburg virus," Jenista Mhagama, the country's health minister said in a statement released late on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the WHO said it had received reliable reports of suspected cases of Marburg virus in the region of Kagera on Jan. 10. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victims had presented with typical Marburg symptoms, including headache, high fever, back pain, diarrhoea, vomiting blood, muscle weakness and external bleeding. The viral hemorrhagic fever has a fatality rate as high as 88%, and is from the same virus family as the one responsible for Ebola, which is transmitted to people from fruit bats endemic to parts of East Africa. After receiving information on the suspected cases, Mhagama said the ministry took immediate measures, including the deployment of a team of experts to the area, event investigation, the collection of specimens and laboratory testing. At a virtual press conference from Geneva on Thursday, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Tanzania should "send the samples it has collected to international reference laboratories and to collect additional samples in accordance with normal procedure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHO is supporting the Tanzanian government and is ready to provide additional help if needed, he added. Tanzania suffered its first Marburg outbreak in 2023, recording nine cases, including six deaths, in the same area. In the statement, the minister said Tanzania had "strengthened disease surveillance systems" in response to the reports of the outbreak. Tanzania was criticised during the COVID-19 outbreak for not sharing data on the infection and ignoring preventive measures. (Reporting by Nuzulack Dausen; Editing by Elias Biryabarema and Barbara Lewis) MOUNTAIN CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) Authorities are investigating a Wednesday night officer-involved shooting in Mountain City that left one person dead and a K-9 injured. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) reports that deputies from the Johnson County Sheriffs Office and the Carter County Sheriffs Office responded to a home on the 300 block of Cross Mountain Road just before 10:30 p.m. Deputies were attempting to execute a search warrant in connection to an investigation involving Alexander James Russom, the TBI stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement $20M slated from state for Hampton High School rebuild In December, the Johnson County Sheriffs Office reported it was seeking Russom after a pursuit that involved several agencies in the Doe Valley area. Russom allegedly evaded authorities and was considered armed and dangerous after the pursuit. Preliminary information concluded that Russom, 39, fired shots at deputies, the TBI reported. Deputies then returned fire and hit Russom. Russom was taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to the TBI. A Johnson County K-9 was also reportedly shot in the incident and taken to a veterinary emergency clinic for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TBI agents are working to independently determine the series of events leading to the shooting, including collecting evidence and conducting interviews, the TBI stated. Throughout the process, investigative findings will be shared with the District Attorney General for his further review and consideration. The TBI acts solely as fact-finders in its cases and does not determine whether the actions of an officer were justified in these types of matters. That decision rests with the District Attorney General requesting TBIs involvement. 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 WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. A New Jersey elementary school teacher was arrested this week on accusations she sexually assaulted a student who lived with her for several years. The teacher, say authorities, was allegedly impregnated by the alleged victim and had his child. Laura Caron, a 5th-grade teacher at Middle Township Elementary School, allegedly had an "inappropriate sexual relationship" with the student when they lived together at Carons home in Cape May Court House, an unincorporated community, between 2016 and 2020, according to a press release from the Cape May County Prosecutors Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caron, now 34, and the alleged victim, born in 2005, first met when she taught him and his brother in the 5th grade, police said in court documents obtained by 6abc. The boys parents became close with Caron over the years and even allowed their sons and daughter to spend some nights at Carons house, before the children stayed there permanently in 2016 for some time, the outlet reports. The boys sister claimed to investigators that she noticed how her brother would often wake up in Carons bed despite falling asleep in the siblings shared room and that he allegedly secretly admitted to her that he fathered Carons child, according to court documents cited by 6abc. When their child was born in 2019, the alleged victim was 13 years old while Caron was 28, authorities claimed. Investigators became aware of the alleged sexual abuse after the boys father pointed out similarities between Carons child, himself, and his son after seeing a Facebook post last December, 6abc reports. 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. Caron was arrested on Jan. 15 and faces charges of aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutors office said. She is being held at the Cape May County Correctional Facility pending her initial court appearance. Its unclear if she has entered a plea or retained an attorney to speak on her behalf. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This arrest underscores the unwavering commitment of our office and law enforcement partners to protect the children in our community, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffery Sutherland said in the release. Teachers hold a position of great trust, and the allegations in this case represent a deeply troubling breach of that trust, he added. We will work tirelessly to ensure justice is served and to support the victim and their family throughout this process. Middle Township School District Superintendent David Salvo confirmed to CBS News that Caron has since been placed on administrative leave. According to prosecutors, the Middle Township School District is cooperating with the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who has information on the case is urged to call the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office at 609-465-1135. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Read the original article on People Teachers across Boston Public Schools picketed outside Charlestown High School on Thursday morning to advocate for themselves as the union continues negotiations for a new contract. Teachers across all 116 Boston Public Schools demonstrated that they need more staffing, and better pay for their paraprofessionals. Para professionals like Shaquille Worrell make about $30,000/year in Boston public schools. Forcing them to take other jobs to suppliment their income after a full school day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I work multiple jobs. I do delivery DoorDash, Uber Eats, Lyft, anything I can to try to supplement, Worrell said. The Boston Teachers Union is standing with its lowest paid members, asking that they be paid a living wage. They are also asking for more teachers to help accommodate those students with special needs, and others learning English--both of which teachers currently teach along with the general student body. As it stands, BPS is believed to be the only Massachusetts district where one teacher is expected to simultaneously meet the needs of three distinct groups: students with disabilities who need specialized learning, students with English as a second language, and the general population learning the standard curriculum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Educators are demanding that Boston Public Schools stop cutting corners around students with disabilities and multilingual learners. Boston students deserve what all other students in this state have: access to a model of staffing that can meet their needs, especially for students with disabilities, said Erik Berg, president of the Boston Teachers Union. Weve been bargaining for nearly a year, and BPS management continues to reject several reasonable proposals that would improve student learning and staff retention. The teachers union says that its because of this work load that its hard to retain teachers. They go back to the negotiating table Thursday night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue will continue to be though, how can the city afford the staffing. Worrell hopes she and others like her will be heard. This is what we love to do. We love to help kids. We love to give back and we deserve to be able to live while were doing that, Worrell said. We shouldnt have to work three or four jobs just to make it by, Worrell said. I feel like this should be a career for us and its something that we can do and hold our heads high and know that were doing something. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW BEDFORD, Ohio The Fox 8 I-Team has learned a nurse is now facing several charges, including a felony count of involuntary manslaughter after an elderly patient went missing and later died. The charges were filed in Bedford Municipal Court Thursday against Amber Henderson, who was working as a nurse at the Avenue Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center. She is also facing two misdemeanor counts. SEE IT: Car on fire at local Sheetz gas pump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Henderson was video arraigned Thursday morning. She waived her right to a preliminary hearing. Her case was sent to the Cuyahoga County Grand Jury. Her bond was set at $2,500. Warrensville Heights police detectives started investigating the death of an elderly woman, Alvera Meuti, after she was found unresponsive outside of the Avenue Warrensville Care and Rehabilitation Center on Christmas Eve. The I-Team obtained a copy of the Warrensville Heights police report that states the 84-year-old woman was last seen by a nurse at 8:40 p.m. Dec. 23. But police were not notified of her disappearance for about 10 hours. Big Lots stores to remain open after last-ditch sale completed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A short time after police arrived the woman was found outside in a corner of the patio. She was unresponsive. She was taken to the hospital, where she later died. 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. Internet and communications technology giants such as Apple, Google, LinkedIn and YouTube have been warned they are hosting apps and channels run by blacklisted Myanmar mobile phone network operator MyTel. On January 6, Mytels owner Telecom International Myanmar Company Limited was sanctioned by the US for allegedly "providing surveillance services and financial support to Burma's military regime" and "enabling the regime to carry out human rights abuses through the tracking and identification of target individuals and groups." The company, which is jointly owned by the Myanmar military and Vietnamese telecommunications provider Viettel, was accused by Burma Campaign UK and the International Campaign for Rohingya of funding the Myanmar military through revenue and land lease deals fior infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "American tech firms are underpinning a military-owned company which the American government has sanctioned for providing surveillance and revenue enabling the Burmese military to carry out human rights violations," said Mark Farmaner, Burma Campaign UKs executive director. Myanmar, which is sometimes referred to as Burma, has been wracked by civil war since the army retook control in an early 2021 putsch carried out while most of the world was distracted by coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. Followed a year later by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and last year by war in the Middle East, Myanmars latest round of repression and civil war much like the return to chaos and bloodshed in Sudan has arguably not drawn the same level of international attention and opprobrium as previous bouts of army rule in the south-east Asian country, which was run as a military dictatorship for most of the period between 1962 and 2012. The Myanmar military has been on the defensive of late, losing control of huge tracts of the country to an array of opposition and ethnic minority militias opposed to its rule. 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 The World Health Organization appealed Thursday for $1.5 billion for emergency operations this year, warning that conflict, climate change, epidemics and displacement had converged to create an "unprecedented global health crisis". The UN health agency estimated that health crises would leave 305 million people in need of urgent humanitarian assistance this year. "WHO is seeking $1.5 billion to support our life-saving work for the emergencies we know about and to react swiftly to new crises," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said as he launched the appeal. The agency's emergency request, which was for the same amount as last year's ask, outlined the critical priorities and resources needed to address 42 ongoing health emergencies. "Conflicts, outbreaks, climate-related disasters and other health emergencies are no longer isolated or occasionalthey are relentless, overlapping and intensifying," Tedros said in a statement. He pointed to the emergency health assistance provided in conflict zones ranging from the occupied Palestinian territories to the Democratic Republic of Congo to Sudan, as well as its work conducting vaccination campaigns, treating malnutrition and helping control outbreaks of diseases like cholera. "Without adequate and sustainable funding, we face the impossible task of deciding who will receive care and who will not this year," Tedros said at Thursday's event. "Your support helps to ensure that WHO remains a lifeline, bridging the gap between sickness and health, despair and hope, life and death for millions of people worldwide." 2025 AFP Chinese start-up Zhipu AI said it "strongly disagrees" with a US decision to add the company and its subsidiaries to an export blacklist, as the administration of President Joe Biden released a flurry of trade restrictions just days before he leaves office. The US Department of Commerce on Wednesday added 25 China-based companies and two Singapore-based firms to its Entity List, accusing them of supporting Beijing's military advance. Blacklisted companies are barred from buying technology from US businesses without special government approval. Beijing-based Zhipu said late on Wednesday that the US move "lacks a factual basis". It added that the firm's inclusion on the Entity List "will not have a substantial impact" on its operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Also included in the updated list is Sophgo, a Chinese chip designer that attracted scrutiny last year after a chip it ordered from Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) was found to match one used in a Huawei Technologies processor. Huawei has been on the Entity List since 2019. Another newly added entity is the little-known Singapore-based company PowerAIR. TSMC ended its business relationship with the secretive firm after a client review exposed a potential breach of US export controls, according to an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post last week. Zhipu is one of China's top generative AI start-ups. Photo: Handout alt=Zhipu is one of China's top generative AI start-ups. Photo: Handout> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sophgo did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday. The Post was unable to contact PowerAIR, which does not have any official website, publicly listed phone number or email address. Beijing-based Sophgo and its affiliate, bitcoin mining equipment supplier Bitmain, previously denied any business ties with Huawei. The Biden administration in recent days introduced a series of rules and sanctions aimed at curbing China's advance in semiconductors and artificial intelligence (AI). On Wednesday, the US tightened licensing requirements on contract chip manufacturers and packaging companies seeking to export certain advanced semiconductors. As part of the strengthened rules, companies like TSMC are required to conduct better due diligence on new customers that may potentially divert restricted chips to countries like China. This is in addition to new regulations unveiled by the US on Monday, designed to prevent Chinese companies from accessing advanced chips through intermediary countries. The administration of US President Joe Biden has unveiled a string of new rules and sanctions targeting China's tech ambitions. Photo: AP alt=The administration of US President Joe Biden has unveiled a string of new rules and sanctions targeting China's tech ambitions. Photo: AP> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several industry advocacy groups and companies have voiced their opposition to the restrictions. The US-based Semiconductor Industry Association said policies aimed at deterring China's AI development might backfire to "undercut US leadership and competitiveness" in the chip and AI industry. Zhipu is one of China's four "AI Tigers" that represent the country's best hope of narrowing its technological gap with the US. The unicorn, valued at 20 billion yuan (US$2.7 billion) last September, counts Alibaba Group Holding, Tencent Holdings and HongShan Capital Group as investors. Alibaba owns the Post. Zhipu specialises in building large language models, the type of technology underpinning generative AI services such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. Its subsidiary Beijing Lingxin Intelligent Technology, also on the latest Entity List, develops AI companions that the company claims can understand human emotions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sophgo, which designs AI processors and chips based on the open-source architecture RISC-V, is an active player in China's push to reduce dependence on foreign technologies. 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. NAVAJO NATION (KRQE) The rural nature of ranching and water access on the Navajo Nation has led to challenges with overgrazing for decades. But now, a new tech-focused effort between a New Mexico business and Sandia National Laboratories is helping tackle the problem. The ranchers are so rural and remote it was hard for them to haul water, theyve been doing this for decades, said Myron Lizer, former Vice President of Navajo Nation. Story continues below Relying on old technology has made hard work for New Mexico ranchers on the Navajo Nation across generations. Farmers have relied on old windmills to draw water from the ground in remote locations while cattle walk miles to get a drink or farmers haul that water to them. The problem is they have vast land and lots of grass thats not at that location, so they overgraze that area. That water needs to be distributed and the way to do that requires a lot of engineering, said Brian Dwyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandia National Labs recently partnered with New Mexico State University to help a small New Mexico company build new technology to help. Remote Well Solutions planned, designed, and installed an innovative off-the-grid water system. This is all automated, its solar only. Theres no batteries, theres no transmitters, no receivers, no radios its all solar, said Mike Lisk owner of Remote Well Solutions. Lisk said under their system, water is pumped into a storage tank and then is distributed throughout the land using a remote-controlled system with a gravity-fed network of piping. It was a project former Navajo Nation former Vice President Myron Lizer pushed for and got funded through a $25 million federal grant. What really helped early on was I knew the ranchers. They were there the first meeting, they were like we support this already, said Lizer. Four systems have now been installed across San Juan and McKinley counties. Some of them have gotten very emotional and when you see a 60-year-old man get emotional because that whole burden is gone. Yeah, its gotten a lot deeper than just a business effort, its very rewarding, said Lisk. The Navajo Nation is looking to install 33 more of the solar-water systems over the next few years while the Laguna Pueblo is also hoping to install two systems by May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. As Southern California continues to burn, people are displaced and losing everything, new fires igniting and entire communities in ruin, Tehama County first responders are doing their part to help. An Operational Area Task Force consisting of personnel from the Tehama County Fire Department, Red Bluff Fire Department, and the Corning Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the Eaton Incident originally, but are now assigned to the Palisades Incident, according to CVFD Assistant Chief Jeff Nelson. In addition, the task force consists of an engine and task force leader from Red Bluff Fire Department and an engine from the Corning Volunteer Fire Department. The Tehama County Fire Department engines and personnel are from Tehama County Fire stations 14-Dibble Creek, 9-El Camino, 12-Corning, 2-Lake California, and 3-Bowman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nelson said the firefighters from the CVFD are Daymon Schlereth, Ricky Lockhart and Raul Miron. The Task Force is on a 14 day commitment. At the end of that 14 days that crew will return home and another sent out if needed, he added. Nelson said the area where CVFD firefighters are currently serving are his old stomping grounds from his high school years. That exact area is where myself and my friends used to hang out during the summer months and where I once worked, he added. CalFire resources and personnel from the Tehama-Glenn Unit have also been sent to Southern California incidents and strategic prepositions over the past week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resources include one CalFire helicopter from the Vina Helitack Base, one fire engine from Paskenta Fire Station and multiple CalFire Units, two Fire Crew Strike Teams; one each from Ishi and Salt Creek Conservation Camps, and a Firefighter 1 Fire Crew and Battalion Chief/Strike Team Leader from Valley View Fire Center. That team has formed up with a Firefighter 1 Fire Crew from the Ponderosa Fire Center from CalFire AEU. In addition to these resources, several overhead personnel have also responded as part of CalFire Incident Management Teams and to support the incidents. Not only have firefighters, equipment and leadership responded to help in the dire circumstances of the Los Angeles area, All American Emergency Services in Corning, owned by James and Teresa Lamb, have responded to the emergency with tents, generators, equipment for laundry services, portable showers and other supplies have been trucked down to the site. The company has sent 18 tents to house firefighters and to be used as organizational centers. They have responded with equipment to two different fires so far, the Eaton and Palisades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, more than a dozen of the companys employees have traveled to Southern California to set-up, oversee and operate the equipment. This isnt the first fire-related emergency All American has responded to in California. The company has sent equipment to nearly every major wildfire the state, and other states, have suffered over the past decade. L.A. Fires Santa Ana winds continue to batter the weary and worn fight against the L.A. area fires, which started on Jan. 7. More than 24 people have reportedly died as a result of the ongoing wildfires. At least 40,000 acres have been torched in the Greater L.A. area, destroying entire communities and more than 12,300 structures, according to reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, has burned over 23,000 acres and was only 14 percent contained as it threatened Brentwood, Encino and Westwood as of Monday, Jan. 13. However, firefighting efforts could be aided with cooler temperatures expected, a rise in humidity and a hopeful ease to the Santa Ana winds. Evacuation orders are in effect for 92,000 L.A. residents, and 89,000 are in evacuation warning zones, which means they may need to leave at a moments notice. Several arson arrests have been made in relation to the fires, as well as arrests for other crimes, such as looting. Getty Images Taking abortion pills at home helps reduce stigma associated with pregnancy termination, according to recent findings. Its intuitive to understand that people are afraid of protesters outside of abortion clinics. But I was surprised that some people would be afraid to be perceived as abortion patients, said Andrea Becker, co-author of the study, a reproductive health researcher and a sociology professor at Hunter College in New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Becker and other researchers affiliated with the Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health program at the University of California, San Francisco, spoke with 30 abortion patients who had telehealth medication abortions between May 2021 and January 2022, when Americans still had the federal right to an abortion. Medication abortions legal up to 70 days or 10 weeks gestation have increased rapidly in the U.S. The method accounted for 53% of all abortions by 2020, and that number increased to 63% by 2023, according to Guttmacher Institute. The coronavirus pandemic, coupled with the U.S. Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June 2022, increased the availability of abortions through telehealth in some states. As of June 2024, telehealth medication abortions were 20% of all clinician-provided abortions, according to the Society of Family Plannings #WeCount report released in October. Care at brick-and-mortar clinics is still overwhelmingly popular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The qualitative study about abortion patients examined why they chose to avoid in-clinic care and opt for telehealth abortion providers either Abortion On Demand, Choix or Hey Jane. Patients said remote abortion care removed travel barriers, reduced waiting times and cost less than getting the pills in-person. For example, a 15-year-old Latina living in central California said the nearest clinic was two hours away, and she didnt want to tell her parents she was getting an abortion. A 36-year-old Black woman in New Jersey said there were no abortion providers nearby. They also said taking abortion medication at home helped them avoid anti-abortion protesters at clinics and being seen in public as an abortion patient. Becker said she was surprised by the latter outcome: They were fearful of being viewed by other patients in the waiting room, by intake staff, by nurses, by their medical doctors. One participant was a 30-year-old Asian woman in Colorado who previously had an in-clinic abortion in Louisiana: Just imagine living in a red state, and people are screaming and yelling at you and showing you these photoshopped pictures of babies being vacuumed out of womens wombs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Take the case of a 39-year-old white woman from Rhode Island who is married and has a son. Researchers said a logistic hurdle for her was child care, but she also felt ashamed. I had to confront a lot of internal biases that I didnt really even know that I had, where I didnt deserve an abortion because financially, I could afford another child, the Rhode Island woman said through tears, according to the study. And a 19-year-old Latina in New York didnt want to go to an abortion clinic because of privacy: I wouldnt want people to know that Im having an abortion at the time. Its still something Im not really proud of, so I would want it to be as secretive as possible. Authors of the study hope the findings can help shape policy on telehealth abortion. Their research compliments quantitative studies that underscore the safety and efficacy of abortion medication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Complications from medication abortions are rare, but they happen occasionally. Three out of 30 patients that Becker and her team interviewed had mishaps. She said two patients had to take an extra round of misoprostol tablets to complete the abortion, and another patient said she was afraid to take misoprostol, so she had to get a procedural abortion at a clinic. We intentionally sought out complications as part of the study in order to have a more holistic understanding, but I want to be clear that we oversampled, Becker said. A study published in February 2024 found that 97.7% of telehealth medication abortions were complete, and 99.8% lacked serious adverse events. Since the study was conducted before the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision, Becker said she plans to work on a similar study with trans and nonbinary patients who have had telehealth abortions post-Roe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While bans have not led to a decrease in abortions, shield laws passed in eight states protect providers and patients from out-of-state prosecutions. California, Colorado, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Washington and Vermont allow providers to prescribe abortion pills in states where the procedure is banned by giving them explicit legal safeguards. The power of those laws is likely to be tested soon. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued a New York abortion provider last month for mailing abortion medication to a patient in his state. Paxton alleged a 20-year-old took the pills at nine weeks of pregnancy, started bleeding severely and went to a hospital, according to Texas Tribune. Its unclear if the woman completed the abortion. Several states that allow abortions prohibit them via telehealth. There are bans on the method in Arizona, Nebraska, North Dakota and Wisconsin, according to the Reproductive Health Initiative for Telehealth Equity and Solutions. Restrictions in Alaska, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina and Utah require an in-person consultation this could include going over informed consent paperwork and getting an ultrasound, depending on the state before providers administer the pills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican lawmakers where most abortions are illegal Indiana, Texas and Tennessee have introduced bills seeking to crack down on mifepristone and misoprostol, which are also used to treat pregnancy loss. Subscribe to States Newsrooms free Reproductive Rights newsletter. ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) Residents of St. Patricks Apartments in Elmira are concerned over issues affecting their daily lives at the building. According to a notice from a tenant at the building, the property obtained new ownership by CIG Properties on Dec. 11, 2024. Residents say they have been left to contact them with questions and have had communication problems addressing their concerns. Many of the issues brought up by the residents involve inadequate garbage collection, homeless people being inside, a broken elevator, and other issues affecting their safety and security. Some of the residents also mentioned that they dont feel safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric Collins whos been at St. Patricks Apartments since June of 2015, says that some of the issues have been homeless people gathering in the staircases, leaving trash behind, graffitiing on the wall, and urinating on the floor. Garbage is an issue. Theyre not emptying the garbage. We have homeless sleeping in the stairwells, Collins said. Theres been roach problems, mice, just a lot of traffic coming in of homeless. Nobodys working here. Theres no maintenance, no management. Nobody feels safe here. Renovations begin on new apartments inside former elementary school in Bath Another tenant Edward Lanning, who is a Vietnam Veteran, told 18 News hes had problems with the homeless people stealing medication he gets from the Veteran Affairs in Bath from his mailbox. According to Lanning the VA in Bath is trying to get him into a new apartment that fits his needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres an elevator here that doesnt work half the time. When I go to go to appointments, I cant go to appointments, said Lanning. The VA comes to pick me up, I cant get downstairs to get on the VA bus, so I have to skip my appointments for medical. When asked if she feels safe at St. Patricks Apartments Elizabeth Cary said, No. I dont even like my grandkids coming over anymore. Ive had my mail stolen three times in the last year. Its just gotten ridiculous. Stephen Evans added, Nope. Not in the least. In a phone call with 18 News, Corey Cooke Elmira City Councils 2nd District said, Ive been working with a few of the tenants over at the St. Patricks Apartments. This has been a developing problem for the last two years. The building has changed ownerships. Were having a hard time reaching the new owners. Theyre not very good at communicating. So, Im taking further steps to reach out to not just the county health department, but the New York State Health Department, because the living conditions in that building are very subpar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, Cooke stated that he thinks the building should be shut down until further notice. As of the publication of this article, 18 News has not yet heard back from CIG Properties. 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. As President-elect Donald Trump readies to be sworn back into office, much attention is on Washington these days. But no matter who resides in the White House, it will be state and local policy that will have the greatest impact on Americans lives. With good leadership here in Tennessee, we can be the land of opportunity and the envy of every other state. In the first half of 2024, the Beacon Center conducted a statewide listening tour to hear directly from Tennesseans and understand what their biggest challenges were. From that, we developed an agenda to position Tennessee to lead by example for other states and politicians in Washington to emulate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We can make Tennessee the place where property rights are preserved, and the dream of homeownership is within reach. Opinion: Take our survey: Do you support expanding school vouchers across Tennessee? Empower Tennesseans to increase economic opportunity For the second straight year, Tennesseans told us that high housing costs were their No. 1 concern. A view of downtown Nashville can be seen from the Kirkpatrick Park residential development in Nashville on Tuesday, March 26, 2019. Government is one of the biggest drivers of these high costs, both through property tax hikes and onerous regulations. We must give voters a say in local property tax hikes and ban a statewide property tax in our state constitution. We must also find ways to make it easier for builders to provide starter homes to those seeking to become homeowners, easing the current regulatory burdens that drive up the cost of building these types of homes and cause reckless urban sprawl. Parents should have more say about their children's education We can make Tennessee the place where parents can access the best education for their child, another top priority for Tennesseans identified in our listening tour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through educational choice, we can recenter power away from Washington and even state bureaucrats and instead put parents in the drivers seat when it comes to their childs education. Many Tennesseans seemed to have resigned themselves to the fact that we can never fix our education system. Opinion: TSU has problems. Interim President Dwayne Tucker plans to fix them. But by putting parents in charge, they can demand better results, and if they dont get them, seek out better options on their own. We can and must give every child a top-notch education. Our future depends on it. Reduce taxes to help businesses grow and prosper We can make Tennessee the place where quality healthcare is just around the corner no matter where you live. Kudos to state leaders for passing numerous reforms over the past few years to expand access to quality healthcare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet government still stands in the way and drives up costs. And with many medical professionals soon to hit retirement age, we are going to grapple with a doctor and nurse shortage particularly in rural areas if we dont make changes soon. State leaders must continue to look for ways to reduce healthcare costs and expand access to quality care. Outside of the Tennessee State Capitol Building in Nashville , Tenn., Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. We can make Tennessee the place where taxes are low and anyone with a vision can start and grow a business. First, we must continue to make our state competitive by continuing to reform our business taxes, especially for small businesses. We need to streamline the process for starting a business in our state. And we need to adjust to the ever-changing economy. In addition to a series of business tax reforms Beacon recently unveiled, we will call on state policymakers to allow businesses to provide independent contractors (think Uber drivers, freelance journalists, and musicians) with portable benefits that they can take with them from job to job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And finally, the state should undertake a comprehensive review of all regulations and cut or eliminate those that are costly and hamper economic growth. Justin Owen is president and CEO of the Beacon Center of Tennessee, the states premier free market think tank. By taking these steps and adopting these sensible solutions, Gov. Bill Lee and state lawmakers can adopt a new moniker: Tennessee The Land of Opportunity. Justin Owen is president and CEO of the Beacon Center of Tennessee, a nonpartisan think tank based in Nashville. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Reduce Tennessee taxes and regulations and watch us thrive | Opinion NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) The Tennessee House is warning lawmakers and the crowds watching legislative floor sessions that they could be booted from the room if their behavior is deemed out of line. For lawmakers, after multiple infractions they could be removed from the floor a few days at a time and forced to vote remotely. For the public, they could be banned up to two years for particularly bad or frequently disruptive behavior. The tougher punishment options came in a news rules package passed Thursday. Youre on the House floor, and youre expected to have decorum and respect for the institution, Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton told reporters. Same thing in the gallery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stiffer rules mark another instance in the U.S. where state lawmakers are focusing on punishments when they find their peers are misbehaving. The topic returned to the forefront Thursday in Georgia, when state Sen. Colton Moore, who had been previously banned from the House chamber, was arrested after a shoving match with House employees where the right-wing Republican fell to the floor trying to enter the chamber for the governor's state of the state. Rowdy crowds have drawn attention in legislatures elsewhere, too. In Rhode Island, the public was blocked from entering the rotunda on Wednesday for hours for Democratic Gov. Dan McKee's state of the state speech, including protesters calling for action on homelessness, according to news reports. Tennessee House Republicans have been tinkering with the rules to dissuade disruption from political opponents since 2023. That's when they expelled two Democratic lawmakers for a protest on the floor calling for gun control after a deadly school shooting. The move backfired politically, putting Tennessee in the national spotlight and elevating the Democratic representatives' profile with huge fundraising hauls. Yet Republicans kept the same supermajority after November. Rep. Gloria Johnson, the Democrat who survived the expulsion votes, called the Tennessee House changes the most ridiculous, fascist rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are sending members to time out for being out of order, Johnson posted on social media Thursday. Remember that to them, if you mention the word racism, they will call you out of order. The changes come as Speaker Sexton has become a top target of criticism from left-leaning Capitol visitors. In pushing the changes, House Republicans noted that Congress has strict decorum rules for gallery visitors. While both Tennessee chambers are controlled by Republicans, the House has long attracted the most bombastic conflicts both among lawmakers, but also from the gallery. The Senate has not changed its rules or aimed to quiet lawmakers or visitors. On a few occasions, audience outcry has stalled House action after a contentious bill passed, and state troopers were ordered to clear the stands. It's not uncommon for some to unfurl signs or shout profanities during particularly fiery debates. In response, Republicans have sought to silence protesters they deem too unruly. In 2023, they banned visitors from carrying signs inside the Capitol and in hearing rooms during a brief special session. The rule was later challenged in court and paused by a judge, but lawmakers adjourned before the case was settled. They haven't reinstituted the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, House GOP officials made half the public gallery require tickets. Each of the 99 House members would get one ticket to give to someone each day of the House session. The ticketed side holds 128 seats. The other has 120 seats and remains first-come, first-serve. The new remote-voting penalty for lawmakers is largely tailored to one of the expelled-and-returned lawmakers. On numerous occasions, Republicans have ruled Rep. Justin Jones' comments out-of-order and voted to temporarily silence him previously, at times saying he's talking out of turn, speaking ill of another lawmaker or veering off-topic. Jones has said the House speaker at times has ignored his requests to speak. Jones has also claimed a double standard in which Republicans aren't punished for comparable behavior. Sexton likened the rule to one in Montana, where Republicans voted in 2023 to temporarily silence and banish Rep. Zooey Zephyr to remote voting. The transgender Democrat said colleagues supporting a ban on gender-affirming care for youths would have blood on their hands. Also under the new rules package, gallery visitors who try to get the attention of someone on the floor, or whose actions are deemed by the House speaker to be detrimental to proceedings, will be removed and banned from returning that day or the next legislative day. If someone shows especially egregious conduct or is repeatedly kicked out, they could be banned longer, up to a full two-year legislative term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers, meanwhile, could be removed from the House floor and forced to vote remotely after being ruled out of order enough times on multiple days. ___ Associated Press reporter Jeff Amy contributed from Atlanta. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain New research published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown a single dose of the influenza vaccine is sufficient for people with blood cancer who have not had a transplant. Lead Peter Mac researchers Dr. Victoria Hall and Associate Professor Ben Teh explained that blood cancer patients are immune-compromised, making them very susceptible to influenza. "Our research was a collaborative effort led by the Department of Infectious Diseases/National Center for Infections in Cancer which set out to understand the most effective flu vaccination strategy for this compromised group of patients," they said. "Clinicians had been using different vaccination strategies such as two doses of flu vaccine, especially with the stronger formulation (adjuvant) vaccine, believing it would provide a more robust immune response and therefore better protection. "Importantly, our controlled clinical trial showed no additional benefit from using the adjuvant vaccine or in providing people with a second dose in the same season." Associate Professor Teh said, "We know trying to have two doses can be challenging for many patients and our trial provides strong evidence that a single dose of an age-appropriate flu vaccine is sufficient for non-transplant blood cancer patients. It also ensures the best use of vaccines made available to patients under the National Immunization Program. "Our efforts should now focus on increasing flu vaccine uptake and identifying additional ways to improve protection in people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma who are especially vulnerable." More information: Victoria G. Hall et al, Influenza Vaccination Strategies in Patients with Hematologic Cancer, New England Journal of Medicine (2025). DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2406750 Journal information: New England Journal of Medicine Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton can now ban a spectator from the public House gallery for up to two years under a new rules package adopted Thursday that Republicans designed to curtail vocal protests in the chamber. The rule implements a two-strike procedure for spectators in the public gallery whose behavior Sexton, R-Crossville, deems "detrimental to the orderly business of the House." A first ejection would lead to a ban for the remainder of the day and the next legislative day. A second ejection could then lead to up to a two-year ban. A spectator could also be banned outright immediately for "especially egregious conduct." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rule gives broad discretion to Sexton to determine what is objectionable conduct and the length of any ban. Democrats have criticized Sexton and the GOP in the past for wielding their supermajority power to inqueitably apply rules to the minority party and their supporters in the past. Rep. Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, prepares to gavel-in the first legislative session of the Tennessee General Assembly at the Tennessee State Capitol in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. It's not yet clear how exactly the policy will be enforced. When asked, Sexton said his office would release details later this week. Large, heated protests became a mainstay at the General Assembly in 2023 in the wake of the Covenant School shooting and subsequent expulsions of two Democrats, Reps. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, and Justin Jones, D-Nashville. Both have been reelected to the chamber Protestors have particularly clashed with House Republicans, who have implemented an escalating set of public rules in an effort to control what takes place in the House gallery and committee rooms. During a 2023 special session on gun safety, three women were removed from a committee meeting for holding paper signs. They later sued over the policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, in an apparent effort to cut down on protestors in the House, GOP leadership closed public access to the West gallery in the chamber. It can now only be accessed via a ticketing system distributed to House members. Republican lawmakers also approved a new remote voting option for House members who have been repeatedly ruled out of order, or disruptive, in the chamber. After several escalating punishments, which would include limited speaking time and then no speaking time on the House floor, a lawmaker repeatedly found in violation of the rules would be removed from the chamber. The lawmaker would then be allowed to vote remotely from a committee room. During a House Rules Committee meeting earlier in the week, Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, raised concerns about the new rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If the representative cant be heard, if they cant express themselves, and then the people are being put out, who are you listening to?" Hakeem said. Sexton on Thursday said other states have implemented similar rules, while lawmakers have repeatedly referenced gallery rules in the U.S. Congress as a model for their new system. When Republican lawmakers sought to expel three Democrats they found to be disruptive on the House floor in 2023, Sexton said leadership was asked why Republicans couldn't have found another option to deal with the situation. "Well, our rules didn't allow us to do anything other than expulsion or a censureship," Sexton said Thursday. "Now we are trying to get our rules up to allow us to have more options at our disposal for those instances, without having to move to expulsion." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democrats voted against the rules package along with one Republican, Rep. Jody Barrett, R-Dickson. Barrett praised portions of the new rules, which include the implementation of electronic voting for final committee votes. But Barrett said he opposed the reduction of the bill limit. Members in years past could file 15 bills per year. This year, members will be held at 12 before the limit drops again to 10 bills next year. Leadership and committee chairs will retain higher bill limits. "I can't support a rule change that further limits my ability to represent my constitutents through the legislation I sponsor each year, much of which originates from specific requests from voters in my district or through conversations with my friends and neighbors at home," Barrett said. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee Republicans adopt new House rules on spectator ejections Tennessee State University has removed Reginald McDonald, the director of its Grammy-winning marching band, and placed him on paid administrative leave as school leaders carry out an investigation, TSU interim President Dwayne Tucker announced in a news release Thursday. "This decision concerns outstanding travel requisitions and advances and related lack of compliance with TSU policies and procedures," Tucker said in the release. "Dr. McDonald will be on administrative leave with full pay while we continue this investigation." The band, known as The Aristocrat of Bands, is a beloved part of the vibrant culture at the historically Black, public university in Nashville. McDonald held various leadership roles with the band for the last 23 years and has served as its director since 2015, according to a LinkedIn profile under his name. Reginald McDonald directs the Tennessee State University marching band during halftime at the school's homecoming game against Bethune-Cookman University in Nashville on Oct. 8, 2022. Tucker served on the TSU board from April through when he took on leadership of the university in December. He said he quickly got to work with the board's audit committee as the university faces dire financial straits after a year of major leadership upheavals. The decision to remove McDonald from his position, place him on leave and investigate came after an internal audit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As this is an ongoing personnel matter, I will not be able to comment further about it at this time," Tucker said in the release. "What I can say is that this difficult decision, and any that come here forward, have at their core a shared commitment to ensuring a bright and stable future for Tennessee State University." In October, the university cut back on road games for the band as the school underwent layoffs and a freeze on hiring and nonessential spending. More: Tennessee State Aristocrat of Bands football road game travel cut back over financial constraints TSU navigates financial issues, advocates press for underfunding restoration Last year, Tennessee Republican lawmakers voted to oust the entire TSU board after back-to-back audits and years of financial scrutiny. Longtime TSU President Glenda Glover also resigned in June a move she said lawmakers encouraged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new board swiftly appointed Ronald A. Johnson as an interim president in July. However, he resigned abruptly in December, citing differences with the board on how best to lead the university forward. The board then appointed Tucker to the role. Questions have swirled over Glover's continuing ties to the university after Johnson and his team revealed evidence of years of financial mismanagement and wildly fluctuating budget deficits in recent years. Records obtained by The Tennessean showed that the previous board made a $1.7 million, four-year agreement with Glover that included a payout and an ongoing, paid advisory role. It's not clear if Glover is still being paid, or if her contract is still active. TSU Board Chair Dakasha Winton said Glover's contract is the subject of legal review and referred questions to the Tennessee Attorney General's office, which declined to comment on the matter. Amid pressure from state officials to sell property, make more staff cuts and even declare financial exigency, Tucker said he's committed to stabilizing TSU's finances. He also told state lawmakers that he's personally committed to cutting all ties between TSU and Glover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, advocates have continued to press for the restoration of $2.1 billion in underfunding to TSU by the state of Tennessee, which happened over the course of 30 years. The federal government revealed that figure in 2023 and recently sent a letter urging Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee to take action to address the matter. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSU removes band director amid travel, compliance investigation Clarence Carter, commissioner of the Department of Human Services, addressing a Tennessee Senate panel on Jan. 24, 2024. (Photo: John Partipilo) NASHVILLE A coalition of law firms and legal organizations, including the Tennessee Justice Center, filed a federal class action lawsuit against the Tennessee Department of Human Services over alleged failures in how it distributes Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) benefits. The lawsuit alleges the Tennessee Department of Human Services, which implements the SNAP program, formerly known as food stamps, failed to issue decisions on applications in a timely manner, had unnecessary delays in its appeal process, failed to restore lost benefits and gave inadequate notice when taking away someones benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Contributor, a Nashville nonprofit and news organization serving people experiencing poverty, is one of the plaintiffs in the suit. According to the suit, the Contributor had to add a staff member to aid vendors working with the outlet in navigating the SNAP application process because of its complexity. The organization alleges the dedication of resources to the SNAP issues draws them from the nonprofits primary mission of finding housing for the unhoused. Trista Hubbard, one of 11 individual plaintiffs in the case, suffered negative health effects after her benefits were terminated without notice, the suit states. A pre-diabetic, Hubbard was only able to afford cheap, often unhealthy food during the period, exacerbating her ongoing blood sugar issues. For years, DHS has been criticized for its handling of the SNAP program. In December 2023, malfunctions with a new computer system and staffing shortage led to thousands of Tennesseans being cut off from benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, the department faced questions about delays in distributing federal funds to aid families who lost food services for their children due to school closures. Joining the Tennessee Justice as counsel are the law firms of Hogan Lovells, DLA Piper and Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger. BULL V CARTER Complaint 1.9.2025 LUBBOCK It was 2014. Charles Perry was moving from the Texas House of Representatives to the Senate. The Panhandle lawmaker had several priorities, including water and how it gets to Texans. We must continue looking into ways to conserve and develop our water infrastructure and resources at both a state and local level," Perry told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal at the time. Since then hes been seen as a catalyst for water in the Capitol and he is still sounding the same alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Perry traversed the state to raise support for what might be the most ambitious overhaul to the states funding approach to water in modern state history. The plan has become one of the worst-kept secrets in Texas politics, as Perry has met with an array of water lobbyists, local leaders and his fellow lawmakers. Those hes met with have said Perry is working hard to secure the support necessary to make sure his plan does not fail under the dome. Those conversations have created a buzz in the Texas water world and in Austin, where lawmakers began meeting again this week. However, Perrys aspirations are, for now, still just an idea. The lawmaker and his team are still drafting the legislation. [Everything you need to know about Texas beleaguered water systems] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to interviews with water leaders across the state and with the lawmaker himself, the priority is clear create a dedicated stream of state tax dollars to help local water agencies and cities buy more water and update the infrastructure that carries it to homes, businesses and farms. Perry plans on asking lawmakers for as much as $5 billion for success in maintaining water infrastructure and growing water supply in the future, amid the state's population growth. The Texas miracles happening, and we don't have enough water to support it, said Mary Alice Boehm-McKaughan, a lawyer for the Texas Rural Water Association. The gamut of problems have popped up in all corners of the state, and has Texans worried. About 85% of registered voters are concerned about the risk of future water supply shortages, according to a survey by the policy think tank Texas 2036. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perry said this session is likely the last chance for the Texas Legislature to get a significant jump start on addressing water issues. He said its not practical to leave it up to local governments anymore, because of how expensive it is. These are big billion-dollar conversations, Perry said, in an interview with The Texas Tribune. If we don't jump-start this, I think Texas may have seen its best days on some level from some industries. Advocates say paying attention to water couldnt come at a more critical time for Texas. Over the last several years, the state has endured ongoing drought, water contamination, declining water supply from reservoirs and aquifers, and water outages due to aging infrastructure. Its too early to say if his approach will work. Perry tried another ambitious bill last session, which allocated $1 billion to create the Texas Water Fund. Advocates say it was just a first step and it falls short of the long-term funding required. Others are waiting to see if Gov. Greg Abbott will make water a priority this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a frustrated CPA (certified public accountant), wannabe engineer, Perry said. Its doable. (Join The Texas Tribune's for a conversation with Sen. Charles Perry on Feb. 4.) Why more money is needed for water As a Texas House Member in 2013, Perry was against using money in the states emergency savings account for water. Doing so would have required the legislature to bust its spending cap. He advocated for financial restraint and to wait. This is not a debate on having a water plan, Perry wrote in 2013. Its a discussion on the best way to fund our water needs while protecting the state's financial stability. His opponents used it against him later. However, Perry has long been an advocate for dedicated funds even then. Water, he says, is statewide infrastructure and should be funded the same as roads and bridges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Water is life, everything else is quality of life, Perry said. We can do without electricity for a day or two. It's not good, but I can't do without water for more than about four days. That's death. Perry said part of the plan is to have the recurring funds expire after 10 or 15 years to see what the states water supply looks like then. The idea, he said will literally provide access to a water supply system new supply, not existing actual new supply to every 254 counties in the state. Water advocates say its not impossible to fix the water issues leaking pipes, water contamination risks, and declining supply plaguing the state. However, it will be expensive. A Texas 2036 report estimated that the state needs nearly $154 billion by 2050 for water infrastructure, including $59 billion for water supply projects, $74 billion for leaky pipes and infrastructure maintenance, and $21 billion to fix broken wastewater systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to be more aggressive and consider dedicated funding for water infrastructure, much like we already do for state parks and state road projects, said Jeremy Mazur, director of infrastructure and natural resources policy at Texas 2036. Texas voters appear ready for lawmakers to address water concerns. In 2023, voters approved $1 billion to create the Texas Water Fund. And according to Texas 2036s survey, 85% of voters said they want the state to invest in long-term funding for water supply and infrastructure projects. The group polled over 1,000 registered Texas registered voters from across the state after the election last November for the results. Perrys bill would dedicate annual funding to water issues. He could ask for $5 billion per year to be allocated to the Texas Water Fund to help close this substantial funding gap. Its unclear where that money would come from. The $1 billion approved last session that created the fund was a one-time investment and was used from the states historic surplus. Once the money runs dry, so do the water pipe repairs. Water supply projects are just becoming more challenging and complex because the easiest and cheapest projects have already been developed, said Sarah Kirkle, policy director at the Texas Water Association. We need to act now, or it will become even more expensive in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the legislature does move forward in dedicating revenues to the Texas Water Fund, the bill would require a constitutional amendment to the Texas Constitution that voters would have to approve next November. The Texas 2036 poll found 68% of likely voters support dedicating $1 billion annually to the water fund. Texas loses a significant amount of water from infrastructure breaks and leaks. The primary problem with Texas water infrastructure is its age and deterioration, which leads to significant water loss through leaks and breaks in old pipes. A 2022 report by Texas Living Waters Project, a coalition of environmental groups, estimated that Texas water systems lose at least 572,000 acre-feet per year about 51 gallons of water per service connection every day enough water to meet the total annual municipal needs of the cities of Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Laredo, and Lubbock combined. Cities and local water systems play a vital role and are responsible for the day-to-day management and implementation of water policies. However, many in Texas have struggled to keep up with the costs to fix deteriorating infrastructure, increasing demand, financial constraints and workforce shortages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Old pipes raise concerns about water quality and supply, and often result in boil water notices paired with the need for costly repairs and replacements across the state. This issue is further compounded by the lack of funding for maintenance in some areas and the increasing demand for water due to population growth. Boehm-McKaughan with the Texas Rural Water Association said the states population boom has sped up the issues. Were very blessed to have folks moving in all the time, Boehm-McKaughan said. Nobodys bringing roads with them. Nobodys bringing water or more electrical grids. The 2022 Texas Water Plan estimates the states population will increase to 51.5 million by 2070 an increase of 73%. At the same time, existing water supplies are projected to decline by 18%. The plan suggests strategies that, if not implemented, could cause a quarter of the states population in 2070 to have less than half the municipal water supplies they would need during a drought. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were just having some severe growing pains, Boehm-McKaughan said. And, quite frankly, we cant conserve our way out of it when it comes to water. Water experts say securing a reliable, consistent funding stream for water is seen as critical to supporting Texas' continued economic growth and development, which depends on having dependable water supplies and infrastructure. The state level would really be helping those communities in ways that they can't do on their own, Kirkle said. Especially without dramatic increases in local water rates. Water organizations are selling the idea as an economic proposal, as they say water is a key component to the economy. Industries and companies often look at the states water reliability when making their decisions on where to invest and locate their headquarters. If you want to continue to see this economic growth, it's an economic development, you need to make sure that there's reliable water infrastructure in place to support that, Mazur said. He added that without significant investments in water, Texas could struggle to compete for industry growth. City of Odessa Water Distribution employees work through the night as they attempt to repair a broken water main Tuesday, June 14, 2022. Credit: Eli Hartman for The Texas Tribune Future water projects If a dedicated water fund is created, it could open the door to larger projects that offer regional solutions. In a December essay for the Texas Water Journal, Perry said water desalination a process that removes minerals from water to make it drinkable could help produce new water supply across the state. The Legislature will have an opportunity to vote for a plan that will supply water to every community, county, and region of the state, Perry wrote. Theres also the idea of a state water grid pipelines transporting water from the water-rich regions of Texas to arid, drought-stricken areas has been circulating since the 1960s. It first appeared in the 1968 State Water Plan, an era marked by significant interest in interstate water transfers. While the idea persists, the path to implementation is fraught with challenges, according to some water experts. Building large-scale water transfer systems is no small feat. The costs are astronomical, the timelines daunting and there have been environmental concerns raised in the past. Robert Mace, executive director of the Meadows Center for Water and the Environment at Texas State University in San Marcos, said projects like these often take 20 to 30 years to complete. However, hes careful not to dismiss the idea entirely. Never say never, he said. He added that large-scale water transfers remain a potential lifeline for the state. Who knows what's going to happen and how desperate things could get, he said. We have had things like climate change. Kirkle with the Texas Water Association said theres a need for additional water supplies now and addressing Texas water challenges will require every kind of project on the table. Perry Fowler, executive director of the Texas Water Infrastructure Network, said Perry seems determined to make a significant change for water. Fowler said the plan for a pipeline network is conceptual, for now. I think that the chairman is trying to get a sense of what we'd be looking at in terms of dollars to be able to execute a large scale, large supply investment, Fowler said. In an interview with the Tribune, Perry said working on water supply now is critical. He says the state is already behind on its water supply, and it takes a long time to build these projects. It takes 20 years to build out the infrastructure to have the water 20 years from now, Perry said. Perry has a few more weeks to hammer out the details before he has to present it to lawmakers. All bills must be filed by March 14. Disclosure: Texas 2036 and Texas Living Waters Project have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here. (The Texas Tribune) The Texas agency that manages the states prisons and jails should close correctional facilities with staffing challenges and do a better job at supervising inmate rehabilitation programs, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission said Wednesday. The commission, which reviews the performance of Texas agencies, voted Wednesday to recommend the Legislature pass bills addressing multiple issues at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and several other state agencies. Though the commission discussed most recommendations in December, it made them official Wednesday. The recommendations come after a report in September found that up to 70% of guard positions were unfilled at some Texas prisons and that TDCJ staff has a 26% turnover rate. The report found that low staffing figures put both prison staff and inmates at risk. In response, the commission is asking that the TDCJ identify root causes of turnover and improve employee access to career advancement resources within the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The September report also found that the state isnt fully tracking the use or effectiveness of rehabilitation and reentry programs for inmates, which cost taxpayers millions of dollars. To address this, TDCJ must evaluate the programs every other year, the commission said. Marc Levin, chief policy counsel at the nonpartisan think tank Council on Criminal Justice, said the commissions recommendations underline what kind of facilities make sense for the state to continue having and implementing them would be a step toward more humane prisons. TDCJ spokesperson Amanda Hernandez told The Texas Tribune in August the agency was undergoing a culture shift to emphasize rehabilitation of inmates over punishment. The commission is also asking the Windham School District, which offers educational programs to incarcerated Texans, to consider partnerships with the states community colleges and Texas State Technical College to expand its postsecondary career and technical education opportunities. The TDCJ must also work with Windham to create a strategic plan for rehabilitation and reentry programs, the commission said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Inside the only college class in Texas to help prepare inmates for life after prison] The commissions recommendations also include efforts to digitize or automize certain processes that typically involve paper, such as allowing inmates to view their institutional or disciplinary records on tablets. Parole status letters should also be digitized to be viewed on tablets, the commission said. Another recommendation aims to provide some relief for the TDCJ by ending a requirement that orders the agency to keep some state jails that were created to keep low-level offenders out of overcrowded prisons and offer rehabilitative services. But since then, criminal justice advocates and lawmakers have criticized the facilities for not fulfilling their original promise and instead often being used as a temporary stop for inmates on their way to state prisons. With this statutory change, TDCJ will be able to more efficiently use beds and develop new treatment for the inmate population, Hernandez said in an email Wednesday. She said the TDCJ appreciates the Texas Sunset Advisory Commissions review and added that the agency has already started work to implement its recommendations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hernandez said TDCJ asked for funds in August that will allow its employees to access mental health professionals after critical incidents. In its request, TDCJ also asked for funding to build dorms at nine of its locations, totalling about 4,800 additional beds. The Sunset Advisory Commission issues recommendations to the Legislature on how to improve the states agencies and which to abolish. It is overseen by 10 lawmakers five members from the Texas House and Senate, respectively and two members of the public. In 2023, the Legislature passed 15 bills following the recommendations the commission made that year. Since the commission was established in 1977, 95 state agencies have been abolished. According to the commissions website, it will review about 130 agencies over the next 12 years. This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at www.texastribune.org. The Texas Tribune is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans and engages with them about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues. 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. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A real estate developer whose relationship with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton was at the center of the Republican's historic impeachment trial in 2023 pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal charge of lying to a financial institution. The plea by Nate Paul, whose company is based in Texas, was entered before a U.S. magistrate judge and still must be reviewed by a district judge, court documents show. Records did not indicate when Paul might be sentenced. Paul claimed that federal investigators acted improperly when they raided his Austin home in 2019. He later sought help from Paxton, and the relationship and dealings between the two men played a prominent role in lawmakers impeaching Paxton, who was later acquitted in the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton has long denied wrongdoing and was not mentioned in federal indictments against Paul, which accused the developer of making false statements to banks in order to obtain more than $170 million in loans. The Associated Press emailed a request for comment to federal prosecutors on Wednesday. Staff for Paul's attorney, Gerry Morris, said he would have no comment. Paul would figure heavily in 20 articles of impeachment filed against Paxton, who was accused of abusing his power and bribery in order to help the developer, who gave the Republican a $25,000 campaign donation in 2018. The impeachment came about after eight of the attorney general's top deputies reported him to the FBI in 2020. All were subsequently fired or quit and half the group later sued under the states whistleblower law. Paul initially faced a dozen charges, including wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, but online documents noted only the plea to the single charge of lying to a financial lender. AUSTIN (KXAN) This week, Texas lawmakers convened from across the state for the start of the 89th Legislative Session. This marks the beginning of five months for passing new bills. Thousands of bills have already been filed by legislators for this session. Topics ranged from education to border issues. Not far from the Capitol, a restaurant in east Austin wants to see a focus on the restaurant sector as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owner of Industry, Harlan Scott, said he hopes the legislature addresses credit card swipe fees. Scott said those fees eat up 3% of his revenue. I struggle to keep my lights on. I struggle to pay my staff, and then every dollar that I produce, I have to give up a portion of that. I think this is a very easy, bipartisan thing. Harlan Scott, Industry Restaurant Owner Help them invest Credit card swipe fees are top of mind for the Texas Restaurant Association as well. It plans on taking that issue to lawmakers this session. We call them hidden fees, because you dont see them on your receipt when you check out. You dont see them on your credit card statement, but theyre built into the price of every single good and service that we as consumers purchase in Texas, said TRA Chief Public Affairs Officer Kelsey Erickson Streufert. Streufert said restaurants still struggle post-pandemic. She said 38% of operators were not profitable last year, and more than half still carry debt they took on to survive the pandemic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Really making sure that our policy makers know what our restaurants are feeling and what policy changes could really help them invest in their business and their employees and in their communities. Kelsey Erickson Streufert, TRA Chief Public Affairs Officer Some of the TRAs goals this legislative session include: Protect restaurants from harmful legislation Save restaurants money Strengthen the workforce Improve restaurant resiliency Within those goals, the TRA outlined specific reforms and improvements to focus on. When it comes to saving restaurants money, the TRA wants reforms on credit card swipe fees, property taxes, appraisal rules and state and local permits. Where theres duplication or sort of fees on top of fees, we think we could take a look at that, Streufert said. The TRA said it would also like to strengthen the workforce by improving childcare, education initiatives and second chance hiring initiatives. Past advocacy changes The TRA said last legislative cycle it had a 100% success rate blocking harmful legislation. The association said it worked in a bipartisan, collaborative way to deliver 70 wins in 70 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of their changes included: Repealing duplicative permit fees Prohibiting local governments from mandating predictive scheduling Making sure online privacy laws do not block restaurant websites, loyalty programs, third-party reservation and delivery platforms The TRA said last session, it testified 22 times before a legislative committee and sent more than 2,800 emails to lawmakers on TRA priorities. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) With the House floor as a backdrop inside of the Texas Capitol, State Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas) proposed to the first person he told he was going to run for office. Jones, asked Gregory Scott, his friend who would become his romantic partner after more than 10 years to marry him on the first day of Texas 89th legislative session. Texas State Rep. Venton Jones (D-Dallas), and partner Gregory Scott get engaged on first day of 89th legislative session. (Courtesy Gregory Scott) My immediate reaction was, What is happening?' Scott said with a laugh. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jones, an openly gay representative, said he felt making this statement was important going into a new session, as legislation directed toward LGBTQ+ Texans becomes more prevalent. Lawmakers double down on LGBTQ+ policies ahead of next Texas session Last session I sat in that very chair, and saw over 144 bills [targeting the LGBTQ community], Scott said. We continue to see attacks on the LGBTQ community. Being able to be in a space of authenticity is not a show, this is our lifeI had so many people coming into my office saying thank you. Texas isnt a place for some, its a place for all. As for when the couple said they plan to get married? They told KXANs Jala Washington for now, theyre basking in their fresh engagement. However, they said they do plan to wait until the 89th session is over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jala Washington is KXANs Multicultural Reporter, reporting on minority communities. Have a story for her? Follow her on Instagram, Facebook and X. Or send her an email: Jala.washington@kxan.com. 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. 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: MART PRODUCTION from Pexels EU-backed researchers and doctors are pioneering advanced pre-implantation and prenatal genetic testing to improve the chance of healthy pregnancies in at-risk families. The story of Bojana Mirosavljevic and her two healthy daughters, aged 4 and 10, is a testament to the power of modern reproductive medicine and the work of researchers like Greek fertility specialist Dr. Aspasia Destouni and Estonian molecular biologist Dr. Ants Kurg. After losing her eldest daughter Zoja to a devastating genetic disorder, Mirosavljevic found hope in preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), a technique developed in the 1990s and perfected, among others, by EU researchers. By analyzing her daughters' DNA while they were still five-day-old embryos, doctors confirmed they did not carry flawed copies of the gene TPP1. This gene's malfunction can cause CLN2, a deadly disease that impairs physical movements and skills, as well as mental development. As a result, they were deemed safe for implantation into their mother's womb. "Genetic testing helped save my family," said Mirosavljevic, who had previously gone through 27 rounds of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). She lives in Novi Sad, Serbia, and is today an active member of EURORDIS, a non-profit alliance of rare disease patients, and founder of the LIFE Association for Rare Diseases in Childrena support and advocacy group for patients and their families. Safe prenatal checks Infertility in Europe is a growing concern. According to a report from the World Health Organization, it affects 1 in 6 couples in Europe. The highest rates are found in the eastern and southern regions. Thanks to intensive research over the last three decades, PGT is now routinely offered to at-risk women in manybut not allEuropean countries. For instance, Spain, the Netherlands and the UK have excellent track records in providing access to PGT. By contrast, Ireland, Greece and Germany offer a less comprehensive service. EU-backed researchers in Europe are determined to expand the reach of PGT and other pioneering reproductive services across the continent. The goal is to ensure that patients like Mirosavljevic are given the best possible chance to overcome fertility issues and give birth to children free from genetic diseases. Networking for excellence Destouni is a researcher in reproductive genomics at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, currently on secondment at the University of Tartu in Estonia. She is the co-principal investigator of a three-year EU-funded project called NESTOR. It aims to establish a Greek network of researchers and innovators working with those from Estonia and Maastricht University in the Netherlands. The NESTOR team focuses on turning discoveries in the lab into real-life solutions. The team aims to improve PGT, non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), female reproductive health and methods for predicting fertility. Estonia, in particular, is proving a great inspiration. "They have a fantastic model," said Destouni. "For instance, they've created the Estonian Biobank, which collects and stores genetic and health data from 20% of the country's adult population, which is used to support research, personalized medicine and public health." Knowledge sharing Estonia's successes can be traced back to the EU's Widening initiative, a broad EU-funded research program that started in 2014 and continues today. Its aim is to transfer ideas, expertise and training from established research centers to those in Widening countries, meaning those that lag behind, and create networks between research teams. In terms of fertility problems, the underlying idea is to guarantee that all 27 EU Member States can equally contribute to and benefit from scientific advancements in reproductive medicine. At the time of the initiative's inception, Estonia and Greece were among the 15 European countries classified as Widening countries. Much of the progress Estonia has since made can be traced back to a clinic that opened at the University of Tartu in 2016. In setting it up, Estonian scientists collaborated closely with fertility researchers from KU Leuven in Belgium and the University of Oxford, UK. This collaboration was brought about through an offshoot of Widening, a three-year EU-funded research program called WIDENLIFE, which ended in 2018. Kurg, a professor of molecular biotechnology at the University of Tartu and principal investigator of WIDENLIFE, says sharing expertise between Belgium, the UK and Estonia has helped many Estonian couples achieve normal pregnancy and deliver healthy babies. Before WIDENLIFE, pre-implantation testing for IVF embryos was limited and costly in Estonia, as was prenatal genetic testing. "Samples had to be sent abroad and there would be a two- to three-week wait for results, which is much longer than you'd want," said Kurg. The collaboration with Belgian researchers was one of the cornerstones of the project, according to Kurg. Thanks to this, they were able to bring the necessary technology to Estonia so that all testing could be done there. The system developed by WIDENLIFE uses a combination of single cell analysis and software algorithms to analyze the likelihood of successful implantation and development of an embryo, which helps those undergoing IVF therapy. NESTOR builds upon the success of WIDENLIFE, and the hope is that it will strengthen the collaborative innovation activities between Estonia, Greece and the Netherlands. Closing the gap Destouni singled out age as the most critical determinant of a woman's fertility. "In Europe, women are often delaying motherhood, so we need to fine tune our fertility solutions to make them effective for the population we are treating." Since the establishment of the Tartu clinic, many women in Estonia have also benefited from improved access to PGT for single-gene diseases, such as late infantile type CLN2 Batten diseasethe condition that claimed Zoja's life. Experts estimate there are between 7,600 and 10,000 diseases caused by mutations to a single gene. These disorders affect up to 10 in 1,000 people and include cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, thalassemia and hemophilia. PGT is also valuable for women over 35, as the likelihood of carrying a child with a genetic abnormality increases and the success of IVF decreases with age. PGT can also be beneficial for women with a history of miscarriages, multiple failed IVF cycles, or for couples experiencing infertility. One very concrete success of WIDENLIFE is the advancement of another class of fertility tests, known as non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), which have greatly improved in Estonia. This method is used to assess the risk of a fetus having certain genetic abnormalities, such as Down's Syndrome. The testconducted after 10 weeks of pregnancyanalyzes small fragments of fetal DNA present in the mother's blood. It is safer than the older and better-known amniocentesis test, which involves extracting amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetus through a needle. Incredibly accurate tests Scientists from the University of Tartu have further developed NIPT, in partnership with Celvia, an Estonian company and research institution, to create an even more accurate technique for detecting chromosomal abnormalities non-invasively. Known as Niptify, it is today widely offered to pregnant women in Estonia, subsidized by the Estonian national health care system. The objective is to enable parents to make an informed decision about continuing or ending the pregnancy. "Niptify is an incredibly accurate way to detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities. It is offered to every pregnant woman over the age of 35 in Estonia," said Kurg, adding that "the technology behind it continues to be improved." In Greece, however, the reproductive medicine landscape is very fragmented, Destouni said, and some tests are not done in public health institutions, which means they are not readily available to the broadest population. "The most innovative tests are generally offered by the private sector, which adopts mature technologies from foreign biotech companies," she said. "This is not ideal, because it de-incentivises research and innovation efforts and allows the loss of valuable genomic data from the Greek population." "Everything needs improving, from research and data collection to fertility treatment and birthing services." The hope is that, with European networking and collaboration among researchers, things will indeed improve. AUSTIN (KXAN) The Texas State University Police Department is investigating an alleged assault the agency said happened on the San Marcos campus on Tuesday, UPD said on social media. A suspect was also arrested. UPD said when the alleged assault happened Tuesday that a timely warning was issued to the campus community. The agency said it increased patrols after the alleged assault was reported. On Wednesday morning, UPD officers found the suspect on the campus, according to the agency. The suspect was then taken to the county jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident remained under investigation Wednesday. 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. HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) Texas State University researchers are utilizing a $1.8 million grant to combat fentanyl in Hays County. The grant comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It will be used to bolster the universitys Fentanyl Education, Support Training, and Awareness (FESTA) program, an initiative that helps schools implement substance abuse educational programming. Saving a Generation: The Fentanyl Crisis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, the Texas legislature passed Tuckers Law, which requires Texas school districts to teach annually students in sixth through 12th grades about the dangers of fentanyl. With that new requirement and the fact that schools might need some additional help, sometimes because theyre doing so many other good things, they might want additional resources or the extra manpower to create and implement outreach and educational resources for their school community, said Kelly Clary, the FESTA project director. This was an opportunity to collaborate with Hays County middle and high schools to support their students, faculty, and parents/caregivers, she continued. The team, which includes four researchers, plans to host outreach events and provide educational resources with the help of Texas ICON, Cenikor, the Hays County Sherriffs Office, and Hill Country MHDD over the next five years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clary told KXAN that FESTA is in the process of developing the fentanyl education and awareness curriculums for Dripping Springs and Wimberley ISDs but could expand to other districts. The program will also host community events in addition to the district curriculums. My goal is to make sure and hopefully reduce the likelihood of any additional accidental overdoses regarding fentanyl over the next five years and beyond, Clary 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 KXAN Austin. By Napat Wesshasartar PHUKET, Thailand (Reuters) -Plastic bottles and empty beer cans roll on the sea floor in the waters around Phuket in southern Thailand, while ever more garbage piles up on the island itself, a tourist hotspot better known for its pristine beaches and stunning sunsets. In one corner of the island, trucks and tractors trundle back and forth moving piles of trash around a sprawling landfill, the final destination for much of the more than 1,000 tonnes of waste collected on Phuket every day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a matter of months, the landfill has grown so large it has replaced the previous serene mountain view from Vassana Toyou's home. "There is no life outside the house, (we) just stay at home," she said. "The smell is very strong, you have to wear a mask." To cope with the stench, Vassana said she keeps her air conditioner and air purifiers switched on all the time, doubling her electricity bill. Phuket, Thailand's largest island, has undergone rapid development due to its tourism sector, a major driver of the Thai economy as a whole. Of the country's 35.5 million foreign arrivals in 2024, about 13 million headed to the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The growth of (Phuket) city has been much more rapid than it should be," said Suppachoke Laongphet, deputy mayor of the island's main municipality, explaining how a tourism and construction boom has pushed trash volumes above pre-COVID levels. By the end of year, the island could be producing up to 1,400 tonnes of trash a day, overwhelming its sole landfill, he said. Authorities are pushing ahead with plans to cut waste generation by 15% in six months, expand the landfill and build a new incinerator, he said, as the island strives to become a more sustainable tourist destination. But increasing capacity and incinerators is only part of the solution, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you just keep expanding more waste incinerators, I don't think that would be just the solution," said Panate Manomaivibool, an assistant professor in waste management at Burapha University. "They need to focus on waste reduction and separation." (Reporting by Napat Wesshasartar, Writing by Chayut Setboonsarng, Editing by Hugh Lawson) Jan. 15POLK COUNTY, Minn. A Thief River Falls woman was sentenced Tuesday, Jan. 14, to five years of supervised probation for starting a fire at East Grand Forks' Islamic Center in 2022. Suzette Gay Thompson, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree arson; a second count was dismissed. In the early morning hours of June 5, 2022, an East Grand Forks officer was dispatched to the city's Islamic Center for a fire, according to a probable cause statement filed in the case. The reporting party showed the officer a curtain/room divider that was partially melted and burnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and another man had come to the center to pray, and when one of them returned from the bathroom, he saw a woman later identified as Thompson fleeing from the building, the statement said. When the man walked in her direction, he noticed the curtain was on fire, Surveillance footage showed Thompson using a lighter and spray can to start the fire, before throwing the can on the ground and leaving the scene, the statement said. Thompson was arrested later that morning. She told law enforcement she'd been drinking and didn't remember doing anything, but conceded that she recognized the hairspray can in the surveillance footage and the woman in the video looked like her. Her breath test had a 0.00 result. Thompson was sentenced Tuesday to 48 months stayed for a period of five years, during which she will be on supervised probation. She served 127 days at the Northwest Regional Corrections Center prior to sentencing. She was ordered to complete different evaluations including a Level of Service Inventory to assess her risk of offending and a comprehensive assessment and related treatment if determined necessary. Thompson is prohibited from having any contact with the victims in the case, and cannot be within 300 feet of the Islamic Center. KANSAS CITY, Mo. One local theft victim says shes out nearly $100,000 worth of lost items after thieves hit at least two storage facilities. The suspects seem to be more sophisticated with how theyre getting into these units, having plenty of time to get what they want and take off. Family of slain Platte County journalist asking for help finding highway shooter Kendra Lynn, one of the victims, says she is devastated. Lynn was in the process of moving, so she put many of her designer clothes, shoes, hats and purses in a storage unit, something many people do when prepping for a move. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Lynn got a call from Public Storage five days after the burglary. When she went to her unit in Independence off of 42nd Terrace, she couldnt believe her eyes. They cut the locks on the storage and your things are gone. It wasnt my storage, it was the storage behind mine, Lynn explained. As she described, the thieves cut the locks on a conjoining unit and then cut through the back wall to access her unit. FOX4 learned from a Public Storage employee that the units here werent the only ones hit, so were the companys at their location in Raytown. Its very discouraging I mean its heartbreaking, Lynn continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some things can just never be replaced. Were talking about 100,000 (dollars worth of items) or so, yes it was very valuable things. Among the nearly six-figure haul these crooks made out with, they managed to get Lynns custom Alaskan fur jacket worth thousands of dollars. Lynn wants the thieves, as well as Public Storage, to be held accountable. This is not cool, youre hurting a lot of people, youre causing a lot of pain and heartache, she said. I feel like they should be responsible, held responsible for the whole claim. I should not have to put a claim in with their insurance and the rest with mine they should be responsible for the whole entire thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liberty officer, firefighters help rescue mom, infant from icy water Lynn says shes frustrated not only for the five-day gap between the theft and the company contacting her but also for their claim of having cameras all over the property while no arrests have been made. FOX4 contacted Independence Police who say this is an active investigation. Theyre still waiting on the security footage from the facility. Were still waiting to hear from Raytown Police about the other Public Storage unit that was hit. FOX4 also reached out to the storage company, but have yet to get a response As for Lynn, she says she would not recommend ever using a Public Storage unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has appointed Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody to be the state's next U.S. senator. The announcement comes after President-elect Donald Trump nominated U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida's senior senator since 2010, to be secretary of state. Five things to know about the Republican attorney general, who has served as the state's top law enforcement officer since 2019: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement runs in her family Moody has spent her career in the justice system, working as a federal prosecutor before being elected at age 31 to the post of circuit judge in Hillsborough County, home to Tampa. She ran for the statewide office of attorney general in 2018, the same year DeSantis won his first bid as governor. Moody comes from a well-known Tampa Bay family and followed in the footsteps of her father, U.S. District Judge James Moody. Serving in the Florida Cabinet, Moody has repeatedly advocated for law enforcement. Her husband, Justin Duralia, became a deputy police chief in Plant City in July. Previously, he worked at the Drug Enforcement Administration for 24 years, most recently as a supervisory special agent. Together, they have two sons, Brandon and Connor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has a record of coming to Trump's defense Moody has earned a reputation as a defender of the president-elect, notably when she joined 16 other Republican state attorneys general in signing on to a lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to overturn President Joe Bidens 2020 election win. The integrity and resolution of the 2020 election is of paramount importance, Moody wrote in a statement at the time. In December, Moodys office obtained an arrest warrant for Ryan Wesley Routh, whom federal authorities accuse of trying to assassinate Trump at his West Palm Beach country club in September. Moody is pursuing criminal charges of attempted felony murder against Routh for a crash that seriously injured a 6-year-old girl after officials shut down traffic on Interstate 95 as they tried to apprehend the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She would be Florida's second female senator Moody is poised to become just the second woman to represent the state in the U.S. Senate, and the first in nearly 40 years; Republican Paula Hawkins served in the chamber from 1981-1987. In her first statements after DeSantis announced her appointment Thursday, Moody said her experiences as a woman would shape her work in the Senate. First and foremost, I am driven by the fact that I am a mother and I still have a kid in school, Moody said. To date, 63 women have served in the Senate, with 25 currently in office. She opposed ballot measures on abortion and marijuana Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moodys office unsuccessfully fought to disqualify two measures from appearing on the 2024 ballot: one that would have expanded abortion rights and another that would have legalized recreational marijuana in the state. Moody accused supporters of the abortion proposal of waging a war to protect the procedure. And she argued that the marijuana measure's language that it allows adults 21 years or older to possess, purchase, or use marijuana products was misleading because it didn't clarify that marijuana possession is illegal under federal law. In April 2024, the Florida Supreme Court rejected Moody's arguments and allowed the marijuana and abortion measures to go before voters. While a majority of Floridians voted to pass the initiatives, both failed to meet the states required 60% threshold to amend the constitution. She's a kind of Florida royalty Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moody, who is a fifth generation Florida native from Plant City, was named the queen of the Florida Strawberry Festival in 1993. Plant City has hosted the famed celebration of the state's strawberry industry for nearly a century. Moody can claim another kind of Florida pedigree as well: She's a triple Gator, earning a bachelor's, a master's and a Juris Doctor from the University of Florida. __ Payne reported from Tallahassee, Florida. Associated Press writer Curt Anderson in Tampa, Florida, contributed to this report. Payne is a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Green Bay Correctional Institution | Photo by Andrew Kennard/Wisconsin Examiner A consulting and management firm will begin on-site visits to Wisconsin prisons next week, the next step in a third-party review of the states prison system. The Wisconsin Examiners Criminal Justice Reporting Project shines a light on incarceration, law enforcement and criminal justice issues with support from the Public Welfare Foundation Falcon Correctional and Community Services, Inc. exists to elevate mental health services in jails and prisons for incarcerated Americans with mental illness, according to the firms website. Amidst concerns over the conditions of confinement in state facilities, Falcon is studying some aspects of life inside Wisconsin prisons to find areas for improvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wisconsin Department of Corrections recognized the value of a third party reviewing policies and procedures and providing recommendations for improvement, DOC Secretary Jared Hoy said in a July 9 letter to lawmakers on Wisconsins 2023 Assembly Committee on Corrections. On the same day, prison reform advocates spoke in front of the committee, giving testimony about solitary confinement and other issues. The Department of Corrections has received scrutiny after deaths of incarcerated people and criminal charges against staff at Waupun Correctional Institution. This is just one step of many that we at the department are taking to make improvements at our facilities to help keep staff safe and improve the conditions for those in our care, Hoy said of the review in the letter. Falcon teams have been deployed to review restrictive housing practices in at least four states, according to the firms proposal: Washington, Connecticut, Louisiana and Massachusetts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bringing in Falcon is an acknowledgement of serious problems in the department, said Mark Rice, the transformational justice campaign coordinator at the nonprofit WISDOM. Rice hopes the study will lead to change, but he also thinks the department should make improvements based on information that is already available. Solitary confinement is being used far too frequently, Rice said. People have been dying. People have not been able to get access to medications that they need in some situations. People have not had adequate health care during emergency situations. And so certainly [there have] been several deaths that were preventable. What will Falcon do? In November, the DOC and Falcon signed a contract. The Examiner received the contract and accompanying documents through public records requests to the DOC. The partnership includes a comprehensive study of the Division of Adult Institutions health care program, behavioral health program, correctional practices and restrictive housing practices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study was projected to take six months, the documents say, with a cost of about half a million dollars. Currently, the Falcon team is on the fourth stage of the study, according to Beth Hardtke, director of communications for the Department of Corrections. This involves beginning group workshops, according to the contract documents. The fifth stage is titled Onsite Visits and Facility Studies, and it is scheduled for weeks eight through ten of the partnership. The Falcon team will begin on-site visits next week, Hardtke said. Some priorities listed in the plan focus directly on incarcerated people. These include timely emergency treatment, access to and administration of necessary medication, psychiatric services and access to recreation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other priorities are focused on employees. These include facility leadership culture, staff wellness and safety and behavioral health and health care staffing. The second part of the partnership is labeled as optional. It involves technical assistance for implementing the study recommendations and includes Falcon measuring the impact of the changes after 30, 90 and 180 days. Hardtke said the DOC plans to release recommendations from Falcon after the project concludes. One section of the proposal covers six areas of focus for Falcons experts. It tasks Falcons experts with conducting analyses related to training, recruitment, culture and retention of staff, as well as restrictive housing and initiatives aiming to reform it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the other areas of focus is a report with actionable recommendations and a roadmap for addressing behavioral health, health care and correctional practices, including restrictive housing, and their impact on [incarcerated people] and staff. The report should include a timeline for execution and proposed ways to evaluate and adjust the implementation of the recommendations, the section says. WIDOC_Falcon_Scope_Proposal_8.22.24 Analyzing restrictive housing In a section about restrictive housing, the proposal says the DOC is engaged in an agency-wide culture change to more rehabilitative practices. Restrictive housing includes disciplinary separation when an incarcerated person has committed a violation. It also includes instances when staff remove an incarcerated person from the general population for reasons such as their own safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state limits when incarcerated people in disciplinary separation can leave their cells. They may do so as needed for urgent medical or psychological attention, showers, visits, recreation and emergencies endangering their safety in the cell or other reasons as authorized by the warden. For November 2024, 3.4% of incarcerated people tracked were in disciplinary separation, according to the DOC. Also for November, the average sentence to disciplinary separation was 37.4 days, while the average time spent there was 23.6 days. The average time spent in disciplinary separation declined overall from January to November.. The most common reasons for disciplinary separation are disobeying orders, disruptive conduct, disrespect, threats and assault, according to DOC data from November 2019 to November 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocates have called for reform of solitary confinement in Wisconsin, which can be defined as confining a prisoner for 22 or more hours a day without meaningful human contact. In 2011, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture said indefinite and prolonged solitary confinement in excess of 15 days should be prohibited, citing the mental damage caused by social isolation. The Falcon team hopes to reduce reliance on restrictive housing as a tool. The groups analysis will cover prevention of restrictive housing when possible and alternatives and modifications to restrictive housing time. It will also focus on the return of incarcerated people to other housing after leaving restrictive housing. To substantially decrease reliance on restrictive housing, the scope of systemic change must reach far beyond the restrictive housing areas, the proposal says. Advocates want to see reform, independent oversight When the Examiner shared the contract documents with WISDOMs Mark Rice, the focus on solitary confinement reform drew his attention. He hopes the publication of a report will lead to the end of long-term solitary confinement in Wisconsin. A vigil held by JOSHUA, an affiliate of WISDOM, at Green Bay Correctional Institution for those in solitary confinement. Photo by Andrew Kennard/Wisconsin Examiner Weve really been leading the charge on that issue for over a decade, and have seen not a huge amount of progress, not the progress that we want to see, Rice said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Susan Franzen told the Examiner that shes encouraged by the focus on behavioral health and restrictive housing. Franzen is the director of operations for Ladies of SCI, another prison reform advocacy group. She said shed like to see incarcerated people have the opportunity to share what its like trying to get mental health care in prison. They mention that theyre going to partner with all relevant stakeholders [for the study], Franzen said. But there is no mention of speaking to or engaging with inmates or their family members. Falcon experts will gather information through staff interviews, workshops, site visits and existing documents, forms and data, according to the proposal document. The Falcon Method of analysis relies heavily on interpreting quantifiable data instead of using only subjective testimonies, the proposal states. DOC values input from friends and family and while they wont be engaging directly with Falcon consultants the department is certainly considering their viewpoints as leadership makes decisions on this project, Hardtke said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The consultants will continue to interact with a wide variety of staff throughout the DOC and during the site visits, she said. Franzen pointed to unfilled positions for DOC psychological services, where the agency has a vacancy rate of 21.6%. She hopes the Falcon partnership will benefit incarcerated people who need psychological services. In October, the Examiner reported on the Falcon partnership and the idea of creating an independent ombudsman to increase oversight of the prison system. Sen. Van Wanggaard (R-Racine), chair of the 2025 Committee on Judiciary and Public Safety, and Rep. Jerry OConnor (R-Fond Du Lac), vice chair of the 2025 Assembly Committee on Corrections, weighed in. Rice doesnt see the Falcon partnership as a substitute for independent oversight, but he thinks lives can be saved if it leads to improvements in the prison system. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Over 10,000 people demonstrated on Thursday evening against a visit by far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader and top election candidate Alice Weidel at Hamburg City Hall. Apart from some attempts to breach the barriers to the city hall, the event reportedly remained peaceful, according to a police spokesman. The Hamburg Alliance Against the Far Right called for the demonstration under the motto "Everyone together against the AfD and Alice Weidel." Young and old, including children with families, attended the initial rally at the main train station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidel is the party's top candidate in the upcoming election on February 23 and could become chancellor if the party comes out on top. The call stated, "The federal chairwoman and chancellor candidate of the nationalist AfD wishes to spread hate and agitation in Hamburg's town hall. We are strongly opposing this." Weidel spoke in the evening at an event organized by the AfD parliamentary group in the grand ballroom of the city hall. The police secured the perimeter around the seat of the city state's regional parliament. Weidel declared in a video on X that she was looking forward to the appearance in Hamburg. "I put on this jumper with hearts especially for Antifa," she said, referring to a black pullover with red hearts she was wearing in the car and the anti-fascist political movement. "Make love, not war," she added with a grin. On January 9, US billionaire Elon Musk, a close adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump, voiced his full-throated endorsement of the AfD in a live talk with Weidel on his X platform. Up to 16,000 people demonstrated on Thursday evening against a visit by far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader and top election candidate Alice Weidel at Hamburg City Hall. Apart from some attempts to breach the barriers to the city hall, the event reportedly remained peaceful, according to a police spokesman. The Hamburg Alliance Against the Far Right called for the demonstration under the motto "Everyone together against the AfD and Alice Weidel." Young and old, including children with families, attended the initial rally at the main train station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidel is the party's top candidate in the upcoming election on February 23 and could become chancellor if the party comes out on top. The call stated, "The federal chairwoman and chancellor candidate of the nationalist AfD wishes to spread hate and agitation in Hamburg's town hall. We are strongly opposing this." In the evening, Weidel addressed around 1,000 guests at an event organized by the AfD parliamentary group in the grand ballroom of the city hall. The police secured the perimeter around the seat of the city state's regional parliament, deploying some 1,500 officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weidel declared in a video on X that she was looking forward to the appearance in Hamburg. "I put on this jumper with hearts especially for Antifa," she said, referring to a black pullover with red hearts she was wearing in the car and the anti-fascist political movement. "Make love, not war," she added with a grin. On January 9, US billionaire Elon Musk, a close adviser to US President-elect Donald Trump, voiced his full-throated endorsement of the AfD in a live talk with Weidel on his X platform. Mayor Peter Tschentscher, Hamburg's transport minister, Anjes Tjarks, and conservative Christian Democrat (CDU) state leader Dennis Thering had already stated on the X platform that Weidel was not welcome in Hamburg. Tschentscher reminded of the diversity and cosmopolitan nature enshrined in the constitution of the northern port city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because sometimes even the city hall has uninvited guests," he wrote in his post. "But our democracy is strong and resilient." Thering posted, "I agree, Alice Weidel is not welcome in Hamburg!" Police officers lead away a participant of the "All together against the AfD" demonstration organized by the Hamburg Alliance against the Right. The protests are directed against the appearance of chancellor candidate and AfD national spokesperson Weidel at an AfD election campaign event in Hamburg City Hall. Marcus Brandt/dpa President Joe Biden used his final speech to the American people to attack the oligarchy, paying particular attention to tech billionaires like Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. In a farewell address delivered from the Oval Office on Wednesday, Biden warned that the "dangerous concentration of power" among the wealthy in the United States "threatens our entire democracy." "There are dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked," Biden said. "An oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence... We see the consequences all across America and we've seen it before." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden hearkened back to the era of trust-busting and hoped that future administrations would take up his fights against monopolies. "The American people stood up to the robber barons back then," he said. "They didn't punish the wealthy, just made [them] play by the rules that everybody else had to... It helped put us on the path to building the largest middle class [and] the most prosperous century any nation in the world has ever seen." Later in the speech, Biden honed in on Silicon Valley. Speaking shortly after Meta announced the end of fact-checking and mere days before Musk will have the ear of a sitting president, Biden worried about the "concentration of technology, power and wealth" in the "tech-industrial complex." "Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and disinformation enabling the abuse of power. The free press is crumbling, editors are disappearing," Biden said, before raising his voice and pointing toward the camera. "Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies, told for power and for profit." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere in the speech, Biden addressed corruption in the halls of power. He called for a term limit of 18 years for Supreme Court justices, a ban on stock trading among members of Congress and reforms to the tax code that would target the ultra-wealthy. Before closing with an idyllic vision of the United States and its supposed fairness, Biden took a direct shot at Donald Trump. "We need to amend the Constitution to make it clear that no president... is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office," he said. "The president's power is not unlimited, it's not immune and it shouldn't be." Watch the entire address below: 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 Jessie Mazar squeezed the grab handle in her husband's pickup and groaned as contractions struck her during the 90-minute drive from her home in rural northeastern California to the closest hospital with a maternity unit. She could have reached Plumas District Hospital, in Quincy, in just seven minutes. But it no longer delivers babies. Local officials have a plan for a birth center in Quincy, where midwives could deliver babies with backup from on-call doctors and a standby perinatal unit at the hospital, but state health officials have yet to approve it. That left Mazar to brave the long, winding roadone sometimes blocked by snow, floods, or forest firesto have her baby. Women across California are facing similar ordeals as hospitals increasingly close money-losing maternity units, especially in rural areas. Midwife-operated birth centers offer an alternative for women with low-risk pregnancies and can play a crucial role in filling the gap left by hospitals' retreat from obstetrics, maternal health advocates say. Declining birth rates, staffing shortages, and financial pressures have led 56 California hospitalsabout one in sixto shutter maternity units over the past dozen years. But midwives say California's regulatory regime around birth centers is unnecessarily preventing new centers from opening and leading some existing facilities to close. Obtaining a license can take as long as four years. "All they've essentially done is made it more dangerous to have a baby," said Sacramento midwife Bethany Sasaki. "People have to drive two hours now because a birth center can't open, so it's more dangerous. People are going to be having babies in cars on the side of the road." Last month, state Assembly member Mia Bonta introduced legislation to streamline the regulatory process and fix what she calls "a broken system" for licensing birth centers. "We know that alternative birth centers often lead to better outcomes, lower-risk births, more opportunity for children to be born healthy, and also to lower maternal mortality and morbidity," she said. The proposed bill would remove various bureaucratic requirements, though many details have yet to be finalized. Bonta introduced the bill in its current form as a jumping-off point for discussions about how to expedite licensing. "It's a starting place," said Sandra Poole, health policy advocate for the Western Center on Law & Poverty, a co-sponsor of the legislation. For now, birth centers struggle with a gantlet of rules, only some clearly connected to patient safety. Over the past decade, the number of licensed birth centers in California dropped from 12 to five, according to Bonta. Plumas County officials are trying to address one key issue: how far a birth center can be from a hospital with a round-the-clock obstetrics unit. State regulations say it can be no more than a 30-minute drive, a distance set when many more hospitals had maternity units. The first-of-its-kind "Plumas model" aims to take advantage of flexibility provisions in the law to address the obstacle in a way that could potentially be replicated elsewhere in the state. But the hospital's application for a birth center and a perinatal unit has been "languishing" with the California Department of Public Health, which is "looking for cover from the legislature," said Robert Moore, chief medical officer of Partnership HealthPlan of California, a Medi-Cal managed-care plan serving most of Northern California. Asked about the application, a CDPH spokesperson said only that it was under review. The goal should be for all women to be within an hour's drive of a hospital with an obstetrics unit, Moore said. Data shows the complication rate goes up after an hour and even higher after two hours, he said, while the benefit is less compelling between 30 and 60 minutes. Numerous other regulations have made it difficult for birth centers to keep their doors open. Since August, birth centers in Sacramento and Monterey have had to stop operating because their heating ducts failed to meet licensing requirements. The facilities fall under the same state Department of Health Care Access and Information regulations as primary care clinics, though birth centers see healthy families, not sick ones, and don't need hospital-grade ventilation, said midwife Caroline Cusenza. She had spent $50,000 remodeling the Monterey Birth & Wellness Center to include state-required items, such as nursing and hand-washing stations and a housekeeping closet. In the end, a requirement for galvanized steel heating vents, which would have required opening the ceiling at an unaffordable cost, prompted her heart-wrenching decision to close. "We're turning women away in tears," said Sasaki, who owned Midtown Birth Center in Sacramento. She bought the building for $760,000 and spent $250,000 remodeling it in a way she believed met all licensing requirements. But regulators would not license it unless the heating system was redone. Sasaki estimated it would have cost an additional $50,000 to bring it into compliancetoo much to keep operating. She blamed her closure on "regulatory dysfunction." Legislation signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last year could ease onerous building codes such as those governing Sasaki's and Cusenza's heating systems, said Poole, the health policy advocate. The state has taken two to four years to issue birth center licenses, according to a brief by the Osher Center for Integrative Health at the University of California-San Francisco. The state Department of Public Health "works tirelessly to ensure health facilities are able to be properly licensed and follow all applicable requirements within our authority before and during their operation," spokesperson Mark Smith said. Bonta, an Oakland Democrat who chairs the Assembly's health committee, said she would consider increasing the allowable drive time between a birth center and a hospital maternity unit as part of her new legislation. The state last updated birth center regulations more than a decade ago, before hospitals' mass exodus from obstetrics. "The hurdle is the time and distance standards without compromising safety," Poole said. "But where there's nothing right now, we would say a birth center is certainly a better alternative to not having any maternal care." Moore noted that midwife-led births in homes and birth centers are the mainstay of obstetric care in Europe, where the infant mortality rate is considerably lower than in the U.S. More than 98% of American babies are born in hospitals. Babies delivered by midwives are more likely to be born vaginally, less likely to require intensive care, and more likely to breastfeed, the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative has found. Midwife-led births also lead to fewer infant emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and neonatal deaths. And they cost far less: birth centers generally charge one-quarter or less of the average cost of about $36,000 for a vaginal birth in a California hospital. If they catered only to private-pay clients, Cusenza and Sasaki could have continued operating without licenses. They must be licensed, however, to receive payments from Medi-Cal and some private insurance companies, which they needed to remain in business. Medi-Cal, the state's Medicaid health insurance program, which covers low-income residents, paid for about 40% of the state's births in 2022. Bonta has heard reports from midwives that the key to getting licensed is hunting down the right state health department advocate. "I don't believe that we should be building resources based on the model of 'Where's Waldo?' in finding a champion inside CDPH," she said. Lori Link, director of midwifery at Plumas District Hospital, believes the Plumas model can turn what's become a maternity desert into an oasis. Jessie Mazar, whose son was born in September without complications at a Truckee hospital, would welcome the opportunity to deliver her planned second child in Quincy. "That would be convenient," she said. "We're not holding our breath." 2025 KFF Health News. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. President-elect Donald Trumps inaugural lunch will be missing three prominent faces, with former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush all reportedly declining to attend. Obama received Trumps invitation but has declined to attend. Clinton said he does not plan to attend and Bushs office said it was not tracking an invitation for him to the event, according to sources speaking with NBC News. The traditional lunch is scheduled to take place following Mondays swearing-in ceremony, which all three former presidents have said they will attend. Former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and former President Barack Obama, all pictured here, are expected to be absent during President-elect Donald Trump's inaugural luncheon on Monday. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton, who attended Trumps inaugural lunch after losing to him in the 2016 election, was also invited to the lunch but will not attend this years, NBC also reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former first lady Michelle Obama has also said that she will skip the entire days events. Though no reason was given, several outlets have pointed to Trumps years-long personal attacks on her and her family, and her fierce criticism of him while campaigning against his reelection. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will also entirely skip Trumps inauguration, a spokesperson for her office told HuffPost. Representatives for all three former presidents, none of whom endorsed Trumps reelection, did not immediately respond to HuffPosts requests for comment Thursday. President Donald J. Trump is seen with first lady Melania Trump at his first Inaugural Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2017. The Washington Post via Getty Images Though Trump has long been known for making public, personal attacks and criticisms of others, cordiality between Trump and his predecessors has vastly soured in the years since he first took office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Trumps 2017 luncheon, he called for a standing ovation for his former rival, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and her husband, saying he was very honored when he heard that they would be attending the event. I have a lot of respect for those two people, he said, before going on to forecast four years of peace and prosperity under his administration. He reportedly tried to prosecute Hillary Clinton once in office, according to a 2018 report by The New York Times. The event's guests included former Secretary of State and first lady Hillary Clinton and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, as well as Congressional leaders and lawmakers. The Washington Post via Getty Images After losing his 2020 reelection, Trump and his wife Melania Trump notably did not attend any of Joe Bidens inauguration events, including Bidens swearing-in ceremony. That event went on despite Trump loyalists days earlier storming the U.S. Capitol amid Trumps ongoing insistence that the election was stolen from him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inaugural luncheons have been held at the U.S. Capitol for the new president, vice president and guests since 1953, according to the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies (JCCIC), which oversees all inaugural events. Related... Jan. 15MITCHELL The Mitchell Planning Commission approved a new assisted living apartment complex to be constructed in the 2100 block of North Minnesota Street on one condition: There can be no vehicular street access from Wisconsin Street. The Ashbrook Trail Apartment Limited Partnership applied for a conditional use permit for the 27 one-bedroom, 16-two bedroom apartment complex. The proposed 42-unit building exceeds the zoning for multi-family dwellings of more than 24 units, and is zoned R4, which is high density residential district. The Planning Commission fielded concerns that the three-story apartment complex will add to the congestion on Minnesota and Wisconsin streets during the peak traffic hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Access off Minnesota makes sense because it is a busier road and people expect traffic on that road," Mitchell Public Works Director Joe Schroeder said during the meeting. "It's more difficult to travel when the work day is starting and ending because of the traffic volume of people leaving at that time. It's not that busy except for those peak times of coming and going to work. It is a curb and gutter section, so they would be required to put sidewalks in." Just north of Highway 37 on Minnesota Street, the plat in question currently has no vehicular access to Wisconsin Street, and there is one vehicular access to Minnesota Street. The apartment complex will have 65 parking spaces for residents, which is more than one parking space per bedroom. The plat of the proposed apartment complex shares a line of sight and a dead-end court on North Wisconsin Street with Countryside Living, an independent and assisted living facility. The apartment will be next door to the Edgewood Memory Care health center for seniors. "This is a really good location for this type of facility. This property has sat vacant for quite a while," said Kevin Genzlinger, chair of the Planning Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ashbrook Trail Apartment complex will be for seniors 55 and over. Due to federal funding regulations regarding accepting senior-designated funds, the new build will have a deed restriction for 40 years as a senior living apartment. The designation as a senior living apartment lasts in perpetuity, even if the ownership changes. "Pending all other approvals, we break ground in June, and then it would take 14 months to build. We can take our first residents in summer of 2026," said Joan Franken of J&M Investments, who is spearheading the new build. Franken is also the manager and co-owner of Costello Property Management, which owns Grandview Apartments on West Seventh Avenue and Davison Court Apartments on North Wisconsin Street. "We reviewed concerns from neighbors and businesses along Wisconsin. We think this is a welcome addition to the city of Mitchell," Genzlinger told the Mitchell Republic. The complex will need final approval from the Mitchell City Council, acting as the Board of Adjustment, during its next meeting, Tuesday, Jan. 21. CHEYENNE A fire severely damaged Laramie County Fire Authority Station 74 on Saturday, destroying three wildland firefighting apparatus that were to be deployed to assist in fighting fires in California. LCFA responded to a structure fire at the non-operational fire station, located in the 8800 block of Yellowstone Rd., around 7:45 p.m. Saturday. Built in 1974, the station houses the fire mechanic and wildland firefighting program, but does not participate in local response, meaning that the fire did not disrupt emergency responses in the area, according to an LCFA news release. Operations in that area are run out of Station 73 at 2856 Horse Creek Rd., which opened in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Laramie County Sheriffs Office are actively investigating the cause of the fire. No one was injured, since the building isnt typically staffed, according to LCFA Chief Jason Caughey. The fire did, however, cause extensive damage and appeared to burn internally for a while before external signs triggered the initial 911 call. Assisting Los Angeles Three of the vehicles lost in the fire were scheduled to take a team of Wyoming firefighters to California, where they will join in efforts to combat the historic wildfires in the Los Angeles area. We have a team that consists of some full-time positions and seasonal positions, along with our volunteers that staff that program and deploy nationally, Caughey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite their own losses this weekend, the team headed for California Tuesday morning without the additional vehicles. The team will assist the California Fire Service, along with other Laramie County agencies and teams from Wyoming, including the Wyoming Air National Guard, which deployed three C-130s on Friday. Costs While the total amount of financial losses are unclear at this time, LCFA is working with its insurance companies and state and federal partners to assess costs and opportunities to recover, Caughey said. All of the vehicles lost in the fire were insured. The equipment that was lost predominantly was funded solely from the revenue generated from our wildland program and not our local taxpayer dollars, Caughey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The wildland program generates about a third of LCFAs budget through contracts with federal authorities to fight fires on federal lands or with state authorities in other states, according to Caughey. The program provides revenue that allows LCFA to improve local response to 911 calls by adding staffing and equipment. For example, trucks going to California Tuesday will get paid per hour for the truck, and firefighters will receive an hourly wage. A truck on a contract fire earns roughly $1,500, a day and one truck deployed annually earns $225,000 to $350,000 a year. That revenue goes back into assisting in funding local response by augmenting salaries for more firefighters and new equipment that could not be afforded through a limited local budget. In addition to insurance options and funding from the wildland firefighter program, Caughey said there may be federal resources that are nearing end of life or out of service that could be used as a temporary fix to keep the wildland program deployed and generating revenue back into the system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Personal loss This fire was a unique experience for local firefighters, who had to maintain their composure and respond to one of their own stations. That stations been a part of our community for 50-plus years, Caughey said. Over those 50 years, countless men and women have served their community out of that station, theres a homey feel of that station in the community. So thats tough for all of us. While this was an emotional fire for LCFA firefighters, Caughey noted that they had also learned an important lesson about empathy. Anytime you respond to your own fire station for an incident like that, its emotional because of the connection that our fires have to their own buildings, Caughey said. ... Most of our firefighters, theyve never had a fire on their own property before, and now they have. So understanding the emotions that go with an event like this is going to make our firefighters better when dealing with the citizens and their tragedies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The loss has not only shown firefighters how to better empathize with the community, but also shown how much the community supports firefighters, Caughey noted. The thoughts and prayers and comments have been just wonderful, Caughey said. LCFA is composed of 120 volunteers, along with 10 paid positions, so for those wanting to help further, Caughey encouraged volunteering. Even if you cant volunteer as a firefighter, there are plenty of roles to assist local fire departments. We are heavily dependent on volunteers, Caughey said. Theyre the backbone of all emergency response for fire in Laramie County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remembering Chuck The countys fire community rallied to help LCFA in any way they could, Laramie County Fire District 1 Chief Darrick Mittlestadt told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle. Its a pretty big hit for those guys, Mittlestadt said. We just want to say that were really sorry, it was just a crappy thing. To be there, to be able to support them (is) what we want to do, and what were continuing to do. While this isnt the first fire hes responded to at a fire station, Mittlestadt said that one of the tougher parts of this fire was the potential loss of deceased Assistant Chief Charles Chuck Scottinis locker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (He was) one of those true grit volunteers that came in and would work on things over the weekends and take care of the trucks, the station, projects, help with training and everything else, Mittlestadt said. Scottini passed away in April 2021, and his locker was in Station 74. He had been a firefighter with Laramie County Fire District 2 since 1998. Scottini contracted COVID-19 while on a wildland fire assignment in Colorado and was taken to the University of Utah hospital, where he stayed for six months before passing. Scottinis locker in Station 74 was saved, according to Caughey. Safety reminder Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This fire was a good reminder of fire safety practices, Caughey said. For example, items kept behind a closed door or in an isolated room were salvageable, only suffering smoke damage. This is a lesson that is important for our citizens, because when they have a fire in their house, anything thats behind a closed door is going to be safer, Caughey said. So we advocate sleeping with your bedroom door closed, because if you have a fire in the kitchen, its going to give you time to get out of that bedroom, and its going to limit the growth of the fire. Mutual aid partners were essential in containing this fire, including Laramie County Fire District 1, Laramie County Fire District 6, Laramie County Fire Authority Battalion 78, the Wyoming Air Guard, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, dispatch, the sheriffs office and American Medical Response. Officials from Cheyenne Fire Rescue, which responds to fires within the city, posted their condolences on Facebook and reminded the community that LCFA serves the county. They also reiterating Caugheys point that local emergency services were not impacted by the fire. Many of our members have had to respond to familiar addresses before, as well, and we know how hard that can be on the incident response, Cheyenne firefighters posted Sunday following the incident. The Cheyenne firefighters of Cheyenne Fire Rescue have LCFA and its members in our hearts as they recover from such devastation. Train passengers caught travelling without a ticket should be let off with a yellow card warning for a first offence, a watchdog has said. Transport Focus urged all train companies to introduce a system to make things fairer for everyone. A record of passengers found not to have the correct ticket or railcard would be taken so it can be checked in future. It comes after Northern Rail was criticised last year after threatening criminal prosecution against a traveller who mistakenly underpaid by 1.90. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sam Williamson, 22, from Glossop in Derbyshire, received a threatening letter from Northern Rail after he took a train from Broadbottom to Manchester on Sep 5. He had used his railcard to obtain a discount on an anytime ticket, unaware that if he travelled before 10am the discount and thus the entire ticket became invalid. I tried to offer to pay for a new one, Mr Williamson told The Telegraph at the time, recounting that the ticket inspector refused to let him do so. Northern dropped its action against him following media coverage of the case. Northern Rail was criticised after threatening criminal prosecution against Sam Williamson - SWNS The train company later dropped all legal actions against travellers it was accusing of improperly using 16-25 Railcards where the discount does not apply before 10am after conceding it had broken fare evasion rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Rail conditions of travel say that if a passenger accidentally uses a time-restricted ticket at the wrong time of day, they will be asked to make up the difference to the correct ticket price. Train operators also use the penalty fares system, where passengers who make ticketing mistakes are ordered to pay a 100 penalty plus the price of the full single fare applicable for the intended journey. If paid within 21 days, the penalty fare is reduced to 50 plus the price of the single fare. Rail Delivery Group, the industry body, estimated that about 240 million is lost through fare evasion on Britains railways each year. Other approaches suggested by Transport Focus to tackle the issue include introducing a digital database of railcards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This would let ticket inspectors check a passengers eligibility for a discount if they say their railcard has been forgotten or cannot be loaded on a mobile phone. The watchdog also wants increased measures to collect fares, so passengers know they will be asked to produce a valid ticket at the start and end of their journey, as well as during it. It said there are clear benefits to having safe, secure stations with proper barriers. Complexity of rail fares Natasha Grice, director for rail at Transport Focus, said: Transport Focus has long been concerned about the complexity of rail fares and ticketing, particularly for passengers who find it hard to buy the right ticket for their journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand and support the principle that all users of rail should be paying for their ticket, but we want to make sure that passengers who make an innocent mistake arent punished unfairly. There are some things that the industry could do now to make things better, and our research tells us that if the railway is to build trust and confidence, an improved approach to revenue protection is needed. In November, the Department for Transport (DfT) ordered the Office of Rail and Road to carry out an independent review of rail fare prosecutions and enforcement. A DfT spokesman said: Ticketing has become far too complicated, and were working with industry to simplify it for customers, as part of the biggest overhaul of our railways in a generation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve ordered a review of revenue protection practices which will look at what changes can be made, and in the meantime, have been clear with train operators that their policies on ticketing must be fair and easy to understand at all times. 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 outgoing Joe Biden administration is exploring options to make sure that TikTok remains available in the U.S. even if Sundays ban moves forward, three people familiar with the discussions told NBC News. Americans shouldnt expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday, one official said, telling the network that the administration is looking at ways to implement the law without the app going offline. Deputy White House Chief of Staff Bruce Reed has been fielding calls from those pushing the president to stop a ban from going into effect, two people familiar told NBC. If the administration stops the ban, the issue would be adjudicated by the incoming administration, which takes the reins following Donald Trumps inauguration on Monday. On Wednesday, incoming Trump National Security Adviser Mike Waltz told Fox News that Trump is ready to step in to stop the ban. Similarly, Trumps attorney general nominee Pam Bondi did not commit to enforcing the ban during her Wednesday Senate confirmation hearing. But a White House official told NBC that its not an option to not enforce the ban if its upheld by the Supreme Court. We are not considering deferring enforcement, they said. Statutorily, we dont believe we have the authority to do that. People protest a TikTok ban in December. The Biden administration is now exploring options that could keep the app around (AFP via Getty Images) Both Biden and Trump previously supported banning TikTok. Trump said on the campaign trail last year that he would save TkTok after trying to ban it during his first term. Meanwhile, the app is looking at its options, including the possibility of being shut down on Sunday, but it could also allow the app to remain on the marketplace without any further updates. Recently passed legislation - and signed by Biden - required ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok based in China, to divest from the app. It also required the company to find a new owner to buy the app within nine months, a period which ends Sunday. The legislation also allowed the president to hand the company a 90-day extension if progress had been made to divest from TikTok. While the apps headquarters is in Singapore, ByteDance is located in Beijing. Recently passed legislation - and signed by Biden - required ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok based in China, to divest from the app (AP) The legislation was put in place because of national security concerns as lawmakers believed that the data of U.S. users was at risk of being compromised by China. There are also concerns that China may attempt to influence American public opinion by controlling content on the app. TikTok has repeatedly argued that theres nothing to support such claims. Both the app and some users have sued to block the legislation and the Supreme Court is considering the case. Im hopeful that President Biden will listen to the millions of voices who dont want the lights to go out on this app, Biden ally and California Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna told NBC. He has the power to extend the timeline to try to have a solution that prevents the app from shutting down. In December, Trump filed a brief pushing the Supreme Court not to implement the TikTok ban to allow the new president to pursue a negotiated resolution to avoid a shutdown. Trump received a powerful electoral mandate from American voters to protect the free-speech rights of all Americans including the 170 million Americans who use TikTok, the brief stated. As a potential TikTok ban looms, millions of U.S. users are left wondering what could happen to both their app and accounts if the ban takes effect in just a few days. The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the ban law, which passed Congress with wide bipartisan majorities and was signed by President Biden last April. The law gives TikTok until Sunday to either divest from ByteDance the apps Chinese parent company or face a ban in the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite signing the law in question, however, Biden will not enforce the TikTok ban law during his final hours as president. The future of TikTok will then fall into the hands of President-elect Trump, who has expressed interest in preserving the app with U.S. ownership. TikTok has not publicly announced what users could expect Sunday should the ban go into effect, though cybersecurity experts agree the ban does not necessarily mean the app will suddenly disappear from U.S. devices right as the clock strikes midnight. Heres what might happen if the ban goes into effect Sunday: TikTok no longer offered on app stores, becomes buggy for existing users The divest-or-ban law, formally known as the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, makes it illegal for U.S. app stores like ones operated by Google or Apple and web-hosting services to distribute TikTok to its users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those companies could decide to pull TikTok from app stores and make it unavailable for new downloads, even if they are not expecting the Justice Department to make them do it. Existing downloads are not likely to be removed at least initially on U.S. devices. TikTok could do nothing, and if the app store removes service removes the ability to download the app it wont immediately cause a problem for most users, said Jason Kelley, director of activism for digital rights nonprofit Electronic Frontier Foundation. But with no updates coming from app stores, the app will likely become increasingly buggy and eventually nonfunctional for U.S. users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bugs would come from the fact that TikTok could overnight, or over the course of multiple weeks or months, sort of slowly phase-off service, Kelley said, adding, If I was going to take a bet, its that we see in 48 hours most users will see just some sort of connection error when they go to load TikTok. These errors could include visuals failing to load, the inability to click links or see content posted after the ban takes effect, Kelley said. TikTok immediately shuts off app in US While TikTok has not publicly confirmed its plans, one report claimed the company intends to immediately shut off its app for U.S. users Sunday. TikTok had been planning to make the app unusable for people in the U.S. once the ban takes effect, The Information reported Tuesday, citing two people familiar with the companys plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the plan, users trying to open the TikTok app will be greeted with a message directing them to a website with information about the ban, according to The Information. Users will be given the option to download their data but will not be able to use the app, the outlet added. TikToks lawyer, Noel Francisco, told the high court last week the platform will go dark unless the justices step in ahead of the deadline. They could choose to exit the market over concern of the impact, Jennifer Huddleston, a senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute, told The Hill. TikTok did not immediately respond to The Hills request for comment on the report or its plans for Sunday. The status quo remains Even if the ban takes effect on Sunday, there is a chance it is not immediately pulled from the app stores given the Biden administrations announcement he does not plan to enforce the ban on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hill has reached out to Google and Apple two of the countrys leading app stores to confirm their plans on whether they plan to pull the TikTok app from their stores in light of Bidens announcement. Users try VPNs Cyber experts are predicting many users could attempt to use a virtual private network (VPN) to mask their IP address and access the app. What could happen is people will try to download a new version of TikTok, because the one on their phone no longer functions, and they cant get it through the app stores, Kelley said. Using a VPN or alternative channel does not come without risks, Kelley noted. He predicted black-market websites or hackers could try to take advantage of the influx of people searching how to download TikTok under the ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The concern I would have people consider is, if you cant download the app itself from a reputable source, are you downloading an app that has been manipulated in some way? he said. I think that could be a potential outcome that people end up with a piece of spyware on their phone. Its going to make it more likely if youre trying to find an access point to the software, that you are going to end up with something that isnt actually TikTok and something thats potentially dangerous, he added. A rush to alternative apps Cutting off access to an app used by more than 170 million Americans is likely to prompt TikTokers to seek replacements for the platform they have used over the past seven years. The rise of alternative apps already started this week. The Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu surged to become the most downloaded free app on Apples App Store in the U.S. on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese app, which translates to Little Red Book, offers short video, posting and e-commerce abilities. The app rose to popularity in China and other regions in recent years and now boasts more than 300 million monthly active users. Thousands of U.S. users joined Xiaohongshu earlier this week, dubbing themselves TikTok refugees in protest of the looming ban. Many of these American users were observed interacting with users apparently based in China, who were teaching Americans how to navigate the app and switch the language from Mandarin. Lemon8, another ByteDance-owned app, also climbed the charts for downloads this week. The app has features similar to other popular apps, offering a photo or carousel photo upload like Instagrams and a personalized video component like TikToks. Despite the early excitement about these apps, its unclear whether they will eventually face the same challenges in the U.S., or if users will want to stick with them long-term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The divest-or-ban law only applies to TikTok and ByteDance and its subsidiaries, meaning Lemon8 is likely to face similar challenges, but not other unrelated platforms. Nonetheless, Mark Montgomery, the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation, said the law will help pave the way for future challenges to foreign-owned apps to move quicker. I feel good the TikTok thing is being handled the way it is. I remain concerned that theres broader, persistent information operations attacks against the United States by our adversaries that generally go unacknowledged, he told The Hill. TikTok eventually divests Even if the ban goes into effect, this does not prevent TikTok from divesting from ByteDance in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Numerous companies and billionaires are rumored to have an interest in purchasing the social media platform, and President-elect Trump, who will be sworn a day after the ban takes effect, has indicated he wants to find a solution to keep TikTok active in the U.S. Still, a divestiture deal could take more than just a few days. This would be a sizable transaction. Sizable transactions usually take some degree of time, Huddleston said. Yes, they can happen very quickly, but even if there is a buyer, its usually not an overnight thing. This is also occurring at a time where there is a lot of scrutiny of tech acquisitions, she continued, likely referring to anticompetitive scrutiny major technology companies have faced in recent years. Biden does have the option to extend the ban by 90 days before leaving the White House, but this requires ByteDance and TikTok to demonstrate divestiture negotiations are making progress. Huddleston noted Trump, once in office, could also look to his congressional allies to pass legislation to extend the deadline. Updated Jan. 17 at 11:33 a.m. EST 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. Waco, TX (FOX 44) The Government is preparing to shut down the social media app TikTok this Sunday due to concerns of user data security, privacy, and its ties to the Chinese Government. Over the years since its introduction, the popular social media platform has been a source for many businesses to grow their company. Bru, a Waco coffee shop, became popular after employee Ellie Sheesley made a viral video of her making a mocha the wrong way. The video got over one million views and helped their social media gain over 500 followers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheesley created the BruWaco TikTok social media page hoping to reach out to college students and bring in more customers to the shop. I had some girls come in from like Houston and say like, Oh, I saw your video! Like we noticed Bru from TikTok,' Sheesley said. So that was really cool. Many social media influencers and billionaires like Mr. Beast posted on X saying they would buy TikTok so the app does not get banned. 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. By Stephen Nellis, Max A. Cherney (Reuters) -Social media app TikTok, which is owned by China's ByteDance, will be banned in the United States on Sunday unless a deal comes together to sell it to a U.S. investor or the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes. The ban results from an April law signed by President Joe Biden and is the first time the United States has attempted to shut down access to an app with such a large user base - roughly 170 million domestic users. To pull it off, the law targets a wide swath of U.S.-based partners that help bring TikTok to users, rendering most easy workarounds such as using a virtual private network or changing a phone's country settings moot or difficult to use, experts told Reuters. At best, users might be able to access a web-based version of the service that has fewer features than the app, and even that might not work, experts said. Here's a closer look at how the ban will be implemented. APP 'ROTS' The law will not force users to delete the app. But TikTok plans to shut down the service and will show users a message about the law and offer to let them download their personal data, Reuters previously reported. Even if TikTok was not planning a formal shutdown, the app would not work as well as it did before. App store providers are explicitly barred from distributing TikTok to U.S. users, which means that Apple and Alphabet's Google will remove the app from their stores and will no longer distribute updates to fix bugs. The TikTok app also relies on a constant flow of new videos, which would become nearly impossible to deliver. TikTok data for U.S. users is hosted and processed on servers owned by Oracle, which most experts believe Oracle would have to cease those operations. Oracle, Apple, Google and TikTok all either declined to comment or did not return requests for comment. Beyond that, analyses have shown that more than 100 other service providers, such as content delivery networks, help make TikTok operate smoothly. "Some subset of that stuff that is required for the app to actually work, both in terms of getting video to you, but also in terms of getting video and content up," said Joseph Lorenzo Hall, a distinguished technologist with nonprofit group Internet Society. "And so uploading might be one of the first things to go. Americans may only be able to watch as their app rots." The disengagement of those service providers could also affect tens of millions of TikTok users outside the U.S., but company engineers are working to address those issues, sources told Reuters. 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 study that identified 475 patients with post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC), also known as long COVID, revealed that nearly 85% (403) of these patients had multiple COVID-19 infections over the course of a four-year period (March 2020 to February 2024). Additionally, vaccination independently reduced the risk of long COVID in patients who had received the vaccination prior to contracting the infection. Conducted by a team of researchers in the Renaissance School of Medicine (RSOM) at Stony Brook University, in conjunction with the Stony Brook World Trade Center (WTC) Health and Wellness Program, the study may serve as a foundational assessment of long COVID patients in the post-pandemic era. To date there are few studies with such a patient sample size that investigate what puts patients at risk for long COVID and what causes this chronic condition. The findings are published early online in the February edition of The Lancet Regional HealthAmericas. "While it is possible that the causes of long COVID could be many and variable depending on the patient population studied, with this cohort the evidence is clear that by having COVID numerous times, patients became more at-risk for developing long COVID," says lead author Sean Clouston, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Family, Population and Preventive Medicine in the RSOM, and Program in Public Health. He adds that after adjusting for relevant demographic, lifestyle, and clinical variables, the findings reveal a statistically significant association between experiencing multiple COVID-19 infections and the risk of experiencing PASC (aka long COVID). Risk of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) by COVID-19 severity and vaccination status. Credit: The Lancet Regional Health - Americas (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100984 The patients were identified from a group of more than 2,500 first responders who previously had COVID and are prospectively monitored for infection complications by the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program. The 475 identified with long COVID by the Program's physicians, led by Benjamin Luft, MD, Director of the Program, continually experienced long COVID symptoms ranging from fatigue, mental fog, other neurological conditions, as well as multiple respiratory problems and gastrointestinal symptoms. Given that some of the first responder patients have had symptoms over the years related to their environmental exposures, such as respiratory illnesses, long COVID symptoms were identified and charted separately and after each subsequent COVID infection. Since there is no diagnostic test for long COVID, the researchers followed the World Health Organization's guidelines as to identifying long COVID. They identified participants with long COVID as having experienced the continuation or development of at least one new symptom that emerged within three months after their initial COVID-19 infection and persisted for at least two months without other concurrent medical explanation. In contrast, those without such experiences after having COVID were placed in the non-long COVID group. "There are some possible pathogenic mechanisms that cause long COVID, but the entire spectrum of its risk factors remains unknown," explains Dr. Luft, a co-author, the Edmund D. Pellegrino Professor of Medicine in the RSOM, and an infectious diseases specialist. "This is why our study and future ones are so important. Identifying specific risk factors such as re-infection or lack of vaccination can assist in better understanding and managing the condition." The authors point out that the safest way to avoid contracting long COVID is to prevent the infection in the first place. However, they emphasize that the role of vaccination in the risk of developing long COVID cannot be underestimated. They wrote, "Among those who later developed PASC, we found that the risk of PASC was much higher among individuals who were unvaccinated at the time of their first (COVID-19) infection." Dr. Luft adds that the vaccine is imperfect, and those who develop COVIDeven though vaccinatedare at risk and should take measures to mitigate the severity of infection. More information: Tesleem K. Babalola et al, SARS-COV-2 re-infection and incidence of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) among essential workers in New York: a retrospective cohort study, The Lancet Regional Health - Americas (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100984 Sources familiar with President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration told USA Today that TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew plans to attend the swearing-in on Monday. The wildly popular app, owned by Chinese company ByteDance, faces a Jan. 19 deadline to either wind down its U.S. operations or find a U.S. buyer. While the U.S. Supreme Court is mulling over the constitutionality of the law banning the app, the justices appeared skeptical of TikToks chances at a hearing on the matter last week. Though Trump once championed the ban, citing fears the Chinese government could force ByteDance to turn over its users sensitive data, hes since had a turn of heart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers for the president-elect last month asked the Supreme Court to delay the ban so his administration could pursue a political resolution. On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Trump was considering an executive order suspending enforcement of the ban for up to 90 days. Outgoing President Joe Biden is reportedly also considering how to keep TikTok alive if the bipartisan legislation he signed in April goes into effect on Sunday. About a third of American adults use TikTok, including nearly 60% of people ages 18 to 29, according to a recent Pew Research survey. Earlier this week, TikTok rejected as pure fiction a rumor that the Chinese government was considering a proposal to sell the companys U.S. operations to Trumps billionaire benefactor Elon Musk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion in 2022 and quickly set about changing the algorithm to promote conservative-leaning users and his own account, a 2024 study found. The company is now worth less than a quarter of its original price, according to Fidelity, which helped Musk take the company private. Related... TikTok CEO Shou Chew may not have a social media platform to run by Sunday but he is still invited to, and expected to attend, Donald Trumps presidential inauguration on Monday in Washington D.C. Chew is the latest tech executive to be offered a spot on the dais to watch Trump be sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, according to the New York Times. He is joining Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Tesla CEO and presidential adviser Elon Musk, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. The invitation to Chew is somewhat ironic given he will be in the presence of the lawmakers who voted to pass legislation that forces TikTok to be sold to a U.S.-based company or risk becoming inoperable on U.S. servers. Shou Chew, the CEO of TikTok, has unsuccessfully advocated for the U.S. to not ban the social media platform (Getty Images) In addition to the lawmakers, he will also be celebrating Trump the man who initially advocated for a TikTok ban and threatened to issue an executive order during his first term that would force the platform to divest from ByteDance or be banned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the relationship between Trump and Chew seems to have warmed since the president-elect promised to save TikTok and asked the U.S. Supreme Court to pause enforcement of the ban so he can work out a deal. The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling determining whether or not the sold-or-be-banned legislation violates the First Amendment or place an injunction on it. They have until Sunday, January 19 to do so before the ban takes effect. The Independent has asked TikTok for comment. Trump reversed his stance on TikTok last year after meeting with a Republican megadonor who owns a significant share of ByteDance, according to the New York Times. Trump denied the two discussed the company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since then, the president-elect has come to enjoy the platform successfully using it to engage with younger voters during the presidential campaign. Those close to Trump told the New York Times that he has repeatedly mentioned how his content performed well and helped him reach a younger audience. In his request to the Supreme Court, lawyers for Trump specifically mentioned that President Trump and his rival both used TikTok to connect with voters during the recent Presidential election campaign, with President Trump doing so much more effectively. Trump wants to save TikTok nearly four years after trying to ban it from the U.S. due to national security concerns (Getty Images) Trump has privately considered issuing an executive order on his first day in office that would not enforce the TikTok ban, according to reports. But its unclear if Trump has the authority to do so. Refusing to enforce legislation would be an attempt to bypass bipartisan congressional action. Regardless of TikToks standing in the U.S., Chews invitation reaffirms the recent surge of tech executives trying to get into the good graces of the incoming president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bezos and Zuckerberg have both donated $1 million to Trumps inaugural fund and made policy changes within their companies that seem to favor Trump. At Meta, Zuckerberg announced they would cease their fact-checking policy and rely on community input, in a similar fashion as X. At The Washington Post, the newspaper that Bezos owns, staff were told not to endorse a presidential candidate and that it would begin implementing a political bias meter at the top of news articles. Musk, who owns Tesla and Space X, has become the most obvious example of a tech executive cozying up to the incoming president. Musk has been adopted as a presidential adviser and helped Trump interview potential staffers and cabinet picks. So far, Chew has not adopted a close role to Trump but given he may need his help to keep TikTok alive in the U.S., he could develop a much closer relationship to the president-elect. TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew could have a prominent spot for president-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on Monday, according to the New York Times. Trump once sought to ban the app, but now he wants to save it. TikTok chief executive Shou Zi Chew is planning to attend president-elect Donald Trumps inauguration on Monday, a day after a ban on the wildly popular ByteDance owned app could take effect, according to the New York Times, which cited people familiar with the matter. Multiple outlets such as the Washington Post and Wall Street Journal have since reported his planned attendance. A source familiar with the planning confirmed to Fortune that Chew will be there. If he indeed attends, Chew will have a reserved spot where family and former presidents typically sit along with the three richest men: Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, whose attendance was previously reported by NBC. TikTok did not immediately respond to Fortunes requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If all goes as planned, itll be a reunion for the titans of tech. Chew once worked for Zuckerberg as an intern at Facebook before he became the Meta chief executives competition. Between the tech moguls, you pretty much have three social media empires: TikTok, Meta (so Facebook and Instagram), and X. Theres also Trumps Truth Social media platform. Fortune reported on the tensions of the past between the former and future president and the billionaires thatll reportedly be near him during his inauguration. Trump once called Bezos, the founder of Amazon and owner of the Washington Post, Jeff Bozo. And he once threatened to send Zuckerberg to prison for life. Musk, who has recently become Trumps right-hand man, has also beefed with Zuckerberg and Bezos, from a cage match that never happened, to competition between his SpaceX and Bezoss Blue Origin. But Musk and Bezos exchanged kind regards today on X. Bezos wished Musk and the SpaceX team good luck, and Musk applauded Bezos and the Blue Origin team. Trump has previously gone after Chews app, too. During his first term, Trump thought TikTok, which is owned by Chinese company ByteDance, was a threat to national security. He wanted to ban the app, but the ban didnt materialize. Although, it could in a matter of daysonly now, it appears Trump wants to save it. I have a warm spot in my heart for TikTok, Trump recently said. Last year, Congress passed a law requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok to a non-Chinese company or be banned in the United States. President Biden signed it, and the Supreme Court is set to rule on it by January 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington Post reported today, citing people familiar, that Trump is considering an executive order once hes sworn in that would suspend the enforcement of the TikTok ban-or-sale law for two to three months. It would buy his administration more time to find a solution. Not to mention, his pick for national security adviser Mike Waltz on Wednesday said Trump is looking for ways to preserve TikTok. If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear: Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use and has been great for his campaign and getting his message out. But number two, hes going to protect their data, Waltz said. Hes a deal maker. I dont want to get ahead of our executive orders, but were going to create this space to put that deal in place. This story was originally featured on Fortune.com TikTok CEO Shou Chew is expected to attend Donald Trumps inauguration ceremony, NBC News has confirmed. The news comes as the apps executives are desperately trying to halt a law that would ban TikTok in the United States unless its sold by its Chinese owners. The ban of the controversial app which has become rife with right-wing misinformation and pro-Trump propaganda in recent years is set to go into effect Sunday. Trump says he should have a chance to weigh in as president. And Chew met with the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago last month. The man seems mighty desperate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As my colleague Steve Benen noted Wednesday, Chew isnt the only titan of the tech world planning to attend Trumps inauguration. Other Big Tech executives such as Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, X owner Elon Musk and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, as well as Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly will have prominent seats at Mondays ceremony, near Trumps Cabinet picks and elected officials. The tech execs and their companies have been showering Trump with $1 million donations. The scene at the Capitol is shaping up to be a gross epitome of the Big Tech oligarchy I warned about after the election and which President Joe Biden warned about Wednesday in his farewell address from the Oval Office. The Big Brother(s) of many Americans nightmares have arrived, in the form of these tech elites who have chosen to prostrate themselves to the incoming administration. Zuckerberg, Musk, Bezos, Chew, Pichai and Cook all run companies that feed on Americans digital appetites and feast on our data and have played large roles in our nations misinformation crisis. And on Monday, they all plan to be in attendance to kiss Trumps ring and celebrate his reascension to power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many ways, the imagery ought to be clarifying for Americans. Its past time for all of us to dispense with the idea that social media and Big Tech platforms like these are designed to help keep us informed. Their leaders deference to Trump and his MAGA movement should be ominous for us all. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com (Reuters) - The chief executive of TikTok plans to attend U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, the New York Times reported on Wednesday, citing two people familiar with the plans. Shou Zi Chew has been invited to sit in a position of honor on the dais, which is typically reserved for former presidents, family members and other important guests, the report said. TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With more than 170 million American users and, according to Bernstein analysts, about $20 billion of estimated revenue in 2025, TikTok is overwhelmingly popular with young people and advertisers. The short-video platform plans to shut U.S. operations of its social media app on Sunday, when a federal ban is set to take effect, barring a last-minute reprieve, people familiar with the matter have said. The Washington Post reported that Trump is considering issuing an executive order to suspend enforcement of a shutdown for 60 to 90 days. The report did not say how Trump could legally do so. Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court seemed inclined to uphold the law that would force a sale or ban TikTok, despite calls from Trump and lawmakers to extend the deadline. Trump has said he should have time to pursue a "political resolution" of the issue after taking office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Joe Biden signed a law last April requiring ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets by Jan. 19, or face a nationwide ban. The Supreme Court is currently deciding whether to uphold the law and enforce the ban on TikTok on Sunday, or overturn or pause the law to give the court more time to decide. (Reporting by Disha Mishra and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Shinjini Ganguli) (Bloomberg) -- TikTok is poised to win a reprieve from a law that would ban the popular social media app thanks to a holiday weekend and a pledge from President-elect Donald Trumps incoming administration to give its Chinese owner more time to divest. Most Read from Bloomberg Under the law, ByteDance Ltd. is required to find a buyer for TikTok or face a shutdown on Jan. 19, while a president can grant a 90-day extension on that deadline if a serious purchase negotiation is underway. While no such deal is imminent, two current Biden administration officials say that the Sunday deadline and Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday on Monday essentially punts enforcement to the next administration. That opens the door for Trump to extend the deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two Biden officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, cast the situation as a recognition of enforcement realities and said the administration hadnt changed its position that TikTok should be sold to a US buyer. But the timing of the statutory deadline effectively means it will be up to the Trump administration to enforce, they said. One of the officials said TikTok users should not expect an immediate shutdown on Sunday. Michael Waltz, Trumps incoming national security advisor, has already said the next administration intends to find a way to extend the deadline. We will put measures in place to keep TikTok from going dark, Waltz told Fox Newss Fox and Friends on Thursday morning, adding that the law on the impending ban allows for an extension as long as a viable deal is on the table. That buys President Trump time to keep TikTok going, said Waltz, who had voted for the ban last year while serving in the US House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a ban on TikTok just days away, spurred by concerns the app is both a data security risk and a propaganda tool of the Chinese state, politicians in both major US parties have been seeking ways to keep it accessible to American users. Trump, who sought to ban TikTok during his first term, has since embraced the app, crediting it with helping him bolster his outreach to young voters. Its been a great platform for him and his campaign to get his America First message out. But at the same time, he wants to protect their data, Waltz said Thursday. Conservatives dont want the FBI, and they certainly dont want, the Chinese Communists getting their passwords, getting their data and being able to overly influence the American people. Potential Deals Shou Chew, TikToks chief executive officer, plans to attend Trumps inauguration, according to a person familiar with his plans who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are efforts on Capitol Hill to put off the deadline. A group of Democratic lawmakers, including Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Ron Wyden of Oregon and Cory Booker of New Jersey, this week introduced legislation which would give the company another 270 days to reach a deal. Although ByteDance has refused to sell, earlier this week people familiar with the matter said Chinese officials were evaluating a potential option that involves Elon Musk acquiring the US operations of TikTok if the company fails to fend off the ban. Musk is a prominent ally of Trump and has a role in the incoming administration. Musk and his representatives did not respond to a request for comment. A ByteDance representative said the company cant be expected to comment on pure fiction. Earlier: China Weighs Sale of TikTok US to Musk as a Possible Option Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Billionaires Frank McCourt and Kevin OLeary could also be palatable buyers because they are not interested in acquiring TikToks coveted algorithm, which ByteDance and Beijing have emphasized is not for sale. OLeary recently met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago to discuss their so-called Project Liberty bid, and McCourt and his team have spoken with more than 60 elected officials and policymakers about their plans for what McCourt has described as TikTok 2.0. Oracle Corp. and Amazon.com Inc., companies TikTok already does business with, have also been floated as possible contenders. Legal Challenge Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok is challenging the impending ban before the US Supreme Court, though the justices indicated during arguments last week they are inclined to uphold the divest-or-ban law. Even if they uphold the law, TikTok wont disappear off Americans phones on Sunday. Those in the US will no longer be able to download TikTok from Apple Inc. and Alphabet Inc.s Google app stores, and those who already have the app installed will no longer be able to update it, but the platform will remain usable at least temporarily. There is also an open question around whether Trump, once in office, might direct the DOJ not to enforce the law, and how US tech companies charged with complying such as Apple, Google and Oracle that must stop hosting or distributing the TikTok app in the US would respond. Companies found violating the law could be subject to severe penalties determined by multiplying $5,000 by the number of users, according to the law, and in a country where more than half the population is on TikTok, those fines could easily climb into the billions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok could be readying separate plans to simply shut the app down on Sunday, according to a report in The Information, a move aimed at mobilizing many of its 170 million American users to push the new administration to take action to save the app. TikTok did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether it has presented a divestiture plan to the Biden administration. Content creators are already organizing online to pressure Trump to deliver on his campaign promises to keep the app alive. Some US users appear to be seeking alternatives to TikTok, with a pair of Chinese-made social media apps, Xiaohongshu and Lemon8, rising in Apples iPhone download charts. Total downloads of Xiaohongshu, also known as RedNote, in the US may have exceeded 2 million within just three days, according to Hennessey Digital, a California-based digital marketing agency. --With assistance from Jacob Gu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Updates to add details on TikTok alternatives in last paragraph) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. With the U.S. government's TikTok ban set to kick in on Sunday, Americans have been flocking to an alternative social media platform, but it's another Chinese app, and experts say it could present the same, if not even more issues. There's been a surge in U.S. downloads of the Chinese-owned application Xiaohongshu, or "RedNote" as many users call it. A U.S. official told CBS News on Thursday that RedNote, just like TikTok, could face an ultimatum to divest, or be banned. "This appears to be the kind of app that the statute would apply to and could face the same restrictions as TikTok if it's not divested," a U.S. official told CBS News. A Jan. 15, 2025 photo taken in Paris shows the Chinese-owned mobile app Xiaohongshu, often referred to as CBS News has reached out to Xiaohongshu for comment as to whether the company would agree with that assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is RedNote? Xiaohongshu has been the most downloaded free app on Apple's app store in the U.S. since Tuesday. Analysis by Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm, showed the platform's downloads in the U.S. had increased 200% year-on-year and seen a 194% uptick since last week. QR Code Generator, a firm that provides statistics on trends online, said there had been a 4,900% increase in searches on Google for Xiaohongshu in the U.S. on Monday alone. Xiaohongshu was founded in 2013 and is a lifestyle platform "where over 300 million users every month share their life experiences," according to a description on Apple's app store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chinese photo and video-sharing platform has often been compared to Instagram. It operates as a platform for e-commerce, a manual for tips on travel and fine dining, as well as a vehicle for users to share content from their everyday lives. Xiaohongshu literally translates from Mandarin to "little red book," likely a reference to the famed little red book of quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China. That reference has not put off the many American users who've turned to the app to share their experiences as so-called "TikTok refugees" ahead of the U.S. ban. Videos including a use of the "TikTok refugee" term on RedNote have racked up millions of views and impressions this week. "This is for my fellow TikTok refugees and Americans, behave on this app! You better behave because everyone in China is being so kind to us as we colonize their cutesy tootsy app just because our government sucks," one American user account using the name "Savannah" posted on Wednesday. The post had gained almost 128,000 impressions by Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok, in its international form, is not available to users in mainland China, meaning the U.S. exodus to Xiaohongshu has put Americans in closer contact with Chinese users than they ever had been before. It's led to some amusing cultural exchanges. One American "TikTok refugee" with the username "anieladiaz" posted a video asking Chinese users if they had any questions. A Chinese user commented under the post with a screenshot of what appeared to be their English homework. Anieladiaz was happy to provide the answers to the test questions, which they shared in their own screenshot. Other Chinese users have been posting videos in which they teach Americans to use Mandarin slang words. Is RedNote safe? The rapid rise in U.S. downloads may be cause for concern for the same U.S. lawmakers who ushered in the ban on TikTok. One cybersecurity expert told CBS News that RedNote may actually represent an even greater threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "RedNote was never meant for outside of the China market. All of the data sharing and all the servers to which the data is being shared is in China," Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at Nord VPN, told CBS News on Wednesday. "It means they are exempt from all of these data protections and outside of the view of the American government." Warmenhoven said TikTok and its parent company ByteDance had at least stored data in U.S.-based servers, which gave the U.S. government "some modicum of moderation or limitations on data that can be sent to China and how much and in what way." He also said RedNote's terms and conditions lack transparency, which he said presents a huge cybersecurity risk for Americans. "Its terms and conditions are in Mandarin, leaving non-Chinese-speaking users unclear about what data is collected and how it's used," Warmenhoven said. "I'm pretty sure those millions who are moving over are not using Google Translate to read [the terms and conditions] so they don't know what they are agreeing to." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The specific U.S. legislation used to ban TikTok the "Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act," which President Biden signed into law last April, grants the federal government broad scope to crack down on foreign social media platforms. Under the law, Congress can compel a platform to divest its U.S. operations from foreign ownership, and it can be shut down if it qualifies as a threat. The law can apply to any platform that allows users to share content with each other and has more than 1 million monthly active users, is owned by a company located in a foreign adversary-controlled country, and has been determined by the president to present a significant national security threat. The legislation is currently subject to a legal challenge by ByteDance, which has argued that it's unconstitutional and violates the first amendment protecting free speech. A ruling from the Supreme Court is pending in that case. CBS News has asked President-elect Donald Trump's transition team whether the incoming administration might deem RedNote a national security threat that should be subject to the law. The transition team had not responded by the time of the publication of this article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has spoken out recently against the TikTok ban. Last month, he said he had a "warm spot in my heart" for TikTok a reversal from his stance when he last occupied the Oval Office. The Federal Trade Commission, the agency tasked with enforcing the ban and ensuring that internet service providers in the U.S. and app store companies such as Apple and Google comply with the law, declined to comment. RedNote is heavily censored Content on RedNote appears to be much more heavily censored than posts on TikTok. A CBS News analysis found that any search for "Xi Jinping," China's autocratic president, on RedNote yielded no results whatsoever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The term "Free Hong Kong" also brought back no results. A search for "Taiwan" will turn up several memes welcoming Americans to the platform, but noting that users must recognize the Beijing-imposed narrative that the democratically governed island just off China's coast, which the U.S. is legally bound to help defend from invasion, is an inseparable part of China. A similar search for those terms on TikTok turns up a wide range of political opinions from users, including posts heavily critical of Chinese censorship. RedNote even appears to be scaling up operations to monitor content given the vast number of Americans signing onto the app. CBS News found local job listings posted by the company online in mainland China advertising jobs to review English content and promising a monthly salary of between $950 and $1,200. "Users are not going to a place with more freedom. RedNote is moderated differently, and the algorithm is different from TikTok," Warmenhoven told CBS News. "You will not get traction or it will not spread politically sensitive issues, or maybe social sensitive issues especially issues that are socially sensitive in China." The clock is ticking for TikTok and its 170 million American users Israel-Hamas ceasefire just hours away from taking effect What is Trump planning to change on Day 1 of his second term? In the days before a ban on the popular app TikTok is set to take effect in the United States, other Chinese social media platforms have seen a spike in downloads among American users. But whether any of these Mandarin apps will actually replace TikTok, which boasts 170 million American users, remains to be seen. In particular, the popular Chinese app Xiaohongshu, referred to by most Americans as RedNote, became the top most downloaded free app in the U.S. Apple store this week. Xiaohongshu originally launched in 2013 and has a layout more similar to Pinterest or Instagram than TikTok, and boosts several shopping features that blew up during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Sensor Tower, a market intelligence firm, U.S. downloads of Xiaohongsu between Jan. 8 and Jan. 14 were 30 times greater compared to the number of U.S.-based downloads this time last year. U.S. users made up 22% of the RedNote app downloads in January 2025. Americans who have joined the platform which is all in Mandarin have gathered under the hashtag #TikTokrefugee in an apparent rebuke of the U.S. government's stated national security concerns about TikToks Chinese ownership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honestly, I think a lot of people, including myself, are doing this out of spite and irony, Jaden, a 23-year-old TikTok user, told Yahoo News of her decision to download RedNote, noting that it has not fully replaced TikTok for her. Another 30-something Reddit user, who asked to remain anonymous, told Yahoo News they also downloaded RedNote in protest against the law to ban TikTok. I found the first Chinese-run video-sharing app that I could find, which was RedNote, they said. Two months later, it caught on and everyone started doing the same thing to protest the actions of Congress. Last April, President Biden signed a law passed by Congress that requires TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance, to sell the popular app to an American company or be banned from U.S. app stores. ByteDance has thus far refused to divest from TikTok, which argued before the Supreme Court last week that the ban violates the companys First Amendment right to free speech. Unless the Supreme Court rules in TikToks favor this week, the ban will take effect on Jan. 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xiaohongsu did not respond to Yahoo Newss request for comment. The language barrier is one factor that seems likely to keep Xiaohongsu from fully replacing TikTok in the U.S. The app does not have translation features and therefore is not optimized for an international user base. Duolingo, the popular language-learning app, reported to Yahoo News that it had noticed a 216% increase in new Chinese (Mandarin) learners in the U.S., compared to January 2024. Duolingo also reported there was a spike in new users answering TikTok as to why they chose to learn Mandarin. Since the app is fully based in China compared to TikTok, which is actually based in the U.S. but owned by a Chinese parent company there are also issues with censorship on the platform already. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a Chinese company, its subject to Chinas cybersecurity laws, said Lily Li, a cybersecurity lawyer who founded Metaverse Law, a California-based law firm dedicated to global AI and data security issues. Because Xiaohongsu is fully based in China, Li said that it will probably face some of the similar concerns that TikTok has faced with respect to foreign ownership and control. Lemon8 is another app thats gotten more popular in anticipation of the TikTok ban, going from the 82nd most-downloaded free app in the U.S. app store to the second, following Xiaohongsu, Sensor Tower reported. But Lemon8 is also owned by ByteDance and will inevitably face similar restrictions if it reaches the same level of success and influence that TikTok has achieved in the U.S. Li also noted that the federal government is not trying to shut down access to all Chinese apps in the U.S. She cited the fact that TikTok has become the go-to news source for many Americans especially young ones as a driving force behind Congresss decision to target TikTok in particular, as opposed to other popular Chinese shopping apps like Shein or Temu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Think of it more as if it was a national radio station or if it was a national newspaper, that you would be concerned about foreign ownership and control of the sources, of content and information that a large percentage of the population is reliant upon versus goods and services in commerce, Li explained. Ultimately Li, whose parents are Chinese, called the migration by TikToks American defenders to Xiaohongsu a little ironic. The Chinese characters for Xiaohongsu dont translate to Red Note, they translated to Little Red Book, which is the name of the little red book that essentially had the communist dictates of Chairman Mao [Zedong] where, if you were a kid growing up in China during that era, you had to have it, she explained. So it's a little bit ironic to me that there's kind of a First Amendment argument and people are flowing toward an app that is called the Little Red Book. 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 The explosion of smoke and ash that erupted from two wildfires was beyond belief. In the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, as the Eaton fire engulfed homes and businesses, a thick blanket of smoke rolled over the horizon, blocking out the sun. The wildfires produced the heaviest smoke and soot the region has seen in recent memory. On Jan. 8, an air monitor in Chinatownabout 10 miles downwind of the Eaton firerecorded 483.7 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matter, according to preliminary data from the California Air Resources Board. It was the highest hourly reading by an Environmental Protection Agency-sanctioned air monitor in Los Angeles County in more than four yearsonly outmatched by clouds of smoke from Fourth of July fireworks in 2020. Near the coast, the Palisades fire chewed through the Santa Monica Mountains and reduced dream houses with Pacific views to their foundations, sending a jetstream of smoke out to the ocean. As the fire encroached on Pacific Palisades Elementary School, one of Los Angeles Unified School District's low-cost air monitors recorded 1,100 micrograms per cubic meter of fine particulate matterthe highest mark since air monitors were installed in 2021. At these levels, this microscopic pollution becomes hazardous. Although the magnitude of the effects of this kind of pollution is still not entirely clear, studies show that it is linked to an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes and serious lung damage. The specific number of deaths and hospitalizations tied to wildfire smoke often are not well-known until monthsif not yearsafter these natural disasters. That said, during the region's recent wildfires, fire-related hospital visits spiked 16-fold across Los Angeles County, according to the county Department of Public Health. At its height, on Jan. 8, at least 81 people visited hospitals for burns or smoke exposure. Experts say children are particularly vulnerable, because their still-growing lungs need to take more breaths and are thus more exposed to any given amount of pollution. In 2018, in the two weeks after the Camp Fire in Northern Californiathe worst and deadliest in the state's recorded history76% of children with asthma suffered an asthma attack or flare-up. Asthma-related emergency room visits in the area rose 27% during that time, according to a study from Stanford University and data firm Komodo Health. Latino children with asthma seemed to suffer the worst; among that particular population, there was a 95% increase in attacks and flare-ups. Asian and Black children also saw significantly higher increases in attacks compared with white children's rates of asthma attacks. Marc Carmichael, who is currently a medical student at Stanford University, says similar disparities could arise in the aftermath of the wildfires in L.A. County. Some of the heaviest pollution from the Eaton fire wafted over Chinatown, Boyle Heights, Compton and Long Beachhistorically disadvantaged communities that are largely Latino, Asian and Black, who already have endured some of the worst chronic exposure to industrial pollution in the region. "Air quality standards aren't going to do anything for these events," Carmichael said. "Because these are acute events, you need to have preventive strategies for folks you already know are going to be more vulnerable to adverse consequences." As of Wednesday afternoon, there have been 25 confirmed deaths connected to the recent L.A. County wildfires. But researchers suspect that the ensuing smoke wave could contribute to many more. Already, it may have resulted in as many as five deaths in L.A. County, according to an online tool that estimates countywide mortality from wildfire smoke. The experimental model, which analyzes federal air-quality data and satellite imagery, was created by Cornell University researchers, who hope it can help us better understand how smoke affects public health. "It's really hard to know, especially with mortality," said Alistair Hayden, a Cornell assistant professor and former division chief for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services. "We know it has [potentially fatal] impacts, but it's not showing up on people's death certificates." "What people are really interested in when we're looking at this is, is this just a nuisance smoke wave, or is this something that maybe is considered an actual disaster?" Other groups are also trying to answer this question. NASA, for example, uses its satellites to assess air pollution, both chronic and during acute events such as what's happened in L.A. County. In addition to smoke and soot, the space agency detected large plumes of harmful gases emanating from the wildfires, including lung-irritating nitrogen dioxide and cancer-causing formaldehyde. "My gut feeling from looking at the numbers that I've seen is that it's comparable to other fires," NASA air-quality expert Laura Judd said about the emissions that have plagued L.A. County over the last several days. "What might be different is just the footprintthe density of people that are there. It is impacting millions of people that are in that region." Some potential good news: Although the smoke was intense at its peak, it was short-lived. Experts say the smoke from other longer-lasting wildfires lingered longer and may have led to more premature deaths than they expected from this case. The wildfire smoke thinned to a gray haze across Los Angeles County over the weekend, and since Monday, strong winds have helped clear out much of the remaining smoke. But that doesn't mean L.A. County residents are fully in the clear. Now, air-quality concerns are shifting from smoke to ash. The tons of wildfire ash and rubble that blanket many blocks across the county are likely to contain myriad toxic chemicals from fire-ravaged homes and cars, according to experts. The contaminants in the burn scars may pose a threat for years. Since Sunday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued dust advisories, warning that wildfire ash could have been whipped up by strong winds. It is encouraging people across much of L.A. County and neighboring areas to keep windows shut and continue to wear N95 masks outdoors to protect themselves. Although recent air-quality index readings appear to be safe, officials are cautioning that some wildfire ash is too large to be detected by their instruments and will not be captured by air monitors. Though it's unclear whether there will be long-term contamination from the wildfire, NASA scientists are using plane-mounted sensors to evaluate the fire damage and potentially detect toxic substances in the burn scar. The same type of instrument was used to assess the World Trade Center disaster site after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "I'm hoping to use data like what we acquired from [these sensors] to understand toxicity in these environments and how it changes as the ash gets redistributed through wind and through water flows," said Michael Falkowski, a terrestrial ecology scientist at NASA. The NASA findings could inform what is expected to be a years-long cleanup and recovery. "We've known from other fires, like the Marshall fire in Colorado, that these environments are extremely toxic post-fire for a long time,"Falkowski said. "But we still have a lot to learn." 2025 Los Angeles Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (Bloomberg) -- President Xi Jinping has touted people exchanges as the foundation of healthy US ties. A flood of TikTok refugees to Chinese app Xiaohongshu may test his limit for such unscripted interactions. Most Read from Bloomberg After the US Supreme Court signaled it was likely to uphold a law banning the popular TikTok social media app, a reported 700,000 new users flooded onto a platform previously little-known overseas. Their embrace of another Chinese destination represented an act of rebellion: The US government claims TikToks origins give it ties to the government in Beijing that endanger national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok is getting banned in the United States. I heard we were all mobbin over here to show Uncle Sam how bratty we can be, wrote a user named Sierra on Tuesday, in her inaugural post on Xiaohongshu. By Thursday morning, the Chinese app now known in the US as RedNote was flooded with English-language posts. Domestic users suffering from falling wages asked Americans about their salaries, while the newcomers wondered whether Chinese students also needed to pledge allegiance to their flag. Some Chinese users mocked the growing suspicion toward Beijing in Washington, referring to themselves as Chinese spy friends. Others urged the new arrivals not to behave like colonists and be respectful. The interactions, while mostly on everyday topics, were remarkable for opening a rare portal of open communication between citizens of the worlds largest economies. China has banned American social media platforms such as X, Gmail and Facebook, and there isnt normally a large presence of foreigners on its domestic platforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some in China welcomed the development. This is a truly historic opportunity with immeasurable value, Dong Yu, who previously worked for Chinas top economic policymaking body, wrote on Weibo. If used well, it could help China gain an upper hand in the international arena of public opinion, he added. President Joe Bidens campaign to limit Chinas access to high-tech chips over national security fears, and Beijings territorial claims over self-ruled Taiwan, have led to a deep chill in bilateral ties thats been reflected in a collapse in people exchanges. American visitors to Beijing last year were still down 44% on pre-pandemic levels. Chinas Great Firewall blocks domestic access to many foreign websites, keeping a cloak of secrecy around American perspectives. But this weeks interactions revealed a desire on both sides to learn about the worlds other superpower, as censors trained in policing Chinese key words took a back seat at least for now. In large part due to the firewall, weve never before seen Chinese and American users mingling at scale, said Tom Nunlist, associate director of the tech practice at consultancy Trivium China. Many are asking if the Chinese government will allow this to persist but it is almost as big a question with the US government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinas Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun described peoples use of different social media platforms as a personal choice, when asked about the rush of Americans to Xiaohongshu on Thursday at a regular briefing in Beijing. China always supports and encourages stronger people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and other countries, he added. History paints a more complicated picture. When American audio app Clubhouse exploded in 2021, thousands joined discussions on contentious subjects such as Taiwan and Xinjiang initially undisturbed by Beijings censors. Within days, users reported being unable to access to the app, leaving it available only to those illegally using virtual private networks. It didnt take long for TikTok refugees to encounter Chinese censorship. One account thats based in the US and started posting Tuesday said one of their messages appeared to have been taken down. HELP!!! What does this mean?!?!?! the person asked, with a screen recording showing the platform reviewing her posts. The user didnt share the nature of their original writings. Little Red Book Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xiaohongshu is considered one of the more striking successes in the Chinese internet space. While its name literally translates into Little Red Book, the company has consistently stressed it bears no relation to Mao Zedongs famous tome of quotations. Its biggest shareholders are in talks to sell shares at a valuation of at least at least $20 billion, drawing interest from Tencent Holdings Ltd. and other big names, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. Started in 2013 in Shanghai by Miranda Qu and Charlwin Mao, the app shares many of the same national security problems the US officials complain about with TikTok. American authorities are concerned the government in Beijing can demand access to the troves of personal data on American citizens collected by Chinese-owned companies, and use their influence to sway elections. For now, the foreign arrivals appear to be treading with caution. Is it ok for us to be gay on here? asked one American, apparently mindful of the Communist Partys crackdown on LGBTQ rights. Chinese users advised their new American friends to steer clear of politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joining the platform from outside China remains possible with a foreign phone number, according to Rich Bishop, chief executive officer of AppInChina, a publisher of international apps in the Chinese market. Changing those requirements could be one way for officials in Beijing to limit the onslaught of overseas voices. Xiaohongshu could also decide to launch a version of its app dedicated to foreign audiences. The next few days will likely give clues of how Beijing intends to react to what is essentially a soft power win days before Trump takes office. American TikTok refugees are somewhat analogous to Chinese Darien Gap refugees crossing into the United States, said Diana Fu, an associate professor of political science at the University of Torontos Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, referring to migrants who use the Panama land bridge to migrate to the US. Both TikTok refugees and Darien Gap walkers are disaffected by their own countrys domestic politics, she added. Both are voting with their feet, whether physical or virtual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement --With assistance from Jing Li. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. The Supreme Court upheld a law that effectively bans TikTok in the U.S., leading to a plethora of questions regarding the future of the app. The law, signed by President Joe Biden last year, requires TikTok to divest from its China-based parent company ByteDance or the app could be shut down starting Jan. 19. The Biden administration has said it does not plan to implement the law when it goes into effect on Sunday, instead putting that responsibility on the incoming Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the latest update from President-elect Donald Trump, the incoming president told NBC News Meet the Press moderator Kristen Welker over the phone Jan. 18 that he will most likely give TikTok a 90-day extension to sell to a non-Chinese buyer. If I decide to do that, Ill probably announce it on Monday, he said. The extension could avoid a ban on the app, but Monday might be too late. Despite the White House saying they won't enforce the new law, TikTok has said it plans to go dark Sunday unless it receives more "clarity and assurance" about the potential legal fallout to keep the app functioning as usual. Here's what to know about the app's future in the U.S. Has TikTok been banned? The law the Supreme Court voted to uphold, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, was signed into law by President Joe Biden in April 2024. The law requires ByteDance, the China-based owner of TikTok, to divest itself from the company due to national security concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. officials have warned that China could potentially steal user data from the app or manipulate content shown to Americans. TikTok has denied that it shares data with the Chinese government. If the app is not sold by Sunday, TikTok plans to "go dark," Noel Francisco, an attorney for the company, said during oral arguments. Essentially, the platform shuts down, Francisco said. TikTok confirmed it will "go dark" Jan. 19 in a statement Friday. The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikToks availability to over 170 million Americans, the company said on X. Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19." If TikTok is banned, can I still use it? It's not immediately clear if the app will be operational for existing users if it "goes dark" or "shuts down." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said Jan. 18 he will most likely give TikTok a 90-day extension to find a non-Chinese buyer for the app. Its unclear, however, if an extension would keep TikTok functioning uninterrupted with the company saying the app will go dark Sunday. Can I download TikTok from app stores? No. If the law is enacted, the app will be pulled from app stores and become unavailable for download. "The app wont be available on the App Store for new downloads, you know, for new users," Dr. Gabriela Zanfir-Fortuna, vice president for global privacy at the Future of Privacy Forum, told TODAY.com earlier this week. When is the last day to watch TikToks? The law goes into effect Jan. 19. TikTok has said it plans to "go dark" on Sunday if there is not a "definitive statement" from the Biden administration assuring "non-enforcement" of the law. What has President-elect Trump said about TikTok? The future of the app does largely fall into the hands of the incoming Trump administration, Zanfir-Fortuna says, which takes office Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be on the Trump administration to enforce this law, she says. So it is really up to the administration to accept a reason for a new owner structure, or accept some reason that a new owner structure is compliant with the law. So with this requirement that TikTok is sold to an American entity, clearly, it will depend on the Trump administration. In a conversation with Welker on Saturday, Trump said he will most likely put a 90-day extension in place for TikTok to find a non-Chinese buyer. I think that would be, certainly, an option that we look at. The 90-day extension is something that will be most likely done, because its appropriate. You know, its appropriate. We have to look at it carefully. Its a very big situation, Trump told Welker. Trump said he has not made a final decision on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, Trump vowed to ban TikTok, but he has since changed his position. In December 2024, attorneys for Trump filed a brief urging the Supreme Court to pause the implementation of the law that would effectively ban TikTok if it is not sold. President Trump alone possesses the consummate dealmaking expertise, the electoral mandate, and the political will to negotiate a resolution to save the platform while addressing the national security concerns expressed by the Government concerns which President Trump himself has acknowledged, D. John Sauer, an attorney for Trump who is also the president-elects pick for U.S. solicitor general, wrote in the brief, filed on Dec. 27. The president-elect met with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew in December, hours after he said he had a warm spot in his heart for the app during a Dec. 16 press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I won youth by 34 points. And there are those that say that TikTok has something to do with that, Trump said. Chew was invited to Trump's inauguration and is expected to attend, NBC News reported. Is Elon Musk buying TikTok? Elon Musk, owner of X and a close advisor to Trump, has been floated as a possible buyer for TikTok, according to reports. Chinese officials are weighing an option to allow Musk to take control of the app, Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the discussions. Musk has not publicly commented on the matter, and TikTok called Bloomberg's report "pure fiction" in a statement to the Journal. This article was originally published on TODAY.com RedNote, which has a default language of Mandarin Chinese, has become a popular TikTok alternative in the U.S., even with the language barrier. - Credit: Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto/Getty Images Never discount the resolve of the American spirit in the face of adversity in this case, the determination to learn a little bit of Mandarin Chinese to make navigating the popular TikTok alternative RedNote a little bit easier. Duolingo, the popular language learning app, revealed yesterday (Jan. 15) that it has seen a staggering 216 percent increase in people learning Chinese compared to this time last year. Why the sudden, massive bump? Possibly because this Sunday, Jan. 19, TikTok will be outlawed in the United States, and American users would apparently rather flock to another Chinese short-form video app, RedNote (known as as Xiaohongshu in China) where the default user interface language is Chinese than settle for whatever alternative Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube might try to offer. More from Rolling Stone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional evidence that the looming TikTok ban might be driving this interest comes from the app analytics company Appfigures (via TechCrunch). They said downloads of the Duolingo app in the U.S. have shot up 36 percent on the App Store and Google Play since Jan. 3, pushing it to No. 22 on the companys Top Apps list. Duolingo has as theyve done in the past leaned into the surge. The company shared a video on TikTok (watch while you still can) featuring their green bird mascot sitting in an airport and reciting a few Mandarin phrases for beginners, starting with: Welcome TikTok refugee. RedNote has been around since 2013 and its garnered about 300 million monthly users with an interface that recalls TikTok and Pinterest, and also has live-streaming capabilities. Whether the app has any staying power in the U.S. in the longterm remains to be seen, though this surge in interest could prompt the company to make it more accessible to non-Chinese-speaking users (not that theres anything wrong with learning a foreign language, even under the pettiest of circumstances). That said, the whole Chinese-owned app thing could very well place RedNote in the same inevitable situation as TikTok. The law passed by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden last spring forcing TikToks parent company ByteDance to sell its U.S. assets was reportedly meant to shield American social media users from the influence of the Chinese government and protect their personal data. Whether or not American users actually care about that, however, well the evidence appears to be speaking for itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok has been fighting this legislation, and last week their case landed before the Supreme Court. The justices, however, did not seem very sympathetic to the company and the court appears likely to side with the government and uphold all the lower court rulings that already went against the app. A ruling on the matter is expected to arrive this week, and incoming president Donald Trump who previously signed an executive order threatening to ban TikTok in 2020 is now asking the Court to let him save the app instead. Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Gov. Ron DeSantis made a major announcement in Orlando on Thursday. The governor announced at a new concertante that he intends to nominate Attorney General Ashley Moody to replace Sen. Macro Rubio if he is confirmed as President-elect Donald Trumps Secretary of State. Watch the full announcement here: Governor Ron DeSantis Makes an Announcement in Orlando https://t.co/7dNbFdoiau Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) January 16, 2025 DeSantis made the announcement from the Rosen Plaza Hotel on International Drive. WATCH: DeSantis holds news conference with law enforcement leaders in Winter Haven Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Channel 9s Sabrina Maggiore is at the press conference and will provide updates on Eyewitness News. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Today marks the 60th anniversary of the 1965 crash of the KC-135 Stratotanker in the Piatt neighborhood in north Wichita. Just before 9:30 a.m., a Boeing KC-135A-BN Stratotanker took off from McConnell Air Force Base. The tanker and its crew were based out of Clinton-Sherman Air Force Base in western Oklahoma. Wichita getting an officially licensed Monopoly game Shortly after takeoff from McConnell, the plane failed to gain altitude and began experiencing considerable yaw, according to the official accident report. The crew started jettisoning the excess fuel and attempted to return to McConnell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After dumping most of its fuel, the plane made a hard bank to the left and entered a roll the crew could not recover from. The aircraft came down at 20th and Piatt. The explosion and fire killed 23 people on the ground, injured 27 more, and destroyed dozens of homes. All seven crew members were killed. The formal accident report indicated several factors that may have contributed to the crash, including a crew member jettisoning a door and a drag chute from an F-105 Thunderchief accidentally being left on the runway being blown into the KC-135 just before takeoff by a B-52 Stratofortress bomber. In 1971, a memorial and park were installed at the crash scene. In 2007, a 22-foot Imperial Black Granite monument was installed at the site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The memorial is inscribed with the names of all the lives lost that 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 KSN-TV. A toddler diagnosed with leukaemia was initially sent home from A&E after doctors thought she had the flu. Medics decided Gracie McHugh, then three, did not need further tests and treatment in 2023. But when she lost the ability to walk, her mother Helen Jackson researched her symptoms online and feared she had cancer. Mrs Jackson, 39, returned her to hospital where it was found she had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was such a dark time when Gracie was diagnosed, the child therapist said. Luckily, she was too young to understand what was going on. But it was a difficult time for her brothers who had so much to deal with because we had to keep leaving them with other family members while we were at hospital. Mother Helen Jackson with Gracie, who had a blood transfusion and chemotherapy - Cancer Research UK/SWNS Gracie was given a blood transfusion before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary for intense chemotherapy and therapy. She then had physiotherapy to help her learn to walk again before being signed up for a trial funded by Cancer Research UK called Altogether-1, which aims to see if changing treatments works better for children and young people with ALL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gracie is due to end the maintenance phase of her treatment in March, but was diagnosed with osteopenia, a loss of bone density, in her legs as the bones have been left weak by the treatment. Mum-of-four Mrs Jackson, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, added: The end is in sight now with Gracies treatment completing soon. And we have so much to look forward to this year. Gracie has been given a star award by Cancer Research UK to recognise her bravery during the treatment. As well as a star-shaped trophy, Gracie also received a gift card, t-shirt and a certificate signed by celebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and TV personality Dr Ranj. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cancer Research UK i,s such a fantastic charity to recognise these amazing and courageous children and to help fund the clinical trial Gracie has been on, Mrs Jackson said. We couldnt be prouder of Gracie receiving a star award as shes been so incredibly brave throughout all of her treatment. Gracie with her mother, father and siblings - Cancer Research UK/SWNS Jane Bullock, a spokesman for Cancer Research UK, said: A cancer diagnosis is heartbreaking at any age, but it can be especially hard for youngsters. Gracie is a real star who has been through so much at such a young age and it has been an absolute privilege to be able to celebrate her courage with a Star Award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cancer in children and young people is different to cancer in adults, from the types of cancer to the impact of treatment and many may experience serious long-term side effects. Thats why were supporting dedicated research to find new and less toxic ways to beat this devastating disease. Were urging people in West Yorkshire to nominate inspirational children like Gracie for a Star Award now, so that many more can receive the acknowledgement they so richly deserve. 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. TOMPKINS COUNTY, N.Y. (WETM) A growing program is being adopted in Tompkins County to help drivers with autism communicate with a sheriffs deputy during a traffic stop. The Blue Envelop Program is a safety initiative already adopted in some areas of the Twin Tiers to support drivers with autism. Tompkins County Sheriff Derek Osborne explained that during a traffic stop, people with autism might communicate in ways deputies would misunderstand as being something else, leading to unfortunate incidents. Tioga County, PA Sheriffs Office Implements Blue Envelope Program Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Blue Envelop Program helps avoid these issues by keeping a persons important information like a license, registration, and insurance inside the envelope provided to the law enforcement officer at the start of a stop. When an LEO sees the envelope, they can understand the drivers condition and take steps to handle the stop appropriately, the release said. The envelopes arent just a place for people to store their information but include information for officers on how to interact with the person, along with an emergency contact. This practice is being encouraged to be adopted state-wide by the New York State Sheriffs Association and was already adopted by the Tioga County Sheriffs Office in Pennsylvania back in September. 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, said he was flabbergasted Thursday by the decision to remove GOP Rep. Mike Turner (Ohio) as the chair of the House Intelligence panel. Warner expressed his dismay over Turners removal from the committee, praising his bipartisan leadership of the panel that oversees the nations intelligence community. I dont have the foggiest idea why he was removed. Maybe because he was such a stalwart supporter of Ukraine and [was] willing to push back against [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, Warner told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know its up to the Speakers decision, but Mike Turner was the kind of guy who brought the House Intelligence Committee back to the kind of bipartisan respect that I think it lost in the past, he said. I wish Mike well. Warner said he had a brief conversation with Turner on Wednesday night after learning of his ouster. I was totally flabbergasted by this decision. It seemed to come out of nowhere, he said. Turner was a critic of what he called the influence of Russian propaganda over congressional Republican critics of providing military aid to Ukraine. Turner said in April that Russian propaganda had absolutely seeped into the Republican conferences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is absolutely true we see, directly coming from Russia, attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor, he told CNNs Jake Tapper at the time. Turner had been chair of the House Intelligence panel since 2022, appointed to the post by then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Warner was not the only Democrat to express dismay over Turners ouster. Rep. Jim Himes (Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence panel, called Turner a serious, security focused lawmaker dedicated at his core to the national security of the United States and to the thoughtful oversight of the Intelligence Community. The removal of Chairman Turner makes our nation less secure and is a terrible portent for whats to come, Himes added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) called the decision shameful in a brief statement Thursday. Mike Turner is a serious, thoughtful and highly-principled leader, whose work as Chair of the House Intelligence Committee has been extremely impactful, Jeffries said. Speaker Mike Johnsons (R-La.) decision not to reappoint Turner to wield the gavel became public Wednesday, catching many on Capitol Hill by surprise. 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. Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), the chair of the Foreign Relations Committee, said Thursday the global AIDS-fighting program started by President George W. Bush is certainly in jeopardy because the Biden administration allowed some of its funding to be spent on abortions. Congressional Republicans had raised concerns about funds from the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief going to groups that support abortion rights or provide abortions in 2023 when they allowed the programs authorization to expire. They ultimately renewed it for one year last March. Risch said in a statement that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has disclosed that funds from the $5 billion program that helps developing countries combat HIV and AIDS were used to pay health workers who performed at least 21 abortions in Mozambique. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the procedure is legal in the African country, the decades-long Helms Amendment prohibits any U.S. funding from being used to provide or promote abortion as a method of family planning. Risch called the revelation disgusting. The CDC must be investigated for its misuse of PEPFAR funds, and those who have violated long-standing U.S. laws that protect life must be held accountable, Risch said. The issue came to light after routine compliance checks identified potential risks, said a State Department official granted anonymity to discuss issues they were not authorized to speak publicly about. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CDC worked with the Mozambique Ministry of Health to launch an investigation to determine if there had been a violation of funding terms, the State Department official said. The investigation found four nurses in a small province of the country that didnt know they werent allowed to provide abortions if they received PEPFAR funding, the official said. The Mozambique government has refunded the money, $4,100, according to a CDC spokesperson. The CDC alone spends $189 million in PEPFAR funds in Mozambique, the spokesperson said. "CDC identified the error, took immediate action, has a plan in place to prevent it from happening again and briefed relevant committees," the CDC spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PEPFAR will begin requiring every service provider it works with to attest annually that theyve been trained and that they understand restrictions on funding, the State Department official said. Why it matters: The revelation comes less than three months before PEPFARs current authorization expires. The Foreign Relations Committee would likely need to approve a new authorization before it could go to the Senate floor. PEPFAR can continue without authorization so long as Congress appropriates funds for it. But allowing the authorization to expire would be another blow to the long-bipartisan program. Until 2023, Congress had always granted 5-year reauthorizations. Since its creation by Bush in 2003, PEPFAR is credited with saving 25 million lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration, PEPFAR leaders and program implementers had previously rejected the GOP claims about program funding going toward abortion. The State Department official said that the spending in Mozambique is the first and only violation of program rules the department is aware of. The compliance system worked and the State Department and other institutions involved rectified the situation, the official said, adding that it would be short-sighted to end PEPFAR over it. CORRECTION: An earlier version of this report misstated PEPFAR spending in Mozambique. TOPEKA (KSNT) A Topeka non-profit is bringing awareness to sex trafficking. Wednesday night at the Topeka Bible Church, Project 2 Restore kicked off Human Trafficking Awareness Month. People in the community had the opportunity to discuss how to fight trafficking, and how to support victims of it. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay was also at the event to speak about the issue, and he told 27 News how he plans to address sex trafficking in this years legislative session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am putting forth a bill with a very large coalition of other people supporting it designed to enhance the penalty around those who purchase sex, Kaygay said. The whole idea is to deter that kind of conduct because what the studies tell us is between 60 and 80 percent of all those women in those situations are actually victims of human trafficking. Topeka city manager addresses plow efforts following historic blizzard Many times the victims that we serve when were just sitting down will ask us why didnt anyone see what was happening, Executive Director for Project 2 Restore, Angela Boles said. And I think thats really what tonight is about. Is just really opening the eyes of the community to really see what sex trafficking really looks like. If you would like to learn more about human trafficking awareness, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 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 KSNT 27 News. A total of 124 combat clashes have occurred on the battlefield over the past day, with the most intense situation being on the Pokrovsk front, where Ukrainian defenders have stopped 56 Russian assault and offensive actions. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 08:00 on 16 January Quote: "A total of 124 combat clashes were recorded over the past day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past 24 hours, the enemy conducted one missile strike using 44 missiles and 50 airstrikes, dropping 71 guided bombs on Ukrainian positions and settlements. In addition, they fired over 5,000 times, with 142 of these attacks from multiple-launch rocket systems and 2,361 using kamikaze drones." Details: On the Kharkiv front, the Russians conducted two assaults on Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Vovchansk and Tykhe. On the Kupiansk front, Ukrainian forces repelled Russian assaults near the settlements of Kindrashivka, Zahryzove, Topoli and Petropavlivka, where a total of five Russian attacks occurred over the past day. On the Lyman front, the Russians conducted 16 attacks, trying to break through Ukrainian defences near the settlements of Kopanky, Novoserhiivka, Tverdokhlibove, Makiivka, Kolodiazi, Terny and Hryhorivka. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Kramatorsk front, the Russians attacked six times near the settlements of Stupochky, Chasiv Yar and Predtechyno. On the Toretsk front, the Russians conducted nine attacks near the settlements of Bila Hora, Toretsk and Krymske. On the Pokrovsk front, Ukrainian defenders stopped 56 Russian assault and offensive actions towards the settlements of Baranivka, Myroliubivka, Promin, Novyi Trud, Shevchenko, Udachne, Kotlyne, Petropavlivka, Stari Terny, Yantarne, Yelyzavetivka, Lysivka, Zelene, Zvirove, Uspenivka, Andriivka and Dachne. On the Novopavlivka front, Ukrainian forces repelled five Russian assaults, with the Russians mainly trying to advance near the settlements of Vremivka and Kostiantynopil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Orikhiv front, the Russians conducted four attacks on Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Mala Tokmachka, Novoandriivka and Shcherbaky. In the operational zone in Russias Kursk Oblast, 15 combat clashes occurred. The Russians conducted 13 airstrikes using 18 guided bombs, and 340 artillery attacks, including 15 from multiple-launch rocket systems. Meanwhile, Ukraines Air Force and units from Rocket Forces and Artillery struck five areas where Russian personnel, weapons and military equipment were concentrated, four air defence systems, three command posts, two UAV control points, three artillery systems and one Russian ammunition storage point. Support UP or become our patron! A German couple is facing a criminal investigation after stealing what they thought was a stray cat on the North Sea island of Norderney. The holidaymakers, from the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, mistook the animal for a stray and took it home, German police said on Thursday. The bizarre incident, dating back to December, saw the couple take the cat to a veterinary clinic in their home state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The veteriniarian found an implanted chip and got in touch with the rightful owner, who had already reported his pet as missing. According to the police statement, the owner then contacted the couple, who were reportedly unhelpful and "set conditions for a return." The owner subsequently filed a criminal complaint, with police now investigating the incident as a theft. AURORA, N.C. (WNCT) One small town in Beaufort County is about to lose a crucial business. Auroras only bank is closing, leaving the people who live there without a place to do their banking. Southern Bank only has a few more months in Aurora until they consolidate with the New Bern branch. Now, businesses and people who live in the town will now have to switch banks, the closest one being Bayboro, or travel to Greenville or New Bern if they want to keep Southern Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like that we every time we take a step forward, it feels like we take two steps back. And its frustrating because Id love to see the town grow. Ive been here almost 20 years and I love the little town and I just hate to see so many things going away from it, said Nathaniel Murray, Store Manager at WB Thompson Farm Supplies. The bank says they are set to close for good April 18 when they officially consolidate with the New Bern branch. 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 WNCT. U.S. officials announced a $1.6 billion deal with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors late Wednesday to settle charges it deceived regulators about the amount of emissions spewed by its diesel engines. Hino used altered emissions test data to get approval to import and sell more than 110,000 diesel engines to the U.S., most of which were installed in heavy-duty trucks made by Hino, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As part of the deal, Hino will plead guilty to engaging in a criminal conspiracy to mislead regulators and consumers, violating environmental protection laws and endangering public health, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release. U.S. regulators and the state of California, which has strict vehicle emission standards, worked out criminal and civil remedies with Hino valued at more than $1.6 billion. The deal includes a $521.76 million criminal penalty, $442.5 million in civil penalties to U.S. authorities and $236.5 million to California, according to the Reuters news agency. "Hino's actions directly undermined EPA's program to protect the public from air pollution," acting EPA administrator Jane Nishida said in a release. The proposed settlement is contingent on approval from a federal district court judge in Michigan. "Corporate crimes such as these endanger the health and well-being of innocent Americans, as well as the environment in which we all live," said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Dawn Ison. The deal includes a five-year term of probation during which Hino will be barred from importing diesel engines it has manufactured into the United States, and implements a comprehensive compliance and ethics program, according to the EPA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This resolution is a significant milestone toward resolving legacy issues that we have worked hard to ensure are no longer a part of Hino's operations or culture," Hino Motors CEO Satoshi Ogiso said in a statement. "We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders. In order to prevent a recurrence of this kind of issue, we have implemented company-wide reforms, including meaningful improvements to our internal culture, oversight and compliance practices. Hino will also have to recall some trucks with engines violating emissions standards and spend some $155 million to replace marine and locomotive engines throughout the U.S. to offset excess air emissions, according to the EPA. NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury Cancer in women and young people is increasing, study finds Hino Motors (TM), a Toyota Motor Co. subsidiary, has agreed to plead guilty and pay over $1.6 billion as part of a settlement with several U.S. agencies over an emissions fraud scheme. The Japanese automaker was charged with conspiracy to commit fraud in U.S. federal court in Detroit for unlawfully selling more than 105,000 heavy-duty diesel engines into the U.S. between 2010 and 2022 that failed to meet emission standards, according to court documents. It made about $1.087 billion from its actions. The misconduct first came to light in March 2022, when employees were revealed to have tampered with test results on engines used in more than 643,000 vehicles, including tens of thousands subject to a recall. Toyota removed Hino from a major Japanese truck consortium, and four officials, including three executives overseeing production and compliance, resigned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A committee commissioned to investigate the scandal blamed it on an environment in which workers were forced to meet a strict pace of work and engineers felt they couldnt challenge their bosses. A poor work environment was also found at Toyotas Daihatsu subsidiary as part of an investigation into its recent safety scandal that tormented the Japanese auto industry last year. Hinos actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nations environmental, consumer protection and import laws, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim said in a statement. As part of its agreement to resolve multiple civil and criminal allegations, Hino agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year conspiracy and serve a five-year probation, during which it will be prevented from importing diesel engines into the U.S. The deal is awaiting approval by a federal judge in Michigan. Hino ran afoul of several federal agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, the FBI, and the Department of Transportation, along with the state of California. The settlement includes a criminal penalty of $521.76 million, $442.5 million in civil penalties, and $236.5 million to resolve claims brought by California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In October, Hino booked a loss $230 billion yen, or about $1.54 billion, to cover the expected costs. This resolution is a significant milestone toward resolving legacy issues that we have worked hard to ensure are no longer a part of Hinos operations or culture, Hino CEO Satoshi Ogiso said in a statement, adding that the automaker has enacted several company-wide reforms to prevent future misconduct. We commit to moving forward as a company that can be of service to society, Ogiso said. For the latest news, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. A Toyota division that manufactures trucks will pay more than $1.6 billion and plead guilty to violations related to the submission of false and fraudulent engine emission testing and fuel consumption data to regulators and the illicit smuggling of engines into the United States. Hino Motors, a subsidiary of the Toyota, first acknowledged in 2022 that it has systematically falsified emissions data dating back as far as 2003. That was part of a broader scandal involving emissions tests that ensnared other automakers as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department said that Hino's unlawful conduct allowed it to improperly secure approvals to import and sell, and cause to be imported and sold, more than 110,000 diesel engines in the U.S. from 2010 to 2022. The engines were primarily installed in heavy-duty trucks made and sold by Hino nationwide. Hino knew the requirements that engines must meet to be certified to operate in the United States, yet it falsified data for years to skirt regulations, Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Departments Environment and Natural Resources Division, said in a prepared statement. Hinos actions led to vast amounts of excess air pollution and were an egregious violation of our nations environmental, consumer protection and import laws." Hino Motors Ltd. has agreed to plead guilty to engaging in a multi-year criminal conspiracy. The plea agreement, which is subject to court approval, requires the company to pay a criminal fine of $521.76 million, serve a five-year term of probation during which it will be prohibited from importing any diesel engines it has made into the U.S. and implement a comprehensive compliance and ethics program and reporting structure. Hino has also agreed to a forfeiture money judgment against it in the amount of approximately $1.1 billion. As part of the plea deal, Hinos future payments towards its civil settlement obligations, as well future payments as part of a civil class action settlement brought by private plaintiffs, will be credited towards its criminal forfeiture money judgment obligation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, FBI, Customs and Border Protection, Department of Transportations Office of Inspector General, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and State of California reached criminal and multiple civil resolutions with Japanese Hino, which are subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. In separate civil resolutions of environmental, customs and fuel economy claims by the federal government and the State of California, Hino will pay a civil penalty of $525 million. Hino, as part of its plea agreement, admitted to submitting and causing to be submitted false applications for engine certification approvals between 2010 and 2019. The company also admitted that it submitted fraudulent carbon dioxide emissions test data. Hino said in a statement on Thursday that its agreements resolve all of the companys outstanding legal issues in the U.S. related to its legacy emissions issues. "We deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused to our customers and stakeholders. In order to prevent a recurrence of this kind of issue, we have implemented company-wide reforms, including meaningful improvements to our internal culture, oversight, and compliance practices, CEO Satoshi Ogiso said. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC), which had been included in the plan for Nashvilles East Bank development, has been compelled to consider alternate sites for their new home. TPAC had been searching for a new performance home starting in 2023 and selected an architecture team to help achieve the vision for the new site. In January 2024, a site for TPAC was included in the East Bank development. News 2 previously reported that Metro would lease a portion of the 30 acres it gets in the East bank development deal. However, according to TPAC, continued delays of the project have forced the performing arts center to look elsewhere for a new home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement APRIL 2024: TPAC footing large part of East Bank bill In a statement provided to News 2, A spokesperson for TPAC said theyve been in discussions with Metro since long before 2023 on a relocation plan. TPAC has been working with Metro and the State to build a new home on the East bank of the Cumberland River, and TPAC and the State are committing a total of $600 million to the project. TPAC has been in discussions with Metro since July 2021 regarding the relocation of the performing arts center. While we understood and expected there would be a transitional period with a new administration, we did not anticipate the process would still be in limbo after 15 months. Metros requirements have exceeded the provisions of the MOU that was approved by Metro Council in February 2024, and TPAC has presented proposals that fully comply with it, including constructing a pedestrian bridge and funding TPACs proportional share of a bike ramp, neither of which are part of the new performing arts center facility. We have done all we can to be responsive to Metro, and at this point, due to the delays and resulting costs of more than $14 million, we are compelled to consider alternate sites. TPAC Spokesperson Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The Nashville Mayors Office said negotiations with TPAC for a new home on Metro-owned land in the East Bank have been ongoing. Metro Council approved an MOU between TPAC and the city last year. Since then at TPACs request, we have continued negotiations around infrastructure costs that they committed to paying for when they signed the memorandum of understanding. TPAC has long-sought a lot on the East Bank that is the most expensive to develop because of its proximity to the pedestrian bridge. Metro believed TPAC was prepared to contribute money both to the pedestrian bridge and an exit ramp off the bridge. In order to advance discussions and offer more options, Metro has in the months since offered other lots and continued to negotiate on the original lot. Our hope is that we can strike an agreement that works for Metro taxpayers and provides a long-term home for the performing arts center. Alex Apple, Deputy Communications Director 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. (Bloomberg) -- Chinese state-sponsored hackers who breached the US Treasury Department got into more than 400 laptop and desktop computers, taking particular interest in the machines of staff and senior leaders focused on sanctions, international affairs and intelligence, according to an agency report reviewed by Bloomberg News. Most Read from Bloomberg The hackers accessed employee usernames and passwords, as well as more than 3,000 files on unclassified personal computers, the report said. That included policy and travel documents, organizational charts, material on sanctions and foreign investment, and Law Enforcement Sensitive data. The perpetrators likely stole material but appear not to have gotten into Treasurys classified or email systems, according to the findings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hackers also got access to material on investigations run by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which reviews the national security implications of some real estate purchases and foreign investments in the US. The report, which is dated Wednesday and addressed to members of Congress, offers the fullest picture to date of what US officials say was a foreign rivals intrusion into an agency central to managing the national debt, issuing sanctions and shaping US economic policy. Theres no evidence that the hackers tried to lurk in Treasurys systems for longer-term intelligence gathering, the report states, adding that there was no evidence of malware on the compromised devices. Treasury spokesperson Chris Hayden declined to comment Wednesday. FBI representatives didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 8, software contractor BeyondTrust Corp. notified the Treasury that the department had been breached through a hack of the companys networks. The department reported the breach to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency within an hour of confirming it, the report states, and later sought help from the FBI, intelligence agencies and other incident response groups. Investigators attributed the hack to a Chinese state-sponsored actor known among cybersecurity professionals as Silk Typhoon and UNC5221, according to the report. They found that the hackers prioritized the collection of documents and operated outside of normal working hours to avoid detection, the report said. Chinese officials have long denied US allegations of state-sponsored cyberattacks, and a Foreign Ministry spokesperson last month called the claims that it was behind the Treasury hack unwarranted and groundless. The hackers accessed a total of 419 computers from late September through mid-November and took primary interest in the Office of Foreign Assets Control, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, the report states. It says they also focused on certain senior officials in the Treasury Departments front office and also took employees personal financial documents, banking and insurance records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Counterintelligence officials are still conducting a comprehensive damage assessment, the report states. Treasury employees are set to brief staff for the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on Thursday, a Senate aide told Bloomberg News. Republican Senator Tim Scott from South Carolina, who chairs the committee, had originally asked the briefing to occur by Jan. 10. Treasury first informed Congress of the breach in a Dec. 30 letter, characterizing it as a major cybersecurity incident. After learning of the breach, Treasury staff disconnected BeyondTrusts systems, which remain offline, according to the agency. The Johns Creek, Georgia-based company holds contracts with the federal government worth more than $4 million, according to government data compiled by Bloomberg. In its report to Congress, Treasury said it was looking at alternatives to BeyondTrust. While Treasury has no immediate knowledge of hygienic failures that may have contributed to the compromise of BeyondTrust, we believe we should examine the marketplace, the report states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BeyondTrust didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. (Updates with more from report in third paragraph.) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. By Syed Fazl-e-Haider China is moving forward with the long-delayed 523-kilometer railway connecting Kashgar in northwest China to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan as part of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway, proposed in the 1990s, officially began construction on December 27 in Jalalabad, Kyrgyzstan. This route offers a faster, cheaper alternative to existing connections between China and Europe via Kazakhstan and Russia. Excluding Russia from the project has drawn criticism from Moscow, which views Central Asia as its sphere of influence. However, Russia, heavily reliant on China due to Western sanctions over its 2022 Ukraine invasion, is unable to oppose the development. The CKU railway, seen as a regional game-changer, promises to enhance trade and connectivity across Central xAsia. However, it also raises security concerns, as the route may facilitate cross-border activities of drug traffickers, terrorist groups, and militant organizations. BACKGROUND: The CKU railway, first conceived in 1997, faced significant delays due to financial, political, technical, and geopolitical challenges. A major obstacle was political instability in Kyrgyzstan, which stalled progress for 15 years. The project was revitalized in 2012 following a visit to Beijing by then-Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, renewing momentum for this strategic initiative under Chinas Belt and Road Initiative. Geopolitical factors also contributed to delays in the CKU railway project. Kazakhstan and Russia opposed the new route connecting China to Europe, as they benefited significantly from the existing northern corridor via Russia, which generated substantial revenue. Concerns over losing this economic advantage fueled their resistance. Financing the mega-project was another major challenge. In 2023, reports emerged suggesting the CKU railways postponement for an indefinite period due to unresolved funding issues. Technical complexities have also hindered the execution of the CKU railway project. A key issue is the incompatible railway gauges between China and Central Asian countries. While China uses a standard gauge of 1,435 mm, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan rely on a broader gauge of 1,520 mm. This mismatch has posed significant logistical and engineering challenges to the project's implementation. Another factor contributing to delays was the failure of participating countries to reach a consensus on the railway route due to conflicting interests. China and Uzbekistan favored a southern route, which offered shorter and faster transit to Europe. In contrast, Kyrgyzstan advocated for a northern route that, while longer and more expensive, would connect the north and south of Kyrgyzstan, fostering development and boosting its economy. Ultimately, under pressure from China and Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan conceded to the shorter and less costly southern route. In May 2023, China and Kyrgyzstan reached an agreement to commence the CKU railway project during an official visit by the Kyrgyz President to Beijing, with the China Railway Construction Corporation completing a feasibility study the same year. In June 2024, officials from China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan signed a trilateral agreement to implement the project, establishing a robust legal framework for constructing the railway. The line will begin in Kashgar, Xinjiang, pass through Kyrgyzstan, and extend into Uzbekistan, with future plans for extensions to West and South Asia. After nearly three decades of deliberation, the CKU rail corridor is now progressing. The project promises to reduce freight transit times by one week and shorten the China-Europe route by 900 kilometers, marking a significant milestone in regional connectivity. IMPLICATIONS: Beijing's decision to advance the CKU railway project represents a strategic masterstroke, poised to deepen China's influence across Central Asia and beyond. The initiative comes at a critical juncture, as Russia remains embroiled in the Ukraine conflict and faces crippling Western sanctions, creating a vacuum in the region's geopolitical landscape. The CKU railway will allow China to transport goods to Europe seven to eight days faster than existing land routes by providing a direct, efficient corridor to the continent. This development not only strengthens Chinas connectivity but also enhances its role as a dominant trade and infrastructure player in the region. In the future, the CKU railway could become a central hub for rail connectivity in Asia, linking Central Asia with South and West Asia. Once completed, the railway may be expanded east-west or north-south by integrating it with other countries' rail networks. Potential extensions include a route from Uzbekistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan. Additionally, Uzbekistan's existing connections with Turkmenistan and Iran could position the CKU railway as one of the shortest routes between China and Western Europe. With the CKU corridor operational, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are set to emerge as vital transit countries for Chinese exports. Both nations stand to gain significant economic benefits from transit fees, enhancing their economic roles in regional and global trade. As a pivotal element of Chinas Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the CKU railway represents a strategic project to enhance China's connectivity with Central Asia. This landmark railway will traverse the challenging terrain of western China and Kyrgyzstans highest mountains, linking the railway networks of China, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. In its final phase, the project aims to integrate with railway systems in Europe, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkiye. The CKU rail corridor is poised to boost regional trade, foster economic cooperation, and provide the landlocked nations of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with critical access to global markets. Furthermore, the project will deliver essential infrastructure to both countries, strengthening their economic resilience and regional standing. The CKU railway project is estimated to cost US$ 8 billion, with US$ 4.7 billion allocated for constructing the Kyrgyz section. Given Kyrgyzstans GDP of $9 billion, this expenditure represents a significant economic burden. As a result, the financially constrained country has sought a US$ 2.35 billion loan from China to fund its portion of the project, raising concerns about Kyrgyzstan potentially falling into a Chinese debt trap. Once completed, the CKU railway will allow China to transport goods to Europe seven to eight days faster than existing land routes. Geopolitically, this project is crucial for China, offering an alternative to the current route through Russia and reducing reliance on Moscow for trade with Europe. On the other hand, the CKU railway raises significant security concerns as it will pass through opium-producing areas, potentially creating a new route for drug smuggling. The corridor could also facilitate the cross-border movement of terrorist and militant groups. This poses a particular threat to Chinas Xinjiang province, which has been targeted by separatist and Islamic extremist groups. The railways potential to exacerbate regional security challenges underscores the need for robust measures to address these risks. CONCLUSIONS: The CKU railway has the potential to be a transformative project for Central Asia, elevating the regions significance as a transit hub between China and Europe. It marks the realization of Beijings decade-long ambition to expand its connectivity with Eurasian countries. The ongoing Ukraine war and Western sanctions against Russia, following its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, have further amplified the importance of the CKU corridor. This new route provides an alternative to the Northern Corridor through Russia, currently the primary transit route between East and West, thereby diminishing Moscows strategic relevance in regional trade. Geopolitically, Beijing views the timing as opportune to advance the CKU railway project in Russia's so-called backyard, leveraging the Kremlins preoccupation with the Ukraine war. The launch of this mega project is poised to enhance Chinas influence in Central Asia, potentially shifting the balance of power between Beijing and Moscow in the region. However, the project carries significant security risks. The presence of drug smugglers and militant groups in the region raises concerns that the CKU corridor could be exploited by these armed groups, further complicating Central Asia's already fragile security environment. AUTHORS BIO: Syed Fazl-e-Haider is a Karachi-based analyst at Wikistrat. He is a freelance columnist and the author of several books. He has contributed articles and analysis to a range of publications. He is a regular contributor to Eurasia Daily Monitor of Jamestown Foundation Email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A Youngstown coffee shop will celebrate its first anniversary with an event featuring several hands-on activities this weekend. Trek Coffee House on Mahoning Avenue marks the one-year milestone Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The event begins at 10 a.m. with a coffee and tea workshop. Experts will lead a tasting session suitable for beginners or seasoned baristas, covering different roasting processes and how they shape flavor profiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Registration for the workshop is required and available on Treks Facebook page. Later in the day, baristas will compete in the Latte Art Throwdown from 5 to 7 p.m. Guests can enjoy coffee and music while watching baristas create their latte art. Participation in the event is free but spots are limited. To compete in the event, message Trek on their Instagram. Trek Coffee House has become a gathering spot for coffee enthusiasts in the community, offering many events throughout the year such as High Tea Brunch, the Honey and Lavender Festival, and Sunday yoga sessions. 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. YORK COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) The trial date for a 15-year-old boy charged with murder in the shooting death of a 12-year-old in York County in 2023 has been scheduled, officials confirmed Wednesday. The District Attorneys Office confirmed the trial of Nolan Grove, of Red Lion, was scheduled by Judge Musti Cook to take place June 2 at 9 a.m. A status hearing is scheduled for March 11. Grove is charged in the shooting death of Kain Heiland, whose body was found by State Police April 1 in the block of 1st Avenue in Red Lion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grove faces charges of murder in the third degree, involuntary manslaughter, firearms not to be carried without a license, possession of a firearm by a minor, and four counts of recklessly endangering another person. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter Grove is out of York County Prison after he posted $50,000 bail just days after it was granted by Cook in August. Usually in Pennsylvania, if someone is charged with first-degree murder, bail is denied. Grove is charged with third-degree murder, meaning it depends on the cases circumstances and is up to a judge to grant the person bail or not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a hearing in August, Cook ruled that Grove would remain charged as an adult after her there was a motion to move the case to juvenile court. According to charging documents, a casing was also found with Heilands body. During the investigation, it was discovered that Grove was playing with a gun, pointed it at Heiland, and was also making comments about Heilands mom. Investigators say that a similar exchange happened around 8:30 p.m. and that is allegedly when Grove fatally shot Heiland in the back. The gun that was used belonged to Groves father and was taken out of a safe by Grove. The caliber of the casing that was found by Heilands body was linked to the gun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 ABC27. Lawmakers and tribal representatives fill the floor and gallery of the Arizona Senate on Jan. 15, 2025, as the 30th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day got underway. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror From a well-negotiated gaming compact and working on building a secure water future for Arizona to securing funding for widening Interstate 10, tribal leaders from Arizona sought Wednesday to remind state legislators of the importance of state and tribal partnerships. The issues that were bringing up as tribal leaders today, all of these issues should be nonpartisan and working together in a positive way, Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis said during his speech on the floor of the Arizona Senate during the annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day at the state Capitol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its only through partnership that we get things done, Lewis said, adding that every tribe in Arizona has examples of how they have worked together with the state on priorities and solutions that serve all of the people. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX I look forward to working with you to bring innovative solutions to long-standing problems, he said, adding that innovation within tribal nations has kept them alive and thriving for generations. Cooperation and collaboration is key, said Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation President Sandra Pattea. As leaders, we may come from different backgrounds and perspectives, but we share a common purpose to leave our communities better than we found them, she said. Let us continue to engage in open and respectful dialogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tribal leaders, community members and organizations from across Arizona gathered at the Capitol on Jan. 15 to celebrate the 30th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day, hosted by Gov. Katie Hobbss Office on Tribal Relations. Lewis, Pattea and Colorado River Indian Tribes Chairwoman Amelia Flores delivered a tribal nations address to a packed house on the Arizona Senate floor, with Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen and Speaker of the House Steve Montenegro presiding over the session. Tribal nations are essential partners to the state of Arizona, Montenegro said. He said tribes contribute to Arizona by creating jobs, generating revenue and helping shape Arizonas future in critical areas like energy and water resources. This gathering reflects the strong and enduring partnership between the state and tribal communities, Montenegro added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Petersen said he values the states continued partnership with Arizonas tribal nations and looks forward to hearing about additional opportunities for them to collaborate for the betterment of Arizona. Arizona is home to 22 tribal nations, and Indigenous people make up 6% of Arizonas overall population. Some of the key issues tribal leaders highlighted included water, voting, missing and murdered Indigenous peoples and gaming. Pattea reminded the lawmakers and tribal representatives in attendance how tribal members from the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation secured voting rights after suing the state. This led to the Arizona Supreme Court upholding native voting in 1948, a landmark decision that allowed Indigenous people in Arizona to participate fully in elections. While challenges still exist in ensuring that all Arizonans have equal access to the ballot and can exercise their right to vote, our tribal nations continue to work with elections officials and other initiatives to educate and encourage participation in our federal, state, local and tribal elections, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tribal legislative day brings together resources for the Indigenous community and provides an opportunity for Arizonas tribal leaders to meet with state legislators to discuss the years priorities. Jason Chavez, who leads Hobbs Office on Tribal Relations, said its been amazing to see how much tribal legislative day has grown in the last two years. He said it has quickly grown to more than 1,000 people gathering at the Capitol, several times more than in prior years. Its an incredible moment to witness tribes coming together, Chavez said, explaining they are coming together as a unified voice sharing their priorities with the state. Flags from Arizonas 22 federally recognized tribal nations line the lawn in front of the Arizona House of Representatives on Jan. 15, 2025, as part of the 30th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror As sovereign nations, I think its really important for the state to be willing to listen and be good partners too, he added, which is why he is happy his office helps facilitate that government-to-government exchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those in attendance was Navajo Nation Speaker Crystalyne Curley, who said she was happy to meet with representatives and Hobbs to discuss the Navajo Nation Councils priorities for the Arizona Legislature this year. This year, the Navajo Nation has three representatives in the legislature: Sen. Theresa Hatathlie, Rep. Mae Peshlakai and Rep. Myron Tsosie. Curley said its important that the Navajo Nation work with its representatives on issues that impact its community. The councils three top policy initiatives are tax parity, education and elections. Were ready to meet with our state leaders to see where we can get most of these important bills that could help us address a lot of the issues that we want this session, Curley said, adding that the tribal legislative day is a good foot in the door to make it happen because theyre all there together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lewis said having the state legislators from both sides of the aisle in attendance shows respect for Arizonas 22 tribal nations. Lewis said that, in his 12 years of tribal leadership, he has learned that tribes must always protect their specific interests, rights and solutions to Arizonas problems. However, he said he has also discovered that solutions to those problems are often found only when the state and tribes find common ground through innovation and leadership. Lewis said a perfect example of the state, federal and tribal partnership is when the Gila River Indian Community worked alongside state and federal leaders to secure the funding needed to widen the 22 miles of Interstate 10 that pass through their tribal land. We were able to find the path forward to get that critical project off the ground, Lewis said, adding that attempts to secure funding had failed in the past because the Gila River Indian Community was not directly involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was only when we, as the Gila River Indian Community, developed a closer collaboration that our efforts ultimately bore fruit, Lewis said. I think that is a best practice to show that when states and municipalities bring in tribes, we can bring true solutions to the table. Lewis said he hopes that the efforts made for Interstate 10 will serve as a positive example as the new legislative session begins. Lets all commit ourselves as leaders to work together on the major transportation problems we all face, he added. Colorado River Indian Tribes Chairwoman Amelia Flores delivers a tribal nations address to state lawmakers and tribal representatives in the Arizona Senate on Jan. 15, 2025, as part of the 30th annual Indian Nations and Tribes Legislative Day. Photo by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy | Arizona Mirror Another clear example of state and tribal partnership shared by tribal leaders was through water policies. The tribal leaders talked about the importance of their existing water settlements as well as advocating for the passage of future settlements, such as the Northeastern Arizona Indian Water Rights Settlement Act of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During her address, Flores talked about how the state has been able to work with the Colorado Indian River Tribes to get their water settlement signed, allowing them to gain control of their water resources. Flores said that the act finally allowed CRIT to obtain the right to determine how, when, and where its water would be used. CRIT will protect our water rights, she said. We always have and we always will. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE As flames tore through the Southern California foothills last week, tribal fire departments from across the western U.S. rushed to deploy crews and resources to fight the fires. At least eight tribes from around the state joined Native firefighters from tribes in Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Montana. Crews from the Pechanga, Rincon, Soboba, Pala, Yocha Dehe, Viejas, Barona and San Manuel fire departments worked side-by-side to contain the fires. Additional teams from the Yurok and Klamath tribes in Oregon, the Navajo Nation, TulalipMontanas Blackfeet Nation also joined the effort, according to local and national media reports. The Pechanga Band of Indians pledged $500,000 in response to the Palisades and Eaton fires, splitting the contribution between the American Red Cross and a partnership with the Los Angeles Rams Foundation to support the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Foundation, World Central Kitchen, and other relief organizations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond financial contributions, the Pechanga Fire Department, which has 30 members, pre-positioned crews ahead of the Santa Ana wind event as part of Californias mutual aid system. The department sent an engine and four crew members to the fire starting on Jan. 7. Fire Chief Jason Keeling said tribal fire departments operate at the same professional capacity as their counterparts. Tribal fire departments are no different. We stand foot by foot with our local, state and federal partners throughout the state, Keeling told NBC7. Our training, our education, our experience is the same standards that you would see with a city or state or federal fire department. Tribal fire departments from across the Western U.S. deployed crews and equipment to battle Southern California wildfires. Clockwise from top left: Yurok Tribe firefighters who made a 16-hour journey south; Tulalip Bay Fire Department's wildland team, deployed for an 18-day assignment; a Pechanga firefighter works to contain the blaze; and San Manuel Fire Department's tactical water tender that was sent to fight the Eaton fire in Altadena, where more than 1,900 structures have been destroyed. (Photos courtesy of Yurok Tribe, Tulalip Bay Fire Department/Facebook, Pechanga Fire Department/Instagram, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Yurok tribes fire department made a 16-hour trip from northern California after receiving a call for assistance on Jan. 8. Upon arrival, crews were assigned to the Eaton Fire near Pasadena. "When they got there, things were a little hectic; their job was to start patrolling the area that the fire was in, then start working to do more prep work and more preparation for another wind event that was coming in, suppress more fires that they came upon," Yurok Fire Department Fire Chief Rod Mendes told ABC affiliate KRCR. The Klamath Tribes of Oregon also joined the firefighting efforts last week, deploying a Type 3 fire engine and crew to the Eaton Fire, which has scorched 10,500 acres in the foothills north of Pasadena. The tribes 14 fire-qualified personnel are ready to support Southern California. Additional firefighters joined a joint Forest Service-Klamath Tribes crew, equipped for 14-day assignments, with specialized training in wildland fire suppression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, whose ancestral homelands are in the foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains, said Monday it deployed its tactical water tender to the Eaton fire in unincorporated Altadena, where more than 1,900 structures were destroyed and at least 11 residents killed in the historically diverse community. While tribal fire crews battled the fires, tribal enterprises and Native-serving organizations stepped up to support displaced residents. The Pechanga Resort Casino is offering discounted accommodations for evacuees and residents who have lost power. United American Indian Involvement, Inc. (UAII), Los Angeless only urban Indian organization, has converted its Temple Street facility into an emergency shelter for wildfire victims. The shelter is providing temporary housing, meals, medical assistance, counseling, and other essential services to both Native and non-Native individuals displaced by the fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have prioritized immediate relief efforts. UAII staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to set up an emergency evacuation center, UAII Board Chairwoman Hope Craig-Corlew said during a press conference Monday. UAII is distributing emergency supplies and partnering with agencies to secure housing, and offering mental health services through mobile clinics. The organization is launching workforce development programs to support rebuilding efforts and providing resources for families, including childcare facilities and educational programs for children. If anyoneNative or non-Nativeneeds support or resources as a result of the fires, please do not hesitate to contact us, Tribal Elder and UAII Board Vice Chairman Keith Vielle said during the press conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fires have claimed 16 lives, destroyed over 12,000 structures, and forced the evacuation of more than 153,000 residents. In Brentwood and Encino, the Palisades Fire has burned 37,000 acres and remains only 11% contained. Despite their work to help contain the fires and support displaced Southern Californians, tribal nations have faced baseless accusations of contributing to the fire crisis. Fox News host Jesse Watters falsely linked the fires to dam removals requested by Native American tribes to restore the Klamath River ecosystem. These dams are hundreds of miles north of the affected fire zones. California Gov. Gavin Newsom called these types of false claims, inexcusable because its inaccurate. For tribal leaders, the focus remains on supporting their communities and neighbors during the crisis. From ancient times to now, Southern California has always been and will always be our home, Mark Macarro, tribal chairman of the Pechanga Band and president of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), said in a statement. The loss and devastation that continues to take its toll on our region from these catastrophic fires is heartbreaking. Our reservation has been impacted by fires in the past, and we know the importance of coming together to lift up people in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Edwards provided additional reporting. About the Author: "Kaili Berg (Aleut) is a member of the Alutiiq\/Sugpiaq Nation, and a shareholder of Koniag, Inc. She is a staff reporter for Native News Online and Tribal Business News. Berg, who is based in Wisconsin, previously reported for the Ho-Chunk Nation newspaper, Hocak Worak. She went to school originally for nursing, but changed her major after finding her passion in communications at Western Technical College in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. " Contact: kberg@indiancountrymedia.com SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) The man accused of murdering three people gathered outside a southern Sioux Falls home is questioning whether his right to a speedy trial is being violated. 31-year-old Justin Rackley is accused of opening fire on a group of people gathered around a fire pit last June. He appeared in court later that same month but hasnt been in front of a judge since then. According to online court records, Rackleys next hearing is scheduled for July 17th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota man pleads guilty to SF bank robbery Rackley recently sent a handwritten letter to the judge saying he has been very clear on his intention to have a speedy trial and has in no way waived his rights verbally or by signature. Few details have been released on the crime, including what led up to the shooting and the relationship between the suspect and the victims. Police have only said that Rackley and the victims had been acquaintances for a short time. 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 KELOLAND.com. Cyclone Chido, a Category 4 storm with the kind of strength usually seen only once every hundred years, devastated the French archipelago of Mayotte in December. What's happening? Mayotte, the group of islands located between Madagascar and Mozambique off the east coast of Africa, suffered catastrophic damage after a devastating cyclone struck the region in the middle of December. The storm was the worst to hit the territory in 90 years, and it took the lives of at least 35 people. Officials fear that number could rise significantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With winds of up to 136 miles per hour, the powerful storm leveled entire neighborhoods and demolished schools and hospitals as it tore across the French territory. Witnesses to the devastation likened it to an atomic bomb in terms of the damage. Following the storm, nearly two-thirds of Mayotte was unreachable after power outages and damage to communication systems. "We must not confuse the villages that are cut off from communication and the shanty towns, where there is very little chance of there being survivors." Estelle Youssouffa, member of parliament for the first constituency of Mayotte, told BMFTV, per CNN. "Everything has been razed." Why is the devastation caused by Cyclone Chido concerning? Chido hit a region of the world that has seen its share of extreme weather events. Just five years ago, Mozambique faced the fury of Cyclones Idai and Kenneth, two back-to-back storms that caused catastrophic damage, killed hundreds of people, and left millions in urgent need of help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the French Development Agency's (AFD) 2022-2026 strategy for Mayotte, the archipelago is highly vulnerable to impacts related to rising global temperatures. The Climate Council, an Australian non-profit organization, stated, "In our changed climate, when tropical cyclones form, they form in a climate that is warmer, wetter, and more energetic than before." What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind What's being done to help Mayotte? The European Commission is providing emergency aid to communities devastated by Chido in Mayotte and Mozambique. Countries such as Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Sweden have responded to France's call for help by offering shelter and other provisions. The EU's Copernicus Emergency Management Service has also developed maps for Mayotte and Mozambique to assist in relief efforts. Mozambique will receive nearly $1 million in emergency humanitarian aid, which will focus on water, shelter, and healthcare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Extreme weather events exacerbated by the buildup of heat-trapping gases in our warming world are hitting some of Earth's most vulnerable and fragile areas the hardest. That's why eschewing dirty energy sources and transitioning to cleaner, renewable options is more important than ever. Advances in solar, wind, and hydropower technology offer hope for the future of our planet. 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. PARACHINAR, Pakistan (AP) A convoy of aid trucks carrying food and other relief supplies for hundreds of thousands of besieged residents in a sectarian-violence hit district in restive northwestern Pakistan came under a rocket attack on Thursday, officials said. One of the security officials escorting the convoy and six attackers were killed in the ensuing shootout in Bagan, a city in the Kurram district where at least 130 people have died in recent months in clashes between rival Shiite and Sunni tribes. The mayor of Bagan, Muzammil Hussain, said the some of the trucks carrying food were looted and burned by the attackers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no immediate claim for the attack, and Saeed Manan, a district administrator, said the aid convoy was turned back for security reasons. He provided no further details. The attack came weeks after the government secured a ceasefire deal between tribal leaders. It also came days after the first aid convoy reached Kurram, where violence flared on Nov. 21 when gunmen ambushed a convoy of vehicles and killed 52 people, mostly Shiite Muslims, in a dispute over land. Shiite Muslims dominate parts of Kurram, although they are a minority in the rest of Pakistan, which is majority Sunni. The area has a history of sectarian conflict, with militant Sunni groups previously targeting minority Shiites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Militants in recent years have also stepped up attacks on security forces in the northwest and elsewhere in the country, with authorities blaming the Pakistani Taliban. In the latest security raid in Tirah Valley, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, troops killed 22 militants, the military said in a statement on Thursday. It described the dead as Khwarij, a phrase the government uses for Pakistani Taliban, who are known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP, and are allies of the Afghan Taliban. TTP is a separate group and has been emboldened since the Afghan Taliban came into power in Afghanistan in 2022. ___ Associated Press writer Riaz Khan contributed to this story from Peshawar, Pakistan. VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) Canada's outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that nothing is off the table when it comes to responding to proposed tariffs by President-elect Donald Trump, but that no single region of the country should bear the full brunt of that response. Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports. We have to respond to the challenge were facing, Trudeau said following a five-hour meeting in Ottawa with Canada's provincial premiers to discuss Trumps threats. We also have to make sure the burden is shared across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cant punish just one region, because tariffs have more impact on that region, Trudeau said. Ontario's Premier Doug Ford said the provinces need to be united in their response to Trumps threats. The retaliatory tariffs need to be hard, said Ford, who spoke to the media prior to the meeting. He donned a hat that said that Canada Is Not For Sale. We have to send a message, he said. Also on Wednesday, Canadas Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson warned U.S. lawmakers in Washington that Trump's tariff threats would inflict economic pain on Americans, with higher prices and job losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who will be inaugurated on Monday, has said he will use economic coercion to pressure Canada to become the nations 51st state. He also continues to erroneously cast the U.S. trade deficit with Canada a natural resource-rich nation that provides the U.S. with commodities like oil as a subsidy. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. It has been suggested Canada could stop energy shipments to the United States, a move opposed by Daniele Smith, the premier of Canadas oil-rich province of Alberta. In a statement posted on X, Smith said she agrees with several strategies that were discussed during Wednesday's meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products, said Smith, who attended the meeting virtually and did not sign the final news release. Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal governments plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs," Smith said. Almost a quarter of the oil the U.S. consumes every day is from Canada, with Alberta exporting 4.3 million barrels a day to the U.S. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. consumes about 20 million barrels a day, while domestically producing about 13.2 million barrels a day. During the news conference, Quebec Premier Francois Legault was asked if he would support halting hydroelectric or aluminum shipments to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We first have to see what Mr. Trump does, said Legault. But what Im seeing is nothing is off the table. Also on Wednesday, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said Ottawa will add 60 new drones at the Canada-U.S. border and will deploy two new helicopters this week as it moves to ratchet up security. The Liberal government pledged close to $1 billion to border upgrades after Trump expressed concerns about the flow of migrants and illegal drugs into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. The President-elect Trump who will take the oath of office Monday is a radically different figure from the one who shook up Washington eight years ago. This Trump knows more about how Washington works. Trump 1.0 wanted to change Washington, but Trump 2.0 is set up better to succeed, and the president-elect is equipped with a highly capable chief of staff in Susie Wiles, who has infused more discipline into his operation. When it comes to the three big things the people, the process and the priorities these guys are in a totally different league than we were in 2016, said Sean Spicer, who served as Trumps press secretary upon taking office in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just lessons learned. It has to do with the environment, Spicer added, noting Trump this time has the full backing of the Republican Party and is entering with the mandate of a popular vote victory. Trumps team retains its outsider appeal, and the frenzy that was a defining element of Trumps first term is unlikely to disappear. But its also a team with more insiders who can reach into the halls of American power; one of Trumps top allies now is tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, the richest person in the world. Other tech and business titans, including Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg, are signaling they want to work with Trump, underscoring how the next four years wont be like the president-elects first four in office. Two other important factors also make this Trump different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past four years, he survived the legal wringer, returning to power when many of his opponents thought a political comeback was an impossibility, given his courtroom challenges. Separately, he enters the White House as a lame duck, knowing there will be no reelection effort in four years. Those are key differences that could factor into decisions Trump makes, from going after political enemies to taking risks he wont have to worry about on a 2028 campaign trail. Trump was sworn into office in 2017 as a political newcomer and a brash outsider who had upended Washington norms. But he was also largely unfamiliar with how governing worked in Washington, and his first few weeks in office reflected that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An executive order to ban individuals arriving from several majority-Muslim nations faced a disastrous rollout and a slew of legal challenges. His Cabinet picks were rolled out more slowly and some took several weeks to get confirmed. His White House staff frequently fought, and his first chief of staff lasted only seven months. And Republicans struggled to unify around a key campaign promise: to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. This time around, Trump is the same unpredictable figure who has nominated outside-the-box Cabinet officials, including multiple former Fox News hosts. He has pushed unusual and potentially destabilizing ideas such as annexing Canada and Greenland, taking control of the Panama Canal and mass deporting millions of immigrants who dont have legal status. He still has the ability to dominate a news cycle and take over the airwaves with a press conference, as he has done twice at Mar-a-Lago since winning Novembers election. But ahead of his second term, he has the benefit of an inner circle of advisers who worked in his first administration and on his 2024 campaign, including some who have already been active in laying the groundwork for his early days in office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephen Miller, a senior adviser in Trumps first White House, will serve as his deputy chief of staff and has already spoken with Republicans about his ambitious plans on immigration. Tom Homan, a former director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has already been traveling to places like New York City, Chicago and the southern border in preparation for his role as Trumps border czar. Steve Witkoff, a close Trump ally who did not previously serve in government, was on the ground in Qatar as negotiators brokered a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel that was announced Wednesday. I tell people, Shock and awe was a 17 concept,' former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said Tuesday at a Politico event. Days of thunder I think are gonna be the concepts starting next Monday. And I think these days of thunder starting next week are going to be incredibly, incredibly intense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is expected to be more cohesion among Trumps staff in the White House, with Wiles seemingly finding a balance between letting Trump be Trump while keeping staff on the same page. Shes tough. Shes capable. She brings stability. She brings infrastructure. Shes respected by everybody inside and outside the White House, said one source who has worked with Wiles. Outside of the White House, Trump will also be on stronger footing than in 2017. Where Trump in 2017 frequently clashed with Republican leaders such as then-Speaker Paul Ryan (Wis.), he enters office this time with an established relationship with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). Trump has also met in recent weeks with Republicans in the Senate and House to ensure he has the full backing of the GOP upon taking office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And hell have a cavalcade of outside supporters pushing his agenda, in the form of think tanks, conservative media influencers and powerful allies such as Musk, who has already hinted he could use his enormous wealth and megaphone to pressure Republicans who do not back Trumps agenda. Taken together, these factors amount to a second Trump term that will feature many of the same players but look drastically different in its ability to implement his agenda, especially in its early days. Theres no question the four years out of office have been extremely helpful, Spicer said. That will probably lead to the most successful four years of any modern presidency. 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. Around 150 people gathered on Wednesday outside the Montana State Capitol for a rally to push lawmakers toward supporting the reauthorization of Medicaid expansion, which provides health care coverage to roughly 80,000 adults statewide. The expansion of the joint federal-state health insurance program will sunset in June unless the Legislature decides to reauthorize it this session, making its future a top priority in Helena. Organized by the Healthy Montana Coalition, a group of organizations that advocate for renewal of Medicaid expansion, the rally aimed to gin up enthusiasm and encourage people to call their legislators. As of Jan. 15, there were more than 40 bill draft requests pertaining to Medicaid everything from an elimination of the expansion sunset to a total phaseout of the program though its unlikely all will ultimately be introduced as proposed legislation. State lawmakers first enacted Medicaid expansion in 2015, a turning point highlighted by multiple speakers from a podium just beneath the Capitol steps on Wednesday. Legislators reauthorized expansion in 2019. The 2019 version reauthorized expansion so long as the state program included work requirements. At the time, the administration of then-President Donald Trump encouraged state governments to add such provisions into their Medicaid programs. But by the time the federal agency that oversees Medicaid a couple years later got to the application, a new Democratic White House jettisoned the request. Able-bodied adults with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level are eligible for Montana Medicaid under expansion. According to a recently published report from the Montana Healthcare Foundation, the number of uninsured adults fell by nearly half once expansion started. Medicaid supporters point to stories of people like Chet Phillips, a single dad of three, to make their case for why expansion is so essential. Phillips shared with rallygoers that the government-funded health insurance allows him to feed his kids, afford housing and stay healthy as he's changed jobs and gone back to school. When persistent headaches sent Phillips to the doctor last year, he was able to get a host of tests to identify the root cause because of Medicaid coverage. High blood pressure readings that were "through the roof" put him at serious risk of a heart attack or stroke without immediate intervention. Programs like Medicaid expansion help alleviate some of that pressure and stress and allow Montanans like me to spend our very limited resources on the other things we need to survive, Phillips said. Proponents also say that Medicaid expansion invigorates local economies and prevents the closure of rural hospitals that already operate on shoestring budgets. The impact of expansion is especially pronounced in Indian Country, Joel Rosette told rally attendees. As CEO of the Rocky Boy Health Center in Box Elder, Rosette said he sees firsthand the ways that expansion has paved the way for once inaccessible services such as preventative imaging, cardiology and obstetrics to be made available to an underserved population. He credits Medicaid expansion with allowing him to build out a robust workforce of almost 200 people, many of whom live in the community. Any good businessperson knows that when you have something thats successful, you keep it, Rosette said. You hold on to it with everything you have (and) find ways to improve it. Rep. Mary Caferro, D-Helena, plans to sponsor a bill that would build on the existing Medicaid expansion framework by reducing bureaucratic hurdles to enrollment, eliminating the sunset date, opening public assistance offices in every county and requiring more data reporting from the state health department. At least some Republicans appear willing to lend their support to Medicaid expansion. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte funded the program in his budget proposal, and he has implied a readiness to sign Medicaid expansion reauthorization into law so long as it includes work requirements. However, he made no mention of Medicaid in his State of the State address earlier this week. A number of legislators have also expressed an inclination to get behind reauthorization given appropriate guardrails. But early signs indicate not all Republicans have bought in on the idea. Most skeptics say theyre wary of people taking advantage of government programs and ballooning state spending. Though the size of Montanas general fund has grown in the years since Medicaid expansion was first approved, the share of state dollars required to finance the program has remained relatively steady at 13%. One Republican-sponsored proposed bill would halt any new enrollment after Sept. 1, eventually leading to a phase-out of the program entirely. Another calls for more stringent work requirements. Montana Freedom Caucus members have said outright they believe the current framework has failed, and theyre considering a number of alternatives that, they believe, would reduce government dependency. As of now, the first Medicaid expansion bills are scheduled be heard in committee next week. Bloomberg/Getty Images This article was originally published by The 19th. Republican President-elect Donald Trump spent the closing months of his campaign trying to distance himself from a blueprint for his second term known as Project 2025. Then, in the days after his victory, Trump picked major architects of the Heritage Foundations vision for key posts in his next administration, setting the stage for them to implement a conservative Christian agenda that has the potential to reshape the federal government and redefine rights long held by all Americans, though likely to disproportionately impact women, LGBTQ+ people and vulnerable populations like the elderly and disabled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of these architects is Russell Vought, whom Trump has again tapped to lead his Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, an under-the-radar entity to most Americans that wields immense influence over the federal government by crafting the presidents budget. If confirmed by the Senate, a very likely outcome, Vought will be optimally positioned to inject Project 2025s priorities many of which reflect his career-long push to dismantle programs for low-income Americans and expand the presidents authority across the federal agencies and departments that OMB oversees. Ben Olinsky, who advised Democratic former President Barack Obama on labor and workforce policy before joining the liberal-leaning Center for American Progress, where he works on issues related to the economy and governance, said that Voughts vision for OMB as presented in Project 2025 is to basically change the plumbing so they can do whatever they want without any meaningful checks and balances during Trumps second term. I think that its important to really make sure [Americans] understand what the plans are for changing the plumbing, Olinsky said. Vought has firsthand knowledge of the OMBs wide-ranging scope. During Trumps first term, he was OMBs deputy director, acting director and, finally, confirmed director. In those roles, he helped then-President Trump craft a plan to jettison job protections for thousands of federal workers and assisted with a legally ambiguous effort to redirect congressionally appropriated foreign aid for Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the years since, as Trump staved off legal threats and convictions to build a winning bid to return to the White House, Vought has refined his thinking and strategies about how to best force agencies to come to heel and do what the president has been telling them to do, as he put it in a recent interview. Vought has used two pro-Trump groups he founded the nonprofit Center for Renewing America and its advocacy arm, America Restoration Action to discredit structural racism as a driver for inequality and attempt to stymie diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. In August, he told a pair of British journalists posing as potential donors that the Center for Renewing America is an organization I helped turn into the Death Star, the fictional Star Wars space station that can destroy planets, and it is accomplishing all of the debates you are reading about. The chapter that Vought wrote for Project 2025 details how the Office of Management and Budget could be a vehicle to advance the Christian nationalist agenda he favors and he has not hesitated to talk about it. I think you have to rehabilitate Christian nationalism, Vought told the British journalists at the Centre for Climate Reporting, which released video of the conversation that was recorded using hidden cameras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with conservative activist Tucker Carlson shortly after Trumps reelection, Vought likened OMB to the nerve center through which a president can ensure their policy directives trickle down to the multitude of federal agencies and a civilian workforce of more than two million people. Properly understood, [OMB] is a Presidents air-traffic control system with the ability and charge to ensure that all policy initiatives are flying in sync and with the authority to let planes take off and, at times, ground planes that are flying off course, Vought wrote in Project 2025. He sees two primary ways to ground wayward planes: by eliminating potential dissent within agencies and withholding money appropriated by Congress for projects and programs the president does not support. Both would clear the way for Trumps next administration to implement many of the priorities detailed in Project 2025, which could essentially redefine rights, systems and cultural norms for all Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of Project 2025s recommendations include restricting abortion access and supporting a biblically based definition of family, because the male-female dyad is essential to human nature, by replacing policies related to LGBTQ+ equity with those that support the formation of stable, married, nuclear families. It also suggests transforming the FBI into a politically motivated entity to settle scores and barring U.S. citizens from receiving federal housing assistance if they live with anyone who is not a citizen or permanent legal resident, which would serve Trumps campaign promise to take extraordinary measures to crack down on illegal immigration. During remarks in September titled Theology of Americas Statecraft: The Case for Immigration Restriction, Vought justified the separation of families and condemned so-called sanctuary cities, or those that pass laws that limit their cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Failing to secure the border is a complete abdication of [the governments] God-given responsibility, he said. Olinsky explained that while many of the policies in Project 2025 have been floating around Republican circles in Washington for years without gaining much traction, the document is a detailed roadmap that shows how its authors believe they can finally deliver on key pieces of their conservative Christian agenda. One, it says all of the quiet parts out loud about the full scope of the agenda. And then the second thing, which I think is something folks should really pay attention to, is it says how theyre going to accomplish it, practically, by using executive action, Olinsky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many ways, Voughts approach to bending the federal government to a presidents will began taking shape during Trumps first administration. In late 2020, as Trumps first term drew to a close, Vought helped him craft an executive order known as Schedule F, which reclassified thousands of civil servants and, with that, stripped them of their job protections; Vought recommended that close to 90 percent of OMBs workforce be reclassified. President Joe Biden rescinded the executive order on his third day in office. Project 2025 recommends reinstating it. Former Trump officials, campaign advisers and others in his orbit have already identified as many as 50,000 federal employees who could be fired, according to published reports. And just last month, Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic effort to codify protections for these workers ahead of Trumps and likely Voughts return. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a Democrat who sponsored the legislation to protect federal employees, warned of a loyalty-based system that would impede the work of the federal government, expose people to intimidation and bring people into jobs that are not qualified to do them, thus risking the American publics safety and quality of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vought is among the Trump loyalists who have been open about their desire to slash the federal workforce as a route to purge critics, improve efficiency or both. In the interview with Carlson, Vought said, There certainly is going to be mass layoffs and firings, particularly at some of the agencies that we dont even think should exist. His language appeared to communicate an effort to ensure obedience and compliance. With the firings and layoffs, Vought said he wants to avoid having really awesome Cabinet secretaries sitting on top of massive bureaucracies that largely dont do what they tell them to do. Trumps transition team did not respond to requests to discuss Voughts selection for OMB or the chapter he wrote for Project 2025 about the agency. The 19th reached out to Vought through his Center for Renewing America, which likewise did not respond to a request for comment. Power of the Purse During Trumps first term, OMB helped find money to begin building a small section of wall along the U.S.-Mexico border a key campaign promise Trump made in 2016 because Congress wouldnt give him the ordinary money, Vought told Carlson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump also enlisted OMB to withhold $400 million in military aid that Congress approved for Ukraine, as Trump and his associates tried to pressure the country to investigate Biden and his family. The move prompted the abuse-of-power case House Democrats made against Trump during his first impeachment, when Vought defied a subpoena to testify. The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan watchdog, concluded that the scheme violated the 1974 Impoundment Control Act. Days later, the Republican-led Senate acquitted Trump. (Trump had eventually released the aid.) When Trump subsequently nominated Vought to lead OMB in 2020, Democrats opposed him because of his approach to impoundment authority. He was nonetheless confirmed. Voughts path to confirmation is all but certain this time around: Republicans control the Senate, the congressional chamber charged with approving presidential nominations. Very likely to feature in his confirmation hearings is Voughts belief that the OMB can help Trump overcome opposition and implement policy priorities, possibly including those contained in Project 2025, by redirecting or refusing to spend funds appropriated by Congress, which under the Constitution holds the power of the purse. Making Impoundment Great Again! Vought wrote in June on X, riffing on the Make America Great Again slogan that has come to define Trumps movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump spent his campaign insisting that he had not read Project 2025 and did not know its authors. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things theyre saying and some of the things theyre saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal, he wrote in a July post on his Truth Social platform. But of the more than 350 people who contributed to Project 2025, at least 60 percent are linked to the incoming president, according to a list of contributors and their ties reviewed by The 19th. They range from appointees and nominees from Trumps first administration, like Vought, to members of his previous transition team and those who served on commissions and as unofficial advisers. Democrats, including Vice President Kamala Harris, seized on Project 2025 during their campaigns to highlight the dangers they believe are posed by a second Trump presidency. At 920 pages, it offers a vision of government that is far more detailed and specific than the policy proposals put forward by Trump directly. The Agenda 47 on Trumps campaign website was a list of 20 bullet points that included vague policies like end the weaponization of government against the American people and unite our country by bringing it to new and record levels of success. When Trump announced Vought as his OMB pick, he said Vought knows exactly how to dismantle the Deep State and end Weaponized Government. His other selections for OMB leadership posts include anti-abortion activist Ed Martin and Voughts colleague at the Center for Renewing America, Mark Paoletta, whom the president-elect praised as a conservative warrior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One question as Trump takes office on January 20 and Vought, if confirmed, helps him control the governments workforce and purse strings, is which version of the country they will promote and whose rights are and arent protected. Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Want more U.S. government coverage? A Trump adviser said the president-elects pick for the FBI will take Democrats on an interesting trip if they question his controversial far-right conspiracy theories. Jason Miller, a senior adviser to Donald Trump, jumped to defend FBI chief nominee Kash Patel in a tweet calling out The New York Times reporter Glenn Thrush. Thrush said that Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi appeared to distance herself from Patel during her confirmation hearing on Wednesday after she was grilled about his wild conspiracy theories. Bondi would become Patels boss if they are both confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A bit of a jaw dropper, Thrush wrote on X. A bit of a jaw dropper. Bondi distanced herself from Kash Patel, who she had previously defended. Asked about F.B.I. nominee's position on the conspiratorial QAnon group, she said, "I look forward to hearing his testimony about QAnon in front of this committee." Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) January 15, 2025 At the confirmation hearing Wednesday, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin highlighted Patels praise of QAnon theories , including a core belief which claims that a group of Satan-worshipping liberal pedophiles have a secret plot to take over the world and destroy Trump. Does that sound like a good preparation to run the FBI? Durbin asked Bondi. Youre going to have to ask Mr. Patel about those statements, Bondi said. I look forward to hearing his testimony about QAnon in front of this committee. I look forward to hearing (@Kash_Patel) testimony about QAnon in front of this committee. - Pam Bondi pic.twitter.com/tRrXzmcIq5 Rev DQ (@RevDQ) January 15, 2025 For Miller, Bondi wasnt exactly distancing herself from the FBI nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is taken out of context, Glenn, he told the journalist. We all look forward to Kash Patel taking these idiotic Democrats to Pound Town if/when they decide to waste their time asking him about hypothetical conspiracy theories in his hearing. Pound town, as its understood by many and as its defined by Urban Dictionary, refers to the act of sexual intercourse often containing quick, powerful thrust from the male. This is taken out of context, Glenn. We all look forward to @Kash_Patel taking these idiotic Democrats to Pound Town if/when they decide to waste their time asking him about hypothetical conspiracy theories in his hearing. https://t.co/jkhmcGbroa Jason Miller (@JasonMiller) January 15, 2025 Social media users were quick to catch on Millers apparent misinterpretation. Not sure pound town was the phrase you were looking for here, one user added . Bondi defended Patel at her confirmation hearing, even after Senators expressed concern at his threats to come after those on his self-compiled enemies list , made up of people who he believes are members of the Deep State. I know that Kash Patel has had 60 jury trials as a public defender, as a prosecutor, Bondi said. He has great experience in the Intel Department, Department of Defense. I have known Kash and I believe that Kash is the right person at this time for this job. Advisers to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump are developing a comprehensive sanctions strategy aimed at facilitating a diplomatic resolution to the Russia-Ukraine war, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 16, citing anonymous sources familiar with the discussions. This comes as Russia's fossil fuel industry continues to serve as a primary source of funding for its war against Ukraine. The Trump team is reportedly weighing two primary approaches. The first set of policy recommendations suggests that, if a resolution to the war appears possible, the administration should focus on good-faith measures to benefit sanctioned Russian oil producers that could help seal a peace deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second option would involve expanding sanctions to exert maximum pressure, increasing leverage over Moscow. Trump's team is also evaluating sanctions policy options to put pressure on Iran and Venezuela, Bloomberg reported. The strategy is in its early stages and ultimately depends on what Trump decides to do, the people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The Biden administration and the U.K. recently imposed their most extensive sanctions yet on Russia's oil sector, targeting nearly 200 vessels in the "shadow fleet," key oil companies, and related entities. These measures, announced by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on Jan. 10, have already impacted the global oil market, pushing Brent crude prices up by nearly $5 per barrel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The G7 nations are also considering tightening the existing $60 per barrel price cap on Russian oil, Bloomberg reported on Dec. 19. Ukraine has disrupted Russia's oil production through targeted drone strikes on key infrastructure. Refineries in Tuapse, Ilyich, and Novoshakhtinsk have reportedly reduced or suspended operations due to the combined effects of sanctions and Ukrainian attacks. Read also: You were shot. Why didnt you forgive? Zelensky tells Fico, drawing parallels to Russian aggression Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Just hours after a ceasefire between Israeli and Hamas was seemingly agreed to, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suddenly trying to change its terms. The agreement stipulates that the Israel military withdraw from the Philadelphi corridor, a narrow strip of land between Gaza and Egypt, and that Israel cease hostilities. In a statement Thursday morning, however, Netanyahus office said Israel would not be withdrawing from the Philadelphi corridor and would continue to achieve the wars objectives, which means either Hamas disbands itself or Israel continues the war to destroy the group. These were major sticking points for a ceasefire deal, and Netanyahus insistence on these two points threaten to scuttle the agreement and humiliate Donald Trump, who has warned that all hell will break out if there is no deal before he is sworn in as president on Monday. Trump is already promising a sort of gift bag for Israel when he is president, including lifting sanctions on Israeli settlers and approving more land seizures in the occupied West Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump claimed credit for the deal shortly after it was announced Wednesday, even though he isnt in office yet and the deal is almost identical to one proposed back in May. Previous deals were repeatedly sabotaged by Israeli officials, as Israel National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir boasted on Tuesday. The timing of the deal, as well as the fact that it is supposed to go into effect on Sunday, the day before Trumps inauguration, was an obvious gift from Netanyahu to the president-elect. With Netanyahu suddenly trying to alter the deal, will Trump have his usual reaction to bad news and lash out against Netanyahu, or is the Israeli leader the rare person who gets a pass? Presidential rivals Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both racing to circumvent a law banning TikTok from this Sunday if it remains under Chinese ownership. Bidens team is exploring ways to implement the law without immediately shutting down the popular video app, administration officials told NBC News. Trump, meanwhile, is also preparing to intervene keep the app online, his incoming national security adviser, Mike Walz, told Fox News. Both Biden and Trump originally supported the ban, but now, neither appear keen to incur the wrath of TikToks 170 million U.S. users as the clock ticks down. If Bidens team cant find a workaround, his last full day in office could be defined not by the ceasefire in Gaza but by TikTok going dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans shouldnt expect to see TikTok suddenly banned on Sunday, a Biden administration official told NBC. Congress passed a law in April saying that, for national security reasons, TikTok either needed to change ownership or stop operating in the U.S. Its parent company, ByteDance, is based in Beijing, where domestic law requires it to assist with Chinese intelligence-gathering. The U.S. Supreme Court has heard arguments that the ban violates the First Amendment and could rule on the issue at any time. Last month, Trump asked the court to hold off on implementing part of the ban until he can take office and negotiate a solution. U.S.-based billionaires are reportedly salivating over the chance to acquire the app. And Americans have made it clear that if TikTok isnt an option, theyll just switch over to the rival Chinese app Red Note, which is subject not just to intelligence-gathering but also Chinese state censorship. President-elect Donald Trumps Treasury Secretary pick, a billionaire who has been accused of evading taxes, says that the most important economic issue of the day is extending Trumps tax cuts for the ultra rich. Scott Bessent spoke about his economic plans while sitting for his confirmation hearing before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday. Bessent is an investor, political donor, and a hedge fund manager. He is a former partner at Soros Fund Management, liberal philanthropist George Soros investment firm. Nevertheless, Bessent is a MAGA darling, and is expected to be confirmed by the Senate. Today I believe that President Trump has a generational opportunity to unleash a new economic golden age that will create more jobs, wealth, and prosperity for all Americans, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must make permanent the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, he added when outlining his goals. When asked about whether he would renew Trumps tax breaks for billionaires and corporations, he called them the most important economic issue today. The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was designed to disproportionately benefit the wealthy over the lower and middle classes. In 2025, the law is expected to deliver an average tax cut of more than $250,000 to the top 0.1 percent of earners, according to the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan think tank. In contrast, poor Americans will net a $70 tax cut. This is the single most important economic issue of the day, Bessent said. This is pass-fail. If we do not fix these tax cuts, if we do not renew and extend, then we will be facing an economic calamity, and as always, with financial instability that falls on the middle and working class. An extension of this legislation would reportedly cost $4 trillion over a decade. Bessent previously said that he would cover this cost through other budget cuts. Trump has proposed extending the 2017 laws tax cuts for individuals and another, larger tax cut for corporations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Senate Democrats sent around a memo alleging that Bessent owes nearly $1 million in self-employment taxes from his hedge fund role. The memo was drafted by the Finance Committee staff under Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). A spokesperson from the Trump transition denied the allegations. Scott Bessent has paid his taxes, they said. After providing thousands of pages of records through an exhaustive process, neither Senator Wyden nor his staff are able to provide any evidence that Scott violated the Internal Revenue Code. At the hearing, Wyden criticized Bessent, accusing him of avoiding paying into Medicare. Make no mistake about it: those ultra-wealthy people get to pay what they want when they want to,and often, little or nothing, for years on end, Wyden said. Mr. Bessent is a case in point. The taxes that fund Medicare are automatic for the vast majority of Americans. They come straight out of every paycheck. He continued: Its a civic duty that pays off as earned benefits down the road. But like a number of Wall Street fund managers, Mr. Bessent makes use of a tricky legal maneuver to opt out of paying into Medicare. Its a tax loophole that hurts Medicare but benefits him to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bessent also told Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that he is against raising the $7.25 an hour federal minimum wage. I believe that the minimum wage is more of a statewide and regional issue, Bessent said. It has been 16 years since the national minimum wage was increased. The minimum wage in South Carolina, Bessents home state, is $7.25 As Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) summed it up to The New York Times, Bessent has spent his life helping the rich get richer. More from Rolling Stone Best of Rolling Stone Sign up for RollingStone's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. It's likely we've already seen the worst performance by a nominee to Donald Trump's Cabinet, but former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is giving Matt Gaetz a run for his money. Trump tapped Gabbard to serve as the Director of National Intelligence in his second term. In a new report from the Wall Street Journal, however, several insiders claimed Gabbard demonstrated little understanding of what the DNI actually does. The one-time contender for the presidential ticket in the Democratic Party flubbed at least one interview with Republican senators ahead of her confirmation hearing. While meeting with Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., Gabbard couldn't quite say what she would do if approved for the role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Gabbard couldnt clearly articulate what the role of director of national intelligence entails," the report reads, citing several unnamed Republican aides and a member of the Trump transition team. In another interview with Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., Gabbard "seemed confused about a key U.S. national-security surveillance power... conflating it with other issues." The isolationist politician's nomination set off alarm bells in Washington, with conservative thinkers and former intelligence officials raising "serious qualms" about the strongman-supporting Republican convert. Gabbard supported Trump in the 2024 election, thereby displaying the most important asset in Trump's evaluations of would-be advisers: loyalty. It's unclear if Republican senators will fall in line with the MAGA makeover of the Cabinet, though no GOP lawmaker has shared their intention to vote against Gabbard's confirmation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond that, the doubts about Gabbard's fitness for the role are far from universal. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., called Gabbard "very qualified" and threw his support behind the "reformer" in a post to X. In the run-up to his departure from the White House, President Joe Biden has slapped a number of major new sanctions on Russias financial systems and energy sector. The U.S. originally threatened Russia with the mother of all sanctions as Moscow prepared to invade Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, Washington and its allies have gone after tens of thousands of Russian citizens and companies in a bid to eat away Russias economy and stifle its war machine. The effects of the sanctions have taken time to kick in while Russia has managed to circumvent the bans, particularly on its energy sector. But proponents of sanctions say they are a crucial tool in the economic war with Moscow and point to Russias stuttering economy as an example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They have also gotten under the skin of Russian President Vladimir Putin. He tried to get grain and fertilizer sanctions lifted by offering to revive the failed Black Sea grain deal in September 2023, to no avail. Ships, including those carrying grain from Ukraine and awaiting inspections, are seen anchored off the Istanbul coastline in Istanbul, Turkey on Nov. 2, 2022. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images) In less than a week, President-elect Donald Trump will take over from Biden, casting uncertainty over the future of the sanctions. Trump has not yet indicated what he will do with the sanctions. He could lift certain sanctions, impose more, or simply leave everything as it is. Experts agree, however, that Trump will follow the proposal of Keith Kellog, Trumps Ukraine envoy who has suggested offering Russia sanctions relief as part of potential peace agreements. Trumps advisors are currently preparing a sanctions strategy to pressure Moscow toward a peace deal, Bloomberg reported on Jan. 16. But any change in the sanctions regime by Washington without proper coordination with allies like the U.K. and EU could undermine their efforts to contain Russia and wind up strengthening Moscow, experts say. If some major energy sanctions are lifted, Russia gains revenues and improves its financial situation and starts accumulating money again to produce missiles and weapons, said Yuliya Pavytska, the manager of the sanctions program at the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE). Trumps Options Trump will not be able to wipe away all the sanctions imposed on Russia on his first day in office. The Russian sanctions fall into two camps: executive, which the president has the power to impose or repeal on his own, and statutory, which requires going through Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The easiest sanctions for Trump to lift will be those implemented under Bidens executive order, says Yuliya Ziskina, a senior legal fellow at Razom for Ukraine, a nonprofit. These include travel bans, asset freezes, the oil price cap, bans on new investments in Russia, as well as bans on imports and exports of non-essential Russian goods like vodka and seafood. (Trump) could also lift technology export controls, which would be a pretty big deal because a lot of (U.S.) microchips find their way into Russian missiles, Ziskina added. (Trump) could also lift technology export controls, which would be a pretty big deal because a lot of (U.S.) microchips find their way into Russian missiles. The statutory orders require a back-and-forth between Trump and Congress. Trump would have to make determinations to Congress to get approval followed by a review period where Congress can issue a joint disapproval if they want the sanctions to remain which in turn can be vetoed by Trump. But Trumps veto could be overruled by Congress with a two-thirds majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional approval will be needed if Trump wants to lift the REPO Act, which greenlights the confiscation of the roughly $4-5 billion in frozen Russian assets in the U.S, as well as sanctions imposed under the 2017 Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA). Negotiations Trumps main goal will be to negotiate from a position of strength, said Steven Moore, a former chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives and founder of Ukraine Freedom Project, an NGO. He thinks Trump could tighten up sanctions and step up enforcement to plug the loopholes. Trump would be better served focusing on sanctions enforcement in the first year of his term to create some pain to which Vladimir Putin might be receptive to ending, he said. One of the glaring issues is Russias shadow fleet which negates oil and gas sanctions through a network of hundreds of tankers. Biden cracked down on the fleet last week, imposing sanctions on 183 tankers, two dodgy insurance companies, and major oil producers Gazprom Neft, which is a subsidiary of state-energy giant Gazprom, and Surgutneftegas. Russia's President Vladimir Putin (L) walks with Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller (R) as they visit the Lakhta Centre skyscraper, the headquarters of Gazprom, in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on June 5, 2024. (Kirill Morozov/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Gazprom's Amur Gas Processing Plant near Svobodny, Russia, on Sept. 13, 2023. (Mikhail Metzel / Pool / AFP via Getty Images) Both companies produce over 1 million barrels of oil a day and make an estimated $23 billion a year, according to the U.S. Treasury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bidens recent actions also include sanctions on Gazprom Bank and 50 other banks in November 2024. Most recently on Jan. 15, he imposed sanctions and secondary sanctions on 150 Russian and non-Russian financial institutions, energy companies, enterprises supporting the Russian military, and entities involved in sanctions evasion, particularly in China. These actions could be part of the outgoing administrations plan to amass bargaining chips for the next administration when Trump takes over, said Taisa Markus, adjunct professor at the University of Illinois College of Law and visiting professor at Kyiv Mohyla Faculty of Law. Some of these new sanctions can be lifted unilaterally by a president. Others require going to Congress perhaps revealing some desire on the part of the Biden administration to ensure the incoming administration keeps up pressure on Russia, she said. Or if Putin doesn't do what Trump wants, Trump can sanction more. Under existing authority, there is a lot more a President can do in terms of imposing sanctions or enforcement without going to Congress, Markus added. Trumps team has shared differing views on sanctions, which could impact his decision-making. Vice President-elect JD Vance brushed off the Russian sanctions, saying they have gone off like a wet firecracker and objected to the Repo Act believing it limits the presidents political power. Marco Rubio, Trumps pick for Secretary of State, backed the idea of using sanctions as leverage over Russia. (Sanctions) will have to be part of this conversation in terms of bringing about a peaceful resolution, he said, CNN reported on Jan 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Frozen Russian assets face uncertain future under Trump Trumps advisors are in the early stages of preparing a sanctions strategy, Bloomberg reported, citing sources close to the matter. This could include some relief for sanctioned oil producers if a peace deal looks likely or expanding sanctions to bolster Washingtons position. Sanctions are only one tool in the Wests economic war, said Moore. He thinks Trump will ramp up energy production in the U.S. and increase liquified natural gas (LNG) sales to Europe to relinquish Russias grip on Europes LNG market and drive down Russian prices. Trump could also broker a deal with Saudi Arabia to bring down the price of oil following Riyads decision to hike production last October which would further hinder Russias economy. The fossil fuel is Russias lifeline and it earned 12.4 billion euros ($12.6 billion) from oil exports in December alone, according to the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anything that can increase economic pressure is something that may keep Russia from being able to fight. That's what we're looking for, Moore said. Fall out Lifting sanctions does not appeal to everyone, particularly in Ukraine, largely due to distrust of Putin to keep his word. In Congress, opinions are split with pro-Ukrainian politicians less likely to back lifting sanctions. There's a very strong argument for keeping the sanctions in place long after a peace agreement to ensure compliance, Markus said. There's a very strong argument for keeping the sanctions in place long after a peace agreement to ensure compliance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lifting sanctions means that Russia will be able to expand its revenue streams again. If Putin agrees to a ceasefire, he could bolster Russias economy and war machine and attack again if there are no security guarantees in place for Ukraine, like NATO membership. There has to be something very big from Putin's side, like fully getting out of Ukraine. (Lifting sanctions) is definitely not worth a ceasefire, as Putin wont follow it, said KSEs Pavytska. A local resident walks past apartment buildings destroyed by an air bomb in the village of Ocheretyne, not far from Avdiivka town in the Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on April 15, 2024, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Anatolii Stepanov/AFP via Getty Images) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The consequences could be dire if Trump doesnt act in coordination with other partners, particularly Europe. Since the sanctions are designed to work in tandem with each other, lifting U.S. sanctions would undermine European efforts and alleviate the economic burden on Russia. This could force the EU and U.K. to bear greater responsibility and step up on their own, said Pavytska. Or it could erode unity between Ukraines allies. If the U.S. is seen as regaining access to Russia's market while Europeans keep their sanctions in place and their companies don't get access to that market, they're at a competitive edge, said Ziskina. This may aggravate tension within Europe and embolden anti-Ukrainian factions within the EU like Hungary and Slovakia to push for sanction relief, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In general, Congress looks at sanctions favorably as they are perceived as costing the U.S. nothing, Ziskina said. Trumps administration will look at sanctions through the eyes of U.S. interests and whats best for them. It's not necessarily about helping Ukraine, she said. Theres more support for sanctions within Congress than there is for allocating a budget to Ukraines defense, she added. Read also: Trump sending non-public messages on war, he must force Putin to diplomacy, Zelensky says Subscribe to the Newsletter Ukraine Business Roundup Subscribe Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Think Donald Trump cant be president after his second term is up in January 2029? Think again. When President-elect Donald Trump met with congressional Republicans shortly after his November 2024 election victory, he floated the idea of another term: I suspect I wont be running again unless you say, Hes so good weve got to figure something else out. At first glance, this seems like an obvious joke. The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution is clear that Trump cant be elected again. The text of the amendment states: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. That amendment was passed in response to Franklin Roosevelts four elections to the presidency. Since George Washington had stepped down at the end of his second term, no president had sought a third term, much less a fourth. The amendment was clearly meant to prevent presidents from serving more than two terms in office. Because Trump has been elected president twice already, the plain language of the amendment bars him from being elected a third time. Some have argued that since Trumps terms were nonconsecutive, the amendment doesnt apply to him. But the amendment makes no distinction between consecutive and nonconsecutive terms in office. Though the 22nd Amendment prohibits Trump from being elected president again, it does not prohibit him from serving as president beyond Jan. 20, 2029. The reason for this is that the 22nd Amendment only prohibits someone from being elected more than twice. It says nothing about someone becoming president in some other way than being elected to the office. Skirting the rules There are a few potential alternate scenarios. Under normal circumstances, they would be next to impossible. But Donald Trump has never been a normal president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On issue after issue, Trump has pushed the outer limits of presidential power. Most importantly, he has already shown his willingness to bend or even break the law to stay in office. And while Trump claims hes only joking when he floats the idea of a third term, he has a long history of using jokes as a way of floating trial balloons. Furthermore, once he leaves office, Trump could once again face the prospect of criminal prosecution and possibly jail time, further motivating him to stay in power. As Trumps second term progresses, dont be surprised if Americans hear more about how he might try to stay in office. Here is what the Constitution says about that prospect. Other ways to become president Nine people have served as president without first being elected to that office. John Tyler, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Chester Arthur, Theodore Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford were all vice presidents who stepped into the office when their predecessors either died or resigned. The 22nd Amendment does not bar a term-limited president from being elected vice president. On the other hand, the 12th Amendment does state that no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of the President shall be eligible to that of the Vice-President of the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear whether this restriction applies to a two-term president who is ineligible for a third term because of the 22nd Amendment or whether it merely imposes on the vice president the Constitutions other criteria for presidential eligibility, namely that they be a natural-born citizen of the United States, at least 35 years of age and have lived in the U.S. for at least 14 years. That question would have to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Should the justices decide in Trumps favor as they have recently on questions regarding the 14th Amendments insurrection clause and presidential immunity then the 2024 ticket of Trump-Vance could become the 2028 Vance-Trump ticket. If elected, Vance could then resign, making Trump president again. No resignation needed But Vance would not even have to resign in order for a Vice President Trump to exercise the power of the presidency. The 25th Amendment to the Constitution states that if a president declares that he is unable to discharge the powers and duties of the office such powers and duties shall be discharged by the Vice President as Acting President. In fact, the U.S. has had three such acting presidents George H.W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Kamala Harris. All of them held presidential power for a brief period when the sitting president underwent anesthesia during medical procedures; Cheney did it twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this scenario, shortly after taking office on Jan. 20, 2029, President Vance could invoke the 25th Amendment by notifying the speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate that he is unable to discharge the duties of president. He would not need to give any reason or proof of this incapacity. Vice President Trump would then become acting president and assume the powers of the presidency until such time as President Vance issued a new notification indicating that he was able to resume his duties as president. Tandemocracy But exercising the power of the presidency doesnt even necessarily require being president or acting president. Trump has repeatedly expressed his admiration for autocratic Russian President Vladimir Putin, so he might want to follow the example of the Medvedev-Putin tandemocracy. Russian leaders Vladimir Putin, left, and Dmitry Medvedev have collaborated to hold power for more than a quarter-century, despite laws imposing term limits or other restrictions. Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images In 2008, term limits in the Russian constitution prevented Putin from running for president after two consecutive terms. Instead, he selected a loyal subordinate, Dmitry Medvedev, to run for president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When elected, Medvedev appointed Putin as his prime minister. By most accounts, Putin remained firmly in power and made most of the important decisions. Following this example, a future Republican president could appoint Trump to an executive branch position from which he could still exercise power. In 2012, Putin was able to run for president again, and he and Medvedev once again swapped roles. Since then, Putin has succeeded in amending the Russian Constitution to effectively allow him to remain president for the rest of his life. Using a figurehead Then again, Trump might just want to avoid all of these legal subterfuges by following the example of George and Lurleen Wallace. In 1966, the Alabama Constitution prevented Wallace from running for a third consecutive term as governor. Still immensely popular and unwilling to give up power, Wallace chose to have his wife, Lurleen, run for governor. It was clear from the beginning that Lurleen was just a figurehead for George, who promised to be an adviser to his wife, at a salary of $1 a year. The campaigns slogan of Two Governors, One Cause, made it clear that a vote for Lurleen was really a vote for George. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lurleen won in a landslide. According to one account of her time in office, the Wallaces had something of a Queen-Prime Minister relationship: Mrs. Wallace handles the ceremonial and formal duties of state. Mr. Wallace draws the grand outlines of state policy and sees that it is carried out. Trumps wife was not born a U.S. citizen and therefore isnt eligible to be president. But as the head of the Republican Party, Trump could ensure that the next GOP presidential candidate was a member of his family or some other person who would be absolutely loyal and obedient to him. If that person went on to win the White House in 2028, Trump could serve as an unofficial adviser, allowing him to continue to wield the power of the presidency without the actual title. 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: Philip Klinkner, Hamilton College Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Philip Klinkner 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. Donald Trump wasted little time in taking credit for the ceasefire deal agreed between Israel and Hamas on Wednesday, bringing a halt to the violence in Gaza after 15 months of brutal conflict. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, the president-elect wrote on his Truth Social platform. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With this deal in place, my National Security team, through the efforts of Special Envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, will continue to work closely with Israel and our Allies to make sure Gaza NEVER again becomes a terrorist safe haven. We will continue promoting PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH throughout the region, as we build upon the momentum of this ceasefire to further expand the Historic Abraham Accords. This is only the beginning of great things to come for America, and indeed, the World! Not everyone agreed with Trumps version of events, however. President Joe Biden, flanked by Vice President Kamala Harris and Secretary of State Antony Blinken, was asked about his successors response and answered: Is that a joke? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden stressed that the ceasefire had been based on a framework he introduced last May and declared: This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration. I told my team to coordinate closely with the incoming team to make sure were all speaking with the same voice, he added. Because thats what American presidents do. Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu pictured together in Jerusalem in May 2017 during the Americans first term in the White House (AFP/Getty) Bidens National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also told reporters on Wednesday the administration had coordinated very closely with the incoming Trump team. Doing so had enabled the US to present a united message to all the parties, which says it is in the American national security interest regardless of party, regardless of outgoing or incoming administration to get this deal done as fast as possible, Sullivan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of that effort, Witkoff, the envoy alluded to by Trump, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the weekend while reports from diplomats involved in the negotiations have revealed that the incoming president played a key role in brokering the agreement by piling pressure on the Israeli government to accept it, something Biden had appeared reluctant to do. Its not as if suddenly the terms have shifted significantly, its just that now you had an incoming US president that was willing to actually use some pressure, ex-State Department aide Annelle Sheline told The Independent. This is a deal that, in its basic form, has been on the table for many months, and it is an absolute travesty that the Biden administration never used any of the massive leverage it had to push it over the finish line, her former colleague Josh Paul added. He said it wasclear Trumps team played a role in brokering the agreement but added: How much of that was commission as opposed to Netanyahus desire to give Trump a win a desire that has probably been a consideration for him since very early in this conflict remains to be known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president-elects GOP allies on Capitol Hill have also been rushing to pat him on the back, with Senator Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma telling The Independent Trump deserved all of the credit for the agreement while Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska observed: People respect strength. Their Democratic counterparts, however, were, unsurprisingly, more inclined to acknowledge Bidens contribution to the effort. The Republican former and future president has a history of supporting Israel, relocating the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem during his first term as well as recognizing the Golan Heights as Israeli territory and pushing for the signing of the Abraham Accords to promote more harmonious relations with the countrys Arab neighbor states. On the campaign trail last year, he also sought to shore up the American Jewish vote by warning the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas in September that Israel would be gone if Harris were elected president and repeatedly warned that Jews moved to vote Democrat need their heads examined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also critical of the war in Gaza, however, emphasizing his belief that it needs to come to an end as soon as possible. Youve got to get it over with, and you have to get back to normalcy, he told radios The Hugh Hewitt Show in April. President-elect Trumps nominee to head the U.S. Transportation Department (DOT), Sean Duffy, said during his confirmation hearing Wednesday that Boeing needs tough love to bounce back from a series of safety failures, and that a safety probe into Teslas advanced driver assistance system will go on. Duffy, a former five-term Republican Congressman from Wisconsin, received a warm welcome during his Wednesday address to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. The former Fox News personality introduced eight of his nine kids present to the panel along with his wife, Fox Noticias host Rachel Campos-Duffy. During the hearing, Duffy said that, if given an opportunity to lead the DOT, he would focus on aviation safety, including ensuring that the publics trust in plane manufacturing behemoth Boeing is revived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think we have to make sure they are implementing their safety plan. We have to push the FAA [Federal Aviation Administration] to make sure they are implementing their safety plan, Duffy told senators. The former House lawmaker said he would he will work with FAA and Congress to restore global confidence in Boeing and to ensure our skies are safe. In one of my meetings someone said though they need tough love, which is what they do need, he said. Federal regulators have intensified oversight over commercial flights following a near-tragic incident mid-air when a door panel on an Alaska Airlines 737 Max 9 blew out last January and a slew of other incidents at various U.S. airlines during last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duffy would also have oversight of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which is investigating Tesla, headed by tech billionaire and Trump mega-donor Elon Musk, over the car companys advanced driving technology. Last October, the regulator launched an investigation into Teslas Full Self-Driving (FSD) software after it was reportedly involved in four crashes, a probe covering about 2.4 million vehicles. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) asked Duffy if he can commit to allow NHTSA to follow the evidence and operate objectively. Yes, I commit to this committee and to you that I will let NHTSA do their investigation, Duffy said. I think I also mentioned to you that a lot of the players in these spaces, I havent met any of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about by the committees chairman, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Duffy said he would look over the fines the FAA recommended for SpaceX, also led by Musk, after the agency said the aerospace company violated license requirements during two launches in 2023. Duffy also signaled his support for changes in how federal highways are funded, suggesting more revenue needs to come from electric vehicle drivers. The Highway Trust Fund (HTF) is funded by a gas tax, meaning electric vehicles are effectively untaxed for the roads they use. They should pay for use of our roads. How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging, Duffy told Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who raised the issue, adding he would love to work with Fischer and the committee to make that happen. Duffy, a former lobbyist, also told senators that he would focus on cutting down red tape that impedes the progress of critical infrastructure projects, ensuring funds are spent efficiently, adding that Trump told him that he wants to invest in the nations crumbling infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-House lawmaker said his first official trip as DOT head would be to areas affected by the hurricanes in Tennessee and North Carolina in September. 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. The News US President-elect Donald Trumps nominee to lead the Department of Energy laid out his vision of how to achieve energy dominance by elevating the role of US energy and technology exports fossil and otherwise as a primary lever of US economic competitiveness globally. Chris Wright, CEO of the fracking company Liberty Energy, used his mostly-chummy Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday to make clear that he believes in man-made climate change and supports ongoing federal investment in the scale-up of low-carbon technologies. But reducing emissions is relatively low on his priority list. The countrys most urgent energy problem, he said, is improving the reliability and affordability of electricity, followed by capitalizing on the countrys natural and entrepreneurial resources to challenge adversaries and support allies. Previous administrations have viewed energy as a liability instead of the immense national asset that it is, Wright said. Becoming the worlds top oil and gas exporter, he continued, has yielded enormous growth in our geopolitical leverage. Tims view Wright is among the least controversial of Trumps cabinet nominees, and the fact that he was warmly introduced in the hearing by a Democrat, Colorados John Hickenlooper, suggests hell have little trouble being confirmed. Although the hearing was interrupted repeatedly by climate protestors, on most issues Wrights comments indicated he may represent more of a departure on energy policy from Trumps first term than from the Biden administration status quo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wright talked up the benefits of advanced nuclear and geothermal power, technologies that he has invested in himself. He harped on the necessity of grid modernization, which has already been a DOE priority under Biden. He said he would be supportive of carbon tariff legislation, but wriggled out of a question about whether he would oversee the research on US industrial carbon intensity that would underpin it. And while he wouldnt explicitly back wind and solar tax credits, he also turned down a chance to endorse methane-based hydrogen fuels. Back in 2017, during his confirmation hearing to be Trumps first energy secretary, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was far more circumspect about the energy transition. At the time, Perry had only recently retracted his position that the DOE should be abolished entirely. He admitted that the climate is changing, but contended some of it is naturally occurring and that the question is how we address it in a thoughtful way, that doesnt compromise economic growth, the affordability of energy, or American jobs. This reasoning that the energy transition is at odds with the US economy, and that if other countries arent pulling their weight on emissions, the US shouldnt either remains common among Republican lawmakers, and Trump himself. But Wright took the opposite view, arguing that the path to energy dominance cant avoid low-carbon technologies. Are there things we can do to accelerate the development of new energy technologies that are really the only pathway to address climate change? Absolutely. We should have nothing but American leadership in this area, he said. If the US moves slowly, other players are going to fill that vacuum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Wright did indicate that a big pivot is coming on LNG exports. The suspension of licenses for new LNG terminals is one of the sorest spots between Biden and the fossil fuel industry. Renewing those licenses, which will likely happen on Trumps first day in office, is probably the one action the administration can take that can have the most immediate impact on the global energy market. Prospects for increasing domestic oil production are hazy no matter what Trump does. But demand for US gas exports are more promising, as evidenced by the news this week that Venture Global, an LNG exporter, is moving ahead with one of the biggest initial public offerings for an energy company in US stock market history. Wright specifically endorsed new LNG projects in Alaska and Pennsylvania, and said that increasing US gas exports will drive domestic prices down, the opposite conclusion reached by a DOE report in December. Fossil fuels have fallen out of fashion and out of favor, he said. Even though its a critical technology for us, theres been less interest to invest in it. I dont share those aversions. Room for Disagreement If Wrights approach is to repackage many existing clean energy policies as energy security policies, with the same underlying technologies, it remains to be seen whether that vision will eventually clash with Trumps. The fate of clean energy tax credits will be out of Wrights hands, and are instead the prerogative of Congress and of Treasury Secretary-nominee Scott Bessent. And Wright may also face internal resistance to his grid modernization efforts. Trumps pick for Wrights deputy, James Danly, was a federal grid regulator during Trumps first term. During that time, he opposed policies aimed at clearing the path for more low-carbon energy sources to plug into the grid, said Ari Peskoe, director of the Electricity Law Initiative at Harvard Law School: Hes a techno-pessimist who seems to believe that power systems need to be rooted in steam-powered generators, as they always have been. Know More Hearings on Trumps other key climate and energy nominees North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum at Interior, and former New York Rep. Lee Zeldin at the Environmental Protection Agency will take place today, and could be more contentious. Burgum, a major oil and gas ally, will likely face questions about drilling and mining on federal lands. Zeldin, a relative neophyte on federal climate and energy policy, will be asked to defend Trumps plans to eviscerate federal regulations on power plant and vehicle emissions. Notable Energy secretary nominee Chris Wright during his confirmation hearing. (Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee screengrab) Can Nevadans count on you to acknowledge that the failed Yucca Mountain project is unworkable, Nevada Democratic Sen Catherine Cortez Masto asked Chris Wright, Donald Trumps nominee to be energy secretary, during Wrights Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. Wright stopped short of acknowledging the nuclear waste dump is unworkable, instead saying that if building large infrastructure then you need to have on board the local community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So Cortez Masto repeated the question. And again Wright failed to answer the question directly, saying instead he would work with Cortez Masto and senators from across the country to find solutions for long-term disposal of nuclear waste, and a central part of that is going to be local buy-in on the project. He refused to condemn nuclear storage at Yucca Mountain or acknowledge the project is dead, Cortez Masto said in a statement released by her office after the hearing. Project 2025, the policy blueprint for the Trump administration prepared by organizations allied with Trump, does not think the Yucca Mountain project is, as Cortez Masto phrased it, unworkable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yucca Mountain, according to Project 2025s section on energy, remains a viable option for waste management, and DOE should recommit to working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as it reviews DOEs permit application for a repository. Wright, who is the CEO of a Colorado fracking company, also serves on the board of OKLO, a firm hoping to develop commercial small nuclear power reactors. Yucca Mountain was officially designated as the nations nuclear waste repository during the administration of George W. Bush, in 2002. But the project was the subject of legal and regulatory proceedings for the next several years, until the administration of Barack Obama ordered the DOE to discontinue its licensing application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and eliminated federal funding for the project. While president, Trump attempted to restart funding for Yucca, but was thwarted by Congress. Trump reversed positions during the 2022 campaign cycle in an effort to help Adam Laxalt, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate who lost to Cortez Masto that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration never included funding for the Yucca Mountain project. Cortez Masto also on Wednesday announced that she and every other Democrat in the Nevada congressional delegation are co-sponsoring reintroduction of a bill that would prevent construction of a nuclear waste dump anywhere in the U.S. without the DOE first getting written consent from the states governor and affected local governments and tribes. Wright is expected to be confirmed by the Republican controlled Senate. (Bloomberg) -- Lee Zeldin, President-elect Donald Trumps choice to run the Environmental Protection Agency, has been a consultant to a wide swath of conservative organizations, including one of Elon Musks preferred dark money advocacy groups, according to new ethics disclosures. Most Read from Bloomberg Zeldins work for the Musk-backed group and others, combined with his plan to transfer the ownership of his public relations firm to his wife has generated concern among government watchdogs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if Lee Zeldin resigns from Zeldin Strategies, which he has pledged to do if confirmed, his wifes role leaves open the possibility that entities with business before the EPA or connections to those who do will try to influence the agency by hiring the Zeldins firm, said Tyson Slocum, a program director at Public Citizen. This is a huge financial conflict of interest, Slocum said. Senators need to be asking tough questions about how he can serve his official duties while his wife runs the lobbying firm. Zeldins confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday. Prior appointees have taken similar steps, and a representative for Zeldin directed questions about potential conflicts of interest to the Trump-Vance transition team. All nominees and appointees will comply with the ethical obligations of their respective agencies, spokesperson Brian Hughes said by email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zeldins wife, Diana Zeldin, works for the firm currently. Lee Zeldin vowed to steer clear of specific EPA matters involving any of his wifes clients, according to his government ethics agreement. Related: Trump Picks Former Congressman Lee Zeldin to Lead the EPA The Musk-backed group, Building Americas Future, was among the clients that paid the firm at least $5,000 in one of the past two years, and quite possibly much more political appointees must disclose every client who paid $5,000 in a year. As a so-called dark money organization, it doesnt make donors public. Musk has donated to the group, according to people familiar with the matter. Building Americas Future says its purpose is to support the priorities of the incoming Trump administration. Trump campaign veterans Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio are senior advisers to the group, and in December, it started a digital advertising campaign to support Senate confirmation of Pete Hegseth, the former Fox News host whom Trump has selected to lead the Defense Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier: Hegseth Reaped $6 Million in Two Years From Fox, Books, Speeches Zeldin represented eastern Long Island in the US House for almost a decade, followed by a failed run for governor of New York in 2022. He then opened his consulting firm, offering strategy, crisis management, networking and public relations, to an array of conservative groups and causes. Mr. Zeldin transferring his interest in his firm to his spouse does absolutely nothing to address the potential conflict of interest concerns with his former clients, Donald K. Sherman, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said by email. Thats why the criminal conflict of interest statute applies to spousal assets and conflicts. Ethics agreements are hammered out in sometimes prolonged and complicated negotiations. There is a lot of jawboning between the appointee and the Office of Government Ethics, said Stan Brand, a longtime Washington defense attorney and ethics expert. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OGE typically tries to get the incoming official to meet what it sees as the requirements of the law, and while transferring a business to a spouse can raise questions, it has in the past been enough to resolve conflicts of interest. As for Zeldin, hes in compliance as far as I can see, Brand said. --With assistance from Bill Haubert. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. From Gaza to Greenland, the disruptive force of President-elect Donald Trump is being felt across the world, his incoming administration casting aside conventional diplomatic niceties in favor of an intensive global pressure campaign that already appears to be yielding results. In the Middle East, Trump quickly took credit for the Israel-Hamas hostage deal resulting from months of painstaking negotiations involving Biden and Trump administration officials working alongside US allies. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could only have happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have achieved so much without even being in the White House. Just imagine all of the wonderful things that will happen when I return, he added. It is hard to deny that Trumps implicit threat that there would be hell to pay if there was no Israel-Hamas deal before his inauguration on January 20 appears to have focused minds, not least among those in the Israeli government keen to lock-in Trumps enthusiastic backing as he is poised to start a second US presidential term. Friend and foe alike appear to be approaching the mercurial, unpredictable Trump bolstered by his resounding US presidential election victory in November with trepidation, franticly working to appease the president-elect amid concern his praise and favor could rapidly turn to fury. One Israeli diplomat told me it was in his countries national interest to keep Trump happy amid concerns his unflinching support for Israel were to suddenly flinch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That certainly doesnt sound like the traditional basis of a stable international relationship, but in the short term Trumps Might is Right, America First rhetoric is already proving remarkably effective, not just in Israel but across the gamut of global affairs. Take Trumps recently revived offer to buy Greenland, the vast frozen territory owned by Denmark and sitting strategically between the US and Russia on giant mineral deposits. The same suggestion, made by Trump in his first term, was scoffed at. This time, Trumps offer was accompanied by a chilling threat of US military force, or at least a refusal by the next US commander-in-chief to rule it out. The Danish and Greenlandic answer, for the moment, is still that Greenland is not for sale. But the possibility, however remote, has been scrutinized far more anxiously this time. Trump is, whatever else, being taken seriously. Elsewhere, some nations are taking pre-emptive steps to appease the concerns of the incoming Trump administration or to avoid direct negotiations over sensitive issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In South Korea, for example, a five-year deal was agreed ahead of the November US election to share the cost of keeping more than 28,000 US troops in the country. The negotiations concluded early amid memories in Seoul that Trump, during his first presidency, had accused South Korea, a key Asian ally, of free-riding on US military might, and demanded that it pay as much as $5 billion a year for the deployment. But it is Russias brutal war in Ukraine where the Trump factor could next produce extraordinary results. The president-elect once suggested he would end the conflict in a single day, but is now pushing more serious proposals to force an end to the violence, if not the Russian occupation. Both Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin strongman, and the beleaguered Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, have cautiously welcomed Trumps blustering intervention. To not do so may trigger the Trump factors unpredictable wrath. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Turner (R-OH) told his colleagues Donald Trump ordered Speaker Mike Johnson to remove the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee from his powerful role in an act of personal revenge, sources told the Daily Beast Wednesday. Mike Turner, whose committee oversees the CIA and the FBI, told his colleagues that the speaker said the order came from President-elect Trump, a senior GOP lawmaker told the Daily Beast. His departure was first reported by Punchbowl News. Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant, a source familiar with Turners firing told the Beast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump had already demonstrated that he wants to maintain an iron grip over Congressincluding House Republicans, whose razor-thin majority makes passing his agenda extremely challenging. Mike Turner (second from right) speaks at a Capitol Hill press conference. / KEVIN LAMARQUE / REUTERS Johnson pushed back on the notion that the decision was fully Trump-driven, claiming it was not the president-elects decision but his own. This is not a President Trump decision, this is a House decision and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman, he did a great job, but we just, the Intelligence Community and everything related to HPSCI is, it needs a fresh start and thats what this is about, nothing else, Johnson told a group of reporters at the Capitol on Wednesday evening when asked about the Beasts revelation. I have nothing negative to say about Mike Turner at all, hes a good man, a good colleague, I respect his work, Johnson said, adding, Hes going to continue to be my appointee with everything regarding NATO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move could cause serious headaches for Johnson as he looks to keep his conference unified while navigating a razor-thin majority. Trump making demands to fire Turner just fractured the conference. It undermines his whole reconciliation agenda. Dumb move. We are a big tent or we are not. Looks like we are not, one GOP lawmaker said. While defense hawks have praised Turners leadership on the panel, conservative hardliners previously called for his ouster, taking issues with his stances on FISA and Ukraine funding. In a statement following his ouster, Turner lauded his fellow committee members and listed several of their accomplishments. Johnson speaks with Trump at the annual Army-Navy football game last month. / The Washington Post / The Washington Post via Getty Im Im very proud to have served on the House Intelligence Committee and as its chairman. There are great members on the Committee, and Im honored to have served with them, he wrote. Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner came under fire last February for releasing a cryptic statement calling on President Joe Biden to declassify information on a serious national security threat. The move sparked criticism across the political spectrum, with lawmakers briefed on the issue asserting that while serious, it was not a matter that warranted sparking national panic. Johnson took heat from moderates and Democrats last year for adding former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA)whose phone was seized by the FBI as part of its Jan. 6 probe following pressure from conservatives to add more hardliners to the panel. Turner represents a swing district. If his ouster as committee chairman were to prompt him to quit Congress altogether, Johnson would be down one more critical GOP vote in a razor-thin majority. While most committee chair positions are voted upon by a steering committee to to decide who wields gavels, the speaker is solely tasked with populating the House Intelligence Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump transition officials also did not immediately respond to request for comment on the presidents level of involvement. Johnson has not yet named a replacement to lead the powerful panel, but is expected to name a new chairman on Thursday. Welcome to The Scoop the ultimate back-to-the-office water cooler cheat sheet, your go-to source for all things everyone really wants to know! Get the latest on everything from the political swamp maneuvering in D.C. and Hollywood drama to jaw-dropping small-town shenanigans from Paula Froelich. Subscribe to her newsletter here. For more of the latest dish and drama, subscribe to The Scoop on NewsNations YouTube. (NewsNation) What a difference eight years can make. At President Trumps last inauguration, it was a fight to fill the ballrooms. Toby Keith decided to play at the last minute, and Melania was forced to pluck a Ralph Lauren ensemble from her own wardrobe to wear during the induction and a Herve Pierre dress for the galas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eight years later, invitations are harder to get ahold of than the Met Gala, designers are falling over themselves to dress Melania, and the galas themselves are not just being attended by the big tech billionaires theyre being hosted by them. Manly is the new black: American men rush to get facial masculinity surgery As Trump told CBS last month: In the first term, everyone was fighting me. This time, everyone wants to be my friend. Trump, Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos And his new friends are putting their money where their mouths are: The big tech boys, who all stayed away in 2016, have donated millions to Trumps inauguration fund (which now stands at close to $200 million the largest ever). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the titans who went down to Mar-a-Lago to kiss the ring and personally donate last year: Trumps new bestie, Elon Musk, Metas Mark Zuckerberg, Googles Sundar Pichai and Sergei Brin, OpenAIs Sam Altman, Amazon king Jeff Bezos and Apples Tim Cook. (COMBO) This combination of pictures created on January 15, 2025 shows South African businessman Elon Musk (L) in Los Angeles, on April 13, 2024, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew (2L) in Jakarta on June 15, 2023, Amazon Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos (2R) in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 6, 2019 and Mark Zuckerberg (R), CEO of Meta, in Washington, DC, on January 31, 2024. The chief executive of social media giant TikTok will attend Donald Trumps inauguration on Janauary 20, US media said, as the incoming president reportedly weighs saving the app from a likely ban on US operations. Shou Chew will join several other high-profile social media and tech moguls reported to be attending the January 20 ceremony, including Tesla, X and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Metas Mark Zuckerberg. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by ETIENNE LAURENTBAY ISMOYOMARK RALSTONANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) And they are not only donating but showing up loud and proud this weekend. Cook is also expected to be on the inaugural dais along with Bezos, and Metas Zuckerberg is even hosting a gala along with longtime Republican donors Miriam Adelson and Todd Ricketts. And everyone wants in. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez to marry in Italy: Source Donald Trump and Big Tech Also, in a last-ditch effort to stop the TikTok ban, Shou Chew, the chief executive of TikTok, plans to attend President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration, according to a source familiar with the plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The New York Times, Inauguration festivities have been such a hot ticket in corporate America that some companies and executives have donated to support Mr. Trumps inaugural committee even without a guarantee that they can get seats. One insider told me, Everyone is trying to go to the inauguration, if only to rub shoulders with and get a picture with Elon, Mark (Zuckerberg), Jess (Bezos), Tim (Cook), Sundar (Pichai) and the real power players. A lot of business is going to be done this weekend. Celebrities performing at Donald Trumps inauguration Expected to perform at various events throughout the inauguration are Carrie Underwood, Gavin DeGraw, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jason Aldean and Rascal Flatts along with The Village People (who will presumably play Trumps favorite song, YMCA) and several other acts. At this point, the tickets are so hard to get that the most attention will be on the people NOT in attendance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im hearing Alphabet honcho Eric Schmidt and Googles Larry Page will not be going, whereas Brin hasnt yet made up his mind (an insider at Google said, Its all so last minute no one knows what theyre doing yet.). How to watch Trumps inauguration on NewsNation The 60th Inauguration will herald President Trumps triumphant return to the White House and the start of the great American comeback. These special events will honor the rich history and tradition of our great nation, the American people, and the promise our country holds for future generations. We look forward to celebrating with all of you in Washington, DC and ushering in a new golden era of strength, success and common sense in the Oval Office, said the Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee co-chairs, Steve Witkoff and Kelly Loeffler, in a joint statement. Carrie Underwood attends the 2024 Songwriters Hall Of Fame Induction and Awards Gala at New York Marriott Marquis Hotel on June 13, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Joy Malone/Getty Images) Kid Rock speaks onstage during the 2019 CMT Artist of the Year at Schermerhorn Symphony Center on October 16, 2019 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for CMT/Viacom) FILE Billy Ray Cyrus arrives at the 62nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles on Jan. 26, 2020. Cyrus and Firerose are now divorced. The dissolution of their seven-month marriage was finalized Monday by a Williamson County judge in Tennessee three months after Cyrus filed for divorce. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) But all I really care about is whether or not Robert Kennedy Jr.s running mate Nicole Shanahan is going and what happens when she, Musk and Brin come face to face again? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Wall Street Journal reported Musk had an affair in 2022 with Brins then-wife Nicole Shanahan, leading to the dissolution of the marriage (in which Shanahan got a $1 million kiss-off package) and the termination of Musk and Brins friendship. At the time, Musk denied the story, but the WSJ stuck by it and never issued a retraction. It should be interesting if all three hit the dance floor at the same time. You can watch the full Inauguration Day proceedings on NewsNation on TV, online at newsnationnow.com or on the NewsNation apps for your television or phone. Not sure how to watch NewsNation? Find your channel 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 NewsNation. Donald Trump supporters clash with police and security forces as people try to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Brent Stirton/Getty Images) Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office on Monday, and in Ohio scores of men and women who participated in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol are watching closely to see if he makes good on the pardons he promised on the campaign trail. When he visited Ohio last March, Trump opened his rally speech with a video of Jan. 6 defendants singing The Star-Spangled Banner from behind bars. You see the spirit from the hostages, Trump told the crowd, And thats what they are is hostages. He promised that hed be working on that soon on the first day we get into office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few months later during a CNN town hall, he clarified I am inclined to pardon many of them. I cant say for every single one because a couple of them, probably, they got out of control. Still, it seems many of Trumps die-hard supporters assumed there was some kind of inclination toward pardoning all Jan. 6 participants. Vice President-elect J.D. Vance was met with pushback after indicating only non-violent defendants should get pardons. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Look, if you protested peacefully on January the sixth, and youve had Merrick Garlands Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned, Vance said on Fox News Sunday. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldnt be pardoned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a little bit of a gray area there, he added, but were very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law. And there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the sixth, who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that. Even with those caveats, Vances suggestion of a dividing line among cases earned scorn among far-right figures like Steve Bannon. Pardon them all, he wrote on the social media site Gettr. Every last one. Where the prosecutions stand In an update published on the fourth anniversary of the riot, the U.S. Department of Justice tallied up 1,583 arrests and more than 1,000 guilty pleas. The majority of cases have been fully adjudicated, and 667 people have been sentenced to time behind bars with another 145 sentenced to home detention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The range of their offenses is vast. The agency notes every defendant has been charged with trespass, but more than 600 were charged with assaulting, resisting or impeding law enforcement, 174 of whom used a dangerous or deadly weapon. In addition to using makeshift weapons like police riot shields or fencing, the rioters brought firearms, tasers, pepper spray and knives into the Capitol one woman even brought a sword. Federal prosecutors conviction rate in the Capitol siege cases has been very high, but there have been a few acquittals along the way. They were dealt a more significant setback by the U.S. Supreme Courts decision in Fischer v. United States. That case determined federal officials couldnt apply a statute related to obstructing an official proceeding as broadly as they had been. As a result, justice officials went back through 259 cases, but in each one of them, the defendant faced additional charges outside the ones addressed by the Fischer case. Six individuals have seen their sentences reduced because of the case. An Ohio perspective Today I turn myself in to federal prison for the 19 month sentence I received for peacefully protesting inside the Peoples House on January 6th, 2021. I was 21 years old at the time, and I have been fighting these charges for the last 3 years. It is my great honor to be held pic.twitter.com/7Jx4Vjtnyw Alexander Sheppard (@NotAlexSheppard) November 2, 2023 According to federal prosecutors, Alexander Sheppard of Powell, Ohio participated in the riot at the U.S. Capitol, joined others in overrunning multiple police lines, videotaped fleeing members of Congress and staff, and looked on as other rioters violently punched out the windows of the doors outside the U.S. House chamber. In its sentencing recommendation the DOJ asked for 37 months in prison followed by 36 months of supervised release and $2,000 in restitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governments recommendation in this case reflects its substantial concern that Sheppards actions on that day may not be his last, prosecutors argued, citing ongoing defiant and threatening posts on social media. In September 2023, he was sentenced to 19 months, and later posted It is my great honor to be held hostage as a political prisoner in these United States of America. In an accompanying photo hes holding two thumbs up outside a prison, wearing a shirt that reads Lets go Brandon. He got a reprieve when the U.S. Supreme Court took up the Fischer case. Sheppards attorney argued he should be released early because he might serve more time than necessary if the Fischer case went his way. The judge agreed, and he was released last May. In an interview this week, Sheppard remained defiant and argued Trumps got to pardon everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether we were charged with violence or not, every single one of us was denied due process, he insisted, because they forced us to have the trial in Washington, DC, where they have this Soviet-style rigging of the jury pool and a 100% conviction rate on Jan. 6 defendants. Although quite rare, there have been a few acquittals in Jan. 6 cases. Notably, federal cases writ large almost never result in an acquittal if they make it to trial. Sheppard is quick to note his charges were non-violent, and he argued that those charged with violence were acting in self-defense. He brought up police using non-lethal deterrents like pepper spray and rubber bullets indiscriminately, and the deaths of Ashli Babbitt and Rosanne Boyland (Babbitt was shot and killed trying to enter the Speakers Lobby; according to a coroners report while Boyland died of an amphetamine overdose). If somebody defends themselves and defends other protesters, then theyre violent, Sheppard said. I just dont think its right. Please understand that ALL defendants were denied DUE PROCESS and should therefore be pardoned. We did not even have a jury of our peers in Washington, D.C. The only people who should be imprisoned are Capitol Police Officers who massacred protesters! Alexander Sheppard (@NotAlexSheppard) January 12, 2025 Pressed on police officers duty to defend the Capitol from the rioters in addition to their own right to defend themselves, Sheppard was dismissive. They shot her with no warning, he said of Babbitt, despite officers attempting to warn her group away from a barricaded door and another demonstrator recalling officials telling protestors to get back. Babbitt was shot attempting to crawl through a broken window and Capitol Police rendered first aid immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given his sympathies with those facing charges of violence, Sheppard was frustrated with Vances suggestion that violent offenders not get pardons. In a response to Vance on social media, he reiterated the argument that defendants were denied due process. The jury pool is going to be rigged against them, he said in an interview. So, yeah, I dont like what J.D. Vance had to say. I respectfully hope that he changes his position. But at the end of the day, its not his decision to make its going to be President Trumps decision. As for what he expects to happen, Sheppard has noted with interest recent quotes from Trump that he could act within the first nine minutes of his new term, and described hearing from people still in prison who already have their bags packed. I think you will be surprised how many people he pardons right away, Sheppard said. I dont think hes going to do three a day. I think its going to be hundreds a day. Legal analysis and stakes: Its as bad as you think Theres no question that Trumps pardon power is vast, and what constraints he does face likely wouldnt stand in the way of pardoning Jan. 6 defendants. The Trump transition team did not respond to the Ohio Capital Journals request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Sheppards due process claims, retired Case Western Reserve University law professor Jonathan Entin offered a blunt assessment. Well, hes wrong, is the short answer, Entin said. Let me read you from The Sixth Amendment to the Constitution part of the Bill of Rights, he went on. It says in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed. Entin explained that theres a powerful interest for the parties where a crime occurred to be in charge of prosecuting the case. After all, he explained, the impact of the crime was right there. Its possible for a defendant to argue for a change of venue if theres a concern that publicity might taint the jury pool, but Entin said those motions are rarely granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And thats particularly true in a really high-profile case, like the cases that arose out of Jan. 6, he explained. Because people everywhere know about what happened, right? And so, the idea that you could get a more impartial jury somewhere else just seems far-fetched. On appeal, Entin added, Sheppard could argue he was tried in the wrong venue. But even if that argument was successful, the result could just be a new trial. Taking a step back and considering the stakes of Trump issuing widespread pardons, Ohio State University sociologist Laura Dugan paints a bleak picture. I mean, its as bad as you think, she said. Its basically giving permission for people to overthrow the government if they think that the government is behaving in a way that is treasonous. And the only thing that requires them to think that is that Trump tells them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dugan studies terrorism and helped launch the Global Terrorism Database. As part of Ohio States Mershon Center she has organized research workshops on the growth of extremism in the United States. She tends to think Trump will pardon all those who took part in the Jan. 6 riots. I actually would be surprised if he doesnt do it, Dugan said. Even though Trump and Vance themselves have hinted at exceptions, Dugan contends setting some standard to distinguish among cases would upset Trumps supporters. Despite what Vance is saying, if (Trump) does put a line where the pardons fall, he will get hit with some backlash for it even the violent offenders, she explained. Regardless of how many pardons Trump eventually issues, Dugan argued that the consequence will be to vindicate the rioters actions and make similar events more likely in the future. Those who receive a pardon will achieve a kind of martyr-like status, and if Trumps agenda faces obstacles, she warned, theres are subset of his supporters who would have no qualms coming to Washington D.C. again. The pardons will reinforce the narrative that they were in the right, Dugan said. He wants that, they want that, but its not good for the country. Follow Ohio Capital Journal Reporter Nick Evans on X or on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Donald Trump has fired a defiant riposte to Joe Bidens parting warning that a tech titan oligarchy is threatening Americas democracy. The president-elect has invited the worlds wealthiest billionaires to join his family and former U.S. presidents in prime positions on the dais for Mondays inauguration ceremony. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, and Shou Zi Chew will take pride of place outside the Capitol in a clear show of money power behind the new administration. The tech titans lining up behind Donald Trump. / Wtienne Laurentbay/AFP via Getty Images Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is also expected to attend, according to Reuters. Unknown yet is whether Apple boss and Trump ally Tim Cook will sit with his fellow billionaires. But David Sacks, the incoming White House AI and crypto czar who is close to Musk and Vice President-elect JD Vance, will be in the VIP seats on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move is being seen as Trump snubbing his nose at Bidens doomsday threats about an oligarchy using their billions to subjugate the lives of ordinary Americans. The president used his farewell speech on Wednesday to warn of a tech industrial complex that is trampling over ordinary Americans rights. Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic rights and freedoms, and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead, he said, pointing to a dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a few ultra-wealthy people and the dangerous consequences if their abuse of power is left unchecked. Stephen Miller, Trumps incoming deputy chief of staff for policy, accused Biden of running an administration of oligarchies by forcing large corporations to censor free speech and violate 1st Amendment rights, quoting the decision by social media to de-platform Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miller told Fox News that Trump was working with the tech titans to restore democracy rather than threaten it. Trump is working with the platforms to get a competitive edge against the rest of the world, he added. A transition official added that the message Trump is sending by including the new power elite in the inauguration is that they represent the importance of job creation in the new administration. I think the message it sends is, first, the importance of free speech,' said the official. And then that these are all huge job creators in this country and they will be a big part of where the president goes in the second term, the official told the Daily Mail. Its wrong to think of these as just tech guys. An app like TikTok helps thousands of content creators make a living, for example. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The titans, most of whom were opposed to Trump in his first term, have been making a pilgrimage to pay fealty to the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago throne of power over the last few weeks. Jeff Bezos came, Bill Gates came. Mark Zuckerberg came. Many of them came numerous times. The bankers have all come. Everybody is coming, Trump said last week. Amazon founder Bezos, owner of The Washington Post, and Facebooks Zuckerberg have embraced Trump, both donating $1 million to the inauguration. Sam Altman Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. / Stefano Guidi/Getty Images AI billionaire Altman will be on the dais along with a surprise invite, TikTok chief executive Chew, days before a planned U.S. ban on the Chinese platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my first term it felt like everyone was against me, Trump told reporters recently. Now in this term everyone wants to be my friend. Its an incredible about-face for Silicon Valley, with big tech becoming increasingly critical of Biden. Zuckerberg recently told Joe Rogan he intends to present a more masculine energy and that he was not interested in culturally neutered corporate America. Bezos will be front and center despite previously feuding with Trump, having shown his new colors by blocking his Washington Posts planned endorsement of Kamala Harris before the election. Chief Executive of Apple Tim Cook / Chris Jackson/Getty Images OpenAI CEO Altmanwho made a personal $1 million contribution to Trumps inauguration rather than through his companyhas made no secret of his support. President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead, he said in a statement. Chews invite was more of a surprise considering Trumps previous antipathy towards TikTok over claims the platform was a Chinese spying tool. But the president-elect has smoothed a path for the ban to be given a rain check and ultimately shelved. House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Representative Mike Turner as chair of the House Intelligence Committee on Wednesdayreportedly at the behest of Donald Trump. Two senior sources told The Daily Beast that Trump had specifically instructed Johnson to remove Turner. Trump personally got involved and believes that Turner is basically an intel community sycophant, said one source familiar with Turners ouster. Johnson pushed back when asked whether his marching orders came from the president-elect. This is not a President Trump decision, this is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman; he did a great job, but we just, the intelligence community and everything related to [the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence] is, it needs a fresh start, and thats what this is about, nothing else, Johnson told reporters Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnsons decision to oust Turner could be a sign of clearing the way for a more supplicant committee chair. Its unclear exactly why Trump could be concerned about Turner, but among other things the Ohio Republican has raised the alarm about Russian propaganda being uttered on the House floor. He also was one Republican who certified Joe Bidens win in 2020, marking him as an obvious operative of the so-called deep state. Representative Jim Himes, a top Democrat on the committee, told reporters that he was enormously concerned about Turners removal, according to CNNs Manu Raju. Turners removal sends a shiver down my spine, Hiimes said, adding that the Ohio Republican wasnt quick to bend the knee to Trump. Johnson is set to announce Turners replacement Thursday. Next in line of seniority is Representative Rick Crawford, a Republican from Arkansas, who chaired the CIA subcommittee last session, according to Punchbowl News. When was the last time the world political outlook was so confused, directionless and bereft of shared assumptions? We see this at home, with a flailing government rushing blindly towards a row of brick walls energy costs, economic dysfunction and immigration are just the most obvious. We see it in Europe, facing economic decline, political stalemate and social disorder. Is Russia a growing threat, or is it facing possible disintegration? China is avidly expansionist, yet its economy and demography are faltering. And America is about to be governed by a man who until recently would have had little chance of ever approaching the presidency. When was the last time we faced such unpredictability? It would be hyperbolic to compare today with the Protestant Reformation, which splintered the ideological unity of Europe, or with the French Revolution, which shattered the foundations of the social and political order. At least, I hope it would be hyperbolic, as those great events ended so catastrophically. It is some comfort that todays daunting practical problems are not aggravated by an ideological explosion like Luthers radical Greenism is damaging enough. But today has similarities with another dreadful time, those low, dishonest decades between the world wars. Then and now saw a sudden loss of faith in what had generally been agreed as the direction of history, and the forms taken by modernity and progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the mid-19th century, progress had meant liberalism, constitutional government, free enterprise, the rule of law, colonisation of the undeveloped world, and the gradual end of war. A prominent liberal historian had proclaimed in 1911 that war between civilised nations will be considered as antiquated as the duel. Then came 1914, which we now see was an incurable wound. But at first Allied victory seemed to reaffirm the old values: the war to end war had given birth to a League of Nations, embodying progressive values and international solidarity. But soon new political forces appeared that rejected and mocked liberal assumptions as outdated and impotent frauds. The fashionable Left-wing playwright George Bernard Shaw asked a BBC audience in 1929 Who can blame Signor Mussolini for describing [democracy] as a putrefying corpse? Lenin and Stalin had begun a great Communist experiment, said Shaw, while the Nazi movement is in many respects one which has my warmest sympathy. Many thought they had seen the future, and it was not liberal democracy. We went through a similar process after the end of the Cold War with the end of history and the consolidation of a rules-based order. The disappearance of this vision has left politics without an intellectual or moral compass. We even lack a practical agenda: nothing seems to work now. In 1921, the sociologist Max Webers famous model of the three forms of legitimate authority was published: charismatic (that of the compelling individual leader), traditional (as of a monarch), and rational-legal or bureaucratic (the rules-based society). Weber thought that they followed progressively: the charismatic authority of the tribal chief would finally be replaced by the bureaucracy of the modern state. But what if it is the other way around? In the inter-war period, Mussolini, Hitler and Stalin replaced rationality with charisma. Today once again rules-based bureaucracy is failing, and charisma is on the rise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rational-legal bureaucratic authority can only last by delivering the favourite word of politicians lacking vision. It can only deliver if dealing with the expected: a world that follows the rules and a population that acquiesces in the result. It cannot cope with the unpredictable, of which we now have an alarming profusion, including AI, climate policy, mass migration and shifts in the world balance of power. Todays political confusion is caused by the slow collapse of this rational-legal authority. Things have been going wrong for a generation. The bureaucratic politics that ruled the West wanted as little interference as possible from voters. Powers were deliberately shifted from elected bodies to law courts, quangos and international institutions. The overarching aim of this new order was globalisation, the crowning example of theory being imposed on the messiness of human society. Capital, jobs, goods and people could move to where they gave the best returns, and every country would obey the rules. But as the sorcerers apprentice realises too late, rational ideas can have uncontrollable consequences. Jobs were lost, industries destroyed, communities ravaged. Politicians anticipated a trickle of highly qualified migrants, but received a flood. Electors increasingly turned away from mainstream politics. How have politicians reacted? Many by doubling down. If voters are discontented, their means of action must be further restrained. Referendums have been ignored or overturned, as the Brexit referendum nearly was. Governments have been forced out of office or neutered. Blindly applying their interpretation of the law, however dubious, is one explanation of the Starmer governments bizarre actions, such as the Chagos Islands, or paying damages to former terrorists. Applying rules is their comfort zone. But now, as in the 1920s, Webers assumption that bureaucracy replaces charisma is turning out to be the wrong way round. The First World War did not end war; Hitler could not be reasoned with. We are all members of the human race, said Chamberlain pathetically. There must be something in common between us, if only we can find it. There wasnt, and he couldnt. Then as now, the rational-legal order struggles to meet challenges it cannot comprehend. At least Chamberlain had the lucidity and determination to begin massive rearmament. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The centre cannot hold, wrote Yeats in 1919, and some rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Bethlehem to be born. I am not making a disobliging reference to Mr Trumps second coming, even if he does slouch. Some of my wisest friends have become ardent Trumpists. I too want him to succeed. But in what? He is a classic charismatic leader, and we project on to him our own aspirations. So I hope he succeeds in fixing the Middle East, stopping Putin, and signing a trade deal with Britain. But who knows? He is no exponent of rational-legal politics, and may do the opposite. Facing the unknown has become the great challenge of politics. Charismatic authority means trusting a person, not supporting a programme. Farage knows this. Badenoch may be learning it. Being a leader is far more demanding than being a lawyer. 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. President-elect Donald Trump is considering an executive order once hes in office to stall a law that would force the sale or closure of TikTok, The Washington Post reported Wednesday night. The report adds new intrigue to the TikTok saga after Congress passed bipartisan legislation last April to force the sale of the app, which is owned by a Chinese company called ByteDance. Lawmakers worry users data could be accessed by the Chinese government and many have called the app a threat to national security. Trump, who was initially in favor of a ban during his first term in the White House, has warmed to the social media giant after he leveraged it during the latest presidential election. He recently said he had a warm spot in my heart for the app and has promised to save it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unclear how an executive order would circumvent a ban, set to go into effect on Jan. 19, a day before Trumps inauguration. The Supreme Court is also considering a challenge to the law after TikTok argued concerns about the app are overblown and violate the First Amendment. But reports say the justices appear poised to let it stand. The New York Times added Wednesday that the chief executive of TikTok, Shou Chew, has been invited to the inauguration and to sit in a position of honor near Trump that often features former presidents and family members. A separate report earlier this week said Chinese officials were considering several proposals to keep the app alive in the U.S. One such idea would see billionaire Elon Musk buy the U.S. operations of TikTok and have X, formerly Twitter, take control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok threw water on the idea when reached for comment, saying it wouldnt say anything more than that the report was pure fiction. Related... President-elect Donald Trump accused California Gov. Gavin Newsom of causing a water shortage during the January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles County by refusing to sign a "water restoration declaration" in order to protect "an essentially worthless fish called a smelt." Newsom's office said such a document never existed. It's true that Newsom and the California attorney general sued the Trump administration in 2020 over a water management plan that, according to the state, failed to protect certain endangered species, including the delta smelt. That program was never put into place and the Biden administration subsequently approved its own plans for the waterways, with support from Newsom. Experts said discussions of water management programs in Northern California have "nothing to do with the fires in Southern California." Official data shows that most of the state's reservoirs were at or above historical average levels before the January 2025 fires. Officials said water shortages reported by firefighters in the Pacific Palisades area were due to high demand on a system built for urban fires, not wildfires. As deadly fires ripped through the Los Angeles-area in January 2025, a rumor surfaced that California Gov. Gavin Newsom refused to sign a water restoration declaration during Donald Trump's first presidential administration, resulting in a lack of water for firefighters. The claim stemmed from a Jan. 8 post by Trump on Truth Social, as seen on Trump's Truth, a website that archives Trump's postings. (Trump's Truth) The post read: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way. He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn't work!), but didn't care about the people of California. Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster! Examples of the claim circulated on X (archived) and Facebook (archived), including a highly viewed post (archived) by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson. In the post, Johnson claimed that "Gov. Newsom BLOCKED water policy that reserves water from the north to be available in times like this." However, Newsom's office said (archived) on X that there had never been a "water restoration declaration" for the governor to decline signing. Newsom and the Trump administration have a history of legal conflict over plans for water delivery in California. In 2020, the state's attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for failing to protect endangered fish species, including the much-debated delta smelt, in new plans for Northern California. The Biden administration subsequently approved its own plans for the area that differed from Trump's. There's no indication, as of this writing, that this years-long legal battle had any effect on water availability during the January 2025 wildfires. According to officials, California's reservoirs were at above-historic levels before the fires. Water supply issues, widely reported in the Pacific Palisades area, were due to demand and elevation, officials said. Newsom's office denied the existence of the "water restoration declaration" from Trump's Truth Social post, calling it "pure fiction." However, Trump's transition team told CNN after the post was published that Trump was actually referring to a legal challenge by Newsom and the California attorney general from 2020 against the the administration's plan for operations of the Central Valley Project and State Water Project more on those below. Trump, Newsom and the Battle for Californian Water and Endangered Fish The Central Valley Project, overseen by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, is a network of dams, reservoirs, canals, hydroelectric power plants and other facilities that provides water to half of California's 52 counties. The CVP carries out functions including supplying domestic and industrial water to cities, businesses and farms and providing water to restore and protect fish and wildlife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restoration of fish and wildlife mandate specifically as it applied to a small fish called the delta smelt became problematic for Trump in 2019, when the federal bureau, together with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service wrote a commentary piece in CalMatters, a nonprofit news publication, presenting a revised plan for operations for the Central Valley Project and State Water Project a system that collects water from Northern California to redistribute it to water-scarce areas, mainly in the southern part of the state. The SWP is managed by the California Department of Water Resources and mainly serves urban users, like in Los Angeles, while the CVP is managed by the USBR and mainly serves agricultural use. Because the plan involved pumping water out of the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta the home of the endangered delta smelt two federal agencies had to give biological opinions on whether the proposed plans would disturb wildlife according to the Endangered Species Act. The opinions were published in October 2019. According to an Oct. 21, 2019, commentary by USBR, NOAA and USFWS officials: Thanks to the diligent work of our dedicated staff, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration concluded that the proposed operations will not jeopardize threatened or endangered species or adversely modify their critical habitat. Trump's new plan was signed on Feb. 19, 2020. The following day, the California attorney general filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration "for failing to protect endangered fish species from federal water export operations." The lawsuit requested that the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California declare the Trump administration's adoption of the biological opinions submitted by the NOAA and USFWS "unlawful." The opinions "puts at risk Delta smelt, Chinook salmon, Central Valley steelhead, and other fish species," the lawsuit argued. In March 2022, then under the Biden administration, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California, where the case had transferred, ordered that the "2019 Biological Opinions" be remanded to their respective federal agencies "without vacatur," meaning the court found fault with the opinions but that they should stay in place while they were corrected. A new environmental impact statement was published in November 2024 and a new plan announced that December with the support of Biden and Newsom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the timeline of the case, Trump never got to finish what he started with regard to plans for the CVP and SWP but this was not because Newsom, who has been governor of California since 2019, refused to sign any document or declaration presented to him, as Trump claimed. No Connection Between CVP, SWP, Delta Smelt and Wildfire Water Supply In general, Trump's claim that regulations on the CVP and SWP systems due to endangered fish caused a water shortage in Southern California lacks context. Brent Haddad, a professor in the environmental studies department of the University of California, Santa Cruz, told Snopes via email that while there was a connection between water flow in the north of California and water availability in the south, it was not the one Trump or those spreading his claim about Newsom were seeking: The connection is that climate change is impacting both systems. Water flow in the north is being upset by longer droughts, fiercer storms, and earlier snowmelt, for which the state's flood control and water storage and delivery infrastructure and accompanying regulations are not prepared. In the south (and elsewhere in the state), the infrastructure is not sized for the increasing frequency and intensity of fires in California. Major investments are needed to upgrade infrastructure and services across water, energy, public health, and urban design to deal with the warming that will take place for decades even if we quickly curb our appetite for fossil fuels. Jeffrey Mount, a topic expert from the Public Policy Institute of California's Water Policy Center, told CNN that discussions of water management programs in Northern California have "nothing to do with the fires in Southern California. There's nothing." We have reached out to Mount and will update this report if we hear back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Californiafirefacts, a fact-checking page about the January 2025 wildfires run by the California governor's office, the claim that Newsom's delta smelt policies had anything to do with the wildfires was labeled "outlandish." According to the California Department of Water Resources, most of the state's water reservoirs were at or above historical average levels on Jan. 6, the day before the fires broke out. Data from the Los Angeles Department of Power and Water in 2023 showed that 46% of the city's water came through the SWP and from the Colorado River, managed by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (labeled MWD on the first graph in the APM Resarch Lab article that presented the data). Hence, even if water delivery from the SWP had been low, there would have been a number of other sources for firefighters to draw on. A Snopes fact check previously found that reported water shortages in the Pacific Palisades area were largely due to extreme demand on a hydrant system that was not built to battle wildfires. Snopes has previously fact checked whether the January 2025 fires reached the Hollywood sign and whether Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had cut the budget for the Los Angeles Fire Department. Sources: "Attorney General Becerra Files Lawsuit Against Trump Administration for Failing to Protect Endangered Species in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers." State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General, 20 Feb. 2020, https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-becerra-files-lawsuit-against-trump-administration-failing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bland, Alastair. "More Water for Urban Areas, Some Farms: Biden, Newsom Officials Announce Long-Awaited New Water Delivery Rules." CalMatters, 20 Dec. 2024. calmatters.org, http://calmatters.org/environment/water/2024/12/california-delta-water-delivery-rules/. Bureau of Reclamation. "Newsroom | Bureau of Reclamation." Newsroom, https://www.usbr.gov/newsroom/news-release/5063. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. "California Fire Facts." Governor Gavin Newsom, https://gavinnewsom.com/california-fire-facts/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. "California Natural Resources Agency v. Ross." Climate Change Litigation, https://climatecasechart.com/case/california-natural-resources-agency-v-ross/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Central Valley Project | California-Great Basin | Bureau of Reclamation. https://www.usbr.gov/mp/cvp/. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. Dale, Daniel. "Fact Check: As Wildfires Rage, Trump Lashes out with False Claims about FEMA and California Water Policy | CNN Politics." CNN, 9 Jan. 2025, https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/09/politics/fact-check-trump-california-wildfires-fema/index.html. Delta Smelt. https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Fishes/Delta-Smelt. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. "Donald J. Trump: "Governor Gavin Newscum Refused to Sign the Water Restoration Declaration Put..." Trump's Truth, https://trumpstruth.org/statuses/28972. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement @GovPressOffice. "There Is No Such Document as the Water Restoration Declaration That Is Pure Fiction." X, 8 Jan. 2025, https://x.com/GovPressOffice/status/1877067195043221875. Home Page. https://cdec.water.ca.gov. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. "In Los Angeles, the City Is Looking toward More Sustainable Options for Water Sources." APM Research Lab, https://www.apmresearchlab.org/10x-la-water. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. @RealJackHibbs. "This Post Is True. Every Single Time the California Voter Had the Opportunity to Bring Water Not Only to All of California but to Our Farmers and Our Growers, Newsom Stood against It." X, 8 Jan. 2025, https://x.com/RealJackHibbs/status/1877047273643000235. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sinclair, Michael. "60 Billion + Dollar Fish." Facebook, 10 Jan. 2025, https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02Uttkfh4qifqFrFiF3P3vbx9rsthCuZ53BCKwHDjK8FwJSN2JLpjigheVuoMhAf2nl&id=100010174352619. Souza, Paul, et al. "Commentary: A New Approach for Managing California's Water and Improving the Environment." CalMatters, 22 Oct. 2019. calmatters.org, http://calmatters.org/commentary/2019/10/delta-water/. @SpeakerJohnson. "While Devastating Wildfires Continue to Rage in CA, It's Impossible to Ignore the Feckless Leadership in the State:" X, 9 Jan. 2025, Jan. 10, 2025. State Water Project. https://water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Delta. https://water.ca.gov/Water-Basics/The-Delta. Accessed 13 Jan. 2025. Trump Administration Optimizes Water Delivery and Increases Species Protection in California's Central Valley | U.S. Department of the Interior. 19 Feb. 2020, https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/trump-administration-optimizes-water-delivery-and-increases-species-protection. US EPA, OP. Summary of the Endangered Species Act. 22 Feb. 2013, https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-endangered-species-act. Weber, Christopher, and Holly Ramer. "24 Dead as Fire Crews Try to Corral Los Angeles Blazes before Winds Return This Week." AP News, 12 Jan. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-c5826e0ab8db965cb2814132ff54ee6f. President-elect Donald Trump on Thursday nominated businessman and philanthropist Bill Pulte, who lives in Florida but whose family has deep ties to metro Detroit, to serve as director of the Federal Housing Finance Authority. Once confirmed by the Senate, Pulte would lead the independent agency created more than a decade ago to oversee government-sponsored organizations that buy mortgage loans and sell them to investors, in turn increasing the funds available for home financing. Pulte, who runs a private equity firm and is the founder and chairman of the Detroit Blight Authority, a nonprofit organization that works to stabilize neighborhoods by helping to clear debris and trash around abandoned homes. He is the grandson of the late William Pulte, who founded Pulte Homes in Detroit in the 1950s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who will be inaugurated Monday, made the announcement on social media, saying he was pleased to nominate Pulte. "Bill needs no formal introduction to the Great Citizens of our Country, because they have seen, and many have experienced, his philanthropy firsthand," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "He believes in the incredible potential of our Nation, and will help us restore the American Dream FOR ALL." Although he was born and raised in Florida, Pulte, who has focused on raising funds via social media for charitable causes, has said he is still closely connected to Michigan. "Bill Pulte is an excellent choice for our next FHFA director," said Mat Ishbia, CEO of Pontiac-based United Wholesale Mortgage, which is the nations No. 1 mortgage lender by volume. "Having someone with industry experience who understands both housing and mortgage, as well as the challenges we need to overcome, is a win for the entire industry and consumers across the country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff writer JC Reindl contributed to this story. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This story has been updated to add new information. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Who is Bill Pulte? Philanthropist is Trump's nominee for FHFA WASHINGTON (AP) After Donald Trump becomes president again on Monday, he's on the hook for achieving a hefty chunk of his promises even before the day is out. One of those promises is to make you dizzy. Your head will spin when you see whats going to happen., he said of Day 1. Steady yourself. This is some of what he promised voters he would get done on his first day in office: Launch the largest deportation in U.S. history to remove all people in the country illegally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close the border. End automatic citizenship for everyone born in the U.S., known as birthright citizenship. Sign pardons for some or many of those convicted or charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Impose a 25% tariff on everything imported from Mexico and Canada and add a 10% tariff to duties already imposed on goods from China. Even before Monday, end the Russia-Ukraine war. All of that and more on Monday? Not likely. Trump simply cant accomplish all he said he will do on Day 1 because there are two more branches of government Congress and the courts. (Moreover, in 2017 he considered Jan. 21 his first full day on the job after the Jan. 20 inauguration to be his Day 1.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as other presidents have done and as Trump did aggressively and with decidedly mixed results in his first term he will quickly test the limits of his executive power. He's told lawmakers to expect more than 100 executive orders out of the gate. Some will be consequential, others will be cosmetic. Some will be tied up in courts. All will display the bravado of a president reaching for maximum solo power. Trump, a Republican, won't be alone in this. When Republicans cried foul about President Barack Obama's expansive executive actions in 2014, the Democrat met the uproar with a curt response: So sue me. Here are some things to know about Trump's promises: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump can't always act unilaterally The constitutional right to birthright citizenship, for example, cannot be ended with a stroke of his pen. On many other fronts, Trump's most contentious executive actions are sure to meet a thicket of court challenges. On some issues he can The power to pardon is within his grasp, and he can steer border enforcement efforts, tweak tariffs and find ways to spur energy production without Congress necessarily having to pass a law. Yet many of his executive orders will essentially be statements of intent stage setters for struggles to come. Trump has walked back some promises since winning election Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the campaign, he vowed repeatedly to close the border on Day 1. Post-election, his advisers said he wasn't speaking literally. He intends to take administrative action to tighten enforcement against illegal entry, not shut borders. Trump also vowed to end the Russia-Ukraine war even before taking office. Now, he's bending to the reality that he couldn't solve the conflict on the timetable he'd promised, telling Time magazine in a post-election interview: I think that the Middle East is an easier problem to handle than whats happening with Russia and Ukraine." On birthright citizenship, he appeared to concede after the election that ending that may not be so easy, either: Well maybe have to go back to the people," Trump said on NBC's Meet the Press in December. Some promises may be posturing or part of negotiations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump posted on social media after the election: "On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States." He added that all products from China will be hit with an additional 10% tariff right away. As definitive as that sounded, Trump later said of the tariffs, "We adjust it somewhat if they are merely passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices, as is usually the case. And he gave the three countries an opening to avoid or minimize the tariffs if they show enough progress in reducing the flow of illegal drugs into the U.S. Should he go ahead with the tariffs as laid out and draw trade penalties from the targeted countries in turn the economy would be subject to a seismic shock, given the decades of U.S. dependence on goods from China and of free trade within the integrated North American market. But he's serious about wielding the power of the pen Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under his core promise on immigration, Trump would unilaterally declare a national emergency to set the stage for tracking down millions of people in the U.S. illegally and holding them in detention centers until they can be removed from the country. Domestic police forces and the National Guard in some states could be empowered to help federal agents in an extraordinary effort to track down and deport millions of people. As a disincentive to cross into the U.S. illegally, it's untested. Illegal crossings surged during the Biden administration before dropping recently and hovering near a four-year low. Trump also vowed to declare a national energy emergency and approve new energy projects starting on Day 1. A national emergency might give him more authority to act unilaterally. It remains questionable how much can be accomplished on this front without action from Congress. But he can reverse President Joe Biden's ambitious executive orders on renewable energy, environmental protections and climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On pardons, presidents have a free hand when it comes to federal crimes, and Trump will be closely watched Monday to see how he uses it. Through the campaign, he held up those imprisoned for attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as patriots and vowed, I will sign their pardons on Day 1. Yet he has vacillated on who and how many in that crowd will be pardoned and on what grounds. Donald Trump is set to be inaugurated as president and make his anticipated return to the White House tomorrow after persuasively defeating Kamala Harris in the presidential election. Here is what to expect from the day. When is Trumps inauguration? Donald Trump will be sworn in tomorrow, January 20 2025, at about midday, after vice-president JD Vance takes the oath of office. Where will he be sworn in? At the US Capitol building in Washington DC which is about 1.2 miles from the White House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The swearing-in ceremony is usually held outside in the Capitol grounds, however due to cold weather, a decision has been made to move the ceremony indoors. The inaugural parade will be held in Washingtons Capital One Arena. All other events will remain the same, including the Victory Rally at Capital One Arena on Sunday at 3pm and all three inaugural balls. What happens on inauguration day? Every four years, thousands of people fill up the National Mall in Washington DC to watch the elected president and vice-president be sworn into office. The indoor ceremony will get under way at midday ET, after which point the transfer of power from the old administration to the new one will be complete. Mr Trumps family during a reception at Trump National Golf Club on Sunday - JIM WATSON The oath of office repeated by the vice-president dates back to 1884 and involves swearing to defend the Constitution of the United States and to faithfully discharge their duties as president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president is normally sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with John Roberts expected to administer the oath for a fifth time on Jan 20. After being sworn in, the president will issue their inaugural address in which they set forth their goals for the nation. This is followed at 3pm by a military parade called the pass in review, when the new commander-in-chief inspects their troops for the first time. Supporters line up outside Capital One Arena ahead of Mr Trumps rally on Sunday - Daniel Cole During the parade, the president and vice-president lead a procession of regiments, marching bands and floats down Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. The traditional parade, which is watched by millions of Americans, dates back to the first inauguration, when local militias joined George Washingtons procession as he made his way from Mount Vernon, Virginia, to New York City to be sworn into office in 1789. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, the parade has been moved indoors as temperatures in Washington DC are forecast to reach a decade low. Owing to a calendar quirk, the 2025 inauguration also falls on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr Day. It is just the second time that the state holiday honouring the civil rights leader has fallen on the same day as the inauguration. How many people will attend the inauguration? Turnout proved to be a bone of contention last time Mr Trump won the presidency. Aides claimed at the time that he had drawn the largest audience ever despite aerial photographs appearing to show significantly fewer numbers lining the national mall than had turned out for Barack Obamas inauguration in 2009. Mr Trump caused controversy in 2017 when he suggested his crowd, left, was the biggest ever, despite picture comparisons suggesting the one for Barack Obama, right, was far bigger - Reuters The tens of thousands of people who were expected to turn out for the event on the Capitol mall will no longer be able to do so as the event has been moved indoors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president-elect instead confirmed that the Capital One Arena will be opened for live viewing of the event. 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. Donald Trumps official inaugural portrait has been dubbed the supervillain pic of the year, and the MAGAverse is loving that it nods to his infamous mugshot. With just days until he is sworn in, Trump and his team are putting the final touches on preparations for his second stint in office. As part of that effort, the 78-year-old has been on modeling duty, echoing his infamous 2023 mugshot from Fulton County jail in Georgia. Heres Donald Trumps official inaugural portrait. Thats the face of a convicted felon, a proven sexual abuser, a proven fraudster, and someone who doesnt care about you at all. pic.twitter.com/ZMsqWZH1Eh Harry Sisson (@harryjsisson) January 16, 2025 This, of course, is where he surrendered himself after being indicted on racketeering and related charges. For the 2025 portrait, Trump once again deployed his go-to steely glare and furrowed brow. His chief photographer, Daniel Torok, offered a sneak peek at the portrait on X, before it spread like wildfire across social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump went with the mugshot aesthetic for the new Presidential Portrait. Trump chose violence, YouTuber Benny Johnson posted on Elon Musks social media site, comparing the two images. President Trumps new presidential portrait has been revealed. BADASS, conservative political commentator Nick Sortor posted. This goes HARD. Total mugshot vibes. Love it!! MAGA talking head Laura Loomer added. Over on Instagram, one person hailed the image as the supervillain pic of the year, while another person added: That look mean its going down. And compared to his first presidential portrait, the difference is stark. Back in 2017, months after taking office for the first time, Trump smiled broadly for his official snap. Donald Trump's 2023 mugshot from Fulton County Sheriff's Office. / Fulton County Sheriff's Office / via REUTERS The New York Times likened his grinning face to that of a smiley emoji. By contrast, The Telegraph art writer Alex Diggins said the new portrait is part-Churchill, part-low rent mobster. So-called Gen Z activist Harry Sisson wasnt so impressed by the jovial reaction to the image. Heres Donald Trumps official inaugural portrait. Thats the face of a convicted felon, a proven sexual abuser, a proven fraudster, and someone who doesnt care about you at all, he wrote on X. President-elect Donald Trumps pick to lead the CIA promised senators Wednesday he would not impose political litmus tests on the agencys workforce or force employees to place loyalty to Trump over the country. Trump has repeatedly portrayed the CIA and other spy agencies as corrupt institutions carrying out a political agenda. But John Ratcliffe, the former Texas congressman chosen by Trump to lead the spy service, spoke in respectful terms about its work at his Senate confirmation hearing and vowed he would not purge employees because of perceived political beliefs. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., vice chair of the Intelligence Committee, asked Ratcliffe for reassurances that you will resist efforts to fire or force out career CIA employees because of their perceived political views and that you will not ask these employees to place loyalty to a political figure above loyalty to country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffe said that he never had that approach as director of national intelligence (DNI) in Trumps first term in office and that he would not engage in a partisan overhaul as CIA director. If you look at my record and my record as DNI, that never took place. That is never something anyone alleged, he said. Its something that I would never do. The committee asked Ratcliffe in written questions before the hearing about Trumps vow in 2023 to clean out all of the corrupt actors in our National Security and Intelligence apparatus, and there are plenty of them. Ratcliffe wrote in reply that he was not in a position to comment on quotes attributed to Trump for which context may be lacking. But he said that throughout his career he found CIA employees to be skilled professionals who were driven by missionnot by political or ideological bias. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike other confirmation hearings, Ratcliffes two-hour hearing, which was followed by a closed-door session to discuss classified topics, proceeded smoothly with comparatively little partisan rancor. Ratcliffe is expected to be easily confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate, where he has mostly received praise for his performance as director of national intelligence in Trumps first term. Former intelligence officers, Democratic lawmakers and Western officials have harbored concerns that Trump and his deputies could undermine the work of the countrys intelligence agencies by injecting politics into their conclusions and analysis, which could discourage allies from sharing sensitive information. Since the start of his first term in 2017, Trump has had a stormy relationship with the intelligence community. He and his supporters have portrayed officials in the agencies along with the Justice Department and the FBI as part of a deep state plotting against him. Questioned by Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, Ratcliffe said he would not encourage an intelligence professional to alter assessments to avoid criticism from the White House and pledged that no political litmus or loyalty tests would be imposed on agency employees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King said he hoped Ratcliffe could persuade Trump to be more open to the information the intelligence community provides. Hes notoriously skeptical of the intelligence community, and being skeptical is not necessarily a bad thing, King said. But I hope thats one of the first things that you can work with him on, is to make him receptive to the information and the truth that you will be providing as a result of your position. The Great Hall of the People in Beijing. A focus on China Ratcliffe said his top priority as CIA director would be the threat posed by China, and he vowed to expand the CIAs focus on Beijing. The Chinese Communist Party remains committed to dominating the world economically, technologically and militarily, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CIA needs to continue and increase in intensity its focus on the threats posed by China and its ruling Chinese Communist Party, he added. Ratcliffe said in his written answers that he would shift more of the CIAs workforce to collecting and analyzing intelligence about China and praised the current CIA director, William Burns, for having created a China Mission Center. He said his effort would include building broad and deep expertise on the target and increasing the number of officers with language capability in analytic and operational roles. Ratcliffe said that he would aim to increase intelligence collection on Chinas activity in new technologies and seek to counter Beijings efforts to exploit the theft of U.S. intellectual property and research. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chair of the Intelligence Committee, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said that the CIA had become politicized and overly bureaucratic and that it needed to get back to what he said was its core mission collecting foreign intelligence, or stealing secrets. Ratcliffe agreed that the CIAs core mission was to collect intelligence and that it needed to guard against complacency. CIA officers who do not meet expectations will be held accountable, he said. Cotton said the CIA had failed to anticipate a series of major global events, including Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, the strength of the Afghan government army fighting the Taliban, the ability of Ukraines military to fend off Russias full-scale invasion in 2022 and the fall of the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad last month. In questioning Ratcliffe, Cotton also cited an internal survey of the CIAs workforce on the objectivity of it work, which is mandated by Congress but has not been released publicly. Ratcliffe said he was familiar with the highlights of the survey, which he said showed significant concerns among employees about objectivity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the survey reflects that a significant percentage of the current CIA workforce does have concerns about the objectivity of the products that theyre producing and even cited that in specific instances, to include the PDB, the presidents daily brief, Ratcliffe said. He did not elaborate. The CIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lawmakers from both parties also asked Ratcliffe to commit to renew efforts to investigate the causes of the mysterious health incidents known as Havana Syndrome, which have plagued intelligence officers and diplomats, first in Cuba and then in other countries. Ratcliffe promised a renewed effort to get to the bottom of the health cases, saying, I share your frustration that four years later, were very much in the same place in terms of trying to make an assessment and determination on the cause of this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a split emerged among intelligence agencies over whether foreign adversaries may have been responsible for the unexplained injuries, which include vertigo, severe headaches and other effects. A U.S. intelligence assessment released Friday revealed that two of seven unnamed spy agencies concluded a foreign actor may have developed or deployed a weapon that caused the incidents. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) President-elect Donald Trump has chosen former NY-22 Congressman Brandon Williams to serve as the next under secretary for nuclear security and the administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration at the U.S. Department of Energy. Williams thanked Trump in a statement, I will be honored to lead the tremendous scientific and engineering talent at NNSA. Williams was first elected to represent NY-22 in 2022 but was defeated in his re-election bid this past November by Democrat Congressman John Mannion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before going into Congress, Williams served as a Nuclear Submarine Officer in the U.S. Navy. Williams will need to be confirmed by the Senate in order to take up this post. 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. The GOP is looking at several tactics to reduce the size of Medicaid, including block grants and lowering federal matching funds. (Getty Images) Under President Joe Biden, enrollment in Medicaid hit a record high and the uninsured rate reached a record low. Donald Trumps return to the White House along with a GOP-controlled Senate and House of Representatives is expected to change that. Republicans in Washington say they plan to use funding cuts and regulatory changes to dramatically shrink Medicaid, the nearly $900-billion-a-year government health insurance program that, along with the related Childrens Health Insurance Program, serves about 79 million mostly low-income or disabled Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposals include rolling back the Affordable Care Acts expansion of Medicaid, which over the last 11 years added about 20 million low-income adults to its rolls. Trump has said he wants to drastically cut government spending, which may be necessary for Republicans to extend 2017 tax cuts that expire at the end of this year. Trump made little mention of Medicaid during the 2024 campaign. The first Trump administration approved work requirements in several states, though only Arkansas implemented theirs before a federal judge said it violated the law. The first Trump administration also sought to block-grant funding to states. House Budget Committee Chair Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican, told KFF Health News that Medicaid and other federal entitlement programs need major changes to help cut the federal debt. Without them, we will watch this country sadly enter into fiscal collapse. Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican and member of the Budget Committee, said Congress needs to explore cutting federal spending on Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You need wholesale reform on the health care front, which can include undoing a lot of the damage being done by the ACA and Obamacare, Roy said. Frankly, we could end up providing better service if we do it the right way. Advocates for poor people fear GOP funding cuts will leave more Americans without insurance, making it harder for them to get care. Medicaid is an obvious target for huge cuts, said Joan Alker, executive director of Georgetown Universitys Center for Children and Families. An existential fight about Medicaids future likely lies ahead. Medicaid, which turns 60 in July, is nearing the end of a disruptive period, after COVID pandemic-era coverage protections expired in 2023 and all enrollees had to prove they still qualified. More than 25 million people lost coverage over the 18 months after the unwinding began, though it has not notably increased the number of people without insurance, according to the latest census data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unwindings disruptions could pale in comparison to what happens in the next four years, said Matt Salo, former executive director and founder of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. What we are going to see is an even bigger seismic shift in who Medicaid covers and how it operates, he said. But Salo said any efforts to shrink the program will face pushback. A lot of powerful entities state governments, managed-care organizations, long-term care providers, and everyone under the sun who wants to do well by doing good wants to see Medicaid work efficiently and be adequately funded, he said. And they will be highly motivated to push back on something they see as draconian cuts, because it could affect their business model. The GOP is looking at several tactics to reduce the size of Medicaid: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shifting to block grants. Switching to annual block grants could lower federal funding for states to operate the program while giving states more discretion over how to spend the money. Currently, the government matches a certain percentage of state spending each year with no cap. Republican presidents since Ronald Reagan have sought to block-grant Medicaid with no success. Arrington said he favors ending the open-ended federal funding to states and replacing it with a set annual amount based on how many people each state has in the program. Cutting ACA Medicaid funding. The ACA provided financing to cover, through Medicaid, Americans with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or $20,783 for an individual last year. The federal government pays 90% of the cost for adults covered through the laws Medicaid expansion, which 40 states and Washington, D.C., have adopted. The GOP may try to lower that funding to the same match rate the feds pay states for everyone else in the program, which averages about 60%. We should absolutely note that we are subsidizing the healthy, able-bodied Medicaid expansion population at a higher rate than we do the poorest and sickest among us, which was the original intent of the program, Arrington said. Thats not right. Lowering federal matching funds. Since Medicaid began, the federal match rate has been based on the relative wealth of a states population, with poorer states receiving a higher rate and no state receiving less than a 50% match. Ten states get the base rate all but two are Democratic-run states, including New York and California. The GOP may seek to cut the base rate to 40% or less. Adding work requirements. During the first Trump term, federal courts ruled that Medicaid law doesnt allow coverage to be conditioned on enrollees working or seeking jobs. But the GOP may try again. If we can get strict work requirements on able-bodied adults, that can be a huge cost savings by itself, Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) told KFF Health News. Because most Medicaid enrollees already work, go to school, or serve as caregivers, critics say such a requirement would simply add red tape to obtaining coverage, with little impact on employment. Placing enrollment hurdles. About 10 states offer some populations whats called continuous eligibility, whereby people stay enrolled for years without having to renew their coverage. That policys been shown to prevent enrollees from falling out of the program for short periods because of hardships or paperwork problems, which can lead to surprise medical bills and debt. The Trump administration could seek to repeal waivers that allow states to grant multiyear continuous eligibility, which would require people in those states to reapply for coverage annually. If the GOPs plans to shrink Medicaid are realized, Democrats and health experts say, low-income people forced to buy private insurance would face challenges paying monthly premiums and the large copayments and deductibles common to commercial plans that typically dont exist in Medicaid. The Paragon Health Institute, a leading conservative think tank run by former Trump adviser Brian Blase, has issued reports saying the billions in extra money states took to expand Medicaid under the ACA has been a boon to private insurers that manage the program and relatively wealthier people it says shouldnt be enrolled. Josh Archambault, a senior fellow with the conservative Cicero Institute, said he hopes the Trump administration holds states accountable for overpaying providers and enrolling people in Medicaid who are not eligible. Conservatives have cited CMS reports saying states improperly pay Medicaid providers billions of dollars a year, though the federal government notes that is mostly due to lack of documentation. He said the GOP will look to scale back Medicaid to its traditional populations of children, pregnant women, and people with disabilities. We need to rebalance the program that most people think is underperforming, he said. Most Americans, including large majorities of both Republicans and Democrats, view the program favorably, according to polls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. This article first appeared on KFF Health News and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. President-elect Trump on Wednesday said he would not consider individuals affiliated with a host of Republican rivals and critics for jobs in his incoming administration, singling out former Vice President Mike Pence, former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R), among others. As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years, Trump posted on Truth Social. In order to save time, money, and effort, Trump said it would be helpful if those suggesting potential hires would not recommend individuals who worked with various critics of his. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump listed Pence, Haley, Cheney, former Vice President Dick Cheney, former Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), former Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Republican donor Charles Koch. Haley and Pence ran against Trump in the 2024 GOP primary, while the Cheneys endorsed Vice President Harris in Novembers election. He also listed a number of his own former administration officials, including his former national security adviser John Bolton, former Defense secretary James Mattis, former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley and former Defense Secretary Mark Esper. Trump has always prized loyalty among his staffers, and his post is a sign that he will not tolerate administration officials with any affiliation with Republicans who have criticized him or turned on him in some way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president-elects post follows a report in The New York Times that Trump spoke with Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito earlier this month after one of Alitos former law clerks was recommended for an administration job. The Times reported that some Trump allies were opposed to hiring the individual, William Levi, because he served in the first Trump administration as chief of staff to then-Attorney General Bill Barr. While Trump nominated Barr, he has since turned on his former attorney general after Barr rebuffed Trumps claims of election fraud after the 2020 election. 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. (Bloomberg) -- US President-elect Donald Trumps pick for the next secretary of state has voiced the incoming administrations strongest backing yet for the Aukus security pact, likely reassuring Australian officials who have been privately concerned at its commitment to the deal. Most Read from Bloomberg During his Senate confirmation hearings to be the USs next top diplomat, Senator Marco Rubio said the second Trump administration would see strong support for the Australia-UK-US agreement, adding he believed it was an example of the best way to reinforce alliances with US partners across the globe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its almost a blueprint in many ways of how we can create consortium-like partnership with nation states that are allied to us to confront some of these global challenges, Rubio told a committee. Its one example of how we can leverage the power of these partnerships with allies. Australia has been attempting to gauge support for Aukus inside the Trump camp for more than a year, amid concerns that the sometimes unpredictable incoming president might seek to alter or potentially even terminate the agreement. Under Aukus, which was agreed to by President Joe Biden in September 2021, the US and the UK will work with Australia to provide Canberra with a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines. The deal is widely seen as a move to strengthen security ties between the Western partners in the face of growing strategic competition from China. The first Virginia-class submarines are expected to arrive from the US in the early 2030s, meaning the Trump administration will be central to ensuring timely delivery of the vessels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Australian government has been reshaping its own military to accommodate the pivot to nuclear-powered submarines, moving toward autonomous systems and long-range missiles. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at a press conference on Thursday in Canberra that he was confident the second Trump administration would be committed to Aukus. There is very broad support for Aukus across the Congress, across the US Senate, and I have no doubt there will be support for Aukus from the incoming administration, he said. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2025 Bloomberg L.P. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump said on Thursday he has chosen as Troy Meink to lead the U.S. Air Force."Troy will work with our incredible Secretary of Defense Nominee, Pete Hegseth, to ensure that our Nations Air Force is the most effective and deadly force in the World, as we secure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH," Trump said in a post on Truth Social. (Reporting by Caitlin Webber; Editing by Doina Chiacu) U.S. President-elect Donald Trump can end Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with Polish media released on Jan. 16, not ruling out that it may happen in 2025. "These are his (Trump's) messages, both public and non-public. And he is a capable leader to put pressure on Russia," Zelensky said. Trump is set to take office on Jan. 20. Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump promised to negotiate a swift end to the war in Ukraine, often referring to his good relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Ukrainian president, Trump should agree on real security guarantees for Ukraine. "He must force Putin to diplomacy, to end this war," Zelensky added. Trump's push for a quick end to the war has led to fears that Kyiv will be pressured into unfavorable concessions, including loss of land. About 20% of Ukrainian territory is currently under occupation by Russian forces. Some of Trump's advisors have signaled a timeline of at least several months to strike a deal to settle the Russia-Ukraine war, Reuters reported on Jan. 15. Read also: Biden leaves nearly $4 billion in US aid to Ukraine unused. What will happen to it under Trump? Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Cassidy Araiza for Them Sign up for The Agenda Thems news and politics newsletter, delivered to your inbox every Thursday. As the returns came in from the November presidential election, Kimberly Shappley took the American flag off the pole that came with her house when she bought it. This is the United States of Jack Shit, she thought to herself as she took down the banner. Theres nothing united about this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The results were especially bruising for Shappleys family after they were forced to move twice so her 14-year-old trans daughter, Kai, could live safely: first from Texas, where Gov. Greg Abbott issued a 2022 executive order forcing child welfare agencies to investigate parents whose children have received gender-affirming care for abuse, and then from Connecticut earlier this year. Despite fleeing to a blue state, New England wasnt as safe as they had hoped: They would often come home to find transphobic graffiti on their street, and parents of Kais classmates frequently left hateful comments on her social media. Although their family got settled in another new state earlier this year, Shappley says she still hasnt unpacked or hung her artwork on the walls, scared they might be forced to flee yet again. I might just need to put it right back in the box at a moments notice, Shappley tells Them. You never had to wake up under the Biden administration and wonder if laws had changed that could put you in jail or take your kids away. Under normal leadership, thats not something you have to think about every fucking day. Now Im going to have to for at least four years. Across the U.S., trans youth and their parents have been forced to adjust to the harsh reality of yet another Trump administration. During his 2024 campaign, the president-elect vowed an unprecedented attack on trans rights if reelected: from the passage of a federal law erasing trans and nonbinary people to a nationwide ban on gender-affirming care for trans youth. His presidential platform also hinted at a total assault on LGBTQ+ education, including sweeping Dont Say Gay-style directives, restrictions on the ability of trans student-athletes to compete in sports, and so-called Parents Rights policies that could potentially out trans students to unsupportive families. With the inauguration just days away, Them spoke to three families about how they are preparing for life under Trump: where they are finding resources, how theyre coping from day to day, and what brings them joy, even in the darkest of moments. Cassidy Araiza for Them The Importance of Self-Advocacy As a Texas resident, Amber Briggle had no choice but to be ready for the election: Her family was among the many families of trans children investigated by the Department of Family Protective Services following Abbotts directive. Were always prepared, Briggle tells Them. Half my phone is lawyers. Weve been through it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since before the election, Briggle has been working on making sure her familys documents are in order, including having corrected birth certificates, social security cards, drivers licenses, IDs, passports, and passport cards at the ready, just in case they are needed. Her trans 16-year-old son, Max, was born in the Netherlands, and his birth certificate is in Dutch, but he has a Consular Report of Birth Abroad through the U.S. State Department. In case Trump decides to issue an executive order stating that trans people are no longer permitted to correct their name and gender marker on the latter documents, Briggle says that she has applied for enough extra copies of his birth records to last a lifetime. While Briggles husband, Adam, says that he has been coping with the aftermath of the election by tuning out the news, his wife has taken the opposite approach: staying on high alert, being proactive, and preparing for the worst. Briggle stays glued to every single update about the Trump administration, she says, because she wants to know what these motherfuckers are up to. She often thinks of a former colleague whose father survived the Iranian Revolution by being as loud as possible: The noisier you were, the harder it was to make you disappear. I have lived by that rule, Briggle says. I might end up on someones list, but I would hope it would be harder to silence me because of the noise Im making. Theres power in numbers. Her children have a different approach to self-advocacy, choosing to take a step back and preserve their energy. Briggles 12-year-old nonbinary child, Wren, says they are currently writing poetry and music while striving to live their best life. While Max admits that he has been struggling with resentment toward older classmates who he feels voted against his very right to be, he is focused on living out his normal, everyday existence. He knows that its important to be visible, raise his voice, and educate people, but he also enjoys the opportunity to be quiet every once in a while. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I definitely feel like the world's totally crumbling around me, but I dont think about it all that much, he tells Them. Being transgender is like having hair: You dont think about it all the time. I go to school, I go climbing, and Im just kind of a guy. I dont think about it. Cassidy Araiza for Them Staying Rooted in Community Even before the Trump administration, the Trujillos fought for years to make sure that they would be prepared for extreme, worst-case scenarios. Their family were plaintiffs in the lawsuit to overturn Arizonas restrictive birth certificate policy, which required surgery before a trans person was permitted to correct the gender marker on their birth records. Lizette Trujillo says that she was cognizant of the importance of having accurate documentation for her 17-year-old son, Daniel, after going through the naturalization process with her husband. She hadnt realized how heavy being a family of mixed immigration status had weighed on her until her partner, who was born in Mexico, finally became a U.S. citizen in 2018. It means a lot in this country to have IDs and legal status, she tells Them. It allows you to live openly and freely. Undocumented people and trans people who do not have access to legal documentation end up living in the shadows or not being able to participate in public life because they don't have accurate IDs. Its been a priority for us, and I feel really lucky that we were able to get everything done [for Daniel] in time. For the Trujillos, doing the work of preparing for Trump also means showing up for community. They were active during the election canvassing for local progressive candidates and working to get out the vote, and as the results came in, Daniel spent the day checking in with friends and fellow activists. Since November, they have stayed busy with volunteering and working to raise awareness about the impact of anti-trans policy on youth. Both Lizette and Daniel spoke at a December rally on the steps of the Supreme Court as judges heard arguments in U.S. v. Skrmetti, a landmark case that could determine the constitutionality of state laws restricting gender-affirming medical care for minors. Cassidy Araiza for Them Speaking at the Supreme Court was important to Daniel, he says, because he wanted to make sure that trans youth know that theyre not alone right now. He is aware that he is blessed to have the support of his family members and loved ones, and its important that others feel as if they have community as well. His mother believes that parents also have a role in making sure trans kids feel supported and seen, citing a phrase that she keeps close to her heart: Como tu los quieres los demas los van a querer. The saying expresses, she says, that the way that you love someone will mirror the way other people should love them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a firm believer that if parents show up in pride, love, and protection of our children, the world will mirror that back to us, Trujillo says. Weve been able to give Daniel a life that he can be proud of, that he feels secure in, and that he feels affirmed in. She is aware, though, that this very love is what she will be fighting to protect under the Trump administration. To think that our government can strip all of that away, it makes me really angry. It makes me really scared. Having a Back-Up Plan While Shappley says that she struggled to get out of bed for the first few days after Trumps win, she has since stayed focused on the basic fact of her familys day-to-day survival. On top of working two jobs, she spends her evenings researching the safest countries for LGBTQ+ people, in case they have to relocate yet again. That backup plan, though, has been complicated by several factors, such as the difficulty of finding employers that will accept her U.S. licensure as a registered nurse. Other potential hurdles include securing the required shots and paperwork for her pets, as well as making sure they can obtain gender-affirming care abroad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How Viable Are Trumps Anti-LGBTQ\+ Threats? We Asked Legal Experts Trump has vowed to end gender-affirming care for trans youth, ban trans kids from playing sports, and erase trans people from public life. Can he really do it? My brain is going in 17 directions right now, Shappley says. I dont even know which bases need to be covered, so Im literally day and night thinking how Im going to cover all those bases. I dont even know how many there are. This game doesnt even have rules in place. The fact is, though, that Shappleys dont want to leave yet again. They have finally found a community in their new state, she says, where her daughter has trans elders and role models whom she can one day aspire to be like. They spend every Sunday in the loving company of neighbors and friends, and after years of running, it feels as if Shappley and her children might finally be home. Her mother says that constant moving is the only life Kai has ever known, and here, in their fragile idyll, she hopes to show her little girl that the world doesnt have to be that way. It would be nice just to have an average life, Shappley says. It would be really nice to just relax. Get the best of whats queer. Sign up for Thems weekly newsletter here. Originally Appeared on them. President-elect Donald Trump will pick Mike Banks, a special advisor to Gov. Greg Abbott for border matters, to lead the U.S. Border Patrol, according to the New York Post. Banks, a retired Border Patrol agent, has served as Texas border czar since 2023 when Abbott created the position. The press offices for the Trump administrations transition team and Abbotts office did not immediately respond Thursday to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Banks served as a border advisor amid the states all-out effort to control the southern border with Mexico, dubbed Operation Lone Star, and its confrontations with the Biden administration over immigration enforcement, which has long been the sole responsibility of the federal government. As part of the mission, Department of Public Safety troopers and National Guard soldiers have been deployed to the border, where they have installed miles of concertina wire and a floating buoy barrier in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass while also arresting thousands of migrants on criminal trespassing charges. U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, told reporters in Washington D.C. Thursday that Trumps pick was a great choice. I know Mike, and I think it's an inspired choice, and nobody understands the border better than Texans, Cornyn said. Texas obviously has the biggest border, longest border, and I really like the idea that we're going to have somebody who understands the Texas border. Matthew Choi contributed to this report. Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent wont commit to not cutting Medicaid. In a heated back and forth Thursday with New Mexico Senator Ben Ray Lujan, the hedge fund manager refused to specify where exactly he stood on the future of the critical health care program, claiming instead that he would leverage future negotiations on Medicaid to empower states. Yes or no: Will you recommend cutting Medicaid? pressed Lujan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im sorry, I didnt hear if you said Medicaid or Medicare, stuttered Bessent. Will you recommend cutting Medicaid? the senator reiterated. Medicaid? The, umI willits the business of Congress to do the budget, Bessent responded. And I am in favor of empowering states, and I believe that for some states that will be an increase and for some states that will be a decrease. So, Mr. Bessent, will you recommend cutting Medicaid to President Trump? And Ill remind you that you acknowledged that one of your responsibilities as secretary of the Treasury will be to be providing this advice, Lujan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will get back to you on this, Bessent concluded. Donald Trump's nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says he will "get back to" Senator Ben Ray Lujan when asked at his Senate confirmation hearing if he would suggest cuts to Medicaid. Vile. pic.twitter.com/EM6Nx5L0XD Art Candee (@ArtCandee) January 16, 2025 More than 72 million Americans, or roughly one in five citizens, were enrolled in Medicaid as of October, according to a federal Medicaid factsheet. The joint federal and state health care program provides comprehensive health care insurance to low-income Americans. The wildly popular program has come under increased scrutiny by Donald Trump and his allies since his November win. In a Wall Street Journal op-ed published in November, Vivek Ramaswamy and Elon Musk (the potential co-chairs of the not-yet-real Department of Government Efficiency) said they intended to take a knife to entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, though they refused to specify how much they planned to burn from the health care programs. That could help Trump extend his 2017 tax plan, which overwhelmingly benefits corporations and could add as much as $15 trillion to the national deficit, and which Bessent repeatedly vouched for and framed on Thursday as a salvation for Americas working class. Christmas may be over, but President-elect Donald Trump still has quite a few names on his naughty list. In a Truth Social post published Wednesday night, the incoming 47th president of the United States named a handful of former White House staffers as people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, and asked the public to not recommend job candidates that had previously worked with any of them. As of today, the incoming Trump Administration has hired over 1,000 people for The United States Government. They are outstanding in every way, and you will see the fruits of their labor over the coming years, Trump began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and it will happen very quickly! In order to save time, money, and effort, it would be helpful if you would not send, or recommend to us, people who worked with, or are endorsed by, Americans for No Prosperity (headed by Charles Koch), Dumb as a Rock John Bolton, Birdbrain Nikki Haley, Mike Pence, disloyal Warmongers Dick Cheney, and his Psycho daughter, Liz. Screenshot/Donald Trump/Truth Social Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, General(?) Mark Milley, James Mattis, Mark Yesper, or any of the other people suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome, more commonly known as TDS. Thank you for your attention to this matter!, he concluded. Trump has been public about his qualms with all of the people on the list, including his own previous right-hand man, former Vice President Mike Pence. The two had a falling-out following the events of the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, where Pence largely blamed Trump for the events leading up to the insurrection. Pence accused Trump of having endangered him and his family in his 2022 memoir, So Help Me God. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stands with Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence and acknowledge the crowd on the third day of the Republican National Convention on July 20, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. / Chip Somodevilla / Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images Meanwhile others on the list, like former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Sen. Mitt Romney, have been staunch critics of Trump and his influence on the GOP. They both refused to support him in the 2024 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former House Speaker Paul Ryan similarly voted against Trump in both the 2020 and 2024 election, telling Yahoo Finance at the Milken Global Institute Conference in May 2024 that he wrote in a Republican the last time and was going to write in a Republican this time. Ryan also called Trump a populist, authoritarian narcissist while speaking at a virtual Teneo event in 2023. Trumps not a conservative, Ryan said at the time. Hes a populist, authoritarian narcissist. So, historically speaking, all of his tendencies are basically where narcissism takes him, which is whatever makes him popular, makes him feel good at any given moment. Then-President Donald Trump delivers the State of the Union address as US Vice President Mike Pence and Speaker of the House US Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) look on in the chamber of the US House of Representatives. / WIN MCNAMEE / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Another member on Trumps blacklist, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley, was also an outspoken critic of the president-elect, going so far as to liken him to a dictator in his retirement speech in 2023. We dont take an oath to a king, or a queen, to a tyrant or dictator or wannabe dictator, Milley said at the time in an apparent reference to Trump. He later added that the countrys troops did not put their lives on the line to watch this great experiment in democracy perish. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks as former Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Army Gen. Mark Milley looks on after getting a briefing from senior military leaders in the Cabinet Room at the White House on October 7, 2019 in Washington, DC. / Mark Wilson/Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Milley also described Trump as a fascist to the core in a conversation relayed in legendary Washington reporter Bob Woodwards 2024 book War. President-elect Trump will take action to preserve TikTok upon taking office, his incoming national security adviser said Wednesday, with a deadline looming for the apps owner to sell or face a ban in the United States. Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.) told Fox News that Trump intends to take action both to maintain access to an app that the president-elect has repeatedly praised in recent weeks and to protect users data. TikTok itself is a fantastic platform, Waltz said. I wish I could have it on my phone. The algorithm is amazing. Were going to find a way to preserve it but protect peoples data. And thats the deal that will be in front of us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waltz appeared on Special Report with Bret Baier shortly after The Washington Post reported Trump was considering different options to save TikTok in the face of a looming ban, including via an executive order. A bipartisan law signed by President Biden in April requires TikTok to divest from its China-based owner ByteDance or face a ban in the U.S. beginning Sunday. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments over the law last week, during which the justices expressed sympathy with the governments national security concerns about the platforms ties to China. The high court is expected to issue some type of ruling to either uphold the law that would ban TikTok, strike down the law on First Amendment grounds and save the app or step in on a temporary basis to save TikTok until the court issues its final opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Supreme Court comes out with a ruling, you know, in favor of the law, President Trump has been very clear, Waltz said. Number one, TikTok is a great platform that many Americans use, and was great for his campaign in getting his message out. But, number two, he is going to protect their data. Theres people out there who dont want the U.S. government seeing all their data and passwords. We certainly dont want the Chinese government seeing all their data and passwords, he continued. He is a dealmaker. I dont want to get ahead of our executive orders, but were going to create the space to put that deal in place. 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. Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum told the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee he will seek energy dominance during his confirmation hearing on Thursday. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of the Interior Department has thrown his support behind an "all of the above" approach to energy production. He expanded on those plans during the three-plus hour hearing. "The American people have clearly placed their confidence in President Trump to achieve energy dominance," Burgum told the committee in his opening statement. "And by energy dominance, that's the foundation of American prosperity, affordability for American families, and unrivaled national security." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Burgum alluded to national security, Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, pressed him on the threat posed by climate change. She recounted past secretaries of defense who have cited climate change as a serious and "critical" threat to national security. One secretary of defense she quoted directly was James Mattis, Trump's first nominee for the position in 2017. "Were you aware that they testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on a number of times that burning more fossil fuel is actually going to not result in the end of wars, but the very well exacerbating cause wars?" Hirono asked. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum testifies during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine his expected nomination to be secretary of the Interior, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI Burgum insisted that carbon capture technology is adequate enough to curb the issues related to burning fossil fuels. Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., asked Burgum for his position on attaching conditions to federal disaster relief. This is in light of House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., saying Congress should attach conditions on aid to California amid the deadly wildfires that have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, questions former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum during a hearing to examine his expected nomination to be Secretary of the Interior, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI "I think each situation would vary," Burgum said before offering condolences to the victims of the Los Angeles County wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As governor, Burgum requested and received federal disaster relief from President Joe Biden without conditions in response to wildfires in northwest North Dakota. Padilla said there have never been "strings attached" to disaster relief. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., questions former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum during a hearing to examine his expected nomination to be Secretary of the Interior, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI If confirmed, Burgum would lead several agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the National Park Service. Deb Haaland currently serves in this role. Burgum would then hold authority over public lands and waters. He said Thursday that extracting resources from those lands would be useful in bringing down the national debt and fixing the U.S. "balance sheet." He said the Department of the Interior has authority over 500 million acres of surface land, 700 million acres of subsurface and 2 billion acres that are untouched lands offshore. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. (L), joins North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine his expected nomination to be Secretary of the Interior at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He singled out tribal lands as "assets" that would be especially beneficial for the United States to mine for natural resources. "We've got to get going. We got to cut red tape," he said. "We got to realize that if you shut down U.S. energy production here, it doesn't help the global environment. That's a false trade-off." Former North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum prepares to testify during a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee hearing to examine his expected nomination to be secretary of the interior, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Thursday. Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI During his opening statement, he said his relationship with the tribes of North Dakota while he was governor have "sometimes been challenged" but the current relationship with tribes and the state is strong. Burgum challenged President-elect Donald Trump in the Republican primary before quickly bowing out and endorsing him. Trump refers to Burgum as his pick for White House "energy czar." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has also selected Burgum to chair the National Energy Council, a new advisory board Trump plans to commission. The hearing began on Capitol Hill at 10 a.m. EST. The hearing was originally slated for Tuesday but Burgum's financial disclosure and ethics agreement, among other documents, were not received by committee Democrats, prompting a delay. "Being selected to lead the U.S. Department of the Interior is an incredible honor and an enormous responsibility, and I'm deeply grateful to President Trump for this opportunity to serve the American people in such a broad capacity," Burgum said in a statement after being nominated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After challenging Trump in the primary, Burgum was reportedly on the shortlist as a potential running mate, a position that ultimately went to J.D. Vance. During his primary campaign, Burgum echoed Trump's energy policies, supporting relaxing regulations and pursuing more fossil fuel usage. Burgum is a tech entrepreneur who sold a software business to Microsoft. Trump's mass deportation plans could hinder LA wildfire rebuilding efforts. Immigrants form a large part of California's construction workforce, already facing shortages. Deportations could worsen housing shortages and increase costs in the construction industry. Housing policy and immigration researchers say President-elect Donald Trump's plans for mass deportations could hamper efforts to rebuild the thousands of homes destroyed by the wildfires in Los Angeles and intensify the region's housing shortage. Data from the National Association of Home Builders shows immigrants, including those living in the US illegally, make up a significant portion of California's construction workforce, which is already suffering from a shortage of workers. The extent and scope of possible deportations after Trump takes office on January 20 is still unclear. However, researchers expect even the threat of immigration crackdowns to shrink the available construction workforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When Trump is sworn in, there will be a chilling effect," Ben Metcalf, a housing policy researcher at the University of California, Berkeley, told Business Insider. "We don't know how big it will be, but it is 100% certain that there will be fewer undocumented folks showing up at the job lines to try and get on construction jobs." As of January 15, at least 25 people had been killed by the wildfires in LA County, and the Palisades and Eaton fires the two largest were still only partly contained. Over 12,000 structures have been destroyed, while over 40,000 acres have been burned. Nearly 90,000 people are still under evacuation orders. Housing policy researchers and economists warned that the wildfire destruction will deepen California's already acute housing shortage. LA County was short about 337,000 homes as of 2022, per a report published last year from Zillow. Any immigration restrictions will hurt labor availability for developers, contractors, and others involved in LA's future rebuilding effort, Eric Finnigan, vice president of demographics research at John Burns Research and Consulting, told Business Insider. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Everyone in and around Southern California that's in the housing market is going to feel this in some way or another," he said. An industry built on immigrant labor The exact number of immigrants who work in the country's construction industry varies among researchers, but foreign-born workers particularly those living in the country illegally make up a disproportionate share of the workforce. An estimated 15 to 23% of that overall construction workforce live in the country illegally. In California, immigrants made up 41% of the construction workforce in 2023, the National Association of Home Builders found. It's unclear what share of LA's construction workforce is in the country illegally. The construction industry is already facing a significant nationwide labor shortage estimated at about 500,000 workers last year that has also increased building costs. The shortage has slowed the pace of new home construction, repairs, and renovations and driven up labor costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some economists and homebuilders have previously told BI that Trump's plans to curtail legal and illegal immigration could further restrict the construction workforce, slow the rate of building, and inflate prices. Many immigrants working in the industry are protected under certain special legal programs, like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Temporary Protected Status, which were bolstered under President Joe Biden but may be cut by Trump. Deportations would mean "fewer workers to build the housing that we need, and to some extent, some homes would become vacant because members in their home got deported," said Shane Phillips, housing initiative project manager at UCLA's Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies. Sixty-one percent of home builders surveyed by John Burns Research and Consulting in December said they expect potential deportations under Trump to hurt their operations. At the same time, 87% of home builders said they're concerned about Trump's plans to raise tariffs, which economists expect would inflate the costs of building materials imported abroad. Immigrants who live in the US illegally are also more likely to work in single-family home construction than in larger apartment buildings, multiple experts told BI. This is in part because small, custom home construction projects tend to employ smaller contractors better able to skirt regulations, Metcalf said. Most of the homes that have been destroyed or damaged by the fires are single-family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Particularly in the renovation and rebuilding kind of space, where you're just doing a one-off home, that is exactly where the construction industry is particularly reliant on those undocumented workers," Metcalf said. Chloe East, a fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies topics like immigration, said slowing the pace of construction by shrinking the immigrant workforce would also hurt the US-born construction workforce. "When companies cannot find laborers for a building contract, they will also not hire architects and managers for the contract either," she said. There is precedent for deportations negatively impacting the construction industry. During President Barack Obama's first term, about 400,000 people were deported through the Secure Communities program, a Department of Homeland Security program that identified deportable immigrants in US jails. Research on its impacts found deportations had negative impacts on new home builds. East added the threat of mass deportations causes people who are living in the country illegally to work less to avoid deportation risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Three years after the start of mass deportations, the average county has about 2,000 fewer new housing units built than it would have if mass deportations had not occurred," East told BI, citing an October 2024 paper. "Because there are fewer new homes built, the price of the average new home also goes up." An unpredictable future with immigration While Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have pledged to deport millions of immigrants as part of a broader crackdown, it's not clear that their ambitious plans are feasible. Tom Homan, Trump's border czar, told The Wall Street Journal he doesn't know how many people may be deported in the first 100 days and said the administration will likely first go after immigrants who are living in the country illegally and with criminal records rather than broad sweeps of immigrant-heavy neighborhoods. During his first term, Trump oversaw an initial uptick in removals. Still, his administration deported about 1.5 million people significantly fewer than the 2.9 million people Obama deported during his first term. On the campaign trail, Vance argued that deportations would lower housing costs, and American-born workers not in the workforce could take on construction jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, some economists and homebuilders told BI that these conclusions may not hold up. During the pandemic, many older, experienced workers retired, and the pipeline of younger US-born workers isn't sufficient, homebuilders have told BI. "The only way that we as a country are going to get through our issues with homelessness, the housing price bubble, and the housing crunch issue is to construct more housing," Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the immigrant advocacy nonprofit group National Immigration Forum, told BI. "If we're actually thinking about removing so many of those workers and decimating that industry, it would have a domino effect on our housing shortage issues." Chad Blocker, a Los Angeles-based immigration attorney, said his firm's clients in the construction industry are attempting to reassure their immigrant workers even as they anticipate a major federal immigration crackdown. "The immigration enforcement environment is going to change dramatically," Blocker told Business Insider. "There's just a lot of general anxiety among the immigrant communities, including those who are here with lawful status." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Are you a home builder or immigrant construction worker concerned about the impacts of shifting immigration policy? Share your story with these reporters at nsheidlower@businessinsider.com and erelman@businessinsider.com. Read the original article on Business Insider Pete Hegseth faced intense questioning over his comments about women in combat roles. Hegseth walked back his opposition but said he'd order a review of gender-neutral standards. The military does not have a quota for women in combat roles as Hegseth had suggested. President-elect Donald Trump's pick to lead the Pentagon, Pete Hegseth, walked back his outspoken opposition to women serving in the US military's combat jobs as he faced intense questioning from lawmakers on Tuesday. Hegseth, an Army veteran of Iraq and former Fox News host, had built a large following with blunt commentary that criticized female troops and claimed standards had been lowered to help them. But in the Senate hearing, he signaled he wouldn't attempt to ban women from combat roles, a backtrack that may have been necessary to get enough votes. Sen. Joni Ernst, an Iowa Republican and Iraq veteran whose support has been seen as pivotal, asked if Hegseth supports women continuing to serve in combat roles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yes, exactly the way that you caveated it," Hegseth said. "Yes, women will have access to ground combat roles, given the standards remain high, and we'll have a review to ensure the standards have not been eroded in any one of these cases." Hegseth said that if he's confirmed by the GOP-led Senate, he would initiate a review of gender-neutral standards within the Pentagon for combat jobs held by female service members. Hegseth had been a vociferous critic of the 2015 lifting of combat exclusions for women. "I'm straight-up just saying we should not have women in combat roles," Hegseth said in an interview after Trump's re-election in November. Combat roles include jobs in the infantry, artillery, and special operations, among others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They're gonna change the standards, they're gonna push the quotas," he continued during the interview. "They pushed that under Obama in a way that had nothing, zero to do with efficiency with lethality," he said. The military does not have a quota requirement for women who fill combat roles and Hegseth's claims to the contrary provoked a confrontation before the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Commanders do not have to have a quota for women in the infantry," Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, said during questioning. "That does not exist." Hegseth, a former Army officer and Fox News host, said his focus would be on returning warrior ethos to the Pentagon. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images According to Military.com, almost 700 female Marines currently serve in infantry jobs, over 700 serve in the Navy's submarine forces and nearly 4,000 in the Army hold combat-related jobs. Roughly 98% of the Army's armor and infantry jobs were held by men as of 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since opening ground combat jobs to women in 2015, critics have contended that women who passed notoriously grueling training is a result of lowered physical standards, putting combat missions at-risk of catastrophe. Ground combat roles were opened to female service members only after years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan in which women routinely found themselves in a grey zone, operating outside the wire at a time when restrictions on women in combat at times burdened units with bureaucratic red tape. In the hearing, Hegseth emphasized his focus would be on the Defense Department's warrior ethos and making troops and the arms they carry even deadlier, implying that his earlier opposition to women stemmed from concern over fair and rigorous standards. "Our standards will be high, and they will be equal not equitable, that is a very different word," Hegseth said in his opening statement. "When President Trump chose me for this position, the primary charge he gave me was to bring the warrior culture back to the Department of Defense." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since women began attending sought-after training schools, allegations have popped up about unequal treatment. Military news site Air Force Times reported in 2021 concerns from a female student at the Air Force's special operations course who questioned whether course standards were lowered for her. The US Army has repeatedly said it did not lower standards for female soldiers at Ranger School, over 100 of whom now wear its coveted tab on their sleeve. Read the original article on Business Insider President-elect Donald Trump tasked a New Jersey congressman and vocal critic of offshore wind with writing an executive order he could issue to halt wind energy projects. Offshore wind is a major part of transitioning to an electric grid powered entirely by sources that dont emit carbon dioxide when generating electricity. The power sector is responsible for nearly a third of the nation's planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. On the campaign trail, Trump vowed to end the offshore wind industry as soon as he returned to the White House. He wants to boost production of fossil fuels such as oil, natural gas and coal, which cause climate change, in order for the U.S. to have the lowest-cost energy and electricity of any nation in the world, he says. Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew said he spoke with Trump by phone about a month ago and urged him to act on his campaign promise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I said Mr. President, we need to move on this. He said, Yeah, we definitely do. I agree. Im against them, " Van Drew said. "He said, Write an executive order, get it to my people. Van Drew told The Associated Press Wednesday night that he quickly emailed a draft order to Doug Burgum, Trump's pick to be Interior secretary. Van Drew said the draft is written to halt offshore wind development from Rhode Island to Virginia for six months so the incoming Interior secretary could review how leases and permits were issued. Van Drew said he believes the approvals did not fully take into account the impact on the fishing industry, tourism, whales or Americans utility bills, and it's problematic to rely on foreign renewable energy companies building the wind farms. The Interior Department includes the agency responsible for offshore renewable energy development in federal waters, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Almost 65 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity is under development in the U.S., enough to power more than 26 million homes, according to the American Clean Power Association. Burgum appeared before a Senate committee Thursday for a confirmation hearing. Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, said at the hearing Burgum knows the benefits of wind power since he's from North Dakota, which gets more than one-third of its electricity from onshore wind turbines. He asked Burgum to convince Trump wind power isn't all bad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burgum said the electric grid needs more resources that provide power continuously, as opposed to intermittent sources such as solar and wind that fluctuate. King then asked if Burgum would commit to continuing with offshore wind leases that have been issued. Im not familiar with every project that the interior has underway, but Ill certainly be taking a look at all of those, Burgum said. If they make sense and theyre already in law, then theyll continue. I think the key is, and I think President Trumps been very clear in his statements, that hes concerned about the significant amount of tax incentives that have gone toward some forms of energy. Van Drew declined to show the AP the order, saying he doesn't expect Trump to use his draft verbatim and it's merely a template. He expects Trump to issue an offshore wind executive order within the first quarter of the year, possibly as early as his first day on the job. Van Drew said he views that as a first step toward an eventual moratorium on offshore wind development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says wind turbines are horrible and expensive. He repeats unfounded claims about offshore wind threatening whales. Trump's team responded to a request for comment Thursday by sharing the transcript from Trumps Mar-a-Lago press conference this month. He said he would seek to have a policy where no windmills are being built. Jason Ryan, a spokesperson for the American Clean Power Association, said executive orders restricting offshore wind energy undermine U.S. national security and job growth. Energy dominance requires a true all of the above' energy approach that unleashes our nations diverse resources to meet surging demand, he said. The Biden administration worked to propel the nascent U.S. offshore wind industry forward to address climate change as an existential threat. It set targets to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, generating enough electricity to power more than 10 million homes, and up to 15 gigawatts of electricity through floating sites by 2035, enough to power 5 million homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nations first commercial-scale offshore wind farm opened in March, a 12-turbine wind farm called South Fork Wind 35 miles (56 kilometers) east of Montauk Point, New York. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management held first-ever lease sales off the West Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, and the first commercial sale for floating offshore wind on the Atlantic coast. It approved the nations 11th commercial-scale offshore wind energy project in December. Combined, the 11 projects total over 19 gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power more than 6 million homes. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find APs standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org. Advisers to President-elect Donald Trump are developing a wide-ranging sanctions strategy to help facilitate a diplomatic agreement between Russia and Ukraine in the coming months while simultaneously putting pressure on Iran and Venezuela. Source: Bloomberg Details: On Friday, the outgoing Biden administration imposed the most crippling sanctions on oil trade with Russia of any Western nation to date. The move left open the question of how Trump views these measures, given his commitment to bringing the war in Ukraine to a swift end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's team is considering two main approaches to dealing with sanctions against Russia. One option involves some measures to support sanctioned Russian oil producers if a peace deal in Ukraine is deemed to be close. The other approach is based on strengthening sanctions to increase pressure on Moscow and increase leverage. The approach taken will have important implications for the global oil market. Since the Biden administration announced the measures, Brent crude oil futures have risen by almost US$5 per barrel. Experts predict a possible further price increase, which will affect global fuel markets. At the moment, the Trump team's plans are still under development, and the final decision depends on the position of the newly elected president. Last week, Trump announced that he was preparing to meet with Putin, which could indicate potential negotiations to end the war in Ukraine. Trump's cabinet nominees, former government officials involved in sanctions, and conservative think tanks have joined the discussion of the strategy. The composition of key officials responsible for economic policy has not yet been determined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first test will be in mid-March when the general licence to curtail purchases of Russian energy resources expires. If it is not extended, this will increase pressure on Russia. Experts from the Trump team believe that a tough scenario involves toughening secondary sanctions on oil trade and imposing restrictions on European shippers and Asian buyers, such as large companies from China and India. Another measure could be to control tankers transporting Russian oil through the strategically important Turkish and Danish straits. A more lenient approach could include issuing general licences and raising the price cap on oil to more than US$60 per barrel. This could encourage the continuation of Russian oil supplies to the market. Background: Exports of oil products from Russia reached an 11-month high in January, despite new US sanctions against the country's energy sector. The US Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control imposed sanctions on two of Russia's largest oil companies, Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegas, as well as ship insurance providers Ingosstrakh and AlfaStrakhovanie. Financial Times indicated that the measures include adding 183 shadow fleet vessels involved in exporting Russian energy resources to the blacklist. Support UP or become our patron! Advisers to US President-elect Donald Trump are developing a wide-ranging sanctions strategy to help resolve Russia's war against Ukraine. Source: an article by Bloomberg, as reported by European Pravda Details: Bloomberg sources reported that incoming US President Donald Trump's team is weighing two primary strategies for imposing sanctions on Russia. The debate involves some figures from the future administration, former officials from Trump's tenure and conservative think tanks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first approach envisions a scenario where a resolution to the war in Ukraine "is in sight" and provides for certain measures in favour of sanctioned oil producers in Russia, which could help to conclude a "peace deal", the article says. The second option, Bloomberg writes, is based on an even greater increase in sanctions pressure and more leverage over Moscow. Bloomberg sources say the Trump team's plans are still in the early stages and will ultimately hinge on the decisions of the US president-elect himself. Background: Meanwhile, during his confirmation hearings for his position, Trumps US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described sanctions as a crucial tool of influence that could help bring about a peaceful resolution to the Russo-Ukrainian war. On 10 January, the outgoing administration of US President Joe Biden imposed the largest-ever package of sanctions against the Russian energy sector. Support UP or become our patron! By Bo Erickson WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump's pick for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said he "100%" supports raising sanctions on Russian oil producers if the future president requests doing so. Bessent told U.S. senators on the Senate Finance Committee that he believes the Russian sanctions from the Biden administration "were not fulsome enough." "I think if any officials in the Russian Federation are watching this confirmation hearing, they should know that if I'm confirmed, and if President Trump requests as part of his strategy to end the Ukraine war, that I will be 100% on board with taking sanctions up --especially on the Russian oil majors -- to levels that would bring the Russian Federation to the table," Bessent said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nominee also said "the tragedy going on in Ukraine is one of the greatest tragedies of my adult life, and ending that as soon as possible -- and any role that Treasury can play in, that if confirmed, I would like to do." (Reporting by Bo Erickson) Jan. 15The Transportation Security Administration detected 48 firearms at eight New England airports in 2024, including three at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT), down from the region's record number of 52 in 2023. The number of firearm detections reported at MHT has been on the rise in recent years three in 2024, two in 2023 and a single incident reported in 2022. The most recent incident at MHT occurred Oct. 16 at the main security checkpoint, when TSA agents detected a firearm in a man's carry-on bag, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TSA notified Londonderry police, who responded and located a loaded 9mm firearm. Police secured the gun. The 53-year-old New Hampshire resident "ended up missing his flight," TSA officials said in a news release. Earlier his year, TSA officers stopped a woman from carrying a firearm onto an airplane at MHT. TSA again notified Londonderry police, who responded and discovered an unloaded .380 caliber firearm. Police took possession of the firearm, and the New Hampshire woman, 32, was allowed to continue on her trip, according to Daniel Velez, a regional TSA spokesman. TSA officers have detected 24 firearms at Logan Airport security checkpoints this year, up from 18 in 2023, Velez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TSA officers have detected a total of 48 firearms at New England security checkpoints so far in 2023; the 24 at Logan, two at Portland International Airport in Maine, nine at Bradley International Airport in Connecticut, two each at Bangor International Airport in Maine, Patrick Leahy Burlington International Airport in Vermont and Tweed Airport in New Haven, Connecticut., four at T.F. Green International Airport in Rhode Island, and three at MHT. TSA regulations prohibit ammunition in carry-on bags. In 2024, TSA New England screened more than 33.4 million individuals, which indicates the agency intercepted 1.44 firearms per million passengers, topping 2023's 1.7 per million passengers. The decrease in the number of firearms detected at New England airports mirrored what happened around the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, TSA officers nationwide detected 6,678 firearms in carry-on bags or on passengers at checkpoints. In 2023, TSA detected a record 6,737 firearms at security checkpoints nationwide. Nationally, 94% of firearms detected by TSA officers were loaded. In New England, the rate of loaded firearms detected was 89.6%. "We take it very seriously when our officers stop a traveler with a gun during the screening process," Bob Allison, TSA's federal security director for Massachusetts, said in a statement. "Gun owners need to know where their firearms are at all times. There are clear and simple rules for flying with firearms, and we want to make sure passengers understand them to avoid delays, fines, and potential legal consequences." He added that gun owners should visit the TSA website for instructions on how to properly travel with a firearm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TSA reserves the right to issue a civil penalty to travelers who have guns and gun parts with them at a checkpoint. A typical first offense for carrying a loaded gun into a checkpoint is $3,000 and can go as high as $15,000 depending on any mitigating circumstances. This applies to travelers with or without concealed gun carry permits, because even though an individual may have a concealed carry permit, it does not allow for a firearm to be carried onto an airplane. Passengers are permitted to travel with firearms in checked baggage if they are properly packaged and declared at their airline ticket counter. Checked firearms must be unloaded, packed in a hard-sided case, locked and packed separately from ammunition. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) The man accused of orchestrating the murder of Tupac Shakur never received immunity in either California or Nevada, prosecutors said in court documents filed Wednesday. As the 8 News Now Investigators first reported earlier this month, Duane Keffe D Davis, 61, filed paperwork asking a judge to dismiss his case over the delay in prosecution and past immunity agreements. Davis has remained in custody since his arrest on Sept. 29, 2023. In January 2024, Clark County District Court Judge Carli Kierny set Davis bail at $750,000. Davis refers to himself as Keffe D, though he is sometimes referred to as Keefe D or Keefy D. Prosecutors spell his name as Keffe D. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis has publicly said he was sitting in the front passenger seat of the car, which pulled up side-by-side with Shakurs, before the September 1996 shooting near the Las Vegas Strip. Marion Suge Knight, the then-head of Death Row Records, was driving the car with Shakur sitting in the passenger seat. Knight was injured in the shooting. Shakur died from his injuries several days later. In Davis filing, his attorney, Carl Arnold, said his client entered into several proffer agreements with federal and local officials regarding information about Shakurs murder. Davis again entered a similar agreement during a Los Angeles Police Department interview, documents said. As part of LAPDs investigation into the death of Christopher The Notorious B.I.G. Wallace, officials offered Davis a proffer, which Davis believed gave him immunity in the Las Vegas case. In 2009, Davis became a confidential informant for a task force created to investigate Wallaces death, prosecutors said. Davis also spoke with officials in Los Angeles about drug sales and provided a statement to Las Vegas police, documents said. Prosecutors said Davis admitted to taking part in Shakurs murder through his public statements, documents said. They described him speaking about his involvement in nearly every forum imaginable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They add a judge would have had to sign off on any agreement. After defendant began to publicly confess in a detailed manner his involvement in the crime, the state chose to rely upon those confessions to seek to prosecute defendant for the crime, prosecutors said Wednesday. A judge will hear arguments on 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 KLAS. ISTANBUL The Turkish navy is wrapping up the weeklong Mavi Vatan 2025 exercise this week, a large-scale operation meant to showcase Ankaras strategic maritime ambitions in the region and beyond. The Mavi Vatan (Blue Homeland) doctrine, introduced in 2019, symbolizes the countrys shift from a land-focused power to a maritime force, prioritizing the protection of its maritime zones. It reflects a broader transformation of the Turkish navy into a high-seafaring force capable of extended operations. The doctrine also conveys political messages, particularly regarding maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Serhat Suha Cubukcuoglu, senior fellow at the Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates-based TRENDS Research & Advisory consultancy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This years exercise aims to evaluate the navys command and control capabilities, operational readiness, and ability to operate seamlessly with other branches of the Turkish military, according to military officials. It is part of a broader modernization program that includes the construction of advanced naval platforms, such as the MILDEN National Submarine, a domestically designed aircraft carrier, and the TF-2000 air defense warship. All told, the exercise saw the deployment 77 surface ships, 7 submarines, 31 aircraft, 17 helicopters, 28 unmanned aerial vehicles and 7 unmanned surface vehicles. Support from other force commands is meant to further enhance the exercises scope and realism. The Land Forces Command contributes 4 general-purpose helicopters and one CH-47 helicopter, while the Air Force Command provides attack aircraft, airborne early warning and control aircraft, and target towing aircraft. The Coast Guard Command is also participating with six vessels. In total, approximately 20,000 personnel are taking part in the exercise. This weeks event is an addition to the annual naval drill Deniz Kurdu (Sea Wolf), which has been a traditional name for naval exercises since the 1970s, focusing on demonstrating tactical and technical capabilities of the Turkish navy. Unlike the technical-focused Sea Wolf series, Blue Homeland drills convey political messages because they are about sovereignty and maritime claims, a touchy subject in that part of the Mediterranean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement January has been a busy month for the Turkish navy and private shipyards. According to the Ministry of Defense, the construction of 31 ships is currently ongoing in domestic shipyards, part of a broader plan to make naval shipbuilding a domestic affair. The naval modernization efforts, with an estimated price tag of $8 billion, aim to safeguard Turkeys sovereignty and maritime rights, particularly in the Eastern Mediterranean, while honoring agreements with Libya and Turkish Cypriots and addressing territorial disputes in the Aegean, said Mesut Ozel, an assistant professor at Kent University in Istanbul. Besides the geopolitical ambitions inherent in new ships, Turkeys existing naval fleet is simply getting old. The frigates in the inventory have been serving in the Turkish navy for an average of 30 years, and the submarines average age is 29 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These new vessels will shape our strength for the next 50 years, said retired Rear Adm. Cem Okyay. Efforts to ensure that the sensors and weapons on these ships are ready for future operational environments should continue in coordination and merit strong support. Turkeys Mavi Vatan doctrine is seen by Greece and Israel as a major geopolitical challenge, according to Cubukcuoglu. Greece views it as a direct threat to its continental shelf, EEZ claims, and national identity, prompting stronger alliances with Israel, Egypt, Cyprus, the United States, and France, he said. For Israel, the doctrine complicates energy projects like the East Med pipeline and poses a strategic challenge in the Eastern Mediterranean, though without Greeces historical tensions. To counter Turkeys regional ambitions, Israel collaborates with Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt. The geopolitical landscape in the Eastern Mediterranean will remain complex in 2025. With significant changes such as the toppling of the Assad regime, the ousting of Russian forces from Syria, and a brokered ceasefire in Gaza, regional dynamics are shifting rapidly. Moreover, President Biden, in the final days of his administration, authorized the provision of defense articles and services to the Republic of Cyprus, further influencing the balance of power. SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) A firefighter was injured, a dog died and six people were displaced two adults and their four young daughters following what multiple reports described as an explosion and a fire to a Suffolk home Wednesday evening, Suffolk Fire & Rescue said. Firefighters were dispatched to the 3500 block of Ludlow Cove, at the end of a cul-de-sac, at approximately 6:30 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of an explosion and house on fire. When fire crews arrived five minutes later, they found heavy fire showing from the front of a two-story house. Photo Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue Photo Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue Photo Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue Photo Courtesy: Suffolk Fire & Rescue While firefighters were controlling the fire, the owner of the home arrived and assured that all the residents were accounted for and safely outside the house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was placed under control at approximately 8:20 p.m. The home sustained heavy damage. While there were no injuries to occupants, one firefighter was injured while searching the house and taken to a local hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening. The residents did not require assistance from the Red Cross. The Suffolk Fire Marshals Office is investigating the cause and origin of the fire. The report of an explosion is also under investigation. A family member who spoke to 10 On Your Side said they were coping with the fire through humor. Thursday, scattered remains could be found at the home charred notebooks, bicycles melted to their frames and a garage door blown completely off its hinges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A neighbor who provided 10 On Your Side with Ring camera footage said he was about 10 minutes away when he heard from his son about the fire and immediately came home. Inside the rubble are the remains of what was once the bed of the familys dog, River, who did not survive. A man who lives a couple of blocks away said he was taking his trash out Wednesday evening when he saw billowing smoke over the rooftops and the lights from first responders at the scene. It just makes me wonder, the man said. I have the same model house. 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 WAVY.com. Two Americans, Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen, are expected to be released as part of the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal that emerged Wednesday after being held for 15-months by Hamas since the start of the war in Gaza, according to a senior administration official. The deal includes the release or older males and those who were wounded on Oct. 7, of which Seigel and Dekel-Chen apply. The first phase in total includes the release of hostages that are women, elderly males and the sick and wounded. The third American being held by Hamas, Edan Alexander, is a 21-year-old American-Israeli who served in the IDF. Uniform soldiers are part of the second phase of the deal. The official said that they spoke with Alexanders father last night and are committed to getting Edan out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will see and I dont want to say until we actually see them but Keith Siegel and Sagui Dekel-Chen will come out in the first day and Edan will come out of Gaza, no doubt about it, the official said. The administration is in regular contact with the families of the Americans being held and are committed to getting them all out, whether they are living or not, according to the official. Wednesdays deal largely aligns with a multiphase proposal President Biden first put forward in late May, which included the release of American hostages, remains of hostages who were killed and a surge in humanitarian assistance during the first phase. Biden had announced that Americans would be released in the initial six-week phase earlier on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in phase one as well, and the vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home, the president said. The official told reporters that the administration didnt have full confidence that a deal would come together until late this afternoon in the Middle East, saying that Hamas tried to bring up more issues this morning and the U.S. held the line on that. The official also gave credit to President-elect Trumps team for their help in the hostage deal negotiations, saying that Bidens Mideast negotiator Brett McGurk and Trumps Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff were both pivotal in the last 96 hours. Steve and Brett have been talking regularly about the process, Brett has been keeping Steve fully informed, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked if the hostage deal would have happened if Trump wasnt elected in November, noting that the first group of hostages will be released the day before Trumps swearing in, officials said any negotiation, any breakthrough diplomacy, sometimes we just need a deadline. Trump on Wednesday claimed the credit for himself, saying a deal would not have happened without his victory in November. Meanwhile, Biden replied, Is that a joke? when asked by a reporter whether he or Trump would get credit for the deal. Laura Kelly contributed to this report. 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. Two teenagers who live outside Florida and one of their mothers are facing felony charges stemming from threats made against Somerset Academy in Pembroke Pines in November. A 14-year-old boy from Michigan and a 15-year-old boy from New York are both facing charges of threatening to throw, project, place or discharge a destructive device, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, threats or harassment and disruption of an educational institution, Pembroke Pines Police said Wednesday afternoon. New York State Police arrested the 15-year-old boy on Jan. 3. The 14-year-old boy surrendered to authorities on Wednesday and was being held in the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The boys used multiple techniques to conceal their identities, the police department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The South Florida Sun Sentinel is not identifying them because they are minors. Bernardo Montero, president of Somerset Academy Inc., sent a message to Somerset Academy Middle/High School parents and guardians on Nov. 11, notifying them that there would be more officers than usual at campus that week because the police department and Broward Sheriffs Office over the weekend had received threatening statements against the middle school. Students that week were not allowed to bring backpacks or other large bags to school, and administrators reduced the areas where parents were allowed to drop off students, along with other security measures, according to Monteros letter. Monteros message at the time did not elaborate on the nature of the alleged threats, and the police department Wednesday did not provide further details. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elizabeth Smith, the 15-year-old boys mother, was taken into custody in New York the same day as her son earlier this month, the police department said, after knowingly instructing her son to delete evidence related to this investigation. Smith has since been released on bond, but the police department said she is expected to surrender to Pembroke Pines Police within the next few weeks. She is facing a felony charge of solicitation to commit tampering with physical evidence. The police department said neither boy had any connection to the Pembroke Pines school or to Florida. Gov. Hochuls plan to put police on every overnight subway train starts next week, she told reporters Thursday. The plan, which Hochul first announced in her State of the State address earlier this week, is meant to bolster the visibility of law enforcement officers on city mass transit for the next six months People want to see police officers on the trains and in the stations, she told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting Monday, the first phase of the plan will roll out overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., when 100 officers will be deployed to patrol the trains, according to police. Additional phases will be rolled out over the coming weeks with the expectation that the full operation will be complete by the end of the month, said an NYPD spokesperson. This is a massive undertaking that involves specialized training as well as logistics and resource management. We appreciate the governors support in keeping New Yorkers safe. The plan wont be hiring any additional transit cops, however. The governors gambit is to fund six months of overtime for more than 1,000 officers, including 300 additional tours of duty for overnight subway patrols and overtime for 750 officers in stations and on platforms. The total cost is expected to run $154 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first three months of OT pay will be funded by $77 million out of the states general fund. An additional $77 million in funding for the extra patrols is expected in the spring budget. According to the citys Office of Management and Budget, there are currently 2,583 uniformed cops in the NYPDs Transit Bureau. Theyre not going anywhere, Hochul said. This is not taking people out who are already performing important protective services. Transit sources told the Daily News that they expect Hochuls surge to involve some precinct cops from outside the Transit Bureau as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surge comes on top of 1,000 National Guard soldiers deployed to the system by Hochul last year, plus at least 250 state police. Unlike state and local police, the National Guard has no authority to make arrests in the subway system. Ten people were murdered in the New York City subway system last year including the recent, random and gruesome immolation of a homeless New Jersey woman asleep on a Brooklyn train up from five murders in 2023. Burglaries, robberies and grand larcenies in the subway system dropped in 2024, while the number of felony and misdemeanor assaults remained steady. MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WATE) Cybersecurity is at the top of parents minds in Hamblen County, as many learned their childrens Personally Identifiable Information might have been compromised. This comes after a cyberattack was carried out against a software company PowerSchool, an online Student Information System (SIS) used by parents, students, and teachers alike. Three school systems in our area use PowerSchool. Blount County Schools said they use the software but were not affected by the breach. While, Hamblen and Scott County Schools said they were affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East TN families still waiting for refunds after cabinet orders never fulfilled According to the Hamblen County Department of Education, Personally Identifiable Information such as Social Security numbers and medical information may have been compromised in the breach. I understand things get hacked every day, but, you know, with this being school information of children, you know, youd think they would have more protective barriers so that that kind of thing didnt happen, said grandparent, Amanda Roach Willis. As a grandparent of two children that go to Hamblen County Schools, Willis said she is concerned by how this could impact her grandchildrens future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think were all feeling the same. Were feeling vulnerable, we feel like our children are not as safe as we would like them, and its just a confusion because we dont know a lot about whats happened, said Willis. Heartbreaking Fire destroys historic building in downtown Middlesboro In a statement to 6 News, the Hamblen County Department of Education said they will continue to communicate and share information as it becomes available, but Willis isnt the only one with concerns. I understand data breaches happen. They happen from our banks, they happen all the time, but I think its the fact that its for children and that nobody has said what the school system plans to do about it, said Alison, a concerned parent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As someone who has experienced a cybersecurity breach before, Alison, who asked us not to use her last name, said she is unsure what the next steps are. So now, unless they offer something free, Im going to have to do the same thing, but Im going to have to possibly pay for credit monitoring for my two 9-year-old children, she said. With the extent of information shared on the platform, she is concerned about how it may be used. Its how we have to register our children for school each year, she said. Which is why it has our childrens social, address, medical history. It has my childs doctor, my childs dentist, their birth certificate, everything. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Alison and Willis said its leaving parents feeling like their childs security is out of their control. Thats the whole reason why we as parents take precautions when we let our children on the internet, said Willis. We have parental controls, things like that, to keep predators away from our kids, but now that this hacked information is out there, we have to worry about that now. How to prevent a cyber attack According to their website, PowerSchool is coordinating with districts and schools to provide more information and resources including credit monitoring or identity protection services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a message to parents and students of the Scott County School system, director of Scott County Schools, Bill Hall, wrote we are taking proactive steps, to the extent that we can, to prevent another similar event from happening in the future, including the assignment of personal identification numbers for our students instead of social security numbers. 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. The trial of two German politicians over an alleged corruption scandal known as the Azerbaijan affair began in Munich on Thursday. Axel Fischer and Eduard Lintner, both former lawmakers from the centre-right CDU/CSU bloc, face bribery charges at the Munich Higher Regional Court. The pair have denied taking bribes aimed at influencing decisions in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in favour of Azerbaijan, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PACE is the parliamentary arm of the Council of Europe, an organization of 46 countries that is separate from the European Union. Among the body's responsibilities is electing judges to the European Court of Human Rights. Lintner, who spent 33 years in Germany's parliament and was a member of PACE until 2010, allegedly received "several million euros via 19 foreign letterbox companies" from two firms until 2016, according to prosecutors. He allegedly passed some of the payments on to other politicians who were supposed to influence decisions in favour of Azerbaijan. Fischer, who was active in PACE as group leader for the conservative European People's Party (EPP) faction from 2010 to 2018, allegedly made favourable speeches in the interests of Azerbaijan and forwarded confidential documents, according to prosecutors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In return, he allegedly received a five-figure bribe in 2016. In addition to Lintner and Fischer, two other defendants are on trial for aiding and abetting, while another former lawmaker who was also under investigation has since died. The court has initially scheduled 39 trial days until August 22. Two people were arrested in connection with a domestic violence incident at a home in Norwich on Wednesday initially believed to involve a firearm. Officers at 7:25 p.m. responded to a home in the area of Boswell Avenue and 10th Street on the report of a male who had assaulted a female, according to Lt. Nicholas Rankin of the Norwich Police Department. The initial report also indicated the male was in possession of a loaded firearm. Rankin said responding officers found a 17-year-old female outside and closed the road. Police also surrounded the residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Rankin, the suspect surrendered peacefully. Both individuals were arrested. Rankin said the report of a firearm being involved in the incident was unfounded. The male suspect was identified as 22-year-old Bryan Miller, who was charged with disorderly conduct and third-degree assault. He was held on a $5,000 bond in connection with this incident and a $50,000 bond tied to a warrant out for his arrest on the same charges, according to Rankin. The juvenile was issued a summons and released. (KRON) Two Walgreens stores are closing in Oakland next month, the pharmacy store confirmed to KRON4. The locations that will shut down are 5055 Telegraph Ave. and 301 E 18th St. The Telegraph store will close on Feb. 27, according to Walgreens. The E 18th Street location will close on Feb. 24. There was no specified reason for why the two Oakland stores were closing. Walgreens simply said it is the same reason(s) for all our closures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walgreens cited factors such as operating costs of rent, staffing and supply needs. The pharmacy giant said, it is never an easy decision to close a store, acknowledging each one is important to the communities it serves. Oakland business owner deals with multiple ruthless burglaries in same night Pharmacy store Walgreens, located at 8102 International Blvd., that had closed its doors in 2021; photographed on Thursday, July 22, 2021, in Oakland. (Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images) We demand justice: Rally held to save embattled Safeway in SFs Fillmore The announcement of the Oakland closures comes a week after Walgreens said it will close 12 stores in San Francisco. Although the exact closing date for each store is still not set, two of them will shut down for good by the end of February: the Franklin Street and Market Street locations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When closures are necessary, like those here in Oakland, we will work in partnership with community stakeholders to minimize customer disruptions, a Walgreens spokesperson wrote in a statement. We intend to redeploy the majority of our team members from those stores that we close. The closures come after Walgreens announced last year that the pharmacy store would close about 1,200 domestic locations over the next three years as part of its turnaround strategy. There are currently about 8,500 Walgreens in the United States. 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. Jan. 15Two wolves in southeastern Washington were killed on Monday in response to a series of attacks on cattle. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced on Tuesday that its staff killed a yearling female and an adult male from the Columbia pack, fulfilling the lethal removal order issued by WDFW director Kelly Susewind last week. The removal order followed the killing of a calf inside a corral in Columbia County on Dec. 29. It was the 12th animal this year that had been attacked by the Columbia pack, according to WDFW records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the killing of the two wolves on Monday, the lethal removal order expires. A producer permit that the agency had issued also expires. WDFW records show 2024 was a high-water mark for wolf-livestock conflict in Washington, with at least 56 cattle injured or killed by wolves. Including the Columbia pack operation, WDFW has killed six wolves in the past six months in response to attacks on cattle. WDFW's 2023 minimum count found that the state had at least 260 wolves across 42 packs. The Columbia pack was believed to consist of at least three wolves and was not considered a successful breeding pair. Two popular low-cost airlines are the latest to be held accountable by the U.S. government over chronically late flights. Southwest Airlines and Frontier Airlines are both facing legal actions by the Department of Transportation for operating flight schedules the government says were notoriously late. Frontier Airlines operated delayed flights between Atlanta and Phoenix, and Orlando and Houston over 63 times, and the airline will be responsible for a $650,000 civil penalty fine, with the opportunity for half of the fine to be waived if the airline doesnt operate chronically delayed flights over the next three years, according to the consent order. The agency investigated Southwest Airlines and found two routes were delayed a total of 180 times over the span of five months, according to a news release, with the department pursuing civil penalties against the company. Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the release. Today's action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections. The agency has previously encouraged passengers affected by delays or cancellations to visit FlightRights.gov to identify potential resolutions and remedies for their circumstances. For its part, Southwest Airlines says the delays happened in previous years and they have since updated their scheduling. Southwest is disappointed that DOT chose to file a lawsuit over two flights that occurred more than two years ago, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson shared with Travel + Leisure. Since DOT issued its Chronically Delayed Flight (CDF) policy in 2009, Southwest has operated more than 20 million flights with no other CDF violations. Any claim that these two flights represent an unrealistic schedule is simply not credible when compared with our performance over the past 15 years. The airline also added that throughout 2024, they maintained a 99% completion rates of flights without cancellation. Frontier Airlines declined to comment when asked by T+L. The fine and lawsuit announced this week are the latest of actions by the Department of Transportation against airlines that operate chronically late flights. Earlier this month, JetBlue was fined $2 million for delayed flights, which included reimbursements to passengers Read the original article on Travel & Leisure London - Britain's Home Secretary Yvette Cooper announced Thursday that there would be a number of new central government-backed local inquiries into years-old allegations of child grooming gangs, weeks after Elon Musk accused British Prime Minister Keir Starmer of failings in relation to the handling of the crimes in a series of tweets. The crimes took place a decade ago when Starmer was the country's top prosecutor. Musk's tweets targeted Starmer personally, suggesting he should be in jail and that "America should liberate the people of Britain from their tyrannical government," thrusting the crimes back into the political conversation in Britain. Starmer defended his record and denounced the criticism as politically motivated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Those that are spreading lies and misinformation as far and as wide as possible, they're not interested in victims. They're interested in themselves," Starmer told reporters after Musk's tweets earlier this month, not mentioning the tech mogul and close associate of Donald Trump by name. In 2012, a newspaper report on the grooming led to a major government inquiry, which two years later found that at least 1,400 children had been subjected to sexual exploitation in Rotherham, northern England, between 1997 and 2013. Similar exploitation was discovered in other towns, leading to a national inquiry. The prosecution service, which was led by Starmer between 2008 and 2013, was criticized in the report for not pursuing charges in Rochdale because it viewed a victim as "unreliable" following an investigation between 2008 and 2009. That decision was later overturned by a Starmer appointee. "Mr. Starmer has striven to improve the treatment of victims of sexual assault within the criminal justice system throughout his term as Director of Public Prosecution," a 2013 report from the Home Affairs Committee said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to Musk's tweets and the political pressure they sparked, Starmer vigorously defended his record. "I brought the first major prosecution of an Asian grooming gang in this particular case. it was the first of its kind. We changed, or I changed, the whole prosecution approach, because I wanted to challenge, and did challenge, the myths and stereotypes that were stopping those victims being heard," Starmer said. "When I left office, we had the highest number of child sexual abuse cases being prosecuted on record." Starmer had initially said further inquiries into the grooming gangs could delay action on tackling child abuse. "We will be guided by the victims, and what we've heard from the victims is that they don't want to see another national inquiry," Starmers spokesperson told reporters a week ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury "Unrivaled" league debuts with WNBA stars like Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner In recent years, the United Nations has struggled to resolve conflicts from Ethiopia to Myanmar and often ended up focusing instead on managing their humanitarian fall-out. The Security Council has mandated no new large-scale blue-helmet peace operations since 2014. The U.N.s role in mediating peace deals has also declined since the turn of the century. By contrast, its humanitarian operations have continued to expand. The World Food Programme alone projects that it will have $8 billion to spend in 2025. That is only half of what it says that it needs to cover global food crises, but it is already more than what the U.N. spends on peacekeeping and political affairs combined. Given the major divisions among the leading members of the Security Council, some diplomats and U.N. officials believe that the world organizations shift from conflict resolution to humanitarian assistance will continue. As I noted in a recent article for the Journal of International Peacekeeping, the Security Council itself is spending an increasing amount of time debating humanitarian issues. In the first months of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, the council could not agree to call for a ceasefire because of U.S. objections. But it still passed two resolutions on the need to improve humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza. One ambassador who recently served in the body refers to it as the Humanitarian Council, as this is the only field where it can reach agreement. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who once headed the U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, also seems inclined to prioritize humanitarian diplomacy over more ambitious conflict resolution. In some recent conflicts, such as the war in Ethiopia, Guterres has deliberately taken a low profile on political matters and concentrated instead on getting aid into desperate areas. He has been much more outspoken over Gaza, repeatedly calling for a ceasefire, but he has not had a chance to mediate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guterres is also known to be skeptical of the value of U.N. peace operations and has argued that other organizations such as the African Union should lead in military crisis management. He has quietly resisted calls from the administration of outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden for the U.N. to launch a new mission to fight gangs in Haiti. Since the government of Mali succeeded in expelling the blue-helmet force based on its territory in 2023, there has been a lot of talk about a crisis of peacekeeping in New York. To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Nonetheless, some U.N. members are also starting to question whether this drift toward prioritizing humanitarian responses to conflict is wise or sustainable. As Daniel Forti and I noted in a commentary for the International Crisis Group this month, diplomats worry that simply writing off U.N. peace operations and political initiatives could be a mistake. Although the organization has many flaws, it has established logistical and administrative systems to deploy missions that others lack. While the Security Council has, for example, authorized a Kenyan-led police force to operate in Haiti, the mission lacks the funding, personnel and military equipment that its needs to have a chance of success. A U.N. force would also face many operational challenges, but it would be able to resolve some of these basic shortfalls fairly easily through standard systems already in place. Despite the geopolitical headwinds facing the U.N., member states have pushed for further debate about how it can do more to promote peace and security. In the meantime, humanitarian agencies are emphasizing that the demands on their services associated with conflicts, on top of additional challenges like natural disasters, are becoming unsustainable. The U.N. calculated that it needed some $49 billion to deal with all the humanitarian emergencies on its agenda in 2024, but it received roughly $20 billion. Western donors have devoted less money to multilateral aid work as they concentrate on assisting Ukraine and Ukrainian refugees, and even U.N. appeals for aid projects in Ukraine itself are now underfunded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the geopolitical headwinds facing the U.N., member states have pushed for further debate about how it can do more to promote peace and security. This has taken a number of forms. Last September, the organizations members called on Guterres to undertake a review on all forms of peace operations with a view to launching more adaptable and agile missions in future. This May, Germany will hold a ministerial conference in Berlin on peace operations, with a focus on raising capabilities but also discussing the strategic future of U.N. missions. Some U.N. members are also looking for ways to break the deadlocks in the Security Council that often prevent the U.N. from engaging in conflict resolution. There is a growing focus on what the U.N. General Assembly, which has a long history of peace initiatives, can do in cases where the council is gridlocked. This makes the permanent members of the council uncomfortable, and the General Assemblywhere every nation has one voteis not designed for high-speed crisis diplomacy. Yet there may be cases where it can step up, and the fact this option is being explored is a further sign that U.N. members do not want the organizations political role to wither away completely. None of these debates mean that the U.N. will launch a wave of major new peace operations or mediation efforts in the near future. The incoming administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is likely to be skeptical, and the divided Security Council will struggle to agree on the terms for future mandates. Under any circumstances, the U.N. system will be carrying a heavy humanitarian burden for the foreseeable future. Nonetheless, it is a positive sign that the organizations members are questioning its apparent drift away from conflict resolution and looking for ways to reverse it. Richard Gowan is the U.N. director of the International Crisis Group. From 2013 to 2019, he wrote a weekly column for WPR. Follow him on Twitter at @RichardGowan1. The post The U.N. May Regret Getting Out of the Peacekeeping Business appeared first on World Politics Review. In a wide-ranging press conference less than two weeks before taking office, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump called for Washingtons NATO allies in Europe to increase their defense spending to 5 percent of GDP, well above the 2 percent threshold the alliance established in 2014. The demand is hardly surprising. Trump has long complained about Europes willingness to free-ride on U.S. military power, and during his first term he threatened to withdraw from NATO in retaliation for member states financial delinquency. Trump is right that Europeans must do moreand the U.S. lesswhen it comes to the continents defense. But his fixation on spending targets is misguided and works against U.S. and European interests. Instead of reading from a balance sheet, Trump should push Europeans to finally step outside the U.S. security umbrella and start building the military capabilities and critical enablers they need to independently ensure their security without U.S. assistance. This would be a substantial policy shift that would cause some heartburn in the U.S. foreign policy establishment and some alarm in European capitals. But it would give the U.S. and Europe new strategic flexibility and is long overdue. To jumpstart Europes buildup, however, Trump will need to focus on the right metrics and move decisively, beginning with a partial withdrawal of U.S. military forces from the continent. The False Promise of 5 Percent To get more in-depth news and expert analysis on global affairs from WPR, sign up for our free Daily Review newsletter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his first term, Trump took aim at Europes underspending on defense early and often. His primary argument was about fairness to the U.S. taxpayer. As Trump said in a 2017 interview with a British newspaper, a lot of these countries arent paying what theyre supposed to be paying, which I think is very unfair to the United States. He was even more vocal on this point a year later at a NATO summit, where he lambasted Washingtons European allies for buying Russian natural gas, even as the U.S. was protecting Europe from Russian threats. We have to talk about the billions and billions of dollars thats being paid to the country were supposed to be protecting you against, Trump said at the time. Trump and his advisers frequently claim that his threats paid off, as European defense budgets rose across the board at the time. But this isnt entirely accurate. While its true that budgets increased, Russias 2014 annexation of Crimea and Moscows support of a pro-Russia rebellion in eastern Ukraine were the more proximate causes of Europes new attention to military spending. In fact, Europes defense spending rose more slowly during Trumps first administration than in the years just prior. Russias second, larger-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 also accelerated Europes investment in its defense, with countries in Eastern Europe like Estonia and Poland pushing military spending toward 4 percent of GDP or more, and long-time laggards like Germany finally reaching the 2 percent threshold in 2024. Regardless of who deserves credit, however, focusing on spending levels is the wrong target for the U.S. and Europe, as it works against the best interests of both and is unlikely to be achieved. Practically speaking, not all of NATOs European members need to spend 5 percent or even 2 percent of GDP to meet their security needs. Unlike Poland and the Baltic states, which are closest to Russia and concerned about the territorial ambitions of Russian President Vladimir Putin, much of Western Europe lives in a fairly benign security environment and doesnt need to worry about a Russian land invasion. Italy, for example, is more affected by migration across the Mediterranean Sea than it is by anything Russia is doing. Germany is certainly more vocal about the Russian threat today than it was in the past and has done an admirable job cutting its dependence on Russian natural gas over a short period of time. But maintaining high defense spending over the long term will be difficult for any German government given the countrys distance from Russia and its domestic political polarization, economic slowdown and constant budget fights. Indeed, shortly after Trump issued his new spending demands, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Friedrich Merz, the leader of the CDU/CSU opposition party, both brushed it off as unrealistic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line is that for all the talk of European unity in the wake of Russias aggression in Ukraine, the continent still lacks a common threat perception and faces significant disagreement on how defense resources should be raised and allocated. This, in turn, makes meeting universal spending benchmarks difficult, if not impossible. While Trump has historically emphasized better burden-sharing with NATO allies, a focus on burden-shifting would be far superior, both for U.S. national interests and its strategic solvency. Most importantly, by emphasizing military budgets levels, Washington perpetuates a U.S.-led status quo in Europe that is sorely in need of radical reform. Trumps ultimatums to European allies demand that they do more for their own defense, but still within the existing U.S.-centered security architecture. This is exactly what happened during Trumps first term, when Washington pressed European allies to invest more in defense but also warned them against building an independent military capability outside of the U.S.-dominated framework. By the time Trumps term ended in January 2021, the U.S. force posture in Europe was similar to what it had been when he entered office four years earlier. Even Trumps partial withdrawal of U.S. troops from Germany in 2020, which President Joe Biden reversed upon taking office, was less than meets the eye: Half of those troops were scheduled to move to other parts of Europe. This time around, Trump has threatened to let Russia do whatever the hell they want to NATO countries that dont spend enough, but he seems content to keep Washington atop the military alliances hierarchy if Europe does pay its fair share. As long as the U.S. insists on taking the lead, however, Europeans will do the bare minimum to meet Trumps demands, leaving Washington on the hook for much of the continents security. From Burden-Sharing to Burden-Shifting While Trump has historically emphasized better burden-sharing with NATO allies, a focus on burden-shiftinggetting Europe to take full responsibility for its own defense, while sharply reducing or eliminating the U.S. rolewould be far superior, both for U.S. national interests and its strategic solvency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To implement a burden-shifting approach, instead of insisting on spending targets, Washington would give its European allies a detailed timeline mapping the reduction of U.S. forces on the continent from their current level of 100,000 to around 50,000 over the rest of Trumps term, with further reductions planned out to 2030. The message would be clear: Regardless of how much European leaders choose to spend on their militaries, Europe would be responsible for meeting the demands of its own security, without a massive U.S. military presence, within the next five years. The remaining U.S. military forcesmostly logistics, sustainment, air defense and some heavy ground forceswould be a signal of enduring U.S. interest in Europe, if at a reduced level. U.S. military hardware would similarly be drawn down, though some maritime assets and forward-deployed heavy platforms would remain, though again in reduced numbers. The status of the U.S. nuclear umbrella would be a critical issue in need of careful discussion. Ultimately, Europe will likely want its own nuclear deterrent if the U.S. removes most of its forces from the continent, but some interim U.S. assurances might offer time to work out a new arrangement. Finally, to make the U.S. withdrawal commitment credible after decades of empty warnings, Trump will need to initiate a rapid and substantial initial decrease in U.S. European posture soon after his return to the White House, for example cutting U.S. presence to its pre-2022 level of about 80,000 within the first year of his term. To make this strategic reorientation more palpable to the Europeans, Trump might also consider a general reassurance: While the U.S. is intent on downsizing its presence in Europe, it will remain in NATO for the foreseeable future and continue to fulfill the roles and responsibilities expected of all NATO members. The U.S. would still be involved in intra-alliance discussions, train with other NATO members and uphold the Article 5 commitment that reinforces the alliances deterrent against Russia. Such reassurance could take the form of a joint communique between the U.S. and its NATO allies, similar to the Biden administrations April 2023 Washington Declaration with South Korea. A U.S. soldier and British soldier stand side by side after a press conference on the NATO military exercise Defender 2020, in Brueck, Germany, Feb. 26, 2020 (DPA photo by Soeren Stache via AP). A smaller role in Europe would better align current U.S. security interests on the continent with its defense spending and investments. Washingtons main strategic goal in Europeto prevent Russia from dominating the continentis easily achieved without direct U.S. participation and with limited additional European spending. One of the clearest lessons from the war in Ukraine has been the relative weakness of Russias military machine. Even after a period of rebuilding and modernization, there is little chance that Russia will be able to rampage across Europe and seize control of both Poland and Germany, which would be required for it to achieve a hegemonic position that might concern the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More significant European defense investment would likely be needed to defend the Baltic states, but the devastating political impact of even small land grabs by Russia along its borders should incentivize European leaders to meet this higher bar. From a cold realist perspective, however, they would not compromise U.S. sovereignty or security, reducing the risks to the U.S. should Europe fail to step up. A reduced commitment in Europe would also allow Washington to cut unnecessary military spending, reduce the risk of entanglements that come with any security guarantee and finally shift military resources to Asia, its highest-priority theater where China poses a greater threat to its geopolitical position. In other words, it would enable the U.S. to place reasonable limits on its defense budget, reorient its grand strategy to better advance U.S. interests and stop over-extending its military forces. Regardless of how Europe organizes its defense, the force requirements and procurement priorities for burden-shifting will be substantial. European militaries will need to increase their ground forces, especially armored brigades that would be required in any major ground war. According to some sources, NATO has plans to build 35 to 50 new brigades. Under a burden-shifting approach, Europe would need to be able to meet these requirements on its own. Europeans would also need to acquire enabling capabilities like air tankers for aerial refueling and command-and-control systemsareas where the U.S. has typically taken the leadand build logistics and supply networks. Additional air defense systems and munitions at all ranges should also be a priority. By some estimates, Europe has only 5 percent of the air defenses it would need in a war with Russia. And of course, ammunition and long-range missile stockpiles would need to be increased. Europeans will inevitably chafe at the burdens that come with taking full responsibility for their own defense. For example, European leaders will need to find ways to fund a substantial defense buildup, either jointly or independently. Private capital can help speed the growth of Europes defense industrial base, but some combination of public financing, higher debt and elevated taxes will be required. Still, the returns on these investments would be substantial. By taking ownership of its own defense, Europe would give itself autonomy from the whims of U.S. domestic politics and reduce its vulnerability to U.S. pressure. Furthermore, there is no more ironclad defense than self-defense. Especially for countries most vulnerable to Russian aggression, any self-sufficiency should be a relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, while a serious U.S. push for burden-shifting within NATO would put strain on the alliance, it need not lead to its demise. As noted earlier, the drawdown of U.S. forces would not impede Washingtons ability to meet its Article 5 mutual defense obligation, nor the alliances overarching credibility or ability to deter Russiaespecially if Europe sufficiently builds up its own military power. The reduced U.S. role would, however, necessitate organizational changes to institutionalize European leadership of the continents security architecture, including putting Europeans in leadership roles at NATO headquarters and as the NATO Supreme Commander. A Path Forward For Trump, the appeal of spending targets is their simplicity, but harping on them amounts to pushing for incremental change when transformative change is needed. Trump and his advisers should think bigger. U.S. national security and economic prosperity no longer depend on a large U.S. military presence in Europe. Russias military capacity has proven to be less impressive than first assessed, meaning Moscow is in no shape to attain hegemony over Europe even it if wanted to. And Europe has the resources needed to manage its own security. More European control over the continent will mean some loss of U.S. influence and leverage there, but not at an unacceptable cost to U.S. security. Europe will be understandably alarmed at such a shift in U.S. military posture and foreign policy, especially with Russias army still fighting in Ukraine and given Trumps skepticism toward NATO. U.S. assurances that explain why these changes are both necessary and manageable can help ease those concerns. The truth is that NATO did its job, which the alliances first secretary-general, Lord Ismay, described as keeping the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down. Indeed, it did so perhaps too well. Trumps goal should be to get the Europeans up so that they can keep the Russians out themselves. And that cant happen as long as the Americans stay in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jennifer Kavanagh is director of military analysis and a senior fellow at Defense Priorities. She is also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University. Daniel R. DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities and a syndicated foreign affairs columnist at the Chicago Tribune. The post The U.S. Needs a Different Approach for Rebalancing NATO appeared first on World Politics Review. After a six-week ceasefire between Isreal and Hamas was agreed to on Wednesday, Israeli leadership postponed finalizing the decision, accusing Hamas of reneging on details made in the agreement, according to The Times of Israel. Hamas is reneging on the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that is preventing an agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said in a statement, The Times of Israel reported. The Israeli cabinet will not convene until the mediators notify Israel that Hamas has accepted all elements of the agreement. But Hamas leadership denied Netanyahus claim and say they are committed to the agreement, per Fox News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israeli cabinet is now positioned to meet on Friday a day later than initially scheduled to confirm the three-phase agreement, which would begin on Sunday. Despite the delay, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters Thursday that he is confident Phase 1 of the ceasefire agreement will go into effect on Sunday. Look, its not exactly surprising that in a process, in a negotiation that has been this challenging and this fraught, you may get a loose end. Were tying up that loose end as we speak, Blinken said, according to CNN. Despite last-minute disputes, Im very confident that this is moving forward and well see the start of implementation of the agreement on Sunday, he added. In a press release, The United States Jewish Federation of Utah said they welcomed the ceasefire agreement where dozens of hostages are expected to be released and hopefully allow Israel a path forward to protect the safety and security of its citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is much work to be done and significant uncertainty ahead, but we are hopeful that the first phase of this agreement will pave the way for the remaining hostages to be reunited with their family, for hostilities to end, and for an era of security and rebuilding for both Israel and her neighbors. Ceasefire agreement: Phase 1 to take effect on Sunday In an ongoing effort between Qatar, Egypt and the U.S., negotiations sparked hope that the 42-day truce between Israel and Hamas is the beginning of the end of a so-far 15-month war. The war began Oct. 7, 2023, when a Hamas-led attack killed 1,200 Israelis and they took hundreds hostage. The first phase will last six weeks and involve a prisoner exchange that includes the release of American hostages. The agreement provides for the release of 33 Hamas hostages in exchange for hundreds of imprisoned Palestinians, according to The New York Times. It also includes 600 truckloads a day of much-needed humanitarian relief to the Gaza Strip, where the brunt of the war has taken place. A man offers sweets to demonstrators in a celebration for the announcement of a ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel, at the Felestin (Palestine) Sq. in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. | Vahid Salemi Sigrid Kaag, the United Nations senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, told CNN there is concern gang disturbances could impact the supplies getting into Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I fear that in the first days after the formal announcement and start of a ceasefire, security conditions on the ground, as well as our ability to deliver in as free a manner as possible, they might be impacted, Kaag said. But this doesnt stop us, and it certainly doesnt deter us. In the last 24 hours, Israel airstrikes over Gaza have caused at least 81 Palestinian casualties and injured close to 200, the Ministry of Health in Gaza reported, per CNN, making it the largest daily death toll in the last 11 days of the war. The Israeli military said in the past day, it conducted strikes on approximately 50 terror targets across the Gaza Strip, CNN added. The Israel Defense Forces told CNN a Hamas militant involved in the Nova Music Festival attack, the deadliest incident on Oct. 7, was among those killed. Trump and Biden take credit for agreement In his last Oval Office address as president, Joe Biden credited his administration with advancing a resolution to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This plan was developed and negotiated by my team, and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration, Biden said. Thats why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, because thats how it should be, working together as Americans. Bidens envoy, Brett McGurk, and President-elect Donald J. Trumps envoy, Steve Witkoff, have both been present during ceasefire negotiations, according to Reuters. Much of the public credit has done to incoming President Donald Trump, comparing his week heading into office to President Ronald Reagans first days in the White House, which included the release of 52 American hostages from Iran the day before he entered office in 1981. Since being elected in November, Trump has repeatedly demanded that Hamas release American hostages. Following his 2024 presidential win, he warned Hamas that If those hostages arent back by the time Im back in office, all hell will break out in the Middle East, and it will not be good for Hamas, and it will not be good frankly for anyone. All hell will break out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Darren Davis, a political science professor at the University of Notre Dame, told Newsweek that a hostage release could boost his approval. However, unlike Reagan, the U.S. is much more divided politically than in the 1980s. Although President Reagan may have received a boost in presidential approval rally around the flag effect from the Israel hostage crisis in the 1980s, the country was not in era of political polarization, Davis said. That is, Democrats may not be as willing to give President Trump credit as they did with President Reagan. President Trump will likely receive a marginal boost, mostly from lukewarm partisans on both sides. I do not expect any major swings in presidential approval if America is not directly involved, he added. By John Irish PARIS (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Justice vigorously opposed at a French court hearing in December the release of a Lebanese militant jailed for attacks on American and Israeli diplomats in France more than 40 years ago, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The former head of the Lebanese Armed Revolutionary Brigade (LARB), Georges Ibrahim Abdallah was sentenced to life in 1987 for his role in the 1982 murders in Paris of U.S. military attache Charles Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov, and the attempted murder of U.S. Consul General Robert Homme in Strasbourg in 1984. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The United States of America submits that sending Mr Abdallah to Lebanon, and specifically to his hometown would be a destabilising influence in an already volatile region and would give rise to severe public disorder," the letter dated Dec. 16, just three days before an appeals court hearing in Paris, said. Requests for his release have been rejected and annulled eight times, including in 2003, 2012 and 2014, but a Paris court in November granted his release on condition that he leaves France and not return. It said that Abdallah, now 73 and a staunch defender of the Palestinian cause, had been irreproachable in prison and posed "no serious risk to renew terrorism acts." The office of France's anti-terrorism prosecutor appealed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement the decision, automatically keeping him in prison. The appeals hearing took place on Dec. 19 and judges are due to give their ruling on Feb. 20. The United States has always opposed his release despite Lebanese authorities requesting he be freed - leaving Paris caught in the middle with diplomats saying it did not want to cross Washington on the issue. The case has often been brought up by officials in Beirut, including by former Lebanese President Michel Aoun, although it is not likely to be high up on the agenda when President Emmanuel Macron travels to Lebanon on Friday. In its letter the Department of Justice repeated past assertions that his release would pose a threat to the safety of U.S. diplomats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also used Abdallah's previous comments that he would return to his hometown Qobayyat on the Lebanese-Syrian border as a reason not to release him given the recent conflict between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah. It also said that he had consistently refused to renounce his resistance to any "occupation" of Lebanon and "that he was and is at war and therefore violence against innocent victims in this case was and is justified." It added that his "early" release did not serve U.S., French or Lebanese interests. Abdallah's lawyer Jean-Louis Chalanset said the accusations were ridiculous, pointing out that the LARB no longer existed and no acts had been carried out by it in Europe or the United States since 1984. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that as a communist activist Abdallah it was his legitimate right to resist any occupation. "This is a right recognised by all international conventions," Chalanset told Reuters. "The letter from the United States to the French judges is an intrusion by a state that dictates its orders to a state that it considers a vassal, it is unacceptable," he told Reuters. Neither the U.S. State Department or Justice Department responded to requests for comment. France's anti-terrorism prosecutor declined to comment on the letter, but said it had outlined its justifications to keep Abdallah in prison during the hearing. (Additional reporting by Juliette Jabkhiro; Editing by Toby Chopra) A general view over the Gaza Strip as seen from the Israeli side of the border on Jan. 8, 2024, in southern Israel. Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images. With an agreement just hours old, it remains to be seen whether the announced Gaza ceasefire will stick. Whether it does or not, the misery of the Palestinian people is hardly over. Gaza has been made a hellscape, and it has been made a hellscape by design, even if Israels American apologists, such as U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, deny this reality. In a December 13 letter to me, Stauber, who represents Minnesotas 8th Congressional District, baselessly accused the terrorist-run Gazan Health Ministry of inflat[ing] Palestinian civilian casualties while he himself in the very same letter incontrovertibly inflated those of Israel. On October 7, 2023, he falsely wrote, the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel and killed thousands of innocent civilians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The atrocities of October 7 were horrendous and inexcusable, and the documented civilian toll that day was bad enough. Why, then, does Stauber feel it necessary to exaggerate it? Contrary to his bogus assertion, no credible source not even the Israeli government itself claims that thousands of civilians were killed on October 7. The most precise figure, which derives from numerous data sources including the Israeli social security agency, indicates the number of civilians killed on October 7 to be 815. (Over 300 Israeli military personnel also died that day.) Note that this figure is less than half of what Stauber claimed as a bare minimum. So why does any of this matter? On one level it doesnt. It feels almost icky to have to point out that the number of civilians killed on October 7 is far less than what my congressman claimed. After all, one civilian casualty is one too many. But on another level it matters a lot. It illustrates the serious intellectual deficiencies of Stauber, who clearly knows nothing about the Israel-Palestine conflict yet appears to feel no compunction in repeatedly lying about it. Facts and accuracy are of little concern to him. More significantly, the issue matters because Stauber seems to think that the crimes of October 7 justify his support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza. Genocide is not a term I use lightly. Indeed, it was an e-mail I sent to Stauber, following Amnesty Internationals release of a 300-page report on December 5 concluding that Israel has committed and is continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza Strip, that prompted Staubers letter. And Amnesty is not alone. Highly regarded scholars have found similarly, from Israeli historian Raz Segal who was infamously denied the directorship of the University of Minnesotas Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies in a shameful violation of academic freedom by the universitys administration to the eminent Holocaust historian Omer Bartov. Most recently, Human Rights Watch concluded on December 19 that Israeli authorities are responsible for the crime against humanity of extermination and for acts of genocide in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I wrote to Stauber on December 9, I asked him as my elected representative to work to immediately suspend the supply, sale or transfer of arms to Israel. Given that such arms were being used to conduct war crimes and crimes against humanity, their provision to Israel was a violation of both domestic American law and U.S. obligations under international treaties. This was not a partisan call on my part. With relatively few exceptions (U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, to her credit, among them), President Joe Biden and the Democratic Party led the charge in abetting the genocide, sending billions of dollars in military aid to Israel and vetoing several UN Security Council resolutions calling for an immediate Gaza ceasefire. Despite the legal violations in continuing to provide Israel with U.S. weapons, Stauber, who claims to value law and order, ignored my request and made it clear that he supported the continuing atrocities. I will continue to stand with our ally, Israel, as it fights for its right to exist, he told me in his December 13 response. Someday, when the history of this genocide is written, Stauber will be remembered for having cowardly sided with the perpetrators. When law and morality called on him to stand up and try to end the suffering of millions, he spat on the victims, denounced those trying to save them, and said God should bless the genocidaires. Shame on him. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security revealed Tuesday that it would be blacklisting one of Chinas largest textile manufacturers and two dozen of its subsidiaries for their alleged ties with the persecution of Muslim minorities in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. Together with companies in solar, real estate and mining, the additions count toward the largest single expansion of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, or UFLPA, Entity List to date. Huafu Fashion Co., according to the inter-agency Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force, which the Department of Homeland Security helms, maintains a vast vertically integrated supply chain from cotton planting in Xinjiang through textiles manufacturing. It said it has reasonable cause to believe, based on specific and articulable information, that the entities source cotton or cotton-based products from Xinjiang. The conglomerate, whose controlling shareholder is Huafu Holdings, did not respond to a request for comment. More from Sourcing Journal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In adding 37 companies to the UFLPA Entities List and bringing the total to nearly 150, we again demonstrate our relentless fight against the cruelty of forced labor, our unwavering commitment to basic human rights, and our tireless defense of a free, fair, and competitive market, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a statement. One of the names should also be a familiar one: Aksu Huafu Textiles Co., which was cited in the Australia Strategic Policy Institutes seminal 2020 report, Uyghurs for Sale, and the Helena Kennedy Centre for International Justice at Sheffield Hallam Universitys 2021 follow-up, Laundering Cotton, had already been named to the list in 2022 for what the Biden administration described as the companys cooperation with the Xinjiang government to recruit, transport, transfer, harbor or receive forced labor. Long-term customers such as Adidas, Abercrombie & Fitch, Lacoste, H&M and Zara quickly dropped the supplier. Newly reinducted, Aksu Huafu Textiles Co., which also goes by Aksu Huafu Dyed Melange Yarn, is now joined by 24 others under the Huafu Fashion Co. umbrella, including companies not situated in Xinjiang, such as Ningbo Huafu Donghao Industrial Co., Ninghai Huafu Textile Co. and Zhejiang Weixin Trading Co., which are based in Zhejiang Province 2,400 miles away. These too, however, will now be subject to the UFLPAs rebuttable presumption that goods made in whole or in part from them are the product of forced laborwhich Beijing has long deniedand are therefore impermissible in the United States. That Huafu is being sanctioned in the waning days of the Biden administration is significant, according to Adrian Zenz, a senior fellow in China studies at the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation. Huafu operates the worlds largest mill for spinning colored yarn in Xinjiang, he said. The company is one of the largest involved in Xinjiangs cotton production process and has extensive operations in China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zenz is less certain, however, about the tack that the incoming Trump 2.0 government might take, even though one of the architects of the UFLPA, Florida senator Marco Rubio, is pipped for the post of Secretary of State. The actions of the next administration are not that easy to predict, because you have a combination of China hawks and of politicians with America-first ambitions, and these two orientations do not always align, he said. During Trumps first administration, we had a State Department that was willing to use human rights sanctions, but the Treasury Department was much more reticent. In the same way, UFLPA entity designations require approval by a range of agencies. Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware, said that more enforcement is likely on its way. He pointed to the United States Trade Representatives trade strategy to combat forced labor, published Monday, that lays out a comprehensive approach to using trade tools, from the UFLPA to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement to the Section 301 investigation into Nicaragua, to address modern slavery. Including Huafu Fashion in the Entity List signals the U.S.s willingness to target key industry players with a broad impact on the supply chain, he said. With the USTRs recent release of its first-ever strategy to combat forced labor, it can be highly expected that the incoming new administration will continue to strengthen UFPLA enforcement and remind companies about the importance of due diligence and mapping their supply chains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For now, the White House still belongs to President Joe Biden, who signed the UFLPA into law in December 2021. And despite backlash from China that has included a surprise probe into Calvin Klein owner PVH Corp. for purportedly taking discriminatory measures against products from Xinjiang, fulfillment of the UFLPA continues apace, officials say. With each addition to the UFLPA Entity List, we are building momentum and showing that our efforts are sustainable and enduring in eradicating forced labor in our nations supply chains, Robert Paschall, acting Undersecretary for Policy, said in a statement. This largest-ever batch of additions reinforces that we are implementing the full force of this law, making impactful updates to the UFLPA Entity List, and enhancing U.S. Customs and Border Protections enforcement capabilities. (USDA photo by Lance Cheung). The new leader of the U.S. Senates agriculture committee, Arkansas John Boozman, has several ties to meatpacking behemoths, including Tyson Foods, and has recently resisted efforts by his fellow Republicans to reign in their economic power. New Democratic leadership on the committee also has strong agriculture ties, as Sen. Amy Klobuchar has received thousands from employees at the grain processor Cargill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans recently won control of the U.S. Senate, along with the presidency and the U.S. House of Representatives. This puts the GOP back in charge of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, which has sway over important food legislation, such as the Farm Bill. New chairman Boozman became the committees ranking minority member in 2021, with Democrats controlling the Senate. He was first elected in 2001. Over his two decades in Congress, employees at Tyson Foods, one of Americas largest meat companies, donated more than $120,000 to his campaigns the third-most hes received during his career, according to OpenSecrets. Neither Boozman or Tyson returned a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just four companies, including Tyson Foods, control 85% of the beef industry, which critics argue limits competition and gives them significant power to set prices. Most beef is bought through contracts, but independent ranchers in rural areas have called for legislation requiring the companies to purchase at least some of their beef on the open market. In 2021, Sen. Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, championed the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act to address ranchers concerns. But, when the bill faced opposition from his fellow Republicans, Grassley pointed the finger at Tyson and its peers. You got to think behind all this is the political power of the big four packers, he said, according to Politico. In response, Boozman said Grassley is a good friend and we work together very closely, but I think theres a misunderstanding that somehow were trying to block this bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Politico reported that some of the concerns among those trying to pass the legislation were the connections to the meat industry on Boozmans committee staff. His policy director, Chelsie Keys, used to work for the National Pork Producers Council, which represents major meatpackers. Also, the policy directors spouse, Gordon Chandler Keys III, is a lobbyist for JBS USA, one of the four companies that control most of the beef industry. In recent years, Chandler Keys has lobbied the Senate on issues related to meat inspection and the Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration, or GIPSA, according to lobbying disclosure records. GIPSA is tasked with investigating unfair market practices. Originally an independent agency within the USDA, the first Trump administration moved it under the umbrella of another agency, which has reduced its effectiveness, critics have said. The records do not specify which senators were lobbied, and a committee spokesperson told Politico in 2022 that Keys does not lobby Boozman. Keys did not return requests for comment. Grassley told KMALand, a radio station in Iowa, that he will continue to push for the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act in this years Congress, perhaps as an addition to the Farm Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked about the acts chances, given Boozmans reported resistance, a spokesperson for Grassleys office said, Senator Grassley remains committed to enhancing transparency in the cattle market and ensuring a level playing field for all cattle producers. Tysons relationship with its contract farmers could be further scrutinized during the next congressional term as the U.S. Department of Agriculture is investigating the company after it closed several of its plants in recent years. Because of industry consolidation, rural farmers who raised Tysons chickens had no other company to sell their chickens to, leaving them saddled with debt. In Missouri, a Tyson competitor attempted to buy a shuttered plant, but Tyson worked to prevent the purchase, according to an investigation by Watchdog Writers Group and Investigate Midwest. Tyson also subpoenaed communication between former growers and federal investigators. Boozmans Republican colleague, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, called the companys actions anti-American. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Boozman has not publicly commented on the Tyson plant closures. When he was formally tapped to lead the agriculture committee, he released a statement saying his aim was to bolster rural communities. Sen. Klobuchar has ties to Cargill On the Democratic side, significant changes are reshaping the Senate agriculture committees leadership for the first time in years, driven by a major retirement and election losses. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Michigan Democrat first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2001, is leaving. She has helped shape several farm bills, most recently as committee chairwoman. Sen. Sherrod Brown, an Ohio Democrat who has been a recent committee mainstay, lost his re-election bid in November. Klobuchar, of Minnesota, is now the ranking minority member. Shes received consistent support from employees at Cargill, the nations largest private company and a major grain processor. Over the years, shes supported the biofuel industry, a key component of Cargills business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, as Klobuchar ran for president, the then-CEO of Cargill, Dave MacLennan, served as her campaign bundler, a usually wealthy person who raises substantial cash from others. Overall that year, Cargill employees donated about $37,000 to her the third highest total from company employees, according to OpenSecrets. In 2024, Cargill employees donated about $13,600 to Klobuchar, the fifth-most that year, according to OpenSecrets. Cargill employees also donated to Boozman and Californias Adam Schiff, who is also on the Senate agriculture committee. Cargill is a major producer of biofuels, such as ethanol. A growing body of evidence suggests that ethanol trumpeted as a climate smart alternative to gasoline might have minimal climate benefits or, perhaps, might be worse than gas. Klobuchar has consistently supported the industry. Over the past few years, she has introduced legislation focused on E15, a blend of ethanol that Cargill and others sell. One bill would have removed warnings about ethanols potential impact on cars, and another would allow E15 to be sold year-round. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Klobuchars office did not respond to requests for comment. The email address that Cargill said was the best way for reporters to contact the company bounced back. New Farm Bill will be area of focus for new committee leaders The agriculture committees most important business will likely be passing a Farm Bill, which funds subsidies for farms and financial assistance for low-income families, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The 2018 Farm Bill expired in 2023, but Congress has approved two-year funding stopgaps since then. In June, Boozman, as the ranking minority member, published his framework for a new farm bill. He called for increased spending on the so-called farm safety net and on trade programs. In November, following her retirement announcement, Stabenow released her framework, which Boozman called insulting. While also increasing funding for the farm safety net, it emphasized funding for SNAP and conservation programs related to climate change. Republicans have 53 votes in the U.S. Senate, but it takes 60 to pass a farm bill in the upper chamber. The legislation will need to attract some Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think at times last year, pretty consistently, it was clear that the ability to work across partisan lines had frayed in the Senate ag committee, said Mike Lavender, the policy director for the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, which advocates for sustainable food systems. The biggest question on my mind is, how will new leadership really lean into a bipartisan approach and working together to get a bill done? From a policy standpoint, the shift in leadership likely wont result in dramatic changes, especially given Boozmans previous role as ranking minority member, he said. But having different individuals in charge might lead to different points of emphasis. For instance, Stabenow focused on funding specialty crops, which are a big part of Michigan agriculture. But Klobuchar might focus on competition and antitrust laws, Lavender said. In 2022, Klobuchar published a book on monopoly power. This article first appeared on Investigate Midwest and is republished here under a Creative Commons license. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged critics of the Kenya Kwanza administration to express their opinions without resorting to insults. Kindiki highlighted that Kenyas democratic framework allows citizens to voice differing opinions, even when they oppose the government. However, he emphasized that expressing dissent should never involve offensive language. He stressed the importance of maintaining respect while delivering criticism, noting that insults do more harm than good to the countrys reputation. Those who are critics of the government, we know that our country is a democracy and there is no problem for a citizen to have a different opinion from the government, but it does not mean that you have to express your opinion with insults and in bad language because if you do that, you destroy the dignity and honour of our nation of Kenya Criticise with respect. Tupelekane pole pole. It doesnt help to abuse leaders, Kindiki remarked. Additionally, the Deputy President urged Kenyans to remain united, regardless of regional or tribal differences, underscoring the need for national cohesion. He called for mutual respect as a cornerstone for building a prosperous and inclusive nation. I appeal to my colleagues and fellow citizens to foster progress by respecting one another. Even those with opposing views should express them respectfully. Honor is not slavery; we must be honorable. Insults are not democracy. The time for voting will come, he stated. Kindiki further emphasized the importance of reciprocal respect across all levels of society. Leaders must respect the people, and citizens should respect each other and their leaders. Elders should respect the youth, and the youth should respect their elders. This mutual respect is the only way to build a strong and united country, he concluded. Jan. 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. Transportation Department is suing Southwest Airlines and has fined Frontier Airlines over "chronically" delayed flights, disrupting passengers' travel plans. "Airlines have a legal obligation to ensure that their flight schedules provide travelers with realistic departure and arrival times," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement announcing the action on Wednesday. "Today's action sends a message to all airlines that the Department is prepared to go to court in order to enforce passenger protections." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, the Biden administration is accusing Southwest of knowingly operating flights that are consistently late but choosing not to make adjustments, and continuing to market its flights "using unrealistic schedules." "By doing so, Southwest has caused significant harm to its customers," the Transportation Department said. As an example, Transportation officials pointed to Southwest Flight 1029 from Chicago to Oakland, Calif., which was late by an average of more than an hour 19 of the 25 trips it flew in April 2022. In May that same year, the flight arrived at its destination late an average of 80 minutes 16 of its 27 trips, according to the court documents. A similar scheduling practice was identified for a Baltimore, Md., flight to Cleveland, which was late for more than half of half the time during at least five consecutive months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Transportation Department defines a flight chronically delayed if it is flown at least 10 times a month and arrives more than 30 minutes late more than 50% of the time. It is seeking a declaration from the court that Southwest violated the law and civil penalties. UPI has asked Southwest for comment. Along with the lawsuit, the Transportation Department announced it fined Frontier $650,000 in civil penalties for operating "multiple chronically delayed flights," according to the federal agency. Half of the fine is to be paid to the Treasury with the remaining $325,000 to be suspended if Frontier does not operate any chronically delayed flights in the next three years, it said. The announcement came about two weeks after the department fined JetBlue Airways $2 million for chronic flight delays. UCLA, located just outside Palisades fire evacuation and warning zones, will resume in-person classes Tuesday amid improving weather forecasts and fire containment, university officials announced Thursday. "Yesterday evening, the red flag warning that was in effect for our area was lifted, which means the current weather conditions have shifted in our favor," UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said in an online announcement. "We are optimistic about how things are trending: emergency responders are making progress in combating the fires, wind speed is diminishing and projections show continued safer air quality on campus." The university switched to remote classes last Thursday as a precaution after the Palisades fire could be seen from campus and mandatory evacuation and evacuation warning zones touched the UCLA border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university was never under mandatory evacuation or in an evacuation warning zone. Administrators have also said that, while smoky conditions were briefly reported by students on campus in the middle of last week, air quality measured by five on-campus monitors has remained within safe levels. Still, the vast majority of the 22,000 on-campus students left late last week. Read more: Rain in the forecast could cut back on wildfire risk in Southern California Frenk and administrators said that while they are confident the campus is ready to shift back to normal operations, they are still on alert. "Should conditions shift, we will revisit our plans," Frenk said. "We are not letting our guard down. We will remain vigilant and communicate promptly with you with any important changes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the weekend, remaining students could be seen on "The Hill," the northwest campus dorm area, packing their bags into bright yellow moving carts and placing luggage in Lyfts and Ubers. Many went to stay with relatives, friends or took flights home in and out of state. Elliott Cho, a senior, said while moving out Sunday that he was leaving because "it's not safe to be here because of the air quality." Several undergraduates on campus reported seeing ash around their dorm buildings and smoke inside residence halls early last week before conditions cleared up. During virtual town halls this week, Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael J. Beck said that roughly 900 students remained on campus and that the university was ready to evacuate them if necessary but that the prospect looked unlikely. Read more: UCLA is 'a ghost town' as students flee campus next to Palisades fire evacuation zone Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking in a university-wide town hall Thursday, Beck said 1,240 off-campus students had been hit by evacuation warnings or mandatory evacuation orders after multiple wildfires broke out last week. About half of those students were no longer in either category. Beck also said that 3,367 staff and faculty members had been under mandatory evacuations or evacuation warnings. More than 2,000 remained in those zones as of Wednesday. Frenk, the former University of Miami president who began his UCLA role this month, praised the community Thursday during the town hall. "Our staff have truly been amazing. So many are working literally around the clock and somehow finding extra energy to keep things running for Bruins. I know our students and parents have dealt with a great deal of uncertainty and fear, and want to acknowledge that," Frenk said. "This crisis has shown me how much passion, how much heart is in our Bruin community in this short first two weeks of my tenure." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university has donated the use of its UCLA Research Park, the site of the former Westside Pavillion mall, to the federal government for FEMA use. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will temporarily operate the recovery center, which is offering aid to fire victims and evacuees to help them retrieve documents, file insurance claims and access federal assistance, social services, mental health and other needs. The site is one of two FEMA disaster recovery centers in the region, with the other being at the Pasadena City College Community Education Center. The University of California purchased the property it is donating last year. It's under development to convert its commercial spaces into research facilities. When completed, the site will house the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy at UCLA and the UCLA Center for Quantum Science and Engineering, among other programs. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. NEW YORK A challenger has emerged to take on the powerful leader of New York Citys teachers union, fueled by growing dissent among retired and rank-and-file educators. The Alliance of Retired and In-Service Educators a coalition of three opposition caucuses that formed late last year is set to announce Olivia Swisher, a teacher and chapter leader at M.S. 821 in Brooklyn, as their candidate to run against United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew in the unions spring elections. Michael Shulman, co-chair of the New Action Caucus and vice chair of the Retired Teachers chapter, will run for secretary. Aixa Rodriguez, an educator at Motion Picture Technical High School in Queens, is running for assistant secretary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This marks the latest attempt by rank-and-file members who have long accused the head of the nearly 200,000-member union of stifling opposing voices and making backroom deals to thwart Mulgrews reelection efforts. There are signs Mulgrews influence is waning. With the backing of the Unity Caucus, he won reelection in May 2022 by his smallest margin yet, and a group of dissident retired instructors ousted his caucus in a recent election. But it will be an uphill battle for the coalition to unseat the longtime union leader. Swisher is counting on waning support among retirees and rank-and-filers to make it happen. Its definitely a David and Goliath situation, with the Unity Caucus, whove been in power since the founding of the union, they really control that space, she said in an interview. But it doesnt mean that we shouldnt run in the elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swisher, a member of the Movement of Rank and File Educators, or MORE-UFT one of the coalitions caucuses sat on the negotiating team for the unions most recent contract. She also led actions in schools and citywide to push for better pay and working conditions for teachers. The joint slate also includes the New Action and Retiree Advocate caucuses. Their strategy is centered around mobilizing new voters disillusioned with deteriorating working conditions in schools, including the city stripping educators of their autonomy by imposing new reading and math curricula, said Peter Allen-Lamphere, a math teacher and member of MORE-UFT. Allen-Lamphere noted they plan to engage retirees upset over the controversial Medicare Advantage plan and paraprofessionals who want higher pay, as well as advocate for improving pension benefits for newer teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our slate represents the combination of new blood and organizing experience that our union needs to build a powerful organizing movement of members for a better contract in 2027, he said. Petitions to get on the ballot are due March 17. Every three years, the union holds an election for president, other officers, members of the executive board and delegates to state and national union conventions. LeRoy Barr, UFTs secretary and chair of Mulgrews Unity Caucus, defended his leadership. The UFT is a democratic organization that thrives on a vigorous exchange of ideas, Barr said in a statement. Unity has a track record of improving the lives of UFT members and so we look forward to the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Better Contract, an independent group of teachers unaffiliated with the caucuses, is running its own slate of candidates. In recent months, Mulgrew has become more vocal on hot-button issues that educators have raised concerns about. In June, he abruptly withdrew his support for Medicare Advantage, pointing to frustration among retirees. The states highest court recently ruled that the city has to continue to pay for their supplemental Medicare coverage. He also raised concerns about staffing shortages that left thousands of special needs students without critical services. And he claimed the city made changes to a reading curriculum mandate due to intense negotiations over his unions issues with it despite being a stalwart supporter of the initiative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The threats to Mulgrews leadership coincide with a critical election year. While unions usually back incumbent mayors, it remains to be seen whether Mulgrew will get behind Mayor Eric Adams, with whom he has had a complex relationship. Adams is grappling with federal corruption charges, a loss of public matching funds and the departure of top aides mired in scandal. He is scheduled to go on trial in April. UFTs track record in mayoral races isnt exactly impressive it has not endorsed a successful candidate since 1989. The union in 2013 endorsed former City Comptroller Bill Thompson, who lost to Bill de Blasio. In 2021, Mulgrew backed then-City Comptroller Scott Stringer. Adams who Mulgrew urged his members not to rank on their ballots won that primary. But UFTs endorsement remains a coveted prize, especially in the primary for the Democratic nomination. The union has a massive war chest. Editor's note: An earlier version of this article misstated that the U.K. had announced $2.6 billion in new military aid to Ukraine. The $2.6 billion pledged by the U.K. is part of a G7 loan program to Kyiv that will be paid back using frozen Russian assets. The United Kingdom will also provide new military aid for Ukraine, including 150 artillery barrels, a mobile air defense system, and an expanded training initiative with allied nations, the government announced on Jan. 16. This year, the U.K. plans to deliver unprecedented military support to Ukraine, with 3 billion pounds ($3.6 billion) already committed for lethal aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This funding will not only support Ukraine but also bolster the U.K.s defense industry, creating jobs across the country, the statement reads. The announcement comes as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer made his second visit to Kyiv, marking his first trip since assuming office in July 2024. Starmer and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a 100-year partnership agreement to ensure long-term cooperation during the visit. The first 1.5 billion pounds ($1.8 billion) of a 2.26-billion-pound ($2.7 billion) loan, part of the G7 loan program to Kyiv, will also be released for major procurement projects. The loan will be repaid using profits from immobilized Russian assets. The military aid includes artillery barrels manufactured by Sheffield Forgemasters, the first such production in the U.K. in over 20 years. The barrels are expected to be delivered to Ukraine within weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.K. will also provide a mobile air defense system developed in partnership with Denmark, aimed at enhancing Ukraines ability to counter Russian missile and drone attacks. The training initiative builds on the success of Operation Interflex, which trained over 51,000 Ukrainian recruits in the past two years. The U.K. plans to expand this effort in collaboration with international allies. In the days leading up to Starmer's visit, Bloomberg reported that Starmer and Zelensky were set to discuss the potential deployment of an international peacekeeping force to Ukraine during the trip. Read also: Ukraine, UK sign 100-year partnership agreement Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The United Kingdom has pledged to supply Ukraine with 15 new mobile Gravehawk air defence systems by the end of 2025, developed with joint funding from the UK and Denmark. Source: European Pravda, citing a statement on the UK governments website following Prime Minister Keir Starmers visit to Kyiv on 16 January Quote: "The innovative system, which is the size of a shipping container, is able to retrofit air-air missiles for ground-based air defence." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The UK government clarified that the Gravehawk system can utilise missiles already in service with the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Quote: "Two prototypes of the air defence capability system were tested in Ukraine in September [2024], and a further 15 will follow this year." More details: Additionally, the UK will soon provide Ukraine with 150 artillery barrels as part of an aid package worth approximately US$2.6 billion, funded through interest generated from frozen Russian assets. Background: Earlier, Ukraine and the UK signed a historic agreement on a 100-year partnership to deepen security ties and strengthen cooperation for future generations. Support UP or become our patron! UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron have been discussing sending UK and French troops to Ukraine as peacekeeping forces following any potential agreement to end the war. Source: The Telegraph with reference to its sources Details: The Telegraph noted that Macron supports the idea and has discussed it with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Telegraph also reported that spokespersons for Downing Street and the Elysee Palace do not deny that Starmer and Macron discussed this possibility during their meeting at Chequers last week. The details of the conversation are being kept secret by officials in London and Paris. However, multiple senior sources in the UK government emphasised that Starmer has not yet fully considered the proposal. "There are challenges over what we could support, what would we want to support and the broader question about the threat that those troops may be under and whether that is escalatory," The Telegraph quoted one Whitehall source. This proposal arises as European leaders try to determine how to continue supporting Ukraine's sovereignty, given that US President-elect Donald Trump insists Kyiv must reach a peace agreement with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UK government's public position is that Western allies must provide Zelenskyy with as much support as possible, while Ukrainians should decide when and whether to pursue peace talks. Privately, ministers and officials suggest that Trump will pressure Ukraine and Russia to come to the negotiating table. Efforts are now ongoing to outline the next steps. One idea increasingly discussed not only in public debates but also behind closed doors in Westminster is whether Western troops could guarantee any peace agreements. The discussions revolve around the possibility that Russia could keep the Ukrainian territories it has seized as part of a peace deal, although there is much uncertainty regarding this prospect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If this happens, European leaders are considering what can be done to ensure the remaining territory of Ukraine is protected from any future Russian attacks. Previously: French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer met at the country residence of the UK prime ministers, with Ukraine being the central topic of their conversation. In November, it was reported that Starmer and Macron spoke one-on-one for 20 minutes about Ukraine during the UK prime minister's visit to Paris. Background: At the end of 2024, at Macron's initiative, talks intensified about the possibility of a potential deployment of a contingent of European allies in Ukraine as a deterrent to a new Russian attack. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy acknowledged that such an idea had indeed been discussed at pre-Christmas meetings in Brussels and that he had already "seen positive responses" from some leaders. Opening a meeting at the US Ramstein Air Base in Germany on 9 January, Zelenskyy said he believed the deployment of foreign troops in Ukraine was one of the best tools to force Russia to peace. Support UP or become our patron! LONDON (Reuters) - Britain gave the green light to Rocket Factory Augsburg to launch satellites from a site in northern Scotland on Thursday, potentially paving the way for regular commercial space missions from European soil. Following the granting of the licence, German company RFA's 30 metre tall rocket has permission to take satellites into orbit. That is expected to happen in the third quarter of this year, a person familiar with the timing of the launch said. Britain has for years been looking to add launch capabilities to its booming space industry which employs over 45,000 and builds more satellites than anywhere outside the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the country's efforts to gain a foothold were dealt a major blow two years ago when a horizontal rocket launch from Newquay, south-west England failed. A successful vertical launch later this year would revive the industry's prospects. Britain's Civil Aviation Authority said its first ever vertical launch licence permitted the rocket to launch from SaxaVord Spaceport in the Shetland Islands, adding that it would continue to carry out safety monitoring in the coming months. "This is a landmark moment for RFA, SaxaVord and the UK space sector and moves the dial one step closer towards the first commercial vertical space launch in the United Kingdom," Aviation Minister Mike Kane said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A number of conditions need to be met before the launch can take place, including securing insurance and making sure international agreements with other countries are in place, the CAA said. (Reporting by Sarah Young, editing by Paul Sandle) The state visit by His Majesty King Willem-Alexander and Her Majesty Queen Maxima to Kenya will go ahead as planned, despite strong opposition from some Kenyans. The Dutch government confirmed that the visit, scheduled for March 18 to March 20, 2025, will proceed after receiving over 300 emails from Kenyans urging the cancellation of the royal trip. These emails primarily expressed concerns about human rights violations in Kenya, particularly after a series of abductions and disappearances of individuals critical of President William Rutos government. Dutch public broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) reported that many critics of President Rutos government opposed the visit, citing the current state of human rights in Kenya. However, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reassured the public that the visit will remain on track. In a response to the emails, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, speaking on behalf of the Government Information Service (RVD), acknowledged the concerns regarding human rights violations. The ministry confirmed that the Netherlands has consistently raised these issues publicly and maintained communication with Kenyan authorities. It also emphasized that the royal visit provides a valuable opportunity to discuss sensitive issues, including human rights violations, directly with Kenyan leadership. In a written response, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also on behalf of the Government Information Service, stated that it is aware of the human rights violations in Kenya, against which the Netherlands speaks out both publicly and is in contact with Kenyan authorities and that it sees the visit as an opportunity to discuss difficult topics such as human rights violations, Dutch public broadcaster Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) reported. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maximas visit will be the first state visit by Dutch royals to Kenya. The royal couple is expected to meet with President Ruto and other officials during their stay. The Royal House of the Netherlands revealed that the visits main objective is to strengthen existing relationships and build new partnerships. Additionally, Kenya and the Netherlands will collaborate on areas such as sustainable agriculture, water management, and climate action, key issues of mutual interest. Editor's note: The article was updated with a report on British PM Keir Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelensky honoring fallen soldiers at the Wall of Remembrance of Fallen Defenders on Kyiv's Mykhailivska Square. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Kyiv on Jan. 16, where he is set to sign a wide-ranging "100 Year Partnership" treaty covering a number of areas, including defense, energy, and trade. Starmer's visit marks his second trip to the Ukrainian capital and the first since he was elected prime minister in July 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come," Starmer said in a news release on the treaty. The agreement, based on nine key pillars, aims to strengthen maritime military cooperation between the two countries and bolster security in the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and the Azov Sea, according to the U.K. government statement. It will also advance scientific, educational, and technological partnerships in healthcare, agriculture, space, and drones. London will launch a new Grain Verification Scheme to track grain looted by Russia in the occupied territories. The document further "cements" the U.K. as Ukraine's preferred partner in the energy sector, critical minerals strategy, and green steel production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The 100 Year Partnership is a major step in supporting Ukraines long-term security ensuring they are never again vulnerable to the kind of brutality inflicted on it by Russia and committing to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a sovereign Ukraine for the next century," according to the statement. Ukrainian and U.K. leadership are also expected to hold talks to discuss further cooperation, primarily in the security sector, Ukraine's Ambassador to London Valerii Zaluzhnyi said. "We are also planning to resume the Strategic Partnership Dialogue, which is a tool that will allow us to effectively discuss and resolve various issues of bilateral cooperation," he added. As part of his visit, Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelensky laid flowers at the Wall of Remembrance of Fallen Defenders on Kyiv's Mykhailivska Square. Starmer's visit to Ukraine comes as the U.K. discusses deploying an international peacekeeping force to the embattled country after a potential ceasefire deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg reported on Jan. 10 that Starmer was expected to visit Kyiv in the coming weeks to discuss the peacekeepers' potential deployment with Zelensky. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has also advocated for Europe to take the lead in monitoring a potential ceasefire. The Wall Street Journal reported on Dec. 12 that Trump emphasized Europes greater responsibility in addressing Russian aggression. To mark the signing of the partnership treaty, Starmer is expected to announce new military and economic support for Ukraine as it continues to resist Russian aggression. "(Russian President Vladimir) Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure," Starmer said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level." Read also: UK PM Starmer plans Ukraine visit to discuss peacekeeping mission, Bloomberg reports Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine on Thursday, 16 January to meet with President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Source: The Guardian; press release on the UK government website, as reported by European Pravda Details: Starmer's office said that the UK and Ukraine will sign a landmark agreement on a 100-year partnership to deepen security ties and strengthen partnerships for future generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The treaty will enhance military cooperation in maritime security through a new structure to strengthen the security of the Baltic, Black and Azov Seas and deter ongoing Russian aggression. The statement emphasised that Ukraine has a highly skilled army and a thriving technology sector that is rapidly developing and deploying state-of-the-art combat equipment, and therefore a security partnership with Ukraine will make the UK stronger. Quote: "To mark the signing of the partnership today, the Prime Minister is expected to announce new UK support for Ukraine, from lethal aid to economic resilience." Details: The UK Prime Minister said that Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin's ambition to cut Ukraine off from its closest partners had suffered a huge strategic defeat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level. This is not just about the here and now, it is also about an investment in our two countries for the next century, bringing together technology development, scientific advances and cultural exchanges, and harnessing the phenomenal innovation shown by Ukraine in recent years for generations to come." Updated at 10:09: Valerii Zaluzhnyi, Ukraines Ambassador to the United Kingdom and former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, has welcomed Keir Starmer in Kyiv. Valerii Zaluzhnyi welcomes Keir Starmer in Kyiv. Photo: Zaluzhnyi on Telegram Background: Earlier, there were media reports that during Starmer's visit, the possibility of deploying international peacekeeping forces to Ukraine after the war with Russia ends would also be discussed. On 9 January, the UK, together with its NATO allies, was reported to be providing Ukraine with 30,000 new drones. On the same day, French President Emmanuel Macron and Starmer met at the UK prime ministers' country residence, with Ukraine being the central topic of their conversation. Support UP or become our patron! The UK Foreign Office has announced 100 million in humanitarian aid for Ukraine and another 40 million to support the Ukrainian economy. Source: UK Foreign Office on X (Twitter), as Interfax-Ukraine reported Quote: "UK support to Ukraine continues: 100 million lifesaving humanitarian funding, including for UNOCHA (UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) and the Red Cross Ukraine; 40 million to support the economy, unlocking millions in private lending to increase growth and trade." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: As previously reported by the UK government, the 40 million economic recovery programme will create opportunities for UK companies by supporting key growth sectors in Ukraine and opening up enhanced trade and investment opportunities. In addition, the TIGER (Triggering Investment Growth and Economic Resilience) programme is expected to be approved in the long term, which will reduce the dependence of Ukrainian communities on humanitarian support and help increase economic resilience, Interfax-Ukraine reports. Background: The Office of the President of Ukraine has published the text of the agreement on a 100-year partnership between Ukraine and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which provides for deepening security ties and strengthening partnership for future generations. Support UP or become our patron! UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Ukraine on Thursday to sign a "100-year partnership" with Ukraine. The deal aims "to deepen security ties and strengthen partnership for future generations." Starmer pledged to put Ukraine in the "strongest possible position." British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited Kyiv on Thursday to sign a "historic partnership" with Ukraine, just days before President-elect Donald Trump is set to be sworn in as US president. During an unannounced trip to the capital, his first since being elected prime minister, Starmer pledged to put Ukraine in the "strongest possible position." "Our 100 Year Partnership is a promise that we are with you, not just today or tomorrow, but for a hundred years long after this war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again," he said in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a UK government press release, the treaty will boost military collaboration on maritime security across the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Azov Sea in an effort to deter Russian aggression. The deal will also seek to advance the countries' scientific and technology partnerships in areas such as space and drones, it said. In a press briefing following a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Starmer also announced that the UK would deliver 150 artillery barrels and a mobile air defense system to Ukraine. The UK has been one of Ukraine's main backers. As of December 20, the UK had committed 12.8 billion (around $15.7 billion) to Ukraine, including 7.8 billion ($9.5 billion) in military aid since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starmer's visit comes as Ukraine gears up for the return of Trump to the White House. Trump who along with his vice president pick JD Vance has been skeptical of US aid to Kyiv has said that he intends to bring the war in Ukraine to a swift close without detailing how he plans to do so. Both Moscow and Kyiv have been racing to put their respective sides in the best possible position ahead of his return to office. Read the original article on Business Insider Ukraine blew up the No. 3 mine's shaft in the village of Pishchane in Donetsk Oblast to prevent Russia from deploying its troops closer to the front-line town of Pokrovsk, The New York Times (NYT) reported on Jan. 15, citing miners. According to the Ukrainian miners, at some point, the shaft, located southeast of Pokrovsk, became too dangerous to work in due to constant Russian attacks. They switched to descending into the mine through another shaft. Pokrovsk, a crucial logistics hub for Ukrainian forces, has been the focus of fierce fighting as Russia intensifies its offensive in Donetsk Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the meantime, Russian troops advanced to within a mile of mine No. 3, raising fears that they could seize it and use its tunnels to outflank Ukraine's positions, according to the NYT. The miners and Ukrainian soldiers began drilling holes under the shaft to plant explosives, several workers told the outlet. The shaft was blown up around Dec. 20, 2024. Keeping the mine operational as long as possible was crucial to the Ukrainian economy, as it produced coking coal required for steelmaking Ukraine's second-largest export after agriculture. An unnamed manager at Metinvest, Ukraine's largest steel producer, told the NYT that explosives were also planted in the facilitys two other shafts located further west, near the Ukraine-controlled villages of Kotlyne and Udachne. It is unknown whether they have been detonated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Metinvest announced it had suspended operations at the Pokrovsk coking coal mine in Donetsk Oblast due to worsening security conditions and power outages. Steel exports generated nearly $2 billion in the first eight months of 2024, with production projected to reach 7.5 million metric tons by year-end. Plans to increase output to over 10 million tons in 2025 are now threatened, as the loss of Pokrovsk could slash annual production to 2-3 million tons, according to Reuters. Read also: Russian troops overrun Kurakhove, approach Pokrovsk east, south, and southwest Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Editor's note: In accordance with the security protocols of the Ukrainian military, soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names and callsigns only. It was a month-long mission with one primary goal capturing a North Korean soldier alive. One of the biggest obstacles facing the Ukrainian forces tasked with the objective while operating in Russias Kursk Oblast was overcoming the fanatical, suicidal zeal instilled in Pyongyang's troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(One North Korean soldier) was about to be taken prisoner, but with the words Glory to the Party' or 'Glory to Kim Jong-un,' he blew himself up with a grenade," a Ukraine's Special Operations Forces soldier with the callsign "Borsuk" told the Kyiv Independent. The mission eventually succeeded earlier this month with the capture of one North Korean soldier by Special Operations Forces and another one by Ukraines Airborne Forces. President Volodymyr Zelensky described their capture as "irrefutable evidence" of Pyongyang's involvement in the Kremlin's full-scale war. According to Ukraine, North Korea has deployed around 12,000 soldiers in Kursk Oblast, where Kyiv launched a surprise cross-border incursion in August 2024. Neither Russia nor North Korea have officially acknowledged the deployment, which is the latest move in Moscow's ever-increasing and humiliating reliance on Pyongyang to bolster its military, following long-running shipments of artillery shells and ballistic missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Essentially, this was about conveying to the international community that third countries are indeed involved in this war. And that Russia is not as invincible as they claim," Borsuk said. The Kyiv Independent got exclusive footage of the mission, as well as interviewed Borsuk and his fellow soldier "Bernard," who described how they carried out their task, the moment of capture, and why North Korean troops are far more formidable than their Russian counterparts. 'He still had a grenade with him' To prove North Korea's involvement definitively, capturing one of their soldiers alive was the only option. While Borsuk and Bernard could not disclose details of their preparation, timing, location, or the number of personnel involved in the mission, they revealed they had been monitoring a specific area in Kursk Oblast for an extended period of time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The enemy group operating in the area under surveillance consisted entirely of North Koreans, according to the Ukrainian soldiers. "We approached the target where we were supposed to operate. We had been observing it and knew their base positions were there," Bernard said. "We started moving, and contact was made." Screenshot from the video showing the capturing a North Korean soldier. (Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine) A North Korean POW captured by Ukrainian forces during hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast, as seen in a photo published on Jan. 11, 2025. (President Volodymyr Zelensky/Telegram) In the ensuing firefight, the enemy group took casualties and began to retreat. One wounded North Korean soldier was left behind. "Our guys kept him under constant fire control to ensure he didn't move or make any sudden moves," says Borsuk. After approaching his position, disarming him was a delicate and potentially fatal maneuver. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) has previously reported that some North Korean soldiers have been forced to commit suicide to avoid capture by Ukrainian forces. White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby also earlier echoed these claims, adding that captured North Korean troops fear severe retaliation against their families if they surrender. "He still had a grenade with him, in addition to his weapon, and it was very difficult to take it away," Borsuk says, describing the moment caught on headcam footage when they approached the soldier. Eventually, the North Korean soldier allowed them to get close, and they were able to provide him with first aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Borsuk recalls their prisoner behaving "calmly," and assessed he was in a stable condition. "He was able to speak. The only issue he had was with his leg; everything else was normal," he says. Ukraine's Special Operations Forces soldier, callsign "Bernard," speaks with the Kyiv Independent. (Jason Blevins/The Kyiv Independent) According to Bernard, Russian artillery started firing not long after they reached the North Korean soldier, likely realizing they were trying to take him as a prisoner. "(Russia's) desire to hide the presence of North Korean units was very great," Borsuk says. "As (the hits) got closer and closer, he also realized what was happening It was clear from his eyes that he was a human; after all, he wanted to live," Bernard says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We looked at him. Well, he was just a young guy There were no thoughts, no desire to use physical force, or anything like that," Bernard says. "We simply saved him. And that's it." Join our community Support independent journalism in Ukraine. Join us in this fight. Support us Better prepared than Russians The two captured North Korean POWs are currently in the custody of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in Kyiv. Both were wounded and are reportedly receiving medical attention. One has said he was born in 2005 and began serving as a rifleman in North Korea in 2021, while the other POW was born in 1999 and has served in the North Korean army since 2016 as a sniper reconnaissance officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Brsuk and Bernard say there are noticeable differences between the battlefield performance of North Korean and Russian soldiers. "Compared to Russian soldiers, they are much better prepared physically and mentally. They are deliberately trained for where they're going and what they'll be doing," says Borsuk. "It's clear that the Russians don't push themselves as hard as they do. They (North Korean soldiers) can carry heavy loads, run for long distances, and survive much better in extreme conditions." Bernard suggests they are better prepared thanks to their eight-year-long military service. However, when it comes to more "complex maneuvers," the North Korean soldiers struggle to execute them effectively, he adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Here, they can't apply everything they were trained for because the war is not the same as what they were told, or shown it would be," says Bernard. According to Bernard, North Koreans appear to be struggling to adapt to drones and aerial reconnaissance, both of which play a dominant role on the modern battlefield. South Korea's National Intelligence Service has previously claimed that at least 300 North Korean soldiers had been killed and another 2,700 wounded fighting in Russia's Kursk Oblast, attributing their high casualties to the soldiers' lack of understanding of modern warfare," including their "useless" attempts to shoot down long-range drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Borsuk believes that the ratio of killed to wounded among North Koreans is actually quite different. "They have many more killed," he says, adding their coordination with the Russian units is "clearly poor," partially because of the language barrier. However, the North Korean soldiers also appear to be more motivated and resilient than the Russian troops, according to Bernard. "They seem very committed to their ideology. That's why they are true to their norms and what they were told about who they are and what they should do. And they simply can't do it any other way," he says. While Western officials including outgoing U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin have described Russia's use of North Korean troops as an indication of Moscow's "growing desperation," Borsuk says their use could potentially shift the dynamics of the war. "Imagine a battalion facing a force of up to 10,000 troops," says Borsuk. "They can throw battalion after battalion into the fight, and they're not running out of personnel." This relentless tactic strains both Ukrainian soldiers and logistical support, as significant resources are required to counter such waves, according to Borsuk. "These actions usually bring minimal results. However, it's not ruled out that they could deploy a larger number of troops," he says. "Well, they come, die, and that's it," says Bernard. "It's just that, perhaps, we should be doing a slightly different job, but instead, we're focused on eliminating them." Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. During a quadripartite meeting, a Ukrainian delegation led by Ukrainian Parliamentary Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets has called on Russia to permit representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit all Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs). Source: Lubinets on Telegram Quote: "The Ukrainian side has repeatedly stressed the need for the ICRC to be allowed to all places of detention of Ukrainian POWs in order to ensure the full implementation of the ICRC's mandate and full compliance with the Geneva Conventions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Lubinets noted that this quadripartite meeting was the first to be initiated by Ukraine. In addition to the Ukrainian delegation, the meeting saw participation from Tatyana Moskalkova, the Russian Human Rights Commissioner; Jurg Eglin, Head of the ICRC delegation in Ukraine; and Boris Michel, Head of the ICRC delegations in Russia and Belarus. Lubinets stated that the meeting had also discussed the necessity of establishing mixed medical commissions to assess the health conditions of prisoners and determine the priority for swaps. The parties agreed to maintain the exchange of information regarding the search for missing POWs and the release of civilians detained in facilities. Background: In September 2024, Ukraine brought back a further 49 soldiers and civilians from Russian captivity, including 23 women, for the first time in a long time. In October 2024, Ukraine's Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War conducted the 58th swap, with 95 Ukrainian defenders coming home. On 15 January, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that Ukraine had liberated 25 of its citizens from Russian captivity, comprising both civilians and soldiers, including defenders of Mariupol and the Azovstal steelworks. Support UP or become our patron! By Sergey Sukhankin Uzbekistan, the most populous nation in Central Asia, has announced a strategic objective to significantly enhance the proportion of green energy within its energy portfolio and to utilize the surplus as a revenue source by exporting it to energy-demanding countries.This prioritization of green energy stems from ecological, economic, and geopolitical considerations. Given Uzbekistan's vast but largely untapped potential in this sector, Tashkent's initiative has been positively received internationally, with investors from China, the Gulf region, and the European Union expressing readiness to provide financial resources and technical expertise. However, despite growing international interest and the political elite's professed commitment, certain domestic challenges have led experts to question Uzbekistan's capacity to fully realize its considerable green energy potential. Photo by Vladimir Jirnov BACKGROUND: The end of 2024 witnessed a potentially transformative event for the development of green energy in Central Asia and the South Caucasus. On November 13, during the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Baku, the leaders of Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and Uzbekistan signed a strategic partnership agreement focused on the production and transmission of green energy. According to Uzbekistans Ministry of Energy, the country plans to commence exporting green electricity, primarily generated from solar and wind power, to Europe via Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan by 2030. This agreement reaffirms and solidifies the previously signed protocol in Astana, which outlined the establishment of the Central Asia-Azerbaijan-Europe Green Energy Corridor project. Beyond benefiting Uzbekistan, this initiative aims to strengthen ties between the two most influential Central Asian nationsdespite their existing challengesand enhance connectivity between Central Asia and the South Caucasus, thereby fostering improved inter-regional trade and cooperation. Uzbekistan is strategically positioned to develop its green energy potential, benefiting from a surplus of inexpensive labor and over 320 sunny days annually. Studies indicate that Uzbekistan possesses the most promising wind and solar energy potential in Central Asia. By 2027, Uzbekistan plans to construct twelve state-of-the-art thermal power plants across the Bukhara, Tashkent, Khorezm, Kashkadarya, Jizzakh, Surkhandarya, and Syrdarya regions. These projects are expected to generate an additional 49.7 billion kWh of electricity annually and, as asserted by Uzbekistans political leadership, will be realized through public-private partnerships financed primarily by foreign investments. Moreover, alongside its collaboration with Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, Uzbekistans green energy initiatives present opportunities to enhance economic and political cooperation with other Central Asian countries, such as Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, whose competitive advantage in green energy lies in hydropower generation. IMPLICATIONS: Uzbekistan stands to benefit from developing its significant green energy potential in three primary ways. First, by mitigating environmental impacts and reducing natural gas consumption. Given the countrys rapidly growing population and its economic model, the political leadership has recognized the critical role of clean energy in supporting the local economy. By late 2024, Uzbek officials reported that solar and wind power plants had generated 4.5 billion kWh of electricity, conserving 1.36 billion cubic meters of natural gas and preventing 1.89 million tons of harmful emissions. Successes in green energy carry notable diplomatic and political implications. Uzbekistans leadership is actively positioning the country as a key regional player in green energy and sustainability, a stance explicitly articulated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev during the 2024 annual meeting of the Board of Directors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Samarkand. This strategy not only enhances the countrys international image but is also expected to generate significant economic benefits. Second, the development of green energy offers Uzbekistan an opportunity to strengthen economic ties with the European Union (EU). Historically, EU-Uzbekistan relations have been marked by challenges, primarily due to differences in values. However, the geopolitical shifts following Russia's full-scale aggression against Ukraine in 2022 have underscored the mutual economic benefits of collaboration between the resource-rich Uzbekistan and the economically powerful EU. In early 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized Uzbekistans export potential in green energy, stating that the country plans to produce 13 billion kilowatt-hours of green electricity, far exceeding domestic demand by a factor of 10 to 12, with the surplus available for export. According to Uzbek officials, the country is ready to supply between 2 and 5 gigawatts (GW) of green energy to Europe. In support of this initiative, the Italian company CESI is already conducting a feasibility study to facilitate the export of green energy to the EU. Importantly, collaboration in green energy may serve as a stepping stone toward broader mutually beneficial relations between the EU and Uzbekistan, particularly in the economic sphere. The EU and individual member states, notably France, have shown significant interest in Uzbekistan's natural resources, especially critical metals, whose production Uzbekistan is determined to expand. In the context of China's assertive actions in the critical metals sector, Uzbekistan, alongside Kazakhstan, holds the potential to significantly enhance its role as a key supplier of essential metals and resources to the EU, addressing the bloc's strategic needs. Third, Uzbekistan seeks to strengthen ties with Gulf states, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These resource-rich nations, equipped with advanced technologies, are particularly attractive to Uzbekistan due to their lack of a geopolitical agenda in Central Asia, unlike Russia or China, and their non-interventionist approach to local norms and values, which sometimes contrasts with the EU. Prominent Gulf-based corporations, such as ACWA Power (Saudi Arabia) and Masdar (UAE), are already actively engaged in developing Uzbekistans green energy potential and have announced ambitious future plans. For Uzbekistan, access to the Gulf's financial and technological resources addresses a critical need, enabling it to navigate the complex dynamics between Russia, China, and the EUtraditional power players in Central Asia. Moreover, if Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan-Azerbaijan cooperation in green energy proves successful, Uzbekistan could leverage these Gulf partnerships to diversify its foreign economic policy more effectively and enhance its regional and global strategic position. However, these optimistic projections are tempered by concerns raised by experts regarding Uzbekistan's ability to translate its substantial potential into tangible outcomes. The primary issue lies in the countrys persistent challenges with deeply entrenched corruption and the ineffective management of resources, both of which hinder economic growth and deter foreign investment. Unfortunately, the clean energy sector appears to be no exception. For instance, one investigative analysis uncovered structural corruption within the sector. Another recent investigation highlighted significant deficiencies in innovation within Uzbekistan's power grid and exposed multiple corruption schemes, while also drawing attention to Uzbekistans strengthening ties with Russia, which is reluctant to support Uzbekistan's modernization and transition to a green economy. A second concern relates to the high cost of green energy production. Experts argue that even in economically and technologically advanced Western countries, green energy remains secondary to traditional energy sources. For Uzbekistan, unless production costs are significantly reduceda process that could take considerable timegreen energy may remain a luxury rather than a feasible primary energy source. A third challenge, even if the first two are successfully addressed, is the regions increasingly arid climate. Uzbekistan is already experiencing the adverse effects of sandstorms and similar natural phenomena, which disrupt the operations of solar panels and wind turbines. If these trends persist, they could undermine Uzbekistan's ability to achieve economies of scale, a key factor for reducing costs through the mass production of green energy. This climatic volatility poses a significant risk to the long-term viability of Uzbekistan's green energy ambitions. CONCLUSIONS: Uzbekistan's potential success in transforming its significant green energy potential into practical achievements could yield substantial multidimensional benefits for both the country and the broader region. However, achieving this outcome requires effectively addressing two interdependent challenges. The first is tackling endemic corruption and the ineffective management of resourceslongstanding issues that have plagued Uzbekistan and its leadership since before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Although President Mirziyoyev has initiated reforms, progress in combating these systemic problems remains insufficient. The second challenge is Uzbekistan's strengthening ties with Russia, which could hinder its ambitious initiatives. Russia has little interest in supporting Uzbekistan's economic growth or its transition to a cleaner energy mix. Moreover, Moscow is unlikely to favor efforts to enhance intra-regional economic and political cooperation, as these developments would bolster Central Asia's autonomy and reduce its dependence on Russia. Addressing these issues is critical for Uzbekistan to realize its green energy ambitions and contribute to regional development. AUTHORS BIO: Dr. Sergey Sukhankin is a Senior Fellow at the Jamestown Foundation and the Saratoga Foundation (both Washington DC) and a Fellow at the North American and Arctic Defence and Security Network (Canada). He teaches international business at MacEwan School of Business (Edmonton, Canada). Currently he is a postdoctoral fellow at the Canadian Maritime Security Network (CMSN). Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has issued a warning to Kenyans regarding CSC Compliancy, a company he alleges is falsely advertising jobs in Dubai. In a statement on Wednesday, January 15, Mutua disclosed that the company is unregistered and its activities are not recognized by the government. He further emphasized that he has directed the ministrys compliance team and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to take necessary action. : The company is and unregistered. It has not uploaded any job demands, and its activities are unknown to us. Do not engage with this company until it is officially approved by the National Employment Authority (NEA), Mutua urged. This warning follows Mutuas introduction of a new registration system for employment agencies in September 2024, as part of the governments ongoing labour immigration reforms. Under the new system, newly registered agencies will receive a one-year certificate for Ksh500,000, while existing agencies can renew for either one or two years with fees ranging from Ksh250,000 to Ksh500,000. The new regulations, which took effect on September 23, 2024, are designed to curb rogue agencies. Mutua also revealed that the government is working with banks to provide funding for legitimate agencies. Ukraine's State Emergency Service refuted claims that 50% of its employees would be mobilized, saying on Jan. 16 via Facebook that 90% of its personnel are exempt from mobilization. "Every day, State Emergency Service employees rescue citizens and mitigate the consequences of Russian attacks, often at the cost of their health and lives," the agency said, urging the public to rely on verified information. The State Emergency Service clarified that rapid response units firefighters, sappers, rescuers, chemists, engineers, and similar specialists are fully exempt from mobilization to continue critical operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This denial follows opposition MP Oleksii Honcharenko's Telegram post alleging plans for widespread State Emergency Service mobilization after Feb. 28, which the State Emergency Service labeled as misinformation. The news also comes amid reports of personnel transfers from Ukraine's Air Force to the Ground Forces, reported by Ukrainska Pravda on Jan. 14. Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi allegedly had ordered the reassignment of over 5,000 Air Force personnel to address infantry shortages, particularly in Donetsk Oblast. Speaking anonymously, a senior Air Force officer warned that such transfers risk undermining unit effectiveness, especially for anti-aircraft missile systems that require highly trained and cohesive teams. The officer added that if transfers proceed as planned, some units could see staffing levels drop to 40%. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces denied these claims on Jan. 14, saying that technical and aviation personnel numbers are increasing rather than being reassigned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has been struggling with a manpower shortage, especially in the infantry, while Russia has intensified its offensive in Donetsk Oblast since the summer of 2024. About 930,000 Ukrainians liable for military service are temporarily exempt from conscription, Forbes Ukraine reported last August. The Ukrainian government has also permitted businesses to reserve up to 50% of their employees if their enterprises are deemed critical to the economys functioning. Read also: Ukrainian paratroopers capture 27 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Kyiv is extending its cooperation with Norwegian defense company Kongsberg, one of the suppliers of NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said on Jan. 16. The defense minister met with Eirik Lie, executive vice president of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA and president of Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace. The two discussed anti-drone systems and the possibility of localizing their production in Ukraine, as well as the development of maritime capabilities. Ukraine and Norway also discussed the possibility of integrating Ukrainian-made air defense systems into NASAMS "to increase its effectiveness," Umerov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NASAMS systems have been in service with Ukrainian forces since November 2022, when the U.S. delivered the first batteries amid escalating Russian airstrikes. Ukraine has lobbied international partners for more air defense capabilities in the wake of intensifying Russian strikes targeting energy infrastructure. Norway has been one of Ukraine's staunchest supporters in Europe. According to Umerov, Oslo allocated 2 billion euros ($2.1 billion) for military aid to Ukraine in 2025. Read also: Ahead of Trumps inauguration, Ukraines European partners cant afford to watch and wait for Washingtons next move Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine has the "ambitious goal" to open five or six EU accession negotiation clusters in 2025, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Jan. 15. Ukraine applied for EU membership at the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. The country has made quick progress, achieving candidate status within months, with the initial negotiations formally launching in June 2024. Ukraine will open two or three negotiation clusters in the first six months of 2025 under Poland's rotating presidency, Zelensky said during his official visit to Warsaw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poland will lead the EU Council's presidency for six months from January, and Denmark will take over the role in July. Ukraine aims to open three more negotiation clusters in the second half of 2025 under the Danish chairmanship, the president noted. "We have an ambitious goal to open five to six clusters. In principle, we can open them all this year, if we succeed. We will try to do it all," Zelensky said. There are six accession negotiation clusters, consisting of several individual chapters. Negotiations prepare a candidate country to become an EU member. The EUs Commissioner for Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, said that Ukraine could potentially join the bloc by 2029 if it successfully implements necessary reforms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EU membership, alongside continued weapons shipments and NATO accession, are among the key security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelensky said on Jan. 15 as his country continues to face Russian aggression. Read also: NATO, EU membership, military strength are strategic security guarantees for Ukraine, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine and the Netherlands are working on establishing a new bilateral cooperation format in the form of an intergovernmental conference. Source: Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha at a press conference in Kyiv, as reported by European Pravda Details: Sybiha announced the initiative following discussions with Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp, who visited Kyiv on 16 January. Quote: "We are working on launching an annual bilateral intergovernmental conference, which will promote Ukraine's accession to the European Union and elevate our relations with the Netherlands to a new level." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More details: The inaugural meeting of this conference is planned for spring 2025. Background: During his visit to Kyiv, Caspar Veldkamp announced 27 million in assistance to Ukraine. In December 2024, Dutch Ambassador to Ukraine Alle Dorhout revealed that the Netherlands had already allocated 3.8 billion in aid to Ukraine, with plans to provide an additional 6 billion. Support UP or become our patron! The UN plans to raise more than US$2.6 billion to help Ukrainians in 2025. This is part of a plan approved by the organisation. Source: Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal Details: Shmyhal announced this following a meeting with Tom Fletcher, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, and Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote from Shmyhal: "We discussed the UNs Ukraine Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan 2025. We also talked about the existing and new support programmes. In particular, I drew attention to such priority projects as providing drinking water to communities in southern Ukraine, demining, alternative sources of heat and energy, housing rehabilitation and shelter construction, and business development programmes." More details: Shmyhal also added that the UN has ear-marked US$492 million for this heating season. Background: In 2024, 8.5 million Ukrainians received various types of UN assistance. Support UP or become our patron! Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden briefly mentioned Ukraine during his farewell speech on Jan. 15, saying his administration helped to preserve the country's freedom. "Ukraine is still free, and weve pulled ahead of our competition with China and so much more," the U.S. president said as he listed his administration's accomplishments, including stronger NATO. Biden ends his first and only four-year term on Jan. 20, to be succeeded by former President Donald Trump. The Biden administration has provided $65.9 billion in military assistance to Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, making it Kyiv's largest donor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It will take time to feel the full impact of what weve done together. But the seeds are planted, and theyll grow, and theyll bloom for decades to come," Biden said. Despite the provided support, the Biden administration has often attracted criticism for its self-restricting and hesitant approach, with many key military capabilities being greenlighted only after prolonged pressure. Before winning his reelection, Trump had criticized the military aid for Ukraine and pledged to cut a swift deal to end the war and get the U.S. "out" of the conflict. This sparked concerns that the incoming U.S. president could reduce defense aid or push Kyiv toward a painful peace deal. Trump and his team later signaled that they do not plan to abandon Ukraine, though Secretary of State nominee Marc Rubio said Kyiv would have to make concessions to achieve a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia continues to occupy roughly one-fifth of Ukraine's territory while its forces are pushing forward in Donetsk Oblast. In turn, Ukrainian forces hold on to a piece of Russian territory in Kursk Oblast, which is seen as a potential trump card in expected talks. Both Kyiv and Moscow face mounting challenges connected to the full-scale war, with Ukraine dealing with manpower shortages and Russia with a struggling economy. Read also: Ukraine, Russia have to make concessions to end war, Rubio says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine and the United Kingdom have reached an agreement for annual military aid worth US$3.6 billion to support Kyiv. Source: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a press conference on Thursday, 16 January, as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy stated that Ukraine and the UK have agreed on "at least US$3.6 billion" in annual military aid for Ukraine, with the commitment lasting as long as necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Plus, we've prepared a decision on another US$3 billion from [proceeds generated by frozen] Russian assets. We should reach US$6.6 billion [in aid] from the UK throughout the financial year," he said. Background: Notably, on 16 January, Ukraine and the UK signed a historic agreement, establishing a 100-year partnership aimed at deepening security ties and strengthening the relationship for future generations. Starmer also said the UK would soon provide Ukraine with 150 artillery barrels and a new mobile air defence system. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelensky and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a 100-year partnership agreement during their meeting in Kyiv on Jan. 16. The wide-ranging deal encompasses cooperation in military, energy, scientific, cultural, economic, and other sectors. The agreement builds upon the trade and partnership agreement signed by the two countries in 2020 and the bilateral security deal penned in January 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The document, published by Ukraine's Presidential Office, includes 10 main pillars: Strengthening defense capabilities Supporting Ukraine's NATO aspirations Maritime security partnership Trade cooperation Energy cooperation Justice and accountability cooperation Jointly countering foreign information manipulation and interference Science and technology cooperation Harnessing socio-cultural ties Migration cooperation "(Russian President Vladimir) Putins ambition to wrench Ukraine away from its closest partners has been a monumental strategic failure," Starmer said in a statement. "Instead, we are closer than ever, and this partnership will take that friendship to the next level." Starmer's visit marks his second to the Ukrainian capital and the first since he was elected prime minister in July 2024. It comes as the U.K. reportedly discusses deploying an international peacekeeping force to the embattled country after a potential ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bloomberg reported on Jan. 10 that Starmer was expected to discuss the peacekeepers' potential deployment with Zelensky during his visit. Read also: UK PM Starmer visits Kyiv to sign 100 Year Partnership with Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The Ukrainian Air Force has destroyed 34 Shahed drones and other types of UAVs launched by Russia on the night of 15-16 January. Another 18 drones went off radar without causing any damage, though some strikes were recorded. Source: Ukraine's Air Force on social media Details: Russia launched 55 Shahed drones and other UAVs, including decoys, from Millerovo, Oryol, Bryansk and Primorsko-Akhtarsk regions on the night of 15-16 January (starting at 20:00 on 15 January). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By 09:00 Thursday, Ukraine confirmed the downing of 34 Shahed and other drones in Poltava, Sumy, Kharkiv, Cherkasy, Chernihiv, Kyiv, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv oblasts. Several drones struck a farm in Chernihiv Oblast, while wreckage from downed drones damaged homes in Kharkiv and Poltava oblasts. Another 18 decoy drones went off radar but caused no damage. The attack was countered by Ukrainian aircraft, air defence missile units, electronic warfare forces and mobile fire teams from the Air Force and defence forces. Support UP or become our patron! Jomvu Member of Parliament, Badi Twalib, has sparked a conversation around the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams with a bold new proposal: setting up private examination centers. His goal? To tackle the stubborn issue of absenteeism during exams and, in turn, protect schools mean grades from taking unnecessary hits. The idea came to light during an event celebrating local secondary school students whove been beneficiaries of the National Government-Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). Twalib didnt mince words as he pointed to a growing problem in schoolsstudents who register for KCSE but fail to maintain consistent attendance. This behavior, he argued, doesnt just create disruptions but also has a direct impact on a schools overall performance metrics. To illustrate the depth of the issue, Twalib shared an example from Kajembe High School. While the top-performing student there managed to score a respectable B- (minus), the overall mean grade dropped significantly because 43 students walked away with D- (minuses) and 50 others earned Es. The hard work of diligent students shouldnt be overshadowed by those who choose not to take their academic responsibilities seriously, Twalib stressed. He also announced plans to hold consultations with parents to uncover and address the deeper causes of this absenteeism. The proposed private exam centers are intended to offer focused support for students who are motivated and invested in their learning. The MPs hope is to create a space where engaged learners can thrive without being bogged down by peers who lack commitment. Beyond tackling absenteeism, the event was also a celebration of educational milestones achieved through the NG-CDF scholarship program. This initiative, launched in 2021, has provided a lifeline to students from low-income households, helping transform educational outcomes. Twalib proudly shared the success story of the programs first batch of scholars, who sat their KCSE exams in 2024. With a stunning 95% transition rate to universities, the program is undeniably making its mark. Weve been able to sponsor these students through secondary school and are now supporting them as they move on to university, Twalib said. As long as were in leadership, well stand by them to ensure they reach their career goals. He emphasized that the scholarship program isnt just about funding school fees but about nurturing future professionals who can drive change in society. Looking ahead, Twalib revealed that another 40 students have been enrolled in the next phase of the NG-CDF scholarship program. He assured parents that his team would keep a close eye on the progress of these learners, offering sustained support to ensure their success. The MP also commended the collaboration between parents and teachers, crediting their joint efforts for the constituencys growing success stories. Were moving forward, he said confidently. Theres no room for stagnation or going backward. Germany has handed over nearly 100 vehicles to the National Police and National Guard of Ukraine. Source: statement by Ukraines Ministry of Internal Affairs, as reported by European Pravda Details: The transfer took place on Tuesday, 15 January with the participation of Ihor Klymenko, Ukraines Minister of Internal Affairs, and German Ambassador to Ukraine Martin Jager. These nearly 100 vehicles will be used to maintain public order and protect Ukraine's critical infrastructure. Jager stated that it was an honour for him to be in Ukraine and personally hand over the aid, which will be sent to Ukraines National Guard and National Police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ukraine continues its heroic struggle against Russian aggression and each of you plays an important role in this process. Without the daily work of the National Guard and the National Police, security in Ukraine cannot be guaranteed," he said, promising that the cooperation would continue. The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that units of the National Police and National Guard also received computer equipment and protective gear from Germany in 2024. Background: The German government updated its list of military aid provided to Ukraine on Tuesday, 14 January, confirming the delivery of thousands of artillery shells and drones. The list also announces upcoming deliveries of 5 Marder infantry fighting vehicles, 9 RCT-30 Boxer wheeled infantry fighting vehicles, 277 mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicles and 18 RCH 155 self-propelled artillery systems. The first of the 54 howitzers ordered by Ukraine was personally handed over by German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius. Support UP or become our patron! The Russians have increased the number of inspections and tightened restrictions on the free movement of the local residents in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The National Resistance Center of Ukraine has called on the residents of the occupied town of Vasylivka to leave the hromada due to the possible escalation of hostilities [a hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.]. Source: National Resistance Center of Ukraine Details: The National Resistance Center reports that the Russians have set up more checkpoints in settlements located near the contact line. Moreover, extra Russian National Guard units have arrived in Zaporizhzhia Oblast to conduct random checks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "The occupiers are primarily concerned about the potential transfer of information to Ukrainian defence forces regarding the deployment of occupation personnel in residential areas of captured settlements." Details: The National Resistance Center emphasised the importance of the safety of residents of the temporarily occupied town of Vasylivka and called for them to leave the hromada, if possible, during the likely escalation of hostilities. The National Resistance Center also urges people to remain vigilant and, if possible, to transmit information about the enemy's location through the anonymous chatbot for further effective strikes. Support UP or become our patron! An air-raid warning has been issued in the city of Kyiv, and air defence is responding to a Russian attack drone. Source: Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko on Telegram; Ukraines Air Force; Ukrainska Pravda Quote from Klitschko: "Air defence forces are responding [to the drone] in the centre of the capital. Stay in bomb shelters!" Details: Ukrainska Pravda journalists heard an explosion. At 12:09, the Air Force reported that the Russian attack UAV was approaching the city from the east. Updated: at 12:29 all-clear was given. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian defenders from the 63rd Mechanised Brigade shot down a rare Russian experimental reconnaissance drone Merlin-VR in the sky over Ukraine. Source: 63rd Separate Mechanised Brigade Quote: "A rare bird was shot down by anti-aircraft shooters and pilots of the 63rd brigade's unmanned systems battalion a Russian experimental reconnaissance drone Merlin-VR. It can fly up to 5 km into the sky and spend 10 hours in the air, which is much longer than Supercam and ZALA UAVs. The Merlin-VR was hunted by two FPV crews at once. The one that couldnt destroy the target filmed the explosion and the flying debris in the sky." Support UP or become our patron! A Ukrainian drone strike targeted a Russian gunpowder factory in the village of Kuzmino-Gat in Tambov Oblast overnight on Jan. 16, local Telegram channels and a Ukrainian official claimed. Eyewitnesses in the nearby city of Kotovsk heard the sound of a drone engine as it was passing over their houses, presumably heading to the factory, the Shot Telegram channel reported. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its forces downed 27 Ukrainian drones over various regions overnight, including three in Tambov Oblast. The same night, a Russian oil depot in Voronezh Oblast reportedly caught fire as a result of the drone attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian authorities said there were no casualties as a result of the attack in Tambov Oblast and that the roof of a house was damaged by drone debris. It is not immediately clear whether the plant suffered any damage due to the attack. The Kuzmino-Gat gunpowder factory is "one of the key facilities of the Russian military-industrial complex involved in the war against Ukraine," said Andrii Kovalenko, the head of the counter-disinformation department at Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council. "The gunpowder produced here is used for various types of small arms, artillery, and rocket launchers." The plant also produces colloxylin, which is used to manufacture explosives and other products, Kovalenko added. Kuzmino-Gat lies roughly 450 kilometers (280 miles) east of the Russia-Ukraine border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent could not verify all the claims. The news comes amid Ukraine's escalating drone campaign targeting Russian military and industrial facilities in the rear. Kyiv launched one of its most massive long-range attacks on Jan. 14, successfully striking refineries, chemical plants, and ammunition depots, including a distillery in Novaya Lyada in Tambov Oblast. The Kuzmino-Gat gunpowder factory was previously struck by Ukrainian drones in July 2024, a military intelligence source told the Kyiv Independent at the time. Read also: Ukraine targets Russias industrial plants, ammunition depots in massive strike overnight Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraine said one of its F-16 pilots downed a record-breaking six cruise missiles in one mission. That would show how much Ukraine's air force has developed, a former US F-16 pilot told BI. All of its systems had to work well, and it showed how Ukraine is fighting more like the West. A Ukrainian pilot's reported record-breaking shootdown of six missiles with an F-16 offers insight into how much its air force has developed as it fights back against Russia's invasion. Throughout much of the war, Ukraine's air force faced one of the world's biggest air forces with a fleet of older, Soviet-designed combat aircraft while begging the West for F-16s readily available in NATO arsenals. The US, however, refused to allow the transfer, even as other allies pushed to give Ukraine the aircraft. Washington felt the jets would arrive too late, that training would take too long, and the jets could prompt Russian escalation. But it eventually relented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weeks after Ukraine began using the F-16 in combat, a jet crashed during a Russian attack and killed the pilot, raising questions about how effective the jets would be. But Ukraine's air force command said in a Facebook post on January 7 that one of its F-16 pilots downed six Russian cruise missiles in one mission which it said is a record for the American-made fighter jet. Business Insider was not able to verify the report, but air warfare experts described the scenario as plausible. A former US Air Force pilot who flew F-16s said it would be an impressive feat and an indication of how much Ukraine's air force had developed. Ret. Col. John Venable, a 25-year veteran of the US Air Force and a former F-16 pilot, told BI that the pilot's alertness and quick response "says a lot" about "the capabilities of the Ukrainian Air Force." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with an F-16 fighter jet behind him. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky In this case, the pilot would need to detect cruise missiles and "then scramble fighters in order to successfully intercept them," Venable said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Responding like this would be "no simple task," Venable said. It would require Ukraine's command and control systems and its sensors and radars to work together seamlessly. He said that to "actually find, fix, and engage threats that are inbound to your nation, that says a lot about their command and control." Fighting like the West Venable said Ukraine seems to have adopted many fighting tactics from the West. He said Russia's "command and control apparatus is basically scripted," which means they have an issue letting pilots "go out and actually do what you are required to do without someone doing a puppeteer thing over the top of you." Peter Layton, a fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute and a former Royal Australian Air Force officer, told BI the intercept would show that the pilot had "good training" since he was "able to react quickly to a changing situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russian pilots have a reputation of needing to receive orders from their ground controllers,'" he said. This event demonstrates that Ukrainian pilots "have adopted Western methods of operating both independently and aggressively when the situation is right." A US Air Force F-16. US Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Rachel Pakenas The Ukrainian military said the pilot was out of missiles and short on fuel but made a quick decision to keep fighting, pursuing two more of the Russian missiles with guns, a riskier engagement requiring control of the plane and confidence that a safe airfield was nearby. The Ukrainian military has allowed individual soldiers and leaders to make quick decisions away from the central command. By contrast, Russia has been hampered by a reluctance to delegate decisions, making it slower to respond to battlefield developments and even losing commanders as a result, some military analysts have said. Ukraine's F-16 pilots have received training from a coalition of countries, including the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, the US, and Romania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exchange is not one-sided. While many of Ukraine's soldiers have received training from Western allies, those allies say Ukraine is also teaching them about tactics and how to fight Russia. Western officials and warfare experts say Ukraine's tactics and successes reveal lessons that the West could learn in future conflicts with Russia. The Westernization of Ukraine's army may help its ambitions to join NATO, which remains uncertain while the country is at war with Russia. A small air force Before Russia's full-scale invasion, some expected Ukraine's air force would be immediately destroyed in a war with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia attempted to wipe out Ukraine's air force at the start of the war but failed, as Ukraine was able to disperse many jets and keep them intact. Those surviving aircraft have played key roles in its defense, even as the skies remain heavily contested. A Ukrainian Air Force F-16 fighter jet flies in an undisclosed location in Ukraine. AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky Ukraine's air force is expanding with the arrival of F-16s and a pledge from France to send Mirage aircraft. Warfare experts say Ukraine has nowhere near enough F-16s to make a difference against Russia. The few it does have are older versions, which are less powerful than Russia's best jets. Ukraine appears to be using its few F-16s primarily to help its air defenses battle missile threats rather than sending them on risky missions against Russian jets or critical ground targets. The Ukrainian jets, 50-year-old Lockheed Martin aircraft, typically fly with a loadout of four air-to-air missiles and are equipped with bolt-on self-defense pylons for detecting incoming missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venable agreed that Ukraine does not have enough F-16s, nor does it have the support systems or upgrades to be able to use them aggressively enough to change the shape of the war. While Ukraine's air force is far from perfect, Venable said its progress so far is clear. "As far as being able to intercept inbound missiles and being able to engage them, this says a lot about their capabilities," he said. Read the original article on Business Insider The International Register of Damage for Ukraine has begun accepting applications for compensation from families who lost close relatives due to Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine's Presidential Office announced on Jan. 16. The application process for this category was delayed after a December 2024 cyberattack on Ukrainian state registers, according to a statement on the register's website. The Hague-based Register of Damage was established under the auspices of the Council of Europe in accordance with a U.N. General Assembly resolution. It marked the first step toward creating a mechanism to ensure compensation for those who suffered from the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Claims can now be submitted for over 40 categories of harm, including deaths, torture, sexual violence, bodily harm, forced displacement, property loss, damage to infrastructure, harm to cultural and historical heritage, and environmental destruction. Ukrainians can also provide evidence of damage to or destruction of their properties, including houses and apartments. The World Bank estimates Ukraine's post-war recovery and reconstruction costs at $486 billion over a 10-year period. Meanwhile, approximately $300 billion of Russian Central Bank assets remain frozen in the West. The G7 nations pledged in October 2023 to keep these assets frozen until Moscow pays reparations to Ukraine. Read also: Russian officer jailed for accidentally shooting down own helicopter in Crimea Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade repelled an assault of Russian troops near the village of Zhuravka in Sumy Oblast on the border with Russia's Kursk Oblast, according to the brigade's Jan. 15 statement. Sumy Oblast, located on Ukraine's northeast border with Russia, is subject to daily attacks and is situated just across from Russia's Kursk Oblast the region subject to Ukraine's ongoing incursion. Russia has amassed troops along the border near Zhuravka and tried to assault the settlement but has so far failed, according to the brigade. "The enemy is expected to repeat the movements, as they have resources there," the statement read. The estimated Ukrainian advance in the Russian Kursk sector of the front line, as of Jan. 16, 2025, according to DeepState. (DeepState/OpenStreetMaps) The 67th Separate Mechanized Brigade did not specify when the breakthrough attempt was made. Meanwhile, the crowd-sourced monitoring website Deep State reported that the intensity of the fighting in Kursk Oblast has decreased in recent days compared to last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assault activities continue mainly in the direction of Lebedevka-Sverdlikove, and battles are also taking place to control the village of Nikolayevo-Darino, according to Deep State. 0:00 / 1 The Sumy Regional Military Administration reported on Jan. 14 that the information circulating about Russian troops breaking through the border near the settlements of Zhuravka and Prokhody was false. Earlier in December, Deep State said that Russian forces had advanced in Sumy Oblast near the border village of Oleksandriya. Sumy Oblast authorities, including head of the Military Administration Volodymyr Artyukh, rejected the notion that Russian forces had breached the border, calling the reports "fake" and describing them as disinformation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukraines new Kursk push brings minor gains, raising concerns over limited resources Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The 63rd Separate Mechanized Brigade shared a video on Jan. 16 purporting to show the downing of Russian forces' rare reconnaissance drone Merlin-VR. Throughout the full-scale invasion, drones have become pivotal for both Ukraine and Russia, used on and off the battlefield for attack and reconnaissance purposes. "A rare bird was shot down by anti-aircraft gunners and pilots of the 63rd Brigade a Russian experimental Merlin-VR reconnaissance drone," the brigade's statement read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Merlin-VR was shot down by a Ukrainian FPV (first-person-view) drone. The brigade did not specify where the air battle took place. 0:00 / 1 Russian developers presented the Merlin-VR in 2021, and the Russian army has been using it on the battlefield since 2022. The drone reportedly has a hybrid engine, which reduces its noise while in motion. It can also fly for up to 10 hours and reach altitudes of up to 5 kilometers (3 miles). Various aerial, naval, and ground drones have been developed and often successfully used for reconnaissance, combat, and other tasks by Ukrainian troops. Kyiv has delivered more than 200,000 domestically-produced drones to front-line units so far in December, Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: North Korean troops deployed to fight for Russia learn modern warfare albeit at heavy cost Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Soldiers of Ukraine's Air Assault Forces, along with their comrades from other units of Ukraines defence forces, captured 27 Russian soldiers in Kursk Oblast. Source: Ukraine's Air Assault Forces press office on Facebook Details: Reportedly, 27 Russian soldiers were taken prisoner during recent combat operations. Among them are officers, sergeants, and soldiers from motorised rifle units, naval infantry, airborne forces, and other military units, hailing from different regions of Russia and the temporarily occupied city of Sevastopol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "Finding themselves in a difficult combat situation, they made the right decision voluntarily surrendering, which saved their lives. All the wounded received immediate first aid. We call on other soldiers of the Russian Federations forces do not resist and surrender! The Ukrainian military upholds all norms of International Humanitarian Law and does not harm those who choose to lay down their weapons. Ukraine will surely prevail." Background: Soldiers of the 12th Azov Brigade captured 23 Russian soldiers on the Toretsk front. Support UP or become our patron! Concerns have emerged in Meru County following reports of a possible Cabinet reshuffle, with speculation that President William Ruto may dismiss Water Cabinet Secretary Eric Muriithi Muuga. Sources close to the President have indicated that Ruto may introduce at least two new faces from Mt Kenya East into his ever-evolving broad-based government. The speculation surfaced after a recent meeting between Ruto and veteran politician Kiraitu Murungi, a key figure in Mt Kenya politics. As Ruto continues to engage influential leaders from the region, discussions around the reshuffle have intensified. If the reshuffle takes place, it would come just weeks after Ruto appointed allies of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, including William Kabogo, Mutahi Kagwe, and Lee Kinyanjui, to various Cabinet positions. The timing of these changes has fueled further speculation about potential adjustments to the cabinet. In Meru County, some political leaders have raised concerns over Murungis meeting with Ruto, speculating that the veteran politician might be positioning himself to replace the 32-year-old Muuga. Muuga made history as the youngest Cabinet Secretary in Kenya and is seen as a rising political figure in the region. Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi, who also made history in 2017 as Kenyas youngest MP aged 23, and nominated MCA Benson Kiriinya, believe that some leaders in the region are eager to replace Muuga with someone more established. I am telling some leaders in Meru who are pushing for a replacement by someone with a big name to stop this bad politics. We will not allow it, Mwirigi said, speaking at Kithoka in Meru. According to Mwirigi, opponents of Muuga fear that his development track record will enable him to outshine them in the coming years. Those fighting him know that in a year, he will be the one calling the shots in Meru because of his development record, Mwirigi added. If the president deems it fit to give us a young leader like Muuga, its our time to support and protect him. Kiriinya, who represents the youth in the Assembly, echoed this sentiment, expressing that Meru and Kenyan youth were proud when President Ruto selected one of their own, Muuga, to join the Cabinet. Support for Muugas leadership was further backed by MPs Eric wa Mumbi (Mathira), Nimrod Mbai, Reuben Kiborek, and Japhet Nyakundi. Mbai stressed that while Meru boasts many political heavyweights, it was Muuga who brought the prize home. He urged the region to back Muuga and allow him to prove his worth in advancing Rutos development agenda. Meru has heavyweights, but when Ruto looked, there was Kiraitu Murungi, Mithika Linturi, and Peter Munya. But he picked Eric, and that is final. He did not make a mistake in appointing him, Mbai stated. Ukrainian paratroopers and other units captured 27 Russian service members during hostilities in Russia's Kursk Oblast, the Airborne Assault Troops' press service said on Jan. 16. "Among them are officers, sergeants, and privates from motorized rifle units, Marines, airborne troops, and other units, coming from various Russian regions and the occupied city of Sevastopol," the press service announced on its Telegram channel. Ukraine has been fighting in the southwestern Kursk Oblast since August 2024, hoping to use its positions there as a trump card in potential negotiations with Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moscow has ramped up its efforts to throw Ukrainian out of its territory, deploying North Korean troops and reportedly retaking around half of the area initially taken by Kyiv. "We call on other Russian soldiers not to resist and surrender!" the Airborne Assault Troops' press service said, promising to treat Russian prisoners of war (POW) in accordance with international humanitarian law. Only a day earlier, Ukraine's National Guard announced the capture of 23 Russian soldiers during combat operations near Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast. Ukraine and Russia regularly hold prisoner exchanges, most recently on Jan. 15 when 25 Ukrainians, including Azovstal defenders, were released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: North Korean troops deployed to fight for Russia learn modern warfare albeit at heavy cost Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Units of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine successfully attacked the Liski oil depot in Russias Voronezh Oblast on the night of 15-16 January. Source: Special Operations Forces Details: Drones of the Special Operations Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked the Rosneft base in the village of Liski, Russias Voronezh Oblast, on the night of 15-16 January. It is noted that the successful strike was preceded by careful preparation and planning by the Special Operations Forces. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result of the strike, a large fire broke out at the oil depot. Several tanks are still on fire. It is noted that this oil depot provides fuel to a group of Russian troops waging war against Ukraine. : pic.twitter.com/iJou1FgBMj (@ukrpravda_news) January 16, 2025 Support UP or become our patron! Iryna, the wife of the Hero of Ukraine Vitalii Ihnatenko, took one of the cats evacuated from Zmiinyi (Snake) Island by the special forces from a shelter. Source: Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) Details: DIU fighter Vitalii Ihnatenko, alias Nimets ("German"), was killed during the defence of Zmiinyi Island. Iryna says that her husband was very fond of cats and brought them home from the front line many times, so she saw a certain symbolism in adopting an animal from the island her husband defended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She named her new pet Nora. Iryna added that she now has two cats, and two more were given to her husband's mother. Background: DIU's fighters evacuated 15 cats from Zmiinyi Island in the autumn of 2024. The operation, which was jokingly called DIU Cat, became a real rescue for the animals, as they would not have survived the harsh winter on the island. The cats were transferred to the Sirius animal shelter. Currently, seven more kitties are waiting for new families. Support UP or become our patron! UNITED NATIONS (AP) The United Nations said Wednesday that its ready to ramp up the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza following a ceasefire agreement and urged the removal of major security and political obstacles so supplies can reach all Palestinians in need. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called the announcement of a deal to pause the fighting a critical first step and told reporters that the U.N.s top priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by the conflict triggered by Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in southern Israel. The humanitarian situation is at catastrophic levels, he said. From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges and serious constraints that we will be facing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said aid agencies have been mobilizing supplies in preparation for a ceasefire to scale up deliveries of food, medical supplies and other key items. Less than half of Gazas 36 hospitals are functional, water production is at a quarter of capacity, 95% of school buildings have been damaged or destroyed and nearly all of Gazas 2.1 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity, said Catherine Russell, executive director of the U.N. childrens agency UNICEF. The top U.N. humanitarian official for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, met with senior Israeli and Palestinian officials in recent days to discuss how to increase aid after a ceasefire agreement, U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Tuesday. Kaags meetings focused on trying to overcome challenges to deliveries that could remain even after the deal, including gunmen stripping convoys of aid, Israeli restrictions on access to Gaza, road damage, unexplored ordnance, fuel shortages and a lack of telecommunications equipment, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. humanitarian office reported Tuesday that Israeli authorities continue to deny U.N.-led efforts to reach people with vital assistance, Dujarric said. In northern Gaza, where Israel launched its latest offensive, the U.N. has been denied access to deliver food supplies since Dec. 20, he said. In addition to the lawlessness, the United Nations faces a major political obstacle. Its humanitarian operation in Gaza depends on the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, which Israels parliament voted to ban from operating in the Palestinian territories. That legislation takes effect on Jan. 28. Guterres has said there is no U.N. agency that can replace UNRWA, and if it is banned from operating, Israel as the occupying power in the Palestinian territories must take responsibility for providing aid. U.N. officials said its imperative that the ceasefire deal is fully implemented and aid is allowed to flow freely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the collapse of essential services across Gaza, we must act urgently to save lives and help children recover, Russell of UNICEF said in a statement. Guterres said the United Nations expects its efforts to be matched by other humanitarian organizations, the private sector and government initiatives. David Miliband, head of the International Rescue Committee, said aid groups must be given full access and adequate funding to rush aid to Gazas people after 15 months with limited food, clean water and medical care. He said his organization would quickly ramp up efforts: The needs are immense and need urgent attention. Jan Egeland, a former U.N. humanitarian chief who heads the Norwegian Refugee Council, said, Israel must immediately lift all restrictions on aid and humanitarian agencies to avert famine-like conditions and ensure access to shelter, food, and medical care for all in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called on the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and other nations to make sure Israel does keep all crossings open, enabling a sustained flow of aid that can alleviate further suffering. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking in Washington, said, The surge of humanitarian assistance into Gaza will begin. And the innocent people can have a greater access to these vital supplies. ___ AP reporters Jamey Keaten in Geneva and Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington contributed. DENVER (KDVR) A massive backlog in DNA test results is keeping victims waiting for justice. On Tuesday, FOX31 reported on how a state representative is still waiting for DNA test results after a sexual assault more than a year ago. Colorado legislator sues Lyft after reporting sexual assault; alleges systemic issues My case is one of one hundreds being held up by the backlog at the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Rep. Jenny Willford said. I was asked to submit the dress that I was wearing and my underwear for DNA testing. I have been waiting for DNA test results for almost a year. A year of walking through a never-ending nightmare. A year of waiting for answers. A year of wondering if the driver will ever be held accountable or if Ill run into him in the grocery store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public figures case from last February is still pending with Northglenn police. Wednesday, FOX31 sat down exclusively with the director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigations to get answers about the massive backlog and how they plan to turn it around. Its unacceptable, Chris Schaefer, the director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, said. Our backlog today is 517 days for sex assault kits. Approximately a year, 14 months ago, we were about half of that. Its kind of a collection of what led us to this point. Number one, weve been pretty flat on the amount of scientists that weve had for years. The CBI now has 16 DNA scientists on staff and another 15 in training. They also plan to hire additional DNA scientists in the next few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, I think what most people dont understand is a DNA scientist once they come into the lab whether they have experience or not, it takes up to two years to get them trained to be able to do cases on their own, Schaefer said. Schaefer said the training was also delayed about a year when, 14 months ago, the CBI learned of anomalies with former DNA scientist Yvonne Missy Woods work that required reviewing every case during her 29-year history with the bureau. CBI: Over 1K cases impacted by former forensic scientist employed for decades We totally understand that this is unacceptable, Schaefer said. Every one of those kits, every one of those cases means something to me. And they mean something to each and every one of those scientists. They are working as hard as they can and they will continue to do that. And we will continue we will find a solution to these problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With more trained scientists and current discussions with the state legislature and Governors office, Schaefer says he is confident wait times will be reduced. I eventually want to be at 90 days, Schaefer said. Of course, 90 days is, you know, not even acceptable for us. But thats a reality, right? You know, we all want it turned around in the amount of time it takes when you watch TV. But 90 days is really where we want to get it. In the meantime, Schaefer told FOX31 that the CBI triages cases with law enforcement agencies and District Attorneys on a daily basis to prioritize testing to meet required deadlines. 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. Theres uncertainty surrounding the future of a boutique hotel in the heart of Lawrenceville. TRYP by Wyndham hotel is on the market facing foreclosure after it was unable to bounce back from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats sad to hear, said Brennan Petrucci whos staying at the hotel. Its such a great location, great staff too. TRYP, which sits along 40th and Butler streets, is still open for business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For months, Pittsburgh-based developer Hullett Properties has been eyeing the boutique hotel. Theyre proposing turning TRYP into 108 affordable studio rentals. Non-profits Lawrenceville Corporation (LC) and Lawrenceville United (LU) have been in talks with the developer to get a better idea of its plan and how itll be funded. LU and LC have not taken a stance on the project at all, said Sarah Trbovic, the executive director of Lawrenceville Corporation. We hear from the community, gather feedback, we see how any project aligns with our values and mission and vision for the community. Trbovic said the developer hasnt ruled out making some of the units available for the homeless. She said Hullett Properties is looking into setting aside more than a dozen units for low-income families and the homeless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has not been determined who the units would be for, Trbovic said. There are a lot of unknowns at this point. Hullett Properties is vowing to work with the community before moving forward with any plans. A statement by Breanna Tyson, a principal of Hullett, reads: We understand that the community is very interested in learning more about the housing options that would be made available through the potential conversion of the TRYP Hotel. Since yesterday, we have received significant expressions of interest from Lawrenceville residents, and those desiring to live there, who are eager to learn about units that may become available. However, we want to emphasize that no final decisions regarding the specific housing offering have been made at this time. It is important to us that we conduct a thorough and thoughtful process of engagement with the community before moving forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We recognize the need for affordable housing and are aware of the strong demand within the community for accessible housing options. Our goal is to ensure that this development concept is formed in a way that reflects the needs and values of the neighborhood. We respectfully ask for the opportunity to proceed through this community process which we are planning to participate in community meetings hosted by LU/LC and collaboratively work with local residents and stakeholders. Lawrenceville Corporation and Lawrenceville United plan to host community meetings on the project starting in February. Theres kind of an affordability crisis in the city and if its a good project and meets the needs, then maybe this will actually help, Trbovic said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TRYP by Wyndhams property manager, GF Hotels, sent Channel 11 a statement that reads: The hotel is open and will continue to operate as usual, said Chase Martin with GF Hotels. The hotel is not under any current contract for sale. We will continue to prioritize our guests and future events. There is no further comment at this time. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Jan. 15GRAND FORKS A new Altru hospital is a boon for UND's medical students and a selling point to keep them in the state, according to some practitioners. The new Altru hospital will be part of the health care provider's continuing relationship with the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences, offering its new facilities as a space for students to complete their clinical rotations and as a residency location for graduates. Dr. Susan Zelewski, an Altru pediatrician who also holds multiple administrative positions at UND's medical school, says the health care provider is a "great partner" for education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We really share the goal of growing the number of health care providers in North Dakota," she said. UND and Altru and its predecessors have been closely intertwined for decades. The university is host to one of the nation's few dozen community-based medical schools, meaning the med school relies on independent hospitals like Altru for its students' clinical rotations rather than operating its own teaching hospital. "What it means is that the medical school is not competing with other hospitals in the area instead, we're cooperating with them," said Josh Wynne, former longtime dean of the UND School of Medicine and Health Sciences. "And we need to cooperate with them if only so our medical students can get educated." Altru is one of four campuses across the state where students complete their clinical rotations; somewhere from 25% to 30% of each med school class will rotate through the health care provider's Grand Forks facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of Altru's practitioners double as clinical faculty for the med school, and some teach in lecture. Also, many UND students ultimately complete their residencies and go on to work for Altru as fully-trained and licensed physicians. "They need us to provide a learning environment for their students. We need that opportunity to provide an education to them, oftentimes with them returning to Grand Forks at the completion of their training to become employed by Altru," said Dr. Mark Nielsen, a primary care physician who works as a community faculty member for UND and directs Altru's family medicine residency. "It's very much a reliable workforce pipeline." A new hospital, then, offers the chance for UND students to learn in one of the most state-of-the-art facilities in the region and gives the chance for students to see themselves as Altru practitioners. "It gives our students really the best and latest, up-to-date technology and opportunities to learn with the new equipment that we have in the hospital," Zelewski said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, she says the hospital's new neonatal intensive care unit and its individual patient rooms a feature discussed extensively by Altru leadership will allow students on their pediatric rotation to interact with families in a more private setting than the open NICU space at the current hospital. "We're really excited for that private space, both for families to have that increased quality time with their babies, but also it really improves the opportunity for our students to visit about some of those sensitive topics with those families in a private setting," she said. The new hospital will also come with a new student lounge for students to study and relax between their time on the hospital floor. Zelewski worked directly with Altru to establish that space. She said the health care provider had gone "above and beyond" helping to create a positive learning environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wynne is pleased about the new student space, which he said would replace the temporary facilities the hospital has had for students since their principal study space was torn down with the old main clinic. He said the new hospital meant a more positive learning environment for UND students, which could help keep students in the state. "Happy students lead to happy residents, and happy residents lead to more people studying within the state and practicing in the state," he said. Asked at a community meeting if the state is considering replacing the Tobin Bridge with a tunnel, the project manager leading planning studies responded Wednesday that it wasnt out of the question. A working group is only two months into an 18-month study to examine options to succeed the 74-year-old bridge that connects Chelsea and Bostons Charlestown neighborhood and serves as a lifeline between Boston and the area north of the capital city. The eventual project is all but certain to be enormously disruptive, given the tens of thousands of vehicles -- 87,000 per typical weekday last year -- that rely on the bridge that carries Route 1 over the Mystic River. But changes are also years away: the planning study alone will not be complete until the summer of 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community member Jeff Zoter asked at a Wednesday afternoon meeting about that planning study: Has the possibility of a tunnel been eliminated from this planning? Massachusetts Department of Transportation project manager Patrick Snyder replied, We have not gotten there yet. Snyder said, Were still sort of setting the foundation to get toward thinking about tunnels, bridges -- what we call alternatives, and our alternatives development when we come up with ideas and screen and analyze the possibility of what those might be. So, no, he added, clarifying, to the question of whether the question of a tunnel had been eliminated. Zoters question came in response to a conversation at the meeting about planning for sea level rise while designing a new bridge or tunnel that will be meant to stand well into the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VHB has been contracted to work with MassDOT to develop alternatives for a replacement of the bridge. VHBs Michael Regan, managing director of transportation systems, planning, and operations, said the level of the Mystic River is expected to rise 2.4 feet by 2050 and 4.2 feet by 2070. Accounting for storm surge, sea levels could rise close to 10 feet, he said. Thats kind of a staggering number, Regan said. Its twice what the level is now, basically. The working group is looking at sea level rise in part to begin thinking about the height of a potential new bridge, he said. Zoter asked about a tunnel, as it would eliminate the question of whether certain vessels could fit under the bridge if waters keep rising. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regan and Snyder both said theyre starting to plan with climate change in mind and also will consider surrounding communities with rising sea levels. This is a holistic study, Snyder said. Were thinking about how the bridge and infrastructure thats there, and how it ties into the surrounding community. Part of our scope of work, and what were working on here is going to consider opportunities for climate change mitigation that can be worked into any potential new infrastructure. The study will examine alternative development and analysis this year, according to its online timeline, and calls for findings, recommendations, and a final report in 2026. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) An undocumented Russellville woman was sentenced to 5 years in prison for using a false identity to obtain passports and vote in multiple elections. In September, the United States Department of Justice said Angelica Maria Francisco, 42, of Russellville pleaded guilty to two counts of false claims of citizenship in connection with voting, one count of false statements in application for a United States passport, five counts of use of a United States passport obtained by false statements, and one count of aggravated identity theft. LCSO identifies man killed when Florence Police say he tried to shoot up department Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Judge Liles C. Burke sentenced Francisco to serve 60 months in prison for those charges. According to the DOJ, Francisco assumed the identity of a United States citizen around 2011 and obtained a United States passport that year. She then used the to travel to and from her native country of Guatemala in 2012, 2015 and 2018. Records show she used the same identity to apply for a renewed passport in 2021 and travel to and from Guatemala again in 2022. Francisco used the same false identity to register to vote in Alabama in 2016, and she voted in the 2016 and 2020 primary and general elections, the DOJ said. This sentence sends a clear message that any attempts by non-U.S. citizens to vote in the Northern District of Alabama are unacceptable and will result in serious consequences, said U.S. Attorney Prim Escalona. Maintaining the sanctity of the U.S. election system is one of the most important responsibilities of federal law enforcement. My office will remain vigilant in carrying out this mission and, to that end, will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to investigate and prosecute individuals who seek to undermine our elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case was investigated by the U.S. State Departments Diplomatic Security Service with assistance from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the East Metro Area Crime Center, and the Alabama Secretary of States Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett A. Janich. 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. Allegations of political favoritism are stirring up backlash in the ongoing teacher recruitment process by the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). Naivasha MP Jane Kihara has stepped forward with serious accusations, claiming the recruitment of 20,000 teachers is skewed to favor constituencies aligned with the government. Kihara isnt holding back. Shes called for the immediate suspension of the recruitment exercise and demanded a thorough investigation. According to her, certain MPs considered loyal to the ruling administration seem to have had an unfair advantage. Last year, MPs loyal to the administration were given employment forms to hand out in their constituencies, while those supporting the impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua were sidelined, Kihara alleged. And it doesnt stop there. She argued that countless qualified teachers are being unfairly overlooked, despite meeting the necessary academic and professional requirements. This, she says, breeds injustice and jeopardizes employment opportunities for those whove worked hard to meet the standards. Speaking during a ceremony to donate a school bus to Naivasha Day Secondary School, Kihara didnt limit her criticism to teacher recruitment. She pointed out a range of deeper challenges crippling the education sector, including: Corruption Inadequate funding Major logistical hiccups Kihara raised alarm over the lack of facilities for Junior Secondary School (JSS) learners, highlighting that some schools havent even received classroom allocations. This kind of oversight, she warned, risks derailing students transition to Grade 9. Another pressing issue? Delays in disbursing capitation funds, which have disrupted everyday school operations. On higher education, Kihara took aim at the governments new university funding model, calling it unfair to students from poorer families. The new university funding model is causing untold suffering for low-income families, she said, urging policymakers to rethink how they allocate resources. Amid the heavy criticism, Kihara paused to celebrate a local success story. Naivasha Day Secondary School has seen its student enrollment skyrocket from 800 to 1,500 in just five years. The schools principal, Amos Gamba, credited this growth to improved academic performance and strong community support. Adding another feather to the schools cap was the recent donation of a new school bus. Gamba said it would boost student morale and ease transportation challenges, especially for extracurricular activities. Joseph Kibuta, the schools chairman, echoed those sentiments. He highlighted that the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) played a key role in making the bus acquisition possible, saying it was a game-changer for underprivileged students in the region. In a final rallying cry, Kihara urged the government to step up and address the irregularities shes flaggednot just in teacher recruitment but across the education system. Equity and accountability, she stressed, must remain at the forefront. Education should be a fair playing field where every Kenyan child, regardless of their background or political connections, has an equal shot to succeed, she emphasized. The University of Northern Iowa Iowa Waste Reduction Center received an EPA grant to develop training based on its own Iowa Green Brewery Certification program. (Photo by Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images) The University of Northern Iowa will use a $175,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to train others who want to follow in the Iowa Waste Reduction Centers footsteps and develop plans to help breweries become more environmentally friendly. UNI received a ceremonial check from the EPA Wednesday representing a $175,159 grant to the universitys Iowa Waste Reduction Center through the EPAs Pollution Prevention Grant Program. The center will train technical assistance providers at universities in Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas to develop programs aimed at helping breweries reduce waste and use sustainable practices, based on the work the center has been doing for years through its Iowa Green Brewery Certification Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joe Bolick, director of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center, said there are also possibilities of partnering with programs across the U.S. to help provide resources and training. According to a UNI news release, the center will develop videos and case studies to provide to grant partners, as well as webinars and other resources. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Its something that were really proud of, what weve done for the last seven or eight years here in Iowa, and this is going to give us an opportunity to really expand that beyond Iowas border, Bolick said. Founded in 1987 through the Groundwater Protection Act, Bolick said the goal of the Iowa Waste Reduction Center is to aid local businesses in identifying more environmentally friendly practices and implementing them, in areas like energy efficiency, water quality and conservation and environmental management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bolick said the center has worked with businesses in all 99 counties, the bulk of them being manufacturers located in rural areas. In 2016, center staff were looking at new ways to serve the state and landed on craft brewing, which is a growing industry that also could have impacts on the environment. At the time, Bolick said there were around 40 breweries in the state. Now, there are more than 120. The center developed the Iowa Green Brewery Certification program to help breweries evaluate where theyre at in terms of environmental impact and sustainable practices, and to help them improve if they so wish. The center conducts an initial audit of the breweries they work with, using a checklist and scoring system they developed to provide a report showing the business status and what certification that score would earn them. From there the brewery and center work together to plan how to bump their certification up if the business wishes, developing a plan to change materials or practices to lessen their environmental impact while not decreasing their revenue. We work with the breweries to help them identify areas of improvement, and every single one of these things ends up having a positive impact on their bottom line, Bolick said. So what this grant is going to allow us to do is kind of take what weve developed and had success with here in Iowa and package it in a way for other organizations similar to ours to create a program in their states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeAndre Singletary, director of the EPA Region 7 land, chemical and redevelopment division, said Wednesday in remarks at UNI that between 2011 and 2021, the EPA Pollution Prevention Program has provided 500 grants totaling more than $54 million, which have led to the elimination of 19.8 metric tons of greenhouse gases, as well as businesses and organizations saving 52 billion gallons of water, reducing 1 billion pounds of hazardous materials and saved more than $2.2 billion for businesses. The work of our regional awardees demonstrates a proactive spirit that is necessary to tackle todays climate crisis, Singletary said. Each project has the potential to not only reduce pollution but also inspire the next generation of environmental advocates. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A United Airlines flight was forced to return to its gate after striking a coyote at Chicagos OHare International Airport. Flight 1727 en route to Phoenix, Arizona was about to take off Sunday morning when its landing gear struck a coyote, a United Airlines spokesperson said in a statement to The Independent. As a result, the plane was forced to return to the gate and was taken out of service. The 167 passengers and six crew members had to deplane. The airline arranged for them to take a later flight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United Airlines did not provide The Independent information on the condition of the coyote. This wasnt the first time a coyote made headlines this week, CBS Chicago reports. On Monday, a coyote got stuck in a refrigerated shelf at a local Aldi store after running into the store, according to the outlet. Chicago police responded, helping pull the animal from the shelves. The animal is now at the Flint Creek Wildlife Rehabilitation and could be soon released into the wild. Meanwhile, United Airlines was in the news last month after a body was found in a planes wheel well. Flight UA202 arrived at the Kahului Airport the afternoon of December 24. On the ground, officials discovered a body inside the wheel well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon arrival at Kahului airport in Maui a body was found in the wheel well of one of the main landing gears on a United aircraft, United Airlines said in a statement to CNN. The wheel well was only accessible from outside of the aircraft. Hiding in a planes wheel well is the most common method used by stowaways, according to CNN. However, its often fatal, as stowaways can develop deadly hypothermia and hypoxia as the plane climbs, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Stowaways can also get crushed as the landing gear retracts. A United Airlines plane struck a coyote during takeoff at Chicago OHare International Airport. The Boeing 737 MAX 9 was carrying 167 passengers and six crew members when its landing gear struck the wild animal, which was on the runway, on Sunday, Jan. 12, the airline confirmed to PEOPLE. The plane "safely returned to Chicago O'Hare International Airport to examine the aircraft, United said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Two Planes Nearly Collide in Mid-Air After United and Delta Flights Experience Loss of Required Separation Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty United Airlines plane taking off at Chicago O'Hare International Airport United Airlines plane taking off at Chicago O'Hare International Airport The plane was headed for Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Arizona and took off at around 10:45 a.m. local time when the incident occurred. According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, crew members initially reported a bird strike on departure. The FAA confirmed to PEOPLE that they are investigating the incident. Related: Video Shows Authorities Pulling Unexpected Live Wild Animal from Fridge Shelf at Chicago Supermarket Chicago Animal Care & Control Coyote found in Aldi supermarket Coyote found in Aldi supermarket This is not the first coyote-related incident the city has seen this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video footage taken at an Aldi supermarket in Chicago on Monday, Jan. 13 revealed a coyote hiding behind a shelf of prepared meals in the refrigerator section of the store. Two Chicago Animal Care and Control officials were able to use a tool to retrieve the animal, and later pulled it by its tail to get it completely 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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Following the incident, the Chicago Animal Care and Control shared a post on Facebook regarding information about the species and its increased activity in urban areas from January through March. During this time, coyotes are more active and may be seen more frequently, even during daylight hours. Coyotes are typically shy and avoid humans, but its important to take precautions to keep your pets and community safe, read the post. The department also advised, If you see a coyote, make yourself big, loud, and back away slowlynever run." Read the original article on People NEVADA, Mo. An area organization says thank you for helping them help people in need. The single largest fundraiser for the Vernon County United Way over the last 40 years has been an annual event held in the fall. This years version raised nearly $9,000. And Shelby Lightwine with the Vernon County United Way says the need for funds this year has never been greater. Basically its just a recognition for all of the chili teams that were at our Octoberfest in October, all of our people that make those large contributions that truly help us stay open and help our communities, said Lightwine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lightwine says that money has been dispersed between the 14 agencies the organization supports. 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 KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com. Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative This story is published in partnership with Open Campus, a nonprofit newsroom focused on higher education. Subscribe to College Inside, an Open Campus newsletter about the intersection of higher education and criminal justice. Noa Offman had it all planned out: She would major in biology at Georgetown University, go to medical school, and become a doctor. But a chance encounter in a theology class she took her first semester of college changed everything. Her professor invited Colie "Shaka" Long to join the class as a guest speaker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long, who was on a Zoom call from the D.C. Jail, told the class about being sentenced to life without the possibility of parole as a teenager, his experience with solitary confinement and how he became a mentor for young men in prison. "He was warm, he was brilliant, and he's somebody that I wanted to continue to learn from," she recalls. "I walked away from that conversation wondering who prisons are protecting me from." The next day, Offman went to the registrar's office and changed her major from biology to justice and peace studies. She wanted to understand the root causes of incarceration, the lived experiences of those behind bars, and how she could make a difference. Offman's experience is just one example of the ripple effects that prison education programs can have on college campuses. When college students engage directly with the criminal justice system and have direct interaction with those impacted by incarceration, these programs can challenge preconceptions, influence career paths, and inspire activism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Zoom lecture, Offman emailed her professor describing how the experience had changed her plans for the future. The professor forwarded the note to Long, offering him a powerful reminder that his story mattered. "When I read the email, I started crying," he recalled. Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative Georgetown Prisons and Justice Initiative After spending 26 years in the federal system, Long came home in 2022 under a Washington, D.C. law that allows judges to review the sentences of people who went to prison as young adults. D.C. was one of the first jurisdictions in the country to extend sentencing relief to people who were under 25 at the time they were convicted. The law is based on the growing research that shows that young peoples brains arent fully developed but also have great capacity for change. Offman and Long stayed in touch since their first encounter in 2020. She even attended his first parole hearing, which was conducted virtually due to the pandemic. It was the first court proceeding she had ever witnessed, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Long and Offman finally met in person at a Georgetown event shortly after he was released, it was a momentous occasion. "That was the first time I actually saw her and gave her a hug," Long said. After his release, Long started working at Georgetowns Prisons and Justice Initiative, the same program that had brought him and Offman together in the first place. He began as a program associate and now serves as a reentry coordinator, helping others navigate the challenges of returning home from prison. Long is also continuing the education he started in the D.C. Jail on campus, pursuing a bachelors degree in liberal arts. Long was also the subject of a 2023 documentary, "District of Second Chances," which follows the reentry journeys of three men who were all teenagers when they were sentenced to life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of his work at Georgetown, Long served as a teaching assistant for law professor Marc Howard's "Prisons and Punishment" class fall semester. On the first day of class, Offman was surprised when she walked into the lecture hall and saw him. He joked that she was stalking him. Their connection took on new significance when Offman asked Long to write a letter of recommendation for her Rhodes Scholarship application. "I was so honored," Long said. "To speak about her character, it also validates and reminds me of the relevancy of my existence." When Offman told him she had been awarded the prestigious scholarship to study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom after she graduates this spring, Long was overjoyed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Honestly, I knew she was going to get it, he said. I was so ecstatic. It felt like I made parole again. I know she's not my daughter, but it's like, man, I'm seeing my baby girl get this, I'm so proud of her." For Offman, having Long's support was invaluable. "I feel grateful and blessed," she said. "I hope that his legacy continues to inspire young folks like me to ask more of the societies that we grew up in, because that's exactly what he did for me." Long and Offman's lives were both shaped by crucial events at age 18. For Long, it was the beginning of a life sentence that would take away his liberty for the next 26 years. For Offman, it was the beginning of a friendship that would radically alter her worldview and her future career. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "To the 18-year-old me, this would be unfathomable," Long said. "I wasn't able to see that I would actually live to be 40, not to mention to be in a position where I can possibly positively affect another 18-year-old. And that's what's crazy, because I lost my life when I was 18, but to help somebody discover a new life when they're 18, it's like, man, that's a hell of a story right there." Stay up-to-date with the politics team. Sign up for the Teen Vogue Take Originally Appeared on Teen Vogue Check out more Teen Vogue education coverage: Jan. 15GRAND FORKS A wind energy project that backers believe could provide a $100 million boost to the economy in rural northeast North Dakota was officially announced Wednesday. The Flickertail Wind Farm, to be built near New Rockford, will be owned and operated by PRC Wind. The energy it produces will be purchased by Minnkota Power Cooperative after a long-term agreement was signed by the entities. The news was announced Wednesday morning, Jan. 15. In a statement sent to the media, Minnkota CEO Mac McLennan said it's part of his organization's goal to diversify its energy portfolio and offerings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Flickertail Wind Farm represents a tremendous opportunity to enhance our energy portfolio with a carbon-free resource, fulfill the vision of local landowners and harness North Dakota's abundant energy potential," McLennan said. "As the demand for electricity continues to grow in our region and across the nation, it's critical for us to develop new energy resources and continue to diversify our power supply strategy." Although the project was officially announced in a release sent to the media Wednesday, its background has been publicly noted. For example, the local newspaper in New Rockford The Transcript reported in November that Flickertail Wind, LLC, had opened an office in the community of 1,300, situated approximately 40 miles south of Devils Lake and 117 miles west of Grand Forks. The project's roots are at the local level, starting as "a collaborative effort between local community members and the New Rockford economic development board," according to the Minnkota media release. Eventually, the local backers brought in PRC Wind to push the project forward. "As far as the city is concerned, we're excited that it's coming," New Rockford Mayor Stuart Richter told the Grand Forks Herald. "It's going to bring quite a few jobs to the area even the construction phase of it's going to be huge for our area. So we're very excited about it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: "This is huge for us." It is expected to include 112 wind turbines, a dedicated substation, 15 miles of transmission line, access roads and an operations and maintenance facility, according to information provided by Minnkota Power. It will cover some 43,000 acres in Wells and Eddy counties and "has been carefully planned to support local agricultural activities and protect the surrounding natural environment," the Minnkota release noted. The permitting process likely will begin this year, with construction-related work engineering, procurement and construction itself expected to begin by 2027. The project is expected to "inject approximately $100 million directly into the local community and create 300 jobs during construction," the release said. The power produced by the wind farm will be integrated into the electric grid on Minnkota's existing 345,000-volt transmission line. The line takes the energy to a substation in Grand Forks and from there is distributed throughout eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota, Minnkota noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Flickertail Wind Farm exemplifies the power of collaboration, combining community-driven vision with strong utility partnership to meet the growing demand for electric power," PRC Wind CEO Paul White said in a statement sent to the media. "We're proud to work alongside Minnkota and its member cooperatives to bring this community-initiated project to life, delivering a cost-effective and homegrown energy source for the long term." Eric Myhre, who owns land near New Rockford, believes the wind farm will open the door to "new possibilities for growth" for the community. "As a lifelong resident and landowner in our rural North Dakota community, I've often wondered how we could secure a steady source of revenue to sustain our way of life," Myhre said in a statement sent to the media. "Through our partnership with the dedicated team at PRC Wind, I am confident the Flickertail Wind project will bring lasting renewable energy opportunities to our local economy." If the New Rockford project does indeed result in 112 turbines, it would be one of the largest in the state. According to data found on the North Dakota Public Service Commission website, the largest is a 131-turbine wind farm in Barnes County, followed by a 121-turbine project in Williams County, as of February 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wind energy production in North Dakota has more than doubled in the past decade, according to statistics from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A report issued by the EIA in August notes that in 2023, wind was North Dakota's second-largest electricity-generating source and provided nearly two-fifths of the state's net generation. Nationally, North Dakota was No. 6 in the share of its electricity generated from wind energy. According to the EIA's August report, North Dakota North Dakota had about 4,000 megawatts of installed wind power generating capacity as of early 2024. In a 2023 interview Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement with the Grand Forks Herald and Prairie Business, McLennan said that using a mix of energy sources is the best way to ensure there's enough safe, reliable electricity generated to meet the needs of its customers. Coal makes up 56% of the co-op's power generation capacity, with wind providing 34%, hydro 8% and other sources bringing in the remaining 2%, he said at the time. The Herald's Delaney Otto contributed to this report. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The Baton Rouge Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation gave updates on investments in its public safety initiatives and changes to the foundation. Crime cameras from the Page/Rice Public Safety Initiative installed in Baton Rouge have helped local law enforcement agencies keep communities safer. According to the foundation, $300,000 has been invested in new or updated technology and software used by the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office and Baton Rouge Police. Eighty-eight crime cameras have been installed in areas identified as having high crime rates. Some cameras have artificial intelligence software that detects brandished guns in seconds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse said downtown crime cameras have made a great impact on the agencys public safety efforts. He said cameras helped find suspects in the Christmas parade shooting. A representative from the East Baton Rouge Sheriffs Office said the camera initiative is vital for community safety. Cameras are used to combat property and violent crime and help find missing people. The foundation announced that $200,000 will be invested in 2025 for high-speed license plate readers along I-110, I-10 and I-12. Law enforcement will determine where theyre placed. Baton Rouge police chief highlights crime drop in 2024, challenges ahead Latest about new recreation center The Inspiration Center at Howell Park, an $8.4 million project, in North Baton Rouge is on track to be completed in the fall between late October and early November. Construction broke ground on Sept. 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The foundation is now raising money to fully furnish the facility. Greater Louisiana Cox Communications announced a $100,000 investment for the center Thursday morning. Once opened, the Inspiration Center will be operated by the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Louisiana. Foundation aims to make changes for statewide focus Foundation Chairman Clay Young announced that the board of directors will bring a motion to transition the group into a statewide foundation to support more law enforcement agencies. The new proposed name of the foundation is the Lousiana Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation. 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 Louisiana First News. The News The US sanctioned the head of Sudans armed forces, it said Thursday, a week after imposing similar penalties on the leader of the countrys paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Neither man is fit to govern a future, peaceful Sudan, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, with both RSF leader Mohammad Hamdan Daglo Mousa and Sudans military chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan accused of using starvation as a weapon and denying humanitarian access. The announcement comes shortly after a report in The New York Times that the Sudanese military used chemical weapons in its war against the RSF. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US officials told the NYT that the weapons were deployed in remote parts of Sudan, but many fear the weapons could eventually be used in the countrys densely populated capital, Khartoum. Know More Sudans civil war began in April 2023 and has created the worlds worst humanitarian crisis, with more than 150,000 people dead and 11 million displaced, leaving the country facing one of its worst famines in decades. Though the US has already sanctioned RSF members and determined that the rebel group committed genocide, sanctions against al-Burhan are a significant move, the NYT wrote, since many consider him Sudans de facto leader. Aid groups worry that sanctioning the Sudanese government will lead to retaliation, further restricting supplies to areas currently at risk of famine. NEW YORK (Reuters) -A New York state appeals court ruled in favor of billionaire investor Leon Black on Thursday, rejecting a defamation claim by a woman who also accused the Apollo Global Management co-founder of rape and sexual abuse. In a 4-1 decision, the Appellate Division in Manhattan said Guzel Ganieva's October 2015 non-disclosure agreement covered all her claims against Black, including that he defamed her by saying she tried to extort him. It also said that even if Ganieva signed the agreement under duress, she "ratified" it by accepting $9 million from Black, including a $100,000 monthly stipend, before suing in June 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We recognize the trauma attendant upon sexual abuse," the majority wrote. "However, we disagree with the dissent that the same principle should allow plaintiff to repudiate a contractual arrangement after accepting its benefits for over five years." Black denied Ganieva's claims. The dissenting judge said Ganieva was entitled to sue because the former Russian model remained under "the same continuing duress" until March 2021 when she first spoke out about her six-year relationship with Black, which ended in 2014. Ganieva's lawyer did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Susan Estrich, a lawyer for Black, said in a statement that the decision "vindicates Mr. Black completely." The lawsuit stemmed from a March 2021 interview where Black acknowledged having a consensual affair with Ganieva, and said she extorted him based on threats to go public. He was responding to Twitter posts where Ganieva accused him of years of sexual harassment and abuse. A trial judge had dismissed Ganieva's claims in May 2023. Black, 73, is worth $17.1 billion, according to Forbes. He is also defending against a lawsuit in Manhattan by an autistic woman who said he raped her in disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein's mansion in 2002, when she was 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawyers for Black have called the woman's claims "categorically false" and a "malicious smear." Black stepped down as Apollo's chief executive in 2021 after a review by an outside law firm found he had paid Epstein $158 million for tax and estate planning. The case is Ganieva v. Black, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 1st Department, No. 2023-05694. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Nia Williams and Diane Craft) Parents across Kenya are being urged to verify and update their childrens details on the Social Health Authority (SHA) platform. Health Director General Dr. Patrick Amoth emphasizes that this is not just a routine task but a critical step to ensure seamless access to healthcare services and avoid registration issues. Launched three months ago, the SHA system is a groundbreaking initiative. It integrates data from key government platforms, including the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), the civil registry, and the National Education Management Information System (NEMIS). This integration helps in syncing information efficiently, reducing errors, and avoiding red tape when accessing services. Dr. Amoth stated, Parents should log in to verify and update their childrens information promptly to avoid further issues. While it might seem like a hassle now, this process can save you significant time and stress later, particularly when you need quick and uninterrupted healthcare access. Since its inception, the uptake of SHA has been remarkable: Over 17.8 million Kenyans are registered on SHA. are registered on SHA. 13.2 million are new members, while 4.6 million transitioned from NHIF. The reforms under SHA are aimed at reducing healthcare costs, especially for families previously burdened by out-of-pocket expenses. Dr. Amoth remarked, Over 17.8 million Kenyans are now part of SHA, which represents a significant step towards reducing financial hardship related to healthcare. The Ministry of Health reported good progress in getting healthcare facilities onboard: 7,900 facilities have signed manual contracts. have signed manual contracts. 2,602 facilities have adopted digital contracts. have adopted digital contracts. 1,753 facilities are finalizing their agreements. However, challenges remain, such as delays in reimbursements to these facilities. The Ministry has assured stakeholders that it will expedite payments, as this builds public trust and ensures smoother system operations. To make sure your childrens records are accurate and up-to-date, follow these steps: Log in to the SHA platform. Verify the accuracy of your childrens information, such as birth certificate details. Update any outdated or missing details immediately. Taking this small action now can save you from significant issues later, especially as deadlines approach and service demand spikes. Here is a quick snapshot of SHAs progress so far: Metric Value Total SHA Registrations 17.8 million New Members 13.2 million NHIF to SHA Transitions 4.6 million Facilities with Manual Contracts 7,900 Facilities with E-contracts Completed 2,602 Facilities Finalizing Contracts 1,753 These statistics show SHAs rapid growth, but its continued success relies on the participation and cooperation of parents, healthcare providers, and institutions to address existing challenges. TAIPEI (Reuters) - The head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taiwan said on Thursday he expects continued firm support for the island from Donald Trump's incoming administration, but a U.S.-Taiwan trade agreement seen as critical for business had only a "modest" chance of happening. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, enjoyed strong support from the first Trump administration, which regularised the arms sales that President Joe Biden continued. But Trump unnerved Taiwan on the campaign trail by calling for the island to pay to be defended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who will be sworn in on Jan. 20, has also pledged a blanket tariff of 10% on global imports into the United States, which Taiwanese policymakers have warned could curb growth this year for the trade-dependent island. AmCham Taiwan Chairperson Dan Silver, releasing the group's 2025 Business Climate Survey, said three-quarters of respondents judged a Taiwan-U.S. bilateral trade agreement as critical to their business success, though he added the prospects for that happening were "modest". But he said the group was pleased to see people with a history of strong support for Taiwan, including Secretary of State nominee Marco Rubio and incoming national security adviser Mike Waltz, in the new government. "We know that support in Congress for Taiwan and the relationships across the spectrum of areas including the economic and trade relationship is as high as it has been in the past 40 years," Silver said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And so we see this as a multi-stakeholder level of engagement with Taiwan and we believe that will continue into the new administration." AmCham Taiwan, which said that 212 of its 423 eligible members responded to the survey, said 90% planned to maintain or increase investment in the island this year, noting confidence in Taiwan was high. On where members wanted Taiwan's government to place its priorities this year, energy overtook relations with China compared to last year's survey, the island having had persistent problems with stable electricity supplies. Personal anxiety about increased military activity around Taiwan edged slightly higher on a one-to-five scale, from 2.8 last year to three this year, the survey found. (Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Kate Mayberry) By Leah Douglas and Tom Polansek (Reuters) - People hospitalized for flu should be tested for bird flu within 24 hours, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday, in an expansion of the agency's efforts to tackle increasing infections in humans. The advisory is intended to prevent delays in identifying human cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) viruses amid high levels of seasonal influenza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The risk to the general public from bird flu is low, and there has been no further evidence of person to person spread, the agency said. Still, influenza A-positive patients, particularly those in an intensive care unit, should be tested ideally within 24 hours of hospitalization to identify the viral subtype and determine whether they have bird flu, the agency said. Prior to Thursday's guidance, hospitals generally sent batches of samples to labs for subtyping every few days. Faster testing also aims to help doctors identify how people became infected and provide their close contacts with testing and medicine more quickly, if needed, said Nirav Shah, the agency's principal deputy director, on a call with reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CDC does not believe it has been missing bird flu infections in people, Shah said. No surveillance system detects 100% of cases, he added later. "The system is working as it should," said Shah, adding that health officials want results sooner in case any public health action is needed. "What we need is to shift to a system that tells us what's happening in the moment." Nearly 70 people in the U.S., most of them farmworkers, have contracted bird flu since April, as the virus has circulated among poultry flocks and dairy herds. Three people have tested positive without a clear source of exposure to the virus, according to CDC. Most infections in humans have been mild, but one fatality was reported in Louisiana last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Agriculture has more than 300 personnel working on its bird flu response and has spent $1.5 billion on its efforts to curb the spread among poultry and dairy cattle, said Eric Deeble, a deputy undersecretary at the agency. The USDA last week said it would rebuild a bird flu vaccine stockpile for poultry. USDA officials have met several times with the transition team of the incoming Donald Trump administration to try to ensure a smooth handoff on agency actions to curb the spread of the virus, including a tabletop exercise at the White House on Wednesday, Deeble said. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services, which encompasses CDC, have also repeatedly met with the transition team on Zoom calls and have shared their bird flu playbook, officials said on the press call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HHS said on Thursday it plans to put $211 million toward mRNA-based vaccine technology to better respond to emerging infectious diseases such as bird flu. (Reporting by Leah Douglas and Ahmed Aboulenein in Washington, Tom Polansek in Chicago, and Mariam Sunny in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber and Bill Berkrot) COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) U.S. defense contractor Anduril Industries is preparing to build a massive advanced manufacturing facility in central Ohio, adding a planned 4,000 jobs to the area's burgeoning high-tech sector, state officials announced Thursday. The Cosa Mesa, California-based defense technology company plans to begin construction of what it's calling Arsenal 1 as soon as state and local approvals are secured. The 5 million-square-foot (464,515-square-meter) facility will be located on a 500-acre (202-hectare) site near Rickenbacker International Airport in rural Pickaway County, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) southeast of Columbus. Production of military drones and autonomous air vehicles would begin in July 2026 under the plan, said Christian Brose, Anduril's chief strategy officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said it is the largest single job creation and payroll project that Ohio has announced. The governor said winning Anduril's manufacturing plant marks a continuation of Ohio's history of advanced advanced aviation, which began with the Wright brothers and continues to grow surrounding the Dayton-area Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. We are an aerospace state, DeWine said. He called Ohio the brains of the Air Force. DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and JobsOhio CEO J.P. Nauseef said that, through targeted economic development efforts, the state boasts a strong and diverse aerospace workforce. They said it also has a network of job training centers, colleges and universities prepared to educate new advanced manufacturing workers. Those helped attract the nationally-competitive deal, they said. Ohio has literally built a strategy around this kind of project, and so we are perfect for them," Husted said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The aerospace sector in Ohio includes the global headquarters of GE Aerospace and a new Joby Aviation manufacturing facility near Dayton that's preparing to manufacture electric vertical takeoff and landing, or eVTOL, aircraft beginning this year. Anduril casts the Ohio facility as integral to its goal to Rebuild the Arsenal of U.S. military weapons and platforms by hyperscaling manufacturing with advanced software and production technologies. The latest development adds to what is becoming known as a silicon corridor based in Ohio. It includes Intel, which is building a $20 billion chip factory just east of the Columbus, and Honda and LG Energy Solution of South Korea, which are building a $3.5 billion battery plant in nearby Fayette County that the automaker envisions as its North American electric vehicle hub. Ohio State University also announced plans in 2023 to build a $110 million software innovation center to dovetail with those efforts. At separate upcoming state meetings, the Anduril project will pursue a job creation tax credit from the Ohio Department of Development and a $70 million infusion from the All Ohio Future Fund, which the DeWine administration and lawmakers established to help local governments prepare sites for economic development projects. JobsOhio also plans to provide the project a sizeable grant, whose exact amount will be announced once agreements are signed, as well as talent acquisition services. ___ This story has been corrected to remove a reference to both Wright brothers being born in Ohio. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A last-minute glitch surfaced on Thursday in the details of the Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal and U.S. envoys are working to resolve it, a U.S. official said. The dispute was over the identities of several prisoners that Hamas is demanding to be released, the official said. The official said the issue is expected to be resolved soon. Working on the issue is President Joe Biden's Middle East envoy, Brett McGurk, and President-elect Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff. They are both in Doha with Qatari and Egyptian negotiators, the official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Were aware of these issues and we are working through them with the Israeli government, as well as other partners in the region. We are confident these implementing details can be hammered out and that the deal will move forward this weekend," White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said separately. The agreement, reached on Wednesday, is supposed to begin to be implemented on Sunday. (Reporting By Steve Holland; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson has appointed Rick Crawford, a critic of aid to Ukraine, as the chair of the influential House Intelligence Committee. Source: European Pravda, citing Bloomberg Details: The decision to appoint Crawford as chair of the powerful Intelligence Committee in the House was announced less than a day after the surprising removal of "hawk" Mike Turner from the position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson justified his decision by stating that the intelligence community requires a "fresh start" and denied any connection between this decision and President-elect Donald Trump. As noted by Bloomberg, Turner had clashed with Trump over Ukraine policy, becoming one of its staunchest advocates and calling for consistent security assistance and accelerated deliveries. Rick Crawford, now heading the Intelligence Committee, has expressed support for military assistance to Ukraine but opposes "sending your tax dollars on a European vacation to pay for some other countrys government salaries or farm subsidies". In April 2024, Crawford voted against a US$60.8 billion aid package for Ukraine and its allies, which included US$9 billion in economic support. Background: Media reports indicated that representatives of President-elect Donald Trump have acknowledged in discussions with European partners that they will not be able to end the war in Ukraine quickly while promising continued support for Kyiv. In December, however, Trump hinted at the possibility of reducing aid to Ukraine. Support UP or become our patron! By Jonathan Landay and Patricia Zengerle (Reuters) - U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson named Representative Rick Crawford on Thursday to chair the House intelligence committee, the latest promotion of an ally of President-elect Donald Trump to a key national security post. The panel chairman is among eight congressional leaders, known as the Gang of Eight, briefed on the most classified U.S. intelligence matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I will aggressively uphold our mandate to provide credible and robust oversight of the Intelligence Community's funding and activities," Crawford said in a statement. Johnson tapped Crawford a day after removing Representative Mike Turner from the chairmanship he had held for nearly two years. The position is one of the few chosen by the House speaker at the start of a new Congress. Trump will be sworn in for a second four-year term on Monday. Turner, a strong backer of aid for Ukraine, announced late on Wednesday he was removed from the committee, telling CBS News that Johnson had cited "concerns from Mar-a-Lago" for the decision. Mar-a-Lago is Trump's estate in Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner's office and Crawford's office did not respond to requests for comment. Johnson denied to reporters that he was ordered to relieve Turner, saying it was a House decision. A source familiar with the matter questioned whether an order for Turner's ouster came from Mar-a-Lago, saying it appeared the decision was made by Johnson, who "wanted his own person" as committee chair. The source also noted that Turner voted to certify outgoing President Joe Biden's victory over Trump in the 2020 election, while Crawford joined 139 Republican House members and eight senators in voting to overturn the result, a symbolic move backing Trump's unfounded claim of massive fraud. "This is a pattern for Johnson," said the source, pointing to the appointment of Brian Mast, who also opposed Biden's victory, as the new House Foreign Relations Committee chairman to replace Mike McCaul, who voted to confirm it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson declined to approve the waiver of term limit rules that would have let McCaul remain chairman. Those votes came late on Jan. 6, after mobs of Trump supporters attacked the Capitol building. Democrats decried Turner's ouster, saying it made the country less safe and weakened the function mandated in the U.S. Constitution that Congress should serve as a check and balance to the executive branch. BIGGER ROLE FOR AMERICA FIRST PROPONENTS The departures of both Turner and McCaul were effectively demotions of senior House Republicans whose foreign policy views have not always aligned with Trump's "America First" priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both lawmakers are conservative Republicans who rarely break with party leaders, but are known for their willingness to seek bipartisan support on major policy issues. They have taken foreign policy and national security positions that differ from some of Trump's more isolationist stances. Turner and McCaul have backed U.S. military assistance for Ukraine's fight against Russia. Trump has criticized Biden's aid for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and pledged during the 2024 campaign to quickly end the war. The source said that in the Republican caucus meeting, Johnson cited as concerns with Turner his support last year for reauthorizing a warrantless foreign surveillance program that some Democrats and Republicans, including Trump, charged had been used to spy on Americans, and his support for Ukraine and NATO. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford, who received a "D-" rating on Ukraine in a Republican ratings system, voted against a Ukraine aid bill in April 2024, saying he could not support a financial assistance component when Americans faced rising costs at home. Mast comes from Trump's home state of Florida and has opposed Ukraine aid, earning an "F" grade in the rating system. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Johnathan Landay; Additional reporting by Ismail Shakil in Ottawa; editing by Rami Ayyub, Don Durfee and Richard Chang) NEW YORK (Reuters) - A top official at the U.S. Justice Department and longtime prosecutor focused on rooting out white-collar crime will resign on Monday, the latest in a slew of exits at the DOJ ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. Lisa Miller, deputy assistant attorney general of the DOJ's Fraud and Appellate sections, told Reuters that Friday will be her last day at the Department. She started at Main Justice in 2014 as a trial attorney targeting healthcare fraud. Miller declined to comment on her next steps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While at the DOJ, Miller became the first woman to lead the DOJ's market integrity unit at a time the team was moving to use data more creatively to spot marketplace misconduct. Those efforts led to cases against traders who spoofed commodities markets, corporate executives who used corporate trading plans to illegally trade on nonpublic information and to the indictment of a high-profile short seller over allegations of market manipulation. In her latest role, Miller helped draft new policies to claw back compensation from executives involved in misconduct and to create a new DOJ whistleblower program. (Reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Mark Porter) Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Mike Turner as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, citing a desire to give the group a "fresh start" in the new Congress under a new president, on Wednesday, 15 January. Source: Politico, citing informed sources, as reported by European Pravda Details: On 15 January, sources revealed that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson cited former President Donald Trump as the reason for removing Mike Turner from his position as Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, following a meeting between the two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner, in turn, told CBS News that Johnson had explained his decision by referencing "concerns from Mar-a-Lago". In a statement to reporters, Johnson emphasised, "this is a House decision," shifting the focus away from Trump. Quote: "This is not a President Trump decision; this is a House decision," he clarified, adding that the move was not a slight to Turner, who had "performed valiantly in a difficult time under difficult circumstances". Turner, who was appointed to head the committee in 2022 by then-Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, had become a target of MAGA ("Make America Great Again") supporters due to his stance on key intelligence matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also a vocal advocate for continued funding for Ukraine and other hawkish national security positions. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the Intelligence Committee, expressed concern about the implications of the change. "I have ice in my spine right now, because thatll totally change the dynamic of oversight," he told reporters after the news broke. On Wednesday, Turner issued a brief statement confirming his departure from the committee. "Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations," he concluded. Ukrainian MP Oleksandra Ustinova, who chairs the parliamentary committee on arms supplies, expressed her concern, calling it "very, very bad news for Ukraine". She added, "This isnt just about Turner being removed from his post as chairman of the Intelligence Committee; its a loss of a major ally for Ukraine in a crucial position." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "I cant recall a single instance when he didnt support us, didnt push the administration, didnt write letters or make calls to the Pentagon or their intelligence agencies," Ustinova wrote. She also mentioned that when she last met with Turner three weeks ago, he had publicly advocated for providing Ukraine with a Black Hawk multirole helicopter, both as the chairman of the Intelligence Committee and as the head of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly delegation. Background: Trump had previously promised that, in his efforts to resolve the Russia-Ukraine war, he would "not abandon Ukraine". US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the current administration under President Biden is working to ensure that the next Republican administration inherits the strongest foreign policy positions, especially regarding Ukraine. Recently, Ukraine's European allies have expressed cautious optimism that Trump will not push Kyiv into premature negotiations with Russia. Support UP or become our patron! The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Jan. 15 sanctioned Russia's Federal State Unitary Enterprise Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, a Moscow-created entity that took control of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia power plant in the partially occupied oblast. The updated sanctions list also targets Vladislav Isaev, the companys CEO since April 2024. In October 2022, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed a decree establishing the Russian entity to oversee the captured power plant. This followed an order from Russian President Vladimir Putin, who declared the facilities of the Ukrainian nuclear power plant as Russian federal property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian forces have occupied the Zaporizhzhia plant, the largest nuclear station in Europe, since March 2022, and have been using the site in ways that increase the risk of a nuclear disaster. Throughout its occupation, the plant has been repeatedly disconnected from the Ukrainian power grid due to Russian attacks on the country's energy infrastructure. The region, particularly the city of Zaporizhzhia and the areas around the nuclear power plant, has endured regular missile strikes, artillery shelling, and drone attacks. On Jan. 8, Russian forces targeted an industrial facility in Zaporizhzhia, killing 13 people and injuring 122, including a child, according to State Emergency Service. Read also: Will Europe put boots on the ground for peace in Ukraine? We asked top Nordic, Baltic officials Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The United States believes that wide-ranging sanctions are more effective in accomplishing political objectives concerning Russia than designating it as a state sponsor of terrorism. Source: Matthew Miller, Spokesperson for the United States Department of State, during a briefing, as reported by European Pravda Miller addressed questions about why the United States has not designated Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism (SST), particularly following the recent removal of Cuba from the list. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "We have not determined that [SST designation], that it is the most effective way to achieve the policy goals that we have when it comes to Russia," he said. He emphasised that the extensive sanctions already imposed on Russia, including the latest packages introduced last week and this week, are delivering tangible results. Miller pointed to the impact of global restrictions on Russias energy sector, noting that oil tankers carrying Russian crude have been halted worldwide, including near Chinas shores. On 15 January, Russia lost its ability to bypass earlier sanctions. Additionally, Congress has been granted new authority to adjust sanctions on Russia in the future. "So if you look at the combined regime that we have put into place sanctions and export controls we determined that that would have more of an impact than a state sponsor of terrorism designation," Miller said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He further cautioned that labelling Russia as a state sponsor of terrorism would hinder the work of international humanitarian organisations and create other unintended consequences, potentially limiting their ability to operate in the region. Background: In December 2024, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on individuals linked to TGR Group, an international network of companies and employees involved in helping Russias elite evade sanctions. On 10 January, the US imposed new sanctions targeting Russia's oil refining sector, with major Russian oil companies, including Gazprom Neft and Surgutneftegaz, among those affected. On 15 January, the US Treasury also imposed sanctions against additional Russian schemes used to circumvent restrictions on military goods. Support UP or become our patron! By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Education Department on Thursday noted concerns about discrimination against Muslim, Arab and Palestinian students at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia and reached a settlement with the institution to resolve the issue. The university agreed to revise its nondiscrimination policies and procedures, including pertaining to protests and a definition of harassment that includes harassment based on actual or perceived shared ancestry. The university also agreed to develop training and surveys while assessing its response to campus protests that erupted last year against U.S. support for Israel's war in Gaza, the Education Department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university said no wrongdoing was found on its part, adding it voluntarily signed a resolution agreement to improve policies addressing discrimination. Rights advocates have noted rising anti-Palestinian, Islamophobic and antisemitic incidents since Israel launched its assault on Gaza after Islamist group Hamas' deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 bars racial discrimination in U.S. education programs that receive federal funding. U.S. universities saw months of protests in which demonstrators demanded an end to U.S. support for Israel and to college investments in companies that allegedly supported Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April last year, law enforcement at the behest of university administrators deployed Tasers and tear gas against student protesters at Emory University, activists said at the time. The Education Department said it "is concerned that the gratuitous violence of the law enforcement activity reflected in widely publicized videos from the arrests during the April 2024 protests may have created a hostile environment within the campus community for Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim university members." U.S. government agencies have reached similar settlements with other institutions and firms since the Gaza war began, including with universities like Johns Hopkins University and the University of California. On Thursday, the Justice Department reached a deal with DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Orlando at SeaWorld in Florida to resolve allegations of discriminatory policy against hosting Arabs. (Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Christopher Cushing) By Jasper Ward WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Representative Mike Turner said on Wednesday he will no longer serve as chairman of the House Intelligence Committee after nearly two years. According to media reports, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson removed Turner from the role. "Under my leadership, we restored the integrity of the Committee and returned its mission to its core focus of national security. The threat from our adversaries is real and requires serious deliberations," Turner said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner, who said he was proud to have served as chairman of the panel, will serve as senior member of the House Armed Services Committee. He told CBS News that Johnson cited "concerns from Mar-a-Lago," referring to the President-elect Donald Trump's Florida estate, as a reason for his removal. However, Johnson said he removed Turner because "we just need fresh horses in some of these places," adding that it was not a Trump decision. "This is a House decision, and this is no slight whatsoever to our outgoing chairman. He did a great job," Johnson told reporters, according to a CNN reporter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Turner's successor will be announced on Thursday, according to CNN. Representatives for Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Turner has served as chairman of the intelligence panel since January 2023. The chairman of the panel is among eight congressional leaders known as the Gang of Eight who are briefed on classified intelligence matters. (Reporting by Jasper Ward; Editing by Michael Perry) By Doyinsola Oladipo NEW YORK (Reuters) -Disappointment, denial and confusion flooded U.S. TikTok on Wednesday upon hearing the news that Chinese owner ByteDance planned to shut off the app for its 170 million U.S. users by Sunday, seemingly throwing in the towel on efforts to keep the popular video-sharing platform going. Users who have amassed followings and careers on the app hoped for months that TikTok would find a way to avoid a U.S. ban passed into law in 2023. But resignation and anger have begun to set in, with Jan. 19 just a few days away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "TikTok signaling that white flag is very discouraging and very sad," said Joonsuk Shin, 28, a research manager and content creator based in New York. Some users called for a boycott of apps like Instagram and Facebook, owned by Meta Platforms and X, owned by Elon Musk, which are expected to pull in advertisers who used TikTok frequently. "We all need to delete our Facebook, X and Instagram accounts that same day," one user said. ByteDance was given until Jan. 19 to sell the U.S. assets of TikTok or face a U.S. ban, following lawmakers' concerns that the app poses national security risks because China could compel the company to share the data of its U.S. users. TikTok has denied that it has or ever would share U.S. user data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok and its parent company ByteDance have sought to delay the law's implementation, which they say violates the U.S. Constitution's First Amendment protection against government abridgment of free speech. Unless the U.S. Supreme Court decides to halt the ban, people attempting to open the app on Sunday will see a pop-up message directing them to a website with information about the shutdown. TikTok user Amber Goode, 28, a true crime content creator from Colorado Springs, Colorado, complained about waiting for the Supreme Court to make a decision on the fate of the beloved app. "Why are they playing with us?" Goode said. "I feel like the government is avoiding giving us the answer they already know." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Washington Post on Wednesday reported President-elect Donald Trump is considering issuing an executive order hoping to "save TikTok," but it is unclear if such an order would circumvent the ban. Other users started bidding farewell this week, sharing information on where their followers can find them. Many have already decamped to China-based apps like RedNote - using translation services to decipher instructions to sign up, which are in Mandarin. On Tuesday, users were still hoping for the prospect of a 270-day extension of the Sunday deadline, while some jokingly parroted simple Chinese phrases they picked up on RedNote, leaving TikTokers wondering: "How did everyone learn Chinese in 24-hours?" Some are scrambling to save their content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My daughter passed away in 2023. I've been saving all her videos to my phone. I can't lose those," one user commented. Other users thanked ByteDance for "not giving into the bullies" by not waiting for a ruling, while others criticized them for doing exactly that. "It's pretty sad because I thought we were making progress," said former attorney and full-time creator Ishpal Sidhu, 32, who stands to lose close to 400,000 followers and her income on Sunday. She wondered if she would still be paid for her content in January. Some users outside of the United States were more blunt - celebrating how their algorithms would no longer be dominated by American social media woes. "Say goodbye to the Americans," said New Zealand content creator Luke Hopewell. (Reporting by Doyinsola Oladipo in New York; Editing by Nia Williams) Benjamin Netanyahu says a deal to return Hamas-held hostages in the Gaza Strip has been reached. The Israeli Prime Minister said he will convene his security cabinet on Friday and then the government to approve the agreement. It could be approved as early as Friday morning and would bring an end to 15 months of intense fighting between Israel and Hamas. Click here for Fridays live blog on Israel-Hamas deal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Confirmation of a deal comes a day after Mr Netanyahus office had said there were last-minute snags in talks to free hostages in return for a ceasefire and the release of Palestinian prisoners. Mr Netanyahu accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement reached with the mediators and Israel in an effort to extort last-minute concessions. A senior Hamas official told AFP there was no basis to Israeli allegations and that Hamas remained committed to the deal announced on Wednesday evening. Earlier on Thursday the US said that the deal was not complete but it was confident that Hamas and Israel will reach a ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following a day of conflicting statements, Antony Blinken, the US secretary of state, said the two sides were bridging the gaps and that he fully expects that the implementation of the agreement will begin on Sunday. It is not exactly surprising that in a negotiation this challenging, this fraught, you may get a loose end. We are tying up that loose end as we speak, Mr Blinken said on Thursday night. But while families of hostages in Israel were anxious about the sudden complications, John Kirby, the White House national security spokesman, said the US team on the ground in the Middle East was working with the Israelis to iron all this out and flatten it and get it moving forward. Obviously, this has got to get approved by the Israeli government and prime minister Netanyahu knows that, Mr Kirby told NBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes working through that process as well, but were confident that well be able to solve these last-minute issues and get it moving, and that this ceasefire can take place starting on Sunday, he added. A senior Israeli government official told The Telegraph that the delay and the hold-up in the ceasefire negotiations had been the result of new demands by Hamas that Israel will never agree to. The official added that the demands included Palestinian prisoners who Hamas wants released from Israeli jails. Israel has reportedly already agreed to release several prisoners serving life sentences for murder but has refused to release certain high-profile terrorists. Coalition partners at odds As Israelis and Palestinians celebrated the announcement from the US and Qatar of a ceasefire, several members of Mr Netanyahus government criticised it harshly, calling it dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israels hardline national security minister, said on Thursday he would resign from the government if the ceasefire deal was ratified. The deal that is taking shape is a reckless deal, Mr Ben-Gvir said in a televised statement, saying it would erase the achievements of the war by releasing hundreds of Palestinian militants and withdrawing from strategic areas in Gaza, leaving Hamas undefeated. If this irresponsible deal is approved and implemented, we, the members of Jewish Power, will submit letters of resignation to the prime minister, he said. Meanwhile, the far-Right Religious Zionism party held an urgent meeting on Thursday morning to discuss whether they should leave Mr Netanyahus coalition over the ceasefire deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the party decided to issue an ultimatum to Mr Netanyahu, stating that it would only stay in the coalition and support a temporary ceasefire on condition that the war against Hamas continued after the first phase. Another far-Right party, Jewish Home, also threatened Mr Netanyahu with leaving his government, vowing to vote against the deal. If both parties were to leave the coalition, Mr Netanyahu would be left vulnerable but would still have a majority government. As the drama in Mr Netanyahus coalition unfolded, Hamass armed wing warned that Israels ongoing air strikes on Gaza endangered hostages who were to be freed under the agreement. Any aggression and shelling at this stage by the enemy could turn the freedom of a prisoner into a tragedy, said Abu Ubaida, the al-Qassam Brigades spokesman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that an Israeli strike which followed the announcement of a ceasefire deal on Wednesday had targeted a location where a female hostage was being held. The spokesman did not disclose the fate of the hostage. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 Hamas and Islamic Jihad targets throughout the Gaza Strip over the last day, killing Hasham Zahadi Abu el-Rous, a member of Hamass elite Nukhba force, who took part in the October 7 attack. First phase If Israel and Hamas manage to overcome the final obstacles, the ceasefire will be brought to a vote in the Israeli security cabinet. The entire government will then cast their vote on the deal, which is widely expected to pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the plan, the ceasefire will come into effect on Sunday at 12:15, with the first three hostages expected to be released the same day. The first phase will see 33 Israeli humanitarian hostages released children, women, female soldiers and the elderly over the course of 42 days. Yoav Ben Tzur, Israels labour and welfare minister, has announced that each released hostage would receive $16,500 in financial aid on their return. All of this wont help them forget so fast what they went through but I hope that God will heal their bodies and souls, he told the Shas partys annual conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Released hostages will be offered an immediate grant of $2,700 followed by $13,800 for medical treatment. Israeli troops will then withdraw from populated areas in Gaza in exchange for around 1,000 Palestinian prisoners, according to reports. Humanitarian aid to Gaza will also be significantly increased during the first phase. On the 16th day of the ceasefire, Israel and Hamas will discuss the implementation of the second phase of the deal where all male hostages over 18 will be released in return for Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences. The third phase will see talks on two crucial aspects for the civilians in Gaza: reconstructing the enclave and appointing an interim government. 06:26 PM GMT Thats all for today Thank you for following our live coverage. 06:25 PM GMT Hamas warns its fighters over impending assassinations, Israeli media says Hamas information security has announced that in the near future, until the cease-fire comes into effect on Sunday, the pace of Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip is expected to increase, with an emphasis on assassinations, according to Israeli news outlet Ynet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ynet also reported that a Hamas security officer warned all fighters against using phones and the internet in the coming days. 06:13 PM GMT Taliban celebrate ceasefire-hostages deal Members of the Taliban gathered to celebrate the declaration of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostages deal in the Afghan capital of Kabul on Thursday. Banners were unfurled depicting the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar towering over Benjamin Netanyahu. Taliban members celebrate the ceasefire deal in Kabul on Jan 16 - WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP Taliban members holding swords gesture as they hold a banner showing Yahya Sinwar (R) and Benjamin Netanyahu - WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP 05:48 PM GMT Gangs could impede Gaza aid delivery, warns UN official Security conditions and criminal gangs could hinder aid trucks entering Gaza, a UN humanitarian official has warned. Sigrid Kaag, the UNs senior humanitarian and reconstruction coordinator for Gaza, told CNN: I fear that in the first days after the formal announcement and start of a ceasefire, security conditions on the ground, as well as our ability to deliver in as free a manner as possible, they might be impacted. But this doesnt stop us, and it certainly doesnt deter us. 05:41 PM GMT IDF says it killed terrorist who participated in Nova festival massacre A Hamas terrorist who participated in the attack on the Nova music festival near Reim on Oct 7, 2023, has been killed in an overnight air strike, the Israeli military has said. Hundreds of people were killed at the festival on 7 Oct, when Hamas gunmen crossed the border from Gaza. The Israeli Defence Forces said the strike killing Muhammad Hashem Zahdi Abu al-Rous was one of 50 carried out over the past day. 05:17 PM GMT Israel failed miserably in Gaza, says Houthi rebel leader Israel has failed miserably in Gaza, the leader of Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels said on Thursday. The Israeli enemy failed to achieve its declared and clear goals, and failed miserably to recover its prisoners without an exchange deal, Abdulmalik al-Houthi said in a televised address, insisting that Israel and the US were obliged to accept the ceasefire. The group has carried out more than 100 attacks on ships crossing the Red Sea since November 2023, saying they are acting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza. They have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least four seafarers. British, American and Israeli strikes have succeeded in significantly limiting the attacks by Houthis, who are looking for a pretext to announce a ceasefire, Dimitris Maniatis, the chief executive officer of maritime security company Marisks, said ahead of an expected ceasefire announcement of their own. Armed Yemeni tribesmen participate in an anti-US and Israel rally on the outskirts of the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa on Jan 16 - MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP 05:06 PM GMT Egypt says Gaza truce must begin without delay Egypt said a ceasefire deal and hostage-prisoner exchange must start without delay. In a statement, the foreign ministry stressed the need for the parties to adhere to its provisions and work to implement its stages on the specified dates. The ministry also said Egypt was ready to host an international conference on the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. Cairo called for the rapid, safe and effective distribution of humanitarian aid, as well as early recovery projects in preparation for the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory. 04:46 PM GMT WHO says $10bn needed to rebuild Gaza The World Health Organization has called for the international community to step up and fund a scaled-up aid response in Gaza. The UN health agency said its member states, donors and the global community, including the private sector, should support both the urgent health needs and the longer-term rebuilding of Gazas healthcare system. The UN cannot deliver the response alone, said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, adding: Now is the time for member states, donors and the global community to step up and provide flexible funding to enable this swift and effective response for urgent and longer term needs. At least $10 billion will likely be needed to rebuild Gazas devastated health system over the next five to seven years, according an initial WHO assessment. Palestinian children gather to receive aid food being distributed in the Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Jan 16 - EYAD BABA/AFP 04:14 PM GMT Human Rights Watch criticises Biden over Gaza Tirana Hassan, the executive director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, has labelled the provision of arms to Israel a blight on Joe Bidens legacy. 2024 was not a proud moment for the outgoing administration, the Australian lawyer told Reuters ahead of the annual report launch Ms Hassan criticised Joe Biden for continuing to provide Israel with weapons which have been used in the commission of war crimes and the killing of civilians in Gaza. Last month, HRW said Israel had committed an act of genocide by depriving Gaza of water, an accusation Israel rejects. 03:47 PM GMT Hamas warns continuing Israeli aggression endangers hostages Hamass armed wing has warned that Israels ongoing air strikes on Gaza are endangering hostages who are to be freed under the agreement. Any aggression and shelling at this stage by the enemy could turn the freedom of a prisoner into a tragedy, said Abu Ubaida, Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman. He added that an Israeli strike which followed the announcement of a ceasefire deal on Wednesday had targeted a location where a female hostage was being held. The Al-Qassam Brigades spokesman did not disclose the fate of the hostage. The Israeli military said it had struck approximately 50 targets throughout the Gaza Strip over the last day. 03:33 PM GMT Stop worrying about who gets credit for what, says White House John Kirby, the White House national security communications adviser, has sought to remind people that the fate of hostages and Gazans takes priority over who takes credit for the ceasefire deal. Weve got to stop worrying about this whole credit business and who gets credit for what. Theres plenty of credit to go around. The hostages dont care, the people in Gaza dont care, Mr Kirby said. President-elect Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of his election win in November, while Joe Biden said the deal was developed and negotiated under his administration. Mr Kirby said Mr Trumps influence had certainly helped in getting a deal over the line, but noted that the US was still working with the Israeli prime minister to solve last-minute issues. 03:01 PM GMT Qatar demands Israel immediately withdraw from Syria buffer zone The Qatari prime minister has demanded that Israel immediately withdraw from the buffer zone with Syria. The Israeli occupations seizure of the buffer zone is a reckless... act and it must immediately withdraw, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani said at a press conference. Syrias de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, said his country is ready to welcome UN forces into the UN-established buffer zone with Israel. Israels advance in the region was due to the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah. After the liberation of Damascus, I believe that they have no presence at all, he said. Syrias new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa (R) welcoming the Qatari prime minister in Damascus on Jan 16 - SANA/AFP 02:36 PM GMT Those who armed Israel will be judged by history, says Flynn Stephen Flynn, the SNP Westminster leader, has said those who supplied the Israeli government with arms would be judged by history and the He told the Commons: Collective punishment of the Palestinian people will not be forgotten by history, just as all of those who sat silent, who encouraged and who armed extremists in the Israeli government will be judged by history too. 02:18 PM GMT Whats in the deal? 02:14 PM GMT Gazans waiting for Sunday to live as normal people again Speaking to The Telegraph from Gaza, Ruwaida Amer described how Gazans are praying and waiting for Sunday to live as normal people again. Im so happy. Because Ive been waiting for this moment for a long time. There is hope. There is hope to finish this war, she said. Following news that a ceasefire agrement had been reached, I was so happy, because finally I will not have drones, warplanes, bombing everywhere. I will be safe, I can move anywhere, and I can work as I want without worrying about whether I will come back to my family. For now, however, the bombs continue to fall and the tank fire can be heard across the Strip, Ruwaida said. So the people are very careful because they dont want to be one of the people lost in the last moments of the war. They are waiting for Sunday to live as normal people. 01:43 PM GMT Israeli strikes stun celebrating Gazans After the news of a ceasefire sparked mass celebrations in Gaza on Wednesday, Israel responded with its deadliest bombing campaign in more than a week. Doctors Without Borders (MSF), an international medical charity, said no one could yet feel safe in Gaza. Last night it was a lot of cheering for 20 minutes, and then it was a very bloody night, MSFs emergency coordinator Amande Bazerolle said. We were waiting for the truce and were happy. It was the happiest night since October 7, said Gaza resident Saeed Alloush, referring to the Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in 2023. The whole areas joy turned to sadness, as if an earthquake struck, he said of the overnight shelling which killed his uncle. Every time there is talk about a truce or a ceasefire, we witness an escalation in the intensity of the bombardment, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for Gazas civil defence, told CNN. A Palestinian child sits amid the rubble in Gaza City on Jan 16 - MAHMOUD ISSA/REUTERS Damage to the Alloush family residence following Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia in Gaza City - HASAN N H ALZAANIN/ANADOLU/GETTY Aftermath of strikes on Jabalia in the Gaza Strip, on Jan 16 - OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP 01:32 PM GMT Hostages to receive $16,500 upon return, says welfare minister Yoav Ben Tzur, Israels Labour and Welfare Minister, has announced that each released hostage will receive $16,500 in financial aid on their return. All of this wont help them forget so fast what they went through but I hope that God will heal their bodies and souls, he told the Shas partys annual conference. Released hostages will be offered an immediate grant of $2,700 followed by $13,800 for medical treatment. 01:16 PM GMT Pictured: Anti-ceasefire protests in Jerusalem Protesters have arranged mock coffins draped in Israeli flags outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem to protest the ceasefire with Hamas. Dozens of cars were filmed in traffic after protesters blocked a road, while one man on the street held a sign reading yes to victory, no to surrender. Bereaved father Wally Wollfstal, whose son Ariel was killed in Gaza last year, called on the Israeli government to continue its war against Hamas at the protest. Israeli soldiers, our heroes, can free them [the hostages], he told The Times of Israel. Let the IDF win! The IDF can do this work. A demonstrator stands amid mock coffins outside the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Jan 16 - JOHN WESSELS/AFP/GETTY Of the 251 hostages seized by Hamas on Oct 7, 2023, eight hostages have been rescued by troops alive, and the bodies of 40 others have been recovered - JOHN WESSELS/AFP/GETTY People protest a ceasefire deal that they say may weaken Israels future security - REUTERS 01:00 PM GMT There must be no backtracking, says Lammy David Lammy has insisted there must be no backtracking over the ceasefire and hostage deal for Gaza, urging the Israeli cabinet to ratify the agreement and for both sides to adhere to the terms. The Foreign Secretary told the Commons: Much remains to be done. It is critical that there is final approval of this agreement. As the Israeli cabinet meets, I urge them to back this deal. Now is not the time for any back-tracking. Both sides must implement each phase of the deal in full and on time. The history of this conflict is littered with missed opportunities. It would be a tragedy to let slip the chance before us, we must grab it with both hands, the chance not just for a ceasefire but for a lasting peace, the chance to break the cycle of violence which has inflicted so much suffering on innocent people on both sides. He added that every hostage must be released and every ounce of aid promised to Gaza must reach those in need. 12:48 PM GMT Aid trucks queue at the border Trucks carrying aid have started to queue on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing following the announcement of a ceasefire. The UNs Palestinian refugee agency said 600 trucks would be allowed to enter the Gaza daily under the terms of the deal. Trucks carrying aid materials waiting at the Rafah border crossing - STRINGER/ANADOLU/GETTY 12:26 PM GMT Israel has not agreed to withdraw from Philadelphi corridor, says official A senior diplomatic official has denied Israel agreed to gradually pull out of the Philadelphi Corridor under the terms of the ceasefire agreement. Israels military currently occupies the narrow ribbon of land that separates Gaza and Egypt, including the Rafah crossing, one of the largest and most important aid crossings into the Strip. A copy of the deal suggested Israel had agreed to withdraw its troops from the corridor, which have been stationed there since May 2024. The official told The Times of Israel that Israeli troops will remain in the area throughout the entire first stage, all 42 days. The number of troops deployed there will remain the same, the official said, but will be distributed in a different manner, including outposts, patrols, observation points and control along the entire route. 12:01 PM GMT Hard-Right party issues ultimatum to Netanyahu The hard-Right Religious Zionism party has concluded its faction meeting, deciding to issue an ultimatum to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister. The party will only stay in his coalition and support a temporary ceasefire on the condition that Mr Netanyahu continues the war against Hamas after the first phase. The faction stands behind the demands of the party chairman, Minister Bezalel Smotrich, to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, to ensure Israels return to the war to destroy Hamas and the return of all the hostages, including a change in the concept of decisive victory, immediately upon the conclusion of the first phase of the deal, the party said in a statement after their meeting. 11:55 AM GMT Pictured: Gaza this morning Smoke rises over southern Gaza after an Israeli bombardment on Jan 16 - AP Palestinians walk at a street market ahead of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, set to take effect on Sunday - REUTERS 11:45 AM GMT Estimated Gaza death toll may have missed 25,000 deaths The estimated death toll in Gaza may have been underestimated by more than 40 per cent, according to a new analysis published in The Lancet medical journal. The new peer-reviewed statistical analysis suggests the Hamas-led ministry of health tally was a significant undercount. It estimated that the death toll from the Israels aerial bombardment and ground operation in Gaza between October 2023 and the end of June 2024 was 64,300, rather than the 37,900. The UN has relied on figures from the Gazan health ministry, which it treats as reliable, although it does not distinguish between civilian and combat deaths. Israel has criticised the toll as inflated. 11:37 AM GMT EU to send 120m in Gaza aid after ceasefire The EU has announced it will deliver 120 million euros (101m) in aid for war-torn Gaza to address the ongoing humanitarian crisis there, spokesman Eva Hrncirova said. 11:13 AM GMT No basis to Israeli allegations, says senior Hamas official Senior Hamas leader Sami Abu Zuhri said that there was no basis to Israeli allegations the group was backtracking on elements of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal announced the day before. There is no basis to Netanyahus claims about the movement backtracking from terms in the ceasefire agreement, Mr Abu Zuhri, a member of the groups political bureau, told AFP. 10:46 AM GMT Analysis: Gaza hostage deal brings joy but four painful months lie ahead The Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange announced in Doha is to be celebrated but dont expect it to bring immediate relief. The deal that has at last been signed is a complex and fragile one, full of tripwires and minefields that have yet to be navigated. Even if it runs smoothly and its hard to believe it will, given the blood, land and politics at stake it will be at least four and a half months (18 weeks) before it is complete and the real processes of reconstruction and reconciliation can begin. While for some families it will bring immediate joy, for others the process will dash the last embers of hope as loved ones are returned broken or in body bags. Donald Trumps impending inauguration as US president has acted as a spur to a ceasefire deal 10:29 AM GMT Israel faces heartbreaking dilemma says hard-Right leader Bezalel Smotrich, Israels finance minister, says Israel is facing a heartbreaking dilemma over the ceasefire agreement. The controversial hard-Right politician said on Thursday that Israel faced a choice between the desire to see all the abductees returned to us and the fear of the heavy price of the deal and its implications. I believe with all my heart that the majority of the public rejects the attempt to turn this discussion into a civil war of hatred and division, he added. He leads the Religious Zionism party which is currently in talks about resigning from Benjamin Netanyahuys coalition if the truce deal is approved today. 10:08 AM GMT 73 people killed since truce deal announced, say Gaza authorities Gazas civil defence agency said that 73 people have been killed across the Palestinian enclave since the announcement of a ceasefire deal, including 25 women and 20 children. Mahmud Bassal, a spokesman for the agency, told AFP, that another 230 people were wounded in the bombardments that are continuing on Thursday. 10:05 AM GMT Analysis: How the worst bombardment of the 21st century reshaped the world Four hundred and sixty-seven days since Hamas fighters massacred over 1,000 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more, the guns may finally be falling silent. It is difficult to overstate how much the world has changed since that horrific day two autumns ago. It has been Israels longest war the longest single conventional war of the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In intensity and concentration of violence in the 25-mile-long Gaza Strip, it may have been the most destructive aerial and artillery bombardment of the 21st century. Above all, the war changed Gaza. Read the full piece here. 09:46 AM GMT Pictured: Destruction in Gaza after fresh strikes A view of the destruction of a family home following a fresh Israeli airstrike on Jabalia in the north of Gaza - Anadolu Israel launched a wave of strikes across Gaza last night - Anadolu 09:30 AM GMT Hamas official denies group are backtracking on agreement A Hamas official has denied Benjamin Netanyahus claims that the group backed out of parts of the ceasefire agreement. The official, Izzat al-Rish, told The New York Times that Hamas remains committed to the deal announced by mediators last night. 09:19 AM GMT Recap: Whats in the ceasefire and hostage deal? Here are the basics of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal. Any deal still needs the approval of Israels cabinet. There are three phases. Phase one starts Sunday. It should include a six-week halt to fighting and opening negotiations on ending the war. Thirty-three of the nearly 100 hostages should be released over the period, although its not clear if all are alive. They include women, older adults and the sick and wounded. It also includes a withdrawal of Israeli forces from densely populated areas of Gaza, allowing Palestinians to return to their communities as air flows back into Gaza. That will allow many displaced Palestinians to return to their communities. Humanitarian assistance would surge, with hundreds of trucks entering Gaza each day. Final details still being worked out include the list of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners to be freed. Phase two is harder. Negotiations for this phase are to begin on day 16 of the ceasefire, if all conditions are met. It is expected to include the release of all remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and the complete withdrawal of Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. However, Israel has said it will not agree to a complete withdrawal until Hamass military and political capabilities are eliminated, while Hamas says it will not hand over the last hostages until Israel removes all troops. Phase three calls for the return of the bodies of remaining hostages and the start of a major reconstruction of Gaza. 09:08 AM GMT Watch: Inside a Gazan apartment building destroyed in Israeli strike Credit: X / @warfareanalysis 08:58 AM GMT Netanyahu says truce wont be approved until Hamas retracts last-minute demands Benjamin Netanyahus office has said that his cabinet wont meet to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas backs down from what it called a last-minute crisis. The Israeli prime ministers office accused Hamas of reneging on parts of the agreement in an attempt to extort last-minute concessions. 08:46 AM GMT Analysis: Internal squabbles in Netanyahus coalition over ceasefire leave him fragile While the world is celebrating the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the drama inside Benjamin Netanyahus government continues as it prepares to vote on the deal. A security meeting scheduled for 11:00 am local time has been delayed, according to a source speaking to the Telegraph. Despite no explanation given for the delay it could be linked to the Religious Zionism party which is meeting this morning to decide on whether to leave the government due to the ceasefire. Party leader Betzalel Smotrich, who is also a member of the security cabinet, called the deal dangerous and bad, while one his lawmakers said this morning that the party would likely resign from the government. Jewish Power, another hard-Right party in Mr Netanyahus coalition, has also threatened with leaving the government, as they consider the deal a surrender to Hamas. Mr Netanyahu will still have a majority government if the two parties abandon his coalition, but it will leave him fragile and could inspire other lawmakers to follow in the far-right parties footsteps. 08:39 AM GMT Israel security cabinet meeting to vote on deal delayed The Israeli security cabinet meeting to vote on the ceasefire deal has now been delayed, a source briefed on the matter told The Telegraph. It was expected to start at 11:00 local time (9am GMT). A new time has not been set. 08:35 AM GMT Palestinian families mourn the dead from last nights strikes Family and relatives cry over the body of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Al-Shayah, covered with a press vest, after he was killed during an Israeli strike on Jan 15 - AFP People attend a funeral of Palestinian photojournalist and cameraman Ahmed Abu Al Rous and another other 3 killed in an Israeli attack on Nuseirat Camp in the central Gaza - Anadolu 08:25 AM GMT Biden and Trump both claim credit for securing ceasefire Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both claiming credit for securing a ceasefire in Gaza, despite the president claiming they spoke as one team to deliver the deal. In a rare display of harmony between the warring president and president-elect, the pairs teams worked together to deliver the deal between Hamas and Israel, according to Mr Biden. But the sportsmanship was short-lived, with Mr Trump suggesting that peace was delivered as a result of his historic election victory. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our historic victory in November, as it signalled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our allies, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Read more here. 08:14 AM GMT Irans supreme leader commends Palestinian resistance Iran supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Thursday hailed Palestinian resistance after a Gaza ceasefire deal between Israel and Tehran-backed Hamas was announced. Today, the world realised that the patience of the people of Gaza and the steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance forced the Zionist regime to retreat, a post on his account on X said, adding that Israel was defeated. 07:56 AM GMT Watch: Israel strikes Gaza after ceasefire deal reached 07:43 AM GMT Hard-Right party likely to resign from Netanyahus government over deal Israels hard-Right Religious Zionism party could resign from government in protest of the truce deal with Hamas. In all likelihood, we will resign from the government, Zvi Sukkot, member of the Knesset for the party, told Kan radio. He said that the party is here to change the DNA of the State of Israel, not just to fill seats in the coalition. Yesterday, its leader Bezalel Smotrich complained of a bad and dangerous deal for Israel, and said his party would only remain in government if Israel returns to fighting at full scale once the hostages are released. Benjamin Netanyahus governing coalition would still retain a slim majority of 61 seats if the seven Religious Zionism MKs were to resign. 07:32 AM GMT Israel security cabinet to vote on deal at 9am GMT A source familiar with the issue told Telegraph that the Israeli security cabinet will meet and vote on the ceasefire at 11:00 local time (9am GMT). The full government, consisting of all ministers, will then meet and vote on the deal after. 07:28 AM GMT IDF says rocket fell in open area near Gaza border The Israeli military announced a rocket fell in an open area in southern Israel, near the Gaza border. Sirens had been activated in the community of Nir Am. 07:25 AM GMT Obama praises deal for bringing an end to this awful chapter Barak Obama has praised the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas for bringing an end to the bloodshed of this awful chapter, thanking Joe Biden for getting it across the line. The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced between Israel and Hamas is good news for the families of the hostages taken on October 7th, for the Palestinian civilians who have suffered for more than a year, and for everyone who has prayed for an end to this awful chapter. Barack Obama (@BarackObama) January 15, 2025 07:17 AM GMT Families of Israeli hostages face unbearable wait It has been 466 days since 84-year-old Oded Lifschitz was dragged from his home and shot in the hand as Hamas fighters terrorised the Israeli kibbutz of Nir Oz and forced hostages into Gaza. With a ceasefire now agreed, Sharone Lifschtiz, his daughter, is hopeful that he could be among the first to be freed. But for now, she still does not know if he is alive. Its very hard to imagine him being held captive for so long. He is frail. One of the last things he said to me when I [last saw him] in late August was, Im not always going to be here. The last sign that Mr Lifschitz was alive came over a year ago. The families of the hostages held captive for 15 months inside Gaza are facing an agonising wait. Of the 251 captives taken by Hamas, Israel believes 94 are being held in Gaza, of whom 34 are presumed dead. Read the full article here. Protesters calling for the return of the Israeli hostages react after the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal was reached - Getty Images Europe 07:14 AM GMT Pictured: Gazans wounded in Israels overnight strikes Palestinians, including children, wounded as a result of overnight Israeli strikes in Deir al-Balah, Gaza - Anadolu At least 32 are said to have been killed in the hours following the ceasefire agreement - Anadolu 07:07 AM GMT Irans IRGC hail Gaza ceasefire as victory for Palestinians Irans Revolutionary Guards on Thursday hailed a ceasefire deal in Gaza between Israel and Hamas as a victory for Palestinians and a defeat for Israel. The end of the war and the imposition of a ceasefire... is a clear victory and a great victory for Palestine and a bigger defeat for the monstrous Zionist regime, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement. 06:38 AM GMT Netanyahu claims Hamas trying to backtrack on deal Benjamin Netanyahu said early on Thursday that Hamas has backtracked on an earlier understanding of the ceasefire agreement. His statement could indicate that obstacles remain to implementing the deal. The Israeli prime minister said that Hamas was objecting to a part of the agreement that gave Israel the ability to veto the release of certain Palestinian prisoners. Hamas was trying to dictate which Palestinian prisoners would be released, Mr Netanyahu said. He said he told Israeli negotiators to stand firm on the earlier agreement. Hamas did not immediately respond to Mr Netanyahus statement. 05:50 AM GMT Mediators to travel to Cairo for talks Egyptian, Qatar and US negotiators will head to Cairo today for further talks on implementing all aspects of the ceasefire deal, a senior US official said. The official said the negotiators were focused on making sure expectations were clear to both Israel and Hamas, and that implementation of the agreement was carried out as smoothly as possible. 05:40 AM GMT Atleast 32 people killed in Israeli strikes At least 32 people were reportedly killed late on Wednesday night as Israeli forces struck Gaza despite the ceasefire agreement being announced hours earlier, according to Reuters, citing local medics. Palestinian journalist and Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif, who is based in northern Gaza, said it had been a terrifying night. He wrote in a post on X, which has been translated to English: The pace of bombing has increased dramatically in recent hours, and with it the number of martyrs and wounded has increased to an unprecedented level. Pictures showed many wounded people, including children, being transported to hospital after an Israeli attack on tents sheltering displaced Palestinians. Strikes continued into Thursday morning. Wounded civilians are brought to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital for treatment - Anadolu 05:24 AM GMT Israeli cabinet to vote on Gaza ceasefire deal Israels cabinet is expected to meet today to vote on the ceasefire deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned the agreement was not yet complete and final details were still being hammered out. Mr Netanyahu has not said explicitly whether he accepts the deal. In a statement, he said he would only issue a formal response after the final details of the agreement, which are currently being worked on, are completed. Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who holds a largely ceremonial role, said the deal was the right move to bring back hostages seized during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. However, two of Mr Netanyahus ministers have publicly opposed it. Far-Right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the agreement was a bad and dangerous deal for the security of the State of Israel while National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said he opposed the disastrous deal. 05:17 AM GMT What are the key terms of the ceasefire deal? The ceasefire and hostage release deal agreed by Israel and Hamas will be delivered in three phases. While the truce is set to begin on Sunday, it will be at least four-and-a-half months before the complex and fragile agreement is complete. Here is a look at the three phrases: 05:11 AM GMT Welcome to todays live blog We will be bringing you the latest in the Middle East after a ceasefire deal was brokered between Israel and Hamas. The complex ceasefire accord emerged on Wednesday after months of mediation by Qatar, Egypt and the US, and 15 months of war. 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. In a historic trade arrangement between U.S. and Canadian wine growers, Washington state wineries shipped massive amounts of American grapes north of the border last summer after a catastrophic loss of 90% of British Columbias grape harvest. Thats what the British Columbia government is calling an event that began on five moonless nights in January 2024. After a stealthy freeze crept down the Okanagan Valley a 155-mile-long basin slicing down the middle of British Columbia and containing 86% of the provinces wine output many vines were killed outright. As winter turned into spring, the extent of the losses became clear: a US $254.7 million loss to growers and wineries, and another US$72.9 million for support industries and loss of work for everyone from grape pickers to winemakers to hotel staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: This Iconic California Winery Changed the Industry Forever Here are 6 Bottles to Try But to the south, Washington State winegrowers were awash in grapes. This was due to a bumper crop and the fact that Ste Michelle Wine Estates, the states largest wine producer, had announced a 40% cut in grape purchases in 2023. Growers in the countrys second-largest wine-producing state were loaded with unsold grapes. Weve had amazing yields; 2023 was huge in Washington, said Colleen Frei, executive director of the Washington Winegrowers Association. Our growing conditions are wonderful here: Great land, good water supply, good soil. By mid-March, the Association had published an eight-page guide on regulations for across-border grape shipments through a thicket of state and federal regulations. To see another wine community facing a challenge from Mother Nature, we realized that could be us, Frei said. And the Washingtonians were pricing to sell, she added, despite the lessened buying power the Canadian dollar has to the American dollar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 25% of some 300 wineries in the Okanagan Valley region ended up contacting U.S. vineyards, says Craig Pacheco, founder of Seattle-based Vin-Star Consulting, a firm linking Canadian wineries with U.S. growers. Washington met the bulk of the demand, but in Oregons Willamette Valley, some really premium Pinot Noir [found] a home with some of the premium wineries in the Okanagan Valley because theres not a whole lot of that in Washington, he said. Courtesy of Lightning Rock Winery The Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada The Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, British Columbia, Canada Despite all the outreach on the part of U.S. growers, it nevertheless took months for the Canadian government to allow local wines to be made from grapes outside the province without tax markups. Winemakers went ahead and cut their deals regardless. Ron Kubek of Lightning Rock Winery in Summerland, a small community on Lake Okanagan, recalled, Frank Roth [head winemaker for Tagaris Winery, in Richland, WA] and I went down to Lake Chelan and visited wineries and vineyards; they could not have been more hospitable. The Washington State Winegrowers set up a wine grape dating service I wish our government did one percent of what yours did. Ours did nothing. By July 25, a lot of people already had their fruit contracts signed. But our government acted like idiots. Vin Star Consultings Pacheco, who drove to the Okanagan in June, wondered if British Columbia officials actually grasped the scale of the once-in-100-year calamity. Acres and acres of dead vines, he said. What makes this an existential crisis for the British Columbia wine industry is the massive replanting effort that will be needed, which is only possible over a period of several years. Wine is not a commodity that you can just turn on next year. The average cost to replant an acre is $50,000 Canadian, with additional farming and production costs on top of that. Once vines are replanted, its three to four years to a fully productive harvest, then it takes time to make the wines and age them. That takes us to 2031 before the industry can recover to the levels of grape and wine production we saw from 2018 to 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some wineries are throwing in the towel. The Canadian outlet Global News stated in January 2024 that the multi-billion-dollar BC wine industry is teetering, and that 25 percent of the areas wineries were already for sale. Philip Fox, a local real estate agent, observed that a true percentage of sale properties is tough to come by, in that while some wineries are officially for sale, many more are unofficially available. Theres a ton of wineries who, if you knocked on their door today and asked if theyd like to sell, theyd rush to get a pen, he said. There will most likely be a consolidation of some of the small-to-medium wineries by the large ones, but the area will not lose the small family-run wineries that make the region so charming. Related: Why Are We Still Describing Wine As Old World or New World? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Up until 2024, British Columbia wineries have had their 2020, 2021, and 2022 vintages for sale, and 2022 was a high-quality crop. The problem starts now, in 2025, as the effect of the two freezes hits in earnest. Nor is this the only problem. Weve had a lack of tourism because of seasonal wildfires, which has impacted wineries, too, said Christine Coletta, owner of Haywire Winery and Okanagan Crush Pad in Summerland. The government last year [2023] told people not to come here, which ruined our August, September, October period. They rescinded that advice three days later, but the damage was done. Canadian vintners like Coletta have noted that their American counterparts have been selling them top-quality grapes at below-market prices. We are getting a ton of cooperation from Washington growers, she said.We have gone through periods like this before and we are a bloody resilient people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Lake Chelan, we got 12 tons of Chardonnay from a lady there, Kubek recalled. From Frank Roth at Tagaris, we got some of their organic grapes: Riesling, Syrah, and others. When Chateau Ste Michelle canceled 40% of their grapes, there was a lot left over. Cameron Karsten for Trothe The Andrews Family Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington The Andrews Family Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington Jeff Andrews, proprietor at Andrews Family Vineyards in Prosser, Washington, said he was glad to sell Kubek and another Canadian winemaker some of his Block 98 Cabernet grapes, a percentage of which are annually set aside for his top-level Trothe Cabernet. We offer a fairly unique proposition in Washington wine; fourth-generation family-owned, third-generation vineyard, he said. Were very invested in stewardship of our land, which is important to British Columbia winemakers, and we have a long record of producing high-quality fruit. Eventually, a dozen Canadian wineries placed orders with Andrews, ordering anywhere from a few tons to a few hundred tons. A number sent their winemakers to Prosser to oversee the shipping of grapes and juice up north. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were all in this together, right? Andrews said. Even though we are separated by an international border, were only six hours away. We can help each other. Read the original article on Food & Wine AUSTIN (KXAN) A scientist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin was selected for induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame for work that led to the development of the COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccines. Jason McLellan, professor in the Department of Molecular Biosciences and Robert A. Welch Chair in Chemistry at UT, will be inducted into the hall in May for his work on structure-based vaccine design that led to the development of vaccines to fight COVID-19 and RSV, according to a release from UT. McLellan will be honored with 16 other inductees, including Barney Graham who worked with McLellan on both vaccines at a celebration in Washington, D.C., on May 8. McLellan, 43, is among the youngest new inductees in National Inventors Hall of Fame history, per the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UT Austin honoring researchers who helped develop COVID-19 vaccine Jason McLellans research and technologies helped save lives around the globe and restore our way of life after the darkest days of the pandemic, UT President Jay Hartzell said. Jason embodies the American ingenuity behind our nations most notable innovations to improve society and everyday life. He is a worthy addition to the National Inventors Hall of Fame and a testament to our university-wide commitment to having meaningful impact in the world. According to UT, McLellan specializes in understanding the structure and function of viral proteins and applying that information to the rational design of vaccines and other therapies. He and his team collaborated with Graham and other researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Vaccine Research Center (VRC) to design a stabilized version of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which biotechnology companies, including Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, used as the basis for COVID-19 vaccines. In 2023, the Food and Drug Administration approved the RSV vaccine Arexvy, which used McLellan and Grahams research to stabilize the RSV fusion protein and enable the body to develop strong antibodies against it, according to UT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PAST COVERAGE | First RSV vaccine with UT ties expected to be available by next year Getting into structure-based vaccine design, you think, If I can help make one vaccine, that would be an incredible career achievement. But weve already done it twice, for RSV and coronaviruses, and now we have other things in clinical trials for different viruses, McLellan said. There are not a lot of viral vaccines that have been created in the history of man, and so to help contribute to two of them and possibly more Im very proud of that. UT said McLellan will join other university affiliates in the Inventors Hall of Fame, including UT Professor Emeritus and Ethernet inventor Robert Metcalfe; the late professor Edith Clarke, who was inducted posthumously for developing the graphical calculator; and UT alumni cancer researcher and Nobel laureate James Allison and National Instruments founders James Truchard and Jeff Kodosky. McLellan has received several honors for his work, including being named the Texas Inventor of the Year in 2021. He has also received the National Academy of Sciences Award in Molecular Biology; the Research!America Building the Foundation Award; the International Vaccine Institutes Bioscience Park MahnHoon Award; the Edith and Peter ODonnell Award from the Texas Academy of Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology; the UT Presidents Research Impact Award; and the AAAS Golden Goose Award. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McLellan moved his laboratory to UT in January 2018 and joined the faculty in the Department of Molecular Biosciences. 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. Voters attempt to navigate long lines to participate in Republican caucuses and a presidential preference poll at Brighton High School in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024. (Kyle Dunphey/Utah News Dispatch) To understand Utahs SB54 a crucial and, depending on who you talk to, an infamous piece of legislation that created the states unique dual path to the primary ballot one must rewind more than a decade, even years earlier than 2014, when the bill first passed. In 2010, Republican Sen. Bob Bennett unexpectedly lost his longtime seat in the U.S. Senate after Utah GOP delegates ousted him during their state nominating convention. That stoked concerns that Republican party delegates were becoming disconnected from the broader wishes of Utahs typical Republican voter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Utahs voter participation also ranked dismally low among the lowest in the country. That was before Utah adopted universal voting by mail years later, but it was also because the states elections were simply not competitive. The most crucial decisions for the Republican-controlled state were made by delegates at nominating conventions, not at the ballot box. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX These concerns fueled a movement led by the group Count My Vote, which in 2013 approached the Utah Republican Party with a list of demands to increase voter participation otherwise theyd pursue a ballot initiative to supplant the caucus-convention system with direct primaries. At the time, polling indicated Utahns would overwhelmingly support it. Stan Lockhart, a former Utah Republican Party chairman, recalled this Wednesday during a forum hosted by the Sutherland Institute, a conservative think tank, sitting next to SB54s architect, former Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, and Taylor Morgan, executive director of Count My Vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was so offensive to those of us who are highly involved in the public convention process, because we had spent decades, in some cases, working to get good candidates elected, and we just didnt feel like we were trying to manipulate the outcomes, Lockhart recalled. We felt like we were just participating in the process. From left, former Utah Republican Party chairman Stan Lockhart, former Sen. Curt Bramble, and Taylor Morgan, executive director of Count My Vote, participate in a forum hosted by the Sutherland Institute at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City on Jan. 15, 2025. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch) Count My Vote brought 10 demands, Lockhart said, but after negotiating the party, that list was whittled down to one to avoid a citizen initiative: increase the partys nominating convention threshold of 60% of delegate support in order for a candidate to avoid a primary to 65%. The (partys) central committee said, Absolutely not, Lockhart recalled, adding that state delegates agreed. Their attitude was: Were not going to do anything that that group wants us to do. We are the decision makers of the party, and we will not cave to that demand. So, in late 2013, Count My Vote organizers filed to move ahead with a citizen initiative to replace the caucus-convention system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few months later, when the 2014 Utah Legislatures general session was underway, Bramble a longtime senator with a reputation as a tough negotiator who retired this year stepped in. Morgan said hell never forget it. Let us know what you think... He recalled Count My Votes ballot initiative was well on track to qualify for the 2014 ballot with 150,000 signatures gathered, and he said he had just dropped off a huge box of signature packets when his phone rang. It was Rich McKeown with former Gov. Mike Leavitt, two leaders of the Count My Vote movement. The first thing they said is, We need to meet. Weve been Brambled, Morgan recalled, prompting laughs from the panels audience at the Thomas S. Monson Center in Salt Lake City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bramble, he said, pulled off a brilliant legislative move. We came to the table, and we forged a compromise that, really, still stands today. That compromise was SB54. Brambles regret The law, passed during that 2014 session, solidified Utahs dual nominating path to the primary. Candidates can either get their names on the ballot by winning 60% from party delegates or by gathering signatures. Today, Utahs signature thresholds are high compared to other states, requiring 28,000 for statewide races. Passionate party delegates have hated it ever since, but SB54 has survived years of court challenges to the point of almost bankrupting the Utah GOP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But angst over SB54 persists, and it was one factor that further divided Utah Republicans during last years bitter gubernatorial race. Gov. Spencer Coxs failed challenger, Rep. Phil Lyman, won at convention with nearly 68% of delegate support but lost in the primary with 45.6% of the vote. Lyman largely catered to Republicans who favor the caucus-convention system and repeatedly claimed Cox was an illegitimate candidate, even though Cox got his name on the primary ballot by gathering signatures under the dual path allowed under SB54. Republican candidate for Utah governor Rep. Phil Lyman gives a speech at the Utah Republican Partys 2024 nominating convention at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City on April 27, 2024. (Katie McKellar / Utah News Dispatch) Still, Lyman continued his bid as a longshot unaffiliated write-in candidate in the Nov. 5 general election, and though Cox won with nearly 53% of the vote, more than 200,000 Utahns (13.6%) voted for Lyman a remarkable number for a write-in bid, which usually garners only a fraction of a percent of the vote. Lyman wouldnt accept the results of the election. He filed two unsuccessful lawsuits, one with the Utah Supreme Court and one with the U.S. Supreme Court asking the courts to disqualify Cox from the election. Both were rejected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lyman-Cox contest illustrates there are still deep divides within the Utah GOP, and many of those divides trace back to disagreement over the caucus-convention system and SB54. Thats part of why Bramble said he regrets stepping in. Look, if I could go back and undo history, I never would have (ran) SB54, Bramble said Wednesday. In an interview after Wednesdays panel, Bramble told Utah News Dispatch that in 2014 he believed preserving the caucus system was a worthy objective because Id been a product of that for years. But now in hindsight, seeing the partys response to that instead of embracing it, recognizing that (qualified signature gathering candidates) had 28,000 Republicans ready to support this statewide candidate, the party has said, If you get signatures, youre not a Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bramble said now the issue has become a flashpoint issue for the party, with multiple county parties drawing up bylaw proposals to oppose and restrict signature gathering candidates from using party resources. I didnt foresee SB54 being a wedge that would divide the Republican Party, Bramble said. Instead, the former senator said he now wishes he and other lawmakers would have let the Count My Vote ballot initiative play out and let Utah voters decide. The strength of our system is the voice of the people. Polling is not the voice of the people. The ultimate poll is the ballot, Bramble said. I would have let the outcome of that ballot question be the law of the land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bramble added that he thought SB54 would strengthen the voice of the people by giving candidates more options to access the ballot. But I did not foresee 10 years of litigation and the party bankrupting itself over the issue, even though SB54 has survived every single court challenge. During Wednesdays panel, Bramble criticized longtime Republican Party members who have prioritized their love of the caucus convention system and sought to limit participation by controlling who can get on the ballot and controlling who can cast a vote over welcoming ways to increase participation within the party. He said over the last 20 years, some Republican party leaders have wanted to force, compel and coerce a particular path rather than letting the broader voice of the people prevail. And theres something inherently wrong with that, Bramble said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Bramble may wish he could change history, he cant. And now a new Utah Legislature one without Bramble in the Senate is about to convene, for the 2025 session scheduled to begin on Tuesday. In wake of the contentious Cox-Lyman matchup and amid continued frustrations with signature gathering, some lawmakers may try to change SB54, though it remains to be seen what they will do. Election reform is one of the big topics the Utah Legislature is expected to take up during the 2025 session, including legislation to tweak or restrict voting by mail, and perhaps an effort to change who oversees the states elections. If lawmakers do make changes to SB54, what should they do? When posed this question during Wednesdays panel, Lockhart, Bramble and Morgan all agreed if lawmakers consider any changes to SB54, they should lower the signature thresholds. That may be a tricky debate, especially among Republicans who dont believe signature gathering should be an option at all. But the trio argued that Utahs extraordinarily high signature gathering thresholds actually fuel concerns that signature gathering opens the door for pay-to-play politics. It was never our intention, with Count My Vote, to create a dependency on paid signature gathering. So that is a real problem in the system today, Morgan said. He added that issue is compounded by another limitation in Utah law that only allows one signature per race. That creates a bit of a race among candidates to be the first to get their signatures in. Because if your signatures are in first, then you have first dibs on any signatures from voters who may have signed more than one candidates petition in that race. The 28,000 signature threshold for statewide candidates was meant to bring the party to the table to show broad support within the party, Bramble said. Instead, the signature path and the very high thresholds have created a cottage industry for paying for signatures, he said. Bramble added that it has done more to divide the party, and now Republicans are infighting about signature gathering rather than focusing on policy. Noting that every major 2024 race saw state delegates pick candidates who went on to lose handily at the primary, Bramble said Utahs current system is unsustainable. Morgan said the party should stop playing games with the signature path, to try to diminish it and hurt candidates who gather signatures, and if they would start focusing on improving their caucus-convention process, then perhaps they would have higher participation. But it is dying, Morgan added, because the party is not improving their own process in a zero-sum battle against signatures. To help improve SB54, Morgan said everyday, good candidates should be able to afford to access the ballot through signature gathering. You should be able to gather signatures working as a volunteer, as a candidate. So thats something we would really like to improve. Lockhart agreed. Id make it far less difficult, he said. I think the signatures is a good way to do it, but it should be the type of thing that a candidate and their supporters could go out in the morning, gather the signatures, turn them in the afternoon and be on the ballot. Rep. Ray Ward, R-Bountiful, has a bill to lower the required signature thresholds for candidates to qualify for the ballot. Its not yet clear how much traction it will gain. Ray Wards going to make a valiant effort in getting his bill passed, Bramble said. But some lawmakers, such as a handful of House representatives who signed onto a Deseret News op-ed arguing Utahs elections have become needlessly complicated, may want to go a different route and perhaps try to dismantle SB54. But thats been tried before, and efforts have stalled. Bramble told Utah News Dispatch hed be very skeptical of SB54 being repealed. But if there are competing efforts to lower signature gathering thresholds or maybe even increase them, those bills will be hashed between the House and Senate. If you have opposing bills, he said, I think they battle to a draw. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Gov. Spencer Cox is about to overhaul Utahs remote work policy for state employees. But during his monthly PBS Utah news conference Thursday, the governor stopped short of saying whether hes going to order state government workers to return to the office full time. Were still working on that and well have more to announce on that soon, Cox said, adding that since the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has been bringing more and more people back into the office. So well continue to evaluate where it works and where it doesnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Approximately 40% of state governments more than 22,400 employees are eligible to work from home but exactly how many do is not being tracked. Last year, many state workers were told they must be in the office at least two days a week. The state of Utah's Taylorsville campus stands on Friday, Jan. 10, 2025. | Isaac Hale, Deseret News Remote work has its place. But so does being together, the governor said. Thats another thing that we learned during the pandemic. Its not healthy to be isolated. We need that feedback, we need that interaction that comes not just from doing your work. He said its also important to say hi when you go to the water cooler or the restroom, and being able to get in a room together and just be able to talk and look at each other face-to-face. That matters. So those are the things that were working through right now. Cox, who once called himself a televangelist for telework, promised there will be more to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the pandemic, which had both private and public sector employees working from home, Utah had been encouraging what was known as telework for state employees as a way to save money on building or leasing office space. Cox, who helmed the states pilot teleworking program in 2018 as lieutenant governor, said Thursday it was very successful. It showed remote work can work if its done in the right ways. You dont just send people home with a computer. Its much more detailed than that. The pilot program showed whats needed is incredible oversight. You have to have different training. You have to have an area of your house that is set aside specifically for work so you have an actual workspace that had to be approved and compliant, he said. When those criteria are met, the governor said we see actually an increase in productivity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when the pandemic struck in 2020, we didnt have those same things in place for the thousands of workers who were working remotely, he said. Now when it comes to the states telework program, the governor said, parts of it are working. I think parts of it arent. The prospect of cutting government costs through shared workspaces and getting rid of some of the leases that are very expensive remains a priority, Cox said. State agencies are currently reviewing future space needs. What were trying to do is to figure out, how do we save taxpayer money by using less space and how do we make sure that the employees that are working on behalf of the taxpayers are efficient and productive, he said, while giving them as many opportunities as possible. TYLER, Texas (KETK) The month of January marks stalking awareness month, a time when experts raise awareness about stalking and how to respond to it. According to the CDC, one in every three women and one in every six men will experience stalking in their life. Search underway after Tyler jewelry store smash-and-grab KETK News spoke with Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith after a stalking case in East Texas almost took a turn for the worst. Two men have since been arrested for conspiring to kidnap and murder of a woman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In light of this case, Smith emphasized about the gravity of stalking and the importance of citizens going to the police if they fall victim to stalking. If you leave it untouched with no investigation or no complaint, the victim ends up dead, he said. Smith also mentioned the importance for citizens to remain alert. Its best to try to prevent it rather than wait, and wait, and wait until something happens to you, Smith said. People who think they are victims of stalking should reach out to law enforcement as creating a paper trail and gathering any evidence could be helpful during investigations. Get it on the record and let them know youve got it on the record, Smith said. Let the suspect know you got it on the record that youve contacted law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Controlled explosion planned for East Texas power plant Nell Spencer, director of outreach and education for the Womens Center of East Texas, said stalking can present itself in several ways and can happen to anyone. It is a form of power and control that a perpetrator has over their victim, Spencer said. Spencer explained how stalking can appear in many different forms including showing up to the victims work, creating a hostile work environment, putting tracking devices on cars or tracking their movements over social media. It touches a lot of lives, and it can be incredibly scary and it can be hard to kind of move past that, Spencer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For East Texans, they can call 800-441-5555 for the Womens Center of East Texas 24/7 hotline. People can also call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE. 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 KETK.com | FOX51.com. Since Los Angeles destructive wildfires began on Jan. 7, at least 25 people have died and more than a dozen others remain unaccounted for. Officials have said the true death toll isnt known as the fires continue to burn in the most hard-hit neighborhoods of Altadena and Pacific Palisades. But already, two of the most devastating stories to come out of the fires involve disabled residents who were unable to escape in time. In Altadena, Anthony Mitchell Sr., an amputee who used a wheelchair, and his son Justin, who had cerebral palsy and could not walk, died as they waited for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As fires tore through the community, firefighters werent allowing anyone in, so the pairs family couldnt get to them in time, Mitchells older son told the Los Angeles Times. [My dad] called everybody and said, Im OK, Im just waiting to be evacuated, Anthony Mitchell Jr. said. He probably knew nobody was coming, but he wanted to keep everybody at ease. In the Palisades fire, former Australian child star Rory Sykes, who was born blind and had cerebral palsy, died in the cottage he lived in on his familys 17-acre Malibu estate. His mother, Shelley Sykes, told Australian outlet 10 News First that she had a broken arm and could not lift or move her son. He said, Mom, leave me. And no mom could leave their kid, she told the channel through tears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sykes said she drove to the local fire department for help but authorities told her they had no water. When she returned to her property with a fire crew, Rorys cottage had burned to the ground. Disability advocates say both stories speak to the need to prioritize and plan for disabled peoples needs when natural disasters strike. We very often hear about victims like these in the aftermath of disasters and large scale emergencies, whether they are natural disasters, mass shootings, or otherwise, said Dom Kelly, the founder and CEO at New Disabled South, a nonprofit that pushes for disability rights and disability justice in 14 states. This is in large part because our country, all of our states, and most of our municipalities do not have strategies or plans in place to ensure that disabled folks can evacuate or are taken care of in these situations, he told HuffPost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jessica Jewett, a fine artist living outside Atlanta, wasnt surprised to hear that disabled people were among those lost in the LA wildfires, either. (Jewett was born with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita and uses a wheelchair.) Some places on a local level have agreements with fire departments, such as the town where I live, but nothing official, she told HuffPost. Disabled people are often left to fight for their own lives. Jewett recalled her own experience when a fire broke out in the basement of her high school. The safety protocol said that she needed to wait in the nearest stairwell with her caregiver and that the fire department would come and get her. But when the fire occurred, the entire school evacuated and left Jewett waiting in the stairwell. A few hours later, students started coming back into the school, she said. I stopped a fireman and asked why nobody came for me. He said he didnt know we were there. I guess no one at the school had bothered to tell the fire department that I was waiting for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the fire had been more serious, I would have been a fatality, she said. A view of homes destroyed by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California. A disabled father and son died waiting for help in the foothill community. Justin Sullivan via Getty Images Like many disabled people, Jewett feels extra vulnerable when she considers what might happen to her during a natural disaster. At least 1 in 4 Americans are disabled, and in California, over 4 million people have a disability. State government officials were well aware that the disabled population was disproportionately at risk: In 2019, the state released a troubling audit highlighting how unprepared emergency management agencies and other first responders were to protect disabled Californians during natural disasters. When the Camp Fire burned through Northern Californias Butte County in 2018, many of the at least 85 dead were elderly, infirm or disabled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality is, disabled people are two to four times more likely to die than non-disabled people during disasters, said German Parodi, co-executive director of The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies, a national organization focused on the rights and needs of people with disabilities throughout disasters. For the last week, Parodi has been fielding calls to the groups disability and disaster hotline, helping disabled Angelenos find places to relocate and shelter when mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders come. As disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity, we need to start building a better culture of readiness, so no one is left behind, Parodi told HuffPost. How To Plan Ahead So Disabled People Are Part Of Evacuation Plans Preventing losses in natural disasters like wildfires means talking about emergency planning conversations as naturally and casually as we ask each other, Hows the weather? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a neighbor-to-neighbor basis, that means not shying away from conversations about disabilities and planning for worst-case scenarios, said Russell Dawson Rawlings, the community organizing manager at the California Foundation forIndependent Living Centers. While I cant speak for everyone, Im very comfortable with my own disability, and I would be more than happy to talk to my neighbors about my needs during an emergency, he said. The more that we know about one another, the more that we can respond to each others needs. A view of homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire. Mario Tama via Getty Images Many disabled people already have a game plan if a natural disaster occurs, but just as many dont something thats certainly true of the general population as well. Create a personal emergency plan with evacuation routes and key contacts, Parodi said, and have a go-bag with essential items like meds, disability supplies and important documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Build a support network of neighbors, friends and loved ones, and local disability organizations so you can ensure help is available when needed. On a state and local government level, Parodi said being prepared means investing in accessible infrastructure, such as evacuation transportation, shelters and communication systems, while training emergency personnel in disability-inclusive practices. Emergency alerts and communications also need to be accessible in multiple formats, such as visual, auditory, plain language and ASL. Jewett thinks even something as simple as a sticker on a front door to indicate a disabled resident lives there could make a difference when disaster strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sticker needs to be universal and national so its easily recognizable in every community, she said. Not knowing were there is the biggest part of the problem, she added. If the fire, EMS and police departments knew where to find us in a known list specifically for emergency services, we could receive proper evacuation assistance right away. There were heartening examples of that last week in LA: Fast-acting staff and emergency crews evacuated at least 1,400 residents from dozens of Pasadena-area nursing homes and assisted living, according to LAist. On Tuesday night, during the worst of the winds and fires, local TV news crews captured residents in wheelchairs and gurneys staging in a 7-Eleven parking lot and being hurried into ambulances. Its important to consider disabled people and their needs in longer-term ways, too, not just during a crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many ways, these wildfires highlight the ongoing inequity and lack of access to community resources for people with disabilities, Dawson Rawlings said. A lack of access to transportation, for example, can alone create barriers to evacuation. Finding affordable housing is another concern that disproportionately impacts disabled people, Kelly said. Its very difficult for many disabled people to find accessible housing to begin with, so when homes are destroyed, there is an added layer of burden that a person has to hold when trying to figure out how to potentially rebuild an accessible home or find a new place to live that is accessible to them, he said. An evacuee in a wheelchair waits at a taco stand where volunteers offer food for the people displaced by the Eaton Fire in Arcadia, California, on Jan. 13, 2025. ETIENNE LAURENT via Getty Images A 2023 Census Bureau report spoke to the outsized hardships and hurdles people with disabilities face after a natural disaster. Among other troubling statistics, it found that 59% of deaf evacuees reported that they never went back home after experiencing such an event. To brace for displacement in LA, theres already a Google doc going around listing the GoFundMe accounts of disabled people whose homes have been lost or damaged. As recovery efforts get started and whenever communities have the bandwidth to plan for future emergencies its vital to center the voice of disabled people. That starts with hiring people with disabilities whenever possible, Dawson Rawlings said. I think the most important thing to remember is that people with disabilities are part of every community, he said. The best way to create plans is to have folks who have direct lived experience in the room. Theres an added bonus to doing so, he said. Disabled people are terrific at thinking of adaptation, so many of us might be great at creating solutions for the whole community in disasters. Related... PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Police in Prince Georges County said they arrested and charged a man in connection to a fatal shooting that happened in the town of Cottage City on New Years Day. At about 10:40 p.m. on Jan. 1, officers responded to a shooting in the 3300 block of Bladensburg Road where they found 36-year-old Oluwatosin Adetula suffering from gunshot wounds. He died a week later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives with the Prince Georges County Police Department (PGPD) said he was working as a rideshare driver at the time of the shooting. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Rideshare driver dies days after shooting in Prince Georges County; investigation underway On Jan. 15, PGPD arrested and charged 21-year-old Brandon Leonard of Chantilly, Va., with first- and second-degree murder, and related charges. Detectives said they believe his motive behind the shooting was robbery. Leonard is in Winchester pending extradition to Prince Georges County. Anyone with information is asked to contact PGPD at (301) 516-2512. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A 28-year-old man from Virginia has been sentenced to a possible life prison sentence after he was found guilty of sexually extorting two 14-year-old girls in Layton, Utah. Ryan Joseph Randolph was arrested in October 2022 in his Gloucester County, Virginia home when a special agent from the Utah Attorneys General Office contacted the Gloucester County Sheriffs Office regarding the case. According to court documents, Randolph initially posed as a young girl to gain the victims trust. Once he had that trust, he introduced those girls to another account owned by himself who offered to pay them for sexually explicit pictures. Randolph then extorted the two girls to engage in sexually explicit acts by threatening to send the images and videos of the girls to thousands of people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Valley man to serve 5 years in prison after threatening Salt Lake County Sheriff Randolph was extradited to Davis County, where he remained pending his trial. Once the case went to trial in 2024, Randolph was found guilty of two first-degree felony human trafficking of a child, two counts of first-degree felony aggravated sexual extortion of a child, one count of second-degree felony sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts of second-degree felony enticing a minor through the internet. The Gloucester County Sheriffs Office said it took the jury less than six hours to convict him. Second Judicial District Judge Rita Cornish sentenced Randolph to the possibility of life in prison, which he will serve in the Utah State Correctional Facility in Salt Lake City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. EAU CLAIRE Investigators say a man charged with possession of virtual child pornography admitted to being a pedophile when they confronted him. Kai Ahmed Jon, 23, Altoona, faces six counts of possession of virtual child pornography, a Class D felony. The charges each carry the potential for 25 years in prison and fines of up to $100,000. According to the criminal complaint, the case began when local authorities received a tip from the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The tip said online discussions had been discovered that indicated sexual interest in children, specifically babies, and cartoon and purported images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those messages, which included graphic accounts of what those involved wanted to do, led to AI-generated images of very young children being abused. Eventually the discussions were tracked back to Jon. When investigators confronted him, Jon admitted to being involved in the conversations. Yea, its pedophilia. I cant stop, the complaint quoted him as saying. Jon told investigators he had talked with a therapist in hypotheticals about his urges. The case was filed Dec. 12, and Wednesday was Jons first appearance in court. He has been assigned a public defender, but has not yet entered a plea. CLEVELAND Vivek Ramaswamy, the biotech entrepreneur positioned to help oversee President-elect Donald Trumps effort to cut government spending, is in discussions about filling Vice President-elect JD Vances Senate seat in Ohio, two people briefed on the process told NBC News. The development is a reversal for Ramaswamy, who in November said his work alongside billionaire Elon Musk at Trumps Department of Government Efficiency would remove him from consideration for the Senate job. But Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, who will appoint an interim successor to take over Vance's seat, chatted with Ramaswamy about the Senate vacancy in a meeting last weekend at the Governors Mansion in Columbus, according to a source familiar with the talks. The source, who was granted anonymity to share details about private conversations, also said Trump has encouraged Ramaswamy to accept the appointment if DeWine offers it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump aides did not respond to requests for comment. Spokespeople for DeWine and Ramaswamy declined to comment. Neither Governor DeWine nor our office has commented on any possible candidates for the pending appointment, DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney wrote in a text message. The Washington Post first reported Trumps encouragement of Ramaswamy. Politico first reported the meeting with DeWine. Though Ramaswamy initially took himself out of the running for the Senate, he has been a constant factor in DeWines deliberations over who should replace Vance, who resigned last week in advance of his swearing-in as vice president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ramaswamy, a Cincinnati native who now lives in the Columbus area, is widely believed to be interested in running to succeed DeWine, who is term-limited, as governor next year. But so is DeWines preferred successor, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. A bruising GOP primary featuring Husted, Ramaswamy and others could dent DeWines legacy. Without any clear signal about Ramaswamys intentions in 2026, DeWine has considered appointing Husted, a close ally, to the Senate vacancy to better solidify his political future. Whoever DeWine picks would have to win a special election in 2026 to serve the remaining two years of Vances term. But Husted, who for two weeks has been viewed as the leading candidate for the appointment, has resisted past overtures to run for the Senate, and he has been aggressively preparing his campaign for governor. Ohio Republicans wired into the process have said he has reservations about accepting the Senate appointment. DeWine has said he plans to reveal his choice probably this week. Other possibilities include former state GOP chair Jane Timken and former state Rep. Jay Edwards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not clear why Ramaswamy would be willing to leave Trumps government efficiency team, known as DOGE, before its work even starts, nor is it clear whether or why Trump would be eager for him to go. But some of Ramaswamys recent posts on X, Musks social media site, have created a rift within Trumps MAGA movement. Wading into a debate over H-1B temporary worker visas, a carve-out for high-skilled workers who some on the political right say are taking American jobs, Ramaswamy criticized an American culture that he said venerated mediocrity over excellence. A source who speaks with Trump said the notion that Trump might be keen on Ramaswamys taking the Senate seat was not surprising. DJT is tired of him, the source said, referring to Trump by his initials. Wants him in a new role. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Trucks were packed and loaded, ready to leave Henderson and head to Los Angeles to aid victims of the recent wildfires. About two dozen volunteers were at the Congregation Ner Tamid on Wednesday pitching in to get help to Southern California as quickly as possible. Rabbi called me and said we need your help again, Gary Bordman, who owns Amusement, Exhibit & Event Services, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bordman donated the trucks and was able to get members of the Veterans Social Club of Las Vegas to drive them to LA. Bordman said he was motivated to help after seeing the images out of Los Angeles. It looks like a war zone. The Palisades themselves, vehicles are melting from the heat. And we have friends in the event world, as well, as personal friends, and clients, and colleagues that have been impacted, and so for us its a call to action, Bordman said. Congregation Ner Tamid Cantor Jessica Hutchings described the response as encapsulating Jewish values. About two dozen volunteers were at the Congregation Ner Tamid on Wednesday pitching in to get help to Southern California as quickly as possible. (KLAS) This is what the Jewish community does for the community-at-large when theres a crisis is we come together, and we try to support one another, Hutchings said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The items donated will be brought to the Anderson Munger Family YMCA in Los Angeles, and the donated gift cards will go to two Jewish organizations severely impacted by the fires. The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center lost its synagogue in the fire and 22 of its members lost their homes. The other organization receiving help is the Kehillat Israel Pacific Palisades, where 200 of its families had their homes destroyed, including three Rabbis. The owner of Rachels Kitchen Debbie Roxardaze was at the Congregation Ner Tamid on Wednesday, dropping off donations she collected at her restaurants. People just really want to give and the people emailing us, or following up with us on social media, are just so grateful that they have a means to give. People just want to help, Roxardaze said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rachels Kitchen announced Monday it would collect donations for two days at six of its locations. Las Vegas valley restaurants aid Southern California wildfire victims The trucks are scheduled to leave Thursday at 5 a.m. For those interested in helping, Congregation Ner Tamid will accept gift cards until Friday, theyre no longer taking items. 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. The S.C. Senate chamber is seen in session in Columbia, S.C. on Wednesday, March 23, 2022. (Travis Bell/STATEHOUSE CAROLINA/Special to the SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA South Carolinians who approved a state lottery 25 years ago were not giving legislators permission to use the profits to fund tuition for private K-12 schools. That was Democrats leading argument Wednesday against legislation that would use lottery profits to reinstate private tuition payments ruled unconstitutional last September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No vote was taken on the opening day of debate. Senators will resume their arguments Thursday. During the 2000 campaign for a lottery benefiting education there was absolutely, positively no mention of lottery dollars being used for private K-12 education, said Sen. Ronnie Sabb, D-Greeleyville. A quarter century later, voters are being hoodwinked, he said. Senate Education Chairman Greg Hembree, the bills author, acknowledged that the public debate over changing the state constitution to allow an education lottery never involved private K-12 schools. But that doesnt mean the Legislature cant use the revenue that way, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of specific promises during that campaign never stopped the Legislature before, he said. While lottery supporters in 2000 focused on the ability to fund college scholarships, thats not what the referendum said. What voters approved by a 54% majority broadly required that lottery revenue be used only for education but left the details to the Legislature. Weve funded a lot of stuff out of that fund as sorta found money that wasnt discussed, Hembree said. Weve always been good about keeping a nexus with education, but at times, you can argue weve been aggressive. But its still generally going to education. Sabb couldnt disagree with that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond college scholarships, items funded from the lottery include textbooks, school buses, and workforce training equipment at technical colleges. But theres been nothing as close to being so controversial as private school vouchers, Sabb said. Republicans in both chambers have made resuming state aid for private K-12 scholarships a top priority after the state Supreme Court ruling halted tuition payments a month into the programs first school year. A majority of justices found the payments violated the state constitutions ban on public money directly benefiting private education. What would the bill do? Hembrees bill seeks to get around that ban by funding the scholarships with lottery revenues rather than the general fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As written, it would provide $8,500 scholarships to up to 10,000 students next school year whose parents earn up to 300% above what federal guidelines set as the poverty level. The bills phase-in would expand eligibility to household incomes 600% above the poverty level in 2027, with a participation cap of 15,000 students. However, Hembree promised to try to reset eligibility rules to give poorer children first dibs, saying they should be the focus. His coming amendment, he said last week, would allow only 5,000 Medicaid-eligible students to qualify next school year, restarting the program with last years application rules and extending the expansion timetable. But thats not what he offered Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, his first amendment would indefinitely give priority to students with parental income within 300% of poverty. Under 2024 guidelines, that means their income needs to fall below $93,600 for a family of four. That was already the criteria in his bill for next school year, so it would change nothing until 2026-27. While eligibility would rise to 400% of the poverty level in 2026, and then to 600% in 2027, the priority for slots would stay at 300%. Hembree said that would ensure preference for low- and middle-income children. The amendment passed 37-2, with Democrats who supported it saying its a slight improvement. The Senate then adjourned until Jan. 28. Neither the House nor the Senate is meeting in chambers next week. Not a new idea There could be a slew of amendments taken up during the debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Republicans contend using lottery revenue makes the program constitutional. South Carolina students can use lottery-backed scholarships for the public or private college of their choosing. And the state Supreme Court has deemed that OK, Hembree noted. There is a long history of private education being paid for by lottery money, he said. This is not a new idea. But Democrats counter lottery money is still public money. And, since the only thing different about the program is the revenue source, its still unconstitutional, they counter. Senate Minority Leader Brad Hutto has said the state constitutions ban applies only to K-12 schools, and thats why private college scholarships are OK. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That will almost certainly be the basis of the next voucher lawsuit, should the Senate plan become law. The state Supreme Court would ultimately decide whos right. And, while the debate may continue for weeks, Democrats acknowledged Wednesday they expect it to pass in a chamber newly given a supermajority of Republicans. We do know how to count, said Sen. Darrell Jackson, D-Hopkins. At the end of the day, I dont think theres any doubt where this bill is going to end up. Sen. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, said Republicans can avoid another courtroom challenge by just asking voters whether they support state aid for private K-12 tuition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we change the constitution, then you and I dont have to do this, Well, lets play pin the tail on the donkey and see whats going to stick for the Supreme Court, he told Hembree. For starters, Hembree replied, theres nothing simple about a constitutional amendment. Putting a question on the ballot requires two-thirds approval by both the House and Senate. Even if theres general agreement to ask voters which there isnt among Republicans agreeing on what to ask would be a challenge. Its not easy peasy, Hembree said. Passing a statute is easy peasy compared to a constitutional amendment. Editors note: This article was updated Thursday afternoon with one amendment approved. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Voting began on Thursday to elect a new government in Vanuatu, a month after a 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific island nation's capital Port Vila, killing at least 16 people, triggering landslides and damaging several major buildings. A snap election had to be called after Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu in November dissolved the parliament following a no-confidence motion against him and Prime Minister Charlot Salwai. Vanuatu has experienced 18 months of political instability, with three prime ministers in that time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country's constitution requires an election within 60 days after the dissolution of parliament. There are more than 300,000 registered voters to elect representatives for 52 seats. Official results could be available only after several days as ballots have to be brought to Port Vila from outlying islands. Despite widespread damage from the earthquake, Vanuatu's Principal Electoral Officer Guilain Malessas said the distribution of ballot boxes would be completed by Thursday morning. "We are grateful for the good weather conditions currently in Vanuatu. The deployments are proceeding safely and on time," Malessas told the Vanuatu Daily Post on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the buildings damaged in December's earthquake was one housing the new U.S. embassy, which only opened last year. Washington has been working to boost its diplomatic presence in the Pacific to counter what it sees as a growing threat from China, its main strategic rival. (Reporting by Renju Jose in Sydney; Editing by Lincoln Feast.) The Senates confirmation hearing of Russell Vought, one of Washingtons staunchest advocates for cutting spending, offered a preview Wednesday of the bruising spending wars likely to consume Congress this year. Vought, President-elect Trumps nominee for Office of Management and Budget director, a role he served in Trumps first term, was at the helm of the budget office during the longest government shutdown in history in 2018 and 2019. Before that, he advocated for brinkmanship tactics to score policy wins. He also advocated for reprogramming congressionally appropriated military construction money to pay for construction of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, and for withholding funds to Ukraine two issues that came up at his fiery hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vought, a former executive director of the House Republican Study Committee when it was the Freedom Caucus of its day, is viewed as more ideologically aligned with the fiscal conservatives who have roiled House debates over spending than with GOP leaders who have agreed to bipartisan deals. He is expected to cruise to Senate confirmation, like Trumps other nominees, despite the misgivings of some Republicans who are leery of his affiliation with Project 2025, the conservative policy playbook that became a magnet for controversy during last years election. Vought has been a leading proponent of converting thousands of federal civil servants to Schedule F, which would allow Trump and his lieutenants to fire thousands of nonpolitical federal workers if they balk at carrying out his bold initiatives. Fiscal conservatives are eager to have a White House budget director who will draw a hard line with Congress on spending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need someone with the strength of character like Mr. Vought to put the foot down, to put the hammer down and say, Enough is enough, said Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the chair of the Homeland Security Committee, who hosted Voughts confirmation hearing. Paul, a leading budget hawk, called Vought a consistent advocate for fiscal sanity and predicted he would be swiftly confirmed. If confirmed, Vought would play a leading role in negotiating the government spending deal Congress needs to pass by March 14 to avoid a shutdown. Vought advocated for pushing the fiscal 2025 spending bills into the new Congress to give Trump and the Senate Republican majority more input into its top-line spending number and funding priorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He warned in an interview with Real Americas Voice in September that passing an omnibus spending package while President Biden was still in office would fund the federal government at woke and weaponized high levels of bureaucracy for a quarter of Trumps second term. Vought will play a central role implementing the deep spending cuts that will be recommended by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the co-chairs of Trumps new Department of Government Efficiency. Senate Democrats grilled Vought on Wednesday over his past support for using government shutdowns to win policy concessions. You have repeatedly, Mr. Vought, called for brinksmanship around government shutdowns and opposed bipartisan deals to keep the government open, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) said in one pointed exchange with the nominee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2011, for example, you wrote in an article that Republicans must simply be prepared to shut the government down and need to dig deep and embrace the sort of brinksmanship that shows they are playing to win, she said. Vought distanced himself from those comments, insisting he wants to play a constructive role in passing the annual spending bills something Congress failed to do last year. Senator, I dont think I have been a person that has wanted to have government shutdowns. Ive had to be the one that kept the government open consistent with the law for the longest shutdown in history. I know the impact it has on the federal government, he said, referring to the 35-day shutdown during Trumps first term that was sparked by a fight over funding the southern border wall. But Hassan and other Democrats on the committee didnt seem persuaded Vought would step back from bare-knuckle tactics as Trumps budget director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, this is a situation where there seems to be kind of a confirmation conversion, because your words in articles and talks reflect a different view about the use of government shutdowns, she said. Sen. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), the ranking member of the Homeland Security panel, grilled Vought over his support for using presidential authority to withhold congressional spending. Vought in an interview with Fox Business last year said the loss of impoundment authority was the original sin in eliminating the ability from a branch on branch to control spending. Were going to need to bring that back, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That view drew a sharp rebuke from Peters. During your time at OMB, you consistently ignored laws passed by Congress that directed how taxpayer dollars should be spent, he said. He pointed to an investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) that found the budget office under Vought violated the law eight times during Trumps first term by directing certain federal agencies to operate during the 2018-19 shutdown. And he noted another GAO finding that the budget office under Vought violated the law by withholding vital security existence to Ukraine. If you are confirmed as OMB director again, do you commit to follow the law and not allow OMB to withhold funding from programs that Congress has appropriated? Peters demanded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vought disputed the GAOs characterizations of his actions as OMB director and pointed out that Trump argued during the campaign that the Impoundment Control Act, which bars the president from withholding congressional funding, is unconstitutional. We have seen to the extent this law has contributed to waste, fraud and abuse, he said. He said whether Trump decides to claim impoundment authority to block congressional funding on certain priorities is something his team would have to consider when they are confirmed in [their] roles. 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. MIDDLETOWN, Ohio (WDTN) Middletown residents say theyre looking forward to Vice President-elect JD Vance putting their town on the map. Just days away from the presidential inauguration, 2 NEWS spoke with Middletown residents to see how they feel about Vances journey from Middletown to the White House. JD Vance graduated from Middletown High School, and even back then, his teachers say he showed an interest in politics and government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Middletown plans 7 signs to honor JD Vance When he was a senior in high school, I remember predicting or at least saying to him at that time, you could end up running for U.S. Senate in Ohio one of these days, said Michael Stratton, Vances A.P. English teacher. Stratton next saw Vance 10 years after his high school graduation, meeting at Miami University for one of Vances book signings after the release of his book, Hillbilly Elegy. Stratton congratulated his former student on his success. Anytime a former student distinguishes themselves in some way, thats always a source of pride, said Michael Stratton, retired high school teacher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Middletown residents had a mix of reactions, but all were proud to have a Middletown native make it big. Its not my party, but its cool that hes from here, said Stephanie Spicer, Middletown resident. I think the general population around here is excited. Hes got good morals. Hes on the right track and doing the right thing, said Mike Sames, another resident. Obviously its awesome because hes from Middletown, said Angelique Aliss, resident. You have to root for your hometown guys. Middletown city leaders recently announced plans to put road signs around the city, celebrating Middletown as the hometown of our nations soon-to-be 50th vice president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Vance is bringing a piece of Middletown with him to D.C. for the inauguration on Jan. 20. The Middletown High School marching band is gearing up to head to our nations capitol to take part in the Inauguration Day parade. 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. YORK COUNTY, Va. (WAVY) A man who was injured in a police pursuit failed three times to elude custody, the last when he tried to escape through the ceiling of an area hospital, Virginia State Police said. It was his third attempt at an escape from police for Robert Lee Manny, 33, of Newport News. The last of those attempts was perhaps the most dramatic for Manny, as State Police said he was taken to Riverside Regional Medical Center and asked to use the restroom, stating he couldnt wait until he was taken to jail. The trooper allowed Manny to use a restroom within the emergency room thats designated for single occupancy, state police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within minutes, the trooper heard a commotion inside the restroom, opened the door, and found Manny had fled through the ceiling tiles into the ceiling, and the hospital was placed on lockdown status as law enforcement began a search of the hospital, state police said. Manny was back in custody a short time later. State Police had pursued Manny earlier in the day. Around 12:25 p.m., State Police ran the vehicle registration of a 2020 Ram pickup truck and confirmed it had been reported stolen. An attempt was made to stop the vehicle, but Manny refused, and a pursuit was initiated. State Police pursued the vehicle into York County at the intersection of Victory Boulevard and Commonwealth Drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After successfully stopping the vehicle, Manny then fled on foot and was arrested shortly after. Robert Lee Manny, 33, of Newport News tried to escape on foot following a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon, according to Virginia State Police. (WAVY viewer video) Manny was taken to Riverside Hospital to be evaluated for injuries. He faces the following charges by Virginia State Police: felony eluding police, felony hit-and-run, felony assault on a law enforcement officer and possession of Schedule I/II narcotics. After the alleged attempted escape through the ceiling tiles of the hospital, State Police said Manny will also be charged with destruction of property and escape from the custody of a law enforcement officer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WAVY.com. WACO, Texas (FOX 44) The filing period for the Waco Independent School District School Board Election is now open. Waco ISD says both District 4 and District 5 seats will be on the May 3 ballot. Local realtor Jonathan Grant currently holds the District 4 seat, and former school administrator Jim Patton fills the District 5 seat. Jonathan Grant. (Courtesy: Waco Independent School District) Grant announced he would not seek a third term. District School Board President Stephanie Korteweg commended Grant on his service to both students and staff: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Jonathan Grant for his dedicated service as a school board member. Though his tenure was only three years, his accomplishments have been remarkable and transformative, Korteweg said. Under his leadership, the district witnessed the construction of new school buildings, the implementation of librarians on each campus, and an unwavering focus on literacy as a top priority. Jonathans steadfast support for staff and administration has resulted in meaningful contributions that will benefit not only the current students and staff but also future generations. We are deeply thankful for his service and could not have asked for a better colleague to serve alongside on the board. For more information on filing for a Waco ISD school board position, you can visit the districts website. The deadline to file is 5 p.m. on February 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 KWKT - FOX 44. WACO, Texas (FOX 44) Waco Independent School District (ISD) teamed up with Douglas Subaru to host their Operation Warm event at Waco Family Medicine. Operation Warm is a gift-giving event that provides 120 warm winter coats. The event, aimed at supporting students served by Waco ISDs Student Services and Support Department, provided more than just coats. Attendees enjoyed movies, hot chocolate, and access to various community resources designed to support both parents and students. Waco ISD officials say they plan to continue organizing similar events and initiatives to assist further the students and families they serve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Ashley Moody, the state's attorney general, will soon move from the Florida Cabinet to the U.S. Senate. Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday announced Moody as his pick to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who is poised to be the next Secretary of State for President-elect Donald J. Trump. The governor made the announcement in a Thursday news conference in Orlando. DeSantis said he wanted someone who would take a hardline on illegal immigration enforcement, combat the fentanyl crisis and support conservative judges and justices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She's never been a squish on any of these issues," DeSantis said of Moody's immigration record. "Shell go up there and she'll be part of the enforcement caucus, not the amnesty caucus, and thats what we need." Moody has been a loyal ally of DeSantis in office, consistently backing his efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and suing over many of President Joe Biden's initiatives on issues such as immigration, transgender discrimination and student loan forgiveness. "I will not let you down, I will not let the citizens of Florida down and I will not let my country down," Moody said after DeSantis made the announcement. "I will bring the same persistence and passion and tenacity as a United States Senator that I have brought as Attorney General." More: Who is Ashley Moody, DeSantis' pick to replace Marco Rubio in US Senate? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeSantis indicated he'll name his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, as the replacement for Moody, but will wait until Moody actually takes office in Washington. He anticipates that move will happen Monday afternoon, or soon after Rubio is confirmed by the Senate. The moves are the latest in a carousel of seat-hopping among Florida Republicans as Trump leaned heavily on Sunshine State hires to staff his incoming administration. Moody, 49, who in 2019 became the second woman to be Florida Attorney General when she succeeded Pam Bondi, also will be the second woman to represent Florida in the U.S. Senate. Paula Hawkins, a Republican, served one term, from 1981 to 1987, but lost her reelection bid to Democrat Bob Graham. A former federal prosecutor and state circuit court judge, Moody has roots in the Florida legal firmament. She graduated from University of Florida School of Law in 2001. Her father, James Moody Jr., is a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida who was nominated by former President Bill Clinton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After graduating from law school, Moody joined the Holland & Knight firm before running and winning a judgeship on the 13th Circuit Court based in Hillsborough in 2006. Her brother, James Moody III, was appointed as a judge to the same court by DeSantis in 2022. In 2018 she resigned to run for Attorney General, defeating former state Rep. Frank White, a Pensacola Republican, in the primary and another former state representative, Democrat Sean Shaw of Tampa, in the general election. Attorney General Ashley Moody arrives to the Supreme Court for arguments on the 15-week abortion ban in Florida on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. Moody has been a staunch ally of Trump, backing his legal challenges to the certification of election results in a handful of states in 2020 when he lost the election to Biden, for instance. The challenges were rejected by the courts. That record suggests shell be a reliable vote for Trumps agenda in the Senate, taking a hardline on immigration enforcement one of DeSantis' requirements in a Senate appointee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When presented with the upcoming Senate vacancy shortly after the election in November, DeSantis posted on X: Florida deserves a Senator who will help President Trump deliver on his election mandate, be strong on immigration and border security, take on the entrenched bureaucracy and administrative state, reverse the nations fiscal decline, be animated by conservative principles, and has a proven record of results. Gray Rohrer is a reporter with the USA TODAY Network-Florida Capital Bureau. He can be reached at grohrer@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @GrayRohrer. This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Ashley Moody: DeSantis picks Florida AG to replace Rubio in US Senate As congressional leaders wrestle over whether to add conditions to federal aid in response to the Los Angeles County wildfires, a first wave of bills has been put forward by Republicans and Democrats alike in response to the devastation. The measures come as President Biden has pledged 100% federal backing for disaster assistance for the next six months, though with President-elect Donald Trump taking office next week, the future of the funding is not completely secured. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), meanwhile, has said that although he intends to help Californians in need after the fires, he is discussing with his Republican colleagues whether to link aid to the deeply political debate over increasing the debt ceiling. House Democrats, including several Southern Californians, said they would not accept a conditional deal for disaster assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The measures in Congress announced so far, among the first of what could be many, address topics including forest management, disaster funding and the powers of the California Coastal Commission. Here is a look at some of the bills: Read more: Fire victims seek answers about rebuilding, cleanup timeline Forest management The Fix Our Forests Act is a sweeping measure that would streamline environmental regulations to make forest management happen faster, prevent "frivolous" lawsuits by environmental groups and prioritize community prevention efforts. "There's been decades of mismanagement and and climate change that have created unnatural conditions," said Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego), an environmental lawyer and co-author of the bill, adding that environmental reviews required for forest management can delay projects, sometimes for years. "We waste a lot of time on process that we don't have we don't have time for this. In the meantime, the forests burn." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was introduced Thursday with bipartisan support and might be the farthest along of all the early legislation. Its backers are hoping that Fix Our Forests Act would overhaul the national conversation about forestry and fires, said Matt Weiner, chief executive and founder of the advocacy organization Megafire Action, which pushed for the bill. "We keep getting overwhelmed. And then our solution set is to look back to the exact systems that keep failing us," Weiner said. "When I think it's really clear that those systems have failed us and we need to create new ones." The bill proposes forming a center to help federal, tribal, state and local agencies coordinating fire prevention, and track the areas where wildfires are more likely to ignite. The legislation empowers leaders to use new scientific methods to assess those wildfire-prone areas, and employ various forest management tools, including tree thinning, prescribed burning, timber harvest, fire breaks and dead brush removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What we're trying to do is use proven scientific methods and use common sense to go in and reduce fuel loads to make communities safer," said Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.), chairman of the House Committee on Natural Resources and a forester. "I always say that forestry management is like the old adage: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." The legislation offers a refresh of a measure that passed the House last year with support from all Republicans and 55 Democrats including prominent Californians such as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco) and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands). The Senate did not vote on the bill. Although it enjoyed bipartisan support last year, the bill drew the ire of several environmental groups, which said it would undermine key environmental laws and could have devastating effects on forests, endangered species and community oversight of federal land management. "Our organizations recognize the challenge in addressing threats posed by climate change, including increased risks from fire. Unfortunately, the majority of this bill would harm forests, communities, the climate, water, and biodiversity," read a letter signed by more than 85 groups, including the Center for Biological Diversity and the Sierra Club. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fix Our Forests Act encompasses political lightning rods for both parties. Overhauling "forest management," especially in California, is a frequent battle cry for Trump and his allies. Meanwhile, progressives have long called for returning to ancient Indigenous practices of prescribed preventative burns, and the proposed bill would codify cultural burns. "Everybody's saying the same thing, just maybe different ways of saying it," Westerman said. Peters and Westerman are hoping that national attention surrounding the Los Angeles-area fires will help their bill garner enough support this time. Although the Palisades and Eaton fires were mostly concentrated in densely populated areas and not forests, Weiner said the bill could prevent future such disasters. Pacific Palisades, for example, is considered a "very high fire hazard severity zone," Weiner said a region that he said would be prioritized for funding and preparedness under the Fix Our Forests Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Around Los Angeles, it's a different ecosystem than the large timber stands of Northern California or Canada, but the principle of treatment and reducing fuel load is the same," said Rep. George Whitesides (D-Agua Dulce), co-sponsor of the bill and a co-founder of Megafire Action. Firefighter hiring Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Bonsall) on Wednesday introduced legislation he called Direct Hire to Fight Fire to streamline the hiring of federal firefighters, citing the L.A. County fires as impetus for the measure. Todays unacceptably slow hiring process means critical positions used to defeat fires go unfilled and blazes burn that much longer," Issa said in a statement. "We need this common-sense federal hiring process to bring every available resource where it is needed most. FEMA funding Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Dublin) introduced a measure Tuesday to increase funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Preventing Our Next Natural Disaster Act calls for changes to how FEMA prepares for disasters, by increasing funding and giving priority to applicants in hardest-hit communities. It would also require a central database to consolidate information collected from all levels of government during disaster responses. From coastal floods to catastrophic wildfires, California is among numerous states seeing an increasing number of natural disasters due to climate change," Swalwell said in a statement. "This bill would provide funding to communities that are most vulnerable to natural disasters to help them better prepare for these increasing threats." Coastal Commission changes Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-Rocklin) said Tuesday that he plans to introduce legislation to rein in California's Coastal Commission. Kiley tied his legislation to a recent decision by the regulatory agency to deny SpaceX, Elon Musk's company, permission to increase rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base. Musk's company had requested increasing the limit to 50 rocket launches from 36 per year, but the commission turned down the request. The board cited Musk's political influence he is a close ally of Trump, as well as the owner of social media site X as part of its reasoning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kiley said the commission's decision showed "how the politicization of the state agency decisions can delay projects critical to national security." "Its history of irrational decision-making could threaten rebuilding efforts in the Los Angeles area," Kiley said in a statement. "My legislation will ensure that critical projects are not held hostage by unnecessary red tape or political bias. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order Sunday to lift certain environmental requirements to speed up the rebuilding process in areas affected by the wildfires. Get the L.A. Times Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox three times per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. CHICAGO Walgreens is closing five stores in Chicago next month as part of its strategy to revitalize its struggling business. Last October, the drugstore chain announced that it would be closing 1,200 stores in the United States over three years. Chicago Walgreens locations expected to close between Feb. 17 and Feb. 27 include: 7111 S. Western Avenue (Chicago Lawn) 4005 W. 26th Street (Little Village) 9148 S. Commerical Avenue (South Chicago) 3405 S. King Drive (Grand Boulevard) 7109 S. Jeffrey Boulevard (South Shore) Some Big Lots stores could remain open after last-ditch sale completed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A company spokesperson told WGN News on Wednesday that most team members would be redeployed to other stores. Our retail pharmacy business is central to our go-forward business strategy. However, increased regulatory and reimbursement pressures are weighing on our ability to cover the costs associated with rent, staffing, and supply needs. It is never an easy decision to close a store. We know that our stores are important to the communities that we serve, and therefore do everything possible to improve the store performance. When closures are necessary, like those here in Chicago, we will work in partnership with community stakeholders to minimize customer disruptions. We intend to redeploy the majority of our team members from those stores that we close. Walgreens statement provided by a company spokesperson South Side public officials call the move a devastating blow Three of the five planned store closures will directly impact Chicagos South Side, prompting Illinois State Sen. Robert Peters (D-13th), Illinois Representative Kam Buckner (D-26th), Illinois Representative Curtis J. Tarver (D-26th), and Chicago Ald. Lamont Robinson (4th Ward), Ald. Desmon Yancy (5th Ward) and Ald. Peter Chico (10th Ward) to release a joint statement slamming the move: The closures at our South Commercial Avenue, South King Drive and South Jeffrey Boulevard Walgreens locations will be a devastating blow to our communities. Walgreens started in or near our districts in South Side Chicago at Cottage Grove and Bowen Avenue 124 years ago. For years, these stores have supported residents, providing access to medications, groceries and other essential services. Corporate chains like Walgreens have driven mom-and-pop pharmacies out of business, consolidating control over vital services in our neighborhoods. Now, as they abandon these communities, they are leaving behind pharmacy deserts that make it even harder for working families to access the care they need. Their actions are robbing our neighborhoods of essential resources while prioritizing profits over people. We will fight to hold these corporations accountable and ensure our communities are not left behind. The South Side deserves better. Read more: Latest Chicago news and headlines Recent closing announcements: Walgreens CEO Tim Wentworth said the company expected to close 500 store closures amid the 2025 fiscal year as part of a significant rebasing year for the drugstore chain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walgreens is based in Deerfield, Illinois. 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 WGN-TV. ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Gov. Tim Walz urged lawmakers Thursday to end a power struggle that has disrupted the first week of Minnesota's 2025 legislative session, but expressed support for House Democrats' boycott of the chamber to block Republicans from wielding power. House Republicans hold a temporary 67-66 majority until a special election to fill a vacant seat on Jan. 28. Democrats, who have refused to attend the session since it opened Tuesday, contend a quorum under the state constitution requires 68 members to be present and that the House cannot conduct any business without a quorum. Just work together on a power-sharing agreement, Walz urged lawmakers as he unveiled his two-year budget proposal. Thats the way its going to end up. And I think that can work out really well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republicans say they need only 67 members to be present because of the empty seat. In the Democrats' absence, they have elected their top leader as speaker and appointed committee chairs and other officers. The state Supreme Court will hear oral arguments next Thursday on whether the GOP's moves are legal. Walz said hes confident the special election in a heavily Democratic district will result in a 67-67 tie in the House, and he urged House Republicans to end the fight now. I would encourage them, dont go down this road, he told reporters. Youre not going to win in court. Youre not going to win in a court of public opinion. We got a split Legislature. That is acknowledged. Just go with that. Youre not going to overturn an election. The main task of the legislative session is to pass a balanced two-year budget to take effect July 1, and that will require bipartisan cooperation. Both sides agree the House cant pass bills without 68 votes under their rules, so they will eventually have to find ways to worth together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor's proposed $65.9 billion budget includes a modest cut sales tax cut, from 6.875% to 6.8%, which would mean a 7.5-cent savings on a $100 purchase. The lost revenue would be offset by extending the sales tax to some services that aren't currently taxed, and the closure of various loopholes. His plan would slow the growth of some programs affecting seniors and special education students. It contains measures to combat fraud in government programs, but few new initiatives. Youve got an opportunity here to shrink state spending, to cut taxes, to bring fairness to the system," Walz said. "Im not adding any additional programs or anything, (I'm) bringing efficiencies to it. This is pretty uncontroversial. House GOP leader Lisa Demuth, of Cold Spring, slammed the governor's proposal, saying Republicans won't support any tax increases or cuts affecting seniors in nursing homes, and signaled the GOP would keep fighting. I unfortunately have not heard directly from him at all, Demuth told reporters after a brief Republicans-only floor session Thursday. If he wanted to encourage the other House members to actually come to work ... it would be much appreciated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demuth and the top House Democrat, Melissa Hortman, of Brooklyn Park, had mostly worked out a power-sharing agreement last month, but it fell apart after a judge ruled that one Democratic member didn't live in the district he won. That decision gave Republicans their one-seat majority. Hortman on Thursday renewed an offer to Demuth to recognize a Republican majority through Feb. 3, when the original power-sharing agreement would kick back in. The offer requires Republicans to agree not to try to unseat another Democrat who won election by 14 votes. The path you have chosen and the situation currently unfolding in the Minnesota House is deeply concerning, Hortman wrote to Demuth, adding, we owe a duty to the state to continue to work together to achieve a resolution of our differences. ___ This story has been corrected to show that House Democratic leader Melissa Hortman is from Brooklyn Park. This story has been updated to reflect that the Republican gathering in Mason is sold out. Whether you support or oppose President-elect Donald Trump, there are Greater Cincinnati protests or celebrations for you on or ahead of the inauguration on Monday. Here's when and where some of them will be. January 18 People's March in Washington Park Anti-Trump demonstrations across the nation on Saturday dubbed "The People's March" will take place in cities across the country, including Cincinnati. The local chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America will organize the gathering on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon in Washington Park at 1230 Elm Street in Cincinnati's Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. Speakers from Planned Parenthood and labor unions are expected, said Olivia Merrill, secretary for the Cincinnati-area Democratic Socialists of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whether there's a march around the surrounding neighborhood will depend on turnout, Merrill said. "We dont want people to be resigned to this administration," Merrill said. "We want to tell people there are things worth fighting for." January 20 Trump watch party in Mason Republicans from around the region are expected to gather and celebrate Trump's second term at a pub in Mason. The Mason Republican Women have organized a watch party at 11 a.m. Monday at the Warp Wing Brewpub, 5650 Tylersville Road in Mason. The televisions will be tuned to the inauguration. The event is a private event and is sold out, said Janice Roeder, president of the Mason Republican Women. It's a celebration, said Roeder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We worked really hard toward this election, put in many hours," Roeder said. "Our membership is very excited to celebrate the inauguration of Donald Trump and JD Vance." Protest in front of the Hamilton County Courthouse A collaboration of social activist organizations will stage anti-Trump protests across the country called "We Fight Back." This includes a protest at 3 p.m. outside of the Hamilton County Courthouse on Monday, according to the movement's website. The organization doesn't list many other details of the Cincinnati protest other than describing it as an event where "Cincinnati will come together to demand a future that centers the needs of the people over the interests of the wealthy elite. With voices raised for workers rights, immigrant rights, and environmental justice, we will call for an end to the genocide in Gaza, the U.S. war machine, and the rule of billionaires." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Where can I protest or watch Trump's inauguration in Cincinnati? BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) A wanted fugitive and illegal alien was located and arrested in Panama City Beach on Thursday. Members of Bay County Sheriffs Office Criminal and Special Investigations Divisions along with the US Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested 26-year-old Dushane Jerome Simon. According to a news release, Simon was wanted in connection to a gruesome case in Springfield Massachusetts where the victim was robbed, kidnapped, tortured, and set on fire. Simon fled Massachusetts before the trial for his involvement in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities in Massachusetts contacted BCSO on January 15 saying they were willing to extradite Simon for the charges if officials could locate him. Serial sexual offender attempted to be released from commitment facility Authorities said surveillance began and Simon was quickly located at an apartment in Panama City Beach. When law enforcement approached Simon jumped from a third-story balcony and fled on foot into a nearby wooded area, authorities wrote. BCSO Investigators and US Marshal Task Force members quickly captured Simon a short distance away. Bay County Sheriffs Office said an ICE hold has been placed on Simon, a Jamaican citizen. Simon has no valid visa to be in the US and a prior arrest history. He has a final deportation order and will be deported from the country upon his release from custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 mypanhandle.com. Its easy to make a quick list of challenges facing universities and colleges in Utah and beyond: Student debt. Campus culture wars. Budget cuts and reallocations. Tuition hikes. Workplace readiness. But another challenge that has impacted campuses for decades is often buried underneath the stack of higher education headlines and debates: More and more, males are sidestepping college. A few facts shared by the recently organized Higher Education Male Achievement Collaborative (HEMAC): Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Men now account for just two out of five college degrees earned in the United States, fewer than the share women received in 1972. Less than half of men who enroll complete a four-year degree within the expected time frame. Increasing numbers of male students arrive at college with significant mental health needs and associated challenges. Men from rural communities have the lowest enrollment rates. The predominance of women in college headcounts is happening in every state including Utah. As the Deseret News reported last month, 53% of the students enrolled in the Beehive States degree-granting institutions were female. A larger number of females are enrolled at each of the states eight public degree-granting colleges and universities with one exception the University of Utah, where males hold the majority by a tiny margin. Meanwhile, just over half of students enrolled at Brigham Young University a private institution sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are female. Reversing the disappearing male campus trend Last October, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the American Institute for Boys and Men (AIBM) launched HEMAC a joint initiative of diverse voices committed to addressing declining male achievement rates in higher education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AIMBs founding president Richard Reeves is a prominent advocate for solutions to the male/higher education challenge. His book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It, was recently featured on President Barack Obamas Summer Reading List. The alarm bells regarding male enrollment declines are tolling louder these days as overall college head counts diminish, Reeves told the Deseret News. More people are taking notice of fewer males on campus along with its attendant economic and social consequences. There are several viable reasons for male enrollment declines, said Reeves. They vary by institution and by states. So its difficult to generalize. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But I think its a sign that the K-12 system is not boy-friendly enough, he said. Whats happening in colleges is largely a reflection of what happens in K-12. The K-12 system, Reeves continued, is not geared to boys as it is to girls and thats why two-thirds of the top 10% of high schoolers, by GPA, are girls. Mike Kofoed partners with HEMAC as an assistant professor of economics at the University of Tennessee and he keeps his finger on the pulse of college enrollment and education economic trends. He points to research suggesting that primary school-age boys perform at the same rate as their female classmates on standardized tests but often receive lower classroom grades. That could be caused by differences between boys and girls in non-cognitive skill development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simply put, boys are not always a good fit for the K-12 classroom and that could influence their educational trajectory and attitudes towards school. Simultaneously, Kofoed added, the American economy has witnessed wage compression. Paychecks have risen in traditionally lower-income trade jobs, prompting many men to decide that higher education is unnecessary. But the career longevity and wage-growth of such trades often cant match those jobs filled by workers with college degrees. Both Reeves and Kofoed agree that fewer men in the college classroom also exacts a social-economic toll. While it seems socially acceptable for a man to marry a woman with less formal education, the reverse is not always true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its becoming more and more difficult for women with a college degree to find dating and marriage partners, said Kofoed. Reeves also suspects that declining male college enrollment numbers is also an identity issue. Many men simply dont feel comfortable on campus. Im increasingly worried that more and more men especially if they are men from, say, a working-class background just dont see college as being a place for them, he said. Kofoed and Reeves believe schools at all levels can do more to make schools a more male-friendly place including hiring more male K-12 teachers. Children can then see (a male teacher) who has gone to college and been successful. They can learn that its not unmasculine to want to pursue a higher education, said Kofoed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Efforts to increase male participation in higher education need not come at the expense of females, emphasized Reeves. Its not a zero-sum game. We can be passionate about womens rights and compassionate towards the struggles of boys and men, he said. University of Utah freshman Christopher Turner walks through the University of Utah campus in Salt Lake City on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025. | Kristin Murphy, Deseret News Collaborating to address males and higher education Since launching about three months ago, HEMAC has partnered with nearly two-dozen inaugural partners including two- and four-year educational institutions, academic leaders and other mission-aligned non-profits from across the country. Over the past few months, weve been speaking with our individual schools, seeing what programs they have in place to support male students, said HEMAC program manager Melinda Brock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HEMAC partners are also participating in a shared online learning community and monthly community webinars. The organizations first annual conference is in the works for later this year. HEMAC is looking to expand its partnerships with organizations interested in better achievement outcomes for males in higher education. Utah higher education leaders respond When asked about declines in male enrollment, Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) President Greg Peterson references research indicating that the countrys K-12 system isnt necessarily built in a way that provides the optimal experience for male students. As a result, many male high school graduates dont see themselves as college material. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Peterson points to SLCCs Salt Lake Technical College as an example of a post-secondary education option that offers students clear and relevant pathways particularly for male students. Higher education leaders, he added, need to consider their male students when asking how do we make sure that what were providing is relevant, that it feels meaningful, that its practical and that students can see why they are learning, what they are learning and how it applies to a specific outcome? Male college enrollment declines is a perplexing issue, said Geoffrey Landward, Utahs commissioner of higher education. The Beehive State performs better than most areas of the country in male college enrollment, he added. But its still there and its a worrying trend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The benefits of earning an advanced certificate or degree, he added, are indisputable. So our view is that weve got to get everybody in some sort of post-secondary degree or certificate program because its just better for them. Its better for the state. Landward said its fair to consider perception issues regarding colleges and universities. If you look at Gallup polls, the level of trust in higher education and its perceived value just continues to go down. As long as thats the case, were going to see trends like this and it may be disproportionately impacting young men for reasons that were still trying to better understand. Its incumbent upon higher education leaders, he added, to counter such perceptions by being more thoughtful and making sure were presenting diverse viewpoints and diverse programs. Warmer weather will continue to move into New Mexico through Friday. Then a winter storm will bring snow and Arctic air back into the state starting Saturday. More sunshine has helped to bring warmer weather back into New Mexico Wednesday with high temperatures a degree to several degrees warmer than yesterday. Sunny, dry, and calm weather will return again Thursday afternoon as high temperatures climb back to around average again for this time of year. A weak weather disturbance will move through western and southern New Mexico late Thursday night through early Friday morning. This could bring a few spotty rain and snow showers through the mid morning before drier weather returns. Westerly winds will pick up Friday afternoon with wind gusts anywhere from 25 to 50 mph. The wind will also bring the warmest weather of the week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arctic air will start moving into New Mexico from the north by Saturday afternoon. Temperatures will be dropping quickly from north to south by Sunday morning. Snow will also move in with this cold air. Snow will fall Saturday in southern Colorado and along and east of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, potentially as far south as the Sacramentos. A second surge of Arctic air will move into the state Sunday into Monday. This may bring another round of snowfall to northern and northeastern New Mexico, with snow chances moving into central, western, and southeastern New Mexico on Monday. Temperatures will be much colder Monday afternoon, with even colder high temperatures on Tuesday that wont climb above freezing for many areas. Bitterly cold wind chills in the single digits and below-zero will also develop in the overnight and morning hours on Monday and Tuesday. Travel impacts will be likely from the snow in northeastern New Mexico at the minimum, especially along I-25 from Las Vegas to Raton. 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. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Calm and mild conditions settle over the valley as a high pressure system moves through the area. This is causing dry conditions, but its holding off colder air from the north that will start to dip down into Colorado and the Great Plains. This is called an arctic blast and its caused by an incoming polar vortex. Temperatures typically associated with lake effect air from the Great Lakes will be hitting the Grand Valley and surrounding areas. Be prepared for chilly temperatures this weekend and some snow potential! Arctic blasts are defined as very cold air masses that typically originate in the Siberian Region of Asia, cross over the North Pole into Canada and push south and east into the lower United States. What does that mean for Colorado? Well, expect colder than average air from the north to push down into the area, drastically dropping temperatures Friday afternoon and Saturday. While chances for snow showers also increase, the single-digit overnight temperatures are the real threat. Here are some tips to keep yourself warm and safe during an arctic blast. If a vehicle can be put in a garage or under a weather cover, its recommended to do so. Keeping as much of a vehicle out of the elements will help prevent anything from breaking or freezing. Keeping the faucet slightly on will help prevent water from freezing inside pipes and cause them to burst. Monitor water bowls for outdoor animals and ensure they have access to fresh water that isnt frozen. Having at least a quarter of a tank of fuel for vehicles will ensure nobody is stranded during an emergency in case one needs to travel anywhere. Icy road conditions and winter weather advisories are expected, so slow down on roads and stay safe out there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overall, its going to be warm today, but expect a drastic shift for your weekend. 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. Jan. 15 (UPI) -- CIA director nominee John Ratcliffe said the agency needs to focus on its mission in the face of growing challenges from China and others during his Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said the hearing was held in expectation of President-elect Donald Trump formally nominating Ratcliffe as CIA director after Trump is sworn in on Monday. "The men and women of the intelligence community perform vital work to protect our nation," Cotton said. "They often serve in dangerous and squalid conditions. Their successes are seldom celebrated or even known." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cotton thanked the nation's intelligence community for its work but said more is needed. He cited the New Orleans terrorist attack on New Year's Day, the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, Hamas' unprovoked attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, and Russia's preparations for its eventual invasion of Ukraine as examples of recent CIA intelligence failures. Michele Ratcliffe, wife of John Ratcliffe, listens as her husband testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI "Suffice it to say, we're too often in the dark," Cotton said. "The problem is especially acute at the CIA," which he said needs to do a better job of obtaining clandestine intelligence. Cotton said the CIA has become too bureaucratic and is staffed with "talkers instead of doers," while relying on analysts instead of actual intelligence and has produced inaccurate intelligence while focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion over intelligence gathering. John Ratcliffe cited China as the nation's top global adversary and said better technology and human intelligence gathering would enable Congress and President-elect Donald Trump to make better decisions and avoid repeating recent mistakes during Wednesday's Senate Intelligence Committee confirmation hearing to examine his expected nomination as CIA director. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI "The nation needs a strong, capable and aggressive CIA," Cotton told Ratcliffe. "The men and women you will lead deserve to serve in that kind of agency." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Attorney General John Ashcroft spoke on Ratcliffe's behalf and called him a "tough and fair interrogator" who supports the Constitution, upholds the law and is qualified to lead the CIA. John Ratcliffe prepares to testify during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing to examine his expected nomination to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Ratcliffe told committee members he would focus on recruiting talent at the CIA and said complacency is tolerated there due to a "remarkably low turnover among its workforce." "The CIA must be a place that incentivizes and rewards meaningful contributions to our nation's security and holds accountable low performers and bad actors who are not focused on our mission," Ratcliffe said. John Ratcliffe prepares to testify during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing to examine his expected nomination to be Director of the Central Intelligence Agency at the U.S. Capitol in Washington DC on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. Photo by Ken Cedeno/UPI Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CIA needs people who hold a "Ph.D. but could win a bar fight" while building pathways for mid-career professionals to fill gaps in the agency's workforce, he told committee members. Ratcliffe said he also will focus on using technology capable of supporting the CIA's mission and enhancing its capabilities, including AI-powered large language models for analysis. "Our adversaries, including one in particular, understand that the nation who wins the race of the emerging technologies of today will dominate the world of tomorrow," Ratcliffe said. He cited China and the Chinese Communist Party as "far and away" the nation's top national security threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the recent creation of the CIA's China Mission Center is an example of the type of work that must continue to preserve peace and spread prosperity in the face of aggressive adversaries. Ratcliffe told the committee the CIA must remain the world's "premier clandestine collector of human intelligence" and must make the collection of human intelligence its primary focus. He said the CIA will "steal secrets" because "good decisions are hostage to good intelligence, and the better we do at collecting human intelligence, the better decisions you all can make." Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, asked how Ratcliffe would improve recent CIA miscues that failed to predict the Hamas attack on Israel, Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the sudden collapse of the Syrian regime and the Taliban's rapid seizure of control over Afghanistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratcliffe said improving technology to support surveillance can improve outcomes, but said improving human intelligence collection is most important. Ratcliffe also assured committee members he would not allow the CIA to become politicized and would "speak truth to power" instead of suppressing intelligence information. "If you have a politically motivated, bureaucratically imposed social justice agenda that takes up your attention, that can distract from the core mission of collecting human intelligence that matters and providing it to you in a timely way," Ratcliffe said. He said the nation faces virtual adversaries who would cross digital boundaries to obtain information and physical adversaries who would cross the U.S. border to undertake acts of terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The committee continued its confirmation hearing behind closed doors after closing the public hearing portion, which lasted for more than two hours. Committee members anticipate voting on Ratcliffe's nomination on Monday after receiving the formal nomination after Trump takes the oath of office. Attorney General Nick Brown signs his election certificate after being sworn in Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) Washingtons new governor, Bob Ferguson, has targeted his own former office as ripe for budget savings as he seeks fixes for the states multibillion-dollar shortfall. But his successor, a fellow Democrat, is already pushing back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nick Brown, who replaced Ferguson as attorney general on Wednesday, said hes raised his objections about the proposal to the new governor. I made my point pretty directly that I thought it was a bad idea and would be harmful to Washingtonians, Brown said in an interview in his office shortly after being sworn in. And AG Ferguson certainly understands this office and its budget better than most people. And you know, we are facing a real budget crisis that hopefully everyone can take seriously, but the idea of cutting that money is troublesome. Last week, in light of the projected budget shortfall, Ferguson proposed 6% spending cuts for nearly all state agencies. Ferguson has said the cuts would save about $4 billion over the next four years. While he exempted funding for K-12 education and public safety agencies, like the Department of Corrections and Washington State Patrol, he has touted how he did not spare his old agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Specifically, he focused on surplus dollars in the consumer protection and other civil law enforcement divisions of the attorney generals office. In the 16-page document detailing his plan, Ferguson said those divisions have a fund balance of more than $70 million. But the divisions have an annual budget of $36 million, he noted. While two years of money on hand would be ideal, Ferguson argued the office can sustain losing half of that $70 million, with the money shifted to the states general fund. The governor mentioned the plan again in his inaugural address Wednesday. In my proposal, I included a $35 million sweep of the attorney generals office, an agency that I care deeply about, Ferguson said. To meet these challenges, we cannot be leisurely when the times call for action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson expects a pending $24.6 million fine against Meta over allegations the company repeatedly sold political ads without public disclosure should make up for his proposed sweep. Meta, the company behind Facebook and Instagram, must pay 12% interest while appealing the fine. Ferguson estimated Meta now owes the state $35 million in penalties and attorney fees. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Brown, the states new top lawyer, said the cuts proposed by Ferguson would have a pretty devastating impact on vulnerable populations. That work goes directly toward civil rights cases brought by this office, environmental protection cases, consumer protection, antitrust. All of the things that protect the most vulnerable would be at risk if those cuts were implemented, Brown said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown also addressed staff and loved ones Wednesday afternoon in Olympia, saying he was humbled to take over the agency of more than 1,800 employees. We have some really, really big challenges ahead, he said, and we will get started on those tomorrow. Brown takes over as attorney general after serving as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington. He was also former Gov. Jay Inslees general counsel from 2013 to 2017. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Moments after his inaugural address on Wednesday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed three executive orders centered on reproductive health care access, housing, and streamlining permitting in the state. Reproductive health care Executive Order 25-01 directs the Washington State Department of Health to host a roundtable with medical providers, reproductive health experts, and policy makers to recommend strategies for protecting reproductive health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States Supreme Courts overturning of Roe v. Wade was the catalyst for a nationwide reproductive care-access crisis, particularly as to abortion care, the order states. Despite its longstanding commitment to robustly protecting reproductive freedom, Washington is not immune from this nationwide crisis, and must be proactive in taking steps to preserve reproductive freedom within this state. DONT MISS: Washington sees increase in out-of-state abortion patients post-Roe In his inauguration speech, Ferguson focused on bipartisanship before noting, let me be very clear my administration will work with President Trump where we can. We will stand up to him when we must. That most certainly includes protecting Washingtonians reproductive freedom. The focus on access to reproductive health care comes after Fergusons transition team created a committee which was co-led by a Planned Parenthood CEO and focused on finding ways to combat potential threats to abortion access under Project 2025 among other potential policies under the conservative guidebook. Housing Executive Order 25-02 aims to address Washingtons affordable housing crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the executive order, the governor directed state agencies to review all regulations surrounding housing, permitting, and construction. The order further directs state agencies to write a report for the Governors Office that identifies regulations that could be rescinded or streamlined to aid housing. Those agencies have 60 days to turn in the report. Washington is experiencing a severe housing shortage, which increases housing costs and reduces housing affordability, is the primary cause of the homelessness crisis in Washington, hinders the states economic prosperity, and prevents too many Washingtonians from maintaining housing stability, which is the foundation of every familys health, well-being, and economic stability, the executive order notes. First TriMet drug arrest made under new law after alleged fentanyl smoking on MAX train Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the order, more than 200,000 Washingtonians are experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Additionally, the order states that the average worker must earn more than $40 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment. That means a worker earning Washington States highest minimum wage (which is $20.76 in Seattle) would need to work 80 hours per week to afford an apartment, the order notes. Permitting reform Executive Order 25-03 directs all state agencies to decrease their permit and license processing times. State agencies that issue permits, certifications, or identification cards must provide a list of all the permits they offer to the Governors Office in 60 days and must analyze the timeliness of issuing the permits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order notes, increasing efficiency, transparency, and predictability in the processing and approval of state-issued permits, licenses, certifications, and identification cards will remove unnecessary barriers for Washingtonians seeking to do business in the state. 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 KOIN.com. Jan. 16WATERTOWN A local couple has received a $40,000 loan from the Watertown Local Development Corporation to open an ice cream parlor in a Washington Street plaza. Members of the local economic development agency, also known as the Watertown Trust, unanimously agreed Thursday to grant Amy Voodre the loan to establish Shaboom's ice cream shop in a storefront most recently occupied by Pie Zano's pizzeria. She'll run the shop with her husband Bill. WLDC board member Marshall Weir, who also serves as the CEO of the Jefferson County Industrial Development Agency, looks forward to getting an ice cream cone at Shaboom's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's an interesting idea," he said during Thursday's Watertown Trust meeting. He mentioned that the new business brings back fond memories of Puff's Ice Cream Store, the ice cream shop that was on Washington Street until it closed during the 1990s. Shaboom's will be a 1950s-themed ice cream shop that offers 26 flavors of Hershey's hard and soft ice cream, pints and gallons of ice cream, ice cream cakes and sandwiches and bars, along with milkshakes. The couple also plans to have a well-stocked candy counter and sell bubble tea. The storefront is going through extensive renovations with new black and white checkered flooring and bright pinkish and blue painted walls. They plan to add table and counter seating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple expects to open Shaboom's during the week of Feb. 10 for Valentine's Day. Another WLDC board member, Mike Pierce, said the ice cream shop will complement other businesses in the plaza. Piggly Wiggly, Chrissy Beanz and Gateway Liquor are among the plaza's tenants. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Overcrowding at a new mens prison in Lincoln County isnt a concern, South Dakota Department of Corrections Secretary Kellie Wasko said at Thursdays Senate Judiciary Committee meeting. Wasko said overcrowding was not a concern in response to new lawmaker Republican Sen. Greg Blancs question about space. 2 dead after drowning in Walworth County The proposed mens prison would have about 1,500 beds, most for what are described as medium security inmates. Wasko said the capacity would be at about 95%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2 dead after drowning in Walworth County When inmates are moved from overcrowded facilities such as Mike Durfee in Springfield, it will leave 5% vacancy at all facilities, Wasko said. We want every facility at 5% vacancy, Wasko said. As people progress, weve had to move them around. Inmates will graduate from higher classification security to lower classification and new inmates will enter the system. Space is needed to make sure those inmates are in the proper location, she said. Her main concern isnt potential overcrowding with a new prison, its the overcrowding and safety concerns that already exist at the mens prison in Sioux Falls and at facilities such as Mike Durfee, Wasko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to an earlier question, Wasko said about 200 inmates are in the highest security classification in Sioux Falls. But staff are still vulnerable including to fluid attacks from inmates in that high security area, she said. And the number of staff is not appropriate for Sioux Falls and Mike Durfee, she said. Conditions are getting to the point, that if something were to happen, it would be catastrophic, Wasko said. Improving the safety of staff and inmates is part of what is driving the need for a new mens prison. Wasko said more space is needed to provide rehabilitation services to inmates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As an example, the DOC has a re-entry program for inmates to help prepare them for then return to the community after serving their sentence. Staff is excited by that programming but its very challenging, Wasko said. Staff needs to share space with other programs and space is already limited. Republican Sen. Jim Mehlhaff asked if re-entry had been successful and if its had any impact on recidivism. We just got started in July (2024), Wasko said. Recidivism is typically gauged in year over year in three-year increments so its too soon to know, she said. When the courts sentence an individual to return to prison for 30 days, 60 days, six months or a year, it can be difficult to address re-entry with those inmates, Wasko said. The first 30 days of returning to prison are spent on diagnostics to evaluate needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had to take a hard line on that, Wasko said in response to a question from newly-elected Republican Sen. Tamara Grove. Inmates who may have two years to five years remaining on a sentence are involved in the re-entry program when those with shorter sentences return to prison. The DOC will only take those short term returning offenders into re-entry programs if there is room, Wasko said. No longer term offenders will be bumped from the program. About 3,500 inmates in the DOC system have some tie to substance abuse which includes trafficking, being a user, or a distributor or manufacturer, Wasko said. Right now, the DOC has 19 counselors available to those inmates, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I first got here, 200 of those 3,000 got treated, Wasko said. The DOC is now working with South Dakota State University to add more programming that addresses substance disorders. But space, including that at the new womens prison and the planned mens prison, will help, she said. A therapeutic community of 72 inmates can be addressed by two counselors. Republican Sen. Tom Pischke asked about why Metal Craft Industries (MCI) is no longer involved with the DOC. The metal fabricator had hired inmates for about 20 years. Wasko said she has emails and photos that document reasons why MCI is no longer with the DOC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program started under Gov. Bill Jacklow. After an investigation, Wasko said, it was determined the program wasnt serving Jacklows idea. I have absolutely no hard feelings with MCI, Wasko said. She wishes the DOC and the company could have reached an agreement. MCI was employing a majority of inmates with life sentences or very long sentences, Wasko said. The program was designed to prepare inmates with five to eight years sentences, she said. Those inmates could gain skills that would get them jobs in the community with MCI or some other program, Wasko said. MCI was not willing to have inmates with shorter sentences on the staff, Wasko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a May KELOLAND interview, Terry Van Zanten of MCI said the company hired inmates on life sentences because those were the inmates the DOC provided to the company over the years. Van Zanten also said MCI was willing to work with those with lesser sentences but it wasnt given enough time to train them, he said. Pichske pointed out that inmates employed by MCI earned a wage. Wasko agreed but said the DOC is now working with Southeastern Tech on welding and diesel mechanic programs as part of vocational training for inmates. 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 KELOLAND.com. Credit: X / @blueorigin Jeff Bezos has taken a major leap forward in his battle with Elon Musk to conquer space after launching his heavy New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time. After repeated delays and an aborted launch attempt on Monday, the rocket blasted off at just after 2am local time from Cape Canaveral in Florida as Mr Bezos watched on from the companys mission control room. The mission represents the first time a rocket owned by Mr Bezoss company Blue Origin has reached orbit, more than two decades after he founded the business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rocket shot past the Karman line, seen as the boundary of space, to cheers and whoops from Blue Origins crew and staff on its live stream. Its time to do this, lets light this candle, said Ariane Cornell, Blue Origins launch commentator, as it blasted off. However, while the 32-story rocket launched successfully, its attempt to land its booster rocket back on Earth failed. New Glenns maiden space flight was delayed by poor weather earlier in the week - AP Photo/John Raoux Ahead of the launch, Blue Origin said: No amount of ground testing or mission simulations is a replacement for flying this rocket. Our key objective today is to reach orbit safely. Anything beyond that is icing on the cake. We know landing the booster on our first try offshore in the Atlantic is ambitious but were going for it. No matter what happens, well learn, refine, and apply that knowledge to our next launch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Bezos, the founder of Amazon, hopes his rocket venture will enable humans to colonise space. The billionaire and worlds second richest man after Mr Musk has spoken of his vision of millions of people living in off-world space stations. Founded in 2000 in secret, Mr Bezos had a two-year headstart on Mr Musks SpaceX, a company that aims to take mankind to Mars, but Blue Origin has endured years of delays and setbacks in its attempt to build a launcher that can compete with Mr Musks reusable Falcon 9 rocket. While Mr Musk has launched hundreds of rockets and become a crucial partner of NASA, Mr Bezoss business has only hosted a handful of suborbital space tourism flights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The companys 320ft tall New Glenn rocket is intended to ferry dozens of satellites into space. Its first mission is carrying a data and communications satellite called Blue Ring. Like Mr Musks SpaceX, the companys rockets are intended to be reusable. However, its attempt to return the companys booster stage back to Earth, by landing it on an ocean-borne barge called Jacklyn, ended with the loss of the first stage. Jeff Bezos founded Blue Origin in secret in 2000 - REUTERS/Isaiah J. Downing/File Photo/File Photo Mr Bezos has long been a space enthusiast. He is a fan of the science fiction series Star Trek, once appearing as an extra in the movie Star Trek Beyond. In 2021, he travelled to the edge of space aboard Blue Origins space tourism rocket, New Shepherd, on its maiden manned flight. Blue Origin first announced its plans for its orbital New Glenn rocket in 2016, named after John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, with a first flight planned as early as 2020. That timeline has since repeatedly slipped, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Bezos has also lost out on multi-billion dollar contracts to SpaceX. In 2021, Blue Origin sued NASA over its decision to award a $3bn ($2.5bn) lunar lander contract to Mr Musks company, a case it lost. However, NASA later awarded a second lander contract to Mr Bezoss company. 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. Gov. Ron DeSantis is holding a news conference Thursday morning where he named a replacement for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who was tapped by President-elect Trump to lead the State Department. While several names have been floated, Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody emerged a frontrunner for the position before DeSantis made an official announcement. Other names on the shortlist included Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez (R) and the governors chief of staff James Uthmeier. DeSantis also spoke with Reps. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.) and Cory Mills (R-Fla.) about the position but raised doubts about plucking a lawmaker from the House amid razor thin GOP margins in the chamber. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EST. Watch the live video above. 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. A MAGA state senator in Georgia was shoved to the ground and arrested Thursday for trying to defy a ban and forcefully enter the House chambers. Colton Moore was thrown down as he tried to push his way past police and officials to make it inside the chamber for Gov. Brian Kemps state of the state speech. Moore, 31, was banned indefinitely from the chambers last year after he referred to the late House speaker David Ralston as one of the most corrupt Georgians weve seen in our lives during a day of remembrance for the longtime Republican politician, whose loved ones were in attendance. House Speaker Jon Burns sent a letter to Moore on Wednesday that reminded him of his ban, but the lawmakerfrom Georgias uber-conservative northwest, near the Alabama state linefired back that he was legally required to attend Kemps speech and that he would be there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore was met with a blockade of House officials and state troopers on Thursday morning, however, who had to physically intervene to stop him from entering. Moore stopped his physical push after he hit the deck, video captured by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed, but he then began complaining to a state trooper. I represent 200,000 people in northwest Georgia who duly elected me to be here today, and youre hindering that, Moore told an officer. Im not hindering nothing, the trooper responded. Moore shouted back: Unconstitutional. You have no respect for the Constitution, complete disrespect to the Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trooper, remaining calm, then warned Moore that he was not going to allow more of his antics. Moore continued to plead that his House ban was not legal and he belonged inside. The moment Colton Moore, 31, was arrested at the state Capitol on Thursday. / X After at least two minutes of trying to enter, troopers had enough. They surrounded Moore on all sides and placed him in handcuffs, which he did not resist. Moores office later confirmed he was arrested and taken to the same Fulton County jail where Donald Trump infamously had his mugshot taken last year. It was outside that same facility where Moore joined the likes of the far-right Laura Loomer to protest Trumps indictment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moore has been a steadfast supporter of Trump and has a photo of him smiling next to the president-elect as a pinned post on X. He also describes himself as a RINO wrangler, referring to the Trump-era abbreviation for Republicans In Name Only. The Fani Willis take down team is ready to Make America Great Again! @charlice_byrd pic.twitter.com/xHevxur6yf Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) March 10, 2024 Many in the MAGA world came to Moores defense on Thursday, calling his banand subsequent arrest for defying itan overstep. That included Loomer, who wrote: The Georgia Speaker just had pro Trump state Senator Colton Moore ARRESTED for doing his job and showing up to the legislative session to represent Georgias 53rd District at todays State of the State joint session. The RINOS in Georgia are tyrants! Moore has been a disruptor in Georgia politics in recent years. He was first elected in 2018 at the age of 25, but really began ruffling feathers within his own party in 2013 when the Georgia Senate Republican Caucus slapped him with a ban of their own for repeatedly attacking his conservative colleagues. Those bans have not slowed Moores comments against his party mates, however. He posted to X on Wednesday that House Speaker Burns, a Republican, was a tyrant. TYRANT ALERT Speaker @JonBurnsGA is attempting to ARREST and BLOCK me from representing the 53rd District at tomorrows State of the State joint session. I will NEVER back down. I will ALWAYS speak the truth and represent the people of Northwest Georgia as their trusted pic.twitter.com/zl9R4H1EmY Sen. Colton Moore (@realColtonMoore) January 15, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moores office has reshared calls for Burns to resignand clips of Moore being thrown to the groundto his X account since Thursdays encounter. It also shared a statement there. Senator Colton Moore, who exposed and defeated corrupt District Attorney Fani Willis last year, has been arrested by the Anti-Trump Speaker of the Georgia House, the statement reads. Colton is being held in the same Atlanta jail as President Trump (sic). We are working to ensure his expedient release. Please pray for all those standing up for freedom and peace for all Georgians. A masked gang of youths have been captured on CCTV viciously stabbing a transgender girl in an attack organised on Snapchat. The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was stabbed nine times in Harrow, north-west London, in February last year. The hooded and masked gang have now been jailed for the abhorrent assault, which the victim only survived because passers-by intervened to help. Summer Betts-Ramsey, 20, who carried out the stabbing, was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in youth detention on Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge Philip Katz KC told her she was a dangerous offender who continues to pose a risk to the public. Metropolitan Police Bradley Harris, Camron Osei, and Shiloh Hindes, all 18, were sentenced to three years in youth detention, while a 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named, was given a youth rehabilitation order. In January 2024, the girl was with Harris at his house when the pair kissed and she performed oral sex on him, the court heard. Soon afterwards, another friend told Harris the girl was a tranny, prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said. She denied it, but when Harris picked up a knife and said: Ill stab you if you lie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The girl admitted that she was transgender before being told to leave. When Harris told the group she had lied to him, they turned on her, Ms Heer said. Immediately attacked On the day of the attack, the girl left her home believing she was going to a roller-skating event with them, the court heard. Betts-Ramsey, from Barnet; Harris, from Harrow; Osei, from Tadworth, Surrey; Hindes, from Southwark; and the 17-year-old boy were all dressed in dark clothing, with masks and hoods, and were waiting for her at the bus stop. Once at a nearby car park, she was immediately attacked and had no time to say anything or defend herself, the court was told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The CCTV footage showed Betts-Ramsey stabbing her as the others continued to attack her with kicks and punches for about 45 seconds before leaving the scene. The victim was taken to hospital after members of the public called an ambulance. Ms Heer added that the group later bragged about the assault and taunted the victim on social media. A 17-year-old girl who was not part of the group or the planning was also handed a supervision order after she joined in with the attack before robbing the girls handbag, the court heard. Left with thick scars The 17-year-old boy sent the girl a message which said Ur lookin sweet, the court was told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That night, a message was sent to Betts-Ramsey which said: Stabbing a girl cus shes trans... its disgusting, to which Betts-Ramsey replied: IT deserved it. In a victim impact statement read to the court, the girl said she still has thick scars as a result of the attack. Handing down his sentence, Judge Katz said the victim had been viciously assaulted. She was punched to the ground and repeatedly kicked and stamped on. Rather than help, all of those involved ran off. She suffered really serious physical and emotional injuries. Kicking and standing on someone when they are on the ground is abhorrent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each member of the group played a very significant role, the judge said, adding that the video footage of the attack was sickening to watch. A premeditated attack All members of the group previously admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent and Betts-Ramsey also admitted possession of a knife. Det Insp Nicola Hannant, who led the Metropolitan Police investigation, said after the sentencing: This was a premeditated attack where the young people involved lured the victim to the venue, concealed their identities by wearing face coverings, discussed using weapons and, after the attack, made efforts to get rid of any evidence. It was incredibly fortunate for all those involved that the injuries caused were not more serious, as the level of violence used could quite easily have resulted in the death of the victim. 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. A recent study examining future water demands in the Wabash headwaters predicts a slight increase in use over the next 50 years, but some environmental groups say it overlooked the impact of new economic development projects. The Indiana Finance Authority commissioned the study to look at how much water is currently used in the area and determine if there will be enough to meet public water supply needs. The IFA was not available for comment about the study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The study looked at multiple watersheds stretching from Tippecanoe County to the Ohio border northeast of Muncie. The Wabash Headwaters regional water study area stretches from Tippecanoe County in the west to the Ohio border on the east. Key points from the study The biggest demands of water historically have been industrial use and the public water supply. Industries using the most water include mining, manufacturing, food production and warehouses among other operations. Quarry mining was the largest water user in the area, accounting for 70% of industrial withdrawals in 2022. Water demands in the region are expected to increase about 9% by 2070, moving from 81.8 million gallons per day to 89.9 million. The area within the study is expected to see a population decline of about 9% by 2050. While industrial use is a significant portion of the regions demand for water, the study says it did not account for new industry or industrial users that may shut down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The stakeholders interviewed as part of the study highlighted the desire to attract more industrial customers but did not have any specific projects under construction or in the planning phases that could be added to the forecast, the study says. Water isn't only a Western problem: Here's why some Hoosiers are worried about running out Study potentially underestimates future water use The studys omission of future industrial uses raised some questions from Citizens Action Coalition Executive Director Kerwin Olson. Olson said the study seemed well done and included quality factual data, but the potential development of data centers and small module nuclear reactors could mean large water withdrawals along with the new LEAP district. The CAC had previously published its concerns over potential water consumption at the manufacturing park under development near Lebanon in Central Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Data centers and SMRs are water hogs, Olson said, and the absence of future water use from the LEAP district in the study stuck him as an understatement of potential water use. The study region covers a significant area with a lot of potential for development over the next 50 years. Olson said the potential for large water users such as battery plants, component manufacturing and electric vehicle makers could mean much more water is needed that what the study projects. It seems like we are all in in Indiana in terms of economic development and that starts with manufacturing, Olson said. And in part its because of our water, but we only have so much. Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk or BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IndyStar's environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Wabash water study paints rosy picture, doesn't factor in new industry Two California representatives in Washington are trying to combat the states home insurance crisis that has left many residents without coverage as wildfires tear through the Los Angeles area. Reps. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) and Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) reintroduced on Thursday the Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act, which calls for an assessment of the home insurance market in communities with high wildfire risk. The bill easily passed the House Financial Services Committee with bipartisan support last Congress, but was pulled from consideration before getting a vote by the full House. The bills return comes after a week of desperate firefighting in Southern California, where entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ash and rubble. The fires have claimed thousands of homes and businesses in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, Altadena and other communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before the fires sparked, the home insurance market in California was already in crisis as insurers opted not to renew thousands of policies in areas deemed to be at high risk of fires, including those that were hit by the current blazes. Some homeowners who didnt have their coverage canceled saw their rates rise sharply. Read more: First, they lost their home insurance. Then, L.A. fires consumed their homes Over the years weve watched insurance companies raise premiums, reduce coverage, and abandon wildfire coverage in high-risk areas altogether, Waters said in a statement. This leaves families and businesses throughout the state of California without the resources they need to recover. The Wildfire Insurance Coverage Study Act would require the Government Accountability Office to examine the availability and affordability of home insurance in fire-prone areas. The GAO would also gather data on disparities in access to wildfire coverage and make recommendations for federal actions to stabilize insurance markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The devastating fires in my district and the greater Los Angeles area underscore the need for Congress to focus on the availability and cost of fire insurance coverage, Sherman said. Although insurance is a state-regulated industry, Waters said her bill would help Congress and the federal government better understand what federal tools are available to respond to the risks posed by wildfires. The bill also calls for an inquiry into the role climate change plays in exacerbating wildfires. Read more: L.A.-based Farmers tops survey of big California home insurers that decline the most claims Also this week, California lawmakers introduced legislation they hope will fill gaps in support for renters and homeowners affected by the fires, as well as the inmate firefighters the state relies on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Isaac Bryan, a Democratic Assembly member from Los Angeles, proposed a bill to raise the pay for inmate firefighters during the hours that they are actively fighting a fire to match the rate of the lowest professional state firefighter wage. California has long relied on incarcerated firefighters on the front lines, with hundreds of prison firefighters deployed in Los Angeles in recent days. The practice has drawn criticism from some for the meager pay these inmates receive for the potentially life-threatening work. The firefighters make between $5.80 and $10.24 daily as well as an additional $1 hourly wage on the front lines, for shifts that can last as long as 24 hours, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. We are seeing our incarcerated folks putting their lives in harm's way and protecting whole communities, Bryan said in an interview. We bring up how they are doing this work for slave wages, but we never do anything about it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Assembly member John Harabedian, whose district includes fire ravaged Altadena, introduced this week AB 238, a bill aimed at delivering financial relief to Californians forced to shoulder payments for both temporary housing and mortgages simultaneously. Another bill, AB 246, calls for a rent freeze across Los Angeles County and would create a civil penalty for landlords who violate it. The effort comes as L.A. City Council moved to bar evictions for some tenants and pets amid the emergency. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) On January 20, people all around the country will be honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. This year the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be honoring MLKs legacy by giving back to the community, by inviting the public to volunteer at DNR properties around the state of Indiana. Water main break closes S.R. 59 in Linton There are 100 DNR properties around the state, including 37 state parks, according to Volunteer Coordinator for Indiana State Parks, Jody Heaston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heaston said people volunteer at their properties year-round, whether thats picking up litter along the trails, helping at special events or painting structures. We have people that volunteer for us on a regular basis because they just enjoy working with the staff. They enjoy being outside and they just enjoy what they do. It gives them purpose to come out and help us to maintain and preserve and conserve our properties for generations to come. For more information about volunteering at DNR properties, you can go to their website. Tim Yocum chosen as State Representative for District 42 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 MyWabashValley.com. President-elect Donald Trumps inauguration will restore sweeping power to anti-abortion activists staunchest ally, who many in the movement once deemed the most pro-life president in the nations history. Four years after Trump left office the first time, the state of access looks radically different. Since the 2022 fall of Roe v. Wade, voters across the political spectrum have repeatedly shown they favor reproductive rights, even while voting for GOP lawmakers. Its deterred some Republicans, Trump among them, from at least publicly endorsing restrictions that could be politically toxic. Still, once in office, Trump and his administration would have substantial power to further restrict abortion. And with Roe overturned, the avenues to do so are larger than they were last time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so many levers he could press, said Greer Donley, a law professor at the University of Pittsburgh who tracks abortion policy. Despite his recent wavering, she added, Theres no world in which I think hes not going to do anything. Trumps previous actions offer some clues as to what he could do this term, even without help from Congress. Medication abortion Abortion opponents have urged Trump to impose new restrictions on mifepristone, one of the medications used in most abortions. The Food and Drug Administration, a subsidiary of HHS, has approved mifepristone for use in abortion and has said it can be prescribed over telemedicine and taken from home, decisions grounded in a large body of medical research. The FDA has historically acted with political independence. But that could change. Abortion opponents argue that the agency should be leveraged to limit when and how mifepristone can be used rescinding its telemedicine approval, or even moving to take the drug off the market. Such decisions would go against scientific evidence. Though medical abortion is still possible without mifepristone, using larger doses of a drug called misoprostol, that one-medication regimen is slightly less safe and effective. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some health care providers have said they are unsure if they would continue offering medication abortion without mifepristone. Telehealth abortions using medication now make up about 1 in 5 abortions in the country including many prescribed and provided across state lines, with health care providers in abortion-friendly states sending medication to those in states with bans. When asked about whether he would direct the FDA to revoke mifepristones approval, Trump has been unclear. The Comstock Act Some of the most extreme anti-abortion activists also want the new administration to revive an 1873 anti-vice law known as the Comstock Act, which prohibits the mailing of materials that can be used or applied for producing abortion, or for any indecent or immoral purpose. The law was never repealed, but has not been enforced for decades. Some abortion opponents believe it could be leveraged now to ban the distribution of all abortion medications, or even all abortions entirely. The Biden administrations DOJ has rejected this interpretation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, Trump said he would not enforce Comstock. But others in his orbit, including contributors to the conservative policy blueprint known as Project 2025, have endorsed that approach. Planned Parenthood and Title X During his last presidency, Trump worked to boot clinics, including Planned Parenthood the nations largest provider of reproductive health care from a federal program that supports family planning clinics for low-income people. The program, Title X, does not directly fund abortion; the money supports health care services such as contraception, cancer screenings and testing for sexually transmitted infections. But the reproductive health clinics supported through the program sometimes may refer patients for abortion. Planned Parenthood, a frequent target of abortion opponents, operates the bulk of clinics that qualify for Title X funds. Trumps previous administration forbade Title X clinics from telling patients about abortion options, even if they did not provide the service themselves. The rule resulted in more than 400 Planned Parenthood clinics losing federal funding, along with more than 600 clinics outside of the organization. The Guttmacher Institute, which tracks reproductive health policy, estimates that the change cut the Title X programs capacity in half, affecting about 1.6 million patients. The Biden administration reversed that policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps first administration also moved to let anti-abortion centers mostly non-medical facilities that focus on discouraging people from getting abortions apply for and receive Title X funds, another policy the Biden administration undid. On the 2024 campaign trail, Vice President-elect JD Vance said that once in office, Trump would support defunding Planned Parenthood suggesting he might bring back the rule upon returning to the White House. Medicaid By law, Medicaid, the public insurance program for low-income Americans, is not allowed to discriminate against qualified family planning providers, meaning beneficiaries should be allowed to use that coverage at Planned Parenthood clinics. Medicaid is jointly funded and run by the federal government and individual states, so it can only cover abortion when the state government has specifically put money toward doing so. During Trumps previous presidency, HHS authorized states to have greater flexibility in determining which providers could participate in the program, a move that some interpreted as easing the way for states to bar Planned Parenthood from Medicaid. In 2024, the Biden administration issued guidance remaining states that they were required to let Medicaid-covered patients choose their family planning provider, and that they could not prohibit a qualified clinic from participating in the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, two states Arkansas and Missouri have actively enforced laws that prevent local Planned Parenthood clinics from participating in Medicaid. Similar laws in other states have been blocked by courts. The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case weighing whether states can in fact kick Planned Parenthood out of their Medicaid programs, even when the insurance plan is not being used to cover abortion. The case concerns a 2018 executive order issued by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, who sought to stop Medicaid funds from going to Planned Parenthood. People participate in the National Womens March in Washington, D.C., on November 2, 2024. (Allison ROBBERT/AFP/Getty Images) The Justice Department The Biden administration has actively defended abortion rights in multiple cases. One, concerning whether the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act protects abortion access in particular medical emergencies, is pending at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Another, concerning the legality of medication abortion, is making its way through the federal courts as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the transition, Trumps Justice Department could drop those cases, or similarly decline to defend abortion rights in court. The new DOJ could also eliminate abortion rights initiatives, such as its Reproductive Rights Task Force, which was established after Roes overturn and monitored state anti-abortion policies that could violate federal law . The incoming administration could take an opposite approach to the DOJ under Biden filing lawsuits that challenge state laws protecting abortion rights, rather than suing states with particular restrictions. Abortion for immigrants The Trump administration sought to deny abortions to pregnant immigrant minors in U.S. custody. That effort was led by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, a subsidiary of Health and Human Services (HHS). E. Scott Lloyd, who headed the office under Trump, personally worked to discourage detained teenagers from getting abortions. In one such case, a 17-year-old woman sought an abortion while detained in Texas. The Trump administration attempted to deny her access, prompting a lawsuit from the ACLU. The young woman received her abortion after a federal appeals court ruling almost two months later. The global gag rule Trumps previous administration said recipients of American foreign aid could not perform or actively promote abortion as a method of family planning, a rule that weakened reproductive health providers well beyond the nations borders. The global gag rule applied to organizations that received money from government agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development to work in other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A version of that policy, which was swiftly reversed by President Joe Biden, had been enforced under previous Republican presidents; Democratic administrations have consistently undone it. The Trump administration took a more sweeping approach in preventing global aid providers from talking about abortion. Under previous GOP administrations, the gag rule, also known as the Mexico City Policy, had applied to organizations receiving funding related to family planning. During the Trump presidency, it affected all global health funding disbursed by the United States. The rules broad reach meant it affected about $12 billion and that covered work in contraception, HIV treatment, child nutrition, water sanitation, malaria and tuberculosis. The State Department under Trumps first term also expanded the policy to include subcontractors who worked with organizations that got American funding, even if they had not received any aid dollars individually. Research shows that implementing the global gag rule typically results in family planning clinics shutting down, a decrease in contraceptive use and an increase in abortion. It is not clear whether the broader-reaching Trump rule increased the policys impact. The post All of the ways Trump could impact abortion policy from day one appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. After some light rain and chilly temperatures, Central Florida residents can look forward to a significant warmup this weekend. The temperature highs up to the 70s. More rain is expected on Sunday, bringing a shift in the weather pattern. Following the weekend, a surge of arctic air will move down south, resulting in much colder conditions by Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Channel 9 Chief Meteorologist Tom Terry is closely monitoring the forecast, as there is potential for both rainfall and wintry precipitation in the sunshine state next Tuesday and Wednesday. Stay tuned to Channel 9 for weather updates. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. Wendy Williams is being held against her will in a high-security treatment facility in New York, the former talk show host said Thursday during an emotional interview with the Breakfast Club. I feel like Im in prison. Im definitely isolated, Williams, 60, said. Williams has been in a conservatorship with a court-appointed guardian since 2022. She was diagnosed in 2023 with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia, and in November 2024, her guardian Sabrina Morrissey wrote in court filings that she was permanently incapacitated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But during Thursdays interview, Williams was adamant that she was able to make decisions for herself. Asked by host Charlamagne tha God if she was cognitively impaired, she replied, Do I sound that way, goddamnit? Morrissey had filed the documents as part of a lawsuit seeking to block Lifetime from releasing a documentary series called Where is Wendy Williams? that followed Williams as she dealt with alcohol addiction and health issues. Morrissey claimed the documentary was exploitative, but Williams and her family say Morrissey wanted it blocked because the show was critical of the conservatorship. The Daily Beast has reached out to Morrissey for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Breakfast Club interview, Williams and her niece Alex, who joined her aunt on the line, described how Williams lives in a room with a bed, a chair, a TV, and a bathroom. She can make phone calls but cant receive them, and she doesnt have a laptop, tablet, or smartphone. The elevator to her floor is locked. Visitors must be approved by Morrissey, and Williams only regular human contact is with the orderlies who bring her pills every day. The other people living are her floor are so unwell she cant have conversations with them, she said. I keep my door closed, she said. I watch TV, I listen to the radio, and I watch the window. I sit here as my life goes by. In December, she was allowed to take a rare trip to Florida for her sons graduation, but Williams said she wants to move to Miami to be near her family. Her niece agreed that the family wants her with them, echoing comments her son made on social media shortly before Christmas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets get her home, Kevin Hunter Jr., 24, wrote in the comments of a video shared by Charlamagne tha God on Instagram. Shes sober and wants to come home. Were fighting to make that happen because isolation is killing her faster than anything else. About 20 minutes into Thursdays interview, Williams burst into tears talking about how her guardian might not let her to go to Miami next month for her fathers 94th birthday. Im exhausted thinking about, What if I cant see my dad for his birthday? You know, at 94, the day after that is not promised, she said, breaking down. My life is like f---ed up, she added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams and Alex had discussed the possibility of her guardian retaliating against her for doing the Breakfast Club interview, including denying her the trip or taking away her phone, but she decided to do it anyway, Alex said. What if they take my phone? Williams interjected, her voice breaking again. I wont be able to talk to anybody. She only has $15 because she cant access her money, she said, and all of her stuff is in storage. Her guardian has had her cellphone with all her contacts for the past three years, and she even sold her two cats without telling her, Williams said. Charlamagne promised to stay on top of the issue and said he hopes she will soon be celebrating her fathers birthday and living in Miami. Her family has created a GoFundMe to help expedite her return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before she hung up, Charlamagne told her she couldnt just end the interview by saying, We love you. You know what youve got to end with, he said. That prompted Williams to launch into her signature saying: How you doing? Shout it out! Staff members show the first-day cover of the postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series in Minsk, Belarus, Jan. 15, 2025. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. (Photo by Henadz Zhinkov/Xinhua) Postage stamps for the "Year of the Snake" from the "Eastern Calendar" series dedicated to the Lunar New Year were released at the Confucius Institute of the Belarusian State University in Minsk on Wednesday. The set of six stamps, titled "Eastern Calendar: Year of the Snake," consists of an image of a snake in the center. The lower right corner features the Chinese word for "Snake" along with the phrase "Year of the Snake" written in Belarusian. Belarusian Minister of Communications and Informatization Konstantin Shulgan said the stamps' publication illustrates how close the relationship between the two countries remains. Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Zhang Wenchuan said the issuance of Chinese zodiac stamps in Belarus has become a symbolic event for China and Belarus to celebrate the New Year and Spring Festival together, contributing to the mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. Wendy Williams is denying claims that shes in cognitive decline as she breaks her silence on her prison-like conservatorship. The 60-year-old New Jersey native and her niece Alex had a phone interview Thursday morning with The Breakfast Club radio show to detail the allegedly oppressive conditions to which shes been subjected in recent years. I am not cognitively impaired, no, but I feel like I am in prison, said the former talk show host, whos currently living in New York. This system is broken, this system that Im in. This system has falsified a lot. This has been three years Im caught up in this system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams revealed that as part of her conservatorship, she can call friends and family but no one can call her, as her phone number is with her court-ordered guardian, Sabrina Morrissey. Thats been the reality since 2023, Alex said. That room shes sitting in? Shes there every day, all hours of the day. Every week. Every month. Shes not getting proper sunlight. I went to New York in October to visit her and the level of security, and the level of questions that there were in terms of who am I, why am I here, whats the purpose, I mean it was absolutely just horrible. Noting that shes spent her past three birthdays alone, Williams called what shes going through emotional abuse. She said her cats were sold without her knowledge and that, at this point, she has just $15 to her name. Her finances are not in her control. She also has to get permission from Morrissey to visit her father in Florida for his 94th birthday next week a request that has yet to be approved. That person that youre talking about, whos holding me hostage I dont know that shes going to let me, Williams said, referring to Morrissey, who last year filed legal documents claiming Williams was severely cognitively impaired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last February, Williams care team revealed that shed been diagnosed with aggressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May of 2023. By September, they said she was permanently disabled and legally incapacitated as a result. Williams said she fears potential retaliation such as losing her phone privileges as a result of giving the interview, but told her niece, I have to do this. Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne Tha God noted for listeners that Williams likely wasnt even saying as much as she wanted to. When you hear her, dont think shes jumping around and dont know what shes talking about, he said. She cant say a lot legally. NEW YORK Wendy Williams is denying claims that shes in cognitive decline as she breaks her silence on her prison-like conservatorship. The 60-year-old New Jersey native and her niece Alex had a phone interview Thursday morning with The Breakfast Club radio show to detail the allegedly oppressive conditions to which shes been subjected in recent years. I am not cognitively impaired, no, but I feel like I am in prison, said the former talk show host, whos currently living in New York. This system is broken, this system that Im in. This system has falsified a lot. This has been three years Im caught up in this system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams revealed that as part of her conservatorship, she can call friends and family but no one can call her, as her phone number is with her court-ordered guardian, Sabrina Morrissey. Thats been the reality since 2023, Alex said. That room shes sitting in? Shes there every day, all hours of the day. Every week. Every month. Shes not getting proper sunlight. I went to New York in October to visit her and the level of security, and the level of questions that there were in terms of who am I, why am I here, whats the purpose, I mean it was absolutely just horrible. Noting that shes spent her past three birthdays alone, Williams called what shes going through emotional abuse. She said her cats were sold without her knowledge and that, at this point, she has just $15 to her name. Her finances are not in her control. She also has to get permission from Morrissey to visit her father in Florida for his 94th birthday next week a request that has yet to be approved. That person that youre talking about, whos holding me hostage I dont know that shes going to let me, Williams said, referring to Morrissey, who last year filed legal documents claiming Williams was severely cognitively impaired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last February, Williams care team revealed that shed been diagnosed with aggressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in May of 2023. By September, they said she was permanently disabled and legally incapacitated as a result. Williams said she fears potential retaliation such as losing her phone privileges as a result of giving the interview, but told her niece, I have to do this. Breakfast Club co-host Charlamagne Tha God noted for listeners that Williams likely wasnt even saying as much as she wanted to. When you hear her, dont think shes jumping around and dont know what shes talking about, he said. She cant say a lot legally. Wendy Williams is fighting back against reports that she is impaired after having been diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. The former talk-show host spoke with the The Breakfast Club on Thursday, where she denied that she needs the level of care shes currently receiving. One of the shows co-hosts, Charlamagne tha God, whom Williams said she has known for 20 years, introduced her as a guest and said Williams is being taken advantage of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am not cognitively impaired, Williams said. But I do feel like I am in prison. Williams explained that she is in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s and pointed out that at the age of 60, she is still sexy and gorgeous. Regardless of the age of the residents where she is staying, Theres something wrong with these people here on this floor, Williams said. Representatives for Williams announced last year that she was diagnosed with progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in 2023. The conditions can impair cognitive function, communication and speech in impacted individuals, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Williams spoke extensively with The Breakfast Club on Thursday. She expressed her frustration that the facility where she is currently living doesnt allow you to leave or have visitors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cant even leave and take a walk if you wanted to, Williams said. She was joined by her niece Alex Fannie, who said her aunt is living in a luxury prison. Shes sitting in that room that shes sitting in, shes there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month, shes not getting proper sunlight, her niece said. I went to New York in October to visit her. And the level of security and the level of questions that there were in terms of, Who am I? Why am I here? Whats the purpose? I mean, it was absolutely just horrible. Her aunt, Finnie said, is prevented from calling family, friends or accessing the internet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams said she feels trapped in a conservatorship and has spent several birthdays alone, which she compared to emotional abuse. Williams was placed in a court-ordered financial guardianship in 2022. CNN has reached out to her legal guardian, attorney Sabrina Morrissey, for comment. Roberta Kaplan, another attorney for Williams, said her client still requires care. Wendy Williams suffers from frontal lobe dementia, a degenerative brain disease that has no cure. As a result, a state court found her to be legally incapacitated, meaning that she is not capable of making legal and financial decisions on her own, Kaplan said. Unfortunately, because of her diagnosis, Wendys condition will only get worse with time and she will require care for the rest of her life. But as anyone who has had a family member with dementia knows, Wendy has both good days and bad days. It is truly a shame that there is so much voyeuristic attention to this right now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams hosted her popular daytime talk series The Wendy Williams Show from 2008 to 2022. She faced multiple health issues toward the end of the shows production. Williams passed out while hosting an episode in 2017, later explaining that an electrolyte imbalance had caused her to collapse. She took a medical leave from production in 2018 to deal with Graves disease, an autoimmune disorder, on her doctors orders. In 2019, multiple guest hosts filled in for Williams for several weeks as she recovered from a fractured shoulder. Williams was unable to host her show throughout the 2021-2022 television season, before it was ultimately canceled. Finnie was critical of the conservatorship system and questioned if an updated medical evaluation might allow for her aunt to regain some of her independence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not asking for a whole lot, Fannie said. All Im saying is just treat the woman with dignity. And give her the freedoms that she deserves. CNNs Jessica Moskowitz contributed to this reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Former broadcaster Wendy Williams appears to be keeping her spirits high amid ongoing health struggles that prompted her to retire from the public eye. The 60-year-old Radio host decided to live her life privately from 2023 onwards. Reports revealed she was diagnosed with aphasia and dementia. Reports claim Wendy Williams is happy and content amid health struggles Wendy Williams will not let anything come between her high spirits and life. The former DJ, who hosted three television shows for over 30 years, is not in the public eye anymore. However, a source close to US Weekly shared, Shes still Wendy. The source further added that Williams is content and happy to be with her family. Amid talks about Wendys life away from the public eye, reports have also suggested that the former Radio DJ will appear on TV. The Daytime Emmy Award nominee will appear on The Breakfast Clubs morning show. She will be talking about conservatorships and guardianships. As per the shows preview, Williams will share her thoughts on how the conservatorship system must be transparent, compassionate, and designed to preserve dignity, not control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams first broke her silence about her frontotemporal dementia and aphasia diagnosis in February 2024. Her representative had said, Receiving a diagnosis has enabled Wendy to receive the medical care she requires. The PR also highlighted Williamss difficulty while dealing with the situation. The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances. While Wendy Williams retired from public life, she was still spotted attending significant events for her family members. She appeared for her son Kevin Juniors college graduation event in Miami in December 2024. Williams had to use a mobility scooter during her event. Williams reportedly uses the mobility scooter to battle lymphedema, a chronic condition that results in swelling in the body. With so many serious health struggles, Wendy Williams high spirit inspires many. The post Wendy Williams Is Reportedly Happy Amid Health Struggles appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. Wendy Williams spoke out about her health and current living conditions in an emotional interview on Thursday. On Jan. 16, the former daytime talk show host called into the Breakfast Club alongside her niece Alex Finnie and got candid about her current living situation and health. Williams has been under a guardianship with a court-appointed caregiver since 2022 and was checked into an unknown facility the following year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last year, she was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Host Charlamagne tha God opened the segment by stating, Wendy Williams is currently trapped in a conservatorship. Williams then responded that she feels like she is trapped in a prison, and insisted that she is not cognitively impaired. Wendy Williams officially unveils her Madame Tussauds wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York on May 10, 2021 in New York City. Cindy Ord via Getty Images Williams went on to paint a bleak picture of her living situation, saying she spends most of her time in her room watching TV and looking out of her single window. Her niece also described the accommodations as a luxury prison and said Williams living quarters were small. Williams also contended that theres something wrong with the people living on her floor and said she had to get keys to unlock the door to press the elevator to go downstairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the segment, Breakfast Club personality Lauren LaRosa said she had difficulties seeing Williams when she attempted to visit her at the facility, which is in New York. Williams also contended that her nursemaids routinely come into her room with an array of pills and refuse to say what they are for. There are seven pills, I have no idea what this pill is doing, she said. She later expressed fears that she could lose her phone, one of the few ways shes able to contact the outside world, in retaliation for using it for an interview. Finnie said that Williams can make calls, but cannot receive calls on the device. Wendy Williams is honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on Oct. 17, 2019. Leon Bennett via Getty Images This system has falsified a lot, Williams said. She also said she no longer has access to her own money after being caught up in the system for three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams was checked into her current facility in April 2023, after she was placed under the care of court-appointed guardian Sabrina Morrissey. Before this, Morrissey alleged that Williams was not of sound mind, which led her bank to petition to have Williams placed under temporary financial guardianship, per The Hollywood Reporter. Williams said shes not able to come and go as she pleases and tearfully discussed the possibility of not being able to celebrate her fathers 94th birthday with him. I dont know if Im able to fly to Miami to say Happy birthday to my dad, Williams stated. That person who is holding me hostage, I dont know if shes going to let me see my dad for his birthday. HuffPost was unable to reach Morrissey for comment in response to Williams claims. Related... Wendy Williams is speaking out about her living conditions and mental health in a new interview. Speaking with The Breakfast Club on Thursday morning (Jan. 16) the famed broadcaster detailed an experience that she describes as jail. The 60-year-old was joined on the call by her niece Alex Finnie. This is Williams first interview since the release of the controversial Lifetime documentary Where Is Wendy Williams?, and her team announcing her diagnosis of primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia in February 2024. In November of that same year, her court-appointed guardian Sabrina E. Morrissey claimed her to be cognitively impaired, permanently disabled, and legally incapacitated. Wendy Williams attends the Apple TV+s The Morning Show World Premiere at David Geffen Hall on October 28, 2019 in New York City. In the phone call, Williams described her situation as being trapped in a conservatorship, adding later that this system is broken, and that she is experiencing emotional abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am not cognitively impaired. But I feel like I am in prison, Williams detailed to DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God, and guest host Loren LoRosa per USA Today. Im in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s. Theres something wrong with these people here on this floor. The former talk show host claims that the facility where she currently lives is high security with rules including not allowing incoming calls, no leaving, and no visitors. Thats been the reality since 2023, detailed Finnie. Shes sitting in that room that shes sitting in, shes there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month, shes not getting proper sunlight. I went to New York in October to visit her. And the level of security and the level of questions that there were in terms of, Who am I? Why am I here? Whats the purpose? I mean, it was absolutely just horrible. Finnie continued to elaborate that she and the family may retaliate after the interview airs, claiming the family was not allowed to see Williams during the airing of the aforementioned documentary and is fearful she may be moved without notice or ability to make contact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I said, You know, we do this, youre ready for whats on the other side? And as she said, I have to do this. Theres nothing else I could do at this point,' exclaimed Finnie. Shes prepared for the fact that her phone might taken away. What youre hearing now is a few minute clip of what weve been dealing with for the last several months and the last two, three years. TV personality Wendy Williams attends the 2019 NYWIFT Muse Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown on December 10, 2019 in New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams was last seen in public last month at her sons graduation. She explained to The Breakfast Club that she had hoped to be able to attend her fathers 94th birthday celebration next month, emotionally pleading, At 94, the day after that is not promised. Finnie urged fans to support Williams by using the hashtag #FreeWendy and signing the petition on Change.org, per Variety. My aunt sounds great, shared Finnie. Ive seen her, in a very limited capacity, but Ive seen her and were talking to her. This does not match an incapacitated person. And thats why we say shes in a luxury prison, because she is being held and she is being punished for whatever reason that other people are coming up with as to why she has to be kept in this position. More from VIBE.com Sign up for Vibe's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Wendy Williams called in to The Breakfast Club Thursday morning to speak out against her guardianship. The former daytime talk show host, who has been under a guardianship since 2022 and was last year diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, said, I feel like Im in prison. More from The Hollywood Reporter I am not cognitively impaired, you know what Im saying? But I feel like Im in prison, she added. Im in this place where the people are in their 90s and their 80s and their 70s Theres something wrong with these people here on this floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Breakfast Club host Charlamagne Tha God said Williams was calling in because she was trapped in a conservatorship and couldnt leave her current location. Williams checked into an unknown facility in April 2023 after being placed under the care of court-appointed caregiver Sabrina Morrissey. Morrissey alleged in late 2022 in a New York court that Williams was of unsound mind, leading bank Wells Fargo to petition to have Williams placed under temporary financial guardianship. Williams, who was the subject of the controversial Lifetime docuseries Where is Wendy Williams? last year, was joined on the show by her niece Alex Finnie, who also called in. Finnie said the facility is high security and, consistent with past reports about Williams being unreachable, added that Williams can only make calls, no one can call her. They wont allow you to leave or have visitors, she said. So you cant even leave and take a walk if you wanted to, or take a trip or visit family members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finnie added, Thats been the reality since 2023. Shes sitting in that room that shes sitting in, shes there every day, all hours of the day, every week, every month, shes not getting proper sunlight. I went to New York in October to visit her. And the level of security and the level of questions that there were in terms of, Who am I? Why am I here? Whats the purpose? I mean, it was absolutely just horrible. As for the documentary, Williams said she and Morrissey watched it together and that, she was the one who wanted to do that. She continued, claiming that her situation amounts to emotional abuse, What do I think about being abused? Look, this system is broken, this system that Im in. This system has falsified a lot. Finnie continued to advocate for her aunt, saying she sounds great. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive seen her, in a very limited capacity, but Ive seen her and were talking to her. This does not match an incapacitated person, Finnie said. And thats why we say shes in a luxury prison, because she is being held and she is being punished for whatever reason that other people are coming up with as to why she has to be kept in this position. Williams said her phone had been taken away and that she cannot make purchases and has to have someone get everything for her. She wants to visit her 94-year-old father for his birthday in February but is afraid her guardian wont let her go. At 94, the day after that is not promised, she said, as her voice grew increasingly emotional. Finnie, who said the family is afraid Williams will be moved without notice or the ability to contact her, also indicated they were speaking out despite concerns of possible retaliation from Williams guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I said, You know, we do this, youre ready for whats on the other side? And as she said, I have to do this. Theres nothing else I could do at this point,' Finnie said. What youre hearing now is a few-minute clip of what weve been dealing with for the last several months and the last two, three years. Morrissey sued to try to prevent the release of the docuseries but a judge dismissed the request, citing the First Amendment. The four-hour-plus project, which aired across two nights on Lifetime, showed Williams increasingly fragile state after the June 2022 cancellation of her talk show, documenting her life for the better part of a year as she struggled with family, fame and excessive alcohol consumption. Filming stopped when she checked into an unknown facility, and Where Is Wendy Williams? producer Mark Ford told The Hollywood Reporter last year, We were more worried about what would happen if we stopped filming than if we continued. At the time, shortly after the doc aired, producers indicated that she hadnt seen it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We simply have had no way to get it to her to see it, Ford told THR. No way to screen it with her, because shes locked down in a facility and we havent been able to speak to her since we wrapped filming. But he added that he and his team had conversations with Williams behind-the-scenes as they were filming about what they wanted to show. Williams was credited as an executive producer on the project as part of a three-picture deal with Lifetime. After her initial attempts to block the release of the docuseries, Morrissey, acting in her capacity as Williams guardian, sued Lifetimes parent company A+E Networks in March, saying the contract to shoot the documentary wasnt valid since Williams didnt have the legal or mental capacity to authorize her participation in the project and was allegedly told it would be positive and beneficial to her image. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, a newly revised complaint over the documentary asked that all profits from the project be used to fund Williams medical care. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The Slovak government is playing very dangerous game by criticizing military support for Ukraine and getting closer to Russia, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in an interview with the Polish media on Jan. 16. "The Slovak leaders are playing a very dangerous game. They will continue to do so until the war reaches their own homes," Zelensky said. The comments come amid a growing rift between Ukraine and Slovakia as Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico threatened Kyiv with repercussions over its decision to halt the Russian gas transit to the EU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fico, who visited Moscow in December to discuss gas supply issues with Russian President Vladimir Putin, has also consistently criticized military aid for Ukraine and sanctions against Russia. Talking to Polish journalists, Zelensky recalled his conversation with the Slovak prime minister during a meeting of European leaders. "I told him: 'You were shot at. Why didn't you forgive? Why did you arrest this person who injured you?'" Zelensky said, drawing a parallel between the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an assassination attempt on the Slovak prime minister. Fico was critically injured after being shot in the Slovak town of Handlova on May 15, 2024, following a government meeting. Slovak authorities said that the attack was politically motivated. The suspect, 71-year-old writer Juraj Cintula, has been detained and is awaiting trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I reminded this to him (Fico) and told him that all of us, no matter your positions, condemned such steps because a living person was shot at," Zelensky said. "And that's Putin. He is the same; he shoots living people, albeit through the hands of others." Read also: Fico will not visit Kyiv, Slovak lawmaker says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The U.S. Supreme Court did not release a decision Wednesday on the federal ban of TikTok, clearing the way for the slow death of the site starting Sunday. Without surprise action before the deadline, the ban will remove TikTok from app stores and bring an end to support updates. Without those updates, it will slowly stop functioning. For the apps widely varied userbase of content creators, influencers, cottage industries and traditional businesses pursuing viral marketing, the end of the platform could be a fatal blow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supreme Court seems likely to uphold law that would force TikTok to shut down on Jan. 19 Its a small business, Tori Mutch, a Grand Rapids based content creator told News 8. Pretty much everyone on it is running a small business. It has given so much opportunity for people. There are entire brands built on TikTok, said Mary Gunther, founder and CEO of The Social G Co. There are influencers that make their entire living on TikTok. It will definitely have an effect on businesses and people as this unfolds. If you arent doing short form video for your business, its a huge, missed business opportunity. I view it as a business tool. If you use it correctly it is a great way to connect with your audience and build your brand. The reason for the broad appeal of the platform seems simple its a proven platform for fast growth and its beloved by its audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think that TikTok is one of the easiest to go viral on, Mutch added. If you are looking to start and create a following its one of the platforms that you can do that. People also love to hear that they are going to be on TikTok. When we say we are filming a trivia video for TikTok they say For TikTok, we will do it! If we said YouTube, maybe they would be excited. But, not the same. The app is being banned primarily because of its ownership being tied to the Chinese government and associated national security concerns in Washington D.C. A possible TikTok ban is just days away. A list of other apps available The creators News 8 spoke with are less worried about Chinese influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its huge misconception that it should be taken away, Mutch said. I havent thought about China once. Maybe that is naive of us, but thats not my personality. Weve been creators for a long time, the other half of Extra Medium Media, Ryan Peninger said. A lot of our stuff and information is out there. I dont worry about it. I feel like I cant worry about that stuff to be a good creator. Despite the resistance, the clock is ticking for these brands to move to another platform. Its a complex decision tree. TikTok has been a more consistent paying platform for us so we know if we get x amount of views get will get x amount-ish of money., Mutch described. Instagram doesnt pay for their reels, but its good to be there because people see it as a legitimized platform. We havent done a ton of Facebook, but their payment structures are all over the place. Its hard to keep track of. YouTube pays the best, but its the hardest to get good money on as far as going viral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement TikTok denies reports of sale to Elon Musk: Pure fiction Extra Medium Media told News 8 they have settled on YouTube Shorts for their vertical video content. The Google-owned platform recently increased its maximum length for a Short from one minute to three. Extra Medium said that was the key for their style of content and they had their best month ever on the platform in December. But, they already had an established channel and infrastructure there and their style of street-based content will translate well. Other creators will have to start from scratch and their content might not be valued on another platform like it was on TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its all part of the vast unknown that more than a million content creators on TikTok will face in the weeks ahead. 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. Peoria leaders on Jan. 14, approved a settlement agreement with the mother of a 12-year-old boy who was hit and killed while crossing a busy street in 2018. The city agreed to settle Kizzen Jamess wrongful death case for $575,000 and pledged to create a public memorial honoring her late son, Isaiah McGinnis, the seventh grader walking home from Santa Fe Elementary School the day of the fatal accident. Isaiah died in October 2018 after a truck hit him at the intersection of 77th and Peoria Avenues. Advertisement Advertisement His mother sued Peoria, blaming the city for not having a crosswalk at the intersection, which led Isaiah to cross in front of oncoming traffic. In a prepared statement, the city explained that before the incident, plans were in place to install a traffic signal at the intersection as new schools were set to open in the area. Unfortunately, this tragic accident occurred before the additional schools opened and the signal was installed, the city stated. The traffic signal went up at the crosswalk in July 2019. The settlement follows a yearslong court battle as the city fought Jamess wrongful death case. Advertisement Advertisement At one point, the Maricopa County Superior Court dismissed the case on a technicality, with the Arizona Court of Appeals upholding that ruling. However, the Arizona Supreme Court overturned those decisions in July 2022, allowing the lawsuit to proceed. Peoria will pay James $575,000 to settle the case. Its also working with her to determine the design and location of the memorial. An attorney representing James was not immediately available for comment. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Peoria reaches $600K settlement in wrongful death case SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A 44-year-old man from West Valley City was sentenced to serve five years in federal prison after he was found guilty of making repeated death threats to the Salt Lake County Sheriff, other government offices, and a local law firm. Ryan Gregory Bracken was found guilty by a federal jury of four counts of stalking and one count of interstate communication of threats in October 2024. Bracken will also serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence. The safety of our citizens is a priority for the U.S. Attorneys Office and law enforcement, said Trina Higgins, U.S. Attorney of the District of Utah. Brackens conduct was extreme, unabated, and dangerous. It is our hope that the victims he terrorized may find peace in knowing he is behind bars and justice was served. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents, Bracken made repeated specific threats to kill law enforcement officers, including Salt Lake County Sheriff Rosie Rivera. Bracken made these threats saying the victims needed to be held responsible for treason, a penalty he said was punishable by death. Higgins said Bracken made these threats believing the victims were responsible for, or could somehow stop, the foreclosure of his home. Bracken reportedly made several threats related to hangings and shootings, including saying he would shoot anyone who came onto his property. Brackens threats grew more extreme as time went on, prompting a multi-agency operation to safely bring him into custody. I want to thank all the agencies involved in this investigation and bringing it to a closure, said Sheriff Rivera. I appreciate the U.S. Attorneys Office for prioritizing the safety of our community and our public servants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Utilities across the country are saying they need more natural gas plants to meet the needs of projected energy growth, led by data centers. (Getty Images) In early December, news broke that lawmakers were asked to come to the Capitol for a special session to pass a bill. That legislation, which was never officially sponsored or released, would have built upon a 2022 law that allowed private companies to skirt around our Public Service Commission and our coal-entrenched electricity market and either build their own renewable energy sources or choose to get power from one. The special session was never called, likely because of poor understanding of our state code and its requirement that newly elected lawmakers be sworn in. Since then, people involved have said that the goal of the bill was to attract an unnamed, multinational company to build a data center and renewable energy supply in Logan County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wrote before how the 2022 law that opened up the opportunity for Berkshire Hathaway to come to West Virginia and build an industrial park and renewable energy microgrid was a form of corporate favoritism. The Legislature changed the rules for large companies like Berkshire Hathaway who want lower-cost, renewable energy. Yet, its still difficult for average West Virginians to get solar energy unless they can put panels on their roofs. Courting a mega data center to come to the coalfields and changing laws to allow it to do so is favoritism on steroids, at the expense of West Virginians. Data centers are energy, resource, and land-intensive. The proliferation of artificial intelligence and the powerful data centers needed for them has broken the gains the United States made in reducing energy demand. Now, utilities across the country are saying they need more natural gas plants to meet the needs of projected energy growth, led by data centers. That fossil-fuel generation will lead to more carbon emissions, and ultimately hurt our chances at reducing global warming. Just last week, scientists said 2024 was the hottest year ever recorded. So was 2023 before that. Neighboring Virginia has been grappling with data centers for years, and lawmakers there have started to push back and demand more transparency and accountability. A recent study from the legislative auditors at the Virginia Assembly estimated that the infrastructure needed for data centers could cost Virginians up to an additional $37 per month on their power bills by 2040 under certain conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the data center in Logan County would supposedly run on renewable energy, it still has the potential for other concerns, particularly water usage and fairness. Data centers are water hogs, using up to 5 million gallons per day according to some estimates. It feels unconscionable to bend the rules to allow a company to build a facility that would require so much water in a place whose residents have so little access to clean water. I dont just mean Logan County. Much of the coalfield counties have lacking water and sewage infrastructure. On top of the long-standing water issues in West Virginia, the recent news that the states Water Development Authority awarded a $5 million grant to a private, religious college in Ohio to expand into West Virginia indicates to me that the state doesnt have much interest in addressing the areas water woes. Gov. Patrick Morrisey has expressed interest in making West Virginia a state open to data center business. In his adopted West Virginia area of Jefferson County and my home county the fight over data centers in Virginia and the power lines needed for them has gained traction. People there are upset that West Virginia land is being used for transmission lines for data centers in Virginia. I suspect that people in the southern part of the state wouldnt like the transmission lines even if the data centers were in West Virginia. Data centers arent going away, quite the opposite it seems. While they can provide substantial tax revenue if done correctly, I worry that our officials are not prepared to grapple with the environmental issues theyll bring. I also fear that in the race to the bottom against other states that want large companies to move in, West Virginia will cut tax breaks that companies like Amazon dont really need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Virginia, lawmakers are considering a package of transparency bills, specifically concerning that data centers publicize water usage and that counties conduct an environmental study before approving a data center. I hope ours will consider the same and not let another industry run rampant in our state. And when the centers do ultimately come, I support them using renewable energy. But yet again here we were looking at an example in which the rules were going to be walked around for a deal, behind closed doors, just like the Berkshire Hathaway deal three years ago. Meanwhile most West Virginians are still getting their energy from expensive coal while other states have moved toward pro-renewable energy policies and generation that will bring costs and pollution down. If we expand access to renewable energy for corporations, we should do it for every day West Virginians too. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) A 23-year-old Western New York man has been charged with allegedly raping a 13-year-old girl in Jefferson County. According to the Watertown Police Department, they arrested Joshua McCowen of Pavilion on Wednesday, January 15. The alleged incident occurred in Watertown when McCowen was 22 years old. He was arraigned and charged with second-degree rape. McCowen is being held in the Jefferson Count Jail on $10,000 bail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. Presidents need science advice. From climate change and pandemics to the governance of AI and the countrys nuclear arsenal, science sits at the center of a range of foreign and domestic policy challenges that reach the presidents desk. Thankfully for the president and the nation the Office of Science and Technology Policy, known as OSTP, is just across the White House South Lawn in the Executive Office of the President. Led by the presidents science adviser, OSTP serves as a one-stop shop for everything science and innovation inside the White House. The Office of Science and Technology Policy is also responsible for coordinating the governments large, decentralized research and development policy system. With dozens of participating agencies, offices and departments and 10 with individual R&D budgets of over a billion dollars annually OSTP works to break down silos across the government and oversees the health of the nations vast R&D ecosystem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a research scholar studying the U.S. science advisory system, I am a close observer of OSTP and the presidents science agenda. President-elect Donald Trump recently selected Michael Kratsios, the chief technology officer from his previous administration, as his next science adviser and director of OSTP. Heres a look back at OSTPs history, where the science adviser has made a difference, and how the office might be organized inside the Trump White House. The Cold War origins of the science adviser Like many good stories about U.S. science policy, OSTPs begins with Sputnik. Just days after the Soviet Union took a commanding lead in the space race with the launch of Sputnik I and II in 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower upgraded the World War II-era Science Advisory Committee to be the Presidents Science Advisory Committee. The one-word change signaled an elevated role of scientists inside the White House. James Killian, second from left, the first science adviser, confers with committee members Donald Hornig, George Kistiakowsky and Jerome Wiesner. AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Physics Today Collection The Presidents Science Advisory Committee was hugely influential during the Eisenhower and Kennedy administrations. It helped create NASA. It led the governments response to Rachel Carsons investigation of the dangers of widespread pesticide use, Silent Spring, which launched the modern environmental movement. And it was the driving force behind the dramatic growth in federal R&D spending in the 1960s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President John F. Kennedy created the Office of Science and Technology, a predecessor to OSTP, to staff Committee activities and respond to increasing requests from the executive office about how best to fund federal science programs. The Presidents Science Advisory Committees influence waned in the late 1960s, burdened by the administrative duties of managing the growing U.S. R&D system and a diminishing role in national security. There were also concerns among White House political advisers that the committee put the interests of the scientific community ahead of the presidents. Some viewed the committee as a science lobby, driving public funds to support higher education. The tensions between science and politics, fueled in part by the Vietnam War, erupted under President Nixon. After several committee members spoke out publicly against several of his flagship defense programs, Nixon abolished both the Presidents Science Advisory Committee and the Office of Science and Technology in 1973. The move provoked Congress to act. With support from President Gerald Ford, it passed the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act in 1976, which created the Office of Science and Technology Policy as an independent agency inside the White House and cemented the role of the science adviser into law. Nearly half a century later, this act remains the nations only attempt to establish a comprehensive national science policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act designed the original blueprint for OSTP, much of which remains intact today. OSTP is led by a presidentially nominated, Senate-confirmed director who serves as science adviser, up to four Senate-confirmed associate directors and two policy councils: the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the National Science and Technology Council. These bodies are organized to work in tandem: PCAST advises; NSTC acts. With an annual operating budget of US$8 million, OSTP is a tiny agency by U.S. government standards. It employs just two to three dozen full-time employees. Remaining staff serve on detail from elsewhere in the executive branch. Biden meets with members of his Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology: Paula Hammond, science adviser Arati Prabhakar and council co-chair Maria Zuber. @POTUS/X Who has the presidents ear? The Office of Science and Technology Policy is charged by Congress to serve as a source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the president and coordinate the nearly $200 billion-a-year U.S. federal R&D effort. The office has been criticized, especially from within the science policy community, as being a minor player inside the White House. It has no real budget authority, and the stature of the science adviser is marked by how often the president takes his or her advice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, much of what the science adviser does happens outside public view. One of the positions most important jobs has no footprint: The science adviser kills bad ideas. The science adviser is often the only voice in the White House fighting to keep science funding from being cut from the presidents annual budget request to Congress. President Bush hosts his Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for its inaugural meeting at Camp David in 1990. Science adviser Allan Bromley sits to his right, and chief of staff John Sununu to his left. George H.W. Bush Presidential Library Nevertheless, the science advisers influence has shown up on many policies, often closely related to the administrations priorities. President George H.W. Bushs science adviser, Allan Bromley, developed the countrys first national technology policy, laying the foundations for the U.S. governments current approach to innovation. President Bill Clintons advisers, John Gibbons and Neal Lane, championed early electric vehicles and nanotechnology. President George W. Bushs science adviser, Jack Marburger, spurred the creation of the science of science policy as a research discipline, leading to new knowledge about how science works and benefits the public. Present Obama with science adviser John Holdren, left, and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu in the Oval Office. National Archives Catalog Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John Holdren, President Barack Obamas science adviser, shifted federal energy and climate policy. Bidens scientists, Eric Lander, Alondra Nelson, Arati Prabhakar and Francis Collins, shepherded landmark policies on semiconductors, public access to federally funded research and AI. Science advice in the Trump White House Until now, all science advisers have been trained scientists. Prior to serving as U.S. chief technology officer during Trumps first term, Michael Kratsios had executive-level experience in venture capital and training in political science. Hes an unconventional pick, but hardly controversial. Even without an advanced science, technology, engineering or math degree, Kratsios selection has been publicly very well received by STEM advocacy organizations, a sign of practicality in light of Trumps erratic first-term record on science and well-documented disregard of scientific consensus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Titles matter, especially in Washington. If confirmed by the Senate, Kratsios will serve as OSTP director as well as assistant to the president for science and technology, a title that indicates direct access to the president as a senior White House aide. With Silicon Valleys outsize influence in the Trump transition, Kratsios and OSTP appear empowered to reshape Americas vision for science and innovation. This story is part of a series of profiles of Cabinet and high-level administration positions. This story has been updated to correct a typo in the size of OSTPs budget. 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: Kenneth Evans, Rice University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Kenneth Evans receives funding from the National Science Foundation, the American Institute of Physics, and the Clinton Foundation. He is affiliated with Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy. A senior administration official on Wednesday provided more details about how the Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage release agreement finally came together, laying the timeline of negotiations and the coordination between President Joe Biden's team and President-elect Donald Trump's. Here are some highlights: Biden-Netanyahu call The senior administration official said that Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke Wednesday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MORE: Israel and Hamas reach ceasefire and hostage release deal It was a very warm call, marking this moment, but also reflecting on the horror that Israel has seen since October 7, and also the horror that the hostages have faced living in these dark and horrific conditions," the official said. "We're now very hopeful that we begin to see hostages come home as early as Sunday. Prime Minister Netanyahu also remarked that hes known President Biden for 44 years, which is hard to believe, but just the amount of history that these two have seen together is quite extraordinary. PHOTO: President Joe Biden stands with Secretary of State Antony Blinken, as he speaks after negotiators reached a phased deal for a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, during remarks at the White House in Washington, Jan. 15, 2025. (Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters) American hostages Officials said two of the living American hostages will be part of this first phase of the agreement. Keith Seigel and Sagui Dekel-Chen are both expected to be released, with Seigel qualifying for release due to age and Dekel-Chen qualifying because of injury. The official noted he was shot on October 7..Edan Alexander will be in the second phase of releases because of his Israel Defense Forces service. The official noted that he spoke with Alexanders father Tuesday night and that the U.S. remains fully committed to getting him out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are committed to getting all Americans, these are American-Israeli citizens, all of them out of Gaza, whether living or remains. That is our commitment, the official said. Coordination with the Trump team Officials on the call acknowledged the partnership between the Biden and Trump administrations, saying the coordination between U.S.envoy Brett McGurk and Steve Witkoff, Trump's Middle East envoy, over the last 96 hours was almost unprecedented and quite remarkable. Four days ago, Steve Witkoff came out to join Brett in the final push, which I think is a, I think, historically, almost unprecedented. And it was a highly constructive, very fruitful partnership. And I think at some point the two of them will probably speak more about it, because it was really quite, I think, quite remarkable," the official said. "And I think speaks to what can be done in the country when it focuses on the common objective." That was especially critical here, because we all recognize that, given that this deal would be 42-day Phase 1 ceasefire and the hope will last much longer than that, this deal will be implemented by the new administration, they added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The senior administration official said that the coordination between the two administrations came from Biden, who set the tone for a seamless transition following his Oval Office meeting with Trump after the November election. MORE: Who are the American hostages being released in the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal? National security adviser Jake Sullivan and McGurk met with their incoming counterparts after the meeting, with McGurk and Witkoff talking regularly about the process. But the official dodged questions about the "Trump factor" in the deal and if his coming into office was a motivating factor for getting the deal done. At one point, the official said the anticipation of the incoming administration was a "natural" deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any negotiation, any breakthrough diplomacy, sometimes we need a deadline, sometimes that's an artificial deadline you try to create, the official argued. But also, there are deadlines that just are natural, and the transition from one president to another was one. But what the catalyst for this intensive diplomacy was the defeat of Hezbollah, the ceasefire in Lebanon and the massive isolation of Hamas that got them back to the table and, for the first time, to accept a hostage list that, yes, this is who is going to be released in the deal that led to this ultimate breakthrough, the official said. Asked about Trumps ultimatum that "there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East" if the hostages were not released before his inauguration, the official replied, Hell has been paid to Hamas tremendously. Administration official shares inside story of how Hamas-Israel deal came about originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Rudy Giuliani has reached a settlement with two Georgia election workers who he defamed while pushing Donald Trump's stolen election conspiracy theories. I have reached a resolution of the litigation with the Plaintiffs that will result in a satisfaction of the Plaintiffs judgment. This resolution does not involve an admission of liability or wrongdoing by any of the Parties. I am satisfied with and have no grievances relating to the result we have reached," Giuliani shared in a statement. A jury found that the former mayor of New York owed a debt of nearly $150 million to Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss in December 2023 and Giuliani spent all of the last year attempting to maneuver around paying off that debt. Eventually, judges ordered Giuliani to hand over many of his prized possessions, such as a Mercedes-Benz formerly owned by actress Lauren Bacall and his New York penthouse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuliani has been largely uncooperative with orders to hand over his assets and orders to cease his defaming of Freeman and Moss. He has been found in contempt of court twice so far this year. In his statement about the settlement, Giuliani said their agreement would allow him to keep his possessions and homes in New York and Florida. "I have been able to retain my New York coop and Florida Condominium and all of my personal belongings. No one deserves to be subjected to threats, harassment, or intimidation. This litigation has taken its toll on all parties. This whole episode was unfortunate," he said. "I and the Plaintiffs have agreed not to ever talk about each other in any defamatory manner, and I urge others to do the same. Moss and Freeman seemed eager to put the case behind them. The past four years have been a living nightmare. We have fought to clear our names, restore our reputations, and prove that we did nothing wrong. Today is a major milestone in our journey," they revealed in a statement. "We have reached an agreement, and we can now move forward with our lives. We have agreed to allow Mr. Giuliani to retain his property in exchange for compensation and his promise not to ever defame us. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) If you have an electric vehicle (EV), you may have noticed that its range has gone down with the cold weather. 12 News spoke with an expert at West Virginia University on Wednesday to find out why. WVU Mechanical Engineering Professor Dr. Hailin Li researches EV efficiency and explained to 12 News that one of the reasons EVs become less efficient in the cold is because they need to spend energy on heating the cabin compared to gas vehicles, where the heat comes from the engine. Batteries in EVs also perform best at a more moderate temperature, meaning that the EV needs to warm up the battery when the temperature gets lower. The solution for this part is to keep the battery warm by keeping the car in a place like a garage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WVDOH outlines plan to patch potholes after winter storms Dr. Li said that while EV technology has improved, people need to consider climate when purchasing an EV. Colder climates in places like New England will hamper the efficiency of EVs, but its not something that people need to worry about in more moderate climates. Dr. Li also said that EVs face similar air conditioning issues in the heat of summer. In summer, you need to run the air conditioning system. But keep in mind the gasoline vehicle has the same issue. You need to use the engine power to run AC units. That also consumes energy. The major difference between the EV and the gasoline vehicle or traditional vehicle is the winter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the U.S. Department of Energy, West Virginia had the fifth-fewest EV registrations in the U.S. in 2023 with 2,758. 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 WBOY.com. Speculation is spreading online about TikTok shutting down on January 19, leaving millions of users concerned. The rumors have been fueled by legal and political challenges facing TikToks parent company, ByteDance, in the U.S. As confusion grows, many are eager to know whether the app is shutting down. Heres more about TikTok potentially shutting down on January 19. Is TikTok shutting down on January 19? TikToks future in the United States is uncertain as a federal ban threatens to halt the apps operations for its 170 million American users on January 19. The ban, prompted by legal pressures on ByteDance, TikToks Chinese parent company, requires divestment of the platforms U.S. operations. Without last-minute intervention, TikTok users could lose access to one of the worlds most popular social media apps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If enforced, the ban will not only prohibit new downloads on Apple and Google app stores but also restrict U.S. companies from supporting TikTok through essential services, including maintenance, distribution, and updates. Although current users may still access the app initially, it would soon become unusable as critical support is withdrawn. In anticipation of this, TikTok has announced plans to allow users to download their data before operations cease. President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly exploring a temporary suspension of the ban, potentially delaying enforcement by 60 to 90 days. However, the Biden administration has shown no intention to intervene in its final days. Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court continues to weigh its decision on whether to uphold the ban or grant TikTok a reprieve. TikTok has warned that a U.S. shutdown could have global implications, as American service providers play a critical role in supporting the platforms infrastructure worldwide. While users express their frustration and hope for a resolution on social media, TikToks legal team insists the ban is unnecessary and harmful. As January 19 approaches, the debate over TikToks future continues, leaving millions of users in uncertainty. The post Why Users Think TikTok Is Shutting Down on January 19 appeared first on ComingSoon.net - Movie Trailers, TV & Streaming News, and More. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Wichitas own Rosie the Riveter turns 100 today. Connie Palacioz, a Newton native, was one of millions of women who contributed to the war effort in World War II. She went to work at Boeing at the age of 18, driving rivets into B-29 aircraft on the production line, including the iconic Doc. Women entered the workforce to replace the millions of men who went off to serve in the Armed Forces in World War II. Rosie the Riveter became an inspiring symbol when posters featuring the slogan We Can Do It! were distributed nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea for Rosie the Riveter began in 1942 with a song, which you can hear on YouTube. Wichita fashion designers dress being worn at inaugural ball The character was also turned into a movie released in 1944. Several documentaries have also been released about the image that has become a cultural icon. In 2000, the Rosie the Riveter/ World War II Home Front National Historical Park opened in Richmond, California, along the San Francisco Bay. Several women have been identified as being the inspiration for Rosie. However, the image represents all the women who entered into the workforce to help support the war effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long after she retired, our own Rosie found herself with a rivet gun back in her hand. Palacioz was one of many who helped restore B-29 Doc back into flight condition. In June 2024, she and Hutchinson Army veteran Olen Mitchell were one of just 150 people chosen for a trip to Normandy, France, to commemorate the June 6, 1944, allied invasion. 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. While investigators work to find out what caused multiple wildfires in the Los Angeles area, some conspiracies about the fires' origins have spread on social media platforms. Posts about baseless theories ranging from celebrity involvement to secret government weapons have racked up millions of views. Despite fact-checking efforts, researchers say conspiracies of this kind regularly emerge after large wildfires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think that the more emotionally overwhelming it is, the more likely we are to just see high volumes of conspiracy theories to cope and make people feel like they have control," said misinformation researcher Abbie Richards. Directed energy weapons conspiracy resurfaces Misleading videos have fueled false claims that directed energy weapons, often referred to as DEWs, ignited the flames. The conspiracy theory suggests that governments or secret organizations use lasers or microwave systems to ignite fires. Experts have repeatedly debunked these claims, attributing irregular burn patterns to natural factors like wind, terrain and vegetation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the U.S. has developed and tested DEWs for military applications such as disabling enemy drones or missiles there is no credible evidence of DEWs being employed in civilian settings, including for igniting wildfires. The DEW theory also surfaced during the California wildfires of 2018, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene claiming in a now-deleted social media post the fires could be caused by lasers from space. And online users spread the conspiracy during other disasters including the Canadian and Maui fires in 2023 and the Texas Smokehouse Creek wildfire in 2024. "Most people will see this sort of stuff and completely reject it because it doesn't match with how they already view the world. But there are people who view the world through a conspiratorial lens," said Joseph Uscinski, co-author of "American Conspiracy Theories." Claims that weather is manmade Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Claims have circulated that the government could have geoengineered rain to stop the Los Angeles wildfires. Theories that the government has some control over the weather have surfaced after several natural disasters, including hurricanes Helene and Milton. And meteorologists and agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have debunked these claims. People blame the government or company executives because it's easier than facing structural problems, like drought conditions," Geoff Dancy, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, told CBS News. "That is more attractive to people that are desperate for order amid catastrophe," Dancy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Government Accountability Office said in a December assessment on cloud seeding at least nine states are using the technology, which is "primarily funded at the state level or below" and there is little federal intervention. For cloud seeding to be effective, the atmosphere around greater Los Angeles would have required more moisture in the clouds for water vapor to be condensed, Katja Friedrich, a cloud physics expert and professor at Colorado University at Boulder, told PolitiFact. "The L.A. area is currently so dry that there is not enough water that you could condense," Friedrich said. Land grab conspiracy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another unfounded claim shared on social media suggests the Southern California wildfires were started to clear land so officials could make way for what are called "smart cities," aligned with United Nations' goals. The U.N.'s agenda to cut global emissions includes making cities more sustainable. And the Los Angeles Area's SmartLA 2028 initiative suggests renovating the city's transportation systems, among other technological changes, to make the city greener but the plan does not involve mass demolition or rebuilding. This conspiracy also gained traction after the wildfires in Maui, when a video of Hawaii's governor was clipped, taken out of context and shared to bolster the false claim the state was aiming to create a "smart city" on scorched land. And similar theories were debunked after wildfires in Canada and Spain's Canary Islands. Celebrity crime cover-up conspiracy Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some posts that reached millions of people on TikTok falsely claim the wildfires were sparked to destroy evidence in the sex trafficking case against Sean "Diddy" Combs falsely claiming his mansion was consumed in flames. In reality, Combs' mansion remains intact and outside the evacuation zone as of Jan. 16. His home was raided in March by federal agents who seized evidence on the property, and People reported the home was listed for sale in September. In an aerial view, the home of Sean False claims about celebrity homes also spread after the Maui wildfire, with some users sharing baseless claims that Oprah Winfrey helped start those fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Addressing the spread of conspiracies By coincidence, on the day the wildfires started, Facebook announced it was ending its third party fact checking program and loosening its automated systems that police policy violations, instead relying more on users to report issues before they take action. The platform is adopting a crowdsourced "community notes" system, similar to Elon Musk's X. Dancy said conspiracy theorists are "benefitting from the information revolution" we live in. "It's an attention economy, and conspiracy theories get attention," Dancy said. He advocates for regulating social media algorithms that prioritize sensational content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Richards, who wrote a thesis about climate conspiracy theories circulating on TikTok, agreed. "You're fighting against algorithms that are designed for profit and not for creating a well-informed and healthy society," she said. NIL money in college athletics creating "have-not" sports Sneak peek: The Disappearance of Maddi Kingsbury How a design concept may help save homes from wildfires The popular social media app TikTok went dark for its 170 million American users on Jan. 19, after months of fighting the federal governments demand that it separate from its China-based parent company, ByteDance. In the hours before midnight struck on the East Coast, users experienced pop-ups while watching videos on the app, warning them that "a U.S. law banning Tiktok will take effect on January 19 and force us to make our services temporarily unavailable." (Credit: Katie Mather/Yahoo News) Hours later, users could not scroll, watch or post videos and received messages stating that "TikTok isn't available right now" but that the app is "fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office." (Credit: Katie Mather/Yahoo News) By Sunday afternoon, however, many users were able to access TikTok videos again without receiving any pop-up warnings or having to use hacks to circumvent the ban, such as downloading a virtual private network (VPN) to make it seem as if they were operating in countries outside the United States where TikTok is still available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As a result of President Trump's efforts, TikTok is back in the U.S.!" a new pop-up declared on the platform as of Sunday afternoon. (Credit: Katie Mather/Yahoo News) TikTok issued a statement on X saying that it was "in the process of restoring service" and thanked Trump, who will be officially sworn in as president on Monday, for "providing the necessary clarity and assurance to our service providers" for the app to continue operating in the U.S. "Its a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship. We will work with President Trump on a long-term solution that keeps TikTok in the United States," TikToks statement concluded. Hours before TikTok appeared to restore service to its U.S. users, Trump made his own statement about the TikTok ban on Truth Social, saying that he would be issuing an executive order on Jan. 20, Inauguration Day, to "extend the period of time before the law's prohibitions take effect." According to his post, Trump said he wants "the United States to have a 50% ownership position in a joint venture" in order to "save TikTok, keep it in good hands and allow it to stay up." What happened this past week The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok unless ByteDance sells it. Justices heard arguments last week from TikTok and ByteDance, which argued that the ban is a violation of First Amendment rights. The court disagreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the issues surrounding TikTok are now the Trump administration's responsibility. "TikTok should remain available to Americans, but simply under American ownership or other ownership that addresses the national security concerns identified by Congress in developing this law," she said in a statement. "Given the sheer fact of timing, this Administration recognizes that actions to implement the law simply must fall to the next Administration, which takes office on Monday." "The statements issued today by both the Biden White House and the Department of Justice have failed to provide the necessary clarity and assurance to the service providers that are integral to maintaining TikTok's availability," TikTok said in a statement shared with Yahoo News on Friday. "Unless the Biden Administration immediately provides a definitive statement to satisfy the most critical service providers assuring non-enforcement, unfortunately TikTok will be forced to go dark on January 19." Trump said the Supreme Court's decision was "expected," and added that he'll be making a decision on the fate of TikTok "in the not too distant future." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day after the ban is scheduled to take place, Trump will be sworn into his second term of office with TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and Chinese Vice President Han Zheng expected to be in attendance and has reportedly considered issuing an executive order that would halt the TikTok ban for up to 90 days. Chew thanked Trump in a TikTok video posted Friday afternoon and called Trump's "commitment" to keeping the app in the U.S. "a strong stand for the First Amendment and against arbitrary censorship." Trump also shared on Truth Social on Friday that he had spoken to Chinese President Xi Jinping about TikTok. Why is TikTok being banned? The federal government has argued that because TikToks parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, the platform is a potential threat to national security. Therefore, TikTok could stay active in the U.S. if it separated from ByteDance and was sold to a U.S.-based company. ByteDance has said it has no plans to sell TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the Supreme Court hearing on Jan. 10, Noel Francisco, the lawyer for TikTok and ByteDance, insisted that even though TikToks parent company is based in China, TikTok does not share any user data or personal information with ByteDance and that the Chinese government does not have any direct or indirect ownership or control over the company. The Biden administration wrote in a Supreme Court brief that the law seeking to ban TikTok in the United States does not violate First Amendment rights because it was about separating the app from its parent company, which is similar to approaches previously taken by Congress and the Executive Branch to address the national-security risks arising from foreign-owned commercial entities. Where the Supreme Court stands The Supreme Court on Jan. 17 sided with the federal government. You can read the opinion here. "There is no doubt that, for more than 170 million Americans, TikTok offers a distinctive and expansive outlet for expression, means of engagement, and source of community," the justices wrote. "But Congress has determined that divestiture is necessary to address its well-supported national security concerns regarding TikToks data collection practices and relationship with a foreign adversary." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For the foregoing reasons, we conclude that the challenged provisions do not violate petitioners First Amendment rights." Read more from Yahoo News: The Supreme Court upholds TikTok ban. What happens next remains unclear. TikTok users outside the Supreme Court on Jan. 10. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What will happen on Jan. 19 if TikTok is banned? If you do not have TikTok on your phone by Jan. 19, you will not be able to download it once the ban takes effect. In December, the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Community Party wrote letters to Apple and Google which own the two main mobile app stores reiterating that they must remove TikTok from their stores when the ban takes effect. The Department of Justice previously stated that if you are one of the 170 million current U.S.-based TikTok users, the ban will not directly prohibit the continued use of TikTok and wont immediately eliminate the app from individuals phones. Instead, over time, without updates or technical help from TikTok, the app will slowly become unworkable. However, Reuters reported on Wednesday, Jan. 15 that TikTok planned to shut down the app fully on Jan. 19. TikTok has not responded to Yahoo News request for comment. In response to the news, the Biden administration is considering ways to prevent TikTok from being suddenly banned on Sunday in the U.S., an official told NBC News. The administrations goal would be for the ban to go into effect on app stores on Jan. 19, but not immediately impact downloaded apps from functioning. Some senators have been fighting to extend the ban deadline In a press conference on Jan. 16, Democratic Sens. Ed Markey and Cory Booker said they had asked the Biden administration to extend the TikTok ban deadline by 90 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In no way should we have TikTok go dark Sunday, Markey told reporters. Were willing to work with President Trump to try to extend this deadline as well. Booker said the TikTok ban was crammed into, what we often call in Congress, a must-pass bill, which is why it passed so quickly. The TikTok ban was part of a $95 billion foreign aid package that included funding for Ukrainian military equipment, humanitarian aid for Gaza and Taiwan and Israeli missile defense in addition to the TikTok ban. The Senate voted 79 to 18 in favor of the bill in April 2024; both Markey and Booker voted in favor. We did not have a debate in the Senate, we did not have hearings in the Senate, Booker said. It was, to me, a cynical effort to stick it into a bill that many of us would have to vote for because of the other high stakes. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who also voted in favor of the bill, called for an extension of the Jan. 19 deadline, saying in remarks on the Senate floor: We arent against TikTok. We want TikTok to keep going. But we are against a Chinese company that is in cahoots with the Chinese Communist Party owning TikTok. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three senators said they've been in talks with the Biden administration on the situation and plan to work with the Trump administration once Trump takes office. Trump now says he doesn't want to ban TikTok Trump has taken varying positions on TikTok. When he was president in August 2020, he threatened to ban the app if ByteDance didnt sell it, but multiple federal judges blocked his attempts at the time. However, while running for reelection in 2024, he launched his own TikTok account and told followers that he would SAVE TIK TOK IN AMERICA if he won the election. On Dec. 27, Trump filed a legal brief asking the Supreme Court to delay its decision on the TikTok ban until after he is officially in office on Jan. 20. The filing argues that the Supreme Court should allow Trump and his incoming administration to look into the political questions involved in the case, especially whether the ban is a violation of Americans First Amendment rights. The filing also argues that Trump could find an alternative solution to the national security concerns associated with ByteDance. As recently as Jan. 3, Trump asked, Why would I want to get rid of TikTok? TikTok users gather at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on March 13. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Once president, can Trump save TikTok? The law does include a provision that allows the president to pause the TikTok ban for 90 days if ByteDance proves it is in the process of selling the app. Trump could try to pause the ban himself for the first 90 days of his administration, but without evidence that ByteDance is actively working to divest from TikTok, his decision could be challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another option would be for Trump to ask his Justice Department and attorney general not to enforce the ban, Alan Z. Rozenshtein, a former Justice Dept. national security adviser and an associate law professor at the University of Minnesota Law School wrote at Lawfare Media. However, in that case, most companies and individual users would probably be discouraged from using the app, since doing so would still technically be considered to be breaking the law. The Washington Post reported on Jan. 15 that Trump is allegedly considering an executive order once hes in office that would suspend the TikTok ban for 60 to 90 days so that his administration could either negotiate a sale or another solution to protect the app from being banned in the U.S. However, its not clear whether issuing an executive order would counteract a law that Congress approved and the Supreme Court upheld. "Theyre just press releases with nicer stationery, Rozenshtein, referring to executive orders. TikTok will still be banned, and it will still be illegal for Apple and Google to do business with them. But it will make the presidents intention not to enforce the law that much more official. Does anyone want to buy TikTok? The only way to avoid a full ban on TikTok in the U.S. is if ByteDance either sells the app or at least proves its trying to divest from the app. Multiple American companies and entrepreneurs have offered to buy TikTok from ByteDance, including former Los Angeles Dodgers owner and Project Liberty founder Frank McCourt who, in December, pulled together a group of investors. One of those investors is Kevin OLeary, a Shark Tank host, who told Yahoo Finance that the group is willing to pay up to $20 billion for the app. Project Liberty announced last week that it had formally submitted a proposal to ByteDance to buy TikTok. YouTubes most famous creator Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, posted on Jan. 15 that he had met with several billionaires and had an offer ready to buy TikTok. He did not share much information on who he was meeting with or what the plan looked like. Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that Chinese government officials allegedly discussed selling TikTok to Elon Musk, who also owns X. Musk has not commented on the reports, but has publicly slammed the TikTok ban and said it was contrary to freedom of speech and expression. Companies like Oracle, Walmart and Microsoft expressed interest in buying TikTok in 2020. However, ByteDance has made it clear since April that it has no intention of selling TikTok, despite the U.S. ban. Prominent right-wing media personalities are calling on the federal government to withhold or place conditions on aid for victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, blaming Californias own policies for the scale of the devastation and response. As firefighters slowly gain control of the wildfires raging near Los Angeles and thousands of residents return to find their homes in ashes, pro-Trump personalities are blasting state and local officials for woke policies that they fault for the disaster. On Fox News, the networks hosts have lined up behind the politicized approach, taking pot-shots at the state for its progressive values. Host Sean Hannity told viewers California doesnt deserve one federal dollar because of its immigration policies and placed blame on the states forest management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any aid has got to insist that the science of forestry be implemented so you, the American people, you dont have to keep bailing people out, Hannity said Tuesday night. Theyve got to clear out the brush and do things like, oh, control burns and maybe not put a little shrub above the safety of peoples lifeblood, their home. Fellow Fox prime time host Jesse Watters suggested that California, with its higher state income tax rate, shouldnt need additional funding but that officials had squandered tax dollars on unrelated issues. Will American taxpayers rebuild L.A. without strings attached? Watters asked his audience Tuesday night. L.A. spent more on homeless than firefighters, and both problems are getting worse. They lost $55 billion in Covid money, lost it. They spent $20 billion on a high-speed train that doesnt go anywhere. Glenn Beck, who hosts a podcast and program on The Blaze, blamed the wildfires on the states homeless population and railed against the states preparation for the extreme winds that fanned the flames. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Gavin Newsom and the leaders of California cant admit that their own disastrous policies, NOT climate change, fueled these fires, they shouldnt get a DIME of federal aid without serious conditions attached, Beck wrote on X. Scientists said this week that climate change contributed to the explosive growth of the wildfires, with the region experiencing exceptional dry conditions that fueled the flames. Other regions are also grappling with alarming fire behavior. Texas saw its largest wildfire on record last year and Canada experienced its worst wildfire season on record in 2023. On Fox, host Laura Ingraham questioned Californias ability to properly disburse funds, telling Sen. Tommy Tuberville in an interview that the money will be going to friends and people who are politically connected or have the same environmental agenda even though today (Mayor) Karen Bass and yesterday Gavin Newsom said, Oh, no, were going to streamline a lot of this permitting. I dont think they have any credibility on any of that, Ingraham said. Not with our tax dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sens. John Barrasso and Bill Hagerty have called for public hearings to investigate Democrats alleged gross mismanagement in the state following the fires, which as of Wednesday afternoon had scorched more than 40,000 acres and killed at least 25 people. There cant be a blank check on this, Barrasso told CBS Newss Face the Nation on Sunday. I expect there will be strings attached to money that is ultimately approved, and it has to do with being ready the next time because this was a gross failure this time. House Speaker Mike Johnson joined the budding chorus of conservatives calling for conditional relief on Monday, telling CNN that he, too, thought there should probably be conditions on that aid. Republican calls for California wildfire relief to have strings attached are by no means a novel idea. When wildfires surged across the state in 2018, then-President Trump reportedly withheld disaster relief funds given the states Democratic lean. However, Trump reversed course after he was informed that he had a larger voter base in the impacted county than in some states, a former official said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next year, Trump posted on social media that billions of dollars are sent to the State of California for Forest fires that, with proper Forest Management, would never happen. Unless they get their act together, which is unlikely, I have ordered FEMA to send no more money. It is a disgraceful situation in lives & money! Right-wing media personalities have regularly cast California in a negative light, using it as a punching bag to stir outrage over progressive policies that if allowed to spill beyond its borders would devastate the country. So why pick fights with California? said University of California, Berkeley political scientist Henry Brady. Well, watch Fox News. California is the boogeyman. California has cities out of control. California is doing all these crazy things with climate change. We are the people who have sanctuary cities and the place where people are woke beyond belief. Punishing California is something that is, from their perspective, a positive good, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump himself has used his Truth Social platform to spread misinformation about the fires and stoke a feud with Newsom, falsely declaring last week that the governor had refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him, allowing the fires to spread. Trumps media allies similarly picked up on his talking points, with Ingraham saying on her show, we know where California liberals choose to spend billions, and we do know that their environmental fanaticism has shoved common sense thinking out the door. Now, while the winds are horrific, experts insist that bad forest management can make a bad situation worse, Ingraham added. And Trump called this out six years ago Hes right. Incompetence kills. On the campaign trail, presidential candidate Trump rekindled threats that, if elected, he would make wildfire aid to the state conditional if Newsom didnt agree to divert more of the states water supply to farmers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If he doesnt sign those papers, we wont give him money to put out all his fires, Trump said in September. And if we dont give him all the money to put out the fires, hes got problems. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Winooski School District, which is known as one of the most racially diverse schools in the state, is proposing a Sanctuary School Policy to protect immigrant students and families. The proposal, which was introduced by Winooski Superintendent Wilmer Chavarria, is aiming to restrict immigration agents ability to access student information or visit school grounds. Chavarria says the move came after students and families approach him with concerns over deportation during a second Trump presidency. I did not have a perfect answer for them at the moment, but all I could do was promise them that whatever we could do to keep their child safe, we would do that, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last Wednesday, the districts school board was presented with testimonies and a first draft of the policy, which was created by a collection of educators and advocacy organizations. Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver, a high school teacher at Winooski School District was one of those who spoke at the meeting. Kids cant learn when theyre scared. Im seeing kids already distracted Im seeing kids staying after school asking me complex questions about immigration, said the teacher. Chavarria says, while he believes the conversation was promising, some board members voiced concerns over getting negative attention from federal entities and community members. During Trumps first term in office, schools that introduced similar policies saw the administration threaten to withhold federal funding. The superintendent says if the policy is introduced under a new Trump presidency, the school may find it difficult to implement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Policies could change overnight, and that might render some of the power we have almost non-existent, and we accept that reality, but whatever little power we have at this moment we are hoping to use it, said Chavarria. The school board will vote on approval for adoption of the policy on February 12. Until then, Chavarria says, he and others from the school will continue to revise the policy and work with the board during their upcoming meetings. 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 ABC22 & FOX44. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) The winter storm in early January that covered much of Kentucky in snow and ice for several days has also proved to be deadly. In part of his Team Kentucky Update on Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said that Kentucky Emergency Management (KYRM) and the Department of Public Health confirmed the deaths of six people related to ice and snow conditions that impacted the Commonwealth from Jan. 5-11. We lost a female in Spencer County due to an injury, and then we lost five men due to injuries or medical emergencies, Beshear said on Thursday. They were from Breckenridge, Boone, Oldham, and Franklin counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Latest central Kentucky weather forecast Emergency management officials said some of the deaths were related to overexertion followed by cardiac arrest while shoveling snow and ice and said to take frequent breaks when shoveling. Shoveling heavy, wet snow can cause back injuries and it can cause heart attacks. And it can also make it harder or make it take longer for first responders to get to you, Beshear said. If you have a medical emergency, we dont want anybody to push themselves too hard. On the heels of Winter Storm Blair, state leaders also said that from Jan. 19 to Jan. 22, Arctic air is expected to sweep across Kentucky. Areas of the Bluegrass will reportedly be subjected to wind chill conditions that may drop below the zero-degree threshold on Monday and Tuesday mornings. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshear said a map with warming centers across Kentucky can be found on the KYEM 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 FOX 56 News. Sandhill cranes, which have a special place in the history, geography, and culture of Wisconsin, could be hunted in the Badger State if the 2025 legislature approves a bill to allow a season. A sandhill hunting season would bring Wisconsin in line with other jurisdictions in the flyway and would recognize and manage the prodigious growth in the population of crop-raiding birds that conservation pioneer Aldo Leopold worried would go extinct in his lifetime adrift in history, he wrote. Indeed, Leopolds beloved Shack, the primitive homestead on the Wisconsin River thats the inspiration for his most influential writings on conservation and human responsibility to wildlife, is the epicenter of Wisconsins sandhill crane population and symbol of the states reverence for the bird. Significantly, its also near the headquarters of the International Crane Foundation, the worlds leading crane conservation organization which has taken a dim view of a proposed hunt in its literal backyard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aware of the strong feelings around crane hunting in the state, legislative leaders convened a study council last year that considered pros, cons, and alternatives to a hunt before ultimately voting to send draft legislation to the state legislature. That legislation, which recommends a limited hunt and which also provides funds to mitigate damage to farmers corn crops, will be considered this session and, if passed and signed by the governor, could establish a season as early as next year. Sandhill crane numbers are three times as many needed to trigger a hunt, according to USFWS. Photo by Sandra Uecker / USFWS If approved, Wisconsin would join Kentucky, Tennessee, and Alabama in hunting sandhill cranes in the East. To the north, both Quebec and Ontario are considering hunting seasons that could begin as early as 2026. Populations in the flyway (Wisconsins sandhills are part of the Eastern population that includes birds from both the Mississippi and Atlantic flyways) are about triple the number required to trigger a hunting season, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Sandhill crane seasons are well-established in most states and provinces of the Central Flyway and some in the Pacific Flyway. Its worth looking at Wisconsins experience with the issue, not only as a window into the sometimes tedious mechanism of wildlife management, but also to illustrate all the constituencies and values affected by natural resource policy. Wisconsin has been defined as a swing state in presidential politics for the past decade, and its evenly divided institutions its current legislature leans mildly Republican while the governor is a Democrat compound the politics around the hunt. The crane-hunt proposal reminds some observers of Wisconsins torturous experience with approving a mourning dove hunt a generation ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the case of mourning doves, Wisconsins Natural Resources Board approved a hunt in 2000 after 30 years of debate and serial rejection of the idea. The hunt was litigated for four years until Wisconsins modern and apparently permanent hunt was finally approved by the states Supreme Court in 2004. Mindful of the land mines around establishing novel hunting seasons, and wincing over rejection of crane hunting on at least two previous occasions, promoters of the sandhill hunt were intentional about building stakeholder support for a season. Based on the biology of the sandhill crane in Wisconsin, we can have an ethical and sustainable hunt and it will not hurt the population, says Bruce Ross, executive director of the Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. But Wisconsin is different from other states. We are a staging and breeding ground for the bird, and we know there is a deep emotional connection to cranes in Wisconsin. Were home to the International Crane Foundation, whose URL is savingcranes.org and Aldo Leopolds Marshland Elegy gets trotted out a lot. He thought he had seen the last of the sandhills. Some [people] question why we now want to invoke a hunting season on those birds that are of such majesty and represent a remarkable conservation success story. The reason is because crane recovery has been so effective that the birds are starting to be nuisances. A crane feeds in a soybean field. Seeds and grains make up a large portion of the cranes diet. Corn and potato farmers in Wisconsin are making depredation complaints. Photo by Courtney Celley / USFWS The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates 55,000 to 60,000 sandhill cranes either breed or rear their colts in Wisconsin or migrate through the state. Thats about half the flyway total of 112,000 and well above the 30,000-bird population biologists say can sustain a hunt. In Wisconsin, those birds dont just stay on roosts in the famed Horicon Marsh or nearby Wisconsin River. They also spread out across the states corn-and-potato belt, causing millions of dollars in agricultural damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because theres no active crane hunting season sandhills arent even defined as a game bird in the state farmers are left with two options. One is to deter sandhills by coating corn seed with a bitter substance called Avipel that makes newly planted corn unpalatable to the birds. The second is to apply for special kill permits to shoot depredating cranes. Last year in Wisconsin some 1,400 crop-eating cranes were shot on these permits and left to rot in farmers fields. By law, birds killed on these depredation permits cannot be consumed. That should rub every hunter and anyone who thinks of themselves as a conservationist the wrong way, says Cyrus Baird, senior director of government affairs for Delta Waterfowl. The state is paying someone to shoot cranes. Why not have a carefully managed hunting season and a lottery quota system and have the DNR use hunter revenue that can then go toward managing cranes, and have the same produced outcome? After waterfowl groups raised those questions to legislators, and acknowledged the deep cultural connection to cranes in the state, legislative leaders considered the issue both important and nettlesome enough to convene a joint Legislative Council Study Committee to kick around various management options. The 12-member committee met five times over last summer and fall and ultimately produced the draft legislation that will go before the full legislature later this session. Advice and Dissent In America, there tend to be two main ways to influence hunting policies. One is to exercise the initiative process, as Coloradans employed last year with Initiative 127, the failed proposal to ban sport hunting of mountain lions and bobcats. This ballot-box biology tends to run high on emotion and short on collaboration. The alternative is Wisconsins study committee, where stakeholders thrash out various options in a tedious, transparent process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even that inclusive approach isnt perfect, as Anne Lacy from the International Crane Foundation observed in her role on the study committee. I went into the council process cautiously optimistic that wed have multiple perspectives ultimately guided by science, says Lacy, the Crane Foundations director of Eastern Flyway programs for North America. But ultimately, I think much of the science that was presented was disregarded because the group wanted to have a hunting season and were willing to contort the science to fit that outcome. My sense is that a transparent, stepwise process was just a smokescreen for a pre-determined outcome. Other members of the council stressed that the group considered the latest population estimates and models. That includes one of the nations leading migratory bird ecologists, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, who voted for the hunting-season proposal. But Lacy says the committee didnt adequately account for mitigation measures, developed and promoted by the Crane Foundation, that can effectively deter cranes from eating farmers corn. Because most crane depredation occurs in the springtime, fall hunting seasons wouldnt effectively target these crop-eating birds. A pair of sandhill cranes forage in a field in the upper Midwest. Photo by Courtney Celley / USFWS While were working on lowering lethal removal [of corn-eating cranes], it remains too high, says Lacy. Hunter harvest would likely be additive mortality. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She worries that, because cranes are such a long-lived species that breeds relatively late in life, population declines might take years to be recognized, and by then crane numbers could drop to unsustainable levels. Its unlikely that Wisconsins sandhill cranes might go back to the Depression era, when only 25 breeding pairs were counted in the state and Leopold considered the solitary bird to be wildness incarnate. Their annual return is the ticking of the geological clock, Leopold wrote in Marshland Elegy. Upon the place of their return they confer a peculiar distinction. Amid the endless mediocrity of the commonplace, a crane marsh holds a paleontological patent of nobility, won in the march of aeons, and revocable only by shotgun. Now, cranes are commonly seen across the state, and have found a combination of open space and groceries in Wisconsins agricultural areas. And theyre increasingly common in the suburbs and even urban parks and greenways. With abundance comes familiarity, says the Crane Foundations Lacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a bird that stands on two legs and can look you in the eye, she says. Its easy for people to identify with cranes. They mate for life, though they will also divorce another human trait and theyre family-oriented and theyre easy to identify. Plus, theres a reverence for cranes that we see on all five continents where they live. People feel extra-protective of them. Headwinds for a Hunt But theres the indisputable matter that there are now more cranes than ever in Wisconsin, and three times the number that could sustain a hunt. They cause millions of dollars in crop damage when loss of fall potatoes is added to the hit on spring corn. The bill draft approved by the legislative study committee tries to address concerns from every group, with the possible exception of the Crane Foundation. The idea was to get some financial help for corn farmers and the depredation they face, says Ross of Wisconsin Waterfowl Association. So theres a provision that would designate sandhill cranes as a game species, and add $1 to the cost of base hunting licenses and $2 on combination licenses, and an increased fee on non-resident licenses. That would add about $1.3 million annually to the depredation fund for abatement assistance to pay for Avipel. But because we recognize that theres no effective deterrent for cranes that are damaging potatoes, we are proposing a limited hunting season to both control populations and offer some relief to potato growers as well as the opportunity to hunt a common, abundant bird. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill includes a mandatory education course for hunters to ensure they can identify sandhill cranes from endangered whooping cranes, which share the flyway. Another provision seeks to minimize harvest of breeding pairs in Wisconsin. A whooping crane, which is endangered, lands among sandhill cranes. Photo by Jim Hudgins / USFWS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That hybrid bill was approved by the study committee on an 8-4 vote, with the non-hunting conservation groups, the Crane Foundations Lacy among them, and two Democrat lawmakers opposed. Critics have observed that, while its not ballot-box biology, the legislation politicizes the issue by taking season-setting authority away from Wisconsins Natural Resources Board. The fate of the bill, which will be introduced to the legislature as a non-partisan study-committee bill, is not assured. Previous sandhill crane hunting bills have not fared well in Wisconsins legislature, the last in 2022 as part of a larger sportsmans package. Critics say that one of the most vocal proponents of that previous effort, Michigan rocker Ted Nugent, didnt help the cause. He stood on the steps of the Capitol and talked about ribeye of the sky and how he liked his cranes with butter and garlic, recalls one source. Given the emotional connection of Wisconsinites to cranes, that didnt go over well, and even though it was a strongly Republican majority legislature, that bill never even got to the floor. If this hybrid bill is approved by the state legislature, there are even odds that Democratic Gov. Tom Evers will sign it into law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If it makes it through the legislative gauntlet, Wisconsins Department of Natural Resources would have to apply to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to approve a hunt. A retriever fetches up a sandhill crane. Currently, cranes killed with depredation permits in Wisconsin cannot be consumed by law, and are left to rot in farmers fields. Photo by Steve Oehlenschlager / Adobe Stock Based on the estimated size of the Wisconsin crane population, as many as 5,100 tags could be issued by the DNR for a 60-day season that could run between Sept. 1 and Jan. 31. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has limited tags in the flyway to 12,300. Currently Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee issue 5,950 tags combined, so Wisconsins prospective number of tags would remain below the flyway maximum. Read Next: Wyoming Lawmakers Want to Quadruple Hunting License Application Fees The fact that other states in the flyway have managed successful, sustainable hunting seasons for cranes is encouraging, says Ross. These are not just Wisconsins birds. Theyre a migratory international resource, and its important to remind people that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has measures to ensure that this is a well-managed resource under federal guidelines and international treaties. We dont want Wisconsin to be an outlier, one of the only states and provinces that doesnt offer a season. Were simply asking for the chance to prove that we can implement a safe, ethical, and sustainable hunting season for sandhill cranes. LOMIRA, Wis. (WFRV) The Dodge County Sheriffs Office posted an update on Facebook regarding a pair of search warrants and investigations that occurred in Lomira, with one resulting in a mans arrest. One of the search warrants was executed on Dec. 9, 2024, as the Dodge County Sheriffs Office and Waupun Police Department executed a search warrant in the 1100 block of Main Street in Lomira. Suspect apprehended in multi-agency stolen vehicle investigation that started in Fond du Lac Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 38-year-old Joshua Rogge of Lomira was arrested as a result and booked into the Dodge County Jail on multiple charges. Rogges charges were child pornography possession and causing a child to view sexual activity. Another search warrant was executed on Tuesday, January 14, in the 500 block of Milwaukee Street. The warrant caused social media posts to speculate regarding federal agencies, though none were involved. The investigation into this specific search warrant is still ongoing, and no more details were provided. 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. The first openly nonbinary elected official in Massachusetts history is taking a one-month hiatus from their Worcester City Council duties, alleging her colleagues have created a toxic council culture. I really wished I felt safe enough to show up on the council floor, but I dont due to this level of dehumanization of my being, Councilor Thu Nguyen said during a meeting earlier this week. Nguyen claims theyve been misgendered and referred to as it by their peers in a discriminatory pattern of behavior thats been ongoing for three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have never felt there was any avenue I could turn to for safety and feel protected against the discrimination and toxicity of our council culture, Nguyen said. Nguyen says they will take a month off to prioritize mental and emotional safety while forging a path to address this matter. I know as someone with many intersectional marginalized identities, city hall is not safe, welcoming nor accessible to everyone, Nguyen added. In a statement issued in response to Nguyens allegations, Worcester Mayor Joseph M. Petty vowed to work with the city to ensure the safety of all councilors during public meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nguyen has also asked the citys Executive Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion to open an immediate investigation. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW As seen through a window from the Colonnade outside the Oval Office, President Joe Biden speaks during his farewell address at the White House in Washington, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, as second gentleman Doug Emhoff and Vice President Kamala Harris listen. via Associated Press WASHINGTON President Joe Biden never mentioned his successor by name in his goodbye speech to the nation Wednesday, but nevertheless made it clear he believes that American democracy is at risk. I want to warn the country of some things that give me great concern, Biden said in a 16-minute address from the Oval Office. He then ticked off allusions to Trump and his wealthy advisers as threats to Americans freedom. The outgoing president referred to Republican President Dwight Eisenhowers farewell address in 1961, when he spoke of a military-industrial complex that was consolidating power in Washington. Biden said the new threat was a tech-industrial complex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation. Editors are disappearing. Social media is giving up on fact-checking. The truth is smothered by lies told for power and for profit, he said. We must hold the social platforms accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy. Some of the richest men in the world Elon Musk, who runs SpaceX and Tesla and owns the social media platform once known as Twitter; Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg; and Amazon head Jeff Bezos have taken pains to demonstrate their support for Trump before and since his November election. The three are reportedly planning to sit together in a VIP section at Trumps coming inaugural. Biden further called for reforms to the Supreme Court, to Congress, to campaign finance laws and to the presidency itself. We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office, he said, clearly referring to a Supreme Court ruling last July that declared that presidents do have such immunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision helped Trump delay federal prosecution against him, making a trial impossible before the election. Both federal cases were subsequently dismissed under longstanding Department of Justice policy not to prosecute sitting presidents. Biden in his speech evoked the Statue of Liberty as a metaphor: its construction in New York Harbor after the Civil War, its endurance through more than a century of storms (She sways a few inches, but she never falls into the current below) and the workers charged with keeping the windows on its torch polished. He was known as the Keeper of the Flame, Biden said. Now its your turn to stand guard. May you all be the Keeper of the Flame. Bidens term ends Monday at noon, when Trump is to begin his second term. Voters chose him by a narrow margin over Bidens vice president, Kamala Harris, despite Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden and a variety of criminal charges and convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Biden frequently spoke of Trumps efforts to remain in power in speeches throughout his term as a threat to democracy. He alluded to the dangers of abuse of power during his eulogy at President Jimmy Carters funeral last week. Trump will be the first convicted felon in American history to take the presidential oath of office. A jury found him guilty of falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 hush money payment to a porn star just ahead of the 2016 election. Wednesday nights speech, though, will not be the final time Biden speaks publicly as president. He is scheduled to address the U.S. Conference of Mayors on Friday, and then visit South Carolina on Sunday, his final full day in office. South Carolina was the state whose voters put Biden in a commanding lead for the 2020 presidential nomination after he finished poorly in Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada in the previous weeks. Related... Jan. 15A group of Western New Mexico University students took to Regent Square on the Silver City campus Wednesday to say goodbye to President Joe Shepard, who resigned in the midst of ethics investigations and litigation over his severance contract. The group, a mix of traditional and foreign exchange students, held signs with messages including, "Thanks for everything" and "Joe Shepard made WNMU better," according to photos provided by university spokesperson Mario Sanchez and sources the Journal spoke with on Wednesday. The gathering came on the same day Shepard, who had served in the top job since 2011, stepped down following the state auditor's conclusion that the president, his wife, Valerie Plame, and members of the Board of Regents spent more than $360,000 on extravagant foreign business trips and lavish furniture for the president's residence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As other agencies, and the university itself, engaged in their own audits, the pressure of the allegations proved too much for Shepard, who agreed with the board to step down and was awarded a $1.9 million payout and a full professorship making $200,000 a year for the next five years. The contract led four out of five board members to step down under pressure from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Attorney General Raul Torrez tried to claw back Shepard's payout and contract, which he failed to do in court this week. The rally was organized by WNMU sophomores Carolina Griego and Samara Vivanco, who are sisters. They estimated the rally drew 50 people, the majority of whom were students. Griego said she organized the gathering with her sister because the two wanted to share the good things they believe Shepard has done for the university. Griego said one of the things she told the crowd was that a Google search of Shepard's name only turns up negative stories about him, "which I don't think is fair." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He did great things for the school for around 14 years," Griego said in an interview. "We appreciate him." Griego applauded Shepard for his accessibility to campus community members, for expanding opportunities for Hispanic students, beautifying the campus and making it safer. Griego noted in an interview that Shepard had the ability to listen to students, like when he ordered new cheerleading uniforms upon their request. "He's a president that listens to what the students need," Griego said. Shepard did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, but Sanchez said, in part, that the outgoing president "appreciated the sentiment behind today's gathering." Shepard turned out to the rally, where he thanked his supporters and hugged some of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WNMU Horticulturalist Chala Werber, an ally of Shepard's who attended the rally, applauded the students' efforts, but said it was "a little too little, too late." "It's emotional because this community is just beginning to realize what they're losing," Werber said. CHICAGO A person of interest is being questioned after a deadly shooting in the citys Portage Park neighborhood. The shooting happened around 4:50 a.m. Thursday on the 5800 block of West Newport. Police said a 35-year-old woman was shot in the chest and transported in critical condition to Illinois Masonic Hospital, where she later died. The womans identity is unknown at this time. Area Five detectives are speaking to a person of interest. Charges have not been filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woman killed, man injured after car crashes into pole on Southwest Side Circumstances surrounding the shooting are under investigation. No further information has been provided by police. 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 WGN-TV. A 41-year-old woman was fatally injured overnight when she lost control of a vehicle traveling on the southwest side and struck a pole, Chicago police said. Shortly after 3 a.m. Thursday, the woman was headed north in the 7700 block of South Cicero Avenue when she lost control of a Nissan Altima and struck a pole, police said. She was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where she was pronounced dead. A 35-year-old man, who was a passenger suffered minor injuries in the crash, was taken to the same hospital where he was listed in fair condition. The Major Accident Investigation Unit was on the scene, police said. A woman has been arrested on charges she was driving under the influence in a five-vehicle, chain-reaction crash that killed a road ranger and injured two state troopers on New Years Day, the Florida Highway Patrol said Thursday. Latoya Hayes, 45, was charged with vehicular homicide, DUI manslaughter, DUI causing property damage and reckless driving causing property damage, according to records released Thursday. She was intoxicated at the time of the crash with a blood alcohol concentration of .168, said Lt. Indiana Miranda, of the Florida Highway Patrol. Officials said Hayes smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot red watery eyes. In Florida, the legal blood alcohol content limit is .08. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her drivers license also had expired in October 2003, the Highway Patrol said. On New Years Day, a road ranger employed by the Florida Department of Transportation died in a five-vehicle crash on Interstate 95 in Hollywood, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. He was identified as Jose Parra Guadama, 28, who had been married just five months before. The incident also left two state troopers injured, the agency said. About 3:30 a.m. New Years Day, Parra was helping at the scene of a crash on Interstate 95 in Hollywood, according to family and law enforcement officials. He was standing in the express lane when Hayes, who was in a BMW, allegedly rear-ended a Honda Accord in the southbound lanes and then spun into the road ranger truck, setting off the chain reaction that killed Parra as he stood between two Florida Highway Patrol cars, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After colliding with the Honda Accord, Hayes car traveled southeast for approximately 202 feet, where it collided with the concrete median wall, according to documents released Thursday. Then her car was redirected south another 273 feet until it collided with Parra and the three other cars. FHP said the troopers and ranger vehicles had their emergency lights flashing while parked along the roadway. The FHP cars had stopped to tend to an earlier crash. Members of the state-run Road Ranger Service Patrol typically provide assistance at crash scenes and also provide assistance to those whose vehicles are disabled or are involved in accidents. Parra was pronounced dead at the crash site at 3:38 a.m. Lisa J. Huriash can be reached at lhuriash@sunsentinel.com. Follow on X, formerly Twitter, @LisaHuriash MANHATTAN (KSNT) Police in Manhattan arrested a local woman in connection to a series of shootings that happened late last year. Ashley Tokoi with the Riley County Police Department (RCPD) announced in a press release that officers conducted a search warrant on Jan. 15 in the 2000 block of College Heights Road. This search warrant resulted in the arrest of a 42-year-old Manhattan woman on multiple probable cause offenses. Tokoi said the womans arrest is in connection to a series of shootings which occurred on the evening of Nov. 30, 2024 and the early morning hours of Dec. 1, 2024. The woman was arrests for the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 10 counts of perjury. Endangering a child. Nine counts of violation of the offender registration act. Possession with the intent to distribute marijuana within 1,000 feet of a school. Possession of marijuana. Distribute or possess with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia for illegal use. Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia. Possession or a controlled substance. Card skimming device found at Topeka Dillons grocery store The RCPD encourages anyone who has information related to these shootings to contact police by calling 785-537-2112. You can also leave anonymous tips by reaching out to Crime Stoppers by calling 785-539-7777. For more crime news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf 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 KSNT 27 News. CHICAGO A woman was critically wounded in a shooting early Thursday morning in East Pilsen. Officers responded to the 1300 block of South Ruble at around 3:40 p.m. on the report of a shooting. Police located a 40-year-old woman at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head. She was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. No one is in custody. Anyone with information can leave an anonymous tip at cpdtip.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WGN-TV. HAMPSTEAD A 56-year-old Atkinson woman fell through the ice and drowned on Big Island Pond in Hampstead on Saturday morning. The body of Emer Mezzetti was recovered by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Departments Dive Team around 9:30 a.m. on Sunday morning in the area of Osprey Fork Road. First responders were called to nearby Chase Island Road in Atkinson just before 5:30 p.m. on Saturday for reports of someone on the pond yelling for help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atkinson firefighters arrived at the pond and deployed one rescuer in a cold-water suit with the other firefighter and Atkinson PD assisting with ropes from the shore. Rescuers worked for two hours and were able to establish contact with the woman, but they faced significant challenges that ultimately prevented their ability to extricate the individual from the water. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victim of this tragedy, Atkinson FD said in the release. One Atkinson firefighter was transported to a local-area hospital with injuries sustained in the rescue efforts. Additional details about what Mezzetti was doing on the ice at the time of the incident have not been released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Atkinson police and fire departments were assisted by the New Hampshire State Polices Marine Patrol, New Hampshire Fish and Game, Hampstead Police and Fire, Derry Police and Fire, PrideStar EMS, Plaistow Fire/Rescue and EMS and Salem Fire. The New Hampshire State PoliceMarine Patrol reminds all residents and visitors to use caution before venturing out on open ice this winter. General ice safety tips can be found on the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department website. Big Island Pond is located in the towns of Derry, Hampstead and Atkinson. A woman in her 80s was rushed to the hospital after a collision with a Massachusetts State Police cruiser in Brookline Wednesday, state police told Boston 25 News. The state police cruiser was traveling at a very low speed on Route 9 and Hammond Street when it hit and knocked over the woman, a state police spokesperson said. The woman hit her head on her ground but was conscious and alert when she was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue to investigate the crash, and we wish the woman a speedy recovery, an MSP spokesperson said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW HARRISBURG, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) A grieving brother shared his story of his brave sister trying to leave a relationship only to be tragically killed by her boyfriend Monday night. The shooting, which led to a firefight with deputies in a Harrisburg neighborhood, has left a family torn apart. Chartara Courtney moved to North Carolina about a year and a half ago for a new job and a chance to restart her life, but someone from her past followed her to the Charlotte area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was what you would call a super-mom, said Darrius Courtney, Chartaras brother. NC Sens. Budd, Tillis express frustration over FEMA hotel voucher changes Chartara, known to her family as Vetra, came to the Charlotte area from Augusta, Georgia, because she got a promotion at work. She was very excited about it, in a bigger city and just new beginnings, said Courtney. She was excited for her and her kids. Courtney says his sister, a manager at Waffle House raising four kids, didnt seem too excited about her boyfriend of several years, Willie Wimbley, making the move with her to North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their relationship was rocky, I saw early signs in the beginning, said Courtney. He says he only knows of one time early on in Georgia that Wimbley was physically abusive to his sister. After that, he knew that I was upset about it he came and sat me down and looked me in my face and told me how much he loved my sister and he would never do nothing to hurt her, said Courtney. Chartara Courtney with her family. But most recently, Courtney says his sister was trying to get away from Wimbley. She was trying to get away from him for sure, said Courtney. He says his sister was planning to move into a home in Harrisburg. I called my sisters phone and she didnt answer, I knew something was wrong, said Courtney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chartara called 911 Monday night, giving her address, saying she and Wimbley got into a dispute, but they could talk it out. When deputies got to the house, they say they watched Wimbley shoot and kill Chartara in the driveway. Our mothers a praying woman, she taught us well, she raised us well and she didnt deserve this, said Courtney. Deputies say Wimbley hid behind a car and started firing at them. They shot back and believe he killed himself. Pizzagate gunman killed by police in North Carolina after traffic stop, authorities say It hurts knowing that she was isolated from her family, and we couldnt get to her fast enough, said Courtney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He wants people to know his sister was one of a kind, a devoted daughter and a loving mother, trying to give her kids a better life. I want her to be honored, I want her to be mentioned with dignity and respect, said Courtney. He says the family is working to make funeral arrangements for his sister in Augusta. The Union County Sheriffs Office says in August 2024, they had a domestic violent report and were called by Chartara to a home in Indian Trail. Deputies say there wasnt enough evidence to prosecute Wimbley at the time, but they referred Chartara to a magistrate to pursue charges. A month later, deputies say they checked back in with her, but she had decided not to file charges against Wimbley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233. 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 Queen City News. NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) The New Orleans Police Department is investigating a fatal hit-and-run in the Gentilly area Thursday morning. According to officers, around 6:20 a.m. on Jan. 16, they responded to the call of a person down at the corner of Elysian Fields Avenue at Rapides Drive. Responding officers arrived to find an unresponsive woman lying on the ground in Elysian Fields southbound lane suffering from obvious signs of trauma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bicyclist dead following Mid-City crash: NOPD An investigation revealed the driver left the scene after the crash. The woman was pronounced dead on the scene. Officers report the southbound lanes on Elysian Fields Avenue at Rapids Street were closed until further notice. Drivers are advised to find an alternate route for their commute. New Orleans vehicle crash leaves man dead The Orleans Parish Coroners Office will release the victims identity after an autopsy is done and the family is notified. Anyone with information on the crash can call the NOPD Traffic Fatality Unit at 504-658-6205 or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111. Stay up to date with the latest news, weather and sports by downloading the WGNO app on the Apple or Google Play stores and by subscribing to the WGNO newsletter. Latest Posts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WGNO. CHICAGO A 41-year-old woman was killed and a man was injured in a crash on the Southwest Side. The fatal crash happened around 3:10 a.m. Thursday on the 7700 block of South Cicero Avenue. According to police, a Nissan Altima was traveling northbound when the woman lost control of the vehicle and struck a pole. The woman sustained multiple injuries and was transported to Christ Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said a 35-year-old male passenger sustained minor injuries and was transported to Christ Hospital in fair condition. No other injuries were reported. The Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating. 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 WGN-TV. WARREN, Ohio (WKBN) A woman pleaded guilty to several charges in her animal cruelty case and was sentenced on Thursday. Mackenzie Harvey-Bell pleaded guilty to four counts of cruelty to animals. The other 10 counts against her were dismissed, according to court records. Court records state that Harvey-Bell is undergoing treatment and has no prior criminal history. As such, she will be placed on probation until 2030 with the condition that she does not own any animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harvey-Ball was charged after police were called to a home on Ruth Avenue in Warren Township in August, where they reportedly found deplorable conditions. Officers removed three dogs and a litter of eight puppies from the home. Two dead hamsters and a deceased bearded dragon were also found inside. According to the report, Harvey-Ball told officers that she wasnt currently living there but was moving back soon and had been caring for the animals. Nadine Grimley contributed to this report. 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. BIMRINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) A woman sustained life-threatening injuries in a Birmingham shooting Wednesday afternoon. According to officer Truman Fitzgerald with the Birmingham Police Department, two women were arguing around 4:40 p.m. in the 3200 block of Avenue S Ensley. Police stated one shot the other, and the victim suffered life-threatening injuries. Snow/ice still possible next week The suspect is not in custody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 CBS 42. Ill be among those not celebrating Donald Trumps inauguration. Im not happy about my lack of enthusiasm for one of our nation's major civic events. But Ive not been able to shake the sense that I dont understand my country anymore. I grew up learning that the worst thing you could do to our democracy is try to overthrow it. Last November half our country said with their vote that they dont care about that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im aware (and still stunned) that some would consider what I just wrote a controversial paragraph. So Im amazed Ill need to state clearly that the man elected president called a mob to Washington to overthrow the government on Jan. 6, 2021. He watched on TV as they threatened to kill the vice president and actually beat the living daylights out of law enforcement. More than 140 police were injured. More than 900 rioters have been convicted of crimes committed in connection with the attack on the Capitol. Trump is calling them patriots and promising to quickly pardon at least some of them. The United States is torn apart To me, Jan. 6 disqualified Trump from the presidency. The campaigns last year featured a lot of important issues: The price of eggs, the need for immigration reform, crime, foreign policy. All are topics for legitimate debate. Unapologetic leadership of a violent coup is not. Clearly, half the country disagrees with me. The scary part about that is that half the country also agrees with me. Were torn apart. Gerth: Hopefully DEI isn't dead and these companies aren't afraid of equity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I watched the election returns on Nov. 5, even when I had hopes Kamala Harris would win, the stark map of red and blue states worried me. It showed that the United States has a problem. Its not united. Yes, I was hoping for a president who campaigned on a promise of being president for everyone. The winner, however, doesnt act interested in the half of the country that voted against him. Trump has vowed to prosecute high-profile people who opposed him. He scoffs at global warming, one of my top issues facing the world. I detect only contempt for immigrants from the incoming officeholders. Yet my Christian faith calls me to have compassion for refugees fleeing war and other violence. As a lifelong citizen of this country I might expect at least a passing nod to my values. Instead, I feel scorn. Tuning out news about Trump and national politics While Jan. 20 will be a joyous occasion for the more than 77 million who voted for Trump, for more than 75 million of us it will be a day where our beliefs and priorities will only be targets of ridicule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I see the endless stream of post-election analysis headlines about how the Democrats screwed up this way and that. How Republicans got this right and that right. But I dont read those stories. None of that seems to matter when I seem so out of touch with so many of my neighbors. Gerth: Now we have to make sure Trump doesn't screw up Louisville consent decree | Opinion Im not alone in tuning out. Since the election, ratings for the liberal-leaning MSNBC cable channel fell about 50%. Even the more moderate CNN was down by about 40%. The Trump-supporting Fox News saw ratings rise more than 20% happy to revel, I suppose, in victory for their side. I try to lead a life of hope and optimism, but thats a struggle today. There are good works to pursue. Our own Louisville Metro Council can use encouragement to fulfill its renewable energy resolution calling for 100% clean power by 2040. We can try to find solutions to care for people in our city who cant afford a place to live. My wife has donated to organizations that rescue pets from the California fires. More broadly we can watch for ways to encourage kindness and respect toward each other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes me sad to feel that such hopes are the best I can do in a world Im having trouble understanding. Agree or disagree? Submit a letter to the editor. Paul Wesslund is a Louisville freelance writer, the former editor of Kentucky Living magazine and author of the book "Small Business, Big Heart How One Family Redefined the Bottom Line." Paul Wesslund is a writer based in Louisville. He is the author of Christianity at Work, a study guide companion to his book, Small Business, Big Heart How One Family Redefined the Bottom Line. He blogs about how decency succeeds in business and in life at paulwesslund.com. This story was updated to add a video. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Trump's inauguration represents division, not democracy | Opinion (FOX40.COM) Woodland Police Officers conducted a traffic stop which resulted in an arrest on Monday. Woodland Police Officers arrested a 20-year-old male after police discovered an unregistered firearm in the vehicle, officials said. Arrest made in gunpoint robbery inside Folsom movie theater Authorities said that if you have any information regarding this incident to reach out to the department. 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 News. WORCESTER, Mass. (WWLP) Six Assumption University students were in court on Thursday to face charges in a connection made between a Holyoke woman and a man on Tinder, which resulted in a TikTok plot to confront a falsely accused sexual predator. 22News obtained the court documents that state on October 2nd, Assumption University Police reviewed an incident from Worcester Police of an assault and battery report made by a student, Kelsy Brainard. The statement of facts from Worcester District Court said a man came to campus and made Brainard feel creepy. She texted her friend, Easton Randall who she said chased the man off campus. In the report, Brainard claimed she did not solicit contact with the man on Tinder and he came to the campus on October 1st at around 10:30 p.m. uninvited. University officers could not locate the man on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five Worcester students charged after mob beats up falsely accused child predator However, Worcester police said they were with a man requiring assistance with an incident that happened at Assumption University. The man who 22News will identify as the victim, told police that he was in the area to attend a funeral and wanted to be around happy people. The victim confirmed he was in contact with Brainard on Tinder and she allegedly invited him to the campus. In the report, he said he was led into a building by Brainard before he was ambushed by a group of people. It is alleged that a group of people came out of nowhere calling him a pedophile accusing him of having sex with 17-year-old girls. The group allegedly grabbed him to prevent him from leaving. He was able to break free and run, being chased by approximately 25 people. He told police that he was chased to his car, punched in the back of his head and his vehicle kicked by the group. The victim was able to leave the campus and called the police. Campus video confirms Brainard led the victim into the building and shortly after was seen running from a group of students, including Brainard with all with their cell phones out in what appears to be recording, the report says. The footage in what police say indicates the group was staged and or awaiting the arrival of the victim before the mob formed around him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interaction depicted in the footage occurs from start to finish in 2.35 minutes and does not appear to be a random occurrence but a deliberately stage event, in the report by Worcester police. In the court documents, Worcester police say that after a review of the footage, it was determined that the report filed by Brainard was allegedly false and led police to believe a sexual predator was on campus. A review of Brainards Tinder profile, which indicates she was 18 years old, had messages between her and the victim that police believe did not indicate he was not looking for underage girls to meet. During additional interviews, police determined a small portion of the larger mob group allegedly conspired to lure the victim and solicited assistance through texts in catching a predator, an incident to simulate a TikTok fad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police identified Kelsy Brainard, Kevin Carroll, Easton Randall, Isabella Trudeau, Joaquin Smith, and a juvenile as the group of Assumption University students involved in the plot. Kelsy Brainard, an 18-year-old from Holyoke, Mass., was charged with kidnapping, witness intimidation, and conspiracy. Kevin Carroll, an 18-year-old from Holden, Mass., was charged with kidnapping, conspiracy, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. Easton Randall, a 20-year-old from Jericho, Vermont, was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Isabella Trudeau, an 18-year-old from Sterling, Mass., was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Joaquin Smith, a 19-year-old from West Haven, Conn., was charged with kidnapping and conspiracy. Juvenile, identity and charges not released due to their age. Kelsy Brainard appears district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Easton Randall appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Joaquin Smith appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Kevin Carroll appears at district court as he and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Isabella Trudeau appears at district court as she and four other Massachusetts college students made their first appearance on conspiracy and kidnapping charges in Worcester, Mass, Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) The person described by the victim who hit him in the head was identified as a juvenile who is known to police. The person who allegedly slammed the victims head into the door was identified as Kevin Carroll. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 WWLP. This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here. Over the past several months, bird-flu numbers have been steadily ticking up, especially among farmworkers who interact closely with cows. I spoke with my colleague Katherine J. Wu, who reports on science, about her level of concern right now, and the governments response to the spread of the virus so far. Lora Kelley: We last spoke in April, after a dairy worker became infected with bird flu. At the time, you described your level of concern about bird flu as medium. How would you describe your level of worry now? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine J. Wu: At this point, I would upgrade it to medium-plus. I dont think I will upgrade to high unless we start to see strong evidence of human-to-human transmission. I am not ruling out that possibility, but we arent there yet. The situation has gotten quite a bit worse since last spring. We are seeing consistent infection of dairy workers, meaning an especially vulnerable population is exposed in their work environment. Each time the virus infects a new person, its an opportunity for it to evolve into something that could eventually become a pathogen that moves easily from person to person. Lora: What could public-health officials have done differently in recent months to contain the outbreak? Katherine: Part of the reason I feel concerned is the governments lackluster response. The movement of the virus into cows was a huge red flag. Cows have never been a known source of this flu, so that was a complete surprise. That should have been a moment when officials said: We really need to contain this before it gets out of control. If some of the first afflicted herds had been kept from moving around, or even culled, its possible that the virus might have been contained before dairy workers got sick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA has ramped up its testing of milk, and the CDC is still working hard to do outreach to farmworkers, who are the population most at risk here. But there could still be more testing at the individual levelindividual animals, individual people. There could be more frequent, aggressive sampling of where the virus is in the environment, as well as on farms. Representatives at USDA and CDC have denied that their response has been inadequatethough independent experts I have spoken with dispute that. To be clear, officials cant fully predict the future and stop an outbreak the second it starts to get bad, and critics arent demanding that. But right now, its still a very reactive approach: We see that the virus has been here; I guess we can keep checking if its there. But a more proactive approach with testing and better communication with the public would really help. Lora: How has the governments response to bird flu compared with its response to COVID? Katherine: Theres no doubt that having COVID in the rearview affected the governments response. I think they didnt want to overreact and cause widespread panic when there wasnt a need. Thats fair, but theres a middle ground that I think they missed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The response to COVID was by definition going to be haphazard, because we didnt have a preexisting arsenal of tests, vaccines, and antivirals. We hadnt dealt with a coronavirus like that in recent memory. Here, though, there is a slate of tools available. Weve dealt with big flu outbreaks. We know what flu can do. We know that flu, in general, can move from animals into humans. Weve seen this particular virus actually move into people in different contexts across the world. Lora: Have we missed the opportunity to mitigate the spread of bird flu? Katherine: Because there has not yet been evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, there is still time to intervene. Did officials miss some opportunities to intervene more and earlier? Yes. But that doesnt mean that from here the attitude should be I guess we should just let this roll. Lora: We may have RFK Jr., a vaccine skeptic, leading the Department of Health and Human Services soon. How might his leadership affect the bird-flu response? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katherine: I dont think there is a need to roll out bird-flu vaccines to the general public yet. But I think there are likely to be major changes to public-health policy in this country. RFK Jr. has specifically said that the National Institutes of Health will be taking a break from focusing on infectious disease for the next few years, and that doesnt bode terribly well. Infectious diseases are not going to take a break from us. Lora: Are there lessons from the COVID era that the public should better absorb in order to deal with illness more broadly? Katherine: To be fair, its hard to avoid getting sick in general, especially at this time of year. During the worst of the pandemic, when people were still masking more consistently and not going into public places, we did get sick a lot less often because we were avoiding each other. That said, I think people did forget very, very quickly that the things that worked against COVID work well against a lot of other diseases, especially other respiratory viruses. I am not saying that we all need to go back to masking 24/7 and never going to school or work in person. But maybe dont go to work when youre sicka practice that all employers should enable. Maybe don't send your child to day care sick. Maybe dont sneeze into your hand and then rub your hand all over the subway railing. Wash your hands a lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, there is this tendency for a really binary response of doing everything or nothing. Right now, people seem to be leaning toward doing nothing, because they are fatigued from what they felt like was an era of doing everything. But theres a middle ground here too. Related: Here are four new stories from The Atlantic: Todays News Israel and Hamas have agreed to a 42-day cease-fire deal that will include an exchange of hostages and prisoners, President Joe Biden announced. Senate confirmation hearings were held for multiple Trump-administration nominees, including Pam Bondi for attorney general and Marco Rubio for secretary of state. During Bondis testimony, she refused to say that President-Elect Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. South Koreas impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, was detained and questioned last night over his attempt to impose martial law last month. Evening Read The Hipster Grifter Peaked Too Soon By Sophie Gilbert In the spring of 2009, Vice published a blog post, notorious even by its own standards, titled Department of Oopsies!We Hired a Grifter. An employee had started chatting with the magazines new executive assistant, Kari Ferrell; after she reportedly began coming on to him over instant messages, he Googled her, only to find out that she was on the Salt Lake City Police Departments most-wanted list. Instead of simply firing Ferrell, Vice outed her online. Read the full article. More From The Atlantic Culture Break Jan Buchczik Test out. Here are 10 practical ways to improve your happiness, according to happiness expert Arthur C. Brooks. Read. Kindness has become countercultural, James Parker writes. Perhaps Saint Francis can help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Play our daily crossword. Stephanie Bai contributed to this newsletter. Explore all of our newsletters here. When you buy a book using a link in this newsletter, we receive a commission. Thank you for supporting The Atlantic. Article originally published at The Atlantic Four hundred and sixty-six days since Hamas fighters massacred over 1,000 Israelis and kidnapped hundreds more, the guns may finally be falling silent. It is difficult to overstate how much the world has changed since that horrific day two autumns ago. It has been Israels longest war the longest single conventional war of the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In intensity and concentration of violence in the 25-mile-long Gaza Strip, it may have been the most destructive aerial and artillery bombardment of the 21st century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Above all, the war changed Gaza. The level of physical destruction has been compared to the firebombing of Hamburg in the Second World War. A man pushes a bicycle past the remains of a bombed hospital in Gaza - AFP The ruins of Hamburg after allied bombing, July 1943 - Hulton Archive The Palestinian death toll, which the official Hamas-run health ministry puts at 46,600, is more than 10 times its count in all previous Gaza conflicts since 2008 combined. It says just over half of the dead are women, children or older people. Israel says the figures are suspect because of Hamass control of the ministry in the Gaza Strip. Hamas has not released figures for its losses. In any war, the dead are often the lucky ones: the numbers of the maimed and crippled often dwarfs those of the dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What now for Gaza and the Palestinians? There is a hope that the ceasefire might might lead to a final peace settlement and a Palestinian state. It seems impossibly remote, but the very fact that it is being talked about is astounding. NEW FP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2024 --Palestinians who returned briefly to the Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip to check on their homes, run for cover after a school was hit by an Israeli strike on May 30, 2024, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP) / AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2024 (Photo by OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images) Before the war, the assumption was that Arab kingdoms like Saudi Arabia would happily overlook the Palestinian issue in exchange for the normalisation of ties with Israel. Not any more. Even the last British government made a very visible, if symbolic, shift towards the possibility. And though the war was fought almost entirely inside Gaza, it also changed Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) says it has lost 405 soldiers in Gaza, on top of the more than 1,200 Israelis, military and civilian, killed on Oct 7. It is difficult to describe to anyone who was not there just how stunned the country was after Oct 7. The nearest, imperfect analogy I can think of is the feeling of horrified unreality that reigned in Britain and America after the Sept 11 attacks. An Israeli soldier breaks down at the sight of an unfinished meal in an Israeli familys home in the aftermath of the Oct 7 attacks - Ziv Koren/Polaris / eyevine Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, it brought out the Jewish states strengths: unity, self-sacrifice, and the sense of purpose and belonging that makes it such a peculiar place. But even in the first weeks, it was proving corrosive. On Oct 7, the Israeli government, military, and intelligence establishment failed catastrophically. That failure has still not been properly accounted for. I lost count of the number of people who told me that once the war was finished, they would deal with Benjamin Netanyahu, Israels prime minister, and the others they blamed for getting them into this mess. Tensions between Israels hard-Right, the families of hostages, the military establishment and the Netanyahu government have all come to the fore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It brought out hatred. We will take back Gaza and we will kill them all, a shell-shocked policeman told me as we surveyed the blood-stained grounds of the Nova music festival a few days after the massacre there. A captured female Israeli soldier is loaded onto the back of a motorcycle on Oct 7 That thirst for vengeance was understandable. It also explains elements of Israels conduct of the war that troubled even its closest allies. The alliance with the West, and the United States in particular, survived but it has been strained badly. Those friendships will need to be attended to closely. The war will be remembered as a test for the very concept of international humanitarian law. Smoke billows into the sky following an Israeli bombardment - FADEL SENNA/AFP In November last year the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for senior Hamas leaders but also for Mr Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the then Israeli defence minister. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the courts champions, it was a watershed moment: It was the first time a Western ally had faced such charges, demonstrating once and for all that the laws of war applied to everyone not just African and Balkan warlords. For Israel and its key allies, including traditional backers of the court like Britain, it was outrageous. Can a truly independent international court survive in the era of international conflict? It is not yet clear. But the war has also remade the entire Middle East. Hezbollah entered the war somewhat reluctantly Hassan Nasrallah, its leader, was said to be furious at Hamass recklessness when he learnt of Oct 7. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, he authorised rocket attacks on northern Israel, and the war on the Lebanon border took on its own logic. Then late last year, Israel launched a full offensive across the border. Before long Nasrallah was dead, Hezbollah in tatters. In December, Bashar al-Assads regime in Syria finally collapsed largely because his Hezbollah allies had been killed in Lebanon. And the battering of Hezbollah and the fall of Assad represent military catastrophes for Iran. Its axis of resistance, the network of militias, proxies and allies that over 20 years it used to project power across the Middle East, is in tatters and with it the Islamic Republics brief moment as a regional superpower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not a coincidence that Tehran is making conciliatory overtures to the incoming Trump administration about a new nuclear deal. Lebanon, Syria, and Iran all in their own way must grapple with new realities. And the shockwaves reach much further across the world. It is impossible to tell if the Gaza war helped Donald Trump win the US election, although there is plenty of evidence that it caused problems for Joe Biden among Democrat voters. Mr Trumps unpredictability, his willingness to use intimidation in negotiation, and his vanity he is said to be enamoured with winning a Nobel Peace Prize all contributed to finally bringing an end to this war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has already claimed this ceasefire as his first deal of his second presidency. More international arm-twisting is yet to come. 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. Jan. 15dbeard @dominionpost.com MORGANTOWN West Virginia American Water and state Public Service Commission staff continue to debate paperless billing and whether it should be "opt in " or "opt out." WVAW wants to go "opt out " for most of its customers, saying it's convenient, has been successful in other parent company territories and could save lots of money. PSC staff say the proposal is unreasonable under state code and could potentially harm customers who are less tech savvy or lack connectivity, by effectively forcing them into a billing method they may not understand or want. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An administrative law judge sided with PSC staff and denied WVAWs request, but WVAW is disputing the order. Both sides now await a PSC decision. WVAW submitted its request in June. The company said it has 171, 000 customers and 44, 000 are enrolled in paperless billing. Those customers have opted in that is, chosen to enroll in the program. It estimates another 65, 000 would be eligible to switch over to paperless. Customers eligible to be automatically enrolled would be those who have a valid email or text contact on file and are registered on WVAW's "MyWater " portal. The company would send several notices to them announcing the automatic enrollment and provide an online link to opt out, followed by a mail notice with another opt-out opportunity. Low-income customers and those who have a "do not solicit " flag on their accounts would not be included. WVAW said the move could save it $490, 000 in annual print and postage costs, if all eligible customers enrolled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PSC staff continues to maintain that the program is unreasonable, flawed and poorly supported. A customer who has a MyWater account doesn't necessarily use it or ever wants to use it. Many people have secondary email accounts they rarely access. And WVAW has customers without reliable internet. Staff said it "believes that customers who did not 'opt in' should be burdened with the task of having to jump through hoops to 'opt out' of a program that they have already rejected." WVAW counters that only those customers who already interact with the company through the MyWater portal will be enrolled. Those who have chosen not to interact electronically or lack the meas to do so will not be enrolled. And customers who were enrolled but want to withdraw can do so by phone if they lack other means. Both sides discuss a case where Frontier wanted to start a similar program and imposed a $2.99 monthly paper billing fee, the PSC determined that was unjustly discriminatory to seniors and those unfamiliar with paperless billing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staff argues that while there is no fee involved in the current case, the principle remains the same and PSC's Frontier order applies here. WVAW counters, "Unlike the program in the Frontier case, the company's Paperless Program will not increase any customer's bill but instead has the potential to produce cost savings for all customers." WVAW adds, "customers enrolled in paperless billing often experience increased satisfaction given that paperless billing is secure, convenient, clutter free, easily accessible, and will allow customers to receive their bills 2-3 days sooner. ... Other American Water affiliates have implemented similar programs in other jurisdictions without issue." WVAW said it is willing to implement a 12-month pilot program. Staff echoed its previous thought that those who want paperless have already opted in and no one should be forced through hoops to opt out. The administrative law judge, in his recommendation, said he "agrees with staff that a utility program that automatically enrolls West Virginia customers into online billing should be considered an unreasonable practice, notwithstanding the multiple safeguards WVAWC offered. [The ALJ ] does not believe that this conclusion would be altered by WVAWC's offer of a 12-month trial program." PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) With days before TikToks potential ban in the United States, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) introduced a bill on Wednesday that would give the apps Chinese parent company more time to sell the app. Currently, TikToks parent company, ByteDance, has until January 19 to sell the app to an American company, per legislation signed by President Biden. Otherwise, the video-sharing app could be banned in the U.S. Ahead of the deadline, Wyden introduced the Extend the TikTok Deadline Act, which would delay the Jan. 19 deadline by 270 days. Wyden introduced the bill alongside Sens. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alaska Airlines announces new nonstop flight from Portland to Houston, other Oregon flights The rushed divestment of TikTok is a huge giveaway to Donald Trump and his cronies, who are poised to scoop up a massive social media company and turn it into another partisan mouthpiece. I dont take a backseat to anyone when it comes to protecting Americans personal data from China Ive written three of the strongest bills on offer to protect sensitive U.S. data, Wyden said in a statement. Extending the deadline to sell TikTok will allow Congress to consider better ways to mitigate threats from China, courts to review the law, and additional bidders to make proposals to acquire TikTok with more time for public scrutiny. Wydens statement comes as Chinese officials weigh selling the app to Elon Musk as reported by The New York Times, as the billionaire prepares to co-lead the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency under President-elect Trumps administration. Additionally, billionaire entrepreneur Frank McCourt has offered to buy TikTok, in a move backed by investor Kevin OLeary of Shark Tank, as reported by CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregon temperatures to rise by 7.6 degree by the year 2100, climate data shows This bill comes as Wyden previously criticized TikTok divestment legislation in April, warning divestment would not protect Americans data from being sold to China through third parties and warned of limits to free speech in the United States. While Senator Wyden and some congressional colleagues support the deadline extension, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR) told KOIN 6 News on Wednesday that ByteDance has had enough time to meet the deadline. I think (ByteDance) should be held accountable to the timeline were on right now, Merkley said. Theyve had that knowledge for a long period of time. Theyve had plenty of time to sell it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Merkley added, the Chinese should not be able to use their algorithms to collect information on Americans or to influence the information we receive. So, its important to keep pressing with the vision of saying that foreign control of our primary media sources is a national security and privacy risk. 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 KOIN.com. CHEYENNE Preparing to serve at next weeks presidential inauguration, nearly 70 soldiers and airmen of the Wyoming National Guard underwent civil disturbance training Wednesday morning. They were activated to support the inauguration on Monday, serving as a part of a much larger military effort to provide security, logistical and support operations for the event in Washington, D.C. This service is not unique to the transition of power between President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump. The National Guard has supported inaugurations since 1789, when its predecessors escorted George Washington to the first inauguration, according to Joint Task Force-District of Columbia (JTF-DC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What it means to me, its (to) support my nation, Master Sgt. Ryan Wyskochil said. Support a peaceful change of command in our nation. Wyskochil assisted in conducting Wednesdays training, which was composed of soldiers and airmen of nearly every rank. Cowboy Guard troops will participate in a comprehensive training regimen before their departure, the time of which has not been made public, according to Wyoming National Guard Strategic Communications Deputy Chris Hyde. This training will occur in and around the Cheyenne region over the remainder of the week. JTF-DC is led by the Commanding General of the District of Columbia National Guard and supports civilian authorities, such as the U.S. Capitol Police, U.S. Secret Service and D.C. Metropolitan Police. The task force provides crowd management; traffic control points; chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear response; civil disturbance response and sustainment operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While not a part of the JTF-DC, service members from Wyoming will be on reserve, ready to step in should their additional support be necessary. The purpose of (civil disturbance training) is to ensure our airmen and soldiers are trained to handle different types of situations that they might see in D.C. during the inauguration, Wyskochil said. As the training went on, soldiers and airmen practiced tactical formations to be used for a myriad of scenarios, including protecting the injured and confronting rioters. What may appear to civilians as complicated marching accompanied by the unified, and intimidating, bark of a well-trained military is meant to support the peaceful transfer of power, according to Staff Sgt. Joshua Streeter, who has previously participated in this training. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (It) means a lot to me to go help protect our freedoms if they were ever infringed, Streeter said. We are going to try to keep them safe and intact. Streeter noted that while they all hope nothing will trigger the need for these tactics, its important to prepare for the worst possible situations. Were only practicing all this to keep our state and our nation safe from any possible situation that could go bad, Streeter said. Many of those serving in the National Guard have civilian jobs, which they have to prepare to leave for any activation order, whether that be to serve at the inauguration or fighting in a war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve got all walks of life, and thats a unique part of the National Guard, Wyoming National Guard Director of Strategic Communications Joseph Coslett Jr. said. This uniquely ties these men and women to the Cheyenne community while they balance civilian life and the duties of being a Guard member. I think every person here whos wearing that uniform is praying nothing will happen, but making sure we have a peaceful transition of power is important to us, Coslett said. TOWANDA, Pa. (WETM) A Wysox man has been sentenced to serve time in state prison after he stabbed someone in Towanda in May of 2024. Lawrence E. Huyck, 28, was sentenced to a minimum of 22 months to a maximum of 60 months for the crime of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony in the second degree, as reported by the Bradford County District Attorneys Office. Monroeton man sentenced up to 50 years on felony sex charges against children Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DA states that Huyck was arrested by the Towanda Borough Police Department on the charge after he stabbed a Towanda resident during an argument. Huyck was then found guilty of the crime following an investigation conducted by police. 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. By Andrea Shalal NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Wednesday U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's plan to set up a new government agency to collect tariffs would duplicate an existing agency and was unlikely to save money. Yellen, taping an appearance on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," dismissed Trump's plan for an "External Revenue Service," first announced on Tuesday on his social media platform Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If they're looking to save money for American taxpayers, setting up a duplicative agency doesn't seem like a good first step," she told the U.S. television comedian. Trump on Tuesday said he would create the new agency on Jan. 20, the day he takes office, "to collect tariffs, duties, and all revenue" from foreign sources. He did not specify if the new agency would replace collections of tariffs, duties, fees and fines by the existing U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or the collection of taxes on foreign corporate and individual income by the Internal Revenue Service. It was unclear whether the move would create additional government bureaucracy, which would appear to go against the plans of Trump's informal Department of Government Efficiency, an effort led by billionaire Elon Musk and former biotech executive Vivek Ramaswamy aimed at finding trillions of dollars in budget savings by streamlining government operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yellen also took aim at Trump's repeated promises to impose new tariffs, saying they would amount to a "tax increase for the American consumer." Trump has proposed a 10% tariff on global imports, a 25% punitive duty on imports from Canada and Mexico until they clamp down on drugs and migrants crossing borders into the U.S., and a 60% tariff on Chinese goods. Trade experts say the duties would upend trade flows, raise costs and draw retaliation against U.S. exports. Yellen said U.S. consumers would face higher costs for any imported goods and tariffs would make U.S. companies less competitive globally, while failing to address Americans' concerns about higher prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What they're going to see is the cost of making goods and services is going to go up. They're going to be less competitive in the global economy," she said. "So this doesn't seem like a way to address the things that Americans have said are bothering them." (Reporting by Andrea Shala; Editing by Sandra Maler and Stephen Coates) A shuttered Save-A-Lot opened in Auburn Gresham on Thursday, five years after the grocery company closed it and more than two years after Yellow Banana, the grocery operator that was approved for millions in city dollars to help reopen it, indicated it could. The city announced a $13.5 million grant for Ohio-based Yellow Banana to reopen the Auburn Gresham supermarket and acquire and renovate five other Save-A-Lots on the citys South and West sides in 2022. The move, made under former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, was just one of many attempts that city leaders have made under multiple mayoral administrations to try to address the supermarket closings that have long plagued the South and West sides, leaving residents of some neighborhoods with limited access to fresh groceries. The city funding was set to cover about half the projects estimated $26 million total cost. The project has been beset by delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yellow Banana, which has until the end of March to open the final store still being renovated, which is in West Lawn, said it will do so next month. But residents of Auburn Gresham have seen target dates for their supermarkets reopening come and go. When the city grant was announced in July 2022, Yellow Banana said it hoped to reopen the Auburn Gresham supermarket by the end of that year. More than a year later, in the fall of 2023, the company said it was targeting an opening date for the store in the first quarter of 2024. In August 2024, with the store remaining closed, a representative for Save-A-Lot said it would open in November. In November, the company said it would open in December. In an interview at the 7908 S. Halsted St. store Thursday, Yellow Banana CEO Joe Canfield attributed the delays to structural issues with the building that the company discovered when it began remodeling the store. It added several hundred thousand dollars to the budget that we had to cover, he said, but were glad that were here. On Thursday morning, dozens of residents waited outside for the stores grand opening and a chance to receive a free bag of groceries the company handed out to the first 100 customers. Those at the front of the line said theyd been waiting in the cold since about 6 a.m. Doors were set to open at 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilma McCray and Richard Bryant, neighbors who live near the store, said they are excited for the supermarket to reopen. Were grateful to have it back, said McCray. I want to get inside and see what it looks like. On Thursday, residents had to wait just a little longer: Save-A-Lot representatives began letting shoppers into the store just before 9:45 a.m. Thank you so much for your patience, Canfield told the crowd before a brief official ribbon cutting. Had a couple of things to wrap up we are done, were going to cut the ribbon real quick. We really want to welcome you to the neighborhood grocery store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yellow Banana has faced scrutiny over project delays and its business practices. A Chicago Sun-Times investigation published in August found the company had racked up $2 million in debts, including unpaid tax and utility bills and business fines. A Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management professor called the company insolvent after the Sun-Times asked him to review the companys 2022 balance sheet, the paper reported. As part of its agreement with the city, Yellow Banana must keep all six stores open over the course of its 10-year agreement or risk losing its millions in public dollars. I dont know if any business can look down the road 10 years, Canfield said Thursday when asked if he is confident the company could keep the stores open through the length of the agreement. I can tell you that we reacted to the situation that we found ourselves in. We are very confident that we got long-term backing and long-term partners to help us keep the business going and serve the neighborhoods in Chicago that weve committed to serving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canfield declined to provide additional details about the companys response to its financial situation. Yellow Banana has also faced criticism from community groups and local elected officials, some of whom have criticized the company for selling what they describe as low-quality or even rotten produce. The company has repeatedly defended itself from that criticism, saying in the past, for instance, that efforts to upgrade refrigeration systems in the stores would help improve quality of its produce. At Thursdays grand opening event in Auburn Gresham, to which members of the press were invited, produce on the shelves looked fresh. The stores that are open are doing really well. Theyve been very well-received by the community, Canfield said Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Representatives for Save-A-Lot initially said Ald. David Moore, whose 17th Ward includes the supermarket, would attend the opening event. Reached by phone Thursday, Moore said he did not attend because of lack of communication from the company. In response, Yellow Banana said it had moved quickly to open the store once it was ready to go and that it plans to work with the alderman and other community partners on a more formal grand opening event in the coming weeks. Moore said he thinks the community has been disrespected but added that he is supportive of the grocery store and feels it is good for the community. Were going to do everything we can on our end to make sure that were supporting that store so that it can stay open, he told the Tribune. Yemen's Houthi militia has praised the "resistance" of Palestinians against Israel following the agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, the militia-controlled Saba news agency reported citing a Houthi spokesman. Spokesman Mohammed Abdel-Salam said the Palestinians had opposed Israel with "legendary and historic determination." Abdel-Salam also praised the Hezbollah militia in Lebanon, which is allied with Iran, and the militias in Iraq that, he asserted, supported the fight against Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the start of the Gaza conflict in October 2023, the Houthis have repeatedly launched missiles at Israel and at commercial ships in the Red Sea in solidarity with Palestinian militant organization Hamas, while Israel and its allies have retaliated with strikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. It remains unclear if the Houthis will continue these attacks. Abdel-Salam said that the fight between Israel and Hamas has now "reached its end," but Israel's "occupation of Palestine" continues to threaten regional security and stability. Editor's note: This post looks back to 2012, when the accompanying image was captured on a Mexican beach, at a time when it was not widely known that adult great white sharks inhabited the Sea of Cortez. Thirteen years ago, an enormous great white shark sprawled on a beach near Guaymas, Mexico, on the mainland side of the Sea of Cortez, quickly became a spectacle. Commercial fishermen Guadalupe and Baltazar (no last names provided) hauled the giant shark up in a net and towed it two miles to shore behind their 22-foot boat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The graphic image tells the story of a town captivated by the rare sight of an apex predator said to measure 20 feet. ALSO: Researchers encounter dozens of rare, shark-eating orcas; video Guadalupe was quoted as saying, We were amazed and immediately realized that we had a huge, dead great white shark, and then we thought, What are we gonna do? The catch saddened conservationists and surprised many who were not aware that upper regions of the Sea of Cortez were utilized by such large white sharks. Its now known that adult great white sharks seasonally migrate into the Sea of Cortez to give birth. This article originally appeared on For The Win: Glaring proof of massive great white sharks inside Sea of Cortez WRIGHTSVILLE, Pa. (WHTM) Wrightsville Borough is one of the few municipalities in York County with a ward voting system. Some council members want to abolish them and create one voting district as they say the wards are unbalanced. The simple question is, do you want to be able to vote for one person every two years or do you want to vote for every council person every election, council member Eric White asked. Do you want to have a say in your town, or do you want a say in your neighborhood? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, there are some council members and people in the community who want to keep the voting wards. DOJ files voting rights lawsuit against Pennsylvania city From what Ive seen personally and the residents that Ive spoken with personally, yes, people like that, they have representation a few doors down, said council member, Alicia Ferrari. During a meeting in September, borough council voted to abolish the wards with a 4 to 2 vote. White says Mayor Tayne Slenker vetoed that vote because, There was concern. The concern she raised was she thought that a majority of people didnt want to change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, if a vote wasnt going to work, Ferrari tells abc27 News, Council decided to send a survey out to the residents. The survey was created with the goal to ultimately reach a solution, but theres some concerns. Get the latest Pennsylvania politics and election news with abc27 newsletters! Ferrari says she heard from a resident who received two surveys and other residents who havent received one at all. In that case, White says, If you didnt get one in the mail for whatever reason, call the office, and they can make you one up here. Borough council is asking for all surveys to be filled out and returned by the end of the month. The surveys results will be discussed at their February 3rd council meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 ABC27. New York state Sen. James Skoufis (D) ended his bid for Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair and backed Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party Chair Ken Martin for the post on Thursday. In a statement, Skoufis said he was releasing his supporters and urging them to back Martin. I am endorsing Ken because hes a man of integrity and I have deep respect for his vision, charisma, guts, and undefeated record in statewide races. I know that he, like me, is laser-focused on winning, not spinning, Skoufis said. He will recenter what is most important for our party: expanding the map and rebuilding our once-big Democratic tent by taking power outside of the DC Beltway and kicking the out-of-touch consultant class to the curb. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin praised Skoufis in a separate statement, calling him an invaluable asset to todays Democratic Party. Senator Skoufis has proven himself to be an effective, fresh messenger who has built the diverse coalitions needed to help Democrats win in deep red districts, Martin said. The development comes as numerous Democrats choose their preferred candidates to be their partys standard-bearer ahead of chair elections on Feb. 1. Martins bid has 51 endorsements from state party chairs and vice chairs. Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler has received a number of key endorsements in the race from figures like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D). Meanwhile, former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley (D) has touted endorsements from more than 60 current and former mayors. On Wednesday, progressive strategist Faiz Shakir, who ran Sen. Bernie Sanderss (I-Vt.) presidential campaign in 2020, launched a late bid for DNC chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. (Photo by Getty Images) In his final session as governor, Glenn Youngkin is touring Virginia alongside Republican lawmakers to rally support for a proposal to provide scholarships for students to attend private schools and other educational expenses. The plan faces strong opposition from Democrats, who argue the funds should remain focused on strengthening public education. It doesnt take a penny away from our record K-12 investment in the commonwealth of Virginia, Youngkin said at a news conference in Richmond Thursday, emphasizing the initiatives complementary nature. This is an and moment, we can do both, not an or moment. He noted that similar programs exist in neighboring states like Maryland, North Carolina and the District of Columbia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation, along with a proposed budget amendment, would create the Virginia Opportunity Scholarship Grant Program, allocating $50 million from the states General Fund. Under the plan, K-12 public school students from households earning no more than twice the federal income eligibility for free school meals could qualify for $5,000 annually. These funds could be used for private school tuition, fees, uniforms, textbooks, transportation, and other educational expenses. The Virginia Board of Education and Department of the Treasury would establish guidelines for the proposed scholarship program, aimed at ensuring that all children in the commonwealth have access to quality educational opportunities, Youngkin said. The governor, a staunch advocate for education reform, is backing the $50 million scholarship plan following Virginias recognition as CNBCs Top State to Do Business, an honor partly attributed to the strength of its public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reflecting on the states recent accomplishments, Youngkin credited his administration and the General Assembly for working hard to bolster K-12 education through increased funding and teacher raises. He argued the scholarship program complements these efforts, offering families more educational options. We can have a thriving public school education system that provides multiple pathways and stands for excellence and supports teachers and understands that we must meet children where they are, Youngkin said. Part of that is allowing families to possibly choose a route for education that they otherwise may never even contemplate. This isnt a partisan, this is about our kids, this is about our families. Sen. Emily Jordan, R-Suffolk, and Del. Mike Cherry, R-Colonial Heights, are the latest lawmakers to champion legislation aimed at providing scholarships to help cover private school costs, following previous unsuccessful attempts in the Virginia legislature. Jordan emphasized that the gap in achievement has widened for Black and Brown communities in recent years, and literary rates have fallen, creating an urgent need for lawmakers to address these disparities. She called for creating a more equitable education system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not going to be any assault on K-12 education, this is going to be an enhancement to children and families, Jordan said. There are families that struggle with transportation and tuition, and with the gaps in math, science and literacy rates in this commonwealth. Turning a blind eye to this is not only wrong, its unconscionable at this point with the gaps weve seen post COVID. Jordan underscored the programs potential to bridge educational gaps. If $1 from this opportunity scholarship can help them get transportation to an additional learning lesson and an enhancement, tutoring or the ability to enroll in any program thats going to enhance their intellectual abilities and plot the course for their future, who are we to say no? she asked. Cherry shared his perspective, citing feedback from students struggling with large class sizes and insufficient teachers, as well as parents frustrated by the Standards of Learning model claiming that it doesnt suit their childrens needs. He highlighted the positive impact that alternative school choices have had on some students. Public schools are great for many students, and it is not our intent in any way, shape or form, to disparage the incredible and great work that they do for the majority of our students, Cherry said. But thats not for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the legislations prospects appear dim in the Democratic-controlled House of Delegates. In 2023, similar proposals failed to advance past the halfway point of the session in both the Democratic-controlled Senate and the Republican-majority House. Democrats and public school advocates argue that diverting students to private schools risks siphoning critical funding from public education, as state funding in Virginia is tied to student enrollment numbers. The reality is that our public school system here in Virginia ranks pretty well, and any deviation of funding is a threat, said House Education Committee Chair Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke,. We need to be at least paying our teachers the national average. I dont know where this is coming from, but it certainly wont get any attraction in this committee. Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee Chair Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, was similarly dismissive. Speaking to reporters after the governors annual State of the Commonwealth address earlier this week, Lucas noted that this idea has been floated for three consecutive years without success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Later, Lucas took to social media, posting, We will never agree to take money from public schools to provide vouchers for private schools. We know what it is, no matter what name is used to market it. Despite setbacks in advancing his broader school choice agenda through the legislature, Youngkin has successfully allocated funding to expand laboratory schools, which function similarly to charter schools. These tuition-free schools provide specialized instruction tailored to high-demand careers such as teaching, computer science, and technology. Developed by higher education institutions, the schools curricula are crafted in collaboration with local employers and community organizations and are subject to state review. Students gain admission through a lottery system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Will Archer, lead pastor at Potomac Valley Church in Prince William County, praised the initiative in an op-ed for Virginia Scope, calling it a pathway to opportunity and empowerment for his congregation and community. Our local public schools are an excellent fit for some, providing robust resources and dedicated teachers, Archer wrote However, for others, particularly in underserved areas like the ones I have served in over the past 30 years, some public schools have struggled to meet the diverse needs of some students. This is by no means a reflection on the incredible dedication of public school teachers or administrators, but a recognition of the fundamental systemic challenges that disproportionately affect marginalized communities. As of Thursday, neither of the school choice bills has been heard in either chamber of the General Assembly. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Over the next year, residents will be hearing about a committee being formed to review the Youngstown City Charter which is basically the constitution through which the city operates. Youngstown City Council met for the first time in almost two years in its city hall chambers after an unsafe fire escape forced the use of temporary locations. Before the meeting, Mayor Tito Brown confirmed hes planning to create a Charter Review Committee. To kind of go over the charter, kind of update, look at it and see how relevant our charter is right now, Brown said. The committee will be composed of 11 to 13 members. The first meeting will be within 45 days and the mayor wants to give them the year to complete the work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If theres issues they need to put on the ballot in the years coming that they would leave those recommendations for the next year, said Brown. One area where Mayor Brown wants the committee to focus is on planning and zoning, specifically on where it affects housing. In neighborhoods where whats allowed, whats not allowable and I think the planning and zoning will help us with the epidemic that were facing across housing across the nation, he said. Mike Ray was among the Youngstown Council members who approved of the committees formation. You dont always need to be changing it but I think we need to explore and make updates where its relevant, Ray said. Councilwoman Samantha Turner thought it a good idea as well and wants the committee to consider staggering the election of councilmembers. Currently, all are elected at the same time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If all seven of us go, the whole council goes and it really would be good if we can look at how our council terms are set up, she said. Councilwoman Anita Davis wants the committee to ensure the city never sells its water supply. Im glad to see it getting done, Davis said. People complain about the cost of bringing in the water and everything else. If it went to a private entity and became for profit, we would be gouged. Mayor Brown said he would like a diverse group on the charter committee in the religious community, finance, education, nonprofits and neighborhood groups to make sure every part of town is represented. 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) An 18-year-old man is in stable condition at St. Elizabeth Health Center after being shot in the thigh early Wednesday evening. Reports said police were called to the hospital about 7:45 p.m., where the victim told an officer he was walking home when two men accosted him and asked him where he was going. The victim said he was going home when he was threatened with a gun and told to give the men everything he had. He did not believe the gun was real and started fighting them, reports said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports said the victim then heard a shot and tried to run when he was chased by one of the men and shot in the thigh. They took his shoes, which are the expensive Balenciaga brand, reports said, and $300 cash. The victim said a passerby drove him to the hospital. 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. SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) Schools across Shreveport celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by participating in a series of events during the week of the holiday named in his honor. The MLK DreamFest is an inspiring celebration honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., tapping into his history with Shreveport. This is the first year that we are hosting the 318 MLK DreamFest, where all of the different organizations within our community are coming together to organize a collective series of events for our community, said organizer Dr. Angelique Feaster Evans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shreveport is a distinct city within the state of Louisiana where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Visited on more than one occasion. In fact, it was 3 times that visited here starting in 1958, said Dr. Evans. Help preserve Louisianas civil rights history history by supporting the NLCRC The event, organized in collaboration with the Dream Keepers Alliance, brought together local schools and community groups for a powerful series of performances. Students from across the region showcase moving tributes through music, dance, and academics. Sharing Dr. Kings vision of equality and unity. Well, of course Legacy Dance Studio did a wonderful rendition of As Long as I Got King Jesus, so we were really excited to see them rev up the crowd with that particular performance, and then there was a little student from Cherokee park elementary school that did a wonderful solo performance, said Dr. Evans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Organizers say the dream fest encourages the next generation to embody Dr. Kings principles of hope and service. Very fortunate to take this moment to celebrate the youth as in this evening celebration of Doctor Martin Luther King Juniors ninety-sixth birthday. We are focusing on the young and the youthful era of his career and his educational pursuits, said Dr. Evans. 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 KTALnews.com. YouTube giant MrBeast expressed interest in purchasing TikTok, which will potentially be banned in the United States on Jan. 19 if the China-based app is not sold to new leadership or saved by the Supreme Court by then. Okay fine, Ill buy Tik Tok so it doesnt get banned, MrBeast, whose real name is Jimmy Donaldson, wrote on X Monday night. The tweet generated more than 33.4 million views on X. In a follow-up post shared Tuesday, Donaldson wrote, Unironically Ive had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, lets see if we can pull this off. Unironically Ive had so many billionaires reach out to me since I tweeted this, lets see if we can pull this off MrBeast (@MrBeast) January 14, 2025 Donaldson did not share further details on which billionaires reached out to him following his first post about purchasing the app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The YouTube star is not the first person to show interest in purchasing TikTok in hopes of keeping the app available in the U.S. Who has shown interest in buying TikTok? In April, a policy was passed by Congress and signed by President Biden that will require app stores to stop offering TikTok in the U.S. on Sunday, Jan. 19 if it is not sold by then. TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, as well as some content creators, challenged the law in court, but the Supreme Court appeared ready to uphold the policy during oral arguments on Friday, as the Deseret News previously reported. A variety of individuals and businesses have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok to prevent the app from potentially getting banned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are some of the individual and businesses that have expressed interest in purchasing TikTok: YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Wednesday was a big night for sophomore nursing students at Youngstown State. It was the 10th year for the White Coat Ceremony of YSUs Centofanti School of Nursing. The coats are given to second-year nursing students as they prepare for their first clinical rotations. Among those receiving a white coat was Ursuline graduate Ben Dewberry who decided on nursing because his late grandmother was a nurse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ever since she passed, thats all I want to do is I just want to be able to get my certification and go and help those in need, Dewberry said. Nursing school director Sheila Blank explained how the clinical rotations work. They will start going into nursing homes first, the long-term care facilities. Then they will move into the acute care facilities, she said. This year, 80 students received their white coats. Normally its been around 100 but this class was smaller than those in the past. 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. President-elect Trumps pick for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator, Lee Zeldin, appears poised to be able to carry out the significant level of climate and environmental deregulation Trump has indicated he plans to pursue after a Thursday hearing moved him toward his likely confirmation. During the confirmation hearing, Zeldin declined to say whether he believed the EPA had a responsibility to regulate climate change under the law. It was not a decision of the Supreme Court that if there was a fire in 2025 in California, that if that fire creates a danger to people then that triggers the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide. Theres just more to that, Zeldin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its pretty simple, it says the EPA is supposed to be the environmental watchdog, and not a fossil fuel lapdog, Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) responded. The tense exchange was about the 2007 Massachusetts v. EPA case, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the agency needs to determine whether planet-warming emissions endanger public health, and therefore, whether they need to be regulated. In 2009, the EPA determined that greenhouse gases endanger the public and therefore did require regulation. Its not clear whether Zeldin would seek to revisit that 2009 determination. Asked about the endangerment finding after the hearing, Senate Environment and Public Works Committee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) said its really too early to say whether it will be revisited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zeldins comments are not expected to derail his confirmation chances, as four Republicans would need to flip to oppose him. He was a surprise pick for the EPA administrator role because during his congressional tenure, he was more well known for working on international affairs. But he has been a major defender of Trump, including during the former presidents first impeachment in 2019. He is expected to continue defending Trump and carry out the presidents policies including reducing climate regulations and environmental protections should he be confirmed. I fully expect that your confirmation will be very positive, Capito said at the end of the hearing. She told reporters she expects to move the nomination forward as quickly as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has repeatedly stated that he hopes to reduce climate and other environment-related regulations, including those related to climate-warming emissions from power plants and cars. During the hearing, Zeldin himself said that climate change is real, but also defended Trumps past comments calling climate change a hoax. I believe that climate change is real, he said, but he added, as far as President Trump goes, the context that I have heard him speak about it was with a criticism of policies that have been enacted because of climate change. I think that hes concerned about the economic cost of some policies, Zeldin added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would respectfully disagree with you, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) replied. I think he has called it a hoax time and time and time again. Trump has repeatedly and incorrectly downplayed the effects of climate change. During the hearing, Zeldin also said no one has expressed to me in any setting of any plans to move the EPAs headquarters. The New York Times reported members of the Trump transition were discussing moving the headquarters out of Washington. The prior Trump administration moved the headquarters of the Bureau of Land Management to Colorado. Members of both sides of the aisle also asked Zeldin about toxic forever chemicals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These chemicals have been used in a wide range of products, from nonstick pans to military firefighting foams, and have become widespread in U.S. waterways. They have been linked to a number of health conditions, including several types of cancer. Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) asked him about liability questions posed by the EPAs recent designation of two types of these substances as hazardous. Zeldin did not state a firm position on the issue. 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. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed partial disappointment with the policy of US President Joe Biden's administration in relation to its support for Ukraine. Source: European Pravda, citing an interview with Zelenskyy given to a group of Polish media agencies during his visit to Warsaw Details: Zelenskyy highlighted the strong cooperation between the US and Europe under Joe Biden's administration on issues such as weapons for Ukraine, sanctions, and political support, calling it a major positive. He expressed gratitude for this collaboration during Biden's term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Zelenskyy also pointed out that, in certain matters, Kyiv had urged a different approach, emphasizing the need for quicker action. Quote: "This was about taking preventive action before the invasion. We asked for both weapons and sanctions, but America responded, 'If something happens, we will act'... To me, that seemed like a weak position," the president said. He further expressed his frustration, saying he "never fully understood" and "never will understand" why Ukraine isnt provided with the necessary air defence systems while people are dying. Quote: "Why couldnt we have been equipped with Patriot systems from the US especially since most of them are there? Its hard for me to understand. Maybe theres something I dont know. But what I do know for certain is that, unfortunately, people are dying," Zelenskyy said. Background: Zelenskyy also explained that the issue of potential peace negotiations and security guarantees are closely intertwined for Ukraine. Russia could rebuild its strength and launch another attack if reliable guarantees are not given to Kyiv. In the interview, Zelenskyy also stated that the prospect of ending the war or achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine depends on Europe's readiness to take a tougher stance on Russia, adding that without the Ukrainian army, Europe "has no chance against Russia". Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has explained that the issue of potential peace negotiations and security guarantees are closely intertwined for Ukraine. Russia could rebuild its strength and launch another attack if reliable guarantees are not given to Kyiv. Source: European Pravda, citing Zelenskyy in an interview with a group of Polish media during his visit to Warsaw Details: Zelenskyy expressed his full support for ending the war through diplomatic means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "For that, there needs to be a willingness. And if even one partner doesn't want it and Russia certainly doesn't want it we can use the formula we've been discussing: 'peace through strength'. When partners unite and force dialogue through strength." Zelenskyy went on to stress that before engaging in any negotiations, Ukraine needs reliable security guarantees. Quote: "This is important not only for Ukraine but for everyone." He continued, highlighting the broader implications of Russias actions: "Everyone already understands that Russia is the enemy, and they are capable of attacking any European country and occupying it. They have the strength and the will to do it. Yes, they are sick, but the main question is whether Russia will be able to come back again, occupy another country, or come up with something else. Or open the possibility of nuclear war. We must make it impossible for Putin and Russia to take such steps." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelenskyy pointed out that a simple "ceasefire" could lead to Russia preparing for further occupation, as happened between 2014 and 2022. Quote: "So its very important what the security guarantees for Ukraine will be. What about our NATO [accession]? What about our weapons? What will our support be financial, and so on?" he stressed. The president also highlighted the immense financial and military resources required to maintain a strong defence. Quote: "You must rely only on yourself. And we know what that means. Which army in Europe today is bigger than Ukraine's? None. It's not about having an advantage, it's about the cost." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, Zelenskyy expressed his belief in the potential for US leadership in securing Ukraines future: "But I believe Trump is capable and I hope he can of offering Ukraine real security guarantees... that will mean real security guarantees for both us, Europe, and the Russians. That Ukraine will be able to defend itself and others if Putin attacks again," he concluded. Background: In the interview, Zelenskyy also stated that the prospect of ending the war or achieving a ceasefire in Ukraine depends on Europe's readiness to take a tougher stance on Russia, adding that without the Ukrainian army, Europe "has no chance against Russia". Ukraines Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, in an interview with European Pravda, emphasised that Ukraine will not abandon its NATO membership aspirations and will not accept alternatives to full membership. Sybiha also emphasised that Ukraine has not renounced its principle of not holding direct negotiations with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has pledged that Ukraine will send "regards" to Russia in retaliation for the Russian drone attack on Kyiv on 16 January. Source: Interfax-Ukraine news agency, citing Zelenskyy Details: "We will also send our regards," Zelenskyy said when asked by a reporter about how the Russian drone attack, which occurred during his talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Kyiv, was perceived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In turn, Starmer noted that the attack was a reminder of what Ukraine faces every day and stressed the need to support Ukraine. Kyiv authorities reported that the fall of Russian drone wreckage had been recorded in five districts of the city, particularly the Pecherskyi district. Background: On the morning of 16 January, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Ukraine to meet with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In addition, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto arrived in Kyiv on an official visit. At 12:09 on Thursday, Ukraine's Air Force reported that a Russian loitering munition was approaching Kyiv from the east. An air-raid warning was issued. Air defence units responded to the attack. Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko stated that Russian drone wreckage had damaged a car in the Solomianskyi district of the capital. Tymur Tkachenko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, noted that UAV wreckage had also fallen in the Dniprovskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi and Pecherskyi districts. Support UP or become our patron! Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that one of the main issues in negotiations with allies in the context of security guarantees should be the issue of arming and financing Ukraine's million-strong army. Zelenskyy rhetorically asks what will happen to Ukraine's army if the country is not guaranteed NATO membership. Source: Zelenskyy in an interview with Polish media Quote from Zelenskyy: "I have a simple question, for example, we are not yet in NATO and diplomacy has gone. I have a question: Ukraine has a million-strong army, and now our partners are helping us, but where will we find the money and weapons to maintain a million-strong army? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a fact. If you don't have NATO [support], air defence, support, a general fleet, etc., you have to rely on yourself. Today, there is no bigger army in Europe than the Ukrainian army. This is not said [to boast] of our advantage, it's that it's very, very expensive." Details: The president said that, first of all, Ukraine needs security guarantees for peace, but this requires preventing escalation. He considers that this should be taken into account to prevent Russia from preparing for another attack. Zelenskyy believes that Ukraine needs NATO, weapons, and other support to guarantee its security. After a meeting with the Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk on 15 January, he said that one of the security guarantees could be the deployment of peacekeepers to Ukraine, but that this issue is still under general discussion with the allies. Zelenskyy also announced that he would discuss peacekeepers with the UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who arrived in Kyiv on 16 January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president also added that Europe is currently unable to fight Russia without the Ukrainian army. He said the Russian army is larger than the entire EU army: "Bigger, with more weapons, more people and more audacity... Without the Ukrainian army, the EU army has no chances [to win ed.], unfortunately." Background: Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Ukrainian army currently consists of 880,000 soldiers defending the whole country. Ukrainian forces are facing 600,000 Russian troops on their territory. Zelenskyy also stated that Ukraine currently produces about 33-34% of all the weapons the country needs per year. Before the full-scale Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this figure was less than 10%. Support UP or become our patron! President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer inspected Ukrainian drones on 16 January. Source: Zelenskyy on X (Twitter); Ukrinform Quote from Zelenskyy: "Bomber drones, reconnaissance UAVs and FPV drone carriers manufactured by Ukrainian companies and in collaboration with British partners. Today, together with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, we met with drone manufacturers and reviewed innovations that are helping our defenders protect against Russian forces." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy expressed hope that Ukraine will increase drone production this year in partnership with the United Kingdom. Bomber drones, reconnaissance UAVs, and FPV drone carriers manufactured by Ukrainian companies and in collaboration with British partners. Today, together with UK Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer, we met with drone manufacturers and reviewed innovations that are helping our pic.twitter.com/Ha5d543Pad Volodymyr Zelenskyy / (@ZelenskyyUa) January 16, 2025 Background: Earlier, Ukraine and the UK signed a historic agreement on a 100-year partnership to deepen security ties and strengthen cooperation for future generations. The United Kingdom pledges to supply Ukraine with 15 new mobile Gravehawk air defence systems by the end of 2025, developed with joint funding from the UK and Denmark. Support UP or become our patron! There is a chance to end Russia's war against Ukraine this year with American and European support. Source: Zelenskyy's interview with Polish media Details: Asked by Polish journalists about the probability of the war ending in 2025, Zelenskyy responded confidently, saying, "Yes, it is possible". Quote: "Trump is eager to end the war... He has the ability to pressure Russia. Im confident that Russia fears both the US and China Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump can push Russia to stop the war. We need to make sure that with Trump, there are clear security guarantees for Ukraine, and he must force Putin into diplomacy to bring this war to an end." More details: The president emphasized that Trump must offer Ukraine specific security guarantees that would not only benefit Europe but also send a signal to Russia that Ukrainians, alongside other nations, will be able to defend themselves if Putin attempts to incite war again. He also highlighted that Ukraine currently has strong partners, such as the United States and the European Union, which has significantly increased its own weapons production. Zelenskyy noted that the EU should further boost its arms production "for itself" so that the Russians understand that Europe has the means to defend itself, thus making it possible to "hit Putin where it hurts". Background: On 15 January, Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Warsaw, where he held a meeting with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. Later that day, the Ukrainian president met with his Polish counterpart, Andrzej Duda. Support UP or become our patron! A flight attendant has gone viral for telling passengers on a flight to Lanzarote to zip it after one group said other travellers were making racist remarks. The video, captured on a December 2023 Tui flight from London Gatwick to Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, shows a flight attendant trying to quell chaos that erupted on the journey. The video, which was by @Zaypip on TikTok and has amassed 1.9 million view, shows a flight attendant yelling: If I hear one more remark from anybody, I will be ringing the pilots and they will be getting the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the next clip, the flight attendant returns to the area and asks What did I just say? to which one passenger replies They are threatening me. The flight attendant then gives a phone signal with her hand to someone off-camera. In an extended, follow-up video that Zaypip posted, the flight attendant is also heard saying: That is enough, this is a family flight. It is Christmas Eve. Enough is enough. This is a family flight. All you got to do it is five minutes to get there everybody zip it, lock it, put it in your pocket. I have had enough and I mean it no more. Zip it, lock it, in the pocket otherwise, I'm on that phone, she says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Someone from behind the camera starts thanking the flight attendant, telling her that she deserves a raise. While the context is not clear from the videos, Zaypip, who was travelling with her British-Iranian travelling companions told the Mail Online that a group on the plane had been causing chaos throughout the flight and made racist remarks. She stated that the group was calling them P***s and telling them to go home to your country. The alleged remarks were not captured on the video. Zaypip told the publication she was travelling with her six-year-old niece, husband, brother and sister when the incident occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said: They occupied several rows, including the one immediately behind us, and their kids were running along the aisle and the adults were shouting across to their kids and each other. The passengers on the flight were not comfortable to begin with. Everyone was looking at them. She said that while her family usually speak in English, they switched to Farsi for a minute, which she said led them to be very rude because we changed our language. They were threatening to beat me up, break my glasses. And they had been kicking and punching our seats. Everyone was sick and tired of it. We just wanted to sit in peace and enjoy our holiday, she told the outlet. Zaypip explained that once the plane landed, they had to wait until everyone left the plane before they were escorted all the way to their hire car out of precaution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the holiday, they saw the group once more and they were also all sitting around them at the gate on their return flight, prompting them to alert the staff. Zaypip said they were told by the captain to board the flight first, ensuring that the flight would be diverted if there was trouble. She added to Mail Online that Tui had been in contact regarding the incident, apologising for the inconvenience or distress that the passengers behaviour may have caused. The airline added that the incident had been investigated and offered them compensation of around 25. The Independent has contacted Tui for comment. For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calders podcast (Reuters) -Backers of China's Xiaohongshu are looking to sell a part of their stake to the likes of Tencent, among others, in a deal that could value the TikTok-rival at at least $20 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday. GGV Capital, GSR Ventures and Tiantu Capital, key shareholders of the social media platform, have drawn interest from existing backers HongShan Capital Group and Hillhouse Investment, Bloomberg News said, citing people familiar with the matter. Tencent, another existing shareholder, is also considering whether to buy more shares, the report added. The report comes at a time when TikTok is preparing to shut its U.S. operations as a federal ban is set to take effect, barring a last-minute reprieve. Xiaohongshu, whose name translates to "little red book", is similar to Meta's Instagram in that it allows users to curate photos, videos and text documenting their lives. The company, a privately held firm with over 300 million users, had a reported valuation of $17 billion after its latest funding round in July 2024. Tencent, TikTok and its parent ByteDance, and the office of Xiaohongshu CEO Charlwin Mao did not immediately respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Aaditya Govind Rao in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala) People join together as they march westbound on East Jefferson Street in Seattle as part of the MLK Jr. Coalition march on Jan. 15, 2024. (Ellen M. Banner / The Seattle Times) A foreign buyer negotiates business at a booth for electric tools during the 136th China Import and Export Fair in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, Oct. 15, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] China will roll out more measures to expand opening-up and attract more foreign investment in 2025, according to the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) on Wednesday. Efforts will be made to further ease market access, MOC official Li Yongjie told a press conference. She said that after China placed zero restrictions on foreign investment in its manufacturing sector last year, it will advance the opening-up of its services sector this year -- particularly pilot programs in the telecommunication, medical care and education fields. On optimizing the country's business environment, Li pledged continuous efforts to promote the Invest in China campaign this year, and improve services for foreign-invested firms. Efforts will be made to resolve problems foreign-invested firms face in qualification licensing, standard setting and government procurement, according to Li. Efforts should also be made to build high-level opening-up platforms that align with high-standard international economic and trade rules, the official said, calling for continued work to improve the quality and efficiency of the country's pilot free trade zones. Today Windy with light rain likely. High 62F. Winds W at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy. Gusty winds diminishing after midnight. Low 49F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Cloudy. High 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Today Windy with periods of light rain. High 61F. Winds W at 25 to 35 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. Gusty winds during the evening. Low 48F. Winds WSW at 20 to 30 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph. Tomorrow Cloudy. High 64F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. The system of annual bulky waste collection should be maintained and changes should be introduced only on request by the district governments, the mayor of Budapest said after consultations with Mol, the company in charge of waste management, and district governments. Gergely Karacsony said on Facebook on Wednesday that the government had held consultations only with ruling Fidesz on plans to change the system, but not with the metropolitan government and the district governments. This went against the Municipal Assembly's unanimous decision that consultations must be held, he added. "In a state governed by the rule of law, talks are held with elected mayors, but in a party state, [talks are held] with the city party secretary," he said. "And this is a party state, even when it comes to the issue of bulky waste collection," Karacsony added. The mayor said there was room for improvement in bulky waste collection, to make it greener and more sustainable. MTI Stock Photo - for illustrative purposes only Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. The Budapest Appeals Court has ordered a retrial of the first-instance procedure in the criminal case connected to the accident of the Hableany sightseeing boat, which collided with a cruise ship on the Danube in Budapest in May 2019, killing 28 of the 35 people on board. The first-instance court sentenced the captain of the Viking Sigyn, the cruise ship, to 5.5 years in prison. The Appeals Court ordered a retrial, saying the judge in the case was biased. The accused remains under supervision during the trial, the ruling said. A judge participating in the sentencing procedure should have been recused from the trial, as they seemed to be unable to make impartial decisions, the court said. That runs afoul of procedural regulations, and so is a reason for retrial, the statement said. In the accident on May 29, 2019, the Viking Sigyn cruise ship collided with the Hableany sightseeing boat which had 33 South Korean tourists on board and a crew of two Hungarians. Seven tourists were rescued from the water after the collision and the rest died. One of the bodies has not been recovered. The prosecutor's office brought charges against the Ukrainian captain in July 2022. Today, the court convicted him of negligence by endangering river traffic and causing a lethal accident. In a civil lawsuit brought in connection with the accident, the Municipal Court awarded some 2 billion forints (EUR 4.8m) in damages to the families of the victims. The damages are to be paid by two ship companies. Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. The government has allocated Ft 1.3 billion in subsidy for the renovation of the cave spa in Miskolctapolca according to a decree published. Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar promised Ft 1 billion in state aid when he visited the city on January 15, as he pointed out that the facility is a major tourist attraction. The spa, located in an outer district of Miskolc, was heavily damaged by fire last September due to an electrical short circuit. Lazar declared that the baths must be reopened by June 30. Famous Miskolc Cave Spa in Hungary May Reopen in June The cabinet will provide Ft 1 billion to ensure that the Miskolctapolca cavern baths that burnt down due to an electric short-circuit in September, may be reopened by June 30, Construction and Transport Minister Janos Lazar told a press conference in Miskolc. The baths are an important source of revenue for the town as they generate more than Ft 1 billion annually. Lazar also announced that Ft 16 billion has been reassigned this year for the reconstruction of the Diosgyor Castle in Miskolc and for preserving its tower. Stating that the government aims to develop marginal settlements and regions, he said the Miskolc-Nyiregyhaza-Debrecen triangle will catch up with the EU average. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Hungarian intelligence agencies have reached out to U.S. counterparts regarding the case of Antal Rogan, according to Zoltan Sas, chair of Hungarys parliamentary National Security Committee. Speaking to Hungarian news site Telex following the committees Tuesday meeting, Sas, who is a member of opposition party Jobbik, confirmed that the inclusion of Rogan on a sanctions list was carried out under U.S. legal procedures. Hungarian authorities do not dispute the legality of this action. The Hungarian side requested any available information supporting the decision from its American partners, but the U.S. was unable to provide such information, Sas said, summarizing details from the committee meeting. During the meeting, Hungarian intelligence officials also noted the emergence of a broader dynamic involving identifiable actors on the international stage. According to their observations, these individuals are allegedly working to undermine Hungarian-U.S. relations and hinder their effectiveness, even before a potential new U.S. administration takes office. According to the report, Sas declined to provide further details, citing the classified nature of much of the discussion. He hinted, however, that certain regional states or entities may be leveraging their intelligence services to disrupt a potential rapprochement between Hungary and the U.S., especially before Donald Trumps administration were to come into power. Such geopolitical maneuvering aligns with the broader context of strained U.S.-Hungary relations, which have deteriorated in part due to Hungarys policies toward Russia, the report adds. The Biden administration, under which Rogan was sanctioned, has been critical of Hungarys stance on Moscow. The Hungarian intelligence communitys request for information from the U.S. is notable, as any findings would likely be shared with Antal Rogan himself. As a minister, Rogan oversees Hungarys civilian intelligence services. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Taxi drivers demonstrated for more favourable taxation, greener and safer traffic conditions, job opportunities and "an opportunity to make an honest living" in Budapest. Participants gathered at Heroes' Square with their vehicles in the afternoon, and drove to the Construction and Transport Ministry, the National Economy Ministry, the Finance Ministry, the City Hall and the Budapest public transport company BKK. The demonstration lasted until the evening, the Organisation for Taxi Drivers' Interests said. Protesters have called for raising the tax-free bracket for SMEs, a cap on the number of taxi drivers in the city, a review of traffic safety regulations, and talks on the work safety conditions for drivers. Should their demands not be met, the organisation threatened to repeat the protest. Source: MTI - The Hungarian News Agency, founded in 1881. ********************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? Then just contact us here. Budapest boasts an impressive array of great wine bars these days, nicely scattered around the city. While downtowns District 5 offers a generous and classy selection, you can discover excellent options amidst the lively Kiraly Street nightlife area, and also across the river in the leafier districts on the Buda side. Where to taste the best wines made in Hungary? Well, it really depends on you, and whether you prefer a date-night out sipping wine in a charming classic building, or enjoying stunning views as you sample various local varieties, or taking in a cosy wine cellar ambiance trying international wines, or soaking up a Bohemian vibe as you taste away to live music - Budapest's diverse range of wine bars cater to just about every taste and mood. Fun fact: the first wine bar in Budapest, Voros es Feher, opened on Andrassy Avenue in 2000, and the team at XpatLoop were there to enjoy learning about the best wines from Hungary that were on offer back then. What is the best wine bar in Budapest? To easily find outstanding wines worth trying (before buying) there are a whole host of great venues around the capital, and here are 20 of the best wine bars in Budapest as recommended by WinesOfHungary.hu Full disclosure: we know of a few more but are keeping those under wraps as theyre pretty popular and so its hard enough already to get a good table, anyway the following top list is definitely enough to run with to enjoy tasting a great selection of fine wine in Budapest. 1. Borkonyha 5th district, Sas utca 3 While as the name suggests this place is a kitchen, the fact wine is at the start of this truly Hungarian venues name means that wines are key at this rather modestly-priced Michelin-starred eatery. They offer 200 wine varieties, naturally including some of Hungarys top producers, with many available by the glass in this smart mirror-lined space. 2. Doblo Wine Bar 1072. Budapest, Dob utca 20. It is located in Budapest's vibrant Jewish Quarter, is a cozy and stylish spot known for its extensive selection of Hungarian artisan and bio wines. The bar offers a warm ambiance complemented by live music and friendly service, making it a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or just looking to enjoy a relaxed evening, Doblo provides a perfect blend of quality drinks and a welcoming atmosphere. 3. Cintanyeros 8th District, Bokay Janos utca 52. This is not exactly a wine bar as you may know it, rather a refreshing twist on a traditional neighborhood tavern. Found slightly out of the way in Budapest's evolving District 8, a stone's throw from the Semmelweis Klinikak metro stop, this charming spot combines the warmth of a local hangout with a well curated selection of local wines. The intimate upstairs area features a range of tables and some cosy corners, making it a favorite among couples out for a date-night. The wine list is thoughtfully crafted, highlighting both very affordable house selections and pricier renowned local labels. Complementing the drinks, the menu offers simple yet satisfying snacks, including toasted sandwiches and grilled sausage with pickled cabbage. This place also has live music, played on its century-old piano, that nicely enhance the evening ambiance at this bar which maintains some of the old-school essence of the Budapests wine drinking culture. 4. Csendes Tars - Temporarily closed 5th district, Magyar utca 18 This is a cosy downtown wine oasis right next to Karolyi-kert. Considering how tiny the place is, the selection is pretty amazing, as you can choose from literally hundreds of wines, plus there is no shortage of simple yet delicious dishes on offer too. As evening falls, the green chairs and the shadows dancing in the candlelight lend Csendes Tars an even more romantic atmosphere, making it the great spot for a date night out wine tasting. 5. DiVino Bazilika 5th district, Szent Istvan ter 3. This is arguably the most popular wine bar in Budapest, located by the beautiful big Basilica on Szent Istvan Square. This was the first initiative of this kind by the Junibor team, who bring together young winemakers, and it has gone from strength to strength over the years to win its now well-established top reputation. The modern vibe is most evident in the design: featuring minimalist furniture and a long table with the intention of creating a community feeling that reflects the philosophy of Junibor. The wine selection covers approximately 25 wineries, from which only the best wines are showcased. Although the cuisine is not always excellent, you can pick out a few decent accompanying wine snacks. 6. Drop Shop Borbar - temporarily closed 5th district, Balassi Balint utca 27. The team at this popular wine bar believe that every bottle of wine has a special message, and they aim to tell these stories to everyone who cares to drop in. The wine list itself changes regularly so theres no shortage of new tales to hear, and they offer more than 60 wines at any one time. The selection is made from some of the most exciting wine regions of the world, and from Hungary of course. French Champagne, Italian, Spanish, and local sparkling wines play a prominent role in their offer, of which more than a dozen can be tasted every day. Plus they are happy to open any of their bottles of palinka if you want to taste them. To make any tasting complete, they offer daily tapas, special hams, and several types of bruschetta. 7. Fricska 2.0 - Closed for winter holiday 7th district, Dob utca 56-58 This Michelin Guide recommended modern bistro offers an outstanding range of local wines well worth going to try. According to that esteemed guide this place has a speakeasy vibe. its unassuming exterior gives nothing away, but downstairs youll find a bright and trendy bar-cum-restaurant with a contemporary feel. Service is smooth and attentive, and the friendly team will happily guide you through the fully Hungarian wine list, say Michelin reassuringly. 8. Gepard es Urhajo Borbar 5th district, Szerb utca 15 This wine bar lives up to its intriguing, bohemian name with a bold vibe. But its not just about the atmosphere here - this spot has serious wine credentials, offering an impressive selection of local and Mediterranean wines. The international lineup features gems from Spain alongside notable picks from Portugal, Italy, and the South of France. On the Hungarian side, the menu showcases the best of the countrys wine regions, with highlights like Furmint, Olaszrizling, Keknyelu, and Bikaver, sourced from top-tier wineries such as Bolyki, Szaszi, and Lelovits. And what keeps things exciting is their ever-evolving selection, ensuring that even regulars can discover something new with each visit. If youre after a wine bar with personality, variety, and an adventurous spirit, this is a top downtown destination. 9. Kadarka Wine Bar 6th district, Kiraly utca 42. Situated on one of Budapest's key party streets, this place is well-known as a cornerstone of the city's nightlife scene. Renowned among locals and long-term expats alike, this spot combines a cosy, cheerful, and relaxed atmosphere with a sophisticated selection of Hungarian wines. The colourful furniture, expansive windows, and lively music contribute to its inviting ambiance, making it a popular destination that is frequently bustling - so its often hard to find a seat here. The bar's wine list is extensive, featuring over 150 Hungarian wines by the glass, including eight varieties of Kadarka, the indigenous Hungarian red grape after which the bar is named. This commitment to local viticulture allows guests to explore nearly every varietal Hungary has to offer, often in small pours, providing an educational as well as enjoyable wine tasting experience. Kadarka's dedication to local wines is complemented by its ever-changing wine list, which updates every two weeks or so to showcase vintage, traditional, and rare Hungarian grapes. This variety ensures that returning guests can discover something new with each visit. 10. Kostolom Borbar Temporarily Closed 2nd district, Kaplar utca 19. 11. Marlou Wine Bar 6th district, Lazar utca 16. Tucked behind Budapest's historic Opera House, this is a trailblazer in the city's natural wine scene. Founded by French expat Jean-Julien Ricard, Marlou champions low-intervention wines that authentically express their terroir. The bar's high-ceilinged interior features exposed brick walls, neon accents, and a wine-covered wall, creating a chic yet inviting atmosphere. The curated selection includes Hungarian natural wines, with notable offerings from the renowned Tokaj region, as well as French labels, reflecting Ricard's heritage. So guests can explore a diverse range of wines here, including special sparkling varieties, often featured in the daily selections. To complement the wine experience, Marlou offers a concise menu of small plates, perfect for pairing. While Marlou's commitment to quality is evident, it's worth noting that prices per glass range from HUF 2500 5000 or so - premium pricing by local standards. Nevertheless, for those seeking an authentic natural wine tasting experience in Budapest, this place offers a memorable setting. For a deeper insight into Marlou and Jean-Julien Ricard's philosophy, see the video below. 12. Menesi Borbar - Temporarily Closed 11th district, Menesi ut 1. This is a family-run wine bar gem in Buda, offering over a hundred varieties of Hungarian red, white, rose, plus sparkling wines. Also of note, beer enthusiasts can find with a fine selection of more than 25 Belgian, American, and Czech brews. The bar's inviting selection is enhanced by its cosy ambiance and friendly service, making it a popular spot among locals and expats in the loop. For those interested in special wine tastings, Menesi regularly hosts events in their separate room, providing an opportunity to explore a variety of wines parings, such as a Sushi & Wine night. Recent guests have praised the place on Tripadvisor for its outstanding wine selection, well-prepared food, reasonable prices, and attentive service. One reviewer mentioned stumbling upon the bar by chance and having a great experience, highlighting the quality of both the wines and the fresh dishes. As they proudly state on their website, "all our guests have a smile!" Whether you're a wine connoisseur or simply looking for a relaxed evening out on the Buda side, Menesi offers a welcoming environment to taste quality drinks, plus some delicious food if you fancy too. 13. MyWine Bar & Shop Temporarily closed 5th district, Arany Janos utca 16. 14. Palack Wine Bar 11th district, Szent Gellert ter 3. Nestled in Buda's bohemian district, this is a vibrant hub for both wine enthusiasts and socialites. With a curated selection that ranges from 80 to 100 labels, Palack showcases high-quality bottles from boutique Hungarian wineries, offering patrons a genuine taste of the local wine landscape. The resident sommelier is on hand to provide personalized recommendations, ensuring each guest finds their perfect pour if they arrive unsure. Beyond its impressive wine list, Palack also caters to beer aficionados with a diverse range of Belgian, American, and Czech brews. The bar's atmosphere is characterised by the large communal tables and cosy nooks. To complement the drinks, Palack offers a decent menu of tapas, charcuterie, and cheese plates, making it a top spot for friendly gatherings and date nights out. Palack also hosts wine tasting events, providing opportunities to deepen your appreciation of Hungarian wines. Whether you're just in the mood for an evening of wine exploration or just a froccs with friends, the lively ambiance and thoughtful selections here make it a key wine bar option on the Buda side. 15. Stelazsi 3rd district, Nagyszombat utca 3. Located in Obuda, where let's be honest there isn't much in the way of decent drinking venues, this is a relative haven for wine enthusiasts seeking a cosy and inviting atmosphere. Stelazsi's commitment to quality and friendly service over the years has earned it high praise. It boasts a spacious interior adorned with charming local details, creating a homey and even romantic ambiance that makes it a top spot in the 3rd district for both social evenings with friends and intimate encounters. The wine bar aspect of this venue offers an impressive selection of Hungarian wines, carefully curated to showcase the rich viticultural heritage of the whole country. Guests can indulge in a variety of reds, whites, and roses, and pair them with dishes cooked up from local ingredients. The menu features Hungarian classics with a modern twist, ensuring an enjoyable culinary experience, if you so choose, to fit well with the extensive wine list. 16. Szalonspicc Kave es Borbar 2nd district, Lovohaz utca 17. Located adjacent to Buda's Millenaris Park, this well-established venue offers a curated selection of approximately 60 local and international wines, alongside 15 champagnes and sparkling options. This intimate style spot has been delighting patrons since its opening in 2012 with a cozy and unpretentious ambiance. Many consider it a great retreat for a relaxed evening of wine tasting, and the food menu features simple but decent bar fare, including burgers, wraps, and salads. While the quality of wines, cuisine, and service is pretty impeccable, it's worth noting that prices are slightly higher compared to other spots in Buda. However, the cool atmosphere and carefully curated wine offerings make it a worthwhile destination for both oenophiles or anyone looking for a charming spot in Buda to unwind while enjoy quality sips of fine wine. 17. Van Boris Borbar 14th district, Erzsebet kiralyne utja 65. This popular watering-hole located pretty far out in Zuglo - the green district in Pest with a mix of art nouveau villas and nice wide boulevards - offers a diverse selection of Hungarian wines, along with craft beers and spirits, plus a variety of modest bar food. For a look at their offerings and style you could check out their Instagram page here https://www.instagram.com/vanborisborbar - its way better than website VanBoris.hu ! 18. vinoWonka Wine & Chocolate Bar 8th district, Corvin setany 2. This unique gastro venue located in this vibrant area of the city by Corvin Mall opened in 2012 to showcase premium quality wines and hand-made chocolates. Theyre still going strong today as a well-established haven for anyone seeking to explore the harmonious pairing of these two indulgent treats in a relaxed atmosphere. The bar's selection features a diverse array of wines from small-production vineyards, ensuring each bottle offers a distinctive taste of Hungary's rich and diverse viticulture. Complementing the wines, they presents a curated assortment of artisanal chocolates, each crafted to enhance the flavors of the wines on show. For those preferring a lighter non-alcoholic option, their menu also includes refreshing lemonades. 19. Zengo Wine Bar New Name: VERSUS Budapest 8th district, Krudy Gyula utca 6. The team here recently held a closing party, explaining in Hungarian that, The property that houses Versus unexpectedly changed hands, and the new owner has other goals for the premises. We will be moving out in the first weeks of January 2025, we have no idea where we will go yet, so the exciting and short story of Versus will probably be permanently interrupted, and our capital invested will disappear. 20. 0,75 Bistro & Wine Bar 5th district, Szent Istvan ter 6. In summer this venue stands out due to the terrace facing Basilica, making it a great option for wine tasting with a view. All year round the bar offers a tempting selection of drinks, which includes more than 100 different kinds of wines. As well as the fine wines and fabulous bistro food, here youll also find craft beers, homemade syrups and lemonades as well as a fabulous selection of whisky bottles to choose between if you fancy a fancy spirit. New Delhi: Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporation plans to enter the electric small car segment in future after gathering experience from its first EV, SUV e VITARA, which will make the global debut in India, company's Representative Director and President Toshihiro Suzuki said on Thursday. The Japanese carmaker also believes that despite declining sales, small cars will not cease to exist in India, where its subsidiary Maruti Suzuki India is the market leader, as "one billion people" who are likely to upgrade from two-wheelers to four-wheelers in future would still need affordable cars, Suzuki told reporters here in an interaction. Maruti Suzuki India will unveil the e VITARA on Friday at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 being held at Bharat Mandapam here. For Suzuki Motor, India will be production hub for global electric vehicle models. "Although we are launching our first EV, e VITARA, my personal feeling is that the compact vehicles will be the best for EVs... (but) I think first one has learn and master properly the manufacturing techniques of EVs...So, after grasping it fully we would like to shift to EVs for small cars as well, like the others. We do have plans of having EVs in the small car segment," Suzuki said. He was responding to a query on the EV road map for Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), which is known globally for its small cars. Asked for a timeline for entry into small electric cars, Suzuki did not elaborate but said after launching the e VITARA the company would like to get feedback from customers on the vehicle and Maruti Suzuki will also try to understand customers' response, then only it would go ahead with plans for small electric cars. Suzuki also said SMC's two-wheeler arm Suzuki Motorcycle India will also unveil electric scooter e Access at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo besides the e VITARA. "These BEVs (battery electric vehicles) represent global models and India will be the production hub for these vehicles," he said, adding India's significance as an export hub for four-wheelers and two-wheelers for SMC is "increasingly becoming more important than ever before". "We would like to export not only EVs but the other models also. We would like to develop India as an export hub for all the models," Suzuki said. He stated that the automaker would further strengthen its SUV portfolio in the country as it looks to regain 50 per cent market share in the over 40 lakh strong annual Indian domestic passenger vehicle segment. "We are aiming to get 50 per cent market share and we would like to focus our efforts in this direction," Suzuki stated. The automaker is committed to actively introducing new models to cater to the expectations of customers across India, with particular emphasis on the SUV segment, he stated. "In order to enhance market share it is important to capture top share in the SUV segment ... So the first priority is that to get the top market share in the SUV segment by introducing new models," Suzuki noted. The company would also look at introducing models with hybrid, CNG and hydrogen technologies as well in order to gain market share. On the rationale for making India the export hub, he said, "For Suzuki, the scale merit in India is our strength, and we will fully leverage this advantage to supply high quality and appealing products across various regions, such as Europe, Japan, the Middle East and Africa, Central and South America and Asian countries. The e VITARA will be exported to Europe and then Japan followed by the other markets in the world. Suzuki said Maruti Suzuki India resumed exports to Japan last year with Fronx and there is a pending order of 15,000 units and currently the model is exported to over 70 countries from India. In 2024, the company achieved exports of 3.26 lakh units, which was the highest ever irrespective of calendar or fiscal year. Asked about the outlook for small cars, which has seen a decline in sales in India with SUVs growing faster, Suzuki said, "When we look at the market the sales of Maruti Suzuki's small cars are comparable to the SUVs which are being currently sold by other manufacturers. So it's still selling." He further said, "I don't think small cars would cease to exist (in India). There are 1 billion people who are likely to upgrade from two-wheelers to four-wheelers in future and they would need an affordable, good car in the small segment." On a query regarding the future of Suzuki's partnership with Toyota, Suzuki said: "I think Toyota is a good partner and a good competitor. Therefore as an independent company, we would like to go ahead in a healthy competition." New Delhi: To commemorate Cinema Day, actress-turned-politician Kangana Ranaut's much-anticipated political drama Emergency is set to hit theatres on January 17, 2025, with tickets priced at an incredible 99 for the release day only. The move celebrates the power of cinema and positions Emergency as a must-watch event, inviting audiences to witness a chapter of Indian history that continues to spark intense debate. EMERGENCY RELEASE DAY Directed and headlined by Kangana herself, Emergency explores the controversial 1975 declaration of Emergency by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, delving into the political power plays and societal upheaval that defined this dark period in India's democracy. The films timing couldnt be more relevant, as it resonates with todays global political discourse, sparking conversations about democracy, authoritarianism, and the fragility of pursuing unchecked power. EMERGENCY TICKET PRICE With tickets for Emergency priced at just 99, the film extends an invitation to the public to witness a piece of history. As the first political drama of 2025, Emergency bears the responsibility of not only entertaining but also encouraging reflection, provoking discourse, and inspiring fresh perspectives on democracy and power. Being one of the earliest releases of the year, Emergency has the potential to shape trends in Indian cinema for the months ahead. Political dramas of this magnitude have been rare in recent years, generating significant curiosity about the themes the film explores. With all the elements of a record-breaking opening, Emergency is poised to lead the charge into what promises to be a defining year for Indian cinema. EMERGENCY FILM RELEASE Written, directed, and headlined by Kangana herself, Emergency delves into one of the most controversial periods in Indian history. The film also boasts a stellar cast, including Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaudhary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and the late Satish Kaushik in his final on-screen performance. Produced by Zee Studios, Manikarnika Films, and Renu Pitti, Emergency promises to be a cinematic spectacle. With music by Sanchit Balhara and G.V. Prakash Kumar, and dialogues penned by the acclaimed Ritesh Shah, the film is set to hit the theatres on January 17, 2025. New Delhi: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday announced liberalised norms to encourage use of Indian Rupee and local/ national currencies to settle cross border transactions. The decision comes at a time when the domestic currency is sliding and touched an all-time low of 86.70 per US dollar on Monday. The Reserve Bank has already signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central banks of the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Maldives to encourage cross-border transactions in local currencies, including Indian Rupee. To encourage greater use of Indian Rupee (INR) for trade transactions, in July 2022, an additional arrangement in the form of Special Rupee Vostro Account (SRVA) was introduced. Several foreign banks have since opened SRVAs with banks in India. Overseas branches of Authorized Dealer banks will be able to open INR accounts for a person resident outside India for settlement of all permissible current account and capital account transactions with a person resident in India," the RBI on Thursday said while announcing the changes made in the extant FEMA regulations. Under the liberalised FEMA regulations, persons resident outside India will be able to settle bona fide transactions with other non-residents using the balances in their repatriable INR accounts such as Special Non-resident Rupee account and SRVA. Also, persons resident outside India will be able to use their balances held in repatriable INR accounts for foreign investment, including FDI, in non-debt instruments. RBI further said Indian exporters will be able to open accounts in any foreign currency overseas for settlement of trade transactions, including receiving export proceeds and using these proceeds to pay for imports. The decision on promotions of cross border transactions in INR and local / national currencies follows a review of the FEMA regulations of 1999 undertaken by the Reserve Bank in consultation with the central government. Delhi Assembly Polls: Former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday filed his nomination for the upcoming assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency. In the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission, the AAP supremo declared net assets totalling Rs 1.73 crore. He also revealed that he owns neither a house nor a car. According to Kejriwal's affidavit, his assets include Rs 2.96 lakh in bank savings and Rs 50,000 in cash. His immovable assets are worth Rs 1.7 crore. The affidavit also revealed that Kejriwal's income in the financial year of 2023-24 was Rs 7.21 lakh. As far as the former Delhi CMs wife Sunita Kejriwal's total assets are concerned, she owns assets worth Rs 2.5 crore. Her movable assets are worth Rs 1 crore, including 320 grams of gold worth Rs 25 lakh and one kilogram of silver worth Rs 92,000, and Rs 1.5 crore in immovable assets. Sunita Kejriwal owns a house in Gurugram and a small five-seater car, the affidavit said. The couple has net assets worth Rs 4.23 crore. In the 2020 election affidavit, Arvind Kejriwal, who is contesting from the New Delhi seat, had declared assets worth Rs 3.4 crore. It was Rs 2.1 crore in 2015. On the New Delhi Assembly seat, Kejriwal is pitted against Bharatiya Janata Partys Parvesh Verma, who also filed his nomination papers on Wednesday. Delhi is scheduled to vote in a single phase on February 5, and the results will be announced on February 8. The last date to file nomination papers is January 17. Saif Ali Khan Attacked: A political battle erupted on Thursday after actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked in his home that has led to him suffering at least six injuries. Following the attack on the actor, opposition leaders cornered the BJP-led Maharashtra government. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut slammed the BJP-led state government over the incident and asked when artists like Saif Ali Khan are attacked, then to what extent is the common public safe? The UBT MP questioned Maharashtra's Home Minister on the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Raut further claimed that such incidents are happening on a "daily basis" in slum areas, but this incident came to light because a celebrity was attacked. Addressing a press conference, Raut said, "Saif Ali Khan is an artist; he has also been awarded Padma Shri. Saif Ali Khan and his family met him at the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago. The Prime Minister had invited him. Everyone sat with him for an hour and discussed. Saif Ali Khan was also very happy after meeting the Prime Minister. But yesterday the Prime Minister was in Mumbai, and at this time Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife. Some people say the attacker was a thief, some say something else, but what is the law and order situation in this state? ... Where is our Home Minister?" "If we speak, comments are made on us that you have no work. If you have work, you are busy as Home Minister, then what is happening in Mumbai and Maharashtra? ... In Mumbai, an artist like Saif Ali Khan is attacked in his most secure house ... How is the common public safe? Such incidents are happening every day in slums.... Saif Ali Khan is a celebrity; that is why you have come to know about this news," he added. UBT Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi dubbed this incident a matter of shame for Mumbai. "What a shame that Mumbai sees another high-profile attempt on life; the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names: - Baba Siddique ji's family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder. - Salman Khan forced to live in a bulletproof house. - Now it is Saif Ali Khan All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery," she said in a post on X. Expressing shock over the attack, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday wished for the actors speedy recovery. "Shocked to hear about the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Wishing him a speedy recovery and strength to his family during this difficult time," AAP chief posted on X. Saif Ali Khan Suffers Six Stab Wounds Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan suffered six stab wounds, two of which were deep, with one located near his spine, and a foreign object was also identified near his spine, the Lilavati Hospital said in a statement after the latter was attacked by an intruder in his house. Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lilavati Hospital, said that Saif was brought to the hospital at 3 am on Thursday. The hospital also mentioned that the Bollywood actor is currently undergoing surgery under Dr. Nitin Dange, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr Leena Jain, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Nisha Gandhi, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Dr Kavita Srinivas, Intensivist, Dr Manoj Deshmukh Consultant Radiologist. "The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is completed," Lilavati Hospital COO said, as quoted by news agency ANI. Earlier, Mumbai Police's Crime Branch officials arrived at the location to investigate the matter. The attack took place at the 'Satguru Sharan' building, where Khan resides. According to police reports, the intruder initially had a confrontation with Khan's maid. As the actor intervened to defuse the situation, the intruder became aggressive, resulting in a scuffle. A message from Saif Ali Khan's PR team confirmed the incident, describing it as an attempted burglary. The message read, "There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in the hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." Mumbai Police have launched an investigation into the attack. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam commented, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing." Ahead of voting for the Delhi Assembly elections, the timing of a petition filed by the Congress Party in the Supreme Court suggests that the party has made a bold move just before the polls. While the BJP and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) are clashing over Hindutva issues, the Congress seems to have clarified its agenda of wooing Muslim voters. The Congress Party has approached the Supreme Court in support of the Places of Worship Act. It has requested that its stance be considered in the petitions challenging this law. Filed through the party's General Secretary, K.C. Venugopal, the plea highlights that the Congress was in power when the law was passed in 1991. In its petition, the Congress has stated that any amendment to this Act would go against the countrys social harmony and secular structure. The plea also emphasizes that tampering with the Act could harm the nation's unity and integrity. In today's DNA, Zee News analysed how this move will impact Delhi polls: Watch Full DNA Video Here Approximately 13% of Delhi's electorate comprises Muslim voters. To target this significant vote bank, particularly in 12 assembly constituencies, Rahul Gandhi strategically began his election campaign from Seelampur, a constituency with the highest Muslim population in Delhi. His campaign narrative revolved around minority issues, which has been further reinforced by the Congress Party's petition supporting the Places of Worship Act. To understand why this move could be a political masterstroke, one needs to consider the impact of the Places of Worship Act. Controversies surrounding this Act are widespread, with claims of temples existing at various mosque sites leading to surveys or demands for them. Notable examples include: Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Gyanvapi Mosque in Kashi, Shahi Eidgah in Mathura, and Bhojshala in Madhya Pradesh. By clearly supporting this Act, the Congress is trying to set a narrative not just in Delhi but across India, portraying itself as a party that stands for the interests of Muslims. With this strategic petition, the Congress has stirred political debates in the run-up to the Delhi elections. However, the key question remains: will this move successfully bring Muslim voters into Congresss fold? The BJP on Thursday took a swipe at Rahul Gandhi, asking him if he has now got the "contract" to run Hindenburg's "shop" which it said "works in sync" with the Congress to destabilise India. "Rahul Gandhi is in the complete grip of urban naxals' thinking process... Now that Hindenburg is closing its shop, have you Rahul Gandhi got the contract for it," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters. His attack came a day after Gandhi kicked up a row by declaring the Congress was now fighting the RSS, the BJP and the Indian State itself. The comments were used by the BJP to excoriate Gandhi, and the attacks continued on Thursday when Hindenburg's founder announced his decision to shut down the short-selling stock research firm. Its reports against the Adani Group and market regulator SEBI last year ignited political firestorms in India, and the Congress had repeatedly cited it to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi. On Thursday, the Congress said Hindenburg's shutting down does not absolve either Adani or the Modi government. In turn, the BJP said this only underscores the "deepening relationship" between the company and the main opposition party. Adani has denied the short-selling firm's charge of business malpractice. Prasad, a former Union minister, alleged that Hindenburg and the Congress used to work in sync for a designed agenda to destabilise india. Noting that the announcement of disbanding Hindenburg was made as the Congress unveiled its new office, he took repeated digs at Gandhi and said the Indian State represents the constitutional identity of India as a free country. He said Hindenburg repeatedly worked against the Indian State by releasing reports days before Parliament's sessions, and the Congress would use them to create political controversies. Prasad claimed that the definition of Indian State includes the President, Vice President, Parliament, state assemblies and also Gandhi as the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha besides the media. Prasad lauded the RSS as a nationalist organisation which, he said, has been working for the society and for spreading patriotism. He asked Gandhi to reflect on where his party has reached and what heights the RSS and BJP have attained. Gandhi has become the Leader of Opposition but he does not think before speaking, the BJP leader said, and asked him to change his "tutor". Prasad said it seems the "shop" of US-based billionaire investor George Soros is also going to either close down or weaken with the new administration under President-elect Donald Trump set to take over. Soros, he said, funds Hindenburg. The announcement by Hindenburg's founder Nate Anderson came just days before Donald Trump is inaugurated as the new President of the United States on January 20. Speaking at the inauguration of the new building of the Congress party's headquarters on Wednesday, Gandhi had said the BJP and the RSS have captured every single institution of our country. He added, "We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself." Hitting back, BJP president J P Nadda had alleged that everything the Congress leader does or says is in the direction of breaking India and dividing the society. Delhi Assembly Elections: A war of social media posts broke out between AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal and his BJP challenger from New Delhi Assembly seat Parvesh Verma over alleged distribution of gifts to people and restrictions imposed on the former Chief Minister by court while granting him bail. Taking to social media platform X, Verma launched an attack on the AAP for misleading voters of Delhi by projecting Kejriwal as its chief ministerial face. Listing four conditions imposed on Kejriwal by a court while granting him bail in a money laundering case, Verma said, Kejriwal can never become Chief Minister again in this life. So, who will be the Chief Ministerial face of the Aam Aadmi Party? Amanatullah Khan? Or Imran Hussain? While asking if controversial AAP legislator from Okhla, Amanatullah Khan, and Delhi Minister Imran Hussain would occupy the top post in case of AAP victory, Verma said the court has said that Kejriwal cannot go to Delhi Secretariat, if he does then he will go back to jail. Enlisting the court restrictions that virtually rule out Kejriwal occupying the CMs seat again, Verma said in his post, Accused Kejriwal cannot go to CM office, if he goes, he will go to jail. Accused Kejriwal cannot sign any government file, if he signs then he will be sent to jail. Accused Kejriwal cannot meet any officer, if he does then he will be sent to jail. Earlier, Kejriwal targeted Verma on alleged distribution of gifts and said in a post on X, Poor Pravesh Verma is trying his best to get disqualified, but the Election Commission just doesn't agree. He was, apparently, referring to the Election Commissions clean chit to Verma on AAPs complaint against distribution of gifts ahead of filing his nomination. The whole country saw this BJP leader distributing goods. All the media recorded it. It is very shameful that the DEO/DM could not see anything. The DEO/DM gave him a clean chit within a few hours of our complaint, he said in an earlier post. Verma followed up his post, highlighting Kejriwals corruption and model of using money power to remain in power and distributing freebies. Verma said Kejriwal is absolutely right in saying, "Money comes from power and power comes from money. Indulge in corruption and usurp power by luring people with freebies. But Kejriwal ji, this policy of yours is not going to work anymore. Now the aware people of Delhi are going to put a complete stop to your dishonesty and lies. The voting for Delhi Assembly election will take place on February 5 and result will be declared on February 8. While Kejriwal is contesting his fourth election from New Delhi seat since 2013, Verma, a two-time BJP MP and son of former Delhi chief minister Sahib Singh Verma, is campaigning aggressively. The third key candidate from the seat and Congress nominee Sandeep Dikshit, son of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, is trying his best to convert it into a tough triangular contest. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for equating the consecration of Ram temple in Ayodhya with the attainment of "true independence" by India, asserting that it was an attempt to distort history. Bhagwat had said the date of the Ram temple's consecration in Ayodhya should be celebrated as "Pratishtha Dwadashi" as the "true independence" of Bharat, which had faced "parachakra" (enemy attack) for several centuries, was established on this day. "This is anti-national. I strongly condemn this. This is a dangerous remark, it should be withdrawn. This is an attempt to distort history. We are dedicated to keeping our Independence intact, ready to sacrifice our lives for India, but not to tolerate this," Banerjee told reporters at state secretariat Nabanna. Dinesh Dev Sharma, Technology Editor at Zee Media, and Tarini Mukherji, a renowned architect, recently embarked on an inspiring journey through Delhi, with the Hyundai EXTER SUV as their trusted companion. The experience, captured in a video, now live on YouTube, seamlessly blends history, architecture, and technology while showcasing the Hyundai EXTER in a fresh and engaging way. The duo explored three iconic locations in DelhiJahaz Mahal, Mirza Ghalibs Residence, and Zafar Mahalcomparing the design brilliance of these historical sites with the innovative features of the Hyundai EXTER. The journey celebrated Delhi's rich architectural heritage and highlighted the SUVs versatility and design ingenuity. An Adventure Through Time Stop 1: Jahaz Mahal Their first destination, Jahaz Mahal, reflects the architectural brilliance of the Lodi era. With its shimmering water reservoirs and artistic chhatris, the structures design blends aesthetics and functionality. Tarini noted how the pillars and minarets were strategically placed for symmetry and practicality, reminiscent of the thoughtfulness behind the Hyundai EXTERs design. Drawing a parallel, Dinesh pointed out the SUVs sharp roof rails and H-shaped LED DRLs, emphasizing the balance of style and utility in its designan echo of how the chhatris served both decorative and functional purposes. The Hyundai EXTERs ground clearance and suspension made navigating the bumpy access roads around Jahaz Mahal effortless, a clear nod to its adaptability across terrains. Stop 2: Mirza Ghalibs Residence The quaint residence of legendary poet Mirza Ghalib came next. Hidden within Old Delhis intricate lanes, this humble abode housed the genius behind some of Indias most treasured poetry. Tarini compared Ghalib's timeless work to enduring architectural design, highlighting how meaningful artistry resonates across generations. Dinesh drew a thoughtful analogy between the poet's meticulous craft and the attention to detail evident in the Hyundai EXTERs designbe it the textured skid plates or the elegantly crafted tail lights. The cars compact turning radius proved invaluable in the narrow lanes of Old Delhi, offering smooth navigation in spaces where larger SUVs might struggle. Stop 3: Zafar Mahal The duo's next stop was Zafar Mahal, a historic yet often overlooked gem in Delhi's Mehrauli. Zafar Mahal, built during the declining years of the Mughal Empire tells a unique story. Tarini noted the palaces subtle elegance and the poignant history it encapsulatedthe place once frequented by the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar. The architecture, though simple compared to other Mughal structures, embodied an understated grandeur, much like the Hyundai EXTER, which emphasizes efficient design without sacrificing comfort. Zafar Mahals historical significance was profoundjust as the Hyundai EXTERs functional features make it indispensable to modern journeys. As the duo walked through the grounds, they admired how Zafar Mahals open spaces echoed the Hyundai EXTERs spacious cabin. The panoramic view of the surrounding landscape from the palace complemented the SUVs panoramic sunroof, creating a similar connection to nature and simplicity, where both history and modernity met in perfect harmony. Hyundai EXTER: Redefining Compact SUVs with Advanced Engineering The Hyundai EXTER perfectly aligns with the preferences of adventure seekers and urban travelers, combining innovation, compact dimensions, and all-terrain capability. This Compact SUV seamlessly blends design, comfort, safety, and technical prowess. 1. Design That Stands Out The Hyundai EXTER offers a bold aesthetic with flared wheel arches, robust skid plates, and rugged roof rails, accentuated by LED DRLs and projector headlamps. Its dual-tone paint options enhance its premium appeal, while its dimensions provide a balance between compact urban usability and practical cabin space. Ground clearance of 185 mm ensures versatility across diverse terrains, making it ideal for both city commutes and countryside adventures. 2. Versatile Engine and Transmission Options Powered by a refined 1.2 Kappa engine with 82 bhp @ 6,000 rpm and 113.8 Nm torque @ 4,000 rpm, the Hyundai EXTER delivers dynamic and efficient performance. Buyers can choose between a 5-speed manual or 5-speed automatic (AMT) transmission, equipped with manual override and paddle shifters for a sporty feel. The Hyundai EXTER adheres to BS6 Phase 2 emission norms, offering a greener drive. Its mileage, ranging from 19.2 kmpl to 27.1 kmpl, and a driving range of up to 710 km make it economical for long-distance journeys. 3. Interior Craftsmanship and Features Inside, the Hyundai EXTER features a well-designed two-row, five-seat layout with a spacious boot capacity of 391 liters. An all-black cabin with contrasting body-colored accents elevates its visual appeal. High-quality fabric-leatherette upholstery adds a premium touch, while the power-assisted steering and multi-function controls enhance driver convenience. Features like automatic climate control, power windows, and an 8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay ensure a connected and comfortable experience. 4. Engineering Precision for Road Stability The front disc and rear drum brake setup deliver reliable stopping power, while the 15-inch alloy wheels contribute to its sporty aesthetics. The lightweight yet robust build allows for agile handling and efficient performance. 5. Safety as a Core Priority Safety is a key focus in the Hyundai EXTER, featuring six airbags as standard across all variants. Additional safety technologies include ABS with EBD, hill-start assist, rear parking sensors with a camera, and reinforced structural integrity. These measures provide a sense of security whether driving in urban areas or on remote trails. 6. Compact Yet Mighty Dimensions With a length of 3,815 mm, a width of 1,710 mm, and a wheelbase of 2,450 mm, the Hyundai EXTER is compact enough to navigate crowded city streets while offering enough room for comfortable long-distance travel. Its ground clearance of 185 mm adds to its practicality, catering to both everyday use and road trips. 7. Value-Packed Offering Positioned in the 6-10 lakh price range, the Hyundai EXTER provides excellent value. It delivers the advanced technology and features expected from high-end SUVs while maintaining affordability in the competitive Compact SUV segment in India. Whether tackling uneven roads or cruising city streets, the Hyundai EXTER is engineered to deliver reliability, comfort, and modern-day efficiency. It represents Hyundai's commitment to quality and innovation in the Compact SUV category. 8. Seamless Connectivity with Bluelink Technology The Hyundai EXTER is equipped with Bluelink, an advanced telematics system designed to integrate the vehicle with its owner's digital ecosystem. Using an embedded SIM and modem, Bluelink establishes real-time connectivity through mobile networks. It can be connected to the vehicle via the infotainment system or the dedicated Bluelink app for seamless integration. Bluelink provides features such as live traffic updates, real-time weather information, and remote vehicle services, offering enhanced convenience and efficiency. The system is regularly updated to ensure optimal performance. This smart technology positions the Hyundai EXTER as a modern, connected SUV. A Seamless Blend of Tradition and Modernity Hyundai EXTER celebrates both India's rich heritage and the brand's engineering prowess. The SUVs thoughtfully designed features are a testament to how modern vehicles can enhance everyday adventures, all while paying homage to timeless traditions. Whether its exploring heritage sites like Jahaz Mahal or navigating the bustling lanes of Old Delhi, the Hyundai EXTER rises to every challenge with grace and performance. The architectural adventure, pairing the timeless beauty of historical locations with the cutting-edge innovation of Hyundai, reinforces how every journey can be as inspiring as the destination. (DISCLAIMER: This article is part of IndiaDotCom Pvt Lts sponsored feature, a paid publication programme. IDPL claims no editorial involvement and assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of the article.) Israel-Hamas Ceasefire: India on Thursday welcomed the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. The announcement on the deal comes after 15 months of conflict in Gaza. In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs exuded hope that the ceasefire agreement will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. "We welcome the announcement of the agreement for the release of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. We hope this will lead to a safe and sustained supply of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. We have consistently called for release of all hostages, ceasefire, and return to a path of dialogue and diplomacy," the MEA statement read. On Wednesday, US President Joe Biden announced that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. He further stated that the agreement will halt the fighting in Gaza. Today (Wednesday), after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal, Biden announced. The ceasefire deal was the last foreign policy accomplishment of his administration which ends on January 20. This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity, Biden said. Biden, 82, will be succeeded by Donald Trump, 78, as the 47th President of the United States, on January 20. Trump welcomed the deal. This epic ceasefire agreement could have only happened due to our historic victory in November, as it signalled to the entire world that my administration would seek peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans and our allies. I am thrilled American and Israeli hostages will be returning home to be reunited with their families and loved ones, Trump said. In his statement, Biden said he laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council. It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and the weakening of Iran but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done, he said. Even as we welcome this news, we remember all the families whose loved ones were killed in Hamass October 7th attack and the many innocent people killed in the war that followed. It is long past time for the fighting to end and the work of building peace and security to begin, Biden said. I am also thinking of the American families, three of whom have living hostages in Gaza and four awaiting the return of remains after what has been the most horrible ordeal imaginable. Under this deal, we are determined to bring all of them home, Biden said. The ongoing Kannada language debate in Karnataka has flared up once again, particularly in Bengaluru, a city known for its vibrant multicultural identity. The dispute centers on whether people, especially those who do not speak Kannada, should be expected to learn the local language in order to respect regional culture. The controversy took a new turn after a Bengaluru-based entrepreneur accused a police officer of harassment over his inability to speak Kannada. Accusation of Harassment by Entrepreneur Vatsal Sanghvi, an entrepreneur, shared his experience on social media, claiming that he and his friend were subjected to unwarranted harassment by a policeman while they were sitting outside around 10:30 pm in Bengaluru. According to Sanghvi, the police officer initially approached them with a hostile attitude, questioning their presence and actions. However, the situation reportedly changed when his friend began conversing in Kannada. Sanghvi stated that the officer's tone softened, and he eventually apologized, allowing them to continue without further issue. I dont if anyone else has faced this in Bengaluru but this happened yesterday I was sitting with a friend outside go native, lavelle road at ~10:20 PM post and was showing him a product on my laptop (we were about to leave and then suddenly realised that I missed showing him January 15, 2025 Sanghvi took to social media to express his frustration, writing, "Im all for learning the local language, but uncalled-for harassment for not speaking it is unacceptable." He further emphasized that he believes in respecting local culture but does not support mistreatment based on language barriers. Bengaluru Police Respond Following the viral post, the Bengaluru Police department responded with a standard request for more details. In their reply, they asked Sanghvi to provide the exact location of the incident and to direct message (DM) his contact number for further investigation. This response was typical of the police department's standard procedure when dealing with public grievances, yet it did little to quell the growing debate surrounding the issue. The Kannada Language Controversy This latest incident has only added fuel to the ongoing Kannada language controversy in Bengaluru, which has divided public opinion. Some advocates for the language argue that learning Kannada is essential for respecting local culture and fostering better integration into the community. They believe it is an important aspect of preserving the region's identity in a city with a large influx of people from other states. Kerala Lottery Results Thursday 16-01-2025 LIVE: The Kerala Lottery Department, on behalf of the Keralan government, announces the "Karunya KN-556" Lucky Draw Result today Karunya KN-556, January 16, 2025. The draw will be held at Gorky Bhavan near Bakery Junction in Thiruvananthapuram. The Kerala Lottery Result 2025 for "Karunya KN-556" will feature 12 series, with changes in series possible each week. A total of 108 lakh tickets are available for purchase weekly. The ticket prices may vary. Check the Karunya KN-556 results right here to see if youre the first-place winner of 80 Lakhs. Stay tuned to this website for the live update of Kerala Lottery Karunya KN-556 results today. Kerala Lottery Result 16-01-2025 Jan: FULL LIST OF WINNING NUMBERS FOR KARUNYA PLUS KN-556 Draw LUCKY TICKET NUMBER FOR 1ST PRIZE OF RS 80 LAKHS IS: PH 586929 LUCKY TICKET NUMBER FOR 2ND PRIZE OF RS 10 LAKHS IS: PC 556950 LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 3RD PRIZE OF RS 1 LAKHS ARE: PA 618438 PB 819044 PC 835885 PD 160535 PE 884632 PF 136527 PG 671849 PH 443010 PJ 898198 PK 621870 PL 899665 PM 121018 LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR CONSOLATION PRIZE OF RS 8,000 ARE: PA 586929 PB 586929 PC 586929 PD 586929 PE 586929 PF 586929 PG 586929 PJ 586929 PK 586929 PL 586929 PM 586929 (For The Tickets Ending with The Following Numbers below) LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 4TH PRIZE OF RS 5,000 ARE: 9169 6884 6662 7147 6055 2669 7750 1537 7500 8 952 5489 7822 6164 6636 6601 0804 0516 8355 LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 5TH PRIZE OF RS 1,000 ARE: 0134 0545 1282 1395 1651 2166 2291 2438 3138 3308 3412 3737 3813 4203 4403 5006 5010 5043 5283 5288 5498 5599 5612 5820 7100 7601 7743 8114 8385 9050 9077 9320 9652 9805 LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 6TH PRIZE OF RS 500 ARE: 0227 0261 0851 0929 1128 1287 1878 2003 2063 2068 2357 2430 2515 2541 2723 2923 3395 3406 3436 3437 3476 3478 3535 3662 3822 4004 4075 4198 4241 4383 4569 4648 4684 4940 4975 5083 5177 5254 5494 5653 5763 5839 5996 6028 6152 6220 6276 6318 6398 6497 6628 6903 7061 7124 7194 7289 7387 7420 7638 7652 7698 7797 7929 7949 8056 8098 8228 8241 8262 8312 8417 8977 9034 9271 9420 9467 9475 9620 9700 9793 LUCKY TICKET NUMBERS FOR 7TH PRIZE OF RS 100 ARE: 0039 0160 0184 0312 0329 0398 0428 0465 0582 0631 0640 0755 0909 0927 1020 1066 1115 1138 1149 1157 1211 1224 1361 1422 1497 1516 1519 1601 1704 1880 1883 2097 2109 2129 2324 2442 2579 2625 2721 2781 2864 2881 2902 3046 3121 3128 3213 3578 3750 4045 4067 4069 4186 4201 4328 4420 4439 4465 4631 4663 4861 4893 4932 4964 5003 5020 5069 5074 5113 5190 5260 5285 5415 5465 5522 5597 5611 5699 5803 5875 5981 5983 6040 6119 6246 6282 6640 6686 6712 6744 6893 6924 7058 7070 7073 7074 7174 7198 7217 7227 7276 7339 7749 7979 8058 8138 8201 8214 8268 8421 8431 8457 8483 8590 8626 8660 8793 8963 9025 9192 9464 9490 9537 9579 9792 9848 KERALA LOTTERY RESULT TODAY 16-01-2025 Jan: KARUNYA PLUS KN-556 LOTTERY PRIZE DETAILS 1st Prize: Rs 80 Lakhs 2nd Prize: Rs. 10 lakhs 3rd Prize: Rs. 1 Lakh 4th Prize: Rs. 5,000 5th Prize: Rs. 1,000 6th Prize: Rs. 500 7th Prize: Rs. 100 Consolation Prize: Rs. 8,000 (NOTE: Lottery can be addictive and should be played responsibly. The data provided on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as advice or encouragement. Zee News does not promote lottery in anyway.) Delhi Election 2025: With the Delhi elections only three weeks away, the city's slums are yet again at the centre with all three main political parties - AAP, Congress and the BJP - trying to woo the slum dwellers. The Shakur Basti seat from where former Delhi Minister and incumbent MLA Satyendar Jain is vying yet again is once again in focus with the controversial 2015 demolition that left 500 families homeless in the limelight. In the seat, Congress candidate Satish Luthra launched his election campaign while accusing the BJP and AAP of conspiring to displace slum dwellers yet again, following the controversial 2015 demolition that left 500 families homeless. Addressing a rally, Luthra said, The pain and injustice caused by the 2015 demolition still haunt the people of Shakur Basti. Under BJP and AAPs rule, 500 hardworking families were thrown out of their homes, and forced to endure unimaginable suffering. Now, rumours are rife that after the elections, these parties plan to repeat the same injustice. But this time, we will not let them succeed. He further asserted, The BJP and AAPs actions in 2015 were nothing short of a crime against the poor. Now is the time for them to answer for their sins to both God and the people of Delhi. Congress is committed to ensuring that no family is forced out of their home. We will fight for your rights and restore dignity to every displaced household. Former Delhi Congress Chief Subhash Chopra, who joined the roadshow, criticized the BJP and AAP for betraying the trust of Delhis citizens. The 2015 demolition is a glaring example of the BJP and AAPs lack of empathy for the poor. These parties make hollow promises but have consistently failed to deliver results. Congress, on the other hand, has always worked for the welfare of every community, he said. Luthra reiterated Congresss vision for Shakur Basti, promising to transform it into a model area. Our focus is on providing economic security to women, creating better job opportunities for youth, and ensuring a dignified life for senior citizens. Congress stands for development without displacement, and we will work tirelessly to make this vision a reality, he declared. Voting for the Delhi assembly elections will be held on Feb 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. It is known that social media and screen time can impact childrens mental health and safety, both positively and negatively, depending on how they are used. Nearly 70% of parents agree that parenting is more challenging now than it was 20 years ago, mainly because of social media and technology. Experts often tell parents that the social media age will not go away but will evolve and expand. In terms of 21st-century parenting, social media is a tool, not a problem. How one navigates the tool is what matters. Its about honing the skills to maximize what is available. To succeed in this digital era, one must acknowledge the winds, not blame them. As the saying goes, He that knows not where he sails, no wind is favourable. Dr Deepti Kukreja, Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Holy Family Hospital shares insights on parenting in the age of social media. To help children make the most of their social media and technology use, parents are encouraged to guide them in engaging with content that provides educational or creative value. Children should be helped to identify their interests and find accounts or sites that promote these interests positively. Research also suggests that people who engage with social media more actively, by posting or creating content, may benefit more than those who passively scroll. This can serve as a great outlet for creative or academic pursuits and talents. Parents can use childrens motivation for screen time to encourage other desired behaviors at home. By setting up a clear chore and reward chart with screen time as the reward, compliance at home may be easier to achieve. The primary challenge for parents in raising children today is the decline of face-to-face conversations. Here's what need to be done to have conversations at ease: 1. Genuine, direct communication is slowly becoming a rare practice in homes. An example of this is when a teenager shared that in their home, even mealtime notifications are sent through text messages. 2. It is essential to prioritize real conversations with children rather than seeking connection or validation on social media. 3. Building a strong connection requires talking, understanding, and engaging directly with family members without over-relying on online platforms for problem-solving. 4. Emotional intelligence is crucial in parenting in the social media era. If emotions are not in check, the entire parenting process can go awry. Another critical issue is online safety, especially protecting children from inappropriate content, online predators, and cyberbullying. 1. Parents must openly discuss the benefits and risks of using social media, teaching children strategies for staying safe and responsible. 2. Keeping accounts private and posting content they would be proud of is essential. It is also important to make sure children know they can turn to parents if they encounter inappropriate content or cyberbullying. 3. Parents should stay connected with their children's social media accounts and ensure they have updated login information. Screen time and social media can interfere with sleep and in-person socializing, so setting clear boundaries on when electronic use is appropriate is necessary. For instance, devices should be collected an hour before bedtime and before mealtimes with family or friends. Parents can show their children they are in it together by refraining from using their own devices during these times. Limiting personal social media use, being mindful of what is posted, and following the same guidelines parents wish to set for their children is crucial. The world, and the relationship with technology, is constantly evolving. While more research is needed to fully understand the impact of social media and screen time on mental health, parents can start supporting their children by using the skills that are known to work. If parents are struggling to set boundaries and limits on screen time and social media use with their children, they should consult a mental health professional. Evidence-based therapeutic practices have been found effective in setting limits and encouraging positive behaviours. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained injuries after an intruder attacked him with a knife during a robbery attempt. He has been rushed to Mumbai's Lilawati hospital following the incident which took place around midnight at the actor's house in the Bandra area. "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. An investigation is going on," cops told ANI. The agency tweeted: Actor Saif Ali Khan is receiving treatment in Lilavati Hospital And Research Centre after he sustained minor injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence late last night Visuals from outside the hospital #WATCH | Mumbai | Actor Saif Ali Khan is receiving treatment in Lilavati Hospital And Research Centre after he sustained minor injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence late last night Visuals from outside the hospital pic.twitter.com/VQIVKQaf7h ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 According to Mumbai Police, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when the intruder argued with the actor's maid. When Saif Ali Khan attempted to intervene and calm the situation, the unknown individual turned aggressive and the two were engaged in a scuffle, causing the actor to sustain minor injuries. The investigation is underway. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. The investigation is ongoing." On the work front, Saif Ali Khan was last seen in Devara Part 1 alongside Jr NTR and Janhvi Kapoor, Prakash Raj, Srikanth Meka, Tom Shine Chacko, and Narain. The film was released in multiple languages, including Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi. (This is a developing story, will be updated) New Delhi: Actress Disha Patani has a massive fan following - all thanks to her hot looks and interesting projects. Recently, a behind-the-scenes (BTS) picture surfaced online, where the actress can be seen alongside 'Fast and Furious' star Tyrese Gibson and actor Harry Goodwins. The trio is currently filming for an upcoming web series in Durango, Mexico that marks Disha's first foray into Hollywood. Disha's Hollywood debut is generating significant buzz, and the BTS picture has only heightened the excitement. In the image, Disha is seen sharing a light moment with her co-stars, hinting at the camaraderie and fun on set. This web series is expected to be a thrilling addition to Disha's already impressive career. The excitement doesn't stop there. Disha Patani will also be seen is the highly anticipated 'Welcome to the Jungle', directed by Ahmed Khan. This film is the third instalment of the popular "Welcome" franchise and is scheduled for release in 2025. Disha's fans are eagerly awaiting her performances on both the international and domestic fronts. Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday attended a special screening of Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Emergency' film. In the visuals captured by ANI, Kangana, who is also a politician, could be seen exchanging warm greetings with the Chief Minister as he arrived at a theatre in Mumbai to watch the film. _CM Devendra Fadnavis watches the special screening of the film 'Emergency' starring and directed by Kangana Ranaut along with Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha and other MLAs ____________ ________ ______ ____________ ______ ____ ______ ____ _ ___ _____, _____ ____ ______ ____ pic.twitter.com/1Q5ro3GcqH CMO Maharashtra (@CMOMaharashtra) January 16, 2025 Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari attended a screening of Kangana and Anupam Kher's film 'Emergency' in Nagpur. Kangana took to Instagram and shared a couple of pictures from the screening. In one of the images, Gadkari, Kangana and Kher can be seen conversing with each other."#emergency with @gadkari.nitin ji Releasing 17th January," Kangana captioned the post. Gadkari also took to X and heaped praise on the team of 'Emergency' for "presenting the dark chapter of our nation's history with such authenticity and excellence." "Joined the special screening of the movie Emergency, featuring @KanganaTeam Ji and Shri @AnupamPKherJi, in Nagpur today. I wholeheartedly thank the filmmakers and actors for presenting the dark chapter of our nation's history with such authenticity and excellence. I urge everyone to watch this film, which portrays a significant period in India's history," he posted. Kher and Kangana's film 'Emergency' will be released in theatres on January 17. It also stars Shreyas Talpade and late Satish Kaushik. Recently, both Kangana and Kher sat down with ANI and discussed working with each other in the upcoming film, which delves into the Emergency, that was imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for 21 months from 1975 to 1977, and its aftermath. Talking about the movie, Kangana expressed her admiration for Anupam Kher. She even called Kher the "hero" of the film and admitted that she would not have made 'Emergency' if Kher had denied being a part of it. "It was very important for me to have Anupam ji in this film. If he refused to do 'Emergency', then I wouldn't have made it. Look at his on-screen personality...there's honesty on his face. No one can portray the role of Jayaprakash Narayan except him," Kangana shared. Mumbai: Acclaimed actor Vineet Kumar Singh, known for his performance in Gangs of Wasseypur and Mukkabaaz, recently shared his thoughts on nepotism and privilege in the Bollywood industry during an interview with Bollywood Bubble. While Vineet emphasised that he doesnt harbour resentment toward anyone for their privileges, he used Alia Bhatts career trajectory as an example to illustrate how opportunities often favour those with industry connections. The actor recalled a moment from the set of the 2007 film Dhokha, directed by Pooja Bhatt, where he witnessed a young Alia Bhatt sitting on her father Mahesh Bhatts lap. Reflecting on that time, Vineet said, I remember I was doing Dhokha. I didnt know what was happening in my life, and I even thought of going back to Banaras. Alia was so young back then; she would sit on Mahesh Bhatts lap. I was struggling then, and I am struggling today too. Alia is a fantastic actor, but when you get opportunities at the right time, your life can change. Vineet shared that he doesnt believe in debating nepotism but accepts that privilege exists. He said, A humans child will be human, an animals child will be an animal, and seeds of a rose grow roses, nothing else. Why would you not care for the child youve given birth to? Theyre just privileged to have a lineage in the film industry, to have people guiding them. Its my luck that my father is a mathematician and my mother was a housewife. The actor further acknowledged that while privilege may provide opportunities, consistent effort and talent remain essential to thrive. However, he expressed frustration about the endless cycle of struggles in his career. People say gold shines brighter after being heated, but if gold keeps getting heated forever, of what use is it? Who will wear it? A lot of my time has gone into enduring this heat, Vineet said, his voice reflecting the pain of his journey. Vineets career has been marked by years of perseverance and grit. Despite delivering powerful performances in films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Mukkabaaz, and Saand Ki Aankh, he still finds himself fighting for his place in the industry. The actors honest admission sheds light on the contrasting journeys of insiders and outsiders in Bollywood, highlighting how timing and opportunity play a pivotal role in shaping success. While Vineet continues to carve his path, his story is a reminder of the deep-rooted challenges many talented actors face in an industry often defined by privilege and connections. Fans of the actor have praised his resilience and continue to hope for more recognition for his exceptional talent. Vineet was last seen in Rangbaaz released on Prime. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was rushed to Mumbai's Lilawati hospital on Thursday morning after he sustained injuries after an intruder attacked him with a knife during a robbery attempt at his Bandra residence, reportedly. Following the incident, Kareena Kapoor Khan's team has issued a statement: "There was an attempted burglary in Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khans residence last night. Saif had an injury on his arm for which is in hospital, undergoing a procedure. The rest of the family is doing fine. We request media and fans to be patient and not speculate any further as the Police is already doing their due investigations. Thank you all for your concern." All members of the household were present at the time of the unfortunate incident. ANI quoted the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam as saying, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. The investigation is ongoing." According to Mumbai Police, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when the intruder argued with the actor's maid. When Saif Ali Khan attempted to intervene and calm the situation, the unknown individual turned aggressive and the two were engaged in a scuffle, causing the actor to sustain minor injuries. The investigation is underway. Mumbai: Khushi Kapoor is proving to be her father Boney Kapoors favourite once again, and the latest video from her upcoming film Loveyapa is proof. Khushi, who stars alongside Aamir Khans son Junaid Khan in this Gen Z love story, was seen recreating the films title track with Bollywoods iconic choreographer, Farah Khan. However, it was Boney Kapoors unexpected cameo in the video that stole the show, leaving fans gushing over the doting father. In the clip, Khushi and Farah share infectious laughter as Boney Kapoor makes a dramatic entrance, promoting his daughters film with endearing enthusiasm. The video has not only showcased Khushis vibrant chemistry with Junaid but also highlighted the strong bond she shares with her father. Janhvi Kapoor, Khushis elder sister, has often revealed in interviews that Khushi is their fathers most pampered child. Boneys cameo in the title track further cements that claim, as he continues to show unwavering support for his youngest daughters career. Fans couldnt help but admire Boneys affectionate gesture, calling him the ultimate proud dad. The trailer of Loveyapa has garnered significant praise, with fans applauding the refreshing on-screen pairing of Junaid Khan and Khushi Kapoor. The films modern take on love and relatable Gen Z themes have struck a chord with the audience, building anticipation for its release. Khushi Kapoor is all set to prove her versatility in her second film, while Junaid Khan makes an impressive debut with this contemporary romance. With Farah Khans signature choreography adding sparkle to the music, Loveyapa promises to be a fun and vibrant entertainer. Fans have taken to social media to express their excitement, with many praising Khushis charm and Junaids screen presence. The father-daughter moment featuring Boney Kapoor has been described as the highlight of the promotional video, with viewers calling it adorable and heartwarming. With such positive buzz surrounding the trailer and title song, Loveyapa is shaping up to be a promising hit, marking another milestone in Khushi Kapoors rising career. Mumbai: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan was stabbed at his Bandra residence late Thursday night when robbers entered his home intending to commit a robbery but ended up attacking the actor. The assailants fled the scene after the attack, leaving Saif with multiple stab wounds. This shocking incident has left the Kapoor family, the industry, and fans deeply concerned. Saif, who was taken to Lilavati Hospital by his son Ibrahim Ali Khan in an autorickshaw, underwent multiple surgeries for six stab wounds, including two deep ones. The hospitals medical team confirmed that the actor is now out of danger and recovering steadily. Following the attack, actress Raveena Tandon strongly condemned the incident, expressing concern over the deteriorating safety in Bandra, a once-safe residential area. Taking to Twitter, she wrote. Targeting celebrities and soft targets in what used to be a safe residential area has become rampant, with Bandra losing out to unruly elements, accident scams, hawker mafia, encroachers, land grabbers, and criminal elements racing on bikes, phone and chain grabbing. Need stronger measures. Wishing you a speedy recovery, #Saif. This attack comes just months after the brutal killing of politician Baba Siddique in Bandra, for which the Lawrence Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility. The back-to-back incidents have raised serious questions about the areas safety, with residents and celebrities urging authorities to take stricter action against rising criminal activities. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dikshit Gedam confirmed that an FIR has been registered at the Bandra Police Station. Authorities have identified the suspect, and investigations are ongoing to bring the perpetrator to justice. The incident has reignited discussions about the safety of public figures and residents in areas like Bandra, which were once considered secure. With increasing cases of thefts, scams, and violent crimes, both the local community and the film fraternity are urging the government to implement stronger security measures. As Saif continues to recover, the industry and fans are united in their support, hoping for a swift resolution to this disturbing incident. Mumbai: A string of Indian film personalities such as Jr. NTR, Chiranjeevi, Pooja Bhatt and Kunal Kohli have expressed their shock after learning that Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was injured during an attempted burglary at his residence, sustaining six stab wounds. Jr NTR, who worked with Saif in the film Devara: Part 1 took to Twitter and shared a picture with the Nawab. He captioned the image: Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health. Jr NTR (@tarak9999) January 16, 2025 Star Chiranjeevi Konidela shared that he is deeply disturbed by the news of the attack on Saif. Deeply Disturbed by news of the attack by an intruder on #SaifAliKhan Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery, he wrote. "Shocking & Scary incident. Praying for Saif's speedy recovery. #SaifAliKhan," wrote filmmaker Kunal Kohli on X, formerly called Twitter. Deeply Disturbed by news of the attack by an intruder on #SaifAliKhan Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery. Chiranjeevi Konidela (@KChiruTweets) January 16, 2025 Filmmaker Pooja Bhatt talked about Law and Order. "Law & Order. We have laws.. what about order?" Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice We need more Police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the subburbs, have never felt so unsafe before. Kind Attn @ShelarAshish @mieknathshinde @AjitPawarSpeaks @Dev_Fadnavis https://t.co/6PJm65a8Df Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 16, 2025 Law & Order. We have laws.. what about order? Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 16, 2025 Local police are our first preventers/grass root defenders. It is law enforcements duty to create an environment in which people with a criminal bent do not feel comfortable to operate. The Beat officer must act as a deterrent in preventing criminal activity. @CPMumbaiPolice Pooja Bhatt (@PoojaB1972) January 16, 2025 Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh wished Saif get well soon. He wrote: My prayers with Saif sir and the entire family. This is very sad indeed !! May your bravery and love for your family be rewarded with healing, strength, and peace. Get well soon #SaifAliKhan. My prayers with Saif sir and the entire family. This is very sad indeed !! May your bravery and love for your family be rewarded with healing, strength, and peace. Get well soon #SaifAliKhan pic.twitter.com/21NGv75sqN Neil Nitin Mukesh (@NeilNMukesh) January 16, 2025 Saif was allegedly stabbed by an intruder, who barged in his Mumbai house. The incident took place around 4.00 a.m. The actor is currently undergoing treatment at Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital. Police have started the investigation and an FIR against an intruder has been lodged at the Bandra Police Station. An intruder sneaked into Saif's house while he was sleeping with his family, according to police. A scuffle broke out between the actor and the intruder after he attempted to barge in, police confirmed. Later, the intruder allegedly attacked the actor six times and fled the crime scene. 'Pathan' director Siddharth Anand was recently seen outside the Lilavati Hospital as he paid a visit to Saif Ali Khan, who was reportedly stabbed during an attempted robbery at his Mumbai house. Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan were also seen at the Lilavati Hospital to visit their father. Saif Ali Khan's team revealed in an official statement that the actor is now out of danger, Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident. We would like to thank Dr. Niraj Uttamani, Dr. Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain, and the team at Lilavati hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time. Additionally, Dr Niraj Uttamani, COO of Lilavati Hospital issued a statement that read, Saif Ali Khan was attacked by an unidentified person at his house. He was brought in at 3:00 am by his son Taimur Ali Khan along with their caretaker. He has 6 wounds by sharp objects like knife etc of which 2 wounds are deep and one close to his spine. A small piece of foreign body close to the spine is identified." Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times in an attempt to fight off a burglar during the wee hours on 16th January 2025. Going by the reports, the burglar allegedly barged into the star's Bandra home and attacked their house help. Saif Ali Khan intervened and ended up getting injured. The 'Baazaar' actor sustained six stab wounds. Two of these wounds are believed to be serious as they are closer to his spine. When the unfortunate incident took place, Kareena Kapoor Khan was also present at their home along with other members of the family. However, all of them were asleep at the time. Meanwhile, the Mumbai police have reportedly detailed three accused in the matter. Mumbai: Family members and close friends have been gathering at Lilavati Hospital after hearing the news of an attack on actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder at his residence in Mumbai. Earlier on Thursday, Saif's wife and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan was spotted outside the hospital. Saif's sister Soha Ali Khan and brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu also visited the hospital to keep a check on Saif. Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim also came to meet their father. Saif sustained a thoracic spinal cord injury, as per Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital. "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid," the doctor informed. Saif also got deep wounds on his left hand and neck, the doctor informed. "Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now," Dr Dange added. Earlier, Saif's team also issued a statement stating that the actor is out of danger and is currently recovering."Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the incident," the statement read. "We would like to thank Dr Niraj Uttamani, Dr Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati Hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time," Saif Ali Khan's team added. Dixit Gedam, DCP Zone 9 of Mumbai Police, who is part of the team investigating an attack on Actor Saif Ali Khan said that one of the accused has been identified. "It has been discovered that the accused used the fire escape to enter their house. So far, the investigation suggests that it was an attempted burglary. We are making every effort to arrest the accused as soon as possible. Once he is arrested, we will be able to disclose further details," he said. "One accused has been identified. He used the staircase to enter, and teams are in the field to arrest him. There are 10 detection teams working in different directions," DCP Gedam added. The shocking incident unfolded at Saif's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. New Delhi: Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained injuries after being attacked with a knife by an intruder during a robbery attempt at his Mumbai home. The first image of the suspect has been circulating on social media in connection with the stabbing incident. Have A Look At The Post: Attack on actor #SaifAliKhan | A suspect in the attack on the actor, captured on CCTV camera. Details awaited. pic.twitter.com/0gUUVgQ9F0 ANI (@ANI) January 16, 2025 Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case On Wednesday, actor Saif Ali Khan was allegedly stabbed by an intruder who broke into his Mumbai home around 2:30 am. He was immediately rushed to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital, while police launched an investigation and lodged an FIR against the intruder at Bandra Police Station. Reports suggest that his wife, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and other family members were present at home during the incident. A source claimed to that Saif fought with the thief without a weapon to protect his family. This happened in the middle of the night. He fought tough, saved the family from the harm and he got injured in the process. While the guy had a weapon, Saif had nothing to fight, as per IANS. Saif Ali Khan's Health Update 'Hum Tum' star sustains a major thoracic spinal cord injury in an unfortunate incident, admitted to the hospital. Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital spoke with the media and shared Saif's health update, He said, "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid," the doctor informed. Saif also got deep wounds on his left hand and neck, as per the doctor. "Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now," Dr Dange added. Talking about actor's health Dr Dange further said, ''Saif Ali Khan Suffered A Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury, Completely Stable Now'' (This is a developing story) New Delhi: Bringing the much needed cheers to lakhs of central government employees and pensioners, the the Modi government gave its go-ahead for the 8th Central Pay Commission. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has confirmed that the 8th Central Pay Commission has got PM Modi's approval. The formation of the 8th Central Pay Commission that will impact the salary brackets of approximately 49 lakh government employees and 68 lakh pensioners. "Since 1947, seven Pay Commissions have been constituted, with the last one implemented in 2016. As the 7th Pay Commission's term concludes in 2026, initiating the process in 2025 ensures sufficient time to receive and review recommendations before its completion," Union Minister AshwiniVaishnaw said. 8th Pay Commission Expected Implementation Date Now that the government has decided to set up the 8th pay commission, it will require over a year or 18 months for its recommendations to be submitted. And once 8th Pay Commission recommendations are accepted by the government, it is most likely that it will be implemented by 2026, media reports have speculated. 8th Pay Commission Expected Pay Hike: How Much Salary Is Expected To Hike? Usually the recommendation of the pay commission over the salary hike of employees is based on fitment factor. Incase the 8th Pay Commission is set up for recommendations, it is most likely that the fitment factor will be set at 3.68 times. Now, considering the minimum basic salary of government employees at Rs 18,000, they can expect a hike of Rs 8,000 to Rs 26,000 in their basic pay, if fitment factor of 3.68 times is placed upon. 7th Central Pay Commission Notified In 2016 Bringing huge relief for lakhs of Central Government employees, the implementation notification of the 7th Pay Commission was issued in July 2016, thereby paving the way for the employees to get the revised pay from their August salaries. The Government after consideration decided to accept the recommendations of the Commission in respect of the categories of employees covered in its terms of reference of the Commissions recommendations on Minimum Pay, Fitment Factor, Index of Rationalisation, Pay Matrices and general recommendations on pay without any material alteration with the following exceptions in Defence Pay Matrix in order to maintain parity in pay with Central Armed Police Forces. New Delhi: The Central government has recently issued an order regarding admissibility to travel by Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express & Humsafar Express trains under Leave Travel Concession (LTC). The latest order announced by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) allows central government employees to travel on Tejas, Vande Bharat, and Humsafar express trains under the Leave Travel Concession (LTC) scheme who can visit their hometown or go for holidays to tourist destinations during leave. According to the new order issued this week, employees can now use these premium trains in addition to the Rajdhani, Shatabdi, and Duronto trains, based on their travel entitlement. Here Is The Full Chart On Travel Entitlement For Central Government Employees As Per 7th Pay Matrix Pay Level in Pay Matrix (as per 7th Central Pay Commission) of the Central Government employees Travel Entitlement for LTC in Premium Trains (i.e. Rajdhani, Shatabdi, Duronto, Vande Bharat Express, Tejas Express, Humsafar Express trains) Shatabdi or Similar type trains Rajdhani Type or Similar type trains Level 12 and above Executive Class AC 1st Class Level 6 to 11 Chair Car AC 2nd Class Level 5 and below Chair Car AC 3rd Class This decision was after receiving many requests from various government offices and individuals. "This department has been receiving a number of references from different offices/individuals about the admissibility of various premium trains like Tejas Express, Vande Bharat Express & Humsafar Express trains under Leave Travel Concession," said the DoPT office memorandum. Central government employees get their ticket costs reimbursed for round trips under the leave travel concession (LTC scheme) in accordance with their entitlement depending on their rank and pay scale. Although some premium trains such as the Rajdhani Express, Shatabdi, and Duronto were covered under the scheme, the Tejas and Vande Bharat trains, which were introduced more recently, were outside the ambit of the scheme. The LTC scheme for government employees is a prerequisite which covers the cost of travel to visit their hometown or any destination within India over a four-year block period. The scheme offers government employees and their family members two options. They can avail of travel reimbursement to their hometown twice within a four-year block, split into two two-year periods. The other alternative they have is to visit their hometown once in a two-year period and go for a holiday to any place in India within the other two-year period. NEW DELHI: After the Cabinet approved the constitution of 8th Pay Commission on Thursday, a section of railway unions has pleaded with the government to reconsider its decision on Night Duty Allowance, which has a ceiling of pay level as well as a basic salary. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had on July 13, 2020 issued an office memorandum according to which the ceiling of basic pay for entitlement of Night Duty Allowance shall be Rs 43,600 per month, among other conditions. According to the DoPT OM (office memorandum), even if an employee's basic pay is above Rs 43,600, his Night Duty Allowance (NDA) will be calculated presuming his basic pay as Rs 43,600 which is unfair and without any rationale," said North Eastern Railway Men's Congress assistant general secretary Vivek Mishra. The Railway Board, however, issued an instruction on September 29, 2020 and said that NDA would be granted to those employees, who are up to pay level 7 only. This eliminated the upper pay level employees of 8 and 9 to get any benefit of NDA. The Railway Ministry too didn't offer any rationale for imposing such a restriction. This is demotivating and discouraging. As the government has announced the constitution of 8th Pay Commission, I humbly plead to the DoPT as well as the Ministry of Railway to look into this aspect separately as the working of Railways is not like other government departments, Mishra said. According to the unions, Before 2020, all government employees used to get the said allowance for working between 10 pm to 6 am irrespective of their grade pay or any ceiling. But after the 7th Pay Commission report and when the DoPT issued an office memorandum fixing a ceiling, many safety department employees are deprived of NDA now." They say that several safety category staff such as station masters, train controllers and other senior supervisors work equally hard, however, this ceiling and pay level restriction have divided them into two categories - NDA and non-NDA. So a station master works for 8 hours from 10 pm to 6 am and gets the benefits of NDA because he falls in pay level 7. On the other hand, another station master who is promoted to level 8 or level 9 doesn't get the benefit despite doing the same duty hour even if he is more experienced than the one of level 7. Isn't it unjust and discriminatory? asked Northern Railway All India Station Masters' Association general secretary Sumeer Aima. Sushil Shally, Ex Chief Controller, Delhi Rail Division, too raised the similar issue in respect of controllers. The 13th July, 2020 OM doesn't have any rationale through which it can justify the ceiling. Neither the Railway Ministry's instruction which puts another restriction of pay level 7. Train controllers are also facing similar issues like station masters' and I believe it impacts the functioning, motivation level etc. Working against the natural hours must be rewarded irrespective of levels or grade pay, he said. When senior officers sleep at home, these safety cadre employees work relentlessly to help people reach their respective destinations safely. The government must consider the functioning of railways different from its other departments and treat them accordingly, said All India Train Controllers' Association (AITCA) ex-assistant general secretary Manoj Sinha. New Delhi: Microsoft has announced that it will discontinue support for Microsoft Office apps on Windows 10 devices once the operating system reaches its end of support on October 14, 2025. To continue using Microsoft 365 apps without any issues, users will need to upgrade to Windows 11, the company stated on Tuesday Microsoft has announced that Microsoft 365 apps will no longer be supported on Windows 10 devices after October 14, 2025. To continue using Microsoft 365 applications, users will need to upgrade to Windows 11. This change also affects standalone Office versions, including Office 2024, Office 2021, Office 2019, and Office 2016, which will no longer receive updates or technical support on Windows 10 devices. Although the applications will continue to function after the support cutoff, Microsoft has warned that users may experience performance and reliability issues. In a separate support document, the company strongly recommended upgrading to Windows 11 to avoid these potential problems over time. Whats preventing users from upgrading to Windows 11? One of the main challenges to adopting Windows 11 has been Microsoft's strict hardware requirements, especially the need for TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0. This feature, which Microsoft says helps protect against tampering and cyberattacks, is a non-negotiable requirement for installing Windows 11. Many users with older hardware have struggled to meet this requirement, leading to the development of workarounds to bypass it. Microsoft after understanding the challenges is offering some flexibility for users who either cannot or choose not to upgrade. Home users can extend their use of Windows 10 for an additional year by purchasing Extended Security Updates (ESU) for 30 dollars. Certain enterprise and specialized systems, like those using Long-Term Servicing Branch (LTSB) and Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) editions, will continue to receive updates even after the October 2025 deadline. Why Upgrade to Windows 11 While users can continue using their Windows 10 PCs and Office apps after support ends they will no longer receive security updates. This could increase their vulnerability over time. Microsoft has also reminded users that the free upgrade to Windows 11 is still available as long as their devices meet the minimum system requirements. Margaret Farmer, a Microsoft representative, stressed the importance of checking that your computer meets these requirements for the update. Why Users Need to Upgrade Soon The deadline is fast approaching for the millions still using Windows 10. While the operating system remains widely used, Microsoft's decision to stop supporting Office apps gives users even more reason to make the switch. For those who rely on Microsoft 365 or other Office products, upgrading sooner rather than later is becoming increasingly important. New Delhi: A post by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announcing that it has resumed flights to France, has drawn widespread backlash on social media. The post, featuring a plane heading towards the Eiffel Tower with the text "Paris, we're coming today", has sparked social media criticism. Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered a probe into the issue following widespread condemnation of the poorly thought-out advertisement, according to a report by Geo TV. The controversial post on PIA's official X account showed a picture of an airplane that appeared to be headed for the Eiffel Tower with the words, "Paris, we're coming today." There is another line on the graphic, but it is in a much smaller font. It states: "Resuming flights between Islamabad and Paris from January 10, 2025." The post has sparked a comparison to a 1979 PIA ad, which featured an aircraft casting a shadow on the Twin Towers in New York City, destroyed by terror attacks resulting in thousands of deaths. What were the netizens' reactions? The post on PIA's official X account went viral, generating amusing comments on social media. Looks like a threat rather than an advertisement, said one social media user. Cool to see you have had the same designer since 1979, said another user. "You can't be serious this time! This was back in the 1970s. Fire your designer! commented a user. How did this ad get approved? asked another user. Wait? Is this a joke? Is this from a parody account? I'm genuinely confused said another. Who's the designer of this controversial advertisement? And who approved it? A slight change in the direction of the plane and placement before the red color could have changed lots of things, said another user. PIA headed to Europe for the first time in four years Pakistan International Airlines has returned to Europe for the first time in four years after a four-year ban by European Union regulators. In June 2020, PIA was suspended from operating in Europe and banned from traveling to 188 nations due to a deadly crash and fake licenses among 262 pilots. Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Deal: United States President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, drawing curtains to over 15 months of conflict. The deal is structured in three phases, and it includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase. While delivering remarks on reaching a ceasefire and hostage deal, Biden also threw light on the diplomatic effort involved. He noted the pressure from Israel and support from Washington, as well as a coalition of 20 nations that stood against attacks from the Houthis. The US President said, "It's a very good afternoon because at long last, I can announce a ceasefire and a hostage deal has been reached between Israel and Hamas. More than 15 months of terror for the hostages, their families, and the Israeli people, and more than 15 months of suffering by the innocent people of Gaza. Fighting in Gaza will stop, and soon the hostages will return home to their families." Further elaborating on details of the ceasefire deal, Biden said, "The deal is structured in three phasesPhase one will last six weeks. It includes a full and complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all the populated areas of Gaza, and the release of a number of hostages held by Hamas, including women and the elderly and the wounded. And I'm proud to say Americans will be part of that hostage release in Phase One as well. The vice president and I cannot wait to welcome them home. In exchange, Israel will release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, and during Phase One, the Palestinians can also return to their neighbours in all areas of Gaza," he further stated. Biden also said that during the next six weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get to Phase 2, which is a permanent end of the war. "During the next six weeks, Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get to Phase 2, which is a permanent end of the war. There are a number of details to negotiate to move from Phase 1 to Phase 2, but the plan says that if negotiations take longer than six weeks, the ceasefire will continue as long as the negotiations continue," he said. "When Phase Two begins, there will be an exchange for the release of the remaining living hostages, including male soldiers, and all remaining Israeli forces will be withdrawn from Gaza, and the temporary ceasefire will become permanent," Biden further stated. Giving details about the third phase of the ceasefire deal, the US President emphasized that as part of the final phase, any final remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families, and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin. "And finally, Phase 3any final remains of hostages who have been killed will be returned to their families, and a major reconstruction plan for Gaza will begin," Biden said. "Those who have followed the negotiations can attest that the road to this deal has not been easy. I have worked in foreign policy for decades. This is one of the toughest negotiations that I have ever experienced. I have reached this point because of the pressure that Israel built on Hamas, backed by the US. The US also organized a coalition of 20 countries to stand up to attacks by the Houthis, including their missile attacks in Israel. At the G20 in Delhi in September 2023, I rallied key countries behind a vision of an economic carter from India across the Middle East to Europe. That vision can now become a reality," he further stated. US President Biden Issues Statement Earlier, Biden, in a statement, said, "Today, after many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians, and reunite the hostages with their families after more than 15 months in captivity." He further said, "I laid out the precise contours of this plan on May 31, 2024, after which it was endorsed unanimously by the UN Security Council. It is the result not only of the extreme pressure that Hamas has been under and the changed regional equation after a ceasefire in Lebanon and the weakening of Iran but also of dogged and painstaking American diplomacy. My diplomacy never ceased in their efforts to get this done." Notably, Hamas is expected to release 33 Israeli hostages seized during the October 7, 2023, attacks, while Israel will free hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in return. Israel began its military operations against Hamas in Gaza after the October 7, 2023, attacks. According to the Health Ministry in Gaza, Israel's genocide in Gaza has killed at least 46,707 Palestinians and wounded 110,265 since October 7, 2023. At least 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the Hamas-led attacks that day, and more than 200 were taken captive. Cybersecurity expert Terance Henry will be the keynote speaker at the No-Cost Cybersecurity Workshop. (Photo provided) Secure your business against online threats, attend SIUs cybersecurity workshop by Christi Mathis CARBONDALE, Ill. Almost daily, stories of cyber-attacks flood the news, but the Illinois APEX Accelerator and the Office of Innovation and Economic Development at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are offering a special workshop to help area business owners protect themselves from cyber threats. The No-Cost Cybersecurity Workshop is set for 9-11 a.m. Friday, Jan. 24, at Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Center, 1740 Innovation Drive in Carbondale. The exclusive workshop features Terance Henry, a regional cybersecurity expert, small business owner and internationally known global information systems developer. Brenda Henderson, director of the Illinois APEX Accelerator at SIU, will also provide valuable guidance. Sign up now The workshop is free, and participants are welcome to attend in person or join in virtually. Sign up now online. Empowering for all Entrepreneurs, tech professionals and business owners who want to protect their data are encouraged to attend. Likewise, it will be of interest to people who want to engage with emerging technologies and those interested in exploring Department of Defense contracts. A wide variety of topics will be covered, including: Protecting your business data from cyber threats. Implementing best practices to secure your business in todays digital landscape. Accessing key state resources to assist in creating a cybersecurity strategy. How cyber-hygiene ties into national security. Resources available for businesses seeking to meet the Department of Defenses new cybersecurity requirements. Enhancing competitiveness in securing government contracts. Learn more The workshop is part of the eTech Talk series within the Experts-in-Residence program, which is designed to empower businesses by providing them with cutting-edge knowledge and strategies. For additional information about the workshop, or to learn more about the Illinois APEX Accelerator at SIU, visit apex.siu.edu, call 618-536-2355 or email APEXaccelerator@siu.edu. The Illinois APEX Accelerator is funded through a cooperative agreement with the Department of Defense, made possible through the support of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and SIU. 3/13/2025 11:59 PM - 2:30 AM View Description Date: 3/13/2025 Time: 11:59 PM - 2:30 AM Location: Neckers lawn, SIU Carbondale 11:59 PM to 2:30 AM - Neckers lawn, SIU Carbondale: Total Lunar Eclipse at SIU Carbondale March 13 14, 2025 FREE Public Astronomy Observation on the Neckers building south west lawn.11:59pm CT, Thursday, March 13, 2025 2:30am, Friday, March 14, 2025 A total lunar eclipse will be visible over most of the Americas on March 13 and 14, 2025. Often referred to as a Blood Moon, the Moon will appear to go through different phases this evening and turn a deep orange / red color for about 1 hour during totality from roughly 1:30 am 2:30am CT. It is at this time that the earth blocks direct light from the Sun and we see light refracted by the Earths atmosphere projected on the Moon. It is for this reason that the Moon appears the color of a sunset, the exact color depending on the amount of particles or dust in the atmosphere at the time of the eclipse. The public is invited to join members of the SIU School of Physics, the STEM Education Research Center, the Astronomical Association of Southern Illinois and the Adler Planetarium this evening on the southwest side of the Neckers building for free, guided telescope viewings and special activities during peak eclipse hours from midnight to 2:30am. Outdoor enthusiasts are invited to be part of a special program, Half of the magic and majesty of living on Earth happens at night; a nature walk under the eclipsed moon led by Experiential Education Specialist and Researcher Steve Gariepy. This event is outside and weather dependent; DRESS APPROPRIATELY. Neckers 240 will be open with live stream views of the eclipse from other locations. Lawn chairs, blankets, telescopes, photographic equipment and coolers are allowed, please No Alcohol. Parking available in Lot #47 between the Public Policy Institute and Neckers building. The south end of the parking lot will be blocked to keep headlights from shining into the observation area. Some lighting will be on in this area, but we encourage visitors to keep white lights to a minimum in the telescope area. Visitors who plan to bring their own telescope or photographic equipment are welcome to arrive early and keep their equipment set up for the entire eclipse. No tickets are required for this event. For more information or for special accommodations, call SIU Events and Outreach at (618) 536-7751or email events@siu.edu. Schedule 11:59pm, March 13 Telescope observations beginGather for nature walk at telescope area. Adler Planetarium Sky Observers Hangout goes live Neckers 240 open to visitors 12:09am, March 14: U1, Partial phase of eclipse begins. 1:26am: U2, Beginning of totality 1:30am: Nature walk returns to telescope area 1:45am: Cosmic Surfing , Description: Beginning at 1:45 am, Steve will also facilitate his version of R. Buckminster Fullers activity Cosmic Surfing, training you to be a Cosmic Surfer, and Cosmic Surfing instructor for your friends and family. 1:59am: Greatest Eclipse (middle of totality) 2:30am: Public programming ends 2:32am: U3, End of totality 3:48am: U4, Partial phase of eclipse ends. More SIU Events This photo shows a light show in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, Oct. 1, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua] The Biden administration's sanctions, containment and suppression will not impede China's progress, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said on Wednesday. Such measures, instead, will only bolster China's confidence and capabilities in self-reliance and technological innovation, the MOC said. Under the pretext of national security, the Biden administration has intensified its trade restrictions against China during its remaining time in office. Measures include tightening export controls on semiconductor technology and restricting the use of Chinese connected vehicles, along with their software and hardware, in the United States, the ministry said. The Biden administration has launched security reviews on drone systems from China and other countries concerning information and communication technology and services. Multiple Chinese companies have been sanctioned, and many Chinese entities have been added to a "notorious markets" list, according to the MOC. China expresses strong dissatisfaction and firmly opposes such actions, the ministry said. The Biden administration's measures have gravely infringed upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, disrupting market rules and international trade order. These actions have posed a serious threat to the stability of global industrial and supply chains, causing harm to businesses worldwide, including those in the United States, the MOC said. Many major American companies and industrial associations have openly opposed some of these measures, while multiple countries and regions have expressed confusion and disagreement, the MOC said. Such measures are typical of economic coercion and bullying tactics, which are neither rational nor responsible. They harm not only China-U.S. economic relations but also global economic stability and development, according to the ministry. In response to the Biden administration's trade restrictions, China will take measures to resolutely safeguard its sovereignty, security and development interests, the ministry added. India PR Distribution New Delhi [India], January 16: SuperHumanRace, a leading technology company specializing in data platforms at the intersection of climate and finance, and CREDAI Maharashtra, a premier body of real estate developers, have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaboratively develop and implement Regional Emissions Inventories for the real estate sector in Maharashtra. At the launch event in Mahabalipuram, on Jan 06, 2025, Pramod Khairnar, President of CREDAI Maharashtra, talking about the MoU, shared, "The real estate sector in Maharashtra is at the forefront of India's urban transformation. This initiative is a timely and essential intervention to ensure that development is environmentally sustainable while being economically viable." 2024 was a landmark year for Indian real estate, with investments from institutional investors reaching an all-time high of USD 8.9 Billion; but according to the World Bank, India needs USD 50 Billion in private financing every year till 2036 to meet its urban infrastructure needs. India's urban aspirations are at the heart of its ambition to become the 3rd largest economy by 2027 and reach USD 7 Trillion in GDP by 2030. However, this rapid and large-scale urbanisation comes at a climate cost. By 2030, cities will contribute to 70% of the nation's GDP and house 40% of India's population while also contributing to well over 30% of India's national emissions. As we add floor space equivalent to the city of Paris every week, building low-carbon, climate-resilient infrastructure will be an imperative both for the safety and well-being of Indian citizens and to raise funds from global investors. The need to develop low-carbon built environments to meet our Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement is hampered by the absence of sectoral, regional, or national baselines or benchmarks for real estate. One of India's prominent building physicists and Managing Director of SuperHumanRace, Aalok A. Deshmukh said that, "The initiative to develop Regional Emissions Inventories for the Real Estate value chain is a crucial step towards reliably quantifying and effectively addressing carbon risks associated with India's burgeoning urban aspirations." The awareness and recognition of carbon risk is well understood by India's most prominent and responsible developers. Ayashkanta Rout, Sustainability Lead at Oberoi Realty, mentioned that "carbon costs embedded in construction materials could raise project costs significantly, impacting profitability." These carbon costs also impact the export competitiveness of the suppliers. For example, Maharashtra's exports of construction materials like cement and aluminum could face additional tariffs in carbon-regulated markets, further underscoring the urgent need for reliable emissions data to drive strategic decision-making. Regional Emissions Inventories will: * Enhance the global competitiveness of Indian real estate developers and construction material manufacturers by providing granular emissions data at the product, site, city, and state levels. * Enable real estate developers to identify hotspots in their supply chains and adopt sustainable procurement practices. * Prepare the sector for impending carbon taxes and regulatory measures as India transitions to a low-carbon economy. * Foster investment in low-carbon technologies and green certifications, attracting climate-conscious investors. Technology-Driven Implementation It will be essential to integrate world-class, cutting-edge technology for this initiative to succeed due to both the volume of data and the complexity of relationships. SuperHumanRace will deploy advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to automate collection and analysis of emissions data across the real estate value chain; while providing actionable insights and benchmarks. Deshmukh emphasized the role of technology: "This partnership is a game changer for sustainable urban development in India. By creating transparent, connected and actionable emissions inventories, we are empowering the real estate sector to proactively address carbon risks and drive global competitiveness." About SuperHumanRace: SuperHumanRace (SHR) is a pioneering technology company committed to transforming how organizations & countries 'measure good' and achieve the 1.5C target that is essential for human survival on Earth. SHR's sustainability platform, Green Dash is currently in use in 30+ countries by clients valued at over half a trillion dollars, including Oberoi Realty, Godrej Properties, K Raheja, JLL, Bosch, Capgemini, JLL, Tata Power, etc. About CREDAI Maharashtra: CREDAI-Maharashtra is a State Level Federation and apex body of the organized Real Estate Developers / Builders across the State of Maharashtra (excluding Mumbai). The Federation represents 62 City Associations and over 3500 individual members. Established in 1994, CREDAI-Maharashtra has been instrumental in promoting the interests of the Real Estate Sector and its members for over 27 years. It is an ISO-9001:2015 certified organisation, registered with the Charity Commissioner under the Public Trusts Act, 1950. The Federation works closely with Government and Semi-Government agencies for policy formation for real estate in Maharashtra and discharges various Corporate Social Responsibilities directly and through its Members. It is one of the founding members for CREDAI-National, which supports formulation of proactive policies for the Construction sector at National Level. For further information, please contact: Dwaipayan Aich Chief Operating Officer, SuperHumanRace Email: coo@mysuperhumanrace.com Phone: +91 96019 66702 Darshana S. Ahirekar General Manager, CREDAI Maharashtra Email: info@credaimaharashtra.org Phone: +91 97669 40867 Additional Notes for Editors Macro-Economic and Export Competitiveness Implications The initiative aligns with India's commitment to becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2027 while meeting its Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. By equipping developers with precise emissions data, the program aims to: * Enhance the global competitiveness of Indian real estate developers and construction materials manufacturers. * Foster investment in low-carbon technologies and green certifications, attracting climate-conscious investors. * Mitigate financial risks from carbon border adjustment mechanisms imposed by major trading partners like the EU. Technology-Driven Implementation SuperHumanRace will deploy its cutting-edge ESG data platform, leveraging advanced AI and machine learning algorithms to: * Collect and analyze emissions data across the real estate value chain. * Provide actionable insights through custom dashboards and benchmarks. * Facilitate compliance with evolving carbon accounting standards and certifications. This collaboration will also integrate dynamic emission factors to provide real-time updates, ensuring accuracy and responsiveness to market conditions. India is set to become the third-largest construction market globally following China and the US. Estimates show that the industry is set to reach $1.4 trillion by 2025. Data Sources (citations): 1. National Mission on Sustainable Habitat 2021-2030. Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. Oct-2021. 2. MoEFCC. (2021). India: Third Biennial Update Report to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India. 3. Present and future energy consumption of buildings: Challenges and opportunities towards decarbonisation. e-Prime - Advances in Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Energy 1 (2021) 100002. Santamouris, M. and Vasilakopoulou, K. 4. India to become third largest economy with GDP of $5 trillion in three years: Finance Ministry.The Hindu. 29-Jan-2024. 5. Real estate attracts $8.87 bn institutional investments in 2024: Report. Business Standard. 18-Dec-2024. 6. India's urban infrastructure financing, needs and reality. The Hindu. 25-Nov-2024. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by India PR Distribution. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL New Delhi [India], January 16: In the shimmering expanse of music and poetry, there are souls that stand like radiant constellations--guiding, inspiring, and forever in motion. Lalita Goenka is one such luminary. With a pen that dances to the tune of her thoughts and a heart that reverberates with the cadence of ragas, she has woven herself into the tapestry of modern Indian lyricism. Like a poet who captures moonlight in verse, Lalita's words find shape in melodies that transcend language and time. Her repertoire--an exquisite confluence of devotion, artistry, and transcendence--stands as a testament to her ceaseless dedication. In her voice, one hears the echoes of centuries, the flutter of hope, and the enduring promise that art, in its purest form, can transform the human spirit. She enchants hearts across the world, painting every listener's mind with the colors of faith, longing, and ceaseless wonder. An Embrace of Many Genres Lalita's work sails gracefully across multiple genres--bhajans, ghazals, and qawwalis--each bearing her signature blend of reverence and passion. Released by prominent labels like T-Series, Drishyam Play, Saregama, Damroo, and Aviraas Music, her compositions traverse boundaries and touch the universal core of human emotions. The Song That Painted the Sky: "Rangrejiyaa" Among her many accolades, Lalita's award-winning track "Rangrejiyaa" stands out like a vibrant rainbow arcing across a monsoon sky. Released by Drishyam Play, its success affirmed that music, when rooted in heartfelt sincerity, can captivate the most discerning ears. Lalita Goenka's Rangreliya has won many awards including the Best Music Video Award at Clef Music Awards. A Festive Offering: Bhajan for Maa Lakshmi When the festive lamps of Diwali illuminate countless homes, Lalita's devotion also kindles a divine glow. Her recent bhajan dedicated to Maa Lakshmi, composed by Sanjeev Kohli and sung by Meenal Nigam, found its auspicious release under T-Series--presented by none other than the legendary Sonu Nigam. The track breathes festivity and faith, carrying the gentle warmth of Lalita's lyrical artistry. The Hairat Series with Ustaad Shujaat Khan Lalita's poetic expanse unfolds further in the Hairat Series, a set of six ghazals recorded with the maestro Ustaad Shujaat Khan. Each piece in this collaboration is an intimate conversation between strings and verses--subtle, soul-stirring, and brimming with classical finesse. "Ishq-E-Ibaadat" with Kutle Khan Venturing into the heart of Rajasthani Sufi heritage, Lalita joined forces with renowned vocalist Kutle Khan to create a series of qawwalis titled "Ishq-E-Ibaadat." These compositions echo the ancient whispers of devotion, woven into spirited, contemporary arrangements that bridge culture and era. A Tribute to Puneet Rajkumar True to her compassionate spirit, Lalita recently released a poignant tribute to the late South Indian actor Puneet Rajkumar on his third Smriti Divas. The gentle resonance of this homage reflects her deep empathy for life, loss, and the eternal bond that art creates with memory. Beyond Music: Poetry, Painting, and a Foundation Just as a tree extends its branches in multiple directions, Lalita's artistic endeavors flourish beyond music. Two years ago, her book of poetry Waqt Ki Dastak, that was unveiled by acclaimed poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas. This book embodies her spirit, merging word and color into a harmonious testament of creativity. Expressing Love Through Poetry: Lalita Goenka's Rachna Setu In a world where emotions often go unspoken, Lalita Goenka offers a poetic bridge to connect hearts and souls. Through her unique initiative, Rachna Setu: A Bridge of Occasional Poetry, Lalita crafts verses that give voice to the deepest feelings. From birthdays to anniversaries, baby announcements to engagement celebrations, milestone moments to wedding festivities, Lalita's poetry transforms fleeting occasions into timeless memories. Whether it's a heartfelt welcome note or an elegant thank-you message, her words weave magic, leaving a lasting impression. Rachna Setu is more than an initiative; it's a testament to Lalita's unwavering passion for literature and her belief in the power of poetry to nurture connections. Each composition becomes a bespoke masterpiece, a reflection of love, joy, and the bonds that make life extraordinary. Through Rachna Setu, she builds bridges of emotions--one heartfelt poem at a time. Moderation & Association From moderating the much-acclaimed Irshad Kamil event at The West End to steering conversations at various literary forums, Lalita's presence breathes life into every gathering. Her association with different cultural and philanthropic foundations--most notably the Kamala Goenka Foundation, a renowned nonprofit foundation started by her father-in-law, Shree Shyamsunder ji Goenka, underscores her commitment to nurturing artistic and literary values within the community. Lalita's poetic and musical journey is on social media: - Instagram: Lalita Goenka - YouTube: Lalita Goenka's Channel (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) VMPL New Delhi [India], January 16: If you are still far from computer science and technology in 2025, then you should join this channel on YouTube, which will help to increase your knowledge and skills. "C 4 Yourself" YouTube Channel is your ultimate destination for mastering technology and unleashing your potential in the world of Computer Science. Aditya Tandon, an award-winning educator, Assistant Professor in Computer Science, and a passionate advocate for accessible With years of teaching and research experience, started this channel to bridge the gap between traditional education and the rapidly evolving tech industry. On this platform you will get to know about latest technology and updates, on C 4 Yourself channel learning is sharp, engaging, and designed to make complex concepts simple. Whether you're a student, an IT enthusiast, or someone looking to level up your skills, this channel brings you dynamic lessons tailored to the real world. From foundational programming techniques to advanced topics like data science, operating systems, computer architecture, microprocessor, cybersecurity, wireless sensor networks, and ransomware defenses, every video is crafted to help you stay ahead in the digital game. What sets C 4 Yourself apart? It's not just about learning--it's about experiencing knowledge. Here, I blend cutting-edge tools, real-world examples, and a practical approach to ensure you truly understand the "why" behind the "how." Aditya Tandon goal is to make learning not just effective but also exciting and accessible for everyone, anywhere. Expect innovative teaching methods, online quiz and insights that go beyond the syllabus. You'll also find resources to help you tackle projects, ace your exams, and explore the latest in IT trends. Join a growing community of learners who are curious, ambitious, and ready to embrace the future of technology. lets connect and Subscribe to C 4 Yourself today, where knowledge becomes power, learning meets innovation, and success is just a click away. Let's decode technology together--one concept at a time!" Watch me here - https://www.youtube.com/@c4yourselfyt (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) PNN New Delhi [India], January 16: On National Startup Day, we come together to celebrate the innovators, visionaries, and entrepreneurs who are shaping the future with bold ideas and transformative solutions. These dynamic individuals and startups are driving change across industries, challenging the status quo, and creating new pathways for growth, sustainability, and progress. From cutting-edge technologies to groundbreaking business models, these trailblazers are not just imagining the future--they are building it, one step at a time. Today, we recognize their courage, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence, which inspire others to dream big and take action. As we honor their contributions, we look ahead to a future defined by creativity, collaboration, and the endless possibilities of entrepreneurial innovation. 1. Paninian Aerospace; Founder - Raghu Adla Paninian Aerospace has been pioneering the design and development of SVAYATT Platform, a Next Gen Affordable Autonomous Aerial System [ NGAAAS ] for Cruise Missiles and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles including Autonomous Combat Systems which are fully designed inhouse. SVAYATT, meaning Autonomous in Sanskrit, is powered by their proprietary Autonomous Mission Planning Software called KalmanIntel. Being the first among the Indian DeepTech startup ecosystem to come with a fully home grown design for family of Small AeroEngines in the range of 3 kN-12 kN range which can power these missions, Paninian is now accelerating on design and development of Low Cost Autonomous Systems powered by their Digital Engineering Platform EntropyHub in the 1-4 Tonne Class to serve the needs of the Indian Defense Sector, especially the Indian Airforce and Navy. Raghu Adla the founder of the startup is immensely motivated to fix the gaps in our conventional capabilities with a depleting squadron strength of Fighter Aircraft and low pilot-to-seat ratio of 1.25:1, which needs to be augmented with such low cost Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles and Cruise Missiles which might be needed in large numbers in the event of any conflict. 2. ARMUR; Founder - Akhil Sharma Armur AI, Founded by Akhil Sharma in 2023 is a fast growing cybersecurity startup that closely works with governments and enterprise firms to solve a critical problem - keeping applications and cloud infrastructure secure in this disruptive age of AI. Since more than 50% of the code produced at tech firms is now AI-generated (and not human written) and it is estimated that AI agents will join the tech force in 2025 at mid-engineering levels and hence it is critical to build tools that can detect issues in AI-generated code. Armur AI's tools find security issues in AI-generated code and this is achieved with the help of cutting-edge AI technology which is currently patent pending. In addition to this, they're also building open-source tools such as pentest-GPT - an automated, AI powered tool that can hack into a target server relentlessly in real-time. Along with being a tech entrepreneur, Akhil is a tech educator with more than 2 lakh students across Youtube, Linkedin Learning, Udemy and Packt. 3. TrackOlap; Founder & CEO - Udit Agarwal Udit Agarwal, the visionary Founder and CEO of TrackOlap, is redefining the future of employee efficiency and business automation through cutting-edge IoT and location-based solutions. With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Udit's passion for innovation led him to create TrackOlap, a SaaS platform that leverages location sciences to optimize field operations, sales automation, and real-time data analytics. His expertise spans across software development, Big Data analytics, and system architecture, making him a pioneer in the IoT space. Udit's journey from founding Actolap Solutions India to establishing TrackOlap in 2015 has been driven by a commitment to create scalable, cost-effective solutions that empower enterprises. Under his leadership, TrackOlap is rapidly becoming a global leader, helping businesses achieve operational excellence and higher productivity through its mobile-first, cloud-based platform. 4. eMdica; Founder - Hemant Rohera In the dynamic landscape of healthcare innovation, eMedica stands out as a beacon of hope for individuals battling chronic illnesses. Spearheaded by visionary entrepreneurs Hemant Rohera, Pinky Rohera, and Jyoti Kalsi, this national startup is setting new benchmarks in preventive and therapeutic healthcare. eMedica's groundbreaking bioelectronic device offers a non-invasive, side-effect-free approach to managing over 1,400 diseases, including diabetes, cancer, and hypertension. With a focus on restoring the body's natural balance, it employs cutting-edge technology powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance metabolic efficiency, improve blood circulation, and boost immunity."Our mission is to provide accessible, innovative solutions for holistic health," says Hemant Rohera, the driving force behind eMedica. By addressing the root causes of chronic conditions and supporting cellular repair, eMedica not only transforms patient outcomes but also empowers families to embrace a healthier future. This startup is truly revolutionizing wellness and redefining the possibilities in modern healthcare. 5. Proleri; Founders - Vaibhaw Dwivedi & Arjun Ayyagari Vaibhaw and Arjun are seasoned professionals who gave up their lucrative careers to pursue a shared passion--making the global food system more sustainable. Driven by their commitment to addressing environmental challenges, they co-founded Proleri, India's first leaf protein company, that is revolutionizing the USD 15 Billion plant protein sector. Based in Hyderabad, Proleri has developed proprietary technology to transform waste leaves into high-quality RuBisCO protein isolates. Often referred to as "The holy grail of Plant Protein" RuBisCO is present in every leaf and is the most abundant and most sustainable protein in the world. However, RuBisCO has proven elusive at commercial scale. Proleri's innovative technology is set to change that and harness the power of this miraculous protein. By using discarded leaves from agriculture farms, the company not only reduces waste but also mitigates greenhouse gas emissions. Proleri's innovative business model benefits farmers by increasing their income by 10%, creating positive economic ripple effects in rural communities. Proleri is set to launch its products commercially in June 2025. The company has already garnered recognition, winning "StartUp Grand Challenge" organised by the Ministry of Food Processing and 2nd runner up prize at the TIE Global Summit. Proleri is poised to position India as a leader and innovator in the rapidly growing plant protein sector. 6. AristaVault; Founder - Purvi Roy On National Startup Day, we're proud to celebrate the journey that we've embarked on as India's first smart luggage brand. Our mission is simple : to make travel safer and less stressful for every Indian. We understand the frustration of losing luggage or worrying about theft, which is why we've created a solution that combines security with peace of mind. With features like RFID tracking and anti-theft technology, our smart luggage is designed to keep your belongings safe and your mind at ease. Every innovation we bring to life is a step towards reducing the anxiety that comes with travel. Here's to a future where your journey is worry-free and more safer than ever before! 7. Smile Institute of Gastroenterology; CEO - Dr. CM Parameshwara On National Startup Day, we celebrate Dr. CM Parameshwara, founder and CEO of Smiles Institute of Gastroenterology, a visionary leader revolutionizing colorectal health in India. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Parameshwara transformed Smiles from a startup into India's top single-specialty hospital in gastroenterology, attracting patients from over 40 countries. Recognizing the significant gap in India's healthcare system, he focused on colorectal diseases, affecting 36% of the population yet largely neglected in public health programs. Smiles Institute offers early diagnosis and treatment, addressing conditions often ignored until it's too late. Under Dr. Parameshwara's leadership, Smiles has become known for treating complex cases like fistulas, and for its rapid growth in patient care and daycare surgeries. This year, he's expanding his vision with Smiles Wellness, an integrated platform combining Ayurveda, lifestyle changes, and modern medicine to promote long-term health. Dr. Parameshwara's dedication to improving healthcare exemplifies the power of entrepreneurship to transform industries and improve lives. 8. OneHash; Founders - Rohit Gadia, Manas Jha & Rishabh Pandram OneHash: Revolutionizing Business Solutions for SMBs OneHash, a pioneering technology company, is transforming the business software landscape with its innovative FOSS as a Service (FaaS) platform. The company offers a groundbreaking solution that delivers enterprise-level features at an unprecedented 90% cost reduction. Key Highlights - World's first FaaS platform blending FOSS (Open Source) and SaaS technologies, Comprehensive suite including CRM, ERP, HCM, Scheduling, AI Powered Unified Customer Communication and Project Management, Rapid growth: 1,000+ customers across 7 continents in under a year, Ambitious goal of reaching 10 million users in the next decade Mission and Vision- OneHash aims to democratize technology for small and medium businesses, enabling 95% of SMBs worldwide with affordable, scalable, and robust software solutions. Their platform empowers businesses to streamline operations, enhance productivity, and compete effectively in the global market. The company's unique approach has already demonstrated significant impact, with customers experiencing a 22% increase in sales efficiency. OneHash continues to challenge traditional software models, proving that cutting-edge technology can be both accessible, fully featured and affordable. 9. Planet Electric; Founder - Gagan Agrawal Planet Electric is reinventing next-generation automotive structures with 70% lightweight and almost 0% additional cost, increasing fuel efficiency by 25% on any automotive platform. To prove this, the company debuted a one-tonner cargo delivery van prototype in July 2024. The team consists of ex-ISRO scientists who have worked on hypersonics and materials, along with automotive veterans from the companies like Tata, Hyundai bosch and others. Planet Electric will commercialise 4-wheller cargo boxes, composite bus bodies and 1-tonner e-LCV in FY 25-26 in partnership with multiple production houses. (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) PRNewswire Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 16: In 2024, HSG Laser once again demonstrated outstanding performance in India's laser cutting machine industry. According to India's laser cutting machine import data, HSG has maintained a clear lead in sales for the second consecutive year. To date, the company has provided high-quality laser cutting equipment and comprehensive solutions to over 2,000 customers in India, highlighting its strong foothold in the market and laying a solid foundation for future growth. Building on its success in the Indian market, HSG's Global Operations Center in Chicago has announced plans to further strengthen its localized service network in India and accelerate the deployment of production facilities. By delivering more efficient and higher-quality services, HSG is committed to supporting the transformation and upgrading of India's metal forming industry. "Since entering the Indian market in 2012, HSG has established a local operations team, built strong partnerships, and earned its place as an industry leader through exceptional product quality and customer service. In 2024, once again achieving the top spot in industry sales demonstrates the high trust Indian customers place in HSG," said the head of HSG's Chicago Global Operations Center. "Looking ahead to 2025, we are confident in the growth potential of the Indian market. We aim to further deepen collaboration between the U.S. and India in the metal forming sector, leveraging our success in the U.S. market to empower our Indian customers. Additionally, we will introduce cutting-edge technology and innovative applications from HSG's Global R&D Center in Tokyo, helping Indian enterprises enhance production efficiency and expand into broader international markets." The spokesperson also revealed that HSG plans to invest $10 million in the construction of a new super factory in India to expand its global production facility network. This strategic initiative is not only aimed at better serving Indian customers but also at creating local job opportunities and tax revenues, actively contributing to the sustainable development of the regional economy. The spokesperson further emphasized that as a company with a global vision, HSG is committed to fully complying with local laws and regulations while advancing its localization efforts. By attracting high-level local talent and resources, the company will continue to optimize its service and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing India's metal forming industry while solidifying its position as a leader in the global market. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599823/image.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal will be visiting Brussels later this week. He will discuss India-EU trade, progress in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and other issues with new EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, as per sources. The Union Minister has been taking active steps towards making the India-EU trade agreements successful, as Goyal in December last year interacted with Ambassadors of the European Commission delegation, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Spain and Sweden. The FTA negotiations, after 9 rounds of intense engagement, need political directions to arrive at a commercially meaningful deal while understanding the sensitivities of each other, the ministry has stated. The Minister further underlined that any sustainability discussions must appreciate the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility (CBDR) and implementation of such measures should take into account differing paths of development. Goyal has stressed that the FTA would be instrumental in further diversifying and expanding India's exports while strengthening critical value chains. In October last year, he expressed his optimism about the potential of trade between both sides. Speaking at at the launch of the Federation of European Business in India (FEBI) in New Delhi last year, Goyal said that two-way trade between Europe and India can grow exponentially if both sides understand each other's concerns and cooperate meaningfully. The agreement is aimed at further boosting bilateral trade and investments between the two regions. The two sides are negotiating a free trade agreement, an investment protection agreement and an agreement on geographical indications (GIs). The FTA negotiations between India and the EU, which have been ongoing since 2007, have seen periods of stagnation and revival. Talks resumed with renewed vigour in 2021 after a nearly eight-year hiatus, focusing on reducing tariffs, addressing market access challenges, and facilitating investment flows between the two regions. India's bilateral trade in goods with the EU reached USD 137.41 billion in 2023-24, making the EU India's largest trading partner for goods. Furthermore, bilateral trade in services between the two partners stood at an impressive USD 51.45 billion in 2023. (ANI) PRNewswire Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 16: In a landmark ruling, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai has approved the resolution plan for RITE BUILTEC PRIVATE LIMITED, having an SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority) project located in Devipada, Borivali (Mumbai). This marks the 4th (fourth) successful resolution for Resolution Professional Amit Karia, with advisory and process support services provided by InCorp Restructuring Services LLP. Resolution achieved in overall 450 Days, ending a 15-Year wait for over 750 slum dwellers to receive their homes and rent dues. The resolution was completed in a remarkable timeframe of 365 days at the Committee of Creditors (COC) level and overall 450 days including time taken by the Hon'ble NCLT, Mumbai, providing much-needed relief after a prolonged 15-year wait for over 750 slum dwellers to receive their rightful homes and rent dues. Key Details of the Resolution * Admitted Claims: INR 170 crores+* Resolution Applicant: Aspect Global Ventures Private Limited* Resolution Timeframe: 450 days from initiation to NCLT approval.* Secured Financial Creditor: Omkara Assets Reconstruction Private Limited will receive the full outlay as per the resolution plan within 15 days of NCLT approval.* Slum Dwellers Impacted: Over 750 families. The resolution process encountered significant obstacles, including the violation of the moratorium by the company's suspended directors, lack of essential financial records and documents, and a stay imposed by NCLAT during the early stages of the process. Additional challenges involved hostile entry of agitated slum dwellers into the resolution professional's office, threats from local and other interest groups, unauthorized constructions at the project site, and frivolous applications filed by entities with vested interests. "This case tested our resilience and ability to stay focused amidst numerous challenges. The successful resolution is a testament to the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders and the robust insolvency framework," remarked Resolution Professional Amit Karia, an Associate Partner at InCorp Restructuring Services LLP. About Aspect Global Ventures Private Limited Aspect Global Ventures Private Limited is a diversified company headquartered at Unit No. 501, Dalamal House, 206 Jamnalal Bajaj Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai. It operates across sectors including hospitality, building and land development, project management consultancy services (PMC), and gold ornament manufacturing. About InCorp Restructuring Services InCorp Restructuring Services LLP is an Insolvency Professional Entity recognized by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India, with Certificate of Recognition No. IBBI/IPE/0129 and a group Company of InCorp India, the Indian entity of international InCorp Group - providing corporate services having presence in Singapore, Hongkong, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. The IPE is led by a team of Professionals comprised of Chartered Accountants, Company Secretaries, Advocates, MBAs having a vast combined experience and knowledge of more than 20 years spanning in the areas of Banking, Debt Restructuring, Business Turnaround, Fund Raising and Mergers and Acquisition which brings value to the resolution of a distressed company in any of sector such as Infrastructure, EPC, Real Estate, Solar, Engineering, Cable and Wire, Hospitality, Diamond, Textile, Pharmaceuticals, Steel, Healthcare, Education etc. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599910/Amit_Karia.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2599909/InCorp_Logo.jpg (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PRNewswire. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) VMPL Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 16: Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced that it has been awarded the contract to automate India's largest Water Treatment Plant in Bhandup, Mumbai. The plant, which processes 2000 MLD (Million Litres per Day) of water daily, will be instrumental in advancing the Government of Maharashtra's mission to provide potable water to 22 million inhabitants. At present, four percent of wastewater in Maharashtra is recycled, largely attributed to the use of obsolete technologies. To tackle this challenge, the extensive automation of wastewater processes is imperative to minimize waste, elevate water recyclability, and boost overall efficiency. Once executed and operational, Schneider Electric's EcoStruxure solutions will power and automate the Bhandup plant's processes, thereby ensuring secure, and significantly efficient operations. Schneider Electric's involvement commenced during the inspection stage in the project, collaborating closely with India's largest Water Treatment Plant with the company facilitating seamless integration of its digital solutions. This encompassed the utilization of EcoStruxure Power and Process automation solutions, which include the EcoStruxure Process Expert M580-EPA Automation platform, Altivar Process Drives, PRISMA LV panel boards, Power Quality solution, Easergy relays, Transformers, MV switchboards, and UPS solutions. These efforts culminated in the delivery of a resilient and efficient water treatment solution. Speaking about this project, Mr. Deepak Sharma, Zone President - Greater India and MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India, said "Amidst accelerating water demand in India, the need for sustainable water management has never been more pronounced. Recognizing this urgency, Schneider Electric is committed towards providing advanced digital solutions for the water and wastewater sector. This initiative underscores our deep-rooted commitment to contribute to transformative projects that significantly enhance efficiency, reliability, and long-term sustainability. Automation stands as the linchpin for future-proofing India's water needs, making such endeavours crucial for addressing the pressing water challenges in the country and ensuring a sustainable future for all." Highlighting the pivotal role of automation in safeguarding India's future water requirements, Arvind Kakru, Vice President - Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric India, stated, "Schneider Electric is steadfast in propelling sustainability in India through the rapid integration of digital technologies and sustainable solutions. This groundbreaking project not only establishes a new standard for upcoming water treatment endeavours but also reinforces our footprint in India. Through the deployment of our EcoStruxure solutions, we have successfully automated the plant, ensuring operations that prioritize safety, reliability, and high efficiency while effectively meeting the needs of millions of residents. At Schneider Electric, we are committed to playing a crucial role in alleviating India's water challenges." Commenting on the development, Mr. Yogen Lal, CEO - Water, Welspun Enterprises, said, "We are proud to be at the forefront of building India's largest water treatment facility, a critical step towards ensuring potable water for millions of residents in Mumbai. Our collaboration with Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management and industrial automation, enables us to integrate best-in-class automation solutions that significantly enhance operational efficiency and reliability. This landmark project exemplifies our commitment to sustainable infrastructure and innovative solutions, as we work together to set new benchmarks in water management sector and actively support BMC's mission to revolutionize water accessibility in the region." This project will establish the plant as the largest single water treatment complex of around 4500 MLD and seamlessly integrating with Schneider Electric's existing Water Command and Control Centre. It is a continuation of Schneider Electric's support to the Ministry of Jal Shakti's efforts to accelerate the technology adoption for sustainable water management in India. About Schneider Electric Schneider's purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all. At Schneider, we call this Life Is On. Our mission is to be the trusted partner in Sustainability and Efficiency. We are a global industrial technology leader bringing world-leading expertise in electrification, automation and digitization to smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-proof data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Anchored by our deep domain expertise, we provide integrated end-to-end lifecycle AI enabled Industrial IoT solutions with connected products, automation, software and services, delivering digital twins to enable profitable growth for our customers. We are a people company with an ecosystem of 150,000 colleagues and more than a million partners operating in over 100 countries to ensure proximity to our customers and stakeholders. We embrace diversity and inclusion in everything we do, guided by our meaningful purpose of a sustainable future for all. www.se.com (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) Kutch Copper Ltd, part of the Adani Group has joined the International Copper Association (ICA) as its newest member, the company stated in a release on Thursday. ICA is a non-profit trade organisation with 33 members on six continents that represents half of global copper output. Its headquarters are in Washington, DC. Strategically located in Mundra, Gujarat, Kutch Copper is a fully owned subsidiary of the group's flagship incubator Adani Enterprises. Dr Vinay Prakash, Managing Director of Kutch Copper, shared his optimism about joining the ICA. He said, "India is poised to become a significant hub for copper and its products in the coming decades. We believe that Kutch Copper's membership in the ICA will allow us to actively contribute to sustainability initiatives and develop innovative applications and products within the copper sector. We look forward to collaborating with the global copper community to enhance the value chain for this essential metal, which plays a vital role in the transition to net zero." ICA President and CEO Juan Ignacio Diaz expressed his enthusiasm for the new partnership, stating, "We are delighted to welcome Adani Metals Kutch Copper Ltd. to our community. Their efforts in advancing sustainable and innovative copper production strengthen our collective mission to promote, protect, and defend copper's essential role in enabling the technologies and infrastructures needed for global decarbonization. With their presence, we are particularly excited to support copper's growth in regions where its key applications are expanding." ICA Chairman of the Board, Glencore's Stephen Rowland, added, "KCL's membership in ICA strengthens our commitment to promoting sustainable practices and developing new applications for copper. We are excited to collaborate with them and support their efforts to drive positive change in the industry." Adani Enterprises is investing approximately USD 1.2 billion to establish a copper smelter with an initial capacity of 0.5 million tons per annum (MTPA) in the first phase. Kutch Copper's state-of-the-art facility will also produce copper cathodes, rods, and other byproducts, significantly contributing to India's goal of becoming self-reliant in copper production. The company said that it is committed to maintaining high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance standards while leveraging advanced technology and digitalisation. Kutch Copper is working towards adding copper tubes to its portfolio as part of its forward integration strategy, the company added. Kutch Copper Ltd. (KCL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises, the flagship incubator of the Adani Group, is establishing a state-of-the-art greenfield copper custom smelting and refining complex. (ANI) A conference was held on Wednesday in Zunyi, southwest China's Guizhou Province, to mark the 90th anniversary of the pivotal Zunyi Meeting during the epic Long March (1934-1936). Li Shulei, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, attended the conference and delivered a speech. The conference recognized the historical significance and major contributions of the Zunyi Meeting, calling for drawing wisdom and strength from the Party's history of struggles and striving to ensure success in the Long March of the new era. It emphasized an unwavering commitment to independence and self-reliance, as well as firm confidence and determination to fully advance the great cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. The need to carry forward the revolutionary tradition of courage in struggle and victory was also highlighted. The Zunyi Meeting, held in January 1935, is regarded as a turning point during the Long March and a key event in the success of the Chinese revolution. A message from Saif Ali Khan's PR team confirmed the incident, describing it as an attempted burglary. The message read, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." According to Mumbai Police, the attack occurred late Wednesday night when the intruder had a confrontation with the actor's maid. As Saif Ali Khan tried to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the unknown individual became aggressive, leading to a scuffle in which the actor was injured. Police are currently investigating the matter. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, stated, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing." The actor was immediately taken to Lilavati Hospital for medical attention. The incident has prompted reactions from fellow celebrities as well. Actor Pooja Bhatt took to her official X handle to express her concerns about safety in the area. She wrote, "Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice We need more Police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the suburbs, have never felt so unsafe before. Kind Attn @ShelarAshish @mieknathshinde @AjitPawarSpeaks @Dev_Fadnavis." https://x.com/PoojaB1972/status/1879729618304827868 On the work front, Saif Ali Khan was recently seen in Devara Part 1, an action-packed film that hit theatres in September 2024, starring alongside Jr. NTR and Janhvi Kapoor. The film was released in several languages, including Hindi, Telugu, and Tamil. Saif is also set to star in the upcoming heist thriller Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter, directed by Robbie Grewal. The film promises to feature a tense battle between Saif Ali Khan and Jaideep Ahlawat's characters. (ANI) Filmmaker Siddharth Anand and his wife Mamta Bhatia-Anand were spotted at Lilavati Hospital to meet Saif Ali Khan receiving treatment after a scuffle with an intruder at his Bandra residence late Wednesday night. The attack, which occurred at the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, has shocked both the public and the film industry. According to the Police, the incident began when an intruder confronted Khan's maid. When Saif Ali Khan attempted to intervene and defuse the situation, the intruder escalated the confrontation, leading to a physical scuffle. During the altercation, Khan sustained injuries and was taken to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Siddharth Anand, who arrived at the hospital, has worked with Saif in the 2005 film Salaam Namaste, 2007 film Ta Ra Rum Pum and the former is also the producer of the upcoming heist thriller 'Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter', in which Saif will star alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. Meanwhile, a message from Khan's PR team confirmed the incident, referring to it as an attempted burglary. The message read, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr. Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." Dr Niraj Uttamani, COO of Lilavati Hospital, said "Saif Ali Khan was attacked by an unidentified person at his house. He was brought in at 3:00 am by his son Taimur Ali Khan along with their caretaker. He has 6 wounds by sharp objects like knife etc of which 2 wounds are deep and one close to his spine. A small piece of foreign body close to the spine is identified. He is currently undergoing surgery under Dr Nitin Dange, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr Leena Jain,Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Nisha Gandhi,Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Dr Kavita Srinivas,Intensivist, Dr Manoj Deshmukh Consultant Radiologist. The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is completed" Following the incident, actress Pooja Bhatt took to her official X handle, urging the Mumbai Police to increase security in the area. "Can this lawlessness please be curbed @MumbaiPolice @CPMumbaiPolice We need more Police presence in Bandra. The city & especially the queen of the suburbs have never felt so unsafe before," she wrote. Chef Kunal Kapoor also shared his concern, writing on Instagram, "Stunned to hear about the attack on Saif. Praying for his speedy recovery. #saif #saifalikhan." Jr NTR, who recently worked with Khan in the film 'Devara Part 1', expressed his shock and sorrow on his official X handle. "Shocked and saddened to hear about the attack on Saif sir. Wishing and praying for his speedy recovery and good health," he wrote. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has launched an investigation into the matter. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, provided an update on Thursday, confirming that the altercation between Khan and the intruder had left the actor injured, but authorities are continuing their investigation. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan recently starred in Devara Part 1, a high-octane action thriller that hit theatres in September 2024. (ANI) Bollywood actors Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan were spotted arriving at Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai to meet their father, Saif Ali Khan, who is receiving treatment after being injured in a scuffle with an intruder at his Bandra residence late Wednesday night. The siblings, arrived at the hospital on Thursday to check on their father, who is undergoing medical treatment following the altercation. Alongside the Khan family, filmmaker Siddharth Anand and his wife, Mamta Bhatia-Anand, were also seen at Lilavati Hospital. Siddharth Anand, who has worked with Saif in films such as Salaam Namaste (2005) and Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007), is also the producer of Saif's upcoming project, Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter, in which Saif will star alongside Jaideep Ahlawat. The shocking incident unfolded at Saif Ali Khan's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, where an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Saif Ali Khan's PR team confirmed the attempted burglary in a message, "There was an attempted burglary at Mr Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." Dr Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lilavati Hospital, said that Saif was brought to the hospital at 3 am on Thursday. Saif Ali Khan suffered six stab wounds, two of which were deep, with one located near his spine and a foreign object was also identified near his spine, the Lilavati Hospital said in a statement. The Hospital also mentioned that the Bollywood actor is currently undergoing surgery under Dr Nitin Dange, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr Leena Jain, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Nisha Gandhi, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Dr Kavita Srinivas, Intensivist, Dr Manoj Deshmukh Consultant Radiologist."The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is completed," Lilavati Hospital COO said. On the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA) president Ashoke Pandit spoke to ANI and said, "The attack on film star Saif Ali Khan in his own house is a matter of concern. IFTDA condemns this attack. The concern is about the security of the building, and the security agencies of the building, as to how an intruder reaches the 12th floor and enters the house, this is a matter of investigation, which the Mumbai Police is very competent and capable of looking into this matter..." The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has initiated an investigation into the incident. Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, confirmed that Saif was injured during the altercation with the intruder, and authorities are actively working to gather more details. On the professional front, Saif Ali Khan recently appeared in the high-octane action thriller Devara Part 1, which hit theatres in September 2024. (ANI) Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's recent attack at his Bandra residence has shocked both the film fraternity and political circles, leading to an outpouring of reactions on social media. The actor, who was injured during an altercation with an intruder late Wednesday night, is currently recovering in Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai. An official statement from Saif Ali Khan's team confirmed the actor's condition. "Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery, with doctors monitoring his progress. All family members are safe, and the police are investigating the incident. We would like to thank Dr Niraj Uttamani, Dr Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain, and the team at Lilavati Hospital. We also appreciate the prayers and support from fans and well-wishers during this difficult time," the statement read. The incident occurred when an intruder allegedly confronted the actor's maid at his residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra. As Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, it escalated into a violent altercation, resulting in the actor sustaining several stab wounds. Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery under the supervision of a team of doctors. In a statement, Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital said, "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now." The incident has sent shockwaves through Bollywood, with several celebrities voicing their concern and sending their best wishes for Saif's recovery. Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh expressed his thoughts on social media and said, "My prayers with Saif sir and the entire family. This is very sad indeed! May your bravery and love for your family be rewarded with healing, strength, and peace. Get well soon #SaifAliKhan." https://x.com/neilnmukesh/status/1879772857766650247?s=48&t=pGU8BerQmkbmBgzLSg580g Pulkit Samrat also took to social media, calling the attack "shocking," adding, "Praying for his speedy recovery!! True fighter!!" Ashoke Pandit, President of the Indian Film and Television Directors Association (IFTDA), voiced his concern over the safety measures at the complex. "The attack on film star Saif Ali Khan in his own house is a matter of concern. IFTDA condemns this attack. The concern is about the security of the building, and how an intruder was able to reach the 12th floor. This is a matter for investigation, and we are confident that the Mumbai Police will look into it," Pandit shared while speaking to ANI. Actor Raza Murad also spoke to ANI about the attack and said, "This is a very serious and terrifying incident. What is surprising is that the place where he lives has very strong 3-4 layers of security. Despite that, the intruder managed to breach the security and enter. What was his intention? It is crucial to catch him. He will be caught, because the Mumbai Police is very capable, but such incidents are happening frequently. Mukesh Duggal, Rakesh Roshan, and others have also faced similar situations. A thief usually just steals and leaves, but here, there was a full-blown fight and an attack. Now, the question is, if the intruder came to commit murder, who was he, and who orchestrated it?" Saif's wife Kareena Kapoor Khan and children, Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim Ali Khan were seen arriving at Lilavati Hospital to be with their father during this challenging time. Also present were filmmaker Siddharth Anand and his wife, Mamta Bhatia-Anand. Anand, who has worked with Saif on films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Ta Ra Rum Pum (2007), is also the producer of Saif's upcoming project Jewel Thief - The Red Sun Chapter. In addition to confirming the nature of the attack, Saif Ali Khan's public relations team also revealed that the incident was an attempted burglary. "There was an attempted burglary at Mr. Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter," the statement read. The Mumbai Police's Crime Branch has launched a formal investigation into the incident, with Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam confirming that Saif was injured during the altercation. He assured that the authorities are actively working to gather more details on the matter. (ANI) Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan is being treated at Lilavati Hospital after he allegedly got attacked by an intruder at his residence in Mumbai in the early hours of Thursday. The 'Hum Tum' star underwent surgery and is now "completely stable". Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital spoke with the media and shared Saif's health update, revealing the actor sustained a thoracic spinal cord injury. "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid," the doctor informed. Saif also got deep wounds on his left hand and neck, as per the doctor. "Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now," Dr Dange added. Earlier, Saif's team also issued a statement stating that the actor is out of danger and is currently recovering. "Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the incident," the statement read. "We would like to thank Dr Niraj Uttamani, Dr Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati Hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time," Saif Ali Khan's team added. Dixit Gedam, DCP Zone 9 of Mumbai Police, who is part of the team investigating an attack on Actor Saif Ali Khan said that one of the accused has been identified. "It has been discovered that the accused used the fire escape to enter their house. So far, the investigation suggests that it was an attempted burglary. We are making every effort to arrest the accused as soon as possible. Once he is arrested, we will be able to disclose further details," he said. "One accused has been identified. He used the staircase to enter, and teams are in the field to arrest him. There are 10 detection teams working in different directions," DCP Gedam added. The shocking incident unfolded at Saif Ali Khan's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. After learning about the unfortunate incident, several members of the film industry expressed concern regarding actor's health. Filmmaker Siddharth Anand and his wife visited the hospital to keep a check on the actor. (ANI) Family members and close friends have been gathering at Lilavati Hospital after hearing the news of an attack on actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder at his residence in Mumbai. Earlier on Thursday, Saif's wife and actor Kareena Kapoor Khan was spotted outside the hospital. Saif's sister Soha Ali Khan and brother-in-law Kunal Kemmu also visited the hospital to keep a check on Saif. Sara Ali Khan and Ibrahim also came to meet their father. Saif sustained a thoracic spinal cord injury, as per Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital. "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid," the doctor informed. Saif also got deep wounds on his left hand and neck, the doctor informed. "Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now," Dr Dange added. Earlier, Saif's team also issued a statement stating that the actor is out of danger and is currently recovering."Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police is investigating the incident," the statement read. "We would like to thank Dr Niraj Uttamani, Dr Nitin Dange, Dr Leena Jain and the team at Lilavati Hospital. Thank you to all his fans and well-wishers for their prayers and thoughts during this time," Saif Ali Khan's team added. Dixit Gedam, DCP Zone 9 of Mumbai Police, who is part of the team investigating an attack on Actor Saif Ali Khan said that one of the accused has been identified. "It has been discovered that the accused used the fire escape to enter their house. So far, the investigation suggests that it was an attempted burglary. We are making every effort to arrest the accused as soon as possible. Once he is arrested, we will be able to disclose further details," he said. "One accused has been identified. He used the staircase to enter, and teams are in the field to arrest him. There are 10 detection teams working in different directions," DCP Gedam added. The shocking incident unfolded at Saif's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. (ANI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday attended a special screening of Kangana Ranaut-starrer 'Emergency' film. In the visuals captured by ANI, Kangana, who is also a politician, could be seen exchanging warm greetings with the Chief Minister as he arrived at a theatre in Mumbai to watch the film. https://x.com/ANI/status/1879818608513360325 Recently, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari attended a screening of Kangana and Anupam Kher's film 'Emergency' in Nagpur. Kangana took to Instagram and shared a couple of pictures from the screening. In one of the images, Gadkari, Kangana and Kher can be seen conversing with each other."#emergency with @gadkari.nitin ji Releasing 17th January," Kangana captioned the post. Gadkari also took to X and heaped praise on the team of 'Emergency' for "presenting the dark chapter of our nation's history with such authenticity and excellence." "Joined the special screening of the movie Emergency, featuring @KanganaTeam Ji and Shri @AnupamPKherJi, in Nagpur today. I wholeheartedly thank the filmmakers and actors for presenting the dark chapter of our nation's history with such authenticity and excellence. I urge everyone to watch this film, which portrays a significant period in India's history," he posted. Kher and Kangana's film 'Emergency' will be released in theatres on January 17. It also stars Shreyas Talpade and late Satish Kaushik. Recently, both Kangana and Kher sat down with ANI and discussed working with each other in the upcoming film, which delves into the Emergency, that was imposed by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi for 21 months from 1975 to 1977, and its aftermath. Talking about the movie, Kangana expressed her admiration for Anupam Kher. She even called Kher the "hero" of the film and admitted that she would not have made 'Emergency' if Kher had denied being a part of it. "It was very important for me to have Anupam ji in this film. If he refused to do 'Emergency', then I wouldn't have made it. Look at his on-screen personality...there's honesty on his face. No one can portray the role of Jayaprakash Narayan except him," Kangana shared. (ANI) After learning about an alleged attack by an intruder on Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan at his residence in Mumbai, his family members and friends from the industry, in no time, visited the Lilavati Hospital to keep a check on the actor as he underwent surgery there. Many even took to social media and prayed for Saif's speedy recovery. Kareena's cousin Riddhima Kapoor Sahni sent her "love" to the couple. Taking to Instagram, she shared a picture of Kareena and Saif and captioned it, "Love you both (red heart emoji)" Saif's younger sister, Saba Pataudi, has reacted to the incident and expressed how proud she feels of her brother for "standing tall" during such a traumatic ordeal. Saba took to her Instagram Stories to post a black-and-white childhood picture with Saif, accompanied by an emotional note. In her message, she shared her "shock" about the incident and also lauded her brother for his strength."I am in shock and reeling from this insane incident. But proud of you, Bhaijaan. Taking care of the family and standing tall would make Abba so proud. I am. Get well soon. Missing being there. Will see you soon. Duas in prayers always," read her note. Saba also added an "I Love You" sticker to the post. The shocking incident at the 'Hum Tum' actor's residence, in the early hours of Thursday, has raised concerns about safety in Mumbai and has left the actor's fans and colleagues from the film fraternity deeply worried. The incident occurred when an intruder allegedly confronted the actor's maid at his residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra. As Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, it escalated into a violent altercation, resulting in the actor sustaining several stab wounds. Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery under the supervision of a team of doctors. In a statement, Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital said, "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with an alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and is out of danger." (ANI) Actor Priyanka Chopra has expressed her deep sorrow and urged people to support the victims who have been affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in California. On Thursday, Priyanka penned a long note where she urged people to help victims with pictures of LA Wildfires. She wrote, "I [?] you LA. My heart is so heavy. While I'm deeply grateful for our home and my family's safety, so many of our friends, colleagues, and fellow Angelenos have lost so much. These fires have displaced countless families and devastated entire communities, leaving an overwhelming need for rebuilding and support." She added, "To the firefighters, first responders, and volunteers risking everything--you are true heroes." "Over the past week, I've come across countless GoFundMe pages and organizations working tirelessly to provide relief. If you're able, please consider donating to those who have lost everything or supporting organizations like @cafirefound, @baby2baby, @americanredcross and so many more making a difference on the ground. Every contribution, no matter the size, truly helps. I'll keep adding pages as I come across them. Link in my bio for more details," she concluded. https://www.instagram.com/p/DE24ArDt2Nx/?img_index=4 The wildfires, which have devastated large portions of the LA area, first ignited in Pacific Palisades and spread to Malibu and Santa Monica, with the Eaton Fire particularly impacting the Altadena-Pasadena area. In the aftermath of the destruction, LA County remains under a "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service. While one fire, the Hurst Fire, is nearly contained, a new wildfire, the Auto Fire, broke out overnight in Ventura, burning more than 50 acres, according to The Hollywood Reporter. (ANI) Delhi Chief Minister Atishi inspected the Republic Day Camp 2025, where NCC cadets from across the nation presented her with a formal 'Guard of Honour.' According to a press release from the Chief Minister's Office, CM Atishi praised the cadets for their discipline, patriotism, and commitment to social service, stating that their efforts inspire confidence in the nation's future. She highlighted the role of youth in addressing India's challenges, such as ensuring quality education, better healthcare, and women's safety. She expressed optimism that the innovative ideas, enthusiasm, and hard work of young people could drive the country to become a global leader. During her visit, CM Atishi inspected the Guard of Honour and attended a series of events, including a performance by the NCC band. She visited the Flag Area, showcasing displays from 17 NCC Directorates, and the 'Hall of Fame,' where cadets exhibited models of warships and aircraft. Cultural programmes celebrating India's diverse heritage were also part of the camp's highlights. CM Atishi reflected on the significance of Republic Day and the adoption of India's Constitution on January 26, 1950. She called for young individuals to draw inspiration from freedom fighters, including Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi, who made immense sacrifices for the nation's independence. The Chief Minister underscored the importance of safeguarding the rights granted by the Constitution, which were hard-earned through such sacrifices. CM Atishi paid tribute to freedom fighters, stating,"Many of those who fought for these rights were young. Bhagat Singh was just 23 when he gave his life for the nation. Imagine if he had chosen a safer, more conventional path; perhaps India would not be free today. Similarly, Mahatma Gandhi, Lala Lajpat Rai, and others sacrificed personal comfort and safety for the nation's freedom. Their names are iconic, but thousands of unsung heroes also stepped forward with one goal: to win freedom for India. They gave their lives so that every Indian could enjoy democratic rights." "The future of our country--whether it will provide quality education to every child, healthcare to the poorest, and safety for every woman--rests in the hands of our youth. I trust that the discipline, patriotism, and spirit of service instilled by NCC will ensure that the nation's future is in safe hands. With committed and disciplined young people like you, nothing can prevent India from becoming the world's number one country," she said. (ANI) China's Ministry of Public Security has issued a notice urging the public to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to fraudulent overseas job offers which turned out to be cross-border fraud schemes. The notice follows an increase in appeals for help from families of victims who were lured abroad, subsequently lost contact and became trapped in criminal activities. Local public security agencies have been instructed to conduct thorough investigations into these cases, the ministry said, adding that efforts are being made to rescue stranded individuals and ensure their safe return. The ministry warned of deceptive tactics used by overseas fraud syndicates, which often promise high-paying jobs, free meals and accommodations, or other enticing offers. Once victims are lured overseas, they may be illegally detained and coerced into participating in telecom and internet fraud schemes, it added. Families dealing with cases of missing or trapped relatives abroad are advised to report to local police and seek assistance through official channels, including Chinese diplomatic missions, the ministry added. Public security authorities will continue their high-pressure crackdown on cross-border telecom and internet fraud, with a particular focus on emerging fraud hubs such as Myawaddy in Myanmar, said the ministry. The ministry pledged efforts to strengthen international law enforcement cooperation, further safeguarding the safety, property and legitimate rights and interests of the people. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) secured its first conviction of 2025 as the Special NIA Court, Mumbai sentenced four individuals to five years of imprisonment in a case related to the possession of Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN), according to a press release. The verdict was delivered on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone for the agency in the ongoing fight against counterfeit currency. The case was initially registered by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Nagpur, on January 16, 2020. Authorities seized fake currency with a face value of Rs 13,67,500 and arrested four accused. Subsequently, the NIA took over the case, re-registering it as RC-02/2020/NIA/MUM on February 10, 2020. After a thorough investigation, the NIA filed a chargesheet on April 7, 2020, naming four arrested individuals--Lalu Khan, Mahesh Bagwan, Randheer Singh Thakur, and Ritesh Raghuwanshi--as accused. A fifth individual, identified as Sohrab Hosen from Malda, West Bengal, was declared wanted. During subsequent investigations, the NIA apprehended the absconding accused, Sohrab Hosen, on June 29, 2020. Hosen was later found to be involved in smuggling FICNs and Phensedyl cough syrup across the Indo-Bangladesh border. A supplementary chargesheet was filed against him on September 24, 2020. However, Hosen passed away while in custody at Lucknow Prison, the release said. The four accused pleaded guilty to the charges in the Special NIA Court, Mumbai. The court sentenced each of them to five years of imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 3,000 each. Earlier, the NIA arrested Md Amir alias Sonu of North 24 Pargana district an absconding accused relating to the mob attack on Bharatiya Janata Party leader Priyangu Pandey in West Bengal. Priyangu Pandey and his entourage were attacked near gate No 3 of Anglo Indian Jute Mill staff quarter Bhatpara in West Bengal on August 28, 2024. Two people including the driver suffered gunshot injuries. (ANI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed the regular bail plea of Neeraj Sehrawat alias Neeraj Bawania in Jail Van double murder case. The High Court said that "the larger interests of society must prevail over the individual rights of an undertrial." Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani dismissed the bail application after hearing the submissions and due consideration of facts. Justice Bhambhani said, "In the present case the record shows that the petitioner has committed heinous offences while he was on bail in other cases, and he has been convicted for the offences committed while on bail. "When there is a long list of serious criminal involvements, including convictions for offences committed while on bail in other cases, the apprehension that the petitioner suffers from recidivism cannot be dismissed as imaginary. In that view of the matter, the petitioner's submission that he has served sentence for those crimes offers scant comfort to the court that no one else will be harmed by the petitioner if he is enlarged on bail this time," Justice Bhambhani said. The bench said that it is also settled law, that bail can justifiably be denied when there is real risk of repeat offences being committed. Sections 437 and 439 of the Cr.P.C. contemplate that contingency. "As a sequitur to the foregoing, regrettably this court finds itself unable to allow the present bail petition, which is accordingly dismissed," the High Court said in the order passed on January 15. The High Court said that to reiterate, in the present case, bail is not being denied so as to inflict pre-trial punishment upon the petitioner, but in view of the petitioner's grave criminal antecedents and demonstrable recidivistic tendencies, as discussed above. "It may be said that the right to speedy trial derived from Article 21 of the Constitution of India is not a 'free pass' for every undertrial, demanding that he be enlarged on bail regardless of his criminal antecedents and the nature of the offence. In matters such as this, the larger interests of society must prevail over the individual rights of an undertrial," Justice Bhambhani held. While dismissing the bail application the HC said, " This court cannot help but express its consternation about the delay in conducting trial in the subject FIR, which has given to the petitioner a ground to seek release on regular bail. The completion of trial in the present case brooks no further delay. " "In the circumstances, without setting out any timelines, this court urges the learned trial court to conclude the trial in the present case without any further undue delay," the High Court urged. Senior advocate N Hariharan, and advocate Siddharth S Yadav appeared for Neeraj Bawania. This case is related to an incident where a violent quarrel erupted between undertrial prisoners while they were being ferried in a jail van from the Rohini Court lock-up to Tihar Jail, New Delhi, which led to two of the prisoners in the jail van namely Vikram and Pradeep being done to death by some of the other prisoners who were housed in the same compartment of the jail van as the two victims. At the relevant time, there were 9 prisoners in the jail van. The petitioner Neeraj Bawania was one of them. (ANI) The police disposed of the drugs at the Mulki Industrial Area. "Today, with the court's permission, we are disposing of drugs seized in 2024 and some from 2023. We do every year," Mangalore Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal told ANI on Thursday. "We are disposing of drugs seized in 37 cases, that is around 335 kg marijuana, 6.5 kg MDMA, and 16 grams cocaine, valuing around Rs 6 crore 80 lakh. Last year we booked more than 1000 drug cases of which 88 were peddling cases," he added. Meanwhile, on January 11, Assam Rifles recovered heroin worth Rs 97.90 Lakhs and apprehended one individual in the general area of Zote, Champhai district of Mizoram. The accused was identified as Laltanpuia (35), a resident of Tlangsam village, Champhai district. The entire consignment along with the apprehended individual was handed over to the Excise and Narcotics Department, Champhai for further legal proceedings, added the statement. The ongoing smuggling of contraband items is a major cause of concern for the state of Mizoram and India. Assam Rifles has continued its efforts against illegal smuggling and has also doubled its efforts to nab the kingpins of the smuggling of contraband items in Mizoram. On January 10, Assam Rifles, in a joint operation with the Mizoram Special Narcotics CID, apprehended three individuals and recovered heroin worth Rs 9.51 lakh from them in Aizawl, an official said. The apprehended individuals have been identified as Ngurthanzami and Bikash Gharti. "Assam Rifles recovered 13.590 gms of Heroin No 4 worth Rs 9.51 lakh and apprehended three individuals (one female and two male) (Ngurthanzami, (29) resident of New Champhai, Mizoram, Bikash Gharti, (24) resident of Zemabawk S.A Veng, Aizawl, Mizoram and Lalramthara, (37) resident of Tuikual South, Aizawl, Mizoram) from general area Zemabawk S.A Veng, Aizawl district on January 10," according to an official release. (ANI) Thousands of devotees took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam, a sacred confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and 'mystical' Saraswati, here on Thursday morning, the fourth day of the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh. Over 6 crore devotees have participated in the world's biggest religious congregation; over 3.5 crore on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14. Meanwhile, given the massive influx of pilgrims, the Prayagraj administration has established an AI-based computerized lost and found centre. Sharing details about the centre, Additional Mela Adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi told ANI, "An AI-based lost and found centre has been set up. Arrangements are made there for accommodation, clothes and food for the people who are lost... There has not been a single case in which we have not been able to reunite children or lost people with their relatives. We have received a good response from the computerised lost and found centre... If there is a case in which we have not been able to reunite a person with his relatives, then the administration takes them to their home at its own expense." On Wednesday, a 21-member delegation from 10 countries arrived at Arail Tent City in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj. The delegation is scheduled to take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam. The delegation, invited by the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, will take a sacred dip at Triveni Sangam on Thursday. The visiting group includes representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This showcases the global interest in this spiritual event, which is a symbol of India's rich cultural and spiritual heritage. During their visit, the delegation will participate in a heritage walk to explore the rich cultural and historical legacy of Prayagraj. They will also enjoy an aerial view of the Mahakumbh area during a helicopter ride. Dinner and rest arrangements have also been made at the tent city for their convenience. The statement noted that the Mahakumbh, organised under the leadership of the Yogi government, has drawn global attention this year. Their accommodations have been arranged at the Tent City in Arail, an initiative by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. The next key bathing dates include January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has launched a social security allowance, which has been increased to Rs 3,500 for the eligible beneficiaries. The Chief Minister attended a program in Odisha's Keonjhar, where the increased allowance was distributed to the beneficiaries. An enhanced allowance of Rs 3,500 will be provided to eligible beneficiaries under the Madhubabu Bhatta Yojana and the National Security Program. This comes after the National Health Authority on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha in the national capital for the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) in Odisha. The agreement was signed between the Chief Executive Officer, the National Health Authority (NHA) and Commissioner cum Secretary, Government of Odisha, Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of Odisha at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Besides Majhi, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and other senior Central and state ministers were also present during the signing of the MoU. Speaking at the event, BJP National President and Union Minister JP Nadda said that 61 crore people, which is 45 per cent of the Indian population have been covered under Ayushman Bharat. As this happened, Majhi on Tuesday took a potshot at the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), saying the party, which ruled Odisha for 24 years straight before being dethroned by the BJP in 2024, kept the state outside the ambit of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) due to its "personal interests". Speaking to reporters at Bhubaneswar airport CM Majhi said, "Yesterday, we announced two big schemes in Delhi. Ayushman Bharat Yojana was launched by PM [Narendra] Modi in 2018 but it was not implemented in Odisha when BJD was in power because of their personal interest...After we came to power in Odisha, we announced the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Yojana in the state. An MoU has been signed between the State and the Central Govt yesterday." "This will benefit the 1.3 crore people of the state. This will be implemented in 30,000 hospitals in the country where benefits can be taken by showing a single card by the people of Odisha," he added. Earlier, Majhi reflected on the success of the 18th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas, held from January 8 to 10. "For the first time, Odisha received the opportunity to host Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. We have benefitted from this because our program was good. It started with the young diaspora, the PM came here, President also came here," he said. "Besides the program, the guests had come for investment, tourism development...In our plenary session discussions were held on business, tourism...We are organising a 'Make in Odisha' conclave...They are in touch with us that they will invest in Odisha...We have sanctioned investments of INR 2.5 lakh crores. INR 5 lakh crores investment will come later," Majhi added. (ANI) Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakina Masood Itoo has clarified that 13 deaths in three families in a remote village in Rajouri district were not caused by any mysterious disease or virus as all tests have shown negative results. Speaking to the media, Health Minister Itoo said that at first when five people died, the health department visited the spot and took samples of 3,500 people. "Around 13 people have died in Rajouri. When initially five people died - then the health department team went there and screened 3,500 people door-to-door, after that it stopped. Later, three more people died and then our health department called teams from outside," she said. She further refuted any spread of the virus or disease, saying that if there was any, it would have spread by now in the area. "This is the third time and now five more people have lost their lives - and that too after 40 days - if there was any disease - it would have spread by now. All the samples that were tested have come negative. Some tests were done at the National Institute of Virology in Pune and all of them came out negative. The reports from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in New Delhi also came out negative. Tests were also done at the ICMR Virus Research and diagnostic Laboratory in Jammu. No disease or virus has been found yet," Sakina Masood Itoo said. The J-K health minister also mentioned that out of 13 people- 11 were children. "Out of the 13 people - 11 are children who have lost their lives. I think it is not a disease. These deaths have occurred in three families," she said. Sakina Masood Itoo also asserted that the deaths in three families are of great concern and the police and district administration will investigate the matter. (ANI) In two separate operations, the troops of the Border Security Force (BSF) recovered a drone and a heroin consignment in the border areas of Tarn Taran and Amritsar districts of Punjab, said the BSF. The recovered heroin consignment weighed around 540 grams, as per the BSF officials. Earlier on Wednesday, in a crackdown against narco-drones, the Border Security Force recovered a Pakistani (drone) with 15 packets of suspected heroin weighing 8.560 kgs, along the border in the Amritsar district, according to a press statement. According to an official release, "Acting on credible intelligence provided by the BSF intelligence wing, regarding smuggling activities in the depth area of Village Balharwal, a meticulously planned ambush was laid near the anticipated drone dropping zone." "During the operation at about 7:45 am, ambush party herd some dropping sound of something and on searching the area party recovered 1 big packet (Gross weight- 8.560 Kgs) which contained 15 small packets, suspected to be Heroin," it said. As per the release, the packet was wrapped in yellow adhesive tape. "5 illumination strips and a steel ring found attached with this packet are indicative of a possible case of drone dropping," said the BSF in the release. Earlier on January 12, the Punjab Frontier of the BSF recovered a Glock pistol with a magazine and suspected heroin weighing 548 grams from a farming field in the Ferozepur district, the BSF said in a release. Acting on intelligence provided by the BSF's intelligence wing regarding the presence of a suspicious item near the border area of Ferozepur district, the BSF conducted a meticulous search operation in the identified location. "During a search operation at approximately 9:00 am, BSF troops successfully recovered two packets from a farming field near Tendi Wala village in Ferozepur district. One packet contained a Glock pistol with a magazine, while the other held suspected heroin with a gross weight of 548 grams," the BSF said. The BSF said that both packets, wrapped in yellow adhesive tape and attached to an iron hook, are indicative of a possible case of drone dropping. By intercepting Pakistani drones carrying consignments of heroin or arms, the BSF continues to thwart the desperate attempts of smugglers and safeguard national security. (ANI) These fishermen were arrested for alleged cross-border fishing. Tamil Nadu Fisheries Department officials received them at the airport and sent them to their respective native places. According to the fisheries department, a group of eight fishermen were fishing near the Mannar island area on September 27, 2024, when the Sri Lankan Navy arrested them alleging for cross border fishing. They were produced before Sri Lankan courts and imprisoned. Likewise, on November 11, 2024, a group of 12 fishermen from the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for alleged cross-border fishing and they were also imprisoned. After the intervention of the Union and the state government, 15 fishermen were released from the Sri Lankan jails, out of which three fishermen are from Rameshwaram and 12 fishermen from Nagapattinam. Meanwhile, on January 5, in a mutual exchange of fishermen coordinated between the Indian Coast Guard and the Bangladesh Coast Guard, ICG Ship Varad and Amrit Kaur successfully repatriated 95 fishermen along with four Indian fishing boats while handing over 90 Bangladeshi fishermen including 12 rescued from sunken fishing boat "Kaushik", as per an official statement. The Indian Fishermen were handed over to West Bengal State Fisheries authorities at South 24 Parganas post repatriation from Bangladesh. In recent months, several Indian fishermen have been arrested by Bangladesh authorities when they happened to inadvertently cross the International Maritime Boundary Line and entered Bangladesh waters. Several Bangladesh fishermen have also been apprehended by Indian authorities in similar circumstances, the official statement noted. (ANI) After Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence, BJP MLA Ram Kadam said that the police will investigate the incident and no one will be spared. In a self-made video, Kadam also asserted that the Police is responsible for ensuring such incidents does not repeat. "According to Police, a man entered the actor's house with the intention of robbery, and in a scuffle with the man the actor suffered injuries. The Police will investigate the incident and no one will be spared. Police are responsible to ensure such an incident does not repeat," Kadam said. According to Mumbai Police, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when the intruder engaged in an argument with the actor's maid. When Saif Ali Khan attempted to intervene and calm the situation, the unknown individual turned aggressive and the two were engaged in a scuffle, causing the actor to sustain injuries. The investigation is going on. The actor, who was immediately attended to, has been admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai for treatment. According to an official statement from the actor's team, "There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter We will keep you updated on the situation." The police have initiated a full investigation into the matter. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. The investigation is ongoing." Earlier today, Congress MP from Mumbai North Central, Varsha Gaikwad targeted the Maharashtra government after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained minor injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence. In a post on X, Gaikwad said that the incident happened in Bandra which is considered a safe neighbourhood. "Extremely shocked at this brazen attack. What is going on in Mumbai? That this happens in Bandra in a what is known as a safe neighbourhood, is what is most concerning. What security can the common man then expect?" the Congress MP said. She also demanded answers from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over the incident. "Day in and day out we hear of gun violence, robberies, stabbing incidents in Mumbai and MMR and the government has no answers. We need answers Dev_Fadnavis," she said. (ANI) "Humble tributes to Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade, a great social reformer, religious reformer and thinker in the history of modern India, on his death anniversary," Gadkari said in a post on X. Mahadev Govind Ranade, popularly referred to as Justice Ranade, was born in Niphad, Nashik, in Maharashtra on January 18, 1842. He was an Indian scholar, social reformer, judge, author and one of the founding members of the Indian National Congress. Ranade was a social reformer and thinker, who advocated against child marriage and the caste system and promoted widow remarriage and education for women. He was one of the leading founders of reform societies like the Prarthana Samaj, the Poona Sarvajanik Sabha and the Vaktruttvottejak Sabha. Towards bringing social and religious reform, he edited an Anglo-Marathi daily paper, the Induprakash. Ranade, along with Vaman Abaji Modak and Dr R. G. Bhandarkar, established the Maharashtra Girls Education Society and the oldest Girls' High School at Huzurpaga in Pune, Maharashtra. He also participated in the formation of the Indian National Congress due to his belief in attaining freedom from colonial rule through constitutional means. Considered a stalwart of the Indian Social Reform Movement, Ranade gave the movement the motto of "Humanize, Equalize and Spiritualize". His ideas boosted the drive for the upliftment of women who later went on to take an active part in the Indian freedom struggle. (ANI) Taiwan compatriots made more than 4.02 million trips to the mainland in 2024, up 54.3 percent from the previous year, a mainland spokesperson announced Wednesday. Chen Binhua, a spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, said at a regular press conference that the mainland has consistently worked to facilitate personnel exchanges across the Taiwan Strait, particularly supporting Taiwan compatriots in working, studying, and living in eastern Fujian Province. Designated as a demonstration zone for cross-Strait integrated development, Fujian saw 920,000 trips by Taiwan compatriots in the past year, marking a 53.3 percent increase year on year, according to the spokesperson. Chen noted that in the past year, 8,817 trips were operated on direct routes between Fujian's coastal areas and Kinmen and Mazu, transporting over 1.37 million passengers, marking year-on-year increases of 67.2 percent and 78.8 percent, respectively. The four direct passenger routes -- Mawei to Mazu, Huangqi to Mazu, Quanzhou to Kinmen, and Xiamen to Kinmen -- currently operate up to 210 trips in total per week, he added. Since the resumption of travel for Fujian residents to Mazu and Kinmen last year, by the end of December, Mazu had received 193 group tourists and 885 individual tourists, while Kinmen had welcomed 2,834 group tourists and 39,751 individual tourists, according to the spokesperson. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced in late August 2024 the decision to resume travel for Fujian residents to Kinmen, with the first tour group arriving in September. Mazu also welcomed its first tour group in August last year. Chen slammed recent comments on cross-Strait tourism from Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te, who claimed that "the real obstacle to cross-Strait exchange is China, not Taiwan." Chen noted that Lai's remarks, which included the terms "Taiwan" and "China" in reference to the two sides of the Strait, were a clear demonstration of separatist "Taiwan independence" rhetoric. They once again demonstrated that the fundamental cause of the current standstill in the resumption of cross-Strait dialogue is the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), which has made repeated provocations through separatist activities, Chen stressed. The resumption of travel to Taiwan for mainland residents hinges on whether the DPP authorities can promptly remove the numerous barriers they have imposed on cross-Strait exchange and cooperation, he added. Two police personnel were injured when a male accused being taken back to Raiganj Correctional Home from Islampur Court at the police escort party, a senior police official said. North Bengal IGP Rajesh Kumar Yadav said the incident took in the Panjipara area of North Dinajpur district when the accused got out of the vehicle to attend to nature's call and then opened fire on the police. Following the attack, the accused managed to flee the scene and is currently at large. Speaking to ANI, IGP Yadav said, " Right now, both of the patients are stable, the team is working and their treatment is underway. This morning, three accused including a woman were taken to Raiganj Correctional Home from Islampur Court. One male accused told the escort party that he needed to attend nature's call. After getting out of the vehicle, he suddenly fired at the Police. He fled alone. He fled on foot. We are investigating how he got the weapon." The injured two policemen who sustained three bullets in their chest have been brought to Islampur sub-district hospital first and then referred to a private hospital in Siliguri as their condition deteriorated, an official said. Further investigation is underway. (ANI) After an attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anand Dubey on Thursday strongly condemned the incident, highlighting a series of recent attacks on high-profile individuals, including shootings outside Salman Khan's home and the murder of Baba Siddique. In a self-made video, Dubey said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis should take cognizance of the matter. "When celebrities and VIPs are not safe in this country, then what will happen to the normal people. Earlier, there was a firing outside Salman Khan's residence, then Baba Siddique was murdered and now Saif Ali Khan has been stabbed. Is there any law and order or not in Mumbai? Devendra Fadnavis should take cognizance of this matter. It is an unfortunate incident," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said. Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Clyde Crasto said that the attack on Bollywood actor is a cause for concern. "Attack on Saif Ali Khan is a cause for concern because if such high-profile people with levels of security can be attacked in their homes, then what could happen to common citizens? Fear of law seems to be at a low in Maharashtra due to leniencies in the past couple of years," Crastro said on X. BJP MLA Ram Kadam said that the police will investigate the incident and no one will be spared. "According to Police, a man entered the actor's house with the intention of robbery, and in a scuffle with the man the actor suffered injuries. The Police will investigate the incident and no one will be spared. Police is responsible to ensure such an incident does not repeat," Kadam said in a self-made video. According to Mumbai Police, the incident occurred late Wednesday night when the intruder engaged in an argument with the actor's maid. When Saif Ali Khan attempted to intervene and calm the situation, the unknown individual turned aggressive and the two were engaged in a scuffle, causing the actor to sustain injuries. The investigation is going on. The actor, who was immediately attended to, has been admitted to the Lilavati Hospital in Mumbai for treatment. According to an official statement from the actor's team, "There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing a surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter We will keep you updated on the situation." The police have initiated a full investigation into the matter. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Dixit Gedam, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing." (ANI) The attack on actor Saif Ali Khan that has led to him suffering at least 6 injuries has resulted in a political battle with opposition leaders cornering the state government. Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut attacked the BJP-led state government over the incident and asked when artists like Saif Ali Khan are attacked then to what extent the common public is safe? The UBT MP questioned Maharashtra's Home Minister on the prevailing law and order situation in the state. Raut further claimed that such incidents are happening on a "daily basis" in slum areas but this incident came to light because a celebrity was attacked. Addressing a press conference, Raut said, "Saif Ali Khan is an artist; he has also been awarded Padma Shri. Saif Ali Khan and his family met him at the Prime Minister's residence a few days ago. The Prime Minister had invited him. Everyone sat with him for an hour and discussed. Saif Ali Khan was also very happy after meeting the Prime Minister. But yesterday the Prime Minister was in Mumbai and at this time Saif Ali Khan was attacked with a knife. Some people say the attacker was a thief, some say something else, but what is the law and order situation in this state? ... Where is our Home Minister?" "If we speak, comments are made on us that you have no work. If you have work, you are busy as Home Minister, then what is happening in Mumbai and Maharashtra? ... In Mumbai, an artist like Saif Ali Khan is attacked in his most secure house ... How is the common public safe? Such incidents are happening every day in slums.... Saif Ali Khan is a celebrity, that is why you have come to know about this news," he added. UBT Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that it was a matter of shame for Mumbai that such an incident had happened. "What a shame that Mumbai sees another high profile attempt on life, the attack on Saif Ali Khan yet again raises questions on Mumbai Police and the Home Minister. This is after a series of incidents that show there is a deliberate attempt to undermine Mumbai by targeting big names: - Baba Siddique ji's family is still awaiting justice after his shocking murder. - Salman Khan forced to live in a bullet proof house. - Now it is Saif Ali Khan All in Bandra. An area which has the highest concentration of celebrities, which is supposed to have adequate security. If celebrities are not safe then who in Mumbai is? Wishing Saif Ali Khan a speedy recovery," she posted on X. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday expressed his shock after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan sustained injuries following a scuffle with an intruder who entered his residence. Kejriwal wished for a speedy recovery and strength to the family of actor Saif Ali Khan in this difficult time. "Shocked to hear about the attack on Saif Ali Khan. Wishing him a speedy recovery and strength to his family during this difficult time," AAP chief posted on X. Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan suffered six stab wounds, two of which were deep, with one located near his spine and a foreign object was also identified near his spine, the Lilavati Hospital said in a statement after the latter was attacked by an intruder in his house. Dr Niraj Uttamani, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Lilavati Hospital, said that Saif was brought to the hospital at 3 am on Thursday. The Hospital also mentioned that the Bollywood actor is currently undergoing surgery under Dr Nitin Dange, Consultant Neurosurgeon, Dr Leena Jain, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Dr Nisha Gandhi, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Dr Kavita Srinivas, Intensivist, Dr Manoj Deshmukh Consultant Radiologist. "The extent of the damage will be understood once the surgery is completed," Lilavati Hospital COO said. Earlier, Mumbai Police's Crime Branch officials arrived at the location to investigate the matter. The attack took place at the 'Satguru Sharan' building, where Khan resides. According to police reports, the intruder initially had a confrontation with Khan's maid. As the actor intervened to defuse the situation, the intruder became aggressive, resulting in a scuffle. A message from Saif Ali Khan's PR team confirmed the incident, describing it as an attempted burglary. The message read, "There was an attempted burglary at Saif Ali Khan's residence. He is currently in hospital undergoing surgery. We request the media and fans to be patient. It is a police matter." Mumbai Police have launched an investigation into the attack. Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam commented, "The actor and the intruder had a scuffle. The actor is injured and is being treated. Investigation is ongoing." (ANI) Congress leader Sandeep Dixit questioned the Samajwadi Party's decision to support the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi Assembly elections and said Akhilesh Yadav's support may be motivated by AAP's excise policy. Speaking to ANI, Dikshit said, "It might be the case that Akhilesh Yadav likes their (AAP's) excise policy or he might also want to build a grand house for himself. If a person supports someone in politics, it means they are supporting their policies." Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said that AAP is stronger than the Congress in Delhi so his party has decided to stand with AAP. Speaking to ANI, Akhilesh Yadav said, "The regional party fighting against the BJP should be supported by the leaders of the INDIA alliance. AAP and Congress are fighting against each other in Delhi. AAP is strong and we have decided to stand with them. The question is about Delhi and our goal is that the BJP gets defeated. Congress and AAP have the same goal too." After the Samajwadi Party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) also extended its support to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the upcoming Delhi elections. The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already announced its candidates for all 70 assembly seats. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its candidates for 59 seats. The last date for filing nominations is January 17. The date for scrutiny of nominations is January 18. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is January 20. The Congress, which was in power for 15 consecutive years in Delhi, has suffered setbacks in the last two assembly elections and has failed to win any seat. In contrast, the AAP dominated the 2020 assembly elections by winning 62 out of 70 seats while the BJP got only eight seats. (ANI) As the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) makes history with the successful conclusion of the docking process of two satellites, former ISRO scientist Mylswamy Annadurai on Thursday said that the success of the docking process as part of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) project will help to undertake the Chandrayaan-4 mission. Congratulating the team at ISRO, Annadurai said that the success of the docking process will also help when the space station comes as part of the Indian space program. It will help with the removal of debris as well, he added. "I am really happy and congratulate the entire team that made this possible. This docking will have its own importance in the coming years. It will help a lot in the Chandrayaan-4 mission. It will help when the space station comes. It will even prove helpful in removing the debris. The Indian space program is almost done now. This is really a good achievement," Annadurai told ANI. V Narayanan, Secretary of the Department of Space (DOS), Chairman Space Commission and Chairman of ISRO, also congratulated the team. Meanwhile, ISRO informed that control of two satellites as a single object post-docking has been successful. "SpaDeX Docking Update: Post docking, control of two satellites as a single object is successful. Undocking and power transfer checks to follow in coming days," ISRO posted on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning extended his wishes as ISRO achieved a historic feat by successfully concluding the docking process of two satellites. He said that the success of the SpaDeX project was a stepping stone for future space missions. "Congratulations to our scientists at ISRO and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come," PM Modi posted on X. ISRO on Thursday morning announced that the much-awaited satellite docking has been concluded, with India becoming the fourth country to do the same. "India became the 4th country to achieve successful Space Docking. Congratulations to the entire team! Congratulations to India," ISRO posted on X. SpaDeX docking process completed manoeuvring from 15 meters to 3 metres hold point with precision, leading to successful spacecraft capture. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said this paves the way for the smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station and Chandrayaan 4. Earlier, SpaDeX project director N Surendran said that this experiment would prove fruitful for future assignments like the Bharatiya Antariksha Station and the Chandrayaan-4 mission since the docking mechanism was becoming necessary. (ANI) In a recent operation, the Delhi Police apprehended a transgender individual who lacked proper documentation and revealed during interrogation that he had entered India from Bangladesh approximately 10 years ago. Speaking to ANI, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West, Vichitra Veer asserted that the police is conducting a campaign in all "vulnerable" areas that have the possibility of Bangladeshi residents. "For the last 1.5 months, a campaign has been run in Delhi, under which intensive checking is being carried out in all the vulnerable pockets where there is a possibility that Bangladeshi nationals may be found. Under this campaign, we conducted search operations at various places in the western district. Earlier also, we arrested around 10 Bangladeshis from here," he said. "Two days ago, Vikaspuri police station received information that at a particular place, some suspicious persons came. They might be involved in anti-social activities. We laid a trap and apprehended a transgender. During interrogation, we found that he did not have any documentation. The person admitted that he is a resident of Bangladesh and had come here around 10 years ago. The investigation is underway," DCP West added. Meanwhile, in a recent operation, the Central Delhi Police detained nine Bangladeshi nationals over the past six days. Seven of the individuals were arrested from a hotel in the Nabi Karim area of Central Delhi. Reports said that some of the detainees had entered India using tourist visas, while others had illegally crossed the border through the "donkey route" passing through West Bengal and Tripura before reaching Delhi. With this operation, a total of 14 Bangladeshi nationals have now been detained by the Central Delhi Police, and they have been sent to the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) for further processing and investigation. M Harshavardhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) for Central Delhi, confirmed the operation and the arrests, highlighting the ongoing efforts of the police to curb illegal immigration and maintain law and order in the region. (ANI) Ahead of participating in the seventh edition of Regional Industry Conclave, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi his government has resolved to double the economy of the state. The seventh edition of Regional Industry Conclave is going to be held at University Institute of Technology (UIT) in Shahdol on Thursday, aiming to promote regional industries with cooperation and collaboration. "I am happy that to improve our economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking the country forward and under his leadership, we have also resolved to double the economy of the state. Today, I am going to attend the Regional Industry Conclave in Shahdol. It is a big meeting of industrial investment at the divisional level in which we have called all types of investors and are getting different types of new investment proposals. We are receiving investment proposals for all the sectors, be it tourism, health, mining, heavy industry, MSME etc," CM Yadav said. Additionally, the bhoomi pujan and inauguration works under the investment MoU signed during the previously held Regional Industry Conclaves will be continued. Investment proposals of over Rs 4 lakh crores have been received in the six editions of conclaves held so far, the Chief Minister said, adding that over 3 lakh employment opportunities would be generated. "We hope that in the coming times, Madhya Pradesh will create a different kind of identity, especially emerging strong economically. I extend my greeting to the people of the state. We are also preparing for the upcoming Global Investor Summit scheduled to be held in February and hope that it will break all records till now," he added. According to an official release, around 4000 participants and over 2000 industrialists will participate in the seventh edition of the Regional Industry Conclave in Shahdol. Policy dialogues and innovations will be shared with industrialists and investors during the conclave. Additionally, CM Yadav will dedicate and perform Bhoomi Pujan of 28 industrial units on the occasion. During the conclave, the Chief Minister will hold one-to-one discussions with the leading industrialists of the country. Notably, the Regional Industry Conclaves are being held in the state as a pre-event of the "Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investor Summit-2025". The main objective of the GIS-2025 Summit is to establish Madhya Pradesh as a favourable investment destination and to include it among the leading states of the country by highlighting the capabilities, abundant resources and favourable industrial environment of the state. The first edition of Regional Industry Conclave was organised in Ujjain in March last year. After that the second edition was held in Jabalpur on July 20, 2024 and then third edition in Gwalior on August 28, 2024 fourth edition in Sagar on September 27, 2024, fifth edition in Rewa on October 23, 2024 and sixth edition in Narmadapuram on December 7 last year. (ANI) Amid reports about discontent within the Karnataka unit of Congress regarding leadership issues, the state's Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, on Thursday said that his incumbent position in the party, i.e. the chief of Karnataka Congress, is "not available in the shop". "KPCC [Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee] post is not available even in the shop, even if you speak in front of the media, you will not get it," he said. Responding to a question about the change in the post of KPCC president, he told reporters: "The party leaders will recognize the work and effort we do and give us a suitable post." Shivakumar also advised fellow party leaders and workers to refrain from discussing matters pertaining to the leadership hierarachy before the media. He said, "Come and talk to AICC President [Mallikarjun Kharge], Rahul Gandhi, Chief Minister or me. It is not just Congress. I say that any party, including BJP, JDS...should discuss the issue of the party internally. If I want any position will you (media) give me that position? Or are these posts available in store? There is no point in giving a statement in front of the media. Instead it will have the opposite effect," he asked. Shivakumar further stated, "...I humbly request that party is more important than speaking in front of media. Whatever problem anyone has, discuss it with the high command and resolve it. Presently we are preparing for Jai Bapu, Jai Bheem, Jai Constitution Convention, for which [Randeep] Surjewala will arrive in Belgaum on Friday. Whatever your questions are, ask them." There have been reports of a protracted, but mostly muted, struggle between factions loyal to Shivakumar and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over power-sharing, both in the state government and the Karnataka Congress, ever since the party won the 2023 Assembly election in the state. At the time of the formation of the current Karnataka government, reports suggested that an understanding had been reached between the factions. The deal reportedly stipulated that Shivakumar would get the CM post after Siddaramaiah spent 2.5 years in the top-most executive office of the state. Recent speculations say the KPCC President post might figure in a tradeoff for the CM post. Earlier this week CM Siddaramaiah, speaking along the same lines as his deputy, said, "Media should show the truth instead of fanning rumours. It is still going on that Siddaramaiah is going to leave, if I tell the truth, there are no differences within the party, but still, we see every day, that CM is going to change, CM will be changed, the chair is not vacant." (ANI) Congress will hold a 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' rally in Karnataka's Belgaum on 21st January to demand Union Home Minister Amit Shah's resignation over his statement on BR Ambedkar, KC Venugopal, AICC General Secretary (Organisation), said. The Belgaum rally was scheduled for December 27, but the Congress had to postpone it after the death of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "Today, we had the meeting to discuss the program for the 'Jai Bapu, Jai Bhim and Jai Samvidhan' rally on 21st January. Earlier we had decided to have a rally in Belgaum which was cancelled due to the sad demise of Manmohan Singh. Now we are doing that Belgaum rally on 21st January in a bigger way," Venugopal said after the meeting of general secretaries and state in-charges held at the new Congress headquarters 'Indira Bhawan' in Delhi. "The rally will culminate on 27th January in Madhya Pradesh. In this rally, we will demand the resignation of Amit Shah over his statement on Dr BR Ambedkar," he added. Venugopal said that members of the Congress Working Committee, and PCC presidents were invited for the Belgaum rally. "Congress Working Committee members and PCC presidents have been invited to the Belgaum rally. Amit Shah insulted Ambedkar. He did not give an apology and has not given any clarification," Venugopal said. During the Winter Session of Parliament, Amit Shah had reportedly said in the Rajya Sabha, "If they (the Opposition) had taken the name of God as many times as they take Ambedkar's name, they would have secured heaven for seven lives." Following Shah's remarks, Parliament witnessed parallel protests from both the Treasury and Opposition benches outside the parliament last week, leading to a huge scuffle between the two sides, with BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput sustaining injuries. The ruling BJP MPs were protesting in Parliament's premises against the Congress party for "insulting" Babasaheb Ambedkar. INDIA Bloc MPs, led by Rahul Gandhi, held a protest in Parliament and demanded the resignation of Shah over his remarks on Ambedkar. During the scuffle in Parliament's premises, BJP MPs Pratap Sarangi and Mukesh Rajput were injured on their heads. Both parties have alleged that their members were pushed around. Furthermore, an FIR has been registered against Rahul Gandhi by the Delhi police regarding the incident. (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday performed Gau-Seva at CM's residence in Bhopal before leaving to participate in seventh edition of Regional Industry Conclave being held in Shahdol, believing worshipping cow holds special importance before the commencement of any work in Indian culture. The seventh edition of Regional Industry Conclave is being held at University Institute of Technology (UIT) in Shahdol on Thursday, aiming to promote regional industries with cooperation and collaboration. Along with worshipping the cow and performing Gau-seva, the Chief Minister also prayed for the welfare of the people of the state on the occasion. "In Indian culture, worshipping the cow, 'Gau Mata', holds special importance before the commencement of any work. Before participating in the "Regional Industry Conclave" being held in Shahdol today, I performed Gau-seva at a cow shelter located in CM House and prayed for the welfare of the people of the state," CM stated in a post on X, He further added, "With the blessings of Gau Mata, I wish for abundant investments in Madhya Pradesh, a state with endless possibilities, and for the path to be paved towards the realisation of a developed Madhya Pradesh." Upon reaching Shahdol, CM Yadav inaugurated the seventh edition of the Regional Industry Conclave by lighting a lamp. Deputy Chief Minister Rajendra Shukla, state minister (independent charge) Dilip Jaiswal and others were present on the occasion. "Today, I inaugurated the 'Regional Industry Conclave' organised in Shahdol district of Vindhya region by lighting a lamp. Deputy CM Rajendra Shukla, state minister of state (independent charge) Dilip Jaiswal, investors-industrialists, who came to attend the conclave and other dignitaries were present on this occasion," the CM said in a post on X. Notably, the Regional Industry Conclaves are being held in the state as a pre-event of the "Invest Madhya Pradesh-Global Investor Summit-2025". The main objective of the GIS-2025 Summit is to establish Madhya Pradesh as a favourable investment destination and to include it among the leading states of the country by highlighting the capabilities, abundant resources and favourable industrial environment of the state. The first edition of Regional Industry Conclave was organised in Ujjain in March last year. After that the second edition was held in Jabalpur on July 20, 2024 and then third edition in Gwalior on August 28, 2024 fourth edition in Sagar on September 27, 2024, fifth edition in Rewa on October 23, 2024 and sixth edition in Narmadapuram on December 7 last year. (ANI) Former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has moved to the Delhi High Court seeking an early hearing on his plea for an extension of his medical bail which is scheduled to expire on January 20. It is stated that he has to undergo a cataract surgery fixed for January 24. CBI opposed the extension of medical bail granted to Sengar. He was granted medical bail in the rape victim's father's custodial death. Justice Vikas Mahajan asked the Investigation officer to verify the medical documents of Sengar. The matter has been listed for hearing on Friday. Counsel for Sengar stated that his client has to undergo cataract surgery in AIIMS on January 24. His medical bail is ending on January 20. In these circumstances, he needs an extension of medical bail. On the other hand, CBI counsel opposed the extension of medical bail. It was stated that as per the order granting medical bail, no extension can be granted. Sengar's counsel submitted that there is nothing in the order that bail can't be extended on medical grounds. The Delhi High Court on December 10 suspended the sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Medical grounds till December 20. He is serving ten years sentence in the Unnao rape victim's father's custodial death case. Thereafter the same was extended till January 20. Sengar had approached the High Court seeking interim suspension of sentence on medical grounds. Advocate Kanhaiya Singhal had submitted that Sengar was earlier granted an interim suspension of sentence on medical grounds by the High Court in the POCSO case for two weeks. He is serving a life sentence in the POCSO case. He could not come out of jail as there was no suspension of sentence order in the custodial death case, Advocate Singhal submitted. On December 5, the Delhi High Court granted two weeks of interim bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Medical grounds. He is serving a life sentence in a POCSO case. He was Convicted in the Unnao Rape case in 2018. Earlier, the Division bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma had granted two weeks' interim bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar for treatment. He sought suspension of sentence for 30 days for treatment. The High Court had directed that he be admitted to AIIMS New Delhi and undergo the medical valuation and the medical Superintendent will facilitate his admission. The High Court had also said that after valuation by the medical board, the Medical Superintendent would suggest to the court whether his treatment is possible at AIIMS. It is claimed that he is suffering from Diabetes, cataracts, retinal issues and other ailments. The High Court said that Sengar would be admitted to the hospital for at least 2 to 3 days. After discharge from the hospital, he will stay at a known location and shall remain in touch with the investigation officer. The High Court also said that he should not leave Delhi. The bench said that after his medical valuation status report will be filed on the next date. The Medical Superintendent will suggest whether the sought treatment is possible at AIIMS or not. Senior advocate N Hariharan submitted that Sengar has a retina problem and he wants to undergo treatment at Shankar Netralay, Chennai. On the other hand, advocate Mehmood Pracha appeared for the rape survivor and opposed the bail application. He submitted that earlier medical reports had not suggested that the treatment sought was not possible at AIIMS. It was also submitted that if the accused is released on interim bail it can cause a threat to the victim who has been provided security. After considering the submissions, the High Court granted interim bail and listed the matter on December 20 for hearing. (ANI) Congress MP Jairam Ramesh condemned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remark that India gained "true independence" after the Ram Temple consecration, calling it an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and the Constitution, and demanded an apology from Bhagwat. Speaking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh said, "Mohan Bhagwat keeps giving such statements on many topics, without any meaning. What he has said is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and to the Constitution that Baba Saheb Ambedkar had made, this is an attack on it. Mohan Bhagwat should definitely apologize for it. This is anti-national." On Monday, Mohan Bhagwat said that India witnessed true independence on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. Bhagwat while addressing a gathering at an event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, said, "What is our tradition of 5000 years? The one which started from Lord Ram, Lord Krishna and Lord Shiva. India, which had faced centuries of persecution, witnessed true independence on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. India had gained independence but it was not established." Earlier today, Congress MP Digvijay Singh condemned the remarks of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat over "Independence" and said that the latter should apologize as he has hurt the sentiments of the people of the nation. Speaking to the media, Singh said, "I condemn this statement as he had hurt the sentiments of people of the nation. He disrespected Mahatma Gandhi who dedicated his life to the freedom struggle, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel...and all those who contributed to the freedom of the nation...It is an insult to all those who suffered during the freedom struggle. Mohan Bhagwat has disrespected them and he should apologise for this." On Wednesday, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi also hit out at the BJP and alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties were not just fighting the BJP but the Indian state itself. "Our ideology like the RSS ideology is thousands of years old and it has been fighting the RSS ideology for thousands of years. Do not think that we are fighting a fair fight. There is no fairness in this. If you believe that we are fighting a political organisation called the BJP or RSS, you have not understood what is going on. The BJP and the RSS have captured every single institution of our country. We are now fighting the BJP, the RSS and the Indian State itself," he said. (ANI) The battle for Delhi Assembly Polls has intensified. On Thursday Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Central and Maharashtra government, citing that the party's double engine government is incapable of providing security to the nation. This follows the recent attack on a Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence when the accused entered his house with a motive to attempt robbery and in the course of action, he attacked the actor. Sharpening his attack, Kejriwal alleged that the BJP-led Central government is neither protecting the celebrities nor the borders nor the national capital Delhi, alleging that the crime rate has been increasing in the national capital. The former CM claimed that the double-engine government can neither provide good governance nor security to the people. Addressing a press conference, the former Delhi Chief Minister targeted the BJP and said if their double-engine government cannot provide security to such big celebrities, then how will they provide it to common people? Kejriwal said, "This morning we got the shocking news that Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by unknown people. He is currently undergoing treatment. I pray that he gets well soon but it is a matter of concern that such a big actor who lives in such a safe place is attacked in his house in this manner, this raises questions on the state and central government. Earlier Salman Khan was attacked; Baba Siddiqui was killed. If the BJP's double-engine government cannot provide security to such big celebrities, then what about the common people?..." "News is coming that criminals are running their rule from the jail of Gujarat... They have no fear. It seems that they have security... Every day they (BJP) say that they are not able to protect the Indo-Bangladesh border. If they are not able to do it, then they should resign... They are neither protecting the celebrities nor the borders nor the capital Delhi. Every other day, traders are getting ransom calls, every day 17 children are going missing. The double-engine government can neither provide good governance nor security to the people..." he added. He strongly condemned the attack on the Bollywood actor. Taking a dig at the Centre, the AAP chief said that the government should stop their "dirty politics" and starting working for the welfare of the people. Kejriwal stated, "We strongly condemn the attack on Saif Ali Khan and appeal to the Centre to stop dirty politics and work... You are incapable of providing security.... Start working, stop dirty politics..." The shocking incident unfolded at Saif Ali Khan's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. The Delhi assembly polls will be held in a single phase on February 5 and the counting of votes will take place on February 8. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu congratulated ISRO on Thursday for making India the fourth nation to demonstrate space docking capability, as it successfully docked two satellites launched under SpaDeX. In chorus with her were other prominent political figures. Taking to X, the President of India through Rashtrapati Bhavan's official handle, expressed: "India's space programme achieves historic milestone with the successful docking of the two satellites launched under Space Docking Experiment, SpaDeX! India is the fourth nation to have demonstrated space docking capability." "This achievement paves the way for India's future endeavours in space exploration such as Chandrayaan-4, India's planned space station and Gaganyaan. Congratulations to ISRO and the entire scientists and engineers communities of the country for boosting India's space capabilities," she added. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too lauded ISRO for the "exceptional work". Taking to X, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha posted: "We are extremely proud of the exceptional work of the scientists and space engineers at @isro as they successfully achieved the satellite docking as part of the SpaDex Mission. This significant milestone marks a pivotal step for the future of India's space programme, which has been built over years, and is a collective achievement for the nation." Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami extended his congratulations on Xas well. His post translates as: "Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) for the successful docking of satellites at SpaDeX! India has become the fourth #ISRO to achieve this feat. This success is the result of hard work and continuous efforts of our scientists. We have full faith that in future too, under the able leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, new opportunities will arise in the field of space exploration, which will take the Indian space program to new heights." Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan lauded the "historic" achievement. His post on X translates as: "India's new record in space #Spadex mission's successful docking is a historic achievement. India has become the fourth country to do so. Hearty congratulations to the scientists of @isro and all the countrymen for this. Under the visionary leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, India has emerged as a superpower in space and is touching new heights of success every day." Deputy Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Pawan Kalyan called this feat a "phenomenal milestone" for the country. On the micro-blogging sight, he expressed: "A historic moment for Bharat ! Team ISRO has achieved a phenomenal milestone as the SpaDeX satellites successfully docked in orbit. Bharat is now the fourth country in the world to achieve this extraordinary feat, joining the ranks of the USA, Russia, and China. This remarkable achievement demonstrates the brilliance, perseverance, and ingenuity of our scientists and engineers." "It is a giant leap forward for India's ambitious space projects, including the Bharatiya Antariksha Station (BAS) and future human spaceflight programmes. Congratulations to Team ISRO for this groundbreaking success! You continue to inspire billions of Indians and reaffirm our nation's ability to achieve the extraordinary. This is just the beginning of many more achievements to come," he added. (ANI) Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani and other prominent legal experts have strongly criticised Hindenburg Research's decision to disband, branding it a 'run for cover' in light of alleged connections to financier George Soros. The move has sparked accusations of economic terrorism, with experts arguing that it is part of a broader scheme to destabilise markets. On Hindenburg Research's disbanding, Senior Advocate Mahesh Jethmalani said, " Either he has already been sounded out by investigating authorities in the US or he fears that he will be investigated for his role in the attempt to shake India's economy by bare hammering of Adani shares." "He was being used probably by the democratic deep-state controlled by George Soros. He has now made a run for cover. When you try to destabilise an economy, it is economic terrorism. Given the fact that it was George Soros who was behind this attempted economic devastation of India, the signal seems to be that we can control you by controlling your economy," he said. Advocate PR Ramesh, a prominent lawyer, (expert in SEBI matter) provided his expert opinion on the Hindenburg issue, particularly focusing on SEBI regulations and the ongoing investigation. He stated, "The show-cause notice issued by SEBI and the ongoing investigations could have played a role in the shutdown of Hindenburg Research. It is crucial for authorities to thoroughly investigate whether there was any conspiracy to deliberately destabilise Indian markets." He further emphasized the importance of the Indian Supreme Court's intervention, adding, "Fortunately, the Indian Supreme Court took the correct stand, which ultimately helped protect the stability of Indian markets from further damage." Prominent Criminal lawyer Ashish Dixit has expressed concerns over the actions of Hindenburg Research, calling their behaviour "intriguing" and stressing the need for a thorough investigation by law enforcement agencies. Dixit believes that Hindenburg's actions reflect a coordinated effort to destabilise the Indian market and economy. He urged authorities to probe the role of individuals and organisations that may have been involved in perpetuating such practices, emphasising the importance of uncovering the full extent of the manipulation. Dixit further called for international cooperation in the investigation, stating that law enforcement agencies, with the assistance of global crime investigation bodies, should examine the situation closely. If these actions are found to be coordinated or orchestrated by forces seeking to destabilise India's economy and stock market, Dixit believes that prosecution must follow to ensure accountability and safeguard India's financial integrity. (ANI) Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said that Naxals have planted Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) everywhere and termed the Bijapur Naxal attack as a cowardly act. Two Jawans were injured in the attack On the IED blast in Bijapur, Sharma told ANI, "This is a cowardly act of Naxals. They have placed IEDs everywhere. Security personnel, civilians and animals are also getting killed in it. Yesterday, 2 security personnel were hit by IED...Both have been admitted to the hospital and both are safe..." "One Jawan sustained an injury in his leg while the other Jawan sustained an injury on his face," he informed. Two jawans were injured in a pressure IED blast planted by Naxalites near Putkel village under the Basaguda police station area here on Thursday morning, according to Bijapur Police. The injured jawans have been evacuated. Their condition is stable and they are out of danger, the police added. The blast comes amid the security forces intensifying anti-Naxal operations in Bijapur. On January 12, five Naxalites including two women were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur. Several automatic and other weapons and explosives were recovered from the forests under the National Park area of the Bijapur district. The recovered weapons included one SLR rifle, one 12-bore rifle, two single-shot rifles, one BGL launcher, and one locally made Bharmar gun, along with explosives, Maoist literature, and other Naxal materials. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai had saluted the courage of the security forces after the encounter. Speaking to ANI, Sai had said "We salute the courage of our security forces. Our security forces have been fighting strongly against Naxalism for the last year and have also been succeeding which has been praised by everyone. Our Prime Minister is working on ending Naxalism by 2026 and his mission will definitely be achieved." On January 11, a CRPF jawan was injured as an IED laid down by the Naxalites exploded in Bijapur. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party Delhi president Virendraa Sachdeva hit out at Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday, claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party chief should focus on the corruption and deaths in Delhi instead of on the attack on Saif Ali Khan. "In Delhi, children drown in parks, die on the street and you don't reply to that. People die from drinking dirty water, from potholes in roads, they don't have clean drinking water, you give fake medicines and get caught, have fake tests in mohalla clinics, corruption in the name of setting up schools...and still you don't reply to it all," Sachdeva said while speaking to reporters here. "On what basis is Arvind Kejriwal asking questions? First, look at Delhi where you are in power. First, answer for your black deeds and your dirty work," he added. Following the recent attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, Kejriwal launched a blistering attack on the BJP-led Central and Maharashtra government, citing that the party's double engine government is incapable of providing security to the nation. "This morning we got the shocking news that Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by unknown people.... I pray that he gets well soon but it is a matter of concern that such a big actor who lives in such a safe place is attacked in his house in this manner, this raises questions on the state and central government," Kejriwal said during a press conference in Delhi. Taking a dig at the Centre, the AAP chief said that the government should stop their "dirty politics" and starting working for the welfare of the people. He added, "We strongly condemn the attack on Saif Ali Khan and appeal to the Centre to stop dirty politics and work... You are incapable of providing security.... Start working, stop dirty politics..." The shocking incident unfolded at Saif Ali Khan's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra, after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. (ANI) The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, released their fourth list of candidates for the upcoming Delhi Assembly Elections. With this list, the party has confirmed a total of 68 candidates for the election. BJP's Shikha Rai will be contesting against state minister of health and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and Congress' Garvit Singhvi for the Greater Kailash constituency. The Babarpur constituency is another notable seat, where Minister and incumbent MLA, Gopal Rai, will be contesting against BJP's Anil Vashishth and Congress' Haji Mohd Ishraq Khan. The party has also fielded Ravinder Kumar from the Bawana (SC) constituency; Poonam Sharma from Wazipur; Bhuvan Tanwar from Delhi Cantt; Chandan Kumar Choudhary from Sangam Vihar; Ravikant Ujjain from Trilokpuri (SC); Sanjay Goyal from Shahdara; Praveen Nimesh from Gokalpur (SC). Congratulating the candidates, the Delhi BJP posted the list. "The BJP Central Election Committee has given its approval to the following names in its fourth list for the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025," the post read. https://x.com/BJP4Delhi/status/1879831565003596092 Meanwhile, the triangular electoral contest between Aam Aadmi Party, Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party for the Delhi Assembly elections has intensified, with Arvind Kejriwal launching a scathing attack on both the central-led and Maharashtra BJP, accusing them of being unable to provide security to people despite their 'double engine' government. This follows the recent attack on a Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence. Addressing a press conference, the former Delhi Chief Minister targeted the BJP and said if their double-engine government cannot provide security to such big celebrities, then how will they provide it to common people? Kejriwal said, "This morning we got the shocking news that Saif Ali Khan was stabbed by unknown people. I pray that he gets well soon but it is a matter of concern that such a big actor who lives in such a safe place is attacked in his house in this manner, this raises questions on the state and central government." Delhi BJP president replied to the remarks, questioning the AAP chief on the corruption and deaths in Delhi. "In Delhi, children drown in parks, die on the street and you don't reply to that. People die from drinking dirty water, from potholes in roads, they don't have clean drinking water, you give fake medicines and get caught, have fake tests in mohalla clinics, corruption in the name of setting up schools...and still you don't reply to it all," Sachdeva said while speaking to reporters here. Delhi Congress President and candidate from Badli constituency targeted the AAP chief over the now scrapped Delhi Excise Policy. Speaking to ANI, Yadav said, "Due to the excise policy, Kejriwal was continuously in jail. These days he is out on bail. We have seen a leaked CAG report on social media which clearly shows that a scam of Rs 2000 crores has taken place. Who will be responsible? All the evidence is going against him, this is going to be a big problem for Kejriwal and his government..." The Delhi Assembly elections are going to be held in a single phase on February 5. The counting of votes will take place on February 8. (ANI) The Nagpur Police on Thursday said that the number of victims is expected to rise after a 47-year-old psychologist-cum-career counsellor was arrested for allegedly sexually exploiting at least 50 minor girls and women. The man allegedly used to trap girls under the pretence of providing counselling. The allegations came to light when one of his ex-students approached the police. As per allegations, he used to abuse victims during camps and trips he organized, as well as taking explicit photos for potential blackmail. Three cases have been registered against the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, said Nagpur Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal, claiming that the man's wife was also involved in the series of alleged misdeeds. He was arrested in November and is currently lodged in judicial custody. "His wife was also involved with him and sections will be imposed on her depending on the extent of her involvement...In the beginning, only one case was registered. Later, two more cases were registered, number of victims is expected to increase...," said Singal. The police commissioner also expressed the possibility that many victims have yet to speak up. A committee has been formed to investigate further and ensure that juvenile victims can provide statements as per law. Evidence was found at a residence where the counsellor had sheltered some children. Sharing further updates, Singal stated, "I have personally formed a committee...to explore other aspects and so that juveniles give their statements before CwC as per law." The panel comprises a senior IPS officer, an API from the Cyber Crime Unit of Nagpur Police, and members of the child welfare board and other bodies, he informed. "It took a lot of persuasion to encourage the minor girls to step forward," he added. Providing details about the career counsellor, the official said that he had been working in and around Nagpur for "many" years. The accused man "used to shelter some children in a residence from where we found some evidence", said Commissioner Singal. "Based on this, we will take our investigation forward," he added. (ANI) Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday targeted Maharashtra's ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in the wake of the stabbing attack that left Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan injured and hospitalised in Mumbai, saying the incident highlights the "absolute shambles law & order is in" the state. "The intrusion and knife attack on Saif Ali Khan is shocking. We are relieved to hear that he is stable and recovering, and we pray that tough times are over, and he bounces back to normalcy at the earliest," the former Maharashtra minister said in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter). He further listed various kinds of adverse incidents that he asserted are proof of the 'absolute failure' of the subsequent Mahayuti governments in the state. Thackeray also made a mention of the recent killing of a village Sarpanch in Maharashtra's Beed district. "Over the past 3 years, hit and run cases, actors and politicians being threatened and cases like those in Beed and Parbhani only show that the Government has been an absolute failure in curbing crime and maintaining law and order," the post read further. "Do we have anyone in the government that cares about citizen safety at all?" Thackeray asked, concluding the post. Dixit Gedam, DCP (Zone 9) of Mumbai Police, who is part of the team investigating the attack on Khan, said that the incident was a "robbery attempt" and the accused used a fire escape staircase to enter the actor's house. The official said, "Last night, the accused used a fire escape staircase to enter Saif Ali Khan's house. It appears to be a robbery attempt. We working to arrest the accused. 10 Detection teams are working on the case. An offence has been registered in Bandra Police Station." The shocking incident unfolded at Khan's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Mumbai's Bandra after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid during the early hours of Thursday. Purportedly, the confrontation turned physical when the actor attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation. He sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. (ANI) China, Africa true friends on way to modernization 09:37, January 16, 2025 By He Yin ( People's Daily This year marks the beginning of the implementation of the outcomes of the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Recently, several African countries including Chad, Djibouti, Madagascar, and the Republic of the Congo signed economic and technical cooperation agreements with China. The efficient and pragmatic cooperation between China and Africa in various fields has been further deepened, demonstrating the joint efforts of the two sides to move towards modernization together. A train of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit Blue Line in Lagos, Nigeria, constructed by a Chinese company, stops at a station. (People's Daily/Jiang Xuan) Under the guidance of President Xi Jinping, the FOCAC Beijing Summit was successfully held last year, after which bilateral relations between China and all African countries having diplomatic ties with China were elevated to the level of strategic relations and the overall characterization of China-Africa relations was elevated to an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. Jointly advancing modernization that is just and equitable, open and win-win, that puts the people first and features diversity and inclusiveness, and that is eco-friendly and underpinned by peace and security, China and Africa have strengthened strategic alignment in development and exchanged governance experiences. This has expanded shared values, paving the way for a broader horizon and injecting more momentum into the development of bilateral relations. There is always vast space for African brothers in China's endeavor to expand high-standard opening up; and China will never be absent from Africa's pursuit of development and revitalization. The ten partnership actions for modernization jointly promoted by China and Africa have set a roadmap for comprehensive deepening of cooperation. China is committed to providing Africa with a broader market, more practical technologies, and more stable investments for its modernization. China has been granting zero-tariff treatment for all tariff product categories to all least developed countries that have diplomatic relations with China, which creates favorable conditions for high-quality African products to enter the Chinese market. China is also deepening vocational skills training and human resources cooperation with African countries to help the latter strengthen capacity building. Photo shows the Abay River bridge constructed by a Chinese company in Ethiopia. (Photo provided by China Communications Construction Company) The cumulative installed capacity of photovoltaic power plants built by Chinese companies in collaboration with Africa has exceeded 1.5 GW, and the two sides will also construct an "African Solar Belt", truly embarking on the path of green and low-carbon development. President of the Republic of the Congo Denis Sassou Nguesso recently stated that Xi's proposal of the ten partnership actions for modernization at the FOCAC Beijing Summit covers all areas of China-Africa cooperation and addresses the challenges facing Africa, which is in line with Africa's needs. On the journey to modernization, the FOCAC has played a significant role in promoting Africa's development and improving the livelihoods of the people on the continent. Over the past 25 years since the establishment of the forum, China has helped Africa build 100,000 kilometers of roads, more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 1,000 bridges and nearly 100 ports. Over the past three years alone, over 1 million jobs have been created in Africa. The livelihood projects implemented in Africa, such as those related to food security, water supply, and education, have benefited the people of many African countries. Today, the forum has become a symbol of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation, a banner of South-South cooperation, and a model for guiding international cooperation with Africa. The importance China attaches to Africa has attracted increased attention and support from the international community, further promoting Africa's development. In the face of profound changes unseen in a century, the world increasingly needs strengthened cooperation between China and Africa. The development of China and Africa represents the rise of the Global South, embodying the strengthening of just forces. A Chinese rice expert instructs a local farmer in Sierra Leone to prevent and control plant diseases and insect pests. (Photo/Li Youliang) Under the guidance of Pan-Africanism, African countries have accelerated the integration process of seeking strength through unity and pursuing development and revitalization, playing an increasingly important role in international affairs and contributing transformative power to global governance. China will always be the most trustworthy friend of its African brothers and sisters, the most reliable partner in their pursuit of development and revitalization, and the strongest supporter of Africa on the international stage. The tradition of making Africa the first overseas destination for China's foreign minister each new year is a hallmark of Chinese diplomacy, which has been upheld consistently for 35 years. It is a testament to the enduring friendship between China and Africa, and China's consistent friendly cooperation with Africa. Strengthening solidarity and cooperation between China and Africa, and jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, aligns with historical justice and the trend of the times. Regardless of the changing international situation, China and Africa will steadfastly advance cooperation to a higher level, deeper level, and broader scope, jointly promote modernization and build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) You are here: World Flash Relatives and supporters of hostages held in the Gaza Strip rally outside Israeli Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, on Jan. 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Israel's Security Cabinet and government are scheduled to convene on Thursday to approve the Gaza ceasefire agreement after the deal was reached between Hamas and Israel on Wednesday. The Security Cabinet will convene at 11:00 am local time (0900 GMT) with the government expected to be gathered afterward, an Israeli government official said. The deal is expected to have a majority in both the Security Cabinet and the government, despite two key parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition government have voiced opposition to the agreement. Israel's President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday urged the government to approve the ceasefire deal. "It is the right, important, and necessary move," Herzog said in a broadcast statement. More than 2.5 million devotees took part in the holy dip at Triveni Sangam, a sacred confluence of Rivers Ganga, Yamuna and 'mystical' Saraswati on Thursday evening, the fourth day of Maha Kumbh. According to the data released, by 5 pm on Thursday, over 2.5 million people visited the Maha Kumbh at Prayagraj and took a holy dip at the Sangam, with more than 1 million Kalpvasis and 1.5 million additional pilgrims. Over 60 million devotees have participated in the world's biggest religious congregation; over 35 million on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14. Given the massive influx of pilgrims, the Prayagraj administration established an AI-based computerised lost and found centre. Sharing details, Additional Mela Adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi told ANI, "An AI-based lost and found centre has been set up. Arrangements are made there for accommodation, clothes and food for the people who are lost. There has not been a single case in which we have not been able to reunite children or lost people with their relatives. We have received a good response from the computerised lost and found centre. If there is a case in which we have not been able to reunite a person with his relatives, then the administration takes them to their home at its own expense." On Wednesday, a 21-member delegation from 10 countries arrived at Arail Tent City in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj to take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam. The delegation, invited by the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, will take a sacred dip at Triveni Sangam on Thursday. Speaking to ANI, Denesh Persaud from Guyana, expressed his joy and fulfilment after taking a holy dip in the River Ganges. "It's a dream come true. I always wanted to come here and take a holy dip in the River Ganges. I have fulfilled that wish," Persaud said. Sally El Azab from United Arab Emirates, is among the many international pilgrims who have travelled to Prayagraj, to experience the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world. The visiting group included representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This showcases the global interest in this spiritual event. The statement noted that the Mahakumbh, organised under the leadership of the Yogi government, has drawn global attention this year. Their accommodations were arranged at the Tent City in Arail, an initiative by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. The next key bathing dates include January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI) The Supreme Court on Thursday granted bail to one Padam Chand Jain, proprietor of Shree Shyam Tubewell Company, who was arrested by the ED over alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) scheme in Rajasthan. Jain was arrested in June last year following the ED's probe into the matter after a first information report (FIR) was registered by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Along with Jain, several others were booked including one Mahesh Mittal (proprietor of Shree Ganpati Tubewell Company). These accused persons are allegedly involved in giving bribes to public servants in order to obtain illegal protection, tenders, getting bills sanctioned and covering up irregularities for work executed by them in respect of various tenders received by them from the Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED). As per ED, the suspects were also involved in the purchase of stolen goods from Haryana for using the same in their tenders and contracts and had also submitted fake work completion letters from IRCON to get PHED contracts. The agency further said that the investigation revealed that Jain and others were also involved in securing tenders pertaining to JJM works based on purported fake work completion certificates issued by IRCON and by bribing senior PHED officials. (ANI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached immovable properties worth Rs 224.08 crore in the form of under-construction luxury hotel projects and leasehold rights over four acres in Sri Lanka among others in the case of Krrish Realtech Pvt Ltd and businessman Amit Katyal in the alleged land for railway jobs scam in which former railway minister Lalu Prasad too is an accused. As per the ED, these under-construction luxury hotel projects and leasehold rights over four acres are situated at 1, Colombo in Sri Lanka. The agency also attached land rights of Vicinity Hotels Pvt Ltd in the name of Good Earth Business Park Pvt Ltd, measuring 2.825 acres situated at Sector 66 in Haryana's Gurugram. ED's Gurugram Zonal Office attached these properties in connection with the alleged 'Land for Job' scam, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 on January 15. ED initiated an investigation on the basis of multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) registered by the Gurugram Police and Economic Offences Wing (EOW), New Delhi, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, against Amit Katyal, Rajesh Katyal, and their associates, wherein it is alleged that both Krrish Realtech Pvt Ltd and Brahma City Pvt Ltd, engaged in real estate business, have defrauded numerous investors and illicitly transferred hundreds of crores abroad through a coordinated scheme involving cheating, deception and fraud. ED said that Krrish Realtech Pvt Ltd allegedly duped and defrauded numerous plot buyers by resorting to cheating and misrepresentation of facts relating to the project. "The company floated a project to provide residential plots at the centre of Gurgaon. However, despite the laspe of more than 13 years no plots were provided to the plot buyers. The company had collected hard earned money of Rs 503 crore belonging to innocent plot buyers," said the Federal agency. ED investigation revealed that "the promoter of the company Amit Katyal willingly siphoned off funds, collected from various plot buyers and investors, overseas in a Sri Lankan company namely The One Transworks Square (Pvt) Ltd Formerly Krrish Transworks Colombo (Private) Limited which was developing a luxury real estate project in Sri Lanka." "For the said purpose the promoter has resorted to diversion layering and concealment of funds and projected the funds as legitimate income. Therefore, Proceeds of Crime (POC) to the tune of Rs. 205 crore in Colombo, Sri Lanka in the form of Land measuring four acres and the undivided share of building and structure over constructed share has been attached by ED," it said. Further, ED said, during investigation it was revealed that the accused have also siphoned off funds into a company named NCR Business Park Private Limited, now known as Good Earth Business Park Private Limited. "The said siphoning done by the accused is the proceeds of crime collected from various plot buyers and investors through diversion and layering. Thus, POC to the tune of Rs 19.08 crore in the form of land measuring 2.825 acres situated at village Badshahpur and village Ghasola, Sector 66, Gurugram in the name of the Good Earth Business Park Private Limited earlier known as NCR Business Park Private Limited has also been attached by ED," the agency added. The ED had earlier attached various properties valuing Rs 173.07 crore following attachment orders dated August 6, 2024 and October 17, 2024. (ANI) Multiple formations of the Indian Army's Corps of Engineers have been felicitated by the World Congress on Disaster Management (WCDM) as part of its 'Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Awards 2024' for their roles in rescue and relief operations during various natural calamities and other large-scale incidents across the country, the Army informed on Thursday. "Indian Army's Corps of Engineers establishments and units have been recognised in WCDM-DRR Awards, 2024 for their outstanding contributions in disaster relief and mitigation operations," the Army posted on social media platform X. A total of four formations, including engineering units (informally known as sapper units) and establishments, were bestowed with the awards by Union Minister Piyush Goyal," the Army informed, sharing photos from the ceremony. According to the Army, the formations that received the awards included those that were involved in relief and rescue efforts for some of the most significant natural and other disasters of 2024, including the Wayanad landslides, Silkyara tunnel collapse and the Sikkim floods. "In a grand ceremony held at New Delhi, Hon'ble minister of Commerce, Shri Piyush Goyal awarded Four Sapper Units and establishments in two different categories for various relief operations including #Wayanad Landslides, #Sikkim Floods due to Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), Silkyara Tunnel Collapse, Giaspura Gas Leak (Ludhiana) & support provided during G20 Summit," the Army's post read. https://x.com/adgpi/status/1879790914488692878 The WCDM brings scientists, researchers, policymakers and practitioners from across the globe together to discuss the challenging issues of Disasters and Risk Management. The WCDM-DRR Awards are given to various stakeholders who contributed immensely in various facets of Disaster Risk Reduction, the Army noted. WCDM is an initiative of Disaster Management Initiatives and Convergence Society (DMICS), which is a civil society initiative established in 2005. "Earlier known as Disaster Management Infrastructure and Control Society, the organization over a period of time has transformed itself from being a think tank to that of a Community Centric Organization. Registered under the 'Societies Registration Act, Government of Andhra Pradesh' this organization serves as a convergence society for decision makers, practitioners and experts on Disaster Risk Reduction," DMICS says on its website. (ANI) Senior Congress leader Santosh Singh Saluja has expressed his support for a CBI probe into the death of late Ex-Minister Naba Das after the slain minister's daughter Deepali Das raised the demand two days ago. Saluja stated that during the previous BJD government's tenure, when a judicial inquiry was ordered into the matter, the Congress Party had insisted on a CBI investigation. He said that now, after two years, both the late Naba Das's daughter and son have raised the same demand. Saluja added that the present BJP government, which had also advocated for a CBI inquiry while in opposition, should now take the necessary steps to hand over the case to the CBI. Santosh Singh Saluja said, "We raised questions about this many times in the Assembly. The murder of late Naba Kishore Das was committed for political purposes and there is a conspiracy behind this. We demanded a probe by the CBI, but at that time the government remained silent, his family members also remained silent. After two years his daughter Deepali Das who is EX-MLA has demanded a CBI probe before two days. We support this demand. We have been demanding this from before." Late Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Das was shot on January 29, 2023 by an Odisha Police ASI Gopal Das from point-blank range in Brajrajnagar of Jharsuguda district and succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment in the state's capital. Gopal Das was arrested on January 30 by Odisha Police. "The accused fired on the chest of the minister from a very close range," read the chargesheet. As per the chargesheet, the accused was charged under Sections 307, 302, and 27 (1) of the Arms Act, Chand said. The police arrested the accused Gopal Das on the spot following the murder. Former Health minister Naba Das was a three-time MLA from the Jharsuguda constituency in Odisha. (ANI) Green Genome India Pvt Ltd showcased the groundbreaking BHISHM Cube, a portable healthcare unit, at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi. This innovative solution is part of Project Aarogya Maitri, a visionary initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to revolutionize disaster management. The event highlighted the capabilities of the BHISHM Cube, one of the most critical components of the Aarogya Maitri initiative. The BHISHM Cube is designed to provide comprehensive medical care during emergencies, featuring advanced equipment such as - Handheld X-ray Devices: Compact and portable, enabling efficient diagnostic imaging in remote areas; Portable Ultrasound Machines: Ensuring immediate and accurate medical diagnosis; Point-of-Care Testing (POCT) Devices: Providing instant test results for timely patient treatment and AI-Enabled Facial Recognition Applications: Streamlining healthcare delivery during crises by assisting in patient identification and medical history tracking. The BHISHM Cube and its associated equipment are envisioned to play a transformative role in India's disaster response mechanisms, emphasising the urgent need for nationwide installations of these life-saving kits. Participation by Global Delegates in the demonstration saw an impressive turnout, including ambassadors and dignitaries from countries such as Uganda, Mozambique, Mongolia, and South Sudan, among others. These representatives praised the initiative's innovative approach to providing rapid and effective healthcare solutions in disaster-stricken areas. The event served as a platform to exhibit India's capability to manufacture and deploy portable hospitals and state-of-the-art medical equipment. The ambassadors expressed their admiration for the initiative, noting its potential to significantly enhance global disaster management systems. The Aarogya Maitri demonstration featured an array of advanced medical equipment and technology. Some of the notable devices on display included Handheld X-ray Devices Compact and portable, these devices allow for efficient diagnostic imaging in remote and disaster-hit regions. Project Aarogya Maitri reflects India's commitment to becoming a global leader in disaster response and healthcare innovation. The BHISHM Cube is a portable healthcare unit equipped with essential medical tools, making it a vital resource for managing emergencies. Its modular design and ease of deployment make it suitable for use across varied terrains and disaster scenarios. The presence of ambassadors from various nations underscored the international interest in the Aarogya Maitri initiative. Many delegates expressed their desire to explore partnerships and adopt similar solutions in their home countries. Uganda's ambassador commended the project, calling it "a beacon of hope for countries struggling with limited healthcare resources during emergencies." Mozambique's representative highlighted the importance of global collaboration in tackling disaster management challenges, stating, "The Aarogya Maitri project is a testament to India's innovation and its willingness to share solutions with the world. This initiative has the potential to save countless lives globally." The demonstration at Maharashtra Sadan marked a significant milestone for Project Aarogya Maitri, bringing global attention to India's efforts in advancing disaster management technology. The event highlighted the importance of preparedness, innovation, and international collaboration in addressing the growing challenges posed by disasters. This landmark event reaffirms India's position as a leader in disaster response innovation, setting an example for other nations to follow. (ANI) Odia actor and BJP MLA Sidhant Mohapatra condemned the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan by an intruder at his Bandra residence in the early hours of Thursday calling it "unfortunate" and wishing him a speedy recovery. Mohapatra emphasised the need for enhanced security measures, particularly in multi-storied buildings where celebrities reside, citing their vulnerability to such incidents. Sidhant Mohapatra said, "It's quite unfortunate. I pray to God for his speedy recovery. Right now, I don't know exactly with what intention this has been done by the criminal. I think the Police are good enough to take action and investigate properly." Mohapatra suggested that additional CCTVs should be deployed in these areas to strengthen security systems. He also expressed confidence in the police department's ability to investigate and take action. "He is living in an apartment. Right now in our country, there is a burning issue For those who are staying in a multi-storied building proper CCTV has to be deployed there. Wherever celebrities are staying it is more vulnerable. In our state also a lot of robberies are taking place. To strengthen the security system, personnel as well as CCTV should be deployed. I am confident that the police department would do a proper investigation and take action. I pray god for his speedy recovery," he said. He further said that Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is there for criminals and if anyone is doing any wrongdoing then the judiciary, law department and police are capable of taking action. Earlier an investigation team arrived at the residence of Saif Ali Khan in Mumbai on Thursday evening to carry out the probe over the attack on the actor. The authorities are intensifying their efforts to understand the circumstances of the incident, gather evidence, and identify any other potential suspects. The team's visit in the ongoing probe seeks to uncover details regarding the motive and nature of the attack on the actor. The incident unfolded at Saif's residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra after an intruder allegedly confronted Khan's maid. When Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, the confrontation turned physical. The actor sustained injuries during the scuffle and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for treatment. Saif sustained a thoracic spinal cord injury, as per Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital. "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid," the doctor informed. Saif also suffered deep wounds on his left hand and neck, the doctor informed. "Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one other on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and out of danger now," Dr Dange added. Earlier, Saif's team also issued a statement stating that the actor is out of danger and is currently recovering."Saif Ali Khan has come out of surgery and is out of danger. He is currently in recovery and the doctors are monitoring his progress. All family members are safe and the police are investigating the incident," the statement read. (ANI) Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel raised questions on the law and order situation of Maharashtra in the wake of an attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. The former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister questioned that if an attacker is able to go to the 11th floor of a residential building, it shows Mumbai is "no longer safe". "No one is safe in a city like Mumbai anymore... If someone can go to the 11th floor of a residential building of a big actor and attack him at night, it shows that Mumbai is no longer safe for anyone," Baghel told reporters. He also criticised the Maharashtra government over NCP leader Baba Siddiqui who was shot dead in Mumbai in October 2024. "Even Baba Siddiqui was shot dead...This reflects an attitude that prioritises self-interests over addressing the safety concerns of society," he said. Earlier, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis defended his government saying that Mumbai was one of the safest cities and one can't call it 'unsafe' just based on a few incidents. "Mumbai is the safest place, and there is no doubt about it. Just based on one or two incidents, it won't be right to say that Mumbai is unsafe. At the same time, it is also correct that if any such kind of incident happens, we should take it seriously and act accordingly and keep Mumbai safe," Fadnavis said. The shocking incident at the actor's residence, in the early hours of Thursday, has raised concerns about safety in Mumbai and has left the actor's fans and colleagues from the film fraternity deeply worried. The incident occurred when an intruder allegedly confronted the actor's maid at his residence in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in Bandra. As Saif attempted to intervene and de-escalate the situation, it escalated into a violent altercation, resulting in the actor sustaining several stab wounds. Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent surgery under the supervision of a team of doctors. In a statement, Dr Nitin Dange of Lilavati Hospital said, "Saif Ali Khan was admitted to the hospital at 2 am with an alleged history of assault by some unknown person. He sustained a major injury to the thoracic spinal cord due to a lodged knife in the spine. A surgery was performed to remove the knife and repair leaking spinal fluid. Two other deep wounds on his left hand and one on his neck were repaired by the plastic surgery team. He is completely stable now. He is recovering well and is out of danger." (ANI) The Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate for the upcoming by-poll to Uttar Pradesh's Milkipur Assembly seat in Ayodhya district, Chandrabhan Paswan, filed his nomination on Thursday. BJP's former Faizabad (Ayodhya) MP Lallu Singh and the party's state unit chief Bhupendra Singh were also present during the filing of the nomination. The Milkipur by-poll is expected to be a highly prestigious battle for the BJP as the party lost the Faizabad parliamentary seat to the Samajwadi Party in the Lok Sabha election last year. Samajwadi Party's Awadhesh Prasad emerged victorious from the seat. Speaking to ANI earlier, Chandrabhan Paswan expressed gratitude to the party leadership. "I thank the people of Milkipur, leaders of BJP, Yogi Adityanath, and PM Narendra Modi who expressed faith in me and I will serve the people day and night. The focus will remain on the issue of development and serving the public with the blessings of the people and Lord Ram. I will work to win the seat for BJP," said Paswan. For the Milkipur by-polls, the Samajwadi Party has fielded Awadhesh Prasad's son Ajit Prasad. Awadhesh Prasad was the MLA of Milkipur before he got elected to the Lok Sabha. The Congress, Samajwadi Party's INDIA bloc ally, has decided not to field any candidate from Milkipur and has instead announced support for Ajit. The Samajwadi Party has submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Uttar Pradesh, demanding webcasting of all 414 polling stations in the Milkipur assembly constituency. The party has requested that the webcasting link be shared with the candidates and recognized political parties, enabling them to monitor the voting process and ensure free, fair, and transparent elections. The bypoll in Milkipur is scheduled for February 5 and the counting of votes is slated to take place on February 8. The last date for filing the nomination is January 17 while the date of scrutiny of nomination is January 18. The last date for the withdrawal of candidatures is January 20. Earlier, the Election Commission (EC) had postponed the by-polls for the Milkipur seat in October due to a pending election petition. (ANI) India has joined the elite club of nations capable of executing space docking operations, with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) completing the SpaDeX docking operation. This historic achievement marks India's entry into a group of only four countries - after the USA, Russia, and China - to have demonstrated this capability. The SpaDeX mission, launched on December 30, aimed to showcase India's technological prowess in spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and undocking. The docking process was executed with exceptional precision, with the spacecraft manoeuvring seamlessly to initiate docking and capture. The docking process was executed with exceptional precision. The spacecraft manoeuvred seamlessly from the 15-metre to the 3-meter hold point, initiating docking with accuracy and leading to successful spacecraft capture. After this, retraction was completed smoothly, followed by rigidisation for stability. Post-docking, the integrated control of the two satellites as a single object has been successfully achieved, showcasing India's technological expertise. SpaDeX is a cost-effective technology demonstrator mission designed to showcase in-space docking using two small spacecraft launched by the 62nd PSLV flight. This mission is pivotal for India's future space ambitions, including lunar missions, sample returns, and the development of the Bharatiya Antariksh Station (BAS). The main goals of the SpaDeX mission are to develop and demonstrate technology for rendezvous and docking using two small spacecrafts, showcase controllability in the docked condition, demonstrate the potential for extending the life of the target spacecraft and test power transfer between docked spacecraft. The SpaDeX mission involves two small satellites, SDX01, which is the Chaser and SDX02, the Target, each weighing approximately 220 kilograms. These spacecrafts are androgynous i.e. either of the spacecraft can act as chasers (active spacecraft) during docking. They are equipped with solar panels, lithium-ion batteries, and a robust power management system. The Attitude and Orbit Control System (AOCS) includes sensors such as star sensors, sun sensors, magnetometers and actuators like reaction wheels, magnetic torques and thrusters. The satellites will execute a series of complex manoeuvres to demonstrate the docking process in orbit. Post-docking, the two satellites will operate as a single spacecraft. Electrical power will be transferred from one satellite to the other to confirm the success of the docking. After successful docking and undocking, the spacecraft will separate and be used for application missions. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday morning extended his wishes as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) achieved a historic feat by successfully concluding the docking process of two satellites. He said that the success of the Space Docking Experiment (SpaDeX) project was a stepping stone for future space missions. "Congratulations to our scientists at ISRO and the entire space fraternity for the successful demonstration of space docking of satellites. It is a significant stepping stone for India's ambitious space missions in the years to come," PM Modi posted on X. Union Minister Jitendra Singh said this paves the way for the smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station and Chandrayaan 4. "Congrats ISRO. Finally made it. SPADEX has accomplished the unbelievable docking complete and it is all indigenous 'Bharatiya Docking System'. This paves the way for smooth conduct of ambitious future missions including the Bharatiya Antriksha Station and Chandrayaan 4 and Gaganyaan. PM Sh@narendramodi's continuous patronage keeps the spirits soaring. here at Bengaluru," the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Earth Sciences posted on X. Earlier, SpaDeX project director N Surendran said that this experiment would prove fruitful for future assignments like the Bharatiya Antariksha Station and the Chandrayaan-4 mission since the docking mechanism was becoming necessary. President Droupadi Murmu also congratulated ISRO on Thursday for making India the fourth nation to demonstrate space docking capability, as it successfully docked two satellites launched under SpaDeX. In chorus with her were other prominent political figures. Taking to X, the President of India through Rashtrapati Bhavan's official handle, expressed: "India's space programme achieves a historic milestone with the successful docking of the two satellites launched under Space Docking Experiment, SpaDeX! India is the fourth nation to have demonstrated space docking capability." "This achievement paves the way for India's future endeavours in space exploration such as Chandrayaan-4, India's planned space station and Gaganyaan. Congratulations to ISRO and the entire scientists and engineers communities of the country for boosting India's space capabilities," she added. Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday congratulated Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists on Thursday for achieving a historic success in India's space mission. India became the fourth country to demonstrate space docking capability after successfully docking two satellites launched under SpaDeX. Taking to X, the Congress leader expressed, "Congratulations to the brilliant scientists of ISRO for the historic success of SpaDeX, making India the fourth nation to master space docking technology. This milestone marks a significant leap in India's capabilities, paving the way for greater space programmes and missions." "Your dedication and innovation continue to inspire the world and make every Indian proud," he added. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge too lauded ISRO for its "exceptional work". Taking to X, the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha posted: "We are extremely proud of the exceptional work of the scientists and space engineers at @isro as they successfully achieved the satellite docking as part of the SpaDex Mission. This significant milestone marks a pivotal step for the future of India's space programme, which has been built over years, and is a collective achievement for the nation." Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan lauded the "historic" achievement. His post on X translates as: "India's new record in space #Spadex mission's successful docking is a historic achievement. India has become the fourth country to do so. Hearty congratulations to the scientists of @isro and all the countrymen for this. Under the visionary leadership of respected Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, India has emerged as a superpower in space and is touching new heights of success every day." Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal also lauded the scientists. He posted on X, "Congratulations to ISRO for the historic success of the SpaDeX mission, achieving a monumental docking milestone. Proud of our scientists who make India shine brighter among the stars." (ANI) ISRO had on December 30 launched PSLV-C60 with SpaDeX and innovative payloads. (ANI) Flash Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Jan. 15, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua] Israel and Hamas have agreed to a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal following intensive mediation by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, Qatar's prime minister announced on Wednesday. The agreement includes an initial 42-day phase during which more than 15 months of fighting in Gaza will halt. The Israeli military will withdraw from populated areas to the outskirts of Gaza, allowing displaced Palestinians to return to their residence in the Gaza Strip. Humanitarian aid will flow in, with 600 trucks entering Gaza daily, including 50 carrying much-needed fuel to restore electricity in the territory, according to Israel's state-owned Kan TV news. At a press conference, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani announced that Israel and Hamas had reached a deal on exchanging hostages and prisoners and establishing sustainable calm, aiming for a permanent ceasefire. Implementation of the agreement is set to begin on Sunday, Jan. 19, with Hamas releasing 33 hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners during the first phase. Details of subsequent phases will be revealed later. In a joint statement issued by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States, the three mediators affirmed their role as guarantors of the ceasefire deal, saying they would help ensure that all three stages of the ceasefire will be fully implemented by both parties. "Accordingly, the mediators will work together to ensure that the parties implement their obligations in the agreement and that the three stages continue in full," the statement said. U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking from the White House, called the agreement "one of the toughest negotiations I've ever experienced" and emphasized the goal of ending the war. During the next six weeks, "Israel will negotiate the necessary arrangements to get phase two, which is a permanent end of the war," Biden said. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the agreement, stating, "Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict." He added that the UN stands ready to support its implementation and deliver sustained humanitarian relief to Palestinians. Guterres also urged all parties to work toward a "negotiated two-state solution" as an urgent priority. Hamas hailed the agreement as a victory, with senior official Khalil al-Hayya praising the resilience and sacrifices of Palestinians. The Israeli Security Cabinet and government are set to convene on Thursday for two consecutive meetings to vote on the deal. While Netanyahu is believed to have a majority, key coalition partners Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir have threatened to quit the government unless there is a clear commitment to resume fighting in Gaza after the hostages' return. Such a move could dissolve Netanyahu's majority, potentially triggering early elections. Israel's ceremonial President Isaac Herzog urged the government to approve the agreement, describing it as "the right, important, and necessary move." The deal, first outlined in May 2024, follows about a year of on-and-off indirect talks between Israel and Hamas, culminating in four days of intensive negotiations in Doha. The war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas led an assault on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages. Israel's retaliatory assault on Gaza has killed more than 46,700 people and reduced much of the territory to rubble, according to the Gaza health authorities. Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi welcomed on Wednesday the ceasefire agreement that was reached "after more than a year of arduous efforts under the mediation of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States." Meanwhile, Egyptian state TV reported that coordination is currently underway to open the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza for sending humanitarian aid to the enclave. "Egypt is getting ready to send the largest possible amount of aid to Gaza," the state TV quoted an unnamed high-ranking source as saying. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday expressed its strong support for the newly announced ceasefire agreement, along with the release of detainees, hostages, and captives. UAE's Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called for both parties to honor their commitments to the agreement, underscoring the need to alleviate the plight of Palestinian detainees and Israeli hostages. Himachal Pradesh's Jal Shakti Department swiftly launched an investigation into suspected wastewater discharge from a hotel near a village water source on Thursday. Assistant Engineer Koti inspected the site, requested a Pollution Control Board inspection, and collected water samples, which tested normal. The department assured the public after water samples showed no issues, urging media and social media to avoid spreading panic, according to an official statement. The statement highlights that on receiving the information, the department took immediate action and ordered the officers to investigate. Assistant Engineer Koti himself reached the spot and inspected the scheme. Along with this, Assistant Engineer Koti has formally written a letter to the Pollution Control Board (PCB) requesting a detailed inspection of the premises of the nearby hotel on suspicion of discharge of wastewater, according to an official statement. The assistant engineer has directed the hotel management to stop such activities that may endanger the water source till the inspection is completed. The situation is being closely monitored, and the premises were also visited by the Pollution Control Board on January 16 for a thorough investigation. The Jal Shakti Department had also requested the nearest Primary Health Center (PHC) to find out if any such matter has come to the notice of the Health Department. The health center said that no such matter came to their notice from the said village. The officials took samples of the drinking water supply with immediate effect, and the department said that the water samples taken were also found to be correct. The department said that the matter is being presented in an exaggerated manner on social media to tarnish the image of the department. The population mentioned in the social media is very high, whereas this village has a population of 80 to 90 people. The department has appealed to the social media influencers and the media not to create an atmosphere of panic among the people by spreading sensationalism and not to do misleading propaganda. Before running any news, they must take the side of the department, in which the department will fully cooperate with the media. The department has also appealed to the public not to panic. The department is committed to providing clean water to the public. (ANI) This decision was made public by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, who shared the news with the media, highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's approval. The move reflects the Indian government's commitment to the welfare of workers, as confirmed by the minister. Vaishnaw emphasized that the timely establishment of the Pay Commission and its prompt implementation of recommendations are essential steps forward. This dedication is widely appreciated. For some time now, the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has been advocating for the formation of the 8th Pay Commission. BMS representatives have been in continuous discussions with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. During recent pre-budget consultations with the Ministry of Finance, the establishment of the 8th Pay Commission was raised as a top priority. The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh extends its heartfelt thanks to the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister, and the Chief Economic Advisor for swiftly addressing this important issue. The organization, on behalf of the entire working class, expresses deep appreciation for their efforts. With optimism, the BMS looks forward to the formation of the commission and hopes that it will include diverse economic thinkers from various sectors, who will ensure fair treatment of workers. (ANI) Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Upendra Dwivedi visited Prayagraj on Thursday wherein he reviewed the administrative preparations carried out by the formation for the Maha Kumbh 2025. The Army chief commended the effort and dedication of the formation in extending invaluable support to the local administration in ensuring the seamless execution of this grand spiritual and cultural event, which attracts millions of devotees from across the globe. "#GeneralUpendraDwivedi, #COAS, today visited #Prayagraj wherein he reviewed the administrative preparations carried out by the formation for the #Mahakumbh 2025," the Indian Army stated. "During his visit, #COAS commended the efforts and dedication of the formation in extending invaluable support to the local administration in ensuring the seamless execution of this grand spiritual and cultural event, which attracts millions of devotees from across the globe," he added. https://x.com/adgpi/status/1879896084169855033 Earlier today over 3 million devotees took part in the holy dip at Triveni Sangam on the fourth day of the Maha Kumbh. According to the data, more than 1 million Kalpvasis and 2 million additional pilgrims took the dip. Over 70 million devotees have participated in the world's biggest religious congregation; over 35 million on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14. Given the massive influx of pilgrims, the Prayagraj administration established an AI-based computerised lost and found centre. Sharing details, Additional Mela Adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi told ANI, "An AI-based lost and found centre has been set up. Arrangements are made there for accommodation, clothes and food for the people who are lost. There has not been a single case in which we have not been able to reunite children or lost people with their relatives." Praising the effectiveness of the lost and found centre, he added, "We have received a good response from the computerised lost and found centre. If there is a case in which we have not been able to reunite a person with his relatives, then the administration takes them to their home at its own expense." On Wednesday, a 21-member delegation from 10 countries arrived at Arail Tent City in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj to take a holy dip at Triveni Sangam. The delegation, invited by the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, will take a sacred dip at Triveni Sangam on Thursday. (ANI) On his day-long visit to Morigaon, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday engaged in several events, including the Jonbeel Mela, where he presented annual allowances to 22 Tiwa Kings of middle Assam, among them Gobha Raja Deep Singh Deu Raja. Speaking on the occasion, Sarma highlighted the Jonbeel Mela as a time-honoured tradition, one of Assam's most ancient and enduring celebrations of cultural heritage. He described that during the mela lot of people came from hills with goods and in return Tiwa community exchanged varieties of items in principles of customes. Tiwa community recalled their heritage during the mela, he added. He also revealed that Jonbeen Mela reflects unity and mutual respect among the people of Assam. He underscored that the Mela transcends its role as a mere cultural gathering; it is a pivotal moment for the Tiwa people to reaffirm their dedication to both progress and the preservation of their rich heritage. Recalling a promise made at the previous Jonbeel Mela, the CM said that the Cabinet Meeting which was held in Marigaon today decided to set up hall and stage in Jonbeel Mela by spending Rs 5 crore, a step aimed at expanding the mela's future impact. He reaffirmed the Mela's status as a cherished heritage of Assam, one that must be preserved for generations to come. With a focus on cultural preservation, he wished this year's Mela success and reiterated the government's unwavering support for the Tiwa community's traditions and culture. During the event, Sarma also released "Tiwa Raijar Buranji", a work by Narayan Kumar Radu Kakati. Today's event was attended by including Minister of Water Resources etc. Pijush Hazarika, Minister of Public Health Engineering etc. Jayanta Malla Baruah, MLA Ramakanta Deuri, Chief Executive Member of the Tiwa Autonomous Council Jiban Chandra Konwar, and other dignitaries. (ANI) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has strongly condemned RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat's remark that India gained "true independence" after the Ram Temple consecration, calling it "dangerous". Banerjee said, "It is not right to forget the history of our independence like this...I think this is a dangerous thing to say...This should be withdrawn. May our independence live long. We should celebrate our freedom fighters. So many young people gave their lives. Will they forget the entire history of the country like this?" She further expressed concern about the implications of such remarks on India's national identity: "What will the identity of the country be then? It seems they will forget even the name of India. Is it correct? I think it is wrong. India, Hindustan, Bharat will go on forever. We are proud of Independence Day, Republic Day. I strongly condemn him...We are dedicated to the country, we are dedicated to keep our independence intact. We are ready to sacrifice our life for the country but we are not going to tolerate that." On Monday, Mohan Bhagwat said that India witnessed true independence on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. Bhagwat addressing a gathering at an event in Madhya Pradesh's Indore said, "The true independence of India, which had faced many centuries of persecution, was established on the day of Ram Temple's 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony. India had gained independence but it was not established." Congress MP Jairam Ramesh also condemned RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's remarksand called it an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and the Constitution, and demanded an apology from Bhagwat. Speaking to ANI, Jairam Ramesh said, "Mohan Bhagwat keeps giving such statements on many topics, without any meaning. What he has said is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and to the Constitution that Baba Saheb Ambedkar had made, this is an attack on it. Mohan Bhagwat should definitely apologize for it. This is anti-national." (ANI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday attended the seventh Regional Industry Conclave held in Shahdol district and said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India would again become the Golden bird through entrepreneurship. CM Yadav also remarked that religiously significant regions like Shahdol, Anuppur, and Umaria, which were previously underdeveloped, would now witness comprehensive growth. The seventh Regional Industries Conclave, themed "Land of Infinite Possibilities", was organized in Shahdol to promote balanced development. Addressing the event, the CM said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India will once again become the 'Golden Bird' through entrepreneurship. As the Modi government came into power in 2014, India's economy faced significant challenges. We were ranked as the 11th largest economy globally and by recognizing our internal strengths and infinite possibilities, we are now progressing rapidly using modern technology. Madhya Pradesh is also witnessing fast-paced development. Our state, a family of 9 crore people, aims to double its GDP in the next five years." The Chief Minister also emphasized the importance of entrepreneurs in embodying the eternal Indian philosophy of "Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah" (May everyone be happy). Just as a warrior dedicates everything for the nation, an entrepreneur works for the welfare of many families. He stressed that if everyone fulfills their roles diligently, it will benefit all and lead to the nation's progress. Quoting, "Living for oneself is not living; live for the world." "Madhya Pradesh's industry-friendly policies focused on simplicity and ease of doing business. The state provides a conducive environment for industries, offering cooperation, support, and respect. Special incentives are available for industries in sectors like tourism, IT, and ready-made garments, including assistance up to 200 per cent and Rs 5,000 a worker for ten years," CM Yadav said. Additionally, he mentioned that every youth in the state would be provided employment according to their skills and abilities. In recent times, six regional industry conclaves have been organized so far, investment proposals over Rs 4 lakh crore received, with job opportunities likely for 3 lakh people. On February 24, Madhya Pradesh will host the Global Investors Conclave, with departments working on sector-specific policies to be finalized soon. Startups are also being encouraged, with congratulations extended on StartUp Day, he added. CM Yadav further clarified that development for his government is not just about physical infrastructure but also about the welfare of all social classes. Under the missions initiated by PM Modi for the welfare of the poor, youth, women, and farmers, rapid progress is being made. During the conclave, the CM engaged in one-to-one discussions with representatives of various industries and industrial groups to promote investment and industrial activities in the state. According to an official release, around 401 acres of land is allotted to 102 units during the Shahdol Regional Industry Conclave in which capital investment of over Rs 3561 crores and employment to over 9561 people is proposed. Also, bhoomi pujan and inauguration of 30 units was performed on the occasion, out of which 18 units are under Shahdol division, in which proposed investment of about Rs 572 crores and employment to more than 2600 people is likely to be generated in these units. Besides, in the seventh edition of RIC in Shahdol, investment proposals worth around Rs 32,520 crore were received in large industries, MSME, and other sectors, additionally, employment opportunities will be generated for over 30,000 people. About 95 per cent of the investment proposals have been received for investment prominently in the Shahdol region, the release read. (ANI) Following the announcement of a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, global leaders have expressed optimism while emphasising the need for further efforts toward peace. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres praised the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar, and the United States, while former US President Barack Obama called the agreement a positive step. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also welcomed the deal, stressing the need for a long-term political solution based on a two-state framework to secure lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians. In a statement, Guterres said, "I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza. I commend the mediators -- Egypt, Qatar and the USA -- for their dedicated efforts in brokering this deal. I call on all to uphold their commitments & ensure that this deal is fully implemented. From the outset of the violence, I have called for an immediate ceasefire & the immediate & unconditional release of all hostages. He added, "Our priority must be to ease the tremendous suffering caused by this conflict. I call on all to facilitate rapid, unhindered and safe humanitarian relief for all civilians in need. From our side, we will do whatever is humanly possible, aware of the serious challenges that we will be facing." Guterres also urged for the establishment of a credible political path toward a two-state solution, highlighting the urgent need for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in accordance with international law and UN resolutions. "I urge the parties and relevant partners to seize this opportunity to establish a credible political path to a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and the broader region. Ending the occupation and achieving a negotiated two-state solution, with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace and security, in line with international law, relevant UN resolutions, and previous deals agreements remain an urgent priority. Only through a viable two-state solution can the aspirations of both peoples be fulfilled," Guterres said. Former US President Barack Obama said that the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas is a positive development. He highlighted that the deal stops the "bloodshed" and provides much-needed aid. He said, "The ceasefire and hostage release deal announced between Israel and Hamas is good news - for the families of the hostages taken on October 7th, for the Palestinian civilians who have suffered for more than a year, and for everyone who has prayed for an end to this awful chapter." He added, "It's important to recognise that no deal - including this one - can ease the pain of those who have lost loved ones, or resolve the longstanding conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. That work will be much harder, and take much longer. But it will put a stop to the bloodshed, allow people to return to their homes, and get much-needed aid to more than a million desperate, hungry people." Obama also thanked President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and global leaders for their efforts in securing the deal. "That's something we should all support, and I'm grateful to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and all the leaders and diplomatic teams from around the world who have worked so hard to get this done," Obama said. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that after months of violence and immense loss of life, the news of a ceasefire between Israel and Palestine is a long-awaited development. "After months of devastating bloodshed and countless lives lost, this is the long-overdue news that the Israeli and Palestinian people have desperately been waiting for. They have borne the brunt of this conflict - triggered by the brutal terrorists of Hamas, who committed the deadliest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust on October 7th, 2023," Starmer said. The UK PM also called for renewed humanitarian aid for Palestinians suffering in Gaza and stressed the need for a long-term solution. He said, "The hostages, who were brutally ripped from their homes on that day and held captive in unimaginable conditions ever since, can now finally return to their families. For the innocent Palestinians whose homes turned into a warzone overnight and the many who have lost their lives, this ceasefire must allow for a huge surge in humanitarian aid, which is so desperately needed to end the suffering in Gaza. And then our attention must turn to how we secure a permanently better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people - grounded in a two-state solution that will guarantee security and stability for Israel, alongside a sovereign and viable Palestine state." Starmer added, "The UK and its allies will continue to be at the forefront of these crucial efforts to break the cycle of violence and secure long-term peace in the Middle East." Earlier, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, ending over 15 months of conflict. The deal, structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase. (ANI) Qatar, Egypt, and the United States in a joint statement on Wednesday confirmed that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal. It is likely to take effect on January 19, the agreement outlines a three-stage process aimed at securing a "sustainable calm," including the release of hostages and prisoners, a withdrawal of Israeli forces from populated areas, and humanitarian aid operation. The Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement said, "The State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America announced that the parties to the conflict in Gaza have reached an agreement to release hostages in exchange of hostages and prisoners and return to a sustainable calm ultimately achieving a permanent ceasefire between the parties. The agreement is expected to come into effect as 19 January 2025." It added, "The agreement reached by the two parties includes three stages. The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in the Gaza strip, and facilitating the departure of patients and wounded to receive treatment." The joint statement further said that the first stage also includes intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza strip, rehabilitating hospitals, health centres, and bakeries, bringing in civil defence supplies and fuel, and bringing in shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war. "In this context, the State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America affirm that their policy as guarantors of this agreement is to help ensure that all three of its stages will be fully implemented by both parties. Accordingly, the mediators will work together to ensure that the parties implement their obligations in the agreement and that the three stages continue in full," the statement added. The three nations, acting as guarantors of the deal, pledged to work closely with the United Nations and international partners to ensure full implementation of the agreement. "The guarantors will also work in coordination with the UN, other providers of assistance, and partners from around the world to support the rapid and sustained surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza under the terms outlined in the agreement. We call on other countries to join and support these efforts under mechanisms we have established to help implement the agreement," the joint statement said. Meanwhile, Qatar's Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani praised the role of all envoys involved in facilitating the ceasefire deal and reaffirmed Qatar's commitment to peace and stability in the region. "The momentum built over the past month, supported by close collaboration with our partners, has led us to this pivotal moment. We thank all envoys involved for their vital role in achieving this progress and reaffirm our commitment to peace and stability in the region," Al Thani said. He added, "With faith and commitment, we have reached this moment. Together with our partners, we will ensure the implementation of this agreement. A joint follow-up mechanism between Qatar, Egypt, and the US will monitor progress to safeguard the deal and bring lasting peace." Earlier, US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, ending over 15 months of conflict. The deal, structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase. (ANI) Following the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, crowds took to the streets of Tel Aviv. In a display of unity, people were seen singing songs and expressing their relief. People were also seen beating drum and chanting slogans while holding banners of the hostages. Earlier, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. During these conversations, Netanyahu expressed his gratitude for their support in facilitating the release of hostages. He reaffirmed Israel's commitment to securing the release of all hostages and praised President Trump for emphasising the need to ensure Gaza does not become a haven for terrorism. Both leaders agreed to meet in Washington soon to further address these issues. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office in a post on X wrote, "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke this evening with US President-elect Donald Trump and thanked him for his assistance in advancing the release of the hostages and for helping Israel bring an end to the suffering of dozens of hostages and their families." "The Prime Minister made it clear that he is committed to returning all of the hostages however he can and commended the US President-elect for his remarks that the US would work with Israel to ensure that Gaza will never be a haven for terrorism. The two decided to meet in Washington soon in order to discuss this and other important issues," the post added. Netanyahu also thanked President Biden for his assistance in advancing the hostage deal. "Prime Minister Netanyahu then spoke with US President Joe Biden and thanked him as well for his assistance in advancing the hostages deal," the post said. Notably, following the reports of Israel and Hamas agreeing to a ceasefire deal, Trump had said that this progress had been made even before his return to the White House. He also emphasised the potential for the "wonderful things" once his administration is fully confirmed and in power. Biden on Wednesday had announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, ending over 15 months of conflict. The deal, structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase. (ANI) Ahead of the US Consulate opening in Bengaluru, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya on Wednesday met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar with traditional Mysore Pak sweets and expressed gratitude to the Central Government for facilitating the consulate in Bengaluru. Bengaluru had been demanding a US Consulate for long with Surya persistently following up on the demand since being elected an MP in 2019. During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in June 2023, it was announced that the US would open two new consulates in Bengaluru and Ahmedabad, and India would establish a mission in Seattle. The US Consulate will be dedicated to the city of Bengaluru on January 17 by the Ambassador of the US to India Eric Garcetti with other top dignitaries set to attend the ceremony on Friday. While the Consulate officials are yet to be named and the location too yet to be revealed, it has been reported that the Consulate would initially function with a limited number of officers from the JW Marriott hotel on Vittal Mallya Road, before moving to a permanent office. Late on Wednesday evening, Surya posted a video on X with the Foreign Minister welcoming the US Consulate. "It's been made possible only and only because of PM @narendramodi and EAM @DrSJaishankar's efforts. What better way to thank our EAM than with our own Mysuru Pak!" the video caption read. https://x.com/Tejasvi_Surya/status/1879558007350252009 He further said, "Bengaluru having a US Consulate will benefit lakhs of students from the city. The city is the country's IT capital and home to many multinational companies. The Consulate will boost commerce and trade between the two countries and smoothen travel for businessmen and entrepreneurs. I thank the Modi Government for promoting the interests of Bengaluru at every given opportunity and fulfilling a long-pending request." In March 2023, Surya sought Jaishankar's support for the US Consulate in Bengaluru. Back then, Jaishankar had said, "Since you have put it so strongly and repeatedly, I assure you that the next time I meet Mr Anthony Blinken (then the US Secretary of State), I will hammer home that message with at least as much force as you have done (right now)." Back in November 2019, Surya met Jaishankar with a written request for a US consulate in Bengaluru. "There are around 750 Multi-National Companies situated in Bengaluru with about 370 of them headquartered in the United States. Bengaluru and Karnataka together account for a large pool for students and businessmen travelling to the United States. Having a fully functioning US Consulate in Bengaluru rather than the existing virtual consulate would be convenient for at least half a million people of Karnataka and would also ease the burden on the Consulates in Chennai and Hyderabad," he had written in a letter dated November 18, 2019. He had also placed a request with the Ambassador of the US to India, Dr Kenneth Juster, in March 2020. (ANI) Flash Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday following a minister's early retirement ahead of the general election, which must be held by May. Albanese announced the ministry changes of "a strong, united and stable cabinet government" following the foreshadowed resignation of Bill Shorten as National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and government services minister. Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth will take the additional role as the NDIS minister, one of Shorten's current ministerial portfolios, with Anne Aly to become the minister assisting the NDIS minister. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher will also take the additional role to become the government services minister, another of Shorten's current portfolios. Furthermore, Aged Care and Sport Minister Anika Wells has been promoted to the Cabinet, Albanese announced. A swearing-in ceremony will be held in Canberra next Monday, with the governor-general to stamp the changes. After 17 years in parliament including six years of leading the Australian Labor Party, Shorten will become vice-chancellor at the University of Canberra. Speaking of his retirement earlier than expected, Shorten told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that the timing is right and it allows the prime minister to name new minister or ministers, and so the team heading into the election can be established before Parliament returns on Feb. 4. Herve Delphin, Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to India, made a symbolic gesture to show support for Poland as it assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2025. While eating an apple, which has been chosen as the symbol for Poland's EU presidency, Delphin highlighted Poland's strong leadership under its Prime Minister. Herve Delphin on Wednesday said, "Polish presidency would be very simple. Whether north, east, south, west or centre - the EU has fared through all the different periods with its reaching challenges and opportunities." He added, "Although sometimes it's written off more as a proposal of the past than the future, we're still here. I think it's great to have Poland with a prime minister who has been president of the parliament, and president of the European Council - he has more than the credentials to steer the Polish presidency of the EU at a critical moment." Notably, Poland assumed the presidency of the Council of the European Union for a duration of six months - January 1 to June 30, 2025. The nation has picked Apple as its EU presidency symbol. According to the Observer Research Foundation, on January 1, 2025, Poland assumed the presidency of the Council of the EU. The EU's rotation system, which changes presidencies every six months, marks the beginning of a new trio of presidencies led by Poland, Denmark, and Cyprus. Poland will preside over the presidency until June 31, during which it will drive the EU's political agenda while factoring in its own national interests. As per Poland's Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Polish Presidency will aim to strengthen external, internal, information, economic, energy, food and health security, advancing initiatives for the common good of all Member States. (ANI) US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller on Wednesday praised the "critical" role of President-elect Donald Trump's team in brokering a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas. "When it comes to the involvement of President-Elect Trump's team, it has been absolutely critical in getting this deal over the line. It's been critical because obviously, as I stand here today, this administration's term in office will expire in five days," Miller said during a press briefing. He added, "We, of course, thank the Trump team for working with us on this ceasefire agreement. We think it's important that they were at the table. It shows that when Americans are willing to work together across partisan lines, as we were willing to do on this occasion because it's in the national interests of the United States, a lot can get done." White House Press Secretary, Karine Jean Pierre, during a press briefing said that President Biden has directed his team to work closely with the incoming administration following the ceasefire deal. "After 15 months of war, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal. This deal will halt the fighting in Gaza, surge much-needed humanitarian assistance to Palestinian civilians who have been living in dire conditions, and it will reunite the hostages, including Americans, with their families - after more than 15 months in captivity, experiencing unimaginable suffering. Over the past few days, President Biden spoke with the leaders of Israel, Qatar and Egypt to continue to push negotiations forward and reach the resolution we announced today. President Biden has also directed his team to work closely with the incoming administration to ensure all spoke with one voice on the need to secure the deal." She added, "As the President said, we have reached this point because of the pressure Israel has put on Hamas, while with the backing of the United States. Sinwar was killed. Iran's attacks against Israel failed. Under this deal, President Biden is determined to finally bring their loved ones home." Earlier, while addressing the press conference following the ceasefire, US President Joe Biden acknowledged that while the ceasefire deal was developed under his administration, its implementation will largely fall to the next administration, which will be under President-elect Donald Trump. "This deal was developed and negotiated under my administration, but its terms will be implemented for the most part by the next administration. In these past few days, we've been speaking as one team," Biden said. He also praised the teamwork and efforts of American diplomats, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, and Vice President Kamala Harris. Biden added, "Many peacemakers helped make this deal happen, including an extraordinary team of American diplomats who have worked nonstop for months to get this done. Secretary Blinken led the effort, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and the Vice President worked relentlessly as we work to deliver this deal. This has been a time of real turmoil in the Middle East." Meanwhile, Qatar, Egypt, and the United States in a joint statement on Wednesday confirmed that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal. It is likely to take effect on January 19. (ANI) In a written report submitted to the legislature, the council emphasised that shifting global policies have created new opportunities for Taiwan to expand its international presence, Taipei Times reported. OCAC Minister Hsu Chia-ching stated that global democracies are facing unprecedented challenges from authoritarian regimes like China and Russia. "Policy changes have benefited the council's diplomatic efforts," Hsu said. The removal of entities such as Confucius Institutes and overseas Chinese police stations in Western nations has led to reduced resistance for overseas Taiwanese communities, easing their ability to engage on diplomatic fronts. The council reported that as of last year, there were approximately 2 million overseas Taiwanese, 6,000 overseas Taiwanese groups, and 1,000 Taiwan schools, which collectively play a pivotal role in strengthening Taiwan's global connections. Unlike formal diplomatic mechanisms, these communities enjoy greater flexibility in fostering ties, OCAC said, as per reports by Taipei Times. In 2023, the council collaborated with overseas Taiwanese groups to organise 111 events across 46 regions, attracting a combined attendance of 106,000 people. These events supported Taiwan's meaningful engagement with global cooperative frameworks, including the WHO, in areas such as health, economics, culture, and education. Notable initiatives included the Taiwan Day event at Ruhr-Universitat-Bochum and cultural showcases at Germany's AHOJ.Festival. Taiwanese participation in South Australia's Multicultural Festival and New South Wales' Willoughby Spring Fair were also facilitated by the council. Academic and corporate initiatives to encourage overseas Taiwanese to return for study and work drew 7,450 participants, Taipie Times reported. Looking ahead, the council plans to amplify its efforts to advocate for Taiwan internationally while supporting Taiwanese entrepreneurs abroad, particularly in the semiconductor, artificial intelligence, defense, and next-generation communications sectors. (ANI) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) reported that 10 aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and six vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) were detected around Taiwan early today. The MND further revealed that six of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). Sharing a post on X, MND wrote, "10 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today." It added, "6 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly." https://x.com/MoNDefense/status/1879695066316357965 On Wednesday, MND detected 24 aircraft from the PLA and six vessels from the PLAN operating around Taiwan until 6 a.m. (UTC+8). According to the MND, 21 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. In recent weeks, China has been visibly boosting its ability to invade Taiwanese beaches with innovative new naval equipment. This includes the formal launching of an enormous landing helicopter assault (LHA) vessel, the likes of which no other navy in the world possesses, and mass production of floating bridge docks to assist the unloading of ships during beach landings. Both type of equipment are strong indications that China is serious about one day invading Taiwan. The 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) Video-sharing company, YouTube on Thursday announced that Google and they are contributing USD 15 million to provide relief in Los Angeles in support of their creator community. Emergency Network Los Angeles, American Red Cross, Center for Disaster Philanthropy and Institute for Nonprofit News would be recipients of the relief. In a post on X, YouTube announced, "YouTube and Google are contributing $15 million to organizations via Google.org to provide immediate relief in LA in support of our creator community. Recipients include Emergency Network LA, Red Cross, Center for Disaster Philanthropy, and the Institute for Nonprofit News, with more to come. http://yt.be/LA" https://x.com/YouTube/status/1879593342704775283 Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet, assured everyone in Los Angeles of his support. In a post on X, he said, "To all of our employees, the YouTube creator community, and everyone in LA, please stay safe and know we're here to support." https://x.com/sundarpichai/status/1879593698918531309 California was granted more federal funding to help with public infrastructure repairs following a week of devastating wildfires, CNN reported, quoting the governor's office on Wednesday (local time). The Federal Emergency Management Agency grant will help with debris removal, and with rebuilding roads and bridges, public utilities, and other public works projects damaged by the fires, the announcement said. CNN reported that damage inspections for impact from the Palisades Fire are 30 per cent completed, but there's no confirmed dates for reopening closed areas where the teams are working. "We are in constant communication with relevant agencies to assess when repopulation will be feasible," Commander Christine Coles of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at a Wednesday news conference. Winds are forecast to strengthen across Southern California on Wednesday, exacerbating the already perilous wildfire conditions in Los Angeles. The National Weather Service warned that the gusts, which are expected to peak between 3 am and 3 pm local time, could worsen ongoing fires that have claimed at least 25 lives and left 24 others missing, Voice of America (VOA) reported. (ANI) The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) condemned the growing human rights violations in Balochistan, calling attention to the increasing repression of the local population, as reported by the Balochistan Post. According to the Balochistan Post, in a recent statement, the BWF criticized parliamentary parties for exploiting these issues for personal and political gain, while the people of Balochistan continue to suffer. Despite repeated warnings, anti-Baloch policies are intensifying, the forum stated. The Balochistan Post further reported that a key focus of the press release was a tragic incident on January 4, 2025, when a young protester at a peaceful sit-in in Hoshap, Turbat, was run over by a truck. The protest was against the enforced disappearances of two Baloch men, Abul Hassan and Zaman Baloch. The injured protester was rushed to Turbat and later to Karachi, but he died from his injuries. The BWF spokesperson questioned, "Who is accountable for such attacks on our right to peaceful protest and legal protections?" The BWF also condemned the extrajudicial killings of Afzal Manzoor from Turbat and Zakaria Baloch from Gwadar. Afzal was forcibly disappeared by security forces in December 2024, and his body was later found, showing signs of torture after being falsely presented as part of an explosion. Zakaria was also abducted by security forces and, after his release, was tragically killed by "unknown" attackers, who are believed to be responsible for multiple assaults on Baloch individuals, the Balochistan Post reported. The statement also highlighted the mass abduction of over ten Baloch people in Khuzdar's Zehri area, which led to protests and highway blockades. While some individuals were released, many remain missing in state custody. The BWF criticized the silence of elected officials, noting their lack of response to these abductions while quickly condemning insurgent attacks. This inaction, the BWF said, deepens resentment among the Baloch people towards the state, as reported by the Balochistan Post. The forum called on both local and international human rights organizations to pressure the state to end these abuses. According to the Balochistan Post, the BWF also urged the Baloch people to unite and resist this ongoing oppression through organized action. "Our collective resistance is the only way forward," the spokesperson concluded. (ANI) China's development of "special-purpose barges" has raised alarm among analysts, fuelling concerns over the country's potential plans to invade Taiwan, as reported by Radio Free Asia. RFA reported that according to experts, these vessels could enhance Beijing's ability to rapidly deploy troops and equipment to Taiwan, particularly in the face of challenges posed by the island's rough, difficult-to-navigate waters. At least five of these massive barges are being built at Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) on Longxue Island, a facility known for constructing unconventional vessels. The barges, which are flat-bottomed for optimal use in shallow waters, are designed to carry heavy cargo, including military vehicles, and unload efficiently without the need for port infrastructure. According to RFA, the barges feature unusually long road bridges, exceeding 120 meters (393 feet), that extend from their fronts. This design enables them to reach coastal roads or hard surfaces beyond beaches, facilitating the offloading of trucks and tanks. Some barges are also equipped with "jack-up" pillars, which can stabilize the platform in rough sea conditions, ensuring that unloading operations can continue even in adverse weather. Radio Free Asia reported that Chieh Chung, a research fellow at Taiwan's Association of Strategic Foresight, explained that China has been working for over two decades to improve its "pier-free unloading" capability. While previous attempts, such as using floating bridges and artificial piers, faced difficulties in rough seas, the new barges address these issues by operating closer to shore and using the road bridges' pillar support to counteract challenging conditions. Michael Hunzeker, associate director at George Mason University's Center for Security Policy Studies, noted that these developments underscore Beijing's serious intentions regarding Taiwan, RFA reported. He suggested that the construction of these vessels signals that China continues to view force as a viable option for achieving its goal of annexing Taiwan, a region it considers a part of its territory. (ANI) The grand Maha Kumbh organised by the Uttar Pradesh government is now capturing global attention. As part of this, a 21-member delegation comprising representatives from 10 different countries visited the Sangam in Prayagraj on Thursday. Speaking to ANI, Denesh Persaud from Guyana, expressed his joy and fulfilment after taking a holy dip in the River Ganges "It's a dream come true," Persaud said. "I always wanted to come here and take a holy dip in the River Ganges. I have fulfilled that wish." Persaud encouraged others to participate in the event and experience the significance of the holy dip. "I encourage those who are here to come to this event and take a dip in the holy River Ganges," he added. Sally El Azab from United Arab Emirates, is among the many international pilgrims who have travelled to Prayagraj, to experience the Kumbh Mela, the largest religious gathering in the world. "I am coming from the Middle East to India...It is a wonderful event," El Azab said, praising the organisation of the event. "It is the largest religious gathering in the world...Here, everything is well organised to another level. The police are there for safety. The government has arranged it all very well," he added. The delegation, invited by the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, arrived on Wednesday. Arrangements for the delegation's stay have been made at the Tent City in Arail, developed by the Uttar Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation. The international delegation includes representatives from Fiji, Finland, Guyana, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Thousands of devotees took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam here on Thursday morning, the fourth day of the 45-day-long Maha Kumbh. Over 6 crore devotees have participated in the world's biggest religious congregation; over 3.5 crore on the occasion of Makar Sankranti on January 14. Meanwhile, given the massive influx of pilgrims, the Prayagraj administration has established an AI-based computerized lost and found centre. Sharing details about the centre, Additional Mela Adhikari Vivek Chaturvedi told ANI, "An AI-based lost and found centre has been set up. Arrangements are made there for accommodation, clothes and food for the people who are lost... There has not been a single case in which we have not been able to reunite children or lost people with their relatives. We have received a good response from the computerised lost and found centre... If there is a case in which we have not been able to reunite a person with his relatives, then the administration takes them to their home at its own expense." Maha Kumbh, which began on January 13, will continue until February 26. The next key bathing dates include January 29 (Mauni Amavasya - Second Shahi Snan), February 3 (Basant Panchami - Third Shahi Snan), February 12 (Maghi Purnima), and February 26 (Maha Shivaratri). (ANI) At least seven people have been forcibly disappeared allegedly by Pakistani forces from different parts of Balochistan, sparking widespread protests throughout the region, as reported by the Balochistan Post. According to the Balochistan Post, two individuals--Muzir, son of Nazir, and Jassim, son of Ahmed--were taken by Pakistani forces from the Saidan area of Panjgur late last night. In response, their families have organized a sit-in protest, blocking roads in Saidan and halting traffic in a bid to demand the immediate release of their loved ones. The Balochistan Post has further reported that protests have also erupted in Khuzdar district, where residents are calling for the recovery of those forcibly disappeared. In a recent incident, Pakistani forces attempted to abduct Mohammad Saleem, son of Rustam Khan, while he was tending to his cattle in Zehri Tarasani. However, local residents and Saleem's family intervened, preventing the abduction. Despite this, Saleem's family remains fearful for his safety, and they have warned authority Bilal Balochies that they will hold the state accountable if harm comes to him. Over the past few days, 12 individuals have reportedly been forcibly disappeared in Khuzdar tehsil, prompting families to block roads in protest. In Turbat, similar incidents have sparked further unrest. Pakistani forces are said to have raided homes in New Bahman Dannuk around 2 am, detaining Bilal Baloch, son of Haider Ali, and Ismail Baloch, son of Hair Mohammad. Both men were taken to an unknown location, the Balochistan Post reported. The forced disappearances in Turbat have led to protests along the Turbat-Quetta M-8 CPEC Highway near Shapuk, where women, children, and youth have blocked the road. They are demanding the release of Munir Ahmed, Shakeel Rind, and Sheyhaq Gulam Qadir, who were detained on January 12, 2025, near the Dukram cattle market. Seven additional families, whose relatives have also gone missing, have joined the protests, amplifying the growing calls for justice. (ANI) US President Joe Biden on Thursday said that the US is ahead of China in their competition. Biden, while delivering his final address from the Oval Office, emphasised that the US should lead in the development of AI, and not China. "We've pulled ahead in our competition with China. And so much more. I'm so proud of how much we've accomplished together for the American people, and I wish the incoming administration success. Because I want America to succeed," he said. Biden said that as a 'Land of Liberty', the people must govern in the age of AI. "In the age of AI, it's more important than ever that the people must govern. And as the Land of Liberty, America -- not China -- must lead the world in the development of AI," he said. Biden flagged his concerns related to Artificial Intelligence and said that humans need to make sure that AI is safe for use. "Nothing offers more profound possibilities and risks for our economy, and our security, our society. For humanity. Artificial intelligence even has the potential to help us answer my call to end cancer as we know it. But unless safeguards are in place, AI could spawn new threats to our rights, our way of life, to our privacy, how we work, and how we protect our nation. We must make sure AI is safe and trustworthy and good for all humankind," he said. Biden also emphasised on the need to reform the tax code, which will make the wealthy pay taxes proportionately. "You know, in the years ahead, it's going to be up to the president, the presidency, the Congress, the courts, the free press, and the American people to confront these powerful forces. We must reform the tax code. Not by giving the biggest tax cuts to billionaires, but by making them begin to pay their fair share," he said. Biden said that the American constitution must be reformed, and 'dark money' must 'get out'. "We need to get dark money -- that's that hidden funding behind too many campaign contributions -- we need to get it out of our politics. We need to enact an 18-year time limit, term limit, time and term, for the strongest ethics -- and the strongest ethics reforms for our Supreme Court. We need to ban members of Congress from trading stock while they are in the Congress. We need to amend the Constitution to make clear that no president, no president is immune from crimes that he or she commits while in office. The president's power is not limit -- it is not absolute. And it shouldn't be," he said. Biden further said that concentration of wealth in a few hands erodes the sense of unity from the minds of citizens. He added that everyone must get an even playing field and not a 'guarantee'. "And in a democracy, there is another danger -- that the concentration of power and wealth. It erodes a sense of unity and common purpose. It causes distrust and division. Participating in our democracy becomes exhausting and even disillusioning, and people don't feel like they have a fair shot. We have to stay engaged in the process. I know it's frustrating. A fair shot is what makes America "America". Everyone is entitled to a fair shot, not a guarantee, just a fair shot, an even playing field. Going as far as your hard work and talent can take you," he said. (ANI) Flash The newly sworn-in President of Mozambique Daniel Francisco Chapo demonstrates the symbol of power he received from Lucia Ribeiro, president of the Constitutional Council, during an inauguration ceremony in Maputo, Mozambique, on Jan. 15, 2025. [Photo/AIM handout via Xinhua] Daniel Francisco Chapo was sworn in as the fifth president of Mozambique during a public ceremony held Wednesday in central Maputo, the capital of the southern African country. "In accordance with Article 149, paragraph 1, of the Constitution of the Republic, I hereby declare His Excellency Daniel Francisco Chapo inaugurated as President of the Republic of Mozambique," announced Lucia Ribeiro, president of the Constitutional Council. The event held at Independence Square was attended by prominent figures, including former presidents Joaquim Chissano and Armando Guebuza, as well as the outgoing head of state Filipe Nyusi. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Bissau-Guinean President Umaro Sissoco Embalo were also present, along with over 2,000 guests, including representatives of governments, organizations, cooperation partners, and other dignitaries. In his inaugural speech, Chapo announced plans for administrative reforms, including reducing the number of ministries and eliminating positions such as deputy ministers, reallocating resources to critical sectors. "It will be a smaller government, but one that is highly agile and efficient," he said. The post of deputy minister would be replaced by "secretaries of state with clear and well-defined responsibilities, who respond directly to the ministers," said Chapo. He took a strong stance against corruption and promised to review the privileges granted to state officials and privatize non-strategic companies to make the government more sustainable. Chapo also emphasized his administration's commitment to cracking down on kidnappings and organized crime. Concluding the ceremony, the outgoing President Filipe Nyusi called for unity among Mozambicans in supporting the new leader. "I urge all Mozambicans to unite behind President Daniel Chapo, so he may lead the country in the best way possible," Nyusi stated. Current secretary-general of the ruling party Frelimo, Daniel Chapo was born in the central province of Sofala in 1977 and graduated in Law from the Eduardo Mondlane University in 2000, making him the first President of the Republic born after the country's independence in 1975. On Dec. 23, 2024, Chapo was proclaimed by the Constitutional Council as the president-elect with 65.17 percent of the votes in the Oct. 9 general elections. In a remarkable feat on the occasion of Army Day 2025, a joint mountaineering expedition of the Indian Army and the Argentine Army successfully summited Mt Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the Americas standing at an altitude of 6,995 meters. The expedition, which began on January 3, 2025, featured an eight-member Indian team led by Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Joshi and a 15-member Argentine contingent. The teams reached the summit on January 15, 2025. "On the occasion of Army Day 2025, a joint mountaineering expedition of the Indian Army and the Argentine Army, successfully summited the majestic Mt Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas with a towering altitude of 6995 metres. The introductory joint military expedition began on 03 January 2025, featuring an eight-member Indian team, led by Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Joshi alongside a 15-member Argentine contingent which finally summited on 15 January 2025," the Indian Army made the announcement on X. https://x.com/adgpi/status/1879817850405138786 "This expedition enhances bilateral defence ties, underscoring the value of collaborative efforts to strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the armed forces of the two nations," it added. Closing the statement, the Indian Army stated, "Jointly Rising to New Heights." Indian Ambassador to Argentina, Dinesh Bhatia lauded the achievement and congratulated the mountaineering teams. "Amb @dineshbhatia congratulates mountaineering teams of @adgpiand @Ejercito_Argfor successfully conquering Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in Americas, in their first joint expedition," the Indian Embassy in Argentina stated in a post. https://x.com/Indembarg/status/1879623001164906810 India and Argentina share a long-standing relationship built on shared values, mutual respect, and understanding. Their diplomatic relations, elevated to the level of Strategic Partnership during the State Visit of the then-President of Argentina to India in February 2019, continue to expand across diverse sectors, including defence, mining, cultural, and scientific cooperation. The partnership's history traces back to 1943 when India established a Trade Commission in Buenos Aires, later converted into an embassy in 1949, making it one of India's first embassies in South America. Argentina's diplomatic engagement with India began with a consulate in Kolkata in the 1920s, which was shifted to Delhi as an embassy in 1950. Argentina has also maintained a Consulate General in Mumbai since 2009. The Indian community in Argentina, numbering around 2,600, predominantly resides in Buenos Aires, with many working for multinational corporations such as Cognizant Technologies and IBM. Earlier migrants, now in their third or fourth generations, live in provinces like Salta and Jujuy, where they continue to contribute to cultural and economic exchanges. (ANI) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto will pay a state visit to India on January 25-26, at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his visit, President Subianto will be the chief guest at India's 76th Republic Day celebrations. This will be President Prabowo's first visit to India in his capacity as President, after assuming office in October 2024, according to a Ministry of External Affairs statement. "India and Indonesia share warm and friendly ties spanning over millennia. As a Comprehensive Strategic Partner, Indonesia is an important pillar in India's Act East Policy and our vision of the Indo-Pacific," the statement added. The forthcoming State Visit of President Prabowo will provide an opportunity for the leaders to undertake a comprehensive review of bilateral ties as well as to discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest, said MEA. The visit by the Indonesian leader will be significant as India and Indonesia are commemorating 75 years of diplomatic relations. Notably, PM Modi and Indonesian President Subianto held their first meeting on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Rio last year. During their meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment towards strengthening bilateral ties in the framework of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The leaders noted that had called for celebrating the occasion in a befitting manner, as per the Ministry of External Affairs. "Indonesia and India have long-standing and excellent relations. We deeply value this relationship and are committed to enhancing it across various sectors," said the President as per the Cabinet Secretariat of Indonesia. In October last year, Indonesia's former defence minister, Prabowo Subianto took oath as the eighth President of Indonesia along with Gibran Rakabuming, son of former President Joko Widodo who was elected Vice President of the country. During his swearing-in ceremony, India was represented by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. Earlier, Subianto had visited New Delhi during his role as the Defence Minister of Indonesia in 2020. (ANI) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 16 (ANI/TPS): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of backtracking on the ceasefire agreement and is refusing to convene the Cabinet to discuss it on Thursday morning. "Hamas is backing out of the understandings and creating a last-minute crisis that prevents a settlement," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Hamas is backing out of the explicit understandings agreed upon with the mediators and Israel in a last-minute blackmail attempt." He added, "Israel will not set a date for a cabinet and government meeting until the mediators announce that Hamas has approved all the details of the agreement." Subsequently, the government's Directorate of Abductees, Returnees, and Missing Persons updated families of abductees that "in recent hours Hamas has added demands that contradict the agreement with the mediators." The directorate added, "Negotiations remain ongoing, and no official announcement has been made regarding their outcome or the scheduled cabinet meeting. Families are urged to rely solely on authorized sources for updates." The Cabinet was expected to meet in the morning. The delay was initially attributed to negotiators in Doha working to finalize the list of Palestinian terrorists to be released. The agreement, which Qatari officials said would take effect on Sunday, outlines a series of prisoner and hostage exchanges. Of the 98 hostages, 33 women, children, elderly and sick captives would be released in the first stage in exchange for 110 Palestinian terrorists serving life sentences in Israeli prisons. The deal prioritizes the release of hostages aged over 50 from the initial group of 33. The exchange ratios for this phase include one hostage to three prisoners serving life sentences and one hostage to 27 prisoners with lesser sentences. The most contentious aspect of the agreement is that the fate of the remaining 65 hostages will be determined by negotiations to begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire. Critics say the phased approach condemns hostages not freed in the beginning to open-ended captivity and undermines Israel's war gains. The ceasefire would potentially lead to the release of some 1,000 Palestinian terrorists imprisoned in Israel. While many would be sent back to their homes in Judea, Samaria and Gaza, higher profile prisoners will be deported. After Israeli authorities publish a list of prisoners to be released, terror victims will have an opportunity to file legal petitions. At least 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas's attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 95 remaining hostages, more than 30 have been declared dead. Hamas has also been holding captive two Israeli civilians since 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of two soldiers killed in 2014. (ANI/TPS) Tel Aviv [Israel], January 16 (ANI/TPS): Israeli security forces arrested 50 wanted Palestinians in counterterror operations in Judea and Samaria during the past week, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday. Troops seized weapons and terror funds. The army added that ten Palestinian terrorists were killed in two airstrikes in Jenin during this time. (ANI/TPS) The Indian Embassy in Japan is celebrating 'Assam Week' to showcase the state's heritage and its potential to grow in various sectors as well as celebrate Assam's contributions to education, industry, security, and agriculture in the country. Taking to X on Thursday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed gratitude to the Indian Embassy in Japan for their active participation in the event. "Indian Embassies are celebrating Assam Week to showcase the State's rich heritage & our potential to become a leading State in India with concerted efforts in education, industry, security and agriculture. Gratitude to India in Japan for enthusiastically celebrating this week," the Assam CM said. The Assam Week organised by the Indian Embassy in Japan began on Wednesday with a focus on celebrating the "electronics and semiconductor sectors" for the first day of the celebration. Meanwhile, today, the celebration was focused on the "aerospace and defence sectors" of the state as stated by the embassy on X. Notably, in 2033, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for Tata's semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam, and two other units on February 29, 2024. The unit in Assam will be the site for the development of indigenous advanced semiconductor packaging technologies, including flip chip and I-SIP (integrated system in package) technologies. These technologies are extremely critical for key applications such as automotive (especially electric vehicles), communications, network infrastructure and others. The project in Morigaon is being spearheaded by Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (TSAT), with an investment of Rs 27,000 crores, and is expected to produce up to 48 million semiconductor chips per day. The Morigaon unit goes beyond technological development; it brings significant socio-economic benefits by generating 15,000 direct and 11,000-13,000 indirect jobs, contributing to regional economic growth in Assam and nearby areas. (ANI) TikTok is preparing to shut down its operations in the United States this Sunday if a planned ban by lawmakers goes ahead, Al Jazeera reported. The popular app, known for its short videos, will stop operating completely rather than continuing to serve its current users. According to Al Jazeera, under the terms of the ban, users would still be able to use the app for a short time, but it would eventually stop working because app stores and internet services would no longer be allowed to offer updates. Once the ban takes effect, users will likely see a message directing them to a statement explaining the situation. They will also be given instructions on how to download their data before the app becomes unusable. This shutdown is tied to a legislative deadline on January 19, which demands that TikTok sever all business ties with its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, or stop its US operations. If TikTok doesn't comply, it will be forced to exit the US market, as reported by Al Jazeera. This move comes at a significant time, as it coincides with the transition of the US presidency. Donald Trump, who opposes the TikTok ban, will officially take office on Monday, Al Jazeera reported. So far, ByteDance has refused to sell TikTok's US operations, but experts suggest the company might reconsider if the pressure to exit the US market becomes too great. The future of TikTok in the US remains uncertain as lawmakers continue to debate the ban and its potential impact on users and the tech industry. The fate of TikTok in the US remains uncertain as the January 19 deadline approaches. With a potential shutdown looming and ByteDance refusing to sell its U.S. operations, the platform's future hinges on legislative decisions and the pressure to comply with demands to sever ties with its Chinese parent company. (ANI) A convoy transporting food and medical supplies to Parachinar was attacked in the Bagan area of Lower Kurram on Thursday, according to police officials. The attack disrupted the delivery of essential goods to a region already grappling with severe shortages due to prolonged road blockades, Dawn reported. The region has seen ongoing clashes rooted in decades-old land disputes, leading to at least 130 deaths since November. These disputes, along with road blockages, have left Parachinar facing critical shortages of food and medicine, with roads remaining blocked for weeks, cutting off vital supplies. Despite a peace agreement signed on January 1, restoring full access to the key route connecting Parachinar has proven difficult. A previous government convoy was ambushed near Bagan on January 4, injuring Kurram's deputy commissioner and stranding the vehicles. Efforts to stabilise the region have been ongoing. On Monday, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, Adviser to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, confirmed that steps outlined in the peace agreement, such as dismantling bunkers in Kurram, had begun. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed optimism on Tuesday, stating, "The situation in Kurram is returning to normal," after a second convoy of 25 vehicles successfully reached the district with essential supplies. However, Thursday's attack underscored the region's continuing volatility. Hangu Assistant Commissioner Saeed Mannan confirmed that a convoy of 35 vehicles, en route from Thall to Parachinar, came under fire. "The administration is working to bring the situation under control after the attack in Bagan," he said. Sajid Turi, a former federal minister from Kurram, described the intensity of the assault, noting that both small and large weapons were used in the attack. Despite the January 1 peace agreement, Parachinar remains isolated, with road access still blocked, worsening the region's humanitarian crisis. The ongoing blockade, now exceeding two months, has caused severe shortages of food, medicine, and other vital supplies, affecting around 500,000 residents. Sajid Turi emphasised that the government must ensure the safe passage of convoys. "If the government fails to resolve the issue, it will only worsen," he said. Turi criticised the government for not consulting the jirga on decisions and claimed militants in Kurram have outside support. Meanwhile, local authorities continue to push for reopening access routes, with some frustration as vehicles have already returned to Peshawar due to the lack of progress. Turi also cast doubt on the effectiveness of such convoys in addressing the long-term needs of the region, stating, "It is too little, and there is no guarantee when another convoy will be allowed to proceed." Orakzai, a local jirga member, also called for the reconstruction of Bagan Bazaar, destroyed in a November attack, urging its rebuilding to match Miramshah Bazaar in North Waziristan. (ANI) https://x.com/piyushgoyal/status/1879854248000958805?s=46 In a post on X, Goyal expressed his gratitude for the meeting and stated, "Honoured to meet the President of Singapore, H.E. @Tharman_S. We had an engaging discussion on enhancing India-Singapore relations across diverse sectors to enable mutual prosperity for our nations." Earlier in the day, Singapore's President also met with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and discussed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both nations highlighting sectors such as fintech and digital technologies. Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Chee Hong Tat, was also present during the meeting. https://x.com/finminindia/status/1879835520513319044?s=48&t=CSE0glwGSDCXRHUtG7cLjw Sharing the pictures of the meet, the Ministry of Finance wrote, "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met Singapore President Mr. @Tharman_S, in New Delhi, today. Mr Chee Hong Tat, Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, was also present during the meeting." "The two leaders discussed #ComprehensiveStrategicPartnership between the two countries highlighting sectors such as #fintech, #digital technologies, #semiconductor ecosystem and #skill development," the post added. According to the Ministry of Finance, Both sides expressed confidence in expanding trade and investment relations over the coming decades. Singapore's President Shanmugaratnam also met with BJP national president and Union Minister JP Nadda under the 'Know BJP' initiative. Earlier, the President of Singapore who is on a visit to India was accorded a ceremonial welcomed at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Shanmugaratnam inspected a guard of honour after which he met with various delegates. Speaking on the occasion he said that since Singapore's independence in 1965, the relations between both countries has grown by bounds. Shanmugaratnam said that both the countries are now on a new trajectory with the upgrade of our relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership, which was announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's last visit to Singapore in September last year. Singapore President and his wife also laid a wreath at Rajghat. Shanmugaratnam's state visit commemorated the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between India and Singapore. Notably, the President is on a state visit to India from January 14-18. (ANI) Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Chee Hong Tat, was also present during the meeting. https://x.com/finminindia/status/1879835520513319044?s=48&t=CSE0glwGSDCXRHUtG7cLjw Sharing the pictures of the meet, the Ministry of Finance wrote, "Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman met Singapore President Mr. @Tharman_S, in New Delhi, today. Mr Chee Hong Tat, Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, was also present during the meeting." "The two leaders discussed #ComprehensiveStrategicPartnership between the two countries highlighting sectors such as #fintech, #digital technologies, #semiconductor ecosystem and #skill development," the post added. According to the Ministry of Finance, Both sides expressed confidence in expanding trade and investment relations over the coming decades. Singapore's President Shanmugaratnam also met with BJP national president and Union Minister JP Nadda under the 'Know BJP' initiative. Earlier in the day, Singapore President and his wife on Thursday laid a wreath at Rajghat. Shanmugaratnam's state visit commemorated the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between India and Singapore. The Ministry of External Affairs said in a post on X, "President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore paid his tributes to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat this morning. Bapu's ideals and teachings continue to inspire us all." The Rashtrapati Bhavan in a statement said, "President Droupadi Murmu accorded a ceremonial welcome to Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore at Rashtrapati Bhavan." Singapore's High Commissioner Simon Wong said that the visit kicked off with a resplendent welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. "President Tharman Shanmugaratnam's State Visit commemorating the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations kicks off with a resplendent welcome ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. HC Wong" He added that Singaporeans from all over India came to welcome the President. Notably, the president is on a state visit to India from January 14-18. (ANI) Germany is set to take centre stage at the 48th International Kolkata Book Fair, running from January 28 to February 9, 2025. This marks the first time Germany will be the focus country at the renowned event, celebrating the rich literary and cultural exchange between Germany and India. The book fair is expected to highlight Germany's literary achievements, cultural diversity, and its growing collaborations with India and South Asia. The inauguration ceremony will be graced by key dignitaries, including West Bengal's Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, German Ambassador to India and Bhutan, Philipp Ackermann, and Marla Stukenberg, Regional Director of the Goethe-Institut South Asia. Peter Limbourg, Director General of Deutsche Welle, will also be present. These leaders will open the fair and underscore the significance of cultural exchange between India and Germany. Germany's participation as the Focal Theme Country will emphasise sustainability and diversity, reflecting shared global values. Through a variety of events, such as book launches, panel discussions, cultural performances, interactive workshops, and exhibitions, the fair will offer a platform for showcasing Germany's commitment to eco-consciousness and inclusivity within literature and beyond. Visitors can expect to explore the modern and reflective aspects of German literature, alongside its rich classical tradition, as well as the country's commitment to sustainable practices. The highlight of Germany's presence at the fair will be the specially designed theme pavilion, "Shelf Life," created by renowned architect Anupama Kundoo. Known for her sustainable architectural practices, Kundoo's pavilion will emphasise the significance of books and knowledge in shaping human civilisation. The pavilion will be a unique blend of cultural reverence for books and an architectural commitment to sustainability, reflecting the deep ties between Germany and India. Kundoo, who has bases in Berlin and Pondicherry, will also be present at the inauguration. The German pavilion will host a range of activities under categories such as Book Talks, Making Books Public, Young Readers, Science Talks, and Exhibitions. These programs are designed to cater to a broad audience, including literature enthusiasts, aspiring students, and professionals. Participating authors include Ulrike Almut Sandig, Monica Cantieni, Christian Kracht, Max Czollek, Tonio Schachinger, Christopher Kloeble, and David Wagner. Graphic novelists like Aisha Franz, Bea Davies, and Maren Amini will also join the fair, alongside leading figures from the publishing world such as Birte Kreft, Managing Director of Stiftung Buchkunst, Frankfurt, and Claudia Kaiser, Vice-President of the Frankfurt Book Fair. Dr Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India, expressed his excitement, saying, "It's a true honour that the Kolkata Book Fair selected Germany as the official focal theme country 2025 - for the very first time in the Book Fair's history. The Kolkata Book Fair is a wonderful celebration of the world of literature that puts the reader at the forefront. Germany is widely known for its classical thinkers and authors, but there is so much more to offer. We will showcase a very modern, reflective, diverse and colourful side of literary Germany, with exciting participants from very different cultural and artistic backgrounds." Marla Stukenberg, Regional Director of Goethe-Institut South Asia, also praised Germany's role in the fair: "Germany's presence as the focus country at the Kolkata Book Fair this year is an energising prospect. Significant German organisations are collaborating to create a noteworthy experience for visitors and strengthen the enduring literary relations between our two countries. The German pavilion at the Fair will be a meeting place for anyone looking to engage with German authors, publishers, and educators, and will also offer aspiring students and professionals up-to-date information about learning the German language and living and working in Germany." The fair promises to be a vibrant cultural experience, with events ranging from live readings and book launches to discussions on translation, publishing, and the role of literature festivals. The pavilion will also offer workshops for young readers, trial sessions for learning the German language, live art installations, and musical performances, the press release stated. Tridib Kumar Chattopadhyay, President of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild, expressed his pride in Germany's involvement, saying, "We are really excited to have Germany as focal theme country, for the first time in the history of Kolkata Book Fair. It is a matter of great pride and privilege for us that the great land of literature, culture, and sports, is on focus this year. We are extremely happy and proud." The German pavilion will feature an array of exhibits, including information about Germany's culture, people, and global influence, as well as books and art displays. It will also offer resources on learning the German language, studying in Germany, and career opportunities there. Interactive installations and musical concerts will further enrich the experience. (ANI) Flash Palestinians react to news on a ceasefire deal with Israel, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Jan. 15, 2025. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas in Gaza has been reached, offering a glimmer of hope for ending the 15-month-old bloodshed in the enclave. In a press conference on Wednesday in Doha, where the truce talks were held, Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said the agreement, which will take effect on Sunday, includes the exchange of hostages and prisoners and return to sustainable calm that would lead to a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. While the widely-anticipated deal represents a step toward restoring peace in the region, analysts argue that, since it does not address the deep-seated issues fueling the Israel-Palestine conflict, the path to long-lasting peace in the Middle East remains fraught with uncertainty. Three-phased ceasefire According to the mediators, which include Qatar, Egypt and the United States, the agreement consists of three phases towards a "permanent ceasefire between the parties." The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in Gaza, and facilitating the departure of patients and the wounded to receive treatment. The first stage also includes intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, rehabilitating hospitals, health centers and bakeries, bringing in civil defense supplies and fuel, and bringing in shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war. The details of the second and third phases will be announced after the completion of the first phase of the agreement. Rare moment of hope for peace The ceasefire agreement has brought a rare moment of hope for peace to the war-ravaged Gaza Strip and the wider Middle East. "I welcome the announcement of a deal to secure a ceasefire and hostage release in Gaza," United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement. "This deal is a critical first step, but we must mobilize all efforts to also advance broader goals, including the preservation of the unity, contiguity and integrity of the Occupied Palestinian Territory," Guterres added. Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit also welcomed the ceasefire deal, calling for strict adherence to the terms of the agreement. "The agreement must lead to a complete and final cessation of the Israeli war on Gaza," Aboul-Gheit said in a statement. "Many have been hoping for this moment for the past 15 months," Philippe Lazzarini, commissioner-general of the UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, said on X. As the agreement finally came through after multiple rounds of negotiations, Gazans took to the streets to express their excitement and relief over the truce. "Now, we can sleep without fearing more loss," said Fatima Abu Riash, a displaced mother of three from Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. As the ceasefire draws near, many Palestinians are remembering their loved ones who lost their lives in the conflict. Ever since Israel launched its large-scale offensive against Hamas in Gaza in response to the latter's sudden attack on the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict. "I am grateful for the ceasefire, but I cannot forget those killed or the destruction of my home," Mohammed Abu Ramadan, a father of six from Gaza, said as he joined the street celebrations. Challenges remain The timing of the ceasefire deal coincided with changes in the broader regional landscape, said Nimrod Goren, president of Mitvim, the Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies. "Israel, having achieved significant military successes against Hezbollah and in Syria, felt more secure in its position. Hamas, facing sustained pressure, likely recognized the need for a temporary reprieve to recalibrate its strategy. These factors, combined with external mediation efforts, created a moment where both sides were more willing to accept terms they had previously rejected," he said. Ismat Mansour, a Palestinian expert based in Nablus, the West Bank, said that the ceasefire agreement could establish initial calm and serve as a first step toward alleviating the grave humanitarian suffering in Gaza. Israeli political analyst Amos Harel wrote in Israeli newspaper Haaretz that the agreement could pave the way for a new political reality in Gaza, potentially involving the moderate Arab states. However, Goren warned that the deal "will not bring an end to the broader conflict," highlighting that "(Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu's reluctance to fully withdraw from Gaza, as demanded by Hamas, suggests that the ceasefire may be fragile and temporary." A ceasefire in Gaza "does not address the root causes of the conflict," and "a comprehensive peace in the Middle East requires significant progress toward a two-state solution, which the current Israeli government strongly opposes," he said. Yonatan Freeman, an international relations expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said, "While the deal might temporarily ease tensions, it does not preclude future Israeli actions against Iran." "The parties (Hamas and Israel) still lack trust, and both sides are doing their best to defeat the other, and this would put the deal in danger at any time," noted Mansour. Ghassan Khatib, a professor of international relations at Birzeit University in the West Bank, cautioned, "The real challenges will arise during the implementation of the agreement and the withdrawal of Israeli forces, given the absence of clear arrangements for the political and administrative management of the Gaza Strip, which will further complicate the situation." The Charge d'affaires of the Palestinian Embassy in India, Abed Elrazeg Abu Jazer, welcomed the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas and called it the outcome of the collaborative efforts of three partners; Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. "This deal, which was announced yesterday in Doha, Qatar, is the result of the hard work of the three partners: Qatar, Egypt and America," the Charge d'affaires of the Embassy of Palestine to India, said. Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar, Egypt, and the US, in a joint statement, confirmed that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal that is likely to take effect on January 19. Abu Jazer stated that the deal marks a significant development after "468 days" of conflict, which he referred to as "genocide" by Israel against the people of Gaza. He stated that the deal includes three phases and several technical details, adding that it is seen as a step forward in the pursuit of a new era for the Palestinians. The envoy further expressed hope that the agreement would mark the beginning of a new phase for Palestinians and people in Gaza, bringing an end to the ongoing violence and opening the door for humanitarian assistance. "It has come after a long time. It's 468 days of genocide by Israeli aggression against Gaza civilians and Gaza people. The deal contains three phases and many technical details...It is still better. We welcome this and we are keen that this agreement take the era and take the Palestinians and the Gazan people for a new phase and a new era," the envoy said. He further emphasised that the ceasefire is expected to provide immediate relief, with plans to bring in 600 trucks of humanitarian aid every day to Gaza. "We are very glad and people expressed their happiness yesterday in Gaza because they are unbelievable that they are still alive because the killing to stop is the result and hope will be the result of the ceasefire, first of all. Then we will go for humanitarian assistance and plans for 600 trucks every day to enter Gaza," he added. Hamas launched a horrific terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, killing over 1200 civilians and holding over 250 as hostages, of which around 100 are still in captivity. In response, Israel launched a massive counter-attack targeting Hamas units in the Gaza Strip. The reponse, however, has also drawn criticism from several humanitarian groups over the high number of civilian killings. According to the Gaza health ministry, over 45,000 people have been killed in Gaza, over half of whom are women and children. On Wednesday, the Qatar Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said that both parties have reached an agreement to release hostages in exchange of hostages and prisoners. "The State of Qatar, the Arab Republic of Egypt and the United States of America announced that the parties to the conflict in Gaza have reached an agreement to release hostages in exchange of hostages and prisoners and return to a sustainable calm, ultimately achieving a permanent ceasefire between the parties. The agreement is expected to come into effect as 19 January 2025," the statement read. "The agreement reached by the two parties includes three stages. The first stage, which lasts for 42 days, includes a ceasefire, the withdrawal and redeployment of Israeli forces outside densely populated areas, the release of hostages and exchange of prisoners and detainees, the exchange of the remains of the deceased, the return of internally displaced persons to their places of residence in the Gaza strip, and facilitating the departure of patients and wounded to receive treatment," it added. The joint statement further said that the first stage also includes intensifying the safe and effective entry and distribution of humanitarian aid on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip, rehabilitating hospitals, health centres, and bakeries; bringing in civil defence supplies and fuel; and bringing in shelter supplies for displaced persons who lost their homes due to the war. The three nations, acting as guarantors of the deal, pledged to work closely with the United Nations and international partners to ensure full implementation of the agreement. (ANI) The people of Diamer have expressed strong opposition to the recent Grand Jirga held in Chilas, arguing that such gatherings have only contributed to the exploitation of the district's resources and worsened financial mismanagement, local media reported. Instead of addressing critical issues like education and development, these jirgas, residents claim, serve the interests of a select few while leaving the community's real problems unresolved, the residents said. Markhor Times reported that the Grand Jirga, which took place recently in Diamer, Chilas, was attended by high-profile figures such as Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Haji Gulbar Khan, Commander FCNA Major General Imtiaz Hussain Gilani, members of the Gilgit-Baltistan Assembly, along with local scholars and religious leaders. For the past decade, Diamer has seen a steady decline in its education budget and the mismanagement of the district's financial resources. Local leaders and residents argue that these jirgas have only provided a platform for the elite to further their personal agendas, while the region's public continues to face neglect. The report further highlighted growing concerns that these groups are attempting to seize Diamer's natural resources, including forests, land, and other valuable reserves. Many believe that such actions would deprive the people of Diamer of their rights and resources, leaving them with few means to secure their future. In response, community members are calling for unity among the people of Diamer to protect their land, forests, and natural resources. They emphasise the need for collective action to safeguard the district's rights and ensure that its wealth benefits future generations. As the situation stands, Diamer's residents are demanding a stronger stand against those exploiting the region for personal gain. Recently, a group of youths from Pakistan-occupied Gilgit Baltistan (PoGB) raised their voices against the ongoing load shedding in the region, as reported by WTV. According to the report, the young activists gathered at the Secretary of Power and Water office, demanding immediate action on electricity shortages, which have been plaguing the entire region for months. The protesters voiced their frustration, pointing out that while the citizens of PoGB are entitled to water rights, they continue to be denied their basic right to consistent electricity. Earlier this month, the Awami Action Committee (AAC) of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), under the leadership of Chairman Ehsan Advocate, convened a crucial meeting to address the ongoing power crisis that has been affecting the region. As reported by Pamir Times, the committee issued a statement lauding the people of Hunza for their protest in sub-zero temperatures, which compelled the government to engage in negotiations. The AAC commended their resilience and determination, highlighting the significance of the protest in securing attention to the pressing issue of power shortages. (ANI) Bhakti Narasimha Swami from Johannesburg, South Africa, has arrived in Prayagraj to take part in the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world. Speaking about his journey, Bhakti Narasimha Swami shared how he transitioned from Christianity to embrace Sanatan Dharma. The Swami, who traveled from Johannesburg, reflected on his spiritual evolution and the significance of participating in the Kumbh Mela, where millions gather to take a holy dip in the sacred waters of the Triveni Sangam. Reflecting on his arrival, Bhakti Narasimha Swami expressed his long-held desire to attend the Kumbh Mela. "I came here to participate in Kumbh Mela. I heard about Kumbh Mela many years ago but I could not come here. Kumbh is a festival where a lot of sadhus and saints come together to get a drop of amrit, and it is a very auspicious time. I have also come here to be a part of this historic moment. I will also take a dip in the holy Ganga," he said. The Kumbh Mela, held at Triveni Sangam, is considered one of the holiest events for Hindus, bringing together millions of pilgrims. Bhakti Narasimha Swami also spoke about the deep questions he had during his younger years, particularly regarding why bad things happen to good people. He discovered answers through the principles of karma and reincarnation found in Sanatan Dharma. "When I was young, I had a lot of questions in my mind like why bad deeds happen to good people. When I came to Sanatan Dharma, I came to know about karma and reincarnation--life goes on continuously, and our past karmas end in this life, so it is a cycle," he explained. These teachings helped him understand life's deeper meaning. Born into a Christian family, Bhakti Narasimha Swami struggled with certain doctrines. He questioned what happens to newborns who die before having a chance to follow Christian teachings. He said, "I was born in Christianity but I was not comfortable with such things in Christianity like we used to say that if you do not accept Jesus Christ then you will go to hell. At that time, I was thinking that if a newborn baby dies after one year and he is not committed to Christianity, then where does he go?" Eventually, his search for spiritual understanding led him to embrace Sanatan Dharma. "That is why I believe in Sanatan Dharma and I became a Sadhu," he added. Expressing his excitement about the Kumbh Mela, Bhakti Narasimha Swami remarked, "I am very excited. I wanted to come to this Maha Kumbh Mela for many years, but this time I got time, I told myself that I am going now, and now I am here." On the fourth day of the Maha Kumbh, more than 3 million devotees took a holy dip at Triveni Sangam. Over 70 million people are expected to participate in the event, with more than 35 million pilgrims gathering for Makar Sankranti on January 14. The Prayagraj administration has set up an AI-based computerised lost and found center to help reunite lost individuals with their families. Vivek Chaturvedi, Additional Mela Adhikari, shared, "There has not been a single case in which we have not been able to reunite children or lost people with their relatives." A 21-member delegation from 10 countries, including South Africa, Fiji, and the United Arab Emirates, also took part in the Kumbh, highlighting its global significance. Denesh Persaud from Guyana expressed his joy, saying, "It's a dream come true. I always wanted to come here and take a holy dip in the River Ganges. I have fulfilled that wish." The Maha Kumbh Mela continues until February 26, with key bathing dates like Mauni Amavasya (January 29) and Maha Shivaratri (February 26) still to come. (ANI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday held a telephonic conversation with the UK Secretary of State for Defence, John Healey, discussing the issues on the ongoing defence cooperation between both nations and further emphasising the need to maintain the momentum in the bilateral relations. The Defence Minister, along with the UK Secretary of State for Defence, reviewed the progress made between the two countries in niche defence technology areas such as electric propulsion and jet engines and expressed satisfaction over the recent signing of the Statement of Intent on Electric Propulsion, the Ministry of Defence said. The two ministers also reviewed the ongoing programme on the exchange of military instructors in each other's training institutes, the release stated. With the increased focus of the UK on the Indo-Pacific, both sides are expected to explore the possibilities of joint work and enhanced maritime engagements in 2025. "Spoke to the UK Secretary of State for Defence Mr John Healey and discussed the ongoing defence cooperation issues. We reviewed the excellent progress made in niche defence technology areas and discussed ways to further deepen cooperation in defence," the Defence Minister stated in a post on X. Notably, in November 2024, a Statement of Intent (SoI) on Cooperation on the Design and Development of Electric Propulsion Systems for the Indian Navy was signed between the Ministries of Defence of India and the UK in Portsmouth. The SoI was signed and exchanged between Joint Secretary (Naval Systems), Rajeev Prakash and Director, Ships Operations and Capability Integration, UK MoD Rear Admiral Steve McCarthy. The signing was part of the third Joint Working Group Meeting of the Electric Propulsion Capability Partnership, symbolising the commitment to promote indigenous development of niche technologies. SoI would serve as a broader framework intended for cooperation in the co-design, co-creation and co-production of electric propulsion capability for future naval ships. The Landing Platform Docks, planned to be built at an Indian shipyard, is envisaged to have a fully electric propulsion system, the statement read. (ANI) India highlighted Singapore as the key country in its "Act East" policy and its vision for the Indo-Pacific region during Singaporean President Tharman Shanmugaratnam's state visit to India, which started on January 14. The visit marks a significant milestone as both nations prepare to celebrate 60 years of diplomatic relations. The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday affirmed that the Southeast Asian nation, Singapore was a "key pillar" for India's "Act East" policy as well as for the country's vision of the Indo-Pacific. "Singapore is a key pillar of India's 'Act East' Policy and our vision of the Indo-Pacific. This visit follows an eventful year in India-Singapore bilateral relations, the hallmark of which was Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visit to Singapore in September 2024, which also witnessed the elevation of India-Singapore ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," the MEA statement read. The Singaporean President was accompanied by his spouse, Jane Ittogi Shanmugaratnam, along with Singapore's Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, Chee Hong Tat; Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of National Development Sim Ann; along with Members of Parliament and officials in his visit. During his visit, Tharman was welcomed by President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan, where he was accorded a ceremonial guard of honour. He also paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat. The visit included significant diplomatic discussions with President Murmu hosting a banquet in Tharman's honour. Both leaders also unveiled a joint logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore diplomatic ties. Prime Minister Modi and President Tharman also held extensive talks to review the bilateral relationship and explore ways to strengthen the India-Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as per MEA. The two leaders also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, along with several other key Indian ministers, met President Tharman to discuss further cooperation between the two countries. These meetings included engagements with Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Health Jagat Prakash Nadda, Minister of Finance Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister of Commerce Piyush Goyal, Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Minister of Skill Development and Education Jayant Chaudhary. The state visit will continue with Tharman's visit to Odisha on January 17 and January 18. (ANI) India and the Czech Republic held the 8th round of Foreign Office Consultations in New Delhi, where both sides undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral, regional, and international issues. The discussions, on Wednesday, focused on progress in political relations, high-level visits, trade and investments, cooperation in science and technology, defence, and people-to-people exchanges, particularly through student mobility. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global matters of mutual interest. "Both sides undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral, regional and international issues. Discussions were focused on the progress made in political relations including exchange of high-level visits, trade and investments, cooperation in S&T, defence partnership, and people-to-people contacts including through mobility of students between the two countries. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest," the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press release. The meeting was co-chaired by MEA Joint Secretary (Central Europe) M Anand Prakash, and Director General of the Non-European Countries, Economic and Development Cooperation Section, Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Katerina Sequensova. Sequensova also met MEA Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal for a detailed discussion on all aspects of bilateral relations and regional and global issues. "India and the Czech Republic have maintained close relations and agreed to elevate their cooperation to a Strategic Partnership on Innovation during the Czech Prime Minister's visit to India in January 2024," the statement added. Both sides also agreed to hold the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient time in Prague. India's relations with the Czech Republic (former Czechoslovakia) have always been warm and friendly and have a long history. In the mediaeval ages, the Kingdom of Bohemia (now a part of the Czech Republic) traded with India in precious goods and Indian spices, according to the MEA. During the Czech National Revival--a cultural movement that took place during the 18th and 19th centuries with the purpose of reviving the Czech language, culture and national identity--prominent Czech scholars got inspired by ancient Indian culture. They found a similarity between Czech and the mother of all languages, Sanskrit. Diplomatic relations were established with Czechoslovakia on November 18, 1947. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia on 1 January 1993, India immediately recognised the Czech Republic. (ANI) The Baloch National Movement (BNM) brought international attention to the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan during the First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances. The two-day event held on January 15-16, provided a platform for discussions and collaborations aimed at addressing this grave human rights concern on a global scale. The BNM, led by its Chairman, Naseem Baloch, participated in various sessions, engaging with international organisations, human rights advocates, and policymakers to shed light on the ongoing crisis in Balochistan. The delegation actively contributed to panels, discussions, and exhibitions designed to emphasise the need for accountability and justice for victims of enforced disappearances. According to Faheem Baloch, Foreign Secretary of the BNM, the movement carried out a variety of activities to highlight the plight of Baloch people facing enforced disappearances. "Today is the second day of the First World International Congress against enforced disappearances. And Baloch National Movement is participating with its delegation and highlighting the Baloch enforced disappearances issues at the World Congress. In this event, Baloch National Movement is doing different variety of activities. For example, under the Broken Chair, Baloch National Movement has got a tent where we are showcasing the cases of enforced disappearances, and along with that inside the hall, Baloch National Movement is also doing a photo exhibition where the photos of the enforced disappearances people are being shown," he explained. He elaborated further on the delegation's interactions with key organisations, saying, "Baloch National Movement has been meeting with different international organisations, the representatives of ICGA, and along with that, Baloch National Movement delegation met with the working group on enforced disappearances. And Amnesty International was also over here. So the team of Baloch National Movement had a discussion with Amnesty International regarding the issues going on in Balochistan, specifically enforced disappearances." The BNM's campaign also included a photo exhibition. Naseem Baloch highlighted the significance of the event and said their goal is to put forward the problem of enforced disappearances on the global stage. "We have kept two sections in these two days of the conference, where one is for a photo exhibition, and the other is a panel discussion where we are interacting with the World Congress around the topic of enforced disappearances. One of the panels of the photo exhibition is a tent on Broken Chair, and the second part of the exhibition is at the International Conference Centre, where the First World Congress is getting together," Naseem Baloch stated. "Our goal is to get the missing persons from Baloch and the problem of enforced disappearances in front of the world, and in these two days in Geneva, we are able to see good progress around the same. We have had good discussions with the panels and look forward to working with them in the future around this," he added. The discussions extended beyond presentations and exhibitions. The BNM delegation actively intervened in various sessions, posing questions about how affected families could receive support and legal assistance. They also emphasised the importance of networking with international organisations to strengthen advocacy efforts and raise global awareness about enforced disappearances in Balochistan. Hakeem Baloch, Focal Person of the Baloch National Movement, pointed out the legal challenges associated with addressing such cases. "In many different sessions, one thing which has been observed is that many countries have not signed this ratification, which is a crucial human rights (issue), where a person has been in custody without any charge, no one knows where they are, even during proper custody they are made to disappear forcibly, and are put in dungeons. They are victims of torture," he said. He also explained the plight of people in Balochistan in seeking justice, as they face discrimination even in courts and administration. "One thing which I heard, a testimony of a Syrian person about their brother - that he knocked all the doors in search of his brother, but not once in his mind did it click that he could use the legal way, the law. Obviously, it might not be easy for the people in Balochistan, or Pakistan in general, to go into the courts, where the courts are discriminating against the families, but that should still be the first priority, that if someone from a family has been enforcedly disappeared, that a case be registered," he said. Over the course of the event, the Baloch National Movement sought to highlight the atrocities faced by the people of Balochistan and establish connections with international advocates and affected families from other regions. The Baloch National Movement also set up a protest camp near the Broken Chair to highlight the enforced disappearances, on the sidelines of the First World Congress on Enforced Disappearances. Through these efforts, the BNM aims to bring global attention to the ongoing crisis and strengthen its campaign for justice and accountability. (ANI) Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Thursday met Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, and highlighted India's recent advancements in clean transportation, energy transition, and road infrastructure. Gadkari further noted that both sides agreed to explore further collaboration in sustainable aviation fuel, green hydrogen, and ammonia. In a post on X, Gadkari said, "Delighted to meet the President of Singapore, Mr. @Tharman_S, once again. I shared with him India's recent advancements in clean transportation, energy transition, and road infrastructure." "We agreed to explore further collaboration in sustainable aviation fuel, green hydrogen, and ammonia. His vision and foresight continue to be truly inspiring," the post added. https://x.com/nitin_gadkari/status/1879825788356161814 Tharman also met Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal and held discussions on enhancing India-Singapore relations across diverse sectors to enable mutual prosperity for both nations. Tharman also met with Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and discussed a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between both nations highlighting sectors such as fintech and digital technologies. The Singapore President is on a state visit to India from January 14-18. Notably, India and Singapore marked six decades of diplomatic relations with a landmark event in the national capital, during which President Droupadi Murmu and President Tharman unveiled a special logo to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. The commemorative logo was designed to symbolise the enduring relationship between the two nations, featuring elements from both countries' national symbols. It incorporates the colours from the Indian and Singaporean flags, as well as the national flowers--the lotus of India and the orchid of Singapore. The number '60' in the logo highlights the important milestone in the two countries' bilateral history. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in the national capital to discuss the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries to further enhance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between their countries. The two leaders discussed cooperation in futuristic sectors like semiconductors, digitalisation, skilling, and connectivity as well as ways to improve cooperation in industry, infrastructure and culture. The two countries have expanded their cooperation over the years, with key areas now including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, digitisation, sustainability, and education. Singapore remains integral to India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy. To mark the 60th anniversary, various commemorative events will be held throughout 2025 to celebrate this enduring partnership. (ANI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken described the Israel-Hamas ceasefire as a moment of "tremendous relief" for Israelis and Palestinians and noted that the current administration has laid a strong foundation for success, which will be handed over to the "incoming administration." While delivering remarks at the press briefing of the US State Department on Thursday, Blinken said, "This is a moment of tremendous relief for Israelis and Palestinians alike. It's also a moment of historic possibility for the region and well beyond. Tremendous effort, political courage, and compromise to realise that possibility, to try to ensure that the gains that have been achieved over the past 15 months at enormous, excruciating cost are actually enduring, to manage the still profound risks, to deliver on the promise of a more integrated Middle East." He added, "Simply put, to forge this reality, there are two immediate imperatives. First, to fully implement the ceasefire deal and then second, to finalize a plan, an effective plan, as I spelt out earlier this week, that provides for Gaza's transitional governance, its security, its reconstruction, and that can make the halt in fighting endure." He further said, "Delivering on these two priorities will, in turn, create the conditions for Israel and Saudi Arabia to normalise relations between them, which will require a credible pathway to a Palestinian state. On each of these imperatives, we've delivered concrete progress and we've laid a foundation for success, which we will hand over to the incoming administration. Together, they represent a historic opportunity to advance the long-term interests of the United States, our partners in the region." Earlier on Wednesday, Qatar, Egypt, and the US, in a joint statement, confirmed that Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage release deal that is likely to take effect on January 19. The Qatar Foreign Ministry, in a statement on Wednesday, said that both parties have reached an agreement to release hostages in exchange for hostages and prisoners. US President Joe Biden also announced the successful negotiation of a ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, ending over 15 months of conflict. The deal, structured in three phases, includes a complete ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the release of hostages, including Americans, in the first phase. Biden also highlighted the diplomatic effort involved, noting the pressure from Israel and US support, as well as a coalition of 20 countries that stood against attacks from the Houthis. Following the ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu engaged in discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump and current President Joe Biden. (ANI) President Droupadi Murmu welcomed Singapore's President Tharman Shanmugaratnam to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday, and hosted a grand banquet in his honour. The event was graced by prominent leaders, including Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, and Union Minister Piyush Goyal. In a post on X, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "President Droupadi Murmu received President Tharman Shanmugaratnam of Singapore at Rashtrapati Bhavan and hosted a banquet in his honour. The President noted that the close ties between India and Singapore are rooted in centuries-old commercial, cultural and people-to-people links." https://x.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1879936226272375035 In another post, it said, "President Droupadi Murmu said that the remarkable progress made by Singapore since its Independence is an example for all developing countries, and Singapore is a valuable partner for India in our developmental journey. Both leaders jointly released a logo commemorating the 60th anniversary of India-Singapore bilateral relations." https://x.com/rashtrapatibhvn/status/1879936510541337060 Notably, India and Singapore marked six decades of diplomatic relations with a landmark event in the national capital, during which President Murmu and President Tharman unveiled a special logo to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic ties. The commemorative logo was designed to symbolise the enduring relationship between the two nations, featuring elements from both countries' national symbols. It incorporates the colours from the Indian and Singaporean flags, as well as the national flowers--the lotus of India and the orchid of Singapore. The number '60' in the logo highlights the important milestone in the two countries' bilateral history. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam in the national capital to discuss the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries to further enhance the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between their countries. The two leaders discussed cooperation in futuristic sectors like semiconductors, digitalisation, skilling, and connectivity as well as ways to improve cooperation in industry, infrastructure and culture. The two countries have expanded their cooperation over the years, with key areas now including advanced manufacturing, healthcare, digitisation, sustainability, and education. Singapore remains integral to India's Act East Policy and Indo-Pacific strategy. To mark the 60th anniversary, various commemorative events will be held throughout 2025 to celebrate this enduring partnership. (ANI) The US Treasury Secretary-designate Scott Bessent on Thursday emphasised the need to balance free trade with fair trade, noting that the current global trade dynamics have heavily impacted American workers. During the Senate confirmation hearings on Thursday, Bessent called China an "unbalanced economy," and described the nation as being in a "severe recession." "Free trade must be also balanced against fair trade, and clearly what has happened is the trade has not been fair. That has fallen on the American workers. China is the most unbalanced economy in the world. They are in a severe recession and depression and they are attempting to export their way out of that," Bessent said. The US Treasury Secretary-designate also discussed his approach to strengthening the country's economy by increasing domestic production and using sanctions to target "bad actors" like Iran. "I would view that as we raise US production, we can squeeze down bad actors, especially Iran. I believe Iran was down to 100,000 barrels of oil exports when President Trump left office -- they're now exporting approximately 1.7 million. So, through sanction policy, I believe we can make the Iranian regime broke again -- and at the same time, increase our domestic production with the highest energy standards in the world," Bessent said. Earlier in November 2024, Trump had nominated Scott Bessent to lead the US Department of Treasury. In a statement, Trump had said, "I am most pleased to nominate Scott Bessent to serve as the 79th Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. Scott is widely respected as one of the World's foremost International Investors and Geopolitical and Economic Strategists. Scott's story is that of the American Dream." Trump had also described 62-year-old Bessent as "A lifelong Champion of Main Street America and American Industry", and said that Scott will work for Trump's policies to drive American competitiveness, stop "unfair trade imbalances", and help create an economy that places growth at the forefront. (ANI) Bob Ferguson is sworn in as the 24th Governor of the State of Washington during his inauguration ceremony Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) Bob Ferguson is officially the governor of Washington. Ferguson, a Democrat, took the oath of office on Wednesday in front of family, friends and lawmakers in a crowded House of Representatives chamber. The 59-year-old Seattlite began his new role after 12 years as the states attorney general. He is Washingtons 24th governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his inaugural address, Ferguson mapped out his priorities: building more housing, hiring additional police, protecting reproductive health care, and providing all public school students with access to free breakfast and lunch. He also struck a bipartisan tone, mentioning bills hes prepared to support from colleagues across the aisle and highlighting areas where he and Republican lawmakers agree. Let us listen to one another, without consideration for party, so that the strongest argument prevails, he said. That is how we do our best work. Republicans liked a lot of what they heard. They delivered more standing ovations than Democrats. Some roared in approval when Ferguson pledged to curb the emergency powers of the governors office, put the brakes on state spending and ensure farmers get fuel rebates promised under the states cap-and-trade law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, who is also chair of the state Republican Party, praised the performance but remained skeptical. He did effectively what [President] Joe Biden and [Vice President] Kamala Harris could not do, co-opt conservative and Republican talking points in a way that sounds convincing, he said. Its about action. Its not about words. Lets see what actually happens. Many Democrats didnt hide their pique with Fergusons reform-minded message, which comes as the party has controlled the governors office and the Legislature for more than seven years. Im in politics because I believe in the power of government to improve peoples lives. At the same time, we must recognize government does not always meet that promise. So let me be clear: Im not here to defend government. Im here to reform it, eliciting applause and cheers from Republicans as Democrats sat silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here are seven takeaways from Fergusons inaugural speech. Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, fist bumps Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama after being acknowledged during Gov. Bob Fergusons inaugural address Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) Left unsaid The 30-minute address contained no mentions of climate, early learning, child care, transportation or taxes. Ferguson offered no specific approaches to boost funding on education or stabilize the ferry system, two promises he made on the campaign trail. He made it through with only a single mention of his three-term predecessor, Jay Inslee. By contrast, he spoke at length about the positive impact of Republican Dan Evans, the earlier three-term governor who died last year, on his family and the state. In closing, Ferguson turned to Evans 1965 inaugural address to guide him in his first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This administration is not frightened by the word liberal, nor is it ashamed of the word conservative, Evans said in that speech. It does not believe that the words fiscal responsibility are old fashioned nor will it ever fear to spend money if money needs to be spent. Cuts vs. taxes Like in his proposed budget framework, Ferguson emphasized the need for cutting before seeking new or higher taxes a stark difference from Inslee and many fellow Democrats. His partys progressives want to avoid deep cuts and tap revenue from taxes on the wealthy and big businesses to fill a multi-billion dollar budget shortfall. Ferguson proposes $4 billion in cuts. He also said Wednesday hed veto any bills that involve major spending that is delayed beyond four years. This kind of cost shifting allows lawmakers to approve expensive programs in the near term, with costs not popping up until years later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also reiterated that he wants the state to rely on more conservative revenue estimates than it has been for budget planning. The era of assuming unrealistic growth in revenue is over, he said. I will not sign a budget that requires unrealistic revenue growth to balance. In a statement after the speech, House Majority Leader Joe Fitzgibbon, D-West Seattle, said he looks forward to the details of new spending and budget cuts proposed by Ferguson. We are confident that we will arrive at a budget agreement with our Senate colleagues and with Governor Ferguson that protects Washingtonians and invests in public education, safety, health care, child care, housing, and clean air and water, Fitzgibbon said. Lots more housing In his first act as governor, Ferguson signed two executive orders related to housing immediately after his speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One requires state agencies to look for ways to streamline regulations that affect housing and permitting. The other directs them to cut down permit and license processing times and requires any agency that doesnt meet its deadlines to refund application fees. Washingtonians need more housing lots more housing, Ferguson said. We must make it easier, faster and less expensive to build housing of all kinds. Ferguson mentioned a report from his housing transition team that outlines 20 recommendations related to housing, including expanding transit-oriented development, protecting renters and small landlords, and giving government tools to improve housing supply. Adopting these recommendations is one of my top priorities, he said. Lawmakers rise and clap as a number of leaders are sworn in during the inauguration of Gov. Bob Ferguson on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025, at the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Wash. (Photo by Ryan Berry/Washington State Standard) Abortion rights are a priority Ferguson and fellow Democrats are aligned in his continuing commitment to protect abortion access and other reproductive rights in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among his day-one executive orders is one that requires the Department of Health to convene a roundtable of experts and policymakers to recommend strategies for this area. Im proud of the robust legal protections we have in Washington, including the nations strongest health data privacy law, Ferguson said, But I am confident there is even more we can do. Fergusons executive order comes five days after former governor Jay Inslee directed the state Department of Health to adopt a rule that would prohibit hospitals from withholding care, including abortions, from patients who are pregnant. Police funding is a must Ferguson said the next two-year state budget must contain $100 million to help local police departments hire more officers. Its non-negotiable. That idea was a cornerstone of my campaign for governor. Any budget I sign must include this funding, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ferguson restated his support of a bill sponsored by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, to have the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission distribute the sum through grants to law enforcement agencies for recruiting and retaining officers. Thank you for your legislation, Ferguson said. Eight Democrats, including three first-term members, are co-sponsors of the bill. Trump top of mind Ferguson said he plans to work with the incoming Trump administration where we can. But, he added, We will stand up to him when we must. That most certainly includes protecting Washingtonians reproductive freedom. Ferguson also said he would back legislation from Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma, prohibiting the National Guard from other states from coming into Washington to advance any presidents agenda without our permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas and Montana have adopted similar policies. Washington must join them, Ferguson added, referring to two solidly Republican states. Lawmakers liked it Two long-serving legislators poles apart in their politics gave Ferguson a thumbs up for his oration. That was one of the best crafted inaugural speeches Ive ever heard, said liberal Democratic Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos, of Seattle, who was first elected to the House in 1998. She said it was valuable that Ferguson devoted blocks of the speech to his familys history in Washington since many lawmakers dont know him. Invoking bipartisanship and previous governors who faced challenges provided something for all of us to think about, she said. Republican Sen. Mark Schoesler, of Ritzville, a conservative who has served in the Legislature since 1993, called it the best inaugural address in 33 years because he focused on the real tasks ahead and avoided rampant partisanship. Schoesler said he was pleasantly surprised that Ferguson did not take any cheap shots at the GOP as Inslee often did. Now he will be watching to see if the new governors actions reflect his words. For the people of the state of Washington, I hope he is sincere and successful, Schoesler said. Australia has vowed to take the strongest possible action if it is confirmed that Russian forces have executed one of its captured citizens in Ukraine. Ministers said they were seeking urgent clarification from Moscow about the condition of Oscar Jenkins after reports of his death circulated earlier this week. The 32-year-old, from Melbourne, was serving with Ukrainian forces when he was captured by Russian troops last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A video emerged in December which showed a visibly shaken Mr Jenkins with his hands bound being interrogated by Russian troops. They were also seen hitting him on the head several times. Mr Jenkins, who could be heard speaking Ukrainian and English, identifies himself in the footage as a teacher and says he wants to help Ukraine as the interrogator asks him if he wants to live. Australian media reported on Wednesday that Mr Jenkins had probably died in Russian captivity, citing Ukrainian military sources. Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, said it would be absolutely reprehensible if any harm had come to Oscar Jenkins - Mark Baker/AP A sergeant known as Gump who fought alongside Mr Jenkins in Ukraines 66th mechanised brigade told The Sydney Morning Herald that the Australian had been executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, an American fighter who served with Mr Jenkins told ABC News that his body had been discovered by Ukrainian troops and identified by a tattoo of the word vegan on his hand. A video that appears to have been uploaded by Mr Jenkins to YouTube in 2023 is titled I will force Chinese people to be vegan. In the clip, Mr Jenkins says: If youre not vegan and youre my friend, then youre gonna be vegan soon, or were gonna fight. Anthony Albanese, the Australian prime minister, said on Wednesday that the Russian ambassador had been summoned and that his government was gravely concerned about the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well await the facts to come out. But, if there has been any harm caused to Oscar Jenkins, thats absolutely reprehensible, he said. Penny Wong, Australias foreign minister, said the government was considering all options, including expelling the Russian ambassador. Ms Wong said Russia was obliged to treat prisoners of war in line with international law, including humane treatment and the right to a fair trial. The Kremlin said on Wednesday it was not aware if Australia had raised Mr Jenkinss case but said foreigners fighting for Ukraine were legal targets. At least seven Australians have been killed while fighting in Ukraine since Russia launched its invasion of the country in February 2022. 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 ex-USS John F. Kennedy, a decommissioned U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, will travel down the Delaware Bay Thursday on its way to Texas for dismantling. The ship left the Navy Yard in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. Thursday and is expected to reach the Delaware Bay around 1:30 p.m., roughly. Delawareans can best view it from Fox Point State Park or Battery Park in New Castle. The former USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier is pulled from the Philadelphia Naval Yard into the Delaware River Thursday morning, January 16, 2025. The ship is being pulled to Texas to be scrapped. The John F. Kennedy, commissioned in 1968, was the first to be named for the 35th President of the United States and the last "conventionally powered" aircraft carrier built by the Navy, a Naval Sea Systems news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ship had 18 deployments during a period of escalating tension in the Middle East and North Africa, and often while under the surveillance of Soviet ships, the release said. Ships: Why the Coast Guard issued an order preventing the movement of the SS United States More recently, it was used for air security along the Mid-Atlantic after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In 2002, it was deployed in support of Operations Anaconda and Enduring Freedom, and in 2004, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, the release said. Before being removed from service in 2007, the ship served as a training platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (This story has been updated to better reflect the time the ship is expected to arrive in Delaware.) Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Twitter @MarvelMcNaught. (This story was updated to add a video) This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Ex-Naval aircraft carrier will travel down Delaware Bay Thursday MADISON Gov. Tony Evers announced Wednesday the appointment of a central Wisconsin attorney as the new Wood County Branch I Circuit Court judge. Gregory Jerabek will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Greg Potter at the end of November. The current term ends on July 31. "Greg Jerabek's legal experience and extensive involvement in the local community and area will be important assets in his work on the bench serving the people of Wood County," Evers said in the news release announcing the appointment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerabek announced in December he was running for the Branch I judge's position in the April 1 spring election. As of the Jan. 7 filing deadline, Jerabek was the only candidate who had submitted the nomination paperwork to the Wisconsin Elections Commission to appear on the ballot. Jerabek has been an attorney at Nash Law Group in Wisconsin Rapids since 2005. He has a general practice, which has given him broad experience in numerous areas of law. His practice has included extensive trial experience with both civil and criminal cases, according to the news release. He also serves as counsel for the South Wood County Airport Commission. Central Wisconsin weather: Arctic air expected to bring coldest temperatures central Wisconsin has had since 2021 More local news: Wisconsin Rapids Common Council to consider revised ATV/UTV ordinance after committee nod Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jerabek graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point in 2001 and Hamline University School of Law in 2004. He began his legal career in Wood County. He worked in private practice, covering a wide range of areas including criminal defense, municipal prosecution, personal injury, probate, family law, juvenile justice and all types of general litigation. I am deeply honored and grateful to accept this appointment to the Wood County Circuit Court Branch 1, Jerabek said in the news release. It has been my privilege to serve the people of Wood County for the last 20 years, and I look forward to continuing that service. As a judge, I will serve with great enthusiasm, diligence, and above all, with the highest ethical standards. Potter was first appointed to the bench in 2001 and won reelection four times. Contact Karen Madden at kmadden@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33. This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Governor appoints Gregory Jerabek as new Wood County Branch I judge Iowa legislative leaders disagree on whether a proposal to allow the state buy nine southern Minnesota counties is an "outside the box" idea worth exploring or "frankly offensive" to Iowans with more pressing concerns. Sen. Mike Bousselot, R-Ankeny, announced Tuesday that he would be introducing a bill announcing Iowa's "intent to purchase" the nine southernmost counties in Minnesota. The counties that would be annexed under the bill, from west to east, are Rock, Nobles, Jackson, Martin, Faribault, Freeborn, Mower, Fillmore and Houston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'd take southern Minnesota," said Senate President Amy Sinclair, R-Allerton. She added, laughing in response to a reporter's question, that "it's a joke until it's not." "I had never thought of it before," she said. "Its an interesting proposal and Mikes an outside of the box thinker and Ill let him think outside the box." House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, told reporters that "I look forward to having that conversation." "Anytime we can continue to grow Iowa, its something we should at least engage in," he said. "And I think you're actually seeing in some other states some similar legislation being discussed. But at this point I haven't spent enough time looking at the bill, but more than happy to take a look." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far the two state's governors have remained silent on the idea. A spokesperson for Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds declined to comment Tuesday, while a spokesperson for Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz did not respond to requests for comment. But the Minnesota Democrat-Farmer-Labor Party was concise in a two-word statement on social media sharing a picture of Bousselot and a headline about his proposal to buy the nine counties. "Counteroffer: No." An 1844 proposal for Iowa's statehood used suggested boundary lines drawn by territorial Gov. Robert Lucas, and would have extended Iowa's northern border to the Twin Cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that proposal was rejected by Congress, and Iowa's boundaries remain largely the same as when the state entered the union in 1846. Around the rest of the country, state boundaries have not changed in decades. An 1845 map of Iowa depicting a proposed northern border. However, there have been movements in some states to secede or join a neighboring state, largely spurred by political differences. Some eastern Oregon counties, largely in rural, conservative areas, placed nonbinding resolutions before voters last year asking if they wanted to join Idaho. And Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, a Republican, on Tuesday proposed a similar bill to Bousselot's that would explore allowing eastern Illinois counties to join Indiana. Huston cited differences in the two states' tax policies as a possible reason counties would make the switch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bousselot's bill would essentially allow Iowa to open negotiations with Minnesota over buying the territory. If that proposal passed and both states struck a deal, then Iowa and Minnesota would each need to pass legislation approving the new boundary lines. Congress would ultimately have to approve any changes to the states' boundaries. Bousselot called his proposal "a mergers and acquisitions strategy" aimed at growing Iowa. He also contrasted Iowa's record of cutting taxes under Republican governance with Minnesota's record under Democratic control. "Those Minnesotans who are now Iowans would immediately have lower income taxes, lower sales taxes, lower business taxes, no inheritance tax," he said. "Theyd have a farm-friendly state instead of a governor who says that farmland is just rocks and cows." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa's Democratic legislative leaders criticized the proposal as unserious. "We have serious problems in this state," said House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst, D-Windsor Heights. "We have real families who are struggling with their bills and their budgets. And it seems to me that this is not a realistic approach and its one to seek headlines. And frankly its offensive to the people who are trying to pay their bills." Senate Minority Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, agreed that purchasing part of Minnesota is a poor use of the state's time. "We have 99 counties in Iowa," she said. "We have enough to do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on X at @sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: State lawmakers weigh in on bill to let Iowa buy 9 Minnesota counties PIERRE South Dakota's nine tribes are projecting a message of "unity" going into the 2025 state legislative session. Part of the change necessary to bridge state and tribal relations will come from Gov. Kristi Noem's exit as governor. J. Garrett Renville, chairman of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, delivered the annual State of the Tribes address in Pierre on Wednesday. In a speech that was well-received by state legislators and tribal chairpersons alike, Renville called for a "reset" in the relationship between the state and tribal governments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today, let's rebuild," Renville said. "Today, let's start to listen and actually hear. Indian country is not a political party. We are Pte Oyate 'buffalo people.' " From the State of the State address: In a likely farewell, Gov. Kristi Noem lays out priorities in 2025 Tribal law enforcement costs remain a public safety issue in Indian Country Renville offered some concessions for what the tribes and the state have accomplished together over the past few years. Key among those mutual achievements was a summertime tribal police academy hosted by Attorney General Marty Jackley at the state's George S. Nicholson Criminal Justice Center. This session, supported by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, graduated nine tribal officers and 12 other officers from around the state, Renville said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More from Pierre: Court access remains focus in South Dakota, chief justice says in annual address Tribal leaders have in the past decried low amounts of federal funding to cover law enforcement costs, which has led the tribes' rural communities to have to stretch their resources. "This is a serious problem," Renville said. "It is a problem we have been communicating to legislature for over six years." The head of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate explained the need tribe by tribe: the Crow Creek Sioux only has three officers, and the Lower Brule and Yankton Sioux have two. Two larger tribes, Rosebud and Sisseton Wahpeton, each have 14 officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Renville also pointed to South Dakota's unique place in the U.S. political sphere, with Noem set to lead the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Sen. John Thune taking over the Republican Senate leader spot and U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson working within a divided House of Representatives. This means an opportunity exists for the state and tribal leaders to work more closely together to improve conditions in Indian Country, Renville said. New governor means a new playing field for state-tribal relations, tribal leaders say But on that note, Renville focused on Noem by indirectly referencing comments she made about the tribes during her second term. Noem held an emergency joint session on Jan. 31, 2024, during the state's annual legislative session, in which she used the Biden administration's handling of the U.S.-Mexico border to declare that the border situation was an "invasion" by migrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More from Pierre: Where the 'groundswell' of support for South Dakota education savings accounts is coming from Noem then claimed during this speech that Mexican cartels were targeting Native American reservations "to facilitate the spread of drugs throughout the Midwest." The cartel-tribal rhetoric was dialed up in March, when she suggested without evidence during a town hall in Winner that tribal leaders were "personally benefiting" from the cartels. She later called on the tribes to "banish the cartels" in an April press release. In another March town hall in Mitchell, Noem also made comments about Native American families that were ill-received by the tribes. The South Dakota governor claimed that, "their kids don't have any hope," because they "don't have parents who show up and help them." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They have a tribal council or a president who focuses on a political agenda more than they care about actually helping somebodys life look better," Noem said at the time. Noem made some efforts to restore tribal relations after making those statements, like inviting the state's nine tribes to a public safety summit, which some chose to skip. But the governor was later banished by all nine tribes in May, after the Flandreau Santee Sioux tribe formally banned her in an act of solidarity. More: 'Solidarity': All 9 South Dakota Native American tribes endorse Kristi Noem's banishment "I liked how he talked about the prior struggles we had with the tribes, and the state had that kind of created division between the two," Ryman Lebeau, chairman of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, told the Argus Leader on Wednesday. "I think [Renville] closed that chapter." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lebeau elaborated that most of the breakdown in intergovernmental diplomacy from the tribes' point of view could be pinned on Noem. He thinks the hand-off of the governorship to Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden could represent a new starting point for at least some of the tribal governments in the state. Tribes want access to online sales tax reporting, consultation on education bills Renville also used the podium-time to make several requests of the state legislature. The chairman asked lawmakers to support House Bill 1018, which would require the Department of Revenue to provide an annual report to tribal governments regarding online sales tax revenue. Renville said the revenue generated has been "promised to tribes," and he framed the issue as a measure of transparency. 'We walk with our relatives': Sioux Falls students march in Native American Day Parade Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Education was also a priority topic for the Sisseton chair. He said the tribes are "curious" about how the various bills introduced to create education savings accounts type of tuition voucher and change school funding formulas would impact Bureau of Indian Education students, BIE funding and other issues. Renville clarified the tribes are not opposed to the bills at this time but asked "that the state work with tribes to ensure all students are being considered." The chairman also indicated support for returning the state Office of Indian Education, an agency within the South Dakota Department of Tribal Relations, back to the state Department of Education. "The office's mission was to support initiatives that help students and educators appreciate South Dakota's American Indian culture," Renville said. "To be able to do this in partnership, it makes complete sense to reintroduce the Indian Education Advisory Council with education representatives from all nine South Dakota tribes." This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota State of the Tribes rebuild relations Cheryl Thomas, womens services manager for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, testifies Jan. 15, 2024, about a proposed nursery program at the women's prison under construction in Mandan. (Michael Achterling/North Dakota Monitor) A womens prison under construction in Mandan could include a nursery program for mothers to care for their newborns. Cheryl Thomas, womens services manager for Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday the goal is to establish a separated housing unit that would allow inmates who give birth while in custody, and others who qualify, to care for their newborns up to 18 months old while in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact between incarcerated parents and their children can help reduce risk factors for the children affected by parental incarceration, as well as reduce recidivism for the incarcerated parent, Thomas said. Similar programs in New York, Washington, Nebraska and Indiana reduced prison reentry for women who cared for their newborns while in jail up to 16%, Thomas told lawmakers. The Heart River Correctional Center doesnt have any women who would qualify now, Thomas said, but the state did have 13 babies born to mothers in custody in one year. Thomas testified in support of Senate Bill 2115, which seeks to limit the states liability for the nursery program. Thomas said mothers who choose to participate would sign a waiver of liability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thomas told lawmakers the program wouldnt be implemented until 2027, once the new correctional facility is completed, but she wanted to lay the groundwork for the program in advance. Lawmakers indicated support for the program but said a bill relating to the states liability seemed premature. I think the idea going forward is a valid idea, said Sen. Janne Myrdal, R-Edinburg. I felt like the hearing, the presentation, the concept, the bill in and of itself, was like eating a green banana. Sen. Claire Cory, R-Grand Forks, said the issue could be readdressed in the next legislative session since the facility wont open until 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Bob Paulson, R-Minot, said he felt it wouldnt be appropriate to approve something that would force a future Legislature to fund it without knowing any of the associated costs at the time. Committee members voted 7-0 to advise a do-not-pass recommendation on the bill. Its a little bit of a cart-before-the-horse thing in my mind that its not quite ready for primetime, Paulson said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX South Carolina has joined several states that have confirmed flags will be raised on Inauguration Day, despite the mourning period following former President Jimmy Carter's death. After the death of a former president, federal flag code dictates that flags should be flown at half-staff for 30 days. After Former President Jimmy Carter died on Dec. 29 at age 100, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to lower flags to half-staff for the standard period. Several government officials, including S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, have announced plans to temporarily disregard the proclamation on Inauguration Day, which coincides this year with Martin Luther King Day. The date falls on Jan. 20, within the 30-day mourning period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what we know. Which states will raise flags on Inauguration Day? A number of state governors have announced by Jan. 15 plans to raise flags to full-staff on Inauguration Day: Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, like several other governors, cited a federal statute stating that the U.S. flag should be displayed "especially on Inauguration Day, January 20." "While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America," Abbott said in a news release. Additionally, House Speaker Mike Johnson suspended the mourning period to allow flags at the U.S. Capitol to fly at full-staff during the inauguration despite Biden's assurance that the White House won't reconsider the flag order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "On January 20th, the flags at the Capitol will fly at full-staff to celebrate our country coming together behind the inauguration of our 47th President, Donald Trump," Johnson said in a statement. "The flags will be lowered back to half-staff the following day to continue honoring President Jimmy Carter. Why are flags at half-staff? Flags at government agencies in S.C. and across the nation were lowered to half-staff on Dec. 30 in honor and remembrance of the life of the nation's 39th U.S. President, Jimmy Carter, who died on Jan. 29. "President Jimmy Carter was the epitome of what it means to be a true public servant in and out of office. In a political world of hate and bombast, President Carter was a kind, calm, giving and sincere man of faith who continued to serve our country and humanity long after his term in office," said N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper. "He was an inspiration across the globe, and I join the nation and world in honoring and praying for the Carter family." The flag at the United States Capitol flying at half staff in respect for the memory of Rosalynn Carter, former First Lady of Georgia and First Lady of the United States, on Monday, November 27, 2023 in Washington, DC. Why do flags fly at half-staff? Usa.gov states that the American flag flies at half-staff when the country or a state is in mourning. The president, a state governor or the mayor of the District of Columbia can order flags to fly at half-staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An American flag flying at half-staff generally indicates one of these three things: The death of a government official, military member or emergency first responder. A national tragedy. Memorial Day and other national days of remembrance. Is it half-mast or half-staff? Previous reporting from Memphis Commercial Appeal explained that on ships and at naval stations ashore, flags are flown at half-mast. Elsewhere ashore, flags are flown at half-staff. More: More snow coming to Western NC, Asheville? Arctic air mass effects 'highly uncertain' Todd Runkle, Carolinas Connect editor, contributed. Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: South Carolina to raise flags to full-staff on Trump Inauguration Day WASHINGTON President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Pentagon upset key U.S. ally South Korea Tuesday when he labeled North Korea a "nuclear power" in a statement submitted to a Senate panel. Pete Hegseth made the comment in his written response to policy questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee released at the start of his Tuesday confirmation hearing. South Korean officials interpreted Hegseth's comment as showing possible U.S. recognition of North Korea as a nuclear weapons state, a status granted only to five countries under an international treaty barring nuclear weapons development. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Countries like South Korea who comply with the agreement known as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty receive international support to pursue peaceful uses of nuclear technology. North Korea pulled out in 2003 to pursue nuclear weapons. Pete Hegseth, U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of defense, testifies before a Senate Committee on Armed Services confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., January 14, 2025. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz The South Korean foreign ministry denounced Hegseth's remarks. According to English-language outlet Yonhap News, the ministry said, "Under the [non-proliferation treaty], North Korea can never be recognized as a nuclear-armed state." Seoul's diplomats further noted that the North's "denuclearization," a term meaning removal of its nuclear weapons, "has been a principle consistently upheld by South Korea, the United States and the international community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. People watch a TV broadcasting a news report on North Korea firing multiple short-range missiles, in Seoul, South Korea, January 14, 2025. In his written comments, Hegseth also called North Korea "a threat to stability on the Korean peninsula, in the Indo-Pacific region, and globally" due to its "intense focus on increasing the range of missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads." Although experts believe North Korea has approximately 50 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, the former Fox & Friends host's remarks crossed a delicate diplomatic line. John Kirby, spokesperson for President Joe Biden's National Security Council, told reporters Tuesday the outgoing administration disagrees with Hegseth's "nuclear power" label. "Our policy on that hasn't changed," Kirby said. "We've not made such a recognition." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The controversy comes amid an ambiguous moment in Washington-Seoul relations after South Korean authorities arrested impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol a staunch conservative and U.S. ally who briefly declared martial law last month on Wednesday. Yoon negotiated an expanded security partnership between South Korea and the U.S. earlier in his administration. South Korea's own stance towards nuclear weapons may soon shift as well. As a matter of policy, the country is a longtime member of the non-proliferation agreement and regularly reaffirms that commitment. But in the face of North Korea's nuclear threat, a significant majority of the South Korean public 61% supports Seoul obtaining its own nuclear weapons, according to a polling average from the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. The report argued that a second Trump administration could further shift attitudes in favor of nuclearization in the South. Davis Winkie's role covering nuclear threats and national security at USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Outrider Foundation and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input. If you wish to share a news tip, please contact Davis via email at dwinkie@usatoday.com or via the Signal encrypted messaging app at 770-539-3257. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hegseth spooks South Korea by calling the north a 'nuclear power' Nearly a million immigrants will continue to be allowed to live and work for the next two years in the United States under emergency legislation extended by Joe Biden in one of the last decrees of his presidency. With Donald Trump hoping to expand his America First agenda after defeating Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election with strong anti-migrant rhetoric, this latest move from Biden will likely be taken personally by the president-elect. The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) extension will cover those living in the United States from Venezuela, El Salvador, Sudan and Ukraine and will run until the fall of 2026. What is TPS? Undocumented Migrant Crossings Into US dropped to 4-Year low In November (Getty Images) A 1990 law signed by then-president George HW Bush allows the president (through the Secretary of Homeland Security) to grant immigrants in the United States the ability to live and work legally if their home countries arent safe because of armed conflict, natural disasters, or other extraordinary and temporary conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extensions will allow people from those countries who are currently protected under TPS to apply for another 18 months of protection from deportation and work permits. TPS is granted for a given country for 18 to 24 months at a time, usually in the aftermath of a war, natural disaster, or other humanitarian emergency that prevent people from safely returning to their home countries. Under Biden, a Trump-era decision to end TPS for Salvadorans was rescinded after a group of Latino officials pleaded with the outgoing president to continue TPS for people from those countries with meritorious cases, citing horrific levels of violence that surged in recent years in Ecuador, along with the oppression of the Ortega regime that has controlled Nicaragua for decades and political and environmental conditions in El Salvador. Which nationalities are protected? Currently, 17 countries have TPS designations, with nearly 1.1 million foreign nationals protected by TPS, currently living in all 50 states: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administrations moves postpone the Trump administrations ability to sunset TPS protections for these four countries. Hundreds of thousands of immigrants will benefit: the Biden administration estimates that 607,000 Venezuelans in the U.S. are protected by TPS, as well as 232,000 Salvadorans; 103,700 Ukrainians; and 1,900 Sudanese nationals. What has Trump said? Trump has repeatedly promised the largest deportation operation in American history, which would rely on a defunct, centuries-old and likely unconstitutional law infamously used to detain Japanese Americans during the Second World War. His invocation of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 would target foreigners for removal, without a hearing or due process, based solely on their place of birth or citizenship. Asked if he would revoke Haitian migrants Temporary Protected Status, the president-elect said: Absolutely. Id revoke it, and Id bring them back to their country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump was then pressed on what he would do if Haiti refused to receive the migrants. Well, theyre going to receive them. Theyre going to receive them, he maintained. Haitian migrants are living and working in Springfield, Ohio, legally but have been thrust into an unwelcome spotlight after Trump and his running mate JD Vance peddled baseless rumours that migrants were abducting and eating peoples pets. Trump would direct his administration to deploy federal resources to use local law enforcement to arrest, jail and deport people living in the country without legal permission a plan that would be swiftly met with legal challenges. The operation would also require the construction of vast holding facilities detention camps to hold people marked for removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who have been removed from the country under that plan would face an automatic 10-year sentence in jail with no possibility of parole if they return, according to Trump. Michel Berrios fears deportation back to El Salvador under Trump (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Self-deportation Trump and his allies are counting on this self-deportation, the idea that life can be made unbearable enough to make people leave. Self-deportation helps Trump to achieve his goals without the government having to spend or do anything in such cases. Trump has long said he wanted to deport millions of migrants but never deported more than 350,000 a year in his first term. Only 41,500 detention beds are funded this year, so carrying out massive deportations has significant logistical hurdles. If you wanna self-deport, you should self-deport because, again, we know who you are, and were gonna come and find you, Trumps incoming border czar Tom Homan has said. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) A push by Texas' hard right to widen control in the state Capitol fell short Tuesday after House lawmakers rejected its choice for the powerful speakership amid a Republican feud accelerated by the historic impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Instead, new House Speaker Dustin Burrows won the job with the support of Democrats, who favored him over a challenger backed by the GOP's emboldened right. The outcome is a victory for Texas Republicans' establishment wing, and its possible that Democrats could still lose influence under the new leadership. The race deepened divisions within the GOP, partly driven by Republicans who say an agenda that includes some of the toughest laws in the U.S. over abortion and immigration doesn't go far enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a leader who will at least have a conversation," Democratic state Rep. Toni Rose said in a nomination speech for Burrows. Burrows was challenged by state Rep. David Cook, who pledged to block Democrats from running committees in the House a longstanding bipartisan tradition in a chamber that has historically been a more moderate balance to the hard-right-leaning Senate. Burrows will lead one of the states highest offices after a dramatic bowing-out of the former House speaker, Dade Phelan, who lost favor with the hard-right faction of his party after Paxton's impeachment. The state Senate ultimately acquitted Paxton, who in recent weeks campaigned against Republicans who sought to deny Cooks victory. The newly elected speaker has few ideological distinctions between himself and Cook, but his opponent came to be the choice of some Republicans who believe Democrats have too much control over the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houses failure to approve taxpayer funds for private schools in 2023 also intensified Republican squabbles in the run-up to Novembers elections, when Republicans expanded their already commanding majority and gained ground on the U.S.-Mexico border. Texas in recent years has passed some of the nations toughest restrictions on abortion, immigration and voting. Republicans this year have proposed bans on public funds for gender-affirming care for adults and giving in-state college tuition for students without legal status in the U.S. ___ This story has been edited to clarify that Democrats, not Burrows, could still lose influence. Lathan is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. The Benue Command of the Nigerian Police Force says a truck ran into a residential compound in Okete Village, Otukpo Local Government Area, and killed nine members of a family. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), CSP Sewuese Anene confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Makurdi. Anene said that the unfortunate incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday. The PPRO said that the command has launched a full investigation into the incident and further information would be made available to newsmen. Pope Francis leaves after addressING the crowd from the window of the apostolic palace overlooking St Peters square during his Sunday Angelus prayer at the Vatican on January 12, 2025. Photo: Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP. Pope Francis has suffered his second fall in as many months and bruised his forearm, the Vatican said Thursday, adding that he was wearing a sling. The 88-year-old, who has been in increasingly fragile health in recent years, fell at the Santa Marta residence where he lives in the Vatican but did not break any bones, the press office said in a statement. This morning, due to a fall at the Santa Marta house, Pope Francis suffered a contusion on his right forearm, without fractures. The arm was immobilised as a precautionary measure, it said. In December, the Argentine sported a large bruise on his right jaw caused by a fall from his bed. The pope, who took over as head of the Catholic Church in 2013, suffers recurring health issues, from pain in his knee and hip to various recent episodes of bronchitis, and has relied on a wheelchair since 2022. But Francis remains very active, completing in September a four-nation trip, the longest of his papacy in terms of in duration and distance. People check the rubble of buildings hit in Israeli strikes the previous night in Jabalia in the northern Gaza Strip, on January 16, 2025, following a truce announcement amid the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP) After news of a ceasefire agreement sparked mass rejoicing in Gaza, residents woke up Thursday to columns of smoke, rubble and more deaths following new Israeli air strikes. We were waiting for the truce and were happy. It was the happiest night since October 7, said Gaza resident Saeed Alloush, referring to the Hamas attack on Israel that sparked the war in 2023. Suddenly we received the news of the martyrdom of 40 people, including his uncle, Alloush said. The whole areas joy turned to sadness, as if an earthquake struck. The latest strikes came after Qatar and the United States announced a fragile ceasefire deal that should take effect on Sunday. AFP has contacted the Israeli military for comment. Mahmud Bassal, spokesman for Gazas civil defence agency, told AFP on Thursday that at least 73 people had been killed in Israeli air strikes since the announcement on Wednesday. Among them were 20 children and 25 women, he said, with around 200 others wounded. As day broke, crowds gathered to inspect and clear the remains of a building reduced to rubble, where chunks of concrete lay interspersed with rebar and personal items scattered across the site. The scenes mirrored those in other parts of the densely populated territory of 2.4 million people, most of whom have been displaced at least once since war broke out in October 2023. At Nasser Hospital, the main medical facility of the southern city of Khan Yunis, AFP journalists saw stained metal mortuary stretchers stained in red as staff drained them of the blood of the dead in a strike. In Gaza Citys Al-Ahli hospital, where several strike casualties were taken, grieving families knelt by the white shrouds enveloping their loved ones bodies. Rescuer Ibrahim Abu al-Rish told AFP that after the ceasefire was announced and people were happy and joyful, a five-storey building was targeted, with more than 50 people inside. Wearing headlights, first responders and local residents searched through the rubble late at night in the devastated streets of Gaza City. Abu al-Rish, an ambulance driver for Gazas civil defence agency, said Thursday that shelling is still continuing, targeting one house after another. Very bloody night In the Al-Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza, resident Mahmud al-Qarnawi told AFP that until the agreement takes hold, Gazans would remain vulnerable. The shooting has not stopped, the planes are still in the air and the situation is difficult, he said. As a result, Qarnawi and others AFP spoke to in the nearby city of Nuseirat said they were worried about what could happen next. We must remain cautious. And for the next three days, we are afraid of a (possible) bloodbath (worse) than before, Motaz Bakeer, a displaced Gazan, said from the market at Nuseirat. International medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said no one could yet feel safe in Gaza. Last night it was a lot of cheering for 20 minutes, and then it was a very bloody night, MSFs emergency coordinator Amande Bazerolle told AFP by phone from the territory, rounds of shelling audible in the background. The Israeli cabinet is expected to approve the Gaza deal later Thursday, though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office accused Hamas of backtracking on elements of the agreement. Key mediators Qatar and the United States said Wednesday that Israel and Hamas had agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza starting on Sunday, along with a hostage and prisoner exchange. If the fragile agreement is approved, 33 hostages should be released in a first phase, Qatars Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamass attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,210 people in Israel, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of official Israeli figures. Israels retaliatory military offensive in Gaza has killed 46,788 people, the majority civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory considered reliable by the United Nations. By Donatus Anichukwueze The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has launched two transformative initiatives, the Document Flow (DocFlow) System and the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) Naira Payment Solution. According to a statement released by the apex bank, the launch held at the CBN Head Office Abuja on Wednesday, is a continuation of the Banks digital revolution project tagged Digital First which was flagged off by the Governor in December 2023 as one of his transformation initiatives. At the event, Cardoso was said to have described the DocFlow system as a groundbreaking solution designed to revolutionize the Banks document management processes by digitizing documentation, minimizing paper usage, and streamlining the approval processes. He emphasized the significance of the MDAs Naira Payment Solution, which automates the cash withdrawal process for MDAs, enhancing efficiency in financial transactions and strengthening client support. Cardoso pledged his commitment to all initiatives of the Bank which aims to enhance service delivery, improve operational efficiency, and foster sustainability through technological advancements and expressed delight that the two solutions were fully developed in-house, thus saving a lot of costs. Also speaking at the event, the Deputy Governor, Operations, Emem Usoro stated that the launch of the solutions demonstrated the Banks desire for operational excellence through process automation and creating a culture of innovation that prioritises stakeholders satisfaction. She further highlighted the benefit of the MDAs Naira Payment Solution to include improved service delivery to the MDAs, while minimizing errors, irregularities and mitigating against fraud. In her remarks, the project lead and Acting Director of CBNs Information Technology Department, Mrs. Jide-Samuel, disclosed that the MDA Cash Payment Solution has been successfully tested with some MDAs and aligns with the Banks enterprise objective of, Excellence in Central Banking Operations. The MDAs Naira Payment Solution is considered a game-changer in the CBNs financial transaction management. It is projected to cause a 70% improvement in payment turnaround time and further improves Nigerias financial ecosystem. Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, during his first visit to Kyiv, has promised to position Ukraine strongly for the future, ensuring unwavering UK support for the country. He signed a historic 100-year partnership agreement with Ukraine, described by Downing Street as a landmark pact, which solidifies the longstanding relationship between the two nations. Today is a truly historic day, our relationship is closer than ever, said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky after the signing. The agreement formalises both economic and military aid that the UK had already pledged to Ukraine. Zelensky has long sought strong security guarantees from key allies, concerned that a new US administration under Donald Trump may push Ukraine to negotiate peace with Russia. While many prime ministers rushed to Kyiv, Starmer took his time and chose to visit after six months in office, pledging long-term support for Ukraines resistance against Russias illegal and barbaric invasion. In Kyiv, Starmer and Zelensky were seen walking behind an honour guard carrying wreaths in the national colours of both the UK and Ukraine. The wreaths were placed outside St Michaels Golden-Domed Monastery, a monument to those who have died, now a pilgrimage site for families to honour the fallen. As the leaders met for talks inside Kyivs Mariinsky Palace, the sounds of explosions and air raid sirens echoed through the city. We are with you not just today, for this year or the next but for 100 years long after this terrible war is over and Ukraine is free and thriving once again, Starmer told President Zelensky. In response to a question about Russias actions, Zelensky humorously said that Ukraine would send its own hello back. The Prime Minister also visited an apartment building recently destroyed by a New Years Day drone attack, which killed a couple of prominent scientists. The building, located near the Presidents office, is a stark reminder that no place in Kyiv is safe. They were sending us a message, said Kyivs military administration chief, No one is safe. Additionally, Starmer visited a hospital specializing in treating burns, where he met wounded Ukrainians in a rehabilitation ward supported by the British Red Cross. He toured the intensive care unit and spoke with an injured civilian who warned, If Ukraine falls, so does Europe. Reflecting on his visit, he remarked, One of the consequences of this conflict has been to draw Nato more strongly together. He emphasized the UKs support, noting that it has never been bigger and stronger and reaffirmed that the UK would continue backing Ukraine for as long as necessary, adding, We must never let up on that and weve been leading the way. Earlier this week, Marco Rubio, Trumps nominee for secretary of state, suggested that both Ukraine and Russia would need to make concessions for peace to be reached. The latest UK announcement includes increased economic aid, healthcare support, and expanded military cooperation on maritime security and drone technology. Zelensky has specifically sought help from the UK to secure guarantees that would deter future Russian attacks. Additionally, Ukraine seeks to join NATO and has asked its allies to send peacekeepers to patrol the frontline if fighting ceases, creating a buffer zone under any potential peace agreement. The UKs new pledges build on the 12.8bn of support already provided, with an additional commitment to supply Ukraine with 3bn in military aid annually for as long as it takes. Despite Ukraines efforts, Russian forces have gained ground in the east, cutting off vital supply routes, including a key highway and railway southwest of Pokrovsk, a major strategic location. Intense fighting continues in Toretsk and Chasiv Yar, where Ukraine is losing territory. As the war enters its third year, the number of casualties and wounded is estimated at one million. The UK has continued to supply Storm Shadow missiles, which allow Ukraine to strike Russian military facilities deep within Russian territory. These attacks have been met with approval from Kyiv and condemnation from Moscow. The 100-year partnership treaty and political declaration will be presented to Parliament soon. Although this is Starmers first visit as Prime Minister, he had previously visited Ukraine as the leader of the opposition in 2023 and has hosted President Zelensky at Downing Street twice since taking office. By Rachael Omidiji A Queensland mother has been charged with poisoning her one-year-old daughter and posting videos of the infants distress in an attempt to raise funds via GoFundMe, police and local media reported Thursday. The 34-year-old woman allegedly went to extreme lengths to conceal that she was administering prescription and pharmacy drugs to her baby without medical authorization, according to Queensland Detective Inspector Paul Dalton. Hospital staff in the Queensland capital Brisbane alerted police to their suspicions in October last year when the girl was there for treatment of a serious mental condition, Dalton said. The authorities took immediate action to safeguard the child, launching an investigation into the case. The woman, from Queenslands Sunshine Coast, was widely reported by local media to be the childs mother, though police have not officially confirmed this detail. Dalton stated that the woman was accused of filming the babys immense distress and pain and posting these images online between August and October last year in order to solicit financial donations from her followers. Testing for unauthorized medicines allegedly returned a positive result this month, police confirmed. The woman raised just over Aus$60,000 (approximately US$37,000) through her GoFundMe campaign, which is now working to return the funds to donors, according to Dalton. There are no words to describe just how repulsive offences of this nature are, Dalton remarked. There is no excuse for hurting a child, particularly one so young that is totally dependent on adults to care and love for them. The woman, charged with 11 offenses, is scheduled to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Friday. By Davies Iheamnachorh. Port Harcourt Police operatives have taken over the premises of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State. This came as the new leadership of the party in the state moved to take over the office of the PDP in the state. This is a sequel to the interlocutory injunction of a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, which restrained the chairman of the party, Aaron Chukwuemeka, and other members of his executive from acting as excos of the party. However, the party faithful in the state loyal to the governor of the state, Sir Siminialayi Fubara, on Wednesday, held a quick congress and appointed a caretaker committee team for the party. It was gathered that Hon. Nname Robinson Ewor had, in the meeting of top stakeholders of PDP in the state, emerged as the acting chairman of the party. Ewor, who is also the Chairman of the Governing Council of Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic and the Rivers West Senatorial Vice Chairman of the PDP, will pilot the affairs of the party alongside other newly appointed executives till valid congresses are conducted. The stakeholders had tasked the new executives to bring stability and leadership to the party, which has been plagued by internal conflicts and power plays. The news new leadership had upon inauguration on Wednesday vowed to take over the party office in the state. But, Thursday afternoon, police mobilised heavily at the premises of the party on the Aba-Port Harcourt expressway. It was gathered that the police, following the information that there might be a clash at the facility, deployed men in over four vans to the facility, preventing all access to the party office. At press time, it was gathered the new leadership had chosen a new ground to interface with the members of the party pending when they will have full access to the state office. By Joe Chukindi Retired Archbishop of Nnewi Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev Godwin Okpala, who just regained his freedom after he was kidnapped on December 6, 2024, has recounted his ordeal in the hands of his abductors. Okpala was abducted alongside his driver, but was only able to regain freedom on January 3rd, after spending 27 days in captivity. The clergyman spoke to journalists at his residence in Nnewi, during a visit by former governor of Anambra State and presidential candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi. He said: Those 27 days were hellish because the people were not behaving like human beings. They kicked us about like thrash. They kept us in a very thick forest and none of them cared, the Archbishop said. Reacting to questions on whether his abduction was as a result of mistaken identity, and whether he was in his priestly attire, the retired prelate said it didnt matter to the kidnappers who anyone was. He said: I was in my cassock and they knew that I was a Bishop, but they didnt care. They pulled down my cassock, asked me to undress and I had only shorts, a shirt and my collar on. For the 27 days that I was with them, I didnt take my bath, I didnt brush my teeth. They were giving me water which I dont know the source. They were giving me one meal a day and it was either rice or garri. The food was usually remnants from those they gave to boys who worked with them. They have cooks who prepared food there. The 75 years old Archbishop praised Peter Obi for coming to visit him, saying that since his return from the kidnappers den, no one had visited him until Obi came. He (Peter Obi) has again shown the humanity in him. Im not the first person he is coming to see in this manner. I want to say thank you to Peter Obi who came to visit me after my travails. Meanwhile, Nnewi Catholic Diocese on Thursday buried three priests of the diocese, including Rev. Fr. Tobias Okonkwo, a pharmacist and native of Ekwulumili in Nnewi South Local Government Area. The priest was murdered on December 26, 2024, in Ihiala, Anambra State, by gunmen operating in the area. Until his death, the priest was the manager of the Schools of Nursing, Midwifery, and Medical Laboratory at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Ihiala. Anambra has for sometime now been in the news because of the spate of kidnapping, which has not abated despite promises by the governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo and police authorities in the state. By Matthew Atungwu The outgoing U.S. President, Joe Biden and the incoming President, Donald Trump, have both claimed credit on Wednesday for a Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal that was months in the making but was helped across the line by a Trump envoy. While announcing the ceasefire, Biden said that the final deal largely mirrored the framework of a proposal he made back in May. When asked who the history books will credit for the ceasefire, Biden said it was negotiated by his team. Is that a joke? This plan was developed and negotiated by my team and will be largely implemented by the incoming administration. Thats why I told my team to keep the incoming administration fully informed, Biden said. In a post on social media, Trump was quick to claim a measure of credit for the breakthrough that came after months of stalled negotiations. He had repeatedly warned that there would be hell to pay if a deal was not made by the time he takes office on Monday. This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies, he said. Trump had dispatched his Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, to join the negotiations in Doha, and Witkoff was there for the last 96 hours of talks leading up to the deal. A senior official of the Biden administration, in a briefing with reporters, credited Witkoff with helping deliver the deal, working alongside Bidens envoy, Brett McGurk, who has been in Doha since January 5. Meanwhile, the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said Biden had wanted the Trump team involved because Trump will be tasked with implementing the ceasefire deal. In these past few days, we have been speaking as one team, Biden said. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. The rich history of relations between Morocco and Great Britain is on display at a portrait exhibition taking place at the University of Birmingham. The exhibition at the universitys prestigious Barber Institute of Fine Arts features a giant portrait of Ambassador Abdelwahad ibn Messaoud ibn Mohammed Anoun, who was sent to the court of Queen Elizabeth I in 1600 by the Saadian sultan Ahmed al-Mansur to lay the foundations for an alliance between Morocco and England. The portrait is of particular importance as it reflects the richness of relations between Morocco and Great Britain, Tony Moran of Birmingham University told MAP. The establishment of relations between Great Britain and Morocco under Queen Elizabeth I marked a fundamental change in British foreign policy, which focused, at the time, on the European neighborhood, he added. The portrait of the Moroccan envoy, the oldest known British painting of a Muslim figure, is on display at the Barber Institute until the end of January. The diplomat, whose mission was to deepen diplomatic and commercial ties between Britain and Morocco, had a profound impact on the British cultural scene of the time. Ambassador Anoun was a source of inspiration for Shakespeare, one of the great novelists and playwrights of English literature, notably in his famous play Othello. Clare Mullett, Head of Research and Cultural Collections at the University of Birmingham, stressed that Abdelwahad Anouns mission to the court of Queen Elizabeth I was a major event in the history of diplomatic and cultural exchanges between Europe and the Islamic world. It is one of the most striking reminders of British history at the turn of the 17th century, she was quoted as saying in a statement released by the University of Birmingham. She expressed her delight at exhibiting this emblematic portrait of the Tudor period at the Barber Institute, where it has its rightful place in this art collection of worldwide importance. This portrait is a powerful symbol of the deep historical ties between Morocco and the UK, which go back more than eight centuries, Moroccos ambassador to the UK, Hakim Hajoui, said, as quoted in the Universitys statement. Seeing the portrait at the University of Birminghams Barber Institute underlines the vital role that academic and cultural institutions play in preserving and celebrating our shared history, he added. The University of Birmingham loaned the portrait to New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2022, as a key part of the traveling exhibition The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England. The painting was on display at the Cleveland Museum of Art (Ohio) and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco in 2023. The masterpiece, which belongs to the universitys cultural and research collections, has been on loan to Barber, the universitys art museum and collection, since June and will remain on display until the galleries close for a building upgrade as of January 27. U.S. Republican Congressman Joe Wilson has described the Algeria-backed polisario armed militia as a terrorist organization which is actively engaged with its foreign allies in destabilizing acts in West Africa. In a speech made Wednesday at the House of Representatives, Wilson, Chair of U.S.-Morocco Caucus, said the North African Kingdom is a longstanding essential U.S. partner. The remarks come few days before the 2nd inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump who recognized in 2020 Moroccos full sovereignty over its entire Saharan territory. The Polisario militias are armed, funded, and sheltered by the Algerian junta in Tindouf camps. This terrorist organization and its anti-semitic leaders have ties with Iranian proxies, Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, and brutal Bashar Assad, forming an axis of evil threatening regional stability and international peace. The Polisario has proven it is a terrorist and criminal organization. It established ties with the PKK/YPG terrorist organization and hosted lately Kurdish separatists in Tindouf camps, Southern Algeria. Furthermore, evidence and intelligence reports have confirmed the involvement of the Algeria-backed separatist front and its leaders in terrorist activities carried out by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and the Islamic State in the Greater Sahara. For these reasons, several experts are convinced that the Polisario will be designated a terror organization and held accountable for the crimes committed in connivance with Algerian Generals. During his Senate confirmation hearing for Secretary of State, Marco Rubio emphasized the excellent ties with Morocco and the potential for the Abraham Accords. Speaking on economic opportunities for US policy in West and North Africa, Rubio said I look north to Morocco and other places where we have already seen substantial improvements, he said. Rubio also highlighted Moroccos regional stability role and its contributions to the Abraham Accords. With Rubio in the Department of State, the Abraham Accords are expected to be expanded to new Arab states. Countries turning in the Iranian orbit, such as Algeria, are expected to be dealt heavy blows during Trumps second term. Rubio vowed to counter Iranian influence and proxies in the region. He has also been an advocate of sanctions against Algeria, Russias main arms client in Africa. A Chinook helicopter makes a water-bombing run over the Palisades on the fourth night of the L.A. fires. Photo: Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu/Getty Images Tanker 47 rears up as helicopter pilot Darren Davies settles it to hover over the Encino Reservoir, a half-mile-wide artificial lake perched on the shoulder of a hill overlooking the San Fernando Valley. He holds steady a dozen feet over the water as the flight mechanic in back, John Trivellin, lowers a 23-foot-long retractable snorkel into the reservoir. Tanker 47, were in the dip, co-pilot Pablo Montero calls over the radio. Its 9.30 p.m. on Saturday, January 11, and the crew is on its third night working the Palisades fire, a Godzilla of a blaze that has already scorched more than 20,000 acres, killed five people, and annihilated more than 5,000 homes and other structures. The fire is less than 15 percent contained. (Nearly a week later, it is only 21 percent contained.) Daviess infrared goggles turn the night into day, rendering the sprawling lights of the Valley below like a galaxy. In front sits a yellow rubber duck, a sort of mascot, jiggling atop the control panel from the vibrations of two massive sets of triple-rotor blades whirling overhead, each weighing 360 pounds. Radio frequencies for different fires are scrawled in black Sharpie on the inside of the windscreen in front of Montero, who handles most communications. The Chinook is a beast, a 99-foot-long, 25-ton machine originally designed for humping troops and weapons around the battlefield, now repurposed for a different kind of war. Its more than twice as big as the Black Hawk, its most famous cousin, and twice as long as a semi trailer when counting its 60-foot rotors. Inside Tanker 47s cargo bay sits a 3,000-gallon tank, roughly equivalent to six hot tubs. While its not a vast amount in absolute terms, a helicopter can drop the water precisely, and all at once, which can halt the advance of even a large fire. Within seconds, Davies can feel the aircraft grow heavier as the snorkel drinks from the reservoir and he throttles up the twin 5,000-horsepower turbine engines to compensate. In less than two minutes, the helicopter has taken on ten tons of water. Clear to retract, Trivellin calls. Montero flips a switch, and the snorkel tucks back up into the fuselage. Davies adds more power, and they climb, sluggish under the weight of their load. Tanker 47 coming out of the dip, Montero calls. Davies turns to the south and begins to climb. Ahead, the ridgeline is silhouetted by a glowing orange sky. The Palisade fire stretches across ten miles of mountains and coastline, from burned-out Malibu in the west to the 405 freeway in the east, where the fires most menacing advance is taking place: Tonight, its the front line in the battle for L.A. In its path lie billions of dollars worth of property, priceless art, and the lives of tens of thousands of people but Davies isnt really thinking about that. The nice thing about night firefighting is we dont have to experience all the destruction out there, he says. Were working in our areas, and we can only see so far. We go out there to do our job, and we dont have to experience what the guys in the daytime have to see. Tanker 47 is part of a group of three Chinooks operated by Coulson Aviation called the Quick Reaction Force, on standby at all times to respond immediately to any wildfire. Funded by Southern California Edison, the electricity company whose transmission lines are notorious for triggering wildfires, the QRF covers 15 counties from the Mexican border to the Central Valley. Coulson started out as a logging company in British Columbia in the 1960s and has grown to become the most prominent private aerial-firefighting company in the world, with a fleet of dozens of airplanes and helicopters primarily deployed in the Americas and Australia. Davies, 54, joined Coulson six years ago after flying these big machines in all kinds of situations: slinging seismic equipment for the oil industry, pulling logs out of the forest for timber companies, and shuttling people and cargo between U.S. bases in Afghanistan, where, he says, it was always hot. To hear Davies tell it, hes not the only pilot flying this fire who would rank nighttime water-bombing a raging wildfire as one of the more sedate jobs hes taken. We all have that personality, he says. Everybody needs a little bit of jolt in their life. Some people do drugs or drink or chase women, but we like our flying. As the largest type of helicopter outfitted for firefighting work, the Chinook plays an outsize role in the tool kit of wildland firefighters. Its not as big or as fast as VLATs (very large air tankers), which are converted DC-10s and 747s that can carry the equivalent of a small swimming pools worth of water and are best known lately for dumping red retardant on neighborhoods. Its not even as big as LATs (large air tankers), like the converted 737s or Hercules C-130 transports that can carry 4,000 gallons. The Chinooks smaller size gives it a critical advantage: It can get in low to place its load accurately, and it can reload its tanks close to the fire site, meaning it can cycle through its drops a lot more quickly than an airplane that has to return to an airport to reload. On balance, these characteristics make the Chinook well suited to the goal of the QRF, which is to stop a wildfire early by dumping decisive amounts of water before it can grow out of control. That strategy didnt work in the case of the Palisades fire, which was whipped into existence by the hurricane-force Santa Ana winds that made flying such missions impossible. The air rushing over the mountaintops swirls and gyres, creating windshear that can toss even a massive Chinook like a rag doll. Were all a little bit of thrill seekers, but its not great getting tossed around, Davies says. Its not worth breaking the aircraft, and its not worth putting your life at risk. Coulsons pilots have learned the risks of pushing their luck the hard way. Two years ago, a Coulson 737 lost partial engine power during a retardant drop in Western Australia and crashed. Both flight crew members were able to crawl from the wreckage with only light injuries. A C-130 crew was less fortunate. After a drop in New South Wales in 2020, they became disoriented amid heavy smoke and turbulence and banked into the ground. All three people onboard were killed. Battles are won, but the war is never over. Southern California wants to burn, over and over again. Five years ago, when Coulson flew its first season of nighttime firefighting here, the crews fought to save Pacific Palisades and the Getty Center. And now were back, says Mel Ceccanti, director of flight operations for Coulsons rotorcraft division. Within a year, the brush grew back, he says. New kindling for the fires to come. Davies leaves his hotel in Orange County and stops to get something to eat before starting his 5 p.m. shift at Chino Airport, on the other side of Los Angeles from the Palisades fire. This is the QRFs year-round base, and members of the flight crew work 12 days on, 12 days off, returning to their homes when not on duty. Montero, his co-pilot, flew in the Bolivian Air Force before becoming an American citizen; Trivellin is a former U.S. Army flight engineer from Virginia. In the early part of a regular evening, while theyre waiting for the call to come in from dispatch, they will study the aircrafts technical manuals. Its a pretty big aircraft, lots of systems going on in it, Davies says. We try to get a couple hours of studying in every night. Tonight they dont have time for that. As soon as they arrive, their supervisor at Coulson asks them to reposition Tanker 47 up to Van Nuys, 50 miles to the west, close to the fire. Davies and his crew take off, cross the patchwork grid of Alhambra and Glendale and Burbank, and land at 7 p.m. Soon after their arrival, L.A. County Fire Dispatch orders them to go directly to the Encino Reservoir, fill up, and proceed to a section of the fire called Division Alpha, or Div Alpha for short. Its the big show, the center of the fight against the line of fire creeping eastward toward the billionaire enclave of Bel Air and the Getty Center, with its vast trove of priceless art, including Vincent van Goghs Irises. After filling up at and climbing out of the reservoir, the flight crews main point of contact is the Helco, or helicopter coordinator, hovering overhead. Supervising the action is no simple feat. Along with Tanker 47, six other choppers are working this section of the fire, shuttling between the reservoir and the drop zone. Youre always either right directly behind someone, Davies says, or right directly in front of somebody. Firefighters refer to a wildfire by its anatomy. The main axis of advance, where the greatest volume of fire is concentrated, is called the head. The heel is the point of origin, the place that the fire came from. The sides are called the flanks, with the shoulders being the part of the flanks closest to the head. Tonight, Davies and his crew are working the right shoulder, in Mandeville Canyon, just west of the 405. As Davies reaches the top of the ridge, he picks up the clean woodsmoke aroma of a campfire. This fire is burning with the intensity of a furnace, and even in the air above it, the crew are not safe. They are dressed in flame-resistant gear heavy boots, jumpsuits, and gloves in case they suffer a mechanical problem and are forced to land in the burn zone. Other dangers are closer, such as drones like the one that collided with a waterbomber over the Palisades fire two days earlier, tearing a hole in its wing and forcing it to land. Another hazard is other aircraft. This weeks wildfires have drawn resources from so many jurisdictions: Cal Fire, L.A. County, the U.S. Forest Service, the National Guard, the U.S. Navy, numerous private companies, and several provinces of Canada. Davies cant keep track of whos from where. A decade ago, firefighters hardly flew at night it was too dangerous. But after Australias disastrous Black Saturday fires in 2009, Coulson decided it needed to figure out how to make it work. Firefighting at night, its executives reasoned, would give them an edge on tough fires because winds are generally weaker and humidity higher, and consequently, fires burn with less force. After years of research and millions in new equipment, it began nighttime firefighting in Australia in 2016 and in California in 2020. Other operators have followed their lead, and now the nighttime skies over the Palisades are crowded as an impromptu relay team runs its laps over the front line, taking turns between bombing runs and refills. The radio becomes a chatterbox of aircraft constantly calling out their locations. As Tanker 47 slides down from the ridgeline toward the fire, hot embers floating upward look like stars in Daviess night-vision goggles. In the infrared, heat shows up as light, the main body of the fire itself so bright that it overwhelms the sensors so much so that Davies cant look directly into the eye of the beast. Lining up for the drop requires careful consideration of the terrain. The classic widowmaker in mountain flying is the box canyon, a valley with a rising slope ahead of you, so steep that you dont have enough power to climb straight out and too narrow to turn around in. (Kobe Bryants helicopter crashed while trying to turn in a canyon ten miles west of here five years ago.) As a rule, Davies aims to fly the drop in the downhill direction so the terrain opens up below him as he goes. Right now, that wont work because the fire is on the far side of a ridge; to hit it, hed have to release his load before he had the flames in sight, meaning that he would likely not hit it at all. Instead, he plans to swoop around and come up into it the other way, uphill. As he maneuvers the aircraft, Davies constantly turns his head, scanning his night-vision goggles back and forth, looking for obstructions on the left side while Montero is doing the same thing on the right. Radio towers and power lines can easily snag low-flying aircraft. On this particular drop, there is a transmission line just off to the side of the fire. Making sure theyve got it in sight is a priority, so Trivellin comes forward from the rear and stands behind the pilots seats to help them with the visual scan. I have the wires, he reports. Davies levels off the Chinook and heads in for the bombing run, bearing in at 70 mph, about 200 vertical feet over the fire. Four-sevens on the drop, Montero calls out over the radio. Military pilots have sophisticated bombsights that allow them to place their munitions with centimeter accuracy, but Davies just eyeballs it, gauging the windage and the lay of the land, and intuiting the moment of release from years of experience. On the first run at a fire, before a pilot has experienced the current local conditions, his chance of hitting it right on target is about 85 percent; after that, hell nail it pretty much every time. As they draw closer, Montero hovers his hand over the water tanks emergency-release button. Theres always the possibility that the regular release system could get jammed, meaning that the aircraft cant free itself of 20,000 pounds and climb away from the terrain after the drop as quickly as the pilot might have been expecting. In a box canyon, that malfunction could be deadly. The emergency release will purge the whole tank and let them escape if he can trigger it quickly enough. Now theyre almost on top of the fire, a mass of brilliant orange that fills the windscreen. Through the glass, Davies can feel the heat on his face. Its time. He presses a button on the control stick in his left hand, and ten tons of water come sliding out the bottom of the helicopter in four seconds. Right away, like a bowler who senses that hes thrown a strike before the ball is halfway down the alley, Davies knows its a good drop. Four-sevens off the drop, Montero calls. Davies throttles back on the power as they swoop toward the reservoir again. Back and forth Tanker 47 flies, laying another load of reservoir water on top of the fire with each cycle. The longer they fly, the less kerosene they have in their fuel tanks and the more weight in water they can take up. As they work further south, the odor changes from the nice campfire smell to something fouler burning rubber, plastic, the materials that make up a home. Theyve moved from a forest to the outskirts of a burning community. After six or eight passes, the situation at Div Alpha has improved enough that the firefighters on the ground can hold back the fire without help from above. Tanker 47 is dispatched to another area, Div Zulu, on the fires left shoulder in the hills farther to the west. There, a hand crew with about 40 men is positioned along a ridge, trying to lay hose to fight the fire, but its getting too hot, so the Helco sends in waterbombers to cool things off. Daviess mission is to lay down a line of water near where the crews have set up, and then lay down successive drops working progressively downward toward the fire. The men wear patches on their turnout coats that light up in the Chinooks spotlight and Helco can also indicate their position with a laser pointer. Tons of water landing all at once can crush a vehicle as easily as a person. After six hours, Tanker 47s shift is done. The plan is to fly back to Van Nuys to refuel before heading home to base in Chino, but they only make it five miles before their supervisor texts them that the wind is blowing too strong to land safely in Chino. Davies doubles back to Van Nuys, where he turns over the Chinook to the day-shift crew. The fire is more contained than when he started, and tomorrow will be better still, at least when it comes to the Palisades fire. The Eaton fire north of the city is burning strong, and much else of the southland is bone dry and ready to ignite. Strong Santa Ana winds are forecast to blow farther south. Riverside, San Bernardino County, Orange County, those are going to take the brunt of the winds that are coming in, he says. From Van Nuys, its an hours drive in a company vehicle back to his midrange business hotel. The staff there have Googled Coulson and figured out what Davies does for a living. Theres a couple of them there that say, Hey, we know what you guys are doing, and they give us a bit of a pat on the back, he says, feeling wrung out. I dont want to sit up and talk to anybody. When I ask if hes heard that there are people all over social media stanning the wildfire pilots, he says he hasnt and that hes not interested in public recognition. Im a head-down, ass-up, middle-of-the-herd kind of guy, he says. Right now, all he wants to do is eat, shower and, most of all, sleep. Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photos: NYPL This article was featured in One Great Story, New Yorks reading recommendation newsletter. Sign up here to get it nightly. In the fall of 2022, Molly Jong-Fast made a grave error, though only a select few would have noticed. The liberal pundit was hosting a book party at the Century, the private arts-and-letters club shed joined during the pandemic, for her friend and fellow Centurion the media critic Margaret Sullivan. Jong-Fast was the subject of a forthcoming New York Times profile, and she allowed a reporter and a photographer to come to the party, which would ultimately become the leading anecdote of the story; a photograph from the event also made it into print. Soon after it ran, Jong-Fast got a genteel slap on the wrist from the head of the Centurys board, who reminded her that the Century, wishing to keep its name out of the public eye, discourages any media attention. No photos, no public mention of the Century, and certainly no assisting journalists who might be trying to do the same. The only time the Century tends to be connected to a persons name in print is in their obituary. Jong-Fast apologized profusely. Despite the Century club or association, as it calls itself being media averse, the unmarked McKim, Mead & White five-story palazzo on 43rd Street has increasingly become the private club of choice for a certain class of journalists, particularly those from the Times, whose office is only a few blocks away. Among those who have joined in the past three years are executive editor Joe Kahn, opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury, Pulitzer Prize winner Azmat Khan, and columnist Lydia Polgreen. Other relative newcomers include Columbia Journalism School dean and New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb, Atlantic CEO Nick Thompson, and MSNBC host Lawrence ODonnell. Journalists have always belonged to the Century, where Daily News editor Ed Kosner used to invite writers to lunch if they had published a good story. There are currently more than 50 media bosses, reporters, and editors who are members, including CNN CEO Mark Thompson, Times managing editor Carolyn Ryan, Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, New Yorker articles editor Susan Morrison, New Yorker cartoonist Roz Chast, author Robert Caro, Pushkins Jacob Weisberg, and CNNs Fareed Zakaria. Theres a definite irony in these journalists belonging to something you cant talk about, one member, who is a journalist, conceded. Put another way by a member who was deeply resistant to discussing the association: Journalists expect the mother whose kid was just shot in the head to talk to a reporter. Yet the boss joins a group that he wont talk to a reporter about. The Century has more than 2,000 members, and journalists make up merely a fraction of them, outnumbered by academics, artists, lawyers, philanthropists, architects, and other public-intellectual types. But in the post-pandemic years more journalists than ever are joining, as the Century, with its grand balconied Palladian window and marble columns, has once again become socially relevant in the media world, not only for members but for the many colleagues members can invite as guests. It has become a place to grab a drink with office mates (put it on the house account) or meet with an editor about a prospective job (just dont make it look like youre doing work in public, a no-no). Notably, many of the journalists whove joined the Century since COVID are in their late 30s and 40s they are young, in other words, at least relative to the Century, where the median age, as of a few years ago, was around 71. Id only be young in the United States Congress, one such newish member joked. For the past three years, Broadway producer and communications guru Alex Levy, who joined the club in 2022, has co-hosted a gathering for younger members in the fall, open to the roughly 5 percent of membership who are under 50. The unmarked palazzo on 43rd Street has become a respite for some of the most plugged-in people in journalism. Photo: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times/Redux That the place is getting younger is largely owed to the New Yorkers Morrison, who, upon being elected to president of the club in 2016 the first female president in its 169-year history made a considerable push to diversify its membership: racially, economically, and generationally. Suddenly, events and programming were livelier (rock music!) and members were encouraging their younger friends to join and bring their friends, even if it meant they would be alongside mostly old people falling asleep into their soup in the corner of a mostly empty Gilded Age dining room. And now that room is regularly humming, which speaks both to its evolution as the city has changed and how it has stayed the same. It makes you feel like youre part of something thats been around for a while, which, coming out of the pandemic, when so many things closed, gives a sense of continuity, one member said. Something that I cherish is youre in Times Square, its terrible, and then you turn east onto West 43rd Street, walk a block, and arrive at this unmarked historic building, another member said. You walk through the doors, and its like youre in another century and Im not talking about the 20th century, either. All of which is especially desirable amid the TikTok-ification of New York, where its increasingly hard to get a reservation, never mind a reasonably priced cocktail. At the Century, drinks are like $9, one member noted. As everything in New York becomes so Instagrammable and optimized for that, its nice to go to a place that just isnt. Also, you always have a place to pee in midtown. The media industry, too, has changed. Theres a degree of nostalgia that newspaper people enjoy, and weve spent the last decade or more training ourselves not to say newspaper, or talk about the front page, or luxuriate in all of the words and conventions of newspapering, one longtime journalist said. A membership at the Century kind of allows you to erase that boundary and be old school again. The Century also allows you to tell yourself that youre a belletrist, as if were all poets, when in reality were middle-management editors, they added. In a world in which theres not a lot of chilled shrimp being served to journalists, its pretty nice to be able to go to the Century. Jong-Fast isnt the first journalist to be reprimanded for bringing the Century into the public eye. In the fall of 1991, Frank Rich quit over an allegedly offending item that his wife, Times theater reporter Alex Witchel, had included in her weekly column a mention of an upcoming play reading happening at the Century. Rich, then chief drama critic at the paper, soon received a call from a since-deceased member of the board. He said, You have to control your wife, and she should not be writing about the private business of the Century club in the New York Times, said Rich. And I quit. What made it even more ridiculous, he noted, is that the Century was then, on any given day, like the Times cafeteria. It has been this way for years, stretching back to the days when it was for men only. Sometime in the late 80s, Arthur Gelb the papers managing editor at the time came up to me in the Times newsroom in New York and very excitedly told me that we had to go to the Century Club for lunch because they were finally admitting women, Times columnist Maureen Dowd recalled, noting Gelb and then-executive editor Abe Rosenthal, both members, frequently had lunch at the club. So we went, with another woman who was a reporter at the Times, and we go through the door and some club employee comes rushing up to us waving his arms and calling out, No, no, no! Arthur looked confused, and the man looked at him somberly and said, Only one at a time. Arthur hesitated, thinking about which of his female companions could be jettisoned, before realizing, with a nudge from me, that we all had to leave with asperity! The process of becoming a member still takes about as long as it does to have a baby. But in recent years, its gotten easier, with the association reducing the required number of letters of recommendation from ten to six. You can also now submit these letters online. You cant apply to the Century. You are nominated, or proposed for membership, basically by a friend who is already in, one member told me. You need a proposer and a seconder, who then marshal together those letters of recommendation. Then the committee of admissions considers you, and as they do, your name is posted publicly like, literally in the lobby and if anyone wants to offer feedback on your candidacy, they may. Being a prominent journalist doesnt make you a shoo-in; I heard that the Times columnist Pamela Paul was rejected last spring. (However, members I spoke to expect that shell reapply and have better luck this time around.) Once you get in, theres a onetime entrance fee (currently $5,300 for residents, $3,445 for nonresidents or members under 40), as well as annual dues ($3,920 for resident members; $1,960 for nonresident or sub-40 members.) I think Soho House charges more, one member noted. The Century, unlike various university and members clubs around the city, does not have squash courts or a pool or overnight accommodations. Founded by artists in 1847, its main activity is conversation, as the website states. It is a place to read and drink it has been called the Drenchery and socialize and not be on your phone or computer. The idea is to disconnect from the outside world. Its frowned upon to ask someone what they do for a living, what their last name is if they dont offer it, and how long theyve been a member of the Century. (Instead, ask, How long have you been a Centurion?) Theres no official dress code the old line, according to one member, was a gentleman doesnt need to be told how to dress but the House Committee did send out a recent email, featuring an illustrated poem created by Roz Chast, to reinforce expectations (Clothes for beach, clothes for gym / Not for her, not for him / Cut-offs, flip-flops, yuck and bad / Jeans with holes make people sad). The scene at the Century can thus feel like a reenactment of the 1990s. Levy and Jong-Fast rent out one of the dining rooms periodically to host salon-style parties for a rotating cast of nonmembers though many have since joined with past media guests including Maggie Haberman, Ben Smith, Taffy Brodesser-Akner, and Don Lemon. The food is bad and the service worse, but then every meal Ive ever had there goes on someone elses house account, so Ive never paid a cent, said one under-35 reporter. And its actually cool in there. The place has a kind of dusty glamour, its a real time warp, and there are always some interesting characters walking about big-shot writers and editors and novelists. The Centurys signature cocktail is called a Silversmith, which is essentially a rum sour served always, one member assured me, on cracked ice. It comes in a silver cup, each of which has a dead Centurions name on it and has been purchased by that persons friends. You might get Ralph Ellisons cup or Franklin D. Roosevelts or Jacqueline Kennedy Onassiss or Brooke Astors Jackie O. and Astor were among the first 20 women to join the club when it started admitting them in 1988. But more often youll get the lesser-known Centurions because, as one member told me, people steal the good ones and take them home. (Another member had a hard time believing that: I dont think a Centurion would steal a Silversmith cup.) A rare glimpse inside the clubhouse. Photo: Viviane Moos/Corbis/Getty Images The only time each month that members are not allowed to bring guests is during the monthly members meeting, a black-tie affair that last week was attended by some 400 members. After hors doeuvre, you make your way up to the table youve hopefully been invited to; if not, you can sit at the long communal table. Youll eat some dinner maybe chicken cordon bleu or, most recently, short ribs before a bell rings and members go down for the meeting, which features a lecture and the ceremonial lighting of a torch. Around 10:30, most people shuffle out, while those with more in them head down to the Billiard Room. This month, in the Billiard Room, there will be a discussion about the history of waacking, a street dance style born in the underground gay clubs of Los Angeles in the 70s. On any given night, various committees put on events. The Committee on Music this month is presenting a concert devoted to the music of Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers. The Century Book Club is kicking off the year with War and Peace. And a Twelfth Night celebration featured, according to the monthly Century Bulletin newsletter, an original musical farce, traditional pageantry, Beefeaters carrying the Christmas pig, and the holiday fare of Chef Jean Claude. Dress is black tie, but attendees are encouraged to come costumed in classical Roman attire or as you like. But mostly its just a nice place to go sip a martini careful, though, as the Centurys is more martini than youve ever encountered in your life, as one member put it and engage with other learned people in a sprawling library packed with every periodical you can imagine, the same one where Newland Archer would read the afternoon papers in The Age of Innocence. Its very writerly and a bit threadbare. Its not like going to Casa Cipriani downtown, with its lacquered walls and fine mohair settees, another member said. The Century is kept in reasonably good repair, but theres something transporting and comforting about its imperfections. It feels like a liberal-arts college. When things start to fray, rather than replace, they restore. I once saw a photo of the Century from 1910 and was like, I sat in that chair last week. As one journalist who is thinking of joining told me: I just need a place where I can gather in real life with fellow mildly reactionary middle-aged people. Best in Class The Strategists carefully chosen and rigorously vetted flagship shopping guides. Learn about our methodology here, and find all our Best in Class guides here. Photo: Marcus McDonald If you were forced to pare down your kitchen supplies to include only the bare minimum, sheet pans would make the cut. In my case, many sheet pans: I have nearly ten and pull one out almost every day, often multiple times a day. Ive been known to make a big batch of granola to eat for breakfast throughout the week, and to crisp up bacon on the weekend (way less mess than frying in a skillet). For lunch, I often quickly transform a handful of nuts or a can of chickpeas from raw to golden brown, the perfect additions to salads. For dinner, I prep any number of ingredients roasted or charred vegetables, filets of fish, cuts of meat. And at least once a week youll find me turning to a single sheet pan dinner in an attempt to cut down on dishes, whether a whole roasted chicken nestled on top of a layer of potatoes, or a rectangular pizza loaded with cheese. Then, of course, theres dessert. Cookies are a given, but sheet pans also make excellent vessels for large-format cakes, as well as trays for catching pie or tart juice overflow. The point is, theyre serious workhorses. Theyre also made by a lot of different brands. So how do you know the one youre buying will hold up to all that cooking without staining, warping, or scratching? To help answer that question, I tested several out myself and also spoke to 13 professional cooks and bakers about the sheet pans they love (and how they take care of them). And if youre interested in other essential cookware, take a look at my guide to skillets and Dutch ovens, too. Update on January 16, 2025: Added the Misen 3-in-1 Stainless Roasting Pan; updated prices and checked stock for all products. What were looking for Material Most sheet pans on the market are made from either aluminum or aluminized steel (basically, carbon steel treated with an aluminum-silicon alloy, a.k.a. mixture). If this sounds nitty-gritty, thats because it is but all you really need to know is that the core material isnt a huge determiner for a good sheet pan. While some people say bare aluminum is the best for even heat conductivity, in our research, we found that both work well and that there are other factors to consider when deciding which sheet pans are best for you. Coating A nonstick coating can make cleanup a whole lot easier. But it makes long-term care a bit fussy, since you have to make sure to avoid metal utensils that will damage the surface and pay attention to any recommendations for maximum temperature exposure. Size The largest sheet pan on this list (smaller than commercial-size pans but still bigger than a standard half-sheet) is great if youre blessed with a large oven and are consistently feeding four or more people or baking all the time (though its certainly the most niche option on the list). Half-sheets, which generally measure around 11-by-16 inches, are the most versatile and probably what you think of when you think of a sheet pan. Make sure to look at specific measurements if it matters for your oven or kitchen, though; they can vary by up to a few inches on either side. Finally, quarter-sheet pans are half of that, perfect for single-serving snacks and meals as well as more targeted tasks, like toasting nuts. Rim There are many dedicated cookie sheet pans out there with rims on only two or three sides, as opposed to four. This is supposed to make transitioning cookies from sheet to cooling rack particularly easy, since you can just slide them off. You could always use a spatula, but I did include one particularly well-constructed cookie sheet on the list, if thats what youre looking for. (And despite the name, this kind of sheet pan works equally well for roasted vegetables.) There are also trays with wider flat rims on two sides, making for more of a handle than those with rolled rims. But in my experience, those tend to be flimsier, and werent recommended by any of our experts, so theyre also not on this list. Best sheet pan overall Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Bakers Half-Sheet $28 for 2 $28 for 2 Material: Aluminum | Coating: None | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled Nordic Ware makes the most durable sheet pans out there. Ive owned two of their half-sheets and two of their quarter-sheets for nearly a decade and havent had to replace them yet. Theyre incredibly sturdy and never bend in the oven (whereas cheaper models Ive owned have gotten wonky after some use). They distribute heat as evenly as possible. All ovens are different, and all sheet pans will be a bit hotter toward the edges than the middle, but I find that for the most part, aluminum does a better job at uniformly browning than nonstick. They also clean up well. While Im not fussy about keeping them shiny, Ive never had an issue with grease or food sticking to the point I cant get it off with a good scrub. (Hot tip: When dealing with particularly tough grime, S.O.S. Steel Wool Pads work every time.) Brittany Bennett, owner of Taartwork, is a fan of the Nordic Ware sheet pans, too. She says theyll make you feel like a professional in your home kitchen, and chef and television host Elena Besser says theyre the closest brand to the industrial baking sheets she used in the kitchen at the beloved Brooklyn restaurant Lilia. Claire Saffitz, baker and cookbook author, says they can really take a beating. While the surface color might change over time, especially with the use of acidic ingredients like vinegar and tomatoes, that doesnt affect the actual quality of cooking at all, which is still as even as ever, Saffitz says. Nordic Ware also notes that while metal utensils may cause scrapes, those are also merely cosmetic. I can attest to this, too, as I use my fish spatula against the surface pretty consistently to no negative effect. While not nonstick, if youre making something that might require some help with easy removal, like cookies, you can simply place a silicone mat or parchment paper on the surface, both easy and cheap solutions. Plus, a set of two sheet pans is only $22, meaning that if you find yourself craving that new, shiny silver color after a while, you wont feel bad about replacing them. $28 for 2 at Amazon Buy $28 for 2 at Target Buy Best nonstick sheet pan Great Jones Holy Sheet Pan $40 Material: Aluminized steel | Coating: Nonstick | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled Although Great Jones Holy Sheet is a relative newcomer it launched in November 2019 it has made a splash in the kitchens of professional cooks and food content creators with its bright, bold colors that are easily spotted in countless photos on my Instagram feed. But theyre not all looks. Ive been pleasantly surprised at how actually nonstick the surface is Ive roasted vegetables and salmon filets without too much olive oil, and both slide right off. The Holy Sheet also takes minimal effort to clean less than the Nordic Ware ones. A spongy soap and a pretty light hand leaves it looking good as new. Several of our experts say not only did the Holy Sheet become their instant favorite, but it stands the test of time. Erin Jeanne McDowell, recipe developer and cookbook author, has owned one for several years and says, the finish has held up well even to intense use. Its beautiful appearance hasnt caused its capabilities to suffer in any way. It hasnt warped, scratched, or chipped. And both candy artist Maayan Zilberman and cook and television host Molly Yeh say its super sturdy. At two pounds each, theyre slightly heavier than the Nordic Ware half sheet, but that makes them feel particularly durable, even standing in as a pizza stone for Yeh. The aesthetic does have its perks, though. Ive used mine to make snack plates a couple of times, with the deep blue peeking out from under crackers, cheese, and fruit. Strategist senior editor Jen Trolio uses her blue one as a tray to carry food to the grill and as serveware during the summer. And even though she cooks with it at least once a week, she also says it cleans up nicely and still looks presentable even after four years. $40 at Nordstrom Buy $40 at Great Jones Buy Best sheet pan for baking OXO Good Grips Nonstick Pro Half-Sheet $26 Material: Aluminized steel | Coating: Nonstick | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled OXO is always solid when it comes to kitchen basics, so its no surprise their nonstick sheet pan is great, too. Though its not as aesthetically striking as the Great Jones Holy Sheet, its significantly less expensive, coming in at only $25 instead of $40. Ive been using it at least once a week for the past several months, and it looks good as new. Though it doesnt create as much browning on food as my steel Nordic Ware pans, it bakes evenly. This is in part thanks to the micro-texture on the bottom, which improves airflow (case in point: the extremely uniformly crispy chickpeas pictured below). Its also the go-to sheet pan for Kristen Tomlan, the founder and CEO of DO Cookie Dough Confections. She says the textured bottom is ideal for baked goods, and that the light color of the sheet pan helps slowly transfer heat so the bottoms of your pastries dont get too brown. This may be more noticeable with something like sugar cookies than chocolate chip cookies, but in general, the darker the pan, the faster your baked goods will darken on the outside. $26 at Amazon Buy $26 at Oxo Buy The textured bottom of the OXO allows for airflow and even browning. Photo: Emma Wartzman Best three-sided sheet pan King Arthur Baking Company Cookie Sheet From $23 From $23 Material: Recycled steel and aluminum | Coating: Nonstick | Size: Half-sheet or smaller | Rim: Three-sided This King Arthur tray is the only model on this list with three sides, an attribute that lets me slide roasted vegetables or scones onto a platter in one fell swoop. It also allows easier access to the rimmed edges I can go straight in with a spatula, which is especially useful when food is sticking and needs some jabs to loosen. It feels super sturdy though still lightweight and hasnt warped or discolored at all in the year Ive been using it. As with the Oxo sheet pan above, it has a textured bottom to promote airflow and even browning (especially nice when it comes to baked goods where a uniform color is desirable). From $23 at King Arthur Baking Co. Buy Best sheet pan for heat retention Paderno Rectangle Baking Sheet $39 Material: Cold-rolled steel | Coating: None | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled Baker Laurie Ellen Pellicano has a set of baking sheets just like these that have a super-dark surface and a heavy, cast-iron-light feel. She picked hers up years ago (likely from an industrial pizza-supply store, where she says she often sees similar ones) and uses it for a myriad of things pizza, yes, but also focaccia and other breads, galettes and tarts, and even charred vegetables. The way the pan holds heat is really great, and the surface makes things brown a lot faster. That makes them too intense for cookies or other delicate baking, but ideal for all the aforementioned foods, where a dark bottom is key. $39 at Knife Merchant Buy Best durable sheet pan Chicago Metallic Commercial II Traditional Coated Sheet Pan $23 for 2 Material: Aluminized steel | Coating: None | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled Made with a similar construction to the Nordic Ware sheet pans, these from Chicago Metallic should last you a very long time. They certainly have for Pellicano, who has been using them in both professional and home settings her entire life. She says their domestically manufactured goods (another bonus, in Pellicanos mind) are the kinds that can be passed down from generation to generation. To me, they are synonymous with incredible steel, quality, and durability, she says. If I see Chicago Metallic, I know it will be sturdy, not warp, and will outlast others. $23 for 2 at Amazon Buy $24 for 2 at The Home Depot Buy Best sheet pan for buying in bulk Winco ALXP-1622 Sheet Pan $9 $9 Material: Aluminum | Coating: None | Size: Half-sheet | Rim: Rolled Ive gotten so many fancy sheet pans over the years, and honestly, none really lives up to the hype, says Emily Petrick of Whisk and Whittle. Instead, she prefers to buy these Winco trays at restaurant-supply stores. These are sturdy, easy to clean, cheap, and easy to replace because, lets be honest, disasters happen. And most important, they get the job done, she says. They have no bells and whistles, but theyre made from heavy aluminium so theyre less prone to warping. The one caveat: Theyre not nonstick, so youll want to use parchment paper with these, too. $9 at Katom Buy $9 at Restaurant Supply Buy Best quarter-sheet pan Nordic Ware Quarter Sheet Pans $22 for 2 Material: Aluminum | Coating: None | Size: Quarter-sheet | Rim: Rolled For some reason, quarter sheet pans are rarer to find in home kitchens, but I think theyre often even more useful than their half-size counterparts. They are, of course, great for cooking smaller quantities of food, ideal if youre making a meal for one. But in my mind, they come in most handy if you need your oven for multiple components in a larger meal and dont want each thing to take its own turn. You can roast, for example, nuts, fish, and leeks all at the same time, each on their own schedule, putting them in and taking them out as necessary. Not to mention, quarter sizes are much easier to store and clean than half sheets. Emily Fiffer, co-owner of Botanica in Los Angeles, is a fan of these Nordic Ware ones. According to her, other perks include baking a few late-night cookies (without it looking sad), and using them as trays to carry things from inside to outside, especially helpful if youre grilling. $22 for 2 at Amazon Buy $11 at Target Buy My Nordic Ware quarter sheet is well-loved. Photo: Emma Wartzman Best nonstick quarter-sheet pan Great Jones Little Sheet Duo $50 for 2 Material: Aluminized steel | Coating: Nonstick | Size: Quarter-sheet | Rim: Rolled Great Jones also makes quarter-sheets, which come in a set of two. Theyre constructed the same as the half-sheet, which means they work just as well for all your roasting, baking, and broiling needs. But in my mind, they have one additional bonus: Theyre perfect for doubling as platters, similar to their larger counterpart, the Holy Sheet. With vibrant color options of royal blue, forest green, and raspberry red, they look like theyre meant to be on the table, filled with appetizers like crudite and dips or cheese and crackers, and even mains like a carved roast chicken or a whole fish with pan sauce. $50 for 2 at Nordstrom Buy $50 for 2 at Great Jones Buy Best enamel sheet pan Falcon Enamelware Serving Tray $39 Material: Steel | Coating: Enamel | Size: Slightly smaller than quarter-sheet | Rim: Rolled My love of enamel has been well documented on this site. But my favorite new additions are these trays from Falcon Enamelware (the brand was first introduced to me by recipe developer Chloe Walsh, who owns their water pitcher and is a fan of the durable material). Even though theyre called serving trays, they are, in fact, proper sheet pans that are oven safe up to 530 degrees. The ultra-smooth surface is ideal for roasted vegetables and shortbread cookies, which release with ease. Ive also used them for smaller-quantity tasks like roasting chickpeas and a single serving of parchment-wrapped fish (theyre about 1.5 inches shorter and half an inch slimmer than a standard quarter sheet). Theyre also just slightly taller than a quarter sheet tray; I baked brownies in one (the same batch size as I would put in a quarter sheet) with no overflow. Everything Ive made turns out evenly cooked, and I havent had any issues with warping. They also provide a sturdy surface when toasting or reheating in the oven; I often line them with tinfoil to crisp up day-old pizza or melt cheese on top of a piece of toast. Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang says she doesnt mind the patina that comes with aluminum but thinks these look far nicer for serving. Thats the biggest plus in my mind: I love their bright white bottoms and the various colors on the outside. Ive set them out directly on the dinner table several times and when not in use for cooking, theyve held snacks. Theyre also incredibly easy to clean. Yang says her aluminum sheet pans take a fair amount of elbow grease with the corners, but these only require minimal scrubbing. $39 at Falcon Enamelware Buy Best stainless-steel sheet pan Misen 3-in-1 Stainless Roasting Pan From $129 From $129 Material: 5-ply stainless steel with aluminum core | Coating: None | Size: 13 inches and 18 inches | Rim: High sides with handles A few months ago, I got the 13-inch version of what Misen calls a roasting pan, but what is actually an excellent step-up sheet pan, Yang says. Indeed, its a bit different from the other sheet pans on this list, with slightly higher sides and handles and made with five-ply construction (three sheets of stainless steel bonded over two sheets of aluminum). But these are all positive features in her book, and it still functions much the same way (Yang mostly uses it to roast vegetables). The sides allow more food to sit inside at a time, catching all drippings and juices. The handles make for easier maneuvering than a traditional sheet pan. And the stainless steel cleans up so much better than aluminum. Yang just puts it in the dishwasher. It comes out looking like new and doesnt get discolored with use, and I have been using it several times a week since it arrived, she says. The pan has become an instant-favorite piece of cookware: When I have to roast things, I actually feel a little excited about it. From $129 at Misen Buy Best sheet-pan set Nordic Ware 3-Piece Bakers Delight Set $35 $40 now 13% off $35 Material: Aluminum | Coating: None | Size: 3 sizes | Rim: Rolled If you want a variety of sizes, Strategist senior editor Crystal Martin recommends this three-piece set from the same brand as our overall best sheet pan. After using an old and warped nonstick sheet pan for about eight years, she invested in this Nordic Ware trio when she got into baking last summer. It comes with the half-sheet and quarter-sheet previously mentioned on this list, plus a larger 13.5-by-19.5-inch one, for a bit less than if you were to buy each separately. (Make sure to measure your oven if this one piques your interest, though it should fit in standard-size models. For what its worth, its the size my mom, an avid and great home cook and baker, turned to regularly to feed four of us when I was growing up.) Martin loves the flexibility of having them all the biggest for batches of cookies, the middle for creating more even heat when baking a Bundt cake, and the smallest for individual batches of roasted vegetables and heating up tortillas. Even with the different dimensions, storing them is easy. I put them in my narrow 12-inch cabinet along with cooling racks and muffin pans, she says. They dont take up much space because they nestle. $35 at Amazon Buy $35 at The Home Depot Buy Our experts Brittany Bennett, founder of Taartwork Elena Besser, cook and television host Emily Fiffer, co-owner and chef of Botanica Crystal Martin, Strategist senior editor Erin Jeanne McDowell, baker and cookbook author Laurie Ellen Pellicano, baker Emily Petrick, founder of Whisk and Whittle Claire Saffitz, baker and cookbook author Kristen Tomlan, founder and CEO of DO Cookie Dough Confections Jen Trolio, Strategist senior editor Winnie Yang, Strategist senior editor Molly Yeh, cook and television host Maayan Zilberman, founder of Sweet Saba get the strategist newsletter Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and exclusive discounts. Email This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us. The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change. A tanker carrying Russian crude discharged at a port operated by Shandong Port Group in east China on Thursday after the Biden administration slapped fresh sanctions on Russian energy, Reuters has reported. The tanker was the first to be hit by the sanctions, which include a grace period exempting cargoes loaded before Jan. 10 and unloaded before March 12. Last week, Reuters reported that a purported U.S. Treasury document circulating among traders in Europe and Asia, revealed that some 180 vessels, several senior Russian oil executives, dozens of traders and two major oil companies are targeted by the sanctions. Later, it emerged that the Biden administration has targeted Surgutneftgas and Gazprom Neft, two firms that handle 25% of Russian oil exports. The two companies shipped an average of 970,000 bbls a day in 2024. India has announced that it will abide by the sanctions and turn away sanctioned tankers. Previously, we reported that the sanctions would severely disrupt Russian oil exports to India and China--the biggest buyers of Russian crude--and could also give Trump more leverage in future negotiations as he tries to end the war in Ukraine. Last year, India briefly overtook China as the largest buyer of Russian crude. However, India's import of Russian oil in November plummeted 55% Y/Y to its lowest point since June 2022. This could be the result of the country trying to diversify its oil supplies to avoid overlying on a single country. Commodity experts at Standard Chartered predict that the ongoing strength in oil markets at the start of the new year is likely to persist, powered by, among other things, the removal of more Russian barrels from the market following the sanctions. According to StanChart, the new restrictions roughly triple the number of directly sanctioned Russian crude oil tankers, enough to affect around 900 thousand barrels per day (kb/d). Whereas its highly likely that Russia will try to circumvent the sanctions by employing even more shadow fleet tankers and ship-to-ship transfers, StanChart sees 500kb/d of displacements over the next six months. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The attack on TurkStream follows a series of large-scale aerial attacks by Ukraine on Russia, targeting energy infrastructure and industrial sites. Turkey confirmed an attempted drone attack on the TurkStream pipeline originating from Ukraine, but stated that gas flow remains unaffected. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the US of encouraging Ukraine to attack the TurkStream pipeline, the sole remaining route for Russian gas to the EU. Moscow has this week made a big and provocative accusation, saying that the United States is seeking to sabotage the last pipeline transporting Russian gas exports into Europe, the TurkStream. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov alleged in a Tuesday press briefing that Washington is encouraging "terrorist" attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure. He specifically cited plans to target TurkStream, following a recent large-scale drone attack. "The US does not tolerate competition in any sphere, including energy. They are recklessly endorsing terrorist activities aimed at undermining the energy stability of the European Union," Lavrov said as quoted in Turkey's Anadolu news agency. "They are encouraging their Ukrainian proxies to disable TurkStream following the sabotage of Nord Stream," he followed with. He described that Russia's anti-air defenses were able to down nine Ukrainian drones during the attack which targeted part of TurkStream's infrastructure. On Wednesday regional media quoted Turkey's top energy official as confirming there was an attempted attack out of Ukraine, but that gas is still flowing uninterrupted: Following an attempted attack on the TurkStream natural gas pipeline on Jan. 11, Turkiyes Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Alparslan Bayraktar, confirmed the attack took place but assured the public that the incident did not disrupt the gas flow. Responding to questions from journalists in the Turkish Parliament, Bayraktar stated: "There was no interruption in gas flow after the attack. The pipeline continues to deliver gas at the same capacity." Following Ukraine's refusal to renew a key transit contract with Moscow which expired by close of 2024, the TurkStream pipeline remains the only route carrying Russian gas into the European Union. Russia's RT news has summarized the geography and significance of TurkStream as follows: TurkStream is a critical energy corridor, transporting natural gas from Russia to Turkiye under the Black Sea. It also remains the sole route supplying Russian natural gas to southern and southeastern Europe after Ukraine refused to extend a gas transit agreement with Moscow this year. In 2024, gas shipments via the pipeline increased by 23%, reaching 16.7 billion cubic meters (bcm). The pipeline comprises two sections: one serving Turkiyes domestic needs, while the other transits gas to Bulgaria through the Strandzha station. This Balkan route extends through Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary, with connections facilitating the distribution of Russian gas to other EU states. With a total capacity of 31.5 bcm annually, TurkStream plays a vital role in regional energy security. As for Lavrov's initial accusation Tuesday, which Washington rejects, he also stated: "I have a firm belief that the US needs no competitor in any fields, starting with energy." We reported earlier that Tuesday saw one of the single biggest cross-border aerial attacks on Russia from Ukraine since the war began. Several fires broke out at numerous industrial sites, including gas sites in remote Tatarstan. Some of the energy hubs hit were hundreds of miles from the front line. Crucially multiple US-supplied ATACMS and British Storm Shadow missiles were used. "Ukraines military said Tuesday that it also hit points in Bryansk, Tula and Tatarstan, with a chemical factory that makes rocket fuel and ammunition for Russias army among the targets," reports indicated. By Zerohedge.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Landsbergis warned that accepting China as a guarantor of nuclear deterrence in Europe would be a 'dangerous mistake', highlighting the risks of China's potential influence. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis cautioned Europe against accepting China's 'cheap' peace proposals for Ukraine, emphasizing that China's support for Russia makes it an adversary. Former Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis offered a clear warning for those who say that China is able to mediate an end to the war in Ukraine. Finding Perspective: Speaking to the French international affairs outlet Geopolitique.eu, Landsbergis stamped down the idea. China is waiting for a moment of weakness to step in and offer solutions and I fear that some in Europe would accept this offer because its a cheap alternative to us stepping up, in the same way that you buy a Chinese car because its cheaper. The same goes for their peace proposals. Landsbergis was commenting on a recent interview with outgoing U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and The New York Times, where Blinken said that one of the reasons that Moscow had not escalated into a nuclear war in Ukraine was because of China. If you follow that line of reasoning, it means that China has become a protector of Europe. That would be the beginning of a new paradigm, Landsbergis said. If we accept that China, which in my view supports Russia and is therefore an adversary of the countries supporting Ukraine, is now the guarantor of nuclear deterrence on our continent, it would be a dangerous mistake and a failure. Why It Matters: Landsbergiss warning comes as U.S. President-elect Donald Trump takes office and Europe anxiously looks at a very different geopolitical reality. Trumps tariff threats and less traditional approach to Washingtons relationship with Europe is a source of consternation in European capitals and there is talk in some corners about having a more amenable position toward Beijing to balance the Trump administration. On January 14, Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke with European Council President Antonio Costa to begin what many analysts believe will be a charm offensive from Beijing toward the continent. But while Trump may have a rockier relationship with Brussels and various capitals than his predecessor, Beijing is also facing a different playing field than when U.S. President Joe Biden took office. Chinas support for Russia amid the war in Ukraine has strained ties with Europe, and Brussels is taking aim at Chinese companies in some sectors, a trend that looks set to continue. EU High Representative Kaja Kallas has also voiced strong criticism of China, especially for its stance around the war in Ukraine and its long-term repercussions. Landsbergis shared similar sentiments, saying that Ukraine is central to what will happen in the future between China and Taiwan. I mentioned earlier that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has managed to change the nuclear doctrine by getting us to accept, at least for now, that resisting an attack is a form of escalation and therefore a nuclear strike is justified. One can imagine a situation where China imposes a blockade, even a partial one, on Taiwan and they resist and we try to lift it, then China could use the Russian playbook, he said. I dont think we collectively understand how reckless it is. By RFE/RL More Top Reads From Oilprice.com These measures are designed to synchronize with the upcoming Kyrgyz-Uzbek-China railway and strengthen trade ties with countries like Iran, Turkey, and Georgia. Uzbekistan's President has issued a decree to boost trade using the Middle Corridor, aiming to reduce reliance on Russia. The Uzbek government is authorizing measures to diversify trade routes that bypass Russia. A decree issued by Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev sketches a five-year improvement plan to facilitate commerce via the Middle Corridor, an emerging network connecting China to Europe via the Caspian Sea corridor. The areas covered by the decree include expanding trade routes, reducing transportation costs and achieving greater efficiency in freight transport logistics. The underlying premise of the decree is that Uzbekistan must reduce its dependency on Russia as a gateway to trade with the West. Another aim of the decree is to improve infrastructure and procedures for tractor-trailer-borne goods, including an expanded network of truck stops and more efficient systems to reduce transit times at border crossings, including those at Davut-ota, Gisht Kuprik and Navoi. Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov told news outlet Ozbekiston 24 that the plan additionally calls for improvements in connections to Afghanistan and Turkmenistan, with the aim of boosting trade with Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. The measures outlined in the decree are designed to synchronize Westward-oriented trade corridors with the newly launched Kyrgyz-Uzbek-China railway. Officials from the three countries held a ground-breaking ceremony in late December, but construction work isnt expected to commence in earnest until the summer of 2025. By Eurasianet.org More Top Reads From Oilprice.com A threat by the Canadian federal government to restrict crude oil exports in response to Donald Trumps idea of imposing tariffs on Canadian imports has rattled the countrys oil province. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith sent a message to Ottawa this week, stating that Alberta would not support such a move. The U.S. president-elect issued his tariff threat soon after winning the November vote as a means of dealing with a trade deficit with essentially all of Washigtons key trade partners, including Canada and the European Union. The tariff he proposed was a hefty 25% and it would be imposed on all imports, including crude oil. Canada is the largest supplier of crude to the United States, so it was little surprise that Trumps threat prompted an immediate reaction, with the federal government in Ottawa threatening an in-kind response that could take the form of either export duties on Canadian goods or restrictions on volume. This, in turn, prompted a response from Albertas Smith. Federal government officials continue to publicly and privately float the idea of cutting off energy supply to the U.S. and imposing export tariffs on Alberta energy and other products to the United States, Smith said in a post on X. Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal governments plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs. Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. We will take whatever actions are needed to protect the livelihoods of Albertans from such destructive federal policies, the Premier of Alberta also wrote. Some analysts have expressed skepticism about Trumps actual readiness to slap tariffs on Canadian oil. Such a move would inevitably lead to higher retail fuel prices in the U.S., which would go against campaign promises of cheap energy that Trump made last year. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The worlds biggest importer of coal, China, has widened its lead over the second-largest buyer, India, to the highest in more than a decade, according to customs data compiled by Reuters. Last year, Chinese imports rose while Indias fell, widening the gap between China and India in coal buying, according to the data. China took advantage of the low international seaborne coal prices in 2024 to boost purchases, while India raised its domestic coal production in an effort to enhance its energy security. Reuters estimates based on shipping and customs data put Indias coal imports dropping by about 3% last year while Chinese imports surged to a record high. Global coal demand has surged to another record high in 2024, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said last month, expecting the worlds coal consumption to level off through 2027. While coal demand continues to decline in the EU and the U.S. although at slower paces than in 2023, China and India saw in 2024 another year of record-high coal consumption. China was on track for a 1% rise to 4.9 billion tons, and Indias coal demand was poised to increase by more than 5% to 1.3 billion tonsa level that only China has reached previously. Declining international coal prices incentivized Chinas coal imports which jumped by 14.4% from a year earlier to a record high in 2024, official Chinese data showed earlier this week. Chinas coal imports surged to 542.7 million metric tons last year, up from the 474.42 million tons imported in 2023, per data from the Chinese General Administration of Customs quoted by Reuters. This year, Chinas coal demand and production are expected to continue rising and the fuel is set to remain the backbone of the countrys energy system, according to China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association. At the same time, Indias coal imports fell by 3.1% between April and October 2024 from a year earlier, while domestic output rose by 6%, data showed earlier this week. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The European Union is considering lifting wide-ranging sanctions on Syria, including restrictions on the countrys oil and gas sector following the ouster of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad a month ago. In a non-paper--an informal EU document used by member states in closed door negotiations--the EU has proposed the removal of export ban on oil and gas technology, as well as restrictions on export and participation in infrastructure projects and financing. The EU also says that any possible delisting of Al-Qaeda related factions such as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) as terrorist groups must be decided at UN Security Council level before being implemented by the EU. HTS--a former Al-Qaeda branch in Syria that was linked to ISIS in the regionled the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime. EU countries are also mulling lifting restrictions on airlines, such as the Syrian Arab Airlines, in order to facilitate civilian flight operations between the EU and Syria. EU Regulation 36/2012 has imposed various restrictions on Syrias energy sector including: Prohibition on the transport of crude oil and petroleum products of Syrian origin Prohibition on the provision of key equipment and technology for use in the oil and gas industry in Syria, Prohibition on the provision of insurance and reinsurance to Syrian persons and entities The United States has imposed similar sanctions, including bans on: Exporting, re-exporting, selling or supplying directly or indirectly, of any services to Syria Importing or dealing in Syrian-origin petroleum or petroleum products Making new investments in Syria Syria is facing an energy crisis after Iraq suspended crude oil deliveries to Syria In December. Iraq has decided to stop providing Syria with crude oil starting this month,Iraqi member of Parliament Mustafa Sanad said shortly after the overthrow of Assad. Prior to the decision by Baghdad, Syria was importing some ~120,000 barrels of Iraq crude daily. Meanwhile, supplies of crude oil from Iran have also ended following the news of the change in power in Syria. Fuel prices in Syria have skyrocketed due to acute shortages during the transitional period. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Oil prices retreated in Thursdays trading after Israel and Hamas reached a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal following 15 months of war. According rto Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the agreement will come into effect on Sunday if approved by the Israeli cabinet. Brent crude for March delivery was down 0.80% to trade at $81.37 per barrel at 1:01 pm ET, while WTI crude pulled back 1.39% to change hands at $78.93. Maritime security officials now expect the Houthi militia to announce a halt in attacks on ships in the Red Sea. Since the beginning of the Middle East war, Houthi rebels in Yemen significantly stepped up attacks on commercial shipping vessels in-transit via the lower Red Sea in retaliation for Israels war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, increasing the risk for ships passing through the Suez Canal. The Red Sea is one of the worlds most densely packed shipping channels and the most significant waterway connecting Europe to Asia and east Africa. About 12% of global trade, including 30% of global container traffic, passes through the Red Sea, meaning that delays there can potentially affect fuel prices as well as the availability of various commodities and electronics. Dozens of companies halted shipping in the Red Sea and at the Suez canal. Four of the worlds five largest container-shipping companies, namely Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, CMA, CGM and MSC, also paused or suspended their services in the Red Sea, the route through which traffic from the Suez Canal must pass. The Suez Canal is one of the most important channels of the global oil trade. Northbound traffic worth ~3.9 million bpd is dominated by crude oil from Middle East producers to Europe and also middle distillates from India and the Middle East. Southbound traffic, estimated at 2.9 million bpd, comprises crude flows mainly from Russia to Asian customers, and also refined products naphtha and fuel oil. The United States, Qatar and Russia are the leading shippers of LNG via Suez. By Alex Kimani for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com The Intel job loss just totaled 3,000 local Oregon jobs in 2024 which forced us to update our January 3rd graphic of job loss by over 100%. Biden awarded Intel $7 billion in CHIPS Act grants. In 2023, Gov. Kotek and lawmakers awarded $200 million in tech-industry grants to local Oregon tech companies. Yet, Intel is in a painful spot. They are shedding jobs. There are lots of reasons. Not helping is Koteks tax and fee increases. Not helping is Oregons overkill land regulations that block development and keep property taxes sky high. Not helping is Koteks budget which calls for a 17% budget boom and 1,200 new government employees. Not helping is the 2025 Legislatures plan to raise the gas tax by 32-cents. Was this helpful? If so, Contribute online at OregonWatchdog.com (learn about a Charitable Tax Deduction or Political Tax Credit options to promote liberty). Strengthening China-U.S. people-to-people exchanges enjoys public support: FM spokesperson Xinhua) 10:12, January 16, 2025 BEIJING, Jan. 15 (Xinhua) -- Strengthening people-to-people and cultural exchanges between China and the United States enjoys public support and conforms to popular will, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said Wednesday. Guo made the remarks at a daily news briefing when asked to comment on a video of the One Voice Children's Choir from the United States singing a Chinese song in Beijing that went viral on social media. In November 2023, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced in San Francisco an initiative to invite 50,000 young Americans to China for exchange and study programs over a five-year period. Guo said that under the initiative, more than 16,000 young people from the United States came to China for exchange and study in 2024, making new friends, learning the Chinese language, experiencing Chinese culture and exploring modern China. Noting that amity between people holds the key to sound relations between countries, Guo said it is hoped that more envoys of the new generation will promote friendship between the two countries and write a new chapter in the stable, healthy and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Zhong Wenxing) 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: Durotrigian burial of a young woman from Langton Herring sampled for DNA (c) Bournemouth University. She was buried with a mirror (right panels) and jewelry, including a Roman coin amulet showing a female charioteer representing Victory.jpg. Credit: Bournemouth University. An international team of geneticists, led by those from Trinity College Dublin, has joined forces with archaeologists from Bournemouth University to decipher the structure of British Iron Age society, finding evidence of female political and social empowerment. The researchers seized upon a rare opportunity to sequence DNA from many members of a single community. They retrieved over 50 ancient genomes from a set of burial grounds in Dorset, southern England, in use before and after the Roman Conquest of AD 43. The results revealed that this community was centered around bonds of female-line descent. Dr. Lara Cassidy, Assistant Professor in Trinity's Department of Genetics, led the study that has been published in Nature. She said, "This was the cemetery of a large kin group. We reconstructed a family tree with many different branches and found most members traced their maternal lineage back to a single woman, who would have lived centuries before. In contrast, relationships through the father's line were almost absent. "This tells us that husbands moved to join their wives' communities upon marriage, with land potentially passed down through the female line. This is the first time this type of system has been documented in European prehistory and it predicts female social and political empowerment. "It's relatively rare in modern societies, but this might not always have been the case." Incredibly, the team found that this type of social organization, termed "matrilocality," was not just restricted to Dorset. They sifted through data from prior genetic surveys of Iron Age Britain and, although sample numbers from other cemeteries were smaller, they saw the same pattern emerge again and again. Excavating a Late Iron Age Durotriges burial at Winterborne Kingston (c) Bournemouth University. Credit: Bournemouth University Dan Bradley, Professor of Population Genetics in Trinity's Department of Genetics, and a co-author of the study, added, "Across Britain we saw cemeteries where most individuals were maternally descended from a small set of female ancestors. In Yorkshire, for example, one dominant matriline had been established before 400 BC. To our surprise, this was a widespread phenomenon with deep roots on the island." Iron Age cemeteries with well-preserved burials are rare in Britain. Dorset is an exception, due to the unique burial customs of the people who lived there, named as the "Durotriges" by the Romans. The researchers sampled DNA from a site near the village of Winterborne Kingston, nicknamed "Duropolis," which archaeologists from Bournemouth University have been excavating since 2009. Previously, the team had observed the more richly furnished Durotrigan burials to be those of women. Dr. Miles Russell, the excavation's director and co-author on the study, commented, "Beyond archaeology, knowledge of Iron Age Britain has come primarily from the Greek and Roman writers, but they are not always considered the most trustworthy. "That said, their commentary on British women is remarkable in light of these findings. When the Romans arrived, they were astonished to find women occupying positions of power. Two of the earliest recorded rulers were queensBoudica and Cartimanduawho commanded armies. "It's been suggested that the Romans exaggerated the liberties of British women to paint a picture of an untamed society. But archaeology, and now genetics, implies women were influential in many spheres of Iron Age life. Indeed, it is possible that maternal ancestry was the primary shaper of group identities." Anthropologist Dr. Martin Smith, one of the project's bone specialists, added, "These results give us a whole new way of looking at the burials we are uncovering with our students. Rather than simply seeing a set of skeletons, hidden aspects of these people's lives and identities come into view as mothers, husbands, daughters and so on. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. "We also see these folk had deep knowledge of their own ancestrymultiple marriages between distant branches of this family occurred and were possibly favored, but close inbreeding was avoided." Echoing the writings of Julius Caesar, the researchers further uncovered a footprint of Iron Age migration into coastal southern England, which had gone undetected in prior genetic studies. This will add more fuel to debates surrounding the arrival of the Celtic language in Britain. Dr. Cassidy explained, "Migration into Britain during the later Bronze Age has previously been detected, leading some to hypothesize that Celtic language arrived during this period. But our results point towards substantial cross-channel mobility during the Iron Age as well. Narrowing down the arrival time of Celtic will be difficult. Indeed, it is quite possible that Celtic languages were introduced to Britain on more than one occasion." More information: Lara Cassidy, Continental influx and pervasive matrilocality in Iron Age Britain, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08409-6. www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-08409-6 Guido Alberto Gnecchi-Ruscone, Women were at the centre of social networks in Iron Age Britain, Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1038/d41586-024-04214-3 , doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-04214-3 Journal information: Nature 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: Images of killer whales (Orcinus orca) consuming a sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) in the waters off Guanaja Island, Honduras, in the Caribbean Sea: (A) the mother and calf killer whales surfacing near the vessel; (B) the dorsal fin of the other killer whale as it took a breath near the deceased sperm whale; (C) the floating sperm whale with the killer whales swimming nearby; (D) the white patchy bottom jaw of the dead sperm whale; (E) a killer whale returning to the body to take off pieces of flesh; and (F) a zoomed-in shot of the sperm whales lower jaw. Credit: Mark Moore. Aquatic Mammals (2025). DOI: 10.1578/AM.51.1.2025.31 While fishing off the coast of Honduras in 2023, a group of anglers stumbled upon a rare sight: a pod of orcas hunting down a sperm whale. The underwater attackwhich was organized and bloodyunfolded over many minutes alongside the anglers' vessel. Now, over a year later, biologists have tracked down eyewitness accounts of the incident as well as videos and photos, which were included in a study published on Jan. 13 in the journal Aquatic Mammals. The study represents the first documented case of orcas hunting sperm whales in the waters off the Central American country, a stretch of the Caribbean Sea that has been "relatively unexplored." "This encounter truly surprised us " Gabriela Ochoa, one of the study's authors, said in a journal news release. The coordinated hunt It all began when a trio of hobbyist anglers were sailing off Honduras' Bay Islandsabout 30 miles from the mainlandon Nov. 24, 2023. While trawling for sardini, a type of mid-sized fish, they noticed a flurry of activity in the distance. Upon maneuvering closer to the commotion, they spotted three orcasan adult male and a mother-calf paircircling a sperm whale, which measured under 20 feet. "According to the anglers, the attack was already underway when they arrived as the killer whales were observed coordinating their attack on the sperm whale in waves," the study said. For the next half-hour, the two adult orcas, by turns, bit the whale and dragged it underwater, attempting to prevent it from surfacing. Then the massive marine mammals disappeared beneath the waves, leaving the anglers in suspense. After about 20 minutes, "large chunks of blubber and blood" materialized at the surfacesignaling the hunt had been successful. The whale's carcass eventually floated into view, and the anglers watched for about an hour as the orcas sank their teeth into their hard-won meal. A video posted by Aquatic Mammals depicts the orcas eating the prey. But, "as the anglers tried to get closer to observe the killer whales feeding, the large male began vocalizing and charging directly at the anglers' vessel," the study said. As a result, the anglers left the area. Biologists' analysis "Our report is the first to offer documented witness of sperm whale predation by killer whales in the western Caribbean Sea," the study said. Previously, there had been reports of orcas in the region attacking a number of other species, including pantropical spotted dolphins, Bryde's whales and short-finned pilot whalesbut predation had not been confirmed. As supported by these reports, orcas in the Caribbean and other tropical waters are believed to be "generalist hunters," unlike the specialist hunters found in colder waters. Further, the observed orcas appeared to have taken part in a "cooperative hunting strategy"which can be deployed to help them overpower larger prey. However, researchers noted that, because the video does not depict the whale alive, they cannot rule out the possibility that the orcas scavenged it. This scenario, though, is unlikely. They concluded, "this documented event of killer whale predation on a sperm whale in the Caribbean Sea serves as a critical addition to the existing knowledge of cetacean interactions within this region." In addition to Ochoa, the study was authored by Eric Angel Ramos and Daniel Gonzalez-Socoloske. More information: Gabriela M. Ochoa et al, Predation of a Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) by Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Guanaja, Honduras, Aquatic Mammals (2025). DOI: 10.1578/AM.51.1.2025.31 2025 The Charlotte Observer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its massive New Glenn rocket for the first time early Thursday. Blue Origin, the space company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, launched its massive New Glenn rocket into orbit for the first time early Thursday, marking a new step in the commercial space race. The rocket, whose inaugural mission had been delayed by several years, blasted off at 2:03 am (0703 GMT) from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US state of Florida, a live webcast showed. The mission is seen as critical to Blue Origin's efforts to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX, which dominates the commercial space industry. "LIFTOFF! New Glenn is beginning its first ever ascent toward the stars," Blue Origin said on social media platform X. "New Glenn has passed the Karman line, the internationally recognized boundary of space!" the firm posted just a few minutes later. Blue Origin said in a statement that the second-stage engine had reached "its final orbit", adding that the Blue Ring advanced spaceship prototype that was along for the ride was "receiving data and performing well." The first-stage booster, which was meant to be reusable, was lost during descent, it added. "I'm incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt," said the company's CEO, Dave Limp, in the statement. "We knew landing our booster... on the first try was an ambitious goal. We'll learn a lot from today and try again at our next launch this spring." The mission is seen as critical to Blue Origin's efforts to compete with Elon Musk's SpaceX, which dominates the commercial space industry. Blue Origin had intended to land the boosterpowered by liquid methane and designed for up to 25 flightson a drone ship stationed about 620 miles (1,000 kilometers) downrange in the Atlantic Ocean. Rival SpaceX has made such landings now routine, but this would have been Blue Origin's first shot at the feat. Fellow billionaire Musk commended Bezos on New Glenn's inaugural launch, offering congratulations "on reaching orbit on the first attempt" in a post on his X platform. Upping the high-stakes rivalry, SpaceX is planning another orbital test later Thursday of Starshipits gargantuan new-generation rocket. Repeated delays An initial test launch of the towering 320-foot (98-meter) rocket, dubbed New Glenn in honor of American astronaut John Glenn, had been scrubbed early Monday after repeated halts during the countdown. The company later said it had discovered an icing issue on a purge line and postponed the launch. Graphic comparing main rockets. With the latest mission, dubbed NG-1, Amazon founder Bezos was taking aim at the only man in the world wealthier than him: fellow tech innovator Musk. Musk's SpaceX dominates the orbital launch market through its prolific Falcon 9 rockets, which have become vital for the commercial sector, Pentagon and NASA. "SpaceX has for the past several years been pretty much the only game in town, and so having a competitor... this is great," G. Scott Hubbard, a retired senior NASA official, earlier told AFP, expecting the competition to drive down costs. Blue Ring Aboard the New Glenn test flight and now in orbit is a Defense Department-funded prototype of an advanced spaceship called Blue Ring, which could one day journey through the solar system. Physically, the gleaming white New Glenn rocket dwarfs SpaceX's 230-foot Falcon 9 and is designed for heavier payloads. It slots between Falcon 9 and its big sibling, Falcon Heavy, in terms of mass capacity but holds an edge with its wider payload fairing, capable of carrying the equivalent of 20 trucks. Jeff Bezos walks near Blue Origin's New Shepard after flying into space on July 20, 2021 in Van Horn, Texas. Blue Origin has already secured a NASA contract to launch two Mars probes aboard New Glenn. The rocket will also support the deployment of Project Kuiper, a satellite internet constellation designed to compete with Starlink. For now, however, SpaceX maintains a commanding lead, while other rivalsUnited Launch Alliance, Arianespace, and Rocket Labtrail far behind. Like Musk, Bezos has a lifelong passion for space. But where Musk dreams of colonizing Mars, Bezos envisions shifting heavy industry off-planet onto floating space platforms in order to preserve Earth, "humanity's blue origin." 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A student uses a cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy, Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif. Credit: Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File Arkansas' Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders and California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom have little in common ideologically, but the two have both been vocal supporters of an idea that's been rapidly gaining bipartisan ground in the states: Students' cellphones need to be banned during the school day. At least eight states have enacted such bans over the past two years, and proposals are being considered in several more states this year. Here is a look at the push by states for such bans. Why are states banning cellphones at schools? The push for cellphone bans has been driven by concerns about the impact screen time has on children's mental health and complaints from teachers that cellphones have become a constant distraction in the classroom. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, who has called on Congress to require warning labels on social media platforms about their effects on young people's lives, has said schools need to provide phone-free times. Nationally, 77% of U.S. schools say they prohibit cellphones at school for non-academic use, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But that number is misleading. It does not mean students are following those bans or all those schools are enforcing them. Kim Whitman, co-founder of the Phone Free Schools Movement, said the issue is catching on because parents and teachers in both red and blue states are struggling with the consequences of kids on mobile devices. "It doesn't matter if you live in a big city or a rural town, urban or suburban, all children are struggling and need that seven-hour break from the pressures of phones and social media during the school day," she said. What states are enacting bans? At least eight statesCalifornia, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginiahave enacted measures banning or restricting students' use of cellphones in schools. The policies range widely. Florida was the first state to crack down on phones in school, passing a 2023 law that requires all public schools to ban cellphone use during class time and block access to social media on district Wi-Fi. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders gives the State of the State address to a joint session of the Arkansas General Assembly on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025, at the state Capitol in Little Rock, Ark. Credit: Thomas Metthe/Arkansas Democrat-Gazette via AP A 2024 California law requires the state's nearly 1,000 school districts to create their own cellphone policies by July 2026. Several other states haven't banned phones, but have encouraged school districts to enact such restrictions or have provided funding to store phones during the day. Sanders announced a pilot program last year providing grants to schools that adopt phone-free policies, and more than 100 school districts signed on. Sanders said she now wants to require all districts to ban cell phones during the school day, but the proposal will leave it to the districts on how to craft the policy. "Teachers know (cellphones are) a huge distraction, but much bigger than that is that it is impacting the mental health of so many of our students," Sanders told reporters on Thursday. Other governors recently calling for bans include Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who was sworn in this month, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has suggested she'll seek a statewide policy, but has not offered specifics. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. What is the opposition to the bans? The cellphone bans have faced opposition from some parents who say they need to be able to contact their children directly in case of emergency. Some parents have pointed to recent school shootings where having access to cellphones was the only way some students were able to communicate with loved ones for what they thought might be the last time. But supporters of the bans have noted that students' phones could pose additional dangers during an emergency by distracting students or by revealing their location during an active shooter situation. Parents opposed to the ban have also said they want their children to have access to their phones for other needs, such as coordinating transportation. Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, said she agrees about the dangers of social media on children but that the bans sought by states are taking too broad of an approach. Banning the devices during the school day is not going to solve underlying issues like bullying or the dangers of social media, she said. "We have not done our job as grown-ups to try to teach our kids the skills they need to actually navigate this technology," she said. "We've just kicked the can down the road and thrown them into the deep end of the pool when they're by themselves after school." 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. 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 Imagine being unable to borrow money for basic needs or emergencies because the bank is too far away or demands collateral or identification that you can't provide. For millions of rural people living in poverty around the world, this is a daily reality. Yet a recent study my research team conducted suggests that a simple, powerful solution exists: community savings and lending groups. Such groups, formed with support from nongovernmental organizations, typically offer bookkeeping training to community members and provide a secure box for storing funds. The groups manage their own microloans and grants, and pool the earned interest at the end of the year. Local savings and lending groups have caught on in recent years, coming to serve over 12 million people in 70 countries. Because they operate with trust, local knowledge and built-in flexibility, they've been shown to achieve high repayment rates. This model has proved to be particularly empowering for women in low- and middle-income countries. But there's a catch: Their lending capacity is limited by what members can save. Each year, the members of the group start from zero and begin to pool their funds by making small weekly contributions of whatever they're able to save. This means that during the first few months of their annual cycle, the groups often have no money available for borrowers. But what if outside entitiessay, philanthropists or NGOsoffered an injection of capital? Could these groups manage funds effectively? My colleagues and I set out to find the answer. Savings groups + external capital = a winning formula? As a group of international development researchers and development economists, we conducted a randomized experiment in rural Uganda. In partnership with researchers at Uganda Martyrs University, we distributed funds provided by a private donor to 50 savings groups. Each received about US$450, which was about 25% of their median annual savings. We wanted to see if these groups would be as good stewards of outside funds as they are with their own savings. We also tracked 50 more groups that were similar in every respect but which only managed funds from community members. We found that recipients of the external capital took out more loans and received greater payouts due to additional earned interest. We also didn't find any differences in default rates, payment delays or savings rates, which suggests savings groups didn't make riskier loans or loosen their repayment policies after receiving outside funds. We also found no evidence that the outside funds "crowded out" local savings by encouraging local members to reduce their own contributions, as some might fear. Our cost analysis also found that investing external capital in these groups generates a 40% rate of return. These findings could have important implications for NGOs that work to make financial services more accessible. Providing capital to the savings groups they've already helped communities establish can be a simple way to boost access to loans for group members when they need it mostnot only at the beginning of the groups' annual cycles when funds are low, but during planting seasons for farmers or during disasters in areas vulnerable to climate change or conflicts. After completing our study, the savings groups repaid the money they borrowed. We then loaned that money to the control groups so they could also take advantage of the additional capital as well. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. What questions remain unanswered Our findings show that savings groups are good stewards of outside capital funds in rural Ugandabut since community trust and social cohesion depend on local culture, what works in Uganda might not work in, say, Bangladesh. More research in different countries and contexts is necessary. Similar savings groups are popular in Asia, Latin America and other countries in Africa. What's more, some savings groups cater to certain types of peoplethere are youth- and women's- only groups, for example. Further research could investigate if outside capital is particularly useful for any of these types of groups. But for now, this study offers a promising and effective intervention that could help some of the world's most vulnerable people access money when they need it most. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: The illustration shows DNA being folded into a loop by an SMC motor called cohesin (in purple/blue). The purple part of the motor (with a red/green label) is the protein subunit NIPBL, which acts as a gear lever to switch direction. Credit: Cees Dekker lab, University of Technology Delft, the Netherlands & SciXel Scientists from Delft, Vienna, and Lausanne discovered that the protein machines that shape our DNA can switch direction. Until now, researchers believed that these so-called SMC motors that make loops into DNA could move in one direction only. The discovery, which is published in Cell, is key to understanding how these motors shape our genome and regulate our genes. "Sometimes, a cell needs to be quick in changing which genes should be expressed and which ones should be turned off, for example in response to food, alcohol or heat. To turn genes off and on, cells use Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes (SMC) motors that act like switches to connect different parts of DNA," first author Roman Barth explains. "However, SMC machines don't naturally know which parts to connect. They simply load somewhere on the DNA and start shaping it into a loop until they reach a point where they are forced to stop. That's why they rely heavily on the ability to explore both sides of the DNA to find the right stop signs." Biophysicists at Delft University of Technology now found that SMC motors can switch direction, contrary to what was thought to be possible. Illustration of the same scenario, but rendered in a machine-like depiction. The chain represents DNA which is folded into a loop by the SMC machine. The red and green labeled parts are the NIPBL gear levers that shift the machine's direction. Credit: Cees Dekker lab, University of Technology Delft, the Netherlands & SciXel "Our experiments show that SMCs momentarily pull DNA from one side, and then switch direction to pull DNA from the opposite side. By doing so, they can pull DNA into a loop from both sides over time. We found this to be true for all types of SMC motors, of which there are many," Delft professor Cees Dekker, who supervised the research, says. "You can compare it to a gearbox in a car. With a manual gear stick, you can let the car move forward or backward. We even identified the 'gear lever," protein subunit NIPBL, in the cohesin SMC motor protein." To discover the reverse gear of SMC motors, the researchers used an advanced home-built microscope to look at single proteins on individual DNA molecules. That in itself is an impressive achievement. As Barth explains, "A single cell contains millions of proteins and the human body is made of trillions of cells. Pulling out a few proteins and being able to 'watch' them one by one is a remarkable feat of nanotechnology that involves imaging at a scale of nanometers100,000 smaller than the width of a human hair." "Once we understand how SMC molecular motors shape DNA, we may start asking what goes wrong in diseases like cancer and neurogenerative diseases, and importantly, how to correct it," says Barth. "Neurogenerative diseases, for example, can be the result of misregulated genes during early stages of pregnancy. In fact, there are a couple of severe diseases, such as Cornelia de Lange syndrome, linked to SMCs, where the motors likely fail to switch correctly inside the cells of the embryo." The study finally resolves the confusion in the scientific community about various contradictory theories on how SMCs work. Early research suggested that SMCs can strictly move in one direction only, while other research suggested that they pull in DNA from both sides simultaneously. The discovery resolves these controversies. Barth says, "Having found commonalities among SMC motors helps to focus and streamline the SMC research field. We don't have to look for a new mechanism for every individual type of SMC protein anymore. It will also accelerate the field towards applied science. I would be glad to see this knowledge move into pharma companies, hospitals, and eventually doctors' offices." More information: SMC motor proteins extrude DNA asymmetrically and can switch directions, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.12.020. www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)01433-8 Journal information: Cell 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: CC0 Public Domain Approximately 66 million years ago, the Chicxulub asteroid, estimated to be 1015 kilometers in diameter, struck the Yucatan Peninsula (in current-day Mexico), creating a 200-kilometer-wide impact crater. This impact triggered a chain reaction of destructive events, including a rapid climate change that eventually led to the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs and, in total, about 75% of species on Earth. The main culprit is most likely the "impact winter," which was caused by massive release of dust, soot, and sulfur into the atmosphere, leading to extreme cold, darkness, and a collapse in global photosynthesis, with lasting effects on ecosystems for years to decades after impact. Most previous studies considered sulfur as the most crucial factor in driving the cooling and extinction after the impact event. However, estimates of the volume of sulfate aerosols released from the vaporization of the impacted rocks in Mexico have varied widely over two orders of magnitude from one study to another. This is because such estimates are largely based on uncertain parameters, such as the proportion of sulfur-bearing rocks at the impact location, the size, velocity, and impact angle of the asteroid, and the resulting shock pressures of sulfur-bearing minerals. In a study, appearing in Nature Communications, Katarina Rodiouchkina and colleagues used sulfur concentrations and isotopic compositions from new drill cores of impact rocks within the crater region, combined with detailed chemical profiles across K-Pg boundary sediments around the world. This way, the authors were able to empirically estimate, for the first time, the total amount of sulfur released into the atmosphere due to the Chicxulub asteroid impact event. "Instead of focusing on the impact event itself, we focused on the aftermath of the impact ", explains chemist Rodiouchkina. "We first analyzed the sulfur fingerprint of the rocks within the crater region that were the source of sulfate aerosols released into the atmosphere. These sulfate aerosols distributed globally and were eventually deposited from the atmosphere back onto the Earth's surface in the months to years after impact. "The sulfur was deposited around the K-Pg boundary layer in sedimentary profiles all over the world. We used the corresponding change in the isotopic composition of sulfur to distinguish impact-related sulfur from natural sources and the total amount of sulfur released was calculated through mass balance." The scientists revealed that a total of 67 39 billion tons of sulfur were released, approximately five times less than previously estimated in numerical models. This suggests a milder "impact winter" than previously believed, leading to a less severe temperature decline and faster climate recovery, which could have contributed to the survival of at least 25% of species on Earth following the event. While sulfur remains the primary driver of global cooling, it is important to note that a study by the Royal Observatory of Belgium and VUB suggests a massive plume of micrometer-sized fine dust may have played a crucial role in creating a two-year-long dark period, blocking photosynthesis and further compounding the environmental impacts. More information: Reduced contribution of sulfur to the mass extinction associated with the Chicxulub impact event, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55145-6. www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-55145-6 Journal information: Nature Communications 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: Eastern Indigo Snake poised on brown soil surrounded by sparse scrubs and bare trees. Credit: Ben Stegenga Scientists have developed a new method to monitor the elusive eastern indigo snake, the longest native snake in the United States. This innovative approach looks for traces of environmental DNA in soil samples and can significantly bolster efforts to conserve this threatened species. Eastern indigo snakes are notoriously difficult to find in the wild, making management of the species and their habitats challenging. More accurate distribution information can focus on habitat restoration and management efforts for more targeted and effective conservation. A team of researchers have shown that eDNAa method that detects the genetic material that organisms shed into their environmentscan be used to identify the presence of eastern indigo snakes without the need to observe them directly. The work is published in the journal Environmental DNA. "This is an exciting development for eastern indigo snake conservation," said Dr. Houston Chandler of The Orianne Society. "It adds another tool to the toolbox that can now be used to make better conservation decisions for this charismatic species." The findings highlight the potential of eDNA to improve population monitoring for many difficult-to-find species, ensuring that conservation efforts are more effective and better informed. Scientists found that eastern indigo snakes leave detectable DNA in the soil in less than two minutesand the snakes sometimes continue to be detectable for up to 10 days. "This method increases the time window available for biologists to detect snakes in their natural habitats," said lead author Leah Samuels of the USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station. "One of the challenges of eastern indigo snake monitoring is that the animals are highly mobile. When used in conjunction with active searches, soil samples could let you know not just if snakes are using the habitat right now, but if they have in recent history." Eastern indigo snakes live in dry sandhills during winter months across most of their range. Until now, it has been unclear whether eDNA-based monitoring methods would work in these conditions, since the genetic traces degrade over time. To answer this question, the scientists studied captive snakes in sandy enclosures to mimic real-world conditions. They placed snakes into four different enclosures for different time periods and collected soil samples after each round. Then, they used a novel DNA extraction method to identify the eDNA left by the snake in the soil. Ultimately, this research showed that, yes, soil sampling for eastern indigo snakes is likely a good option and can complement other monitoring methods. This research may have implications for monitoring other species as well. "Environmental DNA sampling was really pioneered in aquatic systems, but this study is an example of the power of these tools in terrestrial systems as well," said co-author Taylor Wilcox of the Rocky Mountain Research Station. "This approach will be attractive to land management agencies working to conserve the species." He added "We appreciate the Department of Defense's support for this research as part of its ongoing commitment to preserving species and habitats under their stewardship." More information: Leah R. N. Samuels et al, Persistence of Reptile DNA in a Terrestrial Substrate: A Case Study Using the Eastern Indigo Snake, Environmental DNA (2025). DOI: 10.1002/edn3.70053 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: An undated photo of David Jilbert, a Parkinson's patient. First came the slow hand movements, then the tremor, and now the looming fear of what lies ahead. David Jilbert's devastating Parkinson's diagnosis three years ago changed his life irrevocably. It's a condition the 65-year-old farmer believes he wouldn't have if it weren't for paraquat, a herbicide he once relied on to control weeds in his vineyard in the midwestern US state of Ohio. "Now it's not just about me, I'm part of this communitylet's get something going," Jilbert said during a recent hearing in the US Congress where he was joined by others claiming the same link. Banned in more than 70 countriesincluding Britain, where it is manufactured; Switzerland, home to the Syngenta company that owns the brand; and China, where the state-run conglomerate that owns Syngenta is basedparaquat remains available in the United States. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has long maintained that the herbicide is safe for use under strict regulationssomething Parkinson's advocates vehemently disagree with and are pressing to change. The agency is set to issue a final report on the issue by January 17this Fridayafter considering 90 new scientific studies submitted by the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Maker denies causation "We have great sympathy for those suffering from the debilitating effects of Parkinson's disease," a spokesperson for Syngenta said in a statement to AFP. "However, it is important to note that the scientific evidence simply does not support a causal link between paraquat and Parkinson's disease, and that paraquat is safe when used as directed." Multiple credible studies have found that agricultural workers who handle paraquator live near areas where it is appliedface a higher incidence of Parkinson's disease, which can eventually turn even the simplest movements into daunting challenges. Animal research further underscores paraquat's toxic effects on nerve cells, although proving direct causation for individuals affected by Parkinson's remains difficult. "I find it extraordinarily frustrating that the chemical companies have hidden behind the concept of being able to show causation, and they've used that as an excuse," Australia-based neurologist David Blacker said in an interview with Pesticide Action UK. "That's where the precautionary principle comes in," he added. "If there is a doubt, especially if there are alternatives, it then becomes, in my mind, ethically and even morally unsound to continue." Parkinson's survivors, including Charlene Tenbrink (3rd L) and David Gilbert (R) take part in a congressional hear on the herbicide paraquat. 'It's scary' Jilbert, a longtime environmental engineer and environmental safety inspector, dreamed of becoming a farmer after retirement. In 2011, he purchased his land and, over the following years, began using paraquatoften sold as Gramoxoneto manage his weeds. By the end of the decade, he noticed his hands moving slowly and his gait turning into a shuffle. When his Parkinson's diagnosis finally came, he was horrified and wondered if he'd been condemned to a "death sentence." His condition is more manageable for now, thanks to medications, but he said he feels disappointed in his own government for not looking out for him. "You think if you use the stuff in the way the label tells me to use it, then I'm not going to get sick," he said. Like Jilbert, 85-year-old Charlene Tenbrinkwho owns a 250-acre farm in Dixon, Californiaalso trusted that the chemicals available to farmers were safe when handled properly. She sprayed paraquat on her prune trees in the 1990s and was diagnosed with Parkinson's in 2020. Tenbrink, Jilbert and thousands of others are now suing Syngenta in federal and California state courts. Sarah Doles, a lawyer and co-lead for that federal litigation, compared it to the cases against Big Tobacco. She contends Syngenta had an obligation to disclose harms it knew about paraquat from research going back decades, but hid from consumers. "It's a legal duty of what they knew and then failed to dothey concealed the information," she told AFP. Regardless of which direction the EPA rules, these legal cases will continue. Tenbrink said it's vital to get the product off the market, and admits she's terrified for her own future. "This is a terrible disease and we know there's no cure, we know it's going to get worse. It's scary," she said. 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: During the Apollo 11 mission, astronaut Buzz Aldrin carries experiments including a lunar reflector designed by Douglas Currie and other UMD faculty. Credit: Douglas Currie In July 1969, four faculty members traveled from College Park to Kennedy Space Center in Florida to provide last-minute instruction to a noteworthy pupil: an Apollo 11 astronaut about to become one of the first humans to set foot beyond Earth. Just days later, lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin would be following mission commander Neil Armstrong onto the moon's surface to deploy a UMD-led experiment. The suitcase-size array of retroreflectorspainstakingly crafted hunks of glass able to reflect light directly back to its source from any anglewould serve as a target for powerful lasers on Earth and provide the first accurate measurements of the distance between the planet and its satellite. In a meeting with Aldrin, then-Assistant Professor Douglas Currie, an expert in laser light, asked if the former fighter pilot with a Ph.D. in astronautics had any questions. At a later lunar workshop, Currie recalls, Aldrin scoffed about the procedural instructions, "Ahh, it was so easy I decided I could give it to Armstrong." But the wisecracking astronaut had done his homework, and for the last 55 years, that array and two more placed by successive Apollo missions have yielded a wealth of data for NASA's Lunar Laser Ranging experiment, helping scientists detect our moon's liquid core, bolstering Einstein's theory of general relativity and providing a better understanding of the evolution of the Earth-moon system, among other discoveries. Now the university has done it again with the launch early Wednesday of the Next Generation Lunar Retroreflector as part of a mission scheduled to touch down on the moon on March 2. This time, Currie is principal investigator for the retroreflector project, a position held on the Apollo 11 project by the late physics Professor Carroll Alley. There are no astronauts to train for this mission; the chunky "corner cube" retroreflector will arrive aboard an uncrewed craft launched by the company Firefly Aerospace as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program and remain atop the lander for its operational life. (Subsequent reflectors to be developed by NASA with UMD's help, based on Currie's general design, are expected to be set up by astronauts in NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return to the moon later this decade.) "When NASA announced back in 2004 they were going back to the moon, I said that instead of an array of 100, we need to have one big one, and I've been playing with that since then," says Currie, now a professor emeritus and senior research scientist in the Department of Physics. Curries modern mirror design awaits thermal testing in a chamber at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Credit: University of Maryland He and NASA hope the next-gen device boosts precision in distance measurements by perhaps a factor of 30, from several centimeters of uncertainty to less than one millimeter. The imprecision of the current device stems from the fact that observers watching from the ground don't know if a laser pulse bounces back from a reflector on the near corner or the far corner of the array, which are at slightly different and constantly changing distances from the ground because of the moon's slight back-and-forth movement relative to Earth. Having just one mirror removes uncertainty, Currie says. The new setup will also have the advantage of being shiny and new. Though still functional, evidence suggests the Apollo 11 mission array is significantly blocked by lunar dust; calculations suggest the new device will be 10 times as bright as the current arrays, says Stephen Merkowitz, who's overseeing lunar laser ranging as Space Geodesy Project manager at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Solving these problems will contribute to another one, however. The hefty chunk of glass making up the new single retroreflector mirror soaks up and sheds more heat during frigid lunar nights and blazing days, creating a greater possibility for temperature gradients and distorted reflections. Currie and his partners at the National Laboratories of Frascati in Italy worked to minimize that with the retroreflector's housing design. "A lot of what we're looking to do today builds directly on what was done more than 50 years ago, so Doug's experience working on Apollo is valuable in the present," Merkowitz says. Currie chuckles looking at a photo he keeps in his office in the Physics Building: It shows Aldrin strolling across the moon, swinging the original UMD mirror array in one hand and another priceless experiment in another. Times have changed. "Now we're told the astronauts have to carry it in both hands, even though it weighs only a fraction of what Buzz was carrying," he says. "They want you to do one thing at a time, I guess." 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: Composite image of a star-forming region (left) and Comet 67P (right). In the center is the ammonium hydrosulfide salt (NH4SH) that both appear to have in common, and which explains, among other things, why there is less volatile sulfur in star-forming regions than expected. Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/M. Zamani (ESA/Webb); ESA/Rosetta/NAVCAM; K. Slavicinska An international team led by astronomers at Leiden University has shown in laboratory experiments that sulfur can bind with ammonium under icy cosmic conditions and form a salt that sticks to dust and pebbles. The resulting sulfur salt not only helps to explain the mystery of the missing sulfur gas, but also a puzzling peak in data from the James Webb Space Telescope's MIRI instrument and other telescopes. The findings appear in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. For the past two decades, astrochemists and astronomers have been puzzled by two seemingly inexplicable mysteries. The first was that the amount of volatile sulfur in dense clouds and star-forming regions is much lower than in the more tenuous regions between stars. The sulfur seemed to be disappearing. The second was that the spectrum of infrared light from star-forming regions contains a striking but unexplained peak. The team led by researchers from Leiden University in the Netherlands proposes a solution to both mysteries at once: ammonium hydrosulfide salt. The researchers support their solution with laboratory experiments that simulate cosmic conditions. These involve extremely cold conditions in which dust, ice and pebbles are present, and relatively few molecules can react. The experiments showed that volatile NH 3 (ammonia, well-known from detergents) and volatile H 2 S (hydrogen sulfide, the smell of rotten eggs) react rapidly to form NH 4 SH (ammonium hydrosulfide salt) when they join in ices around dust particles. This suggests that in dense star-forming regions, some of the volatile sulfur is trapped in dust and pebbles. As a result, the sulfur seems to have disappeared. In addition, the experiments showed that the ammonium hydrosulfide salt produces a peak at the exact location of the previously unexplained peak in data fromamong othersthe MIRI instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope. This peak allowed the astronomers to calculate that up to approximately 20% of the missing sulfur could be in the form of this sulfur salt in dust and pebbles. Two birds with one stone "I think it is great that we are finally unraveling both mysteries," says Katie Slavicinska. She is a Ph.D. student at Leiden University and the first author of the scientific paper. "With our research, we are killing two birds with one stone." The research was triggered by results from ESA's Rosetta mission. During this mission, a spacecraft orbited comet 67P between 2014 and 2016. Analyses published in late 2022 showed that the comet's dust particles contained unexpectedly high levels of ammonium hydrosulfide. Slavicinska explains, "And since we suspect that comets contain a lot of pristine icy material from the early days of our solar system, looking for ammonium hydrosulfide in the ice of star-forming regions was the logical next step." Second author Adwin Boogert, a Dutch scientist working at the University of Hawaii at Manoa says, "It's exciting to see how we can increasingly follow chemical traces back from our current solar system to the origin of new solar systems." In the future, the researchers plan to make more observations with the MIRI instrument on the James Webb Space Telescope to confirm the theory of the infrared peak. They also hope to find the remaining eighty percent of the missing sulfur. Previous research suggests that metallic sulfides and sulfur allotropes could play a role. More information: K. Slavicinska et al, Ammonium hydrosulfide (NH4SH) as a potentially significant sulfur sink in interstellar ices, Astronomy & Astrophysics (2025), doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202451383 [preprint: arxiv.org/abs/2410.02860] Journal information: Astronomy & Astrophysics 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: Sergio Estrada from FUPNAPIB and local university students measuring the large leaves of the rare Magnolia atlantida tree in the River Cangrejal area of Pico Bonito National Park, northern Honduras. Credit: Fauna & Flora A new study has revealed the dramatic impact that rising temperatures and changing rainfall patterns due to climate change could have on threatened tree species in Pico Bonito, the largest national park in Honduras. Conducted with support from Fauna & Flora and in-country partner Fundacion Parque Nacional Pico Bonito (FUPNAPIB), the study raises the alarming prospect that vulnerable trees could be pushed to the brink of extinction as they struggle to adapt to a changing climate. Just over a year ago, conservationists were celebrating the discovery of a new species of magnolia in this very same landscape. It's a sobering thought that such moments of triumph can be tinged with real concern about what the future holds for Magnolia ciroorum, and for Pico Bonito's other, already threatened, trees in a rapidly warming world. Which trees will be most affected by climate change? The worst-case scenario for two of the tree species on which expert Pablo Gonzalez-Xiloj focused for the studynamely Magnolia atlantida and Dendropanax hondurensisis that they could be virtually eradicated by the end of the century. Displaced from much of their current range and increasingly confined to much higher altitudes, these beleaguered species would both face a life-and-death struggle for survival. For other species, the outlook is less bleak. Among the target trees predicted to thrive as temperatures rise is Eugenia coyolensis. Found only in Honduras, this critically endangered tree prefers warmer and more arid conditions, so it is likely to increase in abundance and range. Studies have shown that Honduras is among the countries worst affected by climate change in recent years, a harsh reality that the recent spate of severe hurricanes has served to underline in devastating fashion. Currently, we are only just starting to understand the potential long-term impacts of global heating at a localized level in Honduras, particularly on local ecosystems and everything that depends on them. Early-warning system While confined to just a handful of tree species, this particular study is a bellwether for the future of biodiversity across the entirety of Pico Bonito National Park and beyond. Trees are crucial indicatorsin effect, the canaries in the coal mineand their projected decline, or recovery, is an early-warning sign of what's in store for the wider landscape. The results will help to inform decisions about where best to focus conservation efforts in order to combat the worst effects of climate breakdown. Rich Howorth, Fauna & Flora's Central America program manager, comments: "This study not only provides important data to inform our conservation efforts in Pico Bonito National Park, but also highlights the critical importance of our work in this area going forward. "Climate change is one of several threats to Honduras' vulnerable speciesthe rich diversity of tropical forests in Pico Bonito is severely threatened by deforestation, agricultural expansion and illegal timber extraction, all of which Fauna & Flora and our local partners are working to address. "Without efforts to protect the habitats of these tree species across a geographical and altitudinal range, the ecosystem risks collapse, resulting in dire consequences for watershed protection and water supply, as well as carbon sequestration and storage. "Importantly, we must take a moment to consider what happens to those species that can no longer migrate higher in altitude in order to survive. In a matter of years, some fauna and flora will have nowhere else to climb and will ultimately suffocate as our world heats up. We must do everything we can to mitigate climate change before it spirals out of control, using nature as our ally." More information: Determination of climatic tolerance of five tree species in Pico Bonito National Park. www.fauna-flora.org/wp-content ational-park-ENG.pdf 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: Before and after. At left, Fisher and Hildebrand's image of a rock and its mussel bed community they sampled at Dillon Beach in 1941. At right, the exact same rock sampled by Longman in 2018. Credit: Harvey I. Fisher and Milton Hildebrand, UC Berkeley; Jacqueline Sones, UC Davis A mussel bed along Northern California's Dillon Beach is as healthy and biodiverse as it was about 80 years ago, when two young students surveyed it shortly before Pearl Harbor was attacked and one was sent to fight in World War II. Their unpublished, typewritten manuscript sat in the UC Davis Bodega Marine Laboratory's library for years until UC Davis scientists found it and decided to resurvey the exact same mussel bed with the old paper's meticulous photos and maps directing their way. The new findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, document a thriving mussel bed community that nonetheless shows the mark of climate change. Ninety species of invertebrates were found to live within the mussel bedslightly more than those found in 1941. Among them were warm-adapted species more typically found in southern waters, such as the California horsemussel Modiolus carpenteri and the chiton Mopalia lionota. "We anticipated finding dramatic losses of species," said lead author Emily Longman, who conducted the study as a UC Davis graduate student and is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Vermont. "We predicted we'd have a big decline in biodiversity. Shockingly, we didn't find that. If anything, we found more species. This mussel bed community is really healthy." Lab technician Sarah Merolla (left) and Emily Longman (right) sampling the mussel bed at Dillon Beach, California in 2019. Credit: Eric Sanford, UC Davis Dense mussel beds grow on rocky intertidal surfaces along the shores of Dillon Beach in Northern California. Credit: Jacqueline Sones, UC Davis Living author Adding to their excitement, the researchers learned after completing their survey that one of the old manuscript's authors, Milton Hildebrand, was not only still alive at age 101, but living in nearby Davis as a retired UC Davis zoology professor. Longman and Sanford got to meet with the WWII veteran in 2019 before his death the following year. "Transferring scientific knowledge across generations like this is more than just the numbers and datait's a very human endeavor," said senior author Eric Sanford, a professor with Bodega Marine Laboratory in the UC Davis Department of Evolution and Ecology. "Watching Emily Longman, a graduate student, interact with this 101-year-old scientist who initiated this research project 80 years earlier, was wonderful." The paper's other author, Harvey I. Fisher, died in 1994 after a distinguished career in zoology. Fisher and Hildebrand were UC Berkeley graduate students taking a field course when they conducted their survey, before Bodega Marine Laboratory existed. "Milton thought the results we had were fascinating," Longman said. "He was charming." This video includes footage of a special meeting among Emily Longman, Eric Sanford and then-101-year-old Milton Hildebrand, one of the original surveyors of the Dillon Beach mussel bed in 1941. Credit: Emily Longman Stretched mussels Habitat-forming species, like mussels, kelp and coral, are foundational to marine ecosystems because they provide critical "housing" for other species. The authors of both papers counted and recorded every invertebrate species they found within the Dillon Beach mussel bed. "I think of them as the Motel 6 for rocky shores," Sanford said. "Crabs, snails, worms, limpets, sea cucumbersall of these species find lodging down in these three-dimensional beds." Previous research documented a nearly 60% decline in species diversity among mussel beds in Southern California. Yet, little data was available to understand how Northern California mussel beds were faring. One mussel bed cannot represent the entire coast of Northern California, but the Dillon Beach study provides an encouraging outlook amid a sea of recent bad news for oceans. A diversity of invertebrates live within the mussel bed at Dillon Beach, California. Top row from left: isopod (Pentidotea wosnesenskii), dogwhelk (Nucella canaliculata), sea spider (Anoplodactylus viridintestinalis), ribbon worm (Amphiporus imparispinosus). Second row: polychaete worm (syllidae), isopod (Cirolana harfordi), sea slug (Runcina macfarlandi), chiton (Mopalia lionota), Bottom row: chiton (Cyanoplax dentiens), rock borer clam (Hiatella arctica), polychaete worm (Eulalia quadrioculata), shore crab (Hemigrapsus oregonensis). Credit: Emily Longman and Eric Sanford, UC Davis A mussel bed in the Bodega Bay region of northern California creates three-dimensional habitat for crabs, snails, worms, sea cucumbers, and many other marine species. Credit: Jacqueline Sones, UC Davis "Anecdotally, having worked at Bodega Marine Laboratory for over 20 years, the types of mussel beds at Dillon Beach are what we see in Sonoma and Mendocino counties," Sanford said. "In general, they appear to be quite healthy." The resampling effort showed no biodiversity loss compared with what Hildebrand and Fisher saw in 1941, but it did reveal a signal of climate change: The relative abundance of species had shifted. Cool-adapted species with a northern distribution ranging from California to British Columbia and Alaska, had decreased. Meanwhile, warm-adapted species with a southern distribution ranging down to Baja California, Mexico were becoming more abundant. The authors said such a shift was expected given that ocean temperatures recorded in Bodega Bay have been increasing since the 1950s. Mussel memories Longman and Sanford said their study highlights the value of sources and data sets considered "nontraditional" by sciencesuch as an old, unpublished paper by students completing a field course. "Untraditional resources, like maps from long ago, Indigenous knowledge, and old photos, are treasure troves," Longman said. "They're the only window into the past for a lot of these places." More information: Emily K. Longman et al, Evaluating historical changes in a mussel bed community in northern California, Scientific Reports (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-86105-9 Journal information: Scientific Reports 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: An artist's concept of the Pandora mission, seen here without the thermal blanketing that will protect the spacecraft, observing a star and its transiting exoplanet. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/Conceptual Image Lab Pandora, NASA's newest exoplanet mission, is one step closer to launch with the completion of the spacecraft bus, which provides the structure, power and other systems that will allow the mission to carry out its work. Pandora's exoplanet science working group is led by the University of Arizona, and Pandora will be the first mission to have its operations center at the U of A Space Institute. The completion of the bus was announced during a press briefing at the 245th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in National Harbor, Maryland, on Jan. 16. "This is a huge milestone for us and keeps us on track for a launch in the fall," said Elisa Quintana, Pandora's principal investigator at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. "The bus holds our instruments and handles navigation, data acquisition and communication with Earthit's the brains of the spacecraft." Pandora is a small satellite poised to provide in-depth study of at least 20 known planets orbiting distant stars to determine the composition of their atmospheresespecially the presence of hazes, clouds and water. The data will establish a firm foundation for interpreting measurements by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope and future missions aimed at searching for habitable worlds. NASA's Pandora mission will revolutionize the study of exoplanet atmospheres. Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center "Although smaller and less sensitive than Webb, Pandora will be able to stare longer at the host stars of extrasolar planets, allowing for deeper study," said Pandora co-investigator Daniel Apai, professor of astronomy and planetary sciences at the U of A Steward Observatory and Lunar and Planetary Laboratory who leads the mission's Exoplanets Science Working Group. "Better understanding of the stars will help Pandora and its 'big brother,' the James Webb Space Telescope, disentangle signals from stars and their planets." Astronomers can sample an exoplanet's atmosphere when it passes in front of its star as seen from Earth's perspective, during an event known as a transit. Part of the star's light skims the planet's atmosphere before making its way to the observer. This interaction allows the light to interact with atmospheric substances, and their chemical fingerprintsdips in brightness at characteristic wavelengthsbecome imprinted in the light. The concept of Pandora was born out of necessity to overcome a snag in observing starlight passing through the atmospheres of exoplanets, Apai said. Pandora's spacecraft bus sits in a thermal-vacuum testing chamber at Blue Canyon Technologies in Lafayette, Colorado. The bus provides the structure, power and other systems that will enable the mission to help astronomers better separate stellar features from the spectra of transiting planets. Credit: NASA/Weston Maughan, BCT "In 2018, a doctoral student in my group, Benjamin Rackhamnow an MIT research scientistdescribed an astrophysical effect by which light coming directly from the star muddies the signal of the light passing through the exoplanet's atmosphere," Apai explained. "We predicted that this effect would limit Webb's ability to study habitable planets." Telescopes see light from the entire star, not just the small amount grazing the planet. Stellar surfaces aren't uniform. They sport hotter, unusually bright regions called faculae and cooler, darker regions similar to the spots on our sun, both of which grow, shrink and change position as the star rotates. As a result, these "mixed signals" in the observed light can make it difficult to distinguish between light that has passed through an exoplanet's atmosphere and light that varies based on a star's changing appearance. For example, variations in light from the host star can mask or mimic the signal of water, a likely key ingredient researchers look for when evaluating an exoplanet's potential for harboring life. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Using a novel all-aluminum, 45-centimeter-wide telescope, jointly developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Corning Specialty Materials in Keene, New Hampshire, Pandora's detectors will capture each star's visible brightness and near-infrared spectrum at the same time, while also obtaining the transiting planet's near-infrared spectrum. This combined data will enable the science team to determine the properties of stellar surfaces and cleanly separate star and planetary signals. The observing strategy takes advantage of the mission's ability to continuously observe its targets for extended periods, something flagship observatories like Webb, which offer limited observing time due to high demand, cannot regularly do. Over the course of its yearlong mission, Pandora will observe at least 20 exoplanets 10 times, with each stare lasting a total of 24 hours. Each observation will include a transit, which is when the mission will capture the planet's spectrum. Karl Harshman, who leads the Mission Operations Team at the U of A Space Institute that will support the spacecraft's operation once it launches later this year, said, "We have a very excited team that has been working hard to have our Mission Operations Center running at full speed at the time of launch and look forward to receiving science data. Just this week, we performed a communications test with our antenna system that will transmit commands to Pandora and receive the telemetry from the spacecraft." 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: Example of a terrestrial laser scanning survey (A), Tour Ronde rockfall (B) and collection of rock fragments on the glacier surface (supraglacial moraines; C). Credit: Courtial-Manent et al., 2024. The Little Ice Age was a period of significant cooling from the early 14th to mid-19th centuries, which saw mean temperatures across the northern hemisphere drop by up to 2C and the advancement of glaciers. Such icy conditions had a marked imprint on the landscape and continue to the present day. New research, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, has considered how the Mont-Blanc massif in France has responded to changing environmental conditions since the termination of the Little Ice Age in the 1850s. To explore this, Dr. Lea Courtial-Manent of France's Universite Savoie Mont Blanc and colleagues investigated the long-term erosion trends of the mountain range through the history of rockfall events. Sharing a personal connection to the research, Dr. Courtial-Manent lives in a region surrounded by mountains and so became invested in understanding the degradation of the landscape as a result of climate change. "Our research focuses on understanding how the climate crisis impacts mountain erosion by studying rockfall events in the Mont-Blanc massif. By analyzing the effects of permafrost degradation and freeze-thaw cycles on rock stability, we show that erosion rates are accelerating, which has significant implications for the safety of mountain enthusiasts and professionals, infrastructure and economies," Dr. Courtial-Manent explains the significance of the work. The scientists used cosmogenic nuclide data from material transported on the glacier surface (supraglacial load) to measure concentrations of the isotope beryllium-10 (10Be) which reflects the duration of exposure of rock fragments to cosmic rays, indicating the time the rock remained stationary before falling. Focusing specifically on the Mer de Glace basin, the research team used terrestrial laser scanning to identify 123 smaller rockfalls (up to 566m3) and direct observations of 71 much larger rockfalls (up to 20,000m3), combined with the 10Be data, to calculate erosion rates through time. These direct observations come from a network of observers launched in 2007 that relies upon citizen science. Processes controlling the beryllium-10 concentration of rock fragments transported on the glacier surface. Credit: Courtial-Manent et al., 2024. "Mountaineering guides, hut keepers and mountaineers report if they see a rockfall," Dr. Courtial-Manent says. "Then they specify the date and location and provide an estimate of rock volume, trying to be as precise as possible. They can also share pictures of the rockfall and give information about the weather conditions to produce a better overview." Combining the three methods (terrestrial laser scanning, direct observations and 10Be data) allowed the team to "overcome the biases of each method individually" and means they "can go further back in time, cover a wider space, and, thanks to power laws, estimate the potential erosion rates due to larger rockfalls that weren't monitored." They identified an erosion rate of >4.1mm/yr for 2006 to 2011, which has approximately doubled from the estimated maximum of 2.2mm/yr during the Little Ice Age. Some isolated rock faces have even seen a five-fold increase in local erosion rates. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Less than 6% of rockfalls are attributed to blocks <1m3 in size, while over 20% may be credited to volumes <100m3, and the remainder by large-scale mass movements. The material from these rockfall events suggests a continuous erosion period equivalent to approximately seven years, since the 1850s. The scientists explain this is due to intense permafrost action on the Mont-Blanc rockwalls below 3,800 meters above sea level. Here, water entering cracks in the rockwall freezes when temperatures drop, with the expanding ice causing the crack to widen; when the ice eventually thaws, the water travels further down into the crack and when it freezes again the cycle keeps repeating until eventually the rock splits entirely, leading to rockfall events. Given that degradation of rockwall permafrost is predicted to continue as global warming melts ice and encourages freeze-thaw processes, this research highlights the significance of understanding the patterns of rockfalls now and into the future, as their increasing frequency has implications for endangering local communities. "At the current escalation rate, it's almost certain that the frequency of rockfalls in the Mont-Blanc massif will continue to increase," Dr. Courtial-Manent concludes. "It's difficult to say with any certainty whether this trend will double again in the future, or to give a precise date of when that may happen. However, what I can say is that the north faces and rockwalls, even higher in altitude than those studied, are suffering the consequences of the climate crisis, and that will have an important impact on rockfall frequency. Our current research in the Mont-Blanc massif suggests that we have reached a point of no return." More information: Lea Courtial-Manent et al, A significant doubling of rockfall rates since the Little Ice Age in the Mont-Blanc massif, inferred from 10Be concentrations and rockfall inventories, Earth and Planetary Science Letters (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2024.119142 Journal information: Earth and Planetary Science Letters 2025 Science X Network 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: Gas density in the weak turbulence regime with small-amplitude sound waves (left) and in the strong turbulence regime with acoustic turbulence represented by a set of random shock waves (right). Credit: Evgeny Kochurin Researchers have pioneered the use of parallel computing on graphics cards to simulate acoustic turbulence. This type of simulation, which previously required a supercomputer, can now be performed on a standard personal computer. The discovery will make weather forecasting models more accurate while enabling the use of turbulence theory in various fields of physics, such as astrophysics, to calculate the trajectories and propagation speeds of acoustic waves in the universe. The research was published in Physical Review Letters. Turbulence is the complex chaotic behavior of fluids, gases or nonlinear waves in various physical systems. For example, turbulence at the ocean surface can be caused by wind or wind-drift currents, while turbulence of laser radiation in optics occurs as light is scattered by lenses. Turbulence can also occur in sound waves that propagate chaotically in certain media, such as superfluid helium. In the 1970s, Soviet scientists proposed that turbulence occurs when sound waves deviate from equilibrium and reach large amplitudes. The theory of wave turbulence applies to many other wave systems, including magnetohydrodynamic waves in the ionospheres of stars and giant planets, and perhaps even gravitational waves in the early universe. Until recently, however, it has been nearly impossible to predict the propagation patterns of nonlinear (i.e., chaotically moving) acoustic and other waves because of the high computational complexity involved. Researchers from Skoltech, the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of RAS (Yekaterinburg) and the Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS (Moscow) were the first to find a numerical solution to the equation describing the propagation of sound waves in turbulence, thus proving the theory proposed by Soviet scientists. The researchers found solutions to several parts of the equation that mathematically describe the propagation of sound waves using parallel computing on four graphics processors (graphics cards) installed on the same computer. Instead of using a huge and very expensive cluster of computersa supercomputerthat could provide an approximate answer, the team ran the simulation and arrived at an exact numerical solution using a small personal computer. To verify their solution, the researchers simulated the propagation of sound waves in a nonlinear medium similar to superfluid helium at about -270C. Under these conditions, helium becomes a superconducting quantum superfluid that can be used in superconductorsan essential element of quantum computers, maglev trains (in China and Japan), and many other high-tech devices. Superfluid helium is also used in the nuclear power industry. The theory of turbulence confirmed for sound waves is an important discovery similar to the periodic table, where the theory of wave turbulence represents the table and each type of turbulence (acoustic, gravitational, magnetohydrodynamic) is an individual element whose properties are fully described by its position in the table and accurately predicted by the theory. The theory of turbulence can be applied to any wave system, such as ocean waves: the numerical solution of these equations has been incorporated into global weather forecasting and climate change models, making weather forecasts more accurate. "Elucidating the nature of turbulence is one of the most important open questions in modern physics. Weather forecasting has become more accurate thanks to the development of turbulence theory. We plan to study other wave systems, such as large-amplitude ocean waves. "Surprisingly, sound waves and ocean waves have a lot in common: for example, the breaking of large-amplitude ocean waves is similar to the formation of an acoustic shock wave. Wave breaking results in high energy or pressure densities. There is a hypothesis that turbulence is caused by such collapses of different nature," explains Evgeny Kochurin, a member of the project team. Kochurin is a research scientist at the Laboratory of Integrable Systems and Turbulence at the Igor Krichever Center for Advanced Studies at Skoltech and a senior researcher at the Nonlinear Dynamics Laboratory at the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of RAS. 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: Francesco Ungaro from Pexels This week, mother orca Tahlequah may have surpassed her 2018 tour of grief, during which she carried her dead calf for 17 days and more than 1,000 miles. Tahlequah was last seen still carrying her latest calfdead since at least New Year's Eveon Jan. 10 off San Juan Island. That evening, the southern resident family, part of J pod, headed west in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Tagging data and the acoustic records of the southern resident orcas' vocalizations have revealed typical patterns for their seasonal foraging, said Brad Hanson, biologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Northwest Fisheries Science Center. Once the orcas leave for the strait, it becomes difficult to pinpoint them. It helps to know the southern residents' typical behavior this time of year to figure out where they might be. J pod is one of the southern residents' three family groups. They typically hunt for Chinook salmon returning to B.C.'s Fraser River in September, then in October and November, they transition to eating Puget Sound salmon, especially coho and chum. When those runs are passed by in December, K and L pods travel the outer coast, ranging as far south as California. J pod in winter is typically at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Tahlequah and the rest of her J pod crew also often travel back this way in winter, heading east in the strait, then to the Strait of Georgia, almost to the Campbell River. But there's no telling when or if that will happen. But not knowing how she isand whether she is still carrying the calfis not the same thing as not caring. "Tahlequah's grief is heartbreaking," poet Tim McNulty of Sequim wrote in an email. "The world shared her 17-day mourning for her last calf. Now she mourns again, away from our view. But Tahlequah's grief transcends language and geographies. Maybe it strikes us so deeply because Tahlequah embodies a larger, unspoken grief for our own unraveling world." The southern residents are endangered, with only 73 members left. The main threats to their survival include lack of fish, especially Chinook salmon; pollution, which contaminates their food; and vessel noise that makes it harder for them to hunt. All of those threats are made worse by climate change, which is upending ocean food webs, depleting summer stream flows and warming stream temperatures. Those factors hurt salmon survivaland when salmon are scarce, the other threats the southern residents face are intensified. Philosopher and author Kathleen Moore of Oregon State University said she witnesses Tahlequah's second loss with a mix of awe and concern. "All I know is that grief is a measure of love," Moore wrote in an email. "The greater the love, the more devastating the sorrow. If we had no love, we would feel no loss. This mother's expression of grief is desperately dangerous. Can we infer that her baby means more to her than her own life itself? It's a magnificent love that she carries." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Julie Seitz of Federal Way followed Tahlequah's journey in 2018. Today, the orca once again is in her thoughts and heart. "She is a life," she said of the baby orca Tahlequah lost. "We cared so much and the mother cared so much. When I think about her baby it brings tears to my eyes I feel sad, I want to know how she is doing. I will feel sad in my heart until I hear more. "I pray for her comfort and her healing." To her, Tahlequah's mourning is also a gift to a human society in which grief can be awkward, rushed, even marginalized. When she lost two beloved elderly dogs, Seitz said she turned to art to comfort herself, making fabric urns for their ashesa design she even patented. "It is beautiful to see people touched by this," Seitz said of Tahlequah. "Maybe it helps us all expand our appreciation for grief. Maybe the animals are teaching us." She wonders daily what is happening with Tahlequah and the calf. "Do the predators come? Do the other orcas feed her? We don't know the answers." For some, a least a few answers are clear. "This is a call to action," said Alyssa Macy, CEO of Washington Conservation Action and a citizen of the Confederates Tribes of Warm Springs. "In losing another calf she is showing us two-leggeds, we humans, that we have more work to do. That is what I took from that. She is not the first of her people to lose a calf, but she is the one consistently showing us and telling us we have work to do." Many Coast Salish peoples regard the orcas as family relatives. "Think of them as the highly intelligent relatives that they are," Macy said. "I don't know how the calf died, but my guess is it just didn't have enough food. How awful it would be to not have enough food for your child, and then to grieve that grief." When she heard of Tahlequah's second tour of grief, Lummi elder Raynell Morris floated a wreath of cedar and flowers on the waters of Puget Sound, offshore of an ancient Lummi Village at what today is called Cherry Point. "I've been crying a lot, praying a lot," Morris said. "As hurtful as it is, we can't quit advocating. We are still doing the good work. Because that is what is given to us." For Rob Williams, chief scientist at Oceans Initiative, Tahlequah's grief was up close and personal. On New Year's Eve, he and his wife bundled their 10-year-old daughter into their research boat so she could come along as they took breath samples from the new baby for research. "We were taking our calf to see her calf," he said. But as they approached, the parents quickly figured out, "that calf is dead," Williams said. "It was: Get her to look the other way." Williams is lead author on a recent paper about the accelerating extinction risk for the southern residents looming in plain sight. How much more plain could that sight be? "This is hard as a scientist," Williams said. "It is even harder as a dad. As a parent." Especially a second time. He puts it this way: If a Hollywood producer asked him to consult on a script in which a whale whose family was shattered and food taken away carried her dead calf for everyone to see, not once but twice, he would reject it as unbelievable, Williams said. "And yet, here we are. At some point you gotta admit, she is trying to tell you something." 2025 The Seattle Times. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Chile, 2017. The Upper Rio Yeso catchment: a tributary to the Maipo River which serves the Chilean capital, Santiago. Credit: Thomas Shaw | ISTA Increasingly common since 1980, persistent multi-year droughts will continue to advance with the warming climate, warns a study from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL), with Professor Francesca Pellicciotti from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) participating. This publicly available 40-year global quantitative inventory, now published in Science, seeks to inform policy regarding the environmental impact of human-induced climate change. It also detected previously 'overlooked' events. Fifteen years of a persistent, devastating megadroughtthe longest lasting in a thousand yearshave nearly dried out Chile's water reserves, even affecting the country's vital mining output. This is but one blatant example of how the warming climate is causing multi-year droughts and acute water crises in vulnerable regions around the globe. However, droughts tend only to be noticed when they damage agriculture or visibly affect forests. Thus, some pressing questions arise: Can we consistently identify extreme multi-year droughts and examine their impacts on ecosystems? And what can we learn from the drought patterns of the past forty years? To answer these questions, researchers from the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow, and Landscape Research (WSL) and the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have analyzed global meteorological data and modeled droughts between 1980 and 2018. They demonstrated a worrying increase in multi-year droughts that became longer, more frequent, and more extreme, covering more land. Drone Video from Chile, 2017. The Upper Rio Yeso catchment: a tributary to the Maipo River which serves the Chilean capital, Santiago. Credit: Thomas Shaw | ISTA "Each year since 1980, drought-stricken areas have spread by an additional fifty thousand square kilometers on averagethat's roughly the area of Slovakia, or the US states of Vermont and New Hampshire put togethercausing enormous damage to ecosystems, agriculture, and energy production," says ISTA Professor Francesca Pellicciotti, the Principal Investigator of the EMERGE Project, under which the present study was conducted. The team aims to unveil the possible long-lasting effects of persistent droughts around the globe and help inform policy preparing for more frequent and severe future megadroughts. Unveiling extreme droughts that flew under the radar The international team used the CHELSA climate data prepared by WSL Senior Researcher and study author Dirk Karger, which goes back to 1979. They calculated anomalies in rainfall and evapotranspirationwater evaporation from soil and plantsand their impact on natural ecosystems worldwide. This allowed them to determine the occurrence of multi-year droughts both in well-studied and less accessible regions of the planet, especially in areas like tropical forests and the Andes, where little observational data is available. The Yeso region in Central Chile, visibly dry during a peak of the megadrought in the Summer of 2020. Credit: Vicente Melo Velasco | ISTA Dead vines in the region around Los Andes in the western catchment area of Aconcagua, a region that has been particularly hard hit by the ongoing drought in Chile. Credit: (c) Dirk Kager / WSL "Our method not only mapped well-documented droughts but also shed light on extreme droughts that flew under the radar, such as the one that affected the Congo rainforest from 2010 to 2018," says Karger. This discrepancy is likely due to how forests in various climate regions respond to drought episodes. "While temperate grasslands have been most affected in the past forty years, boreal and tropical forests appeared to withstand drought more effectively and even displayed paradoxical effects during the onset of drought." But how long can these forests resist the harsh blow of climate change? Contrasting impacts on ecosystems The persistently rising temperatures, extended droughts, and higher evapotranspiration ultimately lead to dryer and browner ecosystems, despite also causing heavier precipitation episodes. Thus, scientists can use satellite images to monitor the effect of drought by tracking changes in vegetation greenness over time. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. While this analysis works well for temperate grasslands, the changes in greenness cannot be tracked as easily over dense tropical forest canopies, leading to underestimated effects of drought in such areas. Thus, to ensure consistent results worldwide, the team developed a multistep analysis that better resolves the changes in high-leaf regions and ranked the droughts by their severity since 1980. Unsurprisingly, they showed that megadroughts had the highest immediate impact on temperate grasslands. "Hotspot" regions included the western U.S., central and eastern Mongolia, and particularly southeastern Australia, where the data overlapped with two well-documented multi-year ecological droughts. On the other hand, the team shed additional light on the paradoxical effects observed in the tropical and boreal forests. While tropical forests can offset the expected effects of drought as long as they have enough water reserves to buffer the decrease in rainfall, boreal forests and tundra react in their distinct way. It turns out that the warming climate extends the boreal growth season, since vegetation growth in these regions is limited by lower temperatures rather than water availability. The Yeso reservoir in central Chile during a megadrought peak in Summer 2020. Credit: Vicente Melo Velasco | ISTA The Yeso reservoir in central Chile during a megadrought peak in Summer 2020. Credit: Vicente Melo Velasco | ISTA Droughts evolve in time and space The results show that the trend of intensifying megadroughts is clear: The team generated the first globaland globally consistentpicture of megadroughts and their impact on vegetation at high resolution. However, the long-term effects on the planet and its ecosystems remain largely unknown. Meanwhile, the data already agrees with the observed widely greening pan-Arctic. "But in the event of long-term extreme water shortages, trees in tropical and boreal regions can die, leading to long-lasting damage to these ecosystems. Especially, the boreal vegetation will likely take the longest to recover from such a climate disaster," says Karger. Pellicciotti, who hopes the team's result will help change our perception of droughts and how to prepare for them. "Currently, mitigation strategies largely consider droughts as yearly or seasonal events, which stands in stark contrast to the longer and more severe megadroughts we will face in the future," she says. "We hope that the publicly available inventory of droughts we are putting out will help orient policymakers toward more realistic preparation and prevention measures." As a glaciologist, Pellicciotti also seeks to examine the effects of megadroughts in the mountains and how glaciers can buffer them. She leads a collaborative project titled "MegaWatMegadroughts in the Water Towers of EuropeFrom Process Understanding to Strategies for Management and Adaptation." More information: Liangzhi Chen, Global increase in the occurrence and impact of multiyear droughts, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.ado4245. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.ado4245 Journal information: Science Rock Island police have arrested five people one adult and four juveniles in connection with the disappearance of a 4-year-old girl early Thursday. The child was missing for hours after someone stole the car in which she was sitting in her child safety seat at 6:07 a.m. in the 1300 block of 14th 1/2 Street, police said. The child was in the back of a running brown Saturn Outlook with Illinois license plates "EP98549." When police recovered the vehicle a short time later, the child was not inside. After hours of searching by multiple law enforcement agencies, the police department announced that the child, Blessing Aoci, was found safe at 2:53 p.m. "She has been reunited with her mother, and will be evaluated by EMS," the police statement, on the department's Facebook page, said. Jaron Bailey-Harris, 18, was arrested on suspicion of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and possession of a stolen vehicle. Bailey-Harris was being held Thursday night without bond in the Rock Island County Jail. He also is being held on a warrant from another agency that has not been identified. Also arrested in the case are a 16-year-old male on suspicion of kidnapping and possession of a stolen vehicle. Police also arrested a 16-year-old male, a 15-year-old female and a 14-year-old female, each on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle. Rock Island Police Chief Tim McCloud said it is his belief that the teens stole the vehicle without realizing at first the child was inside. While this incident had the high potential to become an unbelievable tragedy, it ultimately resulted in the best possible outcome, due large in part to the incredibly cooperative efforts between the Quad City, State and Federal Law Enforcement agencies working side by side with concerned citizens and our media organizations," McCloud said. Initially identified as Blessing by authorities, the Amber Alert System notifications and the Rock Island-Milan School District stated her name was Blessing Aoci. At a Thursday morning news conference, McCloud said police think the vehicle was the target, not the child, but that nothing had been ruled out. "We believe that this was probably inadvertent," the chief said. There were a number of other vehicles stolen overnight as well, he said. Some of them had not been recovered as of the news conference. In particular, they were looking for a white Dodge Dart, last seen in East Moline around 1:17 a.m. with an Illinois license plate "EG92693". Other vehicles that were stolen overnight in the city that had not been located as of the press conference were: Tan Chevrolet Malibu, Iowa license plate "MMU635" Gray Nissan Rogue, Virginia license plate "UEV4867" Black Kia Sportage, Iowa license plate "OIZ261" McCloud said investigators think the car the girl was in was only used for a short time after the theft. Blessing may have been transferred to another vehicle after the initial theft. There were car seats in the vehicle she was in when it was stolen but not when it was found, McCloud said. In the morning, searchers carrying her picture were canvassing houses, McCloud said. Quad-Cities law enforcement agencies were also using their drones to assist their ground searches. In addition to local police agencies, the Illinois State Police, FBI and the Quad Cities Missing Persons Network were also participating. Later, federal, state and local law enforcement, including police officers from Iowa, swarmed a blocks-wide area of Rock Island west of Longview Park, continuing the canvas. Dozens of law enforcement officers took part. They coordinated their efforts from the Rock Island County Sheriff's Officer mobile command center, which was parked near 15th Street and 15th Avenue. Later, search efforts were focused on the blocks surrounding where the car was stolen, which included voluntary searches of residences and property. For almost nine hours, teams of law enforcement and volunteers combed the neighborhoods, McCloud said. At approximately 2:53 p.m., while in the area, Blessing was located nearby and in apparent good health. She was immediately reunited with her mother and then transported by the Rock Island Fire Department to UnityPoint Health-Trinity for evaluation. An Amber Alert was issued at 6:42 a.m., McCloud said during the news conference. He addressed concerns about that alert not going out immediately on phones. He said there are criteria that must be met before the alerts go out by phone, including suspect vehicle information, that the department did not have at the time. The incident remains under investigation by the Rock Island Police Departments Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information related to this case is asked to contact the Rock Island Police Department at (309) 732-2677 or Crime Stoppers at (309) 762-9500 or using the P3 Tips app Reporters Sarah Watson, Olivia Allen and Tom Loewy contributed. A city of Davenport code enforcement officer inspected a downtown Davenport building on Tuesday, prompted by photos posted to social media depicting a deteriorating basement. The enforcement officer did not find anything that required immediate action concerning tenant safety, according to the city. Photos posted to social media by Justin Carlisle, who said hes a former maintenance worker and tenant in the building at the corner of Third and Harrison streets, showed deteriorating basement beams, broken pipes and a video of water raining from the floor above. Carlisle told the Quad-City Times he worked for the property management doing maintenance work for about a month and a half at a handful of properties and felt compelled to share the conditions at the buildings he worked at. The posts received hundreds of reactions and comments online. The city received a complaint related to the photos in the posts, according to city spokesperson Denise Hnytka. For the safety of the tenants, a city of Davenport code enforcement officer followed up to verify the allegations and order corrective action if needed, Hnytka wrote in an emailed statement Tuesday afternoon. But the code enforcement officer found the condition of the basement inconsistent with the photos shared online, Hnytka wrote. Based on observations of the walls and ceiling, the code enforcement officer determined there are no deficiencies needing immediate attention or that would cause suspicion for tenant safety, Hnytka wrote. The building, commonly known as the Berg apartments, is occupied, but two units in the building were ordered to vacate in 2023 because of code violations. The violations were isolated to those units, Hnytka said, and neither can be re-occupied until a reinspection demonstrates compliance. For-sale signs are posted to the outside of the building. The buildings with addresses of 307 and 309 N. Harrison St. and next door at 246 W. Third St. are owned, according to county records, by cooperatives that state records indicate were incorporated in 2019 by Andrew Wold. Wold was the owner of the downtown building 324 Main St. that collapsed in 2023, killing three people. Since then, the city has vacated other buildings because of structural concerns, such as the Schricker Apartment building on West Fourth Street after a Shive-Hattery structural assessment found the building could collapse with little to no warning. Carlisle invited Quad-City Times and KWQC reporters to tour the building. When reporters arrived Tuesday afternoon, they were told to leave by a man going in and out of the building who only identified himself as a maintenance man. Reporters did not see inside the building. The Quad-City Times could not independently verify the conditions of the building. The Quad-City Times requested inspection records of the building from the city, including photos taken, and received those Wednesday afternoon. According to the report compiled by the code enforcement officer that's signed "TCH", the officer met with the manager and an assistant at the property. They entered through the bar, the now-closed Neon Moon, and down the steps into the 246 W. Third St. basement, which the enforcement officer wrote was connected to the 307 and 309 Harrison St. building's basement. "Surveyed the walls and ceilings to find nothing existing to match the published pictures," the code enforcement officer stated. The officer wrote that the complaint task would be closed as unfounded. Photos are included in the inspection report that appear to show a basement in better condition than the photos Carlisle shared online. The most recent building permit pulled for 307 Harrison St., according to the city's public portal was a year ago for a gas meter and pipe installation. That inspection failed, with a note saying the inspector was unable to access the location of the work. Other inspection reports provided to the Quad-City Times by the city show that the city has taken about 40 code enforcement actions and inspections at the property since 2020. Those included a 2023 inspection that found violations at two apartment units that ranged from a deteriorating brick at one of the windows, an inoperable bathroom exhaust fan, a leaking bath tub, a furnace that needed an inspection, water damaged ceiling, wall plaster, and floors, inoperable smoke detectors, and items obstructing a hallway. In an interview with the Quad-City Times, Carlisle said he traveled to the Quad-Cities from Virginia to see his daughters homecoming this fall. She asked him to stay, he said. He needed work and a place to stay, he said, so Carlisle asked around on Facebook for anyone hiring. He said Sarah Tyler, a property manager, reached out to him and said she had a job for a maintenance worker. He said he told Tyler he wasnt a plumber, but he was an electrician and could do basic maintenance and repair work. However, he said, on the first day he was asked to fix a large pipe in the basement of a different building in Davenport. It was beyond the scope of the work he could do. At least 12 feet of it was just busted up and it was like sewage water everywhere, and I told my boss this is above my head, you need a master plumber or something," he said of the other property. Carlisle said Tyler fired him after a failed inspection. Carlisle said the work on the properties was too much for what he could do. The Quad-City Times was unable to reach Tyler for comment. Carlisle stands by his pictures, and that they are of the building at Third and Harrison. He sent the Quad-City Times screenshots of metadata of a few of his pictures that are dated Dec. 17, 2024, and Jan. 10 of this year. I cant like build a structure. You know? I cant make this building structure better. Im the maintenance man. I do minor electrical, minor plumbing, and stuff like that, Carlisle said. When people move out, I repaint, stuff like that, basic remodel work. Carlisle said the property management had him paint over ceiling tiles with water damage. They just put Band-Aids over stuff, Carlisle said. They dont really try to fix it. Dennis Platt, an organizer with the Quad City Tenant Alliance said he'd been in that building to talk with tenants a year ago. Platt said he knew of the two units that had been vacated for needed repairs and that the building had electrical problems and issues with leaks, but that the organization had not gotten any calls from tenants in that building. Platt said he reached out to people posting online to see if they'd like to involve the Tenant Alliance. The Florence-Carlton School Board voted 3-1 to move the district to a four-day school week for the upcoming 2025-26 school year at its meeting Tuesday night. What a four-day school week will look like in Florence will now be negotiated between the teachers union and the board with an emergency back-up option of diverting back to a five-day school week. Superintendent Todd Fiske said the switch was a try, but there is a hard date in March to figure out the logistics. A survey of staff showed a slight majority in favor of switching, but teachers attending the meeting expressed concern about who may not have been represented in the survey. One parent wanted to be sure the change would benefit teachers, and thought the change could hurt student achievement, but still voted for it in the survey. I don't think it's a benefit to the students, parent Marina Schmidt said. But I am voting for it, because overall, if we can't keep teachers or attract teachers, then that's going to be a huge detriment to our students. A 2024 report out of the University of Montanas Department of Educational Leadership looked at Montana school district data between 2008 and 2023 and concluded four-day school weeks negatively impacted student achievement and attendance, and cost districts more than five-day school weeks. The Florence-Carlton School District is running on tight budget margins and implementing a four-day school week is one way the district is attempting to recruit and retain teachers, as well as keep enrollment up. The district also has an application out to the Board of Public Education to start a public charter, which would bring additional funding and the district believes could attract some homeschooled students back to the district for the programming offered. The statewide board is expected to take action on authorizing new public charters at their next two-day meeting from Jan. 23-24. Substitute teacher for the district Christine Abbott said that with the same decision-makers trying to tackle both switching to a four-day school week with logistics still left to be figured out and potentially adding a public charter at the same time, the district was taking on too much at once. We're going to dilute ourselves, and we're going to kind of become experts in nothing, because we're going to dilute down all of our resources, Abbott said. Chairperson Matthew Roth abstained from voting on the four-day school week measure, and following the vote said he felt the board was rushing this decision and the switch should have been for the following 2026-27 school year. In jest, board member Lacy Janes said he didnt get to have an opinion because he didnt vote. The decision came down to board member Ben Crocker, who at first did not say how he was going to vote and Roth initially said the measure had failed thinking Crocker was abstaining but Crocker then explained his hesitation. I'll be honest, I'm right on the fence whether we should be shooting for implementing '26-27, Crocker said. But that'll probably work itself out well either get there or we won't Ill vote yes. Roth then said the motion passed with board member Matt Reeves being the sole opposition. Reeves said during the board discussion his main concern is for the littles. Researchers at UM found students with a four-day school week had lower achievement in reading and math from third to eighth grade with up to a 15% difference from students in a five-day week structure. This isnt the first time the board has considered moving to a four-day school week, but it's the first time the switch has been approved. This concept isnt new to the Bitterroot, with Victor Schools being one of the first districts in Montana to switch to a four-day school week. The survey The Florence-Carlton School District put out a survey to teachers and staff about whether they would support a five-day or four-day school week with two sample calendars provided by the calendar committee. The sample four-day schedule has Fridays off with each school day starting 10 minutes earlier and ending 20 minutes later than the current schedule resulting in 21 fewer school days. Parents and community members submitted 286 survey responses with 51% in favor of a four-day week, 40% in favor of a five-day week and 8% OK with either choice. Parents of students made up the vast majority of respondents with four responders not having students in the district. High school counselor Alli Bristow said she was concerned about the voices not captured in the survey, especially families who may be struggling financially, as she said 25% of the district is on free and reduced lunch. We might only be hearing from families that are answering school surveys and involved, she said. Fiske said the board did not ask about financial status in the survey. There were 50 staff responses about half of the total staff including teachers and administrative staff and 55% said they were in favor of the switch to four-day, with 27% wanting to stick to a five-day schedule and 18% OK with either option. The majority of staff responses came from certified teaching staff at 65%. Kindergarten teacher and Union President Tami Koerner said some of the undecided votes might stem from not knowing what a four-day week would look like, and said if the decision was made to switch, she could start diving into possibilities. We just need answers, Koerner said. Middle school math teacher Brian Frederick, who also serves on the calendar committee, said from conversations hes had, undecided voters were attributed to people wanting to have a spring break in the four-day calendar. If there's a spring break, you probably would have a lot more teachers and classified staff going towards the four-day, Frederick said. Crunch time Board members discussed guidelines sent from the Montana School Boards Association recommending the board negotiate the details of a four-day school week prior to taking a vote. Roth said the board could make the decision to make the switch but that's a hammer, that's not a partnership. Roth also acknowledged that negotiations take time and the board is running out of it for the upcoming school year. Fiske said they should shoot to have a calendar for the next school year decided by the board meeting on March 11. Fiske said the calendar committee has the outline of the five-day school week and would be easy to implement, if necessary. Its a try, said Fiske of the switch to a four-day school week. But there is a hard date. The school board meets again on Feb. 11. PABLO On a bright, crisp October morning, seven students from Salish Kootenai College headed to class for their final exam. It wouldnt take place in a classroom, but rather a nondescript parking lot outfitted with a movable trailer. The students showed their skills through the high-pitched, grating sound of the angle grinder, so ear-splitting it nearly drowned out the whir of traffic on Highway 93, the main road through the southernmost part of the Flathead Indian Reservation. If they passed, they would obtain a welding certificate, opening the door to stable, high-paying jobs that are not easy to come by for most people in their community. These guys all could go to work as soon as they get out of this class, says Vic Desautel, the instructor. He says he gets calls every day about open jobs for the soon-to-be-grads, opportunities ranging from big stadium projects to nuclear power plants, prefabricated builds, pipefitting and more. American Indians have the lowest college enrollment rate of any racial group in the country, according to data from the National Center for Education Statistics. Federal data shows higher rates of unemployment among Native communities compared to the national average. Most jobs on reservations pay meager wages and lack opportunities for career growth. Even though the Flathead Reservation is an outlier, home to a larger population of non-Native residents and offering more economic opportunity than its peers, people still struggle to find work that catapults them to greater earnings. On reservations, if not working for the tribes or schools, a gas station clerk or a grocery store cashier might be the only option. Leaving the community could be possible, but that likely means putting potentially hundreds of miles between family members. Completion of the SKCs welding course gives graduates a near-guarantee of earning more than $20 an hour in an industry with a seemingly endless demand for workers. They can work for themselves or join a union and hop on jobs all over the country. Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) such as SKC provide essential workforce development for their communities, often creating direct pathways to jobs that benefit the reservation. They also create a more sustainable workforce because Native graduates are more likely to stay in their own communities than someone from the outside. TCUs themselves even benefit, as students complete projects that the campus needs to get done in the name of work experience. SKC welders, for example, gain experience repairing heavy machinery parts and the college doesnt have to pay for the labor. Central to the tribal college mission is equipping future generations with skills to bolster the local economy and the tribes capacity, and to provide a more effective learning environment for Native students compared with their Montana University System counterparts. Wayne Stein, a TCU expert who led the Native American Studies department at Montana State University in Bozeman, says tribal colleges are the best thing that has happened to Indian Country in a century. There are many (benefits) and they're pretty visible, he said. The upside of having a tribal college in your community is huge, and we know that in Montana because we have seven of them. Education brings opportunity Reservations have lower median household incomes and higher shares of the population below the poverty line. TCUs offer the chance to get training that directly translates into job opportunity. A 2024 report from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry concludes that a greater share of people on all but one of the reservations have achieved a two-year associate degree as compared with the statewide average, which it attributes largely to the offerings at TCUs. Its not enough to simply create vocational programs. TCU students are more likely to come from situations of poverty or be parents and caretakers themselves, so tribal colleges work to make their pre-professional programs accessible to students facing additional barriers. All of Montanas TCUs offer child care, food assistance and scholarships for things like textbooks. Faculty is more flexible to account for challenges like family deaths to suicide which occur at higher rates for Native people so students can still obtain their degree. Some will provide housing or gas stipends. When Shawncee Brave Rock first heard about the SKC course, the idea of becoming a welder had never crossed his mind. He fought fire for nine years all around the Mountain West, but now has a 6-month-old son. That brings a whole new kind of love and a lot more bills. After eight weeks of the class, Brave Rocks vision for his future has completely changed. He wants to operate his own mobile welding business to fix fences and help with car repairs around the reservation. I never touched a welder before and I really like it, he said. I think Id enjoy doing this full time. Welding students get a $125 daily stipend to pay for their time, much of which is spent in the mobile trailer that often reaches triple-digit temperatures. Its unglamorous. Theyre usually covered in grease and dressed head-to-toe in thick, stiff workwear in the beating sun. But they return home every night, a boon for Brave Rock and others who have families of their own. The more time on the hood, the better, says Chris Brown, 20, dad to a little girl and an avid learner of new welding skills. He spearheaded the class art project a dreamcatcher made of scrap metal, the feathers initialed by each student. Its a far cry from when Desautel earned his welding credentials. Growing up on an Indian reservation in Washington, Desautel said his only options were jail or learning a trade. The way to learn a trade was to get off the reservation. He enrolled in a course in Chicago for Native Americans, but only about half made it through the program. Some stumbled without their support systems; others had to return home for family obligations. You can bring it to the reservations, Desautel said of the traveling welding course he now teaches. They are able to learn but they dont have to leave home right away. Tribal colleges allow Native learners to acquire new skills while staying tied to their culture and community and at a far lower price tag. The average price of in-state tuition at a public college for the 2021-2022 school year was $10,388. By comparison, the American Indian Higher Education Consortium calculated the average cost of tuition and fees during that same year at a tribal college to be $3,744. No matter the origin, this synergistic relationship is partly why TCU students are more likely to view their investment in higher education as worthwhile. A 2022 survey of TCU graduates by Gallup found 67% of respondents said their education at a tribal college was worth the cost, relative to 38% nationally. We are providing a service that the state university system is not doing, said state Sen. Susan Webber, D-Browning. Grow your own workforce Each of Montanas seven tribal colleges has made job training a primary focus. It entices enrollees and bolsters local economies. Working in harmony, TCUs respond to the needs of the surrounding communities and invest in making those opportunities accessible for prospective students. As a community college, we have adaptability to assess and see what our local workforce needs and adapt our programs to opportunities, said Craig Smith, the president of Fort Peck Community College. Stone Child College offers carpentry classes. Fort Peck Community College is piloting a program in tribal governance and administration. Chief Dull Knife College has courses in American Indian education and early childhood education to prepare new teachers to work on the reservation. Developing a workforce of people from the community who hope to stay close to home is critical to filling gaps on reservations, where everyone from public schools and health care facilities struggle to recruit and retain skilled workers. Some of these institutions try to attract outside professionals with financial incentives or other advancement opportunities, but the result is often a rotating cast of characters. Trust, already fragile due to decades of systemic violence against American Indian communities, is hard to build when the teacher changes halfway through the school year or a primary care provider leaves town. Around 74% of TCU graduates nationally end up employed on or near the reservation, according to the Gallup poll. They offer the possibility of a more sustainable solution to persistent workforce challenges. Gwynne White Quills is one of those students. Mom to seven kids, she graduated from Blackfeet Community College with her registered nursing license in May 2024. While studying, she continued to work as a nursing assistant at the Indian Health Service facility in Browning. It was normal for her to steal just a couple hours of shuteye as she juggled coursework, hospital night shifts and parenting. During the two-year program, White Quills relied on her husband for help with the kids and leaned on her teachers to make sure she absorbed the material and stayed on track. At BCC, she felt like more than just a student, and that allowed her to believe she could do it all. I dont think that I would have ever gotten my nursing degree if it was anywhere else other than here, she said. White Quills passed the nursing boards shortly after graduating, officially making her a registered nurse. The BCC program is not yet accredited though it aims to be by 2026 so it took a bit longer for her to get hired as a nurse at the local Indian Health Service facility. Once she did, though, it marked the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for the 38-year-old. Although she had worked in skilled nursing facilities and as a nursing assistant on the reservation for years, she always thought this next step would be unattainable. Too many responsibilities. Too many mouths to feed. Not enough hours in the day. I am really looking forward to finally being able to do what I wanted to do, White Quills said. When I look at where Im at, where I work, Im like, Man, this place is the reason I want to be a nurse. Working here, working on this unit for my people, with my people, this is the reason why I wanted to be a nurse. Residents of the Blackfeet Reservation face significant barriers to quality health care even as their community endures disproportionately high rates of chronic illness and premature death. The latest Community Health Assessment found that 26% of Blackfeet Reservation residents go to the emergency room rather than scheduling an appointment with a primary care provider, often due to long wait times. Another report from the American Medical Association found that American Indians account for just 0.3% of all physicians nationally despite a growing body of research which shows that patients with medical providers from the same background see improved trust and better outcomes. Now White Quills gets to play a role in helping address such vast inequities as a highly trained nurse in a health care setting that struggles to recruit qualified practitioners. Shell also understand the sensitivities of Native patients entering a mainstream medical system, knowing to ask permission before combing the hair of seniors, for example, or to inform patients about their options for traditional ceremony such as smudging or using sage in the hospital. Right now, I'm still kind of shocked and in awe that I actually did it, White Quills said. That was the hardest thing Ive ever had to do in my life. There are countless stories of TCUs empowering Native people to progress their own careers, improve their earnings and boost self-confidence. All have ripple effects on their family and community more broadly. When Indian Country does better, the surrounding economies do, too. One report suggests that Montanas tribal communities contribute $1 billion annually to the states economy. (Tribal colleges have) lifted the spirit of people, Stein said. For the first time, you have students who feel welcome in schools. While tribal colleges arent huge they have between 100 and 300 students 400 students, they do that year after year after year, and it starts to add up. Lets build a better rez Renata Underwood experienced that transformation of spirit firsthand. Her story starts as a high schooler in Lodge Grass on the Crow Reservation with parents who were largely absent due to chronic struggles with substance use disorders. Simply getting herself up and off to school each morning on the 20-minute bus ride from the house in Crow Agency was a daunting task for the teen. It started with a few absences before snowballing into a pattern of missing school. Instead, Underwood would hang out with friends. Alcohol was pervasive. Eventually, she dropped out, and her dreams of being a lawyer were eclipsed by the basic needs of survival. Almost 20 years and four kids later, Underwood had moved to Hardin, a border town between the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. She tried four different times to obtain her HiSET the test equivalent of a high school diploma through the local library and a community center in Billings, but failed every time. Underwood recalls feeling lost in the classes and confused about how to improve. Then, in 2023, her oldest daughter was set to graduate from high school. I thought, 'My baby is not going to graduate before me!' Underwood said. A friend told her about the HiSET program at Little Big Horn College in Crow Agency. She could attend for free, and the HiSET adviser gave Underwood $40 to cover gas costs for the round-trip drive every time she visited campus for the course. After every practice exam, Underwood would receive private tutoring to identify how to up her scores. When she got her results, Underwood was driving in the car back from the grocery store. Her phone pinged, and Underwoods heart started to race with the thought that it could signal the arrival of her HiSET score. She had barely gotten through the first few sentences when she burst into tears. Even more than a year later, Underwood beams when she recounts this moment. I was crying like a big ol baby, she said. I couldnt believe I actually did something. But Underwood didnt stop there. So enamored with the LBHC experience and the power of education, she went on to obtain her certified nursing assistant license in a one-year program. She encourages her kids and neighbors to pursue education. I got a taste and feel of LBHC, and I really like it, she said. I didnt realize that I wasnt utilizing something that is such a great opportunity. Next, Underwood plans to indulge the dreams of her teenage self by signing up for an American Indian policy class. Maybe one day shell become a lawyer, after all. Underwood isnt pollyanna-ish about how hard life can be for her fellow Native people. But she does believe that if more people take steps toward an education or a new career path at LBHC, or another of the states tribal colleges, they could create change for their community. Lets build a better rez, she said. This story was created with the support of the Higher Education Media Fellowship at the Institute for Citizens & Scholars. The Fellowship supports new reporting into issues related to postsecondary career and technical education. This series, available across Lee Montana newspapers, is running without a paywall. About the series: Our reporters spent nine months traveling more than 2,000 miles to visit all seven tribal colleges in Montana and the communities they serve. The two reporters conducted interviews with nearly 60 people, including past and present administrators, TCU founders, teachers and staff, current students and recent graduates. Here's what you can expect in this three-part series: Jan. 14: Tribal colleges revitalize language and culture Today: How tribal colleges promote workforce development Jan. 18: Funding challenges and solutions We sat down with tribal college presidents. Here's what they had to say: Michael Munson, interim president of Salish Kootenai College: Theres a misconception that Salish Kootenai Colletge is less than the Montana University System, or other tribal colleges are less than. In actuality, we are under the exact same accrediting bodies. What is a tribal college? Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) are higher education institutions tailored to Native American communities, which have traditionally been marginalized from the mainstream higher education system. Of the 35 accredited TCUs nationwide, most are located on or near reservation lands. They are chartered by the tribes themselves and accredited by outside institutions. TCUs offer a variety of programs shaped by community needs, including vocational pathways, two-year associate degrees and, increasingly, four-year programs. Unlike other community colleges, TCUs are expressly designed to preserve and pass on Indigenous culture and equip graduates with skills to uplift their communities. However, students do not have to be Native. TCUs are powerful political and economic engines on reservations. Independent from tribal councils, these colleges often resist frequent turnover, provide space for students to speak freely and offer career opportunities outside of tribal government. In rural areas including Montana, TCUs also serve as a community hub providing space for local events, cultural activities and civic engagement. As the Center for American Progress wrote, Not only are TCUs tied to their communities and cultures, but they are also at the center of nation-building and cultural preservation efforts in Indigenous communities and that is central to their missions. The first TCU was created in 1968 on the Navajo Reservation. Because they are chartered by sovereign governments that hold a special treaty relationship with the United States, most of their funding comes from the federal government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Despite their outsized role in tribal communities, TCUs have never been funded equitably, advocates say. Tribal colleges in Montana With a tribal college on or near each of its seven reservations, Montana is home to more TCUs than any state. Over 2,700 people enrolled in TCUs in the fall of 2022, the most recent yearly data available through the National Center for Education Statistics. All of Montanas TCUs were founded by passionate Native leaders on shoestring budgets, often teaching classes in trailers or public school gymnasiums. Blackfeet Community College on the Blackfeet Reservation was founded first in 1974, with the rest following within the next decade. Salish Kootenai College on the Flathead Reservation is the largest in terms of student body, while Aaniiih Nakoda College near the Fort Belknap Reservation is the smallest. Letters to the Editor: Airport immigration changes line rules for residents Dear Editor, While a large focus of tourist is the ever disgustingly outrageous fees and behavior of those on the transportation business- especially taxis, there are other little things that annoy as well. Now this would be just an annoyance to residents. As Cancun Airport has tried to lower entry times into the country, they have done something just stupid. For a couple years as residents, we were able to arrive back in Mexico and enter the Mexican line at immigration. Few if any people were ever in that line. It lets us travel quickly and efficiently thru the airport to get back home. Approximately 2-3 months ago, they said we as residents can no longer enter thru that line. I recently went back to the states for the Thanksgiving holiday. Upon arrival I was forced into the foreign tourist line, 40 minutes later I was thru immigration. During this time, I saw NO ONE enter the Mexican line. Seriously? Q.Roo has already taken away our ability to get INAPM, and now this little inconvenience. It does make make for a welcoming feeling at all. We pay tax and contribute to the economy without any benefits. That was a nice gesture to make us feel welcome back home. It costs nothing and makes absolutely no sense. What gives Mexico? You can do better. Bob T, Tulum Protesting ejidos lift Puerta al Mar blockade after reaching government agreement Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Q.R. After reaching an agreement with the Government of Quintana Roo, Felipe Carrillo Puerto ejidos have released the Puerta al Mar road. The road became the victim of a blockade during conflict over Expo Maya property more than two months ago. Agreements were reached Wednesday after a meeting between the leaders of the Ejido Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Governor Mara Lezama and FCP mayor Maricarmen Hernandez Solis. Ejido leaders Demetrio Chan Be, Miguel Hau Morales, Adriana Onofre and Carlos Koyoc, President, Secretary, Treasurer and supervisory board, respectively, agreed to lift the blockade after recognizing the political will of the parties to find mutual benefits. In a statement, the ejido acknowledged that the Government of Quintana Roo prioritized social justice so that residents could freely enter their long-awaited beach access and that visitors could get to know the tourist destination that is part of Maya Kaan. During a general assembly, the ejidos approved the agreements that resolved the decades-old conflict of property ownership. We guarantee the citizens of the municipality of Felipe Carrillo Puerto and our visitors free passage to enjoy our natural resources and our gateway to the sea, as long as effective communication between governments and the ejido is respected and prioritized, they said in a statement. Ejidos agreed to open the road in a general assembly after meeting with the state government. The Puerta al Mar road, which is more than two months behind due to the ejido blockade, will resume construction as a result of the recent agreement. The government is building the municipalitys first direct beach access road. The road was blocked in November by disgruntled ejidos after the military began construction of a base on land the ejidos said they owned. SSPC clarifies there are no missing tourists in Tulum Tulum, Q.R. A young Chilean man, the latest reported as missing in Tulum, has been located dead in hospital. The 29 year old visitor died of cardiac arrest Tuesday. Captain Jose Roberto Rodriguez Bautista, the Secretary of Public Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) of Tulum, confirmed the young mans natural death. Capitan Jose Roberto Rodriguez Bautista, Secretario de Seguridad Publica y Proteccion Ciudadana of Tulum The confirmation was made Wednesday in response to recent media reports of several missing people in Tulum. Rodriguez Bautista clarified that there are no missing tourists in the municipality. One woman, 27 year old Canadian Evelyn N, was reunited with her friends after a mishap during the recent electronic music festival. Friends reported her missing to local authorities, however, she was located and returned to her travel party. German citizen, Nika N accidentally activated the SOS emergency system on her phone. Local authorities went to investigate the alert, however, the German Consulate confirmed the mistake and that the young woman was in contact with her family. Chilean citizen Daniela N was reported missing but located at a local hospital recovering from an arm injury. Her father traveled from Chile to be with her. She has already been discharged. According to Rodriguez Bautista, the 29 year old Chilean visitor who was reported as missing was located deceased in a local hospital. He died of cardiorespiratory arrest. Rodriguez Bautista says they are currently working with the Consulate to have his body returned to his country. Its hard to look at the culture and not conclude that intellectual secularism is in decline. When I was a teenager, the biggest books about faith were New Atheist titles like Richard Dawkins The God Delusion and Christopher Hitchens God Is Not Great. But now the biggest books are arguing for the goodness of belief in God, like Jordan B. Petersons We Who Wrestle with God and historian Tom Hollands Dominion. Sociologist Ryan Burge recently noted that the drop in the number of people going to religious services has basically stopped. And both the Free Press and The Spectator have published pieces discussing the return of intellectuals to belief in God. Spencer Klavans Light of the Mind, Light of the World: Illuminating Science Through Faith is the latest attempt by a high-profile influencer to show a path forward in reconciling faith and modernity. Klavan, host of the Young Heretics podcast, begins by tracing the history of science, from the ancient Greeks to the rise of materialists to the findings of quantum mechanics, which he believes disproves a purely material existence. To him this is of immense importance. As he says: For many, the world has come to look dark and deadlike a machine. There are rumors and threats abroad that it will stay that way, that humanity itself will be discarded or surpassed by its own technological creations. It can feel as if religion is on the ebb, as if humanity is a mistake and God is an ancient illusion. Klavan sees the rising rates of depression among young people and rising views of humanity as a scourge on the universe that must be eliminated to save the planet, or fixed via transhumanism, as the fruit of modern sciences saying that were mere meat sacks piloting mech-suits. My objective in this book will be to argue that this picture of the world is grievously wrong. The chemistry set in the meat sack moving through a balls-and-lightning world is not simply an oversimplified or crude vulgar caricature of a more dignified scientific truth. Rather, the science itself on which we base our pop imagery is seriously out of date. Klavan evokes both religious apologetics like John Lennox (showing how faith and science are compatible) and the modern trend of re-enchantment. Re-enchantment is the word of the moment in religious-minded circles, describing the need to bring a spiritual imagination and experience of the worldnot just bare beliefback to the high-tech West. Authors such as Rod Dreher in Living in Wonder and Tom Holland call for Christians to preach the weird stuff, while even psychologists like Peterson employ biblical stories to aid in understanding our lives. But these thought leaders dont all agree on how best to re-enchant our collective imagination. Dreher thinks we should swap more analytical thinking for the more intuitive so we can interpret our lived experiences as a premodern would (coincidences are miracles, UFO sightings are demons, etc.). Peterson wants us to interpret the biblical narrative through the lens of psychology to show how we can import the wonder found in the Bible into our own lives. Drehers way might be described as faith swallowing science, while Petersons feels like science swallowing faith. Klavan, for his part, wants to thread the needle. He uses his background (a doctorate in ancient Greek literature from Oxford University) as a way of bridging the gap between the mystical and the merely psychological, the way the ancient Greeks did. Who are you, scientists may ask, to tell us the meaning of our work? You, a classicist, an antiquarian, a scholar of bygone things. But that is not my intention. The point of this book is not to contest or amend any particular scientific discovery: it is to say something about the whole nature and structure of the enterprise, the whole practice of seeking knowledge about the natural world, and that practice has always implicitly assumed a rational structure in nature: the word cosmos in Greek just means order. Klavans first argument is to deconstruct the modern myth that a materialist worldview is necessary to do good science. He points out that the first people who drove science were Greek philosophers like Thales who were not materialists. And Christians like Isaac Newton certainly were not. What drove them was a belief that the universe had an underlying unseen order that could be discovered through investigation. This is the conviction of the earliest known astronomers and natural philosophers. It was the belief of the Chaldean Sky Watchers of Babylon, by whose measures we still trace the arc of every circle, and the sages of Miletus, who hunted out the principles of matter in the growing and dying of earthly things. While Drehers Living in Wonder had difficulty explaining how we could keep all the good things of the scientific revolution while getting rid of the bad, Klavan does a better job here. He argues that the scientific revolution wasnt started by the adoption of bad ideas like materialism but by building off of the old ideas that preceded materialism. One of Klavans most striking observations is that many of the materialist images we have in our heads arequite literallyknown to be wrong. When we say that energy and gravity hold the universe together and do this or that, we call a picture to our minds of electricity or squiggly lines. But any scientist will tell you thats not what they look like. They dont look like anything. Energy is simply the name we give for how bodies in motion move in predictable ways. This does not prove that whats in that space is spiritual, immaterial, or divine. But it does create space for it. In fact, reintroducing a mythical, poetic description of existence is a huge part of Light of the Mind. He refers to science as magic, in its noblest and most potent form and atoms and molecules as small gods who demand we kneel at their altar, and condemns reducing poetic descriptors of human experience like love to a strange kind of chemical change, as done in the Nat King Cole song. Klavans argument is that a poetic way of talking about the world is, in fact, a more accurate way to describe it because it incorporates both the material and personal parts of our human experience. (Dreher would describe this as incorporating both the left brain and the right brain.) You cant just call love a chemical reaction to describe reality; you must also call it love. Materialisms flaw is it conditions us to see only the material side as real and nonmaterial descriptors as subjective and imaginary. Klavan, by describing reality both scientifically and poetically, is rejecting that mental habit in practice as well as in theory. Klavan spends most of the book deconstructing the materialist arguments rather than constructing positive ones of his own. He claims that research has shown how quantum mechanics shatters the idea of a purely material universe totally independent of human consciousness and perception, because the measurements we use to do science dont technically tell us about reality outside our perception of it. (For example, motion and location and measurement are impossible to talk about or make equations for outside the realm of a conscious measurer, much to the chagrin of figures like Einstein and Schrodinger.) What reality does exist independently of us is, nevertheless, in some way shaped by human conscience. As Klavan tells it, experiments show how particles are not in a particular place before they are observed by a human person. When they are left on their own in material space, before a human with the power of self-awareness and perception is introduced into the picture, fundamental parts of reality are, in a sense, pure potential. But when a human mind grasps them, they become actualized as some thing. In Klavans account, quite literally a multiverse of future potential exists before a human turns attention to it. Then, when one human does see it, all that potential collapses into one thing. He concludes that this means our conscious mindsour spirits, our soulsare real in a tangible way and have a concrete effect on the universe. This is certainly intuitively correct, fitting our experience of the world and taking it to cosmic levels. (As above, so below. On earth as it is in heaven.) We start out in the world with infinite possibilities and thenthrough our thoughts and actionswe take all the possibilities and create the actual reality that we and others all live in. Klavan also makes a persuasive case that the insistence by scientists on positing a purely materialist account of this phenomenon causes them to tie themselves in knots. He alludes to the multiverse theory as an example. If our perception of things cant possibly change reality, then it must be that it only appears to us like it changed, when really all the other possibilities in fact also took place, just in other universes. This is where we get the if you made one choice theres another universe where you made another one that so many movies and shows today rely upon. Yet this largely amounts to explaining away what we observe in the world rather than explaining it. And its that very explaining away that makes life seem less meaningful, not more, as explored in multiverse-heavy media like Rick and Morty and Everything Everywhere All at Once. And to be both obvious and honest, theres also something deeply dignifying in Klavans description of reality: Its one where humans are powerful and important. Were powerful because our presence shapes reality. Were important because, without us, all of life is merely potential. When we live in the world and make choices, we are literally shaping our worldnot just on an individual level but on a cosmic one, too. If Rick and Mortys story makes us mere ants, Klavans story makes us kings. Klavan struggles, however, to make coherent any further implications of these ideas. How does this view of reality make it more likely we will better navigate the world, not just feel better about our place in it? How does it make it easier to perform scientific experiments, make more discoveries, and build better inventions? Despite Klavans insistence that materialism wasnt the driving force behind the growth in science, he repeatedly shows that scientists who leaned toward the idea of a universe independent of our perception pushed our knowledge forward. How does Klavans new framework do that with equal force? It seems as if hes trying to have it both ways: a world so subjective that we need human perception to make it real, but sufficiently objective that all our measurements are reliable enough to make scientific progress possible. So our perceptions create reality just enough to make us important, but not so much that reality is totally subjective (like the relativists say) or that we can control it with our thoughts (like witches say). But whenever Klavan tries to explain how this works, he ends up speculating: for example, that the first person who sees something determines its realityby his perception, not his willfor everyone else for all time. These musings seem less like an adventurer exploring a new world and more like a desperate man trying to force together nonsense with duct tape. Spencer Klavans Light of the Mind, Light of the World is a valuable contribution to the project of reincorporating meaning into modernity. His arguments that a sacred view of human life is more compatible with science than nihilistic materialism will likely be foundational for many going forward. And his commitment to both reason and faith makes his guide more reliable than those of some of his contemporaries. But it will take others either to build on or subvert his framework in ways that make this marriage between the two practical and not just theoretical. CALmatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California's state Capitol works and why it matters. Dan Walters has been a journalist for nearly 60 years, spending all but a few of those years working for California newspapers. Stanley K. Komunt is an experienced community and government relations leader with over 25 years of experience in the mining industry, specializing in corporate governance, stakeholder engagement, and risk management. From 2018 to 2024, he served as Country Manager for Newcrest Mining Ltd. and, following its acquisition, with Newmont Corporation in Papua New Guinea, where he played a key role in negotiations and oversaw government, regulatory, and community relations. He previously held senior roles with Nautilus Minerals Ltd., Morobe Mining Joint Venture, Highlands Pacific Limited at the Kainantu Gold Mine, and Ok Tedi Mining Ltd., managing community programs, security operations, and corporate social responsibility initiatives. A member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Mr. Komunt has completed advanced training in leadership, governance, and project management through Newcrest Mining Ltd. and other organizations, contributing to the success of major mining projects. Mr. Komunt also serves as a Vice President Papua New Guinea for the Australia PNG Business Council, a Director of the PNG Motor Vehicle Insurance Company and previously served as a council member of the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy. Heidi Grobler is a senior HR professional with over 20 years of experience in the mining and heavy manufacturing industries, both at operational and corporate levels. She has extensive international human resources management experience across Australia, Asia Pacific, and Africa. Joining K92 in 2021, Ms. Grobler most recently served as General Manager Group Human Resources. Prior to this, she held senior HR leadership roles at Newcrest Mining Ltd., Afrique Gold Ltd., Adelaide Brighton Ltd., and Anglo Platinum Ltd. Mrs. Grobler holds a Bachelor of Law (B.Proc) from the University of South Africa and a Graduate Certificate in Business Law from Curtin University of Technology. She is a professional member of the Australian HR Institute and a certified change management practitioner. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- K92 Mining Inc. ( K92 or the Company ) (TSX: KNT ; OTCQB: KNTNF ) announces the promotion of Heidi Grobler to the position of Vice President Human Resources; the appointment of Stanley Komunt to the position of General Manager, External Affairs designate, who will be taking over from Mark Schubert when he retires in 2025; and the promotion of Andrew Kohler to the position of Interim Vice President Exploration. The Company also announces the departure of Chris Muller. To ensure continuity during this transitional period, Andrew Kohler has been appointed as Interim Vice President Exploration while the Company evaluates its long-term plans for the role. Story continues Andrew G. Kohler is a geologist with over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, holding senior roles in underground, open pit, and exploration operations across gold, copper, nickel, and base metals projects. Mr. Kohler joined K92 in 2016 and currently serves as K92 Minings Chief Geologist. At the Kainantu Gold Mine, he was part of the geologic leadership team that made the discovery of the Kora North Deposit in 2017, which ultimately was recognized with the Thayer Lindsley Award, for Best Global Discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada in 2021. Prior to joining K92, Mr. Kohler held senior leadership positions with companies that included India Resources Limited, Ramu NiCo Management Limited, Avocet Gold Limited, Resolute Tanzania Limited, and Sons of Gwalia Limited, where he led resource development, drilling programs, and technical operations at various global mining projects. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Geology from Curtin University of Technology, a Postgraduate Certificate in Geostatistics from Edith Cowan University, and is a member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), the Geological Society of Australia, and the Australian Institute of Geoscientists. Dr. Chris Muller joined K92 in 2016 and most recently served as the Companys Executive Vice President Exploration. Dr. Muller was part of the team that made the discovery of Kora North, which was awarded the 2021 Thayer Lindsley Award for best global discovery from the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada. Additionally, Chris was also instrumental in the discovery of the Blue Lake porphyry, delivering a maiden 10.8 million ounces AuEq inferred resource in 2022. We wish him well in his future endeavors. Dr. Mark Schubert joined K92 in 2019 serving as the Companys General Manager, External Affairs and Sustainable Development, leading engagement efforts and sustainable development with our local communities. Over the years, Dr. Schuberts team have been recognized with multiple ESG Industry Awards from the Papua New Guinea Chamber of Resources and Energy, including the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2024 for our Sustainable Livelihoods Agricultural Program; the Award in Recognition of Outstanding Community Humanitarian Initiative in 2023 for our Women-in-Mining Program focused on empowerment initiatives including upskilling and preventative healthcare, and; the Award for Outstanding Womens Contribution in the Resources Industry in 2022 for our Women-in-Mining Program, focused on adult literacy. We wish him well in his well-deserved retirement. John Lewins, K92 Chief Executive Officer and Director, stated, As K92 Mining continues to grow and evolve, the leadership changes announced today reflect our firm commitment to building a strong, dynamic team capable of driving our success well into the future. Over the past three years, Heidi Grobler has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, resourcefulness, and the ability to excel in many roles, making her a natural fit for this promotion. We are also pleased to welcome Stanley Komunt to the team, who brings a wealth of community and government relations expertise in Papua New Guinea, most recently with Newcrest and Newmont. I would also like to recognize Andrew Kohler, who will serve as Interim Vice President, Exploration. With over eight years of significant contributions to K92 and a wealth of industry expertise, Andrew is well-positioned to ensure continuity and leadership during this transitional period while we evaluate the long-term needs of the role. I want to express my gratitude to Chris Muller for his very significant contribution to our exploration success. While Mark Schubert will still be with us for some months, I would also like to recognize his exceptional contribution and initiatives within our local communities. We wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Congratulations to Heidi, Stanley and Andrew on their appointments, and I look forward to their continued contributions as we build on our achievements and pursue the exciting opportunities ahead. About K92 K92 Mining Inc. is engaged in the production of gold, copper and silver at the Kainantu Gold Mine in the Eastern Highlands province of Papua New Guinea, as well as exploration and development of mineral deposits in the immediate vicinity of the mine. The Company declared commercial production from Kainantu in February 2018, is in a strong financial position, and is working to become a Tier 1 mid-tier producer through ongoing plant expansions. A maiden resource estimate on the Blue Lake copper-gold porphyry project was completed in August 2022. K92 is operated by a team of mining company professionals with extensive international mine-building and operational experience. On Behalf of the Company, John Lewins, Chief Executive Officer and Director For further information, please contact David Medilek, P.Eng., CFA, President and Chief Operating Officer at +1-604-416-4445 CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION: This news release includes certain forward-looking statements under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation: (i) the results of the Kainantu Mine Definitive Feasibility Study, and the Kainantu Preliminary Economic Assessment, including the Stage 3 Expansion, a new standalone 1.2 mtpa process plant and supporting infrastructure; (ii) statements regarding the expansion of the mine and development of any of the deposits; (iii) the Kainantu Stage 4 Expansion, operating two standalone process plants, larger surface infrastructure and mining throughputs; and (iv) the potential extended life of the Kainantu Mine. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as expect, plan, anticipate, project, target, potential, schedule, forecast, budget, estimate, intend or believe and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions will, would, may, could, should or might occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on estimates and assumptions that are inherently subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our ability to control, that may cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, without limitation, Public Health Crises, including the COVID-19 virus; changes in the price of gold, silver, copper and other metals in the world markets; fluctuations in the price and availability of infrastructure and energy and other commodities; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; volatility in price of our common shares; inherent risks associated with the mining industry, including problems related to weather and climate in remote areas in which certain of the Companys operations are located; failure to achieve production, cost and other estimates; risks and uncertainties associated with exploration and development; uncertainties relating to estimates of mineral resources including uncertainty that mineral resources may never be converted into mineral reserves; the Companys ability to carry on current and future operations, including development and exploration activities at the Arakompa, Kora, Judd and other projects; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations, including any mineral resources or reserves identified thereby; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Companys ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the availability and cost of inputs; the availability and costs of achieving the Stage 3 Expansion or the Stage 4 Expansion; the ability of the Company to achieve the inputs the price and market for outputs, including gold, silver and copper; failures of information systems or information security threats; political, economic and other risks associated with the Companys foreign operations; geopolitical events and other uncertainties, such as the conflicts in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine; compliance with various laws and regulatory requirements to which the Company is subject to, including taxation; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions, including relationship with the communities in Papua New Guinea and other jurisdictions it operates; other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry; and the risks, uncertainties and other factors referred to in the Companys Annual Information Form under the heading Risk Factors. Estimates of mineral resources are also forward-looking statements because they constitute projections, based on certain estimates and assumptions, regarding the amount of minerals that may be encountered in the future and/or the anticipated economics of production. The estimation of mineral resources and mineral reserves is inherently uncertain and involves subjective judgments about many relevant factors. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The accuracy of any such estimates is a function of the quantity and quality of available data, and of the assumptions made and judgments used in engineering and geological interpretation, Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance, and actual results and future events could materially differ from those anticipated in such statements. Although we have attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actual results to differ materially from those that are 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. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SIOUX CITY A woman wounded in a shooting in which another person was killed has sued the city of Sioux City and a police officer she says did not respond to her reports that the suspected shooter was continually threatening her in violation of a no-contact order. Ashley Rogers says in the lawsuit that Jamie Mattas repeatedly failed to enforce a no-contact order she had obtained against her estranged husband, Raymond Rogers, who is charged with breaking into a rural Sergeant Bluff home Feb. 24, 2023, and shooting Ashley Rogers four times and fatally shooting her boyfriend, Gerele Jones. Ashley Rogers said Raymond Rogers, who she had left in January 2022, sent several threatening text messages to her in the days leading up to the shooting. Mattas did not respond to her emails reporting the messages, which violated the no-contact order, and arrest Raymond Rogers, despite telling her he would do so during an initial meeting with her. The lawsuit says Mattas failed to follow state law that requires officers to take a person into custody "without unnecessary delay" if they have probable cause to believe that person has violated a no-contact order. The Sioux City Police policy and procedure manual contains similar wording. It goes on to say if an arrest is not made within 24 hours, the reporting officer must submit an incident report and witness statements to his or her supervisor, who is to review and forward it to the department's investigations bureau, which will file a report and send it to the county attorney's office. Ashley Rogers said she learned after the shooting that no efforts were made by Mattas to locate or arrest Raymond Rogers after she notified him of Raymond Rogers' messages to her. "Mattas acted in bad faith and in willful and wanton violation of Iowa's mandatory arrest restraining order statutes. Defendant Mattas' conduct in protecting Raymond Rogers by repeatedly refusing to arrest him, even though he was aware of the likelihood of him committing violence against Ashley Rogers, shocks the conscience," the lawsuit, filed last week in Woodbury County District Court, said. Also included in the lawsuit is Ashley Rogers' daughter, Norah Rogers. They are represented by Cedar Rapids, Iowa, attorney David O'Brien. They're suing for intentional infliction of severe emotional distress and for Norah Roger's loss of consortium with her mother in the shooting's aftermath. Ashley Rogers suffered permanent injuries, the lawsuit said. She is seeking an award of damages for her pain and suffering, past and future loss of wages and medical expenses and future loss of earning capacity and for Norah Rogers' loss of consortium. Sioux City Police Chief Rex Mueller said because of the ongoing litigation, he could not comment on the lawsuit or Mattas' actions in the case. The city released a statement that it is aware of the lawsuit and the allegations. "The petition prompted an internal review of our response, and we are confident that officer involved in this incident properly investigated the matter and took appropriate steps to seek charges against the suspect," the statement said. Authorities responding to a 911 call at 2169 Buchanan Ave. found Ashley Rogers and Jones with gunshot wounds. Jones, 50, was pronounced dead at the scene with multiple gunshot wounds. Raymond Rogers was lying near them with a self-inflicted gunshot wound under his chin. Investigators recovered a handgun, numerous spent shell casings and empty ammunition magazines from the scene. After spending several weeks in an Omaha hospital, Raymond Rogers pleaded not guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder, first-degree burglary and stalking. He's also charged with violating a no contact order, a charge filed after the shooting. Rogers' case is currently on hold while a judge determines if he is mentally competent to stand trial. A doctor who evaluated him for the defense says he is not. A state psychiatrist has submitted an opinion that he is. He remains in the Woodbury County Jail on a $2 million bond. Ashley and Raymond Rogers were married in 2005, the lawsuit said, and in 2021 and 2022, Raymond Rogers' mental health was deteriorating to a point that relatives in May 2021 filled out paperwork to have him involuntarily committed. Ashley left Raymond in January 2022 and by April of that year was living with Jones and had contacted a lawyer to divorce Raymond. Ashley Rogers obtained a no-contact order against Raymond Rogers in June 2022 after he allegedly attempted to run her car off the road. She later asked for the order's dismissal upon the advice of her divorce attorney. Raymond Rogers continued to stalk and threaten Ashley Rogers, the lawsuit said, and she sought and was granted a second no-contact order in November 2022. On Feb. 16, 2023, eight days before the shooting, Ashley Rogers contacted police about threats she had received from Raymond Rogers. Mattas responded and took a report, giving Ashley Rogers his email address and telling her to contact him regarding any future violations. In the following days, Ashley Rogers said she forwarded numerous threatening messages she had received from Raymond Rogers to Mattas. Rogers said she never received a response from Mattas to any of her messages. "Ashley Rogers was far worse off and more exposed to harm from Raymond Rogers than she would have been had law enforcement not been involved in the situation at all," the lawsuit said. How to Do It is Slates sex advice column. Have a question? Send it to Stoya and Rich here. Its anonymous! Dear How to Do It, I keep having negative reactions to lube! They either trigger yeast infections or cause immediate burning as soon as they touch my skin. Ive run through most of the ones commonly found in big-box stores and a bunch of the popular specialty ones available online. How do I find a lube that wont do this? Trial and error is getting pricey, and its painful. Help! It Burns! Dear Help, Because youre having an adverse reaction to lube (something that isnt unheard-of but also isnt the norm), you should get checked out by a gynecologist to find out your pH and whether there are issues with your vaginal microbiome that may be contributing to your condition. (I am assuming that you have a vagina, by the way, because of your reference to yeast infections. Anal yeast infections are possible, yes, but I assume if thats whats going on, you would have labeled them specifically as such.) If there is something going on medically, you can try every lube on the market, and it might not resolve an issue that is happening internally, Lisa Finn, a sex educator for the sex-toy boutique Babeland, said when I recently reached her by phone to discuss your question. When looking for a lube, Finn recommends finding ones with a low number of ingredients that are derived primarily from plants. Skip lubes with fragrances or flavors; theyre generally safe to use but are best avoided if youre prone to infection. One thing that should be avoided, a red-flag ingredient, as Finn puts it, is glycerin, a liquid that is included to reduce the loss of moisture. Glycerin, however, is a sugar alcohol and has been linked to the promotion of yeast growth. Many lubes are advertised as being glycerin-freego with one of those. Another ingredient to avoid: the spermicide nonoxynol-9. That ingredient can damage the vaginal lining and make the body a lot more susceptible to infection or irritation, said Finn. It can actually eat away at that protection that you have in the vaginal moisture on the mucous membrane of the vaginal walls. Also, go for a paraben-free lube, as parabens may too make the vagina more susceptible to infection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With all this in mind, Finn has a few specific suggestions. Uberlube has minimal ingredients. Sliquids Naturals Satin is aloe- and carrageenan-based, which are both plant-derived to help to mimic the moisture in the body, to help to hydrate it, Finn said. If you have that increased vaginal moisture, its helping with the promotion of your own bacterial flora that you have naturally. Finally, there is BabeLube, a gel with only five ingredients. If you are a person that does not like thicker lube, dont go for a gel, explained Finn. Go for something thats advertised as a liquid or a slick, because gel will give you that sort of, like, padded feeling to it. Advertisement You may have not yet tried these options and thus require a bit more trial and error, which is annoying, I know. But because everyones body is different, its tough to hit you with a cure-all. Hopefully, these guidelines will make navigating the lube aisle easierafter your doctors appointment. Get sex advicesubmit a question! Please keep questions short (<150 words), and dont submit the same question to multiple columns. We are unable to edit or remove questions after publication. Use pseudonyms to maintain anonymity. Your submission may be used in other Slate advice columns and may be edited for publication. Thanks! Your question has been submitted. Dear How to Do It, * Your letter signoff Your pronouns Your email (optional and confidentialplease include if you're open to How to Do It following up) Submit Dear How to Do It, This might be a common problem, but for me, thinking and planning sex is more pleasurable than sex itself. Sex, once it starts, seems finite, and exploring my wifes body even in foreplay seems to be a finite set of repeated actions. To add, she doesnt like experimenting, prefers vanilla, and is not very vocal. How do you bring excitement to the act itself? Is it about trying new things like locations or positions, or being more vocal? Is it something else? Boring Sex Dear Boring Sex, Advertisement Im not sure if this is one big issue or two distinct ones. In other words, is the problem that sex for you is boring, period, or that sex with your wife is boring? And how communicative have you been regarding this issue? Advertisement I recommend starting there: a conversation. Shes not into kink or experimenting, but what is she into? Is there anything she wants to try? It might be useful to fill out a BDSM/kink questionnaire to get a handle on whether there is already room to expand based on interest. Yes, these questionnaires focus on kink, but they tend to include practices that qualify as vanilla as well, and perhaps seeing a vast list of options will stimulate the imagination. Try this one and/or this one. You can print and fill them out separately, then discuss, or go through them together. The important thing is to be talking about sex and what it might look like moving forward based on your mutual interests. Be as honest as possible. There may be stuff that shes not necessarily curious about but is willing to indulge in for your sake. Your enthusiasm may yield inspiration. Advertisement A great way to introduce novelty into your sex life is taking in outside partnerswith or without your wife. Of course, either way, this should be discussed and agreed upon. If youre going to dabble with nonmonogamy, do it ethically. Opening your relationship is a big step, and it requires a lot of communication and tending to all parties emotional needs. If you are thinking of going in this direction, Tristan Taorminos Opening Up is a good primer. Read it. Advertisement Advertisement If sex in general for you is boring (and the lead-up is way more exciting), check out this recent column from someone who shares this experience. I emailed an asexuality expert about this, and his advice was to explore kink/BDSM, a realm in which sex is not necessarily front and center but in which things like flirting, tension, and connection do tend to play a role. Of course, that kind of thing may be off the table for your wife, but perhaps youll at least gain more insight into your own sexuality and the steps you can take toward satisfaction. Advertisement Send Us Your Questions About the Workplace! For a forthcoming advice column, we want to help you navigate your social dynamics at work. Does your colleague constantly bug you after hours? Has an ill-advised work romance gone awry? Ask us your question here! Advertisement Dear How to Do It, I come from a conservative and traditional background. I have had a bit of experience in my sex life prior to marriage in which I tried swinging and having one-night stands and friends with benefits. I have been married for a little over four years now, and my sex life hasnt been great. At best, we might have had sex 25 times since weve been together. My advances or requests for physical intimacy get shrugged off by my wife most of the time. Now I am kind of tired of asking and getting rejected. How do you suggest I have a conversation with her to open our relationship and give me a hall pass or set up a friend with benefits with a third party? Hot and Bothered Dear Hot and Bothered, Advertisement Before jumping to the open-relationship conversation (or, really, conversations, as open relationships tend to require ongoing communication, not a set-it-and-forget-it approach), why not first have a conversation with your wife about your sex life? Can she put her finger on why shes seemingly uninterested in sex? Is there anything that she would like to explore? Is there anything that you could be doing differently to facilitate more sex between the two of you? See where that gets you. If the issue has something to do with, for example, her feeling that shes lacking attention from you, your problems are likely to compound if youre asking to have sex with other people. Advertisement Advertisement If you still want to proceed with proposing nonmonogamy after that conversation, I suggest following the model Tristan Taormino lays out in Opening Up, a book you should read for its breadth of advice on navigating an open relationship both personally and as a couple: If one partner is introducing the idea of an open relationship, the initiator should approach the subject gently. Test the water with something general like Did you hear that Oprah talked about open marriage on her show? What do you think of that? rather than something confrontational like I want to open up our marriage and need you to be on board. Give your partner time and space to respond; remember, you may have been thinking about the topic for a year, but this may be the first time it has occurred to him. Advertisement Advertisement Definitely have this conversation during a time when youre on good terms with your wife. If there are other issues in the relationship, this one may get swept under the rug should the conversation intensify and focus on outstanding grievances. And get ready for follow-ups. As I said, you should approach this not as one conversation but as potentially the first in a series of them. Bring your articulation, compassion, and, maybe most importantly, patience. Rich More Advice From Slate I have explored some anal play with my girlfriend in the pastbut eventually, I stopped it because of my own insecurities. Not because I did not enjoy it but because, speaking freely, I really did like it. Well, I want her to peg me. She hasnt even tried to change my mind or hint about it more since we stopped. I do fear that Ive missed my opportunity Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. At his Senate confirmation hearing yesterday, Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth refused to state whether he would follow an unlawful order given by President-elect Donald Trump. During the nationwide protests after George Floyds murder in 2020, Trump asked the then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Cant you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something? It is entirely conceivable that during his second term, what was previously a question becomes an order. Everyone in the military chain of command swears an oath to the Constitution that requires them to disobey unlawful ordersand to be very clear, a mass shooting conducted by the government against its own citizens is definitely that. If the secretary of defense is unwilling to fulfill that oath in contradiction of a commander in chief who demands absolute fealty from his subordinates, it will fall on the uniformed career service members to uphold the Constitution and ensure that the military is not unleashed on American civilians. Although individual service members are legally authorized to use force in acts of self-defense against an imminent threat, an order to fire on civilians would be not just unlawfula violation of the rules for the use of forcebut a war crime under the laws of armed conflict. An order by Trump to deploy the military and have it open fire on protesters would be catastrophic in a way few Americans who havent served in uniform realize. Unlike the National Guard at Kent State, todays military is significantly more lethal. In 1970 the Ohio National Guard killed four protesters and wounded nine at Kent State University, firing semiautomatic M1 Garand rifles, which held an eight-round magazine and could fire 40 to 50 rounds a minute.* As one National Guard member there that day recalled: I distinctly heard one shot fired; then all hell broke loose when 28 men fired a total of 67 shots over a period of 13 seconds. A modern military squad operates with roughly nine M16s loaded with 30-round magazines and three squad automatic weapons that each contain 200-round belts of ammunition. If today the same number of soldiers were firing for 13 seconds, as they did at Kent State, they could easily unleash several hundred rounds. Additionally, contemporary crowd-control tactics often result in kettling, in which protesters are pushed into densely confined areas, where individual bullets are likely to penetrate multiple people before stopping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has nearly happened before. When the Insurrection Act was most recently invoked, it was by President George H.W. Bush, who deployed elements from the 1st Marine Division to Los Angeles in 1992, after the Rodney King verdict. After taking fire while responding to a domestic disturbance with the citys police department, Marines fired more than 200 rounds into a house with children inside after an officer yelled, Cover me! Thankfully, nobody was harmed, but as Major General James Delk, who commanded the joint task force at the time, would write: The marines responded instantly in the precise way they had been trained, where cover me means provide me with cover using firepower. Advertisement The maximum distance a 5.56 mm bullet can travela distance the military calls the surface danger zone and uses for planning purposesis more than 3,000 meters, or roughly 30 city blocks. Trump once said, I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody, and I wouldnt lose any voters, OK? If he ordered units to fire on protesters in front of Trump Tower at 56th Street in Manhattan, for example, the rounds could travel as far as 86th Street, reach the Great Lawn in Central Park, and cross into the West Side. Rounds would likely ricochet in urban canyons, generating significant unintended harm to bystanders and property that would far outweigh any potential damage done by even the worst rioting. Thats in addition to any immediate carnage. Advertisement I am not saying this will happen. What Im pointing out is simply that Pete Hegseth, Trumps nominee for secretary of defense, couldnt bring himself to assure senators or the public that it would never happen. Thats terrifying. If Trump gives an unlawful order to open fire on civilians as a show of force, it would first be passed in the chain of command from the defense secretary to a four-star general, likely Northern Combatant Cmdr., Air Force Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, who is responsible for domestic military action outside Hawaii and Alaska. Like all service members, he has an obligation to the Constitution and the rule of law that supersedes following the orders of superiors. Advertisement Advertisement Trump could try to persuade Guillot by offering a preemptive pardon or could relieve and replace him with a loyalist military officer, who would then communicate it to a Joint Task Force commander operating in a U.S. city, who would face a similar obligation to disobey the unlawful order. This could go on until, eventually, it reached a 19-year-old enlisted service member who would have to make the final decision while standing in a line in riot gear, barely able to breathe through his gas mask, his view clouded by tear gas, the American citizens he had sworn to protect in his crosshairs. Advertisement Advertisement Although all military personnel take an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, the oath taken by enlisted service members, who make up the majority of the military, states: I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. How are enlisted service members supposed to split the difference while on the ground? The fact is: Orders are difficult to disobey becauseuntil proved otherwisethey initially carry the force of law. Whether service members are defending the Constitution, acting as loyalists, or engaged in mutiny will be largely a matter of perspective fracturing the chain of command. Advertisement Related From Slate Is Pete Hegseth Qualified to Run the Military? Wrong Question. Read More This is all the worst-case scenario. But long before the military could be turned on American citizens, there are common-sense precautions military leaders can take to prevent the worst from happening. Commanders should guarantee that troops are not deployed domestically armed with machine guns or automatic weapons of any kind. Only M9s should be carried, if possible. If active-duty military units are deployed, the priority should be to in-state National Guard units who have experience operating within their states (or to deploy active-duty military police and other units with specialized training in crowd control and nonlethal de-escalation). Active-duty or reserve infantry should be deployed only as a last resort. Advertisement Likewise, military leaders should reach out to protest leaders to ensure that there is no miscommunication. After Kent State, an anonymous National Guard member who was there that day later wrote, Most students did not believe our weapons were loaded, and those that did thought our ammunition was simply blanks, even though they were repeatedly and loudly told otherwise. Many soldiers wont have experienced a protest firsthand; their reference will likely be what theyve seen on TV and in movies. They must be educated about what to expect. What do appropriate escalation-of-force procedures look like? How should citizens protesting be informed that an escalation of force is occurring so they can disburse before its too late? What would result in a law-abiding citizens losing their constitutional right to life in the eyes of its own military? Likewise, commanders should be informed that there is nothing in the standing rules for the use of force that prohibits subordinate commanders from implementing more-stringent constraints in order to accomplish their mission. Advertisement The goal of any sound military strategy should be the avoidance of violence and its minimization. Even without explicit orders, military commanders at every level of the chain of command can execute this kind of training on their own initiative, from the lowest fire team leader to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. Otherwise, young soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and National Guard members may soon find themselves the last line of defense against an unlawful order that could irrevocably damage our country. Hegseth certainly didnt give the Senate any reason to believe otherwise. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. This is a pop-up edition of Slates Keeping Up With the Trump Trials. You can read our old coverage of Trumps legal entanglements here. Right as Donald Trump is preparing to take the oath of office to become the 47th president of the United States, his criminal cases have suddenly kicked back into high gear. It started with a fight over special counsel Jack Smiths final reports, which summarize both of his winding-down federal prosecutions, with Trumps attorneys attempting to block the release of the volume that details the classified-documents case. Meanwhile, the first volume, which details the election-interference investigation, was released, and Smith made clear Trump is anything but exonerated. Finally, Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge (which is exactly what it sounds like) in New York for his felony conviction in the hush money case. Jack Smiths Final Report on the Jan. 6 Case Is Out The Department of Justice released special counsel Jack Smiths final report of his election-interference case just after midnight Tuesday. In 137 pages, Smith lays out the entirety of his two-year investigation into Trumps efforts to subvert Joe Bidens win in the 2020 election and incite an angry mob that would violently attack the Capitol on Jan. 6. Though Smith acknowledges he is barred from prosecuting Trump now that the president-elect is about to be sworn in again, he made one thing clear: This report should not be read to allege that any particular person other than Mr. Trump committed a crime, nor should it be read to exonerate any particular person. The report begins when Attorney General Merrick Garland first appointed Smith as special counsel to oversee the DOJs ongoing investigation into the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. Upon taking the reins, Smith wrote that it quickly became clear Trump had engaged in a series of criminal efforts to retain power, which included pressuring state officials to ignore true vote counts and manufacture fraudulent slates of presidential electors in seven states that he had lost. Much of these details have already been made public, thanks to the House Jan. 6 committee, which investigated the attack and held a series of televised hearings in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith stated he was confident he had enough evidence of Trump amplifying claims of voter fraud while intentionally blocking out folks who would give him honest answers about the election that would constitute powerful proof at trial that Mr. Trump knew the claims he was making were false. Smiths point: He easily satisfied the standards needed to prosecute Trumps charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Smith also weighed potential defense arguments Trump would likely try to use but concluded that each of the defenses was legally or factually flawed and thus would not prevail. The special counsel also explained why he chose not to charge Trump with violation of the Insurrection Act, which mandates a 10-year prison sentence for anyone who incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States and which could have barred him from running for office again had he been convicted in time. Smith said prosecutions of this act are scarce, with no recorded violation of the statute in more than 100 years, leaving prosecutors with little guidance. Attached to Smiths final report was a letter given to the attorney general in which Smith pushed back against Trumps incessant accusations that his investigation was influenced or directed by the Biden administration or other political actors: To those who knew him well, Trumps accusations were, in a word, laughable, Smith wrote. Advertisement Advertisement The Classified-Documents Final Report Is on Shaky Ground While overseeing the special counsels classified-documents case, U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon became infamous for delivering unusually sympathetic decisions that favored Trumpwho had appointed Cannon to her current post in the waning months of his first presidency. Then, last year, she made the controversial decision to dismiss Smiths case. Now Cannon is busy making sure Volume 2 of Smiths final report, which details his classified-documents investigation, never sees the light of day. Advertisement It started last week, when Cannon agreed to temporarily block the DOJ from publicly releasing the second half of Smiths report, following a request from Trumps co-defendants Waultine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira. They argued that because there is still an ongoing appeal with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Cannons motion to dismiss the classified-documents case, any details of Smiths investigation revealed in his final report could hurt them at trial. However, Slates Mark Joseph Stern pointed out, Cannon no longer holds jurisdiction over this case; she has relinquished it to the 11th Circuit, which has thus far declined to issue the very relief that she granted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Why the Supreme Court Refused to Bail Out Trump This Time Read More Typical procedure, as dictated by the Supreme Court, demands that once an appeal is filed, the district court loses authority over those aspects of the case involved in the appeal. Yet Cannon chose to insert herself into the matter, despite Nauta and De Oliveira also filing a motion with the 11th Circuit requesting that Smiths report be held from the public. (The justices there have thus far not responded.) By inserting herself into this case and blocking the DOJ from publicly sharing Smiths report, Cannon has created an unprecedented situation. Dennis Fan, a former federal prosecutor and currently a professor at Columbia Law School, explained: You cant really stop Jack Smith from talking to Merrick Garland, so what youre really saying is: Merrick Garland, who is not really involved in the case at all, cant say things to the public. Whats your authority for preventing him? At this point, with Trumps inauguration just days away, its unclear if Smiths classified-documents final report will be publicly released. Advertisement Trump Will Enter the White House a Convicted Felon After failing to stop his sentencing from happening, even taking the question up to the Supreme Court, last week Trump was given an unconditional discharge by New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan for his 34-felony-count conviction over falsifying business records in order to protect his image ahead of the 2016 election. Advertisement The sentencing hearing lasted less than 40 minutes, as Andrea Bernstein reported for Slate from the courthouse, with Trump appearing virtually. The president-elect faces no jail time, home confinement, community service, or even fine. However, Merchan explained that if Trump were not about to become the 47th president of the United States, he would not be subject to such considerable protections. Meanwhile, Trump insisted he was in the clear, telling the court: Im totally innocent. I did nothing wrong. The short-lived hearing was a quiet ending to a dramatic, six-week-long trial that began in May. Twelve jurors heard from a variety of folks in Trumps inner circle, including former personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks, and the figure at the center of the case, adult film star Stormy Daniels. All of their testimony combined, alongside a trove of documentary evidence presented by prosecutors, convinced jurors that Trump was guilty of all 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trumps sentencing has been a long time coming. Originally scheduled for July 11, it was delayed multiple times due to the Supreme Courts presidential-immunity decision and the election. Trumps attorneys then initiated a series of appeals to try to get the hush money conviction thrown out and to cancel his sentencing. In the end, the case returned to Merchans court, and in early January he issued an order that detailed his plan for sentencing: A sentence of an unconditional discharge appears to be the most viable solution to ensure finality and allow Defendant to pursue his appellate options. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. If there were any doubts that Donald Trump would begin his second term with deep fractures in his movement, they were erased last week when Steve Bannon called Elon Musk a truly evil person with the maturity of a child and vowed to get Elon Musk kicked out by Inauguration Day. At the beginning of January, Bannon also issued a warning to Musk: that he, a convert to the MAGA movement, needed to sit in the back and study for years instead of taking chargeor else were going to rip your face off. As of yet, Musk has not responded. But Musk is nothing if not combative, and Bannon will surely keep this up. Because the tensions within the MAGA world are both petty and existential. Bannon is almost certainly smarting from Musks rise in popularity with his former boss. But much more seriously, Bannon has worked very hard to shape the framework for MAGA populism for about a decade, and if the way he talks on his show is any indication, he feels that those long years of diligence were about to pay off, that he was on the brink of actually realizing his nationalist populist vision. Then Musk came along and, almost overnight, X-posted his way into a kind of co-president position. A tech billionaire, Musk is antithetical to Bannons crusade against the elite; Bannon must see him as a dire threat to his most radical populist ideas. The cracks between the tech broligarchs who are now flocking around Trump and the populist MAGA movement that launched him began to reveal themselves in late December when the provocateur Laura Loomer started attacking the H-1B visa, which facilitates the staffing of a significant portion of the tech industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Musk, who himself once held an H-1B visa, and who has hired H-1B workers for his company Tesla, has argued that the U.S. needs immigrants from India, China, and other countries for continued excellence in the tech sector. (Musk also replied to a post on X that claimed that his position on American workers was you guys are retarded with the comment That pretty much sums it up.) Loomer went on Bannons show, War Room, and called Musk a welfare queen for benefiting personally from the visa; Bannon called Musk sociopathic and said he owed the U.S. reparations for the jobs he gave to non-Americans. Advertisement Theres really no way to split the difference here: The Musk camp sees the incoming president as an ally in eliminating burdensome regulations in pursuit of technology-boosted greatness and riches. The Bannon camp sees the incoming president as the path to building a long-dreamed-of new political order. But those visions are inherently contradictory: Bannons espoused desire to eliminate the influence of wealthy elites on the GOP naturally includes the influence of Musk and his cohortor the technofeudalists, as Bannon calls them. Bannons comments about Musk being evil were published on Jan. 8 by Corriere della Sera, the most widely read newspaper in Italy. Stopping him has become a personal issue for me, Bannon told the paper. Before, since hes put in so much money, I was prepared to tolerate it. Not anymore. Advertisement Bannons entire political philosophy is based on extreme isolationist ideas. He has long argued that immigrants make it harder for Americans to get jobs; Musk, who is happy to make inflammatory or outright racist comments about migrants crossing the Mexican border or to stir up fears about Arab communities in the U.K., still supports skilled immigration for the tech sector. Bannon often portrays China as Americas greatest enemy; Musk has significant business ties to China and stays conspicuously silent about its government. With the confidence that might naturally come from being the richest man on Earth, Musk appears to believe he can fix the country by slashing things he doesnt like (regulations, budgets, jobs); Bannon, meanwhile, has said he wants to raise taxes on the wealthy while shutting out all foreign influencewhich necessarily includes Musk. Musk dreams of a science fiction future; Bannon, a mythic past. Advertisement Advertisement Right now, Musk may look to have the upper hand in the MAGA world: Through his vast fortune, he has earned Trumps ear. He will take a place of prominence at Trumps inauguration and has already thrown his weight around, having almost single-handedly killed a federal funding deal in December; he has also claimed White House complex office space. But Bannon, a long-game man, has proven himself steadier than Musk. He is more committed to a single ideology, and he more closely represents the worldview of Trumps die-hard MAGA supporters. Musk, with his control of one of the largest social media platforms, may have a reach on an entirely different scale, but he cant touch Bannon when it comes to articulating grievances. Advertisement Advertisement His only goal is to become a trillionaire, Bannon said of Musk in the interview with Corriere della Sera. He will do anything to make sure that every company he owns is protected or has a better deal or makes more money. The aggregation of wealth and, through wealth, power: that is his goal. American workers will not tolerate it. And in a kind of perverse twist, Bannon, who relies on dehumanizing immigrants for his politics but simultaneously believes his nationalist movement to be a coalition-builder across racial demographics, has been able to level charges of racism against his opponent. Advertisement Seventy-six percent of engineers in Silicon Valley are not Americans, Bannon said. These are the best jobs, and Blacks and Hispanics dont have access to them. He should go back to South Africa, he added. Why do we have white South Africans, the most racist people in the world, commenting on everything that happens in the United States? On the social media platform Gettr, he warned that If the Masses will Not Shower Him with Adoration, Elon will Suppress Their Voices on Twitter Thru a CCP Inspired Social Credit Score Later, he said that someone needed to do a wellness check on this toddler. (This was in response to Musk telling someone who criticized his support for the visa to FUCK YOURSELF in the face.) When Musk criticized the right-wing British conservative Nigel Farage over a minor squabble, Bannon crowed at a poll showing Farages party doing well, writing Suck on That Elon. Advertisement Related From Slate Elon Musk Has Just Embarrassed Himself Beyond Belief Read More On Jan. 8 on War Room, he had a guest on to complain that X had become Orwellian; that Tesla sourced its cobalt and nickel from a mine known for human rights abuses; and that Musks defense of the H-1B visa amounted to abandoning young Americans. Were not going to take the temperature down, Bannon said on a separate show. Advertisement And on Tuesday, Bannon told Politico that it was natural that Musk, who spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help Trump get elected, would have influence. But he argued that that was different, somehow, from powersomething he said Musk didnt have much of. He doesnt have the ability to actually make decisions and inform those decisions and drive those decisions, he told Politico. In reality, the two camps may have just enough in common when it comes to power to keep each other around. And who knows? Maybe theyll unite in some way. Bannon has said he appreciates Musks shared love for promoting far-right movements in Europe, for example. And both speak of the importance of traditional Western values as the bedrock of American society. But Bannon is a committed antiestablishment man and a true believer in his cause. So long as Musk and the tech CEOs continue to hover around the president, Bannon will rail on them, acting as the GOPs gadfly, and forcing them to confront the contradictions in Trumps party. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Fluoride is one of the most interesting stories of public health improvement. It all began over 100 years ago, with two simple observations: 1) that lots of people in some areas of the world had weird marks on their teeth, and 2) that somehow they never seemed to lose them to decay. After over a decade, scientists identified the reasonin these areas, there was fluoride in the water. In large amounts, fluoride causes unsightly blemishes on teeth, and it may even have some negative health consequences. But it wasnt long before people realized that adding a tiny bit of fluoride to public drinking water prevented dental decay and had no problematic impacts on health. Despite the obvious and proven benefits of fluoridation for teeth, its very controversial. Theres been an ongoing debate for decades about whether government fluoridation programs could be causing children to lose IQ points. This theory is a favorite of the incoming Trump administration. Its also recently hit headlines because of a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics that seems to show that fluoride is indeed making children less smart. So is there something to this pet issue of RFK Jr.s? What do the data really say? The new paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis. This is a type of study in which researchers comb the literature on a topic to find all the research thats been published in the area. They then put all that data together in a statistical model to get an idea of what the evidence shows altogether. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this case, the researchers looked at studies that compared groups of kids who were exposed to more fluoride with those exposed to less. These studies looked at either those marks on the teeth that I mentioned earlier (which are called dental fluorosis), markers of fluoride exposure in urine, or sometimes estimates based on the amount of fluid people reported drinking. Im an epidemiologist who fact-checks science news, and in general, the review looks pretty solid as a research paper. Whats more, to the great credit of the authors, theyve put their methods and data online for all to read. This is very rare transparency for a scientific project. Advertisement Overall, the review paper found that fluoride exposure for kids was associated with lower IQs. The main model that the authors ran included a total of 74 studies (so, quite a few), and overall the effect size was quite big. But dont get on board with the talk of banning fluoride just yet: These results come with some major caveats that are pretty obvious once you start reading the research that was included in the meta-analysis. For one thing, most (77 percent) of the research in this review was conducted in China or India. China in particular is known for having very high levels of natural fluoride due to features of the groundwater in the country, with some regions having more than 60 times the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions recommended levels of fluoride occurring naturally in their water supply. Advertisement In addition, most of the research included in the meta-analysis was terrible. The authors used an 11-question rating scale to determine whether they thought a study was reasonably solid. On this scale, only 13 of the 74 papers they found didnt have significant issues with how they had reported the data or how the studies were conducted. And even the studies that were reasonably strong mostly had serious caveats. Advertisement Advertisement Its not that the people who did this research were bad at their jobsit just comes back to the way this kind of research is done. All the research on whether fluoride in water is associated with IQ is observational, because you cant really randomize people to drink fluoridated water, at least over any kind of span of time. People drink what comes out of their taps; imagine the work involved in supplying different kinds of water to many research subjects. This inherent limitation means that even high-quality research in this area is often riddled with potential pitfalls that make it hard to assess whether the fluoride is the problem or if something else is going on. For example, take this study, which the review rated as high quality. The authors of the study looked at motherchild pairs in Mexico City. They took two databases of mothers who were enrolled in studies on lead exposure but had also had fluoride tests while pregnant, and followed their children up about a decade later to record their IQs. They found that there was a fairly large association between a mothers having more fluoride in their urine and the childs IQ at ages 6 to 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the study had major limitations. The authors had to exclude 70 percent of the sample because they were missing data on either the mother or the child. This isnt surprising, given that the researchers were following up on kids a decade after their mother had been in a completely different study. But it does mean that the results could have been seriously affected by this dropout. Although this may not have been considered a serious problem by the review paper, it renders the final numbers extremely unreliable. Related From Slate Im Not Throwing Away My Black Plastic Spatula Read More Whats more, the review looked almost exclusively at studies of natural fluoridation. This is where researchers compare people who live in areas with different amounts of natural fluoride in the water. Its a big issue because areas with high natural fluoride tend to be very different from areas with lower amounts: The former are often more rural, are lower income, and have other factors that can influence IQ. Advertisement If you examine the small number of studies that have compared fluoride levels in high-income countries where weve added fluoride to the water, the picture looks quite different. A detailed econometric paper from 2021 using a natural experiment in Sweden found that there was likely no relationship between cities putting small amounts of fluoride in their water and intelligence. In fact, the study found that putting fluoride in the water probably helped people from low-income areas earn more money, likely because they had fewer teeth problems that could prevent them from working. Advertisement Advertisement Other studies from high-income places looking specifically at governments that put fluoride in the water show similar things. A Canadian study from 2023 followed what happened when Calgary stopped putting fluoride in the water in 2011, and found no major differences between kids who were exposed to fluoride and those who werent. A 2024 study looking at children born in Odense, Denmark, found that there was no association between fluoride in the water and childrens IQs. A recent Spanish paper showed that boysbut not girlswho were exposed to fluoride in the womb had higher IQs than did boys with no fluoride exposure. From all of this data, we can say a couple of things with a fair deal of confidence. Children who are born in areas that have naturally high fluoride levelsparticularly in China, where those levels can be extremely highoften have lower IQs than do kids in areas with little or no natural fluoride. This could be because of the fluoride, or it could be because kids in those areas have lots of disadvantages that affect their IQ scores. On the other hand, there appears to be no impact on IQ for kids when we add about 1 part per million of fluoride to drinking water, which is all it takes to get those dental benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finally, we also know that water fluoridation prevents dental disease. This has been shown time and again, and is proved in many of the studies Ive cited in this piece. If we add a tiny amount of fluoride to drinking water, kids lose fewer teeth. The kids who benefit the most are also the poorest and most vulnerable. Despite the furor, theres really no good evidence that adding fluoride to drinking water hurts children. Its beneficial, and also really, really inexpensive; per capita, adding fluoride to the water can cost on the order of dimes each year. Overall, its a major public health win. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Mark Zuckerberg has been busy. Last week, he announced his future plans for Meta, which included halting all independent fact-checking efforts and relaxing moderation of anti-LGBTQ+ hate speech. Through the days that followed, Meta removed accommodations for transgender employees from its office bathrooms, scrubbed LGBTQ+ themes from Messenger, softened its misinformation filters, junked its diversity initiatives, and bade goodbye to its vice president of civil rights while reassigning its chief diversity officer to an accessibility and engagement position. Meanwhile, Zuck ramped up his online interactions with far-right influencers like Benny Johnson, went on Joe Rogans podcast to bemoan a supposed lack of masculine energy in corporate America, and kept up his regular Mar-a-Lago meetings with Donald Trump (in part to negotiate a possible resolution to Trumps postJan. 6 lawsuit against Facebook). This has resulted in a lot of upset users, employees, and associates. TechCrunch reported on a massive uptick in Google searches from users looking up how to delete their Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts, and seeking alternatives to those platforms. (Among them: Pixelfed, a community-supported Instagram alternative that reported unprecedented levels of traffic over the weekend.) This mass deletion push has been encouraged by Hollywood celebrities like Mia Farrow, Alex Winter, and Cord Jefferson, all of whom have publicly announced farewells to their Instagram and Threads accounts. One of the attorneys defending Metas A.I. models from a lawsuit brought by aggrieved authors dropped Meta as a client and announced he was deleting Instagram and Threads, citing his displeasure at Mark Zuckerberg and Facebooks descent into toxic masculinity and Neo-Nazi madness. Zuckerberg has dismissed such platform departures as virtue signaling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this may feel like deja vu to social media users who remember the aftermath of Elon Musks 2022 Twitter takeover, which spurred a mass exodus of liberal users, and the rage that erupted last year as the website now known as X became a full-on Trump propaganda den and hive for neo-Naziswhich, in the wake of the 2024 election results, inspired even more users to leave, including me. Advertisement Heres the funny thing about that: Remember what major company positioned itself as a ready refuge for these disaffected tweeters post-2022? That was Meta, yup, which coordinated a massive celebrity-supported rollout for its Twitter clone, Threads, in July 2023, with Zuck stating his goal of turning it into a public conversations app with 1 billion+ people on it. Threads initially benefited from some clear advantages: default compatibility with Instagram, server capacity to handle mass influxes, and enthusiasm among users and advertisers for a friendly microblogging platform not owned by Elon Musk. But Threads blew its initial momentum rather quickly, not least thanks to Metas insistence on refusing to promote so-called political contenteven though the sites most eager users were, naturally, political organizers situated around the world. Overall engagement with the site plummeted quickly, and issues around blocked news links and erroneously deleted profiles further soured people on the experience. Advertisement Threads has made some changes to try to fix this, offering customized feeds for users (following the postelection user surge on the very customizable Bluesky) and, as Zuckerberg noted in last weeks announcement, working to recommend political content again. But theres a much, much deeper issue at hand that might just neuter any chance Threads may have had to take X/Twitters place in the social mediasphereand if that turns out to be the case, it wont be anyones fault but Zuckerbergs. Advertisement Advertisement Remember, another reason that Threads appealed to ex-Twitterers was that Zuckerberg, at that point in 2023, was in the midst of some rather public spats with Musk, by then Public Enemy No. 1 for liberal users. The two were going to face off in a cage fight after throwing barbs at each other from across their respective social networks. Musk even sent Zuck a cease-and-desist for supposedly stealing Twitters trade secrets while building Threads. For a brief moment, following the reputational hits Zuckerberg had taken after Cambridge Analytica and the Facebook Papers, Threads may have earned the grudging embrace of liberals who hated Musk more than they appreciated Zuck. Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Elon Musk Has Just Embarrassed Himself Beyond Belief Read More Which is why its especially ironicor concerning, if you willthat Zuckerberg is trying so hard to emulate Musks Twitter turnaround in his own goals for Meta. In last weeks announcement video, and in his conversation with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg evoked Musk in both substance and style. Hes getting rid of fact-checkers in favor of a Community Notes feature specifically based on Xs controversial program. He attacked legacy media, while supposedly championing free speech that allows for more dehumanizing language against transgender Americans. Hes moving certain employees from California to Texas while expressing contempt for the Biden administrations censorship of social media platforms (despite the fact that it was the first Trump administration that policed much online language around the hot-button issues of COVID and Hunter Bidens laptop). He attacked digital regulations in Europe and Latin America and pronounced his desire to change some countries laws. Sound familiar? Advertisement For all the power and influence Musk may have gained for himself by running X/Twitter, the website itself is nothing less than a mess for those remaining, with users and advertisers fleeing as white nationalism and horrific conspiracy theories spread nonstop. Is it any wonder that advertisersthe primary source of Metas massive profitsare already expressing their concerns about Zucks redirection? Is it any wonder that Bluesky is retaining user engagement and loyalty in ways that Threads is simply not? Advertisement Advertisement Despite their rapid A.I.-driven enshittification, Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are long-extant, essential communication apparatuses for several types of users around the world, and its difficult to see Zucks changes making severe dents in those platforms as he (presumably) earns more government-backed favors from Trump. (And not to mention as Reels benefits from TikToks expulsion.) But Threads? The only reason for anyone to join was that it wasnt like Elon Musks Twitter, as one disaffected user responded to a post from Instagram head Adam Mosseri. By turning Threads into just another form of Twitter, Zuck may have just neutered any case for users to join or remain on Threads. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/captured-ukrainian-reveals-rampant-gambling-and-exploitation-in-the-ranks-1121437664.html Captured Ukrainian Reveals Rampant Gambling and Exploitation in the Ranks Captured Ukrainian Reveals Rampant Gambling and Exploitation in the Ranks Sputnik International Ukrainian servicepeople are actively gambling in online casinos, and unit commanders are also engaged in this, in fact robbing their fellow soldiers, a captured Ukrainian border guard said in a video obtained by Sputnik. 2025-01-16T09:58+0000 2025-01-16T09:58+0000 2025-01-16T10:16+0000 russia's special operation in ukraine ukraine russia ukrainian armed forces ukrainian army https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/10/1121437506_0:0:1152:648_1920x0_80_0_0_c6cb2535d5994c78dae1e0d865a188ce.jpg The border guard, warrant officer Yaroslav Shevelyuk (call sign "Sheva"), told Russian security forces that the former commander of his unit, Lt. Zabiyaka, suffered from a gambling addiction. A group of six Ukrainian State Border Service officers surrendered to Russia on Orthodox Christmas Eve on the border with the Belgorod Region in the Kharkov (Kharkiv) direction, a source in the Russian security services told Sputnik. Shevelyuk, a border guard inspector of the highest category, was among those who surrendered. Earlier in the week, two other captured Ukrainian border guards from the group said in a video obtained by Sputnik that drug use and drinking to death were rampant among Ukrainian servicepeople amid their extreme fatigue and poor mental well-being. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250115/captured-ukrainian-border-guard-exposes-corruption-and-low-morale-in-military-1121431036.html ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Ukrainian Soldiers Suffer From Gambling Addiction Sputnik International Ukrainian Soldiers Suffer From Gambling Addiction 2025-01-16T09:58+0000 true PT0M24S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International ukraine, ukrainian army, ukrainian armed forces, problems in ukrainan army https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/denmark-threatens-greenland-to-drop-independence-claims---ex-greenlandic-foreign-minister-1121434805.html Denmark Threatens Greenland to Drop Independence Claims - Ex-Greenlandic Foreign Minister Denmark Threatens Greenland to Drop Independence Claims - Ex-Greenlandic Foreign Minister Sputnik International For years, Denmark has been threatening Greenland every time the issue of independence is raised, the leader of the island's largest opposition party, Naleraq, and former Greenlandic Foreign Minister Pele Broberg told RIA Novosti. 2025-01-16T07:07+0000 2025-01-16T07:07+0000 2025-01-16T07:07+0000 world europe donald trump greenland denmark washington european union (eu) https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/107891/92/1078919221_0:203:2156:1416_1920x0_80_0_0_941514909d4fa083964424fd1f35f18a.jpg "Every time we talk about independence, they [the Danes] threaten us. They say, 'If you do this, you will never come to Denmark again; you will have no education, etc.' We always hear threats when we talk about independence," Broberg said. For example. He added that when his party ran for parliament seats in 2018 and he mentioned the plan to gain independence, the Danish prime minister addressed national media, saying that it was unrealistic. In addition, Naleraq has a very clear plan to leave the Kingdom of Denmark, which is that if the party wins the 2025 parliamentary elections, it will submit an application for an independence referendum on the same day, Broberg added. "It may take two days, it may take two months, it may take two years. The plans we have developed are based on how we left the EU in the 80s. We voted in 1982, and we left in 1985. Brexit also took three years, and that is why we keep saying that the discussion is about a three-year period. The most important thing for us is to start the process itself," the ex-minister said.US Has No Chance to Buy GreenlandWashington has no chance to bribe the Greenlandic government to annex the island, the former minister added."No," Broberg said in response to a corresponding question.US President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to assume office on January 20, has called it an "absolute necessity" for the United States to own Greenland. Greenland's Prime Minister, Mute Egede, responded by saying that the island was not for sale.Almost No One in Greenland Wants to Join the USOnly 0.0001% of people in Greenland want to become part of the United States, while 75% support the idea of independence from Denmark, Pele Broberg pointed out.US President-elect Donald Trump, who is due to assume office on January 20, has called it an "absolute necessity" for the United States to own Greenland. Greenland's Prime Minister, Mute Egede, responded by saying that the island was not for sale. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250110/were-trumps-plans-for-greenland-hidden-away-in-biden-pentagons-2024-arctic-strategy-1121403981.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20250110/is-greenland-the-new-arctic-battleground-for-us-and-china-1121403227.html greenland denmark washington Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us buys greenland, is greenland going to be part of america, why does trump want to buy greenland, what's up with greenland https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/global-leaders-and-top-officials-hail-gaza-ceasefire-agreement-1121435209.html Global Leaders and Top Officials Hail Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Global Leaders and Top Officials Hail Gaza Ceasefire Agreement Sputnik International Top officials of various world powers, including Germany, France, Spain and Switzerland, have welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement, which has been agreed upon by Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas. 2025-01-16T07:19+0000 2025-01-16T07:19+0000 2025-01-16T07:32+0000 world europe mohammed bin abdulrahman al thani olaf scholz emmanuel macron israel qatar egypt hamas palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/02/09/1116700628_0:137:3153:1911_1920x0_80_0_0_ffd67d4ce40fed2b585443afa7a9b0a7.jpg Earlier, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said that Israel and Hamas had agreed, with the mediation of Qatar, Egypt and the United States, to a 42-day ceasefire as part of the first stage of the agreement, which also includes the release of 33 Israeli hostages. The agreement will come into effect on January 19. French President Emmanuel Macron called the deal between Israel and Hamas a relief for the residents of the Gaza Strip after "15 months of unjustified suffering." Spanish Prime Minister welcomed the ceasefire agreement, saying that it is crucial for achieving regional stability. Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard called the ceasefire deal a prerequisite for a two-state solution. "The deal will bring relief to the entire region and humanitarian aid to the people in need. We hope for full implementation and take this as a first step towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict," Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen noted. The Austrian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the signing of the deal and expressed gratitude to the US, Egypt and Qatar for their efforts. The Italian government added that it sees the deal as an opportunity to increase humanitarian aid to the population of the Palestinian enclave. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said that the ceasefire "must mark the beginning of a new chapter for the Israeli and Palestinian people" and Australia will continue to work towards resolving the conflict through a two-state solution. Icelandic Foreign Minister Torgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir noted the necessity to ensure humanitarian access for the people of Gaza, expressing hope for the safe return of all hostages.Reactions From the Arab WorldArab countries have welcomed the Gaza ceasefire agreement, expressing hope for a speedy end to the conflict, continued flow of humanitarian aid to the enclave and international support for efforts to achieve peace in the region.UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed the importance of the international community's support for all efforts aimed at advancing the peace process in the Middle East, as well as ending illegal actions that undermine the two-state solution and the creation of an independent Palestinian state.Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani expressed hope that destruction and killing will stop in all Palestinian territories thanks to the ceasefire deal.The Jordanian Foreign Ministry said that it highly appreciates the mediation efforts of Egypt, Qatar and the US, and noted that it is important to organize the delivery of humanitarian aid to the enclave as quickly as possible.The ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip is the end of a "bloody page" in the history of Palestine, interim Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati noted. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250115/israel-and-hamas-agree-to-42-day-ceasefire-mediated-by-qatar-egypt-and-the-us-1121434336.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20250112/old-conflicts-new-crises-trumps-return-and-netanyahus-fate-what-awaits-israel-in-2025-1121417134.html israel qatar egypt Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza genocide, is israel committing genocide, whats happening with gaza, israeli genocide against palestinians, will israel be charged with genocide, whos backing israel, un hearing on gaza, current developments in gaza, whats happening to palestinians, us military aid to israel, us arms supplies to israel, us violating international law, what weapons is israel getting from us, israeli strikes, israel strikes gaza, israel kills civilians, operation in rafah, incursion into rafah, palestinian statehood, palestine independence, israeli hostages, jewish hostages, how many people did hamas abduct, how much money does us give israel, military aid to israel, financial aid to israel, hamas leader killed, haniyeh assassination, gaza peace talks, gaza ceasefire talks, israel vs hezbollah, israel lebanon tension, israel lebanon hostilities, israeli strikes on syria, airstrikes on damascus https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/greenland-is-absolutely-not-for-sale-former-prime-minister-1121438977.html 'Greenland is Absolutely Not for Sale' - Former Prime Minister 'Greenland is Absolutely Not for Sale' - Former Prime Minister Sputnik International No matter what Donald Trump says or thinks about Greenland, the island is not for sale, the country's former Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist tells Sputnik. 2025-01-16T14:26+0000 2025-01-16T14:26+0000 2025-01-16T14:26+0000 analysis us greenland donald trump denmark https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/104186/68/1041866878_0:98:1977:1210_1920x0_80_0_0_33d05b1636d3a81cdf080164973774f7.jpg No matter what Donald Trump says or thinks about Greenland, the island is not for sale, the country's former Prime Minister Kuupik Kleist tells Sputnik.He also agrees with Greenlands current Prime Minister Mute Egedes statement about people of the country desiring to be Greenlandic rather than Danish or American.So Greenland is absolutely not for sale, Kleist stresses.Why the US is Not and OptionTrump may boast all he wants about supposed advantages of the US seizing Greenland, but Kleist says he does not regard the United Statas as an attractive mother country.Thus, Kleist suggests, Greenland instead should find solutions with Denmark.Challenges for Greenlands FutureGreenland faces a lot of issues that need to be discussed and solved, with unemployed and uneducated youths amongst them, he says.They are approximately 3,000 young people and they are supposed to be our future and they are supposed to take over the control of the country. That is a national issue, he adds.On top of that, Kleist remarks, there are plenty of matters for Greenland to discuss with its current ruler Denmark.A colonial power is a colonial power, no matter the face of it, he remarks. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/denmark-threatens-greenland-to-drop-independence-claims---ex-greenlandic-foreign-minister-1121434805.html https://sputnikglobe.com/20250103/greenlands-pm-declares-independence-push-amid-trumps-desire-to-buy-danish-dependency-1121348256.html greenland denmark Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International us greenland acquisition, donald trump greenland, greenland us annexation, greenland us relations https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/israels-ceasefire-agreement-with-hamas-painful-hard-decision---foreign-ministry-1121435641.html Israel's Ceasefire Agreement With Hamas 'Painful, Hard' Decision - Foreign Ministry Israel's Ceasefire Agreement With Hamas 'Painful, Hard' Decision - Foreign Ministry Sputnik International Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on Wednesday called the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas a very hard and painful decision that is yet to be approved by the Israeli government. 2025-01-16T07:24+0000 2025-01-16T07:24+0000 2025-01-16T07:24+0000 world middle east gideon sa'ar israel italy hamas palestine-israel conflict https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e8/0b/16/1120959111_0:0:3072:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_0572f6317206a935f82ac4114994ed8f.jpg "We are likely to stand before a hostage agreement... This is a very difficult decision. When you make the decision to release so many terrorists, including murderers of Jews, it is not an easy decision ... that the Israeli cabinet has yet to make," Saar said during his visit to Italy. He added that true leadership is about the ability to choose between "a bad and a very bad decision." https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/global-leaders-and-top-officials-hail-gaza-ceasefire-agreement-1121435209.html israel italy Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International gaza genocide, is israel committing genocide, whats happening with gaza, israeli genocide against palestinians, will israel be charged with genocide, whos backing israel, un hearing on gaza, current developments in gaza, whats happening to palestinians, us military aid to israel, us arms supplies to israel, us violating international law, what weapons is israel getting from us, israeli strikes, israel strikes gaza, israel kills civilians, operation in rafah, incursion into rafah, palestinian statehood, palestine independence, israeli hostages, jewish hostages, how many people did hamas abduct, how much money does us give israel, military aid to israel, financial aid to israel, hamas leader killed, haniyeh assassination, gaza peace talks, gaza ceasefire talks, israel vs hezbollah, israel lebanon tension, israel lebanon hostilities, israeli strikes on syria, airstrikes on damascus https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/putin-meets-with-president-of-central-african-republic-1121436350.html Putin Meets With President of Central African Republic Putin Meets With President of Central African Republic Sputnik International President Faustin-Archange Touadera is visiting Russia from January 15 to 17. The visit aims to strengthen relations between the two countries and expand cooperation across various sectors. 2025-01-16T12:32+0000 2025-01-16T12:32+0000 2025-01-16T12:32+0000 world vladimir putin faustin-archange touadera russia central african republic kremlin moscow https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e9/01/10/1121436531_0:0:3035:1708_1920x0_80_0_0_18925ecf68c7ff95eb5f334a00b1eb12.jpg Sputnik is live as Russian President Vladimir Putin and CAR President Faustin-Archange Touadera hold high-level talks in Moscow."The discussion will focus on the state and prospects of further development of bilateral cooperation in political, trade-economic, and humanitarian fields, as well as pressing issues on the international and regional agenda," the Kremlin stated.On December 4, during a plenary session of the "Russia Calling!" Investment Forum, Putin remarked that Africa is spiritually close to Russia. He also highlighted the continent's "very promising" development prospects, citing global expert evaluations, including those from Western analysts.Follow Sputnik's live feed for more details! russia central african republic moscow Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 putin Sputnik International putin 2025-01-16T12:32+0000 true PT1S 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International putin and touadera, putin meets with president of central african republic https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/syria-to-deploy-un-peacekeeping-forces-in-buffer-zone-on-golan-heights-administration-1121441239.html Syria to Deploy UN Peacekeeping Forces in Buffer Zone on Golan Heights Syria to Deploy UN Peacekeeping Forces in Buffer Zone on Golan Heights Sputnik International The new Syrian authorities agreed to deploy UN peacekeeping forces in the buffer zone on the Golan Heights near the border with Israel, the leader of the new Syrian administration, Ahmad al-Sharaa, said on Thursday. 2025-01-16T18:57+0000 2025-01-16T18:57+0000 2025-01-16T18:58+0000 world middle east israel syria golan heights un peacekeepers https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e5/07/08/1083336220_0:160:3073:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_a535439e2a42c6a801194c641f447e5e.jpg "We are ready to receive UN forces in the buffer zone so that the situation returns to the state that existed before the Israeli offensive," al-Sharaa said during talks with the Qatari delegation in Damascus, as quoted by Al-Jazeera. Israel no longer has any arguments in favor of moving deeper into the buffer zone, al-Sharaa said. Qatar played a major role in "forming a position of opposition to the Israeli advance" and will continue to play an active role in the future, the official said. israel syria golan heights Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International syria un peacekeepers, golan heights israeli occupation https://sputnikglobe.com/20250116/us-nuclear-power-at-risk-amid-russias-enriched-uranium-export-restrictions-1121441377.html US Nuclear Power at Risk Amid Russias Enriched Uranium Export Restrictions US Nuclear Power at Risk Amid Russias Enriched Uranium Export Restrictions Sputnik International Russias restrictions on the exports of enriched uranium to the United States threaten disruptions to the USs nuclear power production, Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economics Daleep Singh said on Thursday. 2025-01-16T19:03+0000 2025-01-16T19:03+0000 2025-01-16T19:03+0000 americas us nuclear power enriched uranium https://cdn1.img.sputnikglobe.com/img/07e7/03/18/1108765954_76:0:2001:1083_1920x0_80_0_0_2c8c35f6703edb1b87f660d93c7b9fe7.jpg "Russia restricted its export of enriched uranium last November, creating the risk of disruption to our and allied nuclear power production," Singh said during a conversation at the Atlantic Council (designated an undesirable foreign organization in Russia). In November, Russia introduced temporary restrictions on the export of enriched uranium to the United States, with the exceptions for deliveries conducted under licenses from the Federal Service for Technical and Export Control. The move was in response to the USs May 2024 decision to ban imports of uranium products from Russia. The USs legislation allows waivers should the United States determine that no alternative viable source of low-enriched uranium is available to sustain the continued operation of a US nuclear reactor or nuclear energy company, or if it also determines the importation of uranium is in the national interest. Any waiver issued by the US Energy Department must terminate by January 1, 2028, while the ban itself expires on December 31, 2040. https://sputnikglobe.com/20250108/no-alternatives-in-sight-us-goes-ahead-with-russian-uranium-purchases-despite-restrictions-1121385929.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 2025 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rossiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International russia enriched uranium exports, anti russian sanctions Driver Jason Ryan will be out of action this week after bearing the brunt of an accident that occurred on Monday, Jan. 13 at The Raceway at Western Fair District. Ryan, a career winner of 1,940 races, was one of four drivers unseated in the fourth race accident after the leading horse slipped and fell during the opening quarter-mile and caused a chain reaction. "Im banged up and bruised my ribs; got lucky enough though nothing is broken," Ryan told Trot Insider on Wednesday. After spending Monday night in the hospital for assessment, the 36-year-old resident of Guelph, Ont. is home resting and hoping to be back in the bike sooner than later. "I took off for the rest of the week and Ill go from there and see how a feel," said Ryan, who is coming off a career year in 2024 and his third straight million-dollar season when horses he drove won 244 races and nearly $1.85 million in purses. The other drivers that were unseated during the accident -- Austin Sorrie, Paul MacKenzie and Daryl Thiessen -- all returned to action on Tuesday at Western Fair. Please join Standardbred Canada in wishing Jason Ryan a full and speedy recovery. (Standardbred Canada) Winter racing at The Meadowlands has featured competitive, full fields, and while 10 starters behind the gate is supposed to be a hindrance to horses looking to compile long winning streaks, such is not the case for Cellmate. Hes popular with his fans not to mention owners and trainers at the claiming box having gone unbeaten is his last four starts, and the five-year-old gelded son of Huntsville-Twin B Bikini will ramp up his drive for five on Saturday, Jan. 18 in the sixth race at The Big M. Hell leave from post two with Jason Bartlett in the bike as the 5-2 morning line favourite. I didnt notice the horse, said Frank Calcagni, who became Cellmates trainer at the conclusion of his win last week. My owners picked up on him. They kind of pick out their own horses. Cellmate slipped through the cracks on me, but he seems to be running on all cylinders right now. I like the lines on him and hes nice to be around. Cellmates streak started on Dec. 7 in a $20,000 USD claimer with a victory for trainer Tom Fanning at the mile oval as the 4-5 favourite, which was followed by a win at 10-1 from post eight at Yonkers Raceway 12 days later in another $20,000 USD claiming event. After that race, trainer Mark Ford took Cellmate home on his trailer. The next two starts both in East Rutherford, New Jersey brought more visits to the winners circle. A Dec. 28 score as the 9-5 public choice in a $25,000 USD claimer was followed by the last of Cellmates Fab Four, another victory at the $25,000 USD claiming level, this time as the 2-1 favourite. Thats when Calcagni and his owners claimed the lifetime winner of 14 of 58 starts who has earnings of $151,047. Im just going to give him a light week, said Calcagni. Cellmate was pressed in his win last week. I like that Hunt For Cash [who was second in that race], too. I had him in my barn a few weeks ago. I go by the horses form [when considering claims]. I look back four, five, 10 lines and try to pick a horse thats in form or getting in form. For Calcagni, the objective is to not have trainees in his barn for an extended period of time. I dont like keeping horses very long, said the 43-year-old conditioner. Not more than a year. I want to see how they pan out, then I like to move them. I like fresh faces. Im starting to get into the claiming game a little bit more. Horses can stay sharp when they move around from barn to barn. So, whats the hope with Cellmate? I wouldnt mind if he won this week and got claimed right back, said Calcagni. Hes in the right [$25,000 USD] class. I would expect someone to put in a claim on him, but sometimes people are a little shy the first time in a new barn. Maybe that means Cellmate will get a stay from the Governor and get to be in Calcagnis barn for another week or two. Showing The Kids A Thing Or Two The cold weather is supposed to be a time of year when the bigger names in The Meadowlands driver colony are vacationing somewhere warm, affording the tracks Young Guns an opportunity to win a lot of dashes. Apparently, Dave Miller and Jason Bartlett have a youthful spring in their respective steps. Through the first four race cards of 2025, the 60-year-old Miller, who has said this will be his last year racing full time at The Big M, has 10 victories, good for second in the standings. Hes been ultra-consistent, recording no fewer than two but no more than three wins on any program. Bartlett, 43, leads the colony with 14 walks down victory lane. The 13-time Yonkers kingpin won six races on Jan. 4 and followed that up with five more last Saturday, Jan. 11. Thus far in 2025, only nine drivers have two or more Meadowlands wins. Miller and Bartlett have been so dominant, their total of 24 victories are equal to that of the next seven drivers in the standings combined. During the month of January, live racing will be conducted every Friday and Saturday with a first-race post time of 6:20 p.m. On live race nights, the live Racing from The Meadowlands pre-game show starts at 5:45 p.m. when track announcer Ken Warkentin opens up the mic with a scene set and program changes before the team of Jessica Otten and Dave Little take over from the Sam McKee Memorial Broadcast Set with news, notes, selections and a look at the nights featured races.TROT Magazines John Rallis will be on hand this weekend conducting interviews from the back paddock throughout the evening for both programs. The Meadowlands offers free program pages for every race of every race card on its website at playmeadowlands.com. Weekend Events & Giveaways The first of what will be a monthly handicapping contest with a prize pool of $1,000 USD will be held on Friday, Jan. 17. Contestants must be on-site to participate and the top two finishers earn a spot in a $10,000 USD invitation-only handicapping contest that takes place in December. One of The Big Ms most popular giveaways takes place on Saturday, Jan. 18, with the tracks 2025 Calendar Giveaway, which is chock full of photos commemorating highlights of the 2024 season. Starting at 6 p.m., the first 1,000 guests will receive a calendar. One per person, please. Check out a great bout on Saturday, Jan. 18 when UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev takes on Arman Tsarukyan in the main attraction, affording the Big M faithful to watch and wager on both the fights and the races. The UFC Watch Party takes place in The Gallery at 10 p.m. (With files from Meadowlands Racetrack) The Hanover, Bentinck & Brant Agricultural Society (HBBAS) announced this week that Domm Construction of Ayton, Ont. has been awarded the contract for the renovation of the HBBAS Carriage Hall and administrative offices at Hanover Raceway. The tender proposal from Domm Construction was one of five bids received for the project. The contract is for complete interior renovation of the approximately 16,000 square foot space, plus updates to the exterior facade. The design will provide a multi-purpose banquet hall and conference space with a total capacity of 460 persons, together with a state of the art kitchen. The hall can be separated into three smaller spaces to accommodate events or meetings of any size. The administrative offices will provide a reception area, dedicated office space for staff and boardroom. Construction began on Jan. 8, 2025 and is expected to take approximately 32 weeks. The HBBAS is very excited to be moving ahead with this project. Plans for use of the space have been underway since 2019, when Gateway Casinos relocated its operations to its current location in the east end of the building. Progress was slowed by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the planning process. However, the Board was able to move forward with Strategic Planning in 2022, which confirmed the desire to complete the renovation and to operate the facility as a conference centre and meeting space. A Hall Committee was struck in March of 2023 to proceed with the project, chaired by Directors Natasha Chalmers and Dean Leifso. Nelson Dawley Engineering of Hanover, Ont. was contracted to complete the engineering and architectural drawings, with the assistance of John Rutledge Architect and McLellan Vitella Engineering. HBBAS President Adam Chalmers is thankful for the work of the committee and the progress to date. We are excited to see the project move forward. It has been a long time coming, and the community will benefit from having an event facility available in the Town of Hanover, said Chalmers. The administrative offices will be temporarily moved to the Race Office by the barns, south of the racetrack. HBBAS looks forward to sharing progress on this project through its website and social media platforms, including information on future bookings and the grand opening celebration in late 2025 or early 2026. (With files from Hanover, Bentinck & Brant Agricultural Society) Costco Wholesale Corp. has four stores in the San Antonio area. David Paul Morris/Bloomberg The rumors are true: Costco Wholesale Corp. is headed to fast-growing New Braunfels. The warehouse club is planning a $37 million project to build a 158,000-square-foot store and gas station at 330 Addstine Lane, near Kohlenberg Road and the Interstate 35 access road. According to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, construction is expected to start in September and wrap up in March 2026. Real estate records indicate the property is owned by a company affiliated with Southstar, which is developing the 1,900-acre Mayfair community in the same area. Mayfair will include about 6,000 single-family homes, duplexes, townhomes and apartments, 300 acres of commercial space, 300 acres of parks and multiple schools. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We have enjoyed working with Costco and the city of New Braunfels to bring Costco to Mayfair, said Southstar Chief Operating Officer Gretchen Howell. The addition of a Costco store in the Mayfair area has long been rumored. The membership-only warehouse club already has four stores in the San Antonio area: one on the citys far West Side, one near the University of Texas at San Antonios main campus on the North Side, one in the Stone Oak area and one in Selma. The newest of those stores is the location at 191 W. Loop 1604 South, which opened in 2021. Northeast of New Braunfels, Costco also has stores in Kyle and Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A spokesperson for Issaquah, Wash.-based Costco said it is the companys policy to not comment about future stores until Costco is ready to share details, which is usually two to three months before a location opens. Costco has a 5.7% share of the areas $10.1 billion grocery market, according to industry publication Chain Store Guide. Thats far behind H-E-B and Walmart, but ahead of Walmarts Sams Club chain, Target and Dollar General. An outside investigation into a Kalama High School English courses use of a graphic novel containing sexual content found no evidence of a political or personal agenda, but concluded that the districts review process for curriculum materials needs clarification. The Kalama School Board will host community listening sessions on the report and the curriculum review process Tuesday to Jan. 23, Superintendent Wesley Benjamin announced in a letter to the community Monday. Listening sessions 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge Restaurant Lounge 2:30-4 p.m. Jan. 22, Mountain Timber Market near Luckman Coffee Co. 8:30-10 a.m. Jan. 23, Columbia Inn Restaurant What happened? Students in English 170 a College in the High School class offered at Kalama High School through a partnership with Eastern Washington University were assigned the 2006 graphic novel Fun Home: A Family Tragicomedy by Alison Bechdel. College in the High School is a program that allows high school students to earn college credits through partnerships between Kalama School District and local colleges. The classes are taught by Kalama teachers using material provided by the partner schools. Fun Home is a memoir about Bechdels childhood that touches on issues such as sexuality, mental health and dysfunctional family relationships. Time Magazine listed it as the best read of 2006, and it was a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist the same year. A junior in the class took a picture of a sex scene featured in the book and sent it to her mother, who posted it on a Kalama Facebook group on Dec. 20, complaining that it was pornography and not appropriate for a high school class. In response, the district instructed students to return their copies of the book, placed the teacher who assigned it on administrative leave and hired an outside investigator to review the incident. The school has not released the name of the teacher. School officials also declined to say whether the teacher still works for the district, due to legal concerns. Report findings Timothy Yeomans, owner of Quartermaster Consulting, interviewed students, parents, Kalama staff and the associate director of the Eastern Washington University College in the High School program. In a report dated to Sunday, he concluded that most of the error was a result of staff, including the teacher who assigned the book, not understanding the review process for new material. The teacher who assigned the book told Yeomans she believed the approval process had already taken place at the university, according to the report. She said she had read reviews of the book and was excited to teach it as a coming-of-age story, but did not have time to read it herself before it was handed out to students. According to district policy, core instructional materials should be reviewed by a committee and approved by the school board before they can be used. Supplemental materials, like books, dont have to follow the same process, but staff are expected to thoroughly preview them before using them. The review process has been inconsistent since the 2016-2017 school year, according to the report. Staff and administrators were especially uncertain of how to apply it to College in the High School materials, and in some cases incorrectly left it up to the universities. Yeomans did not find reports of issues with other College in the High School class materials, although he noted that does not mean all of them were properly approved. Nine of the 10 students interviewed for the report said they felt the teacher who assigned Fun Home handled sensitive topics respectfully and did not push any specific agenda. One student and their parents disagreed. The students and parents were also not named in the report. Over half of the students said they were made aware that controversial topics might be covered in the course. Three students said they were not, and one student was adamant that they did not expect any topics or discussions that would be controversial, according to the report. Moving forward The district is currently working on reviewing all the books it has purchased to ensure that they align with state and local standards, Benjamin wrote in the letter. It will also reconvene the Instructional Materials Committee, which is responsible for reviewing core class materials, and offer more clarification about the review process in general. Going forward, the district will also implement a formal orientation process for College in the High School classes outlining course expectations and making it clear that students might encounter challenging or controversial material. Benjamin wrote that the district will reassess its relationship with college partners when it comes to future College in the High School classes. 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 National laboratory researchers and industry collaborators in the National Charging Experience Consortium (ChargeX Consortium) have identified a new mechanism called "seamless retry" that could alleviate a common electric vehicle (EV) driver frustration with public charging by automatically restarting failed EV charging sessions, so users do not have to. While the current public charging network offers EV drivers more than 205,000 places to charge across the nationa number that continues to grow in real timethere is a continued need to improve the reliability of these charging options for drivers while they are away from home. The rapid rollout of the number of public charging locations across the nation has boosted convenience for EV drivers. However, sometimes user intervention is still needed to restart the direct-current (DC) fast charging EV charging sessions if they fail to initiate. Currently, a simple unplug and replug of the charging connector can quickly fix the problem but puts the burden on the user to manually restart the charging session. To reduce the need for user interventions when EV charging fails to initiate by automatically restarting failed sessions, researchers participating in the ChargeX Consortium from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Idaho National Laboratory (INL), and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), along with industry contributors recently released a new report detailing the benefits of a new hands-free, tech-enabled mechanism aptly named "seamless retry." "Seamless retry directly impacts how the driver interacts with their vehicle and EV charging infrastructure," said Kristi Moriarty, a senior transportation researcher at NREL and a ChargeX Consortium lead "By resolving a variety of session failure types automatically, we have unlocked a significantly scalable way of improving users' future charging experiences." Automation to improve the user experience The ChargeX Consortium identified the seamless retry mechanism as a viable solution to boost operational efficiency, demonstrate potential for intelligent design through automation, resolve a common technical challenge, and unburden drivers who previously have had to manually restart charging sessions that failed to initiate. Put simply, the user no longer needs to physically get out of their car to unplug and replug the charging connector when a charging session fails. The consortium's novel mechanism can specifically be applied to DC fast charging scenarios where an unplug and replug of the charging connector resolves the failure. Seamless retry makes the restart invisible by automatically resetting the vehicle and EV charging infrastructure and initiating the new charge. As public charging stands currently, if a user starts a session and leaves the vehicle for a period of time, they may return to a car with little to no charge because the charging session failed to initiate. While it is possible for the user to currently receive a failed charging session alert through an application or text message, without seamless retry, the user must physically return to the vehicle to restart the charging session. "The added convenience of seamless retry is what makes this approach so beneficial to adopt," said Ed Watt, a researcher at NREL and lead author of the Recommended Practice Seamless Retry for Electric Vehicle Charging report. "With a seamless retry mechanism in place, an EV driver at a retail center can plug in a charging connector, provide user input data, leave to shop, and feel confident that they will return to a charged vehicle." ChargeX researchers also considered deterrents of seamless retry as part of their new findings. During a charging session, the user may become frustrated at the additional time required to start charging due to seamless retry. To address this potential downside, the consortium mentioned that the EV industry should consider integrating additional system information provided to the user during the seamless retry process, such as status updates, recommendations based on type of charging failure, and number of attempts made. Seamless retry future work As the user experience is defined and further understood, additional work will help advance the seamless retry mechanism. The ChargeX Consortium's future work in this area will continue to evolve to include developing more targeted retry methods, additional implementation details, and verification test cases. The ChargeX Consortium is a convening of ANL, INL, NREL, and industry stakeholders, with research funded by the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation. The consortium unites private and public stakeholders to solve EV charging challenges and create recommendations to improve the EV charging user experience at scale. 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: Jason Edward Lewis: "The Abundant Intelligences research program is about deconstructing the scarcity mindset and making room for many kinds of intelligence and ways we might think about it." Credit: Concordia University A new initiative steered by Concordia University researchers is challenging the conversation around the direction of artificial intelligence (AI). It charges that the current trajectory is inherently biased against non-Western modes of thinking about intelligenceespecially those originating from Indigenous cultures. As a way of decolonizing the future of AI, they have created the Abundant Intelligences research program: an international, multi-institutional and interdisciplinary program that seeks to rethink how we conceive of AI. The driving concept behind it is the incorporation of Indigenous knowledge systems to create an inclusive, robust concept of intelligence and intelligent action, and how that can be embedded into existing and future technologies. The full concept is described in a recent paper for the journal AI & Society. "Artificial intelligence has inherited conceptual and intellectual ideas from past formulations of intelligence that took on certain colonial pathways to establish itself, such as emphasizing a kind of industrial or production focus," says Ceyda Yolgormez, a postdoctoral fellow with Abundant Intelligences and one of the paper's authors. They write that this scarcity mindset contributed to resource exploitation and extraction that has extended a legacy of Indigenous erasure that influences discussion around AI to this day, adds lead author Jason Edward Lewis. The professor in the Department of Design and Computation Arts is also the University Research Chair in Computational Media and the Indigenous Future Imaginary. "The Abundant Intelligences research program is about deconstructing the scarcity mindset and making room for many kinds of intelligence and ways we might think about it." The researchers believe this alternative approach can create an AI that is oriented toward human thriving, that preserves and supports Indigenous languages, addresses pressing environmental and sustainability issues, re-imagines public health solutions and more. Relying on local intelligence The community-based research program is directed from Concordia in Montreal, but much of the local work will be done by individual research clusters (called pods) across Canada, in the United States and in New Zealand. The pods will be anchored to Indigenous-centered research and media labs at Western University in Ontario, the University of Lethbridge in Alberta, the University of Hawai'iWest Oahu, Bard College in New York and Massey University in New Zealand. They bring together Indigenous knowledge-holders, cultural practitioners, language keepers, educational institutions and community organizations with research scientists, engineers, artists and social scientists to develop new computational practices fitted to an Indigenous-centered perspective. The researchers are also partnering with AI professionals and industry researchers, believing that the program will open new avenues of research and propose new research questions for mainstream AI research. "For example, how do you build a rigorous system out of a small amount of resource data like different Indigenous languages?" asks Yolgormez. "How do you make multi-agent systems that are robust, recognize and support non-human actors and integrate different sorts of activities within the body of a single system?" Lewis asserts that their approach is both complementary and alternative to mainstream AI research, particularly regarding data sets like Indigenous languages that are much smaller than the ones currently being used by industry leaders. "There is a commitment to working with data from Indigenous communities in an ethical way, compared to simply scraping the internet," he says. "This yields miniscule amounts of data compared to what the larger companies are working with, but it presents the potential to innovate different approaches when working with small languages. That can be useful to researchers who want to take a different approach than the mainstream. "This is one of the strengths of the decolonial approach: it's one way to get out of this tunnel vision belief that there is only one way of doing things." Hemi Whaanga, professor at Massey University in New Zealand, also contributed to the paper. More information: Jason Edward Lewis et al, Abundant intelligences: placing AI within Indigenous knowledge frameworks, AI & Society (2024). DOI: 10.1007/s00146-024-02099-4 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 Aviation currently contributes to about 4% of the global warming that has been observed. As demand for flights is likely to continue to increase, researchers and governments are looking for solutions to make aviation climate-neutral by 2050 at the latest. The majority of experts agree that air fares will become more expensive as a result. But how much more? There is also some debate about which technology is best for decarbonizing aviation. According to a new study by researchers at ETH Zurich and the Paul Scherrer Institute published in the journal Nature Communications, air fares could rise by about 50% compared to current prices if synthetic fuels were to replace the fossil fuel kerosene throughout the world by 2050. "When looking at this potential increase, it should be taken into account that air fares have fallen by over 40% in the last 25 years," says Anthony Patt, ETH Professor of Climate Policy and co-author of the study. "If this trend were to continue, a climate-neutral flight in 2050 would cost roughly the same as a flight today." Two technological approaches The authors of the study compare two approaches for reducing the climate-damaging effects of aviation. In the first, airplanes continue to use petroleum-based kerosene. However, an equivalent amount of CO 2 is extracted from the atmosphere as that emitted by the jet engines, for example by filtering it directly from the air and storing it underground. The ETH spin-off Climeworks launched this technology onto the market a few years ago. In the second approach, airlines replace an increasing amount of kerosene with synthetic fuel without the need to modify turbines or aircraft. This fuel is produced from captured CO 2 combined with sustainably produced hydrogen, the latter produced from water either using electricity or with a solar reactor. The latter technology was developed at ETH Zurich and brought to market by the ETH spin-off Synhelion. Synthetic fuels the cheaper option The researchers show that synthetic fuels would be the cheaper option if air traffic continues to increase. The reason for this is that aviation's impact on the climate is not limited to CO 2 emissions. "As a result of condensation trails and other non-CO 2 effects, such as those relating to the release of soot particles or nitrogen oxides, the overall impact of aviation on the climate can be up to three times greater than that of CO 2 emissions alone," says Nicoletta Brazzola, lead author of the study and post-doctoral researcher in the Professorship for Climate Policy at ETH Zurich. Unlike the warming from CO 2 emissions, which lasts for centuries, the non-CO 2 effects are short-lived, and hence respond immediately to the volume of aviation. As the volume of aviation grows, these short-lived effects can rise quite quickly. Truly climate neutral aviation requires offsetting these non-CO 2 effects with additional removal of CO 2 from the air. Synthetic fuels have one significant advantage: they burn more cleanly than fossil kerosene and cause far fewer damaging non-CO 2 effects. This also means that less additional CO 2 needs to be removed compared to an aircraft fueled with fossil kerosene. The researchers explain that this works out cheaper. In the case of an emit-and-compensate approach based on kerosene, ticket prices would be about 55% to 75% higher than they are today. With synthetic fuels, they would only go up by 45% to 60%. A rocky road ahead However, Brazzola, the author of the study, believes that the road to climate-neutral aviation will not be a straightforward one. "To achieve climate-neutral aviation, we will need to massively scale up supply of these fuels, producing large quantities of green hydrogen and building CO 2 transport and storage infrastructure," says the ETH researcher. "This will be an unprecedented challenge." The actual cost of producing synthetic fuel depends on the price of its energy inputs, with solar and wind offering the lowest costs. The least expensive inputs, in sufficient quantities to serve the global market, are to be found outside of Europe. "We would expect to see global production chains for synthetic fuels rather than European ones. This global market makes the renewable energies required for the production of these fuels a lot cheaper," says ETH Professor Patt. For example, large solar energy plants could be located in areas of Northern Africa or the Arabian Peninsula that are exposed to a lot of sunshine. There are also other countries with significant potential for renewable energies, such as the U.S., South Africa, Chile and Australia. CO 2 and kerosene need to be more expensive The key question for Patt is whether the volume of sustainable kerosene will increase quickly enough, as the market is still very small at present. The ETH professor believes that the right political conditions will play a vital role in this. For example, a law came into effect in the EU in 2025 that initially requires 2% sustainable fuel to be blended into fossil kerosene. This is to increase to 70% by 2050. A similar regulation is set to come into effect in Switzerland in 2026. "These measures are a step in the right direction, but they need to be expanded further. The price of CO 2 would also have to go up to make fossil kerosene more expensive and therefore more unattractive," says Patt. More information: Nicoletta Brazzola et al, The role of direct air capture in achieving climate-neutral aviation, Nature Communications (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55482-6 Journal information: Nature Communications